I have argued that ideology makes you stupid and if you have power it makes you dangerous. One of the best examples is the idiocy of more and more tax cuts with the supposed goal of making Canadian business internationally “competitive.” First, tax rates regularly come about sixth or seventh down the list of factors that […]

The BC Ministry of Children and Family Development has announced that it will require more frequent criminal records checks for foster parents and caregivers of children in care – every three years instead of every five. The ministry will have access to databases from police, the courts and corrections. “BC’s programs for children at risk […]

  The computer version of the flu is called 'malware'. Malware is a global term for computer viruses, trojans, spyware, keyloggers and other bad software. There are so many different categories, and so many specific examples that don't comfortably fit within just one category, that it's easier just to call all of them "malware"....

 When asked recently what she thought of Jack Layton’s proposal to increase the payout of the Canada Pension Plan (by gradually increasing premiums paid by workers and employers) Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green Party replied:“I’m not sure why Jack would propose that. I think that’s a very poor idea. It would constitute...

 I'm going to ask you to imagine something for me: you're at the Castlegar Golf Club with your (husband, father, best friend) and he has a heart attack. You know it's a heart attack because it's his second one. The ambulance comes, and you're shocked when they turn onto the highway toward Castlegar instead of Trail, since...

For a cynical kind of person, holidays provide a great opportunity to be, well, cynical. I am actually pretty indifferent about most holidays, not seeing the point of many events people seem to get excited about, like Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and even Easter. Well, actually Easter is okay, but only because of the chocolate...

What are the key issues that progressives need to be fighting to rid the country of Stephen Harper's wrecking crew? One is the tar sands and the Enbridge pipeline, which would see giant oil tankers plying the waters off the B.C. coast. Another key issue is the Harper government's oft-announced plan to begin its so-called...

 New Democrat Agriculture Critic, Alex Atamanenko (BC Southern Interior) is fed up with the partisan antics that Conservative Members of Parliament are using to obstruct the work of the Standing Committee on Agriculture. According to Atamanenko, all they had to do at last week’s meeting was vote on a motion to request a 30-day extension to complete […]

 Wow – newsflash – the City of Castlegar is actually considering enforcing its own bylaws. Stop the presses, she says sardonically.   That shouldn’t be news at all, if you ask me … it should just be a given ….but the sad part is, I guarantee a hue and cry when residents start having to […]

It’s quite a come down. From in-your-face arrogance to a total retreat in a matter of a few months, the big money behind Quebecor’s determination to set up a Fox news North is now looking pretty humble.There’s no doubt that part of this is overreach on the part of Pierre Karl Peladeau and his junkyard-dog front man Kory...