COLUMN: From the Hill -- G20 Energy
Last week I travelled with Jim Carr, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, to the G20 energy meetings in Argentina. The meetings are a mix of reports from the G20 countries and of presentations by world experts about the state of energy markets and future energy demand. The main theme of the talks was the “grand […]
LETTER: Canadian democracy not a matter of fairness
Canadian democracy is not a matter of fairness. Since European invasion, Canada has had 200 years of colonial autocracy, then 50 years of elections without votes for women, and an additional 50 years without votes for Indigenous people. In every form democracy has taken since Confederation, it has been used to defend the...
Guest Editorial: Wilderness, or heli-playground?
Editor’s Note: Many people are not yet aware of the proposal to turn about 700 square kilometres of the southern Purcell Range into a heli-playground, cutting new trails and building lodges, with helicopter flights carrying in skiers in the winter and hikers and mountain bikers in the summer. The...
OP/ED: Local advocacy group applauds Clear Referendum Question
The Castlegar and Area Fair Vote Chapter, a local citizens group for proportional representation, welcomed the announcement today of the referendum question by Attorney-General David Eby. “We're pleased to have a clear question for the citizens of BC. Now we can get to work on reaching as many voters as possible in our community...
COLUMN: Federal Bill C-76 addresses some electoral concerns
After the 2015 federal election, most Canadians were happy about the prospects for positive electoral reform. Both the Liberals and the NDP had campaigned on promises that first, there would be no more elections under the old first-past-the-post system, and second, that they would repeal the unfair aspects of the Conservative’s so-called “Fair Elections Act.” […]
LETTER: In support of a 'no' vote in recreation referendum
To the Editor: We face an important decision on the June 23 referendum to approve two bylaws (2597 and 2598) that would raise the cap on RDCK recreation-related taxes to finance $22 million of a proposed $32.3 million enhancement of the rec centre and aquatic centre. This is an enormous 25-year tax burden for a relatively...
LETTER: It's a Complex issue
Do we invest in an upgraded Regional Community Complex? Be clear, I am not writing this to tell people how to vote – I am asking them to be informed voters. My initial reaction to upgrading - “No”! Higher taxes? Not for me!!” I felt I had not used the facility much over the years –why should I pay for it then? Looking...
From the Hill - MP speaks to local flooding
The flood situation in the south Okanagan and Boundary regions has dominated the news for the past month and the news seems to get more serious by the day. Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes and many have lost everything—houses, vehicles, land. Last Friday and Saturday I drove from Penticton to Trail and...
LETTER: Recreation plan misses mark with softball fields
To whom it may concern, I am writing to express my concerns with the city of Castlegar and RDCK recreation commission’s plan to eliminate the ball field at the Castlegar complex as part of the upcoming complex revamp with no plan to replace it. The city already took two ballfields out at Millennium with promises to replace ...
LETTER: Councillor makes impassioned argument for 'yes' vote in recreation referendum
In a letter to the editor in the April 19 edition of the Castlegar News, Councillor Bruno Tassone explains his reasoning for voting against a council motion to support the upcoming Regional District Recreation Complex referendum. While I respect his right to support or oppose any motion, I do not accept his asserted reasoning....
