This week, I returned to the legislature for a new session of presenting, debating, and passing legislation alongside my colleagues. In our first week, we presented our Throne Speech and 2024 Budget, sharing some of the priorities of our government for the year ahead. We know that people are facing challenges, like global inflation and high interest rates. […]

As someone who has enjoyed a long media career, including 44 years hosting CBC TV’s The Nature of Things, I understand how important robust media is to a thriving democracy. An informed public makes better decisions about everything from health care to voting. Some, unfortunately, see an informed public as a threat to their agendas. […]

The BC Legislature resumed Feb. 20 with a Speech from the Throne that outlines our commitments for the fall session. The 2024 Budget will be announced on February 22. Our government has taken on some of the biggest challenges facing British Columbians, like childcare, housing, and healthcare. We will continue to add important pieces to […]

Government apologizes for historic wrongs against Sons of Freedom Last week in Castlegar and Grand Forks, Attorney General Niki Sharma delivered a heartfelt and a long overdue apology to the Sons of Freedom Doukhobor community for historic wrongs committed by the provincial government. Along with this apology, a $10 million compensation package was also announced for […]

I was trained to be a scientist. A book I cowrote with Tony Griffiths became the most widely used genetics text in the United States. But as I was beginning my career in Canada, I was struck by the priorities of newspapers and television. Whole sections and programs were devoted to politics, business, sports and […]

I’ve written in a previous column about the exciting developments in battery recycling in Trail. There, KC Recycling is one of western North America’s largest lead-acid battery recyclers and Cirba Solutions (formerly Retriev) is a major recycler of literally every other kind of battery. Both these businesses are important components of the circular economy we […]

“We all live in a network of stories. There isn’t a stronger connection between people than story-telling.” — J. N. Smith Reconciliation, after Truth is taught I have written in this column before about Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, most recently in the last Arc in December. I feel it’s a subject that I might […]

Canada is regarded as a country of spectacular nature, with magnificent forests. The boreal forest alone, stretching from Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador, makes up 55 per cent of Canada’s land mass and is home to numerous plant and animal species and human communities. Listening to government, you could be forgiven for thinking that our […]

For the past three and a half months the world has witnessed the devastating situation in Palestine and Israel. Since the horrifying Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7 and the beginning of this latest assault on Gaza by Israeli forces, tens of thousands of innocent people have been killed, of whom two-thirds are women and […]

At the start of a new year, many of us take time to set goals and make plans for the months ahead. As MLA for Kootenay West, and Minister of Finance for the entire province, I know there is so much work to be done this year to make life better here and across B.C. […]