People across China continue [zh] to announce their candidacy in local district level People’s Congress elections, but how far this new surge in civic consciousness can go remains uncertain.   The case of Liu Ping in Jiangxi province has drawn greater attention recently after Liu and fellow candidates Li Sihua and Wei Zhongping were prevented, […]

 BC Southern Interior MP Alex Atamanenko is outraged at the proposed United States (US) tax crackdown recently announced by the American government.  By law, all individuals holding US citizenship are required to file annual income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In addition, the new US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) obliges […]

At the end of May, an anti-poverty group called Raise the Rates, which is a coalition of over 25 community groups and other organizations, challenged British Columbia’s MLAs to live on the province’s welfare rate of $610 for one month. The last increase in welfare rates was in 2007 when the housing allowance was raised […]

The following is a letter, by school district superintendent Jean Borsa, which was sent home with Castlegar students last week: Dear Parents/Guardians:                                                                       […]

I attended a public meeting Monday night, unveiling draft plans for Millennium Park.   I was very much impressed by the offerings – if I had any criticism to offer, it would be that I don’t believe linear thinkers will understand what they were seeing. When the city unveils a plan, we can generally expect […]

Another car crash at the intersection of Minto Road and Columbia Avenue has local officials shaking their heads in frustration. The collision, which took place at about 4:40 p.m., is one of more than a dozen in the past year or so, which is why the thoroughfare was dubbed “Million-Dollar Alley”. Castlegar Fire Chief Gerry […]

Alex Atamanenko, MP, (BC Southern Interior) says that the lock-out imposed by Canada Post management was a draconian tactic designed to trample the rights of Canadian workers. Although the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) had initiated rotating strikes, postal workers agreed to keep the mail moving. Once the lock-out was announced, the Conservatives immediately […]

Talk about politicians “farming out” work – the city of Castlegar is doing just that, but in a positive way.  City council, at its regular meeting Monday night, voted unanimously to lend the local farmer’s market some assistance - $2,000, to be specific, to help the Castlegar & District Heritage Society keep the venue...

The City of Castlegar has hit the ground running as it embraces social media – tweeting and posting like mad as the first Kootenay community to utilize Facebook and Twitter as a vehicle for public dialogue.  City council green-lighted the new communications approach at its regular meeting Monday night – and within hours, the...

Motions to the establishment of a federal Department of Peace as well as developing a concept of a Civilian Peace Service in Canada will be introduced in the House of Commons by the region’s MP. BC Southern Interior MP Alex Atamanenko is planning on re-introducing a private member’s bill, first introduced by former MP Bill […]