A vote to raise utility rates in Castlegar saw a rare division of city council Monday night, with the hike narrowly defeated in a 3-3 decision. In his report to council, city director of financial services Andre Buss pointed out the $66 million of infrastructure maintenance required in coming years, and said, “New Interior...

 A public rally to oppose an Interior Health (IH) decision to move Castlegar's ultrasound machine to Trail drew more than 100 people to the Complex Wednesday night, and netted attendees an unanimous vote from the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District. The district voted unanimously for a resolution supporting continued...

 We should have known it was too good to be true. Harper’s many, many repetitions of his government’s commitment to get all the troops out by July 2011 are well known. I think he may actually have meant it because by these repeated statements he framed the issue so strongly that all Canadians expected – […]

Now that I’m back from some well-enjoyed fun in the sun, I am amazed at the number of people who have suggested the biggest story that happened in BC in the past few weeks was the decision by Premier Gordon Campbell to step down.  They are wrong.   As repeatedly explained on this blog long […]

Organizers are strongly encouraging Castlegar residents to show up for a second rally aimed at persuading Interior Health to leave the Castlegar Health Centre's only ultrasound machine in Castlegar, instead of moving it to Trail. The original plan was to move the machine to Trail to complement the existing two machines at...

For those considering issue triage — picking five or six issues to focus on — in the fight to rid the country of the current government, one area that is critical to the outcome is exposing the Harper government’s construction of the national security state.   I am referring here to the commitment of the […]

 Dear Minister Toews (Minister of Public Safety), I have just received a disturbing account by a young woman from my riding regarding her experience at the G20 Summit in Toronto.  Enclosed please find her detailed explanation of her arrest.   It is important to state that I am not writing to discuss the Summit itself, but...

The pretty village of Kaslo on Kootenay Lake has a population of less than 2,000 and one licensed daycare, the Periwinkle Children’s Centre. The centre has a long history in the community and also a long history of the same problems repeating themselves.  Sarah Lawless, chair of the board of directors for the non-profit centre, […]

 The official results are not yet in, but the preliminary ballots show such a resounding “no” vote that no other finale is a possibility in today’s $25-million recreation referendum in Castlegar. The Regional District of Central Kootenay posted the unoffical results on the district website Saturday night.   With just under 40-per-cent voter turn-out, the […]

 Ed Broadbent, one of Canada’s most respected progressive sages, sat down with the CCPA’s Trish Hennessy to talk about the Canada he grew up in and how it’s changed over his lifetime. During this candid conversation — in Mr. Broadbent’s own Ottawa backyard — he reflects on the profound shift away from equality. When he […]