LETTER: Councillor calls for different approach
I love being a Councillor. To be involved in decisions that are bigger than myself is a humbling experience. The City Staff (Chris, Lucas, Tracey, Nicole & David) have been so welcoming and Bruno has been nothing but kind and supportive every step of the way. I have learned so much from my fellow councillors: Dan with...
Stung by derailed negotiations with B.C., Blueberry River First Nations return to court
Three-quarters of the nation's territory lies within 250 metres of an industrial disturbance. A potentially precedent-setting court case on this 'death by a thousand cuts' could disrupt B.C.'s multi-billion dollar natural gas industry. By Christopher Pollon, for The Narwhal After almost a year of negotiations...
BC Finance Committee visits Castlegar for Budget 2020 consultation
The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, a parliamentary committee of the legislative assembly, will hold a public hearing in Castlegar on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, as part of its Budget 2020 consultation. The committee invites British Columbians to meet with the committee to share their priorities and...
OP/ED: Mayor and council should either abolish Question Period or start taking it seriously
Something happened at the most recent Castlegar City Council meeting that has me very, very upset. A member of the public attended and waited hours for Question Period, at which time she came forward asking for some assurance that the potholes on Columbia Avenue would be fixed soon. Mayor Bruno Tassone asked for clarification...
Editorial: The value and the danger of “Climate Change Adaptation” programs
Readers may well wonder about the “danger” mentioned in this headline. The value of climate change adaptation is obvious to the well-informed: it will help willing residents and their communities better survive the extremes that climate change is bringing. Better water conservation can prepare communities for longer, more ...
KCTU: An Open Letter to Minister Conroy: Taking Away Services From Kids Is Not Equity
For audio, click here Dear Minister Conroy, After 16 years of a government that constantly picked fights with teachers and underfunded public schools, many in BC’s education sector felt relief when your government was elected. Teachers heard MLAs like you congratulate us on our Supreme Court win and back us up on our fight ...
LETTER: We need to take action on Castlegar homelessness
Dear Editor, I would like to open the conversation up on homelessness in our area. We have people who are needing help and understanding. In fact, many of them are people who have grown up here who have just hit a rough patch. Some have never had a run-in with the law and others who are simply poor, which is not a crime. Yes,...
BC Increases Firefighting Budget by 58%
The B.C. government has released its updated action plan in response to the government-commissioned, independent Abbott/Chapman report on the unprecedented 2017 wildfire and flood seasons in British Columbia. The initial action plan was released October 2018, with a commitment to provide updates over six-month intervals until...
City of Castlegar and CUPE Local 2262 sign off on new Collective Agreement
The City of Castlegar and and CUPE Local 2262 are pleased to announce that a new four-and-a-half-year collective agreement has been reached. The contract was negotiated and ratified following a successful round of negotiations. The parties worked collaboratively throughout negotiations tackling several issues. The Collective...
Column: From the Hill -- Invasive Species Action Inadequate
Lost in the recent media frenzy over the SNC Lavalin scandal were the 2019 Spring Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. These last reports from Julie Gelfand before her retirement focused on protection of fish and their habitat from mining effluent, subsidies to the fossil fuels industry...
