OP/ED: Carbon tax should be killed, not used for transit
By: Jordan Bateman, Canadian Taxpayers Federation Whenever a transit authority cries poor in British Columbia, the NDP inevitably rush in with a claim that the carbon tax is the perfect way to pay for it. In reality, the vast majority of British Columbians would be better off if the carbon tax was killed, not repurposed. […]
Surprise, surprise traffic fatalities drop in Lower Mainland
Traffic fatalities are down an unprecedented 38% from 2010 to 2011 in the RCMP-policed areas in the Lower Mainland. And the drop is getting international attention from other police forces. There were 97 traffic fatalities in the RCMP Lower Mainland policed areas in 2010, and 60 fatalities in 2011. Fatalities have been dropping for the last […]
New Poll Results Released: Canadian Cancer Society calls on BC government to protect youth by restricting indoor tanning for those under 18
With a new poll showing strong public support for regulations which would prohibit youth under 18 from using indoor tanning equipment, the Canadian Cancer Society is calling on the BC government to introduce legislation as soon as possible in order to protect the health of BC’s youth. “The BC government has the ability to ...
COMMENT: Federal Government comments damaging to the Impartiality of the joint review process
The First Nations Leadership Council is greatly troubled by recent comments by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver advocating for the proposed Enbridge Gateway pipeline to proceed even before the Joint Review Panel’s environmental review has begun. Grand Chief Edward John states,...
Analyst says it: HST has hurt retailing
It didn’t get much attention when it was said just after Christmas: partially because many of us were still busy with the holiday season; but I noticed it. And also because it’s not something the pro-HST media pundits and propagandists would want to tell you about: so I will. In an article in The Vancouver Province about weak...
Cross-border deal's grave threats to Canadian food security
The following is the third installment of a three part investigation by Nelle Maxey into the wide-ranging environmental and socio-political implications for Canada of the recently signed US-Canada cross border security deal and ancillary agreements related to the Regulatory Cooperation Commission. Read part 1 and part 2 here....
Province increases homeowner grants threshold
British Columbians who own homes worth up to $1.285 million may be eligible to receive the entire homeowners’ grant this year, after the Province raised the threshold to accommodate rising property values. BC Assessment estimates the value of all homes based on their market value on July 1 each year. The Province then reviews...
Top five mortgage trends of 2011
By: Rob McLister, Canadian Mortgage Trends Cheap money fuelled another buoyant year for real estate in 2011. That helped housing values climb a wall of worry (prices rose another 4.6 percent year over year as of November) despite numerous predictions of a correction. Mortgage balances went along for the ride, growing another 7 percent. 2011 was a […]
Globalized bigness...and why Santa Claus is no longer believable
When Santa Claus was delivering a few token Christmas gifts to a few houses in a few little villages in northern Europe, he seemed believable because his task was possible. But a globalized Santa, required to travel at searing speeds to distribute billions of gifts to billions of households, simply boggles belief. Despite the...
US-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council plans Orwellian transportation pact
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second of three articles by Nelle Maxey examining the wide-ranging ramifications for the Canadian public, economy and environment of the new Canada-US Border Security Deal and its ancillary agreements. With my first article on this topic I set the background for Canada's new trade deal with the US...