By: Jordan Bateman, B.C. Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation As hundreds of municipal politicians gathered in Vancouver last week for the Union of BC Municipalities conference, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released the contract with taxpayers they will be challenging B.C. candidates to sign ahead of the Nov. 19 municipal elections. “Taxpayers are stretched thin and […]

U.S. authorities have raised the possibility of putting up fencing along parts of the long, open border between Canada and the U.S., the Vancouver Province reports. The proposal is part of a draft report from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency in Washington, D.C. “Barriers would include selective fencing at selected points along the […]

TD is predicting a significant increase in lumber prices by 2013 – and has praised British Columbia’s government for opening up new markets to counteract the slump in the U.S. housing market. Leslie Preston, an economist at the TD banking group, stated that, “The B.C. industry and govern­ment have been very proactive in marketing wood […]

The government’s financial statements were ripped apart by a recent report by the Auditor General, the Victoria Times Colonist reports. The province is keeping books in an “unacceptable” way, the report claimed, with too few details, nor does it explain billions in spending. John Doyle produced the report on the government’s financial statements Thursday, underlining […]

A new study calls for a more fair and effective approach to residential energy efficiency in BC as part of an aggressive climate action framework. The study recommends protecting low-income households from rising electricity costs and investing in retrofits for multi-unit buildings and rental housing. “To reduce residential greenhouse gas emissions in BC we must […]

The stoppage in negotiations between the province and the RCMP is the perfect time to begin looking at a provincial police force, says B.C. former solicitor general, the Vancouver Province reports. Kash Heed said the province should step back and look at what effective, efficient and accountable police service looks like for the province. The […]

Patients who took sleep tests in Kelowna between 2007 and 2011 may need to be re-tested or re-diagnosed, says Interior Health Authority (IHA) review released this week. Interior Health contacted 13 patients who underwent polysomnography testing at the Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) Sleep Lab and will be reviewing a further 980 cases given potential concern […]

A threat to pull the nation’s police force out of B.C. was delivered Tuesday as the province and the federal government continue to argue over the cost of the RCMP, the Vancouver Province’s Ian Austin reported. However, currently the negotiations have stalled and Solicitor General Shirley Bond told the Union of B.C. Municipalities annual convention […]

Nicotine replacement therapies will now be available at no cost and smoking cessation prescription drugs will be covered under PharmaCare. By calling HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 and registering for the smoking cessation program, B.C. smokers who are covered by MSP and who wish to quit will be able to receive free nicotine gum or patches […]

On a cloudy Monday night, hundreds of Vancouver residents gathered at the ‘Vancouver Club’ to protest the visit of former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. This was Cheney's first trip outside of the United States on his book tour.The protestors came from a plethora of different backgrounds including anti-war, 9/11 conspiracy,...