In my Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) column (Part I) I gave a general description of this Inter-Parliamentary Forum held in Vladivostok, Russian.  During the meeting, resolutions were adopted that will be presented to each of the countries represented at the APPF and it is possible that these statements will wind up...

Nelson’s yard and garden waste will be hauled to Salmo for composting after the transfer station moves to Blewett in 2014. Currently it is composted at the transfer station near the Nelson airport. Local residents demanded that there be no composting at the new Blewett site, according to Mike Morrison, Resource Recovery Manager...

The Brazeau affair — sad, repugnant and bizarre all at the same time — shines a light on two aspects of Canadian politics that desperately need some exposure. One is what it reveals about the state of “official” aboriginal politics and its relationship to the Canadian state. The other, the almost exclusive focus of the media,...

Five men pleaded not guilty yesterday to the rape and murder of a 23-year-old Delhi student. They face 13 charges and the death penalty in a specially set up "fast track court". The accused, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Kumar, Ram Singh, Mukesh Singh and Akshay Thakur, signed statements in the court declaring their innocence. The five...

The board of School District No. 20 (SD20) voted last night 6-3 against K-12 in Rossland. The majority voted in favour of both K-7 at MacLean and K-9 at RSS, and these options will be left on the table for the bylaw's second reading at the special open board meeting at the RSS gym on Feb. 12.The board voted on each of the...

I had the opportunity in January to represent our country at the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) in Vladivostok, Russia.  This was the 21st annual Forum which hosted over three hundred parliamentarians from 23 APPF member states as well as representatives from other countries, the UN and other world organizations. Our...

In this column I will continue the discussion on the creation of a Department of Peace by highlighting some of the initiatives undertaken in other countries. Over 30 countries have campaigns to create a Department of Peace.  In three countries – Nepal, the Solomon Islands and Costa Rica this is a reality. On September 14,...

Arc of the Cognizant XXI “What do you mean ‘we,’ Paleface?”  -- Tonto to the Lone Ranger By Charles Jeanes Oh, Canada. If ever there was a time for Canadians to take a prominent place in global affairs, it would seem to be now. But is the consciousness of our people up to this task? We have a very favourable ratio of population...

I am not sure if Idle No More is a movement or merely a passing protest. Like Occupy Wall Street before it, Idle No More, above all, appears to be an expression of frustration. Earlier protest actions opposed the status quo, but they did have a clear focus — civil rights, women’s rights and gay rights — visions for a new...

A local contractor is bringing an innovative edge to the revitalization of the CPR station at the foot of Baker Street by using local, recycled materials and a simple, age-old technology to increase energy efficiency. Joern Wingender has just manufactured 8500 bricks made of wood waste and clay.  The wood shavings, chips, and...