The board of the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) has turned down, by a vote of 19-1, Nelson City Council’s proposal that it relocate to the downtown government building, otherwise known as the White Building. The city’s proposal painted a rosy picture of how the move would put all three levels of government—regional,...

When you compare prices at the supermarket you usually look at comparable products, for instance you don't compare the price of a head of lettuce with a can of baked beans. It should be the same way with government consultations. Case in point: when you're trying to figure out how many people live in an electoral district for...

My reading consists primarily of books on history and political philosophy, and does not include memoirs of has-been politicians. I would not have read Joe Clark’s How We Lead: Canada in a Century of Change had it not been a Christmas gift from my daughter. Had I relied on my prejudices, I would have deprived myself of an...

A group of concerned Ootischenia residents is holding a public meeting Monday to discuss the City of Castlegar's interest in extending its boundaries to include a parcel of land currently owned by the Ministry of Transportation (MoT). (Click here to read the city's public notice on the matter). A press release issued this...

The truly horrible derailment in Lac Megantic and the XL Foods recall saga are two significant events that shook Canadians’ faith in our regulatory system in the last year. The federal agencies that oversee the regulations, Transport Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), were among the subjects covered in...

On January 20 for the third meeting in a row (see summaries of the previous two here and here) council met for a very light agenda. Committee of the Whole meetings are designed for community groups, the city’s own departments, and individuals to present to council, although individuals with one exception rarely if ever take...

A new year is a great opportunity to share my enthusiasm for my commitment to work hard for British Columbia’s seniors and their families. As Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors, I look forward to continuing to connect with as many British Columbians as I can throughout the province. What better time to reconnect with B.C.’s...

The Trail Area Health & Environment Committee (THEC) presented results of the 2013 children’s blood lead testing clinic at its meeting Jan. 14. The average blood lead level for children aged six to 36 months in Trail and Rivervale is 4.9 μg/dL (micrograms per deciliter) with 93 per cent of children testing below 10 μg/dL....

Another day, another $46,634. That is, if you’re among Canada’s top 100 CEOs, who pocketed that amount by 1:11 pm January 2, the first official day of work this New Year. This figure comes from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), which releases a report every January on the hyper-inflated difference between ...

Biologist and author Richard Cannings will be seeking the nomination for the NDP in the new federal riding of South Okanagan-West Kootenay.  Alex Atamanenko, who has served as MP in the riding of BC Southern Interior since 2006, announced in October that he would not be seeking re-election in the 2015 federal election.  “It...