On the eve of the teachers’ full-out strike, the government proposed that “if either party is unhappy with the outcome of the government’s appeal of the court case the entire collective agreement can be terminated and a new round of bargaining begins.” To appreciate this proposal I examined the 2014 and 2011 decision of the...

While teachers and CUPE support staff walk the picket line throughout the province, students are busy prepping for final exams as the 2013-14 school year comes to an end. Despite the full-scale British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) walkout, provincial exams for Grades 10 to 12 are proceeding as scheduled and Grade 12...

One thing everyone seemed to agree on at the Community Futures Economic Development Forum held in late May was that the economy is shifting towards broadband dependent industries. And that local communities need to adapt and keep up. Community Futures Central Kootenay hosted and organized the conference at the Prestige Lakeside...

Is Nelson’s broadband project floundering in confusion, or moving along at a slow but steady pace? That depends on whom you ask. Chamber of Commerce executive director Tom Thomson says that cautious and gradual implementation of broadband has been the plan all along. “You don’t want to try to market something when you are not...

Vehicles in the streets of downtown Nelson took a back seat as host of bikers took over the heart of the Heritage City Saturday afternoon for a Critical Mass Bike Ride. More than 100 cyclists showing opposition to bitumen pipelines participated in the event. The event was organized by Kootenays for a Pipeline-Free BC. The...

The $100,000 mural recently proposed by the Nelson Regional Sports Council for the north and west walls on the Civic Arena is being re-thought, says the group’s executive director Kim Palfenier. This has come after intense discussion at city council in April and May about how much the city should contribute to the $100,000 ...

The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), the union representing teachers, has informed the school district that they will be engaged in a full day study session on Monday, June 16th, followed by full scale withdrawal of teaching services starting Tuesday, June 17, 2014.  This means that, unless a settlement is reached...

As part of Trail's downtown revitalization plan, the Trail bridge on Highway 3B will have LED lights, both white and coloured, attached to it sometime next year, if all goes according to plan. Trail's Downtown Opportunities and Action Committee is working on raising enough money for the project. “We contributed $5,000 [on...

Education Minister Peter Fassbender released the following statement on the vote results that provide the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) with a mandate to potentially escalate to a full strike: “The vote results are not unexpected. While the BCTF leadership received the mandate they sought, no one should interpret this as any...

Castlegar and Embetsu have the longest unbroken sister city relationship in Canada, reaching the quarter-century mark this year. “Twenty-five years ago, there was a signing ceremony in Embetsu, to become twin cities,” said Yuri Kutschera, a member of the Castlegar Educational Exchange Committee. “So we are the longest city ...