COMMENT: Are material things making humans more humane...or less?
Do you count your blessings? Is being a Canadian one of those? Are you content with your life? Humanity in the most materially-developed societies (such as Canada) is both blessed and cursed, for we have the physical health and leisure to be altruistic and informed, but we’re trapped in materially-dominated lives that make ...
One Book, One Kootenay 2012 selected book announced, The Third Crop comes out on top
The readers read, they considered—and they voted. Author Rita Moir’s The Third Crop: A personal and historical journey into the photo albums and shoeboxes of the Slocan Valley 1800s to early 1940s (Sono Nis Press 2011) is the book to read in 2012 according to Kootenay book-lovers who took part in the 2012 One Book, One Kootenay...
‘Curators of thought’ take note: Selkirk College’s Writing program is offering some exciting new features this fall
This fall Selkirk College’s second year Studies in Writing courses will be offered on multiple campuses (Nelson and Castlegar) and in a hybridized format that combines face-to-face sessions with online work. Beyond that, the courses will offer a new ‘project mentoring’ focus designed to support writers who aspire to complete...
COMMENT: Some local notes from a national meeting
I was privileged to attend the 41st General Council Meeting of the United Church of Canada, held in Ottawa in mid August of 2012. We dotted the “i”s and crossed the “t”s of years of work carried out by task groups and committees, congregations, and conferences. Responding to requests for assistance and change that came to us...
OP/ED: On putting the wrong foot forward to celebrate 40
A good friend of mine just had her 40th birthday. Her birthday request – for a small group of friends to go on a three-day hiking excursion up Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. The kind of adventure where you pack EVERYTHING you will need to survive in the wilderness for several days into a ginormous 30-pound backpack and...
COMMENT: Too much Happy Valley farm … or too little imagination?
Recent comments by Coun. Cary Fisher and Coun. Jill Spearn—regarding Brenda Trenholme's appeal to subdivide her Happy Valley property—taste like a slice of logical swiss cheese on a slab of imagination tofu. And you'll need a pinch of salt for the cracker too. Sure, sure, everyone's in favour of local agriculture. Just not ...
Digging into life
Sometimes, when I stand in front of others and relate my journey, I begin with my family and the communities I've lived in, and I recount a partial history of the jobs I've held. Sometimes I relive relationships I've had. Once in a long while I'll tell the story of the time I was buried alive up in Pass Creek in '98. Despite...
Canada and Afghanistan
As we approach 2014 Canada will be preparing to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. However, at the request of the US Pentagon, the Prime Minister has opened the door to leaving behind a contingent of Canadian Special Forces beyond the NATO withdrawal date to assist with Afghan Commando training. Our Special Forces have ...
UPDATE: Evacuation alerts rescinded for West Kelowna residents as fire crews get a handle on Wilson's Landing wildfire
The the Southeast Fire Centre said Wednesday the Wilson's Landing wildfire near West Kelowna is still burning, but is 100 percent contained. "Crews have now reinforced the hand guards with a 50 foot wet line around the wildfire," according to the Southeast Fire Centre website. "Crews will remain on site until complete...
GOING, GOING, GONE: Sold to the Conservatives
The budget implementation act (Bill C-38), all 400 pages of it, was the latest in a long string of legislative initiatives to have debate limited by time allocation. Like too many other bills that parliament has been forced to fast-track, C-38 was bloated, omnibus and strayed in too many directions. New Democrats demanded...
