Local representation – everyone wants it, right?  Some people may not realize how important local representation is until  an issue arises that affects them directly.  Then suddenly they want to talk to their MLA. But wait; do they want to talk to an MLA for a party they didn’t vote for? We do have local representation now,...

By John Horgan, Premier of British Columbia This B.C. Day long weekend, let's take time to enjoy food, friends and family. Let's also celebrate the farmers, producers, and local businesses who provide quality food and drink grown right here in B.C. B.C. farmers grow fresh, local food delivered to us at farmers’ markets, grocery...

We’ve all read about Bitcoin.  Blockchain transactions such as those used by Bitcoin are touted for their security – the term “Blockchain” refers to a chain of “blocks” of data designed to be tamper-proof, partly because each block is identified by a “hash” which is like a digital fingerprint; it’s unique, and if anything...

There’s an old saying:  follow the money.  In the case of the upcoming referendum on whether or not BC should change our voting system from First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) to a form of Proportional Representation (ProRep), those most vocally opposed to a change seem to have one thing in common: they are people who think they would...

The Seniors Advocate, Isobel Mackenzie, has issued a report on some of the different patient outcomes between private-contractor care facilities for seniors, and facilities operated by a Health Authority.  The findings are compelling. The report explains that there are 293 publicly subsidized care facilities in BC, and that...

In 2007, Canada was one of four countries to vote against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (with New Zealand, the United States and Australia). With its single-minded focus on making Canada an “energy superpower,” albeit only with fossil fuels, the Harper government feared the declaration’s concept of ...

Last year, several hikers were alarmed and dismayed by signs in the old Columbia Cemetery announcing that a nearby native shrub – Oregon grape -- had been treated with herbicide.  They wondered why a harmless native plant was being sprayed, in a City with a policy of not using herbicides except in unusual circumstances...

People in Canada discard about 57 million plastic drinking straws every day. In my hometown of Vancouver, we toss out 2.6 million disposable cups every week. It’s a global problem. Plastic products are choking landfills and waterways and causing devastation in the oceans. In 2014, scientists even found a new kind of stone in...

Starting at noon Pacific time on Thursday, July 26, 2018, campfires will be prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre, to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. This campfire ban will remain in place until further notice. The Southeast Fire Centre is currently experiencing hot and dry conditions....

There are large, loud and expensive ads urging people to vote against Proportional Representation in this fall’s referendum.  Are the points made in those ads valid? As citizens, or even just as residents, we should all care deeply about how well our government serves the public interest.  We need to get it ...