It's easy to blame, and why shouldn’t we? A few people ought to be blamed. For starters, let's blame one Victor Kumar, who when offered the job as Rossland's CAO made it a condition of his employment that Council pass Bylaw 2473 that turned over virtually all council's powers to him. Let's also blame that particular council...

City Hall was packed for Monday's council evening as residents turned up in force to request that council pursue a third-party investigation of the arena scandal, but also to directly address comments made by Coun. Kathy Wallace two weeks ago.At that time, as council voted 4-3 against apologizing to Rosslanders for the way ...

"I had an ah-ha moment last week in an email exchange with a citizen," Coun. Kathy Moore said during Members' Reports, towards the end of a three-hour council meeting on Monday evening, and just before council adjourned to an in camera discussion on labour relations.Moore argued that part of the problem that exacerbated the...

In response to the acrimony at the end of Monday’s council meeting, one reader called Coun. Moore a “straight shooter.” Too true. In my reports, I cannot convey the subtext, the subtle looks, the postures, the energy, and the feeling in people’s statements without colouring them with my biased interpretation of the emotional...

"I'd like to start with a timeline of the way I see things," Coun. Jody Blomme said on Monday during the debate on whether council should request a performance audit by BC’s new Auditor General of Local Government.We have previously reported a detailed timeline of the arena scandal events. "How I found out about this whole ...

The crowd spilled into City Hall’s hallways as 11 Rossland residents addressed council’s public input period on Monday to support Coun. Kathy Moore’s motion to request that BC’s new Auditor General for Local Government (AGLG) investigate the big picture of policy, procedure, and governance in Rossland that may have contributed to the Jason Ward arena […]

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...

Rossland’s new CAO, Cecile Arnott, apparently didn’t like the contract she signed only a few short months ago.  At an in-camera meeting on November 26, 2012. Ms. Arnott asked that council amend her contract that took effect on October 1, 2012.  In a memo dated November 22, 2012, Ms. Arnott indicated staff, through consultation...