Readers have suggested at least two important questions since we published the budget analysis and initiated our “Budge the Budget” DemocracySTORM: to what extent are community and recreation organizations paying their own way? And can we compare our budget with that of other communities?In keeping with the budget analysis,...

The Government of BC has been on a borrowing and spending spree for about eight years. A lot of this is being done using the “Public-Private Partnership” model (P3) of which the former Premier Campbell was exceedingly fond. In fact, he was such a leading proponent in Canada that the commercial interests behind the...

The first phase of the Kettle River watershed management report is complete and is being rolled out to the public. Grand Forks city council received a presentation from the project co-ordinator Graham Watt to update them on the study, key focus areas and next steps at their meeting Monday, Dec. 17. The Regional District of […]

The Frontier Centre for Public Policy recently released a policy study examining the system for testing organic products – or the lack thereof – in Canada. Authors Mischa Popoff and Patrick Moore drop the bomb on organic certification in Canada by revealing that organic crops are not systematically tested by the Canadian Food...

Hackers claiming to be associated with the internet activist group Anonymous have attacked the website belonging to the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) and hacked into the Twitter account belonging to Shirley Phelps-Roper, the Church's spokeswoman. The attacks are part of an operation dubbed '#OpWestBor' on Twitter and is in ...

Wally Oppal’s long awaited report commissioned in the wake of the conviction of serial killer Robert Pickton holds a surprise. Something had gone tragically wrong with law enforcement. How else could one individual have murdered dozens of women in one location over more than a decade without being caught? That Oppal’s report...

Following the city’s overzealous and incorrect use of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act (FIPPA) to withhold letters that are clearly in the public’s interest and do not “unfairly” harm anyone’s reputation, I am left wondering what, exactly, remains in the five redacted lines in Coun. Kathy Moore’s letter...

A recently declassified letter from the city auditor supports Laurie Charlton's sleuthing that fingered former building inspector Jason Ward for awarding more than $185,000 in arena upgrades to his own company—violating his contract with the city—without putting the projects out to tender—violating the city's purchasing policy....

A community-wide budget brainstorm the likes of which the world has never seen is about to sweep this little mountain town—and we want YOU to join us for the ride.We have three simple questions and all we need is a couple minutes of your time to jot down your thoughts. You know the thoughts, the ones that always get your...

We've prepared a short summary of the 2012 budget the city used this year to aid participants in our DemocracySTORM—an exciting interactive poll that is quick to complete. We heartily encourage everyone with an interest in Rossland's welfare to participate. These numbers come from the 2012-2016 financial plan approved by...