Our province has created deep historical, cultural and business ties with countries around the world enabling us to create strong trading partnerships and diversify our markets. Each year B.C. welcomes close to 40,000 new immigrants because we recognize the importance of the wide-range of social and economic benefits associated...

A recent poll in the city of Invermere overwhelmingly supported a deer cull but as expected the much larger question was ignored -- the future of the mule deer. With the exception of the city of Grand Forks and Vancouver Island the urban deer phenomena is driven by the mule deer which is in serious population decline in our...

Dear Editor, November 15th is National Philanthropy Day in Canada. While this is a day that is celebrated around the world, Canada is the first to officially recognize it as a national day (this type of thing makes me proud to be Canadian!). This is a time to celebrate and thank those that give beyond themselves. The great ...

Dear Editor, It was a cool February day when I was forced to play the role of God and make one of the toughest decisions of my life: to end my cat’s pain and suffering through euthanasia. Having had a very special bond with animals all my life, this was not a decision I took lightly. (As she was) previously healthy, I immediately...

To The Editor In late September, at a Council meeting packed with public wanting to talk about Cooke Ave. rezoning and broadband, Council noted its in-camera decision at meeting two weeks earlier in which they voted not to renew the contract of the City’s Manager of Planning, Mike Maturo.   Maybe it’s that there was so much...

I write in response to letters penned by Mr. Malcolm, CEO City of Castlegar and Councillors McIntosh and Heaton-Sherstobitoff in regard to written comments made by me in response to what I felt was an over-reactive rebuttal penned by Kyra Hoggan to the letter from Paul Thederen published in the October 3, 2013 edition of the...

Updated Last July the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources announced that the province’s wildlife populations are healthy. The Ministry’s statement is a perfect example of what happens when governments turn their back on transparency and accountability. After all, any attempt at due diligence will quickly reveal...

Dear Kyra: Thank you for writing a rebuttal with regard to the hiring of a second deputy fire chief and the Fire Chief as the airport manager. It certainly has ignited a lot of dialogue in our community – which is great. Almost a year ago, council debated the merits of hiring a second deputy fire chief during our budget...

Dear Kyra: Thank you for writing a rebuttal with regard to the hiring of a second deputy fire chief and the Fire Chief as the airport manager. It certainly has ignited a lot of dialogue in our community – which is great. Almost a year ago, council debated the merits of hiring a second deputy fire chief during our budget...

I have read with interest some of the comments and letters written about the City's hiring of a second Deputy Fire Chief. I have been interested to see the comments because often times when members of our community write, they have brilliant ideas and cogent arguments that serve the community well. It is this reason that...