OP/ED: Guns can kill us, but losing our national identity is a choice. No gun can do that.
A guy with a gun. That seems to be how it always starts. World War 1, JFK, Martin Luther King Jr., Lennon. Just a guy with a gun. God knows, it’s what’s torn our little valley apart this week, and is tearing our country apart today. That’s no comment on Peter DeGroot, it’s just how it is. We all need to wait for the investigation...
To Rossland, our Haven: I apologize for the ripple in paradise
It's beautiful, and you know it. Rossland is a paradise for people who love the outdoors and each other. The schools and teachers are great, and the community overflows with creative talent and innovative educational opportunities. Just check out the kids. The public works is well stocked with tools and skilled people, with...
From Israel to ISIS: Harper’s ‘Orwellian’ foreign policy
It’s getting difficult to remember a time when the Canadian Parliament actually tried to make principled decisions regarding foreign policy and our place in the community of nations. But we should try. Perhaps a first step in returning to such a time was the decision of the NDP and Liberal Party to oppose Stephen Harper’s […]
LETTER: An appeal to area dirt bikers from the mountain biking community
To the dirt bikers riding on mountain bike trails: I am a mountain biker and volunteer trail builder. I also grew up riding dirt bikes and still ride occasionally. Rossland offers endless opportunity for these sports. My experience has been that all bikers have enjoyed peaceful coexistence in the Rossland area. However, there...
Council candidate Tyler Maddocks, in his own words
As the youngest candidate once again, it’s time for one seat to sit a new councilor under the age of 30 to bring forward a new generation of views, ideas and energy. Born, raised and living in downtown Castlegar, this is my third attempt at running for a seat on […]
COMMENT: 9 reasons not to vote for Greg Granstrom this fall
Greg Granstrom astonished me on Facebook last week, a real shocker that had nothing to do with either his decision to run for councillor instead of mayor, nor the "friend request" I received from him the next day. (Which I accepted.) I was intrigued—but still not astonished—when Greg jumped into a conversation on Terry Miller's...
Canadian crime rate drops, but still $85 Billion cost to taxpayer
The Fraser Institute Despite a decline in the crime rate, crime cost Canadians $85 billion in 2009 (the latest year with comprehensive data) including $47 billion incurred by crime victims, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. The study, The Cost of Crime in Canada: […]
LETTER: An open letter from BCSTA President Teresa Rezansoff
We are currently facing two pivotal moments in public education in British Columbia. Firstly, we have just ended a lengthy strike that will bring five years of labour stability and an opportunity to rebuild relationships and strengthen our education system. Over the past several months there has been a focus on what was wrong with […]
LETTER: Friend of Slocan's DeGroot calls for calmer heads and fewer rumours
Dear Editor, It turns out that the man being hunted in Slocan is a person whom I know. He is actually a very good friend of (my partner’s). I have heard some ludicrous statements regarding this "psychopath" and the events over the past twenty-four hours, in fact I was one of the people spreading the rumours. I may not have ...
My hypocrisy*: I take “lessons” from Medieval History
Inventing the idea of The Middle Ages Anyone who has studied history at the post-secondary level will likely learn that the tradition of history-teaching in the West recognizes three large eras of history: the Ancient or Classical world, the Middle Ages, and the Modern Age. The centuries assigned to the three are; Classical...
