The way to ruin the American people is to give them everything they want. -- John Steinbeck The nobility of poverty I’m always hearing people extol the virtues of humanity when we are in a dire crisis, whether it is earthquake, flood, fire, famine, tsunami, or war. We are at our best when we have to help each other, because...

Our party is committed to earning back Canada’s respect on the world stage so that we can win back our seat at the Security Council table.  We want to project a bold and ambitious agenda for cooperation, and to build a more compassionate, peaceful and sustainable world. Since that work has already begun, I thought it might ...

Whales have shorter gestation periods. For the third time since the Local Government Elections Task Force tabled its report, the B.C. government has been stricken with a case of cold feet. In 2010, the task force made 31 recommendations to improve local democracy, including: setting campaign spending limits for candidates; ...

It’s so common to see loose dogs that people don’t often think twice about it – start thinking. We have leash laws for the comfort and safety of everyone including our beloved dogs. It seems obvious that dogs with behavioural challenges should be on a leash. You never know how they are going to react in any given circumstances...

A single parent of two boys recently went public in a letter to the editor (Terrace Standard) with a detailed outline of the harsh financial reality facing her due to difficulties in collecting maintenance payments the boys’ father has been ordered to pay. Her reality is not unheard of, and the defaulting parent is not a...

With summer holidays over, and the return to school for many children, memories of our own educational experiences may come to mind.  However, there is a large disconnect between our experiences and memories of what school was like, and the reality of what education in today’s society is all about. Even at the post-secondary...

  “When your only tool is a hammer, you see nails everywhere.” attributed variously to: Mark Twain; Abraham Maslow; an anonymous rabbi. The twentieth century’s mark on the mind Historians of recent history have a rough consensus that the century that closed in 1999 witnessed the tremendous power of totalitarian ideologies –...

Letter to the Editor: This week is Gay Pride Week in the Kootenays. This is a celebration of love and understanding to millions of people worldwide and, in many cases, the acknowledgment of equal rights for LGBT couples. I am afraid to say that I have been remiss in my duties as a councillor as I did not bring up the topic ...

This is for everyone who feels a need to share this photo (the one attached to this story). As someone on assistance, this is very hurtful. I do not choose to be disabled. But it most certainly does not define me as a human being, nor does it diminish my worth. I have done thousands of hours of volunteer work and have saton...

The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) recently published a report entitled, The BC Organic Market – Growth, Trends and Opportunities, 2013.  According to the report, the organic market in Canada has grown exponentially over a very short period, to the point that it is now the fourth largest in the world.  In British...