MP says C-4 an omnibus affront to our democratic process
BC Southern Interior MP Alex Atamanenko is critical of the latest Budget Implementation Act, Bill C-4. The 300-page bill amends dozens of acts and contains many measures that are not budgetary. “Once again, the Conservatives are trying to cram through major changes without sufficient study by Parliament. What is disturbing...
COMMENT: Brendan rides his bike into the sunset - thanks to you!
So often, in news coverage, valuable opinion/editorial writing requires focussing on controversy and those issues which divide us (this has been particularly true in The Source of late), so it's a real delight when I get to write about something unreservedly wonderful. On Oct. 9, a reader named Angela Erickson posted this...
COMMENT: Fraudulent “Robocalls” Used Conservative Party Voter Database
Over the past year we have heard a great deal about various voter-suppression phone calls or “robocalls,” as they have become known, that were made during the last federal election. Six applicants from six federal ridings sought an annulment under the Canada Elections Act of the 2011 election results in those ridings, based...
COMMENT: Too big to fail
A recent headline announced that JP Morgan has reached a tentative $13-billion settlement with the US government for the role it played in creating the 2007-8 mess that left many nations, including Canada, in a prolonged state of economic dysphoria. JP Morgan was a central actor in the play that created this mess. How much ...
LETTER: Apology for fire chief; dressing down for editor
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...
TALES AND LEGENDS OF THE MOUNTAIN KINGDOM: From no lifts to Grey Lift...a century of skiing in the Mountain Kingdom
Is it too early to talk about skiing? No, I didn’t think so. This is Rossland after all! Skiing is the heart and soul of the Mountain Kingdom for many, and I’m sure I could have written a column about skiing in the height of spring and it would have been well-received. Well, as everyone in town knows, local skiers are in for...
LETTER: Deer populations suffer despite what Ministry says
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...
Councillor Sue Heaton-Sherstobitoff speaks to fire chief debate
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...
Councillor Sue Heaton-Sherstobitoff speaks to fire chief debate
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...
City manager defends fire chief
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...