[Editor's Note:  The author's political commentary refers mainly to the U.S., but the scientific explanation he provides applies to Canada's extreme-cold winter weather events as well as those in the U.S.]             By Thom Hartmann; originally published in...

Part One is the necessary introduction to Part Two. Please read it before reading this.     Birth of the West: demokratia and demos in ancient Athens As I said in Part One, my Learning In Retirement at Selkirk College students are self-aware citizens; various puzzles for defining democracy came up in class when we spoke about...

Party Hearty! Early in my policing career it was not uncommon to find a drunk driver with a blood alcohol level between .30 and .36. These people were truly drunk and not just impaired as most of us would start to be at the .05 level. Time to head for home and sleep it off because some of us have to be at work in the morning....

Dear Neighbours, Friends and Community Members, As our community celebrates with the people that are most special to them, I want to extend my best wishes to you all for a very safe and happy holiday season. Many parts of the province are experiencing colder than usual weather, so I also want to...

Dear Neighbours, Friends and Community Members, We know that costs are adding up for British Columbians, especially with the holiday season now upon us. Your provincial government is committed to making life more affordable, and that includes keeping your car insurance rates low. This week our government announced a two...

In the time of not-yet-born/not-yet-dead for Western being Things are going to slide, slide in all directions Won't be nothing (won't be) Nothing you can measure anymore The blizzard, the blizzard of the world Has crossed the threshold And it's overturned The order of the soul. ...stuff it up the hole In your...

If you’re celebrating the festive season with cheese, bread and a glass of wine, beer or kombucha followed by chocolate, it might be a good time to think about fungi. It’s what makes all those tasty items possible! In fact, almost all food production relies on fungi. Most plants need it to obtain nutrients and water. Trees ...

On Dec. 7, I was sworn in as B.C.’s new Minister of Finance.   I was also honoured to retain my role as minister responsible for the Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Power Corporation and the Columbia River Treaty. As 2022 comes to a close, it’s worth reflecting on this year’s progress towards a modernized Columbia River Treaty....

Many people likely don’t know about the close connection between residential “schools” in Canada and ongoing resource extraction on Indigenous lands. In 1951, the federal Ministry of Mines, the “Indian” Agent, the Catholic Church and wealthy business owners coordinated to remove Tahltan children from their homes and families,...

At the Prestige Mountain Resort in Rossland on Thursday evening, November 3, newly elected mayors and councillors for Fruitvale, Montrose, Warfield, Rossland and Trail, read out and signed their solemn Oaths of Office before Judge Brown and the assembled crowd of invitees.  A few were unable to attend the ceremony; they will...