I have made and broken dozens of New Year’s resolutions before swearing off them altogether – resolving not to resolve, if you will. Now, I can’t live without them – because I’m no longer an idiot about how and why I make them. For the longest time, I followed popular culture and made resolutions governing […]

By: Jordan Bateman, B.C. Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation The stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve is usually a cause for celebration. This year, the bell tolls ominously for property taxpayers across British Columbia. At least two dozen Canadian Union of Public Employees’ (CUPE) contracts expire on Dec. 31, 2011, affecting thousands of […]

I read with interest the article that appeared in the December 9, 2011, edition of The Castlegar Source entitled, “MP wants bottled water banned.” In the piece, BC South Interior MP Alex Atamanenko based his recent statement about bottled water in the House of Commons on information that has long been confirmed as false — […]

The Harper government officially announced in recent weeks a new Border Security deal with the US. However, little press space was given to the ugly twin of this deal - the Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) and their "Joint Action Plan". The RCC was set up to "streamline" regulations in four economic...

It is the time of the year when farmers in the Southern Interior of British Columbia are making plans for the next season which includes securing labour. Many orchard and vineyard owners are placing ads in their local papers looking for full time farm workers for next year. Season duration and wages vary depending on […]

There is a lot of spin from think tanks these days being spotlighted in the news suggesting that Canada needs to give up its orderly marketing tools such as our Supply Management (SM) system for dairy, poultry and eggs.  A lot of effort is going into convincing us that these ‘oppressive- government-run-collective-marketing-systems’...

I'm suspecting I'm not the only Christian minister who is in receipt of emails; facebook pokes; youtube videos and (if I had an account like my Anglican friend across the street) twitter notes filled with umbrage about the downfall of Christmas.  Not as a way of life; not as a recognition of the Divine in the ordinary; not ...

If only BC courts showed the same respect for the courts and the legal system that they demand--or least hope--of us. But they don’t. BC judges and BC courts have often made a complete mockery of our laws, the justice system and the citizenry’s expectations to see justice done and be protected from the evil that dwell among...

The BC Liberal government may have committed itself to transparency, new ideas and engaging with British Columbians in its October 3rd Throne speech, but according to IntegrityBC the memo doesn't seem to have quite reached every minister. The non-partisan organization was reacting to a letter it received from Attorney General...

The NDP leadership race suddenly seems like a very long, drawn out affair. Initially, there was much outrage – especially from Thomas Mulcair – at the suggestion that the party go along with what Jack Layton seemed to want: an earlier leadership convention in January. But now many in the party, lead by Winnipeg MP Pat Martin...