I cannot believe that the Conservative government is refusing to include access to contraceptives and safe abortions as part of their pledge of working towards improving maternal health worldwide at this year’s G8 summit in June. It’s beyond my comprehension how it is possible to improve maternal health unless you are willing to include the […]

New immigrants to Canada face a number of challenges in their lives. While they are adjusting to a new country, a new community and a new culture with new habits, they may also be struggling to find how they can best apply their skills to the Canadian job market. Immigrants with professional credentials from their […]

Ahh, the great challenge that faces all tax-collecting governments in our society – balancing taxes with services provided. Most people desire and occasionally demand lower taxes. On the other hand, most people also want more services, be they snow clearing, recreation programs, donations to service groups, or fixing leaky ...

Since when did ‘Facebook-ing’ become a verb? It’s amazing how quickly we can change or shift our societal lexicon – I was genuinely creeped out and, frankly, slightly offended the first time someone told me he had ‘Googled’ me – now I think nothing of being Googled, Facebooked or Tweeted…or of doing same to others […]

April Fool's Day is probably as good a time as any to put our joke of a dispute with Trail over the recreation issue behind us and move forward under our own steam. A growing rift between the Golden and Silver cities on fronts as diverse as education, sanitation, and recreation shows no sign of improving and, if anything, the...

A strong democracy calls for …. no, demands … that dissenting voices, however objectionable, be heard. I believe it is more important to listen to those with whom we disagree, even fervently disagree, than to take false reassurance from those who confirm our own particular foregone conclusions .Those of us who insist on the value of […]

Despite federal finance minister Jim Flaherty hailing what he calls signs of Canada’s emergence from the global recession, the national unemployment rate stands at 8.2 per cent at the time of this writing. While BC premier Gordon Campbell basks in the glory of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, a provincial government website...

A friend of mine posted something on Facebook today (yes, alright, I finally broke down last fall and got an FB account – it seemed wrong to continue my technophobe status after opening a web-based media outlet – and now I’ll end up one of the pathetic select seeking help to cope with a Facebook […]

While Internet safety is important all of the time, it is particularly so during tax season, so here are a few hints: 1. Be careful clicking on links. The fact that the text from a link says it’s Revenue Canada doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the site I’m pointing you to. If you hold the mouse over […]

In 2000, then Liberal Finance Minister Paul Martin cut corporate income tax rates by a quarter, from 28 percent to 21 percent, phased in over five years. The Harper government has continued those cuts from 21 per cent in 2007 to 18 percent today, and is ignoring NDP advice and further reducing corporate taxes 15 […]