On Monday, February 24, the Government of BC announced that it’s “Mining Day” and wants everyone to know that BC is committed to “implementing the Mining Jobs Task Force and to supporting the competitiveness of the mining sector” as evidenced by Budget 2020.  “Mining is a foundational industry in B.C. that supports communities...

“History’s so strong...”    Red Hot Chili Peppers “The human race just kept rollin’ on...”   Neil Young “You can’t outrun the history train.”    Paul Simon “History doesn’t repeat itself. People do.”    Voltaire “You and your history, won’t rule me.”    The Who “History is made to seem unfair.”    R. E. M. Returning to an old...

Canada is respected globally for the freedoms we who live here enjoy. It’s not perfect, but it’s a geographically and culturally diverse land with spectacular environments and friendly people. I’ve always appreciated having the freedom to speak my mind. A diversity of ideas and perspectives, based on facts and evidence,...

By Professor Jonathan Van Hamme, Thompson Rivers University, for The Conversation Lowe’s recently joined the Home Depot and other major retail chains in phasing out the sale of products treated with poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, toxic chemicals more commonly known as PFAS. Specifically, Lowe’s said it would...

Dear Editor, As I write this, patients are travelling long distances for consultations with specialists. Many of these journeys, for simple face to face meetings are made even though the required workup has been completed and the results forwarded. BUT - What if you could visit a GP, have the referral and information forwarded...

This week in the House of Commons we are debating the new NAFTA agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico, known by the acronym CUSMA. The original NAFTA was negotiated by Conservatives and signed by Liberals in 1994 with promises of more jobs and secure access to the largest market in the world. Supporters of ...

This week’s Op/Ed piece by Professor Henry Giroux asks us to “stand up for democracy.”   Sounds like a good idea – but how can we best do that?     Being well-informed One of the things Giroux emphasizes is information – a healthy democracy depends on well-informed citizens. Today, information can fly around the planet in...

Editor’s Note:  This still-very-timely article is from 2017, adapted by the author from a commencement address he delivered that year in Glasgow, Scotland. The emphasis on what youth must do is appropriate to a commencement address – and as everyone not living under a rock already knows, the world’s...

In support of the January 25th Global Day of Action calling for No War on Iran, approximately 80 people who gathered at Castlegar United Church urged all Federal party leaders to work to avoid a catastrophic war.  They wrote: Whereas the USA may launch a war on Iran; Whereas such a war will involve Canada; Whereas such a war...

I was 14 when North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950. As an adolescent, I was more preoccupied with puberty-related personal issues than politics. But when Canada sent military personnel as part of a UN effort, I religiously followed the battle lines. Every day the local paper’s front page reported how troops were doing,...