Column: Alberta`s war room is an attack on democracy
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,...
Op/Ed: A blanket ban on toxic ‘forever chemicals’ is good for people and animals
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...
Letter: We need patient centred care, province-wide
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...
Column: From the Hill -- The new NAFTA -- CUSMA
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 ...
Editorial: Let's not be dupes
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...
Op/Ed: Stand up to defend democracy
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...
Letter: The people of the world say: NO war on Iran
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...
COLUMN: We deserve better media coverage of our crises
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,...
Editorial: TAX TIME -- and who gets the breaks
Canada has major income tax loopholes that favour the wealthy, arguably cost the country (ergo all of us taxpayers who aren’t rich enough to qualify for them) billions of dollars overall, and make lesser-income people pay more than their fair share, while further enriching the already-rich. Now, the already-rich are pretty...
Editorial: By-election coming up – considering standing for election?
UPDATED: Rossland City Council officially announced Scott Forsyth’s resignation from Council in its January 8 “Council Connects” newsletter. There will be a by-election, and the date has been tentatively set for April 4. For more details, be sure to read the "Council Matters" report on the January 20 Council meeting, coming...