Canadian democracy is not a matter of fairness. Since European invasion, Canada has had 200 years of colonial autocracy, then 50 years of elections without votes for women, and an additional 50 years without votes for Indigenous people. In every form democracy has taken since Confederation, it has been used to defend the...

Editor’s Note:  Many people are not yet aware of the proposal to turn about 700 square kilometres of the southern Purcell  Range into a heli-playground, cutting new trails and building lodges, with helicopter flights carrying in skiers in the winter and hikers and mountain bikers in the summer.  The...

By Melissa Dahl, from Aeon magazine There is a meme that speaks directly to the hearts and minds of the overly self-conscious. Perhaps you’ve seen it; it goes something like this: ‘Brain: “I see you are trying to sleep. May I offer you a selection of your most embarrassing memories from the past 10 years?”’  At first, it seems...

Few people here can recall war efforts in Britain during the Second World War, but more of us have read about them. Most everyone pitched in; they sacrificed personal comfort and convenience for the common good, obeyed blackout rules, saved even gum wrappers for the aluminum content, contributed pots and pans, rationed food,...

Will Canada finally inspire a wave of celebration on World Oceans Day, June 8? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to lead G7 nations on global marine protection during Canada’s presidency this year, a welcome change after decades of inaction left just one per cent of our oceans formally safeguarded. The government is...

There’s a lot of palaver about the upcoming referendum on electoral reform in BC.  The questions that will be asked on the referendum ballot have been released, and the government has made other commitments. Let’s look at these things. First, the questions.  Based on news released so far, there will be two questions.  The...

By Eric Swanson, for The Narwhal You’ve seen them around. They used to look ridiculous, but now they’re starting to look kind of cool. Electric vehicles are getting better all the time and represent the mostly undisputed future of motorized transportation. But should you get one? Like, right now? Or never? Or should you wait?...

After the 2015 federal election, most Canadians were happy about the prospects for positive electoral reform.  Both the Liberals and the NDP had campaigned on promises that first, there would be no more elections under the old first-past-the-post system, and second, that they would repeal the unfair aspects of the Conservative’s so-called “Fair Elections Act.” […]

By Ethan Linck, for High Country News (republished with permission) The twin summits of the mountain that U.S. Geological Survey Capt. George Davidson called “The Brothers” are 60 miles from Seattle on the far side of Puget Sound. From my office in the biology department at the University of Washington, I can just see their...

Dear Editor When driving into Trail from Columbia Gardens/Waneta I am always awed at the beautiful Rossland Range. Normally, I don’t think much beyond the view, except to note the increasing white patches (clear cuts) on the landscape. Recently, I learned that Red Mountain Resorts was approved by Rossland City Council, to...