The Trudeau government is hell-bent on ratifying two massive investment agreements -- the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) -- that will radically undermine Canadian democracy. Yet very few Canadians are informed about these deals because our mainstream media has been so...

People have harnessed energy from moving water for thousands of years. Greeks used various types of water wheels to grind grain in mills more than 2,000 years ago. In the late 1800s, people figured out how to harness the power to produce electricity. Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, hydropower has expanded,...

Dear Readers: True story:  Recently, a fairly oft-published climate change denier objected to a David Suzuki column I had published.  The editor of a neighbouring publication, whom I like and respect,  suggested that I should publish the denier's message as a "Letter to the Editor" in order to achieve journalistic "balance."...

Rossland's "Climate Action Town Hall" meeting on July 4 saw a room full of concerned people at the Prestige  Mountain Resort posing suggestions on how Canada should address climate change. Richard Cannings, Member of Parliament for South Okanagan-West Kootenay,  noted, "We are not here to debate climate change.  That debate...

Broken records define the climate crisis We’re living in a time of records. More renewable energy came on stream in 2015 than ever — 147 gigawatts, equal to Africa’s entire generating capacity — and investment in the sector broke records worldwide. Costs for producing solar and wind power have hit record lows. Portugal obtained...

Dear Editor: Canada Post management has given every indication that they will lock out their clerks and letter carriers and rural drivers any time after July 2. Negotiations have been ongoing for six months and in the spring, management applied for conciliation and requested that process be speeded up so they could lock us ...

South Australia sets an example for the country and the world First-time visitors to Australia are often drawn to the big city attractions of Sydney and Melbourne or the fabulous beaches of Queensland’s Gold Coast. I’ve always had a soft spot for Adelaide in South Australia, a city built more on a human scale, where downtown...

To The Editor: Open letter to Minister of Education Mike Bernier   Dear Minister Bernier,   We are writing to bring your attention to the financial struggle rural school districts face in this province.  In our constituencies of Nelson-Creston and Kootenay West, rural schools are facing closure and districts are charging...

As a wise and departed friend once said to me, “I feel a letter coming on”. A Bear Banger is a very loud explosive that is launched from a hand held cylinder. They are meant for use in remote areas to ward off aggressive bears for fear of one’s safety. Hikers, wilderness campers, wildlife photographers and the like often carry...

Eileen Delehanty Pearkes has been researching and writing about the history and politics of water in the upper Columbia Basin since 2005.  Her book on the Columbia River Treaty, A River Captured, is expected to be released in a few months.  Recently, her travelling exhibit on the Columbia River Treaty, curated for Touchstones...