By Richard Cannings, MP for South Okanagan -- West Kootenay Last week we saw the Liberal government bring forward their first budget, a document that was expected to deliver on the many promises they made just six short months ago during the campaign. Instead of fully delivering on those campaign commitments, they delivered...

Discussions on electoral reform are as persistent in Canadian politics as is their failure to achieve results. Before any decisions are contemplated on what kind of electoral system would best serve Canadian democracy, we ought to reflect on which objectives elections are to advance in a democratic society. What is a democracy?...

Before the 2015 federal election, local communities entered into an agreement to try to improve voter participation, and called it the "Community Voters' Challenge."   Whichever community  most improved its percentage of eligible voters who actually voted in the election would be declared the winner. Rossland won the challenge...

The City of Rossland has announced the identity of its new Chief Administrative Officer:  Brian Teasdale, who comes to us all the way from Montrose.   The City's press release states, Mr. Teasdale comes highly recommended to his new role and has years of experience in local government. He has been the Chief Administrative...

With materials from Rachael Roussin and Eva Cameron This is the beginning of the first spring season since volunteers placed plantings for the North Jubilee Park wetland last fall.  Those plantings have not had time to become well established or to grow; they are just beginning to emerge from their first winter's frost and ...

Thanks to the efforts of the Family Action Network (FAN), and to the generosity and co-operation of  Patricia Marshall Thompson and City Hall, there are two newly-available family-friendly washrooms with infant-changing facilities in Rossland's downtown area. "Laundry Dog" laundromat  at 1960-B Columbia Avenue is the first ...

Regular Rossland City Council Meeting, March 21, 2016,  6:00 pm Present:  Mayor Kathy Moore and Councillors Marten Kruysse, Lloyd McLellan, John Green, Andy Morel, and Aaron Cosbey.  Absent:  Andrew Zwicker Public Input Period:  Ann Damude spoke on behalf of the RCAC Miners Hall project.  She reported that their fundraising...

Canadians had high expectations for change but instead of help, this budget is marked by the Liberals backtracking on their promises to tackle inequality. In particular, breaking promises to First Nation children, just like so many previous Liberal and Conservative governments “Residents of South Okanagan — West Kootenay were...

Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting:  March 21, 2016, 3:00 pm All Council members were present.  Just before the meeting, Mayor Kathy Moore took a few seconds to pass a home-framed series of three bobsled race snapshots to the Council Bobsled Team -- John Greene, Andy Morel, Andrew Zwicker, and Moore herself.  The final picture ...

The Regional District of Central Kootenay adopted its 2016-2020 Financial Plan today at its March board meeting Thursday in Nelson. Chief Administrative Officer Stuart Horn said the new Plan will have a minor impact on taxpayers. “The Directors were very cognizant of the tax impacts to residents throughout the budget process,” said Horn in a […]