Council meeting at high school gets mixed results
A city council meeting held at Stanley Humphries Secondary School Monday afternoon had both good points and bad, according to city councillor Florio Vassilakakis. The meeting started at 12:30 p.m. (students were allowed to miss some class time to attend), and saw about 65 people in attendance (not counting media, mayor and ...
From Parliament Hill: Electoral Reform
Voters made clear choices for change in the federal election, and one of those choices was for electoral reform. The Liberals, NDP and Green parties all loudly pledged that the 2015 election would be the last held in Canada under the first-past-the-post voting system, and those parties collectively received nearly two-thirds of the popular vote […]
Trail mayor says 2015 set foundation for exciting developments this year
Last year proved to be an active one for the mayor and city council. Trail Mayor Mike Martin completed his first year as a first term mayor and says he came into the role with clear plans after a strategic planning session with councilors. “It was an exciting year and we accomplished much of what we set out to do,” said Martin....
Learn to navigate your city on-line
The City of Trail is pleased to announce it has entered into a partnership with the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL), the region’s not-for-profit literacy organization, to provide free how-to classes for the City’s online payment system for utility bill payments, property taxes, Home Owners Grant claims and online...
New Interim CAO; Hiring Committee Formed
Council Matters: What about that CAO position? At the regular meeting of Rossland City Council on January 11, 2016, new Interim Chief Administrative Officer, Lynne Burch, made her first public appearance at City Hall. Former CAO/CFO Cecile Arnott left the position on December 18, 2015, and Council interviewed four people who...
BC ski hills (including Red) offering half-off for Family Day
On Feb. 8, BC residents can ski and ride for half price at participating ski areas in celebration of BC Family Day. This offer is a partnership between 30 BC ski areas, Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA) and Destination BC, to make family snow sports more accessible to all British Columbians. Each year the program […]
IIO Chief Civilian Director to Retire at End of Term
Following a 30-year career as a civilian oversight practitioner, the Chief Civilian Director of the IIO will be retiring at the end of his term in January 2017. Richard Rosenthal has notified the Attorney General of B.C. that he will not be seeking a re-appointment when his current term expires. Rosenthal will shift his focus...
Missing Indigenous Women Inquiry
Right up to the last federal election the Canadian government held firm to the position that an inquiry on the subject of missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada was not needed. The government believed that the problem could be dealt with by way of criminal justice reforms. Criminal justice incorporates law enforcement,...
OPINION: Does Justin Trudeau Want Fair Elections, or Not?
Prime Minster Justin Trudeau's election pledge (and subsequent confirmation) that Canada will not have another election under first-past-the-post has morphed into a growing controversy. Trudeau's evident attraction to one option for electoral reform -- the so-called preferential ballot, or instant runoff vote (IRV) -- and ...
Significant spike in CBT community grant money
Community projects will be getting access to more funds this spring through Columbia Basin Trust’s popular Community Initiatives and Affected Areas programs. The Trust announced a 15-per-cent increase from $3.6 million per year throughout the Basin, to over $4.2 million per year for each of the next five years. “We are pleased...