RESTORING DEMOCRACY
This column is not meant to be a book review, but a review of what others have written helps us understand where we are and what the future may bring. Historian Arthur R. M. Lower, in Colony to Nation (1957), characterized Robert Baldwin (1804-1858) as being “too cold, too correct, too consistent, and like Aristides, too just...
OP/ED: MP speaks to Bill C-51
There has been a great deal in the news over the past few weeks about C-51, the government’s news Anti-Terrorism Act. It is another one in a series of omnibus bills and contains 62 pages covering everything from expanding the mandate of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to allowing police to seize terrorist...
City to increase enforcement of animal bylaws in city parks
The city intends to increase its efforts to minimize dog conflicts in all city Parks. Dogs are currently required to be leashed and the city will increase its bylaw enforcement of these regulations and, in certain cases, the city will be levying fines to enforce compliance for the safety of all park users. The city’s Animal...
Luterbach says only cafe to close, alternative education program to continue
Letter re: closure of Old School Cafe: In 2010, the school district was looking for a space in Castlegar which would allow us to open an alternate learning opportunity for students not currently attending school due to anxiety challenges. An aspect of the program we wanted to provide was an opportunity for students to interact...
Council Slashes its Own Budget; Staff Expenses Take a Hit Too
Regular Rossland City Council Meeting, February 23, 2015 Present: Mayor Kathy Moore, Councillors Marten Kruysse, John Greene, Aaron Cosbey, Lloyd McLellan, Andy Morel, Andrew Zwicker Public Input Period: Several women spoke in support of a letter to Council by Ilo Schubert, who has operated "Ilo's Pre-School" -- the only ...
LETTER: Old School Cafe closure a heart-breakingly bad call
Editor: Proudly hanging on a wall of the Old School Cafe is a letter dated May 2011from Education Minister George Abbott. He congratulates the vision of those who established the Alternate School and the Cafe program saying, “I was glad to have the opportunity to visit the Old School Cafe and learn about your fantastic...
Deliberations begin on +$10-mill budget
City council and senior staff have begun deliberations on the city’s more-than $10-million budget, with two all-day meetings Sunday and Monday. “(Discussions) were absolutely positive and productive, moving us forward as a team and helping us set the city’s direction,” said Mayor Lawrence Chernoff. Councillor Sue Heaton-Sherstobitoff...
Increasing the Wealth Gap -- More Advantage to the Rich?
The Conservative Party proposes to double the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) contribution limit. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? -- enabling people to accumulate interest at a rate that makes up for cost of living increases, without having to pay income tax on that interest. Bonus! But wait a minute -- some people...
MP: Importance of testing for and reducing radon levels in homes and workplaces
As many may already be aware, the Kootenays have a combination of geology and gas permeable soils that make homes and workplaces susceptible to high concentrations of radioactive radon. It surprised me to learn that the radiation from radioactive radon gas found in homes and workplaces is estimated to cause 16 percent of the...
Another letter on Bill C-51
You know it's bad when even Rex Murphy is against it… I'm speaking of course of Bill C-51… which, if passed, will mean the end of civil liberties in Canada. i.e. A true totalitarian state where the expression of dissent or protest is criminalized and where the principle of due process of law for those accused no longer exists....
