Taxes, Wetland studies, a rising young hockey star, Spokane Street Project news
Two meetings to report here: May 4 and May 8. Read on! Rossland City Council held a Public Hearing on the new Financial Plan and the new municipal property tax rates on Thursday, May 4. Council was present, and Financial Manager Elma Hamming explained the changes and answered questions from the four interested citizens who...
A Charter challenge on electoral reform coming up?
Before the last federal election, Liberal party leader (now Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau repeatedly promised voters that Canada would not have another election under the "first-past-the-post" electoral system. If we had only two political parties and no gerrymandering, that system would work perfectly well. But with more...
A Dam Big Problem: unauthorized dams built for Petronas
By Ben Parfitt. This article is from DeSmog Canada. A subsidiary of Petronas, the Malaysian state-owned petro giant courted by the B.C. government, has built at least 16 unauthorized dams in northern B.C. to trap hundreds of millions of gallons of water used in its controversial fracking operations. The 16 dams are among ...
LETTER: Taking a Longer Term Perspective of the BC Elections
Dear Editor: As we head to the polls on May 9, a question we should be considering is what type of world we want to leave for our children and grandchildren. Are we are doomed to go over the climate cliff – facing a world with ever increasing extreme weather, mudslides, catastrophic wildfires, and sea level rise? Or should ...
Editorial: One more resource for voting decisions
As most readers here know by now, I'm supremely tired of -- and sickened by -- election communications that tell you terrible (and usually inaccurate) things about the OTHER parties and their candidates, and make wild promises to get your vote. But I think it's hugely important that people get informed about what the different...
Letter to the Editor: Mayor Moore Answers Citizen Nightingale
Dear Rosslanders: It is important to the City and to Council that we have accurate information out to the public. We certainly appreciate citizens coming forward with their concerns and we are happy to provide information and clarification on the points that have been raised. Residents are always welcome to contact our Chief...
Failed referendum sparks new approach; your input required
Castlegar and area residents are going to get another hands-on opportunity to help shape the future of the Complex, and of local recreation in general, at a public open house slated for next week.
This, after a $25-million recreation referendum in November 2010 was overwhelmingly defeated (roughly 40 per cent of registered voters weighed in, with 20.94 per cent voting in favour and 79.06 per cent voting against).
Poll indicates children's health may become platform issue in provincial election
Today, BC Healthy Living Alliance is releasing results from their Health Priorities Survey which shows that 80% of residents in the Interior are very concerned about the impact of physical activity on children’s health – followed by nutrition (64%) and poverty (60%). Scott McDonald, Chair of the BC Healthy Living Alliance, ...
Rossland's Taxes Not High Enough?
Dear fellow Rosslanders, You may or may not be aware, but it is municipal budget and tax rate setting time again. There is no really exciting way to start this conversation, but it might be one that you would benefit from taking a moment to look at. Over the last decade, we Rosslanders have enjoyed ...
Fracking and all of us: recent news
To further our understanding of what's accelerating climate change, here's a brand-new report from the David Suzuki Foundation about leaking of methane from fracking and other fossil fuel extraction being much greater than reported by industry and government, and how it has been measured, and why it's scary: Methane emissions...