Babies, laughter and learning
By Caspar Addyman, from Aeon Laughter and smiles transcend barriers of age, language and culture, and babies know this better than anyone. They don’t speak our language. They don’t share our culture; and they are at least a generation younger than us. All the same, we can easily share a laugh. Spend any time with a baby and,...
Letter to the Editor: We had the referendum
Dear Editor: We just had a direct democracy referendum on the issue of electoral reform. How much more democractic (the will of the people) can we get. The issuewas decided by the plebians not the aristocracy, not judges, not political parties and not politicians. There is no way the Canadian people are going to have...
Hope for the New Year from the Nature Conservancy of Canada
By Dan Kraus Looking ahead to 2019, there is hope for nature. Our collective actions can have a big impact For the first time in human history, our environmental impacts are happening at a scale that is affecting all life on Earth. The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that time may be running...
Two offerings from RCAC to brighten our January
For its first January offering, the Rossland Council for Arts and Culture (RCAC) brings a screening of “Delicatessen” (1992) to Rossland -- a unique film where a post-apocalyptic future becomes the setting for pitch black humor in this visually intricate French comedy. The action takes place within a single apartment complex,...
Chic Scott at the Rossland Museum
Well-known western Canadian mountaineer Chic Scott is scheduled to present a talk and show at the Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre – a “voyage of ski discovery” – on Wednesday, January 9, at 6:30 pm. Scott has a long history of climbing and ski mountaineering exploits, and he delights in sharing ...
Editorial: Something new on the long, bumpy, unfinished road to electoral reform
Canadians have not managed to forge a route to electoral reform yet, federally or provincially – despite at least 17 reports over the years, starting in 1923, all of which have recommended some form of proportional representation. For a list, with brief explanations and the outcomes, click this link. When BC voters were...
Opinion: Suggestions for Politicos' New Year Resolutions
It's that time of year again -- to propose a few New Year's resolutions for B.C.'s political class and this year there's a bit of a theme to the resolutions: transparency. No ill can come from it and it will fit into most holiday budgets to boot. First up: allow individuals who are the subject of an inquiry, or investigation,...
Booty's Cabin at Strawberry Pass nearly destroyed
It may have been someone careless with a candle on Christmas Eve. When a small group of skiers passing Booty’s Cabin early on Christmas morning noticed flames through the window, the flames were already a foot high and spreading. A Friends of the Rossland Range Society (FORRS) director says that, according to a firefighter...
Opinion: Canada won’t perform an environmental review of most new oilsands projects. Here’s why.
The future of development in Alberta’s oilsands lies in underground, steam-assisted operations that represent some of the country’s fastest growing greenhouse gas emissions. These projects have never been subject to federal environmental reviews and that’s not expected to change with Ottawa’s new-and-improved assessment rules....
Editorial: Let's keep our heritage real.
Do you want to live in a “themed” community, where all buildings must look similar in style and colour? Or do you prefer a place with more variety? I attended the Heritage Plan Community Workshop on December 1, and it was heartening to see so many others there taking an interest. Yes, let’s preserve our heritage – it’s...
