The question of Job, or, why does bad happen?
Human beings should be treasured. Material is to be used. Our crises now all originate from one source – things are treasured, people are used. Very little commentary is posted after my columns. I do wonder if I am writing into a vacuum sometimes. But then, I have felt the same over a dozen years of broadcasting a program on...
COMMENT: My thoughts on the proposed Electoral Boundaries report and why action is needed
First, let me acknowledge that this is a very challenging and demanding task and I believe the Electoral Boundary Commission has overall worked hard to try to come up with something manageable in an environment where there will always be disagreement and inevitable disappointment. I will also go on record in suggesting my...
The Rural BC Project: How to revive our rural communities
Submitted by Grace McGregor, Regional District Kootenay Boundary Area C Director It has been my pleasure for the past four years to be involved in discussions with other elected officials, academics and numerous community leaders throughout BC in the creation of “The Rural BC Project.” The article that follows is an explanation...
Film fest to challenge and uplift audience this weekend
“It is easier to cope with a bad conscience than a bad reputation.” These are the words of the public relations company for Dole as the multinational launched a vicious smear and attack campaign against Fredrik Gertten for his film Bananas, chronicling the lawsuit of 12 Nicaraguan plantation workers against the company. The...
OP/ED: Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, Part 2
In my Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) column (Part I) I gave a general description of this Inter-Parliamentary Forum held in Vladivostok, Russian. During the meeting, resolutions were adopted that will be presented to each of the countries represented at the APPF and it is possible that these statements will wind up...
If life is a mystery, uncertain and full of risk, then you are living it well
Pope Benedict is retiring. Nelson is national news for its dog-ban bylaw. Tornadoes and blizzards have hit eastern regions of the continent. A fired L. A. cop commits suicide after a murder spree. BC’s Legislature is back in session. The Grammies have been awarded. The Canucks had a streak of wins but just lost it. This, if...
Giving it up for Lent
This might be hard to believe, but sometimes I get a bit full of myself. Get off on some track or other and before I know it, I'm preaching, proclaiming and other wise carrying on as if I had an inside scoop on the path to salvation. Frankly it can be a tad hard to take. So I've decided to give it up. At least for Lent....
In Winter Wonder time mittens are a must—and a magnifying glass, too
It’s Winter Wonder time! Primary students all over the snowy Columbia Basin are learning about how plants and animals adapt to winter. Kids take a magical journey to discover the natural world in winter through these walking field trips, which occur in and around their schoolyards and neighbourhoods. Exploring snow crystals...
COMMENT: School closures and the ‘cult of efficiency’
In light of the current fiscal crisis and resultant school closures and reconfigurations being contemplated by our Board of Education to balance its budget we believe it is appropriate to revisit some of Murray Dobbin’s thoughts in his article about School Closures and the “Cult of Efficiency” written in 2008 when he was the...
Spirit of the Lord?
When most folk think of someone swept up in the Spirit of the Lord they're likely in the space a fellow named Paul was when he wrote that women should keep their hair bound up in worship. It resulted in a long practice of women wearing head coverings in church. Some scholars think that Paul was more concerned with what women...
