Recent comments

If more of the conservatives would acutally say how they feel as Popoff did then it would make this election much more transparent.

Exciting News for May 1 at THE ROYAL. Head over to TheRoyalOnBaker over at Facebook to be kept up to date about what's happening at THE ROYAL ON BAKER. 

To the comment above -- thank you for providing those excellent details. At the time of the accident I did not talk to the police or the fire and rescue personnel as a professional courtesy. In general, reporters do not interfere with police investigations or the rescue efforts being conducted. Therefore, as I stated in the article, the information was very preliminary, with details to follow. I am in the process of following up now and will have an update shortly.

We're also in the process of finding our heros, which do need to be thanked. 

It is wonderful to know how selfless others can be. To the rescuers: you have reaffirmed my faith in humanity. To the man who was rescued and your family: you are blessed, life is precious and I'm so glad all is well!

The thing is  Nelson had surgical services for well over 40 years before the IHA was created and coverage was seamless. Then the IHA came around and shut it down. They closed half the hospital beds in the west kootenay and entire hospitals. This didn't save us one cent and cost us more each and every year. It didn't improve coverage and didnt create any new services.

What it did do was divert health care dollars from the front lines to cushy administrator postions. It is no wonder Canada has over ten times the health administrators per capita as European countries like Germany. Administrative boodoggles like the IHA do not lead to better health care. Time to follow Alberta and get rid of the health authorities.

Yes, as a mother I can't imagine dragging a potty-training child across a field during an event. Or pulling a child out of an event to race across a field. I'm glad they opened the doors again and hopefully it will work out for everyone! 

- ed.

I am glad to hear the rest of council came to the logical conclusion of allowing the community park users to use an existing washroom facility. These children are getting exercise (this should be something society supports and promotes) and it is healthy for the children to drink water to rehydrate themselves especially given that the events will occur in summer months. Obviously when children are active and hydrated they need to go to the washroom more often when sitting on the couch. Gratitude for having a washroom facility parents should remind their children to do there best to clean up after themselves or lose the privlage of using the track. A reminder to kids before is usually all it takes.

If a washroom was simply not an option in future and I had a child that wanted to participate in an organized park activity like the BMX track then I would probably ask them to use a public washroom before the event close by (library, City Hall (I'm sure they would offer theirs if a child was doing the dance!)).

For emergencies once the event has started then parents could arm themselves with a few pre-prep items like baby wipes, dog bags for poop, and hand sanitizers or thermos with warm water and soap. Council better consider adding some more trees and bushes for privacy as some children are righfully quite shy... seems a little primative or uncultured but as a mother when your child looks to you for help ...you do what you have to. I'd chuckle if there was a follow up article about campers complaining about  public nudity in City Park or fines given to parents for thier child's public indecency.

Although I am a passionate believer in the current Canada Health Act and Primary Health Care, I can't help but wonder why Dr. Fleet chooses to focus on Nelson. Nelson is by no means the worst example.

Everything he says is true about what services were previously and are no longer available at KLH. And it would be wonderful to have all those services. Hey, why don't we double the amount of covered long-term and complex care services as well. Or increase public health and home care services to what they once were? (Maybe those things would have been more helpful for the community in the long-term rather than a CT scanner open only during business hours.)

But let us consider the north end of Vancouver island. The populations of Port Hardy and Port McNeill with a few other villages add up to the population of Nelson. Many people who live up there work in very dangerous professions, drive unpaved roads and are therefore at least as much at risk for trauma. So how far do these communities have to travel for a CT, general surgery, ICU, mental health and substance use services or even to have a baby? If you live in Port Hardy you have to travel 236km to Campbell River.

It isn't practical to have all services everywhere. The value of accessible health care does not mean within a short drive or walk. But yes, financial pressures have meant a huge compromise to quality health servies especially for rural Canadians. I just think that instead of worrying about getting KLH's ICU up and running again, we should focus on a bigger picture. Nelson is just the tip of the iceburg. The Canadian Helath Act is up for revision and we are at risk of being further comprimised. May's election is an opportunity to ask tough questions about health care. What can we do that will make a difference for the future? And I personally don't think complaining about what Nelson used to have or should have is the way to make a difference.

zip·per·head  

Just a little F.Y.I.; you might want to abandon this term in place of something without these connotations. This is a racial slur that originates from the frontlines of the Korean War. It should be noted that it is obvious that there was no racism intended here.

It's both painful AND tedious to see the premier's people issuing generic 'stateswoman-like' statements like this. What on earth does this have to do with anything other than the fact that it's election time? Should Clark issue a couple of these a day? Every time there's a tragedy or an accident?

At least there doesn't appear to be an ethnic angle to this one...unless her press office thinks Boston is a city in India. Either that or the BC Liberals are now aggressively courting the Irish vote...

Shameful.

Go for it!!  I'm in!

Don’t even click on links or attachments that come from someone you DO know.  Their email may have been hacked.  This happened to me once, and they used my email to send spam to everyone on my contact list.  If you receive an unexpected link or attachment in an email from someone you know, phone them and ask them if they sent it before you open it.

Rossland's thoughts are with you and those you love....