Feature - Sentinel

After years of farmers protesting regulations developed in 2006 by the B.C. government that prevented farm gate sales of meat without use of a licenced abattoir, the province has sent the industry into confusion with the introduction of two new licences. Local producers are left feeling that they have been chasing their own tails for the last four years, spending time and money trying to build facilities that would provide local meat inspection. Now, it seems that the province is opening up the regulations to allow livestock producers to slaughter their animals again.

There’s no easy answer for School District 51’s Board of Trustees in the case of the possible closure of the Beaverdell Elementary School if the decision is based on the public meeting held on Tuesday, Apr. 27 in Beaverdell. The community came out in full force to support their small school with over 100 people attending the first meeting in the closure consultation process. The board heard their impassioned call to keep the school open, but did not comment or engage in any discussion at the meeting.

George Penfold, regional innovation chair at Selkirk College, doesn’t believe that we have a food security problem. What he does believe is that Canadians have an appetite problem instead. An appetite for inexpensive, convenient foods year round that is also reliant on using a great deal of agricultural land for one purpose – grain. If people are worried about the future of food, Penfold suggests that they start looking at how they eat.

Canada’s flax industry is scrambling to repair damage to our export markets because of contamination by unapproved genetically engineered (GE) flax. This problem will reoccur as more genetically engineered crops are approved without rules that consider existing regulations in export markets and the potential negative impacts on trade, says New Democrat Agriculture Critic Alex Atamanenko (BC Southern-Interior).

While the audience of local residents from Beaverdell and Midway fluctuated between catcalls and applause, the Board of Trustees of School District 51 debated whether to consider proceeding with the closure of Beaverdell and Midway Elementary Schools in the Boundary region. Although Board Chair, Teresa Rezansoff, tried repeatedly to reassure the people present at the special meeting on Monday night, Mar. 29 in Midway that initiating the process does not pre-determine that the school will close, many of the parents in attendance were not convinced.

Warm and dry winter months of January and February are causing environmental watchdogs concern over potential water supply problems for watersheds in the Kettle basin and the West Kootenays. Although this means there won’t be any flooding, drought problems which may be even worse than the 2009 conditions that resulted in very low river levels, reduced lake, reservoir, and groundwater storage, are expected and that has the water stewards of the area concerned for fish habitat and water quality.

Grand Forks City Councillor Chris Moslin sat in the Mayor’s chair at their last meeting on Mar. 8 on behalf of Mayor Brian Taylor who was away. The regular meeting of council dealt with a number of ongoing business items including the proposed multi-use sports field, notice of motion to move the location of the proposed dog park, an update on the city trail project, a decision on the extension of the garbage services contract, the final reading of the five-year financial plan, and the approval of a grant request for age-friendly community planning.

People who lost their jobs and other victims of this recession are the losers in this budget while banks whose profits just doubled hit the jackpot, said New Democrat Leader Jack Layton.

People from all across the Boundary region are telling the School District 51 that it is not acceptable to close the elementary school in Beaverdell. Over 50 people jammed into the board room for the School District 51 meeting last Tuesday, Mar. 2 to let the trustees know that the value of their elementary school, that hosts children in kindergarten through grade 4, is well beyond just education.

When the Kettle River was declared a heritage river by the provincial government in the 1990’s in recognition of its outstanding natural cultural and recreational values, it came with the promise and expectation that the Kettle would see an extra level of protection of those values. Today, the river regularly faces drought conditions, the potential extinction of rare fish species, encroachment from corporate power projects, and increased demands on water use. The Boundary Environmental Alliance (BEA) is determined to see that the looming crisis on this river is addressed.