The truly horrible derailment in Lac Megantic and the XL Foods recall saga are two significant events that shook Canadians’ faith in our regulatory system in the last year. The federal agencies that oversee the regulations, Transport Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), were among the subjects covered in...

Last May I wrote about the keys to successful watershed management – how planning groups need to work hard to build understanding, support, and capacity through the entire planning process. Now, the RDKB and the Kettle River Watershed Management Plan Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) are building the foundations for long-term...

I want to start this op/ed piece by stressing that as far as I know, the recreation board has not raised their rates at this time. I don’t know if they are going to in the future. Regardless, I feel the recreation facilities need to be more affordable for everyone. Late last year there was some talk about the RDKB increasing...

A new year is a great opportunity to share my enthusiasm for my commitment to work hard for British Columbia’s seniors and their families. As Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors, I look forward to continuing to connect with as many British Columbians as I can throughout the province. What better time to reconnect with B.C.’s...

To the residents of our area: As I look outside my window this morning, at the heavy snow weighing down branches and bushes, I can't help but think how the physical trauma of hunger and the psychological burden of not being able to provide for one's family must weigh on the shoulders of Food Bank clients. We live in a land ...

The second Grand Forks Food Security forum to “Turn Ideas into Action” was attended by about 40 local residents at the Senior’s Hall in City Park, Jan. 11. Here, the concerns of 105 respondents to a recent online/paper survey conducted by the Canadian Farmer's Union and the Grand Forks and Boundary Regional Agricultural...

At its regular metting Monday night, council unanimously agreed to send a letter of support to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers as the union opposes deep cuts to postal service, including the end of door-to-door delivery. City councillor Deb McIntosh brought up a letter from the CUPW requesting the city's support. "We...

Grand Forks has hired a WildSafeBC coordinator for the next six months -- a position dedicated to working with the city and WildSafeBC to collect information and educate the public on wildlife interactions.  The City worked with the provincial WildSafe program to hire Laurie Grant on Dec. 16 of last year.  Grant, who has lived...

Dear Editor, For over 100 years Trail Operations has operated as a world class refinery and smelter in the West Kootenays of British Columbia. Our facility refines and recycles everything from metal concentrates to used batteries into metals and fertilizers that we all rely on. Over our 100-year history we have grown in...

How we come to these moments in local political history… On the one hand we have a member of our honourable Grand Forks city council declaring in a public forum on the night of Dec. 5th: “If glyphosate shows up in your urine, it is certainly an indication your body is processing it adequately.” Absolutely brilliant on the...