From The Hill: Questions needed answers before approving Trans Mountain Pipeline
The Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline has dominated news in the past few weeks. The public is divided over whether we should build this pipeline and allow Alberta oil sands output to increase, or whether it presents too much risk to BC’s rivers and coastal environments. Many experts described the original project approval ...
From The Leg: Concerns about spending initiatives, ability to fund
April MLA Report Flooding: We are once again at the mercy of Mother Nature. An unusually high snow pack and heavy rains have again put many of you in harm’s way. I have met with all the agencies involved who are working around the clock to try and keep your homes and property safe. It is an uphill battle. The water table...
LETTER: In opposition to Kinder Morgan
To The Editor: I was appalled to hear that the Prime Minister intends to provide a Texas extraction company with billions of tax dollars to foist their dirty pipeline on a reluctant province. First of all, the Trudeau government has no such mandate. This government pledged to be a proactive partner in the fight against...
OUT OF LEFT FIELD: Proud of my paramedics, ashamed of my community's treatment of them
Even I got snowed into thinking, at first, that the announcement of four new full-time paramedic positions in Castlegar is good news. Now, I’m torn between feeling heartsick, outraged, and not a little ashamed. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll start with the positive aspects of this announcement. The community paramedic...
OUT OF LEFT FIELD: Why a 'yes' vote is critical to Castlegar's health
Some of the most common complaints I’ve heard from Castlegar residents include: There are no family doctors taking patients; we don’t have any big box stores like Costco, Walmart, etc; there are no jobs for my adult kids so they’re moving to a larger centre, downtown is unsightly and has too few businesses, and; there’s nothing...
MP speaks to BC/Alberta angst
Pipeline politics have been in the news a lot over the past couple of weeks, as British Columbia and Alberta square off over Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain expansion project. Both provincial governments are doing exactly what they promised to do when elected, so their positions are not surprising. But where is the federal ...
From the Hill: Cannings' Bill C-354 passes at second reading
Yesterday MP Richard Cannings’ Bill C-354 an Act to amend the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act, (Use of Wood) passed its first vote at second reading. The bill will now be sent to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Natural Resources for review. Bill C-354 proposes to require the federal government...
Letter: Big Thanks to Grand Forks
To The Editor: The Alzheimer Society of B.C. thanks the Grand Forks people of and the West Kootenay region for their encouraging response to January’s annual Alzheimer Awareness Month and to our new social awareness campaign, “I live with dementia. Let me help you understand.” Our campaign aims to spark conversations and...
Column: 'From the Hill' -- BC's natural resources
In mid-January I attended the British Columbia Natural Resources Forum in Prince George. This is one of the biggest gatherings of resource companies, government leaders and nongovernment organizations in Canada, and is always a good place to hear the latest news from that sector. I was happy to see federal Natural Resources...
From the Hill: The importance of pensions
The New Year is a time to look ahead and plan for the future. My wife and I have been talking about pensions lately. She’s debating whether to start her Canada Pension Plan payments. We were self-employed for much of our careers, so she doesn’t have a company pension to draw on, but we have tried to build up our RRSPs over...
