I’ve written in a previous column about the exciting developments in battery recycling in Trail. There, KC Recycling is one of western North America’s largest lead-acid battery recyclers and Cirba Solutions (formerly Retriev) is a major recycler of literally every other kind of battery. Both these businesses are important components of the circular economy we […]

“We all live in a network of stories. There isn’t a stronger connection between people than story-telling.” — J. N. Smith Reconciliation, after Truth is taught I have written in this column before about Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, most recently in the last Arc in December. I feel it’s a subject that I might […]

Canada is regarded as a country of spectacular nature, with magnificent forests. The boreal forest alone, stretching from Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador, makes up 55 per cent of Canada’s land mass and is home to numerous plant and animal species and human communities. Listening to government, you could be forgiven for thinking that our […]

For the past three and a half months the world has witnessed the devastating situation in Palestine and Israel. Since the horrifying Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7 and the beginning of this latest assault on Gaza by Israeli forces, tens of thousands of innocent people have been killed, of whom two-thirds are women and […]

At the start of a new year, many of us take time to set goals and make plans for the months ahead. As MLA for Kootenay West, and Minister of Finance for the entire province, I know there is so much work to be done this year to make life better here and across B.C. […]

British Columbia’s fish populations and freshwater ecosystems are facing threats from a parasite that causes whirling disease in trout and salmon and two species of invasive mussels. The B.C. Wildlife Federation is deeply concerned that Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), FortisBC and BC Hydro are scaling back their support for invasive mussel surveillance in B.C. and […]

A media release arrived in my inbox, to publicize the message of a coalition of communities and businesses urging government to take more effective action to reduce crime. The coalition calls itself “Save Our Streets” — SOS.  Their message is a call “for all levels of government to coordinate their efforts and put an end […]

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Anyone resolve to help overthrow consumer capitalism? If we come together and resolve to do better for each other and the planet, we could find a better path. It would be easier if the gas, oil and coal industries and their supporters would resolve to clean up their […]

By Stuart Phillips, Professor, McMaster University, Ontario Everyone can agree that exercise is healthy. Among its many benefits, exercise improves heart and brain function, aids in controlling weight, slows the effects of aging and helps lower the risks of several chronic diseases.  For too long, though, one way of keeping fit, aerobic exercise, has been […]

“I will be more myself in the next life.”                           —  Matsuko Matumaki This column asks the question: what is a sole person responsible for, and what is a society accountable for?   I’m fascinated by individuals’ “butterfly effect” in religious history. I’m distressed by Canadian society’s collective ignorance for understanding our history.  Crisis as opportunity […]