COMMENT: Canada – not going along to get along
My colleague Paul Dewar, our Foreign Affairs critic, recently wrote an article where he talks about Canada’s pattern of disengagement and withdrawal from the international community. Paul mentions that our Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird likes to say that Canada will no longer “go along to get along” in reference to...
Kettle River Q&A – Thinking outside the box
Recently we’ve been discussing how low river flows and high water use threaten fish and aquatic ecosystems in the Kettle River and tributaries. We are already considering options such as promoting water conservation, regulating water use in dry periods, and further curtailing fishing or harvesting in the river. But it turns...
GF council works on new deer feeding bylaw
Grand Forks city council gave first, second and third reading to a new deer feeding bylaw, Nov. 25. The new bylaw states that no individual can provide food to deer, either by handfeeding or leaving food out for the deer to eat. The bylaw was amended to include salt licks under the term ‘food.’ The bylaw also states that...
Grizzlies show more stress when they don't get enough salmon
Salmon declines could have long-term effects on grizzly bear health, conclude authors of a study published Nov. 27 in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. The researchers examined stress and reproductive hormones of salmon-eating grizzly bears from coastal British Columbia. Their results, obtained from analysis of tiny tufts of hair, revealed higher levels of the stress […]
Giving Tuesday just a few days away
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday just around the corner, more and more Canadians are gearing up to spend. What if there was a day each year dedicated to giving back in the midst of the holiday spending season? The first annual GivingTuesday is coming to Canada on Tuesday, December 3, the Tuesday following Black Friday and...
MAAP is officially on the map
The Multi-Agency Accommodation Project (MAAP) opened their doors on Saturday for the official grand opening. MAAP is a unique project that combines three local non-profits: Habitat for Humanity, Whispers of Hope and the Boundary Emergency and Transitional Housing Society (BETHS). The grand opening included two ribbong cutting...
COMMENT: Retirement Security
Retirement security is one of the most pressing economic issues facing Canadian families today. As many as 5.8 million Canadians - nearly a third of our work force - are facing a steep decline in their standard of living upon retirement. For many young Canadians, the situation is even more dire. Without real action now to ...
Ferraro Foods speaks to Facebook furor over Sensible BC video
A video posted on You Tube depicting grocery-store owner Danny Ferraro directing customers away from a Sensible BC petition (to decriminilize marijuana) has created a furor on social media, with many people committing to boycott the popular Trail store (Ferraros also have a grocery in Rossland). A Trail Champion reporter was...
COMMENT: B.C.’s multicultural society is a crucial tie to international trade
Our province has created deep historical, cultural and business ties with countries around the world enabling us to create strong trading partnerships and diversify our markets. Each year B.C. welcomes close to 40,000 new immigrants because we recognize the importance of the wide-range of social and economic benefits associated...
Ban on imported seal products upheld; Ottawa to appeal
The European Union (EU) will continue its ban on imported seal products, despite the Canadian government's appeal that it violates fair trade agreements. In February 2011, Canada requested that the World Trade Organization (WTO) create a dispute settlement panel to challenge the ban set by the EU. However, the WTO decided...
