Our federal government is negotiating a free trade agreement with the European Union (CETA).  This is an all encompassing agreement that covers labour standards, the environment and the ability of provincial and local governments to conduct business. Unfortunately, the negotiations are taking place behind closed doors – so CETA is not on most people’s radar. […]

“The unbroken violation of nature in Canada, the economy founded on the trapping and mutilating of animals, the destroying of trees, the drying up of rivers and the polluting of lakes, began inspiring guilt and uneasiness long before the contemporary ecology movement.” – Northrop Frye, National Consciousness in Canadian Culture   Infinite growth on a […]

It’s as much a tradition as Hockey Night in Canada: awarding federal contracts on the basis of political seats, powerful clout and, in essence, attempts to bribe voters. I saw that personally while covering Parliament Hill, when Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney overruled all technical assessments and recommendations...

The occupy movement has been a like a powerful cleansing wind blowing over the political landscape – exposing not just the obscenely rich, and criminally irresponsible political elite, but almost every other political player too: cowardly liberals, cautious social democrats, the strangely silenced churches, social movements...

Being First Nations in BC comes at too high a price. We all know the statistics: dismal success at (white) school; endemic poverty on and off reserve; half the prison population despite being only three percent of the Canadian population; high incidence of sexual abuse; the too high a percentage of children in care; high...

By Lois Beckett in ProPublica.By the end of this year, the State Department will decide whether to give a Canadian company permission to construct a 1,700-mile, $7 billion pipeline that would transport crude oil from Canada to refineries in Texas.  The project has sparked major environmental concerns, particularly in Nebraska,...

A confidential report on BC Hydro Smart Meter Business Case by Horizon Technologies Inc. states that "BC Hydro will maintain the same rate structures when Smart Meters are first put in, and implement new rate structures afterwards; so that Smart Meters aren't blamed for higher rates."Read the full confidential report here.Rich...

After the terribly sad departure of Steve Jobs this week I find myself articulating the undeniable impact of the man. On a marketing level alone I’ve often said he and Apple are far and away the best on the planet and while I’m surprised how much I’m affected by his passing, I am also surprised […]

Since early July my riding office has been flooded with calls and letters from worried Canadians across the country seeking information and advice on the new enforcement Initiatives for filing US tax returns and reporting foreign bank accounts (FBARs).   Frequently the first question asked is, "Will I be affected by this?" ...

Occupy Wall Street – and now Bay Street? The 99 per cent? Conservatives losing elections all over the country? A Red Tory elected head of the Alberta Conservatives? American billionaires demanding to be taxed at higher rates? Is something happening here? Perhaps the first indication was the totally unexpected reaction to Jack Layton’s death. It […]