Working to resolve the climate crisis is a tremendous economic opportunity. Even normally conservative organizations such as the International Monetary Fund agree that the benefits far outweigh the costs. Of course, the global consumer-based capitalist system encourages waste and destructive practices in the name of financial gain, so the necessary transformational change really requires a […]

Despite doing everything right, most Canadians are struggling —struggling to find a home they can afford and facing the rising costs of groceries and the price of gas at the pumps. All while massive wealth is accumulating in the hands of the very few.  I’ve talked in some of my columns about measures the NDP […]

Everyone in our community and in communities across B.C. should feel safe and welcome here. That’s why it’s been concerning to me and my government colleagues that throughout B.C. we’ve seen a rise in racist incidents. While we may not always see it or know about it, these types of incidents do happen in Kootenay […]

A History Maker, observed The true test of character is not adversity. It is possession of power. Give someone power and watch what they do. — anonymous proverb If anyone whatsoever think the interest of Christians and the interest of the nation inconsistent, or two different things, I wish my soul may never enter into […]

Dear Community Members, Since February, I’ve been working with Premier David Eby and my BCNDP MLA colleagues in the Legislature to pass legislation that will make a difference to people in B.C. The cost-of-living, health care, and housing – these are the issues I hear about from people like you, constituents and community members and hardworking British Columbians who […]

For many people “bees” means “honeybees” — the prolific insects that flit from flower to flower, collecting nectar and pollen to take back to their hives. They’re important agricultural pollinators and produce honey and wax that humans gather and use. Their utility to people has heightened fears about “colony collapse disorder,” in which various suspected […]

When the House of Commons passed the Canada Disability Act almost a year ago, my colleagues and I were initially buoyed at this long-overdue action to lift people living with a disability out of poverty once and for all. Like many government announcements, details were slim, and we knew we’d have to fight hard alongside […]

Overall, whether it’s used for fabrics, bioplastics, fuels, paper products or building materials, hemp has many advantages and few disadvantages. Hemp has been promoted as a solution to a wide range of environmental issues — as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics, resource-depleting cotton, polluting fossil fuels, energy-intensive building materials, forest-destroying paper products and more. It’s […]

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”  Genesis, II, v. 7 [King James Bible, 1611] This quotation has been translated into English from ancient Hebrew with notable variations for the last word: soul; being; creature; […]

Starting May 1, almost 2 million seniors were eligible to make appointments and start accessing the new NDP Dental Care Plan. MP, Richard Cannings noted that “after 57 years fighting for dental care to be included in the Canada Health Care Act, the NDP Canada Dental Care Plan is finally here.” The local MP has […]