“A country without a history doesn’t have one. And a country without a soul is barely a country at all”.                                                                                  – Globe and Mail editorial, 2001   Introduction: what we’re telling ourselves about Canada Canadians have been offered some grim, guilt-inducing, intentionally uninspiring perspectives on the history of this country by people who would describe […]

Dear Community Member, Every November, we wear poppies as a symbol, to remember the sacrifices of those who have died in war. Remembrance Day asks us to take time to pause and honour the courage, sacrifice, and service of veterans. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we pause for […]

I’m grateful to be attending the First Nations Leadership Gathering in Vancouver this week for my first time. It was helpful that I do know a handful of FN leaders from my previous local government work. The week has been very educational for me as I was entrusted to host a handful of meetings with […]

This column is a necessary sequel to my October Arc on the role Elders play in telling stories from History. I will tell a story from ‘my People’ of my People, for all readers, not only for my People. Here I attempt to be a ‘knowledge-keeper.’ The Story: Celts in Ireland encounter Normans from England; […]

BC’s NDP government has proposed that pipelines shouldn’t have to pay municipal property taxes at the same rate as other landowners. The other taxpayers in municipalities with pipelines would see increases in their tax bill, to  make up the difference in the amount of money required to continue providing services and amenities. According to the […]

The BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) has reached a tentative agreement with the provincial government, bringing an end to a historic strike that involved more than 25,000 public service workers and eight weeks of job action across British Columbia. The next step is ratification: all 34,000 members of the public service will now have the […]

Monday, October 20 Statement – I rise today to shine a light on a remarkable organization serving the Cherryville community, the Cherryville Community Food and Resource Society. This small but mighty centre is proof that when people care deeply about one another, they can build something truly special. Cherryville is a tiny, unincorporated rural community with […]

Dear editor, I’ve seen how the housing crisis has deeply affected our community. More and more people are being pushed into homelessness, and it feels like everyone is falling behind. We have to turn things around, and we have an opportunity in front of us with the upcoming federal budget on November 4th. The only […]

By: Living Lakes Canada Living Lakes Canada is joining communities across British Columbia in calling on the Province to modernize outdated industrial water rates and reinvest new revenues in watershed security. The BC Watershed Security Coalition’s new report, Modernizing Industrial Water Rates in BC: Ending the Great Water Giveaway, shows that British Columbia has some […]

In my youth, I worked as a carpenter for eight years, helping build houses in London, Ontario, as a framer for my uncles’ company, Suzuki Brothers Construction. A framer constructs the foundation and skeleton of a house. I would build the forms for the footings and foundation, mix and pour the concrete and, after the […]