Walmarts and farmers’ markets—should people serve the economy or does the economy serve people?
Legions of political philosophers have written countless volumes on the subject of communities and their governance. The colours of their beliefs and theories put the brightest rainbow to shame, but one aspect on which reasonable political philosophers will agree is that a modern democratic political community cannot be...
LETTER: BC Wildlife Federation slams BC Hydro's management of Arrow Lakes fish populations
The Kootenay region has endured a disproportionate amount of ecological damage due to numerous upper Columbia Basin hydro developments that have generated considerable economic benefits to the province, but also caused significant social and environmental damage to the region. The most recent dam at Revelstoke caused huge...
Nelson Development Politics and the Illusion of Progressivism
I begin by citing the conclusions to my own two most-recent columns. I think humans are changing, and so the issues may look very like issues that have been with us over the centuries – but they will be different because we are different. And the main reason for our difference from past humans is our technologies of information....
LETTER: Paranoia or due process
Talk about putting the cart before the horse. Fall 2013 the RDKB (Regional District of Kootenay Boundary) launches the Kettle Blah-Blah Plan. A few months later Grand Forks city council slams through a unanimous motion to install residential smart water metres. The citizenry clamours, an open-house is held and already by April...
Tayla Scott joins Source/Champion team
The Source/Champion are going to throw objectivity to the wind, and admit how delighted we are to introduce the newest member of our team, 21-year-old Tayla Scott. She’ll be serving a six-week internship, doing everything from writing to photography to new media management, and will cover a wide variety of topics, from community events to […]
OP/ED: City of Trail defends its decision not to restore old bridge
Ed. Note: The following is a press release issued by the City of Trail: Trail Council would like to clarify the misinformation being presented by petition canvassers to Trail’s citizens in regards to the future pipeline/pedestrian bridge which will accommodate a secondary water pipeline, a gas pipeline and a sewer interceptor....
COMMENT: Union speaks to local service reductions by Canada Post
Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Castlegar Local is outraged by the announcement made by Canada Post (CPC) manager Norm Ouellet that, effective May 12, 2014, customers will no longer be able to pick up carded items such as parcels or mail requiring a signature at the corporate Post Office. On that date, items will be...
What makes a politician?
“Be the change you want to see.” Mahatma Gandhi “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” J.F. Kennedy “The role of a statesman is to hear the god of history passing and take hold of his coattails on his way.” Otto von Bismarck “Political power...
MP: Unfair Elections Act an assault on democracy
In a recent speech at the National Action Network convention in New York City, U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the issue of voter suppression and voter ID laws. President Obama echoed Canadian election experts who point out that voting fraud is almost non-existent and there is simply no justification for introducing...
OPEN LETTER: The City's 'trash talkin' swagger' in the face of AGLG report is shameful
[NOTE: This is an open letter that was sent the mayor and council. We will post any replies from our elected leaders to this article--ed.] I am writing to see if council is actually onside with the comments our mayor made in the so-called "press release" that turned up in my inbox a couple minutes ago. Did council okay this...