Column: From the Hill -- The new NAFTA -- CUSMA
This week in the House of Commons we are debating the new NAFTA agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico, known by the acronym CUSMA. The original NAFTA was negotiated by Conservatives and signed by Liberals in 1994 with promises of more jobs and secure access to the largest market in the world. Supporters of ...
Former BC Gov was warned about criminal activity in casinos
An explosive Global News investigative report today says that the RCMP warned the former BC Liberal government about serious criminal activity infecting the province’s gaming sector. Former Crown prosecutor Sandy Garossino said the RCMP report “shreds the credibility” of former Solicitor General Rich Coleman’s explanation for...
Op/Ed: What’s next on corporate crime and remediation agreements?
By Jennifer Quaid; originally published in The Conversation About a year ago, the SNC-Lavalin controversy introduced Canadians to a new way of settling criminal charges — remediation agreements. Added to Canadian law via a budget bill in June 2018, the system was put to the test almost immediately when SNC-Lavalin sought a ...
COLUMN: From the Hill -- Canada's new Parliament, so far
It’s a new year, a new decade, and a time to look forward. The new parliament sat for two weeks in early December, time enough to get an indication how the government intends to move forward. Most Canadians want the government to work collaboratively with other parties to tackle the issues of our time, and the NDP is very ...
Editorial: An object lesson from Uzbekistan
A Kootenay man, environmental consultant Michael Keefer who lives in Rossland and Cranbrook, was invited to go to Uzbekistan for a conference on solutions to the Aralkum Desert problem. While there, he toured the area and took many hundreds of pictures. When I sat down with Keefer, who told me fascinating tales ...
Column: From the Hill -- on the job back in Ottawa
On Sunday I returned to Ottawa to prepare for the opening of the 43rd Parliament. Last week I was given my shadow cabinet roles—critic for Natural Resources and deputy critic for Transport. I was the critic for Natural Resources for the last four years so know that file well, and issues of transport intersect natural resources...
NDP MP Richard Cannings Named Party’s Critic for Natural Resources
Today, in Ottawa, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced that MP Richard Cannings (South Okanagan—West Kootenay) would return as Critic for Natural Resources in the shadow cabinet. Cannings has also been appointed Deputy Critic for Transport. “It’s a privilege to continue serving in our caucus and I’m very pleased that Jagmeet ...
Bill 41 passes unanimously in BC Legislature
Scott Fraser, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation; Regional Chief Terry Teegee, BC Assembly of First Nations; Cheryl Casimer, First Nations Summit; Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Union of BC Indian Chiefs; and Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands and member of Tsartlip First Nation, have issued the...
RDKB elects new board chair
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Board of Directors elected new, first-time board chair Diane Langman at the November 13 board meeting. Director has represented the Village of Warfield on the RDKB Board for the last three years while she has served as mayor of Warfield. Vice-chair Grace McGregor has returned to her...
Province will act to discourage vaping
The Province will restrict vapour product access, flavours, nicotine content, packaging and advertising, and intends to increase taxes on vapour products, to protect youth from risks associated with vaping. “Some vaping manufacturers are using flavours and advertising to entice and normalize vaping for youth – introducing a...
