In this coldest time of the year, we often think of the people in our area who are homeless.  Some have ended up on the streets and in rough camps because of mental health issues, addictions, or a combination of the two.  Some are children fleeing abusive parents or women fleeing abusive spouses; others have become disabled. ...

If Castlegar city council is serious about transparency and better communications, I would suggest Job One for them should be to leave a pile of rubber bands on the media table before every meeting so we can ping any member of senior staff or council who forgets to use their microphone. While that is obviously a tongue-in-cheek...

New Democrat MLA Katrine Conroy is welcoming $252,267 in capital project funding to support five capital projects across Kootenay West. The W.E. Graham Community Service Society, Trail Association for Community Living, Rossland and District Search and Rescue Society, Castlegar Society for Search & Rescue, and Black Jack Cross Country Ski Club Society are five of […]

Local MLA Katrine Conroy is reminding everyone in the West Kootenays that the deadline to register and vote in the referendum on electoral reform is fast approaching. “People in the West Kootenays are excited for a new way of voting that works for all of us,” said Conroy. “With the end of this referendum period […]

So far, most of the discussion about Proportional Representation (PR) has focused on fairness. Without a proportional voting system, there’s no way to make every vote count equally. But there are other reasons to adopt it, arguably as valid: it would bring social and financial stability and cut waste. In elections using...

To The Editor: After studying Proportional Representation for upwards of a decade, I've come to realize that it is the best way to ensure the diversity of voter's voices is heard in Victoria. Under our present system, parties regularly garner 100 per cent of the power with only 40 per cent of the vote. Our present system sees...

This week the House of Commons passed Bill C-76, the Elections Modernization Act, the federal government’s answer to the so-called “Fair Elections Act” that the Conservatives enacted in 2014.  And although I and the rest of the NDP caucus voted in favour of the bill, I would say this bill is “a day late and a dollar short.”...

Several times in our province we have had election results distorted by our current voting system (first past the post). As a result the political landscape has been plagued by polarized politics for as long as anyone can remember and many voters find themselves voting to block something they despise and/or not having their...

Japanese Knotweed is among the most feared invasive weeds, because of its effects on real estate values, taxes and infrastructure; it is unfortunately able to damage all three – it damages property values merely by being there, raises taxes by increasing municipal costs, and damages infrastructure by invading foundations,...

Richard Cannings MP (South Okanagan—West Kootenay) - Last April and May two serious acid spills caused havoc in Trail, BC.  Yesterday during Question Period, Cannings questioned the Prime Minister whether Transport Canada is properly investigating these incidents. Cannings has also been in consultation with local officials ...