So how much is too much? It's a question worth asking after B.C.'s political parties reported their 2012 fundraising hauls last week. And quite the haul it was. Between them, the B.C. Liberals and NDP brought in more than $17 million. The Liberals alone raised $10.15 million, nearly $4 million dollars more than their Ontario...

British Columbia’s provincial health officer released the following statement on H7N9 influenza in China: “B.C.’s public health officials are working with national and international authorities to keep a close eye on the H7N9 influenza situation in China. “The level of risk to British Columbia and Canada is currently considered to be low, with reported cases […]

My last column gave examples of referendum procedures with less than democratic consequences and of a two-stage referendum process which conforms to the principles of the Yukon’s Municipal Act. In this column we will examine the rationale for the Act’s exclusion of two politically sensitive issues, budget and taxes, from the...

IntegrityBC is issuing a challenge to every party leader in B.C.: attend at least one all-candidates' meeting in your constituency in advance of the May 14th general election. The organization issued the challenge following Premier Christy Clark's decision not to attend any all-candidates' meetings in her riding of Vancouver-Point...

British Columbians will soon notice they are paying less for many of the generic prescription drugs they need for their health. Starting April 1, a new drug pricing regulation will reduce the price of generic drugs to 25 per cent of the brand name price, from the current rate of 35 per cent of the brand name price. The price...

New probate rules and the Wills, Estates and Succession Act (WESA) are providing greater certainty for individuals who put their last wishes into writing and simplifying the process for those in charge of distributing an estate. WESA will come into force officially on March 31, 2014, modernizing B.C.’s current laws — which have provisions dating […]

A 38-year-old Revelstoke man died Sunday after being caught in an avalanche in Glacier National Park near Revelstoke, according to RCMP Staff Sgt. J.M. Olsen.   “At approximately 4 p.m. on March 24, Revelstoke RCMP and Parks Canada were advised of an avalanche at Sifton Col, in Glacier National Park,” he said in a press […]

A majority of British Columbians support a ban on corporate and union donations to B.C. provincial political parties, according to a public opinion survey commissioned by IntegrityBC and conducted by the Mustel Group on their BC Omnibus. When asked: “Do you believe that corporations and unions should be prohibited from donating...

In my last column we examined the referendum and its role in a democratic local government. When talking about referendum we cannot afford to ignore the importance of the rules that govern the referendum’s application. As with elections, the rules determine the efficacy of the referendum. Efficacy for the purpose of this...

March 22nd is World Water Day – established by the UN as a day to contemplate the importance of access to water for life on earth. On World Water Day nearly 2000 children around the world will die from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation – just like every other day of the year. It is almost impossible to...