Opinion

Premier calls former post-secondary minister’s dismissive remarks no small ‘screw-up’

Implementing the rights of First Nations that were affirmed in section 35 (1) of the Canadian Constitution has led to public outcry.

Columnist Keith Baldrey examines the provincial political news of the week ending Feb. 3, 2024, and why the larger story isn't over yet.

'Heading into the second round of budget discussions on Feb. 5, we are at risk of just piling on more and more, pushing the budget and our taxes up, and spreading SCRD staff time and energy more thinly, with more burnout and less focus on important priorities like water and waste disposal. '

Politicians, health experts at odds over what to do next

'For instance, Vancouver has limitations on decibel sound and requires installation of rubber mats and sound mitigating foam or blankets. Nanaimo regulates their siting and they must be located several metres from property lines; Maple Ridge doesn’t allow units to be installed in the side yard between houses.'

In the U.S., the Biden administration approved nearly 10,000 oil and gas drilling permits on public lands in its first three years, while Donald Trump is moronically pledging to “drill baby, drill”

Since 1950, 40 to 60 per cent of the world’s kelp forests have either suffered damage or disappeared