Busless Spilly kids have options

I have to applaud Stan’s thought process and reasoning regarding parents responsibilites to deal with their choices as written in your recent CVN blog.

In this particular instance; of kids and buses from Edgewater to Spilly, and from what I have heard from any number of different parents, teachers, and school officials, the parents in Spilly have been given a number of different options to solve the question of how to accomodate six or seven children between the moment they get out of school and the next schoolbus passing through Edgewater and northward on to Spilly. [Read more]

Real leadership is keeping your promises

Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett wasn’t singing the praises of HST when he asked voters to support him on May 12th. In fact, his party said that they were against the HST. But when Premier Campbell changes his mind, so does Mr. Bennett. Unfortunately, what voters think doesn’t really matter to him.

People across the province are stating their objections to HST. Voters are saying that it isn’t acceptable for the BC Liberals to say one thing before the election, and then do another thing after the election.

Mr. Bennett says that ‘real leadership requires us (the BC Liberals) to stand up for what we believe in’. He just doesn’t mention that BC Liberals ‘stand up’ after the election, not before. And first they have to be told by Premier Campbell just what they ‘believe in’. [Read more]

HST rush ignores rural and resort communities

Macdonald responds to BC Liberal throne speech.

Protecting the economy in rural communities is the last thing on the minds of the BC Liberals based on the proposals put forward in Tuesday’s Throne Speech, says Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald.

“I had expected, in this time of economic crisis, that there would be a number of items put forward in the speech to attempt to improve our economic situation,” said Macdonald. “But instead, the only substantive piece of economic policy championed was an additional tax that could cripple a primary industry in my communities.” [Read more]

Macdonald wins Columbia River – Revelstoke

Updated May 13, 2009 4:30pm –

He’s a former teacher, former principal, former mayor but one thing he won’t be, at least not for the next four years, is a former MLA.

Incumbent NDP MLA Norm Macdonald won Tuesday’s, May 12, election over Liberal candidate Mark McKee by a healthy margin of 2,209 votes. Green party candidate Sarah Svensson received just 854 votes in total. [Read more]

Jumbo Glacier: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

Press release  April 17, 2009 –

The time for a decision on Jumbo Glacier Resort is overdue. After going through one approval process after another for over 17 years, it is time for a decision to be made one way or another regarding this project.

The unfortunate situation with Jumbo has gone on for so long it has pitted neighbour against neighbour and community against community to the extent that it cannot receive a fair trial in the court of public opinion.  When so many people have such high emotional feelings both for and against the project, the only fair way to make a decision is to look at the process that has been followed.

Although Jumbo has an approved environmental certificate and an approved master plan, the Regional District of East Kootenay has not yet made a final decision on whether to go ahead on this project. Whatever their decision I will support it. [Read more]

Hanni: buying votes is illegal

Press release –

BC Conservative Party leader pans Liberal opponent for treating

CRANBROOK: BC Conservative Party Leader Wilf Hanni said he was shocked to learn that his Liberal opponent, Bill Bennett was advertising that he intended to provide free beer to his supporters, because he “wanted to attract the younger voters.”

Hanni reminded Bennett of his claim to be a “life long conservative” and said “Conservatives do not give free beer to young people, or anyone else. It is not only illegal for a politician to provide free alcohol to anyone during an election campaign, it is unethical.” [Read more]

Macdonald supported Golden IPPs

Press release –

Stop the NDP: NDP candidate betrays leader, supports run-of-river IPPs

A letter released today shows that an NDP MLA has been secretly endorsing local independent power producers (IPPs) in his community while NDP leader Carole James has been hypocritically campaigning against them, Environment Minister Barry Penner said today. [Read more]

Macdonald and McKee face off in Fairmont

The two men vying for votes locally in the upcoming provincial election squared off before a small crowd in Fairmont Hot Springs on April 16. The event, hosted by the Fairmont Business Committee, was the first public meeting of the two candidates since the provincial election was officially announced earlier in the week. Norm Macdonald, representing the NDP, and Mark McKee, representing the Liberal Party, were each asked to introduce themselves and give a brief synopsis of their views before attendees were encouraged to quiz the politicians on issues of concern. [Read more]

Campbell promises business tax decrease, trade training increase

The BC Liberal Party recently announced that it plans to create opportunities that will significantly increase the number of registered apprentices in the province, while cutting small business income taxes.

In a press release from the Office of the Premier, Gordon Campbell said he expects to have 47,000 registered apprentices in the province this year — a figure tripled since 2001. [Read more]

What Halberstadt did not say

Letter to editor –

It was with some interest that I read Antoinette Halberstadt’s screed attacking BC Liberal candidate Mark McKee. There are a few points I wish to make, which I hope will help clarify the situation for readers and voters from outside Revelstoke: [Read more]