Opinion

Prasonisi on the island of Rhodes, where you can stand with one foot in the Mediterranean (on the left) and one foot in the Aegean. (Photo credit: Google street view)

The Editor’s Desk: The armchair traveller

Thanks to technology, the world and its wonders are available at the click of a few buttons

Prasonisi on the island of Rhodes, where you can stand with one foot in the Mediterranean (on the left) and one foot in the Aegean. (Photo credit: Google street view)
A COVID-19 test. Island Health workers are being urged to not get tested. (Black Press Media file photo)

CAMPBELL: Some sick B.C. health workers urged by bosses to not test for COVID-19

New Vancouver Island memo seems to run counter to provincial policy on isolation

A COVID-19 test. Island Health workers are being urged to not get tested. (Black Press Media file photo)
File - In 2023, are celebrations such as Black History Month still needed? This writer weighs in. Picture shown is an event promoting Black history month at the The Nanaimo African Heritage Society in lieu of their second annual online gala. (News Bulletin file photo)

HITCHINS: In 2023, yes, Black History Month is still important

Recognizing accomplishments by those of African origin vital to identity

File - In 2023, are celebrations such as Black History Month still needed? This writer weighs in. Picture shown is an event promoting Black history month at the The Nanaimo African Heritage Society in lieu of their second annual online gala. (News Bulletin file photo)
Advocates for decriminalization and safe supply of drugs stood outside Nelson’s city hall on April 14th. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

OPINION: Why the drug poisoning crisis in B.C. won’t be addressed by decriminalization

On Jan. 31, B.C. began a three-year pilot project under which simple possession of some drugs

Advocates for decriminalization and safe supply of drugs stood outside Nelson’s city hall on April 14th. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
BC Ferries regularly cancels sailings between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen. (Black Press Media file photo)

CAMPBELL: ‘You owe us!’: passenger berates BC Ferries staff for chronic tardiness

Passengers fed up with delays when BC Ferries penalizes drivers when they are late

BC Ferries regularly cancels sailings between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen. (Black Press Media file photo)
Jessica Peters is a reporter at the Abbotsford News.
Jessica Peters is a reporter at the Abbotsford News.
Certain apps can make users more mindful of their social media use. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror

KITTERINGHAM: Why I unfollowed 500 social media accounts this month

Social media was depressing me, so I did something about it

Certain apps can make users more mindful of their social media use. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror
(Pixabay.com)

OPINION: High income taxes make B.C. less attractive and productive

Horgan government increased B.C.’s top personal income tax rate from 14.7 per cent to 20.5 per cent

  • Feb 1, 2023
(Pixabay.com)
Japanese-Canadians at the CNR station in Hope in 1942. (Photo credit: Tashme Historical Society)

Victoria Report: Restoring an important gateway to our history

Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart writes about efforts to preserve Hope’s historic CN train station

  • Feb 1, 2023
Japanese-Canadians at the CNR station in Hope in 1942. (Photo credit: Tashme Historical Society)
Statue to Lord Roberts in Glasgow. Not pictured: concentration camps. (Photo credit: Glasgow: Lord Roberts memorial, Kelvingrove Park cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Chris Downer - geograph.org.uk/p/1539569)

The Editor’s Desk: We don’t thank you, Bobs

The proposed renaming of a Vancouver school will almost certainly lead to howls of outrage

Statue to Lord Roberts in Glasgow. Not pictured: concentration camps. (Photo credit: Glasgow: Lord Roberts memorial, Kelvingrove Park cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Chris Downer - geograph.org.uk/p/1539569)
Jock Finlayson is a senior policy advisor with the Business Council of British Columbia.
Jock Finlayson

FINLAYSON: 2023 could be one of the weakest years for B.C. home sales in two decades

Despite market volatility, the long-term fundamentals for housing in B.C. remain attractive

  • Jan 27, 2023
Jock Finlayson is a senior policy advisor with the Business Council of British Columbia.
Jock Finlayson
The Honour Ranch near Ashcroft is a place of healing for military personnel, veterans, police officers, first responders, and their families who are suffering the effects of operational stress injuries including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. (Photo credit: Barbara Roden)

The Editor’s Desk: Suffering in silence

We need to be willing and able to talk about mental health

The Honour Ranch near Ashcroft is a place of healing for military personnel, veterans, police officers, first responders, and their families who are suffering the effects of operational stress injuries including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. (Photo credit: Barbara Roden)
Letters to the editor stock image

Letters to the Editor

Readers write about the Year of the Rabbit and ego trips to other planets

  • Jan 25, 2023
Letters to the editor stock image
A strata council enacted a bylaw to restrict out-of-wedlock relationships. (Pexels photo)

CAMPBELL: This ‘prudish’ B.C. strata sued to stop owner from living with her boyfriend

Case raises the question of whether strata bylaws should be able to restrict certain relationships

A strata council enacted a bylaw to restrict out-of-wedlock relationships. (Pexels photo)
Kathi Diewert of Chemainus captures many interesting nature shots around the Island. No matter what it looks like outside, there’s no sense in creating any false sadness on so-called Blue Monday and beyond. (Photo by Kathi Diewert)

BODGER: Blue Monday is bogus, stop looking for reasons to be sad

There’s no evidence one day should be the saddest compared to any other

Kathi Diewert of Chemainus captures many interesting nature shots around the Island. No matter what it looks like outside, there’s no sense in creating any false sadness on so-called Blue Monday and beyond. (Photo by Kathi Diewert)
Members of the Ashcroft and District Lions Club were among those who helped with the annual Christmas Hamper program in December. (from l) Lions Jackie Berkey, Darlene Daily, Vivian Edwards, and Gordon Daily; Christmas Hamper chair Esther Lang; and Lions Club president Sue Peters. Not pictured are Lions Nick Lebedoff, Joe Weremchuk, Glen Foster, George Stringer, and Deborah Wilson-Green, who were out delivering hampers or picking up buggies, or who had helped with the hamper packing. (Photo credit: Submitted)

Letters to the Editor

A reader writes with thanks for support of Christmas Hamper program

  • Jan 17, 2023
Members of the Ashcroft and District Lions Club were among those who helped with the annual Christmas Hamper program in December. (from l) Lions Jackie Berkey, Darlene Daily, Vivian Edwards, and Gordon Daily; Christmas Hamper chair Esther Lang; and Lions Club president Sue Peters. Not pictured are Lions Nick Lebedoff, Joe Weremchuk, Glen Foster, George Stringer, and Deborah Wilson-Green, who were out delivering hampers or picking up buggies, or who had helped with the hamper packing. (Photo credit: Submitted)
No one has ever looked at Moraine Lake in Banff National Park and thought ‘It would look even better with a big parking lot right beside it.’ (Photo credit: Jaime Reimer/pexels)

The Editor’s Desk: Don’t pave paradise

Building a bigger parking lot is not the way to preserve a much-loved beauty spot

No one has ever looked at Moraine Lake in Banff National Park and thought ‘It would look even better with a big parking lot right beside it.’ (Photo credit: Jaime Reimer/pexels)
Two children under 18 held in custody by the Iranian regime that have been sponsored by Federal Canadian MPs to try to help stop their execution. Ali Rakhshani, 17, is endorsed by Fleetwood-Port Kells MP Ken Hardie, and Mohammad Rakhshani, 16, is endorsed by North Vancouver MP Jonathan Wilkinson. (Twitter @balo0chgirl)

OPINION: Iranian woman living in Fraser Valley urging MPs to sponsor prisoners to avoid execution

Nine federal Liberal MPs ‘sponsor’ Iranian detainees by sharing their plights on social media

Two children under 18 held in custody by the Iranian regime that have been sponsored by Federal Canadian MPs to try to help stop their execution. Ali Rakhshani, 17, is endorsed by Fleetwood-Port Kells MP Ken Hardie, and Mohammad Rakhshani, 16, is endorsed by North Vancouver MP Jonathan Wilkinson. (Twitter @balo0chgirl)
Worker at Swartz Bay terminal. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

CAMPBELL: Couple ‘evicted’ from B.C. ferry terminal gets zero sympathy here

Couple posts video of confrontation onto social media after being 4 minutes late

Worker at Swartz Bay terminal. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
’The Chinese community at Keefers’ is the title of this 1885 photograph by Charles Macmunn. The community has long since vanished, but the station name ‘Keefers’ still exists along the CP line.

The Editor’s Desk: Down the rabbit hole

An innocent conversation leads to hours of fascinating research

’The Chinese community at Keefers’ is the title of this 1885 photograph by Charles Macmunn. The community has long since vanished, but the station name ‘Keefers’ still exists along the CP line.