All posts by Guest Post

Politics

Robyn Mawhinney elected new Director for Area C in Strathcona Regional District

By Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

In the end, it wasn’t a close race in Area C of the Strathcona Regional District (SRD). BC voters went to the polls on Oct. 15 to elect municipal governments and Robyn Mawhinney garnered 69 per cent of the votes over Marc Doll in Area C of the SRD.

Mawhinney says her positive focus and open communication style helped secure her victory. Almost half of eligible voters cast ballots in Area C (49 percent), according to Mawhinney, and added that on average, most BC municipalities struggle to see more than a 30 per cent turnout.

Continue reading Robyn Mawhinney elected new Director for Area C in Strathcona Regional District →
Politics

Several federal MPs wanted to see Anjali Appadurai run

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Anjali Appadurai says the BC NDP’s decision to disqualify her from its leadership race raises legitimate questions about the party’s democratic processes, while several federal NDP MPs think she should have been allowed to run.

Appadurai was officially disqualified from the race on Oct. 19 after running a climate-forward campaign that successfully drew thousands of new members to the provincial NDP. The disqualification was based on a report from the party’s chief electoral officer, Elizabeth Cull, which cited “serious improper conduct” by Appadurai’s campaign that included working with third parties for membership drives.

Continue reading Several federal MPs wanted to see Anjali Appadurai run →
Indigenous Nations

Centuries later, the Doctrine of Discovery takes the spotlight

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Christopher Columbus, John Cabbot, and Jacques Cartier are just some of the names known for landing on North American soil as early explorers. Many of these explorers are known for their great discoveries. However, it is widely known that before European explorers, First Nations lived on the lands.

The complex legal history of Canada’s origins, and the Indigenous-Crown relationship, began with a series of Papal Bulls from the Pope of the Catholic Church. Presently, the weight that the Doctrine of Discovery has in Canada’s systems is being argued.

On September 9th the First Nation Leadership Council (FNLC) published a statement saying they believe renunciation of the Doctrine of Discovery should be King Charles III’s first official act. His coronations is set for May 6, 2023.

Continue reading Centuries later, the Doctrine of Discovery takes the spotlight →
Animals

Ranting Ravens: Intelligent and mischievous

By Chadd Cawson, The Columbia Valley Pioneer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

We cannot talk about one spooky black bird one may associate with Halloween – the crow –  without speaking about its creepy cousin of the Corvus Corvidae family, the raven. While there are over eight different subspecies of ravens, the one seen soaring above the Columbia Valley on the unceded territories of the Secwépemc and Ktunaxa Peoples and the land chosen as home by the Métis Peoples of B.C., is the western, or northern raven, also referred to as the common raven. 

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Communications

Motor vehicle crash knocks out internet/cell service to much of Northwest

By Kaitlyn Bailey,  Prince Rupert Northern View, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Some residents in northwest B.C. were without internet and phone service the evening of Oct. 18.

A motor vehicle accident took out several utility poles and caused a break in the Telus fibre optic cable that runs west from Prince George to Prince Rupert.

Continue reading Motor vehicle crash knocks out internet/cell service to much of Northwest →