Canada is expected to have another Federal election in October 2025. Green party leaders Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault launched their national campaign almost two weeks ago. Cortes Currents interviewed them in Ottawa (via ZOOM) yesterday morning. They will be coming to the Maritime Heritage Centre in Campbell River on Saturday, March 2.
Continue reading Green Party Leaders coming to Campbell River on March 2
According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, the National Debt is now close to $1.21 trillion dollars, which amounts to $30,602 per Canadian. The government expects to pay more than $46.5 billion to service the debt for 2023/24. This exceeds 10% of the federal revenue threshold, recommended by David Dodge, former Bank of Canada Governor. A report from the Fraser Institute states: “In 2021, the average Canadian family (in which two partners are working) earned an income of $99,030 and paid total taxes equaling $42,547 (43.0%).” What does this mean on Cortes Island? Or in Area C?
Continue reading Canada’s National Debt in 2023 (Includes Cortes and Area C data)
Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
After a summer marked by unprecedented wildfire and drought, it’s not surprising the climate crisis is top of mind as the school year launches, Vancouver Island University (VIU) geography professor Jeff Lewis says.
There’s the usual hustle, bustle and excitement with the start of every school year, but virtually everyone returning to campus likely had direct experience with some sort of climate impact over the past few months, said Lewis.
People across B.C. and most of Canada faced a range of issues — whether it was road closures, interrupted travel plans, cloying smoke, or more extreme threats and stress to themselves or loved ones due to mass evacuations or the loss of homes, businesses or communities to flames or floods.
Continue reading A summer scarred by wildfire and drought puts climate crisis top of mind as university resumes
Green Party leader Elizabeth May flew in from Ottawa on Saturday, May 6. She was the feature speaker at the North Island – Powell River Electoral District Association (EDA) AGM at the Maritime Heritage Centre in Campbell River. Around 60 people from Campbell River, Comox, Powell River, Port McNeil, Quadra Island and Cortes Island were in attendance.
This is an edited transcript of her speech, and a couple of excerpts from the subsequent remarks made by local Green Party candidate Jessica Wegg.
Continue reading Elizabeth May comes to Campbell River: Why Greens matter
By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Supreme Court of Canada this week will examine whether the federal law that evaluates the impacts of proposed resource projects is unconstitutional.
The Impact Assessment Act (IAA) looks into the environmental, health and economic impacts of proposed resource projects — like pipelines and mines — and came into force in 2019 when the federal government passed Bill C-69.
Soon after, the Alberta government brought a legal challenge against the law and its regulations, arguing it was federal overreach encroaching on provincial jurisdiction. The Alberta Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the provincial government in May 2022, calling the IAA an “existential threat” to the provincial right to control and develop resources.
Continue reading Challenge to federal law that poses ‘existential threat’ to Alberta goes to Supreme Court
