Opinion

Saturday was a good day for local democracy in B.C. As one person noted online: “First time in my life I’ve had to wait to vote in a local election.

The minister responsible for bringing order to the chaos wrought by the amalgamation question on Saturday’s ballot stressed Monday how much work lies ahead. She can’t begin to imagine.

Nothing happens in slow-motion anymore. If enough people think it's significant, you can watch anything develop in social media.

If a person can’t find happiness as a newly elected school trustee, what hope is there for the rest of us? You’ve made it through the interminable all-candidates meetings and the rest of the election marathon, and now you’ve won a seat on your local

Richard Mackenzie On Nov. 6, Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq unveiled the ship’s bell from the recently discovered wreck of Sir John Franklin’s HMS Erebus.

Back when I was young and fresh-faced, a University of Victoria researcher published a paper that shifted the ground under my idealistic, environmentally conscious, fair-trade sock-clad feet. The year was 1994.

When most of us think of a small town, we think of friendly neighbours and quiet streets — the type of place where you know almost everyone. I’m privileged to be elected as mayor of Invermere, which is pretty close to being a perfect small town.

It’s Monday and students trickle into the UVic Interfaith Chapel from around campus. They have come to practice meditation. When everyone has arrived, over 40 students sit in a large circle on meditation cushions.

A Liberal-majority committee of MLAs has endorsed a number of ideas from the public that would represent a bit of a course change for the government — if they’re pursued.

At the Highlands candidates’ forum last week, facilitator Alan Dolan explained how the forum would proceed — such things as who would speak and for how long — then finished with this admonition: “Use plain language.