Tag: Common Sense Journalism

From Common Sense Canadian contributor Kevin Logan comes this multimedia examination of Premier Christy Clark and the BC Liberal Party’s real stand on proposed oil pipelines and tankers in BC. “What they have neglected to tell British Columbians is that their government has entered into binding agreements that ensure the

They say bad things come in threes. For BC Premier Christy Clark, today’s series of gaffes perfectly confirm that theory. Just when her campaign was gaining ground – with new polls showing a much-narrowed 4-7 point gap between the Liberals and front-running BCNDP – Clark’s “Debt Free BC” campaign bus

Piscine reovirus (PRV), known to cause heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI), is a disease that so weakens wild salmon that they may be unable swim the oceans or migrate to their spawning grounds. The presence of PRV-HSMI in BC’s wild salmon was not revealed by the provincial government or

At a 1972 international conference in India, a reporter asked Bhutan’s king about his country’s gross national product – a measure of economic activity. His response was semi-facetious: He said Bhutan’s priority was not the GNP but GNH – gross national happiness. Bhutan’s government has since taken the concept of

The thing that has always bothered me about Justin – ever since his entry onto the public scene at his famous father’s funeral – is that he’s never appeared to stand for anything real. Years later, even following a lengthy leadership race and literally thousands of media clips and public

Independent economist and Common Sense Canadian contributor Erik Andersen’s open letter to the leaders of BC’s four major political parties on the eve of the May 14 provincial election. “On the evidence there seems no case for the development of Site C. Hydro is financially crippled because it not only

The huge body of the dead humpback whale lay silently on the beach at White Rock, BC, as if it had chosen this spacious stretch of sand as a conspicuous and welcoming place to die. Its death on June 12, 2012, seemed important, perhaps because of the great size of

The Northwest Transmission line is a 344 km, $600 million taxpayer-subsidized hydroelectric corridor. Despite receiving $130 million in federal “green infrastructure” funding and over $300 million from BC Hydro so far – much of that covering $200 million in ballooning cost overruns – it is designed to power mining operations

On the side of the Christy Clark bus are the words “Debt Free BC”. This statement stands as the all-time whopper in BC history. What is important to know about the debt is that in 2001, when the Liberals took over, each man, woman and child owed a shade over

The anthropologist’s view of capitalism has more perspective than the economist’s. The economist examines such details as the rhythms of booms and busts, the dynamics of prosperity and poverty, and the merits of deficits and surpluses. But the anthropologist examines capitalism as a passing cultural phenomenon within great sweeps of

Let’s turn to the notion that BC has no jurisdiction over salmon farms as a result of a recent lawsuit which saw the Federal Government assume much of the oversight of the industry. While this is essentially true, there is in fact a little known clause that exists in the

Let’s turn to the notion that BC has no jurisdiction over salmon farms as a result of a recent lawsuit which saw the Federal Government assume much of the oversight of the industry. While this is essentially true, there is in fact a little known clause that exists in the

I’m pleased to announce that award-winning political journalist Sean Holman is premiering his new 40-min documentary Whipped in Vancouver and Victoria this week. I worked with Sean as the cinematographer for the project, so I’m not in a position to review the film. But I will say, humbly, that he’s

The modern workday pose – fingers on keyboard, slight slouch, glassy eyes fixed on glowing screen, bathed in unnatural light – can drain vitality, happiness and creativity. Designed to maximize efficiency, this sterile setup actually reduces productivity and job satisfaction. The good news is that researchers have built an increasingly

Common Sense Canadian co-founder Rafe Mair appeared on CBC Kamloops Tuesday morning to discuss his upcoming tour, titled “WATER + POWER: The Future of BC’s Energy, Environment and Democracy.” A former Socred MLA and Environment Minister from Kamloops, Mair returns to his old community this evening to kick of a

In the lead-up to the BC election, Common Sense Canadian co-founders Rafe Mair and Damien Gillis are travelling to four BC communities – Kamloops, Merritt, Williams Lake and Prince George – to discuss key issues shaping the future of our province. The multi-media presentations, titled “WATER + POWER: The Future

As the BC election approaches, the Norwegian-dominated aquaculture industry suddenly finds itself swimming upstream. From the provincial Liberals and NDP vying to out-do each other in tough talk on salmon farms, to an unprecedented new virus research program led by the federal government, the tide finally appears to be turning