Richard Hughes-It is time the NDP risked democracy The Federal NDP often tries to favourably compare themselves as being more democratic and grass roots driven than the Liberals or Conservatives. It may well have been that way in the past but they certainly cannot claim that high ground today. The
Continue readingTag: Cowichan Conversations
Cowichan Conversations: Cowichan NDP MLA Bill Routley Stands Up For Teachers and Children
Cowichan MLA Bill Routley addresses the challenge nd unfairness facing teachers in BC today
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: The Cowichan River is in trouble once again.
Cowichan Coversations Contributor With the low snowpack and unusually dry weather, Cowichan Lake is 40 cm lower than it should be at this time of year, while the river flow is down to 5 cubic metres per second and well below typical July levels. If the situation does not improve,
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: EWG’s Dirty Dozen Report Lists The Most Pesticide-Heavy Fruits And Veggies Of 2014
Richard Hughes-Grow your own If you ever wondered about the value of growing your own vegetables and fruits, or when that is not possible buying organic, here is Sarah Kleins Huffington Post report. Actually it is amazing how much we can grow in our own gardens. It is tastier, healthier
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: CVRD Hires Brian Carruthers As Their New CAO
News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 11, 2014 Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) is pleased to announce the hiring of a Chief Administrative Officer effective September 2, 2014. July 11, 2014 – Duncan, BC: The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) is pleased to announce the hiring of Brian Carruthers as
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: When is a Community Plan NOT a Community Plan?
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Paul Kamill is a relative newcomer to the Cowichan Valley. He bought a small acreage bordering on the proposed Balme family gravel pit on the Cowichan Bay-Cobble dividing line. Little did he know that the ‘Black is White’ crowd controlled the local government. He was recently treated
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Planned breach of Cowichan Bay causeway planned for late July
A group of dedicated volunteers, organized under the Cowichan Estuary Restoration and Conservation Association aka (CIRCA) have taken on the task of improving life for marine and wildlife that have struggled against industrial disruption for many decades. Peter Rusland interviewed Goetz Schuerholz in this article carried in the Cowichan News
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: The products that have been banned are better!
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger The green revolution away from fossil fuels is gaining momentum. We need time to make the crossover but it surely is coming as night follows day. Alternate building materials and alternate approaches are on the rise. Let us try to reduce our use of gas and oil
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: This is what happened when I drove my Mercedes to pick up food stamps
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Those of us fortunate enough to have had some rough patches in our lives will empathize immediately with this amazing article about the struggle back from poverty of a young couple that did everything right, and then the bottom fell out. The line is a thin one
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Colonist Editorial Nails It-Provide Homes for the Homeless
It is encouraging to read commonsense and compassionate words from the mainstream media. The Victoria Times Colonist Editorial Department is one of the most progressive and responsible in the country. Well done. In 2008, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled the bylaw deprived the homeless of life, liberty and security in
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Another Court Loss For the Miserable Mean Spirited Harper Government
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Another beautiful day in the neighbourhood, brightened by this Federal Court decision that slaps down the ‘cruel and unusual’ treatment of refugees at the hands of our out of sync PM Steve Harper. Judged harshly and sharply the Harper crew are going to appeal this decision. When
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Prime Minister Harper’s Traitorous Attack On the CBC
Richard Hughes-CBC Is Under Attack! PM Steve Harper’s hatred for anything of benefit in the public domain has manifested itself through an intended assault on the CBC and its’ programming is unprecedented in our history. Here from Press Progress is a sobering history of the CBC and an ananlysis
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Lawyer Attempts To Ridicule Teacher By Asking How Much He Makes
Richard Hughes-Teacher’s Pet This struck a chord considering the hard assed, mean spirited, anti teacher, anti public education bent of our BC Premier Christy Clark and her obedient Education Minister Peter Fassbender. Enjoy,
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Opinion: Compromise is a two-way street. BCTF has moved a mile, the government not one inch
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger The BC Liberal Premier Christy Clark embraces the anti education, anti academic, anti-intellectual posture of a true Philistine. Let’s not beat around the bush. This attack is a part of a larger plan to continue dismantling our civil society and commonwealth. It is all about wealth transfer
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Tsilhqot’in Nation Gives Canada a New Chance to Do It Right
Step by step the Canada’s Supreme Court is humanizing Canada in spite of our mean spirited Prime Minister and our chequered past treatment of First Nations peoples, culture and values. This Mitchell Anderson Opinion piece ran in the Tyee recently and is well worth your attention. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: The CVRD Is The BC Government Authorized Body To Deal With Solid Waste. The Cowichan Tribes Must Be Included As Full Partners and Participants
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger As a CVRD Director (1993-2002 ) I recall vividly when we had to shut down the incinerators and existing landfill. We were tasked with finding and establishing a new landfill under BC Government guidelines. The guidelines dictated by MOE made it pretty much impossible to find an
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: CVRD and Cowichan Tribes Politicians Discuss Plans For an Incinerator to be Built in Glenora-Residents Kept in the Dark!
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger The CVRD and the Cowichan Tribes and the Khowutzun Development Corporation (KDC) have been dealing with this matter in secret sessions rather than being out front and accountable. Garbage incineration is contrary to any level of environmental common sense. It just creates a garbage dump in the
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Cowichan River Could Dry Up As We Face Drought Conditions
Cowichan Weir-Photo by Brian Hoole The Cowichan River is being challenged by a very dry spring, no remaining relief from melting snowpacks and the outlook for the balance of the summer and fall is for very dry drought conditions. The Catalyst Pulp Mill uses vast amounts of water from the
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