Shake, rattle and roll as quake hits 

A 5.1 magnitude earthquake near Sechelt rattled much of the Lower Mainland and the Island just after noon on Friday. It was felt in Nanaimo and Oceanside as shallow as one kilometre. The City deployed staff to check critical infrastructure, recreation and civic facilities, water delivery lines, city-owned dams, bridges and reservoirs. The City's Voyent Alert system automatically generates alerts for earthquakes above 6.0. If there had been further safety-related issues, the City would have issued an alert with instructions as a follow up to the Provincial alert. Some ferry sailings were delayed to inspect infrastructure. Aftershocks could come over the next few days.

Concerns about a summer drought are beginning to fade as we continue to get drenched. There’s more on the way for the Island over the next several days. Environment Canada warns intermittent rain pulses are expected through Tuesday morning. Environment Canada meteorologist Chris Doyle says we’ll still see persistent, but not necessarily heavy rain in the coming days, making for a really persistently wet week. MORE

The inhumanity of man –The Nanaimo branch of the BC SPCA i recently rescued from a house in town. The skeletal pup met the criteria for critical distress when he was found on the property, limp and shivering in the cold and with no visible food or water, said animal protection officer Eileen Drever. The dog was taken to hospital with a myriad of issues, including muscle loss, pressure sores, poor vision, crusty ear tips and an irritated coat.MORE

Bigger and better, Parksville’s annual beach festival and sand sculpting competition is getting a new home. City council has approved additional funding to move to a site just north of the Parksville Curling Club. Society president Cheryl Dill pointed to the new site having a fenced area to protect the sculptures, but it will be along a gravel path from a parking lot. MORE

QUOTABLE – Never interrupt your opponent when he’s busy kicking his own ass

Supt Burton hands over command to Supt. Rochette

Feb. 21, 2025

Rochette appointed officer in charge of Nanaimo RCMP

Supt. Eric Rochette has been named officer in charge of the Nanaimo RCMP detachment, replacing Supt. Andrew Burton who has retired after a 32-year-career. Supt Rochette has worked in large urban detachments and smaller rural communities in Manitoba, Quebec and British Columbia. Most of his experience was front-line policing/ patrol, so he is acutely aware of the demands of front-line officers. FULL STORY

A crash between a car and a semi trailer truck left two people dead early this morning along the Nanaimo Parkway. The driver and passenger of the car were killed while the driver of the truck was uninjured. Cst. Sherri Wade said the crash happened at the Parkway and Jingle Pot Road intersection, just after 4 a.m. She said the car travelling north on Hwy. 19 turned left on a red light, into the path of the truck which had the green light. MORE

The former Travellers Lodge will become a supportive housing complex by spring. It is the first of three such projects designed to tackle homelessness and mitigate social disorder. Rresidents are expected to begin moving into the 78-unit complex this month. Mayor Leonard Krog said there have been concerns about the temporary supportive housing but this type of response is crucial in addressing local needs. MORE

QUOTABLE – Two years ago my doctor told me I was going deaf. I haven’t heard from him since.

Winds play havoc

on the waterfront

Wednesday’s strong winds cast some boats off their anchorage, bringing out rescue services. One person was taken to the hospital after two boats ran aground off Newcastle Island.Nanaimo’s Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station 27, the Nanaimo Port Authority, police and a debris control vessel responded.One person was trapped on board a boat.MORE

That was a good lead in to the marine search and rescue exercise on Saturday. You’ll see a huge flotilla of water craft in Nanaimo harbor for the area search and rescue training weekend. Crews and craft from Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Port Alberni, the Coast Guard, Deep Bay, the Port Authority, RCMP and Snuneymuxw are participating. You should be able to see a lot of the activity from shore.

Two men who were found guilty of manslaughter last August in the death of Fred Parsons, 29, have each been sentenced to eight years in prison. Mark Jayden Harrison, 21, and Aiden Matthew Bell, 21, were found guilty of manslaughter by a 12-member jury. Justice Robin Baird said both men constitute an enduring danger to the public and a significant risk to re-offend. He said a hefty sentence must be imposed to register the court’s strong condemnation of the pair’s misconduct and provide some sense of reparation to Parsons’family. MORE

Kerry Chang of Nanaimo, who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, has been arrested after spending months on the lam. He was convicted of three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking in 2023. He failed to appear for a court date last September. He was arrested at a home in Nanaimo on Tuesday without incident. MORE

QUOTABLE – Opinions don’t change facts, but facts should change opinions

Oh how sweet it is, sugar festival time

Everyone is an honorary French Canadian this weekend at the Maple Sugar Festival time at Beban Park from Friday to Sunday. There will be food trucks featuring poutine and more, as well as traditional French Canadian fare, such as tourtière, sugar pie, baked beans and tire sur la neige – maple toffee on snow. Face-painting, games, the Mid-Island Lego Users Group and other activities will available for children, as well as a new addition. There will be music to your ears with locals including Pierre Schryer Trio, James Vickers, Collage Trad, Shauit, Missy D and Kutapira. MORE

Time for hoops. The Dover Bay Dolphins and NDSS will be in the thick of action at the senior AAAA boys' basketball championship at the Dover Bay gym. The Dolphins won the north island championship and will now tip off against the other top teams on the Island. Wellington Wildcats won the senior AAA boys playoffs, which were played at Alberni District Secondary School. The Nanaimo Christian School Trail Blazers won Single A North Island championship the previous weekend. The senior A boys' Island championships will be held at NCS from Feb. 20-22. MORE

The weather is co-operating for this year’s Coldest Night of the Year Walk, it will certainly be cold.  The Island Crisis Care Society's walk on Saturday, starts at St. Andrew's United Church. The annual event focusses on the abundant homelessness in our community.  They’ve got a head start with fund raising almost halfway to its $125,000 goal. Money will stay in Nanaimo, funding the society's community-based programs such as life skills and job readiness, as well as going outreach and rent subsidies. For more information about the Coldest Night of the Year walk, visit HERE 

What a Christmas present. The Salvation Army hopes to hit a December target for completion of its new housing and dining facility downtown. Work is moving ahead on the four-storey complex replacing the demolished 135-year-old two-storey Community And Family Services building. It will feature 85 beds, including 52 emergency shelter beds for men. MORE

JUST A MINUTE – Most of us feel the need to sound off every now and then. It seems to be getting more frequent and vitriolic – (my big word for the day). I commit to no nasty language, even though that’s going to be a huge challenge with some topics. Please keep an eye out and let me know when you think I cross the line.

      For instance, now that the Legislature is in session, how quickly will the province move on solving all the hospital emergency shutdowns on weekends? We have a new health minister in Josie Osborne and she needs to know our patience and our patients are wearing thin. There’s a reason they are called emergency departments.

QUOTABLE – God gave me the right to remain silent, but not the ability

Legislature opens

with throne speech

Donald Trump may turn out to be the star of the show when the B.C. Legislature opens this afternoon. Trade tariffs are likely to highlight the agenda when new Lt.-Gov. Wendy Cocchia delivers a throne speech outlining the government’s goals. The speech will lay out the government’s plan for British Columbians and a brighter future for everyone, said Premier David Eby. The speech will focus on expanding affordable child care, helping people buy their first family home and getting a family doctor, cracking down on organized crime and keeping repeat offenders off the streets. MORE

Tariff are on everyone’s mind these days, many of us unaware of what they are and how they protect various industries. Financial guru Michael Campbell’s Moneytalks looks at what Canada is charging U.S. imports above certain quotas in the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. The tariffs protect Canadian products from cheaper competition. Try these for size – milk: 241per cent, butter 298 per cent, cheese 246 per cent. See Michael’s website HERE

JUST A MINUTE – Inveterate council watcher Jim Taylor raises an interesting question following the Nanaimo Fire Rescue report that calls were way down last year. He asks whether we still need the new fire engines and 40 new firefighters. At the very least that report needs some further explanation in plain English.

QUOTABLE – I’m not going to wear glasses any more, I’ve seen enough.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue has fewer overdose calls

Overdose calls to Nanaimo fire rescue were way down in 2024.  Chief Tim Doyle reported calls down nearly 37 per cent to 1,150 in 2024 from 1,822 in 2023. That was a major shift compared to a 165-per-cent increase from 2022 to 2023. The figures are contained in the department’s priorities report for 2025 to the public safety committee last week. Over all incident numbers also dropped, to 11,688 last year, mostly due to nearly 500 fewer medical emergency calls. NFR is in the second phase of its strategic master plan, adding another  fire truck and 20 new firefighters this year. MORE

LifeLabs employees have begun limited rotating strikes across the province. The labs are an essential service, thus limiting the level of labor disruption. The B.C. General Employees’ Union, which represents approximately 1,200 LifeLabs workers, issued a 72-hour strike notice on Thursday after 98 per cent of members voted in favour in the strike. Their key demand is wage parity  with technicians who do the same laboratory work in the public sector. Check your local LifeLabs before going. MORE

Happy Family Day Nanaimo. It’s going to be a little warmer on the tootsies as we head to the celebration at Swy-a lana-park to wrap up Nanaimo’s 150 birthday celebration today. The first Mayor and Council election was held on January 20, 1875 and Mark Bate was elected the City's first Mayor with a seven-member Council. Their first Council meeting was held on January 22, 1875. Congratulations Nanaimo for 150 years.

Here’s one for the health department – some local seniors say they have been living in the cold in their apartments since the main heat source crashed in mid November. Residents at Bluestone Nanaimo on Linley Valley Drive. Some have been relying on space heaters or even staying in bed to try to keep warm since a power outage on Nov. 17 knocked out the heat pump. Property manager Boon Sim said tenants’ claims of no heat were an exaggeration. In case anyone hasn’t noticed, it’s damned cold outside, and apparently inside as well. MORE

A bit of good news can cheer up the start of the week. The first herring spawn has arrived in big numbers off the west coast and are expected to reach the East Coast of the Island by early March. The 2025 spawn is bringing an abundant harvest, bigger last year, leading Fisheries and Oceans to raising the catch limit to 2.5 tonnes. The total catch limit is set at 20 per cent of the total herring biomass. MORE

She’s no Annie Oakley, but Kim Goldberg is looking for women who want to shoot. She has a weekly outdoor drop-in for women with pew pews every Friday, starting March 7 at Nanaimo Fish & Game Club, 1325 Nanaimo Lakes Rd. 11 am-1 pm. It’s casual and friendly with no formal instruction, but help is available. It’s for women who have their license and a firearm, or no license but an air-pistol or air-rifle. Pop on by the Club and check it out. Oh, pew pew is a phonetic representation to simulate the sound of gunfire.

A tip of the old chapeau to Eric Bearclaw who has been nominated for a Juno Award for instrumental album of the year. The Cedar native’s album was produced locally, at the Chamber studio in Nanaimo, a labor of love. He says it started with his classical guitar plugged in through a loop pedal and a bunch of effects to two acoustic amps. MORE

Being the political junkie, there’s very little more fulfilling than digesting the dips and dives of political polls. I have found the 338 Canada project most informative because it lists all the latest polls. From that site, the combination of every poll, riding by riding, across the country has the Conservatives in the lead by a considerable measure. According to the polls the local electoral district won’t be a walk in the part for anyone. It will be interesting to see how the Liberal Party leadership outcome will impact the projections. https://338canada.com/polls.htm

QUOTABLE – The most intolerant people – who preach it most –are in  politics and religion.

When it’s quiet on the local scene, we can always take cold comfort that our temperature is going to hover around five degrees today.

Environment Canada has issued extreme cold warnings for most of western Canada with temperatures forecast to dip to between -30 and -50 in many areas. People in Winnipeg braved temperatures around -20 on Saturday. In Regina and Saskatoon it was the same story. Calgary was expected to plunge to -30 with the wind chill overnight more than 20 degrees colder and in Edmonton it was expected to be -40 plus the wind chill. MORE

If you felt the earth move, you were not alone. A 3.8-magnitude earthquake struck off southern Vancouver Island on Thursday night. The magnitude is considered minor but residents felt it Nanaimo, Greater Victoria and as far away as Vancouver and Seattle. No damage or injuries were reported. Thousands of residents in the region took to social media to post about their experiences. The largest earthquake ever recorded in the area was a 7.4-magnitude quake in December 1872. MORE 

Oh what an artificial tangled web. Artificial intelligence is not a good source of legal precedent as one condo owner discovered during a dispute over alterations with their strata corporation. They took their dispute to B.C.’s Civil Resolution Tribunal seeking an order to retroactively approve the changes. The couple submitted references to 10 court decisions they had identified with the help of AI, but the tribunal determined nine of the cases don’t exist. See the full story HERE.

There’s still no solution to our stumbling health care system.  Mission Memorial Hospital shut down it’s emergency department Saturday night from 7 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Sunday. Patients with urgent needs were transferred to a different hospital, Fraser Health said. It blamed the diversion on physician staffing challenges. Emergency-trained nurses remained available to support walk-in patients needing basic first aid, assist with redirection of care, and/or transfer patients to a neighboring hospital. MORE

Updated ICBC service terms could impact recovery care for people hurt in car crashes, claim some physiotherapy clinics. ICBC informed health-care providers about a new way clients could search for eligible clinics. The changes are intended to streamline direct billing services for clinics. The clinics worry that could increase access to sensitive client information, let ICBC dictate how a patient’s injury is treated and potentially control over a patient records. The changes apply to acupuncture, chiropractic, counselling, kinesiology, registered massage therapy, physiotherapy and psychology. MORE

There’s no end to internet and telephone scams and I post them regardless of where they occur. Saanich Police alert residents to report suspicious calls about a phone scam soliciting money for Saanich Police Department families. The Saanich Police do not solicit donations over the phone. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reminds people not to give personal information to a caller you do not know. For additional tips on how to spot a scam, visit their website.

QUOTABLE – At my funeral I want a friend to take my cell phone and text “thanks for coming” 

Working at minimum wage will become a little more rewarding as the base wage rises 45 cents an hour, to $17.85, in June. The increase comes after the province made annual minimum wage increases effective every June. The 2.6-per-cent hike also applies to camp leaders, residential caretakers, live-in home-support workers – and app-based delivery workers and ride-hailing drivers. At the end of the year, The minimum agricultural piece rates for 15 different types of hand-harvest crops will also go up by 2.6 per cent by the end of the year. MORE

The 2025 Nanaimo Culture Awards will be presented at The Port Theatre on April 16. The City of Nanaimo has celebrated local excellence and honours achievement in arts and culture since 1998. The awards foster community awareness and pride, and highlight the calibre and dynamic impact of the sector on our community’s economic, social and cultural well-being. The awards night is open to the public with an evening of free entertainment by Nanaimo’s very own local talent. Free tickets are available through The Port Theatre. More information on the Culture Awards are HERE.

Justin Kenneth Nicholls, 26, of Nanaimo has been charged in the death of a senior one year ago. He was arrested and charged with one count of failing to stop at an accident causing death in which a 90-year-old woman was killed on Cedar Road in February, 2024. RCMP said they believed she was hit earlier in the evening, with the vehicle and driver not remaining at the scene or reporting the incident. Nicholls has no prior criminal history in B.C. MORE

Canadian softwood lumber could face more than 50 per cent in tariffs, says Forest Minister Ravi Parmar. He has been in California meeting with forestry and wildfire leaders and lawmakers. He said he was in California to talk about the tariff and the duties and the softwood lumber. There’s already 14-per-cent duties on softwood lumber. With the additional 25 per cent and the anti-dumping duties that are going to be coming in the next week or two, we could be contending with 50 to 55 per cent duties on our softwood lumber. MORE

So what was the bottom line impact of the Goods and Services Tax holiday which ended Friday? There are mixed feelings about how much it helped Canadians. Some businesses felt it was insignificant. Only about five per cent of small business saw stronger sales compared to this time last year. Four per cent of businesses in retail and 15 per cent in hospitality saw an increase in their sales, reports the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses. Restaurants Canada said the tax initiative helped create 34,000 jobs and brought in an additional $1.5 billion in sales. They’re calling on the government to extend the tax holiday. MORE

QUOTABLE – One minute you are young and fun, the next minute you’re turning down the radio to see better.

The VIEX looking for a new home

The VIEX wants to replace the dilapidated infrastructure at Beban Park. Marketing director Michelle Solloway said directors are working on plans for a new agricultural building to serve as a centrepiece for their operations. The present facilities have fallen apart and its just time to start fresh and start over in a lot of ways, she says. The fair leases the property from the city and is working with the city to determine how a new agricultural building fits into the City’s broader park plans. 

That ice on our outdoor bodies of water is so tempting, but it’s also extremely dangerous. The city has posted a reminder to stay off all lakes, ponds and water sources in the city. Mayor Leonard Krog emphasizes that ice on our lakes is a rare occurrence and as tempting as it could be to venture out on what looks to be a frozen body of water, please stay safe and avoid a potential accident. FULL STATEMENT

There were no injuries when a car crashed through the front doors of the Poké Page restaurant in north Nanaimo Thursday afternoon. Nanaimo Fire Rescue Capt. Jason Battie said a vehicle went through the windows with no  injuries to the driver or anybody inside. There were two customers and staff inside the restaurant at the time. RCMP are investigating.

Police say that a fire under former BC Conservative candidate Gwen O’Mahony’s car was likely deliberate. RCMP is investigating and believe it may have been targeted. O’Mahony believes the fire may have been set because of a recent interview she gave. She says police told her kindling was found under the car. MORE

We’re sitting pretty when it comes to possible tariffs – Nanaimo and Victoria are less vulnerable. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce examined the country’s 41 Census Metropolitan Areas and measured their exports and trade reliance on the U.S. The study found Victoria was 36th while Nanaimo was 39th out of all 41, meaning we are better insulated against the potential impacts of tariffs. Saint John, N.B. was the most vulnerable, followed by Calgary and Windsor. MORE

Money, money, money, the city has lots of it for the right reasons, like grants for environmental projects. The City is accepting applications for two grants to help implement Nanaimo's City Plan goals and improve livability in the community. Projects may focus on park restoration, urban stream and riparian enhancement, natural environment protection and climate change adaption solutions. The program provides up to $20,000 annually to community organizations, environmental non-profits and individual residents that aim to carry out watershed restoration projects. Details HERE

This weekend marks the 60th anniversary of Canada’s Maple Leaf flag. It brings back memories of my days in North Battleford and former MP Cameron R. McIntosh. He was the Liberal MP from 1925 to 1940, a main mover of the Maple Leaf design. He was also the owner/publisher of the community newspaper, so naturally, the newsroom was a living shrine to the flag, even years after retirement. It’s doubtful he ever retired, he lived to 100. This came to mind when our MP Lisa Marie Barron noted the anniversary. She has a bunch of flags and lapel pins with the Maple Leaf at her MP office at 103-495 Dunsmuir Street, but they’re going fast.

LifeLabs staff have issued a 72-hour strike notice to start on Sunday. The B.C. General Employees’ Union said the strike is related largely to wages and understaffing. BCGEU president Paul Finch said now that LifeLabs is owned by Quest Diagnostics, “a billion-dollar U.S. health giant, we are fighting against an American for-profit model of healthcare and its impacts on workers.” Hey, let’s slap tariffs on that. MORE

The old trick, when you fail blame someone else. The provincial government has deep-sixed a campaign promise of a 1,000 bucks in grocery money. And it says it will impose a hiring freeze to find money in its budget as it prepares for four years of unpredictability from the United States. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey said the province is already seeing economic effects, even before tariffs are in place, and it would be wrong to underestimate their potential impact. The next B.C. budget is set to be tabled on March 4.  MORE

Hello Donald Trump, Canadian soldiers are bailing you out as they join U.S. and Finnish military personnel next week for exercises in the Arctic to strengthen NATO’s northern defences. Approximately 40 soldiers from a Canadian Army mechanized brigade will participate in the exercise, which is expected to include an airlift over the North Pole to simulate a rapid military deployment to Finland. The Canadians will integrate with the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain and 11th Airborne divisions before the flight across the Arctic for cold-weather exercises in Finland. MORE

QUOTE – Whether to laugh or cry. A report on Toronto’s crippling snow storm rendering streets and sidewalks impassible, notes that bike paths had been plowed by 6 a.m. Twenty below zero, a foot of snow and they haul out the bicycles?

Snuneymuxw will vote on $42-million land settlement

Snuneymuxw members will vote March 2-3 whether to accept a $42 million land claim settlement along the Nanaimo River with the federal government. In an 1854 treaty, village sites and cultivated fields were to be surveyed and protected for Snuneymuxwuse. However, 23.6 hectares of the historical village of Teytexen, wasgiven to settlers.The claim has dragged on for years with the government offering $5 million 10 years ago. Information package. MORE

Premier David Eby and other premiers met with White House staff on Wednesday about proposed tariffs. Eby said they were urged to take President Donald Trump seriously. He said the key secretaries in Trump’s administration are still being confirmed and that once those people are in place Trump’s advisors said they could meet with the premiers again.

If you've got Mini Ritz Crackers on your shelf, toss them out. They are being recalled across Canada due to an undeclared allergen. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned the crackers may contain milk, which is not listed on the label, posing a potential risk to those with allergies. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to where they were bought. MORE

QUOTABLE – I apologize when I’m wrong, but never when I’m provoked.

RCMP responded to six per cent fewer calls last year, the lowest level in five years. The RCMP crime statistics for 2024 will be presented by Insp Eric Rochette at the Public Safety Committee meeting this afternoon. Property crime also decreased over the past two years – down 12 per cent in 2023 and seven per cent in 2024. On the other side, shoplifting had the largest increase in 2024, up 26 per cent while theft from vehicles was down 23 per cent. Today’s meeting will also get updates from Nanaimo Fire Rescue and the city’s Public Safety Department. See the full RCMP STATISTICS. and the FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT

Work is about to get under way on Nanaimo’s new $289-million Cancer Centre. There’s just a little paper work required from the city related to building height to 82 feet from the limit of 45.9 feet. Completion of the Cancer Centre will mean no more drives up the Malahat for care in Victoria. It is expected to be completed in about three years. MORE

The Independent Investigations Office has cleared RCMP of wrongdoing in the death of a man in Parksville last summer. Mounties became involved after John Boyce claimed he had been assaulted one night earlier. The IIO said Boyce was visibly injured. His erratic behaviour continued after he was taken to police cells and then later to hospital where he was diagnosed as suffering from a brain injury. He was taken to hospital in Vancouver where he died. MORE

We’re going to need some pretty hefty snow dumps between now and the end of March if we’re to avoid a serious drought this summer. Early data from the B.C. River Forecast Centre shows the snowpack is well below normal after a particularly dry January. The provincial average stood at 87 per cent of normal on Jan. 1, but dropped to 72 per cent by Feb. 1. On the good news side, it’s good from a flood perspective. MORE

QUOTABLE – Remember how we used to laugh at the commercial “help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” Well, it’s not so funny any more.

Helijet CEO Danny Sitnam has put his money where his heart is, donating a medical helicopter for humanitarian use in Ukraine. Danny has a soft spot for Ukraine, welcoming a Ukrainian couple and their baby to stay in his family’s cottage shortly after Russia attacked Ukraine almost three years ago. Helijet has contracted with Canadian and Ukrainian NGOs to deliver the Sikorsky air ambulance, which previously served the B.C. Ministry of Health. The helicopter will be dismantled and driven to Calgary before being flown to Luxembourg in a 747 cargo plane. MORE

A family of four and their landlord were forced from their home after a kitchen fire in an Uplands Drive house. It started out as a cooking fire but then grew to structure fire around noon on Monday. Nanaimo Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Troy Libbus said they were making French fries and when they took of the lid, the oil spilled over and lit the lid on fire and ignited the kitchen. There is extensive damage to the kitchen and smoke throughout the house displacing the homeowner and a family of four who lived downstairs. MORE

The status quo is not working and government has to do a lot better, says the  minister of state for community safety and integrated services. Terry Yung was in Nanaimo last week with local MLAs Sheila Malcolmson and George Anderson. Yung heard about challenges dealing with homelessness, addiction, crime and other social disorder, but also listened to ideas from businesses, neighbourhood associations and local government officials on ways to help house and treat people living on the streets and lower crime. The 30-year veteran of the Vancouver Police Department said “We cannot arrest our way out of poverty or people being homeless or mental health and drug addiction.”  MORE

Cruise ship traffic will double for Nanaimo with four ships scheduled to visit this year. The Europa 2 will launch the season April 21, followed by the Seabourn Quest on May 15, the Roald Amundsen on June 22, and the Noordam on Oct. 10. Kimberly Kelly of the Port Authority said there was positive feedback last summer from the two vessels that visited. Passengers loved Nanaimo and the hospitality. Operations went as planned and passengers  took multiple excursions. MORE

Christine Meutzner is a know-it-all. And that’s a good thing when it comes to Nanaimo’s history. Christine will leave a great void when she retires in June from her job as manager of Nanaimo Community Archives after 27 years of collecting, preserving and modernizing public-access records on Nanaimo’s vast history. She leaves a treasure trove of extensive historical text, maps and image database between the 1850s and the 1980s. She’ll stay on the job one day a week until her formal retirement. MORE

Vancouver Island University has not confirmed claims that two Palestinian students from Gaza were suspended after they participated in the Palestine solidarity encampment last year. The encampment called for the university to release a statement condemning genocide in Gaza, disclose all university investments, shut down the campus Starbucks and open an investigation into an incident of Muslim students' bags being searched. MORE

Richmond residents lost more than $38 million to scammers last year. RCMP are warning the Chinese community about a scam that has cost a handful of residents hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent weeks. Fraudsters first pose as employees from an Asian telecommunications company before transferring the victim to someone posing as a Chinese police officer. The fake officer tells the victims that their phone number has been linked to a crime and they must pay money to avoid arrest and deportation. Five victims have lost more than $400,000 since last December. MORE

QUOTABLE – By replacing your morning coffee with green tea you can lose whatever joy you have left in your life.

Zorkin Road at entrance to B.C. Ferries terminal

A rather chilly good morning, but most of the snow has disappeared. However, the thermometer appears stuck on zero as the high for today. But fret not, Environment Canada is warning of minus 30 for Prince George tonight. The outflow is expected to end by Tuesday afternoon.

And good news, the Philippine Mars water bomber finally crossed the U.S. border on its way to Arizona. It spent over night in San Francisco before heading to its final resting spot at an air museum. This was the third attempt to send the second world war aircraft to the U.S.

We’re not likely to see it in our neck of the woods, but a Black Hawk helicopter is patrolling our border with the U.S. The increased border presence is part of the crackdown on the flow of fentanyl and immigrants to the U.S. from our country.

QUOTABLE – If we had a 13-month calendar, every month would be 28 days and every month would have exactly four weeks. The first day of the month would always fall on a Monday.

Second world war veteran Victor Osborne has died at age 106. The Nanaimo veteran was the last surviving crew member of the HMS Hood. He was a regular at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Nanaimo. He served in the Royal Navy and saw action on D-Day. He left the Hood shortly before the it sank the German battleship, the Bismarck. A memorial is being planned at Branch 256 at a later date. FULL STORY

Researchers are keeping track of Vancouver Island marmots and their weight patterns. The body weight of marmots is tightly linked to their reproductive track record as well as their over-winter survival, says Dr. Brenna Stanford at the Wilder Institute. They have teamed up with Vancouver Island University to monitor how many pounds individual marmots are putting on. VIU engineering technician developed a special scale to stand against the cold, battery-life challenges and interference from wildlife. MORE

Recent snow has elevated the avalanche hazard in the Vancouver Island back country. The danger ratings for the Island mountain range shows a considerable risk for avalanche at both the alpine and treeline levels, while terrain below the treeline is listed as moderate. Avalanche Canada’s Lynnea Baker said the recent 30 to 60 cm. of snow has not bonded well to the surfaces it’s lying on, keeping the avalanche hazard up. MORE

QUOTABLE – Have you noticed that people who hate rich people always buy lottery tickets?

It's probably not the news anyone wants to hear, but more winter weather is on the way for Vancouver Island. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement that a low will move to the west of Vancouver Island this afternoon and tonight and bring bands of flurries this evening. Snowfall will be variable with some areas getting up to five centimetres of snow. MORE

The Telegraph Cove boardwalk, which was destroyed by fire New Year's Eve, will reopen for business this summer. The Old Saltery Pub, Killer Whale Cafe, Wastell Manor heritage house, the Prince of Whales whale-watching office, the Whale Interpretive Centre were reduced to ashes. Owner Gordie Graham said one way or another he will have something there this summer. About 500 guests can be accommodated each night. MORE

The biggest handicap for many politicians is their mouth. A candidate for the Manitoba Progressive Conservative party leadership suggested tackling homelessness by letting polar bears roam free in Winnipeg. Wally Daudrich, who runs a polar bear tour business in Churchill, said there’s no homelessness issue in the northern town for obvious reasons. To date he has refused to apologize for the flippant comment. MORE

QUOTABLE – I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder to find one any more.

Light flurries and near zero degree temperatures continue to lead to slippery road surfaces. If you are out today, please be careful. Plan your route appropriately and be patient out there. Snow clearing UPDATE.

Nanaimo depression sufferers may soon be able to participate in a trial for psilocybin therapy. The psychedelic is found naturally through more than 200 species known as  magic mushrooms. The study, analyzing how the compound can improve treatment-resistant depression, is being tested on an estimated 568 participants across several countries including the U.S., Denmark, Czechia, Spain and others. MORE

Who says it always rains in Nanaimo? Sun and blue sky replaced the usual January rain last month. Environment Canada data as far back as 1892, showed it was the eighth driest January on record. We had 56.8 mm. of precipitation, and the normal is about 187.9, about 30 per cent of normal.”

Opioids prescribed by doctors and pharmacists are being diverted, and prescribed alternatives are being trafficked provincially, nationally and internationally, a Ministry of Health document says. The leaked briefing that was distributed by the B.C. Conservatives also revealed the ministry has been conducting an investigation into an alleged scheme involving incentives paid by dozens of pharmacies to patients, doctors and housing providers.  MORE

The B.C. government is fast-tracking 18 critical mineral and energy projects worth roughly $20 billion in the face of tariff threats from the United States. The list contains mining projects that have received pushback from some B.C. and Alaska First Nations groups. The  initial list contains projects that already have developed business cases but still need some type of permit or approval from government. That raises the question of why government can't move as expeditiously all the time. MORE

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Snow clearing crews are busy digging out after the snows and freezing temperatures over the past few days. The storm left slippery roads for drivers and first responders responding to emergencies. A total of 15 motor vehicle incidents included vehicles sliding off the road and multi-vehicle collisions. Garbage and recycling pick up were cancelled Monday and Tuesday. Garbage collection will be delayed until the next scheduled pickup day. Households missing garbage pickup may place extra securely bagged refuse out with their carts on their next scheduled collection day. MORE

We got the worst of it before the blast of winter headed out. Environment Canada estimated snow accumunation between 30 and 35 cm between Sunday and Tuesday. Shawnigan Lake come in at 29 cm, said Meteorologist Matt Loney. Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district reported all schools reopening today and bus service resumed, but may be delayed on some routes. MORE

The man charged in the car crash that killed Reid Davidson, 24, in 2023 will stand trial.  Michael Allison Rennie, 60, is charged with failing to stop after an accident, criminal negligence causing death and dangerous operation of a vehicle. A date for a pre-trial conference is expected be established Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the courthouse in Nanaimo and according to the court registry, Rennie has elected for trial by provincial court judge. MORE

Not welcome here. The man convicted for a break-in and violent sexual assault in 2022 will not be allowed on Vancouver Island. Quinten Anthony Meyer was sentenced for the July 30, 2022 incident in which a Nanoose Bay home was broken into a the sleeping homeowners was sexually assaulted. MORE

RCMP are looking for public help after a boat was stolen from Stone’s Marina this week. The 18-foot Hewescraft 180 Sportsman with a black canopy and hull number HEW74742F515 with two Yamaha motors went missing  Monday. The investigating officer conducted numerous patrols of the shoreline and alerted neighbouring detachments and marinas but with no success.  MORE

Fewer British Columbians died from toxic drugs last year. The 2,253 people who died from unregulated drugs last year was 13-per-cent from 2023,the B.C. Coroner’s Service reported. Tuesday’s report includes data from November and December of 2024, showing 152 deaths and 147, respectively. That’s 5.1 deaths per day and 4.7 deaths per day,   significantly lower than the 7.1 deaths per day recorded last month. MORE

The federal election is unofficially under way and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre promises mandatory life sentences for those convicted of trafficking, production and distribution of more than 40 mg of fentanyl. The Conservatives also want traffickers caught with between 20 mg and 40 mg of the drug to be sentenced to 15 years in prison. MORE

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DriveBC webcam , Dorman Road at Island Highway.

Old Man Winter sticking around 

Hang in there, the winter weather will stick around for a while longer. Environment Canada has renewed snowfall warnings Tuesday morning, saying Nanaimo could get another five cm of snow while it could hit 10 to 20 cm from Courtenay to Campbell River. Drivers face sudden visibility reductions and treacherous road conditions. The snow played havoc with a raft of activities from transit interruptions to school closures and some ferry sailing cancellation from Tsawwassen.

If you’ve got any smarts, steer clear of several roads due to ice and snow. RCMP reported numerous crashes and advised that conditions have been causing delays around Rutherford Road, Turner Road, and the intersection of Fitzwilliam, Third and Pine streets. East Wellington Road near Maxey Road is also proving treacherous. R/Const. Gary O’Brien said many minor collisions and cars in ditches have been reported. “Leave yourself time to get to your destination. Motorists should expect winter driving conditions to continue for the foreseeable future,” he added.

The weather is enough to drive you to drink, and that includes American booze. Canadians enjoying American spirits have a 30-day reprieve from Canadian tariffs after Canada struck a deal with the U.S. to sharpen our border control, clamp down on drugs and money laundering. It remains to be seen what will happen on March 1.

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Snow clearing crews are ready

City crews are at the ready for the snowfall which began early this morning. They have been preparing for the first snowfall, applying a base layer of brine when temperatures dropped near freezing. Roads and Traffic Manager David Thompson said a full fleet of plows and salters, and a brine truck are on standby. The weather can change quickly and temperatures can drop very quickly, and there’s definitely a chance of ice developing slippery sections, he added. MORE

The Regional District is not turning its back on the farming community, voting to keep its agriculture committee composed of farmers to advise the board on agricultural matters. The advisory committee is part of the 2012 agricultural area plan. Reports to the agricultural committee will be forwarded to committee of the whole meetings quarterly. MORE

The list of imports from the U.S. that are now covered under Canadian government 25-per-cent tariff is very wide ranging. See the detailed is HERE.

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Forecast calls for mixed bag of snow, wind over next few days

Feb. 2, 2025

Between five to 30 cm of snow is expected between today and Monday, depending on temperature, precipitation intensity and elevation. Lisa Erven of Environment Canada said a cold front will move through, and temperatures are going to drop behind it down to zero or even a few degrees below. There is potential for moderate to heavy localized snowfall stretching down the east side of the Island, beginning Sunday afternoon, and then continuing Sunday night, Monday and Monday night, Erven added. MORE

With flurries and cold temperatures over the weekend, the City is working with the Regional District and community partners to provide additional warming services.  Nanaimo Family Life overnight warming starts on Sunday,  between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. for up to 80 people. BC Housing Extreme Weather Response Shelter, operated by 7-10 Club Society at the Harvest Church will provide shelter for up to 30 individuals from 9:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. Additional City Community Safety Officers will be on shift to distribute survival supplies, hot beverages, conduct wellness checks with health partners and support individuals to get to warming services. FULL DETAILS

Ready or not, the snow is on its way to our area. Rain which began falling on Thursday is set to turn into snow by the end of the weekend. Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Erven said the cold front will move through, and temperatures are going to drop pretty drastically behind it down to zero or even a few degrees below. So watch the road conditions throughout the weekend, changing weather can make them extremely dangerous. MORE

It's do as you’re told when it comes to house building targets. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon has appointed an independent housing advisor to Oak Bay to "make recommendations to support our shared goal of building homes for people." This comes after the district failed to meet its provincially-mandated housing targets last year, erecting only 16 units when it was tasked with building 56. “The message from the mayor and council is that they're doing great, things are fine, but they're not, the data is not proving that out,” Kahlon said. MORE

The clock is ticking for some of the Ukrainians in Canada on temporary residence permits. Their three-year emergency visas issued in 2022 are nearing expiration. Immigration Minister Marc Miller they must apply for an extension to a working permit or a student visa in order to stay longer as temporary residents. He said he is not sending them back to Ukraine as long as the war continues. Work permits can be renewed so there is nothing to fear, but they have to apply. MORE

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It may be a forewarning of things to come. After losing $10 million in 15 years, London Drugs is looking at closing its store in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside when its lease expires. President and CEO Clint Mahlman said London Drugs bought into the vision for the area when it became the anchor tenant for the Woodward’s redevelopment in 2009 but he hasn’t seen the increased housing density it expected in the area. Even with security, the physical and verbal violence against its workers has been intolerable for many years and customers are also not feeling safe. MORE

Nanaimo BMX rider Ryley Cofield, 18, is recovering after suffering a major injury during training in New Zealand for his first world cup series in Denmark. He was hurt during weight training with compression fractures on his vertebrae. He had a bone graft, hardware and spinal fusion. Friends launched a GoFundMe, raising more than $21,000 to pay for Ryley’s mom Heather Robertson to go to New Zealand. Any excess funds raised wll be used for treatment-related expenses, including accommodation while he recovers. MORE

RCMP are looking for a pickup truck that rammed several RCMP vehicles and fled when police arrived. It happened Tuesday evening in the South Parkway Plaza in Chase River. The driver appeared to be slumped over the steering wheel. Before police could determine whether might be impaired or in medical distress, the truck started to move, pushing one police vehicle out of its path and striking a second one, causing significant damage to both.  MORE

We have a new lieutenant governor. Wendy Cocchia was sworn in amid pomp and ceremony on Thursday at the Legislature in Victoria. She is an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry, philanthropist and the co-founder of the Pacific Autism Family Network. She has been recognized with the Order of Canada, the Order of British Columbia, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the King Charles III Coronation Medal, and two honorary doctorates. MORE

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It's time we take back our credit card from Trudeau

25-02-22

JUST A MINUTE – Justin Trudeau is still flitting around the globe on our jet plane handing out our money pretending he’s prime minister. Like when he was buying votes with $4 billion for a Toronto-Montreal rapid rail project.

A huge chunk of that is going to a company named Atkins Realis. They used to have another name – SNC Lavalin – remember them?

When Trudeau prorogued Parliament, he should have been prorogued as well. We need to take back our credit card from his grasp. He’s a lame duck fluttering around making promises he won’t have to keep, it will be up to someone else.

He needs to go into seclusion and stay there until we have a new prime minister. The sooner the better.

The Musk Effect - all that glitters is not necessarily gold

25-02-21

JUST A MINUTE – Elon Musk is raising a firestorm in the U.S. identifying government waste and fraud. The numbers sound great – billions and even trillions of dollars.

To the untrained public that is very attractive, but it’s also misleading. None of the money they are talking about has been or will be recovered. It’s only been identified. Future spending may be trimmed but that’s not money in taxpayers’ pockets.

A number of Canadians suggest we need the same exercise. In essence we already have it. The auditor general posts an annual report to Parliament, temporarily raising some eyebrows of surprise. Then it is stashed on a shelf somewhere never to be heard of again. And therein lies the real problem – a lack of action.

This would be a great opportunity by national news media to dig deep and report government waste and fraud, but their attention span is too short. It’s all there but it’s in bureaucratic verbiage that nobody seems to be able to interpret.

Using a garden hose on

an out-of-control wildfire

Feb. 20, 2025

JUST A MINUTE – The provincial government is finally paying attention to the disaster of its so-called safer supply drug policy. But what came out yesterday was mere window dressing rather than a firm hand to address the problem.

The change means government will require drug users to do so in front of witnesses, to prevent diversion of the government-supplied drugs.

The magnitude of the program became public after a leaked audit revealed major problems, including opioid trafficking of prescribed drugs through the program.

From 2022 to 2024, approximately 22.4 million doses of opioids — primarily hydromorphone and oxycodone — were prescribed to about 5,000 clients. You read that right, 22 million doses.

MORE

Throne Speech was a

big nothing sandwich

Feb. 19, 2025

“And the farmer hauled another load away” is an old adage referring to a steaming pile of manure, an apt way of looking at Tuesday’s Speech from the Throne.

The throne speech is another relic of a long-ago era when it laid out a government’s intention ahead of a legislative session. It has no real meaning now because no legislation is introduced, leaning heavily on self aggrandizement. The closest thing to meaningful will be the March 4 budget.

That was the case on Tuesday when the government served a warmed-over rehash of election promises, at least the ones that survived thus far. Some of the promises withered on the vine before the Legislature met.

And that’s where it turned into hyperbole laced with a level of fear mongering, even stirring hatred of the orange boogeyman south of the border. More reminiscent of a Throne Hate Speech. Close to a dozen repetitious comparisons of economic challenges with the second world war era was almost eerie. It was a carefully crafted diversion of the real issues in our province.

The budget should contain what British Columbians want. They’re waiting for real fixes for the shambled health care system. They have had enough with the drug pandemic and the government’s support of it rather than a solution. Homelessness is another of those buzz words that keep flying around with nothing really meaningful being done about it.

What the speech did say was the sky is falling so we’ll have to get more money from you. That’s what the budget will tell us.

War on drugs is firing nothing but blank shells

Feb. 16, 2025

The appointment of a federal one-man fentanyl commission points to the futility of expecting all levels of government to solve our rampant drug problem. It’s like the little boy with his finger in the dike.

Governments have swept the problem under the rug, reacting only when U.S. President Donald Trump laid trade tariffs on the table unless we clean up our act. We can’t be certain that this was his real reason, among trade irritants. Fentanyl and other drugs are a big problem in need of big solutions.

There have been arguments on this side of the border that fentanyl coming from Canada is a miniscule amount in compared to the southern border with Mexico. That’s simply rationalization, making excuses. Any amount is too much.

This month in a single instance, about a pound of fentanyl originating in Canada was seized in Seattle. That amount can kill thousands and thousands of people. That’s not miniscule.

It doesn’t help when Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney reportedly makes a statement in Kelowna that “fentanyl is a challenge but not a crisis.” Where has he been? Take a stroll on some of Nanaimo’s street settlements.

The appointment of a single commissioner at about $250,000 a year is half-hearted. That amount is about equal to the value of some single drug deals. What is needed is a national drug enforcement team of hundreds to tackle the challenge. Simply monitoring the border with the U.S. does nothing.

When you look at the results of government effort, or lack thereof, there appears to be no genuine desire to fix the problem. They continue to turn a blind eye while addicted Canadians are living a bare subsistence on our streets due to drugs. This population is beyond helping themselves, they need physical and mental health and involuntary addiction treatment. That's the only decent thing.

British Columbia’s recent commitment to about two dozen such mandatory treatment units is a mere drop in the ocean, a Band-Aid on an open wound.

It doesn’t help either when our government dispenses opioid drugs to the addicted and mentally ill. It depends on which “experts” you listen to, the number of drug deaths has increased. Statistics vary by source, but millions of doses have been handed out by the B.C. government, to thousands of people.

Excuses do not solve the problem, it’s getting worse while feckless politicians rationalize and waffle. As long as there are customers there will be sellers – treat the customers and eliminate the sellers.

Our governments should not react because Trump says so, they should because we say so.

Sometimes you just

can't win for losing

Feb. 15, 2025

Double jeopardy. Some things are beyond understanding even in the wacky realm of government. The Canadian beer brewery industry is getting hammered from both sides.

Step 1 - Canada exports rolls of Canadian aluminum to the United states to make beer cans. The 25-per-cent tariff applies to the raw material.

Step 2 – Then those American-made cans are exported to Canada, and another 25-per-cent tariff is applied.

We pay the double tax when we drink our brew, if we can afford it. There are tons and tons of additional taxes on top of it all.

As if that were not enough of a kick in the head, the aluminum is sold to the U.S. at our devalued dollar and the finished cans come back priced at the U.S. dollar.

Family feuds have no place here, we're one big family

Feb 14, 2025

As wacky as Donald Trump’s idea is to absorb Canada as the fifty-first state, the underlying concept is not as crazy as it sounds on the surface. What we have here is little more than an identity crisis.

It’s undeniable that Canada and the United State are one inter-related economic unit, we’re reliant on each other. The present verbal jousting over tariffs bears that out in spades – we need each other. Simplistically, be it vegetables in winter or Yankee booze the year around, they need us and we need them. Slapping taxes on products going in each direction is, in plain words, simply stupid.

There are American manufacturers in Canada producing goods for both countries. The auto industry is totally integrated between the two countries – we make parts of cars which are then completed in American factories, and vice versa.

The North American Free Trade Agreement seemed to work pretty well until Trump renegotiated it in his first term. Now he wants to reopen it again when it expires in a year. Any agreement can be renegotiated when it contains irritants and obstacles to free trade, and that’s the process that should be followed.

If the tariff hammer is Trump’s way or preparing for negotiations, he’s attacking a mosquito with an elephant gun, causing a lot of unnecessary damage. It’s bullying, we just need to learn to coexist as family, each with our own identity.

Ten provinces and fifty states, and thus it shall remain.

Video version https://youtu.be/On0lRnV13Pk

Set artificial intelligence aside, use the real thing

Feb. 12, 2025

We’re like a ship without a rudder as our world unravels as provincial leaders scramble to avoid the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s bullying tariffs on Canadian goods. But where is our national leader, the prime minister? He’s flitting around the European continent talking about artificial intelligence, with a dose of climate crisis fear tossed in, to whoever will listen.

Having prorogued Parliament, we are essentially without a functioning national government while we’re enveloped in catastrophe all around us. The premiers have taken the lead to protect the interests of their provinces. And businesses are scrambling to get ready to face the impact of the tariffs. Nobody is standing up for the country as a whole.

Voices from all avenues are calling for Parliament to be recalled to deal with this disaster. They rightly argue we can’t wait until the Liberal party selects a new leader March 9, who will immediately become prime minister.

It will be an insurmountable task for whoever wins to immediately take over a country while opposition parties lie in ambush waiting to force a federal election. And there goes another two months before we get any national leadership on this issue.

Despite there being no functioning government, the best thing Trudeau could do in the meantime would be to recall Parliment and take the lead role on the tariff front so there’s something to hand over to the next prime minister. That’s the least he can do. 

Kicking Uncle Sam's butt,

we've done it before

Feb. 10, 2025

If I could read minds, I would like to peer into Pierre Poilievre’s dome. Would I find him scheming to annex the United States to our country, making it the eleventh province? Tit for tat.

Our country is in a bind right now with Loose Lips Trump spouting garbage at every turn while Justin Trudeau, having thrown in the towel, is still on a victory tour all over the world, in our big jet. He hasn’t accepted that while on paper he’s still our PM, in reality he’s a has been milking the system for all he can.

A new prime minister will take over the reigns in March but he/she won’t have any clout until at least after a general election which should follow shortly, with the Liberal lagging in the polls. But don’t rely on that, one month is an eternity in politics. Most recent polls show the Liberals recovering some support in Ontario.

As for an eleventh province, sure we’ll send in our armed forces to take the U.S. capitol. After all, it’s not like we can't, we have experience. Remember, we kicked their butts in the War of 1812 while we had the Brits riding shotgun for us. We even burned the White House.

Over to you, Pierre.

Trump hasn't played his last hand yet in high-stakes poker showdown

Feb. 5, 2025

The advice about not jumping to conclusions rings true in the machinations of the tariff scuffle engineered by U.S. President Donald Trump.

I checked by on my Perspective from Jan. 13 and noticed the heading saying Trump was playing high stakes poker and he’s winning every hand. How true that turned out to be.

He went all in with Canada and Mexico, right to the last second before he extracted what he wanted, better border security and control over drug smuggling into the U.S.

But he hasn’t played his final hand yet, he has until the end of this month to play his ace in the hole, whatever that may turn out to be. I thought then, as I do now, that he has more to extract, humbling our prime minister and the Mexican government.

Is the border and NATO funding his last bet or does he want even more? Don’t bet against it.

B.C. Health care needs emergency treatment

Feb 4, 2025

Nightmares surrounding health care in our province are getting to be routine. Most prominent are rural emergency room shutdowns on weekends due to staffing shortages, be that doctors or nurses.

Very much related is the ambulance service which sometimes takes what seems like an eternity to respond to medical emergencies. That’s why the service exists, to respond to emergencies. We hear about ambulances sitting idle while there are not enough attendants to respond.

The response from government has been slower than the ambulances. When Uber service is more responsive, our government has a problem. It’s time for innovative solutions, thinking outside of the box.

In larger communities we have double responses in many cases where both ambulances and local fire departments show up. In some cases there is a double response while in others there is none. That duplication is a misuse of financial resources.

I have raised this issue as far back as the Gordon Campbell government, and all since. In all cases it has died on the vine, largely because of jurisdiction.

There have been suggestions for a number of years to amalgamate emergency transport with local fire departments. It would be a major overhauld, but one that is past due. That might mean amalgamated emergency services in smaller communities where they do not have full-time fire services.

Training standards can be adapted to make sure paramedics all operate on the same standards. It’s not a question of re-inventing anything but rather doing something, anything. What we have now is inefficient and not working.

Now that we have a new health minister would be a good time to revisit this idea. It’s an emergency.

Only defence is to look for the 'Made-in-Canada' label

Feb. 2, 2025

North Americans are the victims of the greatest tax grab in history now that the trade war between Canada and the United States kicks in. We’re getting hammered from both sides since Canada decided to stare down the U.S. with tariffs on U.S. goods imported to Canada.

Our tariffs affect Canadian consumers, Donald Trump’s tariffs affect American consumers. Tariffs can play havoc with economies, turning them upside down.

The figures that have been quoted show Canada imports $400 billion in goods from the U.S. A 25-per-cent tariff means $100 billion in addition revenue for our federal government. Down south, Trump will benefit to the tune of $150 billion.

The tariff question has a lot of people confused. Many believe Canadians are going to get hammered by Trump’s punitive tariffs on Canadian goods – that everything will cost us more. That’s not the case.

The fact is U.S. tariffs are paid by Americans, not Canadians. They are an American tax on Canadian goods coming into the U.S. The approach is a little baffling since Trump made consumer prices a central campaign issue.

This can only raise prices on consumer goods. The tariff on fuel from Alberta it will make it pricier for American drivers, another of Trump’s pledges. However, Alberta fuel shipped to the U.S. will be taxed at a lower rate.

Looking at our side, how Canadians will be affected, the theory behind tariffs is that Canadian goods will cost that much more south of the border, increasing demand for Americans to buy U.S. produced goods. Our exports will decline, leading to economic instability.

Where we will suffer most in matching the U.S. tariffs, it will raise the price of U.S. goods imported to our country. That will skyrocket prices of all U.S. products sold in Canada, especially produce like fresh fruits and vegetables from California. Already sky-high grocery bills will likely soar even more.

And forget those Prime deals from Amazon, prepare to pay an extra 25 per cent on some items. There is one bright spot, a lot of Amazon merchandise is manufactured in Asia and thus not subject to the tariffs.

That does not take into consideration the Monopoly money we call the Canadian dollar which continues to lag. It costs about $1.45 to exchange for a U.S. dollar. Add the extra 25 cents and we're at a 70-cent disadvantage.

It’s hard to fathom Premier David Eby’s silly partisan virtue signalling on liquor from Republican states. It's so juvenile. This is a big-picture issue not game playing. It smacks of punishing certain people for how they voted.

Playing the match game with the U.S. is extremely risky. Our government is hardly in a good position, caught before, during or after an election.

It’s no measure of comfort that our government is in hiatus awaiting new leadership to replace our lame-duck prime minister. The probability is that there will be an election soon, casting our lives into even more chaos.

If it really is about clamping down our border and paying our fair share of NATO, then get on the ball and end all this garbage.

In the meantime, look for the Made-in-Canada label.

A blast from the past making it new again

Feb. 1, 2025

Nanaimo used to be a collection of half a dozen separate entities. Harewood, Departure Bay, Northfield, Wellington, Protection Island and Chase River all operated under the Nanaimo Water Improvement District. About half a century ago the citizens of those enclaves chose to amalgamate into one bigger city so they could operate under one big umbrella.

Now city council is playing around with something that looks suspiciously like undoing all that work, and going back to the past. They are trying to manage development of sections of the city as a separate “complete community” concept. The latest is the Woodgrove area.

Six secondary urban centres have been identified, each a hub with housing, employment, services and amenities intended to meet day-to-dayrequirements to avoid travel outside the urban centre.

They’ll probably argue this is different, but is it really? Council and social engineers have a big job on their hands convincing residents that this is the right move. Simply telling us “we know what’s best for you” is not acceptable.

Those urban centres will be designed to limit mobility, to keep residents within their own villages. Restricted roadways and bicycle paths are not everyone’s cup of tea.

Since the citizens voted in 1975 to do away with the small centres it should be incumbent of the present day council to put the changes to a vote. If it’s such a great concept, why not?

Doug Johnston was

deeply rooted in Nanaimo

Jan 28, 2025

We are saddened to hear the news of Doug Johnston’s death a month ago. 

He had suffered a serious health issue about a year ago while wintering in Mexico. There he was a neighbor to my late brother and they spent considerable time together.

I got to know Doug through various community projects and as fellow members of the Rotary Club of Lantzville.

Joy Cameron knew and worked with Doug since both their early years as accountants, beginning with Church Pickard. She submitted an excellent tribute to Doug I’m proud to post here.

By Joy Cameron.

As backgrounder, 1971-1972, Doug and I worked at Church, Pickard, Lane & Newman and the 1972 renamed Church Pickard and Co.

Looking for better advancement with his CGA studies, Doug moved on and became a partner in Barclay, Tarr, Walters & Company.

Under Doug’s leadership, the firm name transitioned to Johnston Johnston & Associates. Over many years, Doug was a kind, giving person and had a well-earned professional status.

1976, Doug’s in-laws, Glenn and Marjorie Forbes, purchased Grassick’s Jewelers on Church/Commercial Street. In 1987, they sold the store to Bob and Marie Fenty with the proviso that Bob had to join Rotary. Doug’s brother-in law, Randy Forbes, is the founder and owner of multi offices of Nanaimo-based 460 Realty.

Read Doug’s obituary HERE.