As crocuses and daffodils start poking up their heads in many gardens around the Capital Region, some big local, regional and provincial issues are blooming right along with them.  Homelessness, amalgamation, the housing crunch and sewage create a bouquet of challenges for local politicians and communities.  While no one promised elected officials a rose garden … Read more

Overflowing a room at the Delta Ocean Pointe, the June 24th combined Westside Solutions and Eastside Select Committee groups welcomed a crowd of about 250.  The evening was warm and the temperature inside the room got warmer as people moved around, talked to each other and listened to Mayors Lisa Helps, Barb Desjardins and Carol … Read more

Please mark your calendars for this important Public Meeting on Regional Sewage Treatment On June 24, 2015, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., the Capital Regional District (CRD), through the Westside Solutions group and the Eastside Select Committee, will host a public meeting on regional sewage treatment and recovery, including further updates on site selection.  … Read more

In the last six months, some of the most interesting and complete investigative journalism into local and regional government has occurred in Focus Magazine by editors Leslie Campbell and David Broadland and on-air with journalist and reporter Ian Jessop of  CFAX 1070 Radio. SAANICH The ongoing situation in Saanich, reflected by an apparent disconnect between … Read more

  With the announcement on April 8th of Mayor Lisa Helps as the new Chair of the Capital Regional District’s (CRD) Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee (CALWMC), comes a fresh approach to this difficult issue.  Let’s face it, regional sewage treatment has been one of the greatest political, financial and operational challenges presented to … Read more

As new and returning Mayors, Councillors and Regional Directors across the Capital Regional District (CRD) sign on to a four-year term, many will be welcoming opportunities for positive change, new ideas and improvements that make a difference to their communities.       After all, local government is about what’s possible, what’s new and what initiatives … Read more

I read with interest Mayor Nils Jensen’s “to do” list in the December 7th Times Colonist profile on his election win.  While many of the priorities sounded familiar to me (part of my own campaign platform), the following is a more complete list of what I believe Oak Bay’s Mayor should focus on during the … Read more

I wanted to re-post this article from last August 2014, given that sewage will top the CRD’s agenda as a new Board will be installed on December 10th.  I believe that proactive leadership will be critical on this significant issue, making the selection of a new CRD Board Chair key to cooperation and collaboration ahead.  … Read more

It has been a hot summer this year, in more ways than one.  The CRD’s “failed” sewage treatment plan continues to generate a lot of heat but not the kind that powers our lights or warms our homes.  It’s heat of the political kind, turned up on Esquimalt’s local Mayor and Council, as well as … Read more