Canadian voters are becoming less concerned with climate change, according to a report by the Angus Reid Institute. The non-profit research organization recently surveyed that only 15 per cent of voters considered climate change to be a “top issue” for the country. 

Though similar polls done by Angus Reid show that voters do not deny that climate change is caused by human activity, the surveys illustrate a decline in priority amongst voters. 

Right now, Canada’s sovereignty is being threatened by the U.S. Administration and faces its greatest economic challenge in recent years. How does Canada respect the sovereignty of individual First Nations without compromising the greater interests of the country as a whole?  

One in five British Columbians are without a family doctor while others rely on the emergency department for primary care needs. Give us your best ideas to improve access to primary health care.

                                                                        Cowichan-Malahat-Langford

Alistair MacGregor, NDP 

Parental advisory: This story contains graphic content of animal cruelty. 

The Juan de Fuca trails have been declared off-limits by the Ministry of Environment and Parks for the upcoming summer. 

“British Columbians take pride in the amazing natural beauty these lands provide, and one of the most beloved is the Juan de Fuca marine trails, which normally welcomes thousands of visitors to the southern Vancouver Island every year,” stated the ministry in an official statement. “Which is why it is with deep regret that we will have to keep the trail closed for the summer.” 

From Haida Gwaii to the Arctic Sea to the east coast of Newfoundland, there are over 600 First Nations in Canada. But with so many unique Indigenous communities within the greater nation, how can they be individually respected as Canada progresses through the 21st century? 

This topic was addressed at a candidates forum in Vancouver Island’s Courtenay-Alberni riding on April 15. Hosted by the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Alberni Valley Transition Towns Society, the event brought hundreds to Port Alberni’s RimRock Casino.

Over the last decade the cost of renting, buying a house as well as our grocery bills have dramatically increased. What does the government need to do to reverse this trend?

                                                                         Courtenay-Alberni

Gord Johns, NDP

Seventeen Ehattesaht children were the lucky recipients of new-to-them bicycles thanks to a program based in Nanaimo called Bikes for Kids.

Greg Nowik is a mortgage broker and owner of Nowik Mortgage Team for more than 30 years. When he moved to Nanaimo with his family in 1998, he saw that his new home had a strong sense of community and volunteerism, so he decided to do the same. That is when the Nanaimo branch of Bikes for Kids opened its doors.

First Nations people continue to be impacted by the overdose crisis at an alarming rate, an issue experts have tied to underlying mental health issues.  What do you think ISN’T being done to help this issue?

Under a clear, sunny sky, members of the Snuneymuxw First Nation gathered on April 15 for a "Blessing of the Land" ceremony on the recently reclaimed Te’tuxwtun lands, where the Nanaimo Indian Hospital once stood.  

The land, part of a historic land reconciliation agreement signed early in 2024 with the Government of Canada, was once home to the notorious Nanaimo Indian Hospital and, prior to that, used by Western Forest Products and the Department of National Defence. Now, it is being returned to Snuneymuxw as part of an 80.09-hectare addition to their reserve lands.