The federal inquiry into Canada’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls seems to be foundering. Announced with great fanfare in August, 2016, the inquiry began with high hopes. Commissioners included high profile women from Indigenous and northern communities, with B.C. Judge Marion Buller as Chief Commissioner.
READ MORE: Final day of public hearings for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls
Since then, some of the high profile members have resigned, along with two executive directors. Altogether 20 people, including staff, have left for one reason or another and, according to reports, the inquiry hasn’t made the progress expected of it. Some 597 investigations are in the works, another 600 registered.The commission was given a budget of $53.8 million and two years to do the work. Given the December 2018 deadline, somebody better find out what the problem is and do something about it, ASAP.
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According to Environmental Defense Canada, 2018 could outdo 2017 when it comes to weird weather, like mega windstorms, rainstorms and wild fires. EDC says it’s all but impossible to predict what extreme weather will strike where, but it’s going to happen. Sounds like we better to get used to it.
READ MORE: Wet weather cools off fire danger rating in the Cariboo
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BC Auditor General Carol Bellringer will be auditing BC Hydro’s books, a job now done now by a private contractor. About time? In 2011, Bellringer’s predecessor, John Doyle, raised concerns about Hydro’s use of “regulatory accounts” to defer current day spending for repayment in future, resulting in what he called “a giant lump of expenses that would have to be paid by rate increases, taxpayer subsidies or both.” Because expenses were deferred, higher net income was recorded, resulting in higher dividends to the Province.
According to reports, the ever-growing deferral amount is now well over $5 billion. It will have to be paid sometime by someone. By the profits from selling Site C produced electricity? By me and thee? Our grandchildren?
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