Putin’s War

Simply put, all oligarch money ought to be used in the reconstruction of Ukraine and it most certainly won’t be enough. Nothing could be more repugnant than to return the oligarch’s wealth at the end of the war.

Courts have a responsibility to uphold a law as written. If the court rules that the money is not ours to disperse, then the federal government ought to use the not-withstanding clause to override the court’s conclusion.

I am a huge fan of the not-withstanding clause because elected governments ought to make laws, not unelected courts. That said, our current not-withstanding clause, as written, is deeply flawed and sometimes badly used.

The current clause is written as if it were on open range and it badly needs a fence. Without boundaries based on principles, a not-withstanding clause means any provincial, or the federal government, could override any fundamental law. In which case, a charter of rights and freedoms simply does not exist.

When this atrocity ends, Russia and the oligarchs must be forced to rebuild what they have destroyed.

Finally, one must salute the determination and love for democracy practised by the people of Ukraine. What a powerful example they have provided for all of us who enjoy democracy but too often with a rather casual commitment towards accountability.

1. Torture or inhumane treatment;

2. Willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health; 3. Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.

Canada can play an effective role in influencing an important outcome when this war ends.

Currently there is before a Canadian court the matter about returning to the oligarchs, the wealth that has been frozen in Canada. The Government of Canada has frozen $26 million from Granite Capital Holdings, owned by a Russian billionaire. The RCMP has confiscated $122 million in assets from persons sanctioned as a result of the invasion. Relative to the damage done by the Russian aggression, these dollars amount to a mere pittance.

Canada may well be the first to adjudicate on the procedures for handling frozen money. However, other countries around the world are holding billions upon billions of dollars in confiscated property. Canada could play an important influencing role by setting the example for many other nations who will, in the fulness of time, need to reflect on what to do with frozen assets of Russian wealth at the conclusion of this invasion.

Resident appreciates quickresponse to collision

Dear Editor:

Last week I was involved in a three-car accident on Hwy. 93/95 near the bowling alley. It brought to my attention how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful and rewarding valley.

Lately, I have been overwhelmed with the TV showing all the negatives of our health system - how people are dying, waiting to get an ambulance or medical attention.

Fortunately, although our accident looked really bad, no one was seriously hurt. However, within ten minutes of the accident, there were two ambulances, two firetrucks and a police officer. Where else but the Windermere Valley would that happen?

Bless and appreciate what we have here.

Bill Dubois, Invermere, B.C.

Just how ancient and desperately in need of repair the water and sewer system is along 13th Avenue was highlighted when the district issued a boil water advisory last October, after a valve on a water main burst during phase two work. This was not the result of a mistake by contractors, but the fact that once the dirt lying over top of the water main was removed, the sudden lack of pres- sure led the valve to burst — it was so old that all that was holding it in place was the weight of the ground it was buried under.

Both phase one and phase two of 13th Avenue sewer

PUBLIC NOTICE – PARCEL TAX ROLLS

The Regional District of East Kootenay is updating parcel tax rolls for the following service areas:

• Tie Lake Water Level Control

• Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund

• Elko Water

• Moyie Water

• Moyie Water – 2006 Project

• Lazy Lake Water Level Control

• Wasa/Ta Ta Creek/Skookumchuck Mosquito Control

• Rushmere Water

• Edgewater Sewer

• Edgewater Water upgrades resulted in complete street closures and consequent traffic rerouting. The phase one traffic rerouting actually led to significant traffic jams forming on 15th Avenue, particularly outside Eileen Madson Primary (EMP) school during drop off and pick up times. Traffic jams of any sort are a rarity in the Columbia Valley, and these ones quickly became a hot topic of discussion among local residents. Phase two last year also created some traffic bottlenecks, but nothing even close to those stemming from phase one.

• Windermere Water

• Windermere Water Treatment

• Holland Creek Sewer

• Holland Creek Water

• Spur Valley Water

• Baltac Sewer

• Timber Ridge Water

• Wasa Recreation Contribution

Owners of property located in these parcel tax areas may request that the roll be amended, in relation to their own property, on one or more of the following grounds:

• there is an error or omission respecting a name or address on the assessment roll;

• there is an error or omission respecting the inclusion of a parcel;

• there is an error or omission respecting the taxable frontage of a parcel (for water or sewer service areas that use frontage for taxation); and

• an exemption has been improperly allowed or disallowed.

The parcel tax rolls are available for inspection, at the Regional District of East Kootenay office in Cranbrook during regular office hours.

Requests for amendments must be made in writing to the Regional District of East Kootenay, 19 - 24th Avenue South, Cranbrook BC V1C 3H8, on or before Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at 12:00 pm. If requests are received, a Parcel Tax Roll Review Panel will meet at 1:00 pm on Friday, March 11, 2022 in the RDEK Board Room.