NC CouncillorRob Douglas This week North Cowichan Council will be considering two major proposals that could have a big impact on the future of suburban sprawl development and climate change in the Municipality Read more…
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Cowichan Conversations: North Cowichan & Corporate Sponsorship
NC Councillor Rob Douglas As you may have heard, North Cowichan is currently considering a proposal that could ultimately lead to the municipality selling the naming rights to our public facilities to large corporations. Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Rob Douglas–Municipal Politics in the Cowichan Region: Year in Review
Rob Douglas Last Fall you elected me to North Cowichan Council from a ballot that featured a multitude of strong candidates. I was overwhelmed by your support in granting me a seat on Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: This Year’s Federal Election Is One Of The Most Important We Have Ever Faced In This Country.
Rob Douglas Tomorrow is the big day my friends! This year’s federal election is one of the most important we have ever faced in this country. We have a chance to elect a new Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Rob Douglas & Roger Hart’s Big Idea Series Focuses On Small Business in Cowichan
Here is Big Idea No.4: Small Business Supports from Rob Douglas and Roger Hart regarding economic development and the potential of expanding co-operatives in the Cowichan Region. It is encouraging to see and hear about Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: NC Councillor Rob Douglas-Roger Hart—Big Idea No. 3: Community Investment Funds
Here is the Big Idea No.3 from Rob Douglas and Roger Hart regarding economic development and the potential of expanding co-operatives in the Cowicham Region. Big Idea No.3: Community Investment Funds Rob Douglas-North Cowichan Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: The gap between the 1 percent and the 99 percent is widening-Co-operatives could narrow that spread in Cowichan
Here is another instalment from Rob Douglas and Roger Hart regarding economic development and the potential of expanding co-operatives in the Cowicham Region. BIG IDEA #1: CO-OPERATIVES Rob Douglas-North Cowichan Councillor The gap between Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Economic development is an area of growing interest to local governments across Canada
This is the first of a five part series examining a different approach to beneficial economic development in the Cowichan Valley. Rob Douglas-North Cowichan Councillor Economic development is an area of growing interest to Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: The One Percent Tax Resolution-Local Government Is Being Squeezed
THE ONE PERCENT TAX RESOLUTION NC Councillor Rob Douglas Every year, elected officials from Vancouver Island, Sunshine Coast, Powell River and the Central Coast meet for the general meeting and convention of the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC). They debate and vote on a wide range of
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Cowichan Tribes Chief Chip Seymour Supports A Grass Roots Approach
Rob Douglas Cowichan Conversations Contributor When William (Chip) Seymour was elected Chief of Cowichan Tribes last year, he took a grassroots approach, stressing the need to improve the relationship between Cowichan leaders and band members. “One of the biggest concerns I heard during the last election was that there is
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: No Guarantee P3 Financing For Community Centre Will Save Money
Rob Douglas Built almost 40 years ago, the Cowichan Community Centre (now known as the Island Savings Centre) provides Cowichan residents with a swimming pool, hockey arena, gymnasium, library, art gallery, and a performing arts theatre. Local officials anticipate the facility will require significant renovations or replacement within the next
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Cowichan Gets Funding for Elder Care Co-op
Good news for valley seniors. Recognizing the need for a cooperative approach to Elder Care funding has been received to kick the project into play. We are pleased to announce that Cowichan Co-operative Connections and Volunteer Cowichan will receive a $35,000 grant to build an elder care co-op in the
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Would a Social Co-operative Work in the Cowichan Valley?
Robert Douglas-Cowichan Conversations Contributor More than two hundred unionized workers at Duncan’s Sunridge Place were recently given pink slips. This came after the owner of the seniors care facility reached an agreement to sell the operation to a Vancouver-based firm. Layoffs are effective in early June, when the deal should
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Is A Flawed Tool
Rob Douglas A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that Canada’s economy had grown by a modest 0.2 per cent during the last month on record, the fifth consecutive month of growth. This was greeted as good news, as we define a healthy economy as a growing economy, and
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