Opinion

Robert’s column

Pandemic has taken a toll on all of us

My life has also been negatively impacted by the ongoing pandemic

Robert’s column
“Think on These Things” is a column written by retired Creston Pastor Ian Cotton.

Think On These Things: The Selfish Rich and Those Trusting God

By Ian Cotton, Retired Seventh-day Adventist Pastor The rich man (Luke 16:19)…

  • Feb 27, 2022
“Think on These Things” is a column written by retired Creston Pastor Ian Cotton.
“Until an agreement is in place, any payments made cannot be considered spousal support and cannot be reported to CRA by either the payer or recipient.”

Tackling a common tax season topic — spousal support payments

Typically if the agreement has an unqualified sunset clause CRA will deny a claim of spousal support

  • Feb 24, 2022
“Until an agreement is in place, any payments made cannot be considered spousal support and cannot be reported to CRA by either the payer or recipient.”
“Who the heck is Spicoli?” I ask. “He’s off a movie,” he says and mumbles something about Ridgemont High and fast times. Photo: File

Top Shelf Stories: “Who’s Spicoli?”

Many friends and readers may have heard a version of this one.

  • Feb 21, 2022
“Who the heck is Spicoli?” I ask. “He’s off a movie,” he says and mumbles something about Ridgemont High and fast times. Photo: File
Construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline is pictured near Hope, B.C., Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. The projected cost of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has nearly doubled. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Too much government red tape, not enough Red Seal training

Simply put, Bill 4 is wrong-headed and it won’t work.

  • Feb 20, 2022
Construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline is pictured near Hope, B.C., Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. The projected cost of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has nearly doubled. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Up to 50 per cent of the eligible pension can be split with the spouse of any age but if under 65, there is a restriction on types of eligible pension.

Word of caution; optimizing a pension split is not simple

Tax Tips & Pits with Trail business owner Ron Clarke of JBS Business Services

  • Feb 17, 2022
Up to 50 per cent of the eligible pension can be split with the spouse of any age but if under 65, there is a restriction on types of eligible pension.
“The taxation impact of a tax credit is not always 100 per cent of its reported value, but a percentage of that amount. In other words, a dollar is not always worth a dollar.”

‘Sometimes tax credits create benefit beyond tax reduction’

Tax Tips & Pits with Ron Clarke, Trail business owner

  • Feb 10, 2022
“The taxation impact of a tax credit is not always 100 per cent of its reported value, but a percentage of that amount. In other words, a dollar is not always worth a dollar.”
MP Richard Cannings near his Penticton office shortly after being elected to a second consecutive term in 2019. Photo: Black Press

Canada’s overdose crisis calls for change in drug policy

Column from Richard Cannings, MP for the South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding

  • Feb 8, 2022
MP Richard Cannings near his Penticton office shortly after being elected to a second consecutive term in 2019. Photo: Black Press
File photo

Tax Tips and Pits: Perks from employer

Are you an employer who bestows gifts, awards, staff parties, even cash upon your staff?

  • Feb 3, 2022
File photo
Ron Clarke is owner of JBS Business Services in Trail, providing accounting and tax services.

Are you a B.C. contractor? Brushing up on contractor income reporting

Tax Tips & Pits with Ron Clarke, Trail business owner

  • Jan 27, 2022
Ron Clarke is owner of JBS Business Services in Trail, providing accounting and tax services.
B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie and Health Minister Adrian Dix. Photo: B.C. government

BC Seniors Advocate talks rapid testing in long-term care settings

Mackenzie: Everyone in personal contact with LTC residents needs to be tested that day

  • Jan 27, 2022
B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie and Health Minister Adrian Dix. Photo: B.C. government
Zumba is something a lot of Canadians are interested in trying this year. Photo: Black Press

New hobbies we will pick up for 2022

Opinion: Canadians seem to be spending more time than ever at home.

Zumba is something a lot of Canadians are interested in trying this year. Photo: Black Press
L-R: Jessi-Lynn Rubin and Jacqueline Van Horne are second year Recreation, Fish and Wildlife students at Castlegar’s Selkirk College. Photo: Submitted

Ecological Comment: Wildlife trees — decay is okay

When trees begin to decay, they are often seen as a danger rather than a refuge for wildlife.

  • Dec 30, 2021
L-R: Jessi-Lynn Rubin and Jacqueline Van Horne are second year Recreation, Fish and Wildlife students at Castlegar’s Selkirk College. Photo: Submitted
Respect Connect: A Better Community for Us All is an online educational series available to everyone in the community. There is no charge. Image: Submitted

Trail CAT encourages locals to take part in anti-stigma learning opportunity

Series addresses stigma surrounding issues such as homelessness, mental illness and substance use

  • Dec 27, 2021
Respect Connect: A Better Community for Us All is an online educational series available to everyone in the community. There is no charge. Image: Submitted
The family used to play charades every holiday. Until a fight over someone cheating ruined it. Photo: Unsplash

Top Shelf Stories: The Christmas Chronicles

It’s Christmas Eve in 2007, we have some family and friends over for dinner at our place …

  • Dec 27, 2021
The family used to play charades every holiday. Until a fight over someone cheating ruined it. Photo: Unsplash
Kootenay Lake is one of the bodies of water re-surveyed by Living Lakes Canada this summer, in a study of ecological and urban development changes to Basin shorelines. Photo: Kelsey Yates

Empowering B.C. communities to protect their local watersheds

The time is now to create a Watershed Security Fund.

  • Dec 21, 2021
Kootenay Lake is one of the bodies of water re-surveyed by Living Lakes Canada this summer, in a study of ecological and urban development changes to Basin shorelines. Photo: Kelsey Yates
Debris from receding flood waters is pictured along a road as heavy rains form an atmospheric river in Abbotsford, Nov. 30. Photo: Canadian Press

B.C. needs a province-wide public bus network — especially now

There should be frequent and affordable buses on routes connecting destinations in the Interior

  • Dec 13, 2021
Debris from receding flood waters is pictured along a road as heavy rains form an atmospheric river in Abbotsford, Nov. 30. Photo: Canadian Press
Emails letters to editor@trailtimes.ca.

Providing a continuum of care for British Columbians’ mental health

99.5 per cent of calls to B.C. crisis lines are safely de-escalated by volunteers

Emails letters to editor@trailtimes.ca.
Laurie Edmiston is executive director of CATIE, Canada’s source for HIV and hepatitis C information.

HIV funding down in Canada, HIV infections up

December 1 is World AIDS Day

  • Nov 25, 2021
Laurie Edmiston is executive director of CATIE, Canada’s source for HIV and hepatitis C information.
Overdose prevention and safe injection sites in B.C. are taking extra precautions like using enhanced cleaning measures and mobile sites to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Photo: Black Press Media file

More havoc being created in downtown Trail

Letter to the Editor from Concerned Citizens of Trail Group

  • Nov 18, 2021
Overdose prevention and safe injection sites in B.C. are taking extra precautions like using enhanced cleaning measures and mobile sites to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Photo: Black Press Media file