Thursday, March 12, 2009

Podunk Below the Masthead, Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Environment Canada says it's just awful how we process our offal, Teachers examine how to handle racism and more pictures cause controversy for the Daily News.

ENVIRONMENT CANADA CRACKING DOWN ON FISH OFFAL AT PLANTS-- The front page headline story in Tuesday's paper was an examination of the latest edicts from Environment Canada which has apparently taken a more vigorous approach to how fish plants on the North Coast handle their offal. Four plants on Haida Gwaii have been served notice that they are to change the way they operate their offal systems or face being shut down during the fishing season.

Over at Lax Kw'alaams the same story had unfolded last year at the Port Simpson plant, which made the necessary modifications, however there are concerns that Environment Canada may yet return to increase their vigilance.

The story featured no information about the Prince Rupert fish plants and whether they had suffered the same warnings from Environment Canada as those on Haida Gwaii or Port Simpson.

Skeena MP Nathan Cullen expressed relief about a reprieve regarding the closures, that will allow the plants to continue processing while they work on their upgrades.

Page one also featured a look at the BC Teacher's Annual General Meeting and its quest to potentially have new teachers embrace anti-racism lessons, in a bid to better understand and provide consideration for Aboriginal students in the province. Another interesting agenda item is a bid by the Burnaby Teachers' Association to have military recruiting banished from school grounds.

Page three reviewed this past weekends Foundation dinner which provided one keynote speaker with John Furlong providing his perspective on the upcoming Vancouver Olympics, while a high profile emcee in the person of former Prince Rupert resident and CBC news anchor Gloria Macarenko provided for the night's hosting duties.

Proceeds from the night went to the Prince Rupert Regional Community Foundation.

Page five had a short story on the pending arrival of the Northern Expedition, while page 10 featured a look at some of the events at Annunciation School, though perhaps the spell checker took that hour off as the school was referred to as Annuciation. oopsies.. no pass in English for you this term...

The Sports section reviewed the fate of the PRSS Junior Rainmakers at the provincials at Cowichan Valley, where the team finished fifteenth with a 1-3 record at the demanding tournament.

A controversial minor hockey decision over a clerical issue also provided for some newsworthiness, as the fate of the local bantam A Seawolves was decided by Minor Hockey executives, after confusion over the interpretation of the tie breaking format caused for controversy among the competing coaches of Smithers and Prince Rupert. In the end, the hockey officials awarded the decision to Smithers, leaving Prince Rupert out of contention for a second straight provincial tournament.

But by far what became the most controversial aspect of the Tuesday edition was a two picture offering on those same sports pages, where former Mayor Herb Pond, now the current Liberal candidate was featured celebrating with the folks in Terrace over their Hockeyville success. Pages six and seven featured the affable candidate giving a thumbs up shot in front of the Terrace Liberal riding office, helped out by some young Liberals along for the session.

The pictures have stoked the fires of debate over on hackingthemainframe where the sudden surge of political type photos has provided for no shortage of conversation and examination.

Total pages in Tuesday's Daily News (14)

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