The North Coast Transition Society made public its plans for a new 29 bedroom facility and office complex last week, designed to take full advantage of the setting of the 1.4 acre piece of land they hope to develop in partnership with B. C. Housing.
The society promises to leave as “small a footprint” as possible on the site just off of Park Avenue and bordering on Moresby Park , and plan on being environmentally responsible as they proceed with their plans.
The Daily News provided full details on their plans, as the papers front page story in Thursday’s edition.
PROPOSED WOMEN'S SHELTER WILL BE AS GREEN AS POSSIBLE
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Pages one and three
The proposed new facility for the North Coast Transition Society would not impact Moresby Park, according to the project's planners.
During a public hearing to officially amend the community plan and zoning for a new two-storey facility on Park Avenue, Peggy Julseth, program development coordinator, said the society wants to keep the development as green as possible.
"There may be a perception out there in the community, because that is a treed area right now, that the property we are applying for is part of Moresby Park. I think that has been made clear that is not the case," said Julseth.
The North Coast Transition Society is looking to build a new 29-bedroom facility and office complex on a 1.4-acre piece of land in partnership with B.C. Housing.
"Our intention is to only request as much property as we need for the building. We don't want an excess of land we have no use for," said Julseth.
And in the back area toward the ridge, they intend to leave it as natural as they can.
“There’s no plan to go in and wipe out the whole square lot in order to get the building in to the property,” she said.
“And if you walk that area, there is also a significant amount of land between there and the ridge. From the Moresby pond and park area, you will not be able to see our building.”
During the public hearing, staff and board members represented the society.
“I think this is a really positive thing for your community. North Coast Transition house Society has naturally been growing in size. We currently have two offices and we are just looking at a third office within days for another program we are working on,” she said.
“This is consolidating all our programs services into one complex and we will be able to add additional length of stay.”
The complex includes 21 bedrooms for the purpose of the Transition House and Supportive Recovery Programs and eight one-bedroom units for intermediate supportive housing.
“Our intention is to end the cycle of homelessness as much as we can and that’s why second stage transitional housing is part of our proposal. It’s up to a maximum stay of two years,” Julseth said.
The only opposition to the development as it was proposed was from the Ministry of Highways, which expressed concern about the request from the society to reduce the number of required parking spaces.
Zeno Krekic, the city’s planner, said the Highways Department has a higher than normal interest in the project because it is technically located off Highway 16, however any concern will not impact the zoning or OCP amendment process.
Rather, it will be up to the two parties to resolve the concern before the city issues a development variance permit, which is the next stage in the process prior to construction.
Julseth explained that they have requested to reduce the number of required parking spaces to a total of 15 because the minority of people coming to the building does not own vehicles.
“The intent of this project is to go green… part of that is to try and reduce the number of parking stalls, paved and concrete areas in our proposal. The other thing is to make sure we are environmentally-friendly with the parking we are putting into place,” she said.
“We are encouraging people to use car pooling, bicycling and public transit as much as possible and also as part of the process we will have a covered bicycle are.”
In light of the presentation by the society, council concluded the process by rezoning and amending the official community plan later that evening, allowing the project to proceed.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
Perhaps we may have felt our ears burning recently, such are the risks when you start to make news beyond your own borders.
Down the coast of the Pacific Ocean, Prince Rupert has become a key ingredient in a local election debate in an area called Humboldt County, California.
They're talking development in Humboldt County and while we didn't know it at the time, our container port development and our past history have proven to be interesting talking points for one of the candidates for office in Division five there.
Charles Ollivier, is the incumbent and in his presentation he used Prince Rupert as the example of what could come for his hometown, though he seems to be a little ahead of the game for the Fairview Container Port development.
They even lost their pulp mill, but now they’re back on their feet running a profitable container port. “If you look into Prince Rupert, it sounds just like Humboldt Bay,”
While we're quite sure that a profitable container port it shall be, we haven't even seen the first container come ashore yet. So perhaps his hyperbole is a tad ahead of the times.
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Regardless of the interpretation of our recent events, it's interesting to see how this new Prince Rupert story is resonating in areas far removed from the North Coast of British Columbia..
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The Rupert connection was presented as part of an article in the Arcata, California North Coast Journal of Politics, People and Art.
Views of the Bay
With the candidates for the Bay District board of directors
by Japhet Weeks
by Japhet Weeks
photos by Yulia Weeks
The Northcoast Journal
October 25, 2007
Division Five commissioner and incumbent Charles Ollivier is the lead advocate of total-makeover deep-port development. He’s been singing its praises since he first got elected 16 years ago, and he thinks his pet project has finally reached the home stretch. But his campaign platform may turn out to be a widow’s walk in the end.
“This is perhaps the most important election we’ve seen in this county for many years,” he said to me the week before last as we stood atop Bell Hill, looking out over Humboldt Bay.
Ollivier is a bon vivant. A retired longshoreman, his laugh is hearty and his hopes are high. His mantra is: “We can have it all.” That is, a working railroad, a successful port, living-wage jobs, a healthy bay and a bicycle trail connecting Eureka and Arcata. He pointed to the Redwood Dock in the drizzly distance, which the district recently acquired through a one-time lease buy-out.
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The barrel-chested 71-year-old resembles an opera singer, his hair brushed back in a froth-crested wave and his face contorting dramatically as he described his grand scheme for the bay.
There’s no doubt his enthusiasm is genuine.
There’s no doubt his enthusiasm is genuine.
“The Redwood Dock will be developed,” he said resolutely, gesticulating as he spoke, his slight French accent causing the ends of his sentences to crescendo. “We’ll make enough money from the Redwood Dock as a marine terminal to reinvest it in recreation and conservation.”
He recommends looking north to Prince Rupert, British Columbia for inspiration. Like in Humboldt County, a downturn in the logging and fishing industries once spelled disaster for that Canadian port. They even lost their pulp mill, but now they’re back on their feet running a profitable container port. “If you look into Prince Rupert, it sounds just like Humboldt Bay,” Ollivier told me with a nostalgic twinkle in his eyes.
In some respects, though, the comparison doesn’t hold up. Prince Rupert is strategically located on the occidental end of the shortest existing land/sea route connecting Asia and North America — 1,000 miles/68 hours closer to Shanghai than the port of Los Angeles. It’s also located at the terminus of a transcontinental railroad operated by Canadian National Railway. And their bay is naturally deep, ranging between 38 and 44 meters. On all three counts, our bay is no match.
Ollivier told me that when he first got elected to the Harbor Commission the “direction turned towards shipping port development.” That was 16 years ago. He doesn’t seem phased by how plodding progress has been. “Things move slow,” he admitted. So is one more term long enough for some real changes to occur? Ollivier certainly thinks so: “The climax is about to come for my 16 years of labor here,” he said.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
School's dismissed for Mrs. Gordon
Wednesday's Daily News featured a farewell to a long time Prince Rupert educator, as Westview Principal Janet Gordon bids farewell to School District 52 on Friday.
The paper provided a review of her career, tracing her many achievements through the years, from student, to teacher to administrator.
The Gordon's are off to retirement on Vancouver Island, leaving behind a grateful but rather sad group of educators who will miss her leadership in the local education system.
School's out for veteran educator
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Pages one and three
If there was ever a poster-girl for the successes of the Prince Rupert School District, it could well be Janet Gordon's vibrantly smiling face.
After a lifetime spent in District 52 schools, whether as a student, teacher, or in the role of principal, Gordon will finally be saying farewell to the city she has grown to love so much on her final day in school this Friday.
Now, ready for the life of a retiree, Gordon and her husband Larry will be moving down south, where they can be closer to their two children, and even closer to a Parksville golf course.
It's fitting that Gordon will retire from L'ecole Westview Elementary, since it was that same school in which she began her teaching career in a Grade 3 classroom.
It's fitting that Gordon will retire from L'ecole Westview Elementary, since it was that same school in which she began her teaching career in a Grade 3 classroom.
She also taught at Roosevelt and King Ed, before becoming vice-principal of King Ed, then moving on to be principal at Seal Cove for seven years, and finishing her career with eight years as principal of Westview.
"I'm fresh still for teaching, so when people said it was time to retire I wasn't quite ready yet," said Gordon. "I pretty much love my job, and I really hate to leave it. I've loved teaching and I've loved being a principal."
One Gordon's fondest jobs in her educator timeline was in 1986 when she truly pioneered the introduction of computers into the school curriculum. While at Roosevelt, she persuaded her principal to purchase a clone of an early Apple computer. It would be one of the first computers in a Prince Rupert school.
Gordon would show kids how to write basic one-line programs, the earliest of which enabled the computer to count to one million.
"We would announce over the loudspeaker that we were now up to 490,000 or whatever number, because it took a long, long time to count," she said. "But that was bringing computers into the school, so when the school board office heard about me doing this stuff, they thought maybe they should get computers into schools."
The school board officially made her the computer-helper teacher for the district, and she became one of only five females in British Columbia in that role.
"There were about 70 men, mostly high school physics teachers, and we all met in Victoria a couple times a year and started deciding how computers would go in schools," said Gordon. "The first big project was to buy a lab of 15 Apple 2 computers, and a moving van would come to move them around schools month to month."
In addition to helping lead the digital revolution in Prince Rupert elementary classrooms, Gordon has been involved in many projects during her career, many of which are still in place today. She started the Seal Cove Thanksgiving turkey lunch, after borrowing the idea from a substitute teacher at King Ed.
"I remember that first year we did the feast for the whole school, we had all the kids cooking things in various places, and we blew all the fuses because we had so many electrical things going," Gordon remembers with a laugh. "So then we were cooking peas and corn in electric frying pans out in the hall. But that was one of the most wonderful things we could have done at that school, so it's not always about the ABCs."
While teaching at King Edward Elementary, Gordon was involved in starting the Math Counts program, which had students collecting pennies to discover what a million really looks like.
"We had a big shiny red bathtub, and we got up to hundreds and hundreds of thousands, by the time I left it was at around 500,000," she said. "We were trying to teach a lot of math out of it, but we ended up having to empty out the bathtub every once in a while because it was buckling the floor."
Whether it was helping students to win two new IBM computers and for King Ed, applying for inner-city school funding that brought an extra $100,000 a year into District 52, or initiating Study Centres in elementary schools, Gordon has either spearheaded or taken part in too many programs and projects to list. Even though Gordon says it's going to be difficult to leave school life and Prince Rupert behind, it may well be the community of Prince Rupert that has real trouble saying goodbye to her.
"I think the district is going to lose a great principal and leader, and I'll be sad to see her go," said Cecilia Armstrong, who has worked with Gordon since 1993 at Seal Cove. "She's made a big difference in a lot of kids' lives, and started huge initiatives like the lunch program at Seal Cove, or just here at Westview with improving the morale. She really leads by example, and I know the staff is sad to see her go."
Preparing for her final day at school this Friday, and busy packing everything up at home before her departure by ferry on Nov. 2, Gordon hasn't even had enough time to think about life without work.
"What am I going to do without these 250 kids every day to give me laughs and energy? It's a worthwhile job being a teacher in the first place, but I have a lot of kids here that I care about," she said with lament in her voice.
"I'm leaving with such mixed feelings because I've really had such a great time."
NDP argues for increase to province’s minimum wage
With condos selling for 18 million dollars (and that’s an apartment, not a building) it seems pretty clear that the current minimum wage in B. C., isn’t keeping British Columbians, especially those in the larger centers above the poverty line.
The province’s opposition party, the NDP has begun the debate to try and force the provincial government to increase the current minimum wage from $8.00 to 10 dollars (not to mention the entry rate wage level of $6.00, for which we assume there is a wonderful cardboard box, split available somewhere). The talking points on wages are in a bid to try and improve the lot of the working poor, who must gaze up at those towers of gold in The best place on earth (TM), with more than envy in their hearts.
An increase in the low end of the province’s pay scales, most likely won’t help anyone reading this blog as they dream of 18 million dollar apartments with a view, but a subtle increase as the one recommended, could at least maybe help make the next insurance payment on the car that gets you to work or maybe help bring in some extra groceries for the family.
The call for an increase comes on the heels of the government’s improvement to their own remuneration scales, which recently saw the Premier realize a 54 per cent increase in his salary.
The issue was addressed at the recent UBCM bunfest in Vancouver, where municipal delegates from across the province, discussed and recommended that the increase be made.
There is some opposition to the plan, as some business leaders claim that an increase in the minimum wage could make the difference between profit and loss, but in an era where residents of the province’s cities and towns have seen a giant increase in their expenses at home, the need for a raise has never been more required or indeed more urgent.
The Wednesday Daily News examined the NDP’s position including the comments of the local MLA Gary Coons.
'Raise B.C. minimum wage now' demands NDP leader
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Pages one and three
NDP MLA Gary Coons is joining his party leader in calling for the B.C. Liberals to respect hard-working British Columbians and alleviate poverty by raising the minimum wage, after the debate on NDP leader Carole James' bill calling for an increase in the wage was cut short on Monday.
"It's abundantly clear, whether one wants to rely on studies or old fashioned common sense, that most people working for the eight dollar minimum wage in British Columbia are living in poverty," said Coons.
"A person who is working full-time should not be living from pay cheque to pay cheque, constantly on the brink of financial disaster."
Earlier this year, James introduced the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, 2007, but the government refused to take action on it.
"It's appalling that the B.C. Liberals won't debate a bill that will give B.C.'s lowest paid workers their first raise in six years. And it's unacceptable that while our minimum wage earners struggle to make ends meet, Premier Campbell has given himself a 54 per cent pay increase," said James.
Housing prices in British Columbia have been rising for years.
Recently, Miloon Kothari, the United Nations' special rapporteur on adequate housing, was in Vancouver to assess the state of homelessness in the province's biggest city. He found disturbing levels of homelessness in the city, despite the province's booming economy.
"The U.N. has declared homelessness a 'national emergency' in Canada, yet the Campbell Liberal government refuses to acknowledge its policies on issues like the minimum wage are contributing to homelessness and financial insecurity for the province's lowest paid earners," said Coons.
"Petitions signed by thousands and thousands of people all across British Columbia have been ignored.
"Individuals and most city councils across the province are asking this government to increase the minimum wage to $10 and tie further increases to inflation; their message is clear: the government needs to act now to alleviate poverty in British Columbia."
"We all have heard that this premier seems intent on changing his image," said James.
"He says, in fact, that it was wrong to fight against justice for aboriginal people. This premier says he now sees the light when it comes to climate change. Now, both of those reversals, as we all know, are bogged down by the premier's short attention span and his penchant for getting headlines instead of actually taking action.
"But I'm going to give this one to the premier, because here's one where he can actually show that he has a commitment to do something different."
The province’s opposition party, the NDP has begun the debate to try and force the provincial government to increase the current minimum wage from $8.00 to 10 dollars (not to mention the entry rate wage level of $6.00, for which we assume there is a wonderful cardboard box, split available somewhere). The talking points on wages are in a bid to try and improve the lot of the working poor, who must gaze up at those towers of gold in The best place on earth (TM), with more than envy in their hearts.
An increase in the low end of the province’s pay scales, most likely won’t help anyone reading this blog as they dream of 18 million dollar apartments with a view, but a subtle increase as the one recommended, could at least maybe help make the next insurance payment on the car that gets you to work or maybe help bring in some extra groceries for the family.
The call for an increase comes on the heels of the government’s improvement to their own remuneration scales, which recently saw the Premier realize a 54 per cent increase in his salary.
The issue was addressed at the recent UBCM bunfest in Vancouver, where municipal delegates from across the province, discussed and recommended that the increase be made.
There is some opposition to the plan, as some business leaders claim that an increase in the minimum wage could make the difference between profit and loss, but in an era where residents of the province’s cities and towns have seen a giant increase in their expenses at home, the need for a raise has never been more required or indeed more urgent.
The Wednesday Daily News examined the NDP’s position including the comments of the local MLA Gary Coons.
'Raise B.C. minimum wage now' demands NDP leader
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Pages one and three
NDP MLA Gary Coons is joining his party leader in calling for the B.C. Liberals to respect hard-working British Columbians and alleviate poverty by raising the minimum wage, after the debate on NDP leader Carole James' bill calling for an increase in the wage was cut short on Monday.
"It's abundantly clear, whether one wants to rely on studies or old fashioned common sense, that most people working for the eight dollar minimum wage in British Columbia are living in poverty," said Coons.
"A person who is working full-time should not be living from pay cheque to pay cheque, constantly on the brink of financial disaster."
Earlier this year, James introduced the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, 2007, but the government refused to take action on it.
"It's appalling that the B.C. Liberals won't debate a bill that will give B.C.'s lowest paid workers their first raise in six years. And it's unacceptable that while our minimum wage earners struggle to make ends meet, Premier Campbell has given himself a 54 per cent pay increase," said James.
Housing prices in British Columbia have been rising for years.
Recently, Miloon Kothari, the United Nations' special rapporteur on adequate housing, was in Vancouver to assess the state of homelessness in the province's biggest city. He found disturbing levels of homelessness in the city, despite the province's booming economy.
"The U.N. has declared homelessness a 'national emergency' in Canada, yet the Campbell Liberal government refuses to acknowledge its policies on issues like the minimum wage are contributing to homelessness and financial insecurity for the province's lowest paid earners," said Coons.
"Petitions signed by thousands and thousands of people all across British Columbia have been ignored.
"Individuals and most city councils across the province are asking this government to increase the minimum wage to $10 and tie further increases to inflation; their message is clear: the government needs to act now to alleviate poverty in British Columbia."
"We all have heard that this premier seems intent on changing his image," said James.
"He says, in fact, that it was wrong to fight against justice for aboriginal people. This premier says he now sees the light when it comes to climate change. Now, both of those reversals, as we all know, are bogged down by the premier's short attention span and his penchant for getting headlines instead of actually taking action.
"But I'm going to give this one to the premier, because here's one where he can actually show that he has a commitment to do something different."
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
City moves forward on sewage treatment plans
There may not be enough money in the city account these days for toilet paper, let alone an upgrade to the sewage system, but the city is pressing ahead with plans to find a way to treat the waste of Rupertites that is dumped into the harbour on a daily basis.
The City is embarking on a three phase process, leading up to mid 2009 and a final report that will cost out the expense of moving to a treated sewage system for the city.
The city's plans were presented as the front page story in Wednesday's Daily News.
CITY DETERMINED TO PULL PLUG ON DUMPING OF RAW SEWAGE
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The Daily News
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Page one
Despite having cut $5.1 million out of this year's budget, the city still intends to start planning for a new way to treat its sewage this year.
Gord Howie, the city's corporate administrator, said the municipality has scheduled its first meeting with a consultant Oct. 29 to start looking at a Liquid Waste Management Plan - a plan to develop a more acceptable way to treat the city's sewage.
"There will be three stages to the study; the first will be reviewing the existing sewage systems, the second stage evaluates the options and stage three brings together the information from the first two and produces a strategic direction for council's consideration," said Howie.
Currently, the city of Prince Rupert discharges its sewage and storm water through pipes directly into the ocean.
"The reality is what was an acceptable standard in the early 1900s of putting long sewage outfalls out into the ocean and allowing the ocean to deal with treating sewage, is not acceptable today," said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond.
However, bringing the city up to the new provincial standards is not without it's challenges, not the least of which is the large volume of rain the city receives.
"A lot of storm sewers and septic sewers are combined," he said. "If you put a treatment plant which requires a very sensitive mixture of microbes working away on the sewage treatment, it will work right until you get a rain event. But the rain event goes in and absolutely destroys the culture you have developed," he said.
However, fixing the system is a priority for the residents of Prince Rupert and while it is going to cost a lot of money, Pond said they are committed to starting the process.
"It's something the city wants to do and council wants to see done," he said.
Howie said the final recommendations from the report with costs and options for council should be ready by around the the middle of 2009.
Pond added that cruise ships that come into the harbour have much higher standards of sewage treatment than the city does. The city does not accept gray water waste from cruise ships because it would simply be dumped back in to the ocean.
'If anything, we should be dumping (our sewage) into them," he joked.
'They have comprehensive treatment systems."
Prince Rupert Labour movement celebrates 50 years of memories
Saturday night was a night for social gatherings it seems, on one side of town the Chamber of Commerce gathered for their annual fundraising event at the Crest Hotel, while interestingly enough at the same time in the west end of the city, the Prince Rupert Labour Council got together at Fisherman’s Hall to celebrate fifty years of organization on the North coast.
While the Chamber got down to business with many representatives of Prince Rupert’s business sector settled in for auctions and other events, the labour side of the city was tucking into a dinner and dance and most likely more than a few tales of past historic labour oriented events.
The Labour Council had a live band on hand, so there surely must have been a rendition of “Solidarity Forever”, or “Which side are you on”, as they commemorated those fifty years of organization and recounted some of the struggles and success stories of the union movement on the North coast.
A well known union stronghold in British Columbia, Prince Rupert has had a long and storied history involving the union movement, from bargaining successes with major companies to long drawn out and frustrating strikes and closures, it has been the kind of history that many a book has been written about.
The Daily News featured a recap of the night’s event, complete with some of the colour of the many high profile participants in the labour movement on the North coast.
UNIONS MARK 50 YEARS OF UNITY
Labour Council members gather for celebration
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Pages one and two
Saturday night saw Prince Rupert's numerous unions gather for what was a lively celebration of the Labour Council's 50th anniversary, complete with comedy and some trips down memory lane.
While the Chamber got down to business with many representatives of Prince Rupert’s business sector settled in for auctions and other events, the labour side of the city was tucking into a dinner and dance and most likely more than a few tales of past historic labour oriented events.
The Labour Council had a live band on hand, so there surely must have been a rendition of “Solidarity Forever”, or “Which side are you on”, as they commemorated those fifty years of organization and recounted some of the struggles and success stories of the union movement on the North coast.
A well known union stronghold in British Columbia, Prince Rupert has had a long and storied history involving the union movement, from bargaining successes with major companies to long drawn out and frustrating strikes and closures, it has been the kind of history that many a book has been written about.
The Daily News featured a recap of the night’s event, complete with some of the colour of the many high profile participants in the labour movement on the North coast.
UNIONS MARK 50 YEARS OF UNITY
Labour Council members gather for celebration
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Pages one and two
Saturday night saw Prince Rupert's numerous unions gather for what was a lively celebration of the Labour Council's 50th anniversary, complete with comedy and some trips down memory lane.
There was a mix of locals and out-of-towners gathered at Fisherman's Hall for an evening of dinner and dancing, complete with live music, draws for free merchandise, and some memorable words from several speakers.
"I think sometimes in this part of the world, labour gets taken for granted," said Nathan Cullen, Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP.
"I talk to a lot of high schools, colleges and universities, and ask young people who are getting into the workplace what they think about the labour movement, and too often I get a shrug of the shoulders and too much indifference, because they've come to expect the kind of rights and privileges people have had to fight for decade after decade."
North Coast MLA Gary Coons also spoke about his involvement in the labour movement, after Cullen reminded everyone about Coons’ notorious “Martini bar’ antics with Des Nobles, involving a certain B. C. Premier’s visit to Prince Rupert several years ago.
“As most people in this room, and as Nathan indicated, I have similar beliefs and I tried to introduce a few different ways that things should be done,” said Coons. “Looking back at the ‘(Gordon Campbell) Memorial Park’ sign, that was back in the day and I’m not really allowed to do that stuff anymore.”
“But here today we have the 50th anniversary of the Labour Council in Prince Rupert, and that’s quite an achievement,” said Coons.
However, it was UFAWU-CAW representative and past president of the Labour Council, Joy Thorkelson, who gave the most memorable speech of the night, stirring everyone with a detailed account of past labour battles in Prince Rupert.
Before getting into the many battles the Labour Council faced , she reminisced about former UFAWU member and current president of the B. C. Federation of Labour, Jim Sinclair, who could not be in attendance.
“It’s a good thing that we had a print reporting service and not a radio or TV news service, because nobody could understand what Jim said, they could only understand what Jim wrote,” joked Thorkelson. “When Jim ran for the feds, we told him the first thing he had to do was speak slow enough so people could hear that he actually had good ideas.”
Sinclair sent a heartfelt letter that recognized the hardships the people of Prince Rupert had to struggle through, particularly the marches, demonstrations, picket lines and protests that formed a part of his own personal history and that were testament to the caliber of workers, he said.
As someone involved in the labour movement in Prince Rupert since her days of life guarding under CUPE and working in a fish plant, Thorkelson was first inspired by senior women at the plant who got her to sign her first union card.
“I came to Rupert and there was a march down Third Avenue with wage and price controls, I remember that.
It was my first union political protest, on behalf of not just working people but everybody in Canada. I remember the peace movement, the rallies that the labour unions organized. We had Teachers for Peace, and that bird we still have upstairs sat in the library where kids put little things on why they wanted peace. This Labour Council was part of that, and I remember.
Thorkelson went on to remind everyone that since she arrived, the labour Council has been involved in every political action, whether it was fighting Bill 19 and 20 with many in Prince Rupert supporting the teachers, or picketing at the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital.
“I remember the two strikes we had at the post office, and there were only two communities in British Columbia, if not Canada, that didn’t have scabs and we were one of them!” said Thorkelson vehemently. “And Pete Lester who was mayor at the time said, ”We don’t want scabs in Prince Rupert because we don’t want fights on the streets.” We sat there day and night, and we were one of the few post offices that wasn’t scabbed because we fought together.
With such along, battle-laden and successful history, it’s not much of a surprise that Thorkelson and current Labour Council President Dave Smith were proud of reaching the organization’s half-century anniversary.
“I’ve been involved with the Labour Council for 25 years, and I’ve seen a lot of change, up and down, good and bad,” said Smith. “It’s looking interesting, The last six years have devastated this town, with the mill closing and the fall-out from that of families breaking up and losing homes. It’s nice now, but anybody talking about a boom is hopefully wrong. What we need is a nice steady, strong economy which is anchored in something that is sustainable.”
With goodwill and comradeship in the air and bellies full of food, everyone was anxious to see who would win the many door prizes that had been donated. From rain gear, to coffee mugs, to a vehicle first aid kit, there was plenty of prizes to go around, as well as a leather jacket raffled off, courtesy of the United Food and Commercial Workers. However, by 9:30 the crowd was ready for some music, which the band Crazy Tracy (formerly Agent 99) was pleased to offer, but not before cracking a joke of their own.
“Thanks ladies and gentlemen. Sorry for keeping you waiting a few minutes, but you know how these unions are.”
Tuesday night windstorm causes problems east of Prince Rupert
The strong winds of Tuesday proved to be problematic for residents of Terrace and communities as far east as Vanderhoof, as BC Hydro had a number of power related issues to deal with Tuesday night and most of Wednesday.
A number of Public schools were closed in Terrace on Wednesday, as was Northwest Community College's Terrace campus due to the troubles, more than 3,000 Terrace residents spent a fair amount of time in the dark over the last twenty four hours.
A number of Public schools were closed in Terrace on Wednesday, as was Northwest Community College's Terrace campus due to the troubles, more than 3,000 Terrace residents spent a fair amount of time in the dark over the last twenty four hours.
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Terrace is the hardest hit after a wind and snow storm hammered the area over the past two days.
In Terrace, Hydro crews are scrambling to try and return power to 4,871 homes that are without power because of trees falling on the power lines.
Here in Prince George power was knocked off along Sharalene Dr resulting in 132 homes being left without power.
East and West on highway 97 a further 123 home are without power.
In Quesnel, Nazko Rd, 89 homes, power has been restored to other affected homes.
In Fraser Lake, 203 homes are without power , Vanderhoof 85, Hudsons Hope has a major power outage with 321 homes affected.
Meantime in addition to the wind a snow storm knocked power out to 391 homes and businesses in Stewart, Burns Lake is trying to dig out from a snow storm that cut power to 99 homes,
Power outages affect Northern B.C.
Terrace Standard
October 24, 2007
Residents from Vanderhoof west to Prince Rupert are slowly recovering from heavy windstorms last night which cut power to many areas of north western B.C.
In Terrace, Northwest Community College, for example, remains closed to morning and afternoon classes and was to re-open at 4 p.m. today (Wednesday).
Caledonia, Skeena and Parkside schools in the Horseshoe are closed as is Uplands Elementary on the bench.
Clarence Michiel and ET Kenney, also in the Horseshoe, are open but schools in Thornhill are closed.
Private schools Centennial Christian and Veritas are open.
More than 3,000 Terrace and area customers were affected by the outages
Province names new development officer for Asia Pacific Gateway
Following up on an idea first floated over a year ago, the Province of British Columbia has named Dale Richardson as its choice to head up an economic office in the Northwest dedicated to taking advantage of possibilities from expanded trade with the Asia Pacific gateway.
The office is designed to explore potential opportunities for the Northwest, many of which are hoped to be spurred on by the development of the Fairview Container Terminal.
Colin Hansen, British Columbia’s Minister of Economic Development handled the introductions of the new appointment, even though the guest of honour was currently out of the country, learning the lay of the land of trade in Asia. Richardson most recently worked on economic development projects for the Yukon Government.
Hansen stressed that one of Richardson’s duties will be to ensure that employment opportunities in Northwestern B. C., include a local labour pool, a process that he says the province has had success with thus far.
It would be guessed that he is referring to the recent hiring of workers for the Container Terminal, which held a local recruiting drive to fill many of the positions on the local docks. Which has to a degree stemmed the flow of the exodus from Prince Rupert over the last few years, which saw a large number of workers leaving the high unemployment of the northwest for better employment prospects elsewhere.
However, the Terminal jobs as welcome as they are, really are but a drop in the bucket compared to the number of people who felt the need to leave the city in search of employment. It's to expand on that start at Fairview and create more employment in the region, that will be the purpose of the economic development officer for the Asia Pacific Gateway.
With an office in Prince Rupert, Richardson will continue to work on the expansion of the Fairview Terminal as well as the creation of a break bulk port in Kitimat.
The Daily News featured the announcement and provided a sketch of his plans in the Tuesday edition.
Victoria's expert to widen the gateway to Asia trade
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Pages one and three
The provincial government has appointed a regional economic development officer to help guide the development of the Asia Pacific Gateway in the Northwest.
Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development for the province of British Columbia, confirmed that the government has hired Dale Richardson to serve in an economic development capacity for the entire region of the Northwest.
"The port expansion in Prince Rupert is not really an end in itself but something that will become a catalyst for other economic development opportunities in the Northwest," said Hansen.
While the port expansion will create direct jobs, it will also generate opportunities for the future.
"This is something Premier Gordon Campbell felt strongly about going back a year when he met with municipal leaders from around the Northwest at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention," said Hansen.
While the port expansion will create direct jobs, it will also generate opportunities for the future.
“This is something Premier Gordon Campbell felt strongly about going back a year when he met with municipal leaders from around the Northwest at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention,” said Hansen.
“It was out of those discussions he asked me to look at how we can put somebody on the ground to help be a catalyst for these economic opportunities.”
Richardson, who was working with the Yukon government on economic development initiatives, is currently in Asia on a familiarization tour.
His B. C. office will be based in Prince Rupert.
In addition to working on the containerization of Fairview Terminal, Richardson will also be working on the efforts to develop a break-bulk terminal in Kitimat.
“My ministry is currently funding a study on break-bulk opportunities in Kitimat. Also, if you look at the Kitimat Valley, it has some of the best opportunities for industrial land compared to pretty well anywhere else in the province,” said Hansen.
The Northwest region has air, rail and marine infrastructure and when tied all together, it’s an attractive package for investors, he said.
“We also want to make sure the residents of Prince Rupert and other Northwest communities benefit directly from the economic opportunities,” said Hansen.
Hansen continued: “that it’s not just a case of a whole new labour force being imported to take on jobs… I think to-date we have had a big success making sure there has been local hiring for the jobs that are available. That will be another area of Richardson’s responsibilities.”
Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said he was pleased with the appointment. There are a number of regional issues that need to be solved to ensure Fairview is a success, including electrical and technological infrastructure.
Gord Howie, the city’s chief administrative officer, said Richardson is still finishing up a few files from his last appointment and making the move to Prince Rupert.
However, they hope to arrange a meeting between the city and the provincial representative once he has his feet firmly on the ground.
The office is designed to explore potential opportunities for the Northwest, many of which are hoped to be spurred on by the development of the Fairview Container Terminal.
Colin Hansen, British Columbia’s Minister of Economic Development handled the introductions of the new appointment, even though the guest of honour was currently out of the country, learning the lay of the land of trade in Asia. Richardson most recently worked on economic development projects for the Yukon Government.
Hansen stressed that one of Richardson’s duties will be to ensure that employment opportunities in Northwestern B. C., include a local labour pool, a process that he says the province has had success with thus far.
It would be guessed that he is referring to the recent hiring of workers for the Container Terminal, which held a local recruiting drive to fill many of the positions on the local docks. Which has to a degree stemmed the flow of the exodus from Prince Rupert over the last few years, which saw a large number of workers leaving the high unemployment of the northwest for better employment prospects elsewhere.
However, the Terminal jobs as welcome as they are, really are but a drop in the bucket compared to the number of people who felt the need to leave the city in search of employment. It's to expand on that start at Fairview and create more employment in the region, that will be the purpose of the economic development officer for the Asia Pacific Gateway.
With an office in Prince Rupert, Richardson will continue to work on the expansion of the Fairview Terminal as well as the creation of a break bulk port in Kitimat.
The Daily News featured the announcement and provided a sketch of his plans in the Tuesday edition.
Victoria's expert to widen the gateway to Asia trade
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Pages one and three
The provincial government has appointed a regional economic development officer to help guide the development of the Asia Pacific Gateway in the Northwest.
Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development for the province of British Columbia, confirmed that the government has hired Dale Richardson to serve in an economic development capacity for the entire region of the Northwest.
"The port expansion in Prince Rupert is not really an end in itself but something that will become a catalyst for other economic development opportunities in the Northwest," said Hansen.
While the port expansion will create direct jobs, it will also generate opportunities for the future.
"This is something Premier Gordon Campbell felt strongly about going back a year when he met with municipal leaders from around the Northwest at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention," said Hansen.
While the port expansion will create direct jobs, it will also generate opportunities for the future.
“This is something Premier Gordon Campbell felt strongly about going back a year when he met with municipal leaders from around the Northwest at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention,” said Hansen.
“It was out of those discussions he asked me to look at how we can put somebody on the ground to help be a catalyst for these economic opportunities.”
Richardson, who was working with the Yukon government on economic development initiatives, is currently in Asia on a familiarization tour.
His B. C. office will be based in Prince Rupert.
In addition to working on the containerization of Fairview Terminal, Richardson will also be working on the efforts to develop a break-bulk terminal in Kitimat.
“My ministry is currently funding a study on break-bulk opportunities in Kitimat. Also, if you look at the Kitimat Valley, it has some of the best opportunities for industrial land compared to pretty well anywhere else in the province,” said Hansen.
The Northwest region has air, rail and marine infrastructure and when tied all together, it’s an attractive package for investors, he said.
“We also want to make sure the residents of Prince Rupert and other Northwest communities benefit directly from the economic opportunities,” said Hansen.
Hansen continued: “that it’s not just a case of a whole new labour force being imported to take on jobs… I think to-date we have had a big success making sure there has been local hiring for the jobs that are available. That will be another area of Richardson’s responsibilities.”
Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said he was pleased with the appointment. There are a number of regional issues that need to be solved to ensure Fairview is a success, including electrical and technological infrastructure.
Gord Howie, the city’s chief administrative officer, said Richardson is still finishing up a few files from his last appointment and making the move to Prince Rupert.
However, they hope to arrange a meeting between the city and the provincial representative once he has his feet firmly on the ground.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
They see the train a comin’
They’re counting down the days (and maybe the hours) until the first container ship arrives at the Fairview Terminal, with an arrival time of 6 am on October 31st the new era for the Port of Prince Rupert will begin and there could be no prouder partner than CN Rail.
The first of what are hoped to be many COSCO ships will pull into Prince Rupert harbour on that day and when she does, CN Rail is hopeful of an exciting fourth quarter generated by the massive flow of containers bound for North American markets.
It’s estimated that half the containers on the first vessel to call on Fairview will be unloaded here, providing CN with the opportunity to deliver on their marketing strategy of being able to service North America faster from Prince Rupert.
The Daily News featured a front page story in Tuesday’s paper outlining CN’s review of the third quarter and its plans for the service and how they are hopeful that the new container terminal will bring "most exciting times" for the railroad.
CN RAIL COUNTING THE DAYS TO ARRIVAL OF PORT’S FIRST SHIP
Rail company says start of container flow this month is ‘most exciting news’
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Pages one and three
CN Rail is hoping to grow its intermodal container-handling business in the fourth quarter, starting with the first ship at Fairview Terminal on Oct. 31.
The first of what are hoped to be many COSCO ships will pull into Prince Rupert harbour on that day and when she does, CN Rail is hopeful of an exciting fourth quarter generated by the massive flow of containers bound for North American markets.
It’s estimated that half the containers on the first vessel to call on Fairview will be unloaded here, providing CN with the opportunity to deliver on their marketing strategy of being able to service North America faster from Prince Rupert.
The Daily News featured a front page story in Tuesday’s paper outlining CN’s review of the third quarter and its plans for the service and how they are hopeful that the new container terminal will bring "most exciting times" for the railroad.
CN RAIL COUNTING THE DAYS TO ARRIVAL OF PORT’S FIRST SHIP
Rail company says start of container flow this month is ‘most exciting news’
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Pages one and three
CN Rail is hoping to grow its intermodal container-handling business in the fourth quarter, starting with the first ship at Fairview Terminal on Oct. 31.
"Probably the most exciting news (for the fourth quarter) is 6 a.m. on Oct. 31, the first COSCO vessel pulls in to Prince Rupert. We are expecting, and we have confirmation because the vessel is already en route, that we will have very good vessel discharge volume from that vessel," said James M. Foote, CN vice-president of sales and marketing, during the company's third-quarter conference call yesterday.
"Those discharge volumes from COSCO should be enhanced as we go forward because we have an arrangement with Hanjin, sharing space on that boat with COSCO, and that will be adding volumes to the discharge there as we go forward."
COSCO was the first shipper to announce an agreement with CN and Maher Terminals to handle containers. Hanjin officials were optimistic last month that they too could be offloading containers, however no official agreement has yet been announced.
The vessels are part of the CKYH shipping alliance made up of four Asian-based companies.
Ships capable of carrying 5,500 TEUs (container units) from both COSCO and Hanjin will be moving on a circuit from various Asian port cities to Prince Rupert, Vancouver and Seattle. About half the containers on first vessel at Fairview are being off loaded in Prince Rupert, said Foote.
“In terms of the final destination for those boxes … about 70 to 80 per cent of that is going to the U. S.” said Foote.
“We are excited the volumes for the first call are this high… to kick off the service so to speak.”
He added that there is, within the shipping community, a desire to want to use Prince Rupert.
“It’s not only the steam ship companies who have been there to look at it, but the big-box companies,” he said.
CN has seen its intermodal traffic decline overall by one per cent in the third quarter. On the East Coast as some shipping lines have moved from Halifax to the port of Montreal. However, CN is optimistic it will see growth in its intermodal traffic operations in the fourth quarter.
“The outlook is very good,” said Foote.
While the rising Canadian dollar has not had a significant impact on the viability of CN’s Prince Rupert operation, the same cannot be said for the company’s third quarter financial results.
Hunter Harrison, CN Rails president and CEO, said CN had the best quarter possible given the poor market conditions in housing and forestry and the strong Canadian dollar.
“I don’t think the dollar will stay this way but I can’t tell you when it’s going to turn. I don’t think the housing market will stay this way but I can’t tell you when it’s going to turn,” said Harrison.
In addition, CN is calling for a strong outlook in the grain and coal sectors in Canada. Grain shipments were up 11 per cent in the third quarter and coal shipments were up 10 per cent.
Northwest LNG pipeline project heads for public comment phase
They’re breaking out the pamphlets and videos for sessions across the Northwest, designed to seek approval of the proposed 1.1 billion dollar Liquefied Natural Gas pipeline that will run from Kitimat to north of Prince George at Summit Lake.
The project a partnership between Galveston LNG and Pacific Northern Gas, requires the construction of a 500 million dollar LNG terminal in Kitimat where the liquefied product will be received from gas laden ships from offshore and re-gasified at Kitimat for transit on the pipeline network.
Part of the process involves public commentary on the proceedings and more information can be found from the Environmental Assessment Office portal at the BC Government website found here.
The hearings take place over the next two weeks at various locations from Terrace and Kitimat, through the Bulkley Valley and on to Vanderhoof.
The official 45 day comment period comes to an end on November 30th. The Daily news featured details of the proposal in Monday’s paper.
$1.1bn pipe proposed to snake across Northwest
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, October 22, 2007
The project a partnership between Galveston LNG and Pacific Northern Gas, requires the construction of a 500 million dollar LNG terminal in Kitimat where the liquefied product will be received from gas laden ships from offshore and re-gasified at Kitimat for transit on the pipeline network.
Part of the process involves public commentary on the proceedings and more information can be found from the Environmental Assessment Office portal at the BC Government website found here.
The hearings take place over the next two weeks at various locations from Terrace and Kitimat, through the Bulkley Valley and on to Vanderhoof.
The official 45 day comment period comes to an end on November 30th. The Daily news featured details of the proposal in Monday’s paper.
$1.1bn pipe proposed to snake across Northwest
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, October 22, 2007
Pages one and three
A proposed Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) pipeline that will run from Kitimat to Summit Lake is being presented to the public for comment.
A proposed Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) pipeline that will run from Kitimat to Summit Lake is being presented to the public for comment.
Pacific Trail Pipelines' $1.1-billion pipeline, which stretches 463-kilometre from the Kitimat LNG Terminal to just north of Prince George, is undergoing a 45-day public comment period that will end Nov. 30.
The project is a joint venture between Pacific Northern Gas and Kitimat LNG, which is a subsidiary of Galveston LNG.
"The BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) accepted the KSL Project's Application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate for review on Sept. 21, 2007. This review includes a formal comment period and a series of open houses along or near the proposed route," said the company is a news release. The nearest open house to Prince Rupert will be in Terrace Tue., Oct. 23, at the Best Western, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The project is dependent on a $500 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal being constructed at Kitimat, but Pacific Northern Gas officials have been optimistic that will happen.
The pipeline project will create construction jobs but no new permanent jobs because Pacific Northern Gas already operates a natural gas pipeline between Prince Rupert and Summit Lake.
The idea is to liquefy natural gas by super-cooling it and transporting it on specially built ships. At Kitimat, the liquid would be turned back into gas and sent along the pipeline.
While the Pacific Trial Pipeline route will follow the existing Pacific Northern Gas pipeline between Summit Lake, just north of Prince George, and Endako, west of Fraser Lake, from there, the pipeline will take a new, more southern route to Kitimat.
Once the review period is complete, the B. C. Environmental Assessment Office will produce a report that outlines the scope of the project, its issues and how they have been addressed. The Minister of Environment makes the final decision on the project.
For more information on how to comment, or access the company’s environmental application visit http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca/projects/ksl_pipelinelooping/index.html
Other open houses will be from 5:30 p. m. to 8:30 pm:
--Monday, Oct. 22: Smithers, Hudson Bay Lodge
--Thursday, Oct. 25: Kitimat, Riverlodge
--Tuesday, Oct. 30 Burns Lake, Chamber of Commerce
--Wednesday, Oct. 31: Vanderhoof, Seniors Friendship Centre
--Friday, Nov.2 Summit Lake, Community Hall
With files from the Prince George Citizen
A welcome start to a new week, Gas Pump prices drop
It was a welcome surprise yesterday when both the local Husky and 7-11 seemed to engage in a small pricing skirmish, both gasoline retailers dropped their prices six cents to 1.04 on Monday morning. Setting off a chain of events for other local operations to follow.
Petro Can reduced their prices to 1.06 and then 1.04 by late Monday afternoon, Fast Trac Gas in the industrial park followed suit, while Chevron was the last to reduce their prices not surrendering their price point until late in the day.
While down significantly from last week, the price at the pump in Prince Rupert is still higher than most areas of the province, with Terrace still benefiting from a spirited battle at the pumps depending on where you purchase your fuel.
Needles at ready for flu Shot clinics
It’s that time of year again; the annual procession to a quick jab and hopefully some protection from whatever nasty bugs lay in wait.
The main inoculation session is set for November 6 and 7 at the Civic Centre from 8:30 to 5:30 pm as well as at the Prince Rupert health unit on November 8 and 9 from 8:30 to 4 and again on November 10 from 10 am to 4 pm.
Those at most risk including the elderly, the very young and people with chronic health problems are all considered prime candidates for the flu shot, as well as long term health care residents and health providers and public protection officers.
The Daily news featured details of the upcoming clinics in Monday’s paper.
Vulnerable urged to get flu shot
Free doses of vaccine available for those most at risk of complications
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Monday, October 22, 2007
The main inoculation session is set for November 6 and 7 at the Civic Centre from 8:30 to 5:30 pm as well as at the Prince Rupert health unit on November 8 and 9 from 8:30 to 4 and again on November 10 from 10 am to 4 pm.
Those at most risk including the elderly, the very young and people with chronic health problems are all considered prime candidates for the flu shot, as well as long term health care residents and health providers and public protection officers.
The Daily news featured details of the upcoming clinics in Monday’s paper.
Vulnerable urged to get flu shot
Free doses of vaccine available for those most at risk of complications
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Monday, October 22, 2007
Pages one and three
Northern Health is urging all residents considered at-risk for influenza to get their free vaccination this season, starting Nov. 6 in Prince Rupert.
Northern Health is urging all residents considered at-risk for influenza to get their free vaccination this season, starting Nov. 6 in Prince Rupert.
Every year, around 1,400 people die in British Columbia from influenza and pneumonia, which is a serious complication of influenza.
"Influenza is a serious health threat, especially for individuals in at-risk categories, such as the elderly," said Dr. David Bowering, chief medical health officer.
"A safe, effective vaccine is readily available. Getting it protects your well-being and could even save a life."
The very young, elderly and people with chronic health conditions are considered at-risk, as are residents of long-term care facilities, pregnant women in their third-trimester, health care workers, people working directly with live poultry or swine, and first responders such as police, firefighters and paramedics.
These at-risk individuals can become severely ill, suffer secondary illnesses like pneumonia, or many even die. Healthy younger people who get influenza usually miss a week or more of work or school and are vulnerable to other viruses and bacteria before they fully recover. Influenza symptoms include, fever, runny nose, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, and difficulty getting out of bed.
Beginning next week, public health nurses across the North will begin to provide vaccinations to those in at risk groups at no charge.
Drop-in clinics will be available on Nov. 6 and 7 at the Civic Centre from 8:30 a. m. to 5:30 p. m., and also at the Prince Rupert Health Unit on Nov. 8 and 9, beginning at 9 a. m. through 4 p. m., as well as on Nov. 10 from10 a. m. to 4 p.m.
Many physicians also provide influenza vaccinations to their at-risk patients, and some local pharmacies will also offer flu vaccinations to the general public on a charge basis.
The pneucoccal vaccine is available for certain individuals and helps protect against the most common complication of influenza, pneumonia.
Most people only need this vaccine once in their lifetime, whereas patients need to receive the flu vaccine every year due to different emerging strains. For those who need both, they are usually available at the same time.
Northern Health recommends careful hand-washing as one of the best ways to prevent the spread of illness such as influenza.
The health authority says hand washing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds will curb the spread of germs and bacteria, and should be exercised both before and after using the washroom and before eating or preparing food.
For more information on influenza and other health issues, residents can call the B. C. Nurseline toll-free at 1-866-215-4700, where nurses can provide confidential health information and advice any time, any day.
He asked once, he asked twice, but still the RCMP would not take his advice...
It’s pretty safe to assume that if you drove your car into a mailbox, building or another car, that one of the first things that might happen would be that you would be asked to take a breathalyzer test and/or be asked to provide a blood sample. It would be even more urgent to examine all possibilities, especially if your actions led to the death of innocent persons.
Yet when the Queen of the North plowed into Gil Island, resulting in the loss of two lives, there was no testing of those crew members involved with the operation of the ill fated ferry. That despite the fact that the President of BC Ferries asked a number of times for testing to be done by investigating RCMP officers, a refusal to do so which left the BC Ferries head David Hahn dumbfounded at the time.
In Tuesday’s Globe and Mail the embattled President of BC Ferries went on the record with his thoughts about those early days of the Queen of the North investigation. He outlined his interpretation of his company’s involvement in the process; once the notification was made that the Queen of the North had sunk off of Gil Island.
Hahn has been busy making his concerns known now, as part of his campaign to have the federal government make it clear that mandatory drug and alcohol testing should be required in safety sensitive roles on the ferries.
The RCMP has yet to provide any indication as to why they refused to conduct intoxication tests at the time of the incident, falling back on the cover that the incident is still under investigation. It will be interesting to learn why a key aspect of an investigation, did not take place at the most critical point of the process to find out what went wrong that night.
While the Ferries president's information is of interest to the public, the timing is rather curious. By going public now with his concerns, instead of when the incident took place, it could appear to some to be designed to be a form of damage control. Especially after the release of last weeks notice by the Transportation Safety Board that there was evidence of frequent drug use on the northern routes of the Ferry Corporation.
At the time of the sinking, Mr. Hahn kept his comments to himself, rather than going public with his thoughts, despite his concerns over possible impairment at the time of the accident and his unsuccessful urging of the RCMP to conduct impairment testing of the employees.
The union representatives for the Ferry workers continue to remain silent on the issue of drug and alcohol testing, declining as recently as Monday to offer a union comment or position on the issue.
It seems that from government to company to union, everyone wants to stay quiet on the problems at BC Ferries. It makes for a culture of silence there, one which doesn’t leave the public with a great sense of reassurance on the state of affairs on our coastal waters.
The passengers and customers might be inclined to wish that they would begin to lift the shroud of silence on the many safety issues in the transportation sector. There’s a need for all participants to become a little more engaged in the process of making their industry and our transportation system safer.
RCMP refused to test crew for drugs: ferry chief
BC Ferries president describes how his repeated requests were rebuffed
JUSTINE HUNTER
Globe and Mail Update
October 23, 2007 at 3:00 AM EDT
VICTORIA — David Hahn, president of BC Ferries, repeatedly asked to have the bridge crew of the Queen of the North tested for drug and alcohol in the hours after the ship crashed and sank, but RCMP investigators refused.
That revelation follows last week's findings that some members of the crew regularly consumed marijuana both on and off the ship, and the assertion that there was no evidence to show that any crew members on the doomed ship were impaired.
The Queen of the North sank in the early hours of March 22, 2006, after ramming into Gil Island at full speed. The ship had failed to make a crucial course correction, and a series of investigations are still under way into how that happened.
But Mr. Hahn said in an interview that he is still baffled that no tests were done to rule out drugs or alcohol.
From the moment BC Ferries' lawyers touched down in Prince Rupert four hours after the ship sank, Mr. Hahn was pressing to have the crew tested for evidence of intoxication.
“That's when I started saying, talk to the RCMP, I want drug and alcohol testing done on these people, if nothing else just to know that there wasn't anything like that involved,” Mr. Hahn recalled.
When Mr. Hahn, sitting at the company's operations centre in Victoria, was told the RCMP were not prepared to seek testing, he said he was in a state of disbelief.
“I said, ‘Go back into the room and tell them this is what we want to have done and that it's important to have it done.' It was again rebuffed, they felt there wasn't any indication, based on their interviews with the individuals, that there was any impairment.”
Mr. Hahn kept his concerns to himself at the time: Publicly, the ferry president said shortly after the crash that there was no evidence that alcohol played a role.
The RCMP refused comment Monday on the decision not to conduct intoxication tests after the ferry disaster, which claimed two lives. “The matter is still under investigation,” said Constable Annie Linteau, an RCMP spokesperson.
Last week, the Transportation Safety Board announced that it had uncovered evidence of drug use aboard the ship. But the TSB stressed that it was not linking the drug use to those in command on the night of the crash.
“The TSB learned that several crew members of the Queen of the North regularly smoked cannabis between shifts, both on board and off the vessel. The board stressed that there is no evidence that the crew members on the bridge at the time of the accident were impaired,” an Oct. 17 statement said.
John Cottreau, a spokesman for the TSB, said Monday the statement wasn't meant to clear the bridge crew, but to simply point out the lack of hard facts.
While it is in the TSB's power to ask for such testing, it did not request tests in this case and he could not say why. “It just wasn't done,” he said.
The TSB was set to release its final report on the sinking this fall, but new evidence – crew testimony suggesting no officer was on the bridge at the time of the crash – has sent investigators back to conduct more interviews. That second set of questioning led to the board's concerns about drug use.
The issue of testing for drugs and alcohol seemed obvious, Mr. Hahn said, particularly given the evidence that the captain of the Exxon Valdez was intoxicated while operating the oil tanker that crashed into an Alaskan reef in 1989.
Mr. Hahn wants the federal government to allow mandatory and random drug and alcohol tests of crew in safety-sensitive roles.
“There are times when public safety flat out trumps human rights,” he said. “I want to feel good when my kids go on the ferries. I don't want to worry about them.”
Jackie Miller, president of the union representing the ship's crew, declined comment Monday.
Yet when the Queen of the North plowed into Gil Island, resulting in the loss of two lives, there was no testing of those crew members involved with the operation of the ill fated ferry. That despite the fact that the President of BC Ferries asked a number of times for testing to be done by investigating RCMP officers, a refusal to do so which left the BC Ferries head David Hahn dumbfounded at the time.
In Tuesday’s Globe and Mail the embattled President of BC Ferries went on the record with his thoughts about those early days of the Queen of the North investigation. He outlined his interpretation of his company’s involvement in the process; once the notification was made that the Queen of the North had sunk off of Gil Island.
Hahn has been busy making his concerns known now, as part of his campaign to have the federal government make it clear that mandatory drug and alcohol testing should be required in safety sensitive roles on the ferries.
The RCMP has yet to provide any indication as to why they refused to conduct intoxication tests at the time of the incident, falling back on the cover that the incident is still under investigation. It will be interesting to learn why a key aspect of an investigation, did not take place at the most critical point of the process to find out what went wrong that night.
While the Ferries president's information is of interest to the public, the timing is rather curious. By going public now with his concerns, instead of when the incident took place, it could appear to some to be designed to be a form of damage control. Especially after the release of last weeks notice by the Transportation Safety Board that there was evidence of frequent drug use on the northern routes of the Ferry Corporation.
At the time of the sinking, Mr. Hahn kept his comments to himself, rather than going public with his thoughts, despite his concerns over possible impairment at the time of the accident and his unsuccessful urging of the RCMP to conduct impairment testing of the employees.
The union representatives for the Ferry workers continue to remain silent on the issue of drug and alcohol testing, declining as recently as Monday to offer a union comment or position on the issue.
It seems that from government to company to union, everyone wants to stay quiet on the problems at BC Ferries. It makes for a culture of silence there, one which doesn’t leave the public with a great sense of reassurance on the state of affairs on our coastal waters.
The passengers and customers might be inclined to wish that they would begin to lift the shroud of silence on the many safety issues in the transportation sector. There’s a need for all participants to become a little more engaged in the process of making their industry and our transportation system safer.
RCMP refused to test crew for drugs: ferry chief
BC Ferries president describes how his repeated requests were rebuffed
JUSTINE HUNTER
Globe and Mail Update
October 23, 2007 at 3:00 AM EDT
VICTORIA — David Hahn, president of BC Ferries, repeatedly asked to have the bridge crew of the Queen of the North tested for drug and alcohol in the hours after the ship crashed and sank, but RCMP investigators refused.
That revelation follows last week's findings that some members of the crew regularly consumed marijuana both on and off the ship, and the assertion that there was no evidence to show that any crew members on the doomed ship were impaired.
The Queen of the North sank in the early hours of March 22, 2006, after ramming into Gil Island at full speed. The ship had failed to make a crucial course correction, and a series of investigations are still under way into how that happened.
But Mr. Hahn said in an interview that he is still baffled that no tests were done to rule out drugs or alcohol.
From the moment BC Ferries' lawyers touched down in Prince Rupert four hours after the ship sank, Mr. Hahn was pressing to have the crew tested for evidence of intoxication.
“That's when I started saying, talk to the RCMP, I want drug and alcohol testing done on these people, if nothing else just to know that there wasn't anything like that involved,” Mr. Hahn recalled.
When Mr. Hahn, sitting at the company's operations centre in Victoria, was told the RCMP were not prepared to seek testing, he said he was in a state of disbelief.
“I said, ‘Go back into the room and tell them this is what we want to have done and that it's important to have it done.' It was again rebuffed, they felt there wasn't any indication, based on their interviews with the individuals, that there was any impairment.”
Mr. Hahn kept his concerns to himself at the time: Publicly, the ferry president said shortly after the crash that there was no evidence that alcohol played a role.
The RCMP refused comment Monday on the decision not to conduct intoxication tests after the ferry disaster, which claimed two lives. “The matter is still under investigation,” said Constable Annie Linteau, an RCMP spokesperson.
Last week, the Transportation Safety Board announced that it had uncovered evidence of drug use aboard the ship. But the TSB stressed that it was not linking the drug use to those in command on the night of the crash.
“The TSB learned that several crew members of the Queen of the North regularly smoked cannabis between shifts, both on board and off the vessel. The board stressed that there is no evidence that the crew members on the bridge at the time of the accident were impaired,” an Oct. 17 statement said.
John Cottreau, a spokesman for the TSB, said Monday the statement wasn't meant to clear the bridge crew, but to simply point out the lack of hard facts.
While it is in the TSB's power to ask for such testing, it did not request tests in this case and he could not say why. “It just wasn't done,” he said.
The TSB was set to release its final report on the sinking this fall, but new evidence – crew testimony suggesting no officer was on the bridge at the time of the crash – has sent investigators back to conduct more interviews. That second set of questioning led to the board's concerns about drug use.
The issue of testing for drugs and alcohol seemed obvious, Mr. Hahn said, particularly given the evidence that the captain of the Exxon Valdez was intoxicated while operating the oil tanker that crashed into an Alaskan reef in 1989.
Mr. Hahn wants the federal government to allow mandatory and random drug and alcohol tests of crew in safety-sensitive roles.
“There are times when public safety flat out trumps human rights,” he said. “I want to feel good when my kids go on the ferries. I don't want to worry about them.”
Jackie Miller, president of the union representing the ship's crew, declined comment Monday.
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Rescue drama in the harbour
A Sunday morning drama unfolded within sight of the shore line of Prince Rupert, as the 12.22-metre prawn vessel Dandee An suffered the ravages of a fierce wind whipping up the waters of Prince Rupert harbour.
Marine search and rescue crews were dispatched at 9:20 a.m on Sunday, to render assistance to the three man crew of the vessel, who were rescued off of the hull of the boat and taken to emergency personnel at Fairview Docks.
The Dandee An sank off of Pilsbury Cove after capsizing in the rough waters, the three man crew were taken to Prince Rupert Regional Hospital for observation and were later released.
The Daily News had details of the harbour rescue in the Monday edition of the paper.
Fishing vessel lost in storm, all aboard are safe
Published: Monday, October 22, 2007
The Daily News
Page One
Sunday's fierce winds claimed a fishing vessel within sight of Prince Rupert, but the fast work of rescuers ensured all members of the crew made it off alive.
Marine search and rescue crews were called out at 9:20 a.m. Sunday to assist the 12.22-metre prawn vessel Dandee An, said Geoff Gould, president, Prince Rupert Marine Rescue Society.
He said the Dandee An had sent out a frantic mayday call moments earlier stating that the vessel, with three people on board, was going down in Prince Rupert harbour. Numerous vessels in the harbour responded including the C.G. Point Henry, Point Henry two, Miss Fraser, C.G. Auxiliary Rainbow Responder and the Kaprino Wind.
Gould said three wet fishermen were plucked off the capsized hull of the Dandee An by the water taxi Kaprino Wind.
The survivors were taken to Fairview dock and met by emergency health services personnel and taken to Prince Rupert hospital for check-ups.
Investigators are not sure about the exact circumstances surrounding the capsizing, but winds at the time were gusting up to 54 knots and the seas were rough off Pillsbury Cove, where the vessel now rests on the bottom.
The vessel is registered to Luc Do and Cuc Thi Nguyen of Prince Rupert.
See upcoming editions of the Daily News for more on the incident and to find out about possible efforts to refloat the vessel.
Doctor shortages, waiting lists and specialist access key issues for the NDP in fall session
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It’s always been one of the key issues in British Columbia politics and once again, Health care will be high on the agenda at the Legislature as B. C.’s politicians get down to their tasks in the fall session.
With waiting times increasing at hospitals and troubles in northern communities in keeping doctors, the opposition is making plans to focus on health care, this session, sensing trouble ahead for the Liberal’s handling of the always controversial service.
The Daily News had the talking points of local MLA Gary Coons and NDP health critic Adrian Dix, as part of their front page coverage in Monday’s paper.
'WHO WILL HEAL OUR AILING HEALTH SYSTEM?' ASKS MLA
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Monday, October 22, 2007
Pages One and Three
With waiting times increasing at hospitals and troubles in northern communities in keeping doctors, the opposition is making plans to focus on health care, this session, sensing trouble ahead for the Liberal’s handling of the always controversial service.
The Daily News had the talking points of local MLA Gary Coons and NDP health critic Adrian Dix, as part of their front page coverage in Monday’s paper.
'WHO WILL HEAL OUR AILING HEALTH SYSTEM?' ASKS MLA
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Monday, October 22, 2007
Pages One and Three
The fact that Northern rural communities in British Columbia are facing doctor shortages and insufficient access to specialty services is more evidence the province's health care system is in disarray, says North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
Coons said that British Columbia's major centres have some of the longest emergency room wait times in the country, while smaller communities lack doctors and access to specialists and he said that is further proof that the B.C. healthcare system is not working for citizens.
His comments came as New Democrat Health Critic Adrian Dix complained about hospital wait times.
Dix claimed the Campbell government has refused to address B.C.'s acute care bed crisis and he said that is forcing patients to wait hours longer than the Canadian average to receive appropriate care.
“This week’s report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) confirms what doctors, parents and the Opposition already knew,” said Dix. “B.C. Liberal cuts and acute care bed closures have created a crisis in our health care system, where ER overcrowding and hallway medicine have become the norm.”
Coons suggested the unique health care issues in the province stemmed from a failure on the part of the Liberal government to make healthcare a priority.
“Our healthcare system is in disarray,’ said Coons, “It’s senseless.”
“We have a $4.1 billion surplus on one hand, and failing health system on the other. It simply does not compute the resources are there, they are just not being deployed.”
An example he drew on was the Bella Coola Medical Clinic being forced to scale back services this summer when the number of doctors in the region was reduced to two, which among other things meant doctors were forced to stay on call for extended periods of time.
As well, healthcare providers have already been struggling with a lack of people to staff ambulances for communities in the region.”
“I spent a good deal of time discussing health matters with my constituents this year,” Coons said.
“People in remote areas are facing acute doctor shortages and communities all over the North Coast are unable to find and keep emergency personnel,” said Coons.
“In rural and remote British Columbia, the difficulties around healthcare are centered on basic access. Some of these communities don’t even have a doctor, and residents are expected, as a matter of course, to pay hefty transportation costs for basic and emergency care.”
Coons said one of the difficulties faced is that the two-dollar-an-hour “pager- pay”, which is standard for ambulance crews in remote areas, makes it difficult to attract and maintain qualified ambulance personnel.
“It’s bad enough that my constituents are often left on the hook for hundreds of dollars for an ambulance ride.” Coons said. “What really irks me is the manner in which the government consistently refuses to take action on issues like pager-pay. The shortage of ambulance attendants could be fixed if the government merely offered to pay them a decent wage.”
Monday, October 22, 2007
Is Podunk even on the cheap fare airline radar screens?
There are plans in the air to introduce a new low cost air service to Western Canada, as four former founders of WestJet put the finishing touches to their new airline called NewAir & Tours.
The group is currently raising the finances to get the operation up and running, as well as putting together a business model that it is said will fly travellers in smaller cities to larger centres and U.S. holiday destinations.
The idea has already taken off in one way, as one of the principles is involved with Classic Canadian Tours, a charter service that offers special flights to and from under served areas to larger markets in seasonal blocks.
Last week they had an ad in the Daily News providing details on their Terrace to Calgary and Edmonton service, which will see flights leaving the Terrace airport during the Christmas run up to take Northern British Columbians to Southern or Northern Alberta.
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At an introductory fare of $498 (with an Oct 26 booking) it offers a much cheaper rate than the larger carriers and without the need to change planes in the Vancouver hub.
This Christmas, the Terrace to Alberta flights will leave Terrace on Saturday, December 22 at 6:10 pm and arrive in Calgary at 9:00 pm,.The return flight will be on December 29 when travelers depart Calgary a 4:40 pm and arrive in Terrace at 5:25 pm.
The Edmonton/Terrace flights run to Edmonton on Saturday, December 22 with a departure out of Terrace at 12:50 pm; arriving in Edmonton at 3:30pm. The return journey takes place on December 29, when the flight leaves Edmonton at 11:30 am and arrives in Terrace at 12:20 pm. .
This Christmas, the Terrace to Alberta flights will leave Terrace on Saturday, December 22 at 6:10 pm and arrive in Calgary at 9:00 pm,.The return flight will be on December 29 when travelers depart Calgary a 4:40 pm and arrive in Terrace at 5:25 pm.
The Edmonton/Terrace flights run to Edmonton on Saturday, December 22 with a departure out of Terrace at 12:50 pm; arriving in Edmonton at 3:30pm. The return journey takes place on December 29, when the flight leaves Edmonton at 11:30 am and arrives in Terrace at 12:20 pm. .
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The design plan for the new airline is to continue to serve these “under served” markets such as Terrace, on a more frequent and scheduled basis. It’s a process which could make Terrace a hub airline base for the Northwest if the project ever takes off.
The design plan for the new airline is to continue to serve these “under served” markets such as Terrace, on a more frequent and scheduled basis. It’s a process which could make Terrace a hub airline base for the Northwest if the project ever takes off.
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Considering the affiliation that they have with the current seasonal run out of Terrace, it would seem that it would be the local destination of choice for the new venture. The plan would provide for another airline service to take more business away from the Prince Rupert airport.
Over the summer a good number of Rupertites ended up flying out of Terrace, to make best use of their air miles plans. For whatever reason, the ability to book flights though Terrace as opposed to Rupert seemed to make travel plans easier to make. A situation that if it continues could very well be detrimental to the Prince Rupert airport.
The more air services that locate down the road, will continue to marginalize the local airport especially in the spring, summer and fall, when road travel to Terrace is more reliable.
There hasn’t been much made public in the way of activity at the Prince Rupert airport to attract these kinds of ventures, a risky thing if the airport is to grow and improve its image as a gateway to the province and beyond for Prince Rupert.
It’s a combined effort to make the Prince Rupert airport a successful operation, one that requires the input of the airlines, city and airport authority. While over the last few years, much has been discussed about improving access to the airport, as well as improving the frequency of flights to and from the city. It seems that we’re in a holding pattern locally, while transportation changes appear on the way for Terrace.
The local airport needs to become more proactive in their approach and more public with their plans; otherwise we’ll find that Rupertites are adding air travel connections to the list of items on their weekly shopping list for Terrace.
Considering the affiliation that they have with the current seasonal run out of Terrace, it would seem that it would be the local destination of choice for the new venture. The plan would provide for another airline service to take more business away from the Prince Rupert airport.
Over the summer a good number of Rupertites ended up flying out of Terrace, to make best use of their air miles plans. For whatever reason, the ability to book flights though Terrace as opposed to Rupert seemed to make travel plans easier to make. A situation that if it continues could very well be detrimental to the Prince Rupert airport.
The more air services that locate down the road, will continue to marginalize the local airport especially in the spring, summer and fall, when road travel to Terrace is more reliable.
There hasn’t been much made public in the way of activity at the Prince Rupert airport to attract these kinds of ventures, a risky thing if the airport is to grow and improve its image as a gateway to the province and beyond for Prince Rupert.
It’s a combined effort to make the Prince Rupert airport a successful operation, one that requires the input of the airlines, city and airport authority. While over the last few years, much has been discussed about improving access to the airport, as well as improving the frequency of flights to and from the city. It seems that we’re in a holding pattern locally, while transportation changes appear on the way for Terrace.
The local airport needs to become more proactive in their approach and more public with their plans; otherwise we’ll find that Rupertites are adding air travel connections to the list of items on their weekly shopping list for Terrace.
Former WestJet bosses hatch NewAir
BRENT JANG
From Monday's Globe and Mail
October 22, 2007 at 2:20 AM EDT
Four former WestJet Airlines Ltd. [WJA-T]executives, led by co-founder Tim Morgan, are drawing up plans to launch a new Canadian carrier.
The fledgling venture's first round of private financing has been oversubscribed, and the second phase is now under way, industry sources say.
Using the name NewAir & Tours, the business model is still being fleshed out, but the goal is to fly travellers in smaller cities to larger centres and U.S. holiday destinations.
NewAir's 55-page proposal is modelled after Allegiant Travel Co., a Las Vegas-based firm that runs a vacation division and low-cost airline with a fleet of 32 McDonnell Douglas MD-80 planes flying scheduled and charter service.
The four NewAir organizers have a proven track record at WestJet, and hope to repeat the tale of success from humble beginnings. WestJet will be sensitive to the upstart's potential impact, even though NewAir wants to emphasize charters and avoid direct attacks on scheduled service, an industry insider said.
Calgary-based NewAir believes it will carve a niche by pursuing routes either neglected or underserved by WestJet and Air Canada.
Mr. Morgan, former WestJet executive vice-president of operations, is spearheading the plan with William Lamberton, former vice-president of marketing. They are being supported by Gareth Davies, former vice-president of technical services, and Alan Mann, a former WestJet accounting executive.
Mr. Morgan and Mr. Lamberton declined to comment on their NewAir proposal. Mr. Davies and Mr. Mann couldn't be reached for comment.
“They're trying to fly under the radar and avoid head-to-head competition against WestJet and Air Canada,” one industry insider said.
Calgary-based WestJet, launched in 1996 with just three planes serving five cities, has grown to a fleet of 68 Boeing 737s in a network of more than 40 destinations.
Sources say NewAir's offerings could include charter flights with a seasonal schedule. For instance, there may be weekly non-stop service from Fort McMurray, Alta., to Vancouver for part of the summer, and that could switch to Fort McMurray to Reno, Nev., in the winter.
Consumers could choose to bundle flights with hotel rooms and, in some cases, tour packages.
Others have tried and failed to make a go of it this decade in battling WestJet and Air Canada: Canada 3000 and Roots Air shut down in 2001, Jetsgo Corp. closed operations in 2005, CanJet Airlines halted scheduled flights in 2006 and Harmony Airways wound down earlier this year.
Others have tried and failed to make a go of it this decade in battling WestJet and Air Canada: Canada 3000 and Roots Air shut down in 2001, Jetsgo Corp. closed operations in 2005, CanJet Airlines halted scheduled flights in 2006 and Harmony Airways wound down earlier this year.
Mr. Morgan, who resigned from WestJet in 2005, co-founded the carrier with Clive Beddoe, Donald Bell and Mark Hill. Mr. Beddoe, WestJet's executive chairman, became the lone co-founder left at the airline after Mr. Bell departed this past July as executive vice-president of corporate culture. Mr. Hill resigned in 2004 as vice-president of strategic planning.
Planes under consideration by NewAir include Boeing 737s (700 and 800 series) and McDonnell Douglas MD-80s, sources say. Depending on how the concept unfolds, service could start in the spring of 2008. But NewAir is seeking to be nimble and flexible, so the launch could be late next year, if more time is needed to nail down tour packages. Seed money for the venture could vary from $70-million to $100-million, all from private placements with investors.
“It's premature to say how much money needs to be raised. No destinations, no planes and no departure points have been determined yet,” said an aviation official familiar with NewAir. “The business model is fluid and moving. It's in a state of flux.”
Consumers in smaller centres across Canada complain that they have to increasingly travel to major airport hubs on connecting flights before getting to their final destination. So, NewAir has an opportunity to meet pent-up demand for non-stop leisure charter service from point to point, another official said.
Mr. Lamberton already runs Classic Canadian Tours, packaging December trips for consumers in markets such as Brandon, Man., Kamloops, B.C., and Terrace, B.C., who want to visit friends and family in Calgary and Edmonton. Classic Canadian also flies from Calgary and Edmonton to Klondike escapes in Whitehorse and has trips to see polar bears in Churchill, Man.
While NewAir would likely initially focus on Western Canada, the venture could easily expand into Central Canada.
Porter Airlines Inc., which celebrates its first anniversary tomorrow, currently flies from its base at Toronto's island airport to Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax. Porter hopes to expand within four years to smaller Ontario sites such as Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury – two cities that would also fit NewAir's target market.
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