THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17 2016 VOL. 73, NO. 93
SERVING FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES
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Teachers celebrate Supreme Court win MATT PREPROST editor@ahnfsj.ca
The group representing teachers in School District 60 is celebrating a Supreme Court of Canada win on the right to bargain classroom sizes and composition. But it’s too early to tell how the ruling will play out for local schools. Last week, the court delivered a quick 7-2 verdict on a 14-year legal battle between the province and the B.C. Teacher’s Federation, a verdict that will reverse course on legislation that
stripped teachers’ rights to bargain on classroom working conditions. “It says what the B.C. government did to teachers was unconstitutional, what they did to students was unconstitutional,� said Michele Wiebe, president of the Peace River North Teachers Association, which represents more than 300 teachers in the school district. “We feel vindicated. We were not wrong in this.� The issue dates back to the 2002 when the province first passed legislation known as Bill 28. The bill set class size
and composition levels in law, and prevented teachers from negotiating those provisions in their collective agreement with the province. The high court overturned a B.C. Court of Appeal ruling that found the province did not violate teachers’ rights to negotiate the issues in their collective agreement. A B.C. Supreme Court judge had ruled the law was unconstitutional in 2011, and the province imposed a new law the following year. See TEACHERS on A3
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Ken Winnig of Northern Health says MRI services at the Fort St. John Hospital will address access gaps in Northeast B.C.
MRI here by spring More than 1,000 leaving region for service each year
A LITTLE PUCK LUCK
MATT PREPROST editor@ahnfsj.ca
machinery two kilometres upstream are increasing the frequency of slides on the property. In a report to the regional district, however, PRRD inspectors said Williams is building an addition on the property without a permit. On Thursday, the PRRD board ordered Williams to cease construction on the property and remove several hazardous structures—including a mobile home, a separate two-storey structure and a deck.
Northern Health expects a new, top-of-the-line MRI machine to be up and running at the Fort St. John Hospital as early as spring. Ken Winnig, regional director of diagnostic services, gave city council an update on Monday, saying the health authority has selected Siemens Healthcare to build and deliver the machine. Fort St. John is one of three hospitals to receive a new MRI alongside the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia in Prince George and the Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace. It’s the first time in 14 years that Northern Health has bought a new MRI, Winnig said. “I’m confident we are getting the latest technology on the market,� he said. “It will meet our clinical folks’ needs and our technical staff, and it will be a much better experience for the patient as well.� The $1.3-million machine will address access gaps in the Northeast, and serve a regional population of roughly 75,000, Winnig said. Currently, between 800 to 1,000 patients leave the region each year to access MRI services in Grande Prairie, and another 400 to Prince George, according to Winnig. “We know that we need to do a better job in terms of improving access gaps,� he said. While the health authority has yet to firm up precise dates for the machine’s installation, Winnig told councillors MRI services will operate at half-time hours when operations launch. Winnig anticipates 2,100 scans in its first year of operations, or 29 scans per 1,000 patients, a “conservative� estimate he said will bring access in the Northeast to comparable levels across B.C.
See SLIDE on A8
See MRI on A5
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BYRON HACKETT PHOTO
Fort St. John Huskies’ forward Kyle Crawford directs a puck on net Saturday night at North Peace Arena. The Huskies lost 5-4 in a shoout to rival Dawson Creek Junior Canucks, but rebounded Sunday with a 11-1 over the Beaverlodge Blades. Turn to B1 for more.
Riverfront home a slide hazard Landowner says dam construction increasing frequency of slides, PRRD building inspectors blame un-permitted construction JONNY WAKEFIELD reporter@dcdn.ca
Building inspectors with the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) have deemed a riverfront home near the Site C dam site a hazard and are demanding the owner take steps to prevent it from sliding into the river. On Nov. 10, the PRRD board opted to begin legal action against Darrell Williams, who owns a property in the Darrell Williams outside his home. Old Fort neighbourhood that is sliding into a back channel of the Peace River. on Site C construction and Williams blames the slides claims vibrations from heavy
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