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OBSERVER QUESNEL - CARIBOO
SINCE 1908
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
VOL. 98 NO. 55
www.quesnelobserver.com
$ 34
1
includes HST
Slam dunk On her way to work, a female driver failed to negotiate the Johnson Loop Monday morning. After losing control on the roadway her vehicle crashed through guard railing and launched into the Quesnel River near the train bridge. The vehicle came to rest on submerged material and the driver was able to exit the vehicle and make it to land. A tow truck dragged the car out of the river. Karen Powell photo
PAIR CHARGED
Gill and Van Dyke case begins in Quesnel Supreme Court AUTUMN MacDONALD Observer Reporter Clarence Gill and Bradley Van Dyke have pled not guilty to four counts each of assault in Quesnel Supreme Court, Monday. The two men are charged with a number of offences after an incident Sept. 5, 2009. Sept. 5, RCMP responded to a shooting. Police located the victim and determined the male was at his residence in Bouchie Lake, 15 km West of Quesnel, when two males known to the victim entered the residence. One of the men allegedly
beat the victim with a baseball bat causing severe injuries to the victim’s face, arms and legs, while the second male allegedly shot the victim in the abdomen with a rifle. The victim was shot in the arm a second time as he tried to escape. The victim was able to escape and get to a neighbour’s residence. He was then transported to G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital where he received extensive medical attention. One of the suspects [Van Dyke] was found earlier that afternoon at a residence on Olson Road.
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The second suspect was identified as Gill. He subsequently fled police, resulting in a province-wide manhunt. Gill turned himself in Oct. 11, 2009. Van Dyke and Gill have been charged with break and enter to commit an indictable offence, assault, aggravated assault and using a firearm while committing or attempting to commit the indictable offence of assault. The two men are standing trial by jury this week and next. Check the Observer online daily for updates and print editions.
Bill 22 vote set for Thursday Debate on legislation imposing a cooling-off period on the B.C. teachers’ dispute is being cut off this week. B.C. Liberal house leader Rich Coleman moved to end debate Monday afternoon and the government majority voted to pass his motion. Coleman said the measure will ensure that Bill 22 will be passed into law by Thursday and schools will return to normal operation after spring break. The government and NDP opposition have agreed to extend sitting hours until 9 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, to provide extra time for clause-by-clause debate on the legislation before it is passed. NDP house leader John Horgan said the government is refusing to consider his proposal to delay the legislation and seek an independent mediator appointed by the Labour Relations Board.
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Bill 22 gives Education Minister George Abbott the authority to appoint a mediator, and restricts any mediated settlement to be within the “net zero” wage mandate imposed across public sector union negotiations in 2010. The bill also imposes new restrictions on class size and special needs support, declaring the issues off limits to negotiation between the B.C. Teachers’ Association and school districts. The government has proposed a $165 million fund to supplement special needs support in the next three years. The fund and the new provisions in Bill 22 are an effort to satisfy a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that struck down 2002 legislation taking class size and composition out of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation contract. The ruling gives the government until April to respond.
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