The Interior News Wednesday, March 21, 2012
www.interior-news.com
B7
THREE RIVERS REPORT
Teacher mediator will have tough task Black Press
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ducation Minister George Abbott says he won’t appoint a mediator in the long-running B.C. Teachers’ Federation dispute until after he returns from an education trade mission to China
on March 26. Abbott said Wednesday his Asian trip was planned long before his ministry developed Bill 22, the legislation designed to force an end to months of teacher work-to-rule action that culminated in a three-day strike. Once Bill 22 is passed in the legislature Thursday,
Abbott said he will send letters to the heads of the BCTF and the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association inviting them to take part in mediation, before he leaves for China on Saturday. The legislation requires the BCTF and BCPSEA to bargain “in good faith” with the yet-to-
be-named mediator in an effort to reach agreement without adding new costs to the overall B.C. education budget. Abbott acknowledged there is no practical way to compel the BCTF to negotiate if they refuse. BCTF president Susan Lambert has repeatedly rejected
Busy week for Hazelton RCMP During the week of March 12 − 18, the New Hazelton RCMP responded to more than 80 calls for service. On March 12, the RCMP stopped a vehicle for speeding as it passed through Gitsegukla on Highway 16. It was then determined that the male driver did not hold a valid drivers license, and was actually prohibited from driving. Subsequently, the vehicle was impounded, and the driver was issued a violation ticket for speeding. In addition, the male driver now has an upcoming court date for driving while prohibited. On March 16, the New Hazelton RCMP received a complaint of an intoxicated male on Highway 62 in the
Police Beat vicinity of the Gitanmaax Food and Fuel. The RCMP attended the scene and soon located the intoxicated male, who is well known to police. The male is currently on probation, including conditions to abstain from the consumption of alcohol. Consequently, the male was then arrested for breach of probation. Once sober, the male was
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released with an upcoming court date. Later on during the same day, the police received another complaint of an intoxicated male attempting to force his way into a residence in New Hazelton. This male was also well known to police, and is currently before the courts for several outstanding charges. In addition, the male is presently on a recognizance with a condition to abstain from the consumption of alcohol, and not to be found in the District of New Hazelton. Upon investigation, the male was located and arrested for breach of recognizance. The male remains in police custody pending a court appearance on March 20, 2012.
the idea of a ministryappointed mediator and the government’s “net zero” financial restriction. Abbott said because of the long history of disagreement, court challenges over restrictions on class size and special needs support and other unique complications,
he will be seeking a mediator with significant education experience. In earlier interviews, Abbott has mused that a mediator who can “walk on water” would be preferable, and suggested that the skills used by Mahatma Gandhi to unite the disparate
The Hazelton Bandits Hockey Team sends out a huge ...
Thank You for all the great support in raising money to buy uniforms for the team. The St.Patrick’s Day Dance was a wonderful success.
Special thanks go out to... Chevron New Hazelton Town Pantry, Country Herbs Health Food Store, Sam & Gills Pub, BV Wholesale, The Interior News, the Wolverines Executive and all the people who donated so much of their time and energy.
Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-126
Avis de consultation de radiodiffusion CRTC 2012-126
The Commission has received the following application: Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 2 April 2012.
Le Conseil a été saisi de la demande suivante : Date limite pour le dépôt des interventions/ observations/réponses : 2 avril 2012.
• Rogers Broadcasting Limited – operating an English-language low-power community FM radio station – Smithers, British Columbia
• Rogers Broadcasting Limited – obtention d’une licence pour une station de radio FM communautaire de faible puissance de langue anglaise – Smithers (Colombie-Britannique)
For further information, please consult Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-126, on the CRTC website at www.crtc.gc.ca under “Public Proceedings” or call our toll free number 1-877-249-CRTC.
Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter l’avis de consultation CRTC 2012-126, sur le site Web du CRTC au www.crtc.gc.ca à la section « instances publiques » ou appelez le numéro sans frais 1-877-249-CRTC.
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religions of India and achieve its independence would be useful in the teacher dispute. If no settlement is reached by the end of June, a new contract would be imposed that extends from last spring to June 2013, after the next provincial election.
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By Tom Fletcher