Child Care Month — see pages 10-11
GAZETTE NORTH ISLAND
Publications Mail Agreement No. 391275
46th Year No. 20 THURS., MAY 17, 2012
EDITORIAL Page 6
LETTERS Page 7
www.northislandgazette.com NORTH ISLAND LIFE Page 12
SPORTS Page 13
Fields back in business
PAGE 13 Walkers — and one young cyclist — raised more than $7,000 during the MS Walk in Port McNeill.
Newsstand $1.25 + HST CLASSIFIEDS Page 16-18
Happy feet Shayla Mardell and Sarah Dutcyvich race under a “bridge” made by Elizabeth Maundrell and Cleo Furney during last weekend’s Stars of Tomorrow dance recital at Sunset Elementary School. See more coverage next week and online at northislandgazette. com.
J.R. Rardon Gazette editor Less than two months after being told their jobs were going to disappear, employees of the Fields department stores in Port Hardy and Port McNeill have gained a bit of job security. Last week, Vancouver-based FHC Holdings Ltd. announced its purchase of 57 Fields stores province-wide. The outlets are among those that had been slated for closure by the previous owner, Hudson’s Bay Company. “We’re definitely excited to be part of the community and staying involved there,” said Jason McDougall, president of FHC. “It’s a great group of people and it’s a privilege to be involved with them.” Instead of shuttering their doors
J.R. Rardon
See page 5 ‘Jobs preserved’
Reserve signs animal control pact J.R. Rardon Gazette editor PORT HARDY—A new agreement between the Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw First Nation and District of Port Hardy animal control has the local dogcatcher operating on Tsulquate Reserve for the first time. But the goal is not to eliminate the canine population. “Part of the band’s commitment under this agreement is that we do education on proper animal control and care,” said Jessie Hemphill, who is a member
of both the band council and District of Port Hardy council. “We send out a community newsletter, and we did a colouring page for kids on dog control. We’re making sure we get word out to the community that this new animal control contract is in place.” Piecemeal efforts have been made in the past to round up potential problem strays in Tsulquate, including the band hiring individuals to collect the dogs, but the practice never stuck or worked particularly successfully, Hemphill said.
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The current The final agreement, agreement which took effect brought in Aries this month, Security, which came about provides animal with the help of control for the a CommunityDistrict in addito-Community tion to its other grant through duties. the Union of BC “It’s very Municipalities much like the (UBCM) and District of Port the work of Jessie Hemphill Hardy contract, Gloria LeGal almost like and Rick Davidge of the an extension of it,” said District of Port Hardy, who Anika Kelly, owner of presented the Gwa’sala- Aries Security. “Our ani’Nakwaxda’xw with a draft mal control officer goes out of the agreement. and does a round in town,
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and then extends that to the Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw area.” But Walter Kehoe, who collects the loose dogs, does not simply scoop up every unattended canine he encounters. He first asks anyone in the vicinity if they know who owns the dog, and tries to return it, said Kelly. “The line we are trying to take is education,” said Kelly. “We’re very much solution-based. We’re trying to get as much education out there as possible.” The animal control con-
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tract was not the result of a single incident, but a cumulative matter. “There were more packs forming lately, and it was getting to be a problem,” said Hemphill. “The band decided it needed to take matters into its own hands.” A primary area of concern was at Gwa’sala’Nakwaxda’xw School, where dogs — occasionally grouping into packs — were challenging children
See page 4 ‘School concerned’
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