The Chilliwack
Progress Thursday
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Two pianos, eight hands for Extravaganza.
Protesters take aim at MP Mark Strahl.
Arenacross action at Heritage Park.
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Freeze new salmon farms on sockeye migration route: Cohen Jeff Nagel Black Press
The Cohen Inquiry is urging an immediate eight-year freeze on new net-pen salmon farms in the Discovery Islands between northern Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland. Farms in that area should be prohibited outright in 2020 if the Department of Fisheries and Oceans cannot confidently say by then the risk to wild salmon from aquaculture there is minimal, the inquiry’s three-volume report says, and the ban should be immediate if evidence of elevated risk arises sooner. No single culprit – not fish farms, overfishing, pollution, natural predators or global warming – gets primary blame for the two-decade decline of Fraser River sockeye salmon. And while retired Justice Bruce Cohen said he saw “no smoking gun” in the evidence he heard, key recommendations aim to limit the possible threat from aquaculture. “Mitigation measures should not be delayed in the absence of scientific certainty,” Cohen said, adding farms in the Discovery Islands of Johnstone Strait have potential to introduce exotic diseases and aggravate existing ones in wild fish. He also recommended DFO no longer be charged with promoting the salmon farming industry to prevent “divided loyalties” or conflicts of interest from compromising its duty to defend wild fish. “As long as DFO has a mandate to promote salmon farming, there is a risk that it will act in a manner that favours the interests of the salmon farming industry over the health of wild stocks.” Critics have repeatedly accused DFO of siding with the aquaculture industry while failing to protect wild stocks amid Continued: COHEN/ p4
Brian Raap has a quiet chat with seven-year-old son Evan, after shying away from media at their house on Wednesday afternoon. Evan called 911 after his grandpa, George Epp, suffered a medical emergency while driving to the bank Saturday morning. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Boy hailed a hero after saving grandpa Seven-year-old Evan Rapp is being hailed as a hero by police after he saved his grandpa’s life Saturday morning with a call to 9-1-1. In a recording of the call released by police, the boy tells the operator he and his grandpa were driving to the bank, when he suddenly pulled off the road, started to shake violently and sweat, and then lost consciousness. “I don’t know what to do,” the little boy says. “I’m really worried.” But Chilliwack RCMP say the boy had wit enough to use
his grandfather’s cell phone to call 9-1-1 and give the operator enough information to guide a police officer to his location. “This little boy is truly a hero,” said RCMP Cpl. Tammy Hollingsworth. When word broke of the young boy’s heroic effort, media descended on the family’s home. “It was an interesting feeling,” said father Brian Rapp about the experience. “Not sure if it’s sunk in quite yet. It’s pretty cool.” The incident began at around 9:30 Saturday morning when the grandfather, George Epp, was
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driving toward Eagle Landing. family had informally talked Epp was able to pull to the side about what to do in an emerof the road, but the young boy gency situation. could clearly tell something was “We’ve talked about it before, wrong. and they’ve seen it Using his on television,” she grandfather’s video-online] said. iPhone he called She said her 9-1-1 and was able father is recoverto provide the www.theprogress.com ing in hospital dispatcher with a and is grateful for street location and the young boy’s description of the vehicle. actions. Normally shy and quite, “We’re a very proud of Evan, Evan stayed on the phone and remained calm as police and that he was able to jump into ambulance rushed to the scene. action and get grandpa the help Evan’s mom Melissa said the he needed.”