Cranbrook Daily Townsman, November 30, 2012

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FRIDAY

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NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Former Ice coach to head OHL squad | Page 8

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Vol. 60, Issue 232

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Wildsight seeks clarification for coal blocks ANNALEE GRANT Townsman Staff

MP for Kootenay-Columbia David Wilks is speaking out after Wildsight requested protection for a block of land from mining, a move Wilks says was part of a sweeping mining ban put in place a year ago. The land in question, Lot 82, lies to the east of Fernie and runs into the Flathead Valley Watershed in a southwest diagonal. In November 2011 the B.C. government passed the Flathead Watershed Conservation Act that banned mining and oil and gas activity in the southern Flathead region. A 6,290-hectare portion of that protected land lies within the Dominion Coal Block Lot 82 as well as the provincial protection area, making up about one third of the entire block. John Bergenske, executive director of Wildsight, said the group became concerned that the area may not be protected when the federal government released detailed topographic maps that showed the coalbed methane resource potential for Lot 82 earlier this year. “What we were getting is bits and pieces from people,” Bergenske said. “We’ve been look-

ing at the Flathead and we realized that the Dominion Coal Block is in fact an anomaly.” Wildsight found that the provincial government had no rights to that federally owned land, and believe the ban does not include the portion found within the protection area and the Dominion Coal Block. “Their jurisdiction is only on the provincial land,” Bergenske said. Wildsight released a statement on Monday asking the federal government to commit to protecting these federally-owned lands as the provincial government did a year ago. “The Flathead is not protected from open pit coal mining after all,” Bergenske said in the release. “We’re calling on the federal government to make an immediate public commitment to join the ban on Flathead mining and energy development.” But Wilks said Wildsight has incorrect information, and the portion of the Dominion Coal Block within the protection area has always been included in the provincial ban, even though the land is federally held.

See MP, Page 3

BARRY COULTER PHOTO

CONTINUUM: Lotus Bookstore in Cranbrook held a special celebration Thursday, Nov. 29, marking the store’s 40th anniversary and the four businesswomen who have operated it since it opened as the Book Shoppe. Original owner Tommy Wheeler, who opened the store in 1972, was not present for the photograph, but in attendance were Elaine Doran (left), who ran the store from 1989 to 2000; Joanne Belanger (right), 2000 to 2012; and Erin Dalton, pictured with Rosey the shoppe cat, who has just taken over. Coffee and cake were on the menu, and books were calling from the shelves. Happy birthday, Lotus.

Mass Choir Concert taking place at Alliance Church next week BARRY COULTER

One of the most remarkable events of the Christmas season is taking place at a new venue, 32 years after it began. The 32nd Mass Christmas Choir of Cranbrook elementary school students will take place Wednesday, Dec. 5, at the Alliance Church in Cran-

brook. The choir is comprised of 350 elementary students from nine Cranbrook schools, including Kootenay Christian Academy and St. Mary’s. Michelle Mungiello, with Kootenay Christian Academy, is a representative of the Mass Choir Teachers. “We’ve had such an overwhelming re-

sponse that because of fire regulations we just outgrew our previous venue (at the College of the Rockies gymnasium),” Mungiello said. “So we put out feelers, and the Alliance Church jumped at the chance (to host us).” Mungiello said the Alliance Church has twice the seating

capacity of the COTR gym. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Mungiello said seating is firstcome, first-served. The concert also serves as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army. Concert-goers are invited to drop off donations of food or money at the door.

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