Wednesday, December 5, 2012
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Volume 92 - No. 49
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Racquet courts on the way for Burns Lake multi-use facility. p5
www.ldnews.net
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$1.34 HST inc.
Burns Lake Minor Hockey girls team wants your girls. p8
Babine mill case transferred Work Safe BC final report secret while crown considers WALTER STRONG
WorkSafe BC has completed its investigation into the Babine Forest Products mill explosion in Burns Lake on Jan. 20, 2012 and the Lakeland Mills Ltd. explosion in Prince George on April 23, 2012. The investigation has found violations of the Workers Compensation Act and the matter has been referred to Crown Counsel for consideration. The Crown can prosecute the companies or individuals involved and may impose fines, prison terms, or both. Crown Counsel may also refer the file back to WorkSafe BC which can impose fines of up to $594,000 upon the companies involved.
In referring the case to Crown Counsel, WorkSafe BC is not implying criminal negligence. It is reporting violations of the Workers Compensation Act and not the Criminal Code. WorkSafe BC only took over the investigation after the RCMP had released both accident sites. Roberta Ellis, Senior VicePresident, Human Resources and Corporate Services with WorkSafe BC would not comment on the specific violations identified in the report and the full report of the investigation will not be immediately released as the investigation may still result in a prosecution. More on page 7...
Lakes Artisan Cooperative at home Long term stability will increase profile of local artists WALTER STRONG The Burns Lake Interpretive Centre Building will remain the home of the Lakes Artisan Cooperative (LAC). The Village of Burns Lake has committed to a three
year rental agreement starting Jan. 1, 2013. The local co-op currently occupies the building but their lease was set to expire at the end of this year. Some controversy was associated with the co-op’s rental of the facility. A number of letters directed to Village of Burns Lake council expressed concern that the artisan’s use of the facility was in effect a subsidization of a private business by the Village of Burns Lake because the rent did not
cover the cost of the building. This situation could have been interpreted as a conflict with the municipal statutes that govern the village’s dealings with local business. On the advice of legal council the village determined that a public tender of the facility would both determine the fair market value of the lease as well as protect the village from allegations of a subsidizing a local private business. On Nov. 2, 2012 the More on page 3...
Too old to learn new tricks? Nah…not you!
CHRISTMAS PARADE IN BURNS LAKE It was a cold night on Nov. 30, but that didn’t prevent a large turn-out of participants for the annual Christmas Parade and Mistletoe Mania. Santa joined ‘Newsie’ to toss some candy around to the kids that braved the cold. See more great photos on page 2. Walter Strong photo Join other 55 to 64 year olds and get paid to come to College! Gain: Industry Certifications; Employment Skills; and upgrade your computer savvy at a comfortable pace. Targeted Initiative for Older Workers starting on the Southside Jan. 14 to Apr. 19.
Visit the CNC web for more info.
Phone: 250.692.1700 • Fax: 250.692.1750 • Toll Free: 1.866.692.1943 545 Highway 16 West • PO Box 5000, Burns Lake, BC • V0J 1E0 Email: lksdist@cnc.bc.ca • Website: www.cnc.bc.ca/lakesdistrict