Merritt Herald, January 10, 2013

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IMPAIRED DRIVING STATS PAGE 3 merrittherald.com

NEW SHELTER LOCATION PAGE 8

CENTS ON WINNING STREAK PAGE 19

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS

Rally supporting Lt.Gov. draws big crowd By Emily Wessel THE HERALD

reporter@merrittherald.com

Organizers of Merritt’s latest Idle No More rally said their gathering outside of a reception for Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon on Friday was in support of her lifelong environmental work. About 80 people gathered outside the Civic Centre while Guichon addressed a crowd inside. Rallygoers held signs and passed around pamphlets asking if the lieutenant-governor can stop the governor general from signing omnibus bill C-45, which the grassroots movement is protesting across the country for its amendments to environmental protection laws. The document needs royal assent to become legislation. The rally was Merritt’s largest yet in

the nationwide movement. Organizers said the rally was not a protest against Guichon, but in support of her work on sustainable ranching. Prior to taking up her post with the government, Guichon worked on a number of environmental causes, including the Fraser Basin Council of B.C., the Grasslands Conservation Council of B.C. and served as the President of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association. Many of the rallygoers were drummers who were also part of the entertainment bill to close the reception. Once inside the Civic Centre, organizers took to the microphone to present the lieutenant-governor with cultural items and explain their cause.

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More impaired driving busts in Dec. 2012 than 2011 By Emily Wessel THE HERALD

reporter@merrittherald.com

The latest Idle No More rally outside the Civic Centre on Friday night drew a crowd of about 80, making it the city’s largest yet. Organizers said the rally was in support of the lieutenant-governor, who was inside making a speech at the reception held for her. Emily Wessel/Herald

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Merritt RCMP and Traffic Services charged 10 people for impaired driving in December, up from a combined four in December 2011. They also issued eight 24-hour driver’s licence suspensions due to drivers impaired by alcohol, but not enough to put them over the legal limit.

The charges came as part of the RCMP’s CounterAttack check stop program. This year, Merritt RCMP performed random checks at various stops throughout town. “It’s disappointing when you consider the time of season and the amount of advertising and effort that goes into the CounterAttack program, and you’re still getting people driving drunk,” Merritt Traffic

Services Cpl. Doug Hardy said. One of those advertising campaigns came from Merritt’s Mothers Against Drunk Driving chapter, which partnered with the Community Policing Office, the local BCLC and School District 58 to have students decorate almost 1,000 BCLC bags with antiimpaired driving messages.

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