THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Official newspaper of the Save-On-Foods Oceanside Generals
www.pqbnews.com
30,422
Copies per week Verified Circulation
STOMPING AND SOULFUL
QB COMMUNITY AWARDS
Musicians brings their style of intimate rock-folk here March 1
Gary Hopkins honoured posthumously; see entire list of winners and nominees inside
B12
A17
Water hazard? PROPOSED COAL PROJECT
UVic law clinic asks VIHA to issue order JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com
REACTION FROM LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES
Balanced budget battle NEIL HORNER news@pqbnews.com
The provincial government has battled a worldwide economic downturn and has come back in better shape than just about any other jurisdiction in North America, says the MLA for Parksville Qualicum.
“The economy has stabilized and we have come back faster by trimming expenses and fiscal discipline to hold our expenses in line,” Ron Cantelon said Tuesday in Victoria after the release of the provincial budget. “Our economy has recovered better than others, so we are in a very reasonable place.” Scott Fraser, an NDP MLA who represents the Alberni-Pacific Rim constituency, says the last pre-
ALL TIRES FOR Making a Great Deal Better:
99
election budget mislead the people of British Columbia, and therefore the B.C. Liberals have a credibility problem. “The last time they said there was going to be a $495 million deficit and not a penny more,” Fraser said. “It ended up being $2 billion as soon as the election was over. They were off by 400 per cent. This was no margin of error. They misled the public. This is anything but a balanced budget — it’s voodoo economics.” Cantelon, a two-term B.C. Liberal who is not running for re-election in May, dismisses charges that the government misled the people about the last preelection budget. See TRAINING, page A9
¢ OVER
Home of the
Includes: ✔ Free Tire Rotations! ✔ Free Car Wash & Vacuum! ✔ Brake inspection! ✔ Tire storage available with the purchase of 4 snow tires!
• MICHELIN • BFG • UNIROYAL • PIRELLI • GENERAL • TOYO • GOODYEAR • FIRESTONE • COOPER and many more
512 EAST ISLAND HWY., PARKSVILLE, BC Call 1-888-225-8126 HarrisOceansideGM.com
29
$
COST
95
OIL CHANGE*
✁
See REQUEST, page A7
NEIL HORNER PHOTO
Local MLA Ron Cantelon, pictured above on Tuesday outside the Legislature, says the balanced budget comes after much hard work by the governing B.C. Liberals.
✃
Opponents of the Raven Coal Mine proposal are backing a move this week asking the Vancouver Island Health Authority to issue a Hazard Prevention Order to address any potential risk to drinking water. The University of Victoria Environmental Law Clinic has asked VIHA’s Drinking Water Officer to issue the order, and the request is supported by CoalWatch president John Snyder. “Speaking as a private water well owner in Fanny Bay, I also support this request for a Hazard Prevention Order,” said Snyder. “The protection of our precious water supply should be paramount, and the fact that the UVic Environmental Law Clinic has made this extraordinary request is significant indeed.” When asked for comment by The NEWS, VIHA’s communications department issued the following statement: “Our Medical Health Officer for North Island received the letter on Monday, and will now conduct a careful review and consideration of its request, which will take time.” The terms of reference for submitting an application to the government for this project were finalized in June, 2012. In September, 2012, Raven project manager Don Birkshire told a Parksville audience the company would file its application in October of last year. The application has yet to be filed. “The ball’s in their court,” Snyder told The NEWS in an interview Wednesday. “We are waiting for them to submit their application. We think we are taking proactive measures instead of reactive measures.”
Includes a no-charge car wash and vacuum, and a multipoint inspection! No-charge local pickup & drop-off service. *Includes 5L of 5W30 oil. Enviro levy and shop supplies extra. Synthetic and diesels extra. Coupon expires Feb. 28, 2013.
512 EAST ISLAND HWY., PARKSVILLE, BC Call 1-888-225-8126 HarrisOceansideGM.com