March 23 at 8:30 p.M.
MARCH 20, 2013
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New Prosperity open house busy, civil HENdERSoN NoMINATEd FoR NCLGA dIRECToR A6
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FIREFIGHTER TRAINING
Balanced, informative forum brings both sides together including environmental coordinator Cheryl Williston and six others, who fielded An estimated 200-plus questions along with vicepeople crowded into the 100 president corporate affairs Mile Community Hall for Brian Battison, senior V-P the New Prosperity Mine operations John McManus, Open House on March 16. and V-P engineering Scott Hosted by the South Jones. Cariboo Chamber of Battison says it was “a Commerce, information good event” and worthwhile tables lined the for those wanting a walls and spread well-rounded peracross the room and spective. they were manned “[Some] talked to by mine proponent, me about the views Taseko Mines Ltd. they had heard from and other project the other side ... and supporters, as well they said ‘well, what as various mine about this; and what Brian opponents – all Battison about that?’ And we presenting informawere able to say ‘oh, tion of their viewpoints and those are good questions, let research. me answer them’.” At the door, mine supportBattison adds he was ers handed out “Committed impressed by the number of to the Cariboo” pins and attendees, by how informed bumper stickers to all those they were about the project, who wanted them and many and by their “obvious suppeople immediately pinned port.” them on. “It just seemed very eviTaseko had knowledge- dent to me that the vast able staff members on site majority of people in that from its William Lake office, Continued on A5 Carole Rooney Free Press
Arlene Jongbloets photo
Students at Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School now have the opportunity to earn basic firefighter certification in the school’s new PSO Fire Training Services Program. Morgan Thomas practised a wall breach as part of the day’s lesson on March 14, using one of the many pieces of training apparatus that have been built or donated for the program.
PSO gymnasium back on board
Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School (PSO) will likely get its gymnasium expansion after all. Education Minister Don McRae has stepped in at the prompting of Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett, and encouraged the school board to resubmit its application with requests for both the building of the auto shop and the gym expansion at PSO. The trustees had recently informed disappointed parents and teachers the gym had been removed from the application for capital funding after initial feedback from the ministry’s capital
Trustees credit MLA Donna Barnett
branch indicated it wouldn’t be accepted as it stood. School District #27 (SD27) chair Will Van Osch says it was because the size of the school’s physical footprint is already more than the provincial standard for the projected student enrolment for the 2013/14 school year. “We give a lot of credit to Donna Barnett. She
managed to get a meeting with the minister and bring it to his attention, so that was appreciated,” Van Osch adds. “We got to speak with the minister as well as the capital branch people.” There was “a little bit of discrepancy” about what was actually allowed, but Van Osch explains McRae indicated he will support the autonomy of the board to spend “local capital” as it sees fit. “As far as I understand, McRae has overruled the capital branch criteria and is allowing us to go Continued on A7