Breaking news, video, photo galleries, and more always online at www.wltribune.com
TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013
Proudly serving Williams Lake and the Cariboo-Chilcotin since 1930
Ban on corporate union donations
VOL. 83. No. 25
GIBRALTAR ROOM HOSTS AN EVENING OF BLUE GRASS
A majority of British Columbians support a ban on corporate and union donations to B.C. provincial political parties, according to a public opinion survey commissioned by IntegrityBC. When asked: “Do you believe that corporations and unions should be prohibited from donating money to B.C.’s provincial political parties?,” almost two to one were in favour (59 per cent Yes, 31 per cent No, 10 per cent undecided). IntegrityBC has been campaigning to ban corporate, union and out-of-province donations to B.C.’s political parties since 2011. The organization is also calling for a cap on personal donations and a Citizen’s Assembly to review the B.C. Election Act and Local Government Act and make recommendations on other electoral reforms.
NEWS A3 Potato House vandalized. A9
COMMUNITY A12 RCMP Youth Academy held. Weather outlook: Expect a mix of sunny and cloudy skies.
PM 0040785583
Monica Lamb-Yorski photo
A blue grass concert at the Gibraltar Room Sunday featured three groups including John Reischman and the Jaybirds’ John Reischman (left), Trisha Gagnon, and Chris Jones (right).
Inside the Tribune SPORTS Archery shoot a bull’s-eye.
$1.34 inc. HST
Premier Clark tours West Fraser sawmill Monica Lamb-Yorski Tribune Staff Writer Williams Lake had visits from the Liberal government last week including MLAs Donna Barnett, Bill Bennett, Jim Rustad and Premier Christy Clark. On Friday Clark used West Fraser sawmill and a tour of its new planer, now under construction, as a backdrop to tout the government’s Jobs Plan, while Bennett, the minster of community, sport and cultural development, was the guest speaker at a special Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce luncheon Thursday. “I was here to open the Stampede last year and what a great experience that was,” Clark said, describing the Cariboo as the “heart of the province” and a place to “roll up your sleeves and get it done.” She congratulated West Fraser on its $25 million investment in the new planer. “It’s impressive how young the workforce is at West Fraser and speaks to what is a sunrise, not sun-
Monica Lamb-Yorski photo
West Fraser sawmill manager Sam Ketcham and Premier Christy Clark in Williams Lake Friday. set, forest industry,” Clark said. “The the way, “as much as we could” to investment is happening because of extract our resources and then to the jobs that are being created in our build the infrastructure to get them province. We are opening up mar- to market and open up the market so kets all over the world. That’s what there are customers. the jobs plan was about when we in“We started that plan in 2011. troduced it.” Since then we have met 11 of 19 The plan, Clark said, was about targets and are on target or ahead of opening up the permitting system schedule to meet the rest. One of the and getting the bureaucracy out of things I’ve learned over the last year
and a half is that creating jobs isn’t something that happens over night, but part of a long-term plan.” She said 47,000 net new jobs have been created, the economy is one of the strongest in Canada, and the unemployment rate continues to go down. “Companies from around the world are currently investing in $80 billion worth of projects, including the $25 million investment we see happening next door to us.” The forest industry is an example of the resiliency of B.C. “It’s seen some ups and downs and over the last five years hasn’t been great, but we’re starting to see the prices go up and we’ve worked hard to diversify our economy in the meantime. As a result, people in the forest industry continue to work through very difficult times.” West Fraser, she said, is an example of a company making further investment to continue to grow the industry. See BENNETT Page A2