GAZETTE Mother’s Day specials inside pages 11-14
NORTH ISLAND
Publications Mail Agreement No. 391275
47th Year No. 18 THURS., MAY 2, 2013
www.northislandgazette.com
Port Hardy sets by-election Gazette staff PORT HARDY—With the recent passing of Coun. Al Huddlestan, Port Hardy Council turned its attention to finding a successor last week. Director of Corporate Services Jeff Long and Chief Administrative
Officer Rick Davidge prepared a report for councillors outlining the procedures for a midterm byelection. In response to initial requirements the council appointed Long as Chief Election Officer to oversee the process, with Susan
Bjarnason as deputy. To avoid a July election which could conflict with vacations for many, the report included a timeline which would see a June election. “We’ve set out a schedule of events which would start this
Thursday (April 25) with a notice in the newspaper,” explained Long. Nominees for the vacant position will be required to complete
• ARRGH, MATEY!
Li’l buccaneers land at Storey’s Beach for literacy event. Page 23
• PLAY BALL!
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See page 4 ‘Election set’
Hot Shots Adam Gough of Port Hardy, right, shows off his national marksmanship medal as Kolby Beattie of Port McNeill and other Junior Canadian Rangers arrive at Port Hardy Airport Friday. Beattie claimed the national Top Shooter title. See more in Sports, page 15.
North Vancouver Island Baseball league opens season. Page 17
J.R. Rardon
• IN MIDWEEK
Living Oceans offers advice on cleanup of expected tsunami debris. Midweek, inside LETTERS Page 7 SPORTS Page 15 CLASSIFIEDS Page 19-21
DEALER #7983
Candidates face off on North Island J.R. Rardon Aidan O’Toole Gazette staff Logging, ferries, pipelines, green energy, healthcare and education dominated the discussion as three of the North Island’s four provincial candidates faced a wide range of questions last week in a pair of all-candidates meetings in Port McNeill and Port
Hardy. Liberal MLA candidate Nick Facey and Conservative candidate Bob Bray both emphasized the development of natural resources as a way strengthen the economy and pay for services. NDP candidate Claire Trevena, the incumbent, reminded the audience that B.C. has human resources
as well as natural resources, and highlighted her party’s plans to close the inequality gap and invest in rural health care. The most striking delineation between the candidates came on the issue of the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline to Kitimat. Bray, who called for lower taxes and a reduced regulatory bur-
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den on industry, said the Conservative Party is in favour of building the pipeline. “How soon, we don’t know, because the environmental review is still under way,” said Bray. “But we’ll kick-start the development of our natural resources.” Trevena noted the NDP is opposed to the pipeline, and took a shot at
the Liberals by noting the current ruling party is fine with bitumen flowing through B.C. as long as the province gets a sufficient slice of the income. “We don’t think it’s worth the risk,” she said. “I don’t think B.C. could ever be paid enough.”
See page 5 ‘Ferries, forestry hot’
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