Maple Ridge News, November 08, 2013

Page 1

Along the Fraser When a river isn’t a river at all. p6

Friends food bank use up 65 per cent. p4

THE NEws

Gardening Introducing fairy gardens. p33

www.mapleridgenews.com Friday, november 8, 2013 · serving Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows · est. 1978 · 604-467-1122 · Delivery: 604-466-6397

Maple Ridge mayor signs sensibleBC pot petition Campaign still short of goal with a month left by Ph i l M e lnych uk staff reporter

Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin has added his voice to the call for marijuana law reform by signing the SensibleBC petition, which calls for decriminalizing recreational marijuana use. “There needs to be some conversation had,” Daykin said Tuesday. “I think what we’ve got isn’t working. Hopefully what’s proposed will help the situation. Maybe legalizing it and taxing the crap out of it, selling it in liquor stores, is the way to go.” SensibleBC is collecting signatures throughout B.C. ridings in an effort to force a referendum on changing the B.C. Police Act.

Colleen Flanagan/the news

Last Post Fund Canadian Armed Forces veteran John Vanderelst, director of the Last Post Fund in B.C., thanks students at Harry Hooge elementary after a Remembrance Day ceremony at the school on Thursday. see story, p3.

see Petition, p11

Fate of farmland uncertain Report shows B.C. Liberals want to split up ALR by P h i l M e l nychuk staff reporter

Education: school district superintendent Jan Unwin set to retire. see story, p8

Maple Ridge’s mayor has questions, while the ex-MLA who took a stand for farmland is “disgusted” after hearing the B.C. government could be dismantling the Agricultural Land Reserve. Both were commenting on the Nov. 7 Globe and Mail story quot-

ing secret cabinet documents that said the land reserve would be split into north and south areas and that the ALC would become part of the agriculture ministry. The story also said cities would get authority to decide “community growth applications,” to pull land out of the farm reserve. “This is really serious stuff. It’s mind boggling,” said Michael Sather, former MLA for Maple RidgePitt Meadows. “It’s scary. This is basically the dismantling of the ALR,” he added. “You know and I know what will

Index

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Opinion Letters Acts of Faith Driveway Gardening Looking Back scoreboard

happen in Maple Ridge.” Applications such as that a few years ago to remove Pelton tree nursery land at 203rd Street and Golden Ears Way for development Sather into a business park, Sather said, won’t get stopped. “It’s just going to be urban sprawl,

en masse, loss of farmland.” The ALR recently refused to allow the north side of 105th Avenue in Albion Flats to be developed, resulting in mall developer SmartCentres offering to swap land with the district to allow building on the south side. Sather said he’s taking the report seriously, pointing out previous indications from Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett, in charge of the core review of government services, including that of the land reserve. see ALC, p10

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