GAZETTE NORTH ISLAND
Publications Mail Agreement No. 391275
49th Year No. 02
January 9, 2014
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Gazette Hamper Fund
• IT’S A WRAP
Gazette Hamper Fund reaches 2013 goal. Page 5
• ONE FOR GIL
Warriors, Bulls lock horns in memorial hockey classic. Page 11 OPINION Page 6 LETTERS Page 7 SPORTS Page 11 CLASSIFIEDS Page 13-15
Port Alice fights to keep RCMP
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Gazette staff PORT ALICE—Once again, the Village of Port Alice is facing the loss of its RCMP detachment. And once again, it is objecting to the proposed relocation of its officers to the Port Hardy detachment. Municipal Council has asked Assistant Deputy Minister and Director of Police Services Clayton Pecknold to intervene in a plan to remove RCMP from Port Alice in 2014. “Despite repeated requests to keep our RCMP officers residing in Port Alice, we have been informed that our current officers will be relocated and not replaced,” says Port Alice Mayor Jan Allen. “We have not had adequate response from senior levels of Island District RCMP management and feel that the concerns of our community are not being heard.” Beginning in 2009, the previous mayor made it clear in a letter to Chief Superintendent Randy Wilson, that Port Alice is opposed to removing its RCMP detachment. Similar letters followed in 2011 with support from MLA Clair Trevena, and Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Shirley Bond. Mayor Jan Allen and Councillor Jan MacLeod met with Staff Sgt. Andrew Isles and Port Hardy’s Sgt. Gord Brownridge on Nov. 21, 2013. At this meeting Sgt. Isles informed the mayor that Port Alice’s two police postings and a part-time
The Big Chill Above: Cassidy Mose, Emma Jensen and Zoe GarlinskiGonsky joined hands to take the plunge at the annual Polar Bear Jump in Port Hardy, Jan. 1. At left, Jane Dutcyvich and Brynn Egeley react to the chilly water of Port McNeill Harbour as they ring in the New Year by participating in the traditional Polar Bear Swim in Port McNeill.
See page 4 Staff would move to Hardy
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