Tuesday February 25, 2014 (Vol. 39 No. 16)
V O I C E
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W H I T E
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Medal haul: Led by hockey players, curlers and divers from across Surrey and d White Rock, the Fraser Valleyy team landed atop the medal standings at BC Winter Games. es. i see page e 17
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
No fifth election for MP who says he never wanted to be a ‘career politician’
Outgoing Hiebert keeps a low profile Alex Browne Staff Reporter
Conservative MP Russ Hiebert (South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale) is keeping mum following his surprise announcement Thursday morning that he won’t be seeking re-election for a fifth term. Hiebert spokeperson Peter Stock said the MP “will not be making further comment to any media” following the initial news release, although “he will be happy to comment on any other issues.” “It has never been my ambition to be a career
File photo
MP Russ Hiebert at his fourth victory in 2011.
politician,” the 45-year-old – first elected to the riding in 2004 – states in the release, offering it as the primary reason for his decision. “While I am proud of the difference I have been able to make in Ottawa, both as an MP and as part of the Conservative government, it will soon be time for my family and me to move on to new challenges,” he says. Hiebert notes he intends to renew his licence to practise law, serve in some corporate directorships and pursue “other opportunities in the private sector.” The next federal election is tentatively
scheduled for Oct. 19, 2015. As a representative of the Conservative government in a riding traditionally considered a right-wing stronghold, Hiebert has not had the smoothest ride over the past decade – even within his own ranks. There have been rumblings for years among some longtime Conservatives within the community that support for Hiebert had been shaky ever since allegations he’d been “parachuted” into the riding as a candidate when he first ran for the seat. i see page 4
Coal decision delayed
Review bypasses medical officers Jeff Nagel Black Press
Fraser Health’s chief medical health officer is cautioning Port Metro Vancouver not to plow ahead with a final decision on a new coal terminal in Surrey without first letting him review new research on the project’s potential impacts on human health. Dr. Paul Van Buynder said he’s glad the port last week ordered proponent Fraser Surrey Docks to answer more questions about possible health impacts, but he is disappointed there will be no further formal comment allowed on the findings, which won’t be made public ahead of a decision or shared with the health authorities. “I believe this work should be done in consultation with health experts and in a fashion transparent to the concerned public,” Van Buynder said in an emailed statement. “It is important for the credibility of any further review and the decision outcome that the process is not undertaken by the proponent in isolation of public health.” i see page 2
Curtis Kreklau photo
Police and firefighters were called Saturday afternoon after a fire broke out at a ground-floor South Surrey apartment.
Smoking-related materials identified to be cause of blaze
Apartment fire claims life of senior An elderly woman is dead following an afternoon fire at a South Surrey apartment building last weekend. Surrey deputy fire Chief Dan Barnscher said the victim was located in a ground-floor suite at 1860 Southmere Cres. just after 4:30 p.m. Saturday and rushed to hospital. Emergency crews were alerted to the blaze
by a 911 call, and could see smoke and flames coming from the suite on arrival. The critically injured victim – whose age and identity were not made public at Peace Arch News press time Monday afternoon – was located in the same room that investigators later determined the fire had started. Transported to Royal Columbian Hospital
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with burns and smoke inhalation injuries, she died later that evening. Barnscher said cause of the fire was “smoking-related materials,” and damage was confined to the one room. He noted the building did have functioning smoke alarms and heat detectors. – Tracy Holmes