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PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 82, Issue 106 | www.dailybulletin.ca BILL 24
Macdonald charges “vote buying” NDP obtain email exchange between BC Liberal caucus members C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
CAROLYN GRANT PHOTO
The team at Western Financial Group in Kimberley was walking for a cause this week. On May 28 all Western Financial Group offices, including Kimberley’s, walked to raise funds for the Western Communities Foundation. The Foundation uses the money to support community infrastructure projects, bursaries for graduating high school students and more. Above are Carinne, Yuko, Tami, Deborah, Bernece and Cydnie.
BRIDGE LOCATIONS
Council nixes KUMR bridge suggestion Too late to change chosen locations of timberframe bridges, Council tells Railway Soc. C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
As reported last week in the Bulletin, the Kimberley Underground Railway Society has approached the City
with the suggestion that one of the two timberframe bridges to be installed should cross Mark Creek below the Peak to Platzl Trail near the downtown station. In a letter to Council Society president Mick Henningson argued that the spot was more suitable than Mackenzie Street for the bridge, as it was highly visible and on a more natural part of the creek. However, Council was not of a mind to change their de-
cision on the bridge locations. Coun. Albert Hoglund said that it may not hurt to have the Society come in and assist them with getting an accessibility grant for a bridge in that location once the flume project was done. “I didn’t support the move to Mackenzie Street but I understand construction is underway,” said Coun. Kent Goodwin. “It would be nice to discuss where a bridge should go at the bottom of
the Peak to Platzl Trail.” “I really appreciate Mick coming forward,” Coun. Darryl Oakley said. “That area is completely undeveloped, the road is a mess, the bridge does need to be replaced. Hopefully he will get assistance in getting a grant. It’s an area that gets major tourist traffic.” Mayor Ron McRae said it wasn’t a bad idea at all, just came at the wrong time. “It’s really all about process,” he said.
Debate on Bill 24, which alters the Agriculture Land Reserve into two separate zones — Zone 1 being the Okanagan, Vancouver Island and the South Coast; and Zone 2, the Interior, Kootenays and the North — closes today at 5:15 p.m. In the hours preceding closure, opponents of the Bill are arguing that its passage is an example of backroom politics at its worst. Columbia River Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald says it is motivated by vote buying and points to a recently obtained email stream including Pat Pimm, MLA for Peace River North and future Minister of Agriculture, and Bill Bennett, MLA for Kootenay East and the chief architect of Bill 24, which Macdonald says lay out their displeasure at the way the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) is being run. “Bill 24 is entirely about buying votes, and this email exchange proves it,” said Macdonald. “In the email, complaints are made that the ALC is not making the right decisions; is not taking the ‘opportunity to muster up some support for our team’.” However, Bennett says the emails show simply that he has been advocating for his constituents. “To characterize MLA
advocacy as “vote buying” is typical of the NDP, especially MLA Macdonald who doesn’t even reside in his own riding,” Bennett said. “Walking talking hypocrisy.” Macdonald laughs off what he calls an attempt by Bennett at obfuscation. “After nine years of serving in the Legislature with Mr. Bennett, I’ve gotten pretty used to his fabrications. Whenever he paints himself into a political corner he tries to deflect attention with lies. Of course I live in my riding.” Back to the emails, Madonald says they illustrate how the plan to change the ALC was in place from the beginning. “The email stream also laments the independence of the ALC and its chair Richard Bullock, and demands that the then Minister of Agriculture honour a caucus agreement, sanctioned by the Premier, to allow changes to the ALR specifically in Pimm and Bennett’s areas,” Macdonald said. “Former Minister McRae was clearly moving too slowly to satisfy them. “Despite the fact that Premier Clark promised prior to the election to ‘preserve agricultural land and encourage farming’ and ‘to maintain the excellent relationship we have built with the ALC’, following the 2013 election she chose Pimm as Minister of Agriculture and Bennett as Minister of Core Review to spearhead significant changes to the ALR. Bill 24 is the disastrous result.” The emails were written on July 30 and 31, 2012.
See BILL 24 , Page 3