Grand Forks Gazette, July 16, 2014

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2014

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VOL 117 NO. 29

Local dies after jumping in river

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Sweet Home Christina Local band Three Yards Over perform Sweet Home Alabama on the beach at Christina Lake at the Homecoming festival Saturday evening. (From left) Damian Alblas, Jay Alblas, Lisa Smith and Scott Dribnenki. Hundreds of people showed up for Christina Lake’s Homecoming Festival which went Friday and Saturday. Most people took advantage of the shady trees behind the beach for the early evening performances. For more pictures see A12 Craig Lindsay photo Free PANDORA Bracelet with $125 purchase July 10-20* *See our store for details.

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A Grand Forks man has died after a tragic bridge-jumping incident at the old nursery rail bridge on July 8. The BC Coroners Service confirmed that 53-year-old Joe (Morey Joseph) Lafreniere died after jumping into the Kettle River from the Munro Bridge (also known as the Nursery rail bridge) and being swept away by the current. “Mr. Lafreniere was with a group of acquaintances who were jumping recreationally from the old nursery rail bridge into the Kettle River on July 8,” said coroner Barb McLintock of the BC Coroners Service, in a press release July 10. “When Mr. Lafreniere jumped, he was immediately observed to be in trouble in the river but his companions could not get him to shore before he was swept away by the current.” Grand Forks Fire Rescue were called and pulled Lafreniere from the river about 20 minutes later. He was immediately transported to hospital but could not be resuscitated. Mitch Harrison and wife Louise Rodrigues, friends of Lafreniere, were with him at the bridge that day. “We’re pretty much like family to him,” said Harrison. “He was like a brother to both of us.” • See RIVER page A8

Reaction to new anti-spam law mixed JIM HOLTZ

For the Grand Forks Gazette

Reaction by Boundary businesses and organizations to the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) that came into effect July 1 has been marked by a combination of fearful anticipation, lack of awareness and confusion. The legislation, which seeks to control the vast amount of unwanted commercial electronic communication, has far-reaching implications for many businesses, large and small, punishing those who do not comply with its provisions with fines up to $1 million for individuals and $10 million for corporations. When announced, the legislation was welcomed by all those tired of receiving unsolicited electronic trash through email or other data accounts. However, many business owners, organizations and profes-

sionals have since become annoyed and alarmed by the legislation, claiming that it missed the mark, hindering their legitimate communication with clients and customers, while failing to restrict in any way the worst spam, most of which originates offshore. The anti-spam rules apply to any Canadian individual, business or organization that uses electronic means to solicit or promote business or raise funds for any reason. Registered charitable organizations are exempt, but non-profit societies, clubs or teams are not. Just like all businesses, these must have permission from each individual that they contact electronically before soliciting them and must provide a means within the communication for those individuals to opt out of future contact. The huge fines imbedded in the legislation have made many small

• See ANTI-SPAM page A8

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they’re not selling shoes, you know. Nonetheless the legislation seems to include them. Non-profits are subject to the same thing.” Local health professionals have also been caught up in the requirements of the legislation. Even an email confirmation of an upcoming appointment falls under the provisions of the act, and all clients must be on record as having confirmed that they wish to be electronically contacted. The office of one local health service provider confirmed that the initial task of contacting all their clients was time consuming, though there was a positive side. “We have been able to confirm that (email) is the way people prefer to be contacted, so we have had a chance to update our records at the same time.” Some businesses believe that they will be largely unaffected by

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businesses and organizations understandably concerned. Some businesses have been quick to respond. Christina Lake artist Richard Reid wanted to make sure that he was in compliance and so took action before the July 1 deadline. “I sent out requests (for people to confirm that they wanted to remain on my mailing list) before the deadline of July 1 and I have had close to 200 positive responses and one negative response, so I have sort of taken care of it in that sense. “It does concern a lot of people because it does seem like an onerous task to have to do this and there is also the problem of what happens in the future. How do you deal with sending out anything that can be conceived of as commercial?” To Reid, the legislation seems to overreach its objective. “Artists are in a unique position in that they are not trying to blanket the world;

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