TUESDAY August 19, 2014 Vol. 29 • No. 66 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
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Cougars on the prowl
ARTS
SPORTS
Anela & The Experimenters at The Little Red Church Page 9
Stage set for Bearclaw Invitational page 19
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PRECIOUS MEDAL
Erin Haluschak
Record Staff
From Courtenay to Cumberland, cougars have been spotted on the prowl, prompting warnings from conservation officers to keep an extra close eye when outside. Last week, reports of cougar sightings were recorded in various locations in Cumberland near the Trent River Main, behind Jumbo’s Cabin and Perseverance Creek, and in the area between Whites Bay and the chlorine shack. In Courtenay, a cougar has been spotted in the west area of the city off Lake Trail Road. Conservation Officer Gord Gudbranson said he received reports of an aggressive cougar on the bike trails in Cumberland last week which made a group of riders dismount in order to appear larger to scare the cat away. “It was displaying moderately aggressive threatening behaviour,” he explained, and added officers searched for the animal using cougar-tracking dogs. Gudbranson noted the level of food sources could be a reason behind the increased sightings, with rabbits, deer and the swamp nearby the trails. Mike Jones, who was visiting Cumberland from Squamish, told media he came across a cat Thursday morning when heading out for a ride on his mountain bike.
... see COUGARS ■ 3
PHOTO BY TERRY FARRELL
Special guest volunteer Tori presents Terry Parkinson with his medal at the end of the Simon’s Cycles YANA Ride on Sunday. A total of 405 riders took part in the ride, raising in excess of $32,000 for the local charity. You Are Not Alone helps ease the financial burden on families who have to travel to access medical treatment for their children.
New TFWP fees a big blow to Mount Washington federal Employment Minister Jason Kenney had placed a temporary ban on restaurants that prevented them from accessing the program. He lifted the moratorium in June when he announced an overhaul of the program. Reforms included an increase to the Labour Market Impact Assessment fee from $275 to $1,000 for every temporary foreign worker position requested by an employer.
Scott Stanfield Record Staff
Mount Washington Alpine Resort is feeling the effects of changes made to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), which helps fill labour shortages when Canadians or permanent residents are not available to fill job vacancies. In spring, amid allegations the program was being abused,
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Don Sharpe, director of business operations and marketing at Mount Washington, says the Valley’s ski resort has traditionally hired about 30 snow school instructors through the TFWP. The first year, at $250, cost $7,500. But with the $1,000 increase in the past year, the bill jumps to $30,000. While the $250 could be justified for processing applications,
Sharpe has a difficult time justifying the $1,000. “From our perspective, we always would like to hire Canadians where we can,” Sharpe said. “The challenge is, from the snow school perspective, there aren’t enough Canadians that want to teach skiing or snowboarding… This is impacting the whole snow sports industry.”
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... see TFWP ■ 2
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Payment Quoted is on 2014 Tundra 4x4 Double Cab 4.6L Standard Package. Model Code UM5F1T AA. Bi-Weekly Payment of $231.89 Bi Weekly is at a rate of 0.9% for 72 Months. Bi Weekly Payments equal 26 Payments/ Year. OAC, Payment does not include Taxes, Levies or Fees, see dealer for details.
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