Progress
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Sock It
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FlightFest
Sock Boys take over Greendale Sampler.
Bravery recognized at City Hall.
A closer look at this year’s Chilliwack FlightFest.
Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D I N 1 8 9 1 • W W W. T H E P R O G R E S S . C O M • F R I D AY, A U G U S T 2 2 , 2 0 1 4
Channel blowout strands 37 fishermen Jennifer Feinberg The Progress It took 20 volunteers with Chilliwack Search and Rescue more than an hour to shuttle all the stranded fishermen on the Fraser River back to safety. A jet boat, two Sea-Doos and two whitewater rafts were deployed during the rescue operation We d n e s d a y afternoon by a CSAR memC Mostt fishermen M h bers. The CSAR have some team ferried a etiquette but total of 37 fishermen to shore at Peg Leg from the gravel sometimes it’s bar at Peg Leg. It was one more like Gold of their biggest operations Rush fever to date, said CSAR search ~ Doug Fraser manager Doug Fraser. But it all went fairly quickly and smoothly. “It was unprecedented,” he said. “Typically we get called out to help one or two people, or maybe five at one time. But never as many as 37.” It took several trips back and forth to get everyone ashore. “The good thing about this incident is that no one was in the back channel when it blew out, and we didn’t have to look for anyone in the river.” It was a dangerous situation that turned out OK. The bottom end of the gravel bar, which was once attached, is now an isolated little chunk in the river. Peg Leg Bar is an extremely popular sportfishing destination in Chilliwack, attracting gaggles of anglers who line the
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper has a roud table discussion with local business leaders, members of the Canadian Korean business community, Minister of International Trade Ed Fast, and Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon MP Mark Strahl, during a tour of the local plant on Wednesday. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Harper in Chilliwack to talk trade Jennifer Feinberg The Progress A Chilliwack manufacturer was the site of round-table trade talks Wednesday with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, community and business leaders. The photo-op was geared to showcasing Canada’s first trade deal in the Asia Pacific region – the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement. “Particular benefits for B.C.” are expected to accrue from the signing of this latest free trade agreement, he noted. “It’s our first ever in the Asia
Pacific region, and obviously therefore an important gateway in terms of our trading strategy into that entire region,” said Harper. The PM was flanked by Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, who hosted the round table discussion, and IMW Industries president Brian Nguyen. The low-key trade-related discussions were held on the factory floor of IMW in Chilliwack, where their CNG compressors and fueling equipment are typically built by IMW workers. The goal of the event was to
chat about recent trade developments, such as the upshot of the agreement, and ways to boost investment between Canada and Korea. “Thank you for hosting us. We had a great tour of what is a dynamic and growing local company,” Harper said about IMW Industries, before the roundtable started. The IMW president said the local company was “honoured” to have the PM and his entourage visit the Chilliwack site of the busy global export company. He didn’t know exactly why IMW was chosen for a tour and
photo-op, but said they were happy to accept the offer. “Free trade agreements are very important to us,” said IMW president Nguyen after the talks. “When tariffs and taxes are removed, it makes us a lot more competitive. We can grow our business as a result.” Rising demand for CNG equipment worldwide has led the IMW workforce to be doubled in size, said Nguyen, going from about 150 employees a couple of years ago, to 300 IMW workers in Canada. They are also planning to enter the Continued: PM/ p4
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