THURSDAY AUGUST 28, 2014
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PERSONAL VIMY VISIT
WHALERS PREP WITHOUT COACH
Errington student talks about touring battle sites in Europe
Local high school football team getting ready for season despite teachers’ strike
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A43
TEACHERS’ STRIKE
Emotions running high
A Day in the Life — inside today
Teachers’ union prez not happy with superintendent’s comments AUREN RUVINSKY writer@pqbnews.com
With little sign of progress in the provincial labour situation, emotions were running high at the first School District 69 board meeting of the school year on Tuesday night “We recognize we’re in the midst of what is a dispute between the provincial parties,” District 69 superintendent Rollie Koop told the board. “We value our local relations with CUPE and with the Mount Arrowsmith Teacher’s Association (MATA) and we want to do everything we can to allow the parties to work through that to bring pressure where we can, encouragement where we may,” he said in the context of the readiness of reconfigured schools. MATA president Debbie Morran wasn’t happy with Koop’s comments, waiting for question period at the end to rebut. “I just want to make a comment Rollie, in terms of your perception that this dispute is between the provincial parties, because I can tell you that for every single teacher in this audience tonight, this dispute is not about the provincial parties,” she said, clearly upset. “This dispute is all about teachers, every year, in every local, going out of their own pocket to buy supplies for their classroom because they don’t have the tools that they need to teach the students in their class.” See FULL HOUSE, page A4
Pot plant for Nanoose? A Vancouver-based company says it wants to produce and distribute medical marijuana from a 68,000 square-foot facility it will build in Nanoose Bay. Wildflower Inc. says it will create more than 50 full-time jobs. The Regional District of Nanaimo says it has received confirmation that Wildflower has applied to Health Canada for a licence to grow and ship pot from this region. Read editor John Harding’s report in our Thursday Spotlight feature today on page A5.
CRAIG CARMICHAEL PHOTO
WHERE WERE YOU ON JUNE 13? Photographers scattered throughout Parksville on June 13 to produce our Day in the Life section inside today’s edition of The NEWS. Above, photographer Craig Carmichael captured Greg Lacey welding at Shar-Kare. Select photos from the section will be on display, and for sale, at The MAC from Sept. 2-27. You can also view the photos on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PQBNews.
Relax & cool down – oceanside on the patio Beat the sweltering summer heat at Pacific Prime Restaurant & Lounge 250-947-2109 reservations@beachclubresort.ca
restaurant & lounge
181 beachside drive , parksville , bc