TUESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2014
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FLOODING
‘Enough is enough’ Residents want decadesold problem fixed now JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com
In the 72 years he has lived on the shores of the Strait of Georgia near French Creek, Joe Stanhope says he has never seen a tide surge and flooding like the region experienced last week. However, this is nothing new to the people who live in Parry’s RV Park off Martindale Road on the banks of the Englishman River — seemingly every time there’s a heavy rain, there’s flooding. “Enough is enough and families can’t go through this,” said park resident Marilyn Mitchell. “It’s an ongoing problem in this area and nothing is being done about it.” “The RDN told us in 2005 it was the provincial and federal governments’ responsibility to put a better berming system up,” said another park resident, Donald Lohvin. “I think they (the RDN) kind of shifted the blame. It would be nice if they raised up the road and put some better culverts in.” Stanhope, the chair of the Regional District of Nanaimo’s board of directors and the RDN representative for the area that includes Parry’s Park, acknowledged in an interview late last week as the waters receded that something has to be done to better protect those residents. “Every time it rains we can’t be putting people’s lives and property in danger,” said Stanhope. “I don’t know what we (the RDN) can do, what authority we have, but we have to do something. Martindale Road is in my area and I’m going to deal with it.” Stanhope said RDN staff make periodic visits to speak with the park’s owners. He also said a berm failed this time, creating serious flooding that forced evacuations. See RELIEF MONEY, page A8
JESSICA SKELTON PHOTO
LAST NIGHT FOR BETHLEHEM WALK: Grace Majer, left, and Stephanie Breck sold spices in the marketplace that was part of the 21st annual Bethlehem Walk this Saturday, when hundreds of people attended opening night at the Parksville Fellowship Baptist Church. Tonight (Tuesday, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.) is the last night to experience the walk this year.
CHANGES TO THE SOCIETY ACT
Dragging the non-profits to court CANDACE WU
news@pqbnews.com
Dozens of non-profit organizations are up in arms about the B.C. government’s proposed changes to the Society Act, which critics are calling “nondemocratic.” In August, finance minister Mike de Jong released a white paper outlining a new Society Act which includes
a controversial section 99 that has become disconcerting for those in the non-profit industry. Opposition critic and Nanaimo MLA Leonard Krog (NDP) explains the changes would allow members of the public to take non-profit societies to the B.C. Supreme Court over matters deemed “detrimental to the public interest.” Krog told The NEWS this is prob-
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lematic because “disgruntled” people, with a large financial base, could take small non-profits to court and “basically bankrupt them.” He said “this has the smell of the Kinder Morgan clause.” B.C. has approximately 27,000 non profit societies, defined by the government as not for profit corporations organized primarily for social purposes. See NOTHING IN STONE, page A8 OPEN ‘til 8pm FRIDAY NIGHT!
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