TUESDAY February 3, 2015 Vol. 30 • No. 10 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
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McRae steps down as cabinet minister Scott Stanfield Record Staff
rescue along the banks of the river in Courtenay. Emergency service personnel were dispatched at approximately 2:30 p.m. Friday, after reports came in of a woman and a baby in the water. Rescue workers found the baby in the river near the Condensory Bridge at approximately 3 p.m. and performed CPR before transporting the child to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Comox Valley MLA Don McRae has resigned as Social Development and Social Innovation Minister due to a family health concern. The two-term Liberal MLA said Premier Christy Clark was “supportive” when he asked to step down from his cabinet duties. “I think I surprised her but she understands that family is important,” McRae said Friday, which was his 45th birthday. “I’m very fortunate to have a situation where I can carve off a portion of my working job, and get to spend more time and be more supportive to my family. “When you’re a cabinet minister, you get the province owning you a bit. I spent a lot of my time, when the legislature was not sitting, visiting stakeholders around the province. I think that’s a really important job as a cabinet minister, but at some stage you want to DON MCRAE make sure you’re there for your family. Family health is super important to me.” McRae — who was Vancouver Island’s lone voice at the cabinet table — will continue to represent the Valley as its MLA. Elected in 2009, McRae was appointed agriculture minister in 2011 and education minister in 2012. Before entering provincial politics, he had served on Courtenay city council. Before that, he had taught at Vanier Secondary — his former high school. He and his wife Deanne have two young daughters, Gracie and Chloe. He confirmed that the health issue was not regarding his wife or children. “I’m very fortunate,” McRae said. “I’ve been able to serve the Comox Valley residents as MLA for 5 1/2 years. I’ve been fortunate enough to be in cabinet for almost four years. During the entire time, just like when I was a teacher, you want to make sure you balance your professional life with your family life.”
... see RIVER ■ 9
... see MCRAE■ 9
Unique kids; unique learning centre .... Page 3
Chamber hands out hardware ... Page 4 PHOTOS BY TERRY FARRELL
Online commerce is here to stay..... Page 6
Regardless of whether you were happy with the outcome or not, Super Bowl XLIX was one of the best Super Bowls ever. Groundhog Day was Monday and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means another six weeks of winter.
An RCMP helicopter searches above the waters of the Puntledge River, at Lewis park, for a mother and baby on Friday afternoon. Inset, firefighters comb through dense riverside brush looking for the victims.
Tragic end to river rescue Terry Farrell Record Staff
A rescue operation to save a mother and her seven-month-old son from the frigid waters of the Puntledge River ended in tragedy Friday. Crowds of onlookers watched as emergency workers including RCMP, Comox Valley Search and Rescue, and the Courtenay Fire Department completed the
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