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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015
VOL. 26, NO. 84
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Still room to improve aboriginal graduation rates, says district BY KARL YU
THE NEWS BULLETIN
Sun-catchers
Ian Reid, left, and Dave Nesbitt hope to goad Westwood Lake’s trout population into striking while they drift in the sun Tuesday. The unseasonably warm weather will make way for clouds and showers today and Friday (Feb. 26-27) but forecasters are calling for a return to sunny skies for the weekend. CHRIS BUSH/THE NEWS BULLETIN
McKay spends $30K to win mayor’s seat
I
STATEMENTS SHOW what all candidates spent.
BY TAMARA CUNNINGHAM THE NEWS BULLETIN
Nanaimo’s mayor clinched the top seat in the 2014 civic election after logging close to $31,000 in expenses – less than half the spending of rival Roger McKinnon, financial documents show. Elections B.C. has released financial disclosure documents filed by civic election candidates, showing campaign contributions, expenses, and levels of financial support that incumbents and
hopeful politicos received from developers and trade unions. The only statements not to make deadline are from Gail Adrienne, a council candidate, who must pay a $500 latefiling fee before March 16. Coun. Gord Fuller and mayoral candidate Kendal Csak received extensions because of ‘extenuating circumstances.’ Financial disclosure documents show big spending in the 10-way mayoral race. New mayor Bill McKay took the win with $30,687 in expenses, the majority of which went to wages, salaries and professional services. His top backers were Vancouver-based Jamal Enterprises, which supplied $5,000 to the
campaign, and Newcastle Wheaton, with $4,000. McKinnon, a local businessman, spent more than double that of McKay to become the biggest spender in the civic election. His expenses hit $61,876 with more than $20,000 spent on brochures, flyers and pamphlets alone. The tally was higher than any other mayoral candidate in the previous three races. McKinnon provided close to $24,000 of the expenses under his name and that of his companies, and another $2,400 came from the Top 20 Under 40 Corp, of which he is chairman. The largest financial backings were netted from West Coast Developments – $6,391 – and
Mount Benson Enterprises, which gave $5,000. Incumbent mayor John Ruttan self-funded the majority of his $35,839 expenses, only to fall to fourth place in the polls. Unions backed more candidates during this municipal election, but doled out fewer financial contributions than they did three years ago. Unions contributed $35,000 to eight candidates in 2014, compared to the $39,600 they spent on five in 2011. Bill Yoachim, a first-time city politician, pulled in the greatest support with $6,750 from trade unions while Wendy Pratt saw $500. See ‘UNIONS’ /6 Related /6
Despite a letter of commendation from Minister of Education Peter Fassbender and an above-average aboriginal education graduation rate, the Nanaimo school district says it won’t rest on its laurels. The aboriginal grad rate was at 43.1 per cent in 2009, but the district saw a six-year completion rate of 64 per cent in 2013-14 – higher than the provincial average of 62 per cent. While Laura Tait, director of instruction for the school district’s aboriginal education team, said she is “over the moon” after hearing the announcement, there is a lot of room to improve. OneA large piece hundred per cent out of reach, of that I think, isn’t she said. Strides have been is actually made bringing having the aboriginal issues the forefront knowledge and to and while the past understanding saw related inquiries being directed of the history toward the aborigial education of this country. ndepartment, which worked for a couple of decades, now people are more knowledgable and strategic, Tait said. “I think what’s going to bump us the next bit to get these kids up to the 70-80 range is that everybody become aware of what the issues are, the ups, the downs, the goods, bads and that we all own it. It’s not the property of the aboriginal education department or your ab ed staff at a school or me,” Tait said. “Everybody is looking at it from a stance of, what part do I play in this?”
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See ‘FIRST’ /4