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CLIMATE CHANGE P. 3 EDITORIAL P. 6
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MARINE SEARCH P. 4 VHF YOUTH CENTRE P. 9
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Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Thomas leads speeches at national climate change event Rebecca Watson Omineca Express Quebec City— Jasmine Thomas of Sai’kuz First Nation opened speeches this weekend at what’s being called the largest climate change march in Canadian history. During the Act On Climate march Saturday, April 11 in Quebec City, Thomas, Tantoo Cardinal, actress and activitist, and Serge Otsi Simon, grand chief of Kanesatake Mohawk Council, shared opening remarks about the Save the Fraser declaration - a document signed by more than 130 indigenous nations from the arctic to the United States banning tar sands pipelines from crossing their territories. The three major proposed tar sands pipelines are Northern Gateway, Kinder Morgan and Transcanada Energy East and Indigenous laws have declared these pipelines illegal, Thomas said. “During the Joint Review Panel recommendation last year there were over 4000 speakers that addressed the National Energy Board and only two people in over 4000 supported it, majority were in opposition. Canada is trying to move forward with the pipeline regardless of majority opposition, it’s not right,” she said. Continued on page 3
Photo by Rebecca Watson
WATER RISING: Ron Ephrom shows the near three-foot tall water markings on a fence near his home off Sandy Beach Road due to his property being flooded by Nechako waters in 2007.
Vanderhoof drops berm plans, too expensive Rebecca Watson Omineca Express The District of Vanderhoof has declined to participate in a flood mitigation program to build a berm west of Sandy Beach Road despite flooding concerns from landowners. “It’s too cost-prohibitive and we are extending the grant money back,” Evan
Parliament, District of Vanderhoof chief administrative officer, said. In 2007, an unpredicted flood carried nearly three feet of water from the Nechako River onto properties west of the river by Sandy Beach Road. A temporary dike was created so water didn’t start to flow into the downtown core. Although the runoff that year was particularly high, the urgency for a permanent flood mitigation plan was initiated.
In 2013, the federal and provincial governments committed $768,000, representing two-thirds of the $1.1 million needed to build a flood-mitigation berm near Sandy Beach Road. Although the District of Vanderhoof (DOV) was ready to commit the remaining $384,000, the deal meant the DOV would have to purchase the land the berm would cover stretching over four properties. Continued on page 2
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