TUESDAY MAY 5, 2015
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RELEVANT THEMES
SAY GOODBYE TO FAYE
Subjects in play written in the 1920s still ring true
Community leaders praising the work of retiring Qualicum business champion
A29
A27
POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS BILL
Mayors not all that keen Regional district directors hear about a plan to enshrine rights CANDACE WU news@pqbnews.com
Enshrine the right to a healthy environment in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. That’s the end goal for environmental activists undertaking a national campaign starting at the grassroots level. “One hundred and ten countries in the world have environmental rights enshrined and Canada isn’t one of them,” Paul Manly, NanaimoLadysmith Green Party candidate told Regional District of Nanaimo board members Tuesday. Manly wants to see the regional district board adopt a declaration of environmental rights, part of a campaign deemed the Blue Dot Movement spearheaded by the David Suzuki Foundation. It would see people have the right to live in a healthy environment including: the right to breathe clean air, drink clean water, consume safe food, access nature, know about pollutants and contaminants released into the local environment and participate in decision-making that will affect the environment. See DIRECTOR SAYS SUZUKI IS ‘LOSING IT’, page A6
Budget a done deal JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
After some heated debate and some long meetings, Parksville city council has officially adopted a 2015 budget and tax rate increase. At a special meeting April 24, council set the residential property tax increase at 1.5 per cent. For a home with the average assessed property value of $296,500, the city portion of total property taxes will increase by $15.70. The library, Nanaimo Regional District, regional wastewater and regional hospital charges will increase by $32.27. The school tax change is not released by the province at this time, but the estimated property taxes for that average house (using an estimate for the school tax) are $2,660. See ‘THE LOWEST IN MANY YEARS’, page A4
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CANDACE WU PHOTO
SERVING UP CHILI: Thousands of people packed downtown Qualicum Beach on Saturday for the annual Fire and Ice Festival. Above, Cara MacDonald stirs up some offerings from the Rotary Club’s booth. For more photos and results from the chili and ice carving competitions, please see page A5 today and visit our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/PQBNews.
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