InteriorNEWS THE
108th Year - Week 19 PM 40007014
FASD MENTORSHIP Youth with FASD are mentoring each other.
OUR TOWN/A11
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
A&E/A13
Single Copy • $1.30 ($1.24 + 6¢ GST)
No charges in deadly bear hunting accident
By Chris Gareau Tahtsa Reach/Interior News
FIDDLE ME THIS Fiddler apprentice of Oliver Schroer returns.
www.interior-news.com
Crown counsel has decided not to press charges in the death of a hunter. On May 26, 2014 at 3:15 p.m. Houston RCMP were advised of a shooting incident on Tahtsa Reach Forest Service Road 112 kilometers south of Houston. Police found 59-yearold Jeffrey Cooper, from Washington
state, deceased at the scene. Cooper had been grizzly bear hunting with two guides when he was shot. An investigation was completed by the Houston RCMP General Duty Unit, assisted by the North District Major Crime Unit, who forwarded an extensive report to the Provincial Crown. The incident has been deemed a tragic accident.
RECORD MOTHER’S DAY RUN A record 162 runners plus kids and bicyclists take part in Sunday’s Mother’s Day Run in Smithers. Participants that took off from the starting line at McBike and Sport on Main Street for the 5K and 10K run raised money for the Smithers Diabetes Association. Chris Gareau photo
Business leaders discuss mining effect BACK TO THE LAND Youth event at antiLNG camp.
By Chris Gareau
THREE RIVERS/A15
Local business leaders joined Mining Association of British Columbia president Karina Brino at the Smithers Exploration Group’s annual gathering to celebrate B.C. Mining Week on Friday. The event included a panel of business owners in a variety of sectors discussing the effect mining has on how they operate. Energy Alternatives owner Kevin Pegg helps people live off the grid. He recited a long list of minerals that are required to live such a lifestyle. “The renewable energy industry relies heavily on mine resources. Simply put, our technologies would just not exist without it. “Renewable energy also has the potential to dramatically reduce the impacts of mining operations, improve the sustainability goals, reduce operational costs for remote mines — a win-win situation,” Pegg
INSIDE LETTERS A7 COMMUNITY A8 OUR TOWN A11 A&E A13 THREE RIVERS A15 SPORTS B1 CLASSIFIEDS B4
Smithers/Interior News
told the audience. He added that the Olympic rings in Vancouver were powered by one of his company’s automated hybrid power systems, improved by testing a prototype at a mineral exploration camp near Vanderhoof. Less obvious uses of mine resources were pointed out by Sedaz Lingerie owner Amy Brandstetter. “Everything in my store is a product from natural resources: from my retail display units, mannequins, debit machine, to the actual products themselves,” said Brandstetter. She explained metal is used in every step of production, displaying a sample on stage to demonstrate. Resource Works executive director Stewart Muir brought a lot of data on the industry in B.C., including poll results that showed while 72 per cent of people see resource development as a good thing, only half believe B.C. is a leader in sustainable development. Brino acknowledged work needed to be done to prove mining can be
sustainable. She also spoke of the Mount Polley tailings dam breach last year. “It is the primary goal that we have today, to ensure that not only British Columbians but people in Canada have confidence in the mining industry. “Although our safety record is very good, Mt. Polley did happen, and it did raise questions,” said Brino. She said transparency with third
Local owners Kevin Pegg (second from left), Amy Brandstetter and Peter Krause (third and second from right) join a panel discussing the importance of mining to their businesses. Chris Gareau photo
Friday-Sunday Only!
Nabob Gastown Grind Coffee see last page in A
One Flavour Only! 375 gram
party review of mine sites is how that is being done. “It has a community audit, a community validation aspect to it. There is a community panel that actually looks at the reports; all of the results are made public, they’re posted. This panel has representation from labour, bankers, community leaders, aboriginal leaders, industry people — a general representation from the public,” said Brino.
3
$
99