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Lake Babine signs LNG deal By Alicia Bridges Black Press
BARREL Race
Jackie Lieuwen/Houston Today
Candie Moore circles a barrel at the May Days Rodeo last weekend. Now a resident of Alberta, Moore came back to Houston for the rodeo and summer. Four Seasons parked was packed all weekend with competitors from Terrace to Prince George. See page 10 for more on May Days Rodeo.
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The Lake Babine Nation has signed an agreement with the B.C. Government to receive economic benefits from TransCanada’s proposed Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline project. If the project goes ahead the First Nation will receive payments totalling about $3.56 million, including $324,000 when the agreement takes effect. The rest would be provided in stages, with $1.62 million when construction began and $1.62 million when the pipeline started operating. The Lake Babine Nation, which is about 142 miles west of Prince George, would also be entitled to a share of $10 million annually for First Nations along the pipeline route. Agreements have already been signed
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“A share of $10 million annually for First Nations along the pipeline route.”
with First Nations leaders in Gitanyow, Kitselas and Nisga’a. Chief Wilf Adam said the project met the Lake Babine Nation’s conditions for consent. “It can be built in a way that is safe for our territory and resources; it has been developed and will be built with our meaningful involvement; and it will bring significant economic benefits to our people,” said Adam. See LNG on Page 2
Closing doctor clinic will strain emergency department By Alicia Bridges Black Press
The only walkin medical clinic in Smithers will stop taking drop-in patients on July 1, and the doctor expects an influx of patients at the local hospital emergency room after the change.
The Bulkley Valley Outpatient Walk-In Clinic announced last week it would stop taking walk-in clients when it transitions to a family practice on July 1. Owner and general practitioner Wouter Morkel said he has been seeing between 40 to 50 people a day
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“Waiting lists for family doctors are long.”
at his Main Street medical centre. He says he is changing the practice because he needs to reduce his workload
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due to changes in his family dynamic. “I have a little baby,” Dr. Morkel said. “I’ve been running
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the clinic by myself for a year and I’m just seeing too many patients … I have to limit the amount of patients that I see on a daily basis so the only way to do that is to only see my patients.” Morkel says cutting back to between 30 and 35 appointments per day would also
enable him to provide a better level of care for his clients. He said the change will put pressure on the local hospital emergency room but he believes it will cope. “I think it is going to put some strain on our emergency department but the hospital is aware of
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the changes so they are expecting a little bit of an influx,” he said. “I think the emergency department should be able to cope.” Morkel’s clinic is the only place in Smithers that takes patients without appointments. See DOC on Page 3
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