NANAIMO REGION
NATION & WORLD
Lightning g win
Dangerous offender bid found unconstitutional
Senators repay cash but deny wrongdoing
Tampa Bay now leads Chicago 2-1 in Stanley Cup ďŹ nal
Citing a prior decision, a judge rejected an effort to jail city man Kenneth Wayne Gillespie indefinitely. A3
Prior to Senate audit, due out today, three Senators have repaid expenses flagged in the report. A7
Sports, B2
The newspaper of record for Nanaimo and region since 1874 || Tuesday, June 9, 2015
POLICE
Fentanyl risk big concern for cops There have been three overdoses on the drug in Nanaimo over the last 18 months, say city Mounties substance and has legitimate medical uses, including for pain management and anesthesia. However, its strong properties and relatively cheap cost have made the drug a popular choice among organized crime, said Sgt. Donovan Tait of the Nanaimo RCMP’s street crimes unit. On Thursday, the RCMP seized 36 grams of crack cocaine and 13 grams of Fentanyl after police observed an alleged drug deal. Two suspects were arrested. Tait said it is common to see the drug “cut� or mixed into
SPENCER ANDERSON DAILY NEWS
Nanaimo RCMP officials say they are concerned about a growing prevalence of Fentanyl in the illegal drug trade in the city, a sometimes lethal drug that is showing up on streets across the country. Fentanyl is a highly potent drug estimated to be 100 times more powerful than morphine. It is described by Health Canada as a “powerful opioid pain medicine.� The drug is a controlled
cocaine or heroin, which increases the volume that a dealer can sell. Police have seized batches of cocaine and heroin and found that the drugs contained traces of Fentanyl. Tait estimated that police have seen anywhere between 10 and 30 per cent proportion of Fentanyl in some drug seizures. “On some (drug seizures), it’s pure,� he said. “We do see it on it’s own,� Tait later added. “It is a risk for our consumers for sure.�
There have been three overdoses on the drug in Nanaimo over the last 18 months, but some other parts have the country have seen higher spikes. In the first two months of this year, 50 people in Calgary died from overdoses from Fentanyl, the CBC reported. Other jurisdictions are considering measures to help keep the drug off the street. Tait said Nanaimo RCMP have brought their concerns to the public light in an effort to protect addicts and anyone else who
might come in contact with the drug. “I’ve done drug work for a long time,â€? said Tait. “These people aren’t evil, they’re sick,â€? he said, referring to addiction. Spencer.Anderson @nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4255 Âť We want to hear from you. Send comments on this story to letters@nanaimodailynews.com. Letters must include daytime phone number and hometown.
Âť Transportation
E&N track repair costs expected to exceed $15M, states new report
Canada’s energy sector in G7 climate crosshairs Canada’s energy sector will have to transform itself to lower greenhouse gas emissions in the long term, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Monday.  Nation & World, A7
ROBERT BARRON DAILY NEWS
T
City teens earn gold at track championships Their haul, led by Fashina-Bombata’s double-gold performance, added to the 13 medals Nanaimo athletes brought back to the Harbour City.  Sports, B3
South Korea outbreak reminds some of SARS
There is a lot of sympathy for the South Koreans, facing MERS, among people who work in Toronto’s hospital and public health sectors as they recall the SARS outbreak in 2003.  Health, B1
Âť Use your smartphone to jump to our website for updates on these stories or the latest breaking news.
he cost of track improvements in the ongoing efforts to bring back passenger train service to Vancouver Island may be much more than anticipated. A report that was publicly released this week concluded that the $15 million that has been allocated for track improvements along the approximately 289-kilometre E&N corridor is probably not enough for the railway to operate in a safe manner. The report, prepared by RTC Rail Solutions, was commissioned by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the BC Safety Authority. It said the allocated funding might be good enough to fix isolated defects on the aging railway, but is “pushing the limits of safety to the extreme.� The report concluded that the track is too light for the intended speed of the train, and there isn’t enough money to cover defects. Graham Bruce, CEO of the Island Corridor Foundation which owns the E&N corridor, said the ICF recently submitted a detailed review to the ministry taking issue with some of the information in the RTC report. He said parts of the report were based on “wrong assumptions.� Bruce said the train speed of both passenger and freight trains would actually be much lower than referenced in the report. As well, Bruce said the report indicated RTC had not undertaken an on-site track inspection nor fully appreciated the incremental approach being taken to rehabilitate the track infrastructure.
Sunny High 22, Low 14 Details A2
Local news .................... A3-5 Markets ................................A2 B.C. news ............................. A6
Railway tracks in Nanaimo will require repair before passenger service can resume. [AARON HINKS/DAILY NEWS]
“There has been a tremendous amount of work and study that has been done since the findings in the report were compiled,� he said. A spokesman for the Ministry of Transportation acknowledged the ICF review was not included in the RTC’s final report, and the “discussion is ongoing� on whether the province wants to move forward with the project. But Joe Stanhope, chairman of
Editorials and letters ..... A4 Sports .................................. B2 Scoreboard ........................ B4
the Regional District of Nanaimo which committed $1 million to the project last year, said he’s not surprised by the RTC report. “I’ve taken tours on the rail line and I think the infrastructure requirements to repair it will cost a lot more than previously thought,� he said.
“I’ve taken tours on the rail line and I think the infrastructure requirements to repair it will cost a lot more than previously thought.�
Robert.Barron @nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4234
Joe Stanhope, Chairman, Regional District of Nanaimo
Classified ............................ B6 Obituaries ........................... B6 Comics ................................. B7
Crossword .......................... B5 Sudoku ................................. A2 Horoscope .......................... B7
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Nanaimo Daily News and nanaimodailynews.com reach more than 60,000 readers each week in print and online. General inquiries: 250-729-4200 | Newsroom: 250-729-4224 | To subscribe: 250-729-4266 | Copyright 2015. All rights reserved
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