Greg Engel, Tilray’s CEO, says the company is making changes to its operating model to “more efficiently” serve patients and the medical-marijuana market as it exists today. A3
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Former MP jailed iled for lying about spending pending
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Tilray announces layoffs at Duke Point operation
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The newspaper of record for Nanaimo and region since 1874 || Friday, June 26, 2015
COUNCIL DIVIDED?
Above, insets, in clockwise and in alphabetical order on each side, Nanaimo city council members Diane Brennan, Bill McKay, Wendy Pratt, Ian Thorpe, Bill Bestwick, Gord Fuller, Jerry Hong, Jim Kipp and Bill Yoachim.
City ‘running out of time’ to upgrade dams
M
ayor Bill McKay warned Thursday that Nanaimo is running out of time to upgrade the Colliery dams before the province forces the city to do so, after a Wednesday meeting on the issue was cancelled due to lack of quorum. Bill McKay and councillors Wendy Pratt, Diane Brennan and Ian Thorpe sat around the council table surrounded by six empty seats at 7 p.m. Shortly after that, the meeting was called off. The minimum number of city legislators needed to conduct city meetings is five. McKay and his three colleagues expressed frustration with the absent council members. Thorpe and Brennan accused their absent colleagues of attempting to “thwart” or “obstruct” the democratic process by purpose-
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fully not showing up. has launched an appeal on the “This I think I would describe order as well as sought a stay, or suspension, of the order. The as not functioning,” Brennan said in regards to council. outcome of the latter request will be determined by Coun. Bill Bestwick had given notice last early next month, the week he would not city says. attend because he had McKay also said he wanted council to disbusiness out of town, McKay said. Bestwick cuss conceptual designs for upgrades to the dams declined comment in an email. and possibly select an The mayor said that option in case the city’s councillors Gord Fulapplication for a stay ler, Jim Kipp and Bill on the provincial order Spencer Yoachim had indicated was dismissed by the Anderson that they would not independent environattend because “They mental appeal board. Reporting didn’t believe (the meetSome of the absent ing) was necessary.” council members fired McKay scheduled the back at the mayor, Pratt, Wednesday meeting last week Brennan and Thorpe. to hear legal advice from city Fuller said he had told council staff in relation to the province’s Monday night that he would be order on the city to upgrade the unable to attend the meeting dams for safety reasons. The city Wednesday.
Instead, Fuller brought forward a motion Monday asking the B.C. water comptroller for more time for the city to address what engineers have cited as inadequate spillway capacity in the lower Colliery dam. Fuller’s motion passed 5-3, with McKay, Pratt and Thorpe opposed. Brennan was absent for the vote. Fuller said he had talked to other city councillors who confirmed they would not attend and then posted on Facebook that the meeting would be cancelled due to lack of quorum and said the meeting. He said there was no need for the Wednesday meeting and said he was “actually glad” other council members did not show up to the meeting if a decision was going to be made on an upgrade option on the dams without all council members present. Fuller also said council is div-
New firefighter deal to cost Nanaimo $2.6M
Alberta changes up its greenhouse gas rules
A collective agreement, covering the period 2012 to the end of 2015, provides pay hikes of 2.5 per cent for each of the years covered. » Nanaimo Region, A1
The new policy leaves intact the previous government’s policy of taxing carbon based on production levels, often referred to as carbon intensity. » Nation & World, A13
Local news .................... A3-5 Markets ...............................A2 B.C. news ........................... A12
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ided between those who support two proposed options identified for the dams so far — a new labyrinth spillway estimated to cost $7.9 million or a new auxiliary spillway estimated to cost $3 million and $6 million — and those who don’t. “That’s the difficulty right now, and for the most part they aren’t going to change their opinions,” Fuller said. “I get that.” Kipp said he had asked McKay to cancel the meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday after it became clear that not enough council members would be present for the meeting to go forward. See COUNCIL, Page A3 » We want to hear from you. Send comments on this story to letters@nanaimodailynews.com. Letters must include daytime phone number and hometown.
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