PRINCE RUPERT VOL. 10 NO. 31
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
FREE
Fishing season set to be one of the worst yet
SLAP OF SILENCE
Less than one million sockeye projected
Feature Heart of our city: Norm Craddock Page A5
BY KEVIN CAMPBELL PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View
It might have been a first for Prince Rupert council chambers. The 1984 comedic film ‘Ghostbusters’ was referenced by Coun. Joy Thorkelson at the last council meeting in July, but the councillor’s message was anything but funny. “[The ocean has] had a growth - Joy Thorkelson of algae that’s created a slime. If anyone has seen ‘Ghostbusters’, they’ll know ectoplasm. That’s what the slime is like – ectoplasm,” said the councillor.
“Very few people ... are going to have enough hours to get unemployment insurance.”
News Communities share $6.4 million Page A4 Shaun Thomas / The Northern View
Martina Perry looks on as Heather MacRae prepares to silence Chrys Thompson with a solid slap during a rehearsal of Interrogation, one of seven shows that comprise Udderfest 2015. Udderfest begins tonight and carries on through Sunday at the Tom Rooney Playhouse.
See SALMON on Page A2
Gitxaala want mining firm to leave Banks Island Band planning legal action following pollution spill
Business On-shore radar coming to port Page A10
Sports Special Olympics seeks volunteers Page A11
DRO E B 5 Front view
OM OM H
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BY SHAUN THOMAS PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View
The Gitxaala Nation is demanding that Banks Island Gold clean up the environmental damage from their mine and “leave Banks Island permanently”. Chief Clarence Innis said regardless of the measures taken by the company, the Gitxaala no longer want Banks Island Gold in their territories. “The Gitxaala People have no confidence in this company. They have contaminated one of the most important food gathering areas within Gitxaala’s traditional territory,” he said. “They need to clean up and get out.” As well as taking aim at the company, Innis said the provincial government needs to be accountable for the recent spill at the site.
306 Spruce Street, Port Edward
$387,500.00
“The Gitxaala people have no confidence in this company.” -Chief Clarence Innis “There has been a lack of environmental assessment and oversight and inadequate consultation with the Gitxaala Nation,” he said. “We demand the Province of B.C. treat this situation as seriously as Mt. Polley. There should be zero tolerance for these violations.” Innis said the next step for the band is to launch legal action again both Banks Island Gold and the provincial government to ensure
the damage is cleaned up and the habitat is restored. At the same time, the band has launched an environmental assessment of its own to support the legal action. For its part, the company says the pollution abatement order is related to a June 25 spill of water and sedimentation in a location where backfilling was taking place. While toxicity testing showed 100 per cent survival of Rainbow Trout in the area, the spill is estimated to be 240 m3 of water containing one tonne of solids. As well as that spill, Banks Island Gold says sedimentation containing drill cutting also entered two small waterbodies in the Discovery Zone. Since receiving the order, backfilling at the site of the spill has been stopped while Tel Mine, which has space available for six months of production, was prepared for backfilling. See GOLD on Page A3
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