Haida Gwaii Observer, December 04, 2015

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Dr. Zed’s Spending Ferry talks

Skidegate QCS lands playtime village contract page page

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Skidegate’s 15 minutes QCSS volleyball champs

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Raiders defeat Hazelton Whooping cough

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May 1, Friday,Friday, December 4, 2015

Masset pharmacy Earthquake rattles threatened with beds but fails to startle closure nerves January By Marple By Stacey Stacey Marple Haida Haida Gwaii Gwaii Observer Observer

The of Friday April 24,may be As ofearly Jan.morning 1 Masset’s only pharmacy Haida Gwaii was hit by an Earthquake of 6.1of closing its doors. The College of Pharmacists magnitude. No tsunami warnings were issued B.C. have advised all BC Telepharmacy operators after the earthquake. The epicentre of the that operations must be staffed by a registered quake was technician approximately 167first kmday south the pharmacy by the of of 2016. Village of Queen Charlotte. Without a registered technician the Masset pharSome of Haida Gwaii reported macy willresidents have to close. The pharmacy operates on objects shaking and windows rattling, but no a telepharmacy style, serious or injuries were reported. which damage are licensed As the islands of Haida Gwaii all have pharmacies that allow unique geological qualities, the effects of an for the special proearthquake can vary vision of pharmacyfrom island to island. Every community reported feeling the quake in services to residents different ways. Queen of rural communities, Charlotte Village which has a rock didn’t feel the quake as much without a base pharmacist as the residents the northern parts of Graham on site. A small of group island. Tlell and north of telepharmacy oper- is mostly a sand based area atorsand havefeels beenalmost in con-every quake that happens. Shirley Wilson of Skidegate reported tact with the College feeling the earthquake. of Pharmacists to try “I was sitting in my bed I heard and when bring sense of the the house creak.” After the initial creak she startWilliamson rocking - Alan reasoning to strictlyfelt her bed and ornaments rocking. “The and noticed swiftlyher enforce ornaments this change.rocked for a while after the quake stopped,” Ms. techniWilson told the Observer. “My Registered son and brother were profession also in theinhouse cians are a newlywho regulated Canada, didn’t feel the earthquake at of which there is a shortage all.” in B.C. Becoming Barry Pages Masset, director of the registered as aofpharmacy technician requires Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District proadvanced training from specific academic said heIn felt the quake but because was fairly grams. a letter to stakeholders fromitPharmasave short he wasn’tthe tooparent concerned. However, he Telepharmacy, pharmacy to Masset’s, added, “This is a reminder to every one to be spokesperson Alan Williamson stated that withprepared.” out a registered technician, the remote Pharmasave Earthquakeswill areclose nothing newcommunity’s to Haida curtelepharmacy and the Gwaii. The quake comes just weeks a rent level of access to safe and trustedafter pharmacy study identi ed Haida Gwaii as ground zero care, including access the medications provided, for next major seismic event on the west willthe end. coast. “The college is accountable for ensuring that recent earthquake doesn’t qualify theThis public receives safe pharmacy care.as Your the big one scientists predict, it wasprovided smaller Pharmasave telepharmacy hasas always than somewith of the aftershocks after the 7.7 localeven residents safe and responsible pharmagnitude earthquake in 2012. macy care and had been a significant contribusame weekend thatarea,” HaidaMr. Gwaii got torThe to health care in your Williamson hit by this 6.1 tremor, Nepal was devastated said in his letter. The College of Pharmacists of by a 7.8 magnitude event. and regulator body B.C. which is the licensing Earthquakes between a 6.0 and 6.9respond are of pharmacies in the province, didanot considered a strong on the scale. to an interview request by Richter press time.

“The college is accountable for ensuring that the public receives safe pharmacy care.”

Submitted photo Committee members of the Pulling Together Haida Gwaii Event demonstrate their teamwork abilities at the carving shed in the Quinn Bender photo Kay Centre. The group will be holding a fund raiser May 2. See full story on Page 3

B.C. Premier Christy Clark spends some time with the children at Chief Matthews Elementary in Old Massett, following her announcement Nov. 26 of a feasibility study to help the school receive its long awaited expansion.

Search and rescue suspended after Day 3 Partnership pushes school expansion forward By Quinn Bender Haida Gwaii Observer By Quinn Bender

Haida Gwaii Observer The search for Kumdis Ilsand resident, Brent Hendren, Elementary was suspended Chief Matthews is last weekend following one of Haida one step closer to receiving much Gwaii’s largest search and rescue needed classroom expansions and operations in more than 25 years. a new gymnasium, thanks to a rare “I know for a fact village that if council he was partnership between alive out there we would have found and the provincial government. him. There’s no chance we would Surrounded by an audience of stuhave The community dents,missed teachershim. and community memshould know Christy we did Clark everything bers, Premier made we the possibly couldattothefind him,”library said announcement school’s Nov. 26, committing province to Chris Ashurst, SAR the manager with $150,000 for a Ground feasibilitySearch study toand see Archipelago how theand project might move forward Rescue deputy unit leader with

Prince Rupert’s

“I know for a fact “The that kids if heare wasgetting alive outshortchanged there we would compared kids have foundtohim.” everywhere else.”

- Chris Ashurst - Christy Clark

before the province deepens it commitment to the $4-million budget. Massett Marine Rescue. Asked why the province decided Mr. Hendren, 27, washas last seen to involveout itself theKumdis on-reserve projrowing to inhis Island ect, typically the domain of Ottawa, the cabin rental with supplies Sunday

morning, April 18. He missed dinner plans with later that night. Premier saidfriends it was purely within the The following Tuesday Masset interest of the students. RCMP received a missing persons “The kids are getting shortchanged report, which led to the discovery compared to the kids everywhere else,” Mr. Hendren’s boat abandoned and she said. overturned southstudents of Watun Chief Mathews mustRiver share near Pure Lakegymnasium Provincial Park. a community that they “It access is strongly believed that of Brent have to only 40 per cent the drowned when his rowboat capsized time, which Ms. Clark said diminwest Kumdis Mr. Ashurst ishes of health andIsland,” fitness programs at said. “This as is well basedcompromises on information the school, the function of a school as a of gathering from witnesses, the location the capplacevessel, for larger social, culturalofand sized and the distribution his community events. personal effects along the shoreline. See 2 SeeSCHOOL SEARCH on on Page Page 2

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