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Why buy a Jim Pattison Hyundai? See Page 28
www.nanaimobulletin.com
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2015
VOL. 27, NO. 62
Nanaimo man asks B.C. to end clawback I
Council approves road access into Linley Valley West subdivision BY TAMARA CUNNINGHAM THE NEWS BULLETIN
The City of Nanaimo will buy a RutherfordRoad property, as it paves the way for new access into the Linley Valley West. City politicians approved a $3-million link between Linley Valley Drive and Rutherford Road Dec. 7, after survey results showed it’s the favoured option for access into the Linley Valley West neighbourhood. There have been big changes since the municipality first envisioned a major eastwest connector through the valley, including the city purchase of parkland last year that prevents a road from going any further than the new subdivision. The park also reduces the future population of the valley, a staff report shows. While a road and intersection made sense within a larger network, at a cost of $5.6 million, it’s fairly expensive when it only provides access to the subdivision, according ROAD PROJECT cost to Dale Lindsay, city estimated at $3 director of community million, with $2.2 development, who says million from city. staff members worked with council to try to find more affordable and efficient access. Politicians unanimously chose to carve out access linking Linley Valley Drive and Rutherford Road, across from Nelson Road, purchase land and create a new roundabout, at a total cost of $3 million. The project will amount to an estimated $2.2 million for the city, with the remaining dollars coming from developers and reserve funds. The alternative was to use an existing network of roads in the area and install new traffic signals for $500,000, largely paid for by developers. Coun. Ian Thorpe called the new access to Rutherford Road a far better option, with much more direct and safer access in and out of the area.
DISABILITY PENSION reduced after wheelchair-bound father takes parental leave. BY KARL YU
THE NEWS BULLETIN
Quickfacts
NICHOLAS PESCOD/THE NEWS BULLETIN
Christmas charity
Shawn Dobson, left, and his son Connor Dobson, 5, proudly display money they are donating to Coins for Kids, the News Bulletin’s annual fundraising drive. The two raised $400 in total, with half going to Coins for Kids and the other half to Nanaimo Seniors Village Assisted Living. For more information on Coins for Kids, please see page 5. Charities such as the Salvation Army are also in need of volunteers this Christmas season. For more on that story, please see page 23.
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A Nanaimo father is imploring the B.C. government to curb clawbacks from parental leave benefits for people with disabilities. Tim Kerfoot, wheelchair bound since suffering a brain injury in 2001, is a Wal-Mart employee and was on leave after his wife Sarah gave birth to their son in April. Due to deductions, however, Kerfoot has been forced to go back to work. At a Thursday press conference with Michelle Mungall, B.C. NDP spokeswoman on social development, Kerfoot said his parental benefits have been taken back dollar for dollar. Kerfoot was collecting monthly employment insurance parental leave benefits from the federal government. He
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has to declare it to the B.C. Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation, which Mungall said, deducts that amount, “dollar for dollar, cent for cent” from disability cheques he receives every month. “Many people with disabilities in our province also rely on government support, and that’s fair. We’ve fought for those rights in our country ... unfortunately, if you are somebody with a disability who receives disability from the provincial government, they say your rights don’t apply,” said Mungall. Kerfoot said he has been paying into employment insurance benefits for more than five years. He doesn’t collect disability cheques because he wants to, he does so because he’s disabled. See ‘MINISTER’ /4
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