Rea re-elected Ferry talks
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Skidegate’s 15 minutes Cullen on Paris
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Breakfast with Santa Whooping cough
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Friday, May18, 1, 2015 Friday, December
Public places Earthquake rattles bylaw moving beds but fails to startle despite nerves forward low participation By Stacey Marple Haida Gwaii Observer
The early morning of Friday April 24, By Stacey Haida Gwaii Marple was hit by an Earthquake of 6.1 Haida Gwaii Observer magnitude. No tsunami warnings were issued after the earthquake. The epicentre of the The Village of Queen Charlotte heldof the quake was approximately 167 km south their regular council meeting at a larger Village of Queen Charlotte. facility the hopes a large partreported of the Somein residents of Haida Gwaii community would attend to discuss the no objects shaking and windows rattling, but proposed Community Public Places serious damage or injuries were reported. bylaw. The village did not seeall thehave crowd As the islands of Haida Gwaii that they had unique geological qualities, the effects of an hopped for,can butvary from island to island. earthquake Mayor Greg Every community reported feeling the quake in Martin remaindifferentisways. Queen Charlotte Village which ing haspositive, a rock base didn’t feel the quake as much saying there is of nothe northern parts of Graham as the residents hurry to complete island. Tlell and north is mostly a sand based the areabylaw. and feels almost every quake that happens. - Greg Martin “We need it done Shirley Wilson of Skidegate reported by grad season,” feeling the earthquake. “I was sitting in my Mr. bed Martin when I heard the house creak.” After explained to theshe felt her bed start rocking the initial creak small crowd.her ornaments rocking. “The and noticed The proposed ornaments rocked for a while after the quake bylaw wasMs. initistopped,” Wilson told the Observer. “My ated after a youth son and brother who were also in the house party didn’thad feelgotten the earthquake at all.” outBarry of hand at of Masset, director of the Pages Haydn Turner in the spring District of this Skeena-Queen Park Charlotte Regional year. The RCMP had reached out to vilsaid he felt the quake but because it was fairly lage asking a bylaw that couldhe shortstaff he wasn’t toofor concerned. However, assist public areas. added,them “Thisinispolicing a reminder to every one to be “Before we take it to second reading in prepared.” theEarthquakes new year we havenew another public arewill nothing to Haida consultation,” said Mr. Martin. Gwaii. The quake comes just weeks after a Village CAO Lori Wiedeman explained study identi ed Haida Gwaii as ground zero that the bylaw will be enforced herself, for the next major seismic event onbythe west the public works superintendent and the coast. RCMP. This recent earthquake doesn’t qualify as “There arescientists some areas of the that the big one predict, as itbylaw was smaller are covered under the criminal code,” Ms. than even some of the aftershocks after the 7.7 Wiedeman said. magnitude earthquake in 2012. Even though the bylaw duplicates The same weekend that Haida Gwaii some got of the criminal code, it gives the RCMP hit by this 6.1 tremor, Nepal was devastated another to pursue by a 7.8 avenue magnitude event. with youth that isn’t criminal in nature. Earthquakes between a 6.0 and a 6.9 are on Page 3 considered a strong onSee the PARTY Richter scale.
“We need it done by grad season.”
Stacey Marple photo Submitted photo Committee members of the Pulling Together Haida Gwaii Event demonstrate their teamwork abilities at the carving shed in the Kay Centre. The group will be holding a fund raiser May 2. See full story on Page 3
Smiles and cheer were in the air at the Christmas gift fair in Queen Charlotte Dec. 12.
Call renewed for more federal ferry Search and rescue suspended after support Day 3
Nathan Cullen joins six MPs demanding expansion of building fund morning, April 18. He missed dinner By Quinn Bender
Haida Gwaii Observer By Quinn Bender Haida Gwaii Observer The search for Kumdis Ilsand resident, BrentCullen Hendren, suspended Nathan is was renewing his last weekend following one Haida pre-election call for the offederal Gwaii’s largest search and rescue government to offer more help with operations in more than 25 years. B.C.’s beleaguered ferry system. know to forthe a fact if he was In“Ia letter new that Infrastructure alive out there we would have M i n i s t e r, A m a r j e e t S o h i found , the him. There’s no Valley chanceMP we and would Skeena-Bulkley six have him.Vancouver The community other missed MPs from Island should know wecriteria did everything we are asking that for the New possibly could to find him,” said Building Canada Fund be extended Chris Ashurst, SAR manager to allow BC Ferries to applywith for Archipelago Ground Search and critical funding for infrastructure, Rescue and deputy unit leader with
Prince Rupert’s
“I know for a fact “British that if heColumbia’s was alive ferry system is a out there we would critical transportation have found him.” link...” - Chris Ashurst
Massett Marine Rescue. terminal upgrades27, andwas newlast vessels. Mr. Hendren, seen Their hope is the injection cash rowing out to his Kumdis of Island would relieve BC Ferries of the cabin rental with supplies Sunday
plans withpressure friends to later that night. financial increase fares The following Tuesday Masset and reduce sailings. RCMP a missing governpersons Underreceived the Conservative report, which led to the discovery ment the Fund was not available to Mr. Hendren’s boat abandoned and BC Ferries. overturned south of Watun River “British Columbia’s ferry system near Pure Lake Provincial Park. is a critical transportation link for “It is strongly believed Brent moving goods and people that in coastal drowned when his rowboat capsized and remote communities and … we west of Kumdis Island,”ferry Mr. Ashurst believe that the coastal system said. “This is based on information should be regarded in the same way from witnesses, the location of the capas other key transportation links like sized vessel, and the distribution of his roads and bridges,” the MPs wrote. personal effects along the shoreline. See FERRIES on Page 2 See SEARCH on Page 2
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