THURSDAYJANUARY 14, 2016
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EXTREME HUNTRESS
ROBBIE BURNS WILL GET HIS DAY
Nanoose Bay woman wins reality show title in Texas
Legions in Parksville and Qualicum Beach prepare to honour the Scottish poet
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ELECTION HELD MONDAY
New chief in Nanoose Brent Edwards wins; David Bob finishes 2nd CANDACE WU news@pqbnews.com
Snaw-naw-as (Nanoose First Nation) elected a new chief and council on Monday. With 57 votes, councillor Brent Edwards ousted former chief David Bob, who received just 31 votes. Bob had won five elections in the past, serving as chief for 10 years. Five candidates ran for chief this year including: Katie Bob-Sampson (14 votes), Leroy Bob (10 votes) and Brian Bob (2 votes). Three votes were spoiled. Brent Edwards, Christopher Bob, Gordon Edwards and Lawrence Mitchell were elected as councillors. Twelve people ran for four council seats. As Brent Edwards won both the chief position and a council seat, he will serve in both positions unless he decides to resign from one at which time a by-election will ensue. In total, 117 ballots were cast in the election. Voters cast their ballots at the Nanoose First Nation Community Hall in Lantzville Monday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. According to Aboriginal Affairs, Snaw-nawas has a total registered population of 252 people as of December. Snaw-naw-as holds elections every two years. According to the Snaw-naw-as website, the political role of chief and council is to represent their members’ interests, to be advocates and to have an open personal and professional working relationship with all members. As leaders, chief and council become advocates for community needs and concerns, meaning they sometimes have to lobby or negotiate agreements with other levels of government or participate in regional and/or provincial meetings.
AUREN RUVINSKY PHOTO
This town-owned house near the museum may be the new Qualicum Beach home of refugees from Syria.
TOWN CO-ORDINATING EFFORTS WITH ANGLICAN CHURCH
QB offers home for Syrians AUREN RUVINSKY
writer@pqbnews.com
Qualicum Beach may get a family of Syrian refugees. Chief Administrative Officer Daniel Sailland confirmed at Monday’s council meeting that they are looking at housing a refugee family in a townowned house on Sunningdale Road, near the museum. After the refugee crisis hit the news in September council unanimously approved a motion that council “for-
mally confirms its support for efforts to bring a Syrian family or refugee family to Qualicum Beach and to assist the family starting a new life in our community.” Mayor Teunis Westbroek made the motion after he and Coun. Anne Skipsey happened to attend a meeting about welcoming immigrants, that as he said “not surprisingly, dealt with the refugee crisis and how we can help.” Sailland later told The NEWS staff
he was looking into what efforts were already underway. “It takes a lot of energy to create a channel, it might be best to support existing efforts,” he said in September. This week he told council that while staff was looking into the details and co-ordinating with St. Marks Anglican Church and Tony Davis, the regional refugee coordinator for the Anglican Diocese, they realized the house recently vacated by the Family Resource Association (consolidating in Parksville) See TOWN HALL MEETING, page A9
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