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January 21, 2016
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100milefreepress.net
New Year’s baby has arrived New Year’s baby from 1986 has New Year’s baby daughter in 2016
Gaven Crites Free Press
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Ayla Racine is 100 Mile House’s 2016 New Year’s baby. She was born six pounds, seven ounces and 19 and 3/4 inches on Jan. 13 Parents Adam and Kassandra Racine reside in Forest Grove. Kassandra is a nurse at 100 Mile District General Hospital, where Ayla was born at 8:52 a.m. Adam is a heavy duty mechanic at Gibraltar Mine. The couple has a five-year-old son, Coby, who attends kindergarten at 100 Mile House Elementary School. Kassandra thanked the great staff in 100 Mile House for the great care the family received. “We are so happy that we were able to have our daughter here in 100 Mile House in our hospital in our own community. It was a surprise as we didn’t find out what we where having. Adam was thinking girl, our son was thinking boy, and I was completely unsure. We are overjoyed by her addition into the family. The grandparents were stating, not so much guessing, it would be a girl, so they are all over the moon.” Coby is very excited his baby sister has finally arrived too, and he’s already a big help, Kassandra adds. “He is a very proud big brother to his little sister. After she was born, he had to take a picture and head
Gaven Crites photo
Parents Adam and Kassandra Racine and big brother, Coby, welcomed 100 Mile House’s New Year’s baby Ayla to the family at 100 Mile District General Hospital on Jan. 13.
to his class to introduce the teacher and class to his sister.” The couple moved from Logan
Lake to Forest Grove in 2007. Interestingly, Adam was also a New Year’s baby. He was the first
baby born in the Logan Lake/ Kamloops area in 1986.
Supreme Court to hear union appeal
government stripped the teachers’ collective agreement by legislation, BCTF president Jim Iker says. “In 2011, the BCTF won at the BC Supreme When the Supreme Court of Canada decided it Court when that legislation was declared unconstiwould hear the British Columbia Teachers’ tutional. That decision was never appealed. Federation’s (BCTF) appeal of last year’s However, the government enacted another decision by the BC Court of Appeal on piece of legislation that was substantially Jan. 14, it gave the teachers union one similar in 2012, which we again challenged more opportunity to have staffing levels in court. reinstated. “In 2014, there was a new decision at the The country’s high court will hear BC Supreme Court that ordered restoraunion’s appeal of last year’s decision by the tion of the stripped language. In 2015, the MURRAY BC Court of Appeal, which ruled the B.C. BC Court of Appeal overturned the 2014 HELMER Liberal government didn’t violate bargaindecision, but that ruling did not affect ing rights with its 2002 legislation that teacher’s bargaining rights won back in changed class size and special needs support in 2011.” public schools. Education Minister Mike Bernier released a This ongoing case dates back to 2002 when the statement in response to the Supreme Court of Ken Alexander Free Press
Canada’s decision, which, in part, read: “We’ve always said that the BCTF’s application to have their case heard in the Supreme Court of Canada is part of the democratic process. We are confident in our legal position and appreciate any further guidance the court may provide.” Cariboo Chilcotin Teachers’ Association (CCTA) president Murray Helmer looked at the parallel between this decision and the legal road the British Columbia Nurses’ Union (BCNU) travelled. “Historically, when the nurses did their own appeal of the similar contract gutting by the government, it was upheld in the BC Supreme Court and then was overturned in the BC Court of Appeal.” Continued on A4