Eye Opener: 2016 film series debuts with a look at ‘Life Off Grid’
LIVING, Page 15
British Columbia prison, 1898: when doing ‘hard time’ meant just that WEDNESDAY
A&E Pag A&E, Page ge 12
LMG WINS LEAGUE /21
Serving the Cowichan Valley
www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
◆ TRANSIT
Strike could take buses off the road Monday JAMES GOLDIE CITIZEN
Families camp outside École Mt. Prevost on Sunday, waiting for their chance to register their children Monday morning in the kindergarten at the French immersion school. [LEXI BAINAS/CITIZEN]
Parents camp out for scarce French immersion spots LEXI BAINAS CITIZEN
Janice Hickey and Candace Elliott were the first to arrive at École Mt Prevost, settling into their chairs and blankets by the front door at 11:30 p.m. Saturday
night, Jan. 24. They were the vanguard of a group of parents eager to be at the front of the line to get their children into the Cowichan Valley school district’s popular French immersion program.
A startled security guard, who arrived at 3 a.m. on Sunday on his rounds, tried to shoo them away, claiming they were on private property, they said. See CHILLY NIGHTS, Page 11
Cowichan Valley Transit Workers are poised to go on strike next week depending on the outcome of two final days of negotiations with their employer, First Canada, which provides transit services around the Cowichan Valley and to the City of Victoria. Stu Shields, national representative for Unifor, the union representing the workers, stated that the employees have been without a contract since March 2015, although hard bargaining has only been going for the past two months. The union has voted 100 per cent in favour of a strike unless First Canada takes its current demands off the table. “We were perfectly ready to issue our strike notice last week but based on the talks we said we’ll withhold doing that…because in good faith we think we might be able to strike
a deal this week,” said Shields. “We’re hopeful that when we get together Thursday there will be a framework for a deal, in which case we won’t serve 72 hours.” A strike would affect all routes within the Cowichan Valley as well as the commuter bus to Victoria. The union is looking for a settlement that mirrors the agreement reached between BC Transit and the City of Victoria last August. Shields said while they are not seeking the same dollars per hour as Victoria, but they do want the same raise percentages and premiums that Victoria achieved. “We can tweak all that so it fits within the scope of their budget. But if [First Canada] think they’re getting a cheaper settlement than Victoria got then get ready to be taken out,” said Shields. See DRIVERS’ UNION, Page 10
Dental Care in the Valley for over 20 Years. Island Dental Health Centre Dr. Randy Koniuk Dr. Scott Stewart Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm • Wednesday 8:00 am – 6:30 pm
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