TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016
Black Press C O M M U N I T Y
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General Excellence
EAGLE RELEASED
NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP IN VIJHL
Oceanside Generals president points to some positives after a tough season
Check out our photo page from the event Saturday
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FEDERAL GOV’T RESPONDS
Threat averted
Abandoned tugboat towed out of Deep Bay on Sunday JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com
A 100-foot abandoned tugboat has been removed from Deep Bay by federal government order, averting a potential environmental disaster that could have resulted in the loss of 60 shellfish industry jobs. “Our Coast Guard Environmental Response team has now concluded that the vessel is not sea worthy and beyond repair,” federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Hunter Tootoo said through a statement on Friday. “Therefore, it will be towed to a yard to be deconstructed.” Regional District of Nanaimo board chair and Deep Bay representative Bill Veenhof said the Silver King was towed out of Deep Bay between 5-6 a.m. on Sunday. “I’ve heard nothing about where it’s going,” Veenhof said Monday. “I’ve been told a wrecking yard. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was in Nanaimo.” Tootoo spoke about what needed to be done to the Silver King before it was deconstructed. “The vessel will be thoroughly cleaned for safety reasons and to further reduce the risk of pollution,” said the minister. “Hazardous materials such as asbestos, fuel and bilge water, as well as other potential pollutants will be removed.” MP Gord Johns toured the site last week and made a call to the ministry asking for urgent action. “We are grateful our voices have been heard by the federal government and that action is being taken, but we acknowledge that is only one example of a much larger problem threatening the environment and economy of our local communities,” Johns (NDP, Courtenay-Alberni) said Friday. See OTHER DERELICT BOATS, page A4
TONY MARKLE PHOTO
FLARING: Tony Markle shot this great photo of a male Rufous hummingbird flaring out his gorget before he attacks in Craig Bay on April 6 using his Canon 5 DSR with a 100-400 lens and a 1.4x extender.
COASTAL COMMUNITIES ORGANIZATION PASSES MOTION
AVICC calls for a review of ICF JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
The Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities (AVICC) wants a closer look at the operations and governnance of the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF). At its annual convention in Nanaimo this past weekend, the AVICC passed two motions related to the ICF. One, put forward by Langford, was to have the AVICC “work with impacted local governments and the ICF board to conduct a financial and governance review of the Island Corridor Foundation.”
The other motion called for the AVICC to “petition the Government of Canada to approve and release the $7.5 million for capital works on the Victoria to Courtenay rail line in order for work to begin as soon as possible and ensure the future of rail based freight and passenger transportation between Victoria, Courtenay and Port Alberni.” Regional District of Nanaimo chair and Bowser/Deep Bay representative Bill Veenhof said Monday the motion to petition the federal government “did not pass unanimously and there
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was a great deal of discussion.” The other motion asking for the audit did not include details about who would conduct or pay for the audit. The ICF issued a statement Monday saying it was “very pleased with the strong support for rail on Vancouver Island expressed by local government” at the AVICC convention. “The ICF and AVICC has always had a very positive relationship and we value their input”, ICF co-chair Dr. Judith Sayers said in the statement emailed to The NEWS. See ICF CHAIR, page A8
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