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Canadian supermarkets driving change on seafood sustainability: Greenpeace

Canadian supermarkets driving change on seafood sustainability: Greenpeace

A new Greenpeace ranking report shows all eight of Canada’s major supermarket chains are making progress on implementing sustainability policies that will help reduce the burden on some of the most commercially popular – but unsustainably harvested – seafood species.

 

HST referendum timelines extended

HST referendum timelines extended

Acting Chief Electoral Officer Craig James has extended the timelines of the 2011 HST Referendum calendar.

“Under the authority of section 280 of the Election Act, I am issuing an Order to extend the timelines of the HST Referendum to compensate for the effects of the Canada Post labour dispute” said James. “Two key dates have been extended: the deadline to request a voting package is extended to midnight (local time) July 22, 2011; and, the close of voting is extended to 4:30 p.m. August 5, 2011.”

Council addresses highway crossing safety for children

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Grand Forks city council agreed to build a new ramp at a cost of $30,000 at Highway #3 and 25 Street allowing access to a proposed new pedestrian crosswalk.
 
Concerns brought to council about the safety of children travelling from south of the highway up to Hutton Elementary School led to a detailed report outlining options for council.

OP/ED: MLAs challenged to live on welfare rates, but decline

OP/ED: MLAs challenged to live on welfare rates, but decline

At the end of May, an anti-poverty group called Raise the Rates, which is a coalition of over 25 community groups and other organizations, challenged British Columbia’s MLAs to live on the province’s welfare rate of $610 for one month. The last increase in welfare rates was in 2007 when the housing allowance was raised from $325 per month to its current allowance of $375 per month. So far, no MLAs have taken up the challenge. 

Resource management issues top of the list for community discussions

John Cathro facilitates a community discussion about healthy forests in Grand Forks; Photo, Mona Mattei
Using open dialogue with community members in the Boundary, provincial forestry staff got feedback on new forest lands vision, policy statements and local priority issues in a recent meeting.
 
John Cathro, a consultant with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (Ministry of Forests), facilitated three-hour sessions with forestry professionals, community leaders, conservationists, academics, industry representatives and the public in Grand Forks and Midway on Jun. 21.

Understanding the native grasslands of the Boundary

Don Gayton (R) of Forrex shows students some of the native grasses of the Boundary; Photo, Andy George
Professional ecologist Don Gayton led a class of 14 on a field trip exploring the Gilpin area’s native grasslands species recently. The workshop was sponsored by Granby Wilderness Society and included both classroom and hands-on experiences.
 
Gayton instructed the class about various types of native and invasive species of grasses in the region. The in-class component on Friday, Jun. 24 brought everyone up to speed with terminology and specifications of identification. The field trip Saturday, Jun.

Park dedicated to honour former mayor of Grand Forks

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A local park was dedicated in honour of former Mayor Yusushi (Sugi) Sugimoto yesterday by current Mayor Brian Taylor. Known for holding the longest continuous tenure in office as mayor for the City of Grand Forks, Sugimoto was also an active community member and businessman.
 
In attendance at the dedication of Sugimoto Park, located on Riverside Dr. adjacent to the Granby Dental Clinic, were his son Donald with his wife Dorothy, and his daughter Susan and her husband Larry.

Improved technology for dialysis patients arrives in Grand Forks

Improved technology for dialysis patients arrives in Grand Forks

Twenty-six new Gambro Artis hemodialysis machines have been installed in community dialysis units across the Kootenays. These machines replace ageing equipment with state-of-the-art technology that makes dialysis more flexible and more efficient. This $750,000 investment in patient care is funded by the Ministry of Health through the BC Renal Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority.

Cpl. Voisine dies in tragic diving accident

Cpl. Voisine dies in tragic diving accident

Cpl. Paul Voisine died in a recreational scuba diving accident last week. Voisine,along with five other divers was at the artificial reef near Snake Island off Vancouver Island and was off-duty at the time.

During the dive Cpl. Voisine was located unconscious on the deck of the sunken vessel, HMCS Saskatchewan. Immediate efforts were undertaken to assist him with his breathing and once on the surface first aid was administered. Cpl. Voisine never regained consciousness despite numerous attempts by emergency personnel to revive him. An autopsy has been scheduled.

Four men arrested for sexually assaulting young girls

Four men arrested for sexually assaulting young girls

Four Nelson men have been charged with sexual interference in four separate cases involving girls as young as 12, according to Nelson Police Department Sgt. Paul Burkart.

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