GRATEFUL FAMILY: Campaign is launched for accessible van, 3 SOARING HAWKS: Delta adds players and extends win streak, 29 BUS PASS
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www.delta-optimist.com The voice of Delta since 1922
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016
Police will be carrying Naloxone
Snow much fun!
IAN JACQUES
C o n t r i b u t i n g Wr i t e r
PHOTO BY STUART KIRKLAND
Stuart Kirkland had a little fun with the lawn mower in the front yard of his Marina Gardens home following Monday’s snowfall.
T2 stance unchanged: MP
Qualtrough takes heat from port opponents after tough talk in campaign SANDOR GYARMATI
s g y a r m a t i @ d e l t a - o p t i m i s t .c o m
Delta MP Carla Qualtrough says her position hasn’t changed on Terminal 2. Questions have been raised about the rookie Liberal MP’s stance after she voiced concerns during last year’s federal election campaign about the proposed
three-berth container port at Roberts Bank, which is now at the panel review stage. During an all-candidates meeting last fall, Qualtrough described T2 as a disaster waiting to happen, adding there’s no compelling business case for it. “We need a robust environmental assessment process in Canada that wouldn’t even let
this kind of discussion start happening,” she told the forum. “Under a Liberal government, we would look at the cumulative effects of all these different things and that’s not happening now.” Fast-forward a year into office and Qualtrough, the minister of sport and persons with disabilities, is being questioned by
those opposed to the container terminal project as to why she isn’t speaking up. “This government has had a year to address the industrialization of the river and estuary and has done nothing more than talk about reviewing environmental legislation,” said Against Port Expansion’s Roger Emsley. MP: see Page 3
Delta police are set to become one of the first municipal police forces in B.C. to have its frontline officers equipped with Naloxone. As health officials work to control the deadly fentanyl crisis, first responders are on the front lines seeing people dying from opioid overdoses at an alarming rate. Chief Neil Dubord said he has never seen a drug crisis like this in all his years of policing, a situation that Neil Dubord requires a strategic response that reaches beyond enforcement, education and awareness. He said the idea behind equipping officers with Naloxone spray came out of the September town hall meetings held in response to nine overdoses in South Delta on Sept. 1. All nine people survived. “I went to a police board meeting about a week after those town hall meetings and asked if we could research this idea and see how much it would cost, so that’s where it took off,” said Dubord, adding it cost $30,000 for the kits and training. Police commenced the rollout of the Naloxone protocol midNovember by training officers and staff. It’s anticipated that by next week, all identified staff will either have access to, or be personally issued, a kit.
Indeed Martha, the gang at Tsawwassen Collision sure know their stuff! Frank, the car, it feels like new! A u t o R e p a i r. G e t i t d o n e r i g h t , g e t i t d o n e f o r s a f e t y a t T s a w w a s s e n C o l l i s i o n
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17-1835 56th St. Tsawwassen (Behind Mcdonalds) www.tsawwassencollision.com