KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK TUESDAY
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MARCH 31, 2015 | Volume 28 No. 39
WEATHER Clouds, showers High 10 C Low 2 C
SUN PEAKS SNOW REPORT Mid-mountain: 134 cm Alpine: 174 cm Snow phone: 250-578-7232
DECISION TIME AT CITY HALL
VICTORIA EYES BCTF’S PRO-D DAYS
Council will cut and keep today
What exactly takes place on those days?
A2
A3
HUMANRIGHTS COMPLAINT
MORE THAN ONE WAY TO FLY A KITE
Man claims city refused to hire him
The high winds and warm temperatures on the weekend made for fine kite-surfing conditions on the South Thompson River. The mercury reached a record-setting 23 C on Friday (when this surfer hit the river), followed by 18.2 C on Saturday and 19.7 on Sunday. Alas, the summer-like weather is taking a break, with Environment Canada calling for a high of only 10 C today and 12 C tomorrow and Thursday.
TIM PETRUK
STAFF REPORTER
tim@kamloopsthisweek.com
The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has agreed to hear the case of a Kamloops man who claims city officials refused to hire him for seasonal work in four consecutive winters on the grounds he hasn’t mentally “healed” following a suicide attempt in 2011. Kelly Philcox made a special application for the tribunal to hear his complaint because it wasn’t filed according to its guidelines. In the application, Philcox claims he worked as a seasonal equipment operator between November 2010 and April 2011. In June 2011, he attempted suicide, then “found support and moved on with his life,” the claim reads. “In October of 2011, in response to a city posting for the seasonal work, Mr. Philcox submitted an application, but received no response,” the claim states. See CITY, A10
DAVE EAGLES/KTW
Aberdeen Mall to retain tenant quartet FUTURE SHOP TO REOPEN AS BEST BUY; BOOTLEGGER, CLEO, RICKI’S TO REMAIN CAM FORTEMS STAFF REPORTER cam@kamloopsthisweek.com
An ominous week of corporate restructuring that threatened Aberdeen Mall with a host of closures will instead result in a rebranding of one of its major tenants and the retention of three fashion retailers. “I’m thrilled,” mall general manager Sandra Desrosiers said of Saturday’s (March 28) closure of Future Shop and its rebranding as Best Buy Canada, its parent company. “That wasn’t my immediate reaction Saturday morning because the news took me by surprise.
J.WALSH & SONS
2321 E. Trans-Canada Hwy. Kamloops Member of the FortisBC contractor program
250.372.5115
www.jwalshandsons.com
It’s fantastic for Aberdeen Mall.” The major electronics retailer is slated to reopen this weekend. Desrosiers is also confident the parent company of three popular clothing stores in the mall that has filed for bankruptcy protection in Ontario will not shutter its Bootlegger, Ricki’s and Cleo locations in the mall. Comark Inc. owns 153 Ricki’s stores, 101 Bootlegger outlets and 87 Cleo’s shops across Canada. Last week, an Ontario court granted the Mississauga-based company creditor protection as it attempts to restructure. Comark president and CEO Gerry Bachynski
Your next outdoor cooking experience is at J. Walsh & Sons
said in a statement most of the three chains will remain open during the restructuring process. The first step in restructuring will be the closure of some under-performing stores — perhaps about 50 — across the three chains in the next 30 days. Desrosiers said based on her knowledge of the stores’ performance, they are not among the bottom-dwellers for profitability. A Kamloops employee also confirmed to her the three stores will not be closed. “A credible source told me our stores are unaffected by the closure,” Desrosiers said. See KAMLOOPS, A10