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MERRITT HERALD FREE
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS
Anti-biosolids group considers recall petition By Michael Potestio THE HERALD
reporter@merrittherald.com
Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart could be ousted from the provincial legislature if she doesn’t attempt to stop the importation of biosolids to the Nicola Valley, the anti-biosolids group Friends of the Nicola Valley says. The group issued a press release demanding “that Ms. Tegart start doing something to stop it, or else face a recall� on Sunday and marched to Tegart’s Merritt constituency office on Tuesday. Tegart was in Victoria at the time. Friends of the Nicola Valley spokesperson Georgia Clement said Tegart has one week to meet with the group before it begins a recall campaign. For a recall to take place, a petitioner must collect signatures from more than 40 per cent of registered voters who were registered in the last provincial election from the Fraser-Nicola riding in a two-month window. According to Elections BC, only an individual who is a registered voter can begin a recall campaign. A group or organization cannot do so. No specific reason is required for wanting to remove an MLA from office in the middle of his or her term. The subsequent byelection could cost taxpayers about $500,000, Elections BC communications manager Don Main told the Herald. B.C. is the only province in Canada that has recall legislation, and since it came
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First Nation drummers were part of a march down Highway 8 to MLA Jackie Tegart’s office on Tuesday to protest the importation of biosolids to the Nicola Valley. Protesters gathered outside Tegart’s office to end their march from the road blockade in Shulus. The march was dedicated to longtime Merrittonian and fellow biosolids protester Millie Mitchell. Protest group Friends of the Nicola Valley is calling for Tegart to attempt to stop the importation of biosolids and meet with the group or else face a recall campaign. Michael Potestio/Herald
into effect in 1995, there have been 24 recall petitions approved, of which none resulted in a recall. There are approximately 21,000 eligible voters in Fraser-Nicola. Clement said Tegart doesn’t have to side with anyone, but must listen to her constituents. “If she wants to do the job that she’s elected to do, she should at least come and talk with us and come to some solutions,� Clement said. Protesters from Friends of the Nicola Valley and area First Nations started their march from their
Highway 8 road block in Shulus. The blockade has been in place for more than a month, and was set up to stop any trucks carrying biosolids — the byproduct of sewage treated at water treatment plants that is turned into fertilizer — headed to a BioCentral compost facility in Lower Nicola. Friends of the Nicola Valley believes the legislation concerning biosolids land application lacks transparency and inspection. They are upset there was no public consultation when the company set up its compost
facility the Nicola Valley and subsequently applied to spread biosolids on a nearby property. Protesters want Tegart to propose an overhaul of the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation — the provincial rules which govern biosolids — and impose a moratorium on bringing biosolids into the Nicola Valley until it is proven safe. Last month, BioCentral instituted a self-imposed moratorium on trucking biosolids to its Lower Nicola facility so that the Ministry of Environment and area First Nations can discuss solutions to the issue.
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However, no new meetings have taken place as of yet. Clement said Tegart hasn’t done anything substantial to address the concerns of her constituents against biosolids. Approximately 75 people gathered outside the MLA’s office to hear speeches from Thompson-Nicola Regional District directors Randy Murray and Herb Graham as well as Lower Nicola Band Chief Aaron Sam. Area M director Randy Murray called the science on biosolids outdated and the regulations surrounding it inadequate, saying the long-
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term impacts of using the waste product are unknown. “We have to look at this from a precautionary principal lens,� Murray said. Graham told protesters outside Tegart’s office that the MLA needs to come to the forefront and listen to her constituents. The protest was also held as a memorial to Merritt resident Millie Mitchell, who died last month of a sudden accident when she went looking for a rumoured biosolids dump site near Murray Lake. Tegart was unavailable for comment as of the Herald’s press deadline.
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