PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH
The News Official newspaper of the Save-On-Foods Oceanside Generals
Opera Company’s Big Plans B13
Furball Auction B15
www.pqbnews.com
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
B.C. Cons like the pipeline Northern Gateway pipeline project good for B.C. says John Cummins By NEIL HORNER NEWS REPORTER BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins says the Northern Gateway pipeline project is important to British Columbia and should go ahead — but that doesn’t mean he would give it blanket approval. In an interview in Parksville on Saturday, Cummins said he sees the pipeline as a good idea. “It will get British Columbian resources to the world market,” he said. “We will earn more for our resources. Those pipelines are important to the economy of Canada and of British Columbia.” John Cummins. Cummins took premier NEIL HORNER PHOTO Christy Clark to task for not expressing support for the • INSIDE: In an Northern Gateway project, interview, Cumins waiting instead to hear the results of an environmental predicts electoral review. victory. “Our view is that this is Page A4 good for British Columbia,” he said. “There is a huge number of jobs in the construction phase, and Lord knows, we can use those jobs. As well, there will be ongoing benefits to British Columbia afterwards.” However, he stressed he would like to see a negotiation to garner increased benefits for British Columbians. “We should be trying to negotiate some increased benefits from the pipeline, when possible,” he said. “I think government has to approach these projects and work with industry and let industry know it supports them, whether it be a pipeline or a mine.” SEE
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Vivien Sears (left) studies one of the first set of clues with Eva Hillborn during the weekend’s Rotary Club of Parksville AM murder mystery dinner. See page B1 for the story. BRENDA GOUGH PHOTO
School board goes online Board of School District 69 implements web-based discussion forum By AUREN RUVINSKY NEWS REPORTER The district now has a new online public forum running on their website at www.sd69.bc.ca. While response has been slow so far, the board is optimistic that as word gets out it will become a continuation of the vibrant discussions going on in the community over various school-related issues in the past year. “It’s just another form of communication, I hope it gets well used,” said trustee Julie Austin introducing the feature at the last school board meeting. They hope it will be used for ongoing constructive discussions between everyone from students and
teachers to senior management and the board, parents and the wider community in general. It has been “kick started” with a handful of hot topics like busing, budgeting and visioning and will add other topics as they come up. Four of the five member board were newly elected in November, having campaigned on a need for more transparency and open communication between the board and public. They stressed that the online forum will be in addition to any other ongoing public forums and various forms of communication, not replacing anything. Click on the ‘Online Discussion Forum’ tab on the district website at www.sd69.bc.ca to check it out. writer@pqbnews.com
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