THURSDAY
S I N C E
FEBRUARY 20, 2014
1 8 9 5
Vol. 119, Issue 29
105
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INCLUDING G.S.T.
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Kootenay West MLA slams Liberal budget
Tuesday’s budget filled with ‘rhetoric and slogans,’ says Conroy BY ART HARRISON Times Staff
Christy Clark's B.C. Liberal government released the 2014 budget Tuesday with Finance Minister, Mike de Jong labelling it as, “boring and balanced,” but Kootenay West MLA, Katrine Conroy has another opinion of it. “This was a budget of rhetoric and slogans,” Conroy said in an interview with the Trail Times from Victoria on Wednesday. “There is nothing in there for the families in this region. Christy Clark campaigned on the 'debt-free B.C.' slogan but they're saying themselves the provincial debt will rise to almost $70 billion in three years. They call it balanced but they're leaving a huge debt for our children and grandchildren.” Conroy referred “They raved about to increases in the SHERI REGNIER PHOTO Liberal budget to skills training David Mitchell, representing a B.C. consulting firm specializing in analyzing fire service operations, presented a detailed review Medical Service in their throne Plan rates, ICBC of regional fire services within the Kootenay Boundary Tuesday afternoon in the Greater Trail Community Centre. rates, and B.C. speech last week Ferries rates as but there’s 'hidden' taxes that nothing about it will affect working families across the in a timely fashion,” Mayor Greg Granstrom. Kootenay Boundary Regional in the budget.” Rossland mayor says coming province. said Dan Derby, regional “The City of Rossland District Fire Services Review KATRINE CONROY review didn’t answer deputy fire chief. “The con- made specific requests that that was presented by the “They raved about skills trainsultants did an excellent job started this ball rolling,” he consulting firm to the crucial questions ing in their throne speech last week but there's with factual data around our said. “We sent a resolution regional district, members nothing about it in the budget,” said Conroy. BY SHERI REGNIER response time that supports to the regional district ask- of the East End Services, Times Staff “They're looking at $109 million in cuts over why we need to do certain ing for a review of how the and a roomful of firefighters the next three years to post secondary, that's a A comprehensive review of things to ensure that every regional fire service can make Tuesday afternoon. significant decline in funding. regional fire services com- resident within our fire ser- new service more cost effectDavid Mitchell and “The premier's Jobs Plan is a failure, they missioned at the behest of the vice boundary is serviced to ive,” Granstrom continued. Associates, a B.C. company said themselves in the budget unemployment City of Rossland, concluded the best of our ability.” “Did this report answer that? specializing in fire service will increase and they're talking about a 46 that the fire department analysis, spent 17 days in the per cent cut to employment programs. I don't functions well and provides area last summer to review “I asked about efficiencies and the report says see how that's going to help our unemployed the community with sound operations and service delivto hire more people and build a new training or those struggling to find a way off of income and cost effective service. ery of the Kootenay Boundary centre. The City of Rossland paid $600,000 to assistance.” That is good news for the Regional District Fire Rescue Conroy dismissed the budget's plan to 18,000 residents living in the and its six fire halls. the regional district for fire service. Rossland increase health spending by $2.5 billion over department’s 1196-square Although the final 39 recis looking for ways to save.” three years as insufficient. kilometre fire protection ommendations have yet to GREG GRANSTROM “That amount barely maintains the health area that encompasses two be prioritized, the team hit care system, I don't think it'll even cover wage large rural areas and five on an area of significant conincreases,” she said. municipalities, because the cern regarding the recruit“There was nothing in there for mental study found that, on average, However, the study failed “Did anyone even ask how ment and retention of paid health, another one of their election promKootenay Boundary Regional to spark an action plan about we can better make use of our on-call firefighters; the need ises and nothing for the Penticton hospital or Fire Rescue (KBRFR) how to increase fire rescue resources,” Granstrom said. for a joint training centre; Dawson Creek. They ran around promising responds promptly to one efficiencies and reduce the “I say, ‘No,’ that wasn’t even consideration of entering everyone hospitals during the election but incident every seven hours. cost of the service, which was addressed.” into a mutual aid agreement there's no mention of funding any of it.” “When people dial 911 the fuel behind the $40,000 The mayor’s comments with Salmo; and clarification What Type See ofBUDGET, Illness related to to be review, according to Rossland followed an overview of the Page 3is they expect someone See COST, Page 3
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