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Northern
www.northernsentinel.com
Volume 61 No. 14
Fisheries fines RTA for low flow
Margaret Speirs Rio Tinto Alcan has been found guilty of fisheries violations that killed salmon by decreasing the water supply to the Kemano River due to a ramping down of the Kemano power generator in response to an emergency request from BC Hydro. The company had been charged with one count each of harmful alteration of fish habitat and destruction of fish, two violations of the Federal Fisheries Act (FFA), from events at Kemano on April 14, 2011. “The event at the focal point of this case took place on 14 April 2011 when BC Hydro asked Rio Tinto Alcan to reduce water flow through the Kemano Powerhouse in order for them to undertake an emergency repair,” said Rio Tinto Alcan media relations Bryan Tucker, adding that the company had pleaded not guilty. “Rio Tinto Alcan is disappointed in the decision that was announced 5 March 2015 and we are considering our options which could include preparing to file an appeal.” With eulachon and salmon in the Kemano River, and the importance of the eulachon to the Haisla people, RTA had an agreement with the Haisla to give them eulachon priority. But in focusing on the eulachon, the salmon, weren’t considered, said judge Calvin Struyk in his written decision of judgment from the trial that took place over several days in May and October 2014. “To the defendant’s credit, it did not abandon all considerations regarding the fisheries as the Eulachon Protocol remained the priority concern and the ramp down was kept short and drastic to accommodate the eulachon spawn. It did however appear to abandon all potential mitigating measures for the salmonid fishery,” said Struyk. Continued on page 6
Trailer write-off still uncertain.
/page 3 Cullen’s tanker ban bill runs aground.
/page 7 PM477761
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
$
1.30 INCLUDES TAX
On the hunt The poor Easter eggs never had a chance. The Kitimat Kinsmen hosted their annual Easter Egg Hunt event at the Mount Elizabeth Middle Secondary School, where younger and older kids were split up in to two frenzies of treat tracking. As far as the eggs went, the fields lay bare shortly after the children touched down.
Agreement still seems far away on strike The union had been awaiting a response from the District of Kitimat regarding a new offer as of Friday. However come Sunday and the District issued a response to the community saying they can’t get the union to budge. Mayor Phil Germuth said that last Thursday a special council meeting was held to discuss the latest offer but didn’t suggest anything was a done deal with issues still outstanding. He said direction was given to the managers to prepare a response for the union. The District says through their April 5 release that on April 3 there was a sit down of the two sides. The District, they say, offered to reduce the number of summer students at the union’s request and to create more full-time positions in the summer, and a clause that would guarantee the number the number of positions. “Unfortunately, there was no negotiation or no compromise by the union. The union reprimanded the District’s representatives and asked them to leave,” read the District of Kitimat’s news re-
lease. “The Union has consistently indicated the District’s offers are not sufficient to end the current labour dispute.” The union had earlier fought back to the District’s “facts”, countering many of the city’s claims. Among the responses is that the District may have listened to the union’s concerns but the union says the District “in no way, shape or form...negotiate with us.” The union also doesn’t agree that any of their demands affect management’s rights, which is a stated issue from the District. The union’s response also emphasizes they want to maintain “our historical relationship of relative parity with RTA. We wish to finally cement that relationship in our Collective Agreement...” Speaking with the Sentinel, Unifor Business Agent Martin McIlwrath said he is also still concerned about the communication of their offers to council. He said it took 19 days for the union’s own final offer of February 25 to be presented to council.
“That’s very concerning that our people were out on the street and there weren’t decisions being made because they hadn’t even seen our offer to settle,” he said. “Maybe if council had seen our offer to settle we wouldn’t have been on strike.” However Germuth disputes that saying the communication from city managers has been good and he feels council has been informed on any offers or changes the entire time. “Staff have kept us updated at least every second day of what’s new in the negotiations,” said Germuth. “Nothing was ever hidden from us at all, it’s totally false to say that.” He said even as tweaks are made, the town still can’t move on some of the major issues that seem to be holding back an agreement. He added, “We’ve been trying to build [our] relationship right from day one and it’s unfortunate, though, when one side thinks it’s a war, that makes things a little more difficult.” Continued on page 2