| Ferry dumps sewage Robert Galster News Reporter rabert@nsnews.com A recent mechanical failure aboard a B.C. ferry resulted in hundreds of litres of raw sewage being dumped into Howe Sound. The Quern of Surrey, which plies the Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo route, contin- ued to operate for “several days” while B.C. Ferries officials worked to fix the problem. “When they (onboard sewage treat- ment plants} malfunction they bypass it,” said B.C. Ferries operations manager Capt. fan Mackinnon. “There is no requirement for us to have sewage plants on board.” B.C. Ferries spokesman Clay Suddaby confirmed Mackinnon’s statement. “There are no regulations,” said Suddaby. “But it’s in our interest as a com- pany operating in B.C. to take care of our environment.” To that end, Suddaby said B.C. Ferries is Working toward equipping its entire feet with sewage treatment facilities. Currently 24 of B.C. Ferries’ 40 vessels have sewage treatment equipment on board with an additional vessel -— the Ship malfunction sends raw sewage into Howe Sound Bowen Queen — currently undergoing 2 refit that will inclide the necessary cquip- ment. According to) provincial and federal environment regulations there are ne marine sewage dumping restrictions in B.C. — ver. Earlier this month a joint announce- ment by provincial and tederal ministries named 58 B.C. bodies of water that were being targeted for a pleasure craft sewage ban. While the list inciudes many bodies of tresh water. it also names a series of bays and coves trequenred by B.C. Ferries” ves- sels — particularly in the Gulf Isiands. While the regulations are aimed at plea- sure craft, a section of the Canada Shipping Act ensures compliance by all vessels, including ferries. Section 4 of the Canada Shipping Act reads: “Every owner of a ship other than a pleasure cratt shall comply with these reg ulations while in any body of water set out Pleasure Cratt Prevention schedule to the Pollugon in. the Sewage Regulations.” According to a previneial environment ministry spokesman, 2b of the 58 bodies of Water targeted for tac sewage ban may be in effect as soon a land, 1999. The remainder will come o + ling about a year Ister. “BUC. Ferries are cernainiy aware of the designation and have inuicated they will be complying with the regu.stons,” said the ministry’s Ron Driedger. According to Suddaby there are tive areas fisted In the propesed sewage 2an that would affect B.C. Ferries. “Any area where these regulations would affect us we will comply.” said Suddaby. A sewage treatment plant like the one that malfunctioned aboard the Queen of Surrey entails a three-stage process. A dry bacterial agent is added to the contents of the ship's septic tank. Next the two ingre- dients are put through an aeration system which sees the contents thoroughly mixed together. Last up, the mixture is subjected to ultraviolet radiation for sterilization purposes before being discharged over- board. Judge slaps repeat offender with jail time Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter dangelo@nsnews.com NORTH Vancouver provincial court Judge William Diebolt was not about to left Grant Smail go this time. _ Smail, 34, has a penchant for writing bad cheques when he is out of work and needs money. On Wednesday, the North Vancouser man pleaded guilty to five charges of buying more than $4,000 worth of merchandise with bad cheques. He also pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to show up for court and one charge of driving while prohibited. Crown lawyer Veda Kenda did not ask for any jail time. She wanted the emploved cook to pay back his victims with restitution. Judge Diebolt pointed aut that Smail got away with a fine in 1997 for a bad cheque, (using false pretences.) In 1996, Smail got a suspended sen- tence with nine months’ probation for using false pretences, theft under $5,000 and possessing stolen property. : “The Crown's position (of no jail) is grossly unreasonable,” said Diebolt. “IFT let you walk out of here, you may think you can get away with any- thing,” said Diebolt. Defence lawyer Myron Barr said there was no pubhe interest in jailing Smail because he committed the crimes while unemployed and after being refused welfare. “He went ona scheme to obrain living expenses,” said Barr. Barr said that Smail did not have a drug or alcohol problem. Smail was currently emploved at an international hostel near Powell River. He has a job lined up later this year in northern Alberta where he would make $350 a day working in charge of cooks at an oil field drilling camp. Biebolt sentenced Smail to five days in jail for the court no-shows “which, by the way, is about one fifth of what I’d normally give you.” The judge ordered Smail to pay $4,162.88 restitution. Smail was fined $300 for driving without a licence, an offence he has been convicted of five times previously. In addition the judge placed Smail on three years’ probation, Diebolt urged Smiail not to breach his probation. “All they have to do is bring you kack before me. | will give you the max- imum and consecutive sentence of up to a year in jail,” said Dicbolt. “Pll cell you something, you spit on the sidewalk and vou are in trouble,” added the judge. A red-faced Smail left the courtroom through the prisoner’s door, escorted by a sheriff. The balding suawberry blond man said nothing dur- ing the court proceedings. Smail had planned to go back to work today, but is in jail until Monday. The charges Smail was sentenced for in relation to writing a cheque on a closed account involved purchases of: TVs, 3 camcorder and a mini sterco system valued at more than $3,000 on Sept. 2, Sept. 4, Sept. 6 and Sept. 8 1996 at Video Only in Vancouver; Ba “global positioning unit” costing $478 from Highwater Tackle in North Vancouver on Aug. 23, 1996. He sold the item to Cash Converters in North Vancouver for $100. Wa fax machine valued ar greater than $400 from Grand & Toy in Capilano Mall on Aug. 30, 1996. Smail sold the machine for $125 to Cash Converters in North Van; @ another fax machine costing $410 from the same place two days later on Sepe. 1 1996. (This fax was recovered.) Smail_ was caught driving withour a ficence on Jan. 22, 1996 in Vancouver. (Smuail hasn’t had a licence since December 1992.) The court no-shows occurred on Aug. 8, 1997 Oct. 8, 1997 and Oct. 27,1997. Friday, June 26, 1998 — North Shore News - 3 Blue Bus deal done Robert Galster News Reporter roberr@nsnews.com WEST Vancouver’s Blue Bus employees and their management have reached a tentative contract agreement. The agreement was reached with the help of a mediator aiter months of talks between the two sides proved fruitless. Fifty-five drivers and 1] mechanics had been working without a contract for more than a vear. The mediated deal berween the nwo sides has yet ta be ratified by the members of the Amalgamated Transit Union which represents Blue Bus emplovees. The vote is scheduled for next week. “Everybody behaved just like gentlemen as we have always done,” said Blue Bus general manager Tony L:-rage, adding the company has been running transit i: Wesr Vancouver since 1913 without a sin- gle wou. stoppage or slowdown. Lorage refused to divulge the terms or length of the tentative agreement. “Both sides have agreed ... that we would not dis- cuss it with the media,” said Lorage. District of West Vancouver municipal manager Doug Allan who participated in. the negoriauons reiterated Lorage’s position saving: “we don’t bar- gain through the media.” Amalgamated Transit Union officials did not return News calls to press time Friday. one onraroage tats as 3 y . : an es pars pas ad wee a NEWS photo Terry Peters NORTH Shore fisherman are leaping for joy today as the Capilano River coho saltwater fishery opened early this morning. The Department of Fisheries is allowing coho retention from Point Atkinson to the Point Grey buoy and the Lions Gate Bridge, and is expected to open the rives itself early next week. Capil Ri open for coho fish ver mouth River expected to be opened early next week Andrew McCredie Editor andrew@nsnews.com A ritual dating back to the first human settle- ment on the North Shore kicked off in the wee hours this morning. The annual Capilano River coho saltwater tishery opened at 12:01 a.m. today. It is expected the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) will open the nver itself arly next week for coho fishing. Under the ancunced opening, fisherman can retain coho caught from Point Atkinson to the Point Grey buoy and the First Narrows Bridge. Each angler is allowed to catch owo 30 cm (12 in.) and longer coho per day. Barbless hooks must be used when fishing for salmon anywhere on the B.C. coast. Just last week it was not known whether any coho would be pulled from the North Shore estuary in fight of the DFO’s announced moratorium on all coho fishing in the province. The DFO scaled back the outright ban on coho fishing in B.C. after studying the effect partial open- ings would have on the Upper Skeena and Thompson River coho, the threatened stocks that prompted the ban. Buc fast Friday federal Fisheries and Oceans ministe> David Anderson announced partial coho fisheries in spe- cific regions of B.C. The North Shore is one of those areas. “We're going to be in very good shape in the Lower Mainland,” said Highwater Tackle owner Dave Steele. “But [ must say fve been very frustrated by the delay (in the Capilano River opening).” Steele said coho have been available in the river for the past tree weeks, but due to bureaucratic foor dragging fishermen have been denied the ability co catch the fish, It has been a source of frustration for voth him and North Shore fisherman. “They should have acted sooner for beth the business- es and fisherman on the North Shore,” he said, Steele fig- ures his Lower Lonsdale tackle shop missed our on $10,000 worth of business duc to the delay, “And there's #o reason we should have.” As of yesterday, 81 coho salmon had made it up the Capilano River hatchery’s fish Jadder. A hatchery spokesman said it is too early to determine the status of this summer’s coho run, but added that “some fisherman have told me they think ir is less than previous years,” Recreational fishermen can get area opening, and clo- sure updates by calling 666-2828 or by checking the Department of Fisherics website at hip: / Awww. pac.dfo.ca/commm /