S yy Shib issue: (¥Y Modern family (¥ J-Pod orcas growing in numbers And more! (Y BC seeking influx of measles vaccination Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Angela Espinoza, News Editor Mi news@theotherpress.ca www.theotherpress.ca New Westminster Environmental Partners tackle upcoming transit referendum » Local concerns voiced to New West Mayor Jonathan Cote Mercedes Deutscher Staff Writer n February u, the New Westminster Environmental Partners (NWEP) held a meeting to discuss ideas and implications of the upcoming Transit and Transportation Referendum. New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Cote was in attendance to represent the Mayors’ Council. NWEP organizational spokesperson Virginia Ayers explained that transportation is one of the most important environmental issues within New Westminster—along with waste, energy, and food—so spreading information about the referendum is considered critical. “I see this as a wonderful opportunity,” Ayers said. “It created so much active citizenship in the last two months that we have an opportunity to meet more people who care about transportation. We’ve heard more ideas.” Earlier that day, TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis reportedly : resigned from his position and : would be replaced by interim : CEO Doug Allen. : Members of NWEP expressed : that in addition to anew :; CEO, they wished for further : accountability of TransLink. : While some were relieved that ; money raised by the potential : Metro Vancouver Congestion : Improvement Tax would be : going directly to the Mayors’ : Council, there were also : concerns regarding how audits : would be performed. Other NWEP members hope that the referendum will result Westminster, particularly in : areas close to the Patullo and : Alex Fraser bridges. Some fear : that the potential of adding a toll to Patullo bridge will : result in fewer people using : it, which in turn will add to traffic congestion in the : Queensborough area. As well, : Queensborough residents : voiced concerns that the : addition of a new bus depot : along the border of New : Westminster and Richmond : will result in sharp increases : to bus traffic in the area, which : is considered to be filled to : capacity during peak hours. While many of the members : say that they plan to vote “Yes” : in the referendum, others have : decided to vote “No,” with some : : remaining undecided. : : Dylan Jones describes himself : : as undecided, but says that he is : : feels that he may vote “No”. “] find it is a very uninspired : plan for the financing,” Jones : explained. Jones used examples : of transportation systems in : Toronto and in Gothenberg, Image from The Vancouver Board of Trade via Facebook : Sweden, and how they used : green bonds—a bond that : develops areas with low levels : of industrial pollution—to save : 4 : money. in less traffic congestion In New : ¥ Jones also mentioned that : TransLink is the best-funded : transportation agency in : Canada, and how cutting down : on excessive operating costs : may save the money that the : project needs. “T believe at best, they’re : [TransLink] incompetent, and : at worst, they’re corrupt,” said : Jones. Mayor Cote explained that 52 per cent of New Westminster : residents placed transportation : as the top development priority : in the city. Cote stated that : residency south of the Fraser : River continues to grow, and : that many people will commute : through New Westminster to : reach their jobs in Vancouver. Cote assured that TransLink : will be regularly audited by an independent party to help ensure that tax funding will : be going towards the right : projects. He urged voters to not : view this tax as a TransLink tax, : but instead as a transportation : development tax. “If our region doesn’t invest : ina functioning transportation : system, Metro Vancouver : will come to be known asa : region where you cannot get : from point-A to point-B, and : businesses ... will choose to : locate outside of Vancouver.” Cote also stated that the City : of New Westminster is in the : process of planning a town : hall meeting to further hear : residents’ concerns and to help : improve voter accessibility, : and encourages students and : those living in low-income : households to vote. Sun News Network goes off the air » Toronto-based channel was nicknamed ‘Fox News North’ Angela Espinoza y News Editor | Mi news @theotherpress.ca n February 13, Toronto- based Sun News Network shut down operations after four years. Sun News Network was notorious for its news style, with many labelling the station “Fox News North.” The announcement of its end came just one day before on February 12. The channel began on April 18, 2011 as an alternative, more conservative news outlet compared to Canada’s other news stations. Sun News was also known : for stirring controversy due : to its style, with one of its : most well-known on-air : exchanges featuring reporter : Krista Erickson questioning : Quebec dancer Margie Gillis : about funding for her career : in the arts. The interview : reportedly garnered over 6,600 : complaints to the Canadian : Broadcast Standards Council, : who otherwise only hear of an : average 2,000 complaints a year. Another well-known : controversy from Sun News : occurred last September, when : reporter Ezra Levant criticized : Justin Trudeau and his parents. : Amongst other things, Levant : labeled Justin’s father and : former Prime Minister Pierre : Trudeau a “slut” and stated : his mother Margaret “wasn’t : much different.” After Justin : boycotted the station, Sun : News eventually made a public : apology. The loss of the network : has reportedly left roughly : 200 people without jobs. CBC : reported that Sun News’ end : was due to an unsuccessful bid : with the CRTC to playa role : in “basic cable packages.” Sun : News reportedly had difficulty : in securing funding for the : station, but despite searching, : Sun News could no longer afford : : never reached Fox News heights : : to stay on the air. Julie Tremblay, President and CEO of Sun Media : Corporation, told CBC, “This : isan unfortunate outcome; : shutting down Sun News was : certainly not our goal.” Sun News however : consistently held limited : viewing, and despite being : “available to 5.1 million : households,” CBC stated the : channel only averaged 8,000 : views. In an opinionated article : by the Toronto Star published : on the same day as the station’s : end, writer Vinay Menon : compared Sun News to Fox : : News—both unfavourably—and : : 13, Levant stated, “I feel suggested Sun News's ratings : due to being less flashy. “Splashy : : graphics, screaming crawls, : polished gabbers, huge budgets, : veteran producers, militaristic : sound effects, on-air brands that : are leveraged across multiple : platforms, all of this transcends : ideology and can garner big : ratings,” wrote Menon. As suggested by Menon and : other media outlets, Sun News : likely would not have received : funding without higher ratings : numbers. Whatever reason for : Sun News’ overall low ratings, : many have voiced their dismay : with the network’s closure. In an interview with the National Post on February sentimental and grateful. It was a great adventure. I felt like the : freest journalist in Canada.”