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september 11, 2082

Anthrak Scare at McGill

Biology building evacuated because of

mysterious white powder

Roberto Rocha
The McGill Daily

MONTREAL (CUP) — The Stewart
Biology building at McGill University was
evacuated Wednesday after an anthrax scare
was reported to 911.

According to sources present at the scene,
a white envelope containing white powder
was opened in a Biology Department office
at around 2:50 p.m., when the emergency
call was received.

A biology professor who asked to remain
anonymous, and who was teaching at the
time of the evacuation, said the envelope
was opened by the secretary for graduate
studies of the Biology Department, in her
office.

Fire and police officials on the scene could
not confirm the identity of the victim, but
said that the object in question was in fact
an envelope with nothing but white powder
inside.

Chief of Operations for the Montreal Fire
Service Richard Liebmann, said that eight
people feared contaminated were kept inside
Stewart Bio until public health officials
could confirm the nature of the powder and

guarantee their safety.

“Only a couple of people are really and fire specialists kept Stewart Bio sealed
thought to have been directly exposed,” off until it was deemed safe to reopen. At
Liebmann said. “We're keeping the eight 10:30 p.m. the building was declared safe. A
inside for safety precautions. They all feel Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) technician
well, so there is no reason to take them to who spoke to The Daily on condition of
the hospital.” anonymity said that fire vehicles arrived at

According to Liebmann, a team of police the scene three minutes after the call, and

 

Parking Rates Rise,
Time Limits Don’t

By Eileen Velthuis
News Editor

The parking meter rates on the streets around
DC’s New Westminster campus have risen.

The rate changes, implemented by the City of
New Westminster on August 6, mean that parking
at a meter will now cost $1.25 per hour, up from
$1.00 per hour last semester.

The city claims that rising costs, such as the costs
of parking meter maintenance, coin collection and
parking enforcement have created a need to
increase parking meter fees. They also state that the
use of meters helps encourage parking spot
turnover, creating availability of parking. In turn,
this helps to persuade people to shop and do busi-
ness in New Westminster.

“Students can’t afford any more increases espe-
cially since tuition just went up,” said Sara
McLean, DC New Westminster campus student.

McLean brings up another valid point, men-
tioning that “Classes are two hours long, and the
parking meters only give you a two hour time
limit.”

So what about the many students who are forced
to park on the streets around Douglas College,

© page 4

since DC’s lots fill up so quickly? On Royal Avenue
for example, the parking meter time limit is two
hours, but most DC classes are two hours long.
This can make it difficult for a student who isn’t
able to get a spot in one of the College’s lots to
park, go to class and make it back to the meter
before it runs out.

While rates have gone up, time limits are not
likely to be increased any time soon according to
City of New Westminster Engineering
Department employee Ken Ross. He says that City
Council has “looked at increasing the time limits
before and they haven't shown an interest in doing
that.”

Ross disagrees with McLean's belief that there is
a need to increase the time limits and not the cost.

“Douglas College is sitting in the middle of a
commercial area, and there are other places to park
with all-day rates,” he explained.

The new fees are up for review by City Council
in November.

This is the first parking meter rate increase in
New Westminster since 1997.

the Hazmat unit two minutes after that. He
added that a SWAT team was expected at
the site for further investigation.

No one wished to comment on who the
sender of the powder might be or the
sender’s motives.

Spokesperson for the Montreal police

Lynne Labelle, said later in the evening that
the powder was probably not anthrax, but
that it would be sent to the lab for analysis
anyway. She had no information on the con-
dition of the eight people kept in the build-
ing.

For students taking classes in the build-
ing, it was a unique first day of school.
“When the fire bell rang and we left the
building, there were already all these police
cars and ambulances outside,” said Melanie
Greffard, an environmental studies student.
“Now I’m stranded. My bag is in there with
all my things, and I can’t go home. They
wont let anyone in.”

Dr. Dalius Briedis, a professor of microbi-
ology and immunology who specializes in
hazardous organisms and who was present at
the site, said that if tests turned out positive
for anthrax, the effects would not be very
severe.

“Worst case scenario, the people infected
will have to take [the antibiotic] Cipro for a
while.”

Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by
bacterial spores, made famous after several
cases sprouted in the US following Sept. 11.
Symptoms closely resemble the flu with
severe pains, although the specific symp-
toms of the pulmonary, intestinal and skin
varieties of the disease may vary. Anthrax is
readily treated by the antibiotic
ciprofloxacin (Cipro for short).

 

 

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