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THE FREE PRESS REGIONAL SEPTEMBER 11, 1997
Council wants cut of crooked money seized by cops
     Terrace - City Council wants to get its hands on drug money.
     The city is looking for a cut of the cash and goods seized by the RCMP that is suspected to have been earned from criminal activities.
     “Give us a cut of the booty,” says Councillor Gordon Hull. “It’s only fair.”
     Council sent a letter to the federal justice minister formally requesting a share of the confiscated goods.
     The letter points to an April 28, 1997 incident when Terrace RCMP executed a search warrant and uncovered more than $130,000, which was suspected to be from the proceeds of crime.
     Under the Narcotics Control Act, 80 to 90 per cent of that money goes to the province and the rest goes to the federal government.
                                                                             Quesnel airport gets cash
     Quesnel -The federal government handed over a whopping $1.8 million to the City of Quesnel, but nobody’s getting all that excited about it.
     Fisheries Minister David Anderson announced the funding for a safety improvement project at the Quesnel Airport.
     “The project will include resurfacing the runway, taxiway and apron, and upgrading the airfield lighting.
     Mayor Steve Wallace says the money was part of the negotiations between the city and the federal government prior to the municipal takeover of the facility.
     “We knew it would have to be done in the next 10 years or so, and we didn’t want the city to be stuck with it,” says the mayor. “As it is, we should be good for the next 20 to 25 years.”
     Mayor Wallace expects the actual construction work will be undertaken over the next couple of years.
                                                                        KML provides •business class service and support
     None goes back to the municipality.
     And council says that is not fair because the city pays for 70 per cent of the
  per capita costs of each police officer assigned to the city.
                                                                                                                                                                          “We just want our cut of the pie,” says Councillor
  Hull. “If the money going out is shared, then the money coming in should be shared.”
                                                                                                                                                                            But don’t expect the
  city to be holding garage sales full of confiscated goods. Councillor Hull says the government sells the confiscated items at
  federal auctions in the lower mainland.
     “They’ve seized halfmillion dollar homes down there,” he says.
  AUGUST 29: ITS THE END OF THE ROAD FOR IMPAIRED AND DANGEROUS DRIVERS.
 IT'S TIME FOR A MAJOR CRACKDOWN.
    The time has come for impaired and dangerous drivers to get the message. And, as of August 29, they will. That's when tough new action to stop dangerous driving on B.C. roads takes effect.
 THE CONSEQUENCES ARE THE TOUGHEST EVER.
    Most drivers know better than to drive dangerously or to drink and drive. But the repeat offender has been slower to change. Starting August 29, they will now face harsher penalties, removing them from the road for extended, or indefinite periods of time.
 WHO WILL THE NEW LAW APPLY TO?
    The new law will apply to people convicted of these motor vehicle offences under the Criminal Code of Canada:
  • Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
  • Driving with blood alcohol over the legal limit.
  • Operating a motor vehicle while impaired causing bodily harm or death.
  • Failing or refusing to submit to a breath test.
  • Manslaughter involving a motor vehicle.
  • Criminal negligence involving a motor vehicle causing death or injury.
  • Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
  • Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death or injury.
  • Failing to stop at the scene of a collision.
  GET SET FOR LIFETIME LICENCE SUSPENSIONS.
  • A first conviction of a Criminal Code offence results in a licence suspension for one year.
  • A person who has received one motor vehicle-related Criminal Code conviction in the last five years and who is convicted of another such offence which occurs on or after August 29, will receive a three-year driver's licence suspension.
  • A person with two or more such convictions in the last five years and who is convicted of another such offence which occurs on or after August 29, will receive a lifetime suspension.
  IMPORTANT DETAILS REGARDING THE NEW LEGISLATION.
  • Convictions before August 29, 1992 are not considered under the new law.
  • The new law will not change the current status of anyone's driver's licence unless they offend again nor will it alter the length of any suspensions or prohibitions currently in effect.
  • Lifetime suspensions can be reduced to 10 years if the offender successfully completes a prescribed remedial training or treatment program.
  It's all part of a major commitment by the B.C. Government and ICBC to take the danger out of driving on our roads. And it begins on August 29.
  Drivers with questions about how a previous Criminal Code conviction might affect them should call (250) 356-1940. You can be connected toll-free by calling the Enquiry BC number listed in the Blue Pages of your phone book.
 ^Road pi Sense r f
                            Tough new action to stop dangerous driving.
 ^British
 Columbia