Gulf Islands Real Estate INSIDE On Stage A&E coverage PAGES 13-17 GGULFULF IISLANDSSLANDS Wednesday, August 31, 2011 — YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1960 51ST YEAR ISSUE 35 $ 25 1(incl. HST) EMERGENCY Car crash sparks brush fi r e Incident points out Garner Road danger BY ELIZABETH NOLAN DRIFTWOOD STAFF Salt Spring Fire-Rescue crews were kept busy over the weekend with nine calls for assistance, including a car crash that turned into a brush fire and sent two people to hospital on Sunday night. At 9:30 p.m. the fi re station received its fourth call of the day, which sent firefighters out to the scene of a motor vehicle incident on Garner Road. According to Salt Spring PHOTO BY DERRICK LUNDY Fire Chief Tom Bremner, a DESTRUCTION: Garner Road resident Mary Burns is seen through the rear window of a burnt-out Ford Explorer that rolled onto her property and Ford Explorer had driven off ignited, along with one of Burns’ vehicles, a cedar tree and surrounding woods on Sunday night. a bank and rolled down onto another car below. The crash HST ignited a fi re involving both vehicles and then extended to the surrounding terrain. Mary Burns, who is a dis- abled resident of 161 Gar- Referendum decision ditches HST ner Rd. and the owner of the parked car, said she was not immediately aware of the sit- Local riding posts fi fth-highest turnout in B.C. uation’s severity. “I heard a bump at that BY SEAN MCINTYRE riding had the fi fth-highest participation rate in She said the referendum result is the demo- moment and I thought it DRIFTWOOD STAFF the province. Parksville-Qualicum topped the cratic choice of a people who were upset with was deer coming to my back Dawn Luker sighed with relief after Elections list with a 66.9 per cent turnout. The province- the BC Liberals’ cavalier introduction of a tax porch to eat my peas,” Burns BC announced that B.C. voters had elected to ax wide voter participation rate came in at just without prior public consultation. Whether said Monday. the province’s Harmonized Sales Tax on Friday below 54 per cent. voters’ decision to repeal the tax makes good When she went outside to morning. Although Luker, the owner of a small book- fi scal sense is another matter. shoo the deer away, Burns As a supporter of the anti-HST campaign store and stationery shop on Robinson Road, “I vote for the person whom I believe acts with didn’t find any animals but from the very beginning, Luker was thrilled to realizes the province finds itself in “a pretty the most honesty and integrity, whose beliefs did see a spark by a white learn that nearly 55 per cent of voters across the pickle,” she can’t understand why it’s going most closely mirror my own. If I fi nd they do Subaru that is not currently province sided with her choice to ditch the con- to take at least 18 months to scrap the tax, not, I do not hesitate to vote against them at the insured but parked on her troversial 12-per-cent sales tax. especially when she considers how quickly the next opportunity,” she said. “My active position property. Suddenly the spark In Saanich North and the Islands, the cam- government decided to implement it on July 1, regarding the recent HST debacle has purely to exploded into a one-foot paign to extinguish the HST received support 2010. do with these issues.” blaze. from a little more than 51 per cent of voters. “They could have assumed that it wasn’t With a voter turnout rate of 63.2 per cent, the going to go through,” Luker said on Monday. 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By Reputation, For Floor and Window Coverings Because music was such a big part of Layton’s life — he was an enthusiastic guitar, piano, Ganges Floor Coverings and harmonica player and loved impromptu jams — island Located across from the Tourist Info Centre 250 - 537- 9112 musicians joined in the tribute, including Valdy (who performed PHOTO BY DERRICK LUNDY a song for Jack he’d written that Islanders gather at the Ganges Cenotaph for the Layton memorial day for the event), Phil Vernon, on Friday. More photos on the Driftwood Facebook page. the Summer Singers and Daniel Howlett. George Ehring and Irene personal touch, relating stories NDP leader was at the Canadian Blue House Wright MCed, and were among from their many years of friend- Labour Congress convention in DENTURE CLINIC the many present who shared ship and close association. He May. When Layton told the del- memories and stories of Lay- spoke about Layton’s optimism, egates that “if we work together, ton that ranged from his time enthusiasm and energy, his we can build a Canada that we on Toronto’s City Council to his instincts for social justice, his want, a country that we know is Dan’s Back! tireless campaigning as leader of fabulous sense of humour and possible,” the place went wild. Dan Hardy Our Salt Spring offi ce is opening the federal NDP. self-deprecating wit, and above She said Layton responded, “I Pat O’Neill remembered Lay- all, Layton’s tireless work to build think you’re up for it; we’ve got R.D. in September ton from her time on North York a better Canada. to work together, roll up your Unit 202A, 338 Lower Ganges Rd City Council in the ‘70s, when he Gary Holman, the Saanich sleeves and let’s make it hap- Upper Ganges Centre was a young man with loads of North and the Islands NDP can- pen.” What we should take away hair and a big smile who helped didate in the next provincial from this evening, she added, is her break through the “old boys election, reminded the crowd of that “on Monday, it will be time Erika Colebank network.” another Salt Spring connection to put the tears away and roll up Dennis Howlett, from Ottawa, with Layton. The island’s first our sleeves.” R.D. also knew Layton from his early two buses are a direct result of The celebration ended with days in Toronto. He reminded budget provisions Layton insist- a candlelit walk through Gan- us how deeply committed Lay- ed on during the Paul Martin ges and back to the cenotaph in ton was to ending poverty, both minority Liberal government. Centennial Park. globally and in Canada, starting Mary Rowles spoke for many On Saturday, ArtSpring was from his days as a city councillor when she singled out Layton’s opened for community mem- working for the homeless. amazing capacity for friend- bers to watch the state funeral George Ehring added a more ship. The last time she saw the on the big screen together. Fight-HST gang happy with result HST ate an end to the HST that should serve as a model ings about the HST. continued from 1 takes place quickly and to decide all consumer- “It affected different reduces costs to the prov- based tax proposals not businesses in different Provincial anti-HST ince for this ill-fated mis- debated in the course of ways,” he said. campaign leader Bill take,” Vander Zalm said an election campaign. As a restaurant owner, Vander Zalm called the in a statement released Robert Steinbach, he’s happy to see it go and result a historic David on Friday afternoon. Oth- president of the Salt wants to see the province We Off er... versus Goliath victory. ers in the Fight-HST cam- Spring Chamber of Com- undertake more consul- • Complete & Partial Dentures “The B.C. government paign have suggested merce, said members of tation about potential needs to skillfully negoti- the referendum’s success his group had mixed feel- alternatives. • Implant & Overdentures • Reline & Repairs • Assistance Filling Out Insurance Forms • Friendly, Professional Service • We Do Home Visits & Care Facility Visits Contact Blue House Denture Clinic in Duncan for an appointment. 250-748-3843 www.bluehousedenture.com NANAIMO (Departure Bay) SEAPLANES More daily fl ights home from the mainland Our Islands. Our World. • 6 scheduled fl ights daily between Ganges and Vancouver Airport For scheduled fl ight info please call SEAIR • Newest, fastest and quietest Seaplane fl eet in TERMINAL AT Canada GANGES VANCOUVER • Free parking and free shuttle bus to main 1-800-447-3247 HARBOR INT’L AIRPORT YVR terminal and bus exchange or visit our website at SALT SPRING • Frequent fl yer discount ISLAND • Charter fl ights available to other destinations, including USA.