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RDMW to donate to wildfire relief

“Most of us know somebody involved in the fires.”
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BLACK PRESS PHOTO Widlfire aftermath in Ashcroft B.C.

The Regional District ofMount Waddington will donate $3,000 to the Red Cross for the British Columbia Wildfires Appeal.

“Most of us know somebody involved in the fires in the interior and I would like to make a motion to give some support to the Red Cross who is leading the way in this thing,” said Woss board representative Dave Rushton, at the RDMW meeting on July 18.

He cited the Lac-Mégantic train disaster in 2013 as an example of when the RDMW donated in support of the community.

At that time the RDMW donated a dollar per capita, and Rushton suggested the same be done in support of the wildfire appeal.

“It was done on the basis of the electoral area population, rounding it up it would be $3,000 - the electoral area non-First Nations population is what he did last time,” said RDMW Administrator Greg Fletcher.

Fletcher then clarified the money would have to come out of the board’s general operations budget.

Rushton added he would “like to carry that further and challenge the entire North Island to get involved.”

However, Port Hardy Coun. John Tidbury, who was sitting in for Mayor Hank Bood, raised an objection to the Red Cross.

“I’m not a fan of the Red Cross and find that the Salvation Army does just as much and are not as well advertised,” said Tilbury, continuing “I like the project I just have an objection to where the money is going.”

Chair Andrew Hory asked if Tidbury wanted to make an amendment to the motion, to which he agreed.

“I am just stating my feelings that I would like to see the money directed toward another organization,” Tidbury added.

The amendment to change the designation from the Red Cross to the Salvation Army was defeated by the board.

“I know the Red Cross is very prominent in organizing,” said Rushton.

The Canadian Red Cross has actually been contracted by the B.C. government to help provide wildfire disaster relief.

The board then voted on the original motion to donate to the Red Cross on the per capita basis, and the motion was carried.