The news affecting B.C. in 2012 sometimes seemed too bizarre to be believed. Here’s a tongue-in-cheek holiday news quiz compiled by Black Press reporter Jeff Nagel.
1. Which invasive species did NOT give Lower Mainland authorities concern in 2012:
A. Skin-burning giant hogweed
B. Walking, gobbling snakehead fish
C. Concrete-busting Japanese knotweed
D. Lake-clogging zebra mussels
2. Justice Bruce Cohen’s inquiry found no single culprit for the decline of Fraser River sockeye salmon, but he did call for measures to reduce the risks from:
A. Ocean-based fish farms
B. First Nations poaching
C. Sewage pollution from Metro Vancouver and Victoria
D. Predatory fish like barracuda migrating further north
3. BC Lottery Corp. pushed for reforms allowing:
A. 1,000% increase in online betting limits
B. Single-event sports betting
C. Betting your car at B.C. casinos
D. Betting on elections, wars and which religion is best
4. Fraser Health embarked on an intensive cleaning of hospitals after an outbreak of:
A. Scabies
B. C. difficile
C. Whooping cough
D. Norovirus
5. TransLink shelved plans to build:
A. Gondola up to SFU
B. Funicular tramway in White Rock to carry beach-goers up and down the hill
C. Deluxe SkyTrain cars with bar service for premium high-end bookings
D. Adventure zip line across the Fraser River under the Golden Ears Bridge
6. David Black, owner of this newspaper, announced plans in August to build a:
A. Space station
B. Pulp and paper mill
C. Oil refinery
D. Insane asylum for reporters
7. Metro Vancouver enacted new regulations to control:
A. Urban raccoons and coyotes
B. Grease dumped down drains
C. The use of shark fins in restaurants
D. Jet skis off beaches in regional parks
8. Dilbit is:
A. An Indian salty snack that was recalled by its Surrey manufacturer.
B. A grade of paving aggregate used by engineers on the South Fraser Perimeter Road to reduce noise.
C. Diluted bitumen, a heavy grade of crude oil diluted so it flows through pipelines
D. A new cartoon strip for Black Press newspapers
9. Metro Vancouver directors said another potential use of a new trash incinerator could be to burn:
A. Marijuana confiscated by police from grow-ops
B. Sensitive documents they may have to disclose through Freedom of Information requests.
C. Complaint letters from the Fraser Valley Regional District
D. Special or hazardous wastes
10. Confronted with news TransLink had no power to punish fare evaders, Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom approved:
A. Withholding of licences and insurance by ICBC
B. Tasering of fare cheats by Transit Police
C. Use of collection agencies
D. Dumping offenders on Bowen Island
11. How many oil tankers would enter Burrard Inlet each year (up from about 60 now) if Kinder Morgan’s proposal to twin its Trans Mountain pipeline is approved?
A. 150
B. 220
C. 300
D. 500
12. Surrey officials briefly considered using what method to bust dog walkers who don’t pick up after their pets?
A. Live video surveillance in city parks combined with frequent patrols
B. Snitch site where residents could post cellphone photos/videos of offenders
C. Development of DNA database of licensed dogs so excrement can be tested and dog owners fined
13. The federal government angered B.C. groups by moving to:
A. Close the Kitsilano coast guard base
B. Streamline and shorten environmental assessments for new oil pipelines
C. Amend the Fisheries Act to downgrade protection for salmon habitat
D. All of the above
14. Which project would NOT bring more tankers to Metro Vancouver?
A. Enbridge’s Northern Gateway oil pipeline
B. Kinder Morgan’s proposal to twin its Trans Mountain oil pipeline.
C. A new jet fuel pipeline serving Vancouver International Airport
D. Expansion of Chevron’s Burnaby refinery
15: Which of the following did NOT alarm public health authorities:
A. Deaths of young people who used ecstasy laced with PMMA
B. Whooping cough outbreak in the Fraser Valley
C. Recall of tainted beef from XL Foods plant in Alberta
D. Salmon exposed to radiation from Japanese nuclear disaster
16: Which was NOT a target for protesters in 2012:
A. Proposed B.C. oil pipelines and increased tanker exports
B. Coal exports through Metro Vancouver
C. Daily passage of U.S. oil tankers from Alaska to Washington refineries
D. The Pacific Trails gas pipeline to Kitimat
17. Which was NOT raised by opponents as an alleged risk of B.C. Hydro’s smart meters:
A. Total global video surveillance
B. Defective human sperm and eggs
C. Scanning brains for bank PIN numbers
D. Sudden fondness for harmonized sales tax
18: BC Ferries considered this to reduce costs or boost revenue:
A. Cutting North Coast run, now subsidized by $2,364.72 per car
B. Reducing number of sailings with no passengers
C. Putting video slot machines on board as Maritime ferries have
D. Cutting Mill Bay ferry, which runs beside a Vancouver island highway
19. What effect is expected from Washington and Colorado legalizing marijuana?
A: Revival of bankrupt Hostess Twinkies production under Chinese ownership
B: A revenue decline for B.C.’s highest-value export crop
C: Decline of anti-smart meter protests in the Kootenays
D: Reduction of U.S. handguns smuggled into B.C.
20. B.C.’s transportation ministry rejected this proposed use of the old Port Mann Bridge:
A. A public greenway and aerial park above the Fraser River
B. Recycling of materials into new Pattullo Bridge so the tolls can be lowered
C. Community garden
D. Keeping it as a backup in case something goes wrong with the new one
ANSWERS: 1-D; 2-A; 3-B; 4-B; 5-A; 6-C; 7-B; 8-C; 9-D; 10-A&C; 11-C; 12-C; 13-D; 14-A; 15-D; 16-C; 17-D; 18-B; 19-B; 20-A