Chilliwack Times March 03 2016

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ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGESLAID IN CATTLE ABUSE CASEUndercover video was shocking and disturbing

timesChilliwackChiefs ready to fi ght for league supremacy.

{ Page A11 }

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016 /chil l iwacktimes @chil l iwacktimeschil l iwacktimes.com

redemptionsongs

Submitted photo

This disturb-ing video of cows being beaten has

finally led to charges

against former

employees and own-ership at

Chilliwack Cattle Sales.

BY PAUL J. [email protected]

The video shows abuse of dairy cows that shocked even seasoned animal cru-elty investigators.

Six young men, six dairy farm corporate directors and the company itself, Chilliwack Cat-

tle Sales Ltd., now face 20 ani-mal cruelty charges nearly two years after alleged incidents were recorded by farm animal protec-tion group Mercy for Animals using undercover video.

The video of the egregious and sadistic cruelty at this Chilli-wack dairy farm speaks for itself, Mercy for Animals general coun-

sel Vandhana Bala told the Times Wednesday in a phone interview from her Los Angeles office.

The charges against the com-pany, its owners and the employ-ees, who range in age from 20 to 22, stem from incidents said to have occurred in May 2014.

{ See CHARGES, page A4 }


From 1980s punk rocker to 2016 folk singer, from urban guerilla to coffee shop polemicist, it might appear the last 40 years have changed Gerry Hannah in dramatic ways.But not really. The differences between punk and folk,

direct action and democratic activism, are really differ-ences of degree, of form, of time and of a slight change in perspective.

Long a Chilliwack resident, Hannah is well-known in some punk rock circles as Gerry Useless, the bass player in Vancouver band The Subhumans who were active in the scene from 1978 to 1981.

He wrote three songs for the Subhumans, two of which have titles unsuitable to print in a community newspa-per. The third was titled Oh Canaduh.

But Hannah is better known for his role in the armed

Submitted photo

In an interview with the Times, Gerry Hannah talks about punk rock, his new

folk music, album and band, song-writing in

prison, his history with the Squamish Five and

how activism has changed since the late 1970s.

Once a member of the infamous Squamish Five, local musician and activist Gerry Hannahs past is never far behind

{ See GRAVES, page A17 }

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BY DARREN BLAKEBOROUGHSpecial to the Times

Les is in his mid 50s and Barb in her late 40s. He has been in Chilliwack for 16 years and she has for 27 years. Both have spent time on the streets. Les suffered a significant medical issue after his wifes death in a car accident. He told us theres nothing worse than losing everything: your wife; your children; a place, your home . . . you go from being healthy and wealthy to being poor.

As this personal descent continued he noted his sole task became trying to find a place to be, get warm. A hotel backdoor, sleeping in the exit just so you can feel the warm air coming by you. And that seems to be a mission.

Asked what it was like to be home-less and to live on the streets he explained it was like you were in an airplane and the bomb bay doors drop out from underneath you and you got no control. Ah, being poor. He con-tinued that he felt so impaled with pain and sorrow you dont even have enough energy to try and move on in life, constructively. It hurts. It really, really hurts.

Barb took in a relative to help them through some of their issues and was ultimately forced from her own place to the streets for several months with

nowhere else to turn. To her, a lot of people think they are doing fine but the reality for many is that the streets are only a step away. As she mentioned, as bad as all that was, I think my big-gest pain was thinking that God didnt love me.

As we have seen in the different stories over the past few weeks, when it comes to homelessness, situations are different and complex. We asked what each thought they needed to turn things around and what they thought they needed to secure a safe and hab-itable space to live and we received a diversity of responses.

One of the most interesting results in our interviews with members of the homeless population in Chilliwack was the notion of future. As Les noted in his interview, simply trying to be warm becomes a mission, at the expense of all else, even eating.

We asked each of the individuals where they see themselves, or would like to see themselves a couple of years in the future. Of those currently on the streets, this was a concept that was

foreign in this situation. At best, apathy was the response as noted in what Doug responded when asked. Cant tell you that right now. I dont even know . . . I might be dead in five years . . . Its one day at a time for me. Ya, ya. I cant be more honest than that.

Yet those individuals that had found a place, or were living in transition, were able to articulate where they wanted to be and what they needed to do to get there and this lies at the heart of a recent initiative in approaching homelessness known as Housing First.

Housing First is a policy and services approach to homeless predicated on the principle that a homeless indi-vidual has a better chance of success at improving their condition with the stability of a permanent home than they do living on the streets. Both policy and housing has long worked on the model that a person needs to first address the underlying reason for their homelessness, like addiction or alcoholism, before gaining access to accommodation. Housing First has no sobriety requirement and follows

regular tenancy requirements like not destroying property, not being a nui-sance to neighbours, and not engaging in activities that harm or inconve-nience others.

The argument is that the security of housing combined with a developing sense of home and safety allows for the individual to then address their con-cerns through an integrated support and services network. This has shown to be significantly more successful than earlier approaches, especially in the long term. As an approach, Housing First is client-centric allowing for input, choice, and self-determination which further invests the individual in their recovery from homelessness.

Edmonton adopted Housing First in 2008 and has reported a 30 per cent reduction in homelessness since then. Calgary saw an 11.4 per cent reduction in four years after they adopted the model. There are different housing models associated with Housing First to recognize the diversity in the popu-lation and to respect the choices of the individual.

When asked what people should know about the homeless population in Chilliwack, Barb mentioned that for the most part, Chilliwack really helps the street people, mostly

Giving a hand up

Is the client-centric approach of Housing First the answer?

PART ONE - Feb. 18Putting a human face on the homeless and the complex issues they face

PART TWO - Feb 25How homelessness is being defined and its human and economic impacts

This is the third in a series of three articles that take a look at the issues surrounding homelessness in our communities, those who are living through it, what is being done and what

can be done to understand and combat the situation.

Time for action onhomelessChilliwack city council hopes to tackle the problem of homeless-ness with an action plan that was presented at Tuesdays meeting.

While we recognize that the recent homeless count is a snapshot in time, we were pleased to see a reduction in numbers and want to build on that success through a Homelessness Action Plan, Mayor Sharon Gaetz said in a press release .

At its March 1 meeting, council reviewed the Chilli-wack Homelessness Action Plan Background Report, which was prepared under the guidance of a special-ly-appointed task force, with input from numerous local service providers.

While the delivery of affordable housing, health and social services is a responsibility of the provin-cial (and sometimes federal) government, communities across B.C. are increasingly expected to have a strategy to address homelessness to access funding.

On Sept. 15, 2015, council directed staff to prepare the plan unveiled Tuesday. That report establishes the frame-work for the plan, highlighting the reasons for homelessness, challenges in addressing homelessness, effective strategies, priority housing needs, and goals and actions to establish a comprehensive community response system to help people in need to obtain and retain safe, afford-able, appropriate housing.

Were not wearing rose- coloured glasses and realize that there may be some challenges that we might not be able to fix, Gaetz said. Ultimately, we want to work with the Province to ensure everyone has an opportunity to be housed in our com-munity and will continue to work with the many social service agencies in Chilli-wack. Its a lofty goal and it

{ See HOUSING, page A19 }

{ See ACTION, page A19 }

Alex

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NewsAt that t ime, L orie

Chortyk of the BC SPCA said she had seen a lot of disturbing animal abuse videos, but I have seen nothing that sickened me like this.

In 2014, eight employees were fired by Chilliwack Cattle Sales in connection to the abuse of dairy cows.

On June 2, 2014, the BC SPCA launched an investi-gation and recommended charges against not only the employees in the vid-eo, but also the company.

The BC SPCA received a n u n d e r-cover video that showed employees at Chilliwack Cattle Sales using chains, canes, rakes, their boot-ed feet and t h e i r f i s t s to viciously whip, punch, kick and beat the dairy cows, including downed and trapped cows who could not escape the abuse, said Marcie Mori-arty, the BC SPCAs chief prevention and enforce-ment officer.

We a re e x t re m e l y pleased that in addition to laying charges against the individual employees, Crown has also held the company and its directors accountable for this unac-ceptable treatment of the animals.

The seven employees charged with permitting animals to be, or to con-

tinue to be, in distress in violation of the B.C. Pre-vention of Cruelty to Ani-mals Act (PCAA) are, Brad Genereux, Travis Keefer, Cody Larson, Jonathan Talbot, Chris Vandyke, Jamie Visser and Lloyd Blackwell.

Also facing the same charges is Chilliwack Cat-tle Sales and, individually, its five directors, Bradley Kooyman, Jeffrey Kooy-man, John Kooyman, Ken-neth Kooyman and Wesley Kooyman.

K e e f e r , Talbot, Viss-er and Van-d y k e a l s o f a c e o n e charge each u n d e r t h e Wildlife Act for allegedly molesting a pigeon, a c c o r d i n g

to the Criminal Justice Branch.

Maximum sentences for each count under the PCA Act is a fine of up to $75,000, up to a two-year jail term and up to a life-time ban on owning ani-mals. Employees charged under the Wildlife Act could face, on a first con-viction, a fine of up to $100,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceed-ing one year, or both.

For its part, Chilliwack Cattle Sales, which is the largest dairy farm in Can-ada, says after the employ-ees were fired, changes

were made, including the installation of cameras and inviting veterinarians to come visit. The farm invited the media in to tour the operation after the video surfaced in 2014, and Chilliwack Cattle Sales

was the second stop on Septembers Chilliwack Agriculture Tour, where those connected to the local agriculture indus-try visited the 2,800-cow, 72-stall rotary milking power.

And while Mercy for Animals insists what was seen in the video at this farm was bad, every farm or slaughterhouse their undercover employees have captured in video shows abuse.

This exemplifies the fact that severe abuse and neglect do run rampant in the dairy industry, Bala said.

The agriculture indus-try is built upon a culture of cruelty. Their primary

concerns are profits and oftentimes the drive for profit outweighs concern for animal welfare.

Charges against the employees, directors and the company were sworn in provincial court in Chilliwack, and a first appearance is scheduled for April 12.

Almost two years since investigation into abuse began{ CHARGES, from page A1 }

I have seennothing thatsickened me

like this.- Lorie Chortyk

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The Citys Drinking WaterQuality Assurance Programrequires the flushing of water mains throughout the community. Water main flushing is a key component to maintaining water quality throughout the distribution system.You may experience changes to your tap water as a result of the water main flushing. These changes could consist of a brief reduction in pressure and/or possible sediment leading to discoloration; none of which are a health concern. These changes to your tap water are temporary, and will dissipate over time.For further information or to report extended low pressure problems or discoloration in your water, please contact the Operations Department at 604.793.2810.

The Citys Drinking Water Quality Assurance Program requires the flushing of water mains throughout the community. Water main flushing is a key component to maintaining our high level of water quality throughout the distribution system.

You may experience changes to your tap water as a result of the water main flushing. These changes could consist of a brief reduction in pressure and/or possible sediment leading to discoloration; none of which are a health concern. These changes to your tap water are temporary, and will dissipate over time.

For further information or to report extended low pressure problems or discoloration in your water, please contact the Public Works Department at 604.793.2810.

Flushing ScheduleMarch 2012 - July 2012

WATER MAIN FLUSHING

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Citys Drinking Water Quality Assurance Program requires the flushing of water mains throughout the community. Water main flushing is a key component to maintaining our high level of water quality throughout the distribution system.

You may experience changes to your tap water as a result of the water main flushing. These changes could consist of a brief reduction in pressure and/or possible sediment leading to discoloration; none of which are a health concern. These changes to your tap water are temporary, and will dissipate over time.

For further information or to report extended low pressure problems or discoloration in your water, please contact the Public Works Department at 604.793.2810.

Flushing ScheduleMarch 2012 - July 2012

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Flushing ScheduleFebruary 2016 - June 2016

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City council decided Tues-day to keep the property tax increase at 1.89 per cent for 2016 while adding a couple of items to the budget, and removing others, this after they voted to defer a decision on Chilliwacks financial plan at the last meeting.

It was after a surprise move on Feb. 16 that council decided to defer approval of the budget in response to feedback about the financial plan and various priori-ties such as policing, trails, tourism and bike lanes.

After a lengthy discussion at the afternoon meeting March 1, city council decided to add $80,000 to the budget to pay two RCMP public information officers for six months, and $100,000 for more bike lanes.

To pay for the extra $180,000, which would have meant an approximately extra 0.3 per cent tax increase, council deferred $50,000 for pump station inspec-tions, $15,000 for ditch clearing and $115,000 for road resurfacing.

The delay in approving the 2016 budget came in part because of an increased move to consult with taxpayers, the feedback from which was presented just before the vote on Feb. 16 meaning nothing the public suggested could be imple-mented this year.

A staff report presented to council Tuesday suggested three options: adopt the financial plan

bylaw with the 1.89 per cent tax increase as presented at the Feb. 16 meeting; add line items and raise taxes even higher; or reprioritize expenditures.

A table prepared in a staff report presented to city council Tuesday illustrated what various line items would mean in dollar figures, and what property tax increase those e x p e n d i t u r e s would require.

The full cost to the city of an extra RCMP member, for example, is $ 1 6 1 , 0 0 0 a n d w o u l d m e a n a 0 . 2 4 p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e i n property taxes. Another $75,000 for trails means a 0.11 per cent increase, $25,000 more for tourism to provide spon-sorship for the RBC Cup bid would add 0.037 per cent to tax-es, and a further $100,000 for bike lanes would mean a 0.15 per cent increase.

All told, property taxes would have increased by 2.42 per cent this year if council decided to go ahead with all of those expenditures out-

lined by staff, and suggested as pri-orities since the last meeting.

Staff also said three line items that could offset those increases to keep the property tax increase at 1.89 per cent: eliminate $96,000 for a planned IT support posi-

tion in 2016; cut $200,000 out of the road rehabil-itation budget, a n d p o s t p o n e $ 6 5 , 0 0 0 i n s p e n d i n g o n public works.

Coun. Chuck Stam kicked off the discussion by making a motion to adopt the bud-get as it was pre-sented Feb. 16.

O t h e r m e m -bers of council thought either t a x e s s h o u l d

increase or priorities needed to be shifted, and public safety was top of mind.

Coun. Sam Waddington said he didnt like to think in terms of the percentage of tax increases, but rather the dollar figure to the taxpayer. He said the extra expen-ditures that would bring property

NewsTax increase remains the same

Juggling act makes room for more bike lanes and RCMP personnel

sound paternalistic but its like goinggrocery shopping and there is that

extra thing you dont need. It adds up to

hundreds of dollars,not just $10.

- Chuck Stam

{ See BUDGET, page A7 }

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While most B.C. drivers are honest when it comes to making insurance claims, there are a few that are hurting things for the rest of us in the province.

Industry studies estimate that about 10 to 20 per cent of all insurance claims contain an element of fraud or exaggeration. Applying those estimates here means fraud is costing us up to $600 million per year, or more than $100 annually on every auto insurance policy.

Fraud cheats everyone and comes in all shapes and sizes.

To learn more about auto insurance fraud, go to icbc.com/fraud

Fraudulent claimstake a toll onB.C. drivers

Some fraud is organized and orchestrated by a group of individuals, namely, staged accidents and stolen vehicle rings.

Other types of fraud are less obvious. Fraud like this includes exaggerating the extent of an injury, misrepresenting a previous medical condition or slanting the situation when reporting a claim. Its not unheard of for people to embellish their claim by including vehicle damage unrelated to the crash, or to claim they cant work when theyre actually back on the job. These tactics may not make the news, but the costs add up and come out of all of our pockets we all end up paying for those who cheat the system.

ICBC combats fraud with their Special Investigation Unit, which last year looked at more than 5,000 claims les. This includes a cyber unit that employs information publicly available on the internet and social media to investigate suspected fraudulent claims. Theyre in the process of increasing their focus on investigations, including training and analytics technology that ags patterns and predictors of fraud.

By stepping up efforts to reduce fraudulent and exaggerated claims, along with managing injury claims costs, ICBC is working to take pressure off rising insurance rates.

Fraud. It cheats us all.

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News

A t e e n a g e r f r o m Chilliwack is dead after a three-vehi-cle collision in Kelowna Tuesday evening.

Curtis James Schopf, 18, is from Chilliwack but was attending university in Kelowna.

T h e B C C o r o n e r s Service confirmed the identity of Schopf after a motor vehicle incident at about 9 p.m. on Feb. 29.

Schopf was the driv-er and sole occupant of a car that was involved in a three-vehicle colli-sion at the intersection of Highway 97 and Edwards Road in Kelowna.

He was deceased at the scene.

The BC Coroners Ser-vice and RCMP Traffic Ser vices continue to investigate this death.

Schopf s family has b e e n n o t i f i e d o f h i s death, and tributes to the young man were pouring out this week on social media.

- Staff


Chilliwack city council introduced a bylaw Tuesday to allow asbestos to be dumped at the Bailey Landfill.The Bailey Landfill does not current-

ly accept waste that contains asbestos, yet many building materials prior to 1990 contain the hazardous material. To get rid of it currently, contractors are required to hire asbestos abatement companies who ship the material to Alberta.

The absence of an affordable, local disposal option is likely contributing to the occurrence of these materials being illegally dumped, according to a staff

report to be presented at the March 1 council meeting.

In December, 70 bags of asbestos were found in a pile near Chipmunk Creek Road about 30 kilometres up Chilliwack Lake Road in Area E of the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD).

At that time, Area E director Orion Engar called for more presence and sur-veillance by the BC Conservation Officer Service to prevent the problem.

Asbestos is accepted at some other landfills in the Lower Mainland, includ-ing Vancouver and Mission, accept-ing only waste originating from those areas. Staff told council they will not take asbestos from Chilliwack.

Bailey Landfills operational certificate

issued by the Ministry of Environment does already allow asbestos dumping, as long as it is done in accordance with the BC Hazardous Waste Regulation and the BC Occupational Health and Safety Reg-ulation, staff said.

The amendment to the solid waste bylaw given introduction and three read-ings Tuesday will allow for asbestos to be taken at the Bailey Landfill from Chil-liwack, Kent, Harrison Hot Springs and FVRD areas D, E and H.

The cost for disposing is to be set at $20 per vehicle for up to 114 kilograms and, above that amount, $175 per met-ric tonne with a $500 surcharge for those dumping asbestos but claiming it is something else.


RCMP homicide investigators had no new details to share Tuesday after the suspicious death of a woman in Yarrow last week.

The Integrated Homicide Investiga-tion Team (IHIT) had a home in the 42000-block of Yarrow Central taped off and forensics officers on the scene for two days at the end of the week.

During the evening of Feb. 24 and ear-ly morning hours of Feb. 25, Chilliwack RCMP attended a residence in Yarrow after receiving a request to check the well-being of a woman living there. The officer attending the scene and located a woman who was deceased.

Mounties reported on Friday there was no evidence to indicate the public was at risk as a result of this incident.

Police are still in the evidence gath-ering phase, and when asked Tuesday, IHIT media relations officer Sgt. Stepha-nie Ashton said she had no updates and the victim would not be identifed at this point.

Anyone with information regard-ing this investigation can call the IHIT information line: 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or email [email protected]. To remain anonymous visit solvecrime.ca or call at 1-800-222-8477.

Suspiciousdeath, no new details

Teen dies in crash

Submitted photo

This load of asbestos was dumped near Chipmunk Creek Road in the Chilliwack River Valley in December 2015.

Asbestos coming to Bailey Landfi ll

7470941


News


Two Chilliwack drug dealers were acquitted by a provin-cial court judge Wednesday of charges they tortured and beat a local cocaine-addicted man in Sep-tember 2014.

Judge Don Gardner said he was troubled about the contradictory evi-dence given by the two main witnesses to the allegations of unlawful confine-ment and extortion against Trevor Egil-son and Jonathon Olson.

The pair were accused of trying to extort $6,000 out of Paul Edwards, pepper-spraying his genitals, punch-ing him in the face breaking his orbital bone, using a propane torch on his leg

and threatening other violence.The court heard Edwards had a

long-standing addiction to cocaine, and his testimony left Gardner with questions, particularly because the second supposed victim in the case, Melissa Kennedy, never admitted she was unlawfully confined or that she saw Edwards beaten. She even testified that Egilson and Olson were gentle-men during the prolonged incident.

The Crowns theory was that Edwards dabbled in small drug sales for the two higher-level dealers, a move that started well and ended badly, according to Crown counsel Henry Waldock, with Edwards owing the men

money, which led to the supposed confinement and extortion.

The defence said the case should never have even been prosecuted giv-en holes in the Crowns case, and that Edwards was amid a 60-hour cocaine induced bender.

[Mr. Edwards] was a liar, an addict, a thief and a manipulator, Olsons law-yer David Donnelly told the court.

During the trial in March of 2015, defence argued that Edwards hatched a plan to frame Olson and Egilson after he inadvertently crossed another group of local drug dealers.

Mr. Edwards crossed the original team that runs the Chilliwack drug

show, Egilsons lawyer Paul Dutt said.Between Edwards lack of memory

about the incident on the stand, the fact that he did not call 911 or go to the Chilliwack RCMP detachment during a time when he was let go by the men to get money from his parents, and Kennedys hostility to the Crowndespite the fact that she was a Crown witnessGardner said he was left with reasonable doubt.

Gardner invoked Ontario Court Justice William Horkins who presid-ed over the Jian Ghomeshi trial, and his words as quoted in the Globe and Mail: When one considers the grave consequences of being wrongfully

convicted of an offence such as this, one can understand why nothing less than proof beyond reasonable doubt can be accepted as the foundation of a criminal conviction, Horkins said of the Ghomeshi case.

Im afraid I am left with a reason-able doubt, Gardner told the court in Chilliwack Wednesday before finding Olson and Egilson not guilty.

Olsons troubles with the justice sys-tem arent over as he was due in court Friday facing dangerous driving, sto-len property and flight from an officer charges. And hes due back in court March 8 alongside Troy James to fix a date for trial in connection with an alleged home invasion robbery with a gun, followed by a carjacking and police chase.

BY PAUL J. HENDERSONChilliwack Times

A S u r r e y m a n c h a r g e d w i t h a s s a u l t i n g a n d kidnapping a woman from Yarrow and bring-i n g h e r b a c k to Sur rey was granted bail by a provincial court judge Friday.

M o n t g o m -e r y A s h f a c e s charges includ-ing break and enter with intent t o c o m m i t o f f e n c e , assault with a weapon, attempting to choke to overcome resistance, kid-napping, assault causing bodily harm, and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.

Ash was wanted for

11 days after the alleged Nov. 5 incident. He turned himself in to police on Nov. 16 in Surrey.

A b a i l h e a r i n g f o r Ash began Feb. 22 and wrapped up on Feb. 26, at which time Judge Rich-

a rd B row n i n g agreed to release Ash on a $35,000 cash re cogni-zance to be paid by the 21-year-olds sister.

The details of the bail hearing, d u r i n g w h i c h

details of the allegations were outlined, cannot be reported as both defence and Crown requested publication bans, which Browning granted.

Ashs next court date is scheduled for March 15 in Chilliwack.

Judge finds witness testimony in torture case troublingVictim punched, had his genitals pepper-sprayed

Bail granted in kidnapping case

taxes up by 2.42 per cent instead of 1.89 per cent would amount to an increase on the average home of about $10.

Stam warned against that type of thinking, say-ing that increases year after year add up.

I dont want to sound paternalistic but its like going grocery shopping and there is that extra thing you dont need, he said. It adds up to hun-dreds of dollars, not just $10.

Coun. Jason Lum was adamant that public safety should be a pri-ority, and he wanted to add one more full-time RCMP officer.

C o u n . C h r i s K l o o t agreed, adding he did not want to raise taxes beyond the 1.89 per cent so suggested cutting back on a proposed $200,000 increase to the road reha-

bilitation budget.Coun. Ken Popove, too,

was supportive on a new police officer for 2016.

(Coun. Sue Attrill was absent.)

Mayor Sharon Gaetz agreed a new police offi-cer or two public infor-mation off icers were needed, but she dis-agreed the money should come out of road resur-facing.

The number of letters I get, she said. I would hate to see that cut back.

In the end after consid-erable wrangling, council agreed on the 1.89 per cent tax increase, with the extra money for the RCMP and bike lanes, and reductions in public works and road resurfacing.

WEB FIRSTFirst reported on

chilliwacktimes.com

{ BUDGET, from page A5 } Reduction in road resurfacing

A8 Thursday, March 03, 2016 CHILLIWACK TIMESA8 Thursday, March 03, 2016 CHILLIWACK TIMES

Opinion Publisher

Editor

Lisa [email protected]

Ken [email protected]

Advertising Jeff WarrenArlene Wood

EditorialPaul J. HendersonGreg Laychak

DistributionGerry Mochuk

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OUR TEAM

Should farmers be able to subdivide their land as part of a process of family succession?Chilliwack city council says no, and

anyone applying to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) in the future should probably know that.

Two families were disappointed Tues-day as council forwarded applications to subdivide land to the ALC without support. This, despite the fact that the citys Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC), chaired by Coun. Chris Kloot, himself a chicken farmer, forwarded it to city council with support.

If someone applies for a subdivision of land in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), that application goes to the AAC, which was established, in part, to provide guidance to council on ALR applications. Staff then take the AACs feedback, prepare a report to city coun-cil, which usually follows the AACs rec-ommendation. In the case of these two properties, that meant recommending forwarding to the ALC with support.

The final decision isnt up to city hall, its up to the ALC. But make no mistake, city halls opinion matters.

Back in the John Les era at city hall,

ALC applications were just about always sent with support. In the Clint Hames era, a notion of neutrality was adopted, and applications were usually sent without comment. This continued into the Sharon Gaetz era, but in more recent times, and particularly since Frank Leonard became chair of the ALC, the urge now is to provide some direction, to guide the ALC. Leonard, apparently, doesnt want to make decisions that Chilliwack doesnt like.

What was odd about what happened Tuesday about two unrelated applica-tions to subdivide 15-hectare (ha) prop-erties to allow for children of the land owners to farm on their own title, is that the AAC recommended the applications be sent on with support.

Then Kloot said this: Im not going to be able to support any subdivision and creation of new title on lands like this.

Coun. Jason Lum seemed dumb-

founded.Either the Agriculture Advisory Com-

mittee is doing it under duress or they are the wrong people at the table, he said, later adding that he didnt mean to denigrate the names of folks on the AAC.

I may have just made every farmer in Chilliwack mad at me, but I rely on these minutes.

Minutes, he meant, of a meeting that showed no dispute, no concern, no issue with giving these farmers the support for their subdivisions.

The topic of family succession can be sensitive, Kloot responded.

So this is part of the problem: In an effort to be open and transparent, the citys advisory committees are public. Applicants come and meet with many fellow farmers who sit on the AAC, even wait around to hear the decision.

Talk about awkward if the application is controversial. Yet anything else would be exclusionary and undemocratic.

So Kloot, a farmer chairing an ag com-mittee, is met with a salt-of-the-earth (his words) long-time farmer and his plan to pass a portion of his farm on to his children and, what, hes supposed to say no way to his face?

Probably he should have, but imagine how tricky that is. Instead, Kloot, sitting at the council table later, offered an on-further-reflection sentiment, and his valid opposition to the plans.

The precedent of ALR land subdivi-sion is a perilous one to make, according to several city councillors. The move could lead to more applications lead-ing to a patchwork of hobby farms and retiring folks from the city settling on acreages to stare at their donkeys in the sunset, i.e., not real farming.

The entire discussion may have seemed pedantic and bureaucratic to some who sat through it or watched online, but this is important stuff.

Dealing with subdivision applications in the ALR may be just that, but it points to the delicate balance underway in the Fraser Valley and indeed all of the Lower Mainland with regard to property values, population growth, aging baby boomers, back-to-the-land millenials, housing density, local food production, not to mention what should be the simple fam-ily succession of a business.

Say what you will about politicians, but it isnt easy making these decisions, particularly to your neighbours.

Not easy saying no to neighbours

OUR VIEW

The pets owned by British Columbians are usually well cared for.Whether they have pampered indoor animals or

muddy-pawed working dogs and barn cats, people generally take their health and well being seriously.

When there are incidents of animal abuse and neglect, the general population is shocked (see story page one).

The death of six dogs in a dog walkers truck in the Fraser Valley a couple of years ago caused an uproar.

More recently, an alleged puppy mill was busted in Langleys Glen Valley, and a large number of cats and more than a dozen dogs were seized from a breeder and kennel operator in Surrey.

This week, the B.C. government announced changes to the code of practices for kennel operators and cat and dog breeders.

The new rules will provide for minimum space for animals, a duty to provide immediate veterinary care, and may include proactive monitoring and enforce-ment for breeders. That last one sounds like a good ideaa few random inspections could go a long way to clean out the dark corners of the industry.

We owe it to our pets to take good care of them, and to ensure that the industries that supply us with pets are being watched.

Our pets deserve all our kindness

/chil l iwacktimes @chil l iwacktimeschil l iwacktimes.com

The Chilliwack Times is published by Black Press Group Ltd., every Thurs-day at 45951 Trethewey

Ave., Chilliwack.

PAUL J.HENDERSON

@peejayaitch


Editor:Shame on you, Paul Henderson

and the Times, for your unprofes-sional and biased coverage of the proposed pipeline expansion.

Your cover story on Feb. 25, sub-headed a silent majority supports the pipeline, offered no evidence beyond the opinion of a one Yarrow resident, a contractor for Kinder Morgan who stands to be compen-sated in his business and for his land if and when the pipeline goes through. What was your evidence of the views of the so-called silent majority? Mr. Tuytels opinion, backed up by nothing.

Meanwhile, you gave him a plat-form to misrepresent those who oppose the pipeline as tree hug-gers. Shall we now say, in turn, that all those who support the pipeline are red neck yahoos, including, it would seem, the Times?

Let us instead consider the facts:Fact 1: The proposed pipeline

expansion will carry more toxic forms of oil, i.e., bitumen from the oil sands, than was originally intended in the first pipeline.

Fact 2: The pipeline and pipeline expansion will go under two schools, including Watson Elementary, before crossing the Vedder River in one of the most beloved and popular recreational and salmon spawning areas in Chilliwack.

Fact 3: When I went door-to-door during the federal election, visiting almost 10,000 residents, most of those I canvassed said the pipeline expan-sion was a serious concern to them.

Fact 4: We have two local earth-quake faults here in Chilliwack: the Vedder Mountain and Sumas faults. In California, pipelines burst in even moderate earthquakes and seeped oil directly into rivers, as would hap-pen here.

Conclusion 1: Most responsible citizens in Chilliwackgiven the aboveappear to be, and should be, justifiably concerned about, if not opposed to, the proposed pipeline expansion, including, as I under-stand it, First Nations.

Conclusion 2: If this pipeline expansion goes through, it seems reasonable that those who intention-ally distort this issue to the public, including Mr. Tuytel and the Times, be asked to assume a dispropor-tionate amount of the liability for any spills that happen in the years to come if youre so willing to put all the rest of us so-called tree huggers at risk.

Seonaigh MacPhersonChilliwack

Residents the ones keeping it tidyEditor:

Re: Thanks for keeping our city

clean, letter to the editor Times, March 25.

I believe this was written with the best intentions, but it wasnt the G.W. Graham students that have been keeping this walkway between Thomas Road and Promontory Road clean.

Last week four people from the Promontory Lake Estates took shovels and cleaned the walkway of leaves and made it better to walk on.

As for the city crew cutting the blackberries, it is actually a few peo-ple who keep the blackberries cutone of them is a lady in her 90s that does it all the time and helps to keep the path clear. There are also a few fellows that constantly picking up garbage and keeping the path clear at all times. These are people who live in the area.

It was nice of you to thank the stu-dents, but I think the thanks should go to those who have worked so hard to keep the path clean for all.

C. AdankChilliwack

Downtown being ignored by cityEditor:

Re: Letter in the Feb. 25 Times. Good for you Mr. Epp. If only all

areas received the same attention.I live on Gore Avenue downtown

and have lived in the same house since the 1980s. We used to get some services but since the development on the southside of the highway we have sadly been totally ignored except for garbage collection.

Last November, this whole area experienced a devastating wind-storm and another last month. Trees and wires down in this area just as anywhere else, but to date not a sign of a road sweeper or any other form of clearing machinery on our street.

Have the residents of Garrisson Crossing experienced the same? I doubt it.

I am a pensioner and my wife is handicapped and were unable to help our wonderful neighbours who used their own valuable time and equipment to clean up and

discard the largest of the boughs, etc.

I have always paid my rates and taxes but, alas I feel the residents of downtown are being neglected in the extreme.

It begs the question, where does the money from this area get used?

In closing, I wish you good luck Mr. Epp. I only wish the residents of downtown could get a little.

John ProngerChilliwack

CGH delivers such outstanding careEditor:

Last week I found myself with my rear assets hanging out of yet another one of those backless, sky blue numbers, booties to match awaiting surgery.

I dont like surgery . . . who the heck does? Unfortunately, I have had to have quite a few. Its abso-lutely nerve wracking when you find yourself laying in yet another oper-ating room while someone stands at the end of the gurney sharpening the longest knife, like grandpa used to do over the Thanksgiving bird.

That being said, the care I con-tinue to receive at our Chilliwack Hospital is fantastic. So I want to say again, thank you to the unit clerk who checked me in, the nurse who got me ready, anesthesiologist who kept me sleeping (an extra high-five to you) the operating room nurses, my surgeon and all the great people in the recovery room.

You smile, you laugh, you joke, and made another tough day for me bearable. What all of you do does not go unnoticed. I am so grateful.

Marni LoewenSardis

A game changer for our local breweryEditor:

Re: Old Yale Brewery new location. Something big is brewing in west

Chilliwack. The new expansion of word-class craft brewery, Old Yale Brewery on South Sumas will be a game changer for Chilliwack.

Some of the world-class ele-ments are: Chilliwacks world class water; top-notch craft brewers; as well as using NSI Newlands, itself a world-class stainless steel brewery fabrication facility.

The superb location will make this brewery an end point desti-nation for many a delicate suds palate.

A toast to the vision of this busi-ness that will add value to many in Chilliwack.

Fred PetersenChilliwack

LettersGave platform to the wrong guy

LETTERSOnline: www.chilliwacktimes.comEmail: [email protected] Mail: 45951 Trethewey Ave.,

Chilliwack, B.C. V2P 1K4Letters must include first and last name, and a daytime phone number. Please remember, brevity is the soul of wit.

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blackpress.ca

Andrew Franklin, Director of Digital Development

is pleased to announce the appointment of Laura

Baziuk as B.C. Digital Editor.

Laura graduated from Carleton Universitys journalism

program in 2007. She worked in various newsrooms,

including the Peace Arch News, the Province, the

Canadian Press, and most recently, CKNW Radio. She

spent four and a half years there, as a reporter and

anchor, and was sent to Tofi no to cover the whale-

watching boat capsizing in 2015.

Laura grew up in south Surrey and lives in Vancouver.

She enjoys reading crime novels, baking and

eating cookies!

Please join us in congratulating

Laura on her appointment as

B.C. Digital Editor.

Laura Baziuk

Black Press Digital

Appointment

Registration required - Space is limitedRegister by Friday, March 11th, 2016 email: [email protected] Tel: 604-393-3251 ext. 228

Invites you to a

PUBLICFORUM

Wednesday, March 16th, 20168:00 am - 12:30 pm

Chilliwack Cultural Centre9201 Corbould Street ~ Odlum Brown Studios

Schedule Includes: Registration and Continental breakfast Immigrant employment panel presentation Highlights of new research on immigration employment

by Martha Dow, UFV Associate Professor Round table discussion on a community based strategy to

support immigrant employment in Chilliwack

Hillside has mergedwith Main Street

9am and 10:30am Services

9:15 am Sunday School for All Ages10:30 am - Celebration Service Main House

and Video Cafe

For more information on our

CHURCHDIRECTORY LISTINGSCall Arlene Wood

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Faith Today

BY CURTIS FASTYarrow MB Church

In 2013, Pharrell Williams released the song Happy. Great song, I love the groove and its a really fun video too. It is the kind of song that makes me want to sing like a fool and dance like no one is looking. Hap-piness is a good thing and most of us aspire to be happy. The chorus goes like this:

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof.

Because Im happy, clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because Im happy, clap along if you know what happiness is to you.

Because Im happy, clap along if you feel like thats what you wanna do.

The third line of the chorus says, Clap along if you know what happiness is to you. What is hap-piness to you?

To me, happiness is situational; things like watching my son play outside, helping someone connect with God or landing a salmon on the Vedder River. So clap along if you feel like thats what you want to do right?

But what happens when the

things that make me happy end up hurting the people around me? Years ago, before Jesus changed my heart and saved my life, I used to be a drug addict and happiness looked very different to me. I used to lie, cheat and steal so that I could get drugs and that is what made me happy.

Moreover, my happiness did affect the happiness of others and not in a positive way. So as this song says, is happiness the truth? We all seek happiness in different ways and our actions always affect others around us; that makes it very improbable for truth to be connected to my level of happi-ness.

I believe truth is found in the Bible and even though happiness is a good thing, it isnt my main focus of life. When I became a fol-lower of Jesus I didnt become less happy, but my priorities changed and God gave me joy. Joy is like a steadfast rock of contentment that does not change as my situations change. Where happiness changes as the wind, joy is permanent and ageless.

The book of Nehemiah tells the story of the nation of Israel coming back to Jerusalem after living in captivity. The people

had forgotten what was written in their ancient scrolls and had been living for themselves. One day a scribe named Ezra stood before the people and began to read the word. The people realized where they had gone wrong in life and began to weep, but Nehemiah told them to stop. He said, Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks and send some to those who have nothing prepared . . . Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

They go on to throw a week long party to celebrate the Lords forgiveness and faithfulness over generations.

Gods heart is to draw people to himself and to each other so he can breathe life and joy. Jesus is calling you today; he is calling you to relational wholeness with himself, with others and with the earth.

To receive this, just simply ask Him, For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. John 3:17

Curtis Fast is the Worship Direc-tor at the Yarrow MB Church. Feel free to contact him at [email protected].

Joy is permanent and ageless

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chiefsextraUpcoming games: March 4 - Coquitlam @ Chilliwack 7:00 p.m. March 5 - Coquitlam @ Chilliwack 7:00 p.m.

Technology has changed, but not our commitment tp keeping you informed about your community.

Your hometown source

chilliwacktimes.com

BY GREG [email protected]

Poised to end their regular season on a winning streak, the Chilliwack Chiefs were stopped at seven games in a row when the Victoria Grizzlies won 8-5 at Prospera Centre Sunday, as the BCHL now heads into post-season play.

That followed a two-game teaser of Chilliwacks first playoff round, where the Chiefs beat the Coquitlam Express Friday (4-3, OT) and Satur-day (8-4).

To start off the weekend in Coquitlam on Friday, both teams played a back-and-forth on the scoreboard in their first game until the Chiefs were up 3-2 early in the third period with efforts from Darien Craighead and Kale Kane.

A Mitch Newsome goal halfway through the third frame tied the match to send the game into over-time.

But Kane made short work of the OT period with his goal at 14 seconds into extra time, giving him and Craig-head two goals and an assist each in the contest.

And when the Express took their turn in Chilliwack the following night, the game shared a similar pattern with a Kohen Olischefski goal mid-second period breaking the Chiefs into the lead after a flip-flop in scoring to make it 4-3.

Thats where any similarity ended, with Chilliwacks four goals to one Express point keeping the game well

away from overtime.Chiefs captain Jordan Kawaguchi and

forward Aaron ONeill had two goals each to lead their team in scoring.

But thats where the streak would end.

The Victoria Grizzlies came to Chilliwack for a makeup game from mid-January when team bus prob-lems prevented them from visiting the mainland.

Though the Griz are last place in the Island division and out of play-off contention, they came to Pros-pera and ended the season with a high-scoring win.

Victoria forward Cole Pickup had four goals to himself in the 8-5 victo-ry that stayed even until a shift in the Grizzlies favour in the final period of the regular season.

Thats when the visiting team out-scored Chilliwack 4-2 to clinch the win and end Victorias season.

Craighead and Kawaguchi each scored twice, and ONeill added a goal to his regular season stats.

First two games at ProsperaThe first place Chiefs will face

fourth place Coquitlam again in round one of playoff action, opening with two home games Friday and Saturday before they visit the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre for games three and four on Monday and Tues-day. If necessary, games five to seven would alternate home advantage starting Friday back at Prospera.

Fantastic finish to regular season for ChiefsMainland division winners now face Coquitlam in their opening playoff series

Darren Francis photo

Chilliwack player Ryan Forbes (20) puts Coquitlams Charlie Barrow in the air as Burrow handles the puck Saturday night in an 8-4 win for the Chiefs on home ice.

Darren Francis photo

Express forward Jackson Cressey slides into Chiefs goaltender Matteo Esposito during Saturdays action.

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Sports

BY GREG [email protected]

Local speed skater Annabel Johnson comes home with a five-medal haul for her efforts at the 2016 BC Winter Games in Penticton last week.

After the closing ceremonies wrapped up in the citys fourth time hosting a provincial Games, Johnson and other local athletes returned to Chilliwack brandishing their prizes from the 29th winter event.

At the end of the four-day event, local representatives returned with three gold, three silver and three bronze medals in their role repre-senting a fourth-place Fraser Valley (Zone 3).

Chilliwack wheelchair basket-ball athletes Tanner Scott and Ben Hagkull won gold with the Zone 3 team in the mixed event this year.

It has been pretty fun, said Scott, an able-bodied player. It gives me a measure because teams are from every zone in the province.

As he trains with many of his teammates and winter game rivals at provincial camps, Scott said its a friendly competitive atmosphere on the court.

The intensity is definitely one of my favourite things but I also love playing on a team with athletes with a disability and how we can all come together and just play the game, he added.

Hagkull praised their team for its good chemistry, and also enjoyed seeing how they compare to the oth-er teams.

Our passing is really good, said the Chilliwack secondary student who has played with junior candi-date athletes in Toronto. We have nice crisp passes to get easy buckets. Also our communication on defence to know where everyone is has been really awesome.

And despite a shoulder injury, archer Victoria OBrien managed to place with her bronze standing in

girls match play.Her favourite part of the Games

was the atmosphere of it all.Its fun to be around different

people, OBrien said. When you shoot in [Chilliwack] you see the same people, so Im shooting against people I have never shot against and meeting new people.

Fraser Valley placed fourth with 86 medal points behind Fraser River (107 pts), Vancouver-Coastal (105 pts) and Thompson-Okanagan (92 pts).

GoldEverly Royea and Madeline Britz female curling - team competitionAnnabel Johnson - speed skating - 3000m mixed team, U16Tanner Scott, Ben Hagkull and Brad Hagkull (coach) - wheelchair basket-ballmixed

SilverAnnabel Johnson - speed skating - 3000m points girls, U16Annabel Johnson - speed skating - 1500m girls, U16Annabel Johnson - speed skating - 500m race 1 girls, U16

BronzeAnnabel Johnson - speed skating - 500m race 2 girls, U16Zackery Carpenter - speed skating - 3000m mixed team, U14Victoria OBrien - archery - girls match play recurve

Sandy Steck photo

Tanner Scott (middle, with ball) and the Fraser Valley wheelchair basketball team won gold at the 2016 Games.

Kelly Dickinson photo

Annabel Johnson skated her way to one gold, three sil-vers and a bronze during this years BC Winter Games.

Locals shine at BC Winter Games

Gerry Buzzell photo

Victoria OBrien takes aim and wins bronze in archery at the BC Winter Games.

FVC baseball team suits upThe Fraser Valley Collegiate (FVC) baseball team was back on the field for their first spring exhibi-tion showing, finishing with a 1-3 record against Thompson River University (TRU) in Kamloops over the weekend. The Chilliwack team lost 5-4 and won an 11-7 game against TRU on a warm sunny Saturday road game at McArthur Island Sports Centre in the moun-tains. The weather mirrored FVC results the following day when TRU swept a doubleheader 12-1 and 5-3 on a cold and wet day. The team will be in action Friday for two more games versus TRU at Fairfield, weather permitting,

and will host the Langley Blaze Sunday.

Griz win Fraser Valley titleSaturday night the G.W. Graham Grizzlies won their second Fra-ser Valley Championship in the schools history, beating Pacific Academy team from Surrey. Gabe Mannes led the way with 40 points, while Curtis Kmyta and Ryan Trottier added 23 and 17

points respectively. Both Jon Steel and Kyle Helsloot played notable minutes in the post, adding 17 points combined and forcing 17 important rebounds for the Grizzlies. Mannes and Kmyta were named to the first all-star team while Ryan Trottier was named Tournament MVP. The Grizzlies will spend this week preparing for the provincial championships taking place at the Langley Events Centre (LEC) from March 9 to 12. The Grizzlies senior girls won their opening game Wednesday morn-ing and are scheduled to play the winner of Duchess Park vs. J.L. Crowe Thursday night at 8:45 p.m at the LEC.

JOCK SCRAPSSend sporting events [email protected]

Paddlers claim titlesLocal Chilliwack racers took overall winning titles in the series for K1 mens and womens junior and senior categories, as well as K1 and C1 womens cadet levels at the Chilliwack Centre of Excellence Paddling Clubs annual Ice Breaker race series event that ended last weekend. Visiting athletes from Alberta, Saskatche-wan, Ontario, California, and Nevada challenged the hosting B.C. kayakers for top Ice Breaker spots in the annual competition. Races in the series were held in Fort Langley, Chilliwack, and Abbotsford.

Rfort photo

Rfort fotosFifteen-year-old

Austin Atkins eyes the finish

line in one of his heats. Atkins went

on to win the series title in K1

JR category.


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Weddings I Do


Make a second wedding stand out Couples planning to get married do so with the intention of spending the rest of their lives together. Few couples exchange rings thinking divorce or the loss of a spouse is in their future, but some marriages do end. Happily, that reality does not prevent many people from seeking happily ever after once again.A recent study from the Pew Research Center found that many people who were married before are deciding to take the plunge a second time. The Pew study also discovered that more men than women are likely to get remarried. Around 65 percent of previously married men have a desire to remarry, compared to 43 percent of previously married women.

Men and women about to get married for a second time can consider the following tips to help make the day one to remember forever. Recognize that a second wedding is in no way less important than the rst. Couples should remember that this is still the rst wedding for the two of them as a couple and it should be seen as just as special as any other wedding celebration. It's easy for men and women marrying for a second time to be hard on themselves, especially when thinking ahead to the gifts that were given and the money spent by guests for their rst marriage. But a new relationship and love is worthy of a good party. Friends and family who are supportive of you shouldnt have reservations about helping you celebrate. Don't feel boxed in by old-school etiquette. Rules have relaxed with regard to weddings. Many couples put their personal imprints on their weddings and do not feel the need to conform to outdated expectations. You don't have to skip all of the frills of a rst wedding the second time around or head to the local courthouse and pass on another big wedding. Do what feels comfortable to you, whether that means throwing a big party or hosting a smaller affair. Let past experience serve as your guide. You've been married before and can use that to your advantage. It's likely you know what worked for the wedding the rst time around and which things you probably could have changed or done without. Maybe you were stressed about having everything go perfectly or feeling like you had to put on a show for guests. As a more mature person this time around, you no doubt realize that sharing this special time with the ones you love is the most important wedding component of all. Be open-minded with your wardrobe. Let the formality of the event and the time of day when you're getting married in uence what you will be wearing instead of perceived etiquette or family notions. It's acceptable to wear white again if you so desire. Plus, more mature couples have a sense of what makes them look good, rather than opting for trendy out ts. Above all, have fun. Couples know what to expect the second time around, so stress usually doesn't stem from the unknown. You may feel more relaxed at a second wedding, so let that ensure you have a great night.

Weddings can be even more special the second time around.

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Couples adhere to many traditions on their wedding days, including the exchange of wedding rings. Wedding rings symbolize the union of two people and their pledge to remain faithful to each other.No one is exactly sure just when the tradition of exchanging wedding ringsoriginated, but some say it can be traced back to ancient Egypt, when the oldest recorded exchange of wedding rings was made. Reeds growing along the Nile were twisted and braided into rings and given during betrothal ceremonies. The round ring symbolized eternity, and the hole within the center meant a gateway to things unknown. Since reeds were not very durable, soon ivory, leather and bone were used to create wed-ding rings.As new lands were explored and territories expanded, traditions from one culturewere adopted and modi ed by other cultures. The same is true with wedding rings. According to the Diamond Source, wedding rings were adopted by Romans and incorporated into Western wedding ceremonies. Romans rings were highly decorated, and some historians believe wedding rings were given to represent ownership over brides instead of symbolizing love. These rings were made of iron and called Anulus Pronubus, or betrothal ring.Rings have been simpli ed since those days and ultimately made of many materials. Throughout history, wedding rings were worn on various ngers and even both hands, whereas many married people in Western cultures now wear their wedding rings on the left hand and on the fourth nger. Romans once believed that this nger contained a vein, called the Vena Amoris, that ran directly to the heart. Though that is not true, the tradition has prevailed.Other legends say that, when blessing a Christian marriage, priests would bind the marriage by saying, In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, simultaneously touching the ring to the recipients thumb, index nger and middle nger, before slipping it on the fourth nger while saying, Amen.Another theory on ring placement is that wedding rings are worn on the ring nger because that nger isnt used as much as the rest of the hand, ensuring delicate ring materials wont be damaged.Ross Simmons Jewelry states that gold is still the most popular metal choice for wedding rings, but couples are opting for some other metals that are more durable. Platinum is popular not only because it is long-wearing, but it also tends to be the most expensive. Its also a dense metal and can feel heavy in hand. Tungsten carbide is another durable metal that has grown in popularity in recent years. These rings cannot be cut and resoldered, which means its important to size the rings correctly the rst time. Titanium is both lightweight and durable, and its popular because it is hypo-allergenic, making it practical for those with allergies to other metals.Wedding rings continue to serve as symbols of a couples vows and union. Much like the marriage itself, they are designed to last the test of time.

Exchanging rings is an important wedding day tradition for many couples.

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Did you know?The modern bridal shower may trace its origins the 1890s. "The Old Farmer's Almanac" says the rst bridal shower hostess lled a paper parasol with small

presents and turned it over the head of the bride-to-be. Soon the concept caught on, and many other women began "showering" future brides in such a manner. Naturally, as presents became larger and heavier, the tradition of

literally showering the bride with gifts was modi ed - but the name has stuck.Bridal showers are designed to equip couples with many of the necessities

to start their new life together. This custom is believed to have evolved from an old dowry system, in which a bride was expected to bring valuables to the marriage. The dowry was originally intended as compensation for the burden of supporting a wife placed on the groom. Some parents of the bride were not rich enough to afford an ample dowry, so friends and family members

would offer small gifts to help offset this nancial responsibility.Today, both the bride and groom are equal partners in the marriage, bringing together their collective wealth. However, showers are still held regardless of

the nancial need of the bride as a way to offer good wishes before she embarks on her new journey.

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File: TMEP_Consultation_10.25x10.714 Date: Feb 23 2016 Proof: 10Trim: 10.25" x 10.714" File Created: Docket: Job: Newspaper Client: Kinder Morgan Operator: A+L

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Publication and publication dates

Black Press

March 2, April 6: Gulf Island Driftwood, Victoria News Regional

March 3, April 7: Surrey Now, Kamloops This Week

March 3, April 7, May 5: Hope Standard, Langley Advance, Chilliwack Times, North Thompson Star Journal, North Thompson Times, Merritt Herald Weekender, Nanaimo News Bulletin, The Westerly

March 4, April 8: Chilliwack Progress, Langley Times, Duncan/Cowichan Citizen

March 4, April 8, May 6: Abbotsford News, Surrey North Delta Leader

Post Media

March 3, April 7: Valley Sentinel

March 4, April 6, May 6: Burnaby Now, Vancouver Courier, North Shore News, Bowen Island Undercurrent, Tri-City News

For more information, go to TransMountain.com/engagementEmail: [email protected] Phone: 1-866-514-6700

Committed to safety since 1953.

How feedback has resulted in a stronger, safer and better project:

A $100 million investment in the West Coast Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) for marine safety enhancements.

A commitment to offset any greenhouse gas emissions resulting from construction. An increase in safety valves along the pipeline from 94 to 126. An increase in pipeline wall thickness in sensitive areas, such as urban locations and at river crossings. Routing of the pipeline to avoid 22 crossings at fi sh-inhabited rivers including

the Fraser, upper North Thompson, Albreda, Coldwater and Coquihalla. Routing to avoid environmentally sensitive areas, such as Cheam Wetlands and three

BC Class A parks. Routing of the pipeline to minimize community impacts to the Westsyde neighbourhood in Kamloops

and the Westridge neighbourhood in Burnaby.

For more than four years, weve worked together with our neighbours and local communities to hear what they have to say about our proposed pipeline expansion. By listening closely and having an open dialogue, weve been able to create a stronger, safer and more responsive project. We are working to meet all the requirements of the regulators, as well as consulting with communities, Indigenous people, government agencies and municipalities and well continue to work with them throughout development, construction and operations. We know how critical it is to get this right. Most importantly, were acting on what we hear with signifi cant changes to the Project.

I feel strongly that by listening to people, we are making better project decisions. - Lexa Hobenshield, External Relations Manager, Kinder Morgan Canada


Sports

Fishing fans from the rookie to the seasoned expert will want to be at Chilliwack Heritage Park next Sat-urday for the inaugural All About Fishing show.

From bait preparation to fly casting lessons to arts and crafts for the kids, the show sponsored by Tourism Chilliwack, Go Fish BC and the Fraser Valley Salmon Society has lots on the schedule.

Organizer Rodney Hsu (from FishingWi-thRod.com fame) says the intention behind the event is to introduce families with chil-dren to fishing, but also for experienced anglers to network and for all to share infor-mation on etiquette on the water.

This is a good chance to get the infor-mation out to everyone, Hsu says. More people are doing it, so we have to promote how to fish responsibly.

Other event highlights: fish ID quiz; learn-to-fish sessions; watershed steward-ship exhibitions; fishing games; and intro-ductions to all kinds of fishingFraser River bar, sturgeon, saltwater trolling, ice and more.

The All About Fishing show is March 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Chilliwack Heri-tage Park and admission is free.

Find out more at www.fraser val-leysalmonsociety.ca.

Get hooked on fi shingPaul J. Henderson/TIMES

Rodney Hsu, fishing enthusiast

and founder of FishingWithRod.com, is organizing the free

All About Fishing show March 12 at

Heritage Park.

CONGRATULATIONS!

See photos, videos, and results at BCGAMES.ORG

Thank you to the coaches, officials, volunteers, and families who support these growing champions.

149 athletes from the Fraser Valley competed at the 2016 BC Winter Games bringing home 86 medals.


Cover Storyurban guerilla group Direct Action, known in the mainstream press as the Squamish Five.

The Squamish Five were infamously known across Canada for the October 1982 bombing of Litton Industries, a Toron-to-based company that manufactured guidance systems for American nuclear cruise missiles. The five included Ann Hansen, Brent Taylor, Juliet Caroline Belmas, Doug Stewart and Han-nah. This incident also injured 10 people when the bomb detonated ahead of schedule, before a planned evacuation was undertaken.

The group also van-dalized the Dunsmuir BC Hydro substation and firebombed three Red Hot Video franchises.

For his part, Hannah was not involved in the Toronto bombing, but he was convicted of conspir-acy to rob an armoured car and possession of a stolen weapon, for which he received a 10-year jail sentence. He served five.

Hannahs view of poli-tics has changed little, but in the intervening years he realized that direct action, armed urban guerilla tactics, have no place in countries such as Canada or the U.S.

He also has a band, Gerry Hannah and the New Questioning Coyote Brigage, an album he released in December 2014, and a show coming up on March 12.

The following is an edit-ed interview with Hannah about Canadian politics, Direct Action, modern activism, his thoughts on the Squamish Five and, of course, music.

Times: What led you to Direct Action?

Hannah: One of the most pressing issues was the fact that we were so dangerously close to nuclear war. There was the so-called nuclear clock that people referred to frequently and we were less than five minutes to 12. That was a huge part of why I ended up becoming an urban guerilla. What was hap-pening in Latin America with left-wing activists being ruthlessly hunted down, raped, tortured, murdered, bodies left in the river. That was just horrendous, our western governments involved in murder, that was some-thing that made me very passionate.

I didnt think the elec-tions were achieving that end. Then attacks on the environment, major deg-radation happening at the time, and it continues to this day.

Times: How does activ-ism from the 1980s com-pare to today?

Hannah: Well I think largely people have real-ized, what we probably should have realized, is that the kind of activism that we were involved inproperty damage on a massive scale, being armed to protect our-selvesthat just doesnt wash with the population in a country like Canada or the U.S., a First World nation. People arent that desperate. Even though really terrible things hap-pen around us, those sorts of things just seem like completely alien concepts.

The truth of the matter is, environmental activism is more effective if you can get a lot of people on board and get the majority of Canadians on your side.

Times: Was the Litton Industries bombing a mistake?

Hannah: It was certain-ly a mistake in that people were injured, in that it was reckless. I didnt actually support that particular action. I was in the group but I wasnt involved in the planning. Obviously once people realized that the actions they thought they were going to do without hurting anybody, once they realized. . . the whole thing should have been called off.

Times: Do you regret what happened?

Hannah: We like to pre-tend that morals are black and white and everybody has the same morality. When one person seems to wander out of that com-fortable area, we turn on them, but in fact our mor-als are all pretty fluid.

Do I regret that people were injured? The answer is yes. Do I think we were reckless in the way we carried out some of our actions? I would say yes. I definitely would say those kinds of things are not acceptable: to destroy a building or destroy a piece of equipment or to arm yourself to protect yourself. But are they never acceptable under any circumstances? No I wouldnt say that.

Times: What do you think of the forces of no as Christy Clark calls those opposed to certain projects?

Hannah: I think its another catchphrase that Christy Clark is famous for, just like grow the econ-omy, and its a nifty little catchphrase that some-body in her little group of advisors dreamed up. Say this over and over again and youll get everybody on board. Shes a walking used car salesman.

Shes reduced the whole environmental movement

and activism to: these are people that dont like any-thing. Of course thats dan-gerous. Maybe there are a handful of people that would object to almost any kind of change to their community, but its only a handful. The majority of activists in B.C., they are not resisting the changes and protesting against industrial activity because they dont have anything better to do. They are doing it because they believe in it.

Times: On to musicdo young punk rockers turn into old folk musi-cians?

Hannah: I still know lots of punk rockers. Its still independent music, still an attempt to be honest in music.

I was always, even as a bass player for the Subhu-mans, I was still playing songs on acoustic guitar. I wasnt just influenced by the Sex Pistols and the Clash, but also Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

The punk rock rebel-lion was more a rebellion against mainstream music being designed in the early 1970s. Style over sub-stance, and punk rock was a rebellion against that. I got involved in that rebel-lion wholeheartedly.

Eventually I started to think that punk rock had ran its course as a rebel-lion, there were things happening in the punk scene, violence for exam-ple. Thats when I turned my back on it and walked away. That didnt mean I didnt love the music, I just decided I needed to move on.

I dont think I aban-doned the movement, I felt the movement was dis-integrating. Other people disagree.

Times: You wrote sev-en songs on your album in prison, what was that like, you had time, three

square meals?Hannah: For me music

had always helped me through the rougher times in my life including when I was a punk rocker. So when I went to prison it only followed that, once I got a guitar, it helped.

When I was in Oakalla all I had was an AM tran-sistor radio, so I had to wait for a year and a half before I could get a guitar. I had an old guitar sent in to me at Matsqui. For me it was incredible and then I was very lucky, fortunate in that they were support-ive of musicianship in the prison and thought that was a valuable thing to turn lives around. I helped put together a pretty good program in Matsqui. We

bought a four-track tape recording machine and recorded a tape in there and seven of those songs are on my album Coming Home, in a different form.

Its really brutal to be sent into the bowels of the federal penitentiary system. Its pretty power-ful and heavy and scary and brutal. Writing music and playing music really helped me survive.

For a longer version of this interview, see www.chilliwacktimes.com. Gerry Hannah and the New Ques-tioning Coyote Brigade play Triple Play Pub with special guests on March 12. Tickets are $5. Doors open at 8 p.m., opening bands start at 9 p.m.

{ HANNAH, from page A1 } Writing music helped Hannah survive


BY PAUL J. HENDERSONChilliwack Times

Ga r t h Mc C re e d y was humble Fri-day as he accept-ed an award recognizing inclusion handed out by Community Living B.C. (CLBC) at Home Depot in Chilliwack.

McCreedy is one of five B.C. award winners honoured for increasing access and making life a little better for people with developmental dis-abilities.

I didnt think I was doing anything unusual, McCreedy said in accept-ing the Widening Our World (WOW) award. I didnt think I was doing anyth

Chilliwack Times March 03 2016

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