Tuesday Feb. 7, 2012 (Vol. 37 7 No. 11))
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
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S O U T H
They mean business: New South Surrey and White Rock Chamber of Commerce leaders Gary Hollick and Cliff Annable outline their new goals for their community. see page 11
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
‘Frontal attack’ on labour movement, says Opposition House leader
MPs give Hiebert’s bill rough reception Alex Browne Staff Reporter
MP Russ Hiebert’s private member’s bill aimed at increasing public disclosure of unions’ financial affairs received a bumpy ride from Opposition politicians in the House Of Commons Monday. Speaking on second reading of his bill to amend the Income Tax Act (C.377 – Requirements For Labour Organi-
zations), Hiebert (South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale) argued that requiring unions to file statements with Canada Revenue Agency that would also be available to the public is a move toward greater transparency and accountability. He predicted it would, in fact, confirm to union members that public monies (through tax exemptions to unions) are being well-spent on their behalf.
But Opposition House leader Joe Comartin, NDP MP for WindsorTecumseh – who attacked the proposed legislation when it was introduced in October – labelled some of Hiebert’s comments “disingenuous… a frontal attack on the labour movement.” He added it would actually threaten the rights to association, privacy and freedom of speech.
“It’s not about transparency,” he said. Comartin compared it to legislation introduced by the Republicans during the George W. Bush administration in the U.S. – legislation, he said, that doesn’t go as far as Hiebert’s bill in the level of disclosure and reporting required. Documents authored by right-wing policy advisors prior to the U.S. legisla see page 4
MP Russ Hiebert
Doug Farrow photos
Kelowna RCMP close in on members of the Tamanawis Wildcats basketball team after reports of teens with handguns. They found toy pistols.
‘Powerful lesson’ for Surrey athletes, chaperones on Kelowna visit
Teenagers’ toy guns turn into big to-do Kevin Diakiw Black Press
About a dozen Surrey basketball players were the recipient of the Kelowna RCMP’s version of a full court press Thursday afternoon, after a pair of toy guns got them temporarily arrested. Members of the senior boys Tamanawis Wildcats – who last month won the Surrey RCMP Classic – were in town for a tournament and were heading to a mall restaurant in downtown Kelowna at about 2:15 p.m. Thursday, when a police officer noticed one of them tucking a gun into the back of his sweatpants. They would later find out that one of two
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women chaperones – a mother of one of the subsequently released without charges. children – also had a mock pistol in her purse. “It is very concerning, and it is treated accordPerceiving a potential danger at the crowded ingly,” said Kelowna RCMP Sgt. Ann Morrison. Capri Mall, the officer called for “We assume that it’s a real firearm backup – which included a heli- ❝We assume that it’s a real until we’re able to determine that copter, an emergency response firearm until we’re able to it’s not… they look very real.” team and police dogs. Surrey Board of Education determine that it’s not.❞ RCMP waited for other cuschair Laurae McNally said the Sgt. Ann Morrison tomers to leave the Subway resstudents should not have had Kelowna RCMP taurant, then phoned and told replica guns in their possession, staff to clear out the premises. and that mailers are often sent asking that stuThey then ordered the dozen ball players to dents not bring them to school or school events. leave the restaurant and arrested them. She said district staff are reviewing the matter. They seized the two replicas and the team was see page 4
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