Richmond Review, June 27, 2012

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REVIEW WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2012

Smuggler breached airport security

48 PAGES

U.S. wins gold in wheelchair rugby

Ex-Air Canada baggage handler accessed restricted areas while off duty by Martin van den Hemel Staff Reporter The former Air Canada baggage handler who tried to smuggle 50 kilograms of cocaine through Vancouver International Airport, breached airport security seven times before being caught in December of 2007. But there’s no indication that Steven Von Holtum was ever questioned about those earlier incidents, which Crown counsel Charles Hough argued were times where Von Holtum may have successfully smuggled other drugs into the country. Two security experts called the incidents “serious breaches.” Ironically, his unauthorized access to the customs hall was recorded by a new technology introduced the same year Von Holtum was caught, and designed to sound alarm bells. Billed in January of 2007 by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority as “the world’s first dual biometric airport identification program for non-passengers acccessing restricted areas of the airport,” the RAIC (Restricted Area Identity Card) program was designed to detect and record the comings and goings of airport personnel, including whenever they enter restricted zones. Hough told The Richmond Review fragments of data he obtained from the airport authority indicate that on at least 20 days in 2007, Von Holtum was at the airport while off duty, and used his access card to cross security lines. On an additional eight days, cell phone records indicate he was at the airport while not working. And the access card data indicates he was in the customs hall of the Vancouver International Airport on seven different days, six of those while he was off duty, Hough said. Hough said senior management testified that baggage handlers are not permitted into the customs hall except on the rare occasion when they’ve received specific orders, and that violating this rule was deemed a “serious employee misconduct.” See Page 6

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The Agricultural Land Commission wants public comment on various new or increased fees it may impose to generate more revenue to finance its operations. Under consideration are increases to existing fees for Agricultural Land Reserve exclusions, as well as subdivisions, nonfarm use and utility corridor applications. Those fees haven’t been raised since 2002. The ALC is also considering new service fees to ensure completion of conditionally approved applications and for ongoing

monitoring and site inspections of longterm approvals. B.C.’s agriculture minister last year agreed to enable new fees to strengthen the ALC after an audit found chronic underfunding had left the commission unable to prosecute many violators for degrading farmland because of court costs. Comments are being accepted until July 8 at http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/aboutind/ ALC_Consultation/index.htm Much of East Richmond is in the Agricultural Land Reserve.

TONY LING

Rents on the rise Metro Vancouver rental vacancy rates edged down to 2.6 per cent in April, from 2.8 per cent a year earlier, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. Rents rose an average of 2.4 per cent over the same one-year period, with renters paying on average $854 for Metro Vancouver bachelor units and $1,210 for two bedrooms.

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Don Fennell photo US captain Will Groulx beats Canada’s Mike Whitehead to the goal line during final-game action Saturday at the 2012 Canada Cup International Wheelchair Rugby Championship at Richmond Olympic Oval. US won 56-53. See stories on Pages 12 and 13.

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