Tuesday
November 20, 2012 (Vol. 37 No. 93)
V O I C E
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W H I T E
R O C K
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S O U T H
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
Up in the air: Kites have always been a way for Crescent Beach native Mary-Lynn Schlifer to “communicate with the heavens” and now she is sharing her love of the art with others. › see page 11
Boaz Joseph photos
Road warriors Protesters, including a masked Michael Cremin (above), rally at 32 Avenue and 154 Street Saturday. More than 100 people turned out to drive home their call for a ban on diesel trucks along 32 Avenue.
First Nations tout aboriginal project over one backed by BC Lottery Commission
Semiahmoo ‘prime location’ for casino Jeff Nagel Black Press
First Nations are vowing to open their own casinos in B.C., citing the province’s refusal to share its gambling profits while continuing to expand the industry. Reserve land in Surrey, Vancouver and the North Shore would be prime potential sites for a new aboriginal-owned casino in the Lower Mainland, according to Sto:lo Grand Chief Joe Hall, who heads the First Nations Gaming Initiative spearheading the concept. Hall said the Semiahmoo First Nation reserve east of the White Rock waterfront would be perfect. “It would be a prime location,” he said. “Because of the population and the location and because of the American traffic and the traffic from the Island that goes east.”
Hall said the Semiahmoo band has considered building a hotel/ conference centre that might also host a casino, but approval of a proposed destination-casino proj-
ect nearby in South Surrey would torpedo the band’s chances. “I understood they were pursuing that, but there was no consultation with their community at all. So
they were basically shut out.” Another option may be Katzie First Nation land near Fort Langley, Hall said. The South Surrey casino/conven-
Groans, jeers put BCLC, city on defensive Dan Ferguson Staff Reporter
Jim Lightbody
A sometimes-hostile crowd of around 300 people groaned and jeered at proponents of a casino in South Surrey during a public hearing organized by opponents of the $100-million project proposed for 10 Avenue and 168 Street. The three-hour hearing was organized by the South Surrey Ratepayers Association, which said the mayors of White Rock, Surrey and representatives of Gateway Casinos and BC Lottery Corporation had been invited to attend.
Neither mayor showed, but BCLC vicepresident of casino and community gaming, Jim Lightbody, and Gateway general counsel James Chen did, along with City of Surrey area planning manager Ron Hintsche. Association president Terry McNeice repeatedly called for civility, telling the audience their indignation should be directed at Surrey council. “We are two meetings away from a casino,” McNeice said. “You have to take this up with your mayor and council members.” › see page 2
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tion centre backed by the BC Lottery Commission is just the latest irritant for aboriginal leaders, who have for years asked the province for a two to three per cent share of the $1.1 billion in annual profits B.C. reaps from gambling. Hall said the Sto:lo are unhappy they’ll get no benefit from a newly opened community gaming centre with slot machines in Chilliwack that replaces an old bingo hall. Similar mini-casinos have also sprung up in recent years in Abbotsford, Mission and Langley without contributing to local First Nations, he noted. “The one in Chilliwack is very disturbing because it’s built on former reserve land that used to belong to the Ch’ihl’kway’uhk people.” › see page 4
Corner of 192nd St. & 48th Ave., Surrey
in today’s paper