Ahead of the Pack
Times
Reaching Out
The Langley
page 22
T h u r s d a y ,
A p r i l
1 8 ,
page 43
2 0 1 3
www. l a n g l e y t i m e s . com
Warawa nixes sex selection motion
Who’s Who?
Frank Bucholtz Times Reporter
Roberts cautioned. The actual number could be higher, because the homeless, especially young ones, are usually reluctant to reach out. “They’re not used to asking for help,” Roberts said. “That’s one of the things you have to teach them.” A 2011 homeless count of all communities in the Lower Mainland found a total of 397 “unaccompanied youth under the age of 25.” It was the highest number of unaccompanied homeless youth ever found in the region, up 29 per cent from a previous homeless tally in 2008.
Langley MP Mark Warawa is withdrawing his controversial private member’s bill on sex selection, and replacing it with a bill to change the circumstances surrounding the sentencing of sex offenders. He made the announcement at a press conference in Ottawa on Wednesday. Warawa’s motion, M-408, called on the House of Commons to condemn Mark the practice of abortWarawa ing fetuses based on their gender. It was initially cleared to proceed, but then stopped by a Commons subcommittee, made up of three MPs. An appeal by Warawa to the full House committee was also rejected. The rejection of the motion focused far more attention on the subject and author of the motion. Numerous media reports used it to highlight the tight control Prime Minister Stephen Harper has over his caucus and the Conservative government’s intention not to allow anything related to abortion to be dealt with in the House of Commons. Warawa’s public profile increased dramatically, and he was the subject of numerous media reports from across the country.
continued, PAGE 7
continued, PAGE 7
Miranda GATHERCOLE/Langley Times
Ju Hee Kim, 6, tries on a special shaped cone to experience the type of enhanced hearing that owls have. This was one of many activities kids took part in at the Eyes on Owls event at Campbell Valley Park this spring. Kids also had to chance to disect owl pellets, examine feathers and meet a live barn owl and saw-whet owl.
Youth homelessness at ‘frightening’ level Mayors and council members of Langley Township and City to take late-night tour to learn more about issue Dan Ferguson Times Reporter
A late-night tour of both Langleys will give members of the Township and City councils a street-level view of the life young homeless people lead. Both Township Mayor Jack Froese and City Mayor Peter Fassbender were among those expected to attend the two-hour Friday walk that will start at 11
p.m. in the parking lot of the Township municipal facility. The event is being organized by Loren Roberts, the program coordinator for the Aldergrove Neighbourhood Services Youth Homelessness Initiative. The Friday night walk will include scavenger hunts to demonstrate just how few options young homeless people have, Roberts said. For one hunt, participants will
Say “I Do!” With 30% Off Wedding Rings Sale Effective April 18 - 30
2 0 2 0 2 - 6 6 T H AV E , LANGLEY IN HOUSE CUSTOM DESIGN STUDIO
604.539.7720
exceljewellers.com
be told to look for as-yet undisclosed types of “youth-friendly” venues open after 11 p.m. at night. “They’re not going to find it,” Roberts predicted. On the Monday before the walk, Roberts appeared before Township council to warn the numbers of young homeless people has reached a “frightening” level in the community. He said a store-front Langley City office that opened in June of 2012 to help the homeless has so far encountered 79 cases of homeless people under the age of 25, 55 of them under the age of 19. And those are only the ones the office has directly dealt with,
BC’s #1 Power Stroke Specialist RIGHT HERE IN LANGLEY 5957 - 206A St., Langley
604-532-9445
www.bernhausendiesel.com