Tuesday June 25, 2013 (Vol. 38 No. 51)
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
A N D
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
Giant step: After months of hockey rumours, it was announced Monday that Surrey Eagles coach Matt Erhart has accepted an assistant-coach position with the Vancouver Giants. › see page 21
Educators, parents, students work together to make homophobia history
District ‘closes book’ on past gay view Sheila Reynolds Black Press
Thursday was a big night for Anthony Hope. The Surrey student was on hand as school trustees gave their unanimous approval to an anti-homophobia regulation. “It’s very validating for me because it signals that the board does care about students like me and students who are LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-
gender and questioning), or have gay or lesbian parents or gender-identity issues,” said Hope. “The board is recognizing this and saying that it’s OK.” Prior to coming out, he said, there were times he felt it was far from OK to be gay. He hated himself and was afraid, because everything he read about homosexuality seemed to be negative. But when a friend killed himself as a result of gay bashing, Hope took action. He was among a group that approached
the Surrey Board of Education a year ago, calling for the school district to establish an anti-homophobia policy. A committee of teachers, district staff, parents and students was struck and spent months forming a stand-alone regulation aimed at supporting “students, staff and community members of all sexual orientations or gender identities.” Hope said that while the subject is often an emotional one, everyone came
to the table with passion and with an open mind. He believes the regulation will spark classroom conversations and result in greater acceptance. “We’re moving forward and it’s going to counteract the history of Surrey and hopefully change the perception,” Hope said. The history he refers to goes back more than a decade – but is one that haunts the district. › see page 4
Argument reported
Discussion encouraged
Two dead in likely domestic homicide
Running afoul of bylaws Sarah Massah Staff Reporter
Kevin Diakiw Black Press
Police are investigating a suspicious double death that took place in Newton last week. On Wednesday at about 10:30 p.m., police were called to a report of a disturbance at a home at 6773 145A St. They entered to find a South Asian couple dead. Witnesses had heard people arguing prior to the discovery of two bodies in the home, in what is believed to be a domestic homicide. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) announced Monday afternoon that the victims have been identified as Dilber Singh Atwal, 49 and Gurpreet Kaur Atwal, 30 – married since 2002. At the scene, individuals who said they knew the couple well reported there had been several instances over the past 10 years when the police had been called for complaints of a disturbance. One woman said she heard glass breaking in the house on Tuesday night, and that it was an 18-year-old son from the man’s first marriage. › see page 2
JUNE 27 TO JULY 7
SAVE BIG!
Anthony Hope student
Sarah Massah photo
Backyard birder Kate McMaster hopes her efforts to promote small-lot chicken coops spur discussion.
BORDER GOLD CORP.
A South Surrey woman working to change a city bylaw restricting the ownership of chickens to properties an acre or larger hopes that the public discussion results in more awareness on food consumption. Kate McMaster has been working with the city to change the bylaw since March, with the hopes of legalizing ownership of small-lot flocks, like the one she has on her quarter-acre lot. The longtime South Surrey resident found out about the restrictions this year after bringing three hens – two Ameraucanas and an Australorp – home from a friend’s farm in Langley. “Someone mentioned that they thought it was only legal to have chickens on acre lots,” she told Peace Arch News. “So I emailed city council right away to ask for permission to have these hens, because I didn’t want to do something illegal. “The only councillor who got back to me was Marvin Hunt, the rest pawned me off to bylaws.” Upon the realization that her three hens were technically illegal, McMaster spurred into action, creating the Surrey › see page 4