SPORTS
BUSINESS
ENTERTAINMENT
THE 31ST EDITION of the Ensign Cup charity rugby match is slated to kick off Saturday afternoon at the Parkinson Recreation Centre.
COLUMNIST Maxine DeHart reports on the 40th anniversary of local boat builder Campion Marine and its plans for the 2014 line-up it intends to feature.
ELVIS will be in the building next month in Penticton when tribute artist Adam Fitzpatrick brings his show to the Cleland Theatre as part of the Louisiana Hayride.
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Check out our NEW FALL INVENTORY of QUALITY CHAINSAWS!
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THURSDAY August 22, 2013 The Central Okanagan’s Best-Read Newspaper www.kelownacapnews.com
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▼ COURTS
Former BCFGA president charged with threatening grower Wade Paterson STAFF REPORTER
Kirpal Boparai, former president of the BC Fruit Growers’ Association, was released on bail Tuesday after being charged Monday night with uttering threats and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Karmjit Gill, an orchardist and board member of the B.C. Tree Fruits Cooperative, said he is scared for his life after an incident that took place on his East Kelowna Road property Monday involving Boparai. According to Gill, a man called him Monday afternoon to ask why his orchard was not one of the hail-damaged properties toured by politicians last Saturday. “I said: That’s not my responsibility,” said Gill. Gill said the man then began to curse in Punjabi. “He was saying: Where are you now? I want to kill you.” Gill was in another orchard at the time of the call, but indicated to the
man he was at home. A short time later, a pickup truck arrived at Gill’s residence and the following minutes were captured on Gill’s home surveillance video.
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WHY AM I GETTING THE PUNISHMENT WITHOUT REASON? IT’S NOT MY FAULT. Karmjit Gill
On Tuesday, Gill showed Capital News the video footage. After getting out of the truck, the man being filmed appeared to be irate. The video showed the man waving his arms erratically. Eventually, he picked up a shovel from his truck bed and walked a few steps before striking it on the ground. Gill’s son—who didn’t want to be
named—said he and his cousin were at the house at the time of the event; however, they were never threatened directly. Gill’s son explained the man chose to focus his frustration toward Gill, telling Gill’s son of his intention to kill his father. The video showed neighbours arrive on the property, who were apparently curious about the commotion. Gill’s son said he phoned the son of the angry man, asking him to come and calm down his father. When the son arrived he took the shovel away from his dad. Minutes later, from a separate camera angle, the irate man can be seen getting into an RCMP cruiser. According to Gill, the man phoned again from the police car, once again threatening to kill him. Gill owns 10 orchards in the Kelowna region; he said he is concerned about his own safety while on any of those properties going forward. “I want protection. I
WADE PATERSON/CAPITAL NEWS
ORCHARDIST Karmjit Gill says he is scared for his life after being threatened by a man Monday night. Former BCFGA president Kirpal Boparai has been charged with uttering threats and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. haven’t been eating (since Monday) night. I can’t eat anything today. I have a headache,” Gill told Capital News Tuesday afternoon. “Why am I getting the punishment without rea-
son? It’s not my fault.” Gill said he does not consider himself to be friends with the man who threatened him Monday. “As growers, we know each other. (We’re) not friends.”
Jeet Dukhia, current president of the BCFGA, said he had no knowledge of Monday’s event, other than what he’s seen in the media. Although Gill indicated he helped organ-
ize the politicians’ tour of the hail-damaged crops, Dukhia said that wasn’t the case. “I had given instruc-
See Orchardist A28
▼ DROWNING
Man pulled from Okanagan Lake identified front of Stuart Park. The Kelowna Yacht Club confirmed Reinson was the club member found floating in the lake behind a moorage slip on Friday.
An online memorial page for the 66-year-old father of three indicates he is survived by his wife Fay Reinson, daughters Maria McLennan and Tara Reinson, and son Mike Reinson.
An explanation for the course of events that led to his death has yet to materialize. Reinson was reported to have been in critical condition after being taken from the water.
He was transfered to Kelowna General Hospital following his discovery. Early Sunday a 24-yearold Surrey man drowned while swimming the lake.
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While official word on the identity of a man found in Okanagan Lake last Friday has yet to surface, Mervyn Reinson is being identified as the individual pulled from the water in