View to a kill
Students have rare close up view of young cougar Page A3
NEWS: Colwood ponies up cash for Langford A3 ARTS: Victoria Film Fest fan offers top picks A13 SPORTS: Indoor rowing finale sets stage for Vikes A16
GOLDSTREAM
NEWS GAZETTE
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
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National award for Langford’s ‘red tape reduction’
Lt.-Col. (Ret.) Chris Linford (front), the national ambassador to Wounded Warriors Canada, stands with five military members who will run the length of Vancouver Island this month to raise awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder and the resources available for counselling and recovery. Back row: Steven Kobayashi, George Beatteay and Jeremy Buckingham; middle row: Dan Bodden and Allan Kobayashi.
Edward Hill News staff
The City of Langford won the national “Golden Scissors Award” from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business for abandoning annual renewals of business licences. Staring this year, Langford has made business licences permanent, unless a business moves or significantly changes its operations. Previously, and like in most municipalities, businesses paid an annual renewal fee of $50 for homebased businesses to $100 for small commercial to $200 for large commercial. A Langford staff report outlined the hassle and time which goes along with preparation and collection of fees, and the fact that many remain outstanding. The report indicated the net loss for the city will be about $50,000 per year. “It’s such a simple thing, but it makes so much sense – there’s no reason why other cities across Canada can’t do the very same thing tomorrow,” said CFIB executive vice president Laura Jones. “Our council felt that adopting a permanent business licence was a practical decision that would benefit business owners and citizens alike,” Langford Mayor Stew Young said in a release. “We hope other municipalities look to Langford as a model of what a small business-friendly community can be.” The award is part of CFIB’s “red tape awareness week.” Langford’s initiative was selected above Passport Canada’s 10 year passport, the federal government’s “one for one” regulation rule, and B.C.’s mobile business licence program. --with files from Kyle Wells editor@goldstreamgazette.com
Edward Hill/News staff
Battling the unseen injury Island ultra-marathon to raise awareness of PTSD Edward Hill News staff
For Allan Kobayashi, endurance running is key component of his effort to heal from post-traumatic stress disorder, diagnosed after multiple tours of Afghanistan. A 30 kilometre run, he says, provides a “sense of clarity in my mind and heart.” Kobayashi and four other military colleagues are spring-boarding their passion for endurance training into an effort to raise awareness of PTSD among serving and retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Wounded Warrior Run
B.C. will cover the length over Vancouver Island – 600 km over six days. Kobayashi, a PO2 with the damage control school in Colwood, and fellow runner Sgt. Dan Bodden, an Air Force search and rescue tech, came up with the ambitious project last August through the understanding that many of their colleagues suffer in silence with PTSD, unaware or refusing to acknowledge they have an unseen injury. “I knew I had to come up with a mission to raise awareness of PTSD,” Kobayashi said. “I knew I wanted to do something to give back.” Kobayashi admits he nearly lost his family due to the ill affects of PSTD, and credits his wife Fran for forcing him to seek help. It wasn’t an easy process. “I was scared, terrified. But there is help, and you need to take that step and seek the
Some choices are hard.
help that is there,” he said. Not only in the Canadian Forces, but the rest of our brothers in uniform – police, fire, paramedics – and everyday civilians.” The Wounded Warrior Run B.C. effort kicked off Friday at Saunders Subaru in Colwood, which will provide the finish line for the ultra-marathon that starts in Port Hardy on Feb. 16. “These guys are what I call miracle workers. There are fathers, mothers, sons and daughters who are affected by PTSD, it’s a stress they face each day,” Bob Saunders said. “We need to send a strong message to Ottawa not to close (veterans) support centres and create undue stress with bureaucratic red tape.” PLEASE SEE: Stigma of PTSD, Page A6
Some are easy.
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