THURSDAY July 24, 2014 Vol. 29 • No. 59 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
THIS PUBLICATION AVAILABLE ONLINE AT comoxvalley record.com
COMOX VALLEY
Enter to Win!
ARTS
SPORTS
Winnipeg songwriter Raine Hamilton will make a tour stop in Cumberland Page 16
Levins lacing up runners for Commonwealth Games Page 25
RECORD
SECOND
PAIR
FREE
EVERYD AY! 349 B 5 th Street, Phone: 3 Courtenay 34-2043
Your community. Your newspaper.
A division of
www.comoxvalleyrecord.com
comoxvalleyrecord.com/contests
It’s official - Harriette is a girl Erin Haluschak Record Staff
Calling it “a big leap” for transgender residents across B.C., Cathie Dickens said a new bill passed into law in May allowed her granddaughter to get her new birth certificate identifying her as a female. Eleven-year-old Harriette Cunningham of Comox is one of the first in the province to receive her new certificate following Bill 17 passing into law. “It’s a great thing,” Dickens said. Harriette was born as Declan Cunningham, but has officially changed her name to Harriette. She said she first started telling people she was a girl in Grade 2, and she started school last fall as a girl, taking part on girls’ sports
Eleven-year-old transgender child who spearheaded campaign to change ID laws receives her birth certificate teams for example. With the help of Dickens, Cunningham launched a campaign last September to push for changes to B.C. laws so that her identification can reflect her gender, rather than her sex. Cunningham told The Record in September she felt insecure when travelling or crossing the border, as her appearance differed from what was listed on both her passport and birth certificate at the time. “… I want to explain myself, but then again I think I shouldn’t really have to because everybody else doesn’t
have to,” she noted. Previously, according to B.C. law, people needed sexual reassignment surgery before they could change their sex designation on their birth certificate. Now under Bill 17, people wishing to change the sex designation on their birth certificates no longer have to undergo surgery first. Dickens and Cunningham sent letters to more than 40 MPs and MLAs pushing for changes to the law, and met with Comox Valley MLA Don McRae. In a separate interview, Harriette’s father Colin notes
PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
Record Staff
Courtenay Council unanimously defeated a motion by Ronna-Rae Leonard to allow a delegation of pipeline protesters to speak at its Aug. 5 meeting. Coun. Doug Hillian was absent for the vote. At Monday’s meeting, the group appealed a decision to deny a request to appear as a delegation July 7 to discuss pipeline twinning proposals and tanker exports through coastal waters. Council had decided the matter does not fall within its jurisdiction. The delegation consisted of representatives from Leadnow.ca, Dogwood Initiative and the Council of Canadians. In a letter to council, Jay Baker-
PRICED TO SELL LOWEST PRICE EVER
18995
$
MSRP $229.95
BG 55 Gas Blower
250.331.0748
2981 Moray Ave., Courtenay
WesternOne.ca
PHOTO BY SANDY AITKEN
Scott Stanfield
ACCESS ROADS and excavation have begun on the new 153-bed Comox Valley Hospital site. The $331.7-million project is expected to be complete in late 2017. A new $247.5 million, 95-bed hospital for Campbell River is also being built at the same time. The Comox Valley Hospital, situated at 101 Lerwick Rd., will have 428,700 square feet of overall space. To view a virtual fly-through online, visit bit.ly/1ufdn0I
662 Anderton Rd, Comox
... see HARRIETTE ■ 4
ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD HARRIETTE CUNNINGHAM of Comox recently received her new birth certificate identifying her as a female.
Courtenay council denies delegation appeal
AND SO IT BEGINS
250.339.4518
receiving her certificate is the first step for the École Robb Road student, who will be entering Grade 6. “Matters of right and wrong and matters of principle are really important to her. It’s important to her to be who she is,” he explained. Earlier this week with her official name change form and new birth certificate, Harriette applied for her new passport, and Colin said the family looks forward to a stress-free border crossing when they visit Seattle next month for the Gender Odyssey Conference. Although Harriette may soon have her new passport, Colin explained she is continuing to fight for those who may not identify with any particular gender.
$
40995 MSRP $459.95
MM 55 Yard Boss Cultivator
French cited a number of precedents to explain why council should hear from the delegation. He noted the Union of B.C. Municipalities adopted two resolutions similar to that which the delegates wished to present to council. One opposes oil transport by pipeline in B.C., the other opposes tanker traffic in coastal waters. “It is unclear to us how this issue is outside of Courtenay’s jurisdiction when UBCM, a group that includes municipalities that would not be as directly affected by tanker disasters or the negative effect of pipelines on our economy as Courtenay would be, has judged it within theirs,” stated Baker-French, a volunteer with Leadnow.ca.
... see COUNCIL ■ 4
SAVINGS LIMITED TIME ONLY Summer Stock GREAT $ 30995 $14995 Has Arrived! MSRP $339.95
MAKE YARD WORK Toyota
QUICK & EASY
HS 45 Gas Hedge Trimmer
cmyk
#1 Selling Brand Ask our friendly staff for more product information or a in Canada!
FREE DEMONSTRATION
MSRP $179.95
FS 38 Gas Trimmer