Chilliwack Progress, November 05, 2014

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The Chilliwack

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Gala Royale

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It was a magical night at the November Night gala.

CD launch party for Matt Lowen.

Locals do well at championships.

Eye Site

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Sports

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Candidates asked for unique ideas Jennifer Feinberg The Progress The Chilliwack Progress asked city council candidates to outline their “out-of-the-box” ideas this week as part of ongoing Elections 2014 coverage. Sixteen of 17 candidates replied (with complete answers online at www. thepr ogr ess. com) with what th they would br bring to the ta table if elected to “significantly improve” so some aspect of how the City of Chilliwack is run. Candidate Patti MacAhonic tackled poverty. “I believe the root cause of some of the largest problems facing Chilliwack today is poverty. Social entrepreneurship—a drive for social undertakings that combine business principles and motivations—are emerging as promising approaches to combating poverty,” she said. “I am proposing that we develop a poverty elimination strategy and policy using these innovative approaches that are measurable and address key areas such as income security, housing, food security, employment, health, and childcare.” Many of the ideas from first-time candidates had to do with “engaging” the electorate in a variety of ways. Two of them zeroed in on youth. For candidate Kim Harder, the idea is to establish a Youth Health Centre. “Plenty of evidence exists to show that engaging youth early on creates, healthier, safer and therefore one could say, more attractive cities,” said Harder, adding she also favours youth representation at the city level. “When you look at the excitement young people have around events like We Day, it’s

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Anti-abortion stunt accused of disrespecting veterans City says ‘confusion’ won’t result in fine Jennifer Feinberg The Progress There should have been a little more respect shown in Chilliwack for Canadian soldiers and veterans. That was the sentiment from some residents this week, in the wake of an anti-abortion protest that covered a city property in blue and pink flags Saturday morning. Organizers said they thought they had permission to blanket the Chilliwack Museum grounds in 10,000 flags. City staff contend they did not in fact have permission, as no formal request was received from

organizers to use the civic property, which includes the Chilliwack Cenotaph. About 25 members of group, made up of local volunteers with Fraser Valley Association for Reformed Political Action and WeNeedaLAW.ca went ahead anyway and set up the anti-abortion display at about 7 a.m. on Nov. 1. “We are doing this to show to our community the momentous impact that abortion has on our community and nation,” said organizer Emily Van Brederode in a press release before the event. “Although our political leaders claim that abortion should be safe,

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legal and rare, these flags show that it is happening 100,000 times every year in Canada.” But the comments and reactions to the anti-abortion display were scathingly critical that night online, after photos popped up of the event. “The Cenotaph was not the right location especially during the two week period (Oct. 31 - Nov .11) set aside to Honour Soldiers/ Veterans,” wrote one outraged poster. “There is no way that you can compare what a soldier and his/her family have experienced to an unborn child.” Another said he was so angry he put a call into the RCMP. “I called the RCMP to talk to them. Any protesters in Canada

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have to apply for a permit to protest. They did not have one,” he fumed, adding: “The only thing useful that they did that day was aerate the lawn around the cenotaph with their flags.” One of the organizers Mike Schouten said it was more educational than a protest. “It was a unique way to get attention, but not offensive,” he suggested since their literature didn’t have any horrifying graphics. “And there will always be people who do not want to see this” type of display, adding the point was there is no legislation in Canada protecting the rights of the unborn.” Continued: VETERANS/ p7

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Mike Schouten, spokesperson with WeNeedaLAW.ca, chats with an RCMP officer during an anti-abortion demonstration at the Veterans’ Memorial Park cenotaph in Chilliwack on Saturday. Schouten was one of the protestors who stuck 10,000 pink and blue flags in the city park grounds that morning. Each flag represents 10 abortions. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS


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