Thursday January 22, 2015 (Vol. 40 No. 7)
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
Time for teens: From musical entertainment to fashion and career-planning advice, the Cloverdale Agriplex will be a popular spot for youth when TeenFest kicks off next week. i see page 27
Police, city say little can be done without witnesses, after dozens of holes drilled
Few leads in stopping tree vandalism Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Tracy Holmes photo
Joe Sayer is at a loss on damage to his trees.
A South Surrey man whose backyard trees have been vandalized – to the point that at least one will die – says he is frustrated that neither police nor city officials can put a stop to it. “Nobody seems to be able to help me,” Joe Sayer told Peace Arch News last week. Sayer said the trees targeted are tall western
yellow cedars, among a cluster of about 16 trees on the east side of his 1.2-acre property. He’s counted 25 drilled holes in one, and three in a second – damage that is clearly manmade. And while he’s reported the issue to police, and had Surrey’s arbourist and bylaw officers out, officials confirm that without a witness, or photos or video of the culprit in action, there’s little that can be done.
City of Surrey bylaws manager Jas Rehal described it as “a rare situation.” “We have looked into it and discussed it with the RCMP, unfortunately, there are no witnesses or any leads to follow up on,” Rehal said. Rehal encouraged anyone experiencing or witnessing tree damage to report the incidents. i see page 4
Veterans Affairs under attack
Former soldiers blast treatment Boaz Joseph
who works with PTSD patients in private practice and at the BC Lew Cocker never drank alcohol Operational Stress Injury Clinic in before he went overseas. Vancouver. When he returned home from Also speaking at the Surrey Bosnia in 1995, after a second forum – hosted by local federal posting with the Princess Patricia’s Liberal riding associations – Passey Canadian Light Infantry, said that in his studies “I knew I wasn’t the going back to the early same,” the veteran told 1990s, he has found an audience at a forum that 46 per cent of those on post-traumatic stress with PTSD will consider disorder (PTSD) Saturday suicide, and 19 per cent in Cloverdale. will make the attempt. Cocker had witnessed More Canadian veterans first-hand atrocities that have died from suicide gave him such nightmares than as battle casualties in that he couldn’t – and still Afghanistan, and possibly can’t – get more than two the Korean War, Passey ❝I’m not or three hours of sleep said. looking for each night. Passey served with the The dreams are usually your sympathy, Canadian Forces for 22 the same: he’s being chased I’m looking for years and was released in an environment of your help.❞ on medical grounds rubble. Jolted awake, he (including PTSD) in 2000. Lew Cocker rarely returns to sleep. He described himself veteran More than a decade since as “a psychiatrist and his wife left him, Cocker, a veteran – what a 52, who lives alone in Roberts combination.” Creek on the Sunshine Coast, said PTSD, he explained, is not a that even though he has stopped visible injury, but is still a serious, drinking, he’ll never be normal. sometimes fatal, condition that “Normal would be going to sleep affects about 15 per cent of those for eight hours.” deployed on military missions He had contemplated suicide, too, (and is also linked to physical before he got help starting in 2010. injuries, some of which take place That’s not uncommon, said in training). Dr. Greg Passey, a psychologist i see page 11 Black Press
Boaz Joseph photos
Former combat engineer Aaron Bedard looks on as Dr. Greg Passey talks about post-traumatic stress disorder.
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