Vancouver Courier - May 5th 2010

midweek edition WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010

Vol. 101 No. 36 • Established 1908 • East

29

K&K Canucks haiku

Wine wonders

20

Band and strings program granted temporary reprieve School board stalls on 2010/11 budget Naoibh O’Connor Staff writer

Vancouver Technical’s concert band played composer John Philip Sousa’s The Liberty Bell march outside the Vancouver Art Gallery earlier this week during Music Monday—a Canada-wide event promoting music education in public schools.

An estimated 700,000 students from across the country participated, but the local performance underscored the Vancouver School Board’s struggle to maintain the district’s elementary band and strings program.

Last week, the board deferred passing its final 2010/11 budget until June,

giving the program a temporary reprieve. The budget proposal suggested eliminating the program and cutting 8.7 full-time equivalent teachers to shave $589,077 off the budget, which faces a $16.33 million shortfall.

Staff layoffs are still going ahead to meet collective agreement requirements, and some positions may be reinstated if funding is found, but the specialized positions associated with the strings and band program haven’t been touched—yet.

Senior staff warned trustees that if those positions were removed, it would be difficult to put the program back together even if funding was found by June.

“So we agreed to take

the staffing component for the band and strings out of the revised budget proposal. It’s just on hold—those individuals may be laid off depending on their seniority, but the band and the strings program will stay staffed with music teachers,” school board chair Patti Bacchus said. “It doesn’t guarantee come June that if there’s just no money that it doesn’t get eliminated and then those teachers would be put back into the mix according to the collective agreement.”

Music Monday organizers maintain music programs in public schools shouldn’t be regarded as extras that can be cut when money is scarce.

See MUSIC on page 4

City to investigate False Creek land Concord Pacific paid $4,347 in taxes on 12.3 acres Mike Howell Staff writer

Van Tech secondary’s concert band performs during Music Monday.

photo Jason Lang

The city will review why a nine-acre waterfront property in Northeast False Creek has been assessed at surprisingly low values for almost a decade.

NPA Coun. Suzanne Anton said she received an email Monday from city manager Penny Ballem in which Ballem indicated the city will investigate why the B.C. Assessment office set the property’s value at $400,000 this year.

The $400,000 value is an increase from last year’s $192,000 assessment that dates back to 2001 and included an additional three acres.

Concord Pacific paid $4,347 in taxes on the property last year.

The city has the right to appeal the value but Anton said she wanted to hear back from Ballem and the city’s legal department before pushing for an appeal.

“As to why the city hasn’t appealed, I think that’s a good question,” Anton said.

See COUNCILLOR on page 4

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in this issue

W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

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17 I

Looking for a home

BY CHERYL ROSSI Three years after the Courier profiled them, aging parents such as Gwen Lee, here with her son Geoffrey, are still seeking housing for their mentally disabled adult children.

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Summer’s end

BY NAOIBH O’CONNOR Trustees, teacher unions and parent groups are cautiously considering the idea of year-round schooling.

Dogged pursuit

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BY JEREMY SHEPHERD A Yaletown hot dog vendor says rival operators are gaming the city’s lottery system for limited spots on city streets.

O P I N I O N

7I 9I

Drunk on power

BY MARK HASIUK New legislation against drunk drivers gives too much power to police and removes legal checks and balances.

Doctor, doctor

FIONA HUGHES Finding a new family physician is as tough as ever. But can you trust an online site that allows patients to rate doctors?

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E N T E R TA I N M E N T

30 I

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BY MICHAEL KISSINGER Susanne Tabata’s new documentary Bloodied but Unbowed gives an oral history of Vancouver’s early punk scene as told by its survivors.

S TAT E

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CHERYL ROSSI Museum of Vancouver pays tribute to a pair of iconic shoe designers with the exhibit Fluevog, Fox and Friends.

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19 I Seniors 21 I Mother’s Day 26

Quote of the week

The experience with these arrangements has not been entirely positive.”

Patti Marfleet, chair of police board governance committee

5

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news

Councillor calls for immediate appeal of property assessment

Continued from page 1 “Since the question has been raised,” added Anton, “at least the city should put its mind to it and decide whether or not an appeal is needed.”

Concord Pacific Developments Inc. owns the property that occupies the land between Carrall Street and the Telus World of Science parking lot. The site, which was home to pavilions and Molson Hockey House during the 2010 Winter Games, will eventually be developed into a park.

The Courier revealed the assessed values of the property in an April 30 cover story after researching assessment records. The property serves as Concord Pacific’s sales centre.

Anton said she is hopeful senior staff’s review will also explain why a 7.5 acre piece of land to be developed into a park on Malkin Avenue

was assessed at $18.5 million this year—more than $18 million more than the Concord Pacific site.

The Malkin Avenue property, which will become Trillium Park, is four blocks east of the Concord Pacific site. The city owns the land and pays no taxes on it.

COPE Coun. Ellen Woodsworth isn’t prepared to wait for city staff to review the assessed value of Concord Pacific’s property. She recommended the city appeal immediately.

“That’s the only way we

Coun. Ellen Woodsworth (left) wants the city to appeal the assessed value of Concord Pacific property in False Creek while Coun. Kerry Jang (right) wants more details. photos Dan Toulgoet can find out whether we can get a better assessment done—is if we appeal,” she said. “I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t do that.

We’re desperately short of cash and we’re going into another year in which I suspect we’re going to have to find further cost savings.”

The city sets the taxes

based on the assessed value set by the assessment office, which is an independent body separate from the city and provincial government.

Vision Vancouver Coun.

Kerry Jang said he wasn’t aware of the assessed value of the Concord Pacific site until he read the Courier’s April 30 story.

Jang said he would contact city senior staff to get an explanation on why the value has been historically low for the property. “I don’t know enough of the details on that particular piece of land to comment,” said Jang, who referred calls to Vision Coun. Raymond Louie, who chairs council’s finance committee.

The Courier left messages Friday and Monday for Louie, who did not respond before deadline Tuesday. Vision councillors Heather Deal, Tim Ste-

venson and Mayor Gregor Robertson also didn’t return calls before deadline.

In the Courier’s April 30 story, Matthew Meehan of Concord Pacific said the future park site has a low assessment value because no buildings can be constructed on it.

Meehan estimated it will cost up to $20 million to build the park before it is turned over to the city. The site is also polluted with contaminated soil.

Deborah Francis, deputy assessor for Vancouver, told the Courier in last week’s cover story the contaminated soil is a “red herring” when setting the assessed value.

Concord Pacific has appealed the $400,000 value tagged to the property. It has also appealed the assessed values of its adjacent properties. mhowell@vancourier.com

Music advocates tout balance between academics, athletics, arts Continued from page 1 “Education is very much a pyramid or hierarchical structure and music seems to be at the bottom and is vulnerable when budgets are tight,” said Ingrid Whyte, executive director of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada.

Her colleague Norman Mould, president of the Coalition for Music Education in B.C., said school districts should adopt a three-pillar approach to education where

academics, athletics and the arts are weighted equally to create well-rounded students. “What we’re suggesting is there’s a better model of education. We have to find a creative way to have all those things. It isn’t just music for the sake of music. Learning music has all sorts of benefits,” Mould said, arguing music instruction raises self-esteem and teaches discipline and teamwork.

Van Tech percussionists Geof-

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Chan said music programs keep students away from bad influences such as drugs, alcohol and gangs. “It’s important. You learn lots of things besides music like teamwork,” the 18-year-old Grade 12 student added. “It’s the connection you make with other people. We learn how to be in one big family of about 84 people in Van Tech’s band.”

Their band teacher Mark Reid called music a vital part of stu-

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dents’ overall education.

“We have to remind people that it costs money to do music outside of school and public school is where students should have access to music,” he said.

Board chair Patti Bacchus said music isn’t being singled out in the budget. “If you look at that budget it’s among a whole range of pretty difficult, and in my opinion, unacceptable cuts,” she said. noconnor@vancourier.com

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frey Leung and Michael Chan insist music is a critical part of their schooling. “I look forward to band. It’s more interesting than other classes to me,” Leung said Monday. “A different side of your brain gets worked. I’m pretty sure music improves learning for other courses.”

The 14-year-old Grade 9 student maintains band has taught him leadership skills and created a sense of community.

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W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

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news

12th & Cambie

with Mike Howell

Blue code read

Shared services. Two words that have created a lot of controversy at city hall over the last year.

The one department that hasn’t made a lot of noise about combining its services with others has been the Vancouver Police Department.

That’s not because the VPD doesn’t have an opinion.

Maybe that’s why city manager Penny Ballem held a private meeting April 21 with the Vancouver Police Board, which is chaired by Mayor Gregor Robertson.

Ballem was accompanied by the city’s GM of financial services Patrice Impey and the city’s director of the Vancouver Services Review Team, Teresa Hartman.

Because the meeting was in camera, nobody present

was prepared to spill the beans to your faithful scribe about the back and forth.

So I followed a paper trail instead.

I found a report dated Nov. 6, 2009 written by Patti Marfleet, the chairperson of the police board’s governance committee.

Turns out the VPD isn’t the selfish kid in the playground and already shares its fleet services, police stores, information technology and facilities management.

And how is that working for the VPD? “The experience with these arrangements has not been entirely positive,” Marfleet wrote. “The VPD executive believe it is highly unlikely that further shared service agreements with the City of Vancouver would result in any increased efficiencies, and in fact there is a real risk of reduced efficiencies or increased costs.”

Some points raised by Marfleet: • Hands off the finance department. The documents produced in managing covert and operational functions and the resulting paper trail require a degree of

police board as the employer of all uniform and civilian employees in the VPD. “The board serves to insulate the department from political influence and provides independent civilian oversight of police operations. As a matter of policy, it is important to maintain the independence of the board and to ensure its role as employer is not eroded.”

In other words, the VPD is happy with the way it operates, thank you very much.

Acronyming

As with past police board meetings, which feature swearing in ceremonies and roundtable talks, nobody spilled the beans April 21. file photo Dan Toulgoet security and confidentiality that can only be provided by an independent finance section. This protects the integrity of investigations and ensures covert officers, informants and agents are not exposed to unnecessary risk.

• Hands off the human resources department. The requirement for officers

NOTICE OF ALTERNATIVE APPROVAL PROCESS

to use justifiable force in the lawful performance of their duties creates unique demands that can only be managed by human resource staff that have an operational policing background.

• The VPD’s information technology section already shares some of its services with the city. Expansion

would jeopardize “crucial, required measures designed to ensure the security of the VPD’s IT infrastructure, and also maintain control over IT staff so that addressing urgent public safety matters is not compromised by a lack of an ability to rapidly reprioritize IT work.”

• Remember the Police Act. The act establishes the

Walk for

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Greater Vancouver Regional District Road Dedication of Part of Tynehead Regional Park for the Port Mann/Highway 1 Project Bylaw No. 1123, 2010.

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Local Government Act and the Community Charter, the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) proposes to adopt the bylaw referred to above for the purpose of authorizing the exchange of a portion of a property located in Tynehead Regional Park for other land to be used for park purposes.

The area to which this approval process applies is the Greater Vancouver Regional District, including Abbotsford.

The GVRD Board may proceed with the adoption of the said bylaw unless, by the deadline setout below, at least 10% of the electors of the area indicate that the Board must obtain the assent of the electors before proceeding.

Elector responses must be given in the form established by the Board. Elector Response Forms as well as copies of the proposed bylaw are available at Metro Vancouver offices located at: 4330 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia, or from the Metro Vancouver website www.metrovancouver.org. Originals of completed Elector Response Forms must be received by the Corporate Secretary at the address set out above no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 11, 2010.

The only persons entitled to sign the elector response forms are the electors of the area described above, to which this approval process applies. The number of elector responses required to prevent the Board from proceeding without the assent of the electors is 155,266.

Just wanted to say thank you to all those creative types out there who sent in their suggestions for a new name for the Non Partisan Association.

As many journos reported last month, the once fierce party of municipal politics is considering changing its name but keeping the same initials.

Some suggestions were just plain nasty (Nut Polishers Association) while others took shots at the party’s declining ranks (Nine People Association).

Still say Never Proselytize Again is a starting point. mhowell@vancourier.com

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news

Central Park

with Sandra Thomas

Field of Vision

Nat Bailey Stadium is getting a much-needed facelift, including the installation of a new “Diamond Vision” video board, which will finally allow for instant replays.

Instant replays will be a big help to me at Canadians’ games because I often miss a lot of the big plays due to looking around at everything else that’s going on, or I’m away from my seat buying beer and hot dogs. The high-definition screen is 18-feet by 28-feet, so even I should be able to catch the action.

The Canadians also have been working with the park board and B.C. Hydro to become more environmentally friendly and this season are installing new efficient lights that will reduce energy needs at the ballpark by more than 66 per cent.

Much of the lighting at the Nat is original to 1949.

name, contact information, a photograph and a few words about why you or the nominee loves baseball.

The winner receives a professional photo shoot along with other Girls of Summer personalities, a personalized Vancouver Canadians jersey, four seasons tickets for this season and the chance to throw the first pitch at a game, which of course will be showcased on the new Diamond Vision screen.

Fan favourite

Flower fund

Since we’re talking baseball, the Canadians are looking for the next face for their Girls of Summer fan club.

The fan club was created to make baseball and the stadium more welcoming to women. To nominate someone or to enter, submit a

With the installation of the new “Diamond Vision” video board—seen here thanks to Photoshop—instant replays are coming to Nat Bailey Stadium. submitted photo illustration

The organizer of an annual sunflower sale fundraiser tells me it’s been a tough growing season for the plants. But Susie Coulter is optimistic her group, Growing Hope for Africa, will raise a decent amount of money at their sixth annual sale. Local elementary

school students and nurses grow more than 30 varieties of sunflowers throughout the year for the sale.

Proceeds support HIV and AIDS prevention programs in Africa, through the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Sales take place this Saturday, May 8, at 2133 East Seventh Ave., and at Banyen Books, 3608 West Fourth from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Spin stops here

Last week I wrote about the Healthiest Winner program at Riley Park and the new introductory indoor stationary cycling classes included in this session. Only I made the mistake of using the word “spinning,” which is a pretty common description for those types of classes.

I had no idea the words “spinning,” “spinner” and “spin” are trademarked—

much like the terms “That’s hot” and “You’re fired”—in relation to a specific product of stationary bike. But no sooner had my article been published than the Courier heard from a persistent representative from a company in California asking us to change our word usage to respect the trademark.

So I promise to never use the words spinning, spinner or spin again, unless I’m referring to a weaving class— and only after I check with California to make sure it’s OK.

Humming along

The hummingbirds at my home are back, and this year we bought an extra feeder so they won’t fight like they did last year. So far, it seems to be working.

I’ll keep you posted. sthomas@vancourier.com

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W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

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opinion

Failed breathalyzer test will net $3,750 in total fines and mandatory costs

New drunk driving laws ditch liberty, legal protection

Anyone caught drinking and driving should be shot and pissed on.

That’s what Bill, a war veteran and white-haired fixture at the Legion in my old hometown, used to say before downing his final pint and nosing his 1972 Chrysler Newport out into traffic.

He never hit anyone. It was kind of a neighbourhood joke. When you saw Bill coming, you got out of the way. While Bill’s language was crude, and his actions perplexing, his sentiment remains sound. Drunk drivers should be aggressively prosecuted and jailed when necessary.

However, despite the potential for tragedy, drunk driving suspects are not unlawful combatants in orange jumpsuits, unworthy of basic legal protection and due process.

Yet last week, Gordon Campbell’s Liberal government proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, which will allow cops—armed with Glocks and breathalyzers—to

conduct roadside trials with grave consequences and little chance of successful appeal.

Currently, if you’re suspected of drunk driving or fail a roadside breathalyzer test (blow above 0.08 per cent), you may be charged under the Motor Vehicle Act and receive a driving suspension—typically between 24 hours and 90 days. You may also be charged under the impaired driving statute of the Criminal Code and face fine, suspension and possible imprisonment. But here’s the important part. If charged criminally, you get your day in court. You can argue evidence, question police conduct and appeal your sentence to a higher court.

Flash forward to the future. Under the proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, failed breathalyzer tests carry the following punishments: An immediate 90-day driving ban. A $500 fine and $250 licence reinstatement fee. A $700

markhasiuk towing bill (because your car will be seized and impounded for 30 days).

In addition to mandatory enrolment in something called the Responsible Driver Program, which costs participants $880, you must buy an ignition lock ($1,420) and carry that indignity for at least one year. Total fines and mandatory costs equal $3,750. Additionally, if you blow between 0.05 and 0.08 on the breathalyzer, you face fines up to $400 and a 30-day driving ban. All this takes

place outside of the Criminal Code with its inherent checks and balances. Cops will independently levy huge fines, assuming the unfamiliar role of roadside judge and jury.

Unlike traffic violations such as speeding, which may be contested in provincial court, you may only appeal the new fines and suspensions (at a cost of $200) to Steve Martin, the superintendent of motor vehicles and chief enforcer of the new laws. Good luck with that.

B.C. Attorney General Michael de Jong refused several interview requests, over five days, for this story—but that’s OK. I talked to the next best thing. Andrew Murie, CEO of MADD Canada, worked closely with de Jong’s predecessor Kash Heed, flying to Victoria from MADD headquarters in Ontario to help craft the new laws. Murie is pleased with the hefty roadside fines and vehicle impoundment, noting their novel status in Canada. While he chas-

tised the province last year for it’s “light” handling of impaired driving, Murie made lobbying the B.C. government a key facet of his perennial campaign. “And they delivered more than we ever expected.”

From his office in Victoria, the aforementioned Steve Martin dismissed concerns about liberty and fairness. Complaints about process, he said, will be taken seriously. According to Martin, the new laws should pass this spring and be enacted in the fall. He admitted that more B.C. drivers will receive breathalyzer tests but refused to speculate about the inevitable cash windfall for provincial coffers. “It’s really hard to come up with a revenue figure because there’s so many different variables involved,” he said. “It’s a bit of a fool’s game to predict future behaviour because we really can’t base it on anything because things have changed so substantially.” mhasiuk@vancourier.com

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T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

opinion

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Page Three

Your guide to the Courier on the web

Central Park

Digging up the dirt on park board and community

WEB POLL NATION Go to www.vancourier.com to vote Which is more likely to happen

by June? a) the Canucks will be in the Stanley Cup final b) the school board will balance its budget with minimal cuts to staff and programs Last week’s poll question: With Vancouver lawns under attack from chafer beetles, should we: • fight back with pesticides: 20 per cent • convert lawns into gardens: 52 per cent • surrender and let nature takes its course: 28 per cent This is not a scientific poll.

A shout-out for do-gooders It’s easy to write a column when I’m fired up about something.

But as I searched through emails, sifted through Twitter and dropped on to Facebook several times, I realized the one thing inspiring me was good news. Stories written for a community newspaper can be about a huge range of topics, but the one constant is readers willing to give of themselves to help other people, animals and the environment.

Sifting through dozens of emails today I took a second look at some of those notes sent in hopes the Courier can help get the word out. Often we don’t have the space or time to get to them so I’d like to highlight some of the inspiring Courier readers and their causes. These are just a fraction of the emails, letters and phone calls the Courier receives each week.

Eileen Mosca, a board member of the Grandview-Woodland Community Policing Centre on Commercial Drive, called this week to say Grandview Park is being redeveloped.

Recently the field house has become the target of nasty graffiti. Not content to leave it as is, Mosca and a group of volunteers will paint over the mess with a mural this Sunday, which is Mother’s Day. Mosca refers to the project as a “temporary art installation,” because the field house is being torn down July 1. Despite the fact their artwork will only remain for two months, these community members feel it’s important

sandrathomas to step up. By the way, they’re looking for volunteers to help paint Sunday.

A local charity that got its roots through the Gospel Mission in the city’s Downtown Eastside celebrated its second anniversary last weekend and logged in its 1,000 shower.

The Lord’s Rain provides homeless people an opportunity to shower, put on clean clothes, meals and even the chance to watch Canucks games. The facility was designed and remodelled by volunteers, and volunteers run the program. A hot shower and clean clothes can mean the world to someone living on the street, so the services these volunteers provide are priceless.

I recently received an email from a woman writing on behalf of a friend whose Kingsway store, RubyDog’s Art House, is at risk of clos-

ing. This reader describes the owner, Leanne Bishop, as the “most socially responsible person” she ever met and says the shop is a wonderful source for odd art goodies, reclaimed art supplies and vintage ephemera.

Unfortunately, writes Claudia, it looks like this neighbourhood favourite is about to close.

An email I received last month came from a volunteer with the Golden Retriever Club of B.C. Because this story isn’t Vancouverbased, it was difficult to find space for it, but today I decided any group that goes to this much effort to try and find a golden retriever with special needs a home deserves mention.

Apparently three-year-old Willie suffers from the occasional seizure and his longtime south Surrey owners have been forced to give him up due to health concerns of their own. If there are any readers out there with room in their hearts and in their home for a special needs pet, give the Golden Retriever Club of B.C. a call.

And speaking of dogs, local seniors worker Jen Wright spent the past several months moving mountains to bring a dog she found starving in Costa Rica to Vancouver. And that’s exactly what happened this past weekend. Callie, as she’s now named, arrived Saturday night and Wright is desperately trying to find her a new home. Anyone interested can email her at jennwright7@shaw.ca. sthomas@vancourier.com

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letters

W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

opinion WEBSITE RECORDS PATIENT FEEDBACK

Family physician search reveals negative ratings I’m searching for a family physician for my family of four in the suburb we moved to last summer. As every Canadian without a family doctor knows, that’s no easy task. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. (CPSBC) receives about 125 calls a week from people looking for a family doctor.

I have a GP in the city, but when I told her I was moving, she immediately suggested I find one closer to our new home. As practical as her advice was—I couldn’t help but mutter sarcastically, “That shouldn’t be hard”—it felt more like she was trying to unload me and my two kids from her overloaded patient list. (She refused to take on my doctor-less husband.)

We’ve had good luck in the health department and I count my blessings for that, but my five-yearold’s persistent night-time cough recently prompted me to start looking for a new doctor in earnest. I grew up going to the same doctor my entire childhood. My nieces even went to him, too, until he retired a few years ago. I’d like my children to have a similar feelgood familiarity with their doctor.

The experience highlights the chronic family physician shortage, which has not improved since I last had to look for a new doctor six years ago when my wonderful family doctor retired. Despite 200 new GPs entering the system each year, many of whom end up working at a walk-in clinic (less stress, more money, I’m told), my search was arduous. After six calls and the familiar refrain of, “Sorry the doctor is not accepting new patients,” I begged the seventh doctor’s office assistant I spoke with to take me on, spluttering, “You’ll rarely see me because I rarely get sick.”

In my search for a new physician closer to home, I actually found one.

Eureka! Before making an appointment, however, I googled her and typed in her name on RateMDs. com. My initial high at finding a doctor accepting new patients quickly dissipated when I read the numerous negative comments.

This was my first time on the website and I assumed it was only cranks and impossible-to-please hypochondriacs who left vitriolic comments.

People love to whine, I thought. So I checked doctors with great reputations, such as Courier health columnist Dr. Davidicus Wong, to see if patients who respect their doctors bother to comment. Wong’s reviews were stellar so I asked his thoughts on RateMDs.com.

“At the moment, I like RateMDs. com because I’m rated as a five.

However, most of my colleagues don’t like it because anyone who is angry at a doctor can write whatever they want,” he emailed. “If a doctor has a lot of negative ratings of his or her treatment of patients that should ward off prospective new patients. Unfortunately, be-

fionahughes cause physicians tend to discount this rating site, those who have a terrible bedside manner won’t bother to look at the comments or change how they do things.”

That’s too bad because most of us work in jobs where evaluation occurs regularly (a server who gets a bad tip for lousy service, readers who pen critical letters to the editor about a story, callers to a phone-in talk radio show criticizing or praising government leaders, professors who get annual student evaluations).

Why shouldn’t doctors be subjected to similar evaluation and/or regular feedback?

If you’re unfamiliar with RateMDs.com, it’s a North American-consumer website that offers patients the opportunity to leave anonymous comments about their doctors. It includes specialists and dentists. I checked every doctor and dentist I ever had who’s still working and the comments were fairly similar to my own feelings, though some seemed off the wall.

Would they comment so harshly if they had to leave their name?

Susan Prins, CPSBC media spokesperson, suggests that anyone who has a legitimate concern should contact the college to lodge a complaint. “If they are truly concerned, RateMDs.com is not the place to go,” she says.

The college receives about 1,200 complaints a year covering 10,500 practicing physicians—53 per cent are GPs, 47 per cent are specialists. Most complaints, says Prins, have to do with breakdowns in communication. “The more serious complaints that result in disciplinary action have to do with ethical breaches and boundary violations,” Prins explains.

It’s no secret family doctors are overworked and frustrated by a billing system that doesn’t work for patients. Changes are happening, as Wong has noted in this paper, but slowly. Doctors may not like to be criticized—and no patient would risk creating a rift with their doctor when there are so few to be had—but is it asking too much for them to actively listen, not judge and be kind?

Otherwise, why become a doctor?

More on this topic next week and what the college is doing for orphan patients. fhughes@vancourier.com

letter of the week

Last weekend’s Vancouver Marathon should have tapped city water, not Brita filters, says one reader. photo Jason Lang To the editor: Re: “Marathon organizers nix non-biodegradable cups,” April 21.

While I very much agree with the idea of reducing the amount of waste generated by providing water in bottles and disposable cups during these types of races, I do not understand why Brita needs to be involved.

Filtration is performed after leaving our reservoirs and water quality is tested many times daily. Our water is the best on the planet, which is why we have drinking fountains in most of our parks and anyone can drink the water directly from their taps at home. If

this race passed my home I would have been very willing to offer my garden hose for racers to drink from.

Once again, Brita has found a way to be seen as the “good guy” when in fact they are providing a needless, absolutely unnecessary and wasteful “service.”

The city should step in here and regulate this type subliminal advertising, which gives people the false impression that all the work our water management engineers do is a waste of time and money.

Derek Read, Vancouver

‘Afghanistan’ attack on college instructor irrelevant

To the editor: Re: “Project Hero scholarship receives unfriendly fire,” April 28.

Mark Hasiuk’s column last week was even more objectionable than usual.

The personal attacks against Langara College instructor Peter Prontzos are irrelevant.

Hasiuk, in fact, is a walking talking stereotype himself: the quintessential right-wing commentator, well paid to spout his pro-war, corporatist, Harperite, Campbellite views week after week ad nauseam—or until CanWest finally goes under. Fine. But until the majority of Canadians support the so-called war in Afghanistan, Prontzos’s opinion may well prevail.

Arthur Edbrooke, Vancouver

••• To the editor: Upon reading Mark Hasiuk’s column about far left college instructor Peter Prontzos’s opposition to Project Hero scholarships for children who lost a par-

ent serving in Afghanistan, a profound incongruity became apparent to me.

Hasiuk states that Prontzos opposes Project Hero because “it glorifies war and suffering.” Yet three paragraphs later, Hasiuk writes that Prontzos has a Sandinista flag and a picture of Che Guevara on his office walls.

A 14-year-old teenie bopper could be forgiven for wearing a “Che” T-shirt and simultaneously calling herself a “peace activist.” A 61year-old academic, on the other hand, would surely be aware his favourite icon personally participated in the torture and summary execution of hundreds of political dissidents and former Batista government officials.

Bill Whatcott, Vancouver

••• To the editor: I would like to add a few important points from my interview with Mark Hasiuk that were left out of his column. For instance, I do not

oppose scholarships for those who lost a parent while fighting with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.

What I said was that Canada is a rich country and every citizen should have access to higher eduction.

What’s especially hypocritical about the Harper government pretending to care is that they are not providing decent treatment for returning soldiers, whose suicide rate is about 50 per cent higher than for Canadian civilian.

Peter G. Prontzos, Langara College

••• To the editor: Bravo to Langara instructor Peter Prontzos for having the courage to speak out against Project Hero. Why not provide scholarships for the children of real heroes— those who strive for peace and a way of resolving conflicts that does not involve the killing of innocents?

Mary Sherlock, Vancouver

Vision park board respects spirit of volunteerism

To the editor: Re: “Park board says show me the money,” April 21.

In spite of Sandra Thomas’s portrayal of the park board forcing its will on community-based volunteers, and her allusion that “some associations could throw in the towel,” we as a Vision Vancouver caucus remain completely indebted to the ongoing

efforts of these individuals to improve their community.

To suggest that we proceed without the utmost of respect and deference for the spirit of volunteerism and local expertise offered by community centre associations is a false and unfair characterization.

Constance Barnes, commissioner, Vancouver Park Board

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T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

Highway 1 Closure

news

Grandview Highway eastbound access to Gilmore Avenue

Beginning at 9 p.m. on Friday, May 7, 2010, eastbound access to Gilmore Avenue from Grandview Highway will be permanently closed.

This closure is part of the Port Mann/Highway 1 Improvement (PMH1) Project, and in the short term, the area will serve as a construction staging site. Once the PMH1 Improvement Project is complete, the area will become part of the new High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) access ramp to Grandview Highway westbound.

This traffic pattern change will be well signed and motorists are encouraged to familiarize themselves with alternate access routes.

For more information please visit the PMH1 Improvement Project web site at www.pmh1project.com, call 1-866-999-7641(PMH1) or e-mail info@pmh1project.com

Important advIsory SHJ RHJ roLG closHres iJ effe f ct

Sunday d y, May a 9 The Vancouver Sun Run takes place on Sunday, May 9 at 9:00 a.m.

The 10K course starts at Georgia and Burrard and will be lined with water stations and live musical performers. For the safety of over 50,000 participants, various road closures will be in effect between 5:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

These closures may restrict parking and access to and from your building.

We apologize for any inconvenience and invite you to join us for a fun-filled morning. On behalf of Sun Run participants and volunteers, thank you for your cooperation and support.

Class Notes

with

Naoibh O’Connor

Balancing act

I suspect a lot of adults fondly remember long summer holidays idling away their youth, so it’ll be interesting to see how a debate about year-round school goes.

Trustees asked the district’s calendar committee to investigate the possibility of year-round schooling, also known as a balanced calendar, after they chopped 10 days off the 2010/2011 school year last week to save $1.2 million.

A balanced calendar involves stretching the school year out and shortening the summer break, while adding longer breaks between sessions.

Anne Guthrie Warman, president of the Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association, believes the proposal is worth discussing, but isn’t sure how teachers will react.

“I can’t predict what members will say on this.

Usually I think I have my finger on the pulse, but I don’t know what they’d say and we’d probably have to have quite a lot of debate and we’d have to see some research on it,” she said.

“There’s research for and against. There are a lot of different issues and a lot of different questions around a balanced school calendar.

We’d like to see some empirical data on if it’s better for teaching and learning and what teachers would

Teachers’ union chief Anne Guthrie Warman is open to a discussion about year-round school. photo Jason Lang feel about having an extended school year and taking break at different times of the year. All these things have to be considered, but the main thing to consider is what’s better for teaching and learning.”

Board chairwoman Patti Bacchus said she’s interested in finding out about the educational benefits.

“That’s the real discussion we’d like to begin,” she said. “It would be a major shift and it’s hard to do in one-off schools because it makes it difficult for people who have kids in more than one school, for people who work in that school if their kids are on other calendars and for teachers who job share. It would be a fairly lengthy discussion. It’s not something we would do overnight.”

At least one other district in the Lower Mainland has adopted a year-round calendar in one of its schools— Kanaka Creek elementary in Maple Ridge. It schedules vacation periods in December, April and August.

“There is research that does support it as educationally better, particularly

I think for kids who are less advantaged,” Bacchus said.

Julianne Doctor, chairwoman of the District Parent Advisory Committee, considers it a viable option, which could work for some families.

Her daughter went to a school in California for two years that followed a balanced calendar, and both mother and daughter liked the schedule. “It was during her kindergarten/Grade 1 years, so we didn’t have any preconceived ideas of summer holiday, or Eurocentric, agrarian holiday breaks like we currently have,” she said.

Superintendent Steve Caldwell brought the subject up at DPAC’s citywide budget meeting and parent groups and wasn’t “immediately skewered,” according to Doctor. In fact, some parents she spoke to liked the idea.

“I think the best approach would probably be to do it city wide, so everyone is on the same schedule. That would probably work best for parents with kids in different schools,” she said. noconnor@vancourier.com

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W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

news

Independent school advocate notes variety of choices

Private schools seek to protect funding Naoibh O’Connor Staff writer

Private schools are fighting back against public school supporters seeking to convince the provincial government to stop funding private schools.

The B.C. School Trustees’ Association passed a resolution to ask the Ministry of Education to redirect money spent on independent schools to the public education system at its annual general meeting April 23 to 25. The subject generated an hour-long debate and the vote was close, but the resolution carried.

Most private schools receive between 35 and 50 per cent of per student funding that public school students get. Tuition on top of that can vary from about $2,000 a year to $23,000.

In late March, the Federation of Independent School Associations sent its members an 11-point defence of funding to private schools, which typically call themselves independent schools. The letter says education offered by the independent sector is education for the public good and that governments providing money to the non-government sector is a common way to provide services for the public good.

“Obviously, over the long run, if we say nothing the pressure from one side will prevail… so yeah, we’re pushing back,” said Fred Herfst, executive director of the Federation of Independent School Associations Monday.

The Federation represents 285 independent schools in B.C., enrolling 64,000 students—92 per cent of the independent school enrolment in the province. (There are a total 350 independent schools registering 70,000 students.)

Herfst argues if funding is cut, tuition fees in most private schools would climb by at least the amount they get per pupil—about $3,500.

Many parents couldn’t afford that. “Those parents would go into the public sector. Now, the public would get the money for that, that’s true, but they would also get the cost

“THE WAY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS THEY DON’T THINK OF THE BROAD RANGE OF SCHOOLS.” Fred Herfst

of educating those students and the B.C.STA resolution doesn’t look at the cost they would get by educating students if funding to us was cut. We think the gain to public schools would in fact be very, very little,” Herfst said.

The federation represents a wide variety of independent schools, such as Vancouver Talmud Torah, Khalsa School, Fraser Academy (which deals with students with dyslexia and learning disabilities), Vancouver Montessori School, York House, Point Grey Academy and Catholic schools.

“In my opinion, the way people talk about independent schools they don’t think of the broad range of schools,” Herfst said. “They don’t think of special needs schools that we have, they don’t think of the Catholic schools that have been in the community for 50, 60, 70 years. They don’t think of the small Montessori schools.”

B.C. private schools started getting public funding in 1977, when the government agreed to fund at the 30 per cent level, which climbed to 35 per cent in 1986. In 1989, the government changed its policy to allow 35 or 50 per cent funding depending on the school.

The B.C. Liberals aren’t considering changing the policy. “Our government strongly supports a variety of educational choices including public schools, independent schools, distance learning and home schooling,” Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid said in a statement to the Courier. noconnor@vancourier.com

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T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

news

Centre vandalized, name of fired instructor carved into wall-covering

Players protest instructor firings at UBC tennis centre Jeremy Shepherd Contributing writer

The firing of two tennis instructors at the University of B.C. tennis centre has several dozen players angry at what they claim is a fundamental shift in the centre’s direction.

UBC is planning to expand the centre from four courts to 12, and recently hired a new tennis director. The centre offers tennis lessons and programs, charging between $18 and $24 for an hour of court time.

Coaches Elena Gishiyants and Tomas Thapper were fired in April, which has led some players to mount a campaign to reinstate them. The tennis centre was van-

dalized shortly after Gishiyants was fired. Her name was carved into a wall-covering.

Min Kyi, one of the organizers of the campaign to bring back Gishiyants and Thapper, condemned the vandalism.

But Kyi, who is planning to appeal to the UBC board of governors, said Gishiyants turned the tennis centre into a community. Kyi, who works as an occupational therapist, said Gishiyants would sometimes call him and ask him to treat a player with a bad wrist or tutor a young player having trouble in school.

Ted Hill, 75, a retired history professor at UBC, accused UBC management of being “bent on wrecking things once they become

calm.” He also criticized the timing of the firings, which he said occurred at the onset of tournament season, inconveniencing many young players.

Kyi argued the centre has decreased in quality since new tennis director Neil Parker took over.

Scott Macrae, executive director of public affairs for UBC, wrote in an email to the Courier: “The centre aims to be a nationally recognized tennis facility.” He said the new centre would host tournaments and employ instructors certified by Tennis Canada and the expansion would make the centre the biggest indoor public tennis facility in Western Canada.

Wayne Elderton, the head of Ten-

nis Canada coaching development and certification in B.C., backed the hiring of Parker. “He’s a good pick to take the centre into the future,” he said.

Elderton, who said he worked with Parker at Tennis Canada, predicted the expansion would change the role of the UBC tennis centre.

“They’re going to become quite an important centre in the province,” he said. “Neil has the expertise to take it from where it is to where it’s going to be.”

Parker declined to comment.

Arik Milner, 14, praised the fired instructors for their dedication.

“Whenever you had a problem in your life, if something in school was happening, they’d put in extra

effort,” he said, adding that Gishiyants would regularly call home to see that he woke up on time, and she would frequently be an hour early for summer sessions.

Joseph Gustafson, 13, said he’d been coming to the centre for nine years, in part because Gishiyants and Thapper were superior to other tennis coaches he’d encountered.

Sarah Kadi, who managed the tennis centre from 2006 to 2008, said she was heartbroken by the termination of Gishiyants. While she also praised coach Tomas Thapper for making lessons more engaging for kids, she noted neither coach had Tennis Canada certification. jshepherdcourier@gmail.com

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The Sutton Place Hotel Keynote speaker: Jessica McDonald HB Global Advisors Corp.; former Deputy Minister to the Premier $75 Reserve your tickets at: 604.873.4525 ext. 302 www.bigsisters.bc.ca

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W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

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news

Mega-developer Concord Pacific struck deal with province to clean up land

Taxpayers pay millions for contaminated False Creek soil Mike Howell Staff writer

The provincial government has spent $62.6 million over the past 20 years cleaning up contaminated soil from the former Expo 86 lands along False Creek.

The costs covered hiring an environmental engineering firm, project manager, a soil testing lab and the extraction, treatment and hauling of contaminated soils.

“It includes everything,” said Brian Clarke, director of the government’s Crown Land Restoration Branch, an arm of the ministry of agriculture and lands.

The original estimate for soil remediation for the whole site was $64.8 million when the provincial government sold the 204-acre property, including water lots, to Concord Pacific Developments Inc. in 1988.

The government later raised the estimate to $74.8 million and set its budget accordingly. The government is picking up the tab for soil remediation as part of the deal it struck with Concord, which has developed most of the property.

“WE HAVEN’T SAID WE SUPPORT A SPECIFIC RECONFIGURATION.” Brian Clarke

The property, which was used in 1986 for Expo, runs from the Granville Bridge to the Telus World of Science. Creosote, various oils and chemicals and metals were left in the land that was once home to industry, including the B.C. Electric coal gasification plant.

One of Concord’s last pieces of the massive development is in Northeast False Creek, an area between the Plaza of Nations and the World of Science. Concord’s plans include creating a park on what is currently a nine-acre piece of blacktop on the waterfront.

Clarke said he couldn’t estimate what cleanup costs will be for the area until soil is tested and Concord finalizes its development plans and gets approval from city council.

The soil could be buried deep

Before it’s shipped off for testing, soil is stored in barrels at the Concord land in Northeast False Creek. photo Jason Lang in the ground in a “containment cell,” treated and used for the development of the park or trucked off site, Clarke added.

Recently, Concord proposed the park site be reconfigured from a wide open space into a longer, narrower shape to accommodate three highrises that would back up against the Georgia viaduct.

The government has given the city the green light to consider reconfiguring the park. But Clarke said a different design could affect soil remediation costs.

“If there’s very limited ability to store any soils [on the park site] and that means more soils need to be hauled off site, then that would increase our costs,” he said, not-

ing the government would pick up any costs that exceed the $74.8 million budget. “We haven’t said we support a specific reconfiguration, only that we support the discussion taking place to see what might make sense.”

The city’s planning department is considering the reconfiguration to expedite the development of the park. The city has to first conduct a series of public forums to discuss the reconfiguration.

City council could decide on the park’s final shape in the fall, although the planning department has not given a timeframe when it will forward a report to council.

As the Courier reported April 30, Concord said it proposed reconfiguring the park site because the city’s plans for a civic plaza and pier east of the Plaza of Nations affects the developer’s ability to build three highrises.

A park reconfiguration would accommodate three highrises lost under the city’s plaza plan. No matter what the final design of the park, the city wants to keep it the same size as the original configuration, which is nine acres. mhowell@vancourier.com

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T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

V

Head Restraints and Whiplash Prevention

isitors to Leonardo da Vinci The Mechanics of Man at the Vancouver Art Gallery (which ended May 2nd) will have been reminded of the marvelous complexity of human anatomy. Leonardo, we learned, was the first artist to accurately depict the human spine and Cedric Hughes “five hundred years later no artist or anatomical illustrator has surpassed [this] accomplishment.” And his studies of the neck and shoulder muscles are as fascinating as they are beautiful.

Contemplating these drawings brings to mind the (not surprisingly) continuing unknowns surrounding whiplash and whiplash-associated disorders, the range of injuries to the neck most commonly caused by rear impact crashes. Whiplash is characterized by a range of symptoms not necessarily localized and with wide ranging severity: pain and aching in the neck, shoulder and back, headaches, and sensory disturbances in the arms and even the legs. The symptoms can be short-lived or they may emerge more slowly, linger and in some cases become chronic. The jolt from behind that suddenly snaps back the head produces the injury. Muscles and ligaments may be stretched or torn but the exact mechanism of the injury is still not fully understood.

Whiplash continues to be one of the main injuries covered by car insurers the world over, so much so that an organization dedicated to whiplash prevention has been established, the Insurance Whiplash Prevention Group or IIWPG consisting of the following members: ICBC (Canada), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (USA), Thatcham Research (UK), Insurance Australia Group, GDV Research (Germany), CESVIMAP (Spain), and Folksam Insurance (Sweden).

Prevention measures have focused on car seat design, and specifically on head restraints

or headrests to minimize head snapping movement during a rear impact crash.

Federally mandated in the United States in front seats since 1969, head restraints have been evolving since then. In 1993, for example, ICBC’s Vehicle Safety and Research department Barrister & Solicitor started a head restraint rating program in which they developed a tool for assessing head restraint geometry, the ICBC Head Restraint Measuring Device, 180 of which are used around the world by auto manufacturers and their seat suppliers to design head restraints that qualify for the highest rating—a ‘good’ rating—from IIWPG members. US regulations now require all car models from 2008 forward to have headrests rated ‘good’ for head restraint geometry.

Adjustable head restraints are reportedly most effective when the top of the restraint is somewhere between the top of your ears and the top of your head. The restraint should be adjusted horizontally to be as close to your head as possible, without pushing your head forward or causing the height of the restraint to drop. The position of the seatback is also important. The more upright your seat back, the more likely the head restraint is in a safer position, closer to your head.

Innovation continues in the form of dynamic head restraint systems designed to deploy automatically and enlisting the seatback as well as the head restraint to cradle and support the head and torso. A list of vehicles with ‘whiplash protection systems’ is available on www.edmunds.com.

THE ROAD RULES

Please drive safely.

Road Rules is by Cedric Hughes, Barrister & Solicitor with regular weekly contributions from Leslie McGuffin, LL.B. www.roadrules.ca

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news

Organization patronizes environmentally conscious businesses

Main Street coffee shop courts mob Jeremy Shepherd

Contributing writer

They target an environmentally friendly business, plan the right day to strike and buy stuff.

Originating in San Francisco in 2008, Carrotmobs are designed as a reverse boycott, encouraging consumers to patronize stores attempting to reduce their ecological footprint.

Omar Mutashar, the founder of the Vancouver branch of Carrotmob, hopes the first swarming of a local store May 16 will attract at least 200 extra customers to Salt Spring Coffee on Main Street. The Carrotmobbers plan to patronize the store near Main and 27th Avenue between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Mutashar said his group interviewed several coffee shops on Main Street about the idea. Following the interviews, video clips from the most intriguing eight coffee shops were posted online, leaving the final judgment at the fingertips of voters.

Salt Spring Coffee, which pledged 110 per cent of the day’s profits to make its store’s lighting more efficient, was the winner.

“They really showed they wanted to make their stores environmentally friendly,” said Mutashar.

Charles Tremewen, director of marketing for Salt Spring Coffee, said his company’s commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability fit nicely with the Carrotmob philosophy. “We just want to be mobbed,” Tremewen said.

He hoped the day’s crowd would be big enough to help the store install lower voltage lighting. “All you have to do is just buy coffee,” stated Mutashar, who said the simplicity of the Carrotmob was part of its appeal.

Emily Jubenvill, one of the organizers of the event, said the concept was a great way to remind customers about the power of their wallets. “I think the Carrotmob is a

“WE JUST WANT TO BE MOBBED.” Charles Tremewen

really great way to hand power back to the consumer,” she said in an email.

Mutashar hopes the mob at Salt Spring Coffee will begin a local trend. “It’s the first one, not the last one,” he said.

Discovery Coffee in Victoria was the site of the first Carrotmob in B.C. last October.

“I think it opened us up to a new audience,” said Logan Gray, the owner of the coffee shop.

The event tripled Discovery Coffee’s usual sales for the day. Gray said the store has attracted a younger, more ecologically aware clientele since the event, boosting his sales by a small amount. Wannawafel, a Victoria waffle shop, attracted a Carrotmob March 12. Krista Marchand, the coowner of the restaurant, said she was “not prepared for how busy it was.”

Marchand said business has been up by at least five per cent since the Carrotmob, and she’s considering buying a dishwasher to make the store more efficient. Mutashar, who moved to Vancouver from Malaysia two years ago, said his first idea was to work with liquor stores. “Drink booze and save the planet,” he explained.

But liquor stores he contacted weren’t interested in the Carrotmob idea.

Mutashar said if the Salt Spring Coffee Carrotmob is successful, it will boost his chances of working with liquor stores next time around. “Hopefully other businesses will want to get involved,” he said.

He said he’s optimistic initiatives like Carrotmobs can change the way stores operate. “We want businesses to reduce the use of light after they close,” he said. jshepherdcourier@gmail.com

Vancouver Central Return-It Depot The annual Return-It to Win-It Contest is back! Return your empty beverage containers from now until July 1st and enter to win an Adventure Essentials prize package including a 6-person tent, camping chairs, a cooler and more! A winner will be chosen from this depot so the more often you Return-It here, the more chances you have to win!

Be on the lookout for Return-It Man in your community on June 5th from 9am-1pm.

Vancouver Central Return-It Depot

2639 Kingsway, Vancouver Ph: 604-434-0707 Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm

No purchase necessary. Open only to BC residents age 19 or over. Limit one entry per person and per household per day. Contest closes July 1st, 2010. For full contest details, visit return-it.ca

W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

news

Food vendors vie for 61 spots around city

Hot dog vendor skewers food lottery Jeremy Shepherd Contributing writer

A Yaletown hot dog vendor says Vancouver’s street food lottery is being manipulated and keeping him from expanding a promising business.

Sixty-one spots in Vancouver are zoned for food vending, and once each year a few vacated spots are put into a lottery.

For a fee of $50, prospective food cart operators enter the lottery for the chance to win a location that comes with an annual fee of $1,000.

Sean Ruudz, who has been serving preservative-free hot dogs out of a cart on Davie Street in Yaletown for the past year, said he has been frustrated by the lottery.

Ruudz said many food vendors, most of whom he said he knows, use underhanded tactics to gain more locations.

“They’re paying friends and family members to go into the lottery for them to skew the odds in their favour,” he said.

Ruudz said his plans to expand into the downtown core and become Japadog’s main competition are being stifled by the lottery. “[My cart] could be duplicated. That’s why we want to expand,” he said.

“You could be in that lottery for 30 years and not win anything,” he said.

Ruudz said he’s been in the lottery for five years, only winning his spot on Davie Street last year.

Grant Woff, the city’s acting manager of the streets administration branch, said all the prospective vendors are acting within the rules.

“There are probably incidents of that happening, where relatives apply. It is not illegal to do that,” he said.

Woff said the winner of the lottery is permitted to have someone else operate the cart.

“It just wouldn’t be possible [to stop

“YOU COULD BE IN THAT LOTTERY FOR 30 YEARS AND NOT WIN ANYTHING.” Sean Ruudz

that],” he said. “We run an open lottery, anyone can apply.”

Ruudz said he’d be reluctant to have friends and family enter the lottery on his behalf.

“I’d rather do it fairly,” he said.

Ruudz said having entrants in the lottery collaborate was similar to putting the spots up for bid, since the person who has paid the most fees has the best chance of victory. He wants the city to move to a system that would include bidding and a proposal stage.

Daniel Bliss, who won a spot to sell crafts on Commercial Drive in last month’s lottery, is opposed to a bidding system.

“It’s not impartial that way,” he argued.

Bliss said Ruudz’ allegations about vendors using friends and family to leverage the odds in their favour were probably accurate.

But Bliss, who said he has been in the lottery twice, believes the element of chance made the lottery fair. “You could enter 10 times and not win anything,” he said.

Ruudz, whose hot dogs include a bison dog and a turkey dog, said a more comprehensive system would favour people who are more serious about running a food cart.

As far as the issue of people entering the lottery on behalf of friends, Ruudz said the solution is simple.

“If you win the lottery, you should have to work that spot,” he said. jshepherdcourier@gmail.com

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news

Adult children often require around-the-clock care

Parents struggle to house mentally handicapped Cheryl Rossi Staff writer

Parents of adult children with mental disabilities have made little progress in establishing stable housing for their kids three years after the Courier first profiled them.

The Parent Support Group for Families of Mentally Handicapped Adults Society wants donated land and money to construct the housing project they believe their children need.

Gwen Lee, president of the parents’ group, said Community Living B.C. has offered the group four units in a 100-unit social housing development downtown, with support workers that would visit once or twice a week. Community Living B.C. is a Crown agency that provides support and services to people with developmental disabilities, children with special needs and their families. But the offer wouldn’t work for Lee and the other families in the Parent Support Group, who say their children need around-the-clock care.

Lee, 68, has to remind her autistic and non-verbal 39-year-old son Geoffrey to clear his plates from the table, brush his teeth and change his clothes.

Sarah Fergason, 26, is developmentally delayed, has seizures and limited

short-term memory, compromised balance and coordination, hypoglycemia and tinnitus, and needs a quiet environment. Her previous group home and day program didn’t work out.

Fergason lives with her father, Randy, a 58-year-old longshoreman, and her grandmother Mavis. The grandmother’s health has deteriorated, and Fergason’s father is relieved Community Living B.C. is paying workers to care for his daughter 55 hours during the week while he’s at work. He’s unwilling to surrender her to foster care.

George Soika, 82, and his 59-year-old son J.R., who has phenylketonuria, a rare genetic metabolic disorder that results in developmental delays and other neurological problems, get by with a live-in caregiver. The three families and their daily struggles were profiled in a Courier feature story in 2007.

Former Liberal MLA Carole Taylor introduced the parents in 2008 to senior staff at B.C. Housing. The group rejoiced when the ministries of housing and social development were combined, which meant the parents had to deal with only one ministry.

With the help of Terra Housing Consultants, architect Lloyd Plishka and Communitas Supportive Care Society, the Parents Support Group submitted a

proposal to Community Living B.C. for a building with 12 single-bed units, a communal kitchen and common space on the ground floor. The second floor would accommodate parents in five self-contained suites next to their children who would live in single-bed units.

Parents could live there or move on if they saw that 24-hour staff provided quality care. Parents would work to link the complex with the surrounding community and build a list of volunteers.

But Community Living B.C. announced in September it was moving away from housing groups of clients as the major tenant group. Instead, it’s exploring offering support to five or six clients who live in an apartment building with up to 100 other tenants. “A lot of the older parents, especially, they get kind of discouraged. They’ve looked forward to something for their sons and daughters for so long,” Lee said.

But the Parent Support Group has raised $30,000 and isn’t giving up. For more information about the group, see members.shaw.ca/parentsupport.

Geoffrey and five other artists with disabilities will be featured in an art show May 7, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and May 8 and 9 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 5637 West Blvd. crossi@vancourier.com

“IF WE ALL BEGIN TO MAKE SMALL CHANGES, BIG CHANGES WILL FOLLOW.” When Steph Tait and Matt Hill decided to run 11,000 miles across Canada and the United States, they knew that such a massive challenge could only happen one step at a time.

In fact, that’s exactly what their Run for One Planet was all about—inspiring people all across the continent to take small, daily steps for the good of the environment.

Little things, like hanging laundry up to dry instead of using the dryer. It’s something simple that Steph and Matt both started doing at home. And something powerful that everyone can do to create big change.

How big? If all British Columbians hung up their laundry just half of the time, we would save enough energy to power every home in the city of Coquitlam.

One step and one t-shirt at a time.

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T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

Foodie Jason McRobbie covets Ken’s Chinese Restaurant’s Lobster Hot Pot with Taro noodles—a recent Chinese Restaurant Award winner.

Former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page will headline the second annual Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival, June 10-13.

Fred Megan McNeil (left) and Genevieve Duford spoke of their daily challenges living with cancer at the Giovanni Bastone Foundation gala.

UNLEESHED

Fronting the 25th edition of the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival June 25-July 4, Fatima Amarshi succeeds Coastal Jazz Executive Director Julie Smith.

Glass half full: Founders Cindy Dobee, Deborah Grimm and Dolores Elliott helped create a Canadian treatment centre for kids suffering with eating disorders. The Woodstone Residence, a 20-bed facility on Galiano Island, will open its door this fall. Singer Bif Naked headlined the sixth annual fundraising dinner and auction held at the Rocky Mountaineer Station. CTV’s Pamela Martin emceed and specialist Dr. Laird Birmingham gave remarks helping raise a reported $250,000.

Good times, come on!: Teen singing sensation Brock Zanrosso performed his iTunes chart topper “Push the Wall” at the Giovanni Bastone Foundation’s disco-themed Shine Gala. Held at the Marriot Pinnacle, chair Deb Nicols fronted the seventh annual Scotiabank-sponsored dinner and dance. Partygoers shook their collective booty netting the non-profit agency $60,000 for childhood cancer research.

Road runner: Fresh off an impressive result at the Boston Marathon three weeks ago, road runner Gordon Cook hit the city’s pavement along with nearly 14,000 other race enthusiasts for the BMO Vancouver Marathon. Cook hopes the weekend marathon, which benefits five charities including the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice and Vancouver Food Bank, becomes a weeklong affair.

Hear Fred Monday morning on CBC Radio One’s The Early Edition AM690 and 88.1FM; Email Fred at yvrflee@ hotmail.com; Follow Fred on Twitter: @FredAboutTown.

Every day, Lin Chinese Cuisine’s Miao Yu churns out 1,200 of her famous Shanghai Juicy dumplings, the best in the city.

BMO senior VP Rob Serraglio (l) and race chair Daryl Doyle feted Fareedah Rasoul Kim of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank before the Vancouver Marathon.

Singer Bif Naked, here with hubby sports scribe Ian Walker, headlined the Looking Glass Foundation Gala to aid individuals suffering with eating disorders.

Marathon runner Gordon Cook would like to see Laurie Grant’s BMO-sponsored Vancouver Marathon be a weeklong festival.

W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

SEASON

Getting in Tune

IT DON’T MEAN A THING IF IT AIN’T GOT THAT SWING

by Jeremy Shepherd,

postures affect the swing.

contributing writer

T

he titanium golf club digs into the earth, a chunk of turf the size of Nova Scotia flies through the air, a twinge of pain races through the golfer’s back, and then the swearing begins.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Leila Chartrand, a golf pro at McCleery Golf Course in Kerrisdale is doing her best to ease golfers back into the swing of things with a method that strengthens their body and hones their game.

Chartrand recently received certification from the Titleist Performance Institute. The certification involved attending a series of seminars where instructors learned about the details of each shot and each movement, according to Chartrand.

After more than two decades on the links, Chartrand said the seminars taught her a great deal about all the technical aspects of swing faults, as well as how certain

“Even good players lack upper body flexibility and stability in their hips,” Chartrand said.

She said she learned a lot when she gave golfers one simple instruction: “Hold your shoulders still and move your hips.”

Chartrand said a lot of golfers don’t move their hips properly, and besides hurting their golf game, poor form can also have health consequences.

“Personally, I’ve had a lot of injuries,” Chartrand said.

She said her injuries, which have recently kept her out of competitive golf, were the result of not turning her hips properly.

However, since completing the T.P.I. course and implementing what she learned in her own game, Chartrand said she’d reduced a great deal of her pain and was exercising again.

Chartrand has also teamed up with a yoga instructor to form Balance to Birdies, a

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company that specializes in all aspects of golf fitness.

Chartrand, who has worked with the University of B.C. golf team, said she has a variety of methods to help golfers who haven’t hefted their clubs in a few years.

She said the usually recommends starting with basic stretches and using resistance bands to increase strength and range of motion.

Chartrand also endorsed anything that improves balance and results in greater core strength.

As far as mental preparation, Chartrand said she’s seen great improvements from players who maintain a certain rhythm by doing the same thing before each swing.

Chartrand is planning to host an all-day workshop at the McCleery Golf Course on June 4, for ladies only. The cost is $225.

PEOPLE INTERESTED IN DUSTING OFF THEIR PUTTERS CAN GO TO HTTP:// BALANCETOBIRDIES.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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T HE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

foodtalk

But if you don’t drink, don’t start because of health benefits

A glass of wine a day may keep the doctor away lindawatts

In his latest book, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, author Michael Pollan outlines 64 simple, yet sensible, principles to follow for healthy eating and living.

Given the countless number of confusing and inaccurate nutrition tomes on the market today, this publication is a breath of fresh air.

One of the dietary principles Pollan advocates

in Food Rules is having a glass of wine with dinner.

According to this professor of science journalism at University of California, Berkeley, and author of five other books on food and nutrition, there is considerable scientific proof of the health benefits of alcohol.

Public health authorities are extremely wary of recommending drinking

because of the social and health consequences of alcoholism. I agree we need to be prudent with this advice but we can’t ignore the fact that research is revealing moderate drinking may protect us against health hazards such as obesity, dementia and especially cardiovascular diseases.

We now know that people who drink alcoholic bev-

erages moderately have a much lower risk of heart attacks and strokes than those who abstain or abuse it.

Studies that focus on alcohol consumption and health show that it doesn’t matter what type of beverage contains the alcohol. It appears alcohol itself provides the majority of the cardio-protection by favourably influencing our blood cholesterol, which prevents plaque from clogging our arteries, and providing an anti-coagulant effect that reduces the likelihood of blood clots.

“RESVERATROL ...

APPEARS TO HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH AND ANTICANCERPROPERTIES. BUT RESEARCHERS AREN’T CLEAR WHETHER IT’S THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS IN WINE THAT PROVIDE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OR IF IT’S HOW ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS WORK TOGETHER.” Iain Philip

2 Bedrooms Available

Wine, particularly red wine, may provide additional benefits because of polyphenolic compounds that are concentrated in grape skins. While both red and white wines contain phenolic compounds, they’re more abundant in reds since these wines are made with the skins.

“So far over 200 polyphenolic compounds have been identified in red wine and many act as antioxidants,” says Iain Philip, the senior wine instructor at the Art Institute of Vancouver and part-owner of Barbariain Wine Consulting.

“One compound getting most of the attention is resveratrol, which appears to have a positive effect on cardiovascular health and anti-cancer properties.

But researchers aren’t clear whether it’s the individual

components in wine that provide the health benefits or if it’s how all the different compounds work together.”

Philip questions whether studies looking at wine and health take into consideration other factors that improve our physical well-being. Wine drinkers are usually from a middle to upper social-economic class and have access to good medical care and healthier lifestyle choices.

Drinking wine won’t impart the same benefits if we aren’t eating well, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and exercising regularly.

“The way we consume wine may also influence its health benefits. We tend to drink wine slowly with meals and share it with friends and family,” adds Philip.

The key to deriving the positive health effects of wine and other alcoholic beverages is not over-imbibing. Excessive drinking increases our risk of coronary heart disease and certain cancers.

In Canada, moderate drinking is defined as one to two standard drinks daily with a maximum weekly total of nine and 14 drinks for women and men, respectively. A standard drink is 12 ounces of beer at five per cent alcohol by volume (abv), 1.5 ounces of spirits at 40 per cent abv, or five ounces of wine at 12 per cent abv.

A wine that’s higher than 12 per cent abv will provide more than a standard drink in each glass.

Our drinking pattern matters as much as the volume we consume. If we drink, we should have a little on a regular basis. We can’t save up our weekly total for the weekend.

Even though there’s ample research supporting the health benefits of alcohol in moderation, everyone can’t drink. For a variety of reasons, some of us shouldn’t go near the stuff.

If you don’t drink alcohol now, don’t start because of possible health benefits.

But if you do like a beer or glass of wine, relax and enjoy yourself being mindful not to over-indulge.

And whatever you do, don’t drink and drive.

Linda Watts is a registered dietitian. Email her questions at lwatts@vancourier.com.

Seniors W E D N E SD AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0 T H E VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

MAY 2010

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ramp of the freeway - she doesn’t know how it happened. Her car was totalled, she sustained injuries and had to go to Emergency by ambulance; her car was towed away. She decided then and there she would stop driving - her time had come.

An accident like this helps decisionmaking. But what do you do when no calamity precedes the inevitable? A speeding ticket or a policeman’s warning might influence you to consider quitting. Another friend was pulled over

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by the police for driving too slowly and impeding traffic. She quit driving at age 82 on the advice of the constable.

I think elderly drivers are safer than the young but may be over-cautious and delay traffic. ICBC reported the following general information about elderly drivers: • Drivers age 70 or more: crash rate per 1,000 active driver licenses - 98 • Drivers age 16 - 19: crash rate per 1,000 active driver licenses - 132 Older drivers are alerted for a test at age 80 and if their medical assessment

shows problems, they may have to be tested every year.

Elderly drivers who want to find out their competence level can go to a driving school for a fee. Holy Family Hospital has an Elderly DriveAble program, at a cost of $350, and there’s a wait list.

If you doubt your driving ability, tests are available. The decision is yours.

Local senior Jacqueline Hooper, 83, was an avid hiker and skier; now she loves to paint landscapes.

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seniors

IN THE DRIVERS’ SEAT

MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE compiled by Helen Peterson

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or distance travelled.

In my opinion, the innate problem with the doctor’s office evaluation currently in place is that an older driver with medical issues will turn up for the appointment on his/her best behaviour.

Would you go to the doctor while exhibiting extreme low blood sugar from your Type 1 diabetes? No. But once behind the wheel, if this happens, and exacerbated by diminished cognitive reaction time, the results could be very traumatic.

If only the doctor could sit in the passenger seat beside you for the evaluation… outside of the clinical setting.

Only then would the doctor really get to see your driving capabilities.

ICBC – THERE FOR YOU

Do you need to take a driver’s re-examination? Each year, some 4,500 drivers in B.C. are asked to take a driver’s reexam, which consists of a re-examination road test and a new vision check.

Driver Licensing Centres are located on MacDonald St. on the West Side; Commercial Drive on the East Side; and at Royal Centre, West Georgia St., downtown. Call 604-661-2255 if you have questions on renewal or voluntary relinquishing of your B.C. driver’s licence.

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People may chuckle when referring to an older driver putt-puttering down the road well below the speed limit, having difficulty parallel parking or simply making errors like forgetting turn signals, etc.

But poor driving as a result of mental aging or medical reasons is no laughing matter. However, regulating the renewal (or revoking) of a senior’s driver’s license (which can affect their sense of independence and in some cases, selfworth), is a subject long-debated across the country.

According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal’s (CMA) March, 2010 paper on seniors and driving, a cut-off age for licences is neither sensible nor appropriate. It states that because seniors are so heterogeneous with respect to health and cognition, it might be discriminatory to paint all seniors behind the wheel with the same brush.

Physicians and other health professionals will always be required to report people whom they suspect are unsafe drivers, says CMA. However, only governments, using standardized driving assessments, should be responsible for revoking a driver’s licence.

The CMA also realizes that physicians and families need to be honest with seniors about the need to retire from driving, and seniors need to accept that, no matter how good the support system, their lives will subsequently not be as flexible.

There is a reverse graduated licence used in some jurisdictions, which should be adopted by all provinces. Such conditional licences could, for example, limit driving at night, when vision may be poorer, and restrict access to fourlane highways, rush-hour traffic times

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seniors

THE ROAD HOME DESIGN AND BUILD A RAMP FOR YOUR HOME compiled by Marlyn Graziano

If you or anyone living in your house has difficulty using stairs, installing a ramp is a great way to make your home safer and more accessible. A ramp can be used to overcome changes in level, either on the inside or outside of a home, as an alternative to using stairs.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) offers the following tips on how to select or design an access ramp for your home: Ramps are particularly useful for overcoming changes in level of up to about 76 cm (30 in.) from the ground level to the level of the entrance being ramped.

Using ramps for greater changes in level requires a great deal of space—which may or may not be practical. Installing a lift or residential elevator may be a better strategy than constructing a ramp.

There are typically two strategies used for ramp design: a landscape approach and a structural approach. The landscape approach incorporates landscaping, gently sloping walkways and grading to overcome changes in level. The landscape approach is generally limited to smaller changes in level. The structural approach involves building a ramp structure—usually using wood-framing

construction.

The run (length) of the ramp will depend on two primary factors: the overall rise (vertical change in level) and the slope used. For home use, most people find that a ramp with a slope of between one in 15 (for every one inch of change in height the ramp must be 15 inches in length) and one in 20 is safer and easier to use. Just remember that the less steep your ramp is, the longer it will have to be.

Ramps should also be a proper width, ie: minimum of one metre (39 inches) wide. This does not include handrails, guardrails or other structural components. If someone who will be using the ramp has a walker, wheelchair or scooter and has some difficulty steering in a straight line, a wider ramp may be required.

All ramps must include a landing at the top and bottom, as well as at any point where the ramp changes direction or exceeds a maximum of nine metres (30 feet) in length. Ramp landings should be at least 1.525 metres (five feet) long. If the landing is located where the ramp turns or changes direction, it should measure at least 1.525 square metres (five square feet), or as large as 2.1 square metres (seven square feet) if it needs to accommodate

a scooter or large wheelchair.

Since the ramp may also be used by people who are walking, make sure there are at least 2.1 metres (seven feet) of clear headroom above the ramp and any landings. Be sure to take into account any protruding objects such as air conditioners, trees and shrubs, flower boxes or low awnings.

Handrails are required for any ramp steeper than one in 20. If handrails are not required, it is still a good idea to install a raised lip or edge to prevent someone in a wheelchair from rolling off the edge of the ramp.

Ramps should be well lit to create a welcoming area and ensure they are

safe and easy to use. Other recommended safety features include colour-contrasting handrails and tactile, coloured strips across the top and bottom of the ramp. Ramps should also always end on a sidewalk or the driveway, and not enter directly onto a road.

Before starting construction, contact the local building permit department at City Hall to find out if you will need a permit to add a ramp to your home.

For more information or a free copy of the “About Your House” fact sheet Accessible Housing by Design — Ramps, visit www.cmhc.ca or call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642.

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seniors

DENTURISTS ARE DENTURE SPECIALISTS “WHAT’S ON” FOR MAY Need Dentures? Denture Problems? We can help you!

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Calling all “road warriors” from the senior set! It’s hiking season once again. The BC Association of Podiatrists warns that, while hiking is a great way to keep fit and explore the great outdoors, excessive moisture and friction on the skin from improper socks and shoes can cause foot pain and lead to injuries that will stop you in your tracks. Before you climb your next hill or trail, consult your local podiatrist to make sure you are using the right footwear for your hiking adventures. For some helpful tips on hiking gear that will keep you going one kilometer after another, visit a specialty footwear retailer.

The Shaughnessy Cardiac Alumni Members Society’s “Cardiac Maintenance and Support Exercise Program” is for graduates of local Healthy Heart programs. Tailored for those at risk of heart problems and those who want preventative exercise, it takes place Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 6.30 a.m. and at 7.30 .a.m. Also Friday at 7 a.m. Cost is $45 a month, with a free one-month trial. Located in the Kerrisdale Community Centre

at 5851 West Boulevard, SCAMS welcomes new members into a friendly, supportive group. To obtain more information, contact: Don McArthur at 604-220-9037 or Poul Hansen at 604-868-3862.

Do you have loved one living in a retirement/care facility or at home? What challenges is he/she faced with? “Seniors’ Emotional Care Free Presentation” is a free presentation conducted by Full Spectrum Senior Services. Takes place Tues. May 25 at Kitsilano Community Centre from 7 - 8:30 PM. Address is 2690 Larch St.; to register, call the Centre at 604-257-

6976. There are also classes geared for seniors and their relationships.

Getting back into the dating pool?

The rules are different when you hit the elder years! For more info. on Full Spectrum, visit www.ssac. ca or call 604-616-8401.

Osteoporosis can affect many seniors, and the damage is permanent. Learn more about how to help yourself or a family member. The Vancouver/Kerrisdale Osteoporosis Branch will host a lecture: “Future Directions in the Management of Osteoporosis” by David Kendler, MD, of Prohealth Clinical Research Centre, on Tues.

May 25, 7:00 PM, at the Seniors Centre, Kerrisdale Community Centre, 5851 West Blvd. Free admission. For further information, call: 604-731-4755 or 604-2245063.

If you have a non-profit event or activity focusing on Healthy/ Active Seniors, contact: Helen Peterson or e-mail: hpeterson@ vancourier.com; or by fax: 604738-4739, by the last Wednesday of the month. One listing per organization, please.

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She’s Worth It!

Mother’s Day Giveaway

You’ll want to treat Mom right this year. And to help celebrate all that’s great with our Moms, The Courier and partners want to give away one of three fab prizes to lucky readers: • $100 gift certificate to Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver (where you can buy your Mom a wonderful gift).

• A $75 gift basket courtesy the Indulgent Foodie, with Marie Belle chocolates, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and gourmet popcorn.

• A gorgeous silver and beaded necklace made especially for Moms, by local bead artist Thunderpeep Designs (value approx. $40).

TO ENTER: Simply email contest@vancourier.com and put Mother’s Day Contest in the subject line. Be sure to include your name and daytime phone number in the email. Enter by 4 p.m., Wed. May 5, 2010.

A random draw will take place on May 6; winners will be notified by phone and announced in Fresh, May 14.

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seniors

VOLUNTEERISM HELPS CANADIANS REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL Whether it’s sorting through canned goods at a food bank, devoting a weekend to help build a house with Habitat For Humanity, or giving tours at a local historical site, most people decide to volunteer in order to help make an impact on another person’s life.

But according to a survey recently conducted

by American Express Canada, a growing number of Canadians are choosing to engage in activities such as volunteerism and charity work in order to enrich and enhance their own lives.

This group—which consists of more than a quarter of Canadians—are considered “potentialists” and defined as people who choose to take less traditional paths in order to realize their own potential.

One Canadian who has found her own path to realize her potential through volunteerism is Margaret Bedi. Bedi, an American Express employee for nearly 35 years, has served as a volunteer her entire life.

But it wasn’t until the death of her mother that she found her true calling.

Overcome with grief, Bedi searched for an activity to help fill the gap of time she once spent with her mother.

Her search led her to the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Hospice, and since 2006 she has devoted a considerable amount of time caring for the people who reside there, including an extended period in which she took a sabbatical from her day job in order to spend more time volunteering. Her volunteer activities at the hospice include providing emotional support, respite and care to individuals living with progressive life-threatening illnesses.

“I find it to be a very fulfilling and rewarding experience to be part of the lives of some amazing people who live with terminal illnesses,” she said.

“It makes me realize how precious life is and how little time we have to live, laugh, and love.”

According to David

Barnes, VP Communications at American Express, Bedi’s passion and dedication to her volunteer work is in line

It’s simple

with the results of the survey—people simply want to do more with their lives.

“This is very much the

attitude of the potentialist, the type of person who is getting on and doing the things that excite them and not won-

dering ‘what if?’,” said Barnes.

Article courtesy www. newscanada.com.

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T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

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FROM THE

BOYS

by Jeremy Shepherd, contributing writer

Guys, young and old, are always a bit perplexed when it comes to treating Mom on her day.

Surely, watching a film together would be fun? Once you’ve settled into your favourite chair and taken a brief look through your DVD collection, you decide to treat your mother to the 1980 horror film, Mother’s Day. But as the gore starts to splatter the screen, it occurs to you that perhaps the woman who gave you life deserves a little more.

So what can you do?

An article on www.ehow.com recommended several simple ways for making your mother glad she gave birth to you.

The first tip is one of the most timeless for mothers who enjoy that seamless transition between sleep and food: breakfast in bed. It’s also recommended stirring up a mimosa (champagne and o.j.) for mom.

However, for those who are a little less skilled at culinary creations, make the day a little more enjoyable by turning gift-giving into a treasure hunt.

“Invite her for dinner and give her an elaborately wrapped pack-

age. When she opens the “gift” she’ll find a clue telling her where to look for another package. Lead her on as long a trail as you think she’ll find amusing, with her real present waiting at the end,” the

website recommended.

For those who have lost their mother, the site also offered the idea of making a donation to her favourite charity to honour her memory

CHEAP ’N CHEERFUL

For those who have been lightof-wallet recently, there are also many ways to celebrate Mother’s Day without spending a dime.

• Sons (and daughters) who are old enough to wield a squeegee, a rake or a broom might want to take special note of any chores around the house that make their mother sigh. Clean windows, a freshlyraked lawn, or her car - washed, shined and detailed - might be just what she needs.

• Tourism Vancouver has a list of suggestions for things to do around the city on Mother’s Day in Vancouver, such as a garden stroll through Queen Elizabeth Park, or a picnic at Stanley Park.

• Want to spend the day indoors?

Take her to such displays as the video installations at the Vancouver Art Gallery, or nod your head to the flowing saxophone at The Cellar Jazz Club, on Broadway near Dunbar.

Check out www.tourismvancouver.com for more great ideas.

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W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

exotic courier

Courier Reader: Shanti and Vijai Kumar Destination: Kerala, India Favourite memories of trip: While on recent a

trip to India, the Kumars stopped at the Neyyar Dam. According to Vijai, the dam and lake have made Neyyar a popular picnic spot in the Agasthyagoodam mountain. Nearby is a wildlife sanctuary, lion safari, crocodile farm and plenty of hiking opportunities.

Include the Vancouver Courier in your next vacation or exotic adventure and send a high resolution photo of yourself and/or travel companion displaying an edition of the paper, along with a brief description of your trip, name and contact information to fhughes@ vancourier.com.

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T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

Anthony’s got talent

Vancouver’s only televised variety show Paul Anthony’s Talent Time hunkers down at the Biltmore for its monthly edition of merriment and live entertainment May 5. This time out they’re celebrating Cinco De Mayo with appearances by Beatle’s tribute band The Fab Fourever, Teen Angst Poetry founder Sara Bynoe, comedian Pat Kelly, Surrey kids performing a piece from Spamalot, money saving tips from Sean Devlin, Internet chatroom roulette, co-host Ryan Beil as Alan Felix, light therapy lamps and the always popular cover charge piñata. Tickets $8 at the door, show at 9 p.m.

Party favours

Pint-Size Tall Theatre Society brings the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical The Wild Party to the ANZA Club for 20 debauchery-filled nights of guys, dolls, booze and burlesque. Described as a “bathtub gin soiree,” The Wild Party concerns the dysfunctional relationship between a chorus girl, a vaudeville clown and their showbiz friends. For the show’s

Part musical, part “bathtub gin soiree,” The Wild Party brings the roaring ’20s into the ANZA.

run, the ANZA Club will be transformed into a “speakeasy” in keeping with the production’s roaring 1920s theme, complete with period music courtesy of a live five-piece jazz band, cocktails and dancing.

The Wild Party runs May 6 to 9, 12 to 16, 18 to 21, 23, 25 to 28. Tickets at www.ticketstonight.ca or you can try your luck at the door. For more info, go to www.pintsizetall.com.

Big Picture

The UBC Film Production Program marks its 40th anniversary with a weeklong celebration called The Big Picture. Events include public film screenings May 5 to 7 by UBC Film Production Program grads including Bruce Sweeney, Larry Kent, Dylan Akio Smith and Mina Shum, among others, at Pacific Cinematheque, and a May 8 gala.

For showtimes, go to www.cinematheque.bc.ca. For more info, go to www.ubcfilmalumni.org.

Brass in pocket

Local dudes Brasstronaut bring their horn-heavy mix of pop, electronica, klezmer and jazz to St. James Hall May 6. Not only is the all-ages show in support of their genre-hopping debut album Mt. Chimaera, it’s the last date of their Canadian tour, which means either the band is going to be super tight or ready to kill each other. So, really, it’s a win-win situation for the audience.

As an added bonus, local piano pop two-piece The Zolas, whose recent release Tic Toc Tic is pretty darn fine as well, open the show. Tickets at Red Cat, Zulu Records and all Ticketmaster locations.

kudos & kvetches Canucks playoff haiku… boo ya

K&K continues its series of Basho-inspired haiku in honour of spring and the Canucks playoff run.

Kesler’s patchy beard Does the carpet match the drapes?

Silent moss never speaks.

Fossil forum

You’d think the B.C. government would have its plate full with all the fuss over the HST, butting heads with cash-strapped school boards and Minister of Environment Barry Penner’s lessthan-graceful exit from Dancing with the Stars.

Someone really should have dissuaded him from attempting to breakdance. But the busybodies in Victoria have added another task to their crowded to-do list: designating a fossil for the official list of provincial symbols. Scintillating stuff, we know.

B.C.’s “official” fossil will join a list of provincial symbols, including the Spirit Bear (mammal), the Pacific Dogwood (flower), Steller’s Jay (bird), Western Red Cedar (tree) and “She-Bop” (thinly veiled Cyndi Lauper song about female onanism).

To that end, the government, perhaps sensing the Herculean task of designating an official

arts & entertainment

Brasstronaut returns home

Local six-piece Brasstronaut celebrates the release of their debut CD and completion of a cross Canada tour May 6 at St. James Hall.

King of comedy

Funny guy Simon King headlines an evening of local standup comedy for good cause May 6, 9 to 11 p.m. at the Sin Bin Sports Grill (295 West Second Ave.) All proceeds from Comedy Fights Cancer go to the B.C. Cancer Foundation. Tickets $20 at the door. For more info, go to www.habitentertainment.com.

Mother lode

Leading up to Mother’s Day, authors Catherine Owen, Rachel Rose, Luanne Armstrong and Dorothy Woodend “illuminate the rewards of nurturing children while pursuing the passion to write” May 5, 7:30 p.m. at the Peter Kaye Room of the Central Branch of the Van-

fossil, is appealing for the public’s help. Working with the B.C. Paleontological Alliance, the province issued a press release Monday inviting folks to submit their suggestions for a fossil symbol through the “consultation website.”

Fossils, as you may know, are preserved remains or traces of animals, plants and other organisms from the distant past.

Being the helpful do-gooders that we are, K&K has been busy compiling a list of possible fossils for the government to consider. In no particular order, they are: • A petrified pair of women’s leopard print underwear circa 1980 recently discovered at the bottom of Loverboy singer Mike Reno’s gym bag.

• A fossilized honey and garlic chicken wing unearthed at the former Planet Hollywood site on Robson Street.

• The hole Kash Heed left in our heart after he quit the police and ran for the provincial Liberals.

• Stray hairs from former Canucks defenseman Garth Butcher’s mono-brow.

• The Paleozoic-era worm found underneath Attorney General Michael de Jong’s nose… oh wait, that’s a moustache.

• The embalmed carcass of beloved

couver Public Library. Dubbed Mother/Writer, the event is hosted

by Cathy Stonehouse (Double Lives: Writers and Motherhood) and Cori Howard (Between Interruptions and The Momoir Project).

Concert roundup

Montreal’s Plants and Animals play the Commodore May 5 with guests Said the Whale. The same night Ontario-based singer-songwriter and former Vancouverite Miss Emily Brown returns to her old stomping grounds for a folky show at Little Mountain Gallery, while spacious Montreal band The Besnard Lakes shoegaze it up at the Media Club with guest Hollerado. Next night, the always charming, eternally young Jonathan Richman with Tommy Larkins on drums play the Biltmore.

Vancouver Grizzlies mascot Super Griz.

• Minister of Housing and Social Development Rich Coleman’s neck, which hasn’t been seen since 1974.

Off the Depp end

EW29

According to an article courtesy of Canwest News Service—there’s still a Canwest News Service?— former “sexiest man on earth” Johnny Depp was accosted by a mugger brandishing a broken bottle Sunday night. Thankfully, Depp was equipped with his high-powered pools of sapphire and stared down his would-be-assailant and told him to back off. According to an onlooker, “[The mugger] looked at Johnny and said, ‘I ain’t stealing from Captain Jack,’ and put the bottle down.” Depp then gave the dude a few bucks and told him to straighten out his life. We’re sure he will.

While the holes in this story are bigger than the ones in a 21 Jump Street episode, K&K likes to think a man as enigmatic as Depp could combine Ninja and Jedi Knight skills to thwart crime and bring justice to this cesspool we call earth.

In other news, K&K has sadly learned that it will never get back the 45 seconds it took to read said story on Johnny Depp staring down a mugger.

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T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

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Staff writer

When Bloodied But Unbowed premieres next week at the DOXA documentary festival, there will arguably be no one more nervous and anxious than the film’s writer and director, Susanne Tabata. Not that she has reason to be.

Bloodied But Unbowed is easily the most definitive and entertaining retrospective on Vancouver’s punk scene in the late ’70s and early ’80s committed to film.

But, as Tabata is keenly aware, when you’re dealing with something as dear to people’s booze-soaked hearts and blood-sweat-and-tear-stained memories, there’s an immense sense of responsibility that goes along with telling its rough and tumble story.

“There’s a huge pressure,” Tabata says.

“Jim Cummins, I, Braineater, the great artist and visual innovator of the punk scene, said that it’s like you’re dealing with a gang of pirates. And you’re going to walk the plank if you get it wrong.”

Mind you, it’s not as if Tabata is an interloper. The 50-year-old director and producer grew up attending local punk rock gigs at the Smilin’ Buddha, cut her

teeth at UBC’s CiTR radio, interviewed the Ramones before anyone knew who they were and frequently appeared as a guest and correspondent on the late ’70s community cable show Nite Dreems with DJ John Tanner and JB Shayne.

Having made documentaries on female skateboarders (SkateGirl), surfers (49Degrees) and produced the Jason Priestley-directed tour film Barenaked in America, Tabata spent the past threeand-half years researching, assembling footage, wrestling with the powers that be and interviewing the last survivors of Vancouver’s punk scene, which spawned the likes of D.O.A., Subhumans, The Dishrags, Young Canadians, The Pointed Sticks and The Modernettes to name but a few. While the film’s eclectic cast includes usual suspects such as Joey “Shithead” Keithley, Randy Rampage, John Armstrong a.k.a. Buck Cherry and Brian “Wimpy Roy” Goble, key figures from outside Vancouver such as Henry Rollins, Keith Morris (Black Flag, Circle Jerks) and Duff McKagan (Guns ’N Roses, Velvet Revolver) also chime in to pay tribute. Tabata says the latter three were eager to participate in the film, which wasn’t necessarily the case with some of

Dashboard

her local subjects.

“They were honoured to be able to give props to the people and the music and the scene because they know they deserve it,” Tabata says. “Those guys are in show business. They’re professional. They’re very much used to cameras and interview situations and they’re used to being in the limelight. Whereas if you walked away from your past and nobody’s bugged you for 20 years and someone all of sudden comes knocking and says, ‘Hey I really want you to talk about your life 30 years ago,’ there could be some hesitation or resistance.”

To that end, Tabata went to great lengths tracking down and interviewing the charismatic and notoriously self-destructive Art Bergmann and former Modernettes bassist Mary Jo Kopechne, both of whom ditched music for more sedate lives in different parts of rural Alberta.

“I cold-called Art Bergmann, and he was a little surprised to hear from me,” Tabata says. “When I told him what I thought I was going to do, he said I was insane. He wasn’t really welcoming to the idea at first. Mary Jo Kopechne told me to f--k off for a year and a half.”

Continued next page

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W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

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Not everyone eager to reminisce

Continued from page 30 Both Bergmann and Kopechne eventually relented and provided some of the film’s most moving and thoughtful insights, not to mention marksmanship as evidenced in a scene where Kopechne, rifle in hand, uses a bail of hay for target practice.

“The characters are really the best part [of the movie] and that makes for good entertainment,” says Tabata, who adds she was first inspired to make the film after attending an exhibition of Bev Davies’ photos that chronicled Vancouver’s early underground music scene.

“I took my camera [to the exhibit’s opening] and I followed these people around and I watched the footage afterwards and I thought about the photos and the characters and how it would be a fabulous character-driven story.

Because it is a comedy, in a way. I think that’s lost in the aspect of punk. Vancouver was funny. How were we different than the other scenes?

We were funny.”

As for Vancouver’s place in the annals of punk rock history, Tabata says people often fail to recognize the substantial influence the former West Coast backwater wielded. “Vancouver certainly owes its influences to what was going on in New York and London, let’s not kid ourselves, but it created its own music, it created its own style and some of that has been very influential to musicians across the coun-

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Filmmaker Susanne Tabata and the reclusive Art Bergmann... somewhere in rural Alberta. try and North America.”

She adds, “This scene was precedent setting for the genre. It’s an important piece of Vancouver cultural history, and because of the people involved and the lyrics, the language, the attitude and the lifestyle, maybe for those reasons there’s really never been any recognition of that. But certainly the waves have been felt.”

In fact, if Tabata’s recent experiences are any indication, Vancouver’s old punk scene continues to lack the recognition it deserves.

Although the Knowledge Network has agreed to air her film this fall, a number of national broadcasters and distributors turned their noses up at the subject matter citing lack of relevance and importance. While making the film, Tabata and a mem-

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ber of her film crew were detained at the border for three hours and sent home after trying to travel to Seattle to interview former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra.

Even her two teenage sons are less than enthused with their mom’s punk rock pursuits, favouring classical music and what Tabata can only describe as “that trance stuff you dance to all night.”

“They’ve had this film all around them and have had to watch me go through all this stuff,” Tabata says dryly.

“So I think my kids think this [movie] is really really lame.”

Bloodied But Unbowed screens May 13, 8 p.m at Granville 7 Theatre. Advanced tickets are recommended. DOXA runs May 7 to 16. For info, go to www. doxafestival.ca. mkissinger@vancourier.com

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T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

theatre

Sandler comedy gets musical makeover

Warm reception for Wedding Singer The Wedding Singer

At Jericho Arts Centre until May 22 Tickets: 604.224.8007 www.jerichoartscentre.com Reviewed by Jo Ledingham

Like a fresh westerly off Point Grey, the youthful enthusiasm of almost 30 performers (only a few of whom appear to have achieved that number of years) is blowing over at the Jericho Arts Centre. In this Fighting Chance production, directed by Ryan Mooney and choreographed by Anna Hassard, the all-out zeal of these youngsters is invigorating even as it is a reminder to those of us of a certain age that tempus does, indeed, fugit.

Opening night saw an unusual number of under-30s in the audience, too, and for them the mid-1980s—the period of The Wedding Singer—is almost history. But there’s not a speck of dust on this production. It’s alive and kicking.

Based on the 1998 Adam Sandler movie, this 2006 musical (music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and book by Beguelin and Tim Herlihy) was nominated for but never won any of the major awards probably because of its sweet but run-of-the-mill musical comedy storyline. Boy meets girl but girl is already engaged; girl almost gets to the altar before discovering the guy she’s marrying is a schmuck; girl breaks up with schmuck and falls for the other boy. And they all live happily ever after.

The girl in The Wedding Singer is Julia (Lexy Campbell), a waitress in a place that handles a lot of wedding receptions. The boy is Robbie (Andrew Halliwell), a singer and emcee at those celebrations. Julia is dating and subsequently gets engaged to Glen (Tyson Coady), a mover and shaker in the investment biz as well as a mover and shaker in the philandering department. Robbie is engaged but gets stood up at the altar

by Linda (Jessica Kelly) who dumps him because his musical career isn’t going any-

where (and because she’s a ditz). Brokenhearted, he starts ruining everyone else’s wedding parties and ends up unemployed.

So, do Robbie and Julia end up together?

Or does he kiss poison off her lips and then she stabs herself? No, that’s Romeo and Juliet and a much better play, but there’s not much singing and dancing in that one.

Chris King is the musical director and leads a loud and lively onstage band. Cathy Wilmot faithfully recreates the clothing of the ’80s although I don’t remember miniskirts teamed up with leggings; and surely a more becoming wedding gown could have been found for Julia who looks like a linebacker in it. Maybe we all did back then—I don’t remember.

Graham Ockley’s set design looks like he did the best he could on a tight budget.

But a musical is mostly about the singing, and the best parts of The Wedding Singer are the full ensemble numbers with everyone singing and dancing like crazy. Campbell’s voice is, like her character Julia, sweet and pure but some trouble with her head-mic on opening night gave an unfortunate onagain-off-again effect. Halliwell’s opening night voice wasn’t at its best, but his performance as Robbie is appealing, and once this show gets rolling, he has what it takes to do a good job. Kelly (as skanky Linda) belts out a couple of great tunes, and Coady (bad boyfriend Glen) is terrific in “It’s All About the Green.” Linda Noble gets lots of laughs as the booty shakin’ octogenarian Rosie.

The performers are young and beautiful and at the beginning of their careers, but the absolute standout is Cassandra Nantel who plays Julia’s cousin Holly. It’s a great flirty role, and Nantel has everything she needs to do it proud: tall and curvy with long, curly blond hair, a peaches and cream complexion and a voice that will take her anywhere she wants to go. I hope Fighting Chance Productions hires her again before she gets snapped up and whisked away.

She’s that good. joled@telus.net

W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

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Museum dives feet first into Fluevog, Fox and Friends

Iconic shoe designers bare their soles State of the Arts

with Cheryl Rossi

Shoes. Oh my God, shoes.

That’s not only a refrain from the popular “Shoes” video on YouTube, but also the focus of an upcoming exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver.

Fox, Fluevog and Friends: The Story Behind the Shoes unlaces Vancouver’s famous footwear companies, the unique designs and creative marketing that led to their pioneering success, May 14 to Sept. 26.

Peter Fox was selling suits at Harrods in London when a Vancouver businessman, Marshall Sheppard, convinced him to sells shoes and clothes for him at Evans-Sheppard Ltd. Fox quickly worked his way up from salesclerk, to manager, to buyer.

In the meantime, he met the Fluevog family through the Lutheran Church and was impressed by Sigurd Fluevog’s Jaguar with the walnut-trimmed dash.

Their shared love of beautiful things led to friendship. Sigurd Fluevog’s son John babysat Fox’s kids, and after he’d graduated from Burnaby secondary and attended a year of Bible college, Fox helped young Fluevog get a job at Evans-Sheppard.

When Fox returned from a buying trip in 1968 high on the fashions of Carnaby Street in London, Sheppard wasn’t sure about the wild shoes Fox had purchased and they didn’t really sell.

Fox and John knew they needed a new place to sell them and a new clientele.

They scoured the streets of Gastown where the cobbled streets and historic lampposts were being reinstalled and

settled on 2 Powell St. at Maple Tree Square to establish their men’s shoe shop. Sheppard let them buy the outrageous stock that wasn’t selling from him and they set up shop.

While some locals sneered at the unconventional shoes Fox and Fluevog flogged in the 1970s, rock stars from L.A. flew up to shop. Fluevog shoes have been worn by Madonna, Jack White of The White Stripes and Iggy Pop. The exhibit touches on this relationship between the shoes, celebrities and musicians.

Oodles of shoes and boots littered the floor of the museum Monday morning, ranging from black, bumped, pointy swordfish-toed numbers, sparkly blue heels, “pony” cleft-heeled boots, fashion-forward clogs, and colourful designs, some with heartshaped heels, that populate Fluevog’s 11 North American stores today.

Joan Seidl, exhibit curator, said she’s learned “there’s real advantages to living in this backwater.”

“There’s lots of ways in which creativity and ingenuity flourish here and we shouldn’t assume that because we’re not the centre of the universe that the quality of the design and marketing work is not world class,” she said. “We need to take our neighbours seriously and give one another credit by having the capacity to do really cutting edge work.”

When Fox and Fluevog opened their second shop in Victoria in 1972 they hired Ken Rice—a “Jesus freak” from Ontario who lived in a Christian commune in Strathcona and sold the leatherwork belts and bags he’d fashioned at Gastown pubs—to be the resident artisan.

Fox bought a bounty of clog soles that needed uppers and Rice designed them.

All three men were concerned with faith and religion. One case at the exhibit shows the belt Rice used to wear,

which was inscribed with a verse from the Bible, as is the insole to a pair of boots Fox designed for his wife Linda.

After the clog revival peaked in the mid-1970s, Rice went off on his own. He continues to design custommade shoes from his garage at his Delta home and examples of his latest handiwork are on display.

In 1980, Fox and his wife opened Peter Fox Shoes in New York City, designing for his own company and Fox and Fluevog for a time. A display of Fox’s shoes shows more refined versions of his earlier Victorian and stained glass designs and a bridal shoe. Fox, who’s now in his 70s and still lives in his same house in East Vancouver—where he lived even while he ran the store in New York—has retired and sold his business that specialized in bridal shoes and custom work for theatre and film, with Fox shoes worn in Alice in Wonderland, Harry Pottery and Titanic.

In 1981, Fluevog bought out Fox and in 1987 dropped him from the company’s name.

It was a daunting time for Fluevog, 20 years Fox’s junior.

“I didn’t grow up with a design background, I didn’t go to design school, I had no real training in it,” said Fluevog, who still designs shoes.

He added he feels honoured to be featured in an exhibit while celebrating 40 years in business.

“The journey that I’ve been on has been one of self-discovery as well, of discovering that my own ideas, my own thoughts are OK.” The exhibit at 1100 Chestnut St. in Vanier Park kicks off with an opening party May 13 and the three designers are expected to attend. For more information, see www.museumofvancouver.ca. crossi@vancourier.com

A selection of John Fluevog and Peter Fox’s fashionforward shoe designs can be seen at Museum of Vancouver May 14 to Sept. 26. photos Rebecca Blissett

Speaker: Bruce Dewar, CEO, 2010 Legacies Now Topic: 2010 and beyond: Tourism and Community Legacies When: Friday May 7, 2010, 7am-9am Where: Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel

Register and pay online at: www.vancouveram.org A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT ATTENDED THE 2010 GENERAL MANAGERS’ BREAKFAST ON WEDNESDAY MAKING IT A GREAT SUCCESS!

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MANAGER

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Qualifications: These skills would be essential: Managerial experience; supervisory skills; budgeting and computer knowledge; publication familiarity and a warm personality.

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Home Support

F/T L/I CAREGIVER for female senior, $8/hr minus room & board, West End, fluent in English.

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From advertising executive or banker to x-ray technician or zookeeper, you'll find it in the Employment Section.

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MEGA JOB FAIR THURSDAY, JULY 8th, 2010

Career Opportunities:

REGISTER NOW!

North Surrey Recreation Centre 10275 - 135th Street 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Practical Nursing

LIMITED SEATS

Are you recruiting?

Call before April 15th and register your company for our Early Bird special!

Over 8000 Job seekers are expected to attend.

Contact: renu.gambhir@pics.bc.ca

The choice is yours…

Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) www.pics.bc.ca Fax: 604-596-7721

604-596-7722 Ext. 125

EDUCATION 1410

Education

TRAIN TO be a MEDICAL LAB ASSISTANT. The Healthcare industry needs YOU! MTI Community College www.mticc.com, (1) 604-310-2684.

LOVE YOUR JOB!

Personal Trainer Certification

Earn up to $70/hr as a Personal Trainer.

Government Financial Aid may be available.

604-930-8377 Hilltop Academy

1410

Education

bfitzgerald@tutordoctor.com www.tutordoctor.com ONE-ON-ONE, IN-HOME TUTORING

*Funding may be available

Call our East Vancouver Campus

604-251-4473 1420

Tutoring Services

TUTORING in English by experienced professional. Grades 8-12, Westside. 604-274-6234

604.351.7761

h “Train Wit ST E G R A L BC’s iner!”

Career Tra

Funding may be available.

★COMPUTERS★

COMPUTER LESSONS FOR 50+ $30/hr Spring Special $210 /8hrs.

Call Sol at 604-266-2414 Website: www.easypc.ca

Upgrade your skills.

Find great education training courses in the Classifieds.

Train foracareerin Health Care.

It’s not too late to train for a new career.

Find training in the education section.

or visit us online @ www.sprottshaw.com

EW36

THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2 010

GARAGE SALES

3508 3015

Childcare Available

Dogs

SHIH TZU & Lhasa Apso pups, home raised, vet ✔ 1st shot, dewormed, ready to view, $495.

Chwk 604-702-1960 or 794-3197

NANNIES WANTED email resumes to thaniel0510@yahoo.com

3050 D

Cartier Place, Matheson & Champlain heights Huge assortment something for everyone!!

No Early Birds!

OPEN HOUSE

“Inspiring Children toward a lifetime of learning”

H - WILSON HEIGHTS ★ THRIFT SALE ★ 1634 East 41st Ave Fri, May 7 , 5 to 7 pm Sat, May 8, 9am - noon

Email: info@sunfloweracademy.com

www.sunfloweracademy.com

1369 Kingsway (just west of Knight St) NG • Furniture • Houseware HI • Books • Knick Knacks SOMEFTOR NE! O RY • Jewellery • Accessories VE EAT !

E • Clothing for Women, Men GR ICES PR and Children

3507

Cats

BEAUTIFUL KITTENS Siemese X, tabby, solids $40. Call 604-392-6898 Chilliwack

OPEN TUES.-SAT. 10am-5pm SUNDAY 10am to 4pm Proceeds to the Tapestry Foundation in support of residential & elder care at Mount St. Joseph, Holy Family, St. Vincent’s Langara, Brock Farhni, Youville Residence & Marion Hospice.

2095 2060

For Sale Miscellaneous

MECCANO SET. Almost complete. $500.00 OBO VRF@shaw.ca

2075

Furniture

BEST Deal Restwell Matt Sets.

Full wrty, Dble $319. Queen $339 King $559. Will deliver. 722-3636 Coffee Table, 45' long, 23.5 'wide, 16' tall, glass, slides & horizontal. $45. Danish style table, 4ft 7 ' long, 30.5' wide, 29' high, 2 x 13inch leaves, tile design in the middle. $195 Mt Pleasant area, Van, 604-875-8055 MATCHING SOFA/LOVE seat, area rugs, dining set & rocker, in Exc. cond. Kitsilano, $750 604-739-3489 * 778-888-7439

2075

PERSIAN KITTEN spayed female 6 mth CFA reg health gaur gentle $600 firm 604-939-1231 www.dreamhimicattery.com

Lumber/Building Supplies

#1A STEEL BUILDING SALE! Save up to 60% on your new garage, shop, warehouse. 6 colors available! 40 year warranty! Free shipping, the first 20 callers! 1-800-457-2206. www.crownsteelbuildings.ca.

NEW NORWOOD SAWMILLS LumberMate-Pro handles logs 34” diameter, mills boards 28” wide. Automated quick-cyclesawing increases efficiency up to 40%. www.NorwoodSawmills.com/ 400OT - FREE Information: 1-800-566-6899 Ext:400OT.

GARAGE SALE

Empty your Garage Fill Your Wallet

FILA/MASTIFF GUARD DOGS owners best friend. Intruders worst nightmare. all shots, $2000 each. ready now! 604-817-5957

Foster homes urgently req’d for rescued, abandoned & neglected dogs. Many breeds 778-688-6340 abetterlifedogrescue.com

GOLDEN DOODLE Pups Beautiful, intelligent Email pics available. $850 1-877-563-4259

★CATS & KITTENS★ FOR ADOPTION !

604-724-7652

3508

★LIQUIDATION SALE★

Top Notch USED FURNITURE Just arrived from the RICHMOND INN.

Mattresses, Headboards, Nite Tables, Dressers, Sofa Beds, Banquet Chairs, Desks, Lamps, TV’s, TV Armoires, Carpets, Drapes, Bedspreads, Linen...and much more!

250 Terminal Ave @ Main St, Vancouver Hours: Mon to Fri 9-5 +Sat 10-2 Visit ★ANIZCO ★Liquidators www.anizcofurniture.com 604-682 -2528

One Person’s Junk is Another Person’s Treasure!

JACK RUSSELL pups male, female smooth coat, tails docked, dewormed, 1st shots $450. 604-701-1587

Dogs

MARKETPLACE!

604-630-3300

MASSAGE & WAXING Men & Women

Massage $29 Head to Toe 3 hrs $109

3482 Main St. Van 604-873-9890 Try the Best 604-872-1702

ALL SMALL breed pups local & non shedding $400+ 604 590-3727 www.puppiesfishcritters.com AUSSIE PUPS. Ten to choose from. Ready to go the first weekend in June. Tails & claws done.

Both parents available to view. $700 - $1000/ea. 604-607-7372

POMERANIAN PUPPIES 2 males, ready to go. $500 ea, mom & dad also avail. 604-858-7606

4060

PUPPY PARADISE - Beagles Cute & Cuddly! (PB, Reg’d) 1 M $795 1 F $895.

778-552-0822

4530 AUSTRALIAN LABRADOODLE Puppies! Non-shedding mediums, parents 27lbs, spayed/ neutered, 1st shots, reg. w/ ALAA, $2500 250-494-3107 Summerland

Metaphysical

LOVE! MONEY! LIFE! #1 Psychics!

1-877-478-4410 CreditCards/Deposit $3.19/min 18+ 1-900-783-3800 www.mysticalconnections.ca

PUPPY PARADISE Golden Retriever Awesome Family Dog! (PB, Reg’d) F $795 M $895 778-552-0822

Destinations

4530-10

Okanagan/ Interior

OSOYOOS LAKEFRONT Weekly

Rentals. 3 br villas, pool, priv pier, boat moorage. $1600 week & up.

Call 1-250-495-2238 email: desertproperty@telus.net

BORDERNESE X puppies, born Mar 13 have both parents grt family & camping dog. $300. 604-792-3280 PUPPY PARADISE Havanese Gorgeous & Smart! (PB, Reg’d) M $895. F $995. 778-552-0822

ACCOUNTING & TAXATION for small business, financial statements and personal taxes.

SYLVIA SY, CGA 604-732-5511 Roger Chung, CGA Tax, bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, acct systems. #206-1089 W Broadway www.rogerchung.com 604 628-1960

5015

OSOYOOS WATERFRONT 3br, 2bath, fully equipped & furn large deck, BBQ, ac, canoes, priv. dock, Avail June to Sept. $1500 /wk, 604-922-6103...551-3014

DOBERMAN PUPS. Female/ Male. Tails/dew claws done. Blk/ tan. $1500-$2000. 604-607-7433 RARE! CHOCOLATE & BLUE French Bulldogs, 1st in Canada.

Reserve now! 604-802-6934

DOUBLE DOODLES! Goldendoodle x Labradoodle Pups Best of the Best! Almost ready Fr. $850.00 Call 604-533-6905

SHARPEI IN Coquitlam is looking for good home, very healthy and great with people. Must go through Sharpei rescue for an application. www.tntsharpeirescue.com please contact freesharpei@hotmail.com

Business Opportunity

CONNECTING COMMUNITIES

ONE CALL DOES IT ALL! From the City to the Valley Call Today

604-630-3300 http://classified.van.net

Financial Services

IF YOU own a home or real estate, ALPINE CREDITS will lend you money: It’s That Simple.

Your Credit / Age / Income is NOT an issue. 1.800.587.2161.

5060

Legal Services

#1 IN PARDONS Remove your criminal record.

Express Pardons offers the FASTEST pardons, LOWEST prices, and it’s GUARANTEED. BBB Accredited. FREE Consultation Toll-free: 1-866-416-6772 www.ExpressPardons.com

#1 JANITORIAL FRANCHISE Customers, (Office Cleaning), Training and support. Financing. www.coverall.com 604-434-7744 info@coverallbc.com ARE YOU READY TO CHOOSE... how much you earn?

When you want to work? Who you work with? Where you work? We train you online. Go to: www.liveyourdreamtoo.com

$$$ MAKE FAST CASH - Start Your Own Business - Driveway Sealing Systems, Possible payback in 2 weeks. Part-time, Full-time. CALL Today Toll-Free 1-800-465-0024. Visit: www.protectasphalt.com START YOUR OWN part or fulltime business. Make huge money. We will train you. Call 403-261-5014 or go to our website: www.works4me.me/byob.

5017

Business Services

#1 IN PARDONS. Remove your criminal record. Express Pardons offers the FASTEST pardons, LOWEST prices, and it’s GUARANTEED. BBB Accredited.

FREE Consultation Toll-free 1-866-416-6772, www.ExpressPardons.com.

A FREE TELEPHONE SERVICE - Get Your First Month Free. Bad Credit, Don’t Sweat It. No Deposits. No Credit Checks. Call Freedom Phone Lines Today Toll-Free 1-866-884-7464.

CHEAP TELEPHONE RECONNECT! Paying too much?

Switch, save money, and keep your number! First month only $24.95 + connection fee. Phone Factory Reconnect 1-877-336-2274 www.phonefactory.ca.

CRIMINAL RECORD? Only PARDON SERVICES CANADA has 20 years experience GUARANTEEING RECORD REMOVAL. Call 1-8-NOWPARDON (1-866-972-7366). www.RemoveYourRecord.com. **HOME PHONE RECONNECT** Call 1-866-287-1348. Prepaid Long Distance Specials! Feature Package Specials! Referral Program! Don’t be without a home phone! Call to Connect!

1-866-287-1348

IN A CAR Accident?

Getting DIVORCED? INHERITANCE coming?

GET MONEY TODAY!

Up to $10,000 Canada Wide Settlement Lenders 1-866-210-7200 SPRING SAVINGS!!! First 8 weeks for $88. Look great, Feel great. Lose weight. Guaranteed.

Call Herbal Magic 1-800-781-0539 for more information. Limited Time Offer.

5035

www.westcoastfrenchbulldogs.com

Lighten up and advertise your items in

Registered Massage Services

SWISS BODY

MAKE IT A SUCCESS! Call 604-630-3300

Furniture

Lower Mainland Publishing, a Canwest company, has partnered with the BC SPCA to encourage responsible pet guardianship and the humane treatment of animals. Before purchasing a new puppy, ensure the seller has provided excellent care and treatment of the animal and the breeding parents. For a complete guide to finding a reputable breeder and other considerations when acquiring a new pet, visit spca.bc.ca.

4051

Accounting/ Bookkeeping

BE YOUR OWN BOSS with Great Canadian Dollar Store.

New franchise opportunities in your area. Call 1-877-388-0123 ext. 229 or visit our website: www.dollarstores.com today.

Cares!

Please call 604-222-1114

TAPESTRY THRIFT SHOP

Lessons/Training

DOG LOVERS! Enjoy a healthy profitable career as a professional certified dog trainer. PCTIA Government registered program in Vancouver DogStars Professional Dog Trainers School now accepting registration for Fall 2010 & Spring 2011. Phone: 604-878-STAR (7827)Web: www.DogStars.ca

Sat., Mar. 8th • 10am-2pm Sunflower Academy offers a core Montessori Curriculum complimented with French, Spanish, Music and Fine Arts. All staff are fully trained AMI and St. Nicholas, along wih ECE, Reggio, and BC Teacher’s Cert.

(at Argyle)

3530

MONTESSORI & CREATIVE ARTS SCHOOL

GIGANTIC

Multi-Family Sale, 10am - 4pm May 8th

(Use lane North of 36th)

Preschools/ Kindergarten SUNFLOWER ACADEMY

K - CARTIE PLACE Strata Complex

MOVING SALE Sat. May 8 10am - 2pm 1893 West 36th Ave

5005 ROTTWEILER PUPS Purebreds. D.O.B. 03/04/10. 3 females & 1 male. Full tails; dew claws removed; dewormed & vet checked. Ready now! $800 firm.

(1)-604-794-3953, Chilliwack

Childcare Wanted

5035

Dogs

CHIHUAHUA PUP, purebred, family raised, male, ready to go.

Vancouver. $390. 778-239-6252

* * BOOK NOW!! * * An overseas live-in Nanny for 2010 placement. 604-682-4688

3020

3508

Financial Services

$500$ LOAN SERVICE, by phone, no credit refused, quick and easy, payable over 6 or 12 installments. Toll Free: 1-877-776-1660 www.moneyprovider.com.

DEBT CONSOLIDATION PROGRAM. Helping Canadians repay debts, reduce or eliminate interest, regardless of your credit.

Steady Income? You may qualify for instant help. Considering Bankruptcy? Call 1-877-220-3328 FREE Consultation Government Approved, BBB Member.

5505

Legal/Public Notices

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OTHERS Re: The Estate of Lorne Charles Atkinson, also known as Lorne Ace Atkinson and also known as Lorne Atkinson, Creditors and others having claims against the estate of Lorne Charles Atkinson, also known as Lorne Ace Atkinson and also known as Lorne Atkinson, of 3157 West Broadway Street, Vancouver B.C. are hereby notified under section 38 of the Trustee Act that particulars of their claims should be sent to Janis Atkinson 3155 West Broadway St, Vancouver B.C. on or before June 9th, 2010 after which date the Executor will distribute the estate among the parties entitled to it, having regard to the claims of which the Executor then has notice.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OTHERS RE: ESTATE OF DOROTHY CHRISTINA CAMERON late of Yaletown House, Room 224 – 1099 Cambie Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 5A8 (the “Estate”) NOTICE is given that creditors and others having claims against the Estate are required to send them to the Executor, The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company, at P.O. Box 11130, #3000 – 1055 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 3R3, on or before June 1, 2010, after which date the Estate assets will be distributed having regard only to claims that have been received.

EXECUTOR: THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA TRUST COMPANY SOLICITOR: Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OTHERS

RE: The Estate of Paolo Allan Barazzuol, otherwise known as Paul Barazzuol, Paul A. Barazzuol and P.A. Barazzuol, deceased, formerly of 2761 Turner Street, Vancouver, British Columbia Creditors and others having claims against the Estate of Paolo Allan Barazzuol, otherwise known as Paul Barazzuol, Paul A. Barazzuol and P.A. Barazzuol, deceased, are hereby notified under Section 38 of the Trustee Act that particulars of their claims should be sent to the undersigned Executor, c/o Cohen Buchan Edwards, Lawyers & Notaries, Suite 208 - 4940 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC, V6X 3A5, on or before the 1st day of June, 2010, after which date the Executor will distribute the estate among the parties entitled to it, having regard to the claims of which the Executor then has notice.

DATED at Richmond, BC this 23rd day of April, 2010.

K. BRUCE PANTON COHEN BUCHAN EDWARDS Solicitors for the Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company, Executor NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OTHERS THE ESTATE OF MARION ROSE WILSON, DECEASED All persons having claims against the above estate are required to send full particulars of such claims to the undersigned Executor, at 650 West Georgia Street, 5th Floor, PO Box 11538, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 4N7, Canada (Attention: Erin Devereaux), on or before the 18th day of June, 2010, after which date the estate’s assets will be distributed, having regard only to claims that have then been received.

The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company, Executor CLARK WILSON LLP Solicitors

To advertise call

604-630-3300

WEDNESDAY, M AY 5 , 20 1 0 T H E VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

7010

Personals

Chinese Full bodywork, gentle or deep tissue 15 yr exp’d Mon-Sat Call 604-329-8218. SE Burnaby

DATING SERVICE. Long-Term/ Short-Term Relationships, FREE CALLS.1-877-297-9883.

Exchange voice messages, voice mailboxes.1-888-534-6984. Live adult casual conversations-1on1, 1-866-311-9640, Meet on chatlines. Local Single Ladies.

1-877-804-5381. (18+).

DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE

by Japanese College Masseuse.

Private. Call Amy 604-909-9880

GENTLEMEN! Attractive discreet, European lady is available for company 604-451-0175

Body Work

RELAXING SWEET FULL BODY MASSAGE 604-321-8296

604-739-3998

NEW

Buying or Renting, find a great place to call home.

Agents

NEED A MORTGAGE 1st and 2nd Mortgages, Self Employed, Refinancing, Forclosures, Low Rates.

604-629-8628 www.MazumaCapital.ca

Real Estate Services

6005

HALF-PRICE HOME/COTTAGE LOCK-UP PACKAGES! Factory Direct Inventory Liquidation. Premium Windows, Doors, Siding, Roofing. 100’s of Dreams Delivered to Happy Families.

1-800-871-7089 www.greenpanel.com SACRIFICE!!!

RENT TO OWN

Low $$ Down - Easy Qualifying 1 (800) 963-2115 www.StrategicHousing.ca

6007

BUSINESSES FOR SALE

BECOME A LOCKSMITH 5 Days Hands on Training. Visit www.mrprolock.com or call Terry 604-773-5625

6008

Condos/ Townhouses

6008-04

#1 choice open 7 days 10am-10pm hiring 778-321-6657 5763 Balsam Street @ W. 41st, Van., Kerrisdale.

6008-10

6008

Condos/ Townhouses

6008-30

Surrey

$365,000 2BR - 2bath Condo Spec 180° view. Beautifully reno, elegant decor, granite, tile & hardwood. Walk-in shower. Stainless appls, gas fp. Crown mouldings & chair rails. Bldg completely updated & rain screened. Gym, spa & pool. Near skytrain.

604-628-8172 http://picasaweb.google.ca/ tocololo/CondoOdysseyTowers

6020

Houses - Sale

6020-01

Real Estate

Ladner/ South Delta

GARAGE SALE

Empty your Garage Fill Your Wallet

Fun By The Numbers

Here's How It Works:

6020

6030

Houses - Sale

6020-01

Real Estate

★ WE BUY HOUSES ★ Older home? Damaged home?

Needs repairs? Quick Cash!

Call us First! 604-657-9422

6020-24

North Delta

10671 WESTSIDE Drive, Canterbury Hts, N. Delta; Sunday only, 2- 4pm. Updated home with view! $584,900. Bob Edwards, Re/Max Performance Rlty, 604-590-4888

6020-40

Vancouver West Side

Lots & Acreage

★ MISSION ★ 1.35 Acres Come Build your Dream Home Rare Cul-de-sac building lot in Mission. Street of High End Homes, backs onto Greenbelt.

Lots of Privacy - Room for sep garage. 10 mins to downtown.

Drive by 9749 Jones Terrace on Dewdney Trunk Rd, nr the Abbey, $298K. Call Len 604-763-4118

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Like puzzles?

Then you'll love Sudoku.

This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your Sudoku savvy to the test!

Here's How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

N. WEST. All services paid, inclds u/grd electrical, DCC’s, survey & eng’ng report. 33’ x 130’ lot. No GST. $339,000. 604-726-0677. usellahome.com ● ID # 4711

6050

Out Of Town Property

uSELLaHOME.com

$99 can sell your home 574-5243 Abbotsford beautifully updated end unit 1250sf 3br 2ba thse $239,900 504-1551 id5107 Maple Ridge drastically reduced 4.9ac serviced vu acreage $468,888 722-3996 id4694 New West recently remodelled 1br condo, near amenities $167,900 525-8577 id5081 Port Moody Suter Brook Village top floor 710sf 1br condo $359,900 313-1480id5083 Sry Cloverdale 1910 Heritage Home 3082sf 7br 3.5ba w/suite $649K 576-3191 id5054 Sry Fleetwood 3260sf 3or4br 2.5ba, 17192sf lot, triple garage $725K 599-7009 id5093

Sat May 1, 2-4pm 207 W 49th Best Deal! 5 BR with 2 BR ste, wlk to skytrain/Langara/Oakridge $889K. Mala @ Sutton 710-9030

6025

Industrial/ Commercial

KAMLOOPS RIVERFRONT. Watch Swans & eagles from deck on a 20x600sf lot. Waterski on S. Thompson from wharf. Quiet area quaint 2 br w/bsmt. Priced to sell $493,000....Royal LePage Kamloops Joyce 1-866-374-3022

6052 3 BR Townhouse rancher Clearbrook Village, 1 bath, fp, w/d, lrg yard. nr school/rec ctre $230,000

By Owner 604-870-4708 Amazing **Rent to Own** Easy Qualifying! Stop Renting!

Gorgeous 2 & 3 Bdrm T/houses in Langley. Low $$ down.

604-857-3597 or 604-418-3162

❏ WE BUY HOMES ❏

Any Price, Condition, or Location No Fees, No Risk − 604 435-5555 2 BR + Den Townhouse, rancher style, end unit, lrg patio, 6 appl, new roof, adult complex. $419,900. Ladner. 604-940-8723

SUDOKU

To list your Rental on househunting.ca give us a call today 604-630-3300

AMAPOLA SPA Best massage skills, lrg selection Asian girls, good service, low rate,

Burnaby

Price reduced MLS #V811457, 2103-6540 Burlington Ave, Burnaby next to Metrotown-Sunday 1-4pm 604-849-0082

Like puzzles?

Then you'll love Sudoku.

This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your Sudoku savvy to the test!

Find Real Estate & Rentals ads online.

REAL ESTATE 6002

Fun By The Numbers

Whether it’s location, size or price, househunting.ca makes it easy to find you a home, apartment or townhouse. Renting or buying, we’ve got what you’re looking for.

Visit the new househunting.ca today, and be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

**RELIEVE ROAD RAGE**

Introducing the

SUDOKU

HOME BUYING CENTER INC * WE BUY HOUSES * * Since 1998 Older House! Damaged House!

3230 SQ FT BUILDING

7150 sq ft landscaped corner lot. Excellent cond. Zoned Service-Commercial & residential. Two 10x12’ Loading Doors, Mezz, AC Triple A 9ft Pallet Racks Torchon roof 2008, paint Fenced yard, 600V 4 wire 400 Amp, 3 phase power. Langley, $789,800.00

604-856-1634

Behind on Mortgage? Too much Debt!

MAKE IT A SUCCESS! Call 604-630-3300

6002

Agents

FOR SALE

South Granville / Fairview area Quiet location close to the VGH. Features a nice ground level suite: 750 sf - 2 bedrooms.

New roof, new plumbing, new windows.

Co-op requires 35% down payment.

Adult-oriented. No rentals

Only $289,800 • Exclusive Listing C Peter A L 604-290-1002 L Amex Broadway West Realty

Find one in the Classifieds To advertise call 604-630-3300

6020

6065

Recreation Property

PALM DESERT, California 50% fractional ownership for sale.

Recently reno’d 3300 sq ft 3 bedroom home. High end Resort Fully equip’d, pool, spa, car and golf cart. Exc mtge, rental revenue with personal availability, 125K Can $ (terms available) 604-244-1986 weden@telus.net

6020

Houses - Sale

6020-14

★ RENT TO OWN! ★ If you have a small down payment, I have a nice home for you! Less then perfect credit OK. Call Kim 604-628-6598

COZY COTTAGE Home on .82 acres Lake Front, less than 1 hour fr Vancouver. Just $525K. Park Georgia Rlty, Lisa 778 882-7275

Need a New Place?

Need to Sell Now! Just Want Out! Quick Cash! Convenient! Private! ( 604 ) 626-9647 www.webuyhomesbc.com

www.bcforeclosures.com 5 BR home from $18,500 down $1,975/mo. 604-538-8888, Alain @ Sutton WC Realty W. Rock

Real Estate Investment

Houses - Sale

Langley/Aldergrove

FOR SALE BY OWNER

27021-24th Ave, Aldergrove $718,000

Reduced Price to the Current Assessed Value No Real Estate Fees

Gorgeous 5,300 sq. ft. custom built home with a finished basement & in-law suite. Open A must see! design,very functional,greatfor entertaining family & friends. Close to all amenities,5 minutes to the USA. Too many features to list! You won’t be disappointed.

usellahome.com ID# 5108 laws4122@telus.net

604-626-4122

ACROSS

1. Powder mineral 5. German river 9. The woman 12. Butter substitute ACROSS 13. Traditional Hindu music 1. Powder 15.

Clustermineral bean 5. German river 16.

Taegu 9. The woman 17. porcelain brand 12. Br. Butter substitute 18. fruitHindu music 13. Tangelo Traditional 15. Religious Cluster bean 19. transgression 16. Taegu 20.

Overnight bag 17. Worthless Br. porcelain brand 22. people 18. Tangelo fruit 25.

Irish gorse 19. Religious transgression 27. furniture 20. Fitted Overnight bag covering 22. Worthless people DOWN 25. Irish gorse

1. youngfurniture child covering 27.AFitted 2. Brews DOWN 3.

Passed laws 1. A young child 4.

Administrative body 2. Brews 5. related supplement 3. Earnings Passed laws 6.

Dip lightly intobody water 4. Administrative 5. Self-importance Earnings related supplement 7.

6. Radioactivity Dip lightly intounit water 8.

7. Japanese Self-importance 9. cedar 8. Radioactivity unit 10.

Belongscedar to famous 9. Japanese computer 10. Belongs to famous 11.

One of the Greats computer 11. Austere One of the Greats 14. or stark 14. or motif stark in oriental 15. Austere Octagonal 15. Octagonal motif in oriental rugs rugs 21.

21. Used Used to to chop chop 23.

23. World World news news organization organization 24.

24. Microgram Microgram

29. Indicates near 32. Readjust 33. Edison conglomerate 34. Pleasure trip (abbr.)

35. Take in solid food 29. Fiddler Indicatescrabs near 36.

32. Readjust 37. period 33. Historic Edison conglomerate 38.

34. Highest Pleasurecard trip (abbr.)

39.

Equally 35. Take in solid food 36. Herb Fiddler crabs 40. teas 37. Dept.

Historic 44. of period Defense (abbr.)

38. Records Highest card 45. steps taken 39. Equally 47.

40. Not Herbfall teas 48.

44. Chums Dept. of Defense (abbr.)

45. Records steps taken

Not fall 25.47.

48.Blinding Chums rays 26. Smooth musical passage 27.

Bankrupt containers 25. Blinding rays company 26. Smooth musical passage 28.

27. Difficult Bankruptburdens containers 29.

Tending to vanish like vapor company 28. Beeper Difficult burdens 30.

29. Tending 31.

Frosts to vanish like vapor 30. Obtain Beeper data from magnetic 32.

31. Frosts tapes 32. Obtain data from magnetic 39.

Vertexes tapes 41.

Elf or pixy 39. Vertexes 41. A Elfvery or pixy 42. large body of water 42. A very of large 43.

Books factsbody of water 43. Delaware Books of facts 46.

46. Delaware 47.

47. Egyptian Egyptian sun sun god god 49.

49. Hyperbolic Hyperbolic cosecant cosecant 50.

50. Resound Resound

49. Gluten free disease 53. Academy of Country Music(abbr.)

55. A strikebreaker 56. 55120 49. A Gluten free disease 61. perfect closure 53. Academy of Country 63.

An intimate friend Music(abbr.)

64.

Phlegm 55. A strikebreaker 65.

56. Prefix 55120 for internal 61. A perfect closure 66.

Mortar trough 63. Appendage An intimate friend 67.

64. Part Phlegm 68. of a stairway 65. Prefix for internal 66. Mortar trough 67. Appendage 68. Part of a stairway

51. Give praise to 52. Big Blue 54.

Manufactured 51. Give praise to 57.

Programming language 52. Big Blue 58. dialog box 54. Computer Manufactured 59. machine 57. Money Programming language 58. Take Computer dialog box 60. hold of 59. Hang Moneyloosely machine 62.

60. Take hold of 62. Hang loosely

PUZZLE PUZZLE SOLUTION SOLUTION

7005

Find the keys to your next home.

EW37

EW38

THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2 010

HOME SERVICES 8055

Cleaning

EXP HOME detail cleaners, move in/move out, homes, offices, Free metal p/u. etc...604-327-1219.

LIDIA’S EUROPEAN Cleaning.

Res/Com. Specializing in detail cleaning. Bonded. 604-541-9255

8060

Concrete

CONCRETE SPECIALIST Sidewalk, Driveway, Patio Exposed Aggregate, remove & replacing

Reasonable rates. 35 yrs. exp.

For free estimates call Mario QUALITY CLEANING. Excellent references. Res/Comm. $25/hour per cleaner. Call 778-895-3522

8058

Computer Services

$45 / Hour

Computer Home Repair Service ✔ Virus removal • 15 yrs exp ✔ Increase computer speed ✔ Open wknds/eves, 24/7

778-384-2019

Computer REPAIR: PC, Internet, Network, home/office reg maint.

Sr’s Disc. Simon • 604-999-0815

253-0049

A. FOUNDATIONS, Retaining walls, Stairs, Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks. Any concrete project.

We also do all types of block, brick & stone work. Free ests.

B a s i l e 6 0 4 - 6 1 7 - 58 1 3 T o m 604-690-3316 ALL KINDS of Concrete Work, Tile & Brick. Free Estimate.

604-767-5915 Call Rocky CONCRETE Removal / Replace Small jobs welcome ● Fence repair. Free est. Mario 254-0148 Concrete Specialist. Driveways, sidewalks, exposed aggregate & patios. Santino 604.254.5551 CONCRETE SPECIALIST, patio sidewalk, driveway, exposed aggregate reas rate 604-764-2726

Need help with your Home Renovation?

CONCRETE WORK of any kind.

Third generation. Call Mike at 604-945-8717 cel 604-318-3649

Find it in the Classifieds!

L & L CONCRETE. All types: Stamped, Waterproofing, Wash & Sealing Larry 778-882-0098

RENTALS 6508

Apt/Condos

6595

BACH & 1 BR, Newly Reno’d, cls to shop & transit, 2nd flr, incls heat, h/w, prkg, Start @ $675.

604-325-1385 www.remirealty.ca BBY, 4575 Grange, 1 BR Apt, nice & spac, hardwood flrs, parking, across fr Metrotown, N/s, N/p.

Call Ariana 604-616-2824 BEAUTIFUL APTS. 1 & 2 BR avail. Special rates. Open House FRI & SAT @ 8665 Shaughnessy Call 604-327-9419 MARPOLE 1323 W. 71st Ave. Studio $730. 1 BR $830 Incl.

H.Wtr, N/P. 1 Yr Lse. May 1. www.apt4rent.ca, 604-727-9022

6522

Furnished Accommodation

12 & Quebec, Furnished, Bright, clean, quiet, inroom cooking facilities, W/D. Female ONLY. NS/NP. $425/mo incls utils. 604-576-1746 2 B/R all-in furn near new bsmt ste in great neighborhood, nr Parkgate, Seymour hiking/biking/ skiing/golfcourse and Deep Cove.

N/S, in-ste w/d/dishwasher, util/ cbl/internet+int lcl phn # all inc $1600/mo 604-904-9428

6535

Homestay

NEED LOCAL host families 4 L-term int’l students. Contact: procankm@hotmail.com or 604-430-0198

6540

Houses - Rent

STOP RENTING-RENT TO OWN No Qualification - Low Down CHILLIWACK – 9557 Williams St, 3 bdrm, 2 baths, cozy HOUSE on 49x171’ lot, excellent investment property in heart of town, close to shops & schools................ $888/M VANCOUVER – 558 Taylor St, 1 bdrm + den, 2 level TOWNHOME, nr GM Place, 1.5% Finance $988/M PITT MEADOWS -11860 Springdale Dr. 4 Bdrm, 3 Bath FAMILY HOUSE Appliances, huge family room, f/p, fully fenced back yard, garage, close to West Coast Express, Schools & shops..............$1988/M CLOVERDALE – 6965 - 192nd St, 6 bdrms, 5 baths NEW HOUSE with 3 suites + BIG income potential, all new appliance, w/d, f/p ....$2,688/M

Call Kristen 604 435-5555 or 786-4663

www.HomeBuyingCenter.ca

Crown Roofing & Drainage Residental Div. Drainage installation & repair. 604-327-3086

DRAIN TILES & WATER LINES Without Digging a Trench 604-739-2000

8075

South Burnaby

Suites/Partial Houses

1 BR bright spacious Dunbar garden lvl, suits 1, $895 incl heat, hydro & shared laundry, wireless, own entry, ns np. 604-221-6508 1 BR, KERRISDALE spacious, bright basement ste, own w/d, $1050 incl utils, cable & internet.

May 1, ns np. 604-263-4234

J.A. CONSTRUCTION

Specializing in drywall & textured ceiling repairs, drywall finishing, stucco repairs, painting. Fully insured.

604-916-7729 JEFF COMPLETE DRYWALL, board, tape & drywall repairs, small jobs ok. 778-863-3369

*Drywall * Taping * Texture * Stucco*Painting * Steel stud framing Quality Home 604-725-8925 GOLD STAR DRYWALL Boarding, taping & textures. Also wall and floor tiles. 604-418-8516 VICTORIA DRYWALL LTD. 25 yrs exp. Reno’s & New Constr.

Call Bruno ★ 604-313-2763 VINCE’S MAGIC Drywalling & textured ceiling repairs. Bonded 604-307-2295 / 778-340-5208

Electrical

LIC. #41559 & #3377631

RENOVATIONS & SERVICE PANELS

Professional, Quick, Reliable

• REASONABLE RATES • FULLY GUARANTEED • LICENCED & BONDED

– STEVE –

604-512-4178 (Vanc.) macselectric@shaw.ca

The current choice serving the Lower Mainland for more than 15 years.

All Kinds of Work and Reasonable Rates.

Licensed & Bonded

2 BR, ground, by schools, 22nd & Victoria, suits 2 people or couple w/child, ns, small pet ok, St. prkg, $850+, ASAP, 604-419-4525

2BR $1750. Large, new reno, south facing. Sm. dog ok, n/s, now. 604-222-8879 3 BR grnd flr ste, pkrg, nr Joyce Skytrain, schools, library, bus & shops, np ns, share w/d. May 1 $1100 + 1/2 utils. 604-435-4917 VAN FRASER/SE MARINE area, bright 2 br g/lvl, unfurn or furn, full bath, shr w/d, patio, n/s, n/p. Now. $1150 inc utils. 604-327-3435

6605

Townhouses Rent

MARINE WOODS 3399 Fieldstone Ave, 3 BR, 3 bath, 1300sf, End Unit, Lease, NP, NS, $1650 June 1. Eric 604-723-7368

one mini, drainage, landscaping, stump / rock / cement / oil tank removal.

Water / sewer line, 24 hours Call 341-4446 or 254-6865

Fencing/Gates

S&S LANDSCAPING LTD.

❏ Cedar Fence Installation Call 604-275-3158

Nuphase Electric #103543 Insured, bonded, lic. electrical contractor. Installation, trouble shooting, service of electrical products. Res. & Comm. bldg. Guar work.

Loves small jobs. Seniors Discount. 604-783-4533 info@nuphaseelectric.com #1 A-CERTIFIED Lic. Electrician.

New or old wiring. Reasonable rates. Lic #11967. 604-879-9394 A. LIC. ELECTRICIAN #19807 Semi-retired wants small jobs only.

604-689-1747, pgr 604-686-2319 A Lic’d. Electrician #30582. Rewiring & Reno, Appliance/Plumbing. Rotor Rooter & Hydro Pressure Jetting Service, 604-255-9026 - 778-998-9026 Free Estimates / 24 Hr Service CHARLIE’S ELECTRIC Co. #94835 all electric needs, reas rates bonded WCB 778-888-4528 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR: Exp, friendly, reliable. Specializing in replacing old nob & tube wiring. Lic.#50084. 604-725-4535

8105

ALL FLOOR COVERINGS Repair & Replace. Material sales Dwight, 604-732-3057 I’ll show you the inexpensive route www.fccarpets.shawwebspace.ca

8110

Floor Refinishing

THE ART OF HARDWOOD FLOORS Installations Refinishing & Repairs

8160

Lawn & Garden

Spring Services

SAME DAY SERVICE, FULLY INSURED

FREE ESTIMATES • Lawn Maintenance • Fertilizing • Yard Clean-ups • Aeration • Pruning/Hedges • Power Raking • Rubbish Removal • Odd Jobs • Yearly Maintenance Programs •

WEST SIDE HANDYMAN Carpentry • Painting • Ceramic Tiles Fences • Kitchens • Bathrooms Basement Suites • Roof • Plumbing Leak Repair • Decks Residential & Commercial 604

Cell:

224-1005 604

671-0288

‘‘HIRE A HUSBAND’’ Any household job.

Gerald 778-227-9459

Sanding & Refinishing Installation Quality Workmanship Free Estimates Fully Licensed & Insured

604-771-8885

ANYTHING IN WOOD Hardwood flrs, install, refinishing.

Non-toxic finishes. 604-782-8275

Artistry of Hardwood Floors

Prof. refinish, sanding from $2. installs. Dustless 604-219-6944 INSTALLATION REFINISHING, Sanding. Free est, great prices.

Satisfaction guar. 604-518-7508

Gutters

* HOUSE PROFESSOR * Home Repairs & Interior Painting Call Roy 778-228-8550

8140

604-439-9417

Edgemont Gutters. Sales & Install 5’’ continuous gutter, minor repairs, cleaning. 604-420-4800

Heating

Lorenzo & Son Plumbing & Heating (604) 312-6311 Local Licensed Plumbers & Gas Fitters

8150

Kitchens/Baths

Counter Tops, Custom Cabinets & Refacing • In business 50 years

604-879-9191 Superior Cove Tops & Cabinets

#3 - 8652 Joffre Ave, Burnaby

8155

CALL 310-JIMS (5467) www.jimsmowing.ca

Tree Topping, Clean-Up, Planting, Trimming, Power Raking, Aeration, etc. • Westside & Eastside

Landscaping

WILDWOOD LANDSCAPING Hedge Trimmimg & Tree Pruning & Hedge Removal Spring Clean Up Chaffer Control & Lawn Restoration. Comm/Strata/Res Aerating & Power Raking.

Free Estimates.

604-893-5745 LAWNS CUT $20. and up, Edge & Trim.

Wes 604.266.5912 Akasha Turf Grass Mngt complete lawn restoration, aeration & fert. Res/Comm. $79. 526-6305 CHAU LE GARDENING yard, clean up, lawn maint. trimming, shrubs, hedging, pruning, power raking 604-782-5288 EDWARD’S GARDEN SERVICE Complete garden care - Design and installations by an exp’d prof.

Call Ed 604-738-6148 Exp. Gardener. Spring cleanups, leaf removal, weeding, pruning, hedges. New soil, Ron 604-202-2176

EXPERT PRUNING Cert Arb Ornamental & fruit trees, shrubs,etc Colin Malcolm 604-618-9741

arbutus tree service Your trusted Westside experts

Spring Ser vices !

!

pruning for tree beautification, health and safety plant health care tree selection, installation, and establishment proper hedge trimming

Book an ISA Certified Arborist consultation at no charge:

604-737-2643 ! competitive rates ! fully guaranteed ! highest insurance

T&L INC.

Landscaping, Excavation & Demos turf, ponds, garden beds, irrigation, retaining walls, bobcat, hedges, concrete/paved patios/walkways, jack hammering, concrete cutting, delivery/hauls, drainage/sewer/water, complete yard redevelopments and strata contracts

iGarden Mowing, Full garden maintenance & landscape services. Power raking, aerating, fertilizing, gutter cleaning. 1st two cuts for the price of 1.

Free Est. 778-991-5296 JAPANESE GARDENER Landscape & maintenance, clean-ups, trimming.

Reas, free est, 25 yrs exp 604-986-8126 LAWNS CUT Mowing, trimming & small pruning jobs. Call Andrew 604-708-1152 ★ SD ENTERPRISES ★ Gardening, landscaping, power raking, lawn care, pruning, cedar fencing. Call Terry, 604-726-1931 T. TRAN-604-723-2468 , pruning, lawn cuts, power raking, aerate, cleanup, re-seed. Reliable.

TAM’S GARDENING. Lawn cutting, power raking, aerating, pruning, rubbish removal, Free ests.

604-763-1280

8175

Masonry

Cabana Masonry Ltd. Top Quality Masonry Work

Fireplaces, Retaining Walls, Driveways, Patios, Staircases, Stone Facings, Bobcat Service, All Types of Masonry Repairs

604.671.4953 604.594.6007 www.cabanamasonry.com Cabana Masonry Ltd. Top quality work. Ron 604-671-4953. Visit web www.cabanamasonry.com

Need a Gardener?

778-885-5009

Reduce Reuse Recycle The classifieds can help!

604.795.4417 604.630.3300

45

$

From Been in business for over 10 years Packing, Office & Piano moving specialist

FREE ESTIMATES

604-537-4140 B&Y MOVING

Gardening Services 21 yrs exp.

Tree topping, West & Eastside & Rmd. Michael 604-240-2881

!

DYNAMIC GUTTERS & Exteriors. Full seamless gutters. Installation repairs & soffits. All jobs guaranteed. Fully insured, bonded, WCB. Will beat any competitors price. 604-439-9417

1 to 3 Men

1, 3, 5 or 7 Ton

Experienced Movers ~ 2 Men $50 ~ • Includes all Taxes • Licenced & Insured • Efficient & Reliable

604-708-8850

!

Full Seamless Gutter Installation/Repairs Soffits All jobs Guaranteed.

Fully insured/WCB covered Will beat any competitors price

& 8185 Moving Storage AFFORDABLE MOVING

Licenced & Insured Local & Long Distance Moves Seniors Discount www.affordablemoversbc.com

DAHIPP CONTRACTING Handyman Services Baths, Kitchens, etc 604.817.0718

HENRY’S

Electrician Lic#95323, Bonded, Affordable Com/Res. No Job too small. 25yrs exp. 604 727-2306

YOUR ELECTRICIAN $29 service call. Insured. Lic # 89402. Fast same day service guaranteed. We love small jobs! 604-568-1899

AaronR CONST Repairs & Renos, small repairs welcome.

Insured, WCB, Licensed.

604-318-4390 aaronrconstruction.com

HARDWOOD FLOOR SERVICES

8125

Handyperson

Floor Covering

Professional Powerwash Gutters cleaned & repaired Since 1984, 604-339-0949

LIC. ELECTRICIAN #17228.

Panel/service upgrades. Home wiring, renovations, small jobs too!

Call Larry, 604-726-6051.

8130

THE FENCE GUY Insured B.C.T.Q Tradesmen 1994 Call Dave 604-781-9110

Lic. 22308

LIC. ELECTRICIAN #37309 Commercial & residential renos & small jobs. 778-322-0934.

Call 604-630-3300 to place your ad

# 1 BACKHOE, EXCAVATOR & BOBCAT

Call: 604-240-3344

Max: 604-341-6059

2 BR 1400 SF ste, 1 bath, new flr, paint, incl own ldry, 1550 60th Ave, np, ns. $1,000 May 1st.

778-999-3310 or 604-564-3098

Excavating

Dust Free.

Affordable Rates!

Free Estimates.

Contact us today for a free estimate.

1 BR upper Kits, bright, quiet garden level bsmt suite, south facing patio, gas fp, share wd, ns, np, $950incl utils, 604-738-0160

8087

8090

Drywall

ALL WORK GUARANTEED

8080

BBY, S. Friendly female seeks a roommate to share ½ duplex near Metrotown. Accomodations include furnished room, hydro/ cable/’net. Sh’d laundry. NS/NP. $550/mo. Immed. 604-722-6701

6602

Drainage

Shared Accommodation

6595-15 1101- 1723 Alberni St. 1br +den 600 sf, reno’d, hardwood, private garage, lease, ns, np, $1350, avail now, Eric, 604-723-7368

8073

CELL: 604-808-0370 OFFICE: 604-922-0136

AAA ADVANCE MOVING Experts in all kinds of Moving, Storage & Packing. Different from the Rest. 604-861-8885 EAGLE EYE Soar with the best It’s your move 778-883-2538

POPEYE’S MOVING Scott 604-377-2503

www.popeyesmovingbc.com

8193

Oil Tank Removal

FLECK CONTRACTING LTD.

• Oil Tank Removal • Work complies with city bylaws BC Mainland • Always fair & reasonable rates • Excellent references

For Free Estimates Call

Off: 604-266-2120 Cell: 604-290-8592

Find one in the Home Services section

Serving West Side since 1987

STORMWORKS Oil Tank Removal Recommended Insured Reasonable Rates 604-724-3670

Painting/ Wallpaper

8195

CANSTAR PAINTING The Quality You Trust!

Interior & Exterior ★ EXCELLENT PRICES ★ Free Est./Written Guarantee

No Hassle Quick Work Insured/WCB

778-997-9582 AAA PRECISION PAINTING Interior/Exterior Excellent Prices

Free Est/Written Guarantee Insured/WCB

778-881-6096

FAIRWAY PAINTING

Fully Insured 20 years experience Call 604Free Estimates INTERIOR & EXTERIOR SPECIALS

Greenscape Design ALL TYPES OF LANDSCAPING beauty • value • innovation For more info-GOOGLE “Yellow Pages Greenscape Design”

$30 P/HR. Abe Moving & Delivery & Rubbish Removal. ★ Available 24 hours. Abe at: 604-999-6020

7291234

AAA Professional int/ext painter & wall paperer. Guar work. Free est. John 604-318-2059 (Kits) CONFIDENT PAINTING LTD Int/Ext Specialist 20 yr exp. Reas rates, quality. Licensed, Ins, WCB Jean-Guy 604-626-1975

HOME SERVICES Painting/ Wallpaper

8195

DENALI PAINTING − Int. & Ext. Reliable, Insured, WCB. Free Est Seniors Discount. 778 320-4438 MILANO Painting 604-551-6510 Int/Ext. Good Prices. Free Est. Written Guar. Prof & Insured.

PAUL’S PAINTING & Renovations - carpentry 25 yr s exp.

Call Paul 778-865-0370 POINT GREY PAINTING LTD Int/Ext - Quality Guaranteed Free Est * Early Bird Discounts 604-725-0908 RONALDO PAINTING (1981) * Interior/Exterior: Fair prices * Master quality & service.

778-881-6478 ★ STAFFORD & SON ★ Interior/Exterior. Top quality work.

Reasonable rates. 604-221-4900 WESTSIDE PAINTING & CARPENTRY. Reliable, affordable, quality. Rob 778-987-3620

Paving/Seal Coating

8205

ALLEN Asphalt, concrete, brick, drains, foundations, walls, membranes 604-618-2304/ 820-2187

8220

8220

Plumbing

WESTCOAST PLUMBING & HEATING Licensed, Comm/Residential.

Plumbing, Gas fitting, Furnaces Hot water heaters & Drain cleaning etc. Repairs, Reno’s & Install

BBM Big Boss Mechanical

Renovations Big or Small.

Water Lines without Digging Broken Water Mains & Sewer Mains. Hot water Tanks, Plugged Drains, Toilets, Tubs, Leaky Faucets & Broken Pipes.

★ Good Quality Service ★ Fully Licenced & WCB.

604 729-3864 778 928-9839

Renovations & Home Improvement

RENOVATIONS

bsmts/kitchens/baths/decks/ fences & laneway 604-228-4272

8255

Bulldog Disposal ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

8225 Power Washing PRO KING MAINTENANCE

European Master Carpenter. Refs Free est. Frank, 778-230-0018

$30 P/HR. Abe Moving & Delivery & Rubbish Removal. ★ Available 24 hours. Abe at: 604-999-6020

VANCAN GENERAL Contractors Serving the Lower Mainland Over 20 yrs, Roofing, painging, reno’s, Free Est. Call Ben 604-644-1401

A RUBBISH REMOVAL 7 days/week, very reas. rates per load. Randy 778-899-1382

SPRING SPECIAL!

10% discount w/this ad

Quality Makes a Difference

• Pressure Washing • Window Cleaning• Gutters • Painting • Small Renos

STEPS, RAILINGS, DECKS

8250

604.780.2224

Non-Toxic Cleaning Co. Roofs decks, moss, algae, black mold, dirt, grime & more! 604-787-0437

8240

Renovations & Home Improvement

www.drytech.ca

BBB • WCB • Fully Insured

R E N O VAT I O N S •• Additions Extentions – Bsmts Additions – Extensions •• Prof.

Reno.&Crews – Not Subs Sundecks Deck Coatings •• Kitchen Upgrades Kitchen & Bathroom Renos Deck Coatings •• Sundecks Window &Replacements •• Window ProfessionalReplacements Reno Crews (222-8453) 22-BUILD 604-222-8453

Call Tony 604 834-2597

★ASK DISCOUNT RUBBISH★ Best Prices, Yard, House/Const, Demo. 7 days Ray, 604-727-6153 DISPOSAL BINS 10 - 40 yard bins. Lowest rates! disposalking.com 604-306-8599

•Residential Roofing •Siding and Window Installations •Aluminum Awnings and Railings •Rain Gutter Replacements •Drainage Installations and Repairs Member BBB - Member RCABC Full Liability Coverage and WCB Designated Project Managers and Third Party Inspections

Call 604-327-3086 for a free estimate Quote code 1969 for a 5% discount

www.crownresidentialroofing.com

Showroom 1230 West 75th Ave

www.drytech.ca

Spring Special

JACK’S RUBBISH Removal Friendly, Fast & Cheap 604-266-4444

RUBBISH REMOVAL Reasonable rates - Free Est. Pat 604-224-2112, anytime

8300

Stucco

Licensed, Insured & Bonded Lic. Plumbers & Gas Fitters Over 20 years Experience Custom Renovations to Small Repairs

604-312-6311

• Leak Repairs & Chimney Repairs • Sloped Roofs: 30-60 Year Shingles • Flat Roofs: Rubber Coatings • Patio Decks & Deck Coatings • Accredited BBB member

Timwood Homes

Specialized in Reno’s:

■ Framing ■ Sundecks ■ Stairs ■ Rooms ■ Garages ■ Sheds ■ Patios ■ Bsmts ■ Interior/Exterior Painting ■ Tiles ■ Laminate Floors

RED SEAL

Call Prem 604 761-1743

Drain Tiles, Main Sewer Lines, Underground Video Inspection, Kitchen & Bathroom Sinks & Tubs, Plugged Drains, Toilets, Excavation Service, Broken Water Mains & Pipes, Dripping Taps

FERREIRA HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Drainage & Plumbing Inc.

604-618-4988 778-836-5940

Certified Plumber & Gas Fitter * Reno’s & Repairs 24 hrs/day * Furnaces * Boilers * Hot Water Heating * Reasonable Rates * Hot Water Tanks

604-731-2443 YOUR WAY

Plumbing & Renovations Full Kitchen & Bath Reno’s • Plumbing Service - all types • H/W tanks • Plugged drains No job too small!

‘Old Home Specialist’

Steve

✔

604-324-3351

★ 3 Licensed Plumbers ★ 66 years of exp. 604-830-6617 www.oceansidemechanical.com BS & SONS gas heating & plumbing. Certified. Renos, h/w tanks, boilers, drains. 24 hrs. 671-6815

STUCCO ● STUCCO Seamless, matching any texture comm/res. Call 604-730-8277

8305

Sun Decks

SKYLINE DECKING & Renovations.

All types of new, reno’s & ext. decks Quality workmanship Guaranteed reasonable pricing Call for FREE Estimate Luke: 604-729-6871

8309

• TAR & GRAVEL •TORCH-ON MEMBRANE •FIBREGLASS / ASPHALT SHINGLES

Cell : 604-839-7881

A Eastwest Roofing & Siding Re-roofing, Gutter, Free Est, BBB Member, 10% disc, Seniors Disc, 604-812-9721, 604-783-6437

A North West Roofing Specialist in Re-Roofing & Repair, Free Est 10% disc, BBB, WCB, Liability Insured. Jag 778-892-1530

BEARING WALLS removed, floors leveled, cathedral ceilings, garage leveled, door and window openings. 604-787-7484

Water Lines (without digging) Sewer Lines (without digging) Install. Drain tiles. 604-739-2000

www.renorite.com 778-737-0800

ECLIPSE Plumbing & Drains, All repairs. Unplug drains, H/W Tanks, Renos, 778-233-1776

RENOS & DECKS Bathrooms, basements, int/ext home repair. 604 376 3192

* Save Your Dollars *

9125

A Save on Roofing - specialize in ★refoof ★ repair★ WCB Free est.

10% discount 778-892-1266

Alin Maintenance Services •Roof •Chimney •Skylight; Repairs •All Leak Problems! 604-319-2229

Eastcan Roofing & Siding Ltd. 10% Discount: Re-Roof, Repair, Gutter. WCB. BBB. 604-562-0957 HOMEFIX All Roofs New & Repairs Quality Guaranteed Free Est * Early Bird Discounts 604-725-5371

9160

Sports & Imports

9145

Tiling

Scrap Car Removal

FREE

No Wheels, No Problem

All home renovations, tiles, painting, drywall, flooring, etc. All work Gtd. Free Est. Ph: 604-771-9686 TILE INSTALLATION, Kitchen & Bath renos, for free estimate.

Call Michael 778-235-8324

8315

MIKE:

1997 TOYOTA Corolla. 221K, auto, gold ext, beige int. Well maintained, great on gas! Add’l 4 winter tires on rims. $3,400.

604-719-4439

White Rose Window Cleaning Windows Cleaned Inside & Outside Gutters Cleared & Cleaned FREE ESTIMATES

604-274-0285

Pays $150 minimum for Full-Size Complete Vehicles. Free Removal!

2-Hr. Service in Most Areas

THE SCRAPPER

2004 HYUNDAI Sonata, immac, loaded, luxury version. Only 69km, 1 year warr. remaining, drk grey w/tinted rear, blk leather int, 4 snows, 1 owner, paid 35k, now $13k, obo. call 604-926-1206

2005 VOLVO XC70. Blue w. tan leather. Immaculate family car.

112K. $19,900. 604-926-1778.

2007 HYUNDAI Accent 34km, $8900 obo! Serviced by North Van. Hyundai. Warr. remaining.

Auto., 2 doors, silver, p/b, p/w.

Call 604-725-0865.

SCRAP CAR & TRUCK REMOVAL

2008 TOYOTA Yaris RS 4 dr, auto, pwr pkg, 34 k, 4 snows, ext warranty $14,500 604-990-0851

604-790-3900 OUR SERVIC

2005 KIA SPECTRA LX silver, auto, ns, no acc, fully loaded, lady driven 47K km’s $7899, 266-0486

CASH FOR ALL VEHICLES 2H

9155

E

Sport Utilities/ 4x4’s/Trucks

1991 FORD F150 rwd long box, grt work truck, exc tires, brakes/ trans. $2300. 604-988-2657

9515

@

Boats

WANTED. 10, 12 or 14 foot aluminum boat, with or without motor or trailer. 604-319-5720

9540

Trailers/Tents/ Campers

1971 DUTCH SWINGER, 14 ft, North Shore, clean, dry, asking $1,150. 604-831-4545

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midweek edition WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010

Vol. 101 No. 36 • Established 1908 • West

29

K&K Canucks haiku

Wine wonders

20

Band and strings program granted temporary reprieve School board stalls on 2010/11 budget Naoibh O’Connor Staff writer

Vancouver Technical’s concert band played composer John Philip Sousa’s The Liberty Bell march outside the Vancouver Art Gallery earlier this week during Music Monday—a Canada-wide event promoting music education in public schools.

An estimated 700,000 students from across the country participated, but the local performance underscored the Vancouver School Board’s struggle to maintain the district’s elementary band and strings program.

Last week, the board deferred passing its final 2010/11 budget until June,

giving the program a temporary reprieve. The budget proposal suggested eliminating the program and cutting 8.7 full-time equivalent teachers to shave $589,077 off the budget, which faces a $16.33 million shortfall.

Staff layoffs are still going ahead to meet collective agreement requirements, and some positions may be reinstated if funding is found, but the specialized positions associated with the strings and band program haven’t been touched—yet.

Senior staff warned trustees that if those positions were removed, it would be difficult to put the program back together even if funding was found by June.

“So we agreed to take

the staffing component for the band and strings out of the revised budget proposal. It’s just on hold—those individuals may be laid off depending on their seniority, but the band and the strings program will stay staffed with music teachers,” school board chair Patti Bacchus said. “It doesn’t guarantee come June that if there’s just no money that it doesn’t get eliminated and then those teachers would be put back into the mix according to the collective agreement.”

Music Monday organizers maintain music programs in public schools shouldn’t be regarded as extras that can be cut when money is scarce.

See MUSIC on page 4

City to investigate False Creek land Concord Pacific paid $4,347 in taxes on 12.3 acres Mike Howell Staff writer

Van Tech secondary’s concert band performs during Music Monday.

photo Jason Lang

The city will review why a nine-acre waterfront property in Northeast False Creek has been assessed at surprisingly low values for almost a decade.

NPA Coun. Suzanne Anton said she received an email Monday from city manager Penny Ballem in which Ballem indicated the city will investigate why the B.C. Assessment office set the property’s value at $400,000 this year.

The $400,000 value is an increase from last year’s $192,000 assessment that dates back to 2001 and included an additional three acres.

Concord Pacific paid $4,347 in taxes on the property last year.

The city has the right to appeal the value but Anton said she wanted to hear back from Ballem and the city’s legal department before pushing for an appeal.

“As to why the city hasn’t appealed, I think that’s a good question,” Anton said.

See COUNCILLOR on page 4

YOUR SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT! WWW.VANCOURIER.COM

W02

T HE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

in this issue

W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

100% B C Owned and Operated

Plant Sale Satur day, Ma Only h t 9 y a y 8th & Sunday, M

photo Jason Lang

17 I

Assorted Annuals

Assorted Herbs

2 x 4 inch cells

Looking for a home

BY CHERYL ROSSI Three years after the Courier profiled them, aging parents such as Gwen Lee, here with her son Geoffrey, are still seeking housing for their mentally disabled adult children.

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Summer’s end

BY NAOIBH O’CONNOR Trustees, teacher unions and parent groups are cautiously considering the idea of year-round schooling.

Dogged pursuit

JEREMY SHEPHERD A Yaletown hot dog vendor says rival operators are gaming the city’s lottery system for limited spots on city streets.

BY

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O P I N I O N

7I 9I

Drunk on power

BY MARK HASIUK New legislation against drunk drivers gives too much power to police and removes legal checks and balances.

Doctor, doctor

FIONA HUGHES Finding a new family physician is as tough as ever. But can you trust an online site that allows patients to rate doctors?

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BY MICHAEL KISSINGER Susanne Tabata’s new documentary Bloodied but Unbowed gives an oral history of Vancouver’s early punk scene as told by its survivors.

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5% of weekend plant sales will be donated to local secondary schools.

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5

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W E D N E SD AY, MAY 5, 2010 THE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

W07

opinion

Failed breathalyzer test will net $3,750 in total fines and mandatory costs

New drunk driving laws ditch liberty, legal protection

Anyone caught drinking and driving should be shot and pissed on.

That’s what Bill, a war veteran and white-haired fixture at the Legion in my old hometown, used to say before downing his final pint and nosing his 1972 Chrysler Newport out into traffic.

He never hit anyone. It was kind of a neighbourhood joke. When you saw Bill coming, you got out of the way. While Bill’s language was crude, and his actions perplexing, his sentiment remains sound. Drunk drivers should be aggressively prosecuted and jailed when necessary.

However, despite the potential for tragedy, drunk driving suspects are not unlawful combatants in orange jumpsuits, unworthy of basic legal protection and due process.

Yet last week, Gordon Campbell’s Liberal government proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, which will allow cops—armed with Glocks and breathalyzers—to

conduct roadside trials with grave consequences and little chance of successful appeal.

Currently, if you’re suspected of drunk driving or fail a roadside breathalyzer test (blow above 0.08 per cent), you may be charged under the Motor Vehicle Act and receive a driving suspension—typically between 24 hours and 90 days. You may also be charged under the impaired driving statute of the Criminal Code and face fine, suspension and possible imprisonment. But here’s the important part. If charged criminally, you get your day in court. You can argue evidence, question police conduct and appeal your sentence to a higher court.

Flash forward to the future. Under the proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, failed breathalyzer tests carry the following punishments: An immediate 90-day driving ban. A $500 fine and $250 licence reinstatement fee. A $700

markhasiuk towing bill (because your car will be seized and impounded for 30 days).

In addition to mandatory enrolment in something called the Responsible Driver Program, which costs participants $880, you must buy an ignition lock ($1,420) and carry that indignity for at least one year. Total fines and mandatory costs equal $3,750. Additionally, if you blow between 0.05 and 0.08 on the breathalyzer, you face fines up to $400 and a 30-day driving ban. All this takes

place outside of the Criminal Code with its inherent checks and balances. Cops will independently levy huge fines, assuming the unfamiliar role of roadside judge and jury.

Unlike traffic violations such as speeding, which may be contested in provincial court, you may only appeal the new fines and suspensions (at a cost of $200) to Steve Martin, the superintendent of motor vehicles and chief enforcer of the new laws. Good luck with that.

B.C. Attorney General Michael de Jong refused several interview requests, over five days, for this story—but that’s OK. I talked to the next best thing. Andrew Murie, CEO of MADD Canada, worked closely with de Jong’s predecessor Kash Heed, flying to Victoria from MADD headquarters in Ontario to help craft the new laws. Murie is pleased with the hefty roadside fines and vehicle impoundment, noting their novel status in Canada. While he chas-

tised the province last year for it’s “light” handling of impaired driving, Murie made lobbying the B.C. government a key facet of his perennial campaign. “And they delivered more than we ever expected.”

From his office in Victoria, the aforementioned Steve Martin dismissed concerns about liberty and fairness. Complaints about process, he said, will be taken seriously. According to Martin, the new laws should pass this spring and be enacted in the fall. He admitted that more B.C. drivers will receive breathalyzer tests but refused to speculate about the inevitable cash windfall for provincial coffers. “It’s really hard to come up with a revenue figure because there’s so many different variables involved,” he said. “It’s a bit of a fool’s game to predict future behaviour because we really can’t base it on anything because things have changed so substantially.” mhasiuk@vancourier.com

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W08

T HE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

opinion

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Page Three

Your guide to the Courier on the web

Central Park

Digging up the dirt on park board and community

WEB POLL NATION Go to www.vancourier.com to vote Which is more likely to happen

by June? a) the Canucks will be in the Stanley Cup final b) the school board will balance its budget with minimal cuts to staff and programs Last week’s poll question: With Vancouver lawns under attack from chafer beetles, should we: • fight back with pesticides: 20 per cent • convert lawns into gardens: 52 per cent • surrender and let nature takes its course: 28 per cent This is not a scientific poll.

A shout-out for do-gooders It’s easy to write a column when I’m fired up about something.

But as I searched through emails, sifted through Twitter and dropped on to Facebook several times, I realized the one thing inspiring me was good news. Stories written for a community newspaper can be about a huge range of topics, but the one constant is readers willing to give of themselves to help other people, animals and the environment.

Sifting through dozens of emails today I took a second look at some of those notes sent in hopes the Courier can help get the word out. Often we don’t have the space or time to get to them so I’d like to highlight some of the inspiring Courier readers and their causes. These are just a fraction of the emails, letters and phone calls the Courier receives each week.

Eileen Mosca, a board member of the Grandview-Woodland Community Policing Centre on Commercial Drive, called this week to say Grandview Park is being redeveloped.

Recently the field house has become the target of nasty graffiti. Not content to leave it as is, Mosca and a group of volunteers will paint over the mess with a mural this Sunday, which is Mother’s Day. Mosca refers to the project as a “temporary art installation,” because the field house is being torn down July 1. Despite the fact their artwork will only remain for two months, these community members feel it’s important

sandrathomas to step up. By the way, they’re looking for volunteers to help paint Sunday.

A local charity that got its roots through the Gospel Mission in the city’s Downtown Eastside celebrated its second anniversary last weekend and logged in its 1,000 shower.

The Lord’s Rain provides homeless people an opportunity to shower, put on clean clothes, meals and even the chance to watch Canucks games. The facility was designed and remodelled by volunteers, and volunteers run the program. A hot shower and clean clothes can mean the world to someone living on the street, so the services these volunteers provide are priceless.

I recently received an email from a woman writing on behalf of a friend whose Kingsway store, RubyDog’s Art House, is at risk of clos-

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ing. This reader describes the owner, Leanne Bishop, as the “most socially responsible person” she ever met and says the shop is a wonderful source for odd art goodies, reclaimed art supplies and vintage ephemera.

Unfortunately, writes Claudia, it looks like this neighbourhood favourite is about to close.

An email I received last month came from a volunteer with the Golden Retriever Club of B.C. Because this story isn’t Vancouverbased, it was difficult to find space for it, but today I decided any group that goes to this much effort to try and find a golden retriever with special needs a home deserves mention.

Apparently three-year-old Willie suffers from the occasional seizure and his longtime south Surrey owners have been forced to give him up due to health concerns of their own. If there are any readers out there with room in their hearts and in their home for a special needs pet, give the Golden Retriever Club of B.C. a call.

And speaking of dogs, local seniors worker Jen Wright spent the past several months moving mountains to bring a dog she found starving in Costa Rica to Vancouver. And that’s exactly what happened this past weekend. Callie, as she’s now named, arrived Saturday night and Wright is desperately trying to find her a new home. Anyone interested can email her at jennwright7@shaw.ca. sthomas@vancourier.com

W14

T HE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

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Organization patronizes environmentally conscious businesses

Main Street coffee shop courts mob Jeremy Shepherd

Contributing writer

They target an environmentally friendly business, plan the right day to strike and buy stuff.

Originating in San Francisco in 2008, Carrotmobs are designed as a reverse boycott, encouraging consumers to patronize stores attempting to reduce their ecological footprint.

Omar Mutashar, the founder of the Vancouver branch of Carrotmob, hopes the first swarming of a local store May 16 will attract at least 200 extra customers to Salt Spring Coffee on Main Street. The Carrotmobbers plan to patronize the store near Main and 27th Avenue between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Mutashar said his group interviewed several coffee shops on Main Street about the idea. Following the interviews, video clips from the most intriguing eight coffee shops were posted online, leaving the final judgment at the fingertips of voters.

Salt Spring Coffee, which pledged 110 per cent of the day’s profits to make its store’s lighting more efficient, was the winner.

“They really showed they wanted to make their stores environmentally friendly,” said Mutashar.

Charles Tremewen, director of marketing for Salt Spring Coffee, said his company’s commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability fit nicely with the Carrotmob philosophy. “We just want to be mobbed,” Tremewen said.

He hoped the day’s crowd would be big enough to help the store install lower voltage lighting. “All you have to do is just buy coffee,” stated Mutashar, who said the simplicity of the Carrotmob was part of its appeal.

Emily Jubenvill, one of the organizers of the event, said the concept was a great way to remind customers about the power of their wallets. “I think the Carrotmob is a

“WE JUST WANT TO BE MOBBED.” Charles Tremewen

really great way to hand power back to the consumer,” she said in an email.

Mutashar hopes the mob at Salt Spring Coffee will begin a local trend. “It’s the first one, not the last one,” he said.

Discovery Coffee in Victoria was the site of the first Carrotmob in B.C. last October.

“I think it opened us up to a new audience,” said Logan Gray, the owner of the coffee shop.

The event tripled Discovery Coffee’s usual sales for the day. Gray said the store has attracted a younger, more ecologically aware clientele since the event, boosting his sales by a small amount. Wannawafel, a Victoria waffle shop, attracted a Carrotmob March 12. Krista Marchand, the coowner of the restaurant, said she was “not prepared for how busy it was.”

Marchand said business has been up by at least five per cent since the Carrotmob, and she’s considering buying a dishwasher to make the store more efficient. Mutashar, who moved to Vancouver from Malaysia two years ago, said his first idea was to work with liquor stores. “Drink booze and save the planet,” he explained.

But liquor stores he contacted weren’t interested in the Carrotmob idea.

Mutashar said if the Salt Spring Coffee Carrotmob is successful, it will boost his chances of working with liquor stores next time around. “Hopefully other businesses will want to get involved,” he said.

He said he’s optimistic initiatives like Carrotmobs can change the way stores operate. “We want businesses to reduce the use of light after they close,” he said. jshepherdcourier@gmail.com

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T HE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0

foodtalk

But if you don’t drink, don’t start because of health benefits

A glass of wine a day may keep the doctor away lindawatts

In his latest book, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, author Michael Pollan outlines 64 simple, yet sensible, principles to follow for healthy eating and living.

Given the countless number of confusing and inaccurate nutrition tomes on the market today, this publication is a breath of fresh air.

One of the dietary principles Pollan advocates

in Food Rules is having a glass of wine with dinner.

According to this professor of science journalism at University of California, Berkeley, and author of five other books on food and nutrition, there is considerable scientific proof of the health benefits of alcohol.

Public health authorities are extremely wary of recommending drinking

because of the social and health consequences of alcoholism. I agree we need to be prudent with this advice but we can’t ignore the fact that research is revealing moderate drinking may protect us against health hazards such as obesity, dementia and especially cardiovascular diseases.

We now know that people who drink alcoholic bev-

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erages moderately have a much lower risk of heart attacks and strokes than those who abstain or abuse it.

Studies that focus on alcohol consumption and health show that it doesn’t matter what type of beverage contains the alcohol. It appears alcohol itself provides the majority of the cardio-protection by favourably influencing our blood cholesterol, which prevents plaque from clogging our arteries, and providing an anti-coagulant effect that reduces the likelihood of blood clots.

“RESVERATROL ...

APPEARS TO HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH AND ANTICANCERPROPERTIES. BUT RESEARCHERS AREN’T CLEAR WHETHER IT’S THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS IN WINE THAT PROVIDE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OR IF IT’S HOW ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS WORK TOGETHER.” Iain Philip

Wine, particularly red wine, may provide additional benefits because of polyphenolic compounds that are concentrated in grape skins. While both red and white wines contain phenolic compounds, they’re more abundant in reds since these wines are made with the skins.

“So far over 200 polyphenolic compounds have been identified in red wine and many act as antioxidants,” says Iain Philip, the senior wine instructor at the Art Institute of Vancouver and part-owner of Barbariain Wine Consulting.

“One compound getting most of the attention is resveratrol, which appears to have a positive effect on cardiovascular health and anti-cancer properties.

But researchers aren’t clear whether it’s the individual

components in wine that provide the health benefits or if it’s how all the different compounds work together.”

Philip questions whether studies looking at wine and health take into consideration other factors that improve our physical well-being. Wine drinkers are usually from a middle to upper social-economic class and have access to good medical care and healthier lifestyle choices.

Drinking wine won’t impart the same benefits if we aren’t eating well, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and exercising regularly.

“The way we consume wine may also influence its health benefits. We tend to drink wine slowly with meals and share it with friends and family,” adds Philip.

The key to deriving the positive health effects of wine and other alcoholic beverages is not over-imbibing. Excessive drinking increases our risk of coronary heart disease and certain cancers.

In Canada, moderate drinking is defined as one to two standard drinks daily with a maximum weekly total of nine and 14 drinks for women and men, respectively. A standard drink is 12 ounces of beer at five per cent alcohol by volume (abv), 1.5 ounces of spirits at 40 per cent abv, or five ounces of wine at 12 per cent abv.

A wine that’s higher than 12 per cent abv will provide more than a standard drink in each glass.

Our drinking pattern matters as much as the volume we consume. If we drink, we should have a little on a regular basis. We can’t save up our weekly total for the weekend.

Even though there’s ample research supporting the health benefits of alcohol in moderation, everyone can’t drink. For a variety of reasons, some of us shouldn’t go near the stuff.

If you don’t drink alcohol now, don’t start because of possible health benefits.

But if you do like a beer or glass of wine, relax and enjoy yourself being mindful not to over-indulge.

And whatever you do, don’t drink and drive.

Linda Watts is a registered dietitian. Email her questions at lwatts@vancourier.com.

W E D N E SD AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0 T H E VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R

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seniors

VOLUNTEERISM HELPS CANADIANS REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL Whether it’s sorting through canned goods at a food bank, devoting a weekend to help build a house with Habitat For Humanity, or giving tours at a local historical site, most people decide to volunteer in order to help make an impact on another person’s life.

But according to a survey recently conducted by American Express Canada, a growing number of Canadians are choosing to engage in activities such as volunteerism and charity work in order to enrich and enhance their own lives. This group—which consists of more than a quarter of Canadians—are considered “potentialists” and defined as people who choose to take less traditional paths in order to realize their own potential.

One Canadian who has found her own path to realize her potential through volunteerism is Margaret Bedi. Bedi, an American Express employee for nearly 35 years, has served as a volunteer her entire life. But it wasn’t until the death of her mother that she found her true calling.

Overcome with grief, Bedi searched for an activity to help fill the gap of time she once spent with her mother. Her search led her to the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Hospice, and since 2006 she has devoted a considerable amount of time caring for the people who reside there, including an extended period in which she took a sabbatical from her day job in order to spend more time volunteering. Her volunteer activities at the hospice include providing emotional support, respite and care to individuals living with progressive life-threatening illnesses.

“I find it to be a very fulfilling and rewarding experience to be part of the lives of some amazing people who live with terminal illnesses,” she said. “It makes me realize how precious life is and how little time we have to live, laugh, and love.”

According to David Barnes, VP Communications at

SENIORS’ CINEMA Oakridge Centre is happy to showcase these great movies during Seniors’ Cinema at the Empire Theatre, located inside the shopping centre’s Atrium at 41st and Cambie.

Coming up: “Slumdog Millionaire” at 1 pm on Wed. May 5 and “Flash of Genius on Wed. June 2 at 1 pm.

A fundraiser for Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, seniors 55 and older are invited to see big screen films by donation (min. is $2 per person; tickets at the door). www.oakridgecentre.com; seniors’ centre: 604-263-1833.

MAY DAYS, MAY DAYS

Salmonberry Days in Dunbar is happening throughout the month of May. Bird-watching, horticulture walks, sidewalk sales and more. The Dunbar Community Centre and Vancouver Public Library are pulling out all the stops to educate and engage local residents.

Fun for seniors and people of all ages!

For further info., visit www.dunbarvillage.ca or call 604-692-2885 for more information.

American Express, Bedi’s passion and dedication to her volunteer work is in line with the results of the survey—people simply want to do more with their lives.

“This is very much the attitude of the potentialist, the type of person who is getting on and doing the things that excite them and not wondering ‘what if?’,” said Barnes.

Article courtesy www.newscanada.com.

MARGARET BEDI HELPS OUT A SENIOR.

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T HE VAN C O U V E R C O U R I E R W E D N E S D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 0