midweek edition WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2010
Vol. 101 No. 38 • Established 1908 • East
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K&K Canucks haiku Blow-up and away
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HST opponent collects names in bid ‘to save’ B.C. Tax law to be enacted July 1 Mike Howell Staff writer
Albert Choi hopes to rally opposition to the Harmonized Sales Tax through a petition.
photo Dan Toulgoet
Albert Choi is not easy to avoid as he calls out to pedestrians on a street corner outside the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown. On this bright, sunny morning, the 79-year-old Choi wears an orange ball cap and a neon orange three-quarter length jacket “to attract people.” His unique outfit and friendly approach seems to work. What’s he selling? Nothing. What’s he up to then? The former social worker, one-time Scout leader, world traveller and ballroom dancer is volunteering his time to sign up people to fight the controversial Harmonized Sales Tax.
“I’m mad and I want to save this province—I want to save Canada,” said Choi, who is worried about a taxheavy future for his children and grandchildren. “I know a lot of other countries are corrupt and all on the take—no doubt about it. But in Canada, at least, we have a democracy. We can express our will.” But expressing that will might be irrelevant. The B.C. Liberals recently made the HST law and it is expected to come into effect July 1, which is Canada Day. The 12 per cent tax replaces the provincial sales tax and the federal goods and services tax. Choi is one of many volunteers of the grassroots Fight HST campaign led by former B.C. premier Bill Vander Zalm. See MORE on page 4
Non-profit group, police, students pull for inner city kids Tug of war kicks off Inner City Kids Week Jeremy Shepherd Contributing writer
Sneakers scrambled to gain a foothold in the turf while knuckles whitened during a tug of war Monday in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. The event was to raise money and mirror the struggles faced by
many of Vancouver’s inner city youth, according to Contributing to the Lives of Inner City Kids president Catherine Atyeo. “We’re aiming to raise $50,000 [this year],” she said. Atyeo said CLICK is becoming more important as rising housing costs are making life difficult for many inner city families.
CLICK distributes money to charities that provide summer camps, hot lunch programs, music and sports programs for children in poverty. The event marked the beginning of Inner City Kids Week, and featured Vancouver Police Department school liaison officers pulling alongside 100 students
from six schools. The Vancouver Courier was one of the sponsors of the event. Atyeo said providing something fun and stimulating for inner city kids during the summer is particularly important. “A lot of kids are at risk of just sitting in front of the TV or a video game all summer,” she said.
Atyeo said less than 10 per cent of money raised by CLICK goes to administrative costs, leaving the bulk for charitable programs. “A lot of kids in the inner city go to school hungry,” she said. “Any teacher will tell you that kids can’t learn if they’re hungry.” See ADVOCATE on page 4
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