Friday, April 8, 2011 A mother-daughter team of artists prepare for next weekend’s art studio tour.
Page A23
ary Annivers 1985-2010
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Pitt Meadows
MacLean bows out of politics
The City’s mayor looks forward to some travelling after retiring from political office this fall. by Amy Judd ajudd@mrtimes.com
Troy Landreville/TIMES
Jaw inspection
Firefighters Adam Seward and Rob Bruce inspected jaws of life equipment recently at Maple Ridge’s Fire Hall #1. The department currently has 15 paid-on-call recruits who are halfway through their training portion of the program. It takes a year to complete the training and probation segments to become a full-time paid-on-call member.
Federal election
Candidate admits to conviction
Liberal party knew Mandeep Bhuller was caught drinking and driving in 2003. by Maria Rantanen mrantanen@mrtimes.com
Liberal candidate Mandeep Bhuller said he made “one seriously bad choice” that led to a drunk-driving conviction. The federal Liberal candidate for Pitt Meadows-Maple RidgeMission was sentenced in 2005, given a $800 fine and one-year driving prohibition for a 2003 drunk-driving charge. “I made a serious mistake,” Bhuller said. “I’m embarrassed by it.” Court records reviewed by Postmedia Network indicate he was pulled over by police in Maple Ridge on Nov. 29, 2003 and charged with impaired driving.
He fought the charge in court, but was found guilty on March 29, 2005. The day he was pulled over he had taken some muscle relaxants for back pain and later had two mixed drinks while out with friends, Bhuller explained. He said driving after having two drinks was “a serious lapse” and “very dangerous,” but it’s the only brush he’s had with the law. “It’s not who I am… It’s what I did,” Bhuller said. The Liberal party said Bhuller, who is now in a wheelchair and no longer drives, disclosed his conviction during the party’s vetting process and was accepted regardless. Bhuller said the party allowed him to decide himself whether he would continue as a candidate. “I’m hoping the public, voters will see my dedication to com-
Mandeep Bhuller Liberal candidate
munity service,” he said. President of the Liberal riding association for Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge-Mission, Brian Rice, said the issue is “very personal” for him as his mother was killed by a drunk driver when he was 16. Rice wouldn’t have supported Bhuller as a candidate if he felt he was glib or not sorry about his conviction. Not only the local riding association, but Liberal Party of
Canada, was aware of Bhuller’s conviction during the vetting process, said Rice. That included the central campaign committee for the province. “We’re a party of second chances,” Rice said. “We don’t believe in lock ‘em up and throw away the key.” Liberal party spokesman Brad Zubyk confirmed the conviction was disclosed. “There was openness and contrition,” said Zubyk. “There is no way this is a bad man.” The past behaviour of other federal election candidates was in the spotlight Wednesday as Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff dumped a Quebec candidate who called aboriginal people “featherheads.” A star Conservative candidate, meanwhile, has come under fire for his remarks on whether Canada has conquered poverty.
- with files from Postmedia News, Inc
Come midNovember, Pitt Meadows’ residents will definitely see a new face in the mayor’s seat. Current Don MacLean mayor Don Pitt Meadows Mayor MacLean announced this week that he will not be seeking an eighth term on council. He is now in his fourth term as mayor. He told the TIMES that it was not a terribly difficult decision to not run again. “Every time I do something, I tend to ask ‘why am I doing this?” he said. “We have accomplished so much so in order for me to continue there would have to be so much planning. So many projects are going to be finished by the end of 2011, so it just seemed like the right time.” Before MacLean says goodbye in November, he will be able to view the completion of some major projects in the community, including the South Bonson Community Centre, Pitt Meadows Arenas, the seniors pavilion, the Youth Action Park, and a new library. After voters go to the polls Nov. 19 for a municipal election, MacLean and his fiance will probably travel south for a bit, and he still has his insurance business to focus on. Beyond that, he hasn’t made any definite plans yet. He acknowledged that it will be hard to leave politics behind him, even though he has lots to look forward to. “I tell people I’ve always been a bit of a political junkie,” he said.
continued on page A17…
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