LangleyAdvance
Pay it Forward pg A13-16
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Tuesday, May 31, 2011
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Almost 700 people spent Friday night at McLeod Athletic Park during the seventh annual Langley Relay for Life. The 12-hour relay brings together teams of people who fundraise for the Canadian Cancer Society and its work to find a cure. The relay began Friday evening with a lap by cancer survivors who sported yellow T-shirts, then everybody joined in to continue until Saturday morning. Volunteers provided entertainment overnight and participants had fun with various games and contests. See more on page A11.
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Property owner’s lawsuit turfed
A legal battle over comments about fill farming has ended in the favour of a conservation group. by Matthew Claxton mclaxton@langleyadvance.com
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The Glen Valley Watershed Society has seen a $13 million lawsuit against its members thrown out of court. The lawsuit was brought by Robin Scory, a property owner in the uplands above Glen Valley. He applied to have a large amount of fill – about 100,000 truck loads – deposited on his land. That sparked protests from a number of locals, and the Glen Valley Watersheds Society. Scory sued the society and member Sian Kranitz for defamation, but the suit was dismissed
this week. describing his proposal as a The decision by Madame ‘landfill’ site. Ms. Kranitz denied Justice J. Bruce found little evithat she posted these notices and dence for the claims that the the claimant did not provide eviWatershed Society or its members dence that he or anyone else withad lied or maliciously spread nessed her posting the notices,” rumours about the plans. wrote the judge. “The claimant’s The judge also evidence amounts noted that the “This case is a clear to no more than opinions that bare assertions Kranitz and other statement that about the true society members meritless lawsuits state of affairs,” expressed were against people who wrote Bruce in her based on pubreasons for judgelic interest, and speak up for the ment. were prompted environment will not The only probby a concern for stand.” lem the judge streams running could find with through and near Jennifer Agnolin statements by the property, not Kranitz was that by malice. she mis-calculated the amount She also dealt with trespass of fill potentially contained in and harassment claims related to 100,000 truckloads. the claim that low-flying aircraft “The claimant [Scory] also photographed Scory’s land. “While low-flying aircraft can asserts that Ms. Kranitz posted be regarded as trespass in some handwritten notices on trails circumstances, there is not a scinaround his property wrongly
tilla of evidence that either of the respondents engaged someone to fly over the claimant’s property for any purpose,” wrote Bruce. The judge said Scory’s application was ultimately not put on hold because of anything neighbours said, but because he didn’t supply the Department of Fisheries with more information about his proposal. The judge said he could re-start his application. Kranitz and the Watershed Society were represented by lawyers from Ecojustice. “This case is a clear statement that meritless lawsuits against people who speak up for the environment will not stand,” said Jennifer Agnolin, Ecojustice staff lawyer. Scory has said he will appeal the ruling. He is still suing two Township employees in a related matter, said Mark Bakken, Township administrator. That case has not yet finished.