Richmond News February 23 2023

Photo by Maria Rantanen

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Empathy ranking at odds with Pink Shirt

Patrick Chun, the author of the email and co-founder of the Richmond-based program, then explains what The World Civility Index is and how it can be used.

Last week I wrote about Pink Shirt Day which schools are marking this week.

In response, I (along with every school trustee and city councillor in Richmond) received an email. Here’s part of it.

I just read your Opinion column in the Richmond News titled “Posing in pink won’t stop bullying” where you said “pretty posters alone won’t create change”. Agreed. Posters and pink shirts are a good start. To create real change, a longterm endeavor is needed.

A group of enthusiasts has been helping in cultivating such ‘care for others’ by providing a daily read on soft skills such as social etiquette, empathy, intercultural awareness.

And as incentives, each participant get to earn “points” on their personal ‘World Civility Index’.

“It is similar to a person’s credit rating, but instead of measuring how well a person can pay his bills, it measures a person’s soft skills such as social etiquette, empathy, intercultural awareness. “

This rating, we’re told, can then be used “by employers for hiring purposes, schools for admission, restaurants for giving the best seats, landlords for giving preferential rental priorities, dating websites for recommended matching partners.”

Your empathy ranking can get you the best seat in a restaurants? hmmmm

I’m not sure how many of you have watched the TV series Black Mirror It’s a British show about near-future dystopias that raises ethical questions about the impact of new technologies.

One episode is about a society in which

people’s social media rating (Google reviews, Facebook likes, Instagram followers) impacts everything in their lives, from their ability to rent an apartment or buy a plane ticket to being invited to a “friend’s” wedding.

As such, the main character’s life is entirely consumed with posting attractive images of herself living a happy, perfect life. Moreover, everyone is constantly rating everyone else, so lord help you if you don’t provide friendly enough service, a healthy enough tip or a sweet enough smile.

If I didn’t know so many people who are slaves to their social media identities and being “liked,” “followed,” and sent heart emojis, this episode might feel like just another bit of crazy sci-fi, but I do and it’s not. Obsessing over one’s social is very much a reality for many

Of course, where this World Civility Index differs is in who does the rating. This program offers training as well as testing so the rating is promoted as an objective

measure of a person’s “soft skills.” In some ways, this is no different than any other training program that provides participants with a certificate or some form of recognition of their newly acquired skill set. That recognition, in turn, may give them an advantage when applying for a job or a bank loan.

And, for sure, training and building awareness regarding empathy, etiquette and intercultural sensitivity is something we need more of Too often it’s assumed these skills are intuitive or taught in the home. But even if they are, we’re living in a changing world and could all use help in navigating new cultural norms.

The part that doesn’t sit right for me is the actual index, a system that ranks my level of empathy, which I can then use to bully my way into the best seat in the restaurant.

I may be missing something, but that seems to me the antithesis of what Pink Shirt Day is all about.

Disservice to Jews and Palestinians

Dear Editor,

Re: “Richmond council votes 6-3 for racism definitions, including one of antiSemitism, News, Feb. 16.

I was disappointed that Maria Rantanen’s article about Richmond City Council’s vote on racism definitions failed to provide any institutional voices opposed to IHRA definition of antiSemitism.

While Rantanen mentions the opposition of the BC Civil Liberties Association and Independent Jewish Voices, she only quotes Jewish institutional voices in support of the definition.

In fact, the main issue with the definition are the 11 “examples” provided with the definition, seven of

which focus on the state of Israel rather than on Jews as a group.

The definition, with its examples, disserves Jews because it conflates real antiSemitism with criticism of Israel.

And it disserves Palestinians and Palestinian-Canadians because it smears them as antisemites for sharing their stories of dispossession at the hands of Israel and Zionism.

It is for this reason that the BC Civil Liberties Association, Independent Jewish Voices and many other civil liberties groups are so concerned about the IHRA definition.

Thomas Woodley RICHMOND

Dear Editor,

I wish to thank the City of Richmond for their recent excellent community discussions about homelessness.

I attended these discussions after reading two articles in your paper that alerted me to the magnitude of the situation.

I learned that this social situation is growing.

It is in a number of forms from economic homelessness where low-income citizens can no longer afford rents, to folks with serious mental conditions that are left to roam the streets.

Much good work has been done and is being done but the magnitude of the various types of homelessness exceeds the help being provided

My own conclusions from listening and taking part is that this segment of our society has next to zero political power as most are disenfranchised.

If more assistance was provided now, then the ongoing costs of social services, the police, the courts and jails would be reduced

Increased assistance now yields cost reductions in the future.

My hope is that the 35 citizens who attended the discussion will work to increase support for this grow-

ing segment of our community

Once again, thank you to the City of Richmond for putting on the discussions and thanks to the Richmond News for highlighting this part of our community

NEWS

Woman ordered to pay $400K to dead boyfriend’s estate

A Richmond woman was ordered to pay $400,000 in damages to her late boyfriend’s estate after she was found to have taken advantage of her position and spent all his money meant for investment

Diana Warriner faced her boyfriend’s ex-spouse and children in court after attempting to take control of his estate Her boyfriend passed away due to a fentanyl overdose in October 2018 and did not have a will The Richmond News is not using the man ’ s name to protect the identity of his children

Warriner wanted control of her boyfriend’s estate, claiming she had lived with him for more than two years in a marriagelike relationship, which would mean she was his spouse according to the Wills, Estates and Succession Act She also claimed her boyfriend was paying her back by sending her $350,000

The ex-spouse, who was granted administration of the estate, argued that Warriner was supposed to be holding the money in trust and that she had manipulated the boyfriend in his vulnerable state due to his

active substance use disorder, adding that the money was ultimately intended for his children.

B C Supreme Court Justice Janet Winteringham rejected Warriner’s claims, pointing out inconsistencies in both her testimonies about her relationship and about the $350,000 transfer

“I have grave difficulty with the veracity of Ms Warriner’s testimony,” said the judge Although Winteringham accepted that Warriner was living with her boyfriend at the time of his death, she concluded they were not living together in a marriage-like relationship for more than two years.

Testimony from the boyfriend’s two children and his friend of more than 25 years also supported the fact Warriner had not lived with the boyfriend for two years.

Prior to his death, the boyfriend had sold the family home for more than $800,000 and paid off some debts with the proceeds He also transferred $350,000 from the proceeds to Warriner, who claimed it was money he owed her

Notice of Disposition and Intention to Provide Assistance

Pursuant to Section 26 of the Community Charter, the City hereby gives notice that the City intends to enter into a lease agreement regarding a City owned property located at 6899 Pearson Way (the “Property”) with the YMCA of Greater Vancouver (the “Society”). Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the Society will lease the Property for a term of 10 years for $1.00 per annum. The Lease contains two mutual options for a term of 5 years for each renewal period for $1.00 per annum.

Pursuant to Section 24 of the Community Charter, the City also hereby gives notice that it intends to provide assistance to the Society. The assistance is in the form of basic rent of $1.00 per annum for the Property, for the purposes of a licensed not-for-profit child care centre and other ancillary uses that are directly related to early childhood development. The assistance provided is equal to the amount of $250,000.00 per annum.

Any inquiries concerning the content of this Notice may be addressed to:

Ken Barlow Manager, Property Services 6911 No. 3 Road Richmond, British Columbia, V6Y 2C1

Tel: 604-276-4376

Hotel ordered to pay severance

Vikki Hui

VHUI@RICHMOND-NEWS COM

An adjudicator recently rejected Four Points by Sheraton’s appeal that it should be exempt from paying severance due to COVID-19

The Richmond hotel was taken to the B C Employment Standards Tribunal by a former employee after she was laid off in May 2020 along with other employees

L T Leung worked at the hotel as a front desk agent and later as a front desk supervisor for more than six years but received no severance

Under the Employment Standards Act, employers must pay an employee one week’s wages as severance after the employee has been employed for three consecutive months The amount then increases depending on the length of service, to a maximum of eight weeks’ wages

This is the minimum amount required by law Many employers provide more than that

In response to Leung’s complaint, Four Points told the tribunal its operations were “significantly impacted financially” by the pandemic and the government’s restrictions at the time, which meant it was unable to employ the same number of staff as before “(Four Points) did confirm, though, that the hotel continued to operate, and it continued to employ some employees, including in the (Leung’s) position,” reads the decision

The hotel claimed it was exempt under the Employment Standards Act as it was impossible to carry out the employment contract due to unforeseen circumstances

However, the original adjudicator found financial hardship wasn’t enough to show it was impossible

Four Points was ordered to pay Leung severance, the associated vacation pay and interest The hotel also got a mandatory administrative penalty

Four Points appeals decision

Four Points appealed the original decision, claiming the original adjudicator made a mistake in deciding the exemption wouldn’t apply

It argued, if there was no productive work for the specific employee due to an unforeseen event, the employment contract would be impossible to perform

The hotel also said it’s not the intention of the law for the exemption to only apply when the business closes down completely Brandon Mewhort, the tribunal adjudicator considering the appeal, rejected Four Points’ interpretation as it would have relieved employers from paying severance to employees laid off to adjust to reduced hours of work, making it “inconsistent” with the objective

Mewhort added whether other employees are still employed, especially those in the same position, may be relevant when considering whether it was impossible to carry on the employment contract

“However, that does not necessarily mean a business must close entirely for (the relevant section) to apply every case must be decided on its own facts,” he wrote

Four Points’ appeal was rejected and the original order for payment was upheld

One dead in highway crash

A driver died after a collision southbound on Highway 99 Tuesday morning.

The crash at 8:47 a.m. involved a commercial vehicle and a smaller flatdeck truck on the highway between Blundell Road and Steveston Highway, according to BC Highway Patrol. BC Highway Patrol, Richmond RCMP and BC Emergency Health Services were on scene after the crash.

The BC Coroner’s Services, Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Services and Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement were assisting with the investigation.

Valerie Leung/News

Tidal marsh restoration kicks off

Alan

If you noticed some activity way off the West Dyke Trail last weekend and this week, don’t raise the alarm, it’s not pirates smuggling contraband ashore

It’s actually a very calculated experiment being conducted by conservation non-profit Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), which has arranged for almost 13,000 cubic metres of sediment to be pumped onto the Sturgeon Bank tidal marsh, off Richmond’s west coast

The Sturgeon Bank Sediment Enhancement Pilot Project, as it’s called, will involve sediment which was already scheduled to be dredged being pumped via a temporary, one-kilometre, pipeline from the Steveston north jetty across to the target mudflat area

The ultimate goal for DUC is to build marsh resilience and support coastal flood protection in Richmond by placing sediment on the tidal flats to enhance natural processes that have been altered by human interventions over the last 100 years

Crews will be re-purposing sediment dredged from the Fraser River and placing it in key areas on the bank to restore valuable wild Pacific salmon habitat: marshes, eelgrass meadows, mudflats, and sand flats, which support many different fish and wildlife species

It started Sunday night, when the sediment delivery pipeline was put in place, followed on Monday evening by the first

scheduled pumping.

“We’re trying to mimic the natural delivery of sediment to Sturgeon Bank,” Eric Balke, a senior restoration biologist with DUC, told the Richmond News.

“The dredge vessel from Fraser River Pile and Dredge will pick up a load of sediment, motor over to the jetty, where they will hook up to the pipeline to then pump a slurry of water and sediment out to the marsh ”

Balke said the plan is for the pumping to go for about three or four nights, depending on the success of the operation, which has never been done before Balke said that, since the 1980s, about 160 hectares of tidal marsh has been lost in the area; that’s about 40 times the size of BC Place Stadium

“Until fairly recently, no one realized it was dying off In 2016, I became aware during my master’s research,” explained Balke

“There’s no smoking gun as to why it happened It’s not clear ”

Balke said it could be one of a number of forces responsible for the tidal marsh recession or a combination of them all

He said the four “most likely culprits” are: Sediment deficit due to river maintenance, such as dredging;

Increased salinity from water being diverted away from Sturgeon Bank; Sea level rise from climate change, resulting in the “delta slowly sinking under its own weight;”

SUCCESS could run 156 affordable housing units

SUCCESS is the preferred non-profit to operate 156 affordable housing units being built by Polygon in the Capstan area

A housing agreement between the city and Polygon is on the agenda for next week’s planning meeting, and it outlines the rents and square footage of the affordable units that make up 10 per cent of the floor area of the development

According to the housing agreement, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been secured with SUCCESS which will “acquire” the affordable housing units

and operate them

A spokesperson for SUCCESS said the MOU states SUCCESS will apply for funding to acquire the building, but this isn’t guaranteed as it’s contingent on securing the funds

SUCCESS is in the initial stages of this process, and it’s too early to know the outcome, the spokesperson added

Two- and three-bedroom affordable units

The plan is for 33 threebedroom units (980 square feet in size), which will rent for $1,489 a month

There will also be 45 twobedroom apartments (741 square feet renting for $1,218 a month), 60 onebedroom apartments and 18 400-square-foot studio apartments

The housing agreement being proposed also includes maximum incomes for those moving into the affordable units They range from $34,600 for studio apartments to $58,050 for three-bedroom apartments

These affordable homes will be in a six-storey standalone building, being constructed in the first phase of the development

Snow geese and Canada geese eating the tidal marsh vegetation

The operation itself, Balke said, is “all very innovative, no one has really done this before ”

“As we go, we may need to adapt the plan Most of the (pumping) windows are at night, due to the tides ”

As for the noise levels during the pumping, Balke said it’s unlikely people will hear much

“It’s going to be quite far away and the dredge vessel is going to be behind the jetty ”

And for gauging the success of the project, Balke said, again, it’s all very much up in the air

“To be frank, we don’t have 100 per cent

idea how the ecosystem will respond But that’s the whole point of this project,” he added

“Something needs to be done, though We want to find out how it will react and analyze the results, so we can use the research in other places

“We suspect that five to 10 years of this kind of work may be needed to fully learn We’re not trying to shock the ecosystem into doing something, we ’ re spreading (the sediment) out and letting the tides do the rest ”

The project is one of three Fraser River Estuary Salmon Habitat (FRESH) Restoration Projects led by DUC, in partnership with Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Tsawwassen First Nation, and the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance

Police say Valentine’s Day assaults are connected

Richmond RCMP believe two assaults on Valentine’s Day mid-morning in City Centre are related and are urgently appealing to the public for information

Two women were assaulted in separate incidents during the mid-morning on Feb 14 in the 6400 block of Buswell Street, between Cook and Saba roads

The first woman was found by a passerby lying on the sidewalk

She was transported to hospital by ambulance after being provided first aid Police believed at that time it was a medical emergency

However, a second woman has come forward to police to say she was assaulted at the same location around the same time of day as she was walking along the sidewalk

This led Richmond RCMP’s Serious Crimes Unit to believe the two incidents were related

“Richmond RCMP are urgently wanting to speak with anyone who may have witnessed two random assaults that occurred on the morning of February 14th along Buswell Street in the downtown core, ” said RCMP Cpl Ian Henderson

RCMP are asking anyone who might have witnessed the incidents or has dashcam footage to call Richmond RCMP at 604-278-1212, quoting file number 2023-4816.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228744(TIPS) or contact them online at www.solvecrime.ca.

Ducks Unlimited Canada this week started a project to pump Fraser River sediment onto Sturgeon Bank, off Richmond’s west dike

WE AGE

Scam costs thousands

Maria Rantanen

“Grandma?” the low raspy voice on the phone said. “Do you know who this is?”

“Mitchell!”

“Yes, it’s Mitchell. I am in trouble.”

This was the hook for a scam that would bilk a Lower Mainland senior out of $8,000.

The man impersonating Mitchell, the victim’s grandson (name changed), explained he borrowed a friend’s car and was rearended.

When the police arrived at the scene of the accident, they opened his trunk and found a kilo of marijuana, “Mitchell” said.

Now he was in jail and needed bail money

Mitchell’s grandmother was told there was a gag order and she couldn’t talk to anyone.

But being Thursday, the money was needed right away or Mitchell would spend the weekend in jail.

So, a quick trip to the bank and a handover of $8,000 in cash and the scam was a success.

Another recent Richmond scam had a grandmother sending her “grandson” $5,300 in the mail for a car payment.

Preying on people’s concern for their grandkids or other loved ones, and using such pressure tactics as the fear of the law, a sense of urgency and need for secrecy, scammers man-

age to convince victims to withdraw thousands of dollars from the bank and hand it over to perfect strangers.

Richmond RCMP say don’t be afraid to say “no,” and call your loved ones to find out if there’s a legitimate problem.

Furthermore, never give out personal banking or credit card information, and don’t ever send cash in the mail, RCMP caution.

The car accident/drug bust is a typical story

The scammer will often tell the victim not to talk to anyone, even the bank teller

Some scammers will send an “official” to the victim’s home to pick up the money or ask the victim to send the money

Introduction

TheHousewentto theDaughter!

Inourlegalsystem,thereisacenturiesoldrecognitionoftheobligation a parent has to support her or his spouse or children. The presumption of advancement is a recognized legal maxim and it applied, in old law, to the transfer of property from an adult to a spouse or child Without going into too much detail, the transfer was presumed a gift and so it became the property of the spouse or child For centuries, this was “gospel”

In 2007 the Supreme Court of Canada changed the law The case is knownasPecorev Pecore.Inthecase aparenttransferredbankaccounts to an adult child The transfer was challenged by the adult child’s spouse Briefly the Court held that the presumption of advancement applies but only to transfers between parents and minor children. With transfers to adult children, the Court held that the presumption is now based on the parent’s intention at the time of the transfer In cases wheresuchtransfersoccur itistheadultchild’sobligationtoprovethat the (now deceased) parent intended the transfer to be a gift to the adult child If the adult child cannot prove an intention to make a gift then, legally, the presumption is that the adult child holds the transferred asset in a resulting trust for the deceased parent’s Estate The property must then be a part of the Estate

Many cases, across the country, have followed this law BC is no exception. Last month, a case was heard in BC Supreme Court, involving a house transfer The case, called Lambrecht v Lambrecht Estate, is in my view a classic case of Estate planning gone off the rails, ending in a (likely) expensive Court hearing

Background

A widow (whose husband died in 1996), living in the Okanagan, transferred her interest in the family home to her daughter, in joint tenancy, in 2004. The documents were signed in a Notary’s office No other documents were made or signed at the time The adult daughter was then living with the widow (her Mother) and continued to do so until the Mother died, in 2019. She looked after Mother as her health declined, on an ongoing basis.

After she died, the other two children (both sons) were made aware of the transfer The rest of the Estate was small, being under $100,000

One son accepted the Will as it was, while the other son challenged the transfer of the house, which was valued in 2019 at approximately $1 million.

The Court had to decide what was the late Mother’s intention when she transferred title to the house in 2004.

Court’s decision

Theson ’sargumentwas,essentially,thattherewasnowrittenindication of what the Mother’s intention was and that the daughter held the title to the property in Trust for the Mother’s Estate

The daughter, however, produced several witnesses who gave evidence as to their own understanding of what the late Mother wanted, based on their relationships with her and what they had been told by the deceased That evidence seemed to point strongly to an intention on the late Mothers part to give the house to her daughter

TheLawyerforthedeceased,whopreparedtheWillthedeceasedmade in 2014, also gave evidence, which was significant. Certainly there was noindicationofanymentalcapacityissue Thedeceasedwascompetent and knew what she wanted In the Will, larger portions of the residue of the Estate (which was just money in the Bank) went to the sons. The adult daughter received a smaller portion but the deceased was aware that the unequal distribution was because of her transfer of the house to the daughter

The Court held that the deceased Mother did intend to transfer the house to the daughter The gift was completed The daughter became sole owner of the house

Conclusions

The result in this case seems reasonable However, it may be noted that given the significant value of residential real estate throughout the Province, this case was one where there was a large disparity of asset values that went to the children. The two sons ’ inheritances were very minor It is not to say that the daughter ought not to have received the house What is not discussed in the case (it may not have been known) is the issue of whether the deceased Mother was comfortable with the unequal distribution of her assets vis-à-vis her children.

I have long advocated for parents to carefully consider discussing with their children such an Estate plan, where assets were not going to go equally to their children In the Lambrecht case, it does not appear that such a discussion was held It was perhaps understandable that the son challenged the transfer

A parent, in this situation, can sign a document such as a Declaration of Intention, in which the intention of the parent in transferring an asset, can be described in clear terms.

A parent can do what she or he wishes with their assets. In my view, however, where there are children, it is risky to plan to distribute assets unequally It may affect the relationships among their children. A discussion of parents Estate plans with their children is, in my view, in most family situations, helpful

AS WE AGE

New bed alarm alerts care staff

Mike Su

RICHMOND

NEWS

The Hamilton Village Care Centre will be the first long-term care facility in Vancouver Coastal Health to use Tochtech’s Sleepsense alarms in residents’ beds to alert staff if they’ve gotten up, not returned to bed or have a medical emergency while in bed

Sleepsense bed exit alerts are sent to smartphones or other integrated nurse call systems used at the Hamilton Village Care Centre

Additionally, the sensor will collect sleep quality data, such as heart and breathing rates, allowing caregivers to adjust care plans or intervene and avert potential medical emergencies

Jessica Yang, CEO of Tochtech Technologies, said that the aging population needs good quality sleep to recharge their physical and mental health for the next day

“Sleep can tell a lot,” Yang said, “Having the report can help the caregivers plan accordingly and help the resident to settle down ”

The sensors are placed under the bed frame, so it will feel less invasive.

Yet, it can detect a wide range of body movements and vital signs without disrupting sleep, regardless of where the person is positioned.

“You can drop sesame seeds into the bed, and it can sense the vibration and the change of weight,” Yang said

Melissa Bawtinheimer, general manager of Hamilton Village Care Centre, said Sleepsense’s pilot phase has yielded a lot of positive feedback, and she is excited to proceed with the more installations in early February.

“The ability to analyze the sleep data, without the staff standing over the residents to see if they’re asleep, really does give us a leg up in terms of supporting their overall health qual-

Since 1989, working diligently with a Client-First approach to Solving Legal Matters Successfully in Richmond and throughout Vancouver Metro 自1989年以來，我們

ity,” Bawtinheimer said

Before having Sleepsense, the Hamilton Village Care Centre couldn’t accurately evaluate the residents’ sleep quality, making pinpointing the reason behind constant fatigue more tricky

“They potentially could be at greater risk for a fall, or something medically going on that’s new that we weren’t aware of,” Bawtinheimer said

The Hamilton Village Care Centre will install up to 65 units, covering half of the residence and more when the centre receives additional EquipCare Funding.

The centre’s caregivers will be trained to familiarize themselves with the system as it is scheduled to go live in early March.

The residents’ family members will also be able to access the sleep data through Sleepsense’s online portal

Tochtech’s Sleepsense won the 2020 AGE-WELL competition

Visit

website (www WillPowerLaw com) or call us at (604)233-7001 to discuss your Wills, Estates and Seniors’ questions

Suite 108-2786 West 16th Ave , Vancouver

Email: jack@willpowerlaw.com

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VerveCruiseWeek Open House

Saturday, March 25th from 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Cruise Gilmore Gardens and Courtyard Gardens during our Open House! Join us for live entertainment, themed appetizers, treats and cocktails all while learning about what our amazing residence has to offer when it comes to inspired senior living!

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MAID felt like ‘the right thing’ to do

Maria Rantanen

MRANTANEN@RICHMOND-NEWS COM

Derek Applegarth died peacefully at home, on his own terms, at his chosen time, surrounded by his family

He was a man of science a UBC professor of biochemical genetics and his wife, Jenny Toone, believes it was his scientific background that helped him decide to use medical assistance in dying, or MAID, on a date he chose

“He had decided MAID would be his preference, ” Toone told the Richmond News

His approach, as a scientist, was a “stepby-step” analysis, and his attitude was “this is it, how can we make the best of it ”

Toone praised the medical and palliative care system that walked her husband and herself through the process, explaining details like choosing a date to die, being told they could change the date, informing them how the medical procedure works and making sure all the checks and balances were in place

But what came as a surprise to the couple was that Applegarth couldn’t access MAID at the Salvation Army Rotary Hospice House Richmond

When Applegarth was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer at the age of 84, he fairly quickly made the decision he didn’t want any invasive procedures and he’d opt for MAID, if eligible

Part of the plan was to be at the Richmond hospice to receive palliative care

City of

But when they started the process of applying, they were informed by the social worker that, if Applegarth wanted to die using MAID, he’d be transported from the hospice to the cancer ward at Richmond Hospital for the procedure

The Salvation Army Rotary Hospice House Richmond is a Christian organization

The Salvation Army’s national website states it stands “firmly” against MAID

The couple had heard about the controversy at Delta Hospice, and they thought that MAID was subsequently allowed at all hospices

“I thought that battle had been won, but that was Fraser Health,” Toone said Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) confirmed to the News that the hospice in Richmond does not offer MAID

St John’s Hospice at UBC, also run by a Christian organization, has a separate space within the same building where VCH staff will administer MAID

VCH said, in a statement, its policy “respects that individuals and faith-based health care organizations can conscientiously object and not participate in the direct provision” of MAID.

The provincial health ministry said, also in a statement, MAID needs to be delivered in a way that’s “respectful and supportive of patients, families and providers,” therefore, it requires each health authority to have MAID coordination services in place.

“Medical practitioners and nurse practitioners who conscientiously object to

Community Wayfinding Strategy

MAID are not required to participate in MAID assessment or provision, but must ensure that any patient who requests MAID is safely transferred to another practitioner willing to assist them,” the statement reads.

Praise for palliative care

In the end, Applegarth came home for eight weeks and, with care from Toone and health-care providers, he had a “high quality of life,” spending time with friends and family

Toone had only good things to say about the palliative team at Richmond Hospital and the doctors who had “all the time in the world” for their patients, answering any questions they had, including about MAID

“The Richmond model is the envy of the region someone told me that,” she said.

The social workers also prepared them emotionally, for example, telling them to possibly expect people in their circle to object to the use of MAID.

The steps to ask for MAID seem rigorous with good “guardrails,” Toone said There were two separate interviews, and Toone felt she was also being scrutinized as well, probably to ensure Applegarth wasn’t being pressured to have a MAID

“We were supported in every possible way, ” Toone said.

When the time came for Applegarth to go through with MAID something he delayed by a few days to say goodbye to more friends he was asked if two student nurses could be present

As a long-time professor, he welcomed the students

“He taught all his life and the last thing he did was facilitate learning,” Toone said

As for the stigma around MAID, Toone said she sees “coded words” in obituaries, for example, “died at home as he wished,” possibly indicating a MAID

For Toone, it was a “privilege” that her husband was able to die at home with MAID

“It felt like completely the right thing,” she said

Jenny Toone’s husband used medical assistance in dying after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer Maria Rantanen photo

Music teaches history

Vikki Hui

VHUI@RICHMOND-NEWS COM

An RC Palmer student recently got to perform with the famous Caili O’Doherty Quintet in a celebration of Black History Month

Luke Young, Grade 12, plays trumpet in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s School of Music Big Band, which performed with the jazz band last Monday.

The event, organized by the U S consulate and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, was a Black History Month celebration featuring a panel discussion on the history and impact of Black music, a documentary screening and a live music performance

Young told the Richmond News it was “ an honour” and a “ very good learning experience ” to play with top-tier jazz musicians

Young, who learned about the roots of jazz and the musical contributions of the African American community, said it was a “much more engaging and immersive

experience” compared to Black History Month events at school

“It was great to hear from the (band’s Black musicians) their firsthand experiences as a jazz musician in the United States,” he said “For them, (jazz) was a type of expression, like a language for them, and they use it to express themselves

“And it’s also an entire community and culture in the United States, where it brings people together of all cultures and their mutual passion for jazz allows them to connect ”

Luke Young played with the Caili O’Doherty Quintet

COMMUNITY

Family reunites with dog lost a month ago

“(It was) a month with a lot of trauma for our family, but we ’ re overjoyed ”

Rav and Rupinder Bains can finally breathe a sigh of relief as their 13-month-old husky, Koby, (pictured right) has returned home after going missing more than a month ago

The pup had escaped with his cousin, Auggie, while the two were on a morning playdate on a Richmond farm on Friday, Jan 13 A chase ensued and the two were briefly spotted near the Pacific Banner Riding Club on No 3 Road, but only Auggie was found when the SPCA finally caught up to them.

“We called the SPCA, and we kept searching the area, and there was no sighting,” Rav recalled

The family searched tirelessly night and day that weekend Calls for help were posted on Facebook and posters were tacked up in surrounding neighbourhoods They even enlisted the help of Petsearchers Canada, who brought in drones and cameras

But they couldn’t find Koby.

“We were worried sick about Koby, like, ‘How is he going to spend the night outside?

Where is he going to be?’” said Rupinder

Little did they know, they would not get a confirmed sighting until 35 days later, on Feb 16

“We had to stay strong and just march forward until we were able to get a firm sighting or get Koby back You have your ups and downs,” said Rav

That is not to say the Bains didn’t get any news

for five weeks potential sightings would come in regularly, but they would always end up being coyote doppelgangers roaming on Garden City Lands

“And on top of that, somebody (had) been ripping off Koby’s posters and we kept replacing them,” said Rupinder

But the Bains pressed on with the help of the community

“A lot of people from the Richmond community, they helped us (put) the posters out I couldn’t have done it myself, considering how fast this guy was ripping off the posters,” said Rupinder.

Richmondites also rallied and formed a 50-person-strong WhatsApp group to help with the search for Koby Many searched for Koby on their own time while others shared the Bains’ posts on social media

And it was thanks to the community that Koby was returned to his family on Thursday

“There was a lady that was driving her daughter to school (in North Vancouver), she saw a middle-aged woman walking Koby from a neighbourhood park back to her home,” said Rav The community member immediately alerted Rupinder, and lo and behold – it was Koby

GoFundMe set up for young athlete

A GoFundMe page has been started to help the family of a Richmond teenager who was seriously injured after being hit by a car two weeks ago

The Richmond Lacrosse club kicked off the page to help 15-year-old Kaylee Paterson’s family, after she and a friend were apparently hit by a vehicle while they were on the sidewalk on Cambie Road, between No 5 and Jacombs roads, on Feb 9

According to the GoFundMe page, Kaylee “got the full impact of the car and was rushed to the hospital with what turned out to be a severe head injury, large laceration and fractured skull along with a broken shoulder, elbow, arm and ribs

“She has a long road to recovery, which could be a few weeks to a few months in the hospital

“She is aware of where she is and knows who she is which is great news for both of her parents, siblings and her extended lacrosse family ”

Kaylee active in Richmond, New West lacrosse

The post says Kaylee has been active in lacrosse in Richmond

and New Westminster in both box and field lacrosse and she also referees both sports and also plays with Fusion West lacrosse

“Lacrosse is her life and we in her lacrosse community want to help in any way that we can to get her back on the floor/field as soon as possible ”

The post adds that her parents, Greg and Meghan, have been by her bedside and will remain with her until she can come home

A long road to recovery is expected and the appeal is hoping to raise $15,000 to help the family with the costs incurred during her hospital stay and her recovery when she comes home.

Five colourful murals added to the city walls

RICHMOND-NEWS COM

Five new murals will add vibrancy to walls around the City of Richmond.

The City of Richmond’s mural program allows local artists to engage in a cultural exchange while adding more colour to visible public spaces across the city Artists were pre-selected from the 2022-2024 Community Mural program artist roster

The city received nine applications to have murals installed last September, of which five were selected.

The spots are the retaining wall at 22620 Westminister Hwy , Mitchell Elementary School, Pacific Net & Twine in Steveston, the South Arm Outdoor Pool and the Steveston Outdoor Pool

The mural program budget is estimated at $30,000, funded by developers’ donations to the Public Art Program Reserve Fund The mural for Westminister

Highway will cost up to $10,000, with the rest of the funds divided among the other four murals.

The retaining wall along the public pathway at 22620 Westminister Hwy belongs to Bethany Baptist Church The Hamilton Community Association proposed the mural with support from the church Artist Ho Lay will be working with the members of the Hamilton Community Association to decide on the mural’s theme

The Richmond School District will also do the preparation work for the mural project at Mitchell elementary as an in-kind donation and will apply anti-graffiti coating for any murals on Richmond School District property

Since 2019, about 15 murals have been painted around the City of Richmond as part of the city’s mural program

The 2023 Mural Program was approved by Richmond city council last week

Five new murals will be added around the city, like this one on Mitchell Island

Alan Campbell ACAMPBELL@RICHMOND-NEWS COM

Vikki Hui

Mike Su

Kaylee Paterson, 15, was struck by a vehicle while walking on the sidewalk

McMath Wildcats junior girls get in on championship act

Alan Campbell

McMath Wildcats now have two girls teams as reigning Richmond basketball champions, after the juniors won the local title last Thursday

The junior girls success defeating Burnett secondary 38-11 follows up from the senior Wildcats, who won the Richmond championship the previous week and then the South Frasers last week

The junior girls (pictured right) led Burnett

start to finish for the victory, with Mirella Fernandes Boshell and Susu Zhang leading the way offensively, while Thea Hamberger controlled the boards at both end of the floor

Last Wednesday, the junior Wildcats defeated Richmond Christian in the semifinal by a score of 37-16 to advance to the final.

The team finished an undefeated season in the junior league, with a 10-0 record and are 17-6 for the whole season

They now advance to the 8-team Junior South Fraser Championships being held this week in Richmond

The top three teams from this tournament advance to the Junior Girls Provincials held March 1-4 at the Langley Events Centre

Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ senior girls

basketball program marched on with an exciting climax to the South Fraser Zone Championships.

McMath took the regional title after a pulsating 56-51 win against Clayton Heights

The day before, McMath defeated Burnsview by a score of 76-24 in the semifinal

The team is now preparing for the AAA Girls Provincial Championships at the Langley Events Centre March 1-4, where they will be the number one-seed out of the South Frasers and likely number three-seed overall in the 16-team tournament

7 skaters picked for BC

No fewer than seven Richmond figure skaters have been named to Team B C for the upcoming 2023 Canada Winter Games in P E I

Connaught Skating’s seven Team B.C. athletes.

The magnificent seven are all members of the powerhouse Connaught Skating Club and will represent the province in various disciplines, from pre-novice pairs to pre-novice men and ladies categories

The young athletes Jessie Sun and Mitchell Dunn (pre-novice pairs), Ava Cheung and Stephen Lee (pre-novice pairs), Louie Fukuda-Wu (pre-novice men ’s), Emily Liao and Vicky Pan (both pre-novice ladies) are the most that has ever been selected from Connaught for the Games.

The previous best was three athletes

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SUNNY 66 X 120' SOUTH-facing BACKYARD in redeveloping area of Seafair makes this well-maintained split-level home ideal for a live/rent out now and build later Previous renos include oak cabinets, slate tile, s/s appliances and large island in kitchen leading to a cozy family room Spacious liv/din room with gas fireplace.

Primary bedroom up is two rooms joined for loads of space. Two full baths lower level bath has walk-in shower Refinished original oak flooring throughout. Roof is 12 years old, several skylights for additional light. Exposed aggregate patio for outdoor living that includes a hot tub Powered and insulated oversized garage.

Patti Martin 604-273-2828

#138-7451

WOODRIDGE ESTATES - Southwest facing 1 bdrm, 1 bath unit looks onto the private treed courtyard. FRESHLY PAINTED

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MCKINNEY WALK - Beautiful DETACHED heritage TOWNHOME featuring 4 bdrms up, plus GAMES room with built-in closet down! High ceilings, central a/c, hardwired sound system throughout, games room with projector & movie sound system, entertainment bar cherry hardwood floors, designer paint, & crown mouldings throughout Spacious kitchen & eating area with large pantry plenty of counter space, & high-end stainless steel appliances inc uding warming drawer Forma dining room, family room with gas fireplace, & living room, great for entertaining! Primary bedroom suite has large marble ensuite bath and HUGE closet. Lovely river views from the primary bedroom kitchen and family room Double garage, lots of storage. Steps to the dyke trails, shops, close to

Parksville Drive

Patti Martin 604-273-2828

Jennifer Adams 604-868-4895

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AC, F-to-C windows, German 12mm wide-plank laminated wood floors & large tiles in bathrooms. Roof-top garden, multi-purpose function room, equipped gym. All these plus a huge elegant entrance foyer on a very quiet residential street.

1,156 sf 3-bdrm NE corner unit + 2 balconies totaling 833 sf. Unobstructed Mt Baker & Burnaby Mt views. King-sized master bdrm has walk-in closet. $1,196,800

#1207 – 6833 Buswell Street

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1025-2633

Bridgeport & Shell Area

ABERDEEN

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$438,000

6125-4000 NO. 3 ROAD

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SQUARE 478 SF OFFICE FOR LEASE/SALE

3454 WEST BROADWAY VANCOUVER

W BROADWAY 749 SF RETAIL $839,000

SIMPSON ROAD

Welcome to Br dgeview Court in Hamilton! This spacious 3-level townhome end unit with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, double SxS garage with EV Charger, loads of storage space and a quaint cozy fenced backyard is perfect for a growing family or if you are downsizing from a house Walk up to the living and dining, open kitchen with generous eating area and large family room surrounded by windows on the main floor Extensive utility room, a flex room with a built-in desk and a workbench in the garage provides options for storage and hobbies. Two additional parking on the driveway Brand new balcony too! Close to Hamilton Community Centre, Hamilton Elementary School, retail, bus transit, Queensborough Landing, New Westminster Vancouver and Burnaby

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HOME SERVICES REMEMBRANCES

or 604-339-9985

MARKETPLACE

Wanted

COLLECTOR will

LEGAL

WAREHOUSEMAN LIEN

By virtue of the Warehouseman s Lien Act and on behaf of Shelter Island Marina Inc, we wil dispose of goods belonging to Bluewater namely: Marine engines and tools to recover $47,087 50 plus accruing storage and any/all other expenses related These goods wll be made avaiable for sale after March 2, 2023, by Auction Goods are currently being stored in Rchmond, BC

Contact 604-434-2448 for further informaton