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LOCAL NEWS – LOCAL MATTERS
‘I want to sit outside the Parliament’
Father just wants one extra room for his son By Jennifer Moreau
jmoreau@burnabynow.com
An amber cockroach scurries across the wall in Mohanad Al-Ani’s one bedroom Burnaby apartment, where he lives with his wife and two sons. The 39-year-old father shrugs it off. What can he do? There are rats, too, he says, speaking through an interpreter. But they seem to be the least of his worries. Al-Ani just wants a new home so one of his sons can have his own room, and the desperate father is at his wits’ end. “I want to sit outside the Parliament so the Prime Minister knows my case,” he says. “Maybe he will find me a solution.” Al-Ani’s problem is housing. He shares a single bedroom in an Edmonds apartment complex with his two kids, 8 and 9, and his expecting wife.The four of them came from Iraq to Canada in 2014 as government-sponsored refugees.That means they get government help, equivalent to welfare rates, for the first year they are here. After that, they’re on their own. Al-Ani is on disability for a slipped disc, and he can’t afford a bigger place. He doesn’t want a house, he doesn’t even want enough rooms for each of his children, even though the four all share a bedroom. He just wants one extra room for his oldest son, who was traumatized when militia men raided his home in Iraq and took Al-Ani away to one of the infamous secret prisons Continued on page 8
CRAMPED QUARTERS: Mohanad Al-Ani sleeps with his wife and two children in a one-bedroom cockroach-infested apartment in Burnaby’s Edmonds area. With another child on the way, he’s desperate to get into B.C. Housing. PHOTO JENNIFER MOREAU
FATAL ACCIDENT
Two crash suspects found in Creston hotel
By Jeremy Deutsch
jdeutsch@burnabynow.com
The two suspects in a fatal hit-and-run in Burnaby last week have been arrested in Creston. On Monday, RCMP in Creston confirmed that an 18-year-old woman and a
25-year-old man were arrested in the eastern B.C. town in connection with the fatal crash. According to RCMP, just after 9 a.m. Sunday morning, officers were called after two suspicious people tried to book a room in a hotel. Police were told by ho-
tel staff that two people had checked in earlier at around 1:30 a.m., noting they were bloodied and claimed to have been involved in singlevehicle collision. An officer spoke to the two people and suspected they had provided false names.
While questioning the man and woman at the hotel, the officer recalled a police bulletin distributed earlier regarding the two suspects involved in the Burnaby fatal hit-and-run from March 9, a press release noted. The RCMP officer even-
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tually concluded the two people were the alleged suspects wanted in the crash, and they were arrested later at a different hotel. The two were also wanted on outstanding warrants but didn’t say what they were. The man and woman were taken into custo-
dy without incident but as of Tuesday had yet to be charged. RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said Burnaby RCMP investigators have been called out to aid in what are now two investigations. Burnaby Mounties will be Continued on page 4
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BurnabyNOW WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 3
Newsnow
Massive temple being built in Burnaby By Tanya Commisso
editorial@burnabynow.com
Burnaby will soon be home to one of North America’s largest Hindu temples. A fundraiser held last weekend at Fraserview Banquet Hall in Vancouver secured nearly $1 million in donations to support the construction of the new temple, which is said to be about 75 per cent complete. Over $2 million has been raised to date. “The fundraiser was the best fundraiser we’ve ever had,” said Vanita Puri, vicepresident of the Burnaby Hindu Temple board of directors. “People were very courteous and their generosity was excellent.” The Hindu Temple Burnaby: Hindu Cultural Society and Community Centre of B.C. will be located at 4520 Marine Dr., and is expected to be well over 31, 000 square feet when complete. Puri said the decision to build such a large temple came when the congregation realized they had outgrown the location of their current Burnaby temple, a much smaller space at 3885 Albert St. “In the beginning, when we had that temple – in the
early ’70s – at that time, the community was very small. (The new temple) will be the biggest temple, where we can do all the ceremonies, like weddings and concerts,” she said.
You have to have hope when you’re doing a charitable thing.
The new building’s prayer hall will accommodate 800 people.The dining room will seat another 800 guests. The centre will also provide educational services, such as Ganesh Hindi School, and resources for seniors. Puri hopes to see the temple open for all devotees sometime this year. “You have to have hope when you’re doing a charitable thing – so by the grace of God, if everything goes right, it will be completed by the end of the year,” she said. The next fundraising event will take place on July 31 at Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park.
COMING SOON Burnaby’s newest Hindu temple should be complete this summer. It will include a community gathering space, a dining room and will provide educational services, such as Ganesh Hindi School. PHOTO JENNIFER MOREAU
FIREFIGHTERS’ DISPUTE
Donor pitches in after city pulls out of ball By Jeremy Deutsch
jdeutsch@burnabynow.com
It’s definitely looking rosier for the Burnaby firefighters’ charitable ball this year. After the city pulled its inkind funding for flowers for the April event, an anonymous group has stepped up with a donation, according to the firefighters’ union. Rob Lamoureux, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 323, explained that a “concerned” group came forward offering a $3,000 donation after reading about the issue in last Friday’s Burnaby NOW. “It was extremely helpful,” he said of the new donation. The firefighters’ union blames the contract dispute
for the city pulling its funding for the charitable ball this year. The city had sponsored the flower arrangement for years, but the union suggested a recent grievance is behind the change. Last month, the city and union settled a grievance over a supplemental pension pay allowance, which will see the municipality start paying the allowance for 2016, but firefighters won’t get the retro pay for 2015. The city stopped the payments at the end of 2014. The cost works out to about $140,000 to $150,000 a year. The charitable ball, which is being held this year on April 16, brings in about $75,000 for the Burnaby Firefighters’ Charitable So-
ciety’s nutritional snack program for schools. Lamoureux said even if the event didn’t receive an anonymous donation, it would still have gone forward as planned. “We’re thankful these concerned citizens stepped up and are very supportive of what we do as firefighters, and more importantly, they’re very supportive of our charitable society and see the good work we can do for everybody,” he said. The City of Burnaby and the firefighters’ union have been trying to negotiate a new contract for more than a year and has arbitration set for July of this year. The union has been without a contract since 2011.
Former police employee loses theft sentence appeal By Jeremy Deutsch
jdeutsch@burnabynow.com
A former city employee who stole cocaine out of a drug locker at the Burnaby RCMP detachment has lost his sentence appeal. A judge dismissed an appeal by Gary Kenneth Read to have his 14-month sentence for the crime reduced to a conditional sentence. Read was an exhibit custodian once in charge of evidence in Burnaby. He was charged with theft in November 2011 after an audit at the local RCMP detachment in the spring of that year revealed some drugs were unaccounted for. Read was found guilty in February 2015. He appealed his sentence, alleging a variety of errors on the part of the trial judge, including failing to consider exceptional and/or
mitigating factors, placing too much weight on denunciation and deterrence, and an error when he considered the appellant’s lack of co-operation and choice to remain silent as an aggravating factor. However, the court disagreed and dismissed the appeal. “Even assuming error in principle, the appellant failed to demonstrate that the error resulted in an unfit sentence,” wrote Justice Gregory Fitch in the decision. “Offences of the kind committed by the appellant implicate public confidence in the administration of justice. A conditional sentence of imprisonment would, in the circumstances of this case, be inconsistent with the predominant sentencing principles of general deterrence and denunciation.” According to court documents, sometime in March
2011, Read stole almost a kilogram of cocaine from an evidence box stored in the secure drug locker.The cocaine, which had been marked for destruction, had a street value ranging from $22,000 to $44,000, depending on how it was packaged. The theft was discovered in the course of an audit. Read aroused suspicions when he retaped boxes containing cocaine before the auditors had finished their examination of those boxes. Read, who was 59 when he was sentenced, initially denied responsibility for the crime. But after taking and failing a lie-detector test, he confessed. He told the police that, in an “isolated act of inexplicably poor judgment,” he had taken the cocaine home and flushed it down the sink.
4 WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 • BurnabyNOW
News now
Local man still missing
George Lorry Wood is no stranger to disappearing for short amounts of time. But the Burnaby resident’s most recent stretch has local Mounties asking the public for help to find the 49 year-old. Wood was last seen on June 20, 2015, when he was dropped off at the Surrey Central SkyTrain Station. He is known to frequent the Burnaby Central Park area, according to Burnaby
RCMP. RCMP Cpl. Daniela Panesar said Wood has been known to be in and out of contact with family, but this amount of time is unusual. “I think the family wants to hear from him,” she told the NOW. Wood is described as a Caucasian man, standing five feet nine inches, weighing 166 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wear-
ing jeans with a black belt and silver buckle, a green and white plaid shirt, glasses and possibly carrying a red backpack. Wood goes by his middle name Lorry and also Randy. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Burnaby RCMP missing person unit at 604-2947922 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS( 8477). – Jeremy Deutsch
Two arrested in hit-and-run which was heading southbound through a red light atWillingdon Avenue and Deer Lake Parkway. The 25-year-old Burnaby woman driving the car was killed. She has been identified on social media as Emily Sheane. Friends and family of the victim have set up an online fundraiser to help pay for Sheane’s funeral services. “She was a loving daughter, a dear sister, a devoted girlfriend, and the best
friend that anyone could’ve asked for,” stated the fundraising page. “Emily’s smile, her striking beauty, and her young, adventurous spirit will forever be missed.” By Tuesday, more than $19,000 had been raised. Any excess funds raised will be donated to the Police Victim Services of British Columbia. See www.gofundme.com/ emilysheane.
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Continued from page 1 investigating the hit-andrun, while Creston will be looking at whether the pair made false statements to police. Moskaluk did note the suspects made it to Creston using a vehicle, but he couldn’t provide any details about their condition. The Burnaby crash happened just before midnight onWednesday when a car travelling east on Moscrop Street was hit by the SUV,
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BurnabyNOW WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 5
Newsnow
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Fight between two women ended in the death of a 61-year-old Jeremy Deutsch
jdeutsch@burnabynow.com
A fight between two women at a Burnaby apartment two years ago has ended with a murder conviction. Earlier this month, a jury in B.C. Supreme Court found Trudy Gail Hunter guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Christina Docherty. The case goes back to Dec. 2, 2013, when Docherty, 61, was found dead in her apartment as a re-
sult of what was later determined to be an altercation with another woman. Hunter was arrested in Maple Ridge in April 2014 and charged with seconddegree murder. Her trial spanned several weeks in January and February. Officers discovered Docherty’s body in an apartment in the 4900 block of Hastings Street shortly after 4:30 p.m.The department’s major crime unit determined the death was suspicious and called in the Integrated Homicide Inves-
tigation Team, which took over the case. While police wouldn’t provide specific details about the case, the two women knew each other, and investigators believe the incident is related to the drug trade. “This investigation was bolstered by forensic evidence, which was paramount to its success,” said IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Stephanie Ashton in a statement. “A guilty verdict reinforces the hard work of IHIT investigators, Burnaby
RCMP, our support units in the Lower Mainland and our partners at Crown counsel. It also speaks to the support of witnesses who came forward to provide information that assisted in putting this matter before the courts.” Docherty was known to police prior to her murder, but Hunter, who was 60 years old at the time of her arrest, however, was not known to police and did not have a criminal record. Hunter is expected to be sentenced on April 4.
City takes aim at election turnout It is well over two years away, but the city is already looking at the civic election in 2018. More specifically, the city is trying to increase voter turnout, which is often abysmally low for local government elections. In the last civic election, the turnout for eligible voters between the ages of 25 and 34 was just 15 per cent. So the city has devised a plan in hopes of turning the numbers around. At a re-
cent council meeting, a staff report outlined some of the voter engagement tactics being used before the Oct. 20, 2018 vote: ! Getting the word out through websites, newsletters, videos, schools, presentations, meetings, focus groups, social media platforms and the Election Champion Tool Kit; ! Using educators and key stakeholders to help design and improve election awareness in the classroom;
! Using “election champions” who actively help to gain the understanding and enthusiasm of others, such as Burnaby Neighbourhood House, the student unions at SFU and BCIT, Burnaby Youth Voice and more. Mayor Derek Corrigan said low voter turnout, especially amongst young people, is a challenge all municipalities face. He argued local elections are not as “contemporary” as federal and provincial campaigns
where the issues discussed are things like marijuana legalization, while city elections are about sewers and garbage collection. “I think young people believe it’s an election for property owners,” Corrigan said. “Getting them acclimatized to the idea that they should vote in local elections can be difficult.We’re trying to encourage it.” – Jeremy Deutsch
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6 WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 • BurnabyNOW
Opinion now OUR VIEW
Being fleeced in more ways than one
Premier Christy Clark dropped into Burnaby last week. She was here to speak to the Burnaby Board of Trade as part of International Women’s Day events. Our reporter went to the event expecting to be able to ask our premier a couple of simple local questions. Questions, we think, residents of Burnaby and readers might like to know. For example, we were wondering about the future of Burnaby Hospital. But Clark didn’t deign to speak
with any of the media covering the event. In fact, her handlers kept her away from the media. We suspect it’s because the media was all abuzz about the “triple-delete” scandal.You know, the one a whistleblower revealed. The one where government officials were, as a matter of practice, deleting Freedom of Information emails and destroying any evidence of receiving them. An investigation was held and one person has been
charged – but not with the destroying of emails. No, he’s being charged with perjury as he allegedly lied during the investigation. We’re not sure about the rationale for this action, but it does seem to raise even more questions. Clark probably didn’t want to answer any questions on that story – and who can blame her? It doesn’t look good at all. Or, perhaps she didn’t want to be questioned about the cushy sheepskin-
ning deal her government gave former Liberal MLA Judi Tyabji-Wilson. That’s the deal that was also in the media last week. The one where the government gave Tyabji-Wilson a 2014 grant for a sheepskinning initiative that went over budget by $53,000. Tyabji-Wilson was the president of the non-profit applying for the grant and also the supervisor on the project.The grant was for $127,000, and on top of that Tyabji-Wilson received
a salary of $67,000 to manage that grant. Can someone in the government spell “conflict of interest”? The project failed miserably. Apparently it was only able to sell 27 sheepskins. Those are very expensive skins. Clark, in our humble opinion, appears to be making sure that the Stephen Harper legacy lives on in B.C. Deals with friends, conflicts of interest and hiding
from the media being three of his top leadership lessons. Now, this could be partly due to the fact that she has hired former Harper employees. Or it could simply be that the old expression, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” has found another role model right here in British Columbia. COMMENT ON THIS AT
Burnabynow.com
MY VIEW KEITH BALDREY
The death of full-time jobs? It’s accepted wisdom that from an economic standpoint, British Columbia is outperforming every other province when it comes to growth and employment. In fact, the province is not expected to stumble off that lofty perch anytime soon. This coming year should see B.C. continue to lead the country on a number of economic fronts. But peel back the economic onion a few layers, and a not entirely rosy picture is painted for British Columbia.The most noticeable and worrisome trend is that when it comes to job creation, part-time employment and not full-time work has been, recently at least, primarily responsible for the growth in new jobs. Take last month, for example. According to Statistics Canada, the number of jobs in B.C. increased by an apparently impressive 14,000 over the month previously. But a closer look shows what really happened: a whopping 20,000 new part-time jobs were created, but that was partially offset by the loss of 6,000 full-time jobs. And this was not a onemonth phenomenon. A look at the changing job numbers between January, 2015 and January, 2016 tells the story, and it’s a revealing one.While 16,800 new full-time jobs were created in the past year, that’s a growth rate of barely one per cent.Where the significant growth occurred was on the part-time side: al-
most 32,000 new jobs, an increase of about seven percent.This means the number of new part-time jobs is outpacing full-time ones at a 7:1 ratio. The implications of this trend are worrisome. Among other things, fulltime work usually pays an employee much higher compensation than part-time workers receive, since a benefits package of some sort is often included. As well, part-time work in the retail and service industries (the largest employers of parttimers) pay relatively lower wages, and often pay the miserly minimum wage. A fulltime workforce contributes more to the local economy than does a part-time one. Who are the people filling the growing number of part-time jobs? It’s likely that people under the age of 35 – the so-called “millennial” generation – are filling the bill here. As the massive baby boomer generation eases into retirement in increasing numbers, many of their jobs are being divided into parttime ones or are disappearing altogether, as the economy changes. So the next time Statistics Canada releases its jobs data, peel back the layers and check to see where any huge growth is coming from.The age of part-time work for many young people appears to be fast approaching. Keith Baldrey is chief political reporter for Global B.C.
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Going green – in a bad way A bright green fluorescent dye that poured down Stoney Creek and alarmed neighbours in July was traced to a faulty valve in the 120,000-gallon Simon Fraser University heating system. Environmental officials said the dye, Uranine, was the least harmful substance in the spill, which saw about 500 gallons of “general molybdate treatment program” fluid released into the creek from a leaky valve in the academic quadrangle building.
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BurnabyNOW WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 7
Opinionnow INBOX
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Time for transparency on MP spending
Lougheed town centre plans are misguided, says letter writer
Dear Editor Last December, a secretive parliamentary committee known as the Board of Internal Economy voted to give all 338 MPs a 20 per cent increase in their office budgets. The total cost to taxpayers: a cool $25 million. Oddly enough, even though the decision was made in December, news of the board’s decision didn’t seep out publicly until late February, on a Friday afternoon right before Parliament shut down for a week. Doesn’t exactly scream “transparency,” does it? Twenty-five million dollars might not sound like a lot in a budget of billions, but when rookie Finance Minister Bill Morneau brings down his first budget on March 22, Canadians will be bracing for a massive deficit – with some speculating it could be triple the size of the Liberals’ own self-imposed “modest” limit of $10 billion. With so much red ink, MPs helping themselves to a 20 per cent boost to their own staff, travel and other expense budgets is sure to have more than a few Canadians also seeing red. After all, if MPs feel they have such a strong case for this new money, why didn’t they just come out and make it? Keeping the decision secret, only to leak it out two months later right before the weekend smacks of a classic attempt to bury controversial news and hope that no one notices. A more transparent approach would have been to announce the decision at the time it was made – and justify it to a skeptical public. No doubt many MPs will argue they spend their existing office budgets prudently and need the extra money to better serve their constituents. That’s possible, but there’s currently no way for Canadians to judge that claim since we know little about how MPs spend their budgets. Until 2009, MP office budgets were not even publicly broken down beyond broad categories such as travel or other expenses. By 2014, more detail was provided – including itemized costs for hospitality expenses. But details for many big expenses are still vague. For example, what about some MP spending $1,000 in the gifts category? What kind of gifts? We can’t say. A few thousand spent on “materials and supplies?” Again, Canadians are left in the dark. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has proposed an easy solution to all of this: simply have all MPs (and Senators for that matter) post scanned receipts of their expenses online. It’s a system already in place for councillors in Toronto and for senior politicians and civil servants in Alberta – and since MPs already have to submit scanned receipts to administrators in Parliament, there would be little red tape. With a few clicks of a button, those scanned documents could easily be put on the Internet for all Canadians to see. If politicians know every receipt they submit will be available for the whole world to see, they are far more likely to be prudent in their use of taxpayer dollars than if they can assure themselves that “nobody will ever know.” It’s time for our politicians to be more transparent with their spending, and they should start by posting their expense receipts and show Canadians the money. But until then, Canadians should rightfully question the need for a 20 per cent hike to their office budgets. Aaron Wudrick, federal director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Keith You hit on a major concern I have also had for all of these 50+ story building that Burnaby Council is giving a green light to. Does the Burnaby Fire Department have the proper equipment to deal with buildings of such heights? And who will be footing the bill for this new equipment? kids 1st I could not agree more. If you look to Vancouver and how they developed the River District (mixed housing) community centre shopping, food and more, you see a much more friendly community other than more highrises.
Large Hindu temple planned for Burnaby peakie Between Nelson and Sussex on the quiet (or formerly quiet) set of Marine Drive. It is among several homes, with pools from Google Maps, on the south side of Marine, north of the Riverway Sports Complex. “... is expected to be well over 31, 000 square feet when complete” and housing places for over 800 to banquet. So over 400 cars at a time? How did the Albert Street temple in North Burnaby handle that?
Firefighters say city is getting personal in labour dispute bill smith If only Firefighters Local 323 made a sizable ‘donation’ to Corrigan’s NDP/BCA, this could have all been avoided. Burnabee We need more ambulances and paramedics. I would like my money to go towards increasing that service.
Reader weighs in on pipeline’s future ScottDrysdale Last time I checked, which was not long ago...... BC continues to mine and sell massive amounts of coal from Sparwood BC as well as Vancouver Island..... Isn’t coal much dirtier than the liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons? And BTW.... if you feel like you’re winning by blocking pipelines, the guys are just going to cut the pipes up into 40’ sections put wheels under them and burn boatloads of diesel pulling the pipelines where EVER they want..... Because trains do NOT require ANY approvals to cross borders or mountains ranges or rivers. Think about it.
THE BURNABY NOW WELCOMES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. We do, however, edit for taste, legality and length. Priority is given to letters written by residents of Burnaby and/or issues concerning Burnaby. Please include a phone number where you can be reached during the day. Send letters to: The Editor, #201A–3430 Brighton Ave., Burnaby, B.C., V5A 3H4, email to: editorial@burnabynow.com (no attachments please) or fax to: 604-444-3460. Letters to the editor and opinion columns may be reproduced on the Burnaby NOW website, www.burnabynow.com. THE BURNABY NOW IS A CANADIAN-OWNED COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED IN THE CITY OF BURNABY EVERY WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY BY THE BURNABY NOW, A DIVISION OF GLACIER MEDIA GROUP. THE BURNABY NOW RESPECTS YOUR PRIVACY–WE COLLECT, USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR PRIVACY STATEMENT WHICH IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.BURNABYNOW.COM
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News now
‘It’s just not working’ Continued from page 1 in Baghdad’s fortified green zone. Al-Ani was gone for a year, held in a cell with 20 other men and tortured regularly.The boy’s mental health child and youth clinicians here in Canada are suggesting a separate room would help create a healthy sense of boundaries. “My feelings right now are as if someone has his hands tied and his feet tied, and he doesn’t know what to do,” Al-Ani said through an interpreter. Al-Ani has been on B.C. Housing’s wait-list for more than a year.With the recent influx of Syrian refugees, housing for large families is all the more in demand. Everywhere Al-Ani turns to for help, he’s told nothing can be done and to contact his MLA, which brought him to Raj Chouhan’s office.The Burnaby Edmonds MLA has contacted Housing Minister Rich Coleman about Al-Ani’s situation. “He is not just one unique case,” Chouhan said. “We have housing situations so bad in Burna-
by Edmonds, we’re dealing with these kinds of cases almost on a regular basis.The frustration is the government has not built enough affordable housing units to accommodate people like him.We have to pay atten-
The housing situation is really bad. We need help from the provincial and federal government.
tion to this, otherwise the situation is going to get really out of hand. “We have new refugees from Syria.They also need new accommodation.The government has to move really quickly to make sure people are housed,” he said. “Some people have been waiting for years, but by
the time there’s a unit they could move into, their kids are grown up.” Chouhan wants to see the provincial and federal government build more affordable housing.The NOW reached out to B.C. Housing for data on the number of people waiting for homes and the number of available units but had not heard back by press time. “In Burnaby, especially in Burnaby Edmonds, we have the highest number of government sponsored refugees and privately sponsored refugees.The housing situation is really bad.We need help from the provincial and federal government,” he said. As for Al-Ani, all Chouhan can do is wait and see. “Hopefully, we’ll get a positive response from both the Minister of Housing and B.C. Housing. He’s in a very bad situation, he needs help now. It’s just not working.” The NOW asked B.C. Housing for numbers on available units and people waiting, but the agency did not respond by press time.
Stolen cop car crashes into store A Burnaby business is going to have a bit of cleanup to deal with after a stolen Vancouver police car crashed into the front window of the store. The incident began at 1:30 a.m. Friday on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, when police came across a fight at the corner of Columbia and East Hastings Street. The VPD officers parked
their marked cruiser and chased a man involved in the fight, eventually catching up and arresting him. However, when officers returned to their vehicle, they discovered a woman had bypassed the vehicle’s immobilizer and stolen the car, according to a VPD press release. Police were able to track the vehicle by GPS to Hastings Street and Willingdon
Avenue in Burnaby, where the car had collided with the Dollar Giant store. Police arrested the uninjured driver close to the crash. Police noted all items were accounted for inside the vehicle when it was recovered, but there was no indication of the cost in damage to the building or business. –Jeremy Deutsch
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Artsnow
Let there be light
WHO’S IN THE SHOW?
MEET THE ARTISTS ARTIST Judson Beaumont, sculptor, designer, furniture maker. Find him at www. straightlinedesigns.com. WORK Illuminated wood works created using pine beetle wood and LED lighting WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT Beaumont has used pine beetle wood, with its distinct bluish-grey stain, and then hollowed, mitred and glued them together into drumlike shapes, using glass and colour-changing LED lighting to illuminate each piece. They stand about 16 inches high – the height of a seat or an end table. THE ARTIST ON HIS WORK “They’re fun, but … What we do here is very serious. I work my butt off. There’s a lot of work involved in making our stuff.”
“I’m the kind of guy I can’t wait to go to work. It’s like Christmas morning every morning.” “I like to push designs and ideas as far as I can, bend it, twist it, carve it, whatever I can do.” “I love it when people say, ‘I’ve never seen anything like your furniture before.’ I like the idea that every piece of mine has that quirkiness to it, that sense of humour.”
Illumination: Top, work by Judson Beaumont; above, work by Zahra Khan. At right, Teena Martin with her creations at Deer Lake Gallery. All the pieces are part of the Luminescence exhibition opening March 19. PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED AND CORNELIA NAYLOR
Burnaby Arts Council marks the equinox with Luminescence Julie MacLellan
jmaclellan@burnabynow.com
The artists said: Let there be light. And there was light – in lanterns, in illuminated works of wood, in concrete and metal, paint and plaster, mirrors and glass. The Burnaby Arts Council is welcoming the spring equinox with an exuberant celebration of light in all its forms: Luminescence, opening March 19 and running until April 9. The show is timed to coincide with the spring equinox: that moment – at 9:30 p.m., to be exact – when the
sun shines equally on both the northern and southern hemispheres. “It is fitting that such an important celestial event be celebrated by the talents of a large and diverse group of artists in as many different media, thereby opening a unique poetic vein,” a gallery press release says. The multi-disciplinary show features work by 25 artists in a diverse range of styles and mediums, with each artist contributing one to two works that explore and celebrate the use of light in many forms. Both two- and three-dimension-
al works will be displayed in the show. Among the highlights pointed out by the arts council’s Teena Martin – who’s coordinating the show and also has work in it – is a mirrored “infinity room” created by sculptor Ron Simmer using recycled mirrors, LED lighting and computer technology (see more in sidebar at right). Also notable will be illuminated, whimsical works in wood by sculptor-designer Judson Beaumont (see more in sidebar). Beaumont is also giving an artist talk on Saturday, April 2
at 1 p.m. The opening reception is set for Saturday, March 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. and will feature a lantern workshop led by Naomi Singer of the Secret Lantern Society. Everyone who attends will be welcome to work on a collective lantern.Violinist Nicole Scoffield will perform live music through the evening. Admission is free, and all are welcome. Drop in to the gallery at 6584 Deer Lake Ave. to join in the fun, or see www.burnabyartscoun cil.org for more.
In a nutshell: Discover Luminescence What: Luminescence, a show of two- and three-dimensional works celebrating light When: March 19 to April 9. Opening reception Saturday, March 19, 7 to 9 p.m., with lantern workshop and live music. Exhibition will be open Tuesday to Saturday,
noon to 4 p.m. Where: Deer Lake Gallery, 6584 Deer Lake Ave. Who: Featuring works by Judson Beaumont, Jet Belliveau and Rosie Butler, Dorothy Doherty, Linda Doherty, Ken Gerberick, Mona Hamill,
Meghann Hubert, Zahra Khan, Lisa MacLean, Teena Martin, Frederick Popowich, Wan Yi Lin and Roger Chen, Susan Roque, Ron Simmer, Naomi Singer, Bernd Stanke, Carla Sumarlidson, Françoise Thibault, Melanie Thompson, Bill Thomson, Roxsane Tiernan, Grant Withers
Of note: Saturday, April 2, 2 p.m., artist talk by Judson Beaumont – recent B.C. Achievement Award winner, Burnaby resident, Emily Carr graduate and founder of Straight Line Designs in 1985 Info: www.burnabyartscoun cil.org or 604-298-7322
Surrounded by light: Ron Simmer in an infinity room. Simmer, a Burnaby-based sculptor, is creating his own infinity room experience as part of the upcoming Luminescence show at Burnaby Art Gallery. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
ARTIST Ron Simmer, sculptor (most recently in the headlines for his HarperCat work in Deer Lake Gallery’s recent portraiture exhibition). Find him on Facebook at Ron Simmer, Sculptor. WORK A Night Walk in Falling Snow, a three-dimensional infinity room installation WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT Simmer is creating his “infinity room” experience using mirrors, LED strip lighting and 10 microcomputers to provide the LED effect. The mirrors came from a Vancouver Art Gallery disposal program, allowing him to incorporate recycled materials into his
piece. The art is created to be an interactive physical experience akin to its title: A Night Walk in Falling Snow. THE ARTIST ON HIS WORK “I hope people who see ‘Snow Falling’ will appreciate its meditative aspect. The infinitely reflecting mirrors are disorienting and give the perception of floating in space.” “In future I might make an infinity room with strobes, lasers, neon and pulsing LEDS to mimic a hallucinatory experience.” “My dream is for a gallery in Vancouver to fund and let me install a complete infinity room, since I have much of the materials at hand.”
10 WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 • BurnabyNOW
Entertainment now Burnaby student onstage in The Laramie Project A Burnaby student is part of a new production at Douglas College that tackles the story of the murder of a gay teen. The Laramie Project, onstage March 18 to 24, tells the true story of University ofWyoming student Matthew Shepard’s 1998 murder and delves into how the community responded in the wake of the crime. Burnaby’s Nina Dosdall is part of the student cast that’s staging the play written by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project of NewYork – with a script that draws on hundreds of interviews conducted with residents of the town, as well as journal en-
tries and news segments. Dosdall is joined onstage by Noah Achielkene, Jaimee Armstrong, Sean Brown, James Byers, Alice Knechtel, Chantelle Pryznyk and Logan Tower.
I also feel there is hope and a way forward “I was overwhelmed with sadness and disbelief when I first read this play. Now, 100 reads later, I still feel that great sense of loss but I also feel there is hope and a way forward,” said direc-
tor Deborah Neville in a press release. “My goal was to tell Matthew’s story fully, to present all the facts, to remind audiences this is not fantasy, this really happened and, sadly, still happens today.” The Laramie Project is onstage March 18 to 24 in the Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre at Douglas College’s NewWestminster campus (700 Royal Ave.), with a free preview March 17 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20, or $10 for students and seniors, and $10 for matinees and Talkback Tuesday shows. See thelaramieprojectdouglas. brownpapertickets.com for schedule and tickets.
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BUSINESS NEWS
Premier talks women’s leadership at Burnaby Board of Trade event By Michael Keller michael@bbot.ca
MAR–APR 2016
The Burnaby Board of Trade celebrated International Women’s Day (a few days belated) with a Women’s Business Leadership Luncheon on Friday, March 11. The event featured a special keynote presentation from perhaps the most influential woman in British Columbia today, Premier Christy Clark. The Premier spoke about the importance of having women in leadership roles, noting her own cabinet is 40% women, and women occupy numerous senior roles in key offices within the public sector. She also noted however that it is harder for women to enter and be successful in politics, as well as in business. She encouraged those in attendance to be a force behind change. “We have to create a world where women are allowed to be ambitious,” said Clark. “We Con’t on p.3
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Premier Christy Clark attends BBOT Women’s Business Leadership Luncheon. Photo: tiffanycooperphoto.com
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Premier talks con’t from cover need to change our culture and change our attitudes so that it’s okay for women to be whatever they want to be—whether they strive to be the best mother they can be, or the CEO. If we succeed in one thing as this generation of women, that will be the most important thing we can achieve.” Premier Clark herself is set to become the longest-serving female first minister in the country this week, when she passes the former Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak, who served for five years and one day. Clark noted that 5 years and two days is hardly a lofty record compared to male premiers who in a couple of instances have served 14 years. It
serves as a reminder that there is still progress to be made for women in the workplace. The Premier acknowledged that she herself is still occasionally ignored in meetings, despite being the leader of the country’s fastest growing province. “I still sometimes sit in meetings with male staffers when we have guests come in and they [the guests] talk to the male staffers even though they are there to meet with me,” said Clark. Gender parity has long been linked to economic prosperity, with studies showing that profitability, return on investment (ROI) and innovation all increase when women are
counted among senior leadership. That is one of the reasons the Burnaby Board of Trade has initiated the BBOT Women’s Initiative—a new working group that will bring together both men and women interested in supporting women in leadership positions at all levels of business to foster important discussion, facilitate meaningful connections, and advance advocacy positions. “International Women’s day has taught us that women’s advancement and leadership are central to business performance and economic prosperity. It’s an economic imperative,” said BBOT President & CEO Paul Holden. “As the economic development
agency for Burnaby, we have embarked on numerous activities and initiatives to make this community a better place to do business, and we’re long overdue to create a more formal opportunity for the women and men in our community to discuss women leadership objectives.” According to Holden the BBOT Women’s Group will provide a forum for women at all levels of career and business to hear the personal experiences, motivations and successes of women leaders and ignite dialogue on the topic of women’s leadership and foster valuable connections in our community. ¾
Pledge Success Story
Stantec: Building Strong Communities By Tessa Vanderkop tessa@bbot.ca Stantec has been in business for over 60 years and with offices in over 250 locations worldwide they understand the secret to their continued growth and success. At the heart of their organization is their commitment to being a global leader by doing business in a way that meets the needs of the present while contributing to an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable future. Reducing their impact environmentally means finding approaches that are the least impactful. Their goal is to demonstrate that operating their business sustainably can lead to long term business success. But environmental health is not the only thing that is top of mind for Stantec. Being a global company means putting down local roots and investing in the communities they operate in. One example is Stantec in the Community Day which encourages volunteerism. Recently staff from Stantec’s Burnaby and Vancouver, offices helped out with site maintenance and general gardening for the Wildlife Rescue Association (WRA). Their relationship with WRA started when Kim Rees (Team Lead Functional Services) noticed an injured pigeon near a Skytrain station. She captured it and took it to the Wildlife Rescue Association for rehabilitation which kick-started another volunteer effort. Noticing the trash under the Skytrain station made her realize how much humans encroach on land and use up resources
needed for wildlife. She decided to do what she could to help minimize the impact of garbage in this area. Armed with tongs, pails and determination, a group of Stantec volunteers now clean the area every two months. “We feel we’re doing what is right and making Stantec’s values personal. It’s rewarding to work for a company that enables us to get out into the community so we can make a difference. I asked for the company
BBOT Presents to Burnaby City Council on Expansion to IMBL Program By Cory Redekop cory@bbot.ca After advocating for a pilot program to allow businesses that work across city boundaries to be able to get one interchangeable business license, the Burnaby Board of Trade
again appeared before Burnaby City Council on March 7th to argue for an expansion of the Inter-Municipal Business License (IMBL) program to allow businesses in the construction and trades-related sectors to be able to work in any city from Hope to West Vancouver with a single IMBL.
to provide the tongs, pails and supplies and they were more than willing to do so. It’s extremely satisfying at the end of the 2 hours to see all the garbage we have removed and the people that live in the area are always thanking us for our efforts.” says Rees. Stantec has its eye on the triple bottom line including these 2017 environmental targets: · Energy Consumption: 5% per capita reduction (or 1.25% per year) · Carbon (GHG) Emissions: 5% per capita
reduction (or 1.25% per year) · Waste: Implement recycling programs in every office consistent with municipal recycling standards · Paper Consumption: 10% per capita reduction (or 2.5% per year) · Paper Recycled Content: At least 80% weighted average recycled content Stantec is indeed helping to build strong local communities.¾
In 2013, the BBOT successfully advocated to city council to join with five other Lower Mainland municipalities (Vancouver, New Westminster, Richmond, Surrey, and Delta) to create a pilot program to allow businesses to be able to secure an inter-municipal business license which would allow them to legally operate in any of the participating cities. Previously, businesses would have to apply for a new license in each city they wished to do business in, a costly and time-consuming
process. This past fall, the pilot program was made permanent between the six participating municipalities. Burnaby, along with its colleagues in the region’s Chamber of Commerce network, is now spearheading a call for this model to be expanded across the Lower Mainland. The BBOT thanked City Council for its willingness to adopt the inter-municipal business license program in 2013 and encouraged building on that success with the proposed expansion. ¾
14 WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 • BurnabyNOW
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They’re HERE!! … And they have been for a while By Michael Keller michael@bbot.ca
and across the region, from Purdy’s Chocolates and Telus, to KPMG, LivaNova and beyond. Some are now successful business owners in their own right. This year, for the first time, alumni of the Access Program are serving as committee chairs, and as mentors, bringing with them what is already a reasonably significant breadth of experience. In the board of trade/chamber community, we are starting to learn that success over the next decade is going to be about learning to engage our stakeholders—both internal and external—in new ways, by offering lots of choice, and creating innovative and flexible formats and opportunities to deliver on success. The same is true for the business community, so let your business leaders be leaders, regardless of age. The lesson here is that it’s time to stop creating artificial divides between the “us
and them” or the “present and the future,” because those lines are already blurred far more than most people seem to recognize. Instead, let’s galvanize and convene the multiple demographic clusters in our offices to embrace new technologies, maximize efficiencies, and develop new and better products. It’s time for us to focus on utilizing the wealth of knowledge, experience, and perspective around us to shape better business communities and grow a sustainable economy for today and the future. ¾
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PHOTOGRAPHY: TIFFANYCOOPERPHOTO.COM
Whether your perceptions of the millennial generation are positive or negative, most professionals probably think of them as the “next” generation. There are 70 million of them, and for better or for worse they will change the world as the first wholly digital generation with 24/7 global connectivity— provided they can find a job. Here’s the thing: millennials are not the next generation, they are the current generation. At the top end of the demographic, millennials are approaching their mid-thirties. You have probably been working with millennials in your workplace for 10+ years already; hell you might realize that you yourself are a millennial. This generation is already having a huge influence
on the world and in business (how many of you have implemented digital marketing strategies in the last decade?), and have been for quite some time. The Burnaby Board of Trade runs a student career development program called Access that helps senior post-secondary students prepare to transition into the workforce. A few major components of the program include mentorship, workshops and committee participation. While the average age of participants in Access definitely places them in millennial territory, it is also increasingly millennials in the mentorship, program development, and leadership roles. In fact, there were millennials involved in the actual creation and management of the program right from its inception and launch. Alumni of the Access Program now represent numerous businesses in Burnaby
Burnaby Board of Trade supports 4th balanced budget and applauds signal for PST reforms By Cory Redekop cory@bbot.ca The Burnaby Board of Trade (BBOT) represented its members with the provincial government last month by attending the provincial budget speech live in Victoria. Andrew Scott, the Chair of the BBOT Government Relations Committee, and Cory Redekop, BBOT Policy & Events Manager, were present in the Legislature for the unveiling of the new 2016-17 provincial budget by Finance Minister Michael de Jong. Overall, the BBOT was pleased to see the provincial government continue its commitment to balanced budgets and prudent fiscal management with the release of this, its fourth consecutive balanced budget. The BBOT was encouraged that Budget 2016 signals the potential for provincial sales tax (PST) reform through the establishment of a Commission on Tax Competitiveness which will be asked to consider ways to modernize the existing sales tax and taxation policy to keep pace with our changing and evolving economy. Both the BBOT and
the BC Chamber of Commerce have been advocating strongly for PST reform over the past years, and the BBOT made a submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services as part of the 2016 Budget Consultation process late last year. “We are particularly pleased that the government has listened to us and other business organizations and has made a commitment to further improve tax competitiveness,” said BBOT President and CEO Paul Holden. In addition, the budget reaffirmed previously announced key supports for the BC tech sector with the creation of a $100 million tech sector investment fund, a move also previously advocated for and applauded by the BBOT. The 2016/17 budget contained a projected surplus of $377 million for the end of fiscal year 2015/16 as well as a surplus of $264 million forecast for the coming fiscal year of 2016/17. With this balanced budget and its projected surpluses, especially in light of plunging commodity prices, the BBOT believes British Columbia continues to distinguish itself positively from most other jurisdictions in Canada. Other highlights of Budget 2016 included a new full exemption of the property transfer tax for newly built homes up to $750,000 and amendment to the Medical Services Plan (MSP) by making all children exempt from premiums. In addition, the budget contained several announcements of particular relevance to social and environmental concerns including an additional $673 million over the next
BC Finance Minister Michael de Jong Photo: BC Gov’t Flickr three years to the Ministry of Children and Family Development and the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation. A further $13 million has been identified in 2015/16 within the Innovative Clean Energy Fund, in support of government’s energy and
environmental priorities. As a triple-bottomline organization, the BBOT will ask its Social Development Committee and Environmental Sustainability Committee to review Budget 2016 and continue to guide BBOT advocacy in these areas. ¾
16 WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 • BurnabyNOW
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BurnabyNOW WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 17
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THE BBOT BRINGS BUSINESSES TOGETHER to develop strong networks, represent the interests of the business community to local government, and to foster economic development. We also provide a range of services and benefits to our members such as specialized or exclusive events and workshops, and discounted rates on common business expenses.
Here are some examples of real BBOT members sharing some of their top reasons for being part of the Burnaby Board of Trade:
Welcome new members · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
New Vista Society Re/Max Little Oak Realty BcPERKS Seton Villa Retirement Centre WCG Services CIBC, Kingsway & McKercher Hendrix Restaurant Equipment & Supplies Richway New Media Technology Blood & Iron Martial Arts Community Living Society Basket Revolution Gifts Vling E Business Ltd Burnaby Tours and Charters Ltd Online Trading Academy Qwick Media Rodan Jewellers Video Foundry Productions SmallBiz Web Design Focused Networking Ltd Digital Media Works Website Development Agency · Neat + Kleen · Watts Costume Rentals
BBOT Membership Info Lunch & Learn FIND OUT WHY OVER 1,100 BUSINESSES, ENTREPRENEURS AND ORGANIZATIONS HAVE DECIDED THE JOIN THE BURNABY BOARD OF TRADE! Enjoy a complimentary light lunch and then sit down with Paul, Marisol, Tessa and Cory at this orientation and get a concise overview of all the services and benefits that are available for BBOT members and what you and your business can get out of membership!
UPCOMING INFO SESSION March 23 Noon - 1:00 pm BBOT Offices (201-4555 Kingsway) To register, call 604.412.0100 or email admin@bbot.ca
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18 WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 • BurnabyNOW
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††Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov).†Based on Global Automakers of Canada New Vehicle Registrations in British Columbia for calendar year 2015 for the Subcompact (Fit), Compact (Civic) and Intermediate (Accord) Car segments and Subcompact SUV (HR-V) segment. *Limited time weekly lease offer and all other offers are from Honda Canada Finance Inc., on approved credit. #The weekly lease offer applies to a new 2016 Civic 4D LX 6MT FC2E5GE/CR-V LX RM3H3GE1/Fit DX GK5G3GE for a 60-month period, for a total of 260 payments of $56.97/$71.96/$43.97 leased at 2.99%/1.99%/2.99% APR based on applying $210/$280/$465 “lease dollars” (which are deducted from the negotiated selling price after taxes). ‡Down payment of $0.00, first weekly payment and $0 security deposit due at lease inception. Total lease obligation is $14,812.20/$18,709.60/$11,432.20. Taxes, license, insurance and registration are extra. 120,000 kilometre allowance; charge of $0.12/km for excess kilometres. **MSRP is $20,485/$27,885/$16,325 including freight and PDI of $1,595/$1,695/$1,595. License, insurance, registration and taxes are extra and may be required at the time of purchase. */#/**Prices and/or payments shown do not include a PPSA lien registration fee of $30.31 and lien registering agent's fee of $5.25, tire/battery tax of $25, or air conditioning tax (where applicable) of $100, all of which are due at time of delivery. Additional charges for waste disposal fees, environmental fees and handling charges (all of which may vary by dealer and/or vehicle) may apply. Offers valid from March 1st through March 31st, 2016 at participating Honda retailers. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer trade may be necessary on certain vehicles. Offers valid only for British Columbia residents at BC Honda Dealers locations. Offers subject to change or cancellation without notice. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.bchonda.com or see your Honda retailer for full details.
BurnabyNOW WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 19
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20 WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 • BurnabyNOW
Business now
Tides rising for Burnaby float business Cayley Dobie ON MY BEAT
cdobie@burnabynow.com
To say I was skeptical would be an understatement – the idea of spending an hour or more floating naked in a lukewarm bath of Epsom salts in an enclosed tank wasn’t very appealing. But sometimes you’ve got to do unpleasant things in the name of journalism, so off I went to my first session at Float Sense. As it turns out, it wasn’t unpleasant at all. Float Sense opened its first location in Metrotown last July. Flotation has slowly been growing in popularity in Canada, but Float Sense co-founders Randy Nyholt and Craig MacGregor hadn’t anticipated how well their fledgling Burnaby business would do. Float Sense turned a profit by the third or fourth month of operation, a hefty feat, according to Nyholt, considering the high overhead costs required to open the centre. Maintenance costs can also add up. Each
float tank contains about 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts, and it’s this super-saturated water that keeps clients afloat. And no, Float Sense doesn’t have a massive monthly water bill – they only change the water every six months. After each session, the water is filtered three times and then cleaned using UV rays. The salts are dissolved in water, which is then heated to 93.5 degrees (skin temperature).The result is a slimy and sandy feeling against your skin when you enter the tank. After a short while it’s almost impossible to tell which body parts are under water.The salt eventually forms a crust on the parts of your body that are exposed, but that’s only noticeable if you splash around. (I admit, I did splash and spin around in the tank during my 60-minute session. Oh, and by the way, typical sessions are 90 minutes long at Float Sense.) The float tank, called a Dream Pod, was a large, bubble-shaped shell that didn’t feel confining when
closed. In fact, with my arms and legs outstretched like a starfish, I could barely touch all sides of the tank at once. (I had my float session at Float Sense’s newest location in North Burnaby, at 3764 Hastings St., which opened in February.) Despite the local business’ popularity, flotation still doesn’t have the same reputation in Canada as it does in other parts of the world, particularly the United States and in Europe, Nyholt said. It doesn’t help that flotation is not covered by medical insurance providers, but Nyholt is optimistic that could change in the next year or two. He’s even signed Float Sense up as a participant in a UBC Okanagan study looking at the benefits of flotation therapy and whether personality influences how flotation makes certain people feel. Matteo Gerwin, an undergraduate student, is leading the study with the help of Mark Holder, a psychologist and associate professor at UBC Okanagan. In 2014, Holder conduct-
Relaxing, but does it work? Psychologist and UBC associate professor Mark Holder says more empirical research is needed to fully prove the health benefits of floating. Many float centres claim floating can improve creativity and help participants enter a theta brainwave state (the brain state experienced during REM sleep), but Holder says this is unproven. Most studies on floating were conducted using a small pool of self-selected participants. Some say floating has the best effects if people go in with positive expectations, but Holder says his research showed that was only true for some of the participants.
Float on: Randy Nyholt, co-founder of Float Sense in Burnaby, stands next to one of the Dream Pods at the centre’s newest location in North Burnaby. PHOTO CAYLEY DOBIE
ed another study on flotation therapy that evaluated the well-being and/or ill-being of participants before and after a 90-minute float session. Holder’s research indicated that most people ex-
perienced a feeling of wellbeing after the session, and many reported that feeling lasted as many as seven days after the session, he told the NOW. Despite the positive outcomes, Holder said more studies need to be
conducted. Float Sense sessions range from $40 to $70 per session.There are also shareable monthly float packages available. For more info, visit www.float sense.com.
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©2016 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. Shown above is the 2016 C 300 4MATIC™ with optional Sport package, optional Active LED High Performance Lighting System and optional wheels for a total price of $50,060. MSRP of advertised 2016 C 300 4MATIC™ Sedan is $43,800. *Total price of $46,860 includes freight/PDI of $2,295, dealer admin fee of $595, air-conditioning levy of $100, PPSA up to $45.48 and a $25.00 fee covering EHF tires, filters and batteries. **Vehicle options, fees and taxes extra. 1 Lease offer only available through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on approved credit for a limited time. Lease example based on $398 (excluding taxes) per month for 45 months (STK#R1606468), due on delivery includes down payment or equivalent trade of $11,250, plus first month lease payment, security deposit, and applicable fees and taxes. Lease APR of 3.9% applies. Total cost of borrowing is $5,033. Total obligation is $32,659. 12,000 km/year allowance ($0.20/km for excess kilometres applies.). 2 First, second and third month payment waiver are capped for the 2016 C300 4MATIC™ up to a total of $450 (including taxes) for lease programs. 3 As a cost of credit the incentive for cash customers of $2000 is only available to customers who do not finance or lease a 2016 C300 4MATIC™ through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. See in-store for full details. Vehicle license, insurance, registration, and taxes are extra. Dealer may lease or finance for less. Offers may change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers. See your authorized Mercedes-Benz Vancouver Retail Group stores for details or call the Mercedes-Benz Vancouver Customer Care at 1-855-544-9060. Offer ends March 31, 2016.
BurnabyNOW WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 21
Communitynow
Edmonds offers fun for small and tall alike Julie MacLellan FAMILY TIES
jmaclellan@burnabynow.com
As the mother of a threeyear-old, I know how long some of these late-winter days can feel – especially when it’s pouring down rain outside. If you’re itching for spring and going just a little stir crazy with the small folks in the house, never fear – we’re on the job looking for family fun around the city. In the last edition I brought you some ideas for the small folks in the Edmonds area. Here’s part 2 of that column. (Watch future editions for fun in other Burnaby neighbourhoods.) GET ARTY Edmonds Community Centre offers a range of art programs for small people, all detailed in the new Burnaby Leisure Guide (pick one up at city rec centres, or download at www. burnaby.ca). Among some of the fun ones I found: Li’l Picassos for three- and four-
year-olds, starting April 19; Li’l Sculptors, for three- to five-year-olds, starting May 1; Act, Play and Sing, starting April 21 (ages three and four); First Steps (Creative Dance) for ages two and three, starting April 12; Preschool Tap (ages three to five) starting April 22; and Kinder Ballet (age five) starting April 22.
GET ACTIVE When playing in the park just isn’t enough, why not register your child for a sports or activity program? Again, Edmonds Community Centre has a wealth of offerings. There’sYoga Dance for four- and five-year-olds, starting April 11 and Preschool Sports and Games, with a variety of options including soccer, floor hockey and basketball, starting April 6. Again, check out the new Leisure Guide for all the details. FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT Sometimes there’s nothing like curling up in front of a movie to pass the time
on a rainy afternoon. The Tommy Douglas branch of Burnaby Public Library (7311 Kingsway) is hosting a family movie screening on Friday, March 18 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. On screen will be the popular animated film Inside Out. Adults must watch with kids
drop in for free to enjoy hands-on fun making Japanese-inspired crafts, origami and toys. Upcoming sessions are on March 20 and April 17, and it’s all free. Check out centre.nikkei place.org for all the details. And, when all else fails, my last suggestion:
Families can drop in for free to enjoy handson fun making Japaneseinspired crafts
ABANDON YOUR CHILDREN Yes, just leave them in someone else’s care. Luckily, the Edmonds Community Centre offers childminding services, with a 730-square-foot playroom that caters to newborns to five-year-olds. While you work out, take part in a fitness class or play some squash, you can leave the small folks in the centre. It’s open weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon. Check out the current Leisure Guide or call 604-2974838 for updates. Do you have an idea for Family Ties? Send family- and parenting-related ideas to Julie, jmaclellan@burnabynow. com.
younger than 10. Drop in; no registration is required. EXPERIENCE JAPANESE CULTURE The Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre, at 6688 Southoaks Cres., offers Sunday Family Corner sessions from noon to 4 p.m., where families can
SERVICE VALUE SELECTION
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Tiny dancer: You’re never too young to start dancing. Check out offerings at Edmonds Community Centre for ages two and up. PHOTO THINKSTOCK
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22 WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 • BurnabyNOW
Communitynow Dinner marks Persian new year Tanya Commisso
editorial@burnabynow.com
Burnaby Neighbourhood House is ringing in the spring season by hosting a community dinner in celebration of the Persian New Year holiday, Norooz. The event is taking place as part of the neighbourhood house’s Sharing Cultures dinners program. Each month, a different culture is highlighted, with volunteers from the spotlighted cultural group planning the structure of the evening.Typically, the events include a dinner of
traditional food, an educational piece to tell the public a little bit about each culture, activities for kids and entertainment. Norooz marks the first day of the Iranian calendar and coincides with the first day of spring on March 20. A traditional Persian New Year’s dinner includes the creation of the “Haft-Seen,” a table setting complete with seven specific food items all beginning with the letter S – or seen, in the Persian alphabet – such as seeb (green apple) and seer (garlic). Kimberly Barwich,
Burnaby Neighbourhood House’s program director, says that although this month’s event has yet to be fully mapped out, most of their Sharing Cultures dinners draw a successful turnout.The program has been running for over 10 years and brings in between 50 to 80 diners each month, thanks in part to the program’s informative nature, according to Barwich. “It’s really about not just eating Persian food but learning about what the celebration is about,” she said. Barwich believes that spreading the word about
multicultural events within the community is important in bridging the gap between Canadians and newer immigrants. “I think it’s important for us to provide opportunities for both Canadian-born and non-Canadian folks to come together and learn about the variety of cultures that are in our communities,” she said. Tickets for the March 23 dinner can be purchased at Burnaby Neighbourhood House’s South Burnaby location, 4460 Beresford St.
scattered along the trail.The path runs through a secondgrowth forest along the remaining portion of the interurban rail bed between Craig Avenue in NewWestminster and Cariboo Road in Burnaby. The society has been lobbying the City of Burnaby to declare the forest and
rail bed a protected site. So far, the city has been reluctant to negotiate because the area is marked for housing in the future. Anyone who wants to participate in the cleanup is reminded to wear gloves and bring a large garbage bag. The city has agreed to pick up any trash bags left at the
MARCH 23-27, 2016 VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTRE
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Wednesday, March 23, 7:00-8:30pm
Join in trail cleanup event this weekend Grab your boots and a garbage bag and join the interurban pathway cleanup. The Old Interurban Forest Preservation Society is holding a cleanup event on Sunday, March 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. Residents are invited to stop by, check out the path and lend a hand collecting some of the litter
WIN A TRIP TO KELOWNA!
end of the path on Cariboo Road, noted an event posting on the interurban society’s Facebook page. There’s a small chance of light rain on Sunday, so be sure to bring a rain coat just in case.The trail itself might be muddy, so bring boots. – Cayley Dobie
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BurnabyNOW WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 23
Sportsnow
Sport to report? Contact Dan Olson at 604.444.3022 or dolson@BurnabyNow.com
Lineman brings it to CFL combine Simon Fraser’s lineman garners combine kudos Dan Olson
dolson@burnabynow.com
Going by some rave reviews, Michael Couture’s performance at last week’s Canadian Football League combine was a smashing success. The Simon Fraser University offensive lineman met and exceeded a gauntlet of tests, and raised his profile in the lead-up to the May 10 CFL Canadian draft. “I did what I expected in both the bench (press) and vertical,” Couture told the NOW. “My 40 (-second dash) was a little slower but in the range of what I wanted. I think where I may have did the best was in the onfield and 1-on-1 drills. “Those really showed how you stack up, and I had a few pancakes “I was (takedowns).” pretty The combine is an ophappy with portunity for draft-eligible talent to demthe whole onstrate their skills in thing.” specific tasks – tests of strength, endurance and talent.Teams watch the proceedings and have a chance to sit down with each athlete for interviews, building their own lists for the upcoming draft. Couture said the event had been circled on his calendar well before he knew the invitation was in the mail. “I was really hoping for an invite and it came just before the season ended, so I took a few days (at the end of the season) off then went six-days a week in preparing: field work, sprint training and weights,” he said. “Besides my university studies, I was pretty busy.” He has one year to go towards a criminology degree, but football has always been a big part of his dream. Couture played community football first in North Vancouver, then Coquitlam while attending Burnaby Mountain Secondary. He transferred to Centennial in Coquitlam to get into a high school program. From there he was recruited by SFU and has built a solid resume working one of the most gruelling positions, all the while showing his versatility. “That’s one of the things I highlighted in the interviews,” he said, noting eight of the league’s nine teams made time to talk oneon-one with him. “I made sure they knew I put time in at centre, guard and offensive tackle… I was pretty happy with the whole thing. I just wanted them to know more about me, but most seemed to be aware of what I could do.” As per CFL.ca’s Justing Dunk, the 6-foot-4 Couture made the kind of impact needed before a receptive crowd of league general managers and coaches. “Started the lineman 1-on-1 session with two straight ‘pancakes’, setting the tone for an offensive line that was dominant today. Couture was smooth and agile on his feet and displayed the ability to finish off defenders with a nasty edge,” the CFL.ca post read. Continued on page 24
Driving forward: St. Thomas More Grade 11 guard EJ Escobedo, at left, pushes past a Fleetwood Park rival during an earlier tournament. The Knights pushed their way to the B.C. 3A senior boys basketball semifinal before fading. The squad, composed of mostly Grade 11s, completed the tournament in fourth place. PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER
Knights build case for 2017 run St.Thomas More puts in late rally before settling for fourth at 2016 provincials Dan Olson
dolson@burnabynow.com
Within the lines of disappointment and exhaustion, the St.Thomas More Knights found a way to plant the seeds of optimism during Saturday’s season-ending defeat. Trailing by as much as 17 points, the Knights corralled enough grit and perseverance to give the Rick Hansen Hurricanes a true test before bowing out 74-68 to finish fourth overall at the B.C. 3A senior boys basketball championships. What was a huge gap minutes into the third quarter became a two-point shootout with under a minute to play. The Hurricanes held their ground, however, and St. Thomas More felt the sting of defeat one last time. It was an effort worth hanging a hat on, not hanging their heads in disappointment over.
“Having seen it in my years as a player and a coach, that’s how a lot of third-place games go. Either you get two teams who aren’t inspired at all who turn it up in the end, or you get a team that’s fired up and one that’s not,” said the Knights’ Aaron Mitchell, who received the Ken Wright Coaching Award at the end of the proceedings. Only one player cracked double digits – Cam Morris scored 26 points. Grade 11 Nathan Hallam came in off the bench to post-up for nine points. Mitchell’s charges started slowly, still tired and demoralized from the previous day’s 82-57 semifinal thrashing at the hands of Southridge, who would go on to win the B.C. title with a 78-71 victory over Steveston-London. In the semifinal, Southridge surrendered the first basket but led the rest of the way.Tourney
MVP Hunter Hughes burned STM for 35 points and collected 19 rebounds in a dominating effort – one the Knights found difficult to counter. “When you play a team that is maybe that much better, all the little mistakes add up,” said Mitchell of the semifinal loss. “(Hughes) is a heckuva player. I didn’t feel like doubling or trapping him was a good option for us.They’ve seen everything all year, they’ve seen box-and-one, the trap.We were a little tentative, but in the end they were the better team.” Morris posted his own double-double in a losing cause, scoring 23 points and pulling down 14 rebounds.The wide differential in shooting percentage – STM hit just 33.3 per cent of their field goal attempts to Southridge’s 49.3 – and chasm on the boards (28 to 44) proved to be the tale of the tape. Coming on the heels of a
strong 73-61 quarterfinal win over Abbotsford, where the lead changed hands 14 times and the Knights posted their best shooting numbers of the week, the setback put a quick halt to the momentum built over the past month. Morris was voted to the tourney’s first all-star team. The week will serve as valuable experience for the off-season, Mitchell remarked, noting how all but two players are returning for their senior season. “We’ve got 13 grade 11s and six-to-eight grade 10s coming up so there will be some tough decisions (next year),” he said. “You’ve got to be open and honest, that the off-season starts soon.Those who work hard and improve and want to get better are going to be the ones who take the next step.You want that challenge, you don’t want it to be easy, they (need to) push each other and strive for that.”
24 WEDNESDAY March 16, 2016 • BurnabyNOW
Sportsnow
Sport to report? Contact Dan Olson at 604.444.3022 or dolson@BurnabyNow.com
Morley ends NCAA career an all-star
His college career may be finished, but for Burnaby’s Tyler Morley it didn’t come without honours. His Alaska Nanooks were eliminated in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinals by Michigan Tech on the weekend in a 2-0 sweep. Prior to that, Morley was named to the All-WCHA First team, after a standout senior season. He was the lone first-team repeat selection, and only representative for Alaska. A centre for the Nanooks, Morley set the pace offen-
sively all season long despite missing seven games due to injury. He posted a leagueleading 1.03 points-per-game average, with 18 goals and 12 assists over 29 games. He counted a goal in both playoff games against Michigan Tech on the weekend. It came on the heels of the 24-year-old being chosen the WCHA’s Offensive Player of the Week to cap the regular season. Younger brother Brandon Morley, in his junior year with the Nanooks, was a firsttime selection to the WCHA All-Academic team.
Couture impresses Continued from page 23 It listed the 2015 AllAmerican as a top-3 prospect exiting the combine when all the results were in. Although considered a little underweight for his position, Couture now is a strong 292-pounds. It was reflected in his top-10 performance in the bench press, while he posted the second-quickest
40-yard dash among offensive linemen. It was in the one-on-one drill where he made the biggest impression, according to the cfl.ca writeup. Getting drafted and playing in the CFL would be the ultimate achievement for Couture. “They definitely know about me now.”
Reach around: A Vancouver Thunderbirds player, in blue, battles for some space away from his Cloverdale checker during Saturday action at the Burnaby Spring Blast atom and peewee C hockey tournament. PHOTO KEVIN HILL
Grandview on the cusp
media sponsor:
ROTARY CLUB OF BURNABY & BURNABY SCHOOL DISTRICT’S PROFESSIONAL COOKS TRAINING PROGRAM Proudly present, the 4th annual evening of:
Saturday, April 16, 2016 Culinary delights prepared in partnership with members of the Rotary Club of Burnaby and students from the Burnaby School District’s Professional Training Program.
Net proceeds earned from this event will be donated to: • Bursary to students of ACE-IT Professional Cooks Training Program • The Rotary House which was established in 1991 and has since provided support to the five severely handicapped individuals that reside in the residence • Rotary’s Legacy Foreshore Park Project for fitness facilities at Fraser River Foreshore Park Location:
Burnaby Central Secondary School – Commons Area 6011 Deer Lake Parkway, Burnaby TICKETS: Time: 5:30pm – 8:30pm Questions: RotaryBurnaby.FoodFestival@gmail.com More Info: www.RotaryBurnaby.org
http://bit.ly/rotaryfoodfest
Come and experience the food from the Caribbean, Phillippines, India, China, Ukraine, Mexico & Greece.
Adults $35 • Children 6-12 $20 Children 5 and under free
The Grandview Steelers are one-win away from advancing to the Pacific Junior B Hockey League finals. The Steelers beat the Delta Icehawks 5-2 on Sunday to take a 3-2 series lead,
with Game 6 yesterday (past the NOW’s deadline; Game 7 would go Wednesday, 7:15 p.m. at the Burnaby Winter Club). Timothy Chow scored three times, while Nicolas Bizzutto counted a pair.
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