Spring makeup tips...........................................5 “Absolutely no dark lips in Spring,” says makeup artist Cassandra Hrynkow. Change in season brings change in how beauty products should be applied. Learn from a pro inside.
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NDP plans $100 M for students
March 28, 2013 • Vol. 45 no. 20 • vancouver, b.c.
Dancer dazzles students, rings in Persian New Year in LSU DEANNA CHENG photo
Adalat Omar, a professional belly dancer, draws fine arts student Christian Vistan onto the center of the floor in the Langara Students’ Union Building as students look on. The LSU threw a Persian New Year’s party last Thursday, March 21, complete with traditional music, food and cake. Adalat is an expert in Uighur traditional dance and Middle Eastern belly dance. Check out her website at adalatdance.com
Langara-Vancouver NDP candidate George Chow says tax hike will go to grants and training By Ben Bulmer
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tudents could see less debt and more grants if the BC NDP win the May 14 provincial election. George Chow, NDP candidate for Vancouver-Langara, confirmed that an extra $100 million towards grants and training for post-secondary students will be part of the NDP’s platform. Chow said the $100 million for student loans and jobs training would be paid for with the return to a corporation tax on banks and financial institutions previously scrapped by the Liberal’s in 2010. “If you tell people we’re going to raise tax to do something, if you actually do it, people will be more than happy.” The NDP stand about 20 points ahead of the ruling Liberals in the polls and Chow is hopeful for victory. “I think with the way the poll is showing, and also what the people want, I have a fair chance of being elected,” the former Vancouver city councillor said. This may not be all that simple. Vancouver-Langara has been a Liberal stronghold for 20 years. Moira Stilwell took 58 per cent of the vote for the Liberals in the 2009 election, with the NDP managing 35 per cent. Despite that record, Chow says his chances are good. “With my experience, and my knowledge of the city and the community, and the demographics, I could very well do okay here,” he said.
See CHOW’S PLATFORM, page 2
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It costs a lot of money to upgrade a park and our budgets are quite restricted Alan Duncan, Vancouver park board planner
Raging moped driver arrested Police remove man after he allegedly brandished a knife at student By KEVIN HAMPSON
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ancouver police arrested a man on campus Tuesday after receiving a report of an angry moped driver threatening a student with a knife. The suspect was driving a moped when he reportedly cut off a cyclist at Ontario Street and 46th Avenue. The young man followed the cyclist, a Langara student, onto campus in what police said was a fit of road rage. “You know the way road rages are now, people get really stupid about it,” said Vancouver Police Department Const. Tony Chambers. “It escalates more and more.” The suspect, wearing a suit and a helmet, threatened the student, calling out, “I just wanna know why you kicked me,” according to The Voice reporter Jennifer Thuncher, who saw the men arguing. Thuncher heard the student say,
not lead to violence, Chambers said the police were concerned at the initial report. Police take oncampus security threats very seriously, given the prominence of school shootings in the media, he said. The suspect apJENNIFER THUNCHER photo peared in handPolice say a moped driver burst into a road rage and cuffs outside the followed a student in front of Langara’s A building. The campus security student, in the back left, is calling police on his cell. office as police officers spoke with him. “He’s threatened me with a knife,” to “Everything’s on the video. Check police over his cell phone. the video,” he said in a choked voice. The victim remained calm as he It appears the suspect is not a Langphoned the police at around 9:45 a.m., ara student, Chambers said. witnesses said. The victim said the moBoth men were questioned and reped driver threatened him with a knife. leased without charges. Although the verbal altercation did
CANADA rage poll
62% of Canadians don’t get upset when a driver cuts them off
Ontarians are the most aggressive drivers: 29% honk their horn when cut off
74% of Saskatchewan drivers avoid road rage
32% of Canadian drivers aged 25 to 34 honk their horn
source: 2010 Harris/Decima poll
Marpole parks will remain a muddy mess Many Marpole parks are in rough shape, but they won’t be fixed for at least ten years, official says By WARREN JANÉ
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esidents who are tired of navigating around mud holes in Marpole parks may have to wait at least a decade before improvements are made. Although 55 per cent of Marpole’s 11 public parks are in poor condition, compared to 20 per cent citywide, an official says it may take 10 to 15 years before any work is done.
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“It costs a lot of money to upgrade a park and our budgets are quite restricted, so we normally choose a couple a year across the city that we’re going to upgrade,” said Alan Duncan, environmental planner for the Vancouver Park Board. Vancouver has over 200 parks, so the city is challenged with deciding which ones to improve first. Though not all of Marpole’s parks are in poor condition, Duncan said most could use improvements. Ash Park, for example, has an uneven playing field with several bare spots and eroded holes filled with water. Taylor Anderson, an 18-year-old
graduate of nearby Sir Wilfrid Laurier Annex elementary school, said the poor playing conditions are nothing new. “I was here since grade 2 and it was like this even back then,” said Anderson. Other residents expressed their concerns as well. “It’s in very bad shape and I think it’s better if it’s fixed because the children can play there,” said local resident Lina Hsu. Marpole held a community workshop March 13 in which residents suggested improvements to local parks. City officials were unable to make commitments at that time.
WARREN JANE photo
Marpole resident Lina Hsu squats near a large puddle in Ash Park.
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