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NOVEMBER 30, 2021 • VOL. 55 NO. 4 • VANCOUVER, B.C.
'It's just a little prick' B.C. children now eligible to get COVID vaccine shots By LAUREN VANDERDEEN
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UPS courier, David Akselrod advises residents to be vigilant as the holiday season brings more package thefts. HOLLIE MCGOWAN PHOTO
Porch pirates thrive as holiday season arrives
Porch thefts cost Canadians $784 million annually: survey By HOLLIE MCGOWAN
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orth Vancouver RCMP have issued a warning regarding reports of an increase in package theft from front door steps this winter holiday season. “Porch Pirates” are getting an early start to holiday theft, as a result of an increase in online shopping. And those numbers are only going up, police say. “It's been an issue for quite a few years,” said Peter DeVries, media relations officer with the North Vancouver RCMP. “These are crimes of opportunity, especially with the increases in online purchases through suppliers like Amazon.” With online shopping becoming a dominant way for people to buy goods, porch theft has also become
a regular occurrence. According to a survey by Finder, one in four Canadian adults report being the victim of porch theft. The approximate value of the packages porch pirates have stolen from Canadians is $784 million annually, according to the same survey. Other regional police departments including the Vancouver Police Department have also issued warnings about porch theft. “Now we see thousands and thousands of packages delivered to homes every day,” said DeVries. David Akselrod, a United Parcel Service delivery person who was distributing packages in South Vancouver on Monday, says that dealing with complaints from customers regarding missing or stolen packages has become a regular part of the job. “When that happens we do a
follow-up,” said Akselrod. “And then usually they get their money back from UPS.” DeVries said that thefts come in surges, adding that the most significant surges are around Christmas time. RCMP officers have a difficult time tracking down porch thieves. Lack of witnesses, security cameras and sensor lights on private properties pose challenges for police trying to solve porch theft cases. The RCMP, security systems companies, and package delivery companies are all issuing tips to Vancouverites on how to combat package theft. “One avenue that we pursue in trying to mitigate the damages caused by this sort of problem is through public education, public awareness and through the messaging that we provide to improve
crime prevention,” DeVries said. Zeljko Cipric, an employee of Eurtech Security Systems advises to have parcels delivered to a post office where the recipient can safely pick up their delivery. “If something important is coming, don't have it delivered to the house and left by the front door, especially if nobody's home,” Cipric said. DeVries suggested giving more information including specific directions when making online purchases, such as requesting the delivery person to place the package around the back of the house, under the staircase or at the side of the house. “If you have a plant or something just let the delivery man know,” said Akselrod. “This is December. It’s super busy. So just keep your eye out.”
onday was a vaccine miracle for Mike Sachs of Richmond who took his children to the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the River Rock Casino. “This is a holiday for us,” Sachs said. “Today's the first day of Hanukkah. Last night was the first night, but today is the first day. And for us to be able to get in on the first day, to get the kids vaccinated, we see it as a miracle, which is what Hanukkah stands for.” His children, Izzy, 8, and Desi, 6, showed no fear before getting their shot. “I'm excited to not be at school,” Izzy said. Sachs said the family has been waiting for this day. “We're a family that believes in science and believes in following public health, so we're trying to do our part to make it happen,” Sachs said. Health Canada authorized the vaccine for children aged 5–11 on Nov. 19. Kids in Ontario were able to get their shot starting last Thursday. In Alberta, children’s vaccinations began on Friday. Angela Chase said her family has seen the damages of COVID firsthand with family and friends. Her daughter Gabby, 10, was excited to get the vaccine. “I wanted to be protected,” Gabby said. “I don’t like corona.” When Gabby found out she was getting the vaccine she exclaimed: “I'm getting the vaccine? I'm getting the vaccine!” After getting the shot, she sent a picture to her friends. “Didn’t even hurt,” she said. Some parents were frustrated by the vaccine booking process. While the province has said to wait for a text message, many found it easier to just book by phone. “Parents are just like, forget it. Like, we've been waiting,” said Candace Flannigan after her two children were vaccinated. “Other provinces were vaccinated days ago. We'll call until we get our kids the shots,” Flannigan said. fication. Two hours later, they got an email notification. See page 3 for 'It's just a little prick'
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Atlarge
THE VOICE | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 | EDITOR ALAINA SAINT AMOUR
Parents still wait for new school
On the land next to Myrtle Philip Community School (pictured) is where the new middle school would be built. PHOTO COURTESY OF SD48
New Whistler superintendent said no update to move forward with middle school plans By SENA LAW
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espite high anticipation for a middle school in Whistler and a new superintendent in the school district, there remains no definitive plan to move forward with the school. Parents were first surveyed in 2018 about options regarding the predicted overcapacity in schools due to growing enrolment rates in Whistler public schools. A new middle school in town was deemed most cost-effective and received the most votes from parents and residents. Whistler has a population of 11,854 and is part of the Sea to Sky
School District No. 48 along with Squamish and Pemberton. The district serves approximately 5,000 students with a steady increase of at least 1.5 per cent in student enrolment rate each year since 2015. The project cost for a new middle school in Whistler is $32 million, with capacity for 425 students from grades 5-8. Dana Elliott, mother of two children enrolled in Whistler schools, said she remembers hearing about a new middle school in talks before her son started kindergarten in 2018. Her son is now in Grade 3. “My son being in Grade 3, he was supposed to be, if everything moved ahead properly, going into the new school for Grade 5,” Elliott said.
“And there hasn't been a word of it since they put [the plan] through … and that was years ago.” Jax Goldbloom, another Whistler parent, said that she has seen an influx of work-from-home families moving from urban areas and adding to the growing numbers of students at the schools in Whistler. “When these kids move up, the high schools will be busting.” In comparison to the other proposed options to increase classroom capacity, which includes building onto the existing elementary schools or secondary school, Elliott said building a new school on land that is already set aside next to Myrtle Philip elementary school would allow space to free up at all
three public schools. Elliott said the temporary solutions are not ideal and with the surge of new families moving to Whistler since the pandemic, a new middle school “makes the absolute most sense for the community” and provides the greatest longevity before the schools would max out again, she said. “I'd like to see them going forward with it sooner than later so that they're not having to add in more portables and use alternate rooms in the school that weren't designed as classrooms,” Elliott said. Goldbloom said she as well has “heard nothing about the details, timelines or anything of sort” regarding the new middle school since hearing that the plan was a go a few years earlier, but she expects changes with the new addition to the school district. “Chris Nicholson just started into the position, which I did get emailed, so that’s a start,” Goldbloom said. Chris Nicholson, the new superintendent of the Sea to Sky School District, said the main challenge with going ahead with building a middle school continues to be receiving approval from the Ministry of Education. Nicholson started his new job on Nov. 1, after former superintendent Lisa McCullough was recruited by the Ministry of Education earlier this year. Nicholson said the middle school has been one of the district’s top three priorities over the last couple of years, although its highest priority lies on the upgrade and expansion for Howe Sound Secondary in Squamish as it presents more urgency. Nicholson said the school district expects pressure when it comes to overcapacity at Whistler schools going into the 2030s. The proposal for a new middle school was submitted as part of the district’s 2022-23 five-year capital plan to the Ministry of Education for approval. “We know that from the minis-
try saying it's a go, it can sometimes take up to five to seven years for a school to be built,” Nicholson said. “It's always a good idea to be proactive so that we're ready to open up when we do feel those pressures and avoid excess use of portables.” Another concern parents expressed that might deter building the school is a potential shortage of school staff when the middle school is complete. “It's going to be an issue when the new middle school is built, or when we add more classrooms,” Elliott said. “Getting anyone to work in jobs like childcare, teaching staff, is an issue, because no one can afford to live here.” Staffing has long been an issue in Whistler public schools. Elliott said one of the district’s school buses was taken out of service because there were no available bus drivers. Nicholson said he reassures parents that there will be a lot of workforce and recruitment planning when the new middle school is built. And with the increase of population in Whistler, he is not concerned by potential staffing issues.
FIVE YEARS IN SD48
ENROLMENT RATE OF STUDENTS
2020 1.9 % increase in
enrolment in 2020. The total being 5,052 students.
2017 7.3 % increase in
enrolment, the highest increase within 3 years. The total being 4,924 students.
2016 2.5 % increase in
enrolment from 2015. The total being 4,589 students. SOURCE: SB48 WEBSITE
There's hope for Hope Community comes together to aid flood relief By MAXINE ELLIS
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osh Fletcher is a new Hope resident, having only moved there in May of 2021. In less than a year Fletcher has lived through forest fires, a heated vaccination debate and now major flooding. Fletcher said that the most recent of these events, however, has really allowed the community to set aside their differences in the face of a bigger problem. “All that crap we had all been bickering about or being polarized, that went away very quickly. And then we were like, alright, so guys, we are Hopians we gotta get up in this. I mean, our local government, we did not hear from the mayor until day four…Google News says it was 1100 [stranded] people but to us, it felt more like 1500 to 2000. All right, a lot of people here. We got to do some stuff. Because if we don't do something, you know, people are really gonna struggle,” Fletcher said. On Thursday Nov. 17th, resi-
dents in the District of Hope came They took care of people’s individtogether to help just over a thou- ual needs as well. Gordon recalls sand strangers who were stranded one story of a woman dependant on by highway closures due to extreme oxygen who had no where to plug in flooding and mudslides. her oxygen tank during the power As deep pools of water and mud outages. washed away parts of Highways one, “All of a sudden, there's a knock three and seven, Hope became the on her door, and it was to search nearest sanctuary for truckers, travel- and rescue people. And they came lers and everyone in between looking in and they knew about her oxygen for a safe place to stay. situation, they took her to the [Hope Father Gordon Cook from Our Secondary] school. And she was Lady of Good Hope Parish said able to plug in or oxygen machine the outpour because at the of help from they “All of a sudden, there's a school, locals was had generators, immediate. knock on her door, and it because we still “ Without had no power. was to search and rescue So they took hesitation, people [were] care of her,” people.” just coming Cook said. — FATHER GORDON COOK, OUR LADY OF GOOD out of their The help HOPE PARISH homes and never let up helping people either. Hope wherever they could. And that was Secondary School opened at 2 a.m. really amazing. There was even a on Monday to stranded people lookcouple of pizza places that started ing for shelter. making pizza for strangers. Even the Justin Ray Arnesto, a music drugstore opened up with no elec- teacher at Hope Secondary School tricity and helped people to get their attributes the selflessness of his medications and things like that,” neighbours to the closeness of the Cook said. community. But the community provided more “It’s a very small community, we than just pizza and places to sleep. don’t have that much, you can see
Brenda Deschenes and Miranda Cowan setting up a central food location at the Hope Arena. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRENDA DESCHENES
how small it is. The school serviced 750 people during those 5 days. A lot of students and teachers came in and volunteered their time, they didn’t have to, obviously everyone pulled together,” Arnesto said. It wasn’t just the people of Hope helping the stranded either. Fletcher tells the story of running into a new Canadian, a Sikh man from out of town that he met at a gas station on the first day of the flooding. The man had been helping
deliver pancakes to all the stranded truck drivers in their rigs, which were too big to leave on the side of the highway. “We had this beautiful moment, though, right? He was new to Canada but he was like, ‘this is what it means to be Canadian.’ I just looked at him as someone who's born and raised from a very old family [in Canada] and I was like, ‘100%, bro’ and we just like totally had a fist bump,” Fletcher said.
Campusnews
EDITOR MANAV ARORA | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021
| THE VOICE
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New variant dashes plans for holidays International students stuck in Canada
By GRAHAM ABRAHAM
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nternational students have been put on hold after travel restrictions were imposed in Canada with the discovery of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in southern Africa. Patricia Gaza, who moved from Zimbabwe to attend Langara four months ago, said the new restrictions will prevent her from seeing her husband who lives in Zimbabwe. The restrictions prevent anyone in Zimbabwe from travelling to Canada and will stop Gaza from going home for Christmas, as she could not return to Canada to attend Langara in the new year. “We had applied for a visa for my husband to join, but he’s definitely not going to come anytime soon,” Gaza said. “I’m here alone, I need family, I miss my husband, I literally know no one. “It’s going to be the worst Christmas ever.” Due to uncertainty about the Omicron variant, Langara international students could get stranded in their home countries if Canada
introduces travel restrictions while they are abroad. Currently, any traveller who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and has visited at least one of seven southern African countries after Nov. 12 will be barred from entry to Canada. Former Langara journalism student Mathilda de Villiers lives in South Africa. She said many South Africans feel scapegoated by the international community. “I’ve seen from a lot of my friends on social media and stuff, there’s a huge public outcry just because it’s getting blamed on us,” said de Villiers. “Our medical professionals in this country are extremely good, so the fact it was found in this country doesn’t mean it originated here.” People visiting South Africa rushed to leave the country after word of the variant, she said. “A friend of mine, she landed from Dubai two days ago and then she had to leave the country again yesterday,” said de Villiers. “So yeah, people are not happy.” The South African government has not yet imposed any strict travel restrictions or lockdowns on the people of South Africa, added de Villiers. “Our president did announce last night that we’re not going back into lockdown, everything is staying the same and he’s actually urging the countries that
Tanja Jancic-Turner disposing her mask into the recycling bin in building C
Virus mutates, mask habits stay
CLARISSA KURNIAWAN PHOTO
Safely disposing of masks remains an issue By CLARISSA KURNIAWAN
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new COVID -19 variant isn’t changing old habits for Theresa Yee about how she wears protective masks.
Yee, a first year early childhood education student, said she’s been wearing masks for the last two years since the start of the pandemic and it’s more important than ever to continue wearing hers. “It’s still important because there’s a new variant and people still can get it even after the vaccine.” Yee said she wears a reusable mask, but for her volunteer work at a childcare centre, she’s required to wear a disposable mask. She throws away
International students Harpreet Kaur and Patricia Gaza (L-R) arrived in Canada a couple months ago and are unable to go back home for Christmas.MANAV ARORA PHOTO
have put us on the red list to open their borders again.” Alym Bhanji, owner of East Africa Wild Adventures, said that while none of his customers were in the affected areas when the variant was announced, his travel agency and its employees will suffer as a result of the travel restrictions. The company’s ground operators in Southern Africa rely on the tourism industry and their livelihoods will be threatened by the lockdown, said Bhanji. “Over here, we don’t realize how lucky we have it. Over there, they can’t feed themselves when stuff like this happens, it’s hard to see.” Bhanji said that South Africans are being punished due to the sequencing of the new variant by scientists at Stellenbosch University. “The most beautiful continent in the world still stands to get the worst of the world’s wrath,” added Bhanji.
Infographic showing where the new varient has been detected in the world and countries Canada has barred travellers from.
the disposable mask when she’s done her shift. Roughly thousands of masks are thrown away daily. Students like Yee have become used to wearing them and discarding the disposable ones while washing their reusable masks. Langara College has set up mask recycling bins around the campus to help prevent masks from going to landfills. Tanja Jancic-Turner, student sustainability ambassadors coordinator at Langara College, said she continues to see discarded masks all over campus and across town. “They basically will end up in the ocean which really bothers me,” she said. “Masks should be treated like biomedical waste and they shouldn’t be put in a regular garbage. Having separate container for them is a great idea.” Jancic-Turner said masks are crucial and should be worn all the time. “I believe that between me trying to be healthy and improve my immunity, having the mask on that day is what helped me not catch the virus. I definitely believe in the protective power in wearing masks.” Before she was vaccinated, she was sitting next to a person who was coughing. “And I said oh, you’re coughing and he said no, this is just my allergy and the same evening he tested positive.” Jancic-Turner said she hopes more mask users find out how to recycle their disposable masks. She is aware of the recycling bins in Building C
on campus and has been using them regularly. “I think social media, flyers and sign around the bin would be helpful to let everyone know about the mask recycling bin,” she said. Andy Straisfeld, vice-president business development and partner of Lifecycle Revive in Brantford, Ont. said his company is trying to prevent masks from going to landfills. “The loops are removed, then the plastic are put in the machine and became plastic pallets and they are returned back to Canadian plastic industry for them to make all kinds of plastic for PPE or for general consumption,” Straisfeld said in an interview Monday. Lifecycle Revive sells boxes across the country including campuses like Langara to encourage more recycling of disposable masks. “We were created when Canada was hurting and didn’t have a supply, and now we’re keeping the supply and reclaiming plastics for Canada while we’re also keeping stuff out of landfills,” he said. Jessica Azarcon, a second year psychology student at Langara, said wearing masks is a selfless act that anyone can do for someone else. But she worries about the effects on the environment. Azarcon said she tries not to use disposable masks because she worries it will end up in the ocean. She makes sure to cut the ear lops off before disposing of her masks so it doesn’t affect sea creatures. “There should be a better way to dispose our masks,” she said.
'IT'S JUST A LITTLE PRICK' continues from page 1
“Parents are just like, forget it. Like, we've been waiting,” said Candace Flannigan after her two children were vaccinated. “Other provinces were vaccinated days ago. We'll call until we get our kids the shots,” Flannigan said. Michael and Stephanie Wong also called to book appointments for their three kids. Immediately after they called, they received a text notification. Two hours later, they got an email notification. “It was a bit of a mess. But that's public health in this province,” said Michael Wong. Despite the booking delays, Flannigan said she was relieved to get her children vaccinated. Her 11-year-old daughter Daphne said there was little pain involved. “It didn’t hurt that much actually, it hurt less than a flu shot.” While his parents were doing everything they could to book their children’s appointment, their son Alex said the shot was all over before he knew it. “It was just a prick,” he said. The family ’s only debate was whether the jab took one second, or one and a quarter seconds. Their sister Juliette admitted that even though she knew it was a good thing, she was scared just before getting the vaccine. “My braveness won over my scaredness,” Juliette said.
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THE VOICE | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 | EDITOR EMILY LYTH
Artists pre
Stories and photos by Claire A. Wilson
Karen Ashby holds a tarantula that she is in the process of drying. Similar to animal taxidermy, the insides of the tarantula are removed before use of the specimen. CLAIRE A. WILSON PHOTO
Women transform taxidermy scene
Karen Ashby holds one of her silk worms, known by the scientific term "Bombycidae." Ashby w
Local artists bust through old stereotype, advancing to the forefront of a new movement
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axidermy is seeing a revival in Vancouver’s contemporary art scene with the emergence of a close-knit community of artists who utilize humanely sourced specimens. According to Rachel Poliquin, cultural historian and writer, taxidermy has shifted from predominantly museum settings to modern artistic and educational spheres. “It's being used a lot in contemporary art, for a lot of really relevant issues,” Poliquin said. “Like the relationships between humans and other animals, habitat loss, you know, just all of this range of environmental and ecological and ethical and moral questions.” Classes are available across Vancouver and online for beginners looking to learn about taxidermy and insect specimens. The artists who run these sessions often source their specimens in ethical ways, contrary to the view that taxidermists acquire them through hunting. These methods often involve using specimens that are already dead, rather than hunting and killing them. Despite this, local taxidermists are still struggling with the stigma that their art is related to cruel practices. Not only have the uses of the craft shifted, but so too has the community. Young women are now at the forefront of the taxidermy movement, Poliquin said. “They're often super attractive young women,” she said. “But I think it's just such an interesting ideological shift from
taxidermy being a fussy old-man job.” Karen Ashby, who specializes in insectbased art, is among these women. Her company The Paper Nest sells art that highlights the beauty of wasps and their nests. Ashby also holds educational workshops for children at community centres, during which she deconstructs wasp nests and uses them to teach kids about the insects. Ashby has a background working in pest control which allows her to collect the specimens for her art and education sessions in a humane manner.
“It's such an interesting ideological shift from taxidermy being a fussy old-man job.” — RACHEL POLIQUIN, CULTURAL HISTORIAN AND WRITER
“Summer when the wasps are awake, I'm a pest control company,” Ashby said. “Winter when they're asleep, I'm an artist.” She said her art is not solely her own, but a collaboration between her and the wasps. Other artists in the community are also collecting their art and taxidermy specimens humanely. Heather Bennett, who started her small business Moth and Moonbeam in August 2021, is now using her longtime love of bugs and animals to create unique art pieces. Her work is a
mixture of small animal taxidermy, insect art, and other oddities. “I really pride myself in doing things in an ethical way,” Bennett said. “I'm not someone who's going out and hunting specimens or anything like that. I'm not a hunter. I don't support that.” Bennett said that all of the animals and insects she works with are ones that she comes across or obtains post-mortem. “A lot of people think that I’m purposely going out and killing these specimens,” Bennett said. “I’m just thinking of myself like going out and punching down butterflies from the sky, which would be a very hard thing to do.” Bennett said she sources her butterflies online from places in Southeast Asia and South America. “They’re butterfly farms where they farmed the insects — they live out their full lifespan, and then they’re collected after they’ve naturally passed,” Ashby said. As more artists like Ashby and Bennett transform Vancouver’s taxidermy scene, Poliquin said it creates a growing fascination with the art of living things. Bennett said she believes there is lots of room for the community to grow as more people begin to appreciate natural specimens through art. “There's nothing more beautiful and intricate and detailed than a living creature,” Poliquin said. “And so it really is a great way of stimulating new ways of thinking or new ways of talking about the natural world.”
Yolanda Mason creates art out of bones that she forages from the local w December, which will showcase the work of dozens of local artists. YOLAN
News&features 5
eserve the oddities in life
works out of her home studio in the Gastown area of Vancouver, B.C.
CLAIRE A. WILSON PHOTO
wilderness. Mason will be selling her bone creations at the East Van-based Weirdos Holiday Market this
NDA MASON PHOTO
An art piece featuring a taxidermied mouse, created by Heather Bennett. HEATHER BENNETT PHOTO
Weirdos Holiday Market: from creepy to curious
Vendors find a place for their unique and unusual wares in East Vancouver during holiday season
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he fifth-annual Weirdos Holiday Market is coming up this Christmas season in Vancouver for those looking for items that fall outside of the mainstream art scene. Started by Rachel Zottenberg, the market offers vendors and visitors a chance to admire works ranging from taxidermy to built bones. This gathering lets individuals who work outside normal artistic paradigms to come together. For vendors, it offers the opportunity to learn about one another in an accepting environment. One of the main values of the market is to ensure labeling and language is representative of each artist featured. “The word ‘weirdo’ kind of liberated everybody,” Zottenberg said. “It doesn't have a lot of
deeper layers, it doesn't have a lot of historical context.” Yolanda Mason, an artist specializing in the use of bones, has been a vendor in the market since it first started out. For her, the market represents a source of support. “It's sort of like it's a community,” said Mason. “And I think it's given us a little bit more confidence all together.” For two weeks this December, artists will be able to pursue their passion projects while also making a living. For Mason, it's refreshing to be in an environment with others who care.
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Businessnews
THE VOICE | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 | EDITOR TESSA BARTHOLOMEUSZ
Shoppers unload on staff
Customer at Superstore digging for the last rolls of toilet paper amidst a wall of empty product. ASHLEY BURGOYNE PHOTO
Floods have caused grocery shortages and restrictions on vehicle fuel By ASHLEY BURGOYNE
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hort supplies have led to short tempers, according to essential store workers in Vancouver. Floods across the Lower Mainland have caused grocery supply shortages and restrictions on vehicle fuel. Grocery stores in Vancouver have been having trouble keeping their shelves fully stocked, leading to angry, abusive customers sometimes taking out their frustrations on staff. Superstore employee Rabia Klair works at the Southeast Marine Drive and Prince Edward Street store, packing online orders. Klair said customers are coming every day and wondering why shelves
are empty, then asking when shelves will be stocked. “Customers are very grumpy,” she said. Klair said when items aren’t available, she has to order more. Parul Sharma, an employee at a Chevron station on Main Street and East 41st Avenue, said customers are not happy about the provincial restriction that limits fuel for nonessential vehicles to 30 litres per trip to gas station. The restriction is to ensure vehicles that deliver essential goods and services can get fuel. “Some people will just come in and then just yell at us,” she said. Before fuel restrictions were put in place, customers were buying large amounts of fuel.
“Everyone was like buying like two hundred, three hundred dollars [of] gas,” Sharma said. “But they need to make sure, you know, the person behind them as well is getting something so this should be more considerate about others.” Sharma said people need to understand resources won’t run out. Sahib Kohli, who works at family-owned grocery store Day To Day Express Grocery & Produce on Fraser Street and East 46th Avenue, said the floods have affected their supply of milk and rice. “There was some days last week people were panicking,” Kohli said. “They were just picking up milk from all over the places.” He said he’d heard of shortages at Superstore, Costco and private
grocery stores. Kohli said these larger stores receive supplies first, before smaller stores, and they are doing their best to keep products stocked. “You never know things might get better and things might get worse, depends on situation but you want to get ready for everything [that] comes,” he said. More heavy rainfall is predicted to make its way through coastal and southern B.C. through today and Wednesday. This would be the third atmospheric river to hit B.C. this month. Rebecca Pow, a Langara nursing student, said she’s not worried about the shortages and didn’t notice her local North Vancouver grocery store running low on products.
She said her mother works at a smaller grocery store and says the supplies are coming in from other places such as Washington state. Pow said there is no need to panic because of these alternative routes. “We will run out of stuff, but we can just get it from other places,” she said. She said the people panic buying need to be aware of those who can’t afford to stock up early, and that panic buying is counterproductive. Sharma said the gas station she works at ran out of fuel only once, and more fuel was delivered less than a day and a half later. “Everything is pretty OK now because we’re getting fuel deliveries, so for now I think everything is kind of back to normal,” she said.
Sciencenews
B.C. farms face uncertain future Farmers forced to adapt due to climate change By LESIA POGORELO
F
or two weeks now, the rain has fallen steadily and relentlessly on Diljit Kaler’s farm in Abbotsford. It’s damaged his roof and killed his blueberries. And there’s still more rain to come. “We have to change [the roof ] next week,” he said. “The plants
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will die here.” For Kaler, the owner of B & K Farms at 34965 Anderson Road in Abbotsford, the real damage will come next year when he can’t sell his products. “The fruit is all under water,” he said Monday. There’s no respite in sight. A prolonged period of heavy rain today is expected to continue through Wednesday. Unprecedented flooding has left farms like Kaler’s underwater, and volunteers and crews have been working to set up sandbags to hold back Sumas River floodwaters in a desperate bid to reduce more damage. Melanie Kuxdorf, the communications and marketing manager at
UBC Farms, said farmers in their network are telling similar stories with no one knowing exactly what the future will hold for the agriculture industry.
According to Langara’s environmental studies coordinator, Andrew Egan, most of the Fraser
Valley is built on a floodplain. Over the last 10,000 years, the river has continuously flooded the surrounding area and while it doesn’t flood every year, Egan said it’s happening more frequently. “That builds up layers of sediment, and then your plants grow on top of it,” Egan said. “We have stopped the river from flooding, by building dikes. And then in the soils we add fertilizer. We add more soil to it. Slowly over time, we affect the soil.” Egan said there have been regular floods over the years, including one in the 1940s and another in the 1990s, but the current flooding in Abbotsford is “epic.” “It’s not even the Fraser, it’s
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“It's not even the Fraser, it's another river that's affecting it.” — ANDREW EGAN, LANGARA ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES COORDINATOR
PAGE 1 Amir Khan
REPORTERS Ashley Burgoyne Claire A. Wilson Clarissa Kurniawan Christopher MacMillan Graham Abraham Hollie McGowan Jen Shannon Lauren Vanderdeen Lesia Pogorelo Nicolette Colosimo
another river that’s affecting it,” Egan said. “But this is what happens when you build infrastructure that doesn’t have the capacity to hold back these large-scale storms.” Egan said what’s happening is clearly the result of climate change. At UBC Farms, which helps train new farmers, Kuxdorf, the communications and marketing manager, said the agriculture industry has to change. “Climate change is already having a huge impact on agriculture, and it will continue to have an impact on everything from surviving heat waves to floods, but then also the changes with biodiversity,” she said.
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Arts&life
EDITOR JAN BEVILACQUA | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 | THE VOICE
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Clockwise from left: Jessica de Haas holds a sign outside of her shop; jewelry and hats at Funk Shui; handmade scarves on display at Funk Shui; brooms on display at Granville Island Broom Company NICOLETTE COLOSIMO PHOTO. A BC Buy Local flyer at a shoe store SUBMITTED PHOTO
Local retailers: shop, don't ship As supply chain struggles continue, small businesses are reaching out By NICOLETTE COLOSIMO
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week-long shopping campaign is encouraging Vancouverites to buy local as people worry about empty store shelves before the holidays. The BC Buy Local campaign kicked off Monday by suggesting that shoppers looking for deals online consider local shop websites. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent flooding in B.C. have created a supply chain shortage, which is expected to affect local businesses. With holiday shopping season in full swing, many businesses are urging shoppers to buy local.
Jessica de Haas, a textile and fiber artist at Funk Shui, has been selling handmade felt accessories and clothing for the last 15 years on Granville Island. De Haas said it’s important to buy locally because consumers put money directly back into their communities. “There's a face and a human behind every small business, and those people are in turn going to spend that money in their community as well,” she said. Amy Robinson, who oversees BC Buy Local as the executive director for LOCO BC, said the campaign encourages shoppers to consider the impact of their purchases, both socially and environmentally. “Think about the wider ramifica-
tions for your community and the local economy and that you're helping to keep friends’ and neighbors’ businesses alive,” Robinson said. “You know, you're helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” De Haas said it is typically more environmentally sustainable to support local businesses. Sarah Shwieger, owner of Granville Island Broom Company, sells handmade brooms made in the shop. “There is less of a strain on the environment when you’re not shipping everything,” she said. De Haas said she has noticed more shoppers have been coming in since news of the supply chain shortages. BC Buy Local is a seven-day
excited to finally have visitors return for the event and that they expect a busy season. “I think there's a lot of pent-up demand, people are just really excited to enjoy those holiday events that they used to before. So we're seeing a lot of advance ticket sales now,” Schultz said. While there may be more visitors this year, because of current provincial health orders, visitors will be required to show proof of vaccination before entering. Masks will also be required indoors, and ticket will only be sold in advance online. Despite these restrictions, Schultz said that the garden has added new activities and art displays to the Festival of Lights experience. “We have lots of new themed areas. We've kind of moved things around this year, and added lots of different artistic elements that we've brought into the garden. I would highly recommend the rose garden, the blue river and Heron Lake as feature points as well as the white
tunnel that we can see right here on the edge of Livingston Lake,” Schultz said. Some activities will not be offered this year to reduce surface contact and limit gathering. Kids will be able to write letters to Santa Clause but will not be able to take photos with him. The carousel will also not be making an appearance this year. Schultz said that the event will still have plenty to offer families. “We recommend allocating at least an hour to enjoy the event, up to two hours. It is 15 acres. It's outdoors in a botanical garden, and we have over one million lights so it's fun for the whole family, [and also] great to enjoy as a couple, with friends, [or] with family. So [we] encourage everyone to come out this year,” she said. Festival goers Leah and Brian Cunningham have never attended the festival. “This is our first time. We were supposed to come a couple years ago but couldn’t get tickets," Leah Cunningham said.
campaign that started Monday with recommendations each day on how shoppers can support local business. “We are recommending that day three is to give experiences because of all the supply chain issues, climate change (and) impacts of transport,” Robinson said. Robinson said with the recent flooding and ground transportation issues, some businesses have had to modify how they source goods. Among those, a bakery in North Vancouver, Bad Dog Bread. “(They were) telling me that they couldn't get grains from the rest of Canada, so they had to lean on other B.C. suppliers in Agassiz and Armstrong a little bit more heavily,”
she said. Andi Fillion, a café manager on Granville Island, said she prefers to support local artisanal stores and avoids big shops and malls. “Buying locally comes at a price, and it’s a lot easier to go to other shops to just pay a cheaper price, but you are in turn getting a cheaper quality product,” Fillion said. De Haas recognized the price point of locally made goods is generally higher, but hopes people will acknowledge the craftsmanship and value in a product that's unique and long lasting. “It might not be a big brand name, but it's something that will last for a really long time,” she said.
Festival of Lights returns to Vancouver Holiday events are making a post-pandemic comeback
By CHRISTOPHER MACMILLAN
V
anDusen Botanical Garden is lit up once again after the COVID-19 pandemic dimmed holiday festivities last year. In November 2020, a provincial health order issued by Dr. Bonnie Henry banned all social gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This came after a restart plan initiated in May failed to curb COVID19 cases. In response, Festival of Lights was cancelled for the season and refunds were issued for prepurchased tickets. Emily Schultz, supervisor of revenue and visitor services with VanDusen Botanical Garden, said she is
Owl display decorated for the holidays at the VanDusen Festival of Lights. CHRISTOPHER MACMILLAN PHOTO
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Sportsnews
THE VOICE | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 | EDITOR ETUVIERE MRAKPOR
Boston Bruins Zdeno Chara hoisting the Stanley Cup after defeating Vancouver Canucks in 2011 Stanley Cup Final. WIKIMEDIA PHOTO
50 years and still no Cup in sight Fans share reactions to the dismal performance of the Vancouver Canucks By JEN SHANNON
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anucks fans are heating up as their team’s performance is cooling down. The Canucks have lost nine out of the last 11 games they’ve played. They suffered a 7–1 blowout against the Colorado Avalanche and a close 1–0 loss against the Chicago Blackhawks. Their recent victory being a 2–1 win against the Montreal Canadiens. Josh Lewis, a season ticket holder, is disappointed with the Canucks’ performance this season. “As fans of a team, you always hope for the best. And when things go bad, you become extremely critical,” Lewis said. “We have an emotional attachment to the success of a team.”
Noah Denommee-Robert, a hospitality supervisor at Rogers Arena, has seen fans getting increasingly angry at the Canucks management team. “I could hear tons of fans chanting like, ‘fire the general manager’
said. He’s been a Canucks fan since 2015, and said he’s never seen fans get this agitated, even when the team suffered poor performances in the past. Georald, a Canucks fan since 1977 who didn't give his last name, said he blames the owners, not the management, for “I'm just going to the team’s losing enjoy whatever's streak. “The owners going on here.” are control — NOAH DENOMMEE-ROBERT freaks,” he said. ROGERS ARENA HOSPITALITY SUPERVISOR “ The Aquilinis don’t let Jim SUBMITTED PHOTO Benning do what he needs to do.” or ‘fire the head coach’. And it was The Aquilini Investment Group getting loud,” Denommee-Robert has owned the Vancouver Canucks and Rogers Arena since 2006. It acquired a 50 per cent share in 2004 and bought the other 50 per cent two years later. Denommee-Robert is also putting the blame on the owners. “They’re super passionate, don't get me wrong,” he said. “But it's become pretty evident that they're pretty hands-on in their approach to the team, and they don't necessarily let the management do what they think is best.”
INFO STREETER
Fan reactions to 'Nucks REACTIONS FROM TWITTER
A Vancouver Canucks fan holds sign versus Canadiens. >> Pavel
@pasha_in_russia
Marcia Cadorath, a longtime Jets fan, is impressed with how the Canucks are performing. “The Canucks have beat [the Jets], so it’s very disappointing … I feel the Canucks have a good team this year, and I don’t say that easily,” she said. Cadorath has tickets for the Canucks - Jets game on Dec. 10 and is hoping for a Jets win. Despite the Canucks’ performance this season, fans aren’t ready to jump ship just yet. Lewis said he has the best seats in the house and would go through a decade of awful teams to keep his tickets. “ We're literally eight feet above the Hockey Night in Canada cameras. So the angle is everything that you rememb e r f r o m watching hockey as a kid.” DenommeeRobert said it would feel wrong to switch his allegiance at this point. “I can hate
“The Vancouver Canucks have lost 15 of their opening 21 games .” >> Mike Martignago @MikeMartignago
how the team is doing now, but I could never jump ship,” he said. “I'm just going to enjoy whatever's going on here.”
“Its #Canucks game day.”
>> Memarzadeh @ArashMemarzadeh