Vancouver Courier December 24 2015 by Vancouver Courier

TAXES THEY’RE GOING UP! 8 CHRISTMAS PODCAST READY FOR YOUR EARS 13 SPORTS ROOKIES OF THE YEAR 25 FEATURE PACIFIC SPIRIT 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS EXPLAINED 18

Local News, Local Matters

PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

THURSDAY

December 24 2015

There’s more online at vancourier.com

In from the cold

JUST S IN TIME FOR O C CHRISTMAS S S IN 1956, 9 6 VANCOUVER CO WELCOMED CO REFUGEES FLEEING A CRISIS IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE WORLD

RE/MAX Select Properties

HAPPY PY H HOLIDAYS OLID LIDAYS from Paul Pau ull Eviston Ev viisto ton n and Team eam e am

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

HOLIDAY SPECIALS Effective December 26 to December 31, 2015.

100% BC Owned and Operated PRODUCE

MEAT

Extra Large Green Seedless Grapes from California

Bradner Frozen Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Organic Lemons from California 907g bag

2.98lb/ 6.57kg

d One

ING BOX ALE! S DAY rday,

3.98

Satu er 26! emb Dec

Broccoli Crowns from California

Earthbound Farm Organic Salad Mixes 142-198g package

14.99 1.1kg box

WHILE STOCKS LAST

Canadian Prime Rib Roast

2.98lb/ 6.57kg

1.00 off

regular retail price

Canadian Beef Tenderloin

15.99lb/ 35.25kg

GROCERY

22.99lb/ 50.68kg

DELI

Boulder Canyon Potato Chips and Vegetable Chips

L’Ancetre Organic Cheese

Mrs. Renfro’s Salsa

product of Canada

product of USA

SAVE

UP TO

33%

5.49 - 6.99

Pearl’s Frozen Perogies

assorted varieties 156g product of USA

SAVE

Bremner’s Frozen Berries

assorted varieties

600g

300-600g

product of Canada

29%

30%

3.99

GLUTEN FREE

SAVE

27%

Receive of any item in our Deli Catering Brochure

31%

3.99

Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips

20% off

UP TO

37%

2.79 3.99

750ml

200g

473ml

128-213g • product of USA

Gerolsteiner Carbonated Mineral Water

assorted varieties

Ginger Cookies package of 8

4.49 pineapple 6.99 all others

2/6.98 Greek Gods Kefir and Yogurt

Coco Libre Organic Coconut Water

Nuts To You Cashew Butters

assorted varieties

500g-710ml • product of Canada

330 ml – 1L • +deposit +eco fee

250-500g • product of Canada

4.99

BAKERY xxx

xxx • product of xxx

+deposit +eco fee product of Germany While quantities last. Not all items available at all stores. We reserve the right to correct printing errors.

his

T only item ay

SAVE

32%

3.99 all others 4.49 Kefir

3/4.98

SAVE

Bars

SAVE

31%

assorted varieties

UP TO

36%

package 3

4.99 11.99

1.99 330ml 4.99 1L

4.99-5.99

WELLNESS MegaFood Women’s One Daily Multi-Vitamin and Mineral Supplement

Dr. Ohirra’s Probiotics

Himalaya Party Smart

assorted varieties

60 tablets

66.99

Ener-C Effervescent Vitamin-C Drink Mix

regular retail price

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ING BOX LE! SA DAY

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25% off

regular retail price December 27 – 31.

WHILE STOCKS LAST

www.choicesmarkets.com

14.99 10 capsules 38.99 30 capsules 69.99 60 capsules

.49 singles 12.99 box of 30

/ChoicesMarkets

@ChoicesMarkets

2/6.00 1 Capsule 30.00 10 pack

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

TIME EVER

AFTER 35 YEARS

BOXING DAY

SALE This Time Bigger & Better Deals. Let the Madness Begin.

Armadillo Boutique Ladies’ Designer Discount

At the Courier, we decided to provide an opportunity to our readers to give a little cheer and kindness to the youth on our streets this holiday season. And we have been overwhelmed by your generosity! Your kind donations make a real difference to the many young homeless people in our community and we can’t thank you enough.

From your team at the Vancouver Courier, we wish you all the very best for the New Year!

7912 Granville St. • 604-261-0840 Open 10:30-5:30 Tues-Sat • Closed Sun & Mon

Discover the Difference Imagine new heights in retirement living… “An active and healthy lifestyle has always been important to us. At Legacy, we have more time to pursue the things we love.” Discover the Difference at Legacy Senior Living Book Your Tour Today!

604.240.8550 611 West 41st Avenue (across from Oakridge Centre) To View Video Visit

www.legacyseniorliving.com The Leo Wertman Residence

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

Analysis 12TH & CAMBIE

Looking ahead: A civic-minded wish list for 2016 Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

Considering the time of the year, I thought — for a millisecond — that I should bring a little cleverness to this piece and knock out a riff on the Clement Clarke Moore classic, “A visit from St. Nicholas.” But in that millisecond, I concluded that a) I’m not that clever, and b) you’ve probably read enough bastardized versions of the Christmas poem that begins with “‘Twas the night before Christmas…” Am I right? Instead, I’m going to run through my wish list for the new year on the civic affairs beat. I’m looking ahead to 2016 because Christmas has already been taken care of, both personally and professionally. As I tell my kids, all I ever want for Christmas — and usually receive — is peace, love and understanding. The Elvis Costello reference has become my annual response around the house

when asked to provide a list, although I do communicate that some books, music and a plate of Nanaimo bars would be nice. What I wish for on the job is a little more complicated. But Christmas came a few days early this year. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to city hall, despite what all the grumps on social media complained about, was a refreshing break from marathon council meetings and staid, high-security brieﬁngs with Stephen Harper. (No, Trudeau didn’t make any announcements and, yes, it was essentially a victory lap. Kind of a big deal, though, that the PM was at city hall.) Anyway, here we are closing in on 2016. It’s been quite a year on the beat, writing about pot, homelessness, viaducts, elections, transit, hirings and ﬁrings and a whole lot of other stuff to stimulate the civic mind. But let’s move on… Here’s what I wish for in what coincidentally will be the Year of the Monkey

City council is on a break until the new year. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

and the year we discover whether Donald Trump will “make America great again” — and keep his name on a downtown tower: • That the new city manager — whoever that may be — have a monthly on-the-record brieﬁng with media to answer questions about issues that arise as the year progresses. The mayor’s participation is optional. • That city council put a stop to the year-end meet-

ings — or any others during the year — where heavy policy stuff and signiﬁcant issues are dumped on the same agenda. The Dec. 10 meeting that dragged on for about 12 hours (in between short breaks) was a perfect example. Issues included protection for renters, funding crumbling historic buildings in Chinatown, approving new bike lanes and reviewing the compensation of city council and park board commissioners.

Spread it out, already. • That requests made under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act are responded to more quickly and, when responded to, actually arrive in my inbox with some useful information. Or, even better, just send me that report or memo I asked for, without all the fuss. • That all police board members speak freely to media without having

to get approval from the board’s designated spokesperson, Mayor Gregor Robertson. That means supplying their contact information to reporters and being available and open — on deadline — to discuss all sorts of policy, no matter how controversial the topic (pot shops, body cameras, etc.). More voices, more views are a good thing. • That the term “affordable housing” no longer be used by politicians and developers unless they clearly deﬁne what they mean. I assume they’re really talking about rental housing that some people can afford. • That the usual suspects who show up to council to rant about this and that take a holiday. Council already knows what you’re going to say. Please turn over the mic to those ﬁrst-timers waiting patiently in the lobby. I could go on, but I won’t. Wishing you all peace, love and understanding. Happy holidays, folks. @Howellings

HUGE DISCOUNTS ON ALL NEW IN-STOCK 2015/2016 KIA’S!

BOXING WEEK MADNESS

DON’T PAY 84 + for 90 days % FINANCING FOR UP TO

†

ON FINANCING OFFERS

MONTHS

7, 000

$ UP TO

IN DISCOUNTS

MAXIMUM DISCOUNT ON 2015 OPTIMA HYBRID

OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 27th

ON SELECT MODELS

Receive a freE SET OF WINTER TIRES with your purchase of an in stock kia! 2016 AWD SPORTAGE

5-Star Safety Ratings More Stars. Safer Cars.

THE NEW

2015 OPTIMA LEASE FROM

129

BI-WEEKLY

BEST NEW SUV/CUV ($35,000 - $60,000)

Optima SX AT Turbo shown‡

$1,950 DOWN AT

INCLUDES $200 CREDIT ≠

APR FOR 36 MONTHS≠

FINANCING FOR 84 MONTHS

FREE $100 VOUCHER *5-year/100,000 km worry-free comprehensive warranty.

See kia.ca for more

Sportage SX Luxury shown‡

NO CHARGE

-WHEEL DRIVE OR ALL ON OTHER 2016 SPORTAGE MODELS.

SOME CONDITIONS APPLY.

2016 SORENTO 2.4L LX FWD LEASE FROM

129

$2,650 DOWN AT

1.9%

BI-WEEKLY

APR FOR 60 MONTHS ≠

Sorento SX Turbo AWD shown‡

AVAILABLE NO CHARGE

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE°

ON OTHER 2016 SORENTO MODELS. CASH PURCHASE ONLY.

INCLUDES $500 CREDIT ≠

TAKE A TEST DRIVE, GET A WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

THE ALL-NEW

2016 SPORTAGE

2015 SORENTO “HIGHEST RANKED MIDSIZE SUV IN INITIAL QUALITY IN THE U.S.” BY J.D. POWER

AND

ENTER TO WIN AN ALL- INCLUSIVE TRIP FOR 2 §

Learn more at kia.ca Contest ends January 4th

396 SW MARINE DR., VANCOUVER, BC (Corner of Cambie & Marine Dr.)

1.866.618.0616

WWW.KIAVANCOUVER.COM

Dan Roukema

dan@kiavancouver.com

Tony Levasseur Alex Razvodov Julius Panganiban tony@kiavancouver.com

alex@kiavancouver.com

julius@kiavancouver.com

Offer(s) available on select new 2015/2016 models through participating dealers to qualified retail customers who take delivery from December 1, 2015 to January 4, 2016. Dealers may sell or lease for less. Some conditions apply. See dealer for complete details. Vehicles shown may include optional accessories and upgrades available at extra cost. All offers are subject to change without notice. All pricing includes delivery and destination fees up to $1,715, $22 AMVIC, $100 A/C charge (where applicable). Excludes taxes, licensing, PPSA, registration, insurance, variable dealer administration fees, fuel-fill charges up to $100, and down payment (if applicable and unless otherwise specified). Other lease and financing options also available. 0% financing for up to 84 months or up to $7,000 discount available on other select 2015 models. Discount is deducted from the negotiated purchase/lease price before taxes. Maximum $7,000 discount ($6,000 cash discount and $1,000 ECO-Credit) is offered on 2015 Optima Hybrid LX (OP74AF) only. Certain conditions apply. See your dealer for complete details. Representative Financing Example: Financing offer available on approved credit (OAC), on a new 2016 Sportage LX MT FWD (SP551G) with a selling price of $21,532 is based on monthly payments of $244 for 84 months at 0% with a $0 down payment and first monthly payment due at finance inception. Offer also includes $1,000 cash discount. Other taxes, registration, insurance and licensing fees are excluded. Cash Purchase Price for the new 2015 Optima Hybrid LX (OP74AF) is $24,752 and includes a cash discount of $7,000 including $6,000 cash discount and $1,000 ECO-Credit. Dealer may sell for less. Other taxes, registration, insurance and licensing fees are excluded. Cash discounts vary by model and trim and are deducted from the negotiated selling price before taxes. †“Don’t Pay For 90 Days” on all models (90-day payment deferral) applies to purchase financing offers on all new 2015/2016 models on approved credit. No interest will accrue during the first 60 days of the finance contract. After this period, interest starts to accrue and the purchaser will repay the principal interest monthly over the term of the contract. Offer ends January 4, 2016. ≠Representative Leasing Example: Lease offer available on approved credit (OAC), on new 2016 Sorento 2.4L LX FWD (SR75AG)/2015 Optima LX AT (OP742F) with a selling price of $29,332/$26,452 is based on a total number of 130/78 bi-weekly payments of $129/$119 for 60/36 months at 1.9%/0%, $0 security deposit, $500/$2,000 lease credit, $2,650/$1,950 down payment and first monthly payment due at lease inception. Total lease obligation is $16,813/$9,287 with the option to purchase at the end of the term for $11,138/$13,215. Lease has 16,000 km/yr allowance (other packages available and $0.12/km for excess kilometres). °No charge AWD applicable on cash purchase of 2016 Sportage LX AT AWD (SP753G)/2016 Sportage EX AT AWD (SP755G)/2016 Sorento LX 2.4L AWD (SR75BG)/2016 Sorento LX + Turbo AWD (SR75DG) with an approx. value of $2,300/$2,400/$3,000 ($2,000 AWD credit and $1,000 in discounts)/$2,000 respectively. Some conditions apply. See dealer for details. §Open to Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory of residence who take a test drive at a Canadian Kia dealership between November 3, 2015 and January 4, 2016. 10 weekly prizes of a $3,000 itravel2000 voucher available. Plus one $100 travel voucher per eligible test drive. Limit of one entry/test drive voucher per person. No purchase necessary. Skill testing question required. Some conditions apply. Go to kia.ca for complete details. ‡Model shown Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price for 2016 Sportage SX Luxury (SP759F)/2015 Optima SX AT Turbo (OP748F)/2016 Sorento SX Turbo AWD (SR75IG) is $38,495/$34,895/$42,095. The 2015 Optima was awarded the 2015 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for model year 2015. U.S. models tested. Visit www.iihs.org for full details. Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov). The Kia Sorento received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among midsize SUVs in the proprietary J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM. Study based on responses from 84,367 U.S. new-vehicle owners, measuring 244 models and measures opinions after 90 days of ownership. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of U.S. owners surveyed from February to May 2015. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com. Information in this advertisement is believed to be accurate at the time of printing. For more information on our 5-year warranty coverage, visit kia.ca or call us at 1-877-542-2886. Kia is a trademark of Kia Motors Corporation.DL #30460.

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

Holiday Hours Dec 24 - Closed Dec 25 - Closed Dec 26 - 11:00am - 5:00pm Dec 31 - 9:30am - 5:00pm January 1 - Closed

SCANDESIGNS.COM

SAVE

BOXING WEEK

Starts December 26

THE

TAX We Pay The Tax On All New Orders Cannot Be Combined With Other Promotions

E B R AT

EAR

CEL

LANGLEY 20429 Langley By-Pass 604.530.8248

NANAIMO 1711 Bowen Rd 250.753.6361

RICHMOND 12551 Bridgeport Rd 604.273.2971

KELOWNA 1850 Springfield Rd 250.860.7603

COQUITLAM 1400 United Blvd 604.524.3444

VICTORIA 661 McCallum Rd Millstream Village 250.475.2233

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Internal audits offer glimpse behind scenes Bob Mackin

bob@bobmackin.ca

Vancouver city hall procurement staff need to be reminded of conﬂict of interest policies and development ofﬁce clerks should be trained to foil robbers, according to internal audits. Summaries of audits are posted on the city website, but the more detailed reports behind them are available via Freedom of Information. Key sections of two reports released under FOI were censored, raising questions about the severity of the problems found. A Feb. 25, 2015 report about a surprise cashhandling audit at the city’s Development and Building Services Centre examined selected transactions and analyzed risk exposure. The report recommended all staff at the concierge desk work area attend robbery prevention awareness training, but the observations and recommendations regarding physical security were censored. City hall claimed it needed to conceal

recommendations and policy advice and information that it feared could harm law enforcement. Under the law, however, public bodies must not withhold a “final report or final audit on the performance or efficiency of a public body or on any of its policies or its programs or activities.” The report said its objectives were to “determine the extent of compliance to applicable policies, procedures and the effectiveness of internal controls relating to safeguarding of assets, physical security, as well as elements of sustainable business practices in the office area. It said findings and recommendations were discussed with management, which “committed to improve internal controls as noted.” An April 22, 2015 audit of the Procure to Pay buying and tendering system said the city awarded $127 million worth of contracts in 2014. The 2011-launched system in the supply chain management department was intended to streamline

procurement and payables, but the March 2015 audit found a backlog of 4,800 invoices, an increase of 800 from March 2014. A quarter of the 80,000 invoices posted in 2014 were paid after 45 days. In the fourth quarter alone, only half the invoices were paid on time, within 30 days. “We reviewed contracts from 2014 and found that while proper bidding procedures were followed, improvements are needed,” the report said. “Criteria need to be established on when vendor checks are conducted and vendor performance should be captured in an organized fashion. Furthermore procurement staff should receive an annual reminder regarding the conflict of interest policy.” The report said there was confusion and misunderstanding about the system. “Acceptance and workflow of incomplete invoices. SAP [Procure to Pay] system is not user friendly and difficult to navigate.” The report also came

Pruning and removing hazard trees and plants Vancouver

When:

November 20 to December 31, 2015

Time:

7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

As important as they are, trees and other plants can cause significant power interruptions. Contact between trees and power lines can be very dangerous, which is why over the next few months, we’ll be pruning and removing trees and other plants the Vancouver-Queen Elizabeth Park area. Project boundaries: North: East: South:

False Creek Ontario Street 49th Avenue

West:

Cambie Street

At BC Hydro, we ensure trees and plants are pruned using the best arboriculture (tree care) practices possible. We employ skilled workers— trained in both electrical safety and plant care—who only use proper techniques to eliminate safety hazards. To learn more about this work, please contact Joe Taaffe at 604 528 3297. For more information about our vegetation management practices, please visit bchydro.com/trees.

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with a major caution: “The audit is not designed to detect fraud. Accordingly there should be no such reliance.” Meanwhile, city hall has quietly added a fraud reporting form to the contact page of its website, which was modified Oct. 1. The form is for anyone to “confidentially report fraud, waste and serious misconduct by city employees” and accepts attachments, including documents, photos or video related to alleged violations. A request to interview interim city manager Sadhu Johnston and internal audit chief Tony Hui was forwarded to the city hall communications office. Spokesman Tobin Postma said via email that the form launched Nov. 3. “To date, we have received six complaints via the online form,” Postma said. “None referenced serious misconduct (e.g. fraud) and all were referred for investigation by [human resources] or operational departments.” @bobmackin

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News

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

News

Available from New Year Hormone Free Black Angus RIB EYE BEEF STEAKS

PRIME RIB ROAST...$8.99/LB - $19.81/KG PERFECTLY AGED FOR NEW YEAR...LIMITED SUPPLY! M E A T

Black Angus

Hormone & ee Antibiotic Fr Grade A Canada AA

NEW YORK BEEF STEAKS

$ 49

Fam Pak

Grade Beef

Canada “AAA” Boneless

SIRLOIN TIP BE.00EF/kg ROAST

Fresh

CHICKEN LEGS

ge Bag Quarters - Lar

/100g

/lb

$ 99

$4.39/kg

D E P A R T M E N T

/lb

PORK LOIN ROAST

Center Cut/Rib $7.69/kg

SMOKED SALMON LOX TRIM Searay IQF

SQUID RINGS

COOKED or SMOKED

TURKEY BREAST

DuBreton Organic

SLICED BACON 250g

89 99

SALAMI CHUBS ............ Freybe

/100 g

Assorted - 125g

...

Random Weight HALF OR QUARTERS

/100 g

89 99¢

Tyj Spring Roll 50’s or 20’s

Freybe

SALAMI CH UBS Assorte

250g

Grated Cassava ......................

454g

Buenas

Banana Leaves .......................

400g

Coke Sprite

2L Pop.......................................... 2L

Nabob

Ground Coffee ........................

375-400g

Kellogg’s

Corn Flakes .............................. KERR ST.

680g

POTATO CHIPS 220g

$ 29

$ 99 ea

199 $ 99 2 $ 99 4

FRENCH BAGUETTE $

Approx. 190g

Fresh In Store Baked

BUTTERFLAKE ROLLS

Pkg 12’s

Fresh In Store Baked

PUMPKIN PIES

600g

RUSSET POTATOES WASHINGTON • 10lb Bag

BAKERY DEPARTMENT

SUNRISE TOFU TRADITIONAL

$ 99

/100g

$ 99

Fresh In Store Baked DeLuxe

G R O C E R Y

Kettle

/lb

Que Pasa

TORTILLA CHIPS 400g

1 $ 99 3

$ 39 ea

$ 69 ea

(Perú) Zevia $ 49 Cricket’s $ 99 All Natural ea ea $ 69 Sugar Free Natural Pop .... Sweet Potato Chips ............ ea 6x355ml

Buenas

ELLIOTT ST.

TIGER PRA WNS 31/40 size

/lb 700g Pkg

Wrappers 5” or 8.5” ..........

VICTORIA DR.

Fresh Viva Sea

P R O D U C E

$ 00

49TH AVE.

................

200g

MEXICO

Imported from Spain Spagnia Mild or Hot - Real Spanish

LARGE HASS AVOCADOES

Killarney Shopping Centre

$ 99

250g

/100 g

Fresh

LAMB LOIN CHOPS

/100g

7 LIVER CHUBS 2/$500 ¢ CHORIZO SAUSAGES $899 ¢ BRIE CHEESE ............... 99

B.C. • $1.96/kg

567g

/lb

$ 99

CHICKEN BREAST TEN DER FILLETS Fam Pak • $11.00/kg

Mastro Riserva Chianti-Truffle-Fennel

AMBROSIA APPLES

SLICED BREAD

$ 49

Fresh

DELI DEPARTMENT

HONEY HAM

3 $ 69 2 $ 99 2 $ 99 6

Hormone Antibiotic Free

Fresh Boneless

Wild Westcoast

$ 99

$11

Wonder

Open New Year’s Day 10am - 6pm

CANADA AAA GRADE

99¢ ea

$ 49

$ 99

170g

Coke

Bonessa

Red Pitted $ 69 Sour Cherries ......................... ea

720ml

El Comal

Corn Tortillas .......................... 60’s

Santa Cruz

Organic Apple Juice..................

3.8L

Coke/Sprite/Canada Dry .... 12x355ml

Armstrong

Blocks ................... $ 99 Cheddar 700g

$ 99

$ 99 ea

Martinelli

$ 99 Sparking Apple Juice ....... ea

750ml

Christie’s

$ 99 ea

$ 99 Oreo Cookies...........................$ 99 ea Organic Crushed Tomatoes ..... ea

Earth’s Choice 796ml

$ 99

Kellogg’s

Just Right Cereal ................. 375g

350g

1699

$ 99 Panettone ........................... $ ea

Motta 1kg

EFFECTIVE December 24th - December 30th

Open 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

2611 East 49th Ave. (at Elliott St.) • Tel: 604-438-0869

Your taxes are going up… again

Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

Dig in to your wallets Vancouver, your taxes are going up… again. After a heated political debate that pitted the ruling Vision Vancouver against the NPA, council voted 7-4 this month to raise taxes by 2.3 per cent next year to help balance a $1.2-billion operating budget. The tax hike, which council approved Dec. 15, is in addition to increases in utility fees, including 4.2 per cent for water service and 9.9 per cent for sewer. Solid waste costs remain the same. For a single-family house assessed at $1.1 million, the increases translate to an estimated tax bill of $2,011 and another $1,198 in utility fees — solid waste ($261), sewer ($345) and water ($592) — for a total of $3,209. That’s a spike of about $100 over this year’s bill. For a business property assessed at $589,000, the total bill comes to $5,397, an increase of about $150. It took council more than two hours to reach a decision on the increases, largely because of an unsuccessful attempt by NPA Coun. George Affleck to defer the vote until city staff could find $7 million in savings to reduce the property tax hike to 1.3 per cent. That savings, Affleck said, would keep the tax increase closer to the rate of inflation. “It’s the right thing to do for the taxpayers of Vancouver,” said Affleck, who suggested cuts could be made to the planning and communications departments and the offices of the mayor and city manager. In shooting down Affleck’s request, Mayor Gregor Robertson defended the work of city staff for balancing a budget that leaves Vancouverites with one of the lowest tax rates in the region and funds a wide array of services. “This is a callous and reckless approach to budgeting — throwing a massive

cut to the city and the people who serve our citizens, at the buzzer,” said the mayor, noting Affleck requested staff find $7 million in savings before the end of the month. Affleck said he was disappointed his motion was shot down by Vision Vancouver and Green Party Coun. Adriane Carr, who noted a city survey of residents found that 53 per cent of respondents agreed with a 2.3 per cent tax hike in return for city services. “There is too much fear mongering in the public around tax increases,” Carr said. “My belief is that people want good services. We have done previous surveys which have shown, in fact, public support for a greater [tax] increase than we even put into the budget because they link it with the services that they get.” Carr later voted against the 2.3 per cent tax hike. So did Affleck and NPA councillors Elizabeth Ball and Melissa De Genova. Carr told the Courier in an e-mail after the meeting that she would have voted for a tax hike “if it had been a separate recommendation, but it was wrapped into the recommendations to adopt the whole 2016 operating budget and I was not prepared to support the operating budget due to concerns about insufficient details and transparency.” Those details, she added, included no breakdown on the budget for the mayor’s office and what the city was spending on cycling education programs in schools. At least 31 per cent of services in the operating budget go to pay for policing and the work of firefighters. Another 22 per cent is spent providing utilities. Next year, $2.8 million will be directed at cleaning up public spaces and $2.1 million will help reduce permit wait times at city hall. Council also approved a $325-million capital budget, including $27.8 million to replace fire trucks, $30 mil-

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lion for sewer replacement, $16 million for upgrades to the Burrard Bridge, $12 million for social housing in False Creek and $6.5 million for childcare. Fees will go up in many areas, with residents noticing an average of a 1.4 per cent spike in user fees at park board facilities. Fees related to development, trades and associated permits and approvals will jump by two per cent. Developers will see rezoning fees increase by 30 per cent. Residents connected to the Southeast False Creek neighbourhood utility will also see a slight increase in rates. In recent years, tax increases in Vancouver have ranged from 1.4 per cent to 2.9 per cent, which have been considered “modest” by Vision Vancouver politicians. Annual inflation has run between 0.1 per cent and 2.3 per cent. Taxpayers can expect at least a combined three per cent in hikes to property taxes and utility fees, on average, over the next five years, according to city staff’s budget report. That’s largely because the city says there is a need to renew infrastructure for water conservation and sewer separation. Other pressures on city spending includes pay increases for employees, particularly firefighters and police officers. Collective agreements for the majority of city bargaining units expire at the end of this year. “Limiting future wage growth to levels affordable to taxpayers will be an important aspect of achieving a balanced budget while keeping property tax increases in line with inflation,” said the city’s “2016-2020 Budget Outlook” document released in October. The bulk of the city’s operating revenues are generated from property taxes (57 per cent) and utility fees (20 per cent). Other sources of revenue are licence and development fees, program fees, parking and investments. @Howellings

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HAPPY TOGETHER

Mayor Gregor Robertson and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were all smiles Dec. 17 on the steps of Vancouver city hall, surrounded by hundreds of onlookers. It was the first time in 42 years that a sitting prime minster visited Vancouver city hall. That prime minister was Trudeau’s father, Pierre. See photo gallery and related story at vancourier.com. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

Opinion ALLEN GARR COLUMNIST

agarr@vancourier.com

Federal election provided Canadians with early Christmas gift

hristmas came early for most Canadians. On Oct. 19, to be exact, the day the vast majority of us successfully voted to get rid of Stephen Harper. We woke the following morning to a new reality. “Douggy,” the waiter at the greasy spoon I like to frequent for lunch said what I have heard many times since. “I feel like I’m back in my country again.”

Imagine a time when you will tell your grandchildren that we once had a government that put a gag on our scientists; they could not speak publicly to explain what they had discovered about our climate or anything else for that matter… But then the Grinch who was turning us into a mean nation was sent packing. And none too soon. I mean, it’s not like we were living under the military regime of a Third World dictator; but bit by bit, one piece of repressive legislation after another soured the national mood. As they led to Supreme Court, challenges on to the right to die with dignity and Harper’s opposition to supervised injection sites, we lost a little bit more of who we thought we were. Or if we won, it seemed to be

PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

such an un-Canadian battle that Harper chose to engage us in. There was the legislated threat of twotiered citizenship. Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi fumed that it would allow the government to deport some of us who committed crimes back to places we may have never lived before. Then Harper threatened a ban on women in the public service wearing a niqab, when it had not ever been an issue. And, oh, yes, that Monty Pythonesque suggestion: Harper wanted a hotline to report “barbaric cultural practices.” (Shortly after that, I ran into former provincial politician Darlene Marzari who with a straight face said that she wanted to be the “Commissioner of Barbaric Cultural Practices.” The first barbaric practice she would eliminate was the practice of wearing five-inch high heels.) But imagine a time when you will tell your grandchildren that we once had a government that put a gag on our scientists; they could not speak publicly to explain what they had discovered about our climate or anything else for that matter. And those kids would surely be agog at the notion that a tool as critical to the development of social policy as the mandatory long-form census was abruptly eliminated by that very same government. But then the Grinch who was turning us into a mean nation was sent packing. And none too soon. For weeks before the election we were, like much of the Western World, consumed by the tragedy of refugees fleeing Syria. While some European countries were stepping up, Canada not so much. The message from Ottawa and Harper was more about fear than charity.

Mostly we heard about security risks, terrorists slipping in among those ﬂeeing a destructive civil war in Syria and a maniacal gang of thugs called ISIL that was spreading like a plague. That too came to an abrupt end on Oct. 19. We would take not 10,000 refugees but 25,000 and even sooner. And we would put people on the ground in the refugee camps in the Middle East to expedite their movement. Military barracks here were prepared to receive them. Canadians eagerly took part in donating time and money to help make that happen. It was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to open our hearts and our homes. There had been nothing like it since the ’70s and the arrival on our shores of refugees from the Vietnam War. Even I was moved to make a small donation to help a Syrian family come to Vancouver. Just a couple of weeks ago I was at an

evening meeting at the Or Shalom Synagogue along with about 100 other people including Jews, Christians, Muslims and probably a Buddhist or an atheist or two. We heard from a fellow from the Immigrant Service Society about the frenzy of activity taking place; a Syrian youngster talked about the hopscotching path he took a year ago to make his way from there, around the globe, to here; a fellow from a Christian organization talked of the work being done to help people transition to their new lives. Then, at one point in the meeting, a friend of mine stepped up to the moderator of the meeting to tell her he just received an alert on this “smart watch.” And when she announced that a Canadian military cargo plane had just set down in Montreal with the ﬁrst few hundred Syrian refugees, applause and shouts of sheer joy ﬁlled the room. @allengarr

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

Inbox letters@vancourier.com LETTERS

No need to dump the Trump name Re: “Joo Kim Tiah — take down that sign,” Dec. 17. So much anguish over the Trump sign. Will we now scrutinize every building and every road in Vancouver for names out of the British Empire’s racist past? Donald is likely more blowhard than racist — and when Hillary is crowned, he will be no more than a blip in history. Yet Secretary of State Clinton presided over the chaos in the Middle East that has killed, is killing, thousands of Muslims around the world. Donald will likely not be starting World War 3 with Russia, but what about President Hillary? All this noise to protest a sign, but silence over a murderous foreign policy. Allen Garr acknowledges that breaking the contracts will be very costly to Holborn Group CEO Joo Kim Tiah. It should be noted that the contracts were signed long before Donald said what he said, and when undoubtedly a great number of Vancouverites would have been quite happy to be associated with the Trump brand anywhere in the world. It seems that Joo Kim Tiah is the designated fall guy to show how Vancouver is so not racist. Joo Kim Tiah — a non-anglicized Chinese name... Wait a minute — is this an anti-Chinese thing? Lena Tan, Vancouver ••• I am not a fan of Donald Trump. However, don’t waste your time and our money trying to dump the Trump name. Leave the name Trump on the tower so people will know to steer clear of the building. When the developer has difﬁculty leasing space and the occupants go bankrupt, they will be ﬁrst in line to change the name. Dale Laird, Vancouver

City’s competitive bidding process disputed Re: “Greenest city promise hit by regulator decision,” Dec. 9. I just read Mike Klassen’s piece on Creative Energy and district heat in Vancouver. I notice that the Courier had inserted

a revision at the beginning of the piece. The revision suggests that Klassen was incorrect in stating that the city did not conduct a competitive bidding process prior to selecting Creative Energy as a monopoly space heat and hot water supplier for certain Vancouver neigbourhoods. I disagree. Klassen had that right. The revision posted above Klassen’s article accurately reports that on Dec. 20, 2012, the City issued “Request for Expressions of Interest PS20121461, Neighbourhood Energy Concepts for Downtown Vancouver,” otherwise known as the REOI. This REOI does not ask respondents to bid to supply a service at a price or with a fixed price-setting formula. REOIs don’t normally ask respondents to estimate the prices they intend to charge their customers if they are selected, and they were not asked to provide any such estimates in this case. An REOI is normally a very preliminary step in a multi-stage competitive bidding process. The city usually uses an REOI to make a shortlist of qualified companies that will then be invited to participate in a competitive bidding process. This saves both the city and prospective bidders time and money. But, in this case, the city never executed the rest of the steps essential to make this a competitive bidding process. This particular REOI process was also unusually lacking in established City of Vancouver tendering disciplines. The REOI lists the experience that the city would look for in qualified respondents. But, at the time they submitted their response, Creative Energy had no evident experience in five of the six fields the city listed. Vancouver’s taxpayers are not allowed to know: how Creative Energy’s own lack of relevant experience compares to that of other respondents; if/how many other respondents would have willingly competed to acquire Central Heat, had the city been transparent that owning Central Heat was the key determinant of who would win those monopolies; or why city leadership decided not to execute to the next steps that are normal in competitive public tenders. Due to the city’s decisions not to solicit business plan proposals, including competing Vancouver district heat ratepayer cost estimates, not to respect the qualification requirements outlined in its own RFEOI, and not to make competing estimates available for public consideration, this cannot, in any way, be described as an open or competitive bidding process. Aldyen Donnelly, Vancouver

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

Community 1

1. The Sally Skates event at Robson Square ice rink Saturday raised money and collected food for the Salvation Army. 2. Jennifer Wiebe is the social events and projects coordinator for the Salvation Army. “We’re always there in the community, always there to spread awareness for programs and do what we can do to support people,” she said. 3. The fundraiser attracted a colourful crowd, including Danielle Ryan, a.k.a. Poison Ivy, and Caitlin Ryan, a.k.a. Harley Quinn. The sisters were some of the many cosplayers who attended the nearby Akimatsuri convention at UBC Robson Square. 4. Steve Dormer laces up son Dominic’s skates. PHOTOS REBECCA BLISSETT. See photo gallery at vancourier.com

CITY LIVING

Do-gooders strap on skates for Salvation Army fundraiser Rebecca Blissett

rvblissett@gmail.com

Vancouverites can dream of a white Christmas all they want, but the usual reality is dismal grey skies with drizzling rain. Unless a trip to the local ski hills is in the works, the next best thing to get into the winter spirit is heading to the city’s outdoor skating rink. While it isn’t quite as big as New York’s Rink at Rockefeller or London’s Somerset House, the Author Erikson-designed rink — as part of the provincial law courts, UBC branch and government ofﬁces — is hugely popular with ice skaters of all abilities, from

graceful ﬁgure skaters to kids whipping around with their skates bent so far inwards it looks like their ankles are touching ice. The rink was busy as ever Saturday as the Salvation Army hosted its second annual Sally Skates as part of a ﬁnal push to meet its provincial fundraising goal of $4 million by Christmas Eve. Skating at the rink is free, but the Salvation Army had its red kettle balls out, gave hot chocolate to those who donated to the food hamper, and volunteers with boxes of candy canes skated through the throngs of families and cosplayers who took a break from the Akimatsuri convention at the nearby UBC

Robson Square to strap on the blades. “When we collect toys and when we collect food like we are today at Sally Skates, or whether we collect donations at the kettle, that just really helps families,” said Deb Lowell, the Salvation Army’s communications and marketing director. “That is so, so very important for us to be able to do that.” The 150-year-old Salvation Army organization runs a variety of international social programs that run the gamut from homeless shelters and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs to disaster relief efforts and a missing

persons tracing service. “Last year in Canada, the Salvation Army served 1.8 million Canadians so certainly there are many families who are struggling with poverty,” Lowell added. “We see one in ﬁve kids live in poverty and that’s a really, really tough stat. It’s unacceptable and, especially at Christmas time, we want to make sure no child is forgotten.” The Canada-wide fundraising goal is $21 million by the Dec. 24 deadline, and considering 86 cents of each dollar actually goes to programs and not administration costs, every bit really helps, said Lowell.

“You know, we’re just so thankful to not only our staff, teams, partners who are surrounding us today, but also the volunteers. We are truly an army, and with the help of all those people we are able to stretch the dollar further.” The Salvation Army is an international charitable organization and it is also a Christian denominational church, started by founders who wanted to bring salvation to the poor, destitute, and hungry, added Jennifer Wiebe, social events and projects coordinator for the Salvation Army. “All of our programs and services are provided without pushing religion, we’re

accepting of everybody,” she said. “The thing about The Salvation Army is everybody has been helped in some way, so most people have some kind of personal connection. We’re always there in the community, always there to spread awareness for programs and do what we can do to support people.” While the fundraising deadline looms, donations can still be made at kettle bells around the city, at the till at London Drugs stores, or online at salvationarmy.ca. The ﬁnal fundraising count will be announced on its website next week. @rebeccablissett

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Community

A special audio treat for readers Barry Link

blink@glaciermedia.ca

Courier readers get a special audio gift for Christmas this year. In 2004, the Vancouver Courier published a story by Ted Hunt that recounted his childhood experience facing a Christmas without his father who was away fighting in the Second World War. Called simply “A Christmas story,” it’s a blend of local history, nostalgia and personal remembrance. Readers have asked about the story over the years. In response, we recorded a dramatic reading of A Christmas Story as performed by Vancouver actor Wayne Wiens. To find the recording, go to the online version of this story at vancourier. com. You can also find it on iTunes, Tunein and Stitcher by searching for the podcast This is Lotusland and downloading the A Christmas Story episode. Hunt, a third generation Vancouverite and contributor to the Courier, said last week he wrote the story as a way to deal with the loss of his father the year before. “I missed

Did somebody say Actor Wayne Wiens prepares to read “A Christmas Story” during a recording session at the Beaumont Studios last week. The recording is available at vancourier.com or as a podcast through This is Lotusland on iTunes, Tunein and Stitcher.

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PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

him a lot,” he said. “It took almost a year for me to square it away and realize it was a story I wanted to tell.” Hunt’s father joined the Canadian Army at the outbreak of the Second World War and served in a port company until the war’s end. He joined partly to escape the poverty of the Depression. “He was broke” Hunt said. “He thought it was an opportunity for him.” And it was, according to Hunt. According to Hunt, the vivid details in the story come from memories that have remained with him

since childhood. “When I write, it’s like watching a motion picture,” he said. He remembers the fear he felt as a child listening to BBC radio reports on the victories by the Axis armies and as the map on the wall in his grandparent’s home showed the advance of the Germans in Europe. That sense of fear underscores what he hopes readers ultimately retain from the story. “The insanity of war, that’s the nucleus,” he said. “Why do we do this when we all want the same things: mother, father, baby, live.”

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

Feature

Thousands of Hungarian refugees came

A shoeless Hungarian refugee is helped across the Austrian border by a soldier and customs officer. CITY OF VANCOUVER ARCHIVES PORT P1428.07

Similar to today, in 1956, Vancouver opened its arms to refugees escaping a crisis in their homeland

Lisa Smedman

smedwoman@shaw.ca

Christmas Eve, 1956. In the dead of a winter night, with snow thick on the ground, Hungarian refugees slip across the Austrian border, ﬂeeing the Soviet crackdown on a failed uprising. Some 751 refugees cross the border that night alone, as does a Russian tank soldier — likely one of those whose tanks smashed Budapest on Nov. 4 — who stepped off a freight train, handed his pistol to border police and asked for asylum. Among those ﬂeeing Hungary that night were four people with a local connection: they were led by a human smuggler who’d been hired by a

Vancouver family to get them out. The Vancouver Sun told the tale in a Dec. 27 frontpage story headlined “Sun Reporter Helps Four to Escape Reds.” Jack Brooks, staff reporter, was in Vienna covering one of the biggest stories of the year: the exodus of 200,000 Hungarian refugees into neighbouring Austria and the “freedom ﬂights” that would ultimately bring 37,000 of them to Canada. In early December, Vancouver resident Ty Wamosher contacted Brooks, asking if he’d broker the escape of his wife’s mother, brother, sister-in-law, and their child. “They had read my story... describing how guides could be sent in to

bring others out,” Brooks wrote. “They phoned the Sun and said they were ready to pay if it could be arranged.” Brooks met the smugglers at a cafe near St. Stephan’s Cathedral in Vienna. The fee was $500 per head — equivalent to more than a month’s wages — or $125 per head if those in Hungary were contacted but didn’t want to go. The Wamoshers cabled the money to Vienna. Brooks described the deal: “With a two-inchthick wad of dollars in my pocket I went to a hotel down one of Vienna’s dingy, narrow streets. The contact counted the money carefully. The man who would go over the bloody borders watched closely

and ﬂashed his silver teeth in agreement.” Passwords were chosen by the Wamoshers — phrases that only they would know, to prove that the man knocking at the door of their relatives wasn’t a Soviet agent: “Dudus says Lili’s ring is still in Switzerland” and “Cula remembers how you and Nyuszi were still seasick in the car traveling from London to Folkestone.” The money was placed in trust with a local rabbi, who would hold it until the smuggler returned either with the relatives — or with a letter, saying they didn’t want to leave Hungary. Then the smuggler crossed the border. Hours later, there came startling news: three of

those he’d gone to retrieve had already crossed the border. Only Mrs. Wamosher’s 67-year-old mother was still in Hungary. Two days of tense negotiations followed: those in Vancouver wanted three different people brought out. Eventually, a deal was struck, and the smuggler returned with four people, arriving in Austria around 1 a.m. on Christmas Day. “Communist guards held them several hours,” Brooks wrote. “There was fear of prison, of deportation, even execution. But eventually they were allowed to go. The second guide picked them up and led them on a 30-mile foot slog through frozen ﬁelds and marshes to the border.”

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Feature

to Canada ﬂeeing Soviet crackdown New home for Christmas

Meanwhile in Vancouver, the Vancouver Sun reported that 250 Hungarian refugees who’d already come to B.C. had each been placed with a local family for Christmas. “And that means they will be warm, well fed and as merry as they can be in a strange new home,” the newspaper said. “With the people of B.C. opening their doors and hearts the big influx is proving less of a problem than anyone anticipated.” Alex Lockwood of the Department of Immigration estimated that about half of the male Hungarians in Greater Vancouver had found jobs; many were already working in grain elevators and other laboring jobs. “The big barrier for all but a handful of the Hungarians is the lack of English,” the paper reported. “A few speak English, or took it in school and have re-mastered it quickly but more than 20 did not know even the basic “Yes” and “No” when they stepped off the planes.” The “freedom flights” brought refugees to Vancouver’s airport on Sea Island. A Province newspaper photographer captured images of several of them arriving on Dec. 6: families and single people, most of them young. On Christmas Eve, the Province reported: “The plight of Hungarian men, women and children fleeing from their homeland after Russian forces crushed their bid for freedom has caught the imaginations of Canadians. There were some protests but these have not dimmed the desire of other Canadians to open their hearts to the refugees. “Officials of the federal immigration department say they have never seen Canadians rally to a cause so readily and with such affection… Refugees now are arriving in Canada almost daily by ship and plane. The total will be 4,429 by Christmas Day.” The paper commented on the quality of the refugees: “A large proportion are professional, skilled or semi-skilled people. They are expected to make a major contribution to Canada’s productivity.” The federal government, the paper added, had thus far committed itself to

bring about 20,000 Hungarians to Canada. “Some 7,500 will have landed or be on their way by the end of the month and about 10,000 are expected by the end of January.” Another story in the same newspaper reported on the arrival of Elizabeth Markstein, her son Vendel and his wife Maria, who’d ﬂed their village of Varoslod following the uprising and had since joined Elizabeth’s husband Tony near Nanaimo. The paper described their two-day, 125-mile overland trek away from the “Red terror.” “Sometimes they went by rail but as they approached the larger towns, which were ringed by Russian tanks, artillery and troops they walked by night to evade patrols. They had no food — only a bottle of rum. “Several refugees were caught but the Marksteins made it successfully to the border. There they spent three bitter hours crawling on their stomachs across frozen ground to the border into Austria. Several times they were machinegunned and many others were shot or wounded. “They crossed the Einser Canal at the border three days before the Russians blew up the bridge.” Some Canadians ﬂew to Austria to join the international relief effort. These included Sybil Conery, executive secretary-treasurer of Save the Children Fund’s B.C. branch. Conery told the Province that Hungarian parents gave their children sleeping tablets so the children would be quiet during the border crossing. Some parents gave their children too much, and the overdosed children nearly didn’t wake up. “It kept them quiet all right, but when they reached the border camp we daren’t have let them sleep or they would have died,” Conery said. “So we stayed up with them, all night, clapping hands, throwing ball and talking to them... Some of the children came across with their arms frozen stiff and their clothing had to be either cut off or thawed out.” Conery added: “Austria is such a poor country itself that it cannot possibly support all the refugees pouring in and I think we ought to do something.”

Welcome to Vancouver

On Christmas Eve, the Sun ran a photo of Tamas Neszmelyi and his wife, together with their nine-year-old son Tomi, praying in front of a cross at Calvin Hungarian Presbyterian Church at Main Street and 24th Avenue. “Giving Humble Thanks at Christmas is new Canadian family which only two months ago lived under Russian domination in embattled Hungary,” the photo caption read. Immigrant communities within Vancouver rallied to help the newcomers. The Sun reported that German Canadians provided Christmas presents for the Hungarian refugees in response to a Dec. 13 article in Der Courier, a German-language weekly newspaper, which appealed to “the many of you who have known what it is to be a refugee.” More than 300 “gaily wrapped” parcels poured in from all over B.C. as a result. Hungarian refugees continued to arrive in Vancouver in the days following Christmas. On Dec. 27, the Sun reported the arrival of another 66 Hungarians at the airport, including 13 children. The refugees had fled in late November, and spent a month at a refugee camp in Austria. P.W. Bird, a settlement officer, told the newspaper, “This is the best group we’ve had. They are mainly professionals and skilled tradesmen. They’ll all be settled by Friday.” Bird contrasted the recent arrivals with the first refugees to come to Canada. “The first groups we had were poorly dressed, had nothing. These are less bewildered, are warmly dressed and have extra clothing.” The Hungarians received a meal of ham and eggs, toast and coffee. The children all received belated Christmas presents. The group included “Charles” and “Susanne,” a radiologist and an Xray technician who soon planned to get married. The newspaper quoted him as saying: “We escaped together. There was no attempt to stop us... This is the best Christmas we’ve ever had.”

Hungarian refugees at the Immigration Building at the airport on Dec. 6, 1956.

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T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Spending statistics courtesy of MonerisMetrics Quarterly Report BLACK FRIDAY STANDOUT CATEGORIES: Specialty retail +17.96% Sporting goods +23.92% TOTAL Women’s accessories Cyber Monday +20.44% spending increase Home electronics +11.74% in Canada 14.07% Apparel +12.35% Women’s clothing Foreign card +28.98% spending increase Men’s clothing on Black Friday +15.64% 27.7% Household +6.60%

TOTAL Black Friday spending increase in Canada 9.58%

MICHELLE HOPKINS • REW.ca

Christmas comes early for B.C. retailers

CYBER MONDAY STANDOUT CATEGORIES: Specialty retail +9.01% Sporting goods +10.02% Home electronics +9.35% Apparel +12.20% Women’s clothing +17% Sports apparel +28.3% Household +24.50%

An Invitation to join us for

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For most of us, Christmas include tourism, robust is the most wonderful time exports and the strength of the year. It can also be of the U.S. dollar, which the most wonderful or the is keeping most British worst time of the year for Columbians shopping retailers. According to Mark locally. “The U.S. dollar Startup, vice-president of the is deﬁnitely a contributing Vancouver branch of the factor... same-day and threeRetail Council of Canada, it day trips to the U.S. have is shaping up to be a good dropped dramatically this year,” he says. “In addition, year for British Columbia U.S. retailers are opening vendors. “I expect to see a stores here, so the need to rise or increase in Christmas go cross-border shopping spending this year over is decreasing.” Although last year,” Startup says. Startup adds that it’s “Compared to the rest still speculative of the country, B.C. at this point is outperforming if consumer the other FOR spending provinces yearto-date. The SHOPPING continues as predicted, rate of growth but retailers in the Lower across the Lower Mainland is close Mainland have lots to 10 per cent.” There’s to smile about this holiday a lot of reason for optimism season. However, Startup this Christmas. Startup says if merchants want to believes strong consumer have a successful holiday conﬁdence is mainly due to shopping season, they better a strong economic outlook, offer “exemplary customer most notably in the Lower service and have an online Mainland. According presence.” to Startup, other reasons

As shopping behaviour evolves, he notes that great marketing strategies will separate the winners from the losers. “The rapid growth of online and mobile shopping is fast surpassing brick and mortar,” he says. “Merchants who don’t invest in online and mobile-driven E-commerce will not be as successful as those who do.” Rachael Factor of MonerisMetrics — a Canadian consumer spending indicator that provides information on consumer spending activity in Canada by analyzing credit and debit card transaction data — agrees. When it comes to gift giving, British Columbians are leading the way. “B.C. leads the way in year to date in above average spending 2015 at 10.2 per cent, with Nova Scotia in second place at 8.5 per cent increase and Alberta at below average at 0.3 per cent,” says Factor.

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Community

Dr. Paul Spilsbury, academic dean and professor of the New Testament at Regent College, says Christmas, in the church calendar, is a season that lasts 12 days rather than a single day. “It’s a secret we’ve kept from our kids all this time.” PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

PACIFIC SPIRIT

What’s the deal with a partridge in a pear tree? Meaning behind 12 Days of Christmas full of historical secrets, mix-ups and misunderstanding Pat Johnson

PaciﬁcSpiritPJ@gmail.com

Everyone knows the 12 Days of Christmas song. Few of us know the meaning of the gifts delineated in the somewhat monotonous carol or, in fact, the signiﬁcance of the 12 days to the story of Jesus’s birth. When I started poking around, I found some deep historical secrets and also an ongoing mix-up that blows the lid off the usual imagery of baby Jesus in the manger. Let’s start with the facts. I spoke with Dr. Paul Spilsbury, academic dean and professor of the New Testament at Regent College on the UBC campus. “Basically, the church calendar is divided into seasons, and Christmas, in the church calendar, is a season rather than a day,” he says. “Christmas lasts for 12 days. It’s a secret we’ve kept from our kids all this time.”

The 12 days of Christmas go from Dec. 25 until Jan. 5. Traditionally, including in my grandmother’s house, the Christmas tree had to come down on or before the 5th, because that was the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of Epiphany. Usually we think of the ﬁrst Christmas as the moment the world (in the Christian narrative) realized the saviour had arrived. Not so. That was 12 days later. Epiphany is the feast associated with the Magi, the Three Wise Men, coming to Jesus, presenting their gifts. It also commemorates the presentation of Jesus in the Temple. “Epiphany is like the coming out of Jesus,” says Spilsbury. “The manifestation of Jesus to the world.” And here is where much of what you think you know about the manger scene is wrong.

“There are two stories in the Gospels about the birth of Jesus,” he explains, one in the Gospel of Matthew and one in the Gospel of Luke. “And the two stories are not exactly the same.” In one gospel, the Magi visit Jesus in a house, not in a manger. In the other, the arrival of Jesus in the manger is met with angels and shepherds, but no wise men. “Christian tradition has always kind of woven the two stories together and said the one happened ﬁrst and the other one second or something like that,” says Spilsbury. “In your typical pageant or Christmas card, you often have a scene in which there are wise men in the stable, but if you look at the original stories in the gospel, those are two separate scenes. We’ve kind of mixed them all together… they get kind of coalesced, fused together.” Mary and Joseph had advance warning that her

son was the manifestation of God made ﬂesh. The world, however, became aware of this only on Epiphany — 12 days after Jesus was born. The Three Wise Men represent the awareness of Jesus as the son of God spreading to the larger world. “It’s when the wise men come with their gifts and that, in a sense, is the revealing to the world,” Spilsbury says. “That’s what epiphany is about, revealing to the world the holiness of this baby… the Magi were from another country, they were not Jews, so it was the making known of the Christ child to the world, as it were.” In traditional Christian churches, especially Anglican and Catholic, there will be fairly strict adherence to the appropriate liturgies of the season. Leading up to Christmas is Advent, a month of spiritual preparation, intro-

spection and repentance. Christmas, which we now know lasts a full 12 days, is associated with a heightened holiness, and then Epiphany is also accompanied by its own traditions. So that’s what the 12 days of Christmas are all about. Now what about that song? Between 1558 and 1829, Roman Catholics in England were forbidden from openly practising their religion. In order to inculcate the catechism in their children, Catholics created the song as, basically, a series of mnemonic devices to give kids the broad outline of the Roman Catholic worldview and teachings. Both “my true love” and the partridge in a pear tree represent Jesus — the partridge because it’s a bird that will sacriﬁce its life to save its children. Two turtle doves represent the Old and New Testaments. The three French

hens are faith, hope and love. Four calling birds are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The five golden rings are the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament and so on, through six days of creation (geese a-laying), seven gifts of the holy spirit (swans a-swimming), eight beatitudes (maids a-milking), nine fruits of the holy spirit (ladies dancing), the 10 commandments (lords a-leaping), 11 faithful apostles (pipers piping) and 12 points of belief in the Apostle’s Creed (drummers drumming). If one understood the song’s underlying meaning, it provided a pretty good skeleton upon which to begin a wider exploration about religious teachings. And it could be sung publicly leaving the Protestant establishment none the wiser. Have a merry Christmas… all 12 days of it. @Pat604Johnson

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

Opinion

Ode to the Millennium Falcon

Star Wars reboot awakens fanboy’s nostalgia mike@mikeklassen.net

It seems that “change” is the rallying cry of our time. The word change has lately done yeoman’s service as a slogan in successive political campaigns. It has also been proffered that fear of change is at the root of the current Donald Trump phenomenon. During the month of December, however, it feels like we eschew change through a series of traditions. Quite a few of us may never open a Bible all year, or say a prayer, yet we still pull our decorations out of storage to hang a bobble, a wreath, or a string of lights to celebrate Christmas. Objects take on signiﬁcance for us during this sentimental month. It could be a snow globe, a book, a Menorah or a movie that transports us back from whence we came. The degree of change happening right now is tantamount to being on a ride at Playland. Uber, Airbnb, iPhones, online commerce, Netﬂix and binge watching, GPS, MP3s, Facebook, Car2Go and Snapchat are a sliver-sized sample of the disruptive technologies that are shaping Canadians’ world today. But during December, it feels like we can put all that exuberance on hold. Instead, we reconnect with family and friends, exchange

cards and email missives, give gifts or send salutations. Real change may be all around us, but for a week or two we try to recharge our souls by shutting it all out. The record-setting box ofﬁce set by Star Wars: The Force Awakens — launched last Friday — seems to express this condition to a T. Why is it that so many adults are as eager to go to a galaxy far, far

fly at the best of times, the Millennium Falcon is like that first beater vehicle you bought after high school. It thrills you then to see the Millennium Falcon lift off, dodge asteroids and TIE fighters, and, with a swift kick and a lot of luck, engage the hyperdrive. The original Star Wars arrived in Vancouver in June 1977, a month after its Me-

The degree of change happening right now is tantamount to being on a ride at Playland. away as much as their kids? There are many factors that are determining the success of the Star Wars reboot, such as the choice of director, a ﬁne cast, an exciting score behind a group of archetypal heroes and villains, and brilliant marketing of course. But above all it is an object that elicits the feelings of awe in fan boys like me: the Millennium Falcon. The hamburger-shaped spacecraft co-piloted by Han Solo and his sidekick Chewbacca is what you would imagine a hot rodobsessed auteur like George Lucas would create. A space jalopy made from spare parts and barely able to

morial Day weekend release in the U.S. I was in grade nine and bussed from East Van to see it at the Stanley Theatre on Granville a week after it opened. It must have been a pretty thrilling experience, because I marched back to the Stanley to watch it again the following week. It is remarkable to consider what life was like in June 1977, back when the Stanley Theatre was still a cinema. Vancouver’s mayor at the time — Jack Volrich — used Brylcreem. Our Queen, Elizabeth II, was in the midst of Silver Jubilee celebrations. A bloated Elvis Presley was on a U.S. tour mere weeks before keeling over dead at Graceland, full of

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prescription drugs. The Sex Pistols were turning the music world upside down with their newly released single “God Save the Queen.” Soviet despot Leonid Brezhnev dominated world politics. A Trudeau was our PM. Popular culture was obsessed with poster girl Farrah Fawcett-Majors and Bionic Woman Lindsay Wagner. Led Zeppelin played Madison Square Garden during their last American tour, and Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” was topping Billboard magazine’s Hot 100. Meanwhile, a new generation of music acts like Talking Heads, the Jam, Blondie and the Stranglers were drawing crowds in small clubs. When there is so much change, a simple object like the Millennium Falcon can transport us back to a meaningful place and time. I do not know whether it is the magic of cinema, or a primal belief in the forces of good versus evil, but somehow that damn bird always puts a lump in my throat. @MikeKlassen

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Community

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT: Ten contestants vied for the 2015 Miss Chinese Vancouver title. Held at the Vancouver Convention Centre, the event saw 900 people file into the Convention Centre for the 21st staging. Jennifer Ling Cooseman, a 21-year-old half-Belgian, half Chinese Canadian from Terrace, B.C., took top honours at the beauty contest that was televised across Asia. B.C. Women’s Hospital Foundation’s newborn intensive care unit was the beneficiary of the competition and fundraising gala dinner fronted by Thomas Fung, chairman and CEO of the Fairchild Group and party chairs Paul Oei and Loretta Lai. The benefit raised $428,000 for equipment designed to help save the lives of precious newborns. Cooseman will compete against delegates from all over the world for the international title to be held early next year. Six of the global winners have hailed from Vancouver. KIDS PLAY: KidSport Vancouver is one of 20 chapters around B.C. that believes no kid should be left on the sidelines and all should be given the opportunity to experience the positive benefits of organized sports. The charity hosted its fourth annual Gift of Sport soiree presented by Deloitte at the scenic Stanley Park Pavilion. Several hundred guests, including Olympians and sport ambassadors, gathered for an evening of sipping, supping and shopping. The event was chaired by David and Brent Nichols and emceed by CBC sports broadcaster Karin Larsen. Attendees made dents in their Christmas shopping lists through the live and silent auctions, and more than $20,000 was collected. Attendees helped give a gift of sport to those who otherwise couldn’t afford sport registration fees. Last year KidSport Vancouver helped a reported 700 Vancouver families. NEW HEIGHTS: Vancouver-based developer Pinnacle International and real estate agency Anson Realty recently held their annual Christmas Party at the former’s Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel. Hosts Michael De Cotiis and Grace and Stephen Kwok, along with their staff, celebrated a banner year that saw more than 2,000 units completed. A formidable partnership, the two franchises have been selling real estate for 28 years. One of their first was a 36-storey tower aptly titled the Pinnacle on Homer Street, which back in 1995 was the tallest tower in the city. Concerns that purchasers wouldn’t buy homes before completion were quickly dashed when all 312 units were snapped up in pre-sales. Fast-forward to 2015, both family-run businesses look to reach even taller heights. Current projects in San Diego and Toronto will see Pinnacle building the tallest towers in both cities — 45 and 95 floors. Ever expanding its footprint, De Cottis also raised a glass to the master planned communities breaking ground or near completion in Mississauga, Ont..

email yvrflee@hotmail.com twitter @FredAboutTown

Jennifer Ling Cooseman, a 21-year-old Chinese Canadian originally from Terrace, B.C., captured the 2015 Miss Chinese Vancouver title at the annual beauty pageant that was televised across Asia.

Single mom Robin Sterloff shared with guests how KidSport helped remove the financial barriers so her son Alexander could pursue his love of soccer.

KidSport Vancouver champions David and Brent Nichols welcomed Peter Fassbender, minister of community, sport and cultural development, and Michelle Stilwell, minister of social development and social innovation, to the charity’s fourth annual Gift of Sport fundraiser.

Photographers Adam Schelle and Kev Holloway launched So It Is: Vancouver, a unique coffee table book capturing the untold stories of Vancouver, its history and culture through the eyes of local personalities. Copies can be purchased at soit.is.

B.C. Women’s Hospital Foundation chair Geoff Lyster and CEO Laurie Clarke saw the Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant and Gala generate $425,000 for its newborn intensive care unit.

Pinnacle International’s Michael De Cotiis and Anson Realty’s Grace and Stephen Kwok’s business partnership of building communities in Vancouver and beyond has spanned nearly 30 years. Their latest includes Canada’s largest residential tower — at 95 storeys — on Toronto’s lakeshore.

Marc and Jodie Emery were among 100 colourful locals who shared their stories of the city in the kickstarter-funded So It Is: Vancouver. Partial proceeds of the book will be donated to St. John’s Ambulance to help its work in the Downtown Eastside.

Sporting the much sought after Moncler down jacket that Drake sported in his “Hot Line Bling” music video were store PR director Julia Erdman and fashion editor Joy Pecknold. The retailer of luxury outerwear opened its second Canadian store at the corner of Thurlow and Alberni.

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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SPACE home design + style

Staying toasty WORDS BY MICHELLE HOPKINS REW.CA/NEWS

Hot tips to keep you warm this winter It’s time to pull out those favourite sweaters from the back of the closet and dust off those wool blankets, because those cool, wintry days are upon us. As the chill of winter fast approaches, it’s a good time to winter-proof your home. As part of our Complete 2015 Home Maintenance Tasks Calendar, REW.ca spoke to Simi Heer, media relations for

B.C. Hydro’s Power Smart program, and Sean Moss, home inspector and regular REW.ca contributor, for advice to ensure your home is comfortable and ready for Old Man Winter. “Most home repairs start small but, left unattended, can become costly, even urgent, problems,” says Heer.

“Taking early precautions can help prevent damage to your home and reduce the likelihood of an unexpected emergency.”

Here’s how to stay warm while avoiding costly heating bills and – even worse – expensive repair bills. FIX YOUR FURNACE Check and clean or replace furnace air ﬁlters each month during the heating season. Ventilation system, ﬁlters should be checked every two months. “A smooth-running furnace can save you a lot of headaches and money,” says Heer. In addition, a yearly furnace inspection and cleaning will

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keep your furnace in good working order. DRAFT-PROOF YOUR HOME In addition to being a waste of energy, drafts are expensive, costing, on average, 25 per cent more to heat your home.

“Did you know that energy is lost through vent ducts, plumbing penetrations, ﬁreplaces, windows and doors? Air leaks cost you money, so it is best to take the time to seal them up,” says Moss. Wait for a windy day, then, with a lit incense stick placed close to windows, door frames, electrical outlets and recessed lighting, slowly move it across and see if there’s

movement, suggests Heer.

isn’t in use.

“If it moves, that’s a clear indicator that there’s a draft or leak. They can be easily ﬁxed with caulking or weather-stripping... a supereasy ﬁx and not expensive.”

“You can also purchase a protective cap with a screen for your chimney, keeping foreign object, like birds, out,” she says.

Even better, Moss adds, “Ideally you want to install double-paned or storm windows.” Again, be sure they are properly caulked, sealed and weatherstripped. Heat can also escape through your wood burning fireplace. “A slab of Styrofoam covered with cloth and pushed into the rectangular front of your fireplace can correct heat loss,” adds Heer. To keep cool air out, keep your chimney damper closed when the fireplace

According to Heer, thermal insulation, when correctly installed, slows heat from escaping your home in winter and from entering your home in summer, making it more comfortable and helping you save money on energy bills. She recommends closing vents in rooms that aren’t being used and checking for leaks in the attic, basement and crawlspace. For the complete story visit REW.ca/news.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

Arts & Entertainment

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GOT ARTS? 604.738.1411 or events@vancourier.com

2 Dec. 24 to 30, 2015 1. Ballet BC presents Alberta Ballet’s holiday classic The Nutcracker with live music by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. The sugar plum fairies do their thing Dec. 29 to 31 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets at ticketmaster.ca. Details at balletbc.com. 2. Cram a little more holiday cheer into your coal-black heart before Christmas arrives as the Rio Theatre screens the 2003 comedy Elf starring Will Ferrell, Dec. 24, 9 p.m. There’s also bar service at the theatre. Just saying. Details at riotheatre.ca.

3. You live a busy life. Between watching cat videos on YouTube and creating new and increasingly unhealthy ways to consume cheese, you’ve missed seeing some of this year’s best ﬁlms. Thankfully Vancity Theatre is screening what it deems to be the Best of 2015, from Dec. 26 to 31. Films include Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, Amy, Ex Machina, The Look of Silence, Tangerine, Phoenix, About Elly, Timbuktu, Wild Tales and Mad Max Fury Road. For show times and details, go to viff.org.

PHOTO DAN TOUL-

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

Arts & Entertainment

Hark, the herald airwaves sing Nathan Caddell

nathancaddell@cmail.carleton.ca

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It’s hard to survive in radio these days. Stations have to change and adapt, shift gears and give people the music they want. This is especially relevant in Vancouver, which has seen multiple stations ﬂip identities like switches on a board. As the calendar turns to the holiday season, it becomes harder to resist the lure of Christmas songs, and stations have to grapple with how to incorporate the festivities into their daily programming. For two Vancouver stations in particular, the answers are quite different. James Sutton, music director and on-air host at 102.7 The Peak, has been in radio for 15 years and knows that Christmas is a tricky time for radio stations. “When I ﬁrst started, I didn’t think people wanted Christmas music,” says Sutton. “Every year we ask the questions, we send it out to our whole database, about 40,000 people we ask… and it’s overwhelming. It’s like 90 per cent [want to hear Christmas music].” In the days leading up to Christmas, Sutton and his

crew start slowly, rolling out one Christmas-themed tune an hour at the start of December. On Dec. 19 the station bumped it up to two per hour, with a steady increase until Christmas, which sees ﬁve. The station tries to keep the material relevant to its usual programming, and the result is an inﬂux of songs by indie rock bands that reference winter or snow. It’s a way to sneak in tracks like the Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal.” “It’s really, really hard to write a new Christmas song,” Sutton says. “It has to be relevant enough, and it has to be good enough.” Asked his favourite Christmas song The Peak plays, and the Richmond native doesn’t hesitate. “This Shins song [“Wonderful Christmas”] is probably the best indie rock Christmas song of all time. It’s a piped-in Christmas song to the max. But it’s a great song.” Turn the dial to 103.5 QMFM and the vibe is completely different. For the sixth year in a row, the team at QMFM has been playing only Christmas music since late November. Drew Stanton, the co-host of Breakfast with Nat & Drew, chalks up

the station’s decision to a Christmas-crazed fan base. “Literally we get emails starting Nov. 1. Every year the ratings get bigger and bigger, people are very passionate.” Stanton, a radio veteran of 13 years, chalks up listeners’ fondness for Christmas songs to a desire to feel happy during the holidays. “It makes people feel good,” says Sutton. “It’s probably also a little bit nostalgic.” Stanton’s favourite holiday song? “Darlene Love — ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).’ I’m Missing Letterman now because he would always have her come on and do the show.” For Sutton, it all comes down to one question: what is going to keep people listening? “This is a super fun job, but it is a business and if we’re not making our boss money, I’m going to get ﬁred, bottom line,” he admits. “That’s why stations ﬂip all the time. We’re seven years deep and we’re holding good… There’s been years we play the Red Hot Chili Peppers version of ‘‘Deck the Halls,” and it’s only funny for me, because it’s like ‘Haha, the Red Hot Chili Peppers being awful,’ but no, it’s just awful.”

INSTA CONTEST! Tag your winter in Vancouver photos with #vanwinterlove for a chance to win a $1,000 prize pack. Read the magazine at www.vanwinterlove.com Deadline: January 24, 2016. Winner will be chosen at random and contacted via Instagram.

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Sports & Recreation 1

1. UBC Thunderbird Jessica Hanson leads all rookies on her team with an average 22 minutes per game and 6.7 points off the bench. PHOTO RICH LAM / UBC THUNDERBIRDS. 2. At Oregon State, golfer Trevor Yu says he tries to keep things on the lighter side in order to stay focused and compete with a winning attitude. PHOTO OREGON STATE BEAVERS. 3. Niko Mottus fought for and earned his roster spot with the Capilano Blues. PHOTO CAPILANO UNIVERSITY BLUES. 4. Speed on and off the ball is just one way NCAA America East All-Rookie Megan Ma has improved with the Albany Great Danes. PHOTO BILL ZISKIN / ALBANY ATHLETICS.

ROOKIE SHOWCASE

Rookies pick up their game on and off the court We ask some of the city’s top 2015 high school graduates about life as a university freshman Megan Stewart

mstewart@vancourier.com

For the second year, the Courier visits some of Vancouver’s top athletes following their ﬁrst freshman semester at universities around the continent. We’re catching up with athletes in the NCAA, CIS and PacWest who are trying new foods and dorm styles 3,000 kilometres from home or learning new bus routes from their childhood home to campus elsewhere in the Lower Mainland. From academics to athletics, socializing and training, they all say being a university studentathlete is a big step up from high school.

Megan Ma

Magee graduate Megan Ma competes for the State University of New York at Albany and was named one of the best rookies in her NCAA Div. 1 conference. Maybe it’s the pre-game team selﬁes or the sushi she shares with friends that is key for the Lion-turned-Great Dane. I had the usual nervousness and “butterﬂies” upon arriving on campus but I was also extremely excited to meet the rest of the team and begin our season playing in the NCAA. During our season, we

had a tradition that before every game — without question, our team would always take a silly team selﬁe to focus and lighten our moods before we left the locker room to play. My best performance came at the America East Conference Championships. Just prior to the tournament, I was selected to the America East All Rookie Team. Our team went into the tournament feeling very excited, conﬁdent and ready to win. I think I played some of my best hockey there. Winning the conference championships was an amazing feeling. I think the most important thing my coach has taught me is not to worry about mistakes while playing. Although it’s important to stay focused on the game — you also have to relax and play to your strengths. To stay on top of academics, I check assignment and exam schedules well ahead of time and prioritize homework. I keep the lines of communication open with my professors. Sometimes it’s hard to get enough rest, but I try. A quick nap here and there really helps. My favourite class right now is my Introduction to Music course. Learning about music history has

made me rediscover how much I enjoy listening to classical music. You can usually ﬁnd me with head phones tuned into Mozart in the athlete study hall. Music keeps me from getting distracted — it focuses me.

Jessica Hanson

The provincial high school basketball championship MVP, averaged 6.7 points a game and is second-overall on the UBC T-Birds with 22 assists in 16 games. The Little Flower Academy alumna lives on the Point Grey campus where she doesn’t join her teammates in their love of tofu. I’m a quintessential rookie in that I understand my role on the team and I put the team before myself. As long as the team’s doing well, so am I. In my best game so far, I had 18 points, ﬁve rebounds and four steals against Trinity Western University. I’ve had to get used to a faster paced game with a lot more information coming at me. My coach has taught me a lot about conﬁdence and how to play a more dynamic game. To balance athletic and academic demands, it just takes a lot of hard work and time management. The biggest difference that I have

found in the transition is the amount of information I have to learn both on and off the court. The work load is heavy and the basketball side of things has much more intensity. I love going out with friends or my teammates. If I’m not out with friends or in the gym, I am probably watching Netﬂix or sleeping. My favourite show is Friends. Any episode that Pheobe sings in is always a good one! My team is obsessed with tofu. They always try and get me to try it — let’s just say I strongly disagree with this obsession.

Kaleigh Matheson

Coming from one of the most individually accomplished high school volleyball starting lineups, York House School alumna Kaleigh Matheson already understood personal accountability but now she says she demands even more of herself at University of Western Ontario. At the beginning of the year, we did a number of day trips to bond the team. The most memorable was when we went canoeing, instructed by our assistant coach. Like a true varsity sports team, our punishments for losing the canoe

races were push-ups with our hand and feet resting on the edges of the boats. Not a lot of girls left the lake dry! In the beginning of September, I had quite a bad ankle sprain that put me out for about a month, so I didn’t get to realize the preseason playing opportunities that ﬁrst years often do. When you are thrown into such a high level training environment, it’s easy to get discouraged but it’s just as easy to forget how talented all the girls you are training with are. It’s just a more demanding practice and game atmosphere, so I’d say the biggest improvement I’ve seen in myself is the competitiveness and effort. One of our team mottos is that there are three things you can control: attitude, effort and communication. More than skill, my coaches this year have taught me about drive and goal-setting. We start every week with a goal sheet that is both position-speciﬁc and general to the team. Now, when I walk into practice, I always have keys that I am concentrating on for drills and game situations. It’s about learning to execute with purpose. You have to expect that from yourself, but also from everyone

around you. Being in a traditional residence, I quickly became very close with my ﬂoor. When I’m not at practice or in class, there will always be a group of us together in the common room or our main lounge. New food that I love are bagels from The Spoke! A must-try for anyone who spends anytime at Western.

Aaron Mah

A Canadian junior champion, UCLA-Berkeley Golden Bear gymnast Aaron Mah doesn’t attend his ﬁrst meet until the season starts in January but he is already taking full advantage of the privileges of being an elite NCAA Div. 1 athlete. From the moment that I arrived at Cal, I instantly felt a connection with my teammates and a sense of belonging on the team. Our team is so close-knit, and I truly believe that I have found my home away from home. A very crucial aspect of gymnastics is that you only have one shot to succeed. No second chances. My coaches have reinforced this by increasing the amount of repetitions if mistakes are made. This increases the pressure of every turn so that we are better prepared once competition season arrives. Continued on page 26

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

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‘Biggest difference is physicality and speed of the game’ Continued from page 25 The best way for me to balance athletics with academics is to maintain a positive attitude. As cliché as it sounds, keeping a clear head can get you through the mountains of homework and exams that university brings. I try to set a schedule where I can do each assignment one at a time and get through them methodically. The biggest difference between university and high school is how much busier I am now. The luxurious free time that we had in high school is gone and is now ﬁlled up with hours of studying and training. I prefer to study at the athletic study centre, which is reserved for student athletes. I live in a suite with six other freshmen and I share a bedroom with two of my teammates. From looking at my room, you can tell how disorganized I am. My room is deﬁnitely on the messy side but thankfully, living in a suite with six other teenage males, the standards of cleanliness aren’t set very high.

Enid Au

The Killarney graduate

crosses the city from east to west to get to class and training with the UBC Thunderbirds. A week before classes began, my teammates showed all the first-years around campus. It was nice to know where all of my classes were going to be beforehand, and my teammates also threw a team get-together at one of their houses to break the ice. It’s difficult to gauge how my performance has improved since I feel I’m still transitioning into the longer distances of university cross-country races. They’ve grown to five or six kilometres, which are distances I’d never raced before so I’m just setting the bar as of right now. However, I do feel like my body is stronger and less prone to injury, thanks to the weight-training I’ve been introduced to. My coaches have placed lots of emphasis on injury prevention, and I heed that advice by doing all the stretches and flexibility exercises in the gym regiment we have. To balance academic and athletic demands, I try to man-

age my time wisely. On the commute to school I do my readings or get work done on my laptop. Sometimes I get terrible motion-sickness though!

Niko Mottus

A product of the gritty Tupper Tigers basketball program, Niko Mottus proved every coach’s mantra that hard work pays off. After he was cut from the team, the rookie busted his butt to keep practising with the PacWest Capilano Blues, earning his way on as a red shirt and then also to the roster. I’m really enjoying life as a post-secondary studentathlete. After I got cut from the team, I texted the coach at the time, Jon Acob, asking if I could workout with the team during the summer and he said I could. After that I went to every single practice and just competed with the other guys. Sometime in August I had a really good practice, and one of the guys asked Acob why I wasn’t on the team — two days later he offered me a spot as a red shirt. Later on in September, Acob offered me a roster spot on the team.

T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Sports & Recreation

Rookies embrace school traditions A couple days after that, he had to step down because of family matters and we got a new head coach, Cassidy Kannemeyer. He told me that I had to ﬁght once again for the roster spot or else I would be a red shirt, and I did just that. Now I’m just your everyday rookie: After practice I have to put the balls away, after games the other rooks and I have to put away the jerseys. The biggest improvement in my game has got to be my shooting. Acob really helped me with my shot in the summer and now it’s a lot smoother. Cassidy has really helped me improve my basketball IQ in games by helping me see the ﬂoor and look for the best possible shot. The biggest difference in basketball is the physicality and speed of the game. The best strategy for balancing my academics and athletics is putting in the work early. When I get an assignment, I try and slowly do it over time instead of cramming it all in the night before. That way I always have time to get to team practices and even do my own individual workouts.

Trevor Yu

A graduate of St. John’s

UBC Thunderbirds rookie Enid Au (No. 401) graduated from Killarney secondary, where she competed for the Cougars as one of the fastest cross-country runners in Vancouver. PHOTO WILL CLIFF / UBC THUNDERBIRDS

School, Trevor Yu chose to compete in the NCAA for the Oregon State Beavers, where in his rookie semester, he says he’s built up his conﬁdence and improved his swing thanks to dedicated coaches and a roster of support

staff and services. On the menu, Yu eats more than the average amount of Chipotle. In what ways am I a quintessential rookie? I’ve been lost walking around campus a few too many times.

My teammates are a lot of fun. It didn’t take much to feel welcomed on to the team — I went over to a teammate’s house to watch movies the night I arrived on campus! My swing has improved a lot since junior golf. I’m hitting the ball a lot straighter than before. My coaches, Jon Reehoorn and Jonnie Motomochi, have taught me to play with a winning attitude. I lost a lot of conﬁdence in myself and in my game after a tough spring and summer. However, their guidance and experience has really helped me stay positive and motivated through the fall. To balance athletic and academic demands, I try to have fun with everything — that way, nothing seems overly stressful. Coffee helps too. I have a lot more resources and support compared to high school. At Oregon State, I have access to pretty much everything to help me perform at my best: coaching, facilities, personal trainers, physiotherapists, nutritionists, tutors, academic counsellors and advisors. Food in Corvallis is pretty similar to home. You could say I consume a lot more Chipotle and Panda Express than before.

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The main emphasis lies on your career and worldly status, Aries. Though there are the holidays, it’s a good time to press forward with your ambitions while a lot of others are relaxing. You’ve felt the bite of sweet lust for the last few weeks, but Wed. onward will bring a lighter, more mental view of love and relationships, and lift you from the clutches of any obsession.

Work to complete rather than start things, Libra. Next week begins a period of delay, mistakes and false starts (mostly, for you, in domestic and property spheres). This is your last week of heightened sexual magnetism, so take advantage while you can. Tuesday starts a month-long thread of affectionate friends, pleasurable travel, and easy communications.

This is a gentle, intellectual, loving and compassionate time, Taurus. Seek far horizons, in space or in learning, reading. If you’re going to apply for school admission, do it immediately (Wed./Thurs.) – or after January 24. An affectionate, loving relationship might veer, Tues. onward, into deeper, closer waters: shared intimacy, shared mortgage, pregnancy – these are possibilities.

Use this week to complete ventures rather than start new ones. Three weeks of delay, mistakes and false starts begins soon (technically, Jan. 5). The general emphasis lies on errands, short trips, messaging, paperwork, casual friends and siblings. This is an area you are dealing well with, and in which your skills are improving all this decade. Tuesday starts a month-long boost in your money luck – you can make more, can buy a luxury item.

The few weeks ahead offer secrets, valuable investments or ﬁnancial action as well as sexual urges. These weeks might also offer temptations: extra-marital attractions, slick moves to fool another, investment in unsavoury items. Research is favoured; spying is wrong. If you’re honest and good-hearted, you can make big strides, especially in money and “entrepreneurship.”

Use this week to wrap up chores and projects rather than start anything new. A period of delay and mistakes begins next week. The general emphasis lies on money now to late January. Pay bills, collect what’s owed to you, cultivate clients, buy/sell, etc. You can be sensually attracted to a person who would later prove burdensome. Make sure you’re honest in love.

Relationships are front and centre for the few weeks ahead, Cancer. You feel sweet affection for someone, but this tends to slowly dissolve after Tues. On the plus side, that friction at home will also dissolve, by January 3. When it does, you’ll enter nine weeks of romantic courage and sexual magnetism. (This magnetism occurs again, June/July 2016.)

Use this week to complete projects and arrangements, Cap. It’s not a good time to start new ventures nor relationships, unless they are “small” enough to process and ﬁnish before January 5, when a period of delays, mistakes and false starts begins. A “small” relationship could be a carpenter repairing your stairs. A “large” relationship would be love, friendship, a new employer, etc.

Tackle chores and protect your health, Leo. Deal with machines, repair your car, etc. Don’t start big projects – take up only what you can ﬁnish this week, as a period of confusion and delay begins soon. An atmosphere of heart warmth slowly leaves your domestic sphere, as a streak of romantic affection starts to grow. Your energy and charisma rise Sunday to Tues.

You’re a bit weary, Aquarius, and will remain so until January 20. Take a break, enjoy solitude, rest and research, deal with civil servants and all bureaucracies, even corporate ones. Seek your soul, be charitable, see the world on the “second level.” (The “ﬁrst” is simply living, ambition, etc.) Your better self is just waiting to join you! To now, bosses have favoured you.

Don’t start any significant projects, Virgo – nothing that you can’t finish this week. Instead, wrap up, tidy up, and protect things – files, say, or all those receipts on the kitchen table – from mix-ups and loss over the weeks ahead. Fix, repair, so you won’t have to tackle “break downs” in January. A spell of fast money – to you and from you – will end soon. That’s actually a good thing. Your home life will grow more affectionate now to late January

Start nothing big and signiﬁcant this week, Pisces. Instead, wrap up ventures and ﬁrm up arrangements. January 5 will bring a threeweek interval of hesitation, false starts, and delays, especially in social, love and similar zones. (I’ll write the good side of this next week.) Tuesday begins a month of favour and aid from higher-ups, parents and VIPs. Don’t invest this week – you’re too rushed, you’ll pick weak “performers.”

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WANTED Old Books Wanted also: Photos Postcards, Letters, Paintings. no text books or encyclopedia. I pay cash. 604-737-0530

PETS

(&$!(# (%'" "$00%3 ,0+%10 (.#' 4!% +002& +0$ *)/0 &#!('"!($'%#

LANGARA CAFÉ n Vancouver seeks a Cook. Compl. of high school 3 years or more exp. in cooking. Basic in English $15-$17/hr, 40 hr/week langaracafe1@gmail.com 100 W 49th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 2Z6

With our thanks for your business all year long! Your Classifieds Team at the

TRADES HELP $"'&;&"'&"5 (9*%57#&")

1& "&&' /!3:

*!#$ ,%'#' )"( ,%'" +!- ,)".&

604-630-3300 | classifieds.vancourier.com

ALL SMALL BREED PUPS Local, Non-Shedding and Vet Checked. 604-590-3727 www.puppiesfishcritters.com

CATS & KITTENS FOR ADOPTION ! 604-724-7652

FOOD/BEVERAGE HELP

Re The Estate of PETER WILLIAM NOEL GRAHAM, also known as PETER W.N. GRAHAM, PETER W. GRAHAM, and PETER GRAHAM, Deceased, formerly of 1710 West 38th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6M 1R6, Notice is hereby given that Creditors and others, having claims against the Estate are hereby required to send the particulars thereof to the undersigned Executor, on or before January 28, 2016, after which date the Estate’s assets will be distributed, having regard only to the claims that have been received. Douglas Homer, Executor, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, 2900-550 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C 0A3, Solicitors.

A1 Unity Auto Service Ltd. located 1470 Columbia St. North Vancouver, BC. has claimed possession of the following vehicle under the Repairers Lien Act. Any persons(s) with claim to this vehicle should contact Bruce Soroush at 604-551-2050. Unclaimed vehicles will be sold at 1470 Columbia St. North Vancouver. on Jan 9 2016: Toyota Fj Cruiser vin: JTEBU11FX70010367, r/o Yassine Faraj Faraj to recover $7258 plus additional costs of repairs.

Caregiver req for 2 children supervis. & light house keep. Main st. & 59th F/T perm. 3040h/w $11/h flex , eve + wknds. 100% msp + wcb. 1-2 y exp. English comm. vanessa_nicole2007@yah oo.com / 604.559.7661

classiﬁeds.vancourier.com

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OTHERS All advertising published in this newspaper is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and wil ingly sold to buyers at the advertised prices. Advertisers are aware of these conditions. Advertising that does not conform to these standards or that is deceptive or misleading, is never knowingly accepted. If any reader encounters non-compliance with these standards we ask that you inform the Publisher of this newspaper and The Advertising Standards Council of B.C. OMISSION AND ERROR: The publishers do not guarantee the insertion of a particular advertisement on a specified date, or at all, although every effort wil be made to meet the wishes of the advertisers. Further, the publishers do not accept liability for any loss of damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of an advertisement beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred. Any corrections of changes wil be made in the next available issue. The Vancouver Courier wil be responsible for only one incorrect insertion with liability limited to that portion of the advertisement affected by the error. Request for adjustments or corrections on charges must be made within 30 days of the ad’s expiration. For best results please check your ad for accuracy the first day it appears. Refunds made only after 7 business days notice!

"*$ "5:););!(%'# &*" *45,)046 *7=5343 *:<<8 112+/2>+.9/1

FAMILY OF four seeking f/t in - home nanny. Flex sched. Min wage. vque92@yahoo.ca

"0)# !,,)+2!0&' '/)/2&/1 -.( !0 +0&/(%+/$ $+)) 3/ 2.0&!2&/1* WATKIN MOTORS FORD, Vernon, B.C. immediately requires an experienced Ford Diesel Technician. Go to watkinmotors.com About us, Employment, to apply and review required qualifications.

SPROTTSHAW.COM

EDUCATION

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRACTICAL NURSING

1< -,< 62 2<<> 08 62><.<2><2= +,-8=?4<2: ".*' *' ! 0(3!& +))+(&%-*&# 2+( (3&*(34 !-4 '3/*,(3&*(34 &(!43')3+)13 $*&. ." 0* 40*6 $6#*) 6%,6*/62!6+ "%%&# !$' 1#27$4#25*#)6*+ !#*66*,-&3+!04(#!!0&2'

TRUTH IN EMPLOYMENT ADVERTISING Glacier Media Group makes every effort to ensure you are responding to a reputable and legitimate job opportunity. If you suspect that an ad to which you have responded is misleading, here are some hints to remember. Legitimate employers do not ask for money as part of the application process; do not send money; do not give any credit card information; or call a 900 number in order to respond to an employment ad. Job opportunity ads are salary based and do not require an investment. If you have responded to an ad which you believe to be misleading please call the: Better Business Bureau at 604-682-2711 Monday to Friday, 9am - 3pm or email: inquiries@bbbvan.org and they will investigate.

A30

THE VANCOUVER COURIER THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

BUSINESS SERVICES

REAL ESTATE

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU HAVE 10 HRS/WK to turn into $1500/mth using your PC and phone? Free info: www.BossFree123.com

RENTALS

HOUSES FOR SALE

RECREATIONAL PROPERTY

INVESTORS DREAM! 2 BR on 1/2 acre lot, future develop, 108/KGH. 13672 Bentley Rd, Sry.$895,000. 604-324-0655

HAVE YOU been denied Canada Pension Plan disability benefits? The Disability Claims Advocacy Clinic can help you appeal. Call 1-877-793-3222 www.dcac.ca info@dcac.ca

* WE BUY HOMES *

CANCEL YOUR TIMESHARE NO RISK program. Stop Mortgage & Maintenance Payments Today. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Free Consultation. Call us Now. We can Help! 1-888-356-5248

Yes, We Pay Cash!

Damaged or Older Houses!!

place ads online @

Condos & Pretty Homes too! www.webuyhomesbc.com

classiﬁeds.vancourier.com

( 604 ) 657-9422

Healthcare Documentation Specialists in huge demand. Employers prefer CanScribe graduates. A great workfrom-home career! Contact us now to start your training day. www.canscribe.com. 1.800.466.1535. info@canscribe.com

RENTALS

All Electrical, Lic #105654 res/comm, renos, panel chgs Low Cost 604-374-0062

EUROPEAN DETAILED Service Cleaning www.puma-cleaning.ca Sophia 604-805-3376

LIC. ELECTRICIAN

bf#37309 Commercial & residential renos & small jobs. 778-322-0934

CONCRETE

1300 King Albert, Coquitlam

YOUR ELECTRICIAN $29 Service Call. Lic#89402. Fast same day service. Insured. Guar’d. We love small jobs. 604-568-1899

EXCAVATING

Close to Lougheed Mall, Transportation, & SFU, Colleges.

•All Concrete Work

MASONRY AND REPAIRS •Stone Walls •Bricks •Chimneys •Fireplaces •Pavers •Drain Tiles

GREAT LOCATION;

Close to Lougheed Mall, all transportation, SFU, BCIT, Colleges & more.

(near Coq/Bby border) Call Linda

GEORGE • 778-998-3689

L & L CONCRETE, All types: Stamped, Repairs, Pressure washing, seal. 778-882-0098

office: cell:

604-937-7343 778-863-9980

DRAINAGE

AMBER (W)

401 Westview St, Coquitlam

DRAIN Tiles, Sewer, Water,

Large Units. Near Lougheed Mall, all Transportation, & SFU, Colleges.

FRANCHISES

#101 - 621 W. 57th Ave, Van Spacious 1, 2 & 3 BR Rental Apartments & Townhouses. Heat, hot water & lrg storage locker included. Many units have in-suite laundry and lrg patios/balconies with gorgeous views. Tasteful gardens, swim pools, hot tub, gym, laundry, gated parking, plus shops & services. Near Oakridge Ctrl, Canada Line stations, Langara College, Churchill High School & more. Sorry no pets. www.langaragardens.com

604-727-5178

cell:

* %54", $"@-,>5-"+ &5"@6.-34 #;;>5,A@-,:

:*JJI=. 5L=8L0J9 8+G+JI+ HF -K<1AAA3-EKA1AAA :$0J> 0JG+5L,+JL =5 .HD =5 -2A?A 8+;> :&I=8=JL++/ 4.+=J0J9 4HJL8=4L5 :"8HF+550HJ=. L8=0J0J9 B8HG0/+/ :'0J=J40J9 =G=0.=7.+ :#J9H0J9 5IBBH8L

ARBOUR GREENE

552 Dansey Ave, Coquitlam

'>@,"6, '>?45"++ >2 (' * !+5B+4L+/ @H8./D0/+ %+=/+8 0J '8=J4605+/ #FC4+ (.+=J0J9)

Extra large 2 BR’s. Close to Lougheed Mall, Transit, SFU & Colleges.

/7080B081100 9 -@2>!6>?45"++<686>)

===86>?45"++<686>)

(near Coq/Bby border) .

office: 604-939-4903 cell: 778-229-1358

Call 604-327-1178

info@langaragardens.com Managed by Peterson Residential Property Management Inc.

CALYPSO COURT

1030 - 5th Ave, New Westminster

ROYAL CRESCENT ESTATES

Near Transit & Skytrain, Douglas College & more. Well maintained building.

22588 Royal Cres Ave, Maple Ridge

Call for info/viewing

COTTONWOOD PLAZA

555 Cottonwood Ave, Coquitlam .

PERSONALS

Large Units, some with 2nd Bathrooms or Den. On bus routes, close to SFU & Lougheed Mall. ..

office:

604-936-1225

'"$(!&)% (#

GARDEN VILLA

(0, &$0 *)--

*)7 ')7: ()"$. &,-#:75! =;833;361;=<=< >>>;.2?:.2+05;")%:.24:+":/=89

1010 6th Ave. New West. Suites Available. Beautiful atrium with fountain. By shops, college & transit. Pets negotiable. Ref req. CALL 604 715-7764

GENTLEMEN! Attractive, discreet European lady is available for company. 604-451-0175

BAYSIDE PROPERTY SERVICES

******************* FIND Your Favourite CALL NOW 1-866-732-0070 1-888-544-0199 18+

JUNIPER COURT

HOT LOCAL CHAT 1-877290-0553 Mobile: #5015 *******************

415 Westview Street, Coquitlam .

Close to Lougheed Mall, all transit connections, skytrain & schools; SFU, BCIT, Colleges.

LOCAL HOOKUPS BROWSE4FREE 1-888628-6790 or #7878 Mobile ..

office:

604-939-8905

604.782.4322 Drainage

Perim. drains, sewers, water lines. Fully Ins. 604.889.0251 DRAINAGE Services & more Claudio’s Backhoe Services Dry Basements+ 604-341-4446

Find all your renovation needs in Home Services 604.630.3300

DRYWALL

Large Units. Close to Golden Ears Bridge, shopping & more. GREAT RIVER VIEW!

office: cell:

604-463-0857 604-375-1768

SKYLINE TOWERS 102-120 Agnes St, New West .

Hi-Rise Apartment with River View & Indoor Pool. 1 BR & 2 BR Available. Rent includes heat & hot water. Remodeled Building and Common area. Gated underground parking available. References required.

CALL 604 525-2122

BAYSIDE PROPERTY SERVICES

VILLA MARGARETA

320-9th St, New West Suites Available. All suites have balconies, Undergrd. parking avail. Refs. req. Small Pet OK. CALL 604-715-7764

BAYSIDE PROPERTY SERVICES

TOWNHOUSES FOR RENT CHAMPLAIN HTS 2 BR t/h, carport, family orient, n/p. $1210. Av now. 604-781-9650

Inspection, Landscaping, Stump/Rock/Cement/Oil Tank & Demos, Paving, Pool/Dirt Removal, Paver Stones, Jackhammer, Water/Sewer, Line/Sumps, Slinger Avail, Concrete Cutting, Hand Excavating, Basements Made Dry Claudio Backhoe Services

604-341-4446

$'!%" #&(&

84957 > 84;2687 -1%- 7+=!'+/"33& 7@.# :=/.

$?)(0<%(*),< ELECTRICAL #1 A-CERTIFIED Licensed Electrician, Res/Comm New or old wiring. Reasonable rates. Lic #22774 604-879-9394 A LIC’D. Electrician #30582 Rewiring & reno, appliance/ plumbing, rotor rooter 778998-9026, 604-255-9026

WINTER SPECIALS Gutter & window cleaning ! Power washing ! WCB, Insured, Free est.

Call Ken 604-716-7468

AaronR Construction Repairs & Renos, general contracting. Insured, WCB, Licensed. 604-318-4390 aaronrconstruction.com

$'!%" #&(&

84957 > 84;2687 -1%- 7+=!'+/"33& 7@.# :=/.

$?)(0<%(*),<

$=!& 5&:*#52 5&@=-*/#=@2 #@2/*""*/#=@2 'EGB 7H.),C ".)BG)BDC 'EGB 5.643C (EGDBDC %H+A+G3BBDC #G>HABDC

($-+/363+, 5 %# '36$ '$)03%$: 5 !($* ()&3,&7$ 5 &" *&%1"3// 5 )'

9.852#!54..#

8F91?;?1<I0I '+#),%+#*!##(*"&!#$*!%

AAA All types repairs, tiling, painting, plumbing, electrical, more. David 604-862-7537

classifieds. vancourier.com

FLOORING

604-813-8789

Drainage, Video

Tobias 24/7

LANGARA GARDENS

near Coq/Bby border.

#1 Backhoes & Excavators Trenchless Waterlines Bobcats & Dump Truck & All Material Deliveries

Video Inspection, Jack Hammering, Hand Excavating, Concrete Cutting, WET BSMT MADE DRY

Ken’s Power Washing Plus

HANDYPERSON

CONCRETE SPECIALIST Sidewalk, Driveway, Patio Exposed Aggregate, Remove & Replacing Reasonable Rates. 35 yrs experience For free est.

Call Mario 604-253-0049

GUTTERS

604-813-8789

**SWEDISH MASSAGE** 604-739-3998 Relieve Road Rage

PALM DESERT POOLSIDE CONDO Great Rates $90US/night! High-End Fully equipped. 2 bdrm, 2 bath Condo. Sleeps 6. Outdoor pool & hot tub, amenities room & indoor gym. Mthly/Wkly Avail. Jan / March / April 604-833-0342

A.S.B.A ENTERPRISE. Comm/ Res. Free Est. $25/hr incls supplies. Insured. 604-723-0162

ELECTRICAL

KING ALBERT COURT

545 Rochester Ave, Coquitlam

HIP OR KNEE Replacement? Arthritic Conditions/COPD? Restrictions in Walking/ Dressing? Disability Tax Credit $2,000 Tax Credit $20,000 Refund. For assistance! 1-844-453-5372.

.+#"!+!"+/'%

VACATION RENTALS

CLEANING

AMBER ROCHESTER

FINANCIAL SERVICES

%(!" &('&"( %(!" )($#%( $!"& '#%

12TH & Que.2nd floor. Newly Furn. room. Lady only. N/S, N/P. $475. 604-576-1746

APARTMENTS/CONDOS FOR RENT

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION! In-demand career! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get the online training you need from an employer-trusted program. Visit:CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-855-7683362 to start training for your work-at-home career today!

LOANS

FURNISHED RENTALS

HOME SERVICES

Hardwood Floor Refinishing Repairs & Staining Installation Free Estimates Century Hardwood Floors 604-376-7224

HANDYMAN Reno, kitchen, bath, plumbing, countertop, floors, paint, etc. Mic, 604-725-3127

604-630-3300

www.centuryhardwood.com

ANYTHING IN WOOD Hardwood floors, installs, refinishing. Non-toxic finishes. 604-782-8275 A to Z CERAMIC TILES Installation, Repairs, Free Est. 604 444-4715, 604 805-4319

TODAY'S PUZZLE A NSWERS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

SUDOKU

HOME SERVICES LAWN & GARDEN

OIL TANK REMOVAL

'5"4/- 2/-%5(/*

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1-75/1153193

)'( ; $,::< !6.,0%& !('$ %# &!")( TREES, HEDGES, SHRUBS Pruning, shaping, removal, fruits, topiary. Wolfgang, 778-848-7404 WILDWOOD LANDSCAPING Comm/Strata/Res, Exp, Hedge Trimming & Removal, Lawn Restoration, Free Est. 604-893-5745

A31

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RENOS & HOME IMPROVEMENT

RUBBISH REMOVAL

*"+)/ '.!& "(#$-+%,!"#

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,'0+#!% *'/- ,#(' /#!)' "$&.

PAINTING/ WALLPAPER *"3./1*4!3"2'!,0

? F77@D -7F 2<::8 < ;7!BD !=0 ;7C79F 1(/)C)=+ A "F)@ /3BF!. $F);/ )=;CD (C76/F5!C/ $F/@)9@ G9!C)B0 4!)=B, 53 1"-6!5/ #)$,+ 7(4 ,% 2(*'+.$.0& *DE 9D !>79B 79F &!@)=!B/ 'C77F)=+ A %!)5 #/F6);/D,

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PATIOS

CONCRETE FORMING, framing & siding crews available. 604-218-3064

FERREIRA HOME IMPROVEMENTS All interior and Exterior Renovations and Additons Renovation Contractor Licensed and Insured Free Estimates “Satisfaction Guaranteed”

NORM 604-841-1855

ROOFING 7 "1):;;+8 7 *,1+0)01+ $930;6'45. (;/4:8 7 *,1+0)01+ #90,0)28 7 !0)-, '45.0)2 7 *,1+0)01+ &4)50)2 7 *13; %9348

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PLUMBING

PUZZLE ANSWERS ON SEPARATE PAGE

Bath, Kitchen, Basement & More Grade A+, Licensed & Insured RenoRite.com, 604-365-7271

DISPOSAL BINS starting at $219 plus dump fees. Call Disposal King 604-306-8599

RecycleMan.ca

Disposal, recycling, gardening 604-709-6230 RUBBISH REMOVAL Reasonable rates - Free est. Pat 604-224-2112 anytime

STUCCO DC STUCCO Ltd 21 yrs exp. Exc serv. All types of finishes. Repairs. Ins’d 604-788-1385

TREE SERVICES A-1 Contracting & Roofing Re-Roofing & Repair. Concrete Tile, Paint & Seal & Maint. WCB. 25% Discount. Call Jag at:

WILDWOOD TREE Services, Res/Comm/Strata, Free Estimate. Call 604-893-5745

778-892-1530

Certified Plumber & Gas Fitter

* Reno’s & Repairs 24 hrs/day * Furnaces * Boilers * Hot Water Heating * Reasonable Rates * Hot Water Tanks

604-591-2499

ACROSS

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3 Licensed Plumbers 66 years of exp. 604-830-6617 www.oceansidemechanical.com

BBB, Visa/Mcard/Amex

604-874-4808

Licensed Plumber, Sprinkler fitter, video camera drain inspections. 604-723-2007 SAVE ON GAS FITTING & HOT WATER TANKS. Plumber /Gas fitter. Quality work. Free Estimates. Same day service, Insured BBB 604-987-7473

C4@>B:D>@0@4

10% Off with this Ad. For all your plumbing, heat & reno needs. Lic Gas Fitter, Aman. 778-895-2005

1PRO MOVING & SHIPPING Across the street, across the world Real Professionals. Reas. Rates. Best in every way! 604-721-4555

RENOS & HOME IMPROVEMENT

ABE MOVING & Delivery & Rubbish Removal $30/HR per Person• 24/7. 604-999-6020

TCP MOVING 1 to 3 men from $40.Lic & Ins local & storage. Ca & US long distance 604-505-1386 604-505-9166

AUTOMOTIVE

ACTUAL PLUMBING LTD

%.)) &,=;8/=)A3)5;2. ';,-275= uhRdih`Pdrbp^VaahSndrbpvdr`VR

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!($%%&'$#(" &;;5+*04498+%0)!9"%/994 (94#,+$;8"/;) '/;)9 6.1+21.+:73.

LEAKY ROOF? We Repair! ! New Roofs ! Soffit Siding ! Hardy Board ! Patios ! Great Rates ! Quality Pays

604-358-7597

Canam Roofing 778-881-1417 Res. roofing, new, re-roofing & repairs. Peace of mind warranty. www.canamroofing.ca

SCRAP CAR REMOVAL

VHI WKXMYYIX WKXMY KMX S VXUKG XI[ZTMF

*+$' (#! +%% ")'&*%)$ GL Roofing, & Repairs. New roof, clean gutters $80. 604240-5362. info@glroofing.ca MCR Mastercraft Roofing Right the 1st time! Repairs, reroofing, garage, decks. Hart 322-5517

NJRQOPJQLPJJ LSK TOKRMP QN

#1 FREE Scrap Vehicle Removal

Ask about $500 Credit!!!

$$ PAID for Some 604.683.2200

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DOWN

1. Go quickly 2. Fiddler crabs 3. Cervid 4. Gundog 5. Gushed forth 6. Caliph 7. Shoe cord 8. Give extreme unction to 9. Of I 10. “A Doll’s House” author 11. Documents certifying authority 13. Drunk 15. Principal ethnic group of China 17. Crinkled fabrics

26. Midway between N and NE 27. Auditory organ 28. Last month (abbr.) 30. Indicated horsepower (abbr.) 31. Mediation council 33. Aussie crocodile hunter 35. Sylvan deity 37. Clears or tidies 38. In a way, emerges 40. Whimper 41. G. Gershwin’s brother 42. Begetter 44. Seated 45. Old world, new

48. Girls 50. “Song of triumph” 52. A covering for the head 53. Attack 55. Norwegian krone 56. Coach Parseghian 57. No good 58. Task that is simple 63. A way to move on 65. In a way, advanced 66. Loses weight 67. Shift sails

18. Longest division of geological time 21. Pancake 23. Small pat 24. A garden plot 27. Strayed 29. Surgical instrument 32. No. French river 34. Modern 35. Now called Ho Chi Minh City nkx gu` qe`d | acuwq~w tdbf|` 39. Exhaust 40. Individual 43. Moves rhythmically to music

44. D. Lamour “Road” picture costume 46. Having earlike appendages mjx ]ub`q~uv c_{pqw |wwd_e`|e` mix h_`ubfda` c|b` dt | }dzub lox g_ccpufue` zq`s vqt~w_p`y 54. Plains Indian tent (alt. sp.) 59. Electronic warfare-support measures 60. Displaying a fairylike aspect 61. Taxi 62. They __ 64. Syrian pound

A32

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, DE C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

Natural

Your Original

Canadian

B.C. Grown

Prime Rib Roasts

Organic Fuji Apples

$ 99 $ 19 /lb 15.41/kg

/lb 4.83/kg

Food Store

Non-Medicated

Bone-In Hams

$ 98

/lb 10.98/kg

We carry a Huge Selection of Organic Products NON-MEDICATED

FRESH

J.D. Farms Turkeys

Organic

ORGANIC

Turkeys

Prime Rib Roasts

NON-MEDICATED

Porkloin Bone-In Roasts

Inside or Outside Round Roasts

$ 99

$ 89

$ 98

MAPLE HILL’S

FROM THE DELI

COSTA RICA

PRODUCT OF THE U.S.A.

PRODUCT OF MEXICO

Non-Medicated

Roast Beef

Pineapples

Bagged Spinach

Avocados

/lb 8.80/kg

Roasting Chickens

/lb 12.99/kg

$ 99

PRODUCT OF CALIFORNIA

Organic

/lb 6.59/kg

Cilantro

$ 79 ea

/100 g

Bagged Lemons

$ 59 ea 2lb bag

/lb 22.00/kg

2 6 for $

Tortilla Chips

Gluten Free/Low Sodium

$ 99 325g

1595 Kingsway • 604-872-3019 • www.famousfoods.ca OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

8 am-9 pm •

/lb 10.98/kg

00 $ 09

FRESH IS BEST

$ 98

GRASS FED

ea 8oz bag

$ 99

$ 29

ZEVIA SODA

Zero Calorie/No Sugar Assorted

$ 99

+ eco + dep 6 pack

/lb 15.41/kg

ORGANIC

Bragg

Apple Cider Vinegar

$ 49 946ml

Staff of Famous Foods wishes everyone a wonderful holiday! CLOSED DEC. 25, DEC. 26 & JAN. 1, 2016 OPEN DEC. 24 7AM - 5PM & DEC. 31 8AM - 5PM

Sale Dates: Thursday, December 24th - Wednesday, December 30th, 2015.