Vancouver Courier October 22 2014

WEDNESDAY

October 22 2014 Vol. 105 No. 85

URBAN SENIOR 17

E-bike freedom

STATE OF THE ARTS 22

Three Tall Women SPORTS 23

Golfer lives with Lupus There’s more online at

vancourier.com MIDWEEK EDITION

THE VOICE of VANCOUVER NEIGHBOURHOODS since 1908

Johl quits Hillcrest Charko says it remains opposed to OneCard Bob Mackin

bob@bobmackin.ca

Developer Rob Macdonald of the NPA donated $960,000 to his party in the 2011 civic election campaign. The sum is believed to be the single biggest donation to a civic party in Canadian history. PHOTO MATTHEW DESOUZA

Big spenders explain donations to civic parties ‘Who’s running government’ key concern for donors

VANCOUVER VOTES Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

There is a distinct smell emanating from the headquarters of Vision Vancouver and the NPA that is getting stronger as election day approaches in November.

It’s the smell of money.

Money from companies, unions and individuals whose contributions will likely give

the city’s two mainstream parties about $2 million each to spend on their campaigns.

Maybe it will be more.

With no limits on donations or the amount of money a party can spend, contributors are free to empty their wallets or write big cheques in the name of civic politics.

Each party spent more than $2 million in the 2011 race and in excess of $1 million each in the 2008 campaign. Both parties surpassed the $1 million mark in 2005, too.

This time around, Vision is seeking a third majority and, if successful, will continue its reign over city hall until 2018. The NPA, meanwhile, is desperately trying to regain the power it lost in 2008.

As that battle plays out, many city hall

watchers question whether multi-million dollar campaigns are truly representative of so-called democratic elections.

Ironically, the current council says they aren’t. So did the council before them and the council before them. Vision, the NPA and COPE are all on record for wanting the big money out of civic politics.

To make that happen, however, the provincial government must change the rules that apply to how civic campaigns are financed.

The minister in charge of the municipal government portfolio, Coralee Oakes, has promised some form of expense limits will be in place for the 2018 election.

Continued on page 14

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The struggle for control of the Riley Park Hillcrest Community Association board may finally be over.

Jesse Johl told the Courier he quit as president on Oct. 19, along with board members Todd Constant, Steve Mah, Nick Despotakis and Peter Thanis.

Ken Charko, who remains on the board with Jennifer Palma, Jaimini Thakore and Eli Zbar, claims RPHA will continue to oppose the OneCard with the associations that jointly operate Hastings, Kensington, Kerrisdale, Killarney and Sunset with the Vancouver park board.

“We have a new board that has met (Oct. 20) and we’re making no changes to the arrangement Hillcrest has with the group of six as it relates to the litigation with the city,” Charko told the Courier. “Our objective right now on this new board is to bring us to the annual general meeting that’s in compliance with the judge’s orders and make sure that contractors are paid in an expeditious matter.”

Johl, who is running for city council under the Vancouver First banner, led a two-year battle to keep community centre associations autonomous by opposing the Vision Vancouver majority park board’s rollout of a system-wide pass. A war of words heated up last spring when Charko, Palma, Thakore and Zbar filed a B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit seeking their reinstatement to the board that included allegations of financial mismanagement and sexual harassment that have not been proven in court.

“We’ve all got young families, this is a volunteer position, nobody signed up for this. Here we are trying to make our community better and all we get is grief,” Johl said. “The whole thing is just a nightmare. The bottom line, the board was falsely accused of a number of things, all of it was untrue.”

Continued on page 8

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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News

Making time for reader responses OneCity points out proposed flipping levy

12TH&CAMBIE Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

You can’t please everyone, I’ve learned on this job.

Here’s proof: “I stopped reading his articles some time back. I found them unsettling.”

That was from letter writer Teresa Henderson.

The other night at Oppenheimer Park, a community activist criticized me for a lengthy story I wrote a few years ago where I spent several months chronicling the lives of two women in the Downtown Eastside.

The activist called it “poor-nography.”

The story was about two moms, who despite their struggles, were working with other moms to become better parents. They even formed a moms’ group at a community centre and one of them was working her way through a course to become a counsellor.

Inspiring, I thought, and not another cliché story about poverty and despair.

Anyway, I tell you this because no matter what I write, there always seems to be someone or some organization who will criticize the piece or take me to task for not including another point of view.

Which I think is great. It means people are reading.

But, unfortunately, decreasing space and little time — the best excuses going for people in my field — make it difficult to be as thorough as I’d like to be when I file a piece. I’d love to write a lengthy tome that captures the zeitgeist of today’s Vancouver but, sadly, I’m not independently wealthy and can’t afford to spend a year without a paycheque (hint, hint big pocketed book publishers).

So with about 300 words left to finish this rambling piece of porridge, I thought I’d make room for a note from the communications director for the OneCity civic party.

Here’s what he wrote:

OneCity council candidate RJ Aquino proposed a “Vancouver flipping tax” at a at the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods meeting last week at St. James Hall. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

“Think your story today is missing a very important point: A week ago, OneCity released a proposed levy very much like the one cited in San Francisco.”

The comms director was referring to a previous entry in which I wrote about San Francisco and how vot-

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OneCity council candidate RJ Aquino is proposing the “Vancouver flipping levy” where the tax on a sale will be deposited with the city’s housing authority to create homes for low and middle income residents.

Aquino gives an example of a buyer purchasing a $1

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ers there were going to the polls next month to decide whether they want to have the city invoke a steep tax on property owners who resell residential buildings within five years of buying them.

The comment came with a link to OneCity’s release on the topic.

million property, leaving it vacant and then selling it in less than a year for $1.5 million. Under OneCity’s levy, that purchaser would be taxed 50 per cent, translating to $250,000 going to the housing authority.

That percentage of tax would drop to 35 per cent if a property were sold in years two and three, and to 20 per cent in years four and five. But as I wondered in a previous entry, how the heck is the city going to track whether the owner bought on speculation or is in Palm Springs, Calif. four months of the year?

Kind of a privacy issue, don’t you think?

San Francisco has some ideas. But, sadly, I’ve run out of space.

Which means: Critics, trolls and all those people who have a hate on for my work unite!

My email address is at the top of this article.

Look forward to hearing from you. twitter.com/Howellings

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

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The two hundred people at the Marpole Oakridge Community Centre Sunday night were clear on one issue: they want the centre to remain where it is. At least that’s what they told a dozen city council and park board candidates who attended a civic election debate organized by the Marpole Residents Coalition.

Many residents worry the city might move the centre from its current location on West 59th and Oak Street to a city-owned site near Granville Street

Two hundred residents came to Marpole Oakridge Community Centre Sunday to listen to a dozen city council and parks board candidates. PHOTO REBECCA BLISSETT

and West 70th Avenue.

When that question was raised to the panel, Vision

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park board commissioner Trevor Loke replied that $17 million has been set aside in the parks capital plan to either keep and rebuild the centre at its current location, or relocate it with a library to a new location. He said Vision will not commit to a choice without “a full community consultation first.” The audience groaned and booed.

“If you want it, we will rebuild it here,” said NPA park board candidate Sarah Kirby-Yung, to applause.

Many housing advocates warn of more “renovictions,” that is, landlords evicting tenants so they can upgrade the buildings, and the candidates were asked how they would stop it.

Vision Vancouver Coun.

Heather Deal replied that her party saved several buildings in the Downtown Eastside from renovictions, and created a bad landlords database. “Also, for the first time in years rentals are being built, where there were none built in 2008 because they don’t make money, and we hope to see 4,000 more rentals.”

Green Party Coun.

Adriane Carr countered that “Vision’s idea of affordable is ridiculous because the units they want are far too costly for most people.” She added the city has ways of stopping units from being torn down, such as by barring upzoning and strengthening the rate of change bylaw to require landlords to provide relocation plans for all evicted tenants.

One resident complained of a high number of absentee landlords in

the city, and asked if higher property taxes should be imposed on unoccupied residences compared to occupied homes.

“That was the number one concern I heard from owners,” said NPA council candidate Rob McDowell.

“They tell me they see empty homes everywhere. But let’s collect evidence first, not just go by anecdotes.”

COPE council candidate Jennifer O’Keeffe, said her party published a study on this problem a few months ago.

“COPE was the first party to put forward a proposal to have a vacant housing tax,” she said. “If people can afford to leave their apartments vacant for 10 months, then they can afford to pay higher taxes.”

But Deal warned such plans might run afoul of privacy laws, and the city might not have such powers under the Vancouver Charter. “How can we demand of people to know how many days a year each of them live in their own houses?” she asked.

Mike Burdick, one of the debate’s organizers, concluded that the public turnout was larger than he had hoped.

“It’s very hard to get politicians to give straight answers, so that was my biggest frustration, but overall I think it went fairly well,” he said. “It’s also hard to say what you will do if you don’t have a majority to make it happen. What we are all hoping for is that on Nov. 16 we’ll have a council without a majority, so they must listen to community before deciding.”

The election is Nov. 15.

W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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News

Norma Rose Point school a fitting tribute Cheryl Rossi

crossi@vancourier.com

Bronson Charles drummed at the afternoon celebration of Norma Rose Point school and Stewart Point, Norma’s youngest son, emceed. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

Named for the late Musqueam elder and lifelong education advocate Norma Rose Point, Vancouver’s newest school includes a digital media lab with a 3D printer, clustered classrooms that open onto common spaces and a second gym that includes theatrical lighting, a large projection screen and blackout blinds.

One of the students who led a tour of the new school on the traditional lands of the Musqueam people near the University of B.C. Friday afternoon pointed out the beanbag chairs in the corner of what’s being called the learning commons, instead of the library.

“It’s a very nice reading environment because we are so comfortable…

I love it,” said Grade 7 student Joyce Zhang.

“It’s not just a library like other schools,” said 12-year-old Henry Lund.

“It’s a place that if you’re stressed out in your community, you can come here and work.”

Both Lund and Grade 6 student Dante Salibian like that different classes collaborate. Principal Rosa Fazio is pleased teachers aren’t working in silos.

“Everybody’s strength becomes everybody’s strength when you’re co-planning, co-collaborating,” she said.

Teachers can identify students from different classes who have similar needs and assist them in relevant clusters.

Wayne Point, Norma’s eldest of four sons, said his mother would have “happy cried” if she could have attended the two opening celebrations for the school named in her honour.

Education officials and

representatives of the Musqueam Band celebrated the school in the morning, and then more than 100 former colleagues, school community and family members, including relatives from the Fraser Valley, celebrated Norma and the school in the afternoon.

Multiple speakers recalled Norma’s small stature but huge heart, strength and determination to help everyone, aboriginal and non-aboriginal, to further their education and follow their dreams.

“Anyone that came to her when she was the education coordinator, she helped as much as she could,” said Musqueam elder Larry Grant.

Speakers from various organizations said Norma, who died in July 2012 at the age of 78, continues to be spoken of daily in their workplace.

Continued on page 6

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

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News West Side school represents First Nations Continued from page 5 “She was a woman of so much wisdom,” said Joanne Stone-Campbell, who worked alongside Norma at the Vancouver School Board and the B.C. Institute of Technology.

Stone-Campbell noted Norma didn’t achieve her own dream of completing a post-secondary degree.

“But in the aboriginal culture… we believe that she was a doctor. She had the knowledge of a person who had their PhD,” she said.

Norma’s youngest son, Stewart Point, noted his mother started the first preschool on a native reserve in Canada, on the Musqueam reserve, in the 1960s.

Starting the preschool was a strategy for keeping kids out of residential school.

Norma worked as education coordinator for the Musqueam Band, was involved in the Native

Education Centre and worked at UBC, the VSB and as aboriginal services adviser at BCIT. She was awarded a Diamond Jubilee medal posthumously in 2012 for her contributions to aboriginal education.

Tammy Harkey, one of “little Rose’s” first graduates from the preschool she started, said Norma took an unwelcome interest in her when Harkey, now a councillor for the Musqueam Band, was struggling in high school.

“It wasn’t about formalized education,” Harkey said. “It was about just making sure you had a dream and you had a vision about how you were going to get there.”

Harkey looks forward to her grandson attending the school named for the woman who nurtured her.

Stewart hopes his sixyear-old daughter can attend the school named for her grandmother.

“But the school’s full,” he said. “And my daughter is considered as out of catchment.”

The combined elementary and middle school can accommodate up to 860 kindergarten to Grade 8 students.

This year, it’s staffed for and full with 500 students in kindergarten to Grade 7.

“It’s cool how [the name of this school] represents First Nations and the Musqueam because we learned about that two years ago [at Queen Elizabeth elementary,]” said 12-year-old Lund.

UBC anthropology professor Charles Menzies called the honour long overdue.

“It’s such an important occasion to actually have a person such as Norma Rose Point honoured by having her named placed upon this school, in this place, and this point in time,” he said. twitter.com/Cheryl_Rossi

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W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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News Park protesters released Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

All five people arrested at the Oppenheimer Park tent city Oct. 16 were released from custody and will not face charges, the Vancouver Police Department announced the following day.

The campers — three men and two women — were in contravention of an injunction granted by the B.C. Supreme Court, which allowed the Vancouver park board to dismantle the four-month old camp after 10 p.m. Oct. 15.

Police arrested them late last Thursday afternoon and had recommended charges for obstruction and breach of the court order and the peace.

“The goal of police was to safely enforce the B.C. Supreme Court order allowing workers to restore the park, and not criminalize the campers,” the VPD said in a release. “In reviewing all of the circumstances, and with the public interest in mind, the Vancouver police has de-

PRICES IN EFFECT OCT. 23 - 29, 2014

termined not to recommend charges.”

City officials, police and park rangers moved in the morning of Oct. 16 to clear the park of campers, tents and debris.

The VPD said negotiations with campers who refused to leave continued throughout the day with no progress.

Gary Humchitt was one of the campers arrested and told the Courier earlier in the day he wanted “reasonable housing” or he would stay.

Deputy city manager Sadhu Johnston said Oct. 15 there was enough shelter and housing available for about 50 campers who were in the park by the deadline. It was unclear last week whether Humchitt and the others found shelter or housing upon their release Courier photographer Dan Toulgoet was at the park during the arrests and captured several photographs, which can be viewed with the online version of this story at vancourier.com.

Vancouver police arrested the remaining campers Thursday in Oppenheimer Park. The protest camp had occupied the park for four months. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

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News

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Continued from page 1 Charko’s slate ousted Johl’s at a hastily called June 26 annual general meeting, but on Aug. 22, Justice Lisa Warren overturned the election of 14 new directors and ordered the board be composed of Johl, Constant, Mah, Despotakis, Thanis, Zbar,Thakore, Palma and Charko. She also ordered a new annual general meeting be held by Oct. 30.

Johl said there were negotiations with Charko to set a new date after the proposed Sept. 4 meeting was moved to Sept. 14. Charko and Johl are blaming each other for the impasse after Johl brought a mediator to settle on a date. Charko is planning to apply to court for a new meeting date.

“We offered every Sunday up to Oct. 26,” Johl said.

“If the Vision forces want to take it and take over it, and Charko has aligned himself with Vision, there’s nothing you can do with it.”

Charko, a former NPA candidate and director, scoffed at the suggestion he is a Vision supporter. He said he has been a Conservative since age 12. “I’m not related to Vision, never been related

Board battles have continued for months at the Riley Park Hillcrest Community Association. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

to Vision, he knows I’m not related to Vision, that is just a smokescreen,” he said. “Just not going to happen.”

For now, Johl is focusing on the election. “The biggest impact on the community centres will be the result of Nov. 15. We’re the only civic party that has three community centre presidents and two Olympians running.”

Meanwhile, the park board has scheduled a one-day court hearing Nov. 20 — five days after the civic election — in its continuing legal battle with the six community centres.

“Park Board will not be issuing the non-renewal notices to any of your clients without first obtaining direction from the court that such notices are

permitted,” wrote city lawyer Jason Twa in an Oct. 3 letter to lawyer Dean Davison.

In the letter, Twa denied the park board is breaching the joint operating agreement by replacing the Active Networks Safari program and not involving the Killarney Community Centre Association in the planning for a proposed seniors’ centre.

“The Park Board will be proceeding with the implementation of new software in the coming year,” Twa wrote.

“Again, the JOA will remain in effect in accordance with the injunction order and the purchase of new software has no bearing on the operation of the JOA.” twitter.com/bobmackin

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Public Open House

Biological Sciences Building - 6270 University Boulevard You are invited to attend an Open House on Wednesday, October 29 to view and comment on a proposed addition and renovation to the Biological Sciences complex at 6270 University Boulevard to accommodate new UBC Undergraduate Life Sciences Teaching Labs.

Date: Wednesday,October29, 2014 Time: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Place: Earth Sciences Building Atrium, 2207 Main Mall Plans will be displayed for the project which will include the demolition of a Michael portion of the building to allow for a FNH Bookstore Smith new 4-storey East Wing for new teaching labs, an upgraded interior courtyard and renovation of the existing North Wing.

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NEWS NOONER NPA mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe participated in a live online interview Monday with the Courier’s Mike Howell and Naoibh O’Connor. The interview was the first of three streamed interviews to be held by the Courier during the election campaign with COPE mayoral candidate Meena Wong scheduled for Friday, Oct. 24 at noon and Vision Vancouver mayoral incumbent Gregor Robertson slated for Oct. 30 at noon. The upcoming interviews can be seen live at vancourier.com and all will be archived on the Courier site during the campaign. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

Opinion LGBTQ candidates offer Lessons from London on foreign home buyers empathy for voters Trish Kelly Guest columnist

trishkellyc@gmail.com

With less than a month to the civic election, I hope we’re all zeroing in on who deserves our vote come election day Nov. 15. Though we often hear that Vancouverites vote based on party affiliation, no party is running a complete slate, so even if you want to throw all your votes at your favourite mega-party, you still have votes to spare.

Might I suggest you cast some for the 10-plus LGBTQ candidates?

Sexual identity doesn’t matter more than other aspects of a candidate’s profile like their work experience or community involvement, but being part of a minority correlates with having experienced adversity.

I want to know candidates have experienced some kind of difficulty in their lives. In the midst of immense wealth, Vancouver is a city that is hard to live in, and many of our residents are struggling.

The best political representation would include a cross-section of the types of adversity our residents face, so we know our leaders have empathy and a personal stake in making the city more livable, and just.

In my search, I found 10 “out” LGBTQ candidates and one not quite out of the closet. That’s almost 10 percent of the 119 candidates running. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve missed some; it wasn’t as easy to confirm LGBTQ candidates as I imagined.

Of all the candidate profiles I reviewed, only one explicitly names a candidate as openly gay: Tim Stevenson, Vision Vancouver city councillor who was the first gay cabinet minister to be elected.

Surprisingly, even Vancouver Park Board incumbent Trevor Loke from Stevenson’s party doesn’t overtly claim membership in the LGBTQ community.

Coree Tull, who is running for park board with Vision, is the co-founder of the Double Rainbow Dodgeball league and co-chair of Out in Sports. I’d call that clear.

In the independent and direct category, Jamie Lee Hamilton, seeking a seat on park board, notes her own status as the first transsexual to stand for public office in Canada. In 1996, the same year Stevenson won his federal seat, Hamilton ran for city council.

Past VSB trustee Jane Bouey, running this time with Public Education Project,

also identifies as queer.

Mischa Oak, Green Party candidate for Vancouver School Board, uses a rainbow coloured font to spell “proud” on his website and includes advocacy for LGBTQ students in his list of priorities, pretty good clues.

Proud Politics, a national non-partisan support organization profiles out politicians on its website in hopes of encouraging more LGBTQ candidates. The B.C. directory is spotty, but I understand several candidates have submitted their profiles and are waiting for them to be posted.

When candidate profiles failed me, I contacted party officials. This is how I discovered the NPA has two gay candidates. Rob McDowell is running with the NPA for city council. He told me that as a gay man, he’s experienced little discrimination.

In the alphabet soup of queer identities, “I’m probably the least vulnerable as a ‘G’,” McDowell said.

A recent incident at the Fountainhead Pub, when a gay patron told him and NPA mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe they were not wanted in the well-known gay hangout, gave McDowell a taste of a new kind of hostility he might face if he’s successfully voted into public life.

The NPA website itself doesn’t mention any of their candidates are LGBTQ. I searched the site for terms like “LGBTQ,” “lesbian” and “queer.” It wasn’t until I tried “gay” that any results were returned. It must be some sort of glitch in the web coding because even though five candidate profiles came up, none of the candidates identify as LGBTQ and the two candidates that do, Stephane Mouttet, a park board candidate, and McDowell, were not in the results.

My call to COPE’s campaign office was answered by several enthusiastic hopefuls including Imtiaz Popat, running for park board and Heidi Nagtegaal, on COPE’s school board slate.

I also heard from a candidate not yet out to their family who wasn’t sure they wanted to be included in this article. I advised the newbie that though a newspaper article would be an exciting way to come out to one’s family, I’ll leave them out of the piece.

I know I said I want my politicians to have experienced some adversity, but all of us, especially politicians, need to pick our battles wisely. twitter.com/trishkellyc

Michael Geller Columnist

michaelarthurgeller@gmail.com

A radical plan to stop rich overseas residents from buying houses and new condominium properties as investments will be published in a report by a leading right-wing think tank on Monday.

Concerned that many middle and lower income earners who cannot afford to buy are being forced to pay high rents, the report calls on government officials to adopt a scheme similar to one operating in Australia, which ensures no sale can take place to overseas buyers unless it will add to housing stock.

Such a system would mean that no existing home could be sold to a foreign buyer. Furthermore, new units could only be purchased by non-residents if their investment will result in one or more additional properties being built.

Before you get too happy or upset with this proposal, I should point out it does not apply to Vancouver. It was made earlier this year in London, England from where I am writing this column.

It is interesting to compare foreignowned vacant properties in London and Vancouver.

A U.K. property firm estimated that in 2013, 70 per cent of “new-build” properties in Central London went to foreign investors, while 30 per cent of London’s luxury homes worth more than £1million were bought by non-U.K. residents.

The problem was not confined to the top end of the market since overseas buyers were also acquiring less expensive units in new developments.

While the situation may be good news for real estate agents and those wanting to sell to foreign buyers, it is not good news for those being priced out at the bottom of the market.

In London there is also a concern that foreign investment is distorting what developers are building, with disproportionately more high-end developments targeted to these buyers.

Last year, the U.K. chancellor announced he was closing a loophole that allowed foreign investors to make huge profits on sales of U.K. homes by avoiding any capital gains tax. A 28 per cent capital gains tax will begin in April 2015. In Canada, foreign investors already pay tax on any real estate gains.

The U.K. has also imposed a 15 per cent “stamp duty rate” for foreign investors who buy through corporate shell

companies. In comparison, Hong Kong now charges an extra 15 per cent tax for all non-residents.

The opposition Labour Party is proposing a “Mansion Tax” that would apply to homes costing two million pounds or more ($3.7 million). It would equate to an additional payment of 250 pounds per month ($470) although those earning less than 42,000 pounds ($77,000) would be allowed to defer payment until they sell or die.

The U.K. government, local politicians and others are also advocating that local councils impose higher property taxes on foreign investors who leave homes empty.

This past June, London mayor Boris Johnson added his voice by urging local authorities to “whack up council tax” on houses that remain empty for more than a year.

Local authorities can already impose a 50 per cent tax increase if a property remains vacant after two years. However, local councils are not pursuing the additional tax because of the administrative difficulties in determining which properties should be penalized.

Some absentee owners are avoiding the council tax surcharge by “moving in a table and chair.”

Liam Bailey, global head of research at the estate agent Knight Frank, told the Independent in May: “The problem with measures to tackle empty homes or under-occupied homes, whether sensible or not, fundamentally comes down to practicalities. Namely, how government can actually define and then identify empty homes. The practical implications of the policy are likely to be limited.”

What is significant is that in the U.K., the federal government is very much a part of the conversation.

In Vancouver, the federal government has been silent.

For these reasons, notwithstanding the national attention COPE mayoral candidate Meena Wong has attracted with her call for special municipal taxes on foreign-owned empty properties, one must question whether this is at all realistic.

On the other hand, NPA mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe’s proposal to study what programs have worked and not worked in other jurisdictions may not be as ill-advised as some critics have claimed. twitter.com/michaelgeller

W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Mailbox Vote pooling

To the editor: Re: “Voters face capital ideas,” Oct. 15.

There has been no increase in pools over the past decade as this article states. Four out of seven outdoor pools have closed in the last 10 years, two of these under Vision, and they have not replaced any of them. Nor is there any plan to replace them, now that Vision has voted against any outdoor swimming pools in this capital plan.

Park board needs to stop saying that there was a proposal for “another outdoor pool.” The proposal was specifically for the replacement of Mount Pleasant outdoor swimming pool that has space allocated for it pending the availability of funds, per public consulta-

tion and a park board motion in 2010.

Britannia’s improvements that span three capital plans will be lucky to see an outdoor wading pool in 12 years, similar to the Hillcrest outdoor wading pool.

Stating that outdoor pools have to be tied to existing indoor pools is Vision’s excuse for doing nothing over the past six years to replace our outdoor aquatic facilities, and their plan to do more nothing over the next four years if they are elected.

The only way that Vancouver will see another outdoor pool anytime soon is to elect “pool positive” candidates such as COPE’s Anita Romaniuk, NPA’s John Coupar, and Green party candidate Stuart Mackinnon.

Margery Duda, Vancouver

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CO U R I E R A R C H I V E S T H I S W E E K I N H I S T O R Y

Babe Ruth plays exhibition game

Oct. 19, 1934: George “Babe” Ruth headed a star-studded lineup of major league baseball players to play an exhibition game at now long-gone Athletic Park as part of a barnstorming expedition that took them through Vancouver on their way to a historic 17-game tour of Japan. A lineup that included Lou Gehrig, Lefty Gomez, Charlie Gehringer and Lefty O’Doul, who later managed the Vancouver Mounties team when the Pacific Coast League made its local debut in 1956, played in the pouring rain to a nine-inning 2-2 tie one day before boarding the Empress of Japan, a Glasgow-built liner that made regular trans-Pacific sailings between Vancouver, Hong Kong and Japan.

Smokey Smith takes out two tanks

Oct. 21, 1944: Ernest “Smokey” Smith, a member of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada regiment, disabled a 44-ton Panther Mark V tank from 10 metres away and then killed several German soldiers who came pouring out of it while helping to secure the River Savio on the Italian front during the latter stages of the Second World War. Minutes later, he disabled a second tank and then carried an injured comrade to shelter. He was later awarded the Victoria Cross for displaying valour “in the face of the enemy” for his actions. Smith, the last living Canadian recipient of the award, died in his Vancouver home Aug. 3, 2005 at age 91.

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COURIER STORY: “NPA pushes for LNG jobs in Vancouver,” Oct. 17.

Alexander Hayne: In my opinion, the NPA push for head-office jobs connected to the LNG industry is common sense and good for Vancouver. Our city needs a more diversified economy supported by many different industries. Vancouver has a history of being head office for mining, forestry and other primary industries, but those jobs are mostly gone and not coming back. Tech jobs are wonderful, but every city in the world wants them. If we only seek out tech industry jobs then we become vulnerable to tech downturns, foreign exchange risk, U.S. immigration policy and geopolitical risk.

Vancouver’s economy needs job diversity and that includes head-office jobs related to the LNG industry.

Christopher Porter: The B.C. tech industry employs more than the logging, mining, oil, and gas industries combined, and a lot of those jobs are in Vancouver. That’s where the focus should be. Clean, good paying jobs. LaPointe’s corporate donors may want him to support more oil and gas extraction, but it doesn’t make sense for Vancouver.

Mark A: The only reason Microsoft, Facebook and a host of others are in Vancouver is because of the U.S. immigration laws. These large companies are finding it very difficult to get the top people from around the world to get U.S. visas to work for them. They have set up in Vancouver because it is close to Seattle and the Silicon Valley. We are fortunate that Vancouver is the largest metropolitan city close to the U.S. border and California. If the U.S. was to change their temporary worker visa requirements, these companies would fold and move south. Resources are here to stay.

COURIER STORY: “Mayor speculates on studying speculation,” Oct. 17.

Wayne Fougere @WayneFougere: What do those who want to punish absentees think is a reasonable amount of time to live here?

KUDOS & KVETCHES: “Canucks fans sick of all the Mess,” Oct. 17. perogies: It does get incredibly annoying seeing Messier a billion times every game. He will never get forgiven for running over Linden or for suing the team.

Grand_Admiral_Theron: I was angry about this stuff at first but I talked myself into letting it go. But if they rename Rogers Arena to Messier Arena then there’ll be trouble.

VanhamCanuckspurs: “There’s probably a number of reasons fans don’t seem quite as fired up over the Canucks this year, including lingering bitterness over the unnecessary lockout, the equally unnecessary riot...” Had to double-check the date on the article, I can’t believe people are still talking about this. Even media from Vancouver, no less.

COURIER STORY: “Mayor moved, Greens energetic?” Oct. 17.

Jack: “The property was assessed at $1.189 million last year, but jumped in value to $1.335 million after the partial closure of Point Grey Road for a controversial bike lane.” Well done Gregor! Your little Point Grey bike lane netted you a cool $146,000!

It’s good to be the king, huh? Of course that’s all purely coincidental, and we know how you removed yourself from the vote. Without your vote who knew which way the vote would go? Oh sure, Vision votes as a block 100 per cent of the time, but this time they could have voted against the bike lane right? Lucky for you they didn’t.

KUDOS & KVETCHES: “Pool party,” Oct. 15.

AllThat: Brilliant! Amazing how the governing party tries to pat itself on the back with one hand re: swimming lessons while it reaches with the other into the pockets of working families by slapping fees on pre-schoolers.

Gregor’s Green Book @GregorsGreenBK: Free swim lessons to cost $120,000 dollars.

How many communications staff would that employ?

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

Community

1

2

1. Joining Team Transformers were Melanie Bennett, dressed as Iron Man, the female version, and her daughter Nataliya Orendian, 9, dressed as Elsa the snow queen from Disney’s Frozen. 2. A pirate amongst superheroes was also spotted. The parade was part of the Vancouver Halloween Expo at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel that ran all weekend, featuring cosplay, comics, anime, games, arts, and performances. PHOTOS REBECCA BLISSETT

Parade presented friendly face of Halloween

CITY LIVING Rebecca Blissett

rvblissett@gmail.com

Halloween seems to have always suffered from a Jekyll and Hyde syndrome.

On the one hand you have the homemade costumes, pumpkin carving, festive parties and, most important of all, the pillowcase of assorted chocolate stomach aches and candied future cavities that you wouldn’t give up carrying until every house had turned off its lights to signal the tragic end to what seemed like a bottomless bowl of treats.

On the other hand, you have the evening’s dark aftermath of smashed and exploded pumpkins on the streets, the random persistence of screeching bottle rockets, the scattered garbagecan lids that were used as shields in the inevitable Roman candle war, damage to city property committed by the ever-expanding vandal

community, and the fear of a razor blade in every candied apple.

While there’s never been a single case of any trick-or-treater being killed by eating sabotaged sweets (so says a researcher by the name of Joel Best at the University of Delaware), the idea of danger is just too much for many parents already too terrified to let their kids walk to school at the best of times.

For many parents who grew up in the 1980s when slasher/horror movies were at their best/worst, it’s tempting to embrace the recent trend of trick-or-treating at the local mall with participating stores.

The bright lights and security guards surely foil the plans of the pockmarked and denim jacketed whom a generation ago would have grabbed the bulging sacks of candy, making a run for it in their getaway Datsun 510.

The real spirit of Halloween — the Celtic festival to celebrate the end of harvest — was also celebrated Oct. 31.

The date was believed to be when the

existential membrane between the living and the dead was at its weakest, which explains the season’s abundance of ghosts and ghouls. Many countries have ancient reasons for celebrating: bobbing for apples has Roman roots, a tradition that honors Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruits and trees; while carving pumpkins takes a slice from Stingy Jack of Irish folklore who made the mistake of tricking Satan and now wanders the earth with an ember of Hades glowing in a lantern made from a turnip.

The North American version of Halloween takes these different traditions and combines them with The Shaggs’ hallowed opus, “It’s Halloween”.

“It’s time for games, it’s time for fun.”

Fun and games is precisely the inspiration for Vancouver’s first Halloween Parade & Expo this past Sunday. The parade featured the immediately recognizable Transformers, Ghostbusters, and Star Wars characters along with an exuberant smattering of witches, goblins, and that

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All of the costumes had one thing in common as per the event’s rules — no blood, guts, nor gore.

“This is all about friendly costumes,” said Melanie Bennett, who, dressed as a female version of Iron Man, walked in the downtown parade with Team Transformer. “Halloween seemed more ghetto back in the day when we were growing up… But we’re going to bring it back.

We want to have it for the kids of this generation, and have it be fun for them.”

Event organizer Raymond He admits his own Halloween memory isn’t a happy one: while wearing a Star Wars’ Stormtrooper mask and helmet, he was hit in the head from behind while walking down Robson Street on Halloween night 10 years ago. “We want to make Halloween better for the younger generation,” said He. “There’s been too much blood, gore and violence.” twitter.com/@rebeccablissett

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W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

COPE pitches proposal to end ‘renovictions’

Coalition of Progressive Electors mayoral candidate Meena Wong says she has a plan to put an end to so-called “renovictions” where landlords evict tenants under the guise of renovating buildings and then jack up the rent.

“Under the current system, a rent hike is like a prize a landlord gets for evicting a tenant,” said Wong in a prepared statement. “COPE will remove the incentive for landlords to try to evict tenants, especially for minor or cosmetic repairs.”

COPE proposes adding a condition to renovation permits that would guarantee renters would be able to move back in at the same rent they were paying before any renovations. They would also require landlords to provide proof that vacating the premises is necessary and that renovations are n’t merely cosmetic, as well as pay for tenants’ moving and temporary accommodation expenses.

According to the Metro

Vancouver Housing Data Book, the average apartment rent across the city increased by 30 per cent in the past 10 years, from $821 to $1, 067, an average of three per cent per year. During the same period, the average wage increased by 25 per cent, or 2.5 per cent per year, meaning wage increases haven’t kept up with rent increases or the general price of inflation.

John Oliver to host all-candidates meeting

Affordable housing has been a focus of discussion in the lead up to the civic election, Nov. 15, but what do wannabe Vancouver School Board trustees have to say about education? Parents can find out this Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council’s school trustee candidates forum. Representatives from six parties will introduce their platforms, nominees will be asked critical questions and attendees can pose their own questions near the end. The forum will also include contenders that

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are running independently and submitted information about each candidate will be distributed. DPAC has invited VSB superintendent Steve Cardwell, three associate superintendents, secretary-treasurer Rick Krowchuk and VSB community engagement and public relations staff to attend. The forum runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the auditorium of John Oliver Secondary school, at 530 East 41st Ave. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and childcare will be provided.

Greens call for grass

Green Party Coun.

Adriane Carr is urging the City of Vancouver to create a “level playing field for women” and provide real grass for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup games.

Carr submitted a motion on Monday for the Oct. 28 council meeting that the city provide a grass field for the six games and final match of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup games — projected to be the world’s largest women’s sporting

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“I believe it’s critical that Vancouver provides natural grass, not artificial turf, as a point of safety and equity for women players,” says Carr, who has been working on the issue with Carrie Serwetnyk, the founder of Equal Play and the first female inductee into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame. “It’s such a double standard that men are not asked to play on artificial turf because it’s known to have a higher risk for injuries and health issues, but women are.”

Although the Whitecaps play on artificial turf, most men’s premier soccer teams refuse to play on it because it is considered more dangerous.

Carr says the cost of using real grass, estimated at $250,000, should be covered by the B.C. government and PavCo, the owners of BC Place.

Otherwise, the city could use funds from the capital budget and look into whether the grass can be re-used after the tournament for Vancouver playing fields in need of new grass.

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vancouver.ca

Public Auction: Sale of Land for Taxes – November 5 The City of Vancouver will hold a public auction of lands on which taxes or other charges have been delinquent for two years. Under the provisions of the Vancouver Charter the auction will be held: Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 10 am Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue Third Floor, Council Chamber Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.

The list of properties to be offered for sale will be available at vancouver.ca/taxsale starting Thursday, October 30, 2014.

THE LIST OF PROPERTIES IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE Purchasers at the sale are required to pay the upset price by cash or other certified funds. Delinquent taxpayers may make payment before the sale starts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 604-871-6986 or phone 3-1-1

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

Feature

Donors spread their money

Realtor Bob Rennie (left) hosted a $25,000-a plate lunch earlier this year to raise money for Mayor Gregor Robertson’s re-election campaign. Paul Faoro, CUPE B.C.’s secretary treasurer, said donations are “about investing in someone who we think is going to do the right things for the city and for public services in Vancouver.” PHOTOS DAN TOULGOET

Continued from page 1 So far, the government hasn’t committed to Vancouver’s wish to impose a ban on corporate and union donations or a cap on contribution amounts.

In the meantime, the money rolls in.

And as it does, there is a perception out there that politicians favour the very people who finance their campaigns. Not true, say the politicians, including Mayor Gregor Robertson.

“I don’t ask for money,” the mayor told the Courier at a Vision fundraiser earlier this year. “That process goes through the political party. Everyone gets a fair shake at council.

It’s a very public process, transparent and consistent with what it’s been for many years.”

If that’s true, then what compels people to donate?

It’s a question the Courier put to three prominent businessmen and a union leader who, as individuals or through their companies and organizations, have given generously to Vision and the NPA.

‘Crony capitalism’

At the top of the list of NPA contributors has been Robert Macdonald, the party’s former vicepresident and head of

Macdonald Development Corporation.

His company’s $960,000 in donations to the NPA in the 2011 campaign, which is believed to be the single biggest total contribution to a civic party in Canadian history, shocked many involved in municipal politics.

At the time, Macdonald was the party’s chief fundraiser and donated a large office space inside The Hudson building on Granville Street — one of his projects — to serve as the NPA’s headquarters.

His explanation for the $960,000 in donations is this: He committed to raise money for the party.

Then a friend who runs a large company fell sick and needed Macdonald to manage his affairs. It left Macdonald little time to hound people for money.

“When you make a commitment to get a job done, you’ve got to get it done,” said Macdonald, noting his promise to the NPA’s then-mayoral candidate and longtime friend, Suzanne Anton.

“We raised a lot of money from third parties in the campaign but not enough.

So I wrote the cheques for the difference.”

Macdonald said he would have obviously pre-

ferred to have spent a lesser sum on the campaign.

Though he is opposed to a ban on corporate and union donations, Macdonald favours some form of restraint on contributions and spending.

“I’m completely of the view that that should happen.”

Macdonald’s generosity has not solely benefited the NPA. He has given money to the campaigns of Vision Coun. Geoff Meggs (“He’s a good guy, very level-headed.”) and the late Jim Green, who was Vision’s mayoral candidate in 2005.

“I become very close with Jim,” he said. “He learned a lot from me and I did from him, too. I loved Jim Green.”

Macdonald even supported the late Harry Rankin, the longtime irascible COPE councillor, who died in 2002, and was a thorn in the NPA’s side.

“You support people that you think are good for the political process, overall. I haven’t donated to the federal NDP but I’ve certainly donated an immense amount of money to the Liberals over the years, as well as the Conservatives.”

On the question of whether there is an expectation of favours in return

for a donation, Macdonald believes some of that quid pro quo occurs at city hall.

“Without question, there’s a significant amount of what I call crony capitalism going on in the City of Vancouver today,” he said. “Everybody in the development industry knows who’s getting favoured treatment.

We don’t talk about it much but it’s crystal clear and that’s the way it is.”

That said, he denies receiving preferential treatment in the years the NPA held power and said his philosophy when donating money is simply to “support the political process.”

“There’s probably nothing more important in our society than who’s running the government,” he said.

“We can only support everybody in society, if we have good government.”

Giving back?

It’s a philosophy shared by big-time condo marketer, art enthusiast and political junkie, Bob Rennie, who earlier this year accepted the role as chairperson of the B.C. Liberals’ fundraising team.

“I believe that if you’re doing business in the city, you have to give back and you have to participate,” said Rennie, who made

headlines in March for a $25,000-a-plate lunch he organized for Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver at the Hotel Georgia.

Rennie said he was disappointed by the criticism he received for hosting the lunch. He declined to reveal the number of guests or say how much money was raised.

“In any other city in the world, people would be wanting to debate policy between Vision and another party with me,” he said.

“Here, they just want to pick on the act. So when people just pick on the low hanging fruit, I have no respect on where it’s coming from.”

When asked whether he thought his own $25,000 lunch donation and his work on behalf of Vision Vancouver bought influence at city hall, Rennie laughed and said, “If it was that easy to get favouritism for $25,000 ... oh my God, I could retire.”

Like Macdonald, Rennie spreads his money around the political field. In 2005, when Christy Clark challenged Sam Sullivan in an NPA mayoral race, Rennie backed Sullivan.

That same year, he donated money to Vision mayoral candidate Jim Green’s campaign and has

since raised funds for Clark and the B.C. Liberals.

An Olympics booster, Rennie bought 16 full-page ads in newspapers in 2003 to urge people to vote yes in the referendum that asked residents whether they supported hosting the 2010 Winter Games.

Earlier this year, he donated $25,000 to help pay for Vision Coun. Tim Stevenson and former VANOC staffer Maureen Douglas to counter global homophobia in a mission to Sochi, Russia.

Outside of politics, Rennie donated $2 million last year to help with the construction of the $82 million Rosalie and Joseph Segal Family Health Centre at Vancouver General Hospital. He did it to honour his mother’s struggle with dementia.

A patron of the arts, Rennie also operates his own private art gallery in Chinatown and has been critical of the Vancouver Art Gallery’s need for a new, larger facility downtown.

Relentlessly outspoken on many topics, Rennie agrees Victoria has to amend the rules on how campaigns are financed and welcomes specific limits on contributions and spending.

Rennie Marketing Systems donated $15,000 to Vision in the 2011 campaign.

W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A15

Feature

across political spectrum “I think a lot of donors would love to see a cap and make sure the rules are the same for everybody,” he said.

But Rennie believes the bigger concern in civic politics is the lack of participation from the public, which is evident in the chronic low turnout of voters.

“The people that are complaining about what the Rob Macdonalds or the Bob Rennies of the world do, they should do what they can do,” he said.

“We all should participate — and that doesn’t mean just giving money. It means being out there volunteering and going door to door for people who you believe in.”

Party time

Vision Vancouver’s links to wealthy businessmen such as Rennie also extends to other big players in the development industry and union circles.

That mix was on display at a party fundraiser in May. About 500 guests, who spent $150 each on a ticket, turned up to the Coast Plaza Hotel in the West End on a warm Wednesday night to support Vision.

The mayor and Vision politicians welcomed guests in what resembled a receiving line at a wedding.

A choir sang during the handshakes and hellos.

What wasn’t visible was a private cocktail reception held upstairs prior to the event for some of Vision’s regular donors.

They included Chuck Keeling of Great Canadian Casino, Concord Pacific’s Matt Meehan, Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, CUPE B.C. secretary-treasurer Paul Faoro and Jon Stovell of Reliance Properties, who had just a few days earlier donated $7 million to Emily Carr University of Art and Design to launch the institution’s capital campaign for a new campus.

The day after the fundraiser, Stovell spoke to the Courier and clarified that he doesn’t belong to any political parties. Also, he said, his company has historically donated money to both Vision and the NPA. Financial disclosure documents filed at city hall show Reliance Properties gave $25,475 to Vision in the 2011 campaign and $10,000 to the NPA. “We believe that across more than one party, we need good people running for mu-

nicipal government,” he said, emphasizing the need to have competent politicians and bureaucrats at city hall.

With the multi-billion dollar real estate industry in Vancouver being heavily regulated, Stovell said “it’s very important that that industry be well thought of in terms of the way it’s dealt with through the regulatory process.”

He doesn’t buy the allegations that developers are in the pockets of Vision Vancouver and says “the real money” his company and others give is in the form of multi-million dollar community amenity contributions used to build community centres, parks and childcare facilities.

“The idea that the development industry is somehow calling the shots in Vancouver is preposterous,” he said. “Year in, year out, the amount of public consultation and engagement that needs to occur in development does nothing but go up, and transparency does nothing but go up.”

Like Macdonald and Rennie, Stovell believes more people should participate in local politics and stop complaining when he and others donate money.

“Whether it’s funding or volunteering or participating as a citizen in forums and the development of policy, those people should never be criticized for what they do,” said Stovell, who is a former member of the city’s development permit board and holds positions on the heritage commission and Gastown historic area advisory committee. “The people who should be questioned are the people who are opting out and then complaining about the outcome.”

Stovell wouldn’t say whether he favoured limits on campaign donations and spending. That issue, he said, is best sorted out by government.

“If government thinks that corporate and union donations should be curtailed or cut or limited, then fine we’ll just comply with whatever the will of the people is.”

Various studies and commentary over the years have concluded expensive campaigns are necessary to boost candidates’ profiles in Vancouver’s at-large electoral system.

In 2004, the report of the Vancouver Electoral Reform Commission authored

Jon Stovell of Reliance Properties, whose company donated $7 million to Emily Carr University of Art and Design this year, says he contributes money to civic parties because “we need good people running for municipal government.” PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

by Thomas Berger recommended a ward electoral system would not only decrease the cost of campaigns but give rise to independent candidates; Vancouver hasn’t elected an independent candidate since Carole Taylor in 1988.

The thinking of Berger was that a candidate would only have to campaign in a small section, or ward, in the city and not need big money to mount a run for office. A plebiscite on a ward system in 2004 ultimately failed.

The Courier’s discussion with Stovell on the topic left him siding with the current party machine system, which he said has existed for decades at all levels of government.

“I’m not so sure that I’m interested in fragmented government just for the sake of the perception of the ability for independents to succeed, if it doesn’t result in good government,” Stovell said. “Good government is what matters in the end.

Is the city well run? Is the money well spent? Are decisions made promptly and on a timely basis? Is the city healthy, financially, culturally? I don’t think there’s evidence that a whole bunch of independents is necessarily going to present a better result there.”

$olidarity

As a longtime union leader in Vancouver, Paul Faoro cites two main reasons why his money and that of CUPE B.C. is best spent on supporting Vision Vancouver over the NPA.

First, he points to the civic strike in 2007 that saw the city’s inside, outside and library workers on the picket lines for more than 80 days.

The NPA’s Sam Sullivan was mayor at the time and Vision Vancouver quickly dubbed the dispute “Sam’s strike,” alleging it was the politician’s refusal to bargain that prolonged the shutdown of city services.

Second, the current president of the NPA, Peter Armstrong, is also the CEO of Rocky Mountaineer Vacations and locked out 108 of his workers in a dispute in 2011. Replacement workers were hired.

The dispute lasted more than 400 days before workers accepted a three-year deal that is believed to have included a 10 per cent wage rollback.

“I don’t think CUPE members are going to want Mr. Armstrong in the third floor at city hall,” said Faoro, who last year became CUPE B.C.’s secretary-treasurer after leaving his longtime post as head of CUPE Local 15 in Vancouver. “If that’s the way he views frontline workers, locking them out in an ugly dispute...well, that sums it up right there.”

Relationships between CUPE and city hall are much better under Vision, he said, but emphasized the union’s donations have not influenced that.

“It’s not, ‘We’ll give you this money and you’ve got to do this.’ It doesn’t work like that, it’s never worked

like that. It’s about investing in someone who we think is going to do the right things for the city and for public services in Vancouver.”

Vision’s pro-union stance was certainly evident in 2011 when six of its councillors sent a letter to the NPA’s Armstrong, urging him to stop using replacement workers at Rocky Mountaineer and return to the bargaining table.

CUPE B.C. donated $155,300 to Vision in the 2011 election. The union’s locals, including Vancouver locals 1004 and 15, donated a total of $89,200.

Just last week, Courier contributor Bob Mackin obtained a leaked recording of a recent meeting CUPE Local 1004 held with Vision candidates and others including COPE about funding for campaigns.

Vision Coun. Geoff Meggs, who is seeking re-election, is heard on the recording praising the union, saying “we know that without your contribution, the city would function very poorly, if at all.”

Added Meggs: “Gregor Robertson, our mayor, has again recommitted to not expand contracting out, to make sure that wherever we can bring in new processes, that members of 1004 will be there delivering those services.”

CUPE has a longtime allegiance with the provincial NDP and continues to ramp up its political action among its union locals in municipalities around the province.

Back in May, CUPE

hosted what Faoro called a “political action conference” that featured keynote speaker Jeremy Bird, one of U.S. President Barack Obama’s senior campaigners.

Dubbed the “field general” by Rolling Stone magazine, Bird “shared examples of how the Obama campaigns combined ‘old school’ traditional organizing with modern technology but stressed that no technology can replace hard work and old-fashioned door-to-door campaigning,” according to a post on CUPE’s website.

Faoro doubts the provincial government will ever ban corporate and union donations from civic campaigns.

He doesn’t see how it would level the playing field.

“You still have the Rob Macdonalds of the world able to write a personal cheque for one million bucks,” he said, referring to Macdonald’s $960,000 in donations to the NPA in the 2011 campaign.

Rules of the game

As long as the debate has raged in the city about campaigns being the Wild West when it comes to spending, politicians of all stripes have denied treating donors any more favourably than those who haven’t given a dime.

In fact, at a council meeting earlier this year in which Green Party Coun.

Adriane Carr failed to have her colleagues buy in to a voluntary campaign limits scheme, Vision Coun. Tim Stevenson confessed, “I don’t even know what people donate.”

NPA Coun. Elizabeth Ball made the same claim, saying “most of us don’t have a clue who donated money to either our party or to ourselves because that is not interesting. What’s interesting is the work we do.”

The mayor missed that meeting but at Vision’s fundraiser in May, Robertson reiterated the need for Victoria to change rules to get big money out of civic politics.

For now, he said, Vision is playing by the current rules.

Still: Is there an expectation that if a person or business or union gives you a pile of money, that you’re going to do something for them?

“No, absolutely not.”

You’ve never had a situation like that?

“No.” The election is Nov. 15. twitter.com/Howellings

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

Chalkboard mats easy way to personalize a table Barb Lunter

barb@lunter.ca

Once in a while I come across a product I think is very clever.

You may have seen these 30-by-30 centimetre chalkboard mats in and around craft stores, but did you know how adaptable they could be? These chalkboard mats are extremely versatile and with a quick wipe of a brush or damp cloth they’re ready to use for another purpose.

Here are a few ideas for this multipurpose product.

Placemats: I love using these chalkboard mats as table placemats. Purchase one or two packages of

silver, adhesive scrolls at a craft store, such as Michaels, and apply them to the edges of the mat. Using a simple stick of white chalk, write your guest’s name in the centre of the placemat. The result is a very pretty table setting.

At the end of the evening, simply erase the guest’s name and store them away for the next dinner party.

Memo board: These chalkboard mats may be cut to any custom size you desire to fit inside the door of your kitchen or office cupboard. Using a pair of sharp scissors, cut the paper to fit inside the cupboard door and glue with your glue gun. Use

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the chalkboard as a memo board or to-do list. This is a great idea for a kid’s desk space as well.

Gift wrap: If you’re planning to wrap a fairly large present, these chalkboard mats work wonderfully as gift wrap.

Wrap your present in a plain, solid wrapping paper — I find either plain white, black or brown works nicely for this idea.

Glue the chalkboard mat to the top of the present and write your recipient’s name with a piece of coloured chalk.

Buffet station: I saw this idea at a recent dinner party and thought it was brilliant. If you purchase four to five of these chalkboard mats, you can line them up together along your buffet table. Write the name of each dish on a mat and place one beside each menu item. The presentation is very striking and surprisingly complementary to the meal items. Very chic.

Barb Lunter is a freelance writer with a passion for home decor, entertaining and floral design.

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Chalkboard mats extremely versatile in the home. PHOTO MIKE WAKEFIELD/NORTH SHORE NEWS

An old rose by any name Anne Marrison

amarrison@shaw.ca

Q: In 1991we moved into our house (built in 1935) and with it came a rose bush that is looking quite pitiful right now. I love its fragrant flowers but I am afraid to prune it so I don’t kill it and therefore lose it forever.

What can I do to improve its growth?

Jadzia, North Burnaby A: Old roses have superstrong roots and strong, new growth is quick to emerge after pruning. But pruning isn’t a good idea right now as we head into frost season. If we get an exceptionally cold spell this winter, the new growth could die back.

In early spring just as the buds start to swell, you could remove any dead, diseased spindly or damaged rose stems then begin pruning the good, strong stems.

If your rose is a climber, cut back enough of the main stems to fit into the space you have for it, then prune the side shoots back by one-third.

If it’s a bush rose, cut the strong stems back by two-thirds. If this seems too drastic for you, just do one-

third. By the time you’ve also fertilized your rose, you will likely be surprised at how quickly it grows back.

Usually the larger pruning prompts the rose to grow faster and further. This is because the energy in the roots needs to be expressed above-ground.

Roses thrive on extra water through our long hot summers. It helps them if you mulch them so that they retain moisture. You could mulch with compost or bark mulch or even straw or grass clippings if the rose isn’t in a regular garden bed.

I wonder if you feed it regularly. Compost or manure is good nutrition for roses. Garden centres sell many kinds of fertilizer especially for roses.

When you say it looks pathetic, do you mean there are black spots on the leaves?

Old roses are prone to this fungal infection. It looks horrible, but doesn’t kill roses.

Some people defoliate the worst leaves then rake up and dispose of these and the fallen black spot leaves. This reduces infection next year.

Fungicide is still sprayed by some. Other people ignore black spot.

Q: Do you know why a beautiful 15-year old ca-

mellia in a large planter would suddenly die after being dripped on by a new deck painted with both latex, oil-based and fiberglass products?

Carlyne Haynes, Vancouver A: Your camellia roots probably got burned or poisoned by the products that dripped on it. Repotting it immediately would have been a very daunting prospect with a shrub that old, but if the roots were washed and repotted in all new soil, it might have lived.

If a similar accident ever happens again to a big, old potted plant, you might try putting it under an outside tap on a slow drip for a couple of days. Another thought: I wonder if your plant might re-shoot from the roots if you leave it out during winter rains.

Is it possible that previously your camellia wasn’t under any deck, but was placed under a new deck while the deck was still being coated. A position under a deck can be a very dry spot — and camellias need a lot of water.

Anne Marrison is happy to answer garden questions. Send them to her via amarrison@ shaw.ca. It helps me if you mention your city or area.

W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Senior discovers freedom with an eBike

Three time’s the charm for senior who’s done his homework when it comes to electric bikes Eric Mold

sofsibc@shaw.ca

Considering Vancouver and Victoria are the only major urban centres in Canada that enjoy almost year-round cycling weather, it’s no wonder the electric bike is becoming an increasingly important component of urban commuting.

The eBike has also turned out to be a blessing for this senior by offering freedom from my mobility issues.

I’ve discovered there are two distinct types of eBikes, one that resembles an ordinary bike in which the electric mechanism assists the rider, and the type resembling a motor scooter, which seems impractical to pedal.

Ease of pedalling led me to the first feature to seek in selecting an eBike: How easy is the bike to pedal when the battery is flat or there’s a malfunction of the propulsion system? Some kind of failure could occur over the life span of the machine, so it is nice to know that you can carry on to your destination if a problem occurs. So your first test ride should be without power.

The second most important consideration is where can you get your eBike serviced? Most bike shops can fix punctures and adjust brakes, but few have a technician on staff that can service or repair the power train.

I am currently on my third eBike in two years.

The first was a Cyclamatic, which I imported from the U.S at a cost of about $1,200. After roughly six month’s operation, a fault occurred with the motor and I couldn’t find anyone in the city who could solve

Eric Mold, 85, gained newfound mobility thanks to using an electric bike. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

the problem. The supplier in the U.S. was very supportive, however, it took them a long time to obtain a new motor, complete with rear wheel, from the manufacturer in China. Eventually the bike was as good as new but in the meantime, I had given up hope of ever getting it fixed so I started looking for a replacement.

One of my criteria is that a bike must be capable of delivering some exercise.

The iGo Bike, sold in Van-

couver for about $1,900, met this requirement so I settled on that model — a choice that turned out to be a disaster. The chain came off twice on my first two rides and on my third trip it broke and fell off in the road. The eightspeed derailleur gears were continual trouble and some cogwheels and the chain wore out very quickly and had to be replaced. The battery was guaranteed for approximately 750 charges,

but only lasted for about 300. A battery costs $595 plus tax. In the meantime the dealer skipped town and moved too far away for me to get to his premises for servicing. In the end, I became so frustrated trying to make the machine reliable and dealing with a disinterested retailer and a supplier in Montreal, I wrote the thing off.

This leads me to the second most important consideration when shopping for

an eBike — make sure the retailer has a knowledgeable technician on staff. You’re unlikely to find such a person in an ordinary bike shop. Look for an outlet that deals mainly or exclusively in eBikes and has a reasonable service department.

My third eBike, an eProdigy, is the best one I’ve owned so far. It cost about $2,800 at Reckless Bike Shop on Howe St. They have shops centrally located to the main

east-west and north-south cycle corridors in the city and have competent technicians on duty seven days a week. Their service, interest and products have gone a long way to re-inspire my waning interest in these machines.

I am a “senior” senior citizen and to give mine a decent try out I recently rode 40 kilometres from downtown Vancouver to North Delta, negotiating several steep and long hills enroute, including the Alex Fraser Bridge. It was absolutely no trouble at all, an overall fun trip and, for me, an adventure. So far I have 400 kilometres on the odometer.

The economics go something like this: A bike should last at least four years and cost about $2,500. One new battery during that period costs about $500 for a total outlay of $3,000, which spread out over a commute five times per week for four years, works out to less than $3 per day. I commute to Vancouver General Hospital seven times a week and I’m there for four hours each day. Parking normally costs $3.50 per hour so the savings are significant.

There are no parking costs, no transit fares, no gas or insurance fees, no cumulative car mileage or wear and tear. What’s more is you feel good, you’re getting a bit of exercise and you’re leaving a space for those who must drive or use transit.

I ride my bike in most weather but when it’s pouring or the roads are icy I take the car.

Eric Mold is an 85-year-old veteran who finds walking painful due to artificial hips and knees. Mold has once again found freedom through the use of an eBike.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

Sponsored by HUMN Pharmaceuticals

Humn Pharmaceuticals makes Lidocaine available as a Topical Pain Relieving Cream Many Canadian seniors may be suffering pain needlessly according to Rowan Hamilton, Research Director of Humn Pharmaceuticals of Winnipeg. “Despite the fact that Lidocaine is on the World Health Organization’s list of Essential Medicines, most people are unaware of how well it relieves a wide range of pain conditions,” says Hamilton.

For those who know Hamilton, a herbalist, wholistic dermatologist, student of Traditional Chinese Medicine and a graduate of the School of Herbal Medicine in England, it may come as a surprise to hear him

promoting a synthetic drug.

Hamilton notes, however, that the only naturally occurring Local Anesthetic is cocaine.

In the late 1880s cocaine was the first local anesthetic used in dentistry and an improvement on the previous approach: copious amounts of alcohol. Lidocaine, however, became the dentist drug of choice when it was made commercially available in the late 1940s.

The biggest difference between Lidocaine and earlier local anesthetics is its stability in water; that allows it to remain near the point of administration so its numbing effects

remains close to where it is applied. Further, Lidocaine was the first amide-type local anesthetic; until its discovery local anesthetics were all “esters”. “Ester type anesthetics are much more likely to cause allergic reaction compared to the amide type local anesthetic,” says Hamilton.

“All that, is a long way of saying that Lidocaine acts as a nerve block to prevent pain signals not only from travelling to the brain, but from being initiated at all. And it does that without addiction, fewer unwanted side effects and much fewer allergic reactions.” The American Geriatrics Society has also

recognized the value of Lidocaine. In their 2009 Clinical Practice Guideline on persistent pain, they strongly recommend that “all patients with localized neuropathic pain are candidates for topical lidocaine.”

“I’m very happy to be associated with Humn Pharmaceuticals,” says Hamilton. “Humn created TPR20 topical lidociane cream to ensure people have access to this proven, safe and effective pain reliever. Go Humn!”

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W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Sacred dance and Giller Light COMMUNITY CALENDAR

not been able to suppress the talent or passion Mussani has for the game.

The focus of the symposium is to not only educate those afflicted with Lupus and members of the public about the disease, but to also demonstrate what can still be accomplished in spite of a diagnosis. The symposium take place at 9 a.m. Oct. 25 at the St. Paul’s Hospital lecture theatre, 1081 Burrard. For more information, visit bclupus.org.

Sandra Thomas

sthomas@vancourier.com

Downtown

Highly trained bharata natyam dancers will perform at the Gait to the Spirit Festival, a Mandala Arts and Culture production taking place at the Scotiabank Dance Centre Oct. 26 to 29.

Bharata natyam is one of the most sacred classical dance styles of India with more than 100 schools in Canada and thousands more around the world. The dance, once performed only by women, is known for its grace, purity, tenderness and sculpture-like poses.

After almost facing extinction, bharata natyam went through a revival about 100 years ago, which inspired generations of masters, dancers and musicians who insured the survival of the dance and brought new dimensions to the traditional repertoire. Bharata natyam is now performed and taught around the globe by artists from various backgrounds, genders and creed.

The Gait to the Spirit Festival, under the artistic direction of Jai Govinda, presents performances by dancers Janaki Rangarajan, Meenakshi Srinivasan, Malavika Santhosh, Aakash Odedra, Shalini Patnaik and Savitha Sastry. The festival was made possible with support from the B.C. Arts Council, City of Vancouver, B.C. Gaming, Hamber Foundation and Banyan Books and Sound.

For the festival’s popular Sunday (pay what you can) matinee, Mandala presents Toronto’s Nivedha Ramalingam and Vancouver’s male bharata natyam dancer Sujit Vaidya. Visit mandalarts. wordpress.com for more.

••• The Scotiabank Giller Light Bash, in support of Frontier College, takes place at CBC Studio 700 Nov. 10 from 5 to 9 p.m.

The event, hosted by CBC’s Kathryn Gretsinger, includes a live broadcast of the Scotiabank Giller Prize literary award and words from Giller-nominated author Annabel Lyon, the city’s first poet laureate George McWhirter, award-win-

False Creek

Bharata natyam dancers highlight the Gait to the Spirit Festival Oct. 26 to 29.

ning poet Renee Saklikar and Gemini-award winning screenwriter Ian Weir. Tickets are $20 and include “good eats,” swag bags and a chance to win a Kobo eReader. For more information visit gillerlightbash.ca.

West End

The 2014 PGA of B.C. women’s champion is the keynote speaker at the 25th ®

Annual B.C. Lupus Wellness and Education Symposium, which takes place Oct. 25 at St. Paul’s Hospital.

For Salimah Mussani, the journey to becoming one of Canada’s top female golfers, while living with the ongoing symptoms of Lupus, has followed a road of highs, lows and challenges. But the disease, known as having a thousand faces, has

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A Lyme disease Awareness Forum has been organized to educate the public about this growing problem. The Public Health Agency of Canada has identified the Lower Mainland, the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island as “tick endemic areas.”

A guest panel includes Gwen Barlee, policy director for the Wilderness Committee in Vancouver and a Lyme disease advocate, Dr. Liz Zubek who worked at the Chronic Complex Disease Program assessing patients with the sickness, and Dr. Marc Boutet who specializes in treating chronic illnesses, including Lyme disease.

The forum takes place Nov. 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way. twitter.com/sthomas10

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Featuring Dr. Barry Koehler, Rheumatologist and Dr. Alastair Younger, Orthopaedic Surgeon, learn more about osteoarthritis, a chronic disease that affects one in seven people, as well as pain and symptom management, risk factors, current research in new treatments and surgical options.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

Arts&Entertainment

GOT ARTS? 604.738.1411 or events@vancourier.com

1 Oct. 22-24, 2014 1. Spoken word artist and author Shane Koyczan can now add Librettist to his accomplished resume as he teams up with Vancouver Opera for Stickboy Oct. 23 to Nov. 7 at Vancouver Playhouse. Based on Koycan’s novel in verse, Stickboy “explores the inner life of a young boy tragically impacted by bullying.” For tickets and details, go to vancouveropera.ca.

2. And the award for most writerly looking author goes to… Colm Toibin. We bet this dude’s cologne even smells like dusty books. The acclaimed Irish writer and Man Booker finalist, whose latest novel is Nora Webster, is one of dozens of authors appearing at this year’s Vancouver Writers Fest, which runs until Oct. 26. Others include Caroline Adderson, Michael Crummey, Steven Galloway, Lee Henderson, Heather O’Neill, Tom Rachman, Mariko Tamaki, Miriam Toews, James Ellroy, Rudy Wiebe and Justin Trudeau. Details at writersfest.bc.ca.

3. The Cinematheque puts the pedal to the metal with its gas-guzzling film series Two-Lane Blacktops: The 1970s American Road Movie, which celebrates the 1970s road movie with “nine high-octane films that embrace cars, speed and the open road in the climate of a post-Woodstock, Vietnam-era America” Oct. 23 to 26. Films include 1975’s low-budget action-exploitation flick Death Race 2000, 1974’s Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry, Clint Eastwood’s The Gauntlet and Two-Lane Blacktop starring the dynamic duo of James Taylor and Dennis Wilson. For details and show times, go to thecinematheque.ca.

4. Kyle Thomas, a.k.a. King Tuff, hauls his glammed-up garage rock wagon to the Fortune Sound Club, Oct. 23, in support of his latest album witchy album Black Moon Spell. Tickets at Red Cat, Zulu and bplive.ca.

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W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Arts&Entertainment

Objects (and crowds) may appear larger KUDOS & KVETCHES Much like The Golden Girls and Donald Trump’s hair, all good (and probably fictionalized) things come to an end. Case in point: the Vancouver Canucks’ 474 game consecutive sellout streak, which reportedly ended this past weekend, when 18,647 ticket holders took in the team’s 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. That means there were approximately 250 fewer people in the stands than any other home game in the last 11 seasons, which as anyone who’s remotely followed the Canucks on TV or in person knows is more or less bunk.

Until this past weekend, the Canucks organization has steadfastly maintained that its home games were always sold out and any empty seats (most often during weeknight matches

against unsexy expansion teams because … boring) were the result of unused tickets.

We get it. Who of us hasn’t claimed something was bigger when it fact it was just average size or unexpectedly reduced due to the alcohol or the elements.

But it’s taken the Canucks more than a decade to finally accept and acknowledge its shortcomings. That’s a lot of denial.

Notwithstanding the loss, Saturday’s game was not an abject failure. After all, 18,647 people paying hundreds of dollars for tickets and buying a few $12 beers is not too shabby. We’re just glad the Canucks have embraced who they really are and can hopefully live life more openly and honestly from now on. Who knows, maybe they’ll finally be able to admit that the Sedins are Swedish-built robots and that the clumps of hair people have been finding in

community centre showers around Vancouver the past few years belong to Zack Kassian. twitter.com/KudosKvetches

Thursday November 6th

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

Arts&Entertainment

Life and death explored in Three Tall Women STATE OF THE ARTS

Cheryl Rossi

crossi@vancourier.com

Directing Three Tall Women has given Terence Kelly new insights into women and aging.

“My mother is 95 and she’s in care and I hear reverberations and reflections of when I go and visit my mom… It just gives another level of understanding about what older people go through,” he said. “It takes away some of the terror, somehow, of becoming old.”

Edward Albee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play isn’t about sentimentality and sorrow. It portrays an acerbic old woman who lies dying and includes “frank dialogue about everything from incontinence to infidelity,” according to the production’s press bumph.

Western Gold Theatre will bring Three Tall Women to life at PAL Studio Theatre, Oct. 23 to Nov. 9.

Theatregoers will meet a 92-year-old woman, a middle-aged woman who’s a caregiver, and a bright, young lawyer. They’re separate characters in the first act but the same everywoman at different ages in the second act.

“It’s going through their lives and their loves and their losses and it’s quite mad actually,” Kelly said.

“It’s hysterically funny in

Anna Hagan, Beatrice Zeilinger and Meaghan Chenosky appear in Western Gold Theatre’s production of Edward Albee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Three Tall Women.

places and in other places, it’s very moving.”

Veteran actress Anna Hagan plays the elderly woman.

“A lot of the humour comes from the old lady and nowadays we’re so politically correct it’s like, oh my God, you can’t laugh at that,” Hagan said. “Well, you can and you do.”

Hagan, artistic director of Western Gold Theatre, wanted to produce this play that earned multiple awards in 1994 because there’s a dearth of roles for older women, a scarcity of

substantial roles for women in general and she loves the language in Albee’s plays.

“It’s sort of yummy to get your tongue around some of these words and Albee’s a brilliant wordsmith,” she said of the playwright who saw three of his plays win Pulitzers.

“It’s just a gift to be able to work with the people I’m working with on such a wonderful play,” Hagan added. “I use the analogy of if you need a dress, you can go to Sears and buy a dress.

And it might look great on you and you might be one of

those people that can wear a sack. But if you go to Holt Renfrew, and you have the money, and you buy a dress there, you put it on and it’s just ‘Oh my God, I’m never going to take it off.’ That’s sort of like Albee.”

Western Gold Theatre exists not only to see senior theatre professionals further their careers, but also to mentor the less seasoned.

“We’ve been around the block,” Hagan said. “The talent in this town in the younger community is just remarkable. But, you know, these 30-year-old people,

Festival of zine culture and independent arts For table registration programming and advanced tickets visit: brokenpencil.com/canzine

Vancouver Saturday, November 8th 1-7pm Goldcorp Centre for the Arts 149 West Hastings St.

We s t e r n G o l d Th e a t re p re s e n t s

Edward Albee’s

Three Tall Women D i r e c t e d b y Te r e n c e K e l l y

s t a r r i n g : A n n a H a g a n B e a t r i c e Ze i l i n g e r M e a g h a n C h e n o s k y M a t t Re z n e k

( Pa y w h a t y o u c a n o n Tu e s d a y s )

PA L S t u d i o T h e a t r e ( 58 1 C a rd e ro S t ) t h r e e . B r o w n Pa p e r Ti c k e t s . c o m Res e r v a t i o n s ( 6 04 ) 3 6 3 - 5 7 3 4

ERN ST WE OLD G TRE EA TH

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Photo: Tim Matheson / Poster: Joseph Emms

Oct 2 3 t o Nov 9, 2014 Tu e - S a t 7 : 3 0 p m / S a t - S u n 2 p m

yes they’re talented, they’re wonderful, they’re making their way, but some of us are double that age and, as Terry says, we have a lot of experience and then they give up their energy, so it works both ways.”

Beatrice Zeilinger, who often works with the Arts Club Theatre Company, plays the middle-aged woman. Meaghan Chenosky, who won a Jessie Award earlier this year for her supporting role in ITSAZOO Productions’ Killer Joe, plays the lawyer and Matt Reznek plays the young man who

visits the ailing woman.

According to Kelly, audiences should see Three Tall Women firstly because they’ll be hugely entertained.

“And second of all, they’ll come out fuller and richer and more understanding and aware of life and death than they are before they went in,” he said.

Three Tall Women starts at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. at 581 Cardero St. For more information, see westerngoldtheatre.org. twitter.com/Cheryl_Rossi

W E DN E SDAY, O C TOB E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A23

Sports&Recreation

GOT SPORTS? 604.630.3549 or mstewart@vancourier.com

VSSAA SENIOR GIRLS VOLLEYBALL EAST DIVISION

WEST DIVISION

TEAM

GP W L T PT

TEAM

GP W L T PT

KILLARNEY THOMPSON VAN TECH BRITANNIA TUPPER TEMPLETON WINDERMERE OLIVER GLADSTONE

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PRINCE OF WALES CHURCHILL KITSILANO MAGEE POINT GREY LORD BYNG KING GEORGE HAMBER

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00 00 01 02 02 02 03 04 03

00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

10 06 04 04 04 04 02 00 00

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00 00 01 01 02 03 03 02

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08 06 06 02 02 00 00 00

VSSAA SENIOR BOYS VOLLEYBALL EAST DIVISION

WEST DIVISION

TEAM

GP W L T PT

TEAM

GP W L T PT

THOMPSON GLADSTONE VAN TECH BRITANNIA TEMPLETON WINDERMERE

01 01 01 01 01 01

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00 00 00 01 01 01

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VSSAA SENIOR GIRLS FIELD HOCKEY

LMISSAA SENIOR GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM

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Salimah Mussani shot back-to-back birdies to win the PGA of B.C. Women’s Championship. She also lives with lupus. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

Teeing off with lupus GOLF

* Not all schools reported scores

Weekend Scoresheet AAA Varsity football, Week Seven

In a convincing win, Vancouver College (1-1, 2-3) defeated the New West Hyacks 35-6 at Mercer Stadium on Oct. 17.

Ovie Odjegba ran for 138 yards and opened scoring in the first quarter on a six-yard rush. The Fighting Irish offence totalled 416 yards, and quarterback Giordy Belfiore threw for 125 of them, including a 76-yard completion to Matt Legge. Legge added another touchdown on a 55-yard punt return, and kicker Kieran Mitha went four-for-four on converts.

It was bye week for the Notre Dame Jugglers (1-1, 1-3).

Varsity football Tier II, Week Seven

The Hamber Griffins (0-1, 3-0) extended their winning streak to three games and continue to set a new precedent for their young program, which previously struggled to secure a single win, never mind string three together. The Griffins snatched their third win and the top of the standings by defeating Howe Sound 18-12 at home on Oct. 18.

IN THE ZONE Little Flower Academy teammates run in a LMISSAA cross-country meet Oct. 7 at West Point Grey Academy.

Vancouver public and private school runners competed in their respective zone cross-country meets Oct. 21. (Results weren’t available before the Courier’s press deadline.) The fastest individuals and teams qualify for the B.C. Championship Nov. 1 in Victoria. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

Megan Stewart

mstewart@vancourier.com

Salimah Mussani took the lead in the PGA of B.C. Women’s Championship on the 17th hole of Surrey’s Hazlemere Golf and Country Club on Sept. 9.

She birdied the par-three 119-yard hole to take a oneshot lead over her closest competitor, Ashley Zibrik of Shaughnessey Golf and Country Club.

But Mussani didn’t know she had the lead. Without a leaderboard, she was counting her own and Zibrik’s strokes in her head. After 35 holes, she thought they were tied with the final hole ahead of them.

“I changed my strategy a little bit on last two holes,” said Mussani, adding that the green was reachable from the tee box. She pulled out her driver to give her a chance at a birdie shot, which she made.

“I thought we were all square,” she said. At that point, Mussani, a Canadian junior and women’s national champion, was playing for the win.

On 18, a par-four the women played from the red tees at 309 yards, Mussani used a driver to power the ball into the wind. That and her next chip shot were two of the best she hit all day, she said.

“I probably wouldn’t have played the same strategy if had known [the score],” she said.

Approaching the green, Mussani’s inner coach held her focus. “My self-talk on the last three holes was, ‘You’ve done this so many times before, you know what it takes to get it done.

Get it done,’” she said.

She set herself up for a three-foot putt and sunk it.

“I thought that was to win.

Turns out I ended up winning by two.”

A competitive golfer who played and coached at Stanford University, Mussani, 35, knows what she’s capable of. She’s also acutely aware of her limitations.

Fourteen years ago she was diagnosed with lupus, a hard-to-identify autoimmune disease that turns the body against itself and can target any tissue or organ, potentially leading to death.

Four out of five people aged 15 to 45 who have lupus are women. Known as the disease with a thousand faces, lupus is genetic, is not contagious, and presents differently in each person. An estimated 50,000 Canadians have lupus, but the B.C. Lupus Society believes the number is higher because the disease goes undiagnosed.

As a student-athlete at the University of Texas, Mussani, who was born and raised in Ontario, was on the

Longhorns golf team when she first started to struggle with her health. Determined to continue her promising career, she travelled for tournaments, played in hot weather and pursued an intense schedule. She won the Texas 5A championship and after two years she transferred to Stanford, which suited her better, and continued to rise.

Mussani turned pro in 2002 and competed on the LPGA tour and Futures tour.

She left her competitors wondering when she’d suddenly withdraw from tournaments before the final round.

“I put myself through a lot of things I shouldn’t have,” she said. Numerous doctors urged her to quit the game.

In 2007 she accepted an offer to coach at Stanford as an assistant. Life on tour was costing her too much. “My health was more important,” she said, and she began her career as a coach. She was with the NCAA Div. 1 program for three seasons.

“I started feeling better. I wasn’t travelling every week, I wasn’t in the sun. I decided to play again. I quit a great job to go play again,” she said. “Six months into it, […]

I was in the hospital again.

My body just can’t handle it. I had to make a concerted effort to give it up.”

Mussani moved to Vancouver and is now a teaching professional

at the University Golf Club. She competes on occasion, as she did last month in the PGA of B.C. championship. She knows her limitations and how to recover when she takes it just a little too far.

“I used to get really upset about it. I remember instances when I had to call the tournament director and say I wasn’t going to make my tee time — that was very frustrating.

“If I sat around in my apartment for the rest of my life, I’ll probably be OK. But who wants to do that? When I get flare-ups, it’s usually a result of high exertion.

“But I know if I just lay low, stay in my apartment, don’t exert myself for three or four days, I can shake it away,” she said.

“At this point in time, I know what I can do and what I can’t do.”

A life on tour is behind her, but Mussani will still compete a few times a seasons. The win at the PGA of B.C. championship won’t be her last.

“When I made that last putt, I gave it a pretty good fist pump,” she said.

Mussani will deliver the keynote speech at the B.C. Lupus Wellness and Education Symposium at St. Paul’s Hospital Lecture Theatre on Oct. 25. To register, visit bclupus.org. twitter.com/MHStewart

A24

THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

Sports&Recreation

Rain won’t dampen bike to work week HUB event runs Oct. 27 to Nov. 2 WHEEL WORLD Kay Cahill

kay@sidecut.ca

It’s almost time for my favourite annual cycling event: fall Bike to Work Week.

I’m also very fond of spring Bike to Work Week, but the timing of the October event when

the temperature cools and cycling numbers start to thin out gives it an indefinable extra something.

Seeing all the smiling faces and colourful waterproofs at the HUB celebration stations makes me glad to be out and about on my bike, even on the most miserable day.

Whether you’re a Bike to Work Week veteran or are considering signing

up for the first time, there are many ways you can get involved and enjoy the occasion.

Create a team

Talk to your coworkers and find out who else is planning to ride. Then visit bikehub.ca to create your workplace team and log your miles.

You can set up your regular trips to make log-

ging rides during the week even easier, plus you can track your overall progress and compare it to organizations of a similar size.

Organizations that log the most miles are recognized in press releases and at HUB’s annual bike friendly business awards.

Sign up newbies

Are your coworkers not regular riders? There couldn’t be a better time to convince them to give it a try. See if the thought of visiting celebration stations or being part of Vancouver’s biggest commuter cycling event increases the appeal. Offer to ride with them one morning.

The team that recruits the most new riders this year will be rewarded with a pizza party for up to 20 people and the team leader will receive a chocolate and wine tour for two.

Visit (or host) a celebration station

What’s not to love about hot coffee and smiles on your morning ride?

These Bike to Work Week celebration stations are awesome. Each one is a little different, and in addition to hot coffee you might find fresh baked goods, free bike mechanic services and, of course, tons of great draw prizes. (Between these stations and the regular daily draws for participating, there is more than $15,000 worth of prizes.)

The celebration stations are hosted by local businesses. If your workplace hasn’t done this before, consider giving it a try next year. It’s a great way for companies to engage with the public and generate positive promotional buzz.

Sponsoring a station is a no-hassle way to get involved if you’re not able to provide the time commit-

ment required to host.

An interactive map with details of all the stations is available online.

Come to the party

Bike to Work Week wrap parties are legendary and their spirit is never dampened by wet, rainy weather.

This year’s wrap party promises to be extra fun with a Halloween theme. Riders are encouraged to come in costume for the chance to win prizes, and there will be free hot chocolate and bike servicing. It runs 4 to 7 p.m.

Oct. 31 at the Olympic Village North Plaza.

Cycle!

Of course, the most important contribution to Bike to Work Week is the simplest one of all: get out there and ride your bike.

Kay Cahill is a cyclist and librarian who believes bikes are for life, not just for commuting.

At West 37th Avenue and Ontario Street, mechanic Richard Machhein works on the bicycle Sadia Badiei rode during Bike to Work Week in May. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

A28

THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, O C T O B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

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