Backrooms column by Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 19, 2006
The usually mild-mannered Richard T. Lee was almost livid after hearing what his NDP counterpart Raj Chouhan had to say in my previous column.
For those who don't remember, Chouhan made a little political hay out of the fact that the B.C. Liberals won't be holding a fall sitting of the B.C. legislature this year, and he claimed that the governing party is afraid of the opposition.
But the NDP allegations are just so much hooey, said the two-term Liberal MLA for Burnaby North.
"There is a lot of work to do," Lee said of his upcoming fall schedule that includes attending a series of public meetings with both the select standing committee on education and with the high-powered select standing committee on finance and government services.
"I'll be joining the committee as they hold hearings in Prince Rupert, Nanaimo, Prince George and other places as we listen to British Columbians' input on the budget," Lee said.
And as for Chouhan's allegation that the Liberals are afraid to debate the NDP in the legislature, Lee noted that the evidence is quite to the contrary.
This fall will be the first time the Liberals have not convened an autumn sitting of the legislature in the five years since they formed government - more than double the two fall sessions that the NDP held during their 10 years in power during the 1990s, Lee said.
In addition, the B.C. Liberals have doubled the length of question period in the House so the opposition now has 30 minutes to ask questions of the government side.
OK. Maybe Lee wasn't really livid. But he did seem a little off-putted.
JULIAN KEEPS UP THE FIGHT
Peter Julian is still holding out hope that the Tory's softwood lumber deal will fail when it comes to a vote in parliament either at the end of this month or in early October.
The studious NDP MP for Burnaby-New Westminster has been garnering lots of attention for his complaints against the deal, and recently convinced his party's convention to pass a wide-ranging resolution condemning the deal.
"The problem (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper has is that he needs the approval of 95 per cent of the industry and they've fallen far short of that," Julian said earlier this week. "So they're in a pickle.
"They keep doing these signing ceremonies, but they've not satisfied the legal requirements to have the deal implemented. And I think any responsible parliamentarian will vote against this deal."
Julian also noted that U.S. trade lawyer Eliot J. Feldman has described the $450 million softwood lumber deal as a "slush fund" for President George W. Bush, because once the deal is signed, the money will be transferred directly to the White House, and can be spent without approval from the American congress.
Feldman claims the last time the White House received that much authority over money transferred from a foreign government was during the final days of Richard Nixon's administration.
"I know some Conservatives are being pressured to vote against this," Julian said. "I also see mill shutdown and job losses in ridings held by Conservatives, particularly in British Columbia, ... so I wouldn't be surprised if we see a lot of folks voting with the NDP on this."
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Letter too late for city to act on
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 16, 2006
A letter asking for Burnaby city council's support to stop the first uranium exploration project in the province since 1980 was received too late for the city to take action.
Jean Bonner of the Yellowhead Ecological Association said the mining company International Ranger Corp. has asked for permission to resume exploration near the Foghorn Polymetallic Project.
The mineral claim is located as close as half a kilometre from the North Thompson River and includes many creeks that flow into areas that have both domestic and irrigation water licences, said the letter dated July 21, but not received by council until its Aug. 28 meeting.
B.C.'s chief inspector of mines had set a July 31 deadline for interested parties to raise concerns about the application.
City council also received notice that the Regional District of North Okanagan is calling for local government approval before any mining exploration activities are approved within their watersheds.
Published Sept. 16, 2006
A letter asking for Burnaby city council's support to stop the first uranium exploration project in the province since 1980 was received too late for the city to take action.
Jean Bonner of the Yellowhead Ecological Association said the mining company International Ranger Corp. has asked for permission to resume exploration near the Foghorn Polymetallic Project.
The mineral claim is located as close as half a kilometre from the North Thompson River and includes many creeks that flow into areas that have both domestic and irrigation water licences, said the letter dated July 21, but not received by council until its Aug. 28 meeting.
B.C.'s chief inspector of mines had set a July 31 deadline for interested parties to raise concerns about the application.
City council also received notice that the Regional District of North Okanagan is calling for local government approval before any mining exploration activities are approved within their watersheds.
Nightclub hoping for approval
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 16, 2006
The owner of Mavericks Sports Cabaret is hoping Burnaby city council will reject its own planning department recommendation and give him approval to open a 4,500-square foot private liquor store in the new $130-million Centrepoint development going up across the street from the Metrotown malls.
Brent Shaw said his nightclub is already suffering because of Burnaby's refusal to allow it to stay open until 3 a.m. on weekends, and the new liquor store will help make up for some of that loss of business.
"It's a crisis situation," Shaw told the Burnaby NOW last week. "Business has dropped some, an awful lot, to the point where the (store) would help it substantially."
Shaw, who is hoping to pitch his case at the Sept. 18 council meeting, said his liquor store proposal has been caught in the middle of a fight between city hall and the provincial government over Burnaby's desire to have four new government-run 'signature' stores in the city.
Under guidelines approved last May, Burnaby will only allow new private liquor stores in town centre areas where a government-run 'signature' store is already located. City hall wants four of the signature stores, even though there are currently only 14 such stores in the entire province.
Shaw believes the signature store dispute could drag on for years, leaving his license in limbo and his business suffering as a result.
"The problem is government in general," he said. "They can't work together. But the city does have a certain power to push this through, and I think if they were as fair in dealing with us as they were in dealing with others, then they'd put this through and let us make some money.
"Everybody is passing the buck, but the city has the power to make a decision."
Shaw also said that he has built Maverick's into a reputable nightclub in the 11 years since he bought the former Diego's at Kingsway and Sperling. "It had a fairly undesirable crowd when we took it over, and we've turned it around," Shaw said. "We've employed 20 to 25 people and we've been open-minded to donations for events like ball tournaments and charity drives."
Published Sept. 16, 2006
The owner of Mavericks Sports Cabaret is hoping Burnaby city council will reject its own planning department recommendation and give him approval to open a 4,500-square foot private liquor store in the new $130-million Centrepoint development going up across the street from the Metrotown malls.
Brent Shaw said his nightclub is already suffering because of Burnaby's refusal to allow it to stay open until 3 a.m. on weekends, and the new liquor store will help make up for some of that loss of business.
"It's a crisis situation," Shaw told the Burnaby NOW last week. "Business has dropped some, an awful lot, to the point where the (store) would help it substantially."
Shaw, who is hoping to pitch his case at the Sept. 18 council meeting, said his liquor store proposal has been caught in the middle of a fight between city hall and the provincial government over Burnaby's desire to have four new government-run 'signature' stores in the city.
Under guidelines approved last May, Burnaby will only allow new private liquor stores in town centre areas where a government-run 'signature' store is already located. City hall wants four of the signature stores, even though there are currently only 14 such stores in the entire province.
Shaw believes the signature store dispute could drag on for years, leaving his license in limbo and his business suffering as a result.
"The problem is government in general," he said. "They can't work together. But the city does have a certain power to push this through, and I think if they were as fair in dealing with us as they were in dealing with others, then they'd put this through and let us make some money.
"Everybody is passing the buck, but the city has the power to make a decision."
Shaw also said that he has built Maverick's into a reputable nightclub in the 11 years since he bought the former Diego's at Kingsway and Sperling. "It had a fairly undesirable crowd when we took it over, and we've turned it around," Shaw said. "We've employed 20 to 25 people and we've been open-minded to donations for events like ball tournaments and charity drives."
Scandinavians look to city hall for help
Council Briefs by Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 16, 2006
The directors of the Scandinavian Cultural Centre are asking for city council's support, and a tax break, to help continue their good work in the community.
Hakan Telenius, representing the board of the community centre society, told city council that the 10-year-old cultural centre is now a vibrant hub of activity featuring classes, festivals and lectures for people from all backgrounds.
"Today, all the local Scandinavian groups use the place as their centre," said Telenius, who was joined by about a dozen supporters at the Sept. 11 city council meeting.
He said the centre was founded by four different long-term care homes with roots in the Scandinavian communities, and has received more than a million dollars in donations since its formation.
"We are heavily used like a public community centre, and we help to save substantial taxpayer dollars," Telenius said.
The centre hosts activities that cater to immigrants from all the Scandinavian countries, who make up about 10 per cent of Burnaby's total population. In addition, the centre cooperates with its neighbours by sharing parking facilities with the Ismaili mosque next door and by renting its sports fields to a popular soccer school.
The society operates on a total annual budget of about $200,000, Telenius said, and the property tax bill is the largest single expenditure, accounting for about 10 per cent of total.
If approved, the tax exemption would allow the centre to establish a building repair fund and "ensure our long-term viability," Telenius said.
He also offered to work with the city to establish other programs at the site such as a heritage centre and a sports hall of fame, and said the centre already has a growing collection of memorabilia from the many Scandinavian players who have worn the Vancouver Canucks' uniform.
Activities at the centre include language classes, dance lessons, theatrical performances, festivals, choirs, and lectures on historic and cultural topics, he added.
"All we want to do is make sure we stay here for another 10 years," Telenius said.
Coun. Gary Begin warned the society that applying for a tax exemption and government grant could become a double-edged sword. "You've made it a community facility and I wish you well in maintaining your independence," Begin said.
Mayor Derek Corrigan offered a tone of cautious optimism as he passed the recommendation forward to a council committee.
The mayor said city council has always been receptive to cultural centre such as the new Portuguese and Taiwanese centres being built in the city, adding that the Scandinavian community centre could take heart in the fact that his own great-grandmothers were B.C. pioneers who were born in Norway and Sweden.
But Corrigan also said there are "legislative and precedent problems" with the idea of a tax exemption. "These problems will require creative solutions, but that's one of the things that Scandinavians are famous for," he said.
The Scandinavian community centre society is the second non- profit agency to request a property tax exemption from city council this year. In June, officials with the North Burnaby Legion announced that they were preparing a request for a tax exemption on all three Royal Canadian Legion properties in the city, including branches #83 and #148 plus the TB Vets headquarters.
SUPPORTING FALUN GONG
Burnaby city council is calling on Ottawa to investigate allegations that the government of mainland China is torturing and "harvesting organs" from the practitioners of Falun Gong.
But council was reluctant to condemn the practice outright because the city simply doesn't have the resources to investigate the claims themselves, Mayor Derek Corrigan said.
"The difficulty I have with this is that we are not the national government, and we do not have the resources to research it," Corrigan said after hearing a presentation from local Falun Gong practitioners Sue Zhang and Ryan Moffat. "If this is true, we should bring down the weight of the world on this travesty."
In his Sept. 11 presentation, Moffat said Falun Gong is an ancient form of Chinese meditation that focuses on the virtues of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. There are currently about 100 million practitioners of the art in more than 60 countries, which is greater than the total number of Chinese communist party members, Moffat said.
Among his allegations are claims that Falun Gong practitioners have received repeated electrical shocks of 30,000 volts in an attempt to make them renounce the practice, and that millions of practitioners have been sent to labour camps where their vital organs are harvested for profit.
Moffat also said that some Chinese hospitals are advertising organ transplants on the Internet, with a wait time of only one week.
Published Sept. 16, 2006
The directors of the Scandinavian Cultural Centre are asking for city council's support, and a tax break, to help continue their good work in the community.
Hakan Telenius, representing the board of the community centre society, told city council that the 10-year-old cultural centre is now a vibrant hub of activity featuring classes, festivals and lectures for people from all backgrounds.
"Today, all the local Scandinavian groups use the place as their centre," said Telenius, who was joined by about a dozen supporters at the Sept. 11 city council meeting.
He said the centre was founded by four different long-term care homes with roots in the Scandinavian communities, and has received more than a million dollars in donations since its formation.
"We are heavily used like a public community centre, and we help to save substantial taxpayer dollars," Telenius said.
The centre hosts activities that cater to immigrants from all the Scandinavian countries, who make up about 10 per cent of Burnaby's total population. In addition, the centre cooperates with its neighbours by sharing parking facilities with the Ismaili mosque next door and by renting its sports fields to a popular soccer school.
The society operates on a total annual budget of about $200,000, Telenius said, and the property tax bill is the largest single expenditure, accounting for about 10 per cent of total.
If approved, the tax exemption would allow the centre to establish a building repair fund and "ensure our long-term viability," Telenius said.
He also offered to work with the city to establish other programs at the site such as a heritage centre and a sports hall of fame, and said the centre already has a growing collection of memorabilia from the many Scandinavian players who have worn the Vancouver Canucks' uniform.
Activities at the centre include language classes, dance lessons, theatrical performances, festivals, choirs, and lectures on historic and cultural topics, he added.
"All we want to do is make sure we stay here for another 10 years," Telenius said.
Coun. Gary Begin warned the society that applying for a tax exemption and government grant could become a double-edged sword. "You've made it a community facility and I wish you well in maintaining your independence," Begin said.
Mayor Derek Corrigan offered a tone of cautious optimism as he passed the recommendation forward to a council committee.
The mayor said city council has always been receptive to cultural centre such as the new Portuguese and Taiwanese centres being built in the city, adding that the Scandinavian community centre could take heart in the fact that his own great-grandmothers were B.C. pioneers who were born in Norway and Sweden.
But Corrigan also said there are "legislative and precedent problems" with the idea of a tax exemption. "These problems will require creative solutions, but that's one of the things that Scandinavians are famous for," he said.
The Scandinavian community centre society is the second non- profit agency to request a property tax exemption from city council this year. In June, officials with the North Burnaby Legion announced that they were preparing a request for a tax exemption on all three Royal Canadian Legion properties in the city, including branches #83 and #148 plus the TB Vets headquarters.
SUPPORTING FALUN GONG
Burnaby city council is calling on Ottawa to investigate allegations that the government of mainland China is torturing and "harvesting organs" from the practitioners of Falun Gong.
But council was reluctant to condemn the practice outright because the city simply doesn't have the resources to investigate the claims themselves, Mayor Derek Corrigan said.
"The difficulty I have with this is that we are not the national government, and we do not have the resources to research it," Corrigan said after hearing a presentation from local Falun Gong practitioners Sue Zhang and Ryan Moffat. "If this is true, we should bring down the weight of the world on this travesty."
In his Sept. 11 presentation, Moffat said Falun Gong is an ancient form of Chinese meditation that focuses on the virtues of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. There are currently about 100 million practitioners of the art in more than 60 countries, which is greater than the total number of Chinese communist party members, Moffat said.
Among his allegations are claims that Falun Gong practitioners have received repeated electrical shocks of 30,000 volts in an attempt to make them renounce the practice, and that millions of practitioners have been sent to labour camps where their vital organs are harvested for profit.
Moffat also said that some Chinese hospitals are advertising organ transplants on the Internet, with a wait time of only one week.
Zoning short by centimetres
Council briefs by Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 16, 2006
The 20-year owners of a home on Canada Way have asked Burnaby city council to relax its zoning bylaws after learning their property is a mere 4.5 cm, or about two inches, too short to be redeveloped into a duplex.
David and Sabita Porter said they need the relaxed rules because they would like to sell their home, and retire to a smaller property elsewhere in the city.
Porter's problem is that his home is located in the R5 zoning district, which requires a minimum 60-foot frontage before the property can be converted into a duplex. Porter's property has a front dimension of 59.85 feet.
"Our property, as well as many other similar properties, are now only worth lot value on Canada Way," he told city council at its Sept. 11 meeting. "The miniscule shortage in the front dimensions has left us wringing our hands. We find ourselves between the devil and the deep sea and a rock and a hard place."
While city council was sympathetic to their plight and agreed to send the matter to its civic development committee, the Porters were also urged to try and buy a sliver of land off one of their immediate neighbours.
Coun. Lee Rankin said that he supports the duplex proposal because two-family properties are more affordable than single family homes.
OIL CLEANUP NEEDED
Summer oil spills in Burrard Inlet and on the Squamish estuary highlight the need for new legislation that forces polluters to pay for the rescue and rehabilitation of injured wildlife, says Burnaby resident Gail Forbes.
In a letter to city council dated July 23, Forbes said she was "appalled" to learn that shipping companies are not automatically charged the costs of cleaning up in the event they are found responsible for any environmental damage.
Forbes said the Hong Kong company responsible for the July 4 spill in Burrard Inlet only paid for the cleanup of 50 birds, even though hundreds of other birds were also affected.
"They should have been forced to pay fully for the rescue and cleanup of the oiled birds," she wrote. "Oil on a bird's feathers is fatal to the bird. ... Those responsible for these types of acts should be held accountable and should be forced to clean up their mistakes, whatever the cost."
Council received her letter without comment.
HARPER THANKS CORRIGAN
Mayor Derek Corrigan has received a personal letter of thanks from Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his support on the Chinese head tax issue.
"I would like to extend my personal thanks for your kind letter of support regarding our government's public and formal apology for the unjust Chinese head tax," said the letter, received at city council on Aug. 8. "This important gesture represents an honourable solution to a historic injustice."
Council and Corrigan received the letter without comment.
HUMPS RAISE CONCERNS
Why has the City of Burnaby installed speed humps on Walker Street, a route that was once declared an arterial collector street?
That was the question posed to city council recently by Rosewood Street resident Louise Hearty, who believes the speed humps are unfairly slowing down traffic in a neighbourhood that didn't have a speeding problem to begin with.
"I thought the purpose of collector streets was for traffic to feed from them onto other streets," Hearty wrote.
"Every person I've spoken to in the neighbourhood finds these humps very inconvenient and slowing traffic too much, but it is too far to go to Canada Way and the traffic is bad there as well."
Hearty was subsequently told by city staff that the speed humps are intended to divert traffic onto nearby Sperling Avenue.
ZERO CRASH MONTH
Watch your driving during the month of October, and help the city of Burnaby win the Zero Crash Month challenge.
ICBC has informed city hall that based on past experience and statistical averages, Burnaby residents are expected to be involved in a total 1,943 automobile crashes in the month of October.
But if Burnaby residents can reduce that number by a greater amount than other B.C. cities of comparable population (40,001 and up), then city hall will win a $35,000 road safety grant.
Published Sept. 16, 2006
The 20-year owners of a home on Canada Way have asked Burnaby city council to relax its zoning bylaws after learning their property is a mere 4.5 cm, or about two inches, too short to be redeveloped into a duplex.
David and Sabita Porter said they need the relaxed rules because they would like to sell their home, and retire to a smaller property elsewhere in the city.
Porter's problem is that his home is located in the R5 zoning district, which requires a minimum 60-foot frontage before the property can be converted into a duplex. Porter's property has a front dimension of 59.85 feet.
"Our property, as well as many other similar properties, are now only worth lot value on Canada Way," he told city council at its Sept. 11 meeting. "The miniscule shortage in the front dimensions has left us wringing our hands. We find ourselves between the devil and the deep sea and a rock and a hard place."
While city council was sympathetic to their plight and agreed to send the matter to its civic development committee, the Porters were also urged to try and buy a sliver of land off one of their immediate neighbours.
Coun. Lee Rankin said that he supports the duplex proposal because two-family properties are more affordable than single family homes.
OIL CLEANUP NEEDED
Summer oil spills in Burrard Inlet and on the Squamish estuary highlight the need for new legislation that forces polluters to pay for the rescue and rehabilitation of injured wildlife, says Burnaby resident Gail Forbes.
In a letter to city council dated July 23, Forbes said she was "appalled" to learn that shipping companies are not automatically charged the costs of cleaning up in the event they are found responsible for any environmental damage.
Forbes said the Hong Kong company responsible for the July 4 spill in Burrard Inlet only paid for the cleanup of 50 birds, even though hundreds of other birds were also affected.
"They should have been forced to pay fully for the rescue and cleanup of the oiled birds," she wrote. "Oil on a bird's feathers is fatal to the bird. ... Those responsible for these types of acts should be held accountable and should be forced to clean up their mistakes, whatever the cost."
Council received her letter without comment.
HARPER THANKS CORRIGAN
Mayor Derek Corrigan has received a personal letter of thanks from Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his support on the Chinese head tax issue.
"I would like to extend my personal thanks for your kind letter of support regarding our government's public and formal apology for the unjust Chinese head tax," said the letter, received at city council on Aug. 8. "This important gesture represents an honourable solution to a historic injustice."
Council and Corrigan received the letter without comment.
HUMPS RAISE CONCERNS
Why has the City of Burnaby installed speed humps on Walker Street, a route that was once declared an arterial collector street?
That was the question posed to city council recently by Rosewood Street resident Louise Hearty, who believes the speed humps are unfairly slowing down traffic in a neighbourhood that didn't have a speeding problem to begin with.
"I thought the purpose of collector streets was for traffic to feed from them onto other streets," Hearty wrote.
"Every person I've spoken to in the neighbourhood finds these humps very inconvenient and slowing traffic too much, but it is too far to go to Canada Way and the traffic is bad there as well."
Hearty was subsequently told by city staff that the speed humps are intended to divert traffic onto nearby Sperling Avenue.
ZERO CRASH MONTH
Watch your driving during the month of October, and help the city of Burnaby win the Zero Crash Month challenge.
ICBC has informed city hall that based on past experience and statistical averages, Burnaby residents are expected to be involved in a total 1,943 automobile crashes in the month of October.
But if Burnaby residents can reduce that number by a greater amount than other B.C. cities of comparable population (40,001 and up), then city hall will win a $35,000 road safety grant.
Anger over loss of trees
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 13, 2006
Residents of the Whattlekainum housing co-op on Burnaby Mountain are up in arms after crews from the nearby Kinder Morgan tank farm began clear cutting trees over a section of pipeline right-of-way, across the street from their homes.
Mary Ayles was one of three residents who called the Burnaby NOW on Monday afternoon to complain about what she believes is the unnecessary cutting of a stand of 50-year-old alder, maple and other trees in the 8700 block of Forest Grove Drive.
"What we're seeing is the face of our neighbourhood changing," Ayles said. "Forest Grove is a grove of trees that stand tall and proud. Then, all of a sudden, tree toppers showed up with backhoes and all kinds of things, and they're bringing the trees down.
"I don't recognize the street anymore," she said.
Philippe Reicher, director of external relations for Kinder Morgan Canada, said the tree-cutting is part of a necessary "vegetation management program" to ensure the integrity of the pipeline.
"What we intend to do is make sure we have access to the right-of-way," Reicher said Tuesday morning.
Reicher said city hall was informed about the work, which began last year on other areas around the Burnaby Mountain tank farm. He said the work has a dual purpose - to allow easier inspection of the pipeline, "particularly in case of an emergency," and to ensure that the tree roots do not damage the pipeline.
"It's understandable that some people could potentially be upset by this. ... But, in many ways, those trees should never have been allowed to grow there," he said. "That right-of-way has been there for 50 years."
Reicher said he does not know the full scope of the work or the total number of trees that may eventually be chopped down, but he does not expect many more trees to be felled. "What you're seeing now is probably the whole extent of the work," he said.
Ayles also said that she was upset by her inability to obtain any information about the tree cutting when she called Burnaby city hall on Monday afternoon.
"We've been given little to no information. There was no town hall meeting called and I was concerned that nobody at city hall seemed concerned," she said. "The people I called said there's nothing they can do.
"I'm definitely not happy and shocked by what I see."
Karen Nimegeers, another resident of the housing coop, said the tree cutting was first noticed several months ago along a walking trails through the forest, and it has now come down onto their street.
"I don't know where it's going to end, and I'm upset by the loss of these obviously healthy trees," she said. "It's heartbreaking to see the trees go."
Nimegeers and Ayles both agreed that part of their concerns comes from the fact that the tank farm was sold to a company with an American parent.
"Suddenly it's Kinder Morgan and down come the trees," said Nimegeers.
"Certainly, when Trans Mountain was here, there seemed to be a lot more information," added Ayles.
Published Sept. 13, 2006
Residents of the Whattlekainum housing co-op on Burnaby Mountain are up in arms after crews from the nearby Kinder Morgan tank farm began clear cutting trees over a section of pipeline right-of-way, across the street from their homes.
Mary Ayles was one of three residents who called the Burnaby NOW on Monday afternoon to complain about what she believes is the unnecessary cutting of a stand of 50-year-old alder, maple and other trees in the 8700 block of Forest Grove Drive.
"What we're seeing is the face of our neighbourhood changing," Ayles said. "Forest Grove is a grove of trees that stand tall and proud. Then, all of a sudden, tree toppers showed up with backhoes and all kinds of things, and they're bringing the trees down.
"I don't recognize the street anymore," she said.
Philippe Reicher, director of external relations for Kinder Morgan Canada, said the tree-cutting is part of a necessary "vegetation management program" to ensure the integrity of the pipeline.
"What we intend to do is make sure we have access to the right-of-way," Reicher said Tuesday morning.
Reicher said city hall was informed about the work, which began last year on other areas around the Burnaby Mountain tank farm. He said the work has a dual purpose - to allow easier inspection of the pipeline, "particularly in case of an emergency," and to ensure that the tree roots do not damage the pipeline.
"It's understandable that some people could potentially be upset by this. ... But, in many ways, those trees should never have been allowed to grow there," he said. "That right-of-way has been there for 50 years."
Reicher said he does not know the full scope of the work or the total number of trees that may eventually be chopped down, but he does not expect many more trees to be felled. "What you're seeing now is probably the whole extent of the work," he said.
Ayles also said that she was upset by her inability to obtain any information about the tree cutting when she called Burnaby city hall on Monday afternoon.
"We've been given little to no information. There was no town hall meeting called and I was concerned that nobody at city hall seemed concerned," she said. "The people I called said there's nothing they can do.
"I'm definitely not happy and shocked by what I see."
Karen Nimegeers, another resident of the housing coop, said the tree cutting was first noticed several months ago along a walking trails through the forest, and it has now come down onto their street.
"I don't know where it's going to end, and I'm upset by the loss of these obviously healthy trees," she said. "It's heartbreaking to see the trees go."
Nimegeers and Ayles both agreed that part of their concerns comes from the fact that the tank farm was sold to a company with an American parent.
"Suddenly it's Kinder Morgan and down come the trees," said Nimegeers.
"Certainly, when Trans Mountain was here, there seemed to be a lot more information," added Ayles.
Campbell scared of opposition, says Chouhan
Backrooms column by Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 13, 2006
Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan thinks he's figured out why the B.C. government is not planning a full session of the legislature this fall.
"They don't have anything to talk about," said the rookie NDP MLA, who was recently appointed the NDP critic for mental health. "Gordon Campbell is running scared of the opposition."
Chouhan is convinced the Liberals are trying to avoid some tough questions, such as when are they going to reinstate the position of mental health advocate in B.C.
"I want to ask them, for example, why in B.C. we do not have a mental health advocate so people suffering from mental health problems have a voice," Chouhan said last week. "I've met with almost a dozen different groups in the past few weeks all over the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, and each one of them is telling me this (the advocate) is a very, very important issue."
The position of mental health advocate, formerly filled by Nancy Hall, was cut by the B.C. Liberals during the government service reductions of 2002, Chouhan said.
"When it comes to mental health, this government has cut back in so many areas," he said. "There is no independent minister to advocate on behalf of these people, and that's why we need an independent advocate: to see what the needs are in the community and to make recommendations on what remedies or services could be provided."
Chouhan is also in the early stages of organizing a mental health forum in Burnaby where community groups and individuals can come to air their views and talk about their needs. Stay tuned for details.
LIBERALS PICK DELEGATES
Don't expect any total victories when the local Liberal riding associations get together to choose their delegates for the federal party's leadership convention taking place in Montreal later this fall.
Watch for the big showdown between the Gerard Kennedy faction and supporters of former environment minister Stephane Dion, with maybe a few other delegates spots going to the seven other leadership hopefuls.
Mark Ransom, executive director of the federal party's B.C. office, said the Burnaby-Douglas and Burnaby-New Westminster ridings will hold their delegate selection meeting in conjunction with the New Westminster-Coquitlam and Port Moody-Westwood ridings on Sept. 29 at a still-to-be-decided location. Each riding gets to choose 14 delegates.
"It's an issue of resources," Ransom said of the combined meeting. "As you can imagine, with nine leadership candidates, the odds of finding neutral volunteers is not that great."
Kennedy's camp has apparently been going great guns under the guiding hand of Gurdev Dhillon, and the word on the street is that he's pretty much wrapped up the youth vote.
Dion, who earned headlines with his visit to Burnaby Lake two years ago, probably has the best known Burnaby name on his side in the person of Bill Cunningham, the former executive director of the federal cabinet offices, one-time Paul Martin organizer, past president of the B.C. wing of the party and twice candidate in Burnaby-Douglas. Also adding fuel to Dion's fire is former provincial cabinet minister Joyce Murray.
Not to be outdone, Ken Dryden has lined up local lawyer and former Liberal candidate Celso Boscariol as his local organizer, while Michael Ignatieff is getting help from Burnaby's own Johnathan Ross, publisher of the TDH Strategies website.
Other hopefuls who managed to put their feet on the ground in Burnaby over the past few weeks include Scott Brison, who did a campaign stop at Death By Chocolate on Kingsway, plus Hedy Fry, who was the guest of honour at a house party on Elwell Street.
Despite my best efforts, I've been unable to get a message to Bob Rae's best-known local organizer, former Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Patty Sahota.
RIDING REVIEW
Will Burnaby finally get four members of the legislative assembly all to itself?
That's the biggest wish of Mayor Derek Corrigan as the B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission officially begins its review of the provincial riding boundaries and the number of MLAs.
While the commission is officially working off a blank slate, information on its official government website states that the government is willing to consider an increase in the total number of B.C. MLAs from the current 79 to 85.
If the overall size of the legislature is increased, it would be very difficult for the Gordon Campbell government to deny Corrigan's wish.
Currently, Burnaby and Coquitlam share one MLA in the person of B.C. Liberal Harry Bloy, whose riding gets about two-thirds of its population from the Coquitlam side of the boundary.
The three-member commission, led by B.C. Justice Bruce Cohen, has also been instructed to come up with a proposal for a 'single- transferable vote system' - an unusual system of voting that was narrowly rejected by B.C. voters last year.
The commission will host a series of 'public consultation sessions' this fall. The closest stop to Burnaby will be on Sept. 19 at the Westminster Club, in New Westminster.
The commission will then unveil a map of its proposed riding boundaries in late 2006, have a preliminary report ready by August 2007, conduct public hearings in fall 2007, and issue a final report in February 2008, a year in advance of the next provincial election. For more information, visit the commission's website at www.bc- ebc.ca.
IT'S OFFICIAL
Ryan Warawa made it official last week when he formally filed papers to become the Conservative party candidate in the Burnaby- New Westminster riding.
Warawa, 30, is the son of Langley MP Mark Warawa, and has been active in the Conservative, Canadian Alliance and Reform parties since he was 17. The riding is currently held by NDP MP Peter Julian.
MAKING HISTORY
I don't usually do promotions in this column but this one is different.
Brian Veitch, the son of Burnaby's original power couple Sheila and Elwood Veitch, has been working overtime for the past several weeks as he tries to stave off the creditors from that most fantastic of tourist attractions - Storyeum.
Veitch is the vice-president and general manager of the $22 million attraction that is currently seeking new investors. Storyeum is a living tribute to the history of British Columbia, and a definite must-see, not just for tourists, but for anyone who wants to learn a little bit more about this province we call home.
My own mother described it as "absolutely wonderful" when she and I visited during its inaugural season in 2004.
"The response we're getting is just like your mom's," Brian told me recently. "Ninety-nine per cent of the people just love the show. But it's an expensive operation to run, and it takes time to build that audience up."
Storyeum uses live actors to tell the story of B.C.'s history in seven elaborate underground theatres. Included are a retelling of the Tsleil-Wathuth creation legend, the arrival of the first Hudson's Bay trading ships, a re-creation of an authentic Gold Rush era boomtown, the building of the railway and the arrival of the first steam train.
The whole show takes about 65 minutes and it will leave you spellbound. Visit Storyeum at 142 Water St., in Gastown, or call them at 604-687-8142.
Published Sept. 13, 2006
Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan thinks he's figured out why the B.C. government is not planning a full session of the legislature this fall.
"They don't have anything to talk about," said the rookie NDP MLA, who was recently appointed the NDP critic for mental health. "Gordon Campbell is running scared of the opposition."
Chouhan is convinced the Liberals are trying to avoid some tough questions, such as when are they going to reinstate the position of mental health advocate in B.C.
"I want to ask them, for example, why in B.C. we do not have a mental health advocate so people suffering from mental health problems have a voice," Chouhan said last week. "I've met with almost a dozen different groups in the past few weeks all over the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, and each one of them is telling me this (the advocate) is a very, very important issue."
The position of mental health advocate, formerly filled by Nancy Hall, was cut by the B.C. Liberals during the government service reductions of 2002, Chouhan said.
"When it comes to mental health, this government has cut back in so many areas," he said. "There is no independent minister to advocate on behalf of these people, and that's why we need an independent advocate: to see what the needs are in the community and to make recommendations on what remedies or services could be provided."
Chouhan is also in the early stages of organizing a mental health forum in Burnaby where community groups and individuals can come to air their views and talk about their needs. Stay tuned for details.
LIBERALS PICK DELEGATES
Don't expect any total victories when the local Liberal riding associations get together to choose their delegates for the federal party's leadership convention taking place in Montreal later this fall.
Watch for the big showdown between the Gerard Kennedy faction and supporters of former environment minister Stephane Dion, with maybe a few other delegates spots going to the seven other leadership hopefuls.
Mark Ransom, executive director of the federal party's B.C. office, said the Burnaby-Douglas and Burnaby-New Westminster ridings will hold their delegate selection meeting in conjunction with the New Westminster-Coquitlam and Port Moody-Westwood ridings on Sept. 29 at a still-to-be-decided location. Each riding gets to choose 14 delegates.
"It's an issue of resources," Ransom said of the combined meeting. "As you can imagine, with nine leadership candidates, the odds of finding neutral volunteers is not that great."
Kennedy's camp has apparently been going great guns under the guiding hand of Gurdev Dhillon, and the word on the street is that he's pretty much wrapped up the youth vote.
Dion, who earned headlines with his visit to Burnaby Lake two years ago, probably has the best known Burnaby name on his side in the person of Bill Cunningham, the former executive director of the federal cabinet offices, one-time Paul Martin organizer, past president of the B.C. wing of the party and twice candidate in Burnaby-Douglas. Also adding fuel to Dion's fire is former provincial cabinet minister Joyce Murray.
Not to be outdone, Ken Dryden has lined up local lawyer and former Liberal candidate Celso Boscariol as his local organizer, while Michael Ignatieff is getting help from Burnaby's own Johnathan Ross, publisher of the TDH Strategies website.
Other hopefuls who managed to put their feet on the ground in Burnaby over the past few weeks include Scott Brison, who did a campaign stop at Death By Chocolate on Kingsway, plus Hedy Fry, who was the guest of honour at a house party on Elwell Street.
Despite my best efforts, I've been unable to get a message to Bob Rae's best-known local organizer, former Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Patty Sahota.
RIDING REVIEW
Will Burnaby finally get four members of the legislative assembly all to itself?
That's the biggest wish of Mayor Derek Corrigan as the B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission officially begins its review of the provincial riding boundaries and the number of MLAs.
While the commission is officially working off a blank slate, information on its official government website states that the government is willing to consider an increase in the total number of B.C. MLAs from the current 79 to 85.
If the overall size of the legislature is increased, it would be very difficult for the Gordon Campbell government to deny Corrigan's wish.
Currently, Burnaby and Coquitlam share one MLA in the person of B.C. Liberal Harry Bloy, whose riding gets about two-thirds of its population from the Coquitlam side of the boundary.
The three-member commission, led by B.C. Justice Bruce Cohen, has also been instructed to come up with a proposal for a 'single- transferable vote system' - an unusual system of voting that was narrowly rejected by B.C. voters last year.
The commission will host a series of 'public consultation sessions' this fall. The closest stop to Burnaby will be on Sept. 19 at the Westminster Club, in New Westminster.
The commission will then unveil a map of its proposed riding boundaries in late 2006, have a preliminary report ready by August 2007, conduct public hearings in fall 2007, and issue a final report in February 2008, a year in advance of the next provincial election. For more information, visit the commission's website at www.bc- ebc.ca.
IT'S OFFICIAL
Ryan Warawa made it official last week when he formally filed papers to become the Conservative party candidate in the Burnaby- New Westminster riding.
Warawa, 30, is the son of Langley MP Mark Warawa, and has been active in the Conservative, Canadian Alliance and Reform parties since he was 17. The riding is currently held by NDP MP Peter Julian.
MAKING HISTORY
I don't usually do promotions in this column but this one is different.
Brian Veitch, the son of Burnaby's original power couple Sheila and Elwood Veitch, has been working overtime for the past several weeks as he tries to stave off the creditors from that most fantastic of tourist attractions - Storyeum.
Veitch is the vice-president and general manager of the $22 million attraction that is currently seeking new investors. Storyeum is a living tribute to the history of British Columbia, and a definite must-see, not just for tourists, but for anyone who wants to learn a little bit more about this province we call home.
My own mother described it as "absolutely wonderful" when she and I visited during its inaugural season in 2004.
"The response we're getting is just like your mom's," Brian told me recently. "Ninety-nine per cent of the people just love the show. But it's an expensive operation to run, and it takes time to build that audience up."
Storyeum uses live actors to tell the story of B.C.'s history in seven elaborate underground theatres. Included are a retelling of the Tsleil-Wathuth creation legend, the arrival of the first Hudson's Bay trading ships, a re-creation of an authentic Gold Rush era boomtown, the building of the railway and the arrival of the first steam train.
The whole show takes about 65 minutes and it will leave you spellbound. Visit Storyeum at 142 Water St., in Gastown, or call them at 604-687-8142.
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