text:
Polls Reporting: 73,451 of 73,568 (99.84 %)
Voter Turnout: 17,559,353 of 25,638,379 registered electors (68.49 %) -- does not include electors who registered on election day.
October 15, 2015
The figures for the advance voting this past weekend are in, and if one can believe the figures, there is going to be a massive turnout for Monday's federal election. Three and a half million people turned out to cast their vote early. This is a 70% increase from the 2011 federal election.
October 08, 2015
In case you missed it let's start by reviewing THE MERCER REPORT.
I have been a fan of MERCER dating back to his days on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. His ability to inject humour into cutting criticism is what makes him relevant in my world. It is impossible for me to remember a time one of his rants did not hit the nail right on the head. The topic in the video is the much talked about topic of what will it take to engage youth in our voting process?
A number of Canadian singer songwriters have penned and filmed videos of GET HARPER OUT themed performances. In large part the appeal of said artists do not appeal to youth. Where are DRAKE & JUSTINE BIEBER?
If you really want to get the youth vote out, try this simple solution.
Promise free IPHONES to everyone between the ages of 18-25 if they can make it down to a polling station.
Then stand back and see the cavalcade of young voters heading for the polls on October 19!
October 01, 2015
Last week the Union of British Colombia Municipalities (UBCM) hosted their annual convention at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. Representatives from 189 communities and 6 first nations assembled to discuss the current affairs of local government as well as to vote on and pass resolutions that ill be put forth to the two senior levels of government. More on that.
Hundreds of mayors and councillors from throughout the Province were in attendance to renew old relationships and develop new alliances. A full complement of White Rock council was in attendance. In that this was my first conference I operated to a certain extent as an observer. Roughly 50% of the attendees were first time councillors or first time mayors. The 2014 civic elections saw a massive turn over in the make up of councils throughout the Province. As a result I did not witness a great deal of "Hello Fred, how are things in Omaha?" a typical greeting at most other conventions I have participated in.
Prior to the convention the City of White Rock had arranged a series of private ( all be it very short) meetings with Provincial representatives to discuss the possibility of relocation of the rail line from our waterfront, financial aid for necessary work and expense we will incur from climate change and its negative effects on our waterfront, in particular East Beach. We also have formally requested the Province's financial aid for support in our acquisition of our own water source this year. All of the meetings were adjourned with a promise to meet again in the future. Our MLA GORDON HOGG helped broker these private meetings and was in attendance with our council.
The days were long with speakers delivering their messages to huge ballrooms full of participants. The days were also dotted with breakout meetings where the participants were able to discuss various topics. Of the many breakout meetings I attended I was particularly impressed with two topis. Medical marijuana and how cities in particular Vancouver are currently dealing with the matter. TONIA WINCHESTER a U.S. lawyer who worked for a citizen's coalition to legalize marijuana, pointed to parallels with Vancouver's current situation, noting Seattle began issuing business licenses to control the spread of illegal pot shops. WINCHESTER clearly identified Vancouver was a perfect test market for issuing medical marijuana. And possibly the eventual legalization, the route Washington State followed. White Rock is currently dealing with a request for a business license for a medical marijuana dispensary. Close to 200 residents of White Rock and South Surrey currently use the drug to deal with a variety of medical issues.
The other breakout meeting that resonated with me was "Engaging your Community." This was far and away this meeting was the best attended that I saw on the schedule. It is obviously a hot topic for the newly elected. It makes sense. The round table discussions produced a variety of interesting options. I took the opportunity to discuss the origin and the current state of my "Community Conversations." I was excited to see such a positive response from those in attendance. Locally the monthly community meetings have not met with as much enthusiasm from my fellow council members outside of councillor HELEN FATHERS, who herself takes advantage of being the manager of the White Rock Farmers Market, to engage and speak with members of our community on a regular basis. I have subsequently been contacted by a number of councillors to discuss further the format and pros and cons of engaging your community.
The membership passed hundreds of resolutions through electronic voting (yes or no). I must say I couldn't help but feeling like a bunch of kids sitting around setting out demands they were going to make to Mom and Dad when they got home. "O.K. so we are going to ask for double our allowance, we want to stay up until midnight and we don't ever want to see anything green on our plates. Everyone agree, show of hands. Great we will present these to Mom and Dad when they arrive." I think you can imagine how that would end. Laughter or grounded. For instance overwhelmingly the membership of the UBCM passed a resolution to allow on line voting in 2018 when we have our next civic election. The move would need the approval of the Provincial government. I saw a number of media outlets pick up the story and basically pass it off as faite de complete! Shortly after the vote during a recess I had the opportunity to speak to an MLA in attendance. "What do you think our chances are of online voting being passed by the Province?" The MLA smiled and said "None. We have already decided there will be no online voting in 2018 in British Columbia."
I can only hope all of the passed resolutions don't suffer the same fate.
The convention also provided me an opportunity to hear Premier CLARK address the convention. Outside of the odd news flash like most British Columbians, I had not had the opportunity to see or hear how she fared as a public speaker. I would definitely give her a passing grade. She seemed very passionate in her speaking and for the most part her speech came across more as a conversation as opposed to a lecture.
D. Chesney
Publisher/White Rock Councillor
September 17, 2015
Battle Cry
At the conclusion of this past Monday's White Rock council meeting, it was announced TEXOR HOMES a local development company, had withdrawn their application to build a 15 storey tower at the intersection of Nichol Road and North Bluff (140 st @ 16 avenue).
Had there been more than a lone protestor left in chambers there most likely would have been a huge roar of approval from the multitude that had packed the chambers earlier in the evening. The crowd of protestors had descended on city hall calling for White Rock mayor WAYNE BALDWIN to step aside following remarks he had made in a Letter to the Editor regarding how many more residents White Rock was in his words "legally bound" to accept under METRO VANCOUVER'S population projections for the next 25 years. (see story below)
The area surrounding the city's currently clearly defined town centre has been under pressure of late with a sizeable number of development permit requests being submitted to White Rock's planning department. All of these requests to build high-rise towers do not fit into the city's current Official Community Plan For this reason a large number of very vocal locals have besieged council and the mayor with a constant stream of emails and phone calls to register their disappointment in the direction they see their city heading.
The TEXOR TOWER was unique in that it seemed to inflame a whole new sector of White Rock's residents. Those living on the west side of White Rock cried out in anger when they heard of the proposed tower in their neighbourhood. Most felt it had no place so far away from the designated town centre. Some felt a couple of blocks was one thing but clearly nearly 10 blocks from the city centre just wasn't going to fly.
The location at Nichol and North Bluff has been the subject of at least two other proposals that were turned down by the previous council. Those developments were not for a tower but townhouses and or homes with carriage houses. Both were defeated. Neither of the previous defeated proposals were from TEXOR. According to the owners of TEXOR this would have been their first foray into building in White Rock. The sale of the land was contingent to council's approval so it remains to be seen if TEXOR moves on or reinvents a design they feel will fit better into the neighbourhood.
The tribal drums of the protestors are beating loud and clear claiming victory for those that oppose densification outside of the city's town centre. They also were buoyed by the statement from KAREN COOPER the Director Planning and Development for White Rock that the downsized projections of population growth would mean White Rock now only had to project accommodating 3500 new residents over the coming years as opposed to the previously projected 7,000. COOPER stated the lowered number would put pressure on the existing town centre to absorb the increased in population.
What will this mean to the three development applications of two 12 storey towers on Thrift @ Oxford and the twenty one and twenty four storey towers on Oxford?
Your guess is as good as mine but I believe we can rest assured the current group of residents wishing to see densification corralled in the Official Community Plan's town centre, continue their pressure and presence to continue.
D. Chesney
September 03, 2015
Two Different Tales of Towers
Our small seaside community is reeling as development permit applications pop up across the landscape. Applications for 12 storeys, 7 storeys, six storeys and 15 storeys have all appeared in the past month. With the exception of one application (the six storey proposed by AVRA) in the actual town centre, all other applications are clearly outside of the designated town centre in our Official Community Plan.
City staff and certain members of council support Mayor Baldwin's assertion the Official Community Plan is simply a guideline.
As criticism of the rapid push to develop outside of the OCP's town centre, Mayor Baldwin decided last week to put proverbial pen to paper and issue an email to the Peace Arch News (below).
The response from residents taking Mayor Baldwin to task was immediate. A number of letters and statements began to circulate through social media.
Reprinted from Letters To The Editor - Peace Arch News/August 31, 2015
Legally obligated to grow
Mayor Wayne Baldwin, White Rock
Third term councillor Helen Fathers submitted the following letter to The White Rock Sun as well as to the Peace Arch News.
Dear Editor;
I have been copied on Mayor Baldwins letter to the Editor Re : Regional Growth Strategy.
As Members of Council we are advised by the City Lawyer to only write to the "Letters to the Editor" page under extreme circumstances or to correct information.
The Regional Growth Strategy clearly states on page 68 footnote 1:
There are no measures nor policing techniques to enforce compliance with a document that is meant as a tool to help Metro Vancouver's Member Municipalities plan cities. It should be used as intended; to help support housing polices, transportation issues and environmental concerns.
As with all Bylaws and Policies they are up for interpretation. Mayor Baldwins interpretation of the Regional Growth Strategy in my opinion supports his penchant for densification of our City and his inability to listen to our residents who are clearly saying " No. No. No ! ."
Helen Fathers
Read the PEACE ARCH NEWS front page story in response to MAYOR BALDWIN'S claims (click here)
August 27, 2015
The Lypka Letter(s)
Dennis Lypka White Rock Civic Election November 2014
It is well documented the number of times I ran for White Rock council, before successfully winning a seat this past November. Over the campaigns I have had the pleasure of encountering a wide variety of fellow candidates.
This past November (2014) DENNIS LYPKA a former executive with BC Rail put his name forth for the 2014 civic election. Our paths crossed almost immediately. It seemed no matter where I was door knocking or main streeting, there he was. I was duly impressed with his commitment and the support of his wife who was never more than a foot or two from his side throughout the campaign.
In short order we were heading down the friendship trail. I am proud to call DENNIS my friend.
Normally when an election is over, the vast majority of would be candidates simply fade to black and disappear into the woodwork. But not DENNIS LYPKA. He remained fully engaged. Despite losing he dragged the city of White Rock into Provincial court over the development/expansion of the Evergreen Care Home.
I am not sure how I would categorize DENNIS. The city's conscience? The official opposition?
What I do know is he possesses an innate ability to compose the most on point - fact supported letters to the various departments at White Rock city hall and the Mayor and Council.
To say he gets under the skin of a lot of people at city hall, would be an understatement.
The last council meeting before the summer break (July 27) saw KAREN COOPER the Director Planning and Development address council and update the progress of what can only be classified as an "interim Official Community Plan." I was unable to attend council due to prior commitments but I did take the time to watch the proceedings. I must say I walked away from the television scratching my head. Even though KAREN COOPER seemed to indicate the city had heard loud and clear from the community it wanted highrises contained in the existing town centre, along North Bluff Road or the Lower Johnston corridor, the city was now "going west young man." On the table were developer applications for no less than 5 towers outside of the designated town centre.
I knew it would only be a matter of time before we all received a LYPKA LETTER. Two days ago the letter below arrived in the mailboxes of all the members of council, the mayor and senior staff.
D. Chesney/Publisher
August 25, 2015
online at home, on lap tops at the Visioning Fair, or on paper copies. Paper copies of the survey
were available at City Hall, the White Rock Community Centre and other civic facilities, the
Library, the White Rock Farmer's Market, the Visioning Fair and the Community Safety Fair.
The survey was advertised on the City's website, Peace Arch newspaper, social media channels,
Some residents have expressed concern that members of the development community had completed surveys to skew the results in a way that might favour their development interests in White Rock. After careful review of the survey results, staff are confident that there are no apparent or identifiable skews (e.g., slanted responses, repetitive answers to questions, incomplete surveys, etc.) that favour any particular developer. All comments received from the survey are included in the appendix to the Community Visioning Survey Results report to ensure full transparency.
Approximately 320 surveys were submitted and analyzed by CitySpaces Consulting. Their report, Imagine White Rock 2045 Community Visioning Survey Results, has been distributed
separately to Council and is publicly available online on the City's website at www.whiterockcity.ca/imaginewhiterock. "
See page 164; only 290 of the "approximately 320" respondents answered the question "How long have you lived in White Rock?" This should have raised some flags. See pages 165-170; there are about a dozen respondents who clearly state that they live somewhere else outside of White Rock. This too should have raised some flags. See page 171; 309 respondents answered the question "Which of the following describes your situation in White Rock (check all that apply)?", and of those, only 220 stated that they were either a full time or part time resident of White Rock. This too certainly should have raised some flags with you, your consultant and your staff and triggered you to question the confidence in the survey that has been so loudly professed by your office.
Take a good long study of the results of the PAN's Question of the Week. That will tell you much better and much more succinctly what the tax paying residents of White Rock think about City Hall's efforts to gut the current OCP to try to enable high density projects in neighbourhoods where they do not belong.
Dennis Lypka
President, Belaire Strata Corporation - BCS 2206
August 20, 2015
Who Is Your Friend?
The Gentlemen of Leisure 2015
I believe I have spoken of the Gentlemen of Leisure before. We are a group of friends who come together every Friday morning for breakfast. If everyone is in town and not travelling there are 11 of us present. The picture above was taken at our annual Summer BBQ earlier this week.
I have always been a rather magnanimous person. I love people. In particular I like having friends. Not hundreds of friends, those are acquaintances. I mean honest to goodness friends. Anyone of the gentlemen pictured above, I could call at 4 a.m. in the morning and say "I need a ride." The only words I would hear from them as they were pulling on their pants would be "Where are you?"
I am a lucky man.
Conversely there are so many people in our community that suffer in silence and isolation. My heart breaks when I think of another friend who has no family close by and is finding it difficult to meet and simply talk with people. There are a number of services available within our community and society to help end that loneliness and isolation. In the next couple of days I will see if I can help my friend get connected with one or two of these community resources.
This week there was a Celebration of Life held for JOHN REFEEN the crossing guard at White Rock elementary that just passed away. In talking with another friend of his BONNIE she told me one of the things that JOHN talked a lot about was something he had seen on the news. Many schools across Canada are now installing "buddy benches." What a buddy bench is, is simply a bench placed in the schoolyard where a child if they are feeling left out and alone, they can simply go sit on the bench and the other kids will know they are feeling alone and sad. From what I can tell these buddy benches are wildly successful. Perhaps we could make a "big kids buddy bench?"
In the mean time today would be a good day to take that extra moment to stop and talk to a stranger on the street. Lean over the back fence and find out how your neighbor is doing. What the heck you have nothing else to do if you are standing in line at the grocery store. Strike up a brief conversation, if nothing else it will make the tie in the line up seem more bearable.
Who is your friend?
David Chesney
August 13, 2015
Like so many other people in my life, I don't really remember the first day I met JOHN REFEEN.
August 06, 2015
STEPHEN HARPER has agreed to participate in tonight's leaders debate. Otherwise watching Prime Minister HARPER on your television at well orchestrated media events will be the only time you see the Prime Minister succumb to any kind of public interaction. The press releases have firmly stated NO ONE will meet with or interview STEPHEN HARPER without being fully vetted by the PMO. The reason? One good sound bite could sink his ship. Fearing one of the other candidates for the top job in Canada coughed up a question that would embarrass the Conservative Party and or Harper himself, the logical thing in his/their mind for Harper to do is to simply not engage. Let the public think what they want. Just don't give them ANYTHING to hang on to. This fact alone should cause even the staunchest Conservative membership to hang their heads in shame. What could be their reason for supporting the move? "Oh they are all going to gang up on the Prime Minister" just doesn't cut it with me or anyone else of sound mind.
Fox News has announced the line-up for tonight's prime-time Republican presidential debate, and here's who qualified:
Real estate magnate Donald Trump; former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee; retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio; Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
I also wouldn't be surprised if more Canadians watch the U.S. debate than the Canadian leaders debate.
10 stories that were far more important than anything DONALD TRUMP said in the past two weeks. The only problem is the media never covered them?
....And if that isn't weird enough have a look at Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz has demonstrated an inventive way of cooking bacon
D. Chesney / Publisher
July 09, 2015
Civil Servants
back row l-r Councillor Lawrence, Meyer, Chesney, Fathers
front row l-r Councillor Sinclair, Mayor Baldwin, Councillor Knight
As most of the regular readers of The White Rock Sun know, I ran a number of times (5 to be exact) for a seat on White Rock city council. The November 2014 civic election became historical on a personal front.
Scroll down to the third TED TALK Omar Ahmad Political change With Pen & Paper
July 02, 2015
If you don't promote a terrible thing happens. NOTHING!
Cases in point. The Tour De White Rock is two weeks away. Have you seen any sign of promotion or publicity heralding its arrival. The Daniel Wesley Canada Day concert banner on the pier went up last week, less than 7 days before the show. Instead of having the banner up on the pier for a couple of weekends prior to the big Canada Day By The Bay, the sign on the pier was an institutional sign noting the many years Rotary has been operating on the Peninsula. Certainly a worthy cause, but it could have been up when we did not have a plethora of local big events, like Canada Day, Tour De White Rock and our Sea Festival.
I paid close attention over the past week to see if White Rock would receive the same kind of free publicity other cities in the Lower Mainland did surrounding their Canada Day celebrations. The answer simply is NO. All of the newspaper and radio reports I heard about the schedules of Canada Day events locally, failed to make any mention of White Rock. Surrey, Richmond and of course the Vancouvercelebrations are all I heard of.
Start talking up the TOUR DE WHITE ROCK (July 17 & 18) and our annual SEA FESTIVAL July 31-August 02.
Charity and publicity both begin @ home. Make a game of it, try to work the TOUR and the SEA FESTIVAL into your conversation today.
D. Chesney/Publisher
June 25, 2015
Wake Up Call
If you are a resident of White Rock, may I ask you if the card pictured above looks familiar to you?
You see the city of White Rock mailed out over 9,000 post card sized notices to each and every home on the city's tax roll. The first meeting that was identified, the Water Utility meeting last week drew 50-60 people. Last night it was time for the second of three in a row. The Urban Forest meeting drew somewhere in the neighbourhood of 30-40 attendees. It is not expected there will be many more at next week's Single Family Garbage Community Forum.
Why so low? Did the time of the meetings have an impact. Some have criticized the 5:30-7:30 scheduled times of the meetings as being inconvenient as they are held right in the middle of the dinner hours. Some have said a large number of White Rock residents are still motoring don HWY 99 on their ay home when the meeting is being held.
Both of these may be contributing factors, but it is my belief it is only a small part of the problem. I spoke to many people regarding the upcoming meetings in advance asking them if they planned on attending? The look on their face closely resembled what I feel would have been the same look had I asked them "Would you like to come to my dentist for a root canal with no freezing?"
It pains me that people feel they cannot make a difference.
It is not just White Rock, the lower mainland, the province or for that matter the entire country. Things have not gotten bad enough yet. That is until decisiions made by the city directly impacts their daily routine. As long as SOMEONE picks up the garbage, there are NO TREES in their view corridor and water comes out of the tap when they turn it on, we're good to go.
As a socially engaged citizen and a recently elected official (White Rock council) I feel an ever growing sense of frustration. Everyone talks a good talk. Few walk a good walk. I sense an overpowering feeling from people they feel their voice is never heard or listened to.
May I suggest you YELL A LITTLE LOUDER!
June 18, 2015
Medical Marijuana
The debate on the pros and cons of the use of medical marijuana to treat a wide variety of medical ailments, came rolling up the front steps of White Rock City Hall Monday evening.
Local businessman RANDY CAINE the owner and operator of two businesses in White Rock, (HEMPYZ novelties and RELEAF a medical compassion referral outlet) appeared alongside his daughter TARA who manages RELEAF.
You are reading this on the internet. A simple click to GOOGLE search and inserting "medical marijuana in Canada" found no less than 5 million stories. Yes you read that right - 5,000,000.
David Chesney/Pulisher
Learn more about the use of medical marijuana in Canada (click here)
Read this week's column on medical marijuana in the Georgia Straight (click here)
June 04, 2015
C50 Ocean Park/Peace Arch Hospital
Weekeday Frequency is every 60 minutes from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
For residents on the Semiahmoo Peninsula that depend on the bus to get around to visit the doctor, do their shopping, social outings etc. this cut back in service has hit them hard.
This past Saturday when I boarded the C-52 in front of the museum on the waterfront I was fortunate enough to get the last seat available. When the bus arrived at Maple and Columbia a woman waiting at the bus stop was waving her arms frantically. The bus driver pulled over and explained to her he as full and she would have to wait for the next bus, the woman explained on how she had already been waiting an hour and the prospect of a further hour wait as simply not in the cards for her. She was going back home. The bus driver muttered something about this being a very common problem until people realized there as a new bus schedule.
The bus changes have been posted (all three of them) at White Rock Centre (16th & Johnston) but in large part most stops do not have any information. For that matter there are only approximately 10 bus stops in all of White Rock and South Surrey that have the projected time the bus ill be arriving.
In that I am a regular user of the bus service I was alerted to the coming changes back in June by one of the local bus drivers. When I inquired to white Rock City Hall, our city manager DAN BOTTRILL had not received any information on the cutback in service. Mayor Baldwin is our representative on the Translink Board and if he knew of the cuts he failed to forward the information to the administration or the community.
So who cares?
I do.
Do you?
Call or email TRANSLINK and our MAYOR AND COUNCIL and tell them WE DESERVE BETTER.
Dave Chesney
August 14, 2014
Last Friday the peaceful afternoon was shattered by the continuous and very loud blowing of the horn on a freight train heading north along the rail line on the White Rock waterfront. A number of residents called and emailed the White Rock Sun to see if we had any idea what was happening.
The loud horn blast was followed by a terrible screeching of metal on metal and the banging of the rail cars as the train made an emergency stop. The brief silence was then punctuated with emergency vehicles sirens blaring as they raced to the East Beach area of White Rock.
From what we were able to ascertain, two or three youths decided they were going to lay on the rail line and play a game of "chicken" with the freight train. By the time the train actually stopped the offending youths had scampered off down the beach. Police were unable to make any arrests.
In that the city of White Rock has recently had an ongoing upgrading of safety relationship with BNSF the rail company and Transport Canada, I can only imagine what the phone call to Transport Canada from BNSF must have entailed.
Perhaps something along the lines of "We thought you had solved the problems with unwanted trespassers on our rail line along the waterfront." Recently BNSF publicly stated of the thousands of miles along which they operate their rail lines, the 2km stretch along the White Rock waterfront is the most dangerous area on the entire rail line. Trespassers on the tracks and people darting across in front of the train has become a problem of epic proportions.
So what is the city of White Rock doing? Well the openings in the fencing along west beach where foot traffic could easily cross the tracks have been filled in. There has been a fence erected at the end of Bayview park by the boat launch, and the boat launch has now been shut off to vehicular traffic until the city installs the mandated lights, bells and wooden arm crossings. White Rock has also erected a number of LOOK LISTEN LIVE signs from one end of the beach to the other. There is also talk White Rock is considering installing a form of metal mesh on the metal railing along the West Beach section of the promenade.
The CN police have tried to increase patrols, and some tickets have been issued to people trespassing on the tracks.
Something more needs to be done. There seems to be some confusion whether of not our By-Law officers are able to issue tickets. But in the mean time those by-law officers should step up foot patrols and direct trespasser to get off the tracks. The RCMP and the community policing volounteers should also be down there sweeping people off the tracks.
Unless BNSF and Transport Canada get the message loud and clear White Rock is doing everything they can to mitigate these safety violations, I fear the rail line is going to push to have fences erected, at the very least along the West Beach promenade from the pier west to the boat launch.
Failure by the city to address this ongoing problem ma force the rail line and Transport Canada to institute the next step for safety and I fear 6-8 foot fencing that is prevalent along other portions of the BNSF line will be installed. Believe me once they go in they won't be coming out anytime soon.
D. Chesney
August 07, 2014
White Rock Players Artistic Director RYAN MOONEY
The White Rock Players Club has been rocked by a scandal centering around the current Artistic Director RYAN MOONEY. The Players Club which has operated the White Rock Playhouse for 60 years, up to now has had an unblemished image within our community. MOONEY it was revealed in a story in the NOW NEWSPAPER last Friday was convicted in 2009 of sexually assaulting a 15 year old girl. MOONEY received a one-year conditional sentence and three years' probation. He was also ordered to provide a DNA sample and his name was added to the sex offender registry for 20 years. The incident did not happen in White Rock. In researching a story on an upcoming production The Complete Works of Shakespeare, Abridged in which MOONEY was to be one of the three cast member the NOW reporter through a simple Google search of MOONEY'S name in search of some background information discovered the charges. The production has now been removed from the White Rock Players schedule. It like many other aspects of this story is unclear. Has it been cancelled? Or just postponed? Your guess is as good as anyone's.
When the news broke I submitted a request to KATE STADEL the vice president and publicist for the Playhouse to provide me with clarification on the situation at the Playhouse. I have yet to receive a response. Yesterday I heard a rumour she had resigned her position at the Playhouse.
Late last week news broke MOONEY had resigned and STADEL was considering following him out the door by handing in her resignation. An emergency meeting was hastily called of the executive of the board which was held holiday Monday. The meeting did nothing to clarify the situation. In fact it only muddied the water further.
Following the closed meeting rumours circulated through the community MOONEY had in fact not tendered his resignation. He would remain with the Players Club as would STADEL. What did transpire was it seems the President of the Players Club ANGIE KOROPATNISKY and the treasurer of the club GWENNE FARRELL had submitted their resignation. Are you still with me?
The rumours continue to circulate through the community. The remaining members of the Players Club have chosen to duck and cover seemingly hoping the matter blows over.
The White Rock Players Club has posted the following information regarding their upcoming AGM.
2014 Annual General Meeting Sunday August 17th 2014, Where: Coast Capital Playhouse When: August 17th 2014 2pm Reminder: members must be in good standing to vote, so please renew your membership before the meeting.
Membership is open to anyone in the community by simply purchasing a membership through the box office for $20.00 .
One can only imagine how the local financial company COAST CAPITAL which has its name emblazoned on the playhouse, is feeling about all this negative publicity. Many of the questions the community is pondering will be addressed at the AGM.
I signed up and got my membership yesterday. I will attend the AGM, maybe then I and in turn you will know what the hell is going on at our Playhouse. The real crime here is allowing so many damaging rumours circulate throughout the community.
We Deserve Better.
July 31, 2014
Mayor Wayne Baldwin
Is White Rock a Ghost City just like the ones that are popping up all over China? Vast cities are being built across China at a rate of ten a year, but they remain almost uninhabited ghost towns. It's estimated there are 64 million empty apartments.
I read with interest the recent front page story in Surrey's NOW NEWSPAPER by Christopher Poon. The basis of the feature story was an interview with White Rock mayor Wayne Baldwin. Baldwin reaffirmed his public stance the future for White Rock is "looking up" as in the city is in need of more high rises due to the actual small inventory of land in the city which is only 1.98 square miles.
White Rock is already the second densest city in British Columbia. One only needs to take a walk out the pier and look back up the hillside of the city by the sea. It seems virtually every street on the hillside has a number of new houses being squeezed into the small hillside lots. The reason is obvious, an ocean view. I understand that having lived in numerous hillside houses over my 25 plus years of living in White Rock.
What I don't understand though about the mayor's logic is densification to this point in time has done nothing to create a vibrant community. Our commercial district uptown is dotted with vacant shells of commercial space. Our waterfront in particular East Beach is a mish mash of run down seasonal businesses that will once again go dark come October, leaving the waterfront looking like a ghost town. Presently the main reason to come to White Rock is simple. The sun. Few restaurants on our waterfront, and I isolate restaurants, because outside of a couple of touristy dress shops, there is not much of a year round retail base on the waterfront.
If the existing towers were supposed to make White Rock a desirable vibrant year round community to live in, well in my humble opinion we failed miserably. I have watched with interest on how quickly the recent developments become a beehive of activity of residents coming and going, shopping, taking part in community events. To date I have seen no evidence of any increase in residents. They are becoming ghost towers. One only needs to drive through the uptown corridor and glance and any of the developments to realize they have very few residents.
In fairness to Saltaire and the Avra they are new projects and it might take time to push through the sales. The Miramar Village aka Bosa Towers is another matter entirely. I hope for the developer's sake the vast majority of darkened suites in both the Bosa Towers actually sold to off shore investors who had no intention of living in White Rock. But what we are left with is darkened silos as a gateway to our city by the sea.
I am not against highrises. Far from it. If this is what the community and taxpayers wish to have, bring it on. But bring it on 16th avenue. Build 75 storey highrises for all I care all along 16th avenue. The great wall of White Rock where there are four lanes to get the traffic in and out. No shadows on towers along 16th avenue would negatively impact any residents of White Rock.
We painstakingly over the past 5 years created with our elected officials and input from the residents a designated area for density. Yet the creep and crawl continues outside of said town centre/densification area.
Where it will stop is anyone's guess. But if you are concerned pay very close attention to whose name you put an X beside on November 15 during the civic election.
Our quality of life and the future of White Rock is in your hands and mine. I know I will have something to say about it on the campaign trail this Fall.
July 24, 2014
A couple weeks back whilst relaxing in the "blue room" with some local musicians at Blue Frog studios, the topic of rail safety, fences, coal shipments, noise etc. emerged as a very hot topic. One of the long time White Rock residents sat silently listening to what everyone was saying before he piped up with the observation "White Rock Is Full Of Bitchers and Complainers." He went on to add he was tired of reading the comments in the local fishwrap slamming the railway and everything that goes with having a rail line through our community. He correctly identified the rail line used to run up through Cloverdale and on into Vancouver before Surrey( in those days) talked the railway into relocating the route along the waterfront through White Rock and Crescent Beach. The local then went on to say, "Did the people bitching and complaining not see the rail tracks before they bought or decided to move to "the city by the sea?"
The past couple of weeks the hot topic around White Rock coffee shops is the planned redesign of Johnston Road in uptown White Rock. The section of the main thoroughfare between Thrift avenue and North Bluff ( 16 avenue) has struck a nerve with many residents in our "city by the sea." Last week the Task Force headed up by councillor AL CAMPBELL heard loud and clear at a public meeting in the community centre, to slow down and engage the community before you start erecting barriers down the middle of the road and cutting down all the trees. The Task Force is now regrouping and discussing how they can meet the resident's demands while still accomplishing what they had originally set out to do. In large part the Task Force is working off the design in the charrette that was created by community planners at the urging of former Mayor Catherine Ferguson for our town centre's future. The tree situation is unfortunate. When the trees were planted along Johnston Road they were planted the wrong way. One only needs to walk up Johnston road into Surrey and marvel how our neighbours to the north have magic trees (much larger than ours) that do not buckle the sidewalks at all. The barrier fence down the middle of the road has already been thrown in the trash. One of the other hot topics is the proposed removal of the left hand turn lane just south of 16th avenue that leads into Central Plaza. If you know the lay of the land figure out how difficult it would be to get into the mall if this is instituted. The left hand turn lane has never been a problem before now. With the densification in the uptown area in the highrises the traffic has naturally increased, causing traffic to somewhat bunch up at this intersection. Thank God the aforementioned towers have very few residents, one can only imagine if they were occupied the wagon trail called Johnston Road would be gridlock night and day. Yesterday the Task Force had another meeting at City Hall to contemplate what they heard from residents. There was no prior consultation before the initial report was made public. Councillor Campbell at the first public meeting was taken back by the criticism for not engaging the community to which he noted all people in attendance just wanted to be negative and complain and for this reason their opinion was not solicited.
Conversely Councillor HELEN FATHERS and her task force have been working diligently on the Centre Street Road End redevelopment. In case you are unaware, and most White Rockers are, the city owns millions of dollars in real estate of running up and down the hillside in White Rock between Columbia Avenue and Marine Drive. No less than 5 "road ends" are now scheduled to receive a makeover and promotion to encourage residents and visitors alike to drink in the breath taking vistas afforded anyone walking up or down the "road ends."
FATHERS has hosted no less than 3 public sessions and 6 private sessions with the residents that live on either side of the Centre Street road end, and the residents that live close by. With the help of a landscape architect the Task Force has painstakingly proceeded at a snail's pace making every effort to accommodate the wishes of the residents. Talk to any of those residents though and you get the impression this whole matter is being rammed down their throats without any consultation. Given the fact the design created for Centre Sreet will form the template for hundreds of other residents living next to road ends I was shocked NOT ONE SINGLE resident from other road ends bothered to turn up to observe the proposed changes. Get ready for the hue and cry if and when the city ever proceeds with their long range plan.
So which way is going to be White Rock? You sit back and complain but don't get off the couch and get engaged until it is all over then you sit back and moan about how you were not consulted. It seems no matter which way the city proceeds with change everyone wants to just sit back and attack.
My dearly departed father instilled in my a guiding life lesson when he told me "Don't just sit back and bitch about something. If you are not prepared to roll up your sleeves and help change something, then we really don't care to hear what you have to say."
Uncle Joe is looking down at you and I friends and neighbours.
June 26, 2014
The recent rail fence protest turned into something far more than perhaps organizers expected. The back story here in case you missed it was Transport Canada expressed concerns about the lack of due diligence by the city of White Rock as it pertains to safety along the waterfront rail line. White Rock officials as we now know, jumped the gun and erected a locked gate at the kayak launch on West Beach. The gate became the fire storm for festering opposition in general to the rail line - period!
At last Friday's protest a cross section of residents turned out to the 3 scheduled protests to highlight their personal agenda. We heard from people that flat out want the railway moved. SMART RAIL an organization that has made the Semiahmoo Peninsula its home for years is in possession of a binder of documents that contain a raft of research that clearly indicates the movement of the rail line off the waterfront is most certainly possible. Residents who have concerns about the dirty coal trains being dragged through the city were joined by others who have grave concerns about the other more toxic and explosive products shipped by rail through our front yard also turned up. Last but not least a number of residents were on hand to push for noise cessation, in particular the quieting of the train whistles, in particular during the overnight hours.
The protest may have fizzled out a bit given the fact the city of White Rock and Transport Canada agreed the upgrades to the kayak crossing were sufficient to remove the gate, that never should have been.
It was very interesting to see how "bad news travels like lightning" circulated through the community. Everyone it seemed was under the impression soon there would be 8 foot fall black fences stretching the full length of the city's promenade. Blocking out the scenery and prohibiting access to the beach. Well that was never the plan, but the knee jerk reaction and hastily caused press conference in front of the aforementioned gate, by Mayor Baldwin did nothing but inflame the situation. Baldwin later publicly stated he was wrong, but in his words "others at city hall were wrong as well."
I have lived in White Rock for over 25 years, and it never ceases to amaze me how few actual White Rock residents go to the waterfront. I often sit down on the promenade on one of the benches near the pier head, and over the course of an hour or two I may see 1 or 2 people I know. Why don't White Rock people go to the beach? Is it a simple case of "been there done that?" When pressed why they don't utilize and enjoy our waterfront most simply say "There's nothing down there I want to see or do?" Really? The smell of the ocean air, the lonesome cry of a seagull, eagles soaring over your head, breath taking sunsets? I could go on and on.
The by-product of the Chicken Little "the sky is falling the sky is falling they are fencing in the waterfront" was I have never seen so many people drawn down to the flash point of the gate the city erected on the waterfront. Threaten to take something away and just watch what happens. So thank you Mayor Baldwin, Transport Canada and White Rock city staff. You have done something many have tried and failed to accomplish. The initial backlash certainly brought us a ton of media exposure. All be it negative. The story must have been picked up by at least one media outlet that spread it nationally, as I received two phone calls from Eastern friends who have fallen in love with White Rock due to previous visits. The story played out they were fencing in the White Rock waterfront and eliminating beach access.
Unfortunately the real story wasn't as sexy and headline worthy, very little, if any Vancouver media covered the protest, so there may be a large section of people out there thinking the fences are probably being erected or are already up.
It is a good thing White Rock is set to host a number of summer events like Canada Day By The Bay, The Tour De White Rock, The Snowbirds Wings Over White Rock and the 65th edition of our Sea Festival will all provide a golden opportunity for our community stakeholders to get the word out, that we are wide open, come on in the water's fine.
Well that might be pushing it a tad.
D. Chesney
March 1, 2012
Yesterday was the national day of anti-bullying. As I prepared stories pertaining to the event I got to thinking of my childhood growing up in Surrey in the 60's. If you were to look at my elementary school pics from Hjorth Road elementary and Harold Bishop you would see the entire class was white. It was not until Junior High (Johnston Heights) that we had our first Chinese student. I can even remember his name. Ken Wong.
This is not to say there was not bullying in my childhood. But it was not race based. It was based on toughness. Some of you readng this will know who I am talking about when I allude to a certain Surrey tough who's favourite saying, and one that sent chills through your entire body when you heard "YOU birthday boy. You and two of your friends outside." You see this particular fellow student felt it would be somewhat of a fair fight if you and two of your friends partook in a Beatle boot battle at "the rock" after school. Oh those fights were nowhere near as volent as from what I understand happens now. A couple of quick shots in the head perhaps a flick of the boots in the nether region and you and your two buddies were on the deck. Did we tell the principal? Did we tell our parents? No to both of those questions. We just sucked it up and went on with our lives.
As I thought about what it might be like nowadays with all the social media and other forms of mass communication, how far reaching it must be when a fellow student decides to besmurch your good nature.
My thoughts also went back to a young fellow in our school named Kelvin that because of his appearance which was rather gangly and his coke bottle glasses became the target of abuse from a sector of our Junior High School, Johnston Heights. As I was pretty much a jock and not that far seperated from the "in crowd" of the school I was pretty much accepted in all the cliques in our school. One day I wintessed a group of students tormenting Kelvin and I couldn't take it any longer. I stepped forward to his aid and informed the group if I ever heard or saw them bullying Kelvin again they would have to deal with me. A symbiotic relationship with my crowd of friends and Kelvin soon developed. We used to pick him up on the weekend and take him out partying with us. Our group would turn up at the A events on the social calendar with Kelvin in tow. People were always asking "What the heck is Kelvin doing here?" People just shrugged and said, he's with THEM.
So fast forward to about 10 years ago and one evening I was watching the 6 o'clock news on TV when a story came on about a fire in one of those trailer parks on King George Highway in the Newton area. The focus of the story was the heroism of a young man that ran into the burning trailer and rescued an elderly woman who was trapped by the fire. I thought, well that's a nice story. As the camera panned around to the hero of the day I nearly fell off the couch. It was Kelvin kind of smduged up with black soot, his ever present thick glasses somewhat askew. The reporter asked him if he felt like a hero? Kelvin without any hesitation said "No, I just knew Mrs. So and So was trapped in her trailer and as her neighbour I knew I had to help." My face broke out in a smile a mile wide. I thought, good on you Kelvin. I always knew you were a good kid.
I never felt compelled to go to the trailer park and look up Kelvin. Then a couple of years passed and I was at Central City Plaza at some kind of rally that was attended by numerous mayors and MLA's. As I was looking to get a good photo for the paper, I pushed my way up to the front of the barrier to get a better angle. As I finished taking the shot I was putting my camera away and I heard someon call my name. "Hey Chesney!" I tuned an looked in the direction of the shout out and there hanging over the front of the railing about 30 feet away was Kelvin waving his arms in the air. Though it had been about 40 years since I last saw Kelvin, he came flying around the crowd and gave me a big handshake and fist pump, like it was yesterday we were hanging out.
I told him how proud I was of him and his daring rescue. He just shrugged it off and said it was no big thing. And it probably wan't for a stand up guy like Kelvin.
Dave Chesney
February 20, 2012
Notice is Hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the White Rock Business Improvement Association will be held on Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 – 7.00pm at Blue Frog Studios, 1328 Johnston Road, White Rock, BC.
First of all a little history. Five years ago as the owner of a home based business (White Rock Sun) I was awarded the first associate membership in the White Rock BIA. In that I was only paying a nominal fee of $100.00 I would have the privileges of membership but would not be allowed to have a vote which all other commercial business owners would have. On average the commercial business owners pay thousands of dollars annually to fund the operation of the BIA.
In rather short order my membership was summarily withdrawn for apparently "looking for the story" that arose out of a simple inquiry of where the money was being spent? I took the attitude of Grouch Marx "I wouldn't want to be a member of any organization that would have me as a member." My long time friend and commercial property owner LARRY ANSCHELL of Turtle recording studios on the waterfront, had his interest aroused when he heard the story. ANSCHELL who has paid roughly a $1,000.00 annually was not as forgiving.
ANSCHELL began to ask some of the same questions I was asking. A long drawn out well publicized rift between the BIA and ANSCHELL eventually wound its way into BC Supreme Court. The final judgement from the courts was the BIA were in fact not following their mandate. A new election of officers was ordered by the court. ANSCHELL'S camp which included me were trounced by the stacked membership at the special meeting of the BIA, with the exception of one of our candidates gaining a seat on the BIA. The transparency of the BIA came into place and it appeared for a brief moment in time things were back on track.
The White Rock council of the day despite their efforts to remain at arms length were drawn into the battle. Council now being alerted to there being some problems in the operation of the BIA put the BIA on probation and renewed their grant for a probationary period of 1 year, as opposed to the 5 year extension the BIA was seeking. Council also voted and approved the way the BIA would be funded. The negative vote which was used (think Rogers cable) to renew funding, was dependent on the membership voting continuation. The problem some saw including council at the time, was the lack of engagement of the commercial business owners. Simply put, if you did not vote for the continuation of the BIA you were counted as a vote in favour of continuation. Council initially seemed to have a problem with that, but following a number of IN CAMERA meetings they changed their stance and the BIA as they had proposed would not move to a positive vote. Under that process the BIA would need an affirmative vote of 50% plus 1 of the hundreds of business owners indicate they wanted the BIA to continue.
When the dust cleared the executive director of the BIA, Russ Davies announced he was leaving his position and taking up a similar position in Kitsilano. CYNDIE RICHARDS who had been working as DAVIE'S assistant in short order became the acting executive director. Within a year RICHARDS was informed her job was being posted for new candidates. She would be more than welcome to apply. A new director SHERRI WILSON MORRISSETTE was appointed. RICHARDS lawyered up and the BIA paid her a small severance.
As my true motivation, despite what some of the directors and business owners thought, was to see a viable commercial business community in White Rock. I had a business interest in White Rock succeeding, and a personal interest. I shop local. I don't have to be told to shop local. I simply prefer to be able to walk to do the majority of my shopping. I also have a long standing desire to know the butcher, the baker the candle stick maker. Not ever being one to simply sit back and criticize I put my name forth and was duly elected to the board of the BIA last year. I figured perhaps the BIA could benefit from my decades of media, marketing and special event production. I dutifully attended monthly meeting where the directors were supposed to be coming together to brainstorm, provide feedback from the various districts in White Rock and review the effectiveness of the business improvement initiatives in place. I resigned after 6 months. It was one thing to give up precious personal time, but when it became patently clear the BIA board did not in my humble opinion have any idea on how to improve the commercial viability of the BIA. The board of directors by no means should wear all the blame for the ineffectiveness of the BIA. On at least four occasions notices were sent out to the membership announcing informal get togethers of the membership and the directors to get feedback and to reach out to gauge the effectiveness of the BIA according to the membership. The response was pitiful. One or two members turned up for the coffee klatches. Part of the reason for this is the business owners unless they actually own the commercial property where their business is located, don't even see what THEY are paying into the BIA through a levy brought forth by the City of White Rock. During the ANSCHELL inquiry I helped Larry distribute notices (see below) to every single business owner in White Rock. Over the course of one entire evening we walked the streets of White Rock and either put the notice on the door window or put it through the mail slot where available. The notice encourage the business owners to step up and ensure the hundreds of thousands of dollars they were committing was being spent in a manner they felt was advantageous to their business success. Over 200 businesses received the notices. ANSCHELL received ONE PHONE CALL, and that was from a store owner that felt the flyer coming through the front door may have set off her alarm.
In the years that have followed nothing has changed. The business owners bitch and complain about pay parking, road closures and generally speaking, a lack of engagement by City Hall to help their businesses exceed. The Mayor and Council sit back and wonder what the hell they are talking about. They feel they did their part by instituting the levy that now with annual increases is cresting just over $300,000.00. Think about that figure for a moment. Over a quarter of a million dollars.
Now you may be asking yourself "Where the hell did the money go?" Glance back to the beginning of this story to see what happened to me when I had the nerve and audacity to ask that very same question. Nothing has changed. The business base in White Rock is dieing. Monthly another business goes under. When a restaurant closes on the beach as has FRONDS and IGUANA'S there is no shortage of people that seem willing to step forward and fill the space. One would have to think a business could succeed on our world famous waterfront. A few do. They are the ones that never sight pay parking as killing their business. Instead they roll up their sleeves and get to work at making their businesses successful. They aren't sitting back waiting for the BIA or the city of White Rock to make their ventures profitable.
Tomorrow evening at Blue Frog studios in White Rock a handful of insiders and the directors of the BIA will gather and rubber stamp a budget that will be presented to the Mayor and Council for another year of funding. If past AGM's are any indication, there will be no public outcry from the membership. Hell there won't even be more than a small select group of business owners or their representatives present.
If you are a business owner you may want to have a read over the budget that is being proposed (click here)
Note - over 33% of the budget is eaten up in "operations" wages, rent etc. Ask yourself this. Do you even know where the BIA office is located?
Then you may want to read where your money went last year (click here)
If the business owners in White Rock can't take ONE NIGHT A YEAR to show some interest in their financial future, why should I are? . Why should ANSCHEL and a small contingent of business owners care, and for that matter why should the City of White Rock care?
December 27, 2011
I have never equated a successful Christmas with the amount of money one spends. I love Christmas, it allows us WASPS a golden opportunity to dish out a hug here and there, a handshake to a casual acquaintance, a little gift or Christmas greeting to someone that would never expect to receive such an acknoledgement.
Heck if I had my way I would have a "solstice celebration" four times a year, when the calendar switches seasons. Go easy on the presents, but pick up the phone and call an old friend, taka neighbour over a jar of your homemade pickels, whatever inspiration of friendship you feel.
You know what was strange this year? The lack of crowds. Heck I picked my frozen turkey up at Price Cutter December 24 at noon and then strolled over to the liquor store for my final shopping stop. I did not wait in a line at either place. IN my conversations with friends, the encountered the same lack of excitememtn at retail all week.
In conversation with a shop owner in the area that specializes in spa treatments, she told me on average she normally sells somewhere around 100 gift certificates annually. This year she sold 5.
In contrast in phone calls to family and friends in Alberta, woe were they. Massive traffic jams, huge lineups, stressed out sales people inhabited their Christmas shopping experience. Funny what some good old fashioned oil money can do for you.
Driving along Marine Drive in White Rock yesterday the Japanese, Chinese and Indian restuarants were the only shops open. In fact looking at the morning PROVINCE paper paper this morning, there were some shops on Robson Street yesterday that opened on Christmas Day no doubt catering to those residents who do not celebrate the Christian holiday. Makes sense, if we lived in Thailand I am sure on certain days they celebrated religious holidays, we would be looking for a cappuccino.
As we get ready to enter into 2012 I caution you to hold on tight. This is going to be one hell of a wild ride we are facing down. We are in a recession, whether or not the media cares to speak about it. The slightest cause of concern may cause the people still spending money to put their wallets and purses away. When that happens, next stop depression!
I know. It depresses me too. Hold your babies tight.
December 22, 2011
Once again the debate on whether or not the pay parking regulations should be relaxed even further during the winter months, has reared its head.
A representative from the local BIA business improvement association and a shop owner from West Beach appeared before council on Monday evening imploring the newly elected mayor and council, to do something to ease the pain of decreased traffic into her business. Said shop owner MAUREEN COROLIUC owner of Angelic Tea Pot informed council her business if off 25% at least since the city imposed $1.00 per hour winter parking a couple of years ago.
Council agreed to create a task force and look into the matter yet again. The task force will be created in January. The results of the task force are predictable. The city needs and wants the revenue from pay parking to keep property and commercial taxes down.
Now considering this delegation appeared before Council on Monday evening, imagine my surprise as I was making dinner Tuesday evening while listening to the CBC Evening News in the living room, on comes said two members of the delegation that appeared before council, being interviewed by Rene Filipone on the CBC Evening news, publicly parroting the same message they delivered to the new council, the very night before. The message was clear and simple. Business on the White Rock waterfront is dieing.
Well two things spring to mind. One the frustration of some merchants on the waterfront has hit the tipping point. Second point is the optics of the news report the very next evening after appearing before council. To many of the council members it may appear, as it did to me, they were being given no time to address the request of the parking delegation.
In fact after I spoke with Maureen yesterday morning, it became apparent the timing of the CBC news story was coincidental., You see a couple of weeks back the CBC was in the area looking for reaction from local businesses on cross border shopping and how it was impacting their business, with a loonie that has hovered for months now at par with the yankee greenback. In that original interview with IAN HANOMANSING Maureen made mention another challenge the waterfront businesses have, and that is the pay parking in the winter. Tuesday was obviously a slow news day and some news editor was no doubt looking for some retail Christmas shopping tie in story, and the light bulb went off and a reporter was dispatched to White Rock to get a story for the evening news, any story.
The "to pay or not to pay" issue on the waterfront has been ongoing for years now. Council feels they have bent over backwards to assist the concerns of the businesses and residents alike by lowering the cost of parking from a summer high of $3.00 per hour to a winter low of $1.00 per hour. Some merchants still long for the days of free winter parking though.
So what is a business owner to do? Well how about we take a look at the BIA. The name says it all. Business IMPROVEMENT Association. The city of White Rock taxes commercial property owners to the tune of $300,000.00 annually to fund the operation. The BIA has been operating now for 7 years and one may ask how effective it is? Is business flourishing in White Rock? Are new shop owners flooding into the area? The answers to both of those questions is obviously NO.
Most waterfront business owners along Marne Drive feel they need a long hot summer, to generate enough revenue to hold them through the lean winter months. This past year our summer came very late, and was very short, making this a very difficult winter for shop owners on the beach.
There is an old saying 'THE SINS OF THE FAMILY FALL ON THE DAUGHTER." The White Rock the twist may be 'THE SINS OF THE BUSINESSES MAY FALL ON THE BIA."
It is interesting to note there was quite a crowd of shoppers and diners along the waterfront yesterday, enjoying the beautiful sunny day. After all who goes to the beach when the weather is crappy? And I believe therein lies the real problem, not pay parking. Steveston and Fort Langley have proved it is possible to create a unique shopping district with the right mix of businesses. The WHITE ROCK waterfront in large part is fish n chips shops, ice cream shops and a few restaurants that have built up a steady client base, built on great food, affordable prices and good service.
Who are those restaurants? The ones that aren't bitching about pay parking!
Sorry to hear another business owner is hanging it up on the waterfront. IGUANA'S restaurant will be closing after the 27thth. Drop in for a splash.
December 14, 2011
G.Boyle 22 Minutes
The sting of my defeat in the recent White Rock civic election this time as particularly difficult. To refresh your memory I ran for a seat on White Rock council in 2005, 2008 and in the subsequent 2008 by election when Councillor James Coleridge was kicked to the curb for circulating false information during his election campaign.
Again I must say why does this rule not apply to Federal and Provincial elections? I suppose the solution to and the answer to that question will mean the eventual discontinuing of it even at the civic level.
If I do say so myself I ran a very focused election campaign. I believe I made my opinion on the most profound issues facing White Rock, very clear.
I received tremendous feedback from some of my fellow candidates that based on their connection with the community, they felt I would be a "shoe in" this time. I took nothing for granted. I built on everything I had done in the three previous attempts to gain a seat on council.
When the first election results came flickering across my TV screen election night, even though it showed me in 6th place I knew it was not to be AGAIN. I made my way to a pre-arranged gathering of friends. The mood was less than celebratory. I think in some cases my friends took my loss it a little more personal and harder than I did.
On Sunday November 20th I woke up, thank god for small mercies, and made my way into the bathroom. As I lathered up for my morning shave I took a long hard look at myself in the mirror. I asked myself "Well did you do everything you could?" My answer was a simple and honest "Yes."
Don't ever let anyone tell you there is not a period of evaluation when you put yourself up for what basically ends up as a popularity contest. The only thing that still resonates with me following the election is the poor turnout at the polls. A mere 29% could even muster up enough energy to exercise their given right to participate in the formation of the government of White Rock for the next three years. Particularly upsetting for me, is on a nightly basis images from across the world flicker on our television sets of citizens in foreign countries that are willing to die for that very basic right.
The only conclusion I can come to is the apathy we witnessed in the low voter turnout is a clear indication things are pretty good for the vast majority of the residents of White Rock. For the record in the 2005 and 2008 civic elections in White Rock 36% and 39% of the electorate got out to vote. So despite receiving the highest percentage of votes I have ever received, I once again narrowly missed securing a seat on White Rock council.
I will not be deterred. I will stand on guard for thee, White Rock and me. But be forewarned if you didn't bother to get out and vote, I really don't want to hear any bitching out of YOU! I will not carry your water for you.
You may want to call YOUR councillors up at City Hall.
Click Here For Breakdown on Voting in White Rock 2011
November 28, 2011
"Marijuana prohibition is — without question — a failed policy,"
Those are the words of four former mayors of Vancouver. SAM SULLIVAN, PHILLIP OWEN, MIKE HARCOURT and LARRY CAMPBELL have all endorsed a letter that has been sent to every MP, MLA and Mayors and Councillors across the country.
In a moment of clairty the four former mayors have come to the conclusion publicly that most have known for years.
1. The illegal pot industry in British Columbia is the fuel for the local gangs. Some member of local gangs have estimated 80% of their revenue is derived from marijuana sales.
2. The illegal pot industry is conservatively extimated to be worth 7 billion dollars annually. Roughly that would mean 3 billion dollars in tax revenue straight into the Provincial coffers.
So why is ther noe appetite for this type of "grass roots movment?"
In a television interview last week when former Vancouver mayor SAM SULLIVAN was pigeon holed by a local reporter and asked "Why didn't youlaunch this movement when you were mayor?" SULLIVAN with a slight smile on his face replied "Well I wanted to get re-elected."
I am not kidding, those were his exact words.
It is only a mater or time before marijuana is legalized in this country. Advocates of the legalization of marijuan site the United States hesitancy is the biggest stumbling block for legalization here in Canada.
November 19, 2011
Yes thank you to each and every person I buttonholed on the street, every bus rider that patiently listened to my spiel as they waited for their bus home at the Canada Line, all the wonderful people my girlfriend Kerlande had the pleasure of speaking to on the telephone over the past week. Meeting so many wonderful people is just one of the numerous by products of campaigning.
Today you the residents of White Rock will hopefully once again best the Provincial average at the polls. We go high tech this year with electronic voting. The new method of voting will ensure we receive the election results much quicker than in past years. At times if there was a heavy turnout at the polls the counting of the ballots could take hours. Difficult on the nerves of the candidates.
Once again I chose to throw my hat into the proverbial ring. I had hoped after the 2008 election we may have gotten it right. I have no negative things to say today about the last three years of governance, I just think we deserve better.
Our beautiful little city of White Rock is on life support. The massive development in South Surrey of all the big box stores, in a lot of cases has rendered White Rock retail redundant at best.
It pains my heart, in previous editorials I have expounded on how I love to walk uptown and stop off and visit the many merchants as I start my shopping day. A quick coffee or breakfast at Lauara's Coffee With No Attitude or breakfast over at the legendary Five Corners Diner is a great way to fuel up for the day. The Bread Box, Hillcrest Bakery, Buy Low, Penguin Meats? What more could you ask for. Oh yes maybe a little shopping at the Superfluity Shop? (Think of it as panning for gold).
Often on the campaign trail I would get asked "So who are you voting for?" I am sorry if I was unable to answer you question sufficiently for you. I guess in this case I am a product of my environment. I can distinctly remember my Mom and Da keeping who they voted for a secret even from each other. I still maintain this practise.
In addition to having the opportunity to interact with so many of you residents of White Rock, I was also afforded the opportunity to get to know my fellow candidates. A fine lot they all are. They are all on the campaign trail because they are passionate about White Rock.
Believe me it is not monetary gain that drives any of us. One could make more money picking fruit seasonally.
So today to my fellow candidates, good luck, and to you - I say thank you.
Hopefully tomorrow I will have the opportunity to really thank a number of people.
Millions of people around the world are fighting for that very right.
November 09, 2011
The tragic story of a young man that tried to do what he thought was the right thing to do and ended up losing his life resonated with residents across this country.
GRANT DE PATIE was working the night shift at a gas station in Maple Ridge when DARNELL PRATT decided he would leave the gas station without paying for his gas. DE PATIE ran out and tried to intervene and was subsequently dragged alongside the car by PRATT until DE PATIE fell to his death after being dragged over 7 km
The horrific incident resulted in what is called Grant's Law. This is why you now have to pay in advance for your gas. Though I never met GRANT DE PATIE I think of him every time I fill up my gas tank.
Grant De Patie
GRANT DE PATIE was eventually arrested, charged and sent to prison. He came up for parole in June 2010. Within 48 hours he violated his parole and he was back in Con College (jail). Then last week DE PATIE was once again granted parole despite a litany of infractions in prison, including possession of drugs, being drunk, verbally abusing officers and physically assaulting another prisoner.
Well guess what DARNELL PRATT only took his normal 48 hours before he violated his parole. He is on the lam and there is a Canada wide warrant out for his arrest.
Would someone please tell me who was on the parole board that looked at all the facts and said "Have a nice life Darnell." My heart goes out to the DE PATIE family. I don't know if I could control my rage if that had been my son that was dragged like a rag doll down the highway, then have to sit back and watch the legal system twist the knife of sorrow time and time again.
So what can we do? Simple write someone. Write your MP, write your MLA hell write your Mayor and Council. Tell them enough is enough. Don't throw in the towel, don't give up!
We can make change if we all get together. If writing a letter or sending an email is too much work, then damn it pick up the phone and call any of the above. Don't just sit there and shake your head and mutter how terrible this is.
Draw a line in the sand. It stops here, if you really want it to.
On another matter. The contract with the RCMP is in negotiations for renewal for another 20 years.
Constable CATHERINE GALLIFORD
GALLIFORD came into our living rooms for years, first as the media rep for the RCMP in the Air India crash, then as the spokesperson for the Pickton Pig Farm case. According to GALLIFORD from the very beginning when she graduated from the RCMP academy, the torment began. GALLIFORD has been off work with pay for 4 years. Statistics tell us 225 RCMP officers in BC alone are on extended leave. 48 of those cases are related to work place conflicts and harassment.
Send Langley Mayor PETER FASSBENDER an email if you are sick and tired of hearing about the sickening cases of mis-conduct by the RCMP. FASSBENDER is heading up a local task force into whether or not the RCMP should have their contract renewed.
October 29, 2011
Trick or Treat?
As you are no doubt aware there is a civic election coming up Saturday November 19th. I am running for the fourth time. In 2005 and 2008 and subsequently in 2009 when the recall of Councillor James Coleridge occurred, along with the other candidates we went to the poll for the third time in 4 years. On all three occasions I came very close to gaining a seat on White Rock Council.
I anguished over whether or not I would mount another campaign. The time, energy and financial aspects of running again all played into my decision. With a good base of community support and the backing of my friends I chose to undertake another run at White Rock council.
The upside of campaigning is the opportunity to speak to so many residents of White Rock. I find talking to people on the streets and on their doorsteps interesting to say the least. If elected I will continue to engage the community in conversation. Prior to the last election the CPR Citizens for Positive Renewal indicated they would support Town Hall meetings. For the uninitiated a Town Hall meeting is an informal gathering of the elected officials and the community. Unfortunately CPR only lived up to their promise with one poorly organized, promoted and poorly attended event at Centennial Arena's Healthy Living facility. We deserve better. I monitor our council meetings more than most. I could list what I call "the usual suspects" those that attend council on a regular basis. I applaud their efforts, but somehow we need to open the avenue of communication from City Hall to the electorate.
Having been out on the campaign trail for the past week a few aspects of elections have struck me up the side of the head. I have a difficult time with people (other candidates) ostracizing me and other candidates simply because they are seen talking with certain other candidates.
I am interested in hearing what EVERYONE has to say. By being seen publicly speaking with Mayoral candidates WAYNE BALDWIN our former city manage, LYNNE SINCLAIR former Councillor and another mayoral candidate and former Councillor CLIFF ANNABLE - some candidates have indicated their displeasure with me by rebuffing my advances to engage them in a dialogue. Some of these people I actually thought were my friends. As they say politics makes strange bedfellows.
I feel it is important to hear what all the candidates have to say, what is their vision of White Rock? Do they have any ideas that could be implemented to make White Rock a better city for all of us. I also personally have to make up my mind on how I will cast my vote.
This brings me to another point. I am sure the other candidates will tell you, quite often when speaking to residents about the upcoming election they will ask you "Who are you voting for? Who do you think would make a good mayor, a good councilor?" Now I understand they may feel I/we have more insight into the candidates than they have. On a personal level though, I was brought up in a home where my mother and father never even told each other (at least not publicly) how they voted. My interest in civic politics and the value of having a vote were also instilled in me by my parents.
White Rock thankfully has a much higher voter turnout than most cities and municipalities in the province. The high turnout I believe is a direct result of our disproportionate seniors population. Many of the seniors have seen tough times. They know how important it is to have strong leadership. Unfortunately as you slide down the age demographic the engagement decreases. I believe by instituting mandatory voting as they have in Australia, we would see a wider cross section of voters turnout at the polls. But don't expect to see that any time soon. NO political party would ever support such a move. The highest turnout for voters occurs at the federal level. On average roughly 50% of Canadians vote federally. Each political party has a tight knit group of supporters that they can motivate to get out and vote. The winner of every election is simply the party that gets their membership out in the greatest numbers. There is no appetite to bring the remaining uncontrollable 50% into the equation. Critics of mandatory voting claim you would be adding great numbers of voters who are not informed of the issue. Simply put I say BALDERDASH.
PLEASE take the opportunity to attend next week's two All Candidate meetings. The first meeting is Wednesday November 2 @ 7 p.m. at the White Rock Community Centre in uptown White Rock. The first all candidates meeting will be hosted by Democracy Direct. The following evening the BIA Business Improvement Association at the same venue will host a second All Candidates meeting. The final all candidates meeting will take place Wednesday November 9th @ the First United Church next to City Hall. That meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
For information on who is eligible to vote, when the advance polls are and how you can even vote if you are out of the area perhaps snow birding down south – visit the City of White Rock's web site.
Now it is time to pull my jacket and boots on and hit the campaign trail again. I look forward to talking to you out there.
To keep up to date on my locations and thoughts on the developing election issues please visit my FACEBOOK.
Sincerely Yours
Dave Chesney
Publisher White Rock Sun
October 10, 2011
On Saturday November 19 across the province and here in White Rock we will have the privilege to cast a ballot and have a say in forming our local governance.
Unfortunately very few citizens will take advantage of the situation. It is not only here in White Rock where the turn out will be low, but right across the province. Somewhere in the neighbourhood of 20-25% (if we're lucky) will actually exercise the privilege. The engagement in elections goes up slightly in Provincial elections (perhaps 35-40% if we are lucky) and then capping out somewhere around 55% for Federal elections. In my opinion that seems off base. I personally would like to see more voters engaged at the civic level, given the fact it is the level of government that can most quickly impact and change our day-to-day lives. But that is a story for another day.
Today let's take a look at what we know and what we hear from the tribal drums on who is in, and who is out in White Rock.
present White Rock council
Sitting mayor CATHERINE FERGUSON is definitely out. The one term mayor is on record publicly she is leaving the mayor's position to pursue other endeavours. Even a casual observer of White Rock council can easily understand FERGUSON'S choice. It has been a very tough year for her up in "the big chair."
The only other official withdrawal comes from councillor DOUG MCLEAN. MCLEAN who time and time again topped the polls in White Rock with the most votes, has been on council for a number of years and now feels it is time to step aside. Councillors Fathers, Anderson, Campbell, Meyers and Sinclair are all expected to seek another term.
In fact tomorrow (Tuesday 11) one of the above Councillors will make an announcement they are going to seek the position of mayor of White Rock. When that announcement is made at least one other local business owner will more than likely throw his hat into the ring for the position of mayor. Stay tuned.
The only other candidates that have gone public are yours truly, former city manager WAYNE BALDWIN, former councilor CLIFF ANNABLE and BRAD FORSTER husband of long time councilor and mayor JUDY FORSTER
Rumoured to be considering another term on White Rock council, is former councillor JAMES COLERIDGE. COLERIDGE you will remember sat as a councilor for a number of years before relinquishing his council seat for a run at the mayor's chair against JUDY FORSTER where he was defeated. COLERIDGE then took a term off before returning as a councilor. In 2008 in his bid for another term he was called to task by sitting councilor MATT TODD who lost his seat and subsequently launched a successful recall of COLERIDGE who had been elected. TODD knowing the civic election act inside and out was able that COLERIDGE had been re-elected by stating publically false information. The recall was successful and COLERIDGE was removed forcing a by election which saw newcomer GRANT MEYERS top the polls and secure a seat on council. The other name that is now floating around is long time resident, and community activist BARRY BELEC. BELEC has been at the forefront of numerous contentious issues facing White Rock including the ongoing contemptuous debate of the city's tree by-law or lack thereof.
The period for candidates to submit their nomination papers ends this Friday at 4 p.m. One can only assume there are a few other potential candidates sitting back taking a reading on the landscape before they publicly make their intentions known.
This next week is going to be very interesting. By Friday all the horses will be saddled up and into the chutes, the real race begins Friday @ 4 p.m. Check back Friday afternoon for a complete list of White Rock council and mayoralty candidates. One thing we do know for sure, the race will be interesting. White Rock politics always are.
UPDATE OCTOBER 13 - As expected Councillor LYNNE SINCLAIR has made public her bid for the Mayor's chair. White Rock businessman LARRY ANSCHELL this week also filed his papers for the mayoralty race. In the growing names for council you can add local realtor LARRY ROBINSON.
September 21, 2011
Randall Hopley suspect in kidnapping case being led from Cranbrook court
The sickening child abduction case of the little Kienan Hebert in Sparwwod, B.C. has left us with more questions than answers of what really happened.
Last week following the return of Kienan to his unlocked empty home, under the cover of dark had everyone wondering how that could have happened. At the centre of the malestorm was the RCMP. Over 60 RCMP descended on the small town of Sparwood near the Alberta / BC border.
There is no expectation the RCMP would make the public through the media how the investigation into the case was progressing.
I was listening to CBC Early Edition with host Rick Cluff and was drawn into a conversation Cluff was having with the lead RCMP office on the ground in Sparwood. Corporal Mukaluk (In 2007, Dan was promoted to the rank of Corporal and was transfered from Penticton to Osoyoos as a detachment supervisor. Within two years, Dan would transfer to "E" Division Strategic Communications Section in Vancouver and work as a Senior Media Relations Officer assigned to both the Southeast and North Districts.)
During the casual conversation with Cluff Mukaluk became agitated at some of Cluff's questions. Testy responses would be an understatement. The next day when news broke Randall Hopley the alleged abductor of Kienan Hebert had been captured in a remote camp near the Alberta border, the RCMP kicked into damage control.
At the subsequent press conference to announce Hopley's capture the RCMP brought inRCMP Inspector Branda Fitzpatrick to handle the resutling media firestorm resulting from the capture of Hopley. The last thing the RCMP needed or wanted at this conjuncture was a public testy exchange with the media.
Vancouver Sun report IAN MULGREW documented the majority of questions most people were asking. Read his story
Political commentator ALEX TSUKAMIS dropped a bombshell when he provided information about the arrest of alleged abductor Randall Hopley in the same area last May (link)
If and when this whole sordid affair ends up before the courts hopefully the vast majority of the questions will be answered. The problem being though is does the RCMP really need another negative story being added to the almost weekly revelation another member of the RCMP is under investigation for God knows what.
I simply can't believe the RCMP are not on standing on special guard and making sure every t is crossed and every I is dotted. Can you?
All through his life there were warning signs going off like rockets that RANDALL HOPLEY was a danger to the public (Read More)
There are some people that mock and joke that White Rock is becoming the junk store capital of the world. I don't necessarily believe their criticism comes from looking down their noses, instead like so many prejudices, it is ill founded. I wonder if they have ever been into any of the second hand, turnaround stores?
I will openly admit to enjoying poking through the treasures at the Superfluity Shop on Prospect Avenue and a little store I have always called Granny's House, though as I now know it is called The Living Room Store.
The Living Room store is located on Johnston Road just up from 5 Corners and across from White Rock Elementary. The store is very small in size and to be quite honest, from a pickers point of view, The Superfluity is the one all will be judged by.
The proceeds from the sale of items at the Living Room Store goes to local church charities. The store is staffed by volounteers.
I stopped in my tracks last week as I walked past The Living Room, there posted on the front window was the announcement "The Cookie Lady" had passed away. I felt a wave of emotions come over me. Though I had seen her working in the store for a number of years, I did not know her name. To me, and obviously to a lot of people, she was "The Cookie Lady."
The days "The Cookie Lady" worked were marked by homemade delights she had made up to bring to the store on the days she worked. She didn't make a really big deal about it. The cookies were just there, not unlike her. Just there, doing wonderful work for those less fortunate in our community.
I don't need (yet) to shop at second hand stores. I enjoy the thrill of the hunt. I liken it to sifting gold, from a lot of muck and rock a few gems will emerge. As a matter of fact a couple months back I had a dream purchase come true.
A number of years ago I saw a feature on kilts being made by a Seattle company. I thought, those look cool. Not your typical tartan dress type kilts, no these were made from denim, had lots of pockets and shiny snaps. What more could a guy want? Well a more reasonable price might be in order. These new style kilts are priced from a couple hundred dollars up to five hundred dollars. A little rich for my blood, not knowing whether or not I would actually even wear a kilt. Well about three months ago on a Sunday when the Living Room was closed, I noticed as I walked by, it appeared they had something that resembled a kilt in the window, or maybe it was just a big pair of shorts. I was there when the door opened on the Monday morning at 9 a.m. BINGO! I bought the kilt that had arrived in a box, brand new never worn. Gentlemen if you are reading this, let me answer the question I know you are all asking yourself. "Yes they are that comfortable, maybe the the most comfortable piece of clothing I have ever worn. Ladies I also know what you are thinking. And no I will not break the code of the kilt.
So to The Cookie Lady I say God speed, and thank you for your kindness and neighbourly gestures. Today I am a little poorer with your passing, but I will be richer in the long run – even if I only knew you as THE COOKIE LADY.
August 25, 2011
Jack Layton's Goodbye;
Part of the letter to Canadians written by Jack Layton, written as he neared the end in his final days, and given to his wife to publish only after his passing. The letter contained one portion that surely will resonate with those suffering with cancer and especially those who have lost a loved one;
To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don't be discouraged that my own journey hasn't gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.
Not many days go by that I don't come in contact with someone who has lost a loved one from cancer or is presently watching someone close fight the fight of their life.
Having lost my beloved wife nearly two years ago to cancer, I know the road they walk. In the coming months I plan on organizing and publishing a database of information on complimentary medicine and cancer treatment. I strongly object to the term "alternative medicine." Alternative to what? In this case anything other than massive doses of radiation (chemotherapy) is considered alternative.
The format of our present medical system horribly fails anyone wishing to treat their illness with something other than the gobbling of pills. Don't get me wrong, modern medicine (Western medicine) save my life twice. But in my lexicon of medicine it is one of the spokes in the wheel, not the wheel itself.
Next week we will introduce you to a lady we met who has been diagnosed with cancer. She beat the first diagnosis, but not unlike Jack Layton another form of cancer has returned.
Next month she will host a special Evening of Gratitude. Gratitude? Giving thanks for what?
It is a beautiful story about one person's strength and determination.
I will always remember the visit my wife and I paid to the cancer centre at the Surrey Memorial hospital. The "expert" doctor analysed my wife's diagnosis and crunched the numbers in his head. His forecast was like an elephant sitting on my chest. We didn't even know what to expect at the cancer centre. We thought they might have some ideas we could consider for the treatment. The doctor then said "In the best case scenario your wife may live 6 months, in the worst case scenario she will be gone in 3 months." I was stunned. I asked him if I heard him right. Laurie may be gone in 3 months? He then looked me in the eye and said "I wouldn't get your hopes up too high, her lung could clog and she could be gone tomorrow." I told him he didn't offer us much hope, then the bombshell "Mr. Chesney, we are not in the business of hope."
We put on our jackets and left. We were in the business of hope, and if you are a loved one has been diagnosed, Find some hope.
Monday Kimberley will tell us how she maintains her hope.
August 2011
Meyers Swearing In
If I am reading the lay of the land right, Councillor Grant Meyer may have shot himself in the foot when he made a public call for South Surrey residents to join White Rock.
For years there have been grumblings about White Rock rejoining Surrey. Many of the reasons White Rock succeeded back in 1957 no longer are issues. In the 50's all the development was centred in the northern area of the then municipality of Surrey. White Rock sitting way down at the south end of the municipality was constantly complaining they were getting the short end of the stick for the tax dollars they were contributing. With the blink of an eye, White Rock seceded in 1957.
Back to Meyer. First I would have to question his timing. As the next civic election will take place in November, was this a vain attempt to up his profile. Something he has woefully lacked during his first term as a White Rock councilor. Take a moment and try to think of anything else he did in the entire three year term other than try to champion a stop for the AMTRAK train at the White Rock train museum station. Critics called the idea a pie in the sky idea, a non-starter. Their feeling were born out when a few months back AMTRAK confirmed they would not be adding a stop in White Rock anytime soon.
The backlash was instant. Starting at the top, Surrey Mayor Diane Watts could barely contain her laughter when asked about the possibility. Surrey Councillor Linda Hepner weighed into the discussion. NAÏVE AT BEST. In all practical and logical senses it is a non-starter. White Rock Councillor off base. South Surrey join White Rock. Residential tax base 50% more, business 20% more. Reverse more logical
Meyers took to the radio airwaves on Tuesday August 09 on the Bill Good Show on CKNW. Replacement host Michael Smyth put forth many questions regarding how the amalgamation might affect South Surrey and White Rock residents. Meyer seemed at a loss to answer even the most basic questions.
(Click Here) to hear an archived copy of the interview Hour #1 Tuesday August 9
Then what I call the community crows, those that do a lot of squawking and little else weighed in.
(read their comments in the local paper paper)
I began to wonder why no one from the media bothers to ask Meyer's fellow White Rock Councillors and our Mayor this question. How many others on Council feel this way. So I forwarded a personal email to each Councillor for their opinion. Here are their replies.
back row l-r Meyer/Anderson/Mayor Ferguson/Fathers/McLean front row l-r Campbell & Sinclair
Lynne Sinclair's reply;
I'm on break, spending time with family, so I haven't really been following this. As an elected representative, it doesn't matter what my personal feelings are and Council has never discussed this.
Councillor LYnne Sinclair
Alan Campbell's reply;
I want our 5 sq miles of real estate being the best that it can be. Walkways to Crescent ,trains stopping and parts of other Munis amalgamating has never been a priority of mine which I made clear during my campaign. Others see it another way.
Safe and accessible roads, clear open sidewalks and intersections, sound infrastructure for the future. Spend money where needed to maintain and improve quality of life here in the City. These things are all do-able on our budget and have been my focus.
Alan Campbell
Councillor, City of White Rock
"For our City by the Sea"
Helen Father's reply;
Here are my thoughts, this issue has been around for ages , long before my stint on Council.
The concept of South Surrey joining White Rock seems to me to be a bit "back to front" . I would understand more if the concept were the other way around. You have to ask "what benefits would there be? for both White Rock and South Surrey. As the only Councillor who works in the community , what I hear from the word on the street is that Mr Meyer needs an election issue - is this it? who knows maybe?.
Helen Fathers
Councillor City of White Rock
'Believing In Our Family Friendly City By The Sea'
+Note the Mayor's office replied she was on vacation and would comment in September when she returned. Councillors Mclean and Anderson felt no obligation to reply.
Over the past week the local paper paper ran an online poll. Readers were asked the simple question;
Should White Rock hold a referendum asking if the city should disincorporate and seek to rejoin the City of Surrey?
Over 200 votes were cast and 75% replied YES while only 25% indicated they did not wish to see a referendum.
Perhaps at the end of the day Meyer wanted to gauge whether or not there was support to have White Rock join South Surrey, but as a Councillor that could be disastrous, so by reversing the merger it would look like he was trying to draw South Surrey in, rather than White Rock re-joining Surrey.
The idea has been around for years. As a matter of fact the Provincial government has already created legislation that would see the amalgamation of White Rock with Surrey, merging the two Langleys, grouping up the Coquitlams and Port Moody and joining North Vancouver city with the district and West Vancouver.
The provincial Liberals recently announced the possible creation of an auditor general to oversee civic level spending. The B.C. Liberals have sent out a questionnaire to local politicians and councils, seeking input on Premier Christy Clark's controversial proposal to establish an auditor-general to oversee municipal governments.
The survey was mailed to the province's almost 200 local and regional governments on July 27, returnable by Sept. 9.
Super cities have been created right across Canada. It is only a matter of time given the ever tightening revenue flow from taxpayers that the Province will move towards eliminating widespread duplication of services. It is thought the Lower Mainland could see everything west and North of the Fraser merging, while South of the Fraser became another electorate district.
It is just a matter or time.
August 05, 2011
Let me tell you, when I read these stats I got all tingly. The International Advertising Bureau just released its figures for 2011.
Online ad revenue exceeds print in Canada
Online advertising revenues have surpassed those of newspapers in Canada and are expected to grow further in the coming years, according to a study published Tuesday.
The Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada (IAB) said online ad revenues exceeded expectations to rise by 23 percent to Can$2.23 billion ($2.32 billion) in 2010, making them second only to television in terms of media ad revenue.
IAB President Paula Gignac called the rise a "watershed moment for the digital community in Canada," adding that the future looks "extremely positive" considering the rise of mobile and interactive advertising.
Advertising revenues for print media grew a mere four percent to reach Can$2.1 billion in 2010, while television revenues grew 9 percent to reach Can$3.4 billion, according to the report.
Search advertising continues to lead, accounting for Can$907 million, or 41 percent, of online revenue, followed by display advertising -- such as banners and ads on websites (31 percent) -- and interactive ads (26 percent), according to the report, which cited figures from a major industry group.
Online video advertising grew by 85 percent from 2009 to 2010, while email advertising declined, but both account for a small percentage of overall digital ad revenues, the study said.
In Canada, the Internet accounts for 15.9 percent of all media advertising revenue, a higher percentage than in the United States (15.4 percent) or France (15.6 percent).
As I have professed time and time again, I love newspapers. I have been reading newspapers as long as I can remember. It was a number of years ago that I discovered I could read The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, or a variety of Canadian newspapers from the comfort of my home office.
It was one of the contributing factors for starting Canada's FIRST on line newspaper The White Rock Sun. One of the other reasons was I was dismayed how the independent voice was disappearing from the media landscape. It has only worsened over the past decade. A handful of media corporations now own virtually all the media outlets including television, radio and print.
The two local papers that serve the Semiahmoo Peninsula are under extreme pressure from their parent companies to improve their bottom lines. As is clearly indicated there is a paradigm shift in advertisers priorities in ad placements. An internet portal of either of the local papers fully maximized can only generate 10% of the ad revenue of a traditional paper paper. The only other option to improve the bottom line of any organization if you can't increase the flow of money coming in, you need to cap the money going out. Cut staff. Both local papers are now arming their reporters with digital cameras. Negating the need to have a photographer who looked like he was on a photo shoot for National Geographic clogging up the payroll. I don't think anyone other than industry watchers like myself would even have noticed.
Where I do have a personal problem is the actual content of the paper papers. Again I feel I have to reiterate I love newspapers, have read them for years and mainly relied on them to keep me informed about MY community. To be very honest I can't remember when I last read an actual piece of investigative reporting done in either local paper. I have a fairly good idea on how many staff these papers have on the payrolls and unless something dramatic happens, which really why would it, we can only expect to see deeper cuts in the staffing. Given the cutting will come from the top, don't expect any "senior" people to feel the sting. Invariably it will come as it usually does when corporations scale back, the front line – the foot soldiers.
The digital revolution destroyed the music business as we knew it. Now the print industry is reeling as entire book store chains close their doors as customers prefer not to have the clutter of actual books and have switched to digital download of the latest books. The newspaper industry has been watching their numbers slip for the past couple of years as people's news reading habits change. The strong will survive. The local rags don't do everything bad. For instance
July 19, 2011
The Tour De White Rock is North America's Oldest Cycling Road Race - So Why After 32 Years Are The Crowds Getting Smaller?
So here we go again. Why do I feel like I am yelling down a mine shaft? Year after year I yell, rant rave and try to engage anyone that will listen to me about White Rock's Tour De White Rock. I have been very critical in the past regarding the organization, promotion and the execution of the event in large part have fallen on deaf ears.
Who am I to tell anyone about anything? Well I think 3 decades of marketing, media and event planning has earned me the right to speak up when I see something going so terribly wrong.
Earlier this year the former Executive Director of the White Rock Business Improvement Association Cyndie Richards, at my urging joined me in a meeting with the local tourism rep and the then stop gap point person for the "Tour", Lisa Kempton. I say stop gap because for some 26 of the 32 years the event was overseen by the former Leisure Services Director Rita Clarkson who departed her position with the city, and withdrew from organizing the Tour as well.
Following the meeting with the Lisa Kempton I got to work and put a lot of ideas on the table for discussion. On my own hook I secured graphic designs for consideration of this year's tour. Following the meeting I was in touch with Lisa Kempton, until one day I stopped receiving responses from my emails and phone messages. After a couple of weeks I contacted Cyndie Richards and asked if she knew why I was not hearing back from Lisa. Cyndie told me Lisa had been gone for weeks, she had departed working for the city.
EDITORS NOTE - Might have been a good idea to disconnect of put a notice on her phone and email to that extent.
In that I was donating my time and services I decided well perhaps if I hear from the next director of the Tour De White Rock, I would be willing to roll up my sleeves and see if there was anything I could do to assist. The call never came.
Having attended over 20 of the 32 Tours De White Rock. I have seen a few improvements. One being the restaurant owners along Marine Drive now trying to make a go of opening their doors. The 9 a.m. race start is a reasonable hour, yet for a couple of hours there is virtually no one along the full length of West Beach. The owner of Jimmy Flynn's Irish Pub was out handing out 2 for 1 coupons, Linda Adams had Iguana's up and running, so did Tyson Blume at Uli's. Toni Veltri the owner of the Ocean Beach Hotel offered up free coffee and donuts to all comers. Toni's generosity was based largely on the fact the city does not allow him to serve food until 11 a.m. daily because of his liquor license.
The other improvement I was thrilled to see was actual Tour De White Rock T-shirts for sale to the public. For years I have been trying to buy a T-shirt to no avail. They were only for the volounteers. Friday night when I saw the booth at the Hillclimb I almost fell over. Not having my wallet with me I asked the vendors if they would be out at the Hillclimb on Saturday and the road race Sunday. They assured me they would be there. Well the demand must have been so incredible they sold out everything because I did not see them out Saturday or Sunday. So here's hoping next year the T-shirts are made again, and perhaps this time even sold a month or so in the local shops to drum up interest.
I could go on and on about all the screw ups I witnessed this year (shuttle bus to nowhere?), but why plough the same old ground.
What I am urging the city to institute is a;
A Needs Assessment is a systematic exploration of the way things are and the way they should be. These "things" are usually associated with organizational and/or individual performance.
Why design and conduct a Needs Assessment?
Race Time?
ALL of the stakeholders and that includes the residents of White Rock, need to be engaged in why White Rock's race is the most poorly attended of the four other races in BC Superweek. The UBC Grand Prix this year in its first year of operation drew large crowds, as did the return of the Giro Di Burnaby and don't get me started about how Delta capitalizes on the Tour De White Rock.
This year there was another race in the Okanagon. More riders than normal pulled out of racing here Sunday and headed for the Cascadia Race which begins on the Monday following our race. Countless riders that did participate in this years road race didn't even bother to finish the race.
So White Rock it's over to you. The Tour should be one of the anchors for our summer tourism schedule. As it is, it is an embarrassment for all of us. Every year the riders I speak to rave about the natural beauty of White Rock, saying it is the most spectacular course they race on all year. They too scratch their heads on why no one comes out to see it.
Simply saying the city does a poor job of promoting the event is a cop out. It is part of the problem, but at the heart of the matter we have a much more serious problem. What is it?
I'm not sure, but a full investigation of ALL the stakeholders should be undertaken now, while it is still fresh in everyone's mind.
July 07, 2011
The word charrette may refer to any collaborative session in which a group of designers drafts a solution to a design problem. While the structure of a charrette varies, depending on the design problem and the individuals in the group, charrettes often take place in multiple sessions in which the group divides into sub-groups. Each sub-group then presents its work to the full group as material for future dialogue. Such charrettes serve as a way of quickly generating a design solution while integrating the aptitudes and interests of a diverse group of people.
Mayor Ferguson
Mayor Catherine Ferguson and a portion of her Council recently hosted an information session for citizens of White Rock. The room at the White Rock Community Centre seemed to be an appropriate location. The room was full to capacity. Following the Mayor's address a representative from the outside planning group spoke at length and elaborated on the many diagrams displayed on easels around the room.
As a regular at community engagement sessions I was pleasantly surprised to see in addition to what I call "the usual suspects", a clique of people who are concerned enough about their community, they attend everything including the mind numbing biweekly Council sessions.
The focus of the "charrette" was the long range design for development of our town centre which will be bounded by Thrift Avenue on the south, 16th Avenue on the north, George Street on the West and Martin Street on the western boundary.
Throughout the evening the theme of the information centre focused on green spaces and the free movement of foot traffic throughout the long range plan for the future development of the 20-25 year development plan.
As expected given how our city is geographically challenged in actual size, there were various designs presented that would be anchored by up to 5 high rise towers. The design panel made up from Council members, planning experts and average citizens one could see there had been a major effort put forth to address the concerns of all involved.
Once the presentation was completed the evening turned to a question period. The tone of the meeting thankfully in large part was very positive. One could not help but notice the citizens in attendance were encouraged by the openness and consultative tone of the meeting. Residents up to this point had been asked for their input as the basis of the framework was worked through to get us to the stage we now find ourselves at. It was announced in September or October there will be another opportunity for the community to have additional input.
Sitting amongst the 40 or 50 citizens in attendance, I could not help but think if this same process had been followed prior to the Miramar/Bosa high rise tower been instituted, there would not have been the now infamous rift in the community. The evening was a great step in the right direction to heal the division created in White Rock by the way the Miramar project was literally dropped into our laps. I personally will never forget reading the headline in the local fish wrap " White Rock Whale Wall Coming Down" or something to that effect. In that first article then Councillor Cliff Annabelle extolled how when the proposed high rise development commenced it would be very likely our famed whale wall would have to be removed. Like the majority of the residents in White rock this was the first we learned about the proposed 4 high rise development located in our "town centre." Having lived in White Rock for over 30 years I questioned that anyone up to this point had ever referred to the area around Hillcrest Plaza as our town centre.
There is no need to constantly revisit and dwell on the past indiscretions of the Mayor and Council of the day.
The charette was unable to start with a fresh slate. Every discussion obviously was centred around how to best move forward around the major development of Miramar village which will soon commence phase 2 with the addition of two additional towers. The Avra high rise tower located on the opposite side of Johnston Road from Miramar is now fully in construction mode and the corner of Thrift and Johnston will also apparently begin development in the next calendar year.
During the final stages of the public question period some members of the community in attendance identified they had participated in similar public information sessions a number of times of the years. Though there had never been such a comprehensive long term plan put forth to the best of my memory.
I think the Kodak moment came when local realtor Larry Robinson stood and addressed the panel of experts and citizens in attendance. Robinson in my humble opinion hit the proverbial nail on the head when he said "White Rock has been getting by on it's good looks." So true. As I write this editorial the sun is breaking over Mount Baker to the East. It is 6 a.m. and a group of kayakers are already heading out for a paddle on Semiahmoo Bay that is still as a sheet of glass. The birds are singing, the smell of the ocean air wafts over the hillside and dozens of early morning walkers are charging up and down our famed pier and along the beautiful seaside promenade. There are so many things we take for granted. Our beauty andits ability to fucntion as a liveable city certainly one of them.
To paraphrase TROOPER – "If You Don't Like What You've Got Why Don't You Change It?"
The charette was a good first step. Now it is time for all of us to join into the discussion if we honestly care about our home's future. IT IS MY WHITE ROCK, and if you want, it can be YOUR WHITE ROCK too.
June 17, 2011
On a part time basis I teach at a private college in Vancouver that prepares young men and women for a career in the recording/music industry.
I have learned a lot over the past 5 years from these young people. They are full of rage. In large part they are ticking time bombs.
As our institute is a private facility it is not bound by the same rules these young people have been used to in the public school system. Don't get me wrong we have a manual that looks like the phone book of rules and regulations. The one big difference is discipline. The school allows each teacher to assess a situation and deal with them individually.
Given I have little propensity for B.S. I have had to discipline some of these students in a swift and decisive manner in order to not disrupt the rest of the class. On numerous occasions I have found myself thinking perhaps I was a little rough on this student. With out exception after the class has adjourned these students come up to me and THANK ME. Thank me for caring enough to give them s@#t.
From such a small sample group one cannot paint all youth with one stroke. But I have seen the pattern that erupted last night, take shape well in advance. Facebook, twitter and cell phones may be referred to as social media, but give it a quick spin and you have anti-social media, which facilitated the rioters . How many times on television last night did you see young people mooning for the cameras?
Time and time again I witnessed the students organizing a place to meet up to go as a mob to events like the big fireworks, which are a summer event in Vancouver. The students feel the need to travel in large groups for safety, as they will no doubt encounter large groups of people looking for a fight. And a fight nowadays does not end when someone hits the ground, sadly that is when everyone piles on. The news this morning has crackled with information that over 150 people ended up in St. Paul's and Vancouver General hospital. A couple of the injured suffered serious injuries.
The Vancouver Police Department should have a lot of tough questions to answer today for their inaction. I also have years of experience with large groups at concerts. As soon as a troublemaker can be identified they need to be removed from the area immediately, before they rile up the other patrons. Last night it appeared the police were content to simply stand back and let it burn, hoping the crowd would eventually burn themselves out. Well they did burn themselves out, but not before they burnt out and destroyed a portion of downtown Vancouver.
Want to start the healing and the prevention? Start handing out those hugs Mom and Dad.
June 09, 2011
June 12 anti-hst organizer and former Premier of British Columbia visited White Rock for a town hall meeting. Prior to his arrival Bill took time out to speak with us.
Bill you and to a lesser extent Chris Delaney have become the faces for the anti-HST movement. What motivated you after all these years of being out of politics to step back into the proverbial ring?
Every Premier and every finance Minister since the time of Bill Bennett had been approached by the Federal government to assume the HST. It is intended to be a National tax, of equal value throughout the country, and eventually a Global tax. The argument has always been that we want a world wide level playing field for business and trade. Not unlike what they've done in Europe. Every premier and finance Minister, including Carol Taylor for the B.C. Liberals turned down the request as a bad deal for B.C.. The B.C. Liberals during the May 2009 provincial election told us they were not bringing in the HST and also told us that the B.C. deficit would not exceed $ 450mm. When after the election they had to admit that the deficit was more like $ 2.5 billion and it was discovered that they had been secretly working with the Feds. for introducing the HST and that they had accepted a $ 1.6 billion federal bribe to fill the big hole they had left us, I decided to begin the "Initiative movement".
Your grassroots movement certainly captured the imagination of tens of thousands of British Columbians. Are your spirits buoyed by such a strong response from average citizens?
In B.C., unlike anywhere in the British Commonwealth, we have legislation for direct democracy. It's called referendum, which had been introduced by Social Credit under Bill Vander Zalm. The rules are extremely difficult and have again been changed by the B.C. Liberal cabinet, but the people are overjoyed at having the opportunity of, for the first time in our history, being able to tell their elected representatives what they want rather than the elected representative telling the people what they're going to get. The response has been overwhelming and I'm excited about the benefits for democracy regardless of which party governs.
Do you think we have reached a point of hardship in British Columbia that we will be seeing more and more citizens initiatives?
We live in the computer age and people are far better informed than what they would have been 50 years ago. People now have a chance to fight an elected dictatorship and having to accept whatever a party and its leader dictate. We will see many more initiatives and referendums though, because it is extremely difficult and demanding, it will be limited to major issues affecting practically all the people.
The Liberals have claimed if the majority of the people in British Columbia vote against keeping the HST, they will be forced to return somewhere in the neighbourhood of a Billion dollars to Ottawa. Do you buy that figure given it has been such a short period of time that the Provincial government has been collecting the tax?
The B.C. Liberals entered into an agreement with the Feds. to repay the "bribe" should the tax be cancelled. The B.C. government has already received $ 1 Billion for which repayment would have to be negotiated. The Federal government now collects an additional $ 300mm in income tax from B.C. because what used to be a tax deductable expense for B.C. business is now, since they are rebated tax paid, a taxable expense. By the time the B.C. Liberals finally cancel the tax (they'll drag it out as long as they can) this will probably be double the amount. Regardless of what the repayment, it's a bargain compared to the $ 24 billion consumers will pay over the next 10 years.
When Kevin Falcon was recently criticized in a television interview for allocating millions of dollars of taxpayer's money in an advertising campaign to urge British Columbians to retain the HST. Falcon in his own defence claimed it was justified in that it is the job of the government of the day to keep the populace informed. Could I please have your opinion on spending all the money on advertising and Falcon's comment.
A giant waste of money. An insult to the people. Money that should be going to neglected needs such as families with autistic children. These are not information ads, they are pure and simple politics. They are the government promoting the HST for their big corporate friends (the people that fund their campaigns) and for their own tax grab to pay for mismanagement.
A number of business owners have come out in support of the HST. Many businesses claim switching their computers and cash registers back to the old system will cost them hundreds of dollars. Do you have an opinion or a comment for these people?
If the tax is so good for business, they should already have benefited enough to simply push a button on the computer and change over. Small business, especially in the big economic contributors in the smaller communities of this province, depend on the consumers for their survival. Taking billions of dollars away from the consumers will not help business – especially so in those communities dependent on tourism.
Yourself and co-anti HST advocate Chris Delaney will be here in White Rock this Sunday afternoon. What can we expect from your visit?
We hope to convince everyone to vote YES to extinguish the HST and go back to the old GST and PST on a limited amount of goods and not on services. Our competition is not Ontario, Quebec or New Foundland nor Greece, Spain or Portugal, our competition is Alberta, Saskatchewan , Manitoba, Idaho, Washington etc. where they do not have an HST. Today in Canada, only the provinces without the HST are creating new jobs and have the lowest unemployment.
No doubt you have a number of these events planned before mid-July when the vote is over. How many of these events will you be partaking in? How far throughout British Columbia will you be travelling?
We have already travelled to every part of the province, I have not missed a meeting and don't intend to.
Will your lovely wife Lillian be travelling with you to White Rock Sunday?
It's in the afternoon and Lillian will be with me, lovely as ever.
Final question. Were you at all surprised at the outcome in the recent Federal election. One would assume after all the years you spent in politics you must still do some armchair quarterbacking.
Somewhat pleasantly surprised, we finally have a much needed, for the time, majority government – they can now do the things they believe in and presumably stand for.
May 11, 2011
On Sunday May 1 the BREAKING NEWS banner scrolled across television sets throughout North America. The President of the United States Barack Obama was schedule to address the nation.
Warnings like this tend to make me feel slightly uneasy. I have a clear view of America out the front window. Living next door to the United States of America has a long list of advantages and conversely disadvantages.
Obama's speech is now firmly ensconced in the history books.
I have some very basic problems with how the story unfolded.
1. In his broadcast that Sunday evening Obama stated how the killing of Bin Laden was a joint effort between the United States and Pakistan. By Monday Pakistan was vehemently denying they had any knowledge of the U.S. operation.
2. Initial reports stated Bin Laden used a woman as a humans shield. The next day it was revealed in fact Bin Laden's wife was with him in their bedroom when the Navy Seals burst in. She moved towards the captors and was shot in the leg.
3. Bin Laden was killed in a fire fight when the Navy Seals finally located him in the compound. Now come reports from Bin Laden's daughter who was in an adjacent room in the compound. She has stated her father did not resist, was captured and then executed.
4. Monday morning the Internet was full of images of the Bin Laden corpse. The photos were quickly dismissed as old photos that were photo shopped showing half his face blown off. Within hours the U.S. stated they had photos of the deceased Bin Laden but they would not be releasing them in fears it would be perceived as "spiking the ball."
5. Within 24 hours the United States announced they had buried Bin Laden's corpse at sea. In line with Muslim tradition of a body must be buried within 24 hours. Burying him at sea would prevent any type of shrine being erected in his honour.
The list goes on and on. The official story is constantly changing, and you know the spin and story changes are just beginning.
Do I believe Osama Bin Laden was responsible for the 9/11 attacks on New York's World Trade Centres? I am not sure, again there are so many conflicting stories of what exactly happened that day that will forever be etched in out memories. I have to ask if he was responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Centres, why is that not stated for the record on the FBI Most Wanted list?
Murder of U.S. Nationals Outside the United States; Conspiracy to Murder U.S. Nationals Outside the United States; Attack on a Federal Facility Resulting in Death
Osama Bin Laden is wanted in connection with the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. These attacks killed over 200 people. In addition, Bin Laden is a suspect in other terrorist attacks throughout the world.
The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Usama Bin Laden. An additional $2 million is being offered through a program developed and funded by the Airline Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association.
If you have any information concerning this person, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.
I don't know what happened, and that bothers me. The United States entered the soverign soil of a foreign country, captured and executed a foreign citizen that had not officially been charged with ANYTHING. Indicted yes, but that is hardly sufficient reason in my world to murder anyone.
Let's for a minute reverse the situation. Imagine if Al Qaeda covertly entered the United States, captured an American citizen and executed them stating they felt the individual was a war criminal. Imagine America's outrage and subsequently how we as Canadians would react.
If we are to believe the official story, the Navy Seals monitored the compound Bin Laden was apparently holed up in since August. Would it not have been possible to inform the Pakistan government of their suspicions. Lock down the compound, wait him out and arrest him and bring him back to the United States to stand trial? Dead men don't talk.
The Soviet War in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan[15] against the indigenous Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers. The mujahideen found military and financial support from a variety of sources including the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Egypt, China and other nations. The Afghan war became a proxy war in the broader context of the late Cold War.
It is time to dampen the U.S.A. rhetoric. Our next door neighbours are in financial ruin. Could this event be nothing more than an up with America morale booster. 'We're Back Baby!"
At the end of President Obama's appearance on 60 Minutes this past Sunday evening, he ended his interview by stating. "Anyone that disbelieves the person we got in Pakistan was Osama Bin Laden, needs to have their head examined."
So where is that examination room?
The now famous war room picture of President Obama, Vice President Biden, Foreign Affairs Minister Hillary Clinton and the Chiefs of Staff.
For some unexplained reason the supposed live takedown footage of Bin Laden went dark for 24 minutes. None of the 27 Navy Seals that took part in the raid have been identified?
Has the announcement of Osama's demise lessened the Taliban's resolve?
May 03, 2011
Alright I give up. I will now start to take polls a little more seriously. I scoffed when the pundits had Christy Clark walking through the competition to take the Liberal leadership, and very honestly I was suspect of the predictions Quebec was experiencing an "orange crush" of NDP support.
We all make mistakes.
With that said from the comfort of my armchair when the early picture of the Conservative majority and NDP official opposition was announced just 40 minutes into the British Columbia broadcast, well like everyone else I was shocked. Not because the Conservatives did so well, but lord have mercy on the support of the NDP in Quebec of all places . I suppose you had to be there.
My gut tells me there was an undercurrent spreading across the country no one really saw prior to, during or for that matter post election. I think what we saw was the inevitable backlash from Canadians saying "I am sick and tired of the Conservatives and the Liberals playing political keep away." I don't for a minute mean to insinuate the NDP did not run a strong campaign. Locally SUSAN KEEPING of the NDP fared very well at both all candidates meetings. In fact she made huge strides which resulted in her beating the Liberal candidate HARDY STAUB for second place amongst the candidates.
We woke up yesterday morning and by 8 a.m. MICHAEL IGNATIEFF had fallen on the sword, and resigned. GILLES DUCEPPE conceded defeat election night and ELIXABETH MAY got her wish, one seat in Ottawa.
MAY will be a force to be reckoned with. She's little but she's loud and she has proven she does not suffer fools well. Welcome to Ottawa Ms. MAY.
There were a few seat changes in British Columbia but generally things remained status quo, unlike the rest of the country. What does that say about us? Well I guess life is pretty good for the majority of people in British Columbia. The voter turnout in B.C. was not much more than the last federal election which set an all time low.
Setting differences aside today I congratulate RUSS HIEBERT on his win. I would also personally like to acknowledge three of the other candidates locally. LARRY COLERO of the Green Party and Independents AART LOOYE and DAVID HAWKINS. The only three candidates I had any type of interaction with leading up to the election. How and why did I meet them? Well I met them out on the streets of the riding.. The fact they all turned their collar up and gave it their best shot ranks them pretty high in my books.
We'll talk in four years. Damn it feels good saying that.
April 21, 2011
I want to pitch for the New York Yankess. Hear the roar of the crowd as I strike out the last batter to win game 7 of the World Series. Is it going to happen? Only in my dreams.
After sitting through two nights of All Candidate meetings in White Rock, I am convinced all of the candidates would like to be the MP for this area. They can get in line right behind me, and my dream.
I do not mean to casually dismiss any of the candidates. Their intentions I believe are sincere in varying degrees. But at the end of the day RUSS HIEBERT is heading for Ottawa and I am not bound for Cooperstown.
Roughly four hours of mind numbing rhetoric from all the candidates did not change anyone in the audience's minds. Those in attendance arrived ready to support their friends or the party they like, and there was nothing new to hear.
If I was to turn up in Florida at the Yankees training camp hoping to take the place of Mariano Rivera, before I went I would work 18 hours a day for a year for my one shot. I can pitch but I am not in the same league as Rivera. Heck I was once the starting pitcher for the Hjorth Road Yankees, does that count? Much the same way for the candidates that turned up this week at the Star of the Sea and at the United Church.
I am not sure what to make of the news this week that the NDP is leading the BLOC in the popularity polls in Quebec. Is there something going on in the East we have not seen here on the west coast?
I spend more time than most of you walking the hillside of White Rock . I have only encountered one candidate out door knocking and main streeting. Green Party candidate LARRY COLERO was making his way introducing himself to people along Marine Drive last weekend. That's it. I have not received any campaign literature in my mail. The advertising dollars spent to date is minimal. I have not had one of the candidates or their supporters knock on my door looking for my support. Over the two all candidates meetings the only candidate that highlighted they have a web site or are using social media was SUSAN KEEPING of the NDP.
Unless there is ground swell afoot that I have missed this is the non election, election. Could it be we are simply burned out on voting? Will the youth get out the vote this year and make a difference. It seems to be the only ground swell I have seen out there. Though I have not heard or seen any sign of that happening in this riding. The average age at the two all candidate meetings was tipping 70+.
None of the established political parties in Canada shows any appetite to bring forth some form of legislation that would increase the turnout at the polls. The simple method is adopting the system used in Australia. If you don't vote you get a notice on your income tax that you are being billed $100.00 . So for all the rhetoric from all the parties stating they would like to see more Canadians participating in, don't expect it to be instituded in our lifetime. Winning an election is all about getting YOUR supporters out. Some parties are more adept at mobilizing their party members.
So what the hell is the solution? You tell me. I have to suit up and get back out there on the mound to work on my change up. I can't just turn up.
March 30, 2011
Well I didn't take very long for the Federal Election to snap into the goofy section of the public opinion meter.
ELIZABETH MAY federal leader of the Green Party was informed again this week, "thanks but no thanks." Last year it was due to the fact the Green Party was not running candidates in every riding, well as history showed us - after the public outcry MAY was welcomed to sit down at the table with "the boys." You could hear the teeth gnashing clear across the country. You see ELIZABETH MAY does not owe anyone – anything. She is a loose cannon that cannot be controlled and constantly will go "off the script." Nothing could be worse for the other candidates. Elizabeth does not play fair. IGNATIEFF, HARPER, DUCEPPE and LAYTON spar with each other on a regular basis. Ask anyone who has climbed into the ring what is like to face someone you know nothing about. Do they have a good left hook? Do they like to fight inside? What's the deal?
It is only a couple of days since the news release was issued by the consortium television networks. Given they couldn't trot out last year's excuse again, the spin doctors huddled down in the back room and came up with this year's excuse. IGNATIEFF couldn't run for a microphone quicke enough to say how he would welcome MAY to the debate. Do you not think for a minute all the other leaders didn't sign off on this proposal before it was made public. If you believe the leaders were not consulted first, I have a sinkhole in Semiahmoo Park to show you.
Of course IGNATIEFF now would like to see ELIZABETH MAY at the table for the debate. IGNATIEFF has little to lose compared to HARPER. If anyone is going to get hammered by MAY during the debate it will be HARPER. There could be some collateral damage to the Liberals, but it is mainly HARPER and to a lesser extent the NDP that will be in the cross hairs of ELIZABETH MAY.
A vote for the GREEN PARTY is not a wasted vote. Most people I think would like to se the GREEN PARTY expand their platform from what is perceived as nothing more than an environmental group. It is interesting to note tough, the GREEN PARTY is the largest political party in the world, based on membership.
What kind of democracy excludes a party with the support of one million of its citizens?
What kind of democracy allows a handful of TV executives to decide that a party that only runs candidates in one province has more right to be in a national leaders' debate than a party with candidates in every riding?
In the last election, your voices won Elizabeth her rightful place in the debates. We can't believe that we have to ask you to rally on her behalf yet again. But we do.
Here's what you can do:
Vote in CBC's poll on whether Elizabeth should be invited to the leaders' debates
Donate to support Elizabeth's battle for inclusion;
Sign our petition
Send a text message to the Chair of the Media Consortium, Mr. Troy Reeb of Global TV on his cell phone at 647-261-3752
Email the news directors of consortium members CBC, CTV, Global, TVA
Email party leaders Stephen Harper, Jack Layton, Michael Ignatieff and Gilles Duceppe
Forward this message to your friends and family
(The Green Party broke 1% of the popular vote in the 2004 federal election, when it received 4.3% and qualified for federal funding. Its support has ranged between 4.5% and 14% since the 2006 federal election and it has not polled below 5% in any opinion poll from 2007 onwards. In the 2008 federal election, the Green Party of Canada was invited to the debates for the first time[2] and achieved a high mark of 6.8% of the popular vote. With just under a million votes, it was the only federally-funded party to receive more votes than in 2006, but it still failed to win any seats.)
March 02, 2011
Not a day goes by that I don't hear, read or see a news item that makes me scratch my head. For instance here are stories and my take that occurred in the past week.
Countries around the world are seizing foreign funds held by MUMMAR AL GADDAFI the well known dictator/despot of Libya since 1969. The first number I heard stunned me. Apparently GADAFFI has 39 BILLION squirreled away in foreign bank accounts. Stop for a moment and let that number sink in. Those are just the funds the family has stashed away OUTSIDE of Libya. What kind of wealth are they sitting on in the country. A country rich in oil that is home to many people that subsist on sand sandwiches and rancid goat entrails. Within a day or so the news dropped GADAFFI has at least 2 BILLION in Canadian banks.
As all this was unfolding Victoria singer NELLY FURTADO( possibly believing the best defense is an offense), came out Monday and stated she had been paid a million dollars for a 45 minute performance for the GADAFFI'S back in 2007. The fact the private concert was held in Italy is little consolation in my mind. Who the hell advised her this would be a good idea. I know the money is staggering, but would you play a picnic for Willie Picton? How about a backyard prison barbeque for Charlie Manson. FURTADO was obviously concerned a number of names had already come out in the U.S. press of American stars that have bellied up to the tyrant trough. FURTADO is offering to donate the million dollar fee to charity, now. Not a word about the interest which would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Over the weekend the wireless crackled with news our foreign affairs department were earnestly trying to secure the release of a Canadian citizen who was grabbed by the Taliban. Was he soldier? A Spy? Was he part of a covert military operation? Nope. He was in Afghanistan on holidays. Who the hell goes to Afghanistan on holidays? Again I understand if you were there working with an aid agency that would be one thing, but holidays in the Afghan highlands?
Roll up the rim, and roll up the cot. Monday night things were so busy at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New West, a half a dozen patients to the emergency ward were warehoused in the Tim Horton's café off the lobby of the hospital. No one ends up at emergency in a relaxed easy going mood. NO a tragedy has hit your life or that of a loved one. Put yourself in the position of the patients or loved ones sitting in Tim Horton's waiting for a doctor to see you. What is wrong with this picture?
Health Minister Speaks on Tim Hortons story
Colin Hansen calls last night's decision by Royal Columbian Hospital to treat patients in the Tim Horton's coffee shop "appropriate care," says no investigation necessary.
Imagine the furor if it was the Hansen family that was sitting there holding their loved ones hand next to the donut rack.
CHARLIE SHEEN. If he wasn't a millionaire living behind giant walls in Beverly Hills his friends would be dragging him off to the psych ward or rehab at the very least. If you saw CHUCK on any of his recent television appearances you surely could see the guy was operating with just one oar in the water. Here's hoping intervention happens sooner than later. That time bomb is ticking.
BEV ODA'S whole flip flop and fly over the insertion of (not) into an official government document was classic case of get the Spin Doctors on the set we need help here folks. After a couple of days of dodging the hard questions and spinning stupid stories out, the spin doctors came up with an aide used a stamped signature of Bev on the document without her knowledge. This when ODA contradicted that statement two days earlier. A week has passed and the story has disappeared. Actually kind of knocked off the Conservative radar by the latest news the Conservative party at the federal level was washing election funds fraudulently through local MP offices. Beautiful. And even that is sinking off the radar.
February 23, 2011
I was wrapping up my "sunny work in the yard" weekend on Sunday, watching the 6 o'clock news when a story caught my ear.
It seems a young married father up in Surrey was diagnosed with liver cancer a short period of time back. The cancer advanced faster than expected and his life expectancy was cut short. Steve Martin had always had a dream about building and owning a race car. A particular style and model of a Mazda that he used to watch at local speedways. When Steve's buddies heard the sad news they went to work to complete Steve's dream. Working around the clock for days the group of mechanics and body men completed the building of the car in a couple weeks. A job that would normally take months.
Last Friday they called Steve's house and told him they had a surprise for him and that they would be over after lunch. They trailered the race car to the end of Steve's street, fired it up and roared down his street. The friends expected from what they had heard about Steve's condition he might only be able to come to the window. But nope, not old Steve. He pulled on his sweat pants and marched out into the street to inspect the car. Hugs were passed out all around, Steve smiled, his family cried, then Steve went back into the house. He was gone by the next morning. The will to live is a marvelous thing. But there comes a time when cancer sufferers KNOW.
A young lady in Surrey by the name of MEGAN McNEIL also showed amazing strength in the face of cancer. Still in her teens when she passed away a couple weeks back MEGAN fought the scourge of cancer with everything she had. Being a singer and a songwriter MEGAN felt she wanted to offer hope to other cancer sufferers. With the help of a Vancouver studio and producer Garth Richardson MEGAN and a group of other cancer patients went in and recorded the song "Will To Survive." You can watch the haunting video by visiting her websit www.willtosurvive.org. MEGAN too passed away very quickly surrounded by loved ones.
If cancer has not come crashing into your life in a very personal way, thank your lucky stars. Statistics put 33% of Canadian women being diagnosed with cancer and 29% of Canadian men suffering the same fate. Take a moment and image 1 in 3 of your close personal friends are going to be struck with cancer. And the numbers are not getting any better. The very alarming statistic not many people talk about in childhood cancer. A decade ago it was a rarity. Not so much anymore.
So if the imagery of F_________CANCER bothers you, I am sorry. Sorry for you that you have not gone through the horror of the cancer ride.
February 2, 2011
Do you recognize this lady? Her name is Marilyn Dennis. For YEARS she was the host of some woman's hair chat show on CITY-TV out of Toronto. The show was carried locally here on City-TV 13.
One day last year she was gone. Pffft, vapourized. Can't say I was sad to se her go. Though I had only watched nano seconds of previous shows, I couldn't help but thinking how long is this woman going to be on the air? Don't tell me it was because she was getting good ratings. Either she knew someone high up at City-TV or she worked cheap, or a combination of both.
In June 2008 after hosting City-Line for no less than 19 years, Dennis announced she will be hosting a new show, The Marilyn Dennis Show, on CTV. Little more was heard about this until June 2010 when CTV announced that the program would premiere in fall 2010. But due to studio construction the program premiered on January 10, 2011 on CTV
DENNIS was replaced by a striking black woman, who almost immediately went out and got pregnant, periodically as I surfed by the channel it was painful to watch this woman trying to navigate around the set as her baby bulge grew bigger and bigger. Once she popped the baby she was right back to work. No mat leave for this woman. Not when you have waited in the wings as long as she had for a national show.
But back to MARILYN DENNIS. Damn if I didn't snap on the TV earlier this month and CTV has picked her up. Huh? Do we not have anyone else that could do the job?
In addition to us only having a dozen television actors, it appears now television is also going down that rabbit hole. Heck the cancel Corner Gas and spin off at least three shows starring "the stars of Corner Gas." Give me a break.
There are a ton of talented gifted actors in this country. Come on networks spread your tiny wings and fly away. Let's get some new blood on out TV's. Who knows we might even be motivated to turn the boob tube on a little more often if we thought for a moment we might see something different.
I have to think I am like a lot of people that thought if I see one of those Vicki Gabereau commercials one more time about how to drive through a traffic circle, well there could be a hostage taking. They were on every commercial break for months then they disappeared. A new flight of Gabba Gabba Gabereau's has appeared but she is toned down considerably.
Maybe it can all be explained by a local phenomenon in White Rock. ELIZABETH HOLLICK has painted a number of public art pieces throughout White Rock and South Surrey. I have heard the silent bitching from other artists. "Why does Elizabeth get all the good gigs?" Well let me answer that for you. ELIZABETH is a talented artist who gets out there and hustles herself. Then she turns up and does a professional job.
I don't think it is as simple as that to why we only have 10 TV stars and a dozen actors in this country. I think it is born more out of laziness, on the part of the producers of Canadian television.
Certain actors have become like comfy old slippers. They don't bring attitude, they turn up on time, they work well with others and they aren't that expensive to hire. Sort of like JIM BELUSHI stateside.
January 25, 2011
The newest link in TRANSLINK'S network, the Canada Line which runs from Richmond to Downtown Vancouver could soon be shut down by a labour dispute.
Workers on the Canada Line which includes control room operation workers, maintenance workers and attendants.
After one year's operation the workers are looking for a better deal specifically reagarding health and welfare benefits and pensions.
The 180 Canada Line workers hired by operator Protrans BC certified with the BCGEU in August 2009. Since then talks have been ongoing attempting to conclude a first collective agreement.
As a regular user of the Canada Line I applaud the efficiency and cleanliness with which the system is operated. I know the "old" SKYTRAIN is 25 years old, but there is no comparison.
Due in large part the Canada Line is a P3 project which means there is a private investor (Protrans owned by SNC Lavalin) that has a contract to operate the Canada Line for 35 years.
The workers are in a legal position to issue 72 hours then hit the bricks. How would this impact bus travel? Well the obvious solution would be for the buses to resume their old routes of driving right into downtown Vancouver. I am confident Translink and Coast Mountain Bus Company have already looked into the feasibility of simply going back to the old system. On the face of it one would think that would be an option.
But hold it a minute. Bus drivers and staff at Coast Mountain Bus company as well as Skytrain employees are also now in contract negotiations. My goodness can you imagine if they all walked out at the same time. Can you say gridlock?
Speaking and the lack thereof, the new bus lane on Highway 99 from the King George Highway to Highway 91 cut off is nearing completion. Millions of tax payer dollars have been spent on this project. I am still befuddle on why?
There is NEVER any traffic backup on this section of HWY 99 unless there is an accident, which would also limit the use of the bus lane. I can't seem to get anyone to answer the simple questions of "Why?" for love nor money. I have been bounced from Victoria to Ottawa more times than a Russ Hiebert flight plan. Speaking of which Hiebert was trumpeting as recently as last week how wonderful the Conservative Government was for putting up the lion's share of the 12 million dollars for the project. I once again ask the question why was there not an extension put from HWY 10 up to the existing bus lane heading into Vancouver? If they were serious about this new bus lane from King George Highway, why have they designed it in such a manner that the buses will have to merge back into traffic in the short distance. Once over the Serpentine River and once again over the BNSF rail overpass?
Norht of the Massey Tunnel another important link in the bus lane system is set to open in the next month or so. Once completed this will mean bus riders from South Surrey and White Rock will roar past idle traffic on Highway 99.
Commuters in their automobiles should not be surprised to see the smug looks on our faces out the windows of the old #351.
Now if TRANSLINK could improve the bus experience, oops sorry I was dreaming!
A new northbound shoulder bus lane is being built between the King George Highway and Highway 91 in Metro Vancouver to improve transit service and reduce traffic congestion for commuters travelling from White Rock and Surrey. The project is a result of a partnership between the Government of Canada and the province.
"The Government of Canada is proud to work with our provincial partners on infrastructure projects that will create jobs, stimulate the economy,and improve highway safety for residents and visitors alike," said Russ Hiebert, Member of Parliament for South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale, on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "This highway improvement project will go a long way toward easing traffic congestion and improving commuting times across metro Vancouver."
"Transit expansion is happening at a critical time in Metro Vancouver," said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Shirley Bond. "At the rate the region is growing, we are investing in key projects to get people out of their cars and into transit. More people using transit will help their communities become healthier places to live, work and play."
The new six-kilometre northbound shoulder bus lane will open this spring.
The Province is investing $110 million for transit and road improvements on Highway 99. Improvements include 17 kilometres of separate shoulder bus lanes. A shoulder bus lane from Westminster Highway to Bridgeport Road is now open. Work continues to add more lanes north and south of the George Massey tunnel in both directions.
The Government of Canada is contributing $6.5 million toward this project. In total, the federal government has contributed $24.5 million toward transit improvements on Highway 99. The federal contribution to this project comes from the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which provides funding to provincial, territorial and municipal construction-ready infrastructure projects. Since March 2009, over 400 projects have received a total federal investment of over $500 million under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund across British Columbia.
On Dec. 2, 2010, the Government of Canada announced it is extending the construction deadline for a number of Economic Action Plan infrastructure projects. Proponents of projects under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, the Building Canada Fund Communities Component Top-Up, the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program and the Knowledge Infrastructure Program will now have until Oct. 31, 2011 to complete their projects.
Editor's Update - It was anounced after prees time that HWY 99 will in fact be widened to accomodate bus traffic over the Serpentine River. There are presently no plans to widen the road over the BNSF rail tracks along that sectin of HWY 99 northbound. Buses will merge back into the flow of traffic at the rail overpass.
January 19, 2011
Not In My Backyard
You heard the news, everyone was talking about it at the coffee shop last week.
A group of condo owners on the UBC grounds were up in arms because a development sign went up in the neighbourhood proposing a 12 bed hospice to be built down the street from their condo.
The reaction was swift and sure. The residents of said condo tower had all paid in the niehgbourhood of a million dollars for their homes, and would not in any way shape or form support a hospice being built n their neighbourhood.
The reason? Their cultural customs dictate that living near where people die is terribly bad luck. Fine by me. If that is your culture, adhere to it. Small problem though it is not the custom of "ours." Now I realize many will say a statement like that only advances an us and them division of society.
First things first. The right to die with dignity and respect is part of "our" culture. Having recently walked that road I canot tell you from personal experience how important it was to my wife's departure from this world, to have The White Rock Hospice Society located in close proximity to the hospital. Not so much for my wife but for me. I can't imagine how long I would have stayed in a state of suspended reality had it not been for the assistance I received from the hospice. Now one must note the local hospice does not house terminally ill patients, that is left to the Peace Arch Hospital across the road.
The condo complex in question boasts 80% Asian owners. The representative for the condo owners I saw on television stated "This hospice should not be built here, it is against our custom to live near where people die. By allowing the hospice being built we will suffer not only mentally but financially. We will not be able to sell our condos for anywhere near what we paid if this building were to go ahead."
Well both of these statement may be true. I suppose other Asian real estate seekers may have a problem with moving into a condo that is in close proximity to a hospice. I doubt if anyone I know would pass on the condo for that simple reason.
The battle has quickly dropped off the news radar. How do you deal with this topic and not run the risk of being branded a racist. Not good for business folks.
Me? Not so much. I am all for immigration. Immigrants developed this country that in the scheme of things is a very young country. The first wave of settlers were European. They too brought their customs with them and they became the groundwork for the very fabric of Canada. The simple fact we have only 33 million people in the second largest country in the world should tell you we need more people and a greater tax base. The fact we even have a paved road from coast to coast should not be taken for granted.
But and isn't there always a but I support a modicam amount of assimilation into the society you are joining. Oh don't get me wrong I don't expect Indians to rip off their turbans and join the Kinsmen the first week they are here. But I do expect they abide by the same rules that govern the rest of us. Not wearing a helmut when you are riding a motorcycle in Canada because it will not fit over your turban is a perfect example. Helmut does not fit? Then you are not free to operate a motorcycle in Canada. Straight clean and simple. There is no grey area here. Immigrants to ANY country certainly should be encouraged to carry on and practise their customs, in private. Once your customs impact someone else it is a new game.
So to the residents of the condo tower at UBC I say "When in Rome, do as the Romans do!" Your protest is two layered in my mind, first there is the stated cultural problem, but without exception every condo owner I heard speak on this matter, the topic quickly moved to how it would devalue their property.
I applaud the members of the Asian community that have come out full force swinging at the debate. A large number of recent immigrants believe the statements put forth by these owners does not but widen the gulf between the two communities that have co-existed and prospered side by side.
Can we not move past this debate? Perhaps sell your condo and move. Developments happen all the time, there is always a "not in my backyard" argument floated out there no matter what form the development comes in. As a matter of fact this group of Asian condo owners is not the first group to stand in the way of the development. Nope. The orginal site for construction of the hospice was next door to a frat house on the university grounds. The students registered their concern about the development to the University brass. Turns out the sorority boys felt their "kegger all night blow out parties" might be upsetting for the residents of a hospice.
January 06, 2011
You heard it. I know you did and your reaction hopefully was similar to mine. Just a day or so into the New Year, the news crackled with a story about how a 3 month old puppy was beaten to death in a motel room in Victoria.
I was almost sick to my stomach. As a matter of fact I found myself changing the channel or turning the volume down as the story was repeated adnauseum for a day or so. Slow news day?
I cannot sit idly by and watch anyone mistreating a child, an elderly person, a woman and any animal. Many years ago I was sitting in the Dell Hotel in Whalley in the middle of the afternoon ("Hey I was waiting for someone") when a couple sitting in the sparsely occupied beer parlour got into it. I just figured it was none of my business. That was until the gentleman decided he was going to start pounding on his lady friend. I snapped like a cheap elastic band and jumped into the fray and tried to stop him from beating on her. That didn't end too well because as I was rolling around the floor with buddy, the little woman decided to el kabong me with an empty beer pitcher. So things don't always work out well when sticking my noise into other people's business.
Back to Victoria. It turns out the guy was looking after a friend's 3 month old pit bull in his motel room, when for reasons unknown, the dog angered him and he beat it to death. Just typing the words makes my stomach flip.
Police apparently responded to a number of 911 calls from other patrons of the motel. The young man was taken into custody and charges were being considered. BEING CONSIDERED? This person needs help. What kind of rage do you have building up inside yourself that you can actually kill a puppy with your bare hands? The guy is a ticking time bomb.
I have no problem with someone disciplining an animal or a child. Where I do have a problem is with bullies exhibiting their machoism on the aforementioned disenfranchised sector of our society.
Not on my watch.
December 29, 2010
I decided for Christmas this year I would entertain purchasing the new girlfriend some lingerie. I can well imagine every woman reading this right about now is saying "This is not going to end well."
Well it did end well. This year I decided I would adhere to the comments made by a number of women in my life over the years about purchasing lingerie. "Men always buy totally the wrong thing. Items that cut bind, lift separate, pull, push, squeeze are not comfortable for any period of time." Funny I didn't think you would be wearing said item(s) for hours. But that's another story.
This story is about the different shopping habits of men and women. I and most men I know could pull up front of Mark's Work Wearhouse, put on the four way flashers dash in, grab a pair of 33/34 boot cut jeans, grab a pack of t-shirts and a couple dress shirts and sweaters and be out in less than 10 minutes tops, barring any lineups.
Not the case with women. A true exhibition of the popular self help relationship enforcer MEN ARE FROM MARS-WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS. Most women pride themselves on their shopping ability. They will discuss amongst themselves different techniques for improving on the shopping experience. Arrival time is all important. Door crashers are for losers. A well seasoned female shopper will circle her prey with the cat like maneuvers of a cougar. Mid morning from my extensive experience watching women shop, seems to be optimum. Arrive around 10:30 do a low level pass over a couple of stores, take a lunch break visit with shopping mate and then go cross furough back over the ploughed retail landscape.
Oh yes well we are on the subject of the differences between men and women shopping, here is a tip for all you struggling woman's retail outlets. GET SOME CHAIRS! I can guarantee we will be less apt to be breathing down our wife/girlfriend's necks if we are comfortable. Hell I even encountered a story in Los Angeles that provided a cappuccino and some reading material along with the comfy chair. My late wife showed her appreciation monetarily.
So this brings me to a visit over to the Morgan Crossing/Grandview Corners location of La Vie En Rose. Lovely store, helpful staff yet over an hour to spend $50.00 gift certificate. Now I realize everything was 50% off but still, how can it take that long to spend even $100.00? See male method above for shopping. For men, time stands still when you are waiting for your significant other to do some shopping. All the while a little voice is screaming in your head "How Long Have We Been Here?"
So let's just leave it like this. Men and women shop much the same way we make love.
A man walks right in, sees what he likes, picks it up and takes it home. Conversely woman will want to check out the entire lay of the land so to speak. Compare them, size them up, weigh out the attributes of each item/suitor. Well you get the idea.
Me? I am just happy that New Year's Eve I will be celebrating all the wonderful differences between men and women. If you know what I mean!
December 22, 2010
As we get ready to fold up 2010 and place it in the memory box I can't help but thinking about what 2011 will hold for us.
A month before the Christmas rush the news channels and fish wraps were heralding how bad it was going to be at retail. What were they thinking. Did they not take into consideration their very own sales forces would be walking through these same retail outlets looking for ad dollars? You can well imagine the response from hard up against it retailers. In the past week or so there was a complete about face about how on average we would be spending $1,000.00 this Christmas. These reports came to us live from the shopping malls with very little human traffic in the background.
Watch for the announcement in the first quarter of 2011 how we are dangerously close to entering a recession. Really?
Stats Canada last month released a shocking piece of info. Sixty percent of Canadians polled stated they would be in dire financial straits if they missed ONE PAY CHEQUE. Look around you for God's sake. We have been in a recession for months. It is just the Government and the Media do not find it beneficial to make the announcement.
Please don't get me wrong. I am not a prophet of doom. Just a realist. The strong will not only survive they will succeed. The marginal fringe players will disappear as a natural attrition occurs.
We have "too many" of everything. In last week's column I lamented I did not think a little town like White Rock could support 7 sushi restaurants. It is not just White Rock, it is everywhere. If you eliminated 50% of __________________(fill in the blank) the remaining businesses would pick up the slack and prosper.
I look forward to the new world of retail that will emerge in 2011. The smart business owners will continue on the same personal service path they have followed for years, and perhaps even ramp it up a tad more. As consumers we will drive past a number of businesses where "people call us by our name."
It is the CHEERS principle and I for one welcome it.
Political commentator BILL MAHER posted this Christmas greeting. It pretty much says it all. (CLICK HERE)
December 15, 2010
Last week the inevitable happened. JUST FRIENDS CAFE went under. To be truthful it doesn't really surprise me. In that I spend an inordinate amount of time uptown I quite often use coffee shops and restaurants as rendezvous points to meet people I may want to do an interview with or whatever for this newspaper.
I am a pretty fine chef if the truth be known, so I am at times overly critical of the food and service industry. I bristle when I am paying for someone's learning curve. I also object to paying $5.50 for a coffee and muffin. But that is a story for another day.
So when I saw JUST FRIENDS had bit the dust I asked one of the girls in BUY LOW if she knew what was going into the space. She told me it was going to be a Sushi Restaurant.
Well you could have pushed me over with a stiff breeze. Does White Rock NEED another sushi joint? Counting from 16th Avenue and heading south, there will now be 6 sushi restaurants from 16th Avenue to 5 Corners. A mere two blocks..
KAPPA on George Street is the "grand old dame" that has been around the longest and offers the most authentic tatami room style of dining. The other joints I have tried and not to say they are not average to good, but they all fall short of one of the finest sushi joints perhaps in the Lower Mainland. TAKA'S @ 5 Corners is world class.
In a past life when I had an expense account and ran with the elite of the rock n' roll industry TOJO'S on Broadway was the top restaurant visiting rock stars wanted to visit. His reputation preceeds him. So I know of what I speak when it comes to sushi.
TOJO on Broadway is spectacular, a little pricey, but worth the extra green. At least I used to feel that way until TAKA and MIGOOMI rolled into White Rock a couple of years back straight from the hotbed of sushi - Austin, Texas.
If you have not been to TAKA'S and you like sushi, do yourself a favour. There are only a few seats at the sit up bar and a couple of tables that seat 3-4 people. Most of the business TAKA does is take out. Tray after tray fly out the door as you sit and dine.
But back to the new sushi joint BLACK TUNA SUSHIE in Hillcrest Mall. I have to figure they did due diligence and checked out heir competition. To me and a number of people I have talked to it seems like overkill. Canthat many sushi restaurants in a 2 block strip in a town of 18,000 (mainly white) citizens survive?
It's called free enterprise folks, and if it does succeed it will be at the cost of at least one of the peripheral sushi restaurants closing.
As a lady friend said when I told her we were getting another sushi joint, she replied "Oh great I can go get my nails done, buy some used clothes and eat sushi. Welcome to White Rock." She may be a little harsh in her observation, but......
December 08, 2010
The plight of White Rock businesses has been beaten like an Afghany beats his yak. But get ready for another round of teeth gnashing and hand ringing.
Beginning Monday White Rock's community shuttle bus (Cranley) will extend his route on 24th avenue over Highway 99 smack dab into the middle of what some believe is retail mecca, Grandview Corners.
Big box stores abound, Wal-Mart is open 24 hours a two block long shopping district I like to call "Anywhere USA" will welcome the increased business from White Rock and South Surrey.
I was talking to someone the other day and they asked me if I shop much outside of White Rock. I explained I didn't, in that I am able to do the majority of my shopping on foot. I am shopping for one, so I don't need to hit Costco up for 100 rolls of toilet paper. As a matter of fact it has now been slightly over a year since my wife passed and I think I just finished up some of the aforementioned toilet paper we bought in 2009 at Costco. Damn near had to put an addition on to the house for that package of paper.
My trap line includes, The Bread Box for fruits, vegetables, sliced meat and cheese. Hillcrest Bakery for bread and baked goods. BUY LOW my go to store for just about everything I need food wise. For a store that is not that big I have never not found an item I am looking for. They may not have 4 different types of oyster sauce but they will have one. Then it is on up to Penguin Meat for my chicken, fish and meat. Semiahmoo Mall has my one stop health store NUTRITION HOUSE and if I do need a pair of socks or whatever in the clothing department it is off to Zeller's.
Do I shop locally to support businesses in White Rock? I suppose inadvertently I do, but I will not shop locally just for the sake of it. The aforementioned outlets are purveyors of what I call "leaning into it." By that I mean they have great prices, friendly service and a good selection and it is all within walking distance from my home.
I fear now that the bus services is going to be extended on Monday to Grandview Corners our local business owners are going to take another hit, that most can ill afford.
Times are rough out there. No one else is will admit it, but let me tell you folks WE ARE IN A RECESSION. Don't believe me. Stats Canada two weeks ago came out with the bombshell survey results stating 60% of Canadians would be in dire financial straights if they missed one pay cheque. Let that settle it in for a moment.
Am I concerned? You bet I am. I think I will go for a walk!
November 22, 2010
The Liberals who themselves are in a state of disarray after the implosion from the resignation of Premier Gordon Campbell, must be rubbing their hands with glee.
Last week the NDP also faced a cross roads. Could CAROLE JAMES lead the party to success in the next Provincial election? Well if we are to believe the figures from the NDP emergency meeting on Saturday, the membership is 80% behind CAROLE JAMES. Really? Yet the sidebar to Saturday's gathering was the fact sitting MLA's in the NDP party do not share the same high percentage for approval rating. JAMES likely will not face a full leadership review until a year from now. Great, right on the eve of the next Provincial election they may or may not change leaders. If they do in fact face the obvious, which is, CAROLE JAMES who has lost two Provincial elections as the leader of the NDP is not capable of winning the election. So where is the rationale to elect a new leader on the eve of the Provincial election, leaving no time for them to establish and exhibit their leadership qualities.
I admit in my heart of hearts IF I HAD TO CHOOSE a particular political party based solely on their platform, it would probably be the NDP. In principle I support what the NDP used to stand for. My grandfather was an organizer for the CCF Party and Tommy Douglas in Saskatchewan. My father, "Uncle Joe" Chesney put his name forward as a candidate for the NDP and ran in Langley a Socred stronghold. He had his hat handed to him by BOB MCLELLAND.
God where are the new faces on the political scene? I keep hearing that politics can't attract great people. I don't buy that. I think the problem lies in attracting candidates that are committed to making the world a better place. Not in making their bank accounts better places. Ask yourself this. Where are all the NDP MLA's that suffered the scorched earth results when the Liberals swept to power. Where are they now? Are they back in the business world leading Fortune 500 companies? Not likely. Hell former NDP Premier GLEN CLARK was ill suited for any type of employment. A part time union organizer and some time bar tender hardly prepared him for the return to real life. I maintain someone dropped a dime and called in a favour to get him a job with the JIM PATTISON empire. How good would it look for a former Premier to literally be out of work?
The best PATTISON could come up with when questioned why such a capitalist would hire a devout left wing person to run anything in his company. PATTISON is on record as stating "Glen Clark deserves an opportunity to make a new life outside politics, and he's got a family to feed."
So here we are once again sucking it up, holding our noses and preparing to vote for the lesser of two or three evils. Is there another Trudeau type in the wings? Someone that can capture our imagination of a nation? Names from the past like GORDON WILSON and RITA JOHNSTON are rumoured to be considering pumping some like into something called the B.C. Conservative Party
Someday I hope to see a woman elected as Premier or Prime Minister in Canada. The "are they capable" seems Neanderthal to even debate.
But it certainly won't be CAROLE JAMES. Canada has had women twice lead political parties. (One at the Provincial level, RITA JOHNSON Premier of British Columbia (3 months) and KIM CAMPBELL Conservative Prime Minister (5 months). Neither was elected to that position, they both came by default.)
Time will tell, but I for one am getting tired of waiting!
November 08, 2010
Does anyone ever get fired anymore?
Does anyone have to pay the consequence for their actions. Let's take a look at a few recent news items that make my blood run cold.
First of all what do you think about the Provincial Liberals pouring a half a BILLION dollars into a retractable roof for BC Place? You would have to be living in a cave to have not heard our retractable roof does not retract in inclement weather. Pardon me? Someone please wipe the egg off their face, step up and take one for the team. Whoever signed off on this asinine expenditure should be fired. No stories. Tax dollars poured into a black hole. Tell a senior that is living from week to week on a meager income watching government services slashed time and time again impacting their very existence.
What about the construction company that decided to extend the road closure on HWY 99 the other morning to facilitate the paving of the "bus lane to nowhere." Commuters were backed up for miles cueing up for the one lane northbound into Vancouver. Was it because there was a threat of rain on Friday that caused the construction crew to say "What the heck, we're up and rolling now, let's get this thing finished?" Who knows? But again at the very least there should be a massive fine levied against this outfit, but again, WHO MADE THE DECISION? One would have to believe it was a foreman out on the Highway and not someone in an ivory tower. Should they have to walk the plank?
Is anyone at AIR CANADA in China going to have to wear the security breach that allowed the young male Asian traveler with some rubber mask of an old man board a flight out of Hong King? When I first heard the news I thought it happened this mid-week when the news broke. Nope it happened late last week ladies and gentlemen. It appears some agency was doing everything possible to keep this one under the radar. Trying to piece together what happened is very difficult. AIR CANADA reps claimed they had concerns but airport officials overruled their concerns. Never mind splitting hairs, who the hell was the final checkpoint that cleared a passenger supposedly with an AEROPLAN frequent travelers card and a boarding pass? Our minister of Public Safety VIC TOEWS when alerted to the latest breach of security seemed to brush the incident off as nothing out of the ordinary with the exception of the rubber mask. Statistics may support his stance. Over 10,000 illegal travelers arrive in Canada annually. 50% of the claimants are released from custody to await their fate.
Call me crazy, but again publicly humiliate this person and make an example of him. He should be on an airplane heading home as we speak. Those legal immigrants that wish to immigrate to Canada must be even more livid than I am.
Why should someone at AIR CANADA or the CANADIAN BORDER SERVICES be fired? Because the next time someone is thinking of sluffing off on their duty, they may stop for a moment and say "Whoa, wait a minute. I just thought of something. They made that guy that blew a half a billion on the roof, the clown on Highway 99 and that jackass at Air Canada walk the plank and suffer the public humiliation. Gee maybe I should take a little more care than I had planned on."
We're talking about serious mistakes here. Its not like you put a file in the wrong folder in a filing cabinet at work, bought the wrong kind of coffee for the lunchroom?
Today in Surrey Provincial court CAROL BERNER will appear for sentencing in the death of young ALEXA MIDDELAER who was struck down by CAROL BERNER as she fed horses on the side of the road in Delta. ALEXA'S parents think the rumoured 3-5 years in jail for BERNER is an insult. Sadly I hope they are bracing themselves for a sentence less than 3-5 years.
No one pays.
October 26, 2010
Basi/Virk WE THE SHEEPLE
I feel sick. With each passing day and new revelation about the BASI/VIRK trial I find myself getting angrier and angrier.
My God how stupid does the Provincial Government think we are. Obviously they credit us with very little intelligence and even less gumption to stand up and say "Enough is enough!"
Last week on the eve of former Finance Minister Gary Farrel Collins being called before the courts to answer questions on the sale of BC Rail, all of a sudden MSSRS. VIRK and BASI after clogging up the courts for no less than 7 years, had an epiphany and decided they would cop a guilty plea and collapse the trial. Shut it down, sweep it under the carpet and run for cover.
I don't care to go into the machinations of the trial itself, I am sure you have read the political spin over and over. No one in Victoria seems to be able to get their story straight, on who in fact signed off on the stinking deal. Initially the cost to the taxpayers for the trial was pegged at 6 million dollars. That quickly ballooned to $11 million dollars after we dutifully swallowed the $6 million dollar pill without much more than a whimper.
Those outside of the mainstream media who are not beholding to the government for advertising largesse have been screaming from the top of the mount. Mainstream media pundits have vacillated back and forth on the topic. Kid gloves would be an appropriate description for the easy ride that is being dished out by many well respected political scribes. One must remember all levels of Government, from civic to provincial to federal are the top advertisers for mainstream media. Let's face it if the White Rock Auto Mall was a big advertiser of a media outlet, do you think you would see any "Cars Are Bad" articles? Doubtful.
So they have hunkered down in Victoria and they are waiting out the male storm of discontent amongst the electorate. Campbell trots out a little cabinet shuffle to try to divert the media, he has an Address To The Province tomorrow evening. Some observers think CAMPBELL will step down as the leader. Presently the approval rating for the BC Liberals is hovering in single digits (9%). Don't bet on CAMPBELL stepping down.
You may be asking yourself, what the heck can I do? Well I'll tell you what you can do. You can send a letter, and email or make a personal visit to the offices of our local MLA'S Hogg, Falcon and Cadieux. These people were elected by you and I to represent us in Victoria. Their silence is sickening.
Do none of them have the intestinal fortitude to stand up and say "This Is So Wrong!" I am doubting it, but I will be pleasantly surprised. Surprised because you will probably read this and think, "Yeah someone should do something about that."
Let me give you a little piece advice my late father "Uncle Joe" passed along to me at a very young age. PUT UP OR SHUT UP! My father taught me if politicians get one letter, they toss it in the garbage, if they get 10 letters they create a file, if they get 100 letters they have a meeting. If they get a thousand letters, they do whatever they are told/asked. Don't believe me? Just give it a try. You can make a difference. One at a time we can do it.
If you're not prepared to PUT UP well then as UNCLE JOE used to say - SHUT UP!
Send GORDON HOGG a letter (CLICK HERE)
Send KEVIN FALCON a letter (CLICK HERE)
Send STEPHANIE CADIEUX a letter (CLICK HERE)
October 06, 2010
A month or so back a group of skateboarders, long boarders to be specific were up in arms the city of White Rock was enforcing a by-law that had been on the books for a number of years. The by-law specifically bans the operation of skateboards, long boards and in line roller blades in the most highly populated areas of uptown White Rock.
The group staged a ceremonious skate complete with a police escort from Bakerview Park in South Surrey to City Hall. Upon their arrival at City Hall Mayor Ferguson afforded them an audience to address their concerns. The boarders felt they were being unfairly targeted by the police and by-law officers. It was rumoured that some skateboards were actually seized by the authorities.
Mayor Ferguson listened to the delegation and then subsequently informed them they were free to appear before council as a delegation if they felt they could make a case to rescind the present by-law.
Mayor Ferguosn meets with media and boarders
Well stick a fork in those long/slate boarders, it is all over for them. This past weekend a boarder in Abbotsford was critically injured when struck by an SUV. The driver of the vehicle was arrested for possibly being impaired and eye witnesses claimed the boarder went right through a stop sign before colliding with the car. A couple of months back there was a horrifying accident when a young girl skateboarding down Mount Seymour Parkway had some difficulty and collided with a vehicle killing the young boarder instantly.
Locally last week tragedy struck really close to home. The mother of a good friend of mine, PAT L'ORANGE was knocked down by a boarder as she was walking to her home on Thrift. L'ORANGE was more than willing to praise the young boarder who stayed with her and followed the ambulance to the hospital where she was treated for broken bones. PAT is 90 years old folks. She had her legs torn out from underneath her and fell hard breaking her wrist in numerous places.
Anyone who has been uptown especially walking along Johnston Road south of Thrift all the way down to Buena Vista has witnessed skateboarders rocketing down the sidewalk. Oh they will tell you they can control their boards. Sure unless someone steps out from behind a car or steps out of a business and walks right into their path.
It's over boarders. Pack up and head for higher ground. No matter how remorseful the boarder who hit PAT LORANGE was, there is not a hope in hell the Mayor and Council are going to rescind the present by-law. As a matter of fact after this most recent incident look to see the by-law enforced with a heavier hand. Today I was uptown and two lon boarders roared by me on the sidewalk, both not wearing the mandatory safety helmet.
Stick a fork in them and point them to the skate park.
September 20, 2010
Today 10 White Rock fire fighters and their support crew will leave Hope on the final leg of their grueling 2 week bicycle tour of Canada.
On Tuesday August 31 the riders dipped the wheels of their road bikes into the Atlantic Ocean off of Halifax. It has been a steady grind since as the group faced the expected weather, health and automotive problems. But soldier on they did.
I have driven from Halifax to Vancouver. Making good time IN A CAR it can take 6 days, of very long driving days. Our fire fighters have done it in just 14 days. You have got to be rocking and rolling to be keeping up that kind of pace.
So today somewhere around 2 p.m. the cavalcade of the 10 riders and their support team will ride back into their hometown. I pray to God we give them a heroe's welcome.
This group of gentlemen have spread the good will and good name of White Rock from COAST2COAST. The very least we can do is go for a walk in the sunshine today and give them a wave, a two thumbs up or a salute as the returns home.
The goal of the ride over and above simply wanting to complete an almost insurmountable task, is to raise awareness and money for the good work VARIETY does. There will probably be a bucket or something at the big wrap up party at the parking lot by the museum today, or if you would like to make a donation in the name of the fire fighters – follow this link.
In the coming months we will be bringing you exciting news on another front from the White Rock Fire Hall. Very quietly and without a lot of fanfare a group at the local hall, located one of our heritage fire trucks and have been rebuilding it in their spare time. The truck is close to being completed and it will become a show piece for our city at numerous fairs, parades and community gatherings in the future.
There is a very popular television show these days way up on pay tv called SONS OF ANARCHY. The series is sort of what THE SOPRANOS was to organized crime, but this time it takes the viewer inside the world of an outlaw motorcycle gang. What struck me when I watched an episode of it, being a big fan from the beginning with THE SOPRANOS, was the "tribe mentality."
A very good book I read this year was called TRIBES by Seth Godin. We all want to be a member of a tribe, whether or not we are even aware of it. Joining a sports team, becoming a member of an organization, it is a time honoured tradition to gather. In early times it was necessary for survival.
Fire fighters are a TRIBE. They wear uniforms to inform us of their tribe. The congregate and travel in groups. Safety in numbers. Safety in a tribe.
You and I are also members of a tribe. We are the White Rock tribe. No other town in the Lower Mainland has the community spirit we possess. Oh we can, and I do bitch and complain about it at times, but it is here bubbling under the surface.
Privately we go on and on to people how wonderful it is to live and play in White Rock. Today between 2 & 3 p.m. – SAY IT LOUD, SAY IT PROUD.
Welcome home to all the riders and their team. You did us proud, SHORE2SHORE.
September 13, 2010
Years of gainful employment in the media has afforded me to witness first hand cetain people that have a way with the media. TERRY DAVID MULLIGAN famous for being famous, OZZY OSBOURNE reality television madman, BRUCE ALLEN the mouth that roared, and to that list I can now add Surrey Mayor DIANNE WATTS.
The media is in a frenzy lately to hang GORDON CAMPBELL from the tallest fruit baring HST tree. To make the story palatabliele and to breathe life into it, there must be a successor. The two names most commonly batted about are former cabinet minister CAROLE TAYLOR and Surrey Mayor DIANNE WATTS. Presnt day Health Minister KEVIN FALCON is thrown in to the mix just to avoid reverse sexism charges.
DIANNE WATTS draws the media like moths to a flame. My years of media manipulation also tells me there is a puppet master behind WATT'S curtain that has not, and may never step from the shadows. In the last 72 hours alone The Province newspaper has carried a front page story (Friday) on homelessness in Surrey and WATT'S battle to solve the problem at the local level. Tired of waiting for Victoria to offer up a solution the mayor of the second largest city in the province has become pro-active. Sunday's Province carried a long editorial on how WATTS is going to the mat to ensure her city receives its fair share of transit dollars.
This past week in an interview on CBC Radio when the question of whether or not she was going to seek the top job in Victoria, Watts evaded the question brilliantly by saying "I am really enjoying what I am doing right now." HUH?
That response can be spun a million different ways. It is not a denial or a confirmation on the actual question.
Even though The White Rock Sun and DON PITCAIRN may have been the first media outlet to actually go out on the end of the diving board and ask the question if in fact DIANNE WATTS was interested in throwing her hat in the ring, in the back of my mind I could see the scenario whereby WATTS might be a dark horse. But in the last 30 days as the heat to roast CAMPBELL has increased, the profile of WATTS has gone through the roof.
Conspiracy theorists can form at the right. The big question is could WATTS turn the fortune of the British Colubia Liberals around before the next election?
Certainly, if they get to it sooner than later. How that could roll out remains to be seen. First step is to get her elected and that would have to wait until the next election, unless one of the local MLA'S like KEVIN FALCON or GORDON HOGG were to step down and force a by-election. I can't see wither MLA doing that. So what the scenario could possibly be if it is being worked on for the time being is information that is only being shared in the backrooms by the spin doctors. They could wait until the next Provincial election in 3 years and run her in one of the ridings locally, take their lumps in the Provincial election and re-group with WATTS at the helm for the next Provincial election in 8 years.
That is a long time to be in waiting Mayor WATTS? Therein may be the problem.
September 8, 2010
If you live in or around White Rock for the past number of months at public events you have probably seen the White Rock fire fighters information tent. The fire fighters leave Halifax harbour today Wednesday September 8).
Over the next 14 days and nights a group of 10 fire fighters will cycle in relay from coast to coast. Now just stop to think about that for a moment. Halifax to Vancouver in just 14 days. I have made that drive and it can easily take 6 days in a car. I suppose given I have made that drive I can get a sense of the monumental task these fire fighters have taken on.
This past long weekend I drove with a friend out to Calgary for a wedding. I often found myself imagining during that drive what it would be like to cycle just through the Rockies.
The whole idea for the ride was hatched a couple of years ago when a couple fire fighters were sitting around the hall on an overnight shift. With the exception of a couple of the riders, none of the other fire fighters had ever ridden any long distance. Since the concept of the ride was hatched, the riders partaking in the SHORE2SHORE ride have trained extensively, made huge personal sacrifices and spent thousands of dollars out of their own pocket to purchase cycles with the help of the local cycle shop O'HAGANS PENINSULA CYCLES. In addition to financial considerations DAMIAN from PENINSULA CYCLES will also join in the ride.
TERRY FOX started the trend in Canada of coast to coast journeys to raise awareness and funds in 1980. STEVE FONYO who has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately did his cross Canada run in 1984/85. RICK HANSEN did his part when he completed his trip around the world in a wheel chair by crossing Canada.
Since then it seems like there is someone or some group that is crossing Canada to raise funds and awareness for personal reasons. In the case of the White Rock fire fighters two of their members have family members that have benefited by the generosity of VARIETY. The decision on who to raise funds for once the ride was set was an easy decision.
Our White Rock fire fighters this past year staged a very public information campaign when it appeared the Mayor and Council due to financial constraints were considering thoughts of merging the White Rock Fire Department with Surrey.
When I ran for a seat on White Rock Council in 2005 and again in 2008 the fire fighters were front and centre in having the candidates identified who would and who would not support White Rock the fire department maintaining autonomy. I went on record in both elections as stating any change in the fire services for White Rock was a matter for a referendum. I feel the same way today. Something as profound as a change like that to our emergency services should be a decision made by the electorate, not the elected.
I go for a ride now and then on my mountain bike. Give the topography of White Rock one normally encounters a hill at some point on a ride. Now I wouldn't for a moment try to spin the fact I am a health nut, but I do try to get my share of exercise through walking. A simple ride up Marine Drive to Crescent Beach reminds me constantly my mind may be writing schedules my body can't cash.
I am in awe of what our fire fighters have set out to accomplish. I look forward to their triumphant return to White Rock on September 22. Keep reading THE SUN to keep up on how the ride is going. We will also be your source for all the information on the "Welcome Home" ceremonies.
In the meantime if you feel compelled to make a donation you can simply
August 30, 2010
We are now half way into our second week of boiling our drinking water in White Rock. A sight inconvenience for most, perhaps a tad more dire for the restaurants in White Rock who are loading in ice cubes and buying drinking water at an alarming rate.
Funny how something that we all take/took for granted for so long can cause some people to enter into a state of hysteria.
Like the majority of White Rock residents I heard about the boil water advisory on the late news on Friday evening (11 p.m.) I immediately went to EPCOR'S and The City of White Rock's web site. Neither had any information posted. My day began the next morning around 5 a.m. as I tried to cobble together any information on the situation for the pages of The White Rock Sun. EPCOR and The City of White Rock still did not have any information on their site. It was not until somewhere between 7 & 8 a.m., that I noticed both the sites had been updated with information on the water problem.
To some this may seem strange. Not to me. As an internet pioneer I long ago stopped setting my hair on fire when confronted with an entire sector of our society in charge of matters like this do not put as high a level of importance on the internet as I do. Hell I started a paper because I believed it was the wave of the future.
By mid Saturday morning the downtown news media was in a flap. Camera crews and reporters were dispatched to the far reaches of Semiahmoo Bay. Then the monkey see monkey do syndrome kicked in. By Sunday evening the local media had fanned the flames of a minor news story into a full blown national disaster. All of the national newscasts Sunday evening carried the WHITE ROCK DISASTER? story at the top of their newscasts.
Like most of you I started to receive the emails and phone calls to see if I was alright. Did we have another Walkerton on our hands?
Unlike the water from the taps - the information from EPCOR was now flowing just fine. Media updates were being provided and the water provider for White Rock had kicked into gear to identify and rectify the problem as quickly as possible.
Could they and the City of White Rock done better. You bet they could have. But as the old saying goes, "Hindsight is 20/20." Thank goodness we got a warning that turned out to be not of the serious nature. I believe all parties involved including Fraser Health are heaving a huge sigh of relief, as they should be. Quite possibly we dodged a serious bullet here.
As we move forward I hope cooler heads prevail on a number of fronts. The three White Rock Councillors MCLEAN, MEYERS and SINCLAIR that ran to the media to express their concerns should be taken out back behind the proverbial woodshed in my humble opinion. I applaud their concerns if they are well intended. I castigate them if this is just political grandstanding at its worst. A behind closed door meeting of Council quite possibly may be warranted to answer questions the Councillors have. But broadcasting it from the top of the highest hill is reactionary at the very least.
The tribal drums in White Rock are pounding out loud and clear "CHLORINATE THE WATER!!!" Here too I hope all the stakeholders are able to step back and in the light of aftermath seriously weigh out our options as we move on.
The water system in White Rock dates back nearly a hundred years. We are one of the last cities/municipalities in the Lower Mainland that has a private water system.
Within the past year EPCOR circulated a questionairre with everyone's water bills asking how residents felt about adding chlorine to the White Rock water. I do not have the exact numbers but far and away they heard loud and clear there was no appetite to alter our beautiful natural water.
Has this recent situation changed the minds and swayed public opinion in White Rock? It is too early to tell at this point so lets just all sit back, take a big deep breath and seriously examine all the possibilities as we move forward. It has not yet been determined beyond a shadow of a doubt what caused the problem. Was it human error? A breakdown in the water system. Who knows. Certainly not any of the "let's set our hair on fire gang."
At the end of the day I tip my hat to EPCOR for erring on the safe side. As I said, "Could they have done better?" Probably. They're human. I will continue to think they did their very best until proven differently.
To the City of White Rock. Let's get a first alert system in place as soon as possible. Enter all the phone numbers and email addresses you can lay your hands on and develop a data base that is used ONLY in the case of an emergency. The future of our drinking water is just one element we should be concerned about. The other being the trainloads of hazardous material that is dragged by our front doors on a daily basis causes me more concern. If there were to be a toxic spill in the area the first notice we would receive at this point in time, is the sucking of the air out of our lungs as the hazardous cloud drifted up the hillside.
I hope there will be a full accounting of the situation once the problem is identified and solved. A town hall meeting is in order. After all this Council promised when elected two years ago they would ensure a more open and transparent governance of White Rock was about to unfold. Well since then I have not seen the promised Town Hall meetings. What I have seen is an unprecedented damn "In Camera" meetings.
We're waiting.
August 23, 2010
While conducting an interview with Councillor bon vivant HELEN FATHERS I asked her how she would describe White Rock. I thought it was a fairly easy question until I noticed her hesitation.
It is not as easy as you might think.
Here is how I would describe White Rock;
White Rock is a beautiful little town on the outskirts of Vancouver. Unlike most of the other urban sprawl stretching out from Vancouver, you have to be coming to White Rock to get here. It really is not on the road to anywhere. I think Ladner and Steveston have a similar feel due to their geographical locale. Though neither possesses quite as breathtaking scenery.
In the early morning hours I still hear the odd crab fisherman taking his traps out to the end of the pier. The clickety clack clickety clack of the little cart that carries the many traps perched precariously is a sound of White Rock I remember from my childhood.
The early morning smell of a still smouldering beach campfire takes me back to the days of a "mickey" of Canadian Club shoved down your cowboy boot standing around a campfire at 1,000 steps.
The roar of an outlaw motorcycle strangely enough gets the synapses going. Back in the 70's White Rock was home to one of the very few motorcycle gangs in the Lower Mainland. The Gypsy Wheelers later morphed into the Satan's Angels and then into one of the first chapters of the Hells Angels in Western Canada. The "gang" was a major part of the fiber of White Rock for years. I remember back in the 90's while living in Vancouver I was reading the morning Province newspaper one morning when I saw some headline to the effect; MLA attends Funeral with Hells Angels - White Rock. As my White Rock radar was always on high, I read the story with interest. Our then and still MLA Gordon Hogg had attending a funeral for a gentleman who had been associated with some of the member of the Hells Angels. His name was MERVYN MAYES and was an original Gypsy Wheeler. Hogg when confronted by the media outside the church, very succinctly told the reporters he was here to attend the funeral of a friend he had played Little League baseball with, gone to school with and attended Scouts as a child. He then told the media to look somewhere else. for a story, he was here to honour a friend's memory. Plain and simple a bond between two young men over rode political correctness. It probably wouldn't have happened elsewhere.
The White Rock Wave, which I have spoken before about, is one of my favourite descriptions of White Rock. We all do it. When crossing a street and a car stops to let us cross we all invariably in a variety of different ways acknowledge the drive. Usually with a polite little wave – the White Rock Wave.
Breakfast at the Five Corners Diner or the Roadhouse Grill. Comfort food and comfortable homey welcoming atmosphere. It doesn't get much better.
Lunch at Sugar & Spice uptown. A true haven for the seniors in our community. The owner of this lovely little soup and sandwich shop Helen, dotes and fawns on her customers. It truly is something to see. Most are greeted by their name.
The Whaling Wall on Johnston road is always a source of pride to take visitors to see and nonchalantly say "Oh yes, the whaling wall it is quite beautiful isn't it" like everyone has one in their city. Painted in the 70's thank goodness the location that was chosen was not in direct sunlight. Though it might be time for us to get a fund going to have the artist WYLAND jump on a plane and come back and touch it up a bit.
And finally in my description of WHITE ROCK I would have to say, the people. As I walk quite a bit to get around town, I meet a myriad of people that are more than willing to sit and talk about the past, the present or the future and maybe solve a few of the world problems while we are at it. Just g