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The Voice is first on the net with your Chilliwack news!
Tuesday April 8th is: All Is Ours Day
Tuesday April 8th is: All Is Ours Day
Monday February 8th is: Boy Scouts Day

Chilliwack Prices This Week
97.9 Esso - Yale Rd. Mon 8th
98.9 Chevron - Yale Rd. Sat 6th
Last Week
106.0 Chevron - Yale Rd. Thurs 4th
100.0 Petcan - Popkum Rd. Fri 5th
Cheapest
19.0 Venezuela, S. America
Today's Crude Oil Price
$71.64/bbl Up
$71.19/bbl yesterday
Courtesy of Bloomberg Energy
Local gas prices posted by us at:







December 2009
Real Estate Report Chilliwack

A Valley Voice Staff Report
The Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB) MLS report for December 2009.
Total residential real estate sales in Chilliwack during December this year were 141 which is way up from the 63 sold during the same time period last year.
Single Family Homes
CADREB reports that there were 79 single family detached homes sold in November which more than double the 32 that were sold during the same time period in 2008. Total current listings are 454 SFH's.
Town Homes
Town home sales have more than doubled this year over the same period last year. There were 38 town home sales in November 2009 compared to 21 in 2008. Currently in Chilliwack there are 164 listed for sale.
Mobile Homes
Mobile home sales are about the same this year as last in December with 5 being sold this month compared to 1 last year in December. There are 41 current listings which is down from the 56 which were listed last year.
Apartments
Apartment sales were up this year with 13 sold compared to 7 over the same time period in 2008. Total listings for sale in December were 179 which is down from the 303 listed last year in December.
Homes with Acreage
A total of 6 homes with acreage were sold in December this year compared to 2 sold last year in the same period. There are 90 total listings which is down from last year which had 101 listed in December 2008.
Total residential sales in Chilliwack for December 2009 was $43,243,552 way up from last year which saw $20,834,491 in sales during December 2008.
For more information visit their website: www.cadreb.ca



FVRD
Wood Stove Exchange Program
FVRD
Wood Stove Exchange Program

Exchange your old non-EPA certified wood burning stove or insert for a new EPA certified appliance including qualifying gas, pellet, electric and wood burning stoves and inserts and you could be eligible to receive a $250 rebate. Rebates are limited so act now.
For more information about the program or to find a participating retailer call 1-800-528-0061 or visit the website www.fvrd.bc.ca
You can also contact them by e-mail: skasprzak@fvrd.bc.ca
Citizens on Patrol
Volunteers Needed

Chilliwack Citizens On Patrol (CCOP) is looking for volunteers. CCOP assist the RCMP by patrolling the streets of Chilliwack on Friday and Saturday evenings, looking for suspicious activity or any situations that may require police or emergency personnel.
CCOP is non-confrontational and merely observes and reports. Volunteers must be 19 years and older and training is provided. Please contact the Community Policing Society at 604-393-3012 for more information or to volunteer.
Ad space available



Have You Checked Out The Chilliwack Museum Lately?

Winter Hours
Tour the museum and get in touch with Chilliwack's roots.
Mon to Fri 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Saturdays 11:00 am - 3:30 pm
45820 Spadina Ave.
604-795-5210

March 9th is Hope's Paralympics Torch Celebration Day
You can enter the draw to be a torchbearer www.yougottabehere.ca
Watch this space for Canada's Olympic medal count



Donate to Haiti Relief by Cell Phone
People who want to help Haitian earthquake survivors can do so on your cell via text:
• “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross in the U.S.
• “Haiti” to 45678 to donate $5 to the Salvation Army in Canada.
• "Help" to 1291 to donate $5 to Rogers' & Fido's relief fund (Canada only).
Donations show up as one-time charges on the contributor’s next cell phone bill. (Amounts are in U.S. dollars, and standard text-messaging fees apply.)
UPDATE: The government set aside $50 million in its dollar-for-dollar fund, but Harper said due to Canadians' "overwhelming generosity," the decision was made to remove the cap.
Job of the Week

NAPA is Hiring!
Executive Administrative Assistant - Langley
Hit The Road With Us
The selected candidate will assist the Regional Vice-President and direct
reports in all of the administrative tasks involved with the Division's
activities. This work also involves the production of important documents
concerning the Division's strategies and programs as well as support for
organizing events.
Those interested in applying are invited to apply online at
www.uapinc.com/careers
or by fax: 1(604) 881-1661
More details on this posting are here.
Voice Perspective Tuesday January 19th 2010
Vedder Viewpoints
Angling For Steelies
Clearer water and better weather brings out fishers
Craig Hill/Voice photo
Silhouetted fishermen angling for steelhead dot the bank of the Vedder River during Monday's long-awaited sunshine break.
Voice News Exclusive Thursday January 21st 2010
Safer Surfing

Hackers Attack Chilliwack Television Website
Google warns web visitors to stay away

Craig Hill/Voice photo.
Valley Television headquarters on Second Ave. in Chilliwack under fire from hackers.
Computer hackers are a nasty breed and you may or
may have not seen that Google flags websites which can damage your
computer's system and gives you an advisory screen; "Warning - visiting this
web site may harm your computer!" Included in the information on that page
is a link to a "Safe Browsing diagnostic page" for the particular website
you were going to look at.
Last week the Voice saw that Valley Television's website;
www.valleytelevision.com in
Chilliwack, was flagged as one of those malicious sites. We set out to find
out why the site which is linked to home on 46220 Second Ave., was
installing harmful code on unsuspecting web surfer's computers.
There was no answer at the door when the Voice investigated however
later in an e-mail, Wayne Price, owner of Valley Television and Virtual
Television Network, said that the website was attacked by hackers who
installed the code. "Was (an) attack some time ago but the code has been
removed," he said.
Price also said he was on holidays and that the site is in fact virus-free. He
plans on dealing with the problem soon. "I have to add a code from Google on
every page for (them) to spider the site to clear it." Google spiders every
week or two for their text and image listings but also look for malware and
malicious code.

Google image.
When your computer is infected with malicious software it is most often
installed without your knowledge or permission when you visit nefarious
websites, and can include programs that delete data, steal personal
information like passwords and credit card numbers, or alter your search
results and redirect you to yet more infectious sites.
Spiders are a form of search engine, and "spidering" a Web site lets the
user yank information from other Web sites into their own Web site. Anyone
can use a spider program. The user tells the spider what keywords to look
for, and it searches for them on the Internet. Then it pulls the related
information into their site, excluding the need to cut and paste. There are
e-mail, fax and data spiders.
Laws stateside are tough but seldom enforced. In America, a hacker can be
fined $50,000, jailed for a year and lose all their computer equipment. But
too many operate with impunity simply because the manpower needed to
enforce those laws isn't there. Many kids start early and learn how online
systems operate with easy access to programs like network scanners which
probe for open ports on computers and then they use the public as target
practice.
One can only speculate the reason why Obama wants everyone online in the
states to be on broadband, but it will make people who want to hack think
twice about it because with broadband connectivity the IP is static and
hacking attempts can be traced.
For more information on this topic visit
www.stopbadware.org
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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Voice Special Report Monday January 25th 2010
In The Spirit of the Games


It's Official, Let The Games
Begin!
Chilliwack raises Olympic flag and
Torch Relay spirit at City Hall ceremony
Craig Hill/Voice
Craig Hill/Voice photos
Torchbearers Cassie Cutajar (L), Indy, former Chilliwack City Councilor Dorothy Kostrzewa, and Angela Laws-Peel join Councilor Pat Clark and Mayor Sharon Gatez (R) Monday to raise the Olympic flag at City Hall.
et the games begin! Officially the games are underway in Chilliwack. Not
the Olympic Games, those begin February 12th, but the fun and games that will accompany the Torch Run as it makes it's way through town on February 7th.
In the spirit of the games and the run, City
Hall raised the official flag Monday as part of the buildup to the
planned celebrations. Also there to help in the flag ceremony Monday
were three torchbearers who's identities were kept under wraps by VANOC
until now. Every torchbearer is sworn to secrecy and former city
councilor Dorothy Kostrzewa kept her word. "They say it's in confidence
so even until today I didn't tell anyone," she said.
Three months ago Kostrzewa, was one of those selected to be a
torchbearer which came as a complete surprise. "I had no clue. All I got
was a letter saying you have been selected," she said.
Kostrzewa was the first Chinese-Canadian elected to Chilliwack council
in 1969 going on to serve in that position for the next 33-years. She'll
be carrying the flame for the section between Prest Rd. and Quarry Rd.
shortly after 1 pm.
Kostrzewa
almost declined to carry the torch because she has been having hip
problems and won't be going to any of the venues because she will be
preparing for hip replacement surgery also in February at the same time
the games are on.
Denis Joly and Sharon Peel attend to Indy Monday at City Hall.
"I was so reluctant to say yes when I got the letter because I had to
walk 300 meters from Prest Rd. to Quarry Rd.," she said. "Then they came
up with a brilliant idea, the staff did, to say why don't you ride a
motorbike with your ex-mayor (Clint Hames)? And that would have been
wonderful but it turned out that Mr. Hames has been producing a play
(Paper Wheat) and he has to be there. So the next best thing is Chuck
Stam. I love him. He was so excited."
Kostrzewa
will be riding with Councilor Stam. It's not clear if they will be
riding on a motorcycle or in a car.
"I'm really excited because at my age this is probably going to be the
last active event that I'll be doing," added Kostrzewa.
Coun. Clark raises the Olympic flag.
More on this story and photos
here.
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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Voice Views Thursday January 28th 2010
Island 22 Park
Fishing the Fraser
Going after the Great Whites
Staff report
Web photo of Sturgeon on Fraser
Craig Hill/Voice photo
Sport fishers load up their boat Wednesday at Island 22 before setting out after White Sturgeon on the Fraser River. The fish are classified as endangered and covered under the "catch and release" program. By law, any Sturgeon caught is to be returned to the river. For more information on Sturgeon visit: www.frasersturgeon.com
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Congratulations to 2009 Chilliwack Chamber Business Excellence Award Winners
Customer Service
Excellence
Merle’s Eatery
Established Business of the Year, Small The Bookman
New Business of the Year, Small
All Things Being Eco
Green Excellence, Grocery
Hofstede’s Country Barn
Agricultural Excellence Award
Dutch Heritage Greenhouse
Public Safety Excellence Tom McMahon
Professional Services Award
Stander & Company
Green Excellence, Retail
The Bookman
Employer of the Year Award
Langley Concrete Group
Employee of the Year Award
Nordina Newton
Entrepreneur of the Year - Archie Guvi
Development Excellence Award
Stó:lo Nation
Green Excellence, Industrial
IMW Industries
New Business of the Year, Large
89.5 The Hawk
Established Business of the Year, Large Stream International
Canada Inc.
Green Excellence, Corporate
Coast Chilliwack Hotel
Not for Profit Excellence Award Chilliwack Community Services
Manufacturing Award
Langley Concrete Group
Fine Dining Excellence - Bravo
Casual Dining Excellence - Evangeline’s
Business Citizen Award
Envision Yarrow Branch
Voice Special Report Thursday January 28th 2010
Business Development
Home Hardware Stays At Home
Local business remains true to it's roots
Craig Hill/Voice
Craig Hill/ Voice photos
Artists rendering of the new Home Hardware building on Mill Street.
Home Hardware has been at it's historical location
on Wellington Ave. for eons. Over 120-years to be more precise and now the retail
outlet is making a move to larger digs right behind at 9360 Mill Street
which used to house Sunrise Printing.
Business owner Robin Brunette spoke with the Voice about the
new project which was years in the planning. Good things come to those who
wait. Brunette began looking at the site 6-years ago when he bought the
business on Wellington Ave.
All he had to do was be patient and wait for a vacancy. Then when the opportunity arose, Brunette jumped on it. "I talked to the gentleman who owned this building then but it was full and he kept me in mind the whole time because he knows it's going to be a great thing for downtown," he said.
Because
the building is in the downtown's heritage zone, certain requirements are
needed to be met such as colour schemes, signage and lighting. It was a
struggle but in the end both City Hall and Brunette were able to agree on a
plan. "I had to bend, they had to bend, and we finally came to a median in
the middle," he said.
Robin Brunette talks about his new store Monday.
Moving the business wasn't an an easy choice to make because the store has
been there on Wellington for so long. "It's been a tough decision," said Brunette.
"That's been there since 1891, the hardware and tin store with 3200 sq. ft.
on 3 different levels."
Another major hardware store is planned for the Squiala lands and Brunette
had to consider that as well in his decision to stay or leave Chilliwack.
With everything on the table, Brunette realized this was the best location.
"Am I just going to pull my roots out of here, move to Hope where I live and
put a nice big shiny new store in Hope and not have as much competition? And
I thought, 'You know I'm the only hardware store this side of the tracks and
have been here for over 100-years, so I kept it here.'"
The
store on Wellington has no outdoor space to speak of but the new retail
outlet will give Brunette plenty of elbow room. "The floor space is 5000
square feet plus there will be a 600 sq. ft. garden centre out front under
the overhang enclosed with decorative wrought iron fencing. A big feature
will be the 18 dedicated parking stalls which makes it easier to find
The back of the building facing Victoria Ave. a space than on a cramped
Wellington Ave
The approval process wasn't without extra work when Brunette had to take
down the wrought iron fencing then have his permit approved and finally will
re-install it. "It was holding up my first one (application) so I pulled the
wrought iron off and made an amendment to the order," he said.
Home Hardware's corporate colours are white and red and so Brunette had to
work to please the corporation and City Hall. "I knew the town wouldn't
accept that (white and red) so I graded up close to one of their historical
colours and then I'm going to take all the pillars here on the outside and
I'm going to paint them all a different darker gray," he said.
When Brunette and his crew began the project they could see that it was
going to be a massive undertaking. To start with they even had to take out
the old Heidleberg printing presses before any work on the inside could
start. The whole building needed to be re-pointed and reset and then sealed
as nothing had been done to it for 60-years so the work he's doing to the
building goes a long way to helping preserving the city's heritage.
The high costs of the project have been worth it for Brunette. But he's not
dumping money into someone else's building. Presently he leases the building
but plans on buying half the company which owns the existing building and
land.
"It's been a lot of work and I wouldn't have spent all this money without
having something in here," he said pointing around the large room with the
freshly tiled floor. "I've done thousands of dollars of work here removing
the upper floor and painting the ducts."
Coun. Chuck Stam had high praise for Brunette. "It is a wonderful project
and congratulations to the land holder and the tenant," he said. "It's a
marked improvement in the downtown and also great to see stores expanding
their footprint and staying in the downtown."
March 1st is the scheduled opening for the new store but Brunette plans a
grand opening sometime in May after they get all the bugs worked out.
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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Voice Report Saturday January 30th 2010
New Park Portal
Hidden Gem Won't Be So Hidden Soon
Gwynne Vaughn upgrade aims to make park more accessible
Craig Hill/Voice Rendering of new gateway by parks
employee Richard Thornton.
Craig Hill/Voice photos
The secondary footpath entrance to Gwynne Vaughn Park at the corner of Hope River and Williams as it is now before a planned gateway entrance.
What has been described as Chilliwack's "most beautiful and unique park" is
getting a facelift, or at least an eyelid lift.
Anne McIntyre, President of the Gwynne Vaughn Society, made a presentation
to City Hall regarding how $15,600 in grant money they received from the
Chilliwack Foundation two weeks ago would be spent. "Fortunately we were
lucky to get the amount that we requested," said McIntyre.
The
main park entrance is off of Williams where a parking lot for 24 cars is
situated however there is a secondary one on Hope River Rd. and this is the
one which the society wants to spruce up.
McIntyre explained the park's "dreary" portal on Hope River Rd. looked more
like an entrance "a private garden" and that the money from the Foundation
will
Anne McIntyre has some laughs with Coun.
Chuck Stam at Monday's City Council meeting.
be going towards the construction
of an arbour-type of entrance which McIntyre feels would be would be a more
welcoming and dignified entranceway to the park. "We think it will invite
Chilliwack residents and also visitors to come and visit the park," she told
council on Monday.
"It's truly a 3P Project," quipped McIntyre. "It's public, public, public."
The project costs have been equally divided between the Foundtion money, the
Chilliwack Parks Department and the Gwynne Vaughn Park Society. The facelift
project should be finished May 31st.
Originally the park was formed in 1993 when Adelaide Bateman, more commonly known as Gwynnie Gwynne Vaughn, bequeathed her heritage house and farm of 6.8 acres to the City of Chilliwack. The park is steeped in history and the original Driscoll home has been restored by the Rotary Club.
Voice file photo.
For Anne McIntyre's full presentation at council go
here.
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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Voice City Hall Report Saturday January 30th 2010
Policing costs on the rise

Council Locks Horns With Solicitor General Over Increased Policing Costs
Cities want accountability as they scramble to pay
Craig Hill/Voice

April 2008 handout
Ex-Solicitor General John Van Dongen (L), Chair of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police, Chief Derek Egan and Mike Chadwick Deputy Chief pose beside graphic of participating police agencies in BC when PRIME-BC was first introduced.
Last Monday Chilliwack city council questioned the significant rate
increases in PRIME-BC (Police Records Information Management Environment), a
policing communications tool. Municipalities were taken by surprise when
letters went out from Solicitor General Kash Heed's office in September 2009
announcing the increases.
Chilliwack city council isn't happy because the rate increase throws a
wrench into their finely tuned 5-year budget. At Monday's meeting, a motion
was made to draft a letter to the Solicitor General expressing the city's
concerns however Coun. Huttema questioned the wisdom of sending a letter and
what good it would do.
Coun.
Chuck Stam asked if council could get more information as to why the
increases were needed. "I wonder if this council would be in favour of
moving this item as a referral to the Public Safety Committee. It appears
Maple Ridge municipal council had a presentation from PRIME-BC and I think
it would be helpful to hear directly from PRIME-BC to where the
costs come from," he said.
Mayor Sharon Gaetz spoke with the Voice prior to the council
meeting expressing concern about transparency in the process and a lack of
accountability or local representation on the board.
"We've been trying to impress upon the Solicitor General and the RCMP that
we do a budget 5-years at a time, you've got to give us heads-up," she said.
"There's no accounting why it has to go up that much. No one has said this
is what it costs or this is what training costs. We have nothing and just
received a letter saying it's doubling, so we've asked for a little more
accountability from the Solicitor General's office and from the RCMP."
City
hall is already working on a shoestring budget after a brutal year amid a
lot of denials for help from groups and agencies around Chilliwack. "We tell
them (PRIME-BC) that we're washing coffee filters at city hall," said Gaetz.
"The City of Chilliwack has not had to lay-off any employees, cut many
programs in the community, shut down libraries, close the leisure centre or
anything like that because of strong fiscal planning but when the government
downloads costs we have to look at all those things over again," said Gaetz.
"The message we want to take back to Solicitor-General Kash Heed is that it
may seem inconsequential in a provincial budget but in a local budget then
it can have dire consequences."
In the 1994 Commission after the Vancouver Stanley Cup Riots, Mr. Justice
Wally Oppal recommended the creation of a police communications and
information system for records and major case management.
So in 2003 PRIME-Corp was hired to create an online system that linked 13
independent police departments and 110 RCMP detachments around BC. The
PRIME-BC software is widely employed across North America and used for
general occurrence reports, major case management, document imaging,
integrated mug shots, officer scheduling, electronic workflow, arrest,
booking and court follow-up in formats shared by all police jurisdictions.
Originally, BC was the first province to bring in the paperless system with
no cost to municipalities, however $500 fees per officer started in 2007.
Since the beginning of this year, the money PRIME-BC collects from
Chilliwack was raised to $1000 per constable and when added up equals just
over $50,000 for Chilliwack to deal with. The increases came as a result of
enhancements to the system and additional training for people using it.
The 2010/2011 operating budget for PRIME-BC is $12 million and that funding
comes from three sources — $2 million from the federal government, $740,000
from the PRIMECorp Evergreen Program and $220,000 from the E-Com network and
helpdesk. The remaining $9 million is divvied up amongst BC municipalities
based on 9,000 police officers province-wide.
Additionally, the PRIMECorp Board of Directors are currently evaluating
future upgrades to the system including, Site Disaster Recovery, Server
Consolidation, Network Consolidation, and Two Factor Authentication which
could drive the levy charges up even further.
It's not known at this time if the increases will raise property taxes or what if any programs need to be cut or have diminished funding due to the new levy.
The Solicitor General's office did not respond to the Voice by
press time. For more on this see the latest City Council Report
here.
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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The Voice had 4000 visits in January. Thank you to our readers.
Voice Community Monday February 1st 2010
Sto:lo Youth Employment
Building a Healthy Future
Aboriginal Employment Career Fair attracts hundreds of kids
Craig Hill/Voice
Craig Hill/Voice photos
The Aboriginal Employment fair was packed with dozens of exhibitors and hundreds of fairgoers including the Abbotsford RCMP who were out in full force last Friday.
he Landing Sports Centre was humming with over 500 people Friday for
The Sto:lo Nation Community Development, Sto:lo Nation Youth Council and
Fraser Health who held their annual Aboriginal Employment & Career Fair at
the Landing Sports Centre.
The theme for this year was "Building a healthy future" and featured
employer booth exhibits, guest speakers, entertainment, food and prizes.
Samantha Kaji, Sto:lo Nation Manager for Community Development said the fair
is the highlight of the year for them. "This is the favourite thing that we
do all year," she said. "It's a great chance for the kids to come out and
talk to people and ask questions from folks that they might not encounter in
their daily lives."
One
of the programs Kaji oversees is the employment program which hosts this
annual event which targets aboriginal youth in the Fraser Valley from Grade
7 to 12.
There was mountains of information available to the kids and much of that
centers around meeting career training pre-requisites before graduating from
high school.
Justice Institute of BC Program Coordinator
Michelle
Finlay demonstrates CPR techniques at the fair.
"Invariably if somebody wants to be a nurse, they don't realize before they
graduate that they need to pickup their Biology and all those wonderful
classes while they're still in high school. said Kaji. "So we're trying to
help them prepare for their further education by asking some pertinent
questions and meeting folks in those fields now."
Larger than expected crowds showed up for the for the fair which had about
56 exhibitor booth from all parts of the Lower Mainland and Vancouver
Island.
Emcee
Jason Campbell who is also a Corrections Services of Canada employee and
local community member of the Seabird Island Band said they exceeded the 400
planned meals.
Samantha Kaji and Jason Campbell draw prizes Friday.
"My guess would be based on the amount of bags we gave out, which only the
students recieved, adult chaperones etc, we probably had close to 550 people
here today," said Campbell. "They're coming from all over the place, as far
as Langley, Surrey, Hope and Mission."
The career fair grows annually and Campbell thinks it's a vital part in
developing creative job search skills and a chance for the kids to learn
self-assurance when it comes to seeking employment.
"I think (the fair) been a success, its getting larger every year." said
Campbell. "It's important for the youth to know that employers are actively
seeking them and they can gain more confidence knowing that prospective
employers want to have them in their workforce."
For more on this story and to see the photo gallery go here.
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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Voice Community Monday February 1st 2010
"Fight Gone Bad"
Earthquake Hits Chilliwack RCMP Hard
CrossFit training workout helps Haiti Red Cross relief effort to the tune of $1200
Craig Hill/Voice
Joel Tobin/Crossfit photo
CrossFit members lift weights and exercise for
the Red Cross on Saturday.
The Haitian earthquake 3-weeks ago hit the local
Chilliwack RCMP particularly hard when officer Radzor Baptiste tragically
lost a brother, aunt and cousin in the catastrophe.
Cpl. Lea-Anne DUNLOP said the entire detachment was affected. "We have been
personally impacted by this, having a fellow officer suffer a great personal
loss," she said.
In response to the disaster, Chilliwack Community RCMP Constable Joel Tobin,
owner of CrossFit Chilliwack and several other officers that train there
wanted to do something to help.
"As a team we explored different options to help raise funds for the
relief," said Cst. Tobin. "It was decided that we would host a fundraiser
and get people to compete in a workout called 'Fight Gone Bad'".
CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning program designed to optimize
physical competence in each of the ten recognized fitness domains;
cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility,
power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy.
The group was aiming for 24 people to participate in the hastily arranged
event, but with only 19 determined individuals they still managed to raise
an astounding $1,200.00. All proceeds go to the Red Cross as per Cst.
Baptiste's wish.
"We were really fortunate for the generosity of those who attended and we
are hoping to raise money for other charities with more events like this one
in the Spring," said Cst. Tobin. "The workouts are very challenging and
dynamic and have been successful in the past to help raise funds."
Cst. Tobin was pleased with the turnout and grateful to everyone involved in
the effort for their dedication.
Joel Tobin/Crossfit photo
Participants in the CrossFit Haitian relief fundraiser Saturday at Promontory
Community Church Gym.
"A very big thank you to everyone who participated and helped us put the
event together. said Cst. Tobin. "We couldn't have done it without you and
it was so great to see those who participated work so hard for such a good
cause."
The final scores were the highest yet from Andrew Swartz of CrossFit
Vancouver for the highest men's score of 392 and to CrossFit Chilliwack's
very own Kerri Huck for the highest women's score of 308.
The fundraiser took place at Promontory Community Church who donated the
space, stage and sound system.
For more information on CrossFit training programs visit their website:
www.crossfitchilliwack.com
call 604-791-1299 or e-mail to:
crossfitchilliwack@hotmail.com
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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Voice Exclusive
Thursday February 4th 2010
Walk Around The World
"Walk For Memories" Promotes Fitness For Funds
Exercising for Alzheimer's
awareness Craig
Hill/Voice
Craig Hill/Voice photos.
Chilliwack Mayor sings the national anthem, "Oh Canada" at the Walk For Memories fundraiser Sunday while Cst. Boudreau salutes and a girl (back) stands at attention.
T
here was a trade-off Sunday for hundreds of Chilliwackians who walked,
rolled,
tumbled and limboed their way through the Alzheimer Society's 8th Annual
"Walk for Memories" at the Landing Sports Centre. That trade-off was an
opportunity to exercise for charity and it didn't matter whether your jaunt
was 5-steps or 5-kilometers.
Last year the event raised about $16,000 and the Society hopes to raise more
than $20,000 this year. At press time all the totals were not in yet, but
across the province the donations were over $500,000.00 and Chilliwack
matched last year.
Ron Angell, Chair for the the event and also
a retired RCMP, worked long hours volunteering and was the driving force for
the Walk along with Gail Johnson who is also retired and worked for 30 years
at city hall.
Investors Group Al Limbert, organizer and co-chair of the event, demonstrated
the cowboy two-step to some of the Fusion team members in a warm-up with
before the event started in the lobby.
"Part of what we're doing is to have a lot of fun with the people who are
out here for the walk and what we're going to try and do is get some of the
cheerleaders to lead the line dancing in the event," said Limbert. "So I was
teaching them something that they might be able to do, sort of to get some
excitement going as people are walking around the building."
Organizer Ana Macedo started things off by thanking the many volunteers,
including Chilliwack Senior Secondary students who helped setup and clean
the building.
Each
year the walk has a different "honouree" and this time it was Donald "Bruce"
Wilkinson. Honourees are selected by the Society as they become aware of a
particular family's struggle and battle with the disease.
The Wilkinson family poses for a group picture
at the Walk for Memories last Sunday.
Wilkinson, who was stricken by the disease in 2005, demonstrated he was
still going strong by dancing a couple of jigs before posing for photos with
thirteen other members of his family. Support from the family is important
to Wilkinson and all the generations in his family are aware of the illness
"especially the kids" who help him cope with the disease.
Donald's son, Brian Wilkinson, spoke on behalf of
the family. "My dad was diagnosed 5-years ago when he was 62 and one of the
most important things was early diagnosis and we got my dad on the
Alzheimer's medicine which gives my dad the ability to maintain a higher
quality of life and some real quality time with our family," he said. "My
niece Holly has done a program, the motto is 'A penny for your thoughts
could save theirs' and she went on a big penny drive and raised a whole
bunch of money for the cause."
Wilkinson told the Voice that the medication his father is on
is not the magic bullet they all hope for. "Its not a cure but it maintains
the sickness so the dementia part of it is not as bad," he said.
To Wilkinson, having family there for his dad is paramount. "He needs the
support and it's easier to understand what he's going through," said
Wilkinson. "In a day-to-day reality you need a lot of support, you need
family support to be there and that's what he has so he's lucky in that
way."
The Fusion Cheerleader group
piked, tucked and did hand springs on the blue square mats in the middle of
the auditorium floor and in front of a big symbolic "A" that was covered in
blue and white balloons.
Grade 4 Robertson Elementary School and Fusion team member Paige Van
Roy was excited about being there Saturday for some funambulist fun. "We're
going to put on a big show," said the 9-year-old who's been with Fusion for
the last two-years.
Paige Van Roy "Youth" level Fusion Cheerleader.
Jillian Armit, Support and
Education Coordinator for the Fraser Valley with the Chilliwack Alzheimer's
Society thanked the staff and volunteers at the event while addressing the
enthusiastic crowd.
"We all need each other if we're going to make a difference," she said.
"Currently 70,000 people in BC are living with dementia and if we don't do
something now by taking action with things like we're doing today then in
20-30-years there will be 180,000 people living with dementia."
For more on
this story and to see the gallery go
here.
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© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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Voice Local News Friday February 5th 2010
Five Corners Rally
Anti-Poverty Olympics Protest Highlights Homelessness in Chilliwack
"End poverty, its not a game "
Craig
Hill/Voice
Craig Hill/Voice photos
Anti-Poverty Olympics organizer Trish Garner took her campaign to Five Corners in Chilliwack Monday.
Speed, stamina and strength had nothing to do with the Anti-Poverty Olympics
that rolled into Chilliwack last Monday. Organizers were almost an hour late
after a vehicle breakdown en route to the protest which had already begun
without them at Five Corners.
Chilliwack's poverty rate is listed by StatsCan as having a 13.7 per cent
poverty rate and the protest was created to bring more awareness to
homelessness and poverty in BC.
SFU student Trish Garner, organizer for the Anti-Poverty Olympics, has been running
a campaign to bring awareness to poverty and homelessness in the Lower
Mainland. She is currently studying for her PhD., but has still found the
time to get the message out for 3-years running.
"This is the Poverty Olympics Torch Relay and Chilliwack is one of twenty
communities around BC
Teresa Stadnyk protesting Olympic spending taking part in the torch relay," said
while many in BC are homeless. Garner.
"The point is we want to raise awareness about the shocking levels of
poverty and homelessness around BC. Most people think that maybe its just an
issue that's located in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver," she said. "But
it's not and people around the province are suffering."
The small undaunted group of locals that showed up at the clock tower on time with their signage weren't deterred by the missing organizers and took the protest into their own hands.
Teresa Stadynk, who has lived in Chilliwack for the past 15-years, was there
after reading about the planned protest in print media. She was toting a
sign that read "I Need Affordable Housing Now". Stadynk, an unemployed
nurses aide, told the Voice that she wasn't getting enough hours in at work
and eventually found herself without a place to live. Currently she is
staying with friends.
Fraser Canyon Federal NDP riding Pres. Al
Ens at the rally on Monday.
Stadnyk is 100 per cent against the Olympics and was very vocal about the
lack of affordable housing in Chilliwack.
"We've got money to spend on the damn Olympics and yet BC is for the
6th-year we have the highest poverty rate in Canada and yet they've got
money to afford the Olympics here, Said Stadnyk. "Come on, give me a break,
this is bullshit."
"There are homeless people in Chilliwack and you know what? They're not
homeless by choice. They're homeless because we haven't got the rent money.
They give you $580/mo. on social services to live. Try and rent a place for
that."
The diminutive protest didn't run to script as a planned parade was nixed
however a hockey net with a photo of Premier Campbell on it called "Slapshots
for Poverty" was set up for people to shoot balls at. Their version of an
Olympic torch mounted on a medical gurney was also wheeled up to the
protest site.
British Columbia Schizophrenia Society member Myrtle Macdonald was at the
rally and has also been busy writing letters to Fraser Health trying to get
them to realize that it was wrong for their CEO, Dr. Nigel Murray to accept
a $30,000 bonus.
According to Macdonald, Murray's base salary is already "at least $350,000"
and she doesn't understand how he could take the bonus in one hand and
ruthlessly cut much-needed community programs with the other.
"There are 200 homeless in Chilliwack and probably half of
Myrtle Macdonald is upset about recent cutbacks
to programs for homeless people with mental illness.
them have a
mental illness that is untreated or poorly treated. The Schizophrenia
Society has had a cut-back of $4,700 for a public education program that we
run," said Mcdonald.
The cuts have reduced their capacity to be able to provide treatment to
people. "There aren't enough staff to treat them and you can't treat them if
they refuse," said Macdonald.
A homeless person with a mental illness can't be forced into treatment so in
that case there are outreach nurses who can work with them and Macdonald used
to work in the trenches as one in Montreal.
"I had 200 in my caseload and by visiting them in the places where they
lived, I was able to get them into treatment.
President of the NDP Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon Federal Riding, Al Ens, heard
about the protest via e-mail and spoke to the Voice at Five Corners.
"I thought it should be something I should come out and support," said Ens.
By and large Ens supports the Olympics but is unsupportive of the amount
being spent on the games.
"I think it's gotten far too corporatized and just the billions that are
being spent on it now. I'm not sure spending billions on the Olympics is
putting our priorities where they ought to be," he said. "The government
should be spending money on those that need it first and that isn't
necessarily the people involved in the Olympics ... the billion-dollar
security costs is a concern."
Anti-Poverty mascot Itchy the Bedbug also spoke to the Voice at the rally.
"We are here to spread the word that homelessness and poverty is a reality
across this rich province."
The torch, on the bed, will be pushed from Langley to Vancouver ending at
Alexander Street on February 7th between 1 pm and 3 pm.
At their opening ceremony they'll feature "The Poverty Anthem", the
unveiling of the torch and the mascot dance starring Itchy The Bedbug,
Creepy the Cockroach and Chewy the Rat.
They'll be running their own sport events like a hockey game with the Vanoc
Predators, the Broken Olympic Promises Slalom and the Housing Hurdles.
To see the entire gallery of photos go
here
![]()
- For information about the Poverty Olympics visit:
www.povertyolympics.ca
- A website created by and for the street community: www.homelessnation.org
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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Voice Letter To The Editor Friday February 5th 2010
FHA Under Fire
Fraser Health CEO Dr. Nigel Murray Slammed For Taking $30K Bonus
Hard times ahead for mentally ill in Chilliwack
Special to the Voice
Craig Hill/Voice photo
Myrtle Macdonald, 88, at the Anti-Poverty rally last Monday at Five Corners.
The Voice received the following letter from Myrtle Macdonald and we felt this was something that affects many in the community and we needed to share this with our readers. Subheads were not written by the Macdonald but inserted by the editor.
Chilliwack Supportive Housing Society
I have been a member of the BC Schizophrenia Society since 1989. Since 1990 I have been a family representative on local, regional and Provincial Mental Health Advisory Committees.
Twenty years ago some BCSS members formed the
Chilliwack Supportive Housing Society, Inc. First they built an apartment
block with 10 single and one double apartments. Then they decided that
single independent apartments scattered in the city would be much better for
the rehabilitation of mentally ill people. Once a year they bought one
single apartment. Now with 9, they are elderly and feel they lack energy to
buy more. They have 10 mortgages and the monitoring of upkeep and support of
20 individuals. The mortgages are paid by $375 from the disability pension
of each resident. Their handling of ongoing responsibilities is
praiseworthy. Fraser Health could do likewise and much more to raise the
dignity and confidence of the mentally ill.
Fraser Health Housing Plan
Some ten years ago I had a part in preparing the Fraser Health HOUSING PLAN.
Eventually it was accepted but not properly funded, so very little of it has
improved homelessness. Too much emphasis is going into building new group
homes. The emphasis should be on enough community mental health workers to
support Single Independent Living.
Outreach Nurses Help the Disenchanted
There are 200 homeless people in Chilliwack and the number is growing. About half have mental illness. Some resist treatment but I know from experience that a caring nurse who visits the consumer (mentally ill person or client) and his/her family can win their trust and get them into regular treatment. I did that work myself in Montreal for over three years. In all that time, only 6 of my 200+ clients had a relapse and had to be readmitted. The rate of relapse is much higher here, and that is unnecessary.
People
are mentally ill through no fault of their own, and through no fault of
their parents. Newer medications if skillfully monitored do wonders, but not
without programs to help them develop social and employment skills. There
are no programs in Chilliwack to help mentally ill people find employment
and to support them on the job or with job sharing. There have been a few
good programs in the past, but funds always ran out after 4 to 6 months.
That left them feeling defeated and without enough experience to hold a job.
Web photo
Most mentally ill people have above Fraser Health CEO Dr. Nigel Murray average intelligence, so want employment
that is superior to maintenance or packaging.
Services for the mentally ill have always been far from adequate. For the
few who are willing lifelong to get regular treatment by psychiatrists
supported by a treatment team, there are good results. However 95% of the
mentally ill are largely neglected. Community follow-up and after hours
service are largely lacking. There have been many suicides, usually evenings
and weekends when there is no one available to help at the Clubhouse,
Emergency or Mental Health Centre.
Fraser Health CEO Accepts Hefty Bonus
I heard the interview with Dr. Nigel Murray, CEO of Fraser Health, on CBC
radio Dec 21. He admitted to receiving a bonus of $30,000, but excused
himself for accepting it by saying "The Board decides my salary."
The cut backs should be made to administrators
not to the mentally ill. They do not need an annual salary over $300,000.
Many of us have to live on less than $30,000. Someone on a disability
pension gets $9500 which includes $375 per month for housing. No one can
find a decent apartment for that. A few mentally ill people also get a small
SIL (Single Independent Living) subsidy. If a new person is added, a former
recipient of SIL is dropped, even though their illness is lifelong. Without
a subsidy they cannot pay their rent so are evicted and become homeless or
double up with others in overcrowded hovels. The amount ought to be at least
doubled for twice as many people or more. Many cannot get help from their
family because they are out of touch or have parents who are elderly and on
low fixed incomes, less then $25,000 a year.
Travel Costs
Paid Don't Reflect Actual Cost To
Caregivers
Fraser Health Authorities consists of Fraser East, Fraser North and Fraser
South, including 14 communities. There are 5 communities in Fraser East
alone: Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Agassiz and Hope, with a population
of about 300,000. Fraser Health workshops and advisory committees (WRAP, R &
R, Consumer and Family and funding plans, etc., etc.) are held in Surrey, at
Fraser Health headquarters. Fraser East is allowed two representatives, a
consumer from Chilliwack and one family member from Abbotsford. Because of
cut backs in travel from $0.48 per km to a flat rate of $30, for round trips
of 150 to 250 km, highway congestion and the time required to travel,
attendance is poor. Fraser East families and consumers are rarely heard.
Fraser Health's Skewed Services
The hierarchy never meet the 700 or more
mentally ill people from Chilliwack. Family and consumer representatives
from Fraser South and North are strangers, so do not understand the needs of
Fraser East. Rise up and protest skewed services in favor of Metro
Vancouver.
Fraser Health Authorities should be divided into three independent Health
Authorities, reporting directly to the Ministry of Health. Fraser South,
North and East each have sufficient leadership and do not need supervision,
especially not by people who are not currently in direct care. Peer
supervision is more effective and transparent. CLOSER TO HOME is better.
Thus several layers of the health care hierarchy could be eliminated, thus
saving a vast amount of money. The 12 Vice-Presidents and their many admin
assistants and experts, should be transferred either to the Health Ministry
or to direct care. If they are social workers or nurses, they should all
have a case load of mentally ill consumers (clients). Without ongoing
practice they get out of touch with reality. In the ivory tower they keep
asking for surveys and revision of plans and updating of this and that. Why
waste time reinventing the wheel?
Treatment Options Are Myopic
I had a part in preparing BEST PRACTICES 10 or
15 years ago. Although they are still up-to-date, they have never been
properly implemented because of chronic shortages of staff engaged in
rehabilitation. The staff have stayed mainly behind their desks, just 9 to 5
five days a week. Supervisors with other backgrounds might be suitable to
implement vocational or recreational treatment.
Few family doctors are familiar with the resources available for
rehabilitation. Every mentally ill person should be referred to the
clubhouse and to Mental Health Centre. They should have a treatment team of
case manager, peer support worker, community support worker and a family
member. Family members should be referred to the Chilliwack Branch BC
Schizophrenia Society for help in accessing programs and coping, while their
loved one is being slowly diagnosed and monitored for effective treatment.
Fraser Health Program Cutbacks
Some of our members lead the Partnership Public
Education Program, in which a panel of consumers and family members tell
about their experiences with mental illness. They do so in high schools,
colleges, service clubs, police and church groups, etc. Our Fraser Health
funding will end after March 31st. We lack funds to teach the twelve session
course Strengthening Families Together. In Abbotsford BCSS, Fraser Health
have stopped funding this program for families, and the 14 session Bridges
course for consumers.
Fraser Health has also eliminated funding for non-profit workshops that
train consumers in woodworking, photography, sewing, comedy, etc.
Decommissioned Detox Services
Our effective DETOX centre in Chilliwack General Hospital is being closed,
based on a mistaken interpretation of statistics. There was always a waiting
list. Patients needing detoxification are told to go to Surrey. They should
be given a bus ticket and capable companion to get them there. After that
they need a support program reaching into their homes - long term. About
half of the mentally ill have dual diagnosis of drug abuse. There are about
700 people with schizophrenia in Chilliwack (1:100 of the population) There
about triple that with bipolar and severe debilitating depression.
I urge everyone to protest the cutbacks to mental health, the dysfunctional
huge size of Fraser Health, the high number of rungs in the Fraser Health
bureaucracy and the high salaries.
Every administrator should get out from behind his or her desk to implement
BEST PRACTICES and: live simply so that the underemployed, undertreated and
homeless may simply live.
Health Care Worker Overtime Is A Pay
Racket
Another serious waste of money in all of health care, is the payment of
overtime, time and half, double and even triple. The unions cannot stop this
racket. Only government can. Meanwhile casual staff get so little total pay
per annum, that there is labor unrest. Enough professionals and
paraprofessionals should be hired for work around the clock. Job
descriptions can include extra duties for slack times.
Myrtle Macdonald, Chilliwack
BC Schizophrenia Society
- The BC Schizophrenia Society meets at Chilliwack Middle School library at
7:30 pm on the first Tuesday of every month. For information call Myrtle
604-795-6390 or by e-mail to: schmac@shaw.ca
- A website created by and for the street community:
www.homelessnation.org
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
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Pathway To Hope Celebration

The Fraser Valley Brain Injury Association is looking for donations of new items for the Silent Auction at their Pathway To Hope Celebration on March 27th at the Northview Golf & Country Club in Surrey.
For more info call: 604-557-1913 or e-mail: info@fvbia.org
The Joe Report February 6th 2009
Ready, Set & Almost Go!
Chilliwack ready on eve of torch run
Joe Reporter/Voice photos
The Mitchell family wear tee shirts designed by son Myles at City Hall Friday. They are standing in front of a panoramic City of Chilliwack sign which will be on the "Colossus" stage Sunday for the lighting of the cauldron.
Chilliwack is buzzing and has the pre-torch jitters. VANOC's Olympic people
were cruising through Chilliwack today affixing the round orange markers
along the route torchbearers will run, walk and ride on.
Myles Mitchell was chosen Chilliwack's community torchbearer to light the
cauldron at Prospera Centre Sunday was also at City Hall for the media
briefing Friday. Both he and his parents were excited to be a part of the
once-in-a-lifetime event and they all were wearing Myles' Olympic-themed tee
shirts that he designed for his tee shirt graphic design business.
Mitchell
graduated from Sardis Senior Secondary and later attended UCFV where he
studied historical theatre and before deciding to start his own business
designing tees.
There will be a free shuttle service running every fifteen minutes from 11
am to 6 pm (every five minutes in the peak period) between Chilliwack
Heritage Park and the Landing Orange
circles mark the torchbearer's routes
Leisure Centre. Expect some around Chilliwack like this one on Hodgins Ave.
traffic delays in Rosedale and
through the downtown corridor as the torch and the Olympic vehicles makes
its way to the Landing.
Following the lighting of the torch, everyone is invited to attend the 2010
Chilliwack Winter Party which runs until 5 pm. Swimming and skating are free
at the Leisure Centre and Landing Sports Centre. Activities including face
painting, children’s entertainment, crafts, bounce houses and complimentary
coffee and hot chocolate while quantities last.
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
Joe Reporter









Voice Views Saturday January 23rd 2010
Salish Park Downtown
Getting Their Ducks In A Row
Waddle they do without caring people?
Staff report
Craig Hill/Voice photos
A youngster finds a tidbit to feed the ducks and geese downtown at Salish Park Wednesday during the warm spell last week which saw temperatures rise to 16°c. Above photo: A senior couple were also busy feeding the birds on the opposite side of the pond.
© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
Voice Local News Sunday February 7th 2010
Interactive Community
The Science Of Having Fun
Show a huge hit as Chilliwack kids pack Evergreen Hall to the rafters
Craig Hill/Voice

Craig Hill/Voice photos
Evergreen Hall was packed to the rafters for Science World on Saturday.
cience World promised that it was going to be a really big show Saturday
but underestimated the size of the crowd because it was standing room only
as over 700 kids crammed Evergreen Hall for the traveling science exhibit
which featured live shows and 16 interactive science booths.
When Science World agreed to let Russia's 2014 Winter Olympics organizers
use their dome during Vancouver's games, staff came up with the idea of
taking the show on the road.
In some BC cities, getting the crowds out to the show is sometimes a problem
and they've actually delayed the start of some so they can muster more
people. But that wasn't the case in Chilliwack on Saturday.
Pauline Finn, Vice President, Community Engagement, said the city as a whole
helped spread the word of the event which astounded organizers with the
sheer numbers of kids that showed up at the fair.
"We've never had this many people for an opening ceremony." said Finn. "This
is probably the busiest to date and we've been doing
School teacher Pauline Finn engages kids
in science.
it for almost 5-years."
Many kids don't have the opportunity to travel to Vancouver and so they
moved the mountain to the kids. By packing up and leaving their False Creek
digs, Science World freed up more money and had more options regarding
getting the show out to remote BC communities.
"I have access to more resources right now because we're not operating as a
facility so we're doing more outreach," said Finn.
The fair is part of a project sponsored by the Ministry of Education called
"A Program for Awareness and Learning in Science" during which time, every
elementary school student has the opportunity to go to Science World every
year for free. The program is nearing the end of it's 5-year run which
basically acted as a tool to get kids more interested in the sciences.
"We want to decrease the barriers and get more kids turned on to science and
we have that when we have outreach," she said.
Finn's job traveling with Science World is better than the Olympic Torch
Relay crew's job because hers is year-round as opposed to the 4-months that VANOC people are on the road. To say she loves the job is a bit of an
understatement.
"I love it, it's the best. I'm a teacher and I've got a science background
but honestly I didn't know this job existed," she gushed.
The Williams family from Squiala Nation opened the
ceremony with a traditional blessing.
Members of the Williams family from the Squiala Nation were on hand to sing,
drum and give a traditional blessing to the ceremony.
"It's an honour for us so that they can hear the heartbeat of the people and
that's what we're teaching our group," one of the brothers told the
Voice. "We're trying to teach the younger ones to do the same as we
do."
BC Hydro Community Outreach rep, Brandon Young, was demonstrating elements
of the "Power Smart" program which quizzed kids knowledge about
energy-saving techniques and then ran them through a gauntlet of light
switches to turn off and plug-ins to unplug.
BC Hydro Community Outreach rep Brandon Young.
"We go to community events and show kids how to conserve energy," he said.
Last year BC Hydro added a Facebook application for customers that want to
try and reduce their monthly bill by committing to energy savings.
"Right now we have a program that's online which allows customers to make a
pledge and they can track their usage online every month and see how much
they are saving," said Young.
The application asks B.C. customers to commit to reducing their energy use
by 10% over the next year, and it allows you to pledge your savings to your
favourite 2010 Winter Games sport – ice hockey, freestyle skiing, curling,
and more. BC Hydro Power Smart's goal is to have 210,000 British Columbians
signed up for Team Power Smart by the time the Games begin. After selecting
a sport, you can check back each day to take a daily conservation challenge.
Each challenge is worth points that can take you up through the medal
standings, from Participant to Gold.
There's still time to try it out at
www.bchydro.com
For more information about Science World programs and community initiatives
visit their website:
www.scienceworld.ca
For the entire photo gallery go
here.
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© Copyright (c) The Valley Voice
![]()

New To Chilliwack?

Welcome Wagon
Call Carol
604-858-4662
Businesses welcome also!
There's No Angels
Like Snow Angels

For more info contact Lynda Hayden at the Chilliwack & District Seniors Resource Society at 604-793-9979 or lhayden@shawbiz.ca.
Mother's Against Drunk Drivers Fraser Valley Chapter
Volunteers Needed For Chilliwack

Committed to stop impaired driving and support victims of this crime.
For more information visit the website:
![]()
* Blood donor clinic today at Central Community Church 46100 Chwk Central 2 pm to 7 pm
* Ex-Border guard Bob Klassen is at the library reading his Book "I Do Declare" 2 pm
* The monopoly vote is done. No news yet on the board game winners.
More info and things to do in Extra! Extra! below



The Voice On The Hill

The Voice is pleased to have MP for East Van Libby Davies giving us reports regarding her work on issues in Ottawa and Vancouver. Anyone who has met Libby and seen her in action over the years can attest to the fact that when she talks ... people listen.
This Week: February 1st
Conservative's so-called "Crime Agenda"
Libby speaking out against Conservative's so-called "crime agenda"
Justice Minister Nicholson pushes crime bill he used to be against Federal
Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, who is pushing the government's tough on
crime agenda and plans to revive the bill on mandatory minimum sentences for
drug crimes in the next Parliamentary session, did not support the proposed
law when he was a Mulroney backbencher. In 1988, Mr. Nicholson vice-chaired
a Parliamentary committee that released a report recommending mandatory
minimum sentences not be used, except in the case of repeat violent sexual
offenders. The committee found, based on testimony and the U.S. experience,
that the law didn't work and increases prison populations....NDP MP Libby
Davies (Vancouver East, B.C.), whose party voted against Bill C-15, said Mr.
Nicholson's zest for introducing mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes
is purely political.
This Week: February 1st
Marijuana The Nature of Things, Downside of the High
Submitted by Anonymous on Monday Feb 1.
I would suggest that Ms Davies watch the program online at cbc.ca, TV,
online video called The Downside of the High.
Marijuana of today has been manipulated to have a higher THC content between
18 and 28 per cent. Studies over 15 years in three countries including BC,
Canada, Switzerland and Amsterdam, Holland all replicate the same or similar
findings and proof of schizophrenia and psychosis, or psychotic outbursts
and violence causing harm. I as a mother of two, who do not use marijuana
ever, it just plain stinks and it is smoking, well I am shocked that Ms
Davies has no idea what THC in increased amounts can do to a human.
Narcotics are considering changing THC to a stronger form of drug group.
I think people in BC
are basically nuts to allow any marijuana. It looks like I am right. For
this reason Ms Davies, I will not vote NDP, you need to take a serious look
at the drug situation created by BC. Do you think the USA is going to be
fond of stupid Canadians who seem to have to drug their friends just for the
almighty dollar that you are not even taxing. So if drug dealers are not
being taxed make them go to their own Hospitals and pay for their rehab etc.
If you support even one marijuana plant you are nuts and the rest of the
world will look at you and laugh. Get with the program and get rid of all
Marijuana. Smoke causes cancer, marijuana smoke is smoke and is 18 to 29
percent THC also laced with chemicals as bug spray, cocaine, heroin and
opium. Wake up or your young people will be dumb schitzo's. I would not hire
any marijuana smoker's ever, not in my whole life. People in BC head the
stupidest, most uninformed group on the planet. Marijuana SUCKS, you smoke
it.
And do not come near my children or family with your stinky disgusting low
life pot.
Mary
More from Libby here
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Hockey Night In Chilliwack
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Chilliwack Bruins
Scoreboard
Wins Games
24 56
Next home game
Sat Feb 13th vs. Giants - 7 pm
Ticket info call 604-792-GOAL
Buy an Ad!
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Let Chilliwack know about it!
Monday
February 8th 2010
Current Weather
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5°c
Chwk/Vedder River Level
Today 1:30 am - 1m
Yesterday - .99m
A Final Word
One or Two Pages Si Vous Plait!
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Our Readers Write
Do you have a voice and want it heard?
"Voice" your opinion with us!
December 17th 2009
Humor Spot
Dear Ed
A man died and went
to Heaven. As he stood in front of the Pearly Gates, he saw a huge wall of
clocks behind St Peter. He asked, 'What are all those clocks?' St. Peter
answered, 'Those are Lie-Clocks. Everyone on earth has a Lie-Clock. Every
time you lie the hands on your clock move.'
'Oh', said the man.. 'Whose clock is that?'
'That's Mother Teresa's', replied St. Peter. 'The hands have never moved,
indicating that she never told a lie.' 'Incredible', said the man.
'And whose clock is that one?' St. Peter responded, 'That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have moved twice, telling us that Abraham told only two lies in his entire life.'
'Where's Gordon Campbell's clock?' asked the man. 'Campbell's clock is in
Jesus' office. He's using it as a ceiling fan.'
Courtesy of Rafe
Mair
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Independent Community News, Commentary & Events

January
24th 2010
ICBC's Top Five Tips To An Enjoyable And Safe 2010 Winter Games On The Roads
Article courtesy of www.icbc.com Web archive photos.
Show the world what good hosts British Columbians are.
With more than 250,000 visitors expected in the Lower Mainland and Whistler
for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games, our roads will
be busier than ever with extra passenger and commercial vehicles, taxis,
buses and pedestrians.
While ICBC is well prepared to deal with the anticipated increase in claims
in February, there are some important things to keep in mind. Here are
ICBC's top five tips for having a safe and enjoyable 2010 Winter Games
experience:
1.
Be a good host: An increase in visitors will mean more motorists that
are unfamiliar with B.C.'s roads. This is our chance to be good hosts and
display smart driving skills to visitors by slowing down and keeping our
distance from other vehicles – drivers and pedestrians unfamiliar with our
roads may need a bit more space. If you are unfortunate enough to be
involved in a crash and the other person involved is not insured by ICBC, it
is important that you record as much information as possible to help your
claim go smoothly. Get the license plate of any other vehicles involved,
along with the driver's address and phone numbers (including their temporary
contact details while in B.C.), email address and, most importantly, the
name of their insurance company and their policy number. ICBC's At the scene
of a crash claims card can help you recall the pertinent information you'll
need. The cards are available from Autoplan brokers, ICBC claims centres or
can be downloaded from the website.
2.
Be a role model: As of January 1, it is now illegal in B.C. for drivers
to use hand-held cellphones and other hand-held communications and
entertainment devices – including BlackBerry devices, PDAs, iPods or manual
programmable GPS systems. The goal of the new law is to make our roads safer
for everyone and we all play an important role in that. The focus for
January has been public awareness but, as of February 1, police will start
issuing tickets of $167 and there is also the potential to receive demerit
points on your driving record. So now's the time to start letting calls go
to your voicemail, ask a passenger to take your calls while driving or to
invest in a hands-free device.
3.
Commute creatively: For anyone living in the downtown core of Vancouver,
road closures, significantly reduced on-street parking and tens of thousands
of more pedestrians are going to be a reality that will make driving more
challenging. Given that, now is the ideal time to look at alternative
transportation options for getting about or for your daily commute to work
during the 2010 Winter Games. There will be many public transportation
choices, or consider cycling to work, tele-working or changing your work
hours to avoid the Games-time peak travel times in downtown Vancouver of 7
to 9 a.m. and 2 to 7 p.m. All of this will help the overall goal of reducing
traffic during the 2010 Winter Games by at least 30 per cent. To plan your
commute visit travelsmart2010.ca and the City of Vancouver's website at:
www.olympichostcity.vancouver.ca
4.
Drive smart: If you are going to be driving during Games time then
ensure you and your vehicle are adequately prepared. Every January and
February in B.C means mixed weather conditions – heavy rain, sleet, fog, and
snow – and a high number of crashes – a total of 45,000 on B.C. roads during
those months in 2008. Prepare your vehicle for a range of conditions and
make sure you plan your trip ahead of time. A great resource in planning
your journey is www.drivebc.ca
which will advise you of delays, and possible road and highway closures.
5.
Party safely: The 2010 Winter Games will be a party the likes of which
we have never seen before, but it's important that we all have a good time
responsibly. Help make these the safest Winter Games ever by providing your
guests with a safe ride home – encourage the use of transit, designated
drivers and have taxi numbers on hand. It's also possible to have a lot of
fun without alcohol – a hot apple cider, a smooth and creamy Kootenay Koffee
or a tart and tingling Lemon Fizz are fun and easy-to-make mocktails treats.
For these quick and simple recipes go to
www.icbc.com
For many more tips on how to enjoy a safe 2010 Winter Games on the road,
visit
www.icbc.com/on_road_2010

AP photo of The Who at Superbowl Sunday.
Snippets by AP writer Jennifer Kay.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Pete Townshend is used to playing in front of stadiums filled with rabid fans who know every note of The Who's songs. He didn't get that at the band's Super Bowl halftime performance, but he's OK with that too. Townshend and bandmate Roger Daltrey performed a medley of some of their most famous songs on entertainment's biggest stage Sunday, including "Won't Get Fooled Again" during a 12-minute set that included a laser-lit stage and plenty of fireworks. It was the first football game Townshend and Daltrey, both Brits, ever saw (Daltrey went after his performance to watch the game, which the New Orleans Saints won over the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17). Townshend said he was awed by the spectacle, and the sheer work of putting together the event. "It's extraordinary," said Townshend.

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Chilliwack
Events
Listed below are current events in Chilliwack. Many are free and low-cost for you and your family to enjoy and participate in. Our budget at the Voice is a small one and we can't afford to attend all events however if you would like coverage for your event please e-mail us to make press pass arrangements. thevalleyvoice@shaw.ca
Complete events page
here
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February 8th Monday to Saturday 13th

There will be free screening at Twin Rinks on Tyson.
Call to book appointment: 604-877-6187 or 1-800-663-9203
February 8th Monday - 7 pm to 8:30 pm
Are
you an adult wanting to learn and practice speaking English? Would you like to
meet new friends in the community? Chilliwack Library in partnership with
Chilliwack Community Services 604-393-3251 is hosting the free Conversation
Circle. Formore information contact: Natalie Fouquette 604-792-1941 or visit
their website: www.fvrl.bc.ca
February 8th Monday - 2 pm to 3:30 pm

Bob Klassen author of "I Do Declare" will be at the Chilliwack Public Library for a reading from his book about his 35-year career as a border guard at the Huntingdon Crossing.
February 8th Monday - 2 pm to 7:30 pm

There will be a blood donor clinic at Central Community Church, 46100 Chilliwack Central Rd. They will give you a "Vancouver 2010" Olympic commemorative pin for your efforts.
February 10th Wednesday - 7:30 pm
The
public and members are invited to the Chilliwack Garden Club meeting
at the Cook's Presbyterian Church on Young St. Their speakers for
this month are the owners of Headland Plants. They currently grow
over 80 different species of herbs so this will be an interesting
program about herbs.
February 10th Wednesday - Day trip
Take
the trip to the garden show in Seattle and dress
warm!
For more info contact Lynda. lhayden@shawbiz.ca
February 10th Wednesday - 1 to 3 pm
Early
Memory Loss Group session. In the Minto Room at the
Evergreen Hall. Audrey, Dorothy and Jillian will be
group leaders.
February 10th Wed - 7:30 pm to 10 pm
Program
Night: Studio Photography Workshop
Indoor workshop. Please bring interesting, suitable
props, backgrounds and lights. Meeting dates: Twice a month on the 2nd and 4th
Wednesday. Time: 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm. Location: Minto Room - Evergreen Hall Address: 9291 Corbould Street Spadina &
Corbould. For more information visit their website:
www.chilliwackcameraclub.com
February 11th Thursday - 5 to 8:30 pm
Free
pizza, Werewolves, and treats? You know the pre-Valentine's Day games night is
going to be awesome! Drop in to the Chilliwack Library and enjoy free Panago
Pizza, pop and all the board games you can handle! No registration required.
For more information call Susan 604-793-7238 or visit their website:
www.fvrl.bc.ca
To find out more about these events in the most comprehensive events listings page in Chilliwack go here.
Check
out Canada's most famous astrologist Georgia
Nicols MA.
who writes the finest forecasts in your stellar news.
Why be a moon when you can be a star with Georgia's horoscopes! She is known all over the world for her intelligent, poignant and humorous horoscopes. The Voice is very fortunate to have her here in Chilliwack with us.
This Week
February 7th to February 14th
All Signs:
The New Moon on Saturday the 13th ushers in the Year of the Tiger, and we can prepare for this! Each month, the New Moon gives us a chance to make new resolutions. Why bother? Well, I say, grab every chance to improve your life by focusing on the very area where you can make positive changes? (Like duh?) ...
Your weekly horoscope
The Stellar Voice
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Made in
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Canada
Made in
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Canada
Today In History
February 8th 2010
The 39th day of the year
There are 326 days left in the year
1587
Mary, Queen of Scots, was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in England after
she was implicated in a plot to murder her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
1693
A charter was granted for the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg,
Va.
1837
The Senate selected Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky as vice president
after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes.
1904
The Russo-Japanese War began.
1910
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated.

1915 D.W. Griffith's silent movie epic
about the Civil War, "The Birth of a Nation," premiered in Los Angeles.

1922 President Warren G. Harding had a
radio installed in the White House.
1924
The first execution by gas in the United States took place at the Nevada
State Prison in Carson City.
1968
Three college students died in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in
Orangeburg, S.C., during a civil rights protest against a whites-only
bowling alley.
1978
Senate deliberations were broadcast on radio for the first time as members
opened debate on the Panama Canal treaties.
1993
General Motors sued NBC, alleging that the program "Dateline NBC" had rigged
two crashes to show that GM pickups were prone to fires. (NBC settled the
lawsuit the following day.)
1996
In a ceremony at the Library of Congress, President Clinton signed
legislation revamping the telecommunications industry, saying it would
"bring the future to our doorstep."
1999
The Senate heard closing arguments in President Bill Clinton's impeachment
trial.
2004
Beyonce won five Grammy Awards, tying the record for female performers held
by Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keyes and Norah Jones. (Beyonce broke the record by
winning six Grammys in 2010.)
2005
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas
announced a cease-fire at a summit in Egypt.
2007
Model and tabloid sensation Anna Nicole Smith died at age 39 of an
accidental drug overdose.
The main source for
text information here is the NY Times Inc. in addition to assorted Canadian
news sites. Images are borrowed from various websites.
The Valley Voice is hosted by Electric Toad
Awesome web hosting packages
& excellent service. Thanks guys!
© 2008 The Valley Voice | All Rights Reserved | Mansfield Communications Ltd.
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The Valley Voice is new and striving for perfection. Help keep our information relevant and up-to-date. If you find errors or missing information in the news items, please let us know. We're here to serve you and the Chilliwack community.
The Valley Voice's mandate is to provide unbiased and independent news for Chilliwack. We are small-town-friendly and answer all of our e-mails. We're never too busy to ignore people who write us that want a voice or wish to become involved.
Local writers and shooters are welcome to submit event stories/photos. We always accept local Chilliwack news tips, story ideas, comments and photo submissions from the community. If you are interested contact me at the e-mail address below.
Community papers are about the community and my experience in the past with producing local newspapers has always involved all members of the community. Informed people who know their community.
My credentials aren't backed by stacks of degrees nor do I need them to write coherently about what's going on in the community. I have spent a few years in the trenches writing about and living in Vancouver's infamous downtown eastside. In fact I lived 3 blocks from Main & Hastings, ground zero, for ten years and during that time carved out a passion to provide real honest news with integrity and conviction and a passion to serve the community.
I've come to know this community as well as anyone in
Chilliwack. I've lived here for almost 10 of my 51 years of existence. Grandma on mother's side lived here for 75 years and raised 10 kids (Irene Armstrong) and Grandpa, on my father's side, owned the old
Cottonwood Corners restaurant in the 1950's (Ivor Hill) and was a great fly
fisherman back when you could haul steelhead as big as a Mac truck out of
the Vedder River. Grandma's
(Jeanette Quesnel) gr-grandfather also on
dad's side, was Jules Maurice Quesnel
who trekked across Canada and then down the Fraser River with Simon Fraser
in 1808 and after whom the city and river of Quesnel are named.
At this site's inception it was my intention to have an advertisement-free not-for-profit news website however I would like to pay our writers and columnists for their great stuff. So with that in mind, any revenue that The Valley Voice generates through the site will be used solely for the purpose of paying writers and photographers for their work and for the costs of running and upgrading the website's bandwidth.
It might be that at some point in the future, with support from the community, we'll go to print with your news in an interesting, informative and entertaining format based on my own experience producing Spare Change newspaper in Vancouver, a grassroots social-minded community paper and producing magazines with industry leaders like Squire Barnes from Global TV Sports as well as working with other local community newspapers.
Thank you for visiting and I hope that you will make this a part of your daily, weekly or monthly internet reading itinerary.
Craig Hill
The Valley Voice News
The Big Voice


Broadcasting Hall-of-Famer Rafe Mair and Canada’s best known political commentator has joined us at the Voice with his "The Flow" column.
Rafe's hard-hitting no nonsense perspective makes him a hero to some, to be vilified by others. Love him or hate him he is sure to stir the pot on up-to-date and relevant issues that affect us all.
This Week: February 7th
More Lies!
Many of you have received an email from
a group calling themselves BC Citizens for Green Energy under a
black headline in larger font than my computer has saying
"Rafe Mair launches a nuclear attack on BC"
They are shills for the private power industry and dissembling is
their game. Their unfamiliarity with the truth makes them very good
partners for the Campbell Government.
Every one who's read my article in thetyee.ca last December 21st
knows that this is NOT what I said at all and I don't plan on
dealing with it any further.
There are, however, two things about this outfit that should concern
us all.
First, though they have a lot to say, and during the last election
dogged my footsteps, they have never refuted one single thing I've
said but concentrate on personal attacks. The attacks don't bother
me but the fact that they claim to be for private river power and
will not deal with the case made against it should trouble everyone.
Second, they allege that I'm part of a well funded attack on private
power projects and that I'm affiliated with COPE 378. Even if that
were true, it wouldn't diminish the importance of the questions
asked.
Here is the truth.
From May 1, 2008 until June 1 was the paid official spokesperson for
Save Our Rivers Society. Their funding was entirely from private non
institutional sources. Since June 1, when my contract ran out, my
efforts have been mine and unpaid.
It is true that Andy Ross president of COPE 378 and I shared several
platforms before and during the run up to and the election itself.
That they and Save Our Rivers Society may have split costs of those
meetings is probably true. I also shared platforms with Joe Foy and
Gwen Barlee of the Wilderness Committee and they too may have been
part of a cost splitting arrangement. It would have been foolish not
to share costs.
Now comes my question for the BC Citizens for Green Energy. I have
laid before all my financial backing, now will you please tell me
yours?
Simple question - where do you get your funding? Is it, as I
suspect, from the private power industry; companies like General
Electric, Ledcor and the Dupont family?
Let me close with this. There's nothing wrong with being funded.
Moreover, I hope this group continues their ad hominem attacks on me
because it gives me yet another opportunity to tell people that they
are unwilling, indeed incapable, of meeting the charges I make.
This Week: February 7th
Campbell
Energy "Policy"
British
Columbia's biggest industries are challenging the provincial
government to prove that its electricity export scheme won't turn
into a major money loser.
In a submission to the government's Green Energy Advisory Task
Force, the industrial group calculates that the export plans will
cost B.C. taxpayers $450 million a year in money-losing power sales
transactions.
It says the scheme will commit BC Hydro to pay independent power
producers about twice the value that their electricity would fetch
on the North American spot trading market -- $120 per megawatt hour
to buy B.C.-produced power that will trade on a western North
America market where the projected long-term price averages $60.
The Vancouver Sun obtained a copy of the submission presented to the
advisory group by the Joint Industry Electricity Steering Committee,
which represents all of BC Hydro's largest industrial customers.
"The government devises a policy and BC Hydro implements it," JIESC
executive director Richard Stout said in an interview.
"If the government causes BC Hydro to purchase power under long-term
contracts that are very expensive, north of $100 megawatt an hour,
and is then forced to sell it for 20 years on an export market where
the spot price might only be $50 or $60 a megawatt hour, it just
builds in a huge burden for taxpayers."
The province believes it can sell a portion of surplus power at a
profit through long-term contracts.
Energy Minister Blair Lekstrom has acknowledged that some will sell
at a loss, but says that overall, it will work to B.C.'s advantage.
The government has ordered Hydro to make B.C. electricity
self-sufficient by 2016.
The industry committee notes that the government is using a
worst-case scenario to determine the amount of new power needed to
meet the self-sufficiency target -- based on the single driest year
in the past six decades.
The industry committee says that in most years Hydro will have a
substantial electricity surplus.
It notes that because of the self-sufficiency requirement, Hydro
will be unable to strike a long-term contract with another utility
to sell the power at a more favourable price.
"BC Hydro will lose $450 million/ year, or $9 billion over 20 years
on exports of planned surpluses," says the industry committee's
submission.
"BC Hydro is on the hook to pay the [independent power] producers,
so the producers' profits are guaranteed," Stout said.
"I'm sure the lumber industry would love it if the B.C. government
guaranteed to buy all their lumber from them at a guaranteed price
for 20 years."
The industry committee wants a review of the government's export
scheme by the B.C. Utilities Commission.
"If there are studies that suggest that exports are economically
viable they should be made public and subject to review," the
industry committee says.
Submissions to the advisory group, which was struck last November to
undertake a sweeping review of the B.C. electricity sector, have not
been released by government
This Week: February 7th
A Compliant Media
BC's large
industries who might be expected to run interference for the
Campbell government have verified what the Save Our Rivers Society,
and I as their spokesperson, have been saying for nearly two years -
BC Hydro has been forced to pay private producers, for power it
doesn't need, twice what they can re-sell it for. Hydro will lose
huge sums of money and we the citizens will pay. The handsome annual
dividend Hydro traditionally pays to our government will go into the
pockets of private monoliths like General Electric and their largest
shareholder, Warren Buffett.
It is now beyond any debate that lice from fish farms are destroying
wild salmon runs.
On both these issues the Campbell government has been lying through
their teeth.
Here is the point I want to make as clearly as I can - both these
Campbell disgraces have been permitted to happen by a compliant
media. On the power issue, the Vancouver Sun acts as if today, in
Scott Simpson's column they had a scoop! The Jews have a great word
for that - chutzpah!
Yes, I feel vindicated on both counts. I've taken a lot of, forgive
me, shit on both issues as has Alexandra Morton, the courageous
beyond words fighter against fish farms, Tom Rankin the president of
Save Our Rivers Society, and our colleague, the outstanding maker of
documentaries, Damien Gillis.
But not all of the media have been cowards.
(Continued in The Flow)
You can show your support via Rafe's
websites: