vancouver courier december 24 2015

There’s more online at vancourier.comTHURSDAY December 24 2015

Local News, Local Matters

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

JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS IN 1956, VANCOUVERWELCOMEDREFUGEES FLEEINGACRISIS INADIFFERENTPARTOFTHEWORLD

PHOTODANTOULGOET

S O C S S 9 6 CO CO

In fromthecold

HAPPY HOLIDAYSfrom Paul Evistonand Team

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A2 THE VANCOUVER COURIER THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015 THE VANCOUVER COURIER A3

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At the Courier, we decided to provide an opportunityto our readers to give a little cheer and kindnessto the youth on our streets this holiday season.

And we have been overwhelmed by your generosity! Your kinddonations make a real difference to the many young homelesspeople in our community and we can’t thank you enough.

From your team at theVancouver Courier, we wish you all the

very best for the New Year!

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Analysis

[email protected]

Considering the time ofthe year, I thought — for amillisecond — that I shouldbring a little cleverness tothis piece and knock out ariff on the Clement ClarkeMoore classic, “A visitfrom St. Nicholas.”But in that millisecond,

I concluded that a) I’m notthat clever, and b) you’veprobably read enoughbastardized versions of theChristmas poem that beginswith “‘Twas the night beforeChristmas…”Am I right?Instead, I’m going to run

through my wish list for thenew year on the civic affairsbeat. I’m looking ahead to2016 because Christmashas already been taken careof, both personally andprofessionally.As I tell my kids, all I ever

want for Christmas— andusually receive — is peace,love and understanding.The Elvis Costello refer-ence has become my annualresponse around the house

when asked to provide a list,although I do communicatethat some books, music anda plate of Nanaimo barswould be nice.What I wish for on the job

is a little more complicated.But Christmas came a few

days early this year. PrimeMinister Justin Trudeau’svisit to city hall, despite whatall the grumps on social me-dia complained about, was arefreshing break frommara-thon council meetings andstaid, high-security briefingswith StephenHarper. (No,Trudeau didn’t make anyannouncements and, yes, itwas essentially a victory lap.Kind of a big deal, though,that the PMwas at city hall.)Anyway, here we are

closing in on 2016. It’sbeen quite a year on thebeat, writing about pot,homelessness, viaducts,elections, transit, hiringsand firings and a whole lotof other stuff to stimulatethe civic mind.But let’s move on…Here’s what I wish for

in what coincidentally willbe the Year of the Monkey

and the year we discoverwhether Donald Trump will“make America great again”— and keep his name on adowntown tower:• That the new city

manager — whoever thatmay be — have a monthlyon-the-record briefing withmedia to answer questionsabout issues that arise asthe year progresses. Themayor’s participation isoptional.• That city council put a

stop to the year-end meet-

ings — or any others dur-ing the year — where heavypolicy stuff and significantissues are dumped on thesame agenda. The Dec. 10meeting that dragged on forabout 12 hours (in betweenshort breaks) was a perfectexample. Issues includedprotection for renters,funding crumbling historicbuildings in Chinatown,approving new bike lanesand reviewing the compen-sation of city council andpark board commissioners.

Spread it out, already.• That requests made

under the Freedom ofInformation and Protec-tion of Privacy Act areresponded to more quicklyand, when responded to,actually arrive in my inboxwith some useful informa-tion. Or, even better, justsend me that report ormemo I asked for, withoutall the fuss.• That all police board

members speak freely tomedia without having

to get approval from theboard’s designated spokes-person, Mayor GregorRobertson. That meanssupplying their contactinformation to reportersand being available andopen — on deadline — todiscuss all sorts of policy,no matter how controver-sial the topic (pot shops,body cameras, etc.). Morevoices, more views are agood thing.• That the term “afford-

able housing” no longerbe used by politicians anddevelopers unless they clearlydefine what theymean. Iassume they’re really talkingabout rental housing thatsome people can afford.• That the usual suspects

who show up to council torant about this and that takea holiday. Council alreadyknows what you’re going tosay. Please turn over the micto those first-timers waitingpatiently in the lobby.I could go on, but I won’t.Wishing you all peace,

love and understanding.Happy holidays, folks.

@Howellings

Looking ahead: A civic-minded wish list for 201612TH&CAMBIE

City council is on a break until the new year. PHOTODANTOULGOET


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Offer(s) available on select new 2015/2016 models through participating dealers to qualified retail customers who take delivery from December 1, 2015 to January 4, 2016. Dealers may sell or lease for less. Some conditions apply. See dealer for complete details. Vehicles shown may include optional accessories and upgrades available at extra cost. All offers are subject to change without notice. All pricing includes delivery and destination fees up to $1,715, $22 AMVIC, $100 A/C charge (where applicable). Excludes taxes, licensing, PPSA,registration, insurance, variable dealer administration fees, fuel-fill charges up to $100, and down payment (if applicable and unless otherwise specified). Other lease and financing options also available. ÿ0% financing for up to 84 months or up to $7,000 discount available on other select 2015 models. Discount is deducted from the negotiated purchase/lease price before taxes. Maximum $7,000 discount ($6,000 cash discount and $1,000 ECO-Credit) is offered on 2015 Optima Hybrid LX (OP74AF) only. Certain conditions apply. Seeyour dealer for complete details. Representative Financing Example: Financing offer available on approved credit (OAC), on a new 2016 Sportage LX MT FWD (SP551G) with a selling price of $21,532 is based on monthly payments of $244 for 84 months at 0% with a $0 down payment and first monthly payment due at finance inception. Offer also includes $1,000 cash discount. Other taxes, registration, insurance and licensing fees are excluded. Cash Purchase Price for the new 2015 Optima Hybrid LX (OP74AF) is $24,752 and includesa cash discount of $7,000 including $6,000 cash discount and $1,000 ECO-Credit. Dealer may sell for less. Other taxes, registration, insurance and licensing fees are excluded. Cash discounts vary by model and trim and are deducted from the negotiated selling price before taxes. †“Don’t Pay For 90 Days” on all models (90-day payment deferral) applies to purchase financing offers on all new 2015/2016 models on approved credit. No interest will accrue during the first 60 days of the finance contract. After this period, interest starts toaccrue and the purchaser will repay the principal interest monthly over the term of the contract. Offer ends January 4, 2016. ≠Representative Leasing Example: Lease offer available on approved credit (OAC), on new 2016 Sorento 2.4L LX FWD (SR75AG)/2015 Optima LX AT (OP742F) with a selling price of $29,332/$26,452 is based on a total number of 130/78 bi-weekly payments of $129/$119 for 60/36 months at 1.9%/0%, $0 security deposit, $500/$2,000 lease credit, $2,650/$1,950 down payment and first monthly payment dueat lease inception. Total lease obligation is $16,813/$9,287 with the option to purchase at the end of the term for $11,138/$13,215. Lease has 16,000 km/yr allowance (other packages available and $0.12/km for excess kilometres). °No charge AWD applicable on cash purchase of 2016 Sportage LX AT AWD (SP753G)/2016 Sportage EX AT AWD (SP755G)/2016 Sorento LX 2.4L AWD (SR75BG)/2016 Sorento LX + Turbo AWD (SR75DG) with an approx. value of $2,300/$2,400/$3,000 ($2,000 AWD credit and $1,000 in discounts)/$2,000respectively. Some conditions apply. See dealer for details. §Open to Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory of residence who take a test drive at a Canadian Kia dealership between November 3, 2015 and January 4, 2016. 10 weekly prizes of a $3,000 itravel2000 voucher available. Plus one $100 travel voucher per eligible test drive. Limit of one entry/test drive voucher per person. No purchase necessary. Skill testing question required. Some conditions apply. Go to kia.ca for complete details.‡Model shown Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price for 2016 Sportage SX Luxury (SP759F)/2015 Optima SX AT Turbo (OP748F)/2016 Sorento SX Turbo AWD (SR75IG) is $38,495/$34,895/$42,095. The 2015 Optima was awarded the 2015 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for model year 2015. U.S. models tested. Visit www.iihs.org for full details. Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov).The Kia Sorento received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among midsize SUVs in the proprietary J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM. Study based on responses from 84,367 U.S. new-vehicle owners, measuring 244 models and measures opinions after 90 days of ownership. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of U.S. owners surveyed from February to May 2015. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com. Information in this advertisement is believed to be accurate at the time ofprinting. For more information on our 5-year warranty coverage, visit kia.ca or call us at 1-877-542-2886. Kia is a trademark of Kia Motors Corporation.DL #30460.

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Vancouver city hallprocurement staff need tobe reminded of conflict ofinterest policies and devel-opment office clerks shouldbe trained to foil robbers,according to internal audits.Summaries of audits are

posted on the city web-site, but the more detailedreports behind them areavailable via Freedom of In-formation. Key sections oftwo reports released underFOI were censored, raisingquestions about the severityof the problems found.A Feb. 25, 2015 report

about a surprise cash-handling audit at the city’sDevelopment and BuildingServices Centre examinedselected transactions andanalyzed risk exposure.The report recommended

all staff at the conciergedesk work area attend rob-bery prevention awarenesstraining, but the observa-tions and recommendationsregarding physical securitywere censored. City hallclaimed it needed to conceal

recommendations and pol-icy advice and informationthat it feared could harmlaw enforcement. Under thelaw, however, public bodiesmust not withhold a “finalreport or final audit on theperformance or efficiency ofa public body or on any ofits policies or its programsor activities.”The report said its objec-

tives were to “determinethe extent of compliance toapplicable policies, proce-dures and the effectivenessof internal controls relatingto safeguarding of assets,physical security, as wellas elements of sustainablebusiness practices in theoffice area. It said findingsand recommendations werediscussed with manage-ment, which “committed toimprove internal controls asnoted.”An April 22, 2015 audit

of the Procure to Pay buy-ing and tendering systemsaid the city awarded $127million worth of contracts in2014. The 2011-launchedsystem in the supply chainmanagement departmentwas intended to streamline

procurement and payables,but the March 2015 auditfound a backlog of 4,800invoices, an increase of 800fromMarch 2014. A quar-ter of the 80,000 invoicesposted in 2014 were paidafter 45 days. In the fourthquarter alone, only half theinvoices were paid on time,within 30 days.“We reviewed contracts

from 2014 and foundthat while proper biddingprocedures were followed,improvements are needed,”the report said. “Criterianeed to be established onwhen vendor checks areconducted and vendorperformance should becaptured in an organizedfashion. Furthermoreprocurement staff shouldreceive an annual reminderregarding the conflict ofinterest policy.”The report said there was

confusion and misunder-standing about the system.“Acceptance and workflowof incomplete invoices. SAP[Procure to Pay] system isnot user friendly and dif-ficult to navigate.”The report also came

with a major caution: “Theaudit is not designed todetect fraud. Accordinglythere should be no suchreliance.”Meanwhile, city hall

has quietly added a fraudreporting form to thecontact page of its website,which was modified Oct. 1.The form is for anyone to“confidentially report fraud,waste and serious miscon-duct by city employees” andaccepts attachments, in-cluding documents, photosor video related to allegedviolations.A request to interview

interim city manager SadhuJohnston and internalaudit chief Tony Hui wasforwarded to the city hallcommunications office.Spokesman Tobin Postmasaid via email that the formlaunched Nov. 3. “To date,we have received six com-plaints via the online form,”Postma said. “None refer-enced serious misconduct(e.g. fraud) and all werereferred for investigationby [human resources] oroperational departments.”

@bobmackin

Internal audits offer glimpse behind scenes

NewsTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015 THE VANCOUVER COURIER A7

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0806

13

604-679-9988Expertise in Science-Based

Natural Health CareLicensed Naturpathic Physician

in B.C. since 1997

Pruning and removinghazard trees and plants

When: November 20 to December 31, 2015

Time: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

As important as they are, trees and other plants can cause significant

power interruptions. Contact between trees and power lines can be very

dangerous, which is why over the next few months, we’ll be pruning and

removing trees and other plants the Vancouver-Queen Elizabeth Park area.

Project boundaries:

North: False Creek

East: Ontario Street

South: 49th Avenue

West: Cambie Street

At BC Hydro, we ensure trees and plants are pruned using the best

arboriculture (tree care) practices possible. We employ skilled workers—

trained in both electrical safety and plant care—who only use proper

techniques to eliminate safety hazards.

To learn more about this work, please contact Joe Taaffe at

604 528 3297. For more information about our vegetation managementpractices, please visit bchydro.com/trees.

Vancouver

4852

News

[email protected]

Dig in to your wallets Van-couver, your taxes are goingup… again.After a heated political

debate that pitted the rulingVision Vancouver againstthe NPA, council voted 7-4this month to raise taxes by2.3 per cent next year to helpbalance a $1.2-billion operat-ing budget.The tax hike, which coun-

cil approvedDec. 15, is inaddition to increases in utilityfees, including 4.2 per centfor water service and 9.9 percent for sewer. Solid wastecosts remain the same.For a single-family house

assessed at $1.1million, theincreases translate to an esti-mated tax bill of $2,011 andanother $1,198 in utility fees— solid waste ($261), sewer($345) and water ($592)—for a total of $3,209.That’s a spike of about

$100 over this year’s bill. Fora business property assessedat $589,000, the total billcomes to $5,397, an increaseof about $150.It took council more than

two hours to reach a deci-sion on the increases, largelybecause of an unsuccessfulattempt byNPACoun.George Affleck to defer thevote until city staff couldfind $7million in savings toreduce the property tax hiketo 1.3 per cent. That savings,Affleck said, would keep thetax increase closer to the rateof inflation.“It’s the right thing to do

for the taxpayers of Vancou-ver,” said Affleck, who sug-gested cuts could bemade tothe planning and communi-cations departments and theoffices of themayor and citymanager.In shooting downAffleck’s

request,Mayor Gregor Rob-ertson defended the work ofcity staff for balancing a bud-get that leaves Vancouveriteswith one of the lowest taxrates in the region and fundsa wide array of services.“This is a callous and

reckless approach to budget-ing— throwing amassive

cut to the city and the peoplewho serve our citizens, atthe buzzer,” said themayor,noting Affleck requested stafffind $7million in savingsbefore the end of themonth.Affleck said he was disap-

pointed his motion was shotdown by Vision VancouverandGreen Party Coun.Adriane Carr, who noted acity survey of residents foundthat 53 per cent of respon-dents agreed with a 2.3 percent tax hike in return forcity services.“There is toomuch fear

mongering in the publicaround tax increases,” Carrsaid. “My belief is that peo-ple want good services.Wehave done previous surveyswhich have shown, in fact,public support for a greater[tax] increase than we evenput into the budget becausethey link it with the servicesthat they get.”Carr later voted against the

2.3 per cent tax hike. So didAffleck andNPA councillorsElizabeth Ball andMelissaDeGenova.Carr told theCourier in

an e-mail after themeetingthat she would have votedfor a tax hike “if it had beena separate recommendation,but it was wrapped into therecommendations to adoptthe whole 2016 operatingbudget and I was not pre-pared to support the operat-ing budget due to concernsabout insufficient details andtransparency.” Those details,she added, included nobreakdown on the budget forthemayor’s office and whatthe city was spending oncycling education programsin schools.At least 31 per cent of

services in the operatingbudget go to pay for policingand the work of firefighters.Another 22 per cent is spentproviding utilities. Next year,$2.8million will be directedat cleaning up public spacesand $2.1million will helpreduce permit wait times atcity hall.Council also approved a

$325-million capital budget,including $27.8million toreplace fire trucks, $30mil-

lion for sewer replacement,$16million for upgradesto the Burrard Bridge, $12million for social housing inFalse Creek and $6.5millionfor childcare.Fees will go up inmany

areas, with residents notic-ing an average of a 1.4 percent spike in user fees at parkboard facilities. Fees related todevelopment, trades and as-sociated permits and approv-als will jump by two per cent.Developers will see rezoningfees increase by 30 per cent.Residents connected to theSoutheast False Creek neigh-bourhood utility will also see aslight increase in rates.In recent years, tax

increases in Vancouver haveranged from 1.4 per centto 2.9 per cent, which havebeen considered “modest”by Vision Vancouver politi-cians. Annual inflation hasrun between 0.1 per centand 2.3 per cent.Taxpayers can expect

at least a combined threeper cent in hikes to prop-erty taxes and utility fees, onaverage, over the next fiveyears, according to city staff’sbudget report. That’s largelybecause the city says there isa need to renew infrastruc-ture for water conservationand sewer separation.Other pressures on city

spending includes payincreases for employees,particularly firefighters andpolice officers. Collectiveagreements for themajorityof city bargaining units expireat the end of this year.“Limiting future wage

growth to levels affordable totaxpayers will be an impor-tant aspect of achieving abalanced budget while keep-ing property tax increases inline with inflation,” said thecity’s “2016-2020 BudgetOutlook” document releasedin October.The bulk of the city’s

operating revenues are gener-ated from property taxes (57per cent) and utility fees (20per cent). Other sources ofrevenue are licence and de-velopment fees, program fees,parking and investments.

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City Frame

HAPPYTOGETHERMayorGregorRobertsonandPrimeMinister JustinTrudeauwereall smilesDec. 17on the stepsofVancouver cityhall, surroundedbyhundredsof onlookers. Itwas the first time in42years that a sittingprimeminster visitedVancouver cityhall. ThatprimeministerwasTrudeau’s father, Pierre.Seephotogalleryand related storyat vancourier.com. PHOTODANTOULGOET


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Christmas came early for mostCanadians. On Oct. 19, to beexact, the day the vast majorityof us successfully voted to get

rid of Stephen Harper. We woke thefollowing morning to a new reality.“Douggy,” the waiter at the greasy

spoon I like to frequent for lunch saidwhat I have heard many times since. “Ifeel like I’m back in my country again.”

I mean, it’s not like we were living un-der the military regime of a Third Worlddictator; but bit by bit, one piece of re-pressive legislation after another souredthe national mood. As they led to Su-preme Court, challenges on to the rightto die with dignity and Harper’s oppo-sition to supervised injection sites, welost a little bit more of who we thoughtwe were. Or if we won, it seemed to be

such an un-Canadian battle that Harperchose to engage us in.There was the legislated threat of two-

tiered citizenship. Calgary Mayor NaheedNenshi fumed that it would allow thegovernment to deport some of us whocommitted crimes back to places we mayhave never lived before.Then Harper threatened a ban on wom-

en in the public service wearing a niqab,when it had not ever been an issue.And, oh, yes, that Monty Pythonesque

suggestion: Harper wanted a hotline toreport “barbaric cultural practices.”(Shortly after that, I ran into former

provincial politician Darlene Marzari whowith a straight face said that she wantedto be the “Commissioner of BarbaricCultural Practices.” The first barbaricpractice she would eliminate was thepractice of wearing five-inch high heels.)But imagine a time when you will tell

your grandchildren that we once had agovernment that put a gag on our sci-entists; they could not speak publicly toexplain what they had discovered aboutour climate or anything else for thatmatter. And those kids would surely beagog at the notion that a tool as criti-cal to the development of social policyas the mandatory long-form census wasabruptly eliminated by that very samegovernment.But then the Grinch who was turning

us into a mean nation was sent packing.And none too soon.For weeks before the election we were,

like much of the Western World, con-sumed by the tragedy of refugees fleeingSyria. While some European countrieswere stepping up, Canada not so much.The message from Ottawa and Harper

was more about fear than charity.

Mostly we heard about security risks,terrorists slipping in among those fleeinga destructive civil war in Syria and a ma-niacal gang of thugs called ISIL that wasspreading like a plague.That too came to an abrupt end on

Oct. 19.We would take not 10,000 refugees but

25,000 and even sooner. And we wouldput people on the ground in the refugeecamps in the Middle East to expeditetheir movement. Military barracks herewere prepared to receive them. Canadi-ans eagerly took part in donating timeand money to help make that happen.It was a once-in-a-generation opportu-

nity to open our hearts and our homes.There had been nothing like it since the’70s and the arrival on our shores of refu-gees from the Vietnam War. Even I wasmoved to make a small donation to helpa Syrian family come to Vancouver.Just a couple of weeks ago I was at an

evening meeting at the Or Shalom Syna-gogue along with about 100 other peopleincluding Jews, Christians, Muslims andprobably a Buddhist or an atheist or two.We heard from a fellow from the Immi-

grant Service Society about the frenzy ofactivity taking place; a Syrian youngstertalked about the hopscotching path hetook a year ago to make his way fromthere, around the globe, to here; a fellowfrom a Christian organization talked ofthe work being done to help people tran-sition to their new lives.Then, at one point in the meeting, a

friend of mine stepped up to the mod-erator of the meeting to tell her he justreceived an alert on this “smart watch.”And when she announced that a

Canadian military cargo plane had justset down in Montreal with the first fewhundred Syrian refugees, applause andshouts of sheer joy filled the room.

@allengarr

Imaginea timewhenyouwill tell yourgrandchildrenthatweoncehadagovernment thatput agagonour scientists; theycouldnot speakpubliclytoexplainwhat theyhaddiscoveredaboutourclimateoranythingelse forthatmatter…But then theGrinchwhowas turningusintoameannationwas sentpacking.Andnone toosoon.

Federal electionprovided Canadianswith early Christmas gift

[email protected]

Opinion

PHOTODANTOULGOET


LETTERS

No need to dumpthe Trump nameRe: “Joo Kim Tiah — take down thatsign,” Dec. 17.So much anguish over the Trump sign.

Will we now scrutinize every buildingand every road in Vancouver for namesout of the British Empire’s racist past?Donald is likely more blowhard thanracist — and when Hillary is crowned,he will be no more than a blip in history.Yet Secretary of State Clinton pre-sided over the chaos in the Middle Eastthat has killed, is killing, thousands ofMuslims around the world. Donald willlikely not be starting World War 3 withRussia, but what about President Hill-ary? All this noise to protest a sign, butsilence over a murderous foreign policy.Allen Garr acknowledges that break-ing the contracts will be very costly toHolborn Group CEO Joo Kim Tiah.It should be noted that the contractswere signed long before Donald saidwhat he said, and when undoubtedly agreat number of Vancouverites wouldhave been quite happy to be associatedwith the Trump brand anywhere in theworld.It seems that Joo Kim Tiah is the desig-nated fall guy to show how Vancouver isso not racist. Joo Kim Tiah — a non-an-glicized Chinese name... Wait a minute— is this an anti-Chinese thing?Lena Tan, Vancouver

• • •

I am not a fan of Donald Trump.However, don’t waste your time andour money trying to dump the Trumpname. Leave the name Trump on thetower so people will know to steer clearof the building. When the developer hasdifficulty leasing space and the occu-pants go bankrupt, they will be first inline to change the name.Dale Laird, Vancouver

City’s competitivebidding processdisputedRe: “Greenest city promise hit byregulator decision,” Dec. 9.I just read Mike Klassen’s piece on Cre-

ative Energy and district heat in Vancou-ver. I notice that the Courier had inserted

Inbox [email protected]

TheVancouverCourierisadivisionofLMPPublicationLimitedPartnership.CanadianPublicationsMailSalesProductAgreementNo.40025215.Allmaterial intheVancouverCourier iscopyrightedandcannotbereproducedwithoutpermissionofthepublisher.Thisnewspaperreservestherighttorejectanyadvertisingwhichitconsiderstocontainfalseormisleadinginformationor involvesunfairorunethicalpractices.Theadvertiseragreesthepublishershallnotbeliablefordamagesarisingoutoferror inanyadvertisementbeyondtheamountpaidforsuchadvertisement.Wecollect,useanddiscloseyourpersonal informationinaccordancewithourPrivacyStatementwhichisavailableatvancourier.com.

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a revision at the beginning of the piece.The revision suggests that Klassen was

incorrect in stating that the city did notconduct a competitive bidding processprior to selecting Creative Energy as a mo-nopoly space heat and hot water supplierfor certain Vancouver neigbourhoods. Idisagree. Klassen had that right.The revision posted above Klassen’s

article accurately reports that on Dec.20, 2012, the City issued “Request forExpressions of Interest PS20121461,Neighbourhood Energy Concepts forDowntown Vancouver,” otherwiseknown as the REOI.This REOI does not ask respondents

to bid to supply a service at a price orwith a fixed price-setting formula. REOIsdon’t normally ask respondents to es-timate the prices they intend to chargetheir customers if they are selected, andthey were not asked to provide any suchestimates in this case.An REOI is normally a very prelimi-

nary step in a multi-stage competitivebidding process. The city usually usesan REOI to make a shortlist of quali-fied companies that will then be invitedto participate in a competitive biddingprocess. This saves both the city andprospective bidders time and money.But, in this case, the city never executedthe rest of the steps essential to make thisa competitive bidding process.This particular REOI process was also

unusually lacking in established City ofVancouver tendering disciplines. The REOIlists the experience that the city would lookfor in qualified respondents. But, at thetime they submitted their response, Cre-ative Energy had no evident experience infive of the six fields the city listed.Vancouver’s taxpayers are not allowed

to know: how Creative Energy’s ownlack of relevant experience compares tothat of other respondents; if/how manyother respondents would have willinglycompeted to acquire Central Heat, hadthe city been transparent that owningCentral Heat was the key determinantof who would win those monopolies;or why city leadership decided not toexecute to the next steps that are normalin competitive public tenders.Due to the city’s decisions not to

solicit business plan proposals, includ-ing competing Vancouver district heatratepayer cost estimates, not to respectthe qualification requirements outlinedin its own RFEOI, and not to makecompeting estimates available for publicconsideration, this cannot, in any way,be described as an open or competitivebidding process.Aldyen Donnelly, Vancouver


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Vancouverites can dreamof a white Christmas allthey want, but the usualreality is dismal grey skieswith drizzling rain. Unlessa trip to the local ski hills isin the works, the next bestthing to get into the winterspirit is heading to the city’soutdoor skating rink.While it isn’t quite as

big as New York’s Rink atRockefeller or London’sSomerset House, the Au-thor Erikson-designed rink— as part of the provinciallaw courts, UBC branchand government offices —is hugely popular with iceskaters of all abilities, from

graceful figure skaters tokids whipping around withtheir skates bent so farinwards it looks like theirankles are touching ice.The rink was busy as ever

Saturday as the SalvationArmy hosted its second an-nual Sally Skates as part ofa final push to meet its pro-vincial fundraising goal of $4million by Christmas Eve.Skating at the rink is free,but the Salvation Army hadits red kettle balls out, gavehot chocolate to those whodonated to the food hamper,and volunteers with boxes ofcandy canes skated throughthe throngs of families andcosplayers who took a breakfrom the Akimatsuri con-vention at the nearby UBC

Robson Square to strap onthe blades.“When we collect toys

and when we collect foodlike we are today at SallySkates, or whether wecollect donations at thekettle, that just really helpsfamilies,” said Deb Low-ell, the Salvation Army’scommunications andmarketing director. “Thatis so, so very important forus to be able to do that.”The 150-year-old Salva-

tion Army organizationruns a variety of inter-national social programsthat run the gamut fromhomeless shelters anddrug and alcohol rehabili-tation programs to disasterrelief efforts and a missing

persons tracing service.“Last year in Canada,

the Salvation Army served1.8 million Canadians socertainly there are manyfamilies who are strugglingwith poverty,” Lowelladded. “We see one in fivekids live in poverty andthat’s a really, really toughstat. It’s unacceptable and,especially at Christmastime, we want to makesure no child is forgotten.”The Canada-wide fund-

raising goal is $21 millionby the Dec. 24 deadline,and considering 86 centsof each dollar actuallygoes to programs and notadministration costs,every bit really helps, saidLowell.

“You know, we’re justso thankful to not only ourstaff, teams, partners whoare surrounding us today,but also the volunteers.We are truly an army, andwith the help of all thosepeople we are able tostretch the dollar further.”The Salvation Army is

an international charitableorganization and it is also aChristian denominationalchurch, started by founderswho wanted to bring salva-tion to the poor, destitute,and hungry, added JenniferWiebe, social events andprojects coordinator for theSalvation Army.“All of our programs and

services are provided with-out pushing religion, we’re

accepting of everybody,”she said. “The thing aboutThe Salvation Army iseverybody has been helpedin some way, so mostpeople have some kind ofpersonal connection. We’realways there in the commu-nity, always there to spreadawareness for programs anddo what we can do to sup-port people.”While the fundraising

deadline looms, donationscan still be made at kettlebells around the city, atthe till at London Drugsstores, or online at sal-vationarmy.ca. The finalfundraising count will beannounced on its websitenext week.

@rebeccablissett

Do-gooders strap on skates for Salvation Army fundraiserCITY LIVING

Community

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

1 2

34


Community

Barry [email protected]

Courier readers get a spe-cial audio gift for Christmasthis year.In 2004, theVancouver

Courier published a storyby TedHunt that recountedhis childhood experience fac-ing a Christmas without hisfather who was away fightingin the SecondWorldWar.Called simply “AChristmasstory,” it’s a blend of localhistory, nostalgia and per-sonal remembrance.Readers have asked about

the story over the years. Inresponse, we recorded a dra-matic reading of A Christ-mas Story as performed byVancouver actor WayneWiens. To find the record-ing, go to the online versionof this story at vancourier.com. You can also find it oniTunes, Tunein and Stitcherby searching for the podcastThis is Lotusland anddownloading the A Christ-mas Story episode.Hunt, a third generation

Vancouverite and contributorto theCourier, said last weekhe wrote the story as a way todeal with the loss of his fatherthe year before. “I missed

him a lot,” he said. “It tookalmost a year for me tosquare it away and realize itwas a story I wanted to tell.”Hunt’s father joined the

Canadian Army at the out-break of the SecondWorldWar and served in a portcompany until the war’s end.He joined partly to escape thepoverty of the Depression.“He was broke”Hunt

said. “He thought it was anopportunity for him.” And itwas, according toHunt.According to Hunt, the

vivid details in the storycome frommemories thathave remained with him

since childhood. “When Iwrite, it’s like watching amotion picture,” he said.He remembers the fear hefelt as a child listening toBBC radio reports on thevictories by the Axis armiesand as the map on the wallin his grandparent’s homeshowed the advance of theGermans in Europe. Thatsense of fear underscoreswhat he hopes readers ulti-mately retain from the story.“The insanity of war,

that’s the nucleus,” he said.“Why do we do this whenwe all want the same things:mother, father, baby, live.”

A special audio treat for readers

ActorWayneWiensprepares to read “AChristmasStory”duringa recording sessionat theBeaumontStudios lastweek. Therecording is availableat vancourier.comorasapodcast throughThis is Lotuslandon iTunes, TuneinandStitcher.PHOTODANTOULGOET


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Feature

Lisa [email protected]

Christmas Eve, 1956.In the dead of a winter

night, with snow thick onthe ground, Hungarianrefugees slip across theAustrian border, fleeingthe Soviet crackdown on afailed uprising.Some 751 refugees

cross the border that nightalone, as does a Rus-sian tank soldier — likelyone of those whose tankssmashed Budapest onNov. 4 — who stepped offa freight train, handed hispistol to border police andasked for asylum.Among those fleeing

Hungary that night werefour people with a localconnection: they wereled by a human smugglerwho’d been hired by a

Vancouver family to getthem out.The Vancouver Sun told

the tale in a Dec. 27 front-page story headlined “SunReporter Helps Four toEscape Reds.”Jack Brooks, staff

reporter, was in Viennacovering one of the biggeststories of the year: the exo-dus of 200,000 Hungarianrefugees into neighbouringAustria and the “free-dom flights” that wouldultimately bring 37,000 ofthem to Canada. In earlyDecember, Vancouverresident Ty Wamoshercontacted Brooks, askingif he’d broker the escapeof his wife’s mother,brother, sister-in-law, andtheir child.“They had read my

story... describing howguides could be sent in to

bring others out,” Brookswrote. “They phoned theSun and said they wereready to pay if it could bearranged.”Brooks met the smug-

glers at a cafe near St.Stephan’s Cathedral inVienna. The fee was $500per head — equivalentto more than a month’swages — or $125 perhead if those in Hungarywere contacted but didn’twant to go. The Wamosh-ers cabled the money toVienna.Brooks described the

deal: “With a two-inch-thick wad of dollars in mypocket I went to a hoteldown one of Vienna’sdingy, narrow streets. Thecontact counted the mon-ey carefully. The man whowould go over the bloodyborders watched closely

and flashed his silver teethin agreement.”Passwords were cho-

sen by the Wamoshers— phrases that only theywould know, to provethat the man knocking atthe door of their relativeswasn’t a Soviet agent: “Du-dus says Lili’s ring is stillin Switzerland” and “Cularemembers how you andNyuszi were still seasick inthe car traveling from Lon-don to Folkestone.”The money was placed

in trust with a local rabbi,who would hold it untilthe smuggler returnedeither with the relatives— or with a letter, sayingthey didn’t want to leaveHungary.Then the smuggler

crossed the border.Hours later, there came

startling news: three of

those he’d gone to retrievehad already crossed theborder. Only Mrs. Wa-mosher’s 67-year-old moth-er was still in Hungary.Two days of tense ne-

gotiations followed: thosein Vancouver wantedthree different peoplebrought out.Eventually, a deal was

struck, and the smugglerreturned with four people,arriving in Austria around1 a.m. on Christmas Day.“Communist guards

held them several hours,”Brooks wrote. “There wasfear of prison, of depor-tation, even execution.But eventually they wereallowed to go. The secondguide picked them up andled them on a 30-milefoot slog through frozenfields and marshes to theborder.”

Thousands of Hungarian refugees came

A shoeless Hungarian refugee is helped across the Austrian border by a soldier and customs officer. CITYOF VANCOUVER ARCHIVES PORTP1428.07

Similar totoday, in 1956,Vancouveropened its armsto refugeesescaping acrisis in theirhomeland


Feature

to Canada fleeing Soviet crackdownNewhome forChristmasMeanwhile in Vancou-

ver, the Vancouver Sunreported that 250 Hungar-ian refugees who’d alreadycome to B.C. had eachbeen placed with a localfamily for Christmas.“And that means they

will be warm, well fed andas merry as they can be ina strange new home,” thenewspaper said. “With thepeople of B.C. openingtheir doors and hearts thebig influx is proving lessof a problem than anyoneanticipated.”Alex Lockwood of the

Department of Immigra-tion estimated that abouthalf of the male Hungar-ians in Greater Vancouverhad found jobs; manywere already working ingrain elevators and otherlaboring jobs.“The big barrier for all

but a handful of the Hun-garians is the lack of Eng-lish,” the paper reported.“A few speak English, ortook it in school and havere-mastered it quicklybut more than 20 did notknow even the basic “Yes”and “No” when theystepped off the planes.”The “freedom flights”

brought refugees to Van-couver’s airport on SeaIsland. A Province newspa-per photographer cap-tured images of several ofthem arriving on Dec. 6:families and single people,most of them young.On Christmas Eve,

the Province reported:“The plight of Hungar-ian men, women andchildren fleeing from theirhomeland after Russianforces crushed their bidfor freedom has caught theimaginations of Canadians.There were some protestsbut these have not dimmedthe desire of other Canadi-ans to open their hearts tothe refugees.“Officials of the federal

immigration departmentsay they have never seenCanadians rally to a causeso readily and with suchaffection… Refugees noware arriving in Canadaalmost daily by ship andplane. The total will be4,429 by Christmas Day.”The paper commented

on the quality of the refu-gees: “A large proportionare professional, skilled orsemi-skilled people. Theyare expected to make amajor contribution toCanada’s productivity.”The federal government,

the paper added, had thusfar committed itself to

bring about 20,000 Hun-garians to Canada. “Some7,500 will have landed orbe on their way by the endof the month and about10,000 are expected bythe end of January.”Another story in the

same newspaper reportedon the arrival of ElizabethMarkstein, her son Ven-del and his wife Maria,who’d fled their villageof Varoslod following theuprising and had sincejoined Elizabeth’s hus-band Tony near Nanai-mo. The paper describedtheir two-day, 125-mileoverland trek away fromthe “Red terror.”“Sometimes they went

by rail but as they ap-proached the larger towns,which were ringed byRussian tanks, artilleryand troops they walkedby night to evade patrols.They had no food — onlya bottle of rum.“Several refugees were

caught but the Marksteinsmade it successfully to theborder. There they spentthree bitter hours crawlingon their stomachs acrossfrozen ground to the bor-der into Austria. Severaltimes they were machine-gunned and many otherswere shot or wounded.“They crossed the

Einser Canal at the borderthree days before the Rus-sians blew up the bridge.”Some Canadians flew to

Austria to join the interna-tional relief effort. Theseincluded Sybil Conery,executive secretary-trea-surer of Save the ChildrenFund’s B.C. branch.Conery told the Province

that Hungarian parentsgave their children sleep-ing tablets so the childrenwould be quiet during theborder crossing. Someparents gave their chil-dren too much, and theoverdosed children nearlydidn’t wake up.“It kept them quiet

all right, but when theyreached the border campwe daren’t have let themsleep or they would havedied,” Conery said. “Sowe stayed up with them,all night, clapping hands,throwing ball and talkingto them... Some of thechildren came across withtheir arms frozen stiff andtheir clothing had to beeither cut off or thawedout.”Conery added: “Austria

is such a poor country it-self that it cannot possiblysupport all the refugeespouring in and I think weought to do something.”

Welcome toVancouverOn Christmas Eve,

the Sun ran a photo ofTamas Neszmelyi and hiswife, together with theirnine-year-old son Tomi,praying in front of a crossat Calvin Hungarian Pres-byterian Church at MainStreet and 24th Avenue.“Giving Humble

Thanks at Christmas isnew Canadian familywhich only two monthsago lived under Russiandomination in embattledHungary,” the photo cap-tion read.Immigrant communi-

ties within Vancouver ral-lied to help the newcom-ers. The Sun reportedthat German Canadiansprovided Christmas pres-ents for the Hungarianrefugees in response toa Dec. 13 article in DerCourier, a German-lan-guage weekly newspaper,which appealed to “themany of you who haveknown what it is to be arefugee.”More than 300 “gaily

wrapped” parcels pouredin from all over B.C. as aresult.Hungarian refugees

continued to arrive inVancouver in the days fol-lowing Christmas.On Dec. 27, the Sun

reported the arrival ofanother 66 Hungarians atthe airport, including 13children. The refugees hadfled in late November, andspent a month at a refugeecamp in Austria.P.W. Bird, a settlement

officer, told the news-paper, “This is the bestgroup we’ve had. They aremainly professionals andskilled tradesmen. They’llall be settled by Friday.”Bird contrasted the

recent arrivals with thefirst refugees to come toCanada.“The first groups we

had were poorly dressed,had nothing. These areless bewildered, arewarmly dressed and haveextra clothing.”The Hungarians re-

ceived a meal of ham andeggs, toast and coffee. Thechildren all received be-lated Christmas presents.The group included

“Charles” and “Susanne,”a radiologist and an X-ray technician who soonplanned to get married.The newspaper quoted

him as saying: “We es-caped together. There wasno attempt to stop us...This is the best Christmaswe’ve ever had.”

Hungarian refugees at the Immigration Building at the airport on Dec. 6, 1956.PHOTOS VANCOUVERDAILY PROVINCE, CITYOF VANCOUVER ARCHIVES PORTP1428.11, P1428.14P1428.13.



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Spending statistics courtesy of MonerisMetrics Quarterly Report

For most of us, Christmasis the most wonderful timeof the year. It can also bethe most wonderful or theworst time of the year forretailers. According to MarkStartup, vice-president of theVancouver branch of theRetail Council of Canada, itis shaping up to be a goodyear for British Columbiavendors. “I expect to see arise or increase in Christmasspending this year overlast year,” Startup says.“Compared to the restof the country, B.C.is outperformingthe otherprovinces year-to-date. Therate of growthin the LowerMainland is closeto 10 per cent.” There’sa lot of reason for optimismthis Christmas. Startupbelieves strong consumerconfidence is mainly due toa strong economic outlook,most notably in the LowerMainland. Accordingto Startup, other reasons

include tourism, robustexports and the strengthof the U.S. dollar, whichis keeping most BritishColumbians shoppinglocally. “The U.S. dollaris definitely a contributingfactor... same-day and three-day trips to the U.S. havedropped dramatically thisyear,” he says. “In addition,U.S. retailers are openingstores here, so the need togo cross-border shoppingis decreasing.” Although

Startup adds that it’sstill speculativeat this pointif consumerspendingcontinues aspredicted,

but retailersacross the Lower

Mainland have lotsto smile about this holidayseason. However, Startupsays if merchants want tohave a successful holidayshopping season, they betteroffer “exemplary customerservice and have an onlinepresence.”

As shopping behaviourevolves, he notes thatgreat marketing strategieswill separate the winnersfrom the losers. “The rapidgrowth of online and mobileshopping is fast surpassingbrick and mortar,” hesays. “Merchants whodon’t invest in online andmobile-driven E-commercewill not be as successful asthose who do.” RachaelFactor of MonerisMetrics— a Canadian consumerspending indicator thatprovides information onconsumer spending activityin Canada by analyzingcredit and debit cardtransaction data — agrees.When it comes to giftgiving, British Columbiansare leading the way.“B.C. leads the way in yearto date in above averagespending 2015 at 10.2per cent, with Nova Scotiain second place at 8.5 percent increase and Albertaat below average at 0.3per cent,” says Factor.

TOTALBlack Fridayspending increasein Canada9.58%

TOTALCyber Mondayspending increasein Canada14.07%

Foreign cardspending increaseon Black Friday27.7%

BLACK FRIDAYSTANDOUT CATEGORIES:Specialty retail+17.96%Sporting goods+23.92%Women’s accessories+20.44%Home electronics+11.74%Apparel +12.35%Women’s clothing+28.98%Men’s clothing+15.64%Household +6.60%

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

MICHELLE HOPKINS • REW.ca

Christmas comes earlyfor B.C. retailers


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[email protected]

Everyone knows the 12Days of Christmas song.Few of us know the mean-ing of the gifts delineated inthe somewhat monotonouscarol or, in fact, the signifi-cance of the 12 days to thestory of Jesus’s birth. WhenI started poking around, Ifound some deep historicalsecrets and also an ongo-ing mix-up that blows thelid off the usual imagery ofbaby Jesus in the manger.Let’s start with the facts.

I spoke with Dr. PaulSpilsbury, academic deanand professor of the NewTestament at Regent Col-lege on the UBC campus.“Basically, the church

calendar is divided intoseasons, and Christmas, inthe church calendar, is aseason rather than a day,”he says. “Christmas lastsfor 12 days. It’s a secretwe’ve kept from our kids allthis time.”

The 12 days of Christ-mas go from Dec. 25 untilJan. 5. Traditionally, in-cluding in my grandmoth-er’s house, the Christmastree had to come down onor before the 5th, becausethat was the end of theChristmas season and thebeginning of Epiphany.Usually we think of

the first Christmas as themoment the world (inthe Christian narrative)realized the saviour had ar-rived. Not so. That was 12days later.Epiphany is the feast as-

sociated with the Magi, theThree Wise Men, comingto Jesus, presenting theirgifts. It also commemoratesthe presentation of Jesus inthe Temple.“Epiphany is like the

coming out of Jesus,” saysSpilsbury. “The mani-festation of Jesus to theworld.” And here is wheremuch of what you thinkyou know about the man-ger scene is wrong.

“There are two stories inthe Gospels about the birthof Jesus,” he explains, onein the Gospel of Matthewand one in the Gospel ofLuke. “And the two storiesare not exactly the same.”In one gospel, theMagi

visit Jesus in a house, not inamanger. In the other, thearrival of Jesus in themangeris met with angels and shep-herds, but no wise men.“Christian tradition has

always kind of woven thetwo stories together andsaid the one happened firstand the other one second orsomething like that,” saysSpilsbury. “In your typicalpageant or Christmas card,you often have a scene inwhich there are wise menin the stable, but if you lookat the original stories in thegospel, those are two sepa-rate scenes. We’ve kind ofmixed them all together…they get kind of coalesced,fused together.”Mary and Joseph had

advance warning that her

son was the manifestationof God made flesh. Theworld, however, becameaware of this only onEpiphany — 12 days afterJesus was born. The ThreeWise Men represent theawareness of Jesus as theson of God spreading tothe larger world.“It’s when the wise

men come with their giftsand that, in a sense, is therevealing to the world,”Spilsbury says. “That’swhat epiphany is about,revealing to the world theholiness of this baby… theMagi were from anothercountry, they were notJews, so it was the makingknown of the Christ childto the world, as it were.”In traditional Chris-

tian churches, especiallyAnglican and Catholic,there will be fairly strictadherence to the appropri-ate liturgies of the season.Leading up to Christmasis Advent, a month ofspiritual preparation, intro-

spection and repentance.Christmas, which we nowknow lasts a full 12 days, isassociated with a height-ened holiness, and thenEpiphany is also accompa-nied by its own traditions.So that’s what the 12

days of Christmas are allabout. Now what aboutthat song?Between 1558 and

1829, Roman Catholicsin England were forbid-den from openly practisingtheir religion. In order toinculcate the catechism intheir children, Catholicscreated the song as, basi-cally, a series of mnemonicdevices to give kids thebroad outline of the RomanCatholic worldview andteachings. Both “my truelove” and the partridge ina pear tree represent Jesus— the partridge becauseit’s a bird that will sacrificeits life to save its children.Two turtle doves representthe Old and New Testa-ments. The three French

hens are faith, hope andlove. Four calling birds arethe Gospels of Matthew,Mark, Luke and John. Thefive golden rings are thePentateuch, the first fivebooks of the Old Testamentand so on, through six daysof creation (geese a-laying),seven gifts of the holyspirit (swans a-swimming),eight beatitudes (maidsa-milking), nine fruits of theholy spirit (ladies dancing),the 10 commandments(lords a-leaping), 11 faithfulapostles (pipers piping) and12 points of belief in theApostle’s Creed (drummersdrumming). If one under-stood the song’s underly-ing meaning, it provided apretty good skeleton uponwhich to begin a widerexploration about religiousteachings. And it could besung publicly leaving theProtestant establishmentnone the wiser.Have a merry Christ-

mas… all 12 days of it.@Pat604Johnson

What’s the deal with a partridge in a pear tree?PACIFIC SPIRIT

Meaning behind 12 Days of Christmas full of historical secrets, mix-ups and misunderstanding

Dr. Paul Spilsbury, academic dean and professor of the NewTestament at Regent College, says Christmas, in the church calendar, is a season that lasts 12 days rather than a single day. “It’s a secret we’ve keptfromour kids all this time.” PHOTODANTOULGOET


Mike [email protected]

It seems that “change” isthe rallying cry of our time.The word change has latelydone yeoman’s service as aslogan in successive politicalcampaigns. It has also beenproffered that fear of change isat the root of the current Don-ald Trump phenomenon.During the month of

December, however, itfeels like we eschew changethrough a series of tradi-tions. Quite a few of us maynever open a Bible all year,or say a prayer, yet we stillpull our decorations out ofstorage to hang a bobble, awreath, or a string of lightsto celebrate Christmas.Objects take on sig-

nificance for us during thissentimental month. It couldbe a snow globe, a book, aMenorah or a movie thattransports us back fromwhence we came.The degree of change

happening right now is tan-tamount to being on a rideat Playland. Uber, Airbnb,iPhones, online commerce,Netflix and binge watching,GPS, MP3s, Facebook,Car2Go and Snapchat area sliver-sized sample of thedisruptive technologies thatare shaping Canadians’world today.But during December,

it feels like we can put allthat exuberance on hold.Instead, we reconnect withfamily and friends, exchange

cards and email missives,give gifts or send salutations.Real change may be all

around us, but for a week ortwo we try to recharge oursouls by shutting it all out.The record-setting box

office set by StarWars: TheForce Awakens— launchedlast Friday— seems to expressthis condition to a T.Why isit that somany adults are aseager to go to a galaxy far, far

away as much as their kids?There are many factors

that are determining thesuccess of the Star Warsreboot, such as the choiceof director, a fine cast, anexciting score behind agroup of archetypal heroesand villains, and brilliantmarketing of course.But above all it is an ob-

ject that elicits the feelingsof awe in fan boys like me:the Millennium Falcon.The hamburger-shaped

spacecraft co-piloted byHan Solo and his sidekickChewbacca is what youwould imagine a hot rod-obsessed auteur like GeorgeLucas would create. A spacejalopy made from spareparts and barely able to

fly at the best of times, theMillennium Falcon is likethat first beater vehicle youbought after high school.It thrills you then to see

the Millennium Falcon liftoff, dodge asteroids andTIE fighters, and, with aswift kick and a lot of luck,engage the hyperdrive.The original Star Wars

arrived in Vancouver in June1977, a month after its Me-

morial Day weekend releasein the U.S. I was in gradenine and bussed from EastVan to see it at the StanleyTheatre on Granville a weekafter it opened. It must havebeen a pretty thrilling expe-rience, because I marchedback to the Stanley to watchit again the following week.It is remarkable to consid-

er what life was like in June1977, back when the StanleyTheatre was still a cinema.Vancouver’s mayor at the

time— Jack Volrich— usedBrylcreem. Our Queen,Elizabeth II, was in themidstof Silver Jubilee celebrations.A bloated Elvis Presley

was on a U.S. tour mereweeks before keeling overdead at Graceland, full of

prescription drugs. The SexPistols were turning the mu-sic world upside down withtheir newly released single“God Save the Queen.”Soviet despot Leonid

Brezhnev dominated worldpolitics. A Trudeau was ourPM. Popular culture was ob-sessed with poster girl FarrahFawcett-Majors and BionicWoman LindsayWagner.Led Zeppelin playedMad-

ison Square Garden duringtheir last American tour, andFleetwoodMac’s “Dreams”was topping Billboardmaga-zine’s Hot 100.Meanwhile,a new generation of musicacts like TalkingHeads, theJam, Blondie and the Stran-glers were drawing crowds insmall clubs.When there is so much

change, a simple object likethe Millennium Falcon cantransport us back to a mean-ingful place and time.I do not know whether it

is the magic of cinema, or aprimal belief in the forces ofgood versus evil, but some-how that damn bird alwaysputs a lump in my throat.

@MikeKlassen

Ode to the Millennium Falcon

Opinion

Thedegree of changehappeningright now is tantamount to beingon a ride at Playland.

Star Wars reboot awakens fanboy’s nostalgia


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Jennifer Ling Cooseman, a 21-year-oldChinese Canadian originally from Terrace, B.C.,captured the 2015 Miss Chinese Vancouvertitle at the annual beauty pageant that wastelevised across Asia.

Photographers Adam Schelle and Kev Hol-loway launched So It Is: Vancouver, a uniquecoffee table book capturing the untold storiesof Vancouver, its history and culture throughthe eyes of local personalities. Copies can bepurchased at soit.is.

KidSport Vancouver champions David and Brent Nicholswelcomed Peter Fassbender, minister of community, sport andcultural development, andMichelle Stilwell, minister of socialdevelopment and social innovation, to the charity’s fourth annualGift of Sport fundraiser.

CROWNINGACHIEVEMENT:Ten con-testants vied for the 2015Miss Chinese Van-couver title. Held at the Vancouver ConventionCentre, the event saw 900 people file into theConvention Centre for the 21st staging. Jenni-fer Ling Cooseman, a 21-year-old half-Belgian,half Chinese Canadian fromTerrace, B.C.,took top honours at the beauty contest that wastelevised across Asia. B.C.Women’s HospitalFoundation’s newborn intensive care unit wasthe beneficiary of the competition and fundrais-ing gala dinner fronted by Thomas Fung, chair-man andCEO of the Fairchild Group and partychairs Paul Oei and Loretta Lai. The benefitraised $428,000 for equipment designed to helpsave the lives of precious newborns. Coosemanwill compete against delegates from all over theworld for the international title to be held earlynext year. Six of the global winners have hailedfromVancouver.

KIDSPLAY:KidSport Vancouver is one of20 chapters around B.C. that believes no kidshould be left on the sidelines and all shouldbe given the opportunity to experience thepositive benefits of organized sports. Thecharity hosted its fourth annual Gift of Sportsoiree presented byDeloitte at the scenicStanley Park Pavilion. Several hundred guests,including Olympians and sport ambassadors,gathered for an evening of sipping, suppingand shopping. The event was chaired byDavid and Brent Nichols and emceed by CBCsports broadcaster Karin Larsen. Attendeesmade dents in their Christmas shopping liststhrough the live and silent auctions, andmorethan $20,000 was collected. Attendees helpedgive a gift of sport to those who otherwisecouldn’t afford sport registration fees. Last yearKidSport Vancouver helped a reported 700Vancouver families.

NEWHEIGHTS:Vancouver-based devel-oper Pinnacle International and real estateagency Anson Realty recently held their annualChristmas Party at the former’s Pinnacle Har-bourfront Hotel. HostsMichael DeCotiis andGrace and StephenKwok, along with theirstaff, celebrated a banner year that sawmorethan 2,000 units completed. A formidablepartnership, the two franchises have beenselling real estate for 28 years. One of their firstwas a 36-storey tower aptly titled the PinnacleonHomer Street, which back in 1995 was thetallest tower in the city. Concerns that pur-chasers wouldn’t buy homes before comple-tion were quickly dashed when all 312 unitswere snapped up in pre-sales. Fast-forward to2015, both family-run businesses look to reacheven taller heights. Current projects in SanDiego and Toronto will see Pinnacle buildingthe tallest towers in both cities— 45 and 95floors. Ever expanding its footprint, De Cottisalso raised a glass to themaster planned com-munities breaking ground or near completioninMississauga, Ont..

Single mom Robin Sterloff shared with guestshow KidSport helped remove the financialbarriers so her son Alexander could pursue hislove of soccer.

Marc and Jodie Emerywere among 100colourful locals who shared their stories of thecity in the kickstarter-funded So It Is: Van-couver. Partial proceeds of the book will bedonated to St. John’s Ambulance to help itswork in the Downtown Eastside.

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

Sporting themuch sought afterMoncler downjacket that Drake sported in his “Hot Line Bling”music videowere store PRdirector Julia Erdmanand fashion editor JoyPecknold. The retailer ofluxury outerwear opened its secondCanadianstore at the corner of ThurlowandAlberni.

Pinnacle International’sMichael De Cotiis and Anson Realty’s Grace and Ste-phen Kwok’s business partnership of building communities in Vancouver andbeyond has spanned nearly 30 years. Their latest includes Canada’s largestresidential tower — at 95 storeys — on Toronto’s lakeshore.

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Community


It’s time to pull out thosefavourite sweaters fromthe back of the closet anddust off those wool blankets,because those cool, wintrydays are upon us. Asthe chill of winterfast approaches,it’s a good time towinter-proof yourhome.

As part of ourComplete2015 HomeMaintenanceTasks Calendar,REW.ca spoke toSimi Heer, mediarelations for

B.C. Hydro’s Power Smartprogram, and Sean Moss,home inspector and regularREW.ca contributor, foradvice to ensure your homeis comfortable and ready

for Old ManWinter.

“Most home repairsstart small but, left

unattended, canbecome costly,even urgent,problems,”says Heer.

“Taking early precautionscan help prevent damageto your home and reducethe likelihood of anunexpected emergency.”

Here’s how to stay warmwhile avoiding costly heatingbills and – even worse –expensive repair bills.

FIX YOUR FURNACECheck and clean or replacefurnace air filters eachmonth during the heatingseason. Ventilation system,filters should be checkedevery two months.“A smooth-running furnacecan save you a lot ofheadaches and money,”

says Heer.

In addition, ayearly furnaceinspection andcleaning will

keep your furnace in goodworking order.

DRAFT-PROOFYOUR HOMEIn addition to being awaste of energy, drafts areexpensive, costing,on average, 25 per centmore to heat your home.

“Did you know that energyis lost through vent ducts,plumbing penetrations,fireplaces, windows anddoors? Air leaks cost youmoney, so it is best to takethe time to seal them up,”says Moss.

Wait for a windy day,then, with a lit incense stickplaced close to windows,door frames, electricaloutlets and recessedlighting, slowly move itacross and see if there’s

movement, suggests Heer.

“If it moves, that’s a clearindicator that there’s adraft or leak. They can beeasily fixed with caulking orweather-stripping... a super-easy fix and not expensive.”

Even better, Moss adds,“Ideally you want to installdouble-paned or stormwindows.” Again, be surethey are properly caulked,sealed and weather-stripped. Heat can alsoescape through your woodburning fireplace.

“A slab of Styrofoam coveredwith cloth and pushed intothe rectangular front of yourfireplace can correct heatloss,” adds Heer.

To keep cool air out, keepyour chimney damperclosed when the fireplace

isn’t in use.

“You can also purchase aprotective cap with a screenfor your chimney, keepingforeign object, like birds,out,” she says.

According to Heer, thermalinsulation, when correctlyinstalled, slows heat fromescaping your home inwinter and from enteringyour home in summer,making it more comfortableand helping you savemoney on energy bills.

She recommends closingvents in rooms that aren’tbeing used and checkingfor leaks in the attic,basement and crawlspace.

For the complete story visitREW.ca/news.

WORDS BY MICHELLE HOPKINS REW.CA/NEWS

Hot tips to keep you warm this winter

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Arts & Entertainment

1. Ballet BC presentsAlberta Ballet’sholiday classic The Nutcracker withlive music by the Vancouver SymphonyOrchestra. The sugar plum fairies do theirthing Dec. 29 to 31 at the Queen ElizabethTheatre. Tickets at ticketmaster.ca. Detailsat balletbc.com.

2.Cram a little more holiday cheer intoyour coal-black heart before Christmasarrives as the Rio Theatre screens the 2003comedy Elf starringWill Ferrell,Dec.24, 9 p.m. There’s also bar service at thetheatre. Just saying. Details at riotheatre.ca.

3. You live a busy life. Between watchingcat videos on YouTube and creating newand increasingly unhealthy ways to con-sume cheese, you’ve missed seeing some ofthis year’s best films. Thankfully VancityTheatre is screening what it deems to be theBest of 2015, from Dec. 26 to 31. FilmsincludeGett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem,Amy, ExMachina, The Look of Silence,Tangerine, Phoenix, About Elly, Timbuktu,Wild Tales andMadMax Fury Road. Forshow times and details, go to viff.org.

GOTARTS? 604.738.1411 or [email protected]

Dec. 24 to 30, 2015

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Arts & Entertainment

Nathan [email protected]

It’s hard to survive in radiothese days. Stations have tochange and adapt, shift gearsand give people the musicthey want. This is especiallyrelevant in Vancouver, whichhas seen multiple stationsflip identities like switcheson a board. As the calendarturns to the holiday season, itbecomes harder to resist thelure of Christmas songs, andstations have to grapple withhow to incorporate the festivi-ties into their daily program-ming. For two Vancouverstations in particular, theanswers are quite different.James Sutton, music direc-

tor and on-air host at 102.7The Peak, has been in radiofor 15 years and knows thatChristmas is a tricky time forradio stations. “When I firststarted, I didn’t think peoplewanted Christmasmusic,”says Sutton. “Every year weask the questions, we send itout to our whole database,about 40,000 people we ask…and it’s overwhelming. It’slike 90 per cent [want to hearChristmasmusic].”In the days leading up to

Christmas, Sutton and his

crew start slowly, rolling outone Christmas-themed tunean hour at the start of Decem-ber. OnDec. 19 the stationbumped it up to two per hour,with a steady increase untilChristmas, which sees five.The station tries to keep the

material relevant to its usualprogramming, and the resultis an influx of songs by indierock bands that reference win-ter or snow. It’s a way to sneakin tracks like the Fleet Foxes’“WhiteWinter Hymnal.”“It’s really, really hard to

write a new Christmas song,”Sutton says. “It has to berelevant enough, and it has tobe good enough.”Asked his favourite Christ-

mas song The Peak plays, andthe Richmond native doesn’thesitate. “This Shins song[“Wonderful Christmas”] isprobably the best indie rockChristmas song of all time. It’sa piped-in Christmas song tothemax. But it’s a great song.”Turn the dial to 103.5

QMFM and the vibe iscompletely different. For thesixth year in a row, the teamat QMFM has been playingonly Christmas music sincelate November. Drew Stan-ton, the co-host of Breakfastwith Nat & Drew, chalks up

the station’s decision to aChristmas-crazed fan base.“Literally we get emails start-ing Nov. 1. Every year theratings get bigger and bigger,people are very passionate.”Stanton, a radio veteran of

13 years, chalks up listeners’fondness for Christmas songsto a desire to feel happy dur-ing the holidays. “It makespeople feel good,” says Sut-ton. “It’s probably also a littlebit nostalgic.”Stanton’s favourite holiday

song? “Darlene Love—‘Christmas (Baby PleaseComeHome).’ I’mMissingLetterman now because hewould always have her comeon and do the show.”For Sutton, it all comes

down to one question: what isgoing to keep people listening?“This is a super fun job, but itis a business and if we’re notmaking our boss money, I’mgoing to get fired, bottom line,”he admits. “That’s why stationsflip all the time.We’re sevenyears deep and we’re holdinggood…There’s been years weplay the RedHot Chili Peppersversion of ‘‘Deck theHalls,”and it’s only funny for me,because it’s like ‘Haha, the RedHot Chili Peppers being aw-ful,’ but no, it’s just awful.”

Hark, the herald airwaves sing


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Sports & Recreation

Megan [email protected]

For the second year,the Courier visits some ofVancouver’s top athletesfollowing their first fresh-man semester at universitiesaround the continent.We’re catching up with

athletes in the NCAA, CISand PacWest who are tryingnew foods and dorm styles3,000 kilometres from homeor learning new bus routesfrom their childhood hometo campus elsewhere in theLower Mainland. From aca-demics to athletics, socializ-ing and training, they all saybeing a university student-athlete is a big step up fromhigh school.

MeganMaMagee graduate MeganMa

competes for the State Universityof New York at Albany andwas named one of the best rook-ies in her NCAADiv. 1 confer-ence. Maybe it’s the pre-gameteam selfies or the sushi sheshares with friends that is key forthe Lion-turned-Great Dane.I had the usual nervous-

ness and “butterflies” uponarriving on campus but Iwas also extremely excitedto meet the rest of the teamand begin our season play-ing in the NCAA.During our season, we

had a tradition that beforeevery game— withoutquestion, our team wouldalways take a silly teamselfie to focus and lightenour moods before we leftthe locker room to play.My best performance

came at the America EastConference Championships.Just prior to the tournament,I was selected to the AmericaEast All Rookie Team. Ourteam went into the tourna-ment feeling very excited,confident and ready to win.I think I played some of mybest hockey there. Winningthe conference champion-ships was an amazing feeling.I think the most important

thing my coach has taughtme is not to worry aboutmistakes while playing. Al-though it’s important to stayfocused on the game— youalso have to relax and play toyour strengths.To stay on top of aca-

demics, I check assignmentand exam schedules wellahead of time and prioritizehomework. I keep the linesof communication open withmy professors. Sometimesit’s hard to get enough rest,but I try. A quick nap hereand there really helps.My favourite class right

now is my Introduction toMusic course. Learningabout music history has

made me rediscover howmuch I enjoy listening toclassical music. You canusually find me with headphones tuned intoMozart inthe athlete study hall. Musickeeps me from getting dis-tracted— it focuses me.

JessicaHansonThe provincial high school

basketball championshipMVP, averaged 6.7 pointsa game and is second-overallon the UBC T-Birds with 22assists in 16 games. The LittleFlower Academy alumna liveson the Point Grey campuswhere she doesn’t join herteammates in their love of tofu.I’m a quintessential

rookie in that I understandmy role on the team and Iput the team before myself.As long as the team’s doingwell, so am I.In my best game so

far, I had 18 points, fiverebounds and four stealsagainst Trinity WesternUniversity. I’ve had to getused to a faster paced gamewith a lot more informationcoming at me. My coachhas taught me a lot aboutconfidence and how to playa more dynamic game.To balance athletic and

academic demands, it justtakes a lot of hard work andtime management. The big-gest difference that I have

found in the transition isthe amount of informationI have to learn both on andoff the court. The work loadis heavy and the basketballside of things has muchmore intensity.I love going out with

friends or my teammates. IfI’m not out with friends orin the gym, I am probablywatching Netflix or sleep-ing. My favourite show isFriends. Any episode thatPheobe sings in is always agood one!My team is obsessed with

tofu. They always try and getme to try it — let’s just sayI strongly disagree with thisobsession.

KaleighMathesonComing from one of the

most individually accom-plished high school volleyballstarting lineups, York HouseSchool alumna KaleighMatheson already understoodpersonal accountability butnow she says she demandseven more of herself at Uni-versity of Western Ontario.At the beginning of the

year, we did a number ofday trips to bond the team.The most memorable waswhen we went canoeing,instructed by our assistantcoach. Like a true varsitysports team, our punish-ments for losing the canoe

races were push-ups withour hand and feet resting onthe edges of the boats. Nota lot of girls left the lake dry!In the beginning of Sep-

tember, I had quite a badankle sprain that put meout for about a month, so Ididn’t get to realize the pre-season playing opportunitiesthat first years often do.When you are thrown

into such a high level train-ing environment, it’s easy toget discouraged but it’s justas easy to forget how talent-ed all the girls you are train-ing with are. It’s just a moredemanding practice andgame atmosphere, so I’d saythe biggest improvementI’ve seen in myself is thecompetitiveness and effort.One of our teammottos isthat there are three thingsyou can control: attitude, ef-fort and communication.More than skill, my

coaches this year havetaught me about drive andgoal-setting. We start everyweek with a goal sheet thatis both position-specific andgeneral to the team. Now,when I walk into practice, Ialways have keys that I amconcentrating on for drillsand game situations. It’sabout learning to executewith purpose. You have toexpect that from yourself,but also from everyone

around you. Being in a tra-ditional residence, I quicklybecame very close withmy floor. When I’m not atpractice or in class, therewill always be a group ofus together in the commonroom or our main lounge.New food that I love are

bagels from The Spoke! Amust-try for anyone whospends anytime at Western.

AaronMahACanadian junior champion,

UCLA-Berkeley Golden Beargymnast AaronMah doesn’tattend his first meet until theseason starts in January but heis already taking full advantageof the privileges of being an eliteNCAADiv. 1 athlete.

From the moment that Iarrived at Cal, I instantly felt aconnection with my team-mates and a sense of belong-ing on the team. Our teamis so close-knit, and I trulybelieve that I have found myhome away from home.A very crucial aspect of

gymnastics is that you onlyhave one shot to succeed.No second chances. Mycoaches have reinforced thisby increasing the amount ofrepetitions if mistakes aremade. This increases thepressure of every turn so thatwe are better prepared oncecompetition season arrives.

Continued on page 26

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

ROOKIE SHOWCASE

1.UBCThunderbird JessicaHanson leads all rookies onher teamwith anaverage 22minutes per gameand6.7 points off thebench.PHOTORICHLAM /UBCTHUNDERBIRDS. 2.AtOregonState, golfer Trevor Yusays he tries to keep things on the lighter side in order to stay focusedand competewith awinning attitude.PHOTOOREGONSTATEBEAVERS. 3.NikoMottus fought for andearnedhis roster spotwith theCapilanoBlues.PHOTOCAPILANOUNIVERSITYBLUES. 4. Speedonandoff theball is just onewayNCAAAmerica East All-RookieMeganMahas improvedwith theAlbanyGreatDanes.PHOTOBILL ZISKIN / ALBANYATHLETICS.

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‘Biggest difference is physicalityand speed of the game’

Sports & Recreation

Continued from page 25The best way for me to bal-

ance athletics with academics isto maintain a positive attitude.As cliché as it sounds, keeping aclear head can get you throughthemountains of homeworkand exams that universitybrings. I try to set a schedulewhere I can do each assignmentone at a time and get throughthemmethodically.

The biggest differencebetween university and highschool is howmuch busier I amnow. The luxurious free timethat we had in high school isgone and is now filled up withhours of studying and training.

I prefer to study at theathletic study centre, which isreserved for student athletes.

I live in a suite with sixother freshmen and I sharea bedroom with two of myteammates. From looking atmy room, you can tell howdisorganized I am. My roomis definitely on the messy sidebut thankfully, living in a suitewith six other teenage males,the standards of cleanlinessaren’t set very high.

EnidAuThe Killarney graduate

crosses the city from east to westto get to class and training withthe UBC Thunderbirds.A week before classes be-

gan, my teammates showedall the first-years aroundcampus. It was nice to knowwhere all of my classes weregoing to be beforehand, andmy teammates also threw ateam get-together at one oftheir houses to break the ice.It’s difficult to gauge

how my performance hasimproved since I feel I’mstill transitioning into thelonger distances of univer-sity cross-country races.They’ve grown to five orsix kilometres, which aredistances I’d never racedbefore so I’m just settingthe bar as of right now.However, I do feel like

my body is stronger andless prone to injury, thanksto the weight-training I’vebeen introduced to.My coaches have placed lots

of emphasis on injury preven-tion, and I heed that adviceby doing all the stretches andflexibility exercises in the gymregiment we have.

To balance academic andathletic demands, I try toman-

agemy time wisely. On thecommute to school I domyreadings or get work done onmy laptop. Sometimes I get ter-rible motion-sickness though!

NikoMottusA product of the gritty

Tupper Tigers basketballprogram, Niko Mottus provedevery coach’s mantra that hardwork pays off. After he was cutfrom the team, the rookie bustedhis butt to keep practising withthe PacWest Capilano Blues,earning his way on as a redshirt and then also to the roster.I’m really enjoying life as

a post-secondary student-athlete. After I got cut fromthe team, I texted the coach atthe time, Jon Acob, asking if Icould workout with the teamduring the summer and hesaid I could.After that I went to every

single practice and justcompeted with the other guys.Sometime in August I had areally good practice, and oneof the guys asked Acob whyI wasn’t on the team— twodays later he offeredme aspot as a red shirt. Later on inSeptember, Acob offeredme aroster spot on the team.


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Sports & Recreation

Rookies embrace school traditionsA couple days after that,

he had to step down becauseof family matters and we gota new head coach, CassidyKannemeyer. He toldme thatI had to fight once again for theroster spot or else I would bea red shirt, and I did just that.Now I’m just your everydayrookie: After practice I have toput the balls away, after gamesthe other rooks and I have toput away the jerseys.

The biggest improvementinmy game has got to bemyshooting. Acob really helpedmewithmy shot in the summer andnow it’s a lot smoother. Cassidyhas really helpedme improvemy basketball IQ in games byhelpingme see the floor andlook for the best possible shot.The biggest difference in basket-ball is the physicality and speedof the game.The best strategy for

balancingmy academics andathletics is putting in the workearly.When I get an assign-ment, I try and slowly do itover time instead of crammingit all in the night before. Thatway I always have time to getto team practices and even domy own individual workouts.

TrevorYuA graduate of St. John’s

School, Trevor Yu chose to com-pete in the NCAA for the OregonState Beavers, where in hisrookie semester, he says he’s builtup his confidence and improvedhis swing thanks to dedicatedcoaches and a roster of support

staff and services. On the menu,Yu eats more than the averageamount of Chipotle.In what ways am I a quint-

essential rookie? I’ve been lostwalking around campus a fewtoomany times.

My teammates are a lot offun. It didn’t takemuch to feelwelcomed on to the team— Iwent over to a teammate’shouse to watchmovies thenight I arrived on campus!My swing has improved a lot

since junior golf. I’m hitting theball a lot straighter than before.My coaches, Jon Reehoornand JonnieMotomochi, havetaught me to play with a win-ning attitude. I lost a lot ofconfidence inmyself and inmygame after a tough spring andsummer. However, their guid-ance and experience has reallyhelpedme stay positive andmotivated through the fall.To balance athletic and

academic demands, I try tohave fun with everything—that way, nothing seems overlystressful. Coffee helps too.I have a lot more resources

and support compared to highschool. At Oregon State, I haveaccess to pretty much every-thing to helpme perform at mybest: coaching, facilities, per-sonal trainers, physiotherapists,nutritionists, tutors, academiccounsellors and advisors.Food in Corvallis is pretty

similar to home. You couldsay I consume a lot moreChipotle and Panda Expressthan before.

UBC Thunderbirds rookie Enid Au (No. 401) graduated fromKillarney secondary, where she competed for the Cougars asone of the fastest cross-country runners in Vancouver.PHOTOWILL CLIFF / UBC THUNDERBIRDS


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The main emphasis lies on your career andworldly status, Aries. Though there are theholidays, it’s a good time to press forward withyour ambitions while a lot of others are relaxing.You’ve felt the bite of sweet lust for the last fewweeks, but Wed. onward will bring a lighter, moremental view of love and relationships, and liftyou from the clutches of any obsession.

Work to complete rather than start things, Libra.Next week begins a period of delay, mistakesand false starts (mostly, for you, in domesticand property spheres). This is your last week ofheightened sexual magnetism, so take advantagewhile you can. Tuesday starts a month-longthread of affectionate friends, pleasurable travel,and easy communications.

This is a gentle, intellectual, loving andcompassionate time, Taurus. Seek far horizons,in space or in learning, reading. If you’re goingto apply for school admission, do it immediately(Wed./Thurs.) – or after January 24. Anaffectionate, loving relationship might veer,Tues. onward, into deeper, closer waters: sharedintimacy, shared mortgage, pregnancy – theseare possibilities.

Use this week to complete ventures rather than startnew ones. Three weeks of delay, mistakes and falsestarts begins soon (technically, Jan. 5). The generalemphasis lies on errands, short trips, messaging,paperwork, casual friends and siblings. This is anarea you are dealing well with, and in which yourskills are improving all this decade. Tuesday startsa month-long boost in your money luck – you canmake more, can buy a luxury item.

The few weeks ahead offer secrets, valuableinvestments or financial action as well assexual urges. These weeks might also offertemptations: extra-marital attractions, slickmoves to fool another, investment in unsavouryitems. Research is favoured; spying is wrong.If you’re honest and good-hearted, you canmake big strides, especially in money and“entrepreneurship.”

Use this week to wrap up chores and projectsrather than start anything new. A period of delayand mistakes begins next week. The generalemphasis lies on money now to late January. Paybills, collect what’s owed to you, cultivate clients,buy/sell, etc. You can be sensually attracted to aperson who would later prove burdensome. Makesure you’re honest in love.

Relationships are front and centre for the fewweeks ahead, Cancer. You feel sweet affectionfor someone, but this tends to slowly dissolveafter Tues. On the plus side, that friction at homewill also dissolve, by January 3. When it does,you’ll enter nine weeks of romantic courageand sexual magnetism. (This magnetism occursagain, June/July 2016.)

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

Tackle chores and protect your health, Leo. Dealwith machines, repair your car, etc. Don’t startbig projects – take up only what you can finishthis week, as a period of confusion and delaybegins soon. An atmosphere of heart warmthslowly leaves your domestic sphere, as a streakof romantic affection starts to grow. Your energyand charisma rise Sunday to Tues.

You’re a bit weary, Aquarius, and will remain sountil January 20. Take a break, enjoy solitude,rest and research, deal with civil servants and allbureaucracies, even corporate ones. Seek yoursoul, be charitable, see the world on the “secondlevel.” (The “first” is simply living, ambition, etc.)Your better self is just waiting to join you! Tonow, bosses have favoured you.

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

Start nothing big and significant this week,Pisces. Instead, wrap up ventures and firm uparrangements. January 5 will bring a three-week interval of hesitation, false starts, anddelays, especially in social, love and similarzones. (I’ll write the good side of this nextweek.) Tuesday begins a month of favour andaid from higher-ups, parents and VIPs. Don’tinvest this week – you’re too rushed, you’llpick weak “performers.”

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

A1 Unity Auto Service Ltd.located 1470 Columbia St.North Vancouver, BC. hasclaimed possession of thefollowing vehicle underthe Repairers Lien Act.Any persons(s) with claimto this vehicle shouldcontact Bruce Soroush at604-551-2050. Unclaimedvehicles will be sold at 1470Columbia St. NorthVancouver. on Jan 9 2016:Toyota Fj Cruiser vin:JTEBU11FX70010367, r/oYassine Faraj Faraj torecover $7258 plusadditional costs of repairs.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OTHERS

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

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WATKIN MOTORS FORD,Vernon, B.C. immediatelyrequires an experiencedFord Diesel Technician. Go towatkinmotors.com About us,Employment, to apply andreview required qualifications.

DOMESTICHELP WANTED

!&%$( !"#' * :"35'&3"% +:/9'-5,"$ =":8+- .547 5-545'450"-""$"$< (233/451" #)><;!67:<

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Retired Couple req. in home/live out f/t Care Taker. flexibledays off, Van Area. [email protected]

FAMILY OF four seeking f/t in- home nanny. Flex sched.Min wage. [email protected]

Caregiver req for 2 childrensupervis. & light house keep.

Main st. & 59th F/T perm. 30-40h/w $11/h flex , eve +wknds. 100%msp +wcb.1-2 y exp. English [email protected] / 604.559.7661

Administrative OfficerYellow Cab is looking to fill a vacant position for anAdministrative Officer (NOC 1221). This will be a full-time,permanent position. Our address is at 1441 Clark Drive,Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V5L 3K9.The job duties:• Oversee and co-ordinate office administrative

procedures and review evaluate and implement newprocedures;

• Establish work priorities, delegate work to office supportstaff, and ensure deadlines aremet and procedures arefollowed;

• Co-ordinate and plan for office services, equipment,supplies, forms, parking, maintenance and securityservices;

• Conduct analyses and oversee administrativeoperations related to budgeting, contracting and projectplanning andmanagement processes;

• Assist in preparation of operation budget andmaintaininventory and budgetary controls;

• Assemble data and prepare periodic and specialreports, manuals and correspondence;

• May supervise recordsmanagement and related staff.

This position is full time, 9am-5pm,Mon-Fri. Applicant maybe required to work on weekends as per work demand.Compensation is $23.00 per hour. 40 hours per week.No benefits.The position is only vacant for the location stated above.

Please send your resume by email to:[email protected]

Candidatemust have the following experience:• Degree or diploma in business or public administration;• Completed secondary school;• Experience in senior clerical or executive secretarial

position in office setting;• Candidatemust be willing to work independently and

managework and projects with a high level of accuracy,have excellent interpersonal skills and display a high levelof professionalism.

We thank all those who apply.Only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Now HiringFLAG PERSONS &

LANE CLOSURE TECHS.

• Must have reliable vehicle• Must be certified & exp’d•Union Wage & Benefits.

VALLEY TRAFFIC SYSTEMSApply in person

9770-199A St, LangleyFax or Email resume:

[email protected]

TRADES HELP

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EMPLOYMENT

MARKETPLACE

ART &COLLECTIBLES

Royal Mint Silver CoinsSelling 20% off market price.

Call • 604-537-7120

FOR SALE - MISC

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WANTED

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

PETS

ALL SMALL BREED PUPSLocal, Non-Sheddingand Vet Checked.604-590-3727

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FOOD/BEVERAGEHELPLANGARA CAFÉ n Vancou-ver seeks a Cook. Compl. ofhigh school 3 years or moreexp. in cooking. Basic in Eng-lish $15-$17/hr, 40 hr/week

[email protected] Ave,

Vancouver, BC V5Y 2Z6

PRACTICALNURSINGSPROTTSHAW.COM

Your Community

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Your Classifieds Team at the

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BUSINESSSERVICES

BUSINESSOPPORTUNITIES

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FRANCHISES

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LOANS

REAL ESTATE

HOUSESFOR SALEINVESTORS DREAM! 2 BR on1/2 acre lot, future develop,108/KGH. 13672 Bentley Rd,Sry.$895,000. 604-324-0655

* WE BUY HOMES *Yes, We Pay Cash!

Damaged or Older Houses!!Condos & Pretty Homes too!

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PERSONALS

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Relieve Road Rage

RENTALS

.

AMBERROCHESTER

545 Rochester Ave,Coquitlam

.

Close to LougheedMall, Transportation, &

SFU, Colleges.(near Coq/Bby border)

Call Linda.

604-813-8789

.

AMBER (W)401 Westview St,

Coquitlam.

Large Units.Near LougheedMall,all Transportation, &

SFU, Colleges.near Coq/Bby border.

cell: 604-727-5178

.

ARBOURGREENE

552 Dansey Ave,Coquitlam

.

Extra large 2 BR’s.Close to LougheedMall,Transit, SFU &Colleges.(near Coq/Bby border)

.

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

.

CALYPSOCOURT

1030 - 5th Ave,New Westminster

.

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

.

Call for info/viewing604-813-8789

.

COTTONWOODPLAZA

555 Cottonwood Ave,Coquitlam

.

Large Units, somewith2nd Bathrooms or Den.On bus routes, close toSFU & LougheedMall.

..

office: 604-936-1225

GARDEN VILLA1010 6th Ave. New West.Suites Available. Beautifulatriumwith fountain. Byshops, college & transit.Pets negotiable. Ref req.CALL 604 715-7764

BAYSIDE PROPERTY SERVICES

.

JUNIPERCOURT

415 Westview Street,Coquitlam

.

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

..

office: 604-939-8905

.

KING ALBERTCOURT

1300 King Albert,Coquitlam

.

GREAT LOCATION;Close to LougheedMall,all transportation, SFU,BCIT, Colleges &more.

..

office: 604-937-7343cell: 778-863-9980

LANGARA GARDENS#101 - 621 W. 57th Ave, Van

Spacious 1, 2 & 3 BR RentalApartments & Townhouses.Heat, hot water & lrg storagelocker included.Many unitshave in-suite laundry and lrg

patios/balconies withgorgeous views.Tastefulgardens, swim pools, hottub, gym, laundry, gatedparking, plus shops &

services. Near Oakridge Ctrl,Canada Line stations,

Langara College, ChurchillHigh School & more.

Sorry no pets.www.langaragardens.comCall [email protected] by PetersonResidential PropertyManagement Inc.

.

ROYAL CRESCENTESTATES

22588 Royal Cres Ave,Maple Ridge

.

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

..

office: 604-463-0857cell: 604-375-1768

SKYLINE TOWERS102-120 Agnes St,

New West.

Hi-Rise Apartment withRiver View & Indoor Pool.1 BR & 2 BR Available.Rent includes heat & hot

water. Remodeled Buildingand Common area. Gated

underground parkingavailable.

References required.CALL 604 525-2122BAYSIDE PROPERTY SERVICES

VILLA MARGARETA320-9th St, New West

Suites Available.All suites have balconies,Undergrd. parking avail.Refs. req. Small Pet OK.

CALL 604-715-7764BAYSIDE PROPERTY SERVICES

TOWNHOUSESFOR RENTCHAMPLAIN HTS 2 BR t/h,carport, family orient, n/p.$1210. Av now. 604-781-9650

FURNISHEDRENTALS12TH & Que.2nd floor. NewlyFurn. room. Lady only. N/S,N/P. $475. 604-576-1746

RENTALS

VACATIONRENTALS

PALM DESERTPOOLSIDE CONDO

Great Rates $90US/night!High-End Fully equipped.2 bdrm, 2 bath Condo.

Sleeps 6. Outdoor pool &hot tub, amenities room&indoor gym. Mthly/WklyAvail. Jan / March / April

604-833-0342

CLEANING

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

EUROPEAN DETAILEDService Cleaning

www.puma-cleaning.caSophia 604-805-3376

CONCRETE

CONCRETE SPECIALISTSidewalk, Driveway, Patio

Exposed Aggregate,Remove & ReplacingReasonable Rates.35 yrs experienceFor free est.

Call Mario604-253-0049

•All Concrete WorkMASONRY AND REPAIRS•StoneWalls •Bricks •Chimneys•Fireplaces •Pavers •Drain TilesGEORGE • 778-998-3689

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

DRAINAGE

DRAIN Tiles, Sewer, Water,Video Inspection,Jack Hammering,Hand Excavating,Concrete Cutting,

WET BSMT MADE DRY

Tobias 24/7604.782.4322

DrainagePerim. drains, sewers, waterlines. Fully Ins. 604.889.0251

DRAINAGE Services & moreClaudio’s Backhoe ServicesDry Basements+604-341-4446

DRYWALL

$'!%" #&(&84957 > 84;2687

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ELECTRICAL

#1 A-CERTIFIED LicensedElectrician, Res/CommNew orold wiring. Reasonable rates.Lic #22774 604-879-9394

A LIC’D. Electrician #30582Rewiring & reno, appliance/plumbing, rotor rooter 778-998-9026, 604-255-9026

ELECTRICAL

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

LIC. ELECTRICIANbf#37309 Commercial &residential renos & small jobs.

778-322-0934

YOUR ELECTRICIAN$29 Service Call. Lic#89402.

Fast same day service.Insured. Guar’d.We love

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EXCAVATING

#1 Backhoes &Excavators

Trenchless WaterlinesBobcats & Dump Truck& All Material Deliveries

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Claudio Backhoe Services604-341-4446

&"

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FLOORING

Hardwood FloorRefinishing

Repairs & StainingInstallation

Free EstimatesCentury Hardwood Floors

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ANYTHING IN WOODHardwood floors, installs,refinishing. Non-toxic finishes.604-782-8275

A to Z CERAMIC TILESInstallation, Repairs, Free Est.

604 444-4715, 604 805-4319

GUTTERS

Ken’s PowerWashing Plus

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

Call Ken 604-716-7468

HANDYPERSON

AaronR Construction

Repairs & Renos,general contracting.

Insured,WCB, Licensed.

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APARTMENTS/CONDOS FOR RENT

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LAWN & GARDEN

'5"4/- 2/-%5(/*6?(" 3?$ 6"2='>"# -!++$ 5,0!2"B

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TREES, HEDGES, SHRUBSPruning, shaping, removal, fruits,topiary. Wolfgang, 778-848-7404

WILDWOOD LANDSCAPINGComm/Strata/Res, Exp, HedgeTrimming & Removal, Lawn Res-toration, Free Est. 604-893-5745

MASONRY

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MOVING

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1PRO MOVING & SHIPPINGAcross the street, across the worldReal Professionals. Reas. Rates.Best in every way!604-721-4555

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

TCP MOVING 1 to 3 menfrom $40.Lic & Ins local &storage. Ca & US long distance604-505-1386 604-505-9166

OIL TANKREMOVAL

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7 "1):;;+8 7 *,1+0)01+ $930;6'45. (;/4:87 *,1+0)01+ #90,0)28 7 !0)-, '45.0)27 *,1+0)01+ &4)50)2 7 *13; %9348

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PLUMBING

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3 Licensed Plumbers66 years of exp. 604-830-6617www.oceansidemechanical.com

ACTUAL PLUMBING LTDBBB, Visa/Mcard/Amex604-874-4808

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10% Off with this Ad. For all yourplumbing, heat & reno needs. LicGas Fitter, Aman. 778-895-2005

RENOS & HOMEIMPROVEMENT

LEAKY ROOF? We Repair!! NewRoofs ! Soffit Siding

! Hardy Board ! Patios! Great Rates ! Quality Pays

604-358-7597

RENOS & HOMEIMPROVEMENT

$'!%" #&(&84957 > 84;2687

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Bath, Kitchen, Basement & MoreGrade A+, Licensed & Insured

RenoRite.com, 604-365-7271

CONCRETE FORMING,framing & siding crews

available. 604-218-3064

FERREIRAHOME IMPROVEMENTS

All interior and ExteriorRenovations and Additons

Renovation ContractorLicensed and InsuredFree Estimates

“Satisfaction Guaranteed”NORM 604-841-1855

ROOFING

A-1 Contracting & RoofingRe-Roofing & Repair. ConcreteTile, Paint & Seal &Maint. WCB.25% Discount. Call Jag at:

778-892-1530

$'!%" #&(&84957 > 84;2687

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

GL Roofing, & Repairs. Newroof, clean gutters $80. 604-240-5362. [email protected]

MCR Mastercraft RoofingRight the 1st time! Repairs,reroofing, garage, decks.Hart 322-5517

RUBBISHREMOVAL

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

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OPEN 7 DAYS AWEEK8 am-9 pm • Sale Dates: Thursday, December 24th - Wednesday, December 30th, 2015.

1595 Kingsway • 604-872-3019 • www.famousfoods.ca

$399 $589 $998 $498/lb10.98/kg/lb22.00/kg

/lb8.80/kg

$699/lb15.41/kg$299 /100 g

$179 $559

We carry a Huge Selection of Organic ProductsFRESH

Organic

Turkeys

ORGANIC

Prime RibRoasts

NON-MEDICATED

PorkloinBone-In Roasts

GRASS FED

Inside or OutsideRound Roasts

FROM THE DELI

RoastBeef

PRODUCT OF MEXICO

PRODUCT OF CALIFORNIA

Organic

Bagged Lemons

FRESH IS BEST

Tortilla ChipsGluten Free/Low Sodium

ZEVIA SODA

Zero Calorie/No SugarAssorted

ORGANIC

Bragg

Apple Cider Vinegar

NON-MEDICATED

J.D. FarmsTurkeys

Canadian B.C. Grown

Prime RibRoasts

OrganicFuji Apples

Non-Medicated

Bone-InHams

ea2lb bag

$699 $219 $498/lb10.98/kg

$199 2 for $600 $209 $129

$399 $749

PRODUCT OF THE U.S.A.

BaggedSpinach

PRODUCT OF CALIFORNIA

Organic

Cilantro

COSTA RICA

/lb15.41/kg

/lb4.83/kg

/lb12.99/kg

MAPLE HILL’S

Non-MedicatedRoasting Chickens

Your OriginalYour OriginalYour OriginalNaturalNatural Food Store

ea8oz bag

+ eco + dep6 pack 946ml

Pineapples

/lb6.59/kg

ea

ea

Staff of Famous Foodswishes everyone

a wonderful holiday!CLOSED DEC. 25, DEC. 26 & JAN. 1, 2016

OPEN DEC. 24 7AM - 5PM & DEC. 31 8AM - 5PM

$499325g

Avocados