Missing 13 year old girl

August 6, 2012, 12:20 am

≫ Next: Man charged with attempted murder after fiery fight

≪ Previous: The Premier dismisses another dismal poll and questions over office spending

$

0

0

Surrey RCMP are asking for help in finding a 13 year old girl.

The family of Subeehah Buksh reported the girl missing on July 28th.

She went missing from her home in Surrey--she was last seen at 4pm.

Because of her age, and the amount of time she's been missing, police are concerned for her safety.

Buksh is described as 5' 3" tall, 75 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing a black top and blue jeans.

If you have any information, contact the Surrey RCMP Missing Persons Unit at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

---

Man charged with attempted murder after fiery fight

August 6, 2012, 9:41 am

≫ Next: Fire danger remains high in BC

≪ Previous: Missing 13 year old girl

$

0

0

A 56 year old North Vancouver man is in serious condition in the Lions Gate Hospital burn unit after a drunk fight that went way too far.

Police say the man and another man got into a fight in the 700 block of Lillooet Road on Saturday after a day of heavy drinking
when the other man set him on fire with campfire fuel.

The man has severe burns to more than 50 per cent of his body and has been placed in a drug-induced coma.

A 34 year old man is facing charges of attempted murder.

Fire danger remains high in BC

August 6, 2012, 10:51 am

≫ Next: Union Gospel Mission needs help

≪ Previous: Man charged with attempted murder after fiery fight

$

0

0

Warm weather across BC over the holiday weekend hasn't sparked any major wildfire activity yet.

Four large fires are now being fought in the northeast corner of BC, but Erin Ctherall with the Wildfire Management Branch says the risk is increasing elsewhere.

"The current fire danger rating for BC is moderate to high. We have seen some patches of extreme in the Prince George, Northwest, Coastal, Cariboo and Kamloops fire centres."

The branch issued a long weekend advisory asking all campers to make sure any fires are kept small and never left unattended.
It seems to be working: of the six new fires sparked, only two were caused by humans.

So far this season, close to half of the 703 wildfires recorded in BC were human-caused.

More than 16-thousand of the nearly 18-thousand hectares burned have been in the Prince George region.
 

Union Gospel Mission needs help

August 6, 2012, 4:29 pm

≫ Next: Pepper spray fired at Oakridge Mall

≪ Previous: Fire danger remains high in BC

$

0

0

The Union Gospel Mission on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside is in desperate need  of a couple of items during this warmer weather.

Spokesperson Keela Keeping is appealing to the public for water bottles, sunscreen and hats.

"We don't have any of those on stock right now and anything the public can do to bring those in would be really helpful they can drop them off anytime at our reception at 601 East Hastings."

Keeping says typically in years past the homeless have had a difficult time finding water to drink on the Downtown Eastside during a hot spell but she says renovated Oppenheimer Park facilities have helped.
 

 

Pepper spray fired at Oakridge Mall

August 6, 2012, 4:34 pm

≫ Next: Beluga Dies at Vancouver Aquarium

≪ Previous: Union Gospel Mission needs help

$

0

0

A robbery at Oakridge Mall this afternoon resulted in the evacuation of the food court after pepper spray was let-off.

Vancouver Police Constable Brian Montague says a man agreed to meet another person at the mall after hooking up through Craigslist to sell an item.

"There was an agreement between the person selling this item and an apparent suspect to meet at oakridge mall and instead of purchasing the item the suspect at this point looks like pulled out pepper spray and sprayed the victim and took the item from him."

Montague says three people were treated at the scene and released.

 

Beluga Dies at Vancouver Aquarium

August 6, 2012, 8:19 pm

≫ Next: Prime Minister doesn't take questions at Surrey event

≪ Previous: Pepper spray fired at Oakridge Mall

$

0

0

One of the oldest Beluga whales at the Vancouver Aquarium has died.

"Kavna" had been at the Aquarium since 1975 and was estimated to be at least 46 years old and considered to be at the end of her life.

In a release the Aquarium says over the past few weeks Kavna had been displaying inconsistent behaviour and specialists were brought in to provide additional consultation.

Belugas in the wild live to about 25 to 30 years of age.

A full necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.

Prime Minister doesn't take questions at Surrey event

August 6, 2012, 9:44 pm

≫ Next: BC Tory leader says no to back room talks to unite the right

≪ Previous: Beluga Dies at Vancouver Aquarium

$

0

0

The Prime Minister invited media to the ranch of Senator Gerry St Germain but declined to allow reporters to ask any questions on Monday.

 The event was to wish St Germain well as he retires as a Senator this fall.

 "Gerry as you know one of the few Canadians , few British Columbians, to have sat in both houses of parliament even before that he had a long career of public service as a police officer as a fighter pilot."

 The Prime Minister Stephen Harper used the rest of his speech to pump up the Tory faithful.

 "And last year we won a strong, stable, national majority Conservative government."

 Order of Canada recipient, former MP and journalist Simma Holt wasn't fan of the Prime Minister ducking reporters.

 "Well I don't like any restrictions on media having been media and still media at heart."

 Stephen Harper is expected to hold another media even Tuesday in the lower mainland in which reporters will be allowed to ask questions.

BC Tory leader says no to back room talks to unite the right

August 6, 2012, 9:49 pm

≫ Next: BC's Finance minister defends costy credit card bills to the taxpayers

≪ Previous: Prime Minister doesn't take questions at Surrey event

$

0

0

A number of BC Liberals were also in attendance at the annual conservative BBQ in South Surrey on Monday, as they stood in a crowd which included a provincial rival.

 BC Conservative party leader John Cummins says despite everyone being at the same event there would be no backroom talks to unite the right in this province.

 "I don't think there is any room at all for talks between us and the BC Liberals. We are an independant party, we are a party of the people, we don't represent special interest groups, we are there to represent the folks. I think that the Liberals have just done a lousy job of doing that and we are there, if you will, to clean up the mess in the future."

 Cummins says his party is also independant of the federal conservatives despite his being a long time MP with the party.

 Among the BC Liberals at the Conservative BBQ was BC Finance minister and Deputy Premier Kevin Falcon.

---

BC's Finance minister defends costy credit card bills to the taxpayers

August 6, 2012, 9:56 pm

≫ Next: Civic Party Rebuilding

≪ Previous: BC Tory leader says no to back room talks to unite the right

$

0

0

BC's Finance Minister is defending millions of taxpayer dollars being spent on government credit cards across the ministries and the premier's office.

 Kevin Falcon says as people hear about the costs coming from the various ministries they shouldn't jump to any conclusions.

  "Many of them seem unexplainable but once people understand why the cards were utilized they are following typical government policies that they are required to follow I think what is important for the public to know is the reason we put all of this stuff out there is so people have the ability for people to take a look and that in itself shines a bright light of accountability on government."

 Falcon says a $300 purchase for the infidelity website "Ashley Madison" is one example of a fraudulent charge, that was caught

  "It did not slip through that was an expense that was done illegally so it is fraud obviously that was reversed because we are not going to be paying for fraud that takes place and that does occasionally happen I was a Minister of Transportation at the time when some fraud took place and people were misusing the card for purchasing terrible pornographic what ever it was and all of those got reversed."

 Falcon says in the case of the almost half a million in spending out of the premier's office, that is just the cost of doing business.
 
  "Some of them granted are very high you know 26-hundred bill at a restaurant people say wow that is a lot but you know when you are hosting all the Premier's from across the country the truth is you don't take them to McDonalds but I think government is trying to be responsible but also uphold our responsibilities to entertain when we are chairing the Premier's from across the country and make sure we do it responsibly."

 The Premier's office rang up $475,000 in credit card charges more than double the use in the year previous under former Premier Gordon Campbell.

Civic Party Rebuilding

August 6, 2012, 10:00 pm

≫ Next: Man harrassing women at Joyce Street Skytrain station

≪ Previous: BC's Finance minister defends costy credit card bills to the taxpayers

$

0

0

The new president of the Non-Partisan Association says he hopes to avoid the "mis-steps" of the past.

Peter Armstrong says he wants to see organization renewal and modernization of the party and move on from by-gone eras.

He says "I think we had issues over the years with conflicts related to people who wanted to run for mayor and that caused a fraction."

At least one of the people Armstrong's referring to is premier Christy Clark who in 2005 lost the NPA mayoral nomination to Sam Sullivan

Man harrassing women at Joyce Street Skytrain station

August 9, 2012, 3:47 pm

≫ Next: Rocky Mountaineer labour dispute drags on

≪ Previous: Civic Party Rebuilding

$

0

0

Vancouver Police are looking for a man who may be connected to seven different harrassment complaints all around the Joyce Street Skytrain station.

The complainants are all women in their early 20's.

Police are on the look out for a dark skinned man between 25 to 30 years old.

He is about five nine or five ten inches tall.

The suspect has short black hair and a large nose.

 

Rocky Mountaineer labour dispute drags on

August 9, 2012, 8:31 pm

≫ Next: Something else to be aware of at the pump

≪ Previous: Man harrassing women at Joyce Street Skytrain station

$

0

0

With no end in sight to the lock out of unionized workers the Rocky Mountaineer tourist train is forging ahead with a new route.

 Ian Robertson speaking for Rocky Mountaineer was asked if there is way to end the labour dispute.

  "I am not a labour expert and I don't know what the next steps are I mean for us as an organization we are just focused on providing our guests, that come from all over the world, a great experience and they are having that and you know just looking forward to next year we have got a lot of new initiatives we are embarking upon including a new route down to the States. We are pretty excited about the future and just focusing on that right now."

 Robertson says he is not sure what can be done to bring the labour dispute to an end.

  "The Rocky has put seven offers in front of the union since they took a strike vote and declared a strike on the company so there has really been no movement and it is unfortunate but you know we are where we are. Operationally we continue to operate our service continues to be at a high level but at this point in time there is no new news to report on the dispute."

 The increasingly bitter lock out has dragged on for over a year.

 The move by Rocky Mountaineer to focus on new routes is not going over well with striking union workers.

 Teamsters local 31 spokesperson Mike Hennessy.

   "It just shows the character of the company right most senior person has been there for 22 years these people are the ones that helped them build this line."

 Hennessy says the union is aware of the new route into the States and is working to scuttle those plans.

 "If it does come this year we have heard there are some dates and we are speaking with the people they are supposedly they are adding the new line with and we are hoping that they will see our point of view and hopefuly not allow them running on that line."

 He says union workers will not stop their job action until they get their positions back.

Something else to be aware of at the pump

August 9, 2012, 10:26 pm

≫ Next: Food banks are suffering throughout Metro

≪ Previous: Rocky Mountaineer labour dispute drags on

$

0

0

A warning from Vancouver Police: lock your doors while gassing up.

The heads-up comes after a series of recent robberies, in which purses and cell phones were snatched while unsuspecting drivers were at the pump.

The suspects' description is vague.

Police are looking for an older man driving a newer model, light-coloured minivan.

Food banks are suffering throughout Metro

August 9, 2012, 10:39 pm

≫ Next: Supervisors future still undecided

≪ Previous: Something else to be aware of at the pump

$

0

0

It's one of the worst years ever.

That from the head of an organization representing food banks across the Province.

Marilyn Herrmann is the President of Food Banks BC. She says Christmas donations, typically meant to last through September, are largely gone, "In Surrey we started to purchase in May and that's absolutely unheard of. Normally we're not purchasing until August or September."

Herrmann says some food banks receive gaming grants but many are self-sufficient.
 
She's also calling on businesses to step-up donations.

Supervisors future still undecided

August 10, 2012, 1:26 am

≫ Next: Musqueam First Nation to demonstrate Friday

≪ Previous: Food banks are suffering throughout Metro

$

0

0

We still don't know whether anyone will lose their job one week after 21-year old, special needs woman Joy Zhang went missing in the forest near Sasamat Lake.

She walked away from a Douglas College school group and was found four days later by rescue crews.

Douglas College President Scott McAlpine says a full investigation is underway and he's also heard from Zhang's parents, CKNW: "Did they express any sort of concern, or any sort of anger with the school at all"?

McAlpine: "I'm not at liberty to reveal all of the conversation. What I can say is that it was a very, very good conversation and that of course everyone is happy with the result."

McAlpine says two supervisors were monitoring the group of nine students.

---

Musqueam First Nation to demonstrate Friday

August 10, 2012, 1:41 am

≫ Next: Bad biker busted below Burnaby

≪ Previous: Supervisors future still undecided

$

0

0

Dozens, and perhaps hundreds of protestors are expected to take to the streets this morning at the 100-day mark of a land dispute centred around a native burial ground.
 
Members of the Musqueam First Nation are still negotiating a cash-for-land deal with the Century Group after human remains were found at a site slated for condos.
 
The Province has already given the band nearly 5-million dollars, and is now committing another 12-million.
 
But band member Cecelia Point says that money is owed to the Musqueam for other projects around the region, "The funds that are coming to us are not a grant, they are for lands that are owed to us. So now we're using that cash, which we could use for other things. Some of our people need housing and education, that's our own land, we have to buy our own land back, which we never gave away."

The march starts at 9:30.

A protest earlier this year saw demonstrators block traffic to the Arthur Laing Bridge for several hours.

Bad biker busted below Burnaby

August 10, 2012, 1:44 am

≫ Next: Man stands by email: "Lose the traditions, or stay in India"

≪ Previous: Musqueam First Nation to demonstrate Friday

$

0

0

One man has been arrested after a wild chase through several Metro Vancouver communities.
 
Burnaby RCMP Sergeant Dwayne Beckerlig says Air One first spotted a speeding motorcycle on Highway one, "Coquitlam attempted to pull the motorcycle over and the motorcycle refused to stop. Air One continued to follow this motorcycle for approximately two and a half hours throughout Coquitlam, Burnaby, New Westminster, Vancouver and Richmond."

Eventually, the driver went underground, literally, into the underground parking lot at Metrotown.

That's when the man was finally arrested.

He's facing a multitude of driving-related charges.

Man stands by email: "Lose the traditions, or stay in India"

August 10, 2012, 8:25 am

≫ Next: BC Court of Appeal says ALS victim can end her own life

≪ Previous: Bad biker busted below Burnaby

$

0

0

Saying they must respect what he calls the 'Canadian way of living,' a man who wrote an offensive email in the wake of a deadly shooting at a temple in the U-S is standing by his comments against members of the Sikh community.

Dave Foran initially sent the email to Sher-e-Punjab Radio.

This morning, he defended its content with CKNW's Philip Till.

"There's nothing wrong with it if everybody kind of blends in and looks the same, but these people don't do that, they bring that religious thing with them."

"But how does it impact you?"

"I have to look at it. Other people have to look at it. I'm not the only here and I don't believe I'm prejudiced. I know lots of people from India. they blend in. they wear blue jeans. I don't want to live in India."

In the email, Foran insists he doesn't condone violence, but he believes 'Sikhs are disrespectful' because they don't 'blend in' after moving to Canada.

He goes on to say, 'your long beards, turbans, clothes and waddling as you follow each other down the street is enough to make us sick. Lose the traditions or stay in India.'

Dale Badh's family owns Sher-e-Punjab Radio.
He says Foran's comments are offensive because --as someone who's lived in Canada since 1975-- he's still not considered 'Canadian.'

"How are we disrespectful? It was very, very disturbing to me when I read that email and it still bothers me because what we've gone through in Wisconsin, what we've gone through after 9-11"
 
Badh says he doesn't wear a turban or beard, yet people keep calling him Indo-Canadian or South Asian,  instead of simply Canadian.

Badh was speaking with CKNW's Philip Till

BC Court of Appeal says ALS victim can end her own life

August 10, 2012, 11:14 am

≫ Next: Musqueam stage brief blockade

≪ Previous: Man stands by email: "Lose the traditions, or stay in India"

$

0

0

The BC Court of appeal has ruled, a West Kelowna woman can end her life through doctor-assisted suicide, if she chooses to do so.

In June, the BC Supreme Court Gloria Taylor a "constitutional exemption," allowing the A-L-S sufferer to die on her own terms.

And as expected, the federal government appealed that ruling, asking for a stay of proceedings, to prevent Taylor from getting doctor assisted suicide.

But BC's highest court has rejected that bid, with the judge writing she is "not persuaded that the harm to public created by allowing ms. taylor to take her own life," outweighs harm to Ms. Taylor" herself.

The rest of the federal government's appeal -- which covers the ruling striking down Canada's law against assisted suicide -- is still before the courts.

 

Musqueam stage brief blockade

August 10, 2012, 12:07 pm

≫ Next: City adds to electric fleet

≪ Previous: BC Court of Appeal says ALS victim can end her own life

$

0

0

The blockade was brief, but the point was made.

This morning, dozens of protesters spent several minutes keeping traffic from moving onto the bridge linking Vancouver with the city's airport. 

The Musqueam First Nation has spent 100 days fighting plans to develop the site of an ancient burial ground near Granville and Marine Drive.

Band member Cecilia Point says the BC government's falsely claiming a cash-for-land trade is close.

"we are going to purchase this property with some of that money, but definitely not all of that money. our band has other needs for those funds. Me personally? I'm prepared to pay nothing for it because we never gave this land away.  It was taken from us."

The province is offering up as much as 16-million dollars, but Point insists that's all money already owed the band.