Kelowna Big White

Big White is awesome. I was snowshoeing on Big White today. There is so much happening there. Skiing and snowboarding, of course. Yet there are sleigh rides. dog sleds and best of all ice climbing. The layout is similar to Whistler with lots of shops, resturants hotels and condos. You park at the bottom of the village and take a free gondola up to the hub of the activity.



We went snowshoeing of course. The fresh power was awesome.



This ice climbing tower they have is awesome. For 20 bucks you gear up and get hooked into harnesses and ropes just like at an indoor rock climbing facility. Ice is very different to climb. It's a great opportunity to practice. It's the only one in North America. I can't believe I've never been to Big White before. There is so much you can't find in a crack pipe or a sleazy night club. I'm glad I went today and will definitely return.

Surrey's 11th murder in 11 weeks

Jackie Olson was found dead in her Whalley home yesterday from what appears to be domestic violence. A relative has been arrested and is in custody. That makes 11 murders in 11 weeks. Not a good start to the year.

Gang related kidnappings in court

The gang related kidnapping from October 2011 involving seven accused including Thomas Crawford, David Tarrant and Veronica Moncur all from Kamloops has come to trial. At the time police reported that "The kidnapping was financially motivated," and that "Some of the individuals we arrested have documented links to the Red Scorpions and Independent Soldiers."

We know Thomas Crawford was connected to the Independent Soldiers which as we know work for the Hells Angels. Once again this shows the Red Scorpions and the IS working together on behalf of the Hells Angles.

Kim Bolan is reporting that “A Vancouver man now in jail in California was kidnapped and threatened with torture and death in October 2011 over missing money he had promised to send to the U.S. Dworkin said that on Oct. 20, 2011, victim Sulaiman Safi was ‘was kidnapped from the Denman Tap House restaurant in Vancouver and taken to Richmond where he was held overnight.’

‘He was tied up and threatened with bodily harm and death. A gun was put to his head and he was threatened that his fingers would be cut off if he did not pay them money,’ Dworkin told Justice Catherine Bruce. Mirhadi’s brother Mohammed was shot to death in North Vancouver in 1997 while he watched Donnie Brasco at a local theatre.”

The case involved $400,000 he agreed to ship to the US for the accused which didn’t arrive at it’s destination. More drug related violence tied to debts owed to the Hells Angels.

Another case of a gang related kidnapping shortly after that one was also tied to the Independent Soldiers. Jesse Margison and Troy McKinnon were accused of kidnapping and torturing a former associate named Robert McMillan. They beat his knees with hammers and cut off his ear and finger storing them in an ice cream carton. The victim refused to testify in that case and the accused walked. His brother Jonathon McMillan was shot to death in December 2007.

In February 2009, Jesse Margison’s girlfriend Brianna Kinnear, 22, was gunned down in a targeted hit in Coquitlam. A few days later, Margison associate Nick Smith was shot to death in a Vancouver basement suite.

Jesse Margison and Troy McKinnon were arrested February 2012 for another kidnapping and assault that occurred on Nov. 23, 2011 in Vancouver. Sam Vu was convicted of kidnapping a UBC student back in April 2006. I’m not sure what the motive was in that kidnapping. Vu’s younger brother Van, who was acquitted in the McMynn kidnapping, was charged with Jesse Margison and Troy McKinnon in the November 2011 kidnapping.

In that case they were charged with kidnapping for an organized crime group, assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm. Also charged were Troy Dax McKinnon, Derek James Stephens, John Ross Powers and Cody Alexander Sleigh. Kim Bolan reported on Feb 2012 that Tom McCluskie stated that kidnapping group was connected to the Independent Soldiers.

Jesse Margison was seriously injured in an assault at North Fraser Pre-trial jail on Aug. 12 in which another inmate is alleged to have jumped on his head. He was deemed unfit to stand trial December 2012.

In the Thomas Crawford case involving real estate agent Nazfar Mirhadi, Sulaiman Safi was kidnapped because the $400,000 he agreed to take to the US for the accused didn’t arrive at it’s destination. Kim Bolan previously reported that in 2010 the Royal Bank of Canada and Coast Capital Savings won default judgments against Safi totaling more than $62,000 for unpaid debts.

Coast Capital also named Heat Clothing as a defendant, saying Safi “is employed by or operates” the Surrey-based company. The personal property registry indicates Safi and Heat Clothing are co-holders of a lease for a 2007 Cadillac Escalade. The other debtor on the lease is a company called Kam Transport, whose sole director is full-patch Hells Angel Glen Hehn.

Police seizing cell phones

Don Pitcairn wrote an interesting article in the Naked Truth about the proposal to let RCMP confiscate cell phones from drivers. I have to agree that’s going a bit too far. Don’t tell me it’s Bill Fordy’s idea. Don mentioned that the police computers are also very distracting for drivers. He made reference to the Ashley Guiboche coroner's inquest who was killed by an RCMP cruiser.

A blog reader recently wrote in expressing the same concern when Guelph Police Const. Jennifer Kovach, 26,was killed when she apparently lost control of her cruiser and crashed into a bus. They also cited a case last month where a Vernon officer heading northbound on Hwy 97A came into the right hand curve approximately a 1/2 km north of Pleasant Valley Road. He left the road on the right hand side and rolled the vehicle, coming to a rest on the passenger side.

Clearly those police computers can be just as much of a distraction as a cell phone. Texting while driving should result in a ticket but they should not confiscate the cell phone. Seizing your car after two drinks isn’t right either.

Quebec helicopter jail break tied to the Hells Angels

Quebec provincial police confirm they’ve arrested Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau - one of the two men who escaped from a jail by helicopter earlier on Sunday - along with two other suspects. Hudon-Barbeau is alleged to have ties to the Hells Angels. The other suspect was found an hour later.

Saint Patrick’s Day 2013

This Saint Patrick’s Day I was going to write a post about the Irish Proclamation. Then I thought St. Paddy’s Day is more of a fun celebration and that was more a political remembrance saved for Easter. Then Freddy goes and posts a link to that disgusting piece of British slander that contained likely the most offensive statement in recorded history that makes me want to throw up.

Foreign occupation is not noble. It’s known as tyranny. William Wallace fought the British occupation in the movie Braveheart. He was not a murderous terrorist. He was a patriot who supported a free republic. Historically, England resisted Rome’s attempt to invade and occupy their land. I remember reading in the History of the Kings of Britain how the British sharpened logs to a point and submerged them in the river Thames to puncture the hulls of the invading Roman ships. That resistance was good.

Slandering the Irish is something I just don’t have the time of day for. After England was invaded by Rome they became educated in many things including warfare. England wasn’t the only country that participated in Imperialism. France, Spain and Portugal did as well. Foreign occupation is not a good thing. It wasn’t good when Hitler did it. It's not good good when anyone else does it.

I am told that there has been considerable progress in the peace process in Northern Ireland. Ian Paisley, the devil himself, finally agreed to Stormount and a local parliament. Yet once again a minority continue to want violence and say that is not enough. Michael Collins déjà vu.

They called Michael Collins a traitor because he brought back a deal that saw Southern Ireland become a free state which then became a free republic. Collins said that was the best we were going to get. Some said it was not enough and they started killing their own brothers as a result.

Today we see troubles return. Some are protesting and some of those protests are being shut down. We remember Bloody Sunday. Both of them. Those were not noble soldiers that fired on unarmed civilians. They were murderers who killed innocent civilians.

Northern Ireland is problematic just like Quebec. 49% of the people want to be free and independent from England and 51% of the people want to be part of England. A democracy or a free republic does not say 51% of the people have to leave. The O’Neils are crazy. I don’t know how much truth there is to that Red Hand of Ulster legend but if they want the land that much then in all fairness the others must share it with them.

The Easter rising chose the Easter lily as a symbol for two reasons. The Easter lily blooms in Easter symbolic of the resurrection of Christ. Similar to how the Provisional IRA chose the symbol of the Phoenix rising from the ashes. The other reason the Easter lily was chosen to represent the Easter rising is because it is orange, white and green just like the tricolor. Orange represents the Irish Protestants, green represents the Irish Catholics and white represents peace between the two. This is what the signers of the Irish Proclamation died for. This is what Marian Price should have gone to jail for.

Many of the protestant paramilitaries are just as extreme. “Derry West Bank Loyalists still under siege, No Surrender.” Let it go man. That was a very long time ago. The majority of the people want peace. There is no place in Ireland for hate and intolerance any more. It’s just like that song the Town I loved so well.

This year I don’t feel very Irish. I don’t feel very British either. I feel pretty Paul Gross in the TV series Due South. I’ve never been a police officer but I support law and order and I love the outdoors. I feel at peace snowshoeing in the mountains or paddling in the rivers and ocean. Eastern Canada has a lot of history and culture. We don’t have that on the west coast.

On the west coast the history and culture we have is what people who come here bring with them. In the Vancouver mountains you’ll find people from all over the world. Speaking Russian, German, Iranian, or any of the Asian languages. All of these people share a love for the outdoors that I can relate to. I’m just a driver on a western highway.

Although 51% of the people in Northern Ireland want to remain tied to England, 49% do not. That 49% have a right to record their dissent. Tragically Marian Price’s sister Dolours Price was found dead in her home after claiming Gerry Adams was involved in the IRA back in the day. Like that comes as any big surprise. A salute to Dolours Price and the town I loved so well.

Hells Angel charged with B&E and for failing to register as a sex offender

Eric Franco, 38, was the sergeant-at-arms for the Hells Angels chapter in Lynn, Massachusetts ten miles north of Boston. He just receives a 21 years sentence for possession of a firearm and ammunition after committing a felony. Police arrested Franco after finding the gun and ammunition in his apartment while investigating a report that Franco was assaulting his girlfriend.

Franco’s criminal record already included three convictions for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and convictions for indecent assault and battery, failure to register as a sex offender, breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony, and conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act.

B&E and failing to register as a sex offender. What a great club of motorcycle enthusiasts. Evidently you don’t have to be a drug dealer to join the club. You can be a thief and sex offender.

State Police announced that they had arrested four suspects and executed multiple search warrants on the North Shore as part of a probe into criminal activities of the Hells Angel and Red Devils motorcycle clubs.

Two of the four suspects arrested were Hells Angels; two others were Red Devils. Two other suspects are still being sought. All six face charges of kidnapping, mayhem, and extortion, State Police said. Kidnapping, mayhem, and extortion. The Red Devils is the Hells Angels puppet club charged with helping the Hells Angels traffic crystal meth in South Carolina. Greg Donley was the Salem, Massachusetts president who was also convicted of trafficking crystal meth for the Hells Angels.

GSP takes Diaz in unanimous decision

Hats off to GSP for winning a unanimous decision against Nick Diaz. We’re still looking to the Anderson Silva fight. GSP last fight was Carlos Condit who had beat Nick Diaz but it was good to give the mouthy bitch a chance. Now he has nothing more to complain about.

Police Brutality protest in Montreal declared illegal

Well this is tragic. We know the student protest got out of hand with rock throwing and looting. Then they went for the protest in your underwear which wasn’t as violent. Yet declaring this annual police brutality protest illegal is once again a violation of the charter of rights. Especial this year with the release of the Rodney King like video of an arrest in Trois-Rivieres where the police gave the guy the boots. Citizens have every right to march and express their concern over that.

More than 250 people were arrested at the protest. According to Montreal police, the majority of people were arrested under municipal bylaw P-6, which makes it illegal to cover one's face while taking part in a protest and for failing to provide authorities with an itinerary.

OK covering your face during a protest is a concern. Especially with all the history of rioting in Vancouver as well as Montreal. Covering your face and looting is not a charter right. Organizing a mass protest in the middle of the night is a valid concern. Not supplying an itinerary isn’t.

Two things we need to examine, well in all fairness three. First we need to examine the sacred charter right to freedom of assembly and the right to publicly protest to petition the government for a redress of grievance. Making that illegal is illegal. It is a violation of the charter of rights which is the highest law. So if people were arrested who were not wearing a mask or causing problems then they need to sue the police for unlawful arrest along with the Civil Liberties Association and sue for damages. That’s the only way it’ll stop. Violence is not the answer.

The next thing we need to examine is the recent video of police brutality in Trois-Rivieres that people are rightfully concerned about. The suspect had surrendered to police and was lying face down on the ground with his arms outstretched. All the officers run in and give him the boots. What the officers did is wrong. Failing to admit that and arresting people for expressing their concerns isn't right.

In all fairness we also need to look at how rioting and looting is not a charter right. It outrages the public and destroys the cause. People are suspicious of provocateurs who are paid to cause problems to give the police a reason to crack down on them. Yet there are many who just like violence. If you are in a protest, you need to denounce and separate yourself from the violence. If you’re still arrested you need to sue for unlawful arrest. Last year this same protest was totally inappropriate.

There nothing worse that a lunatic protester screaming f the police and challenges them to a fight before claiming police brutality. Idiot. This video however is not of that. It’s just like the Kelowna video where then police officer kicked a compliant suspect in the face when he was on his knees. It destroys public confidence. Yet no one likes lawlessness. That destroys public safety.

BC Liberal ethnic memo scandal

I don’t understand what all the hullabaloo is over this multicultural “scandal “ with the BC Liberals. God knows the BC Liberals do have a mountain of legitimate scandals. I just don’t see this as one of them. They got caught trying to reach out to ethnic minorities. And… What else? What’s the scandal?

They tried to reach out to ethnic minorities and a MLA who is a visible minority takes the fall and resigns. I just don’t get it. BC Rail – that’s a scandal. Campbell Heights Industrial Park – that’s a scandal. Reaching out to minorities isn’t. It’s almost like Godzilla’s spin doctor is working the other side to promote the Surrey high jacking of the party.

The latest news is that they did it on the tax payer’s dime which certainly isn’t surprising. How about all those stupid freaking partisan adds on TV and even the super bowl on the tax payers dime? That’s a bigger scandal and no one seems to care about that. Except the taxpayers foundation of course. Are they going to pay that money back?