Bob Mackin News Reporter bmackin@nsnews.com IRANIAN community groups got the go-ahead Thursday from North Vancouver City council for a Saturday night rally and march. Council voted 4-1 to permit a protest at Victoria Park against human rights abuses in Iran. A coalition of local Iranian groups was already planning to gather from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sanurday to commemorate the first anniversary of a student upris- ing in their homeland. Coun. Barbara Perrault cast the only dissenting vote. Councillors Craig Keating and Bob Fearnley were absent. Coun. Darrell Mussatto moved to allow Iranian-Canadian community activists a permit tor the event in the city park on con- dition it conclude by 10 p.m. The motion, seconded by Coun. Bill Bell, requires that organizers apply for a permit in a timely man- ner should they wish to hold a similar rally next year and work with the city clerk’s office to notify area residents. North Vancouver is home to the Lower Mainland’s largest concentration of Iranian immigrants. According to the independent human rights organization Amnesty International (AD), the Islamic Republic of Iran jaited hundreds of people without charge or trial following a student uprising on July 8; 1999. Students protested restrictions on free- dom of expression and the closure of the Salam daily newspaper. “Most (prisoners) were released within two months, but hun- dreds remained in detention at the end of the year and at least four people were sentenced to death,” said AlJ’s annual report. “Numerous publications were forced to close and scores of jour- nalists faced arrest and interrogation. There were continued reports of torture and ill-treatment ...” Davoud .Ghavami, a spokesman for the Iranian-Canadian Community Association of Western Canada, applied to council July 4 to hold the event. “We, as an association of the Iranian community, are in charge to hold this rally peacefully and without any impact to the society,” he said in a Wednesday interview. “I don’t know why we need to get permission. It’s really frustrating. [hope next time they will change the regulation and criteria.” First court appearance set Ferry Building in West Vancouver and the Federation of Canadian Artists galleries. Smily-said that Corbet was not her agent. Corbet founded the Canadian Portrait Academy (CPA) in 1996 and became president of the controversial self-supporting member asso- "Frome paged ings created and owned by renowned . artist Elizabeth Smily. Corbet, a 34-year-old Vancouver resident,: is also charged with possessing a stolen. painting by Alan - Edwards. It is owned by Smily. . ©. “The paiatings are valued at “more than $5,000. Corhet is alleged to_have committed the crime on Aug. - 9, 1999 in West Vancouver. 22) In va. September 1999 News story, Smily stated shat ” she noticed a number of paint- ings missing from her British Properties home... ‘ _.’Smily, ‘in her. 80s, found the paintings missing in carly ~ August 1999 while preparing * for an art show. Ue «In 1995, Corbet befriend- sd Smily. He organized exhi- “bitions of Smily’s, work at the” 50% OFF SALE 30% OFF:SALE ¢ ciation to show art works. Corbet signed his correspon- dence “Artist to HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.” He made headlines in 1995 and 1997 for his por- traits of British Royal Family members. However, a News story revealed that Corbet has no such royal appointment. Corbet is a former Deep Cove resident and a former teacher’s assistant at Scycove secondary. : He is slated for a first court appearance to face the crimi- nal charge on July 19 in North - Vancouver provincial court. TAO %0S * TVS dO %OS OFF 2 NEWS photo Mike Wakefield Cash cruise OWNERS of custom, antique and hot-rod cars are invited to join Barry Newton (froma left), Ed Birchmore and Laurie Peterson at the Park Royal White Spot Saturday at 5 p.m. for Old Times Cruise-In 2800. Entry tee is $10. Proceeds benefit the Lions Gate Hospital cancer ward. Cail 988-4176. - Friday. July 7, 2000 - North Shore News - 5 Muri, Crist opposed From pane 3 the process is nearing comple- tion, with a report expected next spring, he said it was 2 “grave error”. to take Maplewood out. Because of its geographical location as the entrance to Seymour on the Doilarton Highway, any development in Maplewood affects the rest of Seymour, particularly traffic. “Whar we could sce (in survey results) again and again was that people in Seymour are concerned about growth,” said Andersen. “If there were lots of routes out of Seymour it would be dif ferent, but there‘s not.” Coun, Lisa Muri and Coun. Ernie Crist voted against the motion, while Mayor Don Bell was absent. Coun. Janice Harris argued thar the small neigh- bourhood deserves its auton- omy back. “Our of this will come two good community plans that won’t be at cross- purposes,” she said. “They will both reflect their com- munities.” A previous council voted unanimously in. 1997 to include Maplewood as part of the Seymour process. NV RCMP shut down pot operation TWO North Vancouver residents are charged in connection with a grow- op bust in Lynn Valley on June 15. Heien Arbez, 41, and Michael John Zavaglia, 33, were charged with possessing, marijuana for trafficking pur- poses and marijuana produc- tion. According to. the North Vancouver RCMP,’ 144 plants were seized in a home in the 3600-block of Fromme Road. Police say 62 of the plants had been harvested and were dry- ing. Police estimate the mari- juana and grow-op equipment was worth $90,009. North Vancouver drug sec- tion Mounties ass'sted by patrol and burglary section officers On er a ee a en we ne oy SMe Great Canadian a @il CHANGE Since 1978 LTD. $er OFF potro canada 10W30 Pius faxes and searo fons. « With this coupon © Fot most vetucies Segre ee Pot eos cece ewan Lemme eee men mee Lonsdale & 73th, N. Vancouver 985-1050 1. Csilla Gyovai DENTIST: Office Schedule rotates to meet all patients needs Open 2 Saturdays @ month « Ozer 1 evening a.week NEW PATIENTS ‘ARE WELCOME". * ) 929-7499 Great Selection! _ Great Prices were involved in an afternoon drug seizure with a search war- rant. 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