Robert Gaister News Reporter robert@nsnews.com WEST Vancouver liquor stores are doing brisk busi- ness compared to their B.C. counterparts. B According to B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDRB) annuals report’ numbers, West Vancouver stores are raking in a whopping $553.34 per resident compared to the provincial average of $297.1) per person. North Vancouver averages a sub-par $275.43 per resident. § = Combined North Shore residents spent an average of $345.23 cach in liquor stores. Bur dollar figur don’t provid: a complete picture. “There isa volume measurerrent and there’s a dollar measurement,” said Le Miers, BCLDB spokesman. “Dollars don't necessarily reflect consumption.” North Shore consumption pat- terns follow a similar pattern though. West Vancouverites pur- chased ood litres per person while North Vancouver residents pur- chased 41.5 litres per person The provincial average is 44 litres for every B.C. resident. N. Van lawyer resigns | SHOppers sprayed youth committee post Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter dangelo@nsnews THE long-time chairman of North Vancouver’s Family Court and Youth Justice Committee abruptly resigned on Friday, citing an impending News story as the reason for that resignation. “Tr is as a result of vour article,” Martin is a lawyer. He was contacted on Wednes Society discipline hearing involving him. Martin was suspended trom practi ing law for two months and fined $10,000 after the discipline hearing found thar he had misappropriated finds and mis i Martin was permitted to resume practising law out of his “T don't want the North Van Family Court and Youth Justice Commitice to sutter what I'm suffering so Pve resigned effective immediately,” Martin said on Friday. According to the B.C. Law Society, Martin wrongful converted a toral of $1,177.30 beld in trust for clients by preparing false bills for legal services or disbursements and then trans- ferring, the money from a trust account to a general account. A Law Society discipline panel concluded that Martin misled clients and other people by making false statements and failed to advise them about the positions of legal matters entrust- ed to him. The Law Society also concluded that Martin failed to reply properly to communications from. clients and another lawyer, and on ong occasion Martin agreed to a court order on behalf of his client without first obtaining her instructions. Martin said he was the chairman of the Family Court and Youth Justice Committee tor about four years, He has been a member of the volunteer committee tor 15 years. The committce works as a link beqween the community and t ice system relating to family court, vouth court and criminal spousal abuse cases. Membersof the F mily Court and Youth Justice Committee are a Vancouver municipalities. West Vancouver Capilano MEA Jerenyy Dalton said the public should know that Martin the chairman of the vouth justice commnitree while he was being disciplined by the law society. “Tam a litle bir disturbed that somebody in that position had to be disciplined by the Law Society,” said Dalton, Martin used to be fixture in family court in North Vancouver pre af court because he had the provincial government contract relating to court actions iavelving child apprehen- sion cases. Meanwhile, Martin said that members of the Family Court and Justice Commitice knew about his suspension in September. He said the volunteer committee offered many valuable programs. “IT don’t think they should suffer for seanething I did tive. six vears ago.” he said. “E dow’ t want the commitice to have a stigma attached to them of someone who has been said James (Jamie) G. Martin. y for comment about a B.C, Law sinted by both North suspended.” The Law Soc ine hearmy ordered Martin ta pay the cost of the proceedings and toundergo ay review nest October by the competency commitice. Martin is required to pay for bis law practice review to a max.mun cost of $ The discipline panel considered Maruin’s personal problems and remorse in his admission of protessional misconduct. From page “We were selling Unicet cards. That is supposed to be peaceful.” Coles demonstrated how he had his head turned while the robbers ran by. He missed the full effects of the pepper spray The spray left small orange blotches on the pt pad he was using. Brenda Villencuve was not so lucky; she vomited. She and Debbie Surine were shopping at a leather-goods booth just outside the jewelry store when the robbers let fly with the spray. “Ir burned big time,” said Villenenve. “Every time you breathe it hurt more. “Tt was terrible being sick because it even burned more.” Although the fire department ventilated the area to get rid of the pepper When people were let back in to the area the effects of the spray could still be felt. SPRAY victim Brenda Vitieneuve Local bicycle tour sec» firm faces law suit Robert Galster News Reporter robert@usnews.com CLAUDIO Rosagastaldo claims an outdoor adventure has derailed his life. in B.C Rathle was caused dons include: a tailing Last summer, ihe Ontane resident signed up ror a moun tains bike tour with) Velo-Cit cle Tours, Phe North Vancouver company runs void ed tours on Grouse Mountain. During his tek, the trent wheel of Rosagastalda’s bike came loose and sent him fing No-Ciy In a statement of claim tiled Supreme Court on Nov. Hb 20, staldo’s r claims the fall “solely by the negli- gence of the Defendants (Velo nity Cyele Pours). specifies of the allega Rosagastaldo’s mountain bike adequately or at ally @ tiling to ensure that the front and wheel of the bie Iv attached ta its tront forks; failny to have tenance schedule or fihng to such schedule. y Credle not return News calls ta press Suir. NEWS photo Terry Peters JOHN Gordon stocks the shelves at the West 2nd Street and Chesterfield liquor store in North Vancouver. According ts the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch annua! report, North Vancouver liquor stores are considerably less busy than their West Vancouver counterparts. is becoming Nickerson said pepper spr: ¢ for crimi- a more common weapon of rob nals. “Police are encountefing it a lor more often than ever before,” he said. And it’s used because it’s debilitating. “It stops people. There’s no doubt about it.” Thieves who took part ina late-night robbery at the Birks Jewellers in Park Royal South carlicr this year used pepper spray to deter police from ng chase, said Nickerson. Nickerson said the product is used by the police and is available to the public in a spray or cloud form as well. It’s also marketed under the names of bear spray or dog spray and is based on a derivative of the cayenne pepper. Pepper spray is an agricultural product. fr currently is governed by Agriculrure Canada, said Nickerson. Now, th whether peppel weapon, He said the West Vancouver Police position is that the context of its use determines whether it’s a prohibited weapon. As of Friday at pr time, Nickerson said police had not determined the amount of jewelry stolen. is a debate developing abour spray constitutes a prohibited time Friday, gastalda’s statentent of ent of j allegedly su ed asa result of his All. ‘They include Ba head injury with intrace bral bleeding fractured clavicle: 4 soft tissue injury to the neck and lower back and contusions and seraping te his forehead and arms, hese injuries, states the chim, have and will continue to cause pain and suffering as well as reducing his standard of He abo caine ro have surfers headaches, personality chang “cognitive impairment including retrograde amnesia As a result, Rosagastalde: is secking unsneciticd damaves trom Velo-( ity Cvele Tours. Grouse Mountain, the site of ident, is not named in the lawver ite) Inspect SOWAIS SCOLIFE proper main ours did