review views pushed Michae! Becker News Editor michacl@nsnews.com ATTORNEY General Ujjal Dosanjh is reviewing provin- cial liquor laws and applica- ble ficensing classes. A consultant is expected to make recommendations to PDosanjh later this month. Changes, which are meant to simplity rules, could signifi- cantly revamp the way alcoholic drinks are made available in’ pubs, hotels and restaurants. Earlier this) week the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCREA) released the results of a poll conducted on. its behalf by MeIntyre and Maustel Associates, Restaurants want to be allowed to serve aleohe! withe:t hav ing to serve food along with it, The BCREFA results reveal that 72% of British Columbians “support review- ing the liquor laws for the reasons of modernizing regulations, improving customer choices, cutting red rape and balancing the need for secial responsibility.” Also this week, the Hospitality Industry Coalition (B.C. & Yukon Hotels’ Association, Neighbourhood Pub Owners Association and the Cabaret Owners’ — Association) released MarkTrend survey results on Ligui Friday, January 15, 1999 - North Shore News — 3 NEWS photo Terry Peters TROLLER Pub general manager Teri Crown is disturbed by possible liquor licensing changes that would allow restaurants to serve atcohol without food service. She appeared before West Van council to state her case on Monday. r law changes West Vancouver council backs presentation from neighbourhood pub owner opposed lobby for wholesale changes. the issu he coalition argues that B.C. is well-served by existing rules and says thar allowing restaurants the right to serve liquor without food will turn restaurants into bars and remove a community's right to control drink- ing establishments. The MarkTrend poll shows approximately 61% Gf respondents opposed allowing restaurants. the right to offer unresticted alcohol similar to pubs and bars. But said BCREA spokesman Geoffrey Howes of the coalition’s stance, “The assertion that we're going to hell in a handbasket is toral- - ly untrue. It’s fear mongering. All we are asking for is that we're given the same ability as Alberta and Ontario.” Howes said his group is “disap- pointed” with West Van’s position to support the Hospitality Industry Coalition. “West Vancouver didn’t consider the Lurgest portion of the industry (restaurants).” Gatherine Barr Contributing Writer TERI Crown wants to stop West Vancouver restaurants from turning into pubs overnight. Crown, who owns and manages the Troller Pub in Horseshoe Bay, appeared before West Vancouver council this week to say that she is worried about the provincial government's current liquor policy review. In particular, she’s opposed to the idea of restaurants being allowed to serve liquor with- out having to serve a meal. “To alow restaurants to have liquor without food allows them to open up all over the province withour having had any public input,” she told council. “Pm here tonight because I support public input in placing pubs in British Columbia.” Overall, she claims that more enforcement, aot less, is needed in the hos- pitalicy industry, “Cheap drinks produce cheap drunks,” she said as she described how restaurants might offer alcohol at reduced prices as a means of promotion, “[t comes toa whole different level of social responsibility,” said Crown, “Pubs are serving liquor as their primary business. Restaurants are operated with food.” According to Crown, the province is considering changing the law because of pressure trom large restaurant chai said the larger food ser- Vice operators are using the provincial review process as their opportunity to “The large (restaurant) chains have made a bit of a public issue about what constitutes a meal in B.C, and have ridiculed the provincial government on their liquor licence policy,” she said. Crown also said that the changes proposed by the provincial government have less to do with improving tourism and more te do with money. “It’s a way to increase (provincial) revenue,” she said. “Il believe that tourism thrives in British Columbia because it’s a beautiful environment, It's safe because we have community input on where we have liquor establish- ments.” She claims thar the latest MarkTrend Research data from December 1998 shows that less than 1% of British Columbians believe that the liquor laws have any effect on tourism. Meanwhile, she said that her establishment is not trying to stop competi- tion. She just wants a level playing field. “We're not afraid of any (applicant) that goes through the same process that we go through,” she said. “Ef you want to apply for a pub licence, then you apply for a pub licence. [f you want to apply for a restaurant, then you apply for a vestaurant.” At present, the municipality allows only one pub in each of the Ambleside and Horseshoe Bay areas. Last year, West Vancouver formed a pub commut- tee to review the community’s policies. The move was in response to a local Daundarave restaurateur’s application to change from a restaurant to a pub. Council voted in favour of Crown’s proposed resolution and will support Bob Mackin Contributing Writer MICHAEL Caster left a backpack containing clothes and a gun at a friend’s apartment the night Mohammed Mirhadi was killed in a North Vancouver theatre, a B.C. Supreme Court judge and jury in New Westminster were told on Wednesday. Caster, 21, is charged with the Feb. 28, 1997, first degree murder of Mirhadi. Crown counsel alleges Caster shot Mirhadi three times after 11 p.m. at Famous Players Esplanade 6 during a packed screening of the gangster movie Donnie Brasco. . Elton May, 23, testified that his friend Caster made an unexpected visit to his West 6th Strect apartment on Feb. 28, 1997. May could not tell the court the precise time Caster arrived, only that it was “sometime after dinner.” Caster, May said, “came in and talked for a bit and asked me if he could leave his backpack.” . May was instructed by Caster not to look in the bag. “] said OK. After he’d left, it obviously piqued my curiosi- ¥ May looked in the bag and found a pair of black track ee eft at apartment, friend testit Caster jury told that accused dropped off weapon, clothes on night man murdered in theatre pants, black one-size fits all wool gloves, a shirt and a gun. He could not recall the color of the shirt. May said he picked up the gun using one of the gloves. The black pistol appeared to be a 9 mm weapon, the type carried by police, he said. Later that night or early the next morning, May took the backpack and its contents to a storage locker in his apartment building. He said he didn’t learn about Mirhadi’s death until reading about it in a newspaper more than a day later. Caster came by May’s apartment a few days later. “He asked me if I could talk in private,” May said. : The two went to May’s bedroom where May admitted to Caster that he looked in the bag. “You obviously know what’s going on,” Caster said, according to May. “He said keep your mouth shut, and he left.” Caster returned again a few days after his second visit to retrieve the backpack. . May told the court he could not recall the precise dates of Caster’s visits after Feb. 28. her efforts to stave offany changes to B.C.'s liquor laws. . May said he was familiar with Mirhadi after a violent encounter seven years ago by the White Spot on Lonsdale. “He robbed us for our jackets at gunpoint,” May testified. May, the court heard, didn’t give a statement to RCMP investigators until January 1998. Two undercover officers chiming to be friends of Caster’s trom the Surrey Pre-Trial Centre arrived at May’s apartment to ask him questions regarding Caster’s legal troubles. They told May they had been sent by Caster’s lawyer, who was apparently concerned that May would be a Crown witness in Caster’s trial. “They said if | don’t answer, they won’t be responsible for what happens ro me,” May said. During cross-examination, Caster’s lawyer Paul McMurray said the nvo undercover officers pointed to a man outside the apartment building who they claimed was Caster’s lawyer. May asked to speak to the man, but the undercover officers refused. “That wasn’t me?” McMurray asked. “No,” replied May. McMurray said May asked to speak to the person who they said was Caster’s lawyer, but was rebuffed. May was arrested by RCMP officers 10 minutes after the undercover cops left. He was taken te North Vancouver RCMP headquarters and told if he didn’t cooperate, he would appear in court the next morning on a charge of being an accessory to a crime. For more trial coverage, see page 5.