April 4, 1993 52 pages

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Office, Editorial 985-2131

NV native band files suit

for prime 10-acre property

NORTH VANCOUVER'S
Burrard Indian Band has
laid claim to ai 10-acre
(4.04-hectare) ploi of prime
Kitsilano land.

By Brent Mudry
Contributing Writer

At stake in the Jand claim is
Property currently occupied by
Molson Breweries and Canadian
Pacific Ltd., at the south end of
the Burrard Street Bridge.

Land claims for the site have
already been filed by the
Squamish and Musqueam Bards.

Burrard chief Leonard George,
band councillors Matthew and
Rosemary Thomas and Duane
George filed the lawsuit or, Tues-
day at B.C. Supreme Court in
Vancouver.

The suit names Canadian
Pacific and the Attorney General
of Canada as defendants.

The suit outlines the history of
the band and the Jand in question.

ft states that the band's
ancestral parent, the Tslei'waututh
Nation, existed for many centuries
prior to the ‘‘purported assump-

LAND CLAIMS

NORTH SHORE News
Native affairs writer Paul
Hughes recently spoke with
Burrard VT slei’waututh) Chief
leonard George about the
larger issue of comprehensive
land claims in the area:

“THE BEST thing for all
concerned is for us to. get
land so we can generate
money as quickly as possible,
not only for ourselves, but
for all Canadians,’’ said
George.

The chief said the Burrard
Band needs fand to help fund
its social develapment and
economic programs which
have been hampered in the
past few years duc ta budget
cutbacks.

George said that the tradi-
tional territory of the Burrard
people extends from ‘‘the
headwaters of Indian River in
the foothills of Garibaldi,
through to Point Atkinson,
and across to Vancouver and
the (UBC) Endowment
lands.”’

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TOC LEGENDS

Clothing designer Pamela
Baker Pack draws
inspiration from uer native
cultural heritage.

3
shigt

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AHOY MATES!

All aboard for a preview
of what's not, what's
nautical in fashion for
spring 1993.

13

atui

Distribution 986-1337

tion of British sovereignty” as a “But,” he added, ‘we
‘self-governing social group | have to negotiate with reality.
bound together by culture, Specific land claims are
customs, laws, economy and | Beicarra, Burnaby Mountain
spiritual beliefs.”’ and Stanley Park. Indian
River should be specific too.”

See Natives page §

Tax revolt rismg in WV

A HOMEOWNER’S iax revolt over the NDP’s budget is gathering
steam in the hard-hit West Vancouver area.

West Vancouver-Garibaldi MLA David Mitchell said Friday that so
many people in his constituency are outraged over the financial impact
of the new provincial budget that he plans to organize a town hall
meeting in West Vancouver to address the issue later this month.

Mitchell said his phone has not stopped ringing since the budget was
delivered on Tuesday.

“This is by far the biggest issue to hit West Vancouver. In a general
way, there is a tax revolt brewing already,’’ said Mitchell.

The NDP budget phases in reductions to the basic $470 provincial
homeowner grant starting with homeowners whose homes have an
assessed value of $400,000. It completely eliminates the grant for
homeowners with homes assessed at $447,000 or more.

It also applies a new school property tax surcharge to homes assessed
at over $500,000.

As reported in the Friday, April 2, News, West Vancouver home-
owners face school tax hikes of up to 350% and property tax hikes of
up to 120%.

In West Vancouver alone, upproximately 1,800 seniors will lose either
part or all of the $745 homeowner's grant for seniors.

Mitchell said the budget hamsners longtime West Vancouver residents
who have maintained homes and families in the community.

On Friday afternoon, West Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager announced
that the municipality had called an emergency town hall meeting for
Wednesday, April 7, at Irwin Park elementary school, 2455 Haywood
Ave., West Vancouver,

A petition demanding the government be recalled to deal with the
property tax issue will be circulated at the meeting, which is scheduled
to begin at 7:30 p.m.

To press time, no date or time had been set for the town hall meeting
being organized by Mitchell.

RS e ies Re son RE Ce Cuaron ope ean Lk eee vce

Two faced

SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Sara Buchanan and her brother David, 5, mug for the
camera from the train in West Vancouver's John Lawson Park. For more fun
things to do see Kids’ Stuff on page 35.

EE NCURSES daa a eae eT eR aan CNA peer US Ra ae ica nao

REACHING EVERY DOOR ON THE NORTH SHORE SINCE 1969