Community Board
TO PRIDE FLAG OR NOT TO PRIDE FLAG?
CREDIBILTY? HOMOPHOBIA? DISCRIMINATION? OR ALL THREE?
Guest Post Op/Ed by Martin Rooney
Epic fail to deliver by Surrey First Mayoral Candidate Linda Hepner. First it was Mayor Dianne Watts who had ownership of the issue and refused to fly the Pride Flag on city Flag Poles (in support of the GLBT Athletes competing in the Sochi Winter Games), claiming there had been “no formal request made”. Madam Mayor, it is 2014 and I for one ensured that you and all members of the council received an email that included a very specific request – to join the other cities across Canada in supporting the GLBT Athletes in Sochi, following Putin’s installation of the some of the world’s recent most aggressive anti GLBT laws.
From there an Alliance of GLBT leaders and community groups was formed to address this going forward. A formal “official” delegation was organized and we asked to speak before council…..we did that June 9th. In that meeting we were instantly granted one of our requests – an Exhibit of GLBT History of Surrey that includes a Pride Flag in the atrium of the new city hall. At the same meeting councillor Rasode asked that the clerk come back with a report explaining how local municipalities were in fact flying the flag. This gave us hope that Surrey City Council would in fact research and come back with a positive report June 23rd…. the agenda was released for the meeting and we discover that the flag policy would be under the Corporate Report – a report that does not allow for any public discussion.
Also the corporate report gave the impression that a brand new (they warbled about the fact that there ever was official flag policy) flag policy was proposed and adopted that would only allow the Federal, Provincial and Municipal Flags to fly on ALL municipal flag poles. (in 2010 the Olympic Flag flew under the municipal flag – so a no cost solution????). There was no report provided in response to Councillor Rasode’s request. Rather a “new” flag protocol pushed through council. There apparently will be no further discussion on that issue until perhaps we have a new Mayor and Council elected in November 2014. (the relevant video clips of the delegation and response are on Encourage Surrey BC City Hall to fly the Pride Flag – a Facebook Page).
The issue of credibility lies in the explanation that Ms Hepner delivered. Mayor Watts (acting like the lame duck Mayor she is) excused herself from both council meetings that engaged in this dialogue. It was how Ms Hepner related the decision of the council and then the proposal to allow effectively any size banner or flag, “that could be as high as the birds flying from the ceiling of the Atrium” that is called into question. After the exhibit was built, and the Pride Flag standing on the flag pole at its side, Surrey Pride representatives arrived with a 20′ x 40′ Rainbow Flag to the consternation of staff at city hall. Ms Hepner was unavailable to assist staff and confirm or deny she had given the direction that this was all ok. The staff, one of whom was at the (council) meeting, refused to listen to, and watch the video clip. If the offer was not a bona fide offer, then fine, but to be unable for comment on a Thursday afternoon to take responsibility for one’s words and promises. At the time of writing this there has been no written response from Ms. Hepner, her staff or city hall as to the legitimate reason that the 20′ x 40′ piece of coloured fabric cannot be hung inside the atrium.
Mayor Watts, remember who is a lame duck Mayor, took to the airways promoting a community flag pole…..awesome. At a cost of $200,000…..Expensive for a flag pole? Why not have been proactive and install the 4th flagpole while building the new city hall? This was not the first time that the Pride flag had been a discussion with Dianne Watts…..The kicker – the community has to raise the $200,000. (The next question is – what policy determines who gets to use that pole and what causes or celebrations will be endorsed usages of the pole?).
So Pride happens and we have a successful event. The exhibit was well attended during the week and the story continued even after the festival was over – The following statement comes from the keynote speech delivered by Mr Gay Canada 2014 Christepher Wee (made while all attending members of council were on the stage along with members of the Imperial Court of Surrey whose Monarchs were in drag and wearing crowns) – with the 20′ x 40′ flag on display meters away –
“For me, the significance of our Rainbow Flag has evolved beyond the reflection of our struggles, remembrance of our sacrifices and loses, celebration of our victories, education and enlightenment of the causes we still strive to see realized. Our Rainbow Flag has evolved to encompass what it means to be one community, one people, one voice regardless of where we fit into the LGBTQA+ spectrum of our diverse rainbow family of human beings.
Regrettably, in spite of celebrating 15 years of Pride here in Surrey, the City’s unwillingness to raise our Rainbow Flag shows that even in our own home, where our pioneers have done so much to secure our rights, we still have a long way to go.
Our complacency and our silence condone the lack of local social and civil progress. Complacency and silence condone inequality. And complacency and silence condone the lack of political leadership. Even Thompson, Manitoba, which celebrated its first Pride last week, had our Rainbow Flag raised! Our own provincial capital, Victoria, also raised our Rainbow Flag during this week’s Victoria Pride.I feel that it is unacceptable as a City which prides itself on its GSAs, its support of Protect Surrey Schools Together, and its 15-year history of Pride celebrations, that raising our Rainbow Flag is met with political rhetoric and resistance.
What kind of example are we setting for our youth and for other communities such as Thompson, Manitoba, when civic leaders do not lead by example and do not possess the vision of a tomorrow that embraces, acknowledges, and celebrates our diversity as one community?
We all need to “Rise Up!”, the theme of this year’s WorldPride, to proactively advocate for our rights and to question the contradictions and hypocrisy that still exist in our communities today.”
So the scrambled response to the media (Global TV) was that “by next year there would be a 4th flag pole and the Pride flag would fly at city hall”
The taxpayers of this city have paid more than their fair share. The diversity that this administration has espoused throughout this term needs to be defined…. Perhaps the discussion needs to be the definition of diversity and how the 2nd largest city in the Province can have an open and honest dialogue on all the issues affecting this great city. Perhaps it is time for the community associations to embrace this dialogue and perhaps embracing the community Hub idea of Councillor Rasode and making it a reality in all the town centres of our city to hear what the people have to say.
Martin Rooney
Community Advocate
Surrey (Whalley) BC Canada
INDIAN SUMMER FESTIVAL: 11th EDITION LINEUP AND DATES ANNOUNCED
Festival to feature five weeks of online and hybrid events from June 17 to July 17, 2021
Vancouver, BC (May 20, 2021) – Indian Summer Festival, Vancouver’s ‘festival for the curious mind,’ marks its 11th anniversary with five weeks of ten carefully curated events. Most events will stream on digital channels with premieres at 7:00 pm PDT every Thursday and Saturday from June 17 to July 17 (except July 1st). This year’s festival includes door-delivered food and special gift boxes, bringing a delicious and delightful tangible element to them. Two special projects allow for Covid-safe hybrid experiences with digital and in-person components. For event details, access and ticketing, please visit indiansummerfest.ca
Early bird pricing for the Limited Edition ISF2021 Premium Pass is $285, which provides access to all ISF2021 digital events, including the Opening Party with amazing performances, exclusive access to the chatroulette afterparty, food from Vij’s, and wine from Volcanic Hills all delivered to Lower Mainland residences, and a special artist-curated Punjabi Market Premium Gift Box. Early bird pricing is valid until May 31; regular price is $325. A Digital Pass to access all online events at the festival (without the tangible elements) is $50. Individual tickets to all ISF2021 events are available on a sliding scale of no fee, $10 or $20, as the festival understands that this is a difficult time for many.
“For this 11th year for the 2021 Indian Summer Festival, we thought that our theme should be “Shapeshifting,” says Sirish Rao, Indian Summer Festival’s Artistic Director. “It’s something that we’ve all had to do in the last year, and shapeshifters have existed in almost every culture.”
“For ISF2021, we have created ten distinct events for all of us to experience music, performing arts and literary discussions so we can experience the true transformative power of the arts. The arts give us levity, solace and help us make sense of our predicament and imagine our futures.”
“As with most of us working in arts and culture, we’ve become very creative this year with ways that our audience can experience Indian Summer Festival,” adds Rao, “From premium passes that include door-delivered dinner and wine, to digital passes to access shows, we’ve become our own Shapeshifters to deliver an innovative digital and hybrid experience.”
This year, the festival offers live digital event premieres (where audiences can interact through chat functionality) with an on-demand digital platform that makes it possible for events to be viewable until the end of the festival. The festival sees a stunning global cast of talent from beatboxers to tabla maestros, novelists and actors.
2021 Indian Summer Festival event schedule includes:
Date: Thursday, June 17, 2021, 7pm PDT
Event: Indian Summer Festival Opening Party – Metamorphosis featuring Laydy Jams, Shamik Bilgi, Her Tribal Roots and Kamal Pandya. Sponsored by Concord Pacific.
Hosted by ISF’s Sirish Rao and CBC’s Anita Bathe, opening night features brilliant, beautiful performances by some of Vancouver’s finest talents.
ISF2021 Premium Pass Holders get exclusive access to an online afterparty where they’ll be paired with other ISF friends and artists for multiple one-on-one conversations and performances, and a special box of goodies, featuring a meal for two by Vikram Vij paired with a bottle of wine from Volcanic Hills.
Date: Saturday, June 19, 2021, 7pm PDT
Event: Anoushka Shankar – The Musical Journey of a Shapeshifter. Sponsored by Nature’s Path.
An evening of music and stories with genre-defying musician and seven-time Grammy Award nominee Anoushka Shankar, who unveils a very special project for Indian Summer Festival.
Date: Wednesday, June 23 – Saturday, July 3, 2021
Event: VOX Infold. Produced in partnership with Vancouver Jazz Festival and LOBE Studios.
Address: Lobe Spatial Sound Studio, 713 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC
This special project is a rare chance to experience the music of powerhouse vocal ensemble Vox Infold in the form of an immersive sound experience. Presented at the groundbreaking Lobe Spatial Sound Studio and using Lobe’s 4DSOUND system, this is music not just as sound but as a profound experience of space and dimension. Consider it a healing sound bath. Advance booking required and experienced as an individual or in a ‘household bubble.’ Book your slot online at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/voxinfold-tickets-150267575363
Date: Thursday, June 24, 2021, 7pm PDT
Flames and Portals – Literary discussion with Kamila Shamsie and Mohsin Hamid, Moderated by Sirish Rao. Presented by SFU Library.
In 2017, two of the most exciting writers of our times – Kamila Shamsie and Mohsin Hamid – published novels that have proved to be uncannily accurate about the direction the world would take. They warned of the future of nationalism, the tightening of political and social borders, and how our realities can become unrecognizable overnight. ISF meets them four years later to talk about their prescient works.
Date: Saturday, June 26, 2021, 7pm PDT
Event: Zakir Hussain – Alone Together – Zakir Hussain, featuring Mickey Hart and Rakesh Chaurasia. Sponsored by Odlum Brown.
An intimate evening with the tabla maestro, this online concert features Zakir Hussain performing solo and joined virtually by special guests collaborating in real-time from different parts of the world – Grateful Dead legend Mickey Hart and bansuri virtuoso Rakesh Chaurasia. The concert is preceded by a special interview with the maestro.
Date: Saturday, July 3, 2021
Event: Walking Tour of Punjabi Market
Presented by RBC.
Guests are invited to take a self-guided walking tour of the Punjabi Market using their own mobile device. The audio tour, narrated by artists, shop owners and community members, will give an insight into the past, present and vibrant future of this significant Vancouver neighbourhood.
Punjabi Market Premium Gift Box
Specially curated by artists Minahil Bukhari and Mustaali Raj for ISF2021, the Punjabi Market Premium Gift Box features gorgeous items hand-picked from Vancouver’s vibrant Punjabi Market. At a cost of $125, including taxes and shipping, the gift box will be delivered to your door via Canada Post to Canadian addresses only. Available for order here:
https://www.goelevent.com/IndianSummer/e/PunjabiMarketBox
Date: Thursday, July 8, 2021, 7pm PDT
Ancient Futures – Musical Inheritances – Ruby Singh, Khari Wendell McClelland and PIQSIQ.
Supported by TELUS.
Documentary premiere on the music project Jhalaak, followed by a conversation with some of Canada’s most innovative musical voices.
Date: Saturday, July 10, 2021, 7pm PDT
Event: Knives and Sugar – Avni Doshi with Souvankham Thammavongsa, moderated by Anna Ling Kaye.
A meeting of two of the most electrifying literary voices of recent times, one joining from Dubai and the other from Toronto – meet for the first time on ISF’s virtual stage.
Date: Thursday, July 15, 2021, 7pm PDT
Event: Transcendence by Anosh Irani feat. Lois Anderson, Munish Sharma and Laara Sadiq.
From the three-time Governor General’s Literary Award finalist and two-time Dora
Award-winning playwright comes a new work that sits in the exciting space between theatre and
film.
Date: Saturday, July 17, 2021, 7pm PDT
Event: Indian Summer Festival Finale – A Night at the Orpheum- musical performance by Naadaleela Ensemble and Mohamed Assani & Friends.
ISF’s 11th edition ends with a grand, one-night-only finale performed at the historic Orpheum Theatre and delivered digitally to your living room. This double-bill features internationally recognized musicians and features the worldwide premiere of two new musical works.
About Indian Summer Festival
Established in 2011, Indian Summer Festival is a multi-disciplinary arts festival produced by Indian Summer Arts Society, a not-for-profit charitable arts organization based in Vancouver, Canada, on the unceded Coast Salish territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. This year’s festival runs from June 17th to July 17, 2021. Its mission is to offer daring, multi-arts events that bring together diverse artists, audiences, and artists in a global dialogue and citizenship spirit.
For monthly festival highlights, full event lineup and access to events, please visit indiansummerfest.ca
Follow us on:
Twitter: @IndianSummerCND
Facebook: @IndianSummerCanada
Instagram: @indiansumerfestival
Youtube: Indian Summer Festival Canada
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#liveoffthefloor concerts feature Surrey bands with nowhere else to play
The Longest Intermission – Getting musicians back into the swing of performing their new music and fans a chance to experience it.
With the support of the Province of British Columbia and the City of Surrey , Penmar Community Arts Society (Penmar), is launching The Longest Intermission, a virtual concert mini-series featuring local bands recorded live off the floor in Ocean Park Community Hall.
Since covid has shut down live music for over a year, bands have struggled to make a living, but continue to create and put out new material. The Longest Intermission gives bands the chance to rehearse in preparation for a return to touring and share it with fans through livestreaming.
Each band receives a copy of the professionally produced audio and video files that they can use to promote themselves and apply for other performance opportunities, both during and post covid. Each performance will be marketed to fans and potential fans throughout BC and livestreamed as a special event.
The Longest Intermission features two bands – Sleepy Gonzales and Brass Camel – all musicians that originated from Surrey or still live there.
The rehearsal will be produced, marketed and streamed as two virtual special events by Penmar with Partner Tradable Bits , who has sponsored us with use of their state-of-the-art marketing and streaming platform as a way to support emerging musicians.
The project received additional support from Long & McQuade (White Rock) that supplied lights for the production, Face The Music that is sponsoring each band with a video marketing package, and Music Lottery who is also providing financial support.
The goal with these special events is to work with the bands to promote their latest music which they created while unable to perform during covid. We are able to stream into communities that the bands are currently unable to tour to, with an opportunity of reaching new audiences.
Live from the Floor special event broadcasts take place on May 1st and May 8th and will feature a video of the Ocean Park Hall performance and a chance to interact with the bands.
Accessible for everyone. Registration is required and there are free tickets available and paid options to support the musicians in this series and bringing back live!
Event Information and link to register – https://bit.ly/2Q71JHG
Sleepy Gonzales video “aliens exist” – https://bit.ly/32cr8SP
Brass Camel video “Pressure Cooker” – https://bit.ly/3uRhK3r
Contact:
Dione Costanzo
Event and Marketing Specialist
Operations Manager, Penmar Community Arts Society
Office – 604-535-1162
Cell – 604-817-1526
Canadian musicians have a great opportunity to get radio play right here in Vancouver. Mary Kirk of Durham Radio has applied for a Vancouver license. With a new, local radio station artists will have a greater range of options to be heard, played, and paid for their music.
Durham Radio needs our help to get their application accepted. I’m reaching out to all musicians to send a letter of support for Durham Radio’s application.
Here is a message from Mary and Doug Kirk:
Dear members of our Wave artist family,
We at Durham Radio Inc. have applied for a new FM license to broadcast The Wave on 98.3FM in the heart of Vancouver, Canada’s second-largest English-speaking market and a perfect backdrop for Canada’s Smoothest Groove!
Our application was publicly posted Monday, March 22nd on the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s site (CRTC). In order to be successful, we now need huge public support, especially from our wonderful Wave family of artists. We hope you will add your own letter of support, documenting your past experiences with The Wave and with us personally, emphasizing our commitment to our artists, especially our Canadian vocalists and instrumentalists. If you have a personal story that will illustrate the impact the Wave has had on your career in the music industry, we would so appreciate your sharing it with the Commission.
Please begin your letter with a clear statement of support for our application. Then explain why you think that our “Smooth Groove” format would be a welcome addition to the Vancouver market. You may have some thoughts beyond the obvious arguments that we’ll be adding diversity of choice for listeners and a new fresh sound, primarily from artists who do not get played on any other stations in Canada. Our dedication to live music around town and major show production will of course continue, once attending concerts is allowed again!
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your efforts to make “Vancouver’s Smoothest Groove” a reality! Our West Coast Wave will play an even balance of instrumental and vocal music and will be 40% Canadian in content. We are eager to get all our artists back on FM radio in Canada and introduced them to so many new fans.
With your help, we hope to be able to report on a favourable CRTC decision by late summer.
To mail your support: CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2 To fax your support please send to 819-994-0218 for further instructions contact Cat Levan at catlevan.music@gmail.com. www.wave.fm
Many thanks for your support,
Cat Levan
Community Board
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Community Board
2009 successful fight to keep road out of Bear Creek Park breached by present Safe Surrey Councillors
The Mayor and Council, City of Surrey, B.C., at meeting Monday, February 22/21, passed 5-4—an amendment to the 10-year plan and project #7065 (84th Avenue through Bear Creek Park)—to be fast-tracked to give 84th Avenue extension through Bear Creek Park a 2-year priority.
Clrs Pettigrew, Locke, Hundial and Annis questions:
- the successful 2009 community fight to keep 84th Avenue from going through the south end of Bear Creek Park
- community opposition in the past to the environmental impact on the two Class A red-listed salmonid creeks (“Bear Creek” at about 13720 and “King Creek” at about 13800)
7 shows you didn’t know were filmed in Surrey
Surrey’s Sullivan Heights Secondary opens new expansion for incoming students
This Surrey cafe offers a delicious Bombay brunch
6 events you need to attend in Surrey: Aug. 6-14
