The Colors Issue going to court in Grande Prairie

Taken from the The Daily Herald Tribune - Grande Prairie April 23/07

Lawsuit launched over colours

Mayor, alderman, city, pub owner, RCMP named The City of Grande Prairie, the RCMP and three individuals including the mayor, are facing a lawsuit in connection with the city's gang colours policy.

Last April, the city approved a voluntary program to give businesses support if they want to refuse access to anyone wearing gang colours or gang clothing. Along with the city and RCMP, the individuals who have been mentioned in the lawsuit are Mayor Wayne Ayling, Ald. Dwight Logan, and Charles Rodgers, owner of the Crown and Anchor Pub.

According to the court's statement of claim, the five plaintiffs are identified as Warren Vavrek, Jamie Ryan, Jamie Morgan, Ian Wallace and Earnest Dumont.

The statement of claim also mentions comments made by the individuals facing the lawsuit in a newspaper article last year in April. All of the individuals facing the lawsuit were quoted in the article.

"I don't believe that there are any particular grounds for a suit. It's a legal matter, and the city's insurance lawyers will be handling it," said Logan.

Ayling said those named in the lawsuit have been advised by their lawyers to not comment further.

Under the No Gang Colours, No Gang Clothing program, there is not a specific city bylaw that would prohibit the wearing of gang colours in commercial businesses.
Instead, the city lends its support to any business that wants to participate.

Window decals and signs were distributed to participating businesses for free to display.
Similar to the "No shirt, no shoes, no service" policy undertaken by many businesses, the signs would warn "No gang colours, no gang clothing."

At the time, the No Gang Colours, No Gang Clothing program was approved the city believed that if the policy faced any legal challenges it would be able to withstand any lawsuits as it is enshrined in the constitution that any property owner can expel any person for any reason.

"It's about people who profess to follow a criminal lifestyle and basically saying that we don't want you to advertise that you are professing to follow a criminal lifestyle on city property," said Ayling.

"This is about a city policy for city policy, it doesn't profess to do anything on non-city property."

Laval was a blast!

Pascal Richard and his group put on a wicked show with awesome entertainment and some of the most incredible iron I have ever seen competed in the first Eastern Canadian Championship of Bike Building.

Our newly crowned champ is Jesy from Classic Steel with Daniel from V2 Obsession coming in in second place.

Read this week and next weeks paper to get the full low down!

Have a great day everyone!

The Canadian Riding Beauties Contest

It was brought to my attention that we forgot to put the date on the poster.
It's the Canada Long weekend - during the Canadian Championship of Bike Building.
Hope that clears that up for everyone....

My Apologies

Sorry I haven't posted much in my blog this week.

I've been working with Ali as we crank up the web site, doing month end books and GST Return...gotta love doing the Government's accounting for them!

I fly out on the 19th to Laval Quebec for the first Eastern Canadian Championship of Bike Building. I return home on the night of the 24th.
I will do my best to bring everyone up to speed on the show!

Biker TV airs this weekend on CH and Men Channel. CHeck out the news flash for all of the times. The 2006 Canadian Championship of Bike Building is set to air soon. When they let us know, we'll let you know!

See what happens when I don't fill you in regularly...I run off at the mouth!

We've had some disappointment with the Canadian Championship and can use some help.
One of our sponsors has had to back out due to timing issues with the opening of his business so I am told. If you know anyone who might be interested in sponsoring the show, our main stage and wristbands are still in need of a sponsor.

Our adopt a cop program has kicked off - Contenders Sports Bar in Sylvan Lake has sponsored our first cop- this is our way of raising the $10k we need for enhanced policing - a fee we have never had to pay before. If we can raise enough in sponsorship then we won't have to charge cagers an enhanced policing surcharge on their parking - bikes park for free....

The Edmonton & Calgary Motorcycle Shows have come on board to sponsor the people's choice award for the Championship!

Well. that's enough for now, I hear my bed calling....nope, that's the ole man snoring.....night night!

Something about a good ride

I am finally home again and the ice that was separating me from the road is gone.

I have been so overwhelmed and feeling so edgy the last bit, frustrations over the bike show and having a new bike I could only look at.....well it's amazing what a ride in the ice cold rain will do to clear the cobwebs and sooth the soul.

The new FLHX is everything I have ever looked for in a bike. I'm tickled pink!

I feel so much better........

It's still snowing - I thought this was supposed to be spring!

Do you realize the here in the wonderful province of ALBERTA THAT THE 15TH OF APRIL SIGNIFIES SIX FULL MONTHS OF WINTER!

Yes, you read right, six months of this lovely white crap, no wonder so many people are getting grumpy.

Off to Edmonton today, home tomorrow for Easter...and my own bed.

Have a great day everyone and let's put some collective prayers out to mother Nature and the good lord that we see some grass soon.....

A four letter word

SNOW


I'm here in central Alberta admiring all of the white fluffy stuff and treacherous roads.
IT SUCKS, but things are really coming together for the show!

Hope you are all surviving the PMS - I am, barely.