WTF Langford

2012 Charity Fundraising Appeal for Len Barrie

2012-02-04T00:49:00.000-08:00

Editor's note: Three years ago, WTF Langford launched its first fundraising appeal for Len Barrie. But did you people listen and do the right thing? No, you did not. And tragedy followed from your negligence. So pay attention this time!

Len Barrie, the former king of Bear Mountain Resort, has fallen from grace into a dark, lonely place.Evicted from Bear Mountain, chased by process servers, hounded by media, the butt of a thousand jokes, and facing a fraud investigation – he is ahunted man.

Tragically, all this could have been avoided if you peoplehad anted up the cash Len needed to stay above water back in 2009. He couldhave paid his taxes. He wouldn't have needed to "borrow" money to buya hockey team. He wouldn't have been in Vegas trying to win it all back at the craps table, allegedly.

With the benefit of hindsight, it's clear we all share theresponsibility.

There were cries for help every step of the way. Way back in1999, when Len wantonly chopped down trees that belonged to his neighbour, aprivate golf club, was that not a cry for intervention? The neighbours couldhave cut him some slack – perhaps he is brain damaged, or something? - butinstead, they threw him out of the club, and he was heartlessly spanked by a judge when he triedto sue them, of all things.

So of course Len rode his dirt bike up Skirt Mountain anddecided to piss on everyone below. He would build his own golf resort empireand show us all!

How could we have interpreted this bluster as anything butthe desperate posturing of a wounded soul?

When local indigenous people pointed out the heritage cave he wasabout to bulldoze, the bluster became a roar. It's mine, I own it, and I'll blow it up if I want to,he bellowed. I'll send my hundred-man crew to rough up the chiefs and anyone else who complains. Only now, with the passing of time, can we grasp that hisheartless bullying and vicious racism was hiding another cry for help.

When people started gossiping that Len was going bankrupt,we should have ignored it and trusted him with our money anyway. Why didn't we give him thehighway interchange he wanted, and shut up about the native heritage sites and rare species? Our lack of empathy is painfully obvious to usnow.

Instead of a multimillion-dollar bailout, Len got nothing but heartache. Heaven knows,Langford's mayor and council did everything they could, even applying for federal handouts for their golden boy, but to no avail, thanks to meddlingcivic busybodies.

Troublemakers have dogged our hero relentlessly. Five years ago, activists set up a tree sitcamp to block construction of an expensive highway interchange to service hisresort. Imagine the arrogance! Well, they got what they deserved from the Joint Task Force SWAT Team. Theytook those hippy pacifists down. Booyah!

After the camp was evicted in 2008, the city of Langford got to work on the Bear Mountain interchange, thanks to a $25 million loan from TD Bank, on behalf of Bear Mountain. Thingswere looking great. Len Barrie turned his attention to his first love, hockey.He bought the Tampa Bay Lightning and began to run it into the ground.

Then, storm clouds gathered. Three years ago, auditors found that Barrie hadapparently "borrowed" millions of dollars from his resort to buy theTampa Bay Lightning. Bear Mountain's auditors filed a letter of complaint withcompany's directors. Then they quit. One of the worried investors complained tothe Globe and Mail that things suddenly weren't looking so good.

By then, the resort was losing money. Bear Mountain missed its initial paymentfor the interchange ($5 million.) The city's application for federal andprovincial infrastructure grants was unsuccessful. (Those meddling kids!)Overpass construction ground to a halt.

Aroundthis time, Len went gambling in Vegas and allegedly racked up millions in debtat the Bellagio Casino. Thecasino tried to collect, but the personal credit documents Len had used as guarantees proved to be worthless, according to news reports.

Two years ago, HSBC, the bank that was feeding the black hole of Bear Mountain'svoracious debt, decided to cut its losses ($250 million) and petitioned Bear Mountain into receivership in Vancouver Supreme Court. Len was removed as CEO and thewhole board of directors was fired. Len and his partner sold the shattered remnants of the Tampa Bay Lightning at a huge loss.

Last year, Bear Mountain's creditors and investors – including NHL player Mike Vernon – got theirpayout under the Bear Mountain bankruptcy agreement: $500 each. Mike lost $10million.

In December 2011, the Bellagio Hotel filed suit against Barrie for $2.2 million.Way to kick a guy when he's down!

Then the bank started seizing Len's property. On January 27, 2012, Len and hisfamily were evicted from their $14 million McMansion on top of Bear Mountain, astone's throw from the partially-demolished native cave.

His family trust fund is long gone. There is no more property equity. Lately, Len'sstopped showing up to coach his BC Hockey League team, the Grizzlies, and he'sholed up in Youbou instead. (That house is also in foreclosure.)

In March 2012, Barrie is scheduled to go on trial for criminal violations of thetax code from his Bear Mountain days. His trial confirmation hearing isFebruary 23 in Victoria.

Some may say that Len Barrie is nothing but a lowlifedeadbeat. We say no, he's much more than that! You'll see. All he needs is a quarterbillion dollars and he'll prove it.

You think you have a rough life? If you have two nickels torub together, you're richer than Len. So please give to our 2012 Charity Fundraising Appeal! Givenow, and you'll receive a personal autographed copy of this photo:

Photo montage by Bruce Dean

Do the right thing. Please give now!
Thank you.

The Mad Hatter's City Council

2011-01-06T22:31:00.000-08:00

Most of our 2010 forecast was bang-on: Bear Mountain fell apart. The silly steam clock and toy train planned for the roundabout got scrapped, and there were more big drug busts in Langford. But who cares? That's all ancient history, now.

Above: Stew Young in the mayor's chair
What lies ahead for Langford? 2011 is the Year of the Great Reckoning -- the year when the bills come due. We know this from the subtle signals of our beloved city council, like the non-stop gnashing of teeth, stamping of feet and screams of "Off with her head!" The omens are troubling, and our outlook is guarded.

Has Mayor Stew Young already lost his mind?

During the last council meeting of 2010, His Worship reportedly spent an hour and fifteen minutes ranting incoherently at two retirees who attended to raise concerns about Transportation Planning the Langford Way.™ Who can resist our Mad Mayor when he's delivering a feature-length monologue of cranky bluster, mostly about his love for himself and his disgust for anyone who disagrees with him? Meanwhile, a couple dozen councilors, developers, staffers and residents looked on in amazement or desperately wished they were elsewhere. For 75 minutes. AWKWARD.

Our panel of esteemed political science experts has one question: Who DOES this at a city council meeting? Seriously - in Canada? It's possible that in places like Corruptograd, the Republic of Absurdistan, the mayor gets to lord over his fiefdom with this sort of compulsive arrogance. But in North America, such embarrassing displays of rank intimidation are (thankfully) almost non-existent. (Except here. Welcome to Langford!)

Has Councilor Denise Blackwell already lost HER mind?

Denise Blackwell (left)

For some reason, on Christmas Eve, Councilor Blackwell decided to tell the newspapers that a local non-profit group is to blame for the Bridge to Nowhere. That's right, it's NOT because Council made a stewpid decision to borrow ten million dollars and then let some sketchy developers skip out on the bill. No, it's the fault of the people who warned them that the whole business could go south and leave taxpayers holding the bag. And those people should all STFU and MYOB, ASAP.

Have the mayor and council fallen through the looking glass into a Bizarro World where everything is opposite and upside-down? Does the mayor STILL believe that he can get federal and provincial grants for a developer-funded project? Is this 2009 all over again? Is Langford turning into Las Vegas? Are we stuck in some horrible downward spiral into madness? Only time will tell!

Don't miss the next exciting Langford council meeting! On the agenda: Stew Young recites Jabberwocky in an annoyed monotone while the Walrus, the Carpenter, Tweedledee and Tweedledum look on, and Denise Blackwell shouts "Off with their heads!"

Transportation planning the Langford way!

2010-12-22T01:40:00.000-08:00

Everyone is thrilled to hear the city of Langford will now permit new subdivisions in the traffic-snarled north end BEFORE building new roads or interchanges or anything. This is how our council solves traffic problems, obviously! Because uncontrolled development solves every problem, even problems caused by uncontrolled development.

The five-year moratorium on new development north of the TransCanada Highway and the unfinished Spencer Interchange is history. On Monday, December 20, city council scrapped policies that were intended to halt new residential construction until the interchange is finished. Increasing traffic congestion on Millstream Road was the reason for imposing the moratorium in 2005.

For your convenience, today's WTF? commentary is composed entirely of footnotes. From the Goldstream Gazette:

Even if rezoning applications start rolling in now,¹ high-density property developments wouldn’t start adding cars to the congestion for two or three years,² [Mayor Stew] Young surmised, buying the City time to build a pool of money,³ while securing grants from senior governments.⁴ Young expects to raise $4 or $5 million from amenity fees in the next two or three years.⁵
“We figure we have at least two and a half years before feeling the impact of lifting the moratorium,"⁶ Young said. “Once a plan is in place, we can move forward and apply for (federal and provincial) grants.”⁷

Notes:

¹Whose rezoning applications? Bear Mountain Resort and South Skirt Mountain Village already have zoning in place.

² Don't worry about the hundreds of dump trucks, bulldozers, earth-movers, cranes, and contractors coming and going during the years of construction. They won't add to the traffic problem.

³ A shallow pool in an ocean of debt (see notes ¹ and ⁵).

⁴ Wrong. Spencer Interchange is privately-funded and doesn't qualify for grants from provincial and federal taxes. Way back in 2008, Langford council passed a bylaw to borrow $10 million on behalf of Bear Mountain and South Skirt Mountain, over the objections of more than 2200 citizens. It's now council's responsibility to get the loan paid off. A federal bailout sounds like great idea, but the city is not permitted to download the debt onto taxpayers who had no say in electing them. Oops.

⁵The interchange is expected to cost around $32 million.

⁶In two or three years, Millstream could have gridlock for hours every day.

⁷See note ⁴.

Remember: You're paying for the Bridge to Nowhere!

UPDATE: Barrie busted

2010-12-12T01:06:00.001-08:00

Update: The WTF Langford editorial board would like to apologize for announcing that Len Barrie was arrested for tax evasion. Apparently, no such thing has happened, and it's a simple misunderstanding with Revenue Canada. (Ha! Of course!) The entire staff of WTF Langford has been fired over this error.

However, we still plan to attend Len's criminal trial set for March 26, 2012, 9:30 am in courtroom 203, 850 Burdett Street, Victoria. A trial confirmation hearing is set for February 23, 2012.

Screen capture from Court Search Online. Click for a close-up.

Barrie faces foreclosure, loss of his 15,000-square-foot McMansion

2010-10-07T00:45:00.000-07:00

The Curse of Bear Mountain

His resort is bankrupt, his properties are facing repossession, and his half-built interchange sits abandoned and un-paid-for. But Len Barrie wants you to know he's still in the game! He could make an offer, anytime! But maybe he doesn't realize he's at the mercy of the Curse of Bear Mountain, the torment of all greedy and stupid people who disturb native grave sites. Here's how the curse works: first it sucks away your money, then your mind, then your soul! Bwa ha ha!

Len Barrie's house, a stone's throw from the native cave he blew up. Photo: A News.

Once upon a time, Barrie's house was mortgaged for almost $14 million. Now the interest is $1400 a day, and the bank is calling in the loan, and all the other loans on the other properties. The moral of the story is: don't screw people over. The end.

For sale: brand new overpass, never used

2010-10-07T00:12:00.000-07:00

Bjola lies in the weeds

2010-07-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Update: Bjola's motion was dismissed by the court, with no explanation.

Oh ho! Les Bjola, the Vancouver Island developer who was once Len Barrie's right-hand man, has mounted a strategic challenge to the bank that now owns Bear Mountain Resort, because it is not being fair to him!

Locals will remember how Bear Mountain wound up owing $250 million to HSBC bank, and how the bank started creditor proceedings back in March 2010. Well, Bjola himself is one of those creditors, through his company, Turner Lane. And he is so outraged over HSBC's high-and-mighty court orders that he's thrown down the gauntlet.

Bjola, it turns out, hates tyranny so much, he would turn down any chance at getting his money back rather than accept HSBC's evil Restructuring Plan. The plan is evil because it is "unfair," Bjola complains in an affidavit filed July 20, 2010 in BC Supreme Court. It is unfair because HSBC gets a larger vote than the other unsecured creditors.

[HSBC] chose this process, and it should not now be allowed to make a sham of it by structuring the Plan so that the vote on the approval of the plan is a foregone conclusion, particularly where, as here, the principal re-organization effected by the plan is the transfer of virtually all of the respondents' assets to a new entity wholly owned by HSBC.

Bjola acknowledges that if Bear Mountain Resort crashes without the intervention of HSBC -- through foreclosure or bankruptcy, for example -- his company gets nothing. But, never mind that! "HSBC must not be allowed to trump a fair process."

Putting on his Vengeful Fortuneteller hat, Bjola predicts HSBC's Restructuring Plan will fail. HSBC has promised to pay off creditors like Bjola once the resort starts making money again. But our boy LB says he has the inside scoop about the resort, and apparently it will be a cold day in hell before they make a dime. So he's decided to piss in everybody's cornflakes, because that is the only intelligent thing to do.

But the high-and-mighty HSBC lawyers are having none of Bjola's piss-soaked cornflakes. They should be bending over backward for the Man Who Pimped Bear Mountain. Clearly, he belongs in a class by himself! But instead, they issue this snippy response:

Turner Lane was given notice of these CCAA proceedings and of the hearing of the Petition. It chose not to file an Appearance in these proceedings ... It is too late for Turner Lane to object to the Plan ... Had Turner Lane simply filed an Appearance, it would have had notice of that application and could have made submissions during the two days over which the motion was argued. Instead, it has chosen to lie in the weeds and raise its concerns weeks after the Procedural Order was made.

Shocking! No one has ever accused Bjola of "lying in the weeds" before. "Prevaricating in a council chamber," maybe. "Misrepresenting on a berm," definitely - but that's just a multi-million dollar lawsuit and probably won't amount to anything.

Speaking of lying, Langford folks will recall that Bjola got himself put in charge of redeveloping Colwood Corners, a billion-dollar project which never got off the ground. Then part of it suddenly burned down in a mysterious fire, and certainly no one is suggesting that there's a connection to anyone's cash flow problems or organized crime issues. Ha ha, no, not at all! At any rate, Bjola has hustled off to Prince Edward Island until things cool down.

However! Bjola's Kettle Creek Station project is going great, by all reports, and none of it has burned down. You can still choose from many different styles of 400-square-foot housettes (porches and carports optional) with neighbours close enough to touch and an unobstructed view of the industrial park. They are very cheap!

Insiders laugh at Kettle Creek and call it the Langford Ghetto, which in Langford, is really saying something. But they are just jealous! Everyone knows people are desperate to live in crackerboxes.

In summary, we should note that in today's real estate market, expectations must be downsized. The experts agree it's a race to the bottom. And Les Bjola is WINNING!

Social Networking with Mayor Stew Young

2010-05-28T23:56:00.000-07:00

How cool is this? Stew Young, our very own mayor-for-life, has mastered the hot, hip, new social media of blogging and Facebooking! Young has forged bravely into the second millennium and started up his very own blog on Blogger, where he personally posts summaries of exciting City of Langford press releases. For example:

New Sports Field is a Hit

and in case you didn't get it, here it is again:

New Sportsplex Will Benefit a Growing Community

Yes, the new Sportsplex will "fill a void in the region for bowling enthusiasts." How admirable is that? But it gets better! Someone has created a Stew Young Fan Page on Facebook! And it's been up since February! Let's check in.

Congratulations to Stew Young - winner of this year's WTF Award for Excellence in Social Media!

(Update: The fan page pictured above has been DELETED. Well, if you can't win, don't play!)

Bridge to Nowhere re-named in honour of Langford mayor

2010-05-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

In a simple but heartfelt May Day ceremony, Langford's finest installed this tribute to Mayor Stew Young at the Bear Mountain Interchange.

Hundreds of commuters enjoyed the salute to Langford's mayor, and plans are in the works for a permanent marker to acknowledge Young's unique contribution to the half-built, unfunded interchange. The banner memorializes Young's heroism in smacking down residents who questioned the wisdom of borrowing up to $25 million for the project, and those who argued that a sacred cave and rare ecosystems were more important than enhanced highway access for a bankrupt resort.

Now that the Bear Mountain and Skirt Mountain developers have defaulted on paying back the cost of construction, Langford residents are taking the initiative to honour the mayor who made it possible. From the beginning, Stew Young led the charge to push the project through at any cost. The climax came in February 2008, when he arranged for a hundred RCMP officers to descend on a small protest camp in a military-style raid. The cops kept onlookers away while city crews cut the trees and filled the sacred cave with rebar and cement.

Artist's concept of a permanent Stew Young memorial

The original name of the bridge, Bear Mountain Interchange, was axed by Langford council in favour of Spencer Interchange, a confusing term that refers to Spencer Road half a kilometer away. The label Bridge to Nowhere is more accurate, but it may be trademarked by former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, so it should be avoided for official purposes.

The STEWPID Bridge, on the other hand, is PERFECT.

You won't have Len Barrie to kick around anymore

2010-03-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

He's gone! But can he still play golf in the club?

Well, that was quick! Who wants to be next?

Eco-group destroys democracy

2010-03-19T01:55:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Our long nightmare is over - the verdict is in, and the court gave us its blessing. Hooray, let's get back to work destroying forests and heritage sites for cheap little condos! If these eco-people will let us. Hm, how likely is that?

Apparently some little eco-group that no one's ever heard of thinks it can take the City of Langford to court! This so-called "Forest Action Network" has the NERVE to try to overturn our council's fast-tracked approval for South Skirt Mountain Village, the most amazing new condo-tower development ever in the history of the world. This case could spell the end of all forms of economic development in Langford, causing everyone to lose their jobs and eventually forcing us to hunt rats to survive.

Everyone knows Langford has an infinite amount of undeveloped forest land. INFINITE. We will never run out! Forests exist to be used and exploited. So don't just sit there, go cut down some trees! It will be good for the economy.

Furthermore, we're assured by South Skirt Mountain spokeslizard Ron Coutre that this "Village" will be super-extra-double-plus-green-and-sustainable, designed as a public service to transform a barren mountainside – home to a ridiculous number of wildflowers, native trees, animal species, seasonal creeks and indigenous cultural sites -- into an eco-paradise of pavement, condo towers, shops, and industrial parks. This will be accomplished in an environmentally-sensitive way, by blasting the hills to smithereens and filling the valleys and wetlands with tons of rubble, and then paving over most of it.

The South Skirt Mountain developers have given their solemn word that they will destroy only 60 percent* of the rare ecosystems and indigenous sites between the abandoned interchange and the insolvent Bear Mountain Resort. So what's the freaking problem, already?

Clearly this mega-sprawl plan is FULL OF AWESOME. And yet, it's not enough to satisfy mouthy tree-hugging doomers. Well, they can suck an egg. We spit on people who think they can hold Langford Council to account for its "unique" brand of decision-making. People who are negative are killing Langford's economy, and democracy! Clearly, anyone who stands up at a public hearing and disagrees with the Mayor should be flogged and ridden out of town on a rail.

GO STEW!!!

*Or more. Whatever.

Len Barrie: Debt of a Salesman

2010-02-26T20:07:00.000-08:00

Hey, so -- everything's just fine up at Bear Mountain Resort. Yes, we know they had to close the real estate sales office in Langford. But it's OK! Len's cutting costs -- by reducing sales and advertising and customers and staff and revenue. Lean and mean, that's the new Bear Mountain machine!

Anyway, most of Bear Mountain is about to get sold, for a million billion dollars. This time, for real! None of us knows anything, but we are absolutely breathless with anticipation.

And yes, we know Bear Mountain hasn't paid the $4.9 million it owes for the Langford highway interchange, a bill that's been overdue since March 2009. But that's OK! Langford's city council doesn't care if or when Len pays the money. They can always borrow more, or get the taxpayers to pay, or get the new owners to cover it, or something. Len has plenty of other debts that are much more important than a measly municipal government, so shut up and get in line.

We do realize there's ten thousand lawsuits* pending against Len Barrie and Bear Mountain, but never mind that. That's normal for an edgy, hard-hitting business guy and ex-hockey dude. It's good for the economy -- keeps the lawyers at work. So shut up about that too, while you're at it.

In fact, all you complainers can stuff a sock in it. Len Barrie has plenty of friends. He doesn't need you. Unless you have a million billion dollars -- in that case, please get in touch ASAP.

*Plus or minus 9,980 or so. We can't keep count.

A Good and Righteous Killing (Updated)

2010-02-01T03:52:00.000-08:00

Updated Feb 1, 2010

Introducing the West Shore's hottest celebrity family: the Brot he rst o n s! A "pioneer" family made famous by rugged logger and municipal-councillor-turned-killer Ken Brotherston, with help from sons Ken Jr. and Greg. The three men faced second-degree murder charges in the brutal beating and strangling death of Keith Taylor, a Colwood man with a fondness for cocaine, in front of his friends last May.

On Friday, January 29, Ken Sr, Greg, and Ken Jr. were found not guilty by BC Supreme Court justice Janice Dillon. Reasons for judgement here. (Caution, graphic content.)

According to cops, paramedics, and the defendant's testimony, Ken Sr. beat and strangled Taylor nearly to death while his sons prevented witnesses from interfering. Then the men put Taylor's body in Ken's black pickup truck and drove it to the West Shore RCMP detachment in Langford.

The brutal and brazen beating death shocked a community, most of whom are hearing the horrific details now for the first time. So, what does it all mean, and why?

To answer that question, we've enlisted the super sleuthing skills of WTF? secret agent Totallycanadian, our code-named private investigator posing as an anonymous CBC.ca commenter in Kelowna.

Totallycanadian reached the verdict before the trial even started: It was a good and righteous killing.

you mess with the bull you get the horn.

i hope theses gentlemen get to go back to their families and resume their lives.

let me know where to send my twenty bucks in support of the brotherstons

UPDATE 1 from secret agent Knotalone, who is also disguised as a mild-mannered CBC.ca commenter:

To bad the guy died. It appears he may have tried to intimidate the wrong person.

We all know what would have happened had Ken Brotherston gone to the police and complained about the threat.

I would bet that he went over there to give Taylor a beating that he would not soon forget and would think of before he threatened someone's family again.

A lot of people would do the same.

You can threaten most men and even get into an altercation with them with no serious repercussions.

Threaten there family though and there protective instincts kick in.

Brotherston doesn't sound like the type of person who has spent his life beating on people, he must have thought the threat was serious.

DEAR SECRET AGENTS TOTALLYCANADIAN and KNOTALONE: Thank you for solving this murder! We will all rest easy knowing that if some oversized "pioneer" got offended and decided to bash our brains out in front of our friends, it would be TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS. Because that's what justice looks like, here on the West Shore.

Our secret agents have shown us that this is how a community SHOULD function. Might makes right. God bless, and please don't kill us.

(PS - if you're throwing money around, we could really use the twenty bucks?)

UPDATE 2: More Brotherston supporters are wading in, with suggestions on WHO ELSE should be savagely beaten to death, for good and not for evil!!

At CBC.ca

gulfislands wrote:
Posted 2009/11/17 at 11:57 PM ET

Justice has been done. More people should look after things themselves, as the courts will not look after them

Via Craigslist:

rave murders (westshore)

Date: 2009-11-17, 4:37PM PST

Thank god they did us another favour, one less drug dealing scum that litters our streets thinking they are a street punk/thug, guess he finaly met his match. f*** off you little puke. You wreaked havoc on the kids and druggies in town wich leads to the breakins beatings muggings and drug trade.

Good for the brotherstones for settling it once and for all wich the courts dont have the balls to do. Now hopefully the courts are as screwed up with the brotherstones as they are with all the other drug scum and they basicaly walk away, did they take a life, maybe, but none worth much and was more destructive to society than any minute benifit they gave. Good riddence i say, let others like the brotherstones clean up victoria and the westshore

Lock up the women and children -- looks like the good old boys on the Wild West Shore are getting ready to start a rampage! Let's call it the Street Justice Honour Killings League of Gentlemen rampage. It will be good and righteous and everyone can join in and be a hero.

From the WTF? comments:

Anonymous said...

WTF?WTF; A RIGHTEOUS MURDER?? That would only be one if it involved several internet "reporters".

Ahem! Us internet "reporters" have politely and officially asked NOT to be killed (see above) during the Street Justice Honour Killings League of Gentlemen rampage. The deal is velvet handcuffs, not baseball bats, OK? Please, get with the program.

Our Most Disastrous Predictions for 2010

2009-12-29T23:58:00.000-08:00

Happy new year! 2009 sucked like a wind tunnel, and 2010 will probably suck like a black hole ripping open the fabric of the space-time continuum. Welcome to the future -- misery, confusion, and public policy scandal, with running commentary from the wise-asses here at WTF Langford? (Our motto: "Sorry we're so darn right all the time.") Enjoy our eight worst predictions, and don't say we didn't warn you.

8) Drugs, death, and violent crime
It's not much of a guess, with all the cocaine-related arrests, beatings, and so forth in the past year. But hold on -- who buys coke these days? Everyone knows cheap homemade meth is the thrifty maniac's new drug of choice. Watch for this trend to take off in the coming year!

7) The Brotherstons: Guilty, or really guilty?
On January 29, we find out if the judge accepts the lone-killer-acting-in-self-defense argument offered by former Highlands councilor Ken Brotherston to explain how a Colwood crack user wound up dead at the hands of Ken and his two sons. Our verdict: Nope, they all should have pleaded insanity.

6) Parkland for sale
Langford has committed to selling two parcels of parkland between Florence Lake and Bear Mountain. No one knows why, since the parks were originally designated as a buffer for the new development. We don't expect the counter-petition to succeed in bringing the issue to a vote, but the BC Supreme Court could certainly settle the question of whether Langford can legally sell a neighbourhood amenity.

5) Roundabout to NowhereLangford has committed something like a million dollars for a traffic roundabout in the middle of Goldstream Avenue in front of Western Foods. No one knows why, since the roundabout will be a huge pain in the ass. Worse, the traffic island is supposed to include a bizarre assortment of faux-Western kitsch -- a fake train, a fake watertower, and a fake steam clock. Yes, really! We predict the funding for this vanity project will dry up before it's finished. If not, at least folks will be laughing too hard to make snarky comments.

4) Interchange to Nowhere
Apparently the developers misplaced the money to pay back the $9.75 million borrowed for the half-built Bear Mountain interchange. So the city will continue to beg federal and provincial agencies for a bailout. Of course, they will continue to fail,

If the developers default, council can legally seize the properties pledged as collateral for the loan -- including Bear Mountain Resort and the South Skirt Mountain properties. But then what? Looks like the good people of Langford will still end up paying back the loan. Oh, what a tangled web ...

3) Bear Mountain's new owners
Sorry kids, no rich Arab investors will be riding up to rescue Bear Mountain Resort. Watch as pieces of Len Barrie's crumbling empire get snatched up by HSBC, Revenue Canada, Palace Sports and Entertainment, and the city of Langford by default. But cheer up -- things could get worse! Barrie and the resort could be facing bankruptcy, more tax foreclosures, even allegations of fraud. Ouch! Remember, the harder they come ...

2) Langford's financial crisis
This turn of events won't surprise folks who noticed that Langford's Fudge-It Budget counted $50 million in federal and provincial grants as revenue. No one knows why, since the grants were only hoped-for, and most of that money did not materialize. Adding to the pain: lost development fees, ill-advised tax deferrals, interest on the unpaid Bear Mountain Interchange loan, and a bad case of hubris.

But never mind all that. Langford will continue to beg for grants, the city will authorize a loan to cover the shortfall (plus more interest), and anyone who questions the mayor and council will get told to STFU, as usual.

Don't expect to hear much from Mayor Stew Young and the rest of the crew in 2010. They will be too busy meeting with finance ministers, provincial officials, regional directors, accountants, and lawyers, trying desperately to sort out the mess they made. We hope they succeed. Nobody wants a forensic audit, right?

1) Market Crash 2010
Forget the hype about the economy "recovering" -- this bubble is about to burst. Despite the artificial inflation of billions of dollars in infrastructure spending, bailouts, and low-interest loans from CMHC in 2009, collapse is looming for Vancouver Island. Once the bill from the Olympics comes due and oil prices rise again, there will be a great levelling of fortunes across the region. So buckle up, buttercup! Enjoy the good times if you can, and brace for impact.

Google Street View comes to Langford

2009-12-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

The Google Street View people drove all over Victoria and Langford last summer. Let's see what they photographed!

Welcome to Langford!

Florence Lake boardwalk

Tim Horton's

A $7 million Bear Mountain property

The interchange ....

Wait ... The images are a bit distorted, but it looks like there's a message on that bridge, doesn't it?

Oh dear! There are two messages. The second says "Stop Sprawl." (Either that or "SStop Sprawrawl.")

Well. This confirms what we already knew -- Google is in league with hippy leftist enemies of progress. And these scoundrels are MOCKING our city's efforts to wipe out graffiti, native caves, and rare species.

Mayor Stew Young has a personal mission to stamp out the evils of graffiti by throwing the book at young offenders. But oops! Now, thanks to the Google conspiracy, everyone in the world has to see these horrible, anti-social messages defacing our glorious Bear Mountain Interchange, which is Young's pet project. Is he going to let these elitist outsiders get away with this outrage? Hell no!

Next: MAYOR YOUNG THREATENS TO SUE GOOGLE!

Update: some have complained that they went to Google Street View and couldn't see the graffiti. Click here and follow the instructions for the best viewpoint.

Len's Scuttled Butt

2009-11-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

Poor Len Barrie. First, Vancouver Island's most racist developer didn't get his bailout, then he defaulted on his debt to Langford, and then came all the accusations that he stole millions and millions of dollars from his Bear Mountain Resort. Now we hear he's lost his hockey team, all his potential investors have fled, and he's facing the ultimate humiliation: the dreaded RevCan rectal probe.

The Globe and Mail reports that the Canada Revenue Agency is going after Barrie for allegedly not paying taxes on the money he allegedly stole.

Ex-Lightning co-owner subject to probe
David Shoalts

Len Barrie is still listed in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s media guide as a co-owner of the NHL team, but those close to the team say he is out of the picture.

His financial problems with the Bear Mountain golf resort and housing development near Victoria were severe enough to scuttle his attempt to buy out fellow owner Oren Koules in late summer. Now it appears as if the problems will worsen.

In the wake of a damning report by the company’s former auditor that accused management at Bear Mountain of misappropriating funds, a source said Canada Revenue Agency is looking into the development’s finances.

Barrie, who was accused in the report and by a member of the development’s executive committee of improperly financing at least part of his share of the Lightning with Bear Mountain funds, did not respond to a request for comment.

Read the rest here.

Rail Trail Fail

2009-11-04T16:20:00.000-08:00

Log it, pave it, call it a "Green Initiative"

Overheard at the E & N Trail bike path Open House in October:

Langford resident: "Where are the trees? I don't see any trees in these plans."

Langford staffer: (Chuckles and strolls away)

Langford's latest "environmental initiative" is a fresh new clearcut 15 meters wide and 300 meters long (and still growing!) Heavy machinery lumbers backand forth in a massive rut along Atkins Road and the railroad tracks between Veteran's Memorial Parkway and Savory School.

A thriving little second-growth ecosystem has been stripped out - garry oaks, hemlocks, cedars, berry bushes and all.

Overhanging branches from large trees on neighbouring properties were ripped down by the excavator operator. Many Granger Road homes now have a fabulous view of Atkins Road across the tracks, unobstructed by greenery or privacy.

Last summer, the railroad right-of-way was a shady and pleasant path populated by thrushes and finches. Next summer, it will be a dead strip of asphalt baking in the sun.

But don't be alarmed! This "Green Intitiative" only looks like they're building a new highway to nowhere!

(Psst: you're doing it wrong.)

ONE DAY ONLY! BEAR MOUNTAIN PROPERTIES 95% OFF!!!

2009-09-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

Update: There were NO BIDS on the Bear Mountain properties at the auction. Party poopers!

Whatever you do, YOU MUST get your ass down to Langford City Hall on Monday, September 28 at 10 am sharp for the real-estate auction of the year! One lucky bidder could scoop up this $7 million property for as little as $351,000!

Lot A, Plan VIP81958, Sec. 81/82/84, Bear Mountain Parkway (outlined in blue). It's just past the "tunnel" on the way to the resort, for local reference. Photo credit: CRD.

A second multi-million dollar property at 2198 Navigators Rise (Parcel ID 025-088-106) is also on the block, and bids start at $75,000. A mere pittance! Bonus: Len Barrie's had a development permit on the property since 2004. So anyone with a little patience should be able to unearth all kinds of arrowheads, artifacts and native bones. Imagine the tourist market potential!

Why invest in piddly Bear Mountain Resort "shares" (at full market value) when you can OWN prime real estate (with full commercial and residential zoning) for literally PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR?*

Hey, you're not stupid, are you? Of course not! So come on down to Lenny and Phil's once-in-a-lifetime (so far) tax auction! Come early, don't be late!

*Some conditions apply. Winning bidder must wait up to one year for current owner to default. Check local bylaws for details about expensive interchange re-payment covenants attached to at least one of the properties.

Video: Len Barrie's Empire is "Crumbling"

2009-09-14T01:16:00.000-07:00

Mayor Stew Young is AWOL and Councillor Denise Blackwell is dodging calls from the media. Only Acting Mayor Lanny Seaton has the guts and integrity to face the public and bravely ... blame city staff for failing to tell him Len Barrie missed his $4.79 million payment on March 2, 2009. Yes, that's what happened -- council just wasn't "advised!" Plus, sparring accountants and investors, and a woman whose house on Bear Mountain is literally crumbling!

We're sorry, Langford

2009-09-05T01:54:00.000-07:00

All of us here at WTF Langford? Headquarters send our deepest regrets. We failed you. Despite working around the clock for months, plowing through mountains of city documents, and risking permanent brain damage from prolonged exposure to Langford's mayor and council, we somehow missed the big story that was right in front of us.

We're sorry that Len Barrie defaulted on the interchange loan. (Maybe he hasn't defaulted yet, but WTF does "postponed indefinitely" mean exactly?)

We're sorry to hear that Bear Mountain is on the verge of financial collapse.

We're sorry about the five-to-ten-million-dollar hole this leaves in the city budget, and in our pockets. We're sorry about the five million dollars more that everyone in the province paid for this mess. We're sorry Langford is trying to screw everyone in Canada for $32 million in new construction costs.

We know it's not our fault, but we're very sorry that we didn't bring this to your attention sooner. After all, Barrie's repayment date passed six months ago. How could we miss that? How can we call ourselves Langford's top gossip-mongering muckraker scandal-rag now? What happened to us?

And we're really really sorry for being so damned right all the time. Really. Langford city officials and their developer buddies keep fulfilling our lowest expectations and worst predictions. We wish they would prove us wrong, just once. We would be delighted to be wrong! Maybe then we could stop yelling, "WTF Langford? We WARNED you this would happen, you smug hypocritical BASTURRRRDS!"

Len Barrie: Toxic Sludge?

2009-09-01T20:42:00.001-07:00

In the past year, we've heard a boatload of rumours about Bear Mountain going bankrupt, getting sold, seeking re-financing and more, including bizarre stories about men in black! helicopters at midnight! hookers and blow! etc. But now the Globe and Mail has brought some of the financial facts to light, and yes, it's shaping up to be just as sordid as you'd expect.

Barrie accused of misusing funds
UPDATED Wed. Sept. 2
David Shoalts, Globe and Mail. Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Len Barrie took money improperly from the Bear Mountain resort and its investors in order to pay for his share of the Tampa Bay Lightning, according to a member of the real-estate development's executive committee.

Scott Bye, a financial adviser to a group of NHL players who was appointed to Bear Mountain's executive committee after the players became concerned about its finances, said yesterday that Barrie, the chief executive officer of Bear Mountain, owes the company "between $16-million and $20-million dollars."

Barrie told The Globe and Mail on Monday that all of the money in question was either paid back or accounted for, following a damning report by the company's auditor, but Bye said yesterday this was not true.

"To my knowledge, zero," Bye said in a telephone interview from his office in Fargo, N.D., when he was asked how much of the disputed money was paid back by Barrie.
Read the rest.

Bear Mountain may indeed be a money-losing bottomless pit (as we predicted last week) but will it turn out to be a money-losing bottomless pit run by thieving criminal lunatics? That's the question of the day!

Related: Where's Len Barrie's Bailout?

Toxic sludge! Super-mineralized semi-liquid refreshment, straight from the 19th hole. A lifetime dose of manganese in every mouthful!

Why Boycott Bear Mountain?

Would you support a company that paves over rare species, breaks its promises, relies on force and intimidation, and destroys native cultural sites?

Here on Vancouver Island, Bear Mountain Resort has earned a reputation for conflict and racism. Since 2006, company officials have bullied and intimidated First Nations leaders and environmentalists in their rush to develop sensitive ecosystems and cultural sites. Bear Mountain owner Len Barrie and his top deputy Les Bjola admitted to reporters that they orchestrated two violent confrontations that sent a hundred Bear Mountain construction workers to confront a native gathering at Spaet Cave in 2006 and a small rally on the highway in 2008. Encouraged by their bosses, the contractors - including workers for Scansa Construction - swarmed both gatherings en masse, and pushed, shoved, kicked, spat at and threatened native leaders and local conservationists. Their actions were captured by TV cameras and YouTube and shocked the community.

Barrie brags about destroying the sacred cave and sending his goon squad to abuse native elders. His resort is built on native grave sites. He destroyed beautiful and rare ecosystems to build a tacky golf resort on a windy, cold mountaintop. His arrogance and double-dealing have made him one of the most-hated men on Vancouver Island.

Barrie and his investors chose to make backroom deals with the City of Langford and the province to fast-track his resort development. He chose not to consult with local residents, respect aboriginal rights, comply with environmental best practices, or accommodate the community in any significant way. And now he is facing the consequences.

Why would ANYONE do business with Bear Mountain Resort?

WTF is going on at Bear Mountain??

2009-08-24T01:25:00.000-07:00

Photo mosaic by Pete Rockwell

We don't know either! But someone's been talking to David Shoalts over at the Globe and Mail, so he's got the inside scoop. Apparently, Bear Mountain Resort owner and former hockey player Len Barrie is expected to lose his part-ownership in the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team. The team was losing almost $3 million a month the last we checked. It wouldn't surprise us if Bear Mountain turned out to be a revenue-losing bottomless pit too.

Most of the construction crews were laid off at the beginning of 2009. The grocery store that was scheduled to open this year has pulled out, along with Vancouver developer Robert Quigg. A dozen or so lawsuits are pending against Barrie and the resort.

Some highlights from Shoalts' column:

Barrie ... is fighting to save that gamble – a massive development near Victoria called Bear Mountain.

Like many real estate developers, Barrie and his 17 investors – who include current and former NHL players such as Mike Vernon, Gary Roberts, Joe Nieuwendyk, Ray Whitney, Rob Blake, Ryan Smyth, Sean Burke, Rob Niedermayer, Scott Mellanby, Matt Pettinger and Trevor Kidd – were whipsawed by falling prices and the drying up of bank credit.

Nobody saw that coming, eh? Well, greed does strange things to people. Cue the world's smallest violin orchestra, playing a sad waltz.

Some of those investors are angry and some are not, but they all have two things in common: They are not talking about it and all fervently hope Barrie can pull a rabbit out of his hat.

As opposed to blowing sunshine up their butts? These poor suckers must be praying for an obscenely-wealthy rabbit with impaired judgement.

He needs to work out a new financing deal on the 500-hectare development that includes two golf courses, a resort, hotel and as many as 5,000 condominiums, townhouses and residential lots.

And an interchange! Don't forget that. How many resorts come with their very own half-built highway project?

No doubt some were concerned when Vernon, who is one of the largest investors, sold his custom-built Calgary house this week for a city-record $10.3-million. Vernon would not comment on the sale, but one of his friends said it had nothing to do with any problems with Bear Mountain.

Maybe it's a problem with the location. Was the house built on a native burial ground, by any chance?

The B.C. project was going well until last October, when the worst of the recession hit. Suddenly, housing sales dried up and the value of the project dropped. Even worse, Barrie's bankers got nervous about the big loans that came up for renewal this year.

Uh oh. Did someone say "default?"

Barrie did announce recently that he closed a deal worth $350-million with Siraj Capital Ltd., an investment company based in Dubai. ... Under this arrangement, Siraj Capital gets control of the residential side of the Bear Mountain project for what amounts to a $350-million loan with stiff terms.

Does that mean they'll own the rest of the native cultural sites on the mountain? Will they get to blow those up like Barrie did with the cave? We know they don't get the mineral rights with the deal.

But even this depends on Siraj being able to raise the $350-million by selling units in a weak market. If the units cannot be sold by the first week of October, the deal will likely die.

In the past year, they've tried flogging condos in Spain, United States, Canada, and BC, with little success. The sales office in Victoria, 20 km from Bear Mountain, went tits-up way back in 2007.

The reason all of the Bear Mountain investors are keeping quiet, even the unhappy ones, is that none of them want any negative vibrations to kill the Siraj Capital deal. They see it as the only hope of getting their money back, let alone making a profit.

Jeez, STFU and don't queer the deal!

If successful, it may also go a long way to soothing Barrie's major lender, HSBC. Apparently the bank wants to be repaid a lot quicker than Barrie thinks is manageable (say two years versus five or more) and it wants higher fees than Barrie is willing to pay.

Hah! It must be a pleasure doing business with such a gentleman.

Update: Langford Not Abandoning Interchange Yet, Will Finish It Eventually, Needs Bailout Now

2009-08-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

The half-built but apparently deserted "interchange to nowhere." Photo: Pete Rockwell

Looks like our little post about the sad abandonment of that oh-so-crucial highway interchange in Langford HIT A NERVE. It got picked up by a couple other blogs and hundreds of new visitors read about it. The story even prompted the Goldstream Gazette, the newspaper of record for wiping Len Barrie's ass, to barf out a whole column of denial, back-pedaling, spin and pure buffoonery. Good job!

We love to deconstruct stupidity and expose duplicity - so cheers to the Gazette for this wonderful opportunity to do both!

Langford in No Hurry to Finish Interchange
By Edward Hill - Goldstream News Gazette

Langford officials say there is no big rush to finish the $25-million project, now eyed for 2010 or 2011.

Oh? Is that why Langford called in 100 armed officers with dogs and sniper rifles to clear out a few protestors? Is that why they disregarded established civil law process and then used feller-buncher machines to nuke every last tree in a matter of hours? Is that why they gave Leigh Road homeowners FIVE DAYS to submit to the city's buyout/expropriation order? Is that why they didn't consult with the community al all? Holy crow, WTF would Langford do if it WAS in a hurry? Bulldoze the houses with the people still inside? Drop a bomb?

Last summer, the Spencer Road Interchange construction area was a hub of work. These days the area is quiet and Langford says completion hinges on getting connector roads built on Skirt Mountain.

Of course, let's build the secondary roads first, then maybe we'll put in the highway access. Makes perfect sense!

“There is no functional urgency at this point,” said interchange project manager Tim Stevens. “The Spencer Road intersection at the highway is still working.”

WHAT? That's madness! Don't you remember? If the interchange doesn't go forward, everyone in Langford and Victoria WILL DIE!!

Langford mayor Stew Young came out with guns blazing to defend his council’s decisions, telling those in attendance that if the interchange is not built “You will kill Langford’s economy—you will kill Victoria’s economy." ("Bylaws play to packed house," Monday Magazine, January 23, 2008.)

Oh well, that was then. This is now...

Stevens said the amount of planning is considerable, especially along Leigh Road where poles, power lines and other infrastructure needs relocating.

Uhhh, but they told us this thing's been planned since like 1994, when Len Barrie first rode his dirt bike up the hill and decided to piss on everyone below. We're confused now. What exactly does Langford's planning department DO? Didn't they notice the power lines on Leigh Road when they supposedly started designing this monstrosity so many years ago?

Wait, here's the kicker.

Langford acting clerk administrator Jim Bowden said the pace of construction depends on if the City gets millions in government infrastructure grants to help build connecting roads between the interchange and Bear Mountain Parkway.

Ah, yessss, those preciousss government grants. As we've pointed out, there may be a little problem with that. Don't forget the city is including those unreceived grants as revenue in the 2009 Fudge-it Budget. Which reminds us: WTF is going on with Langford's accounting department?

Interchange construction also depends on the pace of the 2,800-unit south Skirt Mountain development, he said.

Ha ha! Good one, Jim! But WRONG. Please refer to the Master Development Agreement, a signed, enforceable contract between the city and the South Skirt Mountain developers. Here's Schedule C, page 26, paragraph 4 of the Agreement:

"The Owners shall not carry out any work on any portion of the Lands, including construction of buildings, installation of works or services, or clearing or grading of land, until Phase 1 of the Trans-Canada Highway Spencer Road Interchange has been completed and is fully in use" (although that could change if they got an order from the Transportation Minister.)

Bowden goes on to say ~~the city hasn't borrowed any money for the project yet, even though it has a $9.75 million line of credit with TD Bank.~~ Whoops! No, he didn't. (Did someone actually fact check that BS?) Here's what the Gazoo says now (updated 2:49 pm August 14)

Bowden said the interchange is still on budget and the City hasn’t needed to borrow beyond $9.75 million authorized by council. Bowden said the City has borrowed between $5 and $6 million for the project.

Here's the original:

Bowden said the interchange is still on budget and the City hasn’t needed to borrow money yet. Council authorized Langford to borrow up to $9.75 million for the project.

Stop the presses! Oh, too late, ten thousand copies have already been printed and distributed. (Ten bucks says we won’t see a correction next week! Ha, suckers.)

Remember, folks, it is NOT ILLEGAL for city officials, politicians, and even journalists to lie (in most cases). So don’t worry – nothing shady is going on, just Langford business as usual!

Langford "Abandons" Interchange Project

2009-08-10T00:18:00.001-07:00

The controversial Bear Mountain ("Spencer Road") Interchange project has been "abandoned," WTF Langford? has learned.

Right: the construction site in happier days, when construction was happening. Times Colonist photo.

The new TransCanada Highway connector demolished a rare karst cave and garry oak meadows after enduring a mock counter-petition, a ten-month long tree-sit protest, and a massive raid by dozens of RCMP officers that evicted a handful of interchange opponents in 2008.

Apparently, the situation has deteriorated since then. The Interchange Consultation blog reports on this continuing tale of fail.

Work Grinds to a Halt, a Full Year Behind Schedule

The Spencer Road Interchange (also known as the Bear Mountain Interchange) was scheduled for completion in May 2009. As of August 2009, it appears abandoned. All the heavy equipment, construction crews, and security personnel were withdrawn from the construction site in early July. Gravel roadbeds and a concrete overpass sit unfinished and empty.

Observers suggest that the city of Langford has already spent its $10 million line of credit from TD Bank, and that no money is forthcoming from the property developers the interchange would serve. Meanwhile, Langford's application for a Building Canada Fund grant for the interchange and the connecting road to Bear Mountain Resort appears to be in limbo. In the Goldstream Gazette, MP Keith Martin complains that he can't get a response from Ottawa about taxpayer funding for the project.

The city's application for federal and provincial grant money is controversial. Critics note that the project was billed as "100% funded by the developers" both in verbal promises to voters and in bylaws adopted by the city.

The most serious charge dogging the grant application is that the funding would amount to a cash gift to the developers, a practice forbidden by the Local Government Act. Any borrowing to cover the municipal portion of the grant would also be subject to a referendum by petition. Langford circumvented this step in 2008 by declaring the interchange a "Local Area Service" that would be paid for by the property owners who stand to benefit. However, the city can't have it both ways. Either the interchange is a Local Area Service and funded by the developers, or it is a public-funded project and the voters can approve or reject the spending in a referendum.

More infrastructure grant awards are expected to be announced in September, 2009. Original construction schedule here.
-----------------------------
Witnesses say the bridge has already been tagged a couple times - with anti-sprawl graffiti. Tsk! Kids these days.

Filed under: bridge to nowhere, bailout, cash gift, protest, Langford f----ups, blah blah blah, we told you so.

Got news tips?
Email open.consultation@gmail.com
Confidential and discreet!

Langford Developer Sued for Millions

2009-07-30T21:45:00.001-07:00

Sysco Victoria, part of the multinational food conglomerate Sysco Corporation, is seeking millions of dollars in damages from developer Les Bjola and his partners for breaching a development contract, WTF Langford? learned this week.

An online search of the provincial court registry confirms that the BC Supreme Court complaint, filed in Vancouver on June 17, calls out Bjola, partner Vance Walle, Emerald Park Estates, and Wilfert Holdings development company for a long list of expensive failures at the site of Sysco's new food distribution warehouse at Goldstream Meadows. The warehouse site is located in the industrial park (a former wetland) just west of Langford Lake near Amy Road, West Shore Parkway, and the TransCanada Highway.

Sysco charges, among other things, that the developers did not properly prepare the site for construction and failed to meet the basic requirements of its contract. Damages are close to two million dollars and costs are still mounting, the complaint says.

Bjola and Walle are being sued individually for "misrepresentation." Ouch! If successful, this action may spell the end of Bjola's ambitious career as Len Barrie's right-hand man and the driving force behind the billion-dollar Colwood Corners fantasy redevelopment.

Read the whole scandalous complaint here. (Disclaimer: none of the allegations have been proven in court yet.)

Dear Middle Eastern Investors

2009-07-14T22:39:00.000-07:00

Thank you

Ding dong, the Wicked Witch is semi-retired

2009-06-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

Good news for old bones: Langford City Councillor Denise Blackwell (left) has retired from the BC Archeology Branch, the department that gave Langford developers permission to blow up a million-year-old cave and 8,000-year-old native graves. Earlier this year, the same department gave the order to withhold the archeology report on South Skirt Mountain, according to Blackwell's statements at a public hearing. This despite the law that requires these reports to be available to the public. For shame! Oh wait, this is Langford - where elected officials have no shame. Carry on, then!

Blackwell's last day as Administrative Assistant was Friday, May 30. Her replacement is Julia Taylor. Blackwell stands to collect a provincial pension to go along with her federal pension and her Langford City Council salary.

Meanwhile, the top-secret archeology report for South Skirt Mountain is being re-drafted. A plane crash from 1967 is now designated a heritage site, putting the whole South Skirt Mountain development on hold.

All we can say is, the Archeology Branch has pretty strange priorities when plane wreckage from the sixties rates more protection than sacred caves and native graves.

NATURE'S MAGIC Pure Refreshing Bottled Water

Because toxic sludge is GOOD for you!

All Bear Mountain's Lawsuits

2009-05-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

It just ain't fair. A loser scandal-rag like WTF Langford? commits every conceivable outrage on the interwebs and skates away scot-free, while good upstanding resort developers like Len Barrie and his pals get their pants sued off by everyone in town, plus a bunch more in Nanaimo and Vancouver.

While there are exactly ZERO lawsuits pending against critics of Stew Young and Bear Mountain (despite the public threats), the mills of justice are set to grind over Mr. Barrie and company from at least ten different directions.

CHAPPLE, Dallas versus LGB9 DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Supreme Court (Civil) Victoria Law Courts 090461
February 3, 2009

KIM, Ho versus SPROULE, Dale
BEAR MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT HOLDINGS LTD.
Supreme Court (Civil ) Victoria Law Courts, 090940
March 4, 2009

CHORNEY, Brian versus BEAR MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT HOLDINGS LTD. FORMERLY KNOWN AS LGB9 DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS BARE TRUSTEE FOR BEAR
MOUNTAIN MASTER PARTNERSHIP
March 4, 2009 (details unavailable)

DESERT TELEVISION MEDIA GROUP INC. versus BEAR MOUNTAIN MASTER PARTNERSHIP
Small Claims, Victoria Law Courts, 090233
March 9, 2009

WESTECK WINDOWS MFG. INC. versus BARRIE, Leonard
BEAR MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT HOLDINGS LTD.
Supreme Court (Civil) Vancouver Law Courts, 091944
March 13, 2009

BEAR MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT HOLDINGS LTD. versus RAMSEY PAINTING LTD.
Supreme Court (Civil) Victoria Law Courts, 091324
March 26, 2009

CANADIAN WESTERN BANK versus BEAR MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT HOLDINGS LTD.
Supreme Court Enforcement Proceedings, Victoria Law Courts, 091387
March 31, 2009

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA versus 18 ON 18 DEVELOPMENTS LTD.
BEAR MOUNTAIN MASTER PARTNERSHIP
Supreme Court (Civil) Vancouver Law Courts, 092686
April 8, 2009

KOKANEE MORTGAGE MIC LTD. versus SIMONS, Catherine
BEAR MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT HOLDINGS LTD.
Supreme Court (Foreclosure) Nanaimo Law Courts, 56277
April 17, 2009

COOPER, Christine versus BEAR MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT HOLDINGS LTD.
Supreme Court (Civil) Prince George Law Courts, 0934470
April 30, 2009

RAMSAY PAINTING LTD. versus BEAR MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT HOLDINGS LTD. FORMERLY KNOWN AS LGB9 DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Supreme Court (Civil) Victoria Law Courts, 092076
May 12, 2009

When we have time, we'll post an update on the lawsuits from last year....

Told ya so

2009-05-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

Vote count for Juan de Fuca:

John Horgan, NDP - 11008 - 57.10%
Jody Twa, Liberal - 6624 - 34.36%

So, what have we learned from this provincial election here in Langford?

- Big money doesn't always win the race.
- Stew Young is not a king-maker.
- Jody Twa is unemployed.

Special thanks to our expert WTF? political panel for pointing out that provincial ballots are counted by hand, not by Diebold machines.

Dear Anonymous: Since you ask...

2009-05-12T01:18:00.000-07:00

Anonymous writes:

"the residents of Langford love their Mayor and Council, how else do you explain 6 terms for Stew Young and the overwhelming results for the Council in the last election, hello?"

Well, Anonymous, apparently a whole lot of people really don't love their Mayor and Council, and we've had so many "hot tips" in response to this question, it's like a dozen family-size cans of worms got upended in the WTF? inbox all at once. We had to call in the WTF? strategic response team to investigate this slimy mess. Let's just say we have some questions about the last municipal election.

Inquiring minds want to know:

- Despite Langford's population growth, extra polling booths and long long lineups on voting day, the official tally says the total number of votes was the same as the last election. Surprise! Could it be that hundreds - or even thousands - of votes were never counted?

- Did the chief electoral officer actually make the opposition's scrutineers leave before the election tally was finished? If so, why?

- Were the ballot boxes, in fact, left unsecured at City Hall after the advance polls, and left unsealed as the scrutineers were hustled out the door?

- Were the Diebold vote-counting machines rigged to lose votes? (Vote-rigging has been reported elsewhere.)

Yes, this mayor and council are still seated at City Hall, despite their apparent unpopularity. Strange rumours indeed! But it seems none of the challengers filed a complaint, so what ya gonna do?

WTF Langford? welcomes your questions, comments, love letters, hate mail, threats, etc. Don't be shy!

Langford's Fudge-it Budget

2009-05-11T00:51:00.000-07:00

The 2009 budget comes up for approval at a special council meeting on Monday, May 11.

Check it out -- $50.966 million from "Other Sources"? Damn! That's 60% of the budget!

Inside Langford reports: "The five year plan is interesting as it seems to have budgeted the assumption of receiving several grants,* an apparently unusual accounting technique (the more common technique appears to be to adjust your five-year plan after receiving a grant, than budgeting as if you were going to receive it when you don’t know whether you will or not)."

And don't worry about asking questions about the budget -- there's no public participation on the agenda for this meeting.

Update: The budget was passed without a single comment. So there.

Updated update: $32 million in grants for the allegedly "private-funded" Bear Mountain Interchange were rejected, possibly because handing federal money to private companies is considered corrupt or something.

Straight from the horse's ass

2009-05-10T00:27:00.001-07:00

Sean Holman from Public Eye captured this memorable moment with Liberal Juan de Fuca candidate Jody Twa, who apparently believes this election is sewed up so tight, no one even needs to bother voting!

"One of the things I thought when I took on this job was 'Is this riding winnable?' And I would not be standing here today if I did not absolutely believe this riding is winnable. And when I look out tonight and see how many people are here and I recognize so many. And I know how hard this community works - how hard the Westshore works - I've changed my opinion. This riding is going to be like a machine. If we build up to May 12, it's just going to be like a machine that gains momentum. And the day May 12 comes, the work will be done. They'll be no reason to even vote in this riding because we'll have worked so hard that we'll be elected." - Jody Twa, September 4, 2008.

Were they lying then, or are they lying now?

2009-05-09T23:44:00.000-07:00

Who's lying - Bear Mountain Resort or the BC Liberal Party? New revelations and contradictions about Gordon Campbell's big expensive thingy last year at Len Barrie's mansion have tongues wagging across the West Shore. Sean Holman, Victoria's own Public Eye, has been reporting on the controversy since the story leaked out last year. Here's his latest report:

The Fundraiser That Wasn't There
May 08, 2009

Last year, Bear Mountain spokesperson Trish Lees told us a group of local businessmen organized a $10,000 per plate provincial Liberal fundraiser at resort developer and former National Hockey League player Len Barrie's residence. But the party's latest annual financial report - which is supposed to list all of its fundraisers - doesn't include any reference to that event. So why is that?

Well, because it wasn't actually a fundraiser, according to Liberal communications director Chad Pederson. "I've talked with our accounting staff and I've learned the function that you're referencing was, in fact, a thank you dinner for those that had made previous contributions for showing their support," he said, adding "there was no cost associated with (attending) the dinner."

So what about Ms. Lees's statement that there was? "The woman that you're referencing in your original story wasn't a representative of the party, she didn't have a role in the dinner's organization. So I don't know what she was referring to in her previous comment about that," Mr. Pederson responded.

Um, so - the Liberals decided they would wait until now to issue this clarification? Sure, that's believable!

Langford's Latest Land-Use F&#% Up

2009-05-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

Actual illustration of the proposed "Urban Agricultural Urbanism Village" [sic]

In case anyone needed evidence that the land-use process in Langford has devolved into bizarre, unintentionally-hilarious lunacy, here's People's Exhibit #217: the Agricultural Advisory Committee.

Developers have turned their covetous eyes to the farmlands of the Happy Valley, where they foresee a future of subdivisions, cheap condos and mega-dollar signs. But farmland is protected by the provincial Agricultural Land Reserve, and there are lots of rules about taking farmland out of the reserve to build condos and other crap. (This is a good thing; otherwise we'd be importing all our food from Brazil.)

Because turning farmland into condos brings a fat windfall profit, the rules are very particular about making sure land-use decisions are fair and honest and accountable, in order to stop what prissy lawmakers in Victoria call "corruption and graft." But this is Langford, so HA! suckers.

First, Matthew Baldwin, the evil troll in charge of Langford's planning department, tried to reject citizens' letters about keeping farmland in the reserve. When confronted, Baldwin grudgingly admitted that yes, Langford does have a decision-making process of sorts, and perhaps people should be allowed to comment. That's all -- no apology, no making amends to the people he told to f$@# off. At any rate, Langford got about 70 letters about the farmland - 69 in favour of keeping it in the reserve. (Although some of those letters were "lost" and never made it to the public hearing. Oops!)

Then, alert council-watchers noticed a new agricultural advisory committee member sitting at the table and voting on the applications. Oddly enough, this advisor had the same last name and first initial as the owner of the parcel under consideration. Oh, um, strange coincidence?

Ha! No! Mr. Thomas Atherton, member of the advisory committee, just happens to own that parcel of land on Happy Valley Road. And yes, he voted to forward his own application to the province. And YES, Mayor Stew Young and Langford council know all this! And OF COURSE they think it's JUST FINE!

Are you done laughing yet? Because that's not the punchline. Langford's rules about the advisory committee state:

The membership of the Committee shall maintain strict confidentiality, particularly with respect to individual applications for ALR exclusion, and no member of the Agriculture Advisory Committee shall have an active application before the committee. (Emphasis in original.)

OK -- still laughing? Last point: AFTER Atherton's conflict was pointed out at the public hearing, council STILL went ahead and voted to recommend the applications to the Agricultural Land Commission. Unfortunately for them, this application is headed straight for the round file. Why? Last month, a BC Supreme Court judge threw out a land-use decision because one of the land commissioners voted on an application about his neighbour's property. The judge gave the commission a very public spanking to teach them a lesson about conflict of interest.

So, anyone want to bet the commission will decide to turn a blind eye to this latest conflict of interest? Ha ha! We didn't think so!

Seriously, people - WTF will Langford do next? We don't know either! Stay tuned!

Money Talks, Bull$#!% Walks

2009-04-29T14:46:00.000-07:00

Monday Magazine reports:

Elections BC records show that the boys of Bear Mountain seem particularly smitten with the Liberal’s campaign, as players associated with the luxury golf-course development have opened up their wallets.

Bear Mountain Master Partnership sent the Liberals a cheque for $24,900. Les Bjola’s Turner Lane Development Corporation added $10,000 to the BC Libs’ kitty, a sum matched by Bear Mountain’s vice president of corporate and legal affairs Philip LeSeur through a numbered company of which he is sole proprietor. Len Barrie threw in $2,000 of his own cash, and Dale Sproule, the project’s director of real estate, kicked in $335.

A little further down the slope where the South Skirt Mountain project is underway, Russ Trace, through a combination of his Capital City Paving company and personal donations, kicked in $2,300 to the Libs re-election efforts.

Even Langford mayor Stew Young got in on the action, making a $1,500 donation through his Evergreen Industries, the alternate business name of his company Alpine Disposal and Recycling.

With former Colwood mayor and West Shore development aficionado Jody Twa running against the NDP’s John Horgan in the riding, it only makes sense his old friends would help the cause.

Meanwhile, no record could be found in Elections BC’s filings as to whether the Last Tree in Langford had scraped together enough cash to donate to its own preservation.

White People Artifacts Delay New Development

2009-04-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

Breaking news! (That happens to be TRUE this time!) It seems the proposed South Skirt Mountain development is on hold (for a week or two, maybe) as contractors map and survey the steep bluffs on the western edge of the hill for the wreckage of a 1967 plane crash.

WTF Langford? got the tip from alert observers who spotted the consultants skulking through the brush near the gravel pit north of Amy Road. Now journalist Ross Crockford confirms that the area is listed as a provincial heritage site.

Last year, Crockford, a contributor to Victoria Boulevard magazine and other fine local journals, visited the crash site and interviewed the families of the two men who were lost. The report and photos are posted on his blog, Unknown Victoria.

The plane was a water bomber piloted by Alex Davidson and Paddy Moore, the Flying Fireman. They were answering an emergency call about a fire near Goldstream Park on a hot day in July when the plane went down.

"The plane crash site is technically considered a protected area for heritage protection," Crockford said. He explained that every plane crash and shipwreck site gets a provincial designation that sets a two-kilometer-wide buffer zone around the site as a protected area.

What next? If the developers don't get a waiver that allows them to develop within two kilometers of the site, it has been suggested that they should create a memorial park and leave the crash site undisturbed.

And the 8,000-year-old grave sites on the mountain should get the same respect. Amen.

Leave Jody Twa#$% Alone!

2009-04-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Look, people, since I was nine years old I've had to deal with this joke about adding a T to the end of my name, and I'll tell you what, it's not funny anymore. There's only one T in my name, OK? Just because there's a big blank space on the campaign sign begging to get filled, don't do it. These signs are expensive and my financiers can only afford to buy me so many. It's just plain mean, and calling someone a "twa#$% waffle" in public is probably the most tasteless thing I've ever heard, so please stop it.

Let's talk about real issues, like my role in Colwood's "economic miracle." Er, well, actually, I have nothing to say about that. But those sign vandals really make me mad.

Fun with Google Ads!

2009-04-22T00:12:00.001-07:00

It's spring, and Bear Mountain Resort is running Google ads everywhere on the interwebs! We don't have any real ads here on WTF Langford? - but maybe it's time we got some. Look at all the fun we could have!

Click the image to enjoy the full-size screen capture.

The One-Legged Mayor and the Ass-Kicking Contest

2009-04-17T00:07:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Stew Young, who (we hear) is the campaign manager for Liberal party candidate Jody Twa, best known for his stewardship of Colwood's economic ~~miracle~~ disaster. Well! This has the makings of a fine comedy.

OK, we know Langford Mayor Stew Young doesn't literally have one leg. What we mean is, he's barely got a leg to stand on. His city is divided. To be blunt, at least as many people hate him as love him. (Except, the haters don't vote as often.) So what does Young bring to Twa's campaign, other than his good looks and charming personality? Big-money backers, we suppose. But as we've seen recently, big money is not enough to win elections. In fact, our analysis suggests that Twa's close ties to big corporate backers like Bear Mountain Resort could make him a target for a backlash against the culture of political favouritism.

In any case, according to our esteemed WTF? political panel, Young's supporters are basically the same as Twa's, so he's preaching to the converted rather than bringing in new voters. But Young will definitely draw the haters! That's why our blue-ribbon experts conclude that Young may actually lose votes for Twa. Whoops!

And how will a brazenly partisan Liberal mayor help Langford's citizens? What if the Liberals don't form the next government? Wouldn't that make his relations with the province a bit awkward? And how will he resolve potential conflicts of interest? Almost all local officials are adamantly NON-PARTISAN, for good reason. But that Stew Young, he's just mavericky. Ain't it a hoot?

But never mind all the political crap! What's important is taking care of business, right? So let's see .... While Young is running around stumping for Twa, Langford's budget for 2009-2010 is still unfinished. WTF is taking so long? Bad news, we expect. Big debt. Low revenues. Higher taxes. [UPDATED update: Creative accounting takes time .... Please don't look too closely at the $50 million that isn't there.)

Meanwhile, Young and his council face getting dragged into court to defend themselves against charges of bias and conflict of interest once they adopt the South Skirt Mountain bylaw, which could happen any time. And the city still hasn't found a new Clerk Administrator to replace Rob Buchan (who was summarily fired earlier this year, says the grapevine.)

Helluva time for a one-legged mayor to get into an ass-kicking contest. But it should be entertaining!

Bear Mtn Resort to Get the Torch?

2009-04-14T01:32:00.000-07:00

Today's rumour is all about the OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY to the 2010 Games, starting in Victoria on October 30 and passing through Langford on October 31 – HALLOWEEN!

According to INSIDER GOSSIP, the city of Langford has proposed that the torch relay should go up to Bear Mountain Resort.

Yes, it seems that mayor Stew Young would like to bestow yet another undeserved gift on Len Barrie, the beleagured owner of Bear Mountain Resort on Skirt (Spaet) Mountain in Langford. And make no mistake, this is a HUUUGE present - the endorsement of the world's largest sporting event, and a million-dollar marketing advantage.

Who else is boosting this Torch Relay to Bear Mountain concept? Keen observers say that Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberals are in bed with Len Barrie. They note last year's $10,000-a-plate Liberal Party fundraiser at Barrie's castle on the hill and suggest that the gift of the Torch Relay is the party's way of saying "thank you." (Although it sounds more like "f#$% you" to us.)

Oooh, can you just smell the power and money and burning Olympic dreams?

… Or Not?

HOWEVER! Like the attempted bailout, we predict this little s#$%storm is not going to materialize. Why? Let's just say we know people. People with morals and the power to use them. And we should point out that people who destroy native graves suffer the consequences.

One consequence for Barrie is getting called out as "Vancouver Island's Most Racist Developer." Does anyone think the province's "New Relationship" with First Nations supports presenting the Olympic Torch to the man who willfully destroyed a million-year-old native artifact?

In any case, it would be stunning to see a couple thousand zombies march on Langford this Halloween. Or will the spirits of the dead rise and take revenge on the greedy ones who desecrated their graves?

We expect an official announcement about the Torch Relay route ~~later this week~~ EVENTUALLY. Stay tuned!

Where's Len Barrie's bailout?

2009-04-07T22:44:00.000-07:00

Those fickle government officials are lavishing big fat doughy packages of taxpayer cashola on OTHER highway projects, but none for Bear Mountain. How is Len Barrie going to make a billion dollars now? A year ago he was riding high, living the dream. He was golden! WTF happened? Boo freaking hoo.

Brother, can you spare a million bucks?

Right now, during this economic crisis, no one is suffering more than the rich. The old rules – where the investors got to make huge profits but also assumed the financial risks – don't apply anymore. That's why we need to give your tax money to condo developers. After all, they need it more than you do! And maybe they'll hire you for a couple weeks. Or do you want to be a welfare parasite for the rest of your life?

Please join us in supporting ex-hockey player and struggling Vancouver Island resort developer Len Barrie. This week, we inducted Barrie into the WTF? Hall of Flame and awarded him the first annual West Coast Wetiko “Cannibal of the Year” prize. (See sidebar, below.)

In 2006, Barrie set the stage for his entrance into the Hall of Flame by deliberately blowing up a native cave to build his golf course, after sending gangs of construction workers to harass native elders. Naturally, Barrie was hailed as a hero by his posse in Langford, which is home to some of Vancouver Island’s most racist rednecks.

Barrie clinched the Wetiko Prize by uniting with fellow developer Ron Coutre and Langford City Council behind an application for a $24.5 million federal infrastructure grant that would benefit the developers.

You see, Barrie has fallen on hard times. But your tax dollars can help make sure he doesn’t lose his 15,000-square-foot castle at Bear Mountain Resort, 20 km west of Victoria. If you haven’t owned a castle, you can’t possibly know how humiliating it is to rent a crappy condo and fly coach instead of first class.

The West Coast Wetiko (“WEE-ti-go”) Prize is dedicated to lost heritage and self-destructive insanity. Noted author Jack Forbes describes the Wetiko worldview this way: “Brutality knows no boundaries. Greed knows no limits. Perversion knows no borders. This is the disease of the consuming of other creatures’ lives and possessions. I call it cannibalism.”

To honour Barrie's status as "The Most Racist Developer on Vancouver Island," an award ceremony is planned for later this year.

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Why Boycott Bear Mountain?

Would you support a company that paves over rare species, breaks its promises, relies on force and intimidation, and destroys native cultural sites?

Here on Vancouver Island, Bear Mountain Resort is indelibly marked by conflict and racism. Since early 2006, company officials have bullied and intimidated First Nations leaders and environmentalists in their rush to develop sensitive ecosystems and cultural sites. Bear Mountain owner Len Barrie and his top deputy Les Bjola admitted to reporters that they orchestrated two violent confrontations, directing over a hundred Bear Mountain construction workers to confront a native gathering at Spaet Cave and a small rally on the highway. Encouraged by their bosses, the contractors - including workers for Scansa Construction - swarmed both gatherings en masse, and pushed, shoved, kicked, spat at and threatened native leaders and local conservationists. Their actions were captured by TV cameras and YouTube.

Barrie actually brags about destroying the sacred cave and sending his goon squad to abuse native elders. His resort is built on native grave sites. He destroyed beautiful and rare ecosystems to build a tacky golf resort on a cold, rainy mountaintop. His arrogance, double-dealing and brutality have made him one of the most-hated men on Vancouver Island.

Barrie and his investors chose to make backroom deals with the City of Langford and the province to fast-track his resort development. He chose not to consult with local residents, respect aboriginal rights, comply with environmental best practices, or cooperate with the community in any way. And now he is facing the consequences.

Why would ANYONE do business with Bear Mountain Resort?

Bear Mountain Developer Bailout? FAIL

2009-04-03T03:14:00.000-07:00

$32 million for the Interchange to Nowhere is a non-starter

Uh oh, looks like some prominent Vancouver Island condo kings can’t afford to pay for their massive new subdivisions. But wait, help is on the way! On March 12, Langford Council decided to make a formal request for a $32 million taxpayer bailout for the Bear Mountain Resort developers. What a relief - the landowners don't have to build the road to the resort! Taxpayers will do it for them! Hurrah! Except ...

It is illegal for a municipality to bestow a cash grant on a private company. Apparently there's this nitpicky little legal point the province has about preventing -- what do you call it? Oh, yeah, corruption and graft. Sorry.

Points for style, though! It takes a special kind of chutzpah to brag (loudly and constantly) that this fabulous new "infrastructure" (or amenity, or Local Area Service, or whatever you call it this week) will be 100% paid for by developers, and then turn around and beg for a federal bailout. Of course, the grant would have to be matched by municipal revenue, meaning taxpayers get soaked twice.

The best part was forbidding any public input about this project. A million points for brazen effort! But FAIL.

NOW IT CAN BE TOLD!
Langford Leaks: Top Secret Documents!
Secure – Anonymous – Confidential

Nasty: Langford Planner Won't Apologize for Legal Threats

Exposed: Why Langford's mayor, deputy mayor, and chief planner should resign.

Shocking: Letter from Langford planner Matthew Baldwin threatening legal action against a Gottengen University scholar for expressing her opinion.

SECRET: Bear Mountain Golf and Country Club's private membership list (Yes, Mayor Stew Young is a member of the $35,000 exclusive club!)

Classified Leak: Spencer Interchange Repayment Agreement
WARNING! 8 MB file. See page 94 - 111 for details about the interchange.

Big Rock Cocaine Mountain
~ a parable for our times ~

Once upon a time, in a place far, far away from Langford, an evil drug lord built a fortress on a mountain. Drugs are bad, m'kay? Don't do drugs. The end.

SPAET is native land. Read more about sacred caves and traditional practices at First Nations - Land Rights and Environmentalism.