Xtra West - Issue 279, Apr 29, 2004

COVER STORY
In harm’s way

story by Diane Claveau / Jumping into the fray when someone’s getting beaten up requires a three-faceted act of faith: faith in yourself, faith that you will prevail and faith that, eventually, the justice system will deal with the offenders.
NAKED EYE
Dear MLA Mayencourt

story by Gareth Kirkby, Managing editor / I read your e-mail, Lorne, the one you sent out Saturday the 24th to Glen Philip Hansman and copied to me.
WEBSTER HEARINGS
Accused adults to stand trial

story by Robin Perelle / The two adults accused of beating Aaron Webster to death in November 2001 were back in court last week for a preliminary inquiry into their case.
WEBSTER SENTENCING
Not a hate crime

story by Jeremy Hainsworth / The second youth to plead guilty to manslaughter in the Nov 17, 2001 beating death of Aaron Webster was sentenced to two years in custody plus a year’s house arrest Apr 21. It was the maximum sentence he could have received in youth court.
COMMENT
The burden of proof

story by Jeremy Hainsworth  / The queer community heaved a sigh of relief last December when a youth court judge rebuked Crown counsel and called the 2001 killing of Aaron Webster a hate crime, after all.
FEDERAL POLITICS
Robinson’s bill may pass without him

story by Gareth Kirkby / Groups opposed to gay rights are using the resignation of Svend Robinson in an attempt to stop his hate crime bill, C-250, from passing through the Senate and into law.
GAYBASHING
He started it

story by Robin Perelle / Aaron McNeil openly admits that he instigated the incident that led to his gaybashing.
NEWS
In brief

story by Xtra West staff / Two hours forward, one hour back. After a year of trials and tribulations, Vancouver’s 4 am bar-closing-experiment looks like it’s going to draw to a 3 am close next month.
SLAP & TICKLE
Protocols

story by Elaine Miller / They told me they would all line up to beat me, and I decided against attending that party in their fair city.
WHAT THE FUCK
Reduce, reuse, recycle

story by Ann Travers & Bubba Jones Patton / Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: it is the mantra of the environmental movement. Are queers doing it? Can we do it better? We’re here to help.
OPINION
Gay Militia action condemned

story by Stephen Lock / Some eight to 11 people crashed an Apr 17 fundraiser being held by the Concerned Christians Coalition Inc. (CCC) in Calgary’s Coast Plaza Hotel’s ballroom.
VENUS RISING
Butoh-A-Go-Go goes to Moscow

story by Michael Venus / Michael Venus: So, first of all, how are you?
BEAUTY PAGEANT
‘I’m just a big flag’

story by Robin Perelle / Darren Storsley says he never expected to enter a beauty pageant, let alone represent Canada at the international Manhunt finals this May.