Accolades for ANBT as it celebrates the 50th anniversary

This Fiftieth Anniversary of the All Native Basketball Tournament was to be honoured this week by Basketball BC, as the governing body for Basketball in the province acknowledges the hard work that goes into the tournament year in and year out.

Each year Basketball BC takes time out at the end of February or beginning of March to salute the grassroots of the game with the Special Merit Award for 2008. The normal time frame for its awarding however was moved up this year, in order to celebrate with the ANBT and the many fans that have travelled to Prince Rupert to take in the tournament.

The Daily News featured detaiuls of the recognition as their front page headline story in Thursday's paper.

BASKETBALL WORLD TAKING NOTICE OF THE ALL-NATIVE
Tournament is to receive high honour from Basketball BC for its contribution
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Thursday, February 12, 2009

Pages one and

The All-Native Basketball Tournament will receive a huge honour from Basketball BC this week.
Basketball BC will present the tournament with its Special Merit Award for 2009.
The award recognizes organizations and people who have made significant contributions to the sport of Basketball in B.C.

"The Prince Rupert All-Native Basketball Tournament organizers have done wonderful for job for years and this was a way for us to recognize the entire group," said Basketball BC President John Buis.

Right now, the date of the presentation is unknown but Buis said it could be as early as tonight during one of the games.

The tournament received special consideration this year from Basketball BC, not only because the tournament is in its 50th year.

"Normally, we award the trophy at the end of February or the beginning of March and then usually it's announced in April but we held a special meeting and brought this to the Basketball BC board's attention," said Buis.

The board agreed to have the award handed out early so that the presentation could take part during the tournament.

On top of the accolade, a member of the organizing team is to be invited to the awards function that takes place every April.

"Sometimes we have good ideas and sometimes it takes a little longer," joked Buis.
Buis expects to arrive tomorrow and will be joined by Basketball BC board member Richard Hunt.

This will be Buis' third time attending the tournament, the second as president of the provincial basketball governing body.

He said the tournament is indeed gaining more and more attention around the basketball-playing community around the province.

"Particularly, with the advent of the Internet, that's attracting lots of people and lots of interest because it is difficult to get to Prince Rupert at times and people want to follow it," said Buis.

He added that having organized the Lower Mainland's provincial High School boys tournament every year has given him a huge appreciation of the kind of logistical nightmare that big tournaments can be.

"I know what Clarence (Martin) and his group are going through to put that event on in Prince Rupert," said Buis.

City council has plans to examine the handling of the food handlers of the ANBT

With a number of complaints apparently piling up with city council, the elected officials of the city will apparently investigate the concerns of the local community over the zealous nature of food inspection at social events such as the recent All Native Basketball Tournament.

The food inspection process at the ANBT has become one of the more controversial aspects of Northern Health’s dedication to food safety, with many participants suggesting that the inspectors are a rather industrious lot when it comes to rule of law on matters of food preparation.

The issue was spearheaded by Councillor Joy Thorkelson who expressed the belief that many felt that the inspection of the food court this year was discriminatory; her desire to see council investigate the issue was countered by Councillor Tony Briglio who felt that it was a fight that council should not be getting itself into.

The Mayor put on his best politicians hat over the tempest, describing the issue as more of a rural/urban clash rather than a racial one. But stated that he was “up to the fight”.

Good politics for sure, but one wonders if he’s done his homework as far as a civic administrator goes. Since the city provides the venue for ANBT, should there be a food issue that results in illness, would the city be on the hook for any litigation resulting from the use of municipal property? It would be interesting to know what risk the city would be in for if health concerns were brought into the picture. In which case it might be worth keeping the inspectors of Northern Health on the job, if only to ensure that all bases are covered.

One only needs to look at a recent episode in Prince George over school lunches, which has caused that city’s school district to examine it’s lunch policies and the concerns that have been raised over potential dangers.

The food court is of course one of the most popular parts of the tournament and should be continued as a way of showcasing the foods of the visiting First Nation’s villages. Surely there can be some middle ground available to keep both participants and health officials on the same page and away from the boiling point. Some common sense solutions that will allow one of the highlights of the tournament to continue without an overbearing presence, but still providing for a high standard of food preparation and delivery.

There was another group of apparently over zealous officials that came under scrutiny as well. Participants at the tournament complained about the rather fast on the draw workings of bylaw enforcement officers at the Civic Centre, who were quick with pen to paper on infractions in the unloading zone. A complaint that probably will find much sympathy with Rupertites across the city who have found themselves in similar situations around town.

While Council will investigate and lobby for change, there are no plans to take an actual stand on the controversial food issue, while a resolution to the ticketing festival will probably find a more receptive hearing from the councilors.

The Daily News featured the anger and the resolutions as their front page story in Tuesday’s newspaper.

COUNCIL MULLS TREATMENT OF ANBT’S FOOD VENDORS
Councillors plan to make changes and lobby for others but NH not on the radar
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Page one

Despite many complaints from the public, Prince Rupert city council won’t be taking a stand when it comes to Northern Health’s inspection of the All Native Basketball Tournament food court this year.

Joy Thorkelson said many people felt it was discriminatory and unfair what went on at the food court with the inspectors from Northern Health looking over people’s shoulders.

“The health inspector was in there making sure the food was healthy, but will they be doing this at every tea or bake sale in town,” she asked.

She noted that anyone selling food had to find a commercial kitchen in which to prepare dishes and this caused a panic for a number of organizations.

“I was in there every day getting lunch and supper,” said Thorkelson. “It (NH’s behavior) was considered very discriminatory by people selling food.”

Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said people raised the issue with him as well.
“It was felt by the people involved that this was a discriminatory issue. Part of what we are seeing is a clash in culture, not a racial clash, but a clash between rural Canada and urban Canada.”

In rural Canada, he noted, pot luck events remain a big part of the social life of communities, while this is no longer the way in urban Canada.

“It’s a huge challenge but I’m up to the fight,” he said.

However, Coun. Tony Briglio did not feel it was a fight council should be getting into.

Northern Health’s food inspectors started becoming an issue two years ago when they began showing up at the All Native Basketball Tournament.

The tournament, which nearly doubles the size of Prince Rupert’s population for a week every February, includes a popular food court where traditional First Nation’s foods are sold.

In addition to complaints about the presence of health inspectors, council received complaints about bylaw enforcement ticketing people unloading food in front of the Civic Centre.

Thorkelson noted that some of the people running the food court were ticketed within the time it took them to get their food into the building.

“I am wondering if we can put in a temporary unloading zone for food in front of the Civic Centre,” she said, “so people can run food in and out. The ANBT is very important to the community.”

Council agreed to look at the issue for next year.