Times Colonist from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada • 30

C2 Times Colonist Sunday May 6 2001 Capital Region CELEBRATION Anglican church marks 100th A ti oeg-iosi wnaies resiinace to last summer's SEioerood Southam Newspapers NANAIMO In an extraordinary JT; By Carla Wilson Times Colonist staff The latest survey of killer whales living off B.C.'s north coast provided welcome population information for marine mammal scientists. The animals belong to what's known as the northern resident group of killer whales, which is surveyed annually by whale biologist Graeme Ellis, based at Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo. During his 2000 survey along B.C.'s coast and up to Alaska, Ellis was able to fill in the blanks on about 60 animals. "Most of which were on my most-wanted list," said Ellis, who has just wrapped up his work outlining the 2000 survey. "It was an exceptional year.

It was one of the best years we had had in a long time." About 120 northern resident killer whales barreled down Johnstone Strait in a superpod last summer, socializing, seeding and delighting whale lovers who snapped uncounted pictures. Many of these whales had not been seen for one to 10 years. "It was my dream come true," Ellis said. "A lot of times it is frustrating looking for the whales, but when you have an encounter like that it makes it all worthwhile." Many questions remain about the population of northern residents, including how many there are. Ellis's best guess is between 208 and 210 animals.

All members are rarely accounted for in one year. Annual sightings add to a catalogue of photographic identification. Killer whales are mainly identified by their dorsal fins and the grey saddle patches at the base of the fin. Appearance can alter significantly over several years, which is why researchers prefer to see them on a yearly basis. The northern residents are one of four killer whale populations off B.C's coast.

of killer whales was photographed during Tysick: God gives him reasons to stay on his path This animal in a northern resident pod There is the southern group of about 80 whales, along with transients, and offshore killer whales. Ellis travels between 3,000 and 4,000 nautical miles every year, beginning in May or June and wrapping up in October, and takes some breaks during that time. Using an eight-metre-long Department of Fisheries and Oceans power boat, Ellis and other scientists gather data on killer whales and other species such as humpback and grey whales, using photo identification as well. "There are probably in excess of 700 killer whales we are trying to keep track of." The superpod was a happy surprise Alliance Leader Stockwell Day, easily Canada's most visible born-againer. "People like Stockwell Day go chasing God to find him," says Al.

It's the reverse for Al: God not only chases him, but catches him with another reason to continue on this path. It's a distinction not easily grasped by those not versed in the scriptures or the ways of old-style Christianity. Al tries explaining it another way by relaying a story told him by a "chaser." A Chicago church wanted "to make God appear." One day, the congregation thought God did, when, amidst a rousing hymn, lightning split the pulpit. It was the sign they sought of God's presence. What, Al was asked, did he think of that? Not much, as surely somewhere in Chicago at that same time homeless huddled around a garbage-can fire, and a mother had nothing for her baby.

If God, challenged Al, decides to make himself known by splitting that pulpit rather than feeding that baby, then "it's a God I don't want to follow." Somewhat this same story appears in January's United Church Observer profile: Allen Tysick, Victoria 's streetwise prophet. Much of what Al says at lunch has the ring of a parable, even when he feat of engineering for its time, a school-' house was moved in 1901 to Ladysmith from Wellington, near Nanaimo. The building has had a view of Lady-' smith Harbour ever since as St. John's Anglican Church. Today, the 78 families in the congregation celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church in Ladysmith.

Joining Rector Rosalind Westaway and parishioners in the celebration will be the Anglican Primate of Canada, Archbishop Michael Peers. Westaway is not sure of the exact date the church was set up in Ladysmith, but today's 100th anniversary is taking place on St. John the Evangelist Day. While the building may have moved to Ladysmith from Nanaimo 100 years ago and been used as a church since the move, it was not officially consecrated by the Anglican Church until 1994. Much of the church's history has been dug up by local historian Kit Willmot, a member of the congregation.

Willmot has been living in Ladysmith for 1 1 years and started attending St. John shortly after his arrival from the old country. "I suppose St. John's just fell through the cracks and nobody realized it hadn't been consecrated," Willmot said. The historian has dug into the back-, ground of the church and Ladysmith.

He began compiling a list of church artifacts a number of years ago. "I quickly realized there was no comprehensive history of the church." Willmot discovered that the building "was a schoolhouse at Wellington and was brought to Ladysmith in 1901." Workers took the building apart and transported it piece by piece to its present location. The site was given to the Anglican Church 100 years ago by coal baron Robert Dunsmuir. in a car crash. She had two boys, now teens here.

Al and wife Mary have a daughter together. Al's wife keeps her distance from the Open Door. At times that's hard when Al brings home to Sooke someone "who needs a night off the bricks." The obvi- -ous question is: Did Mary realize what she was getting into by marrying him? "I don't think so," says Al, grinning. Lunch with Al comes in two stages. About halfway through, he picks up his untouched burger, returning to his other table where his staff and board chairman await him.

He's back 40 minutes later with more chat and ottering a tour or the Open Door. En route up Store Street, Al's asked how much longer he'll stay. He takes it to mean the Open Door at its current leased quarters. He's worried a proposed environmental cleanup will send it packing. Realizing it meant how long he'll stay in Victoria, Al says there are no plans to go.

"Let's say, some community in B.C. was starting up a drop in centre he starts to muse. It might be an offer of a challenge too good to refuse. After all, Al's life has been, if not a series of challenges, then a string of callings he cannot escape. way 19 at the Buckley Bay interchange and the CourtenayCumberland interchange to the Old Island Highway 19 A.

From May 22 to May 27, Highway 19 will be closed from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., reopening from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. From May 28 to June 2, the highway will be closed. Only the southbound lanes will reopen from 9 p.m.

to 7 a.m. From June 3 to June 5, Highway 19 will be closed from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., reopening from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. There will be an increased RCMP presence along the detour during the closures.

The film, being made by T.F.H. Productions, began its principal photography in Vancouver on March 19. It is i Beginning Monday, updated information on the closures will be available on an information line at 250-898-0210. THIS AD PLEASE From Page CI His tales from the street are the sort to crinkle up middle-class noses. Yet many Sundays find Al guesting in city pulpits, essential in getting the Open Door story out Those appearances and others at serv: ice clubs spark a spurt of donations, all helping to chip away at the centre's $250,000 annual operating costs.

But nothing has come close to the afternoon when the uptown friends of the late Michael Williams, Swans' owner and great Open Door supporter, staged a $40,000 fund-raiser in his memory. "It was a little different from the fundraisers I'm used to," says Al, referring to both the cash raised, and the spiffy crowd spared some of his grittier stories. However, at lunch, Al recounts in vivid detail once cleaning up a man who had soiled himself in every manner before taking him to the doctor. Fleetingly, Al itnessed something special in the man. "I saw Christ in his eyes.

What a gift!" marvels Al, apparently not the only time he glimpsed "Christ in those disgusting disguises." Al is a street Christian in the Mother Teresa mode. None of the born-again narcissistic relationship with God for him. He looks askance at the mention of for researchers. Some whales continued south and spent about three weeks in the Strait of Georgia. "A lot of these whales I've gone all over the coast looking for and they ended up coming almost to my back door," Ellis said with a laugh.

'Typically when you go out, you end up finding a number of pods you will see again and again." Last year they were lucky, "There were a bunch of pods that we have rarely seen in the last few years." Conservative age estimates put some northern residents in their 50s. "I suspect there are some that go a talks about growing up poor in Ottawa's Preston Street neighbourhood. His father was an alcoholic and chronically unemployed. His Roman Catholic mother was the real influence on his life. "We didn't do church because we didn't feel welcome there.

The poor never feel welcome," he says. Al goes off on another story familiar from the Observer piece. It's not so much about any religious conversion as an explanation for his eventual ministry style. One Christmas, a teenage Al was on Ottawa's Bank Street. Farther up the sidewalk, a man lay sprawled in front of a bar.

Just ahead of Al, walked a Salvation Army officer, stepping around this broken figure in need. "The church has got to be better than that," Al recalls thinking as he approached the downed figure, only to discover on helping him up, "it was my father!" That day, cites Al, was "the beginning of my journey." Yet the trajectory did not go directly from Bank Street to a United Church pulpit. In between, on his father's urging, Al enrolled in engineering. He paid his own way, between a high school graduation scholarship (despite dyslexia), and a part-time moving company job held since Medal ceremony today More than 30 members of the Canadian Scottish Regiment will receive the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal today in a service at the Bay Street Armoury. The event is to start at 1 1 a.m.

at the Armoury, 715 Bay St. Stan Willow, Honorary Col. Mike Heppell and Col. (Ret'd) Jack Frazer will make the presentations. Serving or former military personnel, RCMP members, Canadian police force members and eligible civilians sent on peacekeeping or observer missions overseas are eligible for the medal.

Gas station robbed A man brandishing a knife took cash and cigarettes from a Pay Less gas station on Nicol Street in Nanaimo about 5 Graeme Ellis photo good deal further back than that," Ellis said. The average life span of a female is 50 years, and Ellis thinks some may live up to 80 years old. The average life span of a male is 29 years. The population appears to be levelling off after increasing from an estimated size of 132 whales in 1975. "For whatever reason they've been increasing up to this point." Meanwhile, Ellis has been working with John Ford, of the Vancouver Aquarium, to develop high-tech devices to learn the secrets of the whales' winter distribution.

Grade 9. After graduation, he worked three years at Ottawa's National Research Council, teaching night-school classes, taking his BA, and organizing a youth group in his old neighbourhood. By bartering his then-untried skills as a Sunday school teacher, Al secured his youth group meeting space in the neighbourhood's United Church. Al's father never understood why his son would give up a career in engineering to enter McGill's divinity school. Then his father figured it out the easy hours.

"One day a week!" he accused Al, who still laughs about it. Al showed up for his ordination in typical fashion, meaning no fashion at all. He wore jeans while classmates wore academic gowns. Rev. Al has yet to wear a clerical collar.

His first church was a two-point rural charge south of Ottawa. He stayed five years before moving to another small community nearby, establishing a needed drop-in centre, and acquiring new housing for the people. It was from there he came to Victoria. During his time in rural eastern Ontario, he met his wife marrying her twice, he informs, enjoying the reaction this brings. Al had officiated at her first marriage.

Later her husband was killed Island in Brief a.m. Saturday, then fled on foot. A police tracking dog was unable to locate the robber. Filming to shut highway An action thriller, starring Charlize Theron, Courtney Love and Kevin Bacon, is coming to a highway near you. 24 Hours, the story of three kidnappers, three hostages and one family who have only 24 hours to get their daughter back, has been granted permission to close down part of the Inland Island Highway to film its final sequence.

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