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By SAL BOMMARITO Oakville Beaver Staff Bickerstaff‘s family later launched a lawsuit against the OPP in an effort to push for changes in the gunâ€"storage procedures used by the police force. A nightmarish journey which began in 1991 when an 18â€"yearâ€"old Oakville youth was shot and killed by a bullet from a policeman‘s revolver is finally nearing its end for the dead youth‘s family. Lee Bickerstaff died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head during a party at the Oakville home of a highâ€" ranking Ontario Provincial Police officer in August of 1991. Changes in police gun storage coming Paper .................................. Mark Slipp, Investment Executive Courtroom drama Young legal eagle likes adventure | in and out of the courtroom SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS Loblaws, Canadian Tire,Food City, AP, Savâ€"Aâ€"Centre, The Bay, Sheridan College, River Oaks Evening Post, Aikenheads, Patio Enclosures Nineteen months after Bickerstaff‘s death, Clare Lewis, Fidelity Far East Fund Page 3 (416) 359â€"4633 It‘s been a great winter for skiers and also for the kids of all ages who love to ‘toboggan‘ like this happy crew. By BARB JOY Oakville Beaver Staff Their kids aren‘t so timid. Their young bones can take a tumble in the snow with few adverse effects. To them, plummeting down a snowâ€"covered hill is sheer pleasure. And they do it on any manner of contraption designed to get them to the bottom, then trudge back up to the top and do it all over again. The contraptions kids use today for sliding down a hill can vary from a sheet of plastic to the great GT. But there‘s still nothing that can outdo the good old standbys, the sled and the toboggan. They abundant snowfall have sent people to the hills. You can see them there any weekend as moms and pops gingerly plunk themselves down on the back end of toboggan, tuck in their feet, close their eyes and hope for the best. The return of a good oldâ€"fashioned Canadian winter and its the Ontario Police Complamts Comnussmner has unvelled several recommendations aimed at preventing a similar tragedy from occurring in the future. Lewis said the recommendations have been "substantialâ€" ly accepted" by the Ontario Provincial Police. Lee‘s father, John said the day Lewis‘s recommendaâ€" tions are implemented by the police force, the family will withdraw its lawsuit, effectively ending the terrible ordeal. "We‘ve told the OPP the suit is over as soon as they implement the recommendations. When someone dies it‘s never really over. But we‘ve addressed the issues which haven‘t changed that much from those used by the couriers de bois and Indians for transportmg their furs and provisions in the early days of our nation. According to two stores in town selling hillâ€"sliding devices, toboggans and sleds have remained steady items of sale. Allâ€"the wooden sleds Toys R Us had in stock were sold during December and January with the highâ€"backed sleigh for very young children being the most popular. At Canadian Tire in Oakville, "oldâ€"fashioned" sleds and tobogâ€" gans sold equally (25 each) in December and January. Along with these two staples are the longâ€"standing Krazy Karpets which are realâ€" ly thin pieces of plastic that took the place of the flattened cardboard boxes of Grandma‘s day. And the metallic Flying Saucers, so popular in the ©50s and early ‘60s, are still spinning down a few hills. Newer than the Flying Saucer are the boatâ€"like knee sleds for little kids. caused Lee‘s death," Bickerstaff said. "This wasn‘t a shot against police. We were trying to help their families. It was mostly their own families which were in danger. Lee was just a visitor," he added. Bickerstaff said he was "very pleased" with the recomâ€" mendations put forth by the police complaints commission. The recommendations were adopted by the OPP, with the exception of one minor wording change relating to Lewis‘ recommendation police officers be "required" to change into uniform at their station or detachment when their firearms are stored at their work location. On the request of the OPP, the word "required" was subâ€" stituted with the word "encouraged." "(The OPP) felt it was a reasonable solution in most (See ‘Winter‘ page 16) «See ‘Gun‘ page 5) SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 1993 28 Pages 75 Cents (GST included) "VALUE IN EVERY PRICE* Feature Trre of the Week @DUNLOP alue Tire Centre h 238 SPEERS RD.