THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018 Vol. 74, No. 7
Serving Fort St. John, B.C. and Surrounding Communities
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Jessica Telizyn named a Loran Scholar
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Jesse Mcarthur does a backflip during the Snowboard Rail Jam during High On Ice Winter Festival activities on Feb. 11, 2018. See more sights of winter and wonder from this year’s festival on A11 and A12.
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Chamber boss to meet ministers The president of Fort St. John and District’s Chamber of Commerce is off to Victoria this month to meet with provincial cabinet ministers on everything from pipelines to taxes. Nelson Stowe will travel south Feb. 22, and has meetings arranged with Jobs Minister Bruce Ralston, Labour Minister Harry Bains, Finance Minister and Deputy Premier Carole James, Forestry and Natural Resources Minister Doug Donaldson, and Environment Minister George Heyman. “Priority issues that we feel relevant to our community include supporting natural resource projects and pipelines, levelling the playing field when out of province contractors bid on BC based projects, and health services,” Stowe said in a statement. “We continue to work hard advocating for our members at all levels of government.”
Drummers from across Western Canada will be in Taylor this weekend for the 3rd annual Round Dance. The event starts at 4 p.m. Feb. 17 at the community hall with a pipe ceremony, and a community feast and night of dancing to follow. “It’s for everyone,” says Connie Greyeyes. “It really is community.” Drummers from Saskatchewan and Northern Alberta will attend, while Greyeyes hopes to have drummers from Doig and Blueberry also in attendance. Stan Isadore of Driftpile, Alta., will serve as master of ceremonies for the event. George Desjarlais of Frog Lake, Alta., will serve as stickman. The community celebration is being put on by Sisters in Spirit, Aboriginal Success by Six, and the District of Taylor. There will be a giveaway ceremony, a midnight lunch, as well as a concession and 50/50 draw to support the 2018 Spirit of the Peace Powwow in June. For more information, contact Greyeyes at 250793-1468, or Wally White at 780-897-9255.
Davies dives into legislative session New year, new leader, new session of parliament. Peace River North MLA Dan Davies returned to the legislature Tuesday as the NDP government kicked off the third sesson of the 41st Parliament with a speech from the throne. The NDP have no shortage of problems to address — a crippling billion-dollar loss at ICBC, trade tensions with Alberta over the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, and cannabis legalization that will involve some dozen-plus pieces of legislation and amendments to allow its sale and distribution in the province. The throne speech, read by Lt.-Gov Judith Guichon after this edition of the News went to print, was also expected to address $10-a-day daycare, housing and healthcare infrastructure, and more. See DAVIES on A5
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Jessica Telizyn continues to pile up her academic accolades. The North Peace Secondary student has been named a Loran Scholar, a prestigious distinction that comes with a four-year $100,000 scholarship. The scholarship, established in 1991, is awarded for character, commitment to service in the community, and leadership potential. Telizyn is one of 34 Canadian students to be named a scholar this year, out of more than 5,000 applications. “It is such an incredible opportunity,” Telizyn said last week. “The odds are so minute that it’s mind boggling to think that I’d be one of the 34, coming from Fort St. John.” Mind boggling but well deserving nevertheless. Telizyn has amassed an impressive CV of community volunteerism and character building, stretching back to her middle school days at Dr. Kearney. There, she launched a social justice club, raising funds to help build schools in impoverished countries and collecting food to support the women’s centre, among other initiatives for local seniors and the school’s library. At North Peace, she helped start the Interact Club to continue that work, took part in a trade mission to China, has participated in youth forums across Canada, and launched a number of agri-tech startups to reduce food waste. If getting all that done in between studies isn’t impressive enough, Telizyn teaches Irish dance, swimming, and speed skating to the next generation of athletes, too. “I’ve always known from young age that academics were super important, and I believe being involved in the community is super important,” she said. See TELIZYN on A4
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