THURSDAY, may 30, 2019 Vol. A-75, No. 22
Serving Fort St. John, B.C. and Surrounding Communities
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Caribou recovery could cost millions matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
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Fort St. John cadet Jacob Barley was awarded the Royal Canadian Legion’s Medal of Excellence, the Lt. Brian Wallace Award for Excellence, and the Commanding Officer’s Award at the 2276 PPCLI Army Cadets annual review, May 25, 2019.
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From rebel to model citizen
Cadets leave a lasting impact on Jacob Barley dave lueneberg Alaska Highway News
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When Jacob Barley joined the cadets five years ago, he was introverted and rebellious, short on self confidence, and coming off an unfulfilling season of minor hockey. Now, the 17-year-old is at the top of his class with the 2276 PPCLI Army Cadets in Fort St. John, and, with high school graduation looming, has an eye toward a future that will mix political science with military smarts. “He was a very introverted kid, believe or not. You wouldn’t know that looking at or hearing him now,” said Barley’s mother, Anna, as she watched him at the cadet’s annual ceremonial review May 25 at the Fort St. John Curling Club. “He’s a different kid and, in great part, that’s owed to the program.” Barley got involved in cadets when he was 12. “I had just ended an eight-year hockey career (that ended up with two goals) and really decided I wasn’t interested in doing hockey anymore,” Barley said. Discouraged and unsure what to do next, Barley says his grandfather made the suggestion to join the air cadets squadron. “I really liked planes at the time, so it sounded like a fantastic idea. However, the closest squadron was in Dawson Creek, 45 minutes away, and it was decided no one wanted to drive me that distance,” said Barley. With an already established army cadet program in Fort. St. John, “the next best option was to join 2276,” he said. Now in its 73rd year, the corps offers local teens the opportun-
ity to learn leadership skills and structure. In Barley’s case, he was a preteen who didn’t respond well to authority, a fact he, his family, and his superiors openly admit. “He was very rebellious. He wasn’t very sure of himself, got very flustered and frustrated easily,” said his commanding officer, Capt. Geoff Bough. “That’s the beauty of our program. We give that opportunity to build self-confidence, their own authority, as they progress through the program. He definitely modelled that.” In his five years since joining, the Grade 12 North Peace Secondary student has been elevated to the rank of Master Warrant Officer, a distinction he leaves as he begins a university this fall. “One of the biggest things I love is the drill. A lot people come in and they hate drill. I guess you could say it takes a weird kind of person to enjoy it enough to continue down that path.” Capt. Bough said it’s been gratifying to see the “180 degree change” in his retiring officer’s character. “He went from being that rebellious, no self-confidence, frustatrated with authority (cadet) to complete respect for authority, being that citizen in the community, being that role model for his cadets, keeping them in line,” Bough said. While not willing to take the credit, Barley was instrumental in the leading the charge for last year’s Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy campaign, the most successful ever in Fort St. John, raising more than $22,000. The campaign and other work in the community saw
Barley awarded with the Royal Canadian Legion’s Medal of Excellence at the review. His leadership was also recognized with the Lt. Brian Wallace Award for Excellence and the Commanding Officer’s Award. Grant Barley, Jacob’s father, said he couldn’t be more proud of his son’s accomplishments, and the big change he’s seen in character and demeanour. “His ability to interact with other people, whether they’re younger or older, in positions of authority, has changed dramatically. His abilities to solve problems, or deal with a crisis or significant moment of stress, that all relates back to the confidence he’s gained in cadets,” he said. As for his future, Barley plans to begin classes this September at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. With an avid interest in political science, Barley hopes to use his schooling as a stepping stone to becoming a military intelligence officer. “A lot of people think it’s James Bond running around,” he jokes. “It’s mainly a job that analyzes and gathers information on the political situation of a (particular) nation.” Commander Brad Henderson, with a long history in the Canadian Navy, oversaw this year’s ceremonial review. He was just as pleased to hear of Barley’s progress. “(It’s) a prime example of someone who came in without knowing where his boundaries were, to someone who could stand here today and speak as eloquently as he did, and to have a focus on where he’s going in the future,” Henderson said.
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Implementing caribou recovery measures in the South Peace could cut tens of millions of dollars from the local economy as well as government and worker pocketbooks, a new study has concluded. The Peace River Regional District hired Stantec Consulting last year to study the socio-economic impacts of measures to protect endangered herds around Chetwynd and Tumbler Ridge. It’s separate from a similar study started by the federal and provincial governments in April on two agreements drafted to facilitate the recovery. The Stantec study, which the regional district board will discuss Thursday, is mainly focused on the impacts to logging and wood manufacturing around the areas where new land protections and resource development moratoriums are proposed in the agreements. The study predicts a dramatic drop in economic activity under a moratorium, with estimates the annual allowable cut in the Dawson Creek Timber Supply Area and Tree Farm Licence 48 could be reduced from 2.7 million cubic metres to 1.9 million — or a 29% drop. That could mean a combined loss of $94 million in GDP in both logging and wood manufacturing, and eliminate $10 million in provincial revenues and $5 million in federal revenues. It could also mean the loss of 425 person-years of employment, directly or indirectly, and $25 million in incomes, according to the study. B.C. has drafted a partnership agreement with the Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations that proposes development moratoriums, and boosts support for their successful maternal penning program as well as an ongoing wolf cull. While any reductions to the annual allowable cuts in the region hasn’t been finalized, the government has ball parked the figure around 300,000 cubic metres. Both Canfor and West Fraser have said the cuts will likely be much larger than that. Saulteau and West Moberly have shrugged off concerns about the economics of the deal, saying any reductions in the allowable cut would be limited and manageable between the companies, and that caribou recovery actions will create new jobs in the region.
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