THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2018 Vol. 75, No. 48
Serving Fort St. John, B.C. and Surrounding Communities
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Referendum vote extended to Dec. 7
friendship. We want to educate the public on what Treaty Land Entitlement means and how it will benefit all residents.” Doig River is one-half of the former Fort St. John Beaver Band, which was to be given 128 acres for each of its members in 1914 as part of the provisions of Treaty 8. However, many weren’t counted as part of the land allocations at the time, and the band, along with the Blueberry River First Nations, launched a claim in 1999 to settle the difference.
Elections BC has extended the deadline on the proportional representation referendum to Dec. 7 at 4:30 p.m. “We have worked closely with Canada Post to understand the full impact of rotating strikes on the referendum process,” Chief Electoral Officer Anton Boegman said in a news release Friday. “Rotating strikes have impacted accessibility. As a result we have extended the deadline to ensure that voters are not prevented from participating through no fault of their own.” Completed packages are considered received by Elections BC when delivered to a Service BC Centre or Referendum Service Office. Locations in Northeast B.C. include: • Fort St. John: 10600 100th Street; • Fort Nelson: A7-5319 50th Ave South; • Dawson Creek: 1201 103rd Avenue; and • Chetwynd: 4744 52nd Street. As of Tuesday, Nov. 27, Elections BC had received 28% of ballots from Peace River North (7,026 of 25,398 registered voters), and 28% of ballots from Peace River South (4,872 of 17,531 registered voters). Proponents of proportional representation say it’s a fairer way of electing candidates because the percentage of votes would roughly equal the number of seats a party gets in the legislature. Opponents say local representation would be reduced with parties having more control. The ballot contains two questions: whether the first-past-the-post system should be kept or changed to a system of proportional representation. The second question involves ranking three proportional systems, which are: • Mixed-member proportional would result in 60 per cent of members of the legislature being elected by the most votes and 40 per cent by lists set by political parties. • Dual-member proportional would involve large ridings represented by two politicians, including one with the most votes. • Rural-urban proportional would be a blend of the MMP for rural ridings and the single transferable vote system for urban ridings, though voters have already rejected it in 2005 and 2009 referendums.
See DOIG RIVER on A10
See VOTE on A16
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Chuck Fowler and his daughter Kayleigh talked about a public festival plaza planned for the corner of 100 Street and 96 Avenue during an open house, Nov. 19, 2018.
Citizen input wanted on public plaza plan matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
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How to transform a vacant lot into a bustling street market hub — that’s on the mind of Fort St. John city planners, who are looking for citizen input on designing a new public plaza at the corner of 100 Street and 96 Avenue. The city held an open house Monday, Nov. 19, for residents to get a sneak peek on some initial concepts developed during a workshop earlier in the day. An online survey collecting feedback is ongoing. “The possibilities in theory could become endless as long as you had the space that was available,” said Ryan Harvey, the city’s communications co-ordinator.
“It’s a cool project. You or I could go down there to have a coffee at a fire pit in the winter, or four teens could hangout and play hackey sack, or a giant chessboard.” The city has budgeted $1.2 million to build the plaza as part of its Centennial Park redevelopment plan, and another $75,000 to plan and design it. On Nov. 19, arts groups, social agencies, and park users met to give their ideas on the types of events the plaza could host, sketched out three different options of what a facility could look like, and talked about how storytelling could be incorporated into its design. Suggested events ranged from farmers to Christmas markets, from open mic nights
to wedding receptions, from local theatre shows to pow wows to fashion shows to the annual world fair. Others suggested the plaza could become home to formal food truck stalls, fire pits, and a stage for buskers. Coun. Lilia Hansen called the project a tremendous opportunity to become a venue that can host events through all seasons. “I can see myself sitting out there listening to some bands, some open mic nights, and in winter time, having some nice propane heaters, and having maybe some of our breweries, or some of our restaurants having a food market in there,” she said. See PLAZA on A16
Doig River to unveil treaty land settlement, city development plans on Dec. 5 matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
The Doig River First Nation will end a decades-long treaty land entitlement claim process by hosting an open house in Fort St. John on Dec. 5. The claim settles a land debt Canada still owes the First Nation from the signing of Treaty 8 in 1900. The event will be an information session focused on building relationships between the First Nation and Fort St. John, and educating residents on what Doig River has planned for its land selections in the re-
gion and for economic development in the city. “Doig River has always been a part of the community and we believe that building relationships through good communication and partnerships will benefit all residents of the Northeast,” said Chief Trevor Makadahay. “We welcome conversations with our neighbours so that we can all work together for a brighter future for all. Treaty Land Entitlement is an important step to reconciliation with the governments of Canada, Alberta and British Columbia as it is a treaty of peace and
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