AHN FEB 16, 2023

ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

For all the news we couldn’t fit into print: alaskahighwaynews.ca

RISING ABOVE

Ministry offers hope for a life beyond addiction

NEWS h A2

Northeast B.C. drug runners arrested

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

B.C.’s gang task force says 23 people are facing charges after a sweeping bust of a drug network in Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Fort Nelson. In a release, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia says 13 search warrants were executed in the three communities over three months between Oct. 13, 2022, and Jan. 23, 2023.

Among the items seized were 10 kilograms of cocaine, three kilograms of methamphetamine, three kilograms psilocybin mushrooms, and 17 kilograms of marijuana. Also seized was $165,000 in cash, 34 firearms, a cocaine press, and 3,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes, along with several vehicles, paraphernalia, ammunition, body armour, tasers, and brass knuckles.

to gain from new $1-billion fund

Fort St. John stands to gain from an extra $1 billion in provincial infrastructure funding for B.C. municipalities this year, but just how much remains to be seen.

The province announced Friday that all 188 municipalities in B.C. would share in one-time grants from the Growing Communities Fund.

The money is coming from this year’s projected budget surplus of almost $6 billion, according to the province, and funding will be granted for projects such recreation facilities, parks, water treatment plants, and other community infrastructure “to meet the demands of unprecedented population growth.”

“B.C.’s strong economy and natural beauty continue to attract people from across Canada and around the world. Cities and towns need sup-

port to build thriving, livable communities,” Premier David Eby stated in a news release.

“The new Growing Communities Fund will help local municipalities improve roads, build more arenas and water facilities, and improve recreation options for families.”

When asked how much the City of Fort St. John would be receiving, a spokesperson for the ministry of municipal affairs said local governments would be formally contacted with their funding allocations at the end of March.

Fort St. John has an estimated population of 21,465 people, according to the 2021 census, up just under 6% from 2016.

The city has $52.2 million worth of capital works planned this year, funded mostly by provincial grant money through the Peace River Agreement.

That spending includes $22.2 million on roads and

transportation, $14.1 million on facilities and parks, $7.8 million on water and sewer projects, $4.9 million on vehicles and equipment, and $3.09 million on other studies and plans.

Mayor Lilia Hansen said she was excited by the province’s announcement, calling the intended flexibility of the funding “a definite win for our community.”

“I’m eagerly anticipating the funding allocation announcement, working with council and staff on determining the best use for these funds; focusing on the betterment of our community, including infrastructure, recreation facilities, transit, and parks,” Hansen said. “We have several projects in the planning phase that would be greatly enhanced and ability to move forward because of this injection of grant funding, offsetting the high cost to build in northern B.C.”

“These arrests have resulted in the significant disruption of an entrenched organized crime group in Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson,” Cpl. Madonna Saunderson of the North District RCMP said. “CFSEU BC brings the necessary resources and skill set to ensure detachments are supported in any efforts to tackle large scale drug trafficking operations.”

RCMP officers from Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Fort Nelson RCMP helped the investigation, which began in June 2022. Among the firearms seized were eight hand guns, 16 long guns, eight shotguns, and two collapsible rifles, according to the CFSEU-BC. The seized vehicles included a 2004 Chevrolet Corvette, a 2017 Jaguar FPace, a 2016 Dodge Ram Crew Cab, a 2013 Chevy Cruze, and a 2020 GMC AT4 pickup truck, the agency said.

The 23 people arrested have been released pending approval of charges, the agency said, adding the investigation continues. “This collaborative effort led by CFSEU-BC unveiled an alleged drug trafficking network in the provinces North District, giving CFSEU-BC an opportunity to disrupt organized groups causing harm to the communities of the Peace Region,” Insp. Joel Hussey, operations officer for CFESU-BC, said. “Police in British Columbia are unified in our resolve to suppress, disrupt, and prevent groups who show such wanton disregard for the well-being of our citizens.”

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

BULL DOGS BRONZE — Fort St. John bowlers Peter Fehr, Levi Fowler, Wyatt Turney, and Carmela Klassen with coach Kim Turney back at home after winning bronze at the 2023 Special Olympics BC Winter Games. Read more on A4

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Ministry o ers hope for a life beyond addiction

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A Grande Prairie organization is branching out into Fort St. John to establish a six-month residential recovery program for people struggling with addictions.

Rising Above Ministries met with elected officials, faith leaders, frontline responders, and First Nation representatives last week about their plans to establish a program in the city.

“The fact that right now people have to go to Prince George or Grande Prairie for treatment… that’s a long ways away,” said executive director Mel Siggelkow, a pastor who started Rising Above in 2007 serving three people in a suite above the Church of the Nazarene in downtown Grande Prairie.

Today, the nonprofit charity has grown to 51 beds, with four residential treatment houses and one second-stage housing apartment to help men and women recover from addictions, homelessness, and criminal behaviour.

Siggelkow hopes to replicate that success in Fort St. John, first by opening six beds for women in the centre formerly operated by New Day in the Peace Ministries near the airport. In doing so, New Day will disbanding and reorganizing under the Rising Above banner, adopting its values and program model as an autonomous locallyrun chapter, Siggelkow said.

The search is on for a director, and Siggelkow hopes the women’s program will be up and running as soon as this summer, with a men’s program hopefully within a

year. The organization will be hosting a number of community events in the coming months as it looks to build momentum raising awareness and fundraising capacity prior to opening.

“It’s going to make a huge difference in the community in the city to know that there’s help right here locally that they can access tomorrow,” Siggelkow said, “and fill a gap that’s been here for far too long.”

As a faith-based organization, Rising Above takes a pastoral approach to counselling rather than a clinical one. Residents will have to be detoxed and clean for at least seven days before being accepted into the program.

From there, they’re required to take 30 hours a week of programming built around housing, employment readiness, life skills, personal development, and spiritual formation — or HELPS for short.

“When you’re in that place of an addiction, when you’re ready to put your hand up and say, I need help, you’ve lost hope,” Siggelkow said. “So to have somebody say that, hey, we can help, we can put hope back into your life, that’s what people want and need.”

“We can say there’s hope, you’re not done. It’s not over for you yet, there’s life beyond your addiction,” he said. “Just come on in, and

let us help you do that.”

All faiths would be welcome, Siggelkow said, noting most of the people being helped in Grande Prairie have no faith background at all. About 40% of those being supported are indigenous, and the organization has a long waiting list. Of the 417 applications it received last year, it could only admit 102 people.

Internal programming is often augmented with community supports such as clinical addictions counselling and other partner agencies for mental health and employment supports as well as cultural services, which Siggelkow says are also key to recovery.

“We just help facilitate that and help them navigate it. We don’t do it for them,” he said. “That’s one of our value statements, we don’t do for them what they’re capable of doing for themselves.”

Siggelkow wants to work with local groups including the Salvation Army on men’s housing and life skills classes, and the Grace House operated by the Pentecostals of Fort St. John as a secondstage housing partner for women completing the Rising Above program.

“We need to co-operate and work together,” he said. “Why try to duplicate something that you’ve already got a really good feel for? Let’s work with them. not try to work different from them.”

Money raised in Fort St. John for Rising Above in Fort St. John will stay in Fort St. John, Siggelkow said. The organization will have its own governance board and operate independently from Grande Prairie, he said.

“When local people invest in it, it’s theirs, and so there’s going to be local ownership in it,” he said. “People who benefit from it are going to end up financially supporting it, people financially supporting it are going to be referring people to it, because they feel like they own it, so it gives it that community feel.”

“I’ve been around Fort St. John long enough to know that it’s a community like Grande Prairie,” he said. “People are going to be very generous, and when the vision is shared, they’re going to say, I’ll help. Get the right director and team in place and the funding will be there.”

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Mel Siggelkow and Stephanie Hudson of Rising Above Ministries met with elected officials, faith leaders, frontline responders, and First Nation representatives in Fort St. John on Jan. 30 to discuss their plans for a residential addictions recovery program in the city.

Search and rescue exercises held

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

The Royal Canadian Air Force and a crew of air search rescuers from the Yukon touched down in Fort St. John last week for an afternoon of training manoeuvres in the area.

Members of the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association in Whitehorse were on board a CC-130H Hercules Feb. 8 doing some practice parachute drops of equipment and personnel, says Capt. Brad Little of 19 Wing Public Affairs.

“The idea there, of course, is to train those folks, bring them aboard the aircraft. You never know where a real search and rescue will be,” he said. “They visit these small places and train with these folks so when an

incident goes they will have the skills to assist.”

The Hercules was from the Air Force’s Transport and Rescue 435 Squadron in Winnipeg, and assigned to 19 Wing Comox to hold search and rescue standby.

Ben Hopkins, deputy zone commander for the north east zone, said the local PEPAIR/ CASARA group was key in creating a crash scenario for the 442 squadron to train. “The SAR techs jumped and treated our case driven casualties at a remote location,” said Hopkins. “We then provided ground transport to the team back to the C130 Hercules.”

The aircraft was first spotted in the local skies over the lunch hour and later departed the region shortly after 3 p.m.

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT OUR LOCAL Fort St John North Peace MUSEUM

Volunteer your time to help with events or archiving our history

Donate funds towards the museum’s expansion plan, keeping the doors open, events and special projects (like the solar panel project)

Become a Member to enjoy free admission and receive updates about upcoming exhibits, events and keep up to date on various museum projects

Stop by and find out more about our local Museum along 100 Street next to Centennial Park in Fort St John

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Lot 1 3.953 Acres housing the 6,000sf+/- building, deck and patio overlooking the scenic lake and park like setting. Parcel A 1.18 Acres ready for expansion or future development.

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Special O bowlers win provincial bronze

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

What do you do when you win provincial bronze in five-pin bowling? You come home and keep on bowling.

The Fort St. John Bull Dogs were back at the local lanes Monday night, fresh off the 2023 Special Olympics BC Winter Games in Kamloops last weekend.

The Bull Dogs finished third in a six game roll-off with a total pinfall of 4459. Bowler Levi Fowler finished their division with the highest single score of 251, and highest total scratch of 1174.

“It was good, shocked that I got it. First time going with Special O, didn’t expect us to place third but I’m glad we did,” said Fowler, whose favourite part of the experience was meeting new people.

“I can’t take all the credit for what we did. A lot of it is our coach that helped us get to where we are, we wouldn’t have got where we are without him. He’s the biggest reason we did what we did down there.”

For coach Kim Turney, that’s high praise hard to follow.

“I’m there 100% for the athletes, I’m not there for myself at all,” he said. “We have three first-year bowlers for provincials and they all did very, very well. They handled themselves really well.”

“The atmosphere, the excitement when they got into opening ceremonies, they had never seen anything like that,” Turney added. “They fit right in good and all five of them did very well.”

The Bull Dogs were rounded out by Carmela Klassen, Peter Fehr, Sheryl Jakubowski, and Wyatt Turney. Jakubowski was chosen as the Region

8 flag bearer representing northeastern B.C. and the northern interior.

“They put names in a hat and it was ironic, it was her birthday the day that it happened that she was picked,” said Turney. “It was just cool… She’s been to Worlds a couple times and won medals at Worlds, and for her to become the flag bearer was her highlight. She was just thrilled.”

Around 500 athletes took part in provincials this year, and the Bull Dogs are now waiting to hear if the team makes it to nationals, which Turney says there’s a good chance.

The athletes were selected through their performances in regional qualifiers held last winter and spring. Fort St. John athletes had also qualified in curling for this year’s games, but chose to go to provincials to bowl.

“You can only go to one sport,” Turney said.

For Fowler, he’s been bowling his whole life. “Getting a strike, it’s a thrill,” he said.

There are 16 athletes currently in local Special Olympics, active since since 1986, and participating in four sports including 5-pin bowling, golf, curling, and Club Fit. The club has offered track and field, rhythmic gymnastics, snowshoeing, figure skating, and swimming in the past, but needs coaches to run those programs again.

The club also needs fundraising and volunteer co-ordinators to ensure its continued success in the community.

“We’re always putting the word out, the more athletes the better, volunteers and what not. We need coaches,” Turney said.

To learn more or get involved, call local co-ordinator Kathy Turney at 250-262-5680, or email k2turney@ gmail.com.

LAKESHORE 4-H Communit y Cl ub LAKESHORE 4-H Communit y Cl ub

Hello again it’s Quintin Drschiwiski reporting from the Lake Shore 4-H club today I’m gonna talk about calving. It’s calving season, so every Cattle farmer getting prepped. My 4-H, cow, Mini Me, is starting to show signs of calving. She is springing, starting to bag up, and she waddles when she walks. She is a first calfer so she shows calving signs early, but it might take her another 2 to 3 weeks to even calf. My little sister and my mom have been rubbing and talking to Mini Me’s belly, hoping for the baby to kick or move. We can’t wait for her to calf she will have either a Charolais calf or a Speckled Park calf. Recently, we haven’t checked cows as often only about every three hours morning at night because of how warm it’s been. On a colder day we check every two hours in the morning and evening as well. The worst part about this is when you have to get up 3 o’clock in the morning to do a cow check especially on a really cold night. On another topic, we are all getting ready to do either do a demonstration or speeches. This year I’m going to do a demonstration. I also did a demonstration last year. My sister has to do a speech because it’s her first year. That’s all I got for today see you guys next time

Elks put on showcase at national championship

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

It was a weekend of smiles and personal bests for the Fort St. John Elks as they played host to the national youth long track speed skating championships Feb. 4 and 5.

Max Wu, Tara Ashrafi, and Erik Hansen were all on the oval as part of Team BC, competing in the Canadian Championships with the best up and coming 11 to 13 year old skaters from across the country.

“It’s definitely great to see the Elks out there representing,” said meet coordinator Kate North. “Anytime you make it to a national level event, that is amazing, amazing work. We’re very proud of them.”

Collectively, the three local skaters earned 2,301 points through the weekend, and though none medalled, all had good races and set personal bests: Wu by three seconds in the 1000m, Hansen by nine seconds in the 1000m and six seconds in the 1500m, and Ashrafi in all of her distances.

Following the events, Ashrafi is 8th in the Youth 12 Female category in Canada, while Wu is 8th and Hansen 13th in the Youth 12 Male category nationally.

“This was a great event for them and they did superb,” said North. “When they get to this competition again next year, because I would expect all three of them to be representing B.C. again next year, they’ll have that little bit more experience under their belts.”

The Canadian Championships were the third major meet the Elks have hosted this season after the first Long Track Canada Cup in December and the BC Long Track Speed Skating Championships in January. More than 250 athletes from across the country came to the city for the three events.

“That’s pretty big in terms of our club and the community, so that was really exciting or us,” said North. “Everybody did a superb job. They kept the energy levels really high all the way through this event, and so it was a very successful year of hosting for us.”

Of the national championships, North says the most heartwarming part of the weekend was seeing the camaraderie among the skaters.

“They all come with their family and they come with a big collection of coaches because they’re representing their provinces, and it’s the highest level of competition that they can get to for their age group. It was a big, big deal for the skaters,” said North. “There were smiles everywhere, certainly there were some tears when people weren’t achieving what they expected, but then they quickly recovered.”

“You could see kids that are competing between provinces, there were fist bumps and high fives, which is just

such a great heartwarming thing to see,” she said.

“Even though on the line they’re competing against each other, as soon as they came off the line they were having a great social event and getting to know the group across Canada. It was fantastic.”

2023 CANADA YOUTH LONG TRACK RESULTS

•

ELSEWHERE IN CANADA…

Elks skater Sidney Bennie was in Calgary over the Feb. 3-5 weekend for the 2023 Winter Classic, where she had season bests in all of her distances.

In the 500m, she did it twice, finishing with times of 45.79 on Friday, and then beating that with a time of 45.04 on Sunday.

Same with the 1000m, Bennie finished with a time of 1:31.06 on Saturday and beat that with a time of 1:29.76 on Sunday.

In the 1500m, Bennie finished with a season-best time of 2:21.75, and in the 3000m a time of 5:01.05.

COMING UP FOR THE ELKS…

Though it’s the end of the season for the 11 to 13 year olds in long track, there’s still lots of action and a busy end to the season coming up for the Elks.

That includes regional time trials, two more Canada Cup competitions in Calgary, and North says Ashrafi is most likely heading to the provincial short track competition in March.

As well, a good group of Elks will continue practice before going to Prince Edward Island and the Maritimes for the 2023 Canada Winter Games later this month.

Brooke Braun, Hannah North, Sidney Bennie, Jack Hanson, Matthew Mitchell, Kieran Hanson, and Nick Guliov all qualified for the Team BC long track teams following selection trials.

“We have great representation there,” said North. “In fact, Elks skaters, they actually fill seven out of the eight spots of skaters going for long track speed skating to the Canada Winter Games, so that’s amazing.”

The Games begin Feb. 18.

Red Dragons bring home 31 medals

Ben Marsh

Red Dragon Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Our Red Dragon Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition team just fought in the True North Grappling Winter Open Tournament in Edmonton, Feb. 4.

Our team of 26 competitors brought home 31 medals in total: 11 gold, 9 silver, and 11 bronze!

The team fought really well, we had fighters taking big steps forwards and we always learn from our mistakes in competition. We had a good mix of experienced and first time competitors.

One of the highlights of the competition was Brooklyn Jodoin winning all three of her adult women’s blue belt divisions in Gi, NoGi, and Open Weight without getting a single point scored on her!

The tournament was held at the Edmonton Expo Centre. Registrations hit full capacity mid November. Due to overwhelming interest they reopened registration and added rings. It was a huge turnout and a well organized tournament.

We look forward to sending another team to the next True North Grappling Grappling Championship Summer Open in Edmonton June 24, 2023.

See if lung screening is right for you: www.screeningbc.ca/lung

SPEED SKATING CANADA

Max Wu races during the 2023 Canadian Youth Long Track speed skating championships in Fort St. John.

SPEED SKATING CANADA

Tara Ashrafi (front) races during the 2023 Canadian Youth Long Track speed skating championships in Fort St. John.

SPEED SKATING CANADA

Erik Hansen races during the 2023 Canadian Youth Long Track speed skating championships in Fort St. John.

SUPPLIED

Brooklyn Jodoin with her three gold medals.

Lung Screening is available in British Columbia.

Lakers fundraising for new community sports court

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Parents at Charlie Lake school are joining forces with the school district to build a new community court for a variety of sports, and they’ll need the public’s support to make the project a reality.

Representatives with the Charlie Lake PAC say the existing basketball court is old and unsafe, and overdue for improvements for students and the surrounding community.

“The court is cracked with grass overgrowing and running through it, which is a tripping hazard rendering the court unsafe, as well there are no longer painted lines, damaged fencing and nets,” says Lisa Jung, head of the PAC’s playground committee.

Bert Bowes dedicates Wall of Fame

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Three nationally renowned athletes from Fort St. John are being honoured by their former middle school.

A new Wall of Fame outside the gymnasium at Bert Bowes school was dedicated this week, highlighting the careers of Paralympic basketball player Bo Hedges, downhill ice cross skater Adam Horst, and Team Canada national volleyball alum Dana Cranston.

“This cabinet is going to be here forever, plus it’s going to have new names in it,” said Christine Sutherland, who has been working on a documentary about Hedge’s life story and journey to the Paralympics.

Hedges was in town this week helping out at the family ranch in Wonowon before returning to Toronto, where he will continue training with his national teammates ahead of the World Championships in Dubai this June.

“It’s very cool to be here where we first started practicing in the evenings with family and friends and brothers and sisters, and other people in the community who had a disability,” said Hedges following the dedication.

Hedges mainly played hockey growing up as a farm kid but broke his back when he was just 13 years old, falling from a tree at his grandparents’ old farm in southern Ontario while on summer vacation.

He was later introduced to wheelchair basketball during his rehabilitation, and Hedges says the school was instrumental in putting him on the life path he’s on now.

“It’s a great community and the school itself was amazing in terms of supporting me especially right after my accident,” he said. “They embraced me and they supported me and they gave me all these opportunities that have laid the foundation for this path I went on afterwards.”

During the Wall of Fame

dedication, Hedges spoke to a group of Bert Bowes basketball players and emphasized the importance of seizing opportunities especially in the face of a setback in life.

“I don’t dwell too much on what could have been but I definitely look at what was presented to me,” he said in an interview afterwards.

“It was a great opportunity in the sense of the path it led me on… I alluded to that earlier when I was talking to the kids, that there’s opportunities out there no matter what happens and you just got to seize them and challenge yourself, and who knows where it will end up taking you.”

“For me, this is where the path led,” he said.

The Wall of Fame also includes Adam Horst, a lo-

cal firefighter and Red Bull Crashed Ice champion, a type of extreme winter sport event where competitors race over bumps and around curves to cross the finish line on hockey skates.

And the Wall includes Dana Cranston, a former Bert Bowes and NPSS graduate who joined Canada’s senior national volleyball team in 2013, where she spent five years with the program. A former outside hitter and AVCA All-American for Colorado State, where she graduated university, she is now an associate head coach for the University of Montana Grizzlies volleyball program.

“Coming from our community... if you put your mind to it, you can do it,” said Coun. Tony Zabinsky who was on hand for the dedication.

has been set for summer 2024.

“We would love for our community to have a space for people of all ages to engage in leisure activities to improve youth engagement and the overall health of our community,” said Jung.

“We are actively working to raise the funds necessary but cannot achieve this target date without the help of our generous community members.”

A dance and silent auction will be held at the Charlie Lake community hall on Saturday, March 4 at 7 p.m., with the Sweetwater band performing. This will be an adults-only event and there will be a midnight snack. For more information, contact Jung at clpacsr@gmail.com.

SUPPLY DRIVE FOR SPCA

“It is our goal to establish a safe and usable community court that can be used throughout the year, by our 320 students and community members.”

Planned is a new accessible community court with six basketball nets of various sizes for all ages, and a smooth and safe surface for a variety of other year-round activities including pickleball, four square, ball hockey, and ice skating, Jung said.

The budget for the project is $138,850, and the PAC has partnered with the school district, which is covering the costs of removal, said Jung.

A target installation date

Also coming up, Lakers will be showing their kindness to both the SPCA and Peace Villa this Valentine’s Day. Students from Mrs. McCabe and Ms. Chartrand’s classes will be visiting care home residents at Peace Villa on Feb. 14 and drop off much needed supplies and donations for the local animal shelter. Among the wishlist of goods being collected for the SPCA are puppy pads, kibble, canned cat food, litter, and SD cards and USB drives to help the shelter work remotely. Monetary donations can be brought to the school and teachers involved as cash or as cheques written out to the North Peace SPCA.

Court Docket, Jan. 30 to Feb. 3

• Joseph William Wason (born 1990) was sentenced to 61 days jail for possession of stolen property under $5000 committed in Dawson Creek in November 2022.

• Bryce Daniel Hefner (born 2002) was fined $2000, given a one-year criminal driving prohibition, and ordered to pay a $600 victim surcharge for impaired driving in Baldonnel in August 2022.

• Sara Rose Hambler (born 2003) was fined $2000, given a one-year criminal driving prohibition, and ordered to pay a $600 victim surcharge for impaired driving in Baldonnel in August 2022.

• Calvin James Currie (born 1997) was ordered to pay $4000 in restitution, fined $250, and ordered to pay a $37.50 victim surcharge for discharging a firearm in a no shooting area, and was ordered to pay $2000 in restitution, fined $250, and ordered to pay a $37.50 victim surcharge for unlawful possession of wildlife, offences committed in Hudson’s Hope in October 2021.

• Ashley Antoinette Currie (born 1990) was ordered to pay $900 in restitution, fined $100, and ordered to pay a $15 victim surcharge for discharging a firearm in a no shooting area in Hudson’s Hope in October 2021.

• Curtis Randolf Steven Underwood (born 1991) was granted a conditional dis-

charge with one year probation for assault committed in Fort St. John in August 2021.

• Colton Jacob Lepine (born 2000) was granted a conditional discharge with one year probation and ordered to pay a $100 victim surcharge for assault committed in Fort St. John in September 2021.

• Jared Benjamin Anton (born 1991) was sentenced to time served with 12 months probation for two counts of assault committed in Dawson Creek in June 2022. Anton was sentenced to one day jail and 12 months probation for uttering threats and one day jail and 12 months probation for mischief $5000 or under committed in Dawson Creek in November 2022.Anton was sentenced to time served with 12 months probation for uttering threats and time served with 12 months probation for causing a disturbance committed in Fort St. John in June 2021.

• Samuel Jr Archibald Capot Blanc-Acko (born 1997) was given a suspended sentence of six months probation for mischief under $5000 committed in Dawson Creek in November 2018.

• Shelley Marie Paul (born 1974) was sentenced to three months probation, fined $1000, and ordered to pay a $150 victim surcharge for driving without a licence in Chetwynd in May 2022.

Group photo of Red Dragon competitors, in no particular order: Matheus Juister, Josiah Henry, Gabriel Henry, Scarlett Desor, Frazetta Laprairie, Kammy Steiner, Lea Matsalla, Jhuztine Orcena, Damian Cholmondeley, Brooklyn Jodoin, Levi McLain, Aurora Allouche, Sullivan Laliberte, Olive Shishido, Finn Shishido, Dylan Garvais, Argyle McLean, Liam Jones, Conor Soule, Gabriel Soule, Zayden MacWilliam, Mika Hockman, Kaleb Green, Able Green, Zayden Zytnyk, and Noel Davies.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Bo Hedges with filmmaker Christine Sutherland and city councillor Tony Zabinsky during a Wall of Fame dedication at Bert Bowes Middle School on Feb. 7.

Freedom Convoy documentary premieres to sell-out crowds

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A locally produced documentary about last year’s Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa made its world premiere to sold out auditoriums in Fort St. John last week.

And to think, when filmmaker Benjamin Haab hotshotted himself and a crew 48 hours straight from northern B.C. to catch up with the convoy in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., last winter, he only had a small goal in mind: a five-minute recap of what they experienced and saw firsthand, boots on the ground.

The result now is Unacceptable?, a two-and-a-half-hour feature of exclusive interviews with the organizers, truckers, nurses, and others who attended what undoubtedly became one of Canada’s defining sociopolitical moments of the early 21st century.

“We got to Ottawa and things just exploded,” Haab said before a screening last week. “I can’t explain it other any other way other than given divine favour in that we were right in the wheelhouse of where everything was being organized... And we knew at that point it was beyond what what we had originally planned.”

The convoy began in January 2022 as a small group with an online crowdfunding page. But the grassroots movement quickly gained a national following and swells of support as it trekked the highways from Western Canada to Ottawa, sparking unaffiliated border blockades and protests at provincial legislatures, and copycat convoys in countries across the world.

Protesters spent three weeks parked outside Parliament Hill demanding an end to federal vaccine mandates they said were divisive and discriminatory, and violated the Charter rights of Canadians who chose not to get vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.

Why did the protest strike such a cultural nerve?

“We were a country full of fatigue. It was massive fatigue, either repressive fatigue or conversations on what to believe fatigue, or people were losing empathy and being able to relate to one another on why they were afraid of Covid, or why they were afraid of the vac-

cine,” said Haab.

“Everyone had their reasons for either getting the vaccine or not. It was hard to have a civil conversation when it became instantly an argument. Then when the mandates started to come in, it was essentially backing one side of an argument, and alienating another side of the argument. And in a society of freedom… that was demoralizing.”

The encouragement to follow always-changing public health orders had also become less and less civil throughout two years of the pandemic, Haab said, driving more and more people to feel alienated by their government, and even their family and friends.

“You talk to your neighbours, you talk to your friends, you talk to your local govern-

ment, and you feel like you’re falling on deaf ears. You pretty much have to go to the top in order to get your voices heard,” he said.

“When you see one person doing that, you’re like, oh, they think like me. Then you get support from other people, and all of a sudden you see an entire highway of support,” he said.

“That’s why it grew like wildfire. People were feeling isolated and now they could visibly see people who had the same thoughts that they were having.”

But facing increasing political and public pressure over the weeks-long protest, police eventually identified the Freedom Convoy as a “threat to national security.”

Online fundraising cam-

Site C doc has broadcast premiere

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A new documentary about a local First Nation’s fight and protest against the Site C dam will have its broadcast premiere on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network last week.

Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2021 and aired on APTN on Feb. 8, according to a news release.

Haida filmmaker Heather Hatch and her crew worked on the film for five years, which focuses on the construction of the $16-billion dam project on the Peace River at Fort St. John, and the impacts of land development on treaty rights and indigenous identity in the region.

The 85-minute documentary features a cast of local characters, though primarily centres around West Moberly Chief Roland Willson and Diane Abel, a West Moberly resident and grandmother, in their efforts stop the dam’s construction.

“In making Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace, I sought to docu-

ment juxtapositions that exist within our country – and how those contradictions impact Indigenous lives,” Hatch, who also wrote and helped produce the film, said in a statement.

“I wanted audiences to see a powerful testimony bearing witness to an epic political and activist struggle that many Canadians know little about, beyond scattered headlines, and getting this story onto APTN allows this story to reach more people, which is the goal of social justice.”

Construction of the earthfill dam at Site C is now around 90% complete, and the project more than 70% built overall. Last month, BC Hydro president Chris O’Riley told the BC Natural Resource Forum that the official target for commissioning is still nearly two years away. However, he suggested the company could potentially generate first power in December of this year.

Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace continues to make the rounds on the festival circuit, with an upcoming screening also planned in Vancouver at the 2023 KDocsFF social justice film festival on Feb. 23.

paigns supporting the convoy were forcibly shut down and the money frozen; donor lists were hacked and leaked by the mainstream press; and riot police were brought in to arrest and chase away protesters under the controversial firstever use of the federal Emergencies Act by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

While the documentary touches on some controversial aspects of the protest, such as the so-called MOU to overthrow the Trudeau government by some hangerson, and where the frozen and seized donations went, Haab says most of the film is focused on telling the individual stories of protesters, and to weigh them against what Canadians were shown through the mainstream media.

Haab says he was taken aback by how many regular everyday citizens wanted to share their voices, and who trusted him with it, once they understood his reasoning for making the film. The documentary also features interviews with Tamara Lich, as well as former Newfoundland premier Brian Peckford, an influential critic of government vaccine mandates and supporter of the convoy.

“He’s the last living signatory on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, so if anyone is going know how it’s being violated, he was the only person really, in my mind, that could actually validate whether or not it was being encroached upon or not,” said Haab.

“There were big names that were wanting to have their voices heard and lent to this movement because it’s sparked something globally,” he added. “Canada is known as the nice, no-ruffled-feathers type of country, and to sort of spark something like this globally took a lot.”

Haab says he titled the documentary Unacceptable? with a question mark, and with the words “un” and “acceptable” splintered by a maple leaf, for a reason.

“It’s pretty clear what the messaging was, what was actually truthful, and what was actually being shown to the rest of the world through the mainstream media,” said Haab. “My hope is that people leave the theatre with a few more questions than answers.”

Haab has already sold out five screenings locally. Coming up, the film makes its premiere in Calgary on Feb. 19, and in Victoria at the end of March.

He’s been getting requests from across Canada for screenings in Manitoba, small town and big city Ontario, including Toronto and Ottawa, as well as places like Grande Prairie and Quebec City. He plans to tweak the film as it makes its way across the nation and then submit it for festival consideration.

“It just grew like wildfire and it’s coming on heels of one year anniversary of convoy, so it’s a little bit symbolic,” said Haab.

“We went for a five-minute, little explainer piece of what we experienced, and it turned into something far greater than we could have imagined.”

COURTESY BEN HAAB

Fort St. John filmmaker Benjamin Haab with wife Johanna, and children Olivia and Reese, at the world premiere of ‘Unacceptable?’ in Fort St. John on Jan. 30.

SUPPLIED

Diane Abel and her grandchildren overlooking the Site C dam construction site in a still from the documentary “Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace”.

It’saBoy!

DECLAN KENNETH BLAZE COOK

Parents: ClaytonCook& PhoenixSura

Weight: 9lbs13oz

Length: 21.26inches

Time: 10:28pm

Date: February02,2023

Hometown: FortSt.John,BC

Drop off or mail your FREE birth announcement to : The Alaska Highway News, 9916-98 St • Fort St. John • V1J 3T8 or email: compose@ahnfsj.ca

It’saBoy!

Date: January29,2023

Hometown: CharlieLake,BC

CELEBRATEBABIES

BIRTH Ph:250.261.7563

BABY BOUQUET WALL

www.fsjhospitalfoundation.ca email: fsjhf@northernhealth.ca

CRANE FIRE — No injuries were reported in a fiery accident that closed the Alaska Highway on Monday morning, Feb. 6. The crane truck

Site C counts 4,476 workers

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

The workforce at Site C dam fell to 4,476 workers in December as construction entered the winter season, according to the latest employment figures from BC Hydro.

The jobs count was down 762 workers from November, and down from a record 5,554 workers counted at the $16-billion project in October.

Of the total December workforce, just over 17% were local, with 788 Peace region residents employed by construction and non-construction contractors.

There were 3,088 B.C. residents, or 69% of the workforce, working for con-

ARIES  MAR 21/APR 20

You might feel caught up in a daze this week, Aries. Your mind continues to wander, but your thoughts will settle down soon enough.

TAURUS  APR 21/MAY 21

Make an e ort to bring more people onto your side, Taurus. You can’t possibly win everyone over, but others might be receptive to your ideas with the right approach.

GEMINI  MAY 22/JUN 21

A sit down with a higher-up could be in order soon, Gemini. Explain your attributes and what you have been doing for the company and make an e ort to compromise, if necessary.

CANCER  JUN 22/JUL 22

Cancer, you are still following through with resolutions to be more organized. Start slowly and build up to bigger projects when you gain con dence in your abilities.

LEO  JUL 23/AUG 23

Celestial energy has you temporarily doubting your abilities, Leo. Normally you are quite con dent in your creativity. Give things a little time to settle down.

VIRGO  AUG 24/SEPT 22

Virgo, excitement could be on the horizon. Caution is needed, but don’t hesitate to embrace the renewed vigor this development inspires.

LIBRA  SEPT 23/OCT 23

Libra, this week you may start micromanaging other people without even realizing it. You certainly want things to be in order, but sometimes you have to let others be.

SCORPIO  OCT 24/NOV 22

Retail therapy has its allure this week, Scorpio. If you must buy, direct your purchasing dollars toward a sweetheart for Valentine’s Day or another special occasion.

SAGITTARIUS  NOV 23/DEC 21

Sagittarius, ground yourself with the small luxuries in your life that bring you joy. This could be the company of friends or cherished mementos.

CAPRICORN  DEC 22/JAN 20

Misinformation seems to circulate with ease, but don’t believe everything you hear this week, Capricorn. You may need to do some factchecking of your own.

AQUARIUS  JAN 21/FEB 18

Aquarius, you could be tempted to indulge in a little gossip as the rumors start ying this week. Take the high road and resist the urge to join in.

PISCES  FEB 19/MAR 20

Pisces, if you feel a little o your game this week, nd a friend who can o er you a pep talk. That’s all you need to bounce back.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

FEBRUARY 12 Judy Blume, Author (85)

FEBRUARY 13 Robbie Williams, Singer (49)

FEBRUARY 14 Freddie Highmore, Actor (31)

FEBRUARY 15 Megan Thee Stallion, Rapper (28)

FEBRUARY 16 The Weeknd, Singer (33)

FEBRUARY 17 Chord Overstreet, Actor (34)

FEBRUARY 18 Dr. Dre, Rapper (58)

struction and non-construction contractors, and in engineering and project team jobs, according to the report.

BC Hydro reported 166 apprentices for the month, down from 197 in November, as well as 312 indigenous workers and 459 women working on the project.

There were no temporary foreign workers employed in a specialized position, according to BC Hydro, with 28 managers and other professionals working under the federal international mobility program.

The last of six turbine runners built for the dam arrived on site earlier this month, with the first unit already installed in the powerhouse.

Homicide charges in Kwadacha

Two men have been charged in connection with a pair of recent homicides in Kwadacha.

Delmar Roland Smaaslet-Boya faces a count of manslaughter from a January 8 incident and Brent Angus McCook has been charged with second-degree murder in relation to a January 23 death, Prosecution Service spokesperson Dan McLaughlin said.

In an email to the Citizen, North District RCMP Cpl. Madonna Saunderson said both incidents involved individuals in domestic relationships.

“The community is in the healing process and the RCMP are working closely with community leaders,” Saunderson said. “There is no further risk to the public.”

Kwadacha, also known as Fort Ware, is a community of about 270 people north of Williston Lake. Kwadacha Nation community leaders were not immediately available for comment.

Manslaughter implies the perpetrator did not intend to kill the victim and second-degree murder implies the act was carried out on impulse rather than having been planned.

—Prince George Citizen

Two men wanted on warrants

Fort St. John police are asking the public for help finding two men wanted for a range of various offences.

Brandon Lambert, 39, is wanted for theft under $5000, possession of breakin instruments, and break and enter, according to police. He described as a Caucasian male standing five-feetsix-inches with brown hair and hazel eyes. He has tattoos of a beer bottle, star shape, and skull and cross bones on his right arm, according to police. RCMP say he was last known to be in Prince George and has ties to the Peace region.

Brandon Miskenack, 30, is wanted for assault with a weapon, assault, two

counts of breaching release orders, and driving while prohibited, according to police. He is described as an indigenous man standing five-feet-eleven-inches and having black hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo saying “life is a gamble” on his left hand, according to police, as well as tattooed writing of “Kaelyna Miskenack” on his right forearm, and a tattooed star shape on his right hand.

Anyone with information on any of the individuals is asked to call RCMP at 250- 787-8100. Anonymous tips can be made via Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-TIPS, or online at www.northernbccrimestoppers.ca.

PHOTO COURTESY TRACY BROWN

that caught fire some time around 10 a.m., closing the highway for about five hours. “The fire is not deemed suspicious and there were no injuries,” said Cst. Mike Moore of the BC Highway Patrol.

Mark Nielsen

RCMP HANDOUTS

From left, Brandon Christopher Lambert, 39; Brandon Chase Miskenack, 30.

Energy transition: we’ve done it before

By Don Pettit

Global warming. Climate change. The greenhouse effect. Sounds like things we’ll have to worry about in the far distant future, something that our children will have to deal with. Not us. Not now.

That is how we thought just a few years ago. Now we know that we have to deal with it not just for our children and their children, but for ourselves too, right now. It’s here. It’s happening. We’re already paying a very heavy price.

The immense energies of fossil fuels, coal, oil and gas have brought us to levels of prosperity and abundance unimaginable a century ago. Today, however, we know these energies come with a global price tag: the build-up of greenhouse gases, mostly carbon dioxide and methane, continues to warm the planet and throw our weather badly out of whack.

To stabilize the weather, concerned climatologists (and lots of just people too!) are calling for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in a last ditch effort to keep the global temperature rise to 1.5 C. We must accelerate the phase out of coal power, curtail deforestation, speed up the switch to zero carbon transportation, and invest heavily in renewable energies like solar, wind, and geothermal.

Companies, governments and individuals who take leadership roles in the transition will benefit the most. A look at

history tells us why. The move from oil and gas to renewable energies is not our first great energy transition. In fact, as a civilization, we’re getting pretty good at this energy transition thing.

Let’s remember that we started out with renewables, long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Wind, water, and wood power brought us to the beginning of the fossil fuel era in the 1800s. These early renewable energies were used to build the devices that allowed us to enter the coal era, an immense energy transition that took about 70 years to complete.

Then we used the coal energy to make the materials and devices that allowed us to tap into newly discovered oil and gas reserves. Oil and gas were harder to get at than coal, but they were much more concentrated forms of stored energy, easily piped and pumped. Oil and gas brought us into yet another new, higher level of industrial efficiency and productivity – the era in which we are now living and is now about to fade away.

The move from coal to oil and gas also took about 70 years. Each energy transition has given us an energy source that is more efficient and more powerful than the one before and another huge leap in global prosperity. An unexpected economic boom accompanied each and every energy transition. Those nations and individuals who invested early in the new energy technologies became the world leaders of the new energy era. Those who

did not, but instead choose to stick with the old energy sources, fell behind.

The timing for this great transition, which we are perhaps halfway through, is actually perfect. Today we have the knowledge, technology and expertise to do this quickly and efficiently. And now, with drastic climate change on our doorstep, we have the life and death motivation too.

One remarkable thing we have recently learned is that energy is everywhere: it is in the sun, the wind, in ground heat, energy is in the air and water, everywhere all around us. This is a major paradigm shift that most folks are just beginning to understand. Once the renewable energy infrastructure is in place, the resource will be harvested forever, constantly replenished ever hour and every day by the forces of nature, the same forces that have made our abundant planet a comfortable home for all life for billions of years.

Renewables do not make energy by burning fuel and so are pollution-free. Eventually even the solar panels and wind turbines will be made with renewable energy too. At that point our energy carbon footprint will be very close to zero, exactly where it needs to be.

Driven by climate change, a good dose of common sense, and an immense worldwide market for clean energy technologies, the third great energy transition is thankfully, well underway.

Don Pettit lives and writes in Dawson Creek

Letter to the editor

Re: ‘Coming soon to a town near you’, Jan. 26, and ‘Drug dealers have no place in our society’, Feb. 2

I praise Evan Saugstad for his courageous stand on both drug growing and smuggling. I have had enough of the so-called wise patch-up of solutions from our various health ministers in B.C. first, then followed by our federal government.

According to various sources, the B.C. health agenda is to allow no more than 2.5 grams of heroin, cocaine, various opioids, and MDMA. The problem here is not namely the quantity, but to allow these poisons to be “decriminalized” in various cities and rural communities.

What is excluded to a large extent is that it seems to me that the drug networks and/or individual dealers may be partially or totally innocent if they always sell their wares under 2.5 grams. What also escapes my inquiring mind is this: are either the drug dealers or Big Pharma directly accountable for the death of users in the first place?

I have seen growing addiction problems in Terrace this past summer that was fairly new in the northwest. Terrace has neither overdose prevention sites nor accredited rehab centres, which is a big no-no. I personally favour rehab centres to prevention sites for the crucial reason that these centres, especially the faith-based ones, offer religious support that is badly needed.

Drug decriminalization that came into existence in B.C. on Jan. 31 is heading for a dismal failure in my humble opinion.

Claude Dionne, Fort St. John

Winter cleaning and looking forward to winter festival

By Ruby McBeth

We have begun our spring cleaning early at our house. Lorne has now gotten rid of six bags of paper. These came from files that were out of date. For example, we discontinued our travel insurance in 2019 but he still had a full folder of papers going back many years. Out they go.

I am starting in on our basement. There are many books that I do not look at, so I will go through them and see if I can rehome them. By the way, Northern Vision Care takes old frames for glasses and sends them off to third world countries. I took some in recently.

WINTER FEST

I know many of us look forward to the ice sculptures in Centennial Park each year and hope that the weather co-operates. Again this year they will be a major part of the Winter Fest, which runs from Friday the 17th to

Family Day Monday, the 20th, mostly in Centennial Park. Opening ceremonies are on Friday at 6:30 p.m. The single block carving competition starts on Friday at 4. This year the city has added a “Strongest Family in the North: Tug of War.” Sign up at the Pomeroy Sports

Centre. There are many more events planned so keep your eyes and ears open.

ASSISTANCE WITH TRAVEL

People who need to travel for medical tests may be able to get government help with the expenses. The Travel As-

sistance Program (TAP BC) was created for this purpose. You need to apply before you travel and you need a doctor’s referral, so I assume you would ask your doctor or nurse practitioner about TAP if you need the help. People not qualifying could check into Hope Air at 877-346-4673. Cecil Lake residents can also ask for help through the Cecil Lake Emergency Fund.

CHINESE LIGHT SHOW

The people of China have made some amazing light shows to celebrate their Spring Festival. The holographic light shows fascinated me, but the other light shows are also worth checking out. Google “holographic light show” or “light up the night” and browse through their creative work.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not every man’s greed.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Ruby McBeth lives and writes in Fort St. John

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GIFT UPDATE — Loni Evans stopped by the Seniors Hall in December and gave a cheque for $900. Her grandmother Sharon North was pleased to welcome her and her two sons, Maveric and Linden, to the hall and proud of Loni for contributing.

Ram’s the word

First in a six-part series

By Evan Saugstad

Rams, a word that brings all mountain sheep hunters to attention. After that, the next two words are important, those being legal rams. If you aren’t a hunter or don’t hunt sheep, let me explain.

B.C.’s mountain sheep live in some of our most inhospitable terrain. Stone sheep (Ovis dalli stonei) of northern B.C. are no exception. Not only is their home largely inhospitable for humans, but it’s also mostly remote and not easily accessible, other than through one’s sheer will, determination, and stamina. Sheep hunting is about finding a very small segment of a scattered population in the vast mountain landscape. B.C. stone sheep population estimates vary between 10,000 to 12,000 individuals.

Legal stone sheep rams (thinhorns in the hunting regulations) must be either over eight years of age or have at least one horn extending higher than the bridge of its nose (full curl). Thus, with a very small percentage (est. <5%) of a widely scattered species being the only ones regulated hunters can legally harvest, when rams are spotted and those two words are subsequently uttered, the biggest hurdle in harvesting one of this species has been overcome. The thinhorn ram harvest averages about 250 per year, or 2% of the population, with about 80% of those being over the age of eight.

In 2020, I booked a hunt with a guide outfitter on the east slopes of the Northern Rockies and was rewarded with my first stone sheep ram. You can read my fivepart story published in Alaska Highway News by clicking here. I so enjoyed that experience that I booked with another guide outfitter for a hunt in October 2022.

Being a person that values a variety of experiences, I chose an outfitter in a different part of the province (if asked, I would still would highly recommend my 2020 outfitter). This time, I went on a horseback hunt with Darwin and Wendy Cary of Scoop Lake Outfitters in the Kechika River drainage. I chose this area as it has been one of B.C.’s best ramproducing areas for decades, and the Carys are known for ensuring a great adventure; they have successfully owned and operated their business for more than 30 years. If the opportunity presented itself, I would also look for a mature mountain goat billy.

Sheep hunting is not something for the faint of heart. It is not inexpensive, and especially so if one chooses to use the services of a guide outfitter. Although most B.C. residents can, and do, choose to hunt on their own, the success rate for a self-guided resident hunter is significantly less than for those who use the services of a professional guide working for a reputable outfitter.

Although some ask what my hunt cost, I don’t say as that’s between me and my outfitter. What I will tell you is that every outfitter is different, and all deal with resident hunters in their own way. Most charge in U.S. dollars, as most clients are American, with some from

other parts of the world, and with very few from B.C.

All outfitters are on sheep quotas (as for most huntable species), but as a B.C. resident, this quota does not apply, so some outfitters are willing to negotiate lower prices from those who require the use of their quota. Remember, the cheapest outfitter may not always be the best; as with most things, one gets what they pay for. Yes, a low-cost hunt may have its rewards, but it can also end with a less than desirable experience. I chose to pay for what I expected and, in that, Scoop Lake did not disappoint.

In 2019, before COVID restrictions, 1,303 B.C. residents hunted 10,888 days for both stone sheep and their white cousins, the Dall, and harvested 137 thinhorn rams for a success rate of 10.5% — or 79 hunter days per ram harvested. The 234 non-residents (includes a few B.C. resident who used the services of guide outfitters) harvested 159 rams for a success rate of 68% and 10 days per ram.

In 2020, with COVID restrictions, 1,363 residents hunted 12,146 days and harvested 205 rams for a 17% success rate and 59 days per ram. Sixty non-residents (from other parts of Canada and B.C., like myself) used the services of a guide outfitter and harvested 42 rams for a succuss rate of 70%, or 8.6 days a ram.

Scoop Lake Outfitters reports a greater than 80% success rate, with most unsuccessful hunts happening when the hunter is searching for a specific size or quality of ram and chooses not to harvest one just because it’s legal, or they aren’t physical prepared for the rigours.

Unlike my previous sheep hunt, when I harvested a very representative Stone ram (full curl and older than eight years old), I was going with these thoughts in mind.

I was now searching for one that was either distinctly different, larger, older, or somewhat unique. I was not going to settle for a ram that looked much like my first one. Some will call this trophy hunting, others a selective hunt, but I care not as, in B.C., all edible portions of the animal must be removed for consumption, mountain sheep being no different. Originally, my hunt was booked for Oct. 3 to 15 (last day of the season), as I wanted another ram that had its early winter long-haired coat, and most, if not all resident hunters would have left the remote mountains in fear of being snowed or frozen in. I was willing to take

my chances with weather, as being with horses and professionals would somewhat or eliminate those risks. I had also indicated that being in Fort St. John and only a 10-hour drive from Watson Lake, the departure point, I could leave a few days early if guide availability and conditions allowed.

On Sept. 26, I received an email requesting to be in Watson Lake for the 29th. I was already packed and ready, so off I went for my mountain adventure.

Next week, Part 2, and the adventure begins.

Evan Saugstad lives and writes in Fort St. John

Dear Miss Patti, I feel my four-year-old is quite dependant on me and my friends are suggesting I encourage more independence. What do you suggest?

— 4 Going on 13?

Dear 4 Going on 13?,

I always felt the same as a parent. I thought the key was always to get them ready for school. I soon learned to follow their lead. They showed me very quickly when they were ready to do up their own coat or put on their own shoes. I always taught the skills but if they wanted my help I was always there to support. Children are a lot more capable than we give them credit for sometimes. Try not to do things for them that they can do themselves. Start the zipper and let them finish, put on one shoe and encourage they try the other.

Dr. Gordon Neufeld and Dr Gabor Mate wrote a book called Hold On To Your Kids and it taught me so much about this lovely balance. We want them to be dependent on us for many things for as long as we can. But again, not the things they are more than capable of doing on their own. If we create children who are too independent and feel they can’t look to us for support, they will turn to their peers, and we know that their peers are not always the best at providing good advice or lending support and encouragement. We want them to value our opinion and help them build an incredibly strong foundation. Just like with a house, if the foundation is not solid, then years later the house will start to crumble. We want them to know we will always be there for them to come to.

If we push them out of the nest too early, they won’t know how to fly yet and will lean on others to support them. Keeping them close allows children to learn the values and morals of your family and the things that are important in your home rather than values and morals of their peers, which again might not be in their best interest or align with yours.

You want to build their confidence so that they can go out into the world and explore but know that they can look back and you will be there to return to or give hugs when things don’t go well. Having said that, if we hold them too close we are creating an anxious state where they feel the world is too scary to explore. When you bring them to preschool or daycare for the first time, model your confidence that they’ve got this! Model the language that this is a safe place for them to learn and grow and their teachers have got them and will keep them safe — then go and cry in the car. If you hang on too long or cry in front of them, they will sense the place is not safe and will have a difficult time separating.

Now, that’s not to say that they enter kindergarten without any skills, but you’ll find that so much growth happens as they turn five or right before they enter school, and they will be more than ready. There is no need to drill it into them at three or four. Modelling kindness, honesty and patience goes a lot further than knowing how to zip up their jacket. I guarantee you that they will not be 30 years old and not know how to zip up their coat.

—Miss Patti

EVAN SAUGSTAD PHOTO

Godfather of all stone sheep. Chadwick ram sculpture at the Fort Nelson museum.

EVAN SAUGSTAD PHOTO

Scoop Lake wooden pack boxes now replaced with plastic.

EVAN SAUGSTAD PHOTO Watson Lake Signpost Forest.

Weak job growth forecast for Northeast B.C. over next decade

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Fewer than 10,000 job openings are expected in northeastern B.C. over the coming decade.

That’s according to the province’s new labour market outlook released Wednesday, which predicts 9,700 openings between now and 2032, most of them to replace retiring workers.

Just 1,900 new jobs and 7,800 replacement jobs are forecast to be created in the region over the next 10 years, an overall 0.5% employment growth rate that’s third lowest in the province, ahead of the Cariboo and Kootenay regions.

According to the outlook, the top three industries with the most openings in the next decade will be in specialty trade contracting (980), oil, gas, and mining support services (680), and retail trade (610).

Bernier keeping eye on salvage wood subsidy

Mark Nielsen

Opposition forests critic

Mike Bernier taking a wait and see attitude to the provincial government’s recently-announced doubling of funding to Forest Enhancement Society of B.C.

For 2023, FESBC will have $50 million to distribute. Projects funded through FEBC subsidize retrieval of firedamaged wood and logging waste from areas too remote or costly to access.

Premier David Eby announced the allotment in January while attending the Truck Loggers Association Convention in Vancouver.

“Doubling in essence is good, if we get results with it,” Bernier said. However, Bernier said the better strategy is to give forest companies the certainty they need to make investment decisions. “To know that if they apply for permits, there will be a timeline that they can follow, that they’ll have access to timber and that they can look at reducing costs

for them,” he said. “That’s what these companies want.”

The announcement came shortly after Canfor announced it will be shutting down a line at its Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill. Taylor pulp remains curtailed.

Whether Canfor will take advantage of the latest allotment remains to be seen but according to the Ministry of Forests, between October 2019 and January 2022, FEBC aided Canfor to the tune of $3.7 million to pull from the surrounding area low-grade fibre suitable for pulp that would otherwise be burned and have it trucked to the mill. In turn Canfor spent $29.4 million, based on $50 per cubic metre of the 587,769 cubic metres that was was retrieved.

Bernier, the B.C. Liberal MLA for Peace River South, said he will also be keeping an eye on details surrounding a $90-million fund to encourage job development in the valueadded forestry sector when a program guide and proposal form are released on February

28.

As it stands, the government has said that through the fund, Victoria will contribute up to $50,000 towards completion of business plans and technical assessments for fledgling capital projects and up to $10 million for “investment-ready” capital projects. Examples of the latter include “adopting innovative processes to manufacture valueadded forestry products from biomass or other alternatives,” according to a government backgrounder.

“We’ll be watching that for sure and it’s right back to the same thing,” Bernier said.

“I’m all in favour of making sure that we put in policies and supports if they’re going to tangibly support and keep people working in our communities. If it’s just for political gain, if the government’s making announcements and there’s no substance behind it, then that’s where I have a problem because that doesn’t help anybody.”

— Prince George Citizen

And job demand is expected to grow the fastest for nurses and residential care workers, with 480 openings forecast between now and 2032, and a 25% employment growth rate predicted over the next five years to 2027.

“Employment demand in the region is forecasted to increase each year by 0.5 per cent on average until 2032,” the outlook report says. “Over the next ten years, a total of 9,700 job openings are anticipated, of which 20 per cent will be generated by economic growth.”

As of 2022, there were 38,500 employed in the region.

Among the other top 10 in -

dustries that will see the most openings by 2032 are:

• Oil and gas extraction580 openings (250 economic growth, 340 replacement)

• Heavy and civil engineering construction - 570 openings (150 growth, 420 replacement)

• Personal, non-automotive repair and non-profit services

- 500 openings (170 growth, 330 replacement)

• Nursing and residential care - 480 openings (380 growth, 90 replacement)

• Truck transportation and support - 460 openings (110 growth, 350 replacement)

• Utilities - 390 openings (140 growth, 250 replacement)

• Food services and drinking places - 360 openings (120 growth, 240 replacement)

According to the outlook for the northeast, the top three occupations for job openings requiring a degree will be for registered nurses and psychiatric nurses (110), natural resource managers (110), and elementary teachers (100).

The top three occupations for job openings requiring an apprenticeship certificate will be heavy equipment operators (200), millwrights and industrial mechanics (160), and cooks (140).

The top three occupations for job openings requiring a diploma will be administrative officers (210), oil and gas operators (210), and retail and wholesale trade managers (210).

And the top three occupations for job openings requiring high school will be truck drivers (460), janitors and building superintendents (180), and retail salespeople (170).

Local jobs count drops

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Unemployment data for Northeast B.C. continued to be too low to report by Statistics Canada in January.

However, there were 1,200 fewer people working in the region compared to one year ago in January 2022.

Stats-Can reported an estimated 36,100 people were employed last month out of a workforce of 37,200, in its latest labour force survey released Feb. 10.

Unemployment figures as well as the unemployment rate were suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act. Stats-Can says it suppresses estimates below 1,500 unemployed people to prevent “direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.”

Given the provided labour force figures, however, there were around 1,100 unemployed, or just under 3%, according to the data.

Month-over-month, the jobs count is down from December, when 37,300 were reported to be employed and unemployment was also too low to be reported. In January 2022, 37,300 people were reported employed, with unemployment data also suppressed.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN B.C., JANUARY 2023

Northeast B.C. - n/a

Vancouver Island/Coast

- 2.9%

Kootenay - 3.5%

Thompson/Okanagan - 4.3%

Lower Mainland/Southwest

- 4.5%

North Coast & Nechako

- 4.7%

Cariboo - 6.1%

Provincially, B.C. added 7,700 jobs in January at the same time the unemployment rate climbed to 4.4% (+0.3 percentage points) as more workers entered the job market.

The year kicked off with heavy losses in the tech sector (-15,100 jobs) amid cutbacks hitting the industry worldwide.

Tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, which have significant operations in Vancouver, have been among those cutting jobs by the thousands in recent weeks and months. Medium-sized companies like Hootsuite, once considered a local tech darling, have also been laying off workers amid sector-wide belt-tightening.

But even those losses, combined with a string of eight consecutive interest-rate hikes going back to March 2022, weren’t enough to dampen B.C. job growth last month.

The biggest gains were felt in wholesale and retail trade (+18,100 jobs), and accommodation and food services (+7,100 jobs).

“There simply were far, far fewer layoffs than in a normal year at the start of 2023,” BMO chief economist Douglas Porter said in a note, referring to the national numbers. “Instead of an actual hiring boom, what we instead saw last month was a layoff freeze, given how hard it is to find workers in the current environment”

Canada added 150,000 jobs overall as the unemployment rate remained unchanged month to month at 5%.

CITY OF FORT ST. JOHN

‘PUB’ SKATING — Strong winds gusting up to 90 kilometres from the southwest on Feb. 6 ripped through town, including the sign at the Pomeroy Sport Centre. The city’s Public Skating Schedule continues through to March 19, pub beverages and food not included.

Sparks y at youth welding camp

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Eighteen students in Fort St. John got a crash course in welding this month.

Part of the CWB Welding Foundation Mind Over Metal camp, the Bert Bowes middle school and North Peace high school students spent 30 hours in the shop learning the basics of how to use a torch, lay a bead, and make an assortment of tools.

“It’s been fun, learning a skill I can use outside of school, to get a job after I graduate or during high school,” said Dolly Standalone, a Grade 9 student at Bert Bowes.

“My brother thought it would be a good experience,” she said of signing up. “He’s a mechanic and said welding would be a good life skill to have.”

Given an introduction to arc welding and MIG welding, along with safety training, the students made everything from key chains, wiener roasting sticks, sculptures, Batman symbols, and cowbells. The five-day camp gives them some practice before being able to take elective welding and metals classes later in their schooling.

“Most of them came in with little to no experience so it is an introduction: let’s lay your first bead, we’ll show you how it works, focus on safety,” said NPSS metal shop teacher Ian Zackodnik.

Students spent up to six hours a day welding, learning about the different kinds of metals and how to use a plasma cutter and drill press. On Saturday, they invited their parents into the shop to show off their new skills and wares.

“The improvement you see over five days is immense,” Zackodnik said. “The entire time they’re welding, welding, welding.”

It’s the first time the camp, targeted at youth ages 12 to 17, returned to Fort St. John since the Covid-19 pandemic. A camp was held in Prespatou last year.

“We want to make sure that we provide lots of opportunity for students to explore careers,” said Brian Campbell, district principal of careers and international education for School District 60.

“We’re trying to do that at an earlier age. This is a great week to be able to expose kids to welding.”

MATT PREPROST PHOTOS

Above: Grade 9 Bert Bowes students Dolly Standalone and teacher Eric Palibroda during the CWB Welding Foundation Mind Over Metal camp on Saturday, Feb. 4. Below: Grade 11 North Peace Secondary student Gage Ramsay.

Issue

Voting: February 15 & 22

Pomeroy Sport Centre 9324 96 Street, Fort St. John, BC Open 8am to 8pm

General Voting: February 25 Baldonnel Elementary School

BC

Electors in Area C head to the polls in February

A by-election is being held on February 25, 2023 for Electoral Area C Director. The position fell vacant after the BC Supreme Court ruled the October 15, 2022 vote invalid due to issuance of ballots to electors outside of Electoral Area C. The petition was submitted to the Court by the PRRD following a recount.

You may be eligible to vote in the byelection as a resident elector if you reside in Electoral Area C, or as a nonresident property elector if you own property within the voting jurisdiction but do not reside within it. The candidates for the by-election, in order of nomination filling, are Brad Sperling

and Suzanne Haab. For more information on voting eligibility, what to bring with you to vote and the candidates, please visit prrd.bc.ca/getoutandvote

Parcel tax roll review panel set The PRRD will hold a parcel tax roll review panel meeting at 9:30am on February 23. The panel will review any proposed changes to the parcel tax rolls for a number of sewer and water services.

The library will feature a children’s program room and reading/play area, teen reading and lounge area, adult reading and lounge area, public computer area, meeting space, makerspace and virtual reality room, multi-purpose spaces, cafe and open seating, outdoor patio, more storage and a storytelling space.

Work completed:

Permitting

•Asphalt removal, installation of water/sewer/storm sewer

• Foundation work

Blueskin (water-resistive barrier), tile and backfill

•Plumbing rough-ins, slab prep and slab poured

•Erection of glulam (engineered wood beam) structure

Start of exterior framing

Next PRRD Board eetings:

February 22, Special Budget Meeting 10:00am | Facebook Live, Dawson Creek

February 23 10:00am | Facebook Live, Dawson Creek

Work planned for next reporting period:

Continue building framing of exterior and interior walls

•Installation of structural insulated roof panels

•Insulation and air barriers

Window installation

•Exterior cladding and masonry work 2 | February 2023

Join

Peace River Regional District Official Page

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

If you’ve ever wondered how the first peoples of the Fort St. John area lived, a new display at the local museum gives you an idea.

The museum recently became the new home for a display about the ancient cave at Charlie Lake, now a national historic site known as Tse’K’wa.

Sculpted with wax by artist Rudiger Schmidt, it features two people as they might have been seen thousands of years ago camped out by the cave and lake, then a part of a larger, ice-dammed lake called Lake Peace.

The museum inherited the display by donation from the Heritage Discovery Centre in Grande Prairie, which closed for good last year.

Curator Heather Sjoblom says it will be the centrepiece of a newly redesigned display about Tse’K’wa at the local museum, which will be working in partnership with the Tse’K’wa Heritage Society over the next year.

“We know from the archaeological digs they’ve been doing recently that people often camped out a lot around the cave… At one point it was thought people lived out of the cave but that doesn’t seem to be the case so much based on the archaeological evidence,” said Sjoblom.

“The idea is to get better history, more indigenous stories included in it, and to be able to direct people to Tse’K’wa,” she said. “A lot of tourists won’t necessarily have heard of it or understand the archaeological significance until they come look here.”

Tse’K’wa means “rock house,” and though well-known to local residents and First Nations, the cave was only discovered by archaeologists in 1974, and then excavated in the early 1980s.

Among the artifacts found during its initial excavations were a 10,500 year-old stone bead, spear and ar-

row points, harpoon heads, and bones from humans and various animals including bison and raven.

But what archaeologists didn’t find much of at the cave itself were tool flakes, something to suggest a longer-term occupation. During renewed digs that were done last year, thousands of flakes were discovered by students working at excavation sites above the cave.

The artifacts tell stories of travel

patterns and ceremonial practices, and make the cave one of the most significant sites on the continent.

The site was designated a national historic site by Parks Canada in 2019.

Local First Nations, including Doig River, Prophet River, and West Moberly bought the land with the cave in 2012, which they have turned into a cultural museum that continues to be developed.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Wax sculpture of the ancient Tse’K’wa cave at Charlie Lake, by artist Rudiger Schmidt.

St Patrick’s Day

Dinner & Dance & Pie Auction

March 18, 2023

Senior’s Hall in Dawson Creek

Dinner: 6 pm

Dance: 8 pm

Music: 3 On The Tree

Tickets: -$30 Adult Dinner & Dance -$20 Adult Dance Only

-$15 12 & Under Come support your

Hosts of the Kiskatinaw Fall Fair! Sunset Prairie Recreation Commission

Linda: 250-843-7418

Selinar: 250-782-0457

Faye: 250-843-7567

We’re here to help!

• PREVENTION

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• SUPPORT Northern Brain Injury Association 1-866-979-HOPE (4673)

We’re here to help!

• PREVENTION

• EDUCATION

• SUPPORT Northern Brain Injury Association

1-866-979-HOPE (4673)

SAY NO to FAKE NEWS! 63% of Canadians can’t tell the di erence between real and fake news. Support reliable LOCAL journalism. Join the list www.newspapersmatter.ca.

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A look into the past

30 YEARS AGO – February 9, 1993

Virtually impossible to change the time zone in northeastern B.C, a Fort St. John city councillor says. Jack Keough struggled for almost a year to bring the time question to a vote, but to no avail. The issue was finally dropped at a council meeting after only three municipalities responded to the city’s call for input by saying they weren’t interested. “It was always an issue that had been put on the back burner,” Keough said. A search by city hall staff found that all municipalities in the area would have to agree a change was needed before a plebiscite could be held. If even one opposed, the issue could proceed no further. “Even to proceed to the next step, requires unani-

mous consent,” Keough said.

45 YEARS AGO – February 10, 1978

The great friend of so many, Duncan Cran, died at the age of 86. Cran was born in Paris, Ontario, and early in life moved with his banker father to British Columbia where he spent his childhood years at Ashcroft and furthered his education in Aberdeen, Scotland. Prior to the war, he was in the onshore logging business with his brother Robin in upper Vancouver Island. During the war he served with the 88th and 25th Battalions in France, Belgium, and Germany. Duncan was awarded the military service medal.

In 1930, he was moved to the Peace

River country as a surveyor and homesteaded next to the Bennetts just west of Deep Creek. Through the years Cran, who was a lifelong member of the Corporation of BC Land Surveyors, surveyed much of this country including Golata Creek, Boundary Lake, Red Creek, Cache Creek, and Halfway River areas and named among other places Flat Creek.

Cran selflessly and actively served this community as a life member of the Royal Canadian Legion; for over 30 years he was a member of the Hospital Board and an indefatigable bedside visitor; chief organizer of Red Cross Society activities and blood donor clinics; charter member of the Friendship Society, and founding member of the Senior Citizen Society.

Looking for A&W thief

Fort St. John police are investigating a break-in and burglary of the local A&W restaurant last week. RCMP say the lone thief broke into the east side of the building around 3:20 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, and stole two cash registers.

The suspect is described as wearing a blue winter coat, blue jeans, and blue runners. They were wearing a darker blue backpack and carried the stolen registers in a lighter blue bag. RCMP are looking for any witnesses with dash cam video of the area around the time of the theft. Anyone with information to aid the investigation is asked to call the detachment at 250-787-8100, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Advisors to help local biz

Businesses in rural B.C. communities are getting a boost from the province in an effort to increase jobs through the Province’s Rural Business and Community Recovery Initiative (RBCRI).

The Government of B.C. is providing $4.5 million to support a second round of RBCRI funding. This builds on the initial $4.5 million provided in February 2021 that helped rural communities and businesses recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This funding created 90 temporary advisory jobs focused on providing support and services to the regions throughout the province that needed it most. The second round of the RBCRI funding will shift from concentrating on pandemic recoveries to supporting economic development in communities affected by changes to the forest sector.

Advisers will provide support to businesses and communities, which will increase community and regional adaptation, resilience and sustainability.

The funding will be distributed through regional programs administered by the Northern Development Initiative Trust, the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior and the Island Coastal Economic Trust. Each trust will receive $1.5 million.

“We applaud the Province for addressing the recent impacts of the forestry sector in communities throughout the North and British Columbia. With this funding we can provide assistance where it is most needed and work with communities to strengthen our economic future,” said Joel McKay, CEO, Northern Development Initiative Trust.

Funding for the RBCRI is part of the $185-million support package announced in Budget 2022 to ensure that co-ordinated and comprehensive supports are in place to offset any economic impacts from a changing forestry industry. “Strengthening rural B.C. is key to ensuring our province can build a strong and sustainable economy that works for everyone,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation.