AHN JAN 5, 2023

How big an earthquake?

By Stefan Labbé

The shaking started just after 9 a.m., rumbling through the wilderness about 130 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John. The Nov. 11 seismic event first registered as a magnitude 4.7 earthquake, enough to send a Petronas crew fracking for gas into an emergency shutdown. They “immediately suspended operations for 24 hours to allow for the built-up energy to dissipate,” said the BC Oil and Gas Commission in an email. The next evening, another magnitude 3.3 event hit, and four days after that, a 4.6 quake struck a kilometre to the south.In the week since, seismologists have scrambled to check the numbers.

The earliest seismic data came from a network of 160 seismographs run by the Canadian National Seismograph Network. But in the Fort St. John area, coverage is sparse, said Honn Kao, seismologist with the Geologic Survey of Canada who heads the federal government’s Induced Seismicity Research Project. As the days passed, Kao started receiving numbers from other seismograph networks run by the BC Oil and Gas Commission, several universities, and Petronas, which had its own instruments on site. Instead of occurring at 8.2 and five kilometres below the surface, the two biggest quakes were found to have struck at a depth of around two kilometres in the Montney Formation — exactly where Petronas had been fracking. “[The earthquakes] are very likely to be induced,” said the seismologist. “They occurred during active hydraulic fracturing and the location is very close to the injection sites.”

To date, human-caused earthquakes in B.C. have been minor. When Kao and his team re-calibrated their calculations for the shallower depth, they downgrading the earthquakes’ magnitude to between 4 and 4.2. The BC Oil and Gas Commission, meanwhile, said there was no “concern for public safety,” that the company followed best practices and that operations in the area are expected to continue until Nov. 25. But Kao says there remain big open questions, and some scientists are still asking themselves, could humans trigger a major earthquake in B.C.?

Rock samples reveal high-grade copper

By Ted Clarke

When mining companies go prospecting for precious metals it takes years of exploration to determine whether the stake they have claimed has sufficient mineralization to justify building a mine.

Drilling through solid rock hundreds of metres deep is a costly process and it can take a week or more just to drill one hole. Even then, after a core sample is obtained, it takes several more months to wait for an assay lab to analyze it and determine what minerals the core contains and in what quantities.

For several years, Vancouverbased NorthWest Copper has focused its energy and resources on its claims in three areas west of the Williston reservoir. Drilling resumed this year at the company’s Kwanika/ Stardust, Lorraine, and East Niv sites and geologists were also focused on what lies on the surface.

Last month, NorthWest revealed it has discovered a very large footprint of high-grade copper at the surface at its 43,000-hectare East Niv exploration site. “What we’ve found is we have a lot of high-grade copper at the surface over a very big area,” said NorthWest Copper president/CEO Peter Bell.

“It’s huge, we’re talking five kilometres by 10 kilometres, and that’s a lot of area to cover. What we didn’t know prior to doing this work was that we had such a big area that might have a lot of copper. The excitement for us is we’ve got a huge area with exceptionally good surfacer results we didn’t know about before and that sets us up for future targeting.”

Out of 206 surface rock samples sent for analysis, 48 revealed a copper grade of .10 per cent per tonne, 36 samples had values greater than .25 per cent and 11 showed concentrations greater than 1.0 per cent.

In addition, 11 samples showed copper mineralization of between 1.08 per cent and 6.55 per cent. Those widespread samples, either soil or rock, also contained strongly elevated silver concentrations of

between 3.7 grams per tonne and 262 g/t. Trace amounts of gold were also found in the rock chip surface samples.

Most of the samples were obtained along ridges in the southern half of the East Niv property, close to where eight drill holes wee completed this year. East Niv was a new copper-gold discovery in 2021 and in that year the company drilled 10 holes in the area. East Niv lies in the same corridor as the Kemess Underground Project being developed by Centerra Gold. While the surface results are encouraging, Bell will have to contain his optimism until he sees underground deposits of similar concentrations.

“We’re trying to explore a big piece of land and drilling is the most expensive thing we do, so you want to minimize the drilling before you’ve done a bunch of other work because you want to put the holes in the right place,” said Bell “So we do a lot of surface work in advance of doing the drilling and that’s what we’ve been doing this year. There’s copper mineralization poking out of the ground, which is pretty interesting. Most deposits people find are buried. To see stuff sticking out of the ground is pretty unique.”

In total, NorthWest drilled 55 holes in the area this year and

NorthWest is still awaiting test results from Kwanika/Stardust South and the Lorraine Project, 40 km north of Kwanika. The 56,000-hectare Lorraine site was also explored by Teck Resources in 2009 and historic drilling samples date back to 1949. Similar to test results from Kwanika/Stardust, mineralization in the Lorraine from samples obtained in late June contained roughly twothirds copper and one-third gold.

On the open market in U.S. dollars, copper is selling for $3.85 per pound. Silver is worth about $24 per troy ounce and gold is selling for $1,820 per ounce. Bell said he won’t know where the company will be drilling next year until it has obtained all of the sample results, and those reports are coming back slower than he anticipated.

has received test results from 15 of them, all from Kwanika North, which revealed high-grade copper and gold mineralization, with much of it close to the surface.

SUPPLIED

Surface rock samples from NorthWest Copper’s East Niv exploration site reveal high-grade copper mineralization.

Erich Schmidt Hudson’s Hope RCMP

Hudson’s Hope RCMP responded to 11 calls for service between Nov. 21, 2022, and Dec. 12, 2022. Twenty written violations and warning tickets were issued to drivers between the above dates for various motor vehicle related offences. Highway and road safety continues to be a focus for the Hudson’s Hope RCMP. Please make note of the numerous construction sites along Hwy 29 between Hudson’s Hope and Fort St. John. Due to the increase of work sites along the highway, there is a large fluctuation between the speed zones for each site. Police will be monitoring these areas as they are a posted construction zone and fines will range from $196 to $253 for speeding violations within a marked construction zone.

On Nov. 29, the Hudson’s Hope RCMP received a report of a sighting to possible stolen property. Police received information that a snowmobile which had been stolen back in 2012, was possibly sighted at a local residence. Police

attended the residence to conduct an investigation but were unable to gather further evidence at the time to support that this sled was stolen. File remains open for further investigations. The Hudson’s Hope RCMP would like to remind buyers that when purchasing used ORV’s through private sales, it is best practice to conduct checks on the units VIN prior to purchasing, so to confirm that this unit is not part of a stolen property investigation. This can be conducted through ICBC or your local RCMP detachment.

On Dec. 5, the Hudson’s Hope RCMP were advised to loose bison along Canyon Dr. after several bison nearly caused a motor vehicle accident. Police attended the area in which the furry suspects were last observed, and though fresh tracks were found, police deemed it unsafe to conduct a track through the frozen forests, therefore no confirmation could be made as to whom the owner of these furry escapees was.

On Dec. 9, the Hudson’s Hope RCMP received a report of a Facebook fraud attempt.

It was reported that an individual received a Facebook message from an unknown person who provided a link to a $50k grant. Upon following the link and applying for the said grant, the individual was asked to provide their photo identification and bank card information. Upon forwarding some of this information, the individual then received further communications

requesting $900 to process the grant. Fortunately, the individual did not send the requested funds and the incident was reported to police. This incident has since been forwarded to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for further investigations.

Anyone with information regarding current or past investigations can contact the Hudson’s Hope RCMP

directly at 250-783-5241 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Visit http://crimestoppersnebc.ca for advice on submitting tips online and to browse the areas “Most Wanted” page.

Cst. Erich Schmidt is Acting Detachment Commander of the Hudson’s Hope RCMP

We want to hear from

The average annual bill impact of the combined changes for each of the service areas are:

• Fort St. John: average residential customer bill impact is a net increase of approximately $54 or 7.7%, and average small commercial customer bill impact is a net increase of approximately $182 or 8.5%.

• Dawson Creek: average residential customer bill impact is a net increase of approximately $52 or 8.0%, and average small commercial customer bill impact is a net increase of approximately $182 or 9.7%.

Pacific

Ridge divisions, seeking the British Columbia Utilities Commission’s (BCUC) approval to increase the 2023 basic charges, delivery rates and the Revenue Stabilization Adjustment Mechanism rate rider, on an interim and refundable/recoverable basis. PNG(NE) is also seeking approval to establish rate adjustment riders to refund the difference between 2022 interim and final rates,

How to spend a resource sector nancial windfall

By Nelson Bennett

While many businesses’ profits have been eroded by extraordinary economic shocks – pandemic lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, natural disasters, high inflation, an energy crisis in Europe – certain resource sector companies have prospered over the past two and a half years. And some have netted record-breaking profits.

B.C. lumber producers that posted losses in 2019 recorded healthy profits in 2020 and, in some cases, unprecedented profits in 2021 thanks to high demand and record-high lumber prices. Oil and gas producers saw balance sheets go from red in 2020 to black in 2021 and 2022, due to soaring oil and natural gas prices.

Miners like Teck Resources Ltd. –which recorded a nearly $1 billion loss in 2020 – saw profits double in 2021, and posted record quarterly profits in 2022’s second quarter, thanks to high copper and metallurgical coal prices.

Companies that used windfall profits to reward shareholders with share buybacks caught the attention of both the Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau governments, and both implemented new taxes on share buybacks.

Ottawa’s new tax is intended to encourage companies experiencing windfall profits to reinvest, rather than spend it all on bolstering their stock ownership and rewarding shareholders.

While the tax seemed to be mainly aimed at big banks and oil majors, both of which have pocketed some record profits over the past 18 months, other resource companies have also profited from high commodity prices, including miners and lumber producers. They too will be hit with the new tax, should they continue to use share buybacks as a way of keeping and rewarding shareholders.

But the Biden and Trudeau governments are sending some mixed messages to resource companies, which are being told to reinvest their record profits and, simultaneously, to take their business elsewhere.

The oil and gas sector has been explicitly told that new oil wells and pipelines are not wanted in many parts of Canada and the U.S. Canadian forestry majors have increasingly sent capital outside the country, as producing regions like B.C. become increasingly more costly. Even fossil-fuel-loving Alberta has been discouraging investments in new metallurgical coal mines.

“Forestry firms have been buying back shares, investing for growth either organically or purchasing sawmills and paying down debt,” said Paul Quinn, forest sector analyst for RBC Dominion Securities. “What is interesting is that the vast majority of this investment is outside B.C.

“On the lumber side, B.C. has moved from the lowest-cost area in North America to the highest-cost jurisdiction over the last 15 years. The reality is that the harvest level declines will lead to more mill closures. Why would any rational company invest in this climate? Increasing taxes will only serve to drive away investment in the province.”

As for the implication that resource companies are inflation profiteers, Kin Lo, accounting professor at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, notes that recent resource company windfalls need to be weighed against the fact that commodities are cyclical.

“Both forestry and mining companies have experienced low commodity prices in the recent decade, so we do need to look at the profit levels over a longer period of time to get a sense of whether companies are earning windfall profits,” he said.

In 2020, oil and gas companies recorded major losses, after oil prices fell from US$60 per barrel for West Texas Intermediate to US$20. In 2019, forestry giants posted negative earnings as a result of high log costs and low lumber prices.

The windfalls that some companies enjoyed over the last couple of years may not be repeated in 2023. Commodity prices are now signalling an economic slowdown. In 2022’s second

half, record high lumber prices fell back to earth, with a 42 per cent drop over the summer, and forestry majors have posted recent third-quarter financials with lower sales and profits. Oil prices last month also fell by eight per cent between Nov. 15 and Nov. 18 on fears of a weakening Chinese economy, and the shine has come off copper somewhat, with prices declining 17 per cent from a year ago.

HOW B.C. RESOURCE COMPANIES SPENT THEIR WINDFALLS

West Fraser Timber Co., B.C.’s largest publicly traded forestry company by market capitalization ($9.5 billion) had record sales of US$10.5 billion and earnings of US$2.9 billion in 2021. That’s double the company’s earnings in 2020, when it had sales of US$4.4 billion and earnings of US$588 million.

The 2021 profits were not solely the result of high lumber prices, however. The company grew substantially in 2021, after it concluded a US$3.1 billion acquisition of Norbord. In 2022’s first nine months, West Fraser had sales of US$8 billion and earnings of US$2 billion. (The company now reports in U.S. dollars, following the acquisition.)

In 2021 and the first nine months of 2022, West Fraser bought back US$3.191 billion of its shares and issued US$149 million in dividends.

West Fraser has used some of its surplus cash to close acquisitions in 2021, including US$300 million for a lumber mill in Texas and Allendale OSB mill, and US$280 million for an oriented strand board mill in South Carolina.

West Fraser’s top five executives received a total of $4 million in bonuses in 2021, with CEO Ray Ferris receiving $1.65 million – a $650,000 increase over the previous year’s bonus.

Teck Resources, B.C.’s biggest mining company, had record revenues of $13.5 billion and a record profit of $2.9 billion in 2021, thanks to high copper and metallurgical coal prices, leaving it with free cash flow of $4.7 billion.

That compares to revenue of $8.9 billion in 2020 and a loss of $944 million, thanks to a $1.2 billion impairment on its share of the Fort Hills oil sands project, which was plagued by high capital costs and low oil prices.

In 2021, Teck earned $1.7 billion on copper – more than double what it earned in 2020 – thanks to high copper prices, as well as $2.5 billion from high metallurgical coal prices.

The same year, Teck spent $4 billion on capital expenditures, $335 million to repay revolving credit facilities and $106 million on dividends. As of the third quarter of 2022, Teck had rewarded shareholders with $1.4 billion in share buybacks and $468 million in dividends.

Teck’s top five executives received $6 million in bonuses in 2021, with former CEO Don Lindsay receiving $3 million in bonuses.

Parkland Corp., a Calgary-based fuel retailer and convenience store owner, owns the oil refinery in Burnaby that supplies the Lower Mainland with much of its gasoline and diesel. The company profited from high gasoline and diesel prices in 2021, though its costs were also higher, due to high oil prices.

Parkland reported $21 billion in sales in 2021 (with costs of $19 billion) and net earnings of $162 million, compared with sales of just $14 billion in 2020 and net earnings of $154 million. In the first nine months of 2022, Parkland had sales of $26.8 billion, and net earnings of $277 million. Parkland issued $190 million worth of dividends for 2021, but did no share buybacks. The company has made $2 billion in investments over the past two years, including a network of 25 ultra-fast charging stations for electric vehicles in B.C. and Alberta, and the $322 million acquisition of M&M Food Market. Parkland’s top five executives received $3.6 billion in bonuses in 2021, with CEO Robert Espey receiving $1.3 million. They received only $1.1 million in bonuses in 2020, with Espey receiving $500,000.

How do humans trigger earthquakes?

Most earthquakes occur along the margins of tectonic plates and fractures known as fault lines. When oceanic and continental plates collide, they rub, shift and slip past one another, releasing vast amounts of energy in the process. On the surface, we feel that as an earthquake. At sea, a sudden displacement of the water column could trigger a tsunami. But not all earthquakes are the result of natural processes. One 2017 study that reviewed 730 anthropogenic projects thought to have induced earthquakes found mining was the most common seismic trigger, often due to collapsed material setting off shaking.

The most powerful human-triggered earthquake is thought to be the 2008 Great Sichuan earthquake in China, which, at magnitude 7.9, killed nearly 90,000 people. Scientists believe the earthquake’s origins go back to 2015, when the Zipingpu Reservoir impounded 320 million tonnes of water. The water’s weight is thought to have pushed down on the Longmen Shan fault line, hastening the earthquake’s arrival by up to hundreds of years.

Water has been shown to set off earthquakes when forced underground as well. In Switzerland, a magnitude 3.4 earthquake was triggered in Basel when water was injected underground into a geothermal energy project. The 2006 event was followed by more than 200 earthquakes before the project was terminated in 2009.

The first documented case of human-caused earthquakes dates back to the 1960s, when a deep well was drilled into a mountain northeast of Denver to dispose of contaminated waste water. By the end of the decade, more than 700 earthquakes had been recorded in the region, most with an epicentre within eight kilometres of the well. Then came the hydraulic fracturing industry, which in recent decades has brought vast wealth to oil and gas companies across the U.S. and Canada. Also known as fracking, the extraction technique blasts pressurized liquid underground to fracture bedrock formations rich in hydrocarbons. Particles like sand hold open the cracks, allowing natural gas and petroleum to pass through to the surface where it can be collected, processed, and burned. Underground, the injected fluid raises the pressure in the cracks, fissures and the pores between sand and rock. Over years of extraction, that pressure can build across kilometres of underground formations, eventually coming into contact and lubricating a seismic fault. “You make the fault easier to slip,” Kao said.

FRACKED AND SHAKEN

In the central United States, where fracking and wastewater injection from the oil and gas industry have expanded widely over the past decades, the number of earthquakes has increased dramatically. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the region experienced an average of 25 earthquakes of magnitude 3 and larger between 1973 and 2008. In 2009, that number more than doubled, and by 2015, more than 1,000 earthquakes M3 or larger hit the central U.S. In 2016, a magnitude 5.8 hit the Pawnee Nation, injuring a man as he tried to protect his child from falling bricks.

Canada’s oil and gas operations have not been spared. One of the largest humaninduced earthquakes was in 2016, when a magnitude 4.8 quake hit Fox Creek, Alta. The shaking, thought to be set off by a Repsol oil and gas operation, was so strong it was felt 280 kilometres away, CBC News reported at the time. “We noticed that one of the biggest events actually occurred about two weeks after the whole injection was completed,” said Kao.

In a follow-up study, his team found the fluids had reached a preexisting fault, setting off the earthquake. But the science is complicated and changes with local geology. “The earthquake migration pattern is so different from all the others — and still linked back to injection of fluids, but in a very complicated way,” Kao said.

Erik Eberhardt, University of British Columbia professor of geological engineering, says his preliminary research suggests human-triggered earthquakes have an upper limit. “We’re talking about in general,” he said. “But can we say it’s conclusive and it applies to everything? No. There’s no such thing as zero per cent.”

HOW RISKY ARE FRACKED EARTHQUAKES?

The complicated links between earthquakes and fracking come down to local geology and how much fracking occurs over time. First, said Kao, you need to have some sort of seismic risk. If you conduct a high concentration of fracking operations close to an area that’s already seismically active, say near B.C.’s coast, you raise the risk of a man-made earthquake. Conversely, if you pump water into the ground in Saskatchewan, where the risk of earthquakes is relatively low, there’s a lower risk of setting off an earthquake.

As Kao put it, imagine you have a loaded gun. The trigger is the fluid injected from fracking or wastewater disposal. The loaded bullet is the tectonic strain rate, priming the Earth to rumble. If you don’t have that seismic risk, it doesn’t matter how many times you pull the trigger, it’s not going to fire anything.

Things get complicated at the spaces in between, places like Fort St. John and the rest of northeastern B.C., major centres for industry operations that sit on the edge of B.C.’s mountainous terrain, a place with some natural seismic risk.

In an email, the BC Oil and Gas Commission said the area where these wells have been drilled is part of a “disturbed belt” with “a complicated structural history.”

“Faults are present in the area, which may be reactivated during injection activities,” wrote a commission spokesperson.

Kao says roughly 1% of earthquakes in Canada have been linked to human activity; a number that climbs to 2% in the U.S., according to the USGS. Most are never felt and at no point has one event exceeded magnitude 5, said Kao. That doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a large earthquake set off by human activity in the future. According to the GutenbergRichter law of seismology, the more small earthquakes there are over time, the more likely big ones will occur at some point down the road.

Regulatory action on the part of organizations like the BC Oil and Gas Commission are meant to lower those risks. In Oklahoma, earthquakes bigger than magnitude 3 have dropped off significantly in recent years after fracking was dialled back (their frequency still remains substantially higher than before the fracking boom).

Kao says that if fracking is the kind of economic activity society decides can’t be avoided, then a regulatory framework is the best way to safeguard public safety. That means being able to shut down operations quickly and avoiding fracking in places at high risk of induced earthquakes. That risk could increase in the coming years as subterranean fluid from hydraulic fracturing and wastewater injection are joined by the emerging practice of burying liquefied carbon captured from smokestacks or the atmosphere. Scientists can help model how injecting fluid into the ground will affect the risk of seismic activity, but ultimately, said Kao, it will be up to government, the regulator, industry and local communities to decide what they’re comfortable with.

Are November’s earthquakes a sign the Peace region is seismically primed enough for fracking to trigger a major earthquake? That’s the most important question and a subject of intense research, said the seismologist. “The Fort St. John area is not the highest region where you expect to have tectonic strain, but it is still there,” Kao said. “What we are really trying to figure out is whether or not you do have a loaded bullet in the system.”

Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark gets green card from UNESCO

Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark Society has been eagerly anticipating the results of their inspection by UNESCO that took place in August, and after careful consideration, the UNESCO Committee has awarded the Geopark a green card!

Two UNESCO-trained evaluators, Hartmut Escher from Germany and Miguel Cruz from Mexico, came to Tumbler Ridge in early August to determine if the area was still meeting the criteria and the obligations of a UNESCOdesignated site - a procedure required by UNESCO to be done every four years. The goal of the evaluation is to assess whether the Geopark is operating sustainably and productively based on over 200 stringent criteria points.

During their inspection, they took a trip with Wild River Adventure tours down the Murray River to Kinuseo Falls, took a helicopter out to the far reaches of the Geopark to view it from the air, spoke with local politicians and community members, and the Geopark’s partners such as Northern BC Tourism.

After their visit, the evaluators create a comprehensive report of their observations which is taken to an international committee, who discuss and decide whether or not that Geopark will be allowed to use the prestigious UNESCO designation going forward. The committee met on December 6-8 to discuss new applications and renewals.

Each application and documentation is reviewed and given three possible outcomes - a green card means that the Geopark is on the right track,

and can continue to participate in the international program for another 4 years, a yellow card indicates that the committee has serious concerns about the site and requires correction of the issues within two years, at which point they are subjected to another inspection. The red card is a worst case scenario and indicates that the site isn’t fulfilling UNESCO’s standards and is stripped of the UNESCO designation.

Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark received a green card from the committee, along with some suggestions about improvements going forward. “We will always have more work we can be doing to become more sustainable and improve the quality of what we have to offer”, says Executive Director Manda Maggs. “We all do - our Geopark has a lot of great things coming down the pipeline that strengthens what we’re already doing, like the Dark Sky Reserve project.”

“The UNESCO brandshared by World Heritage Sites, Global Geoparks, and Biosphere Reserves - is an international mark of excellence that is instantly recognizable to tourists, especially those coming from Asian and European countries. The endorsement of UNESCO shows that we have earned our place at the highest level of sustainable tourism promoting geological and cultural heritage.” The Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark’s next revalidation process will take place in 2026.

by Manda Maggs, Executive Director, Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark

SUPPLIED

Drilling operation in northeastern British Columbia. Hydraulic fracturing is thought to have triggered three earthquakes in November.

Submitted

SUPPLIED

Hartmut Escher from TerraVita Global Geopark (Germany) and Miguel Cruz from Comarca Minera Global Geopak (Mexico) standing in front of Kinuseo Falls in Monkman Park, BC

BC HYDRO PHOTOS

Above: Aerial view of construction on the Site C approach channel, powerhouse, and dam core. Below: Spillway upper headworks, lower-level outlet gates with the stilling basin weirs in foreground (at left); and at right, form and reinforcing steel installation on penstock unit 4 concrete (foreground), and prepping unit 5 for the last concrete lift on the lower section.

BC HYDRO PHOTOS

Left: The future Lynx Creek boat launch site, facing north. Right: Construction on the Cache Creek Bridge. Below: An aerial view of the new Halfway River Bridge.

BC HYDRO PHOTOS

Left: The first turbine runner arrives at the Site C powerhouse in October 2022. Right: Farrell Creek Bridge opens to traffic on October 27. Below: Installation of the unit 1 turbine runner.

BC HYDRO PHOTOS

Above: East-facing view over the powerhouse and operations building and the future transformer yard. Bottom left: Top view of the permanent upstream fish passage facility.

Bottom right: Powerhouse tailrace piles measuring 46 metres long are inserted into the foundation in front of the tailrace.

It’saBoy!

JACK RAYMOND ENSZ

Parents: Jessee&SarahEnsz

Weight: 7lbs6oz Length: 19.5inches Time: 4:13pm Date: December16,2022 Taylor,BC

It’saBoy!

PATRICK WILLIAM STOLTZFUS

LIFE

We are visitors to this wilderness of silence. Black wings beat the rhythm of storm clouds, flowers shine beneath our feet like stars reflecting in pools of grass.

Life moves quietly, softly, in water, over land, through sky.

(Poetry and photos by Don Pettit)

Intentional parenting builds social skills for school, life

BABY BOUQUET WALL

– MAR 21/APR 20 Sometimes

you have to hold some things in to safeguard others from sticky situations. It can be tricky keeping secrets, but this week it is for the best.

TAURUS – APR 21/MAY 21

Taurus, there are a lot of people in your corner right now who are willing to pitch in when you need help. If you encounter an obstacle, just ask for assistance.

GEMINI – MAY 22/JUN 21

Gemini, change your schedule or your scenery, especially if you feel like you are in a rut. All it may take is one modification to bring on an entirely new perspective.

CANCER – JUN 22/JUL 22

If a person comes to you needing a friend in the next few days, resist the urge to offer advice. Simply listen and provide companionship. This is all the person needs at the moment.

LEO – JUL 23/AUG 23

Prioritize getting your finances in order, Leo. Make this one New Year’s resolution that you maintain; otherwise, you may have financial troubles in the months to come.

VIRGO – AUG 24/SEPT 22

A few opportunities are coming your way in regard to your career, Virgo. Sort through all of the offers and figure out what works best for your situation.

LIBRA – SEPT 23/OCT 23

Libra, there is a lot of momentum around you, but for some reason you cannot find your footing. Sooner than later you’ll find your path and will be moving along.

SCORPIO – OCT 24/NOV 22

Take charge of your priorities, Scorpio. It can be easy to get swept away in other people’s drama. Make a list of all the things you want to accomplish and start working.

SAGITTARIUS – NOV 23/DEC 21

Sagittarius, people are expecting much of you this week, especially higher-ups at work. You may need to find the motivation to keep going. The end result will be worth it.

CAPRICORN – DEC 22/JAN 20

Family time is a hot commodity for you right now, Capricorn. Even after the holidays, you have a few other events on the calendar that will bring relatives together.

AQUARIUS – JAN 21/FEB 18

It can be difficult to let things go and trust other people. However, the free time that you’ll get will enable you to tackle other items on your to-do list, Aquarius.

PISCES – FEB 19/MAR 20

If you are thinking about going back to school or learning a new skill, this is the time to do it, Pisces. Start shopping around for programs.

JANUARY 1 Poppy, Singer (28)

JANUARY 2 Dax Shepard, Actor (48)

JANUARY 3 Florence Pugh, Actress (27)

JANUARY 4 Coco Jones, Actress (25)

JANUARY 5 Bradley Cooper, Actor (48)

JANUARY 6 Kate McKinnon, Comic (39)

JANUARY 7 Nicolas Cage, Actor (59)

W

Here is a column where you can send questions about anything related to children! Although I am trained in Early Childhood and Primary years, I might be able to ask another professional if your question falls out of my realm. Who am I to give advice you might ask? I have been working with children for over 30 years in both the school system (teaching Grades K-3) and in the field of early childhood including school age care, preschool, multi-age care, StrongStarts, Headstarts and home daycares. I am passionate about early intervention and supporting children with diverse needs. I have my Bachelor of Education from University of Winnipeg, Studies in Special Needs from Red River College in Winnipeg and my ECE with both Infant Toddler and Diverse Needs specialization. I have just recently won the Prime Ministers Award in Excellence in Early Childhood and am always striving to learn more in the area of early childhood. I currently own Miss Patti’s Preschool which has been open since 2014 and work as an Instructor for Northern Lights College teaching Early Childhood since 2016.

As parents and educators, we have many questions and at times we don’t know who to ask or where to go with these questions. Sometimes we’re afraid to ask questions for fear of judgement. Here is a safe place to ask these questions. Please email me your questions at: motherofdragonflies2021@outlook.com. All questions posted will be anonymous. Thanks in advance.

Dear Miss Patti,

I am a stay-at-home mom of a 3-year-old boy. I feel I do a pretty good job of creating activities that stimulate him and we read together all the time. His language seems pretty good and of course we think he’s very smart. What I’m wondering is how he is socially? I take him to StrongStart occasionally, but he sticks close to me so it’s hard to tell. Do I need to enroll him in preschool or daycare for him to practice social skills? Thanks,

Socially Curious

Dear Socially Curious

Thanks for writing in! Preschool helps children get accustomed to other adults asking them to do something that might not be on their agenda. This is different from interactions with adult family members who are more than likely going to go along with the child’s agenda. Preschool also helps teach regulation skills, or if the child has difficulty regulating their emotions or body this becomes very apparent in a structured pro-

elcome to Ask Miss Patti!gram. This is where they might have to take turns more often, wait for their turn longer or share prized toys. This is not usually the case at home where they can eat, wash their hands, go to the bathroom whenever they want and play with their toys at their leisure and pace.

Having said that, you can practice these same skills at home if you set up intentional ways to practice. When you go to StrongStart, start paying attention to other parents’ philosophies. How do they interact or speak to their child? Is it similar to the way you parent? These are great playdate partners. It’s beneficial if you’re on the same page. It’s the next step that’s crucial and it’s the reason you need a playdate partner with a similar philosophy. When you get together it is beneficial to stay on the floor close to where your children are playing. You are their social coaches and coaches need to be close enough to support and script language where needed. This is not the same as helicopter parenting. You only need to intervene when necessary.

For example, if the two are playing tug of war over a toy, give it a few beats to see what they do and then if they are still struggling support with some scripts, “It looks like Marshall is not done with that toy. He’ll let you know when he is. What can we play with while we wait?” So instead of saying, “Use your words,” give them the specific words needed. If they are younger or non-verbal, a simple script of “No thank you” gives them a start when they are struggling in that moment to get their needs heard.

If we’re too far away to support they will usually default to smacking, biting, or pushing each other in frustration. If they are not coached with another method they might enter Kindergarten still using these methods to communicate their needs, unable to regulate their emotions or body.

We are there to help them navigate these different areas. We see adults around us who have missed these lessons. Waiting for your turn to talk, patiently waiting in line, helping someone when they are hurting or in need of support, or using your voice to get your needs met in a polite, calm way. Whether you are an educator or a parent you can help children learn social skills that will not only help them in school but in life.

If you would like to see how your school assesses Kindergarten or preschool children you can see results from previous years and conduct tests yourself at: https:// earlylearning.ubc.ca/school-district/ peace-river-south/

Thanks for your question, Miss Patti

Send your questions to Miss Patti at motherofdragonflies2021@outlook.com

By Patti McDougall

COP15: A message of hope for life on Earth

By Don Pettit

Wilderness and wildlife have made British Columbia a very special place, one of the most beautiful on Earth. Yet nearly 2,000 individual species are at risk of extinction in B.C. alone, and around the world, more than one million. These numbers are staggering and unprecedented, and if left unchecked will cause terrible harm. Climate change, habitat loss, pollution and development are causing this very real threat.

WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY?

Biodiversity is the sum of all living things on planet Earth. The ways they are connected and interact create the complex web of life that we all rely on for food, clean air and water. Hurt biodiversity and we hurt our selves. That is why the world met in Montreal at a United Nations gathering of nearly 200 countries called COP15, where governments from around the world have been trying to agree on their responsibilities for saving our planet’s biodiversity.

At the time of this writing it looks like a deal has been reached: “a peace pact with nature” and “a last chance to put nature on the path to recovery.” It will attempt to

protect a third of the planet’s land and water for nature by 2030. Currently, 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine areas are protected, clearly not enough!

COP15: CAN IT WORK?

My good friend Wayne Sawchuk was at COP15 and sends this encouraging report. Wayne was instrumental in the creation of the MuskwaKechika Management Area (MKMA), 6.5 million hectares of land in Northern B.C. where intact ecosystems co-exist with carefully regulated resource extraction and tourism. As he points out, the MKMA provides a working model for how COP15 can achieve its goals. “This past weekend I was fortunate to be in Montreal while the COP15 Biodiversity Conference was in progress. Folks have asked me what my impressions of this event were. Here goes.

“First, just the fact that over 15,000 delegates from around the world came together to discuss methods to protect biodiversity is immensely positive. Throughout the world wildlife and ecosystems are under threat, to the point that scientists believe we are presiding over a major extinction event. The discussions around ‘30 by 30’, or protecting 30% of every country’s land

Is your pension safe?

By Ruby McBeth

The House of Commons has unanimously passed Bill C-228 to protect pensions in the event of a company bankruptcy. It has now moved on for Senate approval. This bill would mean that pension assets have to be paid first before shareholders if a business should go under. While I tend to be a bit of a doomsday person myself, I don’t think it is going overboard to try to get this protection. We worked hard for those pensions and

want to keep getting those cheques.

ANGELINA JOLIE, AMBASSADOR

If you want increased empathy with people from other parts of the world, you could read Angelina Jolie’s Notes from My Travels. In 2001, Jolie was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). In this capacity she visited refugee camps in Africa, Cambodia, Pakistan, and Ecuador. Jolie’s book not only lets you in on her life but also on the problems faced

base by 2030 will help to address this issue, although even more will no doubt have to be done if severe species loss is to be avoided.

“The second thing I found so impressive was the attendance of many indigenous leaders. Coming from all over the world, these leaders pressed for protection for intact landscapes wherever they are found, in order to safeguard wildlife and habitat, as well as indigenous and other cultures.

“Prime Minister Trudeau’s commitment to support Indigenous Conservation with $800 million in funding is VERY positive, and will no doubt support the creation of a passel of new Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA’s).

“One of these potential protected areas, the Dene Key Kusan, is being proposed by the Kaska Dene out of Lower Post. The DKK encompasses a vast swath of primarily intact land on the northwest side of the MK. The funding announced at COP15 will assist in bringing these proposals forward, a very positive step in achieving the goals of reconciliation.

MUSKWA-KECHIKA: A MODEL

“In summary then, it is clear that action is needed

NOW if we are going to maintain all the species of wildlife that presently exist on the land base. A new way of thinking about ‘conservation’ is needed, one that respects and conserves all values, as the MKMA does.

“This may be a time when the Muskwa-Kechika model is more important than ever before, as it offers the hope of sustaining wilderness, wildlife, and cultures for all time wherever they may occur across the globe. If 30 per cent of land can be fully protected, set in a matrix with the most intact and important swaths of the remaining land base are sustained by MKMA-like management, then perhaps there is hope.”

The deal reached by some 190 countries at COP15 is not a small deal. It sets out precise objectives on pesticides, on reducing the loss of species, on eliminated bad subsidies, and it doubles until 2025 and triples by 2030 global financing to protect and restore our planet’s biodiversity.

As Wayne says: “It is never too late to move the agenda in the right direction, and in my opinion COP15 does just that.”

Don Pettit lives and writes in Dawson Creek and is executive director of the Peace Energy Cooperative.

Choices for the new year

By John Grady

As we begin a New Year, many will have formulated their New Year’s resolutions. Time to lose weight, be nicer to my siblings, getting along with my boss, doing my homework, get those chores done around the house, helping Mom with the dishes, working out at the gym... the resolution list can just grow and grow. Over the years I have learned that my resolutions did not last and eventually came to an end. Nice intent, good idea, but no reality for me.

There is one course of action I can commit to, and I believe all followers of Jesus Christ can also work toward. As we read the scripture, we read where the Messiah (Jesus) had 12 disciples and these disciples were with Him wherever He went, and in everything He did. They traveled with Him, they ate with Him, rested with Him, rose with Him in the morning, and, in reality, lived their lives with Him. Jesus was also referred to as rabbi and teacher, and so it is only natural that the disciples were the students learning from the rabbi or, if you prefer, the teacher.

Every born-again believer is also a student and who is our teacher but the Lord. Who desires to teach us every day, every moment, to guide us, to change us, to lead us? Who desires to teach us to love, to give, to forgive, to share, to have joy, to have peace and eternal life with Him? Who is the same Messiah who taught the 12 disciples and every day desires to teach us?

Every day in 2023 there will be lessons given, there will be homework and there will be circumstances we are to learn from. There is so much for us to not only learn but to put into practice. We are students in 2023 and we can choose to learn from the Master, the Messiah, the Lord, the Teacher, the Rabbi.

May the Lord bless you and your family in 2023, and keep you: the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace in 2023.

by the UNHCR workers. This famous actress shows us that being a Hollywood star does not keep a person from being a caring human being.

VISITS TO HOSPITALS AND CARE HOMES

I am passing on a reminder from Northern Health. People are still required to be vaccinated, screened for illness, and wear masks if they wish to visit people in our hospital or care home. Patients do not need to be vaccinated. There are no barriers to patients when they arrive at the hospital.

SHINGLES VACCINE

On a Zoom call recently, a nurse from Saskatchewan mentioned there was a second shingles vaccine available. When I checked with local pharmacies, they did have the vaccine. You have to pay for it yourself but might be able to get refunded if you have an extended medical plan.

LIQUID SUNSHINE

In the winter when I open the fridge, I often take a swig of some thick liquid from a bottle. No, it is not alcohol; it is Arctic cod liver oil. I am not

too good at swallowing big pills so I buy the liquid kind. And, of course, it tastes awful just as it did when I was a kid, so I take a sip now and then instead of putting it off.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” —

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ruby McBeth lives and writes in Fort St. John.

COPYRIGHT & LEGAL NOTICE

and other materials submi ed to the Editor and accepted for publication remain with the author, but the Publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic, or other forms. Reproduction is prohibited without wri en consent of the publisher.

Alaska Highway News is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about our content, please let us know first. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163 for more information.

Second class mail registration No. 0167

John Grady lives and writes in Fort St. John.

CONTRIBUTORS

Ruby McBeth, Evan Saugstad, Ken Boon, John Grady, Don Pe it, Heather Sjoblom, Jaclyn McNicol, Merlin Nichols

Interested in contributing? Send an email to at editor@ahnfsj.ca

William Julian Regional Manager wj@ahnfsj.ca

Ryan Wallace Sales Manager rwallace@ahnfsj.ca

Ma Preprost Managing Editor editor@ahnfsj.ca

Lynn Novack Circulation Manager circulation@ahnfsj.ca

Sam’sFriend RestaurantCook (Two) Preparesfoodon themenu,take− out,andspecial functions.Check inventory,order supplies,trains staffandsupervise thekitchenopera− tionsandcleanli− ness. 250−782−3666 samfriendjobs@ gmail.com

Sam’sFriend RestaurantFood andBeverage Attendant(Two) Attendstocus− tomers’ordersand requests,receives payments,pre− parestables,at− tendstotheclean− linessofthe restaurant,and maybeassignedto hostspecialfunc− tions. 250−782−3666 samfriendjobs@ gmail.com

Field Production Administrator - Montney Operations

About Us

Murphy Oil Corporation is a leading independent energy company committed to balanced

oil and natural gas development and exploration. We remain steadfast in our devotion to innovative strategies and differentiated perspectives, resulting in sustainable, efficient growth worldwide. At Murphy Oil Corporation, we believe the rich experiences and backgrounds of our employees strengthen our Company, create a productive workforce, and drive our success. We encourage you to apply for the positions for which you meet the qualifications. Please apply online, www.murphyoilcorp.com/life-at-murphy/

Job Summary

Reporting to the Asst. Superintendent, Montney Asset, the Field Administrator will be responsible for all office administration duties in the Montney Field Office. The role’s primary accountability is to ensure the effective day-to-day support of various requirements to ensure the overall administrative needs of the office/asset are met in a professional manner.

Responsibilities

• Provide detailed oversight/management to field accounts-payable process – ticket coding, creating/processing PO’s / AFE’s, etc. – in an efficient and time-sensitive manner to facilitate accurate financial data.

• Work with external service and supply vendors when required to address gaps in invoicing process

• Work with different disciplines to ensure required regulatory information/files are organized and uploaded to cloud-based document repositories.

• Execute basic reception duties and maintain a clean & safe reception area

• Assist different departments in various data gathering requirements – manhours, fleet vehicle kilometers, etc.

• Support the onboarding process for new employees and contractors to ensure all activities and requirements are coordinately appropriately.

• Act as liaison with Murphy’s IT department to ensure that all shared office equipment is well functioning.

• Work with field management to track and report on all workers’ required training and assist in booking training as required.

• Manage general supply requirements/inventory for field office

• Assist in preparing and maintaining presentations and spreadsheets

• Effectively respond to various ad hoc requests for information and/or project support

• Execute basic office administrative responsibilities not limited to: note-taking, arranging travel, monitoring group email accounts, social event coordination, etc.

• Collaborate with other administrative professionals at Murphy in the interest of continuous improvement initiatives.

• Work to become a local subject matter expert on key administrative tools and applications used by all field personnel.

Qualifications/Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent

• Minimum 5 years of direct work experience in administrative support

• Proven computer skills, specifically with MS Office programs, MS Teams & DocuSign

• Exceptional organizational skills - ability to identify, plan, prioritize and execute work objectives

• Demonstrated skills in time management

• Proven ability to multi-task and remain detail-oriented in a fast-paced environment

• This position is an office-based role and works Monday to Thursday, 8.75 hours per day and 4 hours on Fridays.

• This position is deemed as a Safety Sensitive position, pre-employment drug and alcohol testing is required

Desired/Preferred Qualifications

• Diploma in Applied Business Technology or successful completion of a related Office Administration program would be considered an asset.

• Prior experience/knowledge of SAP would be considered an asset

• Knowledge of the oil and gas industry

Murphy Oil Company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or have appropriate work authorization in Canada will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, genetic information, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status or any other category protected by federal or provincial law.