AHN NOV 24, 2022

Irish dancers qualify for Worlds

Several dancers from the Watt School of Irish Dance in Fort St. John travelled to Victoria this past weekend to compete in the West ern Canadian Irish Dance Championships.

The top dancers from across Western Canada were there, all vying for the top spots including national and world-qualifying placements.

All of the dancers from our club, under the direction of Hailey Moore and Aisling

Watt, had great results, with all of the team members who placed earning a spot at the North American Irish Dance Championships in Nashville in July 2023.

Nine dancers also quali fied for the World Irish Dance Championships (WQ) in Montréal that are set to take place in April 2023.

Here are the results from the Western Canadians:

1st U12 - Hillary Campbell (WQ)

1st U16 - Naia Gibbons (WQ)

2nd U11 - McKinley Pom eroy (WQ)

2nd U18 - Emalee Chapple (WQ)

3rd U13 - Reese Gibbons (WQ)

3rd U17 - Mélodie Kemp (WQ)

4th U15 - Lauryn Campbell (WQ)

5th U11 - Paisley Gibbons (WQ)

7th U13 - Kayleigh Fowler

(WQ)

10th U11 - Violet

Kursteiner

11th U11 - Beau Almeida

12th U11 - Heidi Blackmore

13th U12 - Gemma McQuillan

15th U16 - Ava Wolff

Great efforts by Linley Jara bek, Kristi Braun, and Natasha Bell at the competition.

Well done, ladies! — Ashley Campbell, Watt School of Irish Dance

Paci Can opening Fort St. John o ce

Arthur Williams awilliams@pgcitizen.ca

International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan was in Prince George last week to announce the opening of the Pacific Eco nomic Development Agency of Canada’s offices in three northern B.C. communities.

PacifiCan has offices in Prince George, located at the UNBC campus, Prince Ru pert, and Fort St. John. The federal eco nomic development agency’s mandate is to promote economic development and cre ate jobs in B.C. The agency was created in August 2021, when Western Economic Di versification Canada was divided into two agencies: PacifiCan and Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan).

PacifiCan has an office in Vancouver, and a liaison office in Ottawa. In addition to the offices in Prince George, Prince Ru pert and Fort St. John, the agency is also looking to open offices in Campbell River, Cranbrook, Kelowna, Victoria and a new head office in Surrey.

The success of northern B.C. will be “a

driver” for economic growth in the prov ince, Sajjan said. The region’s natural re sources sector is well established, and the Port of Prince Rupert is currently Canada’s third-busiest port, he said, which offers huge potential for growth.

Having offices located in communities in the north will make the agency more ac cessible to businesses and communities

in the region, he said. And having local people, who understand the region, in pos ition in those offices will make the agency more responsive to the needs of the north.

“You will see us here more often, be cause there is a lot for the northern region to offer the world,” Sajjan said. “The innov ation that is happening here is needed all over the world.”

MILLIONS IN FUNDING

Sajjan also announced a total of $3.1 million in PacifiCan funding for 13 projects in 11 communities across the northern and interior of B.C. on Thursday.

Project funding included $750,000 for sidewalk and boulevard upgrades in Tum bler Ridge, $400,000 for an indoor shoot ing range in Dawson Creek, $457,070 to revitalize the Tse’K’wa Cultural Centre in Charlie Lake, $314,808 to rehabilitate an aging tennis court in Dawson Creek and several smaller projects.

“These projects make our communities better,” Sajjan said. “They create commun ity assets that will be loved for generations.”

— Prince George Citizen

ARTHUR WILLIAMS PHOTO

Minister Harjit Sajjan announces the Pacfic Economic Development Agency of Canada.

Warmth and comfort showcased

Dave Lueneberg sports@ahnfsj.ca

For Taylor’s Julie von Hollen, designing and creating quilts has become a big part of her life and through a display this month at Peace Gallery North, she gets to share that passion with others.

“I was actually taking care of grandma [Jean von Hollen] after grandpa died several years ago. I was in the house, not doing anything except staying there. I went to go pick up some yarn, to do a little crochet project, and saw a little bag of blue scraps.”

Those scraps turned out to be quilting patches.

“I didn’t really know how to sew. I hadn’t done it since Grade 8. It was only a sewing class and I didn’t do a lot of learning there,” she laughed.

When she brought the fabric home, Jean offered up her sewing machine.

“It was broken,” said von Hollen and the repair shop told her it would take up to two months to fix.

Enter Plan B.

“So, I started hand-stitching and I hand-stitched an entire table runner [12 inches wide by 36 inches long] in two months, and I learned a lot,” she conceded.

“It was just two-and-ahalf-inch squares that I sewed together.”

Once the machine was fixed, von Hollen was able to speed up the process by a bit, and based on her output, really hasn’t let up since.

Fast forward to November 2022 where her craft is now hanging from the walls of a gallery, all kinds of designs, ones to not only be admired but meant to keep family, friends, and clients warm through the long winter.

In fact, all but two are for sale.

The exhibit continues until Nov. 26. von Hollen was asked how she comes up with a design.

“I look up quilts online. I find something I like and my brain tells me I can do that. You can make that Julie and I say,

oh…kay?”

Not a believer in patterns, she formulates a lot of it in her head breaking it all down and building it all back up to make it her own.

“I have to buy all of the back, which is usually one separate whole piece, and then buy each different colour of the cotton fabrics. I cut them up and then sew them all together. It’s a lot work, but I really love it.”

The intricacy and detail are amazing.

Although each quilt is different, the black quilt (see photo) took close to 80 hours, the equivalent of two weeks of full-time work, although von Hollen doesn’t necessarily like to think of it that way.

So, how does an avid quilter become a showcase artist?

“Two years ago, my mom said they were looking for things to put in the art gallery and I’d like to sign you up. I laughed, and said – sure, of course.”

From that - her very first art show. And, as they say…the rest is stitchery!

Cold impacts animals too

Dave Lueneberg sports@ahnfsj.ca

With the second cold wave of the season upon us, two Fort St. John-based veterinarians are reminding us to consider the cold when it comes to our pets and livestock.

“Definitely, one of the things we want to consider is their water source,” said Dr. Justin Sewell with Rivers Animal Hospital, if the pet is outdoors more so than indoors. “Make sure you have a heated water source or they have access to inside where they can drink water.”

Another concern is frostbite.

“Typically, we see it on the tips of the ears, their tails, and the foot pads. Generally, though, if a dog wants to go outside and you’re outside for a short time with them, it’s not a concern,” Sewell described.

“I think where we see the trouble is when you let your pet outside, forget you let it outside, and they want back in. If they can regulate themselves, scratch at the door, and you let them back in, they’re probably not getting frostbite.”

“It usually doesn’t happen when you’re aware of the animal. It can happen when you forget.”

Snow on the ground also brings with it its own problems, he added.

“We start to have that melt/ thaw/moisture thing. There’s a lot of ice, like on a walking surface, and we see a lot of cut foot pads, torn dewclaws, or ice on top of bed of snow, we’ll definitely see lacerations from that.”

The care of livestock is just as significant in the cold.

“Probably the biggest things are them having options to get out of the weather, to some degree. The winds, more than anything, whether that’s shelters, barns, tree stands…something that will help break the winds,” said Dr. Kim Jones with the North Peace Veterinary Clinic.

“Having good nutrition is important, just so they’re in

a good body condition but also helps them prepare their winter coat. With snow on the ground, access to water is important, that there are open water sources so they function rapidly on their digestive side, especially when we’re talking about ruminants like cattle, goats, and sheep. Their guts are their furnaces, essentially. So, they need to have food in there to help keep them warm and regulated that way.”

Jones said older horses or horses who came from warmer climates might also need an insulating blanket to help them cope with the cold.

“Maybe, they haven’t developed a good hair coat, so modifications in that respect. Even adding layers, removing layers as temperatures fluctuate.”

An interesting fact: winter coats become thicker, not because of dropping temperatures but based on the amount of daylight, which becomes less and less during the winter months. Each case, Jones said, is different and may involve extra grooming – for example, with performance horses.

“Often, they’ll go into indoor arenas, so their owners don’t want them to get huge hair coats because then they’ll sweat a lot when they’re competing. In this case, they need to make sure they’re dry before you turn them out in the cold weather.”

Ensuring an ideal weight both before and during winter also plays into the animal’s health, livestock included, Jones pointed out.

“Like I said before, their gastro-intestinal system is their furnace. So, good quality forage [hay] or hay mix [grass, alfalfa] is the best option. Some will need additional supplementation when it gets even colder, depending on what their needs are.”

Jones said that can be in the form of pellets or grain. As always, if you feel an animal in your care is in distress, the first call should be to a licensed vet; many offering 24/7/365 access for emergencies.

LEARN AT PLAY, EVERY DAY.

DAVE LUENEBERG PHOTO

Julie von Hollen is the featured artist this month at Peace Gallery North in Fort St. John.

‘Concerning signals’ in local labour market

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Unemployment in Northeast B.C. was too low to report for a second month in a row in October, but there are “concerning signals” for the local labour market as it still struggles to recover from the pandemic, analysts say.

It’s the fifth time this year that Stats Canada has withheld unemployment data in its monthly labour force survey, citing confidentiality. Unemployment was too low to report in January, February, and March, before rising to a peak of 5% in May and June.

According to Stats-Can, there were 38,000 people working in October, 200 fewer than reported in September, when unemployment numbers were also too low to report.

Unemployment figures as well as the unemployment rate are suppressed to meet 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.”

With an estimated labour force of 38,900 in October, however, there were about 900 people unemployed last month. A year ago in Octo-

ber 2021, there were 36,000 people employed and 2,200 unemployed. And since the beginning of 2022, the jobs count is up by 700 from January, when 37,300 were reported employed.

Among all economic regions of B.C., the northeast has both the highest overall employment rate, 68.3% as of September, and labour participation rate, at 70% for the month.

“While the headline unemployment number suggests a healthy labour market, there are some concerning signals,” said analyst Ben Sander, a partner at Sander Rose Bone Grindle, in a release this week from the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC). “For instance, while employment was up over the past year, it remained well below 2019 levels.”

The CPABC’s analysis says overall employment in September of this year was 2.6% lower than in September 2019, when 39,200 were employed.

Job gains in the region between September 2021 and 2022 have been concentrated in full-time positions, up 10%. Part-time jobs though have plummeted by 16.1% over that period. And the labour participation rate, though the highest in B.C., is still down from 76.1%

in September 2019, the CPABC noted. There have been 2,500 residents who have left the labour force, it said.

“The sustained decline in labour participation is a troubling sign, as our region has relied on its robust working age population to drive the economy,” Sander said.

“It has also become a growing challenge for businesses looking to add employees, particularly in the service sector where many industries have struggled to recover. Conversely, the natural resource workforce saw significant growth.”

Other Northeast B.C. highlights from the CPABC report: - Service sector employ-

ment fell to 24,000 in September 2022, a decline of 0.8% compared to September 2021, and 6.6% from September 2019;

- Employment in the hospitality industry fell 9.1% over the past year, and declined by a third compared to September 2019;

- Wholesale/retail employment also declined 9.6% over the past year, and remained 13.0% lower than in September 2019;

- Goods sector employment increased 14,100 in September 2022, increasing of 17.5% over the past year — “due to a significant uptick in natural resource employment, with

the industry’s workforce more than doubling to 6,500 positions (+109.7 per cent)”; and - Goods sector employment was up by 3.7% compared to in September 2019.

“The employment data highlights that our economy still has not fully recovered. Worryingly, the region’s job vacancy rate hit a record high this year and many businesses have struggled to find enough employees to fill open positions,” Sander said. “To improve our economic outlook, it is critical that barriers to re-entering the labour market are minimized, and the region is marketed as an affordable and attractive place to immigrate.”

Regional Board of Directors take Oath of Office, elect Board Chair and Vice-Chair

The Peace River Regional District’s new Board of Directors met for the first time since the results of the Local General Election were announced in October. At the November 10 Inaugural Meeting in Dawson Creek all twelve Directors took an Oath of Office

the swearing-in ceremony, made before Judge Golinsky and RCMP Constable Ziemnicki. A call for

followed, with voting conducted by secret ballot.

The Board of Directors for the PRRD and Hospital District is comprised of four Electoral Area Directors and eight Municipal Directors, with the later appointed by the councils of their respective municipalities.

The PRRD is pleased to confirm the following appointments:

Board Chair: Leonard Hiebert

Vice-Chair: Dan Rose

Electoral Area Director, Area B: Jordan Kealy

Electoral Area Director, Area C: Suzanne Haab Electoral Area Director, Area D: Leonard Hiebert Electoral Area Director, Area E: Dan Rose Municipal Director, District of Chetwynd: Allen Courtoreille

• Municipal Director, City of Dawson Creek: Darcy Dober

• Municipal Director, City of Fort St. John: Lilia Hansen

• Municipal Director, City of Fort St. John: Tony Zabinsky

• Municipal Director, District of Hudson’s Hope: Dave Heiberg

• Municipal Director, Village of Pouce Coupe: Marcel Woodill

• Municipal Director, District of Taylor: Brent Taillefer

• Municipal Director, District of Tumbler Ridge: Darryl Krakowka

The PRRD will be working with the Regional Board in the coming weeks to announce alternates and update the public with Electoral Area Director profiles. An overview of the current Board of Directors is available on the

$30 million tourism fund from the Province now accepting grant applications

In February 2021, in response to the pandemic and through StrongerBC, the Province provided $20 million for 54 projects specifically for tourism through the first round of the 2021 Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program’s (CERIP) Destination Development stream.

In February of this year, the Province announced that it would be investing an additional $30 million over the next two years to continue investing in tourism infrastructure British Columbia, via the Destination Development Fund.

The Province is now accepting grant applications to the Destination Development Fund until December 7, 2022. The fund will award grants across two streams, up to $1 million and up to $500,000 per project, respectively. Eligible organizations include local governments, Indigenous governments, development organizations and not-for-profit organizations.

The PRRD signaled the opening of the tourism grant in its latest Grant Opportunities Newsletter, a subscription offered through the Grant Writer Services program. The Regional District is encouraging all community groups and not-for-profit organizations in the Peace region to sign up for the monthly newsletter at prrd.bc.ca/services/grants.

More information on the Destination Development Fund can be found at gov.bc.ca.

To view board and committee meeting dates and agendas, visit: prrd.bc.ca/agendas-minutes/

Join the Discussion Engage in the active consultations happening in the Peace River Regional District. haveyoursay.prrd.bc.ca

CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

as part of

nominations for Chair and Vice-Chair

Regional District’s website at prrd.bc.ca.

Photo courtesy of Dave Lueneberg Top row from left: Director Rose, Director Dober, Director Hiebert, Director Taillefer, Director Kealy, Director Hieberg, Director Zabinsky Bottom row from left: Director Krakowa, Director Haab, Director Hansen, Director Courtorielle, Director Woodill

Huskies make it nine-in-a-row

Dave Lueneberg sports@ahnfsj.ca

The Fort St. John Huskies remain the hottest team in the Northwest Junior Hockey League after a 7-2 win in Beaverlodge Saturday night.

“I think it was a good team game for us tonight,” said head coach Todd Alexander on the bus ride home. “There’s probably a couple of plays we’d like back where we didn’t capitalize on.”

Fort St. John outshot the Blades 47-16 and went 2-for2 on the penalty kill. Brandon Modde led the way on the score sheet for the Huskies with a goal and two helpers, something certainly being noticed by his coach.

“Brandon has been playing really well ever since La Crete. He started to bear down and play just the way he can play and get back to what makes him good.”

In his first seven games this season, the 20-year-old defenceman had six points. In his last nine, and since the start of the win streak Oct. 22, he has 25. “Tonight he was just real calm. Played so confident with the puck. Never put it [the puck] in a bad spot tonight. Always healthy plays.

No turnovers.”

Modde has 11 goals and 20 assists in 16 games, and slid into second place in the league scoring race Saturday night, two points behind teammate Kurtis Lee.

SHUTOUT FLYERS

Brandon Modde and Kurtis Lee each had a goal and five helpers as the Fort St. John Huskies rolled to their eighthstraight win Nov. 18, beating the Fairview Flyers 13-0.

Thomas Loewen also added two goals and goalie Jackson Powers stopped all 11 shots in the team’s third con-

secutive shutout of the season against the Flyers.

“It doesn’t matter who we line up against. Doesn’t matter who we’re playing, it matters how we’re playing,” said Modde, following the game. “Focus on things we do and show up every night.”

THIS WEEKEND

The Huskies (12-3-1) will play the top two teams in the league this coming Friday and Saturday – the second-place Sexsmith Vipers (16-3-0) at home, and the first-place Grande Prairie Wheat Kings (15-1-2) on the road in GP.

Personal bests for Elks

North Elks Club Manager

It was a very successful competition for the Fort St John Elks Speed Skating Club at the Can-Am International Long Track meet held at the Calgary Olympic Oval this past weekend.

All skaters had personal bests and almost all of the skaters had personal bests in every distance that they raced. Coach Richard Stickel commented that in all his years of coaching he can’t recall a meet that was as successful involving so many skaters.

In total, 37 personal bests were achieved throughout the three day event. Racing at Can-Ams were Elks skaters Josh Telizyn, Brooke Braun and Kieran Hanson who are currently training in Calgary, as well as Hannah North, Matthew Mitchell, Jack Hanson, Connor Mason-Bennett, Austin MacGregor and Cheyanne Key training in Fort St John.

The Elks also had three skaters competing at the Prince George Central Interior Challenge Short Track Meet. Subhaan, Taha and Maida Ahmed.

Great job, everyone!

4-H Club would like to inform you, that we will be starting back up in January and new recruits are welcome. We would also like people that participated last year to stay with us. ough to join this club you must own a horse and somewhat know how to ride. We do have a riding instructor to teach you how to control your horse and become a better rider :) at Achievement Days we were so happy to show o what we had learn throughout the year. We had great leaders that were always there to help us learn. We also did a big ditch clean up alone the Cecil Lake highway and had pizza after we were done. Many of our members continue to go to horse shows and do other disciplines outside of 4-H rides and activities.

Kailey Amboe :0

Kate

SUBMITTED

Elks team photo at the Can-Am International in Calgary Nov 19-20, 2022.

DAVE LUENEBERG PHOTO

Huskies celebrate during a a 13-0 of the Fairview Flyers on Friday, Nov.18.

Telizyn to lace up skates for Canada

Fort St. John speed skater Josh Telizyn is one of eight student athletes who will represent Canada at the upcoming 2023 FISU World University Winter Games.

The national team was announced Wednesday by U SPORTS and Speed Skating Canada, which said skaters were chosen based on their results from the national long track championships held last month in Quebec City.

The FISU winter games are scheduled Jan. 12 to 22 in Lake Placid, with the speed skating competition slated to run from Jan. 15 to 20.

Featured events include both men’s and women’s competition in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, mass start, and team pursuit, according to a news release. Women will also skate the 3000m and the men the 5000m, it said.

“Eight Canadian student-athletes will hit the outdoor ice at the James B. Sheffield Olympic Skating Rink – the site where Gaétan Boucher won silver in the 1000m at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games – with hopes of winning Canada’s first-ever speed skating medal at the FISU World University Games,” the sport organizations said in a joint release.

National program assistant coaches and Olympians Shannon Rempel and Muncef Ouardi will lead the Canadian team, according to the release. The Canadian team is rounded out by:

- Laura Hall (Salmon Arm, B.C.; University of Calgary)

- Rose-Anne Grenier (Sainte-Marie, Que.; Laval University)

- Anna Bourgeois (Calgary, Alta.; University of Calgary)

- Laurie Cayer (Lévis, Que.; Laval University)

- Frank Roth (Calgary, Alta.; University of Calgary)

- David La Rue (Montreal, Que.; Laval University)

- Joshua Telizyn (Fort St. John, B.C.; Thompson Rivers University)

- Hubert Marcotte (Pont-Rouge, Que.; Laval University); and

- Lauren Vickery, Physiotherapist (Edmonton, Alta.)

Telizyn, a product of the Fort St. John Elks speed skating program, moved to Calgary to join the Calgary OIympic Oval’s Pathway Team after graduating from North Peace Secondary in 2020.

Public Notice of Proposed Road Name Change: Gimmys Avenue

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure gives notice pursuant to Section 2(1)(f) and 2.2 of the Transportation Act that an application has been made to change the name of Gimmys Avenue, located in Fort St. John, B.C., to Young Road. Anyone wanting to provide comments of support or opposition to the proposed road name change should do so in writing no later than November 30, 2022, to the Peace District O ce at: 300-10003 110th Avenue Fort St. John, B.C., V1J 6M7

For more information, please contact Development Approvals by telephone at 250 645-9575 or by email at DevApps.FSJ@gov.bc.ca

BROADENINGHORIZONS

The FSJ Hospital Foundation Board is excited to share with the community our updated vision and mission statements. Allowing us to better serve our community and evolve with the needs of patients. Our vision statement: Enhancing patient care and comfort in the North Peace Region. This allows the Foundation to assist palliative care and other health related programs in the community.

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•

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a

BEANANGELDENIM&DIAMOND

GALA

After a two year hiatus, excited guests wined, dined and danced at The Pomeroy Hotel and Conference Centre for the FSJ Hospital Foundation’s signature event, ‘Be an Angel’ Gala on Saturday, November 5, 2022. The Ralph Pomeroy Ballroom was transformed into a spectacular Denim & Diamond themed winter wonderland by the FSJ Hospital Foundation decorating committee. The Foundation is pleased to announce that the community raised over $92,000 through the Be an Angel Gala in support of local healthcare! Every year, the Foundation selects a recipient for the Janet Taylor award who has generously donated their time, talents and passion to local healthcare. The Foundation was honoured to present this year’s award to Peace Villa Recreation Assistant, Kelly Fell. Kelly has raised over $40,000 for the FSJ Hospital Foundation and is a nine time Bluey Day Participant

Janet Taylor Award: Left to right: Megan Brooks (Community Giving & Event Coordinator), Kelly Amboe (Executive Director), Kelly Fell.

•

to

(November

year we

and get yours!

BEANANGELMONTH

Thank you to City of Fort St. John and District of Taylor for proclaiming November “Be an Angel” Month. Every November, FSJ Hospital Foundation reaches out to the community in support of local health care.

• Angel Mailout: Make a donation in honour or in memory of a loved one and ll out a paper ornament to join our stunning display at the totem mall.

Be an Angel Gala (November 5): The Be An Angel Gala is the community’s opportunity to support local healthcare in style with a fun evening of dinner, dancing, gaming, auctions, and more.

Angel Tree (November 14 - January): Experience our stunning holiday display featuring hundreds of personalized ornaments from our donors featured at the Totem Mall.

Light

Moose

23 -25): The 100.1 Moose FM crew and the FSJ Hospital Foundation team will be broadcasting live on location with our three-day radiothon, at the Murray GM parking lot. Funds raised will go towards the purchase of a Spectra Stainer & Coverslipper.

Angel Pins: Every

thank our donors with a commemorative Angel Pin. Pop in at the FSJ Hospital Foundation

City Council, Left

right, back row: Jim Lequiere, Trevor Bolin, Gord Klassen, Tony Zabinsky, front row: Kelly Amboe, Lori Ackerman, Lilia Hansen

SavetheDates

December1-15 Online WestJet Ra e

Be an Angel Decorating Committee Kelly Amboe (center) recognizing Asuncion Sta. Marie (left) and Veronica Page (right) for their outstanding contribution to the evening.

City lab advancing enviro sciences

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Tucked away in a small lab in Fort St. John, molds and microbes grow thick in small glass flasks and plastic Petri dishes, and lichen float in jars of jelly.

They’re the experiments of a small team of scientists bringing the next generation of pollution eaters and seed starters to contaminated in dustrial sites and ecosystems across North America.

“The bread and butter of the com pany right now is cleaning up pollu tion. The good thing is, there’s a lot of microbes that can do that,” says Tim othy Repas, president of Fixed Earth Innovations.

“We work with bacteria all the way through to molds and fungus. Some molds are better at eating oils. For some of our tougher pollutants like the old firefighting foams, the ‘forever chemicals’ as you often see them referred to, bacteria tend to be the ones that are better.”

Originally from Philadelphia, Repas moved to Canada 11 years ago to complete his master’s degree in biology at the University of Saskatch ewan in Saskatoon. He came north to Fort St. John almost nine years ago, where the work was in environment al consulting.

Much of the science being done today at the lab was the basis of his university studies. And it was later informed by his work cleaning up in dustrial pollution by excavation: Why not just leave it in the ground and let science do the heavy lifting?

“It’s challenging,” Repas says. “What my original master’s work was, was looking for these microbes that live in symbiosis with plants in difficult places, and actually help them survive in really challenging places like the oil well at 60 years old — How do you begin to bring it back to life?”

So he began piloting experiments with local companies, opening the Fixed Earth lab in December 2019. But the company’s first major break through came in 2021 at an old tannery site in northern Michigan destroyed in a fire. Almost a decade later, the nearby river was still foam ing up with perfluoroalkyl and poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the foams used to fight the fire, Repas explained.

Those substances are notoriously

toxic and near impossible to break down because of their chemical bonds. But Repas and his team have developed microbes with the hunger to break down the so-called “forever chemicals.”

“Our usual mantra is to get out into the real world to see if it works. It took a long time to convince people it would work,” he says. “We got laughed off the phone a whole bunch because you’re not supposed to be able to break these things down. They’re forever chemicals. And so Michigan was actually the first one to say let’s try it.”

“We saw some really great results, like a 64% drop in two weeks. Now we’re back there and we’re doing more work on that site.”

Today, the company is using its microbes to clean up military sites in Wisconsin, old gas stations and com mercial properties in Fort St. John, and to improve the health of trees on roadsides in Vancouver.

Its main focus though is targeting sites contaminated with those PFAS chemicals. Repas estimates some 57,000 such sites in the U.S. alone, from airports and military/industry sites, to landfills, wastewater plants, and compost heaps. PFAS is com monly found in everything from bur ger wrappers, plastic food packaging, and paper towel, he says.

“That problem is huge and it’s not going away anytime soon,” Repas says. “A lot of the groundwork for this is in the U.S., but I think it’ll come to Canada in time.”

There are practical applications in Northeast B.C. under experiment too, particularly for oil and gas well site reclamation. Up until a couple years ago, seeding a site with grass and clover was the norm.

“Of course, that’s not accepted anymore, as it really shouldn’t be, because those sites take forever to become forest again,” says Repas, noting standards have shifted to planting native species, though that presents its own challenges. Seed can be hard to find and hard to grow well.

“We’re hoping by using the mi crobes we can solve the hard-to-get part by using less [seed] because it grows better. So we don’t need five pounds of fireweed seed to do the site, maybe we only need half a pound, then we can get 10 times more sites done with the same

amount of seed,” he says.

“That’s the hope. Early results have been looking really good. We need a few more growing seasons to know for sure this is working.”

Microbes are part of the com pany’s puzzle, which collaborates with other scientists who have de veloped ways to get oxygen and other nutrients into the ground more quickly for the microbes, or who are developing specialized charcoals that create a home for them to flour ish and do their job.

“Even if a microbe works super well and you put it into a bad con dition, it doesn’t work,” Repas says.

“It’s just bringing these technologies into one solution. All of a sudden you went from cleaning up hydrocarbons in a decade to, we’ve had sites in as short as 15 days that, all of a sudden, you’re getting rid of a substantial amount of pollution.”

“Not all sites are that quick,” he adds. “But we can realistically talk months instead of years. It’s been a lot of collaboration. Even in Fort St. John, there’s a surprising number of people who have things that help.”

With three full-time scientists in cluding himself at the lab, Repas hopes to grow the company. He’s supported by a co-founding vicepresident, Daniel Lanman in Saska toon, and financial executive Andrea Forrest in Vernon, B.C. This past summer, the lab hosted two summer students, and a third will be complet ing their graduating capstone project there this year.

While Fort St. John may be an un likely place for a bio-tech startup, there are local science careers to be had here, Repas says.

“It’s been kind of a roller coaster, actually,” he says, “to be working on some of these sites and in meetings here in this little office in Fort St. John and all of the sudden the Air Force calls… It’s a little surreal sometimes.”

“The north in general presents a lot of opportunity, just all around. If you want to be outside, it’s a great place to be. If you want to work, it’s a great place to be,” he adds.

“There’s actually a lot of great people around town. We’ve had so many people supportive of what we do, even our business partners in town are like, ‘What do you need? This is cool. This is different.’

“I don’t think we would have found that anywhere else.”

‘Situation is urgent’: SPCA expands shelter search

The BC SPCA says it is expanding the search for a short-term animal shel ter in the North Peace to neighbour ing communities in Taylor and the wider regional district.

The local shelter in Fort St. John was closed in March after being deemed unsafe for workers and ani mals. In an update last Tuesday, a spokesperson for the agency says it has “faced a number of roadblocks” as there is an “extremely limited in ventory” of suitably zoned property within the city. “Our situation is ur gent and we have now expanded our search parameters to the Peace River Regional District and Taylor

in the hopes of leasing a space as quickly as possible,” said Adrienne McBride, the BC SPCA’s senior direc tor for community animal centres, in a news release on Nov. 15.

McBride says securing a shortterm lease is the priority as the search in Fort St. John continues. McBride says the SPCA is “100 per cent com mitted” to staying in the commun ity, and that city staff have worked to help find a solution.

“The community has been incred ibly helpful with our search and we have pursued numerous properties but each one has led to a dead end, either because the building has al

ready been leased or it is not zoned appropriately to house animals,” Mc Bride stated. “We are extremely anx ious to have a physical space to work from again where we can welcome people face to face, process adop tions, continue to provide kenneling for stray animals in Fort St. John and the District of Taylor, and provide easy access to community outreach programs such as our pet food bank.”

The SPCA says it has been sup ported throughout the closure by community partners such as foster families and local vet clinics, as well as its Dawson Creek branch, over the last several months.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Timothy Repas, president of Fixed Earth Innovations (centre), with project scientists Steph Crowe and Neil MacPherson.

New Oilmen’s Bonspiel champs

Dave Lueneberg sports@ahnfsj.ca

Champion X are the 2022 Fort St. John Petroleum Association Oilmen’s Bonspiel champs, but while the A-event final might have featured the best two teams of the weekend at the the 24-team tournament, it was the C-event showdown that every one was watching.

With teams from the other three finals already off the ice and upstairs in lounge, Scott Hydro-Vac and Sureline Pro jects put on a show. Tied 5-5 after five ends, the Scott squad placed four in the sixth to jump out 9-5; Sureline responding with one in the seventh to make it 9-6 going into the eighth.

Although down by three,

Sureline was determined to give it their best effort, and they did, lying three in house, and the chance to send the match to an extra end...but the hammer belonged to their opponents.

And, Scott skip Curtis Schafer did what he needed to do – place the last rock closest to the button, and he did, earn ing his rink a 10-6 decision and the title.

Champion X won the Aevent championship with an 8-0 shutout of 2021 defending champion Brad Brain Finan cial – teams shaking hands af ter four ends.

Balon Valve took the B with a 7-2 win over N2X Process Solu tions in a seven-end game.

And, Northern Impact Pro jects beat Rogers Trucking 4-1

in six to win the D-event crown.

Lead organizer Neil Carlstrom liked how the tournament went. “It went ex ceptionally well. I think every one was hungry to get out and fully take part,” he said. “Last year with Covid, we were only restricted to only sixteen teams of three people on a team. This year, we halted teams at 24. We had a few on the waiting list to get in. Well-received by everyone. Really happy to see a couple of teams out of Calgary and teams out of Grande Prai rie at this year’ s event.”

With a renewed interest and waiting list this year, Carlstrom said the organizing commit tee might consider expanding next November’s bonspiel to 32 teams.

Geothermal project one step closer

Dave Lueneberg sports@ahnfsj.ca

In what’s being deemed a critical milestone, a proposed geothermal operation near Fort Nelson is one step closer to reality.

The company behind the idea, announced Tuesday that it’s completed a successful 30day pump test of the Tu DehKah Geothermal project.

“The geothermal resource in the Clark Lake Field will sustain temperatures of near 120 de grees Celsius and that the por osity of the flooded reservoir will sustain the extraction and re-injection of commercially viable volumes of geothermal brine,” said a Deh Tai Corpora tion release.

“The water chemistry of the brine was also thoroughly

sampled and confirmed to be appropriate for development.”

Through its economic cor poration, the Fort Nelson First Nation is spearheading the project and Chief Sharleen Gale is thrilled with the news.

“We are all incredibly excited for what the future holds. I am happy to see our people lead ing this energy transition in the

Treaty 8 Territory located in Northeast BC. This revolution ary project will create major opportunity for our members, treaty partners and our neigh bouring communities in the North,” said Chief Gale.

Construction is expected to start in two years time with commercial operations set for 2026.

Nelson Bennett nbennett@biv.com

Oil and gas companies in the U.S. and Canada have been slammed by politicians on both sides of the border for reaping massive profits on high oil and natural gas prices, and reward ing shareholders, rather than reinvesting. But capital invest ments in Western Canada’s nat ural gas sector have picked up this year and are expected to in crease over the next few years, in anticipation of increased de mand from new liquefied nat ural gas (LNG) projects in B.C. and the U.S.

Two natural gas producers in B.C. now have long-term con tracts to supply gas to the U.S. Gulf Coast for LNG exports, which will require increased upstream production. The Al berta Energy Regulator pro jected capital spending on oil and gas to increase to $17 bil lion this year, which would be a 56 per cent increase over 2021.

“This year’s been a really banner year for gas develop ment,” said Ian Archer, asso ciate director of commodity insights for S&P Global. “We’ve seen very strong growth in Western Canadian production.”

Enbridge recently an nounced that it plans to invest between $3.6 billion and $5.5 billion to expand its natural gas pipelines in B.C. This sug gests the Montney formation in northeastern B.C. will continue to be a significant gas-produ cing region for decades and will continue to draw billions in investment, thanks to new LNG projects expected to come online soon in B.C. and the U.S.

Enbridge plans to spend $3.6 billion to expand its TSouth pipeline, which runs from Chetwynd to the Lower Mainland and the U.S. border. The expansion would increase the pipeline’s gas capacity by 300 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). The company plans to submit an application for the expansion to the Can adian Energy Regulator (CER) in 2024. It also plans to gauge producers’ interest in addi tional capacity on its T-North line, which runs from the Fort Nelson region to Alberta and ties into the T-South line. If there is sufficient demand from producers and shippers, the company would invest an addi tional $1.9 billion to expand the T-North line.

Enbridge isn’t the only midstream company with ex pansion plans. NorthRiver Midstream has applied to the CER for a new project, the North East B.C. Connector, which is a 215-kilometre twin pipeline that would run from B.C. to Alberta. That project is driven more by the natural gas liquids market than LNG. One pipeline would be for conden sate – a type of light oil used

to dilute bitumen. The other would be for other natural gas liquids. According to the BC Oil and Gas Commission, there were 310 new wells drilled in B.C. in 2022, and drilling can expected to ramp up over the next couple of years, provided the B.C. government and Blue berry River First Nation can agree on land-use issues in the region. Permitting new wells in B.C. has been on pause due to a court case that found that years of industrial development in the Peace region constituted an infringement of Treaty 8 rights.

In B.C., LNG Canada is ex pected to be in production by mid-decade, and Woodfibre LNG in Squamish is aiming for production in 2027. Enbridge now has a 30 per cent stake in that project, estimated to cost $5.1 billion, which includes the cost of a new pipeline connec tion that FortisBC is building for the project.

Two other proposed LNG projects moving through the regulatory process in B.C. are Cedar LNG in Kitimat and Ksi Lisims in Prince Rupert, and the partners behind LNG Can ada may at some point sanc tion Phase 2 of their project. That alone would double the demand for natural gas to four billion cubic feet per day from two billion cubic feet per day.

Some of the natural gas pro duced in B.C. and Alberta will supply LNG exports from the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Two of the biggest players in B.C.’s Montney now have long-term contracts to supply Cheniere Energy with natural gas for its Corpus Christi LNG expansion through a network of Canadian and American nat ural gas mainlines.

Tourmaline Oil has a 15-year agreement to supply Cheniere LNG with 140,000 million Brit ish thermal units (BTUs) of natural gas, according to the company’s November investor presentation.

Of the 545,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOEPD) that Tourmaline expects to pro duce in 2023, the B.C. Mont ney accounts for nearly half: 220,000 to 240,000 BOEPD. The company plans to increase pro duction to 700,000 BOEPD by 2028. A significant amount of that increased production will come from the B.C. Montney.

ARC Resources Ltd. (TSX:ARX) also has an offtake agreement with Cheniere LNG to supply 140,000 million BTUs of natural gas. And starting in 2026, ARC estimates 10 per cent of its production will be taken up by LNG Canada’s project.

ARC plans to spend $1.8 bil lion in 2023. About $575 mil lion of that would be spent in B.C. on new wells, according to the company’s November in vestor presentation.

•

•

•

DAVE LUENEBERG PHOTO

Champion X are the new Fort St. John Petroleum Association Oilmen’s Bonspiel champs after shutting out defending champs Brad Brain Financial. Left to right: second Jeff Campbell, lead Peter Bergen, skip Clint Giesbrecht, and third Gary Felix.

— Business in Vancouver

SUPPLIED

Tu Deh-Kah geothermal project near Fort Nelson.

WILLIAM NICHOLS

LANE JOHN WIEBE

NPSS Athletics update

Jaclyn McNicol NPSS Athletics Director

Grizzlies Volleyball played their final weekend of tournaments.

The Junior Boys team played in a lo cal tournament hosted by Bert Bowes. Looking for some redemption, NPSS was looking forward to playing Bert Bowes again as they have not been able to beat the team during the season. The Grizzlies have developed a lot this year and they solidified a tournament win. Dyson Felix and Isaiah Beukert both won players of the game. Isaiah improved more than anybody on the weekend and was dialed in the entire time.

“It is exciting to see the interest in Boys Volleyball and it was also reassur ing to know that North Peace will be get ting strong volleyball players through the pipeline as early as next year,” said head coach Scott Hyde.

The Senior teams travelled to Prince George to compete for their spot at BC School Sports provincials Nov. 30 to Dec. 2. The girls side had to compete in one best-of-5 match against Lake City. It was a solid weekend for the Senior Girls as they maintained control over the en tire game, playing with confidence and collectively gave a team effort. Player of the weekend goes to Paige Brown who demonstrated perseverance and grit this past weekend.

boys worked hard, but a couple of serv ing streaks by PGSS were the difference makers.

After the round robin games, the rankings came out to be PGSS, NPSS and then Williams Lake.

Next the Grizzlies played against Williams Lake Saturday morning to de cide who would play against PGSS in the Zones finals. The Grizzlies took the game in three-straight sets, earning the opportunity to play PGSS for a trip to provincials.

Heading into finals, we had a game plan to shut down a few key players on the PGSS team and the boys were able to execute. After dropping the first set, we took the next three sets to earn our first provincials berth since 2015. The team’s success was thanks to the whole team keeping their energy up, battling for every point and following our sea son’s theme of “Recognize, Accept, & Refocus.”

Our All Star for Zones went to Kaleb Bergen. He made critical plays at the net with momentum shifting blocks, huge defensive plays in the back row, and kept up the intensity with every play. The MVP for the weekend went to Bryce Telford. He was able to switch positions mid rally to ensure our game plan came to fruition, was a major part of our of fensive system, and encouraged every one on the court and bench to keep their energy up.

TAURUS  APR 21/MAY 21

Something in your life that seems ordinary on the surface can turn into something that is rather special. Taurus. Keep your eyes peeled for every possibility.

GEMINI  MAY 22/JUN 21

Gemini, all of the fanfare you are about to receive can make it seem like you are the most popular person on the planet. Revel in the attention while you have it.

CANCER  JUN 22/JUL 22

Sometimes the less traveled path can take you to some pretty special places, Cancer. Don’t be so quick to rule out opportunities that are right in front of you.

LEO  JUL 23/AUG 23

Start evaluating personal habits that may be holding you back, Leo. Upon closer examination, you may discover that there are some things you can easily change for the better.

VIRGO  AUG 24/SEPT 22

Virgo, much to your relief, your hard work could start paying o very soon. It has been a long time coming, so enjoy any rewards that come from your e orts.

LIBRA  SEPT 23/OCT 23

Consider a partnership that falls into your lap, Libra. It may provide you with some new social and business connections. There’s a lot of opportunity coming down the pike.

SCORPIO  OCT 24/NOV 22

Scorpio, it is alright to desire some quiet, but too much excitement is surrounding you lately for things to settle down just yet. Ride this wave a little longer.

SAGITTARIUS  NOV 23/DEC 21

A week full of possibilities and positivity lies ahead for you, Sagittarius. The only question is, “what are you going to do with it?” Bring a friend for the ride.

CAPRICORN  DEC 22/JAN 20

Capricorn, no matter how much work you have on your plate, rest assured that you have all of the resources available to get things done successfully.

AQUARIUS  JAN 21/FEB 18

The stars are interested in showering you with plenty of love right now, Aquarius. This could be one of the most enjoyable weeks you’ve had in quite a while.

PISCES  FEB 19/MAR 20

Romance could bloom this week if you are interested, Pisces. You also may be able to solidify an existing relationship.

NOVEMBER

The Grizzlies Boys Volleyball team had to compete in a round robin tourna ment on Friday and best-of-5 matches on Saturday. The boys started off Zones with back-to-back games against Wil liams Lake and PGSS. The boys started off slowly against Williams Lake after a long bus ride down to Prince George. We were able to get everyone in to play in this game and took the game handily in two sets.

The game against PGSS was a differ ent story. The strong PGSS team came out excited and swinging hard. Our

Next up: The Senior Volleyball teams are hosting a Volleyball Showcase as a Fundraiser for their travel to Prov incials on Nov. 24. Doors open at 5 p.m. The first game is at 6 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m.

The Grizzlies will be playing elite Alumni players and there will be a si lent auction with support from local businesses. Look forward to seeing you there!

The Boys soccer team is travelling to provincials this week to compete in Bur naby. Good luck Grizzlies!

Hunting traditions and lifelong friends

By Evan Saugstad

In 1994, I moved to Chetwynd and quickly discovered the won ders and excitement of elk hunt ing. Up until then, I had never lived where there was an elk season and had traveled elsewhere to hunt them. Deer and moose were enough.

That all changed when my brother Greg introduced me to elk and the bugle. First time out, I got to within a few yards of two bulls. I could see bush moving and hear their chirp ing but the brush was too thick to see them. In those early days, I didn’t know how to talk them in. But as they quickly departed when the wind changed, I had the misfortune to run straight into our friend Pete, and we had elk for the table. It wasn’t until ’97 that Greg bugled one in for me, and I was completely hooked.

Hiding behind a tree and waiting in anticipation as one bugles their way through the forest is as exciting and good as hunting gets. Over the years, I’ve had some great encounters.

Once, I was out until the wee hours of the morning at a friend’s stag only to be picked up by Greg after a couple hours sleep, and a two-hour drive to the bush for daylight. Of course, we immediately had an elk bugling, so down the hill and across the valley I went as Greg stayed behind, keeping him engaged. Oh, how my head hurt. I got close, real close, and let out my own bugle and in one came.

It came so fast that I put my hand up to flag him down before he stepped on me as I was sitting on the trail, a 4-point in a 6-point season, so he is safe. But then he got mad, real mad, screaming at me in defiance a few yards distance. The herd bull must now come for his own look, and by this time my head was pounding, my brain telling me I will die if I must pack 600 pounds of elk out on our backs.

I put my gun behind the tree, no changing my mind, got out my camera and then had a stare down at a few yards with one of the largest bulls I have ever seen. He must have understood, as he intently watched me alternate between taking pic

tures and bugling before heading back to tend his cows. Greg never did forgive me.

Another time, a young spike bull came wandering in with me sitting on the ground, fully camouflaged in a small clearing. He circled behind me where I could only hear him until he got so close I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as he sniffed me. A bit concerning, wondering whether he would just whack me or depart, but his discretion prevailed and he quietly left on the same track as he came in on.

Last year, a quiet cow chirp by my nephew Shane brought a young bull elk on the dead run, hooves beating a tattoo on the ground, sounding like the horse in an old Western movie. He slid to a stop, his butt almost dragging on the ground trying to get some trac tion as he realized we were not the cow of his dreams.

Sometimes you wonder what else your bugle will bring in. A bear, wolves, a bull moose, or other hunt ers? My good friend Guy, while bugling a bull for his friend, had a rather large grizzly quietly sneak in and stand up, 10 feet away — looking eye-to-eye until deciding he didn’t need to be there and quietly walked away. His friend gave him heck for stopping the bugle as he never heard or saw the bear. Yes, sometimes elk hunting can be too exciting.

Just as I was introduced to elk hunting, so too have I have done so with others. Five different hunters have been the beneficial recipients of my bugling and now all are hooked and avid elk hunters. Elk hunting is better done with others, as it’s much easier to get them into shooting range if one is bulging while another waits a short distance ahead with the rifle — and, given their size, some help with getting them home from the bush.

A September elk hunt is also a time to reconnect with lifelong friends and continue a tradition that started back in ’94 with November deer hunts and then converted to elk in 2014 when the deer populations crashed.

This year, my two lifelong friends, Ron and Barry, and I — almost 175 years of hunting experience be

tween us — arrived at camp on Sept. 4. Shane, much needed youthful muscle, a few days later. Still use a tent, sleep on the ground, put up with the mice (our significant others tend to shy away from wishing that experi ence), get up early, go to bed earlier, drink less than we used to, and still eat like kings. A goal of two elk, any thing legal, and meat coming first.

Up at 3:30 a.m., a quick breakfast, short drive, long quad ride, and at our favourite hunting spot by about 6 for daybreak. We park the quads and walk, and bugle and walk some more. If there’s no action by 10, we begin to work our way back to camp and rest, as there’s not enough energy to hunt until dark. We repeat the next day.

Some days there are lots of an swers, some days nothing at all. This year, with warm, quiet mornings, windy afternoons, nothing wants to check us out, no matter how hard we try. They are out there, still talkative, just not moving.

So we tried a different approach, with Shane and I deciding to go after them in the thick stuff, dense alder with an understory of chest high thimbleberry. Really noisy, impos sible to be quiet, but then that does the trick. A bull heard our thrashing and responded, we bugle back, and slowly up the hill he came. We now both bugle, pretending we are get ting ready for the fight and that is too much for him to resist.

One well-placed neck shot at just over 20 yards and we have one of our largest bulls ever, a very mature 6x6, with fully dressed hindquarters weighing in at 150 pounds, the fronts nearing 180. And as is our practice, we cut a skinny trail to the scene, tug him to the closest trees, lift with the winch, skin and then quarter with a reciprocating saw, put him into the meat bags then onto the quads, and then home into the cooler.

We came close to getting our second one but that wasn’t to be, and he escaped unscathed. This year, one large quarter each will have to suffice. Time to start getting ready for next year.

Evan Saugstad lives and writes in Fort St. John.

Charities at Christmas

By Ruby McBeth

Around this time of year, we are not surprised when we see the Salvation Army kettles at McDonald’s and Tim Hortons drive-thrus. Every quarter counts.

One charity approach that seems especially relevant at Christmas when we are in the gift-giving mode is the programs that give animals like goats or chickens to people in a third world country. Other options include money for medical clinics or education, bicycles, and solar panels. The choices all seem very practical. Children Believe (formerly Christian Children’s Fund), World Vision, and Canadian Feed the Children all have this type of program.

DINNER AND DANCE

That fantastic group at Seniors Reunite is putting on a dinner and dance for all seniors at the Seniors Hall on Friday, Dec. 2, from 4-8 p.m. This is a free event, but you need to register. Contact Savannah at szachary@urbansystems.ca or 778-8440614. Why not get a group together and make it your party?

SAFE DRIVING

Like many people I wondered about the changes made to 100th Street at the centre of town. Now that the road is open again, we need to get used to the new setup. Recently, I turned left without going into the turn lane. There was no one in that lane so it didn’t make for an accident, but it was a wake-up call for me. Later that day, I saw someone else ignoring the turning lane two blocks north of where I had turned. I guess I am not the only one who has to learn to use the new markings. It is too bad this is happening when the road markings are getting covered with snow.

SHUFFLEBOARD BACK

It took a while but the shuffleboard has been put together and is back in use at the Seniors’ Hall. The main part of the shuffleboard is a board which is around 20 feet long, two inches deep, and two feet wide. This was so heavy and awkward it took a while to get it set up. The shuffleboard came from the room now rented by the Metis Society and was relocated at the north end of the main room in our hall. Crib, pool, and shuffleboard are activities that can be enjoyed when you only have two people to play.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” — Marcus Aurelius

Ruby McBeth lives and writes in Fort St. John.

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EVAN SAUGSTAD PHOTO

Evan Saugstad: “Just as I was introduced to elk hunting, so too have I have done so with others. Five different hunters have been the beneficial recipients of my bugling and now all are hooked and avid elk hunters.”

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Stage North plays political outsider

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A nincompoop named Ned Newley — is that too long for a hashtag? So mused Arthur Vance, a political consultant and character in the theat rical satire The Outsider, which took to the stage last weekend at the North Peace Cultural Centre.

Written by Paul Slade Smith and presented by Stage North, the comedy followed newly-minted Governor Ned Newley (played by Warren Craig), a bumbling oaf unexpect edly tasked with running the government when the previous Gov gets caught up in a sex scandal. With chief of staff Dave Ri ley (played by Blair Scott) and Arthur Vance (played by Kevin Smith) by New ley’s side, the trio hatched a plan to keep unpopular Ned, with his lack of skill and personality, in office.

“Ned being not so great with people, probably the worst in that political field of celebrity-ship, gets on TV to be sworn in to his office. That doesn’t go so well and the state

is no longer satisfied with their new governor,” said Kaymia Laurine, the show’s director. “So they have to come up with a plan to keep him in of fice, a harebrained idea of theatrics pandering to the people wanting a celeb rity instead of someone who can actually run the government,” she said. “Typically we think of the people that we want to run being somebody like us, but we don’t know how to run the entire gov ernment. Most of us don’t even know everything it does anymore.”

Laurine, a first-time director, planned to stage the show in spring 2020 for the local zone theatre festival, but the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans. The sevenperson cast was rounded out by Paige Johnson (as screwball secretary Lulu Peakes), Jeryn Mackey (as pollster Paige Cald well), and Stevi MacGilli vray and Steve Hunter as the TV reporting duo of Rachel Parsons and A.C. Peterson. Laurine says she wanted her first play to have a manageable cast

and story material she felt confident with. The comedy she found with The Outsider fit the bill.

“I read through a lot of different plays and at the time I remember there were a lot of different pol itical things happening, different elections,” she said. “I remember think ing, this is dumb. I can not believe this is what we fall for these days, the way that politicians have turned into a celebrity instead of what they’re supposed to be, which is people who do a job and they do it for all of us... Reading a play that said that and also made me laugh struck a chord.”

JOHNNY CASH AUDITIONS

Coming up next for Stage North, auditions for Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash. The group is looking for men who can sing and play instru ments, with an audition scheduled Nov. 26 at their rehearsal space, from 4 to 8 p.m. at 11520 Bypass Road. The show is sched uled to take the stage in March.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Stage North actors during a scene from the political satire, ‘The Outsider’.