ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021 | NEWS | A7
Burns nicht goes drive-thru this year Fifty-four years of tradition celebrating Scotland’s most famous bard in Fort St. John continues this month. The Masons and Shriners hold the annual Robbie Burns Night, drive-thru style, at the Masonic Hall on Jan. 23. “We didn’t want to lose that continuity. It’s 54 years without a missed year. It’s important to somehow continue that tradition,” said Dan Davies, one of the organizers. “The 55th will be that much better, especially when we’re all in person.” Robbie Burns was a pioneer of the Romanticism literary movement in the mid-1700s. Despite growing up in poverty and hard-
ship on a farm, Burns learned to read and write from his father and went on to become the writer of some of the world’s most famous poetry and lyrics. Robbie Burns Night is celebrated coast to coast in Canada and around the world, and involves a feast, poetry readings, dances, toasts to attendees, and a special address to the haggis — Scotland’s national dish of meat and oatmeal, onions, salt, and spices wrapped and cooked in a sheep’s stomach. This year’s take-home meal will include a roast beef dinner with potatoes, turnips, salad, and dessert, and, of course, haggis. An hour of online and radio pro-
gramming is being planned to accompany the supper hour. “It might not be the normal way we’ve done it but we’re still doing it. That’s important,” said Davies. “People can tune in and listen to stories about Robbie Burns, music, poetry, comedy. It’s a way that we can still deliver entertainment,” Davies said. Proceeds from an online auction will go to support Shriners Hospitals for Children. “Everything is down across the globe,” said Davies. “They usually do a couple big fundraisers that have been cancelled. Anything helps.” To learn more, and order a meal, click here.
City plans modified winter fest Those hoping the city’s High On Ice Festival would take place this year despite the pandemic received some good news as the city confirmed the festival will indeed happen Feb.12 to 15. The festival will look slightly different in 2021, with a mix of virtual, doit-yourself, and drive-thru activities planned. The ice sculpting competition will still take place, and can be viewed through a driving experience that will include the sculptures and unique, fun lighting. There will be all sorts of crafts and arts activities that families can do at home, with awards being handed out for best decorated home, best winter costume, and best snowman,
among others. Families will be able to enjoy free skating, free swimming, and outdoor skating and cross country skiing, as well as participate in a scavenger hunt, story walk, and winter photo contest. “We are a winter city, and the annual High on Ice Winter Fest is always eagerly anticipated. Thanks to our recreation department, who have been working hard to modify this year’s event to ensure it complies with the Provincial Health Orders. While this year it will be different, we can still celebrate winter as a community,” said Mayor Lori Ackerman. For more info on this year’s festival visit the city’s website.
ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021 | OP-ED | A11
Trust me, elect me
Library program needs support
MERLIN NICHOLS
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eep on trusting in spite of what you see because we leaders are here for your ultimate good in spite of what you hear, see, or think. Really, Canadians, what are the ingredients of good government? Confucius says, “They be three: sufficient food, sufficient weapons, and the confidence of the common people.” But, Master Confucius, suppose you must give up one of them, which will it be? Without hesitation, Confucius says with benign smile, “Naturally, I will dispense with weapons.” Please bear with me for one more question, Master Confucius: You have to give up one of your last two. Which will it be? Confucius says with great patience, “Come, now, my young and foolish student, the answer is self evident. To have good government we can dispense with weapons; we can even give up food and tighten our belts for from of old hunger is the lot of all humanity; but we cannot govern without the trust of the common people; a people who no longer trusts its leaders is troubled, indeed.” Months ago, our leaders told us that it was arrogant, even racist to close our borders against potential invasion of covid from you know where. Time told; it was neither arrogant nor racist. After it was too late and Covid was well established in Oh Canada they reversed their position and closed the borders (sort of); they even locked us down, closed the doors of private enterprise, but left open access to the big internationals. And the really rich got real-
ly richer during this charade. Really, they did! They also forbade visits to our grandparents who were dying alone. Did our leaders ever pause to consider: Maybe they’ll live longer or die happier if we allow visits? We took it all stoically and obeyed with diminishing patience because we habitually trusted. Oh yes, we’re Canadian – proudly. When we the trusting people were thoroughly conditioned after Pavlov’s model, our leaders granted some respite while promising a return of the plague in the fall. They were right; covid returned, or so we are told. Now, in a reversal of the rules from last spring, masks could be important. Now they are truly important. Now they are getting more important. Now they are mandatory. But Christmas was coming and all through the house there was nobody stirring, well, perhaps a mouse – who hasn’t heard the no-visiting, stay-at-home, self-isolate, distance, frequent-washing orders from the big house. Did they really say “No visiting, self-isolate, distance, stay at home?” I think so, but the orders will be repeated (again) in 20 minutes so we don’t have to think, we just have to obey.
In fact, we’re given nothing about which to think! So we obeyed. We stayed home, spent Christmas day cleaning house from bottom to top, vacuuming, dusting, washing windows. We did so; no lie! And then we had Thursday’s leftovers for supper. Merry Christmas! The news began trickling in, then rapidly breaking. First one, then another, then a whole bunch of our elected leaders, after warning us sternly and explicitly to stay home, etc, etc, etc saw fit to fly themselves off to soak up some out-of-sight, outof-mind warm-weather and Greek vacations and patch up those shingles in sunny, southern California. Welldeserved time off, no doubt. Believe me! Obviously, they hadn’t taken to heart the Scripture that warns, “Be sure your sins will find you out.” Or maybe they hadn’t heard that warning; maybe they simply thought they were entitled to a little outing. Only the guilty know – and I am not so sure that they even believe themselves now, if ever they did. So, Canadians, let’s get down off our smug horse and recognize that our own elected officials have a long way to go to regain our confidence. We elected them to govern and sadly have found that too many of them cannot govern
themselves. Canada is in troubled times now not exactly covid-generated. With leaders who practice “Do what I say, not do what I do because I am government, not you” we can be sure that more trouble is in the offing. Perhaps trouble such as we have never dreamed happening in Oh Canada. Confucius warns, “Government cannot govern without the trust of the common people.” I am, and perhaps everyone who chances to read these words are, the common people. My trust in government is greatly diminished – and that from a lowlevel start. Canadians, where do we go from here? The rot is not restricted to one political party; it is epidemic, if not pandemic, highly transmissible, and dangerous. If no answer, at least I’ll leave you with an ancient wisdom: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?” Merlin Nichols is the former mayor of Chetwynd.
On behalf of SONS – Save Our Northern Seniors, I am writing this letter in support of the CLICK program so that those in our community who do not have computer skills will be able to benefit. Since the BC Recovery Benefit Plan is mainly done online, I am requesting that money be provided immediately for our community so that our Library can continue providing these services. After spending almost an hour applying for the BC Recovery Benefit Plan, I fully understand the necessity of having the CLICK program at our Fort St. John Public Library. I can only imagine those people who do not have my computer skills, access to a computer, and nobody to help them through the maze of directions must feel! Internet access in many parts of the province is not the highspeed system as one would enjoy in the larger centres. In fact, many areas of the Peace do not have adequate internet access. Many CLICK users are members of marginalized groups, including those experiencing homelessness, low-income folks, and people with cognitive, mental health and physical challenges. This program, which is unique to the community, helps to bridge that gap by providing personalized support, and devices and internet access. In 2020, 60% of CLICK users were Seniors! Before Christmas 2020, the CLICK programme had to be cancelled due to lack of funding. Staff has been very diligent about applying for grants, but to date have not been successful. The Library provided the following information: “We currently have a “very well designed, safe and modern Connectivity Centre that is ready for serving patrons. We just need the operational funds to staff it!” The following information from the Library tells us what CLICK does for our community. CLICK ensures that everyone has access to essential computer literacy and meets the ongoing needs of the community by providing the computer skills required to interact fluently and safely online and perform essential tasks. Our popular one-onone sessions help people in many ways such as: -Navigating important websites (accessing government forms and information, city water bills & legal information) -Setting up and accessing email accounts -Performing online banking set-up and transactions; arranging travel for medical appointments -Performing employment searches and creating profiles; completing online forms and orientations -Creating or editing spreadsheets and documents -Virus protection and installation on personal laptops -Connecting with friends and family over social media -Using video chat programs with family, or for remote interviews -Understanding personal devices and smart phones -Accessing online continuing education courses. Again, funding must be made available immediately now and for the future. Thank you for your support to continue this important project which benefits so many. — Margaret Little, President, SONS
ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS
A12 | OP-ED | THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021
The Essence of Buffett
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his is one of those stories that makes you realize how old you are. It was way back in the late 1990s when I started writing for the Alaska Highway News. That seems hard to reconcile; how something that seems relatively recent was actually two decades ago. I remember being excited for the opportunity, but also a little apprehensive. I remember wondering where, week in and week out, I would get the ideas for what to write on. As luck would have it, I mentioned this to a colleague, and he gave me some good advice: write on what I know. Immediately I realized I would be frequently writing about Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors of all time, and a man widely admired for his ethics and acumen. Buffett has had a formative influence on my own investment mindset, and this has served me well
BRAD BRAIN over the years. I have a framed Buffett quote on my office wall. It reads, “To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What’s needed is a sound intellectual framework for making decisions and the ability to keep emotions from corroding that framework.” Here is what a sound intellectual framework looks like: what I call, “the essence of Buffett.” Own Great Businesses: If a business is doing well and is managed by people with integrity, intelligence, and energy, it’s inherent value will ultimately be reflected in its share price. Build Concentrated Portfolios: Many investors are
over-diversified. This leads to a dilution of the quality of investments, with too much capital tied up in poor investments and not enough in the really good ones. Consider taking meaningful positions in a fewer number of great investment ideas rather than resorting to the second or third best investment ideas. Invest in What You Know: Some investors will make an investment without really understanding why they would want to invest in a business, or even just what it is that they are investing into in the first place. This is folly. Try to know a business inside and out. It is knowledge that allows us to avoid risk. Ignore the Stock Market: Investment decisions should reflect an opinion of the long-term prospects for a business, not the shortterm prospects for the stock market. The stock market is a tool that can be used for our advantage, it is not the
arbitrator of your well being. As Buffett says, “As far as I am concerned, the stock market doesn’t exist. It is only there as a reference to see if anyone is offering to do anything foolish.” Employ a Margin of Safety: The key to successful investing is the purchase of shares in good businesses when market prices are at a large discount to underlying business values, for any variety of reasons. Another great investor, Peter Cundill, puts it this way: “I am looking to buy a dollar for fifty cents.” Be Patient: Many of history’s great investors have suggested that the key to their success lay not in what they did, but rather in what they did not do. They did not yield to their emotions or to the pressure to follow the crowd. Instead, they focused on the business they owned and watched as their value compounded over time. As the expression goes,
“Stand for something, or you will fall for anything.” Consider this in the context of some of the influential developments of even just the last couple of years the rise and fall of marijuana stocks, cryptocurrency, the highflying FANGMAN stocks, and the significant market volatility of 2020. With a sound intellectual framework for making decisions, and the ability to keep emotions from corroding that framework, you will find it much easier to navigate through the challenges of investing successfully over a lifetime. Brad Brain. CFP, R.F.P., CIM, TEP is a Certified Financial Planner in Fort St John, BC. This material is prepared for general circulation and may not reflect your individual financial circumstances. Brad can be reached at www.bradbrainfinancial.com.
Mild weather continues Looking back at how strange the past 10 months have been, it’s only fitting the winter weather has been a bit bizarre as well. According to Environment Canada, the balmy, above-average temperatures seen in the Peace region for most of the winter aren’t going away anytime soon. Meteorologist Doug Lundquist says the average highs and lows for this time of year are -10 and -19 C, respectively, and the weather has been nowhere near that. Looking ahead, Lundquist expects temperatures to hover around zero degrees until early next week, with temps possibly trending colder and to more normal temperatures around Jan. 20, though it’s too early to say for certain. “This is the dead of winter, when we typically experience the coldest weather of winter. Looking out to the next four weeks, I don’t see any cold air coming in and it doesn’t look like we will those really cold, artic-like temperatures at all,” Lundquist said. Lundquist said the weather is currently stuck in a chinook pattern, and that natural variability and climate change are two likely reasons for the sustained, above-average temperatures. Those who have enjoyed the warm, sunny temperatures can celebrate, knowing there are likely a couple more beautiful weekends for them to enjoy in the coming weeks.
DILLON GIANCOLA PHOTO
Jacob Simpson and River Knipe battle for the puck during a game of shinny at Surerus Park, Jan. 9, 2021.
2021 with 2020 hindsight
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he year 2020 is now behind us, but will we soon forget and move on? I say yes, most will and just as fast as we have every other year. And why? Because most will not be directly affected by the virus itself, and other than those who are, the rest will write off 2020 as a crappy year we just wish gone. Take the 737 Max jetliner. Just over 600 days ago, two of them crashed and killed all aboard. Prior to those two crashes they were one of the world’s most popular jetliners. All who travelled most likely rode in one, yet a recent poll found that almost 40% of people do not remember the reason for them being grounded. Why? Because most people were not directly affected and had no attachment to 737 Max, the victims or victims family and friends. Now to my cloudy, yet still counting as a crystal ball. What else can we look forward to in 2021? Our politicians and mainstream media will wake up to the realization that we are all tired of hearing about COVID in nine out of every 10 stories on every newscast. In 2021, they will finally realize that all they
EVAN SAUGSTAD do is tell depressing stories that are ensuring we will all stay depressed. That said, some numbers will be relevant, such as trends or status of local cases, but who cares if B.C. had 627 cases yesterday and 626 cases today? Who cares if we see PM Justin standing on his step telling us how wonderful he and our tax give-a-way programs are? In 2021, he will figure this out and go back to standing behind his desk and dodge more questions about his performance. Premier John will announce the findings of his special one-person political taskforce looking into Site C and whether it should be cancelled, and we spend another four years hauling dirt and trees back down the hill and putting them back to where they used to be. His findings? After getting all media attention focused on him, he will carefully tell us all the reasons why the dam should not have gone ahead, how, if he was in charge, he would have done things
differently, how his government has been carefully watching how BC Hydro spends his money, how his government will implement dozens of new programs forcing his disciples to quit using fossil fuels, and that we will soon need so much more electricity to power our province up. His announcement? In an almost tearful voice and long face, ask for our forgiveness, announce the dam is safe, will be finished and that all cost overruns were Premiers’ Gordon and Christy’s doing, and, that no, he would not appreciate that unused and unfinished bridge over the Halfway River being used as the world largest bungee jumping station, thereafter called Premier John’s Jump. In 2021, no governing politician will be brave enough to tackle the issue and state: “Enough is enough, time to get rid of drug dealers, just like Singapore does.” Like COVID, my heart does go out to those families and friends who have watched their loved ones lose their lives by way of addiction to fentanyl and other illegal drugs. Closer to home, and despite major protestations by David, Greta, and their legion of socially respon-
sible greenies, fossil fuel production will ramp back up and be back to record production levels in 2022. Northeast B.C. will see more drilling, more pipelines, and more jobs. Why? Remember all that money for nothing so many got? Apparently, our bank accounts have grown at a corresponding rate and millions of people, worldwide, with the vaccine firmly injected in our backsides, are just waiting for the chance to get out and travel, and travel, and travel and spend all that supposedly free tax money they received, as far from home, as they can get. And what does this then mean? Not more bicycles, and not more walking, and not more electric city buses. It means back to the cars, cruise ships, jetliners, railways, and those forms of travel that get us out of town, around the world, all powered by fossil fuels. There will be no holding us back, even if Justin’s plan is to further increase the carbon tax to prevent us Canadian’s from spending our Canadian dollars travelling in our own country. Unfortunately, as a result of this demand, the price of air travel will increase
dramatically as companies try to recoup their losses using fewer aircraft with fewer available seats. Business travel will not increase correspondingly as they have learned to do business cheaper and just as effectively by leaving their employees at home. That will take some pressure off the airlines, but in the short term, tourists will make up for that loss. And great news for all those who believed masks are part of the 2020 hoax and that vaccines are for the feeble-minded. In 2021 you will be able to buy, online from every scammer in the world, a certificate certifying you have been vaccinated numerous times, all without you having to go through the process of actually having that needle stuck in your backside, and allow you to travel with the rest of us who wish to end this year of the virus. Sad, but it will happen, and it will ensure that Covid-19 lasts throughout 2021 and well into 2022. Wishing you all the best in this new and most welcomed year. Evan Saugstad is a former mayor of Chetwynd, and lives in Fort St. John.