Invermere Valley Echo, April 24, 2013

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From Canal Flats to Spillimacheen

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Local governments converge in valley Pg A2

Columbia Valley municipalities mull over Darkwoods carbon credits

Spring is in the air, as students clown around Pg A11

MaxWell Realty Invermere

Growing into golf

Cautious approaches being pursued in wake of damning Auditor General's report STEVE HUBRECHT steve@cv-pioneer.com

A flurry of controversy over a recent B.C. auditor general's report may hinder the efforts of Upper Columbia Valley municipalities to become carbon neutral.

B.C. Auditor General John Doyle's report a few weeks ago questioned whether Darkwoods – a 55,000 hectare tract of largely undeveloped land in the southern Selkirk mountains, located roughly between Creston and Nelson – is a legitimate source of carbon offsets.

DAN WALTON PHOTO The District of Invermere, the Village of Canal Young students at Eileen Madson Primary in Invermere were treated to some starter sets of age-appropriate golf equipment on Tuesday, Flats, the Village of Radium Hot Springs and April 16th, as Tyler Hawthorne and Scott McClain from Copper Point Golf Club were on hand to donate the essential gear. The donation was the Regional District of the East Kootenay were made by the golf resort in partnership with B.C. Golf and the National Golf Club of Canada. considering buying carbon offsets from the Darkwoods project so they could be carbon neutral for 2012, which they had pledged to do project manager for the Carbon Neutral Kootenay sions to be reduced or sequestered elsewhere. by signing the B.C. Climate Action Charter. Whether Project, an non-profit society that helps Kootenay B.C. municipalities have until June 8th this year to they continue down that path is now uncertain. governments meet their charter goal. “No offsets have buy offsets to counter-balance last year's carbon emis“It will take a bit of time; it depends on what been purchased to date by Kootenay local govern- sion, and in so doing, become officially carbon neutral information comes back about the Darkwoods,” said ments from that project.” for 2012.

Invermere mayor Gerry Taft. “It's pretty limited on Under the charter, which has been signed by 180 of Few offset projects have so far been deemed legitiwhere we can buy offsets and have them meet the B.C.'s 188 municipalities, local governments try to mate by the charter, and Darkwoods is the only one lorequirement of the charter.” cut back carbon emissions as much they can. Cutting cal to the Kootenay area, making it a natural choice for “We are advising local governments that Darkwoods emissions all the way to zero is impossible, so local governments in the region. is still an option pending due diligence and we are government make up the difference by purchasing still in the due diligence phase,” said Dale Littlejohn, carbon offsets — essentially paying for carbon emisCONTINUES TO 'DARKWOODS' ON PAGE A3

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

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GREG AMOS PHOTO Union of B.C. Municipalities president Mary Sjostrom (from the City of Quesnel) delivers some closing remarks at the Association of Kootenay and Boundary Local Governments convention at the Copper Point Resort in Invermere on Friday, April 19th. The three-day annual meeting drew about 215 delegates from the southeastern quarter of B.C., making this year's event the largest yet. The meeting produced 12 resolutions aimed at getting the attention of the province, including one resolution around how to deal with urban deer.

Kootenays elected officials produce twelve resolutions at annual meeting STEVE HUBRECHT and GREG AMOS steve@cv-pioneer.com editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

The Association of Kootenay and Boundary Local Governments voted against asking the provincial government to permanently ban smoking in all public places at the final day of the association's meeting at Copper Point Resort on Friday, April 19th.

The Kootenay area currently is a patchwork of smoking bans, with some municipalities having already banned smoking in public parks, beaches, restaurants and bars and others having not, said N e l s o n councillor Robin Cherbo.

There should be a consistent region-wide policy, he said.

“If we ban all smoking, which would include medicinal marijuana and all the rest, Nelson could become a ghost town,” wryly remarked John Kettle, a

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Regional District of the Central Kootenay director for Area B. “It would be nice if people who smoke — medicinal marijuana or otherwise — don't use B.C. as an ashtray,” said Mr. Cherbo.

The association voted in favour of a special resolution seeking to have the provincial government provide the same emergency services and disaster assistance to second home owners and temporary residents as it does to permanent residents.

The resolution stems from last summer's mudslide in Fairmont Hot Springs and deals with providing temporary food, shelter and other services in the first 72 hours following a disaster, said Wendy Booth, director of Regional District of the East Kootenay Area F. “These individuals can be affected just as much as permanent residents,” said Ms. Booth.

After some discussion, delegates approved the District of Invermere's resolution asking the province to resume its responsibility or provide adequate funding to manage or mitigate the impacts of urban wildlife.

For deer that cause issues within the boundaries of a municipality, the resolution asks that the province also take responsibility for the issuance of tickets for violations under any wildlife attractants bylaw.

The Regional District of Central Kootenay gained support from delegates in asking the province to investigate and legislate ways to prevent domestic animals from being injured in wildlife traps such as a Conibear. The

resolution also asked that trap lines not be allowed in recreational areas close to communities, rural area developments and residential clusters.

A City of Cranbrook resolution could re-open some deabte around farm gate sales in B.C. The resolution noted the economic impact of the farmer's market in Cranbrook is in excess of $1 million, and asked that the province reinstate farm gate sales as a means of helping the city support its agricultural community, while meeting local consumers' desire for locally-grown food.

Each resolution passed at the Association of Kootenay and Boundary Local Governments will face a further vote at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in September, and those that receive assent from that body will then be passed on to the province. Given the multi-step approval process required for each resolution, the province tends to give the requests greater consideration than those submitted directly by an individual community.

Kootenay-Columbia MP David Wilks was on hand to offer some closing comments to the delegates once all the business had wrapped up.

"You guys really put up with a lot of crap that we don't have to deal with," said the current MP and former mayor of Sparwood.

He also noted pending changes to Health Canada's medical marijuana regulations will come into effect on March 31st, 2014, and will make any indoor grow operations for medical purposes illegal in B.C.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

Page Three Burlesque blitz

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Have a news tip? editor@invermerevalleyecho.com or 250-341-6299

Echo Index Content Opinion...............................A6,A7 and A11 Community Calendar.............................A9 Arts and Entertainment...............A15-A16 Sports....................................................A17 Building Your Wealth...........................A20 Classifieds .....................................A21-A22 Remember When?................................A23 Serving the Valley.................................A24

Columns Tom Fletcher / BC Views...............A6-A7 Brian Fenerty/ Valley Skies.................A8 Aaron Mackenzie/ Tech Yourself...........A9

Features Administrative Professionals Week.....A12 National Volunteer Week.................. ..A13 Hockey Pool..........................................A18 Brain Games..........................................A19

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DAN WALTON PHOTO A Cheesecake Burlesque Revue dancer delights a women-only crowd at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort on Saturday, April 20th. The dinner and burlesque show included a room full of women dressed to the nines, and a few lucky members of the audience found themselves on stage during the extravagant evening. See more photos on page 14.

Darkwoods only the start: Littlejohn CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

The Nature Conservancy of Canada purchased Darkwoods in 2008 from Duke Carl von Wurttemberg and began managing it as North America's largest private carbon forest project.

Darkwoods, along with natural gas producer Encana's underbalanced drilling project, accounts for 70 per cent of carbon offsets purchased in B.C. But the auditor general's report slammed both projects. The Duke would not have sold to anybody who would have intensively logged or in other ways heavily developed the Darkwoods, meaning the Nature Conversancy of Canada is earning carbon credits for protecting land that likely would have been left alone in any case, according to the report. Carbon offset projects are only valid under the charter if they sequester carbon that otherwise would be released.

Mr. Doyle was also scathing in his assessment of the Pacific Carbon

Trust, an organization that acted as a middle agent in purchasing carbon offsets from Darkwoods. Mr. Doyle said the trust lacked transparency, organized what he calls “an orchestrated campaign” against him and leaked confidential information.

A hailstorm of heated response greeted the report, even before it was officially released. The Nature Conservancy of Canada and Pacific Carbon Trust maintain Darkwoods is a credible carbon offset source, with the Conservancy saying the Duke might have indeed sold to a logging interest or developer if nobody else had stepped forward to offer fair market value.

Terry Lake, B.C.'s environment minister, said the provincial government accepts Mr. Doyle's recommendations but rejects his conclusions.

Other critics dismissed the report for only citing two papers – a six-year old World Wildlife Fund report and a lone academic paper by G. Cornelis van

Kooten, who the critics say has a long history of climate change skepticism.

The controversy only deepened when Mr. Doyle fired four employees a week and a half ago, a move some critics allege may be linked to the report.

But Mr. Littlejohn said that, in some respects, the Darkwoods controversy is not so important.

“We don't want the bigger picture to get lost on the last step of a really long journey,” said Mr. Littlejohn.

He said the Carbon Neutral Kootenay Project never intended for the Darkwoods to be a long-term source of carbon offsets.

“The Darkwoods was the only project within the Kootenay-Columbia area that was ready to go in the time frame,” he said, adding a better longterm option is to spend the money encouraging more smaller-scale options that might otherwise never get off the ground, such as local composting initiatives, home renovations and protecting municipal land.

Call Greg, Nicole or Dan at 250-341-6299 or email news@invermerevalleyecho.com .

This week's online poll question: Is the economy the most important issue to you in the upcoming provincial election?

Cast your vote at www.invermerevalleyecho.com/online poll

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

NEWS

Inside the halls of permaculture DAN WALTON PHOTOS Top left: participants in Groundswell's Fundamentals of Permaculture Workshops held on April 17th and 18th discuss ideas for permaculture-based community garden development at the Community Greenhouse. Groundswell partnered with Rob Avis of Verge Permaculture to deliver the sessions over a five-day intensive workshop. Groundswell project leaders and graduates of Verge's certificate programs refined the design and ongoing phased construction of the community garden. Feature elements of the Community Greenhouse Garden (right) will emphasize water harvesting and conservation, diversified food production and community inclusion. To volunteer or contribute to the garden development, rent a garden plot or learn more about Groundswell's upcoming programs contact Groundswell at 250-342-3337. This summer will also see a workshop on backyard composting put on by Groundswell.

Radium Hot Springs Sunrise Rotary Club Our commitment is to ‘Service Above Self’ The Club meets at 7 a.m. every Wednesday at Higher Ground.

Since 2003, the Radium Rotarians have: 1) Built Rotary Park at the junction where Highway 93 meets Highway 93/95, 2) Provided funds for the construction of one of the bridges on the Sinclair Creek trail system, 3) Sponsored student exchanges between local high school students and those of other countries such as Brazil and Japan, 4) Provided bursaries for graduating students, 5) Partially funded the lovely lights and trees that decorate the main streets of Radium each Christmas time, 6) Cleaned Radium’s mile-long hill of debris twice a year with local Rotarians and friends, 7) Raised funds to support an internationally project to eradicate polio worldwide, 8) Helped support an orphanage in Honduras.

Radium Hot Springs Sunrise Rotary Club

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

NEWS

All charged up

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A5

Behind the

Wh ee

l

Update your Driving Skills and Knowledge The Government Didn’t Tell Me

I’ve been watching a number of conversations in the newspaper and social media lately, mostly with regard to B.C.’s slow down, move over law, but including changes to other traffic laws as well. The general theme has been that the government has been doing a poor job of telling the public what the new laws are and how we are supposed to follow them. Perhaps I am sensitive to road safety topics and pay more than the average attention to them but I must disagree with this.

There was significant publicity of the slow down, move over law both prior to and when it was enacted. I saw it on TV, in the newspaper and heard about it on the radio. I continue to pass large signs beside the highway that tell me what to do. I’ve seen articles on television and in print publications recently.

STEVE HUBRECHT PHOTO The District of Invermere's free electric car charging outlet was used by a member of the public for the first time on Saturday, April 19th, as a white Chevy Volt pulled up and began charging around noon. The outlet was installed at the end of March as part of Imagine Invermere 2030, the district's community sustainability plan.

Not all are in favour of the eco-vehicles, as the BC Conservative party recently pledged to scrap the province's Clean Energy Vehicles program, which has helped fund the 454 charging stations around B.C., if elected.

New candidate gives valley voters a green choice DAN WALTON reporter@invermerevalleyecho.com

As many of the valley's most contentious issues revolve around the environment, the Green Party of British Columbia is offering a voice to address the deer cull, Jumbo Glacier Resort, and more.

Green Party candidate Laurel Ralston from Kimberley is the fourth entrant into the race for the MLA position in the Columbia ValleyRevelstoke riding during the 2013 provincial election.

"We're taking a long-term view and really looking generations into the future instead of just the next four years," she told The Echo. "And we take that very seriously through our policy."

The provincial Green Party is being led by Jane Sterk, who is running in the VictoriaBeacon Hill riding. While the environmentally-friendly party has yet to win representation in the Legislative Assembly, they continually hold a significant portion of the popular vote (8.3 per cent in 2009).

"The Green Party's values align most closely to what's important to me," said Ms. Ralston, who cited participatory democracy, sustainability, relevant policies for seniors care as issues of importance to her. She's also pushing for more provincial support for small and new businesses.

While she had nothing negative to say about the incumbent during an interview with The Echo, she feels green values will better serve the province.

"I don't feel that I'm running against Norm here, I'm running for the Green Party; I'm running to represent Green values. I'm going to really get the word out — these are values that resonate with a lot of people in this area, and I think that voters are really concerned for their future and want a government that's also

looking towards the future while taking a cooperative approach."

Working as a musician and a writer, "in a fairly equal measure," Ms. Ralston boosted her creativity in recent years by furthering her studies in philosophy, which "allows you to think really critically about problems and to put a lot of pieces together to take a holistic view, and to see how the structures that are in place affect the way that our lives are run,”she said.

After growing up in Ottawa, Ms. Ralston moved to Kimberley seven years ago. It was here in British Columbia where she became politically charged. She says serving as the president of the Arts Council was her first step into larger-scale leadership, as working with the community organization found her working with the City of Kimberley and other nonprofit groups.

In the 2011 municipal elections Ms. Ralston ran for city council in Kimberley. Though unsuccessful, she dealt with many still-relevant issues, such as the culling of deer.

"The deer cull was supported by a lot of the population, and if that's what the people want then the municipal government has a responsibility to respond to that and take appropriate action," she said. "Preventative measures are the way to go, to prevent the population from ballooning like it has in the past."

And when it comes to the addition of a ski resort on Jumbo Mountain, "I absolutely do not support that project," she stated. "Both from an environmental perspective and from a social perspective, I don't think the people want it."

The Green Party platform can be found on their website at www.greenparty.bc.ca.

The four confirmed Columbia ValleyRevelstoke riding candidates for the May 14th provincial election are Green Party candidate Laurel Ralston, BC Conservative Party candidate Earl Olsen, BC Liberal candidate Doug Clovechok, and NDP incumbent Norm Macdonald.

What may be closer to the truth is that we are bombarded by too much information every day. To cope with it, we ignore or do not apply full focus to all of the messages that are being given to us.

As long as no damage is done to us or by us because of this, it isn’t a significant problem. However, if common sense doesn’t kick in soon enough and we receive a ticket or hurt someone it’s probably not the government’s fault here.

We may wish to be careful how we complain on this subject. Possible alternatives could include mandatory testing before licence renewal with shorter licence renewal periods to make sure that we are up to date. As with any other important skill, we have a stake in keeping ourselves up to date in order to remain proficient. It’s not just a job for our government.

The author is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience.

To comment or learn more, please visit www.drivesmartbc.ca.

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

Opinion

Something to say? email editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

Lost in a deep Darkwoods GREG AMOS editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

With the recent Auditor General's report shining a light on the Pacific Carbon Trust and its questionable carbon offsets projects, the Kootenays have been receiving some provincial attention lately, though perhaps not the kind of attention we'd like.

At the heart of the probe surrounding the Crown corporation are the legitimacy of its two key carbon offset projects thus far: EnCana's underbalanced drilling project in northwestern B.C., and The Nature Conservancy's 55,000 hectare Darkwoods area in the Selkirk Mountains. Both projects supposedly veer from the busines-as-usual scenario to the extent that carbon dioxide which would otherwise be released to the atmosphere and contribute to climate change stays locked away, underground or tied up within the biomass of a healthy forest.

Emerging carbon markets around the world depend on this principle, called additionality, to prove that a project itself plays some small role in preventing the warming of our atmosphere.

It's a nice idea, but it's hopelessly idealistic.

While carbon offsets, and their related emissions cap-and-trade proposals are a good idea in principle, they're far too prone to manipulation.

They easily fall prey to the subjectivity of the various accounting systrems used to determine just what constitutes an "additional" action taken to keep greenhouse gases at bay.

There's a far better option for tackling climate change, and it's one that B.C.'s already a leader on: the carbon tax. Rather than attempting the complicated counterbalancing of good environmental actions versus bad, the carbon tax simply tells it like it is: all emissions from tailpipes, industrial processes and even home heating systems come with some small, almost negligible, cost. When tallied on a national and global scale, those emissions add up to some pretty stark realities in terms of future droughts, floods and economic impacts, which are much cheaper to deal with now rather than waiting until later.

The Darkwoods project isn't the outright climate swindle that some skeptics might claim it to be, and the most recent news about sources used in the Auditor General's report suggest there might have been some anti-scientific bias involved.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Pacific Carbon Trust likely had the right intentions, but offsets projects will always be lightning rods for criticism.

Due to the possibilities that corners will be cut and profits will be made at the expense of actual progress on tackling climate change, the province should simply step away from offsets projects and continue with the tax that provides a free enterprise solution while dealing with the problem in a meaningful way.

Something on your mind?

The Valley Echo welcomes all letters to the editor and submissions from community and sports groups. Please keep your signed, legible submissions under 500 words. Send email submissions to: editor@invermerevalleyecho.com.

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BC Views — Tom Fletcher

Don’t count B.C. Conservatives out VICTORIA – As the B.C. NDP launched its election campaign last week with a package of income tax hikes, higher than those in the B.C. Liberals’ election budget of February, a third party leader toured the province with plans to get rid of the carbon tax.

It’s not readily apparent from his recently released “fiscal framework” document, but B.C. Conservative leader John Cummins told me his plan to phase out B.C.’s carbon tax does not include raising income tax rates that were lowered to make the carbon tax “revenue neutral.” He predicts revenue growth.

I reached Cummins in Prince George, where he was continuing his aggressive courtship of northern B.C. with an announcement that federal gas tax revenues would be redirected to a new fund for locally determined road improve-

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Greg Amos

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ments. Earlier he vowed to study the deplorable state of northern ambulance service.

Cummins has more good news for the north: that’s where a regionally phased elimination of the carbon tax would begin. It’s also the area of thinnest population, meaning the impact on the B.C. treasury would be less. This is, after all, a tax budgeted to bring in $1.2 billion in the current year.

The B.C. Conservatives continually remind people that the carbon tax falls disproportionately on rural, remote and particularly northern folks who face long distances, long winters, and public transit options ranging from slim to none.

This has ceased to be much of an issue for the urban B.C. majority, who are focused on bridge tolls, ferry fares and the like.

The B.C. Conservatives decry the population decline of rural B.C.,

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In Absentia

with international immigration |almost exclusively going to big cities, while temporary foreign workers increasingly fill agricultural and industrial jobs in the Interior.

The party’s still-evolving platform echoes the NDP’s call for more skills training and increased completion rates for trade apprentices.

Cummins is in favour of the proposed Northern Gateway oil pipeline and the massive buildup of infrastructure needed to add liquefied natural gas to B.C.’s energy export mix. He sees that enormous industrial expansion as the path to shift population growth beyond the south of the province.

Cummins is surprisingly cool to one industrial project, the proposed Site C dam on the Peace River, calling himself undecided.

CONTINUES TO 'POLITICAL' ON PAGE A7

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The Valley Echo Wednesday, April 24, 2013

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Word on the Street

What in your opinion is the most important issue in the upcoming B.C. election?

Jumbo – I

don't

go through.

Jobs, since I'm Unemployed.

— Kelly Spiry

— Ian Wilson

think it should

I

think the

environment, definitely.

— Ian Redeker

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Darkwoods is a world-class conservation project Dear Editor,

The recent release of a report by the BC Auditor General has led to a vigorous debate on the future of carbon neutral government. As a seller of carbon credits to the Pacific Carbon Trust, the Nature Conservancy of Canada looks forward to any clarity that may result in the B.C. carbon market.

However, a recent editorial in The Valley Echo (“Greenhouse gas leaks from Pacific Carbon Trust” by Tom Fletcher), perpetuates factual errors that fail to inform any debate.

Acquisition of a conservation project is the beginning of our work, not the end. When NCC purchased Darkwoods in 2008, our expensive, longterm commitment to the conservation lands began. From the outset revenue from carbon sales was seen as critical to supporting this steward-

ship effort. Without the possibility of carbon sales The Nature Conservancy could not have undertaken a project of the size and scope of Darkwoods.

Yet, those facts are conveniently overlooked by Mr. Fletcher. Further he fails to understand the baseline used to calculate stored carbon at Darkwoods. Independent evaluations were not based on the possibility of The Nature Conservancy clear-cutting the property, but rather on what would have happened had we not acquired Darkwoods. The alternative to The Nature Conservancy ownership was acquisition by a market-based buyer.

The land would have been intensively logged and subdivided. The difference between that scenario and the current conserved property forms the basis for carbon valuation.

Mr. Fletcher asks, rhetorically if The Nature Conservancy would have logged Darkwoods.

“Legally, it could not,” he writes. On the contrary, The Nature Conservancy does log the Darkwoods site. We operate a small, sustainable harvest based on conservation values that supports the property and the community.

In fact, overall our ownership of Darkwoods has resulted in a $13 million economic benefit to the community, to date.

The Darkwoods Forest Carbon project was the first of its kind undertaken in Canada.

The project is certified under the Verified Carbon Standard; a standard that ensures a carbon project follows internationally-recognized protocols and has tangible environmental benefits.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada spent three years developing the project, and exercised due diligence at every step while working with various in-

dustry experts. The project also fulfilled all provincial regulations and met all standards for Carbon Offsets.

More importantly, Darkwoods is a world-class conservation project.

Without revenue from forest carbon, the long-term protection of this vital 55,000 hectare property and the fate of animals and plants that find a haven there would be in jeopardy.

The proceeds from the carbon sales went back into the long-term stewardship of Darkwoods—for the sake of nature and the people of British Columbia.

Darkwoods ensures in perpetuity, British Columbians will see the magnificent forest for the trees.

Tom Swann Associate regional vice-president, B.C. The Nature Conservancy of Canada

MORE LETTERS ON Page A11

Political positioning at play in BC Conservative platform Continued from Page A6

He also sounds skeptical about the B.C. Liberal plan to extend B.C.’s electricity grid and use that to develop further independent power.

This sounds to me like political positioning rather than economic analysis. An anti-Site C independent candidate has significant support in Peace River North, creating a threeway struggle for a key B.C. Conservative target.

The B.C. Conservative platform also totals up the billions in long-term electricity contracts with private

power producers and suggests the price for this clean energy has been set too high. This is another echo of the NDP’s vague position.

So if the BC Conservatives are gung-ho on oil and gas and think the carbon tax is a mistake, do they think there should be any effort to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions?

Mr. Cummins sidestepped that question, preferring to talk about conventional air pollution, whether it’s in the Fraser Valley or as a byproduct of a northern industrial boom.

As a long-time former Reform and Conservative MP,

Mr. Cummins is acutely aware that the urban media will leap with extra vigour on any perceived gaffe of the right wing. Should a Conservative let slip that he’s skeptical about global warming, or worse, express a rustic view on social issues, all Hell would break loose.

The B.C. Conservatives have started with the most detailed, costed platform of any party. Don’t count them out.

Tom Fletcher is legislative reporter and columnist for Black Press and BCLocalnews.com tfletcher@blackpress.ca

Valley Echo takes home hardware at Ma Murray Awards The Valley Echo walked away with a gold, silver and bronze in three different categories at the 2013 B.C. and Yukon Community Newspaper Awards held at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond on Saturday, April 20th.

The gala event attracted hundreds of people from all aspects of the newspaper industry, and The Valley Echo was represented by former editor Nicole Trigg and graphic designer Jess de Groot.

Ms. de Groot earned third place in the Ad Design Award (for the circulation under 25,000 category) for 'The Good, the Bad and the Derby,' an advertise-

ment which inspired the following comments by the judge: "Very fun and interesting ad. I like the photo treatment. It's eye catching and has a great sense of attitude. Nice work."

The Valley Echo placed second out of nine newspapers in Category B of the Newspaper Excellence Award.

"Here is a paper that takes its design, appearance and readability seriously," wrote one of the judges.

"It may be a small paper, but it is concise; quality over quantity. A fine example of a little newspaper keeping up with the times."

Former Valley Echo reporter Steve Jessel received top honours in the Environmental Initiative Award category for his five-part series on the protection of Lot 48, beating out Victoria's Monday Magazine and the Vancouver Courier for first place in this category.

"Although small in size, Lot 48 is huge in significance for environmental and cultural reasons," stated the judge. "Steve Jessel's story tells us why it was important to protect this land and how it was saved through the efforts of local communities, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Ktunaxa Nation."

A8 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

Valley Skies — Brian Fenerty

Linear star patterns are on the move Lines of stars are almost always a coincidence, seen only from our planet's place in space. Ursa Major, however, has four stars actually in line, or very nearly so — three in the "dipper" handle and one in the "bowl" as the chart indicates. If you came back with a time machine in thousands of years, they could still be pretty much in line.

Many of the Great Bear's stars and others nearby are moving together in space. It is thought they are an old sparse star cluster that has gradually dispersed, but is still moving around the Milky Way as a group.

Next time you view a star cluster in a telescope, imagine the view from very close.

Another line, through the dipper's "pointer stars" guides us to Polaris, almost exactly in line with the Earth's axis of rotation. Polaris seems to stay in place throughout each night, but that is for now! Over thousands of years our planet — and others — wobble, so if you have your time machine running, you might note other stars take turns lining up to be the pole star. Everything in the sky moves, just sometimes at a

much different pace even than "valley time"!

At the other end of the Big Dipper, follow an arc down by stars Arcturus and Spica.

Note the constellations Boötes and Corona Borealis. Three bright stars among them form a near perfect equilateral triangle, with even a fourth star very close to the centre of this striking bit of nighttime geometry.

So much more could be mentioned. On the chart clockwise around Polaris from Wshaped Cassiopeia is the sparkling string of very faint stars called Kemble's Cascade that can be seen with binoculars. Not shown on the chart, Jupiter gradually sets earlier and approaches a nice (visual) lineup with Venus and Mercury next month.

And to keep your wonder spinning, check a NASA photo of Saturn's whirling north pole clouds. There is a natural hexagon!

Tests on Earth show that is possible, so it is not

NOTICE OF POWER INTERRUPTION PARSON

The Terrible Two’s

Where: Mons Road north along Highway 95 to Schiesser Road including Mitchell Road, Jones Road and Campbell Road When: Saturday, April 27, 2013

Killer Rollbots’ 2nd birthday!

The East Kootenay Roller Derby League’s 2012 Champion team is turning two years old!

8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. MST

To prepare for this interruption and protect your equipment from damage, please turn off all lights, electric heaters and major appliances and unplug all electronics.

We’re celebrating at

For the first hour after the power comes back on, please only plug in or turn on those electronics and appliances that you really need. This will help ensure the electrical system does not get overloaded.

3848

We are sorry for the inconvenience. We will restore your power as soon as we can.

Prepare for outages and stay informed by visiting bchydro.com/outages or bchydro.com/mobile from your handheld device. Please call 1 888 POWERON (1 888 769 3766) for more information.

Brian Fenerty is a valley resident and an esteemed member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

GREG AMOS PHOTO William Clark, 11, checks out a full-suspension mountain bike at the Columbia Valley Cycling Society's bike swap on Sunday, April 21st in Invermere. See more photos on page 14.

We will be making electrical system improvements in Parson on Saturday, April 27.

To ensure the safety of our work crews, it will be necessary to interrupt electrical service for approximately 5 hours.

Time:

a sign — but as you watch Saturn rising, it's a reminder of the endlessly surprising, marvellous patterns over our valley at night.place in the world.

Bud’s Bar & Lounge Saturday, May 4 with DJ Miss B Haven Cover is $5, with proceeds going to the Killer Rollbots

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A9

Tech Yourself — Aaron Mackenzie

Technologies are unlocking our potential Emerging technologies and early adoptions are our current day science fiction. Every day I stumble across something that makes me just sit back and say “wow” at human innovation, and the potentials we are unlocking for ourselves.

Following that thought process, I would like to share with you a few of the things that I am really looking forward to, or have been amazed by. A lot of these are new ideas, some barely beyond the drawing board, and as such I can’t comment on the how or why.

I’ll start with Google Glass. Google is one of my favourite companies; they support open source sharing of ideas. They have recently announced they are allowing the majority of their patents to be used without fear of being sued, as long as you are not generating a profit from them.

Google Glass is a fu-

C C

turistic take on a pair of glasses. You wear the frames and they provide a data overlay for environment. Say you are on a vacation to Scotland and you are looking at Edinburgh Castle: Google Glass could provide historical information. Or let's say you are out shopping for groceries and need an idea for dinner: look at the item you want to cook, and Google Glass could display a list of recipes. Read more at google. com/glass/start .

Then there's graphene, modern science's new wonder material. The more I read about this stuff, the more my brain boggles at the possibilities. Graphene is a material constructed of pure carbon, with its atoms in a single layer sheet, allowing an amazing size to weight ratio. One square metre of graphene weighs only 0.77 milligrams!

Currently, graphene is praised for its thermal

mpanion rner

To be featured, send in your companion’s name, age and photo, along with a fun fact or story about them!

Be sure to include your name.

Email editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

Animal Name: BEATRIX KIDDO Breed: Chihuahua cross Family: Jess, Geoff, Stevie and Choco Fun fact: Beatrix is a very inquisitive dog, and exceptionally smart. She may be small, but she doesn't take any guff from anyone, especially big dogs. She's always out front, and the leader of the pack.

conductivity, energy storage as a capacitor, and even as a replacement for silicon in solar panels! One lab even made a set of earphones out of it!

Watch this: wimp.com/ supersupercapacitor This last item is an older technology that keeps evolving into some more spectacular.

Cochlear implants are devices that allow people to hear.

Maybe you were born deaf and want to hear, or maybe you lost your hearing in accident. The newest versions of this technology are surgically installed sub-dermally, leaving almost no external signs they are there.

I’m a big audio guy: I love listening to music, or just the nuance and tone of a person’s voice extolling the virtues of something they are passionate about. That’s why this interest me so much! And you get great videos like this: wimp.com/hearingherself .

Community Calendar

Send your events to production@invermerevalleyecho.com THURS APRIL 25 • Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce 15th Annual Business Excellence Awards, Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, $60, call 250-3422844 • Southern rock artist Devon Coyote at the Station Pub at 8:30 p.m.

FRIDAY APRIL 26 • Soup and a bun lunch at the Edgewater Legion, 12 p.m..

Includes dessert for $6. 50-347-9388 SATURDAY APRIL 27 • Steamboat Mountain Music Festival ticket launch party, Edgewater Hall, 7 p.m.

MONDAY APRIL 29 • Ladies Night Out at Lake Windermere Alliance Church, 7 p.m., fashion show, speaker, music and dessert. Tickets $10 at Selkirk TV, 250-3426657

at 7 p.m.

EVERY MONDAY • Gentle drop-in carpet bowling, 1:30 p.m., Seniors' Centre • Cadets, 6:30-9 p.m. for boys and girls, ages 12-17. Cost: FREE (includes uniform). Info: Megan McConnell at 250409-4455 • Duplicate Bridge, 6:30 p.m., Invermere Seniors’ Hall, $2/ person. Visitors welcome • EK Brain Injury Support Group, 1-3 p.m., Family Resource Centre. Info: 250-344-5674 • Ultimate Frisbee at J.A. Laird School field. Free, for all ages, and beginners welcome. Call 250270-0346 for more information 1st & 3rd TUESDAY • OPT clinic, 6:308:30 p.m., Inv. Health Unit, 850-10th Ave. Confidential service: low-cost birth control, and STI testing

TUESDAY APRIL30 • Lil Peeps Art Show and Wings Over the Rockies Art Show opens at Pynelogs

1st TUESDAY • Invermere Camera Club 7 p.m. Tanya, tanyadeleeuw65@ gmail.com

EVERY SUNDAY • Public Indoor Rock Climbing, Laird School, 5-8 p.m., $5.

• Radium Seniors’ Carpet Bowling, 1:30 p.m., Seniors' Hall • Drop-in roller skating, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., $5, Glacier Peaks Gymnastics building, 250-342-5321

EVERY TUESDAY • Shuswap Bingo at the Shuswap Indian Band Office downstairs, doors open at 5:30 p.m., early bird at 6:45 p.m., regular games at 7 p.m.

• Cubs (8-10 year olds) and Beavers (5-7 year olds), JA Laird, 6 - 7 p.m.

1st & 3rd WED • Scrabble Night at Invermere Public Library. 6 - 8 p.m. Call 250-342-6416 • Bingo, Windermere Community Hall, opens at 6 p.m., starts

2nd SUNDAY • LW Alliance Church Sing and Celebrate, 7 p.m. For more information call Clarence Stauffer, 250-3429580

2nd & 4th WED • Seniors' Day at the Invermere Library.

Bus provided EVERY WEDNESDAY • Indoor soccer, DTSS gym. Drop-in, $2, 8:30-10:00 p.m.

• Yoga THRIVE- Yoga for Cancer Survivors and Support People.

Copper Point Resort.

New 7-week session starts March 13 at 4:30 p.m. Call Jan Klimek at 250-3421195 EVERY THURSDAY • Children's Air Rifle Program, with the LWDRGC, Inv. Community Hall, 7 - 8:30 p.m., free of charge, ages 6-15. Learn safety, marksmanship.

Equipment provided.

EVERY FRIDAY • Baby Goose program for parents and babies up to 18 months. 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Eileen Madson Primary. kandruschuk@cbal.org • Public Indoor Rock Climbing, Laird School, 5-8 p.m., $5 • Preschool Story Time at the Invermere Public Library, 10:30 a.m. For info visit invermere.bclibrary.ca EVERY SATURDAY • Public Indoor Rock Climbing, Laird School, 5-8 p.m., $5.

Invermere Thrift Store • Thursdays 10 a.m.

- 4 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 1 - 4 p.m.

Radium Thrift Store • Thursdays 10 a.m.

- 4 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 12 - 4 p.m.

A10 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

The Windermere Valley Museum and Archives The Windermere Valley Museum and Archives is managed by a dedicated group of volunteers belonging to the Windermere District Historical Society.

Hours Winter hours Tuesdays only, noon until 4 p.m. and then again, 7 - 9 p.m.

Or by appointment - please contact us Admission by donation

250.342.9769 wvmuseum@cyberlink.bc.ca

PARKS CANADA PHOTO A new accomodation option called oTENTiks will be providing a more comfortable camping experience to visitors in Kootenay National Park this summer.

Luxury camping now offered STEVE HUBRECHT reporter@invermerevalleyecho.com

invermerevalleyecho.com RDEK Public Hearing Notice Bylaw 2440

Bylaw Amendment - Edgewater The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Board of Directors have authorized a second public hearing on an application by Kenneth and Diana Ruault to amend the Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw. The proposed amendment will change the zoning designation of the subject properties to permit an automotive repair shop including commercial vehicle repairs and parking of commercial vehicles. The subject property is located in the Edgewater area and is shown on the attached map.

Only the written and verbal submissions received as part of this second public hearing will be considered by the Board.

Bylaw No. 2440 cited as “Regional District of East Kootenay – Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 1992 – Amendment Bylaw No. 282, 2013 (Edgewater / Ruault)” will amend the zoning designation of the subject properties from C-1, Community Commercial Zone to C-2, Service Commercial Zone.

A public hearing will be held at: Edgewater Community Hall 4818 Selkirk Avenue Edgewater, BC Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 7:00 pm The Board has delegated the holding of this hearing to the Directors for Electoral Area C, Electoral Area F, Electoral Area G and the Village of Radium Hot Springs.

If you believe that your interest in property is affected by the proposed Bylaw, you may prior to the hearing: • inspect the Bylaw and supporting information at the RDEK office in Cranbrook from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays; • mail, fax or email written submissions to the addresses/numbers shown below; or • present written and/or verbal submissions at the hearing.

Submissions cannot be accepted after the public hearing.

All written submissions are public information pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This notice is not an interpretation of the Bylaw. For more information, contact Jean Terpsma, Planning Technician, at 250-489-0314, toll free at 1-888-478-7335, or email jterpsma@rdek.bc.ca.

19 - 24th Avenue South, Cranbrook BC V1C 3H8 Phone: 250-489-2791 Toll Free: 1-888-478-7335 Email: info@rdek.bc.ca Website: www.rdek.bc.ca

Those heading into Kootenay National Park this summer will have a new accommodation option, as Parks Canada is debuting 10 oTENTiks sites at the Redstreak Campground near Radium Hot Springs.

OTENTiks are a cross between a prospector's tent and a cabin. The 19-foot by 24-foot structures have wooden frames and canvas walls, locking doors, windows, tables, chairs and will be able to sleep six people in various sizes of beds.

Parks Canada plans to put in hundreds of oTENTiks sites in National Parks across the country in next few years, including ten each in Banff, Jasper and Kootenay. The ten in Kootenay National Park should be ready to go in mid-July, according to Judy Glowinski, a Parks Canada product development specialist based in Banff.

“Some of the traditional groups are not coming any more,” said Ms. Glowinski. “We recognize that Canadians are changing and so we need to meet their needs and expectations.”

The oTENTiks are part of Parks Canada's attempt to attract urbanites, younger people, new Canadians (those who have moved to Canada from elsewhere) and campers who want an extra degree of comfort and convenience, said Ms. Glowinski.

Many Canadian baby boomers, who are approaching or already in their retirement years,

grew up enjoying camping, but these days are not interested in sleeping on the ground, she said.

Quite a few new Canadians have little or no previous exposure to camping and Parks Canada has researched how to win over this new audience, said Ms. Glowinski.

“We're well aware we need new products to attract new Canadians,” she said. “We've learned a lot about what's required and what their concerns are.”

People staying in the oTENTiks can rent gear and buy all their provisions from stores or outfitters in the park or nearby. The oTENTiks in Kootenay National Park are rustic, according to Ms. Glowinski — they will have no electricity, heating or outdoor barbeques (though the ones in Banff will).

Renting a Redstreak oTENTik for a night will cost $145, while one in Banff will cost $150.

People staying in an oTENTik will be expected to treat it like a tent and not cook, eat or store food in it.

Some people have suggested that comforts of oTENTiks might be a bit over the top in a national park setting, added Ms. Glowinski.

“There's somewhat of a debate, depending on what your idea of a camping experience in a national park is,” she said. “Some say 'I don't know if this is camping to me'.”

But there are still plenty of traditional campgrounds in the parks, she said.

Kootenay National Park saw 427,128 visitors in 2011-2012 and 13, 277 people stayed at the Redstreak campground in 2012.

Rotary of Radium Hot Springs meets at Higher Ground, Wednesdays at 7 a.m. Ongoing fundraising is going towards the Bicycle Pump Track.

Rotary Club of Invermere meets every Thursday at 11:45 a.m. in the mezzanine at Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena.

Rotary International

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A11

BOOSTER SOCIETY

Junior jugglers and a unique unicyclist

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Thursday, May 2nd at 7 p.m. SUPPORT Invermere Curling Club ROCKIES The meeting is open to HOCKEY! anyone wishing to attend.

Who’s watching your property?

RFE provides: • Alarm Systems monitoring by internet, cellular and landline.

STEVE HUBRECHT PHOTOS Abby Wagner (left) and Emily Melnyk (centre) gave juggling a shot during Clown Boot Camp at the Invermere Public Library on Friday, April 19th, while Lila Berryman (right) offered unicycle lessons. The camp was part of the adventure camp the library runs for Grade 5 to Grade 7 students every month, usually on a Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

ALARMS & SOUND

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

It's time to call out the competition Dear Editor: Just a few short days into the official election period , the “Billion Dollar Man” a.k.a. NDP leader Adrian Dix, has not had the courage to show British Columbians his party’s platform, yet he has promised to add nearly $1.4 billion in new spending to the provincial government with little reference as to how he is going to pay for it.

To date, the free-spending and unaccountable Adrian Dix has promised to spend $310 million on forestry, $225 million on film subsidies, $485 million for grants and training, $300 million for education and $40 million on new ferry subsidies.

This behaviour should not come as a shock, as it is exactly what the NDP

did in the 1990s and what the NDP did in Manitoba this week.

The last time the NDP formed government in British Columbia, Adrian Dix was in the office of the Minister of Finance and they raised the sales tax after their party had run a campaign on a "fully costed" platform that excluded a sales tax hike.

It’s time for Adrian Dix and his disciples to come clean with the voters of British Columbia, and to this I issue a direct challenge to my NDP opponent, Norm Macdonald.

I am calling on Mr. Macdonald to do the honest and responsible thing and have the courage to demand that his leader, on behalf of the constituents of Columbia River-Revelstoke, release his party’s full platform with a complete financial plan. This will en-

able constituents to have the comparative information that they need to make informed decisions before they go to the election booth.

This challenge speaks to the democratic responsibility that the NDP have to the people in our riding.

Mr. Macdonald consistently tells voters that he believes in democratic principles and rights the people have, so it is now time for him to put his money where his mouth is.

The arrogance of Adrian Dix and his party has gone on for far too long, and the people of Columbia River-Revelstoke have the right to know what they are being asked to vote on.

Doug Clovechok BC Liberal party candidate Columbia River - Revelstoke riding

BC Conservatives bring common sense Dear Editor, As a former member of the BC Liberal Party and a supporter of the federal Conservative Party of Canada, I’m extremely pleased that Earl Olsen is the BC Conservative candidate for Columbia River — Revelstoke.

We need choices and need to be able to vote for a candidate and party that represents a change from the two old, mainstream status quo political parties.

We need to be able to vote for a party that will govern with integrity, a party that will be open and honest with its citizens, a party that will apply sound and prudent fiscal and economic principles to manage and restore the province’s finances, a party that will work to create meaningful jobs for all people throughout the province, a party that believes in being socially

responsible and compassionate and a party that knows we need to take meaningful and measurable steps to protect our environment.

Liberal scare tactics just won’t work in this election. It's ordinary folks who will decide which party will get to lead this province for the next four years.

The more choices our citizens have, the stronger our democracy becomes.

I welcome the opportunity to hear the Liberal Party and candidates defend their track record. The more it's examined, it becomes clear we need a new party and candidates who believe in open and transparent government, the free enterprise system, fiscal responsibility and personal accountability.

We don’t need another four years of Liberal mismanagement, arrogance and fiscal irresponsibility.

• Surveillance Systems, internet based • Custom home theatres • Authorized Marantz dealer • Russound sound systems

When you go to vote, think of these BC Liberal programs, initiatives and fiascos: the harmonized sales tax, the BC Rail scandal, the carbon tax (which costs you money every time you fill up your car or truck), and the carbon offset program (which has wasted millions, rewarded big business and done nothing to improve the environment).

After 12 years of Liberal government Think carefully before you vote on May 14th. There is a party that represents real change, will bring common sense to government decisions, believes in free enterprise and is not concerned about how many other political parties are competing for your vote. It’s the BC Conservative Party.

Bob Munro Golden, B.C.

250•342•6549

I’m Going to Fly FRIDAY, MAY 3 SATURDAY, MAY 4 7:30 PM CHRIST CHURCH TRINITY

STUDENTS $5 Tickets available at: ADULTS $10 INVERMERE - Essentials, Picture This Fotosource RADIUM - Meet on Higher Ground • FAIRMONT - Fairmont Gift Shop

Business

of the Week

Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce 15th Annual Business Excellence Awards “Success leaves clues: how great communities go that way.”

5:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort

The keynote speaker is Keith Wood, Senior Advisor to the California Chamber of Commerce.

Call 250-342-2844 for more information.

Sponsored by:

250-342-2844 info@cvchamber.ca www.thecolumbiavalley.ca

A12 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

SHOP ONLINE...

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

Administrative Appreciation Day The history of Administrative Professionals Week

Anytime! bcclassified.com

Pet overpopulation, surrender to shelters and animal euthanization are preventable problems with a rational solution:

SPAY & NEUTER!

www.globalanimallovers.com info@globalanimallovers.com Find us on Facebook, and see who we have available for adoption!

Adopt, don’t shop

International Association of Administrative Professionals www.iapp-hq.org

This annual event was originally organized in 1952 as "National Secretaries Week" by the National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals) in conjunction with public relations executive Harry Klemfuss and a consortium of office product manufacturers. It was established as an effort to recognize secretaries for their contributions in the workplace, and to attract people to secretarial/administrative careers.

The idea began with Mary Barrett, president of the National Secretaries Association, now called IAAP, and C. King Woodbridge, president of Dictaphone Corporation. They served on a council addressing a national shortage of skilled office workers. Together with Harry Klemfuss, public relations account executive at Young & Rubicam, they originated the idea for a National Secretaries Week.

The association successfully campaigned U.S. Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer to proclaim the first National Secretaries Week on June 1st to 7th, 1952. He designated Wednesday, June 4th as National Secretaries Day. Sawyer, Barrett and Woodbridge participated in ceremonies held in Washington, D.C. IAAP created National Secretaries Week with two objectives in mind: to recognize "the secretary, upon whose skills, loyalty, and efficiency the functions of business and government offices depend," and to call attention

"through favorable publicity, to the tremendous potential of the secretarial career."

In 1955, the observance date of National Secretaries Week was moved to the last full week of April. The observation changed to Professional Secretaries Week in 1981, and became Administrative Professionals Week in 2000 to encompass the expanding responsibilities and wide-ranging job titles of administrative support staff.

Over the years, observances of Administrative Professionals Week have focused on professional development. Today, local chapters of IAAP hold hundreds of seminars and networking events in their communities during the week. Other events include luncheons, corporate recognition activities, and individual observances between managers and office staff.

Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., the International Association of Administrative Professionals today remains the sole sponsor of Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day. IAAP continues to believe in the importance of this event to call attention to the increasing value and contributions of administrative professionals in today's workplace.

About IAAP IAAP is the world’s leading association for administrative professionals, with 600 chapters and more than 24,000 members and affiliates worldwide. IAAP sponsors Administrative Professionals Week April 24th to 30th, 2011 and Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday, April 27th. Further information is available from the IAAP web site at: www.iaap-hq.org/newsroom/apw

The Valley Echo Wednesday, April 24, 2013

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A13

National Volunteer Week April 21-27, 2013 Things to consider when looking Fast Facts about volunteers in Canada for a volunteering opportunity The power of volunteers 13.3 million Canadians contribute 2.1 billion hours, the equivalent of 1.1 million full-time jobs (Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2010).

47% of Canadians volunteer (Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2010).

Volunteers typically contribute 156 hours per year (Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2010).

Young Canadians, aged 15-24, volunteer more than any other age group at a rate of 58 per cent versus the overall rate of 47 per cent (Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2010).

Today’s volunteer Canadian volunteers are more goal-oriented, autonomous, techsavvy and mobile (Source: Bridging the Gap).

Volunteering changes throughout the lifecycle, along with evolving priorities, circumstances and interests (Bridging the Gap).

Volunteers are looking for volunteer tasks that involve something different from their work life (Bridging the Gap).

Most volunteers are looking for short-term volunteer opportunities (Bridging the Gap).

Volunteering is personal and stems from individual preferences and motivations (Bridging the Gap).

More new Canadians are seeking volunteer opportunities (Bridging the Gap).

Today’s volunteer-involving organization Many organizations do not have the capacity to involve groups (Bridging the Gap).

Many men and women feel a need to give back to their communities. While a financial donation to a local charity or nonprofit organization can certainly go a long way, some men and women prefer to donate their time and skills via volunteering.

Finding the right volunteering opportunity is a great way to ensure the experience is satisfying for you and those you will be working with. In addition, the right opportunity can evolve into a long-term relationship with a particular charity or nonprofit organization, providing a lifetime of positive experiences along the way. When looking for a volunteering opportunity, individuals should consider a host of factors to find the right fit for them.

Personality Charitable organizations need volunteers from all walks of life. Some people assume all volunteers must be the outgoing, sociable type, but such an assumption is untrue. Consider your own personality when looking for a volunteering opportunity, and don't feel discouraged if you're not very outgoing.

Your strengths as a volunteer may lie in helping plan events like fundraisers or helping the charity navigate its way through red tape.

Corporate citizenship Companies with engaged employees see 26 per cent higher revenue per employee (Drive Business Results Through Continuous Engagement, WorkUSA, 2008-2009).

86 per cent of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on society’s interests as on business interests (Citizens Engage!, Edelman goodpurpose ® Study 2010).

Young professionals aged 18-24 who frequently participate in their company’s employee volunteer activities are twice as likely to rate their corporate culture as very positive (Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey, 2007).

Volunteer Canada continues to raise the bar Volunteer Canada dates back to 1977 when we were called the Canadian Association of Volunteer Bureaux and Centres (Volunteer Canada).

Availability His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor Volunteering can be a major General of Canada, became a patron of Volunteer Canada in Decem- time commitment or someber 2010 (Volunteer Canada). thing you do occasionally Volunteer Canada works with over 200 volunteer centres nation- without having to commit wide (Volunteer Canada). much time. Many volunteers Volunteer Canada boasts a membership of over 1,200 groups (Vol- would love to devote them10.3125” x 2” to a charitable unteer Canada). selves full-time

cause they feel a connection to, but prospective volunteers must be honest with themselves about their availability. You can still volunteer if your schedule is already quite busy, just be honest with the charity when they inquire about your availability. Don't commit time you don't have, as you won't get as much out of the experience and you might end up letting the charity down when you can't participate as much as you had promised.

Accessibility Many volunteers prefer to contribute to charities in their own towns because such organizations don't require the additional time commitment of commuting. If you volunteer with an organization that is far away from where you live, you aren't as likely to enjoy the experience or continue your participation. The organization should be conveniently located and, if you don't drive, easily accessible via public transportation.

Personal interest While volunteering with any worthy organization figures to be a rewarding experience, the experience can be that much more meaningful if you have a personal interest or connection to the organization. If you're passionate about a certain cause, you're more likely to embrace a volunteering opportunity with an organization associated with that cause. On the contrary, if you're not passionate about a certain charity or its mission, you might not fully commit to volunteering, and neither you nor the charity will get the most out of your volunteering.

Volunteering is a wonderful way for men and women to give back to their communities. Doing some work and reasearch in order to find the right opportunity is the first step toward making the experience beneficial for you as well as the charitable organization you ultimately choose to work with.

CELEBRATING VOLUNTEER WEEK The Board and staff of Columbia Basin Trust would like to thank the many dedicated volunteers in the Basin who devote their time and energy to strengthening our communities and helping create a legacy of social, economic and environmental well-being - thank you! www.cbt.org • 1.800.505.8998 • info@cbt.org

A14 www.invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

Valley Life

Exciting events are an everyday occurence in the Columbia Valley this spring. Clockwise from top left: members of the Cheesecake Burlesque Revue entertain a well-heeled crowd at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort on Saturday, April 20th (Dan Walton photo); Jeff Norgren hoists a Norco Sasquatch, a bike he bought for just $275, above his head at the Columbia Valley Cycling Society's bike swap in Invermere on Sunday, April 21st (Greg Amos photo); young environmental stewards celebrated Earth Day on Monday, April 22nd by picking up trash around Martin Morigeau Elementary in Canal Flats (Steve Hubrecht photo); DJ Krafty Kuts made a celebrated return to Bud's Bar on Thursday, April 18th, despite his broken leg (Dan Walton photo).

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

www.invermerevalleyecho.com A15

A&E Local Holocaust survivor contributes to World War Two memorial in Netherlands Fred van Zuiden's book translated into Dutch, with profits to support statue to memorialize people who harboured those sought by Nazis DAN WALTON reporter@invermerevalleyecho.com

The atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust are unimaginable for most people, but Windermere's Fred van Zuiden, who spent five years hiding in Nazi-occupied Holland, knows the reality all too well.

He wrote about his experience in his 2009 book, Call Me Mom: A Dutch Boy's World War II Survival Story, which was recently translated for Dutch readers to, Zeg maar mamma. Earlier this month at a ceremony in the Netherlands, Fred presented the book to fellow survivor Lodewijk van Leeuwen.

“I was in hiding with him and his dad in a poultry pen,” Fred told The Echo. “I was in there for four months, and Lo (Mr. van Leeuwen) was in there for eight months. His dad was in there for twelve months, but we were discovered one day, and we were out of there in ten minutes.”

While the three always kept a lookout during their time spent in hiding, they were uncovered via an opening they had not considered.

“When he saw us in there, he said “Don't worry,” but the people I was hiding with said he cannot be trusted,” recalls Fred. “After we left there, an hour and a half later a Nazi unit came by to arrest us and send us to the camp and on to Poland to be exterminated. But they again didn't get us, and we ultimately all survived.”

A ten-kilometre walk led Fred and Lo to the next village.

“I was told where to go, and we spent the night there with some wonderful people,” he said. After spend-

ing months literally cooped up with no opportunity to speak louder than at a whisper, Fred was overwhelmed to hear people talking freely.

“When I heard people talking in a normal manner, I was laughing hysterically,” he said.

As one of the many harrowing experiences documented from Holland during the early 1940s, Call Me Mom was recognized as an iconic document for how people secretly hid during the Holocaust.

A local Rotary Club in the ancient city of Amersfoort, Holland established a foundation to honour the many Dutchmen who hid people during the war at great risk. They felt as though no significant statue existed to memorialize those people, so a structure was recently erected in the European city for that purpose.

“The foundation felt Call Me Mom was very much in tune with the building of the statue,” explained Fred. “They asked me if I would consider donating the proceeds of a Dutch version of Call Me Mom to the project, and I was pleased to do so.”

The event was attended by nearly 100 people, including the Mayor of Amersfoort.

“The audience was mixed – some people were survivors like me, many had hidden people and risked being shot, their homes burnt down, and their children sent to Nazi indoctrination camps,” he said.

"Many people needed to hide — those evading forced labour, Jehovah’s Witnesses, gypsies, railway workers, resistance people, as well as Jewish people.”

He explained how he was forced to hide in secret at 26 different homes. He was support by caring families, where most of the work fell on the mother’s shoulders.

The kindness extended towards Fred led him to give his book the title Call Me Mom. After five years of hiding, Holland was liberated, and Fred was re-united with his family. He'd parted with when he was nine.

“My dad did not recognize me,” he said. “He, my brother and my sister hid with other families.”

But it wasn’t long before the van Zuiden’s could en-

joy their reunion.

“He looked at me for two, three seconds, and then he said, “Yes! You are my son.” And he embraced me. It was fabulous.”

The family returned to discover that their homestead had been converted into an ammunition depot by the German army during the war. In addition, weapons, uniforms, and “a hell of a stench” SUBMITTED photo were left behind in "Call Me Mom" by Fred van Zuiden the family's business, which was located below the family’s living space in their house.

The German war supplies were taken by the Dutch Internal Armed Forces, and the family business, which was founded in 1737, resumed. While it’s now under new ownership, the building still stands today.

After a risky maneuver across no man’s land, Fred had escaped German occupied Holland before the country was liberated. He described how he was informed when his country was freed.

“I was about 70 to 80 kilometres behind the frontline, and I listened to the BBC out of London,” he recalled.

“They announced that German forces in the Netherlands had surrendered. And the next thing, in Berlin, the German forces called it a day.”

His crossing of no man’s land, as well as Fred's survival at the Battle Arhem, featured in A Bridge Too Far, as well as the Gestapo Raids, are among the stories featured in his book.

Call Me Mom can be purchased at Sobey’s in Invermere, or through Fred's website, www.callmemom.ca .

Pynelogs welcomes assistant curator for the summer MATTHEW BRUMMITT Special to The Valley Echo

This summer there will be a new personality to welcome you to Pynelogs Art Gallery and Cultural Centre.

My name is Matthew Brummitt, and I will be acting as assistant curator at Pynelogs for this exciting summer season.

I have been privileged to spend a lot of my childhood

in this valley, as my family has had a cabin here since 1988. I know that much of my inspiration as an artist has come from the remarkable four seasons experience and beauty of this valley.

From the head of the Columbia River all the way to Golden, I look forward to sharing my passion for the arts with the valley.

As an artist I work in many mediums from ceramics and paint to photography and creative writing. Continually finding new sources of inspiration in different

Art From the Heart Part 8 · April 9 to 28

Pynelogs Gallery Hours: 11 to 5 pm daily and Wed until 9 pm What does ART mean to you? Silent Auction ends at 4 pm April 28th

Visit columbiavalleyarts.com for our current events calendar, or call 250-342-4423.

places around the world, different people, and different experiences.

I believe that Pynelogs Art Gallery and Cultural Centre is a great place to encourage and influence art both for me and the community.

I hope to meet you during the great line up of events and shows scheduled for this summer. It is certain to be a memorable one, with some exciting exhibitions full of many gifted artists showing at the gallery. Take some time this summer to visit Pynelogs.

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Check out full e-editions of The Valley Echo as it looks in print, as well as our special sections! invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 The Valley Echo

Invermere journalist lands book deal for World War Two novel Bird's Eye View tells story of wartime effort from a young Canadian woman's point of view GREG AMOS editor@invermerevalleyecho.com

VALLEY ECHO T he

Invitation to Bid Owner: District of Invermere Contract: Lift Station 1 & Mount Nelson Reservoir Upgrades Reference No. 0953.0108.02 The Owner invites Bids for construction of the work, which in general terms, will consist of the following: • Site 1: Supply and install a backup generator on a concrete pad outside the Mount Nelson reservoir pump station.

• Site 2: Remove the existing Lift Station 1 building along with the following a. Remove all electrical equipment inside and outside the building as shown on the Contract drawings. b. Remove the concrete pad associated with the building. c. Install a new kiosk for the upgraded electrical equipment. d. Install new electrical control panels (PLC, HMI), including all required SCADA programming e. Install a new backup generator for the lift station equipment.

The successful Bidder will be required to enter into a CCDC 2 (2008) Stipulated Price Contract.

Bid Documents and non-bid information for this contract will only be distributed electronically in digital format (pdf format) through the Merx tendering website at: www. merx.com Documents will be available for downloading on or after April 26, 2013.

A non-mandatory pre-tender site meeting will be held on Tuesday May 7 at 11:00 a.m. local time near Lift Station 1 (just south of CP Rail line at 17 Street). Representatives from the District of Invermere and Urban Systems Ltd. will be present.

Sealed bids clearly marked “DISTRICT OF INVERMERE – LIFT STATION 1 & MOUNT NELSON RESERVOIR UPGRADES” will be received prior to 2:00:00 p.m., local time, May 16, 2013 at the following address: District of Invermere Attn: Chris Prosser P.O. Box 339 914 8th Avenue Invermere, B.C. V0A 1K0 Bids will be publicly opened immediately after the Tender Closing Time, at the District of Invermere Office.

A local writer and former Pioneer publisher's novel on a woman's work in World War Two has landed a significant publishing contract.

Invermere's Elinor Florence, who owned and published The Pioneer from 2004 to 2010, has signed a contract for her first novel with Dundurn Press of Toronto.

Bird’s Eye View is about a young Canadian woman who is working for a weekly newspaper when World War II breaks out. She joins the British Women’s Air Force and becomes an interpreter of aerial photographs, searching for bomb targets on the continent through her magnifying glass.

“I finished the first draft in 2000, although I was very busy working and raising four children,” Elinor said.

“Like many first novels, it ended up in a shoebox. But last year I pulled it out again, revised it and sent it off to Dundurn Press.”

“Last winter, I re-read it and thought there was some value in it," she added. "One big change was the entire first draft was in third person; I decided it was better in first person. I think that was a big improvement.”

Ms. Florence said inspiration to write the novel came in the form of an

old black and white photo in a magazine of a woman in a British Air Force uniform bent over a set of aerial photographs.

“There was no other way to find out what the Germans were up to except for spying on them from the sky,” she said.

Through a linear series of photos taken by British spy planes, aerial photo SUBMITTED PHOTO interpreters — both Invermere author Elinor Florence. men and women — were able to use in the war effort. My father, who died stereo viewing glasses to see a three- in 2003, served in the Royal Canadimensional view from an airplane's dian Air Force; and my mother June perspective.

Florence, who lives here in Invermere, Prior to a release of wartime records volunteered on the home front,” she

by British Intelligence in 1995, there said. were only “some very sketchy acThis is Ms. Florence’s first foray into counts of women in this role,” said Ms. fiction. She began her journalism Florence, who began writing the book career at her hometown newspaper in 1997. in North Battleford, then went on to “The history books are generally the Western Producer in Saskatoon, written by men, so I thought it was im- the Red Deer Advocate, the Winnipeg portant to tell the story of World War Sun and the Vancouver Province (as II through the eyes of a woman,” she it was then called) before moving to said.

Invermere with her family in 1996.

During her background research She was a regular writer for Reader’s she interviewed several area resi- Digest from 1997 to 2004. dents, including bomber pilot Ed “Unlike newspapers, the book pubKluczny. lishing industry moves very slowly,” Others have since passed away – she said. “Bird’s Eye View, both print pilots Leo Richer, Arthur Bradford, and digital versions, will be released Duncan McIntosh and Art Wilks; and in fall 2014.” women’s air force veterans Lou Marr Readers interested in finding out and Nancy Tegart. more can reach Ms. Florence at “My whole family was very involved elinor1@telus.net .

First call for Steamboat Mountain tickets SUBMITTED BY ANNE JARDINE Special to The Valley Echo

Early Bird tickets will soon be on sale for the second annual Steamboat Mountain Music Festival set for July 6th at Edgewater Elementary school’s beautiful field. A special ticket launch party will be held on Saturday, April 27th at Edgewater Hall with free admission for early bird ticket buyers and festival volunteers.

The lineup for this year’s festival includes dozens of local performers as well as a few groups from slightly farther afield. Cranbrook’s Good Old Goats are confirmed.

They are a young group who were recently voted as runners-up in CBC's Canada-wide Searchlight Talent Competition. They play original songs in a distinctive roots based, high en-

ergy style that garnered lots of votes from their growing multitude of regional fans. Stone of Nowhere out of Calgary is another young group who will rock the program.

Other regional groups who are confirmed so far are Cranbrook’s Red Girl, an original roots folk band, Los Morenos from Calgary who play AfroCuban music, and a classic rock band, Fender Bender. The Five on a String have also signed on, and there may be one or two other surprises. The lineup is not quite complete, but the festival committee promises that it will be diverse and exciting.

Local favourites Marty and Eli Beingessner are confirmed, as are L8, the Dry Gulch Ramblers, the Halfsacks, Dos Equis, and Smarty Pants.

Tweeners that have confirmed so far are Beard’s Creek, Abbie Wells, Paige Ellerton, Will Wardwell, Leo Downey,

Meghan Jade, Mickey Maione, and Craig Ellis.

The launch party, a coffee house evening with dessert, will feature the Dry Gulch Ramblers, Scott Ivers, Mickey Maione, Beard’s Creek, Bill Cropper and possibly a couple of special guests.

Launchers will also get a chance to renew their memberships and take advantage of a further discount on the already discounted early bird prices. Early bird tickets are $30 or $10 for youth, and the Steamboat Mountain Music Society member discount brings it down to $25 or $5 for youth.

Can’t beat those prices. Those who are bringing a family or entourage and purchasing 8 or more tickets will get one free.

Come out, enjoy local music and celebrate the launch of this year’s Steamboat Mountain Music Festival.