Invermere Valley Echo, May 11, 2016 by Black Press Media Group

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

ALLEY CHO

The Invermere

Hoobanoff heads to Junior A Hawks

Crown of the Continent courts Columbia Valley

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The 2nd annual Pooch Plunge at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort was graced with beautiful summer weather on May 7th, and raised $1,581.80 for local animal rescue groups GALS and ICAN. PHOTO BY KATIE WATT

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Valley Visitor Centres see more international tourists STEVE HUBRECHT steve@invermerevalleyecho.com There’s been a large jump in the number of international tourists visiting B.C. in 2016, a trend that local visitors centres are seeing out here in the Columbia Valley. The latest provincial visitor numbers, according to a recent provincial Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training press release, show that number of international visitors (which includes American tourists) is up 16.2 per cent compared with last year — an increase of 39,246 visitors. Both Visitor Centres in the valley told The Echo they’ve seen an increase in international tourists, although the Columbia Valley Visitor Centre reported just a slight increase, while the Radium Visitor Centre reported a significant increase. “Last year at this point, we’d had 45 international visitors, if you include

Americans, and so far this year we’ve “We always get a good group of Gerhad 51, so we’re up a bit,” said Colum- mans. They are typically young and bia Valley Visitor Centre manager Kathy travelling all around Canada, and Tyson on Thursday, May 5th, adding last year in particular, there definitethat the flow of such visitors has in- ly seemed to be quite a lot of visitors creased recently, with a three having from the Netherlands,” she said, addarrived that day, and another three ing the Visitor Centre at the Crossroads having arrived the also sees a number day before. “We always know of tourists from Ja“All of them were pan and China, and the tourist season gets its fair share of Americans heading to Alaska and, has truly started when we visitors from Ausin terms of interna- starting seeing Germans tralians and New tional visitors, that’s Zealand. and Swiss.” typically what we Tourism Radium KENT KEBE MANAGER, TOURISM RADIUM manager Kent Kebe get (at the Columbia Valley Visitor Centold The Echo that tre) — Americans heading up across although most of the Radium Visitor the border, through Banff and Jasper Centre’s tourists come from Alberta or on their way up to Alaska,” said Tyson. other parts of B.C., it has seen a jump She added that although Americans in the number of international tourists make up the bulk of the centre’s inter- so far this year, with 552 parties of innational visitors, they do see tourists ternational visitors (360 of them, or 55 from other parts of the world. per cent, American) having stopped

in at the centre from January through April 2016, compared with 339 such parties (232 of them American) in January through April 2015 — a 53 per cent increase. The centre gets an average number of 2.2 visitors per parties, so in terms of individual visitor numbers that translates to 1,214 international visitor so far in 2016 compared with 792 in the first four months of 2015. “It’s quite an increase, and it’s been absolutely busy here,” said Kebe. “I think it has a lot to do with the low Canadian dollar, especially for the Americans.” Kebe said that, similar to the Columbia Valley Visitor Centre, the Radium Visitor Centre gets a healthy dose of Europeans. “There are a lot of Germans,” he said. “We always know the tourist season has truly started when we starting seeing Germans and Swiss.”

Nine Lives Would Not Do The Life of Leo Grillmair Wednesday May 25, 7:30 pm at Pynelogs Tickets at the door Visit columbiavalleyarts.com for our current events calendar, or call 250-342-4423 · Pynelogs Cafe - Open Tuesday to Saturday 11 to 4 pm

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

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Snapshot SAFETY STEWARDS… In light of the wildfires ranging in northern B.C. and Alberta, it’s no wonder the Columbia Valley Emergency Preparedness Fair at the Windermere Fire Hall on Saturday, May 7th was a bustling event. Becky Green with her children James and Lucy were among the crowds to tour the booths hosted by representatives from BC Ambulance, the RCMP, Columbia Valley Search & Rescue, BC Wildfire Service, Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team, Holistic Emergency Preparedness and the RDEK Emergency Program, who showcased a wide range of rescue equipment plus there were demonstrations, activities for PHOTO BY ERIC ELLIOTT kids and more.

LOCAL NEWS

Wilmer soccer field upgrade earns CBT grant STEVE HUBRECHT steve@invermerevalleyecho.com The Columbia Basin Trust recently announced the projects that were successful in receiving the Trust’s new Recreation Infrastructure Grants. The three-year $9 million program, which was announced this past January, will give out a combined total of $3.5 million this year for 42 projects across the Kootenay region,

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including a soccer field enhancement in Wilmer. Absent from the list of recipients is the Westside Legacy Trail, which had applied to the grant. “We were denied, and other projects got the money,” confirmed Greenways Trail Alliance executive director Mark Halwa. The Wilmer soccer field enhancement will see $1,500 spent putting up permanent soccer goal posts in the Wilmer community’s

soccer field. The Echo attempted to get further comment from the Columbia Basin Trust on the Wilmer project, but was unable to reach anyone for comment prior to press deadline, although the Trust did issue a press release on the grants in general. “We’re pleased to provide grants to such a wide range of projects that will help people stay fit and enjoy where we live,” said Trust president and chief executive officer Neil Muth in the press release. “Supporting residents to lead active, healthy lifestyles is one of our strategic priorities, and developing the amenities that help them do so is an important step.” The grant is meant to provide financial support to help communities and groups build new recreation infrastructure or upgrade existing recreation infrastructure. Amounts distributed to the 42 projects ranged from the $1,500 for the Wilmer soccer goal posts (the lowest amount given to any one project) to $500,000 for the planned new Aq’amnik education centre and gymnasium at the Aq’am First Nation outside of Cranbrook, which was the highest amount given to any one project. The granting program’s next intake session is now open, and the deadline for those wanting to apply to this intake is Monday, July 11th. To find out more or download the guidelines, visit www.cbt.org/ recreationapply.

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National Geographic helping market Columbia Valley STEVE HUBRECHT steve@invermerevalleyecho.com The Crown of Continent Geotourism Council and Kootenay Rockies Tourism recently gave a joint presentation to local tourism and hotel operators, showcasing their new website and other new digital tools. The Wednesday, April 27th presentation was held at the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce and saw Crown of the Continent Geotourism project co-ordinator Sheena Pate and Kootenay Rockies Tourism manger of business development Wendy Van Puymbroeck explain about the Crown of the Continent’s new tourism website, which promotes destinations in southeastern B.C., southwestern Alberta and northwestern Montana. The pair also talked about Crown of the Continent’s new Trip Plan tool (which allows visitors to the area to plan out itineraries by linking together different destinations and experiences based on their own interests); and the Geotourism Destination badges it plans to distribute (both physically and digitally) to businesses and organizations featured on the website, which the the businesses can then display in their stores.

The Crown of the Continent geotourism project, in partnership with National Geographic, is promoting Invermere and other communities in B.C., Alberta and Montana. IMAGE SUBMITTED

(Leveraging the National Geographic brand) is a big piece of the project. It can help the Columbia Valley, for instance, rise above other parts of B.C. SHEENA PATE CROWN OF THE CONTINENT

“(The geotourism project) helps highlight what makes Invermere unique. What we are trying to do is highlight the distinct nature of each community in the Crown of the Continent area,” Pate told The Echo, adding the project is partnered with National Geographic, which means the project brings huge brand recognition to many of the area’s smaller communities. “(Leveraging the National Geographic brand) is a big piece of the project,” she said. “It can help the Columbia Valley, for instance, rise above other parts of B.C.” The Crown of the Continent Geotourism Council was formed in 2007 by tourism bureaus, businesses and conservation organizations initially centred around Montana’s Glacier National Park and Alberta’s Waterton Lakes National Park. That scope has since broadened to include what participants call the greater Crown of the Continent area (encompassing large tracts of northwestern Montana, as well as the mountainous part of southeastern B.C. and southwestern Alberta lying south of Banff and Kootenay National Parks). Several months after the council began, it was approached by National Geographic — which had ranked the Crown highly on a list of places that still retains much of their traditional character but were, in National Geographic’s eyes, threatened by the likelihood of big box storestyle development. A partnership to promote visitor experiences, conservation and sustainable business practices was launched. The effort targets visitors that the Geotourism Council labels as “geotravellers”, which it defines as those with an interest in sustainability and conservation. Participation in the program is free and much of the content for the Crown of the Continent Geotourism Council’s website is generated by local residents of the various communities. “Our content is deemed as ‘a travel guide to the places most respected and recommended by locals.’ This is the exact type of content that geotravellers trust and are looking for. This hyperlocal content combined with the National Geographic brand is extremely valuable to Invermere and the Columbia Valley and can be leveraged in a variety of ways,” said Pate. “Through our program, we’re able to highlight hyperlocal experiences online and with a physical map guide.” Part of the reason for the recent visit to Invermere (and similar visits to other East Kootenay communities) was to “encourage the attendees to become ‘field experts’ and submit their favourite local places to visit,” said Van Puymbroeck. The Geotourism Council partners with already-established tourism organizations, such as Kootenay Rockies Tourism and, as Van Puymbroeck told The Echo, the two groups are promoting several of the communities in the East Kootenay region, including Invermere, as gateway communities to the Crown of the Continent.

“Essentially (the project is) free marketing for the region and Invermere, directed at the travellers who are interested in immersing themselves in the communities they visit,” said Plate. “These visitors respect the communities they visit and are invested in supporting the well-being of the communities. They buy local, support small businesses, contribute to con-

servation efforts, volunteer and so on.” The project — through the National Geographic brand — will bring national and international exposure for Invermere, added Van Puymbroeck. Pate said the presentation at the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce was well-received by those who attended. “People were really enthusiastic, especially about the new features,” she said. Those interested in learning more can visit w w w. c ro w n o f t h e c o n t i n e n t . natgeotourism.com.

Regional District of East Kootenay PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE - BYLAW 2693 Bylaw Amendment Whiteswan Lake/Kennellys Property Co. Ltd The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Board of Directors is considering an application by Kennellys Property Co. Ltd. to amend the Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw. If approved, the bylaw will amend the text of the RES-1(A) Recreation Residential Zone to permit the use of park model trailers and recreational vehicles for seasonal accommodation on the subject property located on the Whiteswan Lake Forest Service Road. Bylaw No. 2693 cited as “Regional District of East Kootenay – Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 1992 – Amendment Bylaw No. 311, 2016 (Whiteswan Lake / Kennellys Property Co. Ltd.)” is amended to add park model trailer and recreational vehicle to the list of permitted uses on the subject property. A public hearing will be held at: Columbia Ridge Community Centre 6890 Columbia Lake Road Fairmont Hot Springs, BC Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 7:00 pm The Board has delegated the holding of this hearing to the Directors for Electoral Area F, Electoral Area G, and the Village of Canal Flats. 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 submissions will form part of the public record and will be published in a meeting agenda posted online. Personal contact information such as phone and email will be removed from written submissions. Questions about the disclosure of your personal information may be referred to the Corporate Officer at 250-489-2791 or 1-888-4787335. This notice is not an interpretation of the Bylaw. For more information, contact Jean Terpsma, Planning Technician at 250-489-0314 or toll free at 1-888-478-7335 or email jterpsma@rdek.bc.ca.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

MLA criticizes Ministry of Mines in wake of Auditor General audit STEVE HUBRECHT steve@invermerevalleyecho.com The Auditor General of B.C. released an audit criticizing the provincial government’s oversight of the mining industry earlier last week, prompting the provincial NDP Opposition to call for the resignation of Minister of Energy and Mines and Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett. B.C. Auditor General Carol Bellringer released her Audit of Compliance and Enforcement of the Mining Sector on Tuesday, May 3th and said, in the news release accompanying it, “almost all of our expectations for a robust compliance and enforcement program were not met,” and that “the compliance and enforcement activities of both the Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the Ministry of Environment are not set up to protect the province from environmental risks.” Bellringer referenced the failure of the Mt. Polley tailings dam in 2014, saying “to avoid such failures, business as usual cannot continue.” “The Auditor General’s report is one of the most scathing I’ve seen in 12 years of being an MLA. They are usually technical documents. This is some of the strongest language I’ve ever seen in them,” Columbia River-Revelstoke NDP MLA Norm Macdonald told The Echo. Macdonald, who is the Opposition Critic for Energy and Mines, added the Ministry of Energy and Mines is the sole organization in the province that protects the public’s interest when it comes to mines “and they’ve simply not been doing the work that’s needed.” The auditor general’s news release said the audit found indications of major gaps in resources, planning and tools in both the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Ministry of Environment, such as insufficient staff and staff having to work with cumbersome and incomplete data systems. The release stated that, as a result, monitoring and inspections of mines was inadequate to ensure mine operators complied with requirements. The report concluded with 16 recommendations, including creating a new independent compliance and enforcement organization, separate from the Ministry of Mines and Energy. “Basically, the report is saying that

“It may be hard to understand, but you have to separate the independent investigation into the Mt. Polley incident with the Auditor General’s report, which is a general performance review. The report is good, but it’s not an investigation.” BILL BENNETT MINISTER OF ENERGY AND MINES KOOTENAY EAST MLA

the failure that occurred at Mt. Polley could occur elsewhere across the province,” said Macdonald. “There needs to be a dramatic change, and more rigorous oversight, and so far I don’t see a willingness for that. The government is saying they accept the findings, but then they are arguing against the central recommendation (of creating a independent compliance and enforcement organization for mines). They’ve made it clear they do not want to go in that direction.” Macdonald said , in his view, the Mt. Polley incident can’t be considered an accident since it resulted from “sloppy activities that shouldn’t have taken place” and added that such incidents tarnish the reputation of the mining industry as a whole. The Alaskan government, for instance, has raised objections about upstream mine developments in northwestern B.C. ever since Mt. Polley, he said. “So there’s not only potential safety issues and environmental degradation, but you also make development of other mines difficult, and hamper the economy and jobs that comes with them,” said Macdonald. Provincial leader John Horgan issued a press release shortly after the Auditor General’s report came out, referencing a comment Bennett had previously made whereby if his ministry was negligent in the Mt. Polley incident that he would resign, and Horgan called on him to do just that. “Bill Bennett made that commitment. This report makes it clear that the ministry is to blame and that means the minister is ultimately responsible. He’s rejected the call and that is what it is,” said Macdonald. But Bennett has a different take on the matter. “The NDP is trying to turn the Auditor General’s report into an investigation, which it’s not,” he said. He pointed to two investigations into the cause of the Mt. Polley tailing

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dame failure – one conducted by an independent expert engineering panel (which concluded in January 2015) and the other conducted by the provincial chief inspector of mines (which concluded in December 2015). “It may be hard to understand, but you have to separate the independent investigation into the Mt. Polley incident with the Auditor General’s report, which is a general performance review,” Bennett told The Echo. “The report is good, but it’s not an investigation. They are not engineers, they did not visit the site. The independent panel are engineers, they did visit the site and it was their task to determine was the cause (of the tailing dam failure was). And they were quite clear that the cause was from foundational material (under the dam) in the subsurface, which, when it’s loaded up, its characteristic changes from something solid to something like a banana peel.” In the section of the panel’s investigation report on regulatory oversight, that panel writes that “additional inspections of the tailings storages facili-

ty would not have prevented the (dam) failure.” “It’s unfortunate that the Auditor General’s report insinuates that staff levels have anything to do with the Mt. Polley disaster. There is absolutely zero evidence in the Auditor General’s report to back that up,” said Bennett, adding that the auditor’s report does highlight a lack of inspectors in 2009, 2010 and 2011, which is a valid point that needs to be addressed, but which is not related to the cause of the Mt. Polley dam failure. Bennett said many of the recommendations in the Auditor General’s report are good ones and the ministry is already in the process of implementing them, but the ministry is holding off on creating a independent compliance and enforcement organization separate from the ministry. “We’re not promising to do this until we do a jurisdictional scan and see if there is anywhere else in the world that does it, so we can see have a model and see how it works, since there are some really good practical reasons to keep it in the ministry,” he said. The Auditor General’s report also stated that some mining companies have not provided enough financial security deposits to the provincial government to cover potential reclamation costs if a mining company defaults on its obligation, adding these deposits are underfunded by about $1 billion, and that taxpayers could be on the hook if these deposits are not topped up.

INTERNATIONAL VISITORS from A1 Many of the European visitors are interested in outdoor activities such as hiking. This early in the season, Kebe said the Visitor Centre often has to tell them that while the grass may be green in the valley bottom, most of the best hiking trails in the mountains are still snowbound. In addition, the Radium Visitor Centre also sees a decent number of people from Australia and New Zealand, added Kebe. The Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training press release also points to the low Canadian dollar as a reason for the increase in international visitors in B.C. “The latest international visitor

numbers back up what we’ve been hearing from communities across the province — they are having record-breaking seasons,” said provincial Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Shirley Bond in the press release. In the press release, Destination BC chief executive officer Marsha Walden says the increase in international visitors is “proof that British Columbia’s vast and powerful nature, spectacular cities, fabulous snow conditions and great value for money are big draws for our friends south of the border.” In 2015, 4.9 million international visitors came to B.C. — a 7.9 per cent increase compared to 2014.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

ALLEY CHO

The Invermere

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2009 2009 WINNER

OPINION

The beginning of a new era The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Chief Administrative Officer announced her retirement several months ago and last week was her last RDEK committee and board meetings. Lee-Crane has been with the RDEK since she arrived in our front office to do her Mount Baker High School work experience placement. Over the years, she held many positions within the organization before becoming the CAO in 1998. The role of the CAO is to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization as well as provide support and resources to the RDEK Board in setting policy and direc-

tion. It is a tough job with lots 3 a.m. during our floods and of different demands coming fire season, working on emerfrom within the organization, gency situations. When the the Board and general public. phone rings in the middle of Over Lee-Ann’s Regional the night, it is her tenure as CAO, calling to update UNDOWN she has seen many me on a situation. challenges and It is during these has always moved times that she is the organization the calming voice forward, keeping of reason that in mind the best manages to get value for the taxthe situation unpayer’s dollars. der control. ENDY On a personal There are 27 renote, when I first gional districts in became a board member in British Columbia. Lee-Ann is 2008, she was always available very well-respected among to answer my endless ques- her peers and has provided tions and still is to this day. I her advice on numerous procan recall speaking to her at vincial initiatives. Her leader-

W BOOTH

ship has given the RDEK the reputation of being a very effective and progressive regional district, one that I’m proud to have the privilege of being a part of. Lee-Ann’s last day at the RDEK will be at the end of this month. Taking over the role of CAO will be Shawn Tomlin, who is currently the RDEK’s Chief Financial Officer. While Lee-Ann will be greatly missed, I’m confident that Shawn will fill those shoes. Wendy Booth is the Regional District of East Kootenay Director for Area F and vice chair. She can be reached at wndbooth@gmail.com or 250-3456155.

OPINION Democracy is worth fighting for A recent motion by the Regional District of East Kootenay to ask the province not to allow the Jumbo Glacier Mountain Resort Municipality (JGMRM) to have a full voting seat at the regional board table reminds us that the issue of Jumbo is still not over. Some of you will be re-reading that first sentence, trying to take in how it is actually possible that a voting seat at the regional district table for an appointed mayor from a non-existent town with no people, no infrastructure and no future could even be contemplated. Yes. In the letters patent that created the JGMRM and appointed a paid mayor for a fake town, they also provided a seat at the regional district,

making decisions about what money, and it never should happens to you and your have existed in the first place. community. It is through foolhardy meaThis was an outrageous situ- sures like the creation of a ation from the start. But now, fake town that the B.C. Liberwhen it is more clear than ever als have ensured that B.C. taxthat there is no inpayers have been MLA vestor for Jumbo one of the largest EPORT Resort, and there investors in Jumnever will be, it is bo Glacier Resort. completely ridicuIt is time for this lous. People in this farce to come to area are not going an end. to accept that the Show your supappointed mayor port for the Reof the fake town of gional District of ORM Jumbo would have East Kootenay’s the same voting (RDEK) request rights as someone to change the who is actually elected. letters patent for JGMRM to People want the Jumbo Mu- prevent the appointed mayor nicipality to go away. It has from having a seat — voting been a waste of taxpayers’ or non-voting — on the RDEK

N MACDONALD

board as long as there is no democratically elected council in Jumbo that represents a minimum permanent population and assessed value. If a change isn’t made by January 1st, 2017, a provincially appointed person will be making decisions on your behalf. Speak out in support of the RDEK motion by emailing the premier at premier@gov.bc.ca with a CC to my office at norm. macdonald.mla@leg.bc.ca. This is a key tenet of representative democracy, and it is worth fighting for. Norm Macdonald is the NDP MLA for Columbia River Revelstoke. He can be reached by phone at 1-866-870-4188 and by email at norm.macdonald. mla@leg.bc.ca.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

OPINION

BC NEWS

State of Canadian Hockey: there are better days ahead

Clark’s party pay OK, commissioner says

If you’ve been flipping selected Darnell Nurse Oﬀ the through your TV guide with the seventh pick. ECORD E COR CORD RD lately, you’ll notice someThey could even elect to thing rather unique. For trade the pick in hopes the first time since the of getting developed 1969-70 season, likely the players in return to comfirst time in your TV’s plement their already existence, no Canadian young core. team will be in contenFor teams like the Vantion for the coveted Stancouver Canucks, the ley Cup. fifth overall pick offers Adding to that, ComRIC them the chance at a missioner Gary Bettman LLIOTT rebuild if they’re willing will present the Cup this to part ways with some June to a captain of an American team of their older players like the Sedin for the 22nd consecutive season. Twins and veteran goaltender Ryan It’s been a rather difficult time emo- Miller. Conversely, with many vetertionally for Canadian hockey fans, no an pieces still in place, they could doubt. Sure, Canadians have watched choose to trade in the pick in a last their Olympic teams dominate every ditch effort at a Stanley Cup run. No four years, but when it comes to NHL one’s suggesting that’s the most logihockey, it has become hard to watch. cal route, but it certainly exists as an But things are looking up, at least in avenue for exploration. theory. With the sadness of finishing in To the Calgary Flames — the valley’s the basement of the League comes the closest geographical team — the sixth possibility of higher draft picks in what pick offers the potential to build on looks to be a deep draft according to its already youthful core. Players like NHL scouts. Johnny Gaudreau, Sam Bennett and Last week, the NHL revealed its draft Sean Monahan would no doubt welorder in the ever-popular draft lot- come the addition of another young tery. While the Edmonton Oilers didn’t running mate as the team continues its win this year — they’ve selected first quest to find its true identity and rein three of the last six years — they claim a playoff appearance. slipped to only fourth overall, making This doesn’t even go into mentioning them the sixth Canadian team to select the possibilities for other Canadian within the top 10 picks. The only Cana- teams like the Winnipeg Jets, who own dian team outside of the top 10 is the the second overall pick, or the MontreOttawa Senators and even they pick al Canadians and Senators, who each with just the 12th overall selection. possess picks to build on their current Of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs underperforming cast. headlines this resurgence in Canadian Thus, while playoff hockey may seem drafting, winning the first overall selec- grim this year for us Canadians, the tion this June, if you can handle that. seeds have been planted for better That said, there’s a significant amount days ahead. Give it a little time and of promise for other teams in the draft hockey may return to its rightful owner as well. north of the border. It can only get betThe Oilers have the chance to revi- ter from here. talize their drafting strategy by selectEric Elliott is a reporter for the Invering a defenceman in the first round for mere Valley Echo and can be reached at the first time since 2013 when they eric@invermerevalleyecho.com.

TOM FLETCHER Black Press Premier Christy Clark’s $50,000-a-year “leader’s allowance” from the B.C. Liberal Party does not breach B.C. law, Conflict of Interest Commissioner Paul Fraser has ruled. Fraser’s decision was released late Wednesday (May 4th) in response to a complaint filed by NDP MLA David Eby, who accused Clark of being paid out of proceeds from “exclusive” fundraising events where people paid up to $10,000 to meet with her. “There may be circumstances where receiving a political donation places a Member (of the Legislative Assembly) in a conflict or apparent conflict of interest situation,” Fraser wrote. “However, the are generally limited to situations where a candidate receives a personal campaign contribution and due to a variety of other factors, is in a position to ‘return a favour’ to the person who made the donation.” Fraser added that the Members’ Con-

flict of Interest Act “is not a moral code and I am not an arbiter of what may be political morality in the campaign finance context.” Clark has said she inherited the allowance when she became B.C. Liberal leader in 2011, and it was instituted by the party when former premier Gordon Campbell became opposition leader in 1993. The party says Clark’s allowance is $50,000 for this year and last year, up from $45,000 a year in 2013 and 2014. The NDP has pressed the B.C. Liberal government to ban corporate and union donations and cap personal donations, as has been done at the federal level. In the legislature this week, the opposition highlighted donations from mining and oil executive N. Murray Edwards and associated companies totalling more than $800,000. NDP leader John Horgan has also participated in private receptions with donors who pay extra. He says his leader’s allowance has been about $5,000, mainly to provide him with clothing.

COMMUNITY Acknowledging local nurses ERIC ELLIOTT eric@invermerevalleyecho.com On May 12th, nurses from around the world will be celebrated with International Nurse Day, which falls on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, the founder of modern nursing. The International Council of Nurses commemorates this important day every year with the production and distribution of the International Nurses’ Day Kit, which provides education and public information for use by nurses everywhere. Across the Columbia Valley, there are different kinds of nurses who patients will encounter to meet their needs, ranging from registered practical nurses (RPNs), registered nurs-

es (RNs) and nurse practitioners. According to Heather Peterson, site manager at the Invermere Hospital, there are approximately 75 to 90 nurses who cover the Columbia Valley area that stretches from Brisco all the way to Canal Flats. She said it’s important to take a day to celebrate their work, which helps make the community as healthy as it is. “Why it’s important is because our overall health, whether it’s prevention or caring for extreme trauma, takes a real mixed team to help us through that continuum of care,” she said. “These are the folks that are going to support us to be healthy, to stay healthy and in times of crisis or when we’re unwell, will care for us.” See A16

QUESTION OF THE WEEK Would you purchase Canadian cheese knowing it contains diafiltered milk from the United States?

33.3%

YES NEXT WEEK’S QUESTION: Is Premier Christy Clark’s BC Liberal Party salary, which she has declared as P a ““car allowance” in the past, a conflict interest? of in n INVERMEREVALLEYECHO.com

66.7%

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

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PORTS

Rockies Nick Hoobonoff commits to Nipawin Hawks “He’s honestly a coach’s dream the way he plays, so I’m not surprised at all,” Dubielewicz said. “What makes Nick special is that he can play with really good players and complements them well, but he can also play that third line, gritty, grinding, checking role and kill penalties.” Hoobonoff credits the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League for developing him into becoming a two-dimensional player able to move onto higher levels of hockey. “Going through Golden and Columbia Valley, they’re both really strong organizations and they both treat their players really well so it’s a good place to learn how to play junior and learn how to be a professional,” he said. Hoobonoff said he always had plans of moving onto Junior A, but was simply looking for the right fit. With the Nipawin Hawks, he says he thinks he found it. Last year, Nipawin finished with a 36-17-3 record before losing in game seven of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League semi-finals against the Melfort Mustangs. Aside from joining a winning team, Hoobonoff says he views this move as a step towards a bigger jump in his future.

“I’m excited to join the Canadian Junior Hockey League just because of the prestige that comes along with it and there’s a lot more exposure to universities and colleges, so I’m definitely going to jump into that and work my way up there,” he said, noting that his end goal is to earn a scholarship to a Division I school in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) south of the border. For now, there’s a lot of hard work still ahead that will start this summer in the weight room, the defining environment for Hoobonoff next season, Dubielewicz said. Hoobonoff, to his credit, understands this. “I’ve often heard the saying that hockey players, good hockey players anyways, are built in the summer and that definitely holds true,” he said, adding that he works on getting bigger, faster and stronger every off-season. “You see guys in the NHL and they go just as hard as they do on the ice as they do in the gym.” From Kazakhstan to the Columbia Valley and now Saskatchewan, Hoobonoff’s journey is certainly unique. Where he goes next only he can decide.

Nick Hoobanoff (#8) in front of the Golden Rockets’ net at the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena in Invermere on February 3rd. The Rockies won 5-1. PHOTO BY AMANDA NASON

ERIC ELLIOTT eric@invermerevalleyecho.com

also seeing action in two games for the Rockies in the 2012-13 season. The following season, he cemented himself It’s been a long journey for former Columbia as a regular in the Kootenay International Valley Rockies forward Nick Hoobonoff, who Junior Hockey League, this time playing for recently committed to the Nipawin Hawks of the Golden Rockets, where he recorded nine the Saskatchewan Junior goals and 28 points in his Hockey League. rookie season. After spendBorn in Karagandy, Kaing another season in Goldzakhstan, Hoobonoff mien, the Rockies acquired grated to Canada and was Hoobonoff in time for the adopted by his now-par2015-16 season, where he ents — Brian and Sylvie recorded his highest points — who live in Canal Flats, per game total of his junior where he currently resides. career with 25 points in just At the early age of four, 28 games. Despite the Rockies comHoobonoff was already in ing up short in the playoffs skates on his family’s backthis season, head coach yard rink before signing up Wade Dubielewicz said he’s for organized hockey in the not surprised at Hoobonoff’s Columbia Valley. promotion to the Junior A Working his way through Saskatchewan Junior Hockeach successive tier of minor hockey, Hoobonoff ey League next season — a landed in Cranbrook, playbranch of the Canadian JuNick Hoobanoff’s ing at the AAA level, while nior Hockey League. 2015-16 Rockies photo

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A8 invermerevalleyecho.com Catching the sunset in Biarritz.

EATURE

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

PHOTO BY KATIE WATT

France revisited: the life lessons of a student exchange The Saint-Marie Cathedral in the heart of PHOTO BY KATIE WATT Bayonne.

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KATIE WATT Special to The Valley Echo Editor’s note: David Thompson Secondary School student Katie Watt recently returned from France, where she spent three months as part of a student exchange. Katie’s photography is frequently published in both The Echo (she is the photographer of this week’s cover photograph) and The Pioneer. I must say that it was quite a challenge staying in France for three months. The schooling was quite a laborious task with the long hours that began at 8 a.m. and stretched all the way until 6 p.m., much like an average work day, and with the language barrier it became rather difficult to immediately communicate what I wanted to say without a lot of effort. On top of it all, I found that the hardest part was being apart from family and friends for such a long time — something I didn’t really think would be an issue when signing up for the exchange, but by the end I certainly proved myself to be wrong. While all these things were challenging, I do not say them negatively, however. Though it was difficult, it was difficult in a good kind of way: one that pushes you to learn new things and go outside the comfort zone. Of course, that wasn’t the only good thing I took away from my trip. I also learned a lot about their culture, interesting lifestyle, and just overall a lot about their country in comparison to our own. Oh, right, and the language, too. I certainly did receive the ultimate French language education, but I admittedly found learning about the different ways in which the French live to be much more fascinating. As it quickly became apparent, the French are a very kind, cheery, beautiful group of people who hardly play into the Western stereotype, despite eating copious amounts of bread with every meal, which really, is hardly a bad thing considering its quality, like nearly all their food there. Though vegetables are rare in their diet, the meat, soups and desserts were absolutely incredible, and not only was their food fantastic, but their style and sense of art was, too. I won’t go too far into depth with it, but the art program at the school was much better than ours here in Canada. While we provide students with easy projects

and little criticism, the program there was far different as it was instead taught as an academic subject opposed to an elective. But despite their art program, I did find the rest of their education system quite difficult as the hours seemed to drag on and on without end, and it seemed as if they never went too far in depth with their subjects before moving on. While I did find the schooling part of the stay to be one of the more challenging aspects, in the end I admittedly didn’t care too much as I was efficiently learning the language and I had four weeks of vacation to go elsewhere. Though France is quite a small country — so small, in fact, that it could fit within ours nearly 16 times (had Alaska belonged to us and not the Americans) — its regions seem to be incredibly diverse. Up in the north are the Alps — the towering mountain range that makes our own Rockies seem like mere hills in comparison; and down in the south are sandy beaches with palm trees. I was quite glad that I got to experience my stay down in the south. I thought that the change in landscape was amazing with the rolling hills scattered with old traditional houses, and sandy beaches that we don’t get the pleasure of enjoying out here in the interior of British Columbia. But while I did find all this to be interesting, it was the unique difference in culture that I thought to be the most incredible. How the French seem to be so open about everything, from emotions to public affection, while we are so unlike that in many ways. At first, I found it rather odd seeing people kiss so openly in public, and how every greeting must be met with a peck on the cheek, but towards the end I began to find it rather enjoyable — I thought that it was something strangely beautiful in its own unique way. That wasn’t the only cultural difference, of course, as the French sense of humour was very interesting, too. It seemed that there, everything was able to be joked and laughed about. In our own lives, many people avoid making jokes about certain topics because they seem to be afraid of offending each other. This, however, is hardly true in the French way of life — it was as if everything from religion to family relationships were made fun of. Of course, it did take some getting use to at first, but in the end it did seem to be oddly… humbling, in a sense.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

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EATURE

Biarritz’s scenic shoreline of sand and cliff. PHOTO BY KATIE WATT

The Eiffel Tower. PHOTO BY KATIE WATT

An unexpected rainfall at the Sacre Coeur in Paris, France. PHOTO BY KATIE WATT

But while all these differences in culture were very intriguing, perhaps the most interesting difference was the amount of tradition that still held true in their modern way of life. When I say that, I don’t mean people riding in carriages to work opposed to taking transit, or reading the paper instead of watching television — no. By traditional, I mean how their old ways still seem to wonderfully prevail in the ways of the new world through their values, ways of self expression and, interestingly enough, through language, too. Unlike here, in the cities and towns in France there are many ancient, beautifully crafted cathedrals and churches that stand boldly in the centre of the “ville”, portraying hundreds of years of history, while our country is hardly even that old to begin with. Driving through the countryside was amazing, too, as one could be looking out the window towards a hill where nothing but houses stand now, but once was full with people suffering in the Middle Ages from the Black Plague. Well, that may be a rather dark thought but, really, it was an incredible concept. So while my stay certainly did have its challenges of homesickness, difficulties in communication, and just adjusting to an entirely different lifestyle in general, these were also the benefits as they taught me new aspects of life, and pushed me to try things that otherwise would be outside my comfort zone. I had a wonderful time getting to meet new people, and it was great to have the unique chance to learn about the country and its different regions from the locals’ perspective. I won’t lie and say that living in a foreign country for that long wasn’t difficult, but in the end I must say that it was entirely worth it.

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An early morning in Bayonne’s local market.

PHOTO BY KATIE WATT

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A10 invermerevalleyecho.com

THE

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

STREET

International tourist numbers are up 50 per cent in Radium — what’s your reaction and your guess why?

“It’s great for the valley. The downturn in Alberta may be keeping Albertans home, but the low Canadian dollar is probably bringing more Americans in. It keeps our economy running. “ Jake Cameron

“It must be the U.S. dollar. It’s great for a place that relies on tourism dollars. It’s funny, we live in Calgary and see Alberta and Newfoundland (tourist) promotions all the time, but not B.C.”

“It’s great. I think it’s because Americans are capitalizing on the low Canadian dollar.” Theresa Wood

Dale and Gloria Melenberg

EMEMBER WHEN? R A look back through The Valley Echo's archives over the last 50 years

years ago (1966): A square dance jamboree at the Brisco Community Hall drew 50 dancers from Brisco, Windermere, Golden, Marysville, Cranbrook and Lake Louise. The dancers kept the hall hopping until midnight.

years ago (1976): The Windermere Improvement District held its annual general meeting, during which it decided to raise its water rates from five dollars a month to seven dollars a month. During discussion on the matter, the district trustees pointed out that the water fees had not been raised since the improvement district was established in 1962.

May 2007 — Legion member Edna Godlien welcomed one of the region’s new Canadian citizens at a ceremony held at David Thompson Secondary School. ECHO FILE PHOTO

years ago (1986): Upper Columbia Valley resident and Southern Outfitters and Guides representative Bill Dubois presented a $1,000 cheque to Cranbrook resident and Kootenay Wildlife Heritage Fund co-founder Carmen Purdy during a Ducks Unlimited dinner event. Dubois praised Purdy’s

efforts to preserve habitat across the Kootenay region, including here in the Upper Columbia Valley. Purdy had previously become locally famous when he and a handful of likeminded residents independently fundraised thousands of dollars to buy and distribute feed and hay for wild elk that otherwise would have starved during several particularly harsh winters. The move explicitly defied Ministry of Environment directives and Purdy said he knew there was a chance he was risking going to jail, but that did not deter him.

years ago (1991): The Columbia Valley Singers and the Columbia Valley Children’s choir gave a joint performance at the Alliance Church, drawing a packed audience of more than 100 people. The groups performed a variety of musical numbers both new and old, including many from the Broadway musical version of Mary Poppins.

years ago (1996): The Invermere-based Spirit of the Dance troupe peformed its “Colour Our World with Dance” show at the Invermere Community Hall. The theme was the 1978 film Grease.

years ago (2006): The District of Invemere was readying for a public hearing on the proposed Octagon Properties Ltd. Waterside development, which aimed to build a hotel conference centre and 570 residential condomium complex, complete with its own marina and train station, in downtown Invermere. Local resident Randy McRoberts was outraged that people only had two weeks to prepare for the hearing. Invermere chief adminstrative officer Chris Prosser said the bylaw associated with the development was the most comprehensive ever done by the district and a 1,200-page folder on the proposal was available for public review at the district office. By Steve Hubrecht

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

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THE

Have an event you’d like listed? Email it to: production@ invermerevalleyecho. com

• 6:30 p.m.: Baked Chicken Dinner at Branch 71 Legion in Invermere. $17.50. Reservations recommended. Call 250-342-9517. Meat Draw and 50/50. • 7:30 p.m.: SYC Karaoke night.

SATURDAY, MAY 14TH

DTSS Theatre. Admission by optional Friday, $2. Everyone welcome. donation. • 5 - 7 p.m.: Summit Youth Centre • 7 p.m.: Thirsty Thursday Trivia at (SYC) YCC Challenges program. Mountainside Grille, FHSR. Come • 6 p.m.: SYC games and trivia night. play some family-friendly trivia, • 7 p.m.: Card night at Canal Flats hosted by Quiz Master Matt Gillett. Seniors Hall every Wednesday. $2 entry per person (winner take all).

• 7 p.m.: The Windermere Valley • 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Spring Market at Minor Hockey is holding their AGM Branch 71 Legion in Invermere. $15/ at the District of Invermere offices, WEDNESDAY MAY 11TH table. Call 250-688-0640 to reserve. 914 - 8th Ave. • 7 p.m.: SYC Movie night and free • Wings Over the Rockies runs May FRIDAY MAY 20TH 9th to 15th. Complete event schedule popcorn. and online registration at www. • 1 p.m.: Play Canasta at Canal Flats MONDAY MAY 16TH wingsovertherockies.org, in person Seniors Hall every Friday. at the registration office in Pynelogs • Invermere Caregiver’s Support • 1 p.m.: Duplicate Bridge at Invermere Cultural Centre between 11 a.m. and Group meets on the 3rd Monday Senior’s Hall every Wednesday and 1 p.m. or call 250-342-2473 for more of each month. Contact facilitator Friday, $2. Everyone welcome. Leanne Brooks at 250-341-5683 for information. • 5 - 7 p.m.: Summit Youth Centre more information. • 11:45 a.m.: The Rotary Club of • Join SYC for Employment Readiness YCC Challenges program. Invermere meets every Wednesday Training or Skills for Life! Program. • 7:30 p.m.: SYC Karaoke night. at the Curling Rink. Must pre register. • 1 p.m.: Duplicate Bridge at Invermere • 7 p.m.: Bingo at the Canal Flats Civic SATURDAY MAY 21ST senior’s hall every Wednesday and Centre, 1st and 3rd Monday of each • 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Artym Gallery’s Friday, $2. Everyone welcome. month. Brian Porter, Steve Tracy, and Vance • 5 - 7 p.m.: Summit Youth Centre Theoret exhibition. Show continues TUESDAY MAY 17TH (SYC) YCC Challenges program every until May 27th. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. • 1:30 p.m.: Carpet Bowling at Canal • 2 p.m.: Westside Legacy Trail’s Run, • 6 p.m.: SYC games and trivia night. Flats Seniors Hall every Tuesday. Ride and Rock the Ranch. Enjoy an • 7 p.m.: Card night at Canal Flats • 4 - 6 p.m.: SYC Cooking night. Join afternoon of family fun with free us for Free Food and nutritional Seniors Hall every Wednesday. events from 2 - 5 p.m. Evening Events education. start at 5 p.m. and include a silent THURSDAY MAY 12TH • 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.: OPT clinic at the auction, pig roast and barn dance for • 12 p.m.: Seniors Luncheon at Invermere Health Unit. 1st and 3rd $50. Tickets available at OurTrail.org/ Branch 71 Legion in Invermere. $5. Tuesday of each month. Confidential K2Ranch. Reservations Required. Please call service: low-cost birth control, and • 10 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Karaoke Night at the STI testing. 250-342-9281 ext 1227. Farside Inn in Fairmont Hot Springs. • 1:15 p.m.: Play Crib at Canal Flats WEDNESDAY MAY 18TH SUNDAY MAY 22ND Seniors Hall every Thursday. • 8 a.m.: Radium Hot Springs Sunrise • 4 - 6 p.m.: SYC Graphics Course. Rotary meets for breakfast every first • 10 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Hawaiian Beach • 4 - 8 p.m.: SYC open gym. Come play and third Wednesday from April thru Party with DJ Juice at the Farside Inn. sports with us. Everyone welcome. October at the Springs Golf Course. No cover. • 5 - 6 p.m.: Wine tasting with Erin Breakfast $10. Everyone welcome. MONDAY MAY 23RD in the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort • 11:45 a.m.: The Rotary Club of lobby every Thursday. Sample four Invermere meets every Wednesday • Join SYC for Employment Readiness B.C. wines for $10/person. Ages 19+, at the Curling Rink. Training or Skills for Life! Program. registration not required. • 2 p.m.: Genealogy Group at Columbia Must pre register. • 6:30 p.m.: Texas Hold Em’ Gardens Coffee Room meets the 3rd • 5 - 7 p.m.: SYC YCC Challenges Tournament at the Invermere Legion Wednesday of the month. program. every Thursday. $35 buy in. • 7 - 9 p.m.: Windermere Valley Rural TUESDAY MAY 24TH • 7 p.m.: The Truth About Cancer Range Resource Patrol is holding Series, #8 Cannabis, Nature’s their AGM at Lions Hall in Columbia • 1:30 p.m.: Carpet Bowling at Canal Epigenetic switches, Peptides Valley Chamber of Commerce. Flats Seniors Hall every Tuesday. & Healing with Micronutrient • 4 - 6 p.m.: SYC Cooking night. Join THURSDAY MAY 19TH Therapies. DTSS Theatre. Admission us for Free Food and nutritional by optional donation. • 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.: Wild Ideas at education.

THURSDAY, MAY 26TH • 1:15 p.m.: Crib night at Canal Flats Seniors Hall every Thursday. • 4 - 6 p.m.: SYC Graphics Course. • 4 - 8 p.m.: SYC open gym. Come play sports with us. Everyone welcome. • 5 - 6 p.m.: Wine tasting with Erin in the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort lobby every Thursday. Sample four B.C. wines for $10/person. Ages 19+, registration not required. • 6:30 p.m.: Texas Hold Em’ Tournament at the Invermere Legion every Thursday. $35 buy in. • 7 p.m.: The Truth About Cancer Series, Questions & Answers with Ty & Charlene.DTSS Theatre. Admission by optional donation.

FRIDAY, MAY 27TH • 12 p.m.: Soup lunch at the Edgewater Legion. $6. Last Friday of each month.

HOURS INVERMERE LIBRARY • Tuesday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m • Wednesday: 10 a.m - 8 p.m. • Thurs – Saturday: 10 a.m - 5p.m. • Story Times: Thurs. 10:30 a.m. Sat. 11 a.m.

RADIUM LIBRARY • Tuesday: 6 - 8 p.m. • Wed - Thursday: 1 - 4 p.m. • Saturday: 10 a.m. - 1p.m.

WINDERMERE VALLEY MUSEUM • Tuesday: 12 - 4 p.m.

INVERMERE THRIFT STORE • Thurs - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

RADIUM THRIFT STORE • Thursday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. • Fri - Saturday: 12 - 4 p.m.

SUMMIT YOUTH CENTRE

• Tuesday: 5 - 9 p.m. • Wednesday: 4 - 9 p.m. Circle Cafe, hosted by Wildsight. FRIDAY, MAY 13TH WEDNESDAY , MAY 25 TH • Thursday: 5 - 9 p.m. May’s topic is Nature: Are you • 1 p.m.: Play Canasta at Canal Flats getting enough? www.wildsight.ca/ • 11:45 a.m.: The Rotary Club of • Fri - Saturday: 6 - 11 p.m. Seniors Hall every Friday.

wildideasinvermere. • 1 p.m.: Duplicate Bridge at Invermere • 7 p.m.: The Truth About Cancer Senior’s Hall every Wednesday and Series, #9 Cancer Conquerors & Friday, $2. Everyone welcome. their powerful stories of Victory.

FREE tutoring available and Invermere meets every Wednesday volunteer tutors needed. Contact the at the Curling Rink. Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy • 1 p.m.: Duplicate Bridge at Invermere wvcoordinator@cbal.com senior’s hall every Wednesday and

A12 invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

RAIN

CROSSWORD

UDOKU

GAME

W eekend WEATHER

CLUES ACROSS

10. Natives of the American

1. Administrative Review Board

Southwest

4. Not worried

12. Covered

8. Rowan Atkinson played him

14. The Science Guy Bill

10. Stars

15. Soviet Socialist Republic

11. Indian city

17. Contraceptive device

12. North American nation

19. Unfastened

13. He partnered with Garfunkel

20. __ student, learns healing

15. Understood

23. Ties the knot

16. Foe

24. Actor McKellen

17. Jewish state

25. Optical phenomenon

Mainly Sunny

18. 2015 postseason hero

26. Turf

21. Largest English dictionary

28. Foot (Latin)

(abbr.)

29. Flub

Temp: 16oC Low: 4oC

22. Goddess of the dawn

30. Birds settle here

23. __ Squad

31. Calculator

24. Belonging to a thing

32. Herbal tea

25. Food-related allergic reaction

33. Catch

(abbr.)

34. Pitcher Santana

26. Car mechanics group

36. Not for vegetarians

27. Exceed in weight

37. Japanese novelist

Answers to last week

36. Clemencies 38. Critique

May 13

SATURDAY May 14

34. Deserved 35. Singer Thicke

FRIDAY

Mainly Sunny Temp: 18oC Low: 4oC

39. Resented 40. Type of tissue 41. Passages 42. It comes in a can 43. His heart is in San Francisco 44. Retirement account CLUES DOWN 1. Belittled 2. Actress King 3. They pour drinks

SUNDAY

May 15

Sunny Temp: 20oC Low: 5oC

4. Communicates 5. Take advantage of Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. Figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers named, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

6. Take on cargo 7. A stiff drink 9. Actress Watts

HOROSCOPES ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 A restless spirit is the catalyst for a new project, Aries. This week you dive right into something that will take up all of your mental energy. Try to avoid slacking off in other areas.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, you have many good reasons to throw caution to the wind this week, but you may have to reign in your adventurous spirit just a little bit. You’re an example to others.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, positive encounters, including an unexpected meeting with an old friend, could make for an interesting week. Your social life is booming.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, thanks to your hectic schedule, achieving lofty goals this week may be a stretch, so aim for something a little more manageable and celebrate the achievement.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Listen carefully to your intuition this week, Virgo. Most of the time you can trust that little voice more than outside influences. Focus on your dreams for a bit.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, you have a measured and methodical approach to your goals. This week, though, your sense of fun may take over and steer you off course.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, though you may be content to remain out of the spotlight most of the time, when you engage with others, you really can show just how compelling you are.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, when things become complicated, you’re the person people often seek to iron out the situation. You have a way of quickly getting to the root of a problem.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Consider your words before sharing your perspective, Aquarius. You do not want to hurt anyone’s feelings, even if what you have to say is the truth. Word things carefully.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 You may be expected to step up and care for people all of the time, but this week you’re the one who needs some special attention, Cancer. All you have to do is reach out for assistance.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, even though you normally think cooly and collectedly, this week you may be at the end of your rope. Book some time for a little R&R to recharge your batteries.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Your self-esteem soars this week when you go out of your way to put others’ needs before your own. Act from your heart, Pisces.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

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Al-Anon - Are you concerned about or affected by someone else’s drinking? If so, please join us. Al-Anon meets EVERY Monday at 7:15 PM and Thursday at 1:15 PM at the Canadian Martyrs Catholic Church, 712 - 12th Ave, (behind the Invermere hospital). For information, please call 250-342-8255 ALCOHOLICS Anonymous If alcohol is causing problems or conﬂict in your life, AA can help. Call 250-342-2424 for more information. All meetings are at 8 p.m. Invermere: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday groups - Columbia United AA at the BC Services building, south end, 625 4th Street Invermere. Radium Friendship Group: Friday, Catholic Church. All meetings are open with the exception of Tuesdays.

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Employment

For sale A Mobile Office Furniture Maintenance & Repair Company. Est 1993. Located in the N. Okanagan Valley. Large loyal customer base annually. Basic training included in repairs of chairs, desks & file cabinets. Ideal for self motivated mechanically minded person-542-3423 Email officedo@telus.net

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District of Kitimat, exempt staff position with generous compensation. Reporting to the Operations Manager, is responsible for repair and maint. of the municipality’s infrastructure including roads, signage, sidewalks, general clean-up, common services, buildings & ﬂeet equipment, and assists with municipal water and sewer operations. Candidates will have a Civil Technologist Diploma and 5 years’ senior management experience in a municipal or similar work environment; an Applied Science Tech. Cert. is an asset. Submit resumes by May 29, 2016, 4:30 p.m., to Personnel, District of Kitimat, 270 City Centre, Kitimat, B.C. V8C 2H7, Fax: 250-632-4995 E-mail dok@kitimat.ca

Help Wanted

HIP OR KNEE REPLACEMENT? Arthritic Conditions/COPD? Restrictions in Walking/Dressing? Disability Tax Credit $2,000 Tax Credit $20,000 Refund. Apply today For Assistance: 1-844-453-5372. HIGH PROFIT HIGH CASH PRODUCING LOONIE VENDING MACHINES. All on Locations Turnkey Operation, Perfect Home Based Business. Full Details CALL NOW! 1-866-668-6629, WEBSITE WWW.TCVEND.COM.

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All employment services are free, including a self-serve resource area open to all job seekers. Eligibility criteria applies for other employment supports and services.

Start With Us. We Can Help! www.ekemployment.org 250-341-6889 or 1-855-651-3027 2-1313 7th Ave. (Mon-Fri)

ON THE WEB: The Employment Program of British Columbia is funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

Place of Worship

www.habitat.ca

CHURCH SERVICES DIRECTORY ST. PETER’S LUTHERAN MISSION OF INVERMERE 100 - 7th Ave., Invermere 250-426-7564 Pastor Rev. David Morton Worship Services Sundays 1:30 p.m. Christ Church Trinity, Invermere

RADIUM CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER FELLOWSHIP DAY SAINTS #4 - 7553 Main Street W, ANGLICAN-UNITED 5014 Fairway, Radium Fairmont Hot Springs 250-342-6633 100-7th Ave., Invermere Confession: 1/2 hr. before Mass 250-341-5792 250-347-6334 250-342-6644 Canadian Martyrs Church Reverend Laura Hermakin President: Adam Pasowisty 712 - 12 Ave, Invermere Worship Service wvsm.ca Columbia Valley Branch Saturdays, 5 p.m. Sundays, 10 a.m. Worship, Every Sunday:10:30 a.m. Sundays, 9 a.m. Worship Services Bible Studies Children and Youth Sunday School Sundays St. Joseph’s Church Wednesdays, 7 p.m. at 10:30 a.m at Christ Church 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Hwy. 93-95, Radium Hot Trinity, Invermere Kids’ Church Springs 1st and 3rd Sunday, March - Dec. 9 Edgewater Hall Sundays, 11 a.m. a.m. at All Saint’s, Edgewater Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. St. Anthony’s Mission 2nd Sunday, 7 p.m.: June - Oct. at Loving God, Corner of Luck and Dunn, St.Peter’s Windermere Loving People Canal Flats Saturdays, 4:30 p.m. WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRY

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 250-342-6167 Pastor: Father Gabriel

LAKE WINDERMERE VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY ALLIANCE CHURCH 4814 Hwy. Drive, 1 km north 326 - 10th Ave., Invermere of Windermere 250-342-9535 250-342-9511 Lead Pastor: Trevor Hagan Pastor: Murray Wittke Asso. Pastor: Matt Moore lakewindermerealliance.org valleychristianonline.com Sunday is Worship May 15th Services 10:30 a.m. Worship And Life 10 a.m. Worship & Word Instruction, “BIBLE – Basic Kid’s Church Provided Instructions Before Leaving Sharing Truth Earth … Guest Speaker, Rev. Showing Love Brian Derksen, ministering. Following the Spirit K.I.D.S Church for children age 3 to Grade 1; and grades 2-7, during the morning service.

A14 invermerevalleyecho.com Services Services

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Moving & Storage STEEL STORAGE CONTAINERS FOR SALE OR RENT jentonstorage@gmail.com

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Misc. Wanted 999 COINS & BARS. 250-864-3521, I want to buy the coin collection also buying everything gold or silver. Todd’s Coins 250-864-3521

Garage Sales MULTI FAMILY GARAGE SALE - Friday May 13th to Sunday May 15th. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., 4880 Burns Avenue, Canal Flats. Children’s toys, ﬁtness and recreation equipment, kitchen items and small appliances, furniture and appliances, gardening tools and garage tools.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

invermerevalleyecho.com A15

BC N

EWS

Minimum wage gets boost in B.C. British Columbia’s lowest earners received good news last week as the provincial government announced they would be bringing in a larger-than-planned increase to the province’s minimum wage. The increase will come in two stages to reflect the province’s overall economic growth and ensure all workers benefit from B.C economic success, according to the press release from the Office of the Premier on May 4th. The first increase will be 40 cents and will bring the minimum wage up to $10.85 per hour, effective September 15th, 2016 with another increase of 40 cents the following September in 2017, bringing the minimum wage to $11.25. In addition, the province is investing $2.88 million in new training programs aimed at young people and small businesses to help with labour shortages in the province. “One of the first actions I took when I became premier was to raise the minimum wage,” Premier Christy Clark said in the press release. “Raising the minimum wage twice over the next two years, coupled with some targeted supports for young people and businesses, will help everyone share in the benefits of our growing economy.” Until this change, B.C. had maintained the lowest working minimum wage in Canada at $10.45 per hour (up 20 cents from $10.25 prior to September 2015). According to the B.C. Federation of Labour, there are approximately 110,000 people living on minimum wage across the province. Last year, the B.C government announced a policy tying the minimum wage to British Columbia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures changes in the price for consumer goods and services. Based on British Columbia’s 2015 consumer price index, the minimum wage this year would have increased by 10 cents per hour. The BC Chamber of Commerce voiced its

concern at the larger-than-expected minimum wage increases because of its unpredictability for businesses’ budgets. “The bottom line is that there needs to be certainty and predictability so that small businesses and businesses in general can plan for their labour costs,” said Susan Clovechok, executive director of the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce. Despite the unexpected surprise that some small businesses may experience, Clovechok said this increase in minimum wage could be offset by the government’s reaffirmed commitment to reduce the small business tax rate by 40 per cent by 2017-18. This would mean that a small business that’s incorporated with $100,000 in active business income would have its taxes drop from $2,500 to $1,500, saving $1,000 annually. MLA Norm Macdonald said that while he commends the government for taking a step in the right direction for the province’s lowest earning workers, there’s still more that needs to be done to make sure this rate eventually becomes a livable wage. “I think in all the communities in B.C., the minimum wage, even with the increase, would be a very difficult sum of money to try and make ends meet,” he said. “There are a number of costs that are increasing and certainly 40 cents an hour is not going to keep up with that, but it is an improvement.” Other organizations, such as the BC Federation of Labour, support Macdonald’s notion that the increase is merely a step in the right direction. By the time the increase occurs, B.C. will have the seventh lowest wage in the country behind Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and all three territories, and will be surpassed by Prince Edward Island in October when that province increases its minimum hourly wage. “This is just one more missed opportunity for the premier and the government to do what’s right,” Irene Lanzinger, president of the BC Federation of Labour said

in a press release. “A $10.85 per hour minimum wage leaves a fulltime worker nearly $5,500 below the poverty line. That is simply unacceptable.” Instead, the BC Federation of Labour advocates for a minimum wage of $15 per hour across the province, surpassing the next closest province or territory by nearly $2. See A16

Land Act: Notice of Intention to Apply for a Disposition of Crown Land Take notice that Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Holidays Inc. has applied to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO), Kootenay Region, for a Licence of Occupation for Adventure Tourism Mountain Biking purpose, situated on Provincial Crown land, circa Fernie, Revelstoke, Rossland, Invermere, Golden, and New Denver, BC, and containing 110.36 hectares more or less. The Lands File for this application is 4405671. Written comments concerning this application should be directed to Front Counter BC, 1902 Theatre Road, Cranbrook, BC, V1C 7G1, or email to: AuthorizingAgency.Cranbrook@gov. bc.ca Comments will be received by MFLNRO up to June 15, 2016. MFLNRO may not be able to consider comments received after this date. Please visit the website at http://arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/index.jsp > Search > Search by File Number: 4405671 for more information. Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. Access to these records requires a submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.

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Oh hey, you’re looking for the legal, right? Take a look, here it is: Take a look, here it is: Vehicle(s) may be shown with optional equipment. Dealer may sell or lease for less. Limited time offers. Offers only valid at participating dealers. Retail offers may be cancelled or changed at any time without notice. Dealer order or transfer may be required as inventory may vary by dealer. See your Ford Dealer for complete details or call the Ford Customer Relationship Centre at 1-800-565-3673. For factory orders, a customer may either take advantage of eligible raincheckable Ford retail customer promotional incentives/offers available at the time of vehicle factory order or time of vehicle delivery, but not both or combinations thereof. Retail offers not combinable with any CPA/GPC or Daily Rental incentives, the Commercial Upfit Program or the Commercial Fleet Incentive Program (CFIP).*Until May 31, 2016, lease a new 2016 F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4x4 5.0L V8 300A with 53A Trailer Tow package and get as low as 0.99% lease annual percentage rate (APR) financing for up to 36 months on approved credit (OAC) from Ford Credit. Not all buyers will qualify for the lowest APR payment. Lease this vehicle with a value of $38,406 (after $2,895 down payment, Manufacturer Rebates of $3,750 and including freight and air tax charges of $1,800) at 0.99% APR for up to 36 months with an optional buyout of $23,801, monthly payment is $431 (the sum of twelve (12) monthly payments divided by 26 periods gives payee a bi-weekly payment of $198.92), and total lease obligation is $18,411. Taxes payable on full amount of lease financing price after Manufacturer Rebate deducted. Additional payments required for PPSA, registration, security deposit, NSF fees (where applicable), excess wear and tear, and late fees. Lease offer excludes variable charges of license, fuel fill charge, insurance, dealer PDI (if applicable), registration, PPSA, administration fees and charges, any environmental charges or fees, and all applicable taxes. Some conditions and mileage restriction of 60,000km for 36 months applies. Excess kilometrage charges are 16¢ per km, plus applicable taxes. Excess kilometrage charges subject to change (except in Quebec), see your local dealer for details. All prices are based on Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. ¥Offer valid between May 3, 2016 and June 30, 2016 (the “Offer Period”) to Canadian residents. Receive $750 towards the purchase or lease of a new 2015 Mustang (excluding Shelby GT350),Taurus, Edge, Transit Connect, Transit, F-150 (excluding Regular Cab XL 4x2 Value Leader); 2016 Fusion, Mustang (excluding Shelby GT350), Taurus, Edge, Flex, Explorer, Escape, Expedition, Transit Connect, E-Series Cutaway, Transit, F-150 (excluding Regular Cab XL 4x2 Value Leader), F-250 to F-550; 2017 Fusion, Mustang (excluding Shelby GT350), Explorer, Escape, Expedition (each an “Eligible Vehicle”). Only one (1) bonus offer may be applied towards the purchase or lease of one (1) Eligible Vehicle. Taxes payable before offer amount is deducted. Offer is not raincheckable.^Based on results from the 2015 Vincentric model level analysis of the Canadian consumer market for the Full-Size 1/2-Ton Pickup segment.‡F-Series is the best-selling line of pickup trucks in Canada for 50 years in a row based on Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association statistical sales report up to 2015 year end.†When properly equipped. Max. payloads of 3,240 lbs/3,270 lbs with available 3.5L V6 EcoBoost 4x2 / 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 engine configurations. Class is Full-Size Pickups under 8,500 lbs GVWR based on Ford segmentation.††Class is Full-Size Pickups under 8,500 lbs. GVWR. vs. 2015 competitors. Some driver input required. Driver-assist features are supplemental and do not replace the driver’s attention, judgment and need to control the vehicle.‡‡Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’S) New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar. gov). ©2016 Sirius Canada Inc. “SiriusXM”, the SiriusXM logo, channel names and logos are trademarks of SiriusXM Radio Inc. and are used under licence.©2016 Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved.

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A16 invermerevalleyecho.com

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Valley Echo

OMMUNITY

Community supports Fort McMurray relief ERIC ELLIOTT eric@invermerevalleyecho.com Residents of Fort McMurray, Alberta had their worst dreams realized on May 3rd as an out-of-control wildfire ripped through the city and surrounding area, destroying thousands of homes in its wake. That Tuesday afternoon, the city was placed under mandatory evacuation with nearly 80,000 people forced to flee from their homes, with warnings, in some cases, of only 30 minutes. As of May 7th, the fire, stretching over 85,000 hectares, had already destroyed over 1,600 structures with another 19,000 structures under threat, officials believe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To see the pictures of Fort McMurray right now, that could be taken in a war torn corner of the world instead of our own backyard, is a reminder of how Canadians will and must stand together with our friends and neighbours in this difficult time,â&#x20AC;? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said before the House of Commons on May 5th. With such little time for people to evacuate, many were forced to leave virtually all of their possessions behind, moving away with nothing. Charities such as the Canadian Red Cross were quick to react to the disaster, taking donations for those affected, that had already totalled $11 million by May 7th. Trudeau announced that the federal government would match all individual donations made to the Red Cross, which the Alberta Government has also pledged to do. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know I speak for all members of this house and 36 million Canadians when I say our hearts go out to all the affected families,â&#x20AC;? Trudeau said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will

get through this tragedy together, as friends, as neighbours, as Canadians.â&#x20AC;? In the Columbia Valley, local businesses are joining together to do what they can to help their Alberta neighbours. Invermere Home Hardware, for example, is collecting materials to bring to the thousands affected by the tragedy. Owner Al Miller said the team at Home Hardware held a meeting shortly after the fire broke to discuss if there was any way they would be able to help out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a quick meeting,â&#x20AC;? Miller said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the ability to do something here. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the trucking, the manpower, so between us all we were able to put together a plan to collect the goods and make sure things are trucked up in our own vehicles on our own expenses so that everything we collect will definitely go there.â&#x20AC;? Miller and his team at Home Hardware are collecting new clothing, non-perishables, cash and gift certificates, and will personally be delivering it to a location that is best suited for drop-off. He said the decision to help the people of Fort McMurray was an easy one for he and his team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe, that in a lot of cases, we are the vacation spot for a lot of those people who work there so we believe we have a very close connection,â&#x20AC;? Miller said, mentioning that he knows a fellow Home Hardware owner in Fort McMurray who was forced to leave his place of business like everyone else. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Certainly your hearts go out to them and you just suddenly realize that, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hey, we can do something here, we can step up and we can be a part of itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.â&#x20AC;? Similar to Home Hardware, the Sobeys grocery store in Invermere is also collecting money and is delivering much-needed supplies to the people of

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Fort McMurray. The Sobeys chain has also pledged to match all monetary donations to the Red Cross up to $100,000. Real Storage has been collecting toilet paper, personal hygiene items, infant supplies, blankets and towels, as well as footwear and suitcases/backpacks, and items can be dropped off at their site in Windermere. A truck carrying supplies was slated to leave for Edmonton on May 11th. Global Animal Lovers (GALs), the local not-for-profit organization that advocates for animal safety, have also joined the effort, creating a document located on their Facebook page for people to fill out if they are able to provide emergency animal placement for

pets and livestock that currently have no place to go, in support of the Fort McMurray Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals, which is working to find homes for animals left behind in the evacuation and reuniting pets with their owners. Miller said itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been automatic for people in the valley to help out in supporting Fort McMurray. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a hugely caring community here and with whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transpired up there, this a huge tragedy for a lot of people,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People in Invermere and the Columbia Valley have a heart so theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to get taken care of. These are our friends and we want to make sure they get taken care of.â&#x20AC;?

NURSES from A6 Unlike larger urban regions in cities across the country, the Columbia Valley allows nurses within the community to become closer with their patients and work with them throughout their lives. Peterson said this can have both positive and negative effects. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know the people, and we may know more about them than we want to know about them,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also an anonymity that occurs in bigger centres. The uniqueness of rural nursing and rural care is that we have that depth of knowledge of the community and the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and the people in it and that commitment is really entrenched in us.â&#x20AC;?

MINIMUM WAGE from A15 There is some merit to giving the economyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lowest earners a more lucrative wage, according to a study by the International Monetary Fund. Looking at data from 159 different countries from 1980 to 2012, researchers discovered that when the poorest 20 per cent increase their share of the total income by just one per cent, the economy grows much faster in comparison to a greater income share to the wealthiest 20 per cent.

VALLEY

Although Macdonald thinks the government could have gone higher with the increase to provide a more livable wage, he said he understands that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a balancing act from the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective, trying not to disrupt economic growth. At the end of the day, the equation is simple for him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the government does something that makes life better for people, that needs to be acknowledged.â&#x20AC;?

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