Fernie Fix March 2022

MARCH 2022 | ISSUE 183

THE

EQUALITY ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE: Special Feature: Angela Morgan shares her 20 years as an artist in Fernie with some wise words. Feature Residents Erin Hay and Rachel Romero on how they found their way to FSS in leadership roles, Sadie Rosgen draws on women for inspiration, Claire Smallwood examines connection and belonging and Dr. Taina Turcasso discusses equality in health care.

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EDITOR’S FIX p7 EQUALITY ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE p8 Angela Morgan: 20 Years an Artist by Tara Higgins

MARCH 2022 | ISSUE 183

BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY p11 Business News Equality in Business by Brad Parsell

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT p14

THE

EQUALITY ISSUE

Feature Artist - Darcy Luke ArtBeat – Change a Mood, Not a Mind

by Michael Hepher At Peace and Yet on Fire – And the Women by Sadie Rosgen Rental Fix – Don’t Look Up by Andrew Vallance

COMMUNITY p22 Feature Resident – Erin Hay and Rachel Romero City Corner – Active Transportation Implementation Plan

by Ange Qualizza Science and Everyday Life - Evidence by Fred Gietz At the Ground Level – Strength in Bee-o Diversity by Sylvia Ayers, Illustrated by Sarah Pullen

EVENTS CALENDAR p29 HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE p34 Slow Travel – Understanding Gained by Patrick Robertson Pelvic Health Through the Lifespan – The After Years by Stephanie McDowell Family Wellness – Equality in Health

by Dr. Taina Turcasso This is Life – You, Before Connecting to Others

by Tyla Charbonneau Mentorship in the Mountains – Finding and Building Belonging by Claire Smallwood

BITS AND BYTES p47 The Answer Guy – Power Protection for Your Computer

by Kevin McIsaac Astrology – March 2022 by Ashley Kristina Through the Lens – Equality Issue Photo Gallery The Social Page

FERNIE FUN p54 The Last Page

COVER: Kate Targett taking in the views at Fernie Wilderness Adventures!

Photo by Stephen Reed, @steve_reed THIS PAGE: It’s always nice when the early morning gets all the colours.

Photo by Matt Kuhn, @mkuhnphoto FERNIEFIX.COM

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Contributors ANDREW VALLANCE is a cinephile nerd who currently lives on the west coast. Girlfriendless, he spends his time going to movies, buying DVDs and flirting.

ANGE QUALIZZA is a nutty economist who has a passion for policy, governance and everything to do with municipal government! Let’s lift up the carpet and take a closer look inside City Hall.

ASHLEY KRISTINA has studied astrology for over twenty years and has been reading/teaching for five. For an in depth natal chart reading, email mountainashastrology@gmail.com.

BRAD PARSELL is the manager of the Fernie Chamber and loves working with our local vibrant business community. He is also a music nerd with an ever-growing collection of records in his basement.

CLAIRE SMALLWOOD is an avid skier, mediocre snowboarder, former personal chef, and newly-minted hockey fan. When Claire’s not on the slopes or whipping up red chile sauce, you can find her at the helm of SheJumps, the non-profit she co-founded in 2007 with a mission to transform the lives of women and girls through outdoor experiences.

FRED GIETZ is a self-professed science nerd and lover of all things outside.

KEVIN MCISAAC haunts the coffee shops and streets of Fernie to find his column source material.

MICHAEL HEPHER is a painter, printmaker, sculptor and musician living and working in Fernie. His work is collected internationally and can be seen at Clawhammer Press and a variety of galleries in Western Canada.

PATRICK ROBERTSON is a travel writer and long-time resident of Fernie. He is an expert in planning independent travel and finding budget travel deals.Visit his website at budgetslowtravel. com and on Facebook at facebook.com/ budgetslowtravel.

Every month SADIE ROSGEN teams up with some of Fernie’s brightest young writers collaborating on a given theme. If you are reading this and think that you are that person, drop her a line at sadiepumps@gmail.com.

SARAH PULLEN is a grade 12 student at Fernie Secondary with a passion for all things creative. She looks forward to pursuing some form of artistic studies post-secondary.

STEPHANIE MCDOWELL is a physiotherapist with Fernie Physiotherapy. Aside from work, she is an outdoor enthusiast, and enjoys soaking up all the baby giggles from her son.

SYLVIA AYERS Sylvia is a tenacious naturalist and believes each one of us can have a big impact on making things better if we just know how.

TAINA TURCASSO is a naturopathic physician, midwife, and new mama who is at long last practicing in Fernie. She is enjoying getting reacquainted with all of Fernie’s offerings with her family.

TARA HIGGINS has been part of Fernie’s art and culture scene since she arrived here 22 years ago. Quick with a paintbrush and always willing to get stuck into any project that adds to the vibrancy of Fernie her smile gives away her love of creativity and possibility no matter the activity.

TYLA CHARBONNEAU is a Registered Psychologist (CPBC2385), dog momma, and nature lover. She loves talking with others about mindfulness, self-compassion, and human nature.

FERNIE FIX | FERNIEFIX.COM Published monthly by Claris Media. To advertise and for general inquiries: info@clarismedia.com Box 1124, 361A 1st Ave. Fernie, BC V0B 1M0 p: 250-423-4062 | clarismedia.com Editor | Krista Turcasso Creative Director | Vanessa Croome All content copyright Claris Media. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

Claris Media acknowledges that the land on which we work, gather and recreate is the traditional and unceded territory of the Ktunaxa people.We are very grateful for this place and the abundance it provides.

Editor’s Fix

By Krista Turcasso, Editor Recently, my eldest daughter started calling me bossy. The first few times, I didn’t address it. But when I heard my younger daughter call the eldest bossy, I stopped what I was doing. I sat down on the floor with them (they were getting dressed to go skiing), and I asked what they think bossy means, and what does Mom do that makes them feel like I am being bossy.

Not surprisingly, asking them to do things, reminding them of the plan etc. equates to ‘bossy’ in their six and eight-year old minds.

After listening, I asked if they had ever called Dad bossy. They laughed, then thought about it, and said no. “So, when Dad is reminding you to do something or asks you to help out, what is that called?” They didn’t have an answer.

“Parenting.” I said. We are both parenting, but somehow one is ‘just being Dad.’ We had a great chat about that word, whether we ever heard friends of ours being called bossy – boys and girls. “None of our boy friends get called that!” We all recognized that it does not feel good to be called bossy and brainstormed for other ways we could communicate what we are feeling instead of using that word, or any word to label behaviour.

It is tough raising humans. It is tough raising girls. As parents and caregivers, we all want them to have equal opportunity as they make their way in this world, to not feel that they have additional challenges because of who they are, what they look like, what they are interested in. The reality is, they will face these injustices. What we can do is teach them to be kind. Foster empathy and compassion.

Empower them to speak up. It truly does start with us.

Sure, it’s a lot easier to ignore being called bossy – it’s just a word, after all. Don’t be so sensitive.

No, it’s not just a word and it is 100% okay to speak up and say it is not okay.

Guess what? I have not been called bossy since.

By them, anyway!

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THE EQUALITY ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE

Angela Morgan: 20 Years an Artist

by TARA HIGGINS

Angela Morgan is the embodiment of femininity. Fierce in her passion to create, nurturing to those around her, and giving to those who ask. She comes by her traits honestly. The daughter of farmers, the value of creating things with your hands, the payoff of hard work, and the optimism of having to believe it will work out is deeply seeded in her.

Arriving in Fernie 21 years ago pregnant with twins, she knew that she wanted to be a professional artist and knew who she was.

All she needed was a little bit of validation and encouragement for it to be “okay” to be creative.

That initial piece of validation and encouragement can be pinpointed to her first show, held at the Arts Station 20 years ago this month. It came from a

strong group of women who were the driving force of the Arts Station, who knew how important it is to bring people together. Anne Majic, Beaulah Limber, Mary Menduk, Lorraine Fraser, and Donna Miller, to name but a few, gave Angela the inspiration to paint through words, commissions and laughter.

Meeting with Angela to write this piece she brought her original archive

portfolio. Going through the pages she can remember almost everyone who bought her work in those early years. The gratitude she has for all of them is apparent in the stories she tells of them and in the lasting friendships they have formed.

When we sat down, I wanted to learn more about the inspiration, drive and insight Angela has burning deep inside.

What is the best piece of advice you ever had?

Paint what you know. A professor taught me that at Art School.

What advice would you give a young artist?

Create something beautiful. All art is worthy.

What moment, as an artist, do you love the most?

Close to and just past the beginning.You get an idea in your head, the sketch is done, you’ve nailed the composition, and you’ve just started with a bit of the palette and you know it is going to work out.

You are always very uplifting to others, why is that?

People’s success does not happen without intention. I love to see the creative process and the courage it takes to go down that road. I also have a great interest in other artists because I know they have similar doubts and I hope that they are also having successful moments and great highs.

What do you think is the key to your success?

Art is a business. Artists need to remember it is a business and they need to act professionally. I run a business. And hire great people.

What changes have you seen in the art scene of Fernie over the last 20 years?

There is a larger appreciation for the arts and artisans. There is also a greater

appreciation for the integral part the arts play in life.”

To honour and celebrate the past 20 years of Angela’s career she is having a solo exhibition of her work back where it all started, at The Arts Station. The opening is March 12 at 7pm, 20 years on the nose.

Works will include some of Angela’s collectors’ favourites: ski and winter paintings, biking, picnicking, swimming, and celebrations…bubbly and flowers and good company…all the things we have to

Submitted Photos enjoy in our beautiful town…of course there will be a few other subjects to put in the mix. The show will be comprised of 20 works - of all sizes and price ranges.

Angela will be donating 100% of the sales to the Fernie and District Arts Council.

“I am amazed and grateful for the many programs they run, the wonderful space they provide for the guilds as well as others, and their commitment to the arts and to the community of Fernie.”

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Business in the Valley

BUSINESS NEWS

Stock Photo

Submitted Photo

Community Volunteer Income Tax Programme The annual free income tax preparation for limited income ($35k for single, family $45k plus $2500 per child) and simple returns is back this March until the end of April, with the option to drop off or make an appointment.

Drop Off is at the Fernie Heritage Library. Get an envelope from the library, containing a two-sided authorization and client ID form. Fill these out as required and include receipts.You will be contacted for more information or that your return is ready for pickup.

For appointments, you can make a virtual appointment by contacting Terry (250430-3005) / TRC4905@gmail.com or Diana at dardia@telus.net. To set up an inperson appointment get in touch with Bill (250-423-4758), John (250-423-7063), or Courtney (250-423-3312) to schedule on Mondays between 10am and 2pm.You can also drop in during these hours to fill out a consent form and client information sheet, with pick up the following week.

If you haven’t done so already, consider registering your email on your return and setting up My Account to access tax receipts that may have gone missing, and all correspondence with Revenue Canada.

Fernie Rotary Club fernierotary.org Don’t forget to get your Griz Pin! Submitted Photo The Fernie Rotary Club is once again selling their famous Griz Pins. Each pin is $3 and proceeds from pin sales will be shared with Cycling Without Age Fernie elkvalleyrugby.ca and the Salvation Army Food Bank. Hold onto the pin for your chance to win $1000!

Girls Can Rugby Day is a province-wide free tryout welcoming girls to try rugby at Where can you get your pins? You can purchase the pins from fellow Rotarians, clubs throughout BC. Drift and Sonder, the Visitor Information Elk Valley RFC is hosting a Girls Can Centre, Save on Foods, TD Bank, Rugby Day inviting girls aged 10-18 on Scotiabank, Big Bang Bagels, Mountain April 23 at Prentice Park between 10amSpirits, The Tipple and Fernie Distillers.

12pm – all abilities are welcome!

They will also be for sale at the Griz Days Handmade Craft Fair on March 5, before In the year of the Women’s Rugby World the Griz Days parade, and at the Popcorn Cup, BC Rugby wants to see more girls playing Rugby in a positive environment at sales in front of the Vogue Theatre on March 5!

Clubs throughout the province.

Elk Valley Rugby Club

Rugby is the perfect sport for girls – it’s safe, inclusive, and affordable! Rugby builds confidence and friendships and is a sport for all body shapes: there is a place for everyone on the Rugby field.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in their best animal print!

Scan the QR Code above to learn more about Girls Can Rugby.

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Scan for official schedule

! d l i W s e o G

grizdays @ferniegrizdays

March 4 - 6, 2022 www.ferniegrizdays.com

Thank you to our sponsors!

THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS, EVENT & VENUE PARTNERS: Fernie Brewing Company, The Pub Bar and Grill, Fernie Heritage Library, Fernie Museum, Fernie Curling Club, CBAL, Fernie Senior Citizens Society, Fernie Catholic Women’s League, GearHub, Topo, Jessica Gamey, Fernie Craft Fair, Fernie Family Centre, Fernie Golf Club, Elk Valley Rugby Club, Martin Brock, Parade Marshall Dave Harrington, Fernie Alpine Resort, The Arts Station, Tannis McDonald, Pete McDonald, Rockies Law Corporation, Cycling without Age, Earth’s Own Naturals, Duncan Maisels, Rocky Mountain Optometry, The Fernie Hotel and Pub, Raging Elk Hostel, The Vogue Theater, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 36, FAR Ski Hosts, Fernie Fire Department, Not So Social Sam, AFRoS Fernie, Twin Meadows Animal Rescue Society, Elk Vally Dolphins, Fernie Knox United Church, Fernie WorkBC Centre, Fernie Home Hardware, Fernie Skating Club, Fernie Mechanical Ltd., Victoria Mortimer, Randy & Patti Cameron, The City of Fernie Public Works crews, volunteers and our very best GRIZ!

Business in the Valley

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Equality in Business

by BRAD PARSELL Local businesses impact all our lives everyday – whether we work for them or buy goods and services from them. Our local businesses are powered by people, and those people come from all walks of life and backgrounds. I am a firm believer that the business community can and should be a driving force for change in the spheres of equity, diversity, and inclusion. This includes gender equality both in terms of the composition of our workforces, and who actually own and operate our businesses.

March 4 - 6, 2022

In the soon to be published results of the recent Elk Valley Business Retention and Expansion survey conducted by the Elk Valley Economic Initiative, there is some interesting data gathered around the issue of equality. Of the 315 businesses surveyed in the Elk Valley, 41.6% identified as being majority owned by females. While this is encouraging, there is still work to be done to achieve true gender equality in business ownership here in our backyard. The results are unfortunately much more dire for businesses with a majority ownership identifying as indigenous (4.1%), visible minorities (1.3%), and 2SLGBTQ+ (just under 1%).

Last year in the annual feminism issue of the Fix, I talked about the great work the Women’s Enterprise Centre (recently rebranded to WeBC - we-bc.ca) is doing to advance equality in business ownership by providing support for women business owners to start, develop, lead, and sell small businesses in BC. I still strongly encourage female entrepreneurs at all levels to reach out to this amazing organization that is now in its 26th year helping female-led businesses.

Coal Town owners Deanna and Nic | David + Katie Phtotography But what else can businesses to do advance equality in their organizations and workforce? Implementing a strong human resources framework and inclusivity policy is a great start. The Fernie Chamber of Commerce is working with the Fernie Pride Society on providing some guidance to local businesses on this issue later this year – so stay tuned! But even with the best framework in place, there can still be a disconnect between policy with good intention, and actual practice within your organization.

One thing I hear often in the business world regarding hiring is “we just hire the most qualified candidate” as a defense of a lack of diversity or equality in the workplace. This idea deserves to be

scrutinized and challenged to some degree.

What does your hiring process actually look like? Where do you advertise your job opportunities? Could you do more to reach a wider cross-section of potential employees? Who is conducting your hiring and what unconscious biases do they have when looking for the ideal candidate?

Our businesses and the people who power them should be striving to represent the changes we want to see in the world – becoming more diverse and inclusive.

The more perspectives you have in your business, the more opportunity opens up with new and more successful ways of looking at problems, products and markets.

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Arts and Entertainment

FEATURE ARTIST

Da r c y Lu k e

I first started creating art from a very young age, although it wasn’t until I was fifteen that I started beading. I watched an elder bead while I was at an Indigenous youth conference, and I immediately fell in love with it and knew I had to try for myself.

My beadwork was not amazing at first, but I still loved it, imperfections and all. I kept up with it for about a year.

Eventually I stopped beading as I had other passions in my teen years. As I got older, I became more interested in being involved within my Nation, and at some point this led me to digging out all of my beading stuff and picking up where I left off... and I fell in love with it all over again.

Beading is like medicine for me. It took me a while to get the hang of it again, and a long time for my work to look nice. My creations are still not perfect, but I think that adds to it. It is still beautiful and meaningful, and every piece I create is unique and made with love. It brings me so much joy to see others wearing my work, and knowing my pieces are being loved and enjoyed. One day I hope for my work to be well-known within my community, and to be able to see more people enjoying it.

I am so thankful for all my Ktunaxa women, Elders and community for supporting me and my artwork, and always encouraging me to keep going. The women in my community without fail continue to bring one another up, and I know I wouldn’t have the confidence to keep going if it wasn’t for them.

Darcy Luke is a self-taught artist in traditional art, from beading to creating murals and sewing pieces. Her work can be viewed at mountainartscranbrook.square.site. Follow her on Instagram @Mountain_arts.

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Arts and Entertainment

ARTBEAT

Change a Mood, Not a Mind

by MICHAEL HEPHER As an artist I’ve attempted to make a career out of trying to make the world a more beautiful place. I understand that beauty is quite subjective, but my overarching goal is to treat the planet, and humanity, like I’m on a multi-decade hike—to leave the place better than I found it. It turns out that that is a more complicated task than I ever thought it would be.

I would describe myself as a Highly Sensitive Person. Highly Sensitive Person (or HSP) is a term psychologists use to describe about 15% of the general population, but that percentage is much higher among creatives. Science has shown that this extra-sensitive way of seeing the world is hard-wired into our DNA. HSPs are easily overwhelmed and often reclusive which can give us a negative rap.

While there are some downsides, the extra sensitivity also allows us to see and hear things others don’t, which in turn gives us a larger capacity for empathy, compassion, and wild imagination.

Being an HSP at this time is challenging.

I don’t require a lot of face-to-face time, but I need the energy of my community to maintain hope so I can continue to move forward. The ability to imagine myself in another person’s place, or see things from their perspective, has made equality a defining structure in my emotional landscape. I believe everyone should get the same respect, opportunity, and resources, but figuring out how to facilitate that means breaking down social biases and cultural constructs. It means rethinking how I interact with my neighbours and my kids. It means re-evaluating what kind of art I make and why. It’s hard, hard work.

One challenge is that equality is difficult to measure. Does it mean everyone gets

“Until we all are free, none of us are free.”

–Emma Lazarus the same opportunity, or does it mean everyone gets an equal opportunity? Pure equality can lack justice. Do we send all our Olympic and Paralympic athletes to

Plein-Air selfie | Mike Hepher Photo the same sporting event? That would be equality, but it wouldn’t be fair. Equity means creating systems that give each person the ability to rise to their potential.

Equity means supporting those who need extra help so they can access a similar opportunity. It means creating space for those who start at a disadvantage due to factors out of their own control. Creating those systems requires all of us to live with

empathy and compassion. This is why we need our creatives—so our HSPs can continue to help us navigate our way into an equitable future.

Perhaps I’m dealing with a middling bout of Seasonal Affective Disorder, but this is a hard stretch of winter for me. Everywhere I look there is a problem that needs help fixing, or a need that begs for filling. I am missing all the normals like everyone else in this strange era. My creative friends and our work have been impacted in ways that are feeling more and more permanent. My studio wall is covered with motivational quotes and pep-talk generator memes. I’m just trying to find my way to a little hope so I can get back to doing what I love: making art that brings joy.

There are times I wish I had a big truck to park somewhere, something that would drive my point home more firmly than the gentle lullaby of beauty and creativity.

And yet, isn’t listening and compassion the things we need more than anything right now? My mom used to always say

‘Change a mood, not a mind.’ Great parenting advice, and it’s just as relevant to our cultural dialogues: we are much more amenable to change when we are in the right mood. How can we change the mood of this time so more people can feel heard?

How can we learn to stop holding each other ransom at each end of the spectrum with belligerent actions and snide remarks?

Maybe it’s time for all of us to get in touch with our inner HSP and dig into the empathy that insight provides.

As poet Emma Lazarus says, ‘Until we all are free, none of us are free.’ But true freedom cannot be legislated—it is given to you by your neighbour when they respect you and allow you to be who you are. True freedom requires equity and true equity requires community and true community requires compassion and true compassion requires listening and listening requires humility. That’s the kind of freedom you can only find around a campfire, or shovelling your neighbour’s sidewalk, or plein-air painting with friends.

The purpose of the Communities of Interest Advisory Initiative is to foster dialogue and communication between the four coal operations and community representatives within their area of influence.

Empowerment in Action

www.evcnpvoice.com

DRAGATHON

Hosted by the Elk Valley Suicide Task Force.

A week full of events leading up to the 2nd annual Dragathon. Events to promote awareness, prevention and support for mental health and those impacted by suicide in the Elk Valley.

Monday March 7: Art Cleansing Session at The Arts Station, 7pm

Tuesday March 8: Bingo with the Rainbow Club at Fernie Secondary School

Wednesday March 9: Mental Health Themed Trivia at The Fernie Hotel, 8pm

Thursday March 10: Storytime at the Fernie Heritage Library, 10am Drag Walk through Fernie Downtown, 2pm - 6pm Cocktails & Pussy Willows at the Fernie Distillery, 7pm - 10pm

Friday March 11: Mighty Moose Dragathon, 4:30pm After Party at The Griz Bar, 9pm PHOTO CREDIT: COTR

Through the Government of Canada’s International Youth Internship Program, the College of the Rockies has deployed Gender Equality Officers to Tanzania to introduce girls to non-traditional trades, establish women’s leadership clubs and identify female role models. Find the full report here: cotr.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/ISTEP-GenderEquality-Report-final.pdf

FERNIE

And remember, it’s ok to not be ok.

ELK

it’ s

Scan for full schedule

VALLEY SUICIDE TASK FORCE

est. 2020

o k t o n o t b e o k!

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SnapS hot S:

A glimpse into the remarkable stories of people and places in the Columbia Basin.

Fernie store makes it easy to choose local!

Find more on

ourtrust.org/stories

Simply named ‘Local,’ the volunteer-run store is a social enterprise of Wildsight Elk Valley, a non-profit committed to food sustainability. Unlike a traditional farmers’ market, vendors are not present at the store, but their business names and locations are listed beside their products. The store also offers online shopping 24-7, with pick up or delivery during regular storefront hours.

“I think it provides opportunity for these food businesses to grow,” says volunteer Robyn Peel. “With the Trust’s support, we’re able to make bigger purchases, which in turn attracts more customers, with the goal of continuing to promote food security and to support our local farmers and small-scale producers.”

Columbia Basin Trust operates in the unceded traditional territories of the Ktunaxa, Lheidi T’enneh, Secwepemc, Sinixt and Syilx Nations.

Arts and Entertainment

AT PEACE AND YET ON FIRE

And the Women

by Sadie Rosgen The worst form of inequality is to try and make unequal things equal.

-Aristotle Equality implies individuality.

-Trey Anastasio All who have died are equal.

-Comanche horseman As I continue to celebrate women while recognizing the theme of equality this month, I am reminded that none of us are created equal. We all possess varied strengths and weaknesses, the driving elements of who we are, changing all the time. I wanted to ask some of the women in my life, “what is the best part about being a woman?”

Carefully crafting their vulnerabilities and observations, I created this poem.

Thank you for your heartfelt contributions.

And the Women

by Sadie Rosgen I pluck my feelings from the laundry pile and shake them out.

I navigate hardship with compassion, as I sort the clothes that suit my fashion.

Leaving my thoughts and desires outside, looking deeply, I find my intuition blooming.

Making space, for moments of grace, for finding my seat at the table, voiced strongly and able.

Feminine Tough Rough Surreal

I am witchcraft and mysticism.

Climbing the mountain alone, surrounded by sisterhood, motherhood, childhood and adulthood, all while trying to survive in my ‘hood.

Feeding from the body of woman, feasting on the Earth.

This mortal vessel as housing, crowning as queen setting the scene for the instant camaraderie that comes from a ladies’ room.

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Arts and Entertainment

THE RENTAL FIX

Don’t Look Up

by ANDREW VALLANCE In 2016 the U.S.A. went insane and elected a fascist game show host as president.

Donald J. Trump was a xenophobe, a misogynist, a war hawk and a swindler, who bragged about sexually assaulting women, used his position as commanderin-chief to enrich his family, brutalized Latin American migrants and lent support to neo-Nazi thugs. He completely botched the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, stupidly recommending the use of dangerous, useless drugs instead of urging caution, and ultimately encouraged a mob to attack the capital building, the seat of the United States Congress, on January 6, 2021. The mob threatened to kill many prominent American politicians, including then Vice President Mike Pence.

Trump was all at once fantastically arrogant, ignorant and incompetent, a man who put the country he governed and its citizens in danger, and yet when all was said and done, claimed to be its saviour. His one term in office was traumatic for many Americans.

Given the aura of the recent Trump presidency, it makes sense that Don’t Look Up should grab the attention of not just Americans, but so many people from all over the world. The film, which is written and directed by Adam Mackay, is in large part about an out-of-touch, ultra conservative administration that continues to ignore a global crisis, which in this case is a giant planet-killing asteroid racing towards the earth, and the brilliant scientists trying to convince the world that disaster is imminent.

Don’t Look Up is meant to serve as an allegory for climate change but could just as easily be seen as a film about the

work is misanthropic in the extreme. Most of the characters in the film are a bit thinly written, and are either selfish or stupid or both, and our heroes spend much of the movie’s run time frustrated and angry, or experiencing panic attacks. As much as I like DiCaprio’s work (especially The Revenant) and think that Jennifer Lawrence is a great actress (her performance in The Hunger Games trilogy was wonderful), it is difficult for me to watch these actors displaying fright and/or depression for two hours over an imaginary disaster while we are experiencing angst over two potentially real world disasters.

I can’t recommend this one, folks. mishandling of the recent COVID pandemic.

The movie features Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as the scientists, Mark Rylance as an unscrupulous tech billionaire who wishes to monetize the asteroid, Jonah Hill as the lazy, drug addicted son of the president, the great Meryl Streep as the venal, image obsessed and ignorant commander in chief, and Cate Blanchett as a vapid talk show host reminiscent of the ones seen daily on Fox news. Filling out the cast are excellent character actors including Ron Pearlman, Timothy Chalamet, Arianna Grande and Tyler Perry.

This is not a technically bad movie. The script is excellent, the performances understated and effective. Adam Mackay, previously known for writing and directing such excellent films as The Big Short and Vice, has undoubtedly created a piece of art that will net him multiple awards.

However, I can’t help but feel that the FERNIEFIX.COM

21

Community

FEATURE RESIDENT

Erin Hay and Rachel Romero

by KRISTA TURCASSO I have thought a lot about representation the last few years, likely because I have two young sponges around me at all times which causes me to pause and take a look around more than I used to.

Spending so much time at the elementary school, it is hard not to notice the male to female ratio of teachers, student services and youth care workers. Currently, out of 33 positions there are two male representatives. It surprised me at first, but when I thought back to my own elementary experience, I realized I had just three male teachers in grades 4, 5 and 7.

The real differences can be found in leadership roles. Both the Vice Principals and Principals at EIDES and FSS are women. And young women, at that.

It made me wonder what it would have been like to have grown up with that leadership in an institution we spend a large portion of our youth, and I was interested in hearing what these women had to say. Having interviewed EIDES Principal Laura-Lee Phillips in past, I was excited to connect with Rachel Romero (Vice Principal) and Erin Hay (Principal) at FSS. Both of these women have roots in the East Kootenays. Erin grew up in Cranbrook, and then moved to Vancouver to attend UBC. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but really enjoyed geography.

It was about in my fourth year that I thought I would go into teaching and went right into a Bachelor or Education after graduating,” she tells me, later on completing her Masters while raising her children.

Rachel was born in Sparwood, and her family moved to Fernie where she grew

Erin Hay and Rachel Romero. Photo by Ernie Baty up before her family relocated to Calgary.

“I didn’t think of becoming a teacher. I did a Bachelor of Science with the intention of going into medicine. After working for a year, I decided on teaching. It wasn’t the plan, but I wanted to work with youth and have a career where I could have relationships with them,” Rachel says. She also attended UBC to gain her teaching degree and went on to complete her Masters in Special Education.

With young families and connections to the Kootenays, both Erin and Rachel were keeping an eye on opportunities in the Elk Valley.

“I saw the VP in Elkford open up and went there for three years. After that, I was VP in Sparwood for a year, and then came to Fernie to be the VP,” Erin shares. After one year, Erin became the principal and she is now in her third year in this role. “All through COVID,” she adds.

For Rachel, she and her husband had two small children and wanted to raise them in a small town in BC. “We tried the Okanagan, but it was not the right fit. I saw a VP posting come up in Fernie and it seemed like a long shot, but I went in there with my power suit on and here I am,” she says, adding that she found out soon after that she was expecting with her third.

Out of the four high schools in the district, Erin is the only female principal, and Mount Baker has a female VP. “I do think it brings an interesting lens,” Erin says. “As Rachel says, our focus is on building relationships and helping kids through high school enjoy the process – we want them to make the most of it, be successful, have positive experiences and learn a lot about healthy relationships while here.”

Rachel and Erin admit that one of the criticisms they heard early on was that they were being too soft on the kids.

“Some people were worried things would get out of hand. What is interesting is that we don’t have behavioural issues in school.

We have kids with special needs who have behavioural disabilities, and they are doing really well.”

So, how do they accomplish this?

“We focus on a relationship-based model and meet students from a place of understanding. We want them to know we will listen and that we are here to support them. We draw firm boundaries and pick appropriate consequences that fit the action and are adjusted to fit who they are and what brings them to our office.”

What has the effect of their leadership been on the students? They hope that their students will see women in leadership as normal, that regardless of gender people can be effective leaders.

“Additionally, that women can have leadership careers while raising a family.

I was pregnant when I started here, and my husband quit his job so I could be the main income earner and we could move to a place that was better suited to our family.

I think it’s a good example that this is a possibility,” Rachel says.

Moving forward, Rachel and Erin both agree that they are looking forward to celebrating more as a school, “where kids can have those meaningful and normal social opportunities together,” Erin says.

“Also, to have some years working together

without COVID. It has been super challenging, but also an opportunity for change. We had to start from scratch and realized some of the things that were in place weren’t the best for our kids. We can be really intentional and thoughtful about how we set up our school and realized our teachers and students can handle change and are resilient,” Rachel adds.

“We have to give teenagers so much more credit. They are capable, smart and resilient.

We wouldn’t have made it through this without them,” Erin says.

It strikes me in this moment just how much respect and appreciation we should not only be giving our kids and youth, but our teachers and school staff as well. Their workload has nearly doubled during this pandemic, and they are doing everything in their power to ensure our kids are safe and healthy while getting the best possible education.

While leaving FSS, I am filled with gratitude. Gratitude that students have such strong and positive female role models.

Gratitude for the people in leadership roles working in overdrive to support us as best they can during these challenging times.

At the same time, I can’t help but wonder if we are doing enough to support these individuals.

“These regulations are not easy, but then we look at our students and they are doing it at 13 and we think, we can do this, too.”

Yes, we can. Thank you for your leadership, Erin and Rachel.

1. When did you first arrive in Elk Valley and what brought you here?

E. 2014, to be a Vice Principal and to be closer to family. R. 2019, to pursue being a VP and I always thought Fernie was heaven on earth.

2. Who did you first meet?

E. I don’t remember, it was such a blur!

Work people at the end of August, then moving and meetings. R. Really it was Erin from my interview, and Frank Lento was there!

3. Do you remember your first general impression of the Elk Valley?

E.Very friendly, I have always felt at ease here. R. I just feel at home.

4. What keeps you here?

E. Oh, we built community connections.

My husband is an RCMP in town. My daughter started grade one and is now in grade eight. My son graduated from FSS, but loves to come back. R. We just want to be here to raise our kids here.

5. Do you have a favourite pastime?

E. I think for us it’s skiing, Alpine or Nordic and we certainly enjoy the lakes here in summer. R. I like looking at the mountains, I love them and enjoy their presence.

6. What time of the year do you love most and why?

E. Fall – I love the warm afternoons and cooler nights and the colours are beautiful.

And it’s back to school and I’m excited and refreshed for a new year. R. Winter, I like the snowiest months and the big cracker size snowflakes.

7. Where do you see or hope to see the Elk Valley in five years.

E. The growth is wonderful, I hope it stays well managed to have diversity in the community and maintain that with housing and incomes. A diverse population creates the quality we enjoy in the community. R. I would like to see another school in Fernie for the little people.

8.How do you start your day or what is one of your daily rituals?

We are so understaffed right now so are checking emails and texting back and forth starting at 6am. So, it is stressful starts to our days right now and the most stressed we have been in our careers. It takes about two hours to figure it out while being worried about all of those families. But we have to give our community credit for “Feature Resident” continued on next page FERNIEFIX.COM

23

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stepping up to be on our emergency call list, and parents who have time in their day to come in and support the school where they can.

You belong at EKC

9. Tell us something people might be surprised to learn about you.

Great Place to Work Great Place to Bank

E. I care quite a bit about the environment more than I realize. Trying to organize for everyone to plant a tree, have an electric car, compost, and grow things. R. My family owns and operates a rum distillery, creatively named Romero Distilling Co., connected to the history of rum running in the Crowsnest Pass.

10. Quote to live by: R: Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be. - Rita Pierson

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25

Celebrating Griz Days March 4–6, 2022 Teck is proud to support Fernie’s Winter Festival. We hope you safely enjoy the family-friendly festivities throughout the Elk Valley. For a full schedule of activities visit FernieGrizDays.com. www.teck.com

*Schedule subject to change depending on COVID-19 restrictions.

Community

CITY CORNER

Active Transportation Implementation Plan

by ANGE QUALIZZA Local governments are slow machines, we often hear, when are they going to stop talking and start doing?! I can absolutely appreciate that sentiment!

We applied for funding for flood protection for the Annex Dike and included an application to complete this segment of the Fernie Valley Pathway, a project designed for active transportation.

This project will be implemented in the winter of 2022, and include a paved pathway from bridge to bridge, ramps for accessibility, and wellness stations providing users with a great experience.

The truth is though, the new initiatives; flood protection, active transportation, climate change projects, and asset renewal are far too expensive for us to do ourselves and require us to chase down other funding partners. Funding partners want to see a master plan, a summarized public engagement process, surveys, and that we are aligning our projects within our other foundational plans like our Official City Plan.

It feels like this makes every project take longer, and it does. The upside of this process though, is that by making sure local governments are following these steps, it supports us in better decision-making, requires us to stay committed to long-term asset renewal and holds us accountable in a way that simply didn’t happen fifteen years ago. It makes sure we are investing in Fernie strategically and consistently.

The Active Transportation Implementation Plan is the result of reviewing existing transportation/land use plans, getting a sense of the missing transportation linkages, surveying and engaging residents, and support from our engineering and planning team.

The Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) was completed through 2021 and identifies transportation needs that will accommodate all Fernie residents regardless of travel mode. The ATMP extends from our Official Community Plan and will provide a pathway to the OCPs 2040 targets for transportation sustainability.

This implementation plan will be supported by an advisory committee that will develop and design the nonengineered aspects of the projects. The committee will represent key stakeholder groups in the community, providing input on biking, art, history, and health and wellness to guide the design team.

“The Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) was completed through 2021 and identifies transportation needs that will accommodate all Fernie residents regardless of travel mode.”

In 2020 we received funding to complete an Active Transportation Master Plan, in addition of representing multi modal transportation needs for Fernie this plan will see investment in pathways and street patterns that will enhance neighborhood environments, support our community, and improve our well-being.

As we work towards an expanded active transportation network, it will absolutely take more time. It also will take more money! Which is why the process of local governments feels painfully slow, but by building a solid foundation that is supported by meaningful community engagement and nested in master plans, hopefully we continue to unlock funding from the provincial government.

For most of you though, it feels like we haven’t done anything, and it’s because you won’t yield these benefits for some time.

At a recent meeting with the Ministry of Transportation however, it was said to us, I wish more communities were as far along as you were with your Active Transportation plans so we could support them more. And there you have it. Two equally wonderful observations, you haven’t done anything yet, and wow – look at how much you’ve accomplished.

FERNIEFIX.COM

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EVENTS CALENDAR

MONTHLY EVENTS

Make sure to stay up to date by visiting FernieFix.com/events. Send your events to krista@clarismedia.com for inclusion!

Tuesday 1.3.2022 HR Webinar Series: What’s in a Policy and Procedures Manual @ ferniechamber.com/events Thursday 3.3.2022 Succession Planning: How to Sell Your Business @ ferniechamber.com/events Friday 4.3.2022 45th Annual Griz Days: Goes Wild @ ferniegrizdays.com Griz Days Storywalk @ Fernie Heritage Library Garden with Free Hot Chocolate, 11am-2pm Live Music @ Loaf Tyler Ray Borsboom Live @ Kodiak Lounge Saturday 5.3.2022 AST 1 @ Mountain Addicts 45th Annual Griz Days: Goes Wild @ ferniegrizdays.com Griz Days Handmade Craft Fair @ Fernie Community Centre Griz Days Storywalk @ Fernie Heritage Library Garden with Free Hot Chocolate, 11am-2pm Griz Days Parade @ Downtown Fernie, 6:30pm Sunday 6.3.2022 Last Day: Raging Elk Silk and Trail Slide @ Fernie Alpine Resort AST 1 @ Mountain Addicts Raging Elk Dummy Downhill @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 1pm Monday 7.3.2022 Special Meeting of Council: 3rd Reading of Financial Plan Bylaw @ City Hall Fernie Dragathon: Art Cleansing Session @ The Arts Station Tuesday 8.3.2022 International Women’s Day International Women’s Day: Fat Bike with the Ladies @ FMBC The New Art of Selling: Rethinking Your Approach to Sales @ ferniechamber.com/events Fernie Dragathon: Bingo with the Rainbow Club @

Fernie Secondary School Wednesday 9.3.2022 Fernie Dragathon: Mental Health Themed Trivia @ Fernie Hotel Thursday 10.3.2022 Elk Valley Suicide Task Force Drag Storytime @ Fernie Heritage Library, 10am Fernie Dragathon: Drag Walk Through @ Downtown Fernie Fernie Dragathon: Cocktails and Pussy Willows @ Fernie Distillery Friday 11.3.2022 March Break Take and Make Kits: Craft, STEM Project and Activity Sheets @ Fernie Heritage Library, 3pm Build Your Online Marketing Strategy @ ferniechamber. com/events Mighty Moose Dragathon and After Party @ Fernie Alpine Resort Saturday 12.3.2022 Exhibit Opening: Angela Morgan 20 Year Anniversary Show and Fundraiser @ The Arts Station, 7pm Sunday 13.3.2022 Upcycled China Workshop @ H Squared Gallery Monday 14.3.2022 Club Cr8 @ The Arts Station Regular Council Meeting @ City Hall Intensive Pottery Workshop @ The Arts Station Tuesday 15.3.2022 HR Webinar: How to Manage and Lead for Success @ ferniechamber.com/events Shine Theatre Camp @ The Arts Station Wednesday 16.3.2022 Shine Theatre Camp @ The Arts Station Basics of Starting a Business @ ferniechamber.com/ events How to Attract, Support and Keep Great Workers @ ferniechamber.com/events

Thursday 17.3.2022 Animation for Youth Workshop @ The Arts Station Full Moon Ski @ Nordic Trails Friday 18.3.2022 Full Moon Ski @ Nordic Trails Live Music @ Loaf Saturday 19.3.2022 Kinky Rail Jam Series Final @ Fernie Alpine Resort Full Moon Ski @ Nordic Trails Monday 21.3.2022 Club Cr8 @ The Arts Station Committee of the Whole Meeting @ City Hall Slocan Ramblers @ The Arts Station Tuesday 22.3.2022 Advanced Websites: How to Turn Your Web Traffic into Sales @ ferniechamber.com/events Thursday 24.3.2022 AST 2 @ Mountain Addicts This or That Group Show Opening Soiree @ H Squared Gallery Read Local Book Club: What Narcissus Saw by Gordon Sombrowski @ Fernie Heritage Library zoom, 7:30pm Friday 25.3.2022 Tea and Talk Book Club @ Fernie Heritage Library, 1:30pm Live Music @ Loaf Saturday 26.3.2022 Dirty Dancer Banked Slalom @ Fernie Alpine Resort Monday 28.3.2022 Regular Council Meeting @ City Hall Tuesday 29.3.2022 Teen Book Club: Barren Ground by David Robertson @ Fernie Heritage Library zoom, 6:30pm Wednesday 30.3.2022 Fernie Trails Alliance AGM @ Zoom, 7pm

Wednesdays Club All Play – Fernie Pickeleball @ Max Turyk Courts, 8:30-10:30am Seniors Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre, 11:15am Curbside Craft @ Fernie Heritage Library, Pickup is from 10am each Wednesday (ages 5-7) Toddlertime (Ages 0-2 years) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Fernie Youth Art Collective @ The Arts Station Open League @ Fernie Curling Club, 6:30pm Inclusive Kids and Teen Mindfulness Yoga Classes @ Branch Out Learning Trivia @ Fernie Hotel Pub

Drop in Curling @ Fernie Curling Club, 7pm

Thursdays Seniors Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre, 11:15am Bellies to Babies @ Zoom, 2pm Club Baguette Junior French tutoring and activities 3pm @ Isabella Dickens library Club Baguette Adults learn and converse in French for adults 7pm @ Zoom Pub Team Trivia @ The Pub After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Open Mic Night @ Fernie Distillers, 7pm

Saturdays Meat Draw @ The Legion Pint and Ghostrider Hockey Game Deal @ Kodiak Lounge and Parkplace Pub Ski Under the Lights @ Elk Valley Nordic Centre, 6-8pm

WEEKLY EVENTS Mondays Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Les Tiguidous French activities for toddlers (0-5yo) 10:30am @ the Cokato Park playground Club All Play – Fernie Pickeleball @ Max Turyk Courts, 8:30-10:30am Le Club Baguette Junior @ Rotary Park, outdoor activities and games in French ages 7-12, 3:30pm After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning Jam Night @ Kodiak Lounge, 9pm Poutine, PBR & Pool Tournament @ The Pub Tuesdays Storytime (ages 3-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Seniors Walking Program @ Fernie Community Centre, 11:15am After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Open League @ Fernie Curling Club, 6:30pm Seniors Only League @ Fernie Curling Club, afternoons Fernie Options for Sexual Health Clinic Open @ Elk Valley Hospital, 6:30-8:30pm by appointment Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Burger and Beer Night @ The Northern Wing Night @ The Pub Fernie Options Clinic @ Elk Valley Hospital, 6:30-8:30pm

Fridays Club All Play – Fernie Pickeleball @ Max Turyk Courts, 8:30-10:30am Storytime (ages 0-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Fish and Chips @ The Pub Fish and Chips Take Away @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Fernie Club Cre8 @ The Arts Station After School Adventures @ Branch Out Learning, 3-6pm Open Mic Night @ Fernie Distillers, 7pm Equine Assisted Learning Life @ Fernie Therapeutic Horse and Pony Club through Branch Out Learning

Sundays Roast Dinner Special (includes Beer Pint or Glass of Wine) for $20 @ The Pub

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Community

AT THE GROUND LEVEL

Strength in Bee-o Diversity

by SYLVIA AYERS, Illustrated by SARAH PULLEN

A third of the world’s food production depends on pollinators lik e us, every third spoonful of food depends on our hard work.

Did you k now that BC is home to the highest diversity of bees in all of Canada?

Most of us are solitary. We don’t build hives or make honey.

Most of us live in the ground, but some of us live in tunnels in wood or inside stems.

We love plants! We love trees for forage and nesting materials lik e resin. If you see chew marks in leaves, don’t fret, you are feeding our babies!

Only females collect pollen!

what can humans do to help us?

Leave leaves on the ground in the fall so we can find cover and leave the stems on your plants (like raspberries) so we can hibernate .

Plant native plants in large clumps and leave some open ground for us to nest.

Don’t spray your lawn with pesticides. Learn to love your dandelions and clover as they can be the only opportunity for pollen.

Native Bee Society of British Columbia - bcnativebees.org Photo credit: Valerie Huff, Native Bee Society of British Columbia

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Community

SCIENCE AND EVERYDAY LIFE

Evidence

by FRED GIETZ ev·i·dence /ˈevədəns/ noun 1. the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid. verb 1. be or show evidence of.

So, you’re taking advantage of one of your favourite trails in the Elk Valley (be it hiking, biking or heading to your secret fishing hole) and you stumble upon a rather large pile of animal scat (a more polite word for animal poop). “Ah ha,” you say to yourself, “this is evidence!”Yes, but evidence of what, exactly?

Technically, evidence is defined as something that gives proof or leads to a conclusion. The suspect’s blood at the scene of a crime is an example of evidence.

The footprints in the house are an example of evidence that someone came inside.

The definition of evidence is to show proof and scientific evidence relies on data and is crucial for researchers to ensure that the data they collect is representative of the actual situation. This means using proved or appropriate ways of collecting and analyzing the data and ensuring the research is conducted in an unbiased, ethical and safe manner. Putting it in a simpler way, good evidence will help determine the answer to a problem.

So, let’s get back to that pile of, ahem, poop. What is the problem you’re trying to answer? Some may just be annoyed that some animal dared defecate on their trail and blame dog owners, others may just be interested in what animal is in the

“Gather your family or a couple of friends and study the picture above.

This is certainly evidence of something… but of what? Make a list of all the possibilities (yes, you could include space aliens as a possibility). You might be surprised how long your list is... ” area, and some with a healthy respect for bears are very concerned about who is sharing the trail with them. Right away we can see that the way you interpret the evidence will ultimately reflect what

Submitted Photo your personal bias may be. Every day we receive high amounts of information; from friends, family, social media, the news and we form biases based on the things we hear or see. We tend to prefer information that supports or agrees with information that we already believe. This is called confirmation bias and it can often lead to very misleading or false information about issues that may be important to us and our community. Confirmation bias can be all the more difficult when small but vocal groups form around a shared bias.

It should become obvious that in order to properly analyze evidence one needs an appropriate skill set. In the above example, are you able to determine if the scat is from an herbivore or a carnivore? Is it fresh?

Are there animal tracks close by? Are they fresh and how can you tell? If your skill

set is somewhat lacking, are you prepared to do a bit of research or ask someone with experience or good credentials and accept their word? Sometimes we just have to trust the pros (after asking what their experience and credentials are, of course).

“A safe place to truly belong is vital to every child.

Providing that as families heal and hopefully reunite is the most rewarding part of being a foster caregiver to a child who needs it.”

Do you think that analyzing evidence is easy? OK, let’s try a little experiment.

Gather your family or a couple of friends and study the picture above. This is certainly evidence of something… but of what? Make a list of all the possibilities (yes, you could include space aliens as a possibility).You might be surprised how long your list is so now it’s time to use some critical thinking skills and determine what might be the most plausible explanation (hmm… the space alien hypothesis might be a problem unless you belong to a group that wears tinfoil hats)?

One last word on that pile of animal scat; if you were able to determine that it’s rather fresh and you identify some ‘bear bells’ in there - you might want to consider leaving the area.

MEGHAN, FOSTER CAREGIVER

If becoming a foster caregiver has been on your mind, please reach out to Halina Wloka at 250-423-9718.

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33

Health and Lifestyle

SLOW TRAVEL

Understanding Gained

by PATRICK ROBERTSON Slow travel gives you the luxury of time to experience and understand new cultures. Studies show that travel increases understanding and empathy towards other cultures. It allows us to see the connections between cultures that let us understand our similarities and differences.

In Canada we are an individualistic culture, taking pride in being self-reliant and making our own way in life. Many other cultures in Asia, Africa and South America are collective, where group thinking and decision making are shared. Both cultural groups look at the world in very different ways. Developing cultural understanding creates empathy and compassion towards people of other cultures.

Cultures around the world have developed different food recipes over the millenniums.

European food staples included meat, dairy and grain that were baked and roasted using slow burning long lasting wood and coal. In Asian countries the primary food staples were delicate plants and the available fuel burned fast and hot allowing rapid cooking in woks.

From cooking foie gras at the Cordon Bleu in Paris to cooking Cao Lau with Ms.Vy in Hoi An one realizes that food is a foundation of culture. Taking cooking classes in different cultures helps me better appreciate and understand the culture we are visiting.

Understanding is also geographical. We live where we can see the Northern Lights and people come from around the world to experience them. The southeastern coast of France in the Mediterranean Sea is famous for its beautiful blue azure colour and is an important part of their lives. One day just after sunrise I was strolling along

Submitted photo

“Slow, thoughtful travel increases the understanding of other people. How we are the same and how we are different in so many wonderful and spectacular ways. ”

calves in January and February. These wild gentle giants push their young up to human visitors to be stroked and petted.

It is the most remarkable thing.You feel the intelligence and loving manner of these remarkable neighbours. The local population lives in harmony with these beautiful whales. It is an astonishing and life changing experience. Whether living in the freezing Arctic or the steamy jungles of the Amazon, cultures have adapted and thrived in their geographical surroundings.

the beach when the sky, land and the sea was completely flooded in this remarkable blue colour. For a few minutes, I was completely surrounded walking through this remarkable monochrome azure world.

Throughout the world there are organizations that encourage mutual understanding between people of different cultures. Organizations like Servas that promotes peace through friendship and shared experiences. Servas is a worldwide organization with 15,000 members in 100 countries that open their doors to travellers

On the West coast of Baja California, Mexico is Magdelena Bay where Grey Whales go to give birth and nurse their

to share experiences with each other so they can better understand the beliefs and values of people living in that region.

Locally, slow travel can lead to an understanding of Indigenous peoples and what reconciliation means. Indigenous people’s main belief is being one with the land where all living things are equal and precious. There are a number of websites in BC and Alberta that feature Indigenous experiences like paddling canoes from Sicamous to Kamloops or hiking ancient Indigenous trading trails. These slow travel experiences give you an appreciation of Indigenous activities before modern times.

You have time to gain some understanding of the life lost by the Indigenous people.

Slow, thoughtful travel increases the understanding of other people. How we are the same and how we are different in so many wonderful and spectacular ways.

Travelling in this way can help create a global community that encourages peace and connectivity through mutual understanding.

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Health and Lifestyle

PELVIC HEALTH THROUGH THE LIFESPAN

The After Years

by STEPHANIE MCDOWELL Menopause, the final phase across the life span that we will be discussing. The last big shift we experience in our bodies as females, but unfortunately a shift we may not feel fully prepared for. Most of us are aware of hot flashes, mood swings and the ending of our menstruation, but in my experience a lot of women are not prepared for other changes that can occur, and most wonder why we aren’t educated earlier on.

Two of the main issues are genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and prolapse. Menopause is marked by the decrease in estrogen and progesterone hormones. Our vaginal tissues rely on estrogen, and without it, the tissues are susceptible to vaginal atrophy, which is the thinning and drying of the walls. This is the basis of GSM, leading to symptoms of burning, irritation, urinary frequency and urgency.

And prolapse? Well prolapse is the descent of one or more organs into the vaginal canal. It can cause symptoms of heaviness, like things are “falling out,” or pressure in the perineum.You may feel an actual bulge out of your vagina, or may notice symptoms of incomplete emptying, or post void dribbling.

While medical treatments include medications, pessaries and surgery to aid in the correction of prolapse if needed, the role of physiotherapy is to help decrease the symptoms. We can do this from strengthening the pelvic floor muscles or help retrain the pelvic floor to relax if it is being over worked, which can also lead to similar symptoms. There is also a variety of general stretches that can help decrease pressure into the pelvic outlet to help relieve uncomfortable sensations

“Menopause...

The last big shift we experience in our bodies as females, but unfortunately a shift we may not feel fully prepared for.” in the vaginal region. Legs up the wall happens to be one of my favourites and is demonstrated in the photos. The goal of the stretch is to allow gravity to work with you.You can place a pillow or yoga mat under your hips, and then relax into the position concentrating on diaphragmatic (belly) breaths to help relax the pelvic floor.

The dark horse that many women struggle with or weren’t overly prepared for with

Submitted Photos the hormonal change is the vaginal dryness related to GSM. Specifically, in regards to sex. Now you may think those days are behind you, but in fact many women can still lead healthy active sex lives after menopause, and this can actually promote blood flow to the tissues keeping them happy. But you may just need a bit of help, i.e. lubrication. It is recommended to use a lubrication (at any age really), to help protect the vaginal walls from any irritation. Avoid any containing glycerin and paraben wax, and for menopausal women we usually suggest trialing an oil base lubrication, as it is less likely to dry up and need reapplication.

In the end, if you are struggling with any of the above issues, speak to your local doctor or local pelvic health physiotherapist to see if you can find some relief and enjoy these golden years.

FERNIEFIX.COM

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Health and Lifestyle

FAMILY WELLNESS

Equality in Health

by DR TAINA TURCASSO, ND RM

We go though our lives with the benefit of only our own perspective. We see our experiences and the experiences of those around us through that one perspective, which makes it difficult to fully understand what the true experience of others is like. As a result, it can be challenging to recognize when equality in health and social care is lacking for other people or even ourselves but us not recognizing it doesn’t make it any less of a concern.

Promoting equality is very important in all areas of society but particularly in health care settings where many people are vulnerable and perhaps disadvantaged by age or permanent impairments or even on a temporary basis due to illness or disease.

Simply put, equality in health and social care means the same access to care and health services for all people irrespective of certain key factors, including age, gender, and impairment. Good equality and diversity practices, both on the larger scale (government policy) as well on the smaller scale (individual provider/clinic), ensure that health and social care services are fair and accessible to all. A comprehensive equality and diversity policy is at the core of the provision of health and social care at both an organizational/management level and on a daily basis, with the provision of services by healthcare professionals and social care workers.

As mentioned, the promotion of equality in health care operates on two levels.

First, it must be inherent in the structure and policies of the care provider as a tangible document that can be produced or displayed from up-to-date policies and procedures. Second, equality operates on an individual level, affecting how each

Stock Illustration

“Simply put, equality in health and social care means the same access to care and health services for all people irrespective of certain key factors, including age, gender, and impairment. ” patient is treated daily by their healthcare providers. No two people are the same and the equality in their care and treatment

will be totally bespoke to their situation - as distinctive and individual as their fingerprint.

Inequality is the result of discrimination, which can be active or passive and can easily be overlooked or even accidental.

Staff or anyone directly involved in patient care should be educated in how to spot barriers and obstacles to equitable health care and this should be reflected in management policies in terms of compliance and continuing education.

Understanding the barriers to equality in health care and being able to see them is essential to their removal.

It is so easy or even automatic to make judgements or assumptions when trying

to connect with a new patient within a health care setting; looking for connection is the hallmark of an empathetic person but can cause unintended bias as it may be based on assumptions which might not be true. Even good intentions can result in accidental bias and lead to inequality.

Equality impacts every aspect of health care from the physical structure of the building to how each individual patient or family is perceived and treated. The focus should be on unique person-centred care where potential areas of discrimination are there to highlight and alert staff. Making care more “holistic” in nature will automatically resolve any conflict points and ensure seamless equality for all patients.

Equality means health care that meets the needs of everyone and is thus inclusive without any discrimination. It’s easy to promote equality but as mentioned discrimination can be subtle, passive, or unintentional such as overlooking certain things or simple stereotyping as well as being more overt such as direct labelling or unashamed prejudice.Valuing and understanding what makes people different is the first step on the path towards inclusion and equality and of being aware of how these differences can impact access to health care, treatments, and even patient outcomes.

Understanding diversity is crucial to becoming inclusive and offering equal opportunities to all. Promoting personcentred care should always ensure that each patient’s unique characteristics are at the forefront of the care plan or treatment and that health care providers (or anyone involved in their care) are non-judgemental. Person-centred care is holistic in nature and thus looks at all of the different aspects of a person’s care including emotional and physical support and social and cultural influences. Equality in health care is represented by an open door and accessibility for all and holistic treatment which embraces all diversity.

Equality-focused legislation provides a framework for health care providers to implement equality protocols and cascade

these protocols to all staff. Rather than being just a policy or protocol, equality in health care should be person-centred and consistent across every level of care.

In addition to increasing access to care and improving outcomes and patient experiences, equality in health care also impacts patient safety. This is a big task but it is essential for all of us providing care to patients in any capacity to take the opportunity, several times a year, to create/update policies on ensuring equal access and treatment to all patients and ensure that these protocols trickle down to everyone providing care under your umbrella. If you work in a larger centre, such as a hospital, it’s up to you to notice when documents need to be updated to be more inclusive, and point out any improvements that can be made in terms of accessibility to care. Even something that seems as simple as snow removal can be a barrier to care for people. Keep your eyes open and always be on the lookout for ways to improve care, making it warm and inclusive for all.

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Health and Lifestyle

THIS IS LIFE

You, Before Connecting to Others

by TYLA CHARBONNEAU We show up for the humans in our lives.

As soon as we wake up, we are taking out our pets, making breakfast for others, organizing our day around who needs what. We support our partners, our kids, our colleagues, our family, and our friends without even giving it a second thought.

How many of us ever stop and ask, “How will I show up for myself today?” In fact, as you read that I am sure many of you thought a version of, “who does that, that is silly.” But is it? Is it silly to check in with yourself and see how you will show up for yourself for a moment before diving into your day to meet the needs of other humans or organizations?

How would you benefit from creating a morning routine just for you? Timewise, this could be anywhere from five to thirty minutes (or longer if you can). If this seems impossible put a timer on how long you scroll on your phone in the morning and reconsider five less minutes of doing that. Once you grab that phone you are guaranteed to see something that is negative. So, before you get out of bed each day make a habit of taking five big breaths, holding each one in at the top for at least four seconds. After you take those breaths, take a moment and do a quick body scan of your body and ask yourself, how do I feel? I am always amazed at how one can wake up angry or anxious before even starting the day.You do not have to do anything with this emotion. The simple act of naming it acknowledging how you feel, with a little reminder that you can handle the emotion, takes the power away from the emotion controlling you and your behaviours in the day. I often hear, “I have kids, I can’t do this, they jump into bed and need me.” Okay no problem, get your kids into the habit of doing these exercises with

Submitted Photo

“Is it silly to check in with yourself and see how you will show up for yourself for a moment before diving into your day to meet the needs of other humans or organizations?” you. The snuggle while doing so releases oxytocin which is an added benefit of calm and peace.

If in your world you only have time to add these two things in, great - you are already on your way to kickstarting a more peaceful day because you have regulated your nervous system right from the start. If

you have more time, consider adding in the following: 1.Something that moves your body.

This can be anything from a few stretches or squats to a full workout or run. Keep in mind that five minutes is better than nothing and still worth doing.

2.Something that inspires you. Listen to a podcast, read a few pages of a book, write in your journal, engage in a conversation with yourself or others about what is motivating or inspiring them that day. Again, five minutes is better than nothing.

3.Further meditation. The breathwork is mindfulness and mediation is a start, if you have time for more add it in. This does not have to be sitting and emptying

your mind. It can be enjoying tea while staring out your window or snuggling with a human or pet focusing on being present in the moment.

4.Further emotional work. Naming our emotions is powerful, so is writing about them or doing some self-reflection on why they exist as they do in your life.

Asking yourself, “How will I show up for myself today?” is a good practice here too.

We get so much out of connecting with others. It fuels us. It can also drain us if we are not taking time to fill our own cups first. It may seem like a selfish act to take this time but in reality, the more we take care of ourselves first the more capacity we have to help, support, and connect to others.You, before connecting to others, make it a daily practice.

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Health and Lifestyle

MENTORSHIP IN THE MOUNTAINS

Finding and Building Belonging

by CLAIRE SMALLWOOD

Photo Courtesy of SheJumps If you’ve been following this column in the Fix for the past few months, I’ve been sharing some concepts and opinions around mentorship in the mountains.

I wrote about learning how to lay the perfect skin track with my friend Grania, the Queen of the Selkirks (December 2021), I shared that mentorship often is inaccessible by those who need it most (January 2021), and last month I explored some risk management and decision making techniques for backcountry skiing.

This month, I’d like to explore the concept of belonging.

“Belonging is important to foster in all circumstances, from professional to personal interactions.”

“Belonging” is hard to define but you know it when you feel it. It’s this indescribable feeling of being welcome and comfortable. When we are born, we are literally connected to another human being, so it seems reasonable that making connections with other people basically sums up the human experience as we know it.

If you’ve read the aforementioned articles, you’ll notice that I’m basically dismissing the formal concept of mentorship because it can be out of reach for many folks.

For example, if you have big mountain dreams and a day job, maybe you won’t have access to the same formal mentorship that a professional guide might be able to pursue. Does that mean you don’t deserve mentorship? Absolutely not!

I’d love to take that dismantling one step further: belonging has entered the chat.

“Belonging” continued on next page FERNIEFIX.COM

43

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Belonging is important to foster in all circumstances, from professional to personal interactions.

When it comes to professional work, however, belonging can be a bit more complicated because it requires cues from leadership to ensure psychological safety to demonstrate vulnerability and ask for help.

Finding a space where you feel comfortable and tapping into that feeling of belonging is probably nothing new to most folks in Fernie.You’re walking down the street or are at the grocery store and you see a friend and wave. It’s such a pleasure of small-town life to stop on the street and have a chat.

When we shift this to the mountain scene, you might be a long-time local who knows exactly which run you’re skiing first on a powder day. Some experience you had in the past tells you “this is the way.”

Belonging isn’t hard to grasp on that level, but when it comes to how we show up for other people, it’s a muscle we can learn to flex more and more. As the saying goes, “a rising tide lifts all ships.”

According to researchers at Princeton, it’s proven that making connections with people where you first demonstrate warmth (that friendly wave and smile) and then competency (Hey, let me show my favourite spot to go first on a powder day!) we can literally make the world a better place. I know, this sounds crazy—but the researchers found that these shared experiences stop us from ‘othering’ people.

Othering is defined as “to view or treat (a person or group of people) as intrinsically different from and alien to oneself.” The science shows that basically being nice to people and then sharing an [outdoor] experience with them can break down subconscious biases, political rifts, and even social feuds. Makes sense—the world would be better if everyone enjoyed a pow day!

So, let’s all contribute to some belonging.

Demonstrate warmth and share some skill or technique with someone. If any small town is capable of changing the world, it’s definitely Fernie.

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THE ANSWER GUY

Power Protection for Your Computer

by KEVIN MCISAAC

We had a power outage the other day.

Not for very long. Only about ten minutes.

Fortunately, I run my equipment off an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) so my computer didn’t go down and I didn’t lose my work. My optical network terminal (fibre) and wifi router are on their own UPS so we didn’t lose internet connectivity even with the power out.

One of the trade-offs we make for living in a town that’s one big Outside Magazine article is that we don’t have the kind of power infrastructure that a large city has.

Large cities have power outages too, but we have them much more often. The other issue we have in a small town is the power is less regular. We have more frequent surges and brownouts, i.e. extra power or reduced power respectively.

Power surges most commonly occur after lightning strikes, but they can occur when the power is restored following an outage. Thanks to modern building and wiring methods, the vast majority of these incidences cause little trouble in your home or office. But if they are going to cause trouble it will be to your computer equipment.

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Computer equipment tends to be much more vulnerable to power surges than most other electronic devices in your home.

And as they tend to have quite a bit of important information on them, it makes sense to take some precautions.

The tool for protecting your computer is a surge protector or surge suppressor. These generally look like a power strip or power bar. Unlike power bars or power strips, which are just an extension of your wall socket, they have a special circuit inside

and extra grounding. The circuit controls resistance and helps to increase power if it drops a bit and reduces power if it surges a bit. If it surges too much it’ll redirect excess voltage away from the plugged-in devices.

What you’re looking for in a surge protector is its joule rating. As a good starting point look for a surge protector with a joule rating of more than 3000. I like surge protectors that support different plug configurations, with some wide plugins and/or some rotated plugins to accommodate non-standard plugs.You should be able to buy a decent surge protector for $25 - $45.

If you want to go one step further, look into a UPS. Most UPSs, but not all, so it’s worth checking, also have surge protection.

They also have an internal battery that will continue to power your devices if the power goes out altogether. Don’t expect them to run for a day. Modern computers and monitors consume quite a bit of power so, what you’re looking for is enough power to save your work and shut down.

UPSs will often have a USB connector that you can plug into your computer so they can talk. If the power drops below a certain level, the UPS will shut down your computer for you. The software can put your desktop into hibernation mode so, you won’t lose any work. This is incredibly useful for things like network file servers too.

UPSs are not as useful for laptops as they already have a battery, but having a good surge protector for your laptop is a good thing. You should be able to find a good UPS for $125 - $200.

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47

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ASTROLOGY

March 2022

by ASHLEY KRISTINA March is both the end and the beginning of the zodiac cycle. As the Sun moves into Aries, we have the first day of Spring: 03/20, which represents this rebirth.

The Sun travels in the sky with Jupiter and Neptune most of the month bringing loving energy. Jupiter was the planet that ruled the god/the divine until Neptune was discovered. Pisces is also the sign that rules the divine so as previously stated, it’s an incredibly beautiful time on earth.

Venus moves in the sky with Mars and Pluto all month bringing an intense energy to the planets that traditionally rule love and sexuality. Mars also rules yang energy -our ability to do, to use our will.

This is all moving in the sky in the signs of Capricorn then Aquarius. Themes of January/February will be revisited as these planets move through the energy Venus visited in retrograde.

Mercury moves in the sky with Saturn in Aquarius for the first week of March, so strong communication is a key theme, as well as new ways to look at old experiences.

The new moon occurs 03/02 in conjunction to Jupiter, providing a theme of qualification and protection. Boundaries are sacred and respect and trust are the major conditions. March 18 brings the full moon with a sense of fulfillment and refinement; rejoice in the end of the zodiac year and happy spring!

Aries Happy birthday to the early Aries decans.

March is an ethereal and serene vibration that is great for creativity, relaxation, yoga and meditation. Chiron, the wound, continues to travel though Aries and as Aries also rules house one, the self everyone is feeling it. Be kind to yourself.

Taurus The north node of the moon has moved into Taurus and will continue here all year. This supports your energy as it gives an emotionally stabilized time to feel grounded, nourished and supported.

Gemini Mercury moves in the sky conjunct Saturn through Pisces then joins the Sun where they both enter Aries and approach Chiron.

Communication is a major theme this month, strong and illuminated: speaking clear boundaries helps heal wounds.

Cancer It’s a beautiful month for love and doing what you love, perhaps with an intensity as Venus and Mars move together with Pluto. This major energy is occurring in opposition to your sign so it will affect you strongly.

Leo It’s a very creative time for you and as the zodiac completes its cycle, you too are most likely completing a sacred cycle in your life. Death and rebirth are one.

Keep the innocence of a child and these transitions become easy, just like flipping the page of life.

Virgo All the major Piscean energy is opposing your energy this month bridging your practicality into the mystical and divine.

It’s a month where the esoteric influences such as crystals, tarot, astrology, yoga and meditation are worthwhile.

Libra A theme of the sacred twins or divine lovers is taking place. The energy of the other is leading this year so it’s a nourishing

year for Libras. Don’t search outwards, turn your energy towards your own endeavors and watch everything align.

Scorpio It’s a new era and this is palpable.

Major themes of the last six months are activating and progressing, and this very much surrounds the feeling of the dream manifesting as old karma is being cleared.

Sagittarius It’s a time where our karma and our dharma are activated in big ways. Prayer and devotional acts of service are ways to cleanse negative karma. This month aligns you truthfully along your spiritual path.

Capricorn Venus, Mars and Pluto move through your sign for the first half of the month, making it a strong time for you full of energy, love and intensity. March and April are your strongest months for 2022 so make use of it.

Aquarius Lots of exciting breakthroughs happen this month as the Piscean energy inspires your energy and lifts it to higher elevations of consciousness. It’s a major month for communication. Poetry and song or theatre are recommended modes.

Pisces Happy birthday to the Pisceans! You are strongly supported at this time as Jupiter, Neptune and the Sun move through your sign. This month is perhaps the strongest month of this lifetime, go for your heart’s desires. It is a time of clarity and truth and a major time of healing. Major blessings.

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HAVE YOU HEARD?

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THROUGH THE LENS

Equality, Through Your Lens Photo by Mckenzie Jespersen @mckenzie.jespersen.photography “Oh, it’s another selfie.”

We have fast forwarded to a crazy time in technology where photos are shared worldwide with the click of a button.

The photography industry is evolving and now is the time to take photos normalizing feminism, body image, sexual representation, identity and equality for all.

Take and share photos to empower women and men, showing them as they are or how they want to be without filtering through anyone else’s lens or ideas.

We need to start loving ourselves and taking control of what is being shared in the media.

We should be sharing what a normal body looks like.

We should share what normal skin looks like.

We should share what normal relationships look like.

We need to support mental health and share what life in the real word looks like. This is what the future generations deserve.

Take a photo of yourself, be proud and share your normal with the world.

Photography can be used as a tool to highlight equality, inequality and discrimination, a means to represent the justice or injustice that exists in the world. We are all equal, in love, work and all things life.

Photo by Leanne Nanninga @born.to.adventure Runner: Tarah Leggot on Mt Proctor “Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.”

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SOCIA L PAGE

Out in the Community: What do you think we can do individually to advance equality of opportunity within our community?

FYI Tuesday, March 8 is International Women’s Day (IWD). This day is to celebrate women and to work towards a gender equal world, a world that is diverse, equitable and inclusive.

It encourages us to celebrate and value what is different, and to collectively #BreakTheBias.

Internationalwomensday.com

Simon Piney I’m not sure I have the expertise to solve such a complex issue community-wide, but based on my experiences with the folk we have on Search and Rescue I would say that you should never judge people on their background, race, gender - let their skills, commitment and passion speak for themselves. If you do that the very best people will end up in the right places.

Terry Nelson As I turn 60 next week, it is time for me to drop my old man perspectives and expand my understanding of inclusiveness.

Equality of opportunity is a challenging topic. For me, just looking everyone in the eyes without any judgement would be my suggestion/practice. I have often tried to practice this, but realize I have a time engrained asshole view. Acknowledging a person on the sidewalk, whether coloured, handicapped, elderly, a child, or even someone with different fashion choices presents complicated feelings that we must all work to overcome.

Annie Korver We must listen with two ears and speak with one mouth. We must listen to understand rather than listen to reply.

The Fernie Outdoor Rink has been available for skaters and hockey players this winter season. With temperatures and conditions changing regularly, the City of Fernie asks that you respect the red flag. When it is up, it means it is closed to public until conditions are favourable.

Fortunately, they have plenty of options at the Fernie Memorial Arena for public skating! fernie.ca Have you heard of the Silk Trail Slide? This event at Fernie Alpine Resort, sponsored by the Raging Elk Adventure Lodge is a virtual Nordic Ski event with something for everyone. 4km, 9km, 13km, and/or 18km options to challenge until March 6! Visit skifernie.com/ events for more details and have fun out there.

There is no way you haven’t heard about Griz Days! This year, March 4-6 the theme is Goes Wild celebrating 45 years of this unique and fun weekend-long celebration, all in honour of The Griz, the legendary mountain man responsible for the amazing powder Fernie is known for.

This weekend includes events and activities for the entire family, from the Griz Competition to a downtown parade, live music to the Dummy Downhill. Full details are available at ferniegrizdays.com.

SheJumps is hosting an event at Fernie Alpine Resort in celebration of International Women’s Day, Sunday March 8. The goal of Get the Girls Out is to encourage more women and girls to get outside: skiing, snowboarding, playing; friends, sisters, moms, daughters. “Adventures in snow and the power of female camaraderie while having fun on and off the mountain!” Options for the day include First Tracks, breakfast at Cirque, games on the mountain throughout the day, a Mountain Tour, Avalanche Education and après at Cirque! skifernie.com/events FERNIEFIX.COM

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Fernie Fun

THE LAST PAGE

Spot the Difference

FIND THE

Can you find five differences between these two pictures?

Have a picture to submit for Fernie Fun? Send it to info@clarismedia.com.

Somewhere in this issue is a little Griz Pin. Can you find it?

Name These Businesses

Answers Last Month

These businesses are located in Fernie, can you name them?

Salvation Army, Sparrow, Gear Hub, Big Bang Bagels, Library, FAR