theVAULTmagazine ~ Issue 14

Clean up your town

for Pitch-In Canada Week environmentalism- The Responsibility of the Individual?

Artist Feature: Peter von Tiesenhausen

PeaceFest 2012 will Celebrate

Cultureville

theVAULTmagazine

Issue #14 - April 13, 2012

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theVAULTmagazine

Issue #14 - April 13, 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

04 Letters to the Editors 05 Inside the Vault

17 A r ts

Editor/Publisher Jenelle Lizotte Tormaigh Van Slyke

Social Media/Reception Mary Warren

Logo Design

Artist Feature:

Michael Boone

Layout Design

Jenelle Lizotte Christine Taylor Tormaigh Van Slyke Chris Zwick

Distribution DVS Michael Russell T&J

Website Design

Sush Wong & Doug Hurst, Wild Card Technology Solutions

Uncle Sam Wants YOU For U.S. Tax Evasion

Ride on Harper’s omnibus--go directly to jail, do not pass go

08 Local

Peter von Tiesenhausen

20 Reviews 21 Food and Drink 22 Life Style

Peacefest 2012 will Celebrate "Cultureville"

10 The Green Issue

Ad Design

Aimie Williams Sush Wong

23 Live Music

The Green Issue

Ad Sales

Tormaigh Van Slyke

Photography

Jenelle Lizotte Tormaigh Van Slyke

Indigenous Contributions to Canada’s Identity

Contributors

Terry Cameron Megan Frizzell Raymond Myles Susan Thompson Mary Warren Chris Zwick

Comics

CJ Lyons, Fairview Shannon Brown & Randee Neumeyer, Peace River Crystal Hansen, Hines Creek Jason Hewitt, Peace River

Clean up your town for Pitch-In Canada Week

environmentalism The Responsibility of the Individual?

Music From the Underground Local Show Kicks Off Easter

with "A Better Friday"

Raising Chickens: Edmonton bylaw in question Peace Out: Canada’s

battle with energy production

13-16 Calendar & Hel l's Bel le

24 Kinsey Confidential & Astrology 26 Puzzles & Comics

Cover Art by Sush Wong

SUBMIT ALL EMAIL INQUIRIES TO THEPIT@THEVAULTMAG.COM theVAULTmagazine is available free of charge at over 120 locations in the greater Peace Region every other Friday. We publish 2,000 copies every two weeks. We are funded solely through the support of our advertisers. theVAULTmagazine is published biweekly by Plato’s Cave Publishing. No content herein can be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. We accept contributions provided they are the property of the contributor and are offered exclusively to theVAULTmagazine. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return or safety of contributed materials and therefore will not be held responsible. All opinions or statements expressed do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or staff. The reader must understand that all information presented in this publication is from various sources, therefore theVAULTmagazine cannot be held responsible for any accuracy, completeness or legalities. We ask that each reader take only one copy, unless you're grabbing one for your friend. That is all.

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Letters to the Editors RE: RANT, ISSUE 12 (MAR. 16)

I

disagree with Chris’s rant in the March 16 issue. In any democratic society we need to vote.

People all around the world envy our western form of democracy.

Yes it’s a lousy system, but it’s still the best one there is.

If you disagree with what your government is doing, it’s your job to go down to the polling station and vote for the one you think is the least corrupt.

If we don’t watch out, we could be selling some of our rights away along with our resources. I urge everyone to read up on Bills 19, 36, and 50.

The same party has been in power in this province for 40 years. The only other government in the western hemisphere to rule that long is Fidel Castro‘s in Cuba. My friend and neighbor is 75 years old and has only seen one other party in government in this province and hopes to live long enough to see a third. He’d be disgusted to know that those of you who know better didn’t lift a finger to change the things that you claim to despise.

So yes, force yourself if you must, but get out and vote. It costs you nothing. An apathetic public is a gullible public. Your boycott of voting is illogical.

And if you don’t vote, yes I agree, it will be grand…for the PC party and a few of their close corporate buddies who will continue to do business as usual. Screwing us over that is. Ignoring it till it goes away is not the best policy here.

Quality of government is directly proportional to voter turnout which is extremely low in this area.

Someone once observed: “Governments, like underwear, need to be changed often and for the same reasons.”

So in a democratic society, not voting for change once in a while is the political equivalent of not bathing. It’s been forty years and things are getting a bit ripe, let’s get on with it.

Brent Reese

I

felt compelled to write in response to the rant by Chris.

I know that it is not only the youth who are disenchanted with the Government of today and yesterday. A lot of Canadians feel this way and choose not to vote as their way of protest. The powers that be in government love you guys! They don’t have to worry about you upsetting the status quo and God forbid not allowing the same ruling party in again and again.

The people who do vote are: Big

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business, friends of Big business, the government, all their cronies, and a few Canadians who are horrified at the way things are.

Sadly, there are not enough of us to ever upset the status quo. If we are ever to make changes, more people have to vote, not less.

The world belongs to your generation; don’t let things slide.

Take up the fight, get into politics, and make the changes we need.

Be the answer and part of the solution!!!! Most of all, don’t ever forget the power you have to really make a difference.

Carole via Facebook RE: EAT PRAY LOVE REVIEW, ISSUE 13 (MAR. 30)

I

have to passionately disagree with the review of Eat Pray Love that appeared in the last issue of theVAULTmagazine, having recently read the book—or more accurately—had my world shaken up by it.

I think this book had as much impact as it did specifically BECAUSE its author Elizabeth Gilbert expressed herself as openly as she did. She truly gave readers a look inside herself in what I think was an attempt to relate and connect the human race (are we all really that different from each other?).

To dismiss this work as a “one woman’s travels in the midst of a self-indulgent, neurotic mid-life crisis,” is just unfair. The author of the review goes on to say that Gilbert spent “very little time opening her eyes looking around and spent a whole lot of time sobbing in front of a mirror.”

This is simply untrue.

I think her eyes were WIDE open, and maybe the “in front of a mirror” comment rings subtly true, because indeed she did spend a lot of time looking at herself, but she wasn’t watching herself with pity, nor was her journey superficial in any way.

To put it simply, at the beginning of the book, she was lost. But rather than “crying in front of a mirror,” OR choosing not to confront what was going on with her, she took charge of her LIFE and HAPPINESS by making a promise to HERSELF and then literally got on an airplane and set and achieved her goals.

This book, to me, was a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit, and an illustration of the ability for us humans to look inside ourselves, and if we crave change, know we can damn well achieve it.

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Submit your letter to thepit@thevaultmag.com

To comment on one of these letters, go to www.thevaultmag.com

The author of the review criticizes Gilbert for finding “meaning in everything.” Again, I must passionately disagree.

It was stated: “Gilbert tended to over analyze every step of her journey, desperately trying to find a meaning in the smallest things.”

We live in a world where “what you see is what you get.” I think it takes a brave individual to move beyond that. To find something tangible in this world and relate it back to the inner self … to KNOW without reason there is something MORE … to be MOVED by meaning other people don’t see.

Her bravery, relentless need, and achieved self-discovery served as inspiration to my life; for through her frankness, I have made discoveries within myself.

This book sat on my shelf for years before I read it though I was urged by a dear friend that I would “love it.” When I finally did, it was the opportune time. One day shortly before that, while going through some rough times, I took Eat Pray Love off the bookshelf and flipped it open to a random page. This is what I found: “The search for God is a reversal of the normal, mundane worldly order. In search for God, you revert from what attracts you and swim toward that which is difficult. You abandon your comforting and familiar habits with the hope (the mere hope!) that something greater will be offered you in return for what you have given up.”

Meaningless random sequence of events?

I think not.

Anonymous

marriage you have a responsibility to examine your role, take responsibility where you can, and decide how you can make things better. Don’t go down the road of looking for outside people or things, to take that responsibility as truly you can’t do a thing about those but you certainly can do something about you!

This was where I began my above mentioned internal dialogue with this childish author. Unfortunately the following pages didn’t appear to bring her to the realization that it is not where you are or who you talk to that matters but rather looking into yourself and taking stock of your own resources and creatively using those resources to make the lives of the people around you as well as your own life better!

Instead, the final decision appeared to be to find a wealthy father figure so you can go on being an irresponsible child. Great message!

Since this book was on Oprah’s list and Julia Roberts starred in the movie, it is tempting to assume that there is much more to this book and that somehow I, the reader, just missed it. I appreciate that Carolyn Gerk took a strong stand and said what needed to be said—The Emperor indeed is not wearing any clothes!

Carol RE: SUZUKI COLUMN, ISSUE 13 (MAR. 30)

F

irst let me say that your coverage of arts and culture in Peace River and the surrounding community is refreshing. I believe that creative expressions are a vital, if undervalued part of a healthy society and the support you offer as an alternative publication is encouraging.

at Pray Love was more than just not my favorite book, I actively disliked it. If I hadn’t been reading it as our Book Club selection, I would never have finished it.

Instead, I did complete the book while keeping up an internal monologue of “Are you ever going to grow up?” “Give me a break, really?!!” “Oh for god’s sake! Suck it up buttercup!!” and other such irritated thoughts. I constantly thought that if I ran across this woman in my everyday life I would have avoided her as a shallow self absorbed whiner.

What is unfortunate, from my perspective, is that others with a similar opinion seem to come from a predominately opposite viewpoint.

For whatever reason, left-leaning thinkers generally place a higher value on creativity and its place in our culture, while those from the right tend to be more pragmatic and fail to see the importance of art in its various disciplines beyond simply entertainment. While the political right may have only itself to blame for this fact, it is not an excuse for a publication to offer a biased perspective simply because it chooses to focus on art and alternative culture.

As an older woman who has lived through much in my life— like many other women I can think of!—I considered her list of difficulties to be not all that difficult. You are unhappy in your marriage...well as a product of a teen marriage myself my advice is to get off that bathroom floor and figure out what YOU can do to fix it. As one of the halves of the

Following Diane Martel’s letter in the March 20 issue you asked for more opinions on David Suzuki’s column. I confess that I have misplaced the issue that contained the column Ms. Martel was referring to, so I’ll restrict my comments to Dr. Suzuki’s column from issue #13.

E

As a right-leaning thinker with a Christian world view, I would have every right to be simply offended

by Dr. Suzuki’s assertions. In reference to the Law passed by the State of Tennessee, allowing teachers to freely challenge existing scientific theories, Suzuki makes the assumption that this will lead to misinformation. He then cites a case from the pre-Darwinist era of a teacher being convicted of teaching evolution. First, there’s the issue of how a court case from the 1920’s could possibly reflect the “current political climate”. Secondly, I see no reason to assume that having the freedom to challenge a theory would lead to the presentation of misinformation. It is, in fact, such challenges and discussions that good science is built on, and that scientists have, or should have, high regard for.

As I said, I would have every right to be offended by such assumptions, but I choose not to be. I understand that Dr. Suzuki is passionate about his viewpoint, and it is not uncommon for such zeal to lead to an overstretching of an argument no matter how well-educated or well-spoken the individual. For example, he also claims that the evidence for human-caused climate change is overwhelming, but then, as do most who argue from an accepted position, fails to site a single study, report or even a high school textbook to support his statement.

In discussions I have had with individuals who share Suzuki’s views regarding the two subjects brought up in this particular column, I commonly run into just that argument: “The scientific evidence is overwhelming.” Those who argue against it, no matter their credentials or reputations, are simply labelled unscientific or even crackpots. Yet when I demand to be shown that “overwhelming” evidence, the arguer is unable to adequately respond. It seems increasingly clear to me that the arguments of evolution vs. creation (or spontaneous generation vs. intelligent design, as I prefer to frame it) and fact vs. hoax of human caused climate change are not examples of evidence against the lack of evidence, but rather of the evidence and how it is interpreted.

The focus of your publication seems to be coverage of the arts and alternative culture in Peace River and area. As I said, this is valuable and commendable, and I look forward to scanning the pages of each issue. However, if you wish to wade into social discussions with existing multiple perspectives, I would submit that it would greatly enhance your credibility to present a counterpoint to comments like Suzuki’s.

Dwayne Westad

INSIDE THE VAULT

Ride on Harper’s omnibus--go directly to jail, do not pass go

BY CHRIS ZWICK

W

hat’s the first thing you do when you finally form a majority Conservative government in Canada? Put potheads in jail? Really? Instead of embracing the cash crop that is the cannabis plant, our lawmakers have passed a bill introducing minimum mandatory jail sentences for those who consume it.

Bill C-10, aka the Safe Streets and Communities Act, aka the Omnibus Crime Bill, is a collection of nine failed Conservative bills from the last decade that were too costly to pass through a minority government. Only 100 days after forming a majority government though, the Conservatives’ rolled all those failed attempts into one giant draconian package where cannabis users receive more time than child molesters for their infractions.

Under C-10, the minimum sentence for someone who

commits incest or aggravated sexual assault against anyone under 16 was lowered from 14 to five years imprisonment.

The minimum sentence for someone who grows more than five cannabis plants is six months and can range up to 14 years depending on aggravating factors.

With no debate in the House of Commons and despite numerous outside cries from health, legal, and law enforcement communities about the potential financial costs and social consequences, C-10 was rushed to royal assent in mid-March.

“We are…extremely concerned that Canada is implementing mandatory minimum sentencing legislation for minor marijuana-related offences similar to those that have been such costly failures in the United States,” reads a letter addressed to the prime minister before the bill passed. “These policies have bankrupted state budgets as limited tax dollars pay to imprison non-violent

drug offenders at record rates instead of programs that can actually improve community safety.”

The letter was signed by dozens of American members of the international advocacy group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition—judges, police, agents and investigators who have been a part of the 40-year, $1 trillion U.S. Drug War.

minimum mandatory sentences for minor drug offenses. Almost simultaneously, the Urban Public Health Network, a group that represents public health officers from Canada’s 18 largest municipalities, announced its support of the Vienna Declaration, which calls on governments to implement drug laws based on what has been proven to work.

Previous to that, four former B.C. attorneys-general called for the legalization of marijuana.

Their appeal came after former Vancouver mayors advocated for an end to prohibition and endorsed the campaign of Stop the Violence B.C.—a coalition of academic, legal, law enforcement and health experts seeking to legalize cannabis.

Why is cannabis still considered a Schedule II substance? Why is it even on the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act? Even though numerous independent studies have found the negative effects of cannabis use to be vastly less harmful than both alcohol and tobacco, but the 1930s Reefer Madness, gatewaydrug mentality still prevails. It doesn’t make sense.

And soon after C-10 was passed, chief medical health officers for British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia came forward and wrote an article in the journal Open Medicine, calling on the government to reconsider

Cannabis could easily be taxed and regulated if the government will was present. This could open up new innovations, make up for budget shortfalls, and save precious dollars on the enforcement of archaic laws that have consistently proven

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to be unenforceable. Bringing cannabis back from the black market would also be a huge hit to organized crime and keep non-violent cannabis users from interacting in that black market. More than 1.5 million Canadians currently have a criminal record for simple possession. Why? It’s a tribute to the power of silence. Even though millions of people across all ages, races, faiths, and occupations— responsible people with no gang affiliations—consume cannabis regularly and successfully maintain jobs, raise families and live life as fully as possible, but very few publicly admit it outside their circle of close friends. Though there are more and more educated advocates coming forward, the stigma of being labeled a “drug-user” and potential incarceration is keeping the majority of pot smokers quiet. Hence, largely ideological bills like C-10 are passed and progress is stymied once again.

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INSIDE THE VAULT Canadian ones.

“I felt a little invaded. Like, why? I didn’t understand. I still don’t really understand,” Larson told theVAULTmagazine.

“It’s made me really paranoid.

Even how the tax guy questioned me freaked me out.

I don’t have a dual citizenship, I’m not a dual citizen, but for tax reasons I am? It seems like a con,” said Larson.

Larson is one of up to one million Canadians who may have ties to the U.S., many without even knowing it. People who left the U.S. as children or were born in Canada to parents who have had a U.S. citizenship may still be considered citizens under U.S. law, and unlike Canadian law, U.S. tax law still requires non-resident citizens to pay U.S. taxes.

Uncle Sam Wants YOU

For U.S. Tax Evasion

BY SUSAN THOMPSON

E

ver since the Boston Tea Party, the U.S. has prided itself as being against “taxation without representation,” but not when it comes to Canadians, it seems.

Ally Larson, 23, was born in Canada and has never held an American citizenship. She was understandably shocked when she tried to complete her taxes last month and her H&R Block representative told her she had to file for U.S. taxes as well as

In Larson’s case, she was told she has to file because her mother was an American even though her mother has not lived in that country for years and her parents know nothing about the requirement. “It’s like I’m paying two taxes,” Larson said. “No one knew. Now, all of a sudden you have to pay all of this money.”

“The reason I want this in [theVAULTmagazine] is for other people to know about it.”

Canadians are being targeted under a new U.S. campaign ostensibly aimed at tax cheats and those hiding money in offshore accounts, which ends up targeting regular Canadians as well. Like Larson, they are being asked to voluntarily disclose their financial information for 2003 to 2012 to the IRS under the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI). While the OVDI gives

taxpayers reduced penalties for disclosing their information and getting up to date with their U.S. filing obligations including filing a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR), even under the OVDI the FBAR penalties are still harsh, ranging from 5 per cent for those unaware of the obligation up to 25 per cent for wilful violators.

The percentage is taken from the highest balance of foreign financial accounts held between 2003 and 2010—money that Canadian filers may not even have anymore. Under the IRS rules, non-resident citizens will also be subject to estate taxes in both Canada and the U.S. Even worse, the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which comes into effect in 2014, will require Canadian banks to disclose information about U.S. citizens who hold Canadian financial accounts. That means Canadians like Larson could have their financial information turned over to the IRS by their own banks and face even larger penalties, which they may not even be able to afford.

For Larson’s part, she is uncertain she can afford to file for the U.S. taxes or pay them if assessed. It has also ended her plans to ever travel to the U.S. “I’m scared to do that now,” she said.

The law is creating huge anxiety among the many Canadians affected who are uncertain whether the IRS will come after them for their money. The voluntary filing can cost up to $10,000 in accounting fees alone, and those who don’t file voluntarily could see fines of up to $300,000. The cash grab has already been highly effective.

The IRS told the Financial

Post it received 12,000 new applications through the 2011 offshore program and collected $500 million (USD) in taxes and interest as down payments for a total of $2.2 billion (USD) with this year’s initiative and a similar one in 2009.

University of British Columbia history professor Maurice Williams of Kelowna has gone as far as to write to U.S. President Obama to ask for representation and intercession with the I.R.S. “‘Taxation without representation’ was not tolerated in the late 18th century, nor should it be accepted today.

Nor should the arbitrary, nonconsultative manner in which these penalties have been imposed be accepted,” Williams wrote.

It remains to be seen whether Obama will intercede on Williams’ behalf or on behalf of other Canadians in the same boat. Jim Flaherty, Canada’s Finance Minister, has already tried with a letter published in major U.S. newspapers.

The “threat of prohibitive fines for simply failing to file a return they were unaware they had to file is a frightening prospect that is causing unnecessary stress and fear,” Flaherty wrote.

“These are not high rollers with offshore bank accounts.”

Mr. Flaherty’s letter said Canada was making efforts to end “legitimate tax evasion,” but concluded the U.S. policies “do not achieve that goal.”

So far, the IRS doesn’t seem to care.

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INSIDE THE VAULT NEWS SNIPPETS DOOMSDAY PROPHET APOLOGIZES The California radio preacher who predicted the end of the world would come on May 21, 2011, then revised his prediction to Oct. 21 after the first date passed, has apologized, to God, via a web statement, for his predictions, calling them “incorrect and sinful.”

Harold Camping, 90, known for numerous apocalyptic predictions dating back to 1994, started a radio and billboard campaign at the beginning of 2011 urging believers to give up their earthly belongings and prepare to be raptured. Millions of dollars in donations to his Family Radio International organization were then used to continue the advertising blitz, but the apocalypse didn’t come.

Camping says he is retiring from the prophecy business, but is still putting a positive spin on his predictions.

“We were even so bold as to insist that the Bible guaranteed that Christ would return on May 21 and that the true believers would be raptured,” wrote Camping on his Family Radio website.

“Yet this incorrect and sinful

statement allowed God to get the attention of a great many people who otherwise would not have paid attention.”

SOPA COUSIN IN CONGRESS A new cyber security bill before the U.S. Congress will allow the government, service providers and other private companies to monitor and block websites it deems to be a threat, according to critics.

The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) targets ‘‘efforts to degrade, disrupt, or destroy” a network; and the “theft or misappropriation of private or government information, intellectual property, or personally identifiable information” – broad terms that would be open to different interpretations and would provide loopholes in current legislation to collect personal information from the public, said a press release from journalistic advocates Reporters Without Borders.

CISPA could not only have wide-ranging implications on the public but implications on news-gathering organizations from Wikileaks to traditional newspapers as well, according to digital rights organization

Electronic Foundation.

Frontier

Similar bills like SOPA and PIPA were previously shot down after mass online protests, but many of the corporations that were against SOPA, like Microsoft, Facebook, IBM and AT&T have already expressed support for CISPA.

TEXT STUDY SEEKS CREATIVITY Canadian researchers are studying the claim that text messaging is ruining the English language, and are hypothesizing the modern communication method is actually making us more creative.

Researchers from Simon Fraser University, University of Ottawa and Université de Montréal are taking part in the Text4Science project, which is part of a larger international study called sms4Science.

So far, they have found 10 ways to express laughter and 12 ways to say OK -- surprisingly enough, the long-form “okay” was the most frequent. “See you” was used four times more than “c u”; and “please” and “thank you” were used three times more than “pls” and

“thx”.

The study has received more than 8,000 forwarded texts since December and hopes to begin analysis at the end of June. In the future, they hope to analyze Canadian results against those from other English speaking countries.

$10 BILLION ACCOUNTING INTERPRETATION The Canadian government is chalking up a potential $10 billion increase in the cost of its planned purchase of new military jets to accounting interpretations.

A recent report from Canada’s Auditor General chastised the Harper government for intentionally misleading Parliament and the public on the true cost of Canada’s largestever military purchase—65 stealth F-35 jets from military contractor Lockheed-Martin.

The report found the jets would cost $25 billion, with operating costs, but Defense Minister Peter MacKay says the $15 billion figure conveyed to Parliament and to the public during the last election did not include operating costs such as cost of fuel, maintenance and pilot salaries.

MacKay and Prime Minister Harper maintain the government did not intentionally mislead anyone pointing out no money has yet been spent on the jets, but the stealth F-35s are still the best choice to replace Canada’s aging air fleet, despite the newly revealed cost.

ANIMALS ON ICE Residents of Dawson Creek, BC, were startled to discover a dead cat, fully encased inside a block of ice on the side of the road last month – the second such incident at the same location in as many years.

Residents called SPCA officials to the Mile Zero Trailer Park on March 14 after finding the cat just metres from where a similar block of ice containing a dog was found in Jan 2011.

A necropsy on the dog determined it had died previous to being put in the container and frozen, causing officials to speculate someone had disposed of the dead dog in the container then coincidently left it to fill with rain water which then froze.

The latest incident though is raising serious concerns about animal cruelty since there was blood found in the frozen block as well.

4/20 - 101 420, 4:20, or 4/20 is a common euphemism for smoking marijuana

The term originated at a U.S. high school in San Rafael, California in the 70‘s, where a group of students would get together at 4:20 every day to smoke weed together.

April 20 has become a counterculture holiday, a day for “weed freedom” and appreciation.

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LOCAL

Peacefest 2012 will Celebrate "Cultureville"

BY SUSAN THOMPSON

A

decade and a half ago, a devastating flood swept through Peace River’s downtown core. After the flood, PeaceFest helped restore local identity and morale. Today, the widely-cherished festival continues to grow with Peace River, the Peace Region, and the changing times.

For a town of roughly 6,000 permanent residents, hosting an annual event that attracts 2,500 to 3,000 people a night is a major accomplishment.

“It brings the community and families together,” PeaceFest President and original founding member Chris Blake told theVAULTmagazine. “It brings our kids back from school.”

“We have a really good core group that volunteers every year,” explained Blake. “There are over 200 volunteers. We’ve been here 16 years, and we have a lot of the same corporate sponsors year after year.

Everybody’s taken ownership of it. Whether you’re a corporate sponsor, a volunteer or an attendee, you just come back…

It’s a fun event and I think it’s really important for our town.”

The festival also gives roughly $25,000 a year to local nonprofit groups who help provide everything from security to stage setup, and it also gives them a venue to promote themselves and gain members.

“Over the years it’s been a lot of money,” said Blake.

The main attraction at PeaceFest is, of course, the music and accompanying beer gardens.

This year, Friday headliners will include post-grunge singer turned country singer Dallas Smith and punk-legend turned country singer Corb Lund.

“I do have local bands coming in on Friday. We just don’t have them up [on the website] yet,” said Blake.

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On Saturday, the festival will feature another country band, the Stellas, as well as ‘90s alternative-rock darling Matthew Good, now gone solo. Local classic-rock band C. Alice, frequent performers at the Belle Petroleum Centre, will also be featured. This emphasis on alternative rock and country has become something of a PeaceFest tradition, even if it’s sometimes a source of controversy for the festival.

“Every year we mix it up with country and alternative rock.

It’s just a really good mix,” Blake told theVAULTmagazine.

ELECTRONICA

This year, however, this mix will be expanded to include electronica. The additions are due largely to committee members Cyprus Michalchuk and North Darling, who are excited to bring some change and experimentation to the traditionally successful formula of PeaceFest.

After the country and alternative bands finish, Fort Knox Five vs. Thunderball will be closing out the Saturday night events with a friendly DJ battle. These performers are veterans of Canada’s premiere festival of electronic music, Shambhala.

“The idea was if you just feed people liquor and shut it down and you send them all out you’ll have problems,” explained Darling. “Everyone wants to dance, so let them finish off the night with a celebration, and the exuberance of a dance.”

Darling added, “Electronica is the future.”

Tippy Agogo is also wellknown to the electronica fans at Shambhala, but he will be bringing his ability to “make an orchestra out of a wet soggy box,” as freak-show impresario Jim Rose has put it, to Saturday’s daytime events—and maybe even his odd and fun creation known as “Frisbee yoga.”

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Other new performers for daytime events also include the Calgary and Torontobased breakdance crew, The Grim Reminder, who will be both performing and holding workshops to teach people how to breakdance just like they do.

CULTUREVILLE

In addition, PeaceFest is taking the opportunity to celebrate and build on Peace River’s recent success of winning the title of CBC’s Alberta Cultureville by incorporating the “Cultureville” theme into this year’s Fest.

The Cultureville theme will be incorporated into the Saturday events in two major ways. The first is a daytime dance festival and competition with cash prizes for winning community cultural and dance groups.

Entries are still being accepted for that competition and the committee hopes as many groups from the area as possible will be represented.

The second themed addition is “A Taste of Cultureville,” a chance for festival attendees to sample the best of local cuisine.

“We feel that could really be a go-to event for the parents while the kids play,” Darling said.

PeaceFest is providing cooking facilities and tents for culinary groups who want to participate, and there are no vendor’s fees for Taste of Cultureville participants, making it easy to get involved. However, with only two or three groups interested so far, the food festival needs more people to step forward and offer their own unique take on Peace River’s cuisine if it’s going to become the big new attraction the PeaceFest committee hopes it will be.

As usual, the daytime family event on Saturday will incorporate inflatable games and rides, as well as artisans and craft vendors.

A CHANGE OF VENUE

And although PeaceFest started off as a Main Street festival, and later moved the daytime family events to Riverfront Park, this year all of the PeaceFest events will be held at the 12 Foot Davis Park. The ball park was recently decommissioned, giving PeaceFest the opportunity to use the whole area.

“We saw the change from Main Street to Riverfront Park.

Main Street was kind of getting stagnant, and people were not participating as much. It was way too big a space and we had to fill it up. My line was let’s take it to Riverfront Park; everything’s better on grass,” Darling explained with a laugh.

Still, having the daytime events at Riverfront has had its own downside.

“We’ve really been holding two separate events. We saw how much we’ve been spending on logistics, moving things back and forth. This is more efficient and we can have more content because everything’s in one spot,” said Darling For example, Darling pointed out, “We could use the main stage during the day. Until now we’ve had to set up another stage [at Riverfront Park].”

Ultimately, the committee hopes this will help draw all attendees to the single destination and keep them there, while saving the festival money.

“We want people to come for breakfast and leave at the end of the night,” Darling said, although it’s still uncertain if the annual morning pancake breakfast will be held at Co-op again or will be moved to the park.

CHANGES TO PARK

Darling added that PeaceFest’s new use of the 12 Foot Community Park for daytime events is just the beginning of a revitalization of the whole area.

“You’ll see a lot of capital investment starting this year,” Darling said, speaking for a moment in his other role as the town’s Deputy Mayor. “We’re talking about a permanent stage. But it’s going to be a five-year process. We’re really looking at the trailhead to Heart River Valley Park, or the Green Valley Park, which ends at 12 Foot.”

Darling said there are trails and white sand beaches that many people don’t know about, including the uniquely named “Bare Ass Bend.”

“The problem is there’s no access,” he said. Right now, town residents and visitors have to access the park through Judah Hill, by waiting until the river’s low and crossing on stones.

“Ideally I’d like to see a bridge across; it’s so beautiful down there.”

Such revitalization is a part of what PeaceFest is all about and has always been about, because as Darling told theVAULTmagazine, “Really, it’s about making Peace River an interesting place to live.”

PeaceFest 2012 will be held July 13 and 14 at the 12 Foot Community Park.

Tickets for PeaceFest are now available at City Music and Book World in Peace River and Kit Office Plus in High Level.

Kids 9 and under get in free.

To get involved in the Cultureville dance competition or A Taste of Cultureville, contact Cyprus and North 780-624-5353.

For more information about PeaceFest, including new entertainers as they are announced, visit www.peacefest.com To

comment on this article,

head to the website www.thevaultmag.com.

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The Green Issue

Clean up your town for Pitch-In Canada Week with millions of people volunteering.

BY MEGAN FRIZZELL

I

t’s that time of year again—spring! The snow is melting and the trees are budding, but what do we do with all that garbage hiding under the diminishing snow piles?

Pitch-In Canada is a nationwide non-profit organization that encourages citizens to help clean up the streets after winter. They utilize governmental funding and volunteerism to begin a yearly movement across Canada aimed to beautify and conserve parks, streams, and streets. Every year there are almost 19,000 Pitch-In projects across Canada

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It’s as easy as picking up a garbage bag and putting on your shoes; helping the community and the planet can be done from your street! There is so much trash lying around after the snow melts. I know I could easily fill a bag just by walking around my block.

Cleaning up your community is a good way to get the kids away from the TV and into the sunshine and fresh air! It’s also a good way for high school students to accumulate volunteer hours for scholarship applications.

A PR IL 1 3 , 201 2

This year, help make Canada an even more beautiful place to live by joining the thousands of people across our great nation who will be Pitching-In for the greener good.

Pitch-In Canada week is April 23-30. For more information visit www.pitch-in.ca Of course, you don’t need to be affiliated with the Pitch-In program to get out there and clean up your town. Organize a group of friends, fill up a few trash bags, and take pride in your community!

The Green Issue

environmentalism

The Responsibility of the Individual?

BY MARK RIEDER

S

ince the first Earth Day, 42 years ago, global carbon emissions have more than doubled.

In late 1962, Senator Gaylord Nelson approached President John Kennedy about his concern that the environment was a non-issue in national politics.

Nelson helped organize the Earth Day movement through his office in Washington D.C. By employing the same practices used in universities to organize Vietnam War protests.

Nelson had young people across the country poised to hold “sitins” against pollution by April 1970.

The belief was that if people

became aware of the plight of the environment, they would demand change—both in how we resources are extracted from the planet and how waste is disposed of. They believed the huge corporations would react to global outrage and clean up their acts.

It has, however, only been in the last few years that energy giants such as Exxon began investing in what they call “alternative” energy such as bio-fuel from algae. But these fuels, along with any type of biomass fuel, still unload tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere. All it does is decrease dependency on fossil fuel; it doesn’t solve the problem of climate change or pollution.

Many say biomass fuels, where decaying plant matter is

burned, is okay because the carbon in the plant material will eventually get into the atmosphere as it rots anyway, but that is an erroneous claim.

Under normal conditions, the carbon would be released over tens or even hundreds of years. Instead, all that carbon is released over a very short period of time and significantly adds to a change in the ecosystem. And that is where the devil is.

Yes, there are many natural sources of carbon emissions— dead trees, algae, volcanoes, animal farts. They all contribute to climate change. By the most conservative estimates, human activity only accounts for about 1 per cent of the global total.

But imagine that the planet is only able to process the amount

of carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions that are made naturally. If that is the case, and many scientists believe it to be so, then we are introducing emissions that will never be neutralized by the environment.

Even if the planet absorbs the additional carbon emissions we pump into the air because climate change is part of earth’s natural process, there are still serious concerns how our food supply will react to the change.

There is much evidence that the planet earth has undergone many climate shifts in its history.

But there is evidence that shows those shifts occurred slowly, over tens of thousands of years.

In that time animal and plant life, through evolution, were able to adapt to the changes.

Plants learned how to flourish even though the climate they grew in had changed.

Although there are environmentalists who claim we can meet carbon emission reductions without any real impact on our way of life, the reality is that it will take a significant paradigm shift for people, especially North Americans, to no longer expect a car in every garage or a new television every couple of years.

It is the responsibility of industry and the retail sector to not use planned obsolescence in the manufacture of their goods, but it is more so the responsibility of the consumer to protest the irresponsible practices of our economic system.

420 - 101 Many 4/20 events have the political goal of seeing the decriminalization and even legalization of marijuana and marijuana use.

Large 4/20 events are held annually at major cities such as San Francisco. Canadian cities celebrating 4/20 include Ottawa at Parliament Hill as well as Montreal, Vancouver, and Victoria.

Vancouver’s annual 4/20 event regularly attracts 13,000-15,000 people.

WWW.T HE VAULTMA G.COM

theVAULTmagazine 11

The Green Issue

Raising Chickens: Edmonton bylaw in question

Edmonton Resident Crystal Sherris faces a stiff fine for her backyard coop.

BY SUSAN THOMPSON

P

eace River already has a bylaw allowing a limited number of backyard chickens, but Crystal Sherris’ backyard flock in Edmonton has become the centre of controversy. Her chickens breach Edmonton’s city bylaw, meaning she faces a $500 fine for keeping them. Sherris has told the city she won’t get rid of the birds, and this has inspired an outpour of support for a change to the bylaw.

Sherris took the time to talk to theVAULTmagazine about her

backyard flock.

“We have eight hens and a few young males that are heading to a new home. Some of the hens are quite old as the flock was started with older birds from a local farm. The youngest are two months. I wanted to have hens to provide eggs for my family. They are much more than a food source though; they are delightful pets that are rather smart and affectionate,” Sherris explained.

Although her backyard flock may seem radical to some, Sherris feels the bylaw is

extreme.

Edmonton and CLUCK.

“The city is treating me according to bylaw. The issue is not how they are treating me— it is the actual bylaw placing hens in the same category as prohibited animals such as a poisonous snake or tiger…The city of Edmonton has been a progressive city in so many ways, but the bylaw is behind the times,” said Sherris.

“I think that if the City of Edmonton is as fearful as they seem to be, a pilot project is in order. River City Chickens has come up with proposals and has been shot down. Now, it is time to fight a little harder with petitions, information sessions, and, perhaps, wait on the court decision of Paul Hughes of CLUCK taking on the City of Calgary. That decision will be handed down on May 9. Lots of cities are waiting and watching that one,” said Sherris.

Much like backyard beekeeping, a backyard flock of birds has many benefits for a homeowner.

“Backyard flocks do so much for a sustainable life. Besides eating your kitchen and garden scrap, they provide you with the number one fertilizer. I learned that when you let the chickens into your garden, once the plants are established, they keep the weeds down and the bugs at bay. Being that I have a small plot of grass compared to garden, they keep the lawn neatly trimmed,” said Sherris.

Sherris is now a member of River City Chickens, an informal group she says is gaining momentum, and she is also a member of CLUCK

Although Sherris’ fight is with the City of Edmonton, it has also come home to Peace River. “I did hear a ridiculous rumor about a fine Peace River restaurant being supplied meat from my backyard. I was quite annoyed at first as I have an egg flock of mini chickens not a meat operation. However, I guess that I should be flattered that anyone would think that I could be the wonder chicken producer in the middle of the city.”

Sherris says she can laugh about the rumour now. But she remains adamant that backyard

chickens are making a comeback due to the massive changes in the way we are growing and purchasing our food.

“People in general want a closer connection to what they feed their families. They want the right to grow their own food and the option to cut down the costs without compromising nutrition. Who wants to be forced to purchase something they can grow!”

Sherris concludes, “A flock does supply a better food quality for a tightening budget. It is a skill like other skills such as home preserving and beekeeping that urban populations are grabbing onto. It is an exciting time to see city families want to farm their little plot of space instead of caring for a well-manicured lawn. I have to say bravo to Peace River for being progressive in the new backyard culture.

Maybe some of the knowledge and learning the town has experienced can be shared with Edmonton. Chickens are the perfect backyard pet!”

For more about the River City Chickens collective, visit www.rivercitychickens.org

Peace Out: Canada’s battle with energy production

~A Documentary Review

BY MEGAN FRIZZELL

Peace Out, Charles Wilkinson’s popular documentary about energy production in northwestern Canada, picks apart methods of energy production. It poses the question: Are we ripping up our backyard for energy, or not? In response, the documentary shows how each energyproduction method comes with its own set of drawbacks.

While many will argue profit-seeking corporations are the key drivers of energy production and therefore pollution, Peace Out quietly suggests the fault lies with consumers. Many of us sit at home on a computer reading about global warming

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APR I L 1 3 , 201 2

and how oilfields and dams are ruining the earth, flooding towns, and polluting the air without stopping to recognize our own impact on the environment.

Peace Out is a documentary which doesn’t point fingers and blame one specific contributor. Instead, it focuses on the beauty of Canada’s natural landscape and the possibility that it may not be around one day. They use contrasting scenes from the bustling city of Vancouver next to sparkling blue mountain lakes very effectively. It makes you stop and think about how you impact the land on which you live.

We want (and sometimes expect) indoor heating, iPads, cellphones, television, but

what a lot of people don’t realize is what we’re sacrificing to have these energysucking devices and luxuries.

In fifty years, if I’m still around, I want to be able to show my grandchildren the beauty of the Peace River Valley, the mountains, and the fresh air of Canada’s national parks.

This documentary is a must-see for anyone interested in a fresh take on Canada’s energy issues and how they affect Canadians.

☆ I give it 4 stars our of 5.

Commu n ity Ca lend a r Pu llout Email us at thepit@thevaultmag.com to add your event to the calendar ALL INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS CALENDAR IS GATHERED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES. THEVAULTMAGAZINE ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY MISREPRESENTED INFORMATION. WE MEAN WELL. ANY CORRECTIONS OR COMPLIMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO THEVAULTMAGAZINE@HOTMAIL.COM

T h e 1 0 0 th A n n i v e r s a r y P r o d u c t i o n O f

M u si c a n d ly r i c s by M a u ry Y e s t o n B o ok by Peter Shore

DIRECTED BY KEVIN CAMBRIDGE MUSIC DIRECTION LY N N E C A M B R I D G E PRODUCED BY AARON KLASSEN Photo Credit: James Cameron’s Ghost of the Abyss

On the Donald Weaver Stage at Athabasca Hall April 13 14 19 20 21 - 2012 Doors Open at 7:30PM - Show starts at 8:00PM Tickets Available at Style Ryte Cleaners Adults: $15 | Students/Seniors: $10

er to w E nt e d g i n A uita h p a gr r! to u a

$5

.

Senior Citizen’s Drop In Centre Peace River 10301-101St Tickets at:

Village Audio Video Unlimited Danberger & Sons Store Ltd.

Add your event to our community calendar!

Email the details to thepit@thevaultmag.com

April 28th

H andHARPDOG H BROWN the bloodhounds

No Limitz is seeking a

Bass Player

Indie/country/folk/rock Originals & Covers Please email us at singnolimitz@gmail.com

Happy

Birthday Lexi!

B

Berwyn/Brownvale

Hines Creek H

C

Cadotte Lake

D

DIXONVILLE

F

Falher

F

Fairview

G

Girouxville

Peace River P

G

Grimshaw

St. Isidore S

Jean Cote J Nampa N Manning M McLennan M

Upcoming Events FRI, APR 13 P

P

P

P

FREE SWIM (Family) - Peace River Pool 1-3pm - Sponsored by Tim Hortons.

P

Banquet 5:30pm feat. HOJA, Evening Dance 9pm feat. Jason Greenley & Tenille. For more info call 780-685-3925.

P

CUP O' JOE VOLUNTEER EVENT (Community) - Java Domainn 1-4:30pm - Free event for all Peace River volunteers! Free reg. coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Live Music & Prizes! For more info call 780-624-1000

P

PEACE RIVER TRADE SHOW (Community) - Baytex Energy Centre 4-9pm - $2 -- 6 & under are free. For more info call 780-624-4166.

TITANIC: THE MUSICAL (Theatre) - Athabasca Hall 7:30pm Tickets can be purchased at Style Ryte Cleaners. $15 - Adults, $10 - Students&Seniors BIG RIVER: A TRIBUTE TO THE MAN IN BLACK (Music) - Belle Petroleum Centre 8:30pm - Tix ($30/adv, $40/door) can be purchased at the Belle Centre or at Main St. Shell. For more info call 780-624-8318.

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SUN, APR 15 M

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION EVENT (Community) Battle River Ag Hall 2pm - Entertainment by HOJA.

G FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT (Family) - Grimshaw Library 6:30pm - Movie:

The Little Polar Bear.

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M OL' TYME FAMILY NIGHT (Family) - McLennan Elk's Hall 7:30pm - For

more info call 780-837-2220 or visit www.smokyriverfcss.ca

WOMEN IN THE NORTH CONFERENCE (Community) - Belle Petroleum Centre 8:30-4pm - Featuring Monica Knight: Dance to the Beat of your own drum & Barb Stegemann: Philosopher Queen. $40/includes gourmet lunch. For more info call 780-624-1161 or email admin@cfpeacecountry.com

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THURS, APR 19

SAT, APR 14 P

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PEACE RIVER TRADE SHOW (Community) - Baytex Energy Centre 10-5pm - $2 -- 6 & under are free. For more info call 780-624-4166.

TITANIC: THE MUSICAL (Theatre) - Athabasca Hall 7:30pm Tickets can be purchased at Style Ryte Cleaners. $15 - Adults, $10 - Students&Seniors

P

CLEAR HILLS TRADE SHOW (Community) - Dave Shaw Memorial Complex 10-5pm - Toonie Breakfast 8-10am, Farmer's Appreciation

DID YOU KNOW?

Every week we give away prizes on our blog.

Check us out every Friday for your chance to win!

www.thevaultmagazine.tumblr.com Friday Trivia Question

DIXONVILLE'S 6th ANNUAL COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS (Community) Dixonville School 7-9pm - Food, Live music, Photography, Quilts, Fibre arms, Painting, Woodwork & Door prizes.

GLITZ & GLAMOUR FLEA MARKET, FASHION SHOW & TRUNK SALE (Community) - Belle Petroleum Centre - Flea Market 10-3:30pm, Trunk Sale 11-5pm. For more info call 780-624-8318.

TITANIC: THE MUSICAL (Theatre) - Athabasca Hall 7:30pm Tickets can be purchased at Style Ryte Cleaners. $15 - Adults, $10 - Students&Seniors WARRENSVILLE HALL SPRING DANCE (Music) - Warrensville Hall 8-2am - Music by Cool Water. For more info call Tim Gayton 780-332-2404

F PALAEONTOLOGY

WORKSHOP (Education) - GPRC Fairview Campus 10-4pm - Speakers: Katalin Ormay & Robin Sissors. $20. For more info call 780-835-6618.

TITANIC: THE MUSICAL (Theatre) - Athabasca Hall 7:30pm Tickets can be purchased at Style Ryte Cleaners. $15 - Adults, $10 - Students&Seniors

WED, APR 25

FRI, APR 20 P

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION EVENING (Community) - McKinney Hall 7pm - Sponsored by the Nampa/Northern Sunrise County FCSS. For more info call 780-322-3954

SAT, APR 21 P

WED, APR 18

WHO MADE WHO: A TRIBUTE TO AC/DC (Music) - Belle Petroleum Centre 9pm - Tix ($30/adv) can be purchased at the Belle Centre or at Main St. Shell. For more info call 780-624-8318.

TITANIC: THE MUSICAL (Theatre) - Athabasca Hall 7:30pm Tickets can be purchased at Style Ryte Cleaners. $15 - Adults, $10 - Students&Seniors

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NAVIGATORS (Music) - Belle Petroleum Centre 7:30pm - Tix ($25/ adv $35/door) available at the Belle Centre or at Main St. Shell. For more info call 780-624-8318.

PRMICSW 2012 Saturday Night CONCERT & SHOWCASE

The Regulars For more information call 780-624-4710

MONDAYS P

ADULT BALLET (Dance) - Fitness on the Go 7-8pm - Runs from Apr 16-June 21. Drop ins $14. 10 sessions $120 w/ 10% discount on 2 or more classes per week.

Instructor: Donna Kelly. For more info call 780-624-3614.

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P TRADITIONAL NATIVE DANCE CLASSES (Dance) -

Sagitawa Friendship Centre (Lower Level) 7-8pm - All Ages. 9 & under must have a parent present.

P INDOOR WALKING PROGRAM (Fitness) - Al Adair Rec

Centre 12-1pm. Every Mon & Fri. Bring Indoor Shoes and a Friend! For more info call 780-624-3474.

- Northlands Sch. Div. (9809-77 Ave) 7:30pm - Learn to speak with confidence & professional leadership skills. Every Tues. For more info call Cindy 780-624-4890.

Cathedral 12-1pm - Volunteers Needed.

Donation. Every Monday barring holidays. For more info email peacezenspa@hotmail.com NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) Peace River

P

HATHA YOGA (Well-Being) - Bodhi Tree 7pm Beginner classes. Drop-in $12 or purchase a punch card. For more info call 780-624-8838.

KEYBOARD CLASSES FOR ADULT BEGINNERS (Education) - Joan Blench Piano Studio - Absolute Beginner Noon-1pm, Beginner 1-2pm. Classes: Apr 2-May 28 (no class on May 21). Classes $120+materials. Preregistration required. To register call 780-624-1256.

P KEYBOARD CLASSES FOR ADULT BEGINNERS (Education) - Joan Blench Piano Studio - Simple Chording Noon-1pm. Classes: Apr 3-May 22. Classes $120+materials. Pre-registration required. To register call 780-624-1256.

WRITER’S BLOCK (Community) - Grimshaw Library 7:30pm - Every Mon. For more info call Gordon at 780332-1732. PARENTS & TOTS (Family) - Nampa Municipal Library 10-11:30pm - For more info call 780-322-3954.

M GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR (Fitness) - McLennan Elks Hall 10am - Every Mon and Thurs. Socialize while exercising and having fun.

F DROP IN FLOOR HOCKEY (Fitness) - GPRC Rec Centre 5:30-7pm - Every Mon. $6 with gym membership, FREE with membership.

C SENIOR'S SOUP AND BANNOCK LUNCH (Community) - Mamowintowin Hall 2pm - $3. For more info or for a ride call 780-629-2476.

THURSDAYS P PILATES BODY FLOW (Fitness) - Springfield School

4:45-5:45pm - Runs from Apr 16-June 21. Drop ins $14, $120 for 10 sessions w/ 10% discount on 2 or more classes per week. Instructor: Donna Kelly. For more info call 780-624-3614.

P YOGA (Well-Being) - Senior Citizen’s Centre 5:15pm -

call 780-219-1485. SHINNY HOCKEY (Community) Hines Creek Arena 8:15-10pm. $2.

G SHINNY HOCKEY (Community) - Mile Zero Regional Multiplex 3:30-4:30pm - $3 (4-17 years), $5 adult, $15 family. For more info call 780-332-4005.

G

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Beginner & Intermediate. BYO Mats & Blankets. Drop ins $12. (Tuesdays from Jan 10 - Apr 17). For more info call 780-624-4249.

P United Church 7pm - Every Mon and Fri. For More Info

C PARENTS AND TOTS (Family) - Mamowintowin Hall 1:30-3pm - Every Wednesday. For more info call 780-322-3954.

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TAOIST TAI CHI (Well-Being) - St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church 7-8pm - Beginner & Continuing. For more info call 780-835-4642 or visit www.taoist.org

M MANNING WALKING GROUP (Fitness) - Legion Hall

11-12pm - Tuesdays and Thursdays. FREE Everyone welcome!

C

TEEN GIRL'S NIGHT (Community) - Mamowintowin Hall 6-8pm - 12-19 years.

WEDNESDAYS

P

P

PILATES WITH PROPS (Fitness) - Bongo Studio 7:308:30pm - Runs from Apr 16-June 21. Drop ins $14, $120 for 10 sessions w/ 10% discount on 2 or more classes per week. Instructor: Donna Kelly. For more info call 780-624-3614.

YOGA (Fitness/Well-Being) - Ecole des Quatre-vents 5:15pm - $12. Beginner and Intermediate. BYO Mats and Blanket. Drop Ins Welcome. For more info call 780-624-4249.

P MEDITATION (Well-Being) - Bodhi Tree 7:30pm P

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) - St. Paul’s United Church. 8pm - Every Tuesday and Thursday.

For more information call 780-624-4710 Beginner/Intermediate classes. Drop-in $12 or purchase a punch card. For more info call 780-624-8838.

G TAOIST TAI CHI (Well-Being) - St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church 7-8pm - Beginner & Continuing. For more info call 780-835-4642 or visit www.taoist.org

TAOIST TAI CHI (Well-Being) - Fairview Fine Arts F Centre 7-9pm. Continuing classes. For more info call 780-494-3410 or visit taoist.org M MANNING MINI-GYM (Family) - Manning Elementary

P READ AWAY PROGRAM (Self Help) - PR Municipal

F TAOIST TAI CHI (Well-Being) - Fairview Fine Arts

Library 1-2pm - Adult reading circle (improve your reading skills). Every Wed. For more info call 780-624-4076.

Centre 7-9pm. Beginner classes. For more info call 780-494-3410 or visit taoist.org

P PEACE RIVER SOUP KITCHEN (Community) - St. James

M MANNING WALKING GROUP (Fitness) - Legion Hall

TUESDAYS P

PILATES BODY FLOW (Fitness) - Bongo Studio 7:308:30pm - Runs from Apr 16-June 21. Drop ins $14, $120 for 10 sessions w/ 10% discount on 2 or more classes per week. Instructor: Donna Kelly. For more info call 780-624-3614.

P ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) - St. Paul’s

United Church. 8pm - Every Tuesday and Thursday.

M KID’S CLUB (Family) - Mamowintowin Hall 4-5:30pm Ages 6-9. Every Thurs. For more info call 780-322-3954 C TEEN BOY'S NIGHT (Community) - Mamowintowin Hall 6-8pm - Ages 12-19. For more info call 780-322-3954.

FRIDAYS

Cathedral 12-1pm - Volunteers Needed.

F DEVELOPMENTAL PLAYGROUP (Family) - United

Church Basement 1-2:30pm - Gross and Fine Motor Skills, Social Skills, Healthy Snacks, Music and Crafts.

Every Thursday.

11-12pm - Tuesdays and Thursdays. FREE Everyone welcome!

P INDOOR WALKING PROGRAM (Fitness) - Al Adair Rec

Centre 1 - 2pm. Every Wed. Bring Indoor Shoes and a Friend! For more info call 780-624-3474.

G TAKING OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY (TOPS) (Fitness) Grimshaw Hospital 6:30pm - For more info call Linda 780-322-7443 G BOOK BUGS (Family) - New Horizon Centre 10-11:30am

STORYTIME (Family) - PR Municipal Library 10:30am

P - Every Friday. Up to age 5. Story and Craft. Parent or

Caregiver participation required.

P

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) - Peace River United Church 7pm - Every Mon and Fri. For More Info call 780-219-1485.

P PEACE RIVER SOUP KITCHEN (Community) - St. James

Cathedral 12-1pm - Volunteers Needed.

P INDOOR WALKING PROGRAM (Fitness) - Al Adair Rec

Centre 12-1pm. Every Mon & Fri. Bring Indoor Shoes and a Friend! For more info call 780-624-3474.

G SHINNY HOCKEY (Community) - Mile Zero Regional Multiplex 4-5pm - $3 (4-17 years), $5 adult, $15 family.

For more info call 780-332-4005.

M ESL CLASSES (Education) - Community Learning

Centre 1pm - FREE. For more info or to register call 780-836-2664.

F DROP IN VOLLEYBALL (Fitness) - GPRC Community Rec

Centre 7-9pm - $6 without gym membership, FREE with a gym membership. Every Friday.

P HATHA YOGA (Well-Being) - Bodhi Tree 5:30 -

PILATES/YOGA FUSION (Fitness) - Bodhi Tree 7:30P 8:30pm - Runs from Apr 16-June 21. Drop ins $14, $120 for 10 sessions w/ 10% discount on 2 or more classes per week. Instructor: Donna Kelly. For more info call 780-624-3614.

Gym 10:30am - Mondays. 1h or play and song. All preschool children welcome.

and having fun.

P PEACE CHALLENGERS TOASTMASTER CLUB (Self Help)

P PEACE RIVER SOUP KITCHEN (Community) - St. James P MEDITATION (Well-Being) - Zen Spa 5:45pm - Loonie

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS SUPPORT GROUP (Self Help) - St. Paul’s United Church (upstairs) 7:30pm - For more information call Sharon at 780-624-8778.

- FREE program for children ages 0-6. For more info call Tracey at 780-835-3273.

M

INTERNET/COMPUTER CLASSES (Education) Community Adult Learning Centre - Basic Internet & Facebook: 3:30pm. Basic Computer: 4:30pm, Basic Computer Level 2: 5:30pm. For more info or to register call 780-836-2664.

M GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR (Fitness) - McLennan Elks Hall 10am - Every Mon and Thurs. Socialize while exercising

SATURDAYS P BILINGUAL STORYTIME (Family) - Peace River

Municipal Library 2pm - Ages 3-5. Join us for two stories one in English and one in French and a craft. Parent or caregiver participation required.

P ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) - Grace

United Church. 8pm - Every Saturday. For more info call 780-624-4710.

SUNDAYS P YOGA (Well-Being) - Senior Citizen’s Centre 4pm -

Beginner and Intermediate. BYO Mats and Blanket.

Drop-ins $12. (Sundays from Jan 15 - Apr 15). For more info call 780-624-4249.

P BUSKING AT THE BELLE (Music) - Belle Centre Mocha

Room 7:30-11pm - Admission is $5, performers are free.

Musicians bring your tip jar or instrument case.

F ZEN MEDITATION (Well-Being) - Fine Arts Centre 10am

- For more info call Eileen at 780-494-3410.

ARTS

Photo submitted by von Tiesenhausen

Artist Feature:

Peter von Tiesenhausen

BY MARY WARREN

“If we were all gardeners, it would be a paradise”.

[Peter von Tiesenhausen]

N

o matter what scientists and politicians say about the world around us, it is undeniably our home, our habitat. It sustains our very existence and yet, many of us take it for granted. You can see the utter lack of respect every time you pass a ditch filled with azure aluminum cans

glimmering under the warm sun and airy white grocery bags floating gently across a barren spring field like aimless tumble weeds. It’s evident in cities, where suffocating, muggy gray clouds loom over the cityscape. It’s strange that we treat temporary homes better than we treat our permanent home—the earth. Fortunately, Peter von Tiesenhausen’s art and actions are here to remind us about our connection with nature, for better or for worse.

Hailing from Demmitt, Alberta, von Tiesenhausen knew he was interested in art

from an early age and pursued an education at the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) from 1979-1981, describing the experience as an absolute eye opener. He found himself absolutely fascinated by the process of creating art, but he did not actually become a professional until the 1990s. He gained accolades and notoriety in the late ‘90s for successfully copyrighting his land to repel oil companies from drilling it.

Recently, von Tiesenhausen has become active in the art world again. He had taken a fouryear sabbatical and dedicated his time to volunteering in his

community and helping build the Demmitt Community Hall.

Unfortunately, due to taking such an extended leave, Von Tiesenhausen’s career suffered heavily, “as soon as you step out of that art world scene they kind of forget about you very quickly,” said von Tiesenhausen in an interview with theVAULTmagazine.

Now he’s dedicating much of his time to his comeback, spending at least eight hours a day in his studio allowing his imagination to run wild so that it may manifest itself as freely and creatively as possible.

He has several workshops, talks, and shows lined up for the upcoming months, and although he recognizes the amount of work it will take to re-enter the scene, he will be the first to admit he’s having fun doing it.

“I recently turned [my] sauna into a camera obscura and I’m going to do photographic imagery there and explore the ideas of light and enlightenment.

I’m working a lot with fire and chainsaws and carving… I’m having a good time! Right now, I’m very much in play mode,” said von Tiesenhausen.

Continued on Page 18

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Continued from page 17

Photo submitted by von Tiesenhausen Whether it’s a towering charred figure carved from wood or a deteriorating boat made of twisting branches, the art of Peter von Tiesenhausen appears so surreal yet entirely natural.

“I want nature to speak as loudly as it can; it’s the best teacher that I’ve got,” said von Tiesenhausen.

If you’ve seen one of von Tiesenhausen’s pieces, you will agree it speaks loud and clear.

One particularly controversial piece consisted of 5, 8-foot tall, 200-300 pound charred wooden figures, and it began somewhat as a joke.

“Calgary was up here drilling the hell out of our country side, and I thought we should bring a present of some kind,” said von

Tiesenhausen.

These “gifts” caused extreme reactions amongst witnesses in the street. Having driven them around Calgary for a few days, von Tiesenhausen quickly became aware that what people witnessed in the back of his old blue Ford was completely subjective.

“I became very aware that I was handling something that had multiple meanings depending on the history of the people that I was coming across,” said von Tiesenhausen.

Peter von Tiesenhausen’s art seems to leave behind an etched trail, altering one’s perspective in some way. Some people may see it, and yet others may remain completely oblivious.

“People are searching madly for some kind of meaning, and the only meaning they can seem to find is money or power. If we plant seeds by doing the largest charcoal drawings that circle Canada, or positively feeding into the minds of the people, there is potential to change the world,” said von Tiesenhausen.

Like it or not, our society is intensely geared toward money.

If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t have pushy corporations attempting to buy out our country side to pillage and scar—leaving land owners with a hideous sight for months or years on end.

“You can have an economy, but you don’t have to have it all at once. But, at the same time most of us are invested

in some way in to these corporations. Unwittingly, we are all stakeholders to the same stuff we complain about. We’re part of the problem,” said von Tiesenhausen.

So what is the solution? How do we change? For some of us, ignorance is bliss and for others the query to such a huge problem causes a dull ache in our minds and despair allows apathy to set in along with the familiar mind set: “It won’t make a difference.”

No one said you have to begin the next cultural revolution; von Tiesenhausen’s work shows us that if we begin, we can inspire change—not only within ourselves but also in others: “We

just

do

the

most

meaningful thing and out of that comes: beauty, poetry, love, and compassion. Your quality of life is your choice no matter what your circumstances are.

You can have as rich or as poor of an existence totally unrelated to what your affluence is. If you’re imprisoned, within that you can still have an incredible existence. The trick is not to be imprisoned on the inside. Even with all the problems that we see in the world, we can’t let that torture us. Just do what we can, and don’t worry about the results because you did what you could.”

Perhaps one of the most inspiring things we can do to change the world today is remain true to ourselves and keep our spirits well fed.

Artist Directory INKED IN MALICE Band (Dan Binks: Lead guitar, vocals, songwriter. Stephen Knudsen: Rhythm guitar) Melodic acoustics to technical metal.

Working on demo. reverbnation.com/inkedinmalice CAROLYN GERK Pencil, Acrylic, & Watercolor (Portraits, landscapes, still life, children’s decor, murals, personalized items, decorative art and gifts. Requests welcome) 780-625-1215 carolyn.2345@hotmail.com FB: Creative Design by Carolyn LEAH WOOD Photographer (Do you want unique photos? Order your session today!)

780-618-8204 leahwoodphotography.com leahwoodphotography.com/blog SUSAN THOMPSON Dancer (Belly dance, fire dance, fire fans, palm torches, LED fans, choreographed or freestyle, go-go dancing) vantom@xplornet.com FB: Sisu Belly Dance

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MARY WARREN Graphite & Ink (Realistic to animated, I enjoy working with nearly all mediums and art forms. I also dabble in clothing design.) sickyslimys@hotmail.com EPHEMERA Band (Buzz Lorenzen, lead vocals, guitar, songwriter. Anjil Shimoon, cello, backing vocals, extreme sexiness.) drbuzzmd@yahoo.com SHANNON BROWN Oil Painter (Recently graduated from NSCAD university. Shannon is practising the art of painting through landscape oil paintings, murals and is now using neon acrylics. shane_browndotcom@hotmail.com CJ LYONS (Works by commission in acrylic, graphite, charcoal and digital design.

Gallery at meganekko-bomb.deviantart.com) caylah.lyons@hotmail.com DONNA KELLY Dancer (Teaches Ballet, pilates, and Yoga) 780-624-3614

MARIE ELDSTROM Photographer (Owns House of E Photographic Imagery. Book a session. Tell your story. Promises a unique and exciting experience. Portraits & Prints.) marieeldstrom@gmail.com houseofphotographicartistry. blogspot.com AMANDA MANDEVILLE Photographer/Artist (Creative Lark Photography & Fine Art. "I offer professional, artistic, & fun photos for any occasion.")

780-625-5242 creativelarkphotography.com ART BY TARAS Airbrushing (Custom painted art on canvas, wall murals, helmets, clothing) airbrushartists.org/hotrodzz34 NO LIMITZ Band (Singing/songwriting duo of Sherry Crawford & Dana Blayone offering indie/country/folk originals or full band performances w/ the guyz playing country/rock covers) singnolimitz.com singnolimitz@gmail.com 780-624-1718

ARIANA HAMMERBERG

Oil, Acrylic, & Watercolor (Landscapes, abstract & mixed media) 780-625-1794 ahammerberg@yahoo.com FB: Paintings by Ariana

ALECIA VOGEL

Singer/Songwriter (Gravitates more towards the pop/folk side of things. Also in the midst of releasing a demo and loving every moment of it.) aleciahh@gmail.com 780-625-7329

VERNON LEDGER Musician (Guitar, Bass, Piano, Vocals. Band: A New Direction. Teaches Song Writing, Jams, Available for events.)

780-624-2693 nervedge1984@live.com SARAH SHUDRA Dancer (Director of Bongo Studio, Latin instructor, Zumba instructor, choreographer and professional dancer of Peruvian music) 780-625-7428 sarashudra@yahoo.es

Are you an artist or musician who would like to be features in the Artist Directory?

Email your info to thepit@thevaultmag.com

theVAULTmagazine

APR IL 1 3 , 201 2

Get Well Soon

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Make her feel special on her birthday Birthday Announcements Only $24.99

REVIEW Homespun Review: Elton John & Leon Russell's The Union I

BY TERRY CAMERON

must say when I first heard Elton John was coming to Grande Prairie, I was flabbergasted—a musician of his stature skipping Edmonton and Calgary and coming to small town (small city) Alberta!

I remember picking up his first album simply titled Elton John in 1970. Quite a sentimental album with his first hit “Your Song” on it. It was a great mood setter to put on the stereo when one was trying to make out on the couch.

From then on, Elton John continued to amaze with attitude and outlandish costumes. The songs were great pop-rock full of melody and drama.

20

Reginald Dwight (Elton’s real name) had the magic formula providing the music for Bernie Taupin’s lyrics. Creating hit after hit “Levon,” “Rocket Man,” “Saturday Night’s All Right for Fighting,” and Elton’s heartfelt tribute to Marilyn Monroe, “Candle in the Wind,” which he redid in memory of Lady Di. I was also surprised finding this CD, The Union. It seemed an unlikely combination—Elton John and Leon Russell. But reading Elton’s liner notes, it turns out Leon was a major influence on Elton in the ‘60s and ‘70s. He even calls him “The Master.”

When you think about it, Leon had quite a persona with his long wispy hair, beard, and stove-pipe hat. His piano

theVAULTmagazine

APR I L 1 3 , 201 2

playing extraordinary—from rootsy honky-tonk and gospel to good ol’ rock n’ roll. The man has a musical heritage like few others. Being a multiinstrumentalist, he was a session player throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s.

He backed up everyone from Conway Twitty, Patti Page, Merle Haggard, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Elvis, Joe Cocker, the Beach Boys, to almost all of Phil Spector’s recording artists.

Hard to believe that after 60 years or more of playing countless hits, being a band leader, and recording and producing music, Leon Russell would have remained lost and forgotten if not for Elton John.

With The Union, Elton finally came together with his idol and

it inspired all-original material from both. There’s also twin drummers with Jim Keltner, and Brian Wilson and Neil Young make guest appearances.

Leon may be past his prime… he even had to undergo 5 ½ hours of major surgery a week before they made this recording, but “The Master” still has the charisma and the chops.

There are a lot of sad songs, especially the dirge-like “There’s No Tomorrow,” and Elton has his dramatic moments, but songs like “Best Part of the Day,” with the lyrics “roll back the curtains, raise the shades/ We don’t want to miss out on the best part of the day. You’re my best friend to share my crazy ways,” are full of hope and feelin’ good.

The song “Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody)” really expresses the feel of this album with a big hug.

I also like this CD because the CD itself looks just like an old Decca LP record label.

Being the Homespun guy I am, my website is down in the basement’s dusty window. I get my tweets and twitters out in the backyard when I’m feeding the birds, and downloading for me is pulling out an old vinyl LP or even a 45 and just falling back into that groove.

If you would like to correspond or perhaps have a CD or music you feel I may enjoy reviewing, you can write to me at: Terry Cameron, Box 159, Bluesky, AB. T0H 0J0

FOOD AND DRINK I’ll take the “G” wine, thank you very much. search of grocery and hardware stores and borrowing from friends and neighbours.

Usually the second or third week of September, the grocery store would call advising us that the winemaking grapes had arrived from California. Making wine at home was quite laborious; therefore, ordering grapes was done with a group of families who shared both equipment and labour.

BY RAYMOND MYLES

G

rowing up on the west coast of Canada in a second-generation western European family, wine making was a way of life. No specialty winemaking stores existed until Stanley Anderson opened the first one on Alma Street in Vancouver in 1959.

Until that time acquiring grapes, equipment and the knowledge was a hodge-podge

In Grade 5 I could finally join the men in the basement and participate in the winemaking process. The wives and children would stay in the kitchen with coffee and biscotti while the men did the important work.

From my adolescent, I drank red wine at dinner with the basic knowledge on how it was made.

The years rolled by and things changed rapidly. The next thing I remember was having dinner at my new girlfriend’s parents’

house. Her mother offered wine with the food and I accepted.

She poured a clear liquid into the glass and said she hoped I would enjoy it. I looked in amazement, wondering what it was. “It’s wine,” my girlfriend said, “I thought you liked wine.” I took a sip and it tasted nothing like any wine I had tasted before. Later I asked my parents about the clear wine. I was told: “It is something that other people drink; it’s not for us”.

As an adult, doing my formal wine training, I needed to learn everything about all wines.

While I had good hands-on knowledge of red wines, I knew little about whites. One of the first to catch my attention was Gewürztraminer. I would stumble over the pronunciation until finally a fellow classmate said the name is easy to pronounce. “Try this; the back half of the name refers to the Italian traminer grape. The front half is a German word that

means spicy and is pronounced Gew urz. Try it with four beats: Gew-urz-tram-iner. Together the word means spicy grape.

Don’t let the two dots above the letter ü scare you.”

While the traminer grape originated in the northern mountainous region of Italy where German is spoke, it inherited its German name because of its unique spicy tastes. German winemakers in Alsace, then part of the Fatherland, planted the vine.

This region changed hands between France and Germany four times in 75 years eventually becoming part of France. The French winemakers continued with the cultivation of the spicy-tasting wine, making it quite popular—even though most wine drinkers consider it to be a German wine. Today, Gewurztraminer is grown in most of the world’s wine regions and is popular as a transition wine for those who are learning about whites and those wanting

to know more about reds.

During my study in wine evaluation I found Gewurztraminer to have a wider range of tastes compared to Chardonnays, Riesling or Pinot Grigios. When I’m presenting and instructing wine tasting seminars, I use Gewurztraminer as the last glass of white wine before switching to lighter reds like Gamay, Merlots or Pinot Noir. Going from a fullertasting white wine to lightertasting red allows less of a gap in tastes.

So next time you see a Gewurztraminer at your local liquor store, don’t be intimidated by the name. In wine circles it is very acceptable to call it “Gew-urz”, with two beats. If that doesn’t work then just call it the “G” wine and you will probably get a smile, or maybe even a laugh.

Savour what you enjoy.

4/20 - 101 420 magazine is a publication dedicated to “cannabis awareness.”

420 is NOT a police or penal code for marijuana possession, the number of chemical compounds in cannabis, or the number of a bill to legalize pot. These are all common misconceptions.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is a group of law enforcement officers and former law enforcement officers who advocate legalization of pot and say the U.S. “War on Drugs” is expensive and ineffective.

Almost done with the issue?

Go back to the front and find the VAULT head on the cover.

If you're the first to spot him you'll

win a 2-for-1 coupon to River City Cinema!

Email us at thepit@thevaultmag.com to tell us where he's hiding!

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theVAULTmagazine 21

LIFE STYLE Indigenous Contributions to Canada’s Identity moose, buffalo or elk). Then, the dry powdered meat is mixed with an equal amount of rendered fat. Dried berries or herbs are added to make a nutritious and portable meal. Not only was Pemmican easy to carry, but it doesn’t spoil in heat or cold. It can be eaten while traveling as a snack or it can be made into a soup or stew. One pound could last a person for three or four days. To reciprocate our gifts, farmers were generous in providing us with some fresh produce, home churned butter, and any animal that was butchered.

Like many Aboriginal people in the Boreal Forest of Canada, my father trapped furbearing animals. First, it was for the Hudson’s Bay Company; later, it was for local fur buyers in the Peace River area. Indigenous people were partners and main suppliers of raw fur and provided the physical labour needed to clear the land for farming.

BY BILLY JOE LABOUCAN

O

ur parents, Edward Laboucan (1913-1996) and Josephine Caroline Laboucan (nee Sawan) (1919-2006) were married on January 2, 1936. They only spoke Cree and practiced many skills conducive to survival on the land. As Elders, they were sought after by educators and schools to assist in the retention of the Cree language and cultural traditions.

My parents had five girls and four boys, but two of my siblings died early. Being the two youngest, my sister and I had it somewhat easier than the rest. We all worked, but sometimes while my parents and older siblings were in the fields picking rocks and roots or burning brush piles, we would play Hide and Seek amongst the root stacks.

I also remember working the fields while reconnecting with my older brother and two older sisters who were on summer break from the residential school. Our parents would tell us stories about our family history and Canadian history during meals and around the evening campfire.

The people from this land welcomed the newcomers— fishermen, the fur traders, and finally the settlers—as equal business partners. Our ancestors shared their knowledge of fauna and flora and their technological designs for travel, medicines, and food.

Thus, many newcomers to Canada used snowshoes, toboggans, and indigenous food preparation techniques. They used traditional medicines such as mint or muskrat root to treat colds and the inner bark of the white spruce to treat scurvy and other infections.

They used traditional methods of preparing hides and wore clothing suited to the environment.

In addition, explorers and others who came later used pemmican as a dependable food source. Pemmican comes from a Cree word (pimîhkân; pronounced: pimeehkaan) that means lard-like or artificial lard. It is made by pounding dry meat into a powder (usually

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I remember those days on various farms in the Peace Country fondly. We lived in a huge tent that my mother had sewn. It had an air-tight heater for inclement weather and for cooking. Back then, we lived in one during the summer every year. So, it wasn’t unusual that our middle brother and I were born in a tent. It was in the farming area of Little Prairie near Reno on Mr. John Bambush’s farm.

Today indigenous people continue to contribute in many different ways. There are indigenous politicians, lawyers, teachers, doctors—and Indian chiefs! There’s even an indigenous astronaut. Indigenous people have fought for Canada in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and other conflicts since. Even though most aboriginal men and women volunteered, it has only been in recent times that Canada has finally recognized them for their efforts and for their ultimate sacrifices—their lives.

In the next while, I will share some ideas on the plight of education for Aboriginal people. We will also discuss who were the participants are of Treaty No. 8 which was signed in 1899. This treaty area covers the northern half of Alberta, some parts of eastern British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, and more. You will be surprised to learn who benefits most from this treaty. w

Hideling They stole them away While I was kept in hiding I felt the sadness in my mother’s voice

All of my sisters and brothers were not delivered in a hospital but by a mid-wife—often this was our grandmother or her older sister. They were both skilled in midwifery and also in herbs and other medicinal pharmacopeia. Our mother learned from them both, so we were quite healthy growing up; her use of plants and time-tested methods of healing were testament that they worked. Unfortunately, many of these plants are disappearing, very likely because of pollution.

As she told me Wesahkecâhk’s teachings

As I grew older, life on the farm began to change.

When I was seven, bigger tractors, combines, and mechanized root-pickers replaced the need for horses.

Mechanization would eventually also replace the need for a large number of hired farmhands. During that fall harvest, I learned how to drive a tractor with a hayrack in tow. I was grateful that my father was patient with me while I was learning to operate a tractor.

Beaten into them at the mission school

We worked as a team. He loaded square bales on to the hayrack as I pulled up and stopped at the next stack. The hard part was backing a loaded rack between two stacks. It was a fun job, but we finally cleared that hayfield. That year, my father drove a combine for the first time, but I knew he preferred driving horses. It would be the last year we made that annual trek to work on farms.

But we still remember Wesahkecâhk.

Although horses had been replaced by motorized farming machines, most of the families in the Little Buffalo still used them. We used them for traveling to the trap-lines, hunting expeditions, and visiting. It wasn’t until 1978 when the all-weather highway was finally linked to Peace River that most people bought vehicles for transportation.

APR IL 1 3 , 201 2

Amidst tears and laughter, They came back, hiding Those fears and loneliness

Now we are older, Some can talk of those demons; Some lock them in.

My mom and dad were strong, They made us see through the wrong.

And helped us believe; To follow our ancestors in story and song.

(Indian Unknown aka Billy Joe Laboucan)

LIVE MUSIC

Barrie Nighswander, Rhythm guitar, Duane Smith, Bass guitar

Big Hank, Vocals

Music From the Underground The underground Music Society recently presented big-time blues band Big Hank and a Fistful of Blues at the Senior Citizen's DropIn Centre, Peace River, on Saturday, March 31.

Big Hank, Vocals, Ken Kirkwood, Lead Guitar, and Dennis Meneely, Keyboard

Services include: Skype training • Individual program design Personal training • Nutrition evaluation & Adventure Bootcamp group training

780-625-1036 madison12375@live.com www.ronibasarabafitness.com

RONI BASARABA FITNESS & NUTRITION

have a relationship that goes Notably, members of the band back to their roots in Stettler, are also tied to the legendary Alberta, where they grew up Edmonton band Tacoy Ryde. in the '60s and '70s.

On stage, Big Hank and a These guys may be a few Fistful of Blues had fun and years older, but they are all played to an appreciative, preceded by impressive blues dancing crowd in a warm and Five of the six band members resumes. comfortable atmosphere.

PRMICSW 2012 Saturday Night CONCERT & SHOWCASE

Friday Trivia Question www.thevaultmagazine.tumblr.com WWW.T HE VAUL TMA G.COM

theVAULTmagazine 23

LIVE MUSIC Local Show Kicks Off Easter with "A Better Friday"

Kelly Sorensen

Anjil Shimoon

John Peel

/Dance

Kevin Bekevich

BY MARY WARREN

a raving O success

n April 7, /Dance’s inaugural rave at the Belle Petroleum Centre was a huge hit with the youth of Peace River.

The event attracted roughly 150 patrons who predominantly ranged in age from mid-teens to early-twenties.

Buzz Lorenzen

The Belle Centre was a blur of bouncing bodies, glow sticks, flashing lights, and fog. Colours swirled in intricate patterns as Susan Thompson and Jesse Bursey spun poi on the dance floor and electronic music pumped enthusiastically out of the impressive 5600-watt sound system.

Unfortunately, despite the Blazing Arms paintball staff handling security, there was also a rather heavy and ominous police presence, even

though there was no particular sign of trouble.

This however didn’t dampen spirits.

The turnout was enough to encourage local organizer Sean Craig (DJ Elekt) to continue organizing events. He hopes to be able to bring monthly rave to Peace River and eventually expand to other communities. As well, he hopes to do raves for charity.

KINSEY CONFIDENTIAL My fiancée and I have been together for 4 years now and over the term of our relationship we have gone from condoms, to the pill, to the depo shot, back to the pill and now abstinence. We have found that neither of us like condoms at all and when she was on birth control she had all sorts of issues ranging from weight gain to vaginal dryness and absolutely no sex drive. The gynecologist she goes to will not do IUDs and does not speak highly of them but they seem perfect for our situation. I’m writing to see what our birth control options are and get a second opinion in IUDs.

M

any couples struggle with finding a birth control option that is right for them in terms of cost, convenience, health issues, side effects, ability to use it correctly, and personal preferences. It’s admirable that you and your fiancée have been able to talk about birth control options as not everyone knows how to talk to another person about sex, pregnancy risk or contraception.

Fortunately, there are many safe and effective forms of birth control available to couples and it sounds like you’ve tried quite a few of them. There are two types of IUDs – which stands for intrauterine devices – that are

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regularly used by women and their partners to prevent pregnancy. Although some women have problems using IUDs, many women who use the IUD think it is a great option for them and their partner.

If you and your fiancée are interested in trying the IUD, consider asking her gynecologist for more information.

Is there something about her personal health that he or she feels doesn’t make your fiancée a good candidate for the IUD? Or does her gynecologist simply not do IUDs at all? If her gynecologist doesn’t recommend IUDs more generally, you two might want to seek a second opinion from another gynecologist. There is nothing inherently wrong or unsafe about IUDs and,

APR IL 1 3 , 201 2

as I said, many women and their partners feel that they are a great option for them. Many people like the fact that IUDs offer long-lasting contraception. There’s no need to remember to do something every day (like take a pill). And for people who don’t like barrier methods such as condoms, diaphragms or cervical caps, the IUD can be a nice option because you don’t have to stop sex to put a barrier in place and you can both feel each other’s bodies entirely.

You can learn more about the IUD on Planned Parenthood’s website which is plannedparenthood. com. You can also search for a clinic in your area or ask friends for recommendation of gynecologists with whom they have had good experiences.

Dr. Debby Herbenick is a sexual health educator at The Kinsey Institute and author of Because It Feels Good: A Woman’s Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction, Read My Lips: A Complete Guide to the Vagina and Vulva, The I Love You More Book, and Great in Bed. Find our blog, sex information, podcasts and archived Q&A at www.

KinseyConfidential.org. Follow us on Twitter @KinseyCon

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

by Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2012

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Some people misunderstand

the do-it-now fervor of the Aries tribe, thinking it must inevitably lead to carelessness. Please prove them wrong in the coming weeks. Launch into the interesting new possibilities with all your exuberance unfurled. Refuse to allow the natural energy to get hemmed in by theories and concepts. But also be sure not to mistake rash impatience for intuitive guidance. Consider the likelihood that your original vision of the future might need to be tinkered with a bit as you translate it into the concrete details.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): There is a possibility that a

pot of gold sits at the end of the rainbow. The likelihood is small, true, but it’s not zero. On the other hand, the rainbow is definitely here and available for you to enjoy. Of course, you would have to do some more work on yourself in order to gather in the fullness of that enjoyment. Here’s the potential problem: You may be under the impression that the rainbow is less valuable than the pot of gold. So let me ask you: What if the rainbow’s the real prize?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “It’s eternity in a person that

turns the crank handle,” said Franz Kafka. At least that should be the case, I would add. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that a lot of people let other, lesser things turn the crank handle -- like the compulsive yearning for money, power, and love, for example. I challenge you to check in with yourself sometime soon and determine what exactly has been turning your crank handle. If it ain’t eternity, or whatever serves as eternity in your world view, get yourself adjusted. In the coming months, it’s crucial that you’re running on the cleanest, purest fuel.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): For a white guy from 19th-

century England, David Livingstone was unusually egalitarian. As he traveled in Africa, he referred to what were then called “witch doctors” as “my professional colleagues.” In the coming weeks, Cancerian, I encourage you to be inspired by Livingstone as you expand your notion of who your allies are. For example, consider people to be your colleagues if they simply try to influence the world in the same ways you do, even if they work in different jobs or spheres. What might be your version of Livingstone’s witch doctors? Go outside of your usual network as you scout around for confederates who might connect you to exotic new perspectives and resources you never imagined you could use.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The flag of California features the

image of a grizzly bear, and the huge carnivore is the state’s official animal. And yet grizzly bears have been extinct in

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR NEXT WEEK’S HOROSCOPE

FOR THE WEEK OF APR 12 - APR 18

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HOMEWORK:

Why is this a perfect moment? Tell me at Truthrooster@gmail. com. To hear my reasons why, tune in to my podcast: http://bit.ly/PerfectionNow.

California since 1922, when the last one was shot and killed. Is there any discrepancy like that in your own life, Leo? Do you continue to act as if a particular symbol or icon is important to you even though it has no practical presence in your life? If so, this would be a good time to update your attitude.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The cartoon character Felix the Cat made his debut in 1919. He was a movie star in the era of silent films, and eventually appeared in his own comic strip and TV show. But it wasn’t until 1953, when he was 34 years old, that he first got his Magic Bag of Tricks, which allowed him to do many things he wasn’t able to do before. I bring this up, Virgo, because I believe you’re close to acquiring a magic bag of tricks that wasn’t on your radar until you had matured to the point where you are now. To ensure that you get that bag, though, you will have to ripen even a bit more.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I have one child, a daughter,

and raising her conscientiously has been one of the great privileges and joys of my life. Bonus: She has turned out to be a stellar human being. Every now and then, though, I get a bit envious of parents who’ve created bigger families.

If bringing up one kid is so rewarding, maybe more would be even better. I asked an acquaintance of mine, a man with six kids, how he had managed to pull off that difficult feat. He told me quite candidly, “My secret is that I’m not a good father; I’m very neglectful.” I offer up this story as a way to encourage you, at this juncture in your development, to favor quality over quantity.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I expect there’ll be some curious goings-on this week. A seemingly uninspired idea could save you from a dumb decision, for example. An obvious secret may be the key to defeating a covert enemy.

And a messy inconvenience might show up just in time to help you do the slightly uncool but eminently right thing. Can you deal with this much irony, Scorpio? Can you handle such big doses of the old flippety-flop and oopsie-loopsie? For extra credit, here are two additional odd blessings you could capitalize on: a humble teaching from an unlikely expert and a surge of motivation from an embarrassing excitement.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Some of our pagan forbears imagined they had a duty to assist with nature’s revival every spring by performing fertility rituals. And wouldn’t it be fun if it were even slightly true that you could help the crops germinate and bloom by making sweet love in the fields? At the very least, carrying out such

a ceremony might stimulate your own personal creativity.

In accordance with the astrological omens, I invite you to slip away to a secluded outdoor spot, either by yourself or with a romantic companion. On a piece of paper, write down a project you’d like to make thrive in the coming months. Bury the note in the good earth, then enjoy an act of love right on top of it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Once upon a time, I fell

in love with a brilliant businesswoman named Loreen. I pursued her with all my wiles, hoping to win her amorous affection. After playing hard to get for two months, she shocked me with a brazen invitation: Would I like to accompany her on a whirlwind vacation to Paris? “I think I can swing it,” I told her. But there was a problem: I was flat broke. What to do? I decided to raise the funds by selling off a precious heirloom from childhood, my collection of 6,000 vintage baseball cards. Maybe this story will inspire you to do something comparable, Capricorn: Sacrifice an outmoded attachment or juvenile treasure or youthful fantasy so as to empower the future of love.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): We all know that spiders

are talented little creatures. Spiders’ silk is as strong as steel, and their precisely geometric webs are engineering marvels. But even though they have admirable qualities I admire, I don’t expect to have an intimate connection with a spider any time soon. A similar situation is at work in the human realm. I know certain people who are amazing creators and leaders but don’t have the personal integrity or relationship skills that would make them trustworthy enough to seek out as close allies. Their beauty is best appreciated from afar. Consider the possibility that the ideas I’m articulating here would be good for you to meditate on right now, Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Have you ever had the wind

knocked out of you? It feels weird for a short time, but leaves no lasting damage. I’m expecting that you will experience a form of that phenomenon sometime soon.

Metaphorically speaking, the wind will get knocked out of you. But wait -- before you jump to conclusions and curse me out for predicting this, listen to the rest of my message. The wind that will get knocked out of you will be a wind that needed to be knocked out -- a wind that was causing confusion in your gut-level intuition. In other words, you’ll be lucky to get that wind knocked out of you. You’ll feel much better afterwards, and you will see things more clearly.

CLASSIFIEDS...ARE COMING AUTO

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Jonesin’ Crossword

Grunge Word Search

Matt Jones (editor@jonesincrosswords.com)

"Out for the day"--dish up, dig in, drop out.

Down

1 Late November drowsiness 11 ___ Friday's (restaurant chain) 14 You, you, you, or me 15 Dungeons & Dragons creatures 17 They're used in repair of fractures 18 Bump into 19 "Gone in 60 Seconds" director Dominic 20 Org. that assigns numerical IDs 21 Fashion model/volleyball player Gabrielle 22 Tone Loc single released just after "Funky Cold Medina" 25 Controversial engineering 28 Lacto-___ vegetarian 29 "Then what happened?"

30 Think it could possibly be 31 Himalayan country: abbr.

32 Trippy stuff 33 "This American Life" host Glass 34 Vietnam Memorial designer Maya 35 They're found in kids' books 42 Massive Brit. lexicon 43 Shiba ___ (cute dog breed) 44 Duration of amateur boxing matches, often 46 Seasonal help 48 Forbidden topics: var.

49 WWII naval vessel 50 "There ___ substitute for..."

53 Suffix after Manhattan or McCarthy 54 Giving the cold shoulder 57 Part of CD 58 They swing on a steady basis 59 UK mil. award 60 Cause of 1-across, it's said

26

1 File folder feature 2 Ones, to Juan 3 Baseball Hall of Famer Sandberg 4 Nimoy and Shatner co-star 5 Facebook status word for some 6 "___ Blues" (Beatles song) 7 It goes under your glass 8 Away from the workplace 9 "Axis ___" (1995 album by The Shamen) 10 "Bite my shiny metal ___!" ("Futurama" phrase) 11 "Anger Management" actress 12 Scallion 13 Like Antarctica 16 Note takers' needs 21 Hopeful, as outlooks go 23 "I'm ___ Boat" 24 1968 federal law regulating firearms, for short 25 Extremely angry 26 Stealthily implied 27 69 and 101, but not 86 35 Rural rds.

36 Their, to a Herr 37 Searcher for oil 38 Mass per unit volume 39 It has a descender when written in lower case 40 Before, to a poet 41 Alfonso of baseball 45 Use a plunger 47 Village Voice gossip columnist Michael 51 "The Secret of ___" (1982 animated movie) 52 Draft classification 54 Invoice fig.

55 "Wayne's World" rejoinder 56 Channel that revived "The Newlywed Game" Š2012 Jonesin’ Crosswords

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APR IL 1 3 , 201 2

Nirvana Hole Blind Melon Pearl Jam Soundgarden Smashing Pumpkins Candlebox Melvins

Mudhoney Stone Temple Pilots Babes In Toyland Pixies Veruca Salt Bikini Kill Jane's Addiction Primus

Angst Distortion Flannel Sub Pop Green River Sonic Youth

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LAST ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

Across

SUDOKU To Play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or math involved, just use logic to solve.

PUZZLES & HUMOUR

Look for Issue 15 on April 27, 2012

By Jason Hewitt

Obscure Wizardry

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All Comics are by local Peace Region artists Submit your 8" x 2" homemade comic today. Email: thepit@thevaultmag.com

theVAULTmagazine 27