SOAR- Pacific Coastal Airline Inflight Magazine by Savour Magazine

Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best curlers rock in Cranbrook Where hundreds of eagles soar YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2011 VOLUME 5 / NUMBER 5

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COMOX VALLEY, VANCOUVER IS: Adjoining 2.5-acre semioceanfront properties with unobstructed marine views down the eastern shoreline of Vancouver Island & the Strait of Georgia overlooking Hornby & Denman Islands, easy access to walk on waterfront & a boat launch just across Lazo Road. 406 Lazo: $615,000 Power, phone & domestic water. 392 Lazo: $715,000

ALDER BAY RESORT: Established & profitable North Vancouver Island business situated on 30 level oceanfront acres. A unique development property zoned to allow for multiple applications including resort residential subdivision, tourism, RV development, construction of vacation cottages, commercial services & marina restaurant & foreshore development. $2,675,000

VANCOUVER ISLAND LAKEFRONT: Unique 4.6-acre property on Upper Campbell Lake, with a well constructed & completely self-sufficient 1300sqft 3bedroom home & additional 1bedroom cabin, situated to enjoy the incredible privacy of this amazing location. 360º of pristine views & raw beauty mins from Campbell River & less than 4hrs from Vancouver & Victoria. $529,000

DESOLATION SOUND: 100 heavily forested oceanfront acres in 2 titles with superb privacy, 1000ft of frontage each & spectacular marine views. The topography ranges from low bank, easy access oceanfront to rugged mountainous terrain. Deep water along the shore provides good options for moorage & ‘no specific zoning’ allows for development flexibility. $539,000Ea

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• www.bcoceanfront.com • Great Choices for Recreational Use & Year-Round Living • www.bcoceanfront.com •

Contents October-December 2011 Volume 5 / Number 5

President’s Message: NO EQUAL AT 65

Gathering of Eagles Photo courtesy HANCOCK WILDLIFE ORGANIZATION

Features

Departments

5 Sliding the Rocks in Cranbrook

12 Where we fly

The most important curling match-ups in Canada will soon be in Cranbrook

7 A Gathering of Eagles Literally. Come see where hundreds of eagles congregate every year

10 The Birch Bang Ever heard of birch syrup?

11 It’s Spa Time Colder fall weather is beautiful from inside two of B.C.’s best spas

Have a look at the map and see how well connected we are across this province

15 Datebook Things to check out from around the province

17 The Business File Mining gets little respect, but where would we be without it?

21 Employee Profile The Evolution of Rob

22 Plane Teasers Sudoku and Crossword

Cover Photo: Saskatchewan’s Amber Holland shows intense concentration as she delivers a rock at last year’s Canada Cup of Curling Photo Credit: Michael Burns, copyright Canadian Curling Association Editor Devon Brooks editor@soarinflight.com Publisher Craig Brown craig@nichemedia.ca 250-868-2229 Published by Niche Media 211 - 1433 St. Paul Street Kelowna, BC V1Y 2E4 P. 250-868-2229 F: 250-868-2278 Pacific Coastal Airlines

Director of Sales & Corporate Dev. Roy Kunicky roy@soarinflight.com 250-306-5738 Graphic Design Corrina Deters corrina@nichemedia.ca Soar magazine is published five times per year and is distributed on all Pacific Coastal Airlines flights. The points of view or opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or Pacific Coastal Airlines. The contents of Soar magazine are protected by copyright, including the designed advertising. Reproduction is prohibited without permission from the publisher.

We recently hired a professional research company to do some survey work that will help us to better understand how our customers view our company and services. As part of the process, we held some focus group testing to gather some unfiltered insight directly from the mouths of people who fly with Pacific Coastal. I was pleased to note that the focus groups ranked our customer service higher than any other airline, and that we were seen as a company that truly cared about its customers. Participants used phrases like “above and beyond” and “exemplary” when describing their interaction with front line staff and see us as a quick and efficient local airline doing its best to serve their needs. Another important takeaway is that our customers have a strong affinity with our brand and that they would choose to fly with us more often, if given a choice. That’s a rare vote of confidence at a time when public trust in the industry seems to be relatively low. These comments are certainly something to be proud of and I recognize that it is the end result of many years of hard work, dedication and personal commitment from employees at Pacific Coastal Airlines. There was another important message delivered in these focus groups. What resonated most is that our customers remain generally unaware of the full extent of our services. The most telling piece of information was that customers did not know that we fly to more than 65 regularly scheduled destinations in British Columbia, more than any other airline including Air Canada and Westjet. We began telling our story last spring with the launch of a new corporate message ‘We’re in the business of BC’. This awareness campaign continues to evolve and I am pleased to draw your attention to a new destination route map in this edition of SOAR (see page 12-13). A new destination map brochure is available at check-in counters and is also featured prominently on our website at www. pacificcoastal.com. We will continue to provide the information you need to make Pacific Coastal Airlines your first choice for business and leisure travel in B.C. Thank you for flying with us. Quentin Smith, President

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

A Cornucopia of

Toys

o, Christmas is coming and you’re faced with the usual dilemma of what to get for the kids, young and old, in your house. If you’re interested in looking at something unusual consider visiting the Victoria Toy Show. The show, held twice a year, has been running for 15 years. It was the brainchild of Dave Shelton and Jack Porcher. Both men are well past the age normally associated with children’s toys but, laughs Shelton, “Collecting is a weird thing, but it’s hard to understand. It’s the hunting-gathering instinct gone bad.” Both men have collected toys for years. They used to travel to big shows in Toronto or Chicago. The biggest shows are in Britain, where Shelton says a show is held almost every day of the year. Eventually the pair decided to see if a show could work in their home town of Victoria. Shelton says attendance varies from 800 to 1,500 and the show is going strong. Whatever else it might be, the show is a fascinating spectacle. Some 70 vendors with 100 tables display an amazing assortment of toys from the 1930s right up to the present. Shelton is a collector of old metal dinky toys, but he specializes in the aircraft toys. There are a multitude of toys on view including die-cast Matchbox, Corgi, wind up toys, toy soldiers, lots of dolls, tin toys, Hotwheels, comic books, steam engines, Lego and electric trains. Toys that are fading in popularity are Beanie babies, Avon’s bottles (shaped into various animals and objects) and Mechano sets. He says no electronic toys, like Nintendo or that ilk are there. Shelton sells mostly older toys of ’30s to ’50s vintage. In the years he has been running the show Shelton has noticed some trends. “The trends go with the generations. When guys are in their 40s and 50s they want the stuff they had as kids.”

The Internet, and especially eBay, have also changed the value of some toys. Shelton explains, “eBay was a big factor in that it made certain collectibles much cheaper and others much more expensive.” While most toys at the show sell for about $20 some can go for much more. The most expensive transaction Shelton can recall was for a Vulcan bomber model that sold for $2,500. Rarer items occasionally attract toy counterfeiters who try to pawn off replicas. For monetary value, he says, “The toys need to be genuine.” Picking out a replica isn’t easy if you’re not a serious collector. He says the replicas could be picked out because of the paint used and the way the metal was cast. On a more positive note, he relates, “I get a lot of stories.” An old man looking at toys of World War II vehicles told Shelton how he had been in the merchant marine when his ship was sunk. Barely 30 minutes later at the same show, another old fellow told Shelton he had been on German U-boats, whose primary mission was to sink merchant marine vessels. The October 2011 Victoria Toy Show is on Sunday, October 30, at the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney on Beacon Avenue. Admission is $3.00 at the door and children under 12 with adult are free. The doors are open from 10 am until 4 pm.

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011 SOAR

Feature

Canada’s Foremost Curlers vie for Olympic Trials By Bobbi-Sue Menard

he eyes of curling fans will be turned to the country’s hottest curling competition in 2011, the Capital One Canada Cup of Curling, in Cranbrook from November 30 to December 4. Local volunteers and national organizers are working hard to put on an event that matches up to the level of talent at these games – the best in Canada. “It is the best competition you will see,” promises Terry Morris, Team McEwen of Manitoba consists of (L-R) B.J. Neufeld, who watches Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld and skip Mike McEwen (hidden) brush the stone into the house

Alberta’s Heather Nedohin wonders about her latest throw

Event Manager for the 2011 Canada Cup. “The best teams will be here and they are household names.” The competition promises to be even more intense than usual as curlers from 14 teams vie for a berth at the 2013 Olympic trials. Unlike other major curling events such as the Briar, which draws the top team in each province, the Capital One Canada Cup of Curling takes the top ranked teams from across the country. Every match at this tournament delivers the flawless shots and intensity that curling fans go looking for. On the ladies side, look for the return of two time winning teams, skipped by Shannon Kliebrink and Stefanie Lawton. Also in the competition are teams boasting the likes of Amber Holland, Jennifer Jones, Chelsea Carey, Heather Nedohin and Rachel Homan. Look to the very last game of the draw, which takes place on December 2 at 7 pm for a nail biting rematch between Amber Holland and Jennifer Jones. In the 2010-2011 season Jones Continued on page 6 Pacific Coastal Airlines

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

Canadian curlers

Manitoba’s Mike McEwen delivers a rock to brushers Matt Wozniak (L) and Denni Neufeld (R)

Continued from page 5 and Holland met in the finals of the Scottie Tournament of Hearts, which took place in Charlottetown. Jones had a simple goal: win and join Colleen Jones of Newfoundland as the only winners of four consecutive titles. It was a last rock showdown when Holland took the match, the Scotties title and defeated Jones’ ambition. Men’s Olympic gold medalists, Team Martin, will be competing, as will 2010 Canada Cup men’s winner Glenn Howard. Kevin Koe’s team will be on the ice, and he will be in the hunt for a win after his stellar 2010 season, winning two of the sport’s most prestigious events – the Tim Hortons Brier and Capital One World Men’s Curling Championship. Mike McEwan, Jeff Stoughton, Steve Laycock and Brad Jacobs will be playing their best and keeping the competition tight. Teams will compete in a full round robin with the first place teams advancing to the championship finals. TSN will be covering the last two days of competition. Teams will be competing for top cash prizes of $70,000 on both the men’s and women’s sides, but Morris says the Olympic

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trials berth is what their heats will be set on. “All teams are after that Olympic experience. This is the only Canadian Curling Association event that will get a team into the Olympic trials.” Colin Campbell is the local volunteer chair of the event committee in Cranbrook. Campbell is responsible for drumming up local interest and organizing the details within the community. If the response of the volunteers is any indication, curling fever is running high in the East Kootenay town. Experienced volunteers joined the committee right away, he says. “By mid February we had the vicechairs in place and within three weeks we had 300 volunteers to help.” With the help of the “fabulous committee, including experienced and dedicated cochairs,” Campbell is expecting an average of 1,200 to 1,500 fans per draw. The weekend finals are expected to have upwards of 2,400 people rink side. Overall Campbell predicts the event will be, “The best party in Cranbrook has had in 25 years.” Ticket passes include entry to the party, a true fan’s dream as many of the teams are expected to make an appearance. “Curlers are very social people,” remarks Campbell. If you are able to make it to Cranbrook on November 29 the day before the event, there is an exclusive Fan Appreciation Night, which is a special meet and greet with the teams. The competitors will also be involved in team autograph sessions featuring candid discussions with players from past and present. The early bird ticket packages (until October 8) start at $219 for all 13 draws of curling per ticket holder. All full event passes include unlimited access to a special lounge, Keith’s Patch, where food and beverages will be available for fans and competitors alike. For fans who can only make the weekend semifinals and finals a weekend package for two starts at a rock bottom $249. Local hotels, including the lauded St. Eugene Resort, are offering weekend packages that include tickets. You can get more information on ticket packages by calling 866-580-7328 or by going online to www. cranbrookrecplex.ca.

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011 SOAR

Feature

On the Fly:

the Bald Eagle-Salmon Connection By Racelle Kooy

very fall thousands of bald eagles return to the Harrison-Chehalis delta as the salmon are spawning. It

is a remarkable relationship between raptor and salmon set in a breathtaking part of the Fraser Valley. For the past 14 years, the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival (FVBEF) has celebrated the beauty and biodiversity of the area. This year the festival takes place on the weekend of November 19 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 20 with the majority of activities held along Highway 7 to the east of Mission.

Continued on page 8

PHOTOs COURTESY FRASER RIVER SAFARI

Pacific Coastal Airlines

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

On the fly . . . Continued from page 7 “The festival’s primary focus is to showcase the relationship between the bald eagle and the salmon to help create awareness around the importance of a healthy ecosystem,” shares Jo-Anne Chadwick, FVBEF chair and owner of Fraser River Safari. “We also keep in mind that there is a delicate balance between highlighting the return of the thousands of eagles and millions of salmon and creating too much traffic in the areas we would like to see protected. This year we are offering excellent eagle viewing opportunities from both land and water, an eco fair where you can learn, shop, eat and play all under one roof, a line up of great speakers, fun activities and authentic cultural First Nation’s dancers, artisans and food,” says Chadwick. Dave Hancock, a wildlife biologist with 40 years experience who specialises in the northern raptors, is known worldwide for his Hancock Wildlife Foundation’s live cams in bald eagle nests. He provides insight into

what makes the FVBEF location so special. “As one of the richest salmon bearing rivers in North America, the Chehalis/Harrison River complex feeds the world’s largest group of eagles. No bird of prey gathers as they do on the Chehalis River.” He adds, “The stimulus is the availability of spawned out salmon. Eagles follow the salmon.” All five species of Pacific salmon (sockeye, pink, chum, coho and chinook) spawn in the area and there are summer and winter steelhead trout and cut throat trout. Spawned out salmon carcasses make up over 50% of the bald eagle diet, as they rely on the food source for six to seven months of the year. Young eagles are dependent on the salmon carcasses as they have yet to develop the skills to capture live prey. Hancock estimates there are 350 to 500 eagle pairs that nest in the Fraser Valley. Once they are done nesting, they migrate north to where the first salmon runs take place in northern B.C. or Alaska. Around the end of October the eagles be-

gin their trek south. The quicker winter sets in up north, or the colder it is, the sooner they head south. “The Harrison River is internationally recognized as a ‘Salmon Stronghold’ for its rich diversity and healthy populations of Pacific salmon,” says Dave Moore, Fisheries Advisor for the Sts’ailes and Scowlitz First Nation. “The salmon are in such abundance in a small area, it really underscores the incredible productivity of this region.” “In the same way that eagles, bears and other such wildlife have been attracted to this resource for eons, humans have been attracted to it as well,” states Moore. It is why the First Nations in the Fraser watershed weren’t seasonally mobile. He explains, “They didn’t travel great distances seasonally to find food. They always had abundance at their doorstep.” Rocky Larock is a contemporary Coast Salish artist who hails from Sts’ailes First Nation. When the eagles come back for the salmon runs, it is the pride of his commu-

A bald eagle rests in a maze of tree branches near Kilby Provincial Park PHOTO COURTESY FRASER RIVER SAFARI

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011 SOAR

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus

A class gathers to learn about ‘Sonsi’, the bald eagle, at a pre-festival event photo courtesy fraser river safari

nity. “The eagle is everything to us. Powerful. Beautiful. Fearless. If they want something they will go out and get it… They are majestic. We value the spirit of the eagle. Our spiritual connection is so strong with the eagle. We use the eagle in many ways in our culture, in our spirituality, in our long house and a lot of our ceremonies,” declares Larock. For the past two decades Larock has plied his craft through wood sculpting. To him, the forest and the land are alive with spirit. On his journeys up Harrison Lake, he will be inspired by the driftwood and can see the animal that he wants to bring out in that wood. “(To) bring out the spirit in a piece of wood is remarkable,” says Larock. For Larock, the festival is a good place for people to touch base with the eagle. He marvels at how the eagle understands the food chain and the cycle. “We are so fortunate that we live on one of the best fishing spots in the world, the Harrison River, with so many different species of fish year round,” he declares. “Sto:lo means people of the river, and that’s who we are. We honour and respect the salmon just as we do the eagle because we live off the river.”

Vital Statistics: • Height: 28 - 38 inches; wingspan: 78 - 84 inches • Sexes look alike, but males are usually smaller. Females range from nine to 11 lb. at maturity, males range from eight to 10 lb. • White head and tail do not appear until the birds reach maturity (four to six years) • Generally eagles mate for life, usually pairing up and producing at five years • A bald eagle’s nest grows with each year of use and can grow to more than six feet wide and ten feet deep • One to three eggs laid per year with incubation by both male and female birds lasting 34 to 36 days • Nestling stage lasts 72 to 98 days

Bird counts from previous years

Bald Eagle: 2006 count = 1,145 2007 count = 1,038 2008 count = 2,185 2009 count = 1,208 Trumpeter Swan: 2006 count = 157 2007 count = 162 2008 count 509 2009 count = 292 Great Blue Heron: 2006 count = 27 2007 count = 18 2008 count = 10 2009 count = 7 (Source: FVBEF)

To learn more about the FVBEF: http://fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca/ For more about the live cams on bald eagle nests, bald eagle biology and conservation: http://www.hancockwildlife.org/ To learn more about Rocky Larock’s artwork: www.rockylarock.webs.com

How to get there: From Pacific Coastal’s Vancouver Airport hub visitors need to rent a vehicle or get a ticket on one of the tours that can take you out to see the events which are spread out along the Fraser River between Mission and the District of Kent (Agassiz) Pacific Coastal Airlines

The Fraser River Safari is one of the more interesting ways to view the eagles without disturbing them as much as by approaching them on foot Photo by Lewis Scullion

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

Experience the

Birch Bang I

f you’ve never heard of, or tasted birch syrup, you’re not alone. Heloise Dixon-Warren, co-owner of Moose Meadows Farm, which lies 15 kilometres west of Quesnel, says, “Even in Quesnel people do a double take when they hear ‘birch syrup.’” Dixon-Warren adds, “There are only 15 birch syrup producers across Canada, but given that there are birch coast to coast there…is definitely huge potential for the product to expand.” It is a relatively new product in Canada but the industry already exists in Alaska, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Scandinavia. Birch syrup has some similarities to maple syrup, but not that many, according to Dixon-Warren. “It’s totally unlike maple syrup. When people are tasting it I tell them to take maple syrup right out of their mind.” That might be a slight overstatement since it is primarily used as a sweetener, a syrup and a cooking ingredient. The taste, of course, is different. Dixon-Warren describes it, “I always say it has a very bold, caramelized flavour with a bit of spice.” It’s not just that the taste is different, but how it is different, that’s important. She likens birch syrup to vanilla, which is not consumed

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Some of the birch syrup products available from Moose Meadows Farm. Photo courtesy Moose Meadows Farm

vanilla straight up because the flavour is too intense. Instead it is best used as an additive. Dixon-Warren sums it up by exclaiming, “It has the birch bang!” She cautions that when you buy birch syrup, you must read the label carefully. “For something to be called maple syrup it has to be 100% maple syrup, but birch syrup isn’t regulated so a lot of things have been called ‘birch syrup.’” A blended birch syrup is mellower, but when buying two different birch products you must be sure you are buying the same thing. If one is straight syrup, and the other is a blend you are going to taste very different things. Another reason to blend birch syrup is the cost factor. Forty litres of sap from a maple tree makes a litre of syrup. For birch trees it takes between 90 and 120 litres. Then there is difference in sugars. In maple syrup the sugar is sucrose, but birch has a mixture of fructose and glucose. That’s why birch syrup, even when 100% pure, is thinner because it has a lesser viscosity, and; second the different sugars make it harder to produce. To put it succinctly birch sap can burn very easily. Dixon-Warren says, “You have to be really careful to make sure it doesn’t scorch.” She adds, with a wry grin in her voice, “You’re not really a syrup maker until you’ve burnt it at least once.” To avoid burning birch syrup producers need to simmer it at a reduced heat for a longer time. Making their syrup takes 14 hours a day for two to three weeks in April, which only provides them with 50 to 60 litres. All that extra time and attention help to push the price up. A litre of pure birch syrup is worth $80 to $90 a litre. By blending it they bring the price down. Still, Dixon-Warren is confident once people have tasted the product it has much potential to grow. She says, “A lot of it is still trying to educate the consumer.” To try their pure or blended product birch products go online to www.moosemeadowsfarm.ca or buy it at Plenty Epicurean Pantry (www.epicureanpantry.ca) in Victoria. It is also available at the farm gate, but if you wish to visit you must call ahead 250-249-5239.

How to get there: Pacific Coastal flies to Williams Lake three times daily on weekdays, once on Saturdays, and twice on Sundays. Quesnel lies 65 km north of Williams Lake. 10

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011 SOAR

Feature

Luxury Face Off –

By Bobbi-Sue Menard

Spas of the West Coast vs. the East Coast

he coasts of Vancouver Island draw visitors from around the world to experience the natural beauty residents glory in year round. Each season boasts its own interpretation of nature’s largesse to the island, and autumn is the perfect time to share in the enchantment with a trip to an island spa. Fall is also the perfect time to bolster your mental and physical resources with relaxation and pampering. When choosing your spa destination on Vancouver Island, the toughest question is whether to enjoy the waters of the east coast or west coast.

East Coast: Aqua Terre, Nanoose Bay (near Parksville) Pacific Shores Resort and Spa is the foundation of a Vancouver Island business success story, Aviawest Resorts. Located on the shores of Nanoose Bay, just south of Pacific Coastal Airlines

Parksville, Pacific Shores is home to Aqua Terre, a full service spa that focuses on treatments clients enjoy at a leisurely pace. “We are kind of in the bush on the water,” explains Chandra Pearson, the spa director. “Nothing is rushed at our spa.” There are 10 treatment rooms and a large lounge to relax in at Aqua Terre. Since the spa lies where the land meets the sea, some rooms have a good view of the restful waters of Nanoose Bay. Pearson says the location is put to good use, “We open those treatment room doors and let in those west coast sounds and smells.” The marine atmosphere informs the service; in the summer clients can come into the spa directly from the beach in a swimsuit and feel comfortably welcome. In the autumn as the temperature drops, exploring the shoreline is a contemplative option followed up with a warm and soothing treatment.

Aqua Terre adjusts some of its most popular spa menu items for the scents and feelings of the season. At this time of year look for harvest spice treatments, a cinnamon infused pedicure and finish out a spa treatment with a hearty wine or specialty coffee. If you are looking for a sensual preview of a winter escape to warmer climes choose the Tropical Sanctuary treatment. Two

Continued on page 14

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

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OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011 SOAR

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MAIN PACIFIC COASTAL HUB AIRPORTS

FLOATPORTS

Destinations Pacific Coastal Airlines: Route Map September, 2011

Pacific Coastal Airlines

Where we fly P

acific Coastal Airlines has been providing scheduled flights, charter, cargo and essential services to communities in B.C. and across Western Canada for over 35 years. The company has grown significantly and today we fly to more than 65 destinations in British Columbia. That’s more than any other airline including Air Canada and Westjet. It’s a significant accomplishment, but one that has not been well communicated to our customers or to the general public. To rectify that situation, we hired a strategic branding and communications company, Living Blueprint (LBP) to help us tell this story. They created the new route map that finally reveals the full extent of our coverage area, identifies our destinations, and explains how they connect to our network. The destinations are located with exacting precision on the new map using fixed latitude and longitude. To do so, Living Blueprint combed through a list of approximately 4,500 towns and

locations in the province, and matched them up to the map using Google Earth. The exercise was complicated by the number of locations, particularly lakes and rivers, which share the same name.  The next challenge was to design a map that was graphically pleasing, easy to understand, and would fit on a single page. The destinations had to remain legible even if used in smaller print formats like magazines and brochures. Visually explaining the extent of our network and the unique relationship between our wheel-based and floatplane divisions was managed through the creation and use of a distinct series of coloured icons, strategically placed lines, and an informative legend. You can pick up a brochure version of the new route map at any one of Pacific Coastal Airlines’ check-in counters and it can be viewed and printed from our website at www.pacificcoastal.com. To book a trip involving a floatplane destination please call1.800.343.5963.

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

Spas of the West Coast vs. the East Coast Continued from page 11 therapists work together to release your tension. Coconut and lime scents fill the room in conjunction with a salt glow followed by a warm stone massage featuring traditional massage techniques. To complete the experience a facial mask to restore the balance in your skin is applied while you enjoy the sensation of a cool stone massage.

West Coast: Ancient Cedars Spa, Wickaninnish Inn Hop a charter flight and go west, all the way to the Wickaninnish Inn near Tofino. This world famous and award destination deserves serious consideration for a fall season visit. Before the rains and wind turn truly bitter at the height of winter, there is plenty of opportunity to experience the ac-

Photo courtesy Aqua Terre Spa

tion of magnificent crashing waves from the vantage of that vast beach. Ancient Cedars Spa at Wickaninnish Inn is perfectly situated to let you escape everyday life. “We like to say, ‘edge of the earth,’” says Miranda Moore, manager of Ancient Cedars. The spa is in a cabin at the front of the Inn and when the waves hit the shore at high tide they ride up underneath the spa. Moore tries to describe the awesome

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beauty of the Pacific, “When the waves gust and smash on the rocks, the thunder of the waves is not to be missed. If you can get here and experience that, it is special. As the seasons change and the wind blows hard, the waves are coming in from a long way out and it rains sideways. To be tucked into the spa is special.” Autumn is a season for couples seeking a romantic getaway and Moore says many husbands who arrive at the spa as rookies to the experience leave utterly convinced of its value and benefits. “The spa is intimate; we do get lots of husbands who come with their wives who end up loving it.” Moore believes the location adds a richness to the experience. “We are on the bucket list for a lot of people.” Ancient Cedars has built its award winning reputation on service customized to the client. Their service philosophy rests on a willingness to create a rapport with guests.The guest picks and chooses from the spa menu. Expert and experienced staff is the secret says Moore, “It’s our people who win us awards.” Staff members have personally combed the beaches to collect the stones for their own Ancient Cedars Hot Stone Massage. Each rock was specially chosen to fit the hand of the practitioner and the contours of the human spine. “Our staff creates ownership of the stones. We add to the hot stone massage with a spinal layout where the guest lays back down on the stones which have been placed to relieve tension.” Another possibility is to awaken your spiritual side with the Hishuk Ish Tsawalk Awakening Treatment, which draws deeply from local indigenous culture and traditional cleansing ceremonies.

SUMME

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Aqua Terre Photos contributed by Aviawest Resort Group

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011 SOAR

Datebook

Great things happening across the province right now! october Victoria The Other Emily: Redefining Emily Carr

October 1-10

www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/ TheOtherEmily This exhibit at the Royal BC Museum explores Emily Carr’s life before she became the famous artist. Admission to the Museum allows access to this event.

victoria Victoria Toy Show

October 30

http://members.shaw.ca/ dshelton99

Campbell River

This toy show happens twice a year with a focus on older toys and collectibles. $3 admission to the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney. For more information see the article this issue.

Annual Toy & Craft Show

NOVEMBER

Sunshine Coast

Port Hardy

2011 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl

Great Pumpkin Walk

www.suncoastarts.com/profiles/ artcrawl

www.ph-chamber.bc.ca/events. html

October 21-23

This is only the second year of the Art Crawl. Last year was very successful with 25 to 400 people visiting more than 74 studios so the event has been expanded. This year 108 artist studios will be open to the public on the crawl. The studios stretch along the coast from Langdale to Lund. Free event.

November 1

For two hours tour and see all things great and “pumpkinish” in Port Hardy at the town’s Civic Centre. Free entry.

Powell River The Cowboy Christmas Concert in November

November 26

www.cowboy-museum.com/ index.html Williams Lake is where the cowboys perform all year round. Summer rodeos give way to Christmas Carols in the Gibraltar Room at the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin. Tickets are only $10.

November 15-17

October 29-30

www.ikcm.org

www.mayocreekgardens.ca/ festival.php

Comox 10th Annual Wine Fest

November 5

www.crownisle.com If you want to find out just how fine the wine made on Vancouver Island can be, be sure to get to this relatively small wine festival in Comox at the Crown Isle Resort. Local producers will compliment their tastings with samples of local food products. Ticket prices had not been determined as of press time.

Originals Only Art Show

November 5-6

http://www.originalsonly.ca/ index.html

Pacific Coastal Airlines

Campbell River’s annual Toy & Craft show takes place inside the Sportsplex located at 1800 South Alder Street. Nominal entrance fee.

Minerals South Conference & Trade Show

Salmon & Mushroom Festival

Older and collectible toys on display at the Victoria Toy Show October 30.

November 26-27

Cranbrook & Kimberley

Lake Cowichan

Over the course of two days festival goers will have a chance to learn and eat all they can want of local mushrooms and salmon. There is a market place, a chance to learn how to identify mushrooms, a gala dinner and field trips. Most events, except for the field trips will take place at Centennial Hall.

be present at their booth while the show is open and the show is restricted to traditional art forms such as paintings, drawings and sculpture. The show runs from 10 am to 4 pm both days at the Comox Recreation Centre.

This is THE show if you want to meet artists, and get something special that is unique. Participants who display in the show must

Where better to host a mining conference than in that part of the province where mineral extraction has been so important to the economy and holds out such promise for the future? The East Kootenay Chamber of Mines is hosting the 7th Annual Minerals South Conference at the Kimberley Conference & Athlete Training Centre. Highlights include a trade show, banquet, technical sessions and more. Early bird rates are available until October 15. Prices vary depending on what programs you want to take in.

Pre-Christmas Gala Dinners & Brunch

November 25-27 www.trainsdeluxe.com

If you’d like an idea of what it was like to be wined and dined with exquisite fare in a setting from the great days of rail travel consider taking in the nine course meals in the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel in Cranbrook. The meals will take diners on “a journey on the “Blue Train” through the international tastes of South Africa and its Dutch, British and East Indian influences.” The meal, accompanied by entertainment, will be served in the ‘Royal Alexandra Hall’, which is the perfect reconstruction of a huge ballroom for the museum. Tickets are $119 including a charitable receipt because the dinner is a fund raiser for the museum.

Continued on page 16 OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

Datebook Continued from page 15

2011 Canada Cup of Curling

Nov 30 - Dec 4

www.cranbrookrecplex.ca One of the biggest curling events in Canada will take place in Cranbrook shortly. Early bird ticket prices for all 13 draws start at $219, until October 8. For more information see the cover story this issue.

Vancouver Just for Laughs Comedy Tour ’11

not counting anything you might want to purchase of course.Fraser Valley

Campbell River

Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

December 4

November 19-20

fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca An area wide event with multiple sites to celebrate the relationship between eagles and salmon. See article this issue for more details.

DECEMBER

Winterfest Parade If you’re in Campbell River in early December you can get an early start on the comings and goings of Rudolf, Frosty the Snowman, Santa, the Grinch and many other creatures of winter. The free viewing runs for one hour from 11 am to noon.

Powell River Carols by Candlelight

November 18-19

December 9-10

If you’ve ever watched ‘Just for Laughs’ on television, this is your chance to see them live. The touring edition has been christened ‘The British Edition’ and is hosted by CBC alumni Steve Patterson. On November 18 it will be at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey and on November 19 at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts. (Also in Victoria at the Royal Theatre on November 20.) Tickets range in price from $47 to $60.

There will be three chances for you to take in this musical evening, which is running for the 32nd year at the Dwight Hall in Powell River. The event if put on by the Powell River Academy of Music and carols are sung by choirs accompanied by the Academy’s great organ played by accomplished recitalist Ay-Laung Wang. Tickets for the two evening and matinee performance are $17.

www.powellriveracademy.org/ con_carols.htm

http://hahaha.com/comedytour

Eastside Culture Crawl

Port McNeill WinterLight Nights

December 3

November 18-20

www.harbourliving.ca/event/ winterlight-nights/2010-12-04

The Eastside Culture Crawl is an annual three-day event involving artists who live in Vancouver’s Eastside, including painters, jewelers, sculptors, furniture makers, musicians, weavers, potters, writers, printmakers, photographers and glassblowers. Participation is free,

This small ocean-side community’s winter festival has everything you’d expect: a charming Christmas light display on the seawall, Santa on the Harbour, carols, a community bonfire, a large display of arts and crafts for sale, Christmassy kind of snacks and a warm, generous spirit.

www.eastsideculturecrawl.com

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The Business File

Gibraltar -

Canada’s copper rock By Devon Brooks

ike Rodney Dangerfield, mining just doesn’t get any respect, but it should. Take copper, one of the most common of mined products. It’s everywhere around you and we just can’t function without it, but we take it for granted. Continued on page 18

Pacific Coastal Airlines

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

Canada’s copper rock Continued from page 17 It’s most famous application might be the Statue of Liberty in New York City (80 tons of copper sheeting gives her that distinctive green colour), but you’ll also find it in your automobile, which has between 20 to 45 kilos in it, depending on the size of the vehicle. Then there’s Canada’s copper-topped parliament buildings and the coppercoloured modern penny, which has only a trace of copper left in it. Until 1996 it was 98% copper, but today it is steel with a bit of nickel and copper plated zinc. Most of us who live an urban lifestyle are so removed from the land, whether that is land for growing food or land for obtaining the minerals, that we have forgotten the connection between our lifestyle and these operations. Not far from the town of Williams Lake lies the Gibraltar copper mine, which is majority-owned by Taseko Mines Ltd. Taseko, with gross revenues of $278 million in 2010, is, according to BC Business, Brit-

ish Columbia’s eighty-sixth largest company. Among the top 100 companies in British Columbia, 13 are mining corporations. The numbers are large because the old fashioned image of a grizzled prospector turning over rocks while looking for gold is completely out of touch with the modern day requirements of mining. The Gibraltar site covers 109 sq. km. and has reserves of 728 million tonnes of rock containing 0.30% copper, which amounts to more than two billion kilograms of copper along with 58 million kilos of molybdenum. Moly, as it is known in the trade, is a byproduct of the copper mining operation. With production of 45 million kilograms of copper per year, Gibraltar’s reserves should last for more than 26 years. Think about that. This one mine, at last year’s rates of production, provided enough copper for one-and-a-half million automobiles, which coincidentally is slightly less than all the vehicles sold in Canada last year. Of course, that’s not where the copper really goes. Ross MacLean is the general

manager of Gibraltar. He says most of the mine’s copper is shipped as concentrate to Asia, where it is manufactured into a thousand and one things that come back to you as a myriad of goods like refrigerators, electronic equipment, furnaces, wiring and much more. The mining process however is more complicated than those simple numbers suggest. Taseko took over the Gibraltar mine in the late ’90s when copper prices were just over US $1 a pound. The mine was on “care and maintenance” then, meaning it was uneconomic to mine the copper at that price. By 2000 they must have been wondering if that investment had been such a good idea as copper sagged to 60¢ a pound, but it turns out they knew what they were doing. Last year copper was up to a much healthier figure of $4 a pound ($8.82 a kilogram), which gives the proven copper reserves at Gibraltar a value of about $10 billion. If that figure seems too low it is because no mining operation is perfectly efficient, which is to say that even though they

ROCK SOLID CAREER GROWTH There has never been a better time to join Canada’s proud mining tradition

At Taseko Mines, we believe that we are located in one of the greatest places on the planet. We’re proud to call British Columbia our home. In fact, you could say that this province truly defines us: the communities where our projects are located are filled with our friends, families, and longtime colleagues. Joining our Gibraltar Mine makes you part of a vibrant and authentically Canadian heritage. We’re looking for enthusiastic people who want to be part of this tradition and who share our vision for long-term, responsible growth in BC.

That’s where you come in. Already a sustainable mining operation for more than 20 years, Gibraltar is undergoing a significant multiphase expansion. Located in the heart of BC’s stunning Cariboo region, Gibraltar is approximately 60 km north of Williams Lake. The Cariboo Chilcotin is a renowned epicenter of recreation, tourism, education and industry. It’s a great place to call home.

So tell us who you are at recruit@gibraltarmine.com We’d love to hear from you. To find out more about our other projects, including New Prosperity, Aley, and Harmony, visit us at www.tasekomines.com

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011 SOAR

Workers are viewed through the giant maw of a shovel bucket, which can carry 80 tonnes of rock at a time.

estimate there is 728 million tonnes of rock contains .3% copper, they will not be able to extract all of it. Mining is fickle though. No one expects today’s high prices to last forever, including Ross. That’s why, he says, Taseko is investing over $300 million to expand the mill and equipment. The labour force will jump from 418 in 2010 to 650 by 2013. MacLean explains the investment will increase efficiency at the mine, thereby lowering operating costs so that when prices do go down they have a bigger margin to insure profitability. But the investment will also allow faster production. In other words more copper to market now, while prices are high. Bigger production should decrease the mine’s 26 year life span, but that touches upon the other big unknown in the life of any mine. Valuable rock at a mine is known as resources or reserves. You and I use those words interchangeably, but there is a big difference between a mine’s resources and its reserves. Once a mineral deposit is found, a lot of drilling will take place to determine how rich the ore body is, and how big it is. Once enough holes are drilled through a big hunk of rock, so that it resembles Swiss cheese (of course the holes are tiny compared to Pacific Coastal Airlines

the entire body of rock), you can officially make a reserve estimate. This is no small deal – investors and share prices depend on accurate information and making mistakes in reserve estimates can cause real headaches, not to mention lawsuits and other unpleasantness. Opening a mine can take can easily cost a billion dollars and take decades to put in place. The proven reserves are generally only a portion of the ore on a mine site because no one can afford to wait to prove up all the reserves. Once mining companies have proven a big enough portion to make a mine viable, they want to get the project underway to start recouping some of the hefty money investors plowed into getting the endeavour to that stage. Outside of those proven, measured reserves are the resources. These are portions of rock where some ore, copper in Gibraltar’s case, have been detected, but not in sufficient detail to confidently say there is this much or that much. For that reason even as mining is underway exploration continues. MacLean affirms this is true for Gibraltar. He says, “We have an active exploration program.” So the 26 year life span for Gibraltar will be shortened by the increased mining operation, but it will probably be extended by the discovery and confirmation of new ore.

How much and for how long? No one knows, at least not yet. However large the final volumes are, remember the next time you sit down, just how much of your life at home, in the car, at work depends on the copper and other minerals being taken out of the earth every year. Maybe then we’ll all give miners a bit more respect. Photos courtesy of Taseko Mines

An operator loads 290 tonnes of rock into one of the giant dump trucks at Gibraltar Mine. To carry the same weight that will be in this one load you would need 430 three quarter ton pickup trucks. The mine hauls over 625 giant dump truck loads a day.

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

This is a collection of whole grains available from Fieldstone Grains, one of the Cooke Shoppe’s suppliers

New Benefits from Ancient Grains By Devon Brooks

hen Dennis Cook and Paulette Mercier retired the first thing they did was un-retire by opening the Cooke Shoppe in Trail, which sells Bosch kitchen equipment. With the best equipment they wanted to promote the best food so they expanded to sell grain mills that allow the user to mill or grind whole grains. They also stock a plethora of grains including kamut, barley, oats, spelt, quinoa, hard and soft wheat, flax, rye, buckwheat and even popping corn, which is good for making corn meal. A grain, technically speaking is a grass, and some of these (like corn, quinoa) aren’t really in that family, but it’s the name that most people use. The modern grains, like wheat, corn and rice, have been cross bred and modified so much that they are far removed from their wild ancestors that were cultivated 5,000 to 8,000 years ago. Others, like oats, barley, rye and quinoa are little changed and these are known

today as ancient grains. Says Cook, “The ancient grains are coming back, mainly for health benefits.” He adds that the older you are, the more likely you are to consider the health factor. “The younger ones are coming around slowly, but most [buyers] are middle-aged and older people, who are more into it.” Health claims for grains abound including more protein, the benefits of “whole” foods, more omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Simply put, to give wheat flour its long shelf life, wheat has its bran, much of its fibre, minerals, wheat germ and wheat germ oil (source of vitamin E) stripped out. For grains, the whole food benefit is linked to eating them as soon as possible after they have been milled. When any grain is milled exposure to air starts the deterioration process; although Cook notes, “It’s good for a week, but if you put it in the freezer it keeps for a while longer. If you don’t freeze it, it starts to deteriorate almost right away.” Modern grain mills are easy to use and fast. The Cooke Shoppe website (www. boshcmixers.ca) shows the lines they sell, but also features a string of recipes and offers the Cooking & Baking with Fresh Ground Grains cookbook. Even buying the raw ingredients can make you feel good. Cook’s store sources its grain from two suppliers, one in Chilliwack and the other in Armstrong, who in turn buy their grain from farmers across western Canada.

How to get there: Paulette Mercier with oats, freshly milled oat flour and a bowl containing the mixed ingredients for cookies

Pacific Coastal flies to Trail daily. The Cooke Shoppe is located at 1108 Marianna Crescent in Trail.

No-Guilt Chocolate Chip Cupcakes Recipe by Marina Prystupa

Ingredients: • 2 cups unsweetened applesauce • 1 cup sugar • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 2 tsp almond extract • 2 tsp olive oil • 1 1/2 cup oat flour (freshly milled) • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder • 4 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp baking soda • 1 tsp salt • Pinch of cinnamon • 1 cup mini-chocolate chips Directions: • Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray. • In a small bowl, combine the applesauce, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and olive oil. Stir and set aside to allow the sugar crystals to dissolve. • In a large bowl, sift together the oat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. • Add the applesauce mixture and stir until everything is combined. • Fold in the mini-chocolate chips. Scoop the batter into the muffin pan. • Bake at F 375º for 20 minutes, or until the tops are firm to the touch. Makes 18 cupcakes. Frost with icing if you desire. Delicious!

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011 SOAR

Employee Profile

THE EVOLUTION OF ROB Name: Rob Favel Position: Inside Sales Representative

irlines are one of those companies that most of us associate only with people we meet face to face, like the front desk staff where we check our luggage or those we meet on board. There are many others of course, whose work is invisible to us. At Pacific Coastal’s head office, Rob Favel, whose official title is Inside Sales Representative, is one of those. Rob is one of five people in the sales and marketing department, but he describes himself as “the sales team’s stay-at-home defenceman.” The 42-year-old works at many tasks, and has since he started with Pacific Coastal five years ago. If you have a problem and are forwarded to the head office he may be the one to help sort it out. Requests for new services (people are requesting online flight tracking for instance) or destinations are routed to him. Accommodating special needs or booking for a large group are some of his responsibilities. He says, “We’ll do whatever we can to make sure everyone gets there.” He also, of course, helps with sales. His well-developed customer service skills are the result of 21 years experience in the travel industry, first as a ticket wholesaler, later as a travel agent and at one point, at a hotel in Japan where he met his wife. Back on this side of the ocean he saw an opening at Pacific Coastal as a natural step in his career. Most recently he has put on another hat as the newly created sales and marketing analyst. He explains what that means: “We listen to what the market is telling us.” Small companies rely on frontline customer-employee interaction to figure out how well they are doing. As a company grows it has to become a more strategic because what an attendant on a flight between Haida Gwaii and Victoria hears might never make it back to head office. That’s where Rob comes in. He solicits passengers to speak out, analyzes results, looks for patterns, generates and studies reports to improve company performance. Rob enthuses about his many tasks. Asked about the most interesting, and the hardest parts of his job, he says they are the same. “It’s not any one thing – it’s doing all these different things. It’s juggling all the balls so to speak, but that’s also the best part.”

Pacific Coastal Airlines

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

Plane Brain Teasers CROSSWORD puzzle ACROSS 1 “Lorna Doone” character 5 Sinbad’s bird 8 Demolish: Brit. 12 Idea (Fr.) 13 Alas 14 Cheese 15 Leg ends 16 Burmese knife 17 Taro 18 Small S.A. rabbit 20 Pilgrim 22 Skin vesicle 23 Veneration 24 Beginning 28 Blaubok 32 Public vehicle 33 54 (Rom. numeral) 35 Israelite tribe 36 Ringed boa 39 Reading desk 42 Abdominal (abbr.) 44 Have (Scot.) 45 Female falcon 48 Butterfly 52 State (Fr.) 53 Television channel 55 Endearment

56 Mine (Fr. 2 words) 57 Rom. first day of the month 58 Per. poet 59 Maid 60 Compass direction 61 Foreign (pref.)

down 1 Breach 2 Design 3 Profound 4 Hate 5 Fanatical 6 Wood sorrel 7 Rudderfish 8 Flat molding 9 “Cantique de Noel” composer 10 Kemo _______ 11 Turk. title 19 Jap. fish 21 Intimidate 24 Amazon tributary 25 Grab 26 Kwa language 27 “_____ Abner”

Sudoku

29 “Fables in Slang” author 30 Rhine tributary 31 Television channel 34 Car 37 Insect 38 Presidential nickname 40 Helper 41 Caddy (2 words) 43 Male duck

45 Loyal 46 Hindu soul 47 Celia 49 Crippled 50 Dayak people 51 Aeronautical (abbr.) 54 Low (Fr.)

Sudoku answers for this issue

Fill in the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9.

Crossword answers for this issue

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011 SOAR

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