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ISSUE NO. 67
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MARCH / APRIL 2017
mind (over) mountains
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THE TRUTH ISSUE
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CONTENTS ISSUE NO. 67 | MARCH/APRIL 2017
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EDITOR’S NOTE FIRSTWORDS
10 Mushrooms as Medicine 11 Taking Aim 12 Michelle Stoney 13 In Retrospect TRAIL MAP 33 Blue Geranium
BACKWORDS 35 Heroes of the Frontier 36 Transitions 36 Eyes of Society
LASTWORD 39 Smiles by Robert Hart
FEATURES 16
Perception Problem Prince George’s reputation for crime is a harsh reality for some and a bizarre background for others. Our writer contrasts her local news addiction to the realities of her life in northern BC’s largest centre. by Jo Boxwell
19
Mind (over) Mountains “A true photograph need not be explained, nor can it be contained in words.” So said renowned American photographer Ansel Adams, and in this empowering photo essay about making your mind up to get out in the mountains, the idea is put to the test. by Talon Gillis
26 IMAGE: The full moon glows behind a ridge on Dzilh Yez/Hudson Bay Mountain in Smithers. — Curtis Cunningham / Photistry
Grizzly Business As one of BC’s iconic creatures, the grizzly bear is responsible for a significant portion of our province’s economy. The question is: should we shoot bears with guns or cameras, or both? by Dan Mesec March/April 2017
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northword magazine
MAIN OFFICE | Smithers 1412 Freeland Ave. Smithers, BC, V0J 2N4 t: 250.847.4600 | w. northword.ca | e. editor@northword.ca
Matt J. Simmons
Publisher/Editor-in-chief matt@northword.ca 250.847.4600
Sandra Smith
National Advertising sandra@northword.ca
Amanda Follett Hosgood
CONTRIBUTORS Michael Bednar, Jo Boxwell, Emily Bulmer, Keri Coles, Amanda Follett Hosgood, Facundo Gastiazoro, Talon Gillis, Robert Hart, Morgan Hite, Alissa MacMullin, Dan Mesec, Hans Saefkow, Melissa Sawatsky, Matt J. Simmons, Nikki Skuce, Michelle Stoney, Mark Tworow.
Contributing Editor amanda@northword.ca
DISTRIBUTORS Barbara Kinsey, Ainsley Brown, Frances Riley, Richard Haley, Jen Harvey
Facundo Gastiazoro is a graphic designer and animator. Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Facundo is currently living in Smithers.
ADVERTISING SALES Sandra Smith, sandra@northword.ca Matt J. Simmons, matt@northword.ca
Morgan Hite has lived in Smithers for 20 years, makes maps, goes hiking, gets lost, writes articles, reads things and dreams about travel.
DISTRIBUTION We distribute 10,000 copies six times a year to over 300 locations in 33 communities across northern BC, reaching close to 40,000 readers. For a complete list of distribution locations or to request copies at your retail/public location, send an email to ads@northword.ca.
Alissa MacMullin is a writer based on
Haida Gwaii. She loves to explore the natural environment and appreciates a good book.
Mark Tworow is a painter based in Smithers. He has held several major solo exhibitions showcasing works which are now held in private collections in Canada, England, the U.S., and in New Zealand.
Emily Bulmer is a longtime Smithereen
who enjoys subjecting herself to unscientific experiments in living. She occasionally records her findings and reports positive results most of the time.
Melissa Sawatsky writes stories that are true, edits stories that aren’t, and tells border guards she makes her living as a poet.
Hans Saefkow is an award-winning cartoonist, illustrator and set designer. If you see this man, do not approach him, feed him, or listen to his idle chatter. It is simply best not to encourage him.
6 March/April 2017
PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matt J. Simmons NATIONAL SALES/AD DESIGN Sandra Smith CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Amanda Follett Hosgood ILLUSTRATORS Facundo Gastiazoro & Hans Saefkow
SUBSCRIPTION To receive Northword Magazine in your mailbox, or to give it away to a friend, please complete the subscription process on our website. With a minimum number of subscribers, Northword can belong to professional associations offering advantageous insurance premiums, and therefore keep our advertising rates low. CONTRIBUTIONS We’re always happy to hear from new writers and photographers who have a unique perspective and a northern story to tell. Have a look at our submissions guidelines on the website, or send an email to editor@northword.ca and we will send you a copy. If you want to comment on any story you find in the magazine, there’s a spot for that on the website, or send us a letter. Letters to the Editor may be printed in the magazine, but will be edited for taste and length. ONLINE Find articles past and present, photos, and more at northword.ca and check us out on Facebook & Instagram.
EDITOR’S NOTE
i l l u s t r a t i o n : f a c u n d o g a s t i a z o ro
Welcome to the Truth issue.
Remember when you were a kid and you were told to “always tell the truth”? Good advice, but the word might be a bit misleading. For a fairly common word, the concept is actually tricky to pin down— and the jury’s still out. Philosophers debate it furiously, and will likely continue to do so for a very long time. Truth isn’t necessarily the same for all people. Religion is a good example. For those who believe, God is a Truth. And for atheists, “there is no god” is also Truth. Perception, perspective, belief, and experience all serve to create truths that are individual. Yet the word is used to mean “honesty” and as a handy placeholder for “fact”. What about truth in writing? Public trust in the written word is deeply ingrained in our culture. It’s as if the act of publishing something in print makes it true. Maybe it does. Or maybe truth just doesn’t matter anymore. After all, the Oxford English Dictionary picked “post-truth” as its word of the year for 2016. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we rely on the truthfulness of journalism. We regurgitate what we read like toddlers echo their parents. And many of us accept fact as truth. But truthfulness and factual reporting are not exclusively dependent on each other. As author and activist Maya Angelou said, “There’s a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure truth.” Some of the most truthful things I’ve read have been fiction. And I’ve read plenty of fact-based journalism almost entirely devoid of truth. Seem contradictory? Look at it this way: What wasn’t reported? Whose point of view didn’t make it into the article? Read between the lines—the truth is often found there. The real danger is when news masquerades as fact, and in reality it’s commentary or opinion. Which, in a way, is most news. Because there is no such thing as objective journalism. Everything writers do is subjective: selecting subjects to interview,
choosing which quotes to include, even deciding the order of paragraphs. Whether or not a writer strives for objectivity—and good journalists do—all of those choices represent bias. That said, truth can be delivered on a platter of 26 letters, sprinkled with a handful of punctuation marks. Hallelujah. Yeehaw. And if Truth in writing means honesty, then those writers who present their words (and inherent biases) openly—whether fiction or non-fiction—are indeed worth reading. We live in an era of “fake news” and “alternative facts”, a world in which we can acquire vast amounts of information daily and have access to writing of every kind. Maybe we do exist in a post-truth era (it certainly seems that way when it comes to politics) but that makes truthful writing that much more important. It also means there’s a shared responsibility: you, as a reader, have a responsibility to question, to be sceptical, to discern; and we, the writers, have a responsibility to be honest and forthcoming, and to always write Truth. & on & on & on Heavy times call for heavy words. I think I’ll fix myself a drink. Or maybe a sandwich. Lighten things up a bit. If Truth can be found at the bottom of a bottle, it can also be found in the crumbs of a vanished sandwich. Is any of this true? Don’t trust me. — Matt J. Simmons To comment, or send a letter to the editor, please email editor@northword.ca or check out northword.ca.
March/April 2017
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FEATURE CONTRIBUTORS
DAN MESEC Dan Mesec has called the Bulkley Valley home for seven years and as a journalist has covered everything from Tahltan blockades to wild salmon runs on Lake Babine. When not at his desk he can be found debating global issues with anyone who will listen, wandering the land in rose-coloured glasses searching for his next story or hiking mountains with his halfwild canine Tosca. He lives in Smithers, BC.
TALON GILLIS
JO BOXWELL Jo Boxwell is a writer and film editor based in Prince George, currently working on her first novel. Her 2010 short documentary No One Bothered won the Empowerment award at the New York Media That Matters film festival.
Talon Gillis is an adventurer at heart with a strong passion for photographing people. He combines the beauty and excitement of being outside with a relatable human element that allows the viewer to identify with his images. A selftaught photographer who grew up in Prince Rupert, he now lives in Terrace. To see more of his work, find him at talongillis.com.
MICHAEL BEDNAR Michael Bednar is an award-winning travel and social documentary photographer recognized internationally for his work, which captures the spirit of people and places. His portraits capture the often-profound relationship between people and their environment. He also teaches photography and digital storytelling to individuals and groups. He is based in the Cariboo.
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FIRSTWORDS
Could mushrooms found in northern BC forests be used to treat cancer? UNBC researchers hope to find out.
MUSHROOMS AS MEDICINE
Investigating the cancer-fighting potential of northern BC mushrooms
looking to northern forests in the quest to fight cancer, and they’re leaving no mushroom unturned. The multi-disciplinary team from the Chemistry, Biochemistry, Ecosystem Science and Management programs, and Northern Medical Program are combining their expertise to find, gather and test up to 100 species of fungi that grow in the forests of northern BC. Using mushrooms as medicine is not a new idea, but little scientific research has been done on the species in our own backyard. “History has taught us that there are many useful medicinal compounds from mushrooms,” says Dr. Chow Lee, lead researcher on the project. “Yet, it is estimated that only 10 percent of mushroom species
IntegrIty
Professionalism
Q ua l i t y
on Earth are known. This means that mushrooms are a major, untapped source of new, potentially powerful and natural pharmaceutical products.” Specimens are gathered in the wild, then brought back to the lab for genetic identification and preparation. The mushrooms are treated with different solvents to extract the active compounds to create what is known in the lab as a “fraction”. The fractions containing these active compounds are then tested to see if they inhibit the growth of cancer cells, or stimulate the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells successfully on their own. In 2015, the project received a grant from the Genome British Columbia Strategic Opportunities Fund as well as funds from UNBC. A recent
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additional award of almost $400,000 from the federal government’s Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund will help accelerate the team’s progress. Lee says the CFI grant will purchase “equipment for chemical extraction of mushrooms, equipment for purifying and to help identify bio-active compounds, equipment for biological analysis (various types of microscopes and a cell sorter), and fridge/freezers for storing mushroom extracts and bio-active compounds.” The project presents an exciting opportunity to learn more about local fungi and will perhaps expand our collective understanding of the ecosystem services provided by our local forests. — Emily Bulmer
photos: top courtesy of UNBC, below Nikki Skuce
UNBC researchers are
FIRSTWORDS
TAKING AIM
On the range with Haida Gwaii’s gun guru
The Village of Port Clements
is a small logging and mill town in Haida Gwaii. Referred to as the home of the late golden spruce, its close accessibility to nature and wildlife makes it a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts and recreational hunters. Emerald-headed mallards and Canada geese frequently flock on either side of Bayview Drive. Not far from this waterfowl patrol is the entrance to the Port Clements Rod and Gun Club. A sign carved by Ben Van Der Beke welcomes members and guests with a fishhook and a cartridge. I walk into the range as an alumnus of Haida Gwaii’s firearm guru. Shooting his first BB gun at age 8 and a .22 rifle by age 9, Ron Haralson is a passionate gun expert. Haida Gwaii’s certified examiner for both
the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program (PAL) and BC Wildlife Federation’s Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education Program (CORE), Haralson has taught hundreds of students the safe handling, use and storage of firearms. On my first range experience the weekend prior, I shot recycled water bottle targets with friends. As the water sprayed, I recited to myself the importance of a good shot: an ethical hunt. I hope to acquire my first Sitka black-tailed deer this winter, an undertaking Haralson has prepared many of his students to do for decades. When I arrive, Haralson asks if I’d like to take some shots, so we place a target at 20 yards and he pulls out his .22. Breathe in, breathe out and hold. Three shots
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each from the bench, successfully grouping, we walk in the sun to exchange targets. “I got my first real target shooter for Christmas from my wife,” he says. “Although I wasn’t expecting it, it’s a nice gun—and expensive.” Haralson has countless stories to share. He lists the annual events hosted at the range, highlighting the turkey, black powder and trap shoots. As the only range on-island where both unrestricted and restricted firearms can be deployed, its existence is of great importance to locals for sighting and target practice. RCMP and other government officials also frequent the range to retain their certifications. After 10 evening classes, you’ll make it onto Haralson’s call list. He offers all his students a day at the range. He’s happy to share his guns to ensure you have means to practice, should you not own your own. And he is there every step of the way to build your selfconfidence. It’s clear that his mission is to empower, to remove fear, and to promote safe and ethical practices. Back at the benches, he sets up his .257 Roberts rifle from the Second World War, adapted with a custom alder stock. My first follow-through at 100 yards is meager. But, as if reading my mind, Haralson comments on the success of that shot on a deer. I smile and rest my cheek, aiming a second time for the target. — Alissa MacMullin
Got an idea for a FirstWords story? Check out our submissions guidelines online or send an email to editor@northword.ca. March/April 2017
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FIRSTWORDS
Michelle Stoney’s paintings combine Gitxsan and Cree traditional techniques with a contemporary approach.
MICHELLE STONEY Michelle Stoney has a progressive approach
to First Nations art that allows for, and encourages a wide range of interpretations. She was raised on Gitxsan territory, in the house of Delgamuukw, and is also Cree on her father’s side. The stylistic practices of both her Gitxsan and Cree heritage are evident in her work. She combines Northwest Coast formline (distinctive continuous flowing lines) with the bright colours and black outlines more common in Cree tradition. “By incorporating two distinct cultures, I feel I am contributing positively to the future of First Nations art,” says Stoney. Her inspiration comes from her late grandfather, Victor Mowatt, who was a master Gitxsan carver. During their initial collaborations, they often disagreed about stylistic preferences. “In his generation, everything needed to be functional, but I wanted to reinterpret some traditional techniques to suit my own aesthetic,” says Stoney. She credits the development of her individual style to the time she spent studying at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts. During her foundation year, Stoney had to try out different artistic mediums. While she works primarily in acrylic painting and metal sculpture, her take on traditional techniques has numerous forms. “I worked with wood, abalone, animal hide, and metal and always tried to find something no one else was doing— to make something different,” she says. She has since
12 March/April 2017
ready,” says Stoney. This coming summer (a customary translated the traditional First Nations practice of year after his passing), she will begin work on her creating functional art onto contemporary forms by grandfather’s unfinished carvings. incorporating her designs on mugs, clothing, cribbage boards, lamps, and slippers. — Melissa Sawatsky Stoney has moved back to Gitxsan territory and had her first formal exhibition at Smithers Art Gallery in the fall of 2016. She is currently working on a mountain series focused on Stygyoden (Rocher de Boule), exploring the concept that “everyone sees something different in the mountain, and wherever you go in the area the mountain transforms, depending on the angle you are viewing it from.” Stoney is also interested in recreating her mountain series in silkscreen, a calendar, or as posters, providing a more affordable way for many in her community to purchase and enjoy her work. Shortly before his death, Stoney’s grandfather asked her to take on the task of The artist recently held her first formal exhibition at completing his unfinished the Smithers Art Gallery. projects. “He felt I was now
images: courtesy of Michelle Stoney
The future of First Nations art
FIRSTWORDS
Northern Gateway JRP chair Sheila Leggett, centre, recalls her time spent in northern BC as a "oncein-a-lifetime experience." Here, Leggett is flanked by Heiltsuk Nation hemas, or hereditary chiefs, Edwin Newman (left), a long-time advocate for aboriginal rights and title, and Arnold Humchitt.
IN RETROSPECT
JRP chair Sheila Leggett on due process, yoga and the search for common ground
photo: keri coles
For nearly two years, northern BC was Sheila
Leggett’s second home. As chair of the National Energy Board’s joint review panel (JRP) assessing Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline, she and fellow panelists Hans Matthews and Kenneth Bateman spent their days hearing testimony from local residents. Despite the intimately raw emotion shared with the panel, a desk divided the Calgary resident from northerners: In an effort to remain neutral, the panelists sat impassive and intent, periodically taking notes as they witnessed tears, anger and frustration during months of testimony in nine northern communities. It’s been more than three years since the panel submitted its recommendation to the federal government to approve the pipeline with 209 conditions. Last year, courts ruled that the government neglected its responsibility to consult First Nations. The Northern Gateway decision was overturned and, in January, Enbridge quietly withdrew its application. Raised in Eastern Canada, Leggett moved to Calgary in the late 1970s to pursue a master’s degree in soil ecology. It’s where she met her husband, raised her children, and began a consulting career that blended her work as an environmental biologist with Canada’s oil and gas industry: “That was the very early days of people even beginning to talk about the environment,” she remembers. She joined the NEB in 2006. “I applied for the position through an advertisement in the paper,” she says. “A lot of people mistakenly think those positions are perks that go to people that are politically involved. I’m living proof that’s not the case. I’m not politically connected to one party or another, because I really believe in working in the public interest.” Leggett describes herself as a “pragmatist” seeking the place “where multiple views can find common ground.”
On Jan. 9, 2012, as hearings were set to begin, thennatural resources minister Joe Oliver appeared less interested in common ground when he published an open letter to Canadians blaming “environmental and other radical groups” for delaying a process that was just beginning. That March, omnibus bill C38 gutted the Environmental Assessment Act and shifted the pipeline’s final approval to cabinet. The panel was no longer working on a decision, but a recommendation. Leggett navigated the resulting wave of opinions and emotion by avoiding the media altogether, which also negated the possibility that something reported—but not stated on the record—would stick with her. The process was somewhat isolating, she admits. That didn’t stop her from experiencing northern BC’s communities. “One thing I did a lot was get to a local yoga studio,” she says. “I always loved the yoga studios because once you enter, everyone is just who they are and you’re not wearing any titles or attachments.” It was Leggett’s first time on the northwest coast and she was impressed by residents’ openness and authenticity: “I would just go, ‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I need to appreciate it. I need to take it in for all that it’s providing for both the process as well as my own personal growth.’ “It’s an unbelievable area and I continue to feel very privileged that I had the opportunity to be there and meet so many people who chose to share their thoughts and experiences with us. It reinforced my belief in people. It was a very contentious item. People had very strong views one way or the other. “As an empathetic person, you feel the emotions. You also feel gratitude for the fact that people stepped up and felt at ease to share that with you. Then you take the key aspects of that and move it forward with the rest of the evidence.”
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FIRSTWORDS
“I would just go, ‘This is a once-in-alifetime experience. I need to appreciate it. I need to take it in for all that it’s providing for both the process as well as my own personal growth.’” – Sheila Leggett
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The panel submitted its recommendation in December 2013. The following June, the Harper government approved Northern Gateway. In June 2016, the Federal Court of Appeal overturned the decision. “Those are the checks and balances that are in place with the court system we have,” Leggett says. What did come from the hearings, she notes, is a vast record of local knowledge. “There was this intersection of traditional ecological knowledge and more science-based knowledge,” she says. “I’m really hoping this creates a solid foundation for the integration of social and environmental knowledge for the area going forward.” Plans got underway in January to review both the NEB and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. Leggett’s thoughts? Don’t muddy the waters with an ambiguous mandate. “When you have a decision like the Northern Gateway one being overturned based on a government reaction, you could put forward the premise
that maybe it shouldn’t be an arms-length agency at all,” she says, adding: “History would suggest that that hasn’t worked because it becomes too political.” Instead, she suggests an arms-length agency with a clear and regularly revisited mandate. It should be comprised of experts with proven judgment and given policy direction from government. Most importantly: “The board must retain the full lifecycle mandate, from cradle to grave,” she says. “You need to keep the accountability under one roof. It’s a big job to have that regulatory accountability, it’s a serious job, it’s something that as a Canadian I expect to have out of institutions like the NEB, and if you take apart the pieces I don’t think we can expect the level of accountability that we need to have in the institution.” — Amanda Follett Hosgood
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Perception Problem Prince George’s reputation for crime is a harsh reality for some and a bizarre background for others By Jo Boxwell
Winter I’m heavily pregnant and the icy walkways are keeping me housebound. Instead of exploring trails I’m glancing out of the window at a tree-lined neighbourhood and a distant mountain peak. I feel like a beached whale, but with more hip ache and, I imagine, considerably less distress. I spend too much time reading the local news, uncovering parts of my city that I haven’t actually witnessed in the couple of years I’ve lived here. Drug busts become a staple part of my local news consumption. In one of the first reports of the year, 1,000 needles are discovered in a downtown crack house. Two months earlier, the cops raided a similar establishment, occupied by 10,000 dirty needles and several children aged between 12 and 15 years old. It’s difficult to visualize what 10,000 needles look like, just laying around a house. It’s much harder to comprehend children living there. 16 March/April 2017
I haven’t experienced violence in my city, but the media reminds me that it can be a violent place. A woman is shot in Moore’s Meadow; the victim of an early morning attempted murder. I walk the dog there sometimes. It’s a pretty spot; a former pasture surrounded by trees and the open sky, the city around it completely hidden. The woman is still at risk, the police say. Perhaps she always has been. Like most other residents, I have no idea what that’s like. I am not at risk. I’m eating toast in a warm house with one hand resting on my abdomen as my baby kicks. The local paper transports me to another scenic part of the city: the Nechako River, known for its iconic cutbanks. It hits the headlines when a woman evades police capture by jumping on an ice floe. She drifts along for two kilometres before the cops catch up with her, by which point she has started a fire on her precarious raft in an apparent attempt to burn the evidence of her crimes.
photo: mangostock via Getty Images
T
he stories are familiar. I’d heard them before I’d even set foot in Prince George. They constitute part of the so-called “perception problem” this city suffers from.
i l l u s t r a t i o n : f a c u n d o g a s t i a z o ro
My son is born just a short drive from those crack houses, and that river.
Spring My son is born just a short drive from those crack houses, and that river. After two days of hospital care, we wrap him up and take him home in a ridiculously expensive car seat fitted with every conceivable safety feature. We gradually introduce our son to all of our favourite places. We go for walks around the local ski hill as the wildflowers begin to bloom. We spot a beaver swimming in the Hudson’s Bay Slough and inspect its teeth marks in the sawn-off trunks of young cottonwoods. Even sleepless nights occasionally have their advantages. On the eve of our first Mothers’ Day, my partner and I bundle up our little night owl and sit outside for a few minutes to watch the sky above us shift and shimmer. Admittedly, my camera captures it better than the naked eye, but the northern lights still look
majestic from our suburban home. During the few semi-awake moments that I have to myself, I get back into my local news habit. The city upholds the licence suspension of the Connaught Motor Inn, introduced in response to the neglect of the property and an excessive number of police callouts. The cops estimate they have had cause to visit the location several thousand times in only a handful of years. Assaults, alcohol, prostitution, drugs, theft—the usual suspects. The inn is spitting distance from city hall. The “perception problem” is a little too close to home.
Summer The media report the drug-related murder of a 30-year-old man gunned down in a residential neighbourhood. Just a couple of weeks earlier, a gunfight (also linked to drugs) caused a stray bullet to break through the window of a home where it narrowly missed a couple and their two children. My son naps through most of our first family picnic at Purden Lake. We bring the grandparents and an umbrella to protect him from the sun. Two opportunistic Steller’s jays keep an eye on proceedings. We attend our first pride parade, a big event for a boy with two moms. He sleeps through that, too. Maclean’s Magazine declares Prince George Canada’s third most dangerous city. It had previously held the top spot. The mayor responds with a comment to say the stats are skewed.
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Fall Northern BC breaks a troubling record: for the number of overdose deaths reached in the region in one year. Fentanyl accounts for at least 10 such deaths in Prince George by the end of September. A couple is charged with human trafficking, forcible confinement and sexual assault. They allegedly kept a woman against her will in a Highway 97 motel room and forced her into the sex trade. A 30-year-old woman escapes a brutal attack with life-threatening injuries after being kidnapped and driven down a remote forestry road. A father and son are charged with her attempted murder. My son turns six months old. He chatters away to us from his carrier as we explore the university trails. He loves watching the crisp leaves rustling in the trees.
The dog goes wild when we come across a big pile of fresh bear poo, and I’m glad we don’t meet the culprit. I’m thankful that poo is about the most dangerous thing we’ve come across so far this year. Winter A spate of arsons warms up three Prince George residences over the same number of days. No injuries are reported. Three men are arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a convenience store. Police investigate several vehicle thefts that took place over the course of one weekend, including a truck that ended up sliding down an embankment onto the frozen Fraser River. It gets so cold an ice jam begins to form on the
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Nechako, both spectacular and potentially dangerous. Thick, broken ice sheets erupt from the surface, forced upwards by the immense pressure beneath. All that moving water below has to find a way through somehow. The city is monitoring it closely, preparing to deal with an emergency situation, should one arise. In the meantime, local photographers rush in and snap incredible photos of the scene. They’re good at that— capturing the beauty of this town without the struggle, the way we like to view ourselves. We cut down our very own Christmas tree, something I’ve wanted to do since we moved here. It’s a perfectly symmetrical Norway spruce, but bald at the back. Hopefully no one will look too closely. None of us like being examined from unflattering angles, but sometimes it is necessary.
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mind mountains photos by Talon Gillis
T
he cold clouds wrapped themselves around me, obscuring the epic views and my sense of direction. I was alone on a steep icefield, ascending an unnamed peak in the far corner of northern BC, separated from my climbing partner by only a few hundred metres at most. But with the unbroken sheet of white surrounding me, it was the most alone and precarious I’ve ever felt. All I could see were my crampon-clad boots clinging to the ice; I heard nothing but my breath. So that’s what I focused on—finding rhythm between breath and step. Endlessly upward into nothingness. Many cultures around the world consider mountains sacred spaces, places where only the spirits dwell. Even those that don’t revere them in mythology or religion, hold mountains aloft as symbolically representative of an ideal, often connected with the human struggle to attain greatness. People who climb mountains are looked on as conquerors. And there is some truth to that notion. But no one conquers a mountain. Mountains are just there. Instead, those who go into the mountains come faceto-face with themselves. What happens next is up to each individual. When Terrace-based photographer, Talon Gillis proposed a photo essay focused on the psychological aspects of exploring the mountains of northern BC, I didn’t have to think about it—I just said yes. For one thing, Talon’s photographs are deeply
intimate and capture both the frailty and resilience of human nature. He has an uncanny ability to allow his subjects the space to open up and disclose their true natures. The other clincher is that he really knows the subject. He grew up hiking, climbing, and exploring the mountains of the north coast. His adventures have seen him “top-out” on innumerable peaks. But most appealing was his intent. What he really wanted to convey, he told me, is the empowering idea that “everyone deserves to enjoy the mountains”. Experience, skill level, and athleticism are all secondary to mental strength. His primary subject in the following photos is Freyah Mackenzie. As an inexperienced mountain traveller, she was an unlikely hiking partner for Talon. “Freyha has one asset that is far more valuable in my opinion than any amount of experience or training, and even more valuable than physical strength,” the photographer explained. “She is mentally strong and able to overcome all obstacles. In other words,” he added, “she is really, really stubborn and that is just the type of person I want to spend time in the mountains with.” But enough: as the iconic photographer Ansel Adams said, “A true photograph need not be explained, nor can it be contained in words.” — Matt J. Simmons March/April 2017
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The Grizzly Business Will the trophy hunt play a role in the upcoming provincial election?
By Dan Mesec 26 March/April 2017
A
Bear economics This high status in the animal kingdom comes with a cost. The majestic grizzly is so iconic to the Pacific Northwest that droves of people flock here each year, and pay tens of thousands of dollars to view them for pleasure and hunt them for sport. In the fall of 2016, BC NDP leader John Horgan pledged to the voters of BC that if his party were to form government in the upcoming provincial election, they would implement an all-out ban on the trophy hunt of grizzly bears. “It’s time for some leadership here,” Horgan said. “We can look after our natural environment, respect the outdoor traditions of this province and grow the economy if we make the right choices. That should start now with a change in how we treat the iconic grizzly bears of BC.” Although several polls, including Insights West’s 2016 survey, suggest more than
p h o t o : o u t y o n d e r p ro d u c t i o n s
One of BC’s iconic creatures, the grizzly bear is responsible for a significant portion of our province’s economy. The question is: should we shoot bears with guns or cameras, or both? Dan Mesec explores the complexities of this controversial and contentious subject.
couple of years ago, while filming a documentary deep in the wilderness of northern BC, I came face to face with one of British Columbia’s most iconic creatures: the grizzly bear. It was a profound experience that left an immense impression. These lumbering beasts embody the sheer power and grace of a great wilderness that can barely contain them. Although their dominance of the wild commands respect, they are simple, humble creatures. Emperors of the forest.
“The grizzly bear trophy hunt is really seen as the most symbolic travesty or injustice when it comes to general wildlife management. People are very supportive of subsistence hunting and properly managed food hunting, but when it comes to the trophy hunt, that’s when you see this huge jump in majority opposition.” – Ian MacAllister
90 percent of British Columbians oppose the killing of wildlife for sport, the grizzly bear trophy hunt continues to be one of the most coveted hunting adventures in the world. A typical grizzly hunt for non-resident hunters can fetch more than $25,000, not including the $1,030 species permit. As a resident hunter, you can only acquire a grizzly species licence, which will cost you $80, after winning a limited entry draw. But bear viewing and bear hunting aren’t the most harmonious practices. It can cause conflict in the bush and in the halls of the Legislature. And, although it’s not a top priority for them, the BC NDP wants voters to ask, “what is more valuable, a live bear, or a dead one?” It depends on where you look. The hunting industry in BC generates about $350 million in revenue for the government each year. The grizzly hunt accounts for about $7.5 million, most of which comes from resident hunters.
However, in the Great Bear Rainforest, which encompasses about 6.4 million hectares, bear viewing adventures generate around 500 direct jobs for coastal communities and more than $7 million in government revenue, compared to the $660,000 that guided grizzly bear hunts bring in. A 2014 report by the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) concluded that visitor expenditures for bear viewing tourists top out at $15.1 million making it one of the most sustainable ecotourism industries in British Columbia. Douglas Neasloss, a chief councillor for the Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation in Klemtu, says bear viewing businesses are rapidly growing on the coast and Spirit Bear Lodge, located on the traditional territory of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais, will soon be the largest employer in his community. “Right now the Spirit Bear Lodge is the second biggest industry in my community and is the fastest growing,” Neasloss says. “Last year we employed about 50 people, everything from boat operators to hotel
staff and guides. A number of years ago forestry was the largest employer up here and mostly dominated by males. But with the diversity tourism creates we’re hiring men, women, even youth. In the next year or two it will probably be the biggest industry in the community.” Although more than 80 percent of the Great Bear Rainforest has been protected from large-scale logging, that protection doesn’t extend to trophy hunting. Neasloss says because hunting bears in the GBR is largely wide open, it can cause a lot of conflict with bear viewing operations, some of which have even come across bear carcasses that were left behind. “I had clients from all around the world out there; they paid for a bear viewing trip and as we walked along the estuary I saw something in the river,” Neasloss says. “I thought it was a seal. We walked over and it was a dead bear—his head and paws were chopped off, and those were the remains that were left behind.”
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To ban or not to ban? One of the loudest voices calling for a ban on the trophy hunting of grizzly bears is Ian McAllister. The world-renowned photographer and executive director of Pacific Wild, a non-profit conservation organization located on Denny Island, has lived and worked in the Great Bear Rainforest for more than two decades. Although he says there is room for the harvesting of bears for sustenance purposes, the ban on trophy hunting is the only option to ensure a sustainable future for such an iconic species. “It’s been a long time coming to get to this position politically in BC,” McAllister says. “This is really one of the most controversial wildlife/environmental issues and I absolutely believe this will be an election issue. It will change the voting dynamic in the province and it’s going to be very much a centre piece of debate in the run up to the spring election.” Over the last decade numerous polls have been conducted on this issue, maybe more than any other in BC. And although the majority of British Columbians have consistently opposed the trophy hunt of any animal, McAllister says most don’t feel the same way if wildlife is being harvested for consumption. “The grizzly bear trophy hunt is really seen as the most symbolic travesty or injustice when it comes to general wildlife management,” he says. “So people are opposed to the killing of animals for sport or for gratuitous pleasure. People are very supportive of subsistence hunting and properly managed food hunting, but when it comes to the
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trophy hunt, that’s when you see this huge jump in majority opposition.” There are an estimated 15,000 grizzlies left in the province, which the government claims is a “stable, self-sustaining” population. However, some estimate that number could be as low as 6,000. And in certain parts of the province grizzlies are more predominant. Those numbers are still up for debate, according to Pacific Wild. A study conducted by researchers at Simon Fraser University found that not enough data was available to determine exactly how many grizzlies roam throughout BC. And, because of the uncertainty, current government hunting quotas are not sustainable. A more recent study conducted by BC government scientists, published in November 2016, concluded that the current grizzly populations are stable and grizzly hunt allocations are sustainable. But, to put this in perspective, if the growth rate of grizzly populations suddenly came to a halt (which is highly unlikely), it would take less than 50 years to wipe out all the grizzlies in the province at the present harvest rate of 300-400 a year. Jim Glaicar, president of the BC Wildlife Federation, says his organization is dedicated to wildlife management but wouldn’t support an all-out ban on the grizzly hunt because the decision isn’t backed up by sound science. Glaicar has assurances from
photo: matt j. simmons
BC laws require hunters to harvest and use meat when killing black bears. While some guides do the same for grizzlies taken by trophy hunters, there is no legal requirement.
photo: courtesy spatsizi wilderness
Ray Collingwood is a recipient of Northern BC Tourism’s “Protector Award” for his legacy of conservation work in the Spatsizi region, and beyond.
Collingwood ensures no part of any kill is wasted and he and his team strive to make sure animals are harvested in the most humane manner possible. Although he originally landed in the Spatsizi to follow his passion of fly-fishing, guided hunts is what keeps the doors open.
Horgan that the NDP will allow grizzly hunting to continue as long as the meat is harvested. “Our membership believes that we should manage our wildlife on science,” Glaicar says. “If there is science that dictates that any hunt of any species should not continue because of conservation concerns, then we’ll be the first ones to say, ‘let’s stop harvesting’. In this case, we have yet to see that science.” Glaicar admits BC’s funding model to manage wildlife is broken and that $2.4 million a year is not enough to support conservation efforts through the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF). “I would encourage our [political] parties to quit focusing on hot button political items and look after wildlife, which would mean proper funding models and then we can go get data and science to ensure that wildlife is there for everyone.” Bill Jex, a wildlife biologist with the BC government in Smithers, says in terms of general wildlife management in the province, it’s unrealistic to exclude grizzly bears
from those practices. “It would be odd for us, I think, to not have some aspect of management for grizzly bears going forward over the long-term,” Jex says, “when we manage moose and we manage caribou. The Skeena Region is really the last wild part of the province. We have areas here where you can still go and you don’t see a road, or a power line or a pipeline, but that’s not the reality in the majority of the province.”
Where the grizzlies roam Along the Spatsizi Wilderness Plateau, about 450 km north of Terrace, long time guide outfitter and bush pilot, Ray Collingwood, says in his 45 years of guiding he’s never seen so many grizzlies in one place. The Collingwoods’ operation is legendary, offering some of the most sought-after wilderness adventures in the world. Collingwood ensures no part of any kill is wasted and he and his team strive to make sure animals are harvested in the most humane manner possible. Although he
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The Khutzeymateen sees thousands of people every year coming to view bears in one of the most pristine ecosystems on the coast. What keeps Hahn going is knowing there are life changing moments when his clients see a wild grizzly for the first time.
originally landed in the Spatsizi to follow his passion of fly-fishing, guided hunts is what keeps the doors open. “I started with fishing clients but realized after I paid all my bills I wasn’t paying myself, I was going broke,” says Collingwood. “So I had to look for a guiding area. Now, we probably have one of the biggest adventure tourism businesses than any other guide outfitter. We have fly-fishing, we do hunts and without those hunts there wouldn’t be a fly-fishing business because we would not be able to build that infrastructure that those fishermen expect. They want the comforts.” The Collingwoods have deep knowledge of the territory in which they operate. They’ve even provided vital information for SFU studies on wildlife populations in the area. He says the grizzly numbers in the Spatsizi have probably doubled in his 45 years of guiding and that BC can’t manage healthy ungulate populations without harvesting predators too. “Some of the most highly regarded biologists with
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years of experience in the field, and research fellows who have collared these bears and the ungulates, know the story,” Collingwood writes in an email. “How can we have a hunt for the ungulates and not hunt the predators? You have to manage both and at this stage the worst thing would be to stop the grizzly hunt as those bears will continue to reduce the ungulate population.” Black-market bears Each year the provincial government issues about 3,000 grizzly permits, but on average only about 300 are killed annually. A David Suzuki Foundation report from 2010 found that between 1977 and 2009, 11,000 grizzly bears had been harvested. The majority, about 87 percent, were killed legally, but the report suggests 1,516 were illegally killed. Although it’s rare that authorities uncover black-market bear trafficking, trading and selling bear hides is perfectly legal in BC
as long as you have the proper permits and tags. Sarah Railton, a resident of Terrace, was somewhat shocked when she walked into a store last spring and saw a grizzly claw in the jewellery case selling for nearly $1,200. “I happened to come across a grizzly bear claw that was for sale,” Railton said. “I went through the appropriate avenues and talked with the conservation officers and they informed me that it was legal and that [the store] had all the appropriate paperwork.” Kevin Nixon, a conservation officer stationed in Smithers, has spent the last 27 years patrolling the northwest region. He says, under the Wildlife Act there are provisions to legally sell the complete hide of a grizzly. But separating parts of the bear for sale is illegal. “Some of the provisions are they cannot remove the paws or the claws and sell those as a separate item and they cannot export those items,” Nixon says. “Things
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like the gallbladder are sought-after items from bears and the Wildlife Act covers that. Meaning you cannot posses a bear gall separate from the carcass. Period.” Nixon says the northwest is a popular destination for grizzly hunters because the population is fairly healthy so they haven’t experienced a decline in grizzly harvests. Although it’s not that common, throughout his career Nixon has had to deal with illegal trafficking and killings of grizzlies. “We’ve had lots of grizzlies that were harvested without limited entries over the years. My staff probably deal with at least half a dozen cases a year. Not all of those are going to come to a conclusion and a conviction. But, definitely we have a lot of unsolved files as well.” Guns vs. cameras It remains to be seen whether or not the ban on the trophy hunt of grizzlies will be enough of a political issue to warrant a significant number of new votes for the NDP. Even the NDP’s spokesperson for tourism, Spencer Chandra Herbert, admits this isn’t a top priority, but that they’ve heard from the tourism industry and recognize there are more economic benefits from a living grizzly than from a dead one. “This is not the issue you’d run a campaign on, this is one issue we know folks in the tourism sector are pretty supportive of, but it’s not the hot button issue,” Chandra
Herbert says. “But we support this and we’re proud to support this because we think it will increase tourism dollars and jobs in every part of the province.” That belief is echoed by Jamie Hahn, founder and lead guide of the Khutzeymateen Wilderness Lodge, just north of Prince Rupert. Hahn is heading into his second year of operation at the lodge and says he already has twice as many bookings as last year. “We had roughly 240 people last year, both day tours and overnight,” Hahn says. “We weren’t at capacity so there’s room to grow. It definitely has potential to be a financially successful business but it will take three to five years to reach that.” The Khutzeymateen sees thousands of people every year coming to view bears in one of the most pristine ecosystems on the coast. After more than 20 years managing parks for BC Parks, Hahn decided to take over the Khutzeymateen Wilderness Lodge because of his love for such an amazing environment. What keeps him going is knowing there are life changing moments when his clients see a wild grizzly for the first time. “It’s like you’re seeing another part of life again but through someone else’s eyes,” he says. “I’ve had people in tears watching cubs play and nurse. People are just left with a great appreciation for nature and what’s being protected in the Khutzeymateen— it’s an incredible experience.”
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TRAIL MAP
Blue Geranium: Trails and Pipelines A different approach to backcountry exploration words & map by Morgan Hite
How often do you go to “do” a trail? Have you had the experience of hiking or
snowshoeing so fast that you don’t really notice where you are? Some outdoors enthusiasts in the Bulkey Valley have noticed this tendency in themselves, and are deliberately exploring an alternative way of being in the woods, one that emphasizes the experience of the place over the experience of the trail. A trail can be a barrier to perceiving place. It focuses our attention on a certain preordained corridor. Like a pipeline, it channels us, and our experience. For this reason the Friends of Blue Geranium (FBG) are advancing an idea for a small snowshoeing area near the junction of Old Babine Road and new Babine Road. Although they’ve been exploring this area for several winters, they’re not flagging trails. “The purpose of FBG,” says Ray Chipeniuk, a founding member, “is to encourage outdoor recreation which is predominantly about encountering natural things, rather than human artifacts or social interaction.”
Of course off-trail exploration is not for everyone. The amount of attention one has to pay is not just double, but perhaps 10 times more. Every contour of landscape, every slight change in forest—an oddly-shaped tree, the presence of a stream—all need to be noted and assembled into a larger coherent picture, merely so you can find your way back. These are advanced skills, not for beginning hikers, who may find just staying on a trail challenging. It is the hiker completely comfortable with the flagged route, one who perhaps finds the trail no longer wakes her up, who may want to jump out of the pipeline and begin looking at the landscape in a different way. There are more questions FBG would like to pose. How do large groups affect our experience of place? What’s the effect of intending to get to a certain destination? What are the ethics around flagging or publicizing your route—and how does this change the experience for those who come next? In what way do dogs joining a hiking excursion alter the experience? If you assign names to meadows, lakes, streams
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Friends of Blue Geranium invite you to imagine exploring without trails, noting how that alters your experience of the landscape.
and peaks, what are you taking away from people who come later? When we set up a trailhead, how does that distort the landscape in people’s minds? If we are flagging a route, are we doing it just so we can get somewhere else faster? If our culture builds too many roads, is it possible we are also building too many trails? If these kinds of questions strike a chord, FBG would like to hear from you (send an email to
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chipeniuk@xplornet.com). FBG members are, as well, happy to accompany you out on a first Blue Geranium trip. It bears saying: away from trails, it is quite easy to get lost! Practising these ethics is purely voluntary. The Blue Geranium area is not a special reserve, or a piece of land with some kind of special designation. It’s just a typical piece of public land with evidence of old
logging and bulldozer use. The idea is to explore the Idea. For all these reasons, the map here has no trail on it, no trailhead and no feature names. Blue Geranium itself has no actual boundaries. It lacks all those handrails we are used to. It is supposed to provoke a bit of discomfort. Where do I start? Ah...
BackWords
books dave eggers Heroes of the Frontier, Knopf Canada, 2016
This book depressed the hell out of me. Following a mother and her two small children on a chaotic journey around Alaska, the reader is embedded inside mom’s head as she tries to justify her actions and escape from her past. Their trip in an ancient RV takes them across an Alaskan landscape plagued by wildfires and odd characters. Her moods vary continually, often related to how much wine she’s drunk. “A tipsy parent,” Josie tells herself, “is all love and no restraint.” And yes, Eggers—best known for his memoir
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius— laces the pages with sardonic humour. Scenes of Josie’s kids—Ana, a precocious whirlwind prone to break anything and everything wherever they go, and Paul, slightly older and serious, like a miniature stand-in for the absent father— make you both cringe and smile. But what makes this book stand out is its brutal honesty. Honesty about human fallibility and honesty about the North, how it can be both beautiful and ugly at the same time. Which, if you think about it, is maybe a bit like life. — Matt J. Simmons March/April 2017
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BACKWORDS
art transitions
film braid films
Sarah Northcott & Kristin Charleton
Eyes of Society, Braid Films, 2017
A walk through the Smithers Art Gallery finds photos that feel like paintings and paintings that feel like brushed metal. Water is a mutual theme, as is abstraction of the natural world. Transitions is a surprising joint show ending March 4. Photographer Kristin Charleton and painter Sarah Northcott teamed up to present new works, which may be many visitors’ first exposure to their art. It’s well worth your time to see the show and watch for more to come from both. You can find Northcott at sarahnorthcott.com and Charleton at kristincharleton.com The pieces have a fresh modern feel, full of colour—a welcome contrast to a monotone winter’s day. The real surprise is how well the two artists present a pleasing, uniform show, despite their diverse approaches. Transitions is an unexpected warm breath of air on a cold winter’s morning, a hint of the spring to come. — Mark Tworow
Just as short stories can contain a depth of feeling and a wealth of knowledge, short films can stir emotional response and provoke curiosity. Eyes of Society sees filmmakers Allison Smith and Joseph Crawford (braidfilms.com) follow artists W. David Ward, Andrew Sookrah, Anja Karisik, Gary Landon, Sophie Lavoie and April White (Sgaana Jaad) on a 14-day kayak trip to the ancient Haida village of SGang Gwaay in Gwaii Hanaas National Park. You might expect a seven-minute film covering a 14-day trip to feel rushed. This short documentary is anything but. Its languid pace perfectly reflects the scenes shot: underwater kelp beds in ethereal light, the verdant village site, glassy water punctuated by kayakers. We hear the artists share their perspectives on the role of art in contemporary culture and throughout history, on life and landscape. We see nature, people, and of course art—and maybe we see these things overlap. Best of all, we feel the slowness and for seven minutes we forget time entirely. And it feels great. — Matt J. Simmons
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4630 Park Ave., Terrace (across from Dairy Queen) 250.615.0419 . 1.877.775.3535 Tues. to Sat. 9am-5pm
Community Futures Nadina
Growing communities–one idea at a time Serving Burns Lake, Granisle, Houston, Smithers, Telkwa, Topley and area. Office open by appointment in Smithers now at 3876 Broadway Ave. 250.845.2522 cfnadina.ca find us on facebook at CF Nadina
Little House Antiques
Antiques and more
Happy Pig Organic Farm
Organic meats, fruit & veggies Based in Telkwa, we offer weekly delivery between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Contact us for details. 250.846.5989 happypigorganicfarm.com
Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition
Kick-ass conservation for a wild Skeena!
“Cultivating a sustainable future from a sustainable environment rooted in our culture and thriving wild salmon ecosystem.” P.O. Box 70, Hazelton, BC, V0J 1Y0 250.842.2494 skeenawatershed.com
Antiques, Second Look Pieces, Fine Art, Jewelry, Pottery, Vintage Toys, First Nation Fine Art, Country Chic Paints, & Stencils.... Two downtown TERRACE locations: George Little House, 3100 Kalum St. Antiques, Artisans & Oddities, 4626 Park Ave. www.littlehouseantiques.ca Facebook.com/AntiquesArtisansOddities
Northword swag!
We’ve got you covered... Keep an eye on us online for some literary-themed goodies.
March/April 2017
37
RESOURCE DIRECTORY
m ar ketp lace
accommodation Cozy, self-contained suite with fully equipped kitchen, king-size bedroom alcove, hide-a-bed, and free wi-fi.
in Historic Old Hazelton
50 seat heritage style banquet room & commercial kitchen available for meetings, workshops, and family gatherings.
COZY, SELF-CONTAINED, SUITE www.lovethehazeltons.com . 778-202-0414 with fully equipped kitchen, king-size bedroom alcove, hide-a-bed, free wi-fi
a c c o&uCOMMERCIAL n t ing/ l eKITCHEN g al
50 SEAT HERITAGE STYLE BANQUET ROOM
available for meetings workshops and family gatherings
see more Âť www.lovethehazeltons.com 778-202-0414 or gailljenne@gmail.com
r eal estate
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38 March/April 2017
& Last Word
p h o t o : c re a t i v e c o m m o n s
I’m from Terrace.
When I drive up the Skeena River valley I try to time my passing to the days and hours that the bakery is open in New Hazelton. They have good coffee and good baking to go with it. They have great bread. If I am fortunate, I pass by on one of the days when they bake the darkest, densest, bestest rye bread I have ever eaten. I can make a loaf last a week and I savour every slice like a sacrament. But delightful as all their baked products are, as I leave, climbing the hill out of town, it is the thought of the people back in that bakery that warms me, that nourishes me more than what I am holding in my
hand, be it cookie, muffin or cinnamon roll. I wonder what it must feel like to create such goodness and pass it over the counter so many times each day, like quiet blessings. What must it feel like to make nothing but good things? I imagine those loaves and buns and scones going into people’s cars and travelling up and down the highway, into the villages, into homes, onto kitchen tables, each package bringing the pleasures of taste and texture, the sustaining goodness of meals shared or taken for the journey. What do you want on your toast? Can I make you a sandwich for lunch? Would you like bread with your soup? Yes.
It makes me smile to think about it and that seems fitting as it’s the proffered smiles that pull me in the door, that welcome me at the counter every time I come, that lighten and warm the small talk, the ritual exchange of over-the-counter conversation: “What would you like today?” It is the smiles, I firmly believe, that leaven every loaf as they warm every heart. The cinnamon bun goes before I pass Seeley Lake. The last sip of coffee disappears well before Kitwanga. It is the small, gentle smiles that last all the way home. — Robert Hart
March/April 2017
39
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