a lt e r n a t i v e + l o c a l + i n d e p e n d e n t //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
t h e ja s p e r l o ca l .c o m
monday, june 1, 2015 // issue 50
THIRSTY WORK// INITIAL ATTACK FIRE CREW MEMBER BEAU MICHAUD IS ALL SMILES AFTER WATCHING MOUNT GREENOCK IGNITE AS PART OF PARKS CANADA’S VINE CREEK PRESCRIBED BURN MAY 23.// BOB COVEY
Parks pumps the brakes on group RVing PARKS CANADA’S PROPOSAL TO CREATE GROUP RECREATIONAL VEHICLE (RV) CAMPING NEAR THE JASPER AIRSTRIP HAS BEEN GROUNDED BEFORE IT COULD TAKE OFF. The agency still has plans to upgrade the day-use area—now officially known as Athabasca Terrace Day Use area—but the idea to create a group RV site has been nixed, according to Jasper National Park’s superintendent. “It wouldn’t have met the full demand,” Greg Fenton said. “[RV users] typically want access to full services.” In December, Jasperite Ursula Winkler made that very case. “People who arrive with big RVs don’t want to use outhouses,” Winkler told The Jasper Local. “They want water, shower facilities, toilets and power. When you pull an RV, you want a plug in.”
Instead, Parks Canada is reviewing how it might accommodate group RV camping at other sites. At recent Mountain Park level meetings, Parks Canada consulted with RV users. “We want to take a broader view and find out how we can meet this growing demand,” Fenton said. It’s possible that full service sites at Whistlers, Wapiti and Wabasso campgrounds could be modified to accommodate group RV campers. Currently, however, there is no way for groups of RVers to even book a shared space, nor will there be in 2015. Fenton said the earliest timeline would be next summer. The Athabasca Terrace Day Use Area upgrades include fencing to protect grasslands from vehicle and pedestrian traffic, signs, fire pit gravelling, hardening of the parking area as well as the installation of fencing, benches and arbour to delineate a wedding site. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
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page A2 // the jasper local // issue 50 // monday, june 1, 2015
editorial //
Local Vocal OOPS, SORRY! IS MY BUTT IN YOUR BREAKFAST WRAP? The municipality’s sidewalk seating pilot project is officially underway. Last week, Jasper eateries experimented with patio-like extensions of their restaurants. So far, only a handful of business owners rolled out the new seating plans, so it may be a bit early to cast judgement … but that has hardly stopped us before, so let’s get out the gavel, shall we? The problem is, no matter which way you slice it, there’s not a lot of room on our sidewalks. Inevitably, there will be conflicts and eventually, someone is going to be wearing someone else’s sandwich. Locals like their bikes, chariots and dog walks. Meanwhile, tourists, bless them, are on holiday. Think it’s difficult getting to that hair appointment now? Throw in a crowd of lallygagging ice cream cone eaters and several patio sets and you won’t even need your hair cut— you’ll have torn it out in frustration. The other thing I can’t help dread if I imagine myself in the sandals of a sidewalk sitter is a sudden storm. Enjoying a cold drink on a hot day while gazing at the Rocky Mountain vistas sounds great until the sky suddenly turns black and the wind whips up. Even if you do save the menus from blowing away and the food from getting hailed on, what sort of maitre’d nightmare are folks going to have on hand when the entire patio demands to be sat indoors where all the tables are full? Finally, I’m not so sure that service levels won’t suffer if more demands are placed on restaurant staff. Jasper is already looking at being stretched thinner than ever when it comes to filling our front line positions this summer. If your restaurant can pull it off, kudos, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that more seats equal less five star Trip Advisor reviews. Let me be clear: I hope I’m wrong with my sidewalk seating cynicism. I hope that cyclists will stick to the road, we’ll have perfect weather (and no bugs) and restaurant staff will have the smoothest shifts ever as they look after the most satisfied guests. But the server in me has his doubts. That said, I think there may be a benefit to this trial balloon which outweighs all the potential hangups: that is, starting the conversation to create another pilot project. Yes, I’m talking about a pedestrian-friendly, car-free 600 block of Patricia Street. There. I said it. Now get out your own gavel! bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
Pipeline activist warns against bribes Dear Editor, Some mayors and councils in your region appear ready to accept cash offers from Kinder Morgan, before Canadians have even said yes or no to the expansion of their pipeline. According to their website, Kinder Morgan is proposing “to compensate for the disruption” during pipeline construction in Hinton ($250,000) and Edson ($300,000). In Langley, B.C., major and council has refused this money to date, some citizens even calling it a bribe. I can only conclude that the Kinder Morgan “community benefits program” is indeed a bribe, to
try to “manufacture consent” for the new pipeline. What is telling is that for Jasper, where much of the pipeline expansion is already completed, no cash is being offered by Kinder Morgan. As a businessman and as an enjoyer of the outdoors of the Jasper area I can see only negative economic benefits coming from this tar sands pipeline. In fact, the proposed new pipe is not for Canadians at all; Kinder Morgan is a Texas-based company supplying China with tar sands bitumen. Tar sands bitumen is the worst polluting of all oils. cont. on next page...
The Jasper Local //
Jasper’s independent alternative newspaper 780.852.9474 • thejasperlocal.com • po box 2046, jasper ab, t0e 1e0
Published on the 1st and 15th of each month Editor / Publisher
Bob Covey..........................................................................................bob@thejasperlocal.com
Art Director
Nicole Gaboury........................................................................nicole@thejasperlocal.com
reporter
brittany carl.........................................................................brittany@thejasperlocal.com
Advertising + sales
rachel bailey.............................................................................rachel@thejasperlocal.com
cartoonist
deke......................................................................................................deke@thejasperlocal.com facebook.com/thejasperlocal
@thejasperlocal
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Local politics//
monday, june 1, 2015 // issue 50 // the jasper local// page A3
Election year much? Federal government trumpets its support of Jasper x 3 The program will support up to 1,800 projects across Canada. The deadline to apply is June 17. As well, Parks Day is getting a boost from federal arts and heritage coffers. A new fund, called the The annual festivities, presented by the Friends of Canada 150 Community InJasper National Park, will frastructure Program, lends be propped up with $10,000 support to community infrom the Building Comfrastructure which provides community and cultural ben- munities Through Arts and efits for the public, according Heritage program, Eglinski’s office announced last month. to a press release. Projects that may be eligible Parks Day takes place July 18. 2015 marks the 25th aninclude community centres, Royal Canadian Legions, mu- niversary of the event. seums, parks, trails, libraries The Friends host a number of outdoor experiences includand recreational facilities.
Jasper organizations are being encouraged by MP Jim Eglinski’s office to apply for federal funding.
ing music, arts, crafts, hikes and cultural teachings. Finally, Jasper’s francophone culture is getting a $100,000 shot in the arm over two years from the federal government. The Association canadiennefrançaise de l’Alberta (ACFA) will receive $50,000 to support programming, including French classes for adults, local festivals and celebrations, and French-language information services to residents and visitors. This support is being provided through the Development of Official-Languages Communities Program.
Table for one? // Steve Brake gets a look at sidewalk seating on Patricia Street. Coco’s Café was one of the first restaurants to roll out their “patio” as part of the municipality’s 2015 pilot project. Time will tell if the concept works. // bob covey
There have been many spills on the Trans Mountain pipeline and their will be many more, A spill would coat the local streams and lakes—and as we know from the Alaska and the this is just another statistic. I can forward a Kalamazoo spills, this oil would be unrecoverable summary report of these past spills to concerned citizens (my email is davidellis@lightspeed.ca). and would kill the rivers and streams for a Yours Sincerely, David Ellis, Vancouver generation or more. Fish, wildlife and birds would be heavily affected.
Letters cont...
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page B1 // the jasper local // issue 50 // monday, June 1, 2015
Local community //
Fondo organizers urging athletes to get in gear Organizers of the Jasper Gran Fondo and Triathlon are hoping to make a lasting impression on the community.
program, Community Outreach Services. Participants who sign up for the Fondo have three distance options: the Gran Fondo is
Trevor Soll with Multisports Canada is
a 165 km ride; the Medio
reminding locals that funds raised at the
Fondo is a 100 km ride; and
event will go to the Jasper Community Team.
the Piccolo Fondo is 65 km.
He is also urging athletes to sign up for the event.
Similarly, the Triathlon has
“We’re hoping to get a good push of people
Tri-It options for those who
signing up soon,” Soll said. “It’s easier for us
don’t want to commit to the
to plan if we have our numbers confirmed as
full race.
early as possible.”
Saturday’s road rides will
The Gran Fondo takes place June 13; the Triathlon
centre on Highway 93A;
takes place the following day. Both events offer
Sunday’s Triathlon will be
options for beginners to try the sports.
based out of the Jasper
“These events are family-focused and open to
Aquatic Centre and take riders
all ability levels,” Soll said. “It’s about fitness
and runners up the Pyramid
and fun and having a great day.”
Lake Road.
In exchange for a portion of Multisports
Soll said for locals, being part
Canada’s event profits, the Jasper
of an event such as a Fondo
Community Team is recruiting the race days’
or Triathlon is a new way to
volunteers.
experience familiar places.
“People should know about the local charity
“It’s a large group, there’s a
component,” Soll said. “It’s one way for the
festival atmosphere,” he said.
race to give back to the community.”
“You’re pushing yourself
The Jasper Community Team is a unique
against someone you normally
network of agencies, organizations and
wouldn’t.”
individuals collaborating to improve the quality of life in the community of Jasper. Programs operated by the JCT include the Caring Community Fund, the Wilderness Access Program and the JCT’s flagship
To sign up as a racer or as a volunteer, visit: Granfondo-jasper.ca. Bob Covey //bob@thejasperlocal.
Warren Van Asten, in orange, is one of a handful of Jasper road cyclists signed up for the Jasper Gran Fondo June 13// NICOLE GABOURY
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Local employment//
monday, june 1, 2015 // issue 50 // the jasper local// page B2
Foreign workers lost in the shuffle Pavla Sevcikova doesn’t want to leave Jasper.
Her friends don’t want her to leave. Neither do her co-workers. And certainly Sevcikova’s boss at the Athabasca Hotel doesn’t want her to leave, either. “She’s a keeper,” Darcy Carroll said. “She’s a very valuable employee.” But according to the offices of Canadian Immigration and Citizenship, as of June 10, Pavla has got to go. It doesn’t matter how valuable of an employee she is. Her assimilation into the community has no bearing on her status. All that matters to CIC is that on June 10, her papers expire. “It’s really frustrating,” she said. It wasn’t always this way. Having come to Jasper in 2012 on an open work permit, the 26-year-old Czech had a fairly typical—if expedited—path in Jasper. She started out in housekeeping, living in staff accommodation before finding a better job and a better place to live. Her hard work and reliability put her in good standing with her employer who, in the spring of 2013, rewarded Sevcikova with a two-year work permit after obtaining a positive LMO (Labour Market Opinion) and demonstrating that her services were needed. A year or so ago, things were rolling along pretty nicely. Although Sevcikova knew that to qualify for permanent residency she’d have to carefully follow Canadian Immigration and Citizenship rules, she and her boyfriend were prepared to do just that. They diligently documented their working hours, created all sorts of official paper trails—on leases, at the bank— and followed to the letter CIC instructions on their residency application forms. “We felt like we were smart, we were working on this early,” she said. Then, in 2014, everything changed. Canadian fast food chains got busted for faking a need for temporary
foreign workers. What followed was a country-wide lockdown on positive LMOs (now called Labour Market Impact Assessments). Employers were obliged to hire Canadians and the government was going to ensure no more TFWs got fast tracked. The reasons for the changes were convoluted, but for Sevcikova, the problem was depressingly simple. Hers was not a position which would be viewed as difficult to fill by CIC. Her boss knew it. She knew it, too. But in Jasper, any job is a hard job to fill. Which is why the Athabasca Hotel applied for a positive labour assessment for Sevcikova’s position, despite the odds against obtaining one. “We exhausted all possibilities,” Carroll said. “I spent several thousands of dollars trying to retain her.” Beyond his fondness for Sevcikova, Carroll knows full well the realities of the work force market in Jasper. Canadians simply don’t want the types of jobs that people from the Czech Republic, or the Philippines, or Mexico, are willing to take. “They can sit here and say you have to hire Canadians but I’ve had an ad posted for a year and I’ve had two Canadians apply for it. Neither one of them could pass a criminal record check,” Carroll said. Meanwhile, for Sevcikova, the writing was on the wall. The changes at CIC meant one thing: “We were screwed,” she said. Her only hope, she thought, was through Alberta’s provincial nominee program, which, if her nomination was approved, could then be used to apply for residency to CIC. Unfortunately, Sevcikova wasn’t the only foreign worker in Alberta with this thought. After the LMIA changes, processing times with the provincial nominee program jumped from six to 15 months. “I don’t have that much time left on my work permit,” she said. “Who does?” Today, as Sevcikova watches the calendar turn to June, she wonders about her future. She knows that she could go back to the Czech Republic and apply for
another work permit, and if she got it, that the AthaB would welcome her back. But she is also starting to feel like she wants to put roots down somewhere. She doesn’t want to live “temporarily” anymore. “I really want to start my life here, I’ve got money saved up,” she says. Even if she did go another route—applying for trade school, for example—Sevcikova isn’t confident that the money she’d spend there wouldn’t be in vain. “I’d be worried they’d change the rules again,” she said. Bob Covey //bob@thejasperlocal.com
Despite her efforts to work within Canada’s immigration system, Pavla Sevcikova will have to return to the Czech republic // Bob Covey
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page b3+B4 // the jasper local // issue 50 // Monday, june 1, 2015
LOCAL FEATURE // WHERE THERE’S SMOKE...
780.883.0773
swilson.jasper@gmail.com
A ROARING SU
VINE CREEK PRESCRIBED FIRE TAKES THE HEAT OFF SITTING SHOTGUN IN A PARKS CANADA PASSENGER VAN ON THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 23, KIM WEIR WAS BOUNCING IN HER SEAT.
were alerted late on May 22 to an uncontrolled fir
at the east end of Jasper National Park; a CN train
engine had sparked a one hectare wildfire. Fire an
vegetation specialist Dave Smith said the fire had the potential to do major damage.
“Had the wind been heavy and had it been blowin
As the vehicle rounded a corner to an open meadow, she spotted what she’d been hoping for. “I see smoke!” she said, clapping her hands.
“Protecting white bark pine and creating a good bed surface for that endangered species was one of our objectives.”
Weir’s jubilance was understandable. For her and the rest of Jasper National Park’s fire management team, smoke on Mount Greenock had been a long time coming. After 11 years of planning, finally, on May 23, a perfect combination of fuel moisture levels, wind and weather patterns came together to enable the burning of 500 hectares of the Vine Creek area. The area is 20 km north of the Jasper townsite; planners had wanted to create a fire guard there but for the last eight years were shut down by less-than-ideal burning conditions. “When you put fire on the landscape you need those exact conditions,” Weir said. At the 11th hour, however, the Vine Creek prescribed fire almost didn’t happen again. Fire crews
from the west [the fire] would have been knocking on the province’s door,” Smith said. Fortunately, the winds were light. Tankers, called
from the province, air-dropped fire retardant on th
flames and a skeleton crew monitored the wildfire
until it was extinguished. Meanwhile, the window
for Vine Creek was getting smaller. Saturday wou have to be the day, forecasts were showing. “It can take years for conditions to align,” Weir said. As Parks Canada managers and initial attack fire
crews watched from the staging grounds near the
Snaring warden station, a small helicopter carryin
a heli torch dripped a napalm-like mixture of die-
On May 23, JNP’s fire management team finally got the chance to ignite the Vine Creek prescribed burn. At left, Init the heli torch apparatus; Centre, Beau Michaud and Clayton Praill survey the blaze from the snaring stagin
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feature //
PHOTOS + STORY BY: BOB COVEY
UCCESS
F VEGETATION MANAGERS
re
sel, gasoline and highly flammable gelling agents
n
onto the southern slopes of Mount Greenock. With
nd
Smith in the Incident Command post high above in
d
another helicopter, fire specialist Randy Fingland controlled the fire’s ignition pattern.
ng
“You want to control the spread of the fire and its intensity,” Smith said. And it was intense. Ten storey-high flames could be seen from the staging area. A mushroom cloud of smoke billowed into the atmosphere. Still, the fire was behaving as Parks Canada had planned—it didn’t jump over the ridge of Mount Greenock into the densely-forested Snake Indian Valley, nor did
g
it threaten the white bark pine stands in the mountain’s alpine zones.
in
“Protecting white bark pine and creating a good
he
bed surface for that endangered species was one of
e
our objectives,” Smith said.
w
Other objectives included putting a major road-
uld
block in the easterly spread of mountain pine beetle and restoring the open Douglas fir savannahs of Jasper National Park. Four days after the prescribed fire, it seemed as though all of the team’s goals had been met. How-
e
ever, with crews still engaged in mopping up ef-
ng
forts, Smith was reluctant to celebrate just yet.
-
“Not until the fire is out,” he said.
tial attack crew members load another barrel of “napalm” onto ng area; right, the column of smoke rises into the atmosphere. //
Kim Weir started with fire management in 2007, the first year Vine Creek was planned to burn.
A burning
DESIRE FIRE CYCLES TAKE PLACE AS OFTEN AS EVERY 5-10 YEARS in an undisturbed forest ecosystem but when Europeans created the first incarnation of Jasper National Park, in 1907, officials were quick to suppress any fire on the landscape. Seventy-plus years of that practice left Jasper National Park with a dearth of grasslands—habitat which is important for many species of wildlife, including large mammals. Moreover, the dense forests which grew as a result of our history of fire suppression actually created much larger wildfire threats to human infrastructure and communities. According to fire information officer Kim Weir, prescribed burning first started in Jasper in 1983. In the late 1980s Parks Canada officials conducted prescribed burns on Hawk Mountain and the area around Henry House. In 1998 and 2000, fire was reintroduced to the areas around the Palisades, Jackladder and Athabasca Terrace (airstrip). In the extremely dry year of 2003, the Syncline prescribed burn reignited as a wildfire, eventually burning 29,000 hectares of forest and causing smoke-related health concerns in Hinton. In 2006, Parks Canada burned Hawk Mountain again; Henry House was ignited for a second time in 2008. In 2015, the Jackladder/Athabasca Terrace areas, as well as spots on the Pyramid Bench, near Jasper, were restored with fire.
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page B5 // the jasper local // issue 50 // monday, June 1, 2015
local literature //
NEW ROCK CLIMBING GUIDEBOOK
to reveal Jasper's hidden valleys Chalk another one up // Clint Griffiths on “To infinity,” a 5.12a climb on the Kiss The Sky Wall, The Watchtower// Jeff Lewis
If you are passionate about rock climbing in the Park, then you know that a good climbing guide for this area is hard to come by. Francois Leplante is hoping to change that. It’s so sad, you get to a beautiful “area and there’s good climbing – awesome rock quality, beautiful scenery and it’s so amazing but theres no one (else) there.
”
Learning the ropes// Francois Leplante is writing a guidebook on Jasper rock climbing. // supplied
“This place desperately needs a guidebook,” Leplante said. “It’s just a shame that these areas are not known.” Leplante made the move to Jasper in July 2014, specifically to develop a climbing guide for the park and immediate area. He says that he realized the need for it when he started coming out to Jasper from Edmonton to climb after moving there in 2012. Leplante was lucky enough to connect with local climbers who helped him discover crags and areas that he would have otherwise not known about. He wants to write a guidebook to be able to share Jasper’s hidden gems with others. “It’s so sad, you get to a beautiful area and there’s good climbing – awesome rock quality, beautiful scenery and it’s so amazing but there’s no one (else) there.” Leplante acknowledges that a good climbing guide would bring in more traffic to crags that locals have had to themselves for years but because Jasper is more isolated than Canmore or Banff, he doesn’t believe that a rise in popularity will lead to overcrowding at the rock climbing locations. Leplante also hopes that a current, highquality guidebook will also inspire a resurgence in route development in the area. “I wanted to write this book so that more climbers can come in and within those climbers, have more experienced climbers who are willing to discover … the potential of this place and start setting more routes,” Leplante explained. After a development boom in the 80’s, progress in setting new Jasper routes slowed significantly. Today, little to no
development is happening in or around Jasper. Leplante started to outline his book last April. Since moving to Jasper and making writing the guidebook his main focus he has been able to complete the majority of the book. It has been mostly a solo project for him, having written the content and taken most of the photographs that will be featured in the book as well as doing the book design completely by himself. He called the process time consuming, especially the tedious tasks of hand drawing aerial maps of each location. Leplante hopes that the coming summer will allow him to finish the few areas he has yet to cover so that he is able to publish in early spring next year. brittany carl //brittany@thejasperlocal.com
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Local recreation //
monday, june 1, 2015 // issue 50 // the jasper local// page B6
modify it to where they’re at.”
PADDLE
Sophocleous agreed. “This is an opportunity to get out there and try it,” she said.
FORWARD:
Charlten and Sophocleous have worked together before—the pair strengthen many
new business owners getting their feet wet
Jasperites’ yoga practices through their teaching with River Stone Yoga Studio. Yoga, in fact, was the common thread which led the pair to the paddleboarding business. Charlten, a water sports enthusiast, saw the opportunity to bring her practice onto the water. “Paddleboarding was an opportunity to take my yoga practice onto a floating yoga studio,” she said. “That was a big draw for me.” Now they’re hoping it will “Being on the lake, where it’s so quiet,
be a big draw for others. Translucid Adventures will offer stand-up paddleboard
it gives you a real connection to the present
(SUP) Yoga classes on Wednesday evenings,
moment, which I think is why a lot of us end up
starting June 17. They also plan to offer regular
in Jasper,” she said.
SUP Yoga on weekends starting in July.
“You want to feel alive, you want to be outside…
“We’re super excited to get started and share
being on the water is one of my favourite ways
stand-up paddleboarding with the rest of
The friends were recently approved by
to do that.”
Jasper,” Sophocleous said.
Parks Canada to launch their new stand-up
Popularized by surf culture in Hawaii and
Bob Covey //bob@thejasperlocal.com
paddleboarding business in Jasper National
growing
Park. On Friday, they set up their fleet of rental
exponentially
boards and were giving 20 minute introductory
all over the
lessons before allowing their customers to
west, stand-up
cruise the crystal clear waters of Lake Edith.
paddleboarding
“Be aware of the wind,” Charlten said. “Up at
has come on
that level you’re a giant sail.”
strong in Jasper
Getting approval for their new venture has
in the last
been mostly smooth sailing. The pair submitted
two summers.
a proposal to Parks Canada in the winter but
Charlten said
were told the idea would have to go to public
the activity is
tender. It was, therefore, a relief when their new
accessible to a
business, Translucid Adventures, won the bid.
wide range of
“We were ecstatic,” Sophocleous said. “We had
people.
put so much time and effort into this. We felt
“It’s easy to
like our dreams were coming true.”
catch on,”
For Charlten, part of that dream was doing
she said.
something that connected her to nature.
“Everybody can
Alisen Charlten and Steph Sophocleous are paddling into uncharted waters.
Service Directory
// alisen charlten