Pique Newsmagazine 3213

UNEQUAL EFFECTS

Trump’s tariffs threaten Indigenous businesses in Canada—the government must take action

Unequal effects

Trump’s tariffs threaten Indigenous businesses in Canada—the government must take action. - By Andrew J. Karesa and Douglas A. Stuart / The Conversation

06 OPENING REMARKS As Canada’s election campaign ramps up, it’s worth taking time to steel ourselves for the torrent of misinformation to come, writes editor Braden Dupuis.

08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter writers share disapproval of recent Carney criticism in Pique, and a personal review of Whistler Blackcomb.

20 THE OUTSIDER In the latest instalment of Tales of the Overstoke, Vince Shuley recounts a ski-mountaineering lesson gleaned from Mount Matier northeast of Pemberton.

46 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST Canadians are being challenged to show our identity, to tell our stories, writes Pique’s founding editor Bob Barnett—and Whistler should tell more stories.

10 OFF AND RUNNING Canada’s 45th election is officially underway, with no shortage of pressure points to relieve in the Sea to Sky and beyond.

11 TRAGIC END Tributes are pouring in for Whistler pro snowboarder Jeff Keenan, who died in an avalanche near Nelson on March 24.

28 TEAM EFFORT Whistler’s Senior Ski Team is set to commemorate its 20th anniversary with a celebratory lunch at Creekbread on April 2.

32 VOICE OF THE VOICELESS For Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, photography is so much more than taking pictures.

COVER On the first day of design school we learned that blue and red generally don’t work together. They really mess with your rods and cones. Worst-dressed fascists, ever. I wonder what his feet look like? - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art

Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Contributors G.D. MAXWELL, GLENDA BARTOSH, LESLIE ANTHONY, ANDREW MITCHELL, ALISON TAYLOR, VINCE SHULEY, ALYSSA NOEL

Founding Publishers KATHY & BOB BARNETT www.piquenewsmagazine.com

Don’t be a useful idiot

IT TOOK less than a day after the official launch of Canada’s 45th federal election campaign for the zone to be flooded with nonsense—or rather, more flooded than it already was.

Even as an infrequent user of social media, the increase was immediately noticeable—an endless parade of bad-

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

faith memes, conspiracy theories posed as harmless questions, YouTube videos with misleading, out-of-context taglines.

Opposing armies of faceless, digital information warriors, all frantic, desperate for us to validate their political views.

It’s embarrassing, really—and enough to inspire just a little bit of nausea in even the strongest of stomachs.

If you’re unfortunate enough to still have a Facebook account in 2025, you likely have a friend or friends who have spent the last few days, weeks or even months (hell, maybe they started during COVID and never stopped) spamming their partisan political views for whatever friends they still have left.

They’re not bots, but they might as well be, spreading their preferred party’s messages of the day through the digital grapevine, to be picked up and shared by other useful idiots in the neverending war for our minds, our dollars and our votes.

Almost always in lowest-commondenominator meme or video form, designed to elicit an emotional reaction but lacking in any of the necessary context. Politics

is too big, too complex, too nuanced to be faithfully translated by the meme-generating partisans—yet more and more, that’s how the public is engaging with it. The simplicity of it all only serves to dumb down the discourse (at best) and feed extremism (at worst).

For those of us fortunate enough to remember a time before the internet—and how strange is it to consider our generation is the last who can make that claim?—seeing through the bullshit is easy enough (or it should be… evidently not all of us possess this superpower).

But as Canada’s election campaign ramps up, it’s worth taking a few moments to steel ourselves for the torrent of misinformation to come. And that means all of us, on all sides of the political divide—ignorance and confusion is not a partisan trait, and with today’s threats of foreign interference and advances in AI,

Don’t

when we know for a fact foreign actors are trying to influence our electoral outcomes. Sadly, many of us are easy pickings.

In a Statistics Canada report released in July 2024, more than two in five Canadians (43 per cent) reported it was becoming harder to distinguish between true and false news or information in 2023, compared with three years prior.

A different survey conducted by the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022 found almost half of respondents (47 per cent) were unable to correctly identify at least 75 per cent of a series of misinformation statements they were presented with. Meanwhile, about one in six respondents (15 per cent) could correctly identify just 25 per cent or fewer of the misinformation statements.

be as informed as possible before making their choice. But the timeframe makes things tricky. This being a snap election, voters will be slammed with information from all sides in a very short campaign—a lot of it misleading, or just plain wrong—and the reality is voters need to do some of the heavy lifting themselves.

Don’t rely on viral links or your friends’ memes to inform your vote—and for the love of all things Canadian, don’t be a useful idiot and start sharing things blindly yourself. Fact-check, verify (with at least three sources if you can), confirm, and where at all possible, have your political discussions in person— for the most part, the meme-spamming trolls ain’t changing anybody’s minds, they’re mostly just muddying the water and begging for a reaction. Ignore them.

rely on viral links or your friends’ memes to inform your vote— and for the love of all things Canadian, don’t be a useful idiot and start sharing things blindly yourself.

none of us are truly immune.

One handy online guide for spotting fake news consists of eight tips: Consider the source; read beyond the headline; research the author; confirm the supporting sources; check the date; make sure it isn’t satire; consider how your own biases could be affecting your judgment; and ask the experts.

If it sounds like homework, that’s because it kinda is. But if you don’t do your homework, chances are you’re gonna bomb the test.

It’s especially important here in 2025,

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Unsurprisingly, the latter group was “less trusting of mainstream news, more likely to trust social media and use it for news, and less likely to fact-check.”

As with all elections, Pique Newsmagazine, inanimate object that it is, does not care who you vote for, has no interest in influencing you one way or the other (and because it seemingly needs to be repeated two or three times a year, an opinion columnist is one person giving their opinion—it’s up to you to take it or leave it).

As its editor, I only wish for readers to

Read up on your local candidates, their party platforms, and consider the realism of their promises. With incumbents, consider their past records, and whether they kept past pledges. Have they earned another term?

Attend your local all-candidates meetings, and if you can, actually speak with the candidates themselves. Ask them tough questions and see how they respond.

And on election day, cut through the noise and make an informed choice of your own. n

ADVENTUR EBYD AY

Give Mark Carney a break

Thank you for your excellent weekly coverage relevant to residents and visitors to Whistler, and your overall balanced tone. But a recent “opinion” piece by Vancouver journalist Kirk LaPointe missed the mark completely (Pique, March 14, “Trump’s shadow looms large over Carney’s path forward”).

At a time when we need to stand strong and united as Canadian citizens, why is the Pique giving so much voice and print space to this needling criticism of Mark Carney—mainly because he set a serious and measured tone for his acceptance speech? Mark Carney says himself that he is “not a politician, but a problem-solver.”

At such a time for Canada, we should respect any leader willing to take this on and be looking for substance, not show. LaPointe’s opinion piece shares nothing new but reads like a rehash of what’s already out there online or in print. Pique readers deserve something better and fresher— such as the positive call-to-action piece by Glenda Bartosh (“Keep on movin’ on,” March 14).

More Glenda and less Kirk, please!

Elaine Grotefeld // West Vancouver

A short review of Whistler Blackcomb

Vail Resorts asked me for a review. This is it.

Boombox music at the base of Creekside, Big Red, and Crystal lifts accompanied by singing and dancing DJ/lift operators is safetydisconcerting at worst and a total annoyance at best. I thought I was going skiing, not to a nightclub! The competing blaring music between the Red Chair base and the Raven’s Nest is a cacophony of noise distracting from the skiing experience. Not to mention waking up the bears out of their sweet hibernations.

Your approach here is unsustainable and an insult to the sport. Get your act together! And while you’re at it groom both Upper & Lower Peak

to Creek more often—so many times I’ve talked to your Epic-Passeurs who are so disappointed in their trips here because they couldn’t ski the best-known run on the mountain.

Really, how much could doing this negatively impact your craven shareholders?

Alan J. Erickson // Whistler

I am voting to save the CBC

With a federal election fast approaching, I am writing to draw your readers’ attention to an imminent threat to Canada’s cultural

sovereignty—one whose urgency grows by the day, as President Donald Trump continues his unprovoked economic attacks on our country.

Following decades of underfunding and institutional neglect from governments of all political stripes, the CBC now finds itself in the crosshairs of Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives, who are promising to defund it altogether.

We cannot stand by and let this happen. Canadians rely on the CBC for information, news, and entertainment that speaks to their daily realities and reaffirms their shared values. Defunding our national public broadcaster would inflict immeasurable harm on our communities, on our Canadian identity, and on our democratic health as a country.

Thankfully, the CBC doesn’t belong to the politicians. It belongs to us, the Canadian public—and it’s time we put our foot down. At this critical moment in history, Canadians from all walks of life are closing ranks around our storied institutions. And we expect our elected officials to do the same. We won’t stand for vague promises, and we certainly won’t tolerate any more threats to our shared way of life—foreign or domestic.

That’s why I am standing with Friends of Canadian Media and its hundreds of thousands of supporters this election. When we head to the polls, we’ll be voting to save the CBC. If the federal party leaders want to secure our vote, they have to stand up and support our national public broadcaster.

Sonya

Hwang // Whistler n

Backcountry Update

AS OF WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

Earlier this week, the region was hit with warm, wet, and windy weather. A large avalanche cycle occurred in many areas and the avalanche danger was high. As we head into the weekend, we can expect conditions to be slightly different and more winter-like at our higher elevations. Another Pacific frontal system will reach the region, bringing snow and strong winds up high, and rain down low.

The weather may lead us into typical storm and wind slab avalanche problems up high (where we want to ride) and possibly wet, loose avalanche problems down low. Persistent weak layers exist deeper in the snowpack and, although they may be less likely to trigger under the weight of a human, the resulting avalanche will probably have high consequences if you do trigger one.

Areas to avoid are thin to thick snowpack zones and areas that have looming cornices along ridgelines. Cornices tend to be more fragile in the spring and if they fail they are a huge trigger on the slope below.

Spring is full of dynamic weather and avalanche problems. It can bring us some of

the best riding conditions to some of the worst. The main spring takeaway is we need to be just as dynamic as the weather is.

Have an open and shifting mindset; Be adaptable to what the weather and avalanche conditions throw at you. Convective storms may throw more snow than forecast and the sun packs more of a punch this time of year; Head out the door with several variations of your trip plan so you can act on plan B or C if needs be; One moment you may be stepping out and the next moment stepping back. Don’t get too tied to your objectives; Plan your attack or avoidance around aspect and elevations. Be sure to consider wind, warming, and solar radiation.

This time of year, especially, reading the avalanche forecast and having some knowledge of mountain weather is invaluable and should be part of your daily process. The forecast is updated daily and at your fingertips by 4 p.m.

March has definitely provided us with the goods and endless powder snow. As spring is now in full swing, enjoy the longer days and multisport season—while keeping your head on a swivel when riding in the mountains. n

CONDITIONS MAY VARY AND CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY Check for the most current conditions before heading out into the backcountry. Daily updates for the areas adjacent to Whistler Blackcomb are available at 604-938-7676, or surf to www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain-info/ snow-report#backcountry or go to www.avalanche.ca.

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Breaking down the key election issues in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky

ISSUES IMPACTING VOTERS IN WHISTLER, SQUAMISH AND PEMBERTON INCLUDE HOUSING, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND TARIFFS AND ANNEXATION THREATS FROM U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD

BY LIZ MCDONALD

WITH A FEDERAL election looming, the riding of West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country finds itself at the intersection of national and local political concerns. According to Stewart Prest, a professor of political science at the University of British Columbia, the election will be shaped by both overarching national issues and specific regional factors that resonate with voters.

As of March 26, the riding’s candidates are incumbent Liberal Patrick Weiler; the Conservative Party’s Keith Roy; 18-year-old Jäger Rosenberg for the NDP; Squamish Councillor Lauren Greenlaw for the Greens; the People’s Party’s Peyman Askari; and the Animal Protection Party of Canada’s Sanaz Mani.

Candidates will be confirmed April 9, with advance polling taking place across the country from April 18 to 21.

Election day is Monday, April 28.

KEY ELECTION ISSUES

Prest said some of the same issues are going to be clearly present in this riding compared to everywhere in Canada.

“Tariffs and annexation threat influences the way people look at the election and

TRUMP

anxieties around it,” Prest said. That uncertainty, he explained, frames how voters perceive the stakes of the upcoming election.

Locally, the housing crisis and environmental preservation are key issues.

“Housing affordability, battles over funding and support, densification ... preservation of the environment” are all issues likely to dominate discussions, Prest said.

In Squamish, debates over the development of LNG remain polarizing. On the left, Prest said some people don’t see traditional “left-leaning” parties championing their values.

“The Greens face an uphill battle, but they may have more of a chance catching up in this riding,” he said.

SHIFTING POLITICAL CLIMATE

Asked for predictions, Prest was careful.

“I’m cautious to answer that definitively without any polling,” he said. However, he believes “the election is up for grabs.” The Liberals could benefit from “a moment of patriotism and defence of the country,” but if voters focus on “affordability and perception of a government not assisting constituents, Conservatives could win,” Prest said.

The riding’s diverse demographics further complicate predictions.

“It’s where city meets country,” Prest explained, pointing to urban concerns in West Vancouver, environmental debates in Squamish, and tourism-driven interests in Whistler. “West Vancouver is part of Metro Van that is particularly resistant to increased density ... while in Squamish, there is a pronounced environment concern.” Whistler, he added, is “dependent on development and

tourist-friendly support systems at the same time that economy is also predicated on the preservation of environmental integrity.”

CANDIDATE AND PARTY DYNAMICS

Incumbent Weiler remains a strong contender, but Prest sees a competitive race ahead.

“It does seem like it’s his race to win at the moment,” he said, adding that “Liberals are enjoying a surge in popularity” due to their strong stance “in defence of the country using appropriate means against tariffs and annexation.” However, Prest warned “it’s not definitive,” as the election remains “fluid” and voter dissatisfaction with the establishment could open doors for the Conservatives.

The role of party leaders will be crucial.

“The impact across the country has been dramatic,” Prest said. “We are in a leadercentred era of politics ... Leaders are the face of the country in international tensions.”

The unpredictability of current politics places “importance on leaders’ values,” making voters consider “who you best trust to guide the country,” Prest said.

LOCAL CONCERNS: HOUSING, TRANSIT, AND THE ECONOMY

Housing affordability is “very clearly in people’s minds,” according to Prest, who observes a growing sense “that the social contract is starting to break down on housing.” How this issue will influence the election depends on whether voters prioritize affordability and government decisions that did this, which could favour the Conservatives, or whether they focus on “the threat of the future,” which could benefit the Liberals.

Transportation is another pressing issue, particularly for commuters along the Sea to Sky corridor. Prest expects “commitments from all three major parties about investment in transit and infrastructure,” noting “the federal government increasingly is willing to invest municipally, even trying to move provincial jurisdiction to cities.”

Meanwhile, economic policies remain critical for local businesses.

“The federal government decision-making ... is still profound for economic support for business needs,” Prest explained. Small and large businesses rely on “support looking to build market share abroad, and looming over all of that is supporting businesses impacted by tariffs,” he added.

INDIGENOUS RIGHTS AND MISINFORMATION

Despite the importance of Indigenous rights, Prest argued the issue is “being drowned out” by other political debates. He sees “a clear divide in the approach of the two leading parties,” with Conservatives focusing on “economic reconciliation,” while the Liberals continue to emphasize “the importance of acting on social issues of Indigenous rights.”

Misinformation is also shaping voter perceptions.

“The subset that is very distrustful of mainstream media and are only getting it from social media ... are much more likely to be exposed to misinformation,” Prest warned. He pointed out some political narratives “stretch the truth,” and that “politicians will do what they need to win votes.”

Stay tuned to Pique in the weeks ahead for more coverage of Canada’s 45th general election. n

Avalanche victim identified as Whistler pro snowboarder Jeff Keenan

TWO OTHERS ALSO DIED IN MARCH 24 AVALANCHE NEAR NELSON

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

TRIBUTES ARE POURING in for Whistler pro snowboarder Jeff Keenan, identified as one of three people who died in an avalanche near Nelson on Monday, March 24.

Keenan, 44, a co-founder of gear brand Dinosaurs Will Die, was skiing in a group of four when tragedy struck.

Police said in a March 25 release the avalanche occurred in the alpine area on the east side of Kootenay Lake just before 1 p.m. on March 24.

Jason Remple, 53, from Kaslo, and Alex Pashley, 45, from Idaho, also died in the incident. A fourth skier, 40, from nearby Nelson, is in critical condition.

qualities to live with kindness, dedication, love and authenticity.”

North Vancouver’s Mount Seymour posted a tribute of its own on social media.

“Jeff was a huge part of the snowboard community at Mt. Seymour and the wider landscape. His younger days were spent here as part of the Skids (Seymour Kids), a crew of snowboarders that helped define snowboarding in the ’90s and ’00s,” it read.

“More recently, Jeff was part of the group of riders that spawned the Baked Salmon Banked Slalom, hosted on Mt. Seymour. Jeff and his friends worked tirelessly to bring that event to life and create a space for the snowboard community to thrive.

“Jeff will be missed, but his spirit will ride on!”

According to police, on March 24, “two groups of skiers had just finished skiing the

“Jeff’s contributions to snowboarding were immense, but they were overshadowed by the love and generosity he shared...”

-

JACK CROMPTON

“I just want to recognize and honour Jeff’s kindness, passion and his empathy. Jeff really was the personification of kindness,” said Mayor Jack Crompton at the March 25 Whistler council meeting.

“Jeff’s contributions to snowboarding were immense, but they were overshadowed by the love and generosity he shared with his family and friends and community. The news of Jeff’s passing feels too tragic to be true and our hearts go out to those closest to him. As we reflect on his legacy we’ll do our best to follow in his tracks that embody those

bowl and were waiting in a staging area below the treeline of Clute Creek water shed. A transport helicopter was nearing the group when the pilot observed an avalanche and sounded the siren.”

One group of skiers was able to get out of harm’s way, while the other group of four was swept away into the treeline, the release said.

Kaslo RCMP will continue to assist the BC Coroners Service in the investigation, the release said.

Check back with  Pique for more as this story develops... n

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TRAGIC LOSS Whistler pro snowboarder Jeff Keenan and two others were killed in an avalanche near Nelson on March 24.

FACEBOOK PHOTO

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Whistler’s climate mitigation progress still mixed

SOME BIG MOVES ON TRACK, WHILE OTHERS NEED MORE ACTION

BY LIZ MCDONALD

WHISTLER’S LATEST climate action update is a mixed bag of wins and “we-stillhave-work-to-do” moments. The update, presented to council March 11, offered a comprehensive overview of progress and pending challenges in the third and fourth quarter of 2024 for reaching the community’s 2030 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent below 2007 levels. The update outlined efforts in both mitigation and adaptation.

Climate action coordinator Maria Thorlakson began with a nod to the uncertainty of our time while urging against responding reactively.

“It’s justified to be thinking about how we spend our time, our money and our efforts. In light of this, I want to remind all of us that climate action requires us to think about long-term. We know that action today is necessary, and we know that money spent today will have benefits for Whistler down the road,” she said.

“Our longstanding position as a climate leader is something I think everyone in this room values and wants to maintain. Our current greenhouse gas emissions trajectory puts this status in jeopardy.”

MITIGATION PROGRESS MIXED

The report outlines six “Big Moves” targeting improvements in transportation, building efficiency, and energy use. Notable progress has been made on Big Moves 2 and 4, which focus on decarbonizing transportation and building new zero-emission buildings. New electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and internal training for the BC Energy Step Code are among the accomplishments.

“Big Moves 2 and 4 continue to be areas where we have completed the most actions and are on track to achieving their respective goals,” Thorlakson said. “Big Move 6 also has a significant number of actions underway, with some important work planned for 2025. Big

Moves 1, 3 and 5 continue to be areas where we need more action.”

Big Move 1, aimed at increasing active transportation and transit use, shows progress with recent transit expansion and an expanded e-bike share program, though challenges remain in closing gaps in the Valley Trail network. Big Move 3, addressing visitor travel emissions, and Big Move 5, focused on retrofitting existing buildings through programs such as Retrofit Assist, require further efforts to meet their targets.

ADAPTATION MEASURES

On the adaptation front, the report

emphasized actions taken to reduce wildfire risks and improve infrastructure resilience. Whistler’s Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan is in active implementation, with 68 critical municipal sites assessed and fuelthinning work completed at areas such as Emerald West.

Other adaptation measures include completed culvert inventories, flood risk assessments for key creeks, and improvements in emergency response capacity. Efforts to protect local ecosystems are supported by updated habitat mapping and an ongoing Ecosystems and Species Monitoring Program, which has documented new findings, including the presence of tail frogs and additional breeding areas for Western toads.

FUTURE PRIORITIES

The report also sets out priority actions for 2025, including further transit service expansions, completing EV charger installations, advancing wildfire mitigation through additional fuelthinning treatments, and continuing efforts to protect and restore local ecosystems.

Council’s recommendation to accept the report indicates that while significant progress has been documented, achieving the 2030 targets will require sustained effort and continued collaboration among municipal staff, provincial partners, and the community. n

RISK REDUCTION Reducing wildfire risk is a key emphasis in Whistler’s climate adaptaion work.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RMOW

Closing arguments wrap in second trial of Roger Molinaro

VERDICT EXPECTED IN MAY IN PEMBERTON PROVINCIAL COURT

BY LIZ MCDONALD

THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS in Roger Molinaro’s second trial for alleged historical child sexual assault concluded Friday, March 21, in North Vancouver Provincial Court.

The trial was initially scheduled for March 17 to 19, but a fourth day was added to finalize submissions. Over four days, Crown and defence lawyers summarized arguments presented during an eight-day hearing in October, offering differing interpretations of the reliability, plausibility, and motive behind the alleged victims’ testimony.

Crown prosecutor Jason Krupa emphasized the credibility of witnesses and victims, their ability to recall specific details (or acknowledge when they could not), the close ties between their families, and the personal toll of coming forward with allegations. Defence lawyer Tony Paisana, meanwhile, argued the witnesses’ testimony was inconsistent, unreliable, and implausible, asserting the Crown had not proven Molinaro’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The alleged victims were between the ages of nine and 12 or 13, and six and 12, respectively, at the time of the purported offences. With their permission and the lifting of a publication ban in April 2024,  Pique is now identifying them: Xiola Aldrich and Katelyn Pidperyhora are the complainants in the case against Molinaro.

At points throughout the four days, Aldrich and Pidperyhora left the courtroom in tears. Family members and supporters of the alleged victims held stress balls and passed tissues to one another. Throughout the trial, Molinaro sat with his head down and was joined by supporters as well.

CHARGES AND LEGAL HISTORY

Molinaro originally faced five charges related to Aldrich and two involving Pidperyhora.

In his first trial in November 2021, Molinaro was convicted on all seven counts and sentenced to five and a half years in August 2022. However, his legal team successfully appealed in 2023, leading the B.C. Court of Appeal to overturn the convictions on Dec. 11. One charge resulted in an acquittal, while the remaining six were ordered to a new trial.

CROWN’S ARGUMENT: FAMILY DYNAMICS UNDERCUT FABRICATION CLAIMS

Krupa detailed disturbing allegations spanning several years in and near Pemberton, arguing the complainants’ accounts were credible despite inconsistencies.

The Crown emphasized the families’

close relationships, describing them as deeply interconnected, with shared social activities and an “open-door policy.”

Given these bonds, Krupa contended that fabricating allegations would carry severe consequences—damaging family ties, causing emotional harm, and risking isolation.

He suggested such deception would require “borderline sociopathic” malice, with no evidence to support that conclusion. Instead, he said, the complainants displayed genuine distress.

DEFENCE CHALLENGES TESTIMONY CREDIBILITY

Paisana focused on inconsistencies in the alleged victims’ testimony between their initial RCMP statements, the first trial, and the retrial, as well as discrepancies in family members’ accounts. He argued that given the families’ frequent interactions, it was improbable no one noticed inappropriate behaviour by Molinaro.

Regarding Pidperyhora’s allegations, the defence highlighted inconsistencies about her state of dress during one incident, the number of times a different incident occurred, and logistical implausibilities. For Aldrich’s claims, Paisana questioned the number of alleged groping incidents and the plausibility of one event occurring unnoticed.

CIVIL LAWSUIT RAISED AS POTENTIAL MOTIVE

The defence suggested financial motives, citing a civil lawsuit filed in November 2021. Paisana noted Aldrich was evasive about when she decided to sue, implying the criminal case could strengthen a civil claim.

The Crown rejected this, with Pidperyhora stating in her testimony that, “No amount of money can … fix what he’s done.” The prosecution framed the lawsuit as a means of accountability, not enrichment, noting a lawyer approached the complainants and that potential financial recovery was minimal compared to the emotional cost of coming forward.

A verdict date has not been set but is expected to be scheduled for late May at Pemberton Provincial Court.

Check back with  Pique  for the verdict. n

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HepassedawaynearBlackcombMountainonthe waybackfromthebackcountrywithlongtime friends.Webelieveheleftthisworldathis happiestmoment -enjoyingoneofhismany outdoorpassions.Andwerememberwithdeep gratitudeallthepeoplewhoassistedonthatday.

Withhisoutgoingpersonalityandwarmsmile, Rickisdearlymissedandoftenreminiscedbyhis manyfriends,farandwide.

It’sstillhardtobelieveyouarenolongerwithus Wefeelyourpresenceinourpathbringingjoyand love.Wewon’tforgetyouandallthestoriesthat madeusalllaugh Weloveyou,Rick.

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AWAITING A VERDICT North Vancouver Provincial Court on March 21.

PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD

Meadow Park Sports Centre reverses short-lived ban on fans at hockey games

THE FACILITY IS OPEN TO SPECTATORS AGAIN ON ‘A CONDITIONAL BASIS’

BY DAVID SONG

AMIDST MOUNTING public outrage, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has lifted a ban on fans attending hockey games at Meadow Park Sports Centre (MPSC).

A statement from the RMOW emailed to Pique on March 20 reads: “Last weekend, Meadow Park Sports Centre closed rink access to spectators to protect public safety following weeks of escalating crowds and public intoxication. As a recreational facility operator, our No.1 responsibility is to provide a safe experience for everyone within our facility, and this measure was taken as an immediate safety precaution to protect our community, employees and players.

“With heavy-duty machinery on site and high-speed play, a safe environment is an alcohol-free environment, and we take the responsibility to maintain this standard seriously.”

The RMOW elaborated in a public blog post, also disseminated March 20, that “allowing spectators will continue on a conditional basis, provided Canadian liquor laws are respected. For community members looking to attend, please help keep our hockey season open to the public by leaving your alcoholic beverages at home.”

Whistlerites were outspoken in expressing disagreement with the initial removal of viewers from the stands.

A Facebook post from local hockey dad Andrew Bacon criticizing MPSC management has elicited 335 reactions and 161 comments to date—with the vast majority of them supporting Bacon’s view. Meanwhile, a petition started by Cate Lombard urging the municipality to reverse the ban logged 473

that teams themselves should be policing their fans and if people from outside are showing up and creating problems, we need to address them ourselves. I made the suggestion that we should have crowd monitors for the adult league. We should all be working together to come up with a solution.”

Caught off guard by the initial moratorium on fans, Bacon learned during a call with RMOW recreation manager Roger Weetman

“I think it’s reasonable for Meadow Park to expect that people don’t bring alcohol into their facility.”

- ANDREW BACON

signatures as of this writing.

Bacon simply wants to watch his adult son Kai play. He is grateful the RMOW responded to external pressure in what he feels is a constructive manner.

“I think it’s reasonable for Meadow Park to expect that people don’t bring alcohol into their facility,” said the 10-year Whistler resident. “That should have been their response from the beginning. The reasonable solution, to me, is

that the decision had been triggered by one person jumping onto the ice rink at MPSC.

This anecdote is corroborated by local CrossFit gym owner Jordan Glasser, who was informed by his hockey team that a drunk individual made their way onto the ice and nearly got hit by the Zamboni. According to Glasser, RMOW officials did not hold teams responsible for the mishap, but closed stands due to liability concerns.

“The games have been getting quite popular and well-attended, with some spectators bringing alcohol into the facility,” Bacon wrote on Facebook after becoming aware of the situation. “The management at Meadow Park has turned a blind eye to this the entire season, and now due to this poor supervision and management of the facility and one ‘incident,’ we are being banned from going to watch a game … the actions of one or two people should not affect the community as a whole.”

In light of recent changes, Bacon said he does not harbour ill will towards Weetman or Mayor Jack Crompton. He expressed gratitude that people are allowed to watch their friends and loved ones play hockey again and hopes the community will band together in preventing future disorderly conduct at MPSC.

The RMOW statement also says: “We greatly respect the love our community has for the game of hockey, and communitybased recreation in general. The sentiment shared online requesting we reinstate safe spectator access is significant, and the comments do reflect respect for our request that Canadian liquor laws be followed … Whistler’s hockey community is strong, and our talented players would love to play before an audience who appreciates and wants to watch great games.” n

NoticeofProposedZoningAmendment Bylaw- NoPublicHearingtobeHeld

ZoningAmendmentBylaw(CheakamusCrossing Phase2RM-CD2Zone)No.2462, 2025(the “proposedbylaw”)

Purpose: Thepurpose oftheproposedbylaw is to amendtheResidentialMultiple–Comprehensive DevelopmentTwo (RM-CD2) zone to add‘ApartmentforEmployeeHousing’asan allowableland use, to increase themaximumGross FloorArea(GFA),FloorSpaceRatio(FSR),buildingheightand site coverage,toreducetheminimumbuildingseparation,andtorequire aminimumofoneparking stallperapartmentuniton1600Mount FeeRoad(Lot3).Theproposedbylaw also updatesthe zoningonLot4 (RiverRun) to account foraccessory residentialdwellingunits(ARDUs).

SubjectLand: Thelandsthat arethesubjectoftheproposed bylaware shownonthemapattached to thisnotice,andarelegally describedasSTRATA LOT1 TO 23DISTRICT LOT8073

GROUP1 NEWWESTMINSTERDISTRICT STRATA PLANEPS7860, LOT3 DISTRICT LOT8073

GROUP1 NEWWESTMINSTERDISTRICTPLANEPP111931andLOT 6DISTRICTLOT 8073

GROUP1 NEWWESTMINSTERDISTRICTPLANEPP111931.

BylawReadings: Co nsiderationofthefirst,second,andthirdreading(s)oftheproposedbylaw will be at theRegular CouncilMeetingonApril8,2025.

To learnmore: Acopyoftheproposed Bylawand backgrounddocumentationare availablefor review from March24toApril8,2025 at:

•MunicipalHall at 4325BlackcombWay,Whistler, BC, during regularoffice hoursof9:00a.m.to4:00p.m., Monday to Friday (statutoryholidays excluded)

• Online ontheResortMunicipality ofWhistler(RMOW) websiteat: whistler.ca/publicnotices

SCANTHEQR CODE FORACOPYOFTHE PROPOSED BYLAW AND BACKGROUND DOCUMENTATION

Growing resilience: how a Whistler couple’s hydroponic garden tackles tariff

and climate worries

AMID RISING GROCERY PRICES AND U.S. TARIFF THREATS, A LOCAL DIY HYDROPONIC SYSTEM OFFERS A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION

BY LIZ MCDONALD

IN A SMALL, climate-controlled room in their Whistler home, Jim Brown and Natalie Rock have transformed a hobby into a year-round food source. What started as a pandemicera experiment in hydroponic gardening has blossomed into a thriving indoor farm yielding lettuce, bok choy, kale, peppers, and herbs—all grown without soil, pesticides, or reliance on grocery store supply chains. So productive is their system they’re now hoping to find a local rabbit owner who could benefit from their excess trimmings.

With food prices soaring and the looming threat of U.S. tariffs on Canadian produce, the couple’s DIY hydroponic system offers a glimpse into how locals are adapting to rising costs and food security concerns.

FROM PANDEMIC PROJECT TO FOOD SECURITY SOLUTION

When COVID-19 disrupted supply chains and sent grocery prices skyrocketing, Brown decided to take matters into his own hands. Inspired by a friend’s small-scale hydroponic setup, he built his own system for about $350— far cheaper than commercial kits, which he said can cost upwards of $2,000.

“During COVID, things were getting scarce and expensive,” Jim said. “We saw this as something practical we could do.”

The system uses PVC pipes, LED grow lights, and a 60-litre reservoir to circulate nutrient-rich water to the plants. By controlling variables like temperature, humidity, and light exposure, the couple grows produce year-round—even in winter.

LOCAL ROOTS FOR FOOD SUSTAINABILITY

Their efforts align with a growing movement in the Sea to Sky corridor to boost regional food resilience. Pemberton, long known for its fertile soil, is already home to plentiful farms

supplying greens to Whistler restaurants. But as climate change and trade tensions threaten traditional agriculture, small-scale hydroponics could play a bigger role in local food security.

“With what’s happening in the U.S. and these tariffs, our food supply is vulnerable,” Jim said. He pointed to a Vancouver Island grower who has successfully cultivated oranges hydroponically. “If we can figure out how to grow more here, we don’t have to rely on California or Florida.”

CUTTING COSTS—AND WASTE

Beyond sustainability, the system saves money. The couple estimates they’ve cut $500 a year from their grocery bill by growing their own lettuce alone. They’ve also expanded their diet, experimenting with Swiss chard and bok choy—vegetables they rarely bought before.

“We don’t have to wash the lettuce—it’s just clean,” Natalie said. “And there’s no waste. What we don’t eat, we give away or compost.”

The setup isn’t without challenges. Some crops, like potatoes, aren’t suited to hydroponics, and maintaining optimal conditions requires attention to detail. But for Jim, who worked in telecommunications, the technical side is part of the appeal.

“It’s like electronics—there’s no room for error,” he said with a laugh.

A MODEL FOR OTHERS?

The couple hopes their project inspires others to try hydroponics, especially as food prices keep climbing. They recommend starting small, sourcing Canadian seeds and avoiding imported materials.

“You can do this in your home,” Jim said. “It’s not hard—just add water and seeds.”

As Whistler faces the dual pressures of affordability and sustainability, innovations like this could help bridge the gap between local needs and global supply chains. For Jim and Natalie, the rewards go beyond savings.

“There’s something really satisfying about eating what you’ve grown,” Natalie said. “It changes how you think about food.” n

GROWTH TRENDS Jim Brown enjoys the technical nature of hydroponic growing.

PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD

Learn more about the Sea to Sky Green Party MP candidate, Lauren Greenlaw

GREENLAW DISCUSSES HER COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, DEALING WITH TRUMP AND MORE

BY JENNIFER THUNCHER

The Squamish Chief

AS CANADIANS PREPARE to head to the polls April 28, another candidate has stepped forward to represent the West VancouverSunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding.

Squamish councillor Lauren Greenlaw is the candidate for the Green Party of Canada.

The Squamish Chief caught up with Greenlaw for a conversation about why she is running, what she believes and what she hopes to accomplish.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. Find the full story at piquenewsmagazine.com.

What made you want to run to be our MP?

I’m an earth scientist, so I have a pretty good sense of where we are environmentally and I’m also a mother, and frankly, our federal government is simply not doing enough to address the very serious environmental issues that we are currently facing. There’s just been too much, I’m going to call it, corporate welfare. Effectively, it is the subsidizing of large industrial projects that are not beneficial

to individuals at a time when we simply cannot afford to give away our public assets like this.

We have people, especially in this riding, who don’t have housing security. They’re worried about getting food on the table. We have an affordability crisis. Our federal government has no business giving away billions of dollars a year in industry subsidies

ArtsWhistler'sannualart fundraiserreturnsonApril4!

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Those are pieces that can’t happen locally. Same with advocating for cutting fossil fuel subsidies, for instance, and bringing that money back to the community.

I enter these roles to help people. It’s been really difficult for me to be on a municipal front and really just not have the tools accessible because they’re being held by

“I enter these roles to help people.”

- LAUREN GREENLAW

at a time when we should really be allocating those funds to build heavily subsidized affordable housing, which we’ve been lagging on for, I think, 40 years now. Also, health-care funding is lagging. Our hospital in Squamish is serving 270,000 people with a 22-bed facility.

What can you do as an MP that you can’t do as a sitting councillor?

One of the big things is those systemic pieces, like trying to get transparency around lobbyists in governance. Advocating for electoral reform.

higher levels of government.

The other piece that I really want to do through this role is to connect up and down the entire riding, with small businesses, individuals, non-profits and chambers of commerce to create a strong network of businesses so that we can facilitate [more] buying locally. So, facilitating producers and agriculture businesses and small businesses, facilitating them getting their products to market, facilitating a network so that people can find who’s out there to buy things from. I want to do this regardless of whether or not

I get elected because I think it’s an important piece for our community.

With MLA Jeremy Valeriote being elected provincially, we have seen the power the two Green Party members can have. But on the flip side, we’ve also seen the limitation of being two people. What can you actually accomplish as a small party federally?

For me, the biggest thing is to start conversations. One of the things that has been reflected to me, even in my role on council, is you change conversations just by being there. So, bringing representation, bringing the conversation around these issues, making sure climate change remains on the forefront, making sure gender equity remains at the forefront. Another piece is, if I do get elected, you look at Jeremy and the Green Party provincially and it has a surprising amount of power in that legislature. So that could potentially happen on a federal level as well, because we are likely going to have a minority government situation, where, let’s say five Green MPs— let’s be optimistic—can still actually be influential.

videoconference, telephone,and inperson.

604.932.3211 s.shaw@raceandco.com

Get10stampsonyourlunchcardand your11thlunchisfree*(Restrictionsapply) Childrenarewelcomeeverydayuntil 10pm,sobringthekidsinforbrunchon theweekendsfrom11am-2pm.

NEWS WHISTLER

You previously mentioned housing. As a councillor, you have voted against some housing projects. What could the federal government do that would make Councillor Greenlaw feel comfortable voting for housing?

In the book Broken City , Patrick Condon argues not all density is created equal. Just continuing to increase supply will not meet the demand, and it certainly won’t meet the demand for affordability. And what he proposes is to add density, yes, but make sure that half of it is affordable. That’s kind of where I’m coming from. And I feel strongly that every area has a carrying capacity, right? And there’s liveability. Can you get a doctor? Can you get a childcare space? Do you have teachers at your school? Can your teachers and doctors afford to live in your town?

So getting federal support for increasing the carrying capacity of this area. That’s

one piece that I would like to see move forward. But also, again, investing in heavily subsidized affordable housing.

What do you feel is the right way to handle U.S. President Trump’s government on the national stage?

It’s a difficult question because it is so volatile and unpredictable. But I really do suspect that what’s happening is they’re using chaos as a tool. And so first of all, we need to try to not be reactionary because that’s what he’s driving at. I also think you have to stand a firm ground.

Other candidates for West VancouverSunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country include Conservative Party candidate Keith Roy, incumbent Liberal MP Patrick Weiler, newly acclaimed NDP candidate Jäger Rosenberg, People’s Party of Canada candidate Peyman Askari and Animal Protection Party of Canada candidate Sanaz Mani. n

Whistler Blackcomb Foundation announces $625K in grants

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

THE WHISTLER BLACKCOMB Foundation announced recipients of its fall funding intake last week, with two dozen Sea to Sky nonprofits set to benefit.

In total, $625,000 will be dispersed amongst the groups, including $100,000 for the Sea to Sky Hospice Society endowment fund, $78,000 to the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment for an e-transit van, and $56,000 to Whistler Gymnastics to support programming.

Other recipients include Arts Whistler ($41,000 for upgraded theatre lighting); the Pemberton Arts Council ($41,000 to help buy a portable stage and tent); the Whistler Community Services Society ($40,000 to support outreach services); and the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre

($35,000 to support the Indigenous Youth Ambassador Program).

More than a dozen non-profits also received smaller grants up to $25,000.

“We have so many people to thank for the continued success of our fundraising efforts. The number of individuals and companies that support our cause, year after year, warms my heart,” said WBF executive director Mei Madden in a release.

“We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to Whistler Blackcomb and Vail Resorts EpicPromise for their continued and generous support of the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation. The Foundation is committed to helping organizations that benefit residents of the Sea to Sky Corridor. It is truly rewarding to disburse charitable grants to these amazing local non-profits.”

Readmoreatwhistlerblackcombfoundation. com. n

ForestLicenseA19214and TimberLicenseT0744,T0755,andT0771 ForestStewardshipPlan NoticeofPublic Viewing

TheLil’watNation/Lil’watForestry VenturesLPhavedevelopedaForestStewardship Plan pertainingtoForestLicense(FL)A19214and TimberLicenses(TL)T0744,T0755, andT0771.TheselicensesarelocatedintheUpperLillooet,MeagerCreekandLillooet LakeareaswithintheLil’watNationtraditionalandancestralterritories.

Theabove-mentionedforestlicenseandtimberlicensesaresubmittingforapproval,a ForestStewardshipPlan(FSP).TheFSPisproposedforatermof5years,andwhen approved,willformthe basis offorestmanagementplanningwithinthe licenses operating areas AnapprovedFSPisrequiredtoallow for the issuanceofpermits authorizing roadconstruction,harvestingandotherforestdevelopmentactivities.TheFSPhasbeen prepared toconform and complywithapplicable Higher-Level Plans,the Forestand RangePracticesAct andtheassociatedregulatoryframework.

Asper Section 20ofthe ForestPlanningandPracticesRegulation, notice isherebygiven toallGuides,Outfitters, Trappers,PrivateLandOwners, TenureHolders, WaterUsers andthe general publicthatsubmissionofthe FSP for approval ispending completion of a publicand stakeholder reviewand commentperiod.Inputisrequestedfrom stakeholders andfromthegeneralpublicsothatanyconcernsorcommentscanbeaddressed.

TheproposedFSPandmappinginformationisavailableforviewingduringthe60-day publicreviewandcommentperiodcommencingMarch28,2025throughMay30,2025. TheFSPandassociatedinformationwillbeavailableduringregularbusinesshoursat:

Lil’watForestry VenturesOffice ChartwellResourceGroupLtd. IR10Road 201-1121CommercialPlace

MtCurrie,B.C. SquamishB.C.

Mon-Fri,8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri,8:30am-4:30pm

Contact:Klay Tindall,RPF(604)894-6115Contact:AdrianLitz,RPF(604)390-3428

Inordertobeconsidered,commentsregardingthisplanmustbeinwriting(regularpost oremail),andreceivednolaterthan May30,2025.Commentsshouldbeaddressedto:

AdrianLitz,RPF

ChartwellResourceGroupLtd. 201-1121CommercialPlace SquamishB.C.V8B0S5 (604)390-3428ext.3428 alitz@crgl.ca

NickDavies, Whistlerlocal andexperiencedfamilylawyer practisingacrossBCandYukon. Callat 604-602-9000 or visit www.macleanlaw.ca

MacleanLawisheadquartered inVancouverwithofficesacross BritishColumbia.

CALLFORFUNDINGAPPLICATIONS

Applicationsarenowbeingacceptedforour April1st,2025SpringFundingDeadline.

TheWhistlerBlackcombFoundationisdedicatedtoprovidingfinancial supporttocommunitygroupsandcharitieswhoseactivitiesprovidebenefit toresidentsoftheSeatoSkyCorridorintheareasofhealth,humanservices, education,recreation,arts&cultureandtheenvironment.Specialemphasis isplacedonchildren,youthandfamilyprograms. Formoreinformation, eligibilityrequirementsandtocompleteanapplication,pleasevisitour websiteatwhistlerblackcombfoundation.com,OrcontactMeiMadden, ExecutiveDirectoratmmadden@whistlerblackcombfoundation.com

IN THE RUNNING Squamish Councillor Lauren Greenlaw will represent the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country Green Party in the April 28 federal election.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREN GREENLAW

Pemberton farmers brace for impact of trade war

INCREASING TARIFFS ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND

BY LUKE FAULKS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

PEMBERTON’S FARMING community is reckoning with a host of unknowns surrounding the escalating trade war between the United States and Canada. From produce exports to seed imports, equipment purchases to a potential decline in tourism, the valley is preparing for a confusing new relationship with the country’s biggest trading partner.

“Agriculture, traditionally, has been a cross-border partnership for decades. And now it’s just all up in the air,” said Michelle Beks, who owns Shaw Creek Farm.

“Nobody really knows what’s going to happen.”

U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term has been marked by an increased hostility towards Canada; beyond threats to the nation’s sovereignty, his government has repeatedly threatened and scheduled tariffs against Canada.

The U.S. applied a 25-per-cent tariff on all imports from Canada except oil and energy, which is taxed at 10 per cent, on March 4. A reciprocal 25-per-cent tariff on $30 billion of American goods was simultaneously applied by the Canadian government. On March 6,

EQUIPMENT

president Trump delayed tariffs on goods compliant with the Canada-United StatesMexico Agreement (CUSMA) until April 2.

It’s that April 2 deadline that is most pressing for Pemberton’s growing community.

SEED POTATO VALLEY

Roughly seven per cent of Canada’s GDP, or $150 billion, comes from agriculture as of 2023. About 60 per cent of those products are

ARE CONFUSING AND EXHAUSTING, SAY LOCAL PRODUCERS

that seed potatoes, her farm’s main export, fall under the CUSMA deal Trump signed during his first term. On March 24, Trump hinted at further sectoral exemptions to his tariffs.

“So we really don’t know, because we don’t know if we’re going to be exempted because of that, or if we’ll fall under all the tariffs with everybody else,” Beks said.

“Pretty much everybody—the potato community, our representatives like the B.C. potato growers and all across Canada, those

“Agriculture, traditionally, has been a cross-border partnership for decades. And now it’s just all up in the air.”

- MICHELLE BEKS

exported to the U.S., accounting for more than $100 billion in revenue, annually.

Beks spoke with Pique after a busy weekend contributing to that annual return.

“We were actually busy shipping potatoes to the States because our buyers want them before April 2,” she said. “Pretty much all the people up here that have American customers are shipping their potatoes now.”

Beks said she doesn’t quite know how the imposition of tariffs will affect Shaw Creek Farm. Part of that confusion lies in the fact

groups are still in the dark. They really don’t even know what’s going to happen.”

Beks is hopeful longstanding customers will stick with their suppliers. At least one of her customers has said he’s fine with his potatoes arriving after tariffs have gone up. And Shaw Creek still has customers within Canada, too.

“A good portion of our seed potatoes go into the Fraser Valley,” added Beks. “So we aren’t strictly U.S. customers.”

Where Pemberton farms might run into

trouble, she said, is in price hikes on farm equipment brought across the border.

EQUIPMENT AND TOURISM AMID WORSENING RELATIONS

Canada is a net importer of farm equipment, largely dependent on the U.S. for large farm equipment like tractors and harvesters.

Like Beks, Jordan Study is concerned about the impact of tariffs on farm equipment. The former West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA and former Pemberton mayor runs North Arm Farm in Pemberton.

Sturdy said the likelihood of being able to swap American equipment manufacturers for Canadian ones, in an effort to “buy Canadian”— offsetting the impact of tariffs and helping grow the nation’s economy—is low.

“We don’t have a lot of those manufacturers here, in Canada, and it’s not likely we have a big enough market to get into a major manufacturing process without having access to a market like an American market or an Asian market, or whatever it happens to be,” Sturdy said.

“We’re not going to build a tractor factory if we can’t sell to the American market.”

Sturdy sees an additional threat associated with the trade war: a changing tourism industry. Plenty of farms in the area, including his, offer tours and events as ways to generate revenue—and plenty of that revenue comes from out-of-towners coming to enjoy the Valley.

TARIFF’D TATERS? The Pemberton Valley is known for its seed potato exports, many of which go to buyers in the United States.

PHOTO BY JOHNNYSCRIV / E+ / GETTY IMAGES

Pemberton, Valeriote discuss VOP’s capacity to meet provincial policing and housing mandates

THE VILLAGE’S COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ALSO RAISED CONCERNS OVER THE PROVINCIAL GRANT SYSTEM FOR FUNDING PROJECTS

BY LUKE FAULKS

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

AT A MARCH 25 Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting, the Village of Pemberton (VOP) sat down with interim Green Party leader and Sea to Sky MLA Jeremy Valeriote to share policy goal updates from the provincial government and challenges facing the village.

Right off the bat, Valeriote reiterated his commitment to seeing regional transit this year.

“The one that I’m going to spend most of my time driving towards, [is] a commitment to regional transit this year. So that gives us nine months, as I keep reminding the Minister of Transportation” Valeriote said. “And so that commitment is in exchange for our votes on confidence and supply.”

The NDP won a single-seat majority in the 2024 provincial election, while the Greens have a two-member caucus. To better the chances of legislation passing, the parties announced a confidence-and-supply deal in December, committing the two Greens to provide votes for Premier Eby’s NDP. The agreement was finalized on March 12, and sets out 12 policy areas for collaboration.

Of particular interest, Valeriote singled out the removal of barriers to community health facilities, a review of the primary care system, expanding public coverage of psychologists, a commitment to build 30,000 units of affordable non-market housing during the government’s mandate, a pledge to commit $50 million annually toward electric heat pumps in 2025 and 2026, and a review of B.C. forests with First Nations and other stakeholders.

DOWNLOADED RESPONSIBILITIES

Officials shared concerns about the VOP’s ability to take on key services passed down from the provincial government. Councillor Ted Craddock led with concerns about the

Village paying for 70 per cent of an impending municipal police force transition—estimated at $1.3 million in the year of transition— required by provincial law once the Village crosses the 5,000 population mark.

“I think what we’re looking for is some support and to find a way to ease that transition,” he said. Craddock also indicated the Village is unlikely to hit the threshold by the 2026 census, but is set to start saving for the transition in the 2025 budget.

“It needs to be a little bit more graduated,”

PEMBERTON TRADE WAR FROM PAGE 18

“Obviously, we’re often a tourism-driven business to some degree,” he said. “The issues that we face at North Arm are going to be the similar ones to what other vendors in Whistler, for example, are feeling.

“If we lose our American visitors, that could be a significant problem for us.”

Part of the problem is the inconsistency of the situation; with tariffs scheduled, then paused for 30 days pending a border security announcement by Canada and Mexico, then slated for April 2 for agricultural products, then increased by 25 per cent in response to retaliatory tariffs by Canada. Recently, China added a 100-per-cent tariff on Canadian peas, canola oil and meal, and a 25-per-cent levy on seafood and pork.

“I just cannot maintain that same level of concern,” said Sturdy. “It takes too much energy. I guess I got used to it to some degree, and I’m going, ‘well, it’s too hard to anticipate what all the ramifications are going to be here.’”

BUY CANADIAN

Kerry McCann is the co-founder of Laughing Crow Organics, a mixed vegetable farm. Laughing Crow runs a vegetable stand, corn maze, and mixed vegetable box delivery program. And while McCann’s products usually stick to a 100-kilometre radius, most of the farm’s seeds come from across the border.

Like Beks, she’s still working on sorting

added Mayor Mike Richman. “So that’s at the heart of it—that whole system has to change.”

Another issue associated with a growing population is mandates around active transportation. Councillor Katrina Nightingale noted B.C. Housing mandates that local governments consider and prioritize active transportation when planning for housing— which can make applying for housing grants in Pemberton tricky.

“The housing changes that have been mandated to us have a big impact on parking

out which products will be tariffed, and which won’t. She did note she has seen an increase in wait times at the border.

“We had an impact from border security, where our seeds didn’t get across the border as easily as they normally do,” said McCann.

She said her suppliers have noted seeds are shipping slower nowadays, too. Usually, seeds take between three to four weeks, from order to their arrival. This year, it was two months.

In response to the threats and implementation of tariffs, a “Buy Canadian” attitude has taken off. McCann likened the approach to the COVID-19 era.

“The awareness for us was really great, because people wanted to shop local and

and cars, numbered cars on the road,” Nightingale said. “But we don’t have the capacity to in any way improve our active transportation.”

Council also voiced concerns over grant funding for projects. Richman noted grant funding is often insufficient, with municipalities competing for necessary upgrades to services and amenities and grants for maintenance of those new programs rarely on offer.

“We need to shift away from that model as our way of accessing provincial funds,” he told Valeriote. “We feel like we have to remind [the provincial government] that those are our taxpayers’ money [and we] have to go scratch and fight for them.”

Richman proposed a funding model to support small communities outside of the grant system.

Councillors also noted that the bridge over Pemberton Creek, while stable, is prone to ice buildup when water levels are high, due to it having been built too low to accommodate snowmelt. Richman said the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure previously told the VOP the bridge was safe.

“So it’s not very high on the replacement level, because the infrastructure itself is solid,” he said of the bridge. “But it’s the placement of it.”

The mayor also noted seismic requirements for building seemed overly onerous, given that Pemberton lies outside of the highest relative hazard for earthquakes.

“The fact that we have to build to that structural degree, again, is cost prohibitive,” Richman told Valeriote. “And [it’s] just the fact that we can’t access any of that funding unless we prove and agree to build to those standards when those standards don’t suit us.”

Valeriote noted that, despite the Green Party only holding two seats in the legislature, they had “a pretty good relationship with most ministers,” and that most were “keen to work with us.”

Richman said the VOP would circle back after the upcoming Union of BC Municipalities convention, scheduled for Sept. 22 to 26. n

support local businesses,” she said. “The trade war kind of does the same thing.

“I’m hoping that people will want to support local businesses. We’re generally always trying to buy Canadian when we can.”

That extends to McCann’s seed suppliers. She said while her usual industrial-scale seed suppliers are based out of Washington and Maine, she’ll try to buy more from a smallerscale company in Ontario.

The Pemberton Farmer’s Institute, which represents and advocates for local farmers in greater community groups, is set to discuss tariffs at its annual general meeting on March 31.

Check back with Pique for more as this story develops... n

ON THE ROAD AGAIN MLA Jeremy Valeriote says regional transit on Highway 99 remains a key priority. FILE PHOTO BY BRADEN DUPUIS

Tales of the Overstoke—ski mountaineering edition

WHEN YOU START ski touring, it’s all about skiing powder. After your experience broadens and your eyes open to new possibilities, ski touring starts to get a bit more serious. The terrain gets more complex with avalanche risk, fall exposure, glacial crevasse danger, or a combination of the above. The tools, skills and know-how you need to get where you’re going rapidly snowballs.

Ski mountaineering has grown into an

BY VINCE SHULEY

ambiguous term. There’s the “skimo” racing element to the sport, which is about speed, spandex, incredibly lightweight gear (that skis downhill terribly) and a heart rate that would have most of us keeling over. And in case you weren’t aware, skimo racing will make its Winter Olympics debut at Milano Cortina in 2026, so the backcountry can finally feel like it’s getting the mainstream recognition it never wanted.

The recreational arm of ski mountaineering uses light gear, but gear that skis downhill a lot better. Speed is less against the clock and more against the environment, such as making it back to the car before the headlamps come out, or getting to the slope before it warms up and destabilizes.

One of Pemberton’s old guard of ski mountaineering, Johnny “Foon” Chilton, once

described his experience of the sport as (and I’m paraphrasing here), “we saw the mountaineers climbing peaks and walking back down. We thought we could climb the same peaks and ski back down.” More comically, I’ve read prominent ski mountaineers refer to their sport as “peeing in exotic places” and “paying a whole bunch of money to travel somewhere very far away to ski less.”

Foon’s description is bang on. If you’re using real climbing skills and tools with skis on your back, you’re most likely ski mountaineering.

My tale of the overstoke as it relates to ski mountaineering, like most of these tales, happened early on in my touring career. I was hungry to tick off objectives and wanted

The weather was looking more than ideal and I’d teamed up with someone I worked with at the time, though we hadn’t ski toured together before (first flag in my 20/20 hindsight). We toured to the nearby hut the afternoon before and spent the night comfortably, rising at an early hour to make sure we had ample time to gain the summit. We climbed the nearby Anniversary Glacier without issue and began the long boot pack up the ridge of Matier. What I realized at this point is that while my colleague had an ice axe, he didn’t have any boot crampons. This was back before all ski touring boots had rubber friction soles too, so it was basically like he was climbing in regular DIN-sole ski boots. I worked at an outdoor store at the time so I had

The fault we had as a party was in our pre-trip and in-field communication. We hadn’t been ski touring together before and we didn’t talk about our respective expectations on the day.

to build an impressive resume for future expeditions. The mountain I had my eye on was the 2,783-metre Mount Matier, the tallest peak in the Joffre group northeast of Pemberton. I had already turned around twice from the peak on separate trips; once from a scary whoompf that signalled slope instability, the other a fierce wind event that would blow any would-be mountaineer off the ridge to meet their maker. Third time’s the charm, or so I thought.

all the tools I needed, but what I didn’t have was the experience to consistently make sound judgments.

We ascended the ridge with me out front, confidently stabbing my crampons into the snow and ice. My colleague was beginning to slow down when the summit came into view, just a few hundred metres away. Then, he stopped and would not go any further. He wasn’t comfortable with the exposure, the slippery soles of his ski boots probably not

helping the situation.

I was livid. We had come all this way, we’d nailed the timing on the weather and the stability. We were so close, and he was refusing to take another step in my direction. I tried encouraging him to at least come to where I was about 10 to 15 metres further up the ridge. He wouldn’t. I began yelling at him, pointing to the summit and saying, “it’s right fucking there!” But he was adamant, and taking off to reach the summit on my own was something even I knew would have been too reckless in that moment. I eventually conceded, taking one last look at the summit before turning around and skiing back down the ridge we’d just spent hours climbing.

The fault we had as a party was in our pretrip and in-field communication. We hadn’t been ski touring together before and we didn’t talk about our respective expectations on the day. We just thought we’d all walk up and ski Matier, with no Plan B, no trip plan, no discussion throughout the morning of how we were all feeling about the objective moving forward. The overstoke of getting to the summit became so obsessive I thought everything else was secondary.

I’ve had many successful ski mountaineering days since then and a couple of years later I returned to the stand on the Matier summit to ski its very impressive northwest face. After more experience and taking my AST 2 course, I became a lot more diligent about doing my homework before taking on big objectives, including clear communication with other party members. And I never lost my composure in the backcountry again.

Vince Shuley is now wise to his overstoke. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider, email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_vince. n

Eby’s Bill 7 the move of an ‘aspiring autocrat’

BY GORDON CAMPBELL

WE LIVE in troubling times. People are frightened and feel vulnerable. Taking advantage of that David Eby’s Bill 7 tries to establish autocratic rule for the next two years in B.C. It’s the move of an aspiring autocrat. Now is the time for measured, thoughtful action. Taking away democratic rights weakens us and destabilizes our future.

Eby decries President Trump’s actions while copying him. He wants to rule, not to serve, the people of B.C. He is trying to set aside democracy for more than half his term. His claim that this is necessary to address issues that may arise due to Trump’s tariffs is, put bluntly, nonsense.

This is the same premier who reneged on his commitment to call the legislature back right after the election. The election was October 19, 2024. He did not call the legislature back until February 17, 2025, well after President Trump declared his intentions regarding Canada. Eby delayed when it fit his political needs. Now, he introduces Bill 7 not to meet the province’s or Canada’s needs, but to serve his political wishes.

Mr. Eby says he wants to remove all trade barriers between provinces. Fine. Lead the way. Table legislation that removes all barriers B.C. imposes on other provinces. Get on with it. He does not need to usurp the democratic authority of the legislature to get that done immediately. Mr. Eby, take down those walls!

All people of B.C. deserve to be represented in these times. Any action should take place

act quickly when needed. With Bill 7, Mr. Eby takes away our rights and our elected representative’s responsibilities. We must hope that some New Democrats in his caucus remember they were elected as New Democrats, not New Autocrats. They should not acquiesce to the most autocratic bill ever tabled in B.C.’s legislature.

The legislature can be called back within 24 hours any time to properly debate, scrutinize and decide on any actions Mr. Eby dares propose. These are not, and should not be, personal decisions. Important decisions of this magnitude should be decisions where MLAs from every part of the province, from all parties, are included and held accountable.

All members of B.C.’s legislature are obligated to stand for Canadian democracy and due process, not to bow to autocracy.

We are Canadian. Our parliamentary principles and practises define our public institutions regardless of party. Canadian responsible government requires that the Premier and his cabinet account to the legislature. That’s the critical democratic link between a Premier and cabinet and the people of the province.

Mr. Eby’s Bill 7 is a power grab, pure and simple. It gives Eby the sole power to amend any law, change any regulation, change any tax, use your personal information and ignore the legislature for more than two years. No checks. No guardrails. No recourse. That is simply wrong for all of us regardless of political affiliation or what is decided in the U.S.

Mr. Eby’s Bill 7 undermines your rights and the governing principles of Canada.

We are smart enough, strong enough

To stand up to the U.S., we must first stand up for democracy and against autocracy at home.

only with proper public scrutiny.

Democracy is messy. It can be frustrating, but it is a necessary check on autocratic power.

The best, and constitutionally correct, way to fight Trump’s action is not by suspending our democratic institutions, but rather by fully and carefully considering our response to U.S. actions in our constitutionally enshrined parliamentary system. There is no need or reason to give Eby the dictatorial power he seeks. We should exemplify how a properly functioning democracy makes policy decisions through its legislative assembly in accordance with the rule of law. Eby engage the legislature despite his proclivities to do the opposite.

Every MLA, from every party, has an obligation to uphold our democratic institutions. The legislature can and will

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and creative enough to withstand powerful changes. But we will fail, if we follow Eby’s desire to undermine the democratic foundation upon which we stand.

MLAs should be against this unnecessary power grab. Even if the NDP MLAs cannot find a democratic conscience, then all opposition MLAs must.

To stand up to the U.S., we must first stand up for democracy and against autocracy at home.

Write, call, email or text your MLA. Tell them to stand for Canada and for our democratic values; tell them not to support this unconscionable power grab of the New Autocrats in Victoria.

Gordon Campbell served as premier of B.C. from 2001 to 2011. n

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UNEQUAL EFFECTS

Trump’s tariffs threaten Indigenous businesses in Canada—the government must take action

BY ANDREW J. KARESA AND DOUGLAS A. STUART

THE CONVERSATION

It’sa tough time for Canadians to start a new business. A looming recession, intensifying trade war with the United States and geopolitical uncertainty are making the economic landscape difficult for many business owners.

While all Canadian entrepreneurs face these risks to a greater or lesser degree, Indigenous entrepreneurs may be most affected.

Indigenous people make up only five per cent of the Canadian population despite being the fastest-growing demographic, with 30 per cent growth compared to nine per cent for non-Indigenous people.

Indigenous people start entrepreneurial ventures five times more often than non-Indigenous Canadians. The Canada-U.S. trade war threatens the future of these Indigenous entrepreneurs across Turtle Island (North America), potentially undermining the pursuit of reconciliation.

INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN CANADA

Indigenous-owned businesses contribute approximately $50 billion annually to the Canadian economy from an estimated 50,000 businesses. While this contribution is significant, starting a new venture can be difficult for Indigenous entrepreneurs due to a variety of barriers.

Unlike large businesses that may find workarounds or absorb costs, Indigenous businesses may find it harder to adapt to tariffs or an economic downturn due to poor

access to capital, barriers to digital access, infrastructure challenges and a lack of financial slack (a company’s unused financial resources).

These constraints can increase Indigenous people’s dependence on external organizations and may weaken the control Indigenous people and nations have when making decisions about their money and economies. This is something Indigenous people have long been fighting for.

Industries such as oil and gas, forestry and mining are expected to be hit hard by the tariffs—industries that Indigenous communities are becoming increasingly involved in, through employment, revenue sharing and equity participation agreements.

The longer tariffs remain in place, the more Indigenousowned small- and medium-sized businesses are likely to be disproportionately affected.

TRADE AGREEMENTS

Under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is set to be reviewed in 2026, there are rules that lessen the effect of trade barriers on Indigenous entrepreneurs dealing in textile and apparel goods. Article 6.2 allows Indigenous handiwork, such as moccasins, to cross borders duty-free. While this offers some protection against tariffs, only 7.2 per cent of small- and medium-sized Indigenous businesses sell their products to other countries. On average, 12.1 per cent of Canadian small businesses are exporters.

Indigenous businesses come from many industries. Construction, retail trade and professional services make up almost 40 per cent of Indigenous small businesses in

Article 6.2 allows Indigenous handiwork, such as moccasins, to cross borders duty-free. While this offers some protection against tariffs, only 7.2 per cent of small- and medium-sized Indigenous businesses sell their products to other countries.

Canada. Because of this, Article 6.2 only applies to some Indigenous firms.

These provisions must stay in effect. Raw materials brought in for making products are not included under the USMCA’s Indigenous trade rules, leaving an important gap that must be addressed by the Canadian government.

Firms that pay retaliatory tariffs to the Canadian government on imports may apply for a remissions process. The federal government will provide relief to firms that pay import tariffs on a case-by-case basis. It will check whether there are Canadian alternatives to the U.S.-sourced raw materials. If the answer is yes, it may be harder to get money back for tariffs paid.

Indirect financial impacts could also be damaging. The Canadian economic outlook is not good, with expected job losses, reduced investment, weaker productivity and lower consumer spending. These economic effects are likely to impact Indigenous businesses, too.

There is also growing concern about the U.S. potentially sidestepping USMCA rules. Ratified trade pacts have not stopped Donald Trump’s administration from levying taxes on imports, such as those on steel and aluminium. Some experts argue these measures break World Trade Organization laws, raising concerns about future American actions that could erode the benefits of the USMCA for Indigenous businesses.

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPACTS

The Canada-U.S. trade war could lead to some Indigenous businesses shutting down. In turn, this could have significant sociocultural impacts on Indigenous

entrepreneurs and their communities.

Many Indigenous entrepreneurs start businesses in line with their cultural practices, and as a way to contribute to their community’s economic and overall well-being. If a business fails, the entrepreneur may have to leave their community and work for a non-Indigenous firm. This may impact their ability to maintain cultural connection and support.

Many Indigenous businesses prioritize hiring Indigenous people, and closures can result in fewer culturally affirming work environments for Indigenous workers. For youth, this may present as fewer opportunities for community-based professional and interpersonal knowledge transfer through apprenticeships, mentoring and skill-building.

It can also further embed colonial economic structures in Indigenous communities by forcing them to rely more heavily on external businesses.

In addition, more non-Indigenous people are buying Indigenous products, such as hand-carved sculptures and jewelry. These sales are a way of sharing Indigenous culture more broadly. When Indigenous firms close, their owners lose an important way of sharing cultural knowledge.

ACTION IS NEEDED

The growing trade barriers resulting from Trump’s tariffs raise concerns about the future of Indigenous entrepreneurship as a tool for sovereignty and independence. If the right choices are not made, Canada risks undoing progress made towards reconciliation.

The Canadian Council for Indigenous Business has proposed steps to fix the unequal effects of the tariffs. These include more infrastructure investment in Indigenous

communities and greater access to funding for Indigenous businesses. It also encourages Canadians to prioritize buying Indigenous products and services.

Removing trade barriers within Canada may also help grow local markets by making it easier for Canadians to trade and do business with one other.

The business community as a whole faces uncertainty and harm from ongoing geopolitical and trade risks. Weakened Canadian companies are easier targets for hostile takeovers by foreign corporations—a concern that recently prompted Ottawa to change the Investment Canada Act to block predatory investment behaviour.

Encouragingly, Gary Anandasangaree, the minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, recently pledged government programs and support to Indigenous businesses affected by the tariffs. However, some Indigenous leaders feel they are not receiving a seat at the table in negotiating a “Team Canada” response to trade challenges.

Indigenous voices need to be heard and considered in economic decision-making and policy development. Indigenous people and communities are up against unequal and harmful effects that are not only economic, but also social and cultural. Public policymakers, institutions and activists would do well to remember this.

This article was originally published in The Conversation on March 13.

Andrew J. Karesa is an adjunct professor in Indigenous Business at The King’s University Canada. Douglas A. Stuart is an assistant teaching professor of accounting at the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. n

PHOTO BY MIKE CRANE/COURTESY OF TOURISM WHISTLER

Back to class for young and old

By the time they graduate from high school, your teenagers are expected to have made certain choices about their future careers. What do they want to do in life? If you feel your children are undecided or unmotivated, or if they refuse to talk about it, don’t be discouraged just yet. There are many different ways you can help your children through this process.

First of all, take every possible opportunity to discuss their interests and skills. Listen without judging and criticizing. Go ahead and tell them you could picture them doing this or that profession, but don’t pressure them. The important thing is to keep your teenagers thinking about the future. Encourage them to see a career counsellor so they can explore their natural talents and learn about the different programs of study open to them.

Remember that it’s never too late to decide on a career. In fact, more and more students are choosing their professions after they reach adulthood and after trying various jobs. Through all their explorations, young people discover their own identity, assimilate all kinds of knowledge and accumulate valuable life experience.

Your children’s career paths may be very different from yours. Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon to change careers once, twice or even more often nowadays. In short, be patient when helping your teenagers in their career choices. And remember, they need their parents’ support, even if they don’t show it openly.

Sleep, an important element in academic success

Do your teenagers sleep a lot? Good! In

order to be fit and able to absorb lots of new information, adolescents should get between nine and ten hours of sleep a day. If your teens have a tendency to go to bed around midnight and then get up at seven in the morning to go to school, they’re probably suffering from chronic lack of sleep. Sleeping in till noon on Saturday won’t help them recover.

During adolescence, hormonal changes affect sleep. Melatonin and cortisol, two hormones that regulate sleeping and waking, can undergo abrupt changes in level. On top of that, many teenagers neglect their sleep because of a busy schedule.

A young person who doesn’t get enough sleep will have trouble getting up in the morning and may lack concentration or be drowsy, dizzy, nervous, irritable and depressed. A chronic lack of sleep reduces a person’s learning and memory skills and can have a negative impact on school grades. To restore a normal sleep cycle that will improve their academic performance, encourage your teenagers to adopt the following good habits:

• Go to bed and get up every day at the same time.

• Turn off all screens (including cell phones) at least one hour before going to bed.

• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine; try a glass of warm milk, a warm bath and listening to soft music.

• Don’t drink any caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks) after the middle of the afternoon.

Be sure to talk to a healthcare professional if your teenagers lack energy despite a stable sleep routine.

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Whistler’s Senior Ski Team commemorates 20th anniversary

A CELEBRATORY LUNCH WILL TAKE PLACE APRIL 2 AT CREEKBREAD

BY DAVID SONG

THE WHISTLER BLACKCOMB Senior Ski Team (SST) is gathering to mark its 20th anniversary.

The SST came about in response to novel skis which emerged in the early 2000s. Innovated by the late freeskier and BASE jumper Shane McConkey, these reverse camber skis marry a concave shape underfoot with rising tips and tails for high performance in deep powder.

Then in July 2003, Whistler’s bid to co-host the 2010 Olympic Games proved successful. The town’s population would grow to serve a boost in ski tourism across North America—a trend that included people over 50 years of age looking for reliable instruction on the new shaped skis.

Wendell Moore played a key role in getting the first iteration of the SST underway. Half a dozen locals met with him on a weekly basis in 2004-05 for lessons on both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain, usually followed by lunches at Creekside or Blackcomb base.

“Wendell is a very detailed person who is

able to solve any problem that he encounters with little effort… or so it seems,” remarked Wilma Weidner, who joined the SST in 2008. “He has and still is introducing specified training and equipment for people who want to up their technical skills.”

The first cohort of SST members hailed from places such as Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Winnipeg. People like David and Rosemary Mahaler, Anne and Roy Strickland,

expanding from one group to seven, 14, 20, 35 and now to 50 today. Moore helps divide both female and male registrants (between 300 and 350 each year) into units of seven who learn from the same coach for blocks of 12 sessions. Adjustments are made to fit the skills of everybody: from newbies who overestimate or underestimate themselves to returning pupils wishing to move up or down the ladder.

Each group of students meets at about 9

“The goal is that we are skiing in teams and the leaders are coaching, not as much instructing.”

- WILMA WEIDNER

Doug and Joan Deeks as well as Gus and Gail Leach were regulars in those days, and a small number of them are still involved.

‘A PASSION FOR SKIING’

Participation increased consistently over time as 70- and even 80-year-old individuals began to join. The Whistler Blackcomb Ski School took notice, ultimately making the SST part of its official lineup.

Demand rose further, with the SST

a.m. on any given day (with various cohorts heading out four days a week) and skis until sometime after noon, alternating between Whistler and Blackcomb week to week. Changes to the schedule are made to avoid poor weather and busy days like holidays.

These seniors enjoy an active social life centred around potlucks in local homes. Prior to COVID-19, the SST was frequently sighted at well-known establishments like Buffalo Bills, Nita Lake Lodge and the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC).

“The SST is its own community as it brings people together from all walks of life who have a passion for skiing and enjoying the outdoors, including the social aspect,” Weidner said. “The goal is that we are skiing in teams and the leaders are coaching, not as much instructing.”

At 71 years of age, Weidner has lived in either Whistler or Pemberton since 1998. She was born in the Netherlands and learned to ski in Tyrol, Austria as a teenager. Her favourite thing about the SST is meeting and bonding with “great people” who come from various vocational backgrounds.

She and many others get to renew those relationships on April 2 for an end-of-season lunch hosted by Creekbread.

“Celebrating 20 years means that the coaches and members have an opportunity to recognize and honour Wendell’s ideas and work,” said Weidner. “We are now a recognized unit within the Vail organization and other mountains too are now incorporating this program.

“The other reason is to let other people know that this SST program exists. It may be an idea for someone out there who is a lonely skier—or a previously injured skier who lost confidence—to sign up for next season.”

A press release notes the SST has provided approximately 50,000 lessons to date. Visit seniorskiteam.com for more details.  n

SENIOR LEADERSHIP Members of Whistler Blackcomb’s Senior Ski Team on the mountain.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDRZEJ KOTLICKI

Hallie Clarke, Josip Brusic repeat as Canadian skeleton champions in Whistler

JESSE PLANTE EARNS INAUGURAL PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE AWARD

BY DAVID SONG

BOTH HALLIE CLARKE and Josip Brusic wrapped up their skeleton campaigns on a high note on March 23, winning their respective Canadian Championships races.

Clarke flew through two runs in a combined one minute and 49.53 seconds, edging out national team veteran Jane Channell in second (1:49.56). Rounding out the ladies’ top three was Laura Vargas (1:52.15).

“It was a really close race. I only won by three-hundredths [of a second] ahead of Jane, and that makes it really fun racing,” said Clarke. “We also have so many new recruits, and it was really special to see all of their first Canadian Championships runs.”

Brusic had a slightly more sizable lead on the men’s field en route to gold (1:48.64). Kyle Murray netted a silver medal (1:48.86) and Mark Lynch clocked in for bronze (1:49.52).

“First run was a tied personal best [at 54 seconds],” Brusic noted. “Second run fell off a little bit, but it was still a great day in general.”

A total of 17 men and nine women dropped in from atop the Whistler Sliding Centre (WSC) on Sunday, with four more using the lower start gate at Corner No. 3.

Six athletes—Massimo Ardizzoni, Emily Bateman, Zander Greco, Julia Hamilton, Maddy Parra and Simon Salisbury—were born in 2007, the year the WSC first opened. With two-time Olympian and 15-time World Cup

medallist Mirela Rahneva announcing her retirement in December, a changing of the guard is truly afoot.

“It’s so great to see so many athletes that are young and hungry and excited to take the next step in the sport,” remarked national team manager and technical coach Micaela Widmer.

PURSUING EXCELLENCE

In addition to typical podium fare, Canadian skeleton racers have a new in-house accolade to vie for: the Pursuit of Excellence Award. Jesse Plante, who finished 12th, became the first individual to receive such a distinction.

Widmer elaborates: “Tracy and Richard Crutchley have been supporting our program for years [as volunteers], but this year we wanted to make it more official and we collaborated in making the Pursuit of Excellence award. It is to go to an athlete who really demonstrates one of our national skeleton program’s values: the relentless pursuit of excellence.

“Jesse exhibits this every day with his dedication. He has one of the highest run volumes of the year [among] first-year sliders, and he’s always there with a positive attitude. He takes feedback really well and overall, he has just brought a level of

Victory in Verbier for Wei Tien Ho; Marcus Goguen secures Freeride World Tour overall title

excellence to the program. We wanted to recognize him for that.”

Clarke and Brusic both describe Plante as a man brimming with work ethic who drives those around him to be better. In their opinion, he earned the award “100 per cent” and will continue to be an asset to the program.

By all indications, Team Canada is growing in both size and momentum. Widmer feels the group has “the most positive start house it’s had in years”—a sentiment echoed by multiple people at Saturday’s team dinner. She credits the newcomers with infusing fresh energy into the fold.

“Skeleton is a tough sport to learn, it’s a tough sport to coach,” said Widmer. “You’re outside for hours on end in the cold. We are passionate about this sport, and so to see these younger athletes coming in and thanking us for that, it’s amazing. Coaching can sometimes be a thankless job. [Kevin Boyer, head coach Joe Cecchini] and I do it because we love the sport and we want to share that love with as many athletes as possible.”

A welcome offseason respite awaits the Canadians, but much more work lies ahead. Clarke feels lessons learned from a seventhplace World Championships outing in early March will help her regain the historic title she won at that same event in 2024, while Brusic remains locked in to improve as one of his nation’s top threats.

“Take nothing for granted,” he said. “You don’t owe anything to anyone, and every day you have to show up and take it for yourself.” n

JUSTINE DUFOUR-LAPOINTE WINS SECOND FWT CROWN; VICTOR DE LE RUE MAKES HISTORY WITH HIS FOURTH

HIS PATH TO GLORY was not the most direct, but Wei Tien Ho claimed his first Freeride World Tour (FWT) gold medal at none other than the Yeti Xtreme Verbier.

The Whistlerite took his inaugural run on the Bec des Rosses as if he were already a veteran. He confidently navigated the face’s steep upper portion before stomping a giant backflip, an emphatic 360 and an outside-the-box double pop through the icefall for 84.33 points.

“It’s an honour to win the Xtreme Verbier,” Ho said in a press release. “I can’t believe it, and I couldn’t have asked for a better end to the season—it’s the cherry on top!”

Freshly-dethroned Verbier king Marcus Goguen had to settle for fourth (69.17), but clockwork-like consistency through the season vaulted him atop the overall men’s ski rankings nonetheless.

“This title means the world to me; it’s been a childhood dream, and achieving it alongside my friend Wei Tien Ho, who won today, makes it even more special,” Goguen told the media. “I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.”

Ross Tester, who like Ho qualified for the

2025 FWT as a wildcard entrant, clinched silver (76.67). Tester’s fellow American, Rookie of the Year Toby Rafford, earned bronze (72.67).

Rafford also found himself third overall, with Swiss ace Martin Bender in the runnerup hole behind Goguen.

BACK TO HER WINNING WAYS

Justine Dufour-Lapointe cemented her second FWT title with silver in Verbier (77.00). The former Canadian Olympic moguls queen displayed versatility and experience with a run that only one ladies’ skier could beat.

That individual was Jenna Keller of Switzerland, who ended her scintillating rookie year with a masterclass (82.00). Germany’s Lena Köhler encountered more difficulty on the Bec des Rosses, but still did enough for third (48.33).

“Winning this second title feels even more special after the challenges I have faced,” Dufour-Lapointe explained in a release. “I went into this season just wanting to enjoy the ride, but I love to push myself and perform at my best. This win reminds me how incredible

life is and that anything is possible when you commit with your heart and mind. I feel so proud and grateful to be part of this amazing freeride community, and this is a moment I will cherish forever.”

Keller remarked: “I am shaking all over. It is crazy to think that I never had many wins in my freeride career, and now winning this competition feels like a dream come true.”

Frenchwoman Astrid Cheylus locked up third in the overall behind Dufour-Lapointe and Keller.

HISTORIC FINISH

Freeride snowboard fans know the name Victor de Le Rue well, and for good reason: he just laid claim to his fourth FWT crown. In so doing, he tied French compatriot Marion Haerty’s all-time record and superseded older brother Xavier de Le Rue’s trifecta of titles.

Victor notched 89.00 points to wind up third, but even he wasn’t able to match the outstanding performance of triumphant British athlete Cody Bramwell (92.67). Liam Rivera snuck onto the podium in second place

after an excellent run of his own (90.00).

As a result, the men’s overall standings go: Victor, Bramwell and Rivera in that order.

“I am incredibly happy to make history with this title,” Victor said. “It was a goal from the start of the season, but the competition was tough, and conditions were challenging. It all came down to the final run, and I am grateful for how everything played out.”

Then there was Noémie Equy, who took her victory lap in style. She’d already made France proud by locking down the campaign title in Fieberbrunn weeks ago, but won yet again (89.67). Michaela Davis Meehan’s silver medal effort (83.00) put her into overall runner-up position, and Núria Castán Barón took bronze on both the day and the season (74.00).

“Winning the title and the Xtreme Verbier in my rookie season is more than I could have ever expected,” said Equy, one of the world’s most dominant big-mountain snowboarders. “I am really happy with how everything turned out, and now I am looking forward to celebrating and working on getting even better for next winter.”

- David Song n

SLIDE PARADE Canadian skeleton racers and coaches assembled at the Whistler Sliding Centre on March 23.

PHOTO BY DAVID SONG

New-look Horstman Hut offers authentic Bavarian dining and décor

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB DINING DIRECTOR WOLFGANG STERR IS PROUD OF THE REBRAND’S POSITIVE RECEPTION BY GUESTS

BY DAVID SONG

WOLFGANG STERR , Whistler Blackcomb’s (WB) senior director of dining, is on a mission he calls “brand identity work.” Put differently, he and his team are revamping various mountain-affiliated eateries so they become more unique and attractive to resort guests.

In the case of the Horstman Hut, that meant leaning into Austrian and Bavarian themes which local visionary Hugh Smythe is a big fan of… and which also reflect the heritage of numerous Whistlerites and visitors.

Enter the Horstman Hut today, and you might notice Swiss cowbells front and centre. Bavarian flags, snowshoes and ski paraphernalia adorn the walls as beer steins line the shelves. Use your imagination and you may picture yourself as having been teleported to Central Europe, even though you know you’ve arrived in the Sea to Sky for what is hopefully an unforgettable day on pristine powder.

The Hut’s menu reflects its interior design, featuring a Bavarian classic known as weisswurst (or white sausage), bratwurst on pretzel buns, obatzda (cheese dip served with

pretzels and pickles) and other traditional European fare. Dessert aficionados might also be drawn to the apple tart offering.

“Our executive chef, Larry Johnson, scoured the internet and tried different recipes,” said Sterr. “I had the dream, and [he had to] service the nightmare. What I appreciate about Larry is that he is really good at fact-finding, and he’s very detail-focused. Larry does a lot of research. He makes sure that the starting ingredient is the best quality, as well as that it is authentic to what we’re

In 1991, Sterr fell in love with Whistler—as many do on their first ski trip in the region. He went back and forth between Ontario and British Columbia, assuming WB’s executive chef role and ultimately taking his current position in 2021.

A CONVERSATION PIECE

By all indications: the Hut has become a local favourite, a hidden gem of sorts atop Blackcomb Mountain.

“When I go skiing on my days off, nine times out of 10 the conversation [in the gondola] goes to: ‘have you been to Horstman Hut?’”

- WOLFGANG STERR

trying to do, so there’s a wealth of knowledge he brings.”

Sterr himself knows a thing or two about the culinary arts as well. Raised in the Bavarian Alps, he was exposed to hospitality at a young age by his father, who headed up a local tourism board. At age 15, Sterr began his chef apprenticeship and eventually ran his own restaurant, The Wildflower, for nearly a decade and a half in Fonthill, Ont.

“We take a lot of flak about the food at times with the public, and we’ve worked really hard over the last two years to listen to feedback and comments,” Sterr admitted. “When I go skiing on my days off, nine times out of 10 the conversation [in the gondola] goes to: ‘have you been to Horstman Hut?’ That makes you proud when you know you have created something with your team … that has a lasting impact on the public.

“[The taste of the Hut’s food] is unique and refined. It is not your generic beef burger—that we want to have as well for the masses—but it’s kind of like the conversation piece you take with you after vacation. You’ll share with friends when you return and say, ‘we went skiing in Whistler, then we stumbled upon Horstman Hut and … felt like we were transported into this Bavarian village. The food matched the experience, the music and the decor.’”

WB’s brand identity work is an ongoing process. The Hut’s facelift began last April, when Sterr’s team reviewed guest feedback and collaborated with their maintenance crew to prepare the desired renovations. Summer was a time of product testing: menu items were composed and outspoken taste-testers brought in to evaluate the fruits of Chef Johnson’s labour.

Sterr went on to remark: “It’s a real process to change a brand. After COVID, it took some time for suppliers and purveyors to throttle back up and have production of different products. We’re looking at Rendezvous next year to spruce the menu up, potentially adding another station. We’re looking at the Roundhouse Lodge from a speed-of-service perspective: to have great-quality coffee, but faster, because the lineups are long.”

For now, visit whistlerblackcomb.com/ explore-the-resort/the-village/dining/ horstman-hut.aspx to learn more about the Horstman Hut… or just visit the Hut itself to see what all the fuss is about. n

HUT OF HOSPITALITY The interior of Blackcomb Mountain’s Horstman Hut.

PHOTO BY JULIE ZONEY

MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE

Paul Nicklen, Cristina Mittermeier to speak at Fairmont Whistler

THE INTERNATIONALLY-RENOWNED PHOTOGRAPHERS AND CONSERVATIONISTS WILL MEET GUESTS ON MARCH 28, WITH NICKLEN DOING A SOLO EVENT ON MARCH 29

BY DAVID SONG

PAUL NICKLEN was the youngest person ever to join the International Photography Hall of Fame (IPHF) at the time of his 2019 induction. He’s part of the Order of Canada, with an honorary PhD from the University of Victoria (UVic), an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University and a 20-year career with National Geographic on his resume—among other things.

If Nicklen could exchange all of those achievements for one unforgettable image that helps protect Earth’s biosphere, he would do so in a heartbeat.

“I have to say to myself: ‘what feels good?’ Is it getting an accolade? Is it getting inducted into the Hall of Fame? Sure, those are nice little moments of recognition, but as Canadians we don’t get off too much on our own achievements,” he remarks. “What feels really good to me is when we can use our cameras to tell a story: to chase big oil out of certain very fragile, beautiful parts of Norway, or when we’ve kept the gold mining industry out of carving up new frontiers in the Yukon Territory.

“When the Supreme Court judge holds up the National Geographic article and says: ‘this is what we’re fighting for,’ that’s what makes me feel better than anything else. I also love it when people want to have one of my images and hang it on their wall. They are basically being reminded every day about how beautiful this planet is.”

Despite being born in Tisdale, Sask., Nicklen grew up on Baffin Island with his parents. They were one of three non-Inuit families in a remote community of less than 200 residents. There was no TV, no radio and no telephone to distract young Nicklen from the poetry of his majestic surroundings.

Nicklen saw his first polar bear at age five, learned the Inuktitut language and embraced stories of the Arctic land. He went on to study marine biology at UVic, becoming a scientist, photographer and scuba diver.

Over time, he grew displeased with his first career path.

“As biologists, we were just managing populations for the maximum sustainable yield—basically, how many animals can you kill without driving the population down?”

Nicklen asserts. “I also realized that we, quite often as scientists, got it wrong. We protected the rights of humans and hunters, and we didn’t protect the rights of the animals— animals that had no voice. That’s when I got frustrated and said: ‘I need to do more.’”

‘A VOICE TO THE VOICELESS’

In 1994, Nicklen’s former boss gave him something of an ultimatum: stating he would need to eventually choose between research and shooting photos. Nicklen responded by packing 600 pounds of gear into a Cessna 206 aircraft and getting dropped off in the general vicinity of Paulatuk, a hamlet in the Northwest Territories.

A region east of the Anderson River Delta, along the Horton River, became the backdrop for his adventurous sabbatical. Nicklen put the survival skills he learned as a youngster to use, walking more than 1,000 kilometres and paddling another 500 while encountering rugged creatures like wolverines, moose and

golden eagles. He didn’t see another human being for three months.

“I need to give a voice to the voiceless,” Nicklen says. “I knew for the rest of my life that I was going to give a voice and a face to the animals I care about, and their ecosystems.”

National Geographic provided a viable platform for this goal, and the same is true for SeaLegacy: a nonprofit organization Nicklen co-launched in 2014 with partner Cristina Mittermeier to advocate for oceans and marine life. The former Arctic resident has become enraptured with fine art photography, which lets him approach every shot with a creative mindset.

In his words: Nicklen chooses to live at the intersection of art, science and conservation.

“I want my images to be so powerful that when you’re just casually scrolling through Nat Geo or casually looking through any other magazine, you see an image that grabs you by the heart, punches you in the stomach and just locks you in,” he elaborates. “Those are the ones which invite you into the conversation. From there, you have to base things on science.

“Everyone just says what they want nowadays, [but] true journalism and true storytelling is based on scientific facts. And then for me: if we’re telling stories without the benefits of conservation, then we’re just fiddling while Rome burns. I [need] those three things to come together to feed my soul.”

‘WE WANT TO CONNECT’

Mittermeier lives and breathes environmental advocacy, just as Nicklen does.

The Mexico City native coined the phrase “conservation photography.” She founded the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) in 2005 as a vehicle for photographers highlighting ecological

topics. In her eyes, conservationists fight on their own kind of front line as they try to make a difference.

“We both do the work we do because we want a microphone, we want to stand on stages and we want to connect with audiences,” says Nicklen. “We want to inspire and tap into people’s emotional beings. We speak outside of our echo chamber, trying to tap into the conscience of anybody who’s willing to listen and open themselves up to change.”

British Columbia is one of the most beautiful places Nicklen feels he’s ever visited. He has authored multiple National Geographic stories about the province’s environment, from sea walls to salmon to spirit bears. At one point he visited Whistler on assignment for the New York Times Magazine, where he documented late local icon Jeanie and other black bears.

Above all, Nicklen wants people to know that each time they buy his photos, they invest in Earth-focused storytelling.

“In a way, you’re supporting an artist who’s out there fighting every day for our planet,” he says. “What we do is very dangerous: diving with rebreathers, high-speed ocean currents and coming back with visuals that otherwise [people will] never get to see. I do a lot of shows around the world, and this is perhaps the one I’m most excited [about]. I’m very excited about Mountain Galleries. To be able to work with such an elegant, classy group of people who have the right client base… everything just feels right.”

Nicklen and Mittermeier will do a meetand-greet on March 28 at Mountain Galleries in Fairmont Whistler. The following day, Nicklen plans to return for a solo presentation. Visit mountaingalleries.com/show/ mountain-galleries-paul-nicklen-cristinamittermeier-in-whistler to learn more.  n

SVALBARD SURPRISE ”Face to Face,” taken 2008 in Svalbard, Norway.

PHOTO BY PAUL NICKLEN

YOUR DAILY DOSE WHISTLER OF

ARTS

PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE

Here’s a quick look at some events happening in Whistler this week and beyond. FIND MORE LOCAL EVENT LISTINGS (and submit your own for free!) at piquenewsmagazine.com/local-events

BARBED CHOIR

BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WHISTLER

Get off the beaten path and explore the edge of believable with captivating stories from the 49th Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival. From exploring remote landscapes to adrenaline-fuelled action sports, films selected for the 2024-25 World Tour are sure to captivate and amaze you. A portion of the proceeds support the Spearhead Huts Society.

> March 28 to 29, 6 p.m.

> Maury Young Arts Centre

> $30

ALPENGLOW APRÈS

As the sun casts its final golden hues across Whistler’s peaks, the Mallard Lounge Patio transforms into the heart of Alpenglow Après. This limited-time event invites you to revel in an elevated après-ski experience. Live DJ tunes fill the sun-soaked patio, while fireside warmth and shareable culinary delights create a vibrant atmosphere in the Upper Village. Sip Kettle One cocktails, including signature tap espresso martini, and let the magic of Alpenglow illuminate your evening.

> March 28 to 29, 3 to 6 p.m.

> Mallard Lounge

> Prices vary

APRÈS DAY 2025

Corona Cero Canada presents Après Day 2025, in partnership with Canada Snowboard. Join in the ultimate après-ski celebration. Party with Jasmine Baird, enjoy sounds by local DJs and grab exclusive, limited-edition merch. $1 from every Corona Extra or Corona Cero sold will be donated to Canada Snowboard (up to $10K).

> March 29, noon to 4 p.m.

> Roundhouse Lodge

THE IMPROV BATTLE

Featuring the cast of Laugh Out LIVE! with legendary DJs Foxy Moron and Vinyl Ritchie. Two teams of quickwitted, sharp-tongued improvisers take your wildest suggestions and turn them into side-splitting scenes, ridiculous characters and unpredictable hilarity while battling for improv supremacy. No scripts, no safety nets, just pure, unfiltered comedy chaos!

> April 1, 8 p.m.

> Garibaldi Lift Co.

> Tickets start at $23

WHISTLER COMEDY CLASSIC PRODUCED BY JOKERS CANADA

Following a sold-out event in 2024, Jokers Canada returns to Whistler Village with a fresh lineup of Canada’s funniest pro comedians.

> April 2, 7 p.m.

> Maury Young Arts Centre

> Tickets start at $34.65

BARBED CHOIR

Do you love to sing? Do you love meeting new people? Do you like all types of rock music, new and old? Head on down to sing with Barbed Choir - Whistler’s rock choir. Meetings are drop-in, no registration or experience necessary.

> April 2, 7 p.m.

> Whistler Public Library

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BY ALLYN PRINGLE

LAST MONTH we shared a story about Whistler residents encountering each other while travelling when, in 1984, Inge and Jens Nielsen discovered Chuck Blaylock was piloting their flight back from Europe. It’s also not uncommon for visitors or residents to come across someone in Whistler who they know from outside the valley, often long before they moved to the area. In the 1990s, this phenomenon happened to Karen Vagelatos when she dropped her kids off at ski school.

Karen grew up in the Vancouver area and first visited Alta Lake as a teenager in the summer of 1963 when she, her cousin Bob Calladine, and their racing coach Lorne O’Connor were part of a group that climbed up Whistler Mountain and were filmed skiing Whistler Bowl. Karen learned to ski at the age of three (not surprising as her father had a popular ski shop in downtown Vancouver for many years) and was a member of the Canada National Ski Team from 1964 to 1968, competing in two Olympic Winter Games.

After retiring from racing, Karen coached for the Whistler Mountain Ski Club and the Toni Sailer Summer Ski Camp and even when living in Vancouver continued to visit the area regularly, first staying with friends and then buying a cabin. Her family moved up full-time in 1995.

By 1995, Karen and her family had moved over to Blackcomb Mountain and were members of the Blackcomb Ski Club. When asked why she made the switch after such a long history on Whistler, Karen explained it was not as much about the terrain as it was the chairlifts; Whistler was still running double chairs while Blackcomb had triple, which meant she and her husband could each take two of their four young kids instead of sending them up with other skiers.

This switch meant her children attended Blackcomb’s Kids Kamp and when taking them in one day she came across none other than Florence Petersen at reception. Karen happened to be with someone she went to high school with, who pointed out Florence as “Flossie,” their P.E. teacher in Burnaby for Grades 11 and 12.

It might seem strange to some to call

a teacher by a nickname, but Florence was known to quite a few of her early students as Flossie. Florence attended Burnaby North Secondary School before doing her teacher training at the Vancouver Normal School. At the time, most new teachers would spend a few years teaching at a one-room school after completing their training before they applied for positions in the larger city schools. However, there was a shortage of trained P.E. teachers in the late 1940s. Florence was one of only a few in her year who completed the extra course to be qualified, meaning she went straight into teaching at city secondary schools.

Florence’s first position was as a P.E. teacher at a school in Coquitlam, where she was only a year older than some of her oldest students. After two years, she moved to Burnaby North, her alma mater, where she taught for the next 15 years. When she first arrived back at Burnaby North, she found herself teaching former schoolmates who had been young students when she graduated. Looking back in 2007, she recalled, “I have to thank them all for being very respectful,” and calling her Ms. Strachan in class and Flossie outside of school.

Florence later transitioned into counselling and went first to Moscrop Junior High and then Burnaby South Secondary School before retiring in 1983 after 36 years as a teacher.

In 1955, while teaching at Burnaby North, Florence and fellow teachers and friends Betty Gray (Shore), June Tidball (Collins), Kelly Forster (Fairhurst) and Jacquie Pope purchased Witsend, a cottage on Alta Lake they would visit regularly until it was destroyed by a fire in 1965. Florence moved up permanently when she retired, joining her husband Andy who had already been living in their Whistler property full-time.

As well as becoming Whistler’s first marriage commissioner and a founding force behind the Whistler Museum, Florence could sometimes be found working in places such as the Kids Kamp building, where Karen Vagelatos came across her. Though Karen had not known about Florence’s connection to Alta Lake, after this first meeting she would regularly see her around Whistler. Looking back, she recalled Florence as a great but demanding P.E. teacher with high expectations of her students. n

OUTDOOR EDUCATION Florence Petersen and Don Gow in Burnt Stew Basin.

GOW COLLECTION.

ASTROLOGY

Free Will Astrology

WEEK OF MARCH 28 BY ROB

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Ancient Rome’s emperor Julius Caesar undertook a radical move to fix the calendar, which had become increasingly inaccurate as the centuries passed. He added three months to the year 46 BCE, which as a result was 445 days long. I’m thinking that 2025 might seem equally long for you, Aries. Your destiny may feel like it’s taking forever to unfold. APRIL FOOL! I totally lied. In fact, I think 2025 will be one of your briskest, crispest years ever. Your adventures will be spiced with alacrity. Your efforts will be efficient and expeditious. You may sometimes be amazed at how swiftly progress unfolds.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Guilt and fear are always useless distractions from what’s really happening. Right? APRIL FOOL! The fact is that on rare occasions, being anxious can motivate you to escape from situations that your logical mind says are tolerable. And guilt may compel you to take the right action when nothing else will. This is one time when your guilt and fear can be valuable assets.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The German word Flüsterwitze means “whisper jokes.” These jests make taboo references and need to be delivered with utmost discretion. They may include the mockery of authority figures. Dear Gemini, I recommend that you suppress your wicked satire and uproarious sarcasm for a while and stick to whisper jokes. APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is that the world needs your outspokenness. Your ability to call out hypocrisies and expose corruption—especially with humor and wit—will keep everyone as honest as they need to be.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the lead-up to the Parishosted 2024 Summer Olympics, the iconic Eiffel Tower was repainted gold. This was a departure from tradition, as the usual colours had been brown on the bottom and red on the top. The $60-million job took 25 painters 18 months. I recommend that you undertake an equally monumental task in the coming months, Cancerian. APRIL FOOL! I lied. In fact, I do hope you undertake a monumental task—but one that’s more substantive than changing the surfaces of things. Like revisioning your life story, for example— reinterpreting your past and changing the way it informs your future. I think you are ready to purge inessential elements and exorcize old ghosts as you prepare for a re-launch around your birthday.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): When I worked on the Duke University grounds crew years ago, I did the work I was assigned as quickly as possible. Then I would hide in the bushes, taking unauthorized breaks for an hour or two, so I could read books I loved. Was that unethical? Maybe. But the fact is, I would never have been able to complete my assigned tasks unless I allowed myself relaxation retreats. If there is an equivalent situation in your life, Leo, I urge you to do as I did. APRIL FOOL! I half-lied. The truth is that I think you should be a little less extravagant than I was—but only a little—as you create the spaciousness and slack you need.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In his film Fitzcarraldo, Virgo director Werner Herzog tells an epic story. It includes the task of hauling a 320-ton steamship up a hill and over land, moving it from one river to another. Herzog could have relied on special effects to simulate this almost impossible project, but he didn’t. With a system of pulleys and a potent labour force, he made it happen. I urge you to try your equivalent of Herzog’s heroic conquest, Virgo. You will be able to summon more power and help than you can imagine. APRIL FOOL! I half-lied. While it’s true that you will be able to summon more power and help than you can imagine, I still think you should at least partially rely on the equivalent of special effects.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Researchers discovered that Egyptian fruit bats engage in extensive communication with each other while nesting in their roosts. Surprisingly, they talk about their problems a lot. In fact, they quarrel 60 per cent of the time. Areas of disagreement include food

BREZSNY

allocation, positions within the sleep cluster, and males initiating unwanted mating moves. Let’s make these bats your power creatures. The astrological omens say it’s time for you to argue more than you have ever argued. APRIL FOOL! I was not entirely truthful. The coming weeks will be a good time to address disagreements and settle disputes, but hopefully through graceful means, not bitter arguing.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Unlike many modern poets, Scorpio-born Alice Notley rejects the notion that she must be part of any poetic lineage. She aspires “to establish or continue no tradition except one that literally can’t exist—the celebration of the singular thought sung at a particular instant in a unique voice.” She has also written, “It’s necessary to maintain a state of disobedience against everything.” She describes her work as “an immense act of rebellion against dominant social forces.” I invite you to enjoy your own version of a Notleylike phase, Scorpio. APRIL FOOL! I lied. In fact, I encourage you to enjoy a Notley-like phase beginning May 1. But for now, I invite you to be extra attentive in cultivating all the ways you can benefit from honouring your similarities and connections with others.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a standardized test that many American high school students take to prove their worth to colleges. The highest possible score is achieved by fewer than one per cent of test-takers. We might imagine that earning such a premium grade must guarantee admission to any school, but it doesn’t. During one five-year period, for example, Stanford University rejected 69 per cent of applicants with the highest possible score. I’m sorry to predict that a comparable experience might be ahead for you, Sagittarius. Even if you are your best and brightest self, you may be denied your rightful reward. APRIL FOOL! I totally lied. Here’s my real, true prediction: In the coming weeks, I believe you will be your best and brightest self— and will win your rightful reward.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The visible part of an iceberg is typically just 10 per cent of its total size. Most is hidden beneath the sea’s surface. References to “the tip of the iceberg” have become a staple metaphor in many cultures, signifying situations that are not what they seem. Of all the zodiac tribes, Scorpios are renowned for their expertise in discerning concealed agendas and missing information. The rest of us tend to be far less skilful. APRIL FOOL! I fibbed. These days, you Capricorns are even more talented than Scorpios at looking beyond the obvious and becoming aware of the concealed roots and full context.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the coming weeks, I advise you to be like the 19th-century poet Emily Dickinson. She lived in quiet seclusion, corresponding through letters instead of socializing. She seemed content to write her poems all alone in her home and be unconcerned about trying to get them published. APRIL FOOL! I lied. Here’s my real horoscope: Now is a highly favourable time for you to shmooze with intensity at a wide range of social occasions, both to get all the educational prods you need and to advance your ambitions.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Some systems and situations improve and thrive in response to stress and errors. Indeed, some things need strain or irregularity to be fully healthy. For example, human bodies require a certain amount of stress to develop a resistance to infection. In reading the astrological omens, I conclude you now need stimulation like that. APRIL FOOL! I lied. Here’s the truth: August of 2025 will be a great time for you to harvest the benefits of benevolent stress. But for now, your forte will be the capacity to avoid and resist stress, confusion, and errors.

Homework: What’s the best prank you could perform on yourself? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.

In addition to this column, Rob Brezsny creates

In-depth weekly forecasts designed to inspire and uplift you. To buy access, phone 1-888-499-4425. Once you’ve chosen the Block of Time you like, call 1-888-682-8777 to hear Rob’s forecasts. www.freewillastrology.com

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•Developpoliciesandguidelines fortreatmentservices.

•Managecommunity, publichealth,primarycare, andhomecare programs.

•Ensure nursingcarestandards andbestpractices.

•Provideleadership,mentoring, andguidancetostaff.

Qualifications:

•Bachelor’s DegreeinNursing froma recognizeduniversity

•5+yearsnursingexperience, including:

•Publichealth(maternal,infant, child,youth,mentalwellness, addictions)

•Homecare(elderhealth,chronic diseasemanagement, injuryprevention)

•1+yearmanagementexperience

•Collaboratewithinterdisciplinary teamstoenhance communityhealth.

•Supervisenursesand administrativestaff.

•Managehealthfacilityoperations, includingscheduling,prioritizing, andevaluatingperformance.

•CurrentRN registration withBCCNM

•CurrentCPR(HCP)certification

Special:

•Thispositionis requirestravelto indigenouscommunitiesserved bySSHS,accessedbyForest ServiceRoad

•SSHSoffersacompetitive benefitsandemployment packagetofulltimeemployees

Seefulljobpostingonthecareerspage/website: sshs.ca/careers/

Applynowbysendingyour resumeandcoverletter viaemail: julia.schneider@sshs.ca

NO W HIRIN G Joinourteam!

HEAVY DUT Y MECHANIC

Permanent, Full-Time

CardinalConcrete,A DivisionofLafarge CanadaInc isthe leadingsupplierof ready-mixconcreteinthe Sea to Sky Corridor. We are currentlyseekinga careerorientedindividualtofill the roleofCommercial Transport/Heavy DutyMechanicatour HeadOffice LocationinSquamish, BC

Thisis a skilledpositionwhich primarily involve s preventative maintena nceandrepairof a largefleet of commercia l transpor t vehiclesincludingconcrete mixe r trucks,dum p trucks,trailers,forkliftsan d light-dutytrucks.

Minimum Qualifications:

• B.C.CertificateofQualification,and/or Interprovincial Ticketas a Commercial Transpor t Mechanic, and/orHeavyDutyMechanic Ticket

• 3-5 yearsrelated experience and/ortraining;orequivalent combination ofeducationand experience

Compensation$46.71to$50.21

To viewa fullcopyofthisJobDescription visit:www.cardinalconcrete.ca/about/careers

Apply to:info@cardinalconcrete.ca

ÚlÍusCommunityCentre

•DirectorofHumanResources($93,475.20to$101,556peryear)

Child &FamilyServices

•OperationManager($59,878to$73,564peryear)

•Social Worker($80,371.20to$91,673.40peryear)

Lil’watHealth &Healing +PqusnalhcwHealthCentre

•OperationManager($59,878to$73,564peryear)

Title &Rights

•Project &CultureManager($57,330to$64,610peryear)

CommunityPrograms

•EarlyChildhoodEducator($20.90to$29.45perhour)

•AdministrativeAssistant($38,038to$53,599peryear)

•Custodian($17.40to$20.90perhour)

CommunityDevelopment

•CommunityJusticeDevelopment Facilitator($57,330.00to$64,610.00 peryear)

Pleasevisitourcareerpageformoreinformation:https://lilwat.ca/careers/

COORDINATOR, RESEARCH

Loveagoodchallenge?Passionateaboutthe placeyoucallhome? TourismWhistlerislooking forcommunity-loving,mountain-appreciating, environment-respectingindividualstojoinour team.

We’reonthehunt foracurious,analytical, anddetail-driven ResearchCoordinator fora 6-month contract In this role,you’llhelpuncover meaningfulinsights by collecting,analyzing,and sharingdatathatsupports TourismWhistler membersandinternalteamsindeveloping effectivebusiness,sales,andmarketingstrategies. Ifyouthriveonnumbers,enjoyturningdatainto stories,and want tohelpguidethefuture of Whistler’stourismindustry— we want tohear fromyou!

What We Offer:

•Flexibleschedule—full-timeorpart-time options fortherightcandidate

•Afun,collaborative,andsupportiveteam environment

Theopportunitytocontributetothesuccess of yourcommunity

•Startingsalary range:$50,000–$54,000,with benefitstosupporthealthand wellness

TO VIEWOURCAREEROPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISITUSONLINE AT: WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS.

Title:OperationsManager

PayGrid: ManagerTier2

Department: Pq’usnalcwHealthCentre(PHC), Health &Healing

Status: Full-time,Permanent

Salary: $59,878.00to$73,564.40peryear

Reportingto: Health &HealingAdministrator

Summaryofduties

Líl’watHealth& Healingdeliversexcellentholistic communityhealthservicesthroughprogramsacross foursub-departments:CommunityHealth,Home andCommunityCare,MaternalandChildHealth, and TraditionalHealing.TheOperationsManagerwill overseethecontinuedsafeandefficientoperations ofthePq’usnalcwHealthCentre(PHC),including managingthesupportstaffforthebuilding.

To apply,pleaseemailusdirectlyat hr@lilwat.ca

Forthefulljobdescription, pleasevisit:lilwatnation.easyapply.co/

Pleasevisitourcareerpageformoreinformation:https://lilwat.ca/careers/

PUT YOURCAREER ON ANEW PATH

FACILITIESENGINEER

FullTime, Year Round

The FacilitiesEngineerisresponsiblefortherepair,maintenance,and efficient operation of allmajormechanical,electrical,andplumbing systems,aswellastheupkeep of commonareas at theWhistler ConferenceCentre,WhistlerGolfCourse,andDrivingRange.This role alsosupportssustainabilityinitiativesandprovides technicalguidance to theteam.

WhatWe’re LookingFor:

•4thClass PowerEngineerCertification(oractivelyenrolled)

•5+yearsof experienceincommercialbuildingmaintenance

•Strongproblem-solvingskills,leadershipabilities,andmechanicalexpertise

•Knowledge of applicablebuildingcodesandhealthand safetyregulations

WhyJoin Us?

•CompetitiveSalary($72,000- $76,000)andcomprehensivebenefitspackage

•Fortnightscheduledesignedtoenhance work-lifebalance

•Supportive,team-oriented workenvironment

•Commitmenttoemployeewell-being,health,and safety

Viewour careeropportunitiesandapply at whistler.com/careers

JobDescription: ProjectCoordinator

PositionTitle: ProjectCoordinator

Department: Stl’atl’imx TribalPoliceService

Reports To: STPBoardChair

Location: Pemberton/LillooetBCCanada

Employment Type: Contract

PositionSummary

TheStl’atl’imxTribalPoliceService(STPS)hasengagedMNP,a nationalconsultingandaccountingfirmwith adedicated CommunitySafetyandWellbeingpractice,toconducta policeservicereviewandneedsassessmenttoidentifywhat additionalresourcesmayberequiredtosupportthedeliver yofadequateandeffectivepolicingforthecommunities served.Thereviewandneedsassessmentareexpectedtoincludeanin-depthanalysisofthecurrentstate,consultation withtheleadershipofeachofthe10communitiesservedbytheSTPS,identificationofchallengeswiththecurrentservice deliver ymodel,andtheidentificationofresourcingneedsfor afullyautonomouspoliceservicedeliver ymodel,includinga transitionplanandbudgetthatprovidesa roadmapforimplementationoftherecommendedchanges.

TheProjectCoordinatorwillactasa liaisonbetweentheSTPS,consultingfirmMNP,andthecommunitiesservedbySTPS, toensureeffectivecommunicationandcoordinationthroughoutthe PolicingNeedsAssessmentproject.

KeyResponsibilities

• LiaisonDuties: ServeasthemainpointofcontactbetweentheStl’atl’imx Tribal PoliceService,MNPandthe communitiesservedbySTPS.

• InformationGathering: Collect,organize,andanalyzerelevantinformationanddatarequiredfortheproject.

• StakeholderCoordination: Supporttheschedulingandcoordinationofstakeholderinterviews,ensuringallrelevant partiesareinformedandprepared.MNPwillbetravelingtoeachofthetencommunitiesservedandtwodetachments operatedbytheSTPS.

• Documentation: Maintainaccuraterecordsofcommunications,meetings,andprojectprogress.

• ProjectSupport: Assistinthedevelopmentandimplementationofprojectplansandtimelines,andinreviewingproject deliverablestoensuretheymeetSTPSobjectives.

• Reporting: ReviewprogressreportingfromMNPandpresentregularupdatesandreportsonprojectstatustoStl’atl’imx TribalPoliceServicemanagementandstakeholders.

• IssueResolution: Identifyandaddressany issuesorchallengesthatariseduringtheproject.

Qualifications

• Experience: ExperienceworkingwiththecommunitiesservedbyStl’atl’imxTribalPoliceServiceishighlyvalued.

•UnderstandingofStl’atl’imxTribalPoliceServicepoliciesandproceduresisanasset.

•Minimumof 2yearsofexperienceinprojectcoordinationor asimilarrole.

Skills

•ExcellentknowledgeofthecommunitiesservedbyStl’atl’imx Tribal PoliceService

•Excellentcommunicationandinterpersonalskills.

•Strongorganizationalandtimemanagementabilities.

•Abilitytoworkindependentlyandaspartofa team.

•Attentiontodetailandproblem-solvingskills.

WorkingConditions

• Environment: Officesettingwithoccasionaltraveltostakeholderlocations.

• Hours: Standardbusinesshourswithflexibilityforprojectneeds.Thetimecommitmentrequiredwillvary throughout thecontractandtheprojectwillrequire alargertimecommitmentleadinguptoandduringthestakeholder engagementphaseofwork.

To Apply:Pleasesubmit your resumeandcoverlettertoboardadmin@stlatlimxpolice.ca

Come buildandgrow withthebestteam.

Ourteamofpeopleiswhatsetsusapartfromotherbuilders.Aswe continuetogrowasthe leader inluxury projectsinWhistler,ourteamneedsto expandwithus.

We are currentlyhiring:

Labourers ($20-$30hourly)

CarpentersHelpers/Apprentices1st to4th year ($25-$35hourly)

ExperiencedCarpenters ($30-$45hourly)

Carpentry Foremen ($40-$50hourly)

Rates vary based onexperienceand qualifications.Red Sealis a bonus but not required Crane Operator experienceconsidered anasset.

EVR is committed tothe long-term retention and skillsdevelopment ofourteam We are passionateaboutinvestinginourteam’s future

WEOFFER:

• Top Wagesanda Positive WorkEnvironment

•FlexibleSchedule- WorkLife Balance (Wegetit,welove toskiandbike too.)

• Training& TuitionReimbursement(Needhelpgetting yourRedSeal?)

•Assistance withworkvisaand PermanentResidency (We canhelp!)

BENEFITS &PERKS:

• Annual Leisure& ToolBenefit – Use toward ski/bike pass,toolpurchase,etc. – you choose!

•ExtendedHealthandDentalBenefitsfor youand yourfamily

We promotefromwithinandarelookingtostrengthenouramazingteam.Opportunities for advancement intomanagementpositionsalways exist for the right candidates.Don’t missout onbeingabletobuildwiththeteamthatbuildsthemostsignificantprojectsinWhistler

Send your resumetoinfo@evrfinehomes.com We lookforwardtohearingfrom you!

5yearsor5,000hoursoperatingexperienceon excavator.Full-time,Monday–

HEAVYDUTYEQUIPMENTMECHANIC– CommercialTruck &Transport, Transport Trailer,Class 1or3 airbrakespreferred.4x10or5x8schedule.RedSealcertifiedreceive$200/monthtool allowance.$39.70-$47.90perhour.5%premiumonhourlywageforLeadHandposition.

CONSTRUCTIONLABOURER– Greatopportunitytolear non-the-job.Staminaforphysically demandingworkandperseverancetobraveinclementweather required.Previousexperience preferredbutnot required. Trainingprovided.$25-$32perhour.

HYDROVACOPERATOR– ValidClass 1orClass3 withairbrakes required.Manualtransmission. 2yearsexperiencepreferred.$35-$40.45perhour.

Stories that should be told

IT’S JUNE, 2010, high in the Savoie region of the French Alps. The town of Val d’Isere, so busy in winter, is locked up tight. The only business that appears to be open is a convenience store serving the handful of people residing in town at this time of year.

But in the windows of all the closed cafés, boulangeries and ski shops is a poster of a ski racer, a local hero: Ingrid Jacquemod.

Ingrid raced on Whistler Mountain during

BY BOB BARNETT

the 2010 Olympics. Her best result from three Olympics—2002, 2006 and 2010—was 10th in the Whistler super G. Not spectacular; probably less than what she was hoping for. But her hometown couldn’t be prouder.

The slightly faded colours in the posters suggested they had been on display all winter. What they really revealed was Val d’Isere was not shy about celebrating one of its own; someone the town identified with, and who was part of the town’s identity.

The Val d’Isere memory resurfaced recently, at a time when Canadians are facing a ridiculous challenge to their identity and as Whistler prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its

founding as a resort municipality.

Who are we, as Canadians? As Whistlerites? How did Whistler get to be 50 years old and what do we have to show for it? These sorts of questions came to mind again at the March 22 Celebration of Life for Roger McCarthy.

Whistler was at the heart of Roger’s lifestory and was the foundation for a career that took him all over the world. For those who didn’t know Roger, a skeletal outline of his work begins with his move from New Zealand to Whistler in 1971, age 21. At first, he ran the alpine T-bar. Then he joined the

and his charm. The photographs, the video and the stories shared at his celebration of life could form the textbook for a college course in Whistler’s history.

As Roger used to say, there are stories that should be told—bombing cornices, eating wild boar in the Russian woods with Putin loyalists—and stories that shouldn’t be told. (Details about Putin loyalists.)

Whistler should tell more stories.

In Whistler’s 50th anniversary year it’s easy to see the successes and bemoan the excesses, but it took a lot of smart people and a lot of

In Whistler’s 50th anniversary year it’s easy to see the successes and bemoan the excesses, but it took a lot of smart people and a lot of work to bridge the last half-century.

patrol, moved up the patrol ladder and held the top spot, until Hugh Smythe convinced him to join Blackcomb and Intrawest. When Intrawest bought Mont Tremblant Hugh sent Roger to Quebec to run it. Later, he oversaw all of Intrawest’s eastern ski areas, until Vail Resorts hired him to run Breckenridge in Colorado. Finally, he went to Sochi, Russia to build the Rosa Khutor ski area and prepare for the 2014 Olympics.

But Whistler was always Roger’s home, as much a part of his identity as his moustache

work to bridge the last half-century. There are important stories here. As Canadians we don’t always celebrate—or even recognize—some of the things we have achieved.

An example: In the early ’90s, as Roger was leaving Whistler to take on Tremblant, he did an interview with the Whistler Question, laying out the challenges and opportunities Tremblant held. During the interview he mentioned to the reporter that Hugh Smythe was one of the smartest people in the world of ski-area management. When the reporter told

me this my little colonial-Canadian mind was thinking something along the lines of: “Wow! One of the smartest people in the ski business is right here in Whistler?”

Of course, there was more than one. Roger was another. Peter Alder, Paul Mathews, Al Raine were all giants in the business, and they mentored some of the best of the next generation.

That they all came from Whistler doesn’t seem all that remarkable, from a 2025 perspective. But keep in mind in 1989, a couple of years before Roger went to Tremblant, one of the big American ski magazines was so surprised Whistler wound up second in its annual ranking of ski areas its cover read:

# 1, Vail

# 2, (You’ll never guess)

Interesting that 35 years ago an American magazine couldn’t bring itself to actually name No. 2 on its list, but anyway...

Today, a lot of people proudly identify themselves as residents of Whistler. The Whistler name is synonymous with Olympic athletes from the ski, snowboard and mountain bike worlds, and is increasingly recognized for its artists, entrepreneurs and institutions like the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre and the Audain Art Museum.

Stories are about people, and there are great stories here. They should be shared— this year more than ever. It can start with a poster or a video or just people getting together to celebrate life.

As Canadians we are being challenged to show our identity, to tell our stories.

As Whistlerites, we have stories that should be told. n

WORTH CELEBRATING A young Roger McCarthy, left, with Bruce Watt and Ken Moyle, checking wind data from the anemometer. GEORGE

207-2007 Nordic Place, Whistler

2 Bed | 1 Bath | 714 sq.ft.

$850,000

604-966-7640

Ken Achenbach ken.achenbach@evrealestate.com

4-3102 Panorama Ridge, Whistler

3 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,153 sq.ft.

$1,379,000 604-902-3335

Steve Legge steve.legge@engelvoelkers.com

1710 River Run Place, Whistler

4 Bed | 5 Bath | 2 Bed suite | 4,497 sq.ft.

$5,399,000 604-935-0700

Janet Brown janet.brown@evrealestate.com

1545 Tynebridge Court, Whistler

4 Bed | 4.5 Bath | 3,511 sq.ft.

$4,950,000 604-910-1103

Connie Spear connie.spear@evrealestate.com

205-4319 Main Street, Whistler 0.5 Bed | 1 Bath | 353 sq.ft.

$339,000

604-938-3798

Laura Wetaski laura@wetaski.com

NEWTOMARKET

38738 Buckley Ave, Squamish Lot size 7,371 sq.ft.

$1,299,999 778-318-5900

Angie Vazquez PREC* angievazquezrealtor@gmail.com Vazquez Realty Group

quiet cul-de-sac just steps away from the Valley Trail.

Maggi Thornhill PREC* +1-604-905-8199

maggi.thornhill@evrealestate.com

Maggi & Max Thornhill Team