West Vancouver-Sea to Sky has been named by many as a riding to watch in 2024, some familiar faces, newcomers and up-and-comers make their cases to voters. - By Scott Tibballs
06 OPENING REMARKS Driving on BC roads is aggravating, expensive and dangerous and there are ways to fix it — with better driver education, writes (acting) editor Scott Tibballs.
08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week, thoughts on bringing back the trains to Lillooet and beyond, and the challenges faced by new migrants to Canada.
11 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST Reporter Liz McDonald roughs it for the sake of great experiences in the great outdoors, and reflects on the value of guides.
58 MAXED OUT You know it’s an interesting year when there’s an opinion piece on the American election every week, and this week is no exception with G.D. Maxwell having a crack.
12 A ‘NOT GREAT’ SEASON Not great, not terrible; Whistler Chamber ED reflects on the challenges of the last few seasons for Whistler business.
15 REMEMBERING JEFF ISERT Whistler locals reflect on the passing of a Whistler character.
24 VISITOR CENTRE SHOCK In a setback for the town, the Pemberton Visitor Centre is closing permenantly at its current location.
40 IN PERSPECTIVE Pique catches up with 18-year-old Whistlerite Sophi Lawrence as she heads to the world championships.
COVER I feel about the same emotions I used to feel as a ten-year-old boy waiting for the Saturday morning cartoons to start, as I do for this upcoming election. Minus all of the anticipation of watching cartoons, just blankly staring at a colour striped TV screen waiting for the day to start while I eat my Rice Krispies. - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art
Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com
Donutshapedchoux pastry filled with rich custardcream and whippedcream.Toppedwithdark chocolateand roastedalmonds.
Time to raise the bar on driver education
THE SHAMBOLIC experience of driving on British Columbian roads is an old chestnut for me, but it feels like safe ground to tread on.
I’m comfortable complaining about it because there is oh so much to complain about. Seen something sketchy? Dodged a clueless idiot? Peered into the side window of the next car to see if they look as stupid as they drive? Best get used to getting over any slights quickly, because this is British
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com
Columbia, and you only have to drive another hundred yards down the road before you have another encounter.
In this case, I do not mean those drivers that are reckless and speed — the RCMP are wise to them—the folks I am referring to are those that are apparently completely unaware of the etiquette of driving on Canadian roads, let alone the rules.
In just the last week I have witnessed: Drivers who hang out in the left lane; drivers who park in turning lanes to answer the phone; drivers who stop on pedestrian crossings and across railway tracks; people who don’t understand who has right of way at a four-way stop, roundabouts, or turning right on red; drivers who cannot maintain their lane; drivers who almost pit themselves pulling into a lane; drivers who continue on for kilometers with their indicators on; drivers who do not pay attention to red lights; drivers who pull U-turns with nary a glance at their mirrors.
The list is endless, and the conditions are hazardous.
If you are attentive, you just know when another vehicle is not being driven by a skilled or aware driver—you can just see it in how they interact with other traffic.
It is these drivers that I would argue make British Columbian roads aggravating, dangerous and expensive to travel on.
On that last point, ICBC stats from a few months back listed 214 crashes on Whistler roads in 2023, with the lion’s share happening on Hwy 99 to exactly zero people’s surprise.
Of course, the reason ICBC keep such statistics is because they are the organization that handle all of those very expensive claims from avoidable incidents.
ICBC, on cue, then charges all of us our insurance costs and those costs have a habit of only going up as a result of so many people not knowing how to drive.
Over in enforcement, the RCMP across the province tear their hair out on the regular reminding drivers to please not get themselves killed and drive to the conditions any time we get closer to a major holiday. But, as essentially every driver can attest—the police tend to not pull you over unless you are driving at a speed that is significantly in excess of the posted limit.
I do not believe there are enough police officers in Canada to affect change on British Columbian driver habits through speeding fines, especially considering we do not have
I was surprised: I had expected to be grilled, even tested before I received the nod from the relevant authorities to be permitted to drive on these roads, especially considering I came from a country where we drove on the left.
Instead, one question and I had a license. Little wonder conditions are as they are.
I haven’t had anything to do with local driver education, besides be told on the regular that slots for new drivers to sit a driving test are few and far between in many communities in British Columbia, so while I cannot speak to the efficacy of the testing regime or the timeline of new drivers eventually getting behind the wheel, whatever exists today does not appear to be enough.
Apologies for floating the idea, but the government of British Columbia in its current form often reaches for bureaucratic solutions to problems that ail the province, why not do it here? Why not introduce and then apply a more robust drivers education program? With a wave of a hand the provincial government could induce
enforcing better driver education, perhaps we can force down the cost of insurance, reduce stress on our roads, and make our roads safer.
A long time ago I sat in a magistrates court in Queensland, Australia (the lower court in that state), listening to the magistrate lambast a young driver that had “borrowed” the keys to his dad’s work truck, gone on a joy ride, lost control at high speed and promptly demolished a children’s playground— thankfully in the small hours of the morning and long before any children were present to be murdered by his stupidity. Nobody was injured, but the engine was liberated from the vehicle, so it was quite the mess.
Though he was looking down at his lap, I could tell even from the back of the room that the teenager was crying while the magistrate tore into him for betraying his parents’ trust, endangering the community, and appearing in his court for something so avoidable.
The particulars of his punishment are lost to me, but I do remember that the kid lost his recently-acquired license.
What has stuck with me however is a line
“If you are attentive, you just know when another vehicle is not being driven by skilled or aware driver — you can just see it how they interact with other traffic.”
much in the way of speed cameras here. While it’s cathartic to wish for speeding or bad drivers to be pulled over and rapped across the knuckles, I doubt the solution lies there.
Rather, maybe we need to go back to the start, and perhaps a more rigorous driver education program would be beneficial. From my own experience, when I arrived in British Columbia I presented my Australian license, was asked if I knew what a flashing green light meant (I said yes, and was not challenged), and then was handed a British Columbian license.
demand for a new industry by requiring new drivers attend driving lessons rather than absorb bad habits from their parents. It could enforce regular driver education checks by introducing a refresher system to hold onto a license.
It all sounds very expensive, and you would be right. But in a cost of living crisis, what’s more expensive than your vehicle insurance? I get the full ICBC discount because I’m perfect (I’m not), yet my insurance goes up every year anyway. And to my point, vehicle insurance is high because so many drivers do not appear to know what they are doing. By
from that magistrate: “Driving is a privilege, and not a right,” and so with the trust that the State Government had put in that teenager broken, his driving privileges were removed, and he had to earn his license back.
Now, Queensland is not British Columbia, but the basics of earning a driver’s license are the same. Nobody is entitled to drive: You must prove you are capable.
Thinking of the experience on British Columbian roads, for the sake of our safety, our sanity, and our wallets, it’s pretty clear that more drivers need to prove they are capable of retaining a license more often. n
Transportation needs to keep up with development
The Sea-to-Sky region is experiencing unprecedented growth, which is placing immense pressure on the existing road infrastructure due to significantly increased traffic volumes. This surge in population and economic activity highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive regional transit system. Implementing a train service would not only alleviate the strain on the roads but also provide a sustainable and efficient transportation alternative, fostering further regional development while preserving the quality of life for residents and the natural beauty of the area.
The regional governments and SLRD have approved massive housing developments without taking responsibility for the infrastructure needed to balance the growing population leaving it to the Provincial government which has done nothing. Local governments must urgently address this critical issue it is imperative to prioritize this initiative to ensure the longterm prosperity, safety and sustainability of the Sea-to-Sky region.
Let’s restore the passenger rail from Lillooet and beyond and renovate it with a
“Let’s restore the passenger rail from Lillooet and beyond ...”
- PATRICK SMYTH
new type of electric train. It can open the economic development of central BC again, particularly connecting the dynamic First
Nation communities through whose territories it passes.
Patrick Smyth // Whistler
The human angle is missing Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker program has been in the news a lot lately, including in the recent Tony Keller article published in the Squamish Chief and the Bloomberg article by Jay Zhao-Murray and Laura Dhillon Kane. While it’s great to see the awareness of the program increase, we can’t help that feel that the human angle is missing. Too many talk about temporary foreign workers; too few speak with them.
“Overall, the entire experience is like living in a nice scenic prison,” shares one temporary foreign worker with the Squamish Welcome Centre’s Migrant Worker Support Program. This sentiment is something we hear often at the Welcome Centre. From our experience, many people participating in the program feel frustrated.
At the heart of many of their frustrations is the lack of freedom built into the federal program. Trapped in a low-paying job; bonded to one employer, maybe at an abusive workplace; stuck without realistic access to permanent residency, the main pathway dependent on a supportive employer; barred from many services and programs, like the BC Housing Registry, while still paying taxes… What would you do if your rent was 70% of your monthly income? If there’s no lower-cost housing available, you might consider getting a second job, or finding a new job with higher wages. If you have a closed work permit, you’re not permitted to do either of those things.
Another frustration is that the jobs themselves aren’t always secure – while the person with a closed work permit isn’t allowed to work elsewhere, the employer is not obligated to provide employment for the duration of the permit. When people make the hard decision of leaving their families and roots behind – fleeing from unsafety, corruption, crime and many other difficult situations, and dreaming of a promising
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
treated like this.
Most of all, temporary foreign workers are people. They’re your neighbours. They’re next to you, cheering on their kid and yours. They’re you. There are political and economic consequences of this program, but it’s not a purely business issue. This is a human issue. Workers are people first – no matter what passport they hold – people whose whole lives and families are deeply affected.
“... they’re seeking safety, stability and security in Canada. And not everyone is finding it.”
- SQUAMISH MIGRANT WORKER SUPPORT TEAM
future in a better country – they’re seeking safety, stability, and security in Canada. And not everyone is finding it. We are shocked at the rates of fraud and scams as well as poor working conditions, abuse from employers, racism, and discrimination they are facing here in the Sea to Sky. No one deserves to be
There are some major problems with Canada’s TFW program. But, to say that workers are ‘in on it’ is not only incorrect, it shifts the blame to those who are most negatively impacted.
Zulma Reina and Tanager // Squamish’s Migrant Worker Support Team n
Write to us! Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s name, address and a daytime telephone number. Maximum length is 450 words. Pique Newsmagazine reserves the right to edit, condense or refrain from publishing any contribution. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine. Send them to edit@ piquenewsmagazine.com before 11 a.m. on Tuesday for consideration in that week’s paper.
The goodness of mountain guides
I’VE NEVER imagined hiring a mountain guide for an outdoor adventure, despite frequently spending time exploring the Coast Mountains. Most days I spend in the wilderness, I’m with seasoned climbers, kayakers, highliners and backcountry campers. With a such a merry band of dirtbags, who would need a guide?
BY LIZ MCDONALD
But my opinion of working with a guide shifted recently. I had the chance to take on Sky Pilot as part of a press tour Helly Hansen was on. The trek was an example of the company’s current campaign called Open Mountain, where professional guides tell their stories, tips and tricks for outdoor adventures. Two guides took six guests on the 15 kilometre out and back trail. Aside from the guides, none of us had taken on the mountain.
The experience taught me more about my capabilities and the benefit of working with people who know the mountains like the back of their hands.
We met around 8:30 a.m. at the Sea to Sky Gondola parking lot, shaking hands and signing waivers, sorting through gear and getting to know each other a bit better.
After taking the tram, we began walking Sky Pilot Valley Trail. We travelled through the wooded path, which weaved its way across creeks on a steady incline before approaching an alpine meadow and Stadium Glacier. So far, it seemed reasonable for a person in good health. But from everything I’d read about Sky Pilot, from the moment we approached the glacier, it was technical, challenging terrain. It wasn’t something I was prepared to do without having folks on hand that had already summitted. I just never assumed it would be guides.
For most hikes or scrambles I’ve done, we didn’t know the exact route and there was a level of uncertainty inherent in our journey. As an anxious person, uncertainty can exacerbate feelings of panic or stress. It’s not so bad that I avoid uncertainty, but it leads to an underlying discomfort.
Also, I’m a small. Like, under 5 feet small. My stature means keeping up with long legs isn’t always a breeze.
Then, there’s my gender. As a woman, I’m socialized to avoid risk and there are underlying societal beliefs about capabilities that I’ve internalized.
abilities in outdoor spaces.
We used ropes and harnesses traversing the glacier, the Pink Slab scramble and the chimneys. On the route, I thought about other scrambles I’ve done without the safety of being tied into an anchor and I suddenly realized I could come back to Sky Pilot and feel comfortable to lead others on the journey.
This was a 360 from what I thought I’d be able to achieve on Sky Pilot.
Yet that realization happened because the comfortable pace and encouragement I received from our guide, J.F. Plouffe.
By taking small steps, we can eventually achieve greater and greater objectives.
The nice fish that you were planning – it’s not happening. Well, you go to the restaurant, and they burn your fish, you’re probably going to have another one.”
The same is true for a guiding experience – you get what you pay for and expected of the excursion. They know recent conditions, extra lines to hit, come with gear to fix yours if it breaks and have fantastic attitudes.
It’s also a pretty cool job. Plouffe said he gets to help people achieve bucket list items and it’s an honour to take people into the backcountry.
If I had the means, I’d likely hire guides like him for many cool trips. But, as a journalist, that’s unlikely. So, how does someone like me or you, dear reader, approach exploration without hiring a guide?
Thanks, J.F. n emcdonald@piquenewsmagazine.com
Yet when I went on a guided scramble, the uncertainty, my size or my gender weren’t factors that were on my mind. I felt comfortable and safe knowing I could trust our leaders; the pace was appropriate for everyone on the trip, and by the end, I learned I wasn’t giving myself enough credit for by
Plouffe has guided for 25 years, and he works with Coast Mountain Guides. I spoke with him about the trip after and he smartly explained another benefit of paying for a guided trip.
“You have lots of friends that are really good at making dinner, and you go there and it’s super good. But if they burn the dinner, you end up ordering pizza most of the time.
Plouffe suggested anyone who wants to get outside find a mentor who can show them the way, take courses and to start with something achievable. By taking small steps, we can eventually achieve greater and greater objectives. “It’s the crescendo of a lot of different experiences. And the risk will always be the same, even if you have more experience,” Plouffe said.
An avalanche can happen regardless of whether you’re a professional or not. But with effective planning, from the route, gear and food ahead of time, to understanding the skill level and capability of the group you go out with, you can mitigate some risks inherent in outdoor exploration.
GUIDED
Lacklustre seasons stacking pain for local commerce: Whistler Chamber
SUMMER 2023 THROUGH TO NOW, WHISTLER BUSINESSES—BROADLY—HAVEN’T SEEN A FANTASTIC SEASON YET
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
ANECDOTAL SUSPICION of a slower-thannormal summer aside, Whistler’s Chamber of Commerce has reported a mixed bag of economic conditions as we head towards fall.
“The context is that last summer (2023) wasn’t great - not for everyone—but it wasn’t a great summer,” said executive director of the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, Louise Walker, who explained that consecutive ‘not great’ seasons was applying increased pressure on local businesses in summer 2024.
“Then fall was challenging, then winter was challenging, then spring was challenging —All those moments where small locallyowned businesses get the opportunity to boost themselves haven’t really materialized, so we are seeing that some businesses are seeing lower expenditures from visitors than anticipated,” she said.
That take appears to confirm suspicions aired by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) back in July, in reporting on Q1 numbers for the year when the municipality’s chief financial officer, Carlee Price, told the Whistler council that the first three months of the year showed “very early signs of slowing”, though the local economy was strong as reflected by local activity. Local activity being parking passes, use of
Meadow Park, and transit use.
But how did the RMOW hypothesize that the economy was slowing back then? The RMOW receives MRDT funding from overnight stays, which funnels money into municipal coffers, giving them insight into visitation, while transit, parking and public facilities are directly monitored by the municipality.
Closer to the end of summer rather than the start, Walker said that as of August 2024 the economy appeared to be on that same track, with visitors coming to Whistler — but not really spending as much.
“Whistler’s not unique with affordability issues, that impacts our guests as well. Inflation and interest rates and uncertainty—it makes people watch their wallet a little bit more, so they might still be coming, but they’re not spending as much in retail or going out for dinner, or going to bars the same way.”
As shown by the RMOW numbers from Q1 (a Q2 report should be forthcoming in coming weeks), the biggest impact was on retail and restaurants, where visitors would spend the more money the longer they stayed.
“I think it is really just people feeling the pinch on their wallets right now,” said Walker.
With pressure on businesses, she said she believed the retail sector was going in the wrong direction in regards to conditions, but it wasn’t at breaking point.
“What I do know is the cost of doing business is so high right now: You have rent, property taxes have increased because the value of the properties have increased, and then you have things like employer health tax, and then some business helping out with housing that at the same time are trying to
support their team with wages so they can address the affordability issues, but it’s just this vicious cycle that’s not helping.
“The cost of doing business and the ease of doing business right now are the two biggest things. If you’d asked me this two years ago I’d have talked about affordable housing which is definitely still up there, but it’s a long-term issue. Affordability of doing business is having a really big impact now,” she said.
“All these expenses are adding up … It’s a combination of them all - a combination of these costs while consumers are watching what they’re spending and it’s not a good mix.”
Numbers from Whistler Blackcomb from earlier in the season told a similar story of the tail end of winter and into summer 2024, with their quarterly fiscal result from June 6 showing that visitation had been down all the way through the previous winter season and then flowed into spring—and intuitively, into summer.
According to Vail’s projections at the time, the sale of season passes for 2024-25 was down due to a lack of visitation in the previous winter season, with Whistler Blackcomb singled out as a bad performer due to the lackluster winter conditions in 2023-24.
The resort company expressed optimism that things would pick up, but the somewhat depressed market conditions are not welcome news for local commerce — and there’s no quick fix.
“What can we do?” asked Walker. “Obviously we do a lot of advocacy at the chamber and we make sure all of our elected officials at all levels of government know
about the challenges - this isn’t unique to Whistler. Affordability is across the province and across the country. We work with the BC Chamber to make sure we advocate for changes to EHT (Employer Health Tax) or changes to other taxes, changes to make sure the municipality knows about the impact of (slow building) permits.”
The quickest fix—or the quickest way to get business concerns known is just around the corner, in October. It’s election season in BC, and West Vancouver-Sea to Sky is competitive.
“There’s a short-term fix, making sure we get our issues in front of the candidates for the election,” said Walker.
“That is the biggest opportunity we have right now - to elevate those issues.”
Other issues besides the impact of taxes and ways to soften cost of living and doing business pressures are items such as regional transit, daycare and temporary foreign workers — items which Walker said were always top priority for advocacy.
The Whistler Chamber of Commerce will be co-hosting an all-candidates forum with Pique Newsmagazine and Arts Whistler on October 1 in the Maury Young Art Centre in Whistler. More details will be released closer to the event, but all candidates officially declared in the race to represent West Vancouver-Sea to Sky are invited to attend.
For local conditions, Walker said that there was no crystal ball, but fingers crossed for coming seasons turning things around.
“I know businesses will be anticipating a good winter — it’s an important season for them, and we’re getting ready for it.” n
MAKING FORTUNE Snowmaking operations in Whistler Village, during the lacklustre 2023-24 winter season.
PHOTO BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
Fuel thinning part of a broader fire mitigation program: RMOW
THE RMOW SAID IT WAS FOUND TO BE AN
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
THE RESORT MUNICIPALITY of Whistler (RMOW) has welcomed a study by a local ecologist into fuel thinning as a positive addition to discussions around wildfire mitigation.
“We appreciate how lucky we are to have local research underway in the community— and the clear shared commitment to protect Whistler,” said the RMOW’s general manager of climate action, planning and development services, Dale Mikkelsen in an email to Pique
“Our main goal is to keep our community safe, and new findings and studies simply further this work.”
The study, by local ecologist Rhonda Millikin was a self-funded and peer-reviewed study into the effect of fuel thinning on different tree stands around Whistler. Millikin has sought to test a theory that the process actually increased wildfire risk by increasing the temperature of the forest floor and drying out undergrowth, with her study eventually supporting that hypothesis.
Mikkelsen said that the RMOW was taking a strategic approach to “big problems” such as wildfire, explaining that fuel thinning was one part of a much larger Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) that balanced professional expertise, research, and data with industry best practices and approved by the municipal council.
“Fuel thinning is one important part of our plan for wildfire mitigation, but it is just one component of a much larger picture. We have taken a holistic approach, looking at seven areas of focus, including education, community planning, development considerations, interagency cooperation, FireSmart training and cross-training, emergency planning, and vegetation management.”
As part of Millikin’s study, she had questioned the effectiveness of fuel thinning on coastal forests such as that around Whistler, arguing that while it may be appropriate for other parts of the province, coastal forests were naturally resilient to wildfire due to high humidity and moisture, so thinning the forest simply dried it out and compromised that resiliency. Fuel thinning, by nature, is intended to thin out a forest to
EFFECTIVE TOOL
ensure that fires cannot spread into the crown of the forest and travel further. The forests around Whistler were clear-cut in previous decades, and unmanaged since, leading to the application of fuel thinning as a process due to dense undergrowth.
Pique asked about the RMOW’s data on the practice, and the effectiveness of applying it around Whistler.
“Our fuel thinning efforts are continually monitored, and our monitoring program does indicate it is a valuable tool for reducing fire,” said Mikkelsen.
“With this said, we do believe more work is needed to adequately answer this question, so we’re recommending an expansion of the program to really test the initial findings and understand regional changes. We have partnered with UBC and applied to Natural Resources Canada for the funds to do so.”
This year, the RMOW has focused on fuel thinning on four main areas around the community: Emerald West, Brio, Brio extension and along Hwy. 99.
Mikkelsen said that the Brio area fuel thinning was complete, while Emerald West and Brio extension were partially complete and delayed due to the high fire danger rating that applied to the region for much of summer. Planning for the 2025 fire mitigation works is underway.
Pique posed some questions to the RMOW about some of the solutions offered as an alternative to fuel thinning by Millikin, who suggested setting up sprinklers on the edges of Whistler’s built-up areas to help with moisture.
Fire chief Thomas Doherty said that sprinkler protection was a tool applied by fire services, but “must be managed carefully as it is important we ensure our valuable water supply is available to the areas needing it the most in any wildfire event,” he said.
“Whistler shares a Structure Protection Unit with Squamish that would be used to set up sprinklers to protect homes in the path of wildfire. We also may have access to the Provincial Structure Protection Sprinkler System Resources, if it is available, through BC Wildfire.”
The best way to ensure the effectiveness of sprinklers is FireSmart, however.
The complete RMOW FireSmart program and resources is available on their website. n
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PREVIOUS WORK Fuel thinning done at Lost Lake in Whistler in a previous season.
PHOTO BY CLAIRE OGILVIE
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Remembering Jeff Isert
THE LONG-TIME WHISTLER RESIDENT TOUCHED COUNTLESS LIVES IN THE SEA TO SKY
BY LIZ MCDONALD
IT’S HARD TO QUANTIFY the impact Jeff Isert has had on Whistler’s community.
Whether in his capacity as a paid on-call fire fighter for 21 years with Whistler Fire Rescue Service (WFRS), as a building inspector for the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), his 13 years as a volunteer ski patroller at Whistler Blackcomb, or his role as a friend, father and husband, he often hoped those he met were “doing spectacular.” Jeff passed away Aug. 19, 2024, after being diagnosed with metastatic melanoma.
Joe Mooney worked with Jeff at WFRS and their relationship deepened when Mooney hired Jeff to work as a building inspector with the RMOW. To strengthen relationships, Mooney, Jeff and other co-workers would often meet at Gone Eatery.
Tuesdays at Gone (now Atmosphere) became a regular tradition for the group, where coffee breaks became moments to hash out problems and find solutions. Debriefs helped externalize issues and create healthy coping for stressful incidents.
Jeff would order a café latte – half coffee, half steamed milk. Sitting at a fourtop in the corner backlit by a large window, Jeff would use his innate talent to connect with others and make them laugh, no matter the circumstance.
“Everybody has their own way of coping but being able to work together as a group and having a little bit of dark humor helped – you’ve got to be able to chuckle a little bit,” he said. “That’s where Jeff was great. He had that ability to just lighten things up after an incident and calm everybody down afterwards.”
After Jeff became sick and was diagnosed with cancer, the coffee sessions kept up, eventually moving to Jeff’s home. Mooney relates them to a book, Tuesdays with Morrie, which centred around a professor diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) who meets up with a former student on Tuesdays.
“His Tuesdays with Morrie enlightened him and helped him out. And that’s what our Tuesdays were like with Jeff.”
Despite biopsies and bad news, Jeff would continue to show up with a smile and make time to respond to everyone who reach out to him, even if all he could muster was a thumbs up, Mooney recalled.
‘SUPER PASSIONATE’ SKI PATROLLER
It’s the same excellent bedside manner that Jeff brought in his role as a ski patroller.
Adam Mercer, senior manager for ski patrol at WB, expressed gratitude to Jeff for the joy, smiles and laughter he brought to the mountain.
“The guy was quite unique in his ability to bring joy into our work environment. He did the work of a ski patroller as a volunteer because he was super passionate. The environment that he created was just positive all the time. It’s remarkable when you have somebody coming into a work environment
that is volunteering their time, that can bring so much joy. It’s really infectious,”
“I think as a human, he thrived on being able to help people when they needed help. Hence his work with the fire department and patrol,” he said.
LETTERS FROM WHISTLERITES
Numerous people sent their recollections of Jeff by email, where his infectious personality shone through. Here are some highlights.
Lucas Peterson remembered times shared together during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, facing -40 degrees and 50 kilometre per hour winds for eight hours a day. Jeff could get a laugh out of someone in that weather and at 5:30 a.m.
Tyla Emde met Jeff at Spring Creek parent advisory committee, where he kept people motivated and always showed up for his son Quinn’s school productions. Emde and her husband, Kevin, were cared for by Jeff after a car accident on the Sea to Sky highway and he “comforted us on our worst day.”
David Eaton remembers Jeff as “a stand-up individual who thrived on assisting others, while providing a positive and sometimes entertaining view.”
Dave Robinson highlighted Jeff’s zest for teaching others, his passion for riding motorcycles and his devotion to his wife, Adele and their sons, Roan and Quinn.
Jay Klassen wrote about Jeff’s ability to connect with others, the lifelong friendships he made and his commitment to Whistler’s community.
Clare Samuel recalled Jeff’s hugs (as did many others), his secret ski spots and visits for tea.
Robert Baker wrote about Jeff’s ability to give everyone a nickname and his tireless volunteering.
Venetia McHugh wrote about Jeff’s inclusivity and their last meeting.
“He had an endless curiosity about people and eagerness to engage. During our last visit with Jeff he spoke about time, about wringing out of each and every moment all the gifts that life can bestow, to pay attention to your special people and properly value the time you have together.” n
30th August –2nd September
FOND MEMORIES Jeff Isert and Joe Mooney drinking coffee at Gone Eatery.
BY JOE MOONEY
People’s Party to run candidate in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country
PEYMAN ASKARI SAID HE FELT COMPELLED TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS TO PUSH BACK ON GOVERNMENT OVERREACH
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
THE PEOPLE’S PARTY of Canada has nominated Whistler resident, Peyman Askari to contest West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country at the next federal election.
A network engineer by profession, Askari was born in Iran and lived in Canada since he was six years old. A first-time candidate, he was lauded by the PPC as “a passionate citizen advocating for the restoration of balance between government and individual responsibility.
“He believes deeply that personal responsibilities, like parenting, education, and the running of one’s business, have been increasingly absorbed by provincial and federal governments,” reads the PPC release on his nomination.
“Peyman is committed to reversing this trend, aiming to empower Canadians to take back control of their lives and communities.”
Speaking with Pique, Askari said he’d felt motivated to get into politics so that the government would get out of everybody’s lives.
“Something has changed in Canada. I’ve been here since 1989 and this is not the country that I grew up in. It is almost impossible for grown-ups to do business without the
government getting in the middle of it. They want to monitor our payments, everything above $600 - that’s just absurd. That was my motivation, I felt like I had to do something, and the People’s Party accepted me.”
Askari’s views are broadly informed by personal responsibility and selfdetermination, as evidenced by his campaign website which touches on high-level issues such as immigration (advocating to limit intake to those that align with Canadian values), densification (arguing against densification due to a loss of self-sufficiency), supranational organizations (which he argues Canada must extricate itself from), property rights and more.
“I’m a big supporter of limited government,” he said.
Asked about local issues for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, Askari acknowledged that PPCpolicies “don’t exactly transcribe” down to local matters, with immigration offered up as an example.
“If you come at it with an anti-immigration message it’s not going to resonate. It’s a tough one but I would say if you want to bring in foreign workers and it suits your business model, that’s fine, but you have to do a cost benefit analysis for how it impacts healthcare for example.”
Askari said that healthcare was a matter
he wanted to focus on.
“Right now the healthcare system is kinda getting destroyed, so that’s an area I can focus on and say either we can have a two-tier system or we can have an honest discussion about bringing in this many outsiders, foreigners, this many people that haven’t paid into the healthcare system for decades.”
Askari said that he believed immigration was so high because the Canadian economy had been destroyed by too many regulations, and immigrating rich foreigners allowed the government to recoup taxes.
“Take my family, we’re in property development, it’s almost impossible to work now. If you want to cut a tree down, you have to wait for city hall to give you permission to do so, and if they disagree they tell you to put a fence around this tree. It’s gotten to a point where it’s not even rewarding for people to work.”
Askari also touched on the issue of vote-splitting, which he said appeared to be pushed by those that wanted to limit change.
“When I look at politics and the ‘uniparty’, to me that’s like a cartel,” he said. ‘Uniparty’ is a concept that political parties all serve the same elite vision regardless of affiliation.
“I see that they’ve created a political system where they go to the voters and say ‘don’t split the vote or the opposition will win’, and then they go to the candidates and say
‘you can’t talk about these four or five issues otherwise the other candidate might win’.
“They’ve fully insulated the system from change, and you add to that the media that just crucifies politicians that go one inch to either side of the Overton Window (a range of policy discussion within public acceptance) and it’s almost impossible to make change. Going back to why I got involved in the People’s Party, to me they’re more populist and populist basically means you’re not stepping into that ring, I just want to return some sense of normalcy to Canada.”
The next election will mark the third time the PPC has run a candidate in the local riding. In both 2019 and 2021 the party nominated Whistler resident Doug Bebb to represent the party, earning 1.55 and then 3.66 per cent respectively in those elections.
Askari will go up against incumbent MP, Patrick Weiler of the Liberal Party. Weiler has represented the riding since 2019 with a plurality of the vote, with 33.9 per cent of voters backing him at the 2021 election.
Also in the race is Conservative Party candidate, Keith Roy, who works as a real estate agent in Vancouver, and lives in Whistler.
The next federal election will take place on or before October 20, 2025, though it may take place later, on October 27 due to pending changes to the Canada Elections Act. n
Slumber party on Whistler Mountain
TEN LUCKY WINNERS WON A HELLY HANSEN CONTEST TO SLEEP AND ADVENTURE ON WHISTLER MOUNTAIN
BY LIZ MCDONALD
WHO COULD SAY NO to a chance to sleep in-bounds on Whistler Mountain? Ten lucky winners and their guests got to do just that, thanks to outdoor gear company Helly Hansen.
Coined Helly Hansen Summit Sleepover, Aug. 17 to 18 presented an opportunity to sightsee, conquer Whistler’s Via Ferrata, enjoy mouthwatering meals and an intimate mountain-top concert before tenting in the alpine.
The contest ran on Instagram during Helly Hansen’s Open Mountain Month. Open Mountain’s aim is getting people outdoors regardless of their experience level.
Through random selection, locals from Whistler, Squamish, Vancouver and further afield arrived packed and ready for their trip.
The morning started with clear skies and a meet and greet at Helly Hansen’s Whistler store, where guests picked up gifted gear and a lunch before heading up the mountain.
To ensure everyone had a comfy weekend and were prepared for the always changing alpine, contest winners were given blaze softshell trousers, a women’s LIFA active solen graphic hoodie and a verglas 2.5 layer fastpack jacket, gear that kept winners dry and ensured their adventures were a sweat wicking good time.
Winner Gale Harrison lives in Vancouver, and the 55-year-old described herself as an active community member and registered psychiatric nurse by trade. She’s passionate about biking, running and is active on social media where she learned about the contest.
“I love to learn about what people do, travel and what are opportunities are out there. Helly Hansen is a brand I’ve used before, and I follow them on social media. So, when the contest came up, I’m like, ‘fantastic,’” Harrison said.
She’s done some hiking in Whistler, but she’d never experienced the Via Ferrata before. Having torn her rotator cuff in the past, Harrison wondered if she could fully participate. To ease her concerns, she watched videos online and realized it was within her reach.
“To be totally honest, if I knew exactly what the experience might be, I may have chickened out, but I was really glad I did it.”
A supportive group and guide helped her conquer the traverse, and the controlled camping environment was another bonus.
“I like to try new things and scare the living daylight out of myself sometimes,” she said about the trip with a laugh.
An experience money can’t buy
Courtney Tennant is the brand and customer marketing manager for Helly Hansen, Canada. She explained that once the company formed a partnership with Vail
Resorts, she wanted to utilize it in the best way possible. Cue the sleepover, which is now in its second year.
“We decided that we wanted to try to provide an experience to consumers that money cannot buy,” Tennant said.
After last year’s success, Tennant amped up the aesthetics of the camp, from plush white faux fur rugs on benches to an ornament decorating station. The aesthetic was modelled after a Norwegian cabin, a callout to the company’s roots.
Part of the company’s brand identity includes the tag line “trusted by professionals.”
Tennent said one of the ways they show customers the statement rings true is by bringing customers and professionals together in experiences like the Summit Sleepover.
WEATHERING A STORM
After dinner, campers returned to home base and settled in for an evening of music by Jenna Mae, where she brought her charisma and charm, combined with lyricism which weaves in journeys through the mountains and finding oneself through nature.
Conversations went late into the night, with some cheeky beverages, s’mores and jiffy pop over propane powered fire. Eventually, people turned into their tents, tired and warmed from connection and outdoor adventure.
Around three a.m., lights started flashing outside my tent. A thunderous sky and heavy rainfall accompanied a voice from outside my tent telling me everyone needed to evacuate into the Roundhouse.
I grabbed my sleeping pad and sleeping bag, threw on my rain jacket and met a WB safety operations truck. We packed our gear in, and the driver told us lightning strikes were 20 kilometers out, too close for comfort.
Tennant said while it wasn’t “ideal,” she appreciated the care patrol took ensuring attendees and organizers were safe.
“At the end of the day, this is a mountain setting, and even though we’re in bounds on a resort, weather can still go sideways.”
Nick Voutour, manager of communications for WB and Vail resorts, wrote in an email that the patrol and safety team monitored weather patterns anytime guests are on mountain and responded in kind.
“Our teams responded quickly and moved everyone inside the Roundhouse and out of harm’s way. We’re grateful for their continued efforts to prioritize safety,” Voutour said.
We headed into Seppo’s bar and stayed for the night – another first that’s not typically allowed on Whistler.
The ending was somewhat fitting for an alpine excursion – you never know exactly what you’re going to face, and having a plan B is always good form. n
Wet weather welcome news for wildfires
ALL LOCAL WILDFIRES ARE NOW BEING HELD AND B.C. WILDFIRE SERVICE IS RESCINDING A CAMPFIRE BAN FOR THE COASTAL FIRE CENTRE
BY LIZ MCDONALD
B.C. WILDFIRE SERVICE (BCWS) is lifting a campfire ban starting Wednesday, Aug. 28 at noon PST, according to a press release issued from the provincial wildfire service.
Category 1 campfires are smaller than 0.5 meters wide and 0.5 meters high, and tiki torches or chimineas are now permitted, too.
The ban still is enforced for category 2 and category 3 open fires, so too are “fireworks, sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, burn barrels, burn cages and air curtain burners.” It’s expected the restrictions will stand until Oct. 31, or earlier if it’s rescinded.
The release notes the change comes thanks to recent rainfall and cooler temperatures.
However, BCWF urges “extreme caution with any campfire” and highlights checking with local authorities who may have their own restrictions in place.
It’s recommended any campfire includes a fireguard around its perimeter, which involves removing any flammable material down to the soil – grass or kindling, for example, or recently fallen leaves.
Don’t leave a fire unattended and ensure it’s completely extinguished and cold to the touch before leaving the site.
In an email from the Resort Municipality
of Whistler (RMOW), the municipality said the fire ban will still stand in Whistler.
“By direction of the Fire Chief, no fires or residential campfires are allowed in Whistler. While campfire prohibition will be lifted in all provincially regulated regions of the Coastal Fire Centre on Wednesday, August 28, we are staying cautious within Whistler, due to the forecasted hot weather ahead,” said a communications official.
“The Whistler campfire ban applies to all levels of fire danger rating, including low and moderate. The Whistler campfire ban will remain in effect until further notice.”
The change comes as a spate of wildfires in the Sea to Sky are officially being held,
according to BCWS’s website.
Wet weather has dampened fears about the wildfire near Birkenhead Lake, and in a post on social media, the SLRD announced the evacuation alert was lifted as of 4 p.m. on Aug. 26.
“Based on consultation with the BC Wildfire Service, the SLRD has assessed that potential danger to life and health due to the Birkenhead Lake wildfire has subsided to the degree that the current Evacuation Alert is no longer required. Should conditions change, an Evacuation Alert and/ or Evacuation Order will be reinstated as necessary,” the post reads.
Birkenhead Lake fire was discovered Aug. 5
and grew to 755 hectares, and a response update from BCWS Aug. 26 categorizes the fire as being held, which means it is not expected to grow.
The service attributes almost 40 millimetres of precipitation which helped suppress the fire.
Strong winds are expected over the week, though, “which may impact response,” the update notes.
Rutherford Creek is 67 hectares and being held, crews are expected to patrol accessible areas of the perimeter.
Ure Creek is also now being held as of Aug. 23.
An information officer for BCWS said in an email the status change in Pemberton’s Fire Zone reflects several factors and pointed to the trends in cooler temperature.
However, terrain makes ground crew’s jobs difficult.
“Many of these wildfires are burning in steep terrain that cannot be safely accessed by ground crews,” their said.
“We will continue working towards full containment on these wildfires with aerial resources where safe to do so. Smoke may still be visible from within the fire’s perimeter as the fire finds unburnt fuels, and as fire suppression activities continue.”
Coray also highlighted the September long-weekend will see warmer and drier conditions which could increase fire activity and smoke. n
CLEARING SKIES Smoke is diminishing at Birkenhead Lake fire, as seen here on Aug. 22, 2024
PHOTO COURTESY OF B.C. WILDFIRE SERVICE
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Whistler Institute’s Speaker Series lineup revealed
THE LECTURE SERIES SHED A LIGHT ON DISRUPTIVE GLOBAL CONCEPTS THAT REVERBERATE LOCALLY
BY LIZ MCDONALD
MAURY YOUNG ARTS Centre plays host, with Kennedy Stewart listed as one of the speakers.
CUTLINE: The Maury Young Arts Centre plays host to the Whistler Institute’s Global Perspectives Speaker Series.
From trauma to climate change, AI and art or the democracy debate, Whistler Institute’s Global Perspectives Speaker Series is bringing experts to town to discuss issues that reverberate locally and globally, with the 2024-25 season lineup recently revealed.
First spearheaded in 2019, the series runs at Maury Young Arts Centre with six speakers delivering keynotes on issues that trend globally and interest Whistlerites. Mandy Rousseau is the executive director for the Institute, and she said the series presents an opportunity for healthy debate.
“Each of these topics and speakers have been selected based on community request, and on speakers agreeing to share what we’re considering disruptive concepts,” she said.
“We can all find spaces of agreeableness online, but meaningful change comes from respect, curiosity and critique. Our goal with the speaker series is for these events to be safe, inclusive spaces where opposing ideas can
be shared and create positive change for the future in Whistler and beyond.”
In an ever evolving world full of complex problems and rising polarization, there’s no shortage of topics to choose from. Feedback from the last speaker series, combined with trending discourse, informed the committee’s decisions.
Whistler Institute Speaker Series lineup
The first speaker takes the stage Sept. 19, with retired corporal Lealand Muller. Muller became paralyzed from the waist down after a tobogganing accident, and he could no longer serve in the military as a result. Muller found a passion for serving and sports again when he became a 2023 athlete at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. The event description on Whistler Institute’s website notes he’ll be discussing trauma, disability, accessibility and the benefits of sports for mental and physical challenges.
With Whistler’s strong adaptive sports community and the upcoming Invictus Games, held in Whistler and Vancouver in 2025, the event is likely to be well attended.
Next in the lineup is Decoa Harder, presenting a lecture titled “Crop Resiliency in a Changing Climate.” Harder has worked in Okanagan Valley wine for 25 years, and is the co-founder and managing partner of Ex Nihilo Winery in Lake Country.
Climate change and its impact on B.C.
wineries should attract oenophiles, and the issue is important for the food and beverage industry that drives much of Whistler’s economy. Billed as a compassionate inquiry into the challenges the industry faces, attendees can expect an insiders look at what directions the industry takes moving forward.
The new year brings discussion about a new, disruptive technology: Kris Krüg lectures on artificial intelligence Jan. 23, 2025. His talk will centre around how creatives can harness the power of AI, ethics around using the technology and much more. Krüg is a photographer, the founder and CEO of Future Proof Creatives and describes himself as a “techartist, quasi-sage, cyberpunk anti-hero from the future.”
Considering the huge number of local photographers, designers and all-around artists who call Whistler home, the topics are sure to be of interest.
Come February 27, Dr. Brian Storey and Quinn Storey, will dig into how to raise a high performance athlete.
Rousseau said the community has asked for this topic in numerous ways.
“What makes this one an interesting conversation is that we know that aiming for the podium – it’s such a small percentage of people that end up on the podium. So, how do you do that in a way that is not putting pressure on yourself, on your child, but also creating a
positive impact for that child in a global sense by creating good citizenship,” she said.
Second last on the billet is a presentation by Dr. Kennedy Stewart, former mayor of Vancouver and associate professor at Simon Fraser’s School of Public Policy. Stewart’s talk on March 27 centres on the importance of disagreement within democracy and science.
“When it comes to democracy and when you look at academia, the whole process involves respectful critique and really honing in on how you land on the decision and the outcome that you were presenting. I think that one’s going to be really compelling in itself, especially because we’ll be on the other side of the American election,” Rousseau said.
Lastly, Whistler Lakes Conservation Foundation and yet to be revealed panelists will finish the series discussing the importance of healthy watersheds.
Rousseau said the inspiration for the series came from having a growing arts and culture scene in Whistler which needed an outlet to bridge the gap between nonprofits engaged in these discussions and an interested public.
“If people are interested in any of the topics, I would encourage them to attend and meet like minded community members who are also interested. You get to connect with people who have an interest in AI, or an interest in the state of democracy and in science.” n
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LibraryBoard of Trustees Applicat ions
Please applytojointhe Whistler Public Librar y(WPL) BoardofTrustees (Board).
Weare recruiting fora two-year term star ting Januar y1,2025, throughtoDecember31, 2026.
Inter viewswill be conductedfromSeptember 23 to 27, 2024. Shor tlistedcandidateswill be contactedfor an nter view
TrusteeEligibility requirements:
•Mustbea resident or non-resident proper ty ownerofthe RMOW
• Must notbea RMOW employee
•Mustnot be aWPL employee
BoardGuidelines:
•The BoardconsistsofelevenTrustees.Ten areappointedfromthe Whistler community andone member of the RMOWCouncil.
•The Boardmeets at regularinter vals,atleast six timesa year
•The Boardhelps to determinestrategic priorities,developspoliciesand hasoverall fiscalresponsibilityfor theWPL
• Meetings aregenerally held on thefirstWednesday of each month, except August,from5:00p.m.to7:00p.m Forfur ther information on theresponsibilitiesofTrustees,pleasecontact us at publicservices@whistlerlibrary.caand we will make aWPL Trusteeavailable to you.
ApplicationpackageswillbecomeavailableonAugust28, 2024 at Whistler Public Library,4329 MainStreet,and on theirwebsite at whistlerlibrary.ca/about-us/wpl-board.
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Please submityourapplication to: Administrative Assistant, Whistler Public Librar y, 4329 Main street Whistler, BC, V8E1B2,orbyemail to mstpierre@whistlerlibrary.ca
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RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER NOTICE OF ASSISTANCE
In accordance with section 24 of the Community Charter, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) hereby gives notice that:
The RMOW intends to provide assistance through par tnering agreements to BC Hydro for the use of RMOW land in Day Lot 3 and the Whistler Conference Centre sur face and underground parking lots for the purpose of installing, operating and maintaining up to 52 Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) chargers and 8 direct current fast EV chargers. At the Regular Council Meeting on July 23, 2024, Council approved license of occupation agreements between BC Hydro and the RMOW for these EV chargers.
BC Hydro, a Crown Corporation regulated by the BC Utilities Commission, is a reliable provider of EV chargers throughout the province. BC Hydro will pay for the installation, maintenance and operation of the EV chargers. The expansion of a publicly accessible EV charging network in Whistler suppor ts our Big Move 2 with the goal that by 2030, 50% of vehicle kilometres driven in Whistler are by zero-emission vehicles. Partnering with BC Hydro to expand the EV charging network in Whistler suppor ts this goal and is a benefit to the Whistler community.
Pauline Lysaght
Resor t Municipality of Whistler Corporate Officer
Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca
Pemberton’s Visitor Centre and sanidump to permanently close
THE SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT HAS SPARKED CONCERNS ABOUT TOURISM AND ILLEGAL WASTE DUMPING
BY RÓISÍN CULLEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
IN A HIT for Pemberton’s tourism infrastructure, the community’s visitor centre will be closing permanently at the beginning of September to make way for a project that will also take the town’s only public sani-dump with it.
The news was shared by the Pemberton Chamber of Commerce on August 26—less than a week before the building’s final day in operation. The centre has operated on lands owned by the Lil’wat Nation for about 15 years, and according to the Lil’wat nation it will be building a commercial and residential project in its place, which is ideally located right on Hwy. 99. That project is still in the planning phase, and will also require the removal of the sani-dumplocated on the same plot of land.
According to Adam Adams of the Pemberton and District Chamber of Commerce, they did not have the staff to keep the centre beyond August this year anyway.
“The visitors centre was normally closed in September anyway,” said Adams in an interview with Pique. “We are closing early in the season simply because of staffing. We don’t have staff that will work past this week. They are all students. They have to go back to
school. Normally, we would have other staff that would fill in. That staff member actually retired earlier in the summer. We don’t have that person to manage it for the last couple of weeks.”
Adams said they had known the tourism hubs days were numbered, with the Lil’wat Nation moving forward with its development plans.
“We will be closing that specific centre at that location because the land owners have decided that they are moving forward with development on that land,” he said.
“This was the last season that the visitors centre will be located there. The land is owned by Lil’wat Nation. They let us know that they are going to be moving forward with decommissioning the Sani-dump on that piece of land. That is also a reason why that centre has to close. When the septic system is removed, we are not able to run a facility there.”
According to Adams, locals have raised concerns that the closure of both facilities will affect tourism in the area. They are also worried that visitors in RVs may resort to illegal dumping around the idyllic mountain village.
“We were aware that there was going to be an issue with this. As soon as we were made of aware that these decisions were happening, we let the Village of Pemberton (VOP) know,” he said. “They were aware this was occurring. We did tell them that people would need other solutions. Local government has been aware of this for months.”
Vehicles will have to travel back to Whistler, or on to Lillooet to dispose of human
waste after September 1.
“Whistler is the closest Sani-dump if you are going south,” said Adams. “If you’re going north, it’s Lillooet. We made it clear to local government that people will find other areas to illegally dump their grey water. They are going to look at creeks on the forest service roads. They are going to find other methods to do that.”
CEO of the Lil’wat Business Group, Rosemary Stager said that it is working with BC Builds on the project that would go on the plot of land.
“Lil’wat Business Group is in the concept phase of a commercial and residential project on the current Pemberton Visitor’s Centre site,” she said. “BC Builds is a housing program, delivered by BC Housing, to speed up the development of new homes for middleincome working people throughout British Columbia.”
Stager said that a start date on site has not been finalized as the project is still in the concept phase of development.
An advocacy group for vehicle residents in the Sea to Sky area has shared concerns for potential repercussions of the sani-dumps removal.
Thomasina Pidgeon of the Vehicle Residents of Squamish Advocacy Group stressed that a large number of people live in their vans and RVs year round.
“This seems like a really bad idea given the number of RVS that drive through in the summer,” she said. “There should be a Sanidump in every town. It’s pretty crucial.”
Pidgeon said that every town must have somewhere where waste can be disposed of
legally and in a sanitary way.
“Next thing is there will be complaints of RVs illegally dumping,” she said. “It’s like complaining about garbage and human waste in areas when in fact the state does nor provide enough public toilets, garbage cans and education signs on ‘Leave no Trace.’”
According to the Pemberton Chamber, there are no plans for the organization to re-open a visitor centre in Pemberton. That task, should it be taken up, has been handed over to Tourism Pemberton, which is an independent not-for-profit organization that according to its business plan, receives funding from local government and hotel tax revenues.
Mayor of Pemberton, Mike Richman said that this week’s announcement came as a surprise to council. “The village was aware that the info booth would be shutting down at the end of September as usual,” he said. “We were not aware that it would be closing over a month early. We recognize that this leaves a big gap in tourism service and is detrimental to local businesses. This was a surprise to us, and we are working closely with Tourism Pemberton for possible relocations, and solutions.”
Richman said that he was not informed of the early closure prior to the announcement.
“The chamber did not communicate that there would be an early closure this year of either the info booth or the sani-dump,” he said. This is funded through Destination, BC and local government. We were under the impression that it would be open to at least the end of September or even until after Thanksgiving.” n
CLOSING FOR GOOD? The Pemberton Visitor Centre is closing for good at its current location according to Adam Adams.
PHOTO BY RÓISÍN CULLEN
PHOTO BY RÓISÍN CULLEN
Pemberton Children’s Centre delays September opening
THE CENTRE PREVIOUSLY ASKED LOCALS TO HELP FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ITS STAFF
BY RÓISÍN CULLEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
PEMBERTON CHILDREN’S Centre has delayed its September opening. It announced that unforeseen delays in completing the expansion would move its timeline back just days before it was expected to open, which it had previously reported it had “high hopes” to open on Sept. 3.
The centre posted on Tuesday, Aug. 27 that it is hopeful that they can resolve the unforeseen issues.
In 2019, the Village of Pemberton (VOP) made daycare expansion a strategic priority.
The VOP received $2,771,000 through the ChildCare BC New Spaces Fund for the expansion in April 2022, and site prep work for the expansion began later that year. However, a funding shortfall emerged. Village staff engaged with ministry officials and applied for supplementary funding. A further $800,000 was awarded as a result in early 2023.
The nearby Nature Play Park and Playscape structure had to be relocated to allow for the build, sparking debate over
“We will endeavor to keep the community updated as we know more”
“We are hopeful that this will be resolved, and the building completed and licensed as soon as possible,” they said.
“As such, our intended opening of September 3rd will be delayed. We will endeavor to keep the community updated as we know more, and to open the new spaces as soon as possible.
The centre said that parents have not been contacted about highly coveted places yet. Its expansion will eventually provide an additional 50 childcare spaces for the 3-5 age group, in two new classrooms.
“We have not yet started moving through our waitlist or contacting parents regarding space in the new expansion,” they posted. “We will only do so once we have received our license and are operationally ready to open the doors. Once we have a confirmed opening date, we will begin contacting families to offer spaces.”
reducing green space in Pemberton.
Pemberton’s Children’s Centre asked for the community’s help in June to find affordable housing for its staff. “If you or anyone you know has housing options, please reach out to the centre,” they said. “We will start contacting families on our waitlist once we have a confirmed opening date.”
Pemberton’s Children’s Centre asked for the community’s help in June to find affordable housing for its staff. “If you or anyone you know has housing options, please reach out to the centre,” they said. “We will start contacting families on our waitlist once we have a confirmed opening date.” The Centre said the number of additional daycare spaces being offered will be dependent on how many qualified teachers they can hire.
More information about the work on the project to date is available here. n
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Residentsare encouraged to sharetheir feedback or questions with Mayorand Council. Feedback andquestions canbesubmitted in person at MunicipalHall, by emailatadmin@pemberton.ca, or by mail to PO Box100, Pemberton, BC V0N2L0.
Additionally,residents arewelcome to providecommentsand ask questions at thecouncilmeetingonTuesday, September10, 2024, at 5:30 pm
DELAYED The Pemberton Children’s Centre was supposed to open in September, but now that’s been pushed back due to unforeseen circumstances.
Gun Lake volunteer firefighters raise over $36,000 for “vital” fire truck
THE GROUP SPRANG INTO ACTION WHEN AN OUT-OF-CONTROL WILDFIRE THREATENED THEIR HOMES LAST SUMMER.
BY RÓISÍN CULLEN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
GUN LAKE FIRE Protection Society (GLF) has so far raised $36,370 for a much-needed, new fire truck through gofundme.
The old one has reached the end of its serviceable life and due for retirement— especially given it’s 33 years old.
New equipment would be well used: Last summer, seventeen Gun Lake firefighters volunteered over 8,000 hours to protect the place they call home.
They helped BC Wildfire Service when disaster struck and more than 40 structures burned to the ground when a rare fire tornado formed over the edge of Gun Lake near Gold Bridge, B.C. in the early hours of Aug. 18, 2023.
Volunteers want to make sure they have all the equipment they need. Fire Chief, Al Leighton said that repairs are no longer possible on the 33-year-old truck. “It’s badly needed,” he said. “The truck has an Achilles heel. It has an emergency brake system that Ford only used for a couple of years. If I break a part in that system, it will take the truck out too.”
The cost of the replacement firetruck
FILE PHOTO
Local businesses and neighbours have donated to the larger fundraising goal in their droves. The McLean McCuaig Foundation donated a whopping $50,000. Another $5,000 came from Lillooet Timber Mart. The society
“The (current) truck has an achilles heel.”
- AL LEIGHTON
is edging ever closer to its goal but is calling on locals to give what they can. “If you live, play, visit or know about this special area please consider donating towards the cost of a new fire truck,” wrote Leighton. “It is a vital lifeline to help protect the community from the risk of wildfire.”
will be approximately $500,000. GLF can receive grant funding for up to 50% of this cost but need to raise the initial amount
through donations. The team’s members donated their wages to the cause after the Downtown Lake Fire.
GLF was first set up in 1999, and has been a part of the wildfire defense of the community since. n
A LITTLE OLD The truck used by Gun Lake Fire Protection is 33 years old, and in need of a replacement.
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Lillooet RCMP arrest naked man for mischief in busy week
POLICE BRIEFS: THE LILLOOET RCMP HAD A LOT ON THEIR HANDS LAST WEEK
BY RÓISÍN CULLEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
LILLOOET RCMP was busy this week according to its latest press release. On Aug. 15, the alarm was raised about a naked man being pinned to the ground. Officers arrived at the scene and pulled the unclothed man off the floor. He allegedly pushed over a motorbike and fought another man. The man was arrested for indecent exposure, assault, mischief and for an outstanding warrant.
Lillooet RCMP said that there was no evidence to support indecent exposure and assault charges. “The man was taken to Lillooet cells where he spent the night,” it said. “He was released on an Appearance Notice with a court date for mischief and the outstanding warrant.”
On Aug. 13, a woman who had been spotted going into parked cars stated that she just opened a car door. A caller pointed out the woman who allegedly broke into cars earlier to a member of RCMP at Russell Lane, Lillooet. The woman denied taking anything. She was arrested for mischief initially for “further investigation” but was later released. “The caller did not seek charges nor could state the vehicle which had its car door opened,” said RCMP. “There was insufficient evidence to proceed.”
On Aug, 16 a caller reported a man in a dark shirt and green man was “covered in sand” and possibly under the influence of drugs by Old Bridge Road. RCMP and
Stl’atl’imx Tribal police located a man getting out of the Fraser river. He stated he was “simply getting washed up by going for a swim”. RCMP stressed that the man
denied any drug use and was cooperative. “He collected his belongings and departed the area without issue,” it said.
A vehicle parked on Main Street with no license plates caught the eyes of a RCMP member on Aug. 17, The driver and occupants all exited the vehicle and attempted to walk away. They were all detained. The driver was identified and showed signs of being drunk. He was arrested and given a breath demand. The driver subsequently produced a fail result on an approved screening device (ASD) for alcohol above the legal limit in his system,” said RCMP. “He was immediately prohibited from driving for 90 days and his vehicle was impounded. The matter was referred to ICBC.”
On Aug. 17, a woman approached an RCMP member and reported that she was assaulted by her boyfriend in Lillooet. She provided a statement to police saying that the man allegedly punched and kicked her in the head, held a knife to her eye and threatened to cut her with the knife earlier in the day but also assaulted her 30 minutes prior. Lillooet RCMP located and arrested the accused man. “The man was held for a bail hearing and remanded (further held in custody) for his next court date,” said RCMP. n
HANDS-ON Lillooet RCMP were breaking up scraps, investigating suspicious behaviour and making arrests.
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Elizabeth Chaplin 604 932 1311
elizabeth@elizabethchaplin.com
Climate change fuels wildfires worldwide
LAST SUMMER, during a record-breaking wildfire season, a podcast host asked Alberta Premier Danielle Smith about the connection between fires and climate change and her government’s opposition to federal climate policies. “I think you’re watching, as I am, the number of stories about arson,” she said. “I’m very concerned that there are arsonists.”
She’s not alone in blaming arson, lightning or forestry policies for increasingly intense wildfires and lengthening wildfire seasons. Those are factors, but not the point. Whether fires are ignited by arson, lightning or accident, human-caused global heating is
seasons that start earlier and end later, and fires that are more difficult to contain. Some are even smouldering throughout winter. The Canadian Climate Institute points out that during 2023, fires here consumed “16.5 million hectares—more than double the previous record and nearly seven times more than the historical average.”
BY DAVID SUZUKI
making them more likely and more furious. (Although arson and accidents do cause fires,
With the impacts of climate-related wildfires mounting every year, it’s up to our political leaders, especially, to take a realistic look at causes and solutions. Sadness is a normal reaction to wildfire devastation, but tears won’t put out the fires that have forced people from their homes and communities, destroyed entire towns, polluted air over vast areas, caused health problems and deaths and sent wildlife fleeing if they’re lucky enough to escape. Add to that rising insurance rates or even the inability to insure homes in highrisk areas.
In Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast, about the tragic 2016 wildfire that devasted Fort McMurray in the heart of Alberta’s oilsands,
Of course, forest-management practices play a role. Undergrowth and debris such as fallen branches, stumps and leaves that build up in a forest through lack of attention, logging or suppression of small fires can raise the risk of larger wildfires. Controlled or prescribed burning, in part based on Indigenous “cultural burning” practices, is gaining greater recognition as a way to prevent out-of-control wildfires.
Controlled burning occurs during lowrisk conditions and times to clear out some debris and undergrowth. This can include “broadcast” burning (across a tract of forested area) or “pile” burning (stacking debris and vegetation and burning piles individually).
Finding more and better ways to protect homes and communities in the face of increasing wildfires, especially as housing continues to encroach on forested areas, is also important—something the Alberta government ignored when, shortly after being elected in 2019, it shut down 26 active fire towers across the province, ended funding for the firefighting Rappel Attack Program and later made further cuts to wildfire personnel and programs.
Increases in number, duration and intensity of wildfires also cause climate change feedback loops. Trees store carbon, which is why forests are known as “carbon sinks,” providing a hedge against climate change. When trees burn, carbon is released
Undergrowth and debris such as fallen branches, stumps and leaves that build up in a forest through lack of attention, logging or suppression of small fires can raise the risk of larger wildfires.
writer John Vaillant details how vehicles and homes vaporized (in part because many were built using petroleum-based products, such as vinyl siding) and 88,000 people had to flee their homes in one afternoon.
Hotter, drier weather for longer periods increases the likelihood of fires and their ability to spread rapidly. Global heating is also causing more lightning strikes. On top of that, insects such as pine beetles that were once kept in check by colder winters have been thriving and killing massive numbers of trees, which dry out and further exacerbate fire risk. Consider how easy it is to start a campfire with dry kindling and wood compared to even slightly damp wood.
Burning coal, oil and gas is pushing the planet to heat at unprecedented rates, which creates the conditions for increasingly severe wildfires. We’re now experiencing wildfire
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into the atmosphere, creating even more global heating.
Because we’ve already released so many greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, we’ll be facing escalating wildfires for years to come. We can reduce future risk by shifting from polluting fossil fuels to cleaner energy and protecting green spaces, but good forest management is also necessary.
The world is on fire, but solutions are available. With the cost to human health and life, infrastructure and wildlife rising every year, we need to use every tool we have. It’s past time to face reality.
David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Written with David Suzuki Foundation Senior Writer and Editor Ian Hanington. n
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Navigating the map apps
A COUPLE of weekends ago, I was fortunate enough to spend some time aboard Curio, a beautiful 50-foot sailboat that my friends live aboard off B.C.’s coast. While winds were relatively calm for most of the weekend and the boat’s motor handled the majority of the
BY VINCE SHULEY
propulsion, there were a couple of windows where winds came down off the mountains and our skipper let the sails out. They even let me steer the helm for a bit. While there was a lot of information to absorb about when to turn up wind, when to turn down wind and the process of tacking (turning the bow toward and through the wind so that the direction from which the wind blows changes from one side of the boat to the other), the biggest takeaway was the following bit of advice: “The more you get a feel for sailing, the less you need to constantly check your instruments.”
That statement applies to so many situations. Just think of the first time you learned to drive a car; nervously checking your speed, when you should change gears (for those who learned how to drive stick), and when you should indicate a turn or lane change.
Backcountry skiing has been a similar journey for me. While courses and clinics were
great for knowledge, it was experience—going out lots of days in lots of different conditions, with people more experienced than me—that really gave me the feel of safe route finding. It also got my spidey senses tingling when an attractive ski line didn’t quite feel right.
Back when I was figuring out ski touring, the technology was pretty basic. We used paper maps for most route planning and Google Earth was starting to get more popular for researching possible ski lines. But when you were in the field, it was a topographical map (paper, then later digital) that you referenced when checking you were on course.
been Fat Maps. Founded in London, England in 2013 by two mountain enthusiasts, when the app launched in 2016 Fat Maps quickly became a popular substitute for ski resort trail maps, first in the European Alps then later in North America. The detail of the 3D modelling was already impressive, with a sub-2m digital elevation model (DEM), but it was also able to take this accurate data and calculate important terrain information such as gradient, aspect and even avalanche risk, on the fly. In 2023, Fat Maps was acquired by global fitness behemoth Strava with the intention of integrating its mapping and
All of a sudden you could get an aerial view of the terrain that was so much easier to correlate with the mountains and ridges you were looking at.
With the advent of more powerful smartphones, 3D mapping software really took off in the ski touring community. All of a sudden you could get an aerial view of the terrain that was so much easier to correlate with the mountains and ridges you were looking at. These apps can even shade the map to highlight slope angle and slope aspects, making it much easier to avoid avalanche-prone terrain.
I only ever used these apps for the odd route research and rarely relied on them for actual navigation in the backcountry, so I can’t speak to all their extensive functionalities, but I do know that one of the most popular of these apps over the last few years has
DEM tech into the Strava app. Whether all those functions (that make ski touring route planning and navigation easier) are integrated into Strava remains to be seen, with the company not promising anything before Fat Maps is officially taken down on October 1, 2024.
The move by Strava has ruffled a lot of feathers of folks in the mountain community who have enjoyed (and arguably, over-relied) on Fat Maps for their ski touring adventures, nicknaming themselves melodramatically as “Orphans of Fat Map.” One skier is even going as far as attempting to petition the Californiabased tech company (that was valued at $1.5 billion USD in 2020) to keep Fat Maps alive.
Good luck with that.
The good news is that there are plenty of decent alternatives out there to Fat Maps. None seem to quite have the same slick interface with as many bells and whistles, but let’s remember, if you have the skills to read and interpret a good old fashioned topo map, you don’t need all that software to stay alive in the backcountry. Gaia is the topo map I’ve used the most and has the 3D functionality with satellite layering and slope angle shading. It’s a great baseline map app to have in your arsenal and the free version doesn’t have you bumping into paywall barriers constantly. CalTopo is a great free resource for pre-trip planning at home, a bit more of a technical interface but worth learning if you plan to tour a lot. One app that’s gaining popularity recently with its extensive functionality is onX Backcountry. From the online reviews it seems to have some of the best features of Fat Maps with a really intuitive waypoint planning feature, but it costs $30 USD a year and doesn’t have summer hiking functions in Canada yet. Whether you want to shell out for yet another annual subscription on your mobile device is up to you.
It’s important to note that some of these apps claim to have avalanche conditions such as snow depth, fresh snow amounts and forecasted risk baked into map layering systems, but these systems have not been wholly integrated in Canada. Any map app that displays “avalanche forecast” should be cross referenced with up-to-date information from Avalanche Canada.
Vince Shuley is guilty of talking about snow before the end of August. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_ vince. n
Erin McCardle Stiel
WEST VANCOUVER-SEA TO SKY HAS BEEN NAMED BY MANY AS A RIDING TO WATCH IN 2024, SOME FAMILIAR FACES, NEWCOMERS AND UP-ANDCOMERS MAKE THEIR CASES TO VOTERS
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
Editor’s note: Interviews for this story were conducted prior to the withdrawal of BC United from the provincial election, as revealed on August 28.
Two months out from the next provincial election, there are three major party candidates nominated in the West VancouverSea to Sky riding — equal to the total number that ran in 2020.
Pique checked in with all the candidates (so far) to ask about the campaign, the polling, and the vibe in the riding.
Of the last round’s frontrunners, incumbent MLA Jordan Sturdy of BC United (formerly BC Liberal) is not running again, and as of August 28, there will be no BC United candidate after the party agreed to withdraw in a seismic development for BC politics. Prior to their withdrawal, regular check-ins over the course of months didn’t yield much in the way of progress. Meanwhile, the Greens are running Jeremy Valeriote a second time after he came within 60 votes of securing the party’s first riding not on Vancouver Island last time around.
West Vancouver-Sea to Sky is shaping up to be a riding to watch in 2024 because of potential vote-splitting.
On the centre-left, the NDP have come third in results in the last two elections, having fallen behind the Greens both times, effectively allowing the then-BC Liberals to hold on with 43 and 37 per cent in 2017 and 2020 respectively, while the combined NDP and Green vote was 55 and 62 per cent.
In 2024 however the NDP had a province-wide opportunity to pull ahead thanks to the rise of the BC Conservative Party to the right of BC United, securing and then holding on to a significant polling lead over their centre-right compatriots and locking in to second place behind the NDP provincially. The rise of the Conservatives ultimately led to the demise of BC United entirely.
How that development plays out in West Vancouver-Sea to Sky is hard to gauge given a lack of local polling, but as things stand two months out from the election, the BC Conservatives have nominated a candidate, and BC United are gone. It was quite a turnaround: When he visited Squamish in March, opposition leader Kevin Falcon told Pique that he had “a personal and vested interest in making sure that [BC United] continue to hold [West Vancouver-Sea to Sky].”
Pique spoke to the three candidates that have skin in the game, starting with the only candidate that is a repeat on 2020: The Green Party’s Jeremy Valeriote.
For his part, Valeriote noted the complexity of the province-wide polling, but added he was very confident the Greens were the front runners locally.
“Every riding is different, and the picture is more complicated than the polling would suggest given the 4-way split in the vote,” he said in an email.
“In [West Vancouver-Sea to Sky] I’m the frontrunner based on proven BC Green support. So if the last election was rerun with the new riding boundaries, I would win convincingly.”
Valeriote is not wrong: As noted in previous coverage, the redistribution after the last election knocked a large-enough swathe of West Vancouver out of the riding that if the election were a carbon copy under the new borders, he would win. The neighbourhood that was moved into a neighbouring riding was West Bay, which historically was a bastion of BC Liberal support. Without it, the centre-right vote is diminished in the riding which has returned varied results from top to bottom. In 2020, the Greens were strong in Pemberton, Whistler and Bowen Island, and almost completely overran Squamish which in previous years had been the centre for NDP support in the riding.
But, it’s not 2017 or 2020, but 2024. It has now been seven years of NDP government, and Valeriote took aim.
“I’ve been talking with people across the Sea to Sky since 2020, and hearing similar messages - on housing, affordability, healthcare and climate change - because the BC NDP has failed to address our biggest challenges.
“As an environmental engineer and former councillor I talk about evidence-based solutions, such as regional transit, which will help affordability, relieve congestion and reduce emissions.”
Asked about the new dynamic offered by the rise of the BC Conservative Party, Valeriote said he was staying focused on the Green message.
“We are happy to debate with other candidates - and will point out to voters that there’s no difference on key issues between the other main parties. So for instance I’m the only candidate opposed to Woodfibre LNG.”
The NDP candidate for the riding, Jen Ford, is a newcomer to provincial-level partisan politics, but has long been involved in the local and regional scene. She threw her hat into the ring earlier in 2024, telling Pique at the time that the time she had spent working closely with the NDP government had inspired her to get involved. At the time, the NDP was well ahead in polling and appeared to be on track for re-election, and Ford spoke of the benefits of West Vancouver-Sea to Sky electing an MLA that would serve in government, rather than in opposition or as a third party.
Two months out from the election, polling has tightened significantly, and Ford offered the customary response to reporter questions on the matter.
“I think the only poll that really matters is October 19,” she said in an interview.
“It’s certainly interesting to see where people are resonating with the message that’s out there,” she said, noting that it appeared that the options before voters appeared more polarized than before—between what she called cuts as offered by the Conservatives, and supporting services as offered by the NDP.
That said, she added that voters weren’t fully engaged yet, which makes sense as the writs are yet to drop for the election.
“What I am hearing in the community is that people are still on summer vacation mode and the election isn’t really landing yet.”
Even so, Ford added that many of the issues she was hearing about were the same as before: Housing, healthcare and childcare.
“Those issues haven’t changed from when I first started this campaign, and I think that they are still very much in the hearts and minds of the communities that I’m speaking to.”
The newest candidate to hit the ground is the BC Conservative pick for the riding: Yuri Fulmer. A successful businessman with a lot of time spent in philanthropy, Fulmer is the global chairman of United Way Worldwide, and serves as chancellor of Capilano University.
Though he lives just outside the riding, in an interview with Pique he joked that the redistribution was to blame.
“Now I fall about 112 feet outside the riding. I could throw a rock and hit it”, he laughed. Many of his business interests
are in the riding, and as Capilano University spreads into Squamish, his work brings him north more often than not. Fulmer might be well-acquainted with the riding, but the party he represents is an unknown locally. He said that he had spent the first weeks of his campaign pounding the pavement to sell change, and in his words, “to make sure I didn’t have a preconceived notion of what the issues in the corridor were.”
What he had learned was similar to what his Green and NDP competitors said, but he stressed that all concerns were stemming from affordability, and that was flowing into everything else.
“Affordability resonates with everybody in the riding. It’s issue one, two, three and four. There’s a big gap before there’s discussion of other issues. If you can’t put food on the table you can’t afford to live, and other issues become secondary.”
The other issues were still prominent however, being healthcare and regional transportation—which Fulmer noted appeared to be a sign the government had “forgotten” the corridor from the transportation point of view.
“There is no way for people who live in Pemberton … to access public transportation to get to work. Same for people who live in Squamish and work in Whistler, same for people who live in all of these communities and need to go to Vancouver for passports or medical appointments or to go to the airport. Or if you want to reduce your environmental footprint and don’t want to drive, there is no way to do that.
“[Hwy 99] is terribly dangerous, and the more cars we get off the road and the more people we can put in mass transportation, the knock-on effects are terrific. Reducing environmental footprint, less stress on people, less commute time. This is to me something we need to prioritize.”
THE POLLING QUESTION
As of late August, polling across the province has shown a tightening between the two frontrunners, being the NDP and the Conservatives, while the Green Party and BC United have stayed the same and fallen behind (and then died completely) respectively.
Yuri Fulmer is on the ground and campaigning hard to take the mantle of representing the riding from the fading BC United Party, taking up space on the centre-right while BC United ceded ground.
BC United’s nomination challenges were well-covered: They had lost sitting MLAs and aspiring candidates to the Conservatives, and while well ahead of the the Greens, BC United was the least-prepared of all major parties with only 57 candidates named as of August 19 —out of a required 93 to run a full slate. Those 57 are now moot, with the party folding up its tent. The particulars of that process are yet to be revealed as of writing.
Outgoing MLA Jordan Sturdy told Pique media he wasn’t involved in recruiting to replace him, while none of the names bandied about and shared with Pique as potential candidates came to fruition. One rejected candidate went as far as share their concern with the BC United processes on a local social media page, remarking that the party was “imploding” in recounting their experience going through vetting before being passed over, in what turned out to be an astute observation.
All that to say: The incumbent party never got around to naming a candidate, while the party eating into their polling numbers provincially has come to play in West VancouverSea to Sky.
For his part, Fulmer said he was about winning one vote at a time—and his answers to questions at the time suggested he was focused on the NDP and the Greens, rather than BC United.
“I take nothing for granted,” he said about the polling.
“What I’m not hearing from people is that they want four more years of the NDP. I’m hearing very clearly from folks that they need change. … if you want change, there are only two other alternatives on the ballot. Deepest respect to the Green candidate, the Greens have zero chance of forming government, and zero chance of forming opposition. If you want a meaningful voice for change in the legislature and you are dissatisfied in our riding with the NDP, the Conservatives are the way forward.”
Fulmer said that he wasn’t hearing much in the way of interest in the Green platform, heading off any attempts by that party to claim climate change as its sole domain.
“Because we haven’t released [the Conservative climate platform] it’s pretty tough to be critical of it at this point. I haven’t met a person in the Conservative Party who isn’t worried about climate change, including my boss John Rustad. He’s from the north, just outside Vanderhoof, he knows full well the impact of climate change as well. I think we’re all very aware of what has happened in our communities.”
Likewise, he waved away efforts by the Greens to keep campaigning on LNG by distinguish themselves as the only party against LNG exports, saying that that decision “had been taken”, and he supported the role of the Squamish Nation in approving Woodfibre LNG.
Part of NDP candidate Jen Ford’s pitch to voters in throwing her hat into the ring was the benefit of electing a representative that would be in government vs. an MLA on the cross bench.
When she first announced earlier in 2024, the NDP were cruising to victory while the two centre-right parties jockeyed for second place. Months later, her pitch stays the same, and interestingly, Fulmer said he agreed with that take, just flipped to support the Conservatives, of course.
“I think the people in West Vancouver-Sea to Sky do want to put somebody in government, and I think the question for them is: How has the government of the last seven years gone for you? If you think you are incredibly well off under the NDP of the last seven years, if you think you’re prosperous and your family are prosperous, then I guess that might be the vote you want to cast. If you don’t think you’re prospering, I’m not sure putting an MLA into the same government that’s caused you not to prosper is the right way to go.”
For Ford, the Conservatives being on the field didn’t change her approach.
“This is a big role to fill and I bring the experience that I have and it speaks for itself. Who else enters the race doesn’t change anything about what I bring to the campaign.”
Asked about a lack of a BC United candidate to spar with, Ford didn’t sound concerned. At the time, BC United were still in the race, but fading in relevance.
“Looking how their party is [was] positioned, and are seeing candidates leaving their team… it’s not really surprising that they haven’t found someone yet … They’re tracking at what is it, 10 per cent right now? I think that sort of speaks for itself.”
While the NDP and the Conservatives battle it out in the province-wide polling, West Vancouver-Sea to Sky is shaping up to potentially be the Green Party’s best chance at representation. Given how close Valeriote got in 2020, he’s bringing that confidence into 2024.
“Over the last 20 years Green support has been steadily growing right across the riding, whereas the BC Conservatives
have only fielded candidates twice,” he said.
“They were pretty much moribund provincially until John Rustad was kicked out of the BC Liberals for denying climate change, and became the BCC leader.”
Valeriote did some legwork for BC United too, in pointing out that the provincial party was not the party of Pierre Poilievre.
“Voters will learn that they are not the same as the federal Conservative Party, but simply riding on their coat-tails.”
While there will not be a BC United candidate to interview, incumbent MLA, Jordan Sturdy previously told Pique that he believed at the time that BC United was the party with substance, and with the dropping of the writ, voters would take a closer look at the Conservatives, and reconsider their vote.
“When we have to start talking about what the policies are, there really isn’t a lot there with the Conservatives … I think when people start paying a bit more attention and when there is an all candidates debate, then you’ll start to see the leadership in person, and start to see a more robust discussion about policy and direction.
“Kevin [Falcon] has a lot of experience and proven leadership. From a policy perspective, we’re on the right track.”
As it turns out, voters won’t get the opportunity to find out.
While internal party selection processes are opaque, Pique regularly checked in with the party to gauge progress since party leader Kevin Falcon said that they would be naming a candidate within 45 days of a March 7 interview. That deadline passed with no news from the party, and in May the party’s director of communications told Pique that the party was still working through nominations across the province and would let media know when it had someone for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky. In mid-August a rejected candidate vented their concerns with the party on a local social media group after three months of vetting, while another query to the party from Pique went unanswered as of writing.
Whistler area voters will get a closer look at all the candidates running to represent West Vancouver-Sea to Sky at an all-candidates forum co-hosted by the Whistler Chamber, Arts Whistler, and Pique Newsmagazine, to be held on October 1 in Whistler.
The provincial election will be held on or before October 19, 2024. n
SEPT 25, 2024 at 4:30PM
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Robert wasbornand raised in NewWestminster BC,son of thelate Robert andCatherine McKean.Robertgrewupplaying lacrosse, hockey,and rugby. He enjoyeda very active lifestyle;skiinghis favourite run, Hugh’s Heaven,until theage of 78!
Robert is survived by hiswifeLinda,daughters Cristina (Phil),Serena (Steve),step-grandchildrenCalum andPenny,sisters Catherine (Bobette)Beagleand Jean McKean,in–laws John (Ellen),Edda,Angelo (Jody),Stella (Dave),and many nephewsand nieces
Robert andLinda movedtoWhistlerinthe late 1970’s,where they raised theirgirls whostill remain in theSea to Skycorridor. Robert will be remembered as akind, soft spoken,generous, andcompassionate person wholoved hisfamily andloved theWhistlercommunity.He walkeddaily with Lexy,enjoyed reading, riding hisbike, andwatching theCanucks.Robertsharedhis passion forthe outdoorsbyteachinghis daughtershow to skionthe MagicChair when they were little, howto throwa lacrosse ball at Meadow Park,and numerous othersports whichheencouraged!
Robert hada smile foreveryonehemet,and enjoyedmeeting new peoplefromall walksoflife. Whenever he rode thegondola or 7th HeavenChair,heloved to askwhere others were visiting from;he always attemptedtoconnect with people
AMemorialService will be held on Saturday September14that2pm,at theWhistlerCommunity Church, 7226 FitzsimmonsRd, North, Whistler BC.Members of thecommunity arewelcome to attend. TheMcKean family extends theirsincerest gratitudetothe Whistler RCMP,Whistler Search &Rescue, theWhistlerand PembertonFireDepartments,and additional SARteams from across thelower mainland fortheir immediatesearchresponseand theirongoing effortstofindRobert andLexyand bringthemhome.
World Championships-bound Sophi Lawrence keeps her career in perspective
THE 18-YEAR-OLD WHISTLERITE WILL REPRESENT CANADA IN PAL ARINSAL, ANDORRA
BY DAVID SONG
WHEN SOPHI LAWRENCE attended her first B.C. Cup event on June 26, 2022 on home turf, she wasn’t the athlete she is today. In fact, she wanted nothing to do at all with downhill mountain bike racing.
“I was very determined not to do it. I was like: ‘nope, I have no interest in downhill,’” Lawrence remembered.
At that point, the Whistlerite had just followed her friend Mhairi Smart onto the Instinct Development roster. Their coaches, Ash Jones and Andrew Brooks, understood Lawrence’s hesitation…but then she began to reconsider. Lap after lap training on the B.C. Cup track eventually convinced her to join Smart and the rest of their teammates in the start gate.
Lawrence laid her bike down and finished sixth. She wasn’t pleased with that outcome, but found herself enjoying the overall experience. That winter, Lawrence and Smart hit the gym together for four days a week, and their training began to pay dividends.
In 2023, Lawrence put herself on the map by locking down overall titles in both the Canada Cup and B.C. Cup tours. Yet it was her
runner-up effort at Nationals that delivered her onto the global stage.
“I didn’t pay much attention to the World Cup circuit or World Champs or anything,” she admitted. “Then I got this email that said; ‘you’ve been invited to the 2023 UCI Downhill World Championships’ and I was like, oh my God.”
After competing in Fort William, Scotland, Lawrence thought she would never
junior athletes to World Champs each year with coaching and mechanical support. Lawrence shared accommodation with four other junior girls (Joy Attalla, Kate Mackenzie, Kayley Sherlock and Sophia Ervington) and ended up leading them all with a 14th-place result.
“I was having a lot of fun, but I was also super nervous the whole time because Worlds tracks are definitely a step up from Canada Cup tracks,” Lawrence remembered. “I was
“The younger girls I train with, and others in the community are extremely inspiring to be around.”
- SOPHI LAWRENCE
have another such experience. Nonetheless, she’ll be joining fellow locals Megan Bedard and Rebecca Beaton overseas as this year’s Worlds take place from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1 in Pal Arinsal, Andorra.
MAKING IT DOWN
Lawrence’s time in Fort William has prepared her for the task at hand.
She had to reschedule her family vacation in Greece last August to participate. Cycling Canada fortunately had her back with an initiative called “The Project”, which sends
just focused on making it down and putting down a clean run. By the time I left [Scotland], I didn’t feel like I’d put everything that I had into those runs.”
Hungry for more top-level action, Lawrence entered the World Cup stop in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que. She wound up ninth as the only Canadian girl in her age bracket to make the finish line.
Cycling Canada’s junior-focused Project does not normally extend to athletes who turn 18, but Lawrence made it in due to the last-minute withdrawal of another rider. She’s good friends with Bedard and Beaton, and
eagerly awaits the chance to race in Andorra with them.
FAST FRIENDS
Fellowship is the main reason why Lawrence still competes.
She was one of only five Instinct Development girls in 2022, but now there are at least 14 young ladies on her team. Lawrence happily plays the role of elder stateswoman among them and is always keen to help her peers in any way possible.
“The younger girls I train with, and others in the community are extremely inspiring to be around,” she said. “It is very common for U17 or even U15 girls to have the fastest women’s times at Canada Cups, easily going faster than the pro and junior women’s categories. It’s so awesome to see girls getting into downhill younger and having some really great results.”
Lawrence has spent plenty of time training with boys, and while she appreciates them for setting a high benchmark, she also cherishes the opportunity to practice with girls who are closer to her overall fitness level. Her peers have played a major role in helping her love of downhill riding grow over time as they continue to spur one another on.
Pal Arinsal awaits, but Lawrence hopes not to be overwhelmed by the moment.
“It’ll be a great time with all my friends,” she said. “I want to chill out a little bit, focus on riding my bike to the best of my ability and not be so worried about everything else that’s going on.” n
ON THE WAY ...UP? Sophi Lawrence competes in a BC Cup race in Whistler.
PHOTO BY RONIA NASH
‘If I really just love what I’m doing, I’m going to get the result that I want’
A FRESH MINDSET PROPELS MEGAN BEDARD TOWARDS HER INAUGURAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
BY DAVID SONG
MEGAN BEDARD appears to be peaking at the right time.
She’s hauled in six consecutive medals as of this writing: four B.C. Cup podiums including a victory, bronze at the Crankworx Whistler Air DH and silver at Nationals in Sun Peaks earlier this month. Now she’s on her way to represent Canada at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.
It’s quite the reversal of fortune for a 17-year-old who often found herself grounded in 2023, her first proper race season.
“Last year I did not have a good time, so I’m just happy to come in this year, know how to ride my bike confidently, be able to get down the track and have fun,” Bedard said. “My mindset really changed…if I’m having fun with all my girls, and if I really just love what I’m doing, I’m going to get the result that I want.
“If you say you just want to win and you don’t get the result you would like, you’re going to try to go faster and crash. I wouldn’t use my brakes when I needed them, and just ended up crashing before my race runs.”
GROWING IN CONFIDENCE
Bedard was inspired to take up mountain biking by her twin brother, Ryan. Around 13 years of age, she bought her first downhill bicycle—an old, ratchety GT Fury—in order to engage in the Whistler Blackcomb (WB) DFX kids’ program. As a former gymnast, Bedard feels that experience on balance beams and uneven bars helped her progress in her current sport.
“When you’re riding and you come to a scary feature, you learn a lot from gymnastics on how to work through your mental blocks,” she said. “And knowing how to fall in gymnastics really helps me. I don’t want to put my hands out when I crash, or else I could break an arm. I want to roll out from my biking crashes.”
ZEP Racing has also factored heavily into Bedard’s development. She was shy and green in equal measure last year, intimidated by faster teammates and opponents, but sound coaching has brought her out of her shell.
Bedard is one of only two girls currently on ZEP’s roster in her division. The other one doesn’t train in Whistler, meaning she usually rides with a bevy of boys. Although many young ladies prefer the companionship of female peers in sport, Bedard has acclimated to being around guys and even credits them for helping her in specific ways.
“They’ve grown on me, and they push me to go faster,” said Bedard. “I feel like all of us girls who compete in the same category want to have fun, and we all just
end up taking the same line down the trail. But there’s so many guys…they all have different line choices, and it’s whatever suits you. Having a different opinion on line choice really sets you apart from the group, and I’m going to go for the guys’ lines to see if they work out better for me.”
ADRENALINE RUSH
In any case, Bedard didn’t think she would podium at Nationals.
She was shocked to place first in seeding amidst a deep field of promising Canadian talent. She raised even more eyebrows by winning a silver medal as one of only three junior women to break the six-minute mark.
If not for an ill-timed mishap, Bedard would have struck gold.
“The weather was so terrible. It would hail, rain, snow, and then be sunny,” she said. “There were these two flat corners at the end of the race run, and I slipped out, and all the pros slipped out there too. I should have gone slower in those corners, but since I had adrenaline running, I was going so fast.
“Sometimes I talk to myself and hype myself up when I take a tumble. The guys got a video. It’s funny, but I was just so upset.”
It took Bedard a while to realize she’d just qualified for Worlds. The first-year junior intends to put her best foot forward, but also hopes to enjoy herself and meet lots of athletes from abroad.
“I have no clue what I should expect, so I’m just hoping all the girls and guys—because they’re older than me—can be role models for me,” she said.
The 2024 UCI World Championships will be held from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1 in Pal Arinsal, Andorra. n
Pre-Canskate CanSkate
Adult Learn to Skate 50+ Mature
A huge congratulations to Whistlers Skating Club’s skaters who competed in Super Series Summer Skate Competition this August. Our club skaters, Moka Higashi went home with 2 silver medals and Nina Laferriere with a gold medal!
Our Fall Skating programs are about to begin!
Our current offerings are:
Adult Skills Development
StarSkate 13+ Recreational
Whistler Skating Club Skate Swap
Thursday September 12 - 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Meadow Park Sports Centre used figure skates, accessories, bags, practice clothes, competition dresses.
Skaters and attendees can bring items to sell or donate to the club
Please visit www.whistlerskatingclub.ca or email info@whistlerskatingclub.ca for more information.
IN IT FOR THE LOVE OF IT Whistler mountain biker Megan Bedard.
PHOTO BY HANNAH CHILDRESS
Nina Laferriere
Moka Higashi
Back to books, back to nature
FORAGING IN THE WILD: YOUR ANTIDOTE TO BACK-TO-NORMAL BLUES
YOU KNOW THE OLD SING-SONG rhyme kids have chanted at the end of the school year for ages: “No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks.” There’s a charming kids’ book by that title, and it’s even a line in Alice Cooper’s ’70s hit “School’s Out.”
Well, it’s that time of year again, kids (and I use the term loosely), when we’re all reversing it. “Back to pencils (and iPads), back to books, back to whoever’s dirty looks.”
Yes, folks the Labour Day long weekend just around the corner is one bittersweet moment. With any luck the weather will hold and still be nice enough for camping, trail riding or whatever we get up to to celebrate
BY GLENDA BARTOSH
that last blast of freedom — and last taste of summer. But the prospect of back-to-work, back-to school, back-to-normal looms over all.
My advice: Just don’t think about it! In fact, I’ve got a great antidote, one that celebrates books — and nature — and will get you out of those four walls of normalcy in a whole new way.
Last time in this space, I highlighted two unique characters who centred their lives around nature, each in their own unique way: Local legend Zube Aylward with his natureinspired homes, and international legend Euell Gibbons with his nature-inspired love
of foraging.
The lovely Yosef Wosk Library at Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Garden is the largest public-access botanical and horticultural library in western Canada. And it’s just re-introduced me to Gibbons and his ’70s classic we hippies loved, Stalking the Wild Asparagus. Finding it again also reminded me of the joys of foraging while growing up in Alberta. Even after school started, me and my pals would scour the local ravines and hideouts for wild berries, and more — something that’s carried over throughout my life.
Looking for berries is a quick, easy way to inspire young ones to appreciate nature in a whole new way. At least that’s what we picked up from our aunties and uncles, parents and grandparents. “There’s some over here!” the happy finder would shout, and we’d all rush over.
If you didn’t grow up looking for wild edibles, most libraries have good guidebooks. Stalking the Wild Asparagus is a wonderful place to start, especially for the thoughtful philosophy that underpins Gibbons’ life work. Plus check out the excellent books Whistler Public Library has on foraging wild food. Alltime favourites for hyper-local Sea to Sky angles include the beautifully illustrated Held by the Land by Leigh Joseph, a knowledgeable ethnobotanist and member of the Squamish Nation, who also conducts on-line courses. Gifts of the Land, by Liĺwat Nation Botanical Resources, is another WPL gem, as is Plants of the Whistler Region by Collin Varner. It’s not specific to foraging, but still very useful.
But you can’t beat foraging for berries, wild mushrooms and more by going out with someone who knows what they’re doing. Stand by for the popular Fungus Among Us Mushroom Festival hosted at Whistler after Canadian Thanksgiving every year by the amazing Whistler Naturalists. In fact, local nats are great to join for a walk in the woods anytime.
To get you inspired to “stalk” wild plants, I recently connected with one of Whistler’s keenest foragers, Tash Donohoe. After after taking multiple on-line courses,
TASH’S FORAGING TIPS
LOCAL PLANTS AND THEIR USES
Nettle: Think spinach: Fresh nettle pie, quiche, spanakopita, pesto. Dried for tea and soap making.
Elderflower: Delicious syrup. Dried for facial spray.
Chamomile: Dried for tea. Infused in oil for soap making.
St. John’s wort: Tincture and elixir. Wild rose petals: For oxymel. Dried for tea and soap making.
Dandelions: Salads and soap making
SAFE FORAGING
Always 100 per cent positively identify a plant.
Use field guides and foraging books local to your region. Start with easy-to-identify species. Avoid harvesting from contaminated areas.
ETHICAL FORAGING RULES
Don’t over-harvest. Only harvest as much material as you need. Never harvest any protected, endangered or at-risk species. Observe the health and size of the plant before harvesting. n
including with indigenous experts, she developed a big interest in using plants for their health properties.
“It started off with my garden, and I basically ripped out my old garden… and made sure every new plant had a use,” she says from the home in Rainbow she shares with her husband, Steve, and son, Ethan. “So I use them for crafts, for food, and for medicine.” Petals, leaves, roots, berries — all can find their way into the delicious and fragrant things Tash makes. Teas, meals, cordials, elixirs, bath bombs, soaps, facial sprays — even oxymels, which are ancient tinctures based on vinegar and honey.
And since her “new” garden features classics from around the world, like lavender, sage and thyme, it’s more of a supplement to the wild and indigenous plants she forages. Those include her top three picks for beginners: nettle, elderflower (also a Euell Gibbon’s favourite) and chamomile. The latter embodies a cute story.
Sometimes when Tash is looking for a particular plant, it can take her weeks or months to find it. But one day she headed up to Whistler Mountain Bike Park, without a notion of finding any. Then suddenly, she spotted wild chamomile, one of her favourites. ‘”I was at the head of the trail, along the top of Crank it Up, and it was everywhere! Even as I was flying down the trails!”
Many plants worth foraging like dry, dusty, disturbed areas, she notes. But the main take-away that day was an old lesson as applicable to life — even school — as it is to foraging: When you’re not looking for something, suddenly it’s everywhere!
Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning freelance journalist who almost got hit by a car while rushing across a gravel road as a kid to pick wild blueberries. n
TAKE YOUR PICK Tash Donohoe has been foraging for years with her favourite tools — a good foraging basket and a good book on local plants, like Collin Varner’s Plants of the Whistler Region.
PHOTO BY TASH DONOHOE
PA RK SP OR TS CE NT
Boy & Bear brings authentic Australian flair to Whistler Aug. 30
DRUMMER TIM HART BELIEVES THAT ANY SUCCESSFUL BAND IS ‘ALL ABOUT RESPECT’
BY DAVID SONG
THE MEN OF BOY & BEAR —lead singer and guitarist David Hosking, drummer Tim Hart, guitar player Killian Gavin, bassist David Symes and Swiss-army knife Jonathan Hart (keyboard, banjo, mandolin and vocals)— have been together for 14 years. All but Symes were original members of the band since its conception in 2009.
It’s easy for people to get on each others’ nerves after that long, but these five Aussies still genuinely like one another’s company, and their careers thrive as a result.
“It’s like this weird, messed-up marriage,” quips Tim. “I think the first thing you learn to do in a band is listen to each other and respect everyone’s opinions, and if you can do that, you’ve got a reasonable chance of making it through. You’ve obviously got to write good music, I suppose…but we learned really, really fast that everyone’s opinion has value and should be listened to.
“You’d be infuriated to be in the writing room with us because things that could take 10
seconds often take 10 minutes or an hour. It’s all about compromise, it’s all about respect.”
Frequently described as an indie rock or indie folk outfit, Boy & Bear tends to bring grand vocal harmonies to the stage. That pattern reflects the listening backgrounds of the band’s members: Simon and Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles and so on.
‘LIKE THE KID WHO PULLS APART THE VACUUM CLEANER’
Tim and his mates are nothing if not inquisitive.
“We’re just really curious, like the kid who pulls apart the vacuum cleaner because he wants to know how it works and then can’t quite figure out how to put it back together. That’s us with music,” he explains. “It might be some sort of synthesizer or drum machine, or an instrument that we found in the attic of our parents’ house, and we’re like: ‘I wonder if we could make this fit in a song’. Sometimes it works and often it doesn’t, but [experimenting] has characterized the evolution of our band.”
The group’s last two records, Suck on Light and Boy & Bear, have introduced more electronic elements while pairing them almost seamlessly with catchy guitar riffs and sweet melodies. Tim likens the creative process to “blending the Old World and the New World”, and it keeps things interesting.
“It’s music that you wouldn’t immediately
turn off if you heard it—I hope,” remarks the experienced percussionist.
Sea to Sky readers might wonder if the band’s name has any special significance, given its apparent connection to nature. Unfortunately, that’s not true: instead the moniker came from an online name generator that Hosking found in 2009 as he and his pals were struggling to label themselves.
Given a choice between ‘Boy & Bear’ and an illicit drug reference, the musicians wisely decided on the former.
‘THE IMPACT THAT OUR MUSIC HAS’
Boy & Bear have played on the West Coast several times before the COVID-19 pandemic, but never in Whistler. The opportunity to visit new locations can be rare for an established band with established regional fanbases, which is why Tim and company look forward to checking out the Sea to Sky.
They hope Whistler can provide a similar sense of familiarity as Vancouver—one of their favourite destinations.
“When you’re an Australian band doing a tour in America, it can feel very, very foreign, but when you get to Canada it does feel quite like home,” says Tim. “I guess people have seen a similar sense of humour to us in Canada, the food is incredible, there’s good
bars…it’s a beautiful place. I should work for Tourism Canada, I suppose.”
Travel is undoubtedly one of the perks of Tim’s job, as is recognition, but if you ask him why he really cherishes playing music, the answer is awfully down-to-earth.
“It’s the ability to stay friends with four other individuals and work at something that I genuinely love,” the Brisbane resident reveals. “Awards are funny things. This may be a naive sentiment, but I think for the most part, they are political. For me, being able to hear the stories of the impact that our music has on genuine human beings that go through something, listen to our music, and it helps them in a positive way…that for me, is what I’m the most proud of.”
He adds: “Now I’ve got two kids, and I get to see the way my kids react to our music. I believe that music is universal—it’s like this language that’s able to bypass the mind and go straight to the heart. To see that happen with my own kids is super special. I want to stress that [Boy & Bear] is a really small part of that, and I say it with as much humility as I can muster.”
The final Whistler Summer Concert of 2024 opens at 6:30 p.m. with DJ LDA. Then, Boy & Bear will rock up at 7:30 p.m. for a lively gig in Olympic Plaza. More details are viewable at https://www.whistler.com/ events/concerts/. n
COMING TO WHISTLER Boy & Bear are an indie rock band from Australia.
PHOTO BY MACLAY HERIOT
Award-winning sculptor David Robinson speaks Sept. 1 in Whistler
THE WHISTLER CONTEMPORARY GALLERY WILL HOST A MEET-ANDGREET AT THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL
SEPTEMBER at the Whistler Contemporary Gallery (WCG) kicks off with a presentation by acclaimed sculptor David Robinson.
Not to be confused with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer of the same name, Robinson was born in Toronto. He graduated with honours from the Ontario College of Art (now known as OCAD University) and now lives in Vancouver. His exhibitions have made the rounds from Houston, Texas to Palm Desert, California.
Robinson incorporates a variety of materials into his repertoire, from steel to paper. He employs a 3D pen for preparatory studies and maquettes, as well as other plastic-adjacent substances like thermal resin or wax. Larger projects are built from waterbased and oil-based clays.
“The key for me, whatever the medium, is in its relative impertinence toward one’s bestlaid plans,” explains Robinson in an interview with WCG. “There is a wisdom inherent to the material—whether it be paper, bronze, steel, silver or glass—that will guide and refine the work so long as the artist can be persuaded to get out of the way.
‘Within that variety of media, I try to optimize in favour of this prized and core credo: namely that the work has better ideas than I do.”
‘Something greater than my own genius’
During his youth, Robinson grew up in a faith-based home where ideas of calling, transcendence and a meaningful universe that he labels “archaic” were often entertained. Such worldviews inevitably guided him onto the path of an artist, which he generates epiphanies on a regular basis in his life.
However, painting and drawing were never enough for the Torontonian. He felt limited by the nature of the two-dimensional plane, which seemed to him like the backdrop for a mapmaker’s schematic labours. Instead, Robinson fell in love with sculpting and the fact that formless clay yields unlimited potential when molded by creative hands.
A myriad of factors influence Robinson’s work. Even seemingly innocuous things like seasonal temperatures and relative humidity can affect his materials, which in turn impacts his process.
“Contrary to current fashion, I am keen to advance the idea that the artist is better conceived as a servant of the work than as its master,” Robinson says. “If I am so simple as to admit that there is something about the clay on a given day…then I am attuning to something greater than my own ‘genius’ in the finished work.”
‘BEAUTY NEEDS DEFENDING’
For a deep-thinking and philosophicallyminded artist like Robinson, few places are more worthwhile than the Sea to Sky corridor.
“Whistler is perched at the edge of a landscape that just resists by sheer enormity the categorical impositions of humankind,” he expresses. “Here we glimpse an awe-
ATTENTION TO DETAIL David Robinson pays meticulous attention to each of his projects.
PHOTO BY SAGE MACGILLIVRAY
inspiring terrain whose beauty [is powerful], yet reminds us that beauty needs defending. An ancient mountain range whose staggering endurance amid eons yet inclines us to consider our footing in the moment.”
While he didn’t give away too much about his upcoming talk, Robinson promised to discuss pieces currently on display at the WCG: such as Mainstay, Faultline and more locally-inspired works like Apex and Foothold.
Robinson’s sculptures frequently embody an interaction between related yet opposing themes. It’s a dynamic that he’s always found delightful.
“There are paired opposites throughout the human condition, each acting as the matrix to the other: necessity and will, constraint and freedom, relinquishment and defiance,” expresses Robinson. “The sculptor’s palette is not that of hue and shade; rather it consists of figure and ground, tension and compression, mass and poise.
“Absent the sheen of the merely sleek, the pleasantly polished and other enticements to the acquisitive gaze, my spare compositions are instead a stoic idiom of figures afoot and striving for dignity and poise amid a grappling ontology.”
Fans of Robinson can look ahead to later this year, when a bronze and stainless steel monument of his design will be installed in Jerusalem. Another major commission titled Depth of Field is slated to grace Burnaby in 2025 as well.
Before then, swing by the local Four Seasons Hotel on Sept. 1 to catch Robinson’s meet-and-greet. A cocktail reception will open the night at 4 p.m. before the sculptor discusses his work and fields audience queries at 5 p.m. View more details about the event at https://whistlerart.com/show/ whistler-contemporary-gallery-davidrobinson-in-whistler. n
WILLS & ESTATES BUSINESS LAW
REAL ESTATE LAW
Meet with me via video conference, telephone, and in person
Come on down to Creekside this long weekend to avoid the village crowds!
Roland’s Pub is serving brunch on Saturday & Sunday from 11am - 2pm, children welcome!
Come and chill on our patio with some frosty beverages and tasty pub food. Beer & Wine Store is open every day from 11am-11pm
BETTY TALBOT
1931 -2024
It is with greatsadness that we announce the passing of Betty Talbot on August 19thatthe LynnValleyCareCentreatthe ageof93.
Lifestarted forBetty in thesmall community of WebstersCorners in theFraserValleyofB.C
Shehad four brothers Weldon,Ken,Bruce andRon Ruddick
Although thefamilyendured hard timesthere was alwayslotsofloveinthe family whichkeptthemall together
She married LorryTalbotinWebstersCorners andasshe used to say, “Lifewas an Adventurefromthenon”.
They movednumeroustimes throughout Southern andCentral B.C. insearchofjobsinthe LoggingIndustry.
Betty andLorry have twosonsEldon andWeldonwho traveled and experiencedlifeinthe Forest Industry with them
In 1960 they settled down permanentlyand establisheda logging business in thePemberton Valley
Betty always hada strong belief in God.
Thirty– Five yearsago shefound afaith that shebelievedinand it hasbeen hercomfort throughout herlife.
Acelebration of life forBetty will be held on September6th at 11:00 AM atThe Squamish FuneralChapel.
Thecelebration will also be coveredonlineonZOOM.The link to ZOOM will be posted on theSquamishFuneral Chapel’s website.
Inleu of flowers, Betty askedthata donation be giventothe “Pemberton Health Centre”for equipmentneeded
To writea condolence to thefamily, please visit www.squamishfuneralchapel.com
SHOLTO SHAW
WHISTLER Search & Rescue Society
WSAR is pleased to announce that our 24th Annual Dinner and Auction, "Wine'd Up 2024 Fundraiser" is back this year at Dusty's Bar & BBQ in Whistler, Creekside!
Date: Saturday, October 26, 2024
TICKETS GO ON SALE SEPTEMBER 3, 2024 and can be purchased on our website: www.whistlersar.com
A limited number of tickets will offer a gourmet dinner and wine prepared by chefs from Whistler Blackcomb Vail Resorts, Araxi, Il Caminetto and Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Please join us to celebrate our 50+ years of service to the community and support our volunteers!
ARTS SCENE
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
BOY & BEAR
Boy & Bear has attained a level of staying power that most artists could only dream of while maintaining their authentic vision and driving love for their craft. In addition to their five consecutive top 10 albums and over 250 million streams, Boy & Bear’s live show is a uniquely compelling experience that has earned the band a glowing reputation as one of Australia’s most outstanding live acts. Australian electro-pop star Boo Seeka is opening for Boy & Bear on their North American tour and will join the show at the Plaza. Their smooth synths and uplifting beats will get everyone grooving and feeling good. With fellow Australian opening DJ LDA getting the crowd warmed up, this lineup from Down Under is sure to hit the right note in Whistralia!
> August 30, 7:30 p.m.
> Whistler Olympic Plaza
> Free
FAIRMONT FRIDAYS
Kick off your weekend right by celebrating slopeside at the Mallard Lounge’s famous Fairmont Fridays. Featuring boot-stomping live music, refreshing cocktails and delectable bites. Hop on the Fairmont guest shuttle from the Village for a complimentary lift to the Upper Village, or enjoy a leisurely stroll there.
> August 30, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
> Mallard Lounge
> $6 Beer, $7 Wine, $9 Featured Cocktail and $10 Appetizers
MOUNTAIN TOP FEAST
Head up to the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain for an incredible, mountain top dining experience with live music. Enjoy mouthwatering mains, fresh salads and delicious desserts at 1,800 metres (6,000 ft) high in the mountaintops with the whole family.
> August 30 to September 1, 5:30 p.m.
> Roundhouse Lodge, Whistler Mountain
> $150 for sightseeing and feast, $70 for feast only
WHISTLER FARMERS MARKET
A feast for your senses, the Whistler Farmers’ Market features local produce, tasty food, local artisans, live entertainment and family activities.
> August 31 to September 1, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
> Upper Village Stroll
> Free
YOGA AT THE AUDAIN
Revel in the stunning architecture of the Audain Art Museum every Saturday as you work through a calming one-hour practice with rotating instructors. Classes emphasize breathing, alignment and ease as you stretch and strengthen your body and mind. Registration includes access to the galleries on the day of from 11 AM to 6 PM. Bring your mat and enjoy some mind and body wellness!
> August 31, 10:30 a.m.
> Audain Art Museum
> $5 for museum members, $20 for nonmembers
HIKING AND YOGA RETREAT
This isn’t your average yoga retreat. Outdoor education and personal development are at the heart of Wild Yoga Collective. These trips are for the open minded, who want to connect, learn and grow. Wilderness environments and yoga are used as catalysts for self awareness, reflection and community growth. It’s a nature-immersed journey designed for those ready to spark challenging, authentic conversations and return empowered.
> August 31 to September 2
> Various trails
> $380
DAVID ROBINSON IN WHISTLER
Whistler Contemporary Gallery is thrilled to announce their hosting of world-renowned artist, David Robinson. Enjoy a cocktail reception followed by a presentation by David where he will share insight into what goes on behind the scenes before opening the floor to questions.
> September 1, 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
> Four Seasons Hotel
> Free
LULULEMON SUMMER YOGA
Lululemon Whistler will be hosting its annual Summer Yoga Series each Sunday until September 8. Registrants are asked to bring their own mats and water bottles. There will be a limited number of mats supplied for people who do not have one and will be based on first come first serve availability.
> September 1, 9 a.m.
> The Westin Resort & Spa
> Free
HOOKED ON CLICKBAIT?
From 9 to 1081 Students
BY ELLA HEALEY
THE FIRST SCHOOL in Whistler opened in 1933 with only nine students.
Prompted by Lizzie Neiland, designed by Bill Bailiff, constructed by local volunteers, and funded by the Alta Lake Community Club, the school was a labour of love by the community.
While the schoolhouse only had one room heated by a wood stove, it also included a playground for its nine students. The first teacher hired for the Alta Lake School was Margaret Partridge, but she may not have taught for very long. During its early days the school struggled to keep enough students to warrant staying open. One teacher, Mel Carrico, was hired on the condition that all four of his children attend the school!
Battling to keep enough students to stay open, the school opened and closed based on attendance until the 1970s. The struggle for
Construction of the new Myrtle Philip Community School in its current location on Lorimer Road was completed in 1992. At the time it opened, the school had sixteen teachers as well as additional support staff. It wasn’t long before history repeated itself and the school was too small to meet the needs of a growing student population. Not long after, half the school was being taught in the ten portables that were added to combat the growing student body. By 2001, the Howe Sound School Board (now School District 48: Sea to Sky) began to draw up catchment plans for a second elementary school. The second elementary school, Spring Creek Community School, opened its doors in 2004.
While elementary students in Whistler attended schools in their own community, it wasn’t until 1996 that high school students had the same opportunity. From 1969 until 1996, students were bussed to Pemberton to attend Pemberton Secondary School. Finally, in 1996, Whistler Secondary School opened
From 1969 until 1996, students were bussed to Pemberton to attend Pemberton Secondary School.
the school shifted from not enough students to far too many in 1966 when Whistler Mountain opened and the population of year-round residents started to grow rapidly. By 1970, Alta Lake’s one room schoolhouse could no longer accommodate the growing number of students and had to close its doors permanently.
By 1976, Alta Lake School was replaced with the Myrtle Philip Elementary School, located approximately where the Delta Village Suites are today. When it first opened the school welcomed 57 students. Definitely a jump from the nine students that attended Whistler’s first school! In addition to teaching the children, the community school also hosted adult education programs in the evening. They offered a variety of activities including gardening, French lessons, basketball, and karate. Despite an addition and eight portables, the school was eventually unable to meet the needs of the growing population.
but, unable to shake the pattern of being outgrown, it too soon had portables.
Today, Whistler is home to about 1081 students. Luckily for them, it is much easier to access education today than in the past. Whistler currently has three public elementary schools; Myrtle Philip Community School and Spring Creek Community School, as well as École La Passerelle, which offers education in French from kindergarten to grade 7. There is Whistler Secondary for high school and there is also the Whistler Waldorf School, a not-for-profit, independent school that offers education from kindergarten to grade 12. Despite its small size, Whistler offers a variety of programs and there are multiple institutions to choose from when it comes to getting an education in Whistler.
Ella Healey is the Summer Program Coordinator at the Whistler Museum through the Young Canada Works Program. n
SCHOOL DAYS Myrtle Philip Elementary School with the tennis courts behind.
PHILIP COLLECTION
ASTROLOGY
Free Will Astrology
WEEK OF AUGUST 30 BY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Although there are more than 7,000 varieties of apples, your grocery store probably offers no more than 15. But you shouldn’t feel deprived. Having 15 alternatives is magnificent. In fact, most of us do better in dealing with a modicum of choices rather than an extravagant abundance. This is true not just about apples but also about most things. I mention this, Aries, because now is an excellent time to pare down your options in regard to all your resources and influences. You will function best if you’re not overwhelmed with possibilities. You will thrive as you experiment with the principle that less is more.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus comedian Jerry Seinfeld, now 70 years old, has testified, “As a child, the only clear thought I had was ‘get candy.’” I encourage you to be equally single-minded in the near future, Taurus. Not necessarily about candy—but about goodies that appeal to your inner child as well as your inner teenager and inner adult. You are authorized by cosmic forces to go in quest of experiences that tickle your bliss.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I’m not saying I would refuse to hire a Gemini person to housesit while I’m on vacation. You folks probably wouldn’t let my houseplants die, allow raccoons to sneak in and steal food, or leave piles of unwashed dishes in the sink. On the other hand, I’m not entirely confident you would take impeccable care of my home in every little way. But wait! Everything I just said does not apply to you now. My analysis of the omens suggests you will have a high aptitude for the domestic arts in the coming weeks. You will be more likely than usual to take good care of my home—and your own home, too. It’s a good time to redecorate and freshen up the vibe.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): These days, you are even smarter and more perceptive than usual. The deep intelligence of your higher self is pouring into your conscious awareness with extra intensity. That’s a good thing, right? Yes, mostly. But there may be a downside: You could be hyper-aware of people whose thinking is mediocre and whose discernment is substandard. That could be frustrating, though it also puts you in a good position to correct mistakes those people make. As you wield the healing power of your wisdom, heed these words from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Misunderstandings and lethargy produce more wrong in the world than deceit and malice do.”
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had an older sister, born under the sign of Leo. Her nickname was Nannerl. During their childhoods, she was as much a musical prodigy as he. Supervised by their father, they toured Europe performing together, playing harpsichord and piano. Nannerl periodically got top billing, and some critics regarded her as the superior talent. But misfortune struck when her parents decided it was unseemly for her, as a female, to continue her development as a genius. She was forcibly retired so she could learn the arts of housekeeping and prepare for marriage and children. Your assignment in the coming months, Leo, is to rebel against any influence that tempts you to tamp down your gifts and specialties. Assert your sovereignty. Identify what you do best, and do it more and better than you ever have before.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): When an infant giraffe leaves its mother’s womb, it falls six feet to the ground. I suspect that when you are reborn sometime soon, Virgo, a milder and more genial jolt will occur. It may even be quite rousing and inspirational—not rudely bumpy at all. By the way, the plunge of the baby giraffe snaps its umbilical cord and stimulates the creature to take its initial breaths— getting it ready to begin its life journey. I suspect your genial jolt will bring comparable benefits.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Many people living in the Napo province of Ecuador enjoy eating a dish called ukuy, which is a Kichwa word for large ants. This is not an exotic meal for them. They may cook the ukuy or simply
ROB BREZSNY
eat the creatures alive. If you travel to Napo anytime soon, Libra, I urge you to sample the ukuy. According to my reading of the astrological omens, such an experiment is in alignment with the kinds of experiences you Libras should be seeking: outside your usual habits, beyond your typical expectations, and in amused rebellion against your customary way of doing things.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The theory of karma suggests that all our actions, good and bad and in-between, send ripples out into the world. These ripples eventually circle back to us, ensuring we experience events that mirror our original actions. If we lie and cheat, we will be lied to and cheated on. If we give generously and speak kindly about other people, we will be the recipient of generosity and kind words. I bring this up, Scorpio, because I believe you will soon harvest a slew of good karma that you have set in motion through your generosity and kindness. It may sometimes seem as if you’re getting more benevolence than you deserve, but in my estimation, it’s all well-earned.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I encourage you to buy yourself fun presents that give you a feisty boost. Why? Because I want you to bring an innovative, starting-fresh spirit into the ripening projects you are working on. Your attitude and approach could become too serious unless you infuse them with the spunky energy of an excitable kid. Gift suggestions: new music that makes you feel wild; new jewelry or clothes that make you feel daring; new tools that raise your confidence; and new information that stirs your creativity.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): On a Tuesday in August in 2012—one full Jupiter cycle ago—a Capricorn friend of mine called in sick to his job as a marketing specialist. He never returned. Instead, after enjoying a week off to relax, he began working to become a dance instructor. After six months, he was teaching novice students. Three years later, he was proficient enough to teach advanced students, and five years later, he was an expert. I am not advising you, Capricorn, to quit your job and launch your own quixotic quest for supremely gratifying work. But if you were ever going to start taking small steps towards that goal, now would be a good time. It’s also a favourable phase to improve the way your current job works for you.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Three years ago, an Indonesian man celebrated his marriage to a rice cooker, which is a kitchen accessory. Khoirul Anam wore his finest clothes while his new spouse donned a white veil. In photos posted on social media, the happy couple are shown hugging and kissing. Now might also be a favourable time for you to wed your fortunes more closely with a valuable resource—though there’s no need to perform literal nuptials. What material thing helps bring out the best in you? If there is no such thing, now would be a good time to get it.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): For many years, I didn’t earn enough money to pay taxes. I was indigent. Fortunately, social programs provided me with food and some medical care. In recent years, though, I have had a better cash flow. I regularly send the U.S. government a share of my income. I wish they would spend all my tax contributions to help people in need. Alas, just 42 per cent of my taxes pay for acts of kindness to my fellow humans, while 24 per cent goes to funding the biggest military machine on Earth. Maybe someday, there will be an option to allocate my tax donations exactly as I want. In this spirit, Pisces, I invite you to take inventory of the gifts and blessings you dole out. Now is a good time to correct any dubious priorities. Take steps to ensure that your generosity is going where it’s most needed and appreciated. What kind of giving makes you feel best?
Homework: What supposedly forbidden thing do you want that maybe isn’t so forbidden? 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
September 8th-14th2024
PiqueNewsmagazineisputting together aspecial sectiontopay homage to thehardest working people in ourcorridor -Our Valued Housekeepers! Deadlines AD SPACEBOOKINGS Tuesday, September 10th, 2024
AD ARTWORKSUBMISSION Tuesday, September 10th,2024
Allads includecolour! IN STANDS Friday,September 13th, 2024
Planning your perfect Whistler wedding? PICK UP YOUR COPY TODAY!
Fairmont Chateau
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Whistler Resort is growing its Housing portfolio and sourcing additional Chalet and Condo Rental contracts for our Hotel Team Members. Our leaders are mature, career driven drivers that know the word respect. Contract terms for property Owners are stress free with no commissions and includes representation from our 4 person fulltime Housing Department working with you 24/7; maintaining all aspects of the tenancy including quarterly inspections. A great next move for Whistler property Owners that have tired with the Airbnb game or Property Fees. Let’s see if we can make a match and develop a long-term relationship here. General inquiries please email mark.munn@fairmont.com
Our team of people is what sets us apart from other builders. As we continue to grow as the leader in luxury projects in Whistler, our team needs to expand with us.
We are currently hiring:
Labourers ($20 - $30 hourly)
Carpenters Helpers /Apprentices 1st to 4th year ($25 - $35 hourly)
Experienced Carpenters ($30 - $45 hourly)
Carpenter Foremen ($40 - $50 hourly)
Rates vary based on experience and qualifications. Red seal a bonus but not mandatory.
EVR is committed to the long-term retention and skills development of our team. We are passionate about investing in our team’s future.
We offer:
• Top Wages
• Training & Tuition Reimbursement (Need help getting your Red Seal?)
• $500 Annual Tool Allowance
• Extended Health and Dental Benefits for you and your family
• Flexible Schedule - Work Life Balance. (We get it. We love to ski and bike too.)
• Assistance with Work Visa and Permanent Residency (We can help!)
• Positive Work Environment
We promote from within and are looking to strengthen our amazing team. Opportunities for advancement into management positions always exist for the right candidates. Don’t miss out on being able to build with the team that builds the most significant projects in Whistler.
Send your resume to info@evrfinehomes.com We look forward to hearing from you!
Group Fitness Classes
Fridays – Closed Saturday – Closed
Mondays – Closed Tuesdays – Step 9:00-10:00 am w Liz
Wednesdays – Burn & Breathe 7:30-8:30 am w Jess
Thursdays – Prenatal Fitness 5:30-6:30 pm w Sara
Community NOTICES
LEGAL/PUBLIC NOTICES
Warehouse Lien Act
Whereas the following registered owners are indebted to Cooper’s Towing Ltd. for unpaid towing and storage fees plus any related charges that may accrue.
Notice is hereby given that on September 7, 2024, at noon or thereafter the goods will be seized and sold.
1. Rafael De Santis 1999 Mercury Sable VIN: 1MEFM53S4XG610993 $2520.00
5. Chantal Bourgeault, Ryan Gordon Strachan, Director of Maintenance Enforcement, British Columbia Family Maintenance Agency Lower Mainland Client Office 2007 Honda CR-V VIN: 5J6RE48777L813212 $2207.49
The vehicles are currently being stored at Cooper’s Towing Ltd 8065 Nesters Road Whistler, BC, V8E 0G4 For more information, please call Cooper’s Towing Ltd. @ 604-902-1930
Lil’wat
Nation Employment Opportunities
ÚlÍus Community Centre
•Capital Projects Manager ($59,878 - $73,564 per year)
•Financial Reporting Manager ($59,878 - $74,564 per year)
•Transition House Support Worker ($20.90 - $29.45 per hour)
•Family Mentor ($38,038 - $53,599 per year)
•Social Worker ($80,371 - $91,673 per year)
• Administrative Assistant, Community Development ($38,038 - $53,599 per year)
•Health & Healing Administrator ($93,475 - $101,556 per year)
•Assisted Living Supervisor ($25.65 - $35.15 per hour)
•Family Enhancement Worker ($38,038- $53,599 per year)
Xet’òlacw Community School
• Social Worker/ Counsellor ($80,371 - $91,673 per year)
• High School English and Humanities Teacher ($60,015 - $109,520 per year)
• Elementary School Teacher - Grade 3 ($60,015 - $109,520 per year)
• Education Assistant ($38,038 - $53,599 per year)
• Junior Heavy Equipment Operator ($28.00 - $35.00 per hour)
• Senior Heavy Equipment Operator ($35.00 - $45.00 per hour)
• Junior Labourer ($20.00 - $25.00 per hour)
• Senior Labourer ($25.00 - $32.00 per hour)
Join us for a day of networking, job opportunities, and career growth as we connect jobseekers with top employers in the area.
September 21, 2024
AM-3
Pemberton Community Centre7390 Cottonwood St
Cardinal Concrete, A Division of Lafarge Canada Inc is the leading supplier of ready-mix concrete in the Sea to Sky Corridor. We are currently seeking a career oriented individual to fill the role of Commercial Transport/Heavy Duty Mechanic at our Head Office Location in Squamish, BC. This is a skilled position which primarily involves preventative maintenance and repair of a large fleet of commercial transport vehicles including concrete mixer trucks, dump trucks, trailers, forklifts and light-duty trucks.
Minimum Qualifications:
• B.C. Certificate of Qualification, and/or Interprovincial Ticket as a Commercial Transport Mechanic, and/or Heavy Duty Mechanic Ticket
• 3-5 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience
Compensation $45.57 to $49.07
To view a full copy of this Job Description visit: www.cardinalconcrete.ca/about/careers Apply to: info@cardinalconcrete.ca
NOW HIRING!
Full Time Meat Cutter
($21.50/hr - $33.50/hr (+ 20% discount card& benefits) for full time staff)
Our Team enjoys:
ü Flexible schedules ü Training and experience
ü Full Benefits & Employee Discount Card
ü Prime location in Pemberton
ü Short commute = less time, more $$$
Download or fill out our online application at https://www.pembertonsupermarket.com/ about/employment/ or stop by the store and we will give you an application to fill out.
You can also email us at jobs@pembertonsupermarket.com or call us at 604-894-3663.
Payroll Accountant & Benefits Coordinator
Lil’wat Business Group
Full-time, Permanent • $50,000 to $70,000 35 hours per week, Hybrid
Summary of Duties:
The Payroll Accountant & Benefits Coordinator will ensure that the payroll for all employees is accurately prepared and on time for the Lil'wat Business Group. They will administer all benefit programs, and maintain the employee personnel files. The Payroll Accountant & Benefits Coordinator will ensure that the payroll expenditures are recorded correctly and will assist the program general manager with payroll projections when needed.
Experience and Attributes:
• Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) designation an asset
• Minimum 2 years of experience processing payroll in a large organization (100 employees or more) and managing an employee group benefit program
• 3-5 years experience working in an economic development or corporate environment an asset
• Completion of Post Secondary Schooling as a CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) or CGA (Chartered General Accountant) or CMA (Chartered Management Accountant) an asset
• Courses in finance or bookkeeping certification are an asset.
• Knowledge of Payworks, SAGE, or similar accounting software an asset.
• A solid understanding of financial and budgetary principles.
• Strong organizational skills, meticulous attention to detail and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently and as an integral member of various teams.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills in the English language.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to meet deadlines, prioritize assignments, manage multiple tasks simultaneously and maintain confidentiality.
• Motivated self-starter and with strong interpersonal skills.
• Previous experience with First Nations preferred
• Highly professional in all aspects of business, presentation and interaction with all stakeholders, clients, and Members.
Come and join our team and see why we are consistently voted Whistler’s # 1 Construction Company.
$30-$50 an hour, Wage based on Experience
TM Builders is a leader in the Sea to Sky construction industry. We specialize in high-end architecturally designed homes and commercial construction projects. Our wide variety of work offers opportunities to advance your career and grow your knowledge. Experience a culture of transparency, high-quality craftsmanship, and solution-oriented attitudes.
Extended Health and Dental Benefits for Employees and their Families
Continued Education and Professional Development Opportunities
We promote from within and are committed to the long-term development of your career
We support apprenticeships and will help you get your Red Seal
• Great Team Culture
Positive Work Environment
Apply to connect@tmbuilders.ca
Manager, Safety and Compliance
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• Accounts Receivable invoicing and collections
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• Financial analysis and POS system reporting
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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
HYDROVAC OPERATOR – Valid Class 1 or Class 3 with air brakes required. Manual transmission. Ground Disturbance II. 2 years operating hydro excavation equipment preferred. $35-$40.45 per hour.
HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, Squamish - Minimum 5 years or 5,000 hours operating experience on excavator. Full-time, Monday – Friday. $33-$42 per hour.
HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC, Whistler – Red Seal Certified preferred, Commercial Truck & Transport and Transport Trailer preferred. Class 1 or 3 with air brakes preferred. Tools available for rent.
$39.70 - $47.90 per hour.
CONSTRUCTION LABOURER – Great opportunity to learn on-the-job. Stamina for physically demanding work and perseverance to brave inclement weather required. Previous experience preferred but not required. Training provided. $25-$32 per hour.
coastalmountain.ca/careers instagram.com/coastalmountainexcavations BUILDING AN EXCELLENT COMPANY, PEOPLE, RELATIONSHIPS, AND RESULTS
Keep an eye on the neighbours
SUMMER — astronomical summer — still has three weeks to go. Summer, the time-of-yourlife summer, is all but over. If you have a kid, if you ever were a kid, you/we all dance to the tune of back to school time as end of summer. We squirm into stiff new clothes, mentally if not physically, and try to remember how to be
BY G.D. MAXWELL
serious after spending weeks doing everything we can to avoid seriousness.
A final fling for Labour Day, which in case you hadn’t been paying attention is this weekend, 2024 being one of those cruel years where the holiday rolls around before we have a chance to get used to saying September, and bingo, the hottest summer on record is done. Finished. Kaput.
So it’s time for me to put away the piffle, the cute dog and cat stories and begin to think serious thoughts. Political thoughts. Uncomfortable thoughts. My kind of thoughts.
Left Coasters, British Columbians, will head to the polls on October 19 to elect the province’s government. Based on conversations with a number of people and by a number of people, the provincial election is both unexpected and, in a summer-mind kind of way, unwelcome.
Too bad. Begin to get your head around it. Even more so than municipal elections, this is the act of democracy that most directly impacts your lives. You’ve got 51 days to get from “what election?” to decision.
But that’s a subject for a later column. Relieved, aren’t you?
Don’t be. Notwithstanding very few of us have a direct say in the matter, the fascinating politics is spooling out south of the border. Why care? As Pierre Trudeau once reminded Canadians, the Canada-US relationship is like a mouse sleeping with an elephant. “No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”
And boy-oh-boy is the beast ever twitching and grunting.
About the time anyone who was paying attention had gobbled a handful of Zoloft and begun to try and make peace with the idea the Orange Monster was going to cakewalk back into the White House for another four years of chaos and assaults against democracy and the US Constitution, something quite unexpected happened. High profile Democrats and high roller contributors to the party cut off their support and money to Joe Biden’s run to enrich Vegas odds makers on whether or not he’d win re-election and if he did, survive a second fouryear term.
The smart money was betting a curtain call by Biden would throw the Dems into a chaotic, self-destructive catfight between the big tent wing of the party and the takeno-prisoners ‘progressive’ wing. But it didn’t happen. Biden’s last gift to the party was to make it impossible for anyone but Kamala Harris to be the candidate. Once he threw his
support behind her it was game over. No one in the party who didn’t have a death wish was going to oppose the presumptive heir who was both a woman and a biracial woman. To do so would have been suicide.
Magically, it worked. It was like the paramedics hit the party, it’s supporters, independents, never-Trumpers and the handful of remaining ‘moderate’ Republicans with a defib machine set on 11. Repeatedly.
Money flowed in like defence spending in a wartime economy. Excitement caught fire. Suddenly the Republican candidate was the doddering old man with a redneck running mate. It was now a race between the scary, old boogie man peddling doom and gloom and the
a reasonable man... for about five minutes. Then he devolved into the self-centered, opportunistic, dictator-in-waiting he really is.
Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican congressman from Illinois who served 12 years before folding his tent and stepping away, spoke at the Democratic National Convention last week and summed up the candidate in a few words when he said, “Donald Trump is a weak man pretending to be strong. He is a small man pretending to be big. He’s a faithless man pretending to be righteous. He’s a perpetrator who can’t stop playing the victim.”
And those are his good points.
So now it’s a dogfight. Now there is some
In many ways, the US election in November is likely to have a far larger impact on Canadians than the BC election a few weeks earlier.
Good Witch of the South talking about a new day dawning.
For four days in the middle of July, the Republicans smugly did their best to scare the faithful and anyone else with a high enough coefficient of tolerance to watch them. Fresh off his brush with death and certain he’d be facing a doddering old opponent with cognitive deficits, their candidate nearly sounded like
hope the Monster will be banished, leaving a trail of wailings about a rigged election, a stolen election and another possible insurrection in his wake. The polls have not only closed the gap that widened when it was a Trump-Biden race, they’ve tilted in several important states in favour of the Dems and their more upbeat, youthful messaging.
As expected, the right wing pundits are on
the attack, claiming the Democratic contender is a, gasp, Communist. Why? She spoke out, shortly after becoming the presumptive candidate, about floating a federal ban on ‘price gouging’ by grocery stores. No details; more bully pulpit. It was and is a popular cry around the world against the inflationary cost of food, e.g., Canada’s gentle arm twisting of it’s grocery oligopoly. But it brought an immediate reaction as “Soviet style price controls” by Trump and others who believe Fox News reports, well, news as opposed to propaganda.
Ironically, there is only one other example of US price controls outside war time. During the sultry summer of 1971, that most un-communistic of presidents, Richard (I’m not a criminal) Nixon, introduced wage and price controls, imposing a 90-day freeze on wages and prices and import surcharge of 10 per cent. Inflation was running at 5.8% while unemployment was just over 6%, numbers the country has experienced recently.
While the move had little effect on the price of groceries, it was considered a success. People believed big government was rescuing them from price gougers. Stock markets shot up, everyone applauded, no one dared call Nixon a communist.
History is hard to remember and easy to forget when it’s convenient to do so.
In many ways, the US election in November is likely to have a far larger impact on Canadians than the BC election a few weeks earlier. So is it important? Yeah. Worth spending a thousand words on? Just did. We may not be mousey, but we still live next door to and sleep with an elephant. n
