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Clash between wildlife, people could lead to death, lawsuits Westerly News EDITPOR’S NOTE: This article is part of the Westerly News HUMAN/NATURE series, about what happens when the needs of people and the needs of nature come in conflict with each other.

How serious is the clash between humans and animals on the West Coast? Lawsuit serious. Staff at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve have been warned lawsuits might start rolling in from activists weary of reports of animals becoming habituated and then being shot. “People don’t want to hear that a National Park or a town is creating problem animals and then just killing them,” said park staffer Arlene Armstrong, speaking at a recent science symposium hosted by the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust. “We’re looking at international, well-funded animal rights groups,” she said. “If towns are not doing their

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Inside: Carver Godfrey Stephens’ story, page 20

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Should Canada’s tallest anti-logging activist return to Toﬁno for her 30th birthday? Council balks at picking up

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“If you’re creating “If you’re creproblem animals ating problem and then your animalsisand then solution to get your solution is out a shotgun, to get out a shotgun, you’re going you’re going to to soon be seeing soon be seeing somesignifi significant some litigation.”cant litigation.” - Arlene

Armstrong, - Arlen Armstrong, PRNPR PRNPR

jobs managing wildlife attractants, if you’re creating problem animals and then your solution is to get out a shotgun, you’re going to soon be seeing some significant litigation.” While a successful program has reduced bear/ human interaction at popular Green Point Campground in PRNPR, reports that a pack of wolves in the park are getting a bit too comfortable in close proximity to humans could be cause for concern. Staff photos of wolves – including what appears to See CLASH page 17

Related stories: New park wolf pack shows signs of habituation, Page 15. Is hibernation a myth for our bears? See story, Page 10.

A new park photo shows members of a wolf pack - including Ukee’s visiting dark wolf. See story, Page 15.

INSIDE THIS WEEK: INSIDETHIS WEEK

TRAIL OF KIDS New children’s feature opens on Wild Pacific Trail PAGE 9

AT THE IMPROV A new theatrical spark at Clayoquot Community Theatre PAGE 11

In this file photo, Godfrey Stephens’ 6.4-metre carving rested at the Whale Centre in Tofino. ANDREW BAILEY

Westerly News

A group of Tofino organizations are lobbying hard for the district to secure the Weeping Cedar Woman’s presence at the 30th anniversary of the 1984 Meares Island anti-logging protest on April 20. Tofino’s municipal council is open to the idea of the statue returning but is hesitant to go all-in on carver Godfrey Stephens’s asking price of $30,000. She stood 6.4 metres high with her right hand held out to say “stop” to the loggers while her left hand pointed to the earth. Long wooden tears pour from her eyes. The 1984 protest resulted in the Nuu Chah Nulth First Nations declaring Meares Island a Tribal Park and the BC Supreme Court ordering that the island not be logged. The Weeping Cedar Woman no longerlives on the West Coast and during Tues-

Council supported the idea Council supported of statue returning thethe idea of the statueto Tofi no but the price tag returning to Tofino but the price tag presented presented a speed bump, as a speed bump, as SteStephens not prepared phens is is not prepared to donate the the piece. to donate piece. day’s regular council meeting in Tofino, locals Eileen Floody and Michael Mullin presented as a delegation on behalf of a coalition of local organizations that want to see her return. “She’s a statue that represents an important time in the history of Clayoquot Sound,” Floody said. “There’s huge benefits to this project we think: bringing our communities together, celebrating a piece of our history, bringing a piece of public art that’s of great significance to the town and has that kind of tourism appeal,” she said. See STATUE page 16

SUSTAINABLE LEISURE VIU masters’ cadre visits West Coast PAGE 7

SITTIN’ ON THE DOCK Tofino council ponders harbour issues PAGE 3

Page 2 | The Westerly News

The Westerly News (1987) Ltd. is a division of VI Newspaper Group Limited Partnership The Westerly News publishes weekly on Wednesday and regularly posts online at www.westerlynews.ca. WHO WE ARE

Hugh Nicholson, publisher hnicholson@glaciermedia.ca Jackie Carmichael, editor editor@westerlynews.ca Andrew Bailey, reporter reporter@westerlynews.ca Paul Schroeder, advertising advertising@westerlynews.ca CONTACT US P.O. Box 317, Ucluelet B.C. V0R 3A0 [1–1920 Lyche Rd., Ucluelet] Phone: 250-726-7029 Fax: 250-726-4282 E-mail: office@westerlynews.ca DEADLINES Display ads Monday at noon Call 250-266-0557 office@westerlynews.ca Classified ads Tuesday at 10 a.m. Call 1-866-415-9169 classifieds@westerlynews.ca Online ads Start anytime Call 250-266-0557 office@westerlynews.ca Letters to the editor Monday at noon office@westerlynews.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS Local area: $75.18 Seniors (local): $63.91 Canada: $84.56 U.S.: $155.18 To subscribe call: 1-888-311-7713 or 250-729-4266

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Community Events 29 WEDNESDAY Recycling Day in Ucuelet. Wednesday 11:15 a.m-11:45 a.m. Story time for preschool children ages 3-5 . Ucluelet library at the Ucluelet Community Centre Strong Start, Ucluelet Elementary School, 8:35-11:35 a.m. Holy Family Church, 9:30am, 1664 Peninsula Rd. Ucluelet. Adults/Seniors Chi Gong, 10:30– 11:30am, UCC fitness studio. Preschool Play Group, 10am–noon, Tofino Community Hall. Youth Health Clinic Ucluelet, 10–11:30am, youth room, Ucluelet Community Centre (library entrance). Access to the health nurse 250-720-5471. Youth Health Clinic Tofino, 1–2:30pm, Coastal Family Place, 265 First St. Access to the health nurse 250-720-5471. Ucluelet Sunshine Club, 1pm, Forest Glen. Seniors Social Afternoons, 1:30-4pm, Tofino Legion. Free admission & refreshments. Dominos, crib, board games, pool, snooker & darts. Ucluelet library, open 1–6pm.

30 THURSDAY Thursday, Jan 30 - Free Arthritis Information Session at Coastal Family Place.from 7-9. Tofino General Hospital Physiotherapist Carley Grigg will discuss common types of arthritis, various self- management strategies for pain, stiffness and fatigue & to provide resources for those living with arthritis including review of simple exercise programs. Anyone with arthritis, or their families are welcome to attend. Those in the early stages of arthritis will really benefit as intervention early on can prevent the disease from progress-

ing to more severe forms. Thursday, Jan. 30 - Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA and Official Opposition Critic of the Ministry of Environment, and tourism will speak at Tofino Chamber of Commerce Green Breakfast at 8:30 at Darwin’s Cafe. St. Columba Church Bible Study 10:30 am, Ucluelet Community Center, Healthy Babies Program/Family Ties, 10:30am. Drop-in for expectant, new parents, Coastal Family Place, Tofino. Wickaninnish Community School’s StrongStart program. Monday and Fridays 8:45-11:45 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10:30-1:30 Free community lunch, noon–2pm, Coastal Community Services Hub, Ucluelet. Info 250-726-2343. The Edge Youth Room, 3–6pm, Ucluelet Community Centre & Youth Nite at the Edge (cooking, movies, art projects & more), 6–8pm, $2. Tofino library, 331 Main St., 3–7pm. Pacific Rim Toastmasters, 7:30pm, Rm 1, UCC. Info: 250-726-2766. Drop-in Bingo, doors 7pm, early-bird 7:30–8pm, full games 8–10pm, Tofino Legion. Badminton, 8–10pm, USS gym. $2 AA meeting, 8pm, Holy Family Ch., 1663 Peninsula Rd., Ucluelet. 250-726-2712/4220.

31 FRIDAY Strong Start, Ucluelet Elementary School, 8:35-11:35 a.m. Tofino Library Storytime 11:30 a.m.12 noon. 331 Main St. Preschool children with adult welcome. The Edge Youth Room, 2–6pm, Ucluelet Community Centre & Youth Sports Day, 3–5pm. Free. Holy Family Church, 7pm, 1664 Peninsula Rd. Ucluelet.

To list your West Coast event, call 250 726-7029 or e-mail ofﬁce@westerlynews.ca

1 SATURDAY Saturday, Feb. 1 - The Ucluelet Raincoast Re-Skilling Festival: February 1st at the UCC. Ucluelet library, Ucluelet Community Centre, open 10am–2pm. Tofino library, 331 Main St., open 10am–noon & 1–5pm. St. Francis of Assisi Church, mass 5:30pm, 441 Main St. Tofino. AA meeting, 7:30pm, St. Francis Church, 441 Main, Tofino. Open. Call 250-725-3446.

2 SUNDAY Christ Community Church, 10:30am, 1419 Peninsula Rd. Ucluelet. Grace Bible Church, 10:30am, Ucluelet Community Ctr., 500 Matterson Dr. Holy Family Church, 9:30am, 1664 Peninsula Rd. Ucluelet. St. Columba Church, 10:30am, 110 Second St. Tofino. Tofino Bible Fellowship meets at the Tofino Legion Hall, 331 Main Street at 10:30

3 MONDAY Monday Night Movies, Tofino, Clayoquot Community Theatre, see What’s On column on Page 12 for details Mon. Feb. 3 - The audition for the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of Blackbeard The Pirate will be held @ 4.00pm at Wickaninnish Community School in Tofino. Roles for students Kinder- Grade 12. Approximately 50-60 local students will be cast to appear in show with MCT Tour Actor/Director. Students wishing to audition must arrive by the scheduled starting time and stay for the entire two-hour session. The first rehearsal begins approximately 15-30 minutes after the audition. Monday, Feb. 3 - Lisa Helps, Executive Director of Victoria’s Com-

munity Microlending Society to hear about how micro loans are transforming the lives of Victorians and Victoria’s local economy. 7:30 pm, Darwin’s Cafe at Tofino Botanical Gardens and Ecolodge NO CHARGE Strong Start, Ucluelet Elementary School, 8:35-11:35 a.m. Floor hockey, 7–9pm, Ucluelet Seaplane Base Rec Hall. $2 drop-in. Indoor Soccer, 8–10pm, USS gym, $2 Competitive & drop-in darts, doors 7pm, play 8pm, Tofino Legion.

4 TUESDAY Tues., Feb. 4 - Tofino Mayor’s Breakfast, 8 a.m. at Jamie’s Rainforest Inn. Strong Start, Ucluelet Elementary School, 5-8pm Healthy Babies Program/Family Ties, 10:30am. Drop-in for expectant parents & new parents, Coastal Community Services Hub, Ucluelet Community Centre. 250-726-2224. Ucluelet library, Ucluelet Community Centre, open 1–6pm. The Edge Youth Room, 3–6pm, Ucluelet Community Centre & Girl’s Roller Derby, ages 13–18, 3pm, Seaplane Base Rec Hall. Youth night, 7-9pm, Tofino Legion. Free admission, snacks & drinks. Pool, snooker, foosball, hockey table, darts & board games. Supervision provided, parents welcome. St. Francis of Assisi Church, mass 5pm, 441 Main St. Tofino. Food Bank on the Edge, pick up 1–3pm, Seaplane Base Rd. AA meeting, 7:30pm, St. Francis Church, 441 Main, Tofino. Roller Derby Practice, 7-9pm, Seaplane Base Rec Hall. Basketball, 7–10pm, USS gym. Send events listings to office@westerlynews.ca

COMMUNITY PHOTO ALBUM

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. A Jan. 8 event at Ucluelet Secondary School.

The Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News, a division of the VI Newspaper Group Limited Partnership, respects your privacy. We collect, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Statement which is available by calling 250-729-4223. The contents of this newspaper are protected by copyright and may be used only for personal, non-commercial purposes.

Send events listings to office@westerlynews.ca

The Westerly News | Page 3

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

GOVERNMENT

Toﬁno council concerned boaters avoiding local docks such an invitation has already been sent. Osborne asked Thorogood if he had asked the THA about the meeting invitation and he said he had but noted the THA has been without a chairperson since former-chair Jay Mohl left the community last year. Coun. Thicke said this meeting is important because council needs to understand its relationship with the THA and whether it has any influence on the THA’s operations. “There’s all kinds of ways that we could maybe work together to solve some of these problems but it starts with the discussion so that’s why I would encourage you to bring them here,” she told Thorogood. Osborne asked Thorogood to distribute a list of the THA’s directors to council. “Then as we encounter people in the community, maybe we can have a chat with them,” she said.

ANDREW BAILEY

Westerly News While boats sail past Tofino harbour and on to dock in Ucluelet, Tofino’s municipal council doesn’t think the community is getting the most out of its small craft harbours and is restlessly waiting for the Tofino Harbour Authority to accept an invitation to meet. During last week’s regular council meeting, Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne said council has wanted to meet with the Tofino Harbour Authority (THA) for some time. “To discuss the nature of our relationship and to build more communication so that we could understand the two entities better and see if there were ways we could work together,” she said. “Tofino council has expressed some interest in assisting them and in knowing more about how it works and what we could do for each other in terms of economic development especially.” The mayor’s remarks came after Coun. Ray Thorogood presented on a THA meeting he attended as the district’s representative on Dec. 18. He said the THA operates under the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and oversees three docks in Tofino: Wingen Lane, Armitage Point on Olsen Road, and Fourth Street. The THA’s funding comes primarily from moorage and launch fees, according to Thorogood. “Financially, the harbour authority is in great shape,” he said. Wingen Lane is the smallest dock in the collection, with just 120 running feet of dock space followed by Olsen Road’s 380 feet and Fourth Street’s 1,500 feet, according to Thorogood. He said the THA spent $25,000 in 2013 to install electricity at the Olsen Road dock. The Fourth Street Dock’s 1,500 running feet is distributed over five fingers of generally equal

Sunset view from a Tofino dock.

length, with three of these fingers reserved for commercial fishing vessels, one for charter vessels, and one for recreational and visiting boaters, according to Thorogood. He said the dock is equipped with electricity, wireless Internet, showers and a power station that was installed last year so that commercial fishers could store their coolers of bait and catch out of the way, rather than clutter the dock. A key concern at Fourth Street, according to Thorogood, is that it’s too shallow. “The harbour authority is working with the Federal Government, but it’s a long and tedious process, to deepen Fourth Street,” he said. “Last year the (THA) spent $30,000 towards this venture. They didn’t actually do any dredging or prop washing but that looks like it’s going to be the most economical way; there are other suggestions about how to make it deeper but they’re much more expensive.” Coun. Cathy Thicke suggested the lack of available room for recreational boaters in the summertime

Feb 5. Toﬁno RECYCLES

is hurting the harbours’ potential economic benefit. Tofino is in a beneficial spot since boaters traveling around Vancouver Island traditionally travel counter clockwise and there are few amenities between Port Hardy and Tofino, but vessels are passing Tofino’s docks en route to Ucluelet, according to Thicke. “The word is ‘Don’t go to Tofino, keep going to Ucluelet’ so I think we are missing out,” she said. “If you read the boating books they actually say words to this regard: ‘there’s no space, the harbour is not safe, you’re going to get stuck in the sandbar and, by the way, you’re going to be triple-tied there.’” She believes this reputation is robbing Tofino from tourism dollars that should be flowing in from the Island’s boating community. “I think that there’s a lot of room for improvement in terms of being welcoming to visiting boaters,” she said. Coun. Dorothy Baert agreed and asked Thorogood how much dock space is designated for day users

and visiting boaters and whether the THA plans to increase this space. Thorogood responded that one roughly 400-foot finger is reserved for recreational day users and no additional space is expected because of the dock’s shallow waters. Baert also asked whether septic services are available at REPAIRS • REROOFING • NEW CONSTRUCTION Tofino’s harbours • RESIDENTIAL ONLY and Thorogood • UCLUELET•TOFINO•SALMON BEACH Kris Wieteska • ASPHALT/FIBERGLASS LAM. SHINGLES suggested they 30 years experience are not. • METAL CLADDING variety of colours & shapes 250-726-5107 • CEMENT AND CLAY ROOF TILES “I don’t believe Free estimates • SKYLIGHTS & SUNTUBES Ucluelet, BC there’s a requirement at this time for them to have To advertise in this facilities for sewdirectory... age,” Thorogood said. call: 250-726-7029 or Baert suggested email: council invite the THA to a meetoffice@westerlynews.ca ing but Mayor Osborne advised

West Coast Business directory KRIS·S ROOFING

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R E M E M B E R — R e d u c e , R e u s e , R e cy c l e !

Son Bird Refuse & Recycling 250-726-4406 Chris Bird 250-726-8144

Local tides brought to you by:

TIDES Thursday 30 metres

00:08 05:45 11:47 18:32

Friday 31 feet

3.4 11.2 1.4 4.6 4 13.1 0.2 0.7

metres

00:51 06:37 12:38 19:15

Saturday 1 feet

3.6 11.8 1.2 3.9 4 13.1 0.2 0.7

metres

01:33 07:28 13:28 19:57

Sunday 2 feet

3.7 12.1 1 3.3 3.9 12.8 0.3 1.0

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02:15 08:18 14:17 20:37

Monday 3 feet

3.8 12.5 1 3.3 3.8 12.5 0.5 1.6

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02:57 09:09 15:07 21:18

Tuesday 4 feet

3.8 12.5 1 3.3 3.5 11.5 0.8 2.6

metres

03:40 10:02 15:59 22:01

Wednesday 5 feet

3.7 12.1 1 3.3 3.2 10.5 1.1 3.6

metres

04:25 10:59 16:59 22:47

feet

3.6 11.8 1.1 3.6 3 9.8 1.4 4.6

Ucluelet / Toﬁno www.coastrealty.com 250-726-7474

Page 4 | The Westerly News

COMMENT

Opinion

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Do you like your climate change sunny side up? Arthur Black Basic Black All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come. Victor Hugo

Too true – but it’s also true that the stone wall of brute ignorance that hnew ideas have to overcome can be pretty high. Take the notion of climate change. More than 95 percent of accredited scientists concur that it is, in fact, upon us. The United Nations acknowledges it. The World Bank bemoans it. The Pope does not dispute it. And then there’s Donald Trump. The bouffant buffoon from the Big Apple recently tweeted that he’d just flown in from New York and “It was freezing. This climate warming bulls—t has got to stop.” Ah, well. The Donald isn’t the only Tweedledum running around with his eyes clenched shut and his fingers jammed in his ears (hello there, Stephen Harper). Canada’s own gift to unintentional international slapstick, Conrad Black, is a pronounced skeptic, as is New Zealand High Court Judge John Priestley...sort of. The judge recently rejected the appeal of an illegal immigrant from the Pacific island nation of Kiribati. The immigrant claimed refugee status because of climate change, arguing that rising sea levels make it too dangerous to return to his island home. The judge ruled he didn’t qualify because he wasn’t being ‘directly persecuted’. The prospect of climate change invites all kinds of creative thinking. In Beijing the level of air pol-

lution has soared past anything we in North America can imagine tolerating. Flights have been grounded. Citizens have been warned not to ‘go outside’. What has the Chinese government done about it? Well, for one thing they’ve issued a list of ‘unexpected benefits’ from air pollution. UNITY. The smog has caused the people to ‘find solidarity’ in their complaints. DEMOCRACY. Air pollution affects the rich and the poor equally. EDUCATION: The Chinese populace is being enlightened as to the unseen costs of rapid growth. Not only that, but the peoples’ “knowledge of meteorology, geography, physics and chemistry have progressed.” HUMOUR. The Chinese are broadening their appreciation of wit and satire thanks to ‘smogrelated jokes’. SECURITY. The communist party official tabloid helpfully points out that “Smog may affect peoples’ health and daily lives , but on the battlefield it can serve as a defensive advantage” by messing up the guidance systems of enemy missiles. Well, yes, there’s that alright. Perhaps that’s all we really need in North America – a little Public Relations campaign to make us feel better. I can see it now – a song and dance routine featuring Stephen Harper, Conrad Black and Donald Trump wearing straw boaters, linking arms and skipping across the stage singing: Whenever I feel afraid, I hold my head erect And whistle a hap-py tune, so no one will suspect...

LETTERS POLICY: The Westerly News welcomes letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, taste, legality and length. We require your hometown and a daytime phone number for verification purposes. Letters must include your first name (or two initials) and last name. Unsigned letters and letters of more than 300 words will not be accepted. Email submissions to office@westerlynews.ca

OPINION POLL

What do YOU think? about the NDN editorial

Go online to www.westerlynews.ca to view the Nanaimo Daily News editorial calling for stepped up efforts to bring a sewage treatment plant to Tofino, and to answer this week’s poll question: How do you feel about this NDN editorial? a) Spot on. Tofino should get cracking on getting a sewage plant. b) Quit picking on Tofino. They are doing their best to address it. c) Sewage is natural and not as big a problem as people are making it. d) Easy for Victoria to fix theirs, they have tons of money in comparison. d) Tankers are a far bigger threat to the coast than Tofino’s sewage. Last week’s results: 15% love dogs on the beach. 35% think dogs on beach are okay as their owners clean up after them. 40% say they’re okay as long as they’re on leash and owners clean up. 11% said dogs are a menace to short life and there’s no way to control how much they poop. Read The Westerly News next week for results of the online vote.

Opinion II The Westerly News | Page 5

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

LETTERS

RES Reskiling event set for Saturday, Feb. 1 Please join the Raincoast Education Society, this Saturday Feb. 1 at the Ucluelet Community Center for the 2nd annual Ucluelet Re-Skilling Festival. We have a great lineup of workshops which are all free and require no preregistration. All workshops will be held in the classrooms and kitchen of the Center from 10 am - 5 pm. Workshop Schedule: 10:00 am - 10:45 am: Wooden Bow Making - with Dan Law; 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Yogurt Making - with April Robson; 11:40 am - 12:00 pm: Building Transferrable Skills with Alberni Valley Employment; 12:00 pm - 12:15 pm: Making Nut Milks - with Lindsay Renton; 12:15 pm - 12:30 pm: Health Talk on Fermentation - with Lindsay Renton; 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm: The Healing Powers of Kombucha - with Christiane Watson; 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm: Making Kefir - with Cindy Hutchinson & Janine Croxall; 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm:; Making Kimchi - with Janine Croxall; 2:15 pm - 3:00 pm: Pasta Making - with Kasia Kromka; 3:15 pm 4:15 pm: Setting Traps & Snares with Darryl Keeble; 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Rope Making - with Darryl Keeble. The Raincoast Re-Skilling Festival is designed to provide local residents with the skills to begin the transition away from a globalized, fossil-fuel dependent community towards a more localized, self-reliant community. The Re-Skilling Festival provides space to share knowledge about specific skill-sets and to highlight individuals, organizations, and businesses in our communities that have teachable and important skills. Hundreds of communities throughout the world are actively engaged in re-designing their futures by re-structuring their energy systems around local resources and by re-skilling local residents to develop diversified, local and resilient communities. As remote, West Coast communities, we are especially vulnerable to the risks associated with overdependence on foreign markets; therefore, it is essential that we

begin providing opportunities for the re-skilling of local residents immediately. The Festival showcase the knowledge that our communities already have as well as identify potential knowledge gaps. Re-skilling is not a quick fix, but rather a commitment to the long-term process of re-creating resilient communities. Learning these skills takes time and now is a good time to start.

Raincoast Education Society

Fishes and Loaves Thanks The Fish and Loaves lunch program would like to thank its generous donors for the great support it received during 2013. We were able to provide hundreds of healthy meals to a wide variety of people because of your help. We have seen many of these people go on to contribute to the community in getting jobs, volunteering and other ways. We are grateful to the Tofino Bible Fellowship for consistent financial and volunteer help since we started. The St Columba Church pastor Will Ferrey is a faithful volunteer and the St Francis Catholic church that lets us use their hall in summer. The Sisters also help on the board and with Christmas hampers. The Tofino Coop Grocery – for providing the bulk of the food, and the Common Loaf Bakery for the best baked goods, much appreciated. Thanks also to Tofino Parks and Rec that lets us use the Community hall for free in off season. The Westcoast Community Resources Society sends its worker Ryan out to our lunch to help with the various needs of our friends, and he picks up the extra food and brings it to the Ucluelet Food Bank who continue to distribute it there. Beaches Grocery and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Legion have also given generous gifts, and the District of Tofino gave us a grant. Many have dropped off items or called to have things picked up, which we are happy to do. So many have donated here and there so please pardon if we do not name everyone! Thanks largely should go to our faithful staff, all of whom volunteer their time to make this happen. Thank you,

and God bless you, every one! John Enns and the crew at Fish and Loaves

Thanks to all the sponsors The Wild Pacific Trail Society (WPTS) recently unveiled Phase One of the Big Beach Children’s Interpretive Walk. The event was very well attended by our youngest community members and their parents/caregivers. It was wonderful to see the children from the Ucluelet Children’s Centre, Julie Wilson’s Kindergarden class, Strong Start families and community members. Carl Sieber lead the children on a Big Beach Adventure as they playfully explored frogs and eagles.

The inspiration for this project arose while I was exploring Big Beach with my daughter Shanti. I looked around and saw families and local community groups using the park and beach. The existing trail seemed perfect for our youngest explorers: it is a short section of trail, close to amenities and ending at a beautiful beach and picnic area. The installation of interactive & interpretive displays would add to the year-round offerings for children at Big Beach Park. I approached the board with this concept and with their support I sought funding to make it a reality. Phase One includes two interactive signs: The Pacific Tree Frog “How loud in my voice?”

and a Bald Eagle “How wide are your wings?” Future displays are being imagined and designed. Watch for updates on our Facebook page! This project was made possible by the generous support of our project partners, the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) and Decoda Literacy Solutions. A big thank-you goes out the CBT’s Youth and Education Committee for selecting this project for funding. Many community members participated in this project along the way: Laura Timmermans for illustrations, Barbara Schramm for graphic design and content, Jim Martin for sign installation, Barb Beasley as a Biology Con-

sultant, Adrienne Mason for editing, Vi Mundy &Barb Touchie for sharing stories/content. Thank-you to the many board members and Friends of the Trail that helped set-up the unveiling event. Thank-you to Shannon Szymczakowski for a fantastic job setting up the craft and play stations, Barbara Schramm for set-up and Tracy Eeftink for the merchandising booth. We also thank Abby Fortune and the District of Ucluelet for their support of the project.

Heather Grimshire WPTS board member and Administrator

Page 6 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

GOVERNMENT

Toﬁno wants in at Paciﬁc Rim Visitors Centre government we can write letters, lobby, make a stand and help improve the well being of people who live here.”

ANDREW BAILEY

Westerly News Tofino’s got that tourism feeling and needs some municipal healing. The Pacific Rim Visitors Centre located at the junction is currently operated through a partnership between Ucluelet and Parks Canada but Tofino wants to play too. During last week’s regular council meeting Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne raised a motion that council support ongoing discussions involving Tofino’s inclusion at the centre. The motion was unanimously approved and Osborne hopes council’s support will motivate local groups to get the ball rolling. “It’s important for this council to encourage Tourism Tofino and the (Tofino-Long Beach) chamber of commerce in particular here and show some leadership in pushing them towards working with the chamber of commerce in Ucluelet and the district of Ucluelet to make it a better situation for everybody,” she said. Her motion encourages negotiations to begin by January 2015. Ucluelet and Tofino representatives, including the respective chambers and destination marketing organizations, met on Dec. 3 to begin discussing Tofino’s potential involvement at the centre, according to Osborne. “This meeting came about after a conversation that I had with the Mayor of Ucluelet and our mutual desire to bring these groups together to talk about how we could improve the operations at the Pacific Rim Visitors centre,” she said. “At our meeting we discussed that this is going to take a little bit of time. There’s some relationship building to do, some trust building to happen, and 2015 seemed like a reasonable time to execute a new agreement.” Coun. Cathy Thicke said these discussions are important and

Campaign costs not an issue in Tofino

Tofino wants to be part of the Pacific Rim Visitors Centre’s operations at the junction. PHOTO ANDREW BAILEY

necessary. “There’s been a bit of underlying history to all this that I think we really need to bring out in the open and sort out,” she said. “Right now there’s the Ucluelet chamber and Parks Canada offices that are housed there and we’re kind of up the road.” Thicke said the centre should be focused on welcoming visitors to the entire region. “I know that that Pacific Rim Visitor Association which preceded the development that now exists at the junction no longer exists, but that junction space is a real opportunity for all people to engage together,” she said. “Just over the last few years hearing the plight of many of the First Nations in Clayoquot Sound and also the Barkley Sound First Nations groups, Tofino and Ucluelet are the gateways in essence for those communities and I think there’s an opportunity not only for us but for them.” She cited an agreement between Parksville and Qualicum Beach as an example of chambers of com-

merce working well together to achieve success. “We have an opportunity here in my opinion that we can form a new agreement a new understanding and even though it is fraught with a number of difficulties and potential hassles, if these groups actually come together and form a common vision...it’s the way

“I wouldn’t call it a regional centre until it has regional representation.” Coun. Dorothy Baert forward for all of us; I don’t think there’s any benefit to being separate,” Thicke said. Coun. Dorothy Baert said she is glad to see the discussion moving forward. “I think enough time has past that people don’t even know what was the beginning of the problem

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in the first place so that’s good,” she said. “I wouldn’t call it a regional centre until it has regional representation, I think Tofino has always been consistent in saying that we want to participate...so this just makes it official.”

Municipal elections will be held across BC on Nov. 15 this year but the province is already looking towards 2017’s local government campaign trail. BC Minister of Community, Sport, and Cultural Development Coralee Oakes plans to introduce new local government election reforms designed to make running for local office more inclusive by limiting the amount of money a candidate can spend on their campaign. The key intent is to develop and introduce spending limits but this year’s candidates can keep their wallets open as the changes being proposed will not kick in until the next round of elections in 2017.

Veterinarian services needed on West Coast Council voted to send a letter to the College of Veterinarians of BC expressing the need for basic and emergency veterinary services on the West Coast. Tofino’s letter will urge the College to develop bylaws or other conditions that allow qualified people to provide basic healthcare to the West Coast’s pet population. The West Coast is currently without permanent local options for spaying or neutering their pets or preventing unnecessary pain and suffering through euthanasia or stabilizing injured animals for transport. Mayor Josie Osborne raised the motion during the meeting’s new business portion. ADVENTURE “There are a SHOPPING lot of things municipalities at are responsible for and there are things that municipalities Quality used don’t have direct housewares, control over,” she clothes, books said. “Nonetheless, there are & music issues that come OPEN 11-5 forward from MON-SAT time to time MAIN ST. UCLUELET from the com(across from CIBC) munity that are Supporting local charities important and Donation items welcome as a municipal

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Election spending is hardly an issue in Tofino where candidates are not known for high-cost campaigns, according to district CAO Bob MacPherson. He said Tofino’s highest spending candidate in the past three municipal elections rang in less than $900 and many campaigns didn’t spent a dime. He noted in 2011 Tofino’s candidates signed off on an informal no-sign agreement. Oakes’ letter asked council for input into the future reforms including whether council believes the cost of campaigning deters locals from running. Several councillors said they spent $0 during the 2011 election. “I certainly don’t think it’s a deterrent to people considering running for office,” Mayor Josie Osborne said. Local government elections are held every three years in BC.

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The Westerly News | Page 7

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

COMMUNITY PHOTO ALBUM

Above, left, Hailey Morel joins Ernest Curley and Corp. Andrew Waddell of the Tofino RCMP as they raise funds at the Ucluelet Co-op for the Tofino Bicycle Initiative. Above right, From left, Samantha Hackett, Dan Harrison, Tim Hackett, Rob Renna as The Raincoast Education Society recently thanked some big donors for BIG help. The Long Beach Lodge Resort donated $10,000 to the organization, whose goal is to to conserve the natural ecosystems of Clayoquot Sound using education as a tool. “Their contribution directly supports our local school programs,

VOLUNTEER COAST

Looking for a few good mariners: Royal Canadian Marine Search And Rescue JACKIE CARMICHAEL

Westerly News This is one of a series of articles about volunteer opportunities around the West Coast. The Westerly News is celebrating 2014 as the Year of the West Coast Volunteer.

Mariners looking for an opportunity to serve and be on the water at the same time might want to give the Ucluelet chapter of Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue a call. Between mariners leaving the area and natural winter attrition, the RCMSAR chapter’s numbers are down, and they are looking for a few good mariners. “At this point, we’re down to 8-10 members … We’re getting to the point that we need people,” said deputy unit leader Dave Payne. “Part of the reality is that, come wintertime, folks that are here in the summer have a tendency to go elsewhere, and there’s natural attrition that happens,” Payne said. With the slogan, “Saving Lives on the Water,” the group meets regularly to train and prepare in the

event their services are required. As an integral part of the Volunteer Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Canadian Search and Rescue (SAR) system, the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue area includes more than 29,500 square kilometres of coastline, 6,500 islands, and approximately 450,000 square kilometres of internal and offshore waters. Based in Ucluelet, Unit 38 is one of just 42 nationwide. (Tofino has a Coast Guard boat stationed there, so no RCMSAR chapter.) Involvement is about learning/training in marine skills, from basic boat handling to first aid to navigation and the whole gamut of marine skills, Payne said. “We’ve had a number of people working in the local marine industry aboard, and that has helped advance our training,” he said. For participants who stay with the organization and have the requisite skills, there are opportunities to work through Rigid Hull Inflatable Operator Train-

ing. The national training centre for the Coast Guard’s RHIOT is in nearby Bamfield. “One comes away from that with a Coast Guard Coxswain rating,” Payne said. From a prevention standpoint, the group does volunteer vessel inspections, and they hand out small safety kits, with a goal of assisting boaters in evaluating their own vessel and the equipment they have aboard. “We also provide marine assistance where it’s appropriate and search and rescue,” Payne said. Situations in which the group was able to help include the canoeist outside Terrace Beach who found himself “in a condition beyond which he could handle,” Payne said. Payne said the group lives up to its goals of reducing the number and severity of SAR incidents, providing a humanitarian service and supporting the Canadian Coast Guard. Those interested in joining up should have their pleasure craft operator certifi-

cate, the VHF marine radio, marine basic first aid, and ROCM restricted operator certify marine. “Once they have that, then all further training and costs are paid for. We request they have those, to show they’re willing to make a bit of an effort,” he said. Payne has been a member for 22 years. “If you like being on the water, then it’s extremely rewarding,” he said, citing a recent Sunday run to Bamfield to train with the Coast Guard. “Working on the water, probably three-fourths of our members are commercial mariners, and we all feel a responsibility to become SAR,” he said. “We want to assist where it’s appropriate on the water. Most of us have, at some point, been where we were on the receiving end of assistance,” Payne said. The Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) Victoria coordinates Search and Rescue resources when an incident occurs. The organization got high

praise from MP Hon. David Anderson. What might a volunteer with RCMSAR face? Typically, something within 10 minutes of Ucluelet. Missions were down 50% in the last fiscal year, compared to the year before. They tend to come in “waves,” Payne said, noting that one of those will come up in spring as people begin taking boats out. That often leads to a number of fuelrelated calls, he said. Missions within the past year or so have included an American tug goeing hard aground in Barkley Sound, in the Broken Group. Two female hikers went missing from a group of 9 camping on Dodd Island; they were located and transported to Ucluelet. A 24-foot Gulfstream had to be towed in from southwest of Amphitrite Point in near zero visibility. A 30-foot marine vessel got overheated in the Briken Group. A 42-foot troller went aground in Ucluelet harbour. A fishing vessel lost

electrical power six miles southwest of Ucluelet. A vessel got disoriented in poor visibility - an investigation found the vessel at Islands West resort. One time-waster the group faces is when someone plays with a flare gun, and volunteers have to chase down the source of the flare in case someone is in distress. The organization can be reached at 250-720-7231 or at BSR2@telus.net Within the 2012 year, members of the national organization assisted 553 individuals, and saved 111 lives. “It is a challenge to provide SAR response capability to such a large area, and our volunteers meet the challenge with determination and professionalism,” says the national organization’s website. “We are a marine SAR resource which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If necessary, our volunteers are willing and ready to risk their lives to help anyone in distress on the water.”

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Page 8 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

HIGHER EDUCATION

Ideal lab: VIU graduate students study tourism on West Coast Left, Ucluelet Coun. Sally Mole gives a guided walk on the Wild Pacific Trail.

JACKIE CARMICHAEL

Westerly News What better lab for tourism studies than the West Coast? That was the lesson for a group of graduate students from Vancouver Island University’s Department of Recreation and Tourism and the VIU World Leisure Centre of Excellence. They were keen to discover the inner workings of tourism here, and they weren’t disappointed. “The whole purpose was to look at aspects and processes of change,” said instructor Suzanne de la Barre. “Generally, the highlights were talking to so many people who were enthusiastic and optimistic about changes occurring in Ucluelet and Tofino,” she said. Of the 20 students and two faculty, a number of countries were represented, including China,

Below, the class gathers at the Ecolodge with Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne’s dog, Petey. Bottom left, visiting scholar Stephen Wearing makes a presentation on sustainable tourism. PHOTOS COURTESY MAREN SCHULLERUS.

India, South America, and Germany. And it is a small world, after all, they learned from Stephen Wearing, who talked in a presentation open to the public about the development of eco-trekking on the Kokoda Trail in Papua New

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Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District Parcel Tax Assessment Rolls 2014 Updates Electoral Area “C” (Long Beach)

The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District will be updating the Parcel Tax Assessment Rolls for the following services: South Long Beach Multi-Purpose Bike Path Contribution Local Service Area; Salmon Beach Services: Security, Garbage, Recreation, Transportation, Water, Sewage & Power The Assessment Roll is available for inspection at the following locations from Monday, February 3rd to Friday, February 21st, 2014, inclusive, during regular office hours. Regional District Office 3008 Fifth Avenue Port Alberni, BC

Ucluelet District Office 200 Main Street Ucluelet, BC

Owners of parcels included on the Assessment Roll may request that the roll be amended, but only as it relates to their own property, on one or more of the following grounds: 1.

There is an error or omission respecting a name or address on the assessment roll;

There is an error or omission respecting the inclusion of a parcel;

An exemption has been improperly allowed or disallowed.

Property owners must submit their request in writing for an amendment to the Assessment Roll no later than 4:30 pm on Friday, February 21st, 2014 in order for it to be considered for the 2014 year. Submit your request to: Teri Fong, CGA, Collector Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District 3008 Fifth Avenue Port Alberni, BC Phone: (250) 720-2707 Fax: (250) 723-1327

Guinea. Wearing is a visiting scholar at VIU. He presented to the group and the community on his work in community development on ecotourism in Papua New Guinea. “They’re working towards sustainable livelihoods for those communities,” he said. Wearing is fascinated with the shift from whaling to whalewatching on the West Coast. The price of land in the Tofino area will continue to be a problem for residents and for the next generation trying to buy back into the area. The more second home and accommodations an area has, the more expensive the land gets, so the West Coast will be dealing with that issue in the near future, he said. A shortage of accommodations for casual workers is another challenge for the area, he said, citing similar problems in Australia’s resort communities. The West Coast of Australia

shares some characteristics with the Island’s West Coast, Wearing said. Mild weather, the popularity of tourism, even surfing – and the need to balance what residents would like in the future and what tourism needs in the future, Wearing said. When the population suddenly triples in the high tourism season, the locals there don’t like the traffic jams, but the tourist-serving businesses like the influx of money, he said. Wearing said he was “very impressed” with the West Coast. “It’s a very RSP, TFSA eligible scenic venue, % and you’ve got one year term that really small% three year term town feeling % about it, which five year term I really like,” he $5,000 Minimum said. “It’s a very pretty area.” The VIU group Contact: Ron Lepine Financial toured Ucluelet 250.723.0949 and Tofino, get-

7 8 9

ting insights into regional tourism efforts. They had a panel discussion in Ucluelet with parks and rec director Abby Fortune, Whiskey Landing Lodge’s Cathy Whitcombe, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort’s Adelle Larkin and Sue Payne of the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce. In Tofino they worked closely with Sarah Robinson and Mayor Josie Osborne They stayed at small boutique hotels, and they dined on small business fare, courtesy of Ecolodge and Solidarity Snacks. “They both provided us with a great meal,” de la Barre said, noting that an owner at the delibakery is a recent graduate of Vancouver Island University who set out to make small business work in a small town. “They wanted to go to a small company, to be entrepreneurial. Wanting to be somewhere and to make it work, I like that spirit – that’s something we look at in our course,” de la Barre said. There and at Tofino’s Ecolodge, the class found an impressive entrepreneurial spirit and a great deal of enthusiasm, de la Barre said. editor@westerlynews.ca

The Westerly News | Page 9

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Wild Pacific Trail connects youth to nature ANDREW BAILEY

Westerly News Local families packed Ucluelet’s Big Beach Park last week to experience the Wild Pacific Trail society’s new children focused interactive displays. Two interpretive signs were unveiled at the Jan. 22 event—one about eagles the other about frogs—and four more signs are in the works. “The goal with this project was to design an interactive and interpretive display that would engage children and add to their outdoor education experience at Big Beach

Park,” said society board member Heather Grimshire. “A lot of the signage the Wild Pacific Trail has is for adults and we wanted something special for the kids that was just for them; and we hope the adults will learn something too.” The new displays were paid for, in part, by a $2,500 grant from the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) in April 2012; which came with an additional $500 from Vancouver based Decoda Literacy Solutions. The trust’s managing director Rebecca Hurwitz attended the event to see the educational experiences unveiled. “It’s really exciting because there’s no

other interpretive signage in the region that’s geared specifically towards children in an outdoor setting and it’s a great way to engage families,” she said. “The CBT is really focused on education in the most holistic sense so this is an opportunity to teach people about the natural environment and really connect youth to the place that they live through appreciating and understanding.” The trail’s innovator and manager Oyster Jim Martin said the new displays will provide an educationally valuable boost to the experiences children have on the trail. “They have interactive signs they can not

only operate themselves but also learn from about the natural environment around them here on the West Coast...It’s just a terrific experience for everyone and we’re very thankful to the CBT for supporting us in this endeavour,” Martin said. “Education in general is very important and in an environment like Ucluelet where we are really in touch with nature it is so important for the children to have a real perspective on not only the importance but also the interaction and all the details of the nature around us.” reporter@westerlynews.ca

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A celeberation was held at Big Beach last week where the Wild Pacific Trail society unveiled two new interactive displays designed to teach kids about their local environment. Right, Oyster Jim Martin flosses Wild Pacific Trail clothing that locals can purchase from the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce, Nurture Day Spa and the Black Rock giftshop. All proceeds go towards the trail. PHOTOS ANDREW BAILEY

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Page 10 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Be cautious around West Coast’s fuzzy storm watchers ANDREW BAILEY

Westerly News Hibernating? They’re bearly sleeping. On the West Coast of Vancouver Island where temperatures remain mild throughout the winter bears do not hunker down for months worth of naptime. “They are constantly waking up and coming out. We see them every month and we have reports all year round,” said Pacific Rim National Park Reserve spokesperson Arlene Armstrong. Armstrong said biologists are debating whether bears actually hibernate anywhere in the world but the West Coast’s bears definitely do not and instead spend their winters “denning.” During their “denning” period bears are sleepy and groggy but do not stay in bed. “They wake up frequently,” Armstrong said adding a mother bear was seen walking along Long Beach with a bear cub last weekend. Since bears aren’t slacking off in the winter, locals can’t slack off

either and all the standard guidelines apply for managing wildlife attractants around your home. “We wish everybody would realize that keeping their garbage and recyclables inside and secure until the morning of pickup is one of the best ways they can protect black bears,” Armstrong said. “People don’t think of recyclables as a bear attractant but they very much are.” Untrained dogs should remain on a leash or they may run ahead of their owner and straight into trouble. “What we’ve found in several situations is that dogs running in advance of their owners and off leash can come around and

surprise an animal that you didn’t know was there,” Armstrong said. “Then you have a surprised animal and if it in turn chooses to chase the dog where does the dog run? Right back to its owner and so you’ve got an animal in pursuit of a dog running right towards you. You can stop that whole thing it’s totally preventable; keep your dog on a leash.” Anyone who spots a bear and

moves towards it hoping for an up close wildlife experience and maybe a cell-phone photo puts that bear’s life at risk because it only takes a few encounters with curious humans before a bear begins thinking humans are safe to be around. “It doesn’t know the rules we play by, it only knows its own rules and when it crosses this invisible line to when we think it’s become too bold or brash it pays with its life,” Armstrong said. “If we can keep it wary and cautious of being around people, we can keep that animal healthy, happy and alive.” Obtaining a food reward is an effective death sentence for a bear because once it has become accustomed to human food it is almost

impossible to reverse. “Once it’s in your garbage can it has crossed a line into food conditioning that makes it quite dangerous...If it crosses that line to becoming food conditioned it never goes back,” Armstrong said. “They often don’t unlearn that behaviour and that conflict scenario keeps re-occurring and the bear will pay with its life. All it did was try to find food so it could survive, it got into somebody’s garbage can and the animal gets shot.” She said the West Coast can maintain a healthy black bear population by keeping black bears cautious around humans. Bears stay in the “denning” phase from around November to around March, according to Armstrong. She said when the skunk cabbage begin to bloom and green shoots start appearing then it is safe to assume the bears are wideawake and eating. reporter@westerlynews.ca

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The Westerly News | Page 11

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

EAT/PLAY/LIVE: DRAMATIC ARTS

At the Improv: Turner brings spark to Tuff theatre scene ERIN LINN McMULLAN

Special to Westerly News

Most Wednesday evenings, you’ll find local actor Aaron Turner onstage at Tofino’s Clayquot Community Theatre providing a free improv class, and a chance to cold read established plays and works-in-progress. “Moving out here is a great way to take what I’ve learned and to try and develop, or add to, a theatre community out here. What’s great is there’s room to experiment,” Turner said. Trained in his hometown of Montreal at John Abbott College, Turner has worked with companies Gravy Bath and Persephone and had star turns as Shakespeare’s Henry V and as Lobster Man in Cowboy Mouth. When Turner moved here from Vancouver last March his agent back east “broke up” with him, but he maintains, “it’s the best decision he ever made. Here you really have to engineer your own life.” The lanky 29-year-old Turner appears to have found the perfect art-life balance, surfing on a whim and commuting back to Vancouver for film and commercial work. Often reviewed as “intense,” in person, Turner is soft-spoken and easy-going. However, he does admit to staging his copy of Richard the II on LA Grocery’s front counter when improv teacher, Rino Del Zoppo finally wandered in. That meeting would connect him to the theatre and Sandi Rideout

improv skills early – and inadvertently. At 14, within his first five minutes onstage ever, evoking laughter and applause when the too-big pants of his costume fell down in front of 400 private school girls, revealing flashy silver leopard print boxers – a gag gift from a friend. Aaron Turner, head shot above and Continuing to costumed for Cowboy Mouth, right, is perform while bringing improv to Clayoquot Community completing a Theatre. Communications degree who showed him the space. from Concordia, Turner “I was expecting a tiny benefited from experimental cafeteria-style theatre and directors like Gravy Bath’s I walked in and there was Mad Harold and Persephthis black box theatre,” says one’s classical stagecraft. Turner, crediting Rideout Turner is also a mariner, and the board for their will- raised spending time with ingness to lend the space his dad on the ocean and out. hopes to eventually land Turner uses a series of his 60-ton Masters ticket. exercises “to get people His father built boats, in thinking freely on stage and addition to being an acanot restricted by the stress demic advisor at Champlain of being in front of an audiUniversity and Turner later ence or to say something crewed on schooner, the witty. It takes a lot of courEastern Star, which docked age to get onto a stage in the next to the Blue Nose II in first place.” Lunenburg, N.S. “It’s a great opportunity to His dreams for local theleave the world outside and atre include his class perbriefly enter another, where forming two plays per year, anything can happen and hopefully locally written the imagination rules,” said works. Seeing the potential participant Greg Blanchette. for children’s theatre, he “I always feel refreshed at hopes to adapt a staple of the end of it. Plus it’s a great his own childhood, the book way to keep the brain exerPaddle to the Sea. cised,” he said. Turner, who learned Turner’s honed his own to row at the age of five,

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recently took advantage of the unbelievable January weather to row out to the middle of the inlet. “It was just one of those moments where I looked up after reading for maybe half an hour and there were these mountains, I can see the Pacific Ocean and I can see the town glittering off in the distance. I drifted with the current and then came back in as the tide was coming in,” he said.

Page 12 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

EAT/PLAY/LIVE

Group auditions for MCT’s children’s production of ‘Blackbeard the Pirate’ Monday The audition for the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of Blackbeard The Pirate LOCAL will be VOICE: held on SUZANNE Monday, RYLES February 3rd @ 4.00pm at Wickaninnish Community School in Tofino. There are roles for those students Kindergarten through Grade 12. Approximately 50-60 local students will be cast to appear in the show with the MCT Tour Actor/Director. There is no guarantee that everyone who auditions will be cast in the play. Students wishing to audition must arrive by the scheduled starting time and stay for the entire two-hour session. The first rehearsal begins approximately 15-30 minutes after the audition. This is a group audition -

no advance preparation is necessary, but a smile never hurts. Students should just be ready to come and have a good time! Rehearsals will be conducted every day from 4.00pm to 8.30pm at The Wickaninnish Community School in Tofino. Although not all cast members will be needed at every session, those auditioning must have a clear schedule for the entire week and if selected, be able to attend all rehearsals required for their role. A detailed rehearsal schedule will be distributed at the conclusion of the audition. Cast members scheduled for the full 4½ hours of rehearsal will be asked to bring a snack lunch, dinner or snack. The performances will be held on February 8 at 3 pm and 7pm and will be presented at The Wickaninnish Community School. The

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What’s On!

Thursday, Jan 30 - Free Arthritis Information Session at Coastal Family Place.from 7-9. Tofino General Hospital Physiotherapist Carley Grigg will discuss common types of arthritis, varistudents in the cast will be ous self- management strategies for pain, stiffness and fatigue & to provide called for dress rehearsal before the performance that resources for those living with arthritis including review of simple exercise day. programs. Anyone with arthritis, or All those cast must be their families are welcome to attend. available for all scheduled Intervention early on can prevent the performances. disease from progressing. The Missoula Children’s Theatre is a non-profit organization based in Missoula, Montana. This coming year more than 65,000 cast members across the globe will take to the stage to the delight and applause of their families, friends, community, neighbors and teachers! The residency in Tofino is made possible by The Pacific Rim Art Society with the help of District of Tofino, District of Ucluelet, Jamie’s Rainforest Inn and the BC Community Gaming grant. For any questions please contact Suzanne Ryles, 250-266-2094, Coordinator, Pacific Rim Arts Society.

Thursday, Jan. 30 - Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA and Official Opposition Critic of the Ministry of Environment, and tourism will speak at Tofino Chamber of Commerce Green Breakfast at 8:30 at Darwin’s Cafe. Saturday, Feb. 1 - The Ucluelet Raincoast Re-Skilling Festival: February 1st at the UCC. Mon. Feb. 3 - The audition for the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of Blackbeard The Pirate will be held @ 4.00pm at Wickaninnish Community School in Tofino. Roles for students Kinder- Grade 12. Approximately 50-60 local students will be cast to appear in show with MCT Tour Actor/Director. Feb. 3, Monday Night at the Movies, Clayoquot Community Theatre, 8 p.m.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Act/ Adv, US, 2013, 146 min, Rated 14A)Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning means that they must turn around and leave their families and friends, embarking on a “Victor’s Tour.” Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares a competition that could change Panem forever. Monday, Feb. 3 - Lisa Helps, Executive Director of Victoria’s Community Microlending Society to hear about how micro loans are transforming Victoria’s local economy. 7:30 pm, Darwin’s Cafe at Tofino Botanical Gardens and Ecolodge NO CHARGE Tues., Feb. 4 - Tofino Mayor’s Breakfast, 8 a.m. at Jamie’s Rainforest Inn. Monday Feb. 10 – FAMILY DAY Monday, Feb. 10 - Tofino Family Fun Run on Family Day! 12 p.m. registration at North Chesterman, 1K, 5K. Saturday, Feb. 15 Garden event: Seedy Saturday, supported by Tofino Community Food Initiative, at Darwin’s Café,

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The Westerly News | Page 13

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

EAT / PLAY / LIVE: REVIEW SOLIDARITY SNACKS DELI BAKERY 313 Forbes Road, Ucluelet ******6 out of 6 asterisks What a happy spatula looks like: see below. This one’s loaded with perogies, plump little pillows of goodness made in Ucluelet at Solidarity Snacks. We picked ‘em up frozen, took them home and gave them TLC. We found the chorizo-red pepper ones are even good for breakfast. We preferred them sauteed in butter and dipped in light sour cream or blue cheese dressing, but it occurred to us Greek yogurt would also be “zachwycajcy,” which according to our Googly translator means “delicious” in Polish. We first savoured the plum at the Ukee Friday Night Market, and yes, they will come and find you at the homemade fleece poncho stand and bring you your perogies you ordered. Lunch specials evoke growls of hunger from reviewers, hinting of a sausage and herb goat cheese panini, or salmon-cucumber-avocado sandwich. We like to browse their baked goods at local spots like Cap’n Hook. We have a weakness for the shortbready ones with raspberry and chocolate. Enough yumm to share. Fresh, local. Also, the Polish mermaid surfing on a giant perogy is a fine West Coast mascot.

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Festival strengthens Tuff ties ANDREW BAILEY

Westerly News

would like to do is make sure these are really strong engaging events instead of having somewhat weak events,” she said. Last year’s festival also brought a structured schedule that alternated between Ucluelet heavy and Tofino heavy days. “A few business owners had suggested

that some of the events were taking place in the (Pacific Rim National) Park Reserve and they weren’t really seeing a

lot of participants walking through the towns,” Nicol said.

District of Tofino muniSee WHALE page 19 cipal council received a presentation last week from 2014 Pacific Rim Whale Festival Coordinator Gillian Nicol. Nicol is a Tofino local who moved to the comShowing Monday, February 3rd - 8 pm munity last year and “THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE” joined the Whale Festival (Act, US, 2013, PG) society’s board on her Katniss and Peeta return home but are soon required to go on a Victor’s Tour. first day in town after As they travel through Panem, they sense that a rebellion is brewing prior to the 75th annual Hunger Games. walking into the society’s annual general meeting Doors open 7:15, Tix $8. Draw Prizes! and being elected to the Visit www.tofinomovies.blogspot.ca position of grant director. “I was very excited because I got to see exactly what happened last year and I got to have lots of input with the festival,” she said. Last year’s festival introduced a more focused schedule than years past, dropping from about 80 events in 2012 to just under 50 events in 2013 and Nicol said this was a suc313 Forbes Rd., TUES-SAT. UCLUELET cessful tweak 9am - 5pm 250-522-1217 Menu on Facebook to the festival’s format that will continue in 2014. Decreasing the overall number LEAVE HAPPY of events led to OPEN 7AM-4PM FISH & CHIPS higher turnouts with Daily Features on the menu. at each one, Corner of according to Peninsula & Bay 1627D Peninsula Rd., Ucluelet Nicol. “What we

Come Hungry. Get Stuffed ! 250.726.4464

We are looking for the

2015 Poster Artist Please submit your work by Feb. 15th, 2014

Page 14 | The Westerly News

WEEKLY CROSSWORD

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

EAT / PLAY / LIVE : VISUAL ART

Call for art for 2015 whale fest poster

CLUES DOWN 1. Informant (slang) 2. Olive tree genus 3. Armed conflicts 4. Am. Music Awards 5. Dance mix DJ Einhorn 6. Oxidation-reduction 7. Structure

2014. The PRWFS will view portfolios and designate an artist after the adjudication. The selected artist will be commissioned to produce the 2015 Whale Festival artwork in advance of the 29th Annual Festival. Guidelines: Artists from the Pacific Rim (Western Region) may apply. This includes Alberni Inlet, Bedwell River Valley, Long Beach, Port Alberni, Clayoquot Beach, Bamfield, Tofino, Barkley Sound, Ucluelet, Sproat Lake, Quait Bay, Broken Groups Islands. The PRWFS is requesting 1-5 pieces, digital format preferred (jpegs or PDF format) to be e-mailed or dropped off/mailed on CD (photos of 3 dimensional pieces are welcomed too). Hard copies will also be gratefully accepted. The submitted artwork must be

representative of the medium and style that the artist envisions executing in producing the commissioned work. Please note that the final poster image must accommodate Whale Festival information (title, dates, etc), and adhere to PRWFS specifications for final production. For more information please contact the Pacific Rim Whale Festival Society, PO Box 955 Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0 www.pacificrimwhalefestival.com info@pacificrimwhalefestival.com 250-726-5164 Thank you!

Gillian H. Nicol is festival Coordinator for Pacific Rim Whale Festival 2014 The Westerly News is a sponsor of the Pacific Rim Whale Festival.

Old Port Alberni hotel to get new life ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES

When the $3.5-million renovations are complete on Argyle Street’s Somass Hotel building, it will house 15 to 18 high-end apartments units, in addition to street-level commercial spaces and administration offices. It is possible that an art gallery,

a restaurant or a coffee shop, a cultural carving workshop in the former Argyle Showroom space and a health centre could be incorporated into the plans. The building was purchased in 2013 by the Uchucklesaht Tribe Government for the economic development of the tribe and the

SUDOKU

CLUES ACROSS 8. Modern 1. NOHOW 9. Roman Conqueror 6. Record (abbr.) 10. So. Honshu bay city 9. Hair detangler 11. 8th C. BC minor Hebrew 13. “l836 siege” of U.S. prophet 14. Old name for Tokyo 12. = to 100 satang 15. Largest continent 20. In active opposition 16. Showed old movie 24. 007’s Flemming 17. Clatter 26. 12th century Spanish hero 18. Considered one by one El ___ 19. Chinese cinnamon spice tree 27. Macaw genus 21. Frequently 28. Slave rebellion’s Turner 22. 3 person 32 card game 29. Cuckoo 23. Misaddressed mail (slang) 30. From a time 25. Expresses pleasure 32. Applies with quick strokes 26. Samba or basket rummy 37. Fasten with string 31. Military leader (abbr.) 38. Teller replacement 33. A citizen of Iran 39. Command right 34. Environmental Protection 40. Sea eagle Agency 42. Most closely set 35. Carbon, radioactive or varve 43. __ Dhabi, Arabian capital 36. Loss of electricity 44. Marten furs 41. Mass. Cape 46. Strike workers 43. Mediator 47. Thysanopter 44. 1/1000 of a tala 48. Louise de la Ramee’s pen 45. Players at 1st, 2nd & 3rd name 46. Covered Greek portico 50. King of Thebes 49. Bring upon oneself 54. __ mater, one’s school 51. Leuciscus cephalus 55. Time unit 52. Cold War foe U___ 56. Klutzes 53. Bumpkins or hayseeds 57. __ Von Bismarck, Iron 59. Fleshy seed cover Chancellor 60. Golf ball prop 58. Front of the leg 61. Antipathetic 62. Wait or tarry 63. Weather map line ___bar THIS WEEKS ANSWER 64. Civilian dress 65. Relaxing resorts 66. Box (abbr.) 67. Burning crime

The Pacific Rim Whale Festival Society (PRWFS) is accepting portfolio submissions for their annual Spring festival! The 29th annual LOCAL Whale Festival VOICE/ will be held in mid GILLIAN March 2015 kicking NICOL off our Spring Season and the arrival of the Gray Whales to our shores. Since 1999, leading up to the festivities, an artist has been chosen either through means of public design contest, commission or donation of artwork. It has become a festival tradition to highlight the work of a local artist and to utilize the artist’s work in our poster, advertising, fundraising and merchandise. The PRWFS is now accepting portfolio submissions until February 15,

Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

THIS WEEKS SUDOKU ANSWER

bottom of Argyle Street. As well as extensive interior renovations, there will also be some changes to the outside of the building. “We’re going to keep the same character of the building, but wherever there’s things we have to improve, we’ll have to improve them,” said Scott Coulson, chief administrative officer for the Uchucklesaht. “Some of the brick is in need of extreme repair.” Currently, there are more than 40 rooms remaining from the old hotel building. In construction, they will be paring that down with less rooms in order to increase the size and quality of each unit. “It’s going to create probably 15 to 18 higher-end residential units, which I think is in need for the city,” Coulson said. “We’ve done a market study which shows that long-term rentals are needed here.” An elevator is also planned. However, the design stage is just now beginning on the building because the interior needed to be stripped down to studs before the whole scope of work could be known. This was necessary because there were no drawings available, Coulson said. And as planning comes along, so do decisions as to exactly what the Uchucklesaht members want to do with all of the space. That includes the space that used to house Timbers Restaurant. “It might be a restaurant, it might be a coffee shop, we’re not sure,” Coulson said.

The Westerly News | Page 15

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

HUMAN/NATURE

New wolf pack in park showing signs of habituation MORE IN THE WESTERLY NEWS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Human/Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; series:

LARRY PYNN

Vancouver Sun Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is renowned for surfing, storm watching, and romantic beach and rainforest walks. Now thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a potential new activity for visitors -- close-up viewing of wolves -- and that has park staff worried. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not in panic mode,â&#x20AC;? said Todd Windle, the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s humanwildlife conflict specialist. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I want to remind people of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on, that there are these new animals...and they may be starting down the path to habituation.â&#x20AC;? In an interview Monday, Windle explained that a pack of five wolves was first confirmed last November in the park on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Nothing particularly surprising about that; another pack of three wolves has existed in the park near Tofino for up to two years. Concerns were raised within the last month, however, when members of this new pack showed little fear while being observed by staff and the public as close as 50 metres away on a deactivated road near Wickaninnish Beach interpretive centre. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were just lying down in the open,â&#x20AC;? Windle said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unusual to lie in the open where they could be seen so easily. And they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t flee right away.â&#x20AC;? Wolves that lose their fear can become a problem should they try to obtain food from humans, Windle said. They may also become more vulnerable to being hit by motor vehicles or being shot once they step outside park boundaries.

Related stories: Clash between humans, nature could lead to lawsuits, Page 15. Is hibernation a myth for our bears? See story, Page 10.

Caught on camera: A new Pacific Rim National Park Reserve photo shows members of a wolf pack - including what appears to be Ukeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visiting dark wolf. Lower left, the August 1, 2013 front page of the Westerly News., a wolf with a winter coat could be the same one. The photo by George Fifield was taken early morning downtown Ucluelet.

Wolves are welcome in the park and form a vital role in the greater ecosystem, helping to prevent prey populations such as deer from growing out of control and wreaking havoc on the environment, including on young trees. Hunters are permitted to kill three wolves apiece during open seasons on Vancouver Island. Windle advises park visitors to keep moving and not to approach wolves for a better photograph and to even shout, use a marine airhorn, or toss rocks should they approach. Motorists can also honk their horns if wolves are observed alongside the highway.

Dogs can also be preyed upon, both by wolves and cougars, emphasizing the need for owners to keep their pets on leash per park rules. Windle noted that wolves are welcome in the park and form a vital role in the greater ecosystem, helping to prevent prey populations such as deer from growing out of control and wreaking havoc on the environment, including on young trees. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not yet known what impact the new wolf pack is having on the other three wolves, but one member of the latter has gone missing, Windle said. One pack may displace the other or the two may join forces, he noted. Trail cameras are being used to track movements of the packs. Visitors are urged to report wildlife sightings to 250-726-3500.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are trying to teach them that Pacific Rim shows that wolvesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; main prey is black-tailed deer, humans are not the safest aniriver otters, harbour seals and racmals out there. We mean danger. coons. But they are also known to Unfortunately, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the way take black bears, as well as mink, we are.â&#x20AC;? birds, sea lions and smaller marA man was severely bitten by ine life such as shore crabs and a wolf in 2000 while sleeping clams. outdoors in his sleeping bag at Vargas Island in Clayoquot Sound, north of Tofino. He received more than 50 stitches to his scalp. Two young wolves The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) invites Area-C (Long Beach) residents to express interest in a who had a hisfour-year volunteer term as Director and Alternate Director on the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) Board of tory of being fed Directors. by humans were killed. As a director you will: In Banff â&#x20AC;˘ Bring vision, commitment and energy to making a difference in our region through the CBTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work as a National Park community foundation. earlier this â&#x20AC;˘ Demonstrate eagerness to work in a consensus and team oriented environment with a committed board, month, offivolunteers and staff. cials expressed â&#x20AC;˘ Reflect, listen and communicate with the individuals, groups and community you serve. concern that a â&#x20AC;˘ Abide by the CBT Constitution, Bylaws, approved policies and guidelines. â&#x20AC;˘ Bring knowledge, skills and interest in one or more areas of governance and management (planning, policy cooked turkey development, finance, fund development, investment, grant making, communications, marketing, web carcass had design, etc.). deliberately â&#x20AC;˘ Work closely with the alternate director to attend board meetings throughout the region and volunteer on been left by the subcommittees depending on your interest. roadside by someone hoping The board operates as a policy board, governing by making policy and providing strategic direction to staff. Upto getting a betto-date governing documents can be found on the CBTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website under the heading Who We Are, subheading ter photograph. documents. Interested individuals are strongly encouraged to contact Rebecca Hurwitz, Managing Director to The maximum learn more about the role and responsibilities (725-2219; rebecca@clayoquotbiosphere.org). fine for feeding wildlife is Interested individuals are asked to submit a letter outlining their related experience no later than Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at 4:00 pm to the attention of Wendy Thomson, Manager of Administrative Services, $25,000. ACRD, 3008 Fifth Avenue, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 2E3 or email wendy.thomson@acrd.bc.ca. Research in

Page 16 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Statue could return to Toﬁno, but council balks at picking up $30K tab, continued from 1 The coalition has pegged Anchor Park on Main Street as the desired location for the statue and Floody said the Weeping Cedar Woman could kick start the district’s plans to upgrade Main Street and draw more people to the area. Council supported the idea of the statue returning to Tofino but the price tag presented a speed bump, as Godfrey Stephens is not prepared to donate the piece. “He needs to be paid for his work, that’s probably the largest piece of the puzzle,” Floody said. “The groups that are involved would very much like to help with the project as much as we can but obviously there’s going to need to be financial assistance from the district.” Tofino’s council has been here before. The Weeping Cedar Woman’s return to Tofino was last considered at an Aug. 24 council meeting in 2010 when then-councillor Stephen Ashton suggested Tofino purchase her. “The 1984 protest was one of the first times First Nations asserted their rights over traditional territories,” Ashton said at the

Related: See Weeping Cedar Woman creator Godfrey Stephens’ story, page 20 meeting, as reported by Westerly News reporter Yasmin Aboelsaud. “First Nations and locals in Tofino standing side by side against MacMillan Bloedel and logging companies, much of that spirit is embodied in that piece which was really vital to that movement.” The statue’s cost at the time was believed to be $20,000. Coun. Duncan McMaster recalled sitting in the audience when this council discussion took place and wondered if any progress had been made since Ashton’s pitch. “It was turned down but it was

suggested that the people that were interested go forth and raise some money to purchase it so I’d like to know how much you’ve raised,” he said. “If I was really interested in something I could raise $20,000 in three years.” Michael Mullin said fundraising for the project without the district’s endorsement has been difficult but that in-kind support is in place and could potentially cover the statue’s preparation, transportation and installation. “The big ticket item is the actual purchase of the statue,” Mullin said. “I can’t really answer in dollar terms but I would say that probably if the district could consider the acquisition, the public support Vancouver Island groups could do Vancouver Island ApplicaƟon Area almost every(newAREA alignment) APPLICATION thing else.” (New Alignment) Coun. Dorothy Calmus Baert had a seat Passage on council in 2010 and said 40846 n la P W SR council’s conMeares

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cern at the time was not so much the cost of the statue but whether there was enough community support for its return. She said the fact that a large contingent of public organizations brought the idea forward this time around rather than one municipal councillor, as had been the case in 2010, is significant. Coun. Al Anderson doubted the feasibility of the coalition’s April 20 goal. “I am in strong support of bringing her back (but) we don’t even know the price at this point and April 20 for full installation seems like a really ambitious timeline,” he said. Mullin acknowledged Anderson’s concern but stressed the importance of the Weeping Cedar Woman’s presence at the protest’s 30th anniversary event. “The energy reality here is that were we able to accomplish this and were she in place at Easter it would be really, really, powerful,” he said. “If she trickles into town next August and is just placed somewhere that’s very different, so I want to keep in mind the deadline is scary but has force to it.” Mullin noted the anniversary falls within Tofino’s Earth Week festivities. “(The statue) brings people together and it allows people to bring their energies together and she will express Tofino’s commitment to conservation into the future,” he said. “She has way more significance than just as a piece of art and she’s a very powerful figure that will make a big difference in uniting the communities in this area.” Mayor Josie Osborne suggested possibly working out an interim deal to secure the statue at least temporarily for the anniversary

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while continuing negotiations for its purchase. Coun. Ray Thorogood said the statue would benefit Main Street but balked over the district paying the entire bill. Coun. Cathy Thicke agreed and said council could be willing to cover a portion of the cost if the groups involved raised the lion’s share. “I don’t think we can in good conscience step out on a limb and purchase the whole thing but I think a partnership of financial support is one that would sit well with me,” Thicke said. Baert said Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funds have already been dedicated to improving Main Street and securing the statue could conceivably be included within this funding. The statue drew the ire of local Menno van Barneveld, who told council he had attended the meeting to raise his concern over the impact the 6.5 metre statue would have on Anchor Park’s panoramic view. The man said that while the coalition represented a number of organizations there was no input from Main Street residents or businesses and asked council to consider an alternate location and not let the April 20 deadline lead to any hasty decisions. Council assured nothing would be rushed into. Several councillors suggested grants and other funding sources may be available and directed staff to work with the coalition to investigate funding opportunities for the statue’s purchase. McMaster asked if the statue’s $20,000 price tag council discussed in 2010 was still accurate. Mullin responded that would be a “very low estimate.” At the conclusion of Tuesday’s council meeting one audience member who was visiting Tofino from Telkwa, emotionally expressed his support of the Weeping Cedar Woman. “The events that happened 30 years ago changed the way that we perceive the value inherent in our forest resources and it’s changed, perhaps not far enough, but it has changed the practices of the forest industry,” the man said. “I believe that this project will resonate with people far beyond the borders of your community.” He suggested presenting the project effectively though social media and crowd funding could help the district raise enough money to bring the Weeping Cedar Woman home and he kicked off the fundraising campaign himself by donating $20 at the meeting. reporter@westerlynews.ca

The Westerly News | Page 17

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

FUNDRAISER

Women For Whales A fundraiser held in Tofino this week saw 65 turn out to support Women For Whales in their bid to send a documentary team to a world whaling industry conference. PHOTOS BY CHRISTIANE WATSON OF DREAMSCAPES PHOTOGRAPHY.

Clash can lead to dead animals, litigation; BARE program helps, continued from Page 1 be the black and brindle wolf that made appearances in Ucluelet last year – show the animals not as fearful as humans as they need to be for survival. Despite the BARE campsite program’s successes and keeping bears away from campsites, a habituated wolf brought Green Point campground its first evacuation ever last summer. “For the first time we had a very solidly habituated wolf,” she said noting the campsite was established in 1970. The wolf did not access food at the campsite nor did it attack any domestic pets but it showed strong signs of habituation so the entire campsite was evacuated. The wolf was killed. Armstrong said park staff suspected the wolf at the campground had developed dangerous eating habits outside the Park. “We have confirmed at least three reports in Clayoquot Sound of wolves killing domestic animals,” she said. “We at the National Park have started a very important partnership with the BC (Conservation Officer) service and BC Parks. We’re going to start synchronizing how we do this ecotourism offer.”

BARE Campsite program reduces bear kills by over 90% Preventing bear attraction to human campsites is proving successful one summer day at a time. PRNPR is coming off another successful season of its BARE campsite program at Green Point Campground. The program was implemented in 1998 by Bob Hansen, then a wildlife biologist with the Park, who had grown tired of shooting one or two problem bears at the Park each year. Getting rid of problem bears was

“At Green Point we’ve gone from one to two bears every year that had to be dispatched to one in the past 15 years.” - Arlene Armstrong, PRNPR as easy as getting rid of attractants, said Armstrong, who was thrilled to become one of Hansen’s “on the ground techies” in 1999. “He taught me about how to deliver ecotourism in carnivore country,” she said. “I feel pretty lucky that I get to stand on the shoulders of all Bob’s work.” When the BARE program was launched 40 per cent of Green Point campers were leaving highlevel attractants unattended but this average has since plummeted to fewer than 10%, according to Armstrong. “Immediately we saw positive results,” she said. “Since that time at Green Point we’ve gone from one to two bears every year that had to be dispatched to one in the past 15 years.” The program’s success has led to its adoption at National Park sites throughout Canada. An inventory conducted by Hansen determined at least 64 bears visited the campsite from 19971998 and well-used wildlife corridors remain, so the park continues to follow the template he initiated. The BARE program demands campers leave their campsites bare of attractants with everything stored in either a vehicle or a bear-safe bin—provided by the park—not outside or in a tent. Campers must keep their site clear of attractants while they are sleeping or away from their site for any length of time. She said West Coasters should make this guideline part of their daily routine, in or out of the park. “You’re responsible for your little area in which you live,” she said. “At every one of our homes we’re our own wildlife managers and we

have to start thinking that way.”

Monitoring campers During the summer, park staff patrolled the campground three times a day looking for breaches of the agreement. “We do it because we know the next people camping there will want to be safe,” Armstrong said. Attractants were found left out everyday during 2013’s patrols and Park staff explained to offenders that being BARE helps keep the site safe for future campers. “It’s not just a ticket, it’s an explanation,” she said. “When someone’s abandoned something scrumptious at their campsite, our protocols are to take it to a safe spot. Our protocol is not just to leave a note saying ‘this is not OK,’ we actually have to make it safe.” She said campers at unmonitored sites are in a “great unknown situation” because they do not know how previous campers have treated the area or whether they are pitching their tent in

CENTURION Apartment REIT

an area where wildlife has become smell to them.” accustomed to finding food. She said the Park will improve “We can’t manage like that,” Arm- staff training to ensure visual attractants become extinct at strong said. “We want to welcome Green Point. families, we want to welcome While Park staff are able to international visitors, people who may or may not know how to camp patrol the campers at Green Point, monitoring more remote sites is a in carnivore country,” she said. challenge, but one park staff will Even empty coolers can be hazbe rising to meet. ardous because a cluttered campAdditional predator informasite will be “visually interesting” to an animal, especially a bear, tion can be found at Green Point according to Armstrong, Campground Theatre this summer “A cooler is a cooler is a cooler, at presentations like the ‘Bears, whether it contains beer and ice or Wolves and Cougars’ talk. whether it contains steaks, meat, cheese,” she said. “Bears are very Related story: Is visually stimulated...they’re very curious, smart animals.” hibernation a myth Empty dishes can also cause for our bears? problems because bears can smell See Page 10 the remains of a seemingly clean dish as well as humans can smell Thanksgiving turkey coming out of the oven. DISTRICT OF TOFINO “They’ll smell things we won’t smell,” Armstrong said. “A plastic dish that PUBLIC NOTICE might not smell to us if it had bacon in it the night before will

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Page 18 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The Westerly News | Page 19

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

EDUCATION

Teachers win $2 million victory over BC government Times Colonist

The B.C. Teachers’ Federation has won $2 million in a sweeping court victory against the provincial government for interfering with teachers’ right to negotiate smaller class sizes and extra supports for specialneeds students. In a judgment released Monday, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Susan Griffin restored provisions stripped from teachers’ contracts in 2002 and ruled that government had simply replaced one unconstitutional law with another. She also found that government tried to provoke a teachers’ strike two years ago so that the Liberals could impose legislation on the union and gain political

support. “The outcome of this case means that teachers have once again had their right to collectively bargain over their working conditions restored,” Griffin said. She noted, however, that contract language is not “clad in stone” and will be subject to ongoing negotiations. The teachers’ previous contract expired last June and both sides are slated to return to the bargaining table in February. BCTF president Jim Iker hailed Griffin’s ruling as a “historic” victory for democracy. “It shows that government can’t just break the law,” he said. “They can’t just violate the rights of working people

through legislation.” Iker said students in Grade 12 today were in kindergarten in 2002 when the Liberals passed legislation that led to bigger classes and fewer librarians, counsellors and learning assistants. “Their entire education — 12 full years — has been in an era of cutbacks, reduced services and underfunding,” he said. Iker called on government to honour the court ruling, reduce class size and restore supports for students and teachers. Education Minister Peter Fassbender said government will review the judge’s decision before deciding how to respond and whether to file an appeal.

“We are disappointed in the ruling,” he said. “We need to review every implication.” In the meantime, he said, “it’s business as usual in our schools.” Fassbender disputed the judge’s finding that government tried to provoke a teachers’ strike and said he remains committed to achieving long-term stability. “It’s all about the students,” he said. “It’s all about outcomes.” But NDP critic Rob Fleming said the ruling exposes the Liberals’ cynical approach to governing. “This is a real blow to the Liberals’ credibility — especially when their rhetoric is around achieving educa-

tional stability,” he said. “Instead of putting the interests of kids and parents first — which was the official rhetoric of the government — they wanted to politically provoke a strike to drive up support for the B.C. Liberal Party on the eve of an election. I mean, it doesn’t get any worse than that.” It’s the second time Griffin has ruled in favour of the teachers. In 2011, she found Bill 28 unconstitutional for stripping teachers’ contracts in 2002 and preventing them from bargaining working conditions such as class size and composition. Griffin gave the government one year to deal with the issue. Instead, she said

the Liberals simply enacted a “virtually identical” piece of unconstitutional legislation in Bill 22 in 2012. Government officials claimed that the new legislation was constitutional because they consulted in good faith with the teachers. Griffin disagreed and concluded that the government “did not negotiate in good faith” with the teachers. “The (government’s) strategy was to put such pressure on the union that it would provoke a strike by the union. The government representatives thought this would give government the opportunity to gain political support for imposing legislation on the union.”

Whale festival strengthens Toﬁno ties, continued from Page 13

She said the alternating day format will return in 2014 but a greater focus will be put on Tofino’s evening lineup. “We’re building momentum and creating new sources of entertainment, events, and targeting a different demographic here in Tofino,” she said. “I made a personal note as a Tofitian to make sure that we would have some really strong evening events.” She said the board has come up with three solid evening events for Tofino that will include story telling, food, and marine debris education. “We’re going to be putting lots of

time, energy and effort towards these three events because I felt as a Tofitian that the whale festival didn’t have a really strong evening presence,” she said. “It was very Ukee evening dominant so I wanted to make sure we have really strong Tofitian evening events.” She said the society is hoping

to bring an event to Tofino that will match the popularity of Ucluelet’s Chowder Chowdown. “Something so significant, something that people come to the festival for and I want to make that very Tofino dominant,” she said. She thanked Tofino council for its support in previous years and noted the district has already

stepped up this year in particular Mayor Josie Osborne who has volunteered to help kickoff Saturday’s parade on March 15. The society has made a significant push towards social media marketing this year and has welcomed about 10,000 new Facebook likes since Jan. 1, according to Nichol. She said the society partnered with the Wickaninnish Inn to launch a sweepstakes that launched the festival’s social media campaign to a new level. She added that the society has received 13,000 new email subscribers and created a blog that celebrated its 700th visitor in just

21 days. While thanking council for its past and current support, Nichol asked for an additional $2,000 cash to help market the three new Tofino evening events. Council agreed to give the society $1,000 and up to $1,000 of the district’s 2013 community grant surplus. Mayor Osborne said she was blown away with the society’s online success and congratulated Nichol for the society’s successful and innovative partnership with the Wickaninnish Inn. The Westerly News is a sponsor of the festival. reporter@westerlynews.ca

Page 20 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Weeping Cedar Woman creator Godfrey Stephens recalls roots of Canada’s tallest anti-logging activist ANDREW BAILEY

Westerly News Thirty years after the massive 6.4-metres-tall Weeping Cedar Woman made her debut in Tofino, artist Godfrey Stephens said his statue represents the first real environmental protest in Tofino. “It was a monumental time in history; 5,000 people came into this sleepy little village, from freaky hippies

to diplomats.,” he recalled. Stephens lives in Victoria but visits the West Coast often. Back in 1967, he moved to Florencia Bay. “There were freaks coming in from everywhere, they heard about this wild place on the West Coast of North America, you can’t believe what it was like,” he said, recalling sitting around a campfire at Lost Shoe Creek, listening to the 1969 moon

landing on the radio. West Coasters were “rabid” in opposition when word spread in 1984 that as much as 90 per cent of Meares Island was set to be logged, according to Stephens. He had only about two weeks to create a symbol of the anti-logging vibe in time for the protest when his friend, First Nations carver Joe Martin told him of a wind-fallen cedar on

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Meares Island. “We zoomed over there in (Martin’s) speed boat dragging a dugout canoe with all the chainsaws and everything in it and we found this fabulous windfall,” he said. Rod Palm brought the cedar to Strawberry Island and Stephens traded a mask he had carved for some money and a new chainsaw—“a fantastic sharp Husqvarna”—and got to work. “Lots of people would be coming around and giving ideas,” he said. Stephens drew inspiration from ancient Roman and Greek statues as well as First Nations totem poles on the West Coast of North America to carve her long tears. Stephens took just two weeks to carve a 300 yearold Western Red Cedar into the West Coast’s tallest anti-logging activist and an iconic symbol for the 1984 protest. After the protest ended, the Weeping Cedar Woman remained at Strawberry Island until 2000 before moving to Tofino’s Whale Centre at the corner of Third and Campbell. A few years later Stephens took her to Salt Spring Island, where she rested at his daughter’s art gallery, attracting attention - but no buyers. About three weeks ago Stephens heard the district

It took two weeks to carve a 300 year-old Western Red Cedar into the West Coast’s tallest anti-logging activist and an iconic symbol for the 1984 protest. might be interested in purchasing the Weeping Cedar Woman so he brought the statue to his workshop in Victoria where he is waiting to get the go ahead before he begins preparing her for the West Coast. Stephens is seeking $30,000 for the statue. He said the statue is probably worth more than that but he wants to see his Weeping Cedar Woman retire in Tofino because of her local significance. “I’m not going to do it on my buck anymore, I’ve never had a cent from it and it’s time I got a little bit of help,” he said. “As soon as I hear for sure that it’s happening I’m going to start working with a vengeance.” He said he would not object to being paid in monthly installments, but an interest rate would need to be worked into such an agreement. Before she is placed in Tofino there is work to be done to ensure she can

withstand the weather and a solid base will need to be crafted to hold her firmly in place. The statue’s arms have been altered and made sturdier, she has been copper sheathed. Her breasts, which had been carved into animals, will be modified because he believes they took attention away from her message. “They’re a little too much in your face,” he said. “The simple message is there’s something very sad here, and the right hand is saying ‘stop right where you are’ and the left hand is pointing to the earth; consider the earth.” It is a message Stephens hopes to return to Tofino soon. “Everyone must be in constant vigilance against the vandals, against anybody who wants to log the old trees,” he said. “I know that’s unreasonable to a logger, but we are just temporary; those trees are a lot older than we are.”