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VOL. 26 NO. 27
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Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Black Rod makes historic visit By MARGARET SPEIRS
KITSUMKALUM WAS honoured with the first visit to a community of the lieutenant-governor's Black Rod last week, in a celebration of it and former Kitsumkalum chief councillor Cliff Bolton, who carved the piece of jade on the symbolic icon. “Kitsumkalum is the very first community to see the Black Rod. It has never left the legislature since it was introduced,” said former lieutenant-governor Steven Point
Oct. 9 to the crowd at Kitsumkalum Hall. Point told the story about how the Black Rod – a ceremonial baton used to knock on the door of the legislative chamber in order for the lieutenant-governor to receive permission to enter – came about. After he became B.C.'s lieutenant-governor, the sergeant-at-arms, Gary Lenz, asked if he'd like to try on the old uniform of his position. Point agreed and Lenz brought him the 40-pound jacket. He tried it on, and it fit.
He decided to wear it and became only the second provincial lieutenant governor to wear the traditional dress – the other province is Nova Scotia, he said. “When I began to wear it, I began to get noticed,” he said. “Someone asked why I would want to wear it and I said ‘it's part of our history.'” The country's history hasn't always been pleasant as it sometimes brought injustice, he said, but nevertheless it's our history. Aboriginal people have a his-
tory connecting them to the Queen through the treaty process and the lieutenant-governor was instructed to protect the aboriginal people, said Point. He also had another reason for wearing the traditional dress of the lieutenant-governor. “I said 'yes I do [want to wear the traditional dress] because I wanted to see the faces of those people who had never seen an Indian wear the lieutenant-governor's dress before,”' said Point. “People love to see our history
come alive as Canadians,” he said. Lenz also wanted to help Point bring back to B.C. the tradition of using the Black Rod. Up until then, the silver mace of the speaker was used to bring in the lieutenant governor who was the representative of the Queen. “As aboriginal people, we understand history and tradition reminds us of history in the country,” he said, adding Lenz wanted aboriginal people involved in the making of the Black Rod.
Cont’d Page A15
Northwest jobs picture brightens
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
■■ Usk ferry BILL BOREHAM was ferry man on the Usk ferry for five or six years. Here he is in 2000 with the ferry after it was retrofitted with a new design and new wheelhouse and repainted. The ferry underwent a major refit in 2012, thanks to the Ministry of Transportation, which runs the ferry. For more on the Usk ferry, which is celebrating its 100th year, see page 11.
NORTHWESTERN B.C. now has the third lowest jobless rate of any region in the province, behind only the northeast and the Kootenays, indicates data released by Statistics Canada Oct. 11. And at 5.5 per cent for September, the northwest's rate is less than the provincial average of 6.7 per cent. The jobless rate is also nearly half of Sept. 2012's 10.5 per cent and an improvement over August's 6.2 per cent. The statistics indicate the labour force in the area from the north coast to just this side of Vanderhoof in September was 43,700 people with 41,300 working and 2,400 unemployed. The labour force in September 2012 was 42,900 people with 38,400 working and 4,500 unemployed. September's figures reflect a continuing improvement in the regional economy, much different than even two years ago when the jobless percentage rate was consistently in the low and mid teens, placing the region consistently in last place. The Lower Mainland had the highest jobless rate of any region in the province in September at 7.1 per cent with the Thompson-Okanagan next at 6.8 per cent and the Cariboo following at 6.5 per cent. Vancouver Island had a jobless rate of 6.2 per cent with the northeast coming in at 4.9 per cent and Kootenays having the lowest jobless rate in the province at just 3 per cent. The northwest jobless rate is not the number of people collecting Employment Insurance. Instead it is based on interviews of people from the north coast to just this side of Vanderhoof who consider themselves as part of the workforce whether they are employed or not. That means the jobless rate can reflect how people feel about their own employment prospects. Nationally, employment was up 1.2 per cent (212,000) compared with 12 months earlier. “During this same period, however, the employment rate was little changed, as employment and the working-age population grew at a similar pace,” said Statistics Canada.
Fun fitness
What happened
Shooting steady
New program for families aimed at healthy living and not dieting \COMMUNITY A17
Search officials explain how Murray and Sabo were missed. \NEWS A5
The fourth annual Terrace Rod and Gun Club Bike Biathlon breaks records \SPORTS A26