Columbia Valley Pioneer, November 8, 2018

wPhoto by Katie Watt

Happy shoppers leave the Columbia Valley Cen tre Saturday, November 3rd with their treasures during the annual Wind ermere Valley Ski Club Ski and Gear Swap.

Photos by Dauna Ditson

Light Up celebrates start to the Christmas holiday season

By Katie Watt intern@columbiavalleypioneer.com

We all know what a night in Invermere is like: qui et, calm, and, as winter creeps around the corner, a little cold. When participants attend this year’s annual Light Up night celebration, however, they will no longer be in the Valley, but immersed in this year’s event theme: A Night at the North Pole.

On Saturday, November 17th, the event will begin at 3 p.m. While last year’s addition of a snowball drop was a success, there will be a new twist this year.

“The feedback [from local businesses] was both pos itive and negative, which were all great comments to receive. This year, I brainstormed ideas and went back to the drawing board to make this year’s Snowball Drop amazing,” said Cortney Pitts, Invermere events coordi nator.

This year, instead of having children and adults alike scramble for the prize winning ping-pong balls, there will be two separate drops.

First, a “gumball” drop will be held for children, and afterwards a mass of “snowballs” will be dropped for adults only. There is a limit of one ball per person.

On each ball will be the name of a local participating business; winners will be able to redeem their catches for

a prize or discount.

Throughout the day, local businesses such as Blackstar Studios, the Invermere Bakery, Mountain Hub, Main street Fun & Games, and Crafty Cathy’s will be holding their own activities as well. From 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., there will be a holiday market at the Columbia Valley Centre, and from 1 - 4 p.m., there will be horse-drawn carriage rides along main street.

Finally, as the sun goes down, a Night at the North Pole will truly begin! At 5:30 p.m., live band, Dos Equis, will perform at the Cenotaph, and at 6 p.m., the Santa Claus Parade will come to town. Floats from various local businesses, organizations, and individuals will flood main street from Pothole Park to Eddie Memorial Arena in a parade as bright as the North Pole constellations.

Afterwards, everyone is welcome to gather at the Cenotaph to watch the town’s lights illuminate as the holiday season is officially kicked off. Local business are encouraged to decorate their storefront windows to cel ebrate this year’s North Pole theme, and prizes will be awarded for best window display as well as parade float.

If you are interested in registering your parade float, entering the window display contest, or donating to the ball drop, contact Cortney Pitts at events@invermere.net or call 250-342-9281 ext. 1232. Parade registration clos es Friday, November 9th.

VALLEY

Enabling fish in Ben Abel Creek

By Lorene Keitch lorene@columbiavalleypioneer.com

The Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club has fixed a culvert they said was impeding the possible migration of fish through an area stream.

Abel Creek flows roughly 4.5 kilometres from its source at Paddy Ryan Lakes in Invermere to Lake Windermere, following a course down Johnston Road, across 13th Ave. then criss-crossing Walker Lane. The creek is a prime potential spawning ground for Kokanee salmon, suggests Ben Mitchell-Banks, a Rod and Gun club member with an extensive background in fisheries as a former federal fisheries officer and conserva tion officer.

The culvert was “perched,” meaning it was higher than the water level, resulting in fish being unable to reach it. Ideal spawning ground lies in the three-km stretch be tween that culvert and Paddy Ryan Lakes, according to the Rod & Gun Club.

While the work took a long time to plan, it took only a few short hours on Mon day, October 29th to complete. Nine volunteers teamed up to put in boulders along the sides to deter erosion, raise up the creek bed with rocks of varying sizes, then cover it with clean sand and gravel to seal it in. They also built a few sets of ‘stairs’, to help fish get up to the culvert. Mr. Mitchell-Banks says this should be a long-term solution for that particular culvert. As a result of the work, the water level was raised up about 40 centimetres.

“It will basically flood the bottom end of the culvert so now fish will be able to swim into it rather than have to try to jump up,” explains Mr. Mitchell-Banks.

The project cost approximately $6,000: half donated by the Kootenay Conserva tion Fund, the other half by the Rod & Gun Club.

This is not the first, nor likely the last, work for the little creek. In 2015, the local club tackled a blockage lower down on Abel Creek which was in place before the Sec ond World War, estimated nearby property owner Buzz Harmsworth at the time. Previ ous to that work, fish spawned below the barrier, in 885 metres of accessible stream. By removing the barrier, they encouraged fish to move further upstream to ample spawn ing grounds.

A month after that work was completed, the distinctive bright red salmon could be seen making their way past the removed barrier (though Mr. Mitchell-Banks says they have not been spotted by residents since that fall). However, he explains, the fish hit

another impasse in a damaged culvert where the creek crosses Johnston road.

Mr. Mitchell-Banks had requested in April that the District replace that lower cul vert. He told Council the culvert is so warped, fish are limited to the bottom silty sec tion of the creek rather than having access to the calmer waters higher up. The District undertook design/engineering work this past summer so they will have a more accurate assessment of how much it will cost, reports Mayor Gerry Taft.

“We are hoping to apply to the local conservation fund for some of the funding, and the budget for the rest of the cost to be funded out of general taxation 2019, with the work also to be completed in 2019,” says Mr. Taft.

CAO Chris Prosser says funding for its replacement will be up for discussion as part of the 2019 budget. In a previous interview with the Pioneer, Mr. Prosser reported it is expensive to replace a culvert, citing a previous culvert repair came with a $100,000 price tag.

Adding up: enrolment climbs in Windermere zone schools

By Lorene Keitch lorene@columbiavalleypioneer.com

For the fifth year in a row, Columbia Valley school enrolment is up.

Paul Carriere, Rocky Mountain School District #6 superintendent, says this is good news for Windermere zone schools (Windermere zone runs from Canal Flats to Spillimacheen). Forecasting estimates that modest growth will continue until about 2025.

“The great news is that our communities are supporting more families than has been the case in the recent past, and that has brought more students to our school system and has allowed us to increase the size and diversity of our staff,”

says Mr. Carriere.

The school district was formed more than 20 years ago; overall across the three zones (Windermere, Golden, and Kimberley) there was a trend of declining enrol ment until the 2014-15 school year.

“What was happening here mirrored a trend that was evident in many school districts. Essentially, as a result of a combination of factors, our School District like many others was faced with school closures and layoffs to manage the situation,” Mr. Carriere says.

He went on to explain that because of school closures, some of the existing schools are now feeling some space pressure.

Hydrologist Alan Bates discusses the details of the work with Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club members at the Abel Creek culvert repair site. Photo by Lorene Keitch

RCMP Report

Submitted by Sgt. Darren Kakuno Detachment Commander Columbia Valley RCMP

is past week, October 29th through November 4th the Columbia Valley RCMP responded to 60 calls for service. e following are some of the more notable les our o cers responded to.

• On Monday, October 29th at 10:30 a.m., RCMP, Fire/Rescue and ambulance paramedics responded to a single vehicle collision in the 2400 block of Kootenay Rd No 3 in Windermere after a northbound truck went o the right side of the road and collided with a telephone pole. e driver was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. e telephone pole had to be replaced as a result of the damage from the collision.

• Later the same afternoon o cers received a report of an assault at a property in the 4800 block of Stanley Street in Radium Hot Springs. A disagreement between two friends resulted in a physical ght. An adult male was arrested for assault and later released with conditions not to contact the other male.

• On Wednesday, October 31st at 1 a.m., the Invermere Fire Department reported someone had lit some tires on re in the middle of a roadway in Wilmer. e re department had extinguished the re and no further damage was reported.

• On Saturday, November 3rd at 8 p.m., an o -duty RCMP o cer observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on Athalmer Road in Invermere. Minutes later the ocer observed the vehicle parked and running at a local liquor store. e o cer called for backup and approached the vehicle to speak to the driver about his driving. While speaking with the driver he noticed a baggie with a white substance inside the car. e driver was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. e driver admitted to using cocaine prior to driving and was issued a 24-hour driving prohibition. As a result of further investigation the driver is facing a charge of tra cking a controlled substance.

• On the same evening, o cers with East Kootenay Tra c Services conducted a ve-hour road check on Fairmont Resort Road and removed four impaired drivers from our roadways. ree 90-day immediate roadside prohibitions, one 24-hour driving prohibition and ve violation tickets were issued.

Proactive human/wildlife con ict reduction

Tales from the eld

By BC Conservation O cer Sgt. Drew Milne

Recently the Conservation Ofcer Service received a handful of complaints relating to a potentially con ict bear in and around Radium Hot Springs. In order to ensure public safety and to keep that bear alive and wild, the Conservation O cer Service organized a human-wildlife attractant audit in the community with the help of WildSafeBC Coordinator ea Rodgers and Gary Burford, Radium Bylaw Enforcment o cer.

By proactively enforcing the Wildlife Act and educating the public about securing and or remov-

ing attractants (garbage, soiled recycling, fruit bearing trees/bushes, bird feeders etc.) fewer bears will be drawn into the community thus reducing con icts between bears and humans and conversely reducing the number of bears which become food conditioned and or habituated.

e audit focused on enforcement of the attractant provisions of the BC Wildlife Act through inspections of businesses and residences. Audits create helpful and important outreach opportunities with the general public as they highlight some of the roles and responsibilities of the Conservation O cer Service and WildSafeBC Coordinators.

5

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Shuswap election brings in new councillor

By Dauna Ditson reporter@columbiavalleypioneer.com

Chief Barb Cote and councillor Timothy Eugene kept their leadership positions with the Shuswap Indian Band and were joined by new councillor Mark C. omas following the band’s election on ursday, November 1st.

Mr. omas is replacing Rosalita Pascal as a councillor.

e election had a 53 per cent voter turnout with 116 voters marking their ballots.

Ms. Cote received 81 votes, putting her well ahead of her challengers Gordon (Gomez) Martin and Jeremy Stevens. Mr. Martin earned 22 votes, while Mr. Stevens collected 10.

Mr. Eugene was re-elected to council with 50 votes and followed by Mr. omas at 49 votes. e race for the two council positions was close, with Ms. Pascal trailing Mr. omas by six votes and Diana omas four votes behind her. Marlene Rose Stevens received 14 votes for

. . . ‘Proactive’ from 4

cers and WildSafe BC inspected a total of 40 businesses and residences in and around high human-wildlife con ict areas. No violation tickets for attracting dangerous wildlife were issued which could land someone a $230 ne; however, several warnings and a Dangerous Wildlife Protection Order was issued. Although not a perfect showing the statistics were fairly encouraging and Conservation

cers, Radium Bylaw and WildSafe BC

councillor.

Ms. Cote said she is “very, very happy and excited” to represent the band and wants to continue moving forward on housing, job creation, sharing dance and language with young people, getting a new water line and more.

“It’s going to be busy, but really, really good busy,” she said.

e new council’s term will last four years and will match the required term for municipal elections. (Under the previous Indian Act election system, terms ended after two years.)

Ms. Cote expects that the longer term will allow the band council to get much more work accomplished.

“It’s going to be probably busier now because you can really sink your teeth into some of it,” she said. “I just see lots more positive coming for our community... on and o reserve.”

OneFeather, a third-party service provider, managed the election. Complete voting results are available online at onefeather.ca/nations/shuswap.

like to thank all that were in compliance and or willing to get themselves into compliance as their e orts keep people safe and our bears alive and wild.

e Conservation O cer Service would also like to thank all that reported the bear’s presence to our Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline at 1-877-952-7277 (#7277 on your cell) as their complaints helped trigger the audit and kept that bear alive!

Wilmer Community Club Annual General Meeting

Wednesday, November 14th, 7 p.m., Wilmer Hall Pizza at 6:30 p.m. Everyone welcome!

Annual General Meeting

Tuesday, November 27th at 7 pm Pynelogs Cultural Centre

Including a presentation by Pat Morrow “Explore! Yukon to Uganda”

Everyone welcome ~ refreshments provided.

WINGS IS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS Information about volunteer positions can be obtained by contacting Doug Yukes at 250-342-0428 or dougyukes@telus.net

PERSPECTIVE

Remember the past, ght for the present

By Lorene Keitch lorene@columbiavalleypioneer.com

Each November 11th, we remember. We pause from the day-to-day. We step outside of our own lives. And we remember. is year marks an extra-special occassion: 100 years since Armistice, the formal agreement signed November 11th, 1918, to end the war and make peace.

ere are several victories to honour this year: 2018 marks the 65th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, the 10th anniversary of National Peacekeepers’ Day and the 100th anniversary of Canada’s Hundred Days and the Armistice.

We the living are tasked with remembering. We have the mantle of responsibility to carry the memories forward to new generations, especially as those who lived through it pass away. John Babcock was Canada’s last known First World War veteran, and he passed away in 2010. ere is literally no soldier alive today that served in the First World War. As time passes, the same will hold true for the Second World War. It is important that we tell and re-tell the stories so we do not forget.

A day of remembrance would be a sweeter day if it were not for the tragedies that still exist in the world today. ere is hatred that leads to violence. ere are sad stories and photos from around the world that tear at our hearts but not as often at our pursestrings. Corrupt governments lead their countries into battles, and other world leaders do little to stop them, or may even support them in the “best interests” of their own countries.

For those who follow world news, you have likely heard the story or seen the picture of Amal Hussain, the grossly undernourished 7-year-old in Yemen who died last week. She is this year’s ‘Alan Kurdi’, the Syrian boy who drowned in 2015 when his family was trying to reach safer shores. As a global community, we say we are outraged and that change needs to happen. But how do we ensure change is enacted? How do we remember, and demand better of our leaders, so children like Alan and Amal do not die a meaningless, senseless death?

Canada needs to stand up for peace. We as a nation need to be peacekeepers, and a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. We need to ght: not with guns, but with our words and our actions. Our ancestors fought for freedom. For those of us in the true North strong and free, we need to continue that ght for those who are not strong, or free, in the world today.

Visit www.warmuseum.ca/end-of-the- rst-worldwar/ for a comprehensive, interactive volume of information related to the end of the First World War.

Historical LensHistorical Lens

McLeod Meadows

A lovely day for a picnic likely prompted this party to make their way to McLeod Meadows in Kootenay National Park, circa 1938. Pictured are (from left) Mr. Oliver, Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Oliver, Mrs. Taylor, Mr. Dobbie, Ms. Ashworth, Mr. Ashworth, Mrs. Dobbie, and Miss Fisher. If you have more information about this or any other historical lens photo, email info@columbiavalleypioneer.com.

Photo (A 1260) courtesy Windermere District Historical Society

Misinformation on Pro Rep vote

Dear Editor:

With all due respect, it appears that the arguments against Proportional Representation expressed in the letters to the editor of the November 1st issue of this paper are based on misinformation.

e No supporters often draw attention to a few examples of governments with Proportional Representation that are not working well. Italy and Israel are two such countries but neither of these countries has a system anything similar to what is proposed for B.C. Israel, for example, has one electoral district for the entire country and nearly no threshold.

In B.C. the three proposals on the ballot all maintain the following:

• local and regional representation .

• a guarantee that no region of the province will have fewer MLAs than it does now. Rural areas will not be unfairly treated.

• a mandatory threshold of 5%, meaning that a party that gets at least 5% will receive seats based on proportionality. Parties receiving less than 5% will not be represented in the Legislature.

• an assurance that we will NOT elect extremists such as Donald Trump or Doug Ford who have 100% of the power with less than a majority of the vote.

Fair Vote Canada statistics demonstrate that “if all 15 fringe parties which ran candidates in 2017 who did not get anyone elected combined all their votes,

and added in the 31 Independent candidates plus the two labelled “no a liation”, all those votes together would still add up to only 2.52% of the total votes cast – not nearly enough to earn even one “list” seat.” Where is the danger that fringe Parties will overtake our government?

More than 90 countries around the world elect representatives using various forms of Proportional Representation. A study of elections in OECD (Organization for Economic and Cooperative Development) countries over 50 years showed there was NO DIFFERENCE in the frequency of elections between countries with Proportional Representation and those using winner-take-all systems such as rst-past-thepost. Italy, often put forward as having too many elections, had 19 elections since WWII compared with Canada with 23.

Proportional Representation builds genuine majority support for policies based on cooperation. ere would even be MLAs from di erent parties in Cabinet together. Each of the parties has ownership in all the decisions. is is important to me because there will be less chance for the phenomenon called “policy lurch,” when a new election and new government systematically cancels good work done by the previous government primarily because it was another party in power.

More than 12 studies, commissions and citizens

. . .

Dean Midyette Publisher/ Sales Manager

Amanda Nason Advertising Sales

Dauna Ditson Reporter Katie Watt Intern

Lorene Keitch Editor Steve Hubrecht Magazine Editor/ Reporter

Amanda Murray

Administrator/

Sales

Emily Rawbon

LETTERS

. . ‘Misinformation’ from 6

assemblies at both federal and provin cial levels in Canada have recommend ed moving to a system of Proportional Representation. As part of our current referendum process, the Attorney Gen eral of BC received over 88,000 sub missions (a record number) during the public engagement in 2017 and from those submissions, the three Pro Rep options on our ballot were developed. This referendum and its choices is

based in grass roots feedback.

Mr. Clovechok is “offended” by this referendum. I think he is com pelled to oppose it by the fact that he presently sits on the Opposition side of the House. It’s partisan politics, pre cisely why I am going to vote for Pro portional Representation. I applaud our government for giving us the op portunity to voice our opinions.

Luana Gillies Windermere

Tone down the rhetoric

Dear Editor:

Thanking the fallen

Dear Editor:

A Letter to the descendants of the War Vets:

On October 22nd I had the privilege of visiting the Florence American Cem etery. Interred and memorialized in the cemetery are America’s Service Men and 4 women, who died during the last phase of the Italian Campaign in Northern Italy in WWII. Angel Matos, the director of the cemetery, taught us about the campaign, and the conditions. He told us stories of some of these brave soldiers. And then he made a plea. He asked us to “…go to the grave of one of these fallen soldiers, stand in front of it, read the soldiers’ name and say thank you out loud.” He reminded us, “While freedom is priceless, it does have a price and this is it. These soldiers paid the ultimate price for our freedom.”

There are no words to describe the depth of emotion as we walked through the crosses and the Stars of David reading the names and where they were from… and saying thank you out loud. The tears ran down my face. That night in the hotel room, listening to the news of the day, I wept some more.

I invite you to take some time this week to do what Mr. Matos had asked us to do. As you look through this carefully assembled issue and the pictures that line our main street, take a minute to read the names of those who have served and say thank you out loud. Let the magnitude of their sacrifice touch you. And I would add to that one more request. I ask that we all look into our hearts and do our part in preserving the freedom that they paid for

and that we so richly enjoy.

If recent world events have taught us anything it is that freedom is fragile and needs to be fought for. Discomfort is not a reason to not speak up. Tyranny exists when good people stay silent in the face of that which is unjust. I came away from this experience recognizing the impor tance of my voice in the face of threats that threaten us all.

To the soldiers, including my father, who did not stay silent and fought for the right to speak freely, I thank you for your sacrifices. May we continue to tell your stories, honour you, and do our part to preserve that which you fought for.

Invermere

We want to hear from you

Email your letters to info@columbia valleypioneer.com. Letters for publication should be no longer than 400 words, and must include the writer’s address and phone numbers. No attachments, please. Letters

may be shortened for space requirements. We reserve the right to edit for space, clarity, civility and accuracy. Opinions expressed are those of the writer, not the Pioneer.

Do as we say, not as we do.

Mr. Clovechok (letter to editor, No vember 1st) claims the virtues of “First Past the Post” (FPTP), yet when his party selected a new leader; they used a ranked ballot and weighted point system that al lowed Andrew ‘what’s his name’ Wilkin son who came in 5th out of 6th in number of votes, and third in points (on the first ballot) to come out as the winner.

Electoral boundaries and detailed spe cifics are not decided by the premier or the governing party, there is an independent and non-partisan process for determining these details (which would only occur if the PR referendum passes). The question that needs to be considered, if the exact boundaries and details were known, would Mr. Clovechok and the BC Liberals sup port PR or would they just attack those boundaries and details as another method to oppose PR?

I find it reckless and unfortunate that inflammatory terms such as “neo-nazi” and “rigged” are being thrown around by our MLA. Is Mr. Clovechok suggesting that more then 5% of British Columbians would actually vote for a “neo-nazi” party?

Is he suggesting that Elections BC is not running the referendum properly and that there is voter fraud?

Tone down the rhetoric. Democracy is messy, and because humans are involved, no electoral system is going to be perfect. No matter how you chose to vote, please take the time to do some research, and rec ognize that if you chose not to rank the three electoral systems (the second ques tion), you are passing on your democratic right to have input, and the decision will happily be made by those who filled in their ballot.

Gerry Taft Invermere

Forgotten soldiers

Dear Editor:

Yesterday I attempted to send a letter to you through your website but have no idea whether it was transmit ted or not.  It concerned the condition of the World War I veterans’ compound in the Windermere Cemetery. Unlike the area around the cenotaph in Inver mere, this compound is sadly neglected - to the point that the metal “L” in the word “Legion” on the commemorative monument is missing entirely (see at tached picture).  Only one of the veter ans in this compound is commemorat ed through the banner program. One wonders whether that is because most of the men died quite young.  Perhaps they did not have families to remember them or perhaps they returned so dam aged that the families they did have were impoverished. Whatever their fate, it seems very sad that on the 100th anniversary of the World War I armi stice, the contribution these men made

The state of the veterans’ compound at the Windermere Cemetery has at least one res ident concerned.

Photo by Karen Taylor-Browne

to that war may be overlooked. The monument says Lest We Forget but its condition suggests that they have been forgotten.

Karen Taylor-Browne Windermere

With Deepest Gratitude, Maria Kliavkoff

Angel Matos and a tour group at the Florence American Cemetery.

Photos by Maria Kliavkoff

Training

“However that pressure is not enough for us to re quire additional buildings,” Mr. Carriere says. “The fore casting that was done during the preparation of the long term facility plan shows that modest growth will contin ue until about 2025 and then flatten and start to decline again. We will monitor our space situation closely over the few years and adjust as necessary.”

The pattern of increase since 2014 follows a provin cial trend of increases in the school-aged population, in part due to in-migration of families from other provinces due to increased economic opportunity, Mr. Carriere ex plains.

There are about 250 more students in the school system here now than in 2014. Windermere Elemen tary School (WES) has 134 full-time equivalent (FTE) students; Edgewater has 126. J. Alfred Laird Elementary has 259 while Eileen Madson Primary School has 197. David Thompson Secondary School has approximately 392, with Open Doors adding another 21.5 and Rocky Mountain Distributed Learning with 28.5 FTE.

The rise in enrolment has been noticeable at Martin Morigeau Elementary (MMES), which was hovering be tween 55 and 59 students and this year is now up at 63 students. Vice Principal Alyssan Gauthier says MMES is feeling pretty full this year with the new students, which have come primarily from other zones and districts.

Intensive French:

The intensive French Program, for students in grade 6, was moved to J.A. Laird from Windermere Elementary School for the 2017/2018 school year following public consultation and discussion. The program currently has 27 students in it; the grade 7 Enhanced French class has 23. Mr. Carriere says the move to Laird has resulted in a higher enrolment rate. The total number of students in grade 6 at WES over the next four years are approximate ly a third of the total number of grade 6 students at J.A. Laird.

visitor.

register please call 778-526-5143.

Ms. Gauthier reports that the Canal Flats K-7 school is in good shape this year, with several teachers returning from maternity leave, some exciting new partnership op portunities planned with the Columbia Lake Technology Centre, and even a new motto.

“We’ve set a new vision for the school since last year,” she reports, adding it was a collaborative effort between students, parents and staff. “Our new vision is MMES: Curiosity, community, character . . . There’s a different vision now for Canal Flats, and that fits with our vision at Morigeau, so we’re really looking forward to the future.”

“The Board’s decision to relocate the program was based primarily on the fact that WES did not have enough students in each grade to support a large enough class size to make the program viable in the coming years,” Mr. Carriere says, adding the Board also passed a resolution to enhance equity of access to the program for all students in the zone.

“The Board and Senior Staff of the District recog nize and acknowledge that this was a difficult process, in particular for parents of WES students, as the program had operated there since 2008. Ultimately the Board felt it was necessary and appropriate to move the program.”

. . . ‘Adding’ from 3

Students from Edgewater and J.A. Laird joined students at Martin Morigeau Elementary School last Friday, November 2nd for a ‘Find Your Fit’ career fair. MMES, like other schools in the Windermere zone, saw increased enrolment again this year.

Submitted photo

Students toured the Columbia Lake Technology Centre in Canal Flats last Friday, November 2nd. Submitted photo

Grizzly gab at AGM

Submitted by Wildsight

Creek Conservation Society (JCCS) and Wildsight for “Grizzly

out of Room with Clayton Lamb”, preceded by the Jumbo Creek Conservation Society’s (JCCS) Annual General Meeting. e event will take place on Tuesday, November 13th at the David ompson Secondary School Lecture eatre, with the doors opening at 7 p.m. and the presentation beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Wild and mountainous British Columbia is home to one of the largest grizzly bear populations in North America, with about 14,000 bears. But these bears face many threats, especially in the southern part of the province. Clayton Lamb is a grizzly bear researcher with the University of Alberta, based in Fernie.

“Grizzly bears in the Kootenays live in some of the most productive habitat in interior North America. Yet this habitat is often bisected by logging roads, human settlements and highways, creating a complex landscape for bears to navigate and challenging human-bear coexistence”, said Mr. Lamb. “Our research team explores grizzly bear population dynamics to uncover drivers of wildlife populations and to inform conservation action.”

“ e Jumbo Valley is a critical piece of the habitat puzzle for grizzly bears in the Columbia Mountains”, said Wildsight’s Robyn Duncan. “Mr. Lamb’s research helps us to understand how we can best support healthy grizzly populations into the future.”

e JCCS AGM will look back at the last year and provide an update on where things are currently at with the Jumbo Wild campaign.

“We are so close to ending this saga and keeping Jumbo Wild forever”, said Jim Galloway, a Director with the Jumbo Creek Conservation Society, “but it’s not done yet. It’s important for people to stay engaged - it’s been 27 years of constant pressure and we can’t stop now.”

A grizzly bear and her cubs.

Photo by Larry Tooze

Sheep, res and the forests where they belong

By Dauna Ditson reporter@columbiavalleypioneer.com

During the Radium Hot Springs Headbanger Festival that celebrates the bighorn sheep that winter in the village, presenters said it would be better if the iconic sheep lived elsewhere.

Kent Kebe, who manages Tourism Radium Hot Springs and the local chamber of commerce, told the packed crowd into the visitor information centre on Saturday, November 3rd that the reason he was passing them sheep heads and horns was “to give you an idea of the struggle they have living in a community.”

e Village and the sheep grew together as the golf course and subdivisions developed, he said, and the humans and animals became habituated to each other.

Now ten of the animals die annually in tra c accidents. One was hit by a train. Another was chased by dogs until it fell and broke its leg in a futile attempt to escape. irty years ago Mr. Kebe said it was a surprise to see a big ram walking through town. Now it’s not uncommon to nd herds on the golf course or strolling the streets.

“Fire suppression was not friendly to our sheep,” Mr. Kebe said because thick forests leave the animals vulnerable to attack and “they can’t see what’s coming at them.”

Two resource-management sta with Parks Canada –Millie Kuyer and Martin Lafontaine – spoke later on in the Ram Room at the Radium Hot Springs Centre to share why the federal government’s initial strategy to suppress wild res was a mistake.

“Fire is part of the history in this Valley... Every 20 or 25 years, a re would come in and kind of refresh the ecosystem,” said Mr. Lafontaine. “We started to realize... maybe the exclusion of re in the landscape was causing some issues.”

at’s because re suppression can leave forests vulnerable to much larger wild res and decreases the amount of open space that naturally appears within the forest ecosystem.

Now Parks Canada lights res to thin forests, and works to restore habitat to “give place for diversity, for other organisms to come into their natural state,” he said. ey take extra care when it comes to protecting species at risk – like Radium’s bighorn sheep.

Ms. Kuyer said the sheep are vulnerable to pneumonia, getting run over, loss of habitat, forest encroachment and predation.

“With the dense forest, they’re unable to perceive or evade their predators,” she said, adding that they have “pretty speci c environmental needs” and that Parks Canada wanted “to provide these animals with more of the land that they need.”

Enter Parks Canada’s restoration area near Redstreak Campground.

e project started in 2001 “to open up the canopy and reduce the fuel loads so that the res that would come through weren’t raging,” she said.

e rst controlled burn was held in 2005. e area was burned again in 2009 and 2015.

As with many of Park’s Canada’s controlled res, the federal government had more than one goal. In this project, they also wanted to create a place the bighorn sheep would be happy to call home.

“Parks is trying to create this open habitat to draw the animals away from the townsite, golf courses, the open highway corridors, rights of ways, lawns and elsewhere because those places provide that open landscape that they want and they also provide this consistent, easily-accessible forage of grass,” she said.

Shortly after the restoration work began, “the sheep started moving in, which was pretty cool,” she said. While the sheep continue to enjoy the park, they also adore gathering on the greens of e Springs course.

Mr. Kebe said that while the sheep “are using us as predator avoidance,” it would be safer for them to be in the mountains.

eir babies seem to know that too. When the new families come down from the mountains and migrate back into town, he said, “the little ones are quite skittish for about a week.”

Martin Lafontaine of Parks Canada addresses re suppression in national parks. Photo by Dauna Ditson

Photo by Justin Keitch

Hockey legend to share message of hope

By Dauna Ditson reporter@columbiavalleypioneer.com

of

being abused

became a f—ing raging, alcoholic lunatic,” he wrote in his book Playing with Fire Gerard Gregoire, a community wellness facilitator with the Akisqnuk First Nation – which is partnering with the Shuswap Indian Band, the Columbia Valley Métis Asso ciation and the Columbia Basin Trust to host the event – said people who been deeply wounded tend to self medicate.

“If people don’t deal with their trauma, more often than not – like 99 per cent of the time – it leads to addiction,” he said.

When Mr. Gregoire heard Mr. Fleury talk at a wellness summit in the spring he was so impressed that he wanted Mr. Fleury to share his message with the Valley.

“My hope is that he will inspire people to be able to talk about their trauma, their sexual abuse, as well as give them hope,” Mr. Gregoire said.

He would also like the event to increase awareness and understanding of trauma and to show those who have suffered that they too can heal.

“Sexual abuse, the trauma, the family violence, the neglect, the abandonment, all of these things if they’re not dealt with then it leads to addiction and Theo’s story really relates to life in the native communities, what it’s been like over the last hundred years... because of the history of trauma and addictions,” Mr. Gregoire said.

“Hopefully they’ll begin sharing their own stories – those who have been affected –instead of just holding onto it,” he said.

Mr. Fleury speaks about how damaging it can be to keep secrets and encourages those who have been abused to speak up.

In Playing With Fire he wrote, “I didn’t say anything and it was a very big price to pay. And every person I ever loved, they paid too.”

Mr. Fleury will give his presentation at the Columbia Valley Centre at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 13th. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome. Guests are invit

ed to stick around for autographs and pictures following the talk.

While there is no cost for the event, guests are encouraged to leave a donation to the Columbia Valley Food Bank at their grocery store.

Mr. Gregoire expects that Mr. Fleury’s talk will resonate with those who attend.

“He was very down to earth. He speaks like we do. Although he’s a trauma specialist now, he’s understandable,” Mr. Gregoire said.

Additional addiction awareness events

Everyone is also invited to attend the following events at the Akisqnuk Band Hall.

• There will be a showing of the film Indian Horse at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, No vember 14th. The film is based on the award-winning novel with the same name. It is about residential school and resilience.

• East Kootenay Addiction Services Society will host a Wellness Fair from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the band hall on Thursday, November 15th.

• On Friday, November 16th at 2 p.m. guests at the band hall will watch the doc umentary Addiction, which shows how opioid addiction affects the brain and how evidence-based treatments are saving lives.

Hockey star Theo Fleury shares his story to help others heal. Photo courtesy Theo Fleury

Out & About

Submissions must be received by the Monday prior to publication. We may only run an entry for two weeks prior to the event. Please limit your submission to 30 words. Priority is given to one-o events, so weekly events may only run occasionally.

ursday, November 8th

• 10 a.m.: Pickleball at Pineridge Courts, every ursday, Saturday and Tuesday.

• 10:30 a.m.: Stretch and Move Classes for Seniors at the Invermere Seniors Hall every ursday and Monday.

• 1:30 p.m.: Seniors Carpet Bowling at Radium Hot Springs Centre every ursday.

• 2 p.m.: Seniors Tea at the Invermere Library the 2nd and 4th ursday of every month. Tea and a light snack is provided over friendly conversation. If you would like to attend but do not have transportation, please contact the library at 250-342-6416.

• 6:30 p.m.: Texas Hold Em’ Tournament at the Invermere Legion every ursday. $35 buy in.

• 7 p.m.: Horseback Archery Club at Luxor Corrals in Spur Valley every ursday. 250-347-9048 for details.

Friday, November 9th

• 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.: Intergenerational Program between Seniors and Kindergarten children, every Friday at Invermere Seniors Hall. Seniors interested in assisting please call Madelene at 604-798-3061.

• 1 p.m.: Duplicate Bridge at Invermere Seniors Hall, $2. Every Friday and Wednesday.

• 6 p.m.: Meat Draw and 50/50 at Branch 71 Legion in Invermere. Every Friday and Saturday.

• 6 - 8 p.m.: Friday Night Dinner at the Edgewater Legion Branch #199. Adults $10, Kids $5.

• 7 p.m.: Learn to Curl at the Invermere Curling Centre every Friday October 19th to December 7th. Includes 2 hours of instruction. $25 drop in or $120 for all 6 sessions. Contact the rink at 250-342-3315 for more details or show up at 7 on Friday.

Saturday, November 10th

• 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.: Handmade Market. Local arts, crafts, baking and more. Windermere Community Hall, 4726 North. St. Windermere.

• 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.: Columbia Valley Makerspace Society presents a Repair Cafe at the Invermere Legion. Bring your broken item and they will x it - for free! Visit www.cvmakerspace.ca for more info.

• 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.: Family LEGO Club at the Invermere Library, every Saturday morning. DUPLO free play will also be out for the younger builders.

• 7:30 p.m.: Rockies Hockey plays Golden Rockets at the Eddie Mountain Arena.

Sunday, November 11th

• 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Sunday Toast and Jam, an all-ages music jam at e Base Camp in Canal Flats every Sunday.

• 10:30 a.m.: Invermere Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph.

• 12 p.m.: Cribbage at the Edgewater Legion every Sunday. Doors open 12 p.m., games start at 1 p.m.

• 1:30 p.m.: Seniors Carpet Bowling at Radium Hot Springs Centre every Sunday.

• 3:30 p.m.: Edgewater Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph, Riverview Dr. and Sinclair St.

Monday, November 12th

• 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Indoor Walking at the Columbia Valley Centre in Invermere. Every Monday (except November 12th) and Wednesday. Indoor shoes required.

• 10 a.m.: Senior Singalong Group meets every Monday at Columbia Garden Village.

• 1:30 p.m.: Carpet Bowling at Invermere Seniors Hall every Monday.

• 7 p.m.: Fairmont and District Lions Club meet the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month at the Lions Den.

• 7 p.m.: Monday Night Drum Circle at Pynelogs, led by Patrick Carrick. $10 if you bring your own drum, $15 if you don’t. Call Patrick for more info 250-409-4110.

Buying or selling?

• 7:30 p.m.: Jumbo Creek Conservation Society is holding its AGM at the DTSS theatre. e meeting will be preceded by a screening of ‘Grizzly Bears, Running Out of Room’. Everyone welcome.

• 10 p.m.: Karaoke at the Farside Pub in Fairmont every Tuesday night.

Wednesday, November 14th

• 10:30 a.m.: Seniors Chair Yoga at Invermere Seniors Hall, $2, every Wednesday.

• 11:45 a.m.: e Rotary Club of Invermere meets every Wednesday at the Rocky River Grill/Kanata Inn.

• 12:30 - 4:30 p.m.: Radium Art Guild meets every Wednesday at the Radium Library to create and share.

• 1 p.m.: e lm ‘Indian Horse’ will be shown at the Akisqnuk Bank Hall, a story about residential schools and resilience, as part of National Addictions Awareness Week.

• 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.: Happy Hands Knitting and Crocheting group meet every Wednesday at Columbia Garden Village.

• 6:30 p.m.: Wilmer Community Club AGM at the Community Hall. Pizza served at 6:30 p.m., meeting at 7 p.m.

• 7 p.m.: Play Cribbage at Invermere Seniors Hall, every Wednesday.

ursday, November 15th

• 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.: Black Press Extreme Education and Career Fair at the Ktunaxa Nation Building, 220 Cranbrook St. N. in Cranbrook.

• 12 - 1 p.m.: East Kootenay Columbia Community Investment Coop are holding a free public launch session at the Prestige Radium Hot Springs Resort.

• 2 - 4 p.m.: e Akisqnuk Bank Hall is the site of a Wellness Fair hosted by East Kootenay Addiction Services Society.

Tuesday, November 13th

• 10 a.m.: Fairmont Seniors Club meets at the Lions Den in Fairmont every Tuesday, for Games, Monthly Speakers and fun. e co ee is always on. Need a ride? Call 250-345-0106.

• 1 - 4 p.m.: Industry professionals deliver a one-day Pork Production Workshop at the Lions Hall in Invermere. Coordinated by the Kootenay and Boundary Farm Advisors and the Windermere and District Farmers Institute. Registration online at www.kbfa.ca/events or call 778-771-5851.

• 1:30 p.m.: Seniors card games at Radium Hot Springs Centre every Tuesday.

• 1:30 p.m.: Games Afternoon at Invermere Seniors Hall every Tuesday.

• 1:30 p.m.: Needles and Hooks Club at the Invermere Library every Tuesday. Bring current projects or start a new one. Refreshments will be supplied.

• 6 p.m.: the Columbia Valley Centre hosts eo Fleury, hockey legend, trauma survivor and motivational speaker who will share his message of hope as part of National Addictions Awareness Week. Admission is free with donations to the Columbia Valley Food Bank encouraged.

• 6:30 p.m.: Cinefest at Pynelogs Independent Film Series presents ‘Leave No Trace’ at 7 p.m. Cash bar and light refreshments. Tickets $12 or $11 for CV Arts Members, Kids 13 & under $5. Visit www.columbiavalleyarts.com or call 250-342-4423 for details.

• 7 p.m.: Trivia Night at Bear’s Paw Bar & Grill at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort every Tuesday. $2 entry, teams up to 6 people, winners take all.

• 6 p.m.: Craft Connections for Adults at the Invermere Library. Learn how to do the corner to corner crochet stitch. Pre-registration required. 250-342-6416.

• 6 - 7:30 p.m.: East Kootenay Columbia Community Investment Coop are holding a free public launch session at the Columbia Valley Centre in Invermere.

Invermere Library Hours

Closed Sunday and Monday, November 11th and 12th.

• Monday to Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

• Wednesday and ursday: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

• Story Time: ursday 10:30 a.m.

• Baby Goose: Monday 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Radium Hot Springs Library Hours

• Tuesday: 1 - 8 p.m.

• Wednesday and ursday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Friday: 1 - 4 p.m.

• Saturday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Story Time: Wednesday 10 a.m.

Windermere Valley Museum Hours

• Tuesday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Columbia Valley Food Bank Hours

• Tuesday and ursday: 1 - 2 p.m.

• 3rd Wednesday of the month: 5:30 - 7 p.m. by appointment only, 250-342-0850.

Summit Youth Centre Hub Hours

• Wednesday and ursday: 4 - 8 p.m.

• Friday: 2 - 10 p.m.

• Saturday: 6 - 11 p.m.

Sheep-saving mission

By Dauna Ditson reporter@columbiavalleypioneer.com

to her head, Drew Milne and Greg Kruger from the Co lumbia-Kootenay Conservation Officers Service went on a rescue mission.

was piled high with gear as they headed for the ewe’s last-known location – the third green at The Springs course.

At the Radium Hot Springs golf course, Mr. Milne and Mr. Kruger traded their truck for a pair of golf carts and met up with Kent Kebe, who manages the Radium Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Informa tion Centre. Mr. Kebe showed the conservation officers a video clip of an ewe with a basket hooked over her face like a muzzle and stuck behind her horns.

Once the rescuers knew what they were looking for, all three hit the greens.

“We’re looking to find her, to immobilize her and – if we can – take it off,” said Mr. Milne.

“If she’s got it on, she can’t eat,” Mr. Kruger said, add ing that the ewe could be “in real trouble.”

Although staff at the course said they hadn’t seen the ewe, the rescuers remained hopeful.

Last year they completed a similar mission, relieving another golf-course ewe of a length of chicken wire that was stuck to her head.

“It’s the metals they can’t get off,” Mr. Milne explained.

Unlike chicken wire, fabric can eventually rot off an animal, and sometimes a creature can tear itself free of clothing or twine when the material gets snagged on a branch.

“These animals are incredibly tough. If it’s going to suffer and starve to death, that’s when we’re going to get involved,” he said, adding that conservation officers will also race to the rescue to protect against conflict between humans and wildlife.

“We do what we do until it gets to a point where na ture will take its course,” Mr. Kruger said.

The ewe wasn’t in the first group of bighorn sheep that enjoy wintering on the course, but two rams gave the group another sight worth seeing as they clashed horns.

Cruising the length of the course and heading around sand and water obstacles, the rescuers found many sheep, some deer and even a house cat but saw no sign of an an imal in distress.

They did, however, see an ewe with marks on her face and neck that looked like she might have been recently

COs Drew Milne and Greg Kruger, alongside Kent Kebe, hunt for an ewe in a potentially problematic situation. One sheep (below left) appeared to have markings consistent with a metal basket.

Photos by Dauna Ditson

freed from an ill-fitting face mask. She rested peacefully on the grass beside a sprawled-out companion and about a dozen friends.

The rescue team kept a respectful distance but checked out her markings with their binoculars. She had a parallel set of dents under her eye and other marks that could have come from an unpleasant squishing.

Not convinced that the ewe was the one they sought, the team continued their lap around the course but found no further evidence of a sheep dressed in a tomato-basket Halloween costume.

“Hopefully she has it off. That would be the best-case scenario really,” Mr. Milne said as he steered his golf cart back toward the shop.

In case the basket-headed ewe is still on the loose, anyone who spots her is encouraged to call the Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline at 1-877-952-7277 to set off a second search.

New Kootenay-focused investment fund seeks members

By Laura Baziuk Black Press

Two new investment funds aimed at boosting local economies in the Kootenays are looking for members.

Members of the East Kootenay Columbia Community Investment Co-op and the West Kootenay Boundary Community Investment Co-op have been working for much the past year on a business plan and incorporation documents.

ey aim to pool their investments to support local projects such as a ordable housing, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and food production, small business development, technology, and community economic development.

“We are seeking individual and corporate investors who wish to diversify a portion of their investment portfolios locally, and who want to make an impact in the communities where they live,” said Eden Yesh, manager of the Invermere branch of Kootenay Employment Services and the fund’s project manager.

In 2015, those who led tax returns in the East and West Kootenay invested more than $90 million and $60 million, respectively, into RRSPs – all of which left the region, the funds’ organizers said in a news release

on Monday.

If just ve person of those investments were redirected into local business nancing, that would mean $4.5 million per year in the east and $3 million in the west in direct economic development stimulus, they said.

Free public launch sessions are scheduled from November 9th to December 14th in Invermere, Radium, Sparwood, Fernie, Cranbrook, Kimberley, Golden, Revelstoke, Grand Forks, Trail, Castlegar, Nelson, Silverton, Nakusp and Kaslo.

Membership is open to individuals, corporations, governments and First Nations.

To apply or get more information on a launch session, go to www.EastKootenayColumbia.com or www. WKBInvestmentCoop.com.

Local sessions:

• ursday, November 15th in Radium Hot Springs, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. - Prestige Radium Hot Springs Resort, 7493 Main Street W ursday, November 15th in Invermere from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Columbia Valley Centre, 646 - 4th Street

Seniors

Hwy

Photos by Justin Keitch

Remembrance

Invermere remembers

Submitted by Jerry Meadows Royal Canadian Legion

Royal Canadian Legion was born from the ashes of the First World War. As Canada’s largest veteran’s organization and in partnership with Veterans A airs Canada, we have been handed the torch of Remembrance by our founders to hold high and to never forget the sacrices made in the name of Canada and for Canadians.

All Wars left an indelible impression on Canada.

619,636 Canadians enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the war, and approximately 424,000 served overseas. Close to 66,000 Canadians were killed during the war, another 172,000 were wounded. Many more returned home broken in mind and body. No reliable method existed for tracking or treating psychological casualties, but authorities identied over 9,000 Canadians as su ering from “shell shock”. (https://www.warmuseum.ca/ rstworldwar/history/after-the-war/legacy/)

On 11 November 2018, 100 years will have passed

since the signing of the armistice that o cially ended WWI. As a tribute to all Canadians that served in this horri c struggle, we have produced a program of Remembrance for those from that era. We hope that all Canadians will stop, remember, and feel, if only for the “2 Minutes of Silence”, the joy that peace brought after so much death and destruction.

We will start early on November 11th. At 6 a.m. at the cenotaph, our Piper, Peter Jansen, will start the day playing Battle’s O’er, part of a worldwide Tribute by Pipers.

e Invermere Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph starting at 10:45 a.m. will pay special tribute to the Canadians who served during that time. e Two Minutes of Silence will be observed at 11 a.m. followed by laying of wreaths. During this time a bell shall toll 100 times.

At 5:04 p.m, which marks the going down of the sun, church and school bells throughout the valley will toll 100 times thereby participating in “ e Bells of Peace”, a worldwide initiative to Remember all those who served in the First World War.

Edgewater remembers

By Lorene Keitch lorene@columbiavalleypioneer.com

Residents gather together each November 11th across the country to commemorate, to remember, to pay their respects to those who fought for our freedoms. e upper Columbia Valley joins the swell of the solemn with an annual Remembrance Day ceremony.

Hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #199, which covers Spillimacheen to Dry Gulch, the service will include a parade to the Edgewater Cenotaph, ceremony, and a dinner afterwards at the Edgewater Legion.

Noreen Madden, Branch #199 president, says the parade will leave the legion at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 11th, with the ceremony at the Cenotaph at 4 p.m. She invites everyone to attend the community’s ceremony to pay their respects.

“It’s a well-attended service for our little community,” says Ms. Madden. “It supports our veter-

ans and their families.”

2018 is a signi cant year of remembrance as it marks 100 years since the Armistice, the end of hostilities in the First World War. Alongside this year’s service, area Cadets will be laying Canadian ags on the graves of First World War veterans at the Edgewater cemetery.

At 5:04 p.m., as the sun sets, Edgewater will join in the cross-country ringing of the bells of peace: 100 bell tolls for each year that has passed since the First World War ended.

e dinner afterwards is always a great social gathering, Ms. Madden says, noting it is open to the whole community, not just Legion members. Cocktails start at 5 p.m., with entertainment by the Lost Bells. Dinner is at 6 p.m., featuring barbecue ribs, fried chicken, sides and dessert. Tickets are $18; kids are $9; children under 5 are free. Reservations are required; call 250-347-9616.

e Cenotaph is located at the intersection of Riverview Drive and Sinclair Street.

Remembrance

Remembering the sacri ce

By Steve Hubrecht steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com

Each year on Remembrance Day in Invermere the heads of local Columbia Valley veterans are solemnly capped with Canadian forces berets in familiar shades of green, blue and black. But during the laying of the wreathes, astute observers will have noticed, one gentleman comes forward not in a beret, but in a tall, widebrimmed hat.

e hat is a slouch hat, standard issue for all Australian military personnel, and its wearer is John Wood, a Canadian resident for decades, but Australian by birth, and a Vietnam veteran by service.

“ e hat, yes, every Australian soldier gets one. And mine is one of the only things I got back from Vietnam,” says Mr. Wood. “ at and there was a 40-ounce bottle of Crown Royal they sent back to my sister, which she still has and has never opened.”

e hat may be unfamiliar to many Invermere residents, but then so too is Australia’s participation in the Vietnam War (Australia was one of six countries to send troops to ght on the side of the South Vietnamese). Mr. Wood served in Vietnam with the Royal Australian Engineers Corps. Although it was the Vietnam War that cemented the extremely trying conditions associated with dense tropical rainforest warfare in the minds of most Canadians, the Royal Australian Engineers — as a corps — had already been deployed in similar environments

in New Guinea and other Paci c islands, as well as in what is now Indonesia and Malaysia, during the Second World War; during the Malayan Emergency in 1950s; and during the Borneo Confrontation in the mid 1960s.

For Mr. Wood, the war was a long time ago, and although he doesn’t like to dwell too much on the past, it’s not something to forget either. When he does think back to those days, his thoughts are often mixed.

“I want to make clear that it certainly was not glamourous,” he told the Pioneer. “ e average person really does not know what went on over there. It was quite intense.”

Mr. Wood is not keen to go into the often-gory details of the war, but did say that some of the Vietnam movies of recent decades “are actually pretty accurate. Not Rambo, of course, but some of the others are. It really was pretty crazy what went on there.”

e equipment and artillery being used in the war, for instance, was often more powerfully destructive than what had ever been used previously – helicopter gunships capable of stra ng the ground with a bullet every eight inches; F-4 Phantom ghter jets (with speeds faster than 2,000 kilometres per hour) dropping napalm bombs; and warships able to shoot artillery up to 25 kilometres.

Soldiers on the ground were often in thick forest, barely able to see more than 10 metres in any direction, and under constant threat of setting o fatal booby traps or drawing re from unseen enemies. Mr. Wood’s service

on following page . . .

While John Wood wrestled with looking back on his time in the service, he now attends Remembrance Day services to commemorate those he served with so many years ago. File photo

was hair-raising, your nerves were always almost shot. It was sweltering, dark and full of (under) growth. Every time you touched a tree (in the D8) you didn’t know if it was going to blow up (as a booby trap) or not,” said Mr. Wood. “When you were on foot on the ground, with each step you’re not sure if you’re going to trigger an explosive, or if somebody was hiding behind each bush, or if that odd coloured patch of ground was some other kind of trap.”

Eventually Mr. Wood did get caught in just such a trap.

“I ran over some high explosives and it blew the D8 to pieces. But by some miracle, I got out of it,” he said, although he did su er severe burns on his face, coming back to Australia in a Medevac plane after 181 days overseas, and spending the rest of his service in a hospital.

Overlaying the actual war experience of Australian soldiers in Vietnam was the social and political context of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

“I remember walking o a Qantas plane (upon rst landing in Vietnam in 1969), looking around, seeing the people looking at us and thinking ‘they’re not too happy to see us.’ Eventually I came to realize that it (the war) was all about politics and money. It wasn’t just me, there was a general feeling among all the guys (soldiers). We were all sold out and we knew it,” he says. “When we got back to Australia, it was a di cult transition to come out of the situation we had been in and then go back to civilian life. e public was not happy with us. e feeling in Australia was that they didn’t want the troops there (in Vietnam), they didn’t like what they saw happening there, and we (returned soldiers) tended to take the brunt of that.”

Military service for young Australian men was man-

datory during the Vietnam War years (“we had no choice, we were drafted” said Mr. Wood), and many veterans returning from Vietnam were just 21 — making them barely old enough, at that time, to vote or go into a bar in Australia. Such was the anti-war sentiment in Australia, that some returning vets found it di cult to get jobs.

It was this situation that, in part, spurred Mr. Wood to leave Australia in 1971, coming to Canada, landing rst in Vancouver, before moving to Cranbrook (where he met his wife) and then eventually Fairmont Hot Springs. oughts of Vietnam receded into the past.

“For the rst 20 years or so after Vietnam, I blanked it all out of my mind, totally,” he said.

But the di cult circumstances of the war created a strong sense of camaraderie among the Australian soldiers serving there, and now when Mr. Wood is back visiting Australia he sees old friends from Vietnam, “and we talk about it, the way old men do.”

Just as Mr. Wood is not the type to dwell in the past, nor is he the type to hold grudges.

“I don’t harbour any bitterness about it. Not toward the Vietnamese or the Australian government or anybody else,” he says.

After two decades of ‘blanking out’ the war, Mr. Wood is now a regular xture at Invermere’s Remembrance Day. He won’t be there this year — he and his wife are heading south in their camper. But he’ll have his medals and slouch hat in the camper, and if they happen to be near a town on November 11th, he’ll put them on and attend the local Remembrance Day ceremony. e occasion has always been set aside as a day to remember the sacri ce of those who have lost their lives in war. And Mr. Wood is only too well acquainted with what that sacri ce entails.

When he lays his wreath each year — be it here in Invermere or in a town south of the border — he thinks of his grandfather who came back from the First World War in France forever altered. He thinks of the generation of Royal Australian Engineers who lost their lives in New Guinea and the Paci c in the Second World War. And he thinks of his friends who never came back from Vietnam.

John Wood stands in a row of veterans during a past Remembrance Day service in Invermere. File photos

Remembrance

Saluting the soldiers

By Wayne Stetski, Member of Parliament, Kootenay-Columbia

By Doug Clovechok, Member of the Legislative Assembly Columbia River – Revelstoke

Remembrance Day, Canadians honour the bravery,

and sacri ce of those who gave their lives in

our country. We remember more than 100,000

women who gave their lives in two World Wars, in Korea, in places like southern Afghanistan and in peacekeeping missions around the world. We also salute our veterans and the brave men and women in uniform who have served our country in times of war, military con ict and in peace, upholding the freedoms and values we cherish as Canadians.

Let us re ect, too, on those who returned from war but were forever changed. Moreover, let our re ections translate into tomorrow’s concrete actions. e transition from military to civilian life can be di cult and can come with great challenges. e road to healing is not a seamless one. We must listen to our veterans and their families to ensure that they receive the support, care, and recognition they need and deserve. As Canadians, we must honour our profound obligation to these brave men and women.

Remembrance Day can be both painful and precious. It is the tie that binds us to our past, ensuring that history’s lessons can prepare us for future challenges. And history teaches us that the courage of our veterans laid a foundation for the open society we cherish today. Let us honour them and their sacri ce, and not glorify the war.

It is often said that Canada came of age at war. It is just as true, however, that Canada went on to grow and develop as a force for international peace.

Let us not forget this, nor forget why we fought, and hopefully why we are ghting: to build a more just and peaceful world.

Lest we forget…

As the MLA for Columbia River – Revelstoke, it is my honour to once again make a statement in recognition of Remembrance Day. It is our duty to hold in high regard the day of November 11th. We must remember that it’s not just another day o from work or school, it is a day to re ect and remember that the wonderful life we enjoy today did not come for free. We must remind ourselves of the price that was paid for our freedom so that we can truly appreciate the importance of our democracy.

When we look at the con icts across the globe today, we are reminded of how many families are dreaming for the life that we have; to be able to let their children go to school and play safely in their homes and neighbourhoods. We cannot take this for granted.

We must never forget the men and women who left their families behind during those treacherous times of war, to stand up for what we enjoy today. We as Canadians and British Columbians have the freedom to exchange ideas, to practice our faiths, and to speak freely because of the bravery and courage that was, and is still being displayed.

ink of our Canadian Armed Forces who are serving both here at home and scattered across the globe. A life of service is a life of purpose, and we thank you for choosing to dedicate your lives to our great nation.

To honour those who have served and continue to serve, keep the goal of peace in the forefront of all that we do when we exchange with friends, family, and strangers. It is the way of life in rural B.C., and for this I am eternally grateful.

Lest we forget.

Curator’s Corner

By J.D. Je ery Museum Curator

2014 the museum had a display “ e

the First World War in the Windermere Valley”;

mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.  is month now marks

of that war.

of the display created by Alex Weller:

of the Armistice reached Canada and the Windermere Valley on November 7th, 1918. In communities throughout the valley huge bon res were set and there was “general jubilation over coming peace.”

the actual peace treaty was signed on November 11, news was met with relief.

“ ere were no celebrations locally this time beyond raising ags and all very joyful.”

In British Columbia alone, there were 6,225 dead by the end of the war and over 13,000 wounded. Of those whose names the Museum has been able to collect, 32 died in service. In total, 51,678 Canadians were killed inaction or died of wounds through the war.

Immediately following the war, citizens felt that commemoration should begin. Towns and cities in every region

erected monuments for the fallen during the interwar period. In Invermere, the original Cenotaph was erected in 1925. Its appearance and location have changed, but there are currently 27 men listed on the monument downtown.

Poppies were originally introduced in 1921 to fundraise for French and Belgium war orphans, with funds from their sale later being use for pension claimants.  ey remain a major fundraising source for the Royal Canadian Legion and the programs and services they provide for veterans.

Since our display, the museum has been able to locate a few more people who served and continue to look today. At the beginning of the search it was unknown how many people even served. But a document was located that answered this question. Prepared by the Windermere District Rehabilitation Council in 1945 it stated the following: “ e years 1914 – 1918 were tragic indeed for the Windermere District. Not only did 233 men join the forces, 28 of their names being today engraved on the local Cenotaph, but many of their families returned to the United Kingdom, their farms and homes being left derelict.”

Cadets stand guard over the Cenotaph in downtown Invermere at a Remembrance Day ceremony, while wreaths bloom around the touchstone to our past. File photo

Nordic club glides into new ski season

By Lorene Keitch lorene@columbiavalleypioneer.com

The Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club is preparing for another exciting ski season and invites the community to come along for the glide.

The club launches the 2018/19 season next Thursday, November 15th with a world-class special guest. Two-time Olympic speed skater Ingrid Liepa attended the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in 1994 and then Nagano four years later for long track speed skating. Her story begins with a surprise late-entry into the world of speed skat ing, beginning to speed skate just for fun at the age of 24. Two and a half years later she qualified for Canada’s 1994 Olympic team. Ms. Liepa spent six years on the national and World Cup circuit team, competed in four World Championships and two Olym pics.

Cam Gillies, Skill Development Coordinator with the Toby Creek Nordic Club, invites anyone in the community who is interested to come and listen to her presen tation. He says youth, especially those involved in sports, will likely enjoy her talk and walk away inspired to push more in their own respective sports. Ms. Liepa will be the guest of honour at the event, which includes the nordic club’s AGM.

The 2018/19 season is like a well-groomed trail for the club: the dedicated club members have figured out some key components to making the club operate well over many years of practice, says Mr. Gillies. One is having their head coach, Ted Bigelow, stay on. That consistency has helped build up the number of kids staying year after year, especially with older club members looking to build on their skills season after season.

“We’re growing every year, with a really good retention of kids sticking around,” reports Mr. Gillies.

They have a dedicated team of volunteer coaches, all of which are nationally certi fied, training up the next generation of cross country skiers in the Valley.

The club sees great benefit in stockpiling nordic gear for rent, making it a far more

SHUSWAP INDIAN BAND

3A – 492 ARROW ROAD, INVERMERE, BC V0A 1K2

TEL: 250-341-3678 • FAX: 250-341-3683 www.ShuswapBand.net

NOTICE OF TRESPASS

NO.

The

Pursuant

Residents,

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Under

(s.

Furthermore, the Land Code

KINBASKET

3A – 492

that

in the

registered in the First

Register, absent which they will not be enforceable (s. 28). As a result, “buckshee leases” (leases which have not followed the appropriate procedures set out in the Land Code and which have not been registered accordingly) are not enforceable and are strongly discouraged by the Shuswap Indian Band.

Finally, we note that pursuant to the Land Code, Shuswap Indian Band has the right to make laws on a variety of land related matters which may impact on the property to be purchased.

Given this, we ask that all potential buyers or sellers of property on Reserve be aware of the Land Code authority. We further ask that you direct all interested in purchasing property on the Reserve to make an appointment with the Shuswap Indian Band Lands Department to discuss these matters at (250) 341-3678 (Ext. #1014), or landclerk@shuswapband.net. Obtain a copy at the Administration Officer or download from: www. shuswapband.net/images/_pdfs/LandCode.pdf.

affordable winter activity for families. The club bought its first set of rental gear around 2010 at a time when there were about 10 kids in the program. Now eight years later, they have more than 60 kids in the program from ages 3-16.

The Toby Creek Nordic Club is always open to new members, who can join at any skill and interest level. It is more about the desire than the skills, comments Mr. Gillies.

KINBASKET WATER & SEWER COMPANY LTD.

SHUSWAP INDIAN BAND

3A – 492 ARROW ROAD, INVERMERE, BC V0A 1K2

TEL: 250-341-3678 • FAX: 250-341-3683 www.ShuswapBand.net

NOTICE OF WATER TARIFF AUTHORITY

Notice is hereby given that

The Tariff is available

viewing at the

and Sewer

of the

Ltd. has adopted a

June 26,

at Shuswap

Band’s

NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX AUTHORITY

(BCAA) to assess real property. BCAA uses the guidelines set out in the Shuswap Indian Band’s Assessment Law.

Properties are assessed at actual value as of July 1 of the year during which the assessment roll is completed. The value is determined, considering the physical condition and permitted use of the property, on October 31 (December 31 for manufactured homes).

If you are considering purchasing or leasing property on the Reserve, please contact the Shuswap Indian Band Property Taxation Department to discuss these matters, and other matters related to the taxation of property interests on the Reserve.

The Taxation Department can be reached at (250) 341-3678 (Ext. 1003), or by email at: dof@shuswapband.net between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Toby Creek Nordic Club hosted a Teck Regional Snow Camp in November 2017 at Panora ma Mountain Resort.

File photo by Cam Gillies

“We’d love to see more kids skiing.

want them to be able to ski now and ski for life,” says Mr. Gillies.

The nordic club will even have some international students this year who have never been on skis before. So literally, any one interested between the ages of 3 and 16 is welcome to come try it out. But it is up to the students themselves for how much they want to put into the club; for some, they want to take part in a couple fun events and the local loppet at Nipika Mountain Resort. Others travel for races throughout the season.

“There’s a whole gradient of engage ment,” says Mr. Gillies.

So why the passion to get kids on skis?

“It’s a really great activity for kids,” comments Mr. Gillies. “It’s good in terms of building them as people: building their self-esteem and having success on the snow or in fun competitions.”

For Mr. Gillies personally, it’s a matter of paying it forward.

“There were lots of adults that put a ton of energy into my outdoor activities as a kid and that’s very much a part of who I

am now,” says Mr. Gillies. “I’m happy to put energy in to create a really great expe rience for these kids.”

Whiteway:

The Whiteway, Lake Windermere’s winter gem, is operated and maintained by the Toby Creek Nordic Club. An an nual membership to the club ($60 for an individual, $140 for a family pass) gets you access to the Whiteway as well as the trails on Lake Lillian, as well as discount ed ticket prices for the best of the Banff film festival that comes to Invermere ev ery year. Membership rates go up after the AGM November 15, so buy soon to avoid the price hike.

Mr. Gillies says for those who are cu rious why it costs to use the Whiteway, he explains the 30-km long trail system is op erated by the nordic club, which puts in a great deal of money to build and maintain the system.

“Because it’s run by our club, we charge the day-use fees to try and recover some of those costs,” he explains.

To buy your annual membership or to learn more about the Toby Creek Nor dic Club, visit www.tobycreeknordic.com.

Grade 4/5 snow pass

Canadian Ski Council

If planning winter fun is on your agenda the Canadian Ski Council (CSC) has you covered with the best deal to get your child on the ski hill this winter! Celebrating its 21st sea son, the Grade 4 and 5 SnowPass lets kids ski and snowboard three times at participating ski areas for only $29.95. Don’t hold off on starting your winter gift purchases, this opportunity is ideal for families who love winter.

Skiing and snowboarding are both fantastic ways to get out and enjoy the coming season. Give your child the chance to fall in love with real Ca nadian winter sports! As soon as you get them on snow, they’ll be hooked. In fact, this program has introduced nearly 650,000+ children to the sport!

Where else can you spend $29.95 and keep your child busy and active all winter long? The CSC’s SnowPass is valid from December 1st until the end of the season. If your child is in

grade 4, their SnowPass is good until the end of grade 5, so it can be used over a two-year period. The SnowPass includes three lift passes for each of the 150+ ski areas that are participating all across Canada, including Panorama Mountain Resort and Fairmont Hot Springs Resort.

Canada’s Healthy guidelines for 9 and 10-year olds suggest being active for at least 60 minutes daily to enjoy the benefits of improved health, self-es teem, fitness and overall mental health and happiness. The Grade 4 and 5 SnowPass will get your kids out the door and into a fresh winter activity.

Apply online at https://www.ski canada.org/grade-4-5-snowpass/

After that the steps to get your child skiing or snowboarding are sim ple. Bring the SnowPass to the tick et window of your participating ski area. The attendant will swipe your card, using 1 of 3 available lift tickets for that ski area. Jump on the lift and go!

Belcher, Rita Marie

1930

It is with great sorrow that the family of Rita Marie Belcher announce her passing

Friday, October 26, 2018 in Cranbrook, British Columbia at 88 years of age.

Rita was born in Legal, Alberta on January 11, 1930 and moved to Columbia Lake from Legal in 1946 with her husband, Bob. They built Belmont Motel and Cafe where they lived, worked and raised their family of 7 children. Rita worked and ran the Belmont Motel and Cafe where she made her famous apple pies that were loved by all. She cut Christmas trees in the fall of the year, when she would have a little competition with Bob to see who would cut the most amount of trees (and occasionally won). She raised a large garden and had many assorted farm animals, pigs, cattle and chickens. She participated in community activities in Canal Flats, served as a Boy Scout leader and was a member of the Ladies Lions Club. Rita and Bob attended most of the local community dances where many watched as they showed their skill and love of dancing together. In 1981, she moved to Marysville with her husband Bob and son Walter. There she worked for the Kimberley School District in the Custodial Department until retirement. In 1992, Rita and Bob moved to Cranbrook where they resided with their son Walter until March 2009 when she became a resident of Joseph Creek Village and resided there for the remainder of her life. Rita loved gardening, animals of all kinds, golfing, knitting, bingo, cards, most of all she loved baking and cooking for the family gatherings. She was at her happiest when she had a packed house with all the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she truly loved her family with all her heart.

Rita is survived by her children: Susie (Marvin) Bond, Jim (Faye) Belcher, Eva (Steve) Bayley, John (Rita) Belcher, Patty (Glen) Bell, George (Maria) Belcher; 16 grandchildren and 26 greatgrandchildren; her sister Estelle Bachand, and brother Robert Julien of Prince George, British Columbia.

She was predeceased by the love of her life of 64 years, her husband Bob, her son Walter; her parents Melina and Ray mond Julien and sisters Alma, Edna, Mona, Rachel and brothers Charlie and Eugene.

A Memorial Tea in honour of Rita’s life was held on Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 at McPherson Funeral Home in Cranbrook. Those wishing to make a memorial contribution in honour of Rita may do so to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements entrusted to McPherson Funeral Service. Condolences for the family can be offered at www.mcphersonfh.com

Babich, Steven Stanly

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Steven Stanly “Stan” Babich after a short battle with cancer at the age of 63 years on October 20th, 2018.

Friendly to all, he was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking, hunting, and fishing.

Stan will be fondly remembered by his sons Jared (Michelle), and Jeff (Amy), and his siblings David, Margaret, Geri and Alex. He will be missed by his 4 grandchildren Hollis, Nora, Sully, and Elle.

A memorial service in memory of Stan will be held on November 10th at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 2200 3rd St S, Cranbrook BC.

Those who so desire may make donations to the Canadian Mental Health Association.

•

CHEERS & JEERS

Cheers to Paul and Rick for hauling a large load to the dump from my house.

Cheers to Richard at K-5 for putting up with me even when I change my mind about what I want to do with my tires.

Cheers to Jennifer and staff at the Blue Dog Cafe! November 1st is the 20th anniversary of Jennifer owning the Blue Dog and its success is all you! Congratulations Jennifer on having the best restaurant in the valley, you deserve it!

CHEERS to Jaye Milley for helping with my technical issues. You are so wise and gifted! You go above and beyond to help so many people! We all appreciate you!

Cheers to parents who teach their children to be polite and use their manners on Halloween. Jeers to rude and greedy trick or treaters.

Huge Cheers to the “Sundown Uppers” for coming out and playing some great tunes at the Edgewater Legion Oct. 26. Good times! Cheers to the Community for coming out and supporting our Branch and the Band! Also Big Cheers to the Volunteers who are always willing to jump in and Help. You are appreciated!

Huge Cheers go out to Lindsey Rouleau and The Windermere Fire Dept. and their wives for a totally spectacular Haunted House. The time and energy you put into it was greatly appreciated for it was awesome.

Cheers to Lorene Keitch for her words regarding not publishing details of the horrific accident which took 2 of our own and seriously injured a third. The Pioneer has earned my respect for honouring the families. Small town kindness at its best!

Je erson, Jayden Bryan

April 27, 1998 – October 22, 2018

It is with very heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Jayden Bryan Je erson on October 22, 2018 at the age of 20. He was taken from us too soon, a er experiencing complications related to injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident on October 16.

Jayden was born April 27, 1998 in Invermere, B.C. to parents Kim Green and Jon Je erson and big brother Cory Archer who was so keen to take care of his “little” brother. Jay spent his rst few years growing up in Windermere, where he explored the gardens of his great grandparents and loved the visits to Grandpa Bryan’s shop with Dad. But nothing would make him more proud than welcoming and taking care of his little brother Jagar in 2002. All three brothers shared an inspirational bond fostered by the love of an amazing family.

Jayden was a graduate of DTSS in 2016, and was working to support the family businesses and was keen to go to the College of the Rockies for his Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) in the near future. He was also looking forward to the adventures ahead with girlfriend Morgan Odland and their new puppy Echo.

e beauty of the Columbia Valley provided a playground for Jayden. He loved to dirt bike, skidoo, go boating, but most of all he had a passion for hockey. Jayden grew up playing minor hockey in the valley, and from the age of three when he grew his “rocky hair” mullet, he was going to play on the Columbia Valley Rockies. Jayden achieved that dream, and was proud of his time spent with the team from 20152017.

Jayden will be greatly missed by his family, Kim, Jon, Cory and Jagar. His extended family, Uncle Gord Green, Aunty Pam Green, Aunt Janet Je erson, Grandma Rose Green and many more extended family members, dear friends and anyone who had the chance to experience the laughter and kindness of this ne young man. He was predeceased by Grandparents Bryan and Sheila Je erson, Papa Roy Green, and Uncle Kevin Green.

Jayden’s family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to all rst responders, the medical team at IDH, STARS air ambulance, and the medical sta at Foothills Hospital. As well as the community who have sent prayers and support during this di cult time.

A Celebration of Jayden’s life will be held at a future date. In lieu of owers, or otherwise desired donations may be made to a trust account for Morgan Odland and the late Jayden Je erson at Invermere Kootenay Savings Credit Union.

Cheers, well actually more than that- heart felt gratitude to Heather Fischbuch for who you are; your exceptional care; professional, diverse expertise in massage, aroma therapy, nutrition and Traditional Chinese medicine. My body and soul are very grateful. Welcome home. See you at your clinic at the Hub.

Cheers to Selkirk Cellular - Jaye, Shelli, Heath and Russell (and Barb before your retirement) Your grand program reduces my phone and computer fears to pitiful little whimpers - ha ha, take that technology! My Senior brain rules.

Cheers to Xavier, Edie, Kenny, Doug, Nicole, Vi and anyone else that went above and beyond with Halloween decorations in Edgewater. The little ones LOVED it.

CHEERS

Sponsored by

CHEERS & JEERS

Cheers to Kate and Kelly, Base Camp Cafe in Canal Flats. You are good people. Haven’t been there yet? Give yourself a treatwell worth the drive - great fun, super food. See you at the Sunday morning open jam session.

Cheers to the kind and thought ful soul who notified the post office after I mindlessly left my mail key (with other important keys on the same key chain) dangling in my Windermere mail box on the morning of Fri day, October 26. A huge Cheers to the Canada Post personnel who drove to Windermere and turned my keys into the Inver mere Post Office. Cheers to Daria too for helping me on the phone when I called. Good people in this valley!

Jeers to the person who said Jeers to audio book listeners - shame on you. You might be lucky to be able to read without issue, but not everyone has that ability or privilege. Do not shame people for enjoying a book or saying that they read it in the way that works for them.

Cheers to Handyman Jeff for taking on all jobs; big and small. He helped protect our new hardwood floor by affixing felt to all of our living room and dining room furniture. More than 64 legs!

Cheers to Geoff Tripp for his creative craftsmanship during our recent flooring reno. If you’re looking for a local, reliable and professional flooring specialist, call Top Floor Tile & Hardwood.

Cheers to the ombudsperson who will take the time and willing to help when Village office will not answer questions why bylaws are not enforced leaving empty lots overgrown and fire hazards putting community at risk.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Al-Anon. Are you concerned about or affected by someone else’s drinking? If so, please join us. Al-Anon meets EVERY Monday in Invermere at 7:15 p.m., at the Canadian Martyrs Catholic Church, 712 – 12th Ave (behind the Invermere hospital). For information, please call 250342-8255.

ANNOUNCMENT

Alcoholics Anonymous. If alcohol is causing problems or conflict in your life, AA can help. All meetings are at 8 p.m. For more information, please call 250342-2424. Columbia United AA, Invermere: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at the BC Service Building, South End –624 4th St., Invermere. Thursday at the Firehall Building, 8853 Grainger Rd., Canal Flats. Radium Friendship Group: Friday at the Catholic Church, East Side of Main St. With the exception of Tuesday, all meetings are open.

Narcotics Anonymous. If Drugs or Alcohol are causing problems or conflict in your life, NA can help. All meetings are at 7 p.m. every Thursday at 4878 Athalmer Rd.

Art Gieck of Country Piano House will be tuning November 12th and 13th. Call 250-347-9882 for an appointment.

THANK YOU

Wow! What a family I have. I am so proud of each and every one of you. Not to mention my three little angels and my wonderful friends that gave up time to be with me on my special day. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I will never forget this day. Thanks again, Love Edel

LOST AND FOUND

FOUND: GMC Keys with entry fob, other keys and bunny at Ray Brydon Park by Toby Creek Tuesday Oct 30th. Call the Pioneer at 250-341-6299 ext 101 to claim.

LOST: Ford key fob. Likely lost at ski sale Saturday Nov. 3rd in Columbia Valley Centre. If found, please call Sandra at 403-4047506.

STORAGE

NEWHOUSE STORAGE

Various sizes available. Now with climate-controlled units. Call 250-342-3637.

STORAGE SPACE – assorted sizes, easy access, immediate availability, long-term or short-term. Deck Properties Warehouse, Industrial Park: 250342-3166.

OFFICE SAPCE

1313 - 7th Ave. Prime second floor office space, complete with off street parking. 1 - 735 sq. ft. office, 1 - 1,167 sq. ft. office. Can be divided into two offices 1 - 710 sq. ft. + 1 - 457 sq. ft.

Prime ground floor office/ retail space, complete with off street parking. 2,425 sq. ft. Call for availability 403899-9480 or carykienitz@ rockypeakent.com.

COMMERCIAL SPACE

Prime commercial space, complete with industrial bay and off street parking. 108 Industrial Road #2, 2000 sq. ft. unit. Available Oct. 1st. 403-899-9480 or carykienitz@ rockypeakent.com.

SUITE FOR RENT

Brand new 2.5-bdrm, main floor of duplex in Edgewater, W/D, child or cat welcome, no dogs, no smokers. Available Oct. 15, 2018, $1,500/mo includes utilities. 250-342-6904.

HOUSE FOR RENT

5-bdrm house for rent, close to hospital. NO PETS, nonsmoking, looking for responsible long-term renters if possible (1 year), may consider shorter lease. Large fenced yard, single car garage. $2,100/mo plus utilities (must be put in your name). Some furniture included. Please text me at 403-560-5086 if interested. Available midNovember.

Very nice 3-bdrm, 2 bath home. Short term month to month, January to May. Five months or portion thereof. All-inclusive except Hydro, $2,200/mo, 250688-0379.

Newly renovated, cozy, 2-bdrm home with large back yard and decks. New bathroom, new kitchen. N/S, N/P. Behind Valley Foods, walking distance to everywhere. References needed as well as interview. Call 250342-5685. $1,400/mo. Available immediately.

CONDO FOR RENT

Invermere - Furnished Upper Level two-storey Condo, close to downtown. 2-bdrm, 2 bathrooms. N/S, N/P, No Partiers. References please. $1,200/mo. Utilities and internet included. 403-978-4559.

Lakefront, Resort lifestyle, Rec. centre Fully furnished 2-bdrm Condo for rent on Windermere Lake. $1,200/mo. Damage deposit and references required. Utilities negotiable. 403-8181890.

LOT/ACREAGE FOR SALE

ELKHORN COUNTRY ESTATES

Only 1 acreage left in phase 2, 5.3 acres, water well up to 30 gallons per minute, no building commitment. $199,000 + GST Phone Elkhorn Ranch 250-342-1268. www.elkhornranches.com.

HOUSE FOR SALE

PRICE DROP UNTIL IT’S SOLD 2 x 1 / 10th shares Heron Point 2-bdrm, $25,500 (current). Call 250-341-7600 for more info MaxWell Realty Invermere.

MISC. FOR SALE

Hankook winter tires. Pike RSV studded 195/55/R15. Used one season. $250 o.b.o. Phone 250342-1736 or 250-342-7016.

FIREWOOD

Support Rockies Hockey firewood. Contact email cvrockies.firewood@gmail.com or call 250-342-1624 for more info or to place an order.

Pine Firewood. Pine available. Call 250-342-1586.

Dry Pine firewood $250/cord delivered. Dry Fir firewood $300/ cord delivered. Contact 250-6880373.

BOATS FOR SALE

2 boats, Bayliner inboard Volvo, Canaventure, 75 horse outboard. Both on trailers. As is $800 for both. View at Larry Bottle Depot/ Storage in Industrial area. 250270-0175.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

Red Dodge Grand Caravan 2014, seven passenger, great on fuel, excellent condition, $12,000. Call Garry 250-341-7304 or 250345-6603.

1997 Chev Silverado 2500. Like new 152,823 kms, 2-wheel drive, $8,500 O.B.O. Call Ken Ph 250-342-6734 or Cell 250-3411578.

2000 Toyota Camry, not pretty but reliable transportation. $1,900. Call 250-342-9233.

$11,000 in aftermarket extras, 2003 Chev Silverado 1-ton Dually 4x4, Fully Loaded, Stainless Full-Length Running Boards. New Winter Tires. Rear/ Front Brakes replaced 2016. 4-Spare Steel Rims and Hub Caps. 2 New Batteries 2016. New Turbo, P/S and Coolant hoes 2017. Herd Aluminum Bush Guard Bumper. Total of (4) Light Force lights. Spray in Box liner. Rock Guard Dually flares, Oil changes every 5000 kms. 293,400 Highway kms. Lear XL Canopy (c/w Numerous Extras) $18,500. 250-342-5727.

SERVICES

THE HEARTFELT COMPANION: Services for Seniors Non-medical care, meal prep, transportation, outings and companionship with seniors living at home, Ivy House, Columbia House or Columbia Gardens. Excellent references and credentials. Leanne Brooks 250-341-5683, invermerehomecare.com for more info.

Heaven’s Best Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning

Environmentally friendly products. Dry in 1 hour! Call 250-688-0213 or visit www.heavensbest.ca.

Shannon’s Blinds & Designs

Thank you for your votes - Best of Business Awards! Blinds, Drapery, Phantom Screens & more 250-342-5749, shannonsblinds@yahoo.ca.

B.B.’s Home & Lawn Care Services

Eavestroughs to fall cleanup, tree cutting, deck repairs, roofs, moves, blinds-installation. Handyman services. Book now for snow removal. 250-6882897 or 403-861-8782.

HELP WANTED

Invermere Petro-Can is currently accepting resumes for F/T and P/T employment. Apply in person to 185 Laurier Street, Invermere between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Wanted 2 F/T Restaurant Cooks, Rocky River Grill, 8888 Arrow Road, Invermere, B.C. Permanent, F/T shifts, overtime, weekends, days and evenings, $16/hour for 40 hours per week. Overtime after 40 hours. Minimum several year’s experience and completion of Secondary School. DUTIES: Prepare and cook full course meals, prepare and cook individual dishes and foods, ensure quality of food portions, work with minimal supervision, prepare dishes for customers with food allergies or intolerances. Inspect Kitchens and Food service areas. Please forward resume to Justin Atterbury by fax 250-342-8889 or email justatterbury@hotmail. com.

Strands Old House Restaurant is accepting applications for a F/T Chef. Experience in casual fine dining an asset. Evenings and weekends. Apply to Tony Wood at tony@strandsrestaurant.com or 250-342-6344.

Everett Frater Enterprises is looking for a reliable Plow Truck Driver for the upcoming winter season. Please inquire at 250347-5645 or 250-347-9228.

Big Horn Cafe, Radium is expanding the baking team and we are looking for a full-time Assistant Baker. No evenings, flexible hours, potential for medical and dental benefits, we will train. Competitive wages. Apply to bighorncafe1@ outlook.com or 778-527-5005.

Live-In Caregiver Wantedwe are looking for reliable caregivers to provide live-in for our clients. Must have a driver’s license, caregiver certificate prefered - should live in or close to Invermere. Please call 403-301-3777 or send resume to calgaryinfo@ homecareassistance.com.

Question period

Fresh old ideas

By Arnold Malone Pioneer Columnist

is served through a number of different institutions and conventions. One of ours is question period. Not every democracy has a legislative test called question period but they should have.

While question period has the optics of looking like

after the kids have had much too much sugar, it serves a powerful purpose. It holds the government to account and allows the public to evaluate the skill of the opposition party(s).

Not every democracy has a question period and that is unfortunate. Some years ago a ne friend of mine, Ted, observed, “Can you imagine Donald Rumsfeld, then Secretary of Defence, standing up to an imagined USA daily cross-examination about, ‘How do you know that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction?’” A continuous questioning would surely have demonstrated that the evidence did not support the claim. If question period didn’t change Secretary Rumsfeld’s assertions, then in all probability, public opinion would.

When legislation does not have a question period then the unelected media lls that role. In Canada, as in other parliamentary systems, the media does question the government. However, in presidential systems the media is the primary examiner of government policy. at examination should be the responsibility of elected representatives in tandem with media commentary.

The Artym Gallery is Hiring

Question Period is a training session for a government in waiting (those now in opposition). e daily grilling of a government by the opposition trains the opposition on the caution required to form and shape policy if ever they were to be called upon to govern.

I have had the privilege of being on both sides of Mr. Speaker and I know the impact question period has on both government and opposition parties. Opposition members often resist some areas of criticism because they know they may need to address the same issue in a similar manner if they were ever called upon to govern. Likewise, government members consistently try to foresee how the opposition might challenge a legislative initiative and ne-tune the policy so as to minimize critiques. is helps bring balance to the legislative design.

ere are those who have observed Question Period and thought it ought to have been called a Questionable Period. ey use expressions such as, “ ey act like they’re having a schoolyard argument,” or, “ ey sound like a bunch of babies.”

Perhaps on any one moment such an observation has merit. In the overall, it is one of the greatest pillars of our democracy. Daily, members of a di erent persuasion hold a government to account, which allows the public a window into the merits and faults of a legislative intent.

e citizens of the USA would be better o if opposition members were drilling deep on the missteps of the current American administration. To be sure, it would be a daily marathon for seeking truth and testing facts. (Perhaps you could name a few thousand statements for which you would like to have tested that have been uttered by the current president.)

When George H. Bush was president and he was a visitor to the British parliament, he was quoted as saying, after watching question time, “ ank God I don’t have to be in that bear pit every day.”

It is true that Question Period makes governing more challenging but it also makes governing more thoughtful and responsible. We are lucky to have that noisy challenging procedure since it makes governments work harder while attempting to bat error free.

In my experience I doubt that there was ever a year when legislation was not changed because of question period examination.

Canadian law, like the making of sausage, provides mostly great results; but you may not want to watch while it is being made.

Arnold Malone served as MP for Alberta’s Battle River and Crowfoot ridings from 1974 through 1993. He retired to Invermere in 2007.

e PeeWee A team won a hard fought tournament in Canal Flats this weekend, winning all four games against Calgary teams.  e players of the game were Tyler Collis, Ethan Spencer, Brayden Roe and Caden Williams. However, the unsung heroes of the weekend were our defense and our two all-star goalies. ey combined for three shutouts and allowed only two goals against all weekend.

e Midget Rockies won their home opener in EK league play on Sunday vs Creston. Down 3-2 at the end of the second period, the Rockies scored four in the third for a 6-4 victory.  is was a strong team e ort.  e team plays Cranbrook this ursday in Canal Flats, and a re-

HOCKEY MINUTE

match with Creston on Saturday in Creston.

e Bantams played the Cranbrook Hornets on Saturday at the Eddie.  e Bantams worked hard against a tough tier 3 Cranbrook/Kimberley team, but were shut out for the rst two periods. In the third period Zack Smith scored a beautiful power play goal.  e Rockies added one more when Luke Schaal received a nice stretch pass and drove it in the net. e nal score was 7-2 for the Hornets.

e Senior Girls won 2 league games this weekend, giving them a record of 3-1 in League play. However, these last two wins were quite easy, as the other team cancelled and had to pay for the ice time as well as forfeiting the two games. e girls had an extra practice and enjoyed the wins.

Next weekend the PeeWee B team hosts their annual tournament with games starting Friday evening until Sunday afternoon.

e Pioneer would love to have photos to run

with Minor Hockey Minute. Please submit photos to lorene@columbiavalleypioneer.com.

Hotel Sales Representative

Mountain

Ridge Property Owners Association

Manager

Reporting to the Timber Ridge Property Owners Association (TRPOA) President, the Property Manager is a contracted position, responsible for the day-to-day year-round preservation, security, maintenance and repair of the Timber Ridge Community assets and common areas. Peak activity times are generally April through October, December and March. However, this is a year-round position, requiring an individual and TRPOA approved contractors working or on-call, to be available 365-days of the year. As the Property Manager, you will hire and oversee approved Timber Ridge contractors, and approved sub-contractors hired to work on behalf of TRPOA and Terridian Utilities Ltd., on an as needed basis, for project-speci c common area work.

Ideal candidates will have a strong maintenance and operations background, preferably in a service-oriented setting. Your ability to get the job done, while, at the same time, getting to know Timber Ridge residents makes you the perfect candidate. Previous training and education will include a combined experience and/or certi cates/tickets to support a yearround residential and recreational common property. You are well-versed in using tact and diplomacy to describe and follow best practices, while communicating with many different personalities. Previous experience, where an individual has been required to work an unconventional schedule at times, needing to be on-call, is a t. This position is a lifestyle not a “job”. Basic construction, landscape and mechanical maintenance knowledge/ training is an asset. *Upon request, a more detailed position description, can be emailed. Interested applicants, may submit a resume and cover letter, telling us about themselves and why they are the best person for the position, no later than November 20, 2018, including wage expectations, to:

President, TRPOA Board c/o Business Manager info@timberridgebc.ca

Submitted by Windermere Valley Minor Hockey

e Peewees won four games against Calgary teams in a tournament last weekend in Canal Flats. Submitted photos

Photo by Amanda Nason

BEY ND THE BLUE LINE

Rockies “scratch and claw”

Submitted by Columbia Valley Rockies

The Columbia Valley Rockies went on the road into the unfriendly confines of the Kimberley Dynamiters’ barn on Friday, November 2nd. The Nitros threw 52 shots at Ben Kelsch. While he put on a dramatic goaltending dis play, the Rockies came up short.

Two periods in the Nitros were up 4-0. They threw 34 shots the Rockies’ way. Your Rockies had moments of pressure but were out hustled in the effort.

The team regrouped and took the ice in the third pe riod determined to send a message to the crowd and their opponents that they were there to compete.

Zachary Giacobbo scored with help from Brennan Nelson and Mason Robinson, putting the Rockies on the board with five minutes remaining in the third period. This was quickly answered by the Nitros with the game ending 5-1.

Ben Kelch was voted the number one star of the game.

Coach Dubielewicz identified, “we were not ready to compete shift to shift to the level needed to beat a team like Kimberley.”

The Rockies came home to the familiar confines of the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena on Saturday, November 3rd to host the Grand Forks Border Bruins in a rematch after a game that saw the Rockies win on Grand Forks ice.

The Rockies came out hesitant, giving up three goals in the first period to the Bruins with a couple of bad bounces not going their way. The Rockies had many good scoring chances but were unable to convert.

As the second period started the Rockies showed new

life and determination, taking the play to the Bruins and being physical. Fraser McMann opened the scoring early in the second with help from Connor Davison and Ryan Skytt. That was followed up on the power play by Logan MacDonald with support from Dylan Fontaine and Josh ua Antunes.

The Rockies went on another power play with four minutes left. Kale Hawryluk powered one in with help from Erik Lloyd and Gavin Fleck. The period ended with both teams tied; this was going to the third period to de termine a winner.

In the third the Bruins notched one but that was quickly answered by Dace Prymak with help from Cooper Krauss. The tilt was even again.

The Bruins then took two goals one of which was dis puted but did not go the Rockies way.

Erik Lloyd closed out the Rockies scoring on the pow er play with help from Zachary Giacobbo and Dace Pry mak.

The Rockies came up on the short end of a 7-5 score.

Coach Dubielewicz offered his insight, “I didn’t feel we were ready to start the game and it was evident as we were down 3-0 after one. We did scratch and claw to get ourselves back into it; our power play helped give us a chance. However, if you are 20 minutes off in any game you can’t be surprised when the outcome is not in your favour.”

The Rockies now go on the road to meet division rival the Golden Rockets on Friday, November 9th. The Rock ies’ next home game will be Saturday, November 10th when the Rockets come to town.

A.

inspections@invermere.net or 250-3429281

1226.

There will be no public opening for this request for fee proposal. All

after the closing date and time will be rejected. Faxed or emailed submissions may be accepted with prior approval from the Districts CAO, Mr. Chris Prosser.

The District of Invermere reserves the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposal and to accept the proposal in total or in part or to accept the proposal which it deems as most

Rockies guard the net as the Grand Forks Border Bruins launch an attack on Saturday, November 3rd.

The Rockies battle the Grand Forks Border Bruins on home ice and end up disappointed.

Words and war

By Pastor Murray Wittke Valley Christian Assembly

In 1919 Adolph Hitler joined a small right-wing political party. Fourteen years later he was Führer of Germany, largely because he understood the power of words. In Mein Kampf he wrote “I know that men are won over less by the written word than by the spoken word, that every great movement on this earth owes its growth to the great orators and not to great writers.” Hitler used words to stir up fear and resentment, and rally people against each other. His in ammatory language fanned old hatreds, gathered millions of followers, moved people to do unthinkable things and plunged the whole world into war for a second time.    Across the English Channel, Winston Churchill also understood the power of words and rose in opposition.  According to President John Kennedy, “In the dark days

and darker nights when England stood alone — and most men save Englishmen despaired of England’s life — he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.” Churchill’s speeches united the nation and strengthened its resolve against the Nazi onslaught. World War II was as much a war of words and ideas as it was bullets and bombs. In the end nations were laid waste and millions of lives lost. Words and war are forever connected.

Words begin as a sound but they’re so much more. Words carry meaning, express emotion and make things happen. As Pastor Joe Kay recently wrote “Words can inject the disease of hatred, fear, and divisiveness into our society, or they can be used as a healing balm that counteracts the infection. ey can inspire us and bring us hope, or they can appeal to our darkest instincts and tear us apart.” Words are powerful and should be used with care.

Lest We Forget Banners line Invermere’s Main Street honouring Columbia Valley veterans. is November we will once again remember them and pray for peace. eir sacri ce and service helped heal the world. I’m no soldier but I can do my part too, by using words wisely. We all can. “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit - you choose.” Proverbs 12:18 ( e Message).

LAKE WINDERMERE ALLIANCE CHURCH

Sunday, November 11, 10:30 am Worship And Life Instruction, “Revelation 101” Pastor Matt Moore ministering. “K.I.D.S.” Church during the Morning Service. 7 p.m. “SING and CELEBRATE” 326 - 10th Avenue, Invermere 250-342-9535 • o ce@lwac.ca • www.lwac.ca

WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRY ANGLICAN-UNITED

Worship every Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Children & Youth Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. Christ Church Trinity, Invermere 1st and 3rd Sunday, March - December 9 a.m.: All Saint’s, Edgewater 2nd Sunday, 7 p.m.: June - October at St. Peter’s Windermere Reverend Laura Hermakin 110 - 7th Avenue, Invermere 250-342-6644 • www.wvsm.ca

VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY

Sunday 10 a.m.: Worship Services. Pastor Murray Wittke 4814 Highway Drive, Windermere 250-342-9511 • www.valleychristianonline.com

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.: St. Anthony’s, Canal Flats. Saturday, 5 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m.: Canadian Martyrs’ – Invermere Sunday, 11 a.m.: St. Joseph’s – Radium. Father Jojo Augustine • 712 -12th Ave., Invermere 250-342-6167

ST. PETER’S LUTHERAN MISSION OF INVERMERE

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CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF

Headbanger Festival

The Headbanger Festival in Ra dium Hot Springs was a weekend rammed full with bighorn sheep themed events, including (clock wise from top) painting with Blackstar Studios, a nature walk, presentations by WildSafe’sThea Rodgers and by Parks Canada, a Bighorn Experience talk with Kent Kebe (though Tate, 2, was much more interested in the ram skeleton) and Legends of the For est with Darcee O’Hearn.

Photo by Katie Watt

Photo by Katie Watt

Photo by Katie Watt

Photo by Dauna Ditson

Photo by Dauna Ditson