The Jasper Local April 15, 2021 by The Jasper Local

ALTERNATIVE +

LOCAL + INDEPENDENT

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 // ISSUE 186

Shredded // Springtime at Marmot Basin is like no other season, as this skier was reminded high up on Susies Run, off the Peak. Marmot Basin remains wide open until May 2. // BOB COVEY

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The Jasper Local // ISSUE 186 // THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

EDITORIAL //

Local Vocal West Yellowhead MLA Martin Long was talking about waves recently. Unlike his AlohaGate colleagues back in December, he’s not planning a surf vacation. Rather, Mr. Long was referring to the “third wave” (his quotations) of COVID-19, which is currently cresting across Alberta. In a statement on April 7, Mr. Long downplayed the surge of more-transmissible coronavirus variants which have been overwhelming hospitals and healthcare workers in Alberta, suggesting that we have no control over the severity of the spread. Along with 16 other rural MLAs, Long signed his name to a letter which criticized the government’s measures. Those measures were introduced on April 6 to get a handle on coronavirus transmissions, which that same day were reported at 1,351 new cases, Alberta’s highest daily case count since New Year’s Eve. Then Long started talking about waves. “I lived on the coast for almost 30 years…I know as well as anyone that waves just keep rolling,” his statement read. This analogy comes from a former Nova Scotian, whose home province’s health is benefiting from Atlantic Canada’s robust restrictions and general community buy-in for tackling the coronavirus. But for the sake of argument, let’s play along. If waves are sufficiently threatening to do serious damage, do we not put up a smaller community. If just one rural Dear MLA Martin Long, breakwater? Do we not hunker down? We certainly don’t firefighter tests positive to COVID, Paramedics and emergency medical lift anchor and sail back into the storm. the whole department can be affected responders were included in Phase More concerning than Mr. Long’s tipsy metaphor, because of quarantine and isolation 1 of Alberta’s COVID-19 vaccine however, is the message his statement sends to Albertans regulations. With the current ‘close rollout, administrative health care who are looking for any excuse to go masks-off and contact’ rules one positive case can workers and massage therapists are undermine public health orders in the name of personal part of Phase 2C, but firefighters have shut down the whole fire department. “freedom.” Consider the April 12 demonstration at the Edmonton legislature, where those gathered not been identified at all. Recently, one of our firefighters chanted “lock her up” at the mention of CMOH Deena tested positive for COVID-19 and Why are vaccinations for firefighters Hinshaw’s name. Or the events of the day before, when unfortunately this individual was not included in phase 2C? 400 people at the GraceLife Church west of Edmonton in contact with six others of our protested its closure after the church repeatedly violated Firefighters provide an essential crew. They were all masked and COVID-19 health orders. There’s no doubt in my mind service to our communities. A outside at the time, but the time they that Mr. Long and his backbencher buddies’ statements volunteer firefighter’s risk of exposure spent within six feet of each other helped catalyze these dangerous demonstrations. may be lower than other front-line exceeded the 15-minute threshold. No one likes the reality of living in a pandemic, it’s a workers, but the potential negative As a result, we had six members of damn shame what businesses and restaurants have outcome of even one infected our department in isolation for the had to endure, and COVID fatigue is absolutely firefighter could be catastrophic to a required 14 days, plus the infected understandable. However, the ping ponging of LETTER CONTINUED ON A3 messaging coming from our elected representatives is The Jasper Local // Jasper’s independent alternative newspaper making the effects of the pandemic worse. 780.852.9474 • thejasperlocal.com • po box 2046, jasper ab, t0e When we see our leaders protest health measures, we see increased resistance to them by the public, which Published on the 1st and 15th of each month will only lead to more outbreaks. More outbreaks will mean more restrictions, which will lead to more protests, Editor / Publisher Bob Covey..................................................................................bob@thejasperlocal.com and so on. It’s a cycle, as predictable as…you guessed it: waves. But forget waves. Without better leadership, we’ll Art Director Nicole Covey........................................................................ nicole@thejasperlocal.com be dealing with a tsunami.

Firefighters left in the lurch

BOB COVEY // thejasperlocal@gmail.com

CORRECTION: Harry Home was a master of the local freemasons. Incorrect information appeared in our April 1, 2021 edition.

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// LOCAL HEALTH

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 // ISSUE 186 // The Jasper Local // PAGE A3

Jasperites have fond memories of Prince Philip, who passed away April 9. In 2005, when he and Queen Elizabeth visited Jasper, two-year-old Brynn Noble was more interested in a tiny beetle parade than the royal promenade after mass at the Jasper Anglican Church. The photo at right, taken by Arthur Edwards for Macleans, appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world. Brynn’s dad, Todd, remembers Her Royal Highness asking “Oh and who does this little one belong to?” The Duke of Edinburgh can be seen having a hearty chukle in the background, and Bob Bush’s snap of Prince Philip, who was 83 at the time and averaged 370 public appearances per year, captures his famously jovial nature. As for Brynn, who’s now 18, he dad says she’ll never live it down. // SUPPLIED

Isolation hotels a reminder to stay safe A Jasperite who spent two weeks in a commercial isolation facility is thankful for the resources that have been set up for locals needing to quarantine.

Trevor Anderson works at the Jasper Brew Pub. He is colleagues and friends with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. When he heard about his friend’s test results and considered that he had not only spent time with him at his place of work, but in a vehicle, he realized that he’d have to follow provincial COVID-19 regulations and self-isolate. Since Anderson lives in staff accommodation, that meant getting out of his home immediately. “It was a bit of a shock.” After connecting with the local Community and Family Services office (an after-hours call that he was grateful connected), Anderson learned he’d be isolating at

a local hotel. In December, the Municipality of Jasper obtained provincial funding to facilitate commercial isolation facilities. Jasper’s preponderance of people living in staff accommodation or in roommate situations put the community in a good position to receive the funding, said CFS Director Kathleen Waxer. Anderson’s situation certainly fit the bill. As such, he grabbed two weeks of clothes, his X-box, computer, some books and “whatever I thought could help pass the time,” he said. Much more helpful than the entertainment systems, however, was that he had friends in the same boat. After settling into his hotel room, where he’d be required to stay for 14 days, Anderson and his buddies, who were also close contacts of the positive patient, set up nightly Zoom

meetings. They watched sports together, shared their experiences. Those regular catch-ups made the ordeal much easier, Anderson said. “There are definitely some lows in there. Keeping in contact with close friends helped a lot,” he said. So did the food. Anderson said the meals he received were “amazing,” and credits Waxer and the municipality for setting up the program. Waxer said now that the isolation rooms are in place (there were 11 being utilized at one time), it is facilitated by the province. Those who need to isolate and don’t have a place to stay can call 2-1-1 to get set up. Anderson said it was a good reminder that the virus is a problem to be taken seriously. “I realized how easy it is to lose two weeks of your life by not following the rules.” // BC

LETTER CONT. //

person for 10. That’s almost one third of our fire department out of service at one time. It is time that our Province places a much higher priority on fast tracking the Covid 19 vaccine to

all Alberta First Responders, particularity small town volunteer fire departments. - Greg Van Tighem, Fire Chief, Jasper

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The Jasper Local // ISSUE 186 // THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

LOCAL EDUCATION

Parents petitioning government to reject draft curriculum The absence of Francophone perspectives and opportunities to emphasize the diversity of La Francophonie Alberta led to the April 12 decision, the board announced.

Jasperites are writing to their elected officials to express their dissatisfaction with the Alberta government’s proposed draft K-6 school curriculum.

Grande Yellowhead Public School Division trustee Dale Karpluk said the board has yet to take a position on the draft curriculum, but this issue has prompted more feedback from parents than any other topic since she was elected in 2017. She said all of the discussions so far have expressed concern with the proposed curriculum. She plans to bring the concerns to the April 21 board meeting. That meeting (10 a.m.) is public and viewable on Zoom.

When Cristin Murphy first saw the newly released draft in early April, she was, like many of her friends and colleagues, surprised at not only what was included in the early education outcomes, but what was missing. “I was actually pretty shocked,” she said. “And the more I read, the worse it got.” The new curriculum, Murphy said, is age and grade-inappropriate. It lacks skill development. Learning outcomes lean heavily towards ideologue and religion, while leaving huge gaps in indigenous teachings. Rote memorization is in. Critical thinking is out. “A huge piece for me was the lack of real understanding of child development,” Murphy said. “We want students to be able to critically analyze and be able to figure out for themselves what their own views are what and their opinions are.” After analyzing the draft, Murphy wrote to her MLA. She didn’t hear back from Martin Long directly, but instead received an auto-reply from his office which asked if she was an actual constituent of West Yellowhead. “There was nothing [in the reply] on where they would go with it. That was disappointing.” Not only is she a voter in this riding, Murphy is an Albertan with a long lineage of educators in her family. She grew up in Edmonton as the daughter of a school principal, received her Bachelor of Education Elementary from the University of Alberta, added a Waldorf Early Childhood Education diploma to her credentials and has taught in both Jasper and Hinton. Because of the pandemic, for the past year Murphy has had her own children in homeschool but she nevertheless

“I appreciate people reaching out, that’s why I’m here,” she said. NOT TAKING IT // Jasper educator Cristin Murphy has been gathering signatures from local parents to petition the Alberta legislature to reject the proposed K-6 curriculum. // BOB COVEY

feels eminently qualified to speak to what educators will be asked to teach in classrooms. If this draft is any indication of what ultimately gets rolled out, people will leave this province, she said. “If this happens people won’t put up with it,” she said. “The government says this is being wellreceived. Where? By who?”

“The government says this is being well-received. Where? By who?” Certainly not by the province’s largest school board, the Calgary Board of Education. Nor by the Edmonton Public or Edmonton Catholic school boards. All three joined a growing list of boards in rejecting the draft, and more recently, the Conseil Scolaire Centre-Nord—the school board which governs Jasper’s École Desrochers—also announced it will not be piloting new curriculum.

Murphy is curious as to where GYPSD will stand. “I’m anxious to know what the position is in Grande Yellowhead,” she said. “Some of the divisions have really voiced their genuine feelings of the quality of the curriculum, and I think that’s pretty brave.” Murphy has been trying to help other Jasperites have their own voices heard. On April 14 she was rounding up signatures for a petition which asks the legislative assembly of Alberta to withdraw the curriculum and create a new draft, one which consults experts and educators (the current draft purports to have consulted teachers, but has been criticized for making those educators sign a nondisclosure agreement). One of those who signed was Jenna McGrath. McGrath, a local parent, business owner and member of municipal council, said teachers and students need Albertans’ advocacy. “I’m not an educator but I’m hearing educators everywhere are stating the inaccuracies of the proposed curriculum,” McGrath said. “Our children deserve better.” BOB COVEY

// thejasperlocal@gmail.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 // ISSUE 186 // The Jasper Local // PAGE B2

LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY

Town sparking involvement in FireSmart activities There might be snow in the mountaintops and rain in the forecast, but make no mistake, Jasper is in wildfire season. “We’ve been in fire season since March 1,” Jasper’s Fire Chief, Greg Van Tighem said. “It keeps getting earlier every year.” May 1 marks Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. In conjunction, local fire experts are calling on Jasperites to help make their homes and community more wildfire safe. Van Tighem said as residents of a forest community, it’s incumbent on all of us to learn about the principles of FireSmart. “It’s crucial that everybody gets on board,” he said. FireSmarting your property or home means removing combustible materials away from any structures or buildings. In the event of a wildfire, clogged eavestroughs, trees and bushes, wood piles and

patio furniture can ignite, adding fuel to the fire and compounding the danger. By making residents’ homes as fire proof as possible, a community has a much better chance of avoiding the kind of catastrophic damage suffered five years ago in Fort McMurray, Van Tighem said. That disaster happened when the Horse River fire got out of control. It forced the evacuation of 80,000 people when it lit up on May 1, 2016, destroying more than 2,400 buildings and causing $3.8 billion of insured damage. “The more homes that are prepared, the more people have done in their neighbourhood, the less that has to be a concern to responders,” Van Tighem said. To help residents get prepared, the Municipality of Jasper will provide resources to help identify, and remove, flammable vegetation. Residents can book a virtual FireSmart Assessment and sign up to become a Neighbourhood Champion. On May 1, the MOJ will

remove yard waste from designated pick up points. “We’re hoping to get the whole town engaged,” Van Tighem said. “This is something that we can do together as a community.” Any other year, the work would be done in neighbourhood groups. This year, thanks to the pandemic, the community work-bees are on hold, but it’s still important that residents take action around their neighbourhoods, houses and apartment buildings to remove combustible materials from their yards and balconies, Van Tighem said. “We all have COVID fatigue, this is an opportunity to engage in a positive, community-wide event.” To encourage involvement, the town is offering prizes for households that register to participate. Stay tuned to the Municipality of Jasper’s social media channels and website for more information. BOB COVEY // thejasperlocal@gmail.com

Fire experts, including Jasper’s Deputy Fire Chief, Don Smith, is reminding Jasperites that the town is here to help protect your home from wildfires. FireSmart Day is May 1.

THANK YOU JASPER VOLUNTEERS! April 18-24th is National Volunteer Week. Help us celebrate the many unsung heroes and helpers of this past year. Share stories and pictures of kindness in action on our Facebook page, Jasper Volunteers.

Community-Wide

FIRESMART DAY WORKING TOGETHER WHILE APART TO PROTECT JASPER FROM A WILDFIRE *COVID-19 protocols in place

MAY 1 STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO

Municipality of Jasper

HOW TO GET INVOLVED: FIRESMART YOUR PROPERTY Tidy up your balcony or yard. Take part in our FireSmart Bingo for a chance to win prizes! BE A NEIGHBOURHOOD CHAMPION Help get your neighbourhood excited and involved.

WWW.JASPER-ALBERTA.COM/FIRESMART

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The Jasper Local // ISSUE 185 // THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

STORY BY BOB COVEY WITH PHOTOS BY VIT SARSE //

BUILDING TRUST, CARVING OUT A NICHE:

Patience and persistence bringing out local woodworker’s fine grain Jasper’s Jakub Sebela wasn’t always interested in woodworking. When he was young, growing up in a tiny town in the foothills of the Czech Republic, Sebela wanted to be a mechanic. He thought woodworking was too messy. “I wanted to be clean,” the 32-year-old said. “I didn’t like the dust.”

Sebela was recruited by a local hotel, then when his temporary foreign worker permit expired, he got a working visa through Papa George’s Restaurant. Not long after, he started with local carpenter Steve Brake. He was gradually getting back to his field. But it wasn’t until his girlfriend, Petra,

But his parents saw young Jakub’s aptitude for sketching and painting and working with his hands. They encouraged him to go cabinet making school, dust be darned.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the forest making things out of wood.” He listened, but school was strict. Talking was discouraged. Listening to music while working was not allowed. To limit distractions, students weren’t even allowed to wear a watch. “We were working only with hand tools— chisels and hammers, and sometimes a planer,” Sebela recalled. “It was hard.” But he persisted. Now, a decade later, that discipline has paid off. Sebela’s talents are on full display in his highly detailed carvings, in his wood furniture and kitchen implements, and in his one-of-a-kind projects, such as guitars, paddles and even the odd rif le stock. His company, Jakub Sebela Woodworking, is busy. His hands, which were trained to work without the help of machines, are full. And he can listen to all the music he wants.

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“I appreciate it today,” he said. But Sebela’s journey from suffering student to budding business owner wasn’t exactly straightforward. To make sure his skills as a woodworker would be saleable, he enrolled in a commerce program, and after graduating, gained experience working for a soft drink company. Then he went to Scotland. To save money, he worked as a housekeeper, then a server. In 2016, Sebela made the move to Jasper. “I thought ‘why not Canada?’” he said.

noticed his interest in other artists’ carvings that Sebela was pushed to start woodworking again. He thought he could

only make chairs. She knew different. She pushed him to carve. “My first [carving] was terrible,” he laughed. “The face was all out of proportion.” But Petra didn’t give up on him. Sebela sold his second carving for $300.

down his work with Brake’s construction company and focused on his business. Orders came trickling in. Last summer, he set up at the Jasper Farmer’s Market. More orders came in. “I wanted to let people know I’m here, I can make more than just wooden spoons,” he said. “I want to build that trust with my customers.” With each project, that trust is taking shape. Sebela has built desks, plant stands, coffee tables and beds. He’s created cutting boards, wine racks and knife stocks.

Furniture is his bread and butter, but the aforementioned Fender guitar is, in his eyes, “the best thing I’ve ever built.” Today, Sebela has designs on bigger, more classic projects. His dream build? A traditional church door, hand-carved in the 17th Century French tradition. “I remember looking at those as a kid with my dad,” he said. “I can imagine doing that someday.” “That was amazing,” he said. Then an opportunity to sublet a small space in the industrial park came up. He balked. He needed machines. A business license. Customers. It was daunting. Again, Petra provided the encouragement. “She said ‘don’t be scared, just do it,’” he recalled. “It was the best support I’ve ever had in my life.” That was just over a year ago. He scaled

His dad, who has passed away, got him into woodworking, but it’s his mom to whom Sebela attributes his positive attitude and energy. And even though he didn’t like dust, when he ref lects on his life journey, Sebela is grateful that he’s making a living doing what he loved doing as a child. “I’ve always wanted to be in the forest making things out of wood,” he said. ________________________________ BOB COVEY

// thejasperlocal@gmail.com

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The Jasper Local // ISSUE 186 // THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

LOCAL VOLUNTEERING

A volunteer’s secret: selflessness equals self care secret is that volunteering allows her to check out Jasper’s multitude of awesome events.

When Yumi Nishizawa first came to Canada in 1999, after touring the eastern part of the country, she was headed to the mountains. She’d planned to stop in Calgary, but she hadn’t figured out where to stay. A fellow traveller mentioned there was a place in the city where she could get a free meal and a free bed. Nishizawa was interested.

“I’m curious,” Nishizawa said. “I want to see events. I like to feel involved.”

“He said it was called the Mustard Seed,” Nishizawa recalled. “I thought it sounded too good to be true.” In a way, it was. The Mustard Seed is a shelter and a social services organization for people struggling with homelessness. But when Nishizawa showed up and realized her error, instead of moving on, she was convinced to stay. Some welcoming faces put her to work serving meals to the long line of clients who were obviously down on their luck. It was her first volunteer gig in Canada. And it opened her eyes to a secret: serving different community organizations is a good way to serve one’s self. “Maybe it sounds self-centred, but I volunteer for me,” she said. Two decades after her discovery at the Mustard Seed, Nishizawa is one of Jasper’s most consistent volunteers. She’s a regular at Parks Day, Tourism Jasper’s Dark Sky Festival and the Jasper Museum’s coffee hours. She sorts clothes at the United Church Thrift Shop, visits with seniors at Alpine Summit’s Designated Assisted Living facility and helps keep food out of the landfill with the Jasper Food Recovery Program. Nishizawa has fond memories of getting a behind-thescenes peek at reality TV when The Amazing Race filmed in Jasper, and she remembers (less endearingly) the aftermath of the Jasper Rodeo when she and a shorthanded HIV West Yellowhead group were on clean-up duty. She’s picked garbage, refereed snowball fights and handed out condoms. She’s washed dishes, worked security and taken tickets. While it wouldn’t be wrong to suggest that Nishizawa likes to help out, her other little

Turns out, volunteering can create some pretty cool in-roads. Concerts. Festivals. Races. Nishizawa has seen plenty from the sidelines. But she’s not in it strictly for the access to astronaut talks and free coffee. Because she’s almost always surrounded by positive people interested in contributing to their community, volunteering is another way of practicing self-care, she said. “It helps me,” she said. “It always gives you something.” And far from feeling roped into duties she’d rather not do, volunteering gives her freedom, she said. “This is my choice. If I don’t like it, I don’t do it.” Nishizawa has helped others in Jasper find that sense of freedom to contribute. She regularly introduces new Jasperites to volunteer opportunities. When they get involved, they’re rarely disappointed, she said. “I tell them it’s a great way to meet people. I want to help them have that same feeling I get.” So the secret’s out. Find out how you can practice selflessness and self-care through the newly formed Jasper Volunteer Coalition’s Facebook page. BOB COVEY // thejasperlocal@gmail.com

New portal harnessing the power of volunteers April 18-24 is Volunteer Week and this year the newly formed Jasper Volunteer Coalition is celebrating the Value of One, The Power of Many. To help harness the power of Jasper’s volunteer base, the coalition has launched a new Jasper Volunteers Facebook page, an online portal which organizers hope will act as a hub for community organizations needing volunteers as well as for Jasperites looking to pitch in. “We want this page to become the virtual site for everything to do with volunteering in Jasper,” said Ginette Marcoux, interim president of the Jasper Food Bank and one of the leads of the coalition. In the wake of the onset of the pandemic, an increase in the need for volunteerism was met by an increase in volunteers, Marcoux said. “A lot of people came out of the woodwork, perhaps because they had more time or because they saw a greater need,” she said. Moreover, donations to community organizations such as the Jasper Food Bank have been on the rise since 2020. The Jasper Volunteers Facebook page wants to capitalize on that momentum by promoting and celebrating volunteerism in the community. “We want it to be self-directed, a place where groups can recruit but also tell stories of volunteers and random acts of kindness,” Marcoux said. To ensure appropriate content, moderators of the hub will vet participating organizations. To get your organization involved, email learn@ jasperemployment.com and ask to participate.

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 // ISSUE 186 // The Jasper Local // PAGE B6

LOCAL WILDLIFE

BIRDS OF A FEATHER // Spring is sounding in Jasper. Clockwise from top left: American Robin, Bohemian waxwings, northern flicker, mountain bluebird and European starling. // SIMONE HEINRICH PHOTOGRAPHY

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