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NOVEMBER 6, 2026 ISSUE 33.45

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In an e ra of ge nerated long-ru conten nning l t, the ocal lit erary fe celebra stival tes hum an con nection

HOUSING HELP Whistler is one step closer to supportive housing for locals in need

EXPLOSIVE STUDY The Sea to Sky could soon house the country’s first volcano observatory

ON STAGE Local theatre group gets set to perform musical comedy Anything Goes

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THIS WEEK IN PIQUE

Whistler Writers Festival marks 25 years From a living room gathering to a fall staple, the festival returns with a slate of events for readers and writers from Nov. 5 to 8. - By Caroline Egan

06 OPENING REMARKS Call it dead season, shoulder season, or simply a chance to 10 HOUSING HELP Locals in need of supportive housing have been largely out of luck chill out, but there is comfort to be found in a mountain town’s quieter months.

in the resort. But now, council has removed one barrier to helping vulnerable residents stay in Whistler.

08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week, Tapley’s Farm sends a big thank you to

11 EXPLOSIVE STUDY A new federal proposal, backed by the SLRD board, could mean

the community for another successful Halloween–and thousands raised for the local food bank.

Canada’s first volcano observatory to take a deeper look at Mount Garibaldi, Mount Cayley and Mount Meager.

22 THE OUTSIDER Sure, Avalanche Canada’s forecast is important, but a pair of locals

30 EPIC ULTRA Wolfgang Sterr recounts his harrowing journey running the 334-kilometre

have taken snow safety one step further with a detailed newsletter. Find out how you can support them.

Tor des Géants 330 (TORX 330)–and details how close he came to calling it quits.

46 PIQUEN’ YER INTEREST Most of us are skeptical of AI–even as we use it. This 34 ON STAGE The Pemberton Arts Council Theatre Group is set to stage the musical week, our columnist runs down the reasons you should continue to question “authoritarian techbros.”

comedy Anything Goes in Whistler and Pemberton this month.

COVER Still just fine with only ever having read five or six books cover to cover in my life. - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art

Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com Editor BRADEN DUPUIS - bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com Sales Manager KAIJA KNOX - kknox@lodestarmedia.ca

Reporters LUKE FAULKS - lfaulks@piquenewsmagazine.com DAVID SONG - sports@piquenewsmagazine.com Classifieds and Reception - mail@piquenewsmagazine.com

Production Manager AMIR SHAHRESTANI - ashahrestani@piquenewsmagazine.com

Contributors G.D. MAXWELL, VINCE SHULEY, LESLIE ANTHONY,

Art Director JON PARRIS - jparris@piquenewsmagazine.com

GLENDA BARTOSH, ANDREW MITCHELL, LISA RICHARDSON,

Advertising Representatives TESSA SWEENEY - tsweeney@wplpmedia.com ANDREW BUDRESKI - abudreski@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Pique Newsmagazine (a publication of Lodestar Media) The entire contents of Pique Newsmagazine are copyright 2026 by Pique Newsmagazine (a publication of Lodestar Media). No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the Publisher. In no event shall unsolicited material subject this publication to any claim or fees. Copyright in letters and other (unsolicited) materials submitted and accepted for publication remains with the author but the publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms. Letters to the Editor must contain the author’s name, address and daytime telephone number. Maximum length is 250 words. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject any contribution. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine. Pique Newsmagazine is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact (edit@piquenewsmagazine.com). If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information. ISSN #1206-2022 Subscriptions: $76.70/yr. within Canada, $136.60/yr. courier within Canada. $605.80/yr. courier to USA. GST included. GST Reg. #R139517908. Canadian Publications Mail Product. Sales Agreement #40016549.

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OPENING REMARKS

Lean into shoulder season I FIRST MOVED TO WHISTLER in

October 2012. That year, even the village was gloomy and dead–Halloween included. I remember wandering around the stroll with a new friend, trying to find something to do on Oct. 31 and turning up empty handed. I think we just headed home. Fast forward nearly a decade-anda-half and that type of genuine, sleepy, slow shoulder season is certainly a

BY ALYSSA NOEL arts@piquenewsmagazine.com

thing of the past. Still, there is a sliver of time when the frenetic pace of partyadventure-work eases. The alpine is snow-covered, not enough for skiing, but a little too much for enjoyable hiking. The weather hovers just above freezing, making outdoor hangouts less appealing. And the never-ending cycle of festivals and events quiets for a minute (well, kind of. We see you, Whistler Writers Festival and Cornucopia.) Back in my 20s, shoulder season seemed like some kind of deficiency; I quickly understood why locals left in droves for warmer climes every November. But now, in middle age, I

endeavour to lean into the slow season. Winter might still be full of adventure in a mountain town, but the entire season still, at times, forces you to hunker and slow down. Afterall, there’s less sunlight (even if scrapped daylight saving time has shuffled the sun around), it’s colder and harder to leave your house (unless you’re, like, really into shovelling and scraping windshields, or shivering at the bus stop), and getting dressed in endless

gear–especially if you’re dressing an extra two tiny people–is, at best, a practice in patience. In case you can’t tell, I have a longrunning battle with winter. In fact, the only time I didn’t get the winter-iscoming spookies were my eight winters in Squamish. Sure, relentless rain isn’t fun, but it beats wondering how many months you’ll be penguin-walking on icy sidewalks. And if you want snow, well you can hop in your car a half-hour

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thinking–and dare I say even feeling optimistic–about shoulder and colder seasons. While the concept of hygge was hot for a minute, it never really stuck in my mind as anything more than another co-opted, fleeting Instagram meme. But tapping into those cozy memories creates motivation to light a candle and do a puzzle with my five-year-old. Afterall, if we look at the natural world, a whole host of animals either hibernate or enter torpor, in which

In case you can’t tell, I have a long-running battle with winter. In fact, the only time I didn’t get the winter-is-coming spookies were my eight winters in Squamish. Sure, relentless rain isn’t fun, but it beats wondering how many months you’ll be penguin-walking on icy sidewalks.

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up the Sea to Sky. Kind of a perfect scenario in my books. But now, back in winter wonderland, I’ve decided the only way to make it through this dark, quiet season is to embrace it. (Last winter, I fell while running on ice and broke my ankle. Then a week later, I had to put down my dog. Is it winter’s fault? Not entirely, but whining about the cold didn’t help much either.) Recently, in my new, much chillier, mountain town, I heard someone

mention in passing shoulder season deals at local restaurants. Immediately, it conjured up memories. It has been years since I cozied up at Rimrock in the fall to eat sticky toffee pudding or marvelled at the sheer amount of food the four-course dinner at Nagmoi Sushi includes. The flashback leaves me warm, full, and nostalgic–and it all happened in lessthan-ideal weather. And that’s what really got me

their body temperature lowers and their metabolic rate slows. They’re not in full hibernation–they can wake up if they need to–but they’re slowing down completely. I’m certainly not going to torpor my way through the winter, but there’s merit to spending a season at a slower pace–even if it means skiing during the day, then warming up with hot chocolate next to a fire when the sun goes down at 5 p.m. n

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR to celebrate Whistler’s longest-standing community tradition. Our Whistler spirit is alive and well in Tapley’s Farm neighbourhood! See you next year for our 44th edition! Amanda Wilson// On behalf of Tapley’s Farm Neighbourhood

Community steps up for Tapley’s neighbourhood Halloween Thank you to everyone who took part in the 43rd annual Tapley’s Farm Halloween festivities. Our wonderful neighbourhood once again pulled out all the stops from the artistically carved pumpkins to the themed houses and fabulous costumes with 45 houses participating. We welcomed around 900 local children and parents to trick or treat. Special thanks again to Bruce Stewart and Nesters Market for their continued sponsorship of the spectacular fireworks display and hot chocolate, and their generous candy donation. We also greatly appreciate all the candy donations from Independent Grocers, Fresh Street Market, the Grocery Store, and everyone who donated at our collection boxes around town as well as the support of Myrtle Philip Community School and the Whistler Children’s Centre. Thanks to the Whistler Fire Association and its members for safely igniting the

“It was encouraging to see so many people, kids and families, dressed up and that we were able to gather again...” - AMANDA WILSON

fireworks and handing out hot chocolate; to the RCMP and the conservation officers for their ongoing support; and to BC Transit, Whistler Marketplace, Fastpark and the RMOW for organizing the free Spook Shuttle. Also thanks to Pique Newsmagazine, Mountain FM and Ihost for your generous promotional support. A big shout out to the Whistler Secondary School Leadership Team and the 15 enthusiastic student volunteers coordinated by Principal Erin Boisvert for manning the

entrance and supporting the “We Scare Hunger” campaign for the Whistler Food Bank. A huge thank you Whistler Balloon Works for the entrance display. Together, we raised $4,785.92 with 150 kg of non-perishable food donations collected to date for our Whistler Food Bank. Please continue to support our Whistler Food Bank! It was encouraging to see so many people, kids and families, dressed up and that we were able to gather again

Columnist for captain Regarding Lisa Richardson’s Pique’ N Yer Interest column on Oct.30 (“Let us vow not to eat each other”): I am in Lisa’s boat, and I nominate her for captain. Bob Barnett//Squamish n

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NEWS WHISTLER

Whistler council backs supportive housing in Cheakamus Crossing ZONING CHANGES WOULD ALLOW RESIDENTS WHO CANNOT MEET EMPLOYEE-HOUSING REQUIREMENTS TO ACCESS HOMES AT TWO DEVELOPMENTS

BY LUKE FAULKS DURING THEIR FINAL MEETING of the

term, Whistler council supported changes allowing supportive housing at two Cheakamus Crossing developments— opening the door for people with disabilities and other vulnerable residents to secure homes without meeting the resort municipality’s usual employment requirements. The amendments, which received their first three readings on Sept. 22, will allow supportive housing at the Whistler Valley Housing Society’s (WVHS) 30-unit Nest development at 1400 Mount Fee Road and Whistler Sport Legacies’ planned 110-unit rental building at 1100 Legacy Way. The changes have drawn strong support from local social service organizations, which say Whistler’s housing rules have made it difficult for some residents to remain in the community. “Without suitable housing, adults with developmental disabilities may be forced to leave Whistler; not by choice, but because the support they need does not exist here,” wrote Sue Hargrave, board chair of the Whistler Independent Supported Housing (WISH) Society, in a letter to council. “Approving this rezoning is an important step toward preventing that displacement and building a community

HOUSING HELP Local non-profits say the changes will help vulnerable Whistlerites remain in their community through dedicated units in developments like The Nest. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER VALLEY HOUSING SOCIETY

10 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

where people of all abilities can belong and thrive.” The changes permit, but do not require, supportive housing at the two properties.

MAKING ROOM FOR DIFFERENT HOUSING NEEDS

Unlike employee-restricted housing, supportive housing provides on-site services for residents who cannot live independently. It falls under the broader category of social housing, which also includes emergency and transitional accommodation. Whistler’s existing employee-housing rules generally require tenants to work an average of at least 30 hours per week for a qualified local business, a restriction the amendments would remove for eligible social service clients. “At the moment, if a social service client occupies a unit, they also have to meet the definition of employee,” planning analyst Elle Clemens told council. “And what we’re proposing is that they don’t have to meet the definition of employee, which effectively removes that requirement to have a number of employment hours.” The exemption would only apply to clients referred by qualifying social service agencies, rather than anyone unable to meet the usual employment requirement. The changes would not remove existing rent restrictions. At 1100 Legacy Way, initial maximum monthly rents range from $2,100 for a studio to $4,200 for a three-bedroom unit, with provisions for future increases and certain additional charges. At the Nest, the change would help organizations like Zero Ceiling house clients who may not yet have steady employment. At 1100 Legacy Way, it would allow Whistler Sport Legacies to lease units

to social service agencies for their clients. The proposal follows the municipality’s 2024 Vulnerable Populations Housing Needs Assessment, which identified gaps in emergency, transitional and supportive housing. Both properties fall under Whistler’s Community Land Bank Agreement with the province, which was amended in June to permit supportive housing alongside employee housing. “This marks the first implementation of social housing in the land bank,” Clemens told council.

ENDORSEMENTS FROM SOCIAL SERVICES

For the Whistler Independent Supported Housing (WISH) Society, the changes could help turn its efforts to secure housing for adults with developmental disabilities into long-term rental homes. The society has secured the first right of refusal on 10 units at 1100 Legacy Way, potentially accommodating 16 adults with developmental disabilities. “These homes would provide the stability and support residents need to live more independently while staying connected to their families and community,” wrote WISH board chair Sue Hargrave. PearlSpace, which supports people experiencing violence and other crises, also endorsed the proposal, warning that housing costs can make it difficult for people to escape unsafe situations. “What we see daily is that housing is often the single biggest barrier facing someone trying to leave a dangerous or unsafe situation,” wrote Bronwen Thorburn, community program co-manager at Whistler PearlSpace Drop-in. “In this community, that combination can make leaving feel impossible,

and can push people back into unsafe situations simply because they have nowhere else to go; in fact, it forces many people to leave Whistler altogether, the community they have lived in for years, where their kids go to school, and where their friends and support networks are.” Zero Ceiling, which has provided supportive housing in Whistler for almost 30 years, included testimony from a former program participant in its letter. “That sense of security creates room for everything else like working toward goals, planning for the future, saving money, building relationships, and taking care of myself,” the graduate said. “That’s not possible when you sleep with one eye open.”

COUNCIL WELCOMES CHANGES, BUT AFFORDABILITY REMAINS A CONCERN

Coun. Cathy Jewett, who also chairs WVHS, welcomed the changes, adding: “Now, the only thing we have to do is figure out how to lower the rent.” Jewett also questioned whether tenants with different eligibility categories could share units. Staff confirmed unrelated residents could live together provided each met the housing agreement’s qualifications. Mayor Jack Crompton thanked WVHS and Zero Ceiling for their patience in navigating the provincial restrictions. “It is a strange reality that we have to go to the province to get this kind of thing amended because of where this sits,” he said. The amendments are separate from a broader municipal push to accommodate social and supportive housing on select municipal lands. Council is expected to consider final adoption of the Cheakamus amendments on Nov. 17. n

NEWS WHISTLER

SLRD backs proposal for Canada’s first volcano observatory

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THE FIVE-YEAR FEDERAL PROJECT WOULD IMPROVE MONITORING AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AROUND THREE SEA TO SKY VOLCANOES

BY LUKE FAULKS THE SEA TO SKY’S towering mountains are among its most recognizable features. But three of those peaks are also among Canada’s most hazardous volcanoes—and scientists want to keep a closer eye on them. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) board endorsed a federal proposal on Oct. 30 that could lay the groundwork for Canada’s first dedicated volcano observatory, improving monitoring and emergency preparedness around Mount Garibaldi, Mount Cayley and Mount Meager. “I’m super excited that they want to do this work on our very own volcano,” said Electoral Area A director Vivian BirchJones, who moved the motion during a continuation of the board’s Oct. 29 meeting. The proposed five-year project, called VolCan: Towards a Canadian Volcano Observatory, would run from April 2027 to March 2032, subject to federal funding approval. “Mt. Garibaldi, Mt. Cayley, and Mt. Meager are the three most threatening volcanoes in Canada, and their proximal hazard footprint is almost entirely within SLRD,” reads an Oct. 9 letter from Natural Resources Canada’s Geological Survey of Canada (GSC). “Volcanic debris flows and ashfall could affect Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, and the Highway 99 and CN rail corridors, and power and communications.” The proposal doesn’t mean an eruption is imminent. Instead, it’s an effort to better understand the region’s volcanoes before they become restless.

BUILDING CANADA’S VOLCANO MONITORING CAPACITY

Despite the region’s volcanic landscape, Canada has no dedicated national volcano observatory. Existing earthquake monitoring stations and satellite observations provide some information, but scientists say the country’s volcanoes lack the routine monitoring recommended for their threat levels. Under the proposal, scientists would establish baseline monitoring at priority volcanoes, develop notification procedures and regular updates for emergency managers, and hold workshops and emergency exercises with regional, municipal and Indigenous governments. The project would also help Ottawa decide whether to establish a permanent national observatory. “In the longer term, an observatory would give SLRD earlier and more reliable information in the event of volcanic unrest, and support public decision making,” the GSC wrote.

That doesn’t mean residents should expect an eruption anytime soon. Volcanic eruptions in Canada are rare, and Natural Resources Canada has previously reported no satellite evidence of ground movement caused by magma at the country’s volcanoes. Scientists say eruptions are usually preceded by warning signs, sometimes months or years in advance. The goal of better monitoring is to establish what normal activity looks like, making unusual changes easier to detect.

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The Sea to Sky lies within the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt, the northern extension of the volcanic chain that includes Mount St. Helens in Washington. Mount Garibaldi and Mount Meager are classified as very-high-threat volcanoes, while Mount Cayley is considered high threat. Those rankings reflect potential consequences as well as volcanic activity, not the likelihood of an imminent eruption. Mount Meager produced Canada’s last

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major explosive eruption roughly 2,350 years ago, sending ash as far as Alberta. The proposed monitoring project builds on Canada’s first volcanic hazard map workshop, held Sept. 15 in Squamish. Co-hosted by the GSC and Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Natural Hazards Research, the event brought together local governments, emergency planners and other participants to examine volcanic hazards and their potential impacts. SLRD staff participated. The GSC is seeking support from affected communities as it applies to the Canadian Safety and Security Program, led by Defence Research and Development Canada in partnership with Public Safety Canada. “Your endorsement would show the program that the communities most exposed to these hazards support building this capability,” the letter states. The board approved the request without opposition. Funding for the project has not yet been confirmed. n

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NEWS WHISTLER

Lizi McLoughlin takes helm of Zero Ceiling as Sean Easton becomes Squamish mayor THE LONGTIME CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEPS INTO INTERIM LEADERSHIP ROLE AS WHISTLER NON-PROFIT PREPARES TO MARK ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY

BY LUKE FAULKS AS ZERO CEILING approaches its 30th anniversary, the Whistler non-profit has a new leader following the election of longtime co-executive director Sean Easton as mayor of Squamish. Lizi McLoughlin, who has worked alongside Easton for nine years, will serve as interim executive director while the organization considers its long-term leadership structure. Founded in 1997, Zero Ceiling supports young people facing homelessness, poverty and other barriers through affordable housing, employment opportunities, mountain experiences and ongoing support. Under Easton’s 11-year tenure, the organization grew from serving four young people annually to supporting 19 through its housing program. It now operates 11 affordable housing beds and brings hundreds of youth into the mountains each year. McLoughlin credited Easton with establishing an approach that prioritizes the needs of young people over conventional practices. “He’s built this foundation of the organization, which is just really grounded in doing what is right and not necessarily what is easy,” she said. “He’s such a unique person and such a creative driver of things, and he really is ambitious in having a big vision.” Easton was elected mayor of Squamish on Oct. 17, defeating former councillor Jenna Stoner by 175 votes. He succeeds Armand Hurford, who did not seek re-election. In a statement announcing his departure, Easton reflected on how his experience at Zero Ceiling would inform his new role. “The young people I’ve met have taught me so much about resilience, belonging, and the importance of not being constrained by convention or norms. I’ll carry those lessons with me into my role as Mayor of Squamish.”

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McLoughlin will assume greater responsibility for programming, previously overseen by Easton, while creating more leadership opportunities for staff. The transition follows years of organizational growth, including expanded staffing, daily and overnight on-site support, and strengthened fundraising and financial operations. That expansion has coincided with

12 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

rising housing costs across the Sea to Sky, making stable accommodation increasingly inaccessible for vulnerable young people. “Individual youth are facing similar challenges to what they always have: poverty, marginalization. Maybe they’ve been in the foster system, or they’re refugees,” McLoughlin said. “So there’s a lot of individual personal circumstances that are tricky, but I’d say just like the structural aspects of society getting harder and harder to participate in is what’s been driving that.” McLoughlin hopes to double Zero Ceiling’s housing capacity, but finding affordable units and sustainable funding remains a challenge. Zero Ceiling currently rents all its housing through partnerships, an arrangement McLoughlin said makes expanding the program particularly expensive. She explained government funding has also declined from pandemicera levels, leaving private foundations and individual donors to help fill the gap. “Figuring out that funding landscape and how to be sustainable, I think most nonprofits have that problem,” she said. Despite those constraints, McLoughlin has ambitions beyond expanding the organization’s local housing program. “I would love to see this model of really comprehensive wraparound support that’s about the whole person, spread across the province,” she said. “Whether Zero Ceiling does that or whether other people take the work we’ve done and run with it in their communities.”

“Individual youth are facing similar challenges to what they always have.” - LIZI MCLOUGHLIN

As Zero Ceiling prepares to mark three decades in Whistler, McLoughlin said its greatest accomplishment cannot be measured solely in housing units or program participation. “The thing that stands out to me is like what the youth will tell us, which is often that Zero Ceiling is a place where they feel like they belong and they can be themselves and have [an] opportunity that’s never been given to them before,” she said. “It’s truly, ‘Come and figure out how you want to live your life and how be your best self.’” n

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R e s u l t s w i l l b e p u b l i s h e d i n o u r D e c e m b e r 3 1 s t i s s u e . D e a d l i n e f o r s u b m i s s i o n s i s 1 1 : 5 9 p . m . o n S u n d a y, N o v e m b e r 1 5 t h , 2026. Only online submissions will be accepted. No photocopies, faxes or mailed entries. Only one entry per email address will be used. Please note we track user registration from individual IP addresses. We reserve the right to eliminate contest entrants if fraud is suspected. Pique makes every effort to create a concise list of Whistler businesses in the multiple choice drop downs. If you are a business owner in Whistler we encourage you to check the details and email us with corrections and omission suggestions. Email us at kdouglas@lodestarmedia.ca.

NEWS WHISTLER

Whistler newcomer rallies support for transparency on bears killed FIFTEEN OF 21 LOCAL OFFICE CANDIDATES ENDORSED A PROPOSAL TO REQUEST AND PUBLISH RECORDS OF BEARS KILLED BY CONSERVATION OFFICERS

BY LUKE FAULKS A NEW WHISTLERITE is calling on

the municipality to publish records explaining why conservation officers kill bears in the community, drawing support from 15 of the 21 candidates running for mayor and council in last month’s municipal election. Roman Franco De la Vega, who moved to Whistler about four months ago, contacted every candidate ahead of the Oct. 17 election seeking commitments to a proposed Whistler Bear Transparency Record. Under the proposal, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) would request a Human-Wildlife Conflict Report from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) within seven days of learning that an officer killed a bear in Whistler, along with any photographs or video evidence supporting the decision. The municipality would then publish whatever information it receives on its website. If COS declined, redirected the municipality to a freedom-of-information request or failed to respond, that outcome would also be recorded publicly.

De la Vega said the goal is transparency, rather than questioning conservation officers’ integrity. “The record is neutral,” he told Pique. “If their records are solid and they back what the assessment of the risk that they are saying the bear is ... well, that’s great.” De la Vega said he was motivated by conversations with Whistler residents concerned about contacting the Conservation Officer Service, and hopes greater transparency will help build public trust by giving people a clearer understanding of the decisions behind bear deaths.

CANDIDATES DIVIDED OVER APPROACH

Of the 21 Whistler candidates contacted, 19 responded. Fifteen supported the proposal, one opposed it and three declined to make a firm commitment. Four of the six councillors elected on Oct. 17—Cathy Jewett, Arthur De Jong, Robin Brown and Mandy Rousseau— expressed support during the campaign. Re-elected Mayor Jack Crompton opposed it, while returning councillor Jen Ford and newly elected councillor Claire Ruddy did not respond to De la Vega’s questionnaire.

“I believe this policy prescription will put bears at much greater risk in Whistler because it creates an oppositional relationship between the RMOW and the Conservation Officer Service (COS),” Crompton wrote. He pointed to cooperation through the Get Bear Smart Society and Bear Working Group as a more effective approach to expanding non-lethal management. De la Vega questioned why requesting records should threaten that relationship. Among unsuccessful mayoral candidates, Lance Bright and Brandon Smith supported the proposal, while Marco Zunino committed to discussing the issue further without endorsing the policy. Former councillors Ralph Forsyth and Jessie Morden also supported the request.

RECORDS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE THROUGH INFORMATION REQUESTS

Provincial freedom-of-information (FOI) records confirm Human-Wildlife Conflict Reports have been released for previous bear deaths, including cases involving black bears and grizzlies. However, the reports are not routinely published alongside the province’s monthly wildlife-

conflict statistics. Obtaining one through a formal FOI request carries a $10 application fee, and the province generally has 30 business days to respond. Whether the COS would voluntarily release those records to the RMOW outside the freedom-of-information process, or whether the municipality could legally publish everything it receives, remains unclear.

“The record is neutral.” - ROMAN FRANCO DE LA VEGA

The proposal would not compel the provincial agency to release the information, but would require Whistler to ask for it—and make the response, or lack thereof, public. Asked whether COS would voluntarily release the records, why they are not routinely made public and whether the proposal could affect its relationship with the RMOW, the province declined to comment, citing the post-election transitional “caretaker mode” period. n

S I P. S AV O U R . S TAY A L I T T L E L O N G E R C O R N U C O P I A A N D W O R L D C L A S S D I N I N G AT YO U R D O O R S T E P

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northlandsresidences.com Two bedroom move-in ready residences in Whistler Village Ma arketing materials are for information only & do not constitute an offering for sale. Any such offering can only be made by way of Disclosure Statement. 4365 North hlands Limited Partn nership (developer) reserve es the right to modify or make changes without notice. E.&O.E.

14 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

NEWS WHISTLER

Whistler student bridges generation gap with new community program GRADE 11 STUDENT ADA GOHLKE BRINGS LOCAL TEENS AND SENIORS TOGETHER THROUGH TRIVIA, STORYTELLING AND TECHNOLOGY LESSONS

BY LUKE FAULKS A WHISTLER GRADE 11 student is finding that teenagers and seniors have more in common than they might think— and plenty to teach one another. Ada Gohlke, a student at Whistler Waldorf School, is bringing the two generations together through Inter-gen Connect, a four-session pilot program pairing local youth with older residents for conversation, storytelling and practical skill-sharing. The weekly, 90-minute gatherings bring together approximately 15 participants with activities ranging from Whistler history trivia to lessons in modern slang and smartphone technology. For Gohlke, the project grew from a desire to create connections between two groups that rarely have opportunities to interact. “I just feel like there is a lack of opportunities in our community for us to build relationships with seniors, especially since we are able to learn so much from them,” she said. “They have so much knowledge about Whistler, and just about life in general.” The opportunity came through

her successful application to the YEP x Promise1000 Leadership Program, a national initiative supporting youth-led community projects. Gohlke received $1,000 in funding and guidance from a mentor to turn her idea into reality. She also enlisted support from Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) and the Mature Action Community (MAC), whose members helped shape the sessions and recruit participants.

said of one historical correction. “It’s just not something you find on the internet.” Another session paired participants for interviews and personal storytelling. Gohlke said advice from MAC helped her shift the activity away from creative writing toward conversation. “They were like, ‘Oh, like actually, [seniors] want to share their stories and they want to talk about that,’” Gohlke recalled. “Then I’ll work it more towards

“I just feel like there is a lack of opportunities in our community for us to build relationships with seniors.” - ADA GOHLKE

LEARNING GOES BOTH WAYS

The opening session combined local history trivia with a crash course in teenage slang. Among the participants was longtime Whistler resident and Pique columnist G.D. Maxwell, whose knowledge of the resort’s past challenged even the answers Gohlke had researched. “I just had never known that,” she

like an interview segment.” She remembers one conversation that paired a senior with a background in medicine and a student hoping to pursue the same career as a standout moment. “That was just so cool because she wouldn’t have gotten that perspective without a program like this,” Gohlke said. The third gathering flipped the

teaching dynamic, putting teenagers in charge of helping seniors navigate smartphone features and other everyday technology.

A LEADERSHIP FIRST

While Gohlke has participated in several youth leadership and environmental groups, Inter-gen Connect marks her first experience organizing and leading a project herself. “Leadership was something I have not always been very good at. I find it challenging sometimes,” she said. “I don’t think of myself as an outgoing person. Me having to ... stand up there [and] lead the group [was] something I just hadn’t done before.” With the pilot nearing completion, Gohlke is considering continuing the initiative through MAC gatherings or mentoring another student, though funding and interest would determine its future. For now, she said watching participants become comfortable with one another has been its greatest reward. “The first week, of course, you don’t know each other,” she said. “But then, just seeing how comfortable they have become with each other over those weeks, I’ve been able to see the relationships form.” n

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NEWS PEMBERTON

Líl’wat Chief Dean Nelson backs call to abolish Indian Act NELSON WELCOMES MANITOBA PREMIER WAB KINEW’S PUSH TO DISMANTLE THE 150-YEAR-OLD LAW, BUT SAYS FIRST NATIONS MUST LEAD THE PROCESS OF REPLACING IT

BY LUKE FAULKS LÍL’WAT NATION CHIEF Dean Nelson says it’s about time Canada scrapped the Indian Act, backing Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew’s call to abolish the 150-yearold law. Kinew made the appeal during an Oct. 26 meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney and First Nations leaders in Ottawa, holding up his Indian status card as he questioned why Canada still uses the race-based identification system. “I think it’s about time,” Nelson told Pique. “And coming from a First Nations person [like] Kinew, that’s even better. You know, he understands the whole system and the process we’ve been under.” For Nelson, abolishing the act would offer an opportunity for First Nations to reclaim greater control over their governance and strengthen traditional laws and practices. But with uncertainty surrounding what might replace it, he said First Nations must lead the process of dismantling the legislation.

A LAW DESIGNED FOR ASSIMILATION

The Indian Act was passed in 1876. The federal law established sweeping federal authority over reserve lands, Indian status and band governance, forming part of a broader policy aimed at assimilating Indigenous peoples into Canadian society. Over its history, the act also imposed restrictions on cultural ceremonies and supported the residential school system,

ONGOING DEBATE Chief Nelson (centre) during a ceremony. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RMOW

18 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

which forcibly separated generations of Indigenous children from their families, languages and communities. Although some parts have since been amended or repealed, the legislation remains central to federal oversight of First Nations affairs. Nelson said the broader system of federal control remains apparent in his work as chief, particularly through the funding programs Líl’wat Nation relies on. “The program dollars are designated for something. You have to follow through the guidelines, or you don’t get the funds,” he said. “So it’s a very confining kind of a place to be.” Nelson said understanding the historical objectives behind the act is essential to the current debate. “The government needs to communicate the whole history of it [the act], the intention of it all,” Nelson said. “We need the general public to know exactly what the system is and what it’s doing, because people have their own conceptions of what it is. You know, that it’s tax-free stuff and that kind of thing.” “But there’s a whole internal thing, from all the systems that have been put in place, like the abolishment of your traditional practices, the insertion of other religions, the residential school stuff and the day school stuff. It was all there for a reason. It was to remove the culture, the language and everything, and then assimilate into the general population.”

RECLAIMING TRADITIONAL GOVERNANCE

For Nelson, moving beyond the Indian Act also presents an opportunity to strengthen systems of government that existed long before the legislation. “We had our own governance system. We had everything that we needed,”

Nelson said. “And we still do. We just have to strengthen ourselves to bring them back to everyday practice.” “There was the [long] history of clan leadership, and then there was the family head system,” Nelson said. “There were leaders that were not elected, but were taking on the responsibility of looking after resources, protecting them. Everybody had their roles, and they weren’t elected.” “Even the matriarchs were our leaders at one point,” he added. “There were a lot of different pieces there.” Although today’s chief-and-council structure operates within a system shaped by the Indian Act, Nelson said traditional Líl’wat laws and governance practices have never entirely disappeared. What role those systems might play in a post-Indian Act future, he added, would ultimately be for Líl’wat members to determine. “I’ve always said that I hold space for our former governing system, and however the people shape that is how it’s going to be,” he said.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Prime Minister Mark Carney has expressed openness to moving beyond the legislation, but clarified Oct. 27 that discussions with First Nations would have no predetermined outcome, potentially leading to reform or abolition. Not all First Nations leaders support outright abolition. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has cautioned that the act contains protections for First Nations, and that communities must decide for themselves how to proceed. Previous attempts to abolish the act have also met resistance. In 1969, Pierre Trudeau’s government

proposed repealing the legislation through its controversial White Paper, but First Nations rejected the plan over concerns it would strip them of legal protections, treaty rights and their distinct status. Nelson acknowledged those concerns, emphasizing that any transition would take considerable time and must allow individual nations to move at their own pace. “The fear is what’s in its place,” Nelson said. “We’re all moving at our own kind of pace. But everybody does realize that it is very detrimental to our way of life. So it does have to be removed, but it has to be done by us, through us.” “It’s not going to happen overnight,” he added. “We’re all at different places, but it is concerning. I think once we realize that we’re [moving] at our own pace, then I think it’s going to be okay.” Nelson expects the conversation to continue through First Nations assemblies and political organizations, alongside discussions within individual communities about what should replace the act. But he said the debate also presents an opportunity to confront public misconceptions about Indigenous rights and the historical policies that sought to suppress them. “The history has to be told outright,” Nelson said. “The whole intention of the government against First Nations people. The history of it all, and why the residential school, why the religions and everything. Because there seems to be a lack of education there.” “People are being misled on the rights that were never anyone’s to give to us, that we’ve always had, [but] that have been oppressed under this system,” he said. n

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Lil’wat Forestry Ventures Forest Operations Map ID #3578 Notice of Public Review and Comment Notice is hereby given that Lil’wat Forestry Ventures, holder of Forest License #A19214, is seeking public review and comment on Forest Operations Map (FOM) ID #3578, which is covered by Forest Stewardship Plan #1057. The review and comment period related to FOM ID #3578 is available for a 30-day period from November 6th, 2026, to December 6th, 2026. This FOM consists of four proposed cutblocks, and accompanying road reconstruction and proposed new road construction located in the Perkins Creek and Sampson Creek areas in the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District. The FOM can be viewed at https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects, and by searching Licensee using the ‘find’ function. Alternatively, the information contained in the FOM can be made available for in-person viewing during normal business hours at Kintera Solutions Ltd.’s office at #201 – 1121 Commercial Place, Squamish BC. Comments can be submitted anytime during the 30-day period through h ttps://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects, e-mailed to Lilwat.FOM@crgl.ca, or mailed to the address noted above. Please reference the FOM ID when submitting comments. Following the review and comment period, this FOM may be relied upon to apply for a Road Permit or Cutting Permit for a 3-year period, ending December 6th, 2029.

NEWS PEMBERTON

SLRD approves rural fire policy despite training concerns for smaller brigades THE NEW POLICY SETS TRAINING STANDARDS AND FUNDING RULES FOR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE REGIONAL DISTRICT

BY LUKE FAULKS THE SQUAMISH-LILLOOET Regional District (SLRD) has approved new rules for training, funding and supporting rural fire departments and volunteer brigades. The policy, adopted during the Oct. 28 board meeting, aims to formalize agreements with independent fire departments while opening a path to support smaller community-run brigades. “We know that there’s lots of people out there that are doing really important work and are trying to find a way to do it within the confines [of] different levels of jurisdiction, and this is a unique way of moving it forward,” said Squamish director Jenna Stoner, who chaired the meeting. But Area B director Vivian Birch-Jones raised concerns over whether smaller brigades could lose funding before securing agreements—particularly as rural communities face increasingly severe wildfire seasons. The board adopted the policy and an accompanying administration bylaw, with Birch-Jones opposed to both.

BRINGING VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS INTO THE FOLD

The challenge of supporting rural brigades came into focus last October, when the newly formed Tyaughton Gun Creek Fire Brigade Society requested $10,000 from the SLRD for insurance, equipment, communications and training. “In remote areas like ours, outside support can take time to arrive, making it essential that we build strong local capacity to reduce risks and safeguard our community in advance,” brigade president Tennille Riddolls wrote to the regional district. At the Oct. 8, 2025 Electoral Area Directors meeting, CAO Heather Paul explained that local governments had been advised to consider risks, including injury or death, to volunteers and liability from inadequate equipment or coordination. Directors ultimately approved the funding, while staff pointed to the Fire Service Resiliency Project, already underway, as a way to establish clearer rules for supporting such groups.

FORMALIZING FIRE SERVICES

The project’s initial focus was four societyrun fire departments in Pemberton Meadows, Birken, Bralorne and Gun Lake. The departments receive some or all of their funding through the SLRD, but have lacked formal agreements outlining responsibilities and expectations. The new framework establishes service levels, training and reporting

20 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

requirements, and funding rules. It also grants fire chiefs legal powers to enter property to fight fires and evacuate properties when lives are threatened. Only organizations with valid service agreements can receive SLRD fire protection funding—though staff noted that groups do not need to meet every training standard before signing if they are working towards compliance. Instead, the agreements will run for five years, with staff expecting departments will meet training standards by renewal. Area C director Chris Pettingill, who supported the policy, questioned that timeline. “I do hesitate [when] I hear that for some groups we hope within five years we’ll get to compliance with the training. For me, that seems like a long time,” he said. “I appreciate staff really working hard to provide flexibility to the groups, but that does make me a bit nervous.” The policy also sets different levels of service. Most covered departments offer some structural firefighting, while Gun Lake’s brigade is designated for wildland operations, focusing on outdoor fires rather than entering burning buildings. Staff anticipate additional costs as early as 2027, including possible administrative support.

CONCERNS FOR SMALLER COMMUNITIES

Birch-Jones raised concerns about the policy’s effect on Area B brigades following a difficult 2026 wildfire season. “Area B has been on fire all friggin’ summer, and we will be again next summer,” she told the board. “And our little brigades do a lot of very valuable work.” She cited volunteers in Kelly Lake, Pavilion and the Yalakom Valley. Climate change is contributing to longer, more intense wildfire seasons, increasing pressure on rural crews that may be first to respond. “We just do not have the resources and the population and the money in these backwoods communities,” she said. “So that wording moving towards compliance gave some room for these smaller groups in Area B to still receive some funding.” Birch-Jones asked whether Area B could opt out but was told the rules would apply district-wide. Staff said groups working towards compliance could still qualify for funding. The SLRD would assess their training, equipment and needs, then pursue agreements that could enable board-approved support. Staff plan to finalize agreements with the first four departments before approaching others, including those in the Upper Squamish Valley and Gold Bridge. n

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THE OUTSIDER

Cole’s Notes for the backcountry LAST WEEK, the first significant snowfall

of the season dusted the Sea to Sky alpine, and a few optimists were already making attempts to ski it. The early winter appetite is back, as is the temptation to ski first and ask questions later. Backcountry skiing hasn’t become safer just because of technological advances with equipment. Gear matters, but the real leap has been education. And the biggest part of avalanche education? Accessing and dissecting information. Timely, local, what-happened-today

BY VINCE SHULEY (and yesterday) information. The forecast from Avalanche Canada should always be the first port of call, but the information can be generalized to regional trends. For many Sea to Sky skiers, the 28,000-plus-member South Coast Touring (SCT) Facebook page has a litany of user-generated content, where the helpful conditions and trip reports can be easily drowned out by noisy entertainment content or discussion threads between self-proclaimed experts. It was for this reason Evan Stevens, the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association (IFMGA) mountain guide who founded Zenith Guides, teamed up with fellow Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) ski guide Eric Carter to start another venue. Their origin

NOT FAIR WEATHER Guides Eric Carter and Evan Stevens check in on one of the weather stations they installed in the Squamish area. PHOTO BY CHRIS CHRISTIE

22 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

story is refreshingly unglamorous. “We just kind of got tired of answering text messages from our friends,” says Carter. “Like, ‘Where’d you ski today? What did you see? How was it?’” Stevens notes that while Avalanche Canada does do a great job of assessing conditions in the Sea to Sky region, they don’t have boots on the ground every day and tend to rely on the Canadian Avalanche Association’s InfoEx for updates from guiding operations and industry. Whistler Blackcomb has full-time avalanche forecasters, but the Squamish and Duffey Lake Road areas are not covered as comprehensively. “Generally, our snowpack (on the South Coast) is a

from our guide meeting,” Carter explains. “What am I scared about this weekend? What am I wondering? What am I thinking about? What’s the heads up?” Around 3,000 people now read it every week of the winter, with a pretty even split between the Mainland and the Sea to Sky audience and a large readership in Washington and the odd Seattle or San Francisco skier planning a one or two trip-a-year visit. For the weekend warriors, Carter frames it this way: “What is the most important stuff you need to think about if you’ve been out of touch all week?” The Weekly South Coast Ski Conditions Report has also spread to basic

“We all know the climate is changing and things are weirder than they used to be.” - EVAN STEVENS

good one, relatively,” says Stevens. “I don’t want to say safe, but relatively, compared to B.C.’s interior, we’re not as plagued by persistent weak layers (in our snowpack). But we all know the climate is changing and things are weirder than they used to be.” About four years ago, it was a weird February snowpack that made Carter and Stevens uncomfortable enough to write a public heads-up post for the SCT crowd, a report that was informative and nuanced to local conditions. People were, as Carter puts it, “super psyched” on the post’s level of detail and consideration from a qualified source. A regular newsletter was the natural next step. One written in plain language (not guide shorthand) that backcountry skiers of every level could understand. “It’s basically the Cole’s Notes

infrastructure upgrades in the corridor. Zenith guides are paid to ski and assess Sea to Sky Gondola’s terrain once a week and report their findings to the InfoEx, and they were also contracted to install an alpine weather station and webcam. Up the highway, a solar-powered, cellenabled camera now watches over the Tantalus Range from a col just above the Jim Haberl Hut, supported by Black Tusk Heli and in cooperation with the Alpine Club of Canada. The latest addition—in cooperation with BC Parks—is a weather station at the former Quest University weather site near the Red Heather shelter in Garibaldi Park. All the cell signal cameras are relatively cheap to replace should an aggressive storm pass through the area. The cameras and weather stations

aren’t just helping skiers, either. Heli pilots flying out of Squamish Airport no longer need to drive up the highway to check for cloud cover in the Tantalus Range, and SAR teams can quickly check the conditions and visibility before they deploy. The Sea to Sky touring community has rallied around the initiative, too. There’s a season-opening party at the Sea to Sky Gondola and weather/snowpack talks at backcountry retailer Ski Uphill in Squamish most months of the winter. With such a dedicated following, did it make sense for Zenith to monetise the newsletter? It’s obviously good marketing, but Stevens is clear about where the line is. “We guide for a living,” he says. “We need to have clients and people need to hire us so we can put food on the table. But we’ve deliberately not monetized or overcommercialized the newsletter... It’s just happened organically.” While there is no paywall to the newsletter, there is an option through the Zenith website to contribute a few bucks a week to help keep the machine humming. Subscriptions are not a hard sell from the guides, but it’s a no-brainer for me as a regular Sea to Sky backcountry skier. And it should be for you too. I’m as guilty as anyone of overspending on backcountry gear, so take this as one gear-obsessed skier to another: this is the best money you’ll spend all season on backcountry safety. Information is what keeps you safe, so support the guides handing it to you on a silver platter. Sign up and support the Weekly South Coast Ski Conditions Report at snow.zenithguides.ca. Vince Shuley is prioritizing his spending this winter. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider, email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_vince. n

OPINION

Doerkson takes a page from Eby's 'man of action' playbook BC CONSERVATIVE LEADER'S PUSH TO FORM GOVERNMENT AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY ECHOES DAVID EBY'S RAPID-FIRE APPROACH IN 2022

BY ROB SHAW B.C.’S PREMIER-DESIGNATE is shooting out of the gate at the fastest speed possible, announcing he’ll swear in his MLAs and cabinet at the very first opportunity and set the stage for a possible late fall session. Lorne Doerkson outlined the breakneck pace during his first BC Conservative caucus meeting Monday, at a hotel in downtown Victoria. He’s said he’ll swear in his 63 Conservative MLAs on Nov. 19—the day after B.C.’s chief electoral officer is expected to return final results to the legislature. His cabinet will follow the next day. “We’ll be moving very quickly after that,” he said. No kidding. It would not legally be possible for a government to move at a more aggressive pace than the one outlined by Doerkson. “The campaign is over,” Doerkson told his caucus Monday. “Governing is our focus now, and governing is a different job.” The premier-designate has said on more than one occasion he’s eyeing a potential late-fall sitting of the legislature. That could be around the end of November, or the first two weeks of December.

time for the new government to make good on its promise to repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act (DRIPA). Although some First Nations leaders have likened that to an act of war, the Conservatives made it a very clear part of their campaign and they have a fresh, overwhelming mandate from voters. Same with scrapping the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) learning module in schools. That campaign promise could manifest in a quick cabinet order on one of the first days of the new government. The timing would be easier than six or 12 months from now when political baggage on the administration has already accumulated. On the flip side, a simple bill to de-couple the municipal and provincial election campaigns would be an easy dunk for the Conservatives on the NDP while public frustration over the snap election call is still fresh. These moves would be red meat to the Conservative base, to show the party faithful that the new premier intends to keep his word. But they’d also let the government clear the deck of a few of its more controversial promises early, paving the way for the February throne speech and budget to be focused on a $1,000 tax cut

...Moving as quickly as possible makes a lot of sense in politics these days.

It’s an extraordinarily fast turnaround for a new government, which will have also had to create new ministries, restructure the civil service, craft mandate letters for all the new ministers and write actual legislation to introduce to the house. Still, moving as quickly as possible makes a lot of sense in politics these days. It shows the public how seriously a new government is taking the job. It rewards the curiosity of voters who just cast ballots in the election and want to see what this new premier has to offer. But most importantly, it allows a new government to get some of the more controversial items off its agenda early in the honeymoon period, when backlash will be more muted. For example, it could be the perfect

proposal and government core review. A quick blitz of items is not a new strategy. To see its effectiveness, you need only turn back to Nov. 18, 2022, when David Eby was sworn in as premier and launched his 100-day agenda. A flurry of announcements followed. For a while, Eby rode that momentum to high public approval ratings. Back then, they called Eby the “man of action.” The new “man of action” appears to be Lorne Doerkson. Rob Shaw has spent more than 18 years covering B.C. politics, now reporting for CHEK News and writing for BIV. He hosts the weekly show Political Capital and has a daily podcast, Political Capital Daily. n

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1943 - 2026

LINDSAY Y W IL S O N IN LO V IN G M E M O R Y There are never enough words to describe when your loved one passes on. John Thomas Lindsay Wilson, lovingly known as Lindsay, passed away peacefully on October 14, 2026, surrounded by his wife and daughters, following a courageous journey with Lewy Body Dementia. He was born in Calgary on October 30, 1943, and graduated from UBC in 1967 with a degree in mathematics. Lindsay’s love of skiing and the mountains drew him to Whistler in 1970, when he began teaching weekends at the Whistler Mountain Ski School. He started building a home in Alpine Meadows in 1974 and moved to Whistler permanently in 1975. With a passion for building and a pioneering spirit, he established JTL Construction and worked alongside Cathers Construction, building many of Whistler’s early homes. Lindsay joined the Alta Lake Volunteer Fire Department and later served as Chief of the Whistler Volunteer Fire Department from 1979 to 1988. He also worked for the municipality, eventually becoming Chief Building Inspector, and was active in the local Rotary Club. In 1997, he received the British Columbia Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal in recognition of his service. In January 1990, Lindsay joined Intrawest as Construction Manager, later becoming Vice President and Director of Construction. Over the next 19 years, his work took him to resort developments across North America, including Whistler Blackcomb, Mont-Tremblant, Sandestin, Mammoth, Napa Valley and Lake Las Vegas. Just as important were the many lifelong friendships he made along the way. After a short retirement, he returned to work on the Honua Kai Resort and Spa in Maui. Lindsay also worked with consultants involved in planning Whistler Village. One project he particularly loved was Glacier Creek Lodge on Blackcomb, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and remarkable root-stalk chandeliers. He enjoyed the challenge of getting those enormous roots into the building and securing them. He was always humble about his accomplishments, but there was a twinkle in his eyes when he talked about projects like that. Even during his busiest years, Lindsay made time for first tracks on Blackcomb with colleagues before heading down to the village office. Lindsay and Pauline married in Puerto Vallarta in 2008 and later settled in the Qualicum Beach area. He loved woodworking, travelling and time with his family, especially making toys and pancakes with each of his grandchildren's initials. His big smile, gentle nature, calm competence and steady hand will be greatly missed. He is lovingly remembered by Pauline; daughters Jessica (John) and Alyssa (Darin); grandchildren Charlotte, Rose, Asa and Frieda; sister Betty; and dog Kula. He was predeceased by his parents, George and Julia.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, November 29, 2026, from 2–5 p.m. at the French Creek Pub in Parksville. Please RSVP to paulineback007@gmail.com. My heart broke when you left, but the love and memories we shared keep me going.

NOVEMBER 6, 2026

FEATURE STORY

By Caroline Egan A quarter of a century ago, the Whistler Writers Festival was nothing more than a modest gathering of locals packed into a living room. Nowadays, as the festival prepares to celebrate its silver anniversary this fall, it serves as a cornerstone for literary arts in the Sea to Sky. As organizers finalize preparations for this year’s milestone event they are looking back at the festival’s history while simultaneously navigating a rapidly changing publishing landscape. Newer partnerships and policies seen at the Whistler Writers Festival are showing that the human element of storytelling is more vital than ever.

The living room genesis

In an e ra of ge nerated long-ru conten nning l t, the ocal lit erary fe celebra stival tes hum an con nection

24 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

The festival’s origins trace back to its founder and former director, Stella Harvey. When she first moved to Whistler, Harvey found herself searching for like-minded creatives in a town dominated by ski culture. “I had been working in Europe for three years, and we came back. We did have a cabin in Whistler... but it wasn’t really my community,” Harvey recalled. Desperate for a creative outlet, she went right to her local library in hopes of finding one. After the librarian told her there wasn’t a writers’ group, she suggested Harvey could start one herself. Taking the advice to heart, Harvey reached out to the community. “I put an ad in the paper in Pique and said, ‘Anyone interested in joining a writing group?’” she said. “I had something like 25 or so responses from people, and in fact, about 20 people showed up at my door.” That initial meeting laid the foundation for the Whistler Writing Society, which runs the festival. What was originally 20-odd people has boomed to nearly 2,000 participants and hosts. Yet despite its massive growth, Harvey believes the festival’s enduring success is rooted in its grassroots charm and intimacy.

Building a literary ecosystem Rebecca Wood Barrett, the festival’s artistic and executive director since 2022, was one of the aspiring creatives sitting in Harvey’s living room in the early 2000s. She remembers a time when the corridor offered very little support for literary artists. “In the beginning, there weren’t really any opportunities for writers. I think there were a few published authors who were living in the Sea to Sky, but very few,” Wood Barrett said. Today, the Whistler Writing Society has cultivated what Wood Barrett describes as a “complete ecosystem” for local talent. Writers can dip their toes in at the beginner level, work their way through intensive workshops, participate in the Writer in Residence program and eventually pitch their manuscripts directly to visiting publishers and agents. This pipeline has produced incredible local success stories. Wood Barrett pointed to prolific talents who leveraged the region’s literary scene, such as Sara Leach, an award-winning children’s author who has published several books, including the Slug Days series. Another standout is Loreth Anne White. “She used to actually be a journalist for the Pique,” Wood Barrett noted. White successfully transitioned into writing fulltime, publishing bestselling thrillers like The Maid’s

FEATURE STORY Diary and The Patient’s Secret, and selling millions of copies globally. Even Harvey herself leveraged the community she built; she is launching her fourth novel, The Disruption, at this year’s festival.

Elevating oral storytelling

PHOTO BY MIRAE CAMPBELL / COURTESY OF TOURISM WHISTLER

As the festival’s ecosystem matured, organizers recognized a glaring blind spot in their programming. Despite operating on the unceded territories of the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation, regional Indigenous voices were underrepresented in the traditional publishing streams. “Where are the local, regional Indigenous authors from Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation, on whose land we live and work and play?” Wood Barrett asked herself. “I started to wonder if maybe publishing is a colonial, a settler construct, and perhaps that’s a barrier to those voices.” The festival introduced a dedicated oral storytelling event in 2022 to bridge this gap. The program has since blossomed and directly partners with the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre to ensure a culturally safe space for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members to gather. Tanina Williams, a Lil’wat Nation oral storyteller and Indigenous support worker, helped launch the program. For Williams, sharing oral traditions with a room full of conventional writers highlighted the profound differences in how stories are constructed and consumed across cultures. For example, western literature typically relies on

PHOTO BY MIKE CRANE / COURTESY OF TOURISM WHISTLER

“Sometimes I think our stories are meant for us to decide what the ending is.”

- Tanina Williams

the “rule of three” and a standard beginning, middle, and end structure. Lil’wat storytelling, Williams explained, operates on an entirely different frequency. “Things that happen in four, I’ve heard people call them power of four, so it’s anything to do with four, like the four elements, four seasons, four directions, four aspects of who you are, like your mind, body, soul, and your feelings,” Williams said. When listeners hear a repetition of four, their minds automatically know a lesson is being imparted. Furthermore, Indigenous oral stories often lack the tidy resolutions western readers expect. Williams shared a traditional fable about a chickadee who knocks out a mocking coyote with a bow and arrow. After seasons pass, the coyote wakes up covered in snow, asks why he is there, receives no answer and simply walks away; a completely open-ended ending. “Sometimes I think our stories are meant for us to decide what the ending is,” Williams said, noting that these open endings grant the listener autonomy to extract the specific life lesson they need in that moment.”Because we’re not used to an ending like that, I think white people might have just laughed it off.”

The NOVEMBER 6, 2026

FEATURE STORY and you talk to your stuffy, right? Well, you talk to AI.” However, she added that there’s always a downside to what new technology can do to society. Particularly how people might rely on AI to outsource their own thinking. “I think it’s going to be a challenge for us to not be lazy learners, and lazy doers, because learning, you have to be able to [know how to] do,” Williams warned.

Looking at the next 25 years

PHOTO BY MIKE CRANE / COURTESY OF TOURISM WHISTLER

disruption of artificial intelligence While the festival is actively expanding its understanding of ancient storytelling, it is simultaneously battling the encroaching threat of futuristic technology. The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI), like ChatGPT, has sent shockwaves through the publishing industry. The festival has drawn a hard line in the sand. “We did add a question to the author intake form this year, which was, ‘What part of your book has used generative AI?’ and the only answer we’ll accept is none,” Wood Barrett said. While Wood Barrett acknowledged the technology can produce some written work, she noted that AI-generated writing lacks the emotional resonance and specific voice required for great literature. “There’s also this quality of thought and originality that, I hope, AI won’t be able to replicate. We can certainly produce pieces by AI that sound very clear, but when you start poking deeper, sometimes they sound vague. It doesn’t quite hang together. Doesn’t quite make sense.” Harvey, who spends years meticulously researching her novels, was even more blunt about the prospect of using AI in the creative process. For her second book, which centered on the European refugee crisis, Harvey travelled to Athens. She visited a massive detention centre and a Roma camp and sat on the pavement beside a man begging on the street just to observe how the public interacted with him. “The book, that particular book, and my others have been fed so much by that human interaction, by those contacts,” Harvey said. “That’s what informs my books. What informs a good book, I think. I don’t know how AI can make you feel for some of the characters that I’ve created based on people I’ve met.” Harvey is currently advocating for systemic industry regulations, suggesting that government agencies should consider partnering with the Writers Union of Canada to establish strict monitoring capabilities over AI usage in published works. Williams takes a more abstract—but positive—look at the impact of AI by observing how humanity has a tendency to create relationships with inanimate objects. From anything to a beloved childhood toy to a lucky

26 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

pair of underwear, Williams noted that building a bond with a non-human entity isn’t entirely new to us. “We’ve kind of always done that. Inanimate objects become very important to us, and this is just a different take on it,” Williams said. “Like when you have like a stuffy

Despite the changes over the years, organizers remain deeply optimistic about the future of the written and spoken word in the Sea to Sky corridor. As attendees prepare to celebrate 25 years of literary community, the focus remains firmly on the human connections that sparked the festival in the first place. Reflecting on her welcome letter for this year’s program, Wood Barrett found herself wondering what the region would look like today if Harvey had never put that ad in Pique a quarter of a century ago. “I tried to imagine… like if the festival had never existed. What would have happened?” Wood Barrett said. “We wouldn’t have created this ecosystem that exists for writers to develop their craft and market their work, the conversations wouldn’t have happened.” The Whistler Writers Festival runs from Nov. 5 to 8. For more visit whistlerwritersfest.com. n

“We did add a question to the author intake form this year, which was, ‘What part of your book has used generative AI?’ and the only answer we’ll accept is none.” - Rebecca Wood Barrett

PHOTO BY MIKE CRANE / COURTESY OF TOURISM WHISTLER

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NOVEMBER 6, 2026

FEATURE STORY

From the frontlines to Alta Lake Brian Buchholz, a long-time local who spent years organizing Remembrance Day ceremonies, imagines what a letter from the trenches to Rainbow Lodge might say

By Brian Buchholz

ith another Remembrance Day upon us, the community of Whistler again pauses to reflect on what remembrance means to them. We reflect as a community, as individuals, as family members of the fallen, and as family and friends of those who have served as we share what remembrance means to all Canadians across our wide and free land. Sometimes, living in our peaceful valley, it can be difficult to capture loss and remembrance. Whistler has no standing military presence, no cadet programs, no Royal Canadian Legion and no military cemetery. Our cenotaph is the only tangible symbol of remembrance in place while those other institutions and symbols do provide the wider context for history, loss and remembrance. Despite this, Whistler has been home to many very special citizensoldiers who served. A partial list includes: Gary Watson, Terry Rogers, Rob Cox, Walter Zebrowski, Howard Goldsmid and many others. Sadly, many of those veterans have now passed, limiting Whistler’s direct link to veterans, the fallen and remembrance. A few years ago, the Whistler Museum and Whistler Magazine uncovered and shared the story of a Great War veteran who spent time at Alta Lake before that war. William Bruce wrote a pensive letter from his hospital bed in London, where he was recovering from a shrapnel wound, to his friend Myrtle Philip, who owned Rainbow Lodge with her husband Philip, in 1917. Some details and timelines of this letter’s history have been lost to time; however, the underlying facts seem true. Bruce had visited and may have lived at Alta Lake just as Rainbow Lodge opened in 1915. A fragment of that letter relates to his miserable experience in the trenches. In a reflective moment, Bruce mused that instead of just surviving the horrors of war, he wished he were sitting warm and amongst friends in front of the fire

28 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

at Rainbow Lodge. “If only I could drop into your place to spend the afternoon and eat plentiful trout it would make me feel better I bet,” he wrote. History does not reveal if William Bruce made it back to Rainbow Lodge. Another Alta Lake connection emerged after that war. William (Mac) MacDermott came to Alta Lake in 1919 disillusioned and broken. Known across the valley simply as Mac, he remained here for 25 years. The best detail we have about MacDermott is that he arrived at Alta Lake after the war in 1919. He was suffering from what today would be called PTSD and shell shock. The war left MacDermott broken and, not surprisingly discouraged by war, his experiences, and his worry for the future. Information suggests he discovered some much-needed solace and after settling at Alta Lake. He built and rented out five cabins at the south end of the lake, living in his own cabin there for more than 25 years. With extreme reverence, I have attempted to imagine the fuller stories, imagery and connections between the wartime horrors experienced by these soldiers; William Bruce, William MacDemott and others, and their link to Alta Lake and Rainbow Lodge. Using this existing letter fragment as a jumping-off point I have re-imagined other letters sent from France and Flanders, which were received and read, but sadly lost to history. What follows is my constructed letter and interpretation of an Alta Lake soldier’s war experiences and his motivation for writing to Myrtle Philip in 1917, 109 years ago. Please read this attempt to flesh out an Alta Lake / Whistler link to war and remembrance and reflect on the dramatic impact war had on young men and women, removed from the peace of their daily existence in Canada (even Alta Lake) and thrust into the inhumane devastation of war.

FEATURE STORY *(released by Canadian Corp Censor)

October 8, 1917 The Canadian Corps Arras, France Mrs. Myrtle Philip c/o Rainbow Lodge Alta Lake, British Columbia Pacific Great Eastern Rwy - Mile 38

soon enough for me and all the boys in the trenches alongside me. In quiet times, my mates and I do talk in whispers about what the future may bring for us and the world after the war. While we believe in an ultimate victory by us “Brits,” at times we share a soldier’s worry that this is only another war which we labourers, farmers and factory workers (on both sides) didn’t start but are forced to fight and suffer through. Will this be the “War to End all Wars” or just one more slaughter in governments’ and big businesses’ never-ending push for war? We, the common man, from so many nations take it on the chin and worse–once again. Despite the cold, rain, mud and thin rations my group is holding up well—it seems we

Dear Mrs. Philip (Myrtle),

are always wet. Standing shoulder to shoulder with so many brave Canadians from across

I finally have a quiet moment and found a somewhat dry dugout to sit and put pen

the country–I even have an officer from the Yukon–make us an even more united and

to paper. I say quiet but the pounding of distant bombardment by the big British,

proud regiment–proud to fight for the cause we share.

Canadian and German guns to the east never really stops. Our sector is some distance

The gift packages we occasionally receive from home, including your letters, biscuits,

behind the front at present and still for now, but it is known. We could be called to

socks, sweets and cigarettes, are a welcome lifeline to Canada and for me, to Alta Lake.

move up the line at any time.

Thanks to you and Alex for the well needed and much appreciated goods.

I hope that this letter finds you, Mr. Philip (Alex) and all of my friends at Rainbow

I can’t think of much more to say as my fingers are getting very cold. I hope you got

Lodge and all along the “tracks” well.Please extend my best wishes to everyone from me

all the apples and plums harvested before the bears got to them this fall and that the hay

here in France.

is cut, dried and put away for another season. Did Dale Fairhurst come back to run the

I will briefly let you know of my situation here and our day-to-day challenges. You all

horses for you this summer?nHe is so very much a Canadian Buckaroo for certain. How

may have heard by now something of the Canadian Corps’ progress here near Arras at

was the fishing this summer? I sure miss that and watching the afternoon waves come up

Vimy Ridge back in April. A great victory the generals tell us.

for us to sail on. Lots of big Rainbow trout again I imagine–save some for my return!

While the Canadian Corps, together with the Brits and Newfoundlanders, made some important

What flies were working best?

gains at Vimy, it came at a great cost in wounded and men lost. We have lost many, many comrades

In some quiet moments here, which are few and short, I rest my eyes and imagine

and it is difficult to accept those who haven’t returned and who are missing each day at Muster–but we

myself inside the welcoming doors of Rainbow Lodge–propped up with a coffee (or maybe

remember them fondly.

a rum) in front of the fireplace. The happy memories at Rainbow, you and Alex’ welcome

Arras is a communications and military support town, a rail junction where large amounts

hospitality, and the dream of being there again soon help sustain me during times of worry

of supplies and manpower move back and forth, up and down the line as this war stumbles

and fear. I greatly miss the silence of Alta Lake, even when it’s sometimes broken by the

on. Arras is a very ancient city and must have had a wonderful history prior to the war.

PGE trains whistling and rattling the windows as they pass!

Sadly it is now a bombed-out and decimated town–perhaps 90 per cent destroyed. The

Please pass along my regards to everyone at the lodge and to friends all around the lake.

citizens here are friendly and kind but they have suffered and been killed in numbers that

I can’t say where our next move may take us but I will write again when I am settled

cannot be fully believed, especially when compared to the wonderful and peaceful place that is Rainbow Lodge.

and “dry.” There is talk and hope that “The Show” may be over by Christmas–I pray. My very best wishes to you and Alex.

It remains to be seen if this recent victory will result in a break out and the “big push”

Your Friend,

all hope for. Some officers believe this will begin the offensive to send the “Hun” packing

Sapper Tom Welde

across the border all the way back to Germany. This war cannot end soon enough for me.

PPCLI

The loss, the destruction and the horror will take generations (if ever) to put behind us–not NOVEMBER 6, 2026

SPORTS THE SCORE

‘Walk to the next flag’ WHISTLER BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN DINING DIRECTOR WOLFGANG STERR REFLECTS ON FINISHING 2026 TORX 330

BY DAVID SONG The Tor des Géants 330 (TORX 330) is not for the faint of heart—or body. It is arguably one of the five most punishing ultramarathons on Earth, covering some 334 kilometres of distance and 25 kilometres of elevation change through the Italian Aosta Valley. The world’s very best endurance maestros, genetically blessed and driven beyond measure, can conquer this Herculean gauntlet in 70 hours or less; the course record in Courmayeur, Italy was reset in mid-September by both men’s victor Jiaju Zhao (who finished in 65 hours, 55 minutes and 22 seconds) and ladies’ champion Katharina Hartmuth (who placed third overall in 67:10:09). At least one Sea to Sky runner has finished the TOR 330 before. Vicki Romanin did it twice before passing away in February 2024 from bile-duct cancer. Wolfgang Sterr’s time of 144:27 (including just 11 hours of sleep) doesn’t put him in league with Zhao or Hartmuth, but it did rank him 517th out of 1100 finishers. Sterr works as Whistler Blackcomb’s (WB) senior director of mountain dining, but is evidently far more than just a foodie. On Sept. 13, he and his brother Christian were in Courmayeur witnessing

ON COURSE Wolfgang Sterr participates in the 2026 TORX 330 ultramarathon. PHOTO COURTESY OF WOLFGANG STERR

30 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

600 athletes surge past them off the start line. That was the first wave departing at 10 a.m. local time. Two hours later, their number would be called. “The energy was incredible,” recounted Sterr, who’d entered in the V2 Veteran category for people aged 50 to 59. “Walking into the starting chute, I felt equal parts excitement and nerves. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I didn’t quite belong there.” The event began with a threekilometre run to the inaugural bottleneck before heading straight into mountainous terrain. One of Sterr’s hiking poles malfunctioned almost immediately, and after several failed attempts to extend it, he continued the climb with uneven poles. The first ascent gained 1,000 metres in elevation, with temperatures approaching 31 degrees Celsius. Sterr felt good upon beginning his first of many descents. He was hydrated and keeping up with the pack, reaching the first designated cutoff point with roughly an hour to spare. Then night fell, coinciding with a precipitous decline in his physical health. “On the third climb, I became seriously ill,” Sterr recounted. “Heat, effort, altitude, and a lingering head cold had caught up with me. About 300 metres below the summit, I slowed to a crawl. My stomach was done. My energy was gone. Every step became harder. I reached the top, spotted two chairs, and sat down. Within seconds I was on my knees, vomiting beside the trail. “For about five minutes, I couldn’t do anything. A volunteer came over and

asked if I was OK. I told him I would be. Eventually, I got back on my feet and started descending. I knew I needed to reset. My mantra became: ‘walk to the next flag.’”

‘IF YOU KEEP MOVING FORWARD, YOU ARRIVE’

Instead of conceptualizing the TORX 330 as a single mammoth obstacle, Sterr needed to just put one foot in front of another. The yellow flags demarcating the entire route became both saving grace and north star. Despite falling back to the slowest group of about 25 runners, he managed to eat, change clothes, refill his pack and fit in about 90 minutes of sleep at a life base erected for that purpose. As the altitude climbed above 3,400 metres in Leg No. 2, Christian developed a fever and ultimately withdrew from contention just before the next summit. “We had trained for this together. We had planned to experience this adventure side by side,” lamented Sterr. “At Life Base 2, I lay on a cot and seriously considered stopping. I was torn, but I knew what my brother would want me to do, so I started Leg 3.” A surprise appearance at a remote checkpoint by fellow locals Greg and Dianne Diamond, as well as two others, turbocharged Sterr’s morale at just the right time. He proceeded to Leg No. 4, tackling five kilometres of ascent as the memory of words from another trusted ally urged him forward. “You’ve trained for this,” said the voice of coach Jenny L. Quilty in his head. “You have the fitness. Use it on the climbs.” So he did. Missing the next life base

and having to backtrack wasn’t ideal, but by this point Sterr had resolved to focus only on what he could control. By chance he met an experienced British ultramarathoner around his age named Jon during Leg No. 5, and the men supported each other for two days. Sterr managed to establish a four-hour time cushion ahead of the cutoff point going into his final leg. He could afford to sleep only for 60 minutes at the last base, found himself shivering from cold when he woke, and forged on anyway. Every step ravaged his blister-covered feet, and the brutal trail downward seemed endless until it finally gave way to pavement. Courmayeur was in sight, and a familiar voice called out to bring him one more jolt of encouragement. “My brother,” said Sterr. “Phone in hand, he joined me for the final kilometre. People were cheering, clapping, ringing bells and shouting encouragement. Before I knew it, I was entering the finishing chute. I climbed the famous finish ramp toward the arch. I raised my right arm, a couple of fist pumps and just like that, it was over. “TORX tested me physically, mentally and emotionally. There were moments when I questioned whether I belonged, moments when I wanted to stop, moments when the finish felt impossibly far away, but the mountains taught me something important. You don’t need to know how you’re going to get to the finish. You only need to get to the next flag, then the next one, and the next one, and eventually, if you keep moving forward—you arrive.” n

SPORTS THE SCORE

Pemberton luger Trinity Ellis receives National Tom Longboat Award ALSO IN BRIEFS: WHISTLER BLACKCOMB COMMENCES SNOWMAKING AHEAD OF NOV. 20 OPENING DAY

Protect Priority Habitats, Preserve Our Future A free educational speaker series on wildlife & habitat

Wildlife depends on healthy habitats. This fall, join AWARE for a speaker series exploring the critical relationship between wildlife and the landscapes they call home. In October, we heard from Bob Brett on the importance of Old-Growth forests for Goshwaks, the next part of the series is coming up soon.

BY DAVID SONG TRINITY ELLIS HAS EARNED herself

one of this year’s National Tom Longboat Awards presented by the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC). Ellis was among 22 regional Tom Longboat recipients celebrated on Oct. 24 at the National Indigenous Sports Gala in Ottawa, Ont. She and Yukon swimmer Tuja Dreyer were named National Award winners before an audience of more than 200 people, including several chiefs, elders and knowledge keepers. The Tom Longboat Awards are among Canada’s longest-running and most prestigious honours for Indigenous athletes. They were introduced in 1951 to celebrate First Nations, Inuit and Métis sportspeople who demonstrate athletic excellence, fair play, positive leadership and a commitment to their physical, mental, cultural and spiritual well-being. The accolades are named after Tom Longboat, an Onondaga distance runner from Six Nations of the Grand River who won the 1907 Boston Marathon. Ellis represented Canada at both the 2026 and 2022 Winter Olympics, placing 17th in women’s singles luge this February in Milano Cortina, Italy. The Pembertonian also won U23 bronze at last year’s FIL World Championships and continues to race internationally on the World Cup circuit. Off ice, Ellis is committed to supporting the next generation as she mentors young athletes and speaks with Indigenous youth across Canada. “I’d like to say a huge thank you to the Aboriginal Sport Circle for presenting me with the 2026 Tom Longboat Awards,” said the 24-year-old in a video interview with the ASC. “I’d also like to thank my family, my friends, my community and my luge family. It really takes a village to compete at sport at this level, and I couldn’t have done it without all of the support from everybody along my journey. It’s such an honour to be receiving this award and representing the Métis community.” ASC executive director Jaclyn Guenette said in a press release: “[The National Indigenous Sports Gala] is about recognizing Indigenous excellence in all its forms: achievement, leadership, resilience, mentorship and connection to community. These athletes and coaches are making an impact far beyond competition, and we’re proud to celebrate them on a national stage.” Established in 1995, the ASC is a national, member-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples through physical activity and recreation. Working alongside provincial

NATIONAL AWARD Trinity Ellis receives a National Tom Longboat Award at the 2026 National Indigenous Sports Gala in Ottawa, Ont. PHOTO BY TRACEY LYNNE PHOTOGRAPHY

and territorial Indigenous sport organizations, the ASC aims to expand opportunities for First Nations, Inuit and Métis participation while backing Indigenous leadership and development in various disciplines. Award nominations are collected by the ASC and forwarded to provincial and territorial organizations each year for regional consideration. A selection committee then chooses one man and one woman from among regional winners to earn the National Tom Longboat Award.

Proudly supported by: Cheakamus Communtiy Forest: Community Beneﬁt Fund.

FRESH SNOW IN THE ALPINE

Winter is making its return to Whistler Blackcomb (WB), as recent snowfall and cooler temperatures have delivered 30 cm of fresh alpine snow to date. Snowmaking efforts began on Oct. 28 as preparations continue for the resort’s planned Nov. 20 opening day. With 350 snow guns (31 of which are already operating) and a team of 50 staff, WB infrastructure is working to generate 283 hectares of coverage spanning more than 1,219 vertical metres of terrain. There are also several new food and beverage offerings this season. At Steeps Grill & Wine Bar, guests can now choose caviar and champagne service on the patio alongside an elevated menu showcasing flavours inspired by the Sea to Sky region and Pacific Northwest cuisine. Over on Blackcomb Mountain, Christine’s introduces “On The Rocks,” a new outdoor bar experience featuring handcrafted cocktails, champagne and alpine seating. Meanwhile, chair installation has been completed and lift testing is now underway on the Showcase Chairlift. Once up and running, the new apparatus will provide faster and more efficient access to some of Blackcomb Mountain’s most sought-after terrain. WB pass prices will increase on Nov. 15. n

NOVEMBER 6, 2026

EPICURIOUS

Canadian cheese was on the precipice — then tariffs hit OWNER OF WHISTLER'S FLUTE & FROMAGE SAYS TRADE WAR HAS COME WITH THE SILVER LINING OF FOCUSING MORE ON CANADIAN CHEESE

BY BRANDON BARRETT CANADIAN CHEESE is having a moment.

Historically, Canada has been known for its cheddar and not much else. That has shifted in recent years as consumer tastes have expanded and greater emphasis has been placed on artisanal production that closely reflects its terroir. That has meant more alpine-style hard cheese and gouda out of B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. Clothbound cheddars from P.E.I. Softripened goat and blue cheeses from Ontario and Quebec. “We're seeing smaller, independent cheesemakers producing some incredible products,” said Tara May, owner of Whistler’s independent cheese shop, Flute & Fromage. “We're seeing so many different styles, milk types and products. The quality has really come a long way. It's more competitive with the international manufacturers who have been making cheese much longer.” Tastemakers from beyond Canada have taken note. At the 2024 and 2025 American Cheese Society Competition, Canadian cheese dominated, taking home two of the top three Best of Show spots both years. (Quebec’s Fromagerie La Station won both years. The second-place

CHEESE PLEASE Canadian cheesemakers and independent retailers, like Whistler’s Flute & Fromage, pictured, have been hit with tariffs at a time when the industry was gaining a foothold in the U.S. market. PHOTO COURTESY OF FLUTE & FROMAGE

32 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

cheese in 2024, Fromagerie Médard's soft-ripened Le Cousin, is available at Flute & Fromage and is featured in the shop’s golden, gooey tartiflette.) Canadian cheese has made serious headway into a crowded U.S. market. Overall, Canada exported approximately $358 million worth of dairy products to the U.S. in 2024. Goat and sheep’s milk cheese in particular, combined with Quebec’s artisanal cheese industry, has found a loyal following south of the border. But all that forward momentum has, like so many domestic products, hit a roadblock, in the form of the Canada-

over the last few years, so it's frustrating to see additional barriers being put in place just as that market is starting to open up for them,” said May. The impacts go beyond just Canadian producers, May added. Local cheesemongers and independent cheese shops on both sides of the border will feel the pinch. “It’s another cost that businesses have to absorb or make the difficult decision to pass on to customers,” she said. Domestically, Canadian producers already had to navigate a gauntlet of regulations and bureaucracy to get their

“We’re seeing smaller, independent cheesemakers producing some incredible products.” - TARA MAY

U.S. trade war. The 50-per-cent tariff Trump slapped on Canadian cheese in September comes at a time when the industry was gaining a foothold in the world’s largest consumer cheese market. “For Canadian cheesemakers who are looking to grow their business in the American market, it's making things much more difficult. A lot of these are small producers who are already working hard to meet export regulations, deal with customs and establish relationships with American buyers. Canadian cheeses have been gaining traction in the U.S.

cheese in American hands, which many small-scale cheesemakers have found daunting, to say the least. On the other side of the supply chain, the trade war has impacted Canadian access to American cheese, too. When Flute & Fromage first opened two years ago, May didn’t have access to U.S. cheese through her suppliers. When the opportunity finally came, she was excited. Her first order included cheeses from California’s Cypress Grove. The following Christmas, the store brought in cheese from Vermont’s Jasper Hill Farm,

known for its creamy, award-winning clothbound cheddar. In both instances, however, the sales just weren’t there. “I think it was a combination of the price and the fact that some customers just weren't interested in buying American products,” she said. “As a small shop, we have to be realistic about what sells, so we eventually decided to take them out of our range. With the additional tariffs this year, it's made it even harder to justify bringing them in.” A silver lining of the trade war has been a greater focus on Canadian cheese. This holiday season, Flute & Fromage will be offering close to half a dozen new cheeses from artisan producers in Ontario. Canadian cheese, as it turns out, doesn't need much help selling at the shop. Amidst a cornucopia of product from around the globe, Flute & Fromage’s most popular cheese with both customers and staff alike is 5 Brothers from Gunn's Hill out of Woodstock, Ont., a rich and creamy months-aged washed rind cow’s milk cheese combining traits from gouda and the Swiss Appenzeller. “I still love American cheese and there are some fantastic producers I'd love to carry again, but right now I'm really enjoying discovering more Canadian makers and bringing their cheeses into the shop,” May said. Flute & Fromage is running its 12 Days of Cheese promotion from Dec. 1 to 12, with 20 per cent off all cut-to-order cheese from its case. (They also offer gift boxes and, wait for it, cheese advent calendars. Be still my cholesterol-laden heart.) Learn more at fluteandfromage.com. n

MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM • SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH OPEN DAILY: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. *some exceptions apply

FITNESS CLASS SCHEDULE

I Mountain Ready Conditioning 9-10 a.m. Melanie

NOV 8 SUNDAY

NOV 9 MONDAY

NOV 10 TUESDAY

NOV 12 THURSDAY

R Elevate Training-Strength & Performance 6:15-7:15 a.m. Steve

R Elevate Training -Strength & Performance 6:15-7:15 a.m. Steve

R Small Group Training Women’s Only 7:30-8:15 a.m. Julia

R Small Group Training Co-Ed 7:30-8:15 a.m. Steve

R Small Group Training - Co-Ed 7:30-8:15 a.m. Steve

I Mountain Ready Conditioning 7:30-8:30 a.m. Steve

I Functional Strength & Conditioning 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Francesca

I Strength & Stability 7:30-8:30 a.m. Andy

I Low Impact R Youth on Strength Weights 9-10 a.m. 9-10:15 a.m. Lou

I Spin Mixer 9-10 a.m. Sylvie

I Aqua Fit Deep End 8:45-9:45 a.m. Marie-Anne

I Aqua Fit Shallow End 8:45-9:45 a.m. Marie-Anne

I Zumba 10:30-11:30 a.m. Susie

I Zumba 10:30-11:30 a.m. Andrea

I Step & Strength 9-10 a.m. Liz

I Strength & Cardio 7:30-8:30 a.m. Lou

R Enduro Swim 12-1 p.m. Hector I Gentle Fit 12:30-1:30 p.m. Marie-Anne

NOV 11 WEDNESDAY

F FLEXIBLE REGISTRATION

Flex-reg’ classes have a separate fee and allow you to register for classes on the days that fit your schedule.

R REGISTERED FITNESS Registered fitness classes have a separate fee and a defined start and end date. Pre-registration is required for the entire set of classes.

I INCLUDED FITNESS These classes are included with your price of admission for no extra charge.

NO CLASSES

I Functional Strength & Conditioning 7:30-8:30 a.m. Melanie

NOV 7 SATURDAY

REMEMBRANCE DAY

NOV6 FRIDAY

R Fit 4 Life 12:30-1:30 p.m. Steve

I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m. Andy

R Fit 4 Life 12:30-1:30 p.m. Steve R Youth on Weights 3:30-4:45 p.m.

I Winter Strength & Conditioning 5:15-6:15 p.m. Robbie F Spin 6-7 p.m. Courtney

R Small Group Training Women’s Only 5:30-6:15 p.m. Julia

R Small Group Training - Women’s Only 5:30-6:15 p.m. Julia

I Trigger Point & Mobility 6:30-7:30 p.m. Andy

I Strength & Stability 6:30-7:30 p.m. Julia

I Zumba 6:30-7:30 p.m. Andrea

POOL HOURS NOV 6 FRIDAY

NOV 7 NOV 8 SATURDAY SUNDAY

NOV 9 MONDAY

NOV 10 TUESDAY

NOV 11 NOV 12 WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

LAP POOL

6 a.m.-3:45 p.m. 6 a.m.–3:45 p.m. 8:30 a.m. -9 p.m. 6 a.m.-9 p.m. & 6-9 p.m. & 6-9 p.m.

6 a.m.-9 p.m.

9 a.m. - 5p.m.

6 a.m.-9 p.m.

LEISURE POOL

9 a.m.-12 p.m. & 3:45-7 p.m.

9 a.m.-7 p.m.

9 a.m.-12 p.m. & 3:45-7 p.m.

9 a.m. - 5p.m.

9 a.m.-12 p.m. & 3:45-7 p.m.

HOT SPOTS

6 a.m.-9 p.m.

9 a.m. - 5p.m.

6 a.m.-9 p.m.

ARENA SCHEDULE Please see whistler.ca/recreation for the daily arena hours or call 604-935- PLAY (7529).

whistler.ca/recreation |

@RMOWRecreation | 604-935-PLAY (7529)

ARTS SCENE

Classic Cole Porter musical Anything Goes on Sea to Sky stage THE PEMBERTON ARTS COUNCIL SHOW WILL RUN NOV. 13 AND 14 IN PEMBERTON, AND NOV. 20 AND 21 IN WHISTLER

BY DAVID SONG THE PEMBERTON ARTS Council Theatre Group is ready to showcase Anything Goes as its flagship November 2026 production. Written by American composer Cole Porter and derived from a book by P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton, Anything Goes premiered on Broadway in 1934 and was the fourth longest-running musical of that decade. The modern version differs slightly, but still focuses on Wall Street broker Billy Crocker as he pursues the woman of his dreams at sea–and gets mixed up with the criminal underworld. Co-director Renata Zablotney Bird selected the play because she and her oldest child love one of its songs. Her youngest got to “experience” the soundtrack while in utero and has been a cast favourite at rehearsals. “Now that I’m a mom, I completely cater to my children,” Bird quips. She’s been joined at the helm by Sapphire Leitch, who portrayed leading lady Audrey in 2025’s Little Shop of Horrors (LSOH) but adopted a co-director role this time out. Leitch crafted the previous show’s detailed alien plant props and has relished expanding her hands-on duties since then. “[Directing] feels much more natural than I thought it would because last year I was a total control freak in micromanaging all the little parts,” admits Leitch. “I have a little bit more of a title behind my control freak. It’s been really nice.” Her fellow Pemberton gas station employee Adam Scott displayed interest in

TAKE THE STAGE The cast of Pemberton Arts Council’s November 2026 musical Anything Goes. PHOTO BY RENATA ZABLOTNEY BIRD

34 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

the aforementioned plant props because he once worked in a greenhouse. He lauded the PAC’s LSOH rendition, noticing that all the actors seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves and wondering what it might be like to join them. Scott had never acted before, but Leitch saw an opening and pounced, enlisting Bird to help peer-pressure him into an audition (in the friendliest of ways, of course). The man quickly impressed. His grandmother was a pianist, a choir singer and a big fan of Porter, so he hopes to carry on the family legacy in a manner of speaking. “I had no inclination as to what I’d be,” Scott says. “Maybe I could be like a side player, you know, some sort of cameo role, and they were gracious enough to cast me in the lead role as Billy Crocker.” Both women quickly interjected at that point, with Bird insisting: “It was very much earned. It was not gracious at all.” “He’s not afraid,” Leitch adds. “He’s got stage presence and he can sing. Get him up there.”

‘PARAGON OF EXCELLENCE’

Unlike with LSOH, Bird had enough people on board to double-cast Anything Goes. That means you’ll see different individuals playing each major character depending on which performance you attend. Scott, then, gets to learn from a much more experienced teammate: Whistler Secondary School (WSS) drama teacher Conor Niwinski, who also depicts Crocker. “He’s been fantastic to be working alongside,” Scott remarks. “I consider myself almost as his understudy and I see the way he does things. He and I have different tones…he’s got the bass voice and he’s sort of the Billy who’s more laid back and sure of himself—whereas I play mine very, very energetic and excitable. I think the dichotomy there is going to be

great because it works either way.” Bird feels that double-casting the production has led to a refreshing amount of nuance and spontaneity. It’s a practical move (i.e. to have a backup in case one actor falls ill at the wrong time), and it empowers all cast members to become assistant directors because they’ll naturally observe, mimic and learn from their peers. Speaking of assistant directors, enter Leitch, who has been “bubbling up with so many ideas” throughout the creative process. Bird welcomed her youngest child in September and Leitch capably handled many responsibilities to pick up the slack: editing, props, sound, you name it. The duo’s relationship goes back years, with Bird previously teaching Leitch at Pemberton Secondary School (PSS). “She’s been a model of everything I want to be throughout the whole time I’ve known her, and always pushed me beyond what I think I can do,” Leitch recounts. “I want to do that for other people because she’s done that for me. “After we wrapped Little Shop, [Renata] asked me if I wanted to come do some volunteer work with the high school students. She taught me some of the fundamentals of how to direct, so that made it a really easy transition because she gave me all the tools. It’s hard to put into words how she’s inspired everything.” Meanwhile, Bird has complete and utter trust in Leitch to helm a musical. She thought Leitch was “an exemplary kid” in school, with the drive and creativity she wished to have seen in herself as an adolescent. Bird calls herself “kind of a hardass” and “a Coach Carter kind of direct person,” exhorting Leitch to overcome her insecurities at one point because they were “boring.” Fortunately, the latter responded well to tough love. Scott too harbours great respect for Bird, deeming her “a paragon of excellence.”

‘GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE’

In some ways, Anything Goes is reminiscent of what a Shakespearean tale would be if it unfolded on an early 20th-century ocean liner. There’s big personalities, distinctive songs and twists on the kind of irreverent romantic comedy formula many are familiar with. You can’t take yourself too seriously with this kind of show, whether you’re performing or seated in the audience. Despite the timing of her pregnancy this summer and fall, Bird felt obligated to establish the musical and is grateful for all the help she’s gotten in putting it together. “I put it forward because of how much we really do need it in the community, how much joy and fulfillment it brings to so many people because it’s really hard to find your community here if you’re not into the whole Whistler outdoors thing,” she opines. “It’s so shocking to see how much of a demand there is, and I think maybe it comes with our current cultural climate where there is so much that’s not real. You’re just surrounded by your phones all the time. Even getting together with people seems like such a trial.” Leitch concurs wholeheartedly, adding: “It’s impossible to be on your phone during one of these things. You force yourself to meet people, get out of your comfort zone. There’s so many people that I’ve talked to saying they were insecure or nervous about meeting people, and I don’t see that in any of them anymore.” Catch Anything Goes on Nov. 13 and 14 at the Pemberton Legion, or Nov. 20 and 21 at the Maury Young Arts Centre. Tickets are available at https://pembertonartscouncil.com/ anything-goes-theatre -productionpemberton-whistler/. n

ARTS SCENE

Ballet BC Annex to grace Whistler on Nov. 10 THE SHOW WILL BE HELD IN THE MAURY YOUNG ARTS CENTRE, ORCHESTRATED IN PART BY PROFESSIONAL DANCER MICHAEL GARCIA

BY DAVID SONG ACCORDING TO professional dancer

and choreographer Michael Garcia, most locals don’t quite understand how prestigious Ballet BC is. In other places, it’s viewed as a titan of the ballet industry that commands respect across North America and beyond. Garcia and most of his peers who graduated from New York’s Juilliard School (itself a world-renowned institution) viewed gigs with Ballet BC as one of the best opportunities they could potentially receive, with Garcia auditioning three times before earning a contract five years ago. “When we go on tour to random places in the States, or even to small towns in Europe, you’d be surprised how many people travel hours to see the company or how many people see the show and then want to tell so many other people,” says Garcia. “As a boy from a small town in Texas, I just wanted to pursue excellence. I wanted to pursue contemporary dance at the highest level I could and Ballet BC has been doing that for 40 years now, whether or not the neighbourhood audience is aware of it so much.” Whistler is about to get a frontrow seat to that exacting degree of artistry, for Ballet BC Annex (a group of pre-professionals training with Vancouver-based Modus Operandi and Arts Umbrella Dance) is headed into town for what is being marketed as “a dynamic contemporary dance triple bill” involving global premieres from Garcia and Canadian choreographer Cameron Fraser-Monroe—although the two did not work together directly. Garcia is passionate about teaching rooms of dancers and has been granted several opportunities to choreograph, starting from a Ballet BC initiative called Take Form which fully funds artists while also challenging them to produce, create, market, budget and perform every aspect of a ballet show. He has also orchestrated programming for the Ballet BC Summer Intensive and Arts Umbrella under the mentorship of company artistic director Medhi Walerski, who retires after this season.

‘VERY PERSONAL, VERY EMOTIONAL’

As a creative, Garcia seeks to do away with traditional stereotypes and negative attitudes facing young men in ballet. Raised by a single mom who exposed him to various sports like tennis, soccer and tee-ball, he instead gravitated towards dance ever since he watched a family VHS recording of the New York City Ballet’s 1993

RIGHT MOVE Ballet BC dancers performing a routine titled “Can’t Carry Ghosts” by Michael Garcia. PHOTO BY PHOTO BY MILLISSA MARTIN

rendition of The Nutcracker. He began dancing at seven years old and was hooked from the outset. The Texan opines that misogyny and homophobia play a role in driving boys away from ballet, yet has also witnessed a paradoxical situation in which more adult men than women are hired as choreographers and company directors. He would go as far as to say that men are “graded on a curve” whereas women are not, and he’s encountered more heterosexual than LGBTQ+ males in the industry. “I would not call myself non-binary, but especially as a dancer, I don’t like being identified or stereotyped into male or female physicalities or movement languages,” elaborates Garcia. “Even as a child I always said I wanted to be the best, not the best boy. As a choreographer, I’m not necessarily interested in always using those stereotypical images, ideas, or relationships to portray things. “My work tends to be very personal, very emotional and is related to my own life, but…I’m more interested in demonstrating emotions or feelings than storylines. If two dancers happen to be a man and a woman, it doesn’t have to be a husband and a wife. It’s just two people connected in that moment, experiencing whatever feeling they’re having—rather than the audience needing to understand that this man is this age and he’s asking her to be this because she’s a woman.” Overall, the 28-year-old promises that Whistlerites who attend the upcoming show will enjoy a trio of dance pieces that all utilize the entire cast while delivering nuanced, virtuosic spectacle in very different ways. He hopes that audiences might be able to relate to what is being presented on stage. Ballet BC Annex performs Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Maury Young Arts Centre. Visit https://www.showpass.com/awlpresents-ballet-bc-annex/ for tickets and more details. n

NOVEMBER 6, 2026

LUNCH SPECIAL

MUSEUM MUSINGS

Monday to Friday 12pm to 3pm 1045 Millar Creek Rd, Whistler

GAME ON A women’s field hockey match at the VII IFWHA World Conference in Amsterdam, 1959. WHISTLER MUSEUM / PETERSEN COLLECTION

SCAN TO VISIT

Diane Mitchell and her team welcome you to Element Dental Hygiene in Whistler village!

Whistler’s field hockey pedigree BY REBECCA MACKAY

New space, same trusted care Over 30 years experience and expertise Offering the latest technology using air polishing and digital xrays Online scheduling available at elementdentalhygiene.ca or scan the QR code

NEW LOCATION

210-4368 Main Street Whistler V8E-1B6 Past FYI Doctors, beside The Loft salon

604-332-2530 elementdentalhygiene.ca

Registered Massage Therapy • Acupuncture • Chiropractic Naturopathic Medicine • Holistic Nutrition • Hypnotherapy

Whistler Village’s Integrative Health Clinic Direct Insurance Billing Available

in Ma

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36 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

www.whistlerwellness.ca 604-332-0752 LOCATED ON THE 2ND FLOOR OF THE MARKET PAVILION BUILDING ELEVATOR ACCESS AVAILABLE

Scan for Online Booking

OVER THE LAST FEW years, field hockey has been quickly gaining popularity in Whistler. In 2021, Florencia Tomaghelli, who moved to Whistler in 2008, recalls seeing an unused turf field in Cheakamus that looked ideal for field hockey, which she played back in Argentina. It just so happens that during the summer of 2021, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) offered introductory field hockey lessons. Meanwhile, Florencia and others formed the Whistler Field Hockey Club; the RMOW let them take the lead. The club’s mission is “building a strong and sustainable field hockey community throughout the Sea to Sky corridor.” Field hockey has a much older connection to Whistler through Florence Petersen, a well-known community member who founded the Whistler Museum & Archives Society (WMAS). Florence, along with four fellow teachers (Jacquie Pope, Kelly Forster, June Tidball, and Betty Gray) purchased a property on Alta Lake in 1955 known as “Witsend.” She and her husband, Andy, moved permanently to the area in 1983, after Florence retired from teaching, and she founded WMAS in 1987. Florence had been playing field hockey since 1943, when she attended Burnaby North High School. In 1953, she attended a field hockey conference in England and received permission to be a Canadian delegate in the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Associations (IFWHA). Following the conference, Canada’s first National Women’s Field Hockey team was formed through the Greater Vancouver Grass Hockey Association, of which Florence was the administrator. Her passion for the sport was a driving force behind the creation of this team. The team qualified for the 1956 IFWHA

tournament in Australia, but needed funds to attend. Florence led fundraising initiatives that included selling a booklet she helped put together on the history of field hockey in Canada for 25 cents. This early interest in documenting and preserving history would later be reflected in her role in establishing the WMAS and in the numerous books she wrote about Whistler’s history. The team tied Scotland, lost to Australia, Ireland, England, and New Zealand, but won against the Netherlands. For the next IFWHA World Tournament in 1959, Florence managed the Canadian team. This time they won against France and Switzerland, but lost to the Netherlands, Ireland, Australia, and Scotland. This tournament took place in Amsterdam, and included Florence’s fellow “Witsend gal,” Jacquie Pope. Another longtime Whistler local, Patricia “Pat” Beauregard (nee Manson), also played for Canada in both tournaments. The 1956 Women’s National Field Hockey Team and Florence Petersen were inducted into Field Hockey Canada’s Hall of Fame in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Florence was recognized in the Builder Category for her foundational contributions to Canadian women’s field hockey as a player, coach, umpire, manager, and pioneering international delegate. Her leadership helped establish Canada’s presence on the international stage and advance the development of the sport. Pat was among the few surviving members of the 1956 team who attended the Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2022. Today, the Whistler Field Hockey Club continues to promote and develop the sport throughout the Sea to Sky corridor, offering opportunities for both new and experienced players. While the club currently focuses on adult programs, it is working to expand its offerings to include children. For more information about the club and its programs, visit www.whistlerfieldhockey.com. n

PARTIAL RECALL

1 BEAR-Y SPOOKY A colourful cast of costumed partygoers gathers at the Cinnamon Bear to celebrate a 25th birthday in Halloween style. PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHERINE POWER CHARTRAND 2 PIT STOP Volunteers dig into the annual pit cook at Pemberton’s Signal Hill Elementary on Oct. 21, carrying on a hands-on tradition of outdoor cooking and community learning. PHOTO SUBMITTED 3 LET IT SNOW Snow guns come to life on Whistler Blackcomb as the resort ramps up preparations for its planned Nov. 20 opening. Snowmaking began Oct. 28, with 30 centimetres of fresh alpine snow reported by Oct. 30. PHOTO BY MATTHEW SYLVESTRE/WHISTLER BLACKCOMB 4 SPOOKTACULAR SUPPORT Costumed volunteers and community members get into the Halloween spirit at Nesters Market as part of Whistler’s annual Tapley’s Halloween festivities, which raise funds for the local food bank. PHOTO SUBMITTED 5 GOING OUT WITH A BANG A dazzling fireworks display lights up the night sky during Whistler’s annual Tapley’s Halloween celebrations on Oct. 31, capping off another spooky night of community festivities. PHOTO SUBMITTED 6 HORSING AROUND Horses graze beneath the snow-dusted peaks of Mount Currie on a picture-perfect fall afternoon in Pemberton. PHOTO BY LUKE FAULKS

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS! Send your recent snaps to edit@piquenewsmagazine.com

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ARTS SCENE PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE Here’s a quick look at some events happening in Whistler this week and beyond. FIND MORE LOCAL EVENT LISTINGS (and submit your own for free!) at piquenewsmagazine.com/local-events

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WHISTLER COMEDY CLASSICS

SUNDAY SCRIBBLES

Jokers Canada returns to Whistler Village with a lineup of top Canadian comedians. Expect an evening of sharp wit, nonstop laughs, and unforgettable stand-up comedy as they take over the Maury Young Arts Centre for one hilarious night. » Nov. 7, 7 p.m. » Maury Young Arts Centre

Spend your Sunday afternoon creating together as a family at the Audain Art Museum! This drop-in style workshop invites participants of all ages to dive into the beauty of the natural world through handson art activities. » Nov. 8, 1 to 3 p.m. » Audain Art Museum

ALTA LAKE BIRD WALK

WHISTLER SOUND BATH AND MEDITATION CIRCLE

Join the Whistler Naturalists on the first Saturday of the month for a walk to Rainbow Park. Open to anyone interested in learning about birds and contributing as a citizen scientist. Connect with experienced birders who are happy to share their knowledge. » Nov. 7, 9 a.m. » Meet at bottom of Lorimer Road by the Catholic Church

SCULPT AND SIP Pick up the latest issue of your favourite read on stands throughout Whistler every Friday

38 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

Discover a uniquely Whistler experience where art, Canadian stone, and wine come together. Fathom Stone Art and Fort Berens Estate Winery host an intimate, hands-on carving experience featuring a live artist demonstration and a curated tasting of local wines. No experience is required, simply come ready to sip and sculpt. » Nov. 7, 1 to 4 p.m. » Fathom Stone Arts

An invitation to gather in community to connect, share and journey inwards for relaxation, restoration and revitalization. Soaking in the soothing melodic sound waves as they guide us into a deeply restful and rejuvenating meditative experience with a blend of chimes, gong and singing sound bowls. » Nov. 10, 6:30 to 8 p.m. » Studio 99, 1345 Alpha Lake Road

YOGA AT THE AUDAIN Enjoy a relaxing one-hour yoga class surrounded by stunning architecture with rotating instructors. Focus on breath, movement, and mindfulness. Bring your own mat or borrow one from the museum. Registration includes same-day gallery access during opening hours. » Nov. 12, 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. » Audain Art Museum

ASTROLOGY

Notice of Public Hearing

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 6 BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries psychologist Abraham

Maslow coined the term “peak experiences”: surging upflows of heightened clarity, awe, vitality, and love. He also identified another category, “plateau experiences.” These are gentler but more enduring states, characterized less by ecstatic fireworks than by a leisurely delight in being alive. I believe you’re in a phase that favours those plateau experiences. So the semi-bad news is that you may not be besieged by a nonstop flood of spectacular epiphanies. The good news is that you’ll harvest a steady stream of subtle amazements. Your gratitude may be less dramatic but more sustained. A calm, glowing contentment can teach you all you need to know right now. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A finely crafted mechanical watch depends upon many gears moving at different speeds. Some spin rapidly, while others barely move. Yet each contributes to the overall success of timekeeping. Please remember this when you get restless about your uneven progress. Not every area of your life can or should be in dynamic motion simultaneously. One project may require vigorous action while another benefits from patient incubation. A single standard of productivity isn’t right for you these days. Harmonious coordination among different rhythms serves you best. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I invite you and urge you to ruminate about the stories you’ve been telling about yourself. Are they still accurate? Still empowering? Or have some become outdated myths that no longer honour your ripening identity? During the coming weeks, I predict you will be energized as you revise your personal mythology with imaginative generosity. It’s time to retire narratives that shrink you. Reinvent an old saga so it makes you more of a hero and less of a victim. Compose two fun new tales that are spacious enough to accommodate the curious beauty you’re on your way to becoming. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Among elephants, older matriarchs lead the herd. They carry detailed memories of watering holes, migration routes, and old brushes with danger. During tough times, their accumulated experience becomes indispensable. This fact of nature reminds me that your own history contains wisdom you haven’t fully appreciated. And now is an excellent phase to bring it all into your conscious awareness. Instead of dwelling on old disappointments or sad mistakes, focus intensely on what durable knowledge you’ve harvested from living through them. Your future and the futures of those you care for will improve in direct proportion to the respect you show your past. The point is to recognize yourself as an increasingly skillful keeper of hard-earned sagacity. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A bird doesn’t perceive reflective glass as we do. To it, the spotless glass façade of a building may look like a continuation of the outdoors, with blue sky, clouds, tree canopy, or water. But humans have the know-how to create bird-friendly patterns that interrupt this illusion by giving the glass enough visual “texture” to register as a solid obstacle. With these visual clues, birds are less likely to collide with the structure. In the coming weeks, Leo, I hope you will summon comparable thoughtfulness. Your small gestures can protect others from unnecessary confusion or pain. You’ll have extra power to express subtle kindnesses that free people to navigate the world more safely and confidently. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You may be feeling so physically well right now that it seems almost implausible. Your mind may be operating so sharply that you wonder whether you can trust it. Even love may appear so straightforward and righteous that part of you suspects you have misunderstood the signs. But that’s the cosmic joke: These blessings don’t come with an invoice or a looming punishment. You’re allowed to receive them freely. Tell your harsh inner critic that its counsel isn’t needed. Then make ample room for the release and freedom that are unfolding. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m not right 100 per cent

of the time, but even when I’m not completely correct, I usually get close to at least one of the key truths simmering in your story. In the oracle you’re reading now, I’m offering a concise burst of guidance that I believe is even more likely than usual to be 100 per cent accurate. I’m urging you to examine the balance of give-and-take in one specific relationship. Your gift for harmony can sometimes tip into always being the one who accommodates, adjusts, and gives more, until the scales sit lopsided and you barely notice. Investigate that possibility, please. Fixing the imbalance is an act of care for a bond that’s worth keeping healthy. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): How long has it been since you’ve meandered around a library? I’m old-fashioned about books, so that experience is high on my list of pleasurable adventures. I enjoy searching for specific books but I also love browsing the shelves without a fixed destination. Both approaches are valuable, though browsing often produces happy surprises. One unexpected title leads to another, opening pathways no search engine could have predicted. With this in mind, Scorpio, I recommend that you browse freely in the coming weeks. Wander through ideas, friendships, music, bookstores, museums, forests, conversations, and neighborhoods without demanding a predetermined outcome. Serendipity is preparing a curriculum especially suited to restless brilliance. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): There’s a Welsh word, hiraeth, that refers to a longing for a home that may never have existed. It’s a homesickness for a place or a way of being you can’t actually return to and aren’t sure was ever fully real. I bring this up, Sagittarius, because I suspect you’re feeling the tug of distant horizons lately, a restless ache for an elsewhere you can’t name. Don’t dismiss this longing as mere wanderlust to be scratched with a plane ticket. Sit with it. Ask what it’s pointing toward. The far country you ache for may be a quality of soul you’re being called to cultivate right where you are. Your true destination might be more interior than you assume. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Engineers who design a suspension bridge know the structure must be able to sway slightly in wind and weather. A perfectly rigid structure would eventually crack under stress. In the coming weeks, I’m hoping you’ll incorporate extra doses of this paradoxical attitude. It’s crucial not just to grudgingly acknowledge but to fondly celebrate the fact that stability will thrive on generous flexibility. Some plans and convictions will grow even stronger because you’ll be willing to adjust and tinker with them. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Astronomers sometimes revisit old telescope data using improved software. In doing so, they may discover planets or galaxies that had been hidden from them for years. The information was always there. Only the methods of perception changed. I suspect you’re ripe for similar types of revelation, Aquarius. I invite you to return to old notebooks, abandoned ideas, neglected friendships, or forgotten ambitions. You may not have extracted all their value yet. Your present self possesses interpretive abilities that your former self lacked. Yesterday’s overlooked clue may be tomorrow’s breakthrough. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Nineteenth-century Piscean composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin poured an almost unbearable tenderness into his nocturnes and preludes. His delicate, intimate music is among the most emotional ever created. Evoking potent, mysterious feelings was his specialty. I propose we make him your inspirational role model. Please do everything you can imagine to express your deep feelings with artistry and intelligence. Be as sensitive and impassioned as you dare. Homework: What’s your secret for enhancing your capacity to give and receive love? https://tinyurl.com/s2s3s4s Homework: What’s your secret for enhancing your capacity to give and receive love? https://tinyurl.com/s2s3s4s

Monday, November 16, 2026 at 7pm PCT via Zoom Public Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 466 of the Local Government Act that a public hearing will be held electronically regarding the following bylaws: SLRD Electoral Area D Zoning Bylaw No. 1350-2016, Amendment Bylaw No. 1830-2023 SLRD Electoral Area D Oﬃcial Community Plan Bylaw No. 1135-2013, Amendment Bylaw No. 1828-2023

PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT BYLAW No. 1830-2023 & No. 1828-2023 The amendment bylaws would facilitate the development of a commercial campground on lands legally described as PID 027-966-950 by redesignating the property from Resource Management to Commercial - Porteau Cove Campground in the Oﬃcial Community Plan and rezoning the property from Rural Resource 3 (RR3) to Campground Commercial 1 (CC1).

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION A copy of the amendment bylaws and relevant background documents may be inspected at the Regional District office, 1350 Aster Street, Pemberton, BC, during office hours 8:00 am to 4:00 pm not including weekends and statutory holidays, by visiting the SLRD website, or by requesting an electronic copy from Kristina Bell planning@SLRD.bc.ca . All persons who believe that their interest in the property is affected by the proposed bylaws shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to present written submissions respecting matters contained in the bylaws.

Map Porteau Cove

Hwy 9 9

Free Will Astrology

Electoral Area D

Submit Written Comments to the Board:

Written submissions must be addressed to “SLRD Board of Directors,” and include your name and community of residence. Written submissions (mail or email) will be accepted until the close of the public hearing, at the following: Email:

planning@SLRD.bc.ca

Hard Copy: (during oﬃce hours)

Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Planning and Department Services Department PO Box 219, Pemberton, BC V0N 2L0

Public Hearing - Participate Via Zoom The public hearing will be conducted electronically via Zoom on November 16, 2026, at 7:00 PM . A link will be posted on the SLRD website three (3) days prior to the Public Hearing. You may also email the Planning Department three (3) days prior at planning@slrd.bc.ca to request the meeting details.

SLRD.bc.ca

THERE IS MORE TO EXPLORE.

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NOVEMBER 6, 2026

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Housekeeping Supervisor Pinnacle Hotel Whistler Whistler Village

MOVING AND STORAGE The Pinnacle Hotel Whistler is looking for an experienced Housekeeping Supervisor with a minimum of one year of experience in a fast-paced hotel. You should have an exceptional eye for detail and enjoy working with and supporting your team. This is a working supervisor position: Supervisor three (3) days a week and Room Attendant two (2) days a week. You must be able to work weekends and holidays. Hours are 7:00am to 3:00pm and 8:30am to 4:30pm. Wage: $28.55 per hour plus beneﬁts. Position starts immediately. Please note: the Hotel does not provide staff accommodation.

big or small we do it all! Call 604-902-MOVE www.alltimemoving.ca

Please email your resume to parmstrong@pinnaclehotels.ca.

We’re Hiring!

Join Our Team at WorldMark by Wyndham – Cascade Lodge & Sundance We’re looking for motivated and reliable team members to join our Housekeeping team at our vacation ownership properties in Creekside and Whistler Village. Housekeeping Wage: $26.75 to $28.00 Based on Experience Hours: 37.5 hours per week Seasonal Employment: • Hiring Bonus: + 6 month bonus for successful full-time hires Full time Permanent Employment: • 12 vacation days after 12 months of employment • 6 paid sick days per year • Extended medical/dental beneﬁts. • WB Season Pass every November Apply by Email Housekeeping: David david.thomson@travelandleisure.com

SENIOR MEDIA ACCOUNT MANAGER The Squamish Chief—your trusted community news hub and part of Glacier Media Group/Lodestar Digital—is looking for a driven Senior Media Account Manager to join our high-performing team. You already know why Squamish is the best place to live, work, and play. From the trails to the ocean, our community thrives on a passionate West Coast lifestyle blended with a rapidly growing, innovative local economy. In this role, you won’t just be selling ads; you will be connecting directly with the heartbeat of our town. You’ll work face-to-face with the local and regional businesses you know and love, helping them thrive right here in the Sea-to-Sky corridor. If you love this community and want a career that allows you to make a tangible local impact without the Vancouver commute, we want to hear from you.

THE OPPORTUNITY As part of Canada’s largest local digital network, you will move beyond traditional space selling to act as a strategic marketing consultant. You will leverage a sophisticated suite of data-driven solutions— including programmatic advertising, paid social, SEO, sponsored content, hyper-local digital display, and trusted print media—to build high-ROI campaigns for your clients.

WHAT YOU BRING • Proven Sales Expertise: Track record in B2B sales, account management and consultative selling. • Business Development Savvy: Comfort with cold calls, prospecting, and leading high-level strategy pitches with decision-makers. • Digital Fluency: Experience or strong aptitude in designing multi-channel digital and print advertising campaigns. • Relationship-First Mindset: Exceptional communication skills with a natural ability to build longterm client trust and relationships. • Execution & Drive: A goal-oriented, self-starting attitude with the organizational skills to thrive in a fast-paced media environment. • Assets: A post-secondary degree in Business, Marketing, or Communications, and/or prior media/ agency experience are highly valued.

WHAT WE OFFER Lil’wat Nation Employment Opportunities Governance

• Uncapped Earning Potential: Base salary paired with a lucrative, uncapped commission structure. • Total Rewards: Comprehensive health, dental and extended medical beneﬁts package. • Growth & Support: Robust onboarding, continuous professional development, and the backing of Canada’s leading local media network.

•

Senior Human Resources Generalist ($76,560.00 to $105,270.00 per year)

•

Human Resources Generalist ($67,040.00 to $92,180.00 per year)

READY TO SHAPE THE LOCAL NARRATIVE?

•

Workplace Wellness Advisor ($50,480.00 to $66,255.00 per year)

If you are a motivated sales professional ready to make a tangible impact in an inspired community, we want to hear from you.

Title & Rights •

On-Reserve Lands Manager ($76,560.00 to $105,270.00 per year)

Health & Healing + Pqusnalhcw Health Centre •

Community Health Nurse ($41.42 to $52.81 per hour) + $2.15 hourly premium)

•

Medical Transportation Coordinator - Casual ($25.89 to $33.98 per hour)

•

Health Care Assistant ($47,120.00 to $61,845.00 per year)

•

Bus Driver ($22.86 to $30.00 per hour)

Community Programs •

Fitness Coordinator ($47,120.00 to $61,845.00 per year)

•

Aboriginal Supported Child Development Worker ($25.89 - $33.98 per hour + eligible for wage enhancement top up)

•

Neighbourhood House Worker – Casual ($22.86 to $30.00 per hour)

Apply now; please submit your resume in conﬁdence to Cathie Greenlees • cgreenlees@lodestarmedia.ca

We've Got You Covered

WE’RE HIRING

Community Development

Communications Ofﬁcer

•

Permanent full-time position with a starting wage of $39.40 an hour.

Community Inclusion Support Worker – Part Time ($26,926.00 to $35,339.00 per year)

Xet’òlacw Community School

Skate Host - Whistler Olympic Plaza

•

Casual position with a starting wage of $23.23 an hour.

High School Teacher - Special Education ($63,670.00 to $116,19.00 per year)

•

Education Assistant ($47,120.00 to $61,845.00 per year)

•

Bus Driver ($22.86 to $30.00 per hour)

Please visit our career page for more information: https://lilwat.ca/careers/

VISITORS’ GUIDE 2017-2018 FREE

NOVEMBER 6, 2026

We’re hiring

The Museum is currently seeking

Administrative Coordinator

Manager of Building Services Full-time | Regular

Join the Squamish-Lilloeet Regional District (SLRD) in a senior building official role, leading the delivery of building inspection and permitting services and ensuring legislative and code compliance across the region. Salary: $109,965-$123,768 Plus a competitive benefits package that includes comprehensive extended health and dental benefits, pension plan, flexible work options and learning and development opportunities.

Full-time, permanent. $58,500 per year Responsible for providing administrative and operational support to ensure efficient operation of the Museum, acting as the technical lead for the Museum’s ticketing and administrative software. The position will remain posted until filled. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Headquartered in Pemberton, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) serves four member municipalities—Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, and Lillooet—and four electoral areas. Located in one of British Columbia’s most scenic regions, the SLRD offers a supportive, hybrid work environment and an exceptional place to live and work.

SLRD.bc.ca/careers Apply and learn more via the QR code, or email applications to bbeacom@audainartmuseum.com

Scan QR code for details

Photo: Mirae Campbell.

COORDINATOR, CONFERENCE SALES Full Time, Year Round

The Coordinator, Conference Sales supports Tourism Whistler’s goals by building strong client relationships and assisting with sales and operational activities to meet client needs and deliver a positive conference sales and services experience.

WINTER SURVEYORS

Part Time, Winter Contract Love Whistler and enjoy meeting people? We’re looking for friendly, outgoing locals to join our winter surveying team! Connect with visitors, hear about their experiences and help shape what makes Whistler special, all while enjoying a ﬂexible schedule and a Whistler Blackcomb Spirit Pass.

Tourism Whistler is looking to grow our passionate team. We are a real community of locals who love sharing and living in the most exhilarating mountain destination in the world.

What We Offer

• • • •

$21/hour, plus performance incentives End-of-season bonus Flexible schedule (2 to 3 shifts per week) Fun and supportive work environment

VIEW OPENING AND APPLY AT WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS

42 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

• Nine-day fortnight schedule • Whistler-based position with a hybrid approach • C ommitment to health and wellness • Fun and supportive team environment • Annual salary range: $52,000 to $54,000 annually, plus incentive bonus

piquenewsmagazine.com/ local-events/

VIEW OPENING AND APPLY AT WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS

WHISTLER’S PREMIER LUXURY ESTATE BUILDER

1 6

The Museum is currently seeking

Full-time 6 3 & Casual Guards

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Monitor artwork in galleries, enforce and implement security protocols, and communicate rules and guidelines to visitors.

$25.25 per hour experience required 1 5No Full-time and casual opportunities available

# 10

$30-$45+ per hour

Apply and learn more via the QR code, or email applications to bbeacom@audainartmuseum.com Photo: Darby Magill.

2 5

9 WE'RE HIRING!

6 We're 2 8 looking for skilled carpenters and motivated 7 We specialize 9 apprentices 1 to join our team. in high-end custom homes and renovations EXPERIENCED CARPENTERS & APPRENTICES

throughout #the 12 Whistler and Pemberton area.

• Excellent wages based on experience and qualifications • Interesting, high-quality projects • A professional and supportive team environment SEND YOUR RESUME TO: marc@balmoralconstruction.com

# 12

8 5 9 7 2 4 3 1 6

Answers 3 2 7 8 1 6 5 9 4

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Whistler Excavations Ltd. Civil Construction Career Opportunities We are currently recruiting professionally minded people to join our team: Pipe Layers $35-$45 per hour Construction Labourers $30-$40 per hour Heavy Equipment Operators $35-$45 per hour Class 1 Truck Driver $35-$45 per hour Extended health benefits available after 3 months Phone: David 604-966-7814 Email Resume: david@whistlerexcavations.com

NOVEMBER 6, 2026

PUZZLES ACROSS 1 6 10 15 18 19 21 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 31 33 35 37 38 39 40 42 43 44 46 47 48 52 53 54 56 57 58 59 60 62 63 65

Series of musical notes Ali -Hindu ascetic Mil. installation Sat for a photo Source of seed oil Claw Ball of yarn Played a part Treat for a kitty Giraffe cousin Imprison Overly Small dog, for short British -Bull constellation Nobleman Look searchingly Pale Opposition “... happily ever --” Sing softly Jelly fruit Made into coils Self-esteem Owl’s cry Recipe amount Made smooth “Blue -- Shoes” Interstellar distance Opponent Concluded Expose Long-eared animals Florida town Stern Playful Skill

66 67 68 69 71 73 75 76 77 78 82 84 85 86 87 90 91 93 94 95 97 98 99 100 102 104 105 107 108 109 110 112 113 114 117 118 119 123

Stared angrily Building wing -- the roost Rainbow goddess Direct Sunbeams Had a meal Church feature Sun. follower Dummy Worked at Apple tablet Penalty Scary cry Shrink away Understand Brunch fare Urban renewal target Overact Alla -At any time Mobile device Elec. unit Evergreen tree Ciphers Throws Mesoamerican civilization Mom’s sister Revolving part Alter Tight Like a Headache piece Dried plum Shrill cry Converses Family Exchange Rice dish

2 8 5 1 8 2 7 9

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Seaside Crude dwelling Oklahoma city Opposing one Silk-cotton tree Observe Edgar -- Poe Split Efface Large numbers Vassal Also not Begets Female sheep Failed Ford

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Outpouring Hot, sweet beverage John Jacob -Tommy -- Jones Whirlpool Large cup Moving around Poison “What -- -- supposed to do?” Pilfered Rouse from sleep “Oh, woe!” Swab the deck Start Defendant in court Burn brightly Commenced Angry speech Series installment “-- Side Story” Selected

32 34 36 38 39 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 58 59 61 63 64 66 70 71 72 74 76 79 80 81 83 85 87 88 89 90

3 4 1 9 3 2 9 7

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8 7

HARD

2 #9

Brake part Viper Room for food storage Dry Slag Ran away Stream Pierce with a horn Kind of vegetable oil To an excessive degree Pucker Male deer Remotely Food fish Foam in a mug Passover meal Went by boat Analyze grammatically Nat King -Cruel fellow Coiffure Funny guy Weak Joyful cry Ringed-tailed animal Estuary Beams Powder for printers See Kitchen utensil Stretched shape Sitting area Books Fibs Flu symptom 500 sheets Madame Bovary Duplicate Denomination

92 93 95 96 98 101 102 103 104 106 108 109 111 112 113 114

Wine from France Gleams Whisk broom Magical letter Blueprint Flapjacks Struggle Cornelia -- Skinner Shift Artist’s studio Bellow Leggy birds Fish sometimes pickled Throttles Puts Tiff

115 116 117 118 120 121 122 124 125 126 130 132 134

Body of rules Fashionably dated Picked Onionlike herb Where Cardiff is Saying Auto part Box a little Pack Lock maker Mr. Onassis, familiarly Mineral Top

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

1 6 4 8 3

2 3

2 8 4

2 6 3

2 3 9

5 7 8

1 5

HARD

# 10

Enter a digit from 1 through 9 in each cell, in such a way that: • Each horizontal row contains each digit exactly once • Each vertical column contains each digit exactly once • Each 3x3 box contains each digit exactly once Solving a sudoku puzzle does not require any mathematics; simple logic suffices.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: HARD

5 1 8 6 7 2 4 5 4 9 6 HARD

4 8 6 7 5

1 4 5

9 7 6 3 5

8 3 4 2 4 7 7

1 # 11

9 6 5

1 3

2 2

6 2 8 7 9 1

HARD # 12 Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com

ANSWERS ON PAGE 43

44 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

2 5

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PIQUE’N YER INTEREST

Will Whistler still dream when it no longer snows? SURVEYING THE POLITICAL landscape today is like watching a slow-motion car crash. You can see everything that is about to happen: a planet hurtling into climate chaos and political instability, all thanks to the brutal fact that human potential and creativity is crashing headfirst into one unavoidable shibboleth: we appear to be doomed to self-destruction by a handful of sociopaths. OK, OK. I know this is Whistler. For

BY TOBIAS C. VAN VEEN the most part, we are a caring bunch, and our electoral results, both municipal and provincial, reflect that. And face it—many of us probably care more about El Nino snowfall than, say, the state of Canadian confederacy, American meddling in Alberta “separatism,” backfiring political opportunism, or the failures of global capitalism to deal with the sobering realities of a worsening climate crisis. But that last jab ought to ring an alarm bell for those of us who care about Whistler’s future. With the glaciers all but gone, we have to ask ourselves if simply voting now and then is going to be enough to sustain a local economy built on what is already a scarcity: snow. What happens when “living the dream” becomes a waking nightmare? Many of us have canvassed and volunteered for political parties, and most folks I speak to, on whatever ticket, believe that they are supporting the best candidate for a successful society. But what makes a society successful? Success for the few only pisses off and impoverishes the many. Success for all requires compassion, equality, and empathy, with the aim of sharing and not selfishly stealing what our planet has gifted for the common wealth. In the Sea to Sky, we appear to be mostly filled with folks supporting each other and the ecosystems that support us, as evidenced in our second Green provincial win. I rarely come across the person who, when given some time and respect, does not show their kindness and generosity, even if we may disagree about how to make everyone else feel, and especially financially achieve, the same. But what I have come to realize is how easily so many of us are manipulated by the very few among us who, deep in their brains, seem to lack something crucial for our collective survival: the mirror-neurons of empathy. These flashy-and-fashi people project power and smarts, but have neither. They are always quick to blame others for

REAL TALK This season, pick up a book instead of mindlessly scrolling. AMIR SHAHRESTANI / ADOBE PHOTOSHOP AI

46 NOVEMBER 6, 2026

problems they themselves create. This is hardly news, but it should still be cause for thinking carefully about everything from conduct to consumerism. Anyone following the international media is well aware of how the rise of the far right is tied to Western techbros and their AI fantasies. With casual disregard to our collective well-being, companies like Anthropic are openly calculating the odds of human extinction should AI go seriously awry (it’s “10 per cent”). Yet those same companies are pressing ahead with AI weapons development while putting AI into every possible device we own. I know I will be keeping my ~20 year old vehicle and running it into the ground. Most of it is still mechanical and thus locally repairable. It cannot be remotely turned off, nor does it transmit

star. Engineered by fragile egos who have surrounded themselves with Yes men, it should come as no surprise that AI chatbots are sycophantic and not dialectic. So much of 21st century technology promises to be frictionless, but in reality, that teflon coating is cancer. Your smartphone tracks you everywhere, listens to everything. And after integrating agentic AI into your life and business, you might realize you’ve “cognitive offloaded” to the point where you no longer know how to think for yourself. Now is the time to stop handing over our destinies to authoritarian techbros. We cannot give up the hard work of politics for false promises of a technological utopia. This is the underlying philosophy of the far-right, from Ayn Rand to Curtis Yarvin: that we

Now is the time to stop handing over our destinies to authoritarian techbros.

its location. I am more concerned about my television, as we recently discovered many “smart TVs” record and transmit our home conversations, even with “privacy” settings enabled. Point being, we can start chewing on the bigger political problems right here at home. We need to challenge the technological systems that authoritarians have enveloped us in. How much of it could you jettison, and yet still do the things you really want? That’s the question to ask as we face what Gil Durán calls—as the title to his damning book— The Nerd Reich. I get it though. The tech is so seductive. AI tells us what we want to hear, creating a fictional universe where you are the

no longer need democracy, as techbro corps are destined to run the entire country like a company town. Ah yes... just like Jonestown. We want to think the techbros know what they are doing, but they don’t. And that is the true horror: not that in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king, but that the most ignorant men are leading those who have deliberately gouged out their eyes, cut out their hearts, and sold their tongues, all for a few flecks of artificial ego. At least for now, there’s more of us than them—and their power-and-water sucking data centres. The tough part is that nobody wants to admit they’ve been manipulated. It is a shameful affair, as everyone wants to think they are, at the very least, masters

of their own mind, if not their own house. But the mind is a terrible thing to taste. And once the mind has been infiltrated at earliest ages by chatbots and social media, with tablets and screens transforming the transmission of critical thought into what Marshall McLuhan called the “bath” of television’s flow, it is anyone’s guess if we can recover humanity’s ability to trash bad ideas and embrace true intelligence—and not its “artificial” antithesis. This is why education is so crucial. Taking in the many ideas of people who have spent their lives questioning the status quo can help buttress the braincells from the tired-but-ever-so-effective tropes that master manipulators unleash. This is why education is always the first thing to be eradicated by those who seek sheer dominance for the sake of it— the burning and banning of books, the dismantling of libraries, the defunding of universities, the demonization of science, the fearmongering against Others. And such education has little to do with the availability of digital information. In the ‘90s Carl Sagan wrote of his foreboding toward a future ruled by so-called “information technology,” the dark world we now inhabit, where “no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues.” I believe, like Sagan, that “our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what’s true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness,” all thanks to a political and social media machine that “dumbs down” our mental faculties, leaving us to live—and die—in a “kind of celebration of ignorance.” With this rainy season, grab a book for the brain and start scribbling pencilled notes in the margins. Stick to paper—the science shows it significantly increases retainment and critical thought over scanning a screen. Moreover, your paperback cannot be retroactively eradicated, as we’ve already seen with film titles erased from Sony’s catalogue. Me, I am in the midst of selfpenned biopics by extraordinary humans: Chris Hadfield’s An Astronaut’s Guide to Life; Tommy Caldwell’s The Push: A Climber’s Search for the Path. I have also been gifted insightful allegories of troubled times—Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master & Margarita—and influential studies that bridge East and West, diving deep into the impulses of our shadow selves, with Carl Jung’s Psychology of Yoga and Meditation. Whatever your read, build up the mental resilience to the onslaught that awaits us, as we are told that black is white, up is down, and that we have never been at war with Oceania. For it will only be with the fortitude of our minds, bulwarked against the stupid logics of mindless sacrifice, that we catalyse our collective ability to not just speak truth to power, but realize that most power today is entirely lacking in its ability to grasp the truth itself. tobias c. van Veen still holds out hope that enough of us pick up this paper not just to burn but to read. n

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