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Inside

◆ Salmon cook-off P2 ◆ Child-care facility P3

◆ Wet’suwet’en clans unite P4 ◆ Child and youth mental health P9

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WEDNESDAY, July 15, 2015

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This little piggy went to market Silver Springs Country Recreation and Wellness brings free-range bacon to the table MICHELE TAYLOR Caledonia Courier

Michele Taylor photo

Little Pig, one of the Silver Spring’s wiglets, gets some loving attention and ear scratches from owner Morgan Buck while she relaxes under some shade out of the extreme heat July 10.

Whether you’re barbequing, slow-cooking dinner or making Sunday morning breakfast - there’s one staple that goes with any of these activities – pork. Silver Springs Country Recreation and Wellness brought in four sows and a boar last February to expand their already established grass-finished beef operation with healthy happy free-range pork products. The pigs which range from grown and wiglets – a name to separate the older piglets from the younger ones – right down to young piglets who were happily roaming the property when this reporter was out for a visit. Morgan Buck, who operates Silver Springs with his wife Kerry, said the first year with the Tamworth-Berkshire cross sows and DurocYorkshire cross boar was a challenge with a new kind of livestock that requires different

nutrients and care than cattle. He said last year only one sow produced a viable pregnancy but added this year the hope is that with their increased knowledge of the livestock they will have a more productive winter and new stock next year. Buck put together an overwintering barn, which is completely moveable, for the sows last winter. The wintering barn is constructed of square hay bales with a pallet base to keep the bales off the ground and also hosts a heated water recycling system for the overwintering livestock. The building was incredibly cool when we stood inside while talking to get out of the midday heat. Buck said he wanted to construct something that would fit in with the couple’s style of raising healthy, free-range livestock. “I haven’t seen this done anywhere,” he said of the moveable structure. Most of the structure Please see ‘Going’, page 8

WHEN

YOU PAY WHAT WE PAY Vehicle(s) may be shown with optional equipment. Dealer may sell or lease for less. Limited time offers. Offers only valid at participating dealers. Retail offers may be cancelled or changed at any time without notice. See your Ford Dealer for complete details or call the Ford Customer Relationship Centre at 1-800-565-3673. For factory orders, a customer may either take advantage of eligible raincheckable Ford retail customer promotional incentives/offers available at the time of vehicle factory order or time of vehicle delivery, but not both or combinations thereof. Retail offers not combinable with any CPA/GPC or Daily Rental incentives, the Commercial Upﬁt Program or the Commercial Fleet Incentive Program (CFIP). Ford Employee Pricing (“Employee Pricing”) is available from July 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015 (the “Program Period”), on the purchase or lease of most new 2015/2016 Ford vehicles (excluding all chassis cab, stripped chassis, and cutaway body models, F-150 Raptor, F-650/F-750, Mustang Shelby GT500, Shelby GT350, 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Mustang).

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Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Caledonia Courier

NEWS

Courier Salmon cook-off rescheduled due to provincial fire ban MICHELE TAYLOR Caledonia Courier

The Great Salmon Cookoff was rescheduled due to the province-wide fire ban that was issued last week which saw a ban on all fires, and includes all open burning, campfires and fireworks. Because the event has salmon cooking on its open fire pits, the Historic Site decided to hold off on the event until later in September said April Hilland, Visitor Experience Product Development Officer with the National Historic Site. “Given that it would probably take a couple days of rain to lift that fire ban we’d rather give people a weeks’ notice

rather than cancel last minute when the salmon is ordered and thawing,” she said about the reschedule of the annual event. In order to ensure there was ample notice and no food wastage happening the FSJ Historic Site decided to reschedule the event for September 19 which will see the event teaming up with Metis Day celebrations. “It could be a big waste of food and we want to make sure out of town visitors have a chance to make alternate plans since we have people coming in from Prince George too,” Hilland said. “What I’m hearing back from the salmon teams is that the date works better for them.”

Michele Taylor photo

A board fit for rowing An enthusiast is out on Stuart Lake doing some rowing training on their paddleboard rowing system July 9.

District of Fort St. James Calendar JULY, 2015 SUNDAY

TUESDAY 14

Artful Antics 9-12

FSJ Survivors 1-4

*Babies Galore!

9:30-11am Preschool Gym @ Sowchea Food Bank Volleyball Artful Antics 9-12 FSJ Survivors 1-4 *Storytime

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Volleyball

WEDNESDAY

Artful Antics 9-12

11:30-4pm Farmers’ Mrkt Artful Antics 9-12 FSJ Survivors 1-4 *Movie Madness

FSJ Survivors 1-4 *Summer Reading Club

Lets Get Sporty

The World of Science

*Babies Galore!

*Storytime

*Summer Reading Club

Tiny Tots 9-11:30, Readers Theatre 1-4

11:30-4pm Farmers’ Mrkt Lets Get Sporty The World of Science *Pyjama Storytime

Tiny Tots 9-11:30, Readers Theatre 1-4

Lets Get Sporty

SATURDAY

Tiny Tots 9-11:30, Readers Theatre 1-4

AUGUST

11:30-4pm Farmers’ Mrkt Tiny Tots 9-11:30, Readers Theatre 1-4

4 Construction zone 9-12, Readers Theatre 1-4

BC Family Day

Construction zone 9-12, Readers Theatre 1-4

8 11:30-4pm Farmers’ Mrkt

Construction zone 9-12

Kulinary Kidz 9-12, Brilliant Bakerz 1-4

13 Kulinary Kidz 9-12, Brilliant Bakerz 1-4

Please submit all events by Wednesday for the next Wednesday paper distribution. ofĲce@fortstjames.ca

Municipal Website: www.fortstjames.ca

MONDAY

11:30-4pm Farmers’ Mrkt Kulinary Kidz 9-12, Brilliant Bakerz 1-4

HOT FUN IN THE SUMMER SUN

Hot Fun in the Summer Sun 2015 brochures available! Register now @ the District Oĸce, 477 Stuart Dr. W. Office: 477 Stuart Drive West

Telephone: 250-996-8233

WESTERN HOEDOWN FAMILY DANCE July 23 @ Kwah Hall - 6pm-10pm All Are Welcome! Like us at Facebook: District of Fort St. James

Email: office@fortstjames.ca

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NEWS

Child-care facility now a reality for most remote area child-care facilities she added. Daycare just got a “That’s a challenge big boost in Fort St. for a lot of daycares, beJames. The Nechako cause (early childhood Valley Community Ser- educators) come out vices Society (NVCSS) with that kind of degree received more than and there are so many $126,000 in funding opportunities to work from the Ministry of elsewhere for huge dolChildren and Family lars.” Development Capital Rather than spend Spending and a $40,000 more time and energy d o n a searching tion from for an eduM o u n t cator that “We want Milligan/ would be to get an Thompson on payroll Creek Metindependent the society als. has put out T h e operator to run a request f u n d i n g the program.” for proposwill be used als from – Lynda Lewis for a much enterprising needed ECE’s to 8-28 space licensed get into a growing marchild-care facility in ket in Fort St. James, Fort St. James said said Lewis. Lynda Lewis, Program “Trying to get them Manager with NVCSS. and draw them in is Lewis said the project very challenging that’s has been in the works why we thought we’ll for close to four years go with a contractor and with the injection who can run this as their of funds the child-care own business,” she said. facility is now a reality. “We put an RFP out, we “The daycare has want to get an indepenbeen something that has dent operator to run the been in the process for daycare.” four years or more,” she The 8-28 space Child said. “It’s been a com- Care Centre which is munity need and the designed for infant, Nechako Valley certain- toddler, preschool and ly recognized that com- school age children munity need especially would be located at 349 with the growth that has Stuart Drive said Lewis happened.” and added that the operLewis said one of the ator will have the option big challenges facing to start at a size which the child-care facility is is workable for the confinding and maintaining tracting ECE. a licenced early child“It’s something that hood educator (ECE) will be a community for the facility, some- service that the commuthing that is a challenge nity needs,” she said. MICHELE TAYLOR Caledonia Courier

submitted photo

Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad, right, presents a cheque from the B.C. government to Nechako Valley Community Services Society program manager Lynda Lewis and executive director Tyrell Arnold.

On Monday July 6th, 16 volunteers took to the streets of Fort St James for the first annual business walk. During a 3-hour period volunteers blitzed the business community in teams armed with Survey questions designed to capture the pulse of the local economy. This walk gave businesses the opportunity to communicate issues and express their concerns to local and provincial government representatives. The information gathered will be used to inform business development programs and will be performed every year to track the business climate in Fort St. James. If the walkers did not make it to your business and you would like to participate in the survey, please contact the District Office, 250-996-8233 and they will be happy to interview you! The District of Fort St. James, the District Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training would like to thank all of the volunteers and businesses that participated in this inaugural event!

Sunday, July 19 Read a book with your kids tonight

Show at 2:00 pm ONLY Arena, Fort St. James D CHIL FF O 0 $1 $10

Community Events Community Events are free of charge as they are sponsored by the Caledonia Courier COMING EVENTS... Will appear as space is available, free of charge in this section. Coming events are available to non-profit organizations only. This area is not intended for thank you submissions or selling products. It is simply a place for nonprofit organizations a place to announce upcoming free activities. You can e-mail your item to advertising@ ominecaexpress.com or by fax: 567-2070. Your organizations’ announcement can also be dropped off at our office located at #111250 Stuart Drive, Fort St. James. Decision of the publisher is final. *** FRASER LAKE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS...is calling on visual artists of all mediums, quilters, pottery, bands, singers, poets etc. Festival will be August 8th, 2015. Call 250-699-1234 for more information or email: festivalofthearts@gmail.com *** VOLUNTEER WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY!...Are you or anyone you know interested in becoming a volunteer? No matter your age or your interests, there are plenty of opportunities for you or your family members to volunteer within our community. At Volunteer Fort St. James we assist local nonprofit organizations in recruiting volunteers and assist volunteers to find an organization(s) they want to work with. If you chose to become a volunteer you are in control. You get to choose the event(s) you volunteer for, how often you volunteer and how much time you’d like to volunteer. Volunteers are not obligated to volunteer for any opportunities, no questions asked. It is as simple as that! If you’d like to become a volunteer, when opportunities become available you have the option to be notified by email, or you can check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/volunteerfsj or stop by the Volunteer Fort St. James Office Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11:30 – 12:30 pm. You can sign up today to become a volunteer at www.volunteerfsj. ca. For more information you can

e-mail us at volunteerfsj@telus. net or call us at 250-996-8284 (Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 11:30 – 12:30 pm). *** ST PATRICK’S ANGLICAN CHURCH...Services at St Patrick’s Anglican Church will now take place only on the first Sunday of the month except for special occasions. *** STUART LAKE OUTREACH GROUP FOOD BANK SCHEDULE... is the third Wed of each month: 10:00 am to noon at the Food Bank behind St. Patrick’s Anglican Church, Stuart Drive. Volunteers needed. Call 250-567-6744. Food Bank needs canned meals, beans, stews, soups, tuna, salmon, sandwich meats, pasta and sauce, tea, coffee, toilet paper, canned milk, cereals, etc. At this time we have lots of sugar! Thank you for your generosity. *** UNTOLD TRAUMA...author seeks contributions from nonFirst Nations students and staff who experienced Catholic residential or day schools abuse in Northern BC. For more info email Kathyhansen1@gmail.com *** FIREWEED STOPPING THE VIOLENCE & OUTREACH SERVICE For those who believe all is possible!...Provides free Confidential, Safe, and Supportive counselling and outreach services for women. Hours of Service: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and every other Friday. Location: Room 203, 349 Stuart Drive, Fort St James, BC Phone: (250) 9961214 Fax: (250) 996-7647 Email: fire.or@telus.net *** STUART LAKE OUTREACH GROUP... hosts a free hot lunch each Tuesday from 10.00am to 1.00pm in the space behind St. Patrick’s Anglican Church. Meals are served by members of area churches and other volunteers from the community. We wish to thank all those who assist by cooking, serving, and cleaning up. Your help is invaluable. We

also host a free Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day to all who are lonely or in need. Volunteers for these programs are needed. Please call Gwen at 250-567-6744. *** ST. PATRICK’S ANGLICAN CHURCH SERVICES... will now take place only on the first Sunday of the month except for special occasions. *** FORT ST. JAMES SEARCH & RESCUE... steering committee meetings first Tuesday of every month. 7:00 p.m. above the Fort St. James Firehall. Training is the third Tuesday of every month at the Firehall at 7 p.m. New members are welcome and training is provided. For more information please contact Paul at 250.996.7478 or Rod at 250.996.3231 *** FORT ST. JAMES PUBLIC LIBRARY HOURS... Tuesday 11:30-8:00 Wednesday 11:30-4:30 Thursday 11:30-4:30 Friday 11:30-8:00 Saturday 11:00-3:00 *** AUXILIARY TO STUART LAKE HOSPITAL... Monthly meeting 2nd Wednesday each month. Hospital Cafeteria 7:00 p.m. *** NECHAKO VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY...Child and Youth Mental Health and Counseling Services available at no cost. Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Call 996-7645 for appointment. *** FORT TRAP AND HANDGUN CLUB... meets last Sunday of every month. Contact (Sue) at 250-996-7728 (h) for more information. *** MUSIC MAKERS...New members always WELCOME. Not everyone has to be on stage, there is lots of work behind the scenes. Call Heike Fonda at 250-996-7006 for more info. ***

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Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Caledonia Courier

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• Guest Editorial

Wet’suwet’en clans unite against all pipelines through their lands FLAVIO NIENOW Burns Lake Lakes District News

At an all clans meeting, Wet’suwet’en clans voted to not accept any pipelines through Wet’suwet’en lands, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline projects. In December 2014, Wet’suwet’en First Nation (WFN) signed an agreement with the province for the proposed Coastal GasLink pipeline project. Coastal GasLink Pipeline Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of TransCanada PipeLines Limited, proposes to develop a natural gas pipeline from near Dawson Creek, B.C., to the proposed LNG Canada liquefied natural gas export facility near Kitimat, B.C. One day after the all clans meeting, LNG Canada received an environmental assessment certificate to proceed with construction of their plant near Kitimat. Hereditary Chief John Ridsdale (Na’Moks), who attended the meeting via teleconference, said the position of the hereditary chiefs hasn’t changed. “There are elected bands and councils that have supported it [construction of pipelines], but as a nation, as hereditary chiefs and clans and house groups, we never have supported this. It’s a re-affirmation of each

of the five clans,” said Ridsdale. A camp set up by the Unist’ot’en house group is currently trying to block efforts by TransCanada to do work on the Coastal Gaslink pipeline project. A new You Tube video was recently posted by supporters of the Unist’ot’en camp showing a Unist’ot’en member asking a third party contractor to leave their territory. “This is technically trespassing,” says the Unist’ot’en member in the video. “We’ve asked nicely and people keep coming; this is very disrespectful.” “This continues to be our territory,” she continues. “We haven’t lost it to war, so you’re not coming through here; you need consent to be here.” According to Unist’ot’en members, throughout May and June, TransCanada has made repeated attempts to survey their territory. “The Unist’ot’en, they’re looking after their territory,” said Ridsdale. “And we believe, at this current time, they’re doing the proper thing; they are evicting trespassers, which would be these pipeline companies.” Despite opposition from Wet’suwet’en clans, Chief Karen Ogen said her government will continue supporting LNG projects. “We are fully committed to protecting

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the environment while pursuing economic opportunities that will provide sustainability to our community. We remain opposed to oil and bitumen projects because they could have serious environmental impact on our territories and our traditional hunting grounds,” she said. “By signing agreements in support of LNG projects, we have ensured the inclusion of a clause which states at no time with this pipeline agreement, even if sold to another company, be converted to transporting oil or bitumen.” “We have signed agreements with the province with the explicit understanding that the environmental assessment process has to ensure the best practices in the world. Our community members mandated us to engage with gas pipeline companies and make sure that the highest environmental standards are met. By participating in these projects and engaging with the government and proponents, WFN is able to extend a positive influence on their development,” she said. “Our door is always open for dialog and discussion with the hereditary chiefs to explain our position. Beyond that, WFN is marching forward so that our people will benefit and their quality of life will finally improve – socially, economically and environmentally,” she added.

photo courtesy of YouTube

Hereditary Chief John Ridsdale (Na’Moks) – pictured here at the at the Idle No More Gathering in Prince Rupert Feb. 11, 2013 – attended the all-clan meeting via teleconference. Ridsdale said the position of the hereditary chiefs hasn’t changed.

E-mail us at : newsroom@caledoniacourier.com

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Jeff Nagel/Black Press

SPCA enforcement officer Marcie Moriary and Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick announce a new code of conduct for dairy farms at a Cloverdale farm Wednesday.

B.C. tightens rules for care of dairy cattle BY TOM FLETCHER Black Press

The B.C. government is adopting national standards for care of dairy cattle, a measure called for by the SPCA after a video surfaced showing abuse of cows last year at a Chilliwack farm. The National Dairy Code of Practice covers shelter, feed and water as well as veterinary care and handling practices. It prohibits electric prods, hitting, kicking and shouting when handling cattle. The code also demands that dairy farms recognize the companionship needs of cattle, and that their barns need adequate lighting and non-slip floors. Eight employees of Chilliwack Cattle Sales, Canada’s largest dairy farm, were fired

last June after a video showed them beating cows with sticks, chains and rakes. The B.C. Milk Marketing Board lifted its ban on milk purchases from the farm after inspecting its operation and imposing monitoring on it. Code adopted Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick announced the adoption of the code at a Cloverdale dairy farm Wednesday. He said the specific standards will help industry regulators and judges determine if cruelty to animals has been committed. The SPCA recommended charges of wilfully causing “unnecessary pain, suffering and injury to animals” against the former Chilliwack employees, but Crown prosecutors have not yet decided on

whether to proceed. Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer of the B.C. SPCA, praised the adoption of the new code. “We can’t change the past but we can change the present and affect

the future,” Moriarty said. “Hopefully we won’t ever see a repeat of what happened last year.” The B.C. SPCA receives an average of 8,800 cruelty complaints a year. About a quarter of those involve

farm animals, but most of those involve treatment of horses. Moriarty said complaints about dairy farms are rare. Dave Eto, CEO of the B.C. Dairy Association, said he welcomes whistleblowers such as the employee who cap-

tured video of the abuse in Chilliwack. “It’s somewhat selfdestructive for a farmer to want to have animal

abuse, especially for dairy cows,” Eto said. “an unhappy cow does not produce milk.”

OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (Across from the Petrocan Station)

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NEWS benefits for the Cheslatta. â€“ Black Press

Black Press files

The Spirit of British Columbia will be the first vessel converted to dual-fuel, part of a refit that has been delayed until fall 2017.

Three bidders for BC Ferries LNG refits BC Ferries has delayed the refit of its workhorse Spirit-class vessels by a year to accommodate plans to convert them to a dualfuel system using liquefied natural gas. The Spirit of British Columbia is to begin its refit in the fall of 2017, with the Spirit of Vancouver Island to follow in 2018. The fuel conversion will be included in the mid-life refits for vessels built in Victoria in the early 1990s for the Tsawwassen-Victoria route. Seaspanâ€™s Vancouver Shipyards, Remontowa SA of Poland and Fincantieri of Italy have been short-listed for the refits, with the contract to be awarded by the end of 2015. Remontowa SA is building three new intermediate-class ferries in Gdansk, Poland, with delivery of the first expected in August 2016 to replace the 50-yearold Queen of Burnaby

on the Comox-Powell River run. The second is scheduled to arrive in October 2016, replacing the 51-year-old Queen of Nanaimo on the Tsawwassen-Southern Gulf Islands run. The third is scheduled for service February 2017, for peak and shoulder season use on the Southern Gulf Islands route and as a refit relief vessel for others in the fleet. â€“ Black Press

Mount Polley mine to restart The B.C. government has approved conditional permits to allow the Mount Polley Mine near Williams Lake to resume operation, using an existing open pit on the mine site to store water and tailings. The mine will take until early August to begin production, and up to 220 workers will return to work, Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett said. To continue operation into the fall, the operator will need another permit allowing it to treat and discharge water. Repair work contin-

ues on the tailings pond dam that was breached in August 2014. An independent investigation concluded the dam failed because of an overlooked glacial material layer in the foundation and a series of steep additions that eventually overcame it. Conditions for the restart include the company, a subsidiary of Imperial Metals, putting up an additional $6.1 million towards reclamation of the Hazeltine Creek and Quesnel Lake, where a torrent of water and mine tailings escaped. â€“ Black Press

Fund addresses Cheslatta flooding The B.C. government has reached agreement with the Cheslatta Carrier Nation on a reconciliation agreement that includes work to address flooding that has repeatedly exposed grave sites for more than 60 years. The Kenney Dam was built in 1952 to provide electricity for the Alcan aluminum smelter in Kitimat, forming the Nechako Reservoir

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and using the Cheslatta Lake and River system as a spillway channel. The community estimates that more than 60 graves have been exposed by annual flooding since then. Chief Corrina Leween expressed relief that the province has committed $400,000 to design and implementation of options to protect the area. â€œFor decades we have proposed solutions to this and other outstanding issues and no one was willing to listen,â€? Leween said. â€œWe can no longer tolerate the status quo.â€? Aboriginal Relations Minister John Rustad said the agreement is a step towards providing social and economic

Legacy fund for female soccer The B.C. government has established a $100,000 fund to promote female participation in soccer, to carry on the interest generated by the recent World Cup games that set new attendance records at BC Place stadium. Community workshops will be held around the province this fall, with speeches by Canadian soccer personalities and free workshops to develop more coaches, officials and volunteers. More than 122,000 players are registered with the B.C. Soccer Association. While more than 40 per cent of athletes are female, only about 20 per cent of coaches and officials are.

Nine World Cup games were held in Vancouver, with nearly 300,000 spectators. Canadaâ€™s quarter-final match against Eng-

land was played before 54,000 people, the largest crowd ever in Canada for a national team match in any sport. â€“ Black Press

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Wildfire help arriving from Ontario, Australia BY TOM FLETCHER Black Press

Firefighters and aircraft from Ontario arrived in B.C. Tuesday to help deal with the growing wildfire threat, and more reinforcements are on their way from Australia. Ontario sent 70 firefighters and specialists to Abbotsford and Cranbrook for deployment in the Coastal and Southeast fire centres, with two skimming aircraft, a “birddog” plane and an air attack officer arriving at the Kamloops fire centre. Forests Minister Steve Thomson said he expects further help to arrive from Australia, with more personnel coming from New Zealand to assist fire crews in Alberta. More assistance has been requested through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which sent B.C. crews to Alaska, Alberta and Yukon earlier in the season. The B.C. Wildfire Service recorded 23 new fires Monday, with 184 active fires in the province. As of Tuesday there were 40 homes under evacuation order and another 920 on alert. Smoke advisories continued Tuesday for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, the Sea to Sky corridor, with new advisories for south and eastern Vancouver Island from Campbell River to Victoria, including the Port Alberni area where the Dog Mountain fire continued to grow. The Hawaii Mars water bomber based at Sproat Lake was undergoing testing and crew training, expected to be ready for service by Thursday. Dr. James Lu of Vancouver Coastal Health said air conditions have improved in southwestern B.C., but smoke advisories remain in place. Very young, elderly and those with chronic lung and heart conditions or diabetes are advised to stay indoors

and reduce physical activity, with air conditioning or filtering if available. A province-wide outdoor fire ban was

extended to include the western strip of Vancouver Island known as the “fog zone” as the forecast of hot and dry weather continued.

Kurtis Isfeld of the BC Wildfire Service said he is expecting about 30 new fire starts a day for the “foreseeable future.”

BC Wildfire Service

The Boulder Creek wildfire near Pemberton is one of the sources of smoke over southwestern B.C.

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Michele Taylor photos

Mirraya Thomas, left, Kerry Buck and Helena Thomas, who is a summer student with Silver Springs, tend the stall at the Fort St. James Farmers’ Market.

Going whole hog Continued from front is also recyclable and can be used to continue a food source for the pigs he added, “I’ll just take (the rotten bales) out and shred it all over where we were feeding and it will build soil.” He said the hope is to expand the business to a variety of livestock based on demand. “I don’t really want to focus on one thing, I want to do different species because different species are good for different things,” he said. “Definitely chickens and just because some of the grazing we have we’re going to get goats.”

Buck said the 50 head of cattle are free-ranging on close to 60 acres over the spring and summer and the pigs are ranging on similar sized ranges. He said they offer options for finishing the beef, but the pigs are fed a variety of grain, grass and produce leavings. Buck added the pigs, wiglets and piglets don’t become wild, that they are very good about returning after a day of roaming free. “The piglets are free,” he said. “They come home every night and if they are there you can usually call them.” He said they feed grain to the pigs and also accept middling’s

or waste produce from the community which offsets the diet of grass and grain feed in the pigs’ diets. The couple just butchered their first round of mature hogs a few weeks ago Buck said, he added the livestock is butchered in Prince George and is now available at the Farmers’ Market. “We think we do a pretty good job with our pork,” he said. “It takes work, but we don’t clip their teeth or their tails. We try to give ours more room (to run and play).” “I like doing it that way … so I know what their life has been. They never leave here.”

Morgan Buck rinses out the water bin for the wiglets. The wiglets are nine-month-old piglets that free-range during the spring and summer months.

The sows, boar and wiglets at Silver Springs Country Recreation and Wellness take time out in the shade during the heat of the day, the young piglets were out free-ranging it up on the property.

Caledonia Courier Wednesday, July 15, 2015

www.caledoniacourier.com A9

Courier

NEWS Fire, smoke conditions ease in B.C. BY TOM FLETCHER Black Press

Black Press

Smoke conditions have cleared across most of B.C. with cooler temperatures and winds.

Cooler weather reduced the number of new forest fire starts around B.C. by Friday, and winds have eased air quality to allow normal outdoor exercise for most parts of the province. The only regions still reporting high air pollution readings were the Comox Valley and Whistler due to nearby fires, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall said Friday afternoon. In the rest of the province, people with

chronic lung or heart conditions can resume normal outdoor activities, Kendall said. There were 15 fire starts reported on Thursday, a decline from earlier in the week, B.C. Wildfire Management spokesperson Kevin Skrepnek said in a conference call from Kamloops. Lightningcaused fires were being reported Friday, mostly in southern B.C., with a risk of more lightning and wind as storms pass through. A ban on campfires, burn barrels and fireworks continues

province-wide, with unstable weather expected into next week. With 959 total fires so far this season covering 263,000 hectares, the early fire season is about double the average of the past 10 years. There are 100 fire personnel from Ontario joining every available B.C. crew, with more help on the way from Australia next week. Costs for direct fire suppression on July 9 alone are estimated to be $3.8 million, and the bill for the season has passed the $100 million mark.

Getting child and youth mental health help through new streamlined intake clinics BY DR. DAVID SMITH Dr. David Smith is an adolescent and adult psychiatrist and the medical director of the Okanagan Psychiatric services for Interior Health. This series of columns on common child and youth mental health issues is a project of the Child and Youth Mental Health and Substances Use Collaborative, jointly funded by Doctors of BC and the government of BC. The Collaborative recently received a national award from the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Canadian Psychiatric Association. When it comes to young people, early identification and treatment of mental health or substance use issues can be critical. In my series of articles I have been recommending three main actions for parents who know or suspect their son or daughter is experiencing mental health difficulties: 1. Consult one or more of the informative BC websites and organizations available to you. You can connect with other youth and parents with lived experience through the FORCE at forcesociety.com or through the Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre at keltymentalhealth.ca or toll free at 1 800 665 1822. Other helpful sites are anxietybc.ca, mindcheck.ca, or cmha.bc.ca. 2. Talk to your family doctor — in recent years many general practitioners in B.C. have taken extra training in child and youth mental health diagnosis, treatment and management.

3. Call Service BC at 1-800-661-8773 to find the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) office nearest to you. You can also access the Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use service map at: www.health.gov.bc.ca/healthyminds/cymhsu-servicesmap.html In this column, I want to focus on MCFD’s Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) Services, which are offered in more than 80 locations across the province, and in particular their new intake process. The process streamlines and standardizes mental health screening and initial assessments for those under 19 years of age for quicker access to mental health resources. Many families who’ve never connected with MCFD previously are surprised to learn that community-based CYMH services have been provided under the umbrella of MCFD for close to two decades. While family doctor visits, emergency room services, or hospital admissions all fall under the health system, if your child needs further assessment and treatment or ongoing community-based therapy, you may be referred to MCFD’s Child and Youth Mental Health Services. Psychiatrists, like me, work both with the health authority and MCFD services, depending on whether we see your child in the hospital or in the community through the CYMH clinic. Over the past 18 months the MCFD began a new intake screening and initial assessment process. Previously, access to services took anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Now, under the new streamlined intake, the process typically takes a few hours. It works very much like a walk-in-medical clinic. If you feel your child needs help, all you do is show up to the office closest to you with your child during the intake hours. (Teens can show up on their own without parents, if preferred.) See #3 at the beginning of this column for how to find your nearest clinic. The administrative assistant will give you a form to fill out that asks for basic information, including symptoms and concerns. After the information is entered into the system, an intake clinician will review it and meet with you privately to engage in a brief pre-screening interview. At that time the following options will be considered as next steps: • Is an urgent response (such as hospital admission) required? • Do you need some more information, parenting resources, and/or validation and support? • Would a referral to another community service be better suited for your child’s and family’s concerns? • Or is it appropriate to proceed to the full intake interview to understand more about potential mental health challenges? If it is the latter, the intake clinician will continue with a more in-depth intake interview and screening process. All the while, the clinician will talk with you about the best way to meet your child’s needs, whether it

is an urgent response, referral to others or acceptance into CYMH services. Those services may include anything from assessment, diagnosis and treatment by a specialist psychiatrist like me, or work with other mental health practitioners such as a nurse or clinical counsellor, especially for specific help like cognitive-behavioural therapy, or group therapy, among many options. At the end of that first intake meeting you are then provided with a copy of a brief plan for initial supports and services -- all in a couple of hours. While there may still be waitlists for specific treatments or specialized services, the intake process is greatly simplified. As one parent recently noted about the new intake system: “I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and welcoming this experience has been .... I am grateful to the clinician for making us feel so comfortable and at ease while talking about some really tough issues concerning my daughter.” This new process is expected to be fully available at all offices by the end of 2015 and will support approximately 80 per cent of BC children and youth seeking assessment through MCFD. For the smaller number of children or youth whose symptoms or concerns are much more severe or complex, the CYMH office may arrange alternative options for the first intake. This can include outreach, where a CYMH team-member would meet the child and family at home or in the community rather than having on the family to come to them.

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Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Caledonia Courier

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Nak’azdli Whut’en P.O. Box 1329, Fort St. James, BC, V0J 1P0 Tel (250) 996 – 7171 Fax (250) 996 – 8010

Social Development Receptionist

Nak’azdli Band Social Development Department is seeking a highly motivated individual to fill the position of Family Care Worker. This position requires dedication, empathy and knowledge of the Carrier language and culture. Ability to maintain confidentiality is a great asset.

Position Purpose: Receives and directs visitors or incoming calls to the Social Development Office.

DUTIES: t Advocating on behalf of our families that are involve with Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) t Being involved with investigations carried out by MCFD either in the home, Ministry office or schools t Setting up and delivering parenting programs t Ability to Counsel Individuals, families and /or couples t Arrange transport and supervise family visits and other duties relating to supporting families that are at risk of becoming involved with MCFD

Greet Visitors to the Social Development Office: t Receive visitors to determine their requirements and direct them to the appropriate staff member. Screen visitors and redirect hostile or abusive visitors as necessary t Answer routine enquiries from visitors – direct them to the proper staff member as appropriate, or take accurate messages in the staff person’s absence

QUALIFICATIONS: t Class 5 Driver’s License, Criminal Check and Prior Contact Check w/MCFD t Knowledge of the Family Law Act and Child Family and Community Act (CFCSA) required; Social Services Program Certificate or Diploma t Good interpersonal, written and communication skills t Knowledge of Carrier language/culture t Ability to maintain confidentiality t Ability to work independently with little supervision, ability to prioritize and organize duties, and ability to meet deadlines t Creativity and innovation in planning, implementing programs/training t Ability to work outside scope of job description if called upon t Able to work evenings and weekends Please fax cover letter and resume to (250) 996-0129 or email to socialservices@nakazdli.ca

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

Reports to: Social Development Administrator Job Results and Responsibilities:

Answer incoming telephone calls courteously and promptly: t Monitor telephone answering and mail box service to ensure that it is kept up-to-date and properly functioning. t Monitor general mailbox and record messages for distribution to appropriate staff members. t Arrange appointments as directed by department head and ensure that they are recorded and distributed to appropriate staff member t File out absenteeism forms to track absent or late employees as per phone messages and distribute to Human Resources t Fill out absenteeism forms to show latest, including time that employee arrived t Ensure that you keep accurate records of where persons away at meetings are and when they will return Provide General Clerical support for Social Development Department: Entry Level Requirements, Qualifications: General office skills, operate office machines, 40wpm typing speed, organizational skills, good people skills, ability to multitask, good telephone skills, Desk top publishing, ability to deal with abusive and belligerent clientele, work well with public, valid driver’s license. Please fax cover letter and resume to (250) 996-0129 or email to socialservices@nakazdli.ca Deadline July 17, 2015. No Phone Calls Please.

TL’AZT’EN NATION JOB POSTING

Executive Director Tl’azt’en Nation seeks a full time Executive Director to oversee and be responsible for the effective and efficient operation of Tl’azt’en Nation Administration and Operations. The Executive Director reports directly to Tl’azt’en Nation’s Chief & Council and implements Council’s plans. Overall responsibilities include: t Providing collaborative leadership, guidance and supervision to Managers and Staff. t Budgeting, monitoring and controlling financial activities. t Maintaining relationships and liaising with Government agencies. t Developing, implementing and monitoring strategic plans. t Pursuing economic opportunities. t Informing and advising Chief & Council of financial plans and results, legislative changes, human resource changes, legal and statutory obligations. t Researching, developing, implementing and monitoring organizational policies and procedures. t Experience working with First Nations would be an asset

Quit. Before your time runs out.

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The successful candidate will have a Degree in Business Administration and/or an acceptable combination of education, training and experience. The successful candidate should have a minimum of 10 years experience in a Senior Administrative role and experience working with First Nations, liaising between government agencies including AANDC, First Nations Health Authority, DFO, etc. and accessing and securing funding, negotiating and conflict resolution. Salary is negotiable based on qualifications. Tl’azt’en Nation offers an excellent benefit package including medical, dental and pension. Deadline for Resumes is July 30, 2015. Email Resumes to cecilia.harvey@tlazten.bc.ca or Fax to 250-648-3250 or mail to Tl’azt’en Nation, P.O. Box 670, Fort St. James, B.C. VOJ 1PO. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Caledonia Courier Wednesday, July 15, 2015

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NEWS

Sockeye salmon in hot water

Black Press

Fewer sockeye are projected to return to the Fraser River this year and there are growing fears that poor river conditions will hammer the survival rate of the ones that do.

Fraser fishing may be severely curtailed JEFF NAGEL Black Press

Dangerously hot water temperatures in the Fraser River, combined with low river flows and unusually warm ocean conditions are conspiring to create a dire outlook for returning sockeye salmon. And that could mean no fishing at all for the roughly 6.8 million sockeye projected to be on their way back to the Fraser to spawn – easily enough for what should have been a decent season. “What’s going on now is not good and I don’t anticipate it being good in August,” said Mike Lapointe, chief biologist for the Pacific Salmon Commission. “But it’s just a matter of waiting to see where the indicators are at that time and making the decisions based on the evidence we have. I think the observed data is going to be pretty extreme.” He said it’s “certainly possible” that sockeye fisheries will be severely curtailed or even cancelled altogeth-

er because a large proportion of the run may not survive to reach the spawning grounds. A record low snowpack in the mountains this year has meant what little snow was in the alpine has melted off sooner than usual, leaving less to keep stream and river levels up and their temperatures down later in the summer. Fraser River temperatures at Hope have already gone over 19 degrees in recent days, Lapointe said, when the norm at this time of year is less than 15 degrees. “It’s extremely warm,” he said, adding the lower water flows compound the problem. “It’s like a bathtub. If you don’t have a lot of water in it, it’s really sensitive to the temperatures around.” High temperatures of 19 or 20 and higher can be deadly for salmon, which face more stress in their migration upriver to spawn, and they may also be more susceptible to disease. “As soon as they start to reach these temperatures they’re just not as efficient at mi-

grating,” Lapointe said. “It becomes harder for the fish to do the work they need to do.” The Pacific Ocean hasn’t been kind to these returning sockeye either. Northeast ocean waters up to the Gulf of Alaska have been unusually warm from late 2013 through 2014 – the entire time the now-returning sockeye have been at sea. Warm ocean water can deplete plankton food supplies and sometimes results in many juvenile salmon being devoured by predator fish like mackerel coming up from much farther south. Lapointe said he’s heard reports of smaller salmon body sizes in Alaska, but there’s no confirmation yet it will be the same story for Fraser sockeye. The warm ocean temperatures could impact not just this year’s runs, but the next couple of years as well, he said. Lapointe is also concerned the warm river temperatures are becoming a trend.

“Fraser summer temperatures have been getting warmer over time, not inconsistent with the sort of predictions you would get from climate change models.” He said different individual sockeye stocks may perform better than others in warmer conditions, depending on their past exposure. More fishing may be possible for less desirable pink salmon, which return later in the summer. Watershed Watch Salmon Society executive director Aaron Hill fears the river conditions will only deteriorate. “The low water and high temperatures are combining to create lethal water conditions for salmon,” Hill said. “Unless we get some rain it’s just going to get worse and worse through the summer.” He’s urging fishery managers not to authorize aggressive fisheries this year in order to put as many sockeye on the spawning grounds as possible to ensure conservation of weak stocks.

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