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JASPER’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER

www.fi tzhugh.ca | Thursday, August 2, 2012 | FREE

Curt Anderson of the “Team Canada” entry into Sunday’s BBQ Cook

Off at the Jasper Legion prepared souvlaki while wearing this modest

barbecue apron with a strategically placed maple leaf. For more on the

inaugural event, please see page 7. ROBSON FLETCHER PHOTO

GRILL MASTER:

2 the fi tzhugh, JASPER, AB THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2012

By ROBSON FLETCHEREditor

It only comes every second year, it brings in crucial funding for a local landmark, and it’s one of your best opportunities to purchase high-quality art at below-retail prices.

It’s the Jasper Anglican Church Art Auction and it returns starting tomorrow, Aug. 3.

“It’s not like an art fundraiser in the city,” said Mountain Galleries owner Wendy Wacko, who created the auction 18 years ago and donates much of the artwork that’s up for sale.

“The things don’t go for their market value, but we don’t care,” Wacko said. “It’s a donation and whatever we raise, we raise.”

The funds raised have historically been quite significant for the church. Retired rector David Prowse said Jasper Anglican has come to rely on the money the auction brings in every second year.

“That’s what has kept the parish viable for the last dozen years, at least,” he said.

The money is used to support everything f rom church operat ions to ongoing

maintenance on its historic building at the corner of Miette Avenue and Geikie Street.

Prowse said the amount of money raised has typically grown with each auction.

“The overall bidding has been gradually increasing, in spite of the economy,” he said.

This will be the first auction for current Anglican rector Julio Martin, who joined the church in September 2010, but he has already seen the impact past auctions have had on the church’s financial situation.

“I noticed in the years when we do not have the art auction, we are relying on the income from the previous year,” he said.

Wacko said there will be about 40 pieces in this year’s auction, with about half donated from Mountain Galleries and half

donated directly by artists, themselves.“Some of my artists have been really

generous this year,” she said. “We’re going to have an outstanding collection, including a couple of really valuable carvings.”

Wacko came up with the idea of the auction 18 years ago, after her mother passed away. At that time, she said there weren’t as many government and institutional supports for palliative care but the Anglican Church stepped in to fill the void.

“My mom was very ill in her 60s and the prognosis was not good so we brought her to Jasper for her final days,” Wacko said. “She was here for about three months, and without asking, the Anglican minister at the time was David Griffin, and he was there for me every day, every day. She needed 24-hour care the last month and because of the help I had from the church, my mom was only in the hospital for the last three days, because I had all the support I needed

to keep her in the house.”Wacko said before her mom died, she

asked that a donation be made to the church to thank them for all the support they had provided.

“I said I’ll do better than that. I said I’ll do an auction and we’ll keep it going,” Wacko recalled.

“And as long as I’m able, I’ll keep doing it. It’s sort of a big thank you to the church, and it’s a tribute to my mom, and it feels good to do it.”

Wacko said “every penny” raised from the auction goes to the church, as everything is 100-per-cent donated.

The items will be on display in the church building for the next week and a half, and the church will open its doors throughout the day and evening for viewing and bidding. The auction wraps up Sunday evening, Aug. 12.

[email protected]

FILE PHOTO

Wendy Wacko (front left), Dianna Crayston (front right) and former rector David Prowse (standing) pose with some of the pieces of art that were sold at the last Jasper Anglican Church Art Auction, in 2010.

After a two-year wait, Anglican Art Auction returns

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2012 JASPER, AB, the fi tzhugh 3

By NICOLE VEERMANReporter/Photographer

Giddy up!Dust off your cowboy hat, shine your

belt buckle, squeeze into your Wranglers and saddle up for the Jasper Heritage Rodeo.

The annual event kicks off on Monday, Aug. 13 with the Jeans and Beans Affair, a fundraiser for the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce.

As the name suggests, the all-day shindig will include a bean lunch or dinner, your choice, and everyone’s encouraged to don their best Western digs.

Performing between noon and midnight will be two country acts: Moonshine Marmalade and Jessica Dale.

“The bands will play until they can play no more,” said chamber executive director Pattie Pavlov.

Rodeo week will continue on Wednesday, Aug. 15 with a stick pony parade beginning at the Jasper Activity Centre at 10 a.m. Youth from the out of school care program will gallop their way around town on handmade ponies they constructed the day before.

The professional rodeo events will begin that evening and carry on through to Saturday, Aug. 18, running from 7 to 9 p.m. each night.

Each night, the show will open with the Rocky Mountain Riders performing a drill in the dark.

“They do a spectacular show for our opening,” said Stephen Pavlov, president of the rodeo. “They do a full drill on horseback using glow sticks on the horses, so it looks like ghosts in the dark. All you see are little hooves moving and maybe just the outlines of the riders and the horses.”

Thursday night is family night, with a special rate for a family of four.

Then, Friday is heritage night. “We’ve called ourselves the Jasper

Heritage Rodeo and that’s what we’re really trying to showcase,” said Stephen Pavlov.

“Our rodeo history goes back to 1926 in this park in one form or another.

“The rodeo here didn’t come out of the traditional ranching community like you have in Southern Alberta. It came out of the outfitters and guides in this park,” he said.

To keep that history alive, each year the Jasper Heritage Rodeo honours one outfitter or guide who brought the rodeo to Jasper and kept the Western spirit here in the Rocky Mountains.

This year, John Ward Sr., commonly known as Cactus, will be honoured.

“Friday night we bring him in by carriage and introduce him and his family to the audience,” said Stephen Pavlov.

The final day of the rodeo, Saturday, the Jasper Volunteer Fire Department will be f lipping and serving f lapjacks in the fire hall parking lot from 9 to 11 a.m. All of the proceeds from the breakfast will go toward the Edmonton Burn Unit.

Then, after breakfast, the arena will be open early for the ATCO Li’l Britches Corral, which begins at noon. There will be face painting, horseback rides, games and crafts for children of all ages, and at 2 p.m., when the corral closes up, a bike will be raffled off to one lucky cowboy or girl.

The rodeo will wrap up that evening with a dance in the curling rink.

Canadian country star Codie Prevost

will be there to perform, providing plenty of opportunities to show off your two-steppin’ skills, and there will also be an opportunity to win two tickets to the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton.

The prize, which includes accommodation at the Edmonton Sawridge Inn, will be behind lock and key.

And the key, will be hidden inside one of the 100s of balloons that will, at some point during the evening, fall from the ceiling.

“It’s a riot when all these balloons come down and you just hear ‘Pop, pop, pop!’” Pattie Pavlov said of the mad rush to find one of the five hidden keys. “But only one key fits the lock.”

Rodeo tickets will be on sale Wednesday through Saturday. From noon until 4 p.m., they’ll be available in the lobby of the Athabasca Hotel, and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. they’ll be for sale at the door.

This is the Jasper Heritage Rodeo’s 22nd year as a professional rodeo, and its 86th year in existence.

Originally, the rodeo was held outdoors at what is now the Whistlers Campground. According to the Jasper Heritage Rodeo website, www.jasperheritagerodeo.com, it made the move indoors in 1977 when the Jasper Curling Club took over the event.

The Jasper Lions Club became involved in 1985 and in 1991 the rodeo became a professional event.

“The purpose behind the rodeo is to help generate funds for other groups and community efforts,” said Stephen Pavlov, noting that last year the rodeo gave $11,000 back to the community.

“It’s a lot of fun for everybody involved, but by the same token, it’s a wonderful way to put back into the community.”

[email protected]

FILE PHOTOS

The Jasper Heritage Rodeo returns this month, beginning with the Jeans and Beans Affair, a fundraiser for the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce, on Aug. 13. Professional rodeo events begin on Wednesday, Aug. 15 and continue until Aug. 18. These photos are from last yearʼs rodeo.

Jasper Rodeoreturns for 86th year

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INBRIEFPreliminary hearing in murder case set for spring 2013A preliminary hearing in Jasper’s first murder case in decades has been set for next spring.

Cody Kyle Jensen stands accused of stabbing Kenzie John Beaton at the Tonquin Inn on Jan. 28. Jensen was arrested shortly after the incident and Beaton died later that day.

The case has come up in Jasper court half a dozen times since then, each time being delayed while lawyers prepared evidence. When the case came up again on July 26, sufficient preparation had been completed and the preliminary hearing was scheduled.

A special sitting of the Jasper court is now set for April 29 to May 4, 2013 to host the hearing.

Preliminary hearings, according to Alberta Justice, are “held to see whether there is enough evidence to justify sending the case to trial.”

If the provincial court judge presiding over the hearing determines there is sufficient evidence, the judge will then order the accused to stand trial in the Court of Queen’s Bench.

Jensen remains out of custody on $5,000 bail.

Man drowns at Pyramid LakeA 50-year-old man from Grande Prairie drowned at Pyramid Lake on Sunday after taking off his life jacket and jumping off a paddle boat, according to police.

Jasper RCMP said the man was with his family on the paddle boat and simply wanted to go for a swim. Shortly after entering the water, he indicated he was suffering from cramps and was clearly in distress.

Police said a canoeist in the area attempted to save the man by approaching him and handing him a paddle to grab onto, but that was unsuccessful. The man slipped under the surface and drowned.

Divers with the Jasper Volunteer Fire Department later located the man’s body at the bottom of the lake.

Hinton armed robbery suspect faces more chargesA suspect in a Hinton armed robbery who was arrested by Jasper RCMP last month is now facing additional charges relating to separate armed robberies in Grande Prairie.

Police formally laid charges against Saed Ahmed Siddiqui, 27, in relation to convenience store robberies that occurred on July 5 in Grande Prairie and July 7 in Beaverlodge.

With respect to those incidents, Siddiqui, a Grande Prairie resident, has been charged with theft with a weapon, intent to commit an indictable offence while wearing a mask, carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence and failure to comply with conditions of a recognizance.

Siddiqui is also facing charges related to an armed robbery at Escape Clothing Store in Hinton on July 17. He was arrested by Jasper and Hinton RCMP on Highway 16 near Talbot Lake later that day.

Also arrested was 32-year-old Vanessa Leona Jordan, who was travelling in the vehicle with Siddiqui.

With respect to the Hinton robbery, Siddiqui was charged with armed robbery, wearing a disguise with the intent to commit an offence, possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, and five counts of breach of recognizance.

Jordan, meanwhile, was charged as an accessory after the fact in the armed robbery and for possession of stolen property over $5,000 in relation to the stolen vehicle.

The pair had a court date scheduled for Aug. 1 in Hinton. Siddiqui also had a July 30 court date in Grande Prairie relating to the charges he faces there.

NATIONAL PARK NEWS AUGUST 2AUGUST 2EXPERIENCE CANADIAN HERITAGE RIVERS PHOTO CONTESTThe 2012 Experience Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS) photo contest is now underway, and you can enter until Oct. 31.

The CHRS is a co-operative program between the federal, territorial, and provincial governments. The program was established in 1984 to conserve rivers with outstanding natural, cultural and recreational heritage, to give them national recognition, and to encourage the public to enjoy and appreciate them.

The photo contest is held in partnership between the CHRS program and Canoeroots & Family Camping magazine. To enter, simply submit images of any of the 42 rivers in the Canadian Heritage Rivers System. The Athabasca River in Jasper National Park is a Canadian Heritage River, and you can enter in any of four categories:

• Category 1 – Canadian Heritage Rivers and Families:

Enter your best pictures of families and children enjoying Canadian Heritage Rivers.

• Category 2 – Canadian Heritage Rivers and Nature: Enter your best scenic shots of the natural beauty of Canadian Heritage Rivers.

• Category 3 – Canadian Heritage Rivers and Cities: Enter your photos capturing the excitement of Canadian Heritage Rivers in urban settings.

• Category 4 – Canadian Heritage Rivers and Adventure: Send in your best photos of the adventures you’ve taken on Canadian Heritage Rivers.

Winning photos will be published online and in Canoeroots magazine and will tour across Canada in the Reel Paddling Film Festival.

First, second and third place prizes, including a $500 Black Feather Wilderness Program gift certificate and a Parks Canada Family Discovery Pass, are available in each category.

For more information on the contest, visit www.canoerootsmag.com/chrsphotocontest/

~ Parks Canada


Drive down the Icefields Parkway on any given day during the summer and you’re likely to encounter a cyclist riding between Jasper and Lake Louise.

It’s not too often, though, that you see a nine-year-old take on the 233-kilometre route.

But that’s exactly what Miles Diduck did in July, setting out on the long-distance journey just days after his ninth birthday.

With his dad riding alongside for most of the way, his mom driving the family car, and his grandma and grandpa following in a motorhome, Miles pedalled his young heart out for three and a half days, stopping to camp each night on the way to Lake Louise.

“I wanted to do it in three days,” Miles lamented afterwards, in an interview with the Fitzhugh.

His mother, Dani, reminded him that they needed to stop and rest for the final night at Mosquito Creek Campground, just 24 kilometres short of Lake Louise.

“Otherwise it would have been a 90k day,” she said.“I was wanting it be a 90k day,” Miles replied.Indeed, the young rider probably could have handled the

extra distance, with energy to spare. Dani admitted that, by the way he played with his little brother at the campground that night, you’d never guess he had just knocked off more than 200 kilometres of mountain highway cycling.

Miles said the toughest part of the ride was Tangle Hill. His mom said the most nerve-wracking part was

near Bow Summit.“It’s a bit tight there with the buses and the motorhomes,”

she said.So how did Miles get the idea to take on the Icefields

Parkway in the first place?“We were driving back one day and I saw this guy, like

a Tour de France guy, and he was riding to Lake Louise,” he explained.

Seeing the professional-looking rider cruising along the highway, Miles figured he could do the same. He said he never had any doubt that he would finish the route but when he finally reached his destination, it came with quite the sense of accomplishment.

“I felt pretty impressed,” he said. “Of course, my dad rewarded me with a two-scoop ice cream.”

But, Miles isn’t one to rest on his laurels. He’s already sizing up his next long-distance ride.

“My next goal is Banff,” he said. “Maybe after that I can take the long route to Lake Louise.”

[email protected]

Nine years old, 233 kilometres, no problem

Miles Diduck rides his mountain bike just for fun at the skate park in Jasper. ROBSON FLETCHER PHOTO

Clockwise from top left: On day 1, Miles Diduck rode 75 kilometres from Jasper to Jonas Creek Campground;on day 2, Miles proceeded 65 kilometres up Tangle Hill (his hardest climb), past the Columbia Icefield and on to Rampart Creek Campground; on day 3, he rode another 65 kilometres, passing Saskatchewan Crossing, making his way up to the Bow Summit and then down to Mosquito Creek Campground; on day 4, it was a quick 28 kilometres down to Lake Louise to complete the 233-kilometre journey. SUBMITTED PHOTOS


Exterior drawing of the new Jasper Joint School Facility entrance. IMAGE COURTESY OF WORKUN GARRICK PARTNERSHIP

“Itʼs a lot of fun for everybody involved, but by the same token, itʼs a

wonderful way to put back into the community.”

Jasper Heritage Rodeo president Stephen Pavlov

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Clark Builders and ONPA Architects won the contract for construction of the new Jasper Joint School Facility last week with a bid of $21.3 million.

The Grande Yellowhead School Division announced its selection July 25, but communications manager Nikki Gilks couldn’t say when construction will begin.

“They still have to apply for permits,” she said.In a June project update, Gilks said construction would

likely begin in August.

The school facility, which will house both the Jasper Junior/Senior High School and École Desrochers, is set for completion in June of 2014, leaving three months for teachers to set up for the 2014 school year.

The other bids considered by the Alberta government came from Jen-Col Construction with Group 2 Architecture Interior Design ($21.8 million) and Delnor Construction with Stantec Architecture Ltd. ($25.4 million).

~ Fitzhugh staff

Contractor picked for new high school

U EPISODE 38: A GOOD DAY FOR HANGING VAs soon as they had tied up the canoe and were

back on dry land again, Sam and Joe pushed their way through the crowd towards their foreman.

“What’s going on?” asked Joe to one of the men at the gathering.

The man’s answer came as a shock to the men whose ears were perked in anticipation.

“You’re just in time,” said the man. “They’re hangin’ a fellow down at the end of the wharf!”

Joe hadn’t been to a hanging since his growing-up days back in Yale, B.C.

“What’s the man charged with?” asked Joe as he and Sam pushed their way through the crowd.

There was no reply to his question. Their foreman stood waiting for them.

“Mr. Bates, what’s going on here?” asked Sam.“A thief was caught red-handed with stolen railroad

cheques. They’re just waiting for a few more workers to gather before the hangin’ begins.”

Bates continued as he pointed down to the end of the wharf. “The man’s being held in the main warehouse,” he said.

Joe and Sam started off through the crowd in the direction of the event but they were quickly called back.

“You boys! Are you forgetting something?” yelled the foreman. “What’s the story on the Ruth-Ann? Did you

deliver the dyno? And where’s the boat?”Sam and Joe returned to their boss’s side and began

their story. They explained how they had made two of their three deliveries and how the third load of dynamite had been lost in the river when their boat, the trusty Ruth-Ann, had broken up on a big rock just north of Croydon.

Mr. Bates eyed the boys suspiciously and said, “She broke up did she? Exactly where did you say this big rock was?”

Before Sam or Joe had a chance to answer, the crowd started cheering wildly. The accused man was being brought out into the open. The hanging was about to begin.

There didn’t seem to be any trial or speeches planned; just the hanging. The poor fellow already had the rope around his neck when Joe first spotted him. The rope had been threaded through a pulley at the end of a loading gin-pole and most of the slack taken in. The man would be hoisted up like a flag on a flagpole.

Suddenly a loud shot rang out. Four policemen, led by Const. Bigumpound, reached the hanging spot. The cheering stopped.

The next episode is Charles Takes a Stand. Does the law in this nascent railway community prevail? Or, does the vigilante crowd have its way? We’ll find out soon.

[email protected]

Steamboat passengers waiting on a dock.PHOTO COURTESY OF VALEMOUNT HISTORIC SOCIETY

DEADLINESDEADLINESADVERTISING, ADVERTISING, CLASSIFIEDS & CLASSIFIEDS & COMMUNITY EVENTS COMMUNITY EVENTS FRIDAY AT 5 PMFRIDAY AT 5 PM

LETTERS TO THE EDITORLETTERS TO THE EDITOR MONDAY AT NOONMONDAY AT NOON

6 the fi tzhugh, JASPER, AB THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 20096 the fi tzhugh, JASPER, AB THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2012

Reality looms, leaders ditherIt’s terrifying sometimes to think about how little is being done about looming problems that we ought to see coming a mile away.

Climate change and the debt crises in many Western nations are two examples that jump immediately to mind. Basic projections tell us that these issues will present enormous challenges for the world in the not-too-distant future. And yet, international leaders dither and put forward few concrete policies to address the problems.

But let’s put world issues aside for a moment and focus just on Canada. Here at home, we face our own looming challenge when it comes to health care. Simple math reveals that, with our aging population and the current rate of growth in health-related spending, the system is unsustainable. Everyone knows this – or should know this – in particular, our provincial leaders.

And yet, at their recent conference in Halifax, Canada’s 10 premiers – who have the constitutionally mandated responsibility to administer health care to Canadians – came up with little more than recycled ideas and buzzwords about “innovation” and then proceeded to once again demand a ceaselessly increasing amount of money from Ottawa to cover ballooning health budgets.

The federal government, to its credit, has come up with a somewhat sensible policy on health-funding transfers. For years, the amount of money the provinces receive from Ottawa has been growing at a guaranteed rate of six per cent – well above the rate of economic growth. Clearly, this can’t continue indefinitely, so Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced last December that the funding allocation would change – slightly.

The annual, six-per-cent increases will continue until 2017. After that, health-funding transfers will be tied to the rate of GDP growth plus inflation, which is estimated to be about four per cent. Even if economic conditions change, the rate of increase will not be allowed to drop below three per cent.

The premiers’ response to this? Manufactured outrage and political spin. And, unfortunately, much of the news media bought it – hook, line and sinker.

Headlines across the country in the past week stated – falsely – that the federal government is “cutting” $36 billion in health funding over the next 10 years. That is just plain wrong. Reducing the rate of funding increases is not at all the same as reducing funding.

In the mid-1990s, Ottawa actually cut health transfers to the provinces – quite severely – under Finance Minister Paul Martin and the Liberal government of the day. These actions were taken at the time in order to eliminate the federal deficit and put Canada back in a surplus position. Now, with Ottawa again facing budget shortfalls in the tens of billions of dollars, Flaherty’s adjustments to health funding are relatively modest, by comparison. Premiers of the 1990s would have been thrilled to receive what premiers today are grumbling about.

The reality of the situation is that health spending needs to be reined in, and that needs to happen at a provincial level. Health care already accounts for about 40 per cent of most province’s budgets, and as much as 46 per cent in Quebec. Alberta allocates about 39 per cent of its budget to health but spends more per capita on health than Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba.

Health spending cannot continue to indefinitely increase faster than economic growth. But with health-care needs also set to outpace economic growth, something has to give. The key is to get more service out of each health dollar spent, something the premiers pay lip service to in their latest “Health Innovation Report,” which states: “Increasing value is essential to ensuring the sustainability of health care delivery in Canada.”

And yet, the rest of the premiers’ report offers few new or concrete ideas to actually achieve this. Meanwhile, the focus of their public statements remains: “Give us more and more money, forever.”

Like climate change and the debt crises, health care in Canada presents complex and difficult challenges. But the reality of the situation can’t be ignored and the status quo can’t be maintained. It’s time to adopt a more realistic approach and take significant actions to truly deal with the problem.

[email protected]

FITZHUGH.CA question of the week... Do you think it is reasonable for the suspect in the Jasperʼs fi rst murder case in decades

to remain free on $5,000 bail until his preliminary hearing next spring? Yes / NoGo to www.fi tzhugh.ca to cast your vote. Results will be published in next weekʼs Fitzhugh.

E

PUBLISHER: Karen Youngpublisher@fi tzhugh.ca

EDITOR: Robson Fletchereditor@fi tzhugh.ca

REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER: Nicole Veermanreporter@fi tzhugh.ca

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Melissa Morrisproduction@fi tzhugh.ca

ADVERTISING: Jan Schneideradvertising@fi tzhugh.ca

CORRECTIONS:CORRECTIONS: All stories are checked for accuracy, but a newspaper All stories are checked for accuracy, but a newspaper is a human endeavour and although we strive for perfection, we make no is a human endeavour and although we strive for perfection, we make no

claim to it. Any error will be corrected in the next edition of the paper.claim to it. Any error will be corrected in the next edition of the paper.

CONTACT US:CONTACT US: PO Box 428, 626 Connaught Drive, Jasper, Alberta T0E 1E0 PO Box 428, 626 Connaught Drive, Jasper, Alberta T0E 1E0

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2961

Dear Editor,

Re: ‘Archival discoveries a bonus for family reunion in Jasper’ (July 26). I can only think how excited the Popey Family must have been to find written and oral documentation about their family history in Jasper.

None of us thinks that the pictures and stories that are occurring right now are important but just look 50 years down the road when you are “remembering when” and wondering where the pictures and memorabilia from that time might be. Hopefully someone thought

to donate them to the museum, where they would be catalogued and kept in a controlled environment for safe keeping.

Then, like the Popey family, you would be able to access that information and have copies made so that it could become part of your family history again now that you realize it’s of value to you, thanks to the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives.

Sheila CoutureJasper, Alta.

Story reveals value of maintaining local archives

JASPER’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER

Jasperʼs independent newspaper is published every Thursday by the Aberdeen Publishing Limited Partnership.

The content is protected by copyright. Reproduction by any means is prohibited except with the permission of the publisher.

Last weekʼs results: Crime rates in Jasper and across Canada are down over the past six years. Do you feel safer now than six years ago? Iʼve never felt unsafe 54.2% (13) No 37.5% (9) Yes 8.3% (2)

OUR LETTERS POLICY: The Fitzhugh welcomes complaints, praise, damnation and any other form of response to what you read in our newspaper. Diverse and varied opinions are welcome. Letters can be submitted by email, fax, snail mail or in person to our offi ces at 626 Connaught Drive. The Fitzhugh reserves the right to accept or refuse any or all material submitted for publication and maintains the right to exercise discretion in these matters. The Fitzhugh reserves the right to edit all submissions for libel, length, content and style. Please limit letters to 400 words. Letters must include your name and phone number or email, for verifi cation purposes. WE DO NOT PUBLISH ANONYMOUS LETTERS NOR DO WE PUBLISH LETTERS OF THANKS, GRATITUDE OR CONGRATULATIONS TO INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS AS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

The registration office at Jasper east park gate circa 1936. In the 1930s, it was often a 17-hour trip from Edmonton to Jasper with many taking two days after a stopover in Edson. The parkʼs east gate was run by Bob Richardson and his wife, Annie, and they often welcomed weary travellers with a cup of tea and English biscuits. The trip to Jasper from Edmonton was in part on the roadbed of the unused Grand Truck Pacific railway and a car had to drive across the railway trestles. This was a long and perilous journey, especially where the trestles were sometimes 150 feet high.

History at a Glance is brought to you by the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum & Archives.Online: www.jaspermuseum.org / Twitter: @jaspermuseum


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ROBSON FLETCHER PHOTOS

Clockwise from top: Jasper Legion president Ken Kuzminski (right) explains the process behind the pork and potato recipe he was serving up; Thesia and Wilbert Bolotano served chicken and barbecued ribs in a sweet-and-spicy marinade made with soy sauce, 7-Up and garlic, and ultimately emerged victorious as the BBQ champs by popular vote; Elizabeth Prinz of Dinner For You Personal Chef Services applies a rum-based marinade to slices of pineapple at the only station serving barbecued dessert; Paul Shewchuk prepares baby back ribs at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge barbecue station.

Jasper’s top barbecue chefs gathered at the Jasper Legion

on Sunday for the inaugural BBQ Cook Off, tempting guests with

a variety of delicacies, all in support of charity. A $20 ticket bought you

all the barbecued goodness you could handle and the right to vote for

your favourite griller. The proceeds from the event were donated to the

Military Police National Motorcycle Relay Ride, which passed through

Jasper on Monday. The annual relay ride raises money for two kids

charities: the Military Police Fund for Blind Children and The Children’s

Wish Foundation. After all the food was consumed and the votes were

tallied, the team from the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre

emerged as the winner by popular decision, earning a stocked

beer fridge and a brand new barbecue as their prize.

Legion president Ken Kuzminski he is looking forward

to bringing the event back next year.

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Jasper has experienced, shall we say, some variable weather this summer, which can wreak havoc with your plans if you’re only in town for a few days.Waiting the weather out isn’t an option when you’re on

a limited schedule, something that many of my friends and family have discovered while visiting Jasper this year. But regardless of the temperature and precipitation – which can fluctuate wildly from day to day and even hour to hour – I always managed to find something enjoyable to show them in this wonderful place.

Here are a few of my recommendations for short outings in various types of weather.

Overcast:• Stanley Falls: One of the less frequented hikes in the

park, this one is actually among my favourites and very easy to do. Finding it might be the toughest part. The trailhead is located on a small gravel turnoff on the east side Highway 93, 87 kilometres south of the junction with Highway 16. One of the many guidebooks available throughout town would be helpful in finding the proper path. Once you do, though, it’s just a one-mile hike to the upper falls, passing several smaller waterfalls along the way as you follow the canyon’s edge. Overcast days make for even light, which means easier viewing and better photographs of the natural beauty. Above the upper falls is a perfect spot to have a picnic by the creekside, and even dip your feet in the ice-cold water, before heading back down.

hot & sunny:• Mount Edith Cavell: On a hot, clear day, Mount Edith

Cavell looms high above the other peaks on the Jasper skyline. For an up-close view of the snow-capped mountain and its Angel Glacier, all you need to do is make a quick trip up the winding but well paved Cavell Road and then do a short hike. The Path of the Glacier Loop is just one mile, return trip, and it gives you a great view of the peak, the glacier and the glacial pond it creates. The high altitude and large presence of ice and snow brings a welcome break from the intense heat.


Short, weather-de

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rain:• Athabasca Falls: There’s no avoiding getting wet when

water’s falling from the sky, so why not check out a place where water is shooting up at you from below? Athabasca Falls is a stunning site, especially with the recent high water in the Athabasca River. It’s also a short walk from the parking lot, so those not wanting to get too wet can simply carry an umbrella and take in the sights. Those slightly braver souls can make their way to the viewing area on the far side where the water begins to drop precipitously, and enjoy the upward spray.

These are, of course, just a few simple suggestions that my visitors have enjoyed this summer. There are countless other places to explore in and around town, and many excellent options are advertised on this page.

Wherever you go, just remember to be prepared for sudden changes in weather.

[email protected]


ependent outings

ROBSON FLETCHER PHOTO

Youʼre going to get wet at this viewpoint over Athabasca Falls anyway, making it a good option for a rainy day, according to Fitzhugh editor Robson Fletcher.



Lake Edith residents are working hard, clearing trees, pine needles and tall grass, in hopes of becoming the first community in Canada to receive the new FireSmart Community Recognition.

“La ke Ed i t h was one of t he f i r s t subdivisions and Jasper as a whole was one of the first communities in Canada to start working toward FireSmart initiatives,” said fire Chief Greg Van Tighem. “So it would be amazing if Lake Edith could be the first community recognized.”

Van Tighem and Alan Westhaver, a former Parks Canada vegetation and fire specialist, began educating and working with cabin owners at Lake Edith in 1999.

Don Campbell, who’s had a cabin on the lake for more than 40 years, said he can still remember the first meeting the residents had with Parks Canada to discuss the FireSmart Program.

During that meeting, Westhaver said something that has stuck with Campbell ever since.

“He said, ‘It’s not whether we’re going to have a forest fire. It’s when.’”

That was enough to kick Campbell into

high gear. Since then, he’s replaced his asphalt roof

with steel, he’s made an effort to clear all of the pine needles from around his home and he makes an extra effort to keep the grass trimmed.

“They’re little things that you don’t think about,” he said.

In the first few years of participating in FireSmart initiatives, the Lake Edith residents, along with help from Parks Canada, thinned the forest surrounding their homes, and each year since then, they’ve gathered together for a “work bee” to maintain that work.

Their next work bee, and likely the last before applying for FireSmart Community Recognition, is Aug. 11. The focus will be pruning, snipping, hauling and chipping new forest growth and deadfall from the perimeter of the Lake Edith subdivision.

“One of the main criteria for community recognition is (FireSmar t) has to be community driven,” said Van Tighem. “It has to be from the bottom up. So because of the fact that Lake Edith (residents) already have a committee in place and they’re already committed and active, basically

once we complete this work bee, we’re ready to submit the application.”

If the Lake Edith cabin owners are awarded recognition, it doesn’t mean a plaque or certificate for their wall or mantle, but rather, it’s a commitment that those residents will continue with the FireSmart program, said Van Tighem.

“And it’s also a commitment to the people involved that they will maintain their engagement and keep their community safe.”

Van Tighem said Patricia Place – locally known as the Fish Bowl – and Stone Mountain are also working toward recognition.

Because of Jasper’s location in a heavily forested valley, the town site and its surrounding areas are at a high forest fire risk. That’s why it’s important for people in the community to follow in the footsteps of the Lake Edith cabin owners, who have spent the last 13 years taking preventative action to ensure the safety of their homes and their community.

The first step, is contacting the fire department for a hazard assessment.

“We offer them to anybody who will take us up on it,” said Van Tighem. “It’s basically an evaluation of their property and they sort of get a report card at the end and there is a number ranking that basically lets them know in a nutshell where they’re sitting as far as having a defensible space in the event of a wildfire.”

The assessment will also include suggestions as to how residents can improve

their ranking and protect their home. Those improvements could include anything from moving a woodpile away from the house to replacing a roof with non-combustible material.

For the last 10 to 15 years, Parks Canada and the municipality have been promoting FireSmart principles in Jasper.

“What we’ve done, that most people are aware of in Jasper, is we’ve done major fuel reduction work over the past seven or eight years,” said Van Tighem. “That involved thinning a lot of the forest immediately adjacent to the town site. The whole premise behind that is if you thin the forest, you thin the fuel.

“So if there’s a forest fire travelling toward the town site, when it hits that band of thinned fuel, it sort of reduces its momentum and drops it down and when a raging forest fire comes in and meets an area of reduced vegetation and drops down to the ground it’s easier for the fire fighters to get in there to fight it.”

Because of Parks Canada and the municipality’s efforts and the efforts of many community members, Jasper is viewed as a model FireSmart community. But, according to Van Tighem, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done on individual, homeowner and neighbourhood levels to ensure Jasper is safe in the event of a wildfire.

“People can’t just rely on the municipality or Parks Canada to provide a fire service. Everybody in the community has to be engaged and play their role.”

[email protected]

Lake Edith community aims for fi rst ‘FireSmart’ designation

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A sudden, intense storm sent tents flying and participants scrambling the night before the recent 24 Hours of Adrenalin event in Canmore, but once things settled down, Jasper riders got down to business and once again put up some strong showings in the gruelling mountain bike race.

“It was like a micro-storm – it lasted maybe 20 or 30 minutes but there was thunder and lightning and major, major winds,” said John Kovacs of the Jasper 1 team. “Tents were blowing all over the place. We had one of these 10-by-20 tents and there were eight of us holding this tent down.”

The start of the race was delayed by an hour due to the storm and crews had to re-route part of the course due to fallen trees, but once things got underway Kovacs, a 24 Hours of Adrenalin veteran, said “you couldn’t have asked for a better course.”

The 18-kilometre route has been redesigned since last year, he said, with a boardwalk built over some of the rooty sections and some of the steeper parts “mellowed out.” Still, plenty of the 1,126 participants had to get off their bikes at points and walk uphill, as quadriceps tend to burn out as competitors attempt to complete as many laps as possible within the 24-hour time limit.

The five-member Jasper 1 team finished sixth in the 190-219 combined age category, completing 21 laps between them.

“This team has been in the race for like the last seven years and, to my knowledge, this is the best we’ve ever done,” Kovacs said.

The Jasper Source for Sports team, meanwhile, placed fourth in the five-person co-ed category.

“We were hoping to podium but it didn’t quite happen,” said team member Brett Romanow, who completed five of the team’s 22 total laps.

“Probably the main reason we didn’t podium this year is because we had so many technical issues,” he added. “We had one guy in particular, (team captain) Victor (Vassallo), who broke his derailleur – his $800 derailleur – on his first lap. And then on his next lap, he got two flats.”

Romanow said racers typically carry a patch kit and can deal with one flat tire on any given lap on their own, but a second flat tire poses a big problem. He said Vassallo had to run part of the course but eventually was loaned an extra inner tube by a fellow racer.

Romanow ran into some technical difficulties of his own, suffering multiple lamp failures during the nighttime portion

of the course.“My first head lamp shut down within

700 metres of the start line, and the other two powered down with seven to eight kilometres remaining in the 18-kilometre lap,” he said. “That forced me to pick up my bike and run the really technical sections, and also slow down on the fast, wide-open areas where a rider would normally gain back some speed and time. Although it was incredibly frustrating to be riding all alone in pitch black, it was a one-of-a-kind experience that I’ll never forget.”

Another team from Jasper, named PGE,

placed ninth in the five-person, 220-plus combined age category, completing 15 laps in total.

And then there was the combined Jasper-Canmore team known as See You on the Down Hill, who won the five-person, combined age below 149 category.

“Jasper always has a great showing there,” Kovacs said. “There’s just so many Jasper people there, because we’re kind of in a bit of a mountain biking Mecca here.”

Selected race results can be found on this page.

[email protected]

STORM DOESN’T DETER JASPER RIDERS AT 24 HOURS OF ADRENALIN

24 HOURS OF ADRENALINSELECTED RESULTS

Team: Jasper Source for Sports; Category: 5-person Coed

RIDER LAP 1 LAP 2 LAP 3 LAP 4 LAP 5

Victor Vassallo 58:44.6 58:32.3 1:02:27.5 1:18:49.7

Manu Loir-Mongazon 57:54.2 59:59.7 1:01:10.0 59:00.8 57:51.5

Brett Romanow 1:00:35.4 1:01:08.1 1:06:07.4 1:10:33.0 1:04:23.5

Nicole Ruest 1:13:30.1 1:25:50.3 1:24:36.9 1:15:40.9

Marc Vien 1:05:14.5 1:06:16.0 1:11:47.2 1:08:42.0

Team: Jasper 1; Category: 5-person, combined age of 190-219


Jason Stenlund 1:08:17.4 1:17:43.7 1:17:45.8 1:23:40.0

Marc Chalifoux 1:10:28.5 1:03:15.0 1:08:29.5 1:07:50.0 1:08:30.6

Paul Hardy 1:06:41.7 1:16:23.9 1:16:44.3 1:14:18.0

John Kovacs 1:01:28.1 1:03:00.8 1:11:12.4 1:06:34.1

Todd Noble 1:04:52.9 1:07:17.9 1:11:32.3 1:06:42.0

Team: PGE; Category: 5-person, combined age of 220 or over


Denis Poirier 1:24:46.9 1:24:08.2 1:36:09.4 1:56:41.7

Edward Bovard 1:21:21.2 1:22:36.2

Julius Kettler 1:22:15.7 1:30:42.7 1:26:37.7

Glen Leitch 1:17:27.7 1:26:00.1 1:35:22.8

Doreen Zenner 1:30:58.6 1:49:58.0 1:41:11.0

Team: See You on the Down Hill;

Category: 5-person, combined age under 149


Tyler Payne 1:03:09.4 1:05:02.0 1:07:41.5 1:05:42.7

Derek Anderson 55:21.8 54:55.6 1:01:41.0 56:51.6 55:48.7

Andrew Bovard 59:37.0 1:01:51.3 1:08:35.8 1:02:43.5

Chris Bovard 1:02:27.7 1:03:30.8 1:09:58.2 1:08:33.8 1:07:42.5

Daniel Rohn 59:35.0 58:23.5 1:09:13.8 1:08:05.0 1:02:36.3

Team: Super Heroes in Training; Category: Corporate


Steven Watters 1:20:38.2 1:31:57.7

Karl Allen 1:39:33.4 1:30:51.5

Matthew Ellis 1:14:36.7 1:18:53.4

Simone Heinrich 1:09:01.9 1:10:59.5

Vladimir Hubka 1:15:33.1 1:37:54.0

Jan Klikar 1:06:09.0 1:14:46.0 1:10:54.6

Chris Small 1:44:04.3 1:47:49.0

Jackie Watters 1:30:01.0 1:28:38.7

Team: White Mountain Ded Dogs; Category: Corporate

Gord Stermann 1:19:04.4 1:15:20.1

George Andrew 1:18:22.0 1:38:03.5

Alistair Barnes 1:14:43.5

David Feniak 1:15:30.6 1:15:16.4

Dave Smalley 0:58:40.6 1:08:01.4

Mike Stairs 1:11:09.9 1:16:38.1

Roger Stermann 1:17:02.6 1:19:18.2

Greg Van Tighem 1:13:05.2 1:17:03.9

Scotty Walker 1:21:45.0 1:18:37.5

Tomoe Yamagata 1:21:25.0 1:23:20.2


Jasper Reuse-it Centre 29 Stan Wright Drive, 780-852-3334. NEW Hours of OperationTues. 2 - 7pm; Wed. 2 - 7pm; Thurs. 2 - 7pm. Closed Fri.- Mon.

Jasper Local Food For information on the Community Garden, Garden Share and Farmerʼs Market programs, please contact: [email protected] or Box 1598.

Toastmasters Wednesdays at 7pm - CN Station, Parks Canada Lower Boardroom. For more info email: [email protected]

Jasper Food BankHelp is available from the Jasper Food Bank Thurs nights. Drop in at St. Mary and St. George Anglican Church at the corner of Miette and Geikie St. Families 6pm and individuals 7pm. Call 780-852-8800 for more info.

Town Council Meetings Meetings on the fi rst and third Tuesday of each month at 1:30pm in the meeting room on the second fl oor of the EMS building.

Royal Canadian Legion401 Geikie St. Open Tues. to Sat. at 4pm. Children welcome until 8pm. Cash, meat draws, pull tickets and chasing the queen at 5:30pm Wednesdays. Free shuffl e board available. 780-852-3740.

Parent Link CentreNow open at 627 Patricia Street.

Habitat for the Arts 631 Patricia St., Open Tues. - Sat. 12 to 5pm. 780-852-4747.

Jasper Municipal LibraryToddler & Preschool Story Time Mondays 10:30am. Summer Reading Programs start Tuesday, July 3rd. For more info 780-852-3652 or [email protected]

Thrift Shop HoursThe Jasper Thrift Shop is open on Monday and Wednesday from 7 to 9pm and Thursdays from 1 to 3pm. Located in the 700 Block on Geikie Street in the United Church basement

HIV West Yellowhead For confi dential HIV/AIDS/HEP C/STI Information, referral and free condoms, drop by our offi ce at 612 Connaught Dr., (upstairs) Mon. to Fri. 10am - 4pm. Info at: www.hivwestyellowhead.com. For 24 hour assistance call 1-800-772-AIDS. For local assistant, call 780-852-5274. Volunteers welcome.

Al-AnonAl-Anon Family Group help friends and families of alcoholics - meetings Friday at 7pm at the hospital in the Cavell room. For more info please call 780-852-4518 or 780-852-4578.

ASK (Advocates for Special Kids) Meetings Tues. 9am at the Community Outreach offi ce.

12 Step Meetings Alcoholics Anonymous - meetings Monday and Saturday at 8pm. Narcotics Anonymous meetings Thursdays at 8pm. All meetings are held at the hospital in the Cavell room. For more information or to talk to someone regarding alcohol, drugs or gambling problems please call 780-852-2909.

L’ACFA régionale de JasperACFA (Association canadienne-française de lʼAlberta) Centre de ressources en français / French Resources Centre. Heures dʼouverture / Business Hours. Ouvert les lundis / Open Monday De 12 h à 18 h / 12 noon to 6pm. Ouvert les mar., merc. et jeu. / Open Tues., Wed., & Thurs De 12 h à 18 h / 12 noon to 6pm. Veuillez noter que nous sommes ferme les jours fériés/ Closed on stat Holiday. Gare de Jasper entrée de Greyhound Jasper Train Station Greyhound entrance. Tel : 780-852-7476 / Phone : 780-852-7476

To List your event it must be

ABSOLUTELY FREE (Fundraisers for Organizations will not be

listed) Submissions are only listed as space

allows and at the Publisher’s Discretion.

COMMUNITY SERVICESCOMMUNITY LISTINGS

Pap Tests: Book your pap test with a female registered nurse. Dates are August 13, & September 10. Call Jasper Community Health Services at 780-852-4759 for an appointment.

Mindfulness Sessions: Mindfulness is a wisdom-based meditation practice that centers around self observation and focuses on the present moment. At these sessions, you will learn about the practice of mindfulness and develop skills to reduce the stress in your life. FREE. Contact Patrick Mooney for more information or to register. 780-852-2100.

Jasper-Yellowhead Museum & Archives•August 21 Ann & John Ogilvy Home - 700 Miette Avenue. All mini outings are free and start at 10:30. We will share information about Jasperʼs historic buildings. Bring a mug and weʼll provide the coffee & goodies!•The perfect rainy day activity: All Aboard! Jasperʼs Railway Centennial at the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum & Archives. June 9 to Sept. 23, 2012.• Pitch Your Pennies for the Past. The last penny has been produced. Pennies will soon be history-gone the way of the one & two dollar bills. Consider donating the pennies in your penny jar to the Jasper Yellowhead Museum. Bring them down to the Museum or call Sheila Couture at 780-852-4949 and she will come and pick them up.

DEADLINE FRIDAY AT 5:00 PM

Rental house wanted - Professional couple with older child and small dog looking for a long term rental. House preferable. We are non smokers, love to garden, and would take care of your home as if it were ours. Phone 250-566-5375.

1 bedroom suite available. September 1st. N/P, N/S. Quiet tenants only. 780-852-4956.

Canon GL2 MiniDV Camera with 2 batteries, charger, AC adapter, Cables (Firewire, USB, s-Video) Linc Remote, Wireless Remote, P Filter with Hood, ND Filter, Polorizer, Haze. Plus lots of new Sony tapes, head cleaner and mini DV Rewind Deck. $1400.00 Call 780-852-8515.

Michelle and Nancy are having a garage sale! Lots of stuff for kids, household items, furniture - we got it all! 729 Geikie Street, Saturday, August 4th at 10am.

Home for sale, 207 Ash avenue. Located in quiet neighbourhood, backing onto green space with gorgeous views. 2 bedrooms with 1 storage room. Asking $365,000. Open to offers. 1-250-554-7794.

Looking for room mate, fully furnished room $600/month. Call 780-883-0480.

JASPER CLASSIFIEDSACCOMMODATION

REQUIREDFOR RENT FOR SALE GARAGE SALE

SHARED ACCOMMODATION

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

is hiring2 LINE COOKS

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fax it to 1-888-285-4333 or call 780-852-8844.

We are a growing company looking to expand our team.

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96 Geikie St., Jasper ABPhone: 780-852-2505

Fax: 780-852-5813 Email: [email protected]

Interested in a career?www.mpljasper.com

We are currently hiring for the positions of:

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The Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives is marking 100 years of railway with an exhibit titled “All Aboard! Jasper’s Railway Centennial” that includes a model railway as part of the display.

Volunteers will be running the model train and will post an “Engineer on Duty” banner outside of the museum, Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and at other times when volunteers are available.

The rail lines through Jasper followed a route that had been well established by explorers, fur traders and surveyors over the course of the previous century. Just as today’s visitors remember the heritage of the railway, the first railway tourists were reminded of earlier travellers who arrived by horse, canoe and by foot.

When the railway arrived in the Jasper area near the beginning of the 20th century, there were still remains of the activities of the fur trade companies half a century earlier.

There were actually three railway companies involved in the park’s history: the Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP), the Canadian Northern (CNo), and the Canadian National Railway (CN).

The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was incorporated in 1903 to build a transcontinental line across the northern prairies to Prince Rupert.

The GTP constructed the rail line west of Edmonton through the mountains between 1909 and 1912. The Canadian Northern was incorporated in 1899 to build a railway line across the northern prairies in competition with the Canadian Pacific line to the south.

The CNo began building its line west of Edmonton in 1912 and had reached the Yellowhead Pass by the end of 1913. The Grand Trunk Pacific officially opened in 1914 while the Canadian Northern drove its last spike in 1915. Both of these railways ran into financial difficulties, were taken over by the federal government, and eventually amalgamated into a single company called Canadian National Railway.

The Canadian National Railway remained a prominent part of the park’s identity until the 1950s when automobile tourism finally became the main form of travel into the park. But even today, the railway line is a significant part of Jasper’s cultural landscape; the railway yards and station form a focal point of the town and Jasper Park Lodge is a significant cultural resource in its own right.

Many other vestiges of the railway glory days, such as old construction and tie camps, remain to remind park visitors of the important heritage of the railway in the park.

The exhibit runs until Sept. 23. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

~ Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives

‘All Aboard’ for museum exhibit celebrating railway centennialThe “All Aboard! Jasperʼs Railway Centennial” exhibit at

the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives includes this model railway as part of the display. SUBMITTED PHOTO

CALL CALL 780.852.4888780.852.4888 TO PLACE YOUR AD TO PLACE YOUR AD IN THE FITZHUGHIN THE FITZHUGH

CHECK US OUT ONLINE CHECK US OUT ONLINE WWW.FITZHUGH.CAWWW.FITZHUGH.CA


Aries: Circumstances are falling together to create

a really challenging week ahead. On the physical level,

you may have a load of heavy lifting or other chores to

manage. This occurs at a time when your mind may not

be altogether attentive. Use special care when managing

tools or unusual projects.

Taurus: Relationships may feel intense and

complicated at this time. You may sense some negative

force at work. It is also possible that spending may get out

of hand. Leave the credit cards at home. For some, you may

experience bill collectors at the door.

Gemini: This is a good time to take an in depth

survey of your most important relationship. (This could

also include observing yourself in relation to clientele.)

Study yourself first and determine whether any harbored

anger is causing you to sabotage the connection. Tackle

whatever problems exist in a healthy, direct way.

Cancer: News from afar may be dragging you down

during this period. It’s possible that you are too distracted

to attend to routine life. Do yourself a favor and disconnect

from the media. You need a break. It isn’t mandatory that

you follow everything that is happening.

Leo the lion (July 23 – Aug 22): Next

week, on Aug. 8, Mercury will turn direct. Decisions that you

may have set aside in recent weeks will be easier to settle.

Your sense of stability will return. This week your attitude is

hopeful and friends will be very helpful.

Virgo: It is likely you will have fortunate

developments related to your home, family, and security

this week. Those who are spiritually inclined will find

encouraging feedback for your studies. You and your

partner may not connect well this week. Don’t worry. This

is brief. It will change by next week.

Libra: It appears that your attention will be needed

in multiple arenas. Work/career is competing with your

need to keep the peace with home and family. Use good

stress relieving techniques or your temper may get the best

of you now.

Scorpio: It may require a Herculean effort, but

step aside from arguments or bickering this week. You

may not know all the facts of the matter. Be cautious of

entering into new involvements at this time because you

may be acting from an unconscious place. Attractions

could wind up badly.

Sagittarius: It is possible you will experience

a time of heaviness, due to the dawning awareness that

something you have believed may not be true at all. This

might have been developing all summer. For this week travel

and relationship experiences should be positive.

Capricorn: Your issues with the Powers That Be

could be disturbing your state of mind. It may be that there

is a jumble of small threads that are tying you up in a knot.

The tension may be showing itself in physical discomfort as

well. Give yourself extra rest and take your vitamins during

this challenging time.

Aquarius: You are moving toward the finish line

on the end of a project that began roughly 2.5 years ago. It

appears there is one major piece of the pie left to complete

and that has begun this summer. By the end of October you

must finalize and move on.

Pisces: The Fish are prone to be connected to the

collective. Right now the unrest and general angst on the

planet could cause you a personal sense of foreboding. If

this is so, then it is time to disconnect from the world at

large and give yourself a breather from the news.

SStargazertargazer

Are you interested in a personal horoscope? Vivian Carol may be reached at 704-366-3777 for private psychotherapy or astrology appointments.

Website: http//www.horoscopesbyvivian.com

For All Signs: Over the weekend we have an aspect that suggests intensity in relationships. We may not be functioning altogether consciously and could be pulled into schemes of manipulation or compulsive behaviors.

Existing relationships could re-experience the pain of old wounds. We have a choice of whether to work it through

or act it out in the same ways we did the first time. Hesitate before you respond in anger or jealousy.

For week: August 1 to 7, 2012

BY VIVIAN CAROL

EMAIL [email protected] TO BOOK YOUR CAREER AD

NOW HIRING 1 POSITION

HEAD HEAD SUSHI CHEFSUSHI CHEF

Full time, year round

$3,400/MONTH$3,400/MONTH+ BONUS, + TIPS

Must have atleast 5 years experience in Japanese and sushi cuisine. Certifi cate from a culinary institution

in Japanese cuisine necessary. Must speak and write in Japanese. Accommodation available.

Apply to 410 Connaught DriveEmail: [email protected]

780-852-2282780-852-2282

Rezno Group Inc. O/A Tim Hortons,

requires (15) NOC: 6641

Food Counter Attendants$11.50/hr, permanent,

full time positions. No experience necessary.

We will provide proper training.

Please apply in person, by mail or fax.

611 Patricia Street, Jasper, AB,

Fax: 780-865-4447 or

email: [email protected]

Rezno Group Inc. O/A Tim Hortons,

requires (3) NOC: 6212

Food Service Supervisors. $13.00/hr, permanent,

full time positions. Experience an asset.

We will provide proper training.

Please apply in person, by mail or fax.

611 Patricia Street, Jasper, AB,

Fax: 780-865-4447 or

email: [email protected]

Now hiring

Sales Associatepart-time

Must be available evenings and weekends.Apply in person with resume.

612 Patricia Street 780-852-5304

IS SEEKING A

FRONT DESK ATTENDANT

for afternoon shift.Apply in person to Alana or Vicky

902 Connaught Drive.

Eleanor K ByePROFESSIONAL CORPORATION

We off er competitive wages and a benefi t package.To apply for either position, please send your resume to Box 2106, Jasper, Alberta

T0E 1E0 or email it to [email protected]. Deadline for applications is August 13, 2012.

780-852-5262 | 610 Connaught Drive, Jasper

has openings for: Full-time Bookkeeper Experience working with Simply Accounting, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word

is required. Knowledge of Quickbooks and payroll procedures is an asset.

and a: Full-time Receptionist Experience working with Microsoft Word and Excel is required.

Basic bookkeeping skills are an asset.

Contact Nick after 4pm 780.852.4966 100 Juniper Street

is now hiring

EVENING SERVERS

Full time or part time

Jasper Inn& Suites

is currently hiring

• LINE COOK• BREAKFAST COOK

Apply in person or email: [email protected]

98 GEIKIE STREET • 780-852-4461Experience preferred, accommodations provided.

Jasper Inn& Suites

is currently hiring

98 GEIKIE STREET • 780-852-4461

HOUSEKEEPING ROOM ATTENDANTS$10.00 - $12.74/hr DOE. Accommodation Available.

Contact: Melanie Domes-Executive HousekeeperEmail: [email protected]

We are a growing company looking to expand our team.

Mountain Park Lodges Human Resources

96 Geikie St., Jasper ABPhone: 780-852-2505

Fax: 780-852-5813 Email: [email protected]

Interested in a career?www.mpljasper.com

Mountain Park Lodges is currently seeking a

RESTAURANT MANAGER

Ideal candidates for this role have experience working in catering or banquets and have managed a small- to medium-sized dining

establishment. You enjoy working in a fast paced and ever-changing environment while providing

exceptional customer service at all times. Experience in a hotel environment is a de nite

asset. If you are looking for an opportunity to take your career to the next level, visit our website

for more details at www.mpljasper.com. Offering pension plan, medical bene ts, and bonus.

Apply to [email protected] Park Lodges

Box 1200 Jasper, Ab T0E 1E0Fax: 780-852-5813

CHECK OUT ALL OURCAREER ADS ATWWW.FITZHUGH.CA


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NOW HIRING: Retail Department Managers. Cabela’s Edmonton retail is seeking experienced Retail Department Managers for both Hardlines and Softlines. To apply, please visit www.cabelas.ca/careers.

TJ LOGGING of Whitecourt, Alberta is now accepting resumes for the logging season: Heavy Duty Hoe, Dozers, Bunchers, Skidders, & Process Operators. Fax resume 780-778-2428.

AN ALBERTA CONSTRUCTION Company is hiring dozer, excavator and labour/rock truck operators. Preference will be given to operators that are experienced in oilfield road and lease construction. Lodging and meals provided. The work is in the vicinity of Edson, Alberta. Alcohol & Drug testing required. Call Contour Construction at 780-723-5051.

PERSON REQUIRED for full-time cattle position on Westlock area mixed farm and feedlot. Must have animal health training or appropriate feedlot experience. Farm equipment and computer knowledge is an asset. Fax resume to 780-349-5414 or email to: [email protected].

F U L L-T I M E E Q U I P M E N T OPERATOR needed on mixed farm and feedlot near Westlock. Successful candidate will need to be able to operate most farm equipment and farm trucks. Must have a valid and clean Class 3 drivers licence. Cattle experience an asset. Fax resume and driver abstract to 780-349-5414 or email to: [email protected].

3BOYS TANK and Vac (Fox Creek, Alberta) is currently seeking a Dispatcher. This position requires a self-motivated team player that possesses great interpersonal communication skills. 3Boys offers competitive wages, bonus & benefits programs. Fax resume to 780-622-2878 or email to: [email protected].

EXPERIENCED WATER and Vacuum Haulers required. H2S, PST, First Aid. Above average day rate and cushy benefits plan. Fax 403-934-3487. Email: [email protected].

JOURNALISTS, Graphic Artists, Marketing and more. Alberta’s weekly newspapers are looking for people like you. Post your resume online. Free. Visit: www.awna.com/resumes_add.php.

PILE BASE CONTRACTORS, Drayton Valley, is currently l o o k i n g f o r : P i l i n g R i g Operators, Bed Truck, Winch Tractor Operators. Experience an asset; will train if necessary. Oilfield tickets required. We offer competitive wages and benefits package. Fax resume to 780-542-6201.

CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE Assistant Superintendent, Solid Waste Facility. The City of Yellowknife is seeking an individual to assume the position of Assistant Superintendent, Solid Waste Facility. For more information on this position, including the required qualifications, please refer to the City of Yellowknife’s webpage at: www.yellowknife.ca or contact Human Resources at 867-920-5659. Submit resume in confidence no later than August 10, 2012, quoting competition #902-105M to: Human Resources Division, City of Yellowknife, P.O. Box 580, YK, NT, X1A 2N4. Fax 867-669-3471 or email: [email protected].

BARRHEAD CO-OP is hiring an Assistant Home Centre Manager, Project Estimator & Truck Driver with Class 3. Knowledge of construction and agriculture required. Meat Cutter for Grocery also wanted. For more info & resume submission go to: www.barrheaddistrictscoop.ca.

HIGH LEVEL SUPER A is currently recruiting for: Full-time Meat Cutter. Applicants must possess the people skills and work ethic required to maintain positive relations with employees and customers. Applicants must have a minimum of two years retail meat cutting experience. The successful candidate must have completed Grade 12 (or equivalency) and must be able to provide a clean security clearance. If you have the skills and abilities to meet our expectations, forward your resume in confidence to: High Level Super A, 10300 - 103 Ave., High Level, AB, T0H 1Z0. Fax 780-926-4620. Email: [email protected].

FULL-TIME BAKER REQUIRED at Sobeys in Olds, Alberta. 40 hours per week. Benefits. Fax resume to 1-403-556-8652.

VAC & STEAM Truck Operator. Valid Class 1 or 3, Safety Tickets, Top Wage, Camp Work, Experience an Asset. Email/Fax Resume: 780-473-3996, [email protected].

HEATED CANOLA buying Green, Heated or Springthrashed Canola. Buying: oats, barley, wheat & peas for feed. Buying damaged or offgrade grain. “On Farm Pickup” Westcan Feed & Grain, 1-877-250-5252.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

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A new Facebook group is helping Jasper bylaw reunite misplaced bikes with their rightful owners.

The group, called Jasper, Alberta Lost, Stolen and Misplaced Bicycles, was created by compliance officer Matt Hogan on July 18.

Since then, 126 people have joined and four bikes have been returned to their owners.

“It’s been a great tool for us, so far,” said Hogan. “We find a bike and post a small description of it and it’s working.

“People are joining, posting bikes and we’ve reunited several bikes with their owners.”

Misplaced bikes found lying around town are often picked up by compliance officers, but not everyone knows to call them if their bike is missing, said Hogan. So, with “everyone on Facebook these days,” having a group on the social media site allows Jasper bylaw to connect with the community.

And connect they have.Community members have been using the group as

a place to post descriptions of their own missing bikes and to post pictures of bikes found lying around their neighbourhoods.

There have been photos of bikes next to Lions Park, leaning against the dumpster behind the old fire hall and in the alley between Patricia Street and Geikie Street.

“It’s a great tool in the community and it’s a great tool for us too,” Hogan said, noting that bylaw collects misplaced bikes, inventories them and stores them until they are claimed by their owner.

That’s where Jasper bylaw’s responsibility ends,

though, he said.“If someone loses their bike, they have to call the

RCMP if they believe it is stolen, to generate a report.”Jasper RCMP were unavailable to comment by press

time on how many reports of stolen bikes have been received this summer.

Hogan said bylaw doesn’t pick up a “large” number of bikes, but there are enough to warrant the new Facebook group.

And it seems, judging by the online comments, the community agrees.

“Good work gang,” wrote Coun. Rico Damota. “I love this page. Great idea for this town!”

Christine Nadon, communications manager for the municipality, couldn’t agree more.

“It came from operations and it works. These guys are returning bikes. It’s a really good thing.”

Nadon said eventually the group will be changed to a Facebook page, so as to streamline it with the municipality’s other social media activities, but for now, it will remain as it is.

[email protected]

New bylaw program reuniting owners with bikes using Facebook

Above: A screengrab of the Jasper Alberta Lost, Stolen & Misplaced Bicycles Facebook group (FACEBOOK IMAGE). Left: Recognize this bike? It was one of several found lying around town and posted to the new Jasper Alberta Lost, Stolen & Misplaced Bicycles Facebook group in an effort to reunite bikes with their rightful owners (FACEBOOK PHOTO).


LAST WORD

By NICOLE VEERMANReporter

In journalism school, you’re taught to write at a Grade 8 level.

That’s not to say journalists are incapable of using or understanding academic language. In fact, many, and I’d even go so far as to say most, journalists are highly educated people.

The Grade 8 cap actually has little to do with the author’s abilities, and rather has everything to do with the reading level of the average Canadian.

Now, before you open your email or grab your pen and paper to write a letter to the editor defending your intelligence, hear me out.

According to a Statistics Canada report from 2005, four out of 10 Canadians, aged 16 to 65, struggle with low literacy levels. To put that in context, that’s about nine million Canadians who struggle to read the label on a medicine bottle.

Of those nine million people, nearly 3.1 million had reading levels below that of a middle school student, and the other 5.8 million were below the skill levels of a high school student.

So, you see, writing for a Grade 8 reading level is the media’s attempt to keep the news accessible for all Canadians. We do this because we believe everyone should have the opportunity to get educated and make informed decisions.

Now, if only the government felt the same way and committed to accessibility, rather than producing paperwork and reports written to exclude Canadians with low literacy levels.

As a privileged Canadian with two university degrees, I haven’t always recognized this glaring error on the part of our government. In fact, it just dawned on me last week when I received an invitation to attend a discussion funded by the provincial government.

Part of that invitation included a list of discussion questions. While reading them, I began to wonder, “at what reading level were these written?”

The questions were full of vague language and government jargon.

The worst part was, the discussion was about the future of social policy in the province. So to me, that would suggest talking to and learning from some of the people who use social services in our community. But instead, the discussion was populated by educated people who work in social services.

Although I can only assume, I would bet on the fact that language accessibility had something to do with the turnout.

I mean, how accessible is the term “Social Policy Framework?” For most people in Jasper, I’d imagine that doesn’t mean much, especially if English isn’t their first language.

So it seems to me, it’s time the government take a page out of the journalists’ handbook. If not in all things – although I believe everything produced by the government should be accessible – at least in the material used to solicit public feedback.

Canada’s privileged aren’t the only people who should have a say in what happens in this country.

We live in a democracy, after all. This is a country for all the people, not a select few.

So, let’s make Canada a country that’s

accessible for all of its citizens. Let’s write for the whole community, the entire province and the entire country in a clear and concise way, engaging all Canadians in meaningful discussions.

Out with the jargon and in with common, everyday language.

[email protected]

DISCLAIMER: The Last Word is an opinion column, it is meant to provoke thought and debate. As such, any opinions written here are the writer’s own.

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