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BCTF strike action starts Wednesday

By Tom FletcherBlack Press

VICTORIA – After rejecting an offer from the school district bargain-ing agency for a long-term contract, the B.C. Teachers’ Federation has served notice it will begin work-to-rule action April 23.

BCTF president Jim Iker announced Thursday that 72-hour notice has been given, after union members voted 89 per cent in March to endorse a three-stage strike plan. Phase one includes refusing com-munication with school managers, arriving no more than an hour before and leaving an hour after school hours, and refusing supervision of students outside class time.

It does not affect pre-arranged voluntary activities such as coach-ing, but the refusal of supervision requires essential service levels that compel some teachers to assure the safety of students while they are out of classes. Report card preparation and parent meetings will continue.

Iker said progress at the bargain-ing table will determine how long phase one action would last.

Phase two of the BCTF plan is rotating one-day walkouts in districts around the province. Phase three, a full-scale strike, would require a sec-ond vote by members to authorize.

The BCTF has rejected the gov-ernment’s offer for a 10-year agree-ment with pay increases totalling 6.5% over the first six years and additional wage increases to be negotiated for the final four years.

There has been little change to the “lowball offer” on wages and no movement on the long-running dis-pute over class size limits and special needs support, Iker said.

BCTF negotiators countered with a three-year proposal with three per cent plus a cost-of-living increase in each year. With compounding and current estimates of inflation, BCP-SEA calculates that could amount to 13.5 per cent over three years.

Iker said school districts are cut-ting staff and programs due to min-

istry budget cuts, and the ministry should at least cover school districts’ costs for increase medical services plan premiums and BC Hydro rate increases.

The education ministry says per-pupil funding has increased 38 per cent since 2001, and the ministry has provided $225 million over three years to hire 500 teachers and 400 new special education assistants for the 2012-13 school year.

Peter Cameron, chief negotiator for B.C.’s 60 school districts, said once stage one strike action begins, the B.C. Public School Employ-ers’ Association will seek an order that the union pay for its extended benefits during any withdrawal of service. That would cost about $5 million a month for 41,000 public school teachers.

“In order that there is in fact pres-sure on both sides, BCPSEA needs to respond to any phase one activities with measures that put correspond-ing pressure on the union,” Cameron wrote in a letter to Iker.

DL # 30423TOLL FREE: 1-888-449-4029 l 250-567-4781 l 1473 Hwy 16 EasT l www.westlineford.com

sPRING CLEaRaNCE EVENT ON aLL NEw aND UsED

Rustic cabin behind Our Lady of Good Hope ChurchCaledonia Courier photo

Make suicidal history off-limits in hiring checks: B.C. Privacy Commissioner

The growing use of po-lice information checks to vet job applicants is resulting in inappropri-ate disclosure of highly sensitive information like mental illness and past suicide attempts.

B.C. Information and Privacy Commis-sioner Elizabeth Den-ham released a highly critical report on the practice Tuesday, urg-ing government and municipal police boards

to order an immediate halt.

Unlike a criminal record check, a police information check can turn up details about investigations that don’t lead to charges, charges that don’t lead to con-victions and even the target’s mental health.

“Mental health in-formation should never be included in an em-ployment-related record check,” Denham said.

“There is no reason why this information should be disclosed to employers, who would have no right to other-wise ask about this in-formation in the hiring process.”

B.C.’s record check system allows the re-lease of more mental health and other non-conviction information that the vast majority of other jurisdictions the commissioner’s office

studied.Denham said person-

al information that ends up in police databases is routinely disclosed to employers without any evidence it predicts fu-ture criminal behaviour, improves public safety or results in better hir-ing decisions.

“The information in these checks can have a significant and last-ing impact on an indi-vidual’s privacy, human

rights and feelings of dignity and self-worth.”

Non-conviction in-formation held by po-lice should be off-limits in employment-related record checks except in cases of prospective employees who work with children and vul-nerable adults, Denham recommended.

Denham’s office heard public submis-sions warning that disclosures of mental

health information vast-ly increases the poten-tial for discrimination and further stigmatizes those afflicted.

Some submissions also warned the spectre of inappropriate police disclosure may deter some people from seek-ing help during a mental health crisis.

The report recounts individual cases of B.C. residents denied a job or unable to volunteer

for youth coaching due to unproven police sus-picions that never led to charges or past suicide attempts that turned up in their employer-re-quired police informa-tion search.

That left some job applicants struggling to explain to prospective bosses why they were once suicidal or hospi-talized for depression. Some said they have yet to land a job.

A2 www.caledoniacourier.com Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Caledonia Courier

NEWSCourier

WANTED:

Used books in good condition for a Book Sale the Seniors Centre will have in May.Please drop off donations at the Seniors Centre on

Mondays, Wednesdays &/or Fridays from 11:00am - 1:00pm.

Ladies NightApril 26/14 at FSJSS

Cocktails:6:30pm Dinner:7:00pmLive Auction: 8:00pm

All pro� ts go to Grad Class 2014$30 Tickets

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S M T W T F SMay 2009 1

Palm Sunday First Day of Passover Good Friday

Easter Monday(Australia & Canada)Easter Tax Day

Administrative Professionals Day

Arbor Day Anzac Day (Australia)

AdBuilder.comIgniting Your Ad Sales

• AdBuilder® Retail• AdBuilder® Classified• Co-op Sales Ideas

Hot Retail Co-op CategoriesBicycles, Accessories and SuppliesLawn and GardenMotorcycles and SnowmobilesOutdoor FurnishingsRecreational Vehicles

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AdBuilder® Special Section Builder Themes• Financial• Planning a Garden• Earth Day• Easter

Special EventsNCAA Men’s Final Four Championship 4 & 6NCAA Women’s Final Four Championship 5 & 7National Stress Awareness Day 16National Volunteer Week 19–25Week of the Young Child 19–25Boston Marathon 20National Jelly Bean Day 22Take Our Daughters/Sons to Work Day 23

Month-long EventsAlcohol Awareness MonthNational Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.212-269-7797www.ncadd.org

Child Abuse Prevention MonthPrevent Child Abuse America312-663-3520www.preventchildabuse.org

Jazz Appreciation MonthSmithsonian National Museum of American History202-633-3129www.smithsonianjazz.org

National Car Care MonthCar Care Council240-333-1088www.carcare.org

National Donate Life MonthU.S. Department of Health and Human Services202-619-0257www.organdonor.gov

National Lawn Care MonthPLANET, Professional Landcare Network800-395-2522www.landcarenetwork.org

National Parkinson Awareness MonthNational Parkinson Foundation, Inc.800-327-4545www.parkinson.org

Prevention of Animal Cruelty MonthASPCA, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals212-876-7700www.aspca.org

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April, 2014District of Fort St. James Calendar

Of� ce:

477 Stuart Drive West

Email:

of� ce@fortstjames.caTelephone:

250-996-8233

Like us at Facebook:

District of Fort St. JamesFollow us on Twitter:

@DFSJames

EASTER SUNDAY EASTER MONDAY

9am Strong Start

6:45pm Hoop Dance

7pm Abraca Dazzle Magic Show @ FSJSS

Pitch-In Weeks

Pitch-In Weeks

10am 5th Annual Run/Walk Event from Nak’azdli Health Ctr

Pitch-In Weeks

Pitch-In Weeks

Pitch-In Weeks

11am Day of Mourning Ceremony

12pm Strong Start

Pitch-In Weeks

9am Strong Start

6:45pm Hoop Dance

Pitch-In Weeks

12pm Strong Start

6pm Snrs Potluck

8pm AA Mtg

7-9pm Effective Meetings Session @

District

9-2pm Ref Clinic @ FSJSS

9am Strong Start

9am Strong Start12pm Strong Start

10am Food Bank

2:30pm Toy Lending Library

4pm Strong Start

11-6pm Career Fair @ FSJSS

2:30pm Toy Lending Library

4pm Strong Start7pm Hospital Aux

Mtg7pm Council Mtg

12pm Strong Start

8pm AA Mtg

12pm Strong Start

8pm AA Mtg

9am Strong Start12-3pm Composting

Workshop @ Spirit Square

12-4pm Farmers’ Market Opening Day!

9am Strong Start

12pm Farmers’ Market

Pitch-In Weeks

9am Strong Start

6-9pm Ref Clinic @ FSJSS

9-4pm Ref Clinic @ FSJSS

Pitch-In Weeks

10am Food Bank

2:30pm Toy lending Library

4pm Strong Start

7pm Council Mtg

Pitch-In Weeks 12pm Strong Start

2pm Snrs Mtg7pm MOM AGM @

District8pm AA Mtg

Pitch-In Weeks

Ladies Night!

6:30pm Cocktails

7pm Dinner

8pm Auction

Pitch-In Weeks 9am

Strong Start

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a “SENIORS HELPING SENIORS” Transportation Service

Daily Services VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

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ednesday for the next W

ednesday paper distribution.offi ce@

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22 23 24 25The Community Art Council of Fort St. James Presents...

‘3 Generations of Women in Art’ ExhibitApril 22 - May 2

Celebrating Arts & Culture Week!

1 2 3

May, 2014

Pitch-In Weeks2:30pm Toy Lending

Library4pm Strong StartDistrict Utility Bill

Discount Deadline

WATER LINES

Flushing of water lines will take place from April 27 - May 9.If you experience dirty water please run your taps for a

couple of minutes.For more info, contact Public Works Department at

(250) 996-7161.

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1715 1611 12 1413Mother’s Day

Can’t thank you enough for being so kind. Your thoughtfulness was greatly appreciated.

Thanks againSharon Cullum and family

Fireweed women would like to thank those people who donated to Fireweed in memory of Margaret Gauthier.Margaret served on the Board of Fireweed, and before that on the Board of Growing like Weeds for many years. She was passionate about helping women and children. She could always be relied upon. Margaret was never afraid to put her beliefs into action. She will be sorely missed by her friends at Fireweed and by the many community members that she helped.

No charges in Prince George sawmill blastBy Tom Fletcher BC Local News

Crown prosecutors have decided not to lay charges in the April 2012 wood dust explosion and � re that killed two work-ers in Prince George.

The Criminal Justice Branch issued a statement saying the evidence available for court would be unlikely to result in a conviction. There is evidence of prohibited acts recommended for charges against mill operators, but a defence of “due dili-gence” would likely result in acquittal, the statement says.

WorkSafeBC had recommended two charges for alleged violations of the Workers Compensation Act and two more for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations in the Lakeland blast. No criminal negligence charges were recommended.

All four recommended charges are regulatory offences, with conviction resulting in � nes. Prosecutors found that WorkSafeBC did not use “major case management” proce-dures, including search warrants and gathering evidence on the state of management’s knowledge of the risk.

A similar conclusion was reached in the case of the Babine Forest Products mill in Burns Lake, where prosecutors deter-mined they would be unlikely to prove negligence. Adminis-trative penalties totalling more than $1 million were levied on the Babine mill owners.

Labour Minister Shirley Bond announced Monday that a coroner’s inquest will be held into the Lakeland fatalities.

B.C. Ferries Commissioner Gord Macatee is temporarily re-placing outgoing WorkSafeBC CEO David Anderson and will oversee changes to worker protection and investigation, Bond said.

Two mill workers died and 20 others were injured when an explosion and � re tore through the Babine sawmill on Jan. 20, 2012. A similar blast three months later killed two workers and injured 22 more at Lakeland Mills.

Investigators ruled out natural gas, oil and other fuel sourc-es, leaving � ne, dry dust produced from milling dry wood. The likely ignition source was hot electric motor and gear re-ducer equipment running wood waste conveyors in low, con-� ned areas of the mills.

Extra efforts to inspect mills for dust accumulation were underway across the province when the Lakeland � re oc-curred. Both mills were processing large volumes of dead trees killed by the mountain pine beetle.

The Crown counsel report described a smaller dust � re at Lakeland on Jan. 19, 2012, when sparks from an equipment malfunction ignited “a column of burning sawdust that rose to the ceiling.”

No one was hurt in that incident, and spot � res in sawdust were put out by mill workers.

In the � ve years preceding the fatal explosion, Work-SafeBC issued 36 inspection reports and cited Lakeland for 15 violations, but none were related to sawdust. There were no warning letters or administrative penalties to Lakeland for sawdust issues during that time.

AUXILIARY TO STUART LAKE HOSPITAL...Monthly meeting 2nd Wednesday each month. Hospital Cafeteria 7:00 p.m.

NEWSCourierCaledonia Courier Wednesday, April 23 2014 www.caledoniacourier.com A3

Wolf management plan released

4-H report

VICTORIA - The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations today released the Province’s wolf man-agement plan.

The plan fully rec-ognizes that the fun-damental goal of wolf management in British Columbia, as with all other provincial game species, is to maintain self-sustaining popu-lations throughout the species’ range. The plan proposes a ‘two-zone management strategy’ approach:

* In most areas, wolf management will be concerned with ensuring that wolves continue to serve their ecological role as a top predator.

Sustainable hunt-ing and trapping op-portunities will use controls on harvest through speci� ed sea-son lengths and bag limits.

* In areas of live-stock depredation or wildlife popula-tions threatened by

wolf predation (e.g., mountain caribou) are a concern, the plan commits government to responsibly helping stakeholders, ranch-ers and First Nations manage the impacts of expanding wolf popu-lations. In these areas, detailed implementa-tion plans would be developed before any actions are undertak-en.

The plan previous-ly underwent a public consultation and over 2,500 comments were received. All submis-sions were carefully reviewed and helped inform and improve the � nal plan. The re-sults of the consulta-tion con� rm there are strongly differing be-liefs and values on the management of wolf populations and re-af-� rmed the importance that government make balanced decisions on the basis of sound sci-ence.

The wolf manage-ment plan, like other

species management plans, summarizes the best available sci-enti� c information on the biology and threats to the species and in-forms the develop-ment of a management framework. It sets goals and objectives, and recommends ap-proaches appropriate for species or ecosys-tem conservation.

The plan indicates wolf populations are likely stable or in-creasing throughout the province and are not considered an ‘at-risk’ species. The cur-rent wolf population estimate is approxi-mately 8,500 which is similar to an earlier estimate of 8,100 in 1991.

The last wolf man-agement plan was prepared in 1979, and the new plan provides a substantive update in the science guid-ing the conservation and management of wolves.

The B.C. govern-

ment is committed to ensuring sustainable wildlife populations and healthy predator-prey relationships throughout the prov-ince.

The government is also committed to helping stakehold-ers, ranchers and First Nations manage the impacts of wolves on livestock and protect-ing endangered spe-cies.

Quick Facts:* The wolf is a

highly adaptive, intel-ligent carnivore that inhabits most of Brit-ish Columbia. Most wolves weigh be-tween 30 and 50 kg with coloration vary-

ing from nearly pure white to a mixture of grey, brown, black and white.

* Wolves feed pri-marily on large ungu-lates, supplementing their diet with smaller prey.

* Wolf populations in the Thompson, Cariboo, Kootenay and Okanagan regions appear to be increas-ing while other popu-lations appear to be stable.

To view a copy of the wolf management plan, visit: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/manage-m e n t - i s s u e s / d o c s /grey_wolf_manage-ment_plan.pdf

Nechako Valley Society of the Performing Arts would like to extend a sincere Thank You to our Donors:

Sinfonia- $500 +Mount Milligan Mines(Terrane Metals)

Omineca Medical ClinicVanderhoof and District Co-op

Integris Credit UnionNew Gold

Concerto- $250 +Phillip’s Electric Ltd.

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd.Westline Ford

J & S Restaurant

Cadenza- $125 +Fort Machine Works (1986) Ltd.

Carmen Wheatley Notary CorporationMusicians Pension Fund of Canada

Speedee Printing

Finale- up to $125 Jack and Jill French VanDolah Enterprises Ltd. Music For Young Children Tuna Piano, Leila Sumi Swan’s Music Studio Teamwork Enterprises Ltd. Carrie Creighton David Martens and Son Ltd. Nechako Redi-Mix Ltd. Glendale Agra Services Ltd Elizabeth Hoy Sinkut Womens Institute

Student of the Week✦ Grade 11

Fort St. James Secondary 16 years old

✦ Nominated by Julie Macdonald who teaches her Physics 11

Jamie George“She’s just a fabulous girl.Macdonald said Jamie is always polite, works very hard, and does a lot extracurricular as well including having a job and playing sports.“She’s very accepting.She’s a very good role model for the Grade 12s, for the rest of the high school.”

CU Soon. www.integriscu.ca

Notice of AnnualGeneral Meeting

When: Thursday May 8, 2014Where: Coast Inn of the North, Prince George

Registration starts at 6:30pmmeeting at 7:00pm

Special return bus service is available to Prince George for the event. Members using the bus transportation will need to make their own

dinner arrangements. The bus will arrive in Prince George by 5:00 pm with registration for the AGM

starting at 6:30 pm. Call your branch to book.

The Fort St. James 4-H club had a meeting on April 15th. We will be picking up garbage along Highway 27 on Sunday, May 4. The club will meet at the trans-fer station at 7:00am. Please

keep an eye out for us, and help keep us safe.

If you would like to help clean up Fort St. James, contact Jamie Fraser at Jamie.Fraser@hubinternational.com.

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A4 www.caledoniacourier.com Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Caledonia Courier

VICTORIA – Detailed debate on changes to the Agricultural Land Commission got underway in the legislature last week, while protesters played to urban voters outside.

A couple of West Kootenay NDP supporters brought a basket of home-grown veggies down to help East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett get through the winter on a 100-mile diet.

A group of mostly UBC scientists wrote to Premier Christy Clark, em-bracing the popular assumption that the changes will automatically mean more exclusions of agricultural land, as well as expanded secondary uses in the Cariboo, Kootenay and North zones. This “jeopardizes species at risk, threatens many common spe-cies, and will impact many species prized for hunting,” they wrote.

It makes me wonder if these university botanists and bird experts actually understand what farming is. You know, clear-cutting a forest and planting largely monoculture crops? Using big machinery, creating drain-age, applying fertilizers, controlling diseases, pests and wild animals? Not backyard gardening, real farming of the sort that has fed more people than in all of human history?

Have they heard that the larg-est cause of deforestation in North America is farming?

Do they imagine habitat loss from subdivisions sprawling across the Cariboo?

Forests Minister Steve Thomson

has been pinch-hitting for Fort St. John MLA Pat Pimm on the agricul-ture file as Pimm undergoes cancer treatment. Thomson took exception when NDP agriculture critic Nicolas Simons asked if he is aware people think the changes are to “neuter the chair of the Agricultural Land Com-mission.”

Thomson, a former executive director of the Kelowna-based B.C. Agriculture Association, replied that the changes do not reduce the inde-pendence of the chair.

Under further questioning from Simons, Thomson allowed that the current ALC chair, Richard Bullock, has provided no response to the gov-ernment on the proposals.

Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick was appointed Friday to replace Pimm as agriculture minis-ter. But this ALC project is Bennett’s initiative, so I asked him about his changes to the appointment process.

Bennett said the six regional pan-els, up to three people each, were set up by then-minister Stan Hagen in 2003 to provide local input. That worked well, he said, until Bullock came on the scene and began exer-cising his discretion not to appoint people recommended by cabinet.

“The chair doesn’t like the re-gional panels,” Bennett told me. “It’s a pain in the ass for the chair to have to deal with 18 farmers from all over the province in making decisions. It would be six farmers, because only

one person from the regional panel actually sits on the provincial com-mission.

“He thinks that it’s unwieldy, and he’d rather have the decision-mak-ing centralized in Burnaby. But we changed that. We decided as a duly elected government in 2003 that we wanted the regions to have a say on this stuff, so the intention of the leg-islation, we felt, was actually being defeated, because we hadn’t made it mandatory.”

It will be mandatory soon, and Bullock’s days as commission chair appear to be numbered.

“There’s no more discretion for any future chair to monkey with it,” Bennett added.

One of Bennett’s key issues is denial of secondary residence con-struction to keep families on the land in the Interior. The legislation also in-troduces social and economic factors in weighing decisions in the North, Cariboo and Kootenay regions, where in most cases development pressure is an urban myth.

The main ALC board will still have authority to revisit a local panel decision if the chair deems it incon-sistent with the mandate to protect farmland.

Tom Fletcher is legislature reporter and columnist for Black

Press. Twitter: @tomfletcherbc

Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca

Farmland fight sheds little lightBill PhilipsPrince George Free Press

Now here’s an issue we can sink our teeth into.

Fluoridation.OK, that probably caused more nausea

than an overdose of fluoride in your drinking water.

I had an interesting chat with Emile Begin of Fluoride Free Prince George this week, … not to be confused with the Prince George Safe Water Coalition, which is also opposed to fluoridating our water.

City council has put the matter to a ref-erendum this fall so, like it or not, the com-munity is going to be subjected to the fluoride debate.

One of the issues that Begin brought up to me was the fact that Northern Health is enter-ing the debate. As the local health authority, there is nothing wrong with it entering the fray.

However, Begin’s concern, and I agree with this one, is whether Northern Health will use public money to promote fluoride. It’s one thing for Northern Health to write a letter to the editor, it’s quite another for it to use the wealth of funds we, the taxpayers, give it to enter the fray.

One of the difficulties for us in the news-paper industry when it comes to the fluoride debate is there doesn’t seem to be any con-sensus in the scientific community.

The pro side can trot out folks with a zil-lion letters behind their name, as can the anti-fluoridation folks. So it’s hard to really form an opinion.

Should we just accept what Northern Health tells us? They are, after all, our local

health authority.However, those opposing fluoridation

don’t accept the word of health authorities and, in a free and democratic society, chal-lenging authority is not only allowed, it’s encouraged. The experts aren’t always right.

The anti-fluoridation folks point out that fluorine is a poison and it shouldn’t be in our water. No one is debating that fluorine is a poison. Northern Health accepts that. Warfa-rin is commonly used as rat poison. It is also used to keep thousands of people with con-gestive heart failure alive. It’s a matter of de-grees. Our health officials say fluoride, in low doses, will not harm our health. Drink a glass of pure fluoride and you’re going to die a hor-rible death. Minute amounts in your water and you’re OK, according to health officials.

The anti-fluoride side says it’s better to be safe than sorry and no fluoride in the water is the best course of action.

The other part of the debate is whether fluoridated water actually helps. Begin points to a UBC study on Vancouver Island that tracked dental problems in 5,000 students in community that took fluoride out of the wa-ter. That study suggested the number of cavi-ties decreased in that community while the community with fluoridated water the num-ber of kids with cavities remained the same.

Northern Health’s Brenda Matsen, in her letter, points to the World Health Organiza-tion that has hailed fluoridation as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th Century.

See what I mean about it being difficult to decide?

However, decide we will this fall when the matter goes to a referendum.

It’s in the water

NEWSCourierCaledonia Courier Wednesday, April 23, 2014 www.caledoniacourier.com A5

Official Community Sponsor of the 2015 Canada Winter Games

Hey students! Join Canfor in celebrating the 2015 Canada Winter Games taking place in Prince George from February 13 to March 1.

Visit canfor.com/Canada-Winter-Games for details on how you could attend an event for free!

flyers. coupons. deals. savings tips.

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www.bcseniorsgames.org“Come Play With Us”

Over 3500 BC 55+ Seniors expected to attend.What’s happening in your region?

Get involved. We’ll show you how.

September9 - 13

www.bcseniorsgames.org“Come Play With Us”

Marriage CommissionerThe Vital Statistics Agency, Ministry of Health, is looking

for an individual to serve as a Marriage Commissioner for Fort St James. The individual will perform civil marriages

within the community on behalf of the Agency.

For information and an application form please visit our website at:

www.vs.gov.bc.ca/marriage

Jeff NagelBlack Press

The Canada Revenue Agency says the social in-surance numbers of 900 taxpayers were stolen last week by someone using the Heartbleed en-cryption vulnerability before the taxation agen-cy shut down public access to its online services.It happened over a six-hour period by someone exploiting the vulnerability in many supposedly secure websites that used an open-source en-cryption system.The CRA said it will send registered letters to affected taxpayers and will not be emailing them because it doesn’t want fraudsters to use phishing schemes to further exploit the privacy breach.

“I want to express regret to Canadians for this service interruption,” CRA commissioner An-drew Treusch said. “I share the concern and dismay of those individuals whose privacy has been impacted by this malicious act.”Other personal data and possibly businesses’ information may also have been lost.“We are currently going through the painstaking process of analyzing other fragments of data, some that may relate to businesses, that were also removed,” Treusch said.Taxpayers whose data was compromised will get bolstered CRA account protection and free access to credit protection services.Canada’s Privacy Commissioner is also inves-tigating.Online services, including the E-� le and Net� le

online income tax portals, were patched and re-launched Sunday after what the CRA called a vigourous test to ensure they are safe and secure.The CRA cut off access to those services April 8 as word spread that the Heartbleed bug had given hackers access to passwords, credit card numbers and other information at many web-sites.People whose income tax � ling was delayed by last week’s CRA interruption have been given until May 5 – beyond the usual April 30 � ling deadline – to � le returns without being penal-ized.The Heartbleed vulnerability compromised se-cure web browsing for up to two years at some sites despite the display of a closed padlock that indicates an encrypted connection.

CRA loses personal data to Heartbleed bug

A story by Anton Schneider, a past resident of Fort St. James. Schneider who lived in the community from 1958 to 1967 with his wife Theresa and their � ve children. This is one of the many tales the 85-year-old still recalls from his time here in Fort. Schneider now lives in Vernon, B.C.

Back when I was in my mid-thirties, I was falling trees for Bob Ubleis in the Fort St. James area.

At the time, we were logging a right-of-way into a timber sale where Alec Legget later built a sawmill.

We had three cabins set up at our logging site where the crew stayed during the week and went home on weekends.

The logging site was in the Horseshoe Lake area about 50 miles north of Fort St. James.

On one particular Mon-day morning, on our way to work, we encountered fresh grizzly bear tracks

in the foot deep new snow that fell the previous night. It was hunting season, so I always took my gun along in case we encountered a moose or a deer on the road.

When Bob, my boss, saw those big tracks, he got excited and said to me: “Anton, go get him!”

I had never hunted griz-zly bear in my life, so I made an excuse by telling him I didn’t have enough trees felled to keep the cat operator busy and needed to do more falling.

But after him counter-ing my excuses, I was left with no option but to give it a try.

I took the crew into camp, got my hunting gear together and drove back to where the bear tracks left the road and went east into the forest.

I parked the truck, tied on my belt and hunting knife and pocketed my bul-lets and compass.

I announced to the bear

I was coming and then I crossed myself and asked St. Anthony to be on my side and followed the tracks.

The bear seemed to know where he was going, heading straight east. I fol-lowed the tracks very qui-etly and kept my eyes wide open watching for any movement. As I was alone, I felt it was safe to keep my gun loaded and cocked, but with the safety on.

I tracked the bear for two miles, then the tracks disappeared between two Lodgepole pines and ap-peared to veer off to the left.

I looked in that direc-tion, and then turned back to the right.

There, in front of me, is a dead moose, and the bear crouched down behind it, ready to jump.

He was looking straight at me, about 20 feet away, one jump and he would have been on me.

I stayed still and quiet, releasing the safety slowly

and quietly on my Savage lever action 308.

I raised the gun smooth-ly to my shoulder and care-fully aimed right between the eyes and an inch or two higher, and pulled the trig-ger very gently and � red a shot.

Bang!I quickly reloaded, pre-

paring for a second shot.The bear never moved.I kept my eye on him

for a minute or so, but he didn’t make a move.

Eventually, I kicked the bear in the rump.

Nothing, so I yanked his short little tail. Still nothing.

When we � nally skinned out the bear, we found that the bullet had penetrated his skull, shat-tered about six inches of neck bone and the mush-roomed bullet was still lodged under the skin.

We attached a rope to the hide and pulled it out to the road where we loaded it into the truck and headed to town.

We encountered fresh grizzly bear tracksthe hide and claws were

so impressive Howard Blackburn wanted the head and went all the way back out and carried it back.

Bob Ubleis had the bear mounted and I can still see the bear’s beady eyes glar-ing at me in my mind.

A6 www.caledoniacourier.com Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Caledonia CourierA6 www.caledoniacourier.com Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Caledonia Courier

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Join the newest economic development project currently being constructed on the Gitanmaax Reserve. The newly constructed 17,000 sq. ft. Gitanmaax Market “Going to the Maax” is looking for the following senior positions:• Assistant Manager• Meat Manager• Pharmacist and Tech• Grocery Manager• Produce Manager• Bakery/Deli Manager• Head CashierCandidates should have a minimum 5 years managerial experience in the retail grocery trade. Knowledge of First Nations culture and/or Gitksan would be an asset. Located in the historic and pristine setting of Hazelton, BC this opportunity would appeal to those candi-dates who would enjoy living in the “Serengeti” of BC.A better than average compensation package is offered based on relevant experience, and will include a base salary, Bene t Plan Med-ical and Dental), and may also include some or all of the following;• Performance bonus• Housing allowance• elocation xpenses if necessary)For more detail on these positions please go to www.visionquestbc.ca

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In Memoriam

LECHNER, Edwin (Ed)Jan 21, 1943 - Feb 28, 2014

Died suddenly at home with his boots on. A popular horseman,mechanic, sports-man, and friend to everyone he met.Ed was predeceased by his father George, mother Susan, brother George, and his ex wife Carol. He is sur-vived by his wife Bonnie Taylor, his daughters Cheri Cooper & Tracy Lechner as well as his 4 grandchildren Natasha Cooper, Chelsea Cooper, Chantelle Campbell, and Cole Campbell. The family invites friends to a celebration of his life to be held at the farm on April 27th from noon til 4:00PM.

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Trades, TechnicalCONCRETE FINISHERS & Form Setters. Edmonton based company seeks experi-enced concrete fi nishers and form setters for work in Ed-monton and Northern Alberta. Subsistence and accommoda-tions provided for out of town work; Jobs@RaidersConcrete .com. Fax 780-444-9165.

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Caledonia Courier Wednesday, April 23, 2014 www.caledoniacourier.com A7Caledonia Courier Wednesday, April 23, 2014 www.caledoniacourier.com A7

Request for Proposals: CATERING SERVICE (Ref: RFP 2014-019)

Nechako Valley Community Services Society is seeking an experienced contractor to manage the kitchen and employ staff to prepare and serve daily lunch and supper meals to tenants in the dining hall at Riverside Place. Our Assisted Living and Supportive Housing Programs require approxi-mately 15 lunches (served from 11:30am) and 27 suppers (at 5:00pm). These meals include snacks, desserts and beverages. Enjoy rent-free use of our fully-equipped industrial kitchen. Plus we take care of utilities and maintenance for you! Volunteers may be recruited to supplement work force. Pro-posals will be reviewed according to overall best value, quality of food and customer service. Inter-ested proponents to present a business plan, a 4 week rotating menu and must demonstrate insight into the needs of seniors. Start date: June 25, 2014 with a signed annual agreement by May 23,2014. For more information contact: Fiona Lamprecht, Site Administrator at 250-944-0490. Email your proposal to flamprecht@nvcss.ca by 4:30pm Mon-day April 28, 2014.

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GET BACK ON TRACK! Bad credit? Bills? Unemployed? Need Money? We Lend! If you own your own home - you qualify. Pioneer Acceptance Corp. Member BBB.

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Merchandise for Sale

Misc. for SaleHEAVY DUTY sled deck, pow-er tilt, hook to truck battery $2000 obo. Burns Lake call (250) 649- 8004HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available. 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/newspaper?SAWMILLS FROM only $4,897 - Make money & save money with your own bandmill - Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. Free Info & DVD: www.NorwoodSaw mills.com/400OT 1-800-566-6899 Ext:400OTSTEEL BUILDINGS. Hot sav-ings - Spring sale! 20x24 $4,348. 25x24 $4,539. 30x30 $6,197. 32x36 $7,746. 40x46 $12,116. 47x72 $17,779. One end wall included. Pioneer Steel Call 1-800-668-5422 or online: www.pioneersteel.caSTEEL BUILDINGS/metal buildings 60% off! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for bal-ance owed! Call 1-800-457-2206 or visit us online at: www.crownsteelbuildings.ca.

Misc. WantedCASH FOR stereo equipment 70s & 80s Marantz, Sansui, AKAI, Pioneer, Sony, Nakami-chi, etc. Energy 22, Sound Dy-namic 300. 250-847-9848.Collectors Currently Buying:Coin Collections, Antiques,Native Art, Old Silver, Paint-ings, Jewellery etc. We Dealwith Estates 778-281-0030

Real Estate

Recreational

Recreation Paradise Year Round!

Fishing, hiking, hunting, quadding, snowmobiling or just relaxation. Great access within 3 hours of the lower mainland, 40 km from Prince-ton and steps to Osprey Lake. 2 years new this 3 bedroom, 2 bath open concept chalet has it all & more. Includes a guest cabin with a bedroom, living/sitting area, kitchen & bathroom. New detached garage for storing the toys.

Call Adrienne (Royal Lepage Parkside Realty) at

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Rentals

Apt/Condo for RentHILLCREST apts. Lg. 1 &

2bdrm suites. Clean and quiet. Adult orientated,Security sys-

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Lakeview Apartments752 Stuart Dr. W. Fort St. James. 2bdrm apt. Newly renovated. Quiet, clean build-ing. Adult oriented. no pets R.R. Avail. 250-996-8044

TownhousesStuart Lake Townhouses Newly renovated, family oriented, 3 bdrm, 2 bath with basement, 2 parking stalls, No dogs. Ref Req’d 250-996-8044

Transportation

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2009 PONTIAC VIBEexcellent condition, 60,000 kms, fully loaded with a set of winter tires. Manual, front wheel drive. $9800Call (250) 251-4500 or

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A8 www.caledoniacourier.com Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Caledonia Courier

NEWSCourier

THE CHURCHESOF

FORT ST. JAMES

OUR LADY OF THE SNOWSROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

SUNDAY LITURGY: Saturday 7:30 pm & Sunday 10:30 amDAILY MASS: Monday - Friday 9:00 am

PASTORAL TEAM: FATHER FRANK SALMON 250-996-8343SR. PAT MACAULAY, SR. DIVINA PEDRO

250-996-2275

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April can be the time to start gardening. Find the gardening words. Win a book! All ages welcome to enter.

BASILBEAN BUTTERFLY CARROT COMPOSTCORN CUCUMBER FLOWER GARDEN HERBINSECT MARIGOLD MULCH PEA

Drop off your entry at the Learning Hub in the Goodwin Bldg #250 - 122 Stuart Dr. East before 6 p.m. and pick up a book. We are open until 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday and closed Fridays and holidays.

PLANTROOT SCARECROWSEED SOIL SUMMERSUNFLOWER TOMATOTROWEL VEGETABLE WATERWEED WORM ZINNIA

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Kim, Mike and dedicated CN employees like them keep the goods moving at CN’s Prince George intermodal terminal. Containers are loaded onto trains in Prince George, destined for international markets via Prince Rupert’s Fairview Container Terminal. Partnerships like these mean jobs and prosperity for people in northern BC. Our terminals may be located in Prince Rupert, but we’re building connections clear across Canada—and the globe. Learn about the value of trade at www.rupertport.com/connections.

Trade connects us.

Terrace Standard etc.indd 1 4/17/2014 10:36:37 AM