Wednesday, March 3, 2010 $1.25 (IncludIng gsT)Published Monday Through Friday in ForT sT. John, b.C.

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How Canadians can fight climate changeWhen it comes to helping the

environment, most Canadians don’t even give themselves an “A” for effort.

Only one in five people say they’re doing as much as they can to reduce their impact on climate change, accord-ing to a national survey released Wednesday.

However, about 80 per cent of respondents to the World Wildlife Federation survey said they want to do more to reduce their environmental impact.

“The survey results clearly show that Canadians are motivated to do much more than the status quo,” said Gerald Butts, President and CEO of WWF-Canada.

“Small actions have a big impact ... From leaving the car at home, to wash-ing clothes in cold water, to shopping with reusable shopping bags, there are many simple things Canadians can do.”

Every year, the WWFsponsors Earthhour, which represents a world-wide commitment to fighting climate change. This year, the event takes place on March 27.

For one hour (8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time) millions of people – and several international landmarks such as the CNtower and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia – switch off their lights and energy to support the largest global climate change initiative.

Some tips for reducing climate change also include:eating locally, fly-ing less, and buying appliances with high energy efficiency.

CanWest

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Funeral set for Joannie Rochette’s mother

MONTREAL — The funeral for Therese Guevremont-Rochette, mother of bronze-medal figure skater Joannie Rochette, will be held Thursday afternoon in Berthierville, Que.

The 24-year-old figure skater captured the hearts of an entire nation when she lost her mother days before she was scheduled to compete in the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Rochette’s bronze marked Canada first medal in women’s singles figure skat-ing since 1988, and on Sunday night, she proudly carried the Canadian flag into BC Place for the Games’ closing ceremonies.

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Chips, dips recalled due to salmonella concerns

OTTAWA — A brand of chips and another of dips have both been recalled by their producers due to fears they have been contaminated with salmonella, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Tuesday.

T. Marzetti Southwest Ranch and Spinach Veggie Dips, sold in 340-gram containers at stores across the country, and Hawaiian Kettle Style Sweet Maui Onion potato chips, sold in 908-g packages at Costco stores nationwide, are subject to recalls.

None of the affected products have been linked to any illnesses.

Eating salmonella-contaminated foods can lead to headache, fever, vomiting, and nausea. For those with weakened immune systems, a case of salmonellosis can lead to hospitaliza-tion and in severe cases, death.

CanWest

David BellAlAskA HigHwAy News

Recent bonfire parties on the ice at Charlie Lake are getting some resi-dents burning mad, yet calls to local authorities have failed to douse the situation.

They say it is unclear where the buck stops and that as the lake begins to melt, the garbage left at sites around the lake will soon become part of it.

“They have been partying out there and it is a hell of a mess,” said one Charlie Lake resident who called the Alaska Highway News this week to report the problem, yet asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.

“Around here you have to be kind of careful.”

One party, thought to be from last weekend, left a huge pile of debris near the boat launch on the southwest side of the lake. The bumper from a vehicle, part of a chain link fence, several wood-en pallets full of nails, condom wrap-pers and dozens of cans and broken

bottles, greeted residents Sunday mor-ning.

“I drove down there Sunday, the guys were talking about going out ice fishing so I went to make sure the road was open and here is this mess,” the resident explained.

A second, 30-year resident of Charlie Lake, also called the newspaper to report the problem, also requesting ano-nymity.

“All this crap, what is all this? It is a garbage dump on the ice. It is also an environmental hazard obviously. That is not the way we should treat our lakes and our environment,” he said.

“Everybody was young at one time and this is a wonderful place to have a party, there is nothing wrong with that at all. It is just that, you need to clean it up after yourselves. Bring garbage bags or something and clean up your mess and I don’t think anyone would ever complain.”

A third Charlie Lake resident, Vern Boyle, said the partying seems to have gotten worse over the years.

“When we first moved here in 2005, people would go out on the lake and there was always beer bottles and things left there, but in the last three years the pallet burning and the big bonfires have really taken off,” he said.

At times, Boyle has just taken the matter into his own hands.

“My wife and I have gone down in the spring and cleaned up broken com-puter monitors, chairs, licence plates, just about anything you can imagine has been left there, but you just get sick and tired of cleaning up the mess and nobody seems to know who’s area of jurisdiction it is,” he said.

“I am getting frankly quite sick of it.”

Karen Goodings, chair of the Peace River Regional District, said garbage on the lake is not within their jurisdic-tion.

“I would think not. Certainly the Charlie Lake area is Regional District, but the lake itself could have a fed-eral connection because water is often a federal jurisdiction.”

Boyle said: “It is a provincial park so to me it should come under the B.C. government, it is not local.”

The lake itself is not the respon-sibility of the provincial ministry of environment.

“There is nothing we can do,” said Del Parker, a conservation officer with the ministry office in Fort St. John.

“It is a not grey area…we don’t have anybody that is assigned to it,” he said. “The residents normally do clean it up.”

He said this situation would be con-sidered littering under the environment management act, but they would need a suspect for charges to be applied.

“If residents happen to see who is out there and can get a licence plate number, that would definitely help. As it stands right now it could be any-body, we have no suspects but if we can prove who is actually doing it, then there is definitely a charge there.”

Parker did however, warn against confronting partiers on the lake: “That is dangerous enough for the RCMP.”

See PARTY on A3•

Charlie Lake residents steamed over ice parties

David BellAlAskA HigHwAy News

Communities around the globe will honour all women as they celebrate the 99th International Women’s Day on Monday.

Organizers in Fort St. John are starting a little early with several events also planned for Sunday at the Northern Lights College. Choices will have to be made for Monday, with two separate events running that evening.

“It is a global celebration of the eco-nomic, political and social achieve-ments of women, past present and future. In some countries it is even

a national holiday,” said Danielle Yeoman of the Fort St. John Poetics Research Group.

In 1910 a conference of 100 work-ing women from 17 countries was held in Copenhagen where the idea of an International Women’s Day was first tabled. A year later the first women’s day was held March 19 and in 1913 it was changed to March 8, where it has stayed ever since.

Honouring IWD creates aware-ness of the conditions some women still live in around the world, as well as works to reduce the disparity in pay and other areas between men and women in developed countries like

Canada, Yeoman said.On Sunday the Northern Lights

College will host three events, all running between 1 and 4 p.m. with a theme of Women Celebrating Women.

Making masks will bring togeth-er mothers and daughters, aunts and nieces, or basically any two or more connected women. Children seven and older are welcome.

Barb Daley will teach participants how to be an ‘art journalista’.

Lisett Godoy, a local dance teacher, will share the techniques and benefits of Burlesque dance with adult women only. Godoy has just returned from

the Salsa Congress in Calgary and is excited to share her in depth know-ledge.

“It can be something to share with your partner, if not enjoy it yourself. When you discover yourself in a dif-ferent way, doing different moves, it can be scary at first but after you will have confidence and a lot of fun,” Godoy said.

The workshops are sponsored by the Fort St. John Poetics Research Group and Northern Groove. Entry is by donation. While they hope to break even, funds raised beyond that will go to Fort St. John women in the arts.

See WOMEN on A3•

Local women to celebrate International Women’s Day

Several Charlie Lake residents are deal-ing with garbage left over from weekend parties held on the lake surface. This pic-ture was taken after residents cleaned up the area, removing several wooden pal-lets used in bonfires. (David Bell/AHN)

AlAskA HigHwAy News, Fort st. JoHN, B.C. Pg. A3wedNesdAy, MArCH 3, 2010

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Cont. from A1•Cpl. Brian Nicholl of the Fort St.

John RCMP agreed that working directly with the people leaving the mess is not advisable.

“You have to be careful, obvious-ly. At three in the morning we don’t want civilians walking up to people that are intoxicated and telling them that their garbage is inappropriate.”

He said sometimes just letting people know that others are watch-ing can be a deterrent.

“We recommend that residents keep track of people going in and out. The more that people are aware that others are paying attention the less likely they are to cause any grief. Nobody at the end of the day wants to get into trouble with the police. Neighbourhood watches are fantastic.”

Nicholl said that littering is usu-ally a bylaw infraction, but the dis-tinction between a provincial park like Beatton Park versus Charlie Lake proper, makes it less clear.

“Whenever you are dealing with a rural area, there is no one spe-cifically responsible. If it is in the park then it would be Parks Canada. Charlie Lake is regional district so therefore it falls under the regional governing body.”

He said they patrol as much area as possible given resources but that monitoring is often complaint driven because “there are only so many of us and a large area to cover.”

Boyle’s house is close to a popu-lar party location and as a result he often can hear the loud music, but his issue is more the garbage left behind.

“What do they think is going to happen to the stuff? When the ice melts it sinks to the bottom of the lake. Everybody has been wanting to clean Charlie Lake up, well this definitely is not helping.”

Boyle, like the other two residents, is not against people having a good time on the lake.

“I don’t care if you party there but if you can take it out there, pick it up and bring it back,” he said.

“Why should it be left to anybody else to clean up your mess?”

Parks Canada was contacted for comment but did not respond by press time.

Parker said residents can report this type of activity to the 24 hour conservation officer service line 1-877-952-7277 or online at www.env.gov.bc.ca/cos/rapp/form.htm

Cont. from A1•On Monday, the same organizers

move the celebration over to Whole Wheat & Honey Cafe for an even-ing of local art poetry, dance, music, drumming and food. That one runs 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and again, is by donation.

Contact Laurel at 250-787-0089 for information on these events.

Another event will be an Open Mic at Cosmic Grounds. Amateur musi-cians, poets and performing artists are welcome to sign up to bring their magic to the stage.

“It is not specific to women per-formers because men can celebrate the women in their lives, but we

would like to see lots of women per-formers,” said a planning committee organizer Leslie Oliver.

This event is hosted by collect-ive of organizations, North Peace Community Resources Society, Northern Health, SUCCESS and others.

“Traditionally women have not had as equal a role in societies around the world and this one day is a spe-cial day just to celebrate them. It is important to me, I am a woman,” Oliver said.

Admission is free and open to everyone. For more information contact Melody at 250-785-6021 ext 244.

David Bell/AHN

Latin dance instructor Lisett Godoy and Danielle Yeoman are hoping resi-dents can make it out to at least one of the several events in honour of International Women’s Day.

Jurisdiction of Charlie Lake unclear

Women and men welcome to celebrate International Women’s Day