Canada`s best curlers rock in Cranbrook Where hundreds of eagles

Canada’s best
curlers rock in
Cranbrook
Where hundreds
of eagles soar
YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY
OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2011
VOLUME 5 / NUMBER 5
Back to the earth
via a copper mine
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Contents
October-December 2011
Volume 5 / Number 5
President’s
Message:
NO EQUAL AT 65
Gathering of Eagles
Photo courtesy HANCOCK WILDLIFE ORGANIZATION
Features
Departments
5Sliding the Rocks in
Cranbrook
12 Where we fly
The most important curling
match-ups in Canada will soon
be in Cranbrook
7 A Gathering of Eagles
Literally. Come see where
hundreds of eagles
congregate every year
10 The Birch Bang
Ever heard of birch syrup?
11 It’s Spa Time
Colder fall weather is beautiful
from inside two of B.C.’s best
spas
Have a look at the map and
see how well connected we
are across this province
15Datebook
Things to check out from
around the province
17 The Business File
Mining gets little respect, but
where would we be without it?
21 Employee Profile
The Evolution of Rob
22 Plane Teasers
Sudoku and Crossword
Cover Photo: Saskatchewan’s Amber Holland shows intense concentration as she
delivers a rock at last year’s Canada Cup of Curling
Photo Credit: Michael Burns, copyright Canadian Curling Association
Editor
Devon Brooks
[email protected]
Publisher
Craig Brown
[email protected]
250-868-2229
Published by
Niche Media
211 - 1433 St. Paul Street
Kelowna, BC V1Y 2E4
P. 250-868-2229 F: 250-868-2278
Pacific Coastal Airlines
Director of Sales & Corporate Dev.
Roy Kunicky
[email protected]
250-306-5738
Graphic Design
Corrina Deters
[email protected]
Soar magazine is published five times per year and
is distributed on all Pacific Coastal Airlines flights.
The points of view or opinions expressed therein are
those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the publisher or Pacific Coastal Airlines.
The contents of Soar magazine are protected by
copyright, including the designed advertising. Reproduction is prohibited without permission from the
publisher.
We recently hired a professional research
company to do some survey work that will
help us to better understand how our customers view our company and services. As part
of the process, we held some focus group
testing to gather some unfiltered insight directly from the mouths of people who fly with
Pacific Coastal.
I was pleased to note that the focus groups
ranked our customer service higher than any
other airline, and that we were seen as a
company that truly cared about its customers.
Participants used phrases like “above and beyond” and “exemplary” when describing their
interaction with front line staff and see us as
a quick and efficient local airline doing its best
to serve their needs.
Another important takeaway is that our
customers have a strong affinity with our
brand and that they would choose to fly with
us more often, if given a choice. That’s a rare
vote of confidence at a time when public trust
in the industry seems to be relatively low.
These comments are certainly something
to be proud of and I recognize that it is the
end result of many years of hard work, dedication and personal commitment from employees at Pacific Coastal Airlines.
There was another important message delivered in these focus groups. What resonated
most is that our customers remain generally
unaware of the full extent of our services. The
most telling piece of information was that
customers did not know that we fly to more
than 65 regularly scheduled destinations in
British Columbia, more than any other airline
including Air Canada and Westjet.
We began telling our story last spring with
the launch of a new corporate message ‘We’re
in the business of BC’. This awareness campaign continues to evolve and I am pleased
to draw your attention to a new destination
route map in this edition of SOAR (see page
12-13). A new destination map brochure is
available at check-in counters and is also
featured prominently on our website at www.
pacificcoastal.com.
We will continue to provide the information you need to make Pacific Coastal Airlines your first choice for business and leisure
travel in B.C.
Thank you for flying with us.
Quentin Smith, President
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
3
A Cornucopia
of
Toys
S
o, Christmas is coming and you’re faced with the
usual dilemma of what to get for the kids, young
and old, in your house. If you’re interested in looking at
something unusual consider visiting the Victoria Toy
Show.
The show, held twice a year, has been running
for 15 years. It was the brainchild of Dave Shelton
and Jack Porcher. Both men are well past the age
normally associated with children’s toys but, laughs
Shelton, “Collecting is a weird thing, but it’s hard to
understand. It’s the hunting-gathering instinct gone
bad.”
Both men have collected toys for years. They used
to travel to big shows in Toronto or Chicago. The biggest shows
are in Britain, where Shelton says a show is held almost every day
of the year.
Eventually the pair decided to see if a show could work in their
home town of Victoria. Shelton says attendance varies from 800
to 1,500 and the show is going strong.
Whatever else it might be, the show is a fascinating spectacle.
Some 70 vendors with 100 tables display an amazing assortment
of toys from the 1930s right up to the present.
Shelton is a collector of old metal dinky toys, but he specializes
in the aircraft toys. There are a multitude of toys on view including die-cast Matchbox, Corgi, wind up toys, toy soldiers, lots of
dolls, tin toys, Hotwheels, comic books, steam engines, Lego and
electric trains.
Toys that are fading in popularity are Beanie babies, Avon’s
bottles (shaped into various animals and objects) and Mechano
sets. He says no electronic toys, like Nintendo or that ilk are there.
Shelton sells mostly older toys of ’30s to ’50s vintage.
In the years he has been running the show Shelton has noticed
some trends. “The trends go with the generations. When guys are
in their 40s and 50s they want the stuff they had as kids.”
4
The Internet, and especially eBay, have also changed the value
of some toys. Shelton explains, “eBay was a big factor in that it
made certain collectibles much cheaper and others much more
expensive.”
While most toys at the show sell for about $20 some can go
for much more. The most expensive transaction Shelton can recall
was for a Vulcan bomber model that sold for $2,500.
Rarer items occasionally attract toy counterfeiters who try to
pawn off replicas. For monetary value, he says, “The toys need to
be genuine.” Picking out a replica isn’t easy if you’re not a serious
collector. He says the replicas could be picked out because of the
paint used and the way the metal was cast.
On a more positive note, he relates, “I get a lot of stories.” An old
man looking at toys of World War II vehicles told Shelton how he
had been in the merchant marine when his ship was sunk. Barely
30 minutes later at the same show, another old fellow told Shelton
he had been on German U-boats, whose primary mission was to
sink merchant marine vessels.
The October 2011 Victoria Toy Show is on Sunday, October
30, at the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney on Beacon Avenue.
Admission is $3.00 at the door and children under 12 with adult
are free. The doors are open from 10 am until 4 pm. OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
Feature
Canada’s
Foremost
Curlers
vie for
Olympic
Trials
By Bobbi-Sue Menard
T
he eyes of curling fans will be turned to the country’s hottest
curling competition in 2011, the Capital One Canada Cup of
Curling, in Cranbrook from November 30 to December 4. Local
volunteers and national organizers are working hard to put on an
event that matches up to the level of talent at these games – the
best in Canada.
“It is the best competition you will see,” promises Terry Morris,
Team McEwen of Manitoba consists of (L-R)
B.J. Neufeld, who watches Matt Wozniak,
Denni Neufeld and skip Mike McEwen
(hidden) brush the stone into the house
Alberta’s Heather Nedohin
wonders about her latest
throw
Event Manager for the 2011 Canada Cup. “The best teams will be
here and they are household names.”
The competition promises to be even more intense than usual
as curlers from 14 teams vie for a berth at the 2013 Olympic trials.
Unlike other major curling events such as the Briar, which draws
the top team in each province, the Capital One Canada Cup of
Curling takes the top ranked teams from across the country. Every
match at this tournament delivers the flawless shots and intensity
that curling fans go looking for.
On the ladies side, look for the return of two time winning teams,
skipped by Shannon Kliebrink and Stefanie Lawton. Also in the
competition are teams boasting the likes of Amber Holland, Jennifer Jones, Chelsea Carey, Heather Nedohin and Rachel Homan.
Look to the very last game of the draw, which takes place on
December 2 at 7 pm for a nail biting rematch between Amber
Holland and Jennifer Jones. In the 2010-2011 season Jones
Continued on page 6
Pacific Coastal Airlines
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
5
Canadian curlers
Manitoba’s Mike McEwen delivers a rock to
brushers Matt Wozniak (L) and Denni Neufeld
(R)
Continued from page 5
and Holland met in the finals of the Scottie Tournament of Hearts, which took place
in Charlottetown. Jones had a simple goal:
win and join Colleen Jones of Newfoundland as the only winners of four consecutive titles. It was a last rock showdown
when Holland took the match, the Scotties
title and defeated Jones’ ambition.
Men’s Olympic gold medalists, Team
Martin, will be competing, as will 2010
Canada Cup men’s winner Glenn Howard.
Kevin Koe’s team will be on the ice, and he
will be in the hunt for a win after his stellar 2010 season, winning two of the sport’s
most prestigious events – the Tim Hortons
Brier and Capital One World Men’s Curling
Championship. Mike McEwan, Jeff Stoughton, Steve Laycock and Brad Jacobs will be
playing their best and keeping the competition tight.
Teams will compete in a full round robin
with the first place teams advancing to the
championship finals. TSN will be covering
the last two days of competition.
Teams will be competing for top cash
prizes of $70,000 on both the men’s and
women’s sides, but Morris says the Olympic
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Pacific Coastal flies to Cranbrook from
its Vancouver hub three times daily on
weekdays, twice on Saturdays and once on
Sundays.
1.888.660.3366
6
trials berth is what their heats will be set
on. “All teams are after that Olympic experience. This is the only Canadian Curling Association event that will get a team into the
Olympic trials.”
Colin Campbell is the local volunteer
chair of the event committee in Cranbrook.
Campbell is responsible for drumming up
local interest and organizing the details
within the community.
If the response of the volunteers is any
indication, curling fever is running high in
the East Kootenay town. Experienced volunteers joined the committee right away,
he says. “By mid February we had the vicechairs in place and within three weeks we
had 300 volunteers to help.”
With the help of the “fabulous committee,
including experienced and dedicated cochairs,” Campbell is expecting an average
of 1,200 to 1,500 fans per draw. The weekend finals are expected to have upwards of
2,400 people rink side.
Overall Campbell predicts the event will
be, “The best party in Cranbrook has had
in 25 years.”
Ticket passes include entry to the party, a
true fan’s dream as many of the teams are
expected to make an appearance. “Curlers
are very social people,” remarks Campbell.
If you are able to make it to Cranbrook
on November 29 the day before the event,
there is an exclusive Fan Appreciation
Night, which is a special meet and greet
with the teams. The competitors will also
be involved in team autograph sessions
featuring candid discussions with players
from past and present.
The early bird ticket packages (until
October 8) start at $219 for all 13 draws
of curling per ticket holder. All full event
passes include unlimited access to a special lounge, Keith’s Patch, where food and
beverages will be available for fans and
competitors alike.
For fans who can only make the weekend semifinals and finals a weekend package for two starts at a rock bottom $249.
Local hotels, including the lauded St. Eugene Resort, are offering weekend packages that include tickets. You can get more
information on ticket packages by calling
866-580-7328 or by going online to www.
cranbrookrecplex.ca.
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
Feature
On the Fly:
the Bald
Eagle-Salmon
Connection
By Racelle Kooy
E
very fall thousands of bald eagles return to the
Harrison-Chehalis delta as the salmon are spawning. It
is a remarkable relationship between raptor and salmon set
in a breathtaking part of the Fraser Valley.
For the past 14 years, the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival
(FVBEF) has celebrated the beauty and biodiversity of the
area. This year the festival takes place on the weekend of
November 19 – 20 with the majority of activities held along
Highway 7 to the east of Mission.
Continued on page 8
PHOTOs COURTESY FRASER RIVER SAFARI
Pacific Coastal Airlines
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
7
On the fly . . .
Continued from page 7
“The festival’s primary focus is to showcase the relationship between the bald
eagle and the salmon to help create awareness around the importance of a healthy
ecosystem,” shares Jo-Anne Chadwick,
FVBEF chair and owner of Fraser River
Safari. “We also keep in mind that there
is a delicate balance between highlighting
the return of the thousands of eagles and
millions of salmon and creating too much
traffic in the areas we would like to see protected. This year we are offering excellent
eagle viewing opportunities from both land
and water, an eco fair where you can learn,
shop, eat and play all under one roof, a line
up of great speakers, fun activities and authentic cultural First Nation’s dancers, artisans and food,” says Chadwick.
Dave Hancock, a wildlife biologist with
40 years experience who specialises in the
northern raptors, is known worldwide for his
Hancock Wildlife Foundation’s live cams in
bald eagle nests. He provides insight into
what makes the FVBEF location so special. “As one of the richest salmon bearing
rivers in North America, the Chehalis/Harrison River complex feeds the world’s largest group of eagles. No bird of prey gathers
as they do on the Chehalis River.” He adds,
“The stimulus is the availability of spawned
out salmon. Eagles follow the salmon.”
All five species of Pacific salmon (sockeye, pink, chum, coho and chinook) spawn
in the area and there are summer and
winter steelhead trout and cut throat trout.
Spawned out salmon carcasses make up
over 50% of the bald eagle diet, as they rely
on the food source for six to seven months
of the year. Young eagles are dependent on
the salmon carcasses as they have yet to
develop the skills to capture live prey.
Hancock estimates there are 350 to
500 eagle pairs that nest in the Fraser
Valley. Once they are done nesting, they
migrate north to where the first salmon
runs take place in northern B.C. or Alaska.
Around the end of October the eagles be-
gin their trek south. The quicker winter sets
in up north, or the colder it is, the sooner
they head south.
“The Harrison River is internationally recognized as a ‘Salmon Stronghold’ for its rich
diversity and healthy populations of Pacific
salmon,” says Dave Moore, Fisheries Advisor for the Sts’ailes and Scowlitz First Nation. “The salmon are in such abundance in
a small area, it really underscores the incredible productivity of this region.”
“In the same way that eagles, bears and
other such wildlife have been attracted to
this resource for eons, humans have been
attracted to it as well,” states Moore. It is
why the First Nations in the Fraser watershed weren’t seasonally mobile.
He explains, “They didn’t travel great distances seasonally to find food. They always
had abundance at their doorstep.”
Rocky Larock is a contemporary Coast
Salish artist who hails from Sts’ailes First
Nation. When the eagles come back for the
salmon runs, it is the pride of his commu-
A bald eagle rests in a maze of tree branches near Kilby Provincial Park
PHOTO COURTESY FRASER RIVER SAFARI
8
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
A class gathers to learn about ‘Sonsi’, the bald
eagle, at a pre-festival event
photo courtesy fraser river safari
nity. “The eagle is everything to us. Powerful. Beautiful. Fearless. If they want something they will go out
and get it… They are majestic. We value the spirit of
the eagle. Our spiritual connection is so strong with the
eagle. We use the eagle in many ways in our culture, in
our spirituality, in our long house and a lot of our ceremonies,” declares Larock.
For the past two decades Larock has plied his craft
through wood sculpting. To him, the forest and the land
are alive with spirit. On his journeys up Harrison Lake,
he will be inspired by the driftwood and can see the
animal that he wants to bring out in that wood. “(To)
bring out the spirit in a piece of wood is remarkable,”
says Larock.
For Larock, the festival is a good place for people to
touch base with the eagle. He marvels at how the eagle
understands the food chain and the cycle. “We are so
fortunate that we live on one of the best fishing spots
in the world, the Harrison River, with so many different
species of fish year round,” he declares. “Sto:lo means
people of the river, and that’s who we are. We honour
and respect the salmon just as we do the eagle because we live off the river.”
Vital Statistics:
• Height: 28 - 38 inches; wingspan: 78 - 84 inches
• Sexes look alike, but males are usually smaller.
Females range from nine to 11 lb. at maturity,
males range from eight to 10 lb.
• White head and tail do not appear until the birds
reach maturity (four to six years)
• Generally eagles mate for life, usually pairing up
and producing at five years
• A bald eagle’s nest grows with each year of use
and can grow to more than six feet wide and ten
feet deep
• One to three eggs laid per year with incubation
by both male and female birds lasting 34 to 36
days
• Nestling stage lasts 72 to 98 days
Bird counts from
previous years
Bald Eagle:
2006 count = 1,145
2007 count = 1,038
2008 count = 2,185
2009 count = 1,208
Trumpeter Swan:
2006 count = 157
2007 count = 162
2008 count 509
2009 count = 292
Great Blue Heron:
2006 count = 27
2007 count = 18
2008 count = 10
2009 count = 7
(Source: FVBEF)
To learn more about the FVBEF:
http://fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca/
For more about the live cams on bald eagle nests,
bald eagle biology and conservation:
http://www.hancockwildlife.org/
To learn more about Rocky Larock’s artwork:
www.rockylarock.webs.com
How to get there:
From Pacific Coastal’s Vancouver Airport hub visitors need to rent a vehicle or get a ticket on one of the
tours that can take you out to see the events which are
spread out along the Fraser River between Mission and
the District of Kent (Agassiz)
Pacific Coastal Airlines
The Fraser River Safari is one of the more interesting ways to view the eagles
without disturbing them as much as by approaching them on foot
Photo by Lewis Scullion
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
9
Experience the
Birch
Bang
I
f you’ve never heard of, or tasted birch syrup, you’re not alone.
Heloise Dixon-Warren, co-owner of Moose Meadows Farm,
which lies 15 kilometres west of Quesnel, says, “Even in Quesnel
people do a double take when they hear ‘birch syrup.’”
Dixon-Warren adds, “There are only 15 birch syrup producers across Canada, but given that there are birch coast to coast
there…is definitely huge potential for the product to expand.”
It is a relatively new product in Canada but the industry already
exists in Alaska, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Scandinavia.
Birch syrup has some similarities to maple syrup, but not that
many, according to Dixon-Warren. “It’s totally unlike maple syrup.
When people are tasting it I tell them to take maple syrup right out
of their mind.”
That might be a slight overstatement since it is primarily used as
a sweetener, a syrup and a cooking ingredient. The taste, of course,
is different. Dixon-Warren describes it, “I always say it has a very
bold, caramelized flavour with a bit of spice.”
It’s not just that the taste is different, but how it is different, that’s
important. She likens birch syrup to vanilla, which is not consumed
Working with First Nations to build
homes and opportunity
for everyone.
Wayne Brown
e-mail: [email protected]
Ph: 250-835-8885
www.bigfootloghomes.com
Some of the birch syrup products available from Moose Meadows Farm.
Photo courtesy Moose Meadows Farm
vanilla straight up because the flavour is too intense. Instead it is
best used as an additive. Dixon-Warren sums it up by exclaiming,
“It has the birch bang!”
She cautions that when you buy birch syrup, you must read the
label carefully. “For something to be called maple syrup it has to be
100% maple syrup, but birch syrup isn’t regulated so a lot of things
have been called ‘birch syrup.’”
A blended birch syrup is mellower, but when buying two different
birch products you must be sure you are buying the same thing. If
one is straight syrup, and the other is a blend you are going to taste
very different things.
Another reason to blend birch syrup is the cost factor. Forty litres
of sap from a maple tree makes a litre of syrup. For birch trees it
takes between 90 and 120 litres.
Then there is difference in sugars. In maple syrup the sugar is
sucrose, but birch has a mixture of fructose and glucose. That’s
why birch syrup, even when 100% pure, is thinner because it has a
lesser viscosity, and; second the different sugars make it harder to
produce. To put it succinctly birch sap can burn very easily.
Dixon-Warren says, “You have to be really careful to make sure
it doesn’t scorch.” She adds, with a wry grin in her voice, “You’re not
really a syrup maker until you’ve burnt it at least once.”
To avoid burning birch syrup producers need to simmer it at a
reduced heat for a longer time.
Making their syrup takes 14 hours a day for two to three weeks
in April, which only provides them with 50 to 60 litres.
All that extra time and attention help to push the price up. A litre
of pure birch syrup is worth $80 to $90 a litre. By blending it they
bring the price down.
Still, Dixon-Warren is confident once people have tasted the
product it has much potential to grow. She says, “A lot of it is still
trying to educate the consumer.”
To try their pure or blended product birch products go online to
www.moosemeadowsfarm.ca or buy it at Plenty Epicurean Pantry
(www.epicureanpantry.ca) in Victoria. It is also available at the farm
gate, but if you wish to visit you must call ahead 250-249-5239.
How to get there:
Pacific Coastal flies to Williams Lake three times daily on weekdays, once on Saturdays, and twice on Sundays. Quesnel lies 65
km north of Williams Lake.
10
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
Feature
Luxury Face Off –
By Bobbi-Sue Menard
Spas of the West Coast vs. the East Coast
T
he coasts of Vancouver Island draw
visitors from around the world to experience the natural beauty residents glory in
year round. Each season boasts its own
interpretation of nature’s largesse to the
island, and autumn is the perfect time to
share in the enchantment with a trip to an
island spa. Fall is also the perfect time to
bolster your mental and physical resources
with relaxation and pampering.
When choosing your spa destination on
Vancouver Island, the toughest question
is whether to enjoy the waters of the east
coast or west coast.
East Coast: Aqua Terre,
Nanoose Bay (near
Parksville)
Pacific Shores Resort and Spa is the
foundation of a Vancouver Island business
success story, Aviawest Resorts. Located
on the shores of Nanoose Bay, just south of
Pacific Coastal Airlines
Parksville, Pacific Shores is home to Aqua
Terre, a full service spa that focuses on
treatments clients enjoy at a leisurely pace.
“We are kind of in the bush on the water,”
explains Chandra Pearson, the spa director.
“Nothing is rushed at our spa.”
There are 10 treatment rooms and a
large lounge to relax in at Aqua Terre. Since
the spa lies where the land meets the sea,
some rooms have a good view of the restful
waters of Nanoose Bay. Pearson says the
location is put to good use, “We open those
treatment room doors and let in those west
coast sounds and smells.”
The marine atmosphere informs the service; in the summer clients can come into
the spa directly from the beach in a swimsuit and feel comfortably welcome. In the
autumn as the temperature drops, exploring the shoreline is a contemplative option followed up with a warm and soothing
treatment.
Aqua Terre adjusts some of its most
popular spa menu items for the scents and
feelings of the season. At this time of year
look for harvest spice treatments, a cinnamon infused pedicure and finish out a spa
treatment with a hearty wine or specialty
coffee.
If you are looking for a sensual preview
of a winter escape to warmer climes choose
the Tropical Sanctuary treatment. Two
Continued on page 14
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
11
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Pruth Bay
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
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CAMPBELL RIVER
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POWELL RIVER
VANCOUVER SOUTH TERMINAL
VICTORIA
12
WASHINGTON
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
Bay
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Sheemahant R
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Chief Nolis Bay
Belize Inlet Seymour Inlet
y
Warner Ba und Wakeman Sound
aeon So
y Bay Act Turnbull Cove
Kingcome Village
Clayd Nimmo Bay
nis Bay
on Bay
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Quatse Bay
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Shawl Bay
Thompson Sou
Sulliv Soun Echo Bay
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PCA Destinations not shown on map
- Jenny Inlet
- Ocean Falls
- Tom Bay
Island
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ALBERTA
CRANBROOK
TRAIL
CANADA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
MAIN PACIFIC COASTAL HUB
AIRPORTS
FLOATPORTS
Destinations
Pacific Coastal Airlines: Route Map September, 2011
Pacific Coastal Airlines
Where we fly
P
acific Coastal Airlines has been
providing scheduled flights, charter,
cargo and essential services to communities in B.C. and across Western
Canada for over 35 years.
The company has grown significantly and today we fly to more than 65
destinations in British Columbia. That’s
more than any other airline including
Air Canada and Westjet.
It’s a significant accomplishment,
but one that has not been well communicated to our customers or to the
general public. To rectify that situation,
we hired a strategic branding and communications company, Living Blueprint
(LBP) to help us tell this story.
They created the new route map that
finally reveals the full extent of our coverage area, identifies our destinations,
and explains how they connect to our
network.
The destinations are located with
exacting precision on the new map using fixed latitude and longitude. To do
so, Living Blueprint combed through a
list of approximately 4,500 towns and
locations in the province, and matched
them up to the map using Google
Earth. The exercise was complicated
by the number of locations, particularly
lakes and rivers, which share the same
name.
The next challenge was to design a
map that was graphically pleasing, easy
to understand, and would fit on a single
page. The destinations had to remain
legible even if used in smaller print formats like magazines and brochures.
Visually explaining the extent of our
network and the unique relationship
between our wheel-based and floatplane divisions was managed through
the creation and use of a distinct series
of coloured icons, strategically placed
lines, and an informative legend.
You can pick up a brochure version
of the new route map at any one of Pacific Coastal Airlines’ check-in counters
and it can be viewed and printed from
our website at www.pacificcoastal.com.
To book a trip involving a float­plane
destination please call1.800.343.5963.
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
13
Spas of the
West Coast vs.
the East Coast
Continued from page 11
therapists work together to release your
tension. Coconut and lime scents fill the
room in conjunction with a salt glow followed by a warm stone massage featuring traditional massage techniques. To
complete the experience a facial mask to
restore the balance in your skin is applied
while you enjoy the sensation of a cool
stone massage.
West Coast: Ancient
Cedars Spa, Wickaninnish
Inn
Hop a charter flight and go west, all the
way to the Wickaninnish Inn near Tofino.
This world famous and award destination
deserves serious consideration for a fall
season visit. Before the rains and wind turn
truly bitter at the height of winter, there is
plenty of opportunity to experience the ac-
Photo courtesy
Aqua Terre Spa
tion of magnificent crashing waves from
the vantage of that vast beach.
Ancient Cedars Spa at Wickaninnish
Inn is perfectly situated to let you escape
everyday life. “We like to say, ‘edge of the
earth,’” says Miranda Moore, manager of
Ancient Cedars.
The spa is in a cabin at the front of the
Inn and when the waves hit the shore at
high tide they ride up underneath the spa.
Moore tries to describe the awesome
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beauty of the Pacific, “When the waves
gust and smash on the rocks, the thunder
of the waves is not to be missed. If you can
get here and experience that, it is special.
As the seasons change and the wind blows
hard, the waves are coming in from a long
way out and it rains sideways. To be tucked
into the spa is special.”
Autumn is a season for couples seeking
a romantic getaway and Moore says many
husbands who arrive at the spa as rookies
to the experience leave utterly convinced of
its value and benefits.
“The spa is intimate; we do get lots of
husbands who come with their wives who
end up loving it.” Moore believes the location adds a richness to the experience. “We
are on the bucket list for a lot of people.”
Ancient Cedars has built its award winning reputation on service customized to
the client. Their service philosophy rests
on a willingness to create a rapport with
guests.The guest picks and chooses from
the spa menu.
Expert and experienced staff is the secret says Moore, “It’s our people who win
us awards.”
Staff members have personally combed
the beaches to collect the stones for their
own Ancient Cedars Hot Stone Massage.
Each rock was specially chosen to fit the
hand of the practitioner and the contours
of the human spine.
“Our staff creates ownership of the
stones. We add to the hot stone massage
with a spinal layout where the guest lays
back down on the stones which have been
placed to relieve tension.”
Another possibility is to awaken your
spiritual side with the Hishuk Ish Tsawalk
Awakening Treatment, which draws deeply
from local indigenous culture and traditional cleansing ceremonies.
SUMME
R 2011
Aqua Terre Photos contributed by
Aviawest Resort Group
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
Datebook
Great things happening across the
province right now!
october
Victoria
The Other Emily: Redefining Emily
Carr
October 1-10
www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/
TheOtherEmily
This exhibit at the Royal BC Museum explores Emily Carr’s life
before she became the famous artist. Admission to the Museum
allows access to this event.
victoria
Victoria Toy Show
October 30
http://members.shaw.ca/
dshelton99
Campbell River
This toy show happens twice a year with a focus on older toys and
collectibles. $3 admission to the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney.
For more information see the article this issue.
Annual Toy & Craft Show
NOVEMBER
Sunshine Coast
Port Hardy
2011 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl
Great Pumpkin Walk
www.suncoastarts.com/profiles/
artcrawl
www.ph-chamber.bc.ca/events.
html
October 21-23
This is only the second year of the Art Crawl. Last year was very
successful with 25 to 400 people visiting more than 74 studios so
the event has been expanded. This year 108 artist studios will be
open to the public on the crawl. The studios stretch along the coast
from Langdale to Lund. Free event.
November 1
For two hours tour and see all things great and “pumpkinish” in
Port Hardy at the town’s Civic Centre. Free entry.
Powell River
The Cowboy Christmas Concert in
November
November 26
www.cowboy-museum.com/
index.html
Williams Lake is where the cowboys perform all year round. Summer rodeos give way to Christmas Carols in the Gibraltar Room at
the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin. Tickets are only $10.
November 15-17
October 29-30
www.ikcm.org
www.mayocreekgardens.ca/
festival.php
Comox
10th Annual Wine Fest
November 5
www.crownisle.com
If you want to find out just how fine the wine made on Vancouver
Island can be, be sure to get to this relatively small wine festival in
Comox at the Crown Isle Resort. Local producers will compliment
their tastings with samples of local food products. Ticket prices had
not been determined as of press time.
Originals Only Art Show
November 5-6
http://www.originalsonly.ca/
index.html
Pacific Coastal Airlines
Campbell River’s annual Toy & Craft show takes place inside the
Sportsplex located at 1800 South Alder Street. Nominal entrance
fee.
Minerals South Conference &
Trade Show
Salmon & Mushroom Festival
Older and collectible toys on display at the
Victoria Toy Show October 30.
November 26-27
Cranbrook & Kimberley
Lake Cowichan
Over the course of two days festival goers will have a chance to
learn and eat all they can want of local mushrooms and salmon.
There is a market place, a chance to learn how to identify mushrooms, a gala dinner and field trips. Most events, except for the field
trips will take place at Centennial Hall.
be present at their booth while the show is open and the show is
restricted to traditional art forms such as paintings, drawings and
sculpture. The show runs from 10 am to 4 pm both days at the
Comox Recreation Centre.
This is THE show if you want to meet artists, and get something
special that is unique. Participants who display in the show must
Where better to host a mining conference than in that part of the
province where mineral extraction has been so important to the
economy and holds out such promise for the future? The East
Kootenay Chamber of Mines is hosting the 7th Annual Minerals
South Conference at the Kimberley Conference & Athlete Training
Centre. Highlights include a trade show, banquet, technical sessions
and more. Early bird rates are available until October 15. Prices vary
depending on what programs you want to take in.
Pre-Christmas Gala Dinners &
Brunch
November 25-27
www.trainsdeluxe.com
If you’d like an idea of what it was like to be wined and dined with
exquisite fare in a setting from the great days of rail travel consider
taking in the nine course meals in the Canadian Museum of Rail
Travel in Cranbrook. The meals will take diners on “a journey on the
“Blue Train” through the international tastes of South Africa and its
Dutch, British and East Indian influences.” The meal, accompanied
by entertainment, will be served in the ‘Royal Alexandra Hall’, which
is the perfect reconstruction of a huge ballroom for the museum.
Tickets are $119 including a charitable receipt because the dinner
is a fund raiser for the museum.
Continued on page 16
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
15
Datebook
Continued from page 15
2011 Canada Cup of Curling
Nov 30 - Dec 4
www.cranbrookrecplex.ca
One of the biggest curling events in Canada will take place in Cranbrook shortly. Early bird ticket prices for all 13 draws start at $219,
until October 8. For more information see the cover story this issue.
Vancouver
Just for Laughs Comedy Tour ’11
not counting anything you might want to purchase of course.Fraser
Valley
Campbell River
Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival
December 4
November 19-20
fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca
An area wide event with multiple sites to celebrate the relationship
between eagles and salmon. See article this issue for more details.
DECEMBER
Winterfest Parade
If you’re in Campbell River in early December you can get an early
start on the comings and goings of Rudolf, Frosty the Snowman,
Santa, the Grinch and many other creatures of winter. The free
viewing runs for one hour from 11 am to noon.
Powell River
Carols by Candlelight
November 18-19
December 9-10
If you’ve ever watched ‘Just for Laughs’ on television, this is your
chance to see them live. The touring edition has been christened
‘The British Edition’ and is hosted by CBC alumni Steve Patterson.
On November 18 it will be at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey and on November 19 at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing
Arts. (Also in Victoria at the Royal Theatre on November 20.) Tickets
range in price from $47 to $60.
There will be three chances for you to take in this musical evening,
which is running for the 32nd year at the Dwight Hall in Powell
River. The event if put on by the Powell River Academy of Music
and carols are sung by choirs accompanied by the Academy’s great
organ played by accomplished recitalist Ay-Laung Wang. Tickets for
the two evening and matinee performance are $17.
www.powellriveracademy.org/
con_carols.htm
http://hahaha.com/comedytour
Eastside Culture Crawl
Port McNeill
WinterLight Nights
December 3
November 18-20
www.harbourliving.ca/event/
winterlight-nights/2010-12-04
The Eastside Culture Crawl is an annual three-day event involving
artists who live in Vancouver’s Eastside, including painters, jewelers,
sculptors, furniture makers, musicians, weavers, potters, writers,
printmakers, photographers and glassblowers. Participation is free,
This small ocean-side community’s winter festival has everything
you’d expect: a charming Christmas light display on the seawall,
Santa on the Harbour, carols, a community bonfire, a large display
of arts and crafts for sale, Christmassy kind of snacks and a warm,
generous spirit.
www.eastsideculturecrawl.com
GENUINE LUXURY BRAND OF LIVING
Honka Solid Wood Solutions Ltd.
Kevin Mitchell 250-306-7775
Felix Westerkamp 250-878-7846
Unit 210, 2000 Spall Rd., Kelowna, BC
www.honka.ca
www.honka.com
[email protected]
Untitled-1 1
16
®
www.honka.com
11-09-23 7:06 PM
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
The Business File
Gibraltar -
Canada’s copper rock
By Devon Brooks
L
ike Rodney Dangerfield, mining just doesn’t get any respect,
but it should. Take copper, one of the most common of mined
products. It’s everywhere around you and we just can’t function
without it, but we take it for granted.
Continued on page 18
Pacific Coastal Airlines
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
17
Canada’s copper rock
Continued from page 17
It’s most famous application might be the
Statue of Liberty in New York City (80 tons
of copper sheeting gives her that distinctive green colour), but you’ll also find it in
your automobile, which has between 20 to
45 kilos in it, depending on the size of the
vehicle.
Then there’s Canada’s copper-topped
parliament buildings and the coppercoloured modern penny, which has only a
trace of copper left in it. Until 1996 it was
98% copper, but today it is steel with a bit
of nickel and copper plated zinc.
Most of us who live an urban lifestyle are
so removed from the land, whether that is
land for growing food or land for obtaining
the minerals, that we have forgotten the
connection between our lifestyle and these
operations.
Not far from the town of Williams Lake
lies the Gibraltar copper mine, which is majority-owned by Taseko Mines Ltd. Taseko,
with gross revenues of $278 million in
2010, is, according to BC Business, Brit-
ish Columbia’s eighty-sixth largest company. Among the top 100 companies in British Columbia, 13 are mining corporations.
The numbers are large because the old
fashioned image of a grizzled prospector
turning over rocks while looking for gold is
completely out of touch with the modern
day requirements of mining.
The Gibraltar site covers 109 sq. km. and
has reserves of 728 million tonnes of rock
containing 0.30% copper, which amounts
to more than two billion kilograms of copper along with 58 million kilos of molybdenum. Moly, as it is known in the trade, is a
byproduct of the copper mining operation.
With production of 45 million kilograms
of copper per year, Gibraltar’s reserves
should last for more than 26 years.
Think about that. This one mine, at last
year’s rates of production, provided enough
copper for one-and-a-half million automobiles, which coincidentally is slightly less
than all the vehicles sold in Canada last
year.
Of course, that’s not where the copper
really goes. Ross MacLean is the general
manager of Gibraltar. He says most of the
mine’s copper is shipped as concentrate to
Asia, where it is manufactured into a thousand and one things that come back to
you as a myriad of goods like refrigerators,
electronic equipment, furnaces, wiring and
much more.
The mining process however is more
complicated than those simple numbers
suggest. Taseko took over the Gibraltar
mine in the late ’90s when copper prices
were just over US $1 a pound. The mine
was on “care and maintenance” then,
meaning it was uneconomic to mine the
copper at that price.
By 2000 they must have been wondering if that investment had been such a good
idea as copper sagged to 60¢ a pound, but
it turns out they knew what they were doing. Last year copper was up to a much
healthier figure of $4 a pound ($8.82 a
kilogram), which gives the proven copper
reserves at Gibraltar a value of about $10
billion. If that figure seems too low it is because no mining operation is perfectly efficient, which is to say that even though they
ROCK SOLID CAREER GROWTH
There has never
been a better time to
join Canada’s proud
mining tradition
At Taseko Mines, we believe that we are located in one
of the greatest places on the planet. We’re proud to call
British Columbia our home. In fact, you could say that this
province truly defines us: the communities where our
projects are located are filled with our friends, families,
and longtime colleagues. Joining our Gibraltar Mine
makes you part of a vibrant and authentically Canadian
heritage. We’re looking for enthusiastic people who
want to be part of this tradition and who share our vision
for long-term, responsible growth in BC.
That’s where you come in.
Already a sustainable mining operation for more than
20 years, Gibraltar is undergoing a significant multiphase expansion. Located in the heart of BC’s stunning
Cariboo region, Gibraltar is approximately 60 km north
of Williams Lake. The Cariboo Chilcotin is a renowned
epicenter of recreation, tourism, education and industry.
It’s a great place to call home.
So tell us who you are at [email protected]
We’d love to hear from you.
To find out more about our other projects, including
New Prosperity, Aley, and Harmony, visit us at
www.tasekomines.com
18
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
Workers are viewed through
the giant maw of a shovel
bucket, which can carry 80
tonnes of rock at a time.
estimate there is 728 million tonnes of rock
contains .3% copper, they will not be able
to extract all of it.
Mining is fickle though. No one expects
today’s high prices to last forever, including
Ross.
That’s why, he says, Taseko is investing
over $300 million to expand the mill and
equipment. The labour force will jump from
418 in 2010 to 650 by 2013.
MacLean explains the investment will increase efficiency at the mine, thereby lowering operating costs so that when prices
do go down they have a bigger margin to
insure profitability. But the investment will
also allow faster production. In other words
more copper to market now, while prices
are high.
Bigger production should decrease the
mine’s 26 year life span, but that touches
upon the other big unknown in the life of
any mine.
Valuable rock at a mine is known as resources or reserves. You and I use those
words interchangeably, but there is a big
difference between a mine’s resources and
its reserves.
Once a mineral deposit is found, a lot
of drilling will take place to determine how
rich the ore body is, and how big it is. Once
enough holes are drilled through a big hunk
of rock, so that it resembles Swiss cheese
(of course the holes are tiny compared to
Pacific Coastal Airlines
the entire body of rock), you can officially
make a reserve estimate. This is no small
deal – investors and share prices depend
on accurate information and making mistakes in reserve estimates can cause real
headaches, not to mention lawsuits and
other unpleasantness.
Opening a mine can take can easily cost
a billion dollars and take decades to put in
place. The proven reserves are generally
only a portion of the ore on a mine site because no one can afford to wait to prove up
all the reserves.
Once mining companies have proven a
big enough portion to make a mine viable,
they want to get the project underway to
start recouping some of the hefty money
investors plowed into getting the endeavour to that stage.
Outside of those proven, measured reserves are the resources. These are portions of rock where some ore, copper in Gibraltar’s case, have been detected, but not
in sufficient detail to confidently say there
is this much or that much.
For that reason even as mining is underway exploration continues. MacLean affirms this is true for Gibraltar. He says, “We
have an active exploration program.”
So the 26 year life span for Gibraltar will
be shortened by the increased mining operation, but it will probably be extended by
the discovery and confirmation of new ore.
How much and for how long?
No one knows, at least not yet.
However large the final volumes are,
remember the next time you sit down, just
how much of your life at home, in the car,
at work depends on the copper and other
minerals being taken out of the earth every
year. Maybe then we’ll all give miners a bit
more respect.
Photos courtesy of Taseko Mines
An operator loads 290 tonnes of rock into
one of the giant dump trucks at Gibraltar
Mine. To carry the same weight that will be
in this one load you would need 430 three
quarter ton pickup trucks. The mine hauls
over 625 giant dump truck loads a day.
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
19
This is a collection of
whole grains available
from Fieldstone Grains,
one of the Cooke
Shoppe’s suppliers
New Benefits from
Ancient Grains
By Devon Brooks
W
hen Dennis Cook and Paulette
Mercier retired the first thing they
did was un-retire by opening the Cooke
Shoppe in Trail, which sells Bosch kitchen
equipment.
With the best equipment they wanted to
promote the best food so they expanded to
sell grain mills that allow the user to mill or
grind whole grains. They also stock a plethora of grains including kamut, barley, oats,
spelt, quinoa, hard and soft wheat, flax, rye,
buckwheat and even popping corn, which is
good for making corn meal. A grain, technically speaking is a grass, and some of these
(like corn, quinoa) aren’t really in that family,
but it’s the name that most people use.
The modern grains, like wheat, corn and
rice, have been cross bred and modified so
much that they are far removed from their
wild ancestors that were cultivated 5,000
to 8,000 years ago.
Others, like oats, barley, rye and quinoa
are little changed and these are known
today as ancient grains. Says Cook, “The
ancient grains are coming back, mainly for
health benefits.”
He adds that the older you are, the more
likely you are to consider the health factor. “The younger ones are coming around
slowly, but most [buyers] are middle-aged
and older people, who are more into it.”
Health claims for grains abound including more protein, the benefits of “whole”
foods, more omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
Simply put, to give wheat flour its long
shelf life, wheat has its bran, much of its fibre, minerals, wheat germ and wheat germ
oil (source of vitamin E) stripped out.
For grains, the whole food benefit is
linked to eating them as soon as possible
after they have been milled. When any grain
is milled exposure to air starts the deterioration process; although Cook notes, “It’s
good for a week, but if you put it in the
freezer it keeps for a while longer. If you
don’t freeze it, it starts to deteriorate almost
right away.”
Modern grain mills are easy to use and
fast. The Cooke Shoppe website (www.
boshcmixers.ca) shows the lines they sell,
but also features a string of recipes and
offers the Cooking & Baking with Fresh
Ground Grains cookbook.
Even buying the raw ingredients can
make you feel good. Cook’s store sources
its grain from two suppliers, one in Chilliwack and the other in Armstrong, who in
turn buy their grain from farmers across
western Canada.
How to get there:
Paulette Mercier with oats, freshly
milled oat flour and a bowl containing
the mixed ingredients for cookies
20
Pacific Coastal flies to Trail daily. The
Cooke Shoppe is located at 1108 Marianna Crescent in Trail.
No-Guilt Chocolate
Chip Cupcakes
Recipe by Marina Prystupa
Ingredients:
• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup oat flour (freshly milled)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1 cup mini-chocolate chips
Directions:
• Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray.
• In a small bowl, combine the
applesauce, sugar, vanilla extract,
almond extract and olive oil. Stir and
set aside to allow the sugar crystals to
dissolve.
• In a large bowl, sift together the oat
flour, cocoa powder, baking powder,
baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
• Add the applesauce mixture and stir
until everything is combined.
• Fold in the mini-chocolate chips.
Scoop the batter into the muffin pan.
• Bake at F 375º for 20 minutes, or until
the tops are firm to the touch.
Makes 18 cupcakes.
Frost with icing if you desire.
Delicious!
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
Employee Profile
THE
EVOLUTION
OF ROB
Name: Rob Favel
Position: Inside Sales Representative
A
irlines are one of those companies that most of us
associate only with people we meet face to face,
like the front desk staff where we check our luggage
or those we meet on board.
There are many others of course, whose work is invisible to us. At Pacific Coastal’s head office, Rob Favel, whose official title is Inside Sales Representative,
is one of those.
Rob is one of five people in the sales and marketing department, but he describes himself as “the sales
team’s stay-at-home defenceman.”
The 42-year-old works at many tasks, and has since
he started with Pacific Coastal five years ago. If you
have a problem and are forwarded to the head office
he may be the one to help sort it out. Requests for new
services (people are requesting online flight tracking
for instance) or destinations are routed to him. Accommodating special needs or booking for a large group
are some of his responsibilities. He says, “We’ll do
whatever we can to make sure everyone gets there.”
He also, of course, helps with sales.
His well-developed customer service skills are the
result of 21 years experience in the travel industry, first
as a ticket wholesaler, later as a travel agent and at one
point, at a hotel in Japan where he met his wife.
Back on this side of the ocean he saw an opening at Pacific Coastal as a natural step in his career.
Most recently he has put on another hat as the newly
created sales and marketing analyst. He explains what
that means: “We listen to what the market is telling us.”
Small companies rely on frontline customer-employee interaction to figure out how well they are doing.
As a company grows it has to become a more strategic because what an attendant on a flight between
Haida Gwaii and Victoria hears might never make it
back to head office. That’s where Rob comes in. He solicits passengers to speak out, analyzes results, looks
for patterns, generates and studies reports to improve
company performance.
Rob enthuses about his many tasks. Asked about
the most interesting, and the hardest parts of his job,
he says they are the same. “It’s not any one thing – it’s
doing all these different things. It’s juggling all the balls
so to speak, but that’s also the best part.”
Pacific Coastal Airlines
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011
21
Plane Brain Teasers
CROSSWORD puzzle
ACROSS
1 “Lorna Doone” character
5 Sinbad’s bird
8 Demolish: Brit.
12 Idea (Fr.)
13Alas
14Cheese
15 Leg ends
16 Burmese knife
17Taro
18 Small S.A. rabbit
20Pilgrim
22 Skin vesicle
23Veneration
24Beginning
28Blaubok
32 Public vehicle
33 54 (Rom. numeral)
35 Israelite tribe
36 Ringed boa
39 Reading desk
42 Abdominal (abbr.)
44 Have (Scot.)
45 Female falcon
48Butterfly
52 State (Fr.)
53 Television channel
55Endearment
56 Mine (Fr. 2 words)
57 Rom. first day of the
month
58 Per. poet
59Maid
60 Compass direction
61 Foreign (pref.)
down
1Breach
2Design
3Profound
4Hate
5Fanatical
6 Wood sorrel
7Rudderfish
8 Flat molding
9 “Cantique de Noel”
composer
10 Kemo _______
11 Turk. title
19 Jap. fish
21Intimidate
24 Amazon tributary
25Grab
26 Kwa language
27 “_____ Abner”
Sudoku
29 “Fables in Slang” author
30 Rhine tributary
31 Television channel
34Car
37Insect
38 Presidential nickname
40Helper
41 Caddy (2 words)
43 Male duck
45Loyal
46 Hindu soul
47Celia
49Crippled
50 Dayak people
51 Aeronautical (abbr.)
54 Low (Fr.)
Sudoku answers for this issue
Fill in the grid so that every row, column and 3x3
box contains the numbers 1 through 9.
Crossword answers for this issue
22
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011SOAR
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