Editor,

Kootenay residents have been promised repeatedly by successive governments and in the Province’s own Environmental Assessment process, that the final decision on the controversial Jumbo Resort will be made locally, based on open public input and process.

After nearly two decades, the proponents have yet to apply for the most basic permit that would allow the discussion on the resort to proceed:  rezoning.

The environmental assessment process received public submissions that showed overwhelming opposition to the project, and resulted in the clear direction that rezoning by the Regional District of East Kootenay will be required if the project is to proceed.

Minister George Abbott promised a local decision in October, 2004, and Minister Ida Chong reaffirmed this in her statements of November, 2007.

Glacier Resorts Ltd.’s proponent Grant Costello has demonstrated that promoters of the resort have no intention of being subjected to a local decision. This is evidenced in their attempt to build a temporary lift with no zoning for the lift, incomplete First Nations’ consultation, and no public notification. Costello has admitted that they intend to seek invocation of Bill 11 to acquire a permit for the resort that would circumvent a local decision.

No permits for moving forward with resort construction are in place and conditions of the Conditional Environmental Assessment Certificate have not been met. Kootenay residents intend to hold the provincial government to their word, a decision by the people of the Kootenays.

Dave Quinn
Kimberley, BC

Jan Hudec (Calgary, AB) and Britt Janyk (Whistler, BC), both winners of the first World Cup alpine ski races of their career last season, were today named Alpine Canada’s Athletes of the Year.

In para-alpine ski racing, Lauren Woolstencroft (North Vancouver, BC / Calgary, AB), winner of the IPC overall Crystal Globe in the Ladies standing category, was selected as the Para-Alpine Athlete of the Year.

“TELUS congratulates this year’s TELUS Awards of Excellence recipients and all the alpine athletes who made our nation proud,” said Steve Podborski, executive director of TELUS Sport Marketing. “TELUS has a history of contributing to the success of our Canadian athletes and we are also proud of our support of Alpine Canada Alpin as we work together to help our athletes achieve their goals.”

A complete list of TELUS Awards of Excellence for ACA recipients will be made public at a gala event December 6th, 2008 during the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart.

The 27-year-old Hudec won the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart last November and was on the podium at a World Cup downhill in Wengen, SUI before a right knee injury cut short his 2007/08 season.

“Last year was a very exciting year for me and to win a World Cup race in Canada was a dream come true. My knee injury made it a bit bittersweet but it’s motivated me to work hard and come back as strong as ever and that’s what I am focused on”, said Hudec, who was named 2007 Alberta Male Athlete of the Year last May.

Janyk finished a Canadian team-best third overall in the Ladies downhill standings last season including a victory in the DH at Aspen, USA in difficult race conditions that included blowing snow.

“This is a great honour. The whole team really had a great season and I really have a lot of respect for the girls on the team,” said Janyk, who finished a team best 12th in the Ladies overall World Cup standings.

“I have complete satisfaction with my season last year. I put a lot of hard work into it and it paid off. It even pushed me more to train this summer. To know that you are one of the best not only in Canada but in the world, that’s a great feeling. And I am not letting up, it just pushes me even more,” Janyk added.

Woolstencroft captures top Para-alpine award
Woolstencroft won 13 races and was the top racer in the super G, giant slalom, slalom and super combined discipline last season, helping to lead Canada’s para-alpine to a best-ever second place finish in the Nation’s Cup standings.

“Last season was definitely special. The entire team is reaching new heights and it’s a very exciting time to be a part of the para-alpine ski team in Canada. I was really happy with how I skied last season and am working hard to ensure that I continue to get better,” said Woolstencroft, who received the award for the fifth time since 2002.

Kimberly Joines (Edmonton, AB) took home the Para-Alpine Breakthrough Athlete of the Year after earning an overall Crystal Globe in the Ladies sit skier category.

Yurkiw and Dawson named Junior winners
2008 FIS Junior World Ski Championships medalist Larisa Yurkiw (Owen Sound, ON) was named the top female Junior athlete. She won bronze in the combined in Formigal, SPA last February.

Travis Dawson, who led all Canadian men in four of five events at the 2008 FIS World Junior Alpine Championships, was awarded the top male Junior racer.

The Andrej Kozbial International Coach of the Year award is being shared this year by Ladies speed team coaches Heinzpeter Platter and Rob Boyd. Canada’s ladies speed team ended last season with seven World Cup podiums performances, including two victories.

Two top 10 World Cup finishes, including a fourth place finish just 0.10s from the podium in Kvitfjell, NOR, were the driving force behind Robbie Dixon (Whistler, BC) being named the Breakthrough Athlete of the Year.

In the Masters categories, the most improved male went to Andy Sykut (Toronto, ON) while
Christa Jenkins (Canmore, AB) receives the most improved female award.

Nominations for several domestic awards, which can be made through the Awards section of ACA’s website www.canski.org, are open to the general public until September 30th, 2008.

The public can also vote for the 2007/08 Fan Choice of the Year award online by clicking here www.canski.org.

2007/08 TELUS Awards of Excellece for ACA – Athletic Awards
Male athlete of the Year: Jan Hudec
Female Athlete of the Year: Britt Janyk
Breakthrough of the Year: Robbie Dixon
Andrej Kozbial International Coach of the Year: Heinzpeter Platter/Rob Boyd
Male Junior Athlete of the Year: Travis Dawson
Female Junior Athlete of the Year: Larisa Yurkiw
Para-alpine Athlete of the Year: Lauren Woolstencroft
Para-Alpine Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Kimberly Joines
Most improved Male Master of the Year: Andy Sykut
Most improved Female Master of the Year: Christa Jenkins

ABOUT THE TELUS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR ALPINE CANADA ALPIN
The TELUS Awards of Excellence for Alpine Canada Alpin annually recognize outstanding achievement in ski racing by Canadians during the previous season. More than 80 outstanding athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and others have been recognized by this awards program since 2002.

The Extremely Canadian gang — Derek, Damian, Drew and Steve — are currently down in Las Lenas with a group of hardcore skiers. As you read, they’re shredding lines off the Marte Chair, sipping Argentinean wines and savouring the local flavour. Here’s Derek’s Blog…

“We’re just wrapping up one of the best Las Lenas ski weeks I’ve ever been a part of. Between epic nights at the disco, never ending bottles of the world’s best red wine, and slabs of beef that melt in your mouth it’s easy to forget the main reason we’re here. The skiing obviously!

“We had two of the best days of skiing of my entire life, and I’ve put in more than a few days in some of the world’s greatest ski destinations. One run in particular stands out in my memory; Eduardo’s couloir. It’s the main face of Las Lenas, conveniently located facing directly towards all the après bars at the bottom of the mountain.

“Eduardo’s is 3500′ of steep, gnarly terrain with multiple direction changes and plenty of technical steep sections to get even the most seasoned big mountain skier’s heart pounding. My group, consisting of seven of Canada’s rowdiest realtors and tail guide Damian Cromwell hit Edouardo’s in all time fashion on Wednesday. Thigh deep snow, ultra stable avalanche conditions, and blue skies greeted us at the daunting drop in.

“Imagine looking at your hotel 4000′ below your ski tips and knowing you were going to ski blower powder right to your front door where your new amigo Flavio would be waiting with an ice cold Argentine beer to celebrate your run. We don’t have to imagine it, cause we just lived it!

“Week 2 is getting started as I peck this out and it looks to be just as wild and awesome as the first crew. For those of you who are thinking about doing this one day…. Look at your calendar for next August and draw a big red line through the last week. You’ll be here with us. Skiing steep powder slopes in the heart of summer. There’s nothing quite so surreal as strapping on your ski boots and looking down to see a flip-flop tan staring back at you. Can’t wait to see you here.”

—Derek Foose and the Ex-Can crew.

While the BC government and our local MLA seem to be assuring us that they do not think mining in the Flathead River Valley is acceptable, MAX Resource Corp has recently begun exploration, drilling for gold in the headwaters of the Flathead River.

Wildsight has been keeping an eye on mining exploration in the Flathead River Valley, near Fernie B.C. In recent months, several projects have come onto the radar, including one by MAX Resource Corp. of Vancouver. Currently, MAX Resource is exploring for gold high in the B.C. Rocky Mountains above Howell Creek. Howell Creek is part of the headwaters of the Flathead River.

According to the MAX Resource website: “MAX plans to drill a minimum of 1,000 meters at Howell, with drilling having commenced on July 21, 2008. . . The Howell Gold Project is comprised of 4,376 hectares in Southeast B.C. , straddling the drainages of Twenty-Nine Mile Creek and Howell Creek. . .”

Is this business as usual in the Flathead River Valley?

Not necessarily, in 2004 the BC government placed a no coal staking reserve on a portion of the Flathead along the Canada - U.S. Border seemingly to protect this special place from industrial developments.  But the question has always remained:  Is mining for gold, or any other mineral any less problematic for this unique, uninhabited, low-elevation river valley - the last of its kind in southern Canada?

“There has been absolutely no sign of exploration stopping in the Flathead,” said Casey Brennan, a program manager with Wildsight.  “We were pleased when the B.C. government placed a no coal staking reserve on that part of the Flathead River Valley, but have always questioned why the government doesn’t implement a plan that offers real protection for this special place.”

Brennan continued: “We all understand that there are legal implications to eliminate mining from the Flathead altogether, but Minister Bill Bennett said it best when he stated ‘it is not an impossible task.’”

Brennan said that mining exploration continues unabated in the Flathead River Valley and that a permanent solution must happen—“as soon as we can make it happen. Our government leaders are taking baby steps on their way to realizing that an industrial landscape in the Flathead River Valley is unacceptable. We encourage our leaders to start taking bigger strides towards implementing a solution that offers permanent protection to 1/3rd of the Flathead River Valley and manages the rest in a way that puts wildlife protection ahead of mining and oil and gas interests.”

For more information, contact:
Casey Brennan
Wildsight Southern Rockies and Flathead Program Manager
casey@wildsight.ca