the broken typewriter

Happy Mother’s Day to all my fellow mothers – I hope you’re having a wonderful day with your children! Mine all came home for breakfast today, and I didn’t have to lift a finger! It always makes my heart happy when the adult children are home all at once, even if they’re pushing each other’s buttons!

In the news this week, the most read story at The Broken Typewriter was from the last April city council meeting, when North Peace Search and Rescue members Brian Lamond and Sandy Ross gave an update about their organization, and how things have improved with the acquisition of the building on 100 Ave. Lamond described having a place to call home as “the biggest life-changer search and rescue has had in Fort St. John in the last 25 years.”

The wind projects being fast-tracked by the provincial government in the region also made the news this week, when Innergex Renewable Energy gave a presentation to the Regional District board of directors. Innergex’s senior project developer Cara Vickers explained the timeline of the project to the board, which has been in the works since 2008, and expects to be up and running by 2030. They plan to engage with “interest holders” this year, and Vickers explained that they’re already working with First Nations.

But the regions directors have found the engagement sorely lacking on several fronts.

“I think you’re missing the boat on a few things already. It’s more than just First Nations that you need to be talking about as far as hunting opportunities and camping opportunities,” Area E director Dan Rose said. “Treaty 8 is an agreement to share the land, and we’re all Treaty people. And we expect to be inclusive to everybody. We’re getting letters from other First Nations that are fairly unhappy about the lack of discussion with them.”

Those letters, as well as email from area landowners expressing their concerns about Innergex’s tactics, were the subject of discussion at the Committee of the Whole meeting as well, with Board Chair Leonard Hiebert saying that it’s an “uproar in the making.”

Meanwhile, in Fort St. John and Taylor, proclamations abounded with both municipalities declaring May to be both Bluey Day Month and MS Month in the region. Bluey Day takes place on May 24 at Centennial Park, and the MS Canada flag is being flown at FSJ City Hall and the District of Taylor office throughout the month. Both groups will have the stage in Centennial Park lit up in recognition as well.

This week in Smart Money, Brad Brain writes about how it’s okay to hate part of your investment portfolio and reminds investors that gains are made over the long-term.

After a three-and-a-half year hiatus, the monthly sale of drilling rights and leases returned to British Columbia in December, and with the May sale on Wednesday, the total tender bonus paid to the provincial government has exceeded $31 million. Although this is well below the record-setting bonuses paid back in the 2000s, it does show that northeastern BC is still an economically viable area, in terms of energy exploration and production.