Podunk Below the Masthead (Wednesday, January 20, 2010)

Sharing in the planning on Haida Gwaii, CityWest is optimistic for 2010 and Guns n Hoses is set for Saturday, some of the items of note for Wednesday.

Daily News, Front page, headline story
HAIDA GAIN RECOGNITION OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR GWAII HANAAS-- Details of the past weekend's agreement with the Federal government which will see the Haida share in the planning responsibility of Gwaii Hanaas National Park.

Wednesday's paper also features profile of Alfred Devera, a former Prince Rupert resident and current BCIT student who will be volunteering at GM Place during the upcoming Olympic hockey tournament.

The Daily provides its weekly account of crime with the RCMP's provided Crime Beat feature, this week featuring details of the Sunday morning disturbance, a business transaction gone wrong which might have been best left unreported and concerns over behavior on an MSN chat line.

The sports section featured a review of the success of the Prince Rupert figure skating club in Vanderhoof and a winning tournament for the local peewee rep squad in minor hockey.

(Archive for Daily News Articles for January 20, 2010)

The Northern View
CityWest anticipates best year on record in 2010 -- CityWests Marketing and Sales rep painted a positive picture for the Prince Rupert Chamber of Commerce, suggesting that CityWest's future in 2010 is going to be bright. Though he provided few details or numbers as to the actual financials of the company during the course of the optimistic outlook (see article here)

CFTK TV 7 News
Playing hockey for a good cause -- Some background on the upcoming Guns n Hoses charity hockey game, scheduled for the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre on Saturday night at 7pm (see article here)
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Sahar Nassimdoost's report for CFTK News.
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CFTK TV 7 News
Review Panel Members Appointed -- The names were released on Wednesday of the participants in a three member review panel looking at Enbridge's planned pipeline development. The panel is part of the process involved, which will involve public consultations on the project all set to take place over the next eighteen months. (see article here)

CBC News Northern British Columbia, Daybreak North
More delays in the return of on line content for the Daybreak North website, as the CBC's technical woes appear to be continuing. The CBC has revised their start up date for the new service, advising that the site will launch "shortly".

Daily News, front page, headline story
Haida gain recognition of shared responsibility for Gwaii Hanaas
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Wednesday, January 20, 2010

It was a significant three days in the annals of Haida History.

On Saturday, the Haida finalized an agreement with federal government for shared planning responsibility of the Gwaii Hanaas National Park in Southern Haida Gwaii.

On Monday, the Haida Heritage Centre at Kay Llnagaay received an authentic Aboriginal designation by the Aboriginal Tourism Association of B.C.

Haida Heritage Centre is one of five tourism businesses in British Columbia to receive the ‘Authentic Aboriginal’ title, a new designation awarded by the Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia. The distinction recognizes the most culturally authentic, accurate and respectful representations of First Nations peoples and cultures in British Columbia’s tourism industry.

Cultural Authenticity is a new program launched by AtBC to help visitors differentiate which of the operators in British Columbia’s booming Aboriginal cultural tourism industry are among the most culturally authentic Aboriginal and Métis-owned businesses in the province.

“Authenticity is the guiding principle of our organization,” said Jason Alsop, Operations Manager, Haida Heritage Centre. “Our job is to inspire understanding and respect for all the Haida Gwaii. We can’t do that effectively if we aren’t being true to ourselves as Haida. It’s an honour to be recognized for our achievements, and we are happy to be part of a program that will deliver our message and spread the word about what is happening here on Haida Gwaii. We look forward to continuing to building a strong relationship with AtBC and the other operators in promoting Aboriginal tourism to the world.”

The authenticity sticker gives those named a promotional leg up. Keith Henry, CEO of AtBC, says it is also a chance to enhance the value of ‘Made in B.C.’ products.

“We want to avoid the equivalent of the ‘Made-in-China’ totem pole,” said Henry. “By recognizing our most culturally respectful and authentic Aboriginal business operators, we’re helping visitors easily identify which operators have well developed, culturally appropriate programming. It is also a way to recognize the operators who go extra lengths to incorporate their culture and industry-leading hospitality into the product.”

As for the Gwaii Hanaas announcement, the Haida were able to come to an agreement that echoes a similar one signed with the provincial government last month.

“I am absolutely thrilled to announce this historic agreement with the Haida Nation to cooperatively manage what is one of the most remarkable natural and cultural parts of the country,” said Environment Minister Jim Prentice.

“This would be the first natural area in the world that is protected from the very tops of the mountains to the bottom of the ocean. I could not think of a better way to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity.”

According to a federal government press release, the proposed boundaries of the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve follow those of the Haida Heritage Site extending about ten kilometres offshore from Gwaii Haanas, encompassing approximately 3,400 square kilometres of the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Shelf Marine Regions.

The addition of the Gwaii Haanas marine area to the existing national park reserve will result in over 5,000 square kilometres of protection from mountaintop to sea floor – a first for Canada and the world.

Fisheries and Oceans will still control the fisheries in the area, but Haida marine activities such as commercial fishing and recreational activities that meet conservation objectives will be permitted within the boundaries of the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve.

“This allows us to put aside our differences and turn our attention to looking after and healing the waters,” said Guujaaw. “Gwaii Haanas will light a clearly needed beacon on troubled waters.”