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The show must go on In my lucky life I've had the pleasure of being involved (even if only a spectator) at six Olympic Games, countless World Cup events in all disciplines, and cultural spectacles ranging from Sundance to Lollapalooza.

The show must go on

In my lucky life I've had the pleasure of being involved (even if only a spectator) at six Olympic Games, countless World Cup events in all disciplines, and cultural spectacles ranging from Sundance to Lollapalooza. I'm old enough to remember when the Grateful Dead was a new band and young enough gawk at the dancers at the Big Air Contest.

And in all this, I can tell you that I have never had more fun than at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival. The events and your town still have the exuberance, spirit, and vibe that is only history in so many other places.

The first reason for this letter is to express my appreciation to everyone in the community, from school kids to painted-and-pierced youth to grey-haired rockers, for your contribution to "Whistler Energy." It's a feeling you won't fully appreciate until you don't have it any more.

The most important message I have is as a grateful outsider looking in at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival. I speak to you individually as well as to business, civic, and governmental institutions. My advice is from experience as well as the heart.

Treasure what you have, don't take it for granted, and never lose your edge.

Other communities, resorts and interested parties have taken notice of WSSF. Don't think for a moment that they are content to sit back and let Whistler dominate the spring and events that are truly qualified to carry the title "World Festival." There's a hundred executives across North America who have every intention of poaching your ideas, your spirit, and any event that's been Whistler's own.

Given the mix of on-snow events, music, and the photo/video programs that make up the WSSF, Whistler is poised to "own the spring" and solitify its rightful place on a list that includes Sundance, Cannes, Daytona, Woodstock, and the other places that had the ingenuity, willpower, and luck to permanently establish themselves as the undisputed, premier location for a particular event genre. It's not enough to have big mountains, deep snow, and prominent corporations.

The question is, "Will the people and businesses of Whistler, nurture and protect what you have started? Will you carve your name in stone at the top of the list?"

For both selfish as well as altruistic reasons, I hope so. You have my respect, my heart, and my envy.

Jack Turner

Commissioner - WSSF Photography Events

Durango, CO

 

Rocky Mountain high…

What do you do with a 25 pound chocolate Easter bunny?

Last March my wife, Margaret, filled out a ballot in the Pique to win the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory’s chocolate Easter bunny. It never occurred to us that we might win or what we would do with 25 pounds of chocolate.

On the evening of March 31st we had just sat down to dinner when the phone rang. We had won. When my wife broke the news to our daughters, the look on their faces was priceless. But what do we do with it? We already had a house full of Easter chocolate. Margaret came up with a wonderful idea. Donating the bunny to Canuck Place , which looks after children with life-limiting illnesses, would surely bring smiles and joy to a lot of children in need of a little happiness.

Our girls had the pleasure of taking the bunny to school for show & tell, and then it was off to Canuck Place .

This year the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory’s draw helped make Easter very special for a lot of children.

The Watts family,

South Surrey/Whistler

 

As the main wee beastie behind the full-page ads and petition against hosting the WEF, I have done an awful lot of research in the last while. So I was amused to see proponents react to our ads with the charge of "misinformation". Especially in light of the fact that our ads and website encourage people to explore numerous sources for further information (including the WEF’s own website), while their own material suggests one source of information only – the WEF.

And I guess that’s the problem. If you only have one book, and you keep reading it over and over, you start to believe that’s the only story. So let’s open a couple more books shall we?

First, this idea that the WEF is some sort of non-profit, philanthropic organization of visionaries with nothing in mind but improving the state of the world. In truth, the WEF is a private, invitation-only group of the "1,000 foremost corporations in the world" that seek to "proactively participate in shaping the global agenda" – the WEF’s own words.

But what about all those others who attend their Annual meeting, you ask, the "visionaries" we keep hearing about – U2 front man Bono, former President Bill Clinton, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu? Well, they’re not members, but guests . And as guests, they have no input into the agenda of the WEF.

Who does have input into the agenda? WEF "Partners" – about 40 corporations that can afford the US$250,000 /year it costs to be a Partner. (Regular members pay US$ 12,500 / year, and there are also Annual meeting fees of up to US$78,000 per year. The WEF collected almost US$39 million in fees from members in 2000/2001.)

Okay, so now let’s open another book. How accurately does this organization "committed to improving the state of the world" reflect the global reality? Well, the directors on the WEF’s two main boards are over 98 per cent male (100 per cent male until 2001, when one woman was added). They are over 75% white. And since its general membership is the 1,000 wealthiest corporations in the world, the vast majority are naturally from the US, Europe and Japan. So basically we’ve got an invitation-only, private club of primarily rich, white males deciding what’s best for the world. Gee, that’s unusual, isn’t it?

Book number three: We have been told their Annual meeting is a "non-political" conference where "no decisions are made." Non-political? Among the attendees in New York this year were 18 presidents, three Prime Ministers, three members of Royalty, nine U.S. Senators, nine US Congressmen, and countless other politicians including Premier Campbell and various Federal Ministers. In October of 2001, Premier Campbell was also Session Chair at a WEF Summit in Asia.

Not only has this "non-political" WEF been involved in closed-door discussions for almost a year with the governments of Whistler, B.C., and Canada, but it has also convinced those governments to keep those discussions secret from their citizens.

And what about that "no decisions are made" at their Annual meeting bit? Well, at New York this year, before Whistler Council had even discussed the issue in public, Premier Campbell decided to invite the WEF to use Whistler as a venue for its Annual meeting. That’s a decision. Are we to assume it was the only one made between all those politicians and business leaders at the 5—day meeting?

We’re getting quite a library now, huh? I could go on and on (just ask my wife) but I want to mention one aspect of the WEF that really bugs me – the assertion that these are the only people who can really change the world. That all these wealthy, powerful people holding a lavish five-day "non-political" meeting where "no decisions are made" are going to be our saviors.

You know what? Give me the nurses and MD’s on the front lines with Doctors Without Borders any day. Or the many fine people who go to developing countries and help dig wells, build housing and work for human rights. Or closer to home, lawyers who work pro bono for disadvantaged clients. Teachers who work in inner-city schools. People volunteering their time at crisis lines, food banks, and women’s shelters. They don’t need a lavish conference funded with $10’s of millions of taxpayers’ dollars to figure out what needs to be done. They’re already doing it.

Contrast this with the WEF. Its motto? "Committed to improving the state of the world."

Its latest philanthropic thrust on behalf of humankind? It would provide ski passes and rentals for all delegates attending the Annual meeting in Whistler.

Ahhh, Mother Theresa would have been proud.

Van Powel

Whistler

 

Everything in proportion

There is currently an initiative to establish a proportional representation electoral system in BC, and your help is required to make it happen.

Proportional representation elections means that the proportions of MLA's in the legislature correspond to the proportions of the overall popular vote in the province.

For example, last year, BC elected a Liberal government with 58 per cent of the popular vote. That 58 per cent resulted in 77 of the 79 seats (97 per cent representation) in the legislature. Twenty-one per cent of the votes went to the NDP who ended up with two seats (3% representation). The 12.4% of voters who supported the Green Party ended up with no representation in the legislature at all.

Interestingly, in the 1996 election, under a proportional system we would

have had a Liberal minority government. That would have made quite a

difference!

This electoral reform legislation is being proposed by Mrs. Adriane Carr of Gibsons, B.C., under the provisions of B.C.’s Recall and Initiative Act. In order to succeed, this initiative will need to gather the signatures of 10% of the registered voters in every one of the 79 ridings in the province. That's 225,000 signatures province wide.

Elections BC requires that all the signatures be gathered by a registered signature-gatherer (canvasser) between May 13 and August 12. If successful, the provincial government would have to either introduce the proposed legislation in the legislature or put it to a province wide referendum.

The proportional representation system proposed under the current initiative is very similar to the proportional representation system used in Germany, and the system that was adopted by a binding national referendum in New Zealand in 1993. 70 other countries also use proportional representation electoral systems, including most of Europe.

What is needed now are canvassers to gather signatures.

All you need to do is fill out a canvasser application form and send it to Ms. Carr whom will sign it and forward it to Elections BC. An Elections BC canvasser card will then be sent to you. You will then have the authority to gather signatures from your friends, neighbours, co-workers and any other registered voters in our riding.

If you want to find out more please visit www.freeyourvote.bc.ca or phone 1-866-776-7379. You can also print a copy of Election BC's canvasser application form from this web-site.

Even if this initiative does not succeed this time around, it will achieve a good and necessary purpose -to educate people about a fairer electoral system and get them excited about the potential to improve our democracy in B.C. It’s time.

Stéphane Perron

Whistler

 

Point of procedure…

I have always understood that the vote of the mayor was only to break ties in council decisions. With Kristi Wells absent, there were five councillors present and the vote was 3 - 2 against the WEF. This was not a tie. How was the mayor able to vote and thus create the deadlock that resulted in the compromise decision?

Jim Kennedy

Whistler

How about a do-over?

It is disappointing that after all of the public input, debate, and rhetoric that the decision regarding the invitation to the WEF was made by an incomplete council.

My heartfelt condolences to Councilor Wells and her family, and by no means do I wish to make light of a personal tragedy or suggest that she managed her time incorrectly. I am simply surprised that there were no provisions in place to either delay the vote or allow Ms. Wells to be heard either in absentia or after the fact.

While it is unwise to make any assumptions about how Ms. Wells would have cast her vote, I believe that most people following the debate would agree that she was viewed as being in favour of extending an invitation to the WEF. Those following the issue would also agree that the "conditions" of the invitation will appear as laughable to the decision makers at the WEF as they are sure to be courted by a multitude of venues offering no such restrictions. (I would like to exclude the "sustainability agenda" condition from the previous statement as it was an excellent suggestion and would likely be seriously considered by an organization such as the WEF.)

I am ignorant of the intricacies of municipal charters and council procedures but it strikes me as odd that a decision of this magnitude can be taken with 1/7th of the elected voices not being present due to extenuating circumstances.

To the fear-mongers and rhetoric poets: Congratulations! you won! your short sighted views have robbed us a world-class legacy in the form of a cutting edge conference facility, Insulted both the Federal and Provincial Governments, seriously jeopardized our Olympic bid, shuffled us off the world stage, and generally weakened a community.

Alex Hugessen

Whistler

An avalanche of support

The Canadian Avalanche Association and the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association would like to express our gratitude to the organizers of the 1 st Annual Longhorn joint CAA/CARDA fundraiser. A special thanks goes out to John Barber of Whistlers Best Promotions for making this event happen, as well as to Dick Gibbons and Norm Strim from the Longhorn for so generously providing the venue and the support for this event.

A big Thank-you as well to all of the sponsors who so generously donated the many door prizes.

With the widespread cutbacks in government funding, the survival of the CAA Public Avalanche Bulletin is dependant on a partnership between the private sector and the Provincial Government. Events such as these go a long way towards ensuring the survival of the PAB.

The funds that CARDA will receive from the proceeds of this event are earmarked towards the purchase of communications equipment to help expedite our dog handler’s response to any avalanche rescues.

Thank you!

Anton Horvath

Chairman BOD, CAA

President, CARDA

WSSF a credit to the arts

As the President and Chair of the Whistler Community Arts Council, I heartily congratulate the World Ski and Snowboard Festival for the inclusion of the arts in their program.

The Filmmaker Showdown and Pro Photographer Search/Showdowns were first class events showcasing the art of recreation. The events captured the spirit of this community, the energy of this magnificent playground, as well as our love for nature and adventure. I would like to thank the producers for their insight and for presenting such talent and art in this entertaining manner.

Equally I thank the contestants for taking up the challenge and for sharing their work with us all.

Finally I’d like to finish by encouraging all our event producers to look at incorporating art into their events and to working with the WCAC wherever possible. Whistler is a spiritual place, a magical place, let us show the world through the talents of our many great artists.

Great work WSSF, W1 and all those who made this inspiring event what it is.

Many thanks.

John Hewson

President and Chair

Whistler Community Arts Council

Hospital before conference centre

With reference to Ann Chiasson’s comment on the surgical centre plan ("Get a Grip, April 26 Pique"):

Like Ann, I myself have had the misfortune to get sick and had to be rushed to a hospital in Vancouver three times over the past 23 years. Each time it was touch and go and one time I nearly didn’t make it even though I had a police escort.

I am sorry to say that even though a hospital in Whistler should be given the highest priority, I don’t think it is going to happen for a long time, at least the present all-mighty mayor and his merry men and women are still in authority in Whistler.

As we all know all our mayor ever thinks about is spending our money to make life for the tourists better and better regardless of how it is going to affect people who have lived and worked here for most of their lives.

Just think about what sort of hospital $35 million dollars would have built, the amount that is being spent to upgrade the conference Centre. They have never spent that much on Buckingham Palace since it was built.

And when it is finished, who is going to benefit from all the taxpayer money that has been spent. Certainly not the locals.

It’s not going to make that much difference to me because, like a lot of other long-time residents, come September I will be heading down the highway.

Why? Because even though I have never been out of work for one day since coming to Whistler, when I retire I will not be able to afford to live here any longer. It’s not that I really want to but it would have been nice to have the freedom of choice.

Even though I am leaving Whistler, I still agree with Ann Chiasson’s point that the best thing that could happen to Whistler is a hospital and also a long term care home to look after our seniors.

Imagine how you would feel if somebody very close to you needed emergency medical treatment and had to go to Vancouver to get it. And didn’t make it.

Gordie Henson

Whistler

 

See you all again next year…

The World Ski and Snowboard Festival banners have been taken down, Blackcomb Mountain is closed until June and we have been enjoying some terrific spring skiing and riding as the 2001-2002 winter season comes to a close. Now that the bulk of the winter play is behind us we have taken some time to reflect upon the last several months and like many in the business community we find ourselves astounded by how successful season this year turned out to be. It is with that background that we would like to take the opportunity to thank the many people and organizations that contributed to the resorts overall success.

In light of the tragic events of last September, the outlook for the 2001-2002 season was uncertain. Worry was prevalent throughout the entire travel industry. People stopped traveling and in response airlines reduced capacity. It was readily apparent that the world had changed and that business strategies would need to change as well. In true Whistler fashion many people in the resort responded to the call to action with a sense of teamwork and creative thinking that was needed to be competitive in the changing landscape. With leadership from organizations such as Tourism Whistler and the lodging community, aggressive marketing & sales plans were adapted to the times that we were experiencing. Collaborative efforts were abundant and it appeared as though personal needs were set aside for the greater good of the entire resort community. It seemed to take forever to see that the extraordinary efforts were actually having an effect. Guests definitely changed their lead-time for planning their holidays, often waiting until the last moment before securing their flight and hotel reservations. This behaviour pattern contributed to an entire season of uncertainty and it was not really until the Easter holidays had passed that most businesses started to admit that the season had really turned out very well. As a part of the resort that benefited from this act of solidarity, we applaud the business community for working together. Well done and thank you!

Meanwhile on the front lines, everyone from the servers at local restaurants to the people fitting equipment at ski and snowboard shops worked tirelessly to serve our visitors. The result for Whistler guests was an experience worth revisiting. As great a playground as Whistler is, it's the working people of this valley that put the final touch on the memories that guests take home with them. Once again the service offered by the resort has added to a positive final outcome. We offer a heartfelt thank you to everyone for the part that they played in making this a reality.

We would also like to thank the true essence of Whistler-- the mountain enthusiasts that live here and in the surrounding region. It was a wonderful snow year and there were many awesome days of play on the mountains.

According to the high rate of use by passholders, this was a reality not lost on you. To our passholders and local skiers and riders, we appreciate your loyalty and thank you for your continued support.

Finally, we would like to thank the Whistler Blackcomb staff and volunteers.

Not knowing what last season would bring, we re-thought our business plan in an effort to be prepared for the anticipated change in business. We realize that some of the strategies that we asked you to support caused you to change your working patterns and practices. Your response was understanding, supportive and first class. We thank you for the many extra efforts that you made over the course of this past season.

Doug Forseth, Senior Vice President of Operations

Dave Brownlie, Senior Vice President of Finance

 

Sustainability is dynamic

Re: "Strengthening the Weak Leg of the Sustainability Stool"

Brent Leigh deserves credit for highlighting the importance of social concerns in the pursuit of sustainability (April 19). His call to be "clear on the values we are trying to aspire to" might yet light the way ahead for a community that stands at a crossroads. Still, there were two ideas in his story that didn’t ring entirely true.

The first was the suggestion that sustainability is about balance. While the metaphor of the three-legged stool makes for convenient shorthand, it simplifies the most vexing challenge of sustainability — it is not about balance, it is about the dynamic interplay of social, economic and environmental aspirations and the tradeoffs that must be made as one moves towards sustainability. A key question (perhaps the key question) facing Whistler is how to define the criteria that will allow good tradeoffs to be made.

The second idea that piqued my interest was Leigh’s call to celebrate employees during an upcoming week-long "event". This is, of course, admirable, but it also potentially masks a harsh reality — what about the other 51 weeks of the year? How authentic are the relationships between employers and employees? What constitutes a "living wage" in Whistler? What differences exist in employer — employee relationships in resort communities from other communities? The list of questions goes on, but the point is simple — while periodic celebrations are good, even catalytic if done well, we shouldn’t lose sight of the bigger picture.

Brent Leigh is quite right in his call to focus our energy on the social dimension of sustainability. My comments are intended to help him, and others, sharpen their thinking and focus when they take up his call to arms.

Rob Abbott

Vancouver, B.C.