North West Territories

Twenty some years ago they divide the vast expance of land into an eastern arctic  as well as a  west meaning a legislature was distinct from the one in Yellowknife. There is  a lot of land that on the surface looks like it is not of much value, however mineral resources are  abundant. And the world is so small now. Last week at a scrap gold and antiques buyers event. A person brought in two tobbaco cans full of high-grade silver ore.  with silver around 6 dollars an once I talked to a person who mills precious metals for mines and we estimated that the A bar of silver could be poured from the cans of at least 50 onces About 300 dollars worth of silver. Only requiring a make shift furnace producing 2200 degrees farenheit for and hour.

I was in the territories when the Hunt brothers from Texas tried to corner the market for silver,by owning 10 percent of the world supply. The price rose to about 60 dollars and once. before  the supply side economics of Ronald Regan took over in the early 1980s collapsing metal prices back to demand.

The man said that a supervisor said take some for a  reminder fo his experience, and he did, this from a mine on the Camsell River on Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories.Lots of dynamics at work here, including publicly traded shares ,but if all the construction workers did  the same it would amount to a material loss to share holders. A loss more significant then market corrections when speculation increases stock value. We say if this happens to you be aware and get a recipe or something in writing. giving you permission.

There is a six month limitation period on crimes under $5000.00 in Canada, however there is no limitation on the value of your reputation.

Free minors licences are free to people over 65 and very inexpensive for those under and it gives you the right to prospect and collect samples on unclaimed land. You can pan for gold without one.

Today in history, March 5th 1999

The first premier of the  Canadian, new territory of Nunavut is elected.

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Airstrip

There is a small airstrip here in Merritt, Saunders Field. It is on a nice little bench just north-west of town. The local city council was inviting people who would be interested to be on the airport committee to contact the city. The strip is 634 meters at 500722 North,1204450 west. It is a public airfield and yes operated by the city.

About two decades ago a premier visited it in a whirlwind working tour and a 600 thousand dollar grant was given to put night landing lights on it. The money was never used and was returned to the Cabinet. However in the last year there has been a new hanger building built and there is a going concern helicopter company at the field.

The Merritt Flying Club operates a website that updates weather every 5 minutes as well as almanac and moon phase.However the last reading shows 29/1/12 and there is a registration offer from ambient weather.

The airstrip has had scheduled  passenger service in its history never lasting long as small planes are not comfortable to use as passengers and there is commercial jet service in both Kamloops and Kelowna, about an hour and a quarter away.

A city committee is usually chaired by a councillor and is a good precursor to running for elected office.

Every now and then the Federal government lands one of its four engine search and rescue aircraft and gets fuel adding to the legitimacy of the strip.

Today in History: February 13,2008

 The Australian Prime Minister makes a historic apology to the aboriginal people ; the indigenous Australians and the stolen generations

Editors note: tomorrow  February 14, 2012, afternoon 12-1, Dr.Cora Voyageur at the local college will be giving a presention open to the public on trends in aboriginal communities: there is also and evening session.

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Today in history

Free Education, a long time ago when the old now were young an education was a great privilege. In Canada in the sixties and seventies, the criteria for the federal police force was 11-11. Five foot eleven and grade eleven. That still put the members at an advantage over the norm of grade 6; not to many years earlier. At this writing I am at a community college and a public institution that has a first nation emphais.Those north american indians were promised that education and medical attention would be free to them centuries ago. Some of them took advantage of it and used it to be involved in the community as a whole. Indians like Len Marchand were effective Members of Parliament. And a single voice of an elected native in the Manitoba Legislature halted the ratification of a consitutional amendment the meech lake accord; several years and a lot of governments ago.

Today in the hallway of the college,  at writing are some posters of Fidel Castro and some of his revolutionaries, that had some similar aspirations.

There is lots of different ways of funding an education and the onus is on the person. From criminal injury compensation administered by medical practitioner’s, to retraining when the employment people can’t find a person suitable work for the age and experience of a seeker. Rewards in scholarship for various affinities are available and a student loan system that favors the deserving.  The military in particular in the United States has a history of supporting service people to re-education since the end of the Second World War.

The posters in this school come from a site called Trabajadores Sociales and has to do with spanish speaking people in the labour curve.

PS: Happy 60th to our gracious Queen.

Today in history, February 6,1989

The round table talks begin in Poland starting the overthrow of Communism.

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NVIT

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The Nicola Valley Institute of Technology is in Merritt BC Canada and has a Campus in Burnaby BC as well . Its roots are in Merritt with a Grand Chief Gordon Antoine who had a vision to educate his people in a way that would keep their culture.

The school is for the  First Nation in Canada and has a policy of admiting others as well.

There is an element of North American Indian Culture in all the courses and it promotes the Thompson and Okanagan language. A confirmed source says that he took a 2 year college university transfer credit in biology, a 4.5 course from a PHD instructor and for a cultural investment of a day also had instruction from some native elders in traditional plant usage including making a pine needle baskets and string from Indian Hemp.

The perseverance of the founders came after the school had been located in store fronts at a distress rental time of the resource community of Merritt . Showing them self serious they eventually got a multi million dollar building that is able to expand to about twice its size .Small in the stature of many universities and colleges; the effort is unique to the way that natives can pursue education.  The institution can give credit’s up to an associate degree. It often has agreements to grant Bachelor of Social Work Workers from chartered universities and colleges such as TRU. Many graduates find work in their own aboriginal communities after completing their degrees. It is also culturally enriching to take Native studies and English courses that include another culture then your own. However the bulk of their student s come from the First Nations Community.

A source estimates that there are about 1200 students between the two campus’ and that most of them are Aboriginal. The source also says  that the new crime bill is a step backward for the aboriginal community that although having a about four percent of the national population they have a huge, out of proportion population in jails in Canada.

NVIT has a number of trades and technical courses offered from time to time. As well as law enforcement  pre seletion courses. The school encourages student democracy and civil harmony.

Accomidateing the local issues of first nations peoples in Canada.

http://www.nvit.ca/programsandcourses.htm?RD=1

 Today in History December 14th,1994

Construction begins on the Three gorges dam in China.

Today in History, December 14, 1903

The Wright brothers make first attempt to fly the Kitty Hawk.

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Tack

This valley has a tradition in the cattle business and supports a segment of the population that keep the cowboy and wrangler lifestyle. As with other pursuits in the world it generates a following and some industry, in this case a green or friendly to, or close to the earth .

 There is a tack shop and saddle maker on the corner of Nicola and Garcia and they take pride in producing quality tack .     Also a school for saddle making under the name of Don Lowen.  They have saddles on the go and it may be worth a look at the ones in progress, the Garcia street side door opens on the shop and I was recently invited in by a worker and saw two  saddles on the go.

Cowboy poets and painters set a tone for that community often celebrated at the Quilchena Hotel on Nicola Lake about 20 minutes from here. They celebrate by reenactments musical gatherings and the opportunity to live their lifestyle in a semi public way. Saddles are a status symbol to those that ply the trade at the local cattle ranches including the famous Douglas Lake Cattle Company.

Many first nations people have also taken up that lifestyle here.

Today in History, November 7 1811

Tecumseh Indian war battle of Tippecanoe .

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Mid week activities

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There are some significant activities this week in Merritt, tonite the Alexander the Great Seminar continues at the library, presenter al Horne and his wife coördinate the slides and the talk.An Academic venture,in progress as the credits for photos of antiquity are yet to be published.

The Nicola Naturalists also have and AGM tonight  at 7 o’clock at NVIT about 3 kilometers from the 6-8 presentation at the library.

There is also a member picture presentation after the expected brief business meeting.

Last evening there was an eco health forum that featured such speakers ad Scotty Holmes the chief o the Upper Nicola Indian band  and others including representation from the Community round table at evening it was sparsely attended and  coming to a conclusion in its second day of presentations and discussions.

Today in history, October 20th 1973

The Sydney Opera House opens.

Douglas College

Community college, a delegation from Douglas college in the lower mainland toured NVIT the local First Nations emphasis college here today. A source says that may be interested in an arrangement for degrees. Both  schools have university transfer courses  Douglas college grants degrees its self.  Including 2 year associate degrees, as well as  under graduate bachelor degrees. NVIT has had arrangements with numbers of schools for this including Thompson Rivers in Kamloops.

Today in History, May 4,2000

The first Mayor of London , Ken Livingstone  is the first elected Mayor in the UK , The title Lord Mayor becomes ceremonial.

Equinox feast

The college elders at NVIT hosted a spring feast on Monday. The cuisine included deer ,salmon , bannock and morel mushrooms. Sonny Oppenhiem brother to the well established First Nations artist Opie Oppenhiem was among the drummers and singers that provided a preamble to the event. A number of elders spoke briefly about seasons to the gathering before lunch including Opie..

Of interest is the FN relationship with the land which includes harvesting the morel mushrooms. The principle  a Guy Dunstan from the Lytton area in the provision of the morels said he can get up to one hundred sixty dollars a pound for the mushrooms.

About one hundred twenty five people enjoyed a traditional native feast and welcomes spring here on the first full day of spring March 21 2011.

Today in History,March 24, 1896

AA Popov makes first radio signal in history.