With regards to: Tourism set for a rocky 2009

It’s sad to think that we look at Banff and Lake Louise as threats and enemies when it comes to economics. Jasper Tourism and Commerce President Todd Noble notes Banff is aggressively pursuing tourists, which is putting an increased strain on Jasper. At its recent annual general meeting, Banff-Lake Louise tourism executive director Julie Canning told her members the destination was stealing market share and was continuing to grow.

All three of our beautiful towns are situated in the beautiful?Canadian Rockies.? When a world traveller considers any one of our towns they don’t think of us as an individual destination, but as a destination on the whole. When a traveller comes to Jasper, they don’t just stay and visit our beautiful town, they want to see as much of “THE CANADIAN ROCKIES” as they can. It’s all around us on how the world travel agencies advertise and markets all three of our towns as a destination holiday package to The Canadian Rockies. It’s absolutely a shame that these three towns cannot recognize the benefits of working together and sharing the market... Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise. “The Canadian Rockies.” So much time and money is spent on marketing each individual town that a marketing fee has either been considered or implemented. Maybe, just maybe if these three towns could decide to WORK TOGETHER with these world agencies then the marketing fees could become none existent, which would certainly be a welcome savings to many destination travellers.

Yvonne VanBeek,
Jasper

Homelessness is no joke

Oh, it’s not unexpected to hear that the “property police” are at it again! The story of the two residents who are being evicted because their accommodation isn’t “accommodation” is sad. Once again the “temporary” residents of such a welcoming place as Jasper get the short end of the housing market (although three and six years respectively can hardly be defined as “temporary”)

However, irrespective of the legal status of the place they live in, they do have rights. If they took up residence in their abode in good faith then the responsibility for alternative accommodation, or compensation, rests with the property owner. (“Responsibility” is the operative word here!)

Innocent victims are just that; innocent. And, as such, they should not suffer as a consequence of circumstances beyond or out of their control.

Although the law is being upheld here, it is also the obligation of the law to “accommodate” (no pun intended!) the needs of the two unfortunate individuals. Homelessness is no joke.

I’m sure that everyone in Jasper agrees with this sentiment.

Will Mackinnon

Trip could damage environment

It has been of interest to me to learn that Parks Canada has given ‘special permission’ to a large group of Metis and others to travel the back country of the park in July/August of this year. I understand that the group will consist of 70 to 80 head of horses and 40 plus people.

I outfitted and worked in Jasper National Park for 30 years and was always required to obtain (and pay for) permits for trucking, pre-booked campsites, grazing, etc. for every single trip I made. I held a valid outfitters licence and was never granted ‘special permission’ for any trip. One season, I handled a large group of

Jasper students on a historic trip up the Whirlpool River to the Athabasca Pass where they continued on foot to the Fraser River. One half of the group rode one day and walked the other; we packed all the gear. We were restricted to the maximum number of horses as no special permit was an option.

In an age where we are supposed to be ‘environmentally conscious,’ it’s certainly not rocket science to figure out the negative impact (rain or no rain) this size of group will have on the trails and campsites. To my knowledge there is not a campsite in Jasper’s back country that can accommodate at one time, 70 head of horses for graze and a campsite for tents, firewood and toilet facilities for 40 people. 

I understand the organizers of this group are attempting to bring public awareness to the fact that the Metis people were wrongfully evicted from the park in 1910. But why does it have to be done at such a large scale with total disregard to the environment and all rules and regulations that legitimate park outfitters have to abide by, in order to make a living?

Is it government logic that government (or taxpayers) money be spent to break government imposed rules and regulations? Are we supposed to be ok with this because it’s a ‘historic’ trip in which some government officials are partaking? I think that this is a precedent setting decision by parks that will have negative repercussions, environmentally and socially.

Lenore Vinson, Metis,
Grande Cache