I live in Jasper, and when people ask me what I think of it, I proudly say I love  it. If they encourage me more, I say I love the mountains (sometimes I think I could never live without them), skiing, the beautiful scenery that is close enough to touch, the busy community that always has something going on, and a job that allows me to be involved in all of those activities. 

Yes, it’s true, I’ve been here just nine, lowly months. But here’s the thing, I have no plans to go anywhere in the near future. Doesn’t that make me just as much a local as the next person? I call this my home, I contribute to the community. I do some volunteer work when I have the time and hope to do even more in the summer, and I lug my groceries across town like the rest of us. I love shopping here, and have found clothing stores you’d never find in the big cities. 

I think of myself as a cheerleader for Jasper. Whenever I travel to see family and friends, I tell them all about Jasper, and borderline harass them to come visit. 

Sure, I wasn’t born-and-raised in Jasper. I was born-and-raised in Red Lake, Ont., but I moved from there when I was nine. Is that where I can call myself a local? I have seen and lived in other parts of Canada. I’ve travelled to Europe and parts of the U.S. All of these experiences brought me to Jasper, and I think I brought with me a unique mix of all of my experiences. I think everyone who moves to Jasper brings something different, and influences this town for the better. 

Why is it, that those of us who haven’t been here for 20, 40 or 50 years aren’t considered local? And what the heck is the difference between a “resident” and a “local”, anyway?

According to the Fitzhugh’s copy of the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, the definition of local is: 1.  belonging to, existing to, or pertaining to a particular locality as opposed to the country as a whole; 2. limited, peculiar to, or only encountered in a particular place or places; 3. Of or belonging to the neighbourhood; 4. an inhabitant of a particular place, regarded with reference to that place.

A resident, on the other hand is listed as: (noun) 1. A permanent inhabitant; 2. A bird belonging to a species that does not migrate; (adjective) 1. residing, in residence. 2. (of birds, etc.) non-migratory.

So let’s see, I belong to a neighbourhood, in Jasper. I am a Canadian, but I also pertain to Jasper. I think I’m only residing here. There’s only one of me, so I certainly can’t be residing anywhere else. I do not migrate, I have no plans to leave, which makes me permanent. I reside here, and again, I’m non-migratory (and not a bird). 

So by Oxford’s definition, I am both a local and a resident. So why, by some Jasperite’s definition, am I not? If I don’t belong here, where do I call home? As a new member of this community, the anti-outsider idea leaves me feeling extremely unwelcome. 

I’m not a temporary worker, but living here for nine months has shown me that those who come for the season and leave afterwards are a valuable asset. This town probably couldn’t run without them. Are they any less valuable to our community?

People moving to Jasper bring in things the community never had before. There are so many wonderful communities within the community that make Jasper the place it is. We have temporary workers that come for the ski season or the summer time; hard-working people from other countries that stay for a few years, or try to move their families over for a better opportunity; we have other Canadians who discover Jasper and never leave, and those that are lucky enough (like myself) to have their career take them to this town. 

The way I see it, if you’re contributing to the town, you’re a member of this community, even if it’s just for a little while. A local, a resident, a citizen of Jasper – whatever you want to call it.

But hey, what do I know. In the eyes of some, I’m not a local, am I?

DISCLAIMER: The Last Word is an opinion column, it is meant to provoke thought and debate. As such, any opinions written here are the writer’s own and do not reflect the viewpoint of any other Fitzhugh staff member or the directors of the Jasper Media Group Inc.