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CBC
an hour ago
- Health
- CBC
'Bear birdie': Golfers tee off with wildlife in Kananaskis
Bears don't need a tee time to get on the green. When she went to the Kananaskis Country Golf Course to hit the links earlier this month, Calgary golfer Jess Lawson didn't imagine she would be sharing the back nine with a black bear. "We were very grateful for our partner to be the bear on the last hole," she said. "It was like a nice little homage to golfing in the mountains." As a 600-acre open space within the heavily-forested Kananaskis Valley, it's no surprise that animals like bears are drawn to the course. "One of the things that people sometimes forget about is what an incredible environment these golf courses are for all sorts of wildlife," said Darren Robinson, the course's longtime general manager. In his nearly three decades of living and working at the course, Robinson has seen everything from elk and moose to cougars and coyotes on the green. Plus more than his fair share of bears. "There's been days last summer where I literally saw, from in the clubhouse, five different bears," he said. "Some black, some grizzlies, some young, some parents. It's beautiful." 'Automatic bear par' Golfing in a wildlife hotspot requires special considerations. "Keeping a safe distance is first and foremost the thing that we encourage the most," said Robinson. The goal is to minimize and prevent human-wildlife interactions as much as possible. With that in mind, golfers are welcome to bend the rules a bit in the name of safety. "If somebody needs to pick up on a hole where there's a bear nearby, and just give themselves a par, that's great," said Robinson. "Pick up your ball and move on to the next hole." It's called an "automatic bear par" or "bear birdie," said Robinson. "We're happy to give people the opportunity to take whatever they want on that particular hole just to maintain that safe proximity," he said. "And who doesn't like getting a par?" Spotting a bear on the green could be a golfer's lucky day, but Lawson wasn't looking to take any shortcuts. "It can really up your score if you're kind of a new golfer," she said. "But for us, we had a lot of time, so we were able to just kind of enjoy the bear, soaking in the afternoon and then we could finish on with the course." What brings bears to the fairway? Alberta Parks has issued a bear warning for Kananaskis Country Golf Course, effective May 8, due to "multiple grizzly and black bears frequenting the area." With food scarce at this time of year, spring brings bears closer to developed areas. At places like the course, they're looking for vegetation like grass and dandelions, said Nick de Ruyter, program director of the BioSphere Institute's WildSmart. "Golf courses are very nice and green. There's lots of green grass and there's not that much other food available," he said. Bear steals golf clubs from B.C. man's cart 2 years ago Duration 1:05 That increase in springtime bear activity goes beyond the golf course and is applicable on other popular destinations like hiking trails and urban centres. "This time of year, during the springtime, we're all sharing the valley bottoms together," said de Ruyter, a Canmore resident. "There's snow up high, all the available food is down low, and all our recreation is down low in the valley." Come summer, bears likely won't frequent the course as much. "July, August is berry season, and that normally takes their focus," de Ruyter said. "And so they will probably move away from golf courses in places like that." Buffaloberries, a staple of the typical bear diet, grow in human-disturbed areas where more sunlight reaches them due to trees having been cleared. "That can be around golf courses, around campgrounds, trails, day use areas, picnic areas, playgrounds, parks," said de Ruyter. "And so we do still see them near those areas, but for a different reason." Those berries grow around the green rather than in it, so bears will likely stay off the fairway and remain on the outskirts of the course in search of food. "We might not see them in the middle of the golf course as much as we do see them now, but there is a chance you'll still see them," said de Ruyter. Being bear aware Seeing a bear anywhere can be a magical moment, but it's important to always exercise caution, said de Ruyter. "Every group and ideally every person should be carrying bear spray," said de Ruyter, who releases weekly bear reports for the Bow Valley area. The Kananaskis Country Golf Course doesn't require golfers to bring bear spray, but staffers make sure to provide safety tips and information on bear activity in the area as well as contact information for Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services. Seated in a golf cart a significant distance from the bear, Lawson said she felt at ease sharing the field with the animal, even without bear spray. "It's a long walk on the 18 holes, so if you're pushing, maybe bring bear spray. But ultimately, if you're in a golf cart, you're pretty safe if you're 100 yards away," she said. There have yet to be any harmful interactions with bears at the Kananaskis course in recent history, and golfers have a role to play in keeping it that way. "What isn't fair is to start scaring bears away with your bear spray because you're playing golf," said de Ruyter. The course's "bear par" policy helps avoid scenarios like that, but according to de Ruyter, the more likely problem to arise when it comes to bears is food. "Chips, hot dogs and burgers … that's a lot more calories than some grass for them," said de Ruyter. "They will choose human food over natural foods all the time." Bears that become conditioned to human food are likely to see humans as a food source, which can create serious problems for both sides. "They will intentionally start hanging around golf courses hoping that golf carts come by with open food," said de Ruyter. "They'll try and grab the food, and then if they continue that, they'll become even more bold and then potentially start taking food out of people's hands." "Those bears will get trapped and they'll get most likely killed or relocated," said de Ruyter. As the saying goes, "a fed bear is a dead bear." Avoiding human-wildlife conflict is top of mind for Lawson the next time she tees off in K-Country. "The mountains are so beautiful, but this is technically their home," said Lawson. "So all we can do is really stay safe and make sure that we're prepared before we go out."
Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Poilievre could face leadership review as early as March
The Conservative party's national council is expected to meet mid-June to determine when leader Pierre Poilievre will face a leadership review, but there's still no sign of an overarching review of the party's failure to defeat the Liberals on April 28. The election returned a Liberal minority government, and while some Conservatives privately say Prime Minister Mark Carney could govern for as long as four years, others say work on fixing their failure to defeat him must start now. Two Conservative sources told The Globe and Mail the party's executive director is proposing national council sign off on a March leadership review, which would give party members the chance to vote on whether Mr. Poilievre should remain as leader. The Globe is not identifying the sources as they were not authorized to speak publicly about internal party matters. But, Calgary MP Greg McLean, recently appointed to lead an economic growth council advising Mr. Poilievre, told the Globe he's been instructed to be ready to present his findings at a January convention. The party did not return a request for comment. Since the formation of the modern Conservative Party, one other leader has faced a leadership review: Stephen Harper. He lost the 2004 election, held shortly after he became leader. In the review, members voted overwhelmingly to let him stay, and he went on to win three elections. Opinion: In Poilievre's defeat, a familiar call for patience – and a new appreciation for second chances Neither of Mr. Harper's successors – Andrew Scheer and Erin O'Toole – made it to a leadership review. Mr. Scheer stepped down, and Mr. O'Toole was forced out by MPs. When asked by reporters Friday if he was worried about a challenge to his leadership, Mr. Poilievre said 'no.' 'We had the biggest vote count in our party's history, the biggest increase in our party's history, the biggest vote share since 1988 and we're going to continue to work to get over the finish line,' he said. Mr. Harper, Mr. Scheer and Mr. O'Toole all commissioned reviews of their election defeats. MPs and grassroots party members insist one needs to be done now too. One effort by MPs to get a former colleague to do a probe fell flat. Some rank-and-file party members are considering organizing to force a public discussion of what they see as the campaign's failings if public steps to address and correct them aren't taken soon. Specific frustrations include the target seat program, bottlenecks around decision making, outdated campaign literature and top-down control over what local candidates could do. But the biggest anger is around nominations, and people blocked from running at the last minute in favour of hand-picked candidates. Riding and campaign managers in Ontario and British Columbia told the Globe that national campaign manager Jenni Byrne must address those shortcomings, and step back from future campaigns, or they will try to band together to oust her. Opinion: The good and unnecessarily bad of Pierre Poilievre The Globe is not naming the sources so they could speak candidly about internal party affairs. The last Conservative convention was in 2023, so one was expected soon anyway. National council can call a convention with 90 days notice, which could also neutralize grassroots efforts to force changes as there wouldn't be enough time to engage formal policy or constitutional processes. Though Conservatives did win more seats, Mr. Poilievre lost his own. He's planning to run in a by-election for an Alberta riding. Those close to him say few major changes will be made to anything the party does until that election ends. Still, there are smaller steps being taken. Long-time Conservative communications professional Katy Merrifield will soon join the staff. Jeff Ballingall, a conservative strategist, is also being brought on to help with Mr. Poilievre's image and message. Mr. McLean, the MP leading Mr. Poilievre's economic council, said his group is working to keeping policy going in the right direction. 'What Canadians saw at the end of the day was the Liberals embracing Conservative policy positions,' he said. 'Part of what we're doing with this exercise is [ensuring] we do have the ability to continue that kind of process: 'Here are the Conservative policies, Mark Carney et al, can you please follow these policies? They're better for the country than what you've been putting forward so far.''
CBC
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Superfans gather to hear resurfaced tape of Nirvana's now-famed Calgary concert
Social Sharing Stacy Krisa was only a year old when Nirvana played Calgary's Westward Club 34 years ago, but on Thursday, she got to experience the next best thing: a listening party for a resurfaced bootleg tape from the now-famed show. "This is the best night of my life," she said, overcome with emotion. "Like actually, I'm not even kidding. I might cry because I love Nirvana so much. "Honestly, tonight felt like I was at an actual Nirvana concert." The tape, played at Calgary's Ship & Anchor pub, was recently uncovered by Nirvana super fan Mike Jenkins, first reported by CBC News. Jenkins found the tape at a Calgary collectors' show and learned it was a copy of the original. That tape was recorded on March 4, 1991, by Jason (Jay) Pay on his father's Dictaphone "I kind of stood at the back of the room and just watched everyone enjoy it, and I really didn't expect everyone to enjoy a bootleg so much," Jenkins said. He played a big part in organizing the event, and to accompany the tape, he compiled a video, which featured footage of past Nirvana concerts. "Usually when something like this comes up, it just goes on the internet, and you know that's out there and people are sitting at home listening to it and [can] skip through it," Jenkins said. "But tonight was really about taking the time, listening to the music and experiencing what happened back in Calgary in 1991. And I think that's really special with the way it was set up … the speakers blasting and everyone enjoying." The concert's set list included: Love Buzz, Sliver, Dive, Floyd the Barber, Breed, Scoff, About a Girl, School, Swap Meet, Been a Son, Negative Creep, Blew, Lithium, Molly's Lips, Territorial Pissings, Spank Thru and possibly the last live performance of Mr. Moustache. The quality of the tape, heard in public for the first time at Thursday night's listening party, was way better than expected, said Arif Ansari of the Calgary Cassette Preservation Society, one of the party's sponsors. "It was a really, really great night. It was so fun to see the audience just going like bonkers over that." True to the spirit of Pay's original recording, Ansari manoeuvred through the crowd with a Dictaphone in hand, capturing people singing along to the 1991 bootleg. "Jay recorded the set on a Dictaphone like 34 years ago. So I'm like, well, what if I record 'Nirvana live at the Westward: Live at the Ship & Anchor' on a Dictaphone?" On a plain memory lane Mike Bell, author of the substack Sound Up YYC and former music reviewer for the Calgary Herald and Calgary Sun, was at the now-famed concert. Nirvana performed at the Beltline venue mere months before releasing one of the best-selling albums of all-time, Nevermind. Though the show has now reached legend-status for many in Calgary, Bell said he didn't actually remember it as "anything spectacular," adding "it was just another rock show." I went to hundreds of [shows] at that time, be it at the Westward Club, be it at the Republic, the Night Gallery, all of those. And, you never know, right? You never know what's going to be big," Bell said. But then you see Nirvana and you go, 'Wow, you know what? I was pretty lucky to see that.'" In keeping with the promise that Pay had made to Kurt Cobain to never sell the tape, Jenkins and the organizers kept the event free for all to enjoy. The event was also a fundraiser for the Distress Centre Calgary and BAM! Camp Calgary. Come as you are Along with the folks who lived through Nirvana's prime, a younger generation of die-hard Nirvana fans also got to experience the show at Thursday's listening party. Ashton Terry wasn't even born yet when the Seattle band took the Westward Club stage, but he said he's been a fan since he was five, hearing Nirvana's songs through his father. He described the opportunity to hear the tape of them playing in Calgary as "just beautiful." "Of course, there's the rock aspect to it where you just want to, like, dance, you want to bob your head and all that," he said, after the party. "But if you think about it, like, you're seeing Kurt Cobain in his prime of passion, you know, before the fame got to him, before all the tours, all the money got to him. It was before he blew up. So you're seeing his true passion, the reason why he made the music he did." While Thursday's event was for folks over 21, the Ship & Anchor is hosting another listening party for the tape on Saturday, May 31, for all ages at 5:30 p.m.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Superfans gather to hear resurfaced tape of Nirvana's now-famed Calgary concert
Stacy Krisa was only a year old when Nirvana played Calgary's Westward Club 34 years ago, but on Thursday, she got to experience the next best thing: a listening party for a resurfaced bootleg tape from the now-famed show. "This is the best night of my life," she said, overcome with emotion. "Like actually, I'm not even kidding. I might cry because I love Nirvana so much. "Honestly, tonight felt like I was at an actual Nirvana concert." The tape, played at Calgary's Ship & Anchor pub, was recently uncovered by Nirvana super fan Mike Jenkins, first reported by CBC News. Jenkins found the tape at a Calgary collectors' show and learned it was a copy of the original. That tape was recorded on March 4, 1991, by Jason (Jay) Pay on his father's Dictaphone "I kind of stood at the back of the room and just watched everyone enjoy it, and I really didn't expect everyone to enjoy a bootleg so much," Jenkins said. He played a big part in organizing the event, and to accompany the tape, he compiled a video, which featured footage of past Nirvana concerts. "Usually when something like this comes up, it just goes on the internet, and you know that's out there and people are sitting at home listening to it and [can] skip through it," Jenkins said. "But tonight was really about taking the time, listening to the music and experiencing what happened back in Calgary in 1991. And I think that's really special with the way it was set up … the speakers blasting and everyone enjoying." The concert's set list included: Love Buzz, Sliver, Dive, Floyd the Barber, Breed, Scoff, About a Girl, School, Swap Meet,Been a Son, Negative Creep, Blew, Lithium, Molly's Lips, Territorial Pissings, Spank Thru and possibly the last live performance of Mr. Moustache. LISTEN | Jason (Jay) Pay talks about recording Nirvana at the Westward: The quality of the tape, heard in public for the first time at Thursday night's listening party, was way better than expected, said Arif Ansari of the Calgary Cassette Preservation Society, one of the party's sponsors. "It was a really, really great night. It was so fun to see the audience just going like bonkers over that." True to the spirit of Pay's original recording, Ansari manoeuvred through the crowd with a Dictaphone in hand, capturing people singing along to the 1991 bootleg. "Jay recorded the set on a Dictaphone like 34 years ago. So I'm like, well, what if I record 'Nirvana live at the Westward: Live at the Ship & Anchor' on a Dictaphone?" Mike Bell, author of the substack Sound Up YYC and former music reviewer for the Calgary Herald and Calgary Sun, was at the now-famed concert. Nirvana performed at the Beltline venue mere months before releasing one of the best-selling albums of all-time, Nevermind. Though the show has now reached legend-status for many in Calgary, Bell said he didn't actually remember it as "anything spectacular," adding "it was just another rock show." I went to hundreds of [shows] at that time, be it at the Westward Club, be it at the Republic, the Night Gallery, all of those. And, you never know, right? You never know what's going to be big," Bell said. But then you see Nirvana and you go, 'Wow, you know what? I was pretty lucky to see that.'" In keeping with the promise that Pay had made to Kurt Cobain to never sell the tape, Jenkins and the organizers kept the event free for all to enjoy. The event was also a fundraiser for the Distress Centre Calgary and BAM! Camp Calgary. Along with the folks who lived through Nirvana's prime, a younger generation of die-hard Nirvana fans also got to experience the show at Thursday's listening party. Ashton Terry wasn't even born yet when the Seattle band took the Westward Club stage, but he said he's been a fan since he was five, hearing Nirvana's songs through his father. He described the opportunity to hear the tape of them playing in Calgary as "just beautiful." "Of course, there's the rock aspect to it where you just want to, like, dance, you want to bob your head and all that," he said, after the party. "But if you think about it, like, you're seeing Kurt Cobain in his prime of passion, you know, before the fame got to him, before all the tours, all the money got to him. It was before he blew up. So you're seeing his true passion, the reason why he made the music he did." While Thursday's event was for folks over 21, the Ship & Anchor is hosting another listening party for the tape on Saturday, May 31, for all ages at 5:30 p.m.
Globe and Mail
4 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Solos Energy Launches New Calgary Office, Bringing Trusted Solar Expertise to Southern Alberta
Solos Energy, a Canadian solar company founded in 2021 by Dutch entrepreneurs Maarten Vos and Liza Klingers, has opened a new office in Calgary, expanding its services across Southern Alberta (including Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, and more). Known for its practical, transparent approach and European-style efficiency, the company offers full-service solar solutions—from custom design to installation and ongoing support. Calgary, AB - May 31, 2025 - Solos Energy, a Canadian-owned solar company founded in 2021, is excited to announce the launch of its Southern Alberta service region, now serving Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, Chestermere, and surrounding communities. Founded by Maarten Vos and Liza Klingers, originally from the Netherlands, Solos Energy brings a practical, no-nonsense approach to solar, influenced by their experience in a country where rooftop solar is the norm. Since launching, the company has completed hundreds of installations across British Columbia, blending European efficiency with local expertise. 'In the Netherlands, solar is a standard choice — one in four homes has panels on the roof,' says Maarten Vos, co-founder of Solos Energy. 'Alberta gets even more sunshine, so it just makes sense. We're here to make solar simple, accessible, and cost-effective.' The new branch will be led by Jake Cohen, Solos Energy's Chief Operating Officer and a Calgary native, who brings deep local knowledge and hands-on experience in the solar industry. He will oversee all operations across the Southern Alberta region. 'We're excited to have someone of Jake's caliber on the ground,' adds Liza Klingers. 'He understands our standards and shares our passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences.' Solos Energy offers complete solar solutions for homes and businesses, including: Every project is overseen by a dedicated project manager, who handles communication, permitting, and rebate coordination from start to finish. Installations are completed by in-house, licensed electricians and highly trained solar professionals. Solos Energy is proudly NABCEP-credentialed, meeting the highest industry standards for quality and safety. 'We believe in clear communication and complete transparency,' says Klingers. 'From day one, our clients know what to expect and what it will cost — no surprises.' Solos Energy also educates and supports homeowners in accessing available incentives, including the Canada Greener Homes Loan, provincial rebates, and Micro-generation Programs — making solar more affordable and accessible for Albertans. With Alberta's solar market expected to grow steadily in the coming years, Solos Energy is committed to investing locally — hiring and training staff based in Southern Alberta, including apprentices, to deliver consistent, high-quality service throughout the region. Media Contact Company Name: Solos Energy Contact Person: Maarten Vos Email: Send Email Phone: (587) 299-3536 Address: 27 Crestbrook Link City: Calgary State: Alberta Country: Canada Website:
