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Archive for the 'Northwest Community College' Category
The 2013 Mature Student Award Recipients
Posted in aboriginal art, art, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, indian art, Mature Student Award, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Community College, northwestcoast art, Personal, Uncategorized, tagged aboriginal art, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, indian art, Mature Student Award, native art, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Coast Community College, Personal, Uncategorized on April 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Last weekend, I flew north to Terrace to give out the Mature Student Award at the Freda Diesing School graduation. This was the fourth year I have sponsored the award, and the third in which one main recipient and two honorable mentions were named. The award honors students twenty-five and older, recognizing that returning students face challenges in returning to school that younger students don't, yet often contribute grreatly to a class.
The main recipient was Steven Wesley, a member of the Eagle side of the Haida Nation. Wesley fished for many years, then returned to school in 1997 to earn his high school diploma. "I wanted to be a role model for my daughters," he said. "I wanted to show them that even their Dad could get his Grade Twelve.
Wesley went on to become a bus driver and trucker. However, he relates that, in 2002, "A friend handed me a knife and a block of wood and asked if I wanted to carve. And ever since I kept pursuing my dream of becoming an artist," he says.
Although mostly self-taught and learning by observing others, Wesley was accepted at the K'san School in 2004. However, he had to turn down the position due to lack of funding. When he applied to the Freda Diesing School in 2008, he was luckier in finding support."I just wanted to learn everything," he says. "I taught myself how to do the ovoids and U shapes but I wasn't sure they were the way they should be. So, coming back, I wanted to learn from the beginning again. "
However, for Wesley, the most satisfying part of his first year was learning about negative space in carving: "how deep, how high, how wide. I knew the forms, but I didn't know how to use negative space in my designs."
He plans to return for his second year in September, and to carve and paint over the summer. "The more you carve, the less you forget," he says.
One of the two honorable mentions was given to Roberta Quock, a Tahltan from Telegraph Creek who grew up in Merritt and Kamloops. Long interested in painting and beadwork, she says, "I've always wanted to go to this school to study more and to learn carving and study more of the culture."
Besides beginning to learn how to carve, Quock found the first year class a friendly place to learn. "We really bonded together, and we helped each other out," she says. "We looked out for each other like a family."
Quock also plans to return for her second year, studying beside her brother Lyle.
The other honorable mention went to Lorretta Quock Sort, a Tahltan of the Crow Clan. An experienced textile artist, for some time Sort has been making fire bags (ammunition pouches) that the president of the Tahltan nation has been distributing as gifts.
Sort's first ventures into carving will all be given away to her parents and three children. She explains, "My Mom always told me that when you do something for the first time you should give it away. You're not supposed to keep it or sell it. But, coming from such a large family, it was hard to decide who got what."
Like the other winners, Sort plans to keep busy over the summer. She has already set herself the task of doing a mask and bowl over the summer, as well commissions for two button blankets and more fire bags, which these days are popular as women's purses.
Wesley, Quock, and Sort were all among the more accomplished students in this year's exhibition. I look forward to seeing them develop in their second year, and I'm pleased to have played a small role in their development as artists.
Sam McKay, 2012 Mature Student Award Recipient
Posted in aboriginal art, art, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, indian art, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Community College, Personal, Sam Mckay, Uncategorized, tagged British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, indian art, Nisga'a, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Community College, Personal, Sam McKay, Uncategorized on April 24, 2012| 4 Comments »
Once a year, I teleconference with the instructors of the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art to decide who will receive the Mature Student Award. We discuss candidate's financial situation, and weigh their artistic skills and leadership, whittling down the list until we have this year's recipients and – funds permitting – honorable mentions.
But this year, the discussion was short. Kelly Robinson, one of this year's leading students, was quickly chosen as one of the honorable mentions. After a brief discussion, the second honoable mention was awarded to Stacey Calder, who was technically underage for the award, but judged someone who could make best use of it. Then, unanimously, the instructors urged Sam McKay as the main recipient, a nomination to which I quickly agreed.
In barest outlines, McKay's story is one that sounds all too common for First Nations people of his generation. A member of the Nisga'a wolf clan, he was forced out of his culture to go to residential school. He ended up on skid row, addicted first to alcohol, and later to crack.
But unlike many versions of this story, McKay's has an upbeat ending. After thirty years on skid row, in 1991 McKay started to turn his life around. He went to university, and started doing social work with the homeless in Victoria. Eventually, he took a job in the Terrace area, and rediscovered his culture, becoming a dancer and a carver and holding a major chieftainship.
Speaking in a soft, hesitant voice, McKay recalls that "I was well into my fifties" when he changed his life. "I remember when I was getting my driver's license, and there were all these sixteen year olds waiting for their tests. I told my instructor, 'All those kids must think I'm a road hazard.'"
McKay had always admired his namesake grandfather, and remembers watching him carve spoons and bowls. At various times, he had also also studied with master carvers like Henry Robertson and Tom Dawson. However, just like getting his drivers' license, learning to carve was part of the process of the last twenty years.
"I always wanted to learn how to carve a bowl, how to carve a paddle and a totem pole," he says, adding that he appreciates the talent of the young students in the class, and the school graduates who occasionally drop by to help with the classes.
He finds art essential to both his re-discovery of his cultural history and his personal journey, saying, "When I feel out of place, I just pick up a pencil and start sketching. I'm an artist. It's natural.
"I always say that I've come full-circle. It's funny, because when I was younger, my grandfather told me my story. It didn't dawn on me until a few years ago. 'Be careful,' he said, because somewhere in your life you will run into trouble. But you are going to realize the situation and get out of it. And when you do, you'll come full circle.'"
With all the efforts he has made, McKay is exactly the kind of person whom the Mature Student Award was meant to help. I wish him continued success when he returns next year to complete his studies.
Dancing a Nuxalk Thunder Mask
Posted in aboriginal art, Aboriginal culture, aboriginal dancing, art, art appreciation, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, First Nations culture, first nations dancing, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, indian art, Indian Culture, Indian dancing, Latham Mack, native art, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Coast dancing, Northwest Community College, Nuxalk, Personal, thunder dance, Uncategorized, tagged aboriginal art, aboriginal dancing, art, art appreciation, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, first nations dancing, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, Indian dancing, Latham Mack, native art, Northwest Coast Art, northwest coast dancing, Nuxalk, Personal, thunder dance, Uncategorized on May 2, 2010| 3 Comments »
I have read about and seen something of the culture of the Haida, Tsimshian, Nisga'a and other First Nations of the northern British Columbia coast. However, I know little about the Nuxalk of the central coast beyond the fact that the nation prefers not to be referred to as the Bella Coola, as they once were. For that reason, when Latham Mack, one of this years' graduates of the Freda Diesing School danced a Nuxalk mask, I was an attentive member of the audience.
I am used to thinking of Latham Mack, who twice won the YVR Art Foundation scholarship, as a designer more than a carver. Certainly, he has done far more designs than masks to this point, including a limited edition print. However, as part of his final work in the Freda Diesing program, Mack finished two Thunder masks, a blue one for the year end exhibit and the upcoming show at the Spirit Wrestler gallery, and a black one that he has announced that he will keep in his private collection.
Both masks reflect the story of the four brothers who saw a dancing figure on the mountain who created the thunder – an important story in the Nuxalk tradition. The hooked nose and flaring nostrils are a traditional part of the figure's depiction.The small branches attached to the head, presumably to suggest lightning, are also traditional, although Mack's mask makes greater use of them than several others that I've seen pictures of. This tradition, as Mack emphasized to me, is separate from the Thunderbird of the Kwakwaka'wakw or other First Nations, with the central figure representing the spirit of the storm.
Latham Mack tells me, "Two major dance rituals make up our winter dance ceremonies, the Sisaok (ancestral family dances) and the Kusiut (secret society ceremonies). The Thunder dance is performed by members of the Kusiut society. According to Bella Coola belief, the supernatural ones in the upper land resemble human beings in performing Kusiut dances. Corresponding to the prowess of his patron, the dance of his human protégé is one of the most important Kusiut rituals. Only the strongest of course danced the Thunder because of the movements and physical fitness you had to be in to actually dance it. Only the families who owned the story actually danced it, but as the years have gone by, we have lost the identity of those owners. So now it's basically owned by the whole Nuxalk people."
Mack goes on to say that, "The dance of Thunder can be performed with four, two or one masked dancers, depending on the prerogative of the protégé. When the dance is done with four Thunders, these represent the four brothers in the oral tradition. Numerous dances lead up to the Thunder dance, the Herald introduces the dance of Thunder. He beats his stick on the floor and announces the impending Thunder dance."
Many dances can lead up to the Thunder dance, but, in this case, the performance was divided into three sections, each introduced and narrated by a member of Mack's family who also provided a rattle accompaniment.
Since the mask had never been used before, the ceremony began with a blessing of the mask by sprinkling down over it.
Then, before Mack's actual dance, three female members of his family prepared the area in which he would dance with their own dance. It was a stately dance, done with upraised palms and constant circular steps. The narrator explained that this preparation was a traditional role for women in Nuxalk dances.
Then Mack danced. He wore an apron threaded with loose pieces of wood that he shook for percussion, and wooden clappers on his back.
Frequently, he threw himself down on his knees and climbed to his feet again.
His hands and lower arms made constant flickering gestures, as if to shoo people away, but actually to bestow blessings upon the audience.
It was an energetic dance, enough to scare several young children at the front of the audience, who quickly moved away. He also wore cuffs around his ankles and wrists and the modern innovation of knee pads (which was wise, since he was dancing on a concrete floor, and would have otherwise damaged his knees). It was an obviously exhausting performance, powerful and contrasting sharply with the graceful motions of the women's dance a few moments before
All too often, those of us who are not directly involved in First Nations culture can forget that the masks that we admire have a ceremonial purpose — or are supposed to have. Mack's dance was a small reminder of this basic fact, and left me wondering where I could find more about Nuxalk culture.
(Note: Ordinarily, this dance is not photographed, but Latham Mack's grandfather, Lawrence Mack (Lhulhulhnimut), a chief of the Grizzly clan from the ancestral village of Nusq'lst gave permission for those in attendance to photograph it. He also graciously gave me permission to post the pictures I took on this blog. Needless to say, any mistaken cultural references here are due to my ignorance or to lapses in my memory, and not to his kindness. Should anyone see any mistakes, please let me know so that I can correct them.).
Mitch Adam's "Blue Moon Mask"
Posted in aboriginal art, art, art appreciation, art exhibits, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, indian art, moon mask, native art, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Community College, Personal, Terrace, Uncategorized, tagged aboriginal art, art, art appreciation, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, indian art, Mitch Adams, moon mask, native art, Northwest Coast Art, Personal, Terrace, Uncategorized on April 28, 2010| 5 Comments »
Mitch Adams is an artist I've been watching for some time. From the pictures he's posted on Facebook in the last year, I suspected that it was only a matter of time before I saw one of his works that I wanted to buy. And, sure enough, when I walked into the 2010 Freda Diesing School Student Art Exhibition, his "Blue Moon Mask" immediately caught my eye. I consider it one of the finer examples of contemporary Northwest Coast art that I've seen in the last year – an opinion with which some traditionalists strongly disagree.
I am not the only one to think so highly of the mask. I know of at least half a dozen people who would have been happy to buy it, and who wished that it had not been marked as not for sale. Two of those people were frankly envious when I told them that, after I expressed my admiration, Adams decided not to send it to the upcoming Spirit Wrestler show after all, but to sell it to me. One even asked me if I would resell it.
Similarly, when I posted a picture of it in my review of the exhibition, one viewer called it "the most stunning mask I have ever seen."
To me, such reactions seem perfectly logical for anyone who has troubled to look at the mask. Although "Blue Moon Mask" is covered entirely with paint, the paint is not so thick that you cannot see the smoothness of the carving.If anything, the palest blue on the mask tends to emphasis the plans of the carving, making them into shadows rather than lines.
The careful selection of the shades of blues is equally obvious, from the pale, almost white skin color to the darker blue on the outer rim, and makes the mask seem ever-changing, especially with the tear tracks falling from the eyes. Depending on the light and the angle, the mask can look serene, corpse-like, or even like the heavy makeup of a Goth on Friday night. It is a work that is both accessible and ambiguous at the same time.
Some aspects of the work are traditional. Looking through galleries or museums, you should have no trouble finding other moon masks of the same general shape. Many details are traditional, too, including the eyebrows and nostrils, and the array of U-shapes and ovoids surrounding the face.
Yet the work departs from the northern tradition in at least two key ways. For one thing, in the northern tradition, blue is a third color, used in small amounts if it is present at all. Black and red are the typical colors, with a third being added by the natural color of the wood. A departure from this norm is, by itself, enough to define a work as contemporary.
For another thing, the use of paint on the entire mask is unusual in Adam's Haida and Tsimshian tradition (although not entirely unheard of, either). The northern tradition tends to be sparing in its use of paint, with designs painted across the mask that ignore the features beneath them. Adams' decision to paint the entire mask would be more common in the Kwakwaka'wakw tradition, although, even there, his use of different shades of the same color instead of contrasting ones would be more characteristic of modern artists such as Beau Dick or perhaps Simon Dick.
To make these departures is a risk – but I believe it is a necessary one, of the kind needed to keep Northwest Coast art developing and relevant. Nor is it a unique one. Historically, the art form has long been a combination of local conventions meeting industrial societies' technologies and sensibilities. So-called tradition has long changed and benefited from artists' discoveries of metal tools, industrially produced paints, and, much later, of power tools. Similarly, the first European influence on subject matter is over a century and a half old, in top-hatted figures on poles and sailing ships on argillite plates. From this perspective, what Adams does in "Blue Moon Mask" is not radical, and should be easy to appreciate.
Yet, sadly, a minority noticed "Blue Moon Mask"'s departure from strict tradition and could not get past it. I am told that one teacher reacted strongly to it, and that another one joked about it. Even worse, some students, seeing the teachers' reactions, immediately imitated them rather than using their own eyes.
These reactions strike me as both unfortunate and short-sighted. The basis of Northwest Coast art will always be the traditional work. If nothing else, the contemporary needs the traditional to react against.
Yet I do not see why admiration for the traditional must include a rejection of everything contemporary. True, you may prefer one over the other, or prefer one in your own work. But what you like and what is done well are by no means synonymous. Nor does preferring one require that you condemn the other.
Personally, I refuse to take sides. "Blue Moon Mask" is a technically skilled piece, and amidst our collection of traditional works by artists like Norman Tait or Richard Hunt and of contemporary pieces by artists like Alano Edzerza or Ron Telek, it claims a place on our wall on its own merits. It's a piece that I consider myself lucky to live with, and I'm proud to have our keeping.
The 2010 Freda Diesing School Student Art Exhibit
Posted in art, art appreciation, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, Carol Bagshaw Young, Carol Young, Chaz Mack, Cherish Alexander, Colin Morrison, First Nations art, indian art, John Wilson, Latham Mack, Mathew Daratha, Mitch Adams, Nina Bolton, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Community College, Shawn Aster, Sheldon Dennis, Terrace, Uncategorized, tagged aboriginal art, art, art appreciation, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, Carol Young, Chaz Mack, Cherish Aelxander, Colin Morrison, First Nations art, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, indian art, John Wilson, Latham Mack, Mathew Daratha, Mitch Adams Nina Bolton, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Community College, Personal, Shawn Aster, Sheldon Dennis, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Terrace, Uncategorized on April 27, 2010| 2 Comments »
This was only the second year that I attended the Freda Diesing School's year end exhibition, but the show has become a must-see for me. For one thing, it is one of the largest exhibitions of Northwest Coast art in any given year. For another, I never know what I might find, either because a student is unknown, or has taken a giant leap forward in their understanding of their art.
The 2010 show was slightly smaller than the previous year's, and emphasized carving more than design, although a few limited edition prints and drawings were available up in the loft, as well as a sampling of giclee prints by second year student Mitch Adams. But in compensation, the level of carving was higher than last year, probably because, instead of specifying that each student submit three pieces to the show, the teachers urged students to focus on producing their best work, and starting it early (even so, there were many groans about last minute all-night sessions).
Close to the door were masks by people whose work I have bought in the past. John Wilson contributed his hawk woman mask to the show, which I had seen pictures of, but was glad to see in person:
Wilson also contributed a large spoon, whose beaver handle included more detail work than I had seen before in his work:
Besides Wilson's mask hung Colin Morrison's second mask, whose red design made the wood look like a sun-tan, and contrasted with the white hair he used:
Moving on from Wilson's and Morrison's masks, I quickly discovered work from artists I remembered from 2009. Previous YVR award winner Shawn Aster, whose main interest seems to be design rather than carving, contributed a mask whose interest is largely in the painting:
Second year Metis artist Mathew Daratha was one of the more prolific contributors to the show, displaying several masks, such as this one:
Still another second year student, Latham Mack, the two-times recipient of the YVR Award, was allowed to carve in his family's traditional Nuxalk style, producing a strikingly different Thunder Mask:
Mack also danced a similar mask after the graduation ceremony.
But perhaps the most development among the second year students was shown by Sheldon Dennis, whose carving showed a considerable advance over his work last year, as well as a strong sense of originality:
Female students continue to be a minority at the school, but those enrolled in the first year class this year made a strong showing. Cherish Alexander showed a talent for combining feminine faces with bold designs:
Carol Young, the winner of the first Mature Student Award, showed a similar interest in women's faces, and added a traditional labret to indicate high status in one of her masks:
Another first year female student, Nina Bolton chose a more traditional shape for her mask, but gave it a strong, contrasting design when she painted it:
Some of the most striking work in the show was created by Chazz Mack, Latham Mack's cousin. Chaz Mack include two pieces in the show: a small print, and a mask whose painted design shows a strong sense of line in its curves:
However, if the show had a single outstanding piece, it was Mitch Adams' "Blue Moon Mask." The piece was the despair of at least one of the school's teachers, all of whom work in the northern style and favor masks with much less paint than "Blue Moon Mask," but its clean lines and carefully selected palette made it a crowd favorite, with at least half a dozen people clamoring to buy it:
When Adams agreed to sell it to me, several other would-be buyers frankly expressed their jealousy, and cursed their lack of initiative; apparently, I was the only one who actually asked Adams if he was firm about the Not For Sale label.
In fact, if the show had a fault, it was that most of the best pieces were labeled as not for sale for one reason or the other. If I had had my way, I could have returned home with another three or four pieces from this years' show.
However, that's a selfish wish. Many of the pieces marked as not for sale were reserved for the upcoming Northern Exposure show at Vancouver's Spirit Wrestler Gallery. For many students, the show is their first chance to display their work to a large audience, so I can hardly blame them for withholding their work from sale. All of them thoroughly deserve that chance, and I hope that I will have many chances in the future to buy their work.
Carol Young: Mature Student Award Winner, 2010
Posted in British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, Carol Bagshaw Young, Carol Young, Mature Student Award, Northwest Community College, Personal, Terrace, Uncategorized, tagged art, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, Carol Young, Carol Young Bagshaw, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, Mature Student Award, Northwest Community College, Personal, Terrace, Uncategorized on April 26, 2010| 1 Comment »
On April 23, I did something I had been waiting to do for ten months: I stood up at the graduation ceremony for the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art at Northwest Community College in Terrace, and gave out the first Mature Student Award. Trish and I hope it will be the first of many, and I think the award got off to a good start by having Carol Young (Bagshaw) as the first recipient.
A member of the Haida Eagle side, Young did not grow up with traditional culture, but absorbed much of it indirectly from her mother. Later, as a single mother of four, she began selling a variety of handicrafts and art pieces loosely based on Northwest Coast design on eBay. Although she says she never thought of herself as an artist, she sold over a hundred pieces of every description imaginable. Masks, rattles, miniature canoes, and, most of all, Haida-inspired dolls – all of these and more she managed to produce as a way of bringing in extra money.
With her children grown, Young decided to do something for herself, and enrolled in the Freda Diesing School last September. Her teachers and fellow students tell me that at first she seemed to have trouble feeling comfortable in the dorms or the class room, and that learning formline design didn't come easily to her after years of doing things her way.
However, in the second semester, especially after hearing that she had won the Mature Student Award, Young started to hit her stride. Her design took on a new discipline and maturity as she absorbed what the teachers had been telling her, and she found a place among the other students, most of whom were far younger – although at times, she told me with a smile, she felt that her role was that of den-mother in the dorms.
By the end of the school year, Young had become the speaker for the first year students, announcing them at the graduation ceremony, and appearing with fellow student Sheldon Dennis on a CBC podcast about the school. She also took it on herself to present me with a school cap and T-shirt, and, when I requested one for Trish (who was unable to attend the graduation), gave me hers, claiming that she didn't wear T-shirts anyway – a kindness that I was grateful for, although I wondered if it was true.
During the podcast, Young said that attending the school had given her "a whole new life." Previously, I had only contacted her briefly via email, but when I met her during the graduation ceremony and exhibition, she seemed like a person who was happy about the direction she was heading. Not only was she in the middle of preparations and cleanup for the weekend, but she talked about how she hoped she could present a female perspective in her carving, which she felt – despite the name of the school – had been under-represented or explored. She said, too, that she would like to establish an award for women at the school, and would like to teach after she graduated next year.
My impression is that Young is the sort of self-starter who can get where she wants to be under her own power and on her own terms. But I would like to think that the Mature Student Award made her self-development a little easier and quicker than it might otherwise have been.
As the first recipient of the award, she sets a high standard. If next year's winner is even half as deserving, I will feel that our ongoing involvement in the school through the award has been worthwhile.
Carol Young, First Recipient of the Mature Student Award at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art
Meet and greet in Terrace
Posted in British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Community College, Personal, Terrace, Uncategorized, tagged Northwest Coast Art on April 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »
One of the many songs inspired by the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 is "Little wot ye wha's coming." It is little more than a list of the clans that supported Bonnie Prince Charlie, and I've heard it sung slowly by Ewan MacColl, and faster and faster by The Corries. Just back from the Freda Diesing School graduation exhibit in Terrace, I'm reminded of the song because I feel as though I've spent the last two days meeting people.
Some I knew online but had never met, others by reputation. But let me see if I can generate a list, roughly in order since I arrived at the exhibit at 2PM on Friday:
Jill Girodat, the Associate Registrar at Northwest Community College, who helped us set up the Mature Student Award, and is well-known among students in need for her ability to find funding for them. Jill kindly volunteered to show me around the campus.
Stephanie Forsyth, Northwest's president, who saw me taking photographs when I arrived and was puzzled about who I was until I got up to give the Mature Student Award that night, but remained polite.
Todd Stephens, a graduate last year from the Freda Diesing, who supervises the carving shed at the George Little House. Last year, we bought his "Jorja and I," which hangs over my computer desk.
Shawn Aster, one of this year's graduates, who remains a promising artist, both in terms of his ability and in terms of his promise that one day he will finish the painting we've discussed.
Gayton Nabess, one of the first year students, who showed me a left-handed stone paint pot found on the banks of the Skeena, and pictures of a non-traditional piece he recently completed (which I'm sorry that I never had time to see).
Dean Heron, the newest teacher at the Freda Diesing,who kindly gave me a tour of the nearly completed longhouse on the Northwest campus, and drove me out to see the work being done at the Kitselas Canyon project.
Ken McNeil, one of the teachers at the school, whose work I have long admired.
Stan Bevan, the program coordinator at the school, who let me see not only the four crests for the longhouse, but also his home and work area, and drove me around on Saturday evening. I also appreciate the book he presented me — a reprinting of a transcript of oral tales that were originally recorded almost a century ago. It's the sort of genuine record of First Nations culture I'm always looking for, but rarely find.
Rocque Berthiaume, who teaches art history at the school, whom I've heard praised by many students but whom I had never previously met.
Carol Young Bagshaw, this year's winner of the Mature Student Award, who introduced the first year students at the graduation ceremony, and saw that I not only had my own cap and T-shirt from the school, but also a shirt to bring home to Trish.
Colin Morrison, whose first mask we bought. He turns out to be much taller in person than I had imagined.
Mitch Adams, who kindly agreed to let me buy his "Blue Moon Mask" rather than send it down to the upcoming Spirit Wrestler Show. It was one of the most sought-after pieces in the end of year exhibit, and he could have had half a dozen other buyers, had he chose. Mitch also invited me down to hear his band play, although by 10PM on Saturday, I no longer had the energy.
John Wilson, who is clearly the most accomplished artist in this years' graduating class, even if he doesn't always receive the credit he deserves. Over the last year, we've chatted so often on Facebook that, when he walked up, we started talking as if we met face to face everyday.
Latham Mack, another of this year's graduates, who danced his Thunder Spirit Mask on Friday night, and kindly got me permission from his elders to post pictures online of the performance (which I plan to do some time this week).
Chaz Mack, who showed me some of his vivid and powerful works in his dorm room.
Dempsey Bob, the school's Senior Advisor and one of the master carvers of his generation, who made some effort to draw me out at dinner on Saturday, when I looked overwhelmed by all the new faces.
Diana Wong Adams, Mitch's spouse, whose taste for the Pogues instantly told me she was a person worth knowing.
Ron Telek, whose work we've been collecting for several years. Somehow the disasters and mishaps that have averted our previous efforts to meet were absent this time, and we actually got to hang out.
Peter Jackson, who drove up from Prince Rupert to talk over dessert.
These are only the people I had extended conversations with (although possibly I've left out one or two). Were I to include everybody I was introduced to, or exchanged a few brief remarks with, the list would be over twice as long.
But whether I mentioned people or not, my thanks to all those I met for their friendship, kindness, and hospitality. Together, you stimulated and exhausted me in equal measure. I look forward to renewing our acquaintance at the Spirit Wrestler show next month, and at next year's graduation.
Announcing the Freda Diesing School Mature Student Award
Posted in aboriginal art, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, indian art, Mature Student Award, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Community College, NWCC, Personal, scholarship, Terrace, Uncategorized, tagged aboriginal art, art, British Columbia, Bruce Byfield, First Nations art, Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, indian art, Mature Student Award, Northwest Coast Art, Northwest Community College, NWCC, Personal, scholarship, Terrace, Uncategorized on December 9, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Last year, when I attended the Freda Diesing School Student Art Exhibition in Terrace, I noticed that most of the awards were for students 25 years old or younger. The school has some fine younger artists, but I thought that the older students deserved some recognition, too. To fill the gap, Trish and I decided to sponsor a Mature Student Award of $1000 per year, and to work towards making the award self-funding.
The official description of the award reads:
This award is given annually to a mature student (25 and over) from the
Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art who has demonstrated
leadership and mentoring qualities in the classroom. Faculty from the
School of Northwest Coast Art will select a student after confirmation of
enrollment in the second semester of the certificate or diploma program.
The award recipient must; be a First Nations Freda Diesing School of
Northwest Coast Art student; identify and work with a mentor to facilitate
the ongoing learning process; reside in British Columbia; demonstrate
potential in visual arts in the Northwest Coast style; and display
mentoring and leadership qualities in their relationships with other
students in the school both inside and outside class.
The award will be given for the first time in January 2010.
I have two main reasons for starting the award. First, as a late bloomer in my own craft of writing, I sympathize with the mature students. Being a student is hard enough when you are twenty, but when you are thirty-five or fifty, returning to school is even harder, because you probably have a family, and you are more set in your ways. Often, it means giving up a steady income when you've been used to one for years.
At the same time, I know from years as a university English instructor that older students are worth encouraging. They add a maturity to the discussion, and often serve as role-models and mentors to younger students.
Second, I am a buyer and lover of northwest coast art, especially art in the northern style taught at the school. I am not one of those people descended from Europeans who feel personally responsible for the wrongs against the First Nations that began before I was born, but I do believe in paying my debts and in doing the little I can to alleviate current problems. Northwest Coast art has given me hours of pleasure and learning, and I want to repay those hours with more than simple payment for each piece. I'd like to think that the award would help a student a little in the short term and in the long term maybe help them to launch their careers.
Compared to the other awards that the school gives, the Mature Student Award is starting off slowly. But I hope that it will eventually match the other awards, and become self-perpetuating.
If you are an artist, an art dealer, or someone who appreciates Northwest Coast art, please consider donating to the Mature Student Award. But don't contact me. Instead, please contact Jill Girodat, the Associate Registrar at the Terrace campus of Northwest Community College at 250-638-5477 or jgirodat AT nwcc DOT bc DOT ca.
Sitemeter – New


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Andrew W.K. and Kat Dennings announce engagement
The singer and the 'WandaVision' star began dating earlier this year
By Will Richards
Andrew W.K. and Kat Dennings are engaged. Credit: Getty Images.
Andrew W.K. and WandaVision star Kat Dennings have announced their engagement.
The pair began dating earlier this year, and confirmed they were set to marry in a series of social media posts yesterday (May 13).
"Don't mind if I do," Dennings wrote on Twitter, sharing a photo of her new engagement ring while holding hands with the 'Party Hard' singer and tagging his official account.
W.K. also revealed the news to his followers, sharing a ring emoji along with the same photo Dennings posted, and another picture of the pair kissing.
See the announcements below.
Don't mind if I do @AndrewWK pic.twitter.com/w5vTspZPFL
— Kat Dennings (@OfficialKat) May 13, 2021
A post shared by ANDREW W.K. (@andrewwk)
The news of the engagement comes after W.K. revealed earlier this month that he was set to release a new album called 'God Is Partying' later this year.
The rocker's fifth studio effort is due to drop on September 10 via Napalm Records, and was previewed upon its announcement by first single 'I'm In Heaven'.
The album is W.K.'s first since his 2018 LP 'You're Not Alone'. Reviewing that record, NME awarded it four stars and declared that W.K. was "still partying hard".
It added: "He might just be the all essential boost of positivity and endurance that we didn't know we needed. The lure of the party, it seems, is stronger than ever."
Dennings, meanwhile, recently spoke to NME about her future within the Marvel Cinematic Universe following her role as Darcy Lewis in the hit Disney+ series WandaVision.
Reviewing the season finale of WandaVision, NME wrote: "The real heartbreak is saved for the final moments of the series as Wanda finally says goodbye to Vision, to her kids, and to the dream of a life she never got to live.
"For a franchise that once killed off half the population of the human race, it's a testament to creator Jac Schaeffer's writing (and to Olsen and Bettany's remarkable performances) that WandaVision lands the most emotionally affecting scenes in the MCU."
Andrew WK

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Illinois Senate Bill 2904—signed into law as Public Act 100-605 in July 2018 and going into effect on January 1, 2019—will increase the number of physician assistants (PAs) with which a physician may collaborate from five to seven. It also creates an exception for services provided in a federal primary care health professional shortage area (HPSA)—in those areas with a HPSA score of 12 or greater, there is no statutory maximum on the number of PAs with which a physician may collaborate. The new legislation will also grant the Department the authority to discipline both physicians and physician assistants (under the relevant practice Acts) for (1) entering into an excessive number of written collaborative agreements resulting in an inability to adequately collaborate, and (2) the repeated failure to adequately collaborate with the collaborating provider. These changes are effective January 1.
These changes follow recent changes to the Illinois Nurse Practice Act, particularly those made under Public Act 100-513 that went into effect on January 1, 2018. Among the various changes are changes in terminology—advanced practice nurses or APNs are now referred to in the statute as "advanced practice registered nurses" and "APRNs." More substantively, a new Section, 65-43, was added to the Act, which grants upon certain APRNs "full practice authority," defined as the authority of APRNs certified as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists or nurse midwives to practice without a written collaborative agreement and to be fully accountable to patients for both the quality of advanced nursing care rendered and for recognizing limits of knowledge and experience. In order to possess "full practice authority" those aforementioned APRNs must file a notarized attestation with the Department of completion of at least 250 hours of continuing education or training in the APRN's area of certification and at least 4,000 hours of clinical experience in the APRN's area of certification. Completion of the clinical experience must be attested to by the collaborating physician or physicians.
This is a significant change in practice requirements, as the Act previously required all APRNs to practice under a written collaborative agreement except for those practicing in a hospital, hospital affiliate or ambulatory surgical treatment center setting (the latter exception still exists).


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137 N. Commercial St. Suite 204 Trinidad, Co. 81082
Accessibility statement for Trinidad and Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce website
We want everyone who visits the Trinidad and Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce website to feel welcome and find the experience rewarding.
To help us make the Trinidad and Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce website a positive place for everyone, we've been using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities, and user friendly for everyone.
The guidelines have three levels of accessibility (A, AA and AAA). We've chosen Level A as the target for the Trinidad and Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce website.
We've worked hard on the Trinidad and Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce website and believe we've achieved our goal of Level A accessibility. We monitor the website regularly to maintain this, but if you do find any problems, please get in touch.
If you enjoyed using the Trinidad and Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce website, or if you had trouble with any part of it, please get in touch. We'd like to hear from you in any of the following ways:
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Welcome to the Trinidad & Las Animas County
Where Small Town Rules
still apply
Take a Drive
on one of our scenic highways
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Few towns in Colorado have undergone such dramatic transformations in recent years as Trinidad. Just north of the New Mexico border and Raton Pass, Trinidad was a stop on the Santa Fe Trail and home to trappers, traders and early ranchers in the 1800s.
The Trinidad Welcome Center should be your first stop when visiting in the area for travel advice, ideas on things to do and more.
To get a feeling for the town's history and learn more about the Santa Fe Trail, seek out the Corazon de Trinidad National Historic District's Baca House and Bloom Mansion, both part of the Trinidad History Museum, where you'll see how the ordinary and extraordinary folks lived in the late 1800s.
For a look at Trinidad's pre-history, stop by the Louden-Henritze Archeology Museum, where you'll find artifacts from the nearby Trinchera Cave, where prehistoric humans lived for thousands of years.
Page information courtesy: Colorado.com
Trinidad Lake State Park also offers camping, hiking, fishing, boating and an archery range, while Comanche National Grassland to the east boasts Picket Wire Canyonlands —home to one of the largest known dinosaur track sites in North America.
The Purgatoire River flows through Trinidad and excellent trout-fishing access is available in town at select spots along its banks. Take a peaceful walk along the waterway on the Riverwalk; or visit historic Kit Carson Park to view the bronze statue of Kit Carson.
Trinidad is also the starting point for the Scenic Highway of Legends, a historic drive over passes and through villages to Walsenburg to the north.
The lore of this area is vivid, swirling in the spiritual myths of the American Indians and the history of their clashes with Spanish explorers. Like much of Colorado, where the promises of Nestled at the southern terminal of the awe-inspiring Highway of Legends, the city of Trinidad is a well-preserved charmer where archaeology, architecture and a new creative district are offered up alongside modern-day recreation.
If a quick round of early-morning golf sounds like an ideal way to kick off your vacation, you'll love the Trinidad Municipal Golf Course, a nine-hole course with stunning views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (especially from the seventh hole). Avid Golfer rated this public course One of the Top 10 Hidden Gems in the Country.
Or spend a lazy day on the Purgatoire River, which was recently stocked for great trout fishing and a lovely riverwalk.
Afterward, delve into history at the site of the Ludlow Massacre, 12 miles northwest of Trinidad. Today a ghost town, Ludlow was the site of a vicious skirmish between the Colorado National Guard and striking coal miners that left 20 people dead. Restored by the United Mine Workers of America, the site includes a miners' tent camp, storyboards and photos that recount the chilling encounter.
Later, return to Trinidad for dinner and a stroll through the quaint, brick-lined streets of Old Trinidad, where you can ogle one of the largest collections of Victorian houses west of the Mississippi. Affordable living and beautiful landscapes have recently resulted in an influx of artists in residence and full galleries, and the Southern Colorado Repertory Theater's professional company fills the year with classics and original works. These factors and more led to the Corazón de Trinidad (heart of Trinidad) recently being named a Certified Colorado Creative District.
Stroll to the downtown Trinidad History Museum, which houses the meticulously preserved Baca House, a two-story adobe built in 1870 that combines Hispanic construction techniques with British design. Also part of the history museum is The Santa Fe Trail Museum, whose exhibits evoke frontier life from the trail days to the 1920s. Among the artifacts displayed within is Kit Carson's fringed buckskin coat. While here, you can also visit the Bloom Mansion, an elaborate Victorian-era confection built in 1882, and the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art, which houses collections of Western and Spanish colonial folk art.
Conclude your visit with a drive along one of Colorado's scenic and historic byways, the breathtakingly beautiful Highway of Legends. From Trinidad, the byway heads west to Cokedale, where a strip of old coke ovens (which were used to mix and heat coal at extremely high temperatures) lines the road, resembling something more Roman than frontier.
The byway heads north alongside the Sangre de Cristo range, affording spectacular views of those mountains to the west as well as the monstrous volcanic walls that jut from the Spanish Peaks to the east. It also passes through the San Isabel National Forest, home to six wilderness areas and three classic Colorado towns: lovely Cuchara's stunning Sangre views and a sleepy downtown with gift shops and several B&Bs and cabins; Walsenburg, with antique shops, a mining museum, visitor center and Lathrop State Park; La Veta's art galleries and the 1862 adobe Francisco Fort Museum; the blast from the past at Uptop ghost town on Old La Veta Pass.
Have More Time?
If you have another day, visit the Comanche National Grassland's Purgatoire River Tracksite, the largest documented dinosaur track site in North America. Here you can walk alongside more than 1,300 brontosaurus and allosaurus footprints from 150 million years ago. Hike, bike or ride on horseback to the site, which is a very flat five miles each way. Occasionally, the Forest Service provides guided auto tours of the site — check with the Comanche National Grassland Office in La Junta.
Join the Chamber: (719) 846-9285
The Trinidad & Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce promotes the area as an outstanding place to visit, live, and conduct business.
The mission of the Trinidad & Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce is to develop, encourage, promote and protect the commercial, professional, financial and general welfare of the community and its residents; to foster a strong community spirit and mutually cooperative atmosphere in which to live and conduct business.
tlacchamber@outlook.com
Trinidad Las Animas Chamber of Commerce © 2019 Privacy Policy | Proudly Designed and Maintained by Trinidad Web Design


Good morning loves! Today I have a giveaway for you, and I'm so stoked. Ashley Ann Bennett is a super talented artist based out of San Diego, and makes hand painted jewelry and clothing. I believe that it is really important to support local artists, and all of Ashley's work is eco-conscious and vegan along with being to die for, so I couldn't be more thrilled to feature her today! Her stuff is beyond gorgeous and her attention to detail blows my mind (I'm pretty obsessed). She is giving away a pair of her hand painted yoga pants, and the winner gets to choose the design! Make sure you guys enter, and go check out her etsy shop for more ridiculously beautiful works of art! Below are a few of her yoga pant designs, along with a couple pieces of her jewelry. Amaze, no? To enter, click here!


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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "My Love from the Star" Episode 2
By William Schwartz on 2013/12/19 at 17:28 PST
2013/12/19 | 2230 views | Permalink
With barely any dialogue or overt signaling, this episode almost immediately gives us a clear answer as to who Min-Joon is in the context of an alien visiting Earth. We then get an excellent outsider's view on what Joseon-era Korea looks like. My compliments to director Jang Tae-Yoo- he clearly understands the importance of visual communication. It's especially relevant considering at this point it's unclear how much of the Korean language Min-Joon actually understands. But the situations are enormously transparent regardless.
We also get a good idea as to why Min-Joon doesn't use his powers to help people. This information is conveyed to the viewer with that very same sense of subtlety. "My Love from the Star" isn't exactly a cynical drama, but it makes no effort to sugar-coat anything with sunshine and optimism. It's hard to imagine any serious change Min-Joon could have made to better alter the course of history, but it's extremely easy to guess the kind of miserable situation he'd be in if his abilities were detected.
Meanwhile, in the present day Song-I is still working on being unlikable. The scheme involving the school follows the same predictable trajectory as everything else she's done so far. The criticism of image culture "My Love from the Star" brings here isn't particularly original, but it's funny and the parallel to Song-I's own issues is an obvious one. Min-Joon seems to have decided that showing contempt for everyone is just too much work, but he's absolutely willing to respond in kind when someone's dumb enough to try and bamboozle him directly.
One of the aspects that does a lot to emphasize Song-I's low ethical position is the company she keeps. It's not that they're bad people, necessarily, but they constantly enable Song-I regardless of how much utter contempt she shows for them. There's a great scene where Hwi-Kyeong (played by Park Se-jin-I) immediately assumes that Song-I is the victim in an unusual situation, and the absurdity of his aggressive defense is palpable. Does Song-I strike anyone as the kind of person a predator would want to victimize?
It's honestly a pretty good racket she has going. With only the most mimimum effort, Song-I has access to nigh-unlimited fame and glory. She has an entire team of people dedicated to protecting her without question. And even if someone did want to take a shot at Song-I, the woman's so acerbic and unpleasant that the entire exercise would quickly become more trouble than it's worth. And yet, funny thing, she's still not happy. If there's any modern example of the uselessness of magic powers used to help a person with basically rotten motivations, Song-I is it.
Review by William Schwartz
"My Love from the Star" is directed by Jang Tae-yoo, written by Park Ji-eun and features Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Soo-hyun, Park Hae-jin and Yoo In-na.
William Schwartz
Staff writer. Has been writing articles for HanCinema since 2012, having lived in South Korea since 2011. Started out in Gyeongju, then to Daegu, then to Ansan, then to Yeongju, then to Seoul, lived on the road for HanCinema's travel diaries series in the summer of 2016, and is currently settled in Anyang. Has good tips for utilizing South Korea's public bus system. William Schwartz can be contacted via william@hancinema.net.
"[HanCinema's Drama Review] "My Love from the Star" Episode 2"
My Love from the Star
(별에서 온 그대 - 2013)
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U.S. Navy Awards Vigor Drydocking Contract for Littoral Combat Ship, USS Coronado
The contract includes options that could bring the total value to $60 million
This month the U.S. Navy awarded the contract to execute the Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA) for the USS Coronado (LCS-4) to Vigor. Work will be performed at Vigor's Portland shipyard.
US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jacob I. Allison
The award is the latest in a series of awards in Vigor's growing Navy repair program and is Vigor's first as prime contractor in the Littoral Combat Ship program. Other recent Vigor projects with the US Navy include the execution of the Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) for the USS Kidd (DDG 100) at the Everett Naval Station and the DSRA for the USS Sampson (DDG 102) in Vigor's Seattle, WA facility.
Ship repair and service life extension in the defense sector has been a growth area for Vigor's Pacific Northwest shipyards. The company recently promoted Mike Pearson, Navy veteran and former general manager at Vigor to Vice President of Navy and Puget Sound Repair. "Mike has delivered outstanding results in building the strong teams and processes that continue to improve our competitive position in complex Navy programs," said Adam Beck, Vigor Executive Vice President of Ship Repair. "His efforts, together with Vigor's great team of skilled craftspeople, are proving the Pacific Northwest has a strong role to play in maintaining the fleet readiness of today's Navy."
Vigor will begin work on the USS Coronado (LCS 4) in March and run through November 2019. The work package includes engine and machinery overhauls, underwater hull coatings, life cycle inspections, and implementation of multiple ship alterations and upgrades to increase the Coronado's warfighting readiness. The package also includes multiple upgrades directed at increasing the overall quality of life for deployed service men and women.
"This award is a testament to the significant capabilities of all Vigor employees and its valued sub-contractors," said Kellan Lancaster, Business Development Ship Repair. "We look forward to providing exceptional service and an on-time delivery."


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Inter-jurisdictional cooperation on pharmaceutical product listing agreements: views from Canadian provinces
Steven G Morgan1,
Paige A Thomson1,
Jamie R Daw1 &
Melissa K Friesen1
Confidential product listing agreements (PLAs) negotiated between pharmaceutical manufacturers and individual health care payers may contribute to unwanted price disparities, high administrative costs, and unequal bargaining power within and across jurisdictions. In the context of Canada's decentralized health system, we aimed to document provincial policy makers' perceptions about collaborative PLA negotiations.
We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with a senior policy maker from nine of the ten Canadian provinces. We conducted a thematic analysis of interview transcripts to identify benefits, drawbacks, and barriers to routine collaboration on PLA negotiations.
Canadian policy makers expressed support for joint negotiations of PLAs in principle, citing benefits of increased bargaining power and reduced inter-jurisdictional inequities in drug prices and formulary listings. However, established policy institutions and the politics of individual jurisdictional authority are formidable barriers to routine PLA collaboration. Achieving commitment to a joint process may be difficult to sustain among heterogeneous and autonomous partners.
Though collaboration on PLA negotiation is an extension of collaboration on health technology assessment, it is a very significant next step that requires harmonization of the outcomes of decision-making processes. Views of policy makers in Canada suggest that sustaining routine collaborations on PLA negotiations may be difficult unless participating jurisdictions have similar policy institutions, capacities to implement coverage decisions, and local political priorities.
To avoid the negative effects of widely-used external reference pricing policies, manufacturers are placing tighter restrictions on list prices for prescription drugs [1–3]. Final drug prices are therefore increasingly determined by confidential contracts negotiated between drug plans and manufacturers [4, 5]. The secrecy of negotiated price rebates effectively segments the market, allowing firms to price discriminate across payers. This gives payers an opportunity for savings but also creates new challenges related to negotiation and enforcement.
While there are several examples of inter-jurisdictional cooperation on health technology assessment (HTA) for drug coverage decision-making [6–8], there have been few instances of inter-jurisdictional cooperation on price negotiations. However, to increase purchasing power, reduce administrative costs, and prevent unwanted price disparities across payers, cooperation on price negotiation might be justified in some cases. Canada offers an illustrative example.
Canada differs from some other federal states, such as Italy or Australia, where pharmaceutical pricing policies are centralized with a national authority. Responsibility for health care in Canada is devolved to its ten provinces, which vary considerably in population size and income – see Table 1. Prescription drug coverage policy is highly decentralized as there is no federal funding incentives to promote consistency of public drug coverage across provinces [9]. As a result, each province independently operates limited public drug benefit programs. These programs vary widely in structure and account for 26 to 45% of prescription drug expenditures in their provinces, leaving a significant role for private financing through insurance and out-of-pocket payments. All provinces except Quebec cooperate on health technology assessment for public drug coverage decision-making [7]; however, they remain responsible for their own coverage decisions and price negotiations.
Table 1 Statistics on Canada's provinces
Price contracts for pharmaceuticals are known as product listing agreements (PLAs) in Canada. Prior to approximately 2006, they were seldom ever used by any province. Today, use of PLAs varies widely across provinces: they are virtually never used in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador; they are used for virtually all drugs covered by the public drug plans in Ontario and Manitoba; and they are used to varying degrees in other provinces.
In 2010, provincial premiers announced that a Pan-Canadian Purchasing Alliance would facilitate joint price negotiations among interested provinces [10]. Joint negotiations related to three drugs had taken place by mid-2012 [11]. Such collaboration indicates potential for joint PLA negotiations; however, it is not yet clear whether PLA collaboration can be sustained and applied universally to new medicines as is collaboration on HTA. We therefore sought to explore provincial policy makers' views of the benefits and drawbacks of joint negotiations and the potential barriers to making such collaborations routine.
After ethics review and approval, we conducted telephone interviews with purposefully selected provincial drug plan executives. In January 2012, we sent study invitations to each of the ten provincial drug plans. Invitations were sent to the most senior executive within each plan or, where identifiable, the executive responsible for contract negotiations. Invitees were asked to participate in a telephone interview or to identify an appropriate individual to speak on behalf of their jurisdiction. Nine provinces agreed to participate; only one province, Newfoundland and Labrador, declined.
Seven of the nine policy makers interviewed had worked with their respective drug plans for at least five years. The other two policy makers were hired more recently to manage new PLA negotiation processes in their jurisdictions. All policy makers from provinces that had used PLAs had direct experience with PLA negotiations and related inter-provincial collaboration efforts.
The confidential nature of PLAs meant that policy makers could not be asked to comment on particular negotiations or signed PLAs. Participants were therefore asked to describe the general benefits and drawbacks of collaboration on PLA negotiation and to provide their opinion about the barriers and facilitators to collaborating on a routine basis. Additional file 1 contains the interview guide.
Interviews lasted an average of 40 minutes (range 28 to 54 minutes), and were recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis [12]. All four authors read all transcripts and independently identified themes that emerged from the text. Authors met and jointly developed a coding scheme that then was used by two authors to independently code each transcript. Coding discrepancies were resolved through consensus or by consulting the lead author.
Table 2 lists the benefits, drawbacks and barriers to joint PLA negotiation most commonly mentioned by participating policy makers. Key themes are described here.
Table 2 Most frequently mentioned themes concerning the benefits, drawbacks, and obstacles to collaboration on product listing agreements
Benefits of collaboration
Policy makers from all participating provinces expressed general support for collaborative PLA negotiations. Seven of the nine policy makers participating in our study noted that the increased bargaining power achieved through collective negotiations would likely lead to lower prices and cost savings for participating jurisdictions (see Table 2). Several policy makers noted that this benefit would not be shared equally as price savings are likely to be greatest for the smaller provinces, which in isolation have lower bargaining power due to population size.
Five policy makers also explicitly identified interprovincial price consistency as a benefit of a joint negotiation process. Under the current system of independent negotiations, policy makers in several provinces expressed concerns that manufacturers may provide the first and most generous price concessions to one or two large provinces, increasing political pressure on other provinces to provide coverage. This strategy, known as whipsawing, could force small provinces – with limited negotiating capacity and purchasing power – to pay the highest prices. Policy makers from five provinces – large and small – stated PLA collaboration may be one way of addressing this issue and improving interprovincial equity in medicine prices and access. As a policy maker from one of the larger provinces stated, by working together, provinces could "…break down barriers [to access] wherein depending on where you live, you may have different access to medications" (Interviewee #6).
Drawbacks from collaboration
Policy makers from five of the participating provinces expressed concerns that joint negotiations might increase the time it takes to list a drug on provincial formularies. They argued that multilateral negotiations, by nature of the number of stakeholders at the table, would require more time than bilateral negotiations. Two policy makers also noted that joint negotiations may require more resources overall because each jurisdiction would still need to bear the cost of evaluating and adapting PLAs for the local health system and policy framework.
Perceived loss of provincial autonomy was one the most cited drawbacks of joint negotiations. This included concerns about lines of accountability for PLA decisions that often have significant budget impacts. It also included considerations related to the ability of individual jurisdictions to respond to the varying politics of their jurisdiction, each with different political parties, priorities, and dominant interest groups. One policy maker noted that "politicians have different pressures at different times" (Interviewee #3) making it difficult to predict whether a jointly negotiated PLA will have local support.
Barriers to expanded collaboration
Institutional barriers
Policy makers from six provinces mentioned institutional barriers to routine collaboration on PLA negotiations, ranging from constitutional authority over health care to local policy processes. Related to the former, several policy makers noted that provinces have independent authority for health care policy and related decision-making. It was argued that co-operation among the autonomous provinces is difficult without financial incentives from the federal government. Reflecting more local considerations, policy makers also noted that drug coverage decision-making processes vary considerably across provinces. While some provinces cede coverage decisions to executives responsible for public drug programs, others require ministerial or even cabinet approval. These differences affect decision-making timelines and consultation requirements in ways that might impede routine collaboration.
Policy makers from five provinces also cited institutional variations in provincial drug benefit structures as a barrier to routine collaboration on PLA negotiation. Given that some provinces provide comprehensive coverage for the elderly and the poor and others only cover residents against "catastrophic" drug costs, the coverage priorities, decision-making frameworks, and even bargaining positions will differ significantly from province to province. One policy maker went so far as to conclude that joint negotiations are unlikely to become commonplace unless all participating provinces offered comparable drug benefit plans: "Fundamentally, you've got to have the same drug benefit plan before you actually negotiate together" (Interviewee #5).
Political barriers
Political will was one of the most frequently mentioned obstacles to routine collaboration on PLA negotiation. Policy makers from several provinces felt that joint negotiations are likely to be explicitly or implicitly driven by larger provinces – because they have the greatest purchasing power and political influence – and that this would not sit well with some governments. Reflecting the constitutional autonomy mentioned above, some policy makers said that provinces would not voluntarily cede the decision-making authority required to sustain joint PLA negotiations. As one policy maker stated, "[you have to] give one group authority to make decisions that would be binding on all provinces, which isn't going to happen" (Interviewee #7).
Related to the broader concerns about political will, policy makers from four provinces cited concerns about the local political acceptability of final listing decisions that would result from a joint negotiation. Two of these policy makers specifically noted that there is a risk of provinces circumventing the collective process on a drug-by-drug basis, either by pursuing individual negotiations or by "cherry-picking" only those jointly-negotiated PLAs that suit their interest. Though acting in the interest of one's own jurisdiction is the primary responsibility of provincial policy makers, such outcomes were viewed as significant threats to the effectiveness and sustainability of routine joint negotiations.
Resource barriers
Policy makers from five of the participating provinces cited scarcity of required resources as a barrier to expanding joint PLA negotiations. As stated above, some policy makers felt that joint processes, at least currently, represent an increase in negotiation costs. Some provincial policy makers argued that the federal government should support the infrastructure required for collaboration among the provinces. They also noted that this was unlikely given the federal government's current spending priorities and fiscal constraints.
Policy makers from Canadian provinces express general support for joint PLA negotiations. Despite support in principle, none suggested that routine collaborations would be sustainable at present because of variations in existing policy institutions and politics. This view might be surprising given the longstanding collaborations among all but one province on health technology assessment related to drug coverage decision-making [7]. However, a critical difference in these processes is that collaboration on health technology assessment harmonizes the evidence underpinning coverage decisions while collaboration on PLA negotiations effectively harmonizes the coverage decisions. To provide firms with maximum incentive to negotiate better deals than would be the case in independent negotiations, a PLA collaboration has to result in consistent funding decisions: failure to reach agreeable terms through joint negotiations must result in a "no" listing decision by all participating drug plans, and a successful joint negotiation must result in a "yes" decision. Achieving and sustaining such commitment to joint decision-making is a formidable challenge.
The insights provided to us by policy makers from Canadian provinces illustrate that joint negotiations may break down for a number of reasons. Acting in self-interest, payers may perceive that a better (or faster) deal can be achieved by negotiating independently or may resort to "cherry picking" their commitment to joint negotiations. Manufacturers may even have incentive to try to break a negotiation alliance by offering side deals in the hope that individual drug plans could be played against each other.
Beyond these self-interested incentives to defect, policymakers expressed greater concern that solidarity in negotiations would break down as a result of institutional and political barriers. Willingness to implement consistent funding decisions through joint negotiations requires, at least, that participating drug plans have comparable decision-making frameworks and negotiating leverage. Differences in policies as simple as decision-making protocols can limit the potential for routine collaboration. Variations in the benefit structure of drug programs – that is, who is covered and with what types of user charges-are even more important because they may be more costly to harmonize and they have a more profound effect on decision-making frameworks. This raises the broader issue of the politics of decision making autonomy and accountability.
Being committed to the decision-making outcomes associated with joint PLA negotiations requires that decision-making autonomy be ceded to a collective process. This requires a great deal of political will because different governments have different health care priorities and competing interests, such as attracting or retaining pharmaceutical industry investment. It was not stated explicitly by any policy makers in our study, but variations in provincial incomes and, therefore, governments' revenue generating powers will also affect the acceptability of centralized decisions. Given the significant economic disparity among negotiation partners, some participating jurisdictions may simply not be able to "afford" to commit to collective decisions.
Our study is not without limitations. First, we only interviewed one policy maker in each province. These policy makers were senior executives and managers with direct experience related to PLA negotiations and related collaborative efforts, or direct experience with drug coverage decision-making if PLAs were not used in their province. Their views are those of people closely engaged in the file but will not necessarily reflect views of other officials, such as ministers or deputy ministers of health. As with any study of this kind, the views expressed by respondents represent a snapshot of perceptions in a complex policy arena. Policy makers' perceptions will evolve as provinces' gain more experience with PLAs and related cooperative efforts. Finally, we are aware that interview responses may have been influenced by social desirability bias. In an effort to mitigate that bias, participants were informed that our study would not attribute themes or quotes to specific provinces or speakers unless absolutely necessary and only after consent was provided.
Joint negotiation of PLAs may be seen as a logical extension of inter-jurisdictional cooperation on health technology assessment; however, the extension is arguably a significant leap, one requiring a move from collaboration simply on decision-making processes to collaboration on decision-making outcomes. Canada's experience suggests that building and sustaining a PLA negotiation alliance will likely require more than simple commitment to avoid defection due to self-interest. Differences in policy institutions, political pressures, and economic opportunities of participating jurisdictions can place considerable strain on a joint negotiation process.
Choice of "negotiating partner" is a key determinant of effective, routine collaboration on PLA negotiations. Sustaining routine collaborations on a voluntary basis will require partners with similar drug plans, compatible priorities for health care and industrial development, and comparable income levels. Whether across provinces in Canada or across countries internationally, such collaborations would address some of the shortcomings of by increasing purchasing power and administrative efficiencies among negotiation partners. They would not, however, address concerns about global disparities in drug prices that might arise in the new paradigm of confidential drug pricing.
To promote equity in negotiation processes and outcomes in a federation such as Canada, it would be possible for the federal government to either centralize this policy file as is done in countries like Italy and Australia, or to actively encourage collaborations among disparate states/provinces. Given the politics of jurisdictional responsibility in Canada, centralization is unlikely. The Canadian government could, however, exercise its spending power to encourage collaboration. By sharing part of the cost of the negotiation process and related funding decisions, conditional on provinces harmonizing the structures of drug benefit programs, it could incentivize participation while equalizing decision-making frameworks and addressing income disparities that limit voluntary efforts by provinces.
While centralization by way of vertical policy integration is possible in the context of a federation, it is not possible across countries. It will therefore be more difficult to improve equity in drug pricing across nations with disparate income levels. If the new global pricing paradigm is resulting in increasingly inflated list prices for medicines, mechanisms will be needed to assist less wealthy countries in negotiations, co-ordinated through agencies such as the World Health Organization.
PLA:
Product listing agreement.
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Pre-publication history
The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/13/34/prepub
Funding for this project was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The sponsor had no role in the project or in decisions to publish results.
Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 201-2206 East Mall, Vancouver, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Steven G Morgan
, Paige A Thomson
, Jamie R Daw
& Melissa K Friesen
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Correspondence to Steven G Morgan.
Steven Morgan has been retained as a consultant on matters related to pharmaceutical policy by Health Canada, the Department of Justice Canada, and the British Columbia Ministry of Health Services. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
SM is responsible for project conception and acquisition of funding. All authors contributed to the study design. SM and PT conducted the telephone interviews. All authors contributed to the thematic coding of interview transcripts. SM wrote the first draft of the paper. All authors revised and provided comments on paper drafts and have approved the final version of this paper.
Additional file 1: Appendix 1. Interview Guide. (DOCX 15 KB)
Morgan, S.G., Thomson, P.A., Daw, J.R. et al. Inter-jurisdictional cooperation on pharmaceutical product listing agreements: views from Canadian provinces. BMC Health Serv Res 13, 34 (2013) doi:10.1186/1472-6963-13-34
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-13-34
Reimbursement mechanisms
Risk sharing
Health policy, reform, governance and law