FORT ST. JOHN – Approximately 50 people attended the inaugural lecture of the Northern Lights Speaker Series, held at the Fort St. John Campus of Northern Lights College on February 17.
Entitled Resource Economy of Northeast BC, NLC Geography instructor Wim Kok provided the audience with an overview of the development of resource sectors such as mining, oil and gas, and forestry in the Peace and Northern Rockies regions.
Kok also discussed how local and regional development – including boom and bust cycles – is influenced by larger economic trends at the global level, and the challenges that these competing influences can have at the local level for communities such as Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, Tumbler Ridge and Chetwynd.
“Living in a resource community is a very interesting and challenging experience,” Kok said. “The closure of an industry can have substantial impact. You have to be prepared for the bust, and the consequences that can result.”
Nakib Ahmed, a Business Management instructor at NLC, came up with the idea for the Speaker Series to give students an opportunity to generate intellectual exchanges beyond the classroom. He hopes that the Northern Lights Speaker Series will become a regular event, perhaps once each semester.
For more information on courses and programs available at NLC, check the website at nlc.bc.ca.