This week presents a couple of real Gong Shows – the kind that really make you scratch your head.
Producer and host Chuck Barris’s original The Gong Show, that is, not the upcoming remake with Mike Myers.
For those who missed ABC’s pop culture offering of the 1970s, or were too young, The Gong Show was a tacky game show in which amateur talent was able to strut their stuff for a national TV audience.
Should said act, however, prove to be of a dubious nature, or outright horrible, celebrity judges could send them packing by striking a large on-stage gong, signaling their demise.
After the bear-related goings-on of the past weekend, where Parks Canada managers seemed to be needed everywhere to address human-wildlife issues, we assume they’d have been happy to hammer on a gong to oust those causing problems.
Bears getting into improperly stored garbage; irresponsible tourists feeding bears french fries; motorists who felt compelled to stop and view a roadside bruin and cause “bear jams” – this is all Gong Show-level material. They’re the kind of incidents many feared would happen this year as more tourists than ever flock to the national parks to take advantage of free passes.
And all this we before we entered June. This is before school lets out and the busy season really gets under way through the summer months.
The fact the french fry tourist will now make a court appearance, at least, is a positive sign. A court date, likely with an accompanying fine, is the route that must be taken whenever possible with those who decide to contravene the National Parks Act.
We know not everybody is fully aware of all the intricacies of the Act, but visitors, to some degree, should take it upon themselves to be informed about what is acceptable in a destination to which they travel.
Possibly heavy duty media exposure concerning weighty fines or other charges is what’s necessary to send a message to those planning to enter our wildlife environs.
Much like the Edmonton couple who were recently charged $3,000 apiece for merrily riding their bikes through a herd of mountain sheep in the Lake Minnewanka area for the sake of fun photos, those who feed bears or attract bears and other wildlife by ignoring rules about garbage storage must be dealt with severely.
Then there’s the Canmore gas explosion incident, where, after a lengthy two years, very little has been settled.
This is the kind of incident that can give a homeowner nightmares – where one’s home is severely damaged or destroyed, through no fault of their own.
So it’s been almost two years, which does fall within the guidelines of the whole process, but does it really require exactly 730 days for investigators to complete an examination?
Two years before homeowners finally find out what was discovered as to cause and blame after their homes were destroyed?
Worse yet, the situation looks (page 1) to be one which could be dragged on much, much, much longer as the Town, insurance companies and various other parties engage in who knows what level of litigation to finally settle on decisions that will produce an outcome to everyone’s satisfaction.
Two years, almost, and an occupational health safety report will only help determine next steps? The whole situation is really an untenable one for those homeowners who remain waiting.
