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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 Vol. 74, No. 50

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HEAVY-HEARTED HORGAN PUSHES PEACE POWER

Site C dam will be completed, total spend pushed to $10.7 billion

Landowners lament; dam’s troubles not over

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B.C. Premier John Horgan, flanked by his environment and energy ministers George Heyman and Michelle Mungall, announces the Site C construction will continue to completion on Monday, Dec. 11.

Celebration, condemnation as Horgan looks to sweeten the pot and soften the blow matt preprost, amy smart, lindsay kines, and nelson bennett

editor@ahnfsj.ca

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B.C. Premier John Horgan says construction of BC Hydro’s now $10.7-billion Site C dam will be completed.

Horgan gave the Crown utility the green light to carry on in a hotly anticipated decision handed down at the legislature Dec. 11, four months after his government ordered a review of the project in August.

“We have listened, we have deliberated and we have debated and, at the end of the day, we’ve come to the conclusion that although Site C is not the project we would have favoured and it’s not the project we would have started, it must be completed to meet the objectives our government has set through mandate letters to ministers and commitments to the people of B.C. during the election campaign,” Horgan said.

Horgan said his government made the decision with a heavy heart, and stood next to Energy Minister Michelle Mungall, who herself appeared to hold back tears through the announcement, and Environment Minister George Heyman. Horgan took an emotional pause when explaining that the decision had divided his own home—his brother disagreed with it, as did his wife, Ellie.

“I can’t think, in the 30 years I’ve been involved in public policy, of a choice that was more difficult than this one,” he said After nine hours of deliberation, cabinet’s decision

MORE: Treaty 8 Nations promise injunction, treaty rights lawsuit /A5

MORE: Praise and rage over NDP’s controversial decision /A7

came down to a math equation: Comparing how much money has been spent, how much remains to be spent and comparing those figures with the alternative of getting energy elsewhere.

Although the projected cost of the project has risen to $10.7 billion from $8.8 billion, the province says it makes the most financial sense to continue moving forward. Cancelling Site C would have meant an “unavoidable” $4-billion hit on either BC Hydro’s or the province’s books, Horgan said.

“It would have meant a 12 per cent rate increase immediately and foregoing important capital projects like schools, bridges and transit, and other important initiatives across British Columbia,” Horgan said.

Cancelling it could also mean creating the province’s largest deficit, destroying the province’s credit rating and wiping out 80 per cent of B.C. Hydro’s equity.

Site C expenditures have reached $2.1 billion so far, the government says.

BC Liberal and Peace River North MLA Dan Davies said Horgan’s decision to continue was good news and sends a message of certainty to investors.

“This is good news and a guaranteed way to secure our energy needs that we know we’re going to need in the future,” Davies said. “This has been the most reviewed project in British Columbia’s history, by far. It’s unfortunate that the NDP came to the same conclusion that we came to. As we move forward, it’s now our job as official opposition to make sure that this project is done in the most cost-effective way that protects ratepayers and protects taxpayers.”

Turnaround plan will keep project on time, budget, NDP says The government also announced a “turnaround plan” on the dam that includes a project assurance board made up of BC Hydro, independent experts, and government to oversee future contract awards to deliver the project “on time and budget.”

The government also announced a food security fund that will use revenues from Site C power to support farm projects across the province, on top of an already announced $20-million fund for Peace Region farmers.

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It’s one foot in front of the other for Peace Valley landowners who were left dismayed by Premier John Horgan’s decision to continue construction of Site C. Ken Boon, president of the Peace Valley Landowner Association, was hopeful Horgan was the answer to stopping a project he and his wife, along with their neighbours throughout the valley, have been fighting for decades. To hear Horgan admit the dam was past the point of no return was added insult and injury for the Boons, whose third-generation farm at Bear Flat was expropriated last December to make way for the dam and a realignment of Highway 29.

“It’s hard for any of us to predict the future right now,” Boon said. “Obviously, Horgan has announced they’re going to proceed. What’s going to happen next though? Are the geotechnical issues going to cause further costs and delays?

The First Nations, are they going to receive an injunction to stop the work? Is the NDP party going to implode?”

Boon said he didn’t vote for the NDP in the May election, but had been impressed with its new government until now.

He cast aside Horgan’s spin on his decision, saying the premier took bad advice on how to amortize the estimated $4 billion of construction, planning, and remediation costs of cancelling.

Boon’s organization had been working with U.S. energy consultant Robert McCullough, who tried to dispel those myths in a Nov. 30 meeting with Horgan’s cabinet.

“We put our faith fully in this BCUC review and engaged in it in a big way, and at great expense,” Boon said, adding he can’t see his landowner group pursuing more legal action alongside Treaty 8 First Nations.

The dam has plenty of outstanding troubles that could further drive up its cost, Boon added. There are plenty of concerns to address throughout the valley, including Highway 29 realignment, farm relocations, and plans to find and tap new water wells for residents.

“This could have been a defining moment for the NDP to get one of the keys things they had to deal with and get it right. They’ve taken on all of the problems of Site C and adopted them as their own,” Boon said.

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A2 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

Local News

Contents Humour........................................ A2 Weather ....................................... A2 Local News .................................. A3 Opinion ....................................... A6 Court Docket ............................. A12 Sports ........................................... B1 Community ................................ B9 Faith ........................................... B10 Arts .............................................. B11 Classifieds.................................. B14

on the hunt Andreas Geist, 3, spots the bright red ball during a scavenger hunt at kid’s night at the museum on Friday, Dec. 8. Youngsters joined museum staff and volunteers to hear Christmas tales of yore from Larry Evans, sang Christmas carols, made crafts, and, of course, gobbled up some cookies and hot chocolate.

this week’s flyers M&M Meats London Drugs Jysk The Source Wal-Mart Home Hardware No Frills Canadian Tire Save-On Foods Staples Marks Safeway Shoppers Drug Mart Peavy Brad’s Furniture

matt preprost Photo

Tonya Harding, Prince Harry, Rihanna, Batman, Mr. Dressup

GAS WATCH KNOWBEFOREYOUGO Prevailing Prices Dawson Creek

125.9

Fort St. John

126.9

Alberta-B.C. border

111.9

OLYMPIC REPORT: Last week’s big news in sports? Russia was banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics. The ban was over doping.

It was kind of obvious the Russians were doped at the 2014 Winter Games. Like, when they demonstrated uphill skiing. I predict the Russians will start their own winter games. Instead of bobsledding they will have Boris sledding.

TONYA TALE: The new movie I, Tonya

Tonya Harding. The reviews are good. That’s because Tonya Harding hinted any critic who writes a bad review will get whacked on the knee.

N/A

Groundbirch

129.9

Chetwynd

RIHANNA REPORT: In Barbados they named a street after popular singer Rihanna.

It’s where she lived when she was a kid. In my hometown there’s no Snyder Street. But there is a plaque on a downtown sidewalk where I wiped out on my skateboard.

Bob Snyder Chews the news

over by a reindeer.

GROCERY GRAB: An item on CBC described how supermarkets in Vancouver use “zone pricing.” They soak customers by charging higher grocery prices in rich neighborhoods. I’m not sure how this works in the Peace Country. Although I heard one grocery store in Fort St John has a plan to charge a $5 rental fee for a shopping cart with wheels that all run in the same direction.

t St. John, BC - 7 Day Forecast - Environment tells the Canada story of disgraced figure skater Fort Nelson

129.9

he’s not shoveling snow, he’s shoveling something else.

RAINBOW REPORT: Last week, the world’s longest-lasting rainbow was recorded in Taiwan. It was in the sky nine hours. I remember my Grandpa telling me when he was young, rainbows were black and white.

FB LOL: Facebook now has “Messenger Kids,” a service for kids under the age of 13.

Because why should kids be wasting their time doing stuff like riding a bike or playing outdoors when they could be on Facebook?

BATMAN BUCKS: There was a report actHOUSTON, WE HAVE A PEPPERONI: or Christian Bale was offered an incredible Last week, astronauts aboard the Interna- $100 million to play Batman again. That tional Space Station enjoyed a pizza party sounds like a lot of money, but he has to with the first pizza pies baked in zero-grav- supply his own cape. https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-78_metric_e.html ity. The pizzas were round and flat. Just like the Earth. Really. (I predict the first human DOG DETAILS: A new study shows dogs to eat pizza on the lunar surface will sing: are smarter than cats. I’m not sure the study “When the Moon hits your eye like a big means a lot. Politicians prove every day you pizza pie!”) don’t need to be smart to be in charge.

TOY TROUBLE: In a new study by the TEXT VEXED: Last week marked 25 years DRESSUP DETAILS: In an online poll, Environment and naturalUniversity resources of  Toledo Weatherininformation  Weather  Local forecasts  British Ohio: Owning too since the first text message.

AhColumbia yes, texting! Mr. Dressup was voted Canada’s Most MemTumbler Ridge 130.9 many toys is unhealthy for children. Here’s One small step for communication, one orable TV Show. I remember it very well. But what you do: Go online and print the study, giant leap for flexing your thumbs. A study times have changed. Now it’s 2017. If you Prince George 109.9 gift wrap it, and give it to your kids for shows almost 10 trillion text messages were tried producing a kids show like Mr. Dressup Christmas. sent last year, of which only a several dozen today, kids would say, “That’s lame! Where’s Observed at: Fort St. John Airport 9:00 AM MST Tuesday 12 December 2017 made sense. the loud music? Where’s the violence?” And Current Conditions Hythe t Nelson, BC - 7 Day Forecast - Environment Canada https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-83_metric_e.html 118.9 HOLIDAY HECK: On TV, an expert said let’s face facts: If a middle-aged man who it’s normal to feel stressed during the holMEANWHILE, IN TEXAS: You think we Condition: Mostly Cloudy Temperature: 4.8°C Wind: WSW 33 km/h likes to dress up started talking about his iday season.

Retail employees are highly get weird weather here in the Peace? They “tickle trunk,” you would call the cops.

Grande Prairie 104.4 Pressure: 101.9 kPa Dew point: -2.4°C Visibility: 24 km stressed this time of year. And let’s not for- had extremely rare snow in south Texas. One Tendency: Rising Humidity: 60% get the guys who work in the tinsel mines. Texas cowboy had drifts several feet deep on Calgary 100.8 December is also a very difficult month for the north side of his ten gallon hat. Usually Bob Snyder can be reached at: anyone whose Grandma was actually run when you see a Texas cowboy with a shovel, chewsthenews@fastmail.com Home  Environment97.9 and natural resources  Weather information  Weather  Local forecasts  British Columbia Edmonton Home



Fort St. John, BC

5°C

Fort Nelson, BC

WEATHER & ROAD REPORT

132.3

Vancouver

Forecast Victoria Current Conditions 128.2 Tue

B.C. avg 12 Dec Alberta Avg.

Wed

Pressure: 101.7 kPa Tendency: Rising 101.7

-7°C 7°C

A mix of sun and cloud

Thu

Condition: Partly14 Dec Cloudy 126.0 13 Dec

CAD$ per litre, prices as of December 12.

Source: GasBuddy.com

Issued: 5:00 AM MST Tuesday 12 December 2017 FORT JOHN Airport 8:00 AM MST Tuesday 12 December 2017 Observed at: FortST. Nelson

Fri Sat Temperature: -7.3°C 15 Dec 16 Dec Dew point: -8.5°C Humidity: 92%

6°C

8°C

3°C

Mainly sunny

A mix of sun and cloud

Sunny

Night Thu 14 Dec

Night Fri 15 Dec

Forecast General notice

Tonight Tue Wed The contents of this Night newspaper are protected by13 Dec 12 Dec copyright and may be used only for personal non-commercial purposes.

HIGHWAY CONDITIONS PEACE REGION

Sun Mon Wind: SSW 9 km/h 17 Dec 18 Dec Wind C… -12 Visibility: 24 km

1°C

1°C

-4°C

Night Sat 16 Dec

Night Sun 17 Dec

Mon 18 Dec

FOR CURRENT ROAD Sunny Sunny Sunny CONDITIONS IN THE PEACE REGION, Issued: 5:00 AM MST Tuesday 12 December 2017 FORT NELSON PLEASE SEE THE LINK BELOW.

http://www.drivebc.ca/

#listView&district=Peace

1°C -3°C -3°C -7°C All other-1°C rights are reserved 0°C 0°C -3°C* -2°C 1°C -5°C -14°C -17°C

and commercial use is A few clouds Cloudy periods Cloudy periods Clear Cloudy periods Clear

prohibited. To make any use of A mix of sun and Mainly sunny Cloudy Sunny A mix of sun and Sunny Sunny this material you must first cloud cloud obtain the permission of the owner of the copyright.

Today A mix of sun and cloud. Wind southwest 30 km/h gusting to 60. High 7.

WeatherPhone Tonight Night Wind west Night Night

Tonight A contact few clouds.

30 km/h gusting toNight 50. Low minus 1. Night Environment Canada Local For further information Weather Forecasts the managing editor at (250)-785-7669 Wed, 13 Dec Partly cloudy. Becoming sunny in the morning. Wind becoming west 20 km/h late in the afternoon.

High 6.

Night Cloudy periods. Low zero.

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Great Gift Ideas

Thu, 14 Dec -2°C Night

A mix of sun and cloud. High -5°C -6°C8.

Cloudy periods.

Low plus 1.

Fri, 15 Dec Night

Sunny. High plus 3.

Clear. Low minus 3.

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Wind west 20 km/h increasing to 50 late this evening. Low minus 2.

Wed, 13 Dec Night

Sunny. Wind west 50 km/h becoming light in the morning. Temperature falling to minus 5 in the afternoon.

Carhartt Base Force Thermal Kid’s Canvas Bib 2017-12-12, 10:01 AM Cloudy periods. Low minus 5.

Crewneck and Pants

Partly cloudy

Cloudy periods

Cloudy periods

-8°C

Clear

-18°C

-22°C

Cloudy

Clear

Raber Gauntlet Mitts

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* Denotes an abnormal temperature trend Sat, 16 Dec Sunny. High plus 1.

Night Cloudy minus 3. becoming west 20 km/h late this afternoon. High zero.

Today A mix ofperiods. sun andLow cloud.

Wind

2

Assorted Socks

Overalls

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 A3

Local News

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Council shelves liquor store proposal

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Fort St. John city councillors didn’t pop the cork on plans for a new liquor store near the hospital and a pair of schools Monday night.

At a rare two-hour, standing room-only public hearing, councillors drank down shot after shot of opposition served up by residents who live near the site of the proposed 2,000 square foot store at 112 Avenue and 86 Street.

At the end, councillors took the advice of city planners and unanimously rejected a zoning amendment to allow the store to be built.

“We sometimes think there’s no passion in Fort St. John, or no desire to improve,” Coun.

Bruce Christensen said.

“We on council have worked for quite a few years now to improve. We’re not always perfect, but we do have to listen. We listen to every proponent and we listen to every objection, and we do our best to make a decision.”

On The Rocks owner Jack Hynes was looking to move his store from the Northgate Mall and build an accompanying convenience store, saying the area was underserved and that he can’t compete with the government-owned liquor store a few doors down.

Hynes did not appear at the hearing but was represented by his general manager, Warren Mears.

Mears said the land in question has been for sale for seven years. Though it’s not zoned to allow for a liquor store, it does allow for a pub, he said.

“We think we can all agree this is not a reasonable use for this space,” said Mears, reading a statement on behalf of Hynes.

Hynes was pushing for a 6,000 square-foot building to be split equally between the liquor and convenience store. Cutting the business down to 4,000 square feet wouldn’t allow either store enough storage to be successful, Mears said.

“This is the only option we will be able to operate efficiently in. A smaller space would limit our inventory and capacity sufficiently,” Mears said.

Nevertheless, residents who packed council chambers stressed they weren’t antidevelopment, but repeated concerns about increased crime and traffic, lower property values, noise, public drinking, and the store’s impact on the hospital, Christian Life School, and the site of a planned new elementary school.

“I bought the land and built a house in this area because it was not in a commercial zone,” said 112 Avenue resident Becky Strome.

“I wanted the peace and quiet of living close to the edge of town. I don’t need a convenience store across the street from me, or a liquor store.

The other ones are close enough.”

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Warren Mears, general manager for On The Rocks liquor stores, makes his pitch at a public hearing Dec. 11, 2017.

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site c site c from a1

The government says its turnaround plan also includes “new” community benefit programs, while also increasing the number of apprentices and First Nations working on the project. Details of the new programs weren’t provided.

The government says it will also look to relocate the Site C worker camp to a “local skills-training institution” when construction is completed.

“I believe a lot of the information announced today is certainly a very good reason for Premier Horgan to come for a visit,” Fort St. John Mayor said, noting the city will be reiterating its invitations to the premier sent earlier this summer.

Ackerman said she didn’t envy Horgan and his cabinet for the mountains of information it sifted through as part of their review. And while the review has held back investment in the city, a a final decision has been made, said Ackerman, who was hopeful for healing.

“Although it continues to be extremely divisive in the community, there has been a decision,” she said.

“Now, the Harper government approved it, the Trudeau government has approved it, the Clark government has approved it, and now the Horgan government has approved it.

“You can take the same data and argue both directions. I certainly don’t envy the government for having to pore through that informaton and come to this decision because they certainly could have gone either way.”

BC Hydro President and CEO Chris O’Riley said Site C was a “large and complex” project, but that the utility was confident it would be able to build the project within its revised budget.

“We have identified a number of areas where improvements must be made, including adding independent oversight of project performance, ensuring the appropriate resources are in place to manage new and existing contractors, and enhancing openness and transparency through increased project communications,” he said.

Site C a political quagmire for young NDP government Site C is the largest construction project in B.C. history. It will flood about 5,500 hectares of land along the Peace River, creating an 83-kilometre-long reservoir and providing enough power to light up to 450,000 homes a year.

The hydroelectric dam, which was a signature job-creation project of former Liberal premier Christy Clark, has been under review by the new government.

While proponents say it will provide necessary power to meet future demand, critics have questioned its value in the face of cost overruns and delays, geotechnical challenges, First Nations claims and environmental damage.

In a Nov. 1 report to the government, the B.C. Utilities Commission said the dam was not on track to meet its then $8.3-billion budget nor its 2024 completion date. It pegged the

Public Skate

though Ackerman noted those were during the summer wildfires and into the start of the government session in September.

Though the premier’s absence from Northeast B.C. is troubling for many, Ackerman wasn’t as fraught as she was until she saw Horgan was able to make it to Prince George on the eve of his Site C announcement. It’s unclear when Horgan will visit the region, though the News did get to speak with Horgan after this edition went to print.

“We’ll see what his next move is and that will really determine how we are able to work together,” Ackerman said.

Horgan’s government now faces

Hydro rates rising with or without Site C bc hydro

A view of the Site C construction site in September 2017.

likely cost at more than $10 billion— but, at the same time, did not give a recommendation to either cancel or continue the project.

BC Hydro has disputed some of the report’s conclusions, saying it underestimated the dam’s benefits by $800 million. Others have highlighted the report’s findings that alternative energies, such as wind and geothermal, could provide equally priced or cheaper power.

Politically, Site C has been a quagmire for the New Democrats.

The party’s traditional supporters are divided: While many argue for investment in alternative energies instead, construction trade unions have highlighted the employment value of the project.

There were 1,974 workers tied to the project in October, according to BC Hydro’s latest job statistics.

The BCUC was specifically excluded from reviewing the Site C dam by the Liberals, who approved construction in 2014. Horgan pledged to send the project to the commission for review if he won the May election, while Clark vowed to push the project past the point of no return.

Horgan followed through on his pledge after taking control of the legislature from Clark in the summer with the help of the BC Greens in a power-sharing agreement.

Green leader Andrew Weaver wants the project cancelled entirely, but has said he won’t defeat the government over its decision. However, Weaver has suggested a recall campaign against Energy Minister Michelle Mungall, contrasting remarks she made in 2016 in opposition to the project.

Dam linked to northeast gas development: Bumstead Horgan met with local government leaders in Prince George on Dec. 8, his second visit to that city.

While the meeting was focused primarily on forestry, Dawson Creek

Mayor Dale Bumstead had found himself a spot at table and offered his view on Site C on the eve of Horgan’s announcement.

The dam is part of BC Hydro’s Peace Region Electricity Supply project in the South Peace, needed to meet demands from natural gas exploration and development in the region, Bumstead said he told Horgan.

“That’s an important project. If Site C doesn’t proceed, then that project gets redesigned ... and moves supply of power into the region back another few years,” Bumstead said.

“It’s significant to the development of the sector.”

Horgan was in Prince George for a quick 90-minute roundtable with the mayors of Prince George and Quesnel, as well as politicians from the Cariboo, Bulkley-Nechako, and Fraser-Fort George regional districts.

A photo of Horgan with the group generated some controversy in Fort St. John, where the absence of Ackerman was noted and gave the impression the premier had snubbed the city ahead of his decision.

Quesnel could be blamed for that instead. The city’s mayor, Bob Simpson, organized the meeting to address concerns in the “fibre basket” of the region where pulp mills are centralized from Mackenzie through to Quesnel, Simpson said. Bumstead was invited given his relationship with Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall, and to help bridge the divide beyond Mackenzie, Simpson said.

Invitations weren’t extended to Fort St. John, nor were invitations made to Terrace, Smithers, or McBride, Simpson noted.

While local leaders had facetime with Horgan at the Union of B.C. Municipalities meeting in September, Horgan has yet to visit Northeast B.C., since becoming premier, and turned down an invitation to meet with the Peace River Regional District this fall citing scheduling conflicts.

The city has sent two invitations to Horgan since he became premier,

Monday, December 25

Tuesday, December 26

Wednesday, December 27

Thursday, December 28

Friday, December 29

Saturday, December 30

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multiple challenges, including finding ways to manage budget overruns, defending the decision in potential treaty infringement claims, exploring potential new markets for B.C. power, and mollifying the Green Party and the environmental wing within its own party.

BC Hydro rates are anticipated to increase 30 per cent over the next 10 years, regardless of Site C, but government says even with those increases, B.C.’s hydro rates are comparatively low.

The government said the rate impacts for cancelling Site C would have been a 12 per cent BC Hydro hike over 10 years, starting in 2020, which would add $200 a year to the average residential BC Hydro bill, $192,000 to the average lumber mill, $180,000 to a medium sized data centre, and $372,000 to a large hospital.

Completing Site C, on the other hand, will require a 1.1 per cent increase in both 2025 and 2026. The costs of paying for the project are spread over 70 years.

Had the government decided to assume BC Hydro’s debt, absorbing $4 billion in sunk costs, termination fees and reclamation, it would wipe out 80 per cent of BC Hydro’s equity and add $120 million to $150 million in annual interest charges to the province, government officials said in a technical briefing. Credit rating agencies might consider BC Hydro as a non-commercially viable entity. The government said $4 billion is equal to 11 hospitals or three Patullo Bridges.

There are still two major components of the dam to be completed—the spillway and generating plants, and transmission lines, representing $5.8 billion in spending. An unredacted report to the BC Utilities Commission

by Deloitte shows the estimated cost of the spillway contract to be $1.25 billion.

Site C’s budget was $8.3 billion, with a project reserve of an additional $440 million. The government has now revised that to $10.7 billion, with a project reserve of $708 million.

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fortstjohn.ca

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 A5

site c

Treaty 8 nations seek injunction to stop Site C matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Two Treaty 8 First Nations opposed to Site C say they’ll be seeking a court injunction to halt the dam’s continued construction.

The West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations said they will seek the injunction and launch a treaty infringement lawsuit after B.C. Premier John Horgan gave the green light for the project to continue to completion on Dec. 11.

“It sets a pretty strong tone from them,” West Moberly Chief Roland Willson said in an interview after the decision.

“We were hoping things would be different and it’s just the same old, same old.”

In the lead up to Horgan’s decision, the two nations said finishing the now $10.7-billion dam would prompt a $1-billion lawsuit.

When completed, Site C will be able to produce 5,100 gigawatts of energy per year and have 1,100 megawatts of capacity. It will also flood

West Moberly Chief Roland Willson speaking to the Site C joint review panel in Fort St. John in 2013.

some 100-plus kilometres of the Peace River valley and its tributaries, including farmland and First Nations cultural sites.

The two nations are talking with lawyers across B.C. and Canada as they prepare their claim, Willson said. Stopping the project now would ensure there’s no irreparable damage done to the nations’ rights under Treaty 8, Willson said.

“There’s no reason to continue while we’re deciding

this court case,” he said.

Similar injunctions sought by area First Nations after the project was approved in 2014 have been dismissed by the courts. However, Willson believes the courts will be unable to ignore the BC Utilities Commission’s findings about the dam.

He believes Horgan had no intentions of stopping Site C despite ordering the review in the first place.

“The writing was on the wall

when they sent it to the BCUC for the review and didn’t order tools down on the site,” he said.

In its announcement, the government said BC Hydro and the transportation ministry will work with Treaty 8 nations to redesign the Highway 29 realignment at Bear Flat over Cache Creek to “reduce the effects on potential burial sites and sacred places.”

“BC Hydro will invite proposals from Treaty 8 First Nations for this roadbuilding work,” the government said.

Meanwhile, the government says it will advance reconciliation with local First Nations, and establish a Treaty 8 advisory committee that will give input to a Peace River Legacy Fund.

In a statement, Horgan acknowledged Site C is not supported by all Treaty 8 First Nations.

“I respect and honour the commitment of people who oppose Site C, and share their determination to move B.C. to a clean, renewable energy future and to embrace the principles of reconciliation

with Indigenous communities,” he said.

“We know this decision is not what some First Nations wanted. Their voices were heard and their perspectives were an important part of the deliberations on a very challenging decision.”

Meanwhile, the Blueberry River First Nations says it was shocked by the decision.

The First Nation has a legal challenge before the courts to limit resource development in its traditional territory due to the cumulative impacts of industry. Site C would add to the “unprecedented” level of industrial activity in its territory, the nation says.

“The province has already broken its treaty promises to us, and that’s why we are going to trial in March,” Chief Marvin Yahey said in a statement.

“Premier Horgan could have done the right thing here and taken a step toward reconciliation, but he chose not to. Site C will be the single largest infringement of our rights under Treaty 8, and there is no justification for it.”

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A6 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

Opinion

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Site C past point of no return, premier says

W

ith his “heavy heart” on his sleeve and his eyes on the bottom line, Premier John Horgan threw up his hands and decided Monday to carry on with the Site C dam.

He was downcast, resentful, and bitter about the box the B.C. Liberals put him in by successfully driving the project past the point of no return before their government collapsed.

But he deserves credit for being honest about how he feels about it. There was no skating around the vicious arguments already breaking out inside the NDP. There was no attempt to adjust past positions to try to align them with the fact that he is taking over responsibility for whatever the Peace River power project’s legacy turns out to be. He said he’s “making the better of a bad situation.”

Horgan acknowledged his party never favoured the idea of damming the Peace for the third time. He said an NDP government would never have started it. But there was no escaping that B.C. is two years and $2 billion into the job, and it would cost almost another $2 billion to back all the way out to square one.

Turning back was judged too expensive, and costs were the dominant issue from start to finish in all the agonizing his government did over the decision.

Electricity rates are already ramping up steadily, and cancellation would have made the ramp much steeper. So the NDP government is going to grit its teeth and preside over the completion of the Liberals’ legacy project. They’re going to loathe every moment of it.

It’s not exactly the kind of chipper, can-do attitude you’d like to see in a government that’s setting out to spend billions more dollars on the biggest project in B.C. history.

If president John F. Kennedy had started the space program in this frame of mind, they’d barely be getting chimps into orbit by now.

But that’s how they feel, and the premier wasn’t shy about showing it. He was flanked by a miserable-looking environment minister, George Heyman, and a dejected energy minister, Michelle Mungall. They showed up knowing they were about to get buried in hate mail, and will have to spend years explaining themselves to people who feel betrayed.

Entirely hypothetically, if

they’re still around when the project is finished seven years from now, it’s going to be the most dismal ribbon-cutting ever.

People and groups who were counting on the NDP to shut down the project weren’t shy about reacting, either. A couple of First Nations are racing to the courthouse to file for injunctions. A Peace River interest group proclaimed Monday as “the beginning of the end of the NDP government.”

Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver not only denounced the decision, he endorsed a recall campaign against Mungall for taking part in it after she campaigned against the project. He stopped short of withdrawing support for the government, though.

Horgan went to great lengths to explain how hard it was to decide. He has sat across kitchen tables from people who fought the dam for years.

A constituent in her 80s asks him to kill it every time she sees him. Some caucus colleagues are “profoundly disappointed.”

His wife isn’t crazy about it, either.

The main driver behind the decision to disappoint them all isn’t electricity, or future

demand or pricing forecasts.

It’s the NDP government’s appetite to do good things for people in other spheres.

As explained in a detailed briefing by officials, cancelling the project would have involved taxpayers or ratepayers eating $4 billion worth of debt, hiking interest costs by up to $150 million a year. And that would have crowded out room for new capital project spending.

That’s 11 hospitals or 66 new secondary schools.

As Horgan said: “If we have to increase our debt-servicing costs … we won’t be able to deliver child care in the term of this government.”

The financing squeeze isn’t entirely the Liberals’ fault.

Horgan compounded his own problem. He removed metro Vancouver bridge tolls to appease some commuters, but that loaded billions onto the books for taxpayers at large to pay. So he used a lot of the fiscal room that was needed.

That made the NDP more determined to protect what’s left for social programs, not for filling in big holes in the ground.

Les Leyne covers the B.C. legislature for the Victoria Times-Colonist.

Adding up NDP’s political losses on Site C decision

J

ohn Horgan never said he would kill the Site C hydroelectric project.

Never.

He was as good as word Monday in finessing the mountain of advice and rejecting the mounting political pressure on how his government will proceed at great expense, uncertainty and risk with such massive infrastructure.

His consistent word, though, could also be his persistent political liability.

Horgan will never gain any particular credit for proceeding—that is the preserve of the BC Liberals who green-lit Site C and made it, for him, maddeningly less feasible to cancel. The question for him is what support he will lose.

Monday’s announcement might reassure trade unions he is with them, but won’t assuage those suspicious of the BC NDP’s economic or resource bona fides; mostly they will shrug and suggest he didn’t have much choice but to do what he did.

Cancellation of the project would give rise to the well-worn stereotype of an antibusiness NDP. It would have made Horgan’s campaign, and even his pact with Weaver, fraudulent. That isn’t the premier Horgan appears to want to be.

Even so, he will have to do much more to attract BC Liberals next election. What he must hope is that he will not lose NDPers

by then, because even if it’s consistent with his earlier statements, what he did will be noxious with the true believers in the environmental and indigenous agenda as planks of a sustainable government.

Horgan’s call leaves his party vulnerable to further defections to the Greens, even if its leader did not have the moxie to negotiate Site C’s cessation when he had the chance.

Some, too, even some Liberals, will see Site C as economically reckless, so Horgan wins little and jeopardizes much in moving forward.

That being said, the wind is behind his choice. Public opinion generally favours completion, only about one-quarter oppose it, and another quarter want it delayed to figure things out.

What Horgan signalled Monday was that his party is willing to bet big when it strives for the centre to build equity to do things on the left. In this case it is willing to bank on unknown factors to make Site C shrewd in not being shelved.

It is sheer speculation to tell what those factors might be—the ravenous electric vehicle, a suddenly fierce demand neighbouring market—but it is safe to say we don’t see them today, and if they emerge Horgan will not be premier when they surface. If other energy forms take on a Moore’s law effect and become more

efficient and less costly, the eventual pressure will be a political embarrassment.

A question he must have weighed is whether the backlash on his decision might gain traction. He is certainly betting that it will not be a lengthy political hangover, but in the short term the grief will be palpable.

BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver has already suggested a recall initiative is in order for the province’s energy minister, Michelle Mungall, who earlier expressed opposition to the project and now must shepherd it. Such a recall can’t be launched for another year or so, but she will likely feel some heat now.

That said, this isn’t a deal-breaker for Weaver in his alliance with Horgan. The covenant they created earlier this year promised only a BC Utilities Commission study of the project, nothing more, so Weaver won’t take down the government over its decision.

Weaver’s own political predicament is problematic, too. His supporters might be upset the project is proceeding, but they will need to remember that he initially supported Site C and eventually signed an agreement to align with the NDP that did not seek to kill it.

It is tough to sling mud when it is landing in your face.

Kirk LaPointe is the editor-in-chief of Business in Vancouver.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 A7

op-ed

Praise and rage over NDP’s Site C decision For a $10.7-billion project, Site C will forever charge debate over its merits on both sides of the argument.

Here’s a look at how politicians and organizations are responding to news the NDP will continue the dam to completion:

their own program that will encourage active resource business activities. Forest products and natural gas are abundant in BC and new export market should be found for these products.”

— Alan Yu, Fort St. John

“We will not ask British Columbians to take on $4 billion in debt with nothing in return for the people of this province and, even worse, with massive cuts to the services they count on.

“The old government recklessly pushed Site C past the point of no return, committing billions of dollars to this project without appropriate planning and oversight. Our job now is to make the best of a bad deal and do everything possible to turn Site C into a positive contributor to our energy future.”

— John Horgan, Premier

“Our role as a non-decision making body has always been to be proactive, and to protect and promote the interests of the community. We will continue to do that.”

— Mayor Lori Ackerman, Fort St. John

matt preprost photo

A view of the Peace River at the lookout, just downstream from the Site C construction zone.

“The government’s argument that cancelling Site C is too risky due to debt is incredibly cynical. This is a question of priorities. They had no problem adding billions onto the public debt to cancel the tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges, transferring those costs to people outside the Lower Mainland to pick up votes in a couple of swing ridings.

“Today, Site C is no longer simply a BC Liberal boondoggle — it has now become the BC NDP’s project. They are accountable to British Columbians for the impact this project will have on our future.”

— Andrew Weaver, leader, BC Green Party “This is good news and a guaranteed way to secure our energy needs that we know we’re going to need in the future. This has been the most reviewed project in British Columbia’s history, by far.

It’s unfortunate that the NDP came to the same conclusion that we came to.

“As we move forward, it’s now our job as official opposition to make sure that this project is done in the most cost-effective way that protects ratepayers and protects taxpayers.”

— Dan Davies, BC Liberal MLA, Peace River North “Today’s announcement by the NDP is the right one. We have had over 2,000 families who have been left with uncertainty for the last few months that can now move on with their lives. We have companies that can now move on and ensure they’re employing people to finish this project. We have a region that is no longer going to be left with that uncertainty.”

— Mike Bernier, BC Liberal MLA, Peace River South “We believe this is the right decision for Site C workers, rate payers, the environment, and the future of our province.

“Now our Government must ensure that the project, which was on time and on budget prior to the review process, remains open to all British Columbians.

“To reintroduce Project Labour Agreements that limit access to work to members of specific unions would be a huge step backwards for

the workers of BC. The open managed site maximizes innovation in construction, safety, and community development, but perhaps most importantly, protects the fundamental right of workers to choose their union representation.”

— Ryan Bruce, Christian Labour Association of Canada “With so much at stake for our province, better late than never for John Horgan and the NDP Government to support Site C. This entire process and all of the uncertainty it caused was completely unnecessary. In the past four months, we have seen a rushed review and needless NDP-Green politicking create uncertainty and confusion that put this clean energy project, and the thousands of jobs it supports, at risk for no reason.”

— Chris Gardner, president, Independent Contractors and Businesses Association “We are extremely disappointed by this decision.

Allowing this money wasting, human rights abusing boondoggle of a white elephant to proceed will go down as one of the worst blunders in B.C. history “This dam is an assault on the human rights of the Indigenous people of the Peace River Valley. The province is so worried about the two billion dollars sunk into it already, but that is nothing to pay for reconciliation,” said Foy. “You can’t say you are committed to United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and then approve the Site C dam.”

— Joe Foy, national campaign director, Wilderness Committee “In the wake of the Site C dam decision, it’s important not to lose sight of one thing: Our province’s efforts to tackle human-caused climate change are indelibly linked to today’s energy choices.

British Columbians expect Premier John Horgan’s government to deliver on its promise of a new climate plan that gets us back on track to our targets for fighting carbon pollution.

“The magnitude of action that’s necessary to achieve B.C.’s climate goals — which

are, in turn, integral to Canada fulfilling its international commitments under the Paris Agreement — cannot be overstated. We need a robust made-in-B.C. strategy that goes far above and beyond business as usual.”

— Tam Wu, B.C. director, Pembina Institute “In the long-run, Site C’s affordable energy is a huge competitive advantage for business in the province. BC’s hydroelectric system gives businesses and residents certainty that reliable and clean power will be available when it is needed.”

— Val Litwin, president, BC Chamber of Commerce “The Premier knew coming into office that flooding the Peace River Valley would be profoundly destructive for the Dunne-Za and Cree peoples whose histories and cultures are inseparable from that land. He has even acknowledged that construction of the Site C dam would violate Canada’s legal obligations under Treaty 8.

The fact that he would allow the destruction of the Peace River Valley despite such serious concerns is a blatant betrayal of his government’s commitments to uphold the rights of Indigenous peoples, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

— Alex Neve, Amnesty International Canada “It’s encouraging to hear that the BC Government has decided to proceed with this important project. Site C will continue to have a positive economic impact on our local economy through the jobs created, the growth of our local businesses and the overall sense of confidence in our community.”

— Bob Zimmer, MP, Prince George-Peace River -Northern Rockies “Our members have been living with uncertainty about their jobs and futures for many months. This decision ensures their livelihoods and investments in the community are secure for many years to come.”

— David Black, president, MoveUP “While we recognize that

HaveYOUR

this was not an easy decision, we’re confident that it is in the best interests of all British Columbians. Seeing this project through will allow workers, their communities and all taxpayers to realize the tremendous benefits of this major investment.”

— Rieghardt van Enter, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada ““History will not look kindly on this decision.

While the blame must be shared with the previous government, which recklessly proceeded without a proper review, this government has now assumed responsibility for the harsh environmental and social impacts to come.

“It is a cruel irony that on the 20th anniversary of the landmark Delgamuukw decision, the government has ignored its promise to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Under the Paris Agreement, climate action must be consistent with human rights and the rights of Indigenous peoples. Proceeding with Site C makes a mockery of these commitments.”

— Galen Armstrong, Sierra Club BC “Site C is a positive thing to the Fort St. John job market as well as the rest of BC. The peak number of jobs will occur about the fifth year of construction so we have not yet seen the peak numbers yet.

The continued construction will also positively affect the businesses here as well as beyond the Peace Region as Site C source its equipment and supplies from local businesses.

“This decision gives us an idea of Horgan’s and the NDP’s decision making process.

There are no needless delays and decision is ultimately based on what is good for BC. “As the NDP spends funds to finance their social programs, there will be a need to generate funds. Their child care and health care programs are good but will need money to finance them.

“Increasing taxes or incurring deficits are not good and ultimately will hurt their chances of re-election.

“The answer lies in our rich natural resources and the NDP should develop

“We’ve had a lot of setbacks along the way and I would say this is the worst one. But, having said that, we’ve always somehow bounced back, so I don’t know what’s going to happen moving forward.

“I’m amazed at how many phone calls and emails I have received from NDP party members in the last few weeks stating that if John Horgan moves forward with this project, they’re done with the party.”

— Ken Boon, Bear Flat, in an interview with CBC “Dammed if he does, damned if he doesn’t. If ever a situation called for a compromise, this is it. John was elected primarily by environmentally concerned citizens who will be sorely disappointed if he does give it the green light (how ironic is that?) and will likely disappoint (get it?) him if he does.”

— Ron Wilton, via alaskahighwaynews.ca “How absolutely sad this decision is. I watched John Horgan and Michelle Mungall’s faces as they made the announcement and they were not happy with the decision but felt it was the best. I do not agree with their decision and blame the Liberals for the whole mess. The valley is irreplaceable and Site C will encounter many more problems and cost overrides before it is done. This is a sad day.”

— Janice Welsh McKnight, via Facebook “The valley will still be there, not to worry. There will be some changes but we are not flooding the valley, just a small portion of it so we can use the water that already went through WAC and Peace Canyon one more time. It will still be a beautiful drive through the valley.”

— Brett Blaikie, via Facebook “I wasn’t sure about our new Premier, but now I admire him for making this tough decision.”

— Donna Folk, via Facebook “People that speak so low of us First Nations should get a cross cultural training about the people of this Treaty 8 country so you can understand why this sacred land is important to us. My ancestors lived in the area, my grandmother was born in the valley, and my great grandfather Chief Attachie is buried up on the hill where the two rivers meet and in the path where the new road is proposed.”

— Sandra Apsassin, via Facebook

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Bi-weekly payment is $199/$159 for 48 months at 2.9%/0.9% interest rate on approved credit to qualified retail customers by GM Financial. $3,200/$1,700 down payment is required. Total obligation is $23,840/$18,212 plus applicable taxes. Taxes, license, insurance, registration and applicable fees, levies, duties and, except in Quebec, dealer fees (all of which may vary by dealer and region) are extra. Option to purchase at lease end is $20,442/$13,863. See dealer for details. Discounts vary by model. Dealer may sell for less. Limited time offer which may not be combined with certain other offers. General Motors of Canada Company may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. Offers may not be redeemed for cash and may not combined with certain other consumer incentives. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. 1 U.S. Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov). 2 Full functionality requires compatible Bluetooth and smartphone, and USB connectivity for some devices. Data plan rates apply. 3 Not compatible with all devices. 4 Visit onstar.ca for coverage maps, details and system limitations. Service plan required. Available 4G LTE with Wi-Fi® hotspot requires WPA2 compatible mobile device and data plan. Data plans provided by AT&T or its local service provider. Services vary by model, service plan, conditions as well as geographical and technical restrictions. OnStar ® with 4G LTE connectivity is available on select vehicle models and in select markets. Vehicle must be started or in accessory mode to access Wi-Fi®. 5 The OnStar ® Basic Plan is available on eligible new and pre-owned vehicles equipped with OnStar ® 4G LTE hardware for 5 years or the remaining term. The Basic Plan is transferable to subsequent owners for the remaining term. It includes the monthly Diagnostics Report emails (capabilities vary by model), Dealer Maintenance Notification, access to select vehicle mobile app features and more. Your vehicle must have been compatible with the vehicle’s mobile app prior to the OnStar ® 4G LTE hardware upgrade, if applicable. This plan does not include emergency, security or navigation services. These and other services require a paid or Add-On Plan. Visit onstar.ca for vehicle availability, coverage maps, details and system limitations. Available 4G LTE with Wi-Fi® hotspot requires WPA2-compatible mobile device and data plan. Data plans are provided by AT&T TM or its local service provider. ** The 2-Year Scheduled LOF Maintenance Program provides eligible customers in Canada who have purchased, leased or financed a new eligible 2017 or 2018 MY GMC vehicle with an ACDelco oil and filter change, in accordance with the Oil Life Monitoring System and the Owner’s Manual, for 2 years or 48,000 km, whichever occurs first, with a limit of four Lube-Oil-Filter services in total, performed at participating GM dealers. Fluid top-offs, inspections, tire rotations, wheel alignments and balancing, etc., are not covered. This offer may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives available on GM vehicles. General Motors of Canada Company reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice. Additional conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. ▲ Whichever comes first, fully transferable. Conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for complete details.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 A9

Local News

Ready for the classroom AHCOTE arms new local teachers matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

The latest group of locallytrained teachers are ready to take on the classroom.

Thirteen students graduated from the Alaska Highway Consortium on Teacher Education program on Dec. 7.

“Fort St. John still continues to grow like crazy and we’re going to need teachers,” said Louie, who has children attending C.M. Finch, Bert Bowes, and North Peace Secondary schools.

“The need isn’t going to diminish, I think we will have really good job prospects.”

The Alaska Highway Consortium on Teacher Education (AHCOTE) program is offered through Northern Lights College in partnership with Simon Fraser University.

It’s often touted one of the best ways to recruit and retain teachers in Northeast B.C. Louie, who has a degree in biological sciences, started turning her mind to the education field as her children grew up. Both her husband and mother have also been trained through AHCOTE. “Everyone always thinks I’m a teacher,” Louie said with a laugh.

Louie plans to add her name to the school district’s teacheron-call list to give herself flexibility as a parent before taking on a full-time position.

Dawson Creek graduate Nathalie Jones said she’s had a several job offers already, but plans to take a vacation before looking to teach fulltime next fall.

“I have to see what’s open, but I’m hoping a French immersion school,” said Jones.

Born and raised in Dawson Creek, Jones knew she wanted to be a teacher when she was just 10 years old. She plans to stay and teach in the city.

“It’s nice to be close to home when you do all this,” she said of AHCOTE. The 16-month program is offered every other year, and though admissions are capped at 16 students, program officials hope to have twice that amount when the program resumes in September 2018.

The latest cohort of students were taught by Angela Connelly, who took a leave from her job as an English and social studies teacher at Dawson Creek Secondary’s central campus.

“I was really excited about the challenge of mentoring. It’s a high part of developing new teachers,” Connelly said.

Connelly earned her teaching degree though the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

The AHCOTE program is unique in that it’s taught by teachers with real-world experience as opposed to a professor who may have never seen the inside of a classroom, she said.

“This program is really special because they have teachers not professors, who can be disconnected from the classroom,” Connelly said.

matt preprost Photo

Jen Louie and Nathalie Jones were two of 13 students who celebrated their graduation from the Alaska Highway Consortium on Teacher Education program Dec. 7.

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*Traditional copper wire or copper wire hybrid networks are subject to capacity constraints and environmental stresses that do not affect TELUS fibre optic technology, which is based on light signals. Internet access speed depends on location, usage within the home network, internet traffic, applicable network management and server configurations. For a description of TELUS’s network management practices, see telus.com/networkmanagement. †Offer subject to change without notice. The $15/mo. discount for 24 months is available to customers signing up for TELUS Internet 250/250 and Optik TV You Pick 6 or higher. Regular price (currently $90/month) applies at month 25. Offer only available with Optik TV You Pick 6 or higher. Downgrading to Lite or Essentials will trigger the removal of the $15 Internet discount. Minimum system requirements apply.

Final eligibility for service will be determined by a TELUS representative. Internet access is subject to usage limits; additional charges apply for exceeding the included data. Rental equipment must be returned in good condition upon cancellation of service. TELUS, the TELUS logo, TELUS PureFibre, Optik TV, the future is friendly and telus.com are trademarks of TELUS Corporation, used under licence. All rights reserved. © 2017 TELUS.

A10 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

WISHING EVERYONE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON Artwork designed by children of the Shell Groundbirch Team for our 2017 Holiday Art Contest.

WINNING ENTRY: AUDREY, AGE 11 Daan, age 9

Lilly, age 6 Audrey, age 1.5

William, age 7

Bentley, age 4

Lucy, age 3 Vera, age 11

Ranita, age 8

Svea, age 9

Deegan, age 12 Ella, age 9

Linden, age 7

Malayna, age 11

Kristopher, age 9

R.J., age 7

Ryder, age 4

Ivy, age 6

Lilli, age 10

Lizzy, age 11

Kate, age 11

Mia, age 7

Lilly, age 6

Ivey, age 9

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 A11

Local News

Province kicks in $500,000 for daycare at Ma Murray school matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

The province is kicking in $500,000 towards a new daycare at the Margaret ‘Ma’ Murray Community School.

The government announced the new funding Dec. 4 as completion of the new school nears, and as part of a $33-million package to support 3,800 childcare spaces in the province.

The funds are over and above the $1.8 million committed by BC Hydro for 37 daycare spaces at the school— first announced in May 2016 as part of the conditions imposed on Site C through its environmental approvals.

The $2.7-million daycare is in phase two of its build, and fit the timeline for government funding, according to a spokesman for the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Of the 37 spaces that will open at Ma Murray, 12 will be for infants and toddlers, with the remaining 25 seats for children aged three to five.

Site C workers will have shared priority access to half the spaces, BC Hydro has said.

“Many B.C. parents are struggling to find child care, especially in rural communities,” Children and Family Development Minister Katrine Conroy said in a statement Dec. 7.

“While these new spaces in Fort St. John won’t fix the child-care crisis in the region, they are a step towards providing greater access to the quality, licensed spaces that local families need and deserve.”

The Ma Murray school will accommodate 365 students

from Kindergarten to Grade 6, and will open for classes in fall 2018.

The school district will own the daycare and will seek an independent operator.

Agreements are still being finalized with an operator, and BC Hydro over its priority spaces, SD60 secretarytreasurer Brenda Hooker said.

BC Hydro’s funding commitment is paying for the bricks and mortar structure of daycare, Hooker said, while the ministry funding will help equip and outfit the daycare, including fencing and a playground.

The district is exploring ways to fund and reduce the remaining $400,000 portion of the daycare’s budget, Hooker said.

BC Hydro’s funding commitment would not have been impacted by a cancellation of Site C, Hooker said. Some spaces would have still been allocated for BC Hydro employees if the government decides to terminate Site C, she added.

“They work in the community, they provided a significant amount of funding,” she said. “If BC Hydro didn’t initiate the partnership we wouldn’t even have a daycare.”

With daycare spaces and early childhood education a priority for the new government, Hooker said she expects to see similar partnerships with school districts in the future.

“It’s a great model to provide infrastructure to the community,” she said.

“We are a growing district with increasing enrolment, and we’ll have a need down the road.”

smoke stack fire Fort St. John firefighters were called out the OSB plant at 12:30 p.m. Monday afternoon to help knock down a fire that started in the press’s exhaust pipes.

Firefighters were on scene for three-and-a-half hours, Deputy Fire Chief Darrell Blades said. “The simplest way to describe it was a big chimney fire with limited access (to fight it),” he said.

Jarrett Bradley Photo

Library plots its future with public survey matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

The Fort St. John Public Library is looking for community input as it plots out the next three chapters of its strategic plan.

The library has launched a survey to help inform a plan from 2018 through to 2020, and is looking to learn more about what people know, or don’t know, about the library, and address the future of its services to meet community needs.

The library wants to hear from users and non-users alike, said Kerry France, director of

Fort St John, 10444 100th Street

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in B.C. that is operated by a non-profit society and not by a municipal government, and continues to be one of the lowest funded libraries per capita in the province.

Still, the majority of the its funding comes from the City of Fort St. John, at 54.4 per cent, or $397,000, with the regional district and federal governments also providing funding alongside donors and sponsors.

Find and complete the survey by logging online to www.surveymonkey.com/r/ FSJPL2018.

The survey ends Dec. 31.

library services.

“We’ll be taking a look at what kind of data we pull from this, and what the majority of people are stating they want, or what our partners want to see in terms of services,” France said.

The library serves 34,159 people in Fort St. John and electoral areas B and C in the Peace River Regional District. There are 6,631 active cardholders in those areas, and there’s been a steady increase in users and program participants. There were 88,000 people who used the library in 2016, France said.

The library is one of the few

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A12 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

COURT DOCKET A summary of what went on in Peace Region courts for the week ending Dec. 8.

Fort St John Law Courts • Harley Trusonn Wellard (born 1974) was fined $3,000, handed a one-year criminal driving ban, and assessed a $900 victim surcharge for care or control of a vehicle with a blood alcohol level over .08.

• Liann Jeanetta Marie Dewetter (born 1970) was fined $1,500, handed a oneyear criminal driving ban, and assessed $450 victim surcharge for failing or refusing to provide a sample. Dewetter was further fined $500 and assessed a $75 victim surcharge for driving with a suspended licence.

• Vincent Gray Jokinen (born 1964) was fined $1,000, handed a two-year probation order, handed a three-year criminal driving ban, and assessed a $300 victim surcharge for being in care or control of a vehicle with a blood alcohol level over .08.

• Nicholas Grant Harrison (born 1980) was fined $1,000, handed a one-year criminal driving ban, and assessed a $300 victim surcharge for being in care or control of a vehicle with a blood alcohol

level over .08.

• Steven Benjamin Taylor (born 1979) was fined $1,000, handed a one-year criminal driving ban, and assessed a $300 victim surcharge for care or control of a vehicle while impaired.

• Jason Wayne Wasilenchuk (born 1973) was fined $1,000 and assessed a $150 victim surcharge for driving with a suspended licence.

• Jonathon Jay Beattie (born 1997) was fined $1,000, handed a one-year driving ban, and assessed $150 victim surcharge for driving with a suspended licence.

• Kendal Ward Mackenzie (born 1988) was sentenced to seven days in jail, handed a one-year probation order, and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for fraudulently obtaining food, beverage, and accommodation. Mackenzie was sentenced to 16 days in jail and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for possession of stolen property under $5,000.

• Rusty Rawhide Oker Desjarlais (born 1996) was sentenced to 120 days in jail, ordered to provide a DNA sample, handed a two-year probation order, a 10-year discretionary firearms ban, and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for assault with a weapon.

• Alan James Gladue (born 1982) was handed a one-year probation order and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for

assault, causing a disturbance, and willfully resisting or obstructing a police officer.

Gladue was ordered to provide a DNA sample, handed a oneyear probation order, handed a 10-year mandatory firearms ban, and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for assault causing bodily harm. Gladue was handed another one-year probation order and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for mischief.

• Jordan Maxwell Totusek (born 1989) was given 30 days in jail and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for breach of recognizance.

• Taylor Seth Sundby (born 1989) was fined $200 and assessed a $60 victim surcharge for breach of probation. Sundby was further fined $300 and assessed a $90 victim surcharge for a second breach of probation.

Dawson Creek Law Courts • Christopher Don Pearson (born 1982) was handed a one-year probation order and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.

Pearson was handed a second one-year probation order with a suspended sentence and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for possession of a controlled substance.

Pearson was handed a third one-year probation order with a suspended sentence and assessed a $100

victim surcharge for causing a person to use a forged document.

• Gordon Croucher (born 1969) was handed 12 months of probation with a suspended sentence and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for assault.

• Tyrell Giroux (born 1991) was given 21 days in jail and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for breach of undertaking or recognizance. Giroux was given another 43 days in jail, handed 12 months of probation, handed an 18-month criminal driving ban, and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for fleeing from a peace officer.

Giroux was given an additional 14 days in jail and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for willfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

• Shawn Lynley Norton (born 1979) was fined $2,000 for breaking and entering with the intent to commit an offence.

• Alan Dennis Sluggett (born 1975) was given 9 days in jail, and handed 18 months of probation for theft of a motor vehicle. Sluggett was given another 18 months of probation for mischief $5,000 or under. Sluggett was further given 45 days in jail, handed 18 months of probation, handed an 18-month criminal driving ban, and ordered to pay $3,600 in restitution for fleeing a peace officer.

Sluggett was handed another 18 months of probation with

December 2 • 2pm-5pm December 3, 9 • 11am-3pm December 8 • 5pm-9pm December 16,17 • 11am-5pm

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DAWSON

Christmas at the Dawson Creek Mall Photos With Santa Hours

an 18-month criminal driving ban for operating a motor vehicle while disqualified.

• Christopher Dale Cardinal (born 1981) was given a 60-day conditional sentence, handed a one-year probation order, handed a two-year criminal driving ban, and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for care or control of a vehicle with a blood alcohol level over .08.

• Garrett Clark McNolty (born 1985) was assessed a $100 victim surcharge for breach of undertaking or recognizance.

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Ryan Wallace @ 250-785-5631 rwallace@ahnfsj.ca Debbie Bruinsma @ 250-785-5631 dbruinsma@ahnfsj.ca RyanBrenda Wallace Piper @ 250-785-5631 Advertising Manager bpiper@ahnfsj.ca Email: rwallace@ahnfsj.ca | Office: 250-785-5631 9916 98 Street, Fort St. John, BC V1J 3T8

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 A13

Local News

Surerus toy shop rallies the elves, delivers donations to local groups donation to the city’s Toys For Ticket campaign—enough to fill five blue bins—which will go to support families through the Salvation Army.

The company usually sends holiday gift baskets to its clients and vendors this time of year, but company owner Brian Surerus thought he’d spend that money on the community instead, Rennie said.

“I was in shock,” said bylaw officer Bonnie Isenberg of the donation to the city’s campaign, noting she was only expecting a few toys.

Until Dec. 19, the city is accepting toys or cash donations for those looking to pay off parking tickets received after Sept. 1 of this year.

matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

If there was a pipeline for toys, Fort St. John’s Surerus Pipeline would likely both happily build it and supply it.

The company gave a number of youthbased agencies across the city a big boost last week—delivering hundreds of toys to daycares and preschools, including the Child Development Centre, Baby Bear Daycare, Totem Preschool, Community Bridge, and the Friendship Centre, among others.

One of the last stops was city hall, where employees Jennilee Rennie and Shelley Van Eindhoven presented a

matt preprost Photo

liquor from a3

For its part, the school district supports a convenience store but not a liquor store, noting it’s likely to build its new elementary school across the road in the next five years.

The board said the store would increase traffic in an already busy area, and worried the store could one day sell cannabis as the federal government moves toward legalization.

“The proximity of a liquor store could adversely affect the community use of the playground and sports field at the new school,” secretary-treasurer Brenda Hooker wrote in a letter that was read by council.

Ainslie Ford, who lives on 112 Avenue, said she and her family often see drunk people walking by their home from the hospital.

“I’ve asked a few people if they were OK, to have them tell me they had just left emergency, intoxicated. A liquor store would give the intoxicated pedestrians a place to hang out and a reason to stay in our neighbourhood,” Ford said.

“In my opinion, Casey’s liquor store, the government liquor store, and even the Safeway one are very convenient in relation to where we live,” Ford added.

“We’ve never had a problem travelling to one, and being organized and planning ahead.”

The city only received about a dozen letters of support for the store,

and received more than 125 letters in opposition. There were no residents at Monday’s hearing who spoke in support.

Mears, who lives nearby in Kin Park on 116 Avenue, said the neighbourhood would get an ownership team and staff who were diligent and took pride in both its business and the community.

“We take drinking and driving, and serving alcohol very seriously,” said Mears, noting he was a former senior manager for the government liquor store, with former staff who left to continue working for him.

The stores haven’t had any infraction in its stores over the last number of years, and passed recent inspections, Mears added.

However, the public had spoken, and Mayor Lori Ackerman joined them in their concerns.

“We have worked very hard to build a community that is safe and welcoming,” she said. “The reality for me is that this involves spot zoning and proximity to schools, and to me it’s a no go with that in mind.”

Coun. Trevor Bolin said “pocket services” are needed in areas like the northeast of town, but that he couldn’t support the proposal due to the overwhelming opposition. That was echoed by Coun. Gord Klassen.

“It’s helped me better understand what the community is desiring,” Klassen said.

Left to right: Shelley Van Eindhoven, Bonnie Isenberg, and Jennilee Rennie at city hall, where five blue bins worth of toys were donated by Surerus to the Salvation Army through the city’s Toys For Tickets campaign.

Traffic advisory

WAC Bennett Dam Crest Road We will be closing the road across the WAC Bennett Dam. This full closure is necessary to complete the placement of rip-rap on the upstream side of the dam as part of the Rip-rap upgrade project.

Where:

About 1.5 km west of the dam on Utah Road and continuing east of the dam to the intersection of the dam crest road and the Central Control Building access road (Canyon Drive)

When:

Tuesday, January 16 to Monday, April 16, 2018

Time:

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

This project is an investment in maintaining the safety and reliability of the BC Hydro system.

Thanks for your patience while we complete this important work.

For more information, you may contact us at 250 561 4858.

5460

House

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In the front, an arched arbor separates the driveway from a lushly planted entry courtyard. Stately columns flank the lofty gabled entryway. Viewed from the rear, the home is equally attractive. The exterior of the hexagonal great room, graced by high-arched multi-paned windows on three sides, has a carousel feel to it. A patio adds to the effect, wrapping around the entire back expanse.

Bedrooms are located at opposite ends of the Oakland. The sumptuous owners' suite features a huge walkin closet, oversize spa tub, skylight, shower, private water closet and twin vanities. The other two bedrooms share another large bathroom that also has two vanities. Utilities are convenient to the bedrooms as well as the garage.

Open to Great Room Below

At the juncture of kitchen and great room, an open stairwell spirals up to a wide vaulted loft that is open to the great room at the rear and the entryway in front. Side walls are six feet tall, but the loft is much higher at the center.

Associated Designs is the original source for the Oakland 10-037. For The spacious kitchen is open to the vaulted great room, with only an eat- more information or to view other deing bar between. Other amenities in- signs, visit www.AssociatedDesigns. clude generous counter and cupboard com or call 800-634-0123. space, a step-in pantry, built-in range and oven, and an additional oven and

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Dimensions 75'1"x75'8"

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A14 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

BUSINESS

Stress testing: what does this mean?

L

ast month, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) confirmed the implementation of a new minimum qualifying stress test for uninsured mortgages effective January 1, 2018. Guidelines now require the minimum qualifying rate for uninsured mortgages to be the greater of the five-year benchmark rate published by the Bank of Canada or the contractual mortgage rate plus two per cent.

This stress test is meant for those mortgagors with a 20 per cent or more down payment. This is a conventional mortgage.

This policy will impact those with a large down payment, most often purchasers upgrading their existing home.

How will it impact purchasers? This has a large impact on the owner’s ability to pay.

The adjustment applied would be the difference applied by the two per cent stress test.

For example, a $500,000 purchase with 20 per cent down: today, a three-year fixed rate mortgage of 3.24% amortized for 25 years mortgaging $400,000 makes for a monthly payment of $2,077.58. If this scenario represents the maximum mortgage approval, see how a stress test will impact your purchase power in January.

Using the stress test of two per cent above current fixed rate, the approved purchase price would be $435,000 amortized for 25 years with a $348,000 mortgage. This equates to a monthly payment of $2,072.

Edwina Nearhood

The stress test would impact the maximum purchase price approval by more than $50,000.

It would appear to me that the federal government is getting ready to adjust Bank of Canada rates upward. In the past, the federal government has kept rates low to support economic growth.

Building in a stress test suggests that fiscal policy is setting up to protect lending institutions from an uninsured loss risk due to rate hikes. Is this beginning to sound a bit like a replay of the 1980s? I don’t know, but I would suggest that you be careful and consider the length of your terms wisely.

I heard on the radio recently the “I” word—inflation and a Trudeau government, are they synonymous?

LIFE AT GROUND ZERO

The market value of a home is set by the purchaser’s ability to pay. This stress test at first glance appears to reduce the value approved by the purchaser by approximately 10 per cent in this case. It would also appear to penalize a purchaser for a conventional purchase versus a high loan to value ratio.

This is an example of government fiscal policy impacts and drives the real estate market. At a time when sales volumes are low, and potential purchasers are limited, this again impacts the ability to purchase. It will most likely heavily impact the high-end

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market the hardest. The pool of potential purchasers willing or able to service higher debt ratio with a 20 per cent down payment will become more limited. Based on current interest rates, it would appear as if there could be a potential 10 per cent adjustment based on a purchaser’s ability to pay.

If you were holding off on making that upgrade purchase, consider your options before the 2018 lending policy impacts your purchasing power, or take a gamble and see if prices will continue to decline.

Your impact based on this stress test would require a larger down payment. This stress test will also make it more difficult to sell.

Edwina Nearhood is a lifelong resident of Fort St. John, with 30 years experience in the appraisal industry.

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NORTHEAST BC REALTY

RON RODGERS

Ltd.

Phone 250 785 4115

Specializing in Commercial Real Estate

©2016

OWNER / MANAGING BROKER Email: ron@northeastbc.com

NEBC is located at NEBCRealty.com 10220 101 Ave. Fort St John BC V1J 2B5

Specializing in Commercial Real Estate BCNCC MLS® 2011 thru 2016 TOP COMMERCIAL Realtor TOP DOLLAR and/or MOST NUMBER OF UNITS SOLD for BCNREB MLS®

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STAND OUT location for mall complex, Hotel, RV park, Auto Dealership, Mixed commercial/residential Development Located at major easterly traffic lit entrance to city with large residential and commercial growth in the area

ASKING $5.6 Million

FOR SALE Land, Building & Business Assets Dawson Creek, BC

4.5+ ACRES LIGHT INDUSTRIAL LAND FOR SALE Located in Fort St John just off the Alaska Highway with paved access to level property

Newly renovated & refurbished two level building 2940sf main floor 1380sf upper floor currently seats 120

City services at property line

DEVELOP OR USE FOR STORAGE OR LAYDOWN YARD Asking $869,000 MLS® C8009459

FOR SALE

Full commercial kitchen which produces smoked meats, in-house breads & soups, signature cocktail, appies & decadent desserts.

Light Industrial Dawson Creek BC

Dock Terminal Facility

9.68 Acre corner lot 12,000sf Main Building consists of 15 dock level bays, 3300+sf office.

Additional Buildings 7200+/-sf shop with 3 drive thru bays and 1600sf storage shop

ASKING $2.5 Million Exclusive

Executive Country Home with Potential for Future Development

3,000+sf two story home (circa 1998) attached 2 car garage 5 bedrooms, 4 bath, formal dining & living room divided by 3-faced fireplace, 10 ‘ ceiling in fully finished basement, country setting front porch, PLUS 2,400sf shop with 14’ overhead doors to fit RV and horse trailer parking & second floor space…Fenced acreage with man-made fish pond, horse shelters and pasture, just under 10 acres of land (ALR) all within the City of Fort St John boundary ASKING $1.48 Million

MLS® C8012143

Note from Ron Rodgers This past year I had the pleasure in working with a diverse group of clients in a wide variety of real estate transactions. I assisted with locating a number of new companies to the area, helped some local businesses relocate to bigger locations and others to more compact spaces...but all-inall saw an increase over 2016 in commercial real estate activity.

I look forward to what 2018 will bring and remain optimistic about the continued prosperity for North East BC.

In lieu of gifts to our clients and suppliers over the holiday season,

FOR SALE LAND & BUILDING FORT ST JOHN, BC Commercial Industrial

Main building consists of; Unit A 4450sf - 3 overhead doors large shop area drive thru from yard to back alley. Unit B 3834sf - 2 shop overhead doors & offices

Asking $1.5 million

MLS® C8015910

Asking $935,000 MLS® 169867

GREAT Business Opportunity in North East BC

Ron is a long standing member of the Canadian Commercial Council of Realtors Member and Chair of BC Northern Commercial Council.

(The opinions expressed within are strictly those of the author.)

MLS® R2089480

Open Storage – has electrical outlets (good for storing equipment or vehicles

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©2017 Theresa Mucci Rodgers

donates a portion of its 2018 advertising to non-profit organizations we support.

©2014-16 Theresa Mucci Rodgers

Merry Christmas From Ron & Theresa Rodgers We wish the very best of the season to you.

Thank you to all our clients who have supported NorthEast BC Realty over the past years.

We look forward to 2018 and wish you a safe and happy holiday!

IF YOU WANT MORE INFO ABOUT COMMERCIAL, RETAIL OR INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE, CALL RON RODGERS FOR OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NORTH EAST BC AREA Information is not intended to solicit properties already listed for sale, or buyers already under contract. All measurements and information is believed to be accurate but not guaranteed and should be verified.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 A15

Local News

Northern Health sees listening in staffing shortage Stuart Neatby Prince George Citizen

Despite ramping up recruiting efforts for healthcare professionals, Northern Health is still facing a total of 197 current unfilled positions, including 80 classified as difficultto-fill, according to a human resources report released Monday.

Northern Health is facing a shortage of trained healthcare workers, particularly in more rural areas of Northern B.C. Of the current difficult-to-fill vacancies, 26 are located in the northeast region, while 24 are in the northwest, nine in rural areas of the northern interior and 11 in Prince George. Ten of these vacancies cover more than one of these regions.

Postings for nurses accounted for the biggest number of these vacancies, representing 35 of the 80 positions. Difficult-to-fill positions, classified as postings active for more than 90 days from the initial date of posting, decreased by four per cent last year, while the total number of openings for nursing positions remained constant.

The report identified many challenges to filling these positions, including housing, a shortage of qualified applicants and an unwillingness of many applicants to relocate to remote areas.

Between March and November of 2017, Northern Health hired 962 new employees.

Over the 2016/17 fiscal year, the health authority hired 1,318 people, while in 2015/16 the total number of hires was 1,500.

According to the report, Northern Health has hired 210 registered nurses, eight nurse practitioners, three physiotherapists and seven ultrasound technologists since December 2016.

For many of these hires, the health authority has provided sponsorship of the candidates’ education. Northern Health recruiters have also made presentations to high school students about the benefits of careers in healthcare throughout the north. In addition, the health authority has reached out to international applicants, helping many of these applicants gain permanent residency in Canada.

In 2017, Northern Health provided support for eight applicants under the provincial nominee program, an immigration program for skilled workers. Four of these applicants were registered nurses.

Northern Health employs 7,000 people.

matt preprost Photo

Former finance minister Mike de Jong was in Fort St. John Dec. 6 to meet with party members as he seeks the BC Liberal leadership.

Read more about de Jong’s visit online at alaskahighwaynews.ca and in next week’s edition of the News.

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You can do it with a friend, family members or coworkers. Easy and fun, this is a rewarding way to give back to your community.

For more information call 250-785-0506

A16 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

Local News

Greyhound meet Dec. 7 A Public hearing for feedback on a Greyhound Canada’s proposal to stop bus service in Northeast B.C. goes Dec. 7 in Fort St. John. The meeting will be held at the Pomeroy Hotel from 2 to 4 p.m.

Greyhound Canada lost $12.9 million on its passenger operations in B.C. last year.

Use of the service along the Alaska Highway between Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson dropped from 18,307 passengers in 2014 to 9,647 in 2017, with a drop in passenger revenue per mile from $3.51 to $1.76. The break even point on that metric stands at $7.09.

The board will issue its final decision early in 2018.

So much to learn in 2018!

Trades and Vocational Training: Professional Cooking, Esthetics and Nail Care, Electrical Foundation, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and more!

Academic Programs: Business Management, Criminology, Early Childhood Education, Education Assistant, and Social Services Worker, are just some of our Academic Programs available.

Workforce Training and Continuing Education: Microsoft Office Expert training has a special available!

Security Training Too! A host of other courses are available throughout the year. See us at nlc.bc.ca/WFTCalendar

Alaska Highway truck crash spills condensate Cleanup crews were on scene of a condensate spill after a tanker crash on the Alaska Highway between Wonowon and Pink Mountain Dec. 5.

Roughly 38 cubic metres of condensate was spilled onto the road and into the ditch, after an RBS Bulk Systems tank truck jack knifed at Mile 127, according to the provincial environment ministry.

The crash closed the highway for most of the day.

RBS President Bruce Collinge said the driver of the truck was not injured.

The company’s cleanup contractor is being by supervised by environmental officers to put the crash site into a pre-accident condition, Collinge said.

Impact to the ditch appears “minimal,” the ministry says.

The investigation is ongoing.

Where did it all begin?

After 17 years of experience, Jake Braun saw the need for another full service flooring store in Fort St John. Starting in a 4000 square foot warehouse and now in a newly built customized 9000 square foot building, Braun’s Flooring & Home Décor has served the city as the People’s Choice the last 14 of 15 years.

That’s because of you!

We’ve worked to provide the people of Fort St John the best products and services from the best staff possible. And you’ve shown your appreciation by shopping local.

We aim to carry top brand names from reputable suppliers. From hardwood, laminates, vinyl, carpet, tile, area rugs, décor, blinds and Benjamin Moore Paint, we carry the largest inventory around. Not to mention, installation services, free estimates, and two interior designers on staff.

Because of you, our loyal customers, we’ve come through the high times and low, growing and working to serve you better everyday.

We look forward to many more years here in Fort St. John!

We are still the in town Benjamin Moore dealer for paint and accessories and we offer Air miles, free quotes and free consult /expert advice on flooring, paint and window blinds.

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Sports & Leisure

THURSDAY DECEMBER 14, 2017 CONTACT US 250-785-5631 editor@ahnfsj.ca

HUSKIES BACK IN FIRST

CHARITY CONCERT RAISES $10K

SPORTS B2

ARTS B6

B

9224-100 Street, Fort St. John, V1J 3X2

PHONE: 250-785-0463

Injuries and safety in sports Dillon Giancola THE DILL ZONE

T

EVE PETFORD PHOTO

A team effort in giving back: Jeff Doyle and his son Jaxson toss their teddy to the ice during the Fort St. John Senior Flyers’ annual Teddy Bear Toss game on Saturday, Dec. 9. All the bears were donated to the Salvation Army. The Flyers won the game against the Manning Comets 7-1.

Horst hungry to win in tenth season with Flyers DILLON GIANCOLA sports@ahnfsj.ca

The Fort St. John Flyers have a long-standing history of hockey excellence in Fort St. John. Dating back to their inaugural season in 1958, they have stayed relevant and competitive because of consistent effort and loyalty from both management and players.

Players like Rod Fonteyne and Gary Alexander had storied careers with the Flyers that extended over a decade. Now, the Flyers have a new foundation of players to rely on each year.

Adam Horst is in his 10th year with the club, and has been a part of the team for the good times, like 2010’s Allan Cup winninq squad, and the dry times. He was also on the back-to-back Coy Cup winning Flyers teams in 2014 and 2015.

“We’ve been snake-bitten the last few years. Our big chase now is to win the league in the playoffs, that’s what we’re after,” said Horst.

Horst, now 31, has been playing hockey in Fort St. John most of his adult life.

After winning the NWJHL championship with the Huskies in both 2006 and 2007, Horst went and played a year of hockey in Australia.

“It was fun, not the best

DILLON GIANCOLA PHOTO

Adam Horst sets up a play against the Falher Pirates Nov. 16. The Flyers beat the Pirates 9-2.

caliber of hockey but a very cool experience and got to see some of the other side of the world and play some hockey while doing it.”

Upon returning, he joined up with the Flyers as a 21-year-old for the 200809 season and hasn’t looked back since.

“I just really enjoy competitive hockey for the most part. Playing for fun beer league stuff is what it is, but I like the challenge,” Horst said.

“I feel like if you step back too far you lose your step and I’m not that point where I want to do it. They’ve built a great program here and it’s fun to be a part of.”

The Flyers won the Lawrence Cup last year as regular season champs of the NPHL, but they want to finally win the playoff championships, and get back to the Coy Cup, which is in Williams Lake this year.

“We struggled a bit at the start, but now we’re working

with each other. We have a young group and we’ve been searching for that the last couple years,” Horst said.

Since last year, Horst has been centering the Flyers top line with Jeff Shipton and Rick Cleaver.

“They’re a line in this league that nobody can touch,” said Flyers head coach Andrew Leriger.

See HORST on B4

Cricket foundation signs lease for new field DILLON GIANCOLA sports@ahnfsj.ca

Fort St. John will be getting a new sports field.

It won’t be your typical soccer field or baseball diamond, but a specially designed cricket field. It will be named Forster Cricket Field, and will be ready to

play on in May. It will be located in Charlie Lake.

“It’s important to have our own field because a cricket field needs a synthetic pitch where the bowler and batsman stand, made out of concrete. We can’t put this on a soccer field so we needed our own pitch,” said Joel David, president

of the North Peace Cricket Foundation (NPCF).

The NPCF hope to host future inter-city matches with Dawson Creek, Prince George, and Grande Prairie, and having its own field helps the foundation host those matches.

“Everyone is pretty excited and lots of people

are joining the cricket foundation,” said David.

The NPCF will also be hosting a training session in the new year for people that want to learn how to play cricket.

The NPCF is looking to gather funds to put towards the budget for the new field.

here are many reasons why ratings are down in the NFL this year, but one common thought is that the sport is too brutal, we know too much about concussions, and fans no longer want to support a game like that.

I’ve often doubted that the hard core fan is affected by that, but I do think the casual fan takes that into consideration.

However, I have to admit that reason was valid the last two weeks of NFL play. Ryan Shazier of the Pittsburgh Steelers collapsed after making a routine tackle Dec. 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals. It appeared that he couldn’t move his legs, and he was rushed to the hospital and had spinal surgery.

In that same game, there were multiple targeted hits to the heads of opponents resulting in injuries and concussions. It was hard to watch.

On Dec. 10, Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage got hit in the head and appeared to have a seizure of some sort lying on the field. The staff apparently checked for a concussion, as is league policy, but the coach put him back in the game the very next series, although he would later leave the game for good. There was outrage at how teams have handled the NFL’s concussion protocol this season.

The injury and safety debate engulfs hockey as well, and has made its way to B.C. It was announced this week that all Junior B hockey teams in the province, including the Fort St. John Huskies, will have to wear full face masks beginning in the 2018-19 season.

B.C. Hockey officials say it’s for safety reasons, but it makes you wonder what other factors are at play. After all, hockey players are already wearing helmets, so wearing a cage as opposed to a visor does not decrease player’s chances of sustaining a concussion.

Also, the only thing a full cage prevents is an errant stick or puck to the eye underneath the visor, which you hear about maybe once every two or three years.

Predictably, all the coaches and players I talked to dislike the rule, and none of them said anything to the effect that it will at least make the game safer.

The conversation is just getting started. Last week, a temporary ban was placed in Edmonton on all combat sports in the city until December 31, 2018. This includes boxing, wrestling and mixed martial arts, and is in reaction to Tim Hague, a professional fighter from my home- town of Boyle being killed in an Edmonton boxing match earlier this year.

These conversations aren’t going away any time soon. All I hope for is that the sports can survive and the safety can increase, however naive that may be.

Dillon Giancola covers Peace Region sports for the Alaska Highway News.

Email him at sports@ahnfsj.ca

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Synthia ( pictured with doggie ) generously donated enough toys and gifts to stuff two F150 pick ups. When asked about her kindness, Synthia says it would not be possible without her staff, pictured in background. You will make a lot of people happy this Christmas, Thank you SL Enterprises for your big hearts.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Bannister Ford !

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A “Family” Business with “Family” Values

B2 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

Local Sports

Huskies reclaim first place, have won four straight Dillon giancola sports@ahnfsj.ca

More than half-way through the NWJHL season, one thing has been a constant this year, and that is the Fort St. John Huskies being near the top of the standings. After a tough 6-5 loss to the Dawson Creek Jr. Canucks on Nov. 29, the Huskies have rattled off four straight wins to propel the pups to first place and a 17-3 record. The team is three points ahead of both the Jr. Canucks and the North Peace Navigators.

Two of the wins on that streak came last week, as the Huskies got revenge by beating the Jr. Canucks 4-2 Dec. 6, then kept the momentum going by beating the Sexsmith Vipers 7-1 Dec. 8.

The win over Dawson Creek was an exceptionally exciting game, as the pups tried to even the season series at two games a piece. However, the Jr. Canucks made a game of it in the third period.

“For a while there in that stretch it felt like we were falling into their game a little bit, it was a bit of river hockey

and probably exciting to watch but it was frustrating from the perspective of the coaching staff,” said head coach Todd Alexander.

“We were able to gather our composure when they made it a one goal game and find the winner for the coffin.”

That winner Alexander spoke about was a breakaway goal from Aiden Craig-Steele, who was called up to the Huskies from the NEBC Trackers. It was a huge goal in his first game of the season.

The Huskies had some other unlikely heroes in that game, and have all season. Joel Bourgeois scored Dec. 6 in just his second game.

“I felt good, my legs were going and it was good to get the first one,” Bourgeois said.

Alexander said it’s perfect when the Huskies get goals from all lines.

The Huskies have two games left before the break. The team will travel to play the North Peace Navigators Dec. 16 and 17. The teams have split their first two games against each other.

dillon giancola photo

Joel Bourgeois chases after the puck Dec. 6 against the Jr. Canucks. Bourgeois scored in just his second game of the season, as the Huskies won 4-2.

“We got a group and just need to get our energy going. Once we get rolling nobody can stop us,” said Huskies rookie defenseman Jeridyn Loewen.

A hallmark of the Huskies season so far has been their defensive play and goaltending. They have only allowed 40 goals, a whopping 22 less than the Navigators have allowed, who are the second-best team. Not coincidentally,

these two teams have the best goalies in the league in Jonny Bateman from the Huskies and the Navigators’ Ryan Noble.

“We feel good, we’re confident we can pull through this stretch and have a good end to the year here,” said Loewen.

After the Navigators trip, the Huskies don’t play again until Jan. 5.

Senior and junior boys basketball teams both medal for NPSS In the second week of basketball competition, the NPSS senior teams followed up a good showing in Grande Prairie with great results at a tournament at Sturgeon Composite High School in Edmonton.

The senior boys once again medaled, taking the bronze.

“It’s a reward well-suited to their efforts as a first test against Edmonton caliber teams,” said NPSS athletic director Matthew Lynn.

The senior girls earned first in the consolation round. Kristina Rea, Azaria Richards and Te’a Brown were tournament MVPs. The junior boys team got in on the action at the PGSS Ice Breaker, finishing second.

Both seniors teams are headed back to Edmonton this weekend for the Scona Basketball Tournament.

supplied photo

Left: The NPSS senior girls basketball team improved in their second tournament, winning the consolation round in Edmonton.

R0021217976

PRO GOLF WEEKLY UPDATE Golf News, Tips, Trivia & Stats

Last Week: Steve Stricker and Sean O’Hair won the QBE Shootout

Steve Stricker and Sean O’Hair closed with an 8-under 64 for a two-shot victory over Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry in the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club on Sunday. In the final round of better ball, Stricker and O’Hair rallied from a two-shot deficit on the front nine, built a two-shot lead through 14 holes and were ahead by one shot heading to the reachable 17th with the green guarded by a huge bunker with a vetted, waist-high wall. “Walking to 17 tee, Steve said, `A 3 would go a long way right now,’” O’Hair said. O’Hair hit 7-iron from 195 yards over the bunker and it bounced onto the green about 12 feet away. McDowell and Lowry both hit into the bunker, with Lowry’s ball against the face of the wall that

Golf History

forced him to play sideways into Tournament Results the bunker. Both players had to 1. Stricker-O’Hair settle for par, and O’Hair rolled Score: -26 in his eagle putt for a three-shot 2. McDowell-Lowry lead. “He played great today,” Score: -24 Stricker said. “He hit a great shot Perez-Harman on 17. That’s the stuff you need to 3.

Score: -22 do to win a tournament, and Sean pulled it off.” It was the second time Stricker and O’Hair won the team event hosted by Greg Norman, but the first time as partners. Stricker won in 2009 with Jerry Kelly, and O’Hair won in 2012 with Kenny Perry.

Golfing News

Golf fans will no longer be On October 17th, 1860 at Prestwick in able to call in or email possible Scotland, eight players contested the first rules violations they witness Open Championship over 36 holes. The while watching broadcasts of tournament was won by Willie Park, with a score of 174, edging out his compatriot, tournaments on television. The golf governing bodies announced Monday that beginning “Old” Tom Morris, by two strokes.

Jan. 1, such information will not be considered Golf Trivia in administering the rules of golf, according to a joint announcement made by the United Which U.S. state has the most golf States Golf Association and R&A. The PGA courses?

Tour, LPGA Tour, European PGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and the PGA of America are on board with the decision. As part of the new a) California c) Texas rule, all have agreed to assign one or more b) Florida d) New York officials to monitor the video broadcast of a competition to help identify rules issues.

Answer: b) Florida

?

Lessons from the Golf Pro We are used to seeing shots that slice or draw when we hit them with our irons, but another common problem is a shot that goes to the right and does not curve. This is generally termed a push and usually occurs when you are trying to make an aggressive swing. The crux of the problem, for right-handed golfers, is in the left forearm and there is a simple solution to stop the push. When you get too aggressive with a swing, the left forearm tightens up immensely and the end result is a club face that is open at impact.

The problem also arises if we grip the club too tightly during a swing. Take an iron out and hold it straight in front of you with only a left hand grip. Then, tighten your left forearm and watch the club face open up. The simple fix is to stay relaxed and a straighter shot at the target will result.

Player Profile

Sean O’Hair Turned Professional: 1999 World Ranking: 93rd PGA Tour Wins: 4

FedEx Cup Standings Through Dec. 10, 2017

1) Patton Kizzire 659 pts. / 3 top tens

2) Pat Perez

646 pts. / 2 top tens

3) Austin Cook 563 pts. / 1 top ten

4) Brendan Steele 556 pts. / 1 top ten

5) Patrick Cantlay 555 pts. / 1 top ten

FedEx Cup Standings continued...

Player Points 6) Justin Rose 550 7) Justin Thomas 548 8) Chesson Hadley 458 9) Tony Finau 453 10) J.J. Spaun 427

PLACE YOUR AD HERE!

Top 10s 1 1 3 1 2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 B3

Local Sports

Flyers bounce back after bad loss, in second spot Dillon giancola sports@ahnfsj.ca

It was as if two different Fort St. John Sr. Flyers teams showed up last week.

It started with a 6-0 shellacking by the Dawson Creek Sr. Canucks Dec. 7.

Head coach Andrew Leriger was very disappointed about the way his team played.

“We looked like a bunch of peewees out there. They (the Flyers) looked like they were disinterested.”

Leriger expressed frustration at his team’s work ethic.

“We have 28 guys signed. It starts with practice, when I can’t get more than 14 guys at a practice, until they get it figured out, there’s only so much I can do to help them,” Leriger said.

The next game, Dec. 9 against the Manning Comets, saw a much better effort by the Flyers, as Fort St. John won 7-1.

“Our compete level was a thousand times better than what it was against

Dawson. We did good things and the guys looked a lot better,” said Leriger.

The win improved the Flyers’ record to 7-3-1, putting them in the West Division behind the Sr. Canucks.

The Flyers have two games this week before the Christmas break, in Manning Dec. 15 and at home against the High Prairie Regals Dec. 16.

Leriger said the message to the team this week will be to keep competing, and just show up.

“Just because we play Manning and High Prairie don’t blow it off. And then we have two weeks off, so show up and play hard.”

The Flyers have been hampered by a couple key injuries as of late.

Jake Ebner returned and played two periods against the Comets. Adam Horst and Reid Campbell, out with a knee injury and rib injury respectively, are expected back in January.

The Flyers will be back in game action Jan. 6 in Grande Prairie.

dillon giancola photo

Lien Miller-Jeannotte careens into the offensive zone against the Manning Comets on Dec. 9. The Flyers killed the Comets 7-1.

Peewee flyers play outdoors Dillon giancola

sports@ahnfsj.ca

The recent trend of outdoor hockey games popularized by the NHL have been great to watch and take part in. On Dec. 9, the Fort St. John Ross H. MacLean Peewee Flyers travelled south to Morinville for an outdoor game of their own. They played in the Sturgeon Sting Outdoor Classic, a Peewee AA NAHL league game against the Sturgeon Sting.

“The kids were all pretty excited for it and had a lot of fun. It was something they’ll remember for years,” said Flyers head coach Dave Alexander.

Alexander said the prospect of his

team playing in the game was brought up in a league meeting in the spring.

“They asked us if we’d want to play in it and we said, ‘we’d love to.’ We’re happy the weather worked out the way it did. We thought it might be too warm but they had a great ice surface.”

It’s the fist time Alexander had heard of an outdoor league game being played at the peewee level. There were challenges, such as the sun being in the goalie’s eyes, and fun wrinkles, such as penalized players having to sit in the opponent’s players bench because there were no penalty boxes.

Fort St. John was down 3-0 in the first period, but clawed back their way back. It eventually ended in a 4-4 tie.

Lucie roy / morinville news photo

The Fort St. John Ross H. MacLean Peewee Flyers gather round at the Sturgeon Sting Outdoor Classic.

WEEKLY PRO RACING UPDATE Postseason Racing News, Stats & Trivia

All-Time Top Driver’s Bio

This Week’s Racing News

Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) have announced a new partnership between the two organizations. RCR will supply chassis and engineering support to the team. RPM will receive horsepower from ECR Engines, the high-performance engine production, research and development subsidiary of RCR. With the transition, RPM will permanently move its team headquarters adjacent to the RCR campus in Welcome, N.C. The move will begin immediately and be completed by January. RPM will remain an independent race operation, but the change allows for the team to collaborate with RCR. The move also unites two of the sport’s most iconic teams and cars. RPM’s #43 and RCR’s #3 will now work together for the first time to push forward both organizations’ goals of winning races and championships.

Racing History

In what year did Rusty Wallace win 10 Cup Series races? a) 1988 b) 1989

?

c) 1993 d) 1994

Answer : c) Wallace won 10 races in 1993, but finished second in the final point standings behind Dale Earnhardt.

Dec. 14, 1927 - Former Cup driver Hershel McGriff was born on this day. McGriff made news in 2009 when he started two races in the Camping World West Series at the spry age of 81. He finished 13th of 26 cars on the road course of Portland (Ore.) International Raceway in July and two weeks later finished 19th on the road course of Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.

Racing Trivia

Rusty Wallace Born: Aug. 14, 1956 Cup wins: 55 Cup top-tens: 349 Cup championships: 1 Rusty Wallace finished second in his first NASCAR race at the Atlanta 500 in 1980.

He made nine further NASCAR appearances over the next three years, although he did not score any further top 10 finishes.

Wallace joined the Cup series full-time in 1984, winning Rookie of the Year honors and finishing 14th in the final points standings. He won his first Cup race in 1986 at the Bristol Motor Speedway in the Valleydale 500.

Rusty earned his first pole position about a year later at the Miller 400 at Michigan International Speedway. In 1989, he had 6 victories along with thirteen top 5s and twenty top 10s to win the Cup championship, beating arch rival Dale Earnhardt by just 12 points for the honor. Rusty won at least one race every year from 1986 to 2002. His last Cup victory came in 2004 in the Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.

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B4 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

LOCAL SPORTS

Cleanse your mind, body and spirit this new year

J

anuary 1 signifies a new beginning, a fresh start, so of course it’s logical to set new goals. University of Scranton research suggests that only eight per cent of people who make New Year resolutions actually stick with them and achieve their goals.

How can you stick with your goals?

Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you be successful.

1. Make small changes.

If your goal is to never eat pasta again, you are likely going to fail because it’s unrealistic. Instead, make a goal to eat pasta only once a week. That way you can be successful, and you will still see a difference. Slowly, you can lessen that to once every two weeks, or special occasions.

accomplished that you can add on.

Stephenie Sutherland HEALTH HACKS

Then you can try different pasta substitutions, such as zucchini noodles.

2. Focus on one resolution at a time, rather than several.

Trying to make a bunch of changes at once won’t work.

Choose the one that you want the most and focus on it, you will be much more successful. Making resolutions to quit smoking, quit dairy, go to the gym every day, and learn Spanish will be very overwhelming. Start with just one resolution, like quitting smoking. Then once you have

3. Tell people. Telling your friends and family what your goal is will make you more likely to stick with it. Having an accountability buddy can help keep you accountable for your choices.

4. Don’t beat yourself up.

Every day is a new day, and if you end up falling off of the bandwagon for the day it is not the end of the world. Get yourself back on track the next day. We are all humans, and we are all going to make mistakes; just do your best.

5. Try to have a new outlook on it and see it as a lifestyle change instead of just a year-long goal. Your goals to

Horst itching to return things are going well for you.

But as far as injuries go I’ve been pretty fortunate,” Horst said.

With him and a couple other players out, Horst thinks that it’s a good opportunity for the team to adapt and improve.

“We’ve been reliant on our top line the last couple years.

So, if we give these young guys a chance to make an impact ,they’ll be good for us down the stretch.”

Whenever Horst returns, he plans to be around the team for a long time to come.

“The guys that played years ago are still the most passionate guys in the organization. They put a lot of work into it to make it easier for us, and it’s hard to turn down that chance to play.”

IN NUTRITION NEWS… A recent study done at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign found that exercise alone can make positive changes to the microbiota in the gut.

An article published on Science Daily reported that researchers performed two separate studies; one on mice and one on humans. In the mice, they transplanted the fecal matter from exercised mice and sedentary mice to the colons of germ-free, sedentary mice. Changes in the microbiota of the germfree mice reflected those of the

SCORES

HORST FROM B1

Horst had success at the end of last season, leading the league in playoff points with 21 in 10 games. He was off to a great start again this year, with 12 points in six games.

Then, the injury bug struck.

Horst went down with a knee injury and has missed the last four games, but is hoping to be back sometime in January.

“Adam, number one, is one of our leading veterans on the team, in the dressing room.

And, on the ice, that line is night and day different when one of them is missing,” said Leriger.

Horst has helped out behind the bench for a couple games, and is itching to get back onto the ice.

“To go down with an injury puts a damper on things, especially when you feel like

being healthier, happier, more educated, etc. shouldn’t have an end; make them a part of your life.

NWJHL STANDINGS TEAM Huskies Navs.

Canucks Kings Flyers Vipers Blades

GP 20 22 24 23 20 22 21

donor. In the human study, the gut microbiota changes were tracked as the human participants transitioned from sedentary lifestyle to an active lifestyle, and then back again.

Differences were seen between the lean individual’s microbiota compared to the obese individual’s microbiota and how they responded to exercise. This study is excellent proof of the significant impact that exercise has on the health of your body Stephenie Sutherland is a Fort St. John student studying nutrition and food sciences. She can found at the gym, hiking local trails, and serving up a hot cuppa joe at Whole Wheat and Honey. Have a question? Email her at stephenie.sutherland13@ gmail.com.

9224-100 Street, Fort St. John, V1J 3X2

PHONE: 250-785-0463

NPHL STANDINGS W 17 15 15 12 9 6 2

L 3 6 8 9 10 15 19

OL 0 1 1 2 1 1 0

TP 34 31 31 26 19 13 4

TEAM GP W L SL TP West Division Sr. Canucks 9 7 1 1 15 Flyers 10 7 3 0 14 Athletics 7 4 2 1 9 East Division Pirates 10 6 4 0 Regals 10 3 6 1 Comets 9 3 6 0 Blades 9 2 7 0

NWJHL RESULTS Huskies 4, Jr. Canucks 2 December 6

12 7 6 4

NPHL GAMES

Huskies 7, Vipers 1 December 8

Flyers at Comets December 15, 8:30 p.m.

Upcoming Games Huskies at Navigators December 16, 8:00 p.m.

Regals at Flyers December 16, 8:30 p.m.

GOT SPORTS NEWS? SPORTS@AHNFSJ.CA

Huskies at Navigators December 17, 4:30 p.m.

Hi everyone! My name is Sara Trask, I’m this year’s reporter from the Wonowon Club. This is the end of one year and the start of a new 4-H year. In this report I will talk about some of the opportunities in 4-H that I experienced this past year.

On July 20,21,22 we went to Salmon Arm for Provincial Communications. We had to be there on the 20th to register.

The rest of the day spent playing games and getting to know each other. There were 8 girls for public Speaking and 8 pairs for Demonstrations from different parts of BC. It was fun getting to know the 4-hers from the different regions of BC. The next day we toured 3 different farms in the Salmon Arm area.The first place we went to was a small organic farm. My favourite part was all the delicious samples! From there we went to a haskap farm. Haskaps berries are similar to blueberries but are even healthier, and the best part for us was learning that they grow best in the North. My sister

Grace said that the best part was having the haskap sauce on ice cream!

Judging competition was the last day we were there,and it was a great experience for me.

The last place we went was a Compost Company. He mixes water and sawdust with the waste in big cement bins. He uses big fanes to keep everything at the proper temperature.

We learned that he uses a percentage of the Compost in his own field and the rest he sells. To finish this really hot day we went to the Salmon Arm water slides,it was lots of fun.

I would like to thank 4-H for giving me these opportunities.

I learned a lot and made some new friends. Merry Christmas to everyone, I’ll see you in the new year. I special thanks to our sponsor for this page

The last day was our competition and good-byes. Everyone’s presentations was SO GOOD! It was an amazing experience in Salmon Arm. We learned a lot about giving good presentations and the best part was making new friends.

In August I was one of six north peace 4-Hers to go to the PNE( Pacific National Exhibition) in Vancouver. We spent lots of time in the barns getting to know other 4-Hers and learning about other projects. We watched lots different 4-H shows and other entertainment shows at the PNE. The Day of Free rides for all 4-Hers was a huge hit. Our provincial

At the PNE

Our new friends from the Provincial Communications

M U E L O R PET NEEDS

r For All You

We salute the dedicated kids of 4-H Keep up the great work!

Delivery Service 6 Days a Week

Sara Trask Wonowon Reporter - Dec 11,2017

From Oil Patch to Farm & Industrial We offer...

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Gas LocaLLy owned and operated Oil Diesel Propane

7315-100th Ave, Fort St. John, BC.

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WONOWONMonthly 4-HReport BEEF CLUB

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 B5

LOCAL SPORTS

Inconnu ending 2017 in Edmonton DILLON GIANCOLA sports@ahnfsj.ca

After holding the successful Inconnu Fall Freeze meet in Fort St. John Dec. 2 to 3, the Inconnu swim club is headed to Edmonton for the OSC J.P. Fiset Invitational Dec. 14 to 17.

It’s the pinnacle of the short course season for the club.

Sixteen swimmers qualified,

and it will set the team up for provincials in 2018.

“We should do really good.

Owen Lang will be swimming in the finals for boys 11 to 12, and the 13 to 14 year old’s relay team should do really strong,” head coach Steve Carson said about his swimmer’s chances.

The home meet was great, as 140 swimmers from the Peace Region attended. Tate Haugan swam the 100m IM,

his final race for Inconnu, and set a club record. Griffin Ternier-Smith set the club record in the 100m IM as well in boys 13 to 14.

Kiara Semeniuk won the gold aggregate for girls 13 to14.

Lang won gold for boys 11 to 12, and Ternier Smith took top prize for 13 to 14 boys. Haugan and Eric Louie tied for gold for boys 15 and over.

Predators dominate in Regina DILLON GIANCOLA sports@ahnfsj.ca

The LB Energy Midget Predators travelled all the way to Regina, Saskatchewan last weekend for the Westridge Female Hockey Challenge Tournament Dec. 8 to 10. The girls played very well all weekend, going undefeated and winning first place.

The tournament started with three round robin wins for the Predators: 3-2 over the Saskatoon Comet Rush, 3-1 over the Saskatoon Comet Predators, and 5-2 against the Wood River Ice Cats.

They played a tough Diefenbaker Thunder team in the semi-final that went to a shootout.

Ally Dancevic scored two goals, and added one in the shootout as well as the Predators won 3-2.

In the final against the Midwest Red Wings, the Predators won 5-3, securing the championship. Goalie Kyana Watson was the MVP.

FSJSC improving in Edmonton league DILLON GIANCOLA sports@ahnfsj.ca

The FSJSC U17 Girls returned to Edmonton for the third leg of their inaugural EIYSA Tier 1 season Dec. 9 and 10. They are coming home with two draws against Victoria SC and Edmonton Strikers SC and a loss against Scottish United SC. Scottish has only allowed one goal all season, and midfielder Emma Close of Fort St. John scored

one against them.

“Even though we lost that game, it felt like a win because of how strong Scottish plays.

They’re first in the league. I’m excited that we get another shot at them in February,” said Close.

Playing against third place Victoria SC, Emma Lang scored two goals assisted by Claire Turner and Jordynn McPherson.

The Fort St. John team is improving on its first two

trips, where they lost all their games. The team now sits in sixth place in the league.

In other FSJSC action, the U10 Boys and the U12 Girls welcomed the U12 Grande Prairie girls to Fort St. John Dec. 9. Both Fort St. John teams lost.

The FSJSC is hoping to get more games against Grande Prairie in town, but have trouble organizing more due to a lack of facility space.

Got a Great picture?

Want to share an activity with other readers?

Email your photos with a short paragraph explaining the activity to: editor@ahnfsj.ca

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UNIT 2000, 9600 - 93 AVE, FORT ST. JOHN, BC PH: 250-785-8811 (MOVIE INFO LINE) WWW.LANDMARKCINEMAS.COM/FORT-ST-JOHN

Visit WWW.LANDMARKCINEMAS.COM/FORT-ST-JOHN for the latest movie listings

B6 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

Arts & Culture

matt preprost Photo

Amanda van Nostrand sings a tune at the Fort St. John Firefighters Charitable Society’s fundraiser at the Lido Theatre Dec. 8.

Firefighters’ concert raises $10K for medical travel matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Fort St. John firefighters hauled in $10,000 on Friday, Dec. 8, to help support city residents needing to travel for medical care.

The Fort St. John Firefighters Charitable Society partnered with the Lido Theatre for a night of Las Vegas Dueling Pianos, raising funds for the society’s

travel assistance program. “(It was) a lot more than we were expecting,” society president Adam Winn says.

“Everyone had a good time and was very supportive of our vision as a charity.”

The society will holds its annual Fireman’s Ball in the spring and is always looking for support, Winn says.

To learn more, contact Winn at the fire hall at 250-785-4333.

matt preprost Photo

Canadian music icon Sean Hogan made a stop in Taylor Dec. 10 as part of the 14th annual Canadian Country Christmas tour. Hogan was joined by Jam Semko, Thomas Wade, and Craig Moritz. The roots/rock singer-songwriter has earned national praise since his self-titled album made its debut on the Canadian music scene in 1996, and he was named the independent male artist of the year by the Canadian Country Music Association in 1997. Since then, he’s won plenty of recognition from the West Coast Music Awards, too, winning best album in 2001 and 2002 for Hijacked and Late Last Night.

HOROSCOPE ARIES (MARCH 21 TO APRIL 19) What a difference a day makes!

After defending yourself yesterday during discussions about shared property or inheritances, today you’ve come out smelling like a rose! Bravo!

TAURUS (APRIL 20 TO MAY 20) Discussions with spouses and close friends will be upbeat and friendly today. Someone might suggest something to broaden your horizons — perhaps a trip somewhere? Be open to these suggestions. Life is short.

GEMINI (MAY 21 TO JUNE 20) Work-related travel is likely today. In any event, you will enjoy wonderful cooperation from co-workers, because people are upbeat and positive today.

CANCER (JUNE 21 TO JULY 22) Did yesterday’s flirtation pay off? One thing is certain: This is a fun-loving day! Enjoy playful activities with children, the arts, sports events and fun diversions!

Romance will excite you!

LEO (JULY 23 TO AUG. 22) Today you have big plans related to home and family. It’s a wonderful day to entertain at home! It’s also a good day to discuss real estate and family business matters. Don’t hesitate to think big!

VIRGO (AUG. 23 TO SEPT. 22) Because you’re in such a positive frame of mind today, nothing can hold you back. When you

For Thursday December 14, 2017

think like a winner, you become a winner! (Ain’t that the truth?)

LIBRA (SEPT. 23 TO OCT. 22) Business and commerce are blessed today. This is a very good day for financial negotiations, because you might see ways to boost your income. Fingers crossed!

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 TO NOV. 21) Today the Moon is in your sign, lined up with lucky Jupiter. This makes you happy, content and popular. Everyone wants to see your face!

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 TO DEC. 21) Solitude in beautiful surroundings will please you today, which is why you might seek out some peace and quiet somewhere. Enjoy a little rest.

Why not?

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 TO JAN. 19) A relationship with another person, especially a female companion, is inspiring. This person might encourage you to choose bigger goals. Don’t be afraid to go for it!

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 TO FEB. 18) Relationships with parents, bosses and VIPs are excellent today. Both parties admire each other and want to cooperate.

(Now is the time to make your pitch.)

PISCES (FEB. 19 TO MARCH 20) You will love to travel today, because you want to do anything that expands your world. You also will enjoy talking to people from different backgrounds and other cultures.

Husband Looking at Porn and More Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 22 years, and to my knowledge, he has always been committed to me and our family. However, recently he upgraded to a new phone, and I have found he is continually exploring porn and pictures of nude women. I know that all guys look at this from time to time, but now he carries around this mini computer and views it mostly at work. He has also gotten into Facebook.

He didn’t previously care what people were doing, but now, all of a sudden, he feels the need to friend everyone he’s ever known. I’ve talked to him about his time on Facebook, and he just brushes it off as “something new.”

I have never felt so insecure in all our years together as I have recently, and I’m at a loss as to how to get past his media cheating on our relationship.

Why are most men this way?

Can’t we, the ones they vow to love to eternity, be enough? -Problems in Pennsylvania Dear Problems: Quit snooping, and start talking with your husband about your concerns. I see nothing wrong with his adding old friends on Facebook,

Annie Lane DEAR ANNIE

but compulsive viewing of porn can lead to addiction and damage real-world relationships.

And if he’s doing this at work, he not only is putting his job at risk but also could face legal consequences if he gets caught.

To navigate these volatile, sensitive issues in a way that feels safe for you both, enlist the aid of a marriage counselor. Ask your husband to attend a few sessions, with the goal of reaching an understanding.

Dear Annie: I’ve seen people writing to you about being bothered by the phrase “no problem” as a response to “thank you.” Here is something else to mull over: Why is it that store associates, restaurant servers and others feel the need to say “you guys” to customers? For instance: “Can I get you guys some beverages while you look at the menu?” This is not just happening at fast-food places. It’s happening in many other businesses in the Northeast.

I am a senior woman, not a “guy.” The servers probably think nothing of it other than as a way to say, “Can I help you?”

But being called “you guys” surely puts the hairs up on the back of my neck. Is there a response that would be suitable?

What’s wrong with saying, “Can I get anyone a beverage while you look at the menu”? Leave the “you guys” for your friends at the gym. -- Not Fond of “You Guys” on Cape Cod Dear Not Fond of “You Guys”: “You guys” is often regarded as the Northeastern counterpart to “y’all” -- a catchall way to address a group, meant to connote warmth with its casualness. Obviously, it’s missing the mark with you, and I’m sure you’re not alone. I’m not sure what the answer is except to make people aware that some are offended by the term.

To that end, I’m printing your letter.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2017 CREATORS.COM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 B7

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TODAY’S PUZZLE

Q:

Material for your weekly game page How do you with communicate a fish?

Q:

PREVIOUS PUZZLES ANSWERS

Q:

What do cats eat for breakfast?

A: Mice Crispies.

CLUES DOWN 1. Extremely high frequency 2. Court 3. Make a mistake

4. Change the appearance of 5. Long-haired dog 6. The Greatest of All Time 7. Designer Christian 8. Blemished 9. Atlanta-based rapper 10. Deceivers 11. One who supports disorder 13. Colossal 15. A team’s best pitcher

Why did the boy eat his homework?

A: Because his tea cher said it was a piece of cak e.

40. Dispute 41. An expression of imagination 42. Human gene 44. Touch lightly 45. Computer giant 48. Garlands 50. Franz van __, German diplomat 52. Vineyard 53. Elk or moose 55. Moved quickly 56. Swiss river 57. Rhode Island 58. Fall into disrepair 63. Ancient Roman virtue 65. Removes 66. Slovenly women 67. Comedian Rogen

line.

A: Drop him a

CLUES ACROSS 1. Large jug 5. Anwar __, Egyptian statesman 10. Punjab province capital 12. Evoke 14. Data 16. Exists 18. Supervises flying 19. Having eight 20. Right-handed page 22. NHL great Bobby 23. German municipality 25. Negotiate 26. Keyboard key 27. Youngster 28. Medical decision (abbr.)

30. Ribonucleic acid 31. One-time Levi’s chairman Walter 33. Cold region 35. Type of plywood 37. A way to unfreeze 38. Winter melon

17. Comfort in a time of sadness 18. Opponent 21. Professionals might need one 23. Captures geographical data (abbr.)

24. Senior officer 27. Sacred Islamic site 29. Egyptian unit of capacity 32. Comedienne Gasteyer 34. Performer __ Lo Green 35. Having only magnitude, not direction 36. Cleft lip 39. Payroll company 40. Prohibit 43. Stroke 44. Does not acknowledge 46. Hillsides 47. Austrian river 49. Passover feast and ceremony 51. Golf score 54. Hair-like structure 59. Check 60. Extract metal from this 61. Tell on 62. Powdery residue 64. A part of the mind

B8 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

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2017-18 NHL GREAT CANADIAN HOCKEY TOUR NAME:___________________________ AGE:__________________

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GAMES

CITIES

Tuesday February 20, 2018

Colorado @ Vancouver

Thursday February 22, 2018

New York Islanders @ Toronto

Saturday February 24, 2018

Philadelphia @ Ottawa

Monday February 26, 2018

Philadelphia @ Montreal

Tuesday February 27, 2018

Nashville @ Winnipeg

Thursday March 1, 2018

Nashville @ Edmonton

Friday March 2, 2018

New York Rangers @ Calgary

Alaska Highway News Phone: 250-785-5631 • Fax: 250-785-3522

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 B9

Community

CONTACT US MATT PREPROST 250-785-5631 editor@ahnfsj.ca

“It’s vicious cycle.

Nevertheless, a simple message remains: l et others be with who they love.”

- Emily Brady, B11

Salvation Army halfway to kettle campaign goal; bell ringers needed MATT PREPROST editor@ahnfsj.ca

The Salvation Army in Fort St. John is at the halfway mark of its $65,000 fundraising goal this holiday season, but more volunteers are desperately needed to help ring the agency the rest of the way.

The organization has red kettles at five locations throughout the city, but only about two dozen volunteer bell ringers working to fill 700 shifts during the campaign, which ends Dec. 23.

Only about 31 per cent of the shifts had been filled as of last week.

“People have been calling. Even today, a mom called and said, ‘Our daughter and I would like to do another shift because she liked it,’” said Tatjana Eggie, who is co-ordinating volunteers.

“But we could use quite a bit of help.”

The organization has a $65,000 goal this year, donations that will stay in Fort St. John to help local families in need this Christmas. The organization is halfway there with just over a week to go.

“It’s crunch time,” Eggie said.

Among the agency’s band of bell ringers are Gigi Yuen and her family, who were

out at Save-On Foods Dec. 7. The family has been volunteering its time to the campaign for the last 10 years.

“We can’t help everyone, but we can give our time and help, and encourage others to do the same,” Yuen said.

The Yuens, who’ve volunteered 14 hours to the campaign so far this year, have friends who have relied on the Salvation Army in times of need.

“Your imagination starts to wonder, what would happen if I needed that service?” Yuen said. “We’re grateful to have that service in the community. It could be us on the streets.”

For 11-year-old Gabby Yuen, helping people is just part of her personality. But it’s also a practical, hands-on learning experience about the realities on the street and the people in need. “They see all these people shopping for things for Christmas, and then they wish they had something like that to do, too” she said.

The Salvation Army has kettles at the BC Liquor Store, No Frills, Safeway, SaveOn Foods, and Wal-Mart. Volunteers are needed to work two-hour shifts any time they can offer from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more, call 250-261-1933.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Gabby and Gigi Yuen volunteering their time to bell ring at Save-On Foods on Dec. 7, 2017.

Board 2017/2018 Board Chair and Vice Chair Elected Electoral Area “C” Brad Sperling was elected the PRRD Chair.

Electoral Area”E” Director Dan Rose was elected Vice Chair.

Both were acclaimed the Chair and Vice Chair respectively for the Hospital Board.

2018 Regional Board Meeting Schedule The Peace River Regional District generally holds Board meetings on the second and fourth Thursday of each month beginning at 10 a.m. unless otherwise noted.

To find Board Agendas and Meeting minutes go to: prrd.bc.ca/agendas

DECEMBER 2017

Board Delegations

Area B Potable Water Tank Loader Stations Update

TransCanada Kiel Giddens and Catie Underhill updated the Board on TransCanada projects in the region. Community benefits included $6 million in annual property taxes, $3 million invested in skills training and education in BC and community investments in local initiatives and programs.

STARS Glenda Farnden and Greg Schmidt updated the Board that the proposed rotary wing trial has not yet happened due to unforeseen delays. The Board agreed to coordinate another meeting between BC Emergency Health Services, Northern Health, Stars, and PRRD representatives to work through any identified issues preventing the trial.

KPMG Oscar Poloni updated the Board on the status of the Operational Review and Efficiency Audit. He noted the results of an employee survey, and advised that some additional background research and jurisdictional analysis of the corporation is underway. The next steps will be for KPMG to issue a draft report to management for internal review and validation on or before November 30th and to issue a draft report to the Board before Christmas. He advised that interviews with Board members will be held in January 2018.

Peace Liard Regional Arts Council

PLRAC gifted the board:

Sue Popesku, Donna Kane and Kit Fast thanked the Board for their ongoing support of arts, culture and heritage in Northeast BC since 1982. They reported on five major Lil Cowboy watercolour by Carla Hauber projects undertaken in 2017 to celebrate both the arts and the 75th Anniversary of the Alaska Highway including: a song competition resulting in an Alaska Highway Songs CD that was sold around the region and the Alaska Highway Trencher project. The Council plans to introduce a northern literary festival in 2018.

The Regional Board authorized that the Ronald and Nora Graham application proceed to the ALC with the condition that the remainder of their land be consolidated with the adjacent property. The David A Simpson and the Loewen application will also proceed to the ALC.

Next PRRD Board Meetings:

January 11, 2018 10:00am | Dawson Creek January 25, 2018 10:00am | Dawson Creek

Electoral Area News The Peace River Regional District values our non-profit community groups and recognizes the hard work that they do. As such, the Electoral Area Directors will be contracting a Grant Writer for 2018 to assist non-profit community groups in researching and applying for grants so they can undertake new projects and services that benefit us all.

Director Goodings along with Regional District staff are working with the North Peace Fall Fair Society to update the lease agreement and establish a designated camping area at the Fall Fair grounds in order to better support their operations.

Transfer Station Closures or Canceled Meeting Information Please watch the PRRD website prrd.bc.ca and Facebook page facebook.com/OfficialPRRD for meeting cancellations and transfer station closures due to weather and road conditions.

Electoral Area Roundtable Meetings Come talk to the Directors, ask questions, share ideas for projects in the Community and chat about community issues important to you.

Area D

Roundtable meetings and times:

NDIT

Agricultural Land Reserve Applications

On June 24, 2017, Area B approved a water function with a 91% yes vote. Urban Systems Ltd. provided design options for the potable water tank loader stations and an RFP for the supply of prefabricated buildings and water treatment equipment was issued for the chosen concept. The next step will be to go out to tender for construction of the five potable water stations. Construction will start in the spring of 2018 and all five stations are expected to be in service by fall of 2018.

Joel McKay, Chief Executive Officer and Derek Baker, Director of Economic Development presented to the Board regarding Economic Development in the region and how NDIT can assist the PRRD through grant programs such as the Economic Development Capacity Building program and/or grant writing support. Healthy economies help foster healthy communities through an increased tax base, improved local infrastructure, job creation, business retention and expansion, community resiliency through diversification, productive and highest value use of property, improved quality of life, and building a cohesive regional vision.

December 12th | 7-9pm | Doe River Hall December 14th | 7-9pm | Tomslake Hall

Area C

Rescheduled Roundtable meeting: December 13th | 7-9pm | Charlie Lake Hall

Area E

Roundtable meetings and times: December 11th | 7-9pm |Mcleod Hall

Dawson Creek Office

Fort St. John Office

Tel: 250-785-8084 Tel: 250-784-3200 Toll Free: 1-800-670-7773 Toll Free: 1-800-670-7773 Email: prrd.dc@prrd.bc.ca Email: prrd.fsj@prrd.bc.ca

To view board schedules and minutes visit:

www.prrd.bc.ca

Peace River Regional District Official Page

diverse. vast. abundant.

B10 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

FAITH

The God-shaped hole within “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

(St. Augustine of Hippo)

I City of Fort St John Council Meeting Dates In accordance with Section 127 of the Community Charter, the regular meetings of Fort St. John City Council for 2018 are as follows: •

Monday, January 8

•

Monday, January 22

•

Tuesday, February 13

•

Monday, February 26

•

Monday, March 12

•

Monday, March 26

•

Monday, April 9

•

Monday, April 23

•

Monday, May 14

•

Monday, May 28

•

Monday, June 11

•

Monday, June 25

•

Monday, July 9

•

Monday, July 23

•

Monday, August 13

•

Monday, August 27

•

Monday, September 24*

•

Tuesday, October 9

•

Monday, October 22

•

Tuesday, November 13

•

Monday November 26

•

Monday December 10*

Regular meetings are held in City Hall Council Chambers at 3:00 p.m. *In accordance with Section 5.2(b) of Council Procedure Bylaw No. 2403, 2017 only one Regular Council meeting will be held in September and December.

www.fortstjohn.ca

melted under the Roman sun awaiting the tour bus that would ferry me about the eternal city. A shrill, wellheeled Japanese woman with burnt-orange hair aggressively pushed me aside as she ascended the steps of the bus.

I’d never seen anyone so crazed.

The bus drove onto the highway away from Rome, and I realized that I was on the wrong tour. I learned from the Russian girl next to me that we were headed to an outlet mall for the entire day. I ran to the front of the bus and asked the driver to let me off.

“You come with us now and at twelve-thirty I take you back,” he said, in broken English.

We arrived at the outlet mall just after eleven. The crowd hustled off the bus and, with trepidation, I approached the driver again.

“Would you take me right back, please?”

“No. Mange, mange.” He rubbed his belly.

“Well… can I come with you?

Stay on the bus?”

“No.” “Where will you pick me up?”

“Right here, twelve-thirty.”

“Here?”

“Si. Here.”

I reluctantly left the bus and

Angela Griffin PEACE REFLECTIONS

the Russian girl asked me to come and shop with her for an hour. “Thank you, but I’m not leaving this spot,” I told her, and she laughed.

I found a strip of shade to shelter me from the sun and I sat on the sidewalk, my bus and driver in full view. The outlet mall looked like the ones we had in Canada apart from the surrounding palm trees and tropical flowers. I thought of the crazed Japanese woman clamouring for a bargain. It was sheer lunacy.

There had been a time when I shopped to fill the void in my life. When I taught at a Catholic high school in 2000, I read about Saint Augustine, a man who lived a life of debauchery in Rome. St. Augustine would pray, “Dear God, grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.” After he converted to Christianity, he wrote Confessions of a Sinner in which he proclaimed that man’s heart would be restless until he let his heart rest in God. Men would attempt to stay that disquiet with liquor, opiates, material possessions and other people (sex), but only God could give men respite.

I taught my Grade 12 Catholic high school students about Saint Augustine when we studied The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic about the fallacy of the American dream and the tragedy of materialism. It was then that I had an epiphany with regards to my own behaviour. I was trying to fill that place in my heart meant for God alone with empty promises. As I sat waiting for my lift from that Italian shopaholic haven located beyond the ancient gates of the eternal city, the city in which St. Augustine partied with prostitutes, I thought about the many ways in which I no longer used external stimulus to fill my soul, and about the few ways that I still did.

The driver took pity on me and returned me early. As the skyline of Rome drew nearer, I explained that I had just wanted to see bella Roma, not shop.

“Stupido Canadian,” I said, tapping my forehead with the palm of my hand.

He looked at me in his rearview mirror, nodding in agreement all too readily.

Let us remember the true reason for the Christmas season. Merry Christmas!

The Peace is a place of many peoples and many faiths. If you have a story of faith you’d like to share, please send it to: angelamarygriffin@gmail.com.

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All of which makes advertising in newspapers a very smart move.

NEWSPAPERS

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FORT ST. JOHN & DISTRICT CHURCH DIRECTORY ANGLICAN CHURCH of CANADA NoRTH PEACE PARISH Please join us at our temporary location at the Peace Lutheran Church @ 1:30pm Ph: 250-785-6471 “All are Invited and Welcome Here” - (Luke 14:23) SERVICES St. Martin’s, fort St. John, BC Sundays 1:30 p.m.

Rev. Enid Pow ********** Church of the Good Shepherd Taylor, BC - Sundays 10:00 a.m. ********** St. Matthias, Cecil Lake, BC 3rd Sun. of the Month 3:00 p.m.

Holy Communion BAHA’I fAITH BAHA’I fAITH National Baha’i Information 1-800-433-3284 Regular Firesides Mondays @ 8:00 p.m.

Deepenings continued Wednesdays at 250-787-0089 Next Feast Info.

250-787-0089 ********** BAPTIST CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH 9607-107th Ave., fSJ Ph. (Office) 250-785-4307 Pastor: Michael Hayes Associate Pastor: Doug Janzen SUNDAY WoRSHIP SERVICE 10:30AM ********** CATHoLIC RoMAN CATHoLIC CHURCH (Resurrection Church) Pastor: Rev. Vener Sabacan Phone 250-785-3413 www.fsjcatholic.ca MASSES: Saturday 7:30 p.m.

Sunday - 10:00 a.m. oNLY OFFICE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

BAPTISM: Contact the Pastor 3 months before baptism.

MARRIAGES: Contact the Pastor 3 months before the wedding. ********** ALLIANCE CHURCH 9804-99 Ave., fort St. John, BC V1J 3T8 Ph: 250-785-4644 fax: 250-785-8932 e-mail: office@fsjalliance.ca www.fsjalliance.ca SUNDAY WoRSHIP SERVICE: 9:15am & 11:00am KIDVILLE: for ages 2yrs.-Gr.6 @ 9:15am **********

CoMMUNITY CHURCH CHARLIE LAKE CoMMUNITY CHURCH Associate Pastor: Jared Braun 250-785-1723 fax: 250-785-4136 clcc@pris.ca SUNDAY SCHooL: 10:40am SUNDAY WoRSHIP: 10:40am 1st left turn off Alaska Highway past the Charlie Lake Store. ********** PEACE CoMMUNITY CHURCH 10556-100th Street, Taylor, BC Pastor: Wally Pohlmann Phone: 250-789-3045 HoURS: 9:00am-Noon Monday-Wednesday & friday Email: office@taylorchurch.ca Website: www.taylorchurch.ca SUNDAY ADULT CLASS - 9:30am SUNDAY WoRSHIP SERVICE - 10:30am ********** EVANGELICAL foRT ST. JoHN EVANGELICAL MISSIoN 8220-89th Avenue, fSJ Pastor: Andy Wiebe Sunday School September-June begins at 9:30am Sunday mornings.

Worship Service - 10:45am Phone: 250-787-2550 ******* INTERDENoMINATIoNAL UPPER PINE GoSPEL CHAPEL Church Phone: 250-827-3833 Email: upgc@pris.ca Board Chairman: Andy Burkholder 250-827-3811 Box 66, Rose Prairie, BC ********** LUTHERAN PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 9812-108th Avenue, fort St. John, BC V1J 2R3 Office Phone: 250-785-2718 Pastor: Rev. Kebede Dibaba Regular Worship Schedule: 9:00am Youth, Adult Bible Study 10:00am Sunday Worship Service & Sunday School ********** PEACE RIVER MUSLIM ASSoCIATIoN Information: 250-787-1264 Jumm’a (Friday) Prayer @ 1:00pm 203-10903-100th Street, fort St. John, BC email: tahermorsi@shaw.ca ********** MENNoNITE NoRTH PEACE MENNoNITE BRETHREN CHURCH North Peace Mennonite Brethren Church 10816 106 St. fort St. John, BC V1J 5V2 250-785-3869 Lead Pastor: Andrew Eby Associate Pastor of Youth & Young Adults: Don Banman SUNDAY SERVICE TIMES: 9:15am & 11:00am **********

MENNoNITE MoNTNEY MENNoNITE CHURCH SUNDAY MoRNING: Sunday School & Worship: 9:30am SUNDAY EVENING: 2nd & 4th Sundays: 7:00pm Everyone Welcome!

Pastor Warren Martin Phone: (250) 827-3231 ********** NoNDENoMINATIoNAL CHRISTIAN LIfE CENTRE “Associated with “Fellowship of Christian Assemblies” “King Jesus is Lord Over the Peace” 8923-112th Avenue, fort St. John, BC V1J 6G2 website: www.christianlifefsj.ca Ph: 250-785-4040 fax: 250-785-4021 Pastor Steve Oboh Principal of Christian Life School: Garry Jones Everyone Welcome Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00am Nursery available and Sunday School is held during the sermon for ages 3-12 years.

Christian Life Centre is “Home of Christian Life School” ********** foRT ST. JoHN NATIVE BIBLE fELLoWSHIP Sunday Worship: 11:00am Wed., Night Bible Study: 7:30pm Pastor John A Giesbrecht 250-785-0127 ********** GIDEoNS INTERNATIoNAL Fort St. John Camp Ray Hein 250-827-3636 John Giesbrecht 250-785-0127 ********** NoRTHERN LIGHTS CHURCH INTERNATIoNAL (Rose Prairie, BC Sunday Service: Pre-Service Prayer: 10:30am Worship Service: 11:00am Everyone Welcome ********** THE SHELTER CHURCH “...the Lord will be a shelter for His people” Joel 3:6 9808-98A Ave. fort St. John, BC 250-785-3888 SUNDAY SERVICE: 10am Pastor: Oral Benterud 250-785-9151 ********** PENTECoSTAL THE PENTECoSTALS of foRT ST. JoHN Phone: 250-787-9888 Pastor: Jason McLaughlin Sunday 10am Service, Sunday School Youth Sunday 11am Worship Service Tuesday 7pm Prayer Wednesday 7pm Bibile Study Friday 7pm Youth **********

PENTECoSTAL ASSEMBLIES of CANADA EVANGEL CHAPEL 10040-100 St., fort St. John Phone: 250-785-3386 Fax: 250-785-8345 Lead Pastor: Tony Warriner Sunday Services: 9:30am, 11:00am www.evangelfsj.com ********** The Journey 10011-100 St., fort St. John Phone: 250-785-6254 Pastor: Larry Lorentz Services: Sundays: 10:30am Tuesdays: 7:00pm **********

PRESBYTERIAN fort St. John Presbyterian Church 9907-98th St., fort St. John, BC Phone: 250-785-2482 fax: 250-785-2482 12:30 p.m. - Pie and Coffee 1:00 p.m. - Worship Service Everyone is invited to participate ********** REfoRMED TRINITY CoVENANT CHURCH Sunday Service: 10:00am Meets at the The Plaza 8111 100th Ave fort St. John, BC Elder: Mike Donovan Phone: 250-787-7702 www.trinitycovenant.ca matthew@trinitycovenant.ca Affiliated with C.R.E.C. ********** THE SALVATIoN ARMY THE SALVATIoN ARMY Sunday Worship Service: 10:30am 10116-100th Ave., fort St. John, BC Come Worship With Us. For information; Phone 250-785-0506 or food Bank 250-785-0500 ********** SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 9008-100th Avenue, fort St. John, BC Phone: 250-785-8632 Pastor: Cavin Chwyl Phone: 250-719-7949 Saturday Service: 9:30am ********** UNITED CHURCH of CANADA ST. LUKE’S UNITED 9907-98 St., fort St. John, BC Office: 250-785-2919 Rev. Rick Marsh Email: stlukeuc@telus.net Sunday Worship Service @ 10:00am Christmas Eve Service @ 7:00am All are Welcome!

The United Church of Canada is a Union of Congregationalist, Methodist & Presbyterian Churches in Canada formed in 1925.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 B11

arts & culture

NPSS students dive under the sea The Little Mermaid continues this weekend Incorporating the Little Mermaid’s desire to be with her Prince and losing him into the play has brought a Hans Christian Andersen wrote many challenge to the actors. classic fairy tales in his time, among Yet, with the help of director Emry them were: Thumbelina, The Ugly Mika and musical director Nadine Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes, Aulin, the cast of The Little Mermaid The Little Mermaid, and The Snow has analyzed the original fairy tale, Queen. However, out of all his stories, literally, inferentially, and critically, to The Little Mermaid resembles most the improve their performances. With a life of this famous author. small yet mighty cast, musical theatre The original fairy tale, published in students have spent more than 300 1837, had a sense of a longing to be hours working on this classic tale, together with a loved one but unable building brightly-coloured sets and to be; much can be said the same of making astounding costumes.

Andersen, who fell in love with his friend, Today, the message of The Little Edvard Collin. He wrote in a letter to his Mermaid may seem a little outdated, unrequited love, “I long for you as though as we are living in a “modern” society. you were a beautiful Calabrian girl.”

However, Andersen wrote his story Edvard Collin, however, did not feel because he was unable to openly the same and instead married a woman. proclaim that he loved Edvard because Like the mute Little Mermaid, of law, religion, and hatred.

Andersen could not speak of his love out Yet, in this very moment, law, religion, loud. Thus, when he lost the love of his and hatred still demand control over life, he wrote The Little Mermaid; a story someone’s love life. of unrequited love for someone who It’s vicious cycle. Nevertheless, a could not openly express their feelings simple message remains: let others be to the one they loved; a story many with who they love. In this version of the people could relate to. story, The Little Mermaid will triumph It’s this story being brought to the over those who seek to control who she stage in Fort St. John. North Peace loves and be part of his world. secondary students who are involved The Little Mermaid runs Dec. 14 to 16 in this play have read the original story at the North Peace Cultural Centre. as part of bringing this show together.

Call 250 785-1992 for more. emily brady

For Alaska Highway News

Ursula, the villain (played by Katea Nelson), sings her woes to Flotsam (Meggan Bueckert) and Jetsam (Chandra Mahon).

eve petford Photos

Mia Zoerb, as Ariel, set the stage for The Little Mermaid during its opening weekend Dec. 8 and 9.

Flounder (played by Tyler Pauls) and Ariel (Zoerb) discuss the importance of the Dinglehopper with Scuttle (Camryn Mannoly) on the surface of the seas.

Jordan Bourgeois (as Atina), Whitney Troyer (as Adella), Abi Ryder (as Allana), Bailey West (as Aquata), Jasmine Stanway (as Andrina), Iris Wenger (as Arista) are directed by Sebastian the Crab, played boldly and vividly by Elysia Cruz, perform for King Trident (Sean Robertson)… Oh dear, where is Ariel?

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Drop off or mail your FREE birth announcement to:

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Fort St. John Hospital Foundation Baby Bouquet Wall This is a wonderful way for family and friends to acknowledge these special miracles

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B12 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

community in photos

matt preprost Photos

HO HO HO — Santa and his elves from the Pembina Social Club dropped by North Peace Seniors Housing’s Apartment 3 Dec. 10 to deliver an afternoon of gifts, music, and treats. “The seniors get missed a lot of the time in the giving,” Avi Sinclair says. “We want to give them something, too.” Left: Viva Swanson with Andi Sinclair, eight months. Right: Santa, played by Richard Sharpe, delivers the goods.

matt preprost Photo

Above: Fort St. John city councillors and integrated services director Victor Shopland show off the city’s Community of the Year award received from Clean Energy BC. Left: Travis McLean, goalie of the Fort St. John Sr. Flyers, gathers up a stuffed animal during the Flyers’ Teddy Bear Toss game against the Manning Comets Dec. 9.

Below: Craig Moritz, Thomas Wade, Jay Semko, and Sean Hogan perform at the Taylor Hall Dec. 10 as part of the 14th annual Canadian Country Christmas tour.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 B13

PERSPECTIVES

A game of improvisation

Y

ears ago, I attended a conference workshop where we were encouraged (read: steamrolled) into participating in an improvisation game. You can imagine the terror on our faces as the cutesy, bubbly facilitator persuaded everyone to abandon their suit jackets and heels and join her in the centre of the room for a “game.”

I was terrified and it was reminiscent of the time when a facilitator asked everyone to sit back in their chairs and close their eyes—we were going to meditate.

Games—they’re for children, right?

Wrong! Apparently not.

The effervescent facilitator charmed each and every one of us into participating, promising us that we will learn something that we can take home and share with our colleagues.

“We are going to do some improve,” she explained.

“Once you learn this, you will never forget it. Even if you want to,” she said with a laugh.

It’s true.

I have never forgotten that little improv exercise.

I have used it in a past life when training my co-workers, used it with clients, and I have tried to be mindful of it in my personal life.

What is this game? What is it?

It’s about saying yes.

It’s about being open to the consequences of saying yes and being prepared to venture into the unknown. It’s about using the word in such a way that it encourages your co-workers, children, family, and friends to think beyond the current situation. It’s about reassurance and trust.

It’s about confidence in your answer.

“Do you have flights to Calgary?”

“Yes, but they only depart in the morning.”

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THE DESK OF THE GREEN-EYED GIRL

“Can we order the lobster?”

“Yes, but it is really expensive.”

“Are you approving the big project?”

“Yes, but we didn’t really want to.”

We cling to the yes: our heartbeats quicken, we lean forward in our chairs. Then the big ol’ but acts like a needle in a balloon and we are deflated—even confused.

I’m not certain why we insist on placing qualifiers in our responses.

The facilitator was charming—she got all of us up into that circle and participating in her game.

We had the opportunity to experience how we felt when someone ‘butted’ us in a conversation and now we would learn how much more productive it was to replace the but with an and.

We would learn that by saying yes. we were encouraging dialogue, encouraging engagement, giving the conversation a chance to move in a direction, any direction.

“Do you have flights to Calgary?”

“Yes, every day. Would you like me to check on availability?”

“Can we order the lobster?”

“Yes, and I am assuming you would like a basket of our famous warm biscuits to start?”

“Are you approving the big project?”

“Yes, and…”

Judy Kucharuk is a lover of sarcasm, witty people, and footnotes. You can read her book “Naked Tuesday” or catch her on CBC Radio Daybreak North where she shares her “Peace of Mind.” Follow her on Twitter @judylaine

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Who wants a puppy?

Dr. Amy Hayduk NORTH PEACE CREATURE FEATURE

relationship into a nightmare for the unprepared and already stressed new pet parent.

So, what are some better options? How about a putting a puppy or kitten starter kit under the tree instead? You might include toys, treats, bowls, bedding, books on caring for the pet, and even a stuffed animal stand-in. You could also consider a gift certificate for a local animal rescue, allowing the recipient to choose their own pet. The unfortunate reality is that there’s often plenty of selection at the shelter in the new year after the excitement of Christmas morning has worn off and the realities of pet parenthood have proven too much.

Delaying getting a puppy until later in the year has the added bonus of warmer weather to make house training easier. Plus once the kids are home for summer vacation, they can be more involved in feeding, walking, training, and simply bonding with the new furry family member.

While bringing a new pet into the household can be a wonderful thing, careful planning and preparation rather than impulse and surprise are the key to success.

And taking a few simple precautions over the holidays can go a long way in making sure this is a safe and happy time for both you and your pets!

NO NEED TO PURCHASE YOUR FOOTWEAR ONLINE WE HAVE A GREAT SELECTION TO CHOOSE FROM RipsShoeRenu.com • ripsshoerenu@shaw.ca

47982

T

he obvious answer to this question is a resounding “I do!” After all, what better time than the holidays to surprise those you love by inviting an adorable fluffy bundle of joy into your home, delivered under the Christmas tree wearing a big red bow? Despite the appealing imagine this conjures up, the reality may unfortunately be far different from this happy scene.

So, at the risk of sounding like Scrooge, here are a few reasons why you might want to think twice before putting a new puppy or kitten under the tree.

We all love the anticipation and element of surprise when it comes to giving and receiving gifts, but this is a recipe for disaster when it comes to new pets. An unwanted book or not-so-attractive sweater can usually be quietly abandoned without too much trouble, but a new pet is a 10 to 20-year commitment. Besides the significant time and attention required to properly care for a pet, they can also cost a lot of money between food, toys, bedding, routine and emergency veterinary care, and boarding or pet-sitting.

These are all things that need to be carefully considered beforehand.

The holidays tend to be a busy time for most families, and adding a new puppy or kitten to the mix often isn’t in anyone’s best interest. While it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of Christmas, all this commotion can be overwhelming or even scary for a new pet. The obligations of pet parenthood can also turn what should be the start of a beautiful

Dawson Co-op Mall • Phone: 250-782-8283 Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM • Saturday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Al as ka Hi gh wa y Ne ws

• informative • innovative • indepth www.alaskahighwaynews.ca

B14 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

Classifieds General employment

General employment

Announcements

GET RESULTS! Reach almost 2 million people in 101 papers for only $395/week for a 25-word text ad, or $995/week for a formatted display ad communityclassifieds.ca

Now Hiring the following Positions:

1-866-669-9222

Kitchen Staff & Servers

Book by province or whole country and save over 85%!

Interested parties are asked to please submit your resume: In person: Located in Arras, BC Email: jobs@thearrasroadhouse.com OpEn 7 DayS a WEEK: 5:30am - 10:00pm

250-843-7885

dine in • take out • catering thearrasroadhouse.com

Coming EvEnts KNIT NIGHT: Thursdays at Faking Sanity Cafe in Dawson Creek6:30 to 8:30 PM.

MECHANICAL REPAIR, MOTOR VEHICLE

SATURDAYS: LEARN YOUR ROOTS - Genealogy information NAR PARK ROOTS BUILDING 10:00am peacecountryroots.ca

$40/hr 40 hours per week

* Bonus plus full group insurance benefits, RRSP 1 permanent Full-time position Start as soon as possible Languages: English Education: Registered Apprenticeship Certificate or Equivalent Experience Experience: 3 years to less than 5 years

FORT MOTORS

49731

Description: Adjust, repair or replace parts and components of automobile systems; Perform scheduled maintenance service; Test and adjust repair systems to manufacturer's specifications; Review work orders and discuss work with supervisor; Inspect motor in operation, road test motor vehicles and test automotive systems and components.

Apply to 11104 Alaska Road N, Fort St John, BC V1J 5T5

Career OppOrtunities

Career OppOrtunities

Are You In Debt with your Credit Cards?

Consolidate your credit card for less. With rates from 2.3% APR offer bad credit or low income OK. 1-800-581-8288

Career OppOrtunities

Save the Dates July 13, 5:00 pm to July 15, 2017 at 3:30 pm for the 24rd Annual Mile Zero Cruisers Summer Cruise weekend starts with Registration held at the Dawson Co-op. Bring down your pride and joy and register for the 2018 Summer Cruise Car Show weekend. All registrants will receive access to all weekend events as well as a chance to win prizes.

Check in this paper for more details closer to the show!

Career OppOrtunities

Coming EvEnts South Peace Historical Society Meetings Third Wednesday of the month. In Dawson Creek at the Calvin Kruk Centre Archives Room at 2 pm.

SUNDAYS: FAMILY TREE HELP - Peace Country Roots Group Meeting - Fourth Sunday of each Month at the CALVIN KRUK CENTRE in Dawson Creek 1:30pm WEDNESDAYS: COMPUTER INFORMATION -Seniors Computer Club - Dawson CO-OP Bistro 1:15pm 250-782-4668 for more information

Career OppOrtunities MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION! In-demand career! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get online training you need from an employertrusted program. Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1855-768-3362 to start training for your workat-home career today!

SANDMAN INNS RURAL BC recruiting management couples, both full-time and part-time roles available. Ask us about our great employee perks and accommodation.

Apply on https://sandmanhotels.prevueaps.com

General employment

General employment

Burger King Fort St John is hiring Crew (Starting $12), Supervisors (Starting at $15), Assistant Manager (Starting at $17) and Managers (Starting $18.75).

Previous experience an asset, but not necessary as Crew will be trained.

Business management, training, schooling is an asset for Supervisors, assistant managers and Managers. Please send resumes to bkfsjco@gmail.com

STAY ON TOP OF THE

NEWS www. alaskahighwaynews .ca

email Us news@ahnfsj.ca Announcements

Denis Piche Born July 27, 1959 in Vancouver, BC passed away on December 10, 2017 in Fort St. John, BC at the age of 58.

As per Denis’s request, there will be no service.

Expressions of sympathy can be made in his memory to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

ApArtments/ Condos for

Li-Car Management Group

We have a variety of apartments, town homes, executive homes, and duplexes for rent. To apply for these,please email reception@licar.ca or visit our website at www.licar.ca

Phone: 250-785-2662

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R0011352381

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Livestock

Livestock

HUNTING ACCESS WANTED $1,234 Ranch Manager from southern central BC looking for access to private land for late sea− son elk draw hunt. Ethical and responsible hunter looking to harvest one elk from your property. Hunt is limited entry draw and runs from December 1 to February 28. Respectful of all landowner rules and restrictions. Only have one week to hunt, but dates are flexible.

250−682−5734 Donp@Historichatcreek.com

FISHING FOR LOCAL NEWS?

Condolences may be forwarded through www.hamresfuneral.com Urban Systems Ltd. Civil Engineering Technologist We are searching for an enthusiastic Civil Engi− neering Technologist to join our team. For more information, please visit our website: www.urbansystems.ca

Obituaries

Obituaries

Career OppOrtunities

encana Here is the recipe for a stimulating and exciting opportunity! We are Spectra Food Services and Hospitality (www.SpectraExperiences.com), a nationally ranked food service company servicing entertainment facilities in the United States and Canada. We are seeking a dynamic, versatile and experienced Executive Chef for the Encana Events Centre (dawsoncreekeventscentre.com). Your primary duty will be managing the culinary team and all aspects of the main and concession kitchen’s daily activities to ensure guest satisfaction, profitability and a positive, productive and compliant work environment. This position is full time and includes a competitive wage and benefits.

The Executive Chef must maintain excellent attendance and be available to work a variable event-driven schedule which includes evenings and weekends. Your professional presentation, outstanding interpersonal skills and self-direction; as well as your detail orientation, ability to multi-task, and prioritize in a continuously changing environment is required. If you have the qualifications, then we want to speak to you. The successful candidate will have the skills to work with minimal supervision, perform duties in a safe manner and consistently demonstrate efficient, effective use of time and resources.

Please mail your cover letter and current resume to the attention of Alisha Patterson, Spectra Food Services & Hospitality, # 1, 300 Highway # 2, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 0A4, email to apatterson@dawsoncreekeventscentre.com or fax to 250-795-3327.

We appreciate all applications; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Spectra Venue Management (www.SpectraExperiences.com) operators of Tourism Dawson Creek is looking for a passionate, enthusiastic and creative leader to be the Manager of Visitor Services. You are a tireless promoter of Dawson Creek, the Peace Region and the Alaska Highway.

Your ability to communicate and share your experiences about the region and encourage visitors to stay longer in Dawson Creek and surrounding areas is paramount. You and your team of Visitor Information Counsellors will provide outstanding customer service, creating travel itineraries promoting local and regional tourism products and services.

You are outgoing, highly motivated, and a detail-orientated person.

Moreover, your ability to work independently and have initiative will ensure your success as the Manager of Visitor Services.

This position is full time and comes with a competitive salary and benefits package. The Manager of Visitor Services will specifically manage and oversee the day to day operations of a year round Visitor Information Centre, part of Destination BC’s Visitor Centre network. The successful candidate will have the skills to work with minimal supervision, perform duties in a safe manner and consistently demonstrate efficient, effective use of time and resources. This position can be demanding and working evening and weekends will be required throughout the visitor season.

Please mail your cover letter and current resume to the attention of Human Resources, Spectra Venue Management, # 1, 300 Highway # 2, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 0A4, email to ryan_macivor@comcastspectacor. com or fax to 250-782-7446.

We appreciate all applications; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

KOEHN, Andre February 23, 1970 − December 4, 2017 Beloved father, brother and friend.

Andre Koehn leaves behind his loving family Audra, Asa, and Axl; his oldest brother Kay Koehn, currently living in Germany, as well as his family Birgit and Tom; his sister Carmen Koehn and her family Bill, Mathew and Cheyenne; his sister Antje Monro and her family Bob, Troy and Sean.

We would also like to thank the wonderful ICU staff at the QE II hospital and HIV North Outreach. Simple words are not sufficient to state how important, how appreciated, the care you provide is.

Andre was so sweet, kind, and funny with a deep love for the outdoors and animals.

Jehovah was in his heart; because of that we would like to share this verse: "And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain will be anymore.

The former things have passed away" − Rev 21:4 To anyone not mentioned already, to everyone reading, we do wish the best for you. Please go out and live life to the fullest.

Obituaries

Obituaries

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Alaska Highway NEWS

(250) 785-5631 Obituaries

Obituaries

Paul Sicotte 1951 - 2017

Born October 14, 1951 in Edmonton, AB. Died December 4, 2017, in Kamloops, BC, as a result of injuries sustained while riding a motorcycle near his vacation home in Bahia de Los Angeles, Mexico. Paul was a larger-thanlife guy who liked to push the envelope. In Canada’s oil and gas industry, Paul was known for his entrepreneurial spirit. He founded Symco Drilling Fluids Ltd. in 1979, and, later, Unique Oilfield Technology Services Ltd. After taking an early retirement, Paul was always on the lookout for new and innovative business opportunities to be involved with. Active in his community, Paul will also be remembered for his generosity and willingness to help where it was needed most.

Paul was equally passionate about his leisure pursuits. An avid aviator, Paul, for many years, flew for work and pleasure. Skiing hard at his beloved Sun Peaks, or cycling hundreds of kilometres, he excelled at athletics. Going fast was his forte and he could frequently be found on a motorcycle or dirt bike both in his youth and later years. All the while, he kept us entertained with his irreverent sense of humour and restless curiosity. In recent years, Paul was thrilled to be Grandpa Paul to Simone, Declan, Zade, and Sabine, who will all miss him dearly. Paul is survived by his two daughters, Melanie (George), and Nicole (Jesse), his siblings, Rollie, Marie, Larry, Claire and Kathy, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Paul is lovingly remembered by his girlfriend, Stephanie, whom he cherished. Paul was predeceased by his parents, Freddie and Ellen, and his brother, Ralph. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service, to celebrate Paul’s life, will be held at 10am on December 14 at The Grand Hotel in Sun Peaks, BC. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Sun Peaks Nordic Club or a Sun Peaks or other charity of one’s choice.

Condolences may be expressed at www.schoeningfuneralservice. com.

General employment Hamilton Janitorial Services is looking for Light Duty Cleaner $15.00 per hour. Full Time. 36.5 hours per week. Training will be provided. Light Duty Cleaner duties: Sweep, mop and wash floors, Wax and polish floors, Dust furniture, Vacuum carpeting, area rugs, draperies and upholstered furniture, Clean, disinfect and polish kitchen fixtures and appliances, Disinfect operating rooms and other areas, Clean and disinfect bathrooms and fixtures, Clean and disinfect elevators. Pick up debris and empty trash cans, wash windows, walls and ceilings.

Clean changing rooms and showers.

Workplace Settings: Office building, Industrial facility, Commercial building, Private residence, Recreational Facility.

Security and Safety: Bondable, Criminal record check. Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: Fast-paced environment, Work under pressure, Tight deadlines, Repetitive tasks, Handling heavy loads, Physically demanding, Attention to detail, Combination of sitting, standing, walking, Standing for extended periods, Bending, crouching, kneeling. Essential Skills: Reading text, Numeracy, Writing, Oral communication, Working with others, Problem solving, Decision making, Critical thinking, Job task planning and organizing, Significant use of memory, Continuous learning.

Send resume and cover letter including whether you have a driver’s license N or full or international and availability for work to admin@hamiltonjanitorial.com Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview. Applications accepted by email only.

Trades Help

Amperage Energy Inc Heavy Duty Mechanic Amperage Energy is looking to hire a part time to some days full time heavy duty me− chanic to work in the Dawson Creek area.

Oilfield equipment ex− perience is a must, also any oilfield tickets would be a asset.

Please send your re− sume to: debbie @amperageenergy.com daniel @amperageenergy.com amperageenergy.com

King’s Energy is cur− rently seeking a PRD Valve Tech for their Dawson Creek branch Visit kingsenergy.com to apply or email re− sume with position and branch location to: RD.HR @kingsenergy.com

For Sale MiSc COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE: $0.99/each for a box of 180 ($178.20).

Also full range of tree, shrub, and berry seedlings. Free shipping most of Canada.

Growth guarantee. 1866-873-3846 or TreeTime.ca.

SAWMILLS from only $4,397 - MAKE MONEY & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info & DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com/ 400OT 1800-566-6899 Ext:400OT

Wanted 101st Preowned Furniture has in stock pinwheele crystal, Royal Albert, Barbie’s, were looking for good used furniture.

10404-101st Ave

HealtH & Beauty Ultimate Shiatsu. direct insurance billing.

9am-7pm everyday.

FSJ 250-264-2322

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 B15

Classifieds Business OppOrtunities

LegaL/PubLic Notices

ApArtments/ Condos for

Steel BuildingS / granarieS

Convenience Store Opportunity - Moberly Lake, BC. Please contact Michael Butte at mbutte@gasplusinc.com

CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer Employment/Licensing loss?

Travel/Business opportunities? Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US Entry Waiver. Record Purge. File Destruction. Free Consultation 1-800-3472540. accesslegalmjf.com

BIRCHVIEW MANOR Furnished and Unfurnished 1 Bedroom Suites. Adults Only, Senior Discount. Bus Stop at Front Door.

250-784-5817

STEEL BUILDING SALE ...

FALL CLEARANCE SALE ON NOW! 20X21 $5,990. Front & Back Walls Included. 25X25 $6,896. One End Wall Included. 32X33 $8,199. No Ends Included. Check Out www.pioneersteel.ca for more prices. Pioneer Steel 1-855-212-7036

HIP OR KNEE REPLACEMENT? Arthritic Conditions/COPD? Restrictions in Walking/Dressing? Disability Tax Credit $2,000 Tax Credit $20,000 Refund.

Apply Today For Assistance: 1-844-453-5372.

Business services GET RESULTS! Post a classified in 101 newspapers in just a few clicks. Reach almost 2 million people for only $395 a week for 25-word text ad or $995 for small display ad. Choose your province or all across Canada. Best value. Save over 85% compared to booking individually. www.communityclassifieds.ca or 1-866-6699222.

Mobile/Manufactured HoMes for sale

2017 MANUFACTURED HOMES starting under $80,000 delivered! Best Buy Homes Kelowna www.bestbuyhousing.com - Canada’s largest in-stock home selection, quick delivery, custom factory orders, new parks!

Text/call 250-7652223.

Pine Ridge Modular Homes 14’, 16’ & 20’ Singles. 24’-30’ Double Wides. S.R.I. Homes, Fort St John-Mile 49.5 (250)262-2847

SuiteS For rent For Rent: FURNISHED SMALL SUITE in Dawson Creek, Downtown. WiFi & Internet. Phone: 250-782-7042 For Rent N/S, 2 bdrm Rancher Style, Suite in townhouse. Includes utilities, free parking, Appliances, laundry machines, sunroom, 1 small quiet domestic pet is ok. $1350 /month. 250-789-9127

X THIS IS WHERE YOUR AD SHOULD BE

250-785-5631 classifieds@ahnfsj.ca SAMPLE NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENT

Book Your Ad Now!

LAND ACT

Business For sale

Business For sale

Business For sale

The Lands File for this application is 8015953.

Written comments concerning this application should be directed to Joyce Veller, Authorization Officer, Northeast Region, MFLNRO, at 100, 10003-110 Avenue, Fort St. John, BC, V1J 6M7, (250) 7873438. Comments will be received by MFLNRO up to January 19, 2018. MFLNRO may not be able to consider comments received after this date. Please visit the website at www.arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/index.jsp for more information and a map of the application area.

Domestic cars

Alaska Highway News...

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. Access to these records requires the SAMPLE ADVERTISEMENT submission NEWSPAPER of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit LAND ACT http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.

A Part of your Community

Land Act: Notice of Intention to Apply for a Disposition of Crown Land

Looking for a new opportunity?

Submit your resume today!

CIRCLE YOUR AD!

Office Administrator - Our clients in the Fort St. John area are currently seeking an Office Administrator to join their team of office professionals. In this position you will be responsible for a variety of tasks ranging from daily Administrative to Bookkeeping. This is a great opportunity for those who want to pursue a career in Bookkeeping and Accounting. Some responsibilities include; Data entry of AP/AR, preparing personal and corporate tax returns, answering phones, and Invoicing.

Take notice that Enviro-Ex Contracting Ltd. from Prince George, BC, has applied to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO), Northeast Region, for a Licence of Occupation situated on Provincial Crown land located at Sikanni Chief River.

Receptionist - Are you a quick learner with great customer service skills?

Are you organized and able to work well on your own as well as in a team environment? Then this may be the opportunity for you! Our clients are currently looking for an outgoing individual to join their team! This is an entry level position that includes basic reception duties such as filing, answering the phones and other duties as assigned. The successful candidate will want to grow with the company and have excellent customer service skills.

Experience is considered an asset, but is not required.

The Lands File for this application is 8015949.

Written comments concerning this application should be directed to Jason Pederson, Authorization Officer, Northeast Region, MFLNRO, at 100, 10003110 Avenue, Fort St. John, BC, V1J 6M7, (250) 261-2063. Comments will be received by MFLNRO up to January 17, 2018. MFLNRO may not be able to consider comments received after this date.

Please visit the website at www.arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/index.jsp for more information and a map of the application area.

Office Administrator - We currently have a part-time permanent Administration position available for a company located in Charlie Lake.

Applicants should have good accounting knowledge and be able to handle day to day administration duties which include A/P, A/R, Journal Entries, Payroll, filing Government Remits and updating safety programs. Experience with Simply Accounting and Safety Programs such as ISN would be an asset.

Some requirements of this position are as follows; minimum 5 years experience in Administration, SAGE 50 certificate or equivalent experience, Class 5 Drivers license, and reliable transportation.

If you think you’re a fit for any of our listed positions, please email us your resume with 3 work related references today!

10139 101 Ave. Fort St. John, BC V1J 2B4 | p. 250.785.8367 | f. 250.785.4795 | www.macenna.com e. apply@macenna.com

R0011352370

AND MAYBE SOMEONE WILL

LegaL/PubLic Notices

Take notice that Peaceland Oilfield Services Ltd. from Fort St. John, BC, has applied to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO), Northeast Region, for a Licence of Occupation situated on Provincial Crown land located at Sikanni Chief River.

PLACE YOUR AD IN THE

1 3 6 5 5 8 7 0 2 5 2 2 5 3 : Ph 0-7855 2 : x F

LegaL/PubLic Notices

Land Act: Notice of Intention to Apply for a Disposition of Crown Land

Steel BuildingS / granarieS STEEL BUILDING SALE ... PRICED TO SELL!i 20X23 $5,998. 25X27 $6,839. 30X33 $8,984.

One End Wall Included.

Bonus Drill/Impact Driver Combo Kit Included. Check Out www.pioneersteel.ca for more prices. Pioneer Steel 1-855-212-7036

Nissan Electric Leaf 2016 29,500 kms. If interested call 250-261-9392

LegaL/PubLic Notices

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. Access to these records requires the submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.

We would like thank everyone who came together to make our Second Christmas Toy Drive such a success.

We wish everyone a Safe & Happy Holiday Season.

B16 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

Holiday Song Boo2k 017

community

Bring old-fashion ed Christmas c aroling to your neighborhoo d

Alaska H ighway N ews www.ala

2017 Holiday Songbook Brought to you

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Visit the Alaska Highway News today to get your free copy of the

Rotarians at Work

Local Rotarians assembling Mitzpah Transition House “Starter Kits” for women and children as they begin a new chapter in life

What A YEAR!

Thank you to all the participants and all the generous sponsors! Your support is helping make our Summer Cruise 2017 an event to remember. See you NEXT YEAR!

Rotary

Club of Dawson Creek

Meets Tuesdays, NOON At The GEORGE DAWSON INN

Rotary

Club of Dawson Creek Sunrise

Meets Fridays, 7:00 a.m.

At The DC CURLING RINK

July 13-15, 2018 C Dawson Creek B

m o c . s r e s i u r c o r e milez