THURSDAY, may 31, 2018 Vol. 75, No. 22
Serving Fort St. John, B.C. and Surrounding Communities
$1.50 inc. gst.
alaskahighwaynews.ca
“The Only Newspaper in the World That Gives a Tinker’s Dam About the North Peace.”
fires force evacuations
a body building journey
greyhound replacement announced
news A3 & A4
sports b1
news A4
Skepticism, criticism over Kinder Morgan pipeline buyout
super soakers
matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
When You Are Out in the Field, Time IS Money. QUALITY PARTS, EXPERT SERVICE! matt preprost Photo
North Peace Search and Rescue and the Taylor Fire Department spouse team compete in a match of hose hockey on May 26, 2018, as part of the 2018 Firefighters Hoselay Competition. Final score — North Peace Search and Rescue 3, Taylor FD Spouses 1.
HoursMon-Fri: 8am - 5pm Sat: 8am - Noon
9224 100 Street, Fort St. John, BC (250) 785-0463
After Hours - Leave Message
Teams from across Northeast B.C. came to Taylor for the all-day competition, testing their firefighting skills in a fun, family friendly setting, including hoselaying, hose coupling, and, of course, hose hockey. A silent auction supported the Taylor Food Hamper, Honour House, and the FSJ Firefighters Charitable Society.
Winners Aggregate winner — Charlie Lake FD Team 2 Old Time Hoselay — Charlie Lake FD Team 1 Hose Coupling — Moberly Lake FD Team 2 Spouses Hose Coupling — Taylor FD Team 2 One in, One Out — Charlie Lake FD Team 2 Novelty Event — Charlie Lake FD Team 2 Hose Hockey — Taylor FD Team 2 Spouses Hose Hockey — Taylor FD Team 2 Most sportsmanlike — Charlie Lake FD Read more at alaskahighwaynews.ca
Missing person case now a murder investigation matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
CONTACT US
phone 250-785-5631 fax 250-785-3522 email circulation@ahnfsj.ca online alaskahighwaynews.ca facebook AlaskaHighwayNews twitter @AHNnewspaper
Police are investigating the death of Charlie Lake area resident John Banky as a homicide. In an update May 25, North District RCMP say the BC Coroners Service has confirmed the human remains found in Banky’s burned down home on Hannaford Road belong to Banky. “Investigators believe Mr. Banky’s death is a homicide,” spokeswoman Cpl. Madonna Saunderson wrote in a news release. “As in any investigation, the police require and are asking for assistance from the public to continue to advance this investigation.”
John Banky and his dog Max
Banky’s home on Hannaford Road just off Highway 29 was razed by fire on March 30, as was his pickup truck, which was found on the Golf Course Road. Banky’s dog was found in Fort St. John a few days later.
Police had been treating the investigation as a missing person case as the remains were identified by coroners. Banky, 55, was a surveyor who owned Nanuq Construction Surveys. Originally from Toronto, Banky studied at the B.C. Institute of Technology, graduating in 1984. One of Banky’s friends has described him as a quiet, gentle, and kindhearted man who didn’t like violence. He was well known and well liked in the area, they said. Banky’s dog Max has been rehomed with a friend. The North District Major Crimes Unit is leading the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 250-787-8140, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Leon Wokeley pleads not guilty to killing Pamela Napoleon matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
Leon Wokeley has pleaded not guilty to killing Pamela Napoleon. Wokeley entered his plea in person in a Fort St. John courtroom May 23. He is charged with murder, arson, and indignity to human remains in connection to Napoleon’s death in 2014. “It’s his constitutional right and basically he’s entitled to challenge the evidence,” said Wokeley’s lawyer, Georges Rivard, outside the courtroom. Wokeley will be waiving his
Pamela Napoleon
right to a preliminary hearing in order to head straight to B.C. Supreme Court, where he will elect to be tried by a judge and not a jury. Preliminary hearings are
often held before a trial for the court to decide if there is enough evidence to convict an accused. Wokeley is waiving the hearing to avoid further delays in the case, Rivard said. Several of his court appearances have been held over as the Crown worked through its evidence disclosure for the defence to prepare its plea. “The same witnesses will be heard in Supreme Court,” Rivard said. “These are all professional witnesses, these are all police officers, there’s no civilian witnesses, or very minimum.” See WOKELEY on A11
PAVING 100 Canadian
Residential • Commercial • Industrial Roads • Driveways • Parking Lots
The Canadian government says its plan to buy the Trans Mountain pipeline and other assets from Kinder Morgan for $4.5 billion is a necessary and temporary move to protect jobs and invest in the country’s future. But political leaders in Northeast B.C. are skeptical of how the decision will play out, and say the move leaves many unanswered questions about constitutional jurisdiction and the future of private investment in Canada. “The announcement to buy the pipeline assets may be good for the proponents of the pipeline provided the federal government actually proceeds with the project. However, it does not answer the fundamental constitutional question about jurisdictions,” said Taylor Mayor Rob Fraser, also chair of the Northeast BC Resource Municipalities Coalition. “Who has the authority to approve and ensure interprovincial projects proceed? I would have rather the federal government moved more quickly, earlier on in this debate, rather than just buy the problem. What happens with the next controversial project? Do we buy that as well? This is a slippery slope I do not want Canada to be on.” Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced May 29 that the government will buy out Kinder Morgan Canada and take over its $7.4-billion twinning project from Edmonton to Burnaby. Kinder Morgan will resume its work as the sale is finalized through the summer and, once acquired, the government will try to sell the project to new investors, according to Morneau. “We believe this is the best way to protect thousands of well-paying jobs and the safest and most effective way to get our resources to world markets,” Morneau said. “Make no mistake, this is an investment in Canada’s future.” The announcement comes two days before Kinder Morgan’s May 31 deadline and demand for Ottawa to give it investment certainty that it could carry on construction without political interference. See KINDER MORGAN on A5
FREE ESTIMATES
250.719.0686
% COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL GRAVEL SALES AND DELIVERY
Owned
Serving Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Fort St. John & Surrounding Areas
33490