P3
FRIDAYDECEMBER12
STORM: Boom boom ... out go the lights, all over town
www.pgfreepress.com | newsline: 250.564.0005
PEEK-A-BOO Dralion promises to deliver........P22
Rated PG RollerGirls on a roll...P32 INSIDE TODAY: Voices........................................P13 Voices........................................ P13 Datebook..................................P16 Datebook.................................. P16 Community...............................P17 Community............................... P17 Coffee Break...........................P24 Break...........................P24 Classifieds................................P25 Classifieds................................ P25 Hartley Miller...........................P28 Miller...........................P28 Sports.......................................P29 Sports....................................... P29
Phone 250-563-6444 Toll Free 1-800-219-6327 910 Third Avenue, Prince George, BC Email polarrefrig@telus.net polarrefrig.ca
Teresa MALLAM/Free Press Fiona enjoys a children’s climb and slide set Monday as part of the Power Play program at South Fort George Family Resource Centre. The free drop-in program is open to all families with children six years old and under and encourages creative play and interaction with caregivers. For times and more information phone 250-614-9449.
Furnace Serviced Lately? Best Heating & Air Conditioning
increases energy efficiency prevents breakdowns reduces risk of fire healthier, safer environment
• Gas furnaces • A/C and heat pumps • Indoor air quality systems Proud to be your local Lennox Dealer for the past 30 years
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
www.pgfreepress.com
NG YI BU
E IC R P
EX PE RT IS E
ER W PO
CO M M U N IT Y
2
WE WILL WILL NOT NOT BE BEAT BEA BEAT! AT
PRINCE GEORGE WILLIAMS L AKE 100 MILE H OUSE 2591A Vance Rd. (250) 563-4447
299 Oliver Str. (250) 398-8522
916 Alpine Ave. (250) 395-4015
KAMLOOPS
VERNON
745 Notre Dame Drive 200-3107 - 48th Ave. (250) 851-8700 (250) 542-3000
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
3
BILL PHILLIPS | 250.564.0005 | newsroom@pgfreepress.com | www.pgfreepress.com
Storm wreaked havoc on power in contractors to help out. Even still, it creates some long, long days for those working to restore power.
Bill Phillips editor@pgfreepress.com At one point on Tuesday, about one-quarter of the homes in Prince George were without power. The severe wind, lightning, and thunderstorm that rolled through in the early afternoon had much of the city sitting in the dark waiting until BC Hydro crews could come and restore power. “There were about 10,000 homes (without power),” said Bob Gammer, BC Hydro spokesperson. “We were able to restore the bulk of those fairly rapidly.” There are about 40,000 homes in the greater Prince George area and by Wednesday morning, only about 300 were still without power. When one outage affects a large area, fixing that specific outage will restore power quickly to that area. It’s the small ones that take some time. “With the wind we had trees forced into contact with powerlines,” Gammer said. That, especially in the outlying areas, may impact only one residence. Crews, however, still have to get to the outage and restore power. Gammer said Hydro will call in some of its workers who are on days off during large incidents like Tuesday’s storm, and they will call
“Crews will work up to 16 hours (during outages) and then take at least an eight-hour break,” Gam-
mer said. As for Tuesday’s storm, we’ve had worse, in terms of power out-
ages in and around Prince George. However, Gammer says Tuesday’s storm was “pretty severe.”
Brad and the bears
Allan WISHART/Free Press Brad Morrison of the Prince George Cougars surveys the teddy bears around the Cougar net after Zach Pochiro scored the first hometeam goal of the game Tuesday, prompting the flight of thousands of bears from the stands to the ice at CN Centre.
Home builders say code changes could mean higher new-home costs The Canadian Home Builders’ Association of Northern BC is worried building code changes could drive up the price of new homes. On December 19, the B.C. Building Code will introduce increased energy-efficiency requirements for houses and small buildings. Key changes will mean new requirements for effective insulation levels, ventilation and radon rough-in requirements, as well as options for code compliance. The province has been seeking to move to a uniform building code for almost 10 years, where the provincial government would be the sole authority for building codes, product standards and technical requirements in the residential construction industry
throughout British Columbia. Individual municipalities would follow provincial guidelines and modify their own bylaws accordingly. Further, local government officials in relevant planning and building departments would be required to meet provincial qualifications in the efforts to achieve consistent code interpretation and agreed upon compliance standards, across the board. Until then, changes to the BC Building Code can create confusion between building officials and builders, leading to project disruption and delays, says the association. “Currently it’s up to the industry (the builders, suppliers and other stakeholders), including building officials in each munici-
pality or regional district to work together to ensure everyone is on the same page in terms of code interpretation and agreedupon remedial action as well as compliance issues” said Terri McConnachie, executive officer for the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of Northern BC. She said association members will be meeting with building officials in the next few weeks to try and determine the impact prior to next year’s building season. Until that happens, it is difficult to affix a price tag to the cost of the 2014 code changes, she said. “Code requirements that improve indoor air quality in our new energy-efficient homes is a good thing and it is a guess that
it could cost builders up to $10,000, depending on what steps they choose to take to meet the new codes,” said McConnachie. “Some builders will chose to make installing a heat recovery ventilation system, or HRV, as a standard for new homes, which is perfect for colder climates and healthy indoor air quality, but it comes with a price tag. Builders in our region have long been following or exceeding more stringent energyefficiency practices and it is speculated that builders in the more southern regions will be harder hit.” The last round of code changes in 2012 increased the building cost to new home builders in northern B.C. anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000, she said.
Welcome to
BUSINESS ANYWHERE Get everything you need for your business in one place. In the office to go... Get the freedom to do business simply and cost effectively, wherever you and your employees are.
www.abccommunications.com
250.562.5521
Business Phone +
Mobile Phones (2) + Internet
From $23500/month
Let ABC help you connect to your business customers... Visit the Business Centre located at 502 4th Avenue. ABC is your Business Link to the world!
4
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
www.pgfreepress.com
Courts rule on variety of charges presents… Winner of 11 International Awards
Community Alert WA N T E D
John Randall HASKELL 168 cm or 5’6” 64 kg or 141 lbs
Crime Stoppers is asking the public’s assistance in locating the following person who is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant. As of 0900hrs this 10th day of December 2014, John Randall HASKELL (B: 1989-0520) is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant for ASSAULT, UTTERING THREATS, & BREACH OF UNDERTAKING. HASKELL is described as a First Nations male, 168 cm or 5’6” tall and weighs 64 kg or 141 lbs. HASKELL has black hair and brown eyes. HASKELL should be considered violent.
WA N T E D Crime Stoppers is asking the public’s assistance in locating the following person who is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant. As of 0900hrs this 10th day of December 2014, Fritz Dustin Philip TAIT (B: 1975-09-14) is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant for ASSAULT x 2, CRIMINAL Fritz Dustin Philip HARASSMENT, & BREACH OF UNDERTAIT TAKING. TAIT is described as a First 173 cm or 5’8” Nations male, 173 cm or 5’8” tall and 100 kg or 221 lbs weighs 100 kg or 221 lbs. TAIT has black hair and brown eyes. TAIT should be considered violent.
WA N T E D Crime Stoppers is asking the public’s assistance in locating the following person who is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant. As of 0900hrs this 10th day of December 2014, Nicholas Alexander MOORE (B: 1994-07-23) is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant for Nicholas Alexander ASSAULT. MOORE is described as a Caucasian male, 175 cm or 5’9” MOORE tall and weighs 84 kg or 186 lbs. 175 cm or 5’9” MOORE has brown hair and brown 84 kg or 186 lbs. eyes. MOORE should be considered violent.
If you have information regarding these crimes call CRIMESTOPPERS
1-800-222-8477 www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca
You will remain anonymous. You may be eligible for a cash reward. Remember... We don’t need your name - just your information
RIVERSIDE COLLISION We take out wrinkles.
In Provincial Court on Sept. 10: Travis M. Prince was found guilty of sexual assault and being unlawfully in a dwelling-house, received a conditional sentence of 12 months, was placed on probation for two years, assessed a victim surcharge of $50 and prohibited from possessing firearms for five years. In Provincial Court on Sept. 11: Andrew J. Bazinet was found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to one day in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Jereme C. Kozak was found guilty of possession of child pornography and accessing child pornography, sentenced to 12 months in jail and placed on probation for three years. Joann Monk was found guilty of theft of property with a value less than $5,000, placed on probation for three years and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Reggie M. Patrick was found guilty of assault with a weapon, sentenced to 96 days in jail, placed on probation for 18 months, assessed a victim surcharge of $100 and prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years. Patrick was also
High-flying flag
Allan WISHART/Free Press Members of the Prince George Fire Rescue high-rescue team escorted the Canadian flag down from the rafters of the CN Centre during the singing of O Canada before the Cougars game on Tuesday.
was found guilty of driving while prohibited, fined $500, assessed a victim surcharge of $75 and prohibited from driving for one year. Edward J. Desjarlais was found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order, fined $500 and assessed a victim surcharge of $150. Christopher J. Garro was found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to one day in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Andrew J. Gifford was found guilty of assaulting a peace officer, sentenced to 168 days in jail, placed on probation for three years, assessed a victim surcharge of $200 and prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years. Gifford was also found guilty of uttering threats and failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to 90 days in jail, placed on probation for three years and assessed a victim surcharge of $200. Delnert W. Joseph was found guilty of mischief, sentenced to 45 days in jail, placed on probation for one year and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Kenneth M. Seymour was found guilty of mischief, placed on probation for six months and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Seymour was also found guilty of two counts of failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to one day in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Robert J. Tulari was found guilty of assault, senPlease note the following Holiday publishing dates, tenced to 81 days in jail, placed on probation for one deadlines and hours for the Free Press year, assessed a victim surcharge of $100 and prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years. Tulari was December 24 Free Press also found guilty of failing to comply with a probaDeadline December 18 tion order, sentenced to 60 days in jail and assessed a @ 12:00 pm victim surcharge of $100. (Note, no paper on December 26) In Provincial Court on Sept. 15: Jesse W. Jobin was found guilty of two counts of January 2 Free Press theft of property with a value less than $5,000, senDeadline December 29 tenced to one day in jail, placed on probation for one @ 4:00 pm year and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Ethan A. Pierre was found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to one day in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Samantha M. Basil was found guilty of theft of property with a value less than $5,000, sentenced to 33 days in jail, placed on probation for one year and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Basil was also found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking, sentenced to 33 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Melanie C. Lyons was found guilty of theft of property with a value less than $5,000, sentenced to With over 30 years of experience, I can help you preserve your freedom, reputation and livelihood. one day in jail, placed on For an appointment call 564-4454 probation for 12 months and assessed a victim 980 Fourth Avenue, Prince George • aartsenlaw.com surcharge of $100. found guilty of assault, sentenced to 30 days in jail, placed on probation for 18 months and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Patrick was also found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to one day in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. In Provincial Court on Sept. 12: Mark E. Buchanan was found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order and two counts of failing to
comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance, sentenced to 34 days in jail, placed on probation for one year and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Andrew C. Chapman was found guilty of robbery, sentenced to three years in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $200. Chapman was also found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order and sentenced to 30 days in jail. Emile M. Crotteau
Ad Deadlines
Know Your Rights C. Keith Aartsen
Criminal Defence Lawyer
193 Ongman Road • 250-564-2512
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
5
UNHBC makes acute-care changes The University Hospital of Northern B.C. may be living up to its ‘northern’ designation and, as a result, is seeing more acute care patients from across the North. That is only one factor contributing to an “unprecedented level of demand for acute care services,” over the past six months, according to Northern Health. A statement from Northern Health says the reasons for the increased demand “are complex and not attribTeresa MALLAM/Free Press utable to one single rea- CNC professional cook student Lucas Luo fits the base of a bridge son.” However, it points in his Garden of Suzhou gingerbread replica on Thursday. Students have until today (Friday) to complete their holiday projects and sevout that the growth eral of them will be on display at the college’s second floor library. in services, supported by a strong group of physicians and surgeons, as well as the new Cancer Team to provide more care in the community for serious addicted and mentally ill individuals; Centre for the North, indicate UHNBC is meeting • Implementing a psychiatric liaison nurse funcmore regional demands than ever before. As a result of the increased demands, the North- tion in the UHNBC Emergency department; • In partnership with the RCMP, implementing a ern Health board, on Monday, approved imple‘Car 67’ service which partners a mental health climenting a plan to address the issue at UHNBC. nician with an RCMP officer to provide enhanced “The board has initiated a master planning procommunity services; cess for UHNBC and Prince George to determine • Contracting for additional surgical capacity to the long term need for services and space at the address long wait times for cataract surgery; and hospital,” said Dr. Charles Jago, Northern Health • Implementing dedicated beds for patient board chair. “UHNBC is a regional teaching populations who will benefit from standardized hospital and we are confident that the actions and plans we are putting in place will address the ongo- care processes. Initiatives that are currently underway and coning and future challenges that come with being a tinue to be critical include: regional teaching facility.” • Continued partnership with the Prince George Some of the new initiatives include: • Opening 11 new convalescent/respite beds and Division of Family Practice to strengthen Primary and Community Care and better manage patients 15 new complex care beds on the third floor of with chronic disease; Gateway Complex Care Centre; • Continue to implement improvements in care • Implementing a team of licenced practical planning and care processes for patients; and nurses to provide rapid access to home support • Complete a plan to expand residential care services in the community to support clients more capacity in the medium and long term. quickly and to keep them out of acute care and “Staff and physicians have worked extremely discharge them more quickly; hard to provide safe care in the midst of increased • Implementing an Intensive Case Management
House builder
Follow the new signs downtown for directions If you’re driving downtown, you might notice some new signs. The city has put up some new signs downtown that are designed to make it easier for residents, visitors and tourists to find their way around. The three-sided signs feature information to assist pedestrians, including: • A map of the downtown core with highlighted attractions; • Directions to a variety of public and tourismrelated facilities; and • Details about upcoming civic events. The signs incorporate the use of wood in their design, emphasizing the role of the forest industry in
Prince George. There will be five new signs at locations throughout downtown, including: Seventh Avenue and Victoria Street, Seventh Avenue and Canada Games Way, Sixth Avenue and George Street, Third Avenue and George Street, and Third Avenue and Quebec Street. Funding for the signage comes from the Downtown Initiatives Contingency Fund, which was part of the Downtown Partnership, a Select Committee of Prince George City Council. A final figure on the actual cost won’t be known until they are all installed, said city communications manager Todd Corrigal, adding they should all be installed by the end of this week.
Whatever the excuse... Accidents Happen Happen.
patient volumes,” said Michael McMillan, Northern Health Northern Interior Chief Operating Officer. “We’re implementing both immediate and medium to long-term strategies to manage the pressure at UHNBC.” Northern Health is asking the public for their support by using the emergency department appropriately. Northern Health’s emergency rooms tend to patients who have experienced a sudden and/or unusual change in their health. This includes, but isn’t limited to, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding or pain, broken bones, chest pain and eye injuries. Individuals who require emergency attention can call 9-1-1 for transport to the emergency department or can seek private transportation. Northern
Health Connections bus service is also available for medical travel to and from communities and hospital facilities in northern B.C., and includes options for medical travel beyond the region as well. Patients who aren’t sure whether their condition would warrant an emergency room visit or need health advice can call Healthlink B.C. 8-1-1 or visit Healthlinkbc.ca. HealthLink BC provides non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week. The public is also encouraged to utilize other community health services for non-immediate health care needs including their general practitioner or walk-in clinics.
Denture Wearer? Need Dentures? Dentures ?
WE CAN HELP! Full Service Denture Clinic NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS Call now for a FREE Consultation & Denture Care Pack
Brent Der R.D. Located in the Victoria Medical Building
Suite 312, 1669 Victoria St. Prince George, B.C.
250-562-6638
Planning a Trip?
Get Vaccinated… It’s Your Best Shot! FREE CONSULTATION
Consult your travel health clinic – preferably 6 weeks before departure. Let us help you plan a safer trip.
Northern British Columbia Travel Health and Vaccination Clinic Suite #210, 2155 10th Avenue Award Best Winner Prince George, BC, V2M 5J6 Autobody Fine Dining Shop
250-277-1887 • 250-277-1707 • 250-562-6363
www.nbcthvc.ca
Major & Minor Collision Specialists Best Fine Dining
• Only Certified Technicians • Lifetime Warranty • Leading Edge Technology In Auto Body Repair • Genesis Computerized Measuring • Complete Frame Straightening • Located Behind ICBC • Alternate Transportation • Express ICBC Estimating • Free Estimates
Award Winner
Autobody Shop
Award Winner
Fine Dining
250-562-7116 1599 S. Quinn St., Afterhours & Weekends 565-8562
TOLL FREE 1-866-350-5312
6
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
Al-Anon
www.pgfreepress.com
2015 HELMETS & BIKES
There is hope! 250-561-3244 www.district27alanon.ca
1659 Nicholson St
250-563-4828
y a d i l o H
r o F n u F ily
the Fam
Mike Morris, MLA and Shirley Bond, MLA Bill PHILLIPS/Free Press
invite you to join them for hot dogs, and hot chocolate! • Entertainment • Activities for the Kids
• Miniature Train • Visit by Mr. & Mrs. Claus
Sunday, December 14th, 2014 3 - 6pm at the Central BC Railway & Forestry Museum (850 River Road) – No charge for families to attend –
Mike Morris, MLA
Prince George-Mackenzie
For more information call 250.563.7351
Shirley Bond, MLA
Prince George-Valemount
Inspector Warren Brown is the new officer in charge of the Prince George RCMP detachment, and says he and his family are happy to be here.
New RCMP top boss happy to be in city Bill Phillips editor@pgfreepress.com
EVENT SPONSORED BY: Prince George Liberal Riding Associations
The new officer inhabiting the second-
DEAR READERS In order for our carriers to be safe while delivering the Free Press, we ask that you please rid your walkways, driveways and stairs of snow and ice to avoid unnecessary slips and falls.
“A special thank you to those residents who have already provided a safe route to their mailbox for our carriers!” - Circulation Manager
floor corner office of the new RCMP detachment is looking forward to his stint in Prince George. Inspector Warren Brown is now in his second week on the job and is settling down to his new role in the detachment’s brandnew office. “I can’t compliment the building enough, and those who supported us along the way,” he said Tuesday, adding it’s a huge morale boost for the officers. Brown, who has worked in the North and Central regions for the past 10 years, most recently in Williams Lake, said he and his family always wanted to come to Prince
George. He praised the previous mayor and council for assisting with the crime reduction strategy, the work of which will continue. Brown said he is also aware of the “perception” of crime in Prince George, thanks to Maclean’s magazine and the crime severity index. “However, we are a hub community for services and that brings an influx of a lot of people who are chronic users of the system,” he said. “That includes the criminal justice system, perhaps the health system.” In addition, he acknowledged that gang activity in Prince George contributes to
much of the violent crime in the city. “As the new commander here, I hope to carry on with the intentions of our previous commander,” he said. Brown is a thirdgeneration Mountie who has been on the force for 27 years. He began his career with the Winnipeg Police Service in 1987 before moving to the Delta Police Service where he continued his career until he joined the RCMP in 2002. His first post with the RCMP was to Merritt, followed by detachment commander roles in New Hazelton and then Williams Lake, where he has been for the past five years.
Independent Investigations called in for police-related stabbing Independent Investigations Office investigators may be on their way to Prince George. The investigators were called out following an incident Monday night that saw two people, one of them an RCMP officer, taken to University Hospital of Northern B.C. with stab wounds. Police say they were called out at about 11 p.m. to deal with three pedestrians in the area of Third Avenue and Dominion Street. One of the pedestrians had several outstanding warrants for his arrest.
While members were taking the male into custody, he sustained what police say appears to be self-inflicted injuries to his neck. An officer was also stabbed. Both were transported to hospital for medical care. A knife was seized as evidence. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Craig Douglass said the officer has been treated and released. The IIOBC have been notified and are in the preliminary stages of determining if the incident falls within their jurisdiction
www.pgfreepress.com
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
7
Candy Cane Lane
To Participate Please Call...
250-564-0005
20% OFF All Products Excluding electricals & previously marked down merchandise & hair extensions.
Lana METZ/Free Press If you want to check out Christmas lights, make sure your trip includes a walk down Candy Cane Lane.
www.chatters.ca
250-563-4424
With this coupon only. Expires Jan. 15, 2015
Not Just A Tan, It’s An “Awesome Tan”
DON’T GET BURNED (Tan before you travel)
Developing a good base tan before your vacation will prepare you for further sun exposure.
SPECIAL
SPECIAL • Beds & Stand Up Available • Meticulously Clean • Open 7 Days a Week • Easy Parking
100 Minutes $39.00
One Regular Month (Regular Beds Only)
$69.00
Only with this coupon. Exp Dec. 31/14
Only with this coupon. Exp Dec. 31/14
SPECIAL
SPECIAL
300 Minutes $99.00
• Air Conditioned
One Super Month
(Any Bed or Stand Up)
$89.00
Only with this coupon. Exp Dec. 31/14
Only with this coupon. Exp Dec. 31/14
3133 Westwood Dr. Prince George B.C. • 250-563-1010
5 OFF
$
Industry serious about managing combustible dust. - Gord Macatee
00
Haircut or Shave
*with coupon only Expires Jan. 15, 2015
250-596-2688
www.tommy-guns.ca
✁
PINE CENTRE MALL
Unit 225, 3055 Massey Drive (across from Barton’s Insurance)
It’s a man’s world.
PURCHASE 1000 MINUTES or 1 YEAR UNLIMITED
$
for only
199
+ tax
PURCHASE 100 MINUTES GET 25 MINUTES
FREE
PURCHASE 200 MINUTES GET 50 MINUTES
FREE
PURCHASE 400 MINUTES GET 150 MINUTES
FREE
expires Jan.15/2015
✁
www.tancity.ca
3699 Massey Dr. • 250-561-2585 MON - FRI • 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM SATURDAY • 10:00AM - 5:30 PM SUNDAY • 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
✁
The revamp of WorkSafeBC, ordered in the wake of two deadly 2012 mill explosions, is well underway. “I’ve been pleased and impressed with the engagement I’ve seen across WorkSafeBC, as well as the level of commitment at the most senior levels of the organization,” special advisor Gord Macatee said Tuesday. “And I’m especially impressed with the support that’s been evident from external stakeholders to moving things forward. I’m referring to the police agencies, the Criminal Justice Branch, leaders in the wood manufacturing industry, the unions, the Fire Commissioner’s office and others whose constructive involvement is critical to the success of my recommendations.” Macatee was tagged by Jobs Minister Shirley Bond to conduct a review of the organization after Crown counsel pointed the finger at WorkSafeBC’s investigative practices as reasons for not laying charges following explosions and fires at the Babine Forest Products mill in Burns Lake and Lakeland Mills in Prince George. In July, Bond and the WorkSafeBC board accepted all 43 recommendations for change Macatee made in his initial report. Of those 43 recommendations, Macatee said 13 have been fully completed, 18 are in progress and on track for completion as scheduled, and 12 require legislative changes. One of those recommendations called for daily inspections for mills that didn’t meet regulations, in terms of dust build-up, for three months. He also encouraged mills that were meeting the regulations to conduct daily inspections. Macatee said 96 sawmills have chosen to conduct daily independent inspections with weekly reporting to WorkSafeBC, and 22 have chosen to have WorkSafeBC continue to conduct focused inspection activities on their mills. That has resulted in only two mills, out of 118, being cited for dust build-up during the period from October 6 to November 25. “I consider this to be strong evidence that the industry is serious about managing combustible dust and doing so in a way that can be sustained
over the long term,” Macatee said. He added that pellet mills continue to have a tougher time dealing with combustible dust. In July, he said, only 40 per cent of pellet plants in the province were in compliance with regulations. As of Nov. 23, 17 inspections have been conducted. Three locations received combustible dust orders with one of the three locations also receiving a stop work order. He said pellet plants are developing an “audit tool” to help determine where the issues are. One of Macatee’s more long-term recommendations was the creation of a health and safety association for the wood-product manufacturing industry. He said he expects it to be operational next year. The key focus of Macatee’s initial report, however, was the fact that no charges were laid in the wake of the Lake Babine and Lakeland explosions. Macatee said he recommended a different investigative approach, which is now in place. “This model requires two distinct teams to have their work and files completely separated to minimize any opportunities for file and evidence contamination,” he said. “Training is an ongoing priority to ensure that officers are kept abreast of best practices in investigations.” That training is being conducted at the Justice Institute of BC and the RCMP Pacific Regional Training Centre. Each of the two teams will have special provincial constables appointed early next year. The special constables’ role will be to allow for exchange of sensitive information with police authorities. “While prosecutions are an important tool, we must remember that we do not want WorkSafeBC to diminish its primary function of investigation for cause, in order to prevent future injuries and promote health and safety in the work place,” Macatee said. Another of Macatee’s original recommendations was a more “robust deterrence program,” including making more enforcement tools available, increasing sanctions for the worst offenders, addressing non-payment of penalties, and considering proportionality of penalty amounts.
PINE CENTRE MALL
250-964-0311
✁
Bill Phillips editor@pgfreepress.com
✁
WorkSafeBC revamp is progressing
WESTGATE PLAZA
“WHERE TH THE SUN NEVER SETS”” “WE HAVE THE FRIENDLIEST SERVICE IN TOWN”
8
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
www.pgfreepress.com
Flood taking over for Carson as new executive director of P.G. Hospice House Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com For the first time since the Prince George Hospice House opened its doors, there will be a new executive director. Last week, Donalda Carson announced she was retiring from the position after 20 years, and that Donna Flood would be taking over. Flood brings a lot of experience to the position. “I have 32 years of nursing experience,” she said, “in a wide breadth of systems.” Flood moved to Prince George about two and a half years ago, and she found herself working in an area that set up nicely for the move to Hospice House. “I was doing transitional planning for palliative care. I also joined the Hospice Society board, so I am familiar with the system here.” Society president Mike Hickey said Flood’s position on the board caused them to create a slightly different hiring process. “We had someone from outside sort of overseeing the whole process, because with Donna being on the board and applying for the
position, we wanted to make sure everything was done correctly.” He says they had 20 candidates for the position, including from as far away as India. “We interviewed five of those people, then made a short list of three, then selected Donna.” Flood says her decision to apply for the position was a matter of timing. “Everything aligns sometimes for place and time, and this was one of those times.” She has worked in a number of different areas of Northern Canada. “I worked for 12 years in Nunavut, so it’s nice coming to balmy Prince George,” she said with a laugh. Flood added she knew already what her biggest challenge would be. “The challenge is trying to fill the shoes of Donalda.” Carson said she hasn’t given Flood much advice yet on being the new executive director. “She knows something about our operations as a member of the board, but I need to orient her to the rest of what the job entails. “When I started, I didn’t realize I would be fundraising, for
Allan WISHART/Free Press Donalda Carson, left, is retiring as executive director of the Prince George Hospice House Society at the end of January. Donna Flood was introduced last week as the new executive director.
instance.” Carson said the Hospice House has had to overcome many obstacles to get to where it is now, but there is one that she still sees. “Many people are afraid to come to Hospice House,” she said.
“That’s understandable, that they don’t want to come to this place where they know they’re going to die.” Flood said, however, people had to come to grips with a simple reality.
“Everybody is going to die. Only about 10 per cent of people die suddenly. The other 90 per cent need support in their dying journey. “And that’s what Hospice House does.”
LAST CHANCE!
DERNIÈRE CHANCE!
Sign up by December 31, 2014, to volunteer for the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
Inscrivez-vous avant le 31 décembre 2014 pour être bénévole durant les +eux d hiver du Canada 2015.
HELP US HOST THE
LARGEST MULTI-SPORT Up to
15,000 Visitors
AND CULTURAL EVENT IN PRINCE GEORGE’S HISTORY
18 days
FROM ACROSS CANADA
OF SPORTS, ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT
JUSQU’À 15 000 VISITEURS DE PARTOUT AU PAYS
18 JOURS DE SPORTS, D’ARTS, CULTURE ET DE DIVERTISSEMENT
A
PLUS GRAND ÉVÉNEMENT MULTISPORTS ET CULTUREL JAMAIS TENU À PRINCE GEORGE
@2015CanadaGames
BUILD YOUR RESUME AT THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY AJOUTEZ CETTE EXPÉRIENCE UNIQUE À VOTRE CV
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE & ENTHUSIASM WITH US PARTAGEZ VOTRE EXPÉRIENCE ET VOTRE ENTHOUSIASME AVEC NOUS
4,500 VOLUNTEER HOSTS ARE NEEDED NOUS AVONS BESOIN DE
4 500 BÉNÉVOLES
www.pgfreepress.com
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
9
Trustees say boards still relevant No need seen for province to take over role of school boards The new School District 57 of Education on July 1, 2012 policy, the Mac decision, or Board of Education got down and replaced by a government teacher pay for Sept. 19. Folks to business Tuesday night and appointed trustee (who did not may not agree with every decielected a new board even reside in the sion the board makes but at chair. Cowichan Valley). least we have locally elected Board newcomer One person closed advocates for education, who Tony Cable beat out schools, made edustep up for kids. Getting rid Tim Bennett in the cational and budget of school boards would be the election for chair. decisions and ran same as saying communities As the board the district for two do not need local mayors and settles in, there years. I can imagine council, let Ottawa or Victoria is a question that how the community make all the decisions. Each has dogged school would react if any of community and each school boards for years: the previous school district is different with diverse Are they necessary? closures occurred in needs. Locally elected advoThose running for BOARD CHAIR that manner. Local cates at all levels of government TONY CABLE issues, local soluoffice obviously feel are the cornerstone of our school boards serve tions, local represen- society. However we do need a vital role in the community, tation. to look at our governance and otherwise they likely wouldn’t Tony Cable: We definitely recommendations for reports have put their name forward. need to keep our school board like the Auditor General and However, in New Brunswick, structure in British ColumPan Canadian Study to ensure school boards have been elimibia. If anything, we we are relevant and nated. should give more accountable. Prior to the election, we local responsibilSharel Warasked candidates whether they ity and power to the rington: Your felt B.C. should follow New boards. It is much school board is a Brunswick’s lead. Here are their better for local comgoverning body responses. munity leaders who of locally elected Trish Bella: I believe a locally have knowledge of representatives of elected Board of Education is the local conditions our communities. valuable and necessary to repand variables to manThe board provides resent the unique needs of disage the schools than the checks and tricts, locally and provincially. a person or group in balances needed to We are present in and accountVictoria or Vancou- TRUSTEE ensure the policies, TRISH BELLA contractual obligaable to our communities. ver. Local representaTim Bennett: Absolutely not. tion and control is far tions and directions Why? As taxpayers we deserve superior. of the district are addressing local representation. Our disBob Harris: I believe that the needs of our students and trict spans 52,000 local school boards our employees. Eliminating square kilometers provide a local, aclocally elected boards would be and I know that the cessible and account- eliminating the democratic repneeds in Robson able presence that is resentative voice of our comValley are differof significant benefit munities and the importance of ent than the needs to the community that voice to ensure all students in Prince George that they represent. have access to quality public and as a trustee I As such I believe education. know how difficult boards can provide a Bruce Wiebe: No. Trustees it is to ensure the worthwhile service. are elected representatives of needs of such a Brenda Hooker: the community, especially pardiverse and large I have asked myself ents with students in public edTRUSTEE district are met. I this question but my ucation. Trustees are governors can only imagine if BRENDA HOOKER conclusion is no. We of the public school system and all decisions were are a low-cost, check provide opportunity for input made out of Victoria and how and balance in the education and direction from the local they would meet the needs of system. Our board costs this communities. Trustees give students in our district. I also district less than .001 per cent policy direction with both a look at School District 79 – of our operating budget but bonding of the educational and Cowichan Valley. There board without that expenditure: we child development professionwas removed by the Minister would not have the LQBTQ als and the skills, needs and
expectations of the communities. We need to ask the hard questions such as why are trustees limited in what they can do and how can we
have more local input that reflects the wide geographic and northern characteristics of School District 57.
Furniture & Accessories A unique & personal shopping... experience up tto
50% off
´
In store/home design consultations available
250-564-7330 • 1511 S. Lyon St. (next to General Paint) OPEN: Mon.-Sat. 10-6 Friday 10-9
BC’S EYEWEAR HEADQUARTERS
OPTOMETRIST ON SITE in our Pine Centre Mall location
2% 1100 % 30 $ $
40 50%
Christmas Gift Certificates only 39.95
OFF FRAMES
(50.00 value)
FRAME DROP & SHOP FREE SALE ON NOW! P L U S
(with lens purchase)
Prince George Aquatic Centre Drop off your kids ages 7 and up and get your Christmas shopping done! Friday Dec 12 – MOVIE NIGHT FLOAT 6pm-9:30pm Sunday Dec 14 – CRAFT DAY 1pm-4pm Regular admission rates apply Four Seasons Leisure Pool • 250-561-7636 • 775 Dominion Street ~ Aquatic Centre • 250-561-7787 • 1770 George Paul Lane www.princegeorge.ca
Need only lenses? Take 25% OFF
FREE EYEGLASS CLEANER FOR LIFE WITH COMPLETE EYEWEAR PURCHASE T VO Best
Glasses/Optical Store
CHILDREN’S EYE EXAMS
COVERED BY MSP ONCE PER YEAR
Spruceland
OPTICAL O
250-564-0095 Prince George, BC
(18 & UNDER)
Pine Centre
250-564-0047
Toll Free: 1-855-564-0047
We will beat any competitor’s written quote
w w w. v i s i o n s o p t i c a l . c o m
10
Friday, December 12, 2014
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
GET A ROCKSTAR iPHONE 5c WITH ROCKSTAR TREATMENT. Experience red carpet movie premieres, stylish fashion events and more awesome benefits from day one! What does your phone get you?
$
www.pgfreepress.com
45/mo. GOLD PLAN GETS YOU:
UNLIMITED Calling on Weekends & Evenings from 5pm UNLIMITED Text & Picture Messaging across Canada & to the U.S. UNLIMITED International Text Messaging '$$ 7UbUXU!K]XY A]bihYg '$$ A6 cZ 8UhU Jc]WYaU]` 7U`` 8]gd`Um
virginmobile.ca/benefits
Order online at virginmobile.ca, call 1.855.BE.VM.VIP or stop by to say hi.
Limited time offer. Prices are subject to change without notice. Monthly 911 fees apply in NB (53¢), NS (43¢), PEI (70¢), SK (62¢) and QC (40¢). Canada-Wide Calling applies to calls made from Canada to a Canadian number or calls received from any number while you are inside Canada. Additional minutes are 50¢/min. Long distance charges on calls to the U.S. are 50¢/min in addition to your local per minute rate. Additional data is $5/100 MB. Unlimited Text & Picture Messaging is only valid when message is sent from Canada. Text messages sent within the U.S. or internationally, premium text messages, text alerts, messages sent with an instant messaging application and dial-up messages are not included in any plan and cost extra. One time activation fee ($15) may apply. SIM Card extra $4.99. If you end your services early, a fee will apply; see your Service Agreement for details. Taxes extra. Offer and Member Benefits subject to change/cancellation at any time without notice. Screen images simulated. Phones and some colours may not be available at all retailers. Other restrictions apply; see virginmobile.ca for details. TM and © 2014 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. The VIRGIN trademark and family of associated marks are owned by Virgin Enterprises Limited and used under license. All other trademarks are trademarks of Virgin Mobile Canada or trademarks and property of the respective owners. © 2014 Virgin Mobile.
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
11
Endako Mine closes
Hearts and Hands
400 workers to be affected temporarily It will be a bleak Christmas for about 400 workers at the Endako Mine west of Prince George. Thompson Creek Metals, which holds a 75 per cent stake in Endako, announced Wednesday that it will place the Endako molybdenum mine on temporary suspension effective December 31. The reason, according to a company press release, is due to continued weakness in the molybdenum market. About half of the salaried employees at the Endako Mine
will be laid off, resulting in estimated severance costs of approximately $1.7 million. Hourly employees at the mine were notified today that their employment will be temporarily suspended in 60 days, and will remain so suspended while the mine is on temporary suspension. “We expected that the operational improvements that we implemented in 2014 would have been sufficient to keep the Endako Mine operating profitably during this prolonged volatility in the molybdenum
market, but as a result of the current and expected molybdenum price weakness in the near term, we have no other option but to place the mine on temporary suspension,� said Jacques Perron, President and Chief Executive Officer of Thompson Creek. “We will continue to closely monitor market conditions and re-evaluate the status of the mine as market conditions warrant.� Thompson Creek continues to operate Mount Milligan, its open pit copper/gold mine north of Fort St. James.
Are you looking for the best Retirement Income Specialist? Allan WISHART/Free Press Hearts and Hands for Homes executive director Jo-Ann Pickering stands with Bill Palmer outside his home in Prince George. Palmer says the furnace died about six weeks earlier, and as a senior on a fixed income, he didn’t have the funds to replace it. He called Hearts and Homes, and in a few days, Polar Heating was hard at work, getting his house ready for winter.
Training funding continued Prince George School District is one of 26 districts across B.C. that will receive funding from the Industry Training Authority (ITA) to continue the district’s Secondary School Apprenticeship program for the 2014/15 school year. A total of $30,000 will help fund the Prince George School District’s program, a dual-credit program that allows students who are 15 years of age and over, in Grades 10, 11, or 12, to begin the work-based training component of an apprenticeship program while still in high school. Through these programs, students “earn while they learn�, receiving credit toward both a high school diploma and an apprenticeship. In 2013/14, there were 952 new students registered in apprenticeship programs across B.C., representing a 7.5 per cent increase from the previous school year. As of October 31, 2014, there are a total of 1,732 youth
apprentices registered in programs in the province. Finding an employer who will sponsor their apprenticeship is one of the biggest challenges facing youth looking for a career in the trades. Today’s ITA funding will help school districts cover staffing costs that will support and guide youth through the B.C. apprenticeship system by helping them to secure jobs and employer sponsorship. This funding will also help youth transition from technical training to work-based training, and build further awareness of opportunities in the skilled trades among youth, parents, educators and employers in their communities. ITA’s youth programs focus on awareness building, practical work experience, and apprenticeship technical training. For more information on the youth programs ITA offers, go to www.itabc.ca/youth.
The perfect Specialist is the expert with whom you form a rich relationship built on trust and mutual understanding. Integris’ Sukhi Klair is such a Specialist. Sukhi will partner with you to identify & realize your short, PHGLXP DQG ORQJ WHUP ƏQDQFLDO JRDOV
“/LNH LW RU QRW ĆŹQGLQJ WKH VKRUWHVW DQG VDIHVW URXWH WR DFKLHYLQJ \RXU JRDOV UHTXLUHV SODQQLQJ 2QO\ ZLWK D FDUHIXOO\ WKRXJKW RXW ĆŹQDQFLDO SODQ FDQ \RX EH VXUH WR PDNH WKH PRVW RI \RXU UHVRXUFHV DQG WR SURWHFW DJDLQVW ULVNV DORQJ WKH ZD\ â€?
Sukhi Klair
Retirement Income Specialist CFPÂŽ &3&$ % &RPP
If your Advisor is any less than what we’ve described above, contact Sukhi or any of our 6SHFLDOLVWV WRGD\ IRU WDLORUHG ƏQDQFLDO DGYLFH ‌ on your terms. #100, 2150 Ferry Avenue Prince George, BC V2N 0B1 T: 250.564.7777
integriscu.ca
Don’t put your life on our line. This winter, prevent a senseless tragedy by steering clear of train tracks. Not only is riding a snowmobile on a railroad’s right of way illegal, but you may also be too focused on having a good time to hear a train coming.
cn.ca/ridesafely
12
Friday, December 12, 2014
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Puppy stolen, man charged
Wrapping up the message the doughnuts and other goodies Erickson had brought to the office. He did, however, take a minute to tell Erickson what he had asked Santa for Trina Fyfe became a Partners for at the UNBC Christmas party earlier Life champion because of her son, in the week. Foster. “A red Ninja Turtle and a blue . . “He was born with an Rh blood . No, a blue Ninja Turtle and a red incompatibility,” Trina said, “which dragon. Why can I never remember brings a risk of having brain damage. that right?” They gave him intravenous immunoTrina said she had never donated globulin (IVIG) transfusions, and he blood before Foster needed his transneeded two of them in four days.” fusions. Trina and Foster were at the Cana“They told us it takes 1,000 donadian Blood Services office on Westtions to get enough for one IVIG wood Drive on Wednesday morning transfusion.” to help decorate and raise awareness When she started working as the of the need for blood donors. librarian for the Northern Medical “There were no indications that he Program at UNBC, she took the full would be born with this condition,” step. Trina said. “After those two transfu“The champion for the Partners sions, there were no further treatfor Life program there was retiring, ments needed.” so I took on the role. Basically, I Foster, who turns 5 on Dec. 14, recruit blood donors from up there, was helping his mom and Canadian with them being listed as part of the Blood Services territory manager Canadian Federation of Medical Amy Erickson with the decoratStudents.” ing, but was quickly distracted by Erickson said Foster’s case pointed out the need for blood donors to be involved all year. “He needed his transfusions right before the holidays, which is a time when there is 1659 Nicholson St 250-563-4828 often more need. We’re encouraging people to Hope for families and donate throughout the friends of alcoholics Al-Anon 250-561-3244 www.district27alanon.ca holiday season.”
Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com
GIFT CERTIFICATES
Allan WISHART/Free Press Foster Fyfe and his mom, Trina, were up early Wednesday morning, decorating the Canadian Blood Services office on Westwood Drive. Foster needed two blood transfusions within four days of being born, and this is the family’s way of raising awareness.
I’m still here
to be mother of the bride.
I’m still here
to hold his hand.
Natural gas. Good for cosy homes. Choosing natural gas for space and water heating means comfort and energy savings.
Appliance care Keep your appliances operating at their best. Have them regularly inspected and maintained by a licensed natural gas contractor. Use the FortisBC Trade Ally Network to find a contractor in your community. Learn more at fortisbc.com/appliancecare. FortisBC uses the FortisBC name and logo under license from Fortis Inc. (14-117.24 12/2014)
I’m still here because of cancer research. The BC Cancer Foundation is the largest funder of cancer research in BC. To learn more or to make a donation, please visit www.bccancerfoundation.com or call 1.855.775.7300 ext. 687469.
Criminal Code charges have been approved against a local man accused of several offences including assault and stealing a puppy. Early Thursday morning, the Prince George RCMP received a report of a stolen puppy. Through investigation it was determined that the subject of the complaint, Ryan Timothy Chiappe, was also suspected of assault causing bodily harm, uttering threats and possession of stolen property, two motor bikes. Later that day, Chiappe was pulled over by police. He was found to be in possession of the stolen puppy. Chiappe was arrested and taken into custody without incident. Police later located two stolen motor bikes while executing a search warrant on a residence associated to Chiappe, on Minotti Drive. The puppy was returned to its owner. Chaippe is facing the following charges as a result of this investigation: Assault causing bodily harm, assault, obstructing justice, extortion, uttering threats, two counts of theft under $5,000, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 Chiappe was released on conditions by the court. One of the conditions of his release is not to be within 50 kilometres of Prince George except to attend court. The investigation is continuing. Prince George RCMP say they are very familiar with Chiappe, having come into contact with him nearly 100 times since 2007.
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
13
BILL PHILLIPS | 250.564.0005 | editor@pgfreepress.com | www.pgfreepress.com Gingerbread goodies
Christmas gets sugar-coated
Teresa MALLAM/Free Press CNC professional cook student Kayleigh Francis uses royal icing in a piping bag to create a “carpet” for her PacMan Parkade gingerbread project on Thursday. The big challenge, she says, is not in creating the gingerbread building but in executing all the meticulous decorating details.
Special interests aren’t investigative journalists Forget citizen journalism. things that government wishes they didn’t. However, the fedIt’s not the bane of we scribes’ existence these days. We can eration doesn’t launch freedom of information requests in an live with “citizen journalists” posting on YouTube their video attempt to uncover the truth, (which is what, and why, journalof cops choking unarmed people. That’s not the threat to real ists should be doing the work), the federation finds informajournalism. tion to further their ideological agenda. The federation titled The real threat to real journalism is special interest journalits report “Screwed U: Dean’s List of Waste,” so it’s clear that ism. objectivity isn’t high on their list. We saw a pretty good display of it this week when the And the media goes along for the ride, wondering why they Canadian Taxpayers Federation released its report detailing are struggling. expenses of university and college presidents. Former UNBC The federation’s smear job of Dr. George Iwama and UNBC president George Iwama was near the top of the doesn’t touch on a couple of salient points. list. Firstly, anyone travelling from Prince George, The Canadian Taxpayers Federation are masters to anywhere, will pay $500, or more, just to get to at media manipulation. Most newsrooms in the the Lower Mainland starting point. So comparprovince have the federation’s Jordan Bateman on ing Iwama’s travel costs with the UBC president is their speed dial list. tainted from the beginning. The reason? Well, in many respects, the CanadiSecondly, the report doesn’t account for any an Taxpayers Federation, and other organizations return on investment. Iwama was hired to elevate like it, are doing what journalists should be doing. the stature of UNBC. He delivered on that, big They are poking around government bodies, time. And a university president doesn’t do that by launching freedom of information requests, and sequestering himself in his office. Iwama helped shining a light where authorities want to keep it raise UNBC’s stature on the provincial, national, dark. WRITER’S BLOCK and international stage. Like the aforementioned Newsrooms around the province slather over BILLPHILLIPS media, the city goes along for the ride. But in this Canadian Taxpayers Federation news releases beinstance, it’s a good thing. cause the federation is doing their job. Newsrooms everywhere One of Iwama’s best quotes came when he was asked about are feeling the crunch of smaller budgets and the few journalhow he felt when UNBC tied with Harvard for an environmenists who remain are forced to write advertising copy for the tal award. front page rather than news stories. “Good for them,” he quipped. The biggest problem with relying on the Canadian Taxpayers That three-word quote was masterful in that it drove home Federation to dig up items of interest is that the Canadian Taxthe point that UNBC was in the same league as Harvard and payers Federation has a political agenda. They mask it behind we, as a city, didn’t need to take a backseat to anyone. their motto of being a champion for taxpayers, but their real That is a return on investment that doesn’t show up in an agenda is to attack the public service. The Canadian Taxpayers FOI document. Federation believes that any public servant making more than Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that we give univerthe minimum wage is a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. sity presidents a blank cheque to travel the world, but before The federation, and other such groups, do poke around dark we vilify them for their expenses we should really look at what corners of the public sector and they do, at times, uncover those expenses were for and whether they brought any return.
The closer it gets to Christmas, the mushier I become. It may have a lot to do with having too many sweets – every day there is a vast assortment of cookies, cakes, chocolates and other confectionaries in the Free Press sales department. I won’t go into why they are there and not in editorial because I think that is self-explanatory. I think I’m getting soft. Not with extra pounds or extra layers of clothes but with a string of emotions that seems to come out every year just about the same time the strings of Christmas lights come out. Last evening for example, I had this sudden urge to stop flipping channels and instead put on a Charlotte Church Christmas CD, sat back with my Siamese cat on my lap and with the Christmas tree lights dancing – and I felt at peace with the world. What’s up with that? With a deadline looming the next morning and a record number of errands to run before the weekend, I should have been stressed TEA WITH TERESA yet there is something TERESAMALLAM about the holiday season that brings out the best in all of us. All week long I’ve seen people making an effort to be good to each other, they are smiling and laughing more. There is joy in the air. Despite it being one of the worst years ever for natural disasters and international crises, somehow we have found reason to be happy with their own lives. Not that we don’t care about others, apparently (according to newscasts) Canadians dug deep into the country’s coffers to bring aid to victims of famine, flood and disease. So here’s the soppy truth. I was at the St. Vincent de Paul drop-in centre the other evening. The room was full of people who don’t have much of anything. But they had each other and for them that was enough. They were socializing, laughing and checking out their “goodie bags” and waiting to hear who won the gingerbread house draws. Choir members from School District 57 Tapestry Singers were singing their hearts out. They ended their carolling session with a wonderful version of The 12 Days of Christmas complete with actions. The kindness and goodwill didn’t end there. Choir members’ parents had made an assortment of cookies for all the guests to take home. Home – if they had one. And it was the thought of that that made me feel kind of soft and mushy inside. Because I knew that once these people were outside again, after an evening of fun, food and brief respite, it would be back to trying to eke out a living however they could. All of a sudden I felt grateful for everything. For the roof over my head, my little cat, my darling daughter, even my little pay cheque. It’s often been said: Why can’t the sentiments of the holiday season be felt throughout the year? Why are we sweeter as Christmas time draws near? (I think I have the making of a good country rock song there.) The answer to that is simple – it’s all the extra sugar. Smart salespeople learned that long ago.
14
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
www.pgfreepress.com
BILL PHILLIPS | 250.564.0005 | editor@pgfreepress.com | www.pgfreepress.com
Opening the Gateway
I
t’s about time. Northern Health’s decision this week to open the third floor at the Gateway Complex Care Centre on 20th Avenue is long overdue. The move will open 11 new convalescent/respite beds and 15 new complex care beds in the community. Why the third floor of the huge facility has remained shuttered for so long is one of the most confounding questions in the community. Northern Health was hoping a private sector operator would take over the space, but that didn’t happen. So, while the University Hospital of Northern BC dealt with “code orange” alerts due, in part, to long term care patients taking up acute care beds, the third floor of Gateway remained closed. Thanks to the decision Monday, that will change.
Time for differing MPs Cariboo-Prince George Conservatives this weekend will decide who they want to carry the party banner in next year’s federal election. Most pundits, including us, have opined that this is likely the race for who will actually be the riding’s next MP, given that it has been a conservative stronghold since the Reform days. But does it have to be? And does having two MPs from the party in power best serve our interests? One of the complaints from many pundits, including us again, is that Ottawa really doesn’t pay much attention to Prince George. The folks gathering this weekend to vote on a new candidate will likely say that’s not true. However, we need only look at how many times a sitting prime minister has visited. Stephen Harper hasn’t been here since he was elected in 2006. Jean Chretien didn’t visit during his decade in office. It’s not a Liberal or a Conservative thing. It’s a function of the fact that the leaders believe things aren’t going to change here. The Conservative power base doesn’t pay attention because they think Prince George is in their pocket. The Liberals and the NDP don’t pay much attention for the same reason. Maybe it’s time Prince George voters got strategic in their voting. Maybe it’s time Prince George voters decided to split the difference and elect a Conservative and a Liberal, or a Conservative and a New Democrat, or a Liberal and a New Democrat, or Green and any one of the above. When the Ottawa power base, whether Conservative, Liberal, or New Democrat believes that Prince George is not either a given or a lost cause, then they will pay attention. When Prince George residents have an MP on the government side of the House and the Opposition side, they will be better served simply because they will have an option and when they go to one, the other will listen and/ or act. That will better serve the city.
Enjoy the season The Christmas tempo is accelerating. All the stores are one participates regardless of their spiritual beliefs. noticeably busier than a couple of months ago. It is easy to For most, the celebration centres around the family, and understand why the six to eight weeks before Christmas the particular traditions that family has accumulated over either makes their year or leaves them with a problem of too the generations. Great debates may be had over what the much inventory and too much debt. If they guessed wrong menu should be for dinner on that day and when it should on what to have on their shelves, they have a be served. Turkey is the leader along with beef, problem. If they guessed correctly, then they are even ham, goose and many other dishes. The happy, but the consumer often ends up with the important thing is that what is served fits one’s debt problem. own traditions and feelings. The Christmas celebration is part of our heriThen there are the parties and visits, which tage beginning with the early immigrant settlefrequently include the serving of intoxicating ment of the Americas. That heritage came from beverages. Years ago a bit of overindulgence in European roots with a population committed to alcohol was tolerated and often amusing. That is the practice of Christianity. That is not the case not so in today’s world. The drinking and drivin our multicultural society of today. It has now ing laws have become more stringent and are become more of a secular celebration. While the enforced with considerable vigor. Driving under religious component declines, much of the good the influence of alcohol or drugs is no longer remains. tolerated and that is as it should be. Compared ONSIDE The Christian churches continue to celebrate with the potential cost of being arrested, or beVICBOWMAN the birth of Jesus. Most members also particiing involved in an accident, a cab fare is cheap. pate in the secular celebration of the season. The Christmas Thanks to a large group of volunteers, one can also call tree has its roots in the pagan religions of Europe before Operation Red Nose. the majority of the citizens of that continent converted to If you feel you should not drive, not only from a bit of Christianity. overindulgence but from any cause, give them a call. Check Christmas celebrations owe some parts of the festive seaout their website and you will see some of the many frightson to the early years of the agrarian society. Midwinter was ening statistics behind their efforts. One that is very impresa time when the farmers of the day and their families had sive is “On average, there are approximately 5,000 alcoholtime to relax and enjoy some social time with others. There related collisions each year in B.C. that cause 3,000 injuries were no field to cultivate, planting was still off in the future and 113 deaths.” Spending time in the hospital or at the and crops from the previous year had been harvested, stored undertakers is not the way to celebrate. and preserved. They had a rare bit of leisure time. That said, enjoy all of the season but do so safely. HopeFrom this melange of traditions and influences, we have fully you have some young children around to add that ended up with the Christmas of the present. Almost everyparticular zest which only their enthusiasm can do. circulation@pgfreepress.com | 250-564-0005
Proudly serving more than 61,600 readers* through weekly delivery to over 28,000 homes, businesses and apartments** in B.C.’s Northern Capital.
CONTACT US: classads@pgfreepress.com | 250-564-0005
Ron Drillen
Bill Phillips
Roy Spooner
General Manager
Regional Editor
Circulation Manager
Award Winner
This Prince George Free Press is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent within 45 days to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org * Based on Stats Canada average of 2.2 person per household. ** CCAB Audit March 2013.
www.pgfreepress.com
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
15
www.pgfreepress.com
Hall needs to get sharp people who didn’t vote for him because tool in the shed. Editor: Eugene Fetterly So, 10,463 people voted for Lyn Hall. Ha, ha, this (one of his earliest brainstorms) isn’t making him look like the sharpest Prince George ha. Already he wants to start wasting our money. In his infinite wisdom, he wants to hold council Games dolls meetings at other locations. If this is any indication of what the next four years are to bring, look out and don’t say I didn’t tell you so. We have council chambers at City Hall that are vacant seven days a week, except for a few hours Monday nights, and the odd time used for emergency sessions. All the while we are paying to heat and light council chambers for the explicit use of mayor and council meetings. Everything is intact in the chamber. The cameras are there, the chamber is hooked up to the Internet for mayor and council’s computers, audio, video is there. Mayor and council have comfortable seats. There are also seats in the gallery for interested onlookers. Now he wants to dismantle everything, load it all up, and take it over to the temporary proposed location, that we will probably have to pay for. Once there, everything will have to be set up. All for a few hour council meeting. When the meeting is over, everything will have to be dismantled and hauled back to City Hall and erected in council chambers, all at the whim of a new green (no pun intended) mayor. Allan WISHART/Free Press It is no secret who will pay for it. Mark my Alyson Gourlay-Cramer, left, manager of community relations for the words, it won’t be just the 10,000 people that 2015 Canada Winter Games, and YMCA of Northern BC director of voted for Mr. Hall. It will be all of us. What membership Chris Kinch have a lot of plush Nanguz toys on their hands, happened to accountability, and dollars and and they’ll be for sale at the Y on Massey Drive until Dec. 24. The dolls, sense, for that matter? featuring the official mascot of the Games, are a fundraiser for the Y to develop a Legacy Program, aimed at allowing all Grade 6 students I would respectfully submit that Mr. Hall to have a free YMCA membership in their Grade 6 year. The dolls are hone his self-proclaimed leadership skills if he $19.99 each, and there are only 400 available before Christmas. expects to get the admiration of the other 8,850
Colonialism in Canada is dead Editor:
An open letter to First Nations Chiefs in Canada The Supreme Court of Canada’s recent decision in the Tsilhqot’in case has changed Canada forever. Justice has been served. But for how long? The answer is ours to determine. The Supreme Court, on instructions from previous aboriginal title cases, has clearly affirmed the legitimacy in Canadian law of aboriginal title over our traditional territories. This case and others like it have been hard fought over for many decades. Too many of our elders and dear ones, who devoted their lives to this cause, died with a sorrowful heart over the loss of their homelands and did not live to see this day. Now, however, our ancestor’s voices have been heard and vindicated. First Nations are quickly running out of time. We must begin today building the institutions we need to effectively govern our territories. We have to exercise our rights as governors of our lands, develop our own territorial laws to protect our lands and sacred places, and give industry and the Crown notice that they best engage early and negotiate accordingly. In a unanimous decision of 8-0, the Justices of Canada’s highest court legitimized aboriginal ownership over territorial lands and resources, as well as the rights of indigenous peoples to choose how our territorial lands may be used to benefit current and future generations. This is a tremendous victory for us. So, what do we need to do next? As indigenous peoples, we now face the difficult task of putting our title rights into place. This is a profound responsibility and we must act with vision, determination and care. We must proceed in the spirit of reconciliation. The law provides us with an extraordinary opportunity to seize the moment and resume our place as responsible governors of our lands. We must not wait for federal or provincial govern-
ments or industry to set the stage for us and without us. Colonialism is dead. Canadian Courts have made it clear that they will no longer tolerate unilateral Crown actions or decisions taken with respect to our traditional lands. Our consent matters and we must organize now to make sure it stays that way. It is also time to develop entirely different decision-making mechanisms for determining how we can better govern and use our aboriginal title lands and resources. As we have long been calling for, we need to create new government-to-government relationships of mutual responsibility and respect. Together, federal, provincial and indigenous governments must identify and formulate those new structures and processes for implementing aboriginal title meaningfully and in a manner that will foster reconciliation and prosperity for all. This is entirely possible. The challenges and opportunities that lie before us will test the ingenuity, integrity and resolve of aboriginal and non-aboriginal leaders within government and industry. Implementing this decision will define Canada as a just and prosperous society. Failing to act on and implement title rights, will only continue the legacy of injustice and denial of fundamental constitutional and human rights, fostering even greater uncertainty, acrimony and injustice. We are all here to stay. So what will it be? It is up to us. Satsan (Herb George) Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Senior Associate, Centre for First Nations Governance The Centre for First Nations Governance is a non-profit organization that assists First Nations leadership and citizens in developing the governance required to pursue jurisdiction over their lands and manage the social and economic benefits that result.
A video pick-me-up Around this time of year, I like to find a Christmas or winter video that can serve as a cheer-meup to watch whenever I need a lift. Sometimes it’s something off-the-wall, other times it’s a just a new rendition of an an old classic. This year’s find is definitely a classic tune, but it’s been changed a bit to suit the way the video is done. The song is Baby It’s Cold Outside, as sung by Idina Menzel and Michael Buble, and if you’re watching for them, they’re easy to see, but they don’t stick around for very long. The video takes us back to the days of the great Hollywood musicals of the 1940s and 50, where people would burst into song and dance in any location, for virtually any reason. In this case, it’s the lobby of a posh hotel, and a young lady has just been delivered by elevator to the main floor. She and the elevator operator have been exchanging sideways glances, and when she leaves the car, he hesitates for just a second, then races out after her. He discards his elevator-operator uniform to reveal a dress shirt, then is helped on with his suit jacket by one of the other ALLAN’S AMBLINGS employees. ALLANWISHART And then he confronts the girl, and the song starts. The two young actors do a very good job of lip-synching their lines and portray the emotions of the song well. Remember when I said the song had been changed a bit to suit the way the video is done? It’s in the lyrics. Since the two main characters are pre-teens, references to drinks and cigarettes have been removed, but the new lines still fit the song perfectly. If the winter has got you a bit down or you just want something that’s almost guaranteed to put a smile on your face for a while, try watching the video on YouTube. I watch it a few times a day, just because. • So two weekends of Operation Red Nose in the book this year, and while the first week was kind of slow, that definitely wasn’t the case this past weekend. I ended up answering phones for a few hours on Saturday as we were shorthanded, and found myself falling easily into the routine of asking questions for the needed information and answering any questions the client had. One woman, who had obviously been celebrating, but was still in good condition, answered all my questions, then said, “Can I ask you a question?” Sure, I said. “Do you guys run this thing strictly on donations?” “Yes, we just ask for donations, and everybody here is a volunteer.” “So, there’s no flat fee for a ride or anything?” “No, strictly by donation. We want to make sure people get home safely.” A slight pause. “You guys are (bleeping) unbelievable. This is a great service.” I probably couldn’t have said it better myself.
16
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
www.pgfreepress.com
Datebook www.pgfreepress.com Friday Meat draw, Fridays, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Royal Canadian Legion, 1116 Sixth Ave. Crown Market, Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 3955 Hart Highway. Read-to-me Storytime, Fridays, 10-10:45 a.m., South Fort George Family Resource Centre, 1200 La Salle. Information: 250614-0684. Dance, Fridays, 8 p.m.midnight, Royal Canadian Legion, 1116 Sixth Ave.
Saturday
Christmas bazaar, Dec. 13, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. Downtown Winter Fair, Dec. 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Civic Centre. Admission and most activities free. Proceeds to Youth in Philanthropy project of Prince George Community Foundation. Nechako Public Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 5100 North Nechako Rd. A Butler’s Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 1156 Fourth Ave. Meat draw, Saturdays, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Royal Canadian Legion, 1116 Sixth Ave. Crown Market, Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 3955 Hart Highway. Dance, Saturdays, 8 p.m.-midnight, Royal Canadian Legion, 1116 Sixth Ave.
Sunday
Family Christmas concert, Dec. 14, 2 p.m., ECRA, 1692 10th Ave. Admission by donation. Welcome Winter, Dec. 21, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., The Exploration Place. Sale of farm-fresh vegetables, preserves, bakng, more. Crib, Dec. 21, 1 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre. Winter Solstice Lantern Walk, Dec. 21, 3:30 p.m., The Exploration Place parking lot. Bring your own lantern. Live Nativity, Dec. 21, 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., College Heights Baptist Church, 5401 Moriarty Cres. Nechako Public Market, Sundays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 5100 North Nechako Rd. A Butler’s Market, Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.,
1156 Fourth Ave. Meat draw, Sundays, 3-5 p.m., Royal Canadian Legion, 1116 Sixth Ave. Crown Market, Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 3955 Hart Highway.
Monday
Canasta, Dec. 15, 7 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre. Live Nativity, Dec. 22, 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., College Heights Baptist Church, 5401 Moriarty Cres. Cariboo Toastmasters meet Mondays, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Ramada Hotel, 444 George St. Information: caribootoastmasters.com or Laura (250) 961-3477. Royal Purple Ladies, meet second and fourth Monday of every month, 7:30 p.m., Studio 2880. Tai Chi, Mondays, 1:30 p.m., Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr. Northern Twister Square Dance Club meets Mondays, 7 p.m., Knox United Church basement. Information: Gys 250-563-4828 or Reta 250-962-2740.
Tuesday
Live Nativity, Dec. 23, 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., College Heights Baptist Church, 5401 Moriarty Cres. City Centre Toastmasters meet Tuesday, noon, City Hall Annex. Information: 9164.toastmastersclubs. org. Bridge, Tuesdays, 1 p.m., Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr. Buddhist meditation class, Tuesdays, 7:15-8:45 p.m., 320 Vancouver St. Information: 250-9626876 or e-mail sarah@ kmcvancouver.org. ACBL duplicate bridge, Tuesdays, 7 p.m., 425 Brunswick St. Information: 250-5611685. Spruce Capital Toastmasters meet Tuesdays, 7:25 p.m., 102-1566 7th Ave. Information: Tom 250562-3402. Sweet Adelines women’s four-part chorus meets Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m., Studio 2880. New members welcome. Information: Kathy 250563-5170.
Did you know?
@^YcZn 9^hZVhZ XVjhZh YZVi] ^c bVcn eZdeaZ l^i] Y^VWZiZh VcY ]^\] WaddY egZhhjgZ! VcY gV^hZh i]Z g^h` d[ V ]ZVgi ViiVX`4 =ZVai]n `^YcZnh gZYjXZ i]Z g^h` d[ ]ZVgi ViiVX`h VcY ]^\] WaddY egZhhjgZ4 >[ YZiZXiZY ZVgan! 8]gdc^X @^YcZn 9^hZVhZ XVc WZ igZViZY! i]ZgZWn gZYjX^c\ i]Z g^h` d[ Xdbea^XVi^dch d[ Y^VWZiZh! ]^\] WaddY egZhhjgZ VcY ]ZVgi ViiVX`h#
Wednesday Bingo, Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m., Spruce Capital Senior Recreation Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr. TOPS meeting, Wednesdays, 6:15 p.m., Kordyban Lodge dining room. Information: Jessie 250-613-5933. Whist, Wednesdays, 7 p.m., Activity Centre, 425 Brunswick St. Hart Toastmasters, Wednesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre. Information: harttoastmasters.ca Army Cadet Rangers free youth program, meets Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Connaught Youth Centre. Information: Sondra 250-963-9462 or Andrew 250-981-8270. CNC Retirees meet last Wednesday of the month, 9 a.m., D’Lanos. Information: Lois 250563-6928.
A U T O B O D Y LT D .
Community Builder
TD Canada Trust branch manager Martina Humphrey, left, presents Ron Brent Elementary principal Carmen Eberle with one of the backpacks the company is donating to the school. The school plans to give one backpack to each of its graduating Grade 7 students.
Thursday
Bingo, Dec. 18, 12:30 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre. Whist, Dec. 18, 7 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre. DayBreakers Toastmasters meets Thursday, 7-8 a.m., UHNBC Conference Room 1. Information: Heather 250-649-9591. Plaza 400 Toastmaster Club meets Thursday, noon, Aleza room, fourth floor, Plaza 400 building, 1011 4th Ave. Information: 6252. toastmastersclubs.org/ or 250-564-5191. Tai Chi, Thursday, 7-9 p.m., Knox United Church, 1448 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-9643849. Prince George Toastmasters meet Thursdays, 7:15 p.m., AiMHi, 950 Kerry St. Information: pgtoastmasters.com, Joyce 250-964-0961. Central Interior Darts Club, meets Thursday, 6:30 p.m., P.G. Legion, 1116 Sixth Ave. Bridge, Thursdays, 1-3 p.m., Spruce Capital Seniors’ Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr. Information: 250-563-6450. Prince George Grassroots Cribbage Club registration, 6:30 p.m. play 6:45 p.m., Thursdays, 3701 Rainbow IV`Z i]Z fj^o edhiZY Viwww.bcrenal.bc.ca VcY hZZ ^[ ndj VgZ Vi g^h` d[ YZkZade^c\ 8]gdc^X @^YcZn 9^hZVhZ# Ndj XdjaY WZ hVk^c\ ndjg dlc a^[Z VcY ndj XdjaY l^c V eg^oZ EaZVhZ \^kZ \ZcZgdjhan l]Zc V XVckVhhZg XdbZh id XVaa! dg YdcViZ dca^cZ Vi www.kidney.bc.ca
The Kidney Foundation of Canada, BC Branch 200-4940 Canada Way, Burnaby, BC V5G 4K6 1(800) 567-8112
Proud to recognize those who give in our community.
Thank You Prince George For Voting Us A U T O B O D Y LT D . Best 2065 - 1st Ave. • 250-563-0883 Auto Body Shop! www.csninc.ca Dr. Information: Gerda 250-564-8561. ACBL duplicate bridge, Tuesdays, 7 p.m., 425 Brunswick St. Information: 250-561-1685. Little Artists, Thursdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m., South Fort George Family Resource Centre, 1200 La Salle. 250-6140684. Old Time Fiddlers jam, Thursday, 7-10 p.m. Elder Citizens Rec Centre, 1692 10th Ave. ECRA Forever Young Chorus meet Thursdays, 12:45 p.m., ECRA, 1692 10th Ave.
Support Groups Metis Elders Craft group, Thursday, 10 a.m.-noon, Prince George Metis Elders Society office, 117 – 1600 Third Ave. (Prince George Native Friendship Centre). Wednesday evening Tops (take off pounds sensibly), Spruceland Baptist Church, 1901 Ogilvie St. Information: Leona 250-962-8802. P.G. COPD Support Group meets Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m., AIMHI gymnasium, 950 Kerry St. Information: www. pgcopdsupportgroup.ca. Prince George Stroke Survivors Group meets Wednesdays,
9:30-11:30 a.m., Elder Citizens Recreation Association, 1692 10th Ave. Information: Julia 250-563-3819, Roland 250-562-1747. La Leche League breast feeding support group meets the second Thursday of every month 7 p.m., 176 Aitken Cres. Information: Tammy 250612-0085. Al-Anon New Hope AFG meets Fridays, 1:152:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 483 Gillett St. Information: 250-5613244. Al-Anon Hart Serenity AFG meets Mondays, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Knox United Church, 1448 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-561-3244. Al-Anon PG Beginners AFG meets Tuesdays, 7-7:45 p.m., Knox United Church, 1448 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-5613244. Al-Anon Hart Courage AFG meets Wednesdays, 7-8:30 p.m., Knox United Church, 1448 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-5613244. Al-Anon Mustard Seed AFG meets Thursdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m., St. Michael’s Anglican Church, 1505 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-5613244.
Prince George ATV Club meets third Tuesday of month, 7 p.m. Carmel Restaurant meeting room. Information: George 250964-7907. Royal Purple meets second and fourth Mondays, 7:30 p.m. Information: Dianne 250596-0125 or Jeanette 250563-9362. Prince George Quilters Guild meets fourth Tuesday of the month, Connaught Youth Centre, 1491 17th Ave. Registration 6:30 p.m., meeting 7 p.m. Information: Barb Friesen 250-564-6288 or e-mail iquiltbarb@gmail. com. Prince George Genealogical Society meets the third Tuesday of the month, St. Giles Presbyterian Church, 1500 Edmonton St. PGRH retirees breakfast, first Tuesday of the month, Prince George Golf and Curling Club. Information: 250-5632885.
Best Auto Body Shop
“GIVE A LITTLE… GAIN A LOT!” Canadian Mental Health Association Many volunteers needed for our Gift of Hope campaign, be a Santa’s helper. Join us at the warehouse to put together gifts for over 500 individuals & families living with mental illness. Jeannine, 250-564-8644 ext 201 St Vincent de Paul Dec 19 & 21 Strong bodies needed to help unload truckload of food on Fri, Dec 19 at 2:30 pm and Drivers with own vehicle needed to make Christmas hamper deliveries on Sun, Dec 21 after 12:30. Heavy lifting involved. At St Mary’s, 1088 Gillett St. Call now if you can help. Lynn 250-564-7871 CFIS 93.1 FM Community Radio - Dec 24 Slopes for Hope Planning Committee: This ski-a-thon invites participants to form teams, fundraise, and then “ski the height of Everest” on March 28. Volunteer roles available in event planning, sponsorship development, and team recruitment. kmedhurst@bc.cancer.ca Kerensa 250-645-2370 For information on volunteering with more than 100 non-profit organizations in Prince George, contact Volunteer Prince George
250-564-0224 www.volunteerpg.com
The Community Datebook provides free community event listings every Friday. Submissions are accepted in written form only – dropped off, mailed or emailed – No Phone Calls please. Datebook runs as space allows, there is no guarantee of publication. Mail to 1773 South Lyon St., Prince George BC V2N 1T3. E-mail datebook@pgfreepress.com
Prince George - NEWS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
17
TERESA MALLAM | 250.564.0005 | arts@pgfreepress.com | www.pgfreepress.com WILSON SQUARE From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 1505 Fifth Avenue in St. Michael’s and All Angels Anglican Church Hall, Wilson Square Community Market pops up. A variety of local fare including potatoes, carrots and cabbages, baked goods and artisan breads, preserves, meats, dried goods and teas, juice, arts, crafts and more. Stop in for gift-giving ideas, help raise funds for the Food Bank, warm up with a hot bowl of soup, mulled juice or coffee. There will be a visit from Old Man Winter who will hand out treats to the kids from 11 a.m. to noon.
ORCHESTRA The Northern Orchestra of B.C. presents its Christmas Concert on Saturday, Dec. 13 starting at 2 p.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Prince George and Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. at Northside Church in Vanderhoof. This is a vocal extravaganza featuring highlights from The Messiah and The Magic Flute. A beautiful and affordable Christmas concert. Tickets adults $10, students and seniors $7.50. Tickets are available at the door.
WINTER FAIR The Downtown Winter Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Prince George Civic Centre on Dec. 20. Find gifts for all on your list, join the Elf 101 workshop and learn how to decorate Christmas cookies and grow a candy cane. Meet Mrs. Claus and listen to stories near the fireplace. Enjoy outdoor reindeer games and funfilled events. Admission and most activities are free. Proceeds go to the Youth in Philanthropy project of the Prince George Community Foundation.
Railroad man remembers Book rekindles rail town memories Teresa Mallam arts@pgfreepress.com Eric Allen had a particular interest in meeting the author of a new book about the railroad towns in British Columbia. Allen worked for CN Rail in Prince George for over 20 years, dating back to the 1950s so he knows of the small towns that Ray Olson talks about in Ghost Towns on the East Line. The two chatted last Friday at Books and Company. For Allen, it was a trip down memory lane. “I started out working for CN as a teenager delivering telegrams after school for about 85 cents an hour. I’d drive around town on my bicycle making deliveries to the various places, wearing my leggings, a uniform and a hat [he laughs at the thought]. Most little stations like Giscome, Upper Fraser and Penny all had their own telegraph operators. All orders came in by telegram and messages were in Morse code up until the north line went to radios and telephones.” Later on, Allen was employed with CNR as a car checker – which in those days was a totally manual Teresa MALLAM/Free Press system. When computers arrived on the scene years Author Ray Olson signs his book, Ghost Towns on the East Line, for former CN Rail employlater, Allen said they replaced thousands of jobs that ee Eric Allen at Books and Company last Friday. required manual labour. back then there were no roads. It would go out bound was meticulous and time-consuming, he said. “We found a very efficient way to count cars. Fridays were not his favourite day of the week. Whenever there were long lines of cars in the station, Monday, Wednesday and Friday on the way-freight trains and someone would be sent out to the train to “Invoicing was tedious work. On Fridays we did we found out we could climb up on top of a car – collect it.” all the invoices and it took us all day with several they had catwalks – and count the cars in all three Conductors got to know mill workers by their people working on it. Now computers can do it in rows that way.” seconds.” Fast communication was made difficult because of first names and could ask about their families as they went through each small town, said Allen. SomeAllen has lots of stories of the old CN days. the lack of modern technology that we now take for times they would even “I know all those towns (in the book) like the top granted, he said. bring special cargo like of my head. It’s something you never forget after all “Back in the 50s if you Christmas trees during those years.” wanted to find a car or put the holiday season. Olson launched Ghost Towns on the East Line at in a request to move trains, “Everyone on the line the Railway and Forestry Museum on Nov. 29. The you used the OCS (occuwas like family,” said author spent many years working in the forestry pancy control system) mail Allen. “There was a lot industry. He lived and worked in many of the comservice. We weren’t allowed of interaction between munities he writes about in his book which focuses to use phones because the train crews and the on the settlements in the Rocky Mountain Trench they were too expensive, people along the way. The between Prince George and McBride. so you put your message crews would stay over in “Towns that were once bustling city centres on a passenger train going the mill bunkhouses, so because of the evolution of the Grand Trunk Pacific to Montreal and you got a they got to know each have almost been forgotten,” it says in his book reply to your request by return train – about 10 days other but as things got more modernized, that haplaunch press release. “Writing about them seemed later. It’s funny how you forget that because when we pened less and less.” the perfect way to commemorate the anniversary of got computers, if there was even a few seconds delay Other train cargo carried included cattle, logging the completion and arrival of the railway in north in getting a response back, we would got impatient, it equipment – and coffins with bodies destined for the central British Columbia.” was like ‘What’s the holdup here?’” coroner’s office in Prince George. During his appearance at the museum, Olson The area’s railroad line was used mainly to ship “There was no other way back then to get (bodread excerpts from his book and had a slideshow of food and supplies out to the sawmills for their emies) to Prince George. When the trains arrived, the period photos and a DVD of the logging industry at ployees, said Allen. Dewey in the 1940s and 50s. His visit at Books and “The railway was the only way to get fresh fruit and hearses would drive up and pick them up.” Record keeping for everything inbound and outCompany was Dec. 5. vegetables to people who worked at the mills because
We help make the holidays awesome!!
If you yo can’t find it anywhere else, you can find it at ‘the Northern’.
1386 3rd Ave. Prince George BC •250-563-7161 250 56 • 1-800-661-3885 • www.thenorthern.ca
18
Prince George - COMMUNITY - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
www.pgfreepress.com
Christmas trees turned into hanging baskets The trees had to be disassembled, the branches sorted and then bent around wire frames. A few hundred painted white pinecones were also attached to the baskets. Crews learned the craft at a workshop lead by Don Basserman at the ‘Aghelh Nebun Community Residential Facility east of Prince George. In late 2013, Basserman, a retired city councillor and local “green thumb” guy, brought in a hanging basket that he had repurposed from an artificial Christmas tree. His vision was to have baskets hanging throughout the downtown area, so that the neighbourhood could have baskets in winter as well as summer. The baskets were hung starting at Seventh Avenue and ending at Third Avenue. Employees from the Activator Society constructed the baskets from last year’s unwanted artificial Christmas trees collected over the past 12 months. Art Knapp’s and McInnis Lighting helped with contributions towards supplies. Groundwork PG helped to hang the baskets.
Teresa Mallam arts@pgfreepress.com Volunteer crews were out Sunday installing 50 winter seasonal baskets in the downtown area. “We are asking for unwanted artificial Christmas trees again this year, “ said Carla Johnston, Downtown Prince George Business Improvement Association (DBIA), who was on hand to help with the installations. “Last year we were surprised to get 100 trees. In December last year, Downtown PG put out a call for people to drop off their unwanted, artificial Christmas trees. By late January, over 60 trees had been delivered and by spring, the inventory was over 100.” The hanging baskets are a “milestone for a collaborative Downtown PG pilot project,” Johnston said. “We were thrilled to partner with the Activator Society for a chance to engage another social enterprise group on a downtown project.”
Last year we were surprised to get 100 trees - Carla Johnston
3199 Massey Dr., Prince George, BC • 250.564.8111 • www.sears.ca
PILE ON
THE
POINTS
20x
GET
10x
OR GET
the points†
when you spend $5000 or more before taxes on major appliances, furniture and sleep sets with your Sears Financial™ Credit Card
Get $1000 in Bonus Sears Club™ Points when you † spend $5000 before taxes
! OUR BIGGEST EVER
OR GET
the points†
when you spend between $1499 and $5000 before taxes with your Sears Financial™ Credit Card
5x
the points†
when you spend up to $1499 before taxes with your Sears Financial™ Credit Card
MANAGER’S SPECIALS Prince George Manager Dale Patt says — “Come in and find my best deals for the holidays. Be the first to know about our ur One-Day-Sale:
SAVE
SAVE
SAVE 50%
WOMEN’S OUTERWEAR*
MEN’S DRESSWEAR & TIES*
KITCHENAID®
40
19999
40
%
%
7ٺMZ MVL[ Dec. 18, 2014
Classic Plus Stand Mixer
275 watts. 10-speed control with variable speed & adjustable speed control REG. 399.99
Sales ends Dec. 18, 2014
SAVE $500
699
99
SAVE 66%
19999 LAGOSTINA®
BOWFLEX®
blaze home gym
210 lb. pf power rod resistance. Over 60 exercise options. Can upgrade to 310 & 410 lb. Ask for details. Warranty: Power rods - lifetime; frame & parts - 1 years. REG. 1199.99
pgfreepress.com
voices
there’s more online »
Cucina Classica 18-pc. stainless steel cookware set REG. 599.99
Be first to add to the story or read what your neighbour thinks. Be a part of your community paper. Comment online.
Teresa MALLAM/Free Press Carla Johnston, Downtown Prince George Business Improvement Association, lifts one of 50 hanging baskets Sunday to helpful volunteers from Activator Society. The idea for downtown winter baskets (the first ones were put along George Street to Third Avenue) came from retired city councilor Don Basserman who approached Downtown PG with an idea to decorate the downtown area for the holidays. The “greenery” in the baskets is actually upcycled artificial Christmas trees donated last year.
Outside Advertising Sales Representative Prince George Free Press
Description We are seeking a team player with a professional attitude to work and learn in a fast paced, business environment. Quali¿cations The ideal candidate must be motivated and take the initiative to sell multiple media products, including on-line advertising and special products, work with existing customers and develop new customers. Strong interpersonal skills and a strong knowledge of sales and marketing are required. Above average communication skills, valid driver’s licence and a reliable vehicle are necessary. If a rewarding challenge resonates with you, contact us today. Please submit your resume and cover letter to: Ron Drillen, General Manager Prince George Free Press 1773 South Lyon Street Prince George, B.C., V2N 1T3, Canada Tel: (250) 564-0005 Ext.115 Fax: (250) 562-0025 Email: publisher@pgfreepress.com AberdeenPublishing.com 778-754-5722
Prince George - COMMUNITY - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
19
Ron Brent joins Breakfast Club Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com Ron Brent Elementary
principal Carmen Eberle had a message for the students having breakfast in the school’s meal room Monday morning. “This is starting in January
for all the classes in the school,” she told the class of Grade 1 students. “We’re offering a free breakfast every morning from 8:15 to 8:30. If you’re late get-
ting to school, you can come by the office and get a slip, and you can still get breakfast.” Then she talked about some of the other people in the room. “I started talking with Robin (Ryan) from the Breakfast Club of Canada over the summer. They made it possible for us to have a brand-new stove in the kitchen, which we can use not just for the breakfast program, but for the lifeskills program we have at the school.” The school will also soon have a machine to make smoothies, giving students one more healthy choice to start the morning. Afterwards, she said that having a good breakfast means so much to the learning process for the students. “You talk to their teachers, and
when they come to class having a good breakfast, they are more attentive, they’re ready to work more.” When Ryan spoke to the students, he gave them a quick rundown on what the breakfast would be. “I know you’re very hungry, so today we have pickles and olives for breakfast.” He was quick to assure the students that, in fact, they would be served pancakes. Kiel Giddens of TransCanada, which provided the funding to the Breakfast Club for the program, said his company was “excited to be part of a program like this.” The funding provided will see the program offered at Ron Breant for three years. It has also allowed the Breakfast Club to start similar programs at schools in Vanderhoof, Terrace and Port Edward.
Merry Christmas to me!
25
% OFF*
ANY ITEM WITH COUPON ONLY
*one coupon per customer. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion.
EXPIRES DEC. 31, 2014
Ladies Fashions sizes 2-20 1X, 2X, 3X
Allan WISHART/Free Press Scott Bone of TransCanada pours syrup on a pancake for some of the Ron Brent Elementary students taking part in the breakfast program at the school on Monday. TransCanada has partnered with Breakfast Club of Canada to fund the program.
Operation Red Nose sets records on weekend It was a record-breaking weekend for Operation Red Nose in Prince George. The program, which gets drivers and their vehicles home safely over the holiday season, had a total of 243 rides on Friday and Saturday. That tops the previous best of 222 rides on the second weekend of the service, a record set in 2012. Each night also saw a record set. The 95 rides on Friday beat the previous high of 85 in 2012. On Saturday, the 148 rides topped the 137 total from 2012. The total could have been higher on Saturday, says spokesperson Andrea Johnson. “There was a wait time of up to one hour,” she said in a press release, “simply because we didn’t have enough volunteer teams on the road. “We apologize to the 25 clients that we couldn’t get to.” There were 75 volunteers out Friday night, including 19 teams on the road, and 69 volunteers, including 20 teams, on Saturday. The record-setting weekend brings the two-week ride total this year to 356. Operation Red Nose is still looking for volunteers to assist with the program. Anyone interested can go to www.ornpg.ca, fill out the application (including a Criminal Record Check), and drop it off at the RCMP detachment. Operation Red Nose is a free, seasonal service organized by the Rotary Club of Prince George Nechako in partnership with ICBC and the RCMP. The service will operate again on Dec. 12 and 13, as well as Dec. 19 and 20, and then again on
If you’re out of sight... ...you’re out of business!
Advertising Works! 250-564-0005
250.562.2323
New Year’s Eve. On the weekends, the service is available from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. On New Year’s Eve, the phones will be open until 4 a.m. The number to call is 250-962-RIDE (7433).
421 Dominion St. PRINCE GEORGE BC butterflythreads@shaw.ca www.butterflythreads.ca
Ring in the New Year at the NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY December 31, 2014 Featuring Zahirah Dance Studio Belly Dancers Music by DJ Mike Boyce
Cocktails - 6pm Dinner - 7pm Dancing - 9pm-2 am
Tickets: $70 (until Dec. 15) $80 (after Dec. 15) Available at Esther’s Inn
New Year’s Eve Packages Available $230 (until Dec. 15) $250 (after Dec. 15)
Enjoy the Photo Booth and Prime Rib Dinner
Reservations recommended
Party and Stay
Toll Free: 1-800-663-6844 • Tel: 250-562-4131 Email: info@esthersinn.com
www.esthersinn.com
1151 Commercial Cres. Prince George, BC • spacious & secure parking
20
Prince George - COMMUNITY - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
www.pgfreepress.com
Sweet idea for Games Teresa Mallam arts@pgfreepress.com Caroline Longhurst always dreamed of being a chocolatier. Six years ago, she opened Ohh... Chocolat Cafe in downtown Prince George, catering to the breakfast, lunch and after-work crowd – as well as chocoholics. Now patrons and out of town visitors will have a new chocolate treat to enjoy or give away as gifts – one with the Canada Winter Games logo on it. The bars sell for $9.95 each and come in white, milk or dark chocolate. Two dollars from the sale of every chocolate bar goes to help offset the cost to Prince George of the Games. When Longhurst got permission from the Canada Winter Games that she could use the logo, she set about getting a transfer sheet with the logo on it, which was made in Belgium. “While the chocolate is still wet, we apply the transfer sheet, which puts the logo onto the chocolate. It’s a real coup to get permission to use the Games logo, not everyone gets that opportunity. My objective is to sell 5,000 bars and to donate $10,000 to Canada Winter Games to help offset costs.” Longhurst says she and her staff work hard to produce quality confectionery so it was sweet news to find out that she could use the logo and do something special for the community and for Ohh... Chocolat Cafe. “I am very honoured that as a small business owner, I am able to make such an impact on the national platform,” she said. “We produce the best quality product that we can and take this opportunity very seriously both to showcase what we do and to help promote the downtown core. We’re hoping when people come to the Canada Winter Games, they want to bring back a souvenir with them.” Ohh... Chocolat Cafe is located at 565 George St.
Ohh... Chocolat owner Caroline Longhurst (left) and employee Cathy Springall show off their special chocolate bars – in a choice of white, milk and dark chocolate – with the Canada Winter Games logo on them.
Teresa MALLAM/ Free Press
UNDERSTANDING is more than just hearing Hearing is only the first step in gaining back your confidence in social situations. With Oticon Nera, you can now take an active part in any conversation. Its unique technology allows you to make intuitive sense of your surroundings, even in situations where many sounds compete for your attention. Oticon Nera takes the hard work out of making sense of the sounds around you, leaving you to just enjoy the moment.
OTICON NERA PRO REGULAR PRICE $2,175
$1,775
ea.
3 year Warranty 3 year Service Plan 60 Day Trial
HEARING H EARIN NG
AIDS STARTING AT
$999
Festival a success
2 FOR 1 BATTERY SALE During November and December, buy one package of batteries at regular price and receive the second package FREE! Offer expires December 31, 2014
Offer expires December 31, 2014
PRINCE GEORGE CLINIC Parkwood Place Shopping Centre 250-564-2593 VANDERHOOF CLINIC Co-Op Mall 250-567-5101
Keara Farrell BA, RHIP Registered Hearing Instrument Practitioner
Over $550,000 was raised at this year’s Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation Festival of Trees event. The foundation made the announcement Dec. 8. “No amount of words can express how thankful we are for the support we received for this event,” said Judy Neiser, the foundation’s CEO. “We are so very grateful to our sponsors, donors and everyone who attends this event to ultimately strengthen healthcare in the North.” Over 500 volunteers gave over 12,000 hours of their time to make the event a success, she said. This year’s Gala event with 307 people attending raised $266,850. One of the favorite items at the Live Auction was Bea’s Tree, which is a special little tree that was purchased by Bea Dezell in the 1950s and has been a tradition in the auction for the last 11 years. Sadly on March 6 this year, Bea passed away at the age of 105. “We are eternally grateful to the family for sharing Bea and her giving spirit with us. She will forever hold a special place in the Spirit of the North’s Fundraising efforts to bring the best of care closer to home in the North,” said Neiser. Gala attendees also responded generously to the CEO’s request for the final donations towards the purchase of a Diagnostic SPECT CT Scanner at UHNBC, making $110,000 in donations within minutes of the request. The SPECT CT is being installed soon at the hospital. Next year, the foundation will be celebrating Prince George’s 100th birthday through the 22nd Annual Festival of Trees. For more information, or to donate funds to support healthcare in the North this Christmas season or at any time during the year, please contact the Spirit of the North Heathcare Foundation office at 250-565-2515.
Prince George - COMMUNITY - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
21
House in shambles, Woman on disability left in despair Teresa Mallam arts@pgfreepress.com A woman on disability following a heart attack and stroke is recovering from the shock and sadness of seeing her home in shambles. Anne Marie George had to stay with neighbours recently while recovering from the mental anguish she experienced when her once peaceful life was disrupted and all her beautiful things – some only recently purchased – were damaged or stolen in the afternoon of Nov. 18. Even the case for her beloved Bible was broken. All this, she says, caused by unknown culprits who apparently came into her basement suite and took anything of value including her laptop computer, TV and electronics. Her neighbour, Martha Wilson, said whoever did this made sure she couldn’t quickly call for help. “They even took the battery out of her phone,” said Wilson. “It appears that they took anything of any value and they left the place in a complete mess. She can’t even bear to go back there so she’s staying with me for a few days.” Wilson said George, who just turned 60 and has limited mobility on one side as a result of her stroke, called out for help when she discovered the mess. “Her upstairs neighbour heard her and he was able to get to her through an air conditioning unit opening in the shared laundry room,” she said. An ambulance arrived at George’s home about 3:30 p.m., a few hours after the alleged culprits left with many of her belongings including perfume, jewelry, ornaments, DVDs (a bag containing DVDs was on the floor, perhaps dropped or forgotten by the alleged thieves), and money. Most difficult for George, her prescription drugs for pain, including morphine that she takes daily, were gone. The suite had dirt and debris from broken trays and dishes, a potted plant was dumped over on her sofa, and nail polish was spilled on a new leather recliner chair. Wilson, who’s known George for several years before her stroke, said she’s worked hard all her life, mostly as a camp first aid attendant and truck driver. “Mostly we want to get her some help cleaning up her place, so she can live there again. I phoned [various agencies] for help and no one would come to her assistance. Her rent money was stolen so she needs to replace that. [The department of social services is apparently looking into paying her rent.] The landlord has changed the locks but she needs an alarm system so she can feel safe in her own home.” George said she is thankful for a helpful and caring neighbour like Wilson. She helped get her more medication and made her meals as well as giving her temporary lodging. This is not the first time George has felt helpless and violated, she said. “I was a student at Lejac [residential school],” said George who despite her most recent trauma said, “I still believe in God – just not in people.” The RCMP have not issued a formal press re-
Associates Land Surveying Ltd. x x x x x x x x x x
Building Layouts Certificates of Location Consolidations Site Plans Rights of Way Topographic Surveys Leases Land Act Surveys Boundary Marking Subdivisions 1633 1st Avenue Prince George BC
Ph: 250-561-2229
z
Fax: 250-563-1941
Anne Marie George, 60, sits in her trashed living room. Unknown thieves vandalized her home, she says, and stole thousands of dollars worth of her belongings including the TV from its stand (right). And most importantly to George, the case to her Holy Bible was smashed.
Teresa MALLAM/ Free Press
lease in the case but a police spokesperson said last week there was no sign of forced entry and there are no leads regarding the person or persons described as responsible for the theft
and acts of vandalism at George’s home. Anyone who wants to volunteer their time to help with cleaning up can call 250-596-6400.
3
LIFESAVERS
FIRST AID FIRST AID LEVEL 2
March 9 - 13 FIRST AID LEVEL 3
Jan 12 - 23 Feb 2 - 13 ENFORM H2S ALIVE (8 HOUR)
December 12 January 10 February 7 ALSO PROVIDING • Level 1 and TE Courses • TDG, WHMIS and Fire Suppression • AED Certification
Lifesavers First Aid Call now to register
250-562-1238 439 Cassiar St. (across from Hands on Carwash) www.lifesaversfirstaid.ca
DAYS ONLY
........ Dec 12 - 14
DOUBLE DISCOUNT DAYS
Fabricland Sewing Club Members receive 20% Off regular price Fabrics, Sewing Notions, Cut Laces, Trims, Quilt Batt, Fibre Fill, Foam, Pillow Forms, Lining, Interfacing and more everyday!
NOW DOUBLE YOUR DISCOUNT AND RECEIVE
40
% OFF
REG. PRICE
REG.PRICE
FABRICS, NOTIONS, HOME DECOR & SEW MUCH MORE! All Prices here Exclusive to Fabricland Sewing Club Members MEMBERSHIP CARD MUST BE PRESENTED FOR DISCOUNTS
(exclusions apply to Promotional, Clearance, “Special Purchase”, Signature Styles & Yarn products) 6567 Hart Hwy in the Hart Ctr. PH: 250-962-6678 Customer Service 1-855-554-4840 www.fabriclandwest.com Store Hours: Mon.-Wed. & Sat. 9:30-5:30, Thur. & Fri. 9:30-9:00, Sun. Noon-5:00
22
Friday, December 12, 2014
Prince George - COMMUNITY - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Dralion: prepare to be amazed Teresa Mallam arts@pgfreepress.com Touring publicist Julie Desmarais is outside Calgary on Tuesday, about to join the Dralion artistic performers for their next eight shows. She spoke with the Free Press about the Cirque du Soleil show which is winding down after 15 years of touring. This lavish and very successful production has been enjoyed by 11 million people in 150 cities around the world. When their entourage arrives outside the CN Centre, it promises to be quite a spectacle – even before the show starts. “We will be arriving in Prince George on Sunday (Dec. 28) with 18 semi trucks – and one for the caterer. So that’s 19 all together,” said Desmarais. “Our performers have two days to rest before the crew comes in on the 30th. It takes 12 hours or so to set up the stage and there will be 80 local stage hands helping us build the stage. This is our first visit to Prince George, so that makes it kind of special for us.” Dralion premiered in 1999 in Montreal. After many years performing under the big top, the production has been presented in arenas around the world. Although the show will be closing in two weeks, Desmarais says that performers are very upbeat about giving their best to audiences. “The show has been everywhere and now its life cycle is done,” she said. “But audiences will see performers who still have great energy and enthusiasm on stage. We have 52 world-class acts that represent 19 different nationalities. “We have 100 people travelling with us who
Courtesy Cirque du Soleil For the first time, Prince George will host a Cirque du Soleil show, as Dralion comes to the CN Centre for eight shows between Dec. 31 and Jan. 4.
NEED EXTRA CASH?
Call today! 250-564-0005
The Prince George Free Press has a paper route in your area
Ext. 103 Ask for Roy
1773 South Lyon Street
Delivery days are Fridays by 5:30 pm
perform very high-level acts and we have a great musical score performed live by a six-piece band and two singers.” The dramatic story line for the show revolves around the four elements – earth, air, water and fire – all coming together. Dralion showcases tremendous talents of performers, musicians, singers and acrobatics but it also takes a hard working backstage crew to make it all happen, said Desmarais. “As well as the acrobatics which are stunning, there are laughter moments with a trio of clowns. It’s a great show for the entire family, it’s very entertaining. Really, it’s a combination of many different world-class acts.
“There is juggling – not your typical juggling acts but with dance moves incorporated– a high-flying trampoline act which is gravity defying and has audiences sitting on the edge of their seats, but which also has beautiful choreography and music.” The show appeals to all ages. “We’ve seen young children and adults really having a good time all during the show and leaving after the show with big smiles on their faces.” Dralion will be presented at the CN Centre for eight performances with the first being performed on Dec. 31.The show runs until Sunday, Jan. 4. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets including the CN Centre box office.
Dralion blends ancient Chinese and modern circus technology Fusing 3,000-year-old traditions of Chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of Cirque du Soleil, Dralion draws its inspiration from Eastern philosophy and its quest for harmony between humans and nature. The show’s name is derived from its two emblematic creatures: the dragon symbolizing the East and the lion symbolizing the West. The four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form, and each element is represented by its own evocative colour: air is blue, water is green, fire is red and earth is ochre. In the world of Dralion, cultures blend, Man and Nature are one and balance is achieved. The show features 50 international acrobats, gymnasts, clowns, musicians and singers. Costumes in mostly strong, vibrant, solid colours take their inspiration from China, India and Africa. All artists do their own makeup which takes an average of 60 minutes to apply to be show ready. The music of Dralion blends Eastern and Western sounds to create rhythmic and lyrical motifs. There is a live band composed of six musicians and two singers who perform for every performance. The elaborate stage set up for Dralion features a metallic backdrop 60 feet wide and 26 feet tall that looks like a futuristic Chinese temple or a giant plate of medieval armour.
Prince George - COMMUNITY - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
23
Friday, December 12, 2014
S D EN ND
ER . 2 F OF JAN
DON’T PAY + NEXT YEAR
1
0
%
6,000 UP TO
$
OR
FINANCING UP TO 84 MONTHS
2
CASH BONUS ON SELECT 2014 MODELS
ON ALL 2015 FINANCING OFFERS
OR CHOOSE GREAT CASH OFFERS
ES LUD INC
$
TIME D E T LIMI
S U N 0 BO $
50
LX AT
2015
74
LX MT
2015
OWN IT FROM
CASH PURCHASE PRICE FROM
3
+
12,999
$
DON’T PAY NEXT YEAR
1
WEEKLY
7
INCLUDING
INCLUDES
Sorento EX shown4 - hwy / city 100km5 : 9.0L/12.7L
0
$
DOWN PAYMENT
0%
4,503
$
IN CASH CREDIT 8
FINANCING FOR 84 MONTHS 3
Forte SX shown4 - hwy / city 100km5 : 5.3L/8.0L
UPGRADE TO ALL-WHEEL DRIVE FOR ONLY $9 WEEKLY
3
Offer based on new 2015 Forte LX MT with a price of $12,999, including delivery, destination, AMVIC fee and a $4,503 cash credit 8.
Offer based on new 2015 Sorento LX AT with a price of $26,782, including delivery, destination, AMVIC fee and a $2,000 loan rebate 6.
2015
LX MT
CASH PURCHASE PRICE FROM
19,582
$
7
INCLUDES
3,500
$
IN CASH CREDIT 8
Rondo EX Luxury shown4 - hwy / city 100km5 : 6.3L/9.2L
Offer based on new 2015 Rondo LX MT with a price of $19,582, including delivery, destination, AMVIC fee and a $3,500 cash credit 8.
LX MT
2015
39
$
OWN IT FROM
3
+
DON’T PAY NEXT YEAR
1
WEEKLY
0
$
DOWN PAYMENT
0%
FINANCING FOR 84 MONTHS 3
Rio4 SX with Navigation shown4 - hwy / city 100km5 : 5.3L/7.3L
Offer based on new 2015 Rio LX MT with a price of $14,102, including delivery, destination, AMVIC fee and a $1,500 loan rebate 6.
BE READY FOR WINTER WITH OUR WINTER READY MODELS
1,000 BONUS
HOLIDAY
$ HEATED STEERING WHEEL
ST E L A A NC CH
HEATED SEATS
WINTER TIRES
HEATED MIRRORS
REMOTE STARTER
2014 CLEAROUT UP TO $6,000 CASH BONUS
2
TH
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED *5-year/100,000 km worry-free comprehensive warranty.
9
Gustafson’s Kia North
1912 – 20th Avenue, Prince George, BC (250) 563-7949 ANNIVERSARY
Offer(s) available on select new 2014/2015 models through participating dealers to qualified retail customers who take delivery from December 2, 2014 to January 2, 2015. Dealers may sell or lease for less. Some conditions apply. See dealer for complete details. All offers are subject to change without notice. All pricing includes delivery and destination fees up to $1,665, AMVIC fee, tire levy and $100 A/C charge (where applicable), and excludes taxes, licensing, registration, insurance and dealer administration fees (up to $699). 1“Don’t Pay Until Next Year” (60-day payment deferral) applies to purchase financing offers on all new 2015 models on approved credit. No interest will accrue during the first 30 days. After this, interest starts to accrue and purchasers repay the principal plus interest monthly over the term of the contract. Offer ends January 2, 2015. 2Cash bonus amounts are offered on the cash purchase of select new 2014 models and are deducted from the negotiated price before taxes. $6,000 maximum cash bonus amount only available on the new 2014 Optima Hybrid EX (OP74CE) and includes a $1,000 ECO-Credit. 3Representative finance example: 0%/0%/1.99% financing offer for 84 months available on the new 2015 Rio LX MT (RO541F)/2015 Sorento 2.4L LX AT (SR75BF)/2015 Sorento 2.4L LX AT AWD (SR75CF) with a selling price of $14,102/$26,782/$28,282 and includes a $1,500/$2,000/$2,500 loan rebate. 364 weekly payments of $39/$74/$83 for 84 months with $0 down payment. Credit fees of $0/$0/$2,021. Total obligation is $14,102/$26,782/$30,303. See retailer for complete details. 4Model shown MSRP for 2015 Forte SX (FO748F)/2015 Rio4 SX with Navigation (RO749F)/2015 Sorento 3.3L EX AT AWD (SR75HF)/2015 Rondo EX Luxury (RN756F) is $26,695/$22,395/$34,495/$32,295. 5Highway/city fuel consumption is based on the 2015 Rio LX+ ECO AT/2015 Forte 1.8L MPI 4-cyl MT/2015 Sorento LX 2.4L GDI 4-cyl AT/2015 Rondo 2.0L GDI 4-cyl AT. These updated estimates are based on the Government of Canada’s approved criteria and testing methods. Refer to the EnerGuide Fuel Consumption Guide. Your actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving habits and other factors. 6Loan rebate amounts are offered on financing offers on select new 2014/2015 models and are deducted from the negotiated purchase price before taxes. Offer ends January 2, 2015. 7Cash purchase price offer for the new 2015 Forte LX MT (FO541F)/2015 Rondo LX MT (RN551F) with a selling price of $12,999/$19,582 includes a $4,503/$3,500 cash credit. Offer cannot be combined with 0% financing. See retailer for complete details. 8Cash credit amounts are offered on select new 2014/2015 models and are deducted from the negotiated cash purchase price before taxes. Available on cash purchase offer only. Offer varies by trim. Certain conditions apply. Offer ends January 2, 2015. See your dealer for complete details. 9$1,000 Holiday Bonus amounts are offered on select new 2015 Winter Edition models and are deducted from the negotiated purchase price before taxes. Available on financing offers only, on the 2015 Forte LX+ AT Winter SE (FO74SF), 2015 Rondo LX AT (5-seat) Winter SE (RN75SF), 2015 Rondo LX AT (7-seat) Winter SE (RN75TF) and 2015 Optima LX AT Winter SE (OP74SF). Offer ends January 2, 2015. For more information on our 5-year warranty coverage, visit kia.ca or call us at 1-877-542-2886. Kia is a trademark of Kia Motors Corporation.
24
Prince George - COMMUNITY - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
www.pgfreepress.com
YOUR HOROSCOPE Week of Dec. 14 to 20, 2014
THE LUCKIEST SIGNS THIS WEEK: AQUARIUS, PISCES, AND ARIES.
ARIES - MAR. 22 - APR. 21
You have a little cleaning up to do within your circle of friends. Your partner and your family are your priority. You don’t need any freeloaders who spoil the quality of your relationships.
CROSSWORDS
PUZZLE NO. 745
TAURUS - APR. 22 - MAY 21
Your loved ones are sure to expect you to take care of all the necessary preparations for the holiday season. Don’t forget to delegate so as to share out the workload.
GEMINI - MAY 22 - JUN. 21
You begin to wrap your Christmas gifts. You do something very special in order to impress your loved ones, even though it takes you forever.
CANCER - JUN. 22 - JUL. 21
A particular project puts you in the spotlight. You bring the family together for a spur-ofthe-moment trip or a large-scale activity.
LEO - JUL. 22 - AUG. 21
Even if you’re asked to participate in lots of activities, you’ll probably decline the invitation. You can change your mind at the last minute, especially where partying is involved.
VIRGO - AUG. 22 - SEP. 21
It won’t be easy to stick to your Christmas shopping budget. You give much more expensive gifts than expected to those you love and who deserve them.
Copyright © 2014, Penny Press
ACROSS 1. Squeal 4. Typewriter key 7. Loony 12. “Look ____ ye leap” 13. Flock member 14. Outcast 15. Soak up 16. ____ York 17. Ease off 18. Voyaging 20. Boxing’s Muhammad ____ 22. Gardener’s bane 23. Bikini top 24. Decline 27. Most waterless 30. Bread or cereal grain 31. Storage compartment 34. Having rows 36. Clumsy person 37. Despise 39. Pick 40. ____ and reel 41. Social
11. Not nope 19. Appends 21. Wore well 23. Nippers 24. Get it wrong 25. Parting word 26. Resting place 28. Rosy 29. “____ the season . . .” 31. Dove’s call 32. Pool circuit 33. Frequently, to Keats 35. Engrave with acid DOWN 38. Subway coins 1. Cut wood, again 42. Plunders 2. Stood 3. Indian’s abode 43. Ordinary 4. Bowling number 44. Small fruit 45. Imitator 5. Dumbfound 47. Mineral spring 6. Watch out! 7. Sandwich mart 48. Duck-foot feature 8. Lumberjack’s 49. Electric ____ tool 50. Abel’s mother 9. Like a fiddle 52. Brief taste 10. Common 53. Sow’s place ailment
organization 45. Request 46. Firefighter’s equipment 47. Whisk 51. 19th letter 54. “____ Day Will Come” 55. Irk 56. Baby bug 57. Road covering 58. More competent 59. James Bond, e.g. 60. Cunning
LIBRA - SEPT. 22 - OCT. 21
Your credit card is in constant use at this time of year. Think carefully before pulling it out; you will have to choose between Christmas gifts and social activities if you want to stay on budget.
SCORPIO - OCT. 22 - NOV. 21
PUZZLE NO. 479
The holidays haven’t even started yet but your home always seems to be crowded. If you have young children, they establish their base camp at home with all their friends.
HOW TO PLAY :
SAGITTARIUS - NOV. 22 - DEC. 21
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.
You’re sure to let yourself be caught up in the magic of Christmas, even though you thought you’d give it a pass this year. You devote some time to social and humanitarian causes.
CAPRICORN - DEC. 22 - JAN. 21
The festivities are already beginning. Indeed, you are surrounded by quite a few people throughout the week. You’re also sure to do some shopping, even though the stores are packed.
Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column, or 3x3 box.
Start the holiday right with value!
AQUARIUS - JAN. 22 - FEB. 21
The idea of a trip crosses your mind. You need some adventure and some new experiences. You might also consider the possibility of going to work abroad.
PISCES - FEB. 22 - MAR. 21
However old you are, you may very well decide to go back to school for a career change. You hear about a great opportunity that could ease your financial stress.
1
$
99
BREAKFAST
includes sandwich, hashbrowns & coffee
1023 Central Street West, Prince George
OPEN 24/7
www.pgfreepress.com
Prince George - CLASSIFIEDS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
25
250.564.0005
INDEX IN BRIEF FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS CHILDREN EMPLOYMENT SERVICE GUIDE - PERSONAL BUSINESS SERVICES PETS / LIVESTOCK ITEMS FOR SALE / WANTED REAL ESTATE RENTALS TRANSPORTATION MARINE LEGALS
AGREEMENT
It is agreed by any Display or ClassiÄed Advertiser requesting space that the liability of the paper in the event of failure to publish an advertisement shall be limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for that portion of the advertising space occupied by the incorrect item only, and that there shall be no liability in any event beyond the amount paid for such advertisement. The publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement.
bcclassiÄed.com cannot be
responsible for errors after the Ärst day of publication of any advertisement. Notice of errors on the Ärst day should immediately be called to the attention of the ClassiÄed Department to be corrected for the following edition.
bcclassiÄed.com reserves the right to revise, edit, classify or reject any advertisement and to retain any answers directed to the bcclassiÄed.com Box Reply Service and to repay the customer the sum paid for the advertisement and box rental. DISCRIMINATORY LATION
LEGIS-
Advertisers are reminded that Provincial legislation forbids the publication of any advertisement which discriminates against any person because of race, religion, sex, color, nationality, ancestry or place of origin, or age, unless the condition is justiÄed by a bona Äde requirement for the work involved.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright and/or properties subsist in all advertisements and in all other material appearing in this edition of bcclassiÄed.com. Permission to reproduce wholly or in part and in any form whatsoever, particularly by a photographic or offset process in a publication must be obtained in writing from the publisher. Any unauthorized reproduction will be subject to recourse in law.
“Advertise across Northern BC in the 32 best-read community newspapers!�
Announcements
Announcements
In Memoriam Gifts
Travel
Employment
Employment
Employment
Information
Travel
NECHAKO RESERVOIR UPDATE
RV LOT rentals $8.95 a day. 362 days of sunshine, pets, events, classes, entertainment. Reserve by 11/01/2014. www.hemetrvresort.com. Call: 1-800-926-5593
Drivers/Courier/ Trucking
Professional/ Management
Professional/ Management
3 December 2014 Reservoir Elevation: 851.21m (2792.71 ft.) SLS Discharge: 34.33 m3/s
BC Cancer Foundation 1215 Lethbridge Street Prince George, BC V2N 7E9
Nechako River at Cheslatta Falls: 38 m3/s
Please include your name and mailing address for the tax receipt, the name of the person you’re remembering and the name and address of person to notify.
Nechako River at Vanderhoof: 49 m3/s
250.645.7300 ext. 687469
bccancerfoundation.com
Coming Events DOWNTOWN WINTER FAIR Prince George Civic Center Dec. 20th-10:00 am to 3:00 pm. A last minute shopping experience with more than 95 vendors. Games and activities for children of all ages. Funny outdoor competitions.
www.pgfreepress.com
Skins Lake Spillway discharge will be maintained at approximately the current level until April 2015 Visit website www.waterofďŹ ce.ec.gc.ca for up to date real-time ow information for the Nechako River. Contact Rio Tinto Alcan at 250-5675105 for more information. A recording of this notice is available 24-hours in Vanderhoof at 250567-5812
Personals
Information
A-PLUS Massage: Gives you complete stress release and relaxation with a total full body comfort massage. (250)617-5283
CANADA BENEFIT Group Do you or someone you know suffer from a disability? Get up to $40,000 from the Canadian Government. Toll-free 1-888511-2250 or visit online www.canadabeneďŹ t.ca.
MEET SINGLES right now! No paid operators, just real people like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages and connect live. Try it free. Call now: 1-800-712-9851.
Move garage sale items inside to 5100 North Nechako Market, Open Sat 9-4 Sun 9-3. Join us we have Baking, preserves, wood work, and more. Your items can remain through the week. Lots of parking space, wheelchair accessible,& washrooms For info call 250.963.9590
Obituaries
Travel
Timeshare CANCEL YOUR Timeshare. NO Risk Program. STOP Mortgage & Maintenance Payments Today. 100% Money Back Guarantee. FREE Consultation. Call Us NOW. We Can Help! 1-888-356-5248.
Under a full moon on December 6th Matthew William Johnson passed in his sleep. He has touched many lives in too many ways to list but know that his heart was huge and genuine. We will celebrate his life forevermore, together, heart to heart. His life and love is and always will be meant to be shared. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, December 13th at 1pm at the Hart Pioneer’s Center. Donations for his girls in lieu of à owers are appreciated.
Automotive
Automotive
Prince George
Free Press Press
We have immediate openings for
•Journeyman Mechanic Technician and a
“My son didn’t know how to study. Sylvan tutoring changed that.�
•Front End Technician We are looking for a 4th year Licensed Journeyman Mechanic and a 2nd year Front End Technician to join our growing business in Terrace, BC Own tools and valid driver’s license required. We offer competitive salaries, great benefits and regular working hours - be home every night!
1645 Spruce St. Prince George
250-562-7311 www.educate.com Call today and ask about our in-centre or live, online tutoring programs.
 Visit us in-store, with resume or contact: Owner: BK (Smitty) Smith, 4641 Keith Ave., Terrace, BC Phone: 250-635-4344 email: smitty.smith@fountaintire.com
Employment Drivers/Courier/ Trucking EXPERIENCED CLASS 1 Drivers, F/T, P/T for California & Arizona produce hauling, excellent pay and beneďŹ ts, safety bonus and home time. Call Jerry or Bill 1-877-539-1750. SALMON Arm logging company looking for fulltime contract logging trucks, or drivers. Steady year round haul, home every night. Drivers must have bush experience. Please email westwaylogging@shaw.ca or call 778-489-0118 daytime only.
TRUCK DRIVERS REQUIRED ITM Trucking Ltd is looking for experienced Long Haul Truck Drivers (6 vacancies) for our . 9888 Milwaukee Way, Prince George, BC. V2N5T3 location. No education but workable spoken English and minimum of 1 year driving experience as (Class 1 or A) driver is required. Job duties includeDrive & operate truck trailer articulated or straight to transport goods & materials. Record cargo information and trip details. - Perform pre-trip inspection such as condition of vehicle, tire pressure, lights brakes and perform if required emergency road side repairs, communicate with dispatcher. Salary is @ $25.50/hour Email your resume to itmcd@telus.net
SHOP LOCALLY
CLASS 1 LOGGING DRIVERS NEEDED!
Canada Cartage is seeking 20 Experienced Class 1 Logging Drivers to join their team to service the surrounding areas of Southern Alberta from the greater Calgary area. QUALIFICATIONS: Ĺ˜ 9DOLG &ODVV /LFHQVH DQG D FOHDQ FRPPHUFLDO GULYHUĹ‘V DEVWUDFW Ĺ˜ \HDUV H[SHULHQFH RSHUDWLQJ D FRPPHUFLDO YHKLFOH ZLWKLQ 2LO *DV &U\RJHQLFV /RJJLQJ RU +HDY\ +DXO LQGXVWULHV Ĺ˜ 0XVW EH DEOH WR GR SK\VLFDO ZRUN DQG OLIW XS WR OEV DV WKLV MRE UHTXLUHV D ORW RI FKDLQLQJ ZLQWHU GULYLQJ DQG RII URDGLQJ SALARY AND BENEFITS: Ĺ˜ &RPSHWLWLYH SD\ VDIHW\ ERQXV Ĺ˜ &DQDGD &DUWDJH SURYLGHV D FRPSUHKHQVLYH %HQHĹľW 3ODQ DQG 5563 0DWFKLQJ 3ODQ CONTACT: To apply e-mail your Commercial Abstract and Resume to Christian at Calgarycareers@canadacartage.com or fax: 403-236-0069. Website: http://www.canadacartage.com
CLASS 1 HIGHWAY DRIVERS NEEDED!
Canada Cartage is seeking Experienced Class 1 Highway Drivers/Owner Operators to join their team for deliveries between Prince George and Prince Rupert.
QUALIFICATIONS: Ĺ˜ 9DOLG &ODVV /LFHQVH DQG D FOHDQ FRPPHUFLDO GULYHUĹ‘V DEVWUDFW Ĺ˜ \HDUV FRPPHUFLDO GULYLQJ H[SHULHQFH KLJKZD\ DQG ZLQWHU GULYLQJ H[SHULHQFH Ĺ˜ +DYH JRRG NQRZOHGJH RI GULYHU ORJ ERRNV LQVSHFWLRQ UHSRUWV SUH HQ URXWH DQG SRVW WULS DQG WULS UHSRUWV
DISTRICT OF HOUSTON www.houston.ca
Director of Engineering & Development Services The District of Houston is seeking a dynamic professional with proven management skills, energy and creativity for the senior management position as the Director of Engineering & Development Services. Reporting to the CAO, this position is responsible for and provides advice regarding the operation and affairs of the District related to roads, water and sewer systems; solid waste and recycling, cemetery operation, facility maintenance, flood control, GIS system, and animal control. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND OTHER • Demonstrated experience in civil engineering design, inspection of infrastructure and capital works projects with thorough knowledge of methods, material and construction practices, and project management. • Thorough knowledge of Provincial Legislation related to water, sewer and solid waste. • Ability to prepare and interpret comprehensive technical reports, plans, legal/contract tender documents, statutes, standards and bylaws. • Exceptional computer skills – office and technical applications; • Demonstrated leadership, supervisory and conflict management/dispute resolution skills and experience in a unionized public works environment; • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate tactfully, efficiently and effectively; • Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the department and to develop and implement strategic and tactical plans to ensure the department’s effectiveness. • Ability to develop operating and capital budgets, and oversee department expenditures. • Demonstrated knowledge of the BC Building Code. QUALIFICATIONS • Civil Engineering Technologist Diploma (minimum acceptable education qualification) • Minimum of five years’ experience or equivalent combination of education and experience in a local government environment. The District offers an excellent benefit package and competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, detailed resume, and references by 4:00pm January 9, 2015: Michael D. Glavin, Chief Administrative Officer District of Houston, PO Box 370, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 Email: cao@houston.ca | Website: www.houston.ca Acceptable driver’s abstract and criminal record search to be provided to the District. The District of Houston thanks all applicants; however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.
SALARY AND BENEFITS: Ĺ˜ &RPSHWLWLYH SD\ Ĺ˜ &DQDGD &DUWDJH SURYLGHV D FRPSUHKHQVLYH %HQHĹľW 3ODQ DQG 5563 0DWFKLQJ 3ODQ CONTACT: To apply e-mail your Commercial Abstract and Resume to Adam at bccareers@canadacartage.com or fax: (1) 604-278-7825. Website: http://www.canadacartage.com
Inspire. Perspire. Participate in an event to help the 4 million Canadians living with arthritis.
1.800.321.1433 www.jointsinmotion.ca
26
Friday, December 12, 2014
Career Opportunities
Career Opportunities
Prince George - CLASSIFIEDS - Free Press
Career Opportunities
Career Opportunities
NOW HIRING
DUE TO AN EXTENSIVE EXPANSION IN THE NEW YEAR FOR OUR AUTOGROUP, WE ARE LOOKING TO HIRE SELF-MOTIVATED, QUALITY-CONSCIOUS INDIVIDUALS:
SALES MANAGER SERVICE MANAGER PARTS ADVISOR AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIANS
Full Time Sales People
Apply in person with resume to: Visions Electronics #142-6333 Southridge Ave., Prince George, B.C
RZ@ZIMMERWHEATONGM.COM 250-374-1135
PRINCE GEORGE NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE Our People make a difference in the community The Prince George Native Friendship Centre, a visionary non-profit society, has been serving the needs of the entire community for the past 43+ years. We are seeking candidates for the following position(s) within our organization: YOUTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT My Way Life Skills Coach Closing December 15, 2014. A hard copy listing the roles, responsibilities and qualifications of the position are available from the Prince George Native Friendship Centre’s web site at www. pgnfc.com (click on Join Our Team / Careers). To apply, submit a resume, cover letter and three (3) references detailing which position you are applying for, to: Prince George Native Friendship Centre 1600 Third Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3G6 Fax: (250) 563-0924 E-mail: employment@pgnfc.com Applications will be accepted until dates noted on postings, no telephone inquiries please. We thank all applicants, however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted. Prince George Association for Community Living
CAREGIVER OPPORTUNITIES
We are currently recruiƟng regular full-Ɵme and part-Ɵme employees to create a posiƟve home life, support people when parƟcipaƟng in community events and assist with planning and delivery of skill building opportuniƟes. You will also assist people with daily living skills which may include personal care. We are also accepƟng applicaƟons for casual employment. Requirements: Related experience providing care/support to adults or children and have demonstrated an ability to organize acƟviƟes and establish posiƟve relaƟonships. Basic computer skills and physical ability to carry out the duƟes are also required. A valid driver’s license and driving abstract; work may require the use of a personal vehicle. CompensaƟon • Paid training • Excellent beneĮts • Municipal Pension Plan • Hourly rate $16.17 to $18.82 • Casuals receive an addiƟonal 9.8% in lieu of vacaƟon and stat holidays With over 400 dedicated employees, AiMHi is an accredited organizaƟon providing advocacy, support and service to people who have special needs.
950 Kerry Street, Prince George, BC V2M 5A3 Phone: 250-564-6408 • Fax:250-564-6801 Email: recruitment@aimhi.ca Please see speciĮc opportuniƟes at www.aimhi.ca
Business Opportunities
Career Opportunities
Career Opportunities
GET FREE vending machines. Can earn $100,000 + per year. All cash-retire in just 3 years. Protected Territories. Full Details call now 1-866-668-6629. Website www.tcvend.com
PROGRESSIVE Industrial Vegetation Service Company is seeking a Branch Manager to oversee its operations in the Grande Prairie, AB region. The successful applicant will have management experience and excellent communication and people skills. This position offers a competitive remuneration package and time off flexibility in the winter months. Interested applicants can email their resume to mail@melbern.ca
Food Counter Attendants for Arby’s in Prince George some secondary school, on the job training is provided $11/hr, 40hrs/wk E-mail resume to:
www.pgfreepress.com
Career Opportunities
TRY A CLASSIFIED AD
arbysrestaurant3@gmail.com
Kitchen Helpers for Arby’s in Prince George some secondary school, on the job training is provided $11/hr, 40hrs/wk E-mail resume to: arbysrestaurant3@gmail.com
(FROM APPRENTICE TO JOURNEYMAN)
IF YOU QUALIFY, PLEASE SUBMIT RESUME TO ROB ZIMMER BY EMAIL:
www.pgfreepress.com
Inside Sales Representative The Prince George Free Press is seeking a full time Inside Sales Representative to handle sales of Print and On-Line advertising and to manage an existing account list. This individual will work out of our Prince George office and will be responsible for building strong relationships with current clients, develop new business to increase revenue and perform to sales goals set by management. The position requires solid communication skills, creativity and attention to detail. Prior advertising knowledge and media experience are both a big plus, but not required. To qualify, you must be outgoing and driven to succeed. Other responsibilities include problem solving and the ability to multitask.
MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENT
Cowichan Bay Sawmill – Duncan, B.C. Complete job details can be viewed at: http://www.westernforest.com/building-value/ our-people-employment/careers/ Western Forest Products Inc. is a margin focused integrated company safely producing lumber from coastal forests. If you believe that you have the skills and qualifications that we are looking for, please reply in confidence: Human Resource Department Facsimile: 1.866.840.9611 Email: resumes@westernforest.com As only short listed candidates will be contacted, WFP thanks you in advance for your interest in our Company. Please visit us at www.westernforest.com
If working in a positive, goal oriented team environment, with state of the art equipment appeals to you, submit your resume in confidence to:
Food Service Supervisor for Arby’s in Prince George compl. of secondary school, 2-3 yrs of exp. $13/hr, 40hrs/wk E-mail resume to: arbysrestaurant3@gmail.com
Haircare Professionals ROCK Your Hair studio has chair rental available for a barber
or hairdresser. $780.00 month. EI benefits included, or 50% commission& after 6 months 55% FT/PT. Apply with resume at 1661 Spruce Street. 250563-0043
Career Opportunities
COLLEGE OF NEW CALEDONIA
Ron Drillen, General Manager The Prince George Free Press 1773 South Lyon Street V2N 1T3 Fax: 250-562-0025 Email: publisher@pgfreepress.com
ASSOCIATE DEAN, COMMUNITY & CONTINUING EDUCATION REFERENCE NUMBER:
14-142AP
AberdeenPublishing.com 778-754-5722
Build Your Career With Us Looking for your next great career opportunity?
The Associate Dean is responsible for the effective development, implementation and management of courses, programs and services within Community & Continuing Education at the Prince George campus of CNC. Responsibilities include developing, planning, organizing, staffing, and managing resources. While maintaining currency in the needs of international markets, Prince George-region employers and labour market trends, the Associate Dean provides contextual educational planning within the department.
Do you thrive in a dynamic and challenging environment with opportuniƟes for conƟnuous growth and development͍
To find out more information about this and other opportunities, and directions on how to apply, please check our website at: www.cnc.bc.ca/Human_Resources/employment.htm
Lakeview Division, Williams Lake, B.C.
Join us. We offer a supportive workplace, great benefits, and competitive salaries. And we have opportunities to grow, both within our college, and within our communities.
SHIPPER
POSITION OVERVIEW: ReporƟng to the &inishing End Superintendent, the Shipper is responsible for the co-ordinaƟon of all shipments of Įnished wood products speciĮed and scheduled by sales orders. dhe posiƟon interfaces with Sales and ProducƟon personnel for coordinaƟng accurate informaƟon Ňow to meet shipment schedules and to maintain a low inventory. Maintaining good working relaƟons with external customers, from transportaƟon operators to railway company representaƟves is also key to this role. dhe primary challenge to this posiƟon is sales forecasƟng, meeƟng shipment deadlines, and maintaining target inventory levels. dhe Shipper must also ensure all safety related standards and acƟviƟes are implemented in a proper, consistent manner on an ongoing basis. QUALIFICATIONS: • &amiliar with MicrosoŌ computer applicaƟon programs • Able to learn, understand and use speciĮc shipping applicaƟon programs • Must be able to supervise a shipping team CONSIDERED AN ASSET: • Previous experience in lumber producƟon • hnderstanding of lumber grading • Knowledge of lumber loading, shipping, and forecasƟng APPLY TODAY! Kur tradiƟon of excellence is built on strong company values, a challenging environment, and conƟnuous development. do explore current career opportuniƟes and become a part of our community, apply at www.tolko.com today. /f you are interested in exploring this opportunity and being a part of our community please submit your resume by Sunday December 14, 2014. We thank all candidates for their interest; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Apply Today!
www.tolko.com
Al-Anon
Being born and raised in Prince George has allowed me to watch the city blossom into a great community. This for has given me a greaterand Hope families appreciation for the success of all businesses, friends of alcoholics large and small.
250-561-3244 www.district27alanon.ca Stephanie Bertoli, Advertising Consultant
CNC - A COMMUNITY FOR LEARNING AND TEACHING THAT CARES, SERVES, AND LEADS
Home Care/Support
Home Care/Support
Home Care/Support
FREE Room Keys ALL AGES GOVERNMENT FUNDED HOSPITALITY TRAINING PROGRAM
Program
WHEN January 5, 2015
FEATURING
(24 week Program) Including a 6 week work experience
The Employment Program of British Columbia is funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia
WHERE Canadian Vocational Training Centre #201 - Victoria Street, Prince George • Word • Customer Service • Hospitality Orientation • Front Desk • World Host • Serving it Right • Food & Beverage Service • Rooms Dooms Division, and so much more!!
PLEASE CALL CAL TO BOOK APPOINTMENT TRAINING AND WORK EXPERIENCE PROVIDED AT LOCAL HOTELS
CALL TODAY
250.596.1575
www.pgfreepress.com
Prince George - CLASSIFIEDS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
Employment
Employment
Employment
Employment
Services
Merchandise for Sale
Rentals
Education/Trade Schools
Education/Trade Schools
Help Wanted
Trades, Technical
Home Improvements
Misc. Wanted
FOOD SAFETY
Train To Be An Apartment Manager
Steady/PT to vacuum, wipe & wash cars. Apply to Hands on Car Wash, 1956 3rd Ave
SKILLED TRADES! Experienced welders and completions team members needed in Grande Prairie, AB. Welders, B-Pressure, Sand Blasters, Painters, Insulators. Fly in - Fly out with 1 week at home a month. Accommodation provided. Alberta wages without the expenses! send resume to: hr@westernmanufacturing.ca www.westernmanufacturing.ca
FULL SERVICE Plumbing from Parker Dean. Fast, reliable, 24/7 service. Take $50 off your next job if you present this ad. Vancouver area. Call 1-800-573-2928.
Commercial/ Industrial
Keeping Food Safe
In Home • Food Handlers Volunteers • Care Givers
• Government Certified Home Study Course • Jobs Registered Across BC 35 Years of Success! www.RMTI.ca
BC
Help Wanted
Foodsafe Level 1 Dec. 17, 2014
Classes Run 8:30–5:00pm
Assistant Property Manager The Assistant Property Manager, under the direction of the Property Manager, is responsible for coordinating all aspects of apartment community operations and to act as the main point of contact in the absence of the Property Manager. The right candidate must be a team player with a positive can-do attitude. Send Resume to: dennis.applebaum@outlook.com. Post Available for F/T and P/T. Tel:647-677-9810
Medical/Dental MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION is an in-demand career in Canada! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get the online training you need from an employer-trusted program. Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-888528-0809 to start training for your work-at-home career today!
Diane Rosebrugh & Dick Rosebrugh, B.Ed.
ABC Food Safety School
www.abcfoodsafety.ca info@abcfoodsafety.ca Fax: 250-563-2572
250-563-2585
1-800-222-TIPS Help Wanted
Industrial / Automotive Sales Representatives We are a large company based in Fort St. John, BC that is looking for INDUSTRIAL / AUTOMOTIVE SALES REPRESENTATIVES to join our team. We offer an attractive compensation ($105,600/year), benefits and bonus program. Sales experience is not necessary but an industrial background would be a definite asset. Please forward your resume to: human.resources.depart1 @gmail.com
Are You currently employed or retired? NEED EXTRA CASH?
Services
$400 & Under
Causal RN’s & LPN’s needed for in home 1 on 1 pediatric respite care in Quesnel. Offering Union wages, paid training, gas milage and full support. E-mail resume: e-mail: jhols@western.ca or fax: 1.250.846.9817 Attention: Jennifer Hols
Health Products RESTLESS LEG Syndrome & leg cramps? Fast relief in one hour. Sleep at night. Proven for over 32 years. Website: www.allcalm.com Mon-Fri 8-4 EST 1-800-765-8660.
Financial Services CEDA is Hiring! Labourers & Operators – Turnaround Projects Qualifications include: Physically demanding Clean driver’s abstract Travel within Alberta Class 1/3 driver’s license an asset To submit resume please visit online: www.cedagroup.com
ARE YOU $10K Or More In Debt? DebtGo can help reduce a significant portion of your debt load. Call now & see if you qualify. 1-800-351-1783. GET BACK ON TRACK! Bad credit? Bills? Unemployed? Need Money? We Lend! If you own your own home - you qualify. Pioneer Acceptance Corp. Member BBB. 1-877-987-1420 www.pioneerwest.com
TIMBER SUPPLY MANAGER ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 479
Atco Wood Products Ltd. is a progressive SFI certi¿ed family owned company located in the West Kootenay region of BC. The Company has over 50 years of history in the Forestry and Wood Products Manufacturing Industries. For more information on the Company, please visit the website at www.atcowoodproducts.com. Atco offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience and quali¿cations.
Furniture Like new- Double pedestal Cherry wood Table & 8 upholstered chairs. Paid $4800 asking $1500 firm 778-281-1010
Misc. for Sale Fridge $100 Glider Chair $10 5 Drawer white wardrobe $50. Cedar chest $10 Bread machine $25 778-281-1010
HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available. 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/ newspaper? STEEL BUILDINGS/metal buildings 60% off! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for balance owed! Call 1-800-4572206 or visit us online: www.crownsteelbuildings.ca. STEEL BUILDINGS. “Really big sale!” All steel building models and sizes. Plus extra savings. Buy now and we will store until spring. Call Pioneer Steel 1-800-668-5422 or visit online: www.pioneersteel.ca
Legal Notices
Duties will include: • All aspects of sourcing timber through the BC Timber Sales program • Managing a log purchase program from woodlots and private land sources (including the USA) • Managing quality control for all outside purchased timber Critical to the role will be your ability to function as an integral member of a team of results-oriented Forestry professionals. You will possess excellent negotiation, communication and leadership skills, and have strong analytic and problem solving capabilities. A minimum of years experience in a related ¿eld would be a de¿nite asset. If this opportunity is what you are looking for, and you have the skills necessary to succeed in this role, please forward your resume to kris.harvey@atcowoodproducts.com.
Winter Tires For Sale 195/70 R14 Hankook tires & rims. 5 Bolt for Ford Ranger. Driven less than 100 km. $375.00 2505643194
For sale: Dining Table/Chairs
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Atco Wood Products Ltd. is seeking a Timber Supply Manager with log procurement or related experience. The successful applicant will be responsible for all aspects of the Company’s timber procurement program from external sources. Working closely with the Atco Wood Products Woodlands group and the Veneer Plant management team, this individual will create and implement a strategic plan ensuring an on-going timber supply for the Veneer Plant operation.
250-961-3612 or 250-964-4758 res
Merchandise for Sale
Trades, Technical
• • • •
WINTER MAINTANCE SNOW & GARBAGE REMOVAL Call Pal:
RESIDENT FARM Supervisor available spring-fall. Start-ups. Diversification. Succession. Sales, purchasing and shop experience. Ranch. Nursery. Vegetable. Greenhouse builder. Fair Spanish. Bob Crocker 604-842-2378.
RN’s and LPN’S
IMSS Building, 1270 2nd Ave
Work Wanted
Landscaping
Private Coin Collector Buying Collections, Accumulations, Olympic Gold & Silver Coins + Chad: 778-281-0030. Local. WILL BUY, unwanted gold & silver, coins, quality watches. Rolex and placer gold. Estates & liquidations. Will meet or beat any reasonable competitors rate. Local Buyer 250612-1828 (Prince George) Privacy assured. RECENT FIND...1948 Silver Dollar paid $1,500
Real Estate Commercial/ Industrial Property
Space available for rent For all your rental needs Call 562-8343 or 562-RENT
RESORT VILLAGE of Candle Lake, SK. Newly renovated restaurant on a .47 acre lot 2nd floor residential, 3 bedrooms. Sale incl: land, building, equipment, business. Call 306-929-4999.
Rentals Apt/Condo for Rent
Midtowne
• 1 & 2 bedroom apartments available • Close to hospital & downtown • Rent includes heat, hot water • Elevator to undercover parking • Fridge, stove, quality carpets, drapes • Laundry on each floor • No pets
250-561-1447 CENTRAL LOCATIONS Bachelor, 1 & 2 bedroom apartments for rent. Free heat/hot water, no pets, laundry, parking, adult oriented, near bus stops Call 250-561-1446
voices there’s more online »
pgfreepress.com
Duplex / 4 Plex Duplex For Rent 3 Bedroom Duplex for rent and 1 bedroom basement suite for rent. Both in college Heights. Call 250.613-6143 or 250.9642740
Misc for Rent For Seniors 55+ 1 & 2 bdrm suites All utilities included except phone & internet. Call Theresa 250-962-5570
Transportation
Scrap Car Removal
FREE SCRAP CAR REMOVAL within 15 km
P&R 250-963-3435
JUBILEE Apt’s
Email: prfleet@telus.net
1 bedroom Adult orientated, close to downtown & bus route. N/S, N/P. Parking.
AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLER’S
Call: (250) 562-7172
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC.
MEMBER OF
“DO’IN IT RIGHT”
Legal Notices
Wrecker/Used Parts USED TIRES Cars & Trucks $25 & up
Most Sizes Available 15270 Hwy 97 South 250.963.3435
The intent of a RAS is to provide liquor service in rural communities and tourist destination resorts, in order to give people in these communities better, more convenient access to beverage alcohol products. RASs are established in rural communities where it is too small to operate a Government Liquor Store. RASs will be established, where there is a suitable business i.e. an existing independentlyowned full service general grocery store. Only one Rural Agency Store authorization in a community is permitted. Written comments will be accepted until January 12, 2015.
Be first to add to the story or read what your neighbour thinks. Be a part of your community paper. Comment online.
WAREHOUSE FOR RENT 2080 sq ft warehouse space aval $1200.00 per month. For more info call Ron 250 564-0005 ext 115.
To Rent Call:
The Liquor Distribution Branch invites community input on a request to establish a Rural Agency Store (RAS) at Brookside Resort in the community of Cluculz Lake.
ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 745
Majestic Management (1981) Ltd. CE • OFFI ERCIAL M • COM IL A • RET
NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF CLUCULZ LAKE RE: PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF RURAL AGENCY STORE
X CROSSWORD
27
Your submissions may be used by the LDB in the decision process. LIQUOR DISTRIBUTION BRANCH REGIONAL MANAGER’S OFFICE 340-177 VICTORIA STREET PRINCE GEORGE, BC V2L 5R8 REGIONAL MANAGER’S EMAIL: Allan.Haller@bcldb.com
Another Trip To The Dump
$50 Antique at UsedPrincGeorge.com
Used Prince George .com BUY & SELL FREE!™
28
Friday, December 12, 2014
Prince George - SPORTS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Cougars are WHL’s Jekyll and Hyde They are the good Cougars! play the WHL leading Rockets, who They are the bad Cougars! easily won the first four match-ups They are the unpredictable Couat CN Centre by a combined score gars! of 27-9. The Rockets scored in the With four games left before their first minute and enjoyed a 2-0 lead mid-season Christmas break, it’s after one period. The consensus at difficult to assess the this point is here we go 2014-15 Prince George again, just how much Cougars. will Kelowna win by Just when one thinks this time? the Cougars are a comThen the good Coupetitive middle of the gars showed up with pack team with potential, four unanswered goals they give an uninspiring in the second and with dumbfounding perforgoalie Ty Edmonds mance. On the other and a strong penalty hand, when one believes kill leading the way, it’s the same old Couthe Cats held on for HART BEAT gars, in a turtle derby the upset 4-3 victory, a HARTLEYMILLER game televised throughto avoid the basement, they deliver a fired-up out Western Canada. energetic masterpiece. Like many The next night in Kamloops (they teams searching for an identity, the lost two weeks earlier there 5-2), the Cougars on some nights look like a Cougars spoiled the Blazers Teddy bottom feeder and on other nights Bear toss game and won 6-3. The they compete admirably against the team returned home for their Teddy best of the WHL. Bear toss game and before 4,800 fans Yes, a team that has hovered won for the third time in five days around the .500 mark all season 4-3 over the Saskatoon Blades. will have many teeter-totter type of Here’s a closer look at the good stretches as the Cats can attest. Cougars and bad Cougars: Recently, the bad Cougars looked lethargic losing back to back home Good: Winning road record of 7-6 ice games one week apart to the ReBad: Just a .500 home record of gina Pats and Prince Albert Raiders, 9-9 a 5-2 score in both encounters. Good: Sitting in a playoff spot and After some soul searching, the third in BC Division Cougars moved on to Kelowna to Bad: Worst penalty kill and fourth
Mat work
Allan WISHART/Free Press Jeremy Derksen of Prince George Secondary works to turn Jayden Michalchuk of Nechako Valley onto his back during a bout at a high-school wrestling tournament at PGSSS on Saturday. Derksen won the bout, and finished third in his division.
worst power play in the WHL Good: Six points ahead of last season’s pace after 31 games Bad: Most penalized team in the league Good: Two seasonhigh winning streaks of four games Bad: Two season-
NEED EXTRA CASH?
Call today! 250-564-0005
The Prince George Free Press has a paper route in your area
high losing streaks of four games Good: 8-0 in onegoal games Bad: They have been outscored 127-98 Good: 16-0 when allowing three or less goals Bad: 0-15 when allowing four or more goals
against the Chiefs: Saturday in Spokane and Tuesday and Wednesday at CN Centre. They beat the Chiefs 6-2 in the previous meeting October 4 in Spokane. Yes, the Cougars are on a mini roll having won three straight, but trying to forecast game to game is more difficult than predicting the stock market on a day-to-day basis. However, with the pendulum swinging in all directions, it makes the season long journey intriguing. The most predictable aspect of the 2014-2015 Cougars is that they are unpredictable. If the Cougars stay compelling, this can be interpreted as being relevant to many local fans, which in itself is a big victory.
In addition, the Cougars are 7-4 combined against Kamloops (3-1) and Vancouver (4-3). If they can continue to stay ahead of both of these teams, the Cats would place no worse than third in the B.C. Division and a likely first-round playoff date against the Victoria Royals. Of course, this is getting far too ahead of ourselves with the half-way mark not here yet. The Cougars play tonight (Friday) in Everett as they face the U.S. Division leading Silvertips for the first time this season. Then, it’s three in a row
From The Quote Rack: Rumors have it that Tim Tebow is now dating one of the Duggars (19 kids and counting) daughters. Which
means the former NFL QB still isn’t scoring. A Hawaii football announcer has apologized for referring to Fresno as the “armpit of America.” As well he should have. Everyone knows that’s New Jersey. Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California (www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com) Lindsey Vonn returned to competitive skiing in Alberta while boyfriend Tiger Woods returned to competitive golf in Florida. Of the two, Tiger is going downhill faster. Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the Goat. He also writes for hqprincegeorge.com. Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to hmiller@ thegoatrocks.ca Follow him on twitter: @Hartley_Miller
Ext. 103 Ask for Roy
1773 South Lyon Street
Delivery days are Fridays by 5:30 pm
www.CustomStitchPG.com 1.800.616.1338
TOLL FREE
Prince George - SPORTS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
29
Pochiro gets bears flying Veteran leads Cougars to win on Teddy Bear Toss Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com
The Zach Attack brought a blizzard of bears at the CN Centre on Tuesday night. Zach Pochiro scored a shorthanded goal with less than a minute to go in the first period for the Prince George Cougars, and thousands of teddy bears hit the ice. It was the annual Teddy Bear Toss game, with all the bears going to the Salvation Army for distribution to those in need for Christmas. The Cougars won the game against the Saskatoon Blades 4-3, with Pochiro also getting what proved to be the game-winning goal and adding an assist. On the post-game radio show, Pochiro talked about the first goal. “I saw Chase (Witala) step up with the puck. I didn’t see Joe (Carvalho), but I heard him.” Witala dropped the puck back to Carvalho, who found Pochiro in open ice. “I was wide open on the backdoor side and got the shot off. “It was amazing to see the fans all jumping up.” The goal came while the Cougars were killing off a five-minute kneeing penalty to Sam Ruopp, who also received a game misconduct. Coach Mark Holick said losing Ruopp so early meant more work for the rest of the defencemen. “I think there were a few nerves with some of the younger players about having to step up and play more minutes. It’s tough to lose your captain and one of your best defencemen that early, but we stuck with it.” Holick and Pochiro agreed the players seemed to have a slightly different mentality about offensive-zone play before the teddybear goal was scored. “Everybody wants to score it,” Pochiro said. “Guys were maybe shooting more than they normally would. “After I got the goal, we all kind of settled down.” Holick had also noticed the change in style. “There wasn’t a lot of
Thelma She is a gorgeous domestic medium haired, black and white beauty with a wonderful personality. She is 3 years old and still acts very much like a kitten, as she loves to spend most of her time playing with the other kittens. If you are interested in this pet, please contact the North Cariboo BC SPCA at 250.562.5511 or visit us at: 4011 Lansdowne Road • northcariboo@spca.bc.ca This message brought to you by
Dr. C Murdoch Dr. J McConnell Dr. T Machell Allan WISHART/Free Press Prince George Cougars goalie Ty Edmonds looks to make a pokecheck on Sam McKechnie of the Saskatoon Blades during the first period of Tuesday’s game at the CN Centre.
puck movement when we got the puck in their end. Everybody was shooting. “There was a sense of relief on the bench when we got the goal.” And while the Cougars won their third straight to move over .500 for the season, Holick wasn’t thrilled with the overall play. “We didn’t execute at as high a percentage as we wanted. I think we also took too many penalties.” Two of Saskatoon’s goals came on their seven powerplays, while Pochiro’s second goal came with the Cougars on one of their four powerplays. The current winning streak started on the weekend with wins in Kelowna and Kamloops. Holick said he had noticed a change in the team after last week. “I’ve seen a change in emotion. Kelowna (a 4-3 win) was arguably our best game of the season, and we carried that into Kamloops (a 6-3 win). “Tonight, we played well enough to win.” Pochiro now has 11 points in eight games since rejoining the Cougars from Anchorage of the East Coast Hockey League. Before the weekend, Holick shuffled the forward lines, putting Pochiro with Witala and David Soltes. Pochiro said the line has worked well.
“Chase and David are pure goal scorers. I just try to get them the puck in good places. Chase is so good with the puck, I get him the puck and then find an open spot so he can get it back to me. David has a great one-timer, so I try to give him passes in his wheelhouse so he can get away the quick shot. “I hadn’t noticed, but we’re putting up a lot of points.” Pochiro said he wasn’t trying to score goals, looking to be more of
a leader for the team. Holick said it’s a role he’s filling well. “He’s a big help on the bench and in the dressing room. A year ago, he was maybe the one who needed calming down. “Now, he’s like an extension of the coaching staff in the dressing room.” The win Tuesday also moved the Cougars to a perfect 16-0 when they limit the opponent to three goals or fewer. Holick said that’s some-
thing he’s been preaching all season. “It’s a race to three for us, and the guys are starting to get it.” The Cougars are on a short Washington trip this weekend, playing in Everett tonight (Friday) and Spokane on Saturday before coming back to face Spokane in games on Dec. 16 and 17 to wrap up the preChristmas portion of the schedule.
Compassionate Care for Quality of Life Servicing Cats, Dogs and Horses
Have a purrfect holiday!!
Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30am-5:30pm Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm
250.963.9898
24-Hour Emergency Call www.murdochvet.com 2933 Gunn Rd. Pr Geo. V2N 2H8
More Ways
Sunday - 2 Services 9:30am and 11:15am
Doors open at 9:15am “Where the nations and generations worship, connect, & work together”
Than Ever to Connect With Customers The same local newspaper that has offered your business broader reach than any other advertising vehicle for years now gives you access to more potential customers than ever before with new print and online offerings. Statistics show that across platforms, 7 out of 10 adults access content from newspapers each week. To put this powerful combination to work for your business, contact your sales rep or call 250-564-0005 #115 today.
2055 20th Avenue, Prince George
(250) 563-1003 www.gatewaychristianministries.com
www.pgfreepress.com
30
Prince George - SPORTS - Free Press
Friday, December 12, 2014
www.pgfreepress.com
Speedskaters nail down Games berths Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com Choices can have repercussions. For the Hiller siblings of the Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club, their choices helped determine who will represent B.C. at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George in February. Both Nicolas and Carolina Hiller ended up qualifying for the Winter Games in both short
NEW BALANCE/RUN BIKES 1659 Nicholson St
250-563-4828
Daytime Fun Call by Dec. 14 Deadline to Register
CURLERS WANTED
SENIOR LEAGUE OF 50 YEARS+ CURLERS CURL TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS Individuals of all abilities welcome. Free Lessons Available
Register at PGG&CC or phone 250-563-0357
R U N • S K I • S W I M • A P PA R E L
Children & Adult Ski Packages Available!
Gift Certificates
Stride & Glide S
P
O
R
T
S
1655A 15th Ave. Prince George (Across from Parkwood Mall) www.strideandglide.ca • 1-866-612-4754 • 250-612-4754
Allan WISHART/Free Press Members of the Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club were among those testing the ice at the Outdoor Ice Oval on Saturday as it opened for the new season. Unfortunately, due to the warm weather, the oval closed again Monday morning.
trials. “As well, some of the race results from the Canada Cup were put into the Winter Games qualifying process.” In the Canada Games trials races, Nico Hiller ended up first overall, Young was 10th and Dalla Lana 11th on the boys’ side. In the girls’ races, Lina Hiller was third, Thew eighth and Aucoin
11th. Those results qualified both Hillers for spots on the 10-member Team BC for long track at the Games. For Lucas Hiller, the Canada Cup races were not as friendly, Ingle says. “He missed the first day because he was stuck in Lake Louise when the vehicle he and his mom were in
broke down.” When he got to Fort Sr. John, Hiller finished 19th in the first 1000m race and 25th in the second, as well as 22nd in the 500m. “He missed a couple of his races because of the vehicle problems,” Ingle said, “and decided not to skate a couple of others because he wasn’t feeling ready to skate.”
The results mean the two Hillers are on Team BC for long track and are joined as northern B.C. representatives by Jacob Graham of Dawson Creek. On the short track team, Alison Desmarais of Vanderhoof, who trains in Prince George, and Callie Swan of the Blizzard will represent the province in February.
Biathletes aim for spots at worlds and Canada Games
s cate or ts Sp ide as tm & Gl de y Chris Stri Str ideMerr & Gli cates de Spo Merry rts Chr istm as Str id e Mer & G Str ry lid cate id Chr e s istm Spo M e& er ry G as rts Ch lide cate rist Sp s ma or s ts
Snow Shoe Sales, Rentals and Service
track and long track speed skating. The two sports are being held in the same week of the Games, so both had to decide which event they would skate in. Both of them chose to skate long track, which meant spots on both the boys’ and girls’ short track tams opened up for skaters who had just missed qualifying earlier. The long track qualifying event was held the last weekend in November in Fort St. John, in conjunction with the first races in the Canada Cup series. Blizzard coach Adam Ingle said it was confusing at times figuring out who was skating in what. “Some of the skaters were just there for the Canada Cup, like Lucas Hiller, who is too old for the Canada Winter Games. Others, like Nico and Lina, were skating in both the Canada Cup and the Winter Games trials. We also had four skaters – Landon Young, Samuel Dalla Lana, Samara Thew and Morgan Aucoin – who were just skating for the Canada Games
Sarah Beaudry had to skip a biathlon race in Canmore, Alta. on the weekend but she had a good reason. She had to catch a flight to Austria for her first World Cup race, scheduled for today. Before she left the NorAm event, Beaudry won the 7.5 km junior women sprint in the World Youth Junior Championship trials, as well as the same race in the regular meet. There was a lot on the line for the athletes on the weekend, although not so much for Beaudry. She had already qualified for the worlds, based
on her bronze medal at last year’s Junior Championships in Maine. With the worlds being held in Belarus in February, however, there was a good chance that anyone who qualified for the worlds would not be at the Canada Winter Games, to be held in Prince George at the same time. That could include two other Prince George biathletes, as both Emily Dickson and Arthurr Roots were also aiming for spots on the world championship team, as well as spots on Team BC for the Canada Winter Games. Dickson won her world champi-
onship sprint event in youth women, as well as the regular sprint event and also finished third in the mass start event. Roots was sixth in the sprint in the trials, and finished fifth in the 10 km mass start and eighth in the 10 km sprint for junior men. Some of the racers were moving up an age category to attempt to qualify for the Canada Winter Games. As well, Team BC competed under a wax protocol, where a team waxed all the skis exactly the same the day before each race. This is done so the performances of the athletes are
Cover the North! Carrier delivered to over 28,000 homes and businesses in Prince George
reflected more than a choice of wax. Biathlon BC has indicated the team which will represent B.C. at the Canada Winter Games will be named early next week. Other regional athletes who were not competing for spots at the world championships included Matthew Neumann (Prince George), who finished fourth in the men’s mass start 15 km race and third in the 10 km sprint, and Anni Kurta (Quesnel), who won the 7.5 km senior girls’ individual race and was fourth in the 6 km sprint.
Target your market or total market coverage!
Call one of our professional advertising consultants to plan your next ad campaign! Anne Kiteley
Penny Brown
Alex McIntosh
250-564-0005
Prince George - SPORTS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
Kings miss chance for sweep Team misses early breakaways, splits with Chiefs
? ?
Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com Chances. On Friday night, the Prince George Spruce Kings took them, and beat the visiting Chilliwack Chiefs 5-2. On Saturday, they didn’t, and lost 6-3. That was how coach Dave Dupas summed up the weekend. “On Friday, we scored on the chances we had. On Saturday, we had about five breakaways in the first period, and didn’t bury them.� Chilliwack goalie David Poirier made some good saves to keep the Kings off the board. Then halfway through the second period in a 1-1 game, the Chiefs scored twice in 20 seconds to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Even after the Kings fell behind, Dupas was happy with the way they played. “They continued to work hard. We’re still really shorthanded with injuries.� The split of the series left the Kings three points behind the Chiefs at the top of the Main-
Are you new to Prince George?
Have you delivered a baby in the last 3 months? Or know someone who is pregnant?
Call: Leandra Hooker-Armstrong
1-844-299-2466
welcomewagonpg@hotmail.com
Allan WISHART/Free Press Players from the Prince George Spruce Kings in white and Chilliwack Chiefs seem to be lined up waiting for a chance at a loose puck Saturday night at the Coliseum.
land Division of the BCHL. “We have to try to stay as close as we can right now,� Dupas said, “through all the injuries. “But we can’t keep playing like this, because it puts a lot of pressure on the guys who are left.� The Kings were also a little more shorthanded this week in practice, as three members of the team were in Calgary, trying out for the Canada West team which will compete in the World Junior A
Challenge in Kindersley, Sask. starting Dec. 14. Goalie Jesse Jenks and forwards Brogan O’Brien and Viktor Dombrovskiy were at the camp, and Dupas isn’t sure when they’ll be back. “Jesse and Viktor were both on the team last year, so there’s a good chance they’ll make it again. This is Brogan’s first year at the camp.� Dombrovskiy was the lone Spruce King to make the team. The Kings wrap up a stretch which saw them play 11 of 12
games at the Coliseum when they host Merritt tonight (Friday) and Cowichan Valley on Saturday. The Saturday game is also the team’s annual Drop the Gloves and Knock Off Their Socks night, where fans are asked to bring gifts of socks and winter gloves and throw them on the ice when the Kings score their first goal. There will also be boxes set up for donations of nonperishable items for local food banks.
Cariboo Cougars take care of business against Blazers Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com The top team in the B.C. Major Midget League played the bottom team on the weekend, and the results were not a surprise. The league-leading Cariboo Cougars downed the Thompson Blazers by scores of 11-0 on Saturday and 5-1 on Sunday to stay on top. Cougars coach Trevor Sprague said the biggest thing for his team on the weekend was the way they won. “We were sticking to our game plan in both games,� he said. “That’s the biggest thing for us right now, getting ready for the Mac’s.� The Cougars will once again be taking part in the Mac’s International Midget Tournament, starting on Boxing Day in Calgary. Sprague said the biggest difference between the two games was the play of
Blazers goalie Alex Anagnostopoulos in the Sunday game. “We had almost 70 shots. Their goalie made some outstanding saves.� He also noted a couple of the Cougars who had solid weekends. “Joel Patsey keeps getting better every game. Conor MacEachern played probably his best weekend of the season. He was doing what we wanted him to do, playing physical.� The Cougars had balanced scoring throughout the weekend, another thing Sprague says will be important going forward. A look at the BCMML standings shows the Cougars on top with 39 points, six ahead of the Okanagan Rockets and nine ahead of the Vancouver NW Giants. The Rockets received credit for a forfeit win over the Greater Vancouver Canadians in the latest standings, while the Giants had a forfeit loss to the Canadians added to their total.
ASSMAN’S FUNERAL CHAPEL A FULL CHOICE FUNERAL CENTRE
www.assmansfuneralchapel.com 1908 Queensway St. 250-564-4431
Remember them R with Respect, Love, & Dignity L Dignity Memorial Providers /( , &-5R5 , ' .#)(5R5 )(/' (.Full Service ‌ One Call
Preplan your funeral and put your mind at ease. ∙ National Network ∙ Dignity Memorial Funeral & Cremation Plans ∙ 100% Service Guarantee ∙ Bereavement Travel Program
∙ National Transferability of Prearranged Services ∙ Grief Management Library ∙ 24 Hour Compassion Helpline ∙ MeM.com (Internet Memorials)
www.DignityMemorial.com
“The forfeits are for mistakes in the paperwork,� Sprague said. “It involves not making sure an Affiliated Player is eligible to play and has all the proper releases.� This weekend, the Cougars finish an eight-game homestand when they host the North Island Silvertips. The Silvertips are third from bottom in the 11-team BCMML, but Sprague is taking nothing for granted. “They’re a good young hockey team, and they’ll be a good test for us.� He said once again, the Cougars will be working on playing their game. “We have to play the hockey we need to play, and have respect for the teams we play. “We slipped on that earlier this year, when we beat South Island 7-2 the first game, and then they came out and beat us 7-3 in the second game. We haven’t seen that again, and we don’t want to.� Game times are 7:15 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 8 at Kin 1.
Welcome Wagon has information and gifts to present on these occasions. Visits are done by appointment Northern Region & Surrounding Area Call: 1.844.299.2466 www.welcomewagon.ca
CHECK YOUR VISIONS FLYER
inside today’s edition!
Y WL D NE VATE NO RE • microwave in room • highspeed internet
LAMPLIGHTER MOTEL
• 31 modern units • air-conditioned • satellite TV • direct dial phone • sauna & whirlpool • jacuzzi suites • in-room coffee & fridge • coin laundry • seniors rates www.lamplighter.kamloops.com
For Reservations Call Toll Free 1-800-563-7401 Golf & Ski Packages Available
E-mail: lamplighter31@hotmail.com
1901 East Trans-Canada Highway, Kamloops Phone: 250-372-3386 • Fax: 250-372-8740 Select Canada +++ BC Accommodation
Rooms from
59
$
00 +tax
Based on single occupancy. Must present coupon. Offer expires March, 2015
For news and updates, check us out online at www.rdffg.bc.ca 155 George Street, Prince George, BC V2L 1P8 Telephone: (250) 960-4400, Toll Free 1-800-667-1959 Fax (250) 563-7520, Web: www.rdffg.bc.ca
31
32
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, December 12, 2014
250.564.0005 | sports@pgfreepress.com | www.pgfreepress.com
SPORT IS ON A ROLL
Jenna HAUCK/Black Press The Rated PG RollerGirls (orange) go up against Tournament City Derby Dolls (Kamloops) in a game during Day of Derby in celebration of Sports Day in Canada on Nov. 29. The event was hosted by NWO Roller Girls at the Landing Sports Centre in Chilliwack.
Rated PG RollerGirls play Day of Derby
First-time event in Chilliwack marked national Day of Sport Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com A dozen local roller-derby players were in Chilliwack on Nov. 29 for a Day of Derby. “”It’s the first time they’ve done this,” said Kathy Klyne, who skates under the name Katt Van Doom. “That was Sports Day in Canada, so it seemed like a good day to
have a Day of Derby.” As the first event of the season, it wasn’t a full-fledged derby. “The bouts were just 30 minutes long,” Van Doom said. “There was also a limbo contest and a high-jump contest – wearing skates, of course.” Prince George skater Sofa King Fast won the high-jump event. Van Doom said it was a good way to ease
into the season. “We had four bouts, and we won three of them. They had teams there from the Lower Mainland, Powell River, Nanaimo and Kamloops, so it was a good turnout.” This Sunday, Dec. 14, the Rated PG RollerGirls will host a Christmas party of their own at the Roll-A-Dome, called Wreck the Halls. “It’s a Christmas scrimmage,” Van Doom
said. “We’ve invited skaters from Quesnel and Terrace to join us, but we’re not sure how many of them will make it.” Wreck the Halls runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 14. Admission is $5 or a nonperishable food item. The first event of the new year for the RollerGirls will be Jan. 17, when they hold their annual Sk8fest, which gives the rookies their first taste of action.
Don’t get le out in the cold – GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! Tickets and passes available. Ne manquez pas votre chance – PROCUREZ VOUS VOS BILLETS AUJOURD’HUI! Les billets et laissez-passer sont disponibles.
AVAILABLE AT EN VENTE SUR
TICKETMASTER.CA