Foodie Friday
Manpreet Kaur and Badhri Narayanan
Unexplained difference of 13 cents in B.C., Washington gas prices: inquiry
Laura KANE The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER — An inquiry into British Columbia’s high gas prices says there’s an unexplained difference of 13 cents per litre between Metro Vancouver and Seattle that is costing drivers on the Canadian side of the border nearly $500 million a year.
Wholesale prices in southern B.C. are set based on those in the Pacific Northwest of the United States because it is a nearby region and a similar price is considered justifiable, B.C. Utilities Commission CEO David Morton said Friday. However, the commission found that even after accounting for transportation costs and higher B.C. fuel standards, Metro Vancouver drivers are still paying more than those in Washington.
“The higher price differentials cannot be explained by economic theory or justified by known factors in the market, nor can the panel find a specific trigger in 2015 that would explain the beginning of this disconnect,” Morton said at a news conference.
Premier John Horgan called the public inquiry in May as prices reached a record-breaking $1.70 per litre. It was asked to explore factors influencing gas and diesel prices, not including taxes, since 2015 and actions the province could take.
Morton said some things have changed, including higher crude prices, the Trans Mountain pipeline’s capacity constraints and higher costs for retailers.
But prior to 2015, Metro Vancouver drivers paid five cents a litre more than Seattle drivers.
Wholesale prices in northern B.C. are based on Edmonton prices and drivers in that part of the province pay six cents more a litre, he added.
Morton said B.C.’s wholesale market is not truly competitive because a small number of wholesalers control distribution and have the ability to influence prices.
In the retail market, companies including Parkland Fuel Corp., Suncor Energy, Shell Canada and Husky Energy have greater direct control over pricing in B.C. compared with the Canadian average, he said.
“There’s no evidence to suggest collusion among the retail operators exists nor is there evidence of cartel behaviour.
However, the panel refrained from suggesting that the B.C. retail market is performing optimally,” Morton said.
“Rather, we observed that prices move up and down in a manner that gives the appearance of a functioning competitive market. But it’s also possible this pricing behaviour is choreographed.”
B.C.’s refineries have been operating at capacity since 2015 and it appears the amount of storage is not a factor in prices, he said.
The Trans Mountain pipeline changed its allocation that year to increase crude oil and reduce gasoline shipped to Metro Vancouver, he said, but more capacity would not guarantee a price reduction.
“Even if cheaper gasoline from Alberta was available, as long as pricing is based on the Pacific Northwest spot price, customers would not see the benefits of that.”
Morton said the province could consider encouraging more refinery capacity, but it would be challenging given that gas and diesel demand is projected to decline. Another option would be regulations to reduce the price differential.
Jobs, Trade and Technology Minister Bruce Ralston said the report provides “significant evidence” to support the
view that price gouging exists in the market.
“An oligopoly is a word that is not used very frequently, but it means a state of limited competition in which a market is dominated by a small number of producers,” he said.
The Canadian Fuels Association said the report highlights a number of factors that contribute to B.C. price fluctuations, including increased reliance on fuel imports.
“While price regulation can moderate price fluctuations, it can also have unintended consequences. We recommend that B.C. consult with price-regulated jurisdictions to understand the real market impacts. In our view, markets work best without interference.”
Peter Milobar, a Liberal who represents Kamloops-North Thompson in the legislature, said the inquiry should have been allowed to consider the impacts of provincial taxes.
“Horgan and the NDP dragged their feet with a sham review that was barred from looking at the impact of their policies and taxation on the costs of fuel. John Horgan insisted high gas prices were due to industry collusion and this review has proven him wrong.”
Federal Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said expanding the Trans Mountain pipeline could help reduce prices, despite Morton’s comments to the contrary.
“The lack of supply – whether that’s lack of refined product in the pipeline or it’s lack of refined product that’s being produced by the Parkland refinery – can have an impact on prices,” Wilkinson said. “Certainly in that context, having additional capacity in an expanded pipeline may be useful.”
— With files from Brenna Owen
Potato Festival back at Huble Homestead
Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff chinzmann@pgcitizen.ca
It’s that time of the year where fall is in the air, sweaters are coming out of the closet and Huble Homestead is hosting its annual Potato Festival Sunday and Monday.
Not only will guests at the homestead be able to show off their peeling prowess during contests, create their own Mr. Potato Head, participate in the potato sack races and engage in a lively game of hot potato, they can also indulge in eating hot potatoes in the form of French fries, potato pancakes and soup offered at the General Store.
Annie Huble grew potatoes more than 100 years ago and staff and volunteers at the site have done the same, giving visitors a chance to purchase 10 home-grown varieties of heirloom potatoes, along with other vegetables grown in the garden like beets and turnips.
“We’ve got two days packed full of potatothemed fun,” Krystal Leason, executive director at Huble Homestead/Giscome Portage Heritage Society, said. “We’ve got lots of games, races and contests going on.”
There’s always many demonstrations scheduled throughout the day.
“We’ll do ice cream making, of course, we’ve got butter making, the blacksmith will be there and we’ll have someone out there working on the treadle wood lathe, which is essentially a wood lathe but he has to push a pedal to make it work,” Leason said.
“It’s really interesting to watch him do it. We also have a staff member who learned how to make jam this summer and will make some jam as one of her demos.”
The real star of the event will always be the mighty spuds which were just harvested. It’s always a mystery how many potatoes will be grown but this year the plants in the expanded garden look very hearty which makes the experienced vegetable gardeners at the site hopeful for a plentiful harvest to share with guests of the site. — see ‘WE WOULD, page 3
Open auditions for Nutcracker cast
Citizen staff
There’s an open casting call as Judy Russell Presents The Nutcracker in a co-production with the Prince George Symphony from December 15 to 22.
All community dancers are invited to audition for this classic performance.
Those who are cast must be available for all rehearsals and performances.
Auditions will be held at Enchainement Dance Centre, 3540 Opie Crescent on Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. for children who will be ages six and seven during 2019, and have one full year of ballet
training. For children ages eight and nine, with minimum two years of ballet training, the audition is at 10:30. For children from 10 to 12 years, with a minimum of three years of ballet training, the audition is at 11 a.m.
For those 13 and up, soft shoe, including adults who would like to be considered to perform in scenes other than the act one party scene only, the audition is set for 11:30 a.m.
At 12:15 p.m. there are auditions for those 13 and up for those with pointe shoes only, with a minimum of two year ballet training en pointe.
Audition candidates must be dressed in classical attire. Girls’ hair must be in a low classical bun. Suitable attire is pink tights and simple body suit. No shorts or unitards.
Boys’ hair must be off the face and if long may be in a ponytail or bun.
Suitable attire is shirt and tights or straight leg dance pants. Proper footwear is soft ballet slippers and Pointe shoes for dancers wishing to audition in the pointe category.
Adults interested in performing in the 2019 presentation may apply by email to Nutcrackerpg@ gmail.com.
Use caution with fire this weekend
Citizen staff
Even though most of the prov-
ince has been doused with rain recently, wildfire season is still here. When spending time outdoors during the Labour Day long weekend people are being asked to be cautious while doing anything that could spark a wildfire.
Human caused fires are preventable and can take valuable resources away from naturally occurring fires already burning.
“I hope that all British Columbians can enjoy the Labour Day long weekend with friends and family,” Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development said. “While this fire season hasn’t been as active as the past two summers, we still need everyone to remain vigilant and act responsibly.”
People are urged to take the following precautions to help prevent wildfires:
Campfires:
• Campfires are currently allowed in all areas of the province that fall under the BC Wildfire Service’s jurisdiction. People should check with local governments and other authorities (e.g., BC Parks) to see if they have any burning restrictions or bylaws in effect.
• Campfires must not be larger than 0.5 metres high or 0.5 metres wide.
• Never light a campfire or keep it burning in windy conditions. Weather can change quickly and wind may carry embers to other combustible material.
• Maintain a fireguard around the campfire. This is a fuel-free area where all flammable materials (grass, leaves, kindling, etc.) have been removed right down to the soil.
• Never leave a campfire unattended.
• Have a shovel or at least eight litres of water available to properly
extinguish a campfire.
• Make sure ashes are cool to the touch before retiring for the night or leaving the area for any length of time.
Additional precautions:
• Anyone riding an all-terrain vehicle or dirt bike on Crown land must have a spark arrestor installed on the vehicle. Check the condition of the muffler, regularly clear buildups of grass or other vegetation from hot spots, stay on dirt paths and avoid tall grass and weeds to help reduce wildfire risks.
• Smokers must dispose of cigarette butts and other smoking materials responsibly, ensuring that those materials are completely extinguished and disposed of properly.
The government’s conservation officers conduct regular patrols throughout British Columbia. Anyone found in contravention of an open-burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, may be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000, or, if convicted in court, may be fined up to $100,000 and/ or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
This year April 1 through Aug. 28, the BC Wildfire Service responded to 696 wildfires throughout the province, with 57 per cent of those fires caused by people.
More than 21,141 hectares have been burned in B.C. since April 1. To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open-burning violation, call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1-888 3-FOREST or visit www.bcwildfire. ca.
Trudeau should be charged with obstruction of justice, poll takers say
Citizen staff
During the last Citizen online poll we asked “Should the RCMP investigate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for obstruction of justice after the ethics commissioner found Trudeau violated the Conflict of Interest Act in the SNCLavalin affair?”
“Yes, the prime minister is not above the law,” got 606 of the online votes, which is 45 per cent, while “Yes, we need to know the truth before the election,” took 32 per cent, which is 421 votes, com-
ing in with significantly less votes next was “No, Trudeau was trying to save jobs,” with 14 per cent and 189 votes, while “No, this would unfairly influence the election,” took nine per cent and 120 votes. There was a total of 1,336 votes. Remember this is not a scientific poll. Next question said “A report this week says B.C. is selling less legal cannabis than every province except P.E.I.” and asked “Where are you getting your pot from?” To make your vote count visit www.pgcitizen.ca.
Trudeau, Vancouver mayor talk housing
VANCOUVER (CP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted his government’s record on some of the most sensitive issues facing Vancouver as he met with Mayor Kennedy Stewart. Trudeau said before the meeting that government investments have resulted in the building, refurbising and creation of more homes for more people. On the opioid crisis, Trudeau says he recognizes the extraor-
dinary tragedy that it represents for communities, families and individuals. He says his government has invested in assistance for front-line responders, changed pharmaceutical regulations, provided help for doctors and supported safe-consumption sites. Stewart thanked the prime minister and his government for the “record investments” in the city and said he looks forward to working with him.
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
Kate McGowan as Clara/Snow Queen leads dancers in a rehearsal for The Nutcracker in 2017. The classic ballet will be presented again this year and there is an open casting call for performers.
Warriors against cancer
Mayor Lyn Hall will be acknowledged the Wheelin’ Warriors of the North for their participation in last weekend’s Ride To Conquer Cancer. The 2019 team of 81 riders
to raise over $207,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation this year, which helps support the BC Cancer Agency of the North. The group of riders rode 230 km in The Ride to Conquer Cancer, cycling from Cloverdale to Hope. The group shows the total raised over the last five years of $958,774.14.
Weekend weather should be pleasant, not hot
Ted CLARKE Citizen staff
tclarke@pgcitizen.ca
It’s the last official long weekend of summer and there’s a mixed bag of weather in store for Prince George.
The good news is there’s no snow in the forecast. That means campers, walkers, runners, bikers, archers, tennis/pickleball players, gardeners and anybody who ventures outdoors can get active without freezing or getting drenched, at least until Sunday night.
After a pleasant start to the weekend Friday, expect cloudy skies all day today with the high temperature of 20 C. No rain is expected. According to Environment Canada, after an overnight low of 7 C, the sun will break through the clouds on Sunday and the mercury should climb to a high of 18 C, but showers are expected at night (a 30 per cent chance) with the low dipping to 11 C. Monday is forecast to be the best day of the Labour Day weekend
with sun shining all day and a high expected to reach 21 C.
Summer weather will be sticking around the rest of the week and it will be getting progressively warmer with nothing but sunshine and predicted highs of 24 C on Tuesday, 25 C on Wednesday and 25 C on Thursday. If you’re looking for something to do around town, the Prince George Auto Racing Association is hosting its annual hit-to-pass demolition derby weekend tonight (starting at 6 p.m.) and on Sunday (starting at 1 p.m.). PGARA Speedway is located north of the airport off Acheson Road.
The Silvertip Archers are hosting the B.C. Outdoor Target Archery Championships at their outdoor range off Highway 16 a few kilometres east of the city today (10 a.m. start) and Sunday (9 a.m. start). Spectators are welcome.
On Sunday, watch out for runners in and around Canada Games Plaza. They’ll be competing in the 46th annual Labour Day Classic
road race, hosted by the Prince George Road Runners. Runners will be chasing medals in several categories, including the 17-mile run, 8.5-mile run, 8.5-mile walk, 8.5-mile wheelchair, five-kilometre run and one-kilometre kids fun run. The race starts at 9 a.m. at Canada Games Plaza.
Rain or shine, a visit to the Ancient Forest, also known by its aboriginal name Chun T’oh Whudujut, is always worth the 113-kilometre drive east of Prince George off Highway 16. Today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. there’s a special event – Arts In the Park –planned for the old-growth cedar and sitka spruce forest.
Visitors who venture onto the path at the Ancient Forest will find local musicians and dancers tucked in the woods performing and artists – quilters, knitters, painters, sculptors, felters, basket weavers and wood turners – displaying their creative works of art.
Shuttle bus service is available from the CN Centre parking
lot leaving at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and retuning at 2:30 and 4 p.m.
There’s also a bus from McBride train station (103 km southeast of the forest) which leaves at 9:30 a.m. and returns at 2:30 p.m.
Lunch is available by donation to the Dome Creek Community Association while supplies last.
On Sunday, Northern Lights Estate Winery is offering free winery tours from 2-3:30 p.m. The winery is located along the Nechako River at 745 Prince George Pulpmill Rd.
Also on Sunday, the Caledonia Ramblers are leading a group hike to the Lepruchaun Ridge trail, 112 km east of the city. Hikers will meet at city hall at 8 a.m. and for a car pool fee of $10 will be driven to the trailhead. The 10-15 km hike is considered moderately strenuous with a climb which ranges from 600 to 900 metres. Hikers should bring insect repellant, sunscreen, waterproof boots and rain gear and carry plenty of water and a lunch. The hike takes six to eight hours.
‘We would like to extend special thanks to the Regional District’
— from page 1
“We would like to extend special thanks to the Regional District for a load of compost they provided and Niven Contracting for hauling it to the site and this event is supported once again by Northern Development and we’re really pleased to have their support,” Leason said.
Come early to get the best selection of vegetables.
Huble Homestead Historic Site is a 30 minute drive north of Prince George. Travel north on Highway 97, turn right on Mitchell Road to continue another six kilometres down a well-maintained dirt road.
Admission is by suggest donation of $10 per family. For more information visit www.hublehomestead.ca.
managed
Airbus pulls out of fighter-jet competition following complaints
Lee BERTHIAUME
The Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Canada’s multibillion-dollar effort to buy new fighter jets has taken another surprise turn with European aerospace giant Airbus announcing it has withdrawn from the high-stakes competition.
Airbus Defence and Space, in partnership with the British government, was one of four companies expected to bid on the $19-billion contract to build 88 new fighter jets. They’re to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s aging CF-18s.
But in a statement Friday, Airbus said it had notified the Canadian government of its decision to withdraw its Eurofighter Typhoon for two reasons – both of which it had raised before the competition was formally launched in July.
The first relates to a requirement that bidders show how they plan to ensure their planes can integrate with the top-secret CanadaU.S. intelligence network known as “Two Eyes,” which is used to co-ordinate the defence of North America.
Meeting the requirement continues to place “too significant of a cost” on non-U.S. aircraft, said Airbus, which would have been required to show how it planned to integrate the Typhoon into the Two-Eyes system without knowing the system’s full technical details.
The second factor was the government’s decision to change a long-standing policy that requires bidders on military contracts to legally commit to invest as much money in Canadian products and operations as they get out of contracts they win.
With the new process, bidders can instead establish “industrial targets,” lay out a plan for achieving those targets and sign nonbinding agreements promising to make all efforts to achieve them.
Such bids do suffer penalties when the bids are scored but are no longer rejected outright.
That change followed U.S. complaints the previous policy violated an agreement Canada signed in 2006 to become one of nine partner countries in developing the F-35. The agreement says companies in partner countries will compete for work.
In its statement, Airbus said the new approach “does not sufficiently value the binding commitments the Typhoon Canada package was willing to make, and which were one of its major points of focus.”
Airbus is the second company to pull its fighter jet from the competition after Dassault withdrew its Rafale last November. That leaves Lockheed Martin’s F-35, Boeing’s Super Hornet and Sweden’s Saab Gripen in the running.
Boeing and Saab have both previously raised their own concerns about the changed industrialrequirement policy, arguing it will shortchange taxpayers and Canada’s aerospace and defence industry.
Despite its decision to withdraw, Airbus expressed appreciation to the public servants organizing the competition for their “commitment to transparency throughout
the last two years as well as the thoroughly professional nature of the competition.”
Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough came out in defence of the government’s approach to the fighter-jet competition following news of Airbus’s withdrawal, which included “adapting the economic-benefits approach to ensure the highest level of participation among suppliers.”
“Strong economic outcomes are a priority for this project,” Qualtrough said in a statement, “and we are confident that this investment will support the growth of Canada’s highly skilled workforce in the aerospace and defence industries for decades to come and create significant economic and industrial benefits right across the country.”
Companies are expected to submit their bids next winter, with a formal contract signed in 2022. The first plane won’t arrive until at least 2025. Successive federal government have been working to replace Canada’s CF-18s for more than a decade.
While meeting the Two-Eyes security requirements was always going to be a challenge for the non-U.S. companies, defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute said government officials had hoped Airbus would figure it out.
That is because the United Kingdom had already managed to integrate the Eurofighter Typhoon into Canada’s other major intelligence-sharing alliance, the FiveEyes partnership whose members include the U.K., the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
(The institute where Perry works, which is registered as a charity, receives funding from multiple sources. Those include the Department of National Defence, Boeing and Lockheed Martin.)
As for the changed industrial policy, Perry said there are legitimate complaints about how the government rolled it out only in recent months despite knowing for years that some accommodation would be needed to allow the F-35 to compete.
“The way that it happened was not something that sat very well with the other people who started out on the process on the understanding that the full (industrialrequirements) policy was going to be applied in this procurement,” he said. “That change happened quite late in the process.”
Conservative defence critic James Bezan, however, pointed to Airbus’s withdrawal as proof the Liberal government has mismanaged the fighter-jet file during its time in government, which included waiting four years to launch a promised competition.
“While other countries have selected fighter jets in under two years, (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau’s record on military procurement is one of delays and failures,” said Bezan.
The previous Conservative government announced a plan to buy F-35s without a competition in 2010, but backed off that plan two years later following questions and concerns about the stealth fighter’s costs and capabilities.
AP FILE PHOTO
German Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets participate in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission in Lithuania on April 25, 2017. Airbus Defence and Space, which makes the Typhoon, has withdrawn from the bidding process to replace Canada’s aging CF-18s.
addresses journalists during a news conference in Toronto, on Thursday.
Scheer’s position on abortion a shift, but not a surprise to some conservatives
Stephanie LEVITZ The Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Andrew Scheer’s promise to stop any efforts to revisit abortion laws could disappoint voters who had found comfort in having a political leader who shared their anti-abortion views, prominent leaders of that movement said Friday.
But, they said, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
“Andrew doesn’t want to be talking about this issue, but if he was clear about this issue he probably would never have won the Conservative leadership,” said Brad Trost, a Conservative MP who also ran to lead the party in 2017.
Scheer stated Thursday that he’d oppose any efforts to reopen the debate on abortion, a position not dissimilar to that of his predecessor, Stephen Harper.
But where many social conservatives never believed Harper personally cared about the issue, they did believe in Scheer, said Jack Fonseca, a spokesman for the influential anti-abortion group Campaign Life Coalition.
“People expected more from Andrew Scheer because he’s always been a pro-life MP in the past and he’s voted accordingly, he’s got an unblemished parliamentary voting record on family issues,” Fonseca said.
That’s why, said Trost, so many of his own supporters went over to Scheer when Trost fell off the ballot in the leadership race. (The Saskatoon MP has since lost his Conservative nomination to provincial MLA Corey Tochor.)
Their support secured Scheer’s win, Trost pointed out, and now he’s in a bind.
Though he actively courted pro-life voters during the campaign, he had also
promised not to allow new bills restricting abortion to come forward.
“He was on both sides of the issue in the leadership race, so that caused a little bit of confusion,” Trost said.
“For political reasons he’s got a hard time clearing that up because he’s got to keep his coalition together.”
Alissa Golob, who is leading an effort to get 50 pro-life MPs elected this fall, said Scheer has no choice.
“I totally understand him, as a leader of a big-tent party, sticking to those lines,” she said. What matters is that MPs will still be able to bring forward bills on the issues, like abortion, that matter to them, Golob said.
But that Scheer also said he’d personally oppose those bills raises questions about how far he will let MPs go, said Fonseca.
“If by opposing it means he’s going to threaten his conservative MPs that ‘Hey, if you hope to ever get a cabinet appointment or a parliamentary-assistant position, you can kiss that goodbye if you don’t toe my party line here,’ if he’s going to do that, it’s a total betrayal and it’s terribly disappointing,” Fonseca said.
“That statement seems to suggest that’s a possibility and it’s even more of a possibility because we know that’s what Stephen Harper did.”
Harper had been crystal clear that any discussion of abortion, via members’ statements, motions, bills and the like, would not be tolerated. His strict edict on the subject caused a lot of grumbling on the backbenches that Scheer pledged to quiet as leader. Then he found himself forced into discussing abortion this week after one of his senior MPs, Alain Rayes, was
Calgary Tower still closed after elevator scare
The Canadian Press
CALGARY — One of Calgary’s most recognizable landmarks remains closed seven weeks after an elevator with eight people on board plunged several floors.
Aspen Properties, owner of the Calgary Tower, says it doesn’t have an update on repairs to the elevator at the popular tourist destination.
The agency that governs elevators in Alberta says the elevator is stuck in the same position it was in when it broke in July.
The Alberta Elevating Devices and Amusement Ride Safety Association says the car is held up in an area of the elevator shaft that is not easily accessible.
Aspen Properties’ website says
300,000 people visit the 190-metre tower each year, paying for tickets, visiting the two restaurants and testing their courage on the glass floor.
It took firefighters four hours to rescue the eight people trapped inside the elevator when a cable broke July 12 and the car stopped about 12 storeys up.
Rescuers using a harness pulled passengers out of the disabled lift and lowered them to the ground.
Patrons in the restaurant at the top of the tower walked down the stairs or were carried by firefighters. No one was injured.
The Calgary Tower was built to celebrate Canada’s centennial anniversary in 1967. It was completed in 1968.
discovered to have been telling Quebec candidates that Tories would not be allowed to bring forward any bills or motions on abortion, which runs contrary to party policy.
That came as the Liberals were also circulating a 14-year-old video of a speech Scheer gave opposing same-sex marriage.
Fonseca said while Scheer accused the Liberals of trying to distract from their own record, there’s another consequence: annoying the usually rock-solid social conservatives who make up a large part of the party base.
“The trick here by the Liberals was to get him to self-inflict a mortal wound by coming out and sounding like he’s proabortion so that (social conservatives) throw their hands up in disgust and say, ‘I give up on the Conservative party and Andrew Scheer.’”
Enter Harper?
Nearly in tandem with Scheer’s wrapping up his press conference Thursday, the Tories began circulating a fundraising video featuring Harper going to bat for Scheer and the party.
Party officials said the video was filmed weeks ago, and was scheduled to go out this week to kickstart a final massive fundraising drive prior to the election campaign beginning in earnest.
But it could very well motivate Conservatives after a difficult week, said Rachel Curran, a former policy adviser to Harper.
For many Tories, Harper is still quite popular and one of their best fundraisers. “It’s not harmful to remind Conservatives why it’s important for them to win this election and Stephen Harper is a good messenger.”
Liberals drop candidate over anti-Semitic comments
Lina DIB The Canadian Press
OTTAWA — The Liberal Party of Canada turfed one of its Montreal-area candidates Friday after a Jewish advocacy group unearthed a series of old statements Guillet made on social media about Israel and U.S. foreign policy.
Hassan Guillet, a former imam whose sermon at the funeral of worshippers murdered at a Quebec City mosque attracted international attention, will no longer be the Liberal candidate in the riding of Saint-Leonard-Saint-Michel, the party announced. The Liberals said in a statement the comments made by Guillet, who is also an engineer, do not correspond to the party’s values.
“Justin Trudeau and the Liberal team are strongly opposed to anti-Semitic, hateful, racist, Islamophobic, homophobic, sexist remarks and any form of discrimination,” the party said.
“The Liberal Party condemns all forms of discrimination, and we always expect our candidates to do the same.”
Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith said Friday it uncovered “a pattern of disturbing anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements” made by the candidate on social media that have since been removed. In one of the comments, dated July 8, 2017, Guillet welcomed the release from prison of Raed Salah, whom the Jewish group described as a militant close to Hamas, which Canada lists as a terror group.
Guillet congratulated Salah on being freed from a “prison of occupied Palestine,” and prayed that he would one day succeed in liberating “all of Palestine.” He described Salah as a “resistance fighter” and a “jihadist.”
The Jewish group also found a since-deleted Facebook post from 2016, allegedly from Guillet, where he wrote “the Zionists control American politics.”
B’nai Brith brought attention to a 2017 interview with Radio-Canada International, in which the former imam accused Jared Kushner, the Jewish son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, of directing his administration to support an “Israel first” agenda.
Michael Mostyn, chief executive officer of B’nai Brith Canada, said, “the anti-Semitic tropes of ‘Zionists controlling governments’ and of ‘dual loyalty’ are two of the more abhorrent expressions of paranoid anti-Jewish conspiracy theories.”
Pinterest takes a step toward trust
How to explain that one of the most effective medical innovations of all time is experiencing a crisis of confidence? That’s the situation with vaccines, which save millions of lives every year and especially help children fight disease.
A tide of “vaccine hesitancy,” reluctance to get inoculated because of unfounded fears and misinformation, is rising in the United States and throughout the world.
The World Health Organization has identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the 10 most urgent public health challenges of this year.
The WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, pointed out recently that 20 million children worldwide simply lack access to vaccines because of war, weak primary health-care systems, poverty or unstable governments. But hesitancy among those who do have access is often the result
of misinformation on social media, which can spread quickly.
For example, last spring, panic spread among parents in Pakistan because of a scaremongering video on Twitter that showed children seemingly collapsing after getting an expired vaccine. The video was obviously fake, but the panic was not, and it forced the suspension of a national immunization campaign.
Social media has also been responsible for spreading misinformation about vaccines for measles, a highly contagious illness that can have serious complications. So far this year in the United States, there have been 1,215 individual cases of measles, mostly unvaccinated individuals, the highest number of cases since 1992.
Last year, Pinterest, the social media platform, disabled search for terms such as “vaccines” or “cancer cure” because it
realized the results were filled with misinformation.
The platform says it discovered that, online, “anti-vaccine content is contagious” – it spreads quickly because it is more accessible, more visually compelling and more widely spread than scientific data.
Now, the platform has taken a laudable step toward changing this dynamic.
On Aug. 28, Pinterest announced that it will provide information from only leading public health institutions, including the WHO, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the WHO-established Vaccine Safety Net,”a global network of websites providing reliable vaccine safety information.”
Moreover, it won’t show comments, recommendations or ads, so this is not just a case of displaying correct information next
YOUR LETTERS
Blame game begins, ends in the legislature
“It’s your fault.”
“No it’s not, it’s yours.”
“Stop bickering, why don’t we all just agree to blame it on the Speaker?”
“We can’t do that.” “Why not? It makes perfect sense and it gets us all off the hook at the same time.”
Interesting dynamics among some of its members. Two key ones are Sonia Furstenau and Mary Polak.
One could argue that Polak did more to bring about a new government in B.C. than the Speaker, Darryl Plecas, ever did when he opted to become Speaker to help keep the legislature working. Had it not been for Polak’s mishandling of the Cobble Hill Holdings’ quarry at Shawnigan Lake, when she was environment minister, the B.C. Liberal Party might still be in power.
One of the individuals squaring off against the ministry back then was Furstenau, now a Green Party MLA, and the quarry is often cited as one of the reasons why the Greens opted to support the NDP.
Attacking Plecas directly – or by proxy through his chief of staff, Alan Mullen –does seem to be the in-thing with a few members of LAMC, versus rolling up their sleeves and helping to fix the mess.
A mess that has been “the orders of the day” at the legislature started long before May 2013, when Plecas was first elected as an MLA, as most everyone at the legislature knows well.
You come away with an eerie sense of déjà vu reading the reports. One of the first early warnings came in 2000, nearly two decades ago.
In 2000, B.C.’s then auditor general, George L. Morfitt, in his Financial Administration of Vote 1 report – nothing like a catchy title – recommended that “LAMC provide an annual public report on the reasons for variances between budgeted and actual amounts.”
In his 2007 Special Audit Report to the Speaker, the theninterim auditor general, Arn Van Iersel, “identified a number of areas for improvement such as general accounting, internal controls, data management, and public reporting.”
He also recommended that business continuity and disaster recovery plans need to be completed and tested. Still a few kinks in that area.
By 2012, an exasperated auditor general John Doyle informed LAMC that “he (had) anticipated that the Legislative Assembly would meet the basic financial management practices and accounting standards requirements established for the rest of government. However, the Legislative Assembly is clearly falling well short of these basic expectations.”
Doyle noted that he had not “been provided the opportunity to discuss any aspect of this audit with LAMC, as is typical practice, especially given the pervasive and significant nature of the issues identified.”
Yet again, the auditor general noted: “the Legislative Assembly
does not produce financial statements (despite being recommended to do so in the 2007 report).”
In 2013, the report on those infamous retirement top-ups, plus more on that dastardly paperwork thing.
The draft of that report was likely in the hands of then-Speaker Bill Barisoff weeks before its release, as is standard practice. It’s an important yard stick to judge the actions of individuals.
Remember that South African “safari” former speaker Linda Reid and her husband took in 2013, while attending the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference, and the resulting “knock-it-off” that echoed across B.C.?
Here’s how the Victoria Times Colonist put it in an editorial in March 2014: “Stop talking about transparency and accountability, and walk the talk. Do it now, not at some fuzzy future date following a series of namby-pamby committee meetings and policyplanning sessions.”
Short-lived lesson.
The two frequent flyers at the legislature held their spending to a combined $34,572 in the following fiscal year, before the pair’s tab jumped to $99,685 the next.
Slice it any way you want, but at the end of the day their record speaks for itself, LAMC failed to step up time and again and it’s exactly where the buck stops today. No one is coming out of this one without a few bruises and nicks. Want to speed things along? Get over your petty intra and interparty spats and get on with it. Dermod Travis is the executive director of IntegrityBC.
LETTERS WELCOME: The Prince George Citizen welcomes letters to the editor from our readers. Submissions should be sent by email to: letters@pgcitizen.ca. No attachments, please. They can also be faxed to 250-960-2766, or mailed to 201-1777 Third Ave., Prince George, B.C. V2L 3G7. Although we will not include your address and telephone number in the paper, we need both for verification purposes.
to the dodgy, but rather a genuine effort to present authoritative data to its 300 million monthly users.
The principle here is worthy: With free speech comes responsibility, in this case, to not spread misinformation that can lead to illness and death.
Other social media platforms are also acting against anti-vaccination information, but Pinterest is bolder and should be emulated.
As both the Ebola and polio inoculation campaigns have shown lately, having an effective vaccine is only part of the battle. Populations must trust the vaccine and those who administer it.
Social media should not provide a stage for misguided people to destroy that trust, and digital platforms can do much to help rebuild it.
— The Washington Post
The systemic impoverishment of B.C. seniors
“Seniors’ poverty in B.C. rose from a low of 2.2 per cent in 1996 to 12.7 per cent in 2014,” according to Poverty and Inequality Among British Columbia’s Seniors, a 2017 report by the B.C. Office of the Canadian Institute of Policy Alternatives.
Surely this should compel our governments to improve the lives of vulnerable seniors. But new federal measures are being implemented that actually cause and exacerbate hardship for B.C. seniors, an unconscionable situation in such a rich country.
Thousands of seniors in this province were sent T5007 tax slips by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction with an amount in the “Social Assistance Payments” Box that reflected a Bus Pass subsidy and / or the Senior’s Supplement. According to the ministry: “The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requires that everyone who receives more than $500 in provincial assistance reports this income on their federal tax return, including the Senior’s Supplement and Bus Pass for Seniors.”
As a senior bus pass recipient, I was mortified to receive this tax slip demanding that I declare income that I never received.
As a senior bus pass recipient, I was mortified to receive this tax slip demanding that I declare income that I never received. A note with my T5007 also states that “the income shown on the T5007 is used to calculate your entitlement to federal tax credits (such as GST) and provincial tax credits.”
Aimed almost exclusively at seniors, the new CRA directive seems ageist: “Medical and health supplements, child-care subsidy assistance, and crisis supplements are not included on the T5007 tax slip.” (MSDPR advisory.)
The repercussions to affected B.C. seniors are dire. Many income-tested government benefits are negatively affected, such as the Goods and Services/Harmonized Sales Tax; B.C. Climate Action Tax Credit; B.C. Sales Tax Credit; or B.C.’s Medical Expense Credit, amongst others.
Any increase in a senior’s yearly income from declaring the buspass subsidy and/or the Senior’s Supplement could push the total over the particular benefit’s threshold, thus reducing the credit amount. The harm caused by this odious new CRA rule will be widespread and insidious. In addition to government benefits, any income-tested community program for seniors could be affected.
For instance, it could reduce subsidy amounts for affected seniors in supportive non-profit
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housing, where they would be expected to pay more toward their rent. Or it could impact the eligibility of seniors who benefit from income-tested affordable recreation programs or subsidized cleaning and home support services. This news from Ottawa has turned my life upside down. The declaration of the bus subsidy “income” put me over the B.C. tax credit income threshold. I lost money from the credit, reducing my tax refund to two dollars. That means less food in my grocery cart. It seems decidedly “un-Canadian” that corporations in this country got away with not paying between $9.4 and $11.4 billion in taxes in 2014 (as reported in the Toronto Star, June 2019) but the tax man is coming after the poorest B.C. seniors for chump change. Those valuable tax credits serve to buffer seniors against povertylevel public pensions. Where is the fairness and logic of using one anti-poverty benefit – a bus subsidy –to reduce another? It seems wrong to turn a compassionate benefit, meant to ensure that low-income seniors have transportation, into a means to take money away from them. This results in an escalation of poverty.
The other victims of this regressive tax policy receive the B.C. Senior’s Supplement, a program to relieve the economic hardship of low-income seniors.
The new CRA rule only targets seniors who receive around the maximum monthly benefit of $49.30, pushing them over the $500 annual assistance threshold.
But here is the kicker – because the B.C. Senior’s Supplement is so stringently applied that even a few extra dollars in a senior’s pocket sharply reduces the monthly stipend, any elder getting near the maximum amount has literally nothing in this world except Old Age Security. But the federal government is still demanding a few dollars from their tax credits. No government in power ever has the mandate to force impoverished citizens into even further privation. This cruel and wrongheaded new CRA rule should be trashed. There is nothing “Canadian” about it.
Doreen Marion Gee is a Victoriabased writer, journalist and advocate for seniors’ rights.
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DOREEN MARION GEE
No easy way to address weight with children
Candice CHOI The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Red, yellow, green. It’s a system for conveying the healthfulness of foods, and at the centre of a debate about how to approach weight loss for children.
This month, the company formerly known as Weight Watchers provoked a backlash when it introduced a food tracking app for children as young as eight-years-old. The app uses a well-known traffic-light system to classify foods, giving children a weekly limit of 42 “reds,” which include steak, peanut butter and chips.
Obesity is a growing public health issue that nobody is sure how to fix, and around one in five children in the U.S. is considered obese, up from one in seven in 2000.
In Canada, 30 per cent of children aged five- to 17-years-old are overweight or obese, according to Government of Canada statistics. That’s up from 23 per cent of children aged two- to 17-years-old in 1978/79.
Childhood obesity often leads to adult obesity, and to higher risk for conditions including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Getting kids to eat well and exercise is crucial, but figuring out how to do that effectively is extremely difficult – and sensitive.
For some, the app was a reminder of bad childhood experiences around weight and shame, in public and at home.
“I don’t think we appreciate the bias and stigma that families struggling with weight face,” said Dr. Stephanie Walsh, medical director of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. That can make it even more stressful for parents worried about their children’s health, she said.
There is no easy answer for achieving a healthy weight, regardless of age. But when it comes to addressing the topic with children, pediatricians and dietitians say there are best practices to consider.
Talking it out
Parents may feel a conversation is not necessary, particularly with younger children, and that they can alter behaviour by making lifestyle changes. But experts say a talk can be constructive, especially if the changes are going to be noticeable. The key is to approach the subject with kindness and caring, and avoid blaming any of the child’s behaviours. Children should also understand that any changes would be intended to make them feel better, and not about how they look.
As uncomfortable as addressing the issue may seem, failure to do so may make a child feel worse if they’re being teased at school or feeling bad about themselves.
“In some ways, just to get it out there may be sort of a relief,” said Tommy Tomlinson,
an author who recounted his lifelong struggle with weight in his book, The Elephant in the Room.
Making changes
Any adjustments to meals and activities should involve the entire family, so children don’t feel singled out. This is tied to the belief that the most powerful way to help a child change their behaviour is by setting an example.
Framing changes in a positive light is also key, Walsh said, whether that’s suggesting new recipes to try together or asking about activities they might be interested in.
“Keep things upbeat,” she said.
Then there is the matter of giving guidance on foods. Parents might not like the idea of directing children to a dieting company’s app, especially since it gives older children the option to “upgrade” to a coaching service that costs $69 a month.
The company that now calls itself WW says the app is based on Stanford Children’s Health’s Weight Control Program, but views vary on the traffic-light system.
Dr. Sarah Hampl, a pediatrician specializing in weight management at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, said it can be an easy way to understand a complicated topic. Experts say the system can help adults eat better as well.
But Kaitlin Reid, a registered dietitian at UCLA, said it’s a way of classifying foods as good and bad, which should be avoided. Seeing any foods as bad might result in feeling guilty whenever eating them.
What to avoid
When Tomlinson was 11 or 12, he was taken to a doctor who gave him diet pills. Few health professionals would do that today, and there’s broad agreement on other mistakes to avoid.
Using the word “diet,” for example, could imply there’s something wrong with the child, and that the changes are short-term.
Trying to scare children by warning them about potential medical problems isn’t helpful either. And if parents are making broader lifestyle changes, they shouldn’t feel the need to intervene or scold every time a child reaches for a sweet.
“Guilt and blame are not good motivators for change,” said Stephen Pont, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Dell Medical School. By the same token, experts say parents should avoid making negative comments about their own bodies. Regardless of whether parents see noticeable changes right away, Pont said, there are long-term benefits of instilling healthier habits in children.
Alana Zakrzewski, center, a Midwestern State University nursing student, works with second grade students at Tower Elementary School in Wichita Falls, Texas, as part of the United Way 5210=8 Program. The program, used to fight childhood obesity, stands for five servings of fruits and vegetables, two hours or less of screen time, one hour per day of physical play time, zero sugary drinks and eight hours of sleep per day.
Lighthouses lure travellers
From atop a jagged ocean cliff, I watched as the sunset softened into an afterglow.
Dozens of pelicans glided over the water.
Salt spray rose from surly waves.
Above, a 30-foot lighthouse began flashing, as it has for nearly 140 years.
The temperature dropped, so I bade the blinking beacon good night and walked to my dorm room a few feet away.
I was staying at the Hostelling International USA Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel, 32 km south of San Francisco. The facility, with five private rooms and seven dorms, is one of a few light stations – complexes that include buildings such as keeper’s quarters along with the iconic light-topped towers – that offer guests overnight comfort amid coastal drama and maritime history.
According to the U.S. Lighthouse Society (USLHS), a nonprofit organization that helps preserve these landmarks and their legacies, about 70 are available for lodging in 18 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. Their towers crown ocean cliffs, beaches and inland lakeshores. Just getting to the more remote stations by car, foot or boat is an adventure; Florida’s Loggerhead Light sits on Loggerhead Key in Dry Tortugas National Park.
“Lighthouses are located in some of the country’s most picturesque areas, with beautiful architectural variations,” Scott Price, the U.S. Coast Guard’s chief historian, told me. “They’re engineering marvels and beacons of safety.”
Aspiring keepers can stay overnight in hostels, bed-andbreakfasts and campgrounds. Accommodations are usually in the lighthouse keeper’s cottage or other station buildings. Costs vary widely, from around $15 per night for campsites to more than $400 per night for spacious vacation rentals; I paid $32 at Point Montara. Some facilities allow overnighters to tour the lantern rooms atop towers.
Want to stay a little longer?
Try a vacation rental, such as the former keeper’s home at Puget Sound’s Point No Point Lighthouse. Itching to play light keeper? Fee-based nightly or weekly stays include light maintenance tasks at stations such as Washington state’s New Dungeness Lighthouse. Really bitten by the lighthouse bug? Volunteer host
keepers receive basic long-term accommodations in exchange for staffing museums, guiding tours or assisting with restoration; Maine’s Seguin Point Lighthouse offers a summertime role.
USLHS Executive Director Jeff Gales has advice for visitors: “Don’t try to do too much – just enjoy the experience of being at a light station. Every hour, the water, sky and wildlife change. Watch the world go by as a keeper would’ve done.”
Gales says overnight stays are a way to sustain light stations’ living history; accommodation fees often help fund historic preservation and maintenance. Another benefit? “People looking for unique accommodations find lighthouses, and after staying at a station, they become inspired to get involved with preservation,” he added.
“Lighthouses are physical representations of our rich maritime history,” Price said. “They’re a gateway to study and appreciate that history and get a sense of the importance of our seafaring cultures.”
Seafarers have relied on lighthouses for millennia. The first lighthouse in what would become the United States was the privately owned Boston Light, which began guiding ships into Boston Harbor in 1716. According to the Coast Guard, approximately 1,500 lighthouses were built in America over the years. The last major
lighthouse, Charleston Light on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, was built in 1962. Keepers cared for the flame or lighting equipment and watched for vessels in trouble.
Navigational technology advanced, so the Coast Guard automated lighthouses by the early 1980s and turned them over to state and federal agencies, historical societies and other nonprofit groups. Over the years, some have made their way into private ownership. The Coast Guard still maintains 473 major lights whose beacons glow more than 16 km.
About 630 no-longer-manned lighthouses remain (the National Park Service, which preserves many of these, provides an online inventory), attracting people interested in maritime traditions, marine and lake ecosystems, wildlife, pirates, ghost hunting and lighthouse crown jewels: optical glass light lenses.
“People are also drawn to them because they celebrate human traits that we all endeavor to achieve, like bravery and selflessness,” Gales said. “The keepers were altruistic people who saved lives.”
The USLHS has a list of lighthouses with accommodations by state. In California, visitors can stay at five lighthouses, including a tiny island B&B in San Francisco Bay and a pet-friendly vacation rental in a former lightkeeper’s
house. Lighthouse-rich Michigan has 20 locations that offer a variety of lodging opportunities, from no-frills island camping on Lake Michigan to a Lake Superior vacation rental with a library, deck and sunroom. The list includes only one lighthouse-related place to stay in Alaska – on a barge next to a lighthouse on Prince William Sound – though another location may be added soon.
Point Montara is one of 40-something lighthouses that adorn California’s coast. At least 1,500 shipwrecks along that stretch of shoreline, including one on Colorado Reef off Point Montara, are a ghostly testament to the once-crucial need for the beacon.
The Point Montara lighthouse is short in stature, but its legacy is supersize. Built in 1881, it is the only tower that has guided seafarers on two oceans. It kept watch in Wellfleet, Mass., until 1922 and operated under one of the country’s first female keepers. From there, it journeyed to San Francisco (nobody really knows how, although it may have enjoyed its own voyage by ship), then was installed at Point Montara in 1928 – an upgrade for the fog signal station that had stood since 1875.
During the Second World War, the property housed the K-9 Corps and Navy sailors who trained by firing at targets that courageous female pilots trailed behind their planes.
The Coast Guard automated the light in 1970 and stopped staffing the buildings. American Youth Hostels, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Coastal Conservancy and others restored and converted the station into a hostel that opened in 1980.
Although the beacon used to warn sailors away, it now attracts people, said Christopher Bauman, the hostel’s general manager. “It’s a whimsical, amazing spot with fascinating views and things to explore on the property and along the coast. It pulls you out of the urban world and into nature.”
The hostel hosts about 11,000 overnighters and 12,000 daytrippers every year, from casual travelers to those on epic odysseys. It’s a popular stop for Highway 1 cyclists, including some biking from Argentina to Alaska.
“It’s the ultimate hostel lighthouse because two of our tenets are sustainability and travel,” Bauman added. “The lighthouse has been recycled and has journeyed thousands of miles, so it perfectly embodies what we’re all about.”
The hostel’s history and stark beauty have drawn me three times. On my first visit, I stayed in a private room in a 1902 fog signal building. On my next trips, I slept in a dorm inside a converted 1960s duplex that once housed Coast Guard members.
On my most recent visit, I arrived midafternoon and selected my bed in a women’s dorm from among six wooden bunks with blue polka-dot comforters (by nighttime, every bunk would be occupied). I stashed my luggage in a locker and bundled up for a foray into the November chill.
At one of the two kitchens’ communal tables, a couple prepared a late lunch. A small group relaxed on one of the common area’s navy couches, and a Briton readied his panniers for a pedal down the coastal highway.
Passing a fishing buoy-trimmed fence, I set off to roam the bluffs. I followed succulent-lined trails and descended to a beachy cove where the wind flung mist against my face as I watched gray whales spouting on their journey south.
As the sun dropped, hostel guests spilled onto the cliff top benches and picnic tables.
I joined a couple of backpackers for some conversational camaraderie under the white tower’s saltblasted patina, but we fell silent as we readied ourselves to contemplate the sunset from one of the best perches on the West Coast.
Erin WILLIAMS Special To The Washington Post
WASHINGTON POST PHOTO
The sun sets at the Point Montara Light Station, just one of about 70 light stations across the U.S. , Puerto Rico and Canada that offer overnight accommodations.
WASHINGTON POST PHOTO
The common area in the Point Montara hostel, once a duplex that housed Coast Guard members. About 11,000 overnight visitors pass through the hostel near San Francisco each year.
Timberwolves tie Cascades in home debut
Ted CLARKE Citizen staff
tclarke@pgcitizen.ca
The new-look UNBC Timberwolves made their 2019 season home debut Friday night at Masich Stadium and if they perform the rest of the season like they did in a highly entertaining 1-1 tie with the Fraser Valley Cascades, soccer fans in Prince George are in for a treat.
These T-wolves are fast, and as they showed the Cascades they like to own the ball, and they have the type of shooters that can strike fear into opposing goaltenders. With a healthy crowd watching, they certainly put the pressure on Cascades ‘keeper Ethan Duggan, a first-year player from North Vancouver, who held his team in the game when the T-wolves came out firing in a dominant first half.
Parman Minhas for the Cascades, and Abou Cisse, for the T-wolves, accounted for the scoring.
The tie was the first of the U Sports Canada West men’s soccer season for both teams. The T-wolves are now 1-1-1, while the Cascades’ record stands at 0-2-1. Trailing 1-0 with 75 minutes gone, the T-wolves finally converted on one of their many chances. Reid Adams put on a burst of speed to get the ball deep on an impressive rush and the ball came out to Cisse and from 25 yards out he launched a rocket high into the net for the tying goal.
“In the first half I was really nervous and when I got the ball I just wanted to put it in the back of the net and it didn’t end up like that,” said Cisse, who shot just wide in the opening minute.
“In he second half Steve (coach Simonson) wanted us to be more ruthless and that kind of paid off. Reid gave me the ball and I was going to shoot it with my left foot but it was pretty tight and I couldn’t do it, so I just brought it to my right foot and shot it.”
Cisse, 20, has been in Prince George five years since moving to Canada from Mali. The Duchess Park secondary school graduate had one goal last year in his rookie season. Pressing for the go-ahead goal, the Cascades hit the goal post twice with less than 15 minutes to play. Rajan Bains put one off the iron on a penalty kick and about a minute later Trevor Zanatta’s foot-flick roller was stopped by the post.
The T-wolves fell behind 1-0 three minutes in but played well enough to get out of the first half with a lead. On the shot that counted, Minhas took a feed from Brady Weir just outside the box and fired off a low shot that found a seam through a crowd in front of UNBC goalie Rob Goodey.
The T-wolves went right back to the attack after that but goalie Duggan was ready for them. Owen Stewart probably thought he had his first goal of the season when he launched a bullet from close range but Duggan, the Cascades, first-year ‘keeper leaped up to get his fingertips on the shot and
deflect it away. Not long after that, Michael Henman unleashed a bicycle kick that was saved by Duggan.
“It was difficult for sure, they were pounding lots of shots and crosses in and luckily I was able to keep them out,” said the 18-year-old Duggan.
“It felt good to be out there.”
Rookie UNBC midfielder Kensho Ando, an import from Japan, came close 35 minutes in with a dangerous deflection that sailed into the hands of Duggan. He and midfielder Hussein ‘Suka’ Behery, who transferred to UNBC from Vancouver Island University, set the tone with their ball handling skills and that led to quality chances.
“The intensity was good and I loved the attendance (about 300 spectators were watching), I’m not used to that to be honest,” said Behery, a 23-year-old native of Egypt. “That’s more than we ever had at VIU in a league game.
“I thought we worked really hard. Our final product should have been better from all of us, but it’s a new team and lots of new players. I thought we were the better team and we deserved to win there. Steve wants us to be an attacking team and to control the game possession-wise and I think we did that very well today, we just need to stop conceding (early goals).”
Henman was probably the most snakebitten T-wolf shooter, missing high on a couple of golden opportunities later in the half.
Outshot 12-6 in the opening half, the
Cascades had a chance to add to their lead a few minutes before the intermission when their most fearsome shooter, Gurmaan Jhaj, got free on a breakaway. But Jahj, coming off a 13-goal conference first-team all-star season, elected to pass rather than shoot and the ball rolled harmlessly to the sideline.
“Their goalkeeper made some key saves and we also had some chances that we missed,” said Simonson. “If we bury the chances we could have scored four or five today.”
The young UNBC back line did a great job bottling up the Cascades and two of those rookie defenders, Demian Dron and Luke Brbot, were sporting UNBC colours on a home field for the first time.
“You saw their inexperience early in but Jonah (Smith) was back there trying to settle them down and Luke and Demian, as the game went on, just got more solid,” said Simonson. “They’re two local boys out of high school in their first year and they’re going to be great.”
The same teams meet again Sunday at 1 p.m. at Masich. The T-wolves got some bad news this week when an MRI confirmed fourth-year midfielder James Stephens is out for the season after suffering ligament damage when he made a block seven minutes into the T-wolves’ opening game a week ago Friday in Kelowna. He joins thirdyear midfielder Cody Gyspers (ankle injury) on the sidelines for the rest of the season.
Wheelchair basketball teams bound for Paralympics
Ted CLARKE Citizen staff
Already guaranteed medals at the Parapan American Games this weekend in Lima, Peru, Canada’s men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams have clinched berths in the 2020 Paralympics and each team has a Prince George connection.
Bo Hedges, a former UNBC student who now lives in Wonowan, north of Fort St. John, helped send Canada into Saturday’s Para PanAm gold-medal game after they defeated Colombia 62-42 Friday in a semifinal playoff. The Team Canada women’s roster includes Kady Dandeneau of Pender Island. Dandeneau played four seasons as a guard/forward at UNBC and led the T-wolves to
two provincial B.C. college titles and was an all-star at the Canadian College Athletic Association national tournament in 2012.
Canada will take on the United States for the men’s championship Saturday at noon PT.
“It’s an awesome feeling,” said Hedges. “We have been working toward it for three years, so it will be great to go experience that and represent Canada, but we have a big game tomorrow and we are focused on playing (the United States).
“We are just trying to improve every game, so if we get a chance to play in a gold medal game then it’s an experience for all our players, and something we can learn from, and try to prepare the same way every game,” said Hedges,
who picked up 12 points in the semifinal.”
Canada led 42-25 at the half and outscored Colombia 18-4 in the third quarter. Patrick Anderson of Fergus, Ont., shot a game-high 20 points and had 16 rebounds and seven assists.
The top three teams from the Americas qualify for the Paralympics. The Canadian women’s team advanced to the final against the U.S. Friday night with a 61-40 semifinal win earlier Friday over Brazil.
Dandeneau suffered a knee injury that caused ligament and bone damage in 2010, but returned to able-bodied basketball for two more seasons with the T-wolves and finished her career
with 983 points (fifth in UNBC history). Chronic knee pain and her competitive nature convinced Dandeneau to try wheelchair basketball and by 2015 she had worked her way up to Canada’s development team.
“I wasn’t ready to give up basketball,” said Dandeneau.
“My stand-up career was over, but I started looking into wheelchair basketball. I was terrible at the start. It has just made it a lot easier to kind of accept the fact that I probably won’t play standup again – it’s just nice to be able to play a competitive sport again, especially because it is basketball. It’s very awesome to have that competitive outlet again and be a part of a team again. Being around like-minded athletes is
great. I’m happy about that.”
The Canadian women started in Peru with three wins, beating Colombia 86-6, Argentina 82-25 and Mexico 29-21. Dandeneau contributed a combined 44 points and struck for a game-high 21 against Colombia.
“It is an honour to get to represent Canada,” she told UNBC sports information officer Rich Abney.
“You couldn’t really ask for more as an athlete. These are the opportunities you dream about. It is surreal to get to be a part of this. I feel really lucky to represent my country doing what I love. I don’t think it gets much better than that. Canada beat the U.S. 67-64 in the gold medal game on Friday.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE
UNBC Timberwolves forward Hussein Behery does a fancy little move to get the ball by UFV Cascades defender
Trevor Zanatta on Friday evening at Masich Place Stadium during the men’s soccer team’s home opener.
CFL close to resolving Alouettes situation
Dan RALPH The Canadian Press
TORONTO — It remains the CFL’s most contentious issue, but commissioner Randy Ambrosie feels the league is close to resolving the Montreal Alouettes’ ownership situation.
The CFL took over the franchise from American businessman Robert Wetenhall on May 31. Wetenhall and the league spent months looking for a new owner before the move and the process has continued since.
Many potential owners have been mentioned.
Former Alouettes player Eric Lapointe stated often he could assemble an ownership group if approached but questions exist whether he was ever contacted. Montreal businessman Clifford Starke publicly stated his intention to buy the club – he even amended his original offer then added Lapointe to his group – but ultimately withdrew the proposal.
Montreal entrepreneur Vince Guzzo was reportedly interested but put that on hold. Then came word the league was negotiating with Montreal natives Peter and Jeff Lenkov, with the California-based brothers even attending two Alouettes games.
Yet a “For Sale” sign remains on the franchise.
In a wide-ranging interview, Ambrosie said the league is negotiating with three potential ownership groups – again Ambrosie didn’t provide specifics – and remains hopeful a resolution can be reached soon.
“I’ve tried to stay away from (specific timeline for sale) just because I don’t want to end up disappointing people,” Ambrosie said. “Look, we’re about to start September and you’d kind of hope by the time the month of September is done we’d have this resolved.
“I’m optimistic we can hit that deadline and that’s what we’re working towards. But what I love about the board of governors is they’re encouraging me to get it right, not to get it fast... so I feel encouraged that I’m not dealing with an artificial time pressure but only with the pressure to make sure the group I bring to the table to recommend as owner is the right one.”
Montreal’s ownership situation isn’t the only challenge the CFL has faced as it approaches the Labour Day weekend, the unofficial midway point of the regular season. Others include:
• The B.C. Lions also being for sale.
• The CFL’s average attendance being under 23,000 per game, with Toronto, B.C., and Montreal all averaging less than 20,000 spectators.
• Seven of the nine opening-day starting
quarterbacks missing time with injury.
• Two suspensions following positive drug tests, the latest to Winnipeg star running back Andrew Harris.
• The CFL awarding the Saskatchewan a shortened road win in the third quarter due to weather.
• A dip in CFL ratings in the final season of its TV deal.
These all preceded sometimes contentious bargaining between the CFL and CFL Players’ Association. A three-year deal was reached to ensure training camps and the regular season both began on time but Ambrosie said the process was draining.
“Just the draw of energy the CBA negotiations take away from our game and I felt that all winter,” he said. “You feel the burden, which I think the players feel as well.
“We all want this to be big, strong and successful but I think we all kind of share in that energy drain that’s inherent to the CBA.”
A CFL source says a big part of the Alouettes negotiation surrounds Montreal’s financial picture. The franchise has reportedly lost $50 million since Wetenhall arrived in ‘97, including $25 million the past three seasons and a whopping $12.5 million last year.
But Ambrosie said Montreal’s on-field improvement has enhanced the situation. After missing the playoffs the last four years with a combined 21-51 record , the Alouettes (5-4) are second in the East Division.
Lions president Rick LeLacheur doesn’t have that luxury as he seeks a buyer for owner David Braley. Despite hiring DeVone Claybrooks as head coach and signing quarterback Mike Reilly this off-season, B.C. (1-9) is last in the West Division.
Ambrosie plans to be in B.C. next month and meet with “multiple groups” that are interested in the franchise.
Not surprisingly, B.C.’s attendance is lagging (18,196 through four home dates) and below the league average (22,784). So are the Alouettes (17,222) but they’re 2-2 at home and coming off exciting road victories over Calgary and Toronto.
It’s hard to determine Toronto’s average attendance because it doesn’t always provide it. The highest recorded home gathering for the Argos (1-8) was 16,734 for a 64-14 loss to Hamilton on June 22.
Fortunately for the CFL, the Saskatchewan (6-3)-Winnipeg (8-2) game Sunday in Regina and the Toronto-Hamilton (8-2) matchup Monday at Tim Hortons Field are both sellouts.
“It (attendance) is one of the things we talk about the most but not just in the context of our league but what’s going on in pro sports,” Ambrosie said. “We’re facing this challenge in sport and that’s how do we attract the casual fan, how do we create a value proposition for them?
“But just look at this coming weekend. We’ve got sellouts in Hamilton and Regina and I expect a great crowd. if not close to a sellout, in Calgary. We feel very good about where we’re going and there are some positive signs on the horizon.”
Another concern is the CFL’s television numbers. Games are averaging 482,000 viewers, a nine per cent drop, in the final year of the deal with TSN.
But TSN has seen an increase in CFL viewing across its digital platforms. Streaming video starts for games are up 25 per cent while those by TSN Direct subscribers have increased 52 per cent.
The league continues to drive strong engagement on TSN’s social media platforms. There’s been over seven million impressions on the broadcaster’s CFL content and more than two million views of league videos on its Instagram account.
“It (TV deal) has been under discussion,” Ambrosie said. “I think we’ll have something very positive to say on that before too long.”
Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell returns to Calgary’s lineup Monday when the Stampeders (5-4) host arch-rival Edmonton (6-4). Last year’s CFL and Grey Cup MVP was on the six-game injured list (torn pectoral muscle) and topped the list of seven opening-day starters who missed time with injury. Only Reilly and Edmonton’s Trevor Harris have started all of their team’s games. That’s allowed backups like Calgary’s Nick Arbuckle, Saskatchewan’s Cody Fajardo, Montreal’s Vernon Adams Jr. and Toronto’s McLeod Bethel-Thompson to shine.
“We’re working hard to try to find ways to make the game as safe as we can for all of our players, including quarterbacks,” Ambrosie said. “But it also speaks to the issue that injuries always result in giving somebody else a chance to make their mark on the game.
“Sports will never eradicate injuries. But we must do everything we can to make the game as safe possible because our fans want our best players to play.”
The CFL irked many Aug. 9 when it awarded Saskatchewan a 17-10 road win in Montreal just an hour after lightening halted third-quarter action. The weather protocol was part of the new CBA and will be revisited at season’s end.
“There’s no room inside the current CBA for there to be a judgement call,” Ambrosie said. “We did a poor job of communicating this and we need to do that better.
“Our partners needed to have a better understanding of how that rule worked. We’ve got to make sure things negotiated inside of the CBA are better communicated and everyone has a chance to understand how it’s all supposed to work.”
Ambrosie said the league met recently with Japanese football officials and Japan will be the latest country to join the CFL 2.0 venture. And Ambrosie expects an exciting second-half run leading up to the Grey Cup game in Calgary.
“We have much work to do but I’m more convinced than ever that we’re on the way to a CFL unlike any CFL in our history if we stay focused on our plan and work hard,” he said. “Hopefully we can put the Montreal ownership issue to rest soon, we’ve opened up a new and very positive conversation with the CFLPA about how we work with them and we’re working with our international partners.
“There are many reasons for me to see the Labour Day weekend as an opportunity to look forward to the second half because many good things will happen.”
NHL opts not to re-open collective bargaining agreement with players
The Canadian Press NEW YORK — The NHL has announced it will not exercise its option to re-open the current collective bargaining agreement early.
The league had the right to re-open the CBA until Sunday. It advised the NHL Players’ Association of its decision on Friday.
“Based on the current state of the game and the business of the game, the NHL believes it is essential to continue building upon the momentum we have created with our players and, therefore, will not exercise its option to reopen the CBA,” league commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “Rather, we are prepared to have the current CBA remain in effect for its full term.”
The NHL Players’ Association now has until Sept. 15 to decide whether or not it wants to opt out of the final two years of the deal, which was signed in 2013 and is scheduled to run through the 2021-22 season.
The original 10-year deal signed after the last lockout included the opt-out clause after eight years for both the owners and players. If the players decide to opt out, the league could face another work stoppage next fall.
NHL players went on strike in 1992, and owners have locked the players out on three separate occasions since.
A chunk of the 1994-95 season was lost due to a lockout before the entire 2004-05 campaign was cancelled.
The current agreement ended the lockout that reduced the 2012-13 season to a 48-game schedule.
“In any CBA, the parties can always identify issues they are unhappy with and would like to see changed,” Bettman said.
“However, our analysis makes clear that the benefits of continuing to operate under the terms of the current CBA - while working with the Players’ Association to address our respective concerns – far outweigh the disruptive consequences of terminating it following the upcoming season.”
Montreal Alouettes Fabion Foote sacks Toronto Argonauts quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, left, in second half CFL action in Moncton, N.B. on Aug. 25. Montreal won 28-22.
NHL informs union it won’t terminate labour deal
John WAWROW, Stephen WHYNO
The Associated Press
Citing what it called momentum from a sustained period of labour peace, the NHL said Friday it has informed the NHL Players’ Association it will not use its option to terminate the existing collective bargaining agreement next year.
The league announced its decision two days before its deadline to notify the union whether it would reopen collective bargaining talks. The union has until Sept. 15 to decide on whether to terminate the agreement as of September 2020, two years before the existing deal expires.
If the players opt to reopen the CBA, it would set the clock ticking toward a potential third work stoppage in the sport since 2004. If the players choose not to terminate the agreement, it remains in effect until 2022. The next Winter Olympics are in Beijing earlier that year.
The NHLPA did not issue an immediate response.
“Based on the current state of the game and the business of the game, the NHL believes it is essential to continue building upon the momentum we have created with our players,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement issued by the league. “It is our hope that a continued sustained period of labour peace will enable us to further grow the game and benefit all constituent groups.”
The players, however, have concerns, no-
tably regarding the escrow issue, Olympic participation and the split of hockey-related revenue. The NHL and NHLPA are in agreement on wanting more international competition and are in talks about holding
another World Cup of Hockey as early as February 2021. The union’s executive board is scheduled to meet in Chicago on Wednesday. The league and union have been meeting
Chicago sending P.G.’s Young to Arizona Fall League
Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca
Jared Young thought the month of September would be a time to come home to Prince George and take a breather from baseball after a long hot spring and summer playing for the Tennessee Smokies, the Chicago Cubs’ double-A Southern League affiliate. Think again. When Young completes the Smokies’ 140-game schedule on Monday, he’ll be coming home for just a few days to spend with his family in College Heights before he boards a plane to Arizona. The Cubs have included Young on their list of six players they will send to the Arizona Fall League to play in September and October. The six-team league includes a select group of 180 players from the 30 Major League Baseball teams, each of which is limited to six players.
Young, 24, will play as an infielder for the Mesa Solar Sox, a team made up of the top prospects from the Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Oakland A’s, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Angels.
Based in Mesa, Ariz., the Solar Sox will play a 30-game schedule that starts Sept. 18 and wraps up with the championship game on Oct. 26.
An estimated 60 per cent of the players in the Arizona Fall League eventually end up on major league rosters. In the league’s history it has sent more than 2,900 players to MLB. When the major league season began in April, 391 of
the 750 players on opening-day rosters were AFL alumni. Seven of the last eight MVP award winners over the past four years in American League and National League, including Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Mookie Betts, played in the AFL.
The other AFL teams and their major league affiliations are the Glendale Desert Dogs (Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee, St. Louis), Peoria Javelinas (Boston, Houston, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Seattle), Salt River Rafters (Arizona, Colorado, Miami, Minnesota , Tampa Bay), Suprise Sagueros (Baltimore, Kansas City, New York Yankees, Texas, Washington) and
Scottsdale Scorpions (Toronto, Atlanta, New York Mets, Philadelphia, San Francisco).
Cubs pitching prospects Keegan Thompson, Jordan Minch and Erich Uelman were also picked for the Solar Sox, as were catcher Miguel Amaya and infielder Nico Hoerner.
This is Young’s third season playing in the minors. The Cubs drafted him in the 15th round in 2017 and he started his pro career playing rookie ball in te Northwest League in Eugene, Ore. In 2018 he started the season playing in the single-A Midwest League in South Bend, Ind., and was called up at mid-season to the Cubs single-A advanced affiliate in Myrtle Beach, N.C., playing in the Carolina League. He hit a combined .300 that season and was selected as Chicago’s minor league player of the year, which earned him a promotion to Tennessee.
Heading into his game Friday in Mobile, Alab., Young was hitting .233 with 102 hits, including 19 doubles and five home runs in 119 games.
His 55 RBI ranks second on the Smokies. His batting average has been on the rise lately with 10 hits (three for extra bases) and a .256 average over the past 10 games. He’s played 82 games at first base (.997 fielding percentage) and played 42 games as an outfielder (.980 fielding percentage).
The Smokies (55-80 overall, 22-44 in the second half) are wrapping up their season this weekend in Mobile, where they began a five-game series Thursday with a 4-3 victory over the BayBears.
through the summer and those discussions are scheduled to continue.
Escrow is a major concern for the players, according to a majority of union representatives surveyed by The Associated Press and Canadian Press last spring.
The current CBA has owners and players dividing hockey-related revenue 50/50, and if player salaries exceed that split a certain percentage is withheld in escrow to make it even. Players have complained, saying some have lost upward of 10 per cent of their pay to escrow over the past seven seasons.
“I don’t know if we’re going to eliminate it,” New Jersey Devils player rep Cory Schneider said. “Obviously we’ll figure that part out. But at least some way to mitigate it or control it better for us just to know what to expect.”
The league has countered by saying escrow is a function of the salary-cap system, with the amount of money held back being higher when the upper limit on salaries is higher.
On Friday, Bettman stressed a desire to have a co-operative approach between owners and players.
“In any CBA, the parties can always identify issues they are unhappy with and would like to see changed,” Bettman said.
“However, our analysis makes clear that the benefits of continuing to operate under the terms of the current CBA – while working with the Players’ Association to address our respective concerns – far outweigh the disruptive consequences of terminating it following the upcoming season.”
Cougars release feature game schedule
Citizen staff
The Prince George Cougars announced their feature game schedule on Wednesday, including a pair of new specialty nights. The Cats kick off the regular season with their home opener on Sept. 20 against the defending WHL champions, the Vancouver Giants. On Oct. 19, the Cougars will be suiting up in special jerseys for an Oktoberfest game against the Spokane Chiefs. Fans will have a chance to purchase the Oktoberfest jerseys online after the game.
Heroes Night takes place Nov. 9, honouring military personnel and first responders.
Gen-Xers can relive their youth on ‘90s Night on Nov. 23. Oktoberfest Night and ‘90s Night are new additions to the Cougars’ schedule this year. The popular Teddy and Toque Toss Night will happen Dec. 14, during a game against the Victoria Royals. Fans are encouraged to bring stuffed toys and warm winter clothing to throw on the ice when the Cats score their first goal. All the toys and clothing items will be donated to the Salvation Army. The Cougars will be wearing Christmas-themed jerseys for for the game.
Vegas Night Night happens Jan. 25, Country Night Feb. 1 and McDonald’s Night is Feb. 15.
The Cougars will play their last home game of the season on March 7, against the Vancouver Giants. The March 7 matchup will be Fan Appreciation Night.
The Cougars will end their regular season on the road March 21 in Kamloops.
Single-game tickets go on sale starting Sept. 6. For more information, go online to pgcougars. com.
YOUNG
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks during a news conference in Seattle on Jan. 9. On Friday, Bettman said the NHL will not exercise its option to terminate its existing collective agreement with the NHL Players’ Association.
Lovers in a dangerous time
Mark ATHITAKIS Special To The Washington Post
“Only connect,” the British novelist E.M. Forster prescribed in 1910. At the time, he wrote those words partly as a straightforward call for more intimate human understanding. But more than a century later, being online can leave us feeling all-too-well-connected: outrage chases every Twitter misstep, and a casual search for a recipe means you’ll be seeing ads for cookware on your social media feeds for a week. Meanwhile, genuine human contact can increasingly feel elusive. Only connect? If only we could. If only connection didn’t sometimes feel so creepy.
Such concerns are the storm clouds that hover over Caleb Crain’s contemplative, foreboding second novel Overthrow. That’s a brash title considering the bookish temperament of the story, which follows a group of bright young political idealists in a story peppered with references to 17th-century British literature. But considering the novel covers life online in the years just before Edward Snowden, Cambridge Analytica and Russian interference exploded our pretenses about privacy, the title evokes the very real sense of an old order coming undone.
Before it’s any of that, though, Overthrow is a love story. Matthew, a graduate student trudging his way through his dissertation on early modern English poetry, has a chance meeting with Leif, the passive leader of a small group of Occupy-adjacent participants with an interest in intuition and mind-reading and such. There’s a casual, dorm-lounge-ish feel to this pursuit at first – Tarot decks, one-upping banter, a half-serious official name, the Working Group for the Refinement of the Perception of Feelings. But it’s girded by serious idealism. “It’s a war over perceiving,” Leif explains. “Over what we’re allowed to perceive, still.”
As Leif and Matthew’s romance deepens, so does the Working Group’s prankishly subversive efforts, which include an intuited password and the hacking of a Homeland Security contractor. The subsequent arrest of four of its members is inevitable, but soon becomes a farce of misinterpretations. The quartet is dubbed the Telepathy Four by the media.
“Occupy hacks Homeland Security,” reads one headline. “Do you want to overthrow the government?” one journalist asks.
For Leif, a barista and aspiring poet with a line from Andrew Marvell tattooed on his arm, the media circus is at once an emotional drain and proof that the forces that control technology manipulate how it’s used and perceived.
There are a number of familiar ways a novel can address the subjects Overthrow raises – surveillance, subversion, hacking, the justice system, government overreach – and Crain studiously avoids all of them. Nobody will confuse the novel for a thriller; on one of their first dates, Leif and Matthew pad through the Morgan Library, pondering the Gilded Age’s excesses.
Though jails and the legal bureaucracy claim much of the stage, the mood rarely descends into Kafka-esque paranoia. And while it’s easy to imagine somebody like Tom Wolfe making a sweeping statement out of this material, stuffing his narrative with archetypes, Crain has declined to write the kind of social novel that’s thickened with detail about political movements and the institutions they tussle with.
Rather, Crain opts to tell this story at a more intimate level, with a degree of emotional acuity that recalls Henry James (whose work plays a modest but meaningful role in the story). At its strongest, Overthrow captures the depth of disconnection that the online world creates, and the dread and depression it sows. “People get so angry now when they see someone paying more attention to thoughts and feelings than they think thoughts and feelings deserve,” one of the Telepathy Four says. “It’s like there’s a sumptuary law against introspection.”
Crain demonstrated this knack for deep habitation in his characters in his 2013 debut, Necessary Errors, a lush tale of 20-somethings in early ‘90s Prague as the city transitioned out of Communism. That book is one of the strongest debut novels in recent years, and Overthrow occasionally struggles for a similar depth and intensity. The drama of one legal discussion comes solely from a defendant’s desperate need to urinate; the particulars of hacking and its consequences distract from the characterizations that are Crain’s forte.
But Crain’s chief goal is to put a narrative shape around the inchoate sense of dread that we have around technology, the way we sense we’re being manipulated in ways we can’t quite pinpoint. And in that regard, Overthrow accomplishes its mission. In the years to come, “no one will feel watched, but everyone will feel, what’s a good word, appreciated,” a dark figure intones toward the novel’s end. “No one will have the feeling that there is a smelly human on the other side of the screen somewhere, totting up merits and demerits.” Swapping human connection for an algorithm of convenience is a lousy bargain, Crain argues. His novel is a sensitive, provocative plea to recognize what gets lost in the exchange.
HANDOUT IMAGE
Caleb Crain unpacks modern fears in his new book Overthrow.
Women and their ‘murder minds’
Nora CAPLAN-BRICKER
The Washington Post
In 2007, the writer Maggie Nelson invented the term “murder mind” to describe her attraction to stories of violent death and the tendency of bloody images to stick in her brain. Today, our entire culture might fit her diagnosis.
True crime has never been more ubiquitous as entertainment. The blockbuster popularity of the podcast Serial and docuseries such as Netflix’s Making a Murderer has spawned an endless succession of imitators. So recognizable are the rhythms of the genre that they’ve even inspired a boomlet of parodies. The floundering Oxygen network reversed its fortunes in 2017 when it rebranded to air exclusively true crime.
What accounts for the inexhaustible appeal of watching someone – an attractive, young white woman, usually – get asphyxiated, dismembered or stabbed? In particular, why do so many women, who make up most of the true-crime audience, seem to find comfort in seeing their worst fears play out on a screen? Over the years, cultural critics like Nelson and Alice Bolin, author of the acclaimed essay collection Dead Girls, have searched for answers in the stories we tell about murder. In a new book, Savage Appetites: Four Stories of Women, True Crime, and Obsession, the journalist Rachel Monroe employs a more reportorial approach, seeking subjects with an extreme passion for true crime. One falls in love with a man on death row, while another plans a Columbine-style killing spree.
By looking at women looking at violence, Monroe doesn’t quite answer the question of why women love true crime – as she points out, women are a diverse group with a wide variety of motivations. Instead, she ends up with something subtler and more useful, a call to action for crime-heads to consume the stories they want, but to do so critically. She delivers a defense of the genre that is also an indictment of its worst impulses.
“Sensational crime stories can have an anesthetizing effect – think of those TV binge-fests, or late nights spent tumbling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole – but we don’t have to use them to turn our brains off,” Monroe writes. “I want us to wonder what stories we’re most hungry for, and why; to consider what forms our fears take; and to ask ourselves whose pain we still look away from.” Monroe’s “we” is genuine: she herself is prone to what she calls “crime funks” when she loses herself in obsessions with murder. Each chapter contains passages that interrogate her own appetites. In one, she weaves together the story of Frances Glessner Lee, known as the “mother of forensics,” with her own preadolescent dream of becoming a detective. During the unnerving years when men began to notice her body, Monroe writes, novels about hard-boiled sleuths were the only books that “acknowledged the sexualized menace of the world.”Monroe is a perceptive narrator, and I sometimes wished for more of her personal story, which produces many of the book’s best insights but often peters out inconclusively. We learn how Lee’s ambitions were foiled but not how a young Monroe’s faded away.
The four subjects of Savage Appetites represent four archetypes of true-crime narratives: while Lee was obsessed with detectives, the other women identify with victims, or killers, or selfless attorneys. Their stories span not only a genre, but also the country and the past century. At their most engaging, they offer a piecemeal history of our culture’s changing view of violence.
The strongest chapter, and the most skin-crawling, follows a woman named Alisa Statman and her fixation on the Manson Family’s most famous victim, actress Sharon Tate. Statman took up residence first on the property where Tate was murdered and later with Tate’s sister in her family home. In the process, Statman and the surviving Tates became foundational forces in the victims rights movement of the 1980s and ‘90s, which successfully campaigned for “tough on crime” policies. Monroe connects the appeal of true-crime stories, which run “on an engine of empathy,” with the persuasive power of the victims rights movement, which encouraged onlookers to put themselves in a murdered girl’s place. But the faces of the movement were almost always those of white women. And black men were often victims of this cult of victimhood, incarcerated at unprecedented levels – including for nonviolent offenses – under policies that got a push from stories like Sharon Tate’s. We can feed the hungers that come from a place below reason, and we can also pay careful attention to where those hungers lead us.
I’ll think of this the next time I hear someone describing with excessive pleasure a murder they heard about on a podcast.
And that means I’m bound to think of Savage Appetites often, and soon.
HANDOUT IMAGE
Rachel Monroe asks why women are so captivated by murder tales in her book Savage Appetites.
Remembering the French Resistance
Sylvie BIGAR
Special To The Washington Post
Some come to the Vercors Massif in southern France for the butterflies.
Others for the nearly 3,000 kilometres of stunning mountain trails. But I was there in July because 2019 marked the 75th anniversary of the deadly battles between the German army and the French Resistance aided by the locals.
In July 1944, more than a month after D-Day, Lt. Claude Falck, my French mother’s beloved brother, was gunned down somewhere on these slopes as he tried to lead his men to safety in the valley. He was 26.
Now a Natural Regional Park, the French equivalent of our national parks, the Vercors evokes a monumental ocean liner – 60 km by 40 – built of limestone cliffs and steep meadows as it rises high above Grenoble, where the Northern and Southern Alps meet. From Geneva, where I grew up, my family would occasionally drive the two-hour stretch to pause at Claude’s grave, then press on toward our Mediterranean vacation.
From skiers to mountain climbers and wildlife explorers, nature lovers abound now in the Vercors.
I was on a different quest. Claude, an alpinist, engineer and graduate of Paris’s École Polytechnique, joined the Resistance in 1942. I knew he moved to the Vercors in 1944 to help build a secret landing strip near the village of Vassieux. Then what? Suddenly, I was curious. I had hoped that my 93-year-old mother would join me in exploring some of the hundreds of historical markers that dot this stunning mountain range, but she was too frail. Julien Guillon, a historian at the Vercors Resistance Memorial, offered to guide me.
In 1943, young men started “taking the maquis” – not only leaving the valleys for the dense Alpine forests to escape being sent to work in Germany but also to join the Resistance. As rumors of an Allied landing intensified, the Vercors harbored more and more underground fighters. By the summer of 1944, they numbered about 4,500. Following their lead, we drove up the short, steep road from the Grenoble area to the austere cemetery in Saint-Nizier-duMoucherotte where soldiers and Resistance fighters lie under fine gravel.
To the chime of the cowbells nearby, I crouched by Claude’s grave, picturing the black-andwhite portrait – a frank, open face; round glasses; and a gently amused smile – that adorned my mother’s nightstand. For decades, it was merely part of my familial backdrop. Now I was overcome with sadness.
France was in the throes of a heat wave, but up here, the air was crisp. Above, a bouquet of rocky spikes named Les Trois Pucelles (or the Three Maidens) rose like flames into the azure. Another half-hour drive through rolling hills and meadows, and I arrived in the jolly resort town of
Villard-de-Lans. In the evening, families strolled along pedestrian streets lined with lively cafes and boutiques. But I felt history quiver here, too, just below the surface.
Children waited their turn at the buzzing carousel, across from the monument to the many village dead.
The next morning, we drove up toward Col de la Chau, where the Vercors Resistance Memorial, a low concrete structure built to resemble the Resistance hideouts, hugs the contours of the rocky mountain at the edge of the forest. I emerged from the fascinating interactive exhibit onto a belvedere, 300 metres above the wide Vassieux plain.
“You see,” said Guillon, his green eyes squinting, as if peering into the past. “The Resistance expected the Allies to land at Vassieux. Instead, the German army did.”
After that fateful landing on July 21, 1944, the eradication of the local Resistance took only days. Vassieux was destroyed. Men, women and children were slaughtered. This narrative is well documented with weapons, uniforms and photographs at the Vassieux Resistance Museum.
As I walked past a storyboard, Claude’s picture suddenly jumped out at me: confirming the eternal link between our family and this region.
Beyond the rows of Queen Anne’s lace that lined the road toward La Chapelle-en-Vercors, the peaceful wheat fields had turned amber. The plateau was framed on both sides by elevated rows of rock covered with beech and pine trees.
Hearing English spoken that evening at Hotel Bellier, I asked the lively group from Britain what brought them to the region.
“The butterflies!” they answered in unison as they proceeded to educate me about the Vercors’ fauna.
Early the next morning, I strolled around quaint Chapelleen-Vercors and its many Second
World War monuments. Most villages were rebuilt in the early 1950s with the help of organizations such as the Association des Pionniers du Vercors – a group my mother had joined.
It was time to lace up my boots for a hike to the Luire Cave, a monumental one within the forests near Saint-Agnan-en-Vercors, where medical staff and patients of a nearby hospital took refuge in July 1944 – only to be discovered and butchered days later.
The few survivors included Lt. Chester L. Myers of Section Justine, an OSS Operational group of 15 American servicemen who had parachuted into the area a month earlier to help Resistance fighters. They miraculously all made it out alive.
The path crunched under our feet as we walked through the silent woods, redolent of sunny pines but when we arrived, groups of visitors were waiting their turn to descend into the rock.
We stopped at the gigantic mouth of the cave, picturing what had transpired there all those years ago.
That afternoon as we sat across from the charred Valchevriere ruins, after a strenuous climb through the woods, Guillon said, “Schoolchildren I bring here always ask if it’s a medieval castle.” We were at 1,160 metres, and from above, the forest resembled a pointillist study in green. Here and there, mossy rock formations emerged as if they had been pinched by a giant’s hand. In silence, a paraglider circled toward the clouds.
“It’s the only hamlet that was not rebuilt,” he said, “They burned everything except the chapel.”
By the evening of July 23, 1944, overwhelmed by the German army and without the Allied help he had been promised, Commandant François Huet gave the order to disband.
Guillon had brought a three-dimensional map. We knew Claude had attempted to escape the
natural fortress turned trap, but we would never know which path he had taken. Stricken, I pushed open the door of the tiny, peaceful chapel and, finding a guest book, picked up the pen.
“Did you pause here, Claude Falck, on your way out of the Vercors?” I wrote. “I hope so.”
And for the first time, I signed, “Your niece, Sylvie.”
If you go
• Resistance Memorial 3425 Col de La Chau, Vassieux-enVercors 011-33-4-75-48-26-00 memorial-vercors.fr
The visual and audio installations plunge the visitor into the past and tell the story of what happened to the people of Vercors during the Second World War. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Adult admission about $7; children about $6.
• Resistance Museum Rue du Fournat, Vassieux-enVercors 011-33-4-75-48-28-46 ladromemontagne.fr
Created in 1973 by a Resistance fighter, this museum tells the story of the Vercors during the 20th century, from the beginning of the tourism industry to the war commemorations. Activities for children involve objects and memorabilia. Open 10 a.m. to 6
p.m. daily. Adult admission about $6; children about $4.
• Luire Cave
The Passage, Saint-Agnan-enVercors 011-33-4-75-48-25-83 grottedelaluire.com
The Grotte de la Luire, one of the largest caves in the area, offers guided visits and speleology lessons. It served as a temporary refuge for a hospital during the war until it was discovered by the German army (most patients and medical staff were killed). One of the largest caves in the area, it brings the visitor into the heart of the mountain. Children will love making their own candles before the descent. It gets cold, so bring a sweater, even in the summer. Open mid-March to early November. First tour starts 11 a.m., last tour at 5 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Hours vary by month; check website for specifics. Adult admission about $10; children about $7.
• Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte cemetery 1-235 Route de Charvet, SaintNizier-du-Moucherotte
011-33-4-76-53-40-60
This simple but solemn cemetery is a national and historical monument to some of the young men and women who lost their lives defending France. Open 24 hours daily. Free. inspiration-vercors.com/en
PARC NATUREL REGIONAL DU VERCOR HANDOUT PHOTO BY STÉPHANE PRODENT, VIA THE WASHINGTON POST
The Memorial de la Resistance sits on a hillside in the Vercors Massif in France.
WASHINGTON POST PHOTO BY SYLVIE BIGAR
The Valchevriere hamlet, the site of fierce battles between German forces and French Resistance fighters, was destroyed and burned by the German Army in July 1944.
When it comes to food allergies, how to help your kids snack smarter
Becky KRYSTAL
The Washington Post
Back-to-school time is stressful on its own.
Add in the specter of food allergies – of your own kids or their friends – and the stakes can feel even higher. What to toss in the lunch bag? What’s safe to share with the class? What can the kids grab between practices? What can you offer that’s not a packaged food? And so on. According to Kids With Food Allergies, part of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, one in 13 kids has a food allergy. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 90 per cent of food-related allergic reactions come from eight foods: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans.
With the exception of seafood,
those allergens are pretty typical ingredients when it comes to snacks aimed at children.
Snacks at school can be particularly problematic, as “most allergic reactions on school campus happen in the classroom, not the cafeteria,” says Melanie Carver, vice president of community health for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
The reasons are unclear, but possibilities include kids being more likely to eat food not prepared by their own parents, substitute teachers not being aware of student needs and crosscontamination occurring with less rigorous hand-washing.
Here are a few tips for smart, safe eating at school and at home:
• Help your kid understand their allergies.
They need to be able to communicate what they’re allergic to, and Carver says they should
be comfortable asking questions of other adults. She suggests parents role-play with their kids to practice. And even if the kids don’t have any food allergies, they should be aware that some of their friends might and they should avoid sharing food with others.
• Know what’s in your food. By law, packaged food containing the eight allergens listed above must be labeled. (Sesame is not included in the law, Carver says, but it can also cause adverse reactions.) Be sure you read the packaging for these and any other ingredients that could cause a reaction, and teach kids how to read labels. Also look for voluntary disclaimers about potential crosscontact in a facility that produces multiple types of food.
• Be sure others know what’s in the food.
If you’re sharing snacks with your children’s class, include a
label or recipe. Try to get a list of safe foods from the teacher, too.
If you’re hosting a group at home, double-check with the kids that they can eat what you’re serving or, better yet, check with their parents first.
• Emphasize what your kid can have, rather than what they can’t. Be sympathetic if they feel deprived or left out. At school, Carver suggests parents ask that teachers stock allergy-friendly snacks, such as muffins, for their kids in the freezer for unexpected situations, such as an impromptu party. Attitude helps, too. Come up with alternatives that are just as tasty, pretty or colourful – if not more so – than the problematic foods.
Think of it as an opportunity to explore new foods, Carver says.
• Try to hit a variety of food groups and compensate for what’s being left out.
Good snacks, individually or in combination, will cover a wide swath of nutrition. Thankfully, fresh fruit, as well as dried or freeze-dried, and vegetables are generally safe bets. As to other types of foods, Kids With Food Allergies offers some alternatives to consider. If dairy is out, nondairy milks are an option, and you can pick up calcium in many greens. No nuts? Consider olives, pumpkins seeds (pepitas), sunflower seeds and avocados. If eggs are a problem, you can get vitamin B12 from fish, shellfish, soy, beef, chicken and milk. The ballooning gluten-free market means finding substitutes for wheat foods is not hard these days.
Oats, if certified gluten-free, are a great snacking option, and so is the classic rice cracker.
Kids With Food Allergies recommends quinoa as a high-protein grain.
Aging in place
How one senior couple remodeled their home for one-level living
Wendy A. JORDAN
Special
To The Washington Post
Soon after Foster Lott and his wife, Katharine Alter, bought their two-story, 1945 house, they began talking about ways to improve it, and saving up to do so.
Sixteen years went by and they were still talking about it. But in 2016, Lott’s hip was giving him an increasingly hard time – he’s in his 70s and she’s in her 60s – and they realized it was time to actually do the remodel.
The kitchen and first-floor bathroom were small, dingy and dated. The small screen porch in a back corner offered tranquil views but was unsightly, dilapidated and only usable weather permitting. In front, a steep yard and five entry stairs were forbidding.
Alter had a head start in evaluating ways to make the house safe and functional for people with mobility or other challenges. As a physician specializing in rehabilitation for people with physical disabilities, she says, “I understand the needs.”
Lott and Alter were looking to adapt their house using the universal design method, but in a modified way, selecting the accessibility features most important to them and forgoing others because they expect one of them to need fewer accommodations. They wanted an open, more contemporary living area that incorporated a modernized kitchen and a sunroom. They planned to convert a small firstfloor room and bath into a master suite, add a stepless entry and invest in other needed improvements, such as new roofing.
The project began in April 2016 and was completed in early 2017. The first-floor portion of the remodel, including major structural work and numerous custom and premium products, came to about $261,000 US.
By removing three load-bearing walls and replacing them with overhead beams to support the second story, the main floor was transformed. One wall ran across part of the back of the house. Removing that wall and the shabby screen porch made way for a sparkling sunroom that absorbs the porch area and adds 200 square feet. The spacious room, with a cathedral ceiling, recessed lighting, and large insulated windows across the walls and up to the ceiling peak, is a bright retreat that embraces backyard views and can be enjoyed year-round.
The sunroom extension also solved the puzzle of where to put a step-free entry. The front yard was too steep to accommodate an accessible ramp, so they wrapped a paved walkway from the driveway and garage to a no-step, flat-threshold sunroom doorway. A slight pitch at the entry channels rainwater into a linear drain, obviating the need for deep eaves that would block light.
The sunroom forms one end of a broad, L-shaped open space that bends around a bedroom and bathroom to fill most of the main floor. Taking out one of the interior walls eliminated the hall – which represents an accessibility adaptation in itself – and merged the hall space into the living room, for a gain of four feet in room width. Taking out the stair wall enhanced the airy and open kitchen/eating space that occupies the old kitchen and dining room area. Interior designer Pari Darvish specified the sleek stainlesssteel and cable custom handrails that flank the stairs.
The first-floor bathroom was also transformed. Originally a tiny rectangular space notched into the bedroom, it was too small to be made wheelchair accessible. And guests had to walk into the rear of the house to use it.
Now the bathroom is a spacious 77-square-foot trapezoid that angles across the centre of the first floor. It has two entries – a narrow one occupying an available opening from a living room corner and a wider, accessible one from the bedroom. A bathroom wall cuts a stylish swath across the living room, giving the bathroom more
of the space that was gained by eliminating the hall.
The bathroom is itself an open space. It is a doorless wet room that includes a roomy shower area with a built-in bench and adjustable, handheld shower head. A slim, slightly indented linear drain channels the water away. The adjacent toilet/bidet is wall-mounted at a comfortable seating height. Darvish recommended a blend of bathroom tiles that are both practical and attractive. The entire room is tiled in warm tones. “I love the colors,” Lott says. Large, 4-by-12-inch tiles streak across the walls. Complementary mosaic floor tiles are small, one-inch hexagons. The honeycomb of
grout lines around them makes the floor less slippery. The tile is easy to maintain and, because the toilet has no pedestal, cleaning the floor underneath is simple.
Lott and Alter chose a clean, contemporary aesthetic for the living area, pairing simple, white shelving and cabinets with stainless-steel accents. Smooth, oak flooring runs throughout the space; existing and new flooring was stained to mesh seamlessly. The couple chose solid fir fourpanel interior doors. The custom fir sunroom door has glass panels to coordinate.
The 13-by-12-foot kitchen opens widely to the sunroom for smooth
access. A peninsula adds counter and storage space on the kitchen side. On the other side, it forms an eating bar and defines the dining area of the open plan. The counter tops are soapstone, a durable, easy-care material. Most of the kitchen cabinets and drawers are below the counter and easy to reach. Roll-out shelving and full-extension drawers bring all contents into view. Linear stainless-steel pulls on cabinets and drawers are easy to grasp. A pantry closet – with shelves inside the door as well as along walls –keeps supplies handy.
The easy-to-clean stainless-steel appliances include a dishwasher,
a stacked oven and a microwave raised several inches above floor level. The height allows for convenient access and transfer of food from oven to counter.
The refrigerator is recessed into the wall, which maximizes clear floor space. The cooktop is an induction unit, so it is not hot to the touch. Controls for the cooktop vent are in front and reachable from a seated position. From the street, the house still resembles the other Cape Cods in the neighborhood.
“Aesthetically and functionally, the open floor plan is a big improvement,” Lott says. “It has spoiled me. I would never want to go back to the way the house was.”
WASHINGTON POST PHOTOS
Foster Lott and his wife, Katharine Alter, above left, remodeled the main level of the Maryland home, above right, for one-floor living so it would be possible to stay in the house as they aged. The living room (top), the shower area (below left) and the dining area (below right) in the remodeled home.
Andrew John Haan
April 11, 1963August 20, 2019
Andrew passed away peacefully at the Prince George Hospice House on August 20, 2019. He was taken from us far too soon after a six year battle with cancer. Throughout his fight he never lost his sense of humour, even when the cancer took away so much of what he loved to do including hiking with his dogs, golfing, photography and being a professional driver. Andrew is survived by his beloved wife and best friend Trina, fur babies Max and Smokey and his birds. He is also survived by his mother Elizabeth, sisters Sarah (Rob), Jane and their families. Andrew will also be dearly missed by his in-laws Judy, Larry and Trish, all of his extended family and a huge group of friends. He was predeceased by his father John and all of his aunts, uncles, and grandparents. He was also predeceased by his fur babies Gizmo, Goofy, Maggie, Molly, Monty, Bandit and Murphy.
Andrew had a twenty day stay at the Hospice House and the staff and volunteers ensured our entire family had the opportunity to make important memories in such a loving atmosphere. Thank you to everyone who had a chance to visit us all there. You all helped make such a scary time so much easier. Throughout Andrew’s journey he met many health professionals and we would like to thank them all for their compassion and care. A special thank you to Dr. Kathleen O’Malley for always making sure we had everything we needed. Also a huge thank you to Dr Kraima, Tracy and Marilyn for making sure Andrew’s last eight months were as pain free as possible. You allowed him a quality of life that we did not believe was possible. Andrew will forever be remembered for his big heart and his quick wit. His laugh lit up the room and he will be missed by everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him. We know he is now pain free and playing golf and hiking with his fur kids. He was also looking forward to a brand new Freightliner to drive. A service to celebrate Andrew’s life will be held at the Grace Anglican Church on Saturday September 7, 2019 at 11:30AM with a tea to follow downstairs at the church. In lieu of flowers we will have donation boxes at the church for the Prince George Hospice Society and the Prince George SPCA.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Arleen Carole Meroniuk (nee Ashe) on the 7th of August 2019. Mom was predeceased by her mother, Carrie Velma Ashe (nee Jensen), her father, James Weldon Ashe, and her son Lorne Steve Meroniuk. She leaves behind sons, Jim, Darrin, and Douglas as well as numerous grandsons, granddaughters, and great grandchildren. There will be a celebration of life for Arleen on Sunday, September 1, 2019 from 1-3 pm at 8233 Flamingo Road.
DEBORAH ANN MAKOWSKI passed away in Vancouver B.C. on August 15, 2019 at the age of 62 years. She is survived by her two children; Stacey and Mark Makowski, grandchildren; Christine Contois, Tyrone Makowski and Angel West. Deborah is also survived by her brothers Dominic and Carl Frederick and numerous other family members, She was predeceased by her Son Shane Collins Frederick, Parents Dominic and Teresa (Joseph) Frederick, brothers; Francis Russell, Robert and Michael and Sister Charlotte. A wake gathering will be held on Tuesday September 3, 2019 starting at 10:00 am at 1035 Sewh Road (Shelley) followed by her funeral service on Wednesday September 4th, 2019 at 1:30 pm at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Interment Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park.
Ellen Gene McGregor (Dos Santos, Nee: Westle)
Ellen was born 07 April 1948 in Smithers, B.C. to Dorothy and James Westle and passed away peacefully on 22 September 2018 in Prince George, B.C., following a brief illness. Ellen was raised in Prince George and at various times in her life lived in Surrey, Kelowna and for the last 18 years she lived in Calgary, AB, where she was an active advocate for the elderly and disabled. She is predeceased by her Mom and Dad, her husband Joquim “Jack” Dos Santos and Brother-in-Law, Ellis Kachanoski. She is survived by brother Henry (Ruth) Westle, sister Rosemary Kachanoski, beloved nephews and nieces and, grand nephews and nieces, many cousins and friends. Ellen’s ashes will be laid to rest on Tuesday, 03 September 2019. We will be gathering at Cottonwood Island Park parking lot at 2:00
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Clayton William Carty, who was taken away much too soon on August 10, 2019. Clayton was born in Kelowna, BC on February 21, 1975 and it was love at first sight. He spent many summers at Cluculz Lake playing with his boat from dawn til dusk.
He grew up with PGARA Speedway winning many trophies as well as mechanic of the year. Clayton was a carpenter by trade, always living up to his knick name “The One Man Show”. There was nothing he couldn’t fix. He was a kind and loving soul - always looking out for the less fortunate. Left to mourn his passing are his Mom Cheryl, Father Steve, Brother Landon (Dezarray), Nieces: Shaye & Phallon, Girlfriend Kim, Grandparents: Joan Cleghorn & George Winter, Auntie Jan (A.J.), Uncle Glen, Uncle Geordie, Auntie Sherry, cousins and many friends. Predeceased by Brother Ben, Daughter Gracie, and Grandparents: Lawrence Cleghorn & Bev Winter. His passing will leave a hole in many lives.
Funeral to be held on September 6, 2019 at 2:00pm at the Salvation Army, 777 Ospika Blvd. South. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Salvation Army and St. Vincent De Paul would be greatly appreciated.
Rest In Peace, Sugar Plum
Oxford, Cowart, Simon Fraser, Trent, Domano, Guelph, St Lawrence, Hartford, Harvard, Imperial, Jean De Brefeuf Cres, Loyola, Latrobe, Leicester Pl, Malaspina, Princeton, Newcastle, Prince Edward,
lane, Bona Dea, Charella, Davis, Polaris, Starlane, Vega.
• • Needed for Aug 1, 2019
• • Moncton, Queens, Peidmont, Rochester, Renison, McMaster, Osgood, Marionopolis. • Quinson Area • Lyon, Moffat, Ogilvie, Patterson, Kelly, Hammond, Ruggles, Nicholson
or rss@pgcitizen.ca
Bob Phillips January 2, 1953 to August 27, 2019
We are sad to announce that Bob died suddenly from complications of Parkinson’s disease. Bob was born in Chilliwack, raised in Prince George, then spent 25 years in Vancouver and on the Island. For the last 20 years, Bob again made his home in Prince George. Bob is survived by Glenda, Ron & Mary, Jana and Kim and their families, who all loved him dearly. Bob was smart and funny, and in any situation he was that guy that everybody liked. He had a gentle nature and sweet heart and although he struggled with depression, his innate goodness was never lost. Please join us on September 14, at the Prince George Golf Club, from 3-5 for a celebration and remembrance of Bob’s life. If you wish to remember him with a donation, please consider Rotary Hospice House. He was surrounded by love in his final hours and was not alone.
Obituaries
Lookingforajourneymanelectricianthathasworked aminimumofsevenyearsinasawmill.Theideal candidatewouldhaveaddedtechnicalcoursestohis resume,AdvancedPLCtraining,designingand workingwithAllenBradleyforcorrectiveand
LAND ACT: NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR CROWN LAND
Take notice that David Nicholson, from Bear Lake, BC, has applied to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD), Omineca Region, for a Crown Grant for Rural Residential purposes situated on Provincial Crown land located in the vicinity of Bear Lake, described as Lot 36, District Lot 2971, Cariboo District, Plan 16017.
The Lands File for this application is 7405093. Written comments concerning this application should be directed to Susan Spears, Land Officer, Omineca Region, FLNRORD, at 5th Floor 499 George et, Prince George, BC V2L 1R5, or Susan.Spears@gov.bc.ca Comments will be received by FLNRORD up to September 30,2019 . FLNRORD may not be able to consider comments received after this date. Please visit the website at http://arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/index.jsp for more information.
Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. Access to these records requires the submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.
A hard copy MAP showing the location and extent of the application area may be acquired by calling the land officer named above at 250561-3479.
MONEY IN BRIEF
Currencies
OTTAWA (CP) — These are indicative wholesale rates for foreign currency provided by the Bank of Canada on Friday. Quotations in Canadian funds.
Consumer worries cloud best Canadian output gain in two years
Theophilos ARGITIS Bloomberg
Canada’s economy recorded a stronger-than-expected rebound in the second quarter as exports recovered, but surprisingly weak consumption and business investment will cast doubts on the expansion’s sustainability.
Output grew at an annualized pace of 3.7 per cent in the three months through June, Statistics
Canada said Friday in Ottawa, up from a paltry 0.5 per cent increase in the first quarter. The rebound follows two straight quarters of hardly any growth. The period also ended better than expected, with a monthly expansion of 0.2 per cent in June.
The underlying details, however, were less impressive. The rebound was driven by the fastest quarterly increase in exports since 2014, but growth in household consumption came to a near halt despite strong gains in incomes, and business investment shrank by the most in more than two years.
As a result, domestic demand contracted in the second quarter.
A shopper carries bags full of clothing purchases. Canada’s economy was stronger than expected in the second quarter of the year, but consumer confidence remains low.
the year. Policymakers at the Bank of Canada may look through some of the strength in the report.
“This was a ‘less than meets the eye’ report,” Brian DePratto, senior economist at TorontoDominion Bank, said in a note to investors.
The markets today
TORONTO (CP) — Canada’s main stock index finished in the black ahead of the long weekend, while markets south of the border were mixed.
The S&P/TSX composite index rose 57.58 points to 16,442.07. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average advanced 41.03 points to 26,403.28. The S&P 500 index gained 1.88 points to 2,926.46, while the Nasdaq composite fell 10.51 points to 7,962.88.
The Canadian dollar averaged 75.22 cents US, up from an average of 75.21 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude contract shed US$1.61 to US$55.10 per barrel and the October natural gas contract dropped about a penny to roughly US$2.29 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract lost US$7.50 to US$1,529.40 an ounce and the December copper contract retreated by about three cents to US$2.55 a pound.
Global stocks rose Friday on hopes that next month’s U.S.Chinese talks might produce progress toward ending a costly tariff war over trade and technology.
Investors were encouraged by a Chinese government statement Thursday that its penalties on U.S. products are adequate. That suggested Beijing might be pausing in a tit-for-tat cycle of tariff hikes by both sides that has fueled fears the global economy might tip into recession.
The comment was “temporary relief for markets,” Jingyi Pan of IG said in a report. However, Pan cautioned it was in line with the view that Beijing “may delay a deal until the 2020 U.S. elections.”
Some analysts say Beijing might be waiting for U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign in hopes he will feel pressure to strike a deal – or is holding out to negotiate with his successor if he loses. “This could still make for prolonged trade uncertainty,” Pan said.
Anxiety about the U.S.-Chinese trade fight fueled market volatility this month.
Washington and Beijing are deadlocked in talks over U.S. complaints about China’s trade surplus and industry plans, which its trading partners say are based on stealing or pressuring companies to hand over technology.
Negotiators are to meet next month in Washington after the latest round of talks in July in Shanghai produced no sign of progress.
That could be a signal of growing unease among households and businesses about global economic conditions, fueled by concerns over the U.S.-China trade war and potentially foreshadowing a sharper slowdown in the second half of
“Not only were today’s details weak, but since the second quarter ended we’ve seen yet another escalation in the trade wars and associated uncertainty.”
Possibly reflecting concerns
about the outlook, businesses met some of the pickup in foreign demand by drawing down inventories, rather than boosting production. The strong gain in exports, meanwhile, is seen as only temporary, reflecting a ramping up of shipments after a sluggish winter. Exports had slumped sharply earlier this year because of curtailments on oil production and other temporary issues, prompting many businesses to stockpile.
DePratto said he expects the
Bank of Canada to join the global trend toward easing monetary policy in October, an increasingly likely scenario according to swaps trading. A second cut is being priced in by investors sometime next year. The next rate decision is Sept. 4, when policy makers aren’t expected to move but will likely strike a more dovish tone. Friday’s GDP numbers beat the bank’s 2.3 per cent forecast, and economists had predicted a 3 per cent increase. The stronger-than-expected headline figure boosted the Canadian dollar. The loonie was up 0.2 per cent to C$1.3255 per U.S. dollar at 10:04 a.m. in Toronto.
Despite the worrying details, the Canadian economic expansion in the second quarter was still impressive – growing the most in two years at easily the fastest pace in the Group of Seven. The U.S. economy expanded by an annualized two per cent over the same period. Shipments by Canadian exporters rose at a 13 per cent pace, contributing more than four percentage points to growth. A drop in imports also added to the expansion, as more of the nation’s demand was used to buy domestically produced goods and services. Housing investment, meanwhile, recorded its first gain in six quarters.
Three lessons from Bernie Sanders
Recently I wrote an article about three things you could learn from Donald Trump.
Those three things were: take more holidays; be quicker to fire and play to win. Just like Trump himself, the response to that article was polarizing.
On one hand, I had people thanking me for the insight and on the other hand subscribers dropped off my mailing list. One fellow even went so far as to suggest that he believed that no education was ever wasted, however in my case, he would make an exception.
All laughter aside, it got me thinking about what business leaders might learn from Bernie Sanders.
At age 77, Sanders is one of the front runners for the Democratic Party nomination for the American presidential election taking place next fall. He captured the attention of the world in his run for the nomination in 2016 when he narrowly lost to Hillary Clinton.
Like his politics or not, there are a few things that every business leader could learn from Sanders.
Here are my top three observations of what Sanders does well.
1. Never give up. Sanders didn’t become the sensation he is now overnight. In fact, Sanders is a loser in the sense that he lost more elections than he won during the first couple decades of his career as a politician.
In fact, Sanders lost five elections for governor and senator before he won his first election as a mayor in 1980. Sanders ran again for the
BUSINESS COACH
DAVE FULLER
senate in 1988 and lost again before winning.
What can we learn from this? In business, we might have to try several times before we become successful in our career as an entrepreneur. Failure is a bitter pill to swallow.
However, if we continue to learn from our losses, we usually can succeed as Sanders has demonstrated.
We need to believe that we have something valuable to offer and to persevere in our endeavors until we achieve our dreams. Remember that Edison failed in 10,000 experiments before he succeeded in building the light bulb. For all we know, Sanders might have had to tweak his message 10,000 times before he got it right.
2. Branding works. Sanders has done a phenomenal job of branded branding himself in order to create a sensation that his followers want to be part of.
Sanders has followed the keys to branding success by differentiating himself from his competition, knowing his audience and understanding the messages that he needs to deliver that will evoke loyalty.
How effective is your business in building a brand that your followers love?
Too often organizations are unclear about what they stand for, what they are trying to
Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir cooktops recalled over fire hazard
The Canadian Press
Health Canada has issued a recall on thousands of cooktops because of a potential fire hazard.
A release from the federal agency says the heating elements on the cooktops may energize without any user input.
The recall affects about 3,000 products produced by the Tennessee-based Whirlpool Corporation under the Whirlpool, KitchenAid and JennAir brands.
Health Canada says no injuries have been reported in this country, although there has been one report of cabinet damage due to the cooktop being on for a long time.
In the U.S., where more than 20,000 of the affected units were sold, two people have reported suffering minor burns.
Anyone who owns one of the products is advised to immediately contact Whirlpool for a free replacement.
achieve and the key messages that will get their ideal patrons to flock to them.
Sanders has clarity about what his message is and his campaign repeats those mantras to communicate his brand to his supporters.
3. Be consistent. Love or hate what Sanders stands for, you have to admit that his social and economic stands have been consistent over the 50 years of his political career.
While many politicians tend to change their messages to cater to tell the electorate what they want to hear, Sanders has remained consistent for decades.
Consistency in business is key to our success. We need to be able to provide consistency in the reliability of our products, service and communication to give our stakeholders a foundation that they can rely on.
Barring a stumble by establishment frontrunner Joe Biden, the chances of Sanders winning the democratic presidential nomination will be similar to his last round.
As leaders in our organizations, we need to not only be aware of other leadership styles, but conscious of the overarching trends in technology, society, economics and politics that could have an influence on our businesses. To survive in the future, we need to be ready to learn from the past and from those around us who are more creatively successful than we are at running organizations.
Dave Fuller, MBA, is an award-winning business coach and the author of the book Profit Yourself Healthy. Email your rant about Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump to dave@profityourselfhealthy.com.
Anti-Semitism divides evangelicals
Julie ZAUZMER
The Washington Post
As she cleans up the counter where the teenagers at her church’s Vacation Bible School ate their cookies and yogurt, Luba Yanko complains about the state of the country. U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to act on Christian values, she believes. But from what she reads online, it seems that a certain group keeps getting in the way.
Trump, she says, “is surrounded by a Zionist environment with completely different values from Christians. It’s kabbalist. It’s Talmudic values. Not the word of God.”
In other words: It’s the Jews’ fault.
“Why do we have pro-abortion, pro-LGBTQ values, and we do not have more freedom to protect our faith? We are persecuted now,” Yanko says about evangelical Christians like herself. “(Jews) say, ‘We’ve got America. We control America.’ That’s what I know.” It’s an anti-Semitic viewpoint shared by a number of evangelical Christians across the country. The relationship between Christians and Jews has been fraught for almost 2,000 years since the death of Jesus.
Today, with a president who levels accusations about Jews and who encourages his fans to mistrust the mainstream media, a growing number of evangelicals are turning to the Internet for information, and finding anti-Jewish beliefs there.
Christians take their cues for what to think about Jews from many sources: from the long history of evangelicals’ support for the state of Israel. From fiery pastors who decry Jewish influence in their YouTube videos. From Trump, who last week declared that Jews who vote for Democrats – meaning more than 70 per cent of all Jews in the United States –are “disloyal.”
In churches across America, evangelicals say they don’t believe they can get unbiased facts from any traditional news outlet that Trump has branded “fake news” (though many are fans of Fox News, and also watch other TV networks and read major news websites). Instead, they seek news from alternative websites and videos.
Pastors are aware of the conspiracy theories floating among their congregants, including a small number of virulently anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic beliefs that some Christians professed.
But leaders are often unwilling to address these beliefs head-on.
After a churchgoing evangelical
Christian killed a Jewish woman at a synagogue in Poway, Calif., earlier this year – an act he prefaced with a manifesto including both anti-Semitic tropes from the internet, and Christian theology from church – some pastors called for a national conversation about how evangelical pastors can make clear that such beliefs aren’t acceptable in their pews.
That doesn’t sit well with many evangelical pastors’ insistence that their job is to preach the Bible, not stray into current events.
At Christian Life Center, the evangelical church north of Philadelphia where Yanko, a housekeeper, espoused anti-Semitism at the snack counter, lead pastor Mark English was unruffled to hear about Yanko’s statements.
“I’m not in government. It would be like me trying to understand the insurance business,” he said, when asked about Yanko’s allegation that Jews control the government.
“The government is so complex – I don’t think that any one group controls everything.”
He felt no need to address his congregant’s anti-Semitic beliefs, either one-on-one or from the pulpit.
Historically, evangelicals have thought of themselves as very good friends of the Jews, not as anti-Semites. The two faiths share the Old Testament – known to Jews as the Hebrew Bible – and share basic watchwords of tolerance like loving your neighbor as yourself. Evangelicals often think fondly of Jews as their religious forebears – after all, Christ’s early followers were Jews of 2,000 years ago – even if they think Jews are missing the crucial Jesus part of the story.
And evangelicals tend to fiercely defend and embrace the state of Israel, a Jewish nation, because of its central role in their own faith. The nation is the site of numerous Christian holy spots, including the places where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and resurrected.
Certain interpretations of Revelation say that Jewish presence in Israel is important for Christians, because it will take the homecoming of Jews to the land of Israel
to bring about the return of the Messiah.
But Christian theology has also gone hand-in-hand with anti-Semitism for centuries, dating back long before Martin Luther. To this day, some Christians commonly believe that the Jews killed Jesus, and modern Jews should bear the guilt. And politically, evangelicals find themselves sharing common cause with right-wing anti-Semites. They might have little else in common, but both groups are enthusiastic supporters of Trump. And Trump, who strives to court that evangelical fandom, has flirted with antiSemitism before last week. During his campaign, he retweeted and defended an image from a white supremacist website, showing Hillary Clinton’s face over a pile of money and a six-pointed Jewish star. He famously said that the demonstrators who chanted “Jews will not replace us” in Charlottesville, Va., included “very fine people.”
Some online video-makers who espouse anti-Semitism do so with an openly Christian imprimatur.
Christians should care about culture
In a recent guest editorial in The Citizen (Aug. 13), a political science professor at Carleton University, Jonathan Malloy, proposes that Christian beliefs appear to have a marginal influence on Canadian politics at this time. Despite their deep convictions about human sexuality and related matters, he suggests that Canadian evangelicals are not well represented politically – that they are on the defense amidst growing secularism. His main point is that the evangelical voice in the U.S. appears to be much louder and politically influential. Malloy’s comments are undoubtedly largely accurate and should come as a huge challenge to Canadian Christians. It is a sad state of affairs for Canada that the Christian voice in our culture has increasingly lost its salient strength. The loss of attention to biblical stories and values can’t help but leave our nation spiritually and culturally impoverished.
CLERGY COMMENT
ED DREWLO
SECOND WIND MINISTRIES
It is in the interests of Christian revival, and ultimately of personal as well as cultural transformation, that clergy comment articles such as these, try to represent an accurate account of Christian beliefs and their great relevance in these times. There are many examples of how Christian beliefs can potentially enrich our societal wellbeing. Just one, affecting many aspects of our culture including education, health care and gender, concerns the critical matter of human sexuality.
Based on the Bible, which Christians have always believed is the Word of God, human sexuality is a sacred gift from God that not only enables people to have children but
also speaks to them about the meaning of a relationship with God himself. According to the Genesis account, God made human beings male and female for mutual support and for a very special kind of intimacy. By this means, he said, we should be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 3:28).
Based on this directive, Christians (as well as many other faith adherents) have always held sexual intimacy to be something very sacred – reserved for covenantal marriage between a man and a woman for their whole lives.
From a biblical perspective then, it is clear that gender identity and distinction are important and should be honoured for the blessing of all humanity.
At the same time, the Bible makes it clear that marriage is not the ultimate goal of life – only one aspect that enables humankind to appreciate God’s creative perfection. Because the ultimate goal of life is not
Aryeh Tuchman, the associate director of the Center on Extremism at the Anti-Defamation League, points to several YouTube channels where pastors promote a mix of Christian theology and antiJewish animus.
TruNews, a nightly newscast with more than 18 million views on YouTube, bills its purpose “to offer Christians a positive alternative to the anti-Christian bigotry of the mainstream media.” Jews and Israel are a constant target for Rick Wiles, the Florida pastor who runs the show.
In the past month, he has posited that sex offender Jeffrey Epstein might not have died but instead been spirited away to a safe house in Israel; listed the names of “Hollywood Jews” who produced the pulled-from-theatres satirical movie The Hunt and suggested that they want to hunt and kill white Christians; called the non-Jewish billionaire “Rabbi Warren Buffett;” said the government could take guns from anyone who criticizes Israel; referred to Ivanka Trump, who is Jewish, as “Yael Kushner;” and more.
mere sexual fulfillment. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it, the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. By this standard, singleness or living without sexual intimacy, should not be regarded as less fulfilling (something affirmed by Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 7).
The many problems in our society that accrue over matters of sexuality, Christians would say, are due to everyone’s natural inclination to disobey God. The solution (and the good news or Gospel of God) is not to disregard God’s directives on these or any other matters, but for each person to acknowledge moral wrong and receive the forgiveness and blessing provided through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In order to have the transformational impact on our political life that Malloy suggests is missing, I believe Christians need to revisit these convictions and their communication of them in a way that is both reasonable and charitable.
Steven Anderson, of the Faithful Word Baptist Church of Tempe, Ariz., right, confronts protesters in June in front of the Revival Baptist Church of Orlando in Clermont, Fla. The church was holding a “Make America Straight Again” event and the protesters were gathered in front of the church. Anderson attended the event.