UNBC’s artist-in-residence sketches out the first piece of cedar for Nenachalhuya: The Cedar Plank Project.
UNBC launches cedar plank project
Citizen staff
The public will get a chance to watch artist Clayton Gauthier put his skills to work as he carves each of 32 panels selected to celebrate the diversity of First Nations across northern B.C. Until all the panels are completed, the member of the Cree and Dakelh First Nations will be on the University of Northern
Prince George campus twice a week.
He will be found in room 7-204 near the Canfor Winter Garden, across from security, on Mondays and Thursdays and while Gauthier will work alone in the mornings, all are welcome to join him to chat and learn while he’s working from 1 to 3 p.m. on those days.
The project was launched Monday.
“This is a special opportunity for the uni-
versity to partner with multiple Indigenous communities in the spirit of reconciliation,” said UNBC president Dr. Daniel Weeks.
“This project allows the entire campus community to learn from a highly-respected artist as he shares his expertise and knowledge.”
Once completed, the panels will be installed in the Gathering Place at UNBC.
“I really see the significance of art within the community and worldwide,” Gauthier said. “Art is a powerful gift that we have from the Creator. We are surrounded by art, so having that understanding that this is art from this territory, I feel that’s really important.”
Gauthier is also the artist behind a cedar sign now in place at Prince George Secondary School. He’s also a published author of the children’s book, The Salmon Run.
Municipalities turn up heat over gov’t’s closed-door dealings with First Nations
Randy SHORE Vancouver Sun
Local governments will turn up the pressure on the province to end their secretive dealings with First Nations when the Union of B.C. Municipalities meets this month.
What flared up briefly as a small skirmish over dock-owners’ rights in Pender Harbour blew up spectacularly for Premier John Horgan’s government last spring when a wide-ranging land-use plan to conserve caribou was sprung on the residents of northeastern B.C. People in both locales were furious that they had been cut out of the process and in the case of the caribou recovery plan, the West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations had been given gag orders by the province that prevented them from disclosing the plan to their neighbour communities.
So many municipalities have
submitted resolutions demanding consultation in future agreements between First Nations and the province that the UBCM executive has made the issue its top priority for the coming year, said vicepresident Brian Frenkel, a Vanderhoof councillor.
“There are five similar resolutions – we’ve seen them from the Northern Rockies, the Sunshine Coast, Vernon and Fort St. John.
So that vaulted this to the top of our agenda,” he said.
Land-use processes designed by the province and First Nations are expected to be applied across B.C. in the years to come, but the system relegates municipalities and regional districts to “stakeholder” status, according to the UBCM’s annual report.
“The Community Charter recognizes local governments as an order of government, and that we should be working together
on areas of mutual interest,” said Frenkel.
“We aren’t just a box to be ticked by the province.”
More than 300 private dock owners in Pender Harbour were shocked when a new dock management plan hatched by the province and the shíshálh (Sechelt) First Nation was announced last year. Several dozen docks will be demolished under the new rules.
The plan is part of a package of First Nations reconciliation agreements that give the shíshálh a role in forest management, revenuesharing and title to several parcels of Crown land.
The dock plan effectively sidelined the Sunshine Coast Regional District’s Official Community Plan, which local governments and community groups had been crafting for years, said district director Leonard Lee.
— see ‘IT WAS, page 3
Cancer survivor to lead myeloma march
Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca
Told 11 years ago she had just six months to live, Eva Patten has defied the odds. In 2008, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a bloodborn cancer that strikes the kidneys and bone marrow.
A day after chemotherapy was used to eliminate her bone marrow, Patten was given a stem cell transplant. Despite the effort, her condition worsened. Patten was placed in palliative care and told she had just six months to live.
Just 41 years old at the time, Patten said the news was “pretty devastating.”
“My kids were in their early, early 20s and my daughter had just graduated from nursing school actually,” said the mother of two and grandmother of three.
“And yeah, I was kind of like, ‘I
PATTEN
have a lot of living left to do.’”
But seemingly in the nick of time, Patten learned a potentially breakthrough treatment had come available in the form of a regimen of trial drugs. With nothing left to lose, she became an “unofficial guinea pig.” — see ‘I’VE BEEN, page 3
Pops in the... church
Due to weather conditions, the Prince George Symphony Orchestra performed their annual Pops in the Park concert at St. Michael’s Church on Sunday afternoon.
Court docket
From Prince George provincial court, Sept. 3-6, 2019:
• Colin Gordon Roger Mamela (born 1971) was sentenced to no further days in jail for willfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer and breaching an undertaking. Mamela spent two days in custody prior to sentencing.
• Norman Russell Michell (born 1972) was sentenced to time served for failing to appear in court, failing to comply with a court order and breaching an undertaking or recognizance, in Prince George, and breaching an undertaking or recognizance, committed in Smithers. Michell was in custody for 59 days prior to sentencing and remained in custody on other matters.
• Andrew Joseph Bazinet (born 1983) was ordered to serve the remainder of his four-mont conditional sentence order and one year probation in jail. He was sentenced to the terms in October 2018.
• Jewell Sherie Bougie (born 1988) was prohibited from driving for one year and fined $2,000 for driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08.
• Brandon Leonard Ricky Keehn (born 1998) was sentenced to eight months probation for breaching probation.
• Waylon Bruce Wheeler (born 1984) was sentenced to two years probation for breaching a recognizance. Wheeler was in custody for 29 days prior to sentencing.
• Michael Neil Dawydiuk (born 1972) was issued a one-year $500 recognizance after allegation of causing fear of injury or damage.
• Bradley Casimel Roberts (born 1993) was sentenced to 332 days in jail and 18 months probation, issued a 10-year firearms prohibition and ordered to provide a DNA sample for robbery. He was in custody for 326 days prior to
NEWS IN BRIEF
Suspected truck thief charged
A man allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen pickup truck has been charged.
Gordon Wilfred Pagens, 27, faces one count of possessing stolen property over $5,000. He was arrested midday Friday after an off-duty Prince George RCMP officer recognized a stolen Chevrolet pick-up being driven near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Carney Street
A short time later, on-duty officers converged on the vehicle at the intersection of Highway 97 and 15th Avenue and the lone occupant was apprehend without incident.
The pickup had been reported stolen from a Fort Street address at about 5 a.m. the same day. Pagens, who has an extensive record for property crimes, was held in custody over the weekend and was scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
Champions of Magic to perform in P.G.
Showcasing five “word-class illusionists,” Champions of Magic will be bringing their tricks to Prince George. They will be performing at CN Centre on Sunday, Jan. 26.
sentencing.
• Rachel Ann Rossetti (born 1976) was sentenced to six months probation for two counts of possessing a controlled substance.
• Lars Wuthrich (born 1973) was issued a 10-month, $1,500 recognizance after allegation of causing fear of injury or damage.
• Douglas Spencer Alec-Lolly (born 2000) was sentenced to no further days in jail for theft $5,000 or under and breaching probation. Alec-Lolly spent 15 days in custody prior to sentencing.
• Jonathan Edgar Hill (born 1983) was sentenced to 24 days in jail and 18 months probation for assault causing bodily harm. Hill was in custody for 81 days prior to sentencing.
• Eric Wayde Thor Johnson (born 1983) was sentenced to 52 days in jail for possessing stolen property over $5,000 and to one year probation on the count as well as for driving while disqualified under the Criminal Code. Johnson was in custody for 83 days prior to sentencing.
• Ralph Apsassin (born 1947) was issued a one-year $500 recognizance after allegation of causing fear of injury or damage.
• Derek Scott Livingstone (born 1988) was sentenced to 39 days in jail for carrying a weapon or prohibited device and to 24 days in jail for breaching probation, both committed in Mackenzie. Livingstone was in custody for 12 days prior to sentencing.
• Jason Christopher Henson (born 1986) was sentenced to a 45-day conditional sentence order for assault and to a 15-day conditional sentence order for committing an indecent act in a public place and mischief $5,000 or under, and to one year probation on the counts.
• Duane Bruce Rollings (born 1962) was fined $500 for communicating for sexual services.
Prince George is their only B.C. stop on their Canada-wide tour following a record-breaking run in Toronto.
Their show has drawn accolades from media in both Canada and the United States and features “stunning stage-filling illusions, impossible mind reading and enchanting closeup magic,” according to promoters. They’ve also made appearances on The CW’s Penn and Teller: Fool Us, NBC’s Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon, The Today Show, Access Hollywood Live and in Canada on The Morning Show, Breakfast Television and Your Morning. “ The Champions of Magic team present incredible interactive magic, an impossible escape from Houdini’s water torture cell, a mind-blowing prediction that has to be seen to be believed, levitation high above the stage and a finale beyond explanation.”
Tickets go on sale this Friday at noon at www.ticketsnorth.ca
Old Dominion to play CN Centre
Nashville-based Old Dominion is coming to Prince George. The five-member country music band will perform at CN Centre on Feb. 10 and tickets go on sale at Tickets North starting this Friday. The band was named group of the year at both the 2018 and 2019 American Country Music Awards.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE
Red Dress Campaign
Prince Rupert port receives federal funding injection
Continued development of the Port of Prince Rupert received a financial injection from Ottawa Sept. 5 with the announcement of $153.75 million in funding for three projects.
“We see it as indicative of the growing role that the Port of Prince Rupert plays in adding value to Canadian supply chains and growing Canada’s trade with the world,” Prince Rupert Port Authority president Shaun Stevenson said.
“These investments will enable the development of gateway infrastructure that will support ongoing growth in capacity and resiliency of the gateway.”
The port’s activity is expected to grow to over 50 million tonnes of trade annually within the next decade.
“These projects are a springboard to unlocking future private sector investment in the new facilities and operations required to meet that growing demand,” the port said in a statement.
In partnership with CN, the port received $60.6 million for the $122 million Zanardi Bridge and Causeway project designed to reduce port operational conflicts and increase rail capacity with a view to accommodating future growth in import and export trade for current and future terminals.
Key project components include construction of a new double-track bridge across the Zanardi Rapids, rehabilitation of the existing single track Zanardi Bridge and expansion of the causeway between the Zanardi Bridge and Ridley Island.
The port itself received $49.85 million toward rail infrastructure required to service the $100 million Ridley Island Export Logistics Platform project focused on expanding of the existing road, rail and utility corridor for greater train access.
The rail infrastructure is a precursor to a large-scale bulk transload and breakbulk transload facilities, and an integrated offdock container yard.
The port hopes the corridor expansion will attract private-sector investment in export transloading and warehouse capacity at the port. A full build-out of logistics capability will be able to handle a significant increase in volumes, including dry bulk, forest products and other commodities.
The Metlakatla Development Corp., the economic development arm of the Metlakatla First Nation, received $43.3 million toward the $89 million Metlakatla Import Logistics Park project, a 25-hectare site development on South Kaien Island to enable transload and warehouse operations to provide increased flexibility and valueadded capabilities for import supply chains.
“This project will benefit all who
live in Coast Tsimshian territory by creating new jobs related to both the construction and long-term operations of the facility,” said corporation CEO Harold Leighton.
The funds are drawn from the National Trade Corridors Fund.
Prince Rupert’s cargo capacity generally has continued to grow. It jumped 12 per cent, four times Vancouver’s three per cent increase, to 1,036,009 20-foot equivalent units last year from 926,539 in 2017.
All other Prince Rupert terminals combined realized a 10 per cent increase, with 26.67 million metric tonnes (MMT) moved compared with 24.17 MMT in 2017.
Prince Rupert Grain Ltd., which handles barley, canola, oats, soybeans and wheat, saw a six per cent cargo decline from 5.77 MMT in 2017 to 5.44 MMT in 2018. Coke and coal traffic jumped 21 per cent to 9.12 MMT from 7.56.
Prince Rupert plans to increase annual TEU throughput capacity to 1.8 million by 2022 from 1.3 million.
The port moved past the onemillion-container-per-year mark December 18.
Prince Rupert’s potential terminal traffic received a boost March 27 when the world’s 11th-largest container carrier, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, (ZIM) announced it had partnered with the 2M Alliance vessel-sharing agreement and added Prince Rupert to its North American trade loop.
‘It was a really big miss for them’
— from page 1
In the northeast, a meeting organized with local governments by provincial Minister of Forests Doug Donaldson to explain the plight of the southern mountain caribou and the federal Species at Risk Act seemed to bode well for a transparent process, said Dawson Creek Mayor Dale Bumstead.
But that’s not how it went down.
“We were left on the sidelines after that for a long, long time,” said Bumstead.
“That was frustrating for us because we were hearing rumours that things were moving along on a partnership agreement with the First Nations, but we were being excluded.”
The release of the draft plan caused such an uproar that Horgan recruited former MLA Blair Lekstrom as a special envoy to try to smooth things over.
“It was a really big miss for them in terms of not bringing local communities and residents into that process,” said Bumstead.
“We have a relationship agreement with the Saulteau First Nation and we build communities together. It’s built on a foundation of trust.”
When it was revealed that the Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations had to sign non-disclosure agreements, it was clear that the provincial government did not share that trust with northern communities, he said.
A rushed round of public consul-
tations did little to assuage locals, who are concerned that the deal will interfere with resource development and recreational access to the backcountry.
The ministry of Indigenous relations and reconciliation notes that the province and the UBCM renewed a memorandum of understanding last year that provides a framework for local government engagement of First Nations treaty and non-treaty agreements.
“In all cases, it is important that local governments have a good understanding of the goals and intentions, and any concerns have been identified and mitigated,” the ministry said in response to Postmedia’s questions. “That means being transparent and proactively engaging with those affected.”
The ministry said it builds a stakeholder engagement plan appropriate to every negotiation, which includes local governments.
However, Lekstrom found the government lacking in that area and recommended that “engagement must be done in a manner that is inclusive, transparent and be given the time to achieve public support.”
But that is not going to be good enough for aggrieved municipalities.
UBCM Special Resolution 1 seeks a thorough overhaul of the provincial government’s approach to First Nations reconciliation and government-to-government negotiations, which it claims violate the
‘I’ve been given 11 more years of life’
— from page 1
It was a step Patten has not regretted taking.
“I’ve been given 11 more years of life that I didn’t think I was going to have,” she said. “And if this research wasn’t out there and constantly being put to use, I would not be here.”
Supporting that research is what the Multiple Myeloma March is all about. Set for this Saturday at the Otway Nordic Centre, 9 a.m. start, the aim of the five-kilometre walk or run is to raise $10,000 locally.
Surrounded by a team of family and friends known as “Strength in Numbers,” Patten will be there.
Prior to coming down with the disease, Patten ran halfmarathons and remains as active as she can. Although she brought up the rear, she recently participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a two-day 200-kilometre cycle through the Lower Mainland, and has been a regular at the Relay for Life. She has also gone bungee jumping and skydiving.
“I didn’t fight this hard to be alive to be a couch potato,” Patten quipped. That said, the cancer has taken
its toll. Along with myeloma, she also suffers from amyloidosis, another type of blood-born cancer that has struck a wider range of her organs, including her heart. As much as she would like to, Patten has been unable to work. She’s also suffered wrist and hip fractures due to weakening of her bones but noted she has avoided the trouble with her spine that others with myeloma have had.
“It’s not a cancer that’s kind, that’s for sure,” said Patten. But she has continued to go through a variety of regimens and continues to fight the fight.
For Dr. Heather Sutherland, principal investigator at the Vancouver General Hospital, success stories like Patten’s have made her work worthwhile.
Thanks to major strides, she said life expectancies have more than doubled over the last 15 years and remain on an upward trend.
“For the first time, we can actually say that we’re getting closer to finding a cure. Investing in research is critical, which is why raising funds is more important than ever,” Sutherland said. To donate, go to myelomamarch.ca.
Thousands of trees planted through PWB program
Citizen staff
Pacific Western Brewing patrons bought enough beer to plant 70,000 trees this summer.
The figure, released Monday, comes as a result of PWB’s “Cariboo Cares” reforestation program in which the brewery contributes 25 cents to the cause for each six pack sold. The trees, consisting of spruce and lodgepole pine seedlings, were planted at a site about 50 kilometres southwest of Prince George and came at a critical time for B.C.’s forestry-dependent Interior, said PWB general manager Scott Rattee.
“The downturn in the forest sector has taken a heavy toll with several hundred direct and in-
direct jobs lost in Prince George and neighbouring Interior communities,” he said, Neil Hughes, a forester at the Ministry of Forest’s lands’ resource practices branch, echoed Rattee’s comment.
“The unprecedented mountain pine beetle outbreak followed by catastrophic fires in 2017 and 2018 are going to require a huge effort to reforest,” he said.
“Having local companies like PWB recognize the situation and, more importantly, step up to do something to help is a wonderful example for others to follow.”
Last year, a team of more than 90 tree planters planted 100,000 seedlings on Crown land scorched by the Elephant Hill fire east of 70 Mile House.
“principles espoused within the Community Charter.”
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, believes there is room at the table for everyone.
“There has to be a more constructive effort made to be inclusive in regard to these issues,” he said. “There should have been opportunities for all parties to be involved.”
Many B.C. First Nations already have protocol agreements with municipalities and regional governments.
“It lays out a number of processes and procedures vis-a-vis dispute resolution, and those are pretty helpful on some of these issues,” he said.
Superwalk
Roughly 100 participants of all ages took part in the Parkinson’s Superwalk around Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park on Saturday afternoon. The walk is meant to help raise funds and bring awareness to the disease that affects more than 13,000 people in B.C.
Jeremy HAINSWORTH
Glacier Media
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE
Drummers lead the way for the nearly 50 men, women and children who participated in this year’s Red Dress Campaign on Sunday afternoon at the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 16.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE
BLOOMBERG PHOTO Solar panels stand in a field in front of wind turbines. B.C.’s greenhouse gas emissions are near 2007 levels, despite policies meant to reduce emissions.
B.C. greenhouse gas emissions near 2007 levels despite carbon tax
VICTORIA — Carbon emissions in British Columbia in 2017 were only slightly below 2007 levels despite a long-running strategy to fight climate change that includes a carbon tax, new data shows.
The data released Monday by the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change measured 64.46 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in 2017 compared to 64.76 million tonnes in 2007.
“There’s no question we have a lot of work to do, and we have no question that it’s challenging, not just for us, obviously, but for Canada and the world,” said Environment Minister George Heyman.
B.C. implemented North America’s first broad-based carbon tax in 2008 to put a price on carbon pollution, which currently stands at $40 per tonne and is slated to increase to $50 per tonne by 2021. The current carbon tax amounts to about nine cents per litre of gasoline and other fuels.
Heyman said the 2017 data does not include results from the province’s CleanBC climate plan that set targets last December to cut
greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030, 60 per cent by 2040 and 80 per cent by 2050.
CleanBC will require new buildings to be netzero energy by 2032 and all new cars sold to be zero-emission by 2040. Carbon tax revenues will be used to offer incentives to energy efficient initiatives.
The emissions data is published on a twoyear delay to allow agencies to assemble the information and it is based primarily on the federal government’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory report, which is submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The data tracks greenhouse gas emissions attributed from most industries, including transportation, mining, waste and oil and gas. It also includes emissions from domestic vehicle use. It did not include emissions data from B.C.’s record wildfire season that had many communities blanketed with smoke.
The ministry said 2017 emissions fell in several sectors including petroleum, oil and gas extraction, road transport and public electricity and heat production. Sectors where emission increased included manufacturing,
off-road transport, residential construction and agriculture.
Heyman said the increases in emissions were associated with B.C.’s growing economy in 2017.
Green party Leader Andrew Weaver said he was concerned with the emissions levels, saying ordinary B.C. residents are doing their part to fight pollution, but industry emissions are largely rising.
He said the carbon tax has spurred innovations in the green economy and prompted people to conserve energy, but government programs to support liquefied natural gas and oil and gas extraction will increase greenhouse gas emissions.
“It’s no wonder our emissions go up collectively and it’s no wonder people get upset,” he said. Heyman said he expects climate change to be a major issue during the coming fall federal election.
“B.C. continues to have a strong economy even as we’ve maintained the carbon tax,” he said. “Most British Columbians and most Canadians very seriously want governments to take meaningful action to address climate change.”
B.C. mayor facing sex assault charge back at work
The Canadian Press
PORT MOODY — A mayor who stepped aside after he was charged with sexual assault has returned to work in Port Moody.
Rob Vagramov said Monday that since he took a voluntary leave of absence in March, the Crown and his lawyer have extensively discussed his case.
“What was initially pursued as quite a scary indictment has since been starkly reduced to a summary matter, with the Crown and my legal counsel now exploring a resolution that would not involve a trial at all,” he told a news conference. “From this point forward, this process should no longer require the level of involvement and attention that it once did. And as such I no longer require the leave granted to me from my responsibilities at city hall.”
British Columbia’s prosecution service said the sexual assault charge against Vagramov is still before the court and the special prosecutor indicated in June that the Crown would proceed summarily on the matter. The next court appearance in the case is scheduled for Thursday.
When it announced the charge in March, the prosecution service said the mayor was alleged to have committed an assault in Coquitlam in 2015.
Vagramov has denied the allegation.
In June, he stopped collecting a salary during his leave of absence after some residents criticized him for continuing to accept a paycheque. He told reporters Monday he has learned first-hand how slowly the wheels of the justice system proceed, which may be frustrating at times but is ultimately a good thing.
“Now admittedly, this matter is and has been an absolute nightmare for myself, my partner and my family. At the same time, my absence from city hall has been a regrettable burden on city business,” Vagramov said.
NEWS IN BRIEF
BC Ferries to sell beer, wine on Victoria route
VICTORIA (CP) — Beer and wine will soon be on the menu for travellers using BC Ferries between Victoria and Metro Vancouver.
BC Ferries has announced alcohol will be added to the buffet menu on three of its ships that travel between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay. The change will start on a trial basis in October.
BC Ferries says customers will be limited to one drink when they buy a meal, adding that many of its customers have expressed an interest in having a glass of wine or beer with food. While this will be the first time alcohol has been offered on sailings between Victoria and Vancouver, BC Ferries already sells beer and wine on its northern routes servicing Port Hardy, Prince Rupert, Haida Gwaii and the central coast. The trial will last for a year.
BC Ferries says the sale of alcohol won’t change its zerotolerance policy for impaired driving.
It says it will review customer and employee feedback as well as revenue figures to evaluate the success of alcohol sales.
Salmon fishing industry in crisis
VANCOUVER (CP) — First Nation and union leaders say there is a desperate need for relief for commercial salmon fishermen on British Columbia’s coast. Advocates say the federal and provincial governments need to step in to help fishermen through the worst commercial fishing season seen in 50 years as runs have plummeted for all species and in all regions.
Joy Thorkelson, president of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union, says at least 2,500 people have been affected by the downturn.
Bob Chamberlain, a former vice-president of Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, says the government needs to come up with diverse solutions since global warming is an added stressor for salmon. John Helin, former gillnetter and current mayor of Lax Kw’alaams, says the lack in salmon has put pressure on other species of fish and there’s been a decline in their numbers.
A statement from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans says the government understands and empathizes with the economic impacts of the declining salmon returns. Department spokeswoman Jocelyn Lubczuk says it doesn’t have the mandate to provide financial relief for workers but it has reached out to the Department of Employment and Social Development to discuss the situation.
B.C. man pleads not guilty in threats case
VERNON (CP) — A man accused of violence against sex workers in British Columbia has pleaded not guilty to five charges. Curtis Sagmoen pleaded not guilty to disguising his face with intent to commit an offence, uttering threats, possession of a control substance and two firearm offences.
A publication ban prevents reporting other details from the trial on Monday in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vernon. The trial, which is expected to last about seven days, is being heard without a jury. The 39-year-old man was charged in October 2017 after police used a warrant to search a property in Salmon Arm. It’s the same area where police found the remains of 18-yearold Traci Genereaux while searching a 10-hectare farm that belonged to Wayne and Evelyn Sagmoen, based on a title search. Sagmoen’s lawyer has said her client lives with his parents at the same address where the search occurred. At the time of the search, police said Genereaux’s death was suspicious but they have not released a cause of death.
Dirk MEISSNER The Canadian Press
Maritimes clean up after Dorian
The Canadian Press
Canadian soldiers armed with chainsaws fanned out across the Halifax area on Monday to help clean up the tangled mess of fallen trees and power lines left behind by post-tropical storm Dorian.
Their high-profile deployment –carried out under bright sunshine – was part of a wider effort to deal with power outages that have left much of the Maritimes in the dark for two days.
Utility companies in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I. are facing a massive task in restoring electricity to hundreds of thousands of customers.
In Nova Scotia, the province that sustained the most damage from Dorian’s hurricane-force winds, more than 150,000 homes and businesses were still without electricity on Monday afternoon – down from 400,000 on Sunday morning.
On Monday morning, three of the Canadian Army’s light armoured vehicles were dispatched to a neighbourhood on the east side of Halifax harbour, where Lt. Gabriel Picard was tasked with removing a large maple tree blocking a residential street.
“We are here to support the local authorities and to help things return to normal after the passage of hurricane Dorian,” said Picard, troop commander with 4 Engineer Support Regiment, based at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick.
“Our main priority is to clear the roads and to make sure that people without power are safe.”
However, Picard and his squad couldn’t start cutting up the uprooted tree because its top branches were still tangled in utility wires on the far side of the street. Without an electrician to ensure the site was safe, the soldiers put away their chainsaws and left to take a break.
As their green armoured vehicles rumbled through Dartmouth, the soldiers were greeted with waves and shouts of encouragement from children on the sidewalk, enjoying a day off from school.
Dartmouth resident Sherri MacDonald said she and her neighbours were grateful for the army’s assistance.
“When I drove up here a few minutes ago, it was a little shocking,” she said. “But I’m also really thankful that we have all of these folks out cleaning up our city and helping us get things back to normal.”
MacDonald said the storm temporarily cut power to her home on Richards Drive, but her property was not damaged.
“I do know that it wreaked havoc all over the city,” she said. “People can’t get to work. The power is out. Lines are down. Trees are blocking the way. I know that lots of folks had damage to their cars and their houses.”
About 300 soldiers from CFB Gagetown in central New Brunswick were brought in to help and another 400 “immediate reaction forces” were on standby.
On Sunday, Nova Scotia Power CEO Karen Hutt said the privately owned utility was facing a “worst case scenario” after Dorian roared over the middle of the province. She said that even with the help of utility crews from Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Florida and Maine, it would likely be Wednesday before the lights are back on in all areas of the province.
Many schools across Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island were closed Monday, and emergency officials have been urging people to stay home – both for their own safety and to give cleanup crews the room they need to work. Public schools in Nova Scotia were to remain closed Tuesday.
In New Brunswick, more than 80,000 homes and businesses were without electricity at the peak of the storm on Saturday. NB Power spokesman Marc Belliveau said that number had been reduced to about 7,000 by Monday afternoon, and he expected most of those would be reconnected by Monday night.
On Prince Edward Island, Maritime Electric said efforts to restore power were slow-going.
“Due to the nature of the work, some customers may be without power until the end of the week,”
the utility wrote on its Twitter feed.
In Quebec’s Iles-de-la-Madeleine, the destruction went far beyond property damage. Entire sections of coastal roads and cliffs were swept away by the wind and waves, accelerating a process of erosion that has threatened homes, tourist attractions and infrastructure in recent years. Public Security Minister Genevieve Guilbault acknowledged that erosion has become a concern for the archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and said work was
beginning immediately to protect the most vulnerable areas.
Meanwhile, many marinas around the Maritimes were left battered by Dorian’s storm surges.
Boat owners at the Shediac Bay Yacht Club in New Brunswick were assessing damage Monday after strong winds and waves tossed boats around like toys.
“This is the worst we have ever seen,” said Gilles Brine, a member of the club’s executive. “There are three boats that are on the rocks from the marina side, and on the slip side, there are about 20 boats
that are on top of each other.”
In Nova Scotia, one of the most dramatic scenes during Saturday’s storm was the collapse of a crane in downtown Halifax, which raised questions about preparedness at the construction site.
Video shared on social media shows the crane collapsing into the side of an empty apartment building under construction by WM Fares Group. No one was injured, but the Nova Scotia Labour Department is conducting an investigation, and a stop work order has been issued.
CP PHOTOS
Above, A toppled building crane is draped over a new construction project in Halifax on Sunday. Right, members of the 4 Engineer Support Regiment from Camp Gagetown assist in the cleanup in Halifax on Monday.
MDs key to assisted living reforms
For years, successive B.C. governments have clung to an assisted living strategy which, literally, makes no sense. Fortunately, that is about to change. Assisted living facilities offer semi-independent housing. Some provide a single room, some an apartment-style suite. All deliver a variety of supports, such as meals, recreation and help with medications. They are intended for residents who can no longer remain in their home, but who do not require the more intensive assistance provided by long-term care facilities. But here is the problem. Assisted living facilities may offer any given resident two, and only two, of the eight or ten services prescribed in law.
If residents requires a third form of support, they must move into a long-term care home.
Indeed, and this is where sense flies out the window, even if residents can pay for an extra service by themselves, or their family are willing to provide that support at no cost to the facility, the law still applies. The resident must leave.
That this is the acme of stupidity scarcely needs saying. There are both human and system-wide costs to consider.
Why should people who can still remain semi-independent be turned out of their living quarters? And what happens when they are?
There are nothing like enough long-term care beds in B.C. for those who already need them.
Why add to the demand?
Worse still, some of these assisted living clients will end up in hospital beds, for lack of an immediate alternative. Around 15 per cent of acute care beds on the Island are occupied by people like this who don’t belong there.
That’s one reason we have patients parked on gurneys in hallways. Our hospitals are running well above design capacity.
Starting Dec. 1, Health Minister Adrian Dix has announced, the regulations will be changed. In future assisted living clients requiring more than two services, but who can still remain semi-independent, will be allowed to stay on. Calling this “a very significant change,”
Dix added: “What this means for people is they will not be forced prematurely to leave assisted living when they neither want to or need to.”
Yet that is only part of the story. Problems like this are endemic throughout the continuum of care for seniors.
Many elderly folks are forced into assisted living in the first place because home support services are inadequate.
This, too, Dix has acknowledged. His ministry has committed $1 billion over three years to fund additional care for seniors. Some of the money will be used to provide more home support.
As well, residential care, pitifully inadequate, is being boosted. It had long been the case that long-term care staffing ratios in B.C. were close to the worst in the country. Among other things, that led to residents being sedated as a means of skimping on the support they needed.
One billion additional hours of direct care are being fed into residential facilities to bring staff ratios in line with appropriate standards.
But then, the difficult part starts. All of
It’s OK to talk climate change
Climate change: those two words put together become highly charged and evoke a variety of emotions across the political spectrum and country.
For many, it’s mere mention is the equivalent of stubbing your toe at your mother-in-law’s birthday party after a root canal. Digging through endless amounts of data and opinions will most certainly give you a headache, and maybe no further on taking a position. You may even consider another root canal instead of continuing your research. I will leave the pursuit for the right answer to experts with more letters behind their names and time on their hands.
Nevertheless, climate change is now a significant part of the energy conversation and will be for the foreseeable future. It doesn’t matter if you are a denier, believer, or an undecided – the world has laid climate change at the doorstep of the fossil fuel industry and rang the doorbell. It’s a choice we need to make in the midst of reshaping our industry. Either we go kicking and screaming or we be proactive and be part of the conversation. At this point, it seems to be
wise and, as displayed by major companies energy companies, to recognize the changing perception.
Companies such as Canadian Natural Resources (CNRL), Shell and BP have changed course with their positions on climate change in recent years. CNRL has gone so far as setting a goal of net zero emissions on their oil sands operations.
Let that sink in for a minute –one of Canada’s largest producers is talking about net zero emissions.
Now, let’s be clear: no one is advocating we shut in the wells, put the pipelines to bed and throw in the towel. This would be both irresponsible and a major blow to our economy.
What is reasonable to ask is for each of us to change the conversation from the negative to our commitment as a country to environmental responsibility.
Globally, we stand among the few that have outstanding environmental standards when devel-
oping our resources. This won’t change the mind of the gentleman strapped to a well head with a sign saying “leave it in the ground” but he is not the mind we need to change. The challenge has been, and will continue to be, showcasing our industry to average Joe and Jane.
Carbon capture, upstream electrification and other technological innovations not yet imagined have the capability to put us at very low GHG emissions – who knows, maybe even net zero. To the fair-minded individual, a goal to lowering our emissions and not dismantling an industry is both acceptable and achievable.
Although a good rant on social media –“let the hippies freeze” or “where will they get their plastic?” – is therapeutic to some, it’s not helpful. In many cases, it’s just an exercise is preaching to the converted or having opposing views further entrenched.
I’m proud of what we have as an industry and I’m confident we will rise to the challenge. Let’s limit the rants and root canals and steer the conversation to what we all know to be true: Canada does it safer, cleaner and more responsible than anyone else.
— Chuck Fowler lives and works in Fort St. John.
LETTERS WELCOME: The Prince George Citizen welcomes letters to the editor from our readers. Submissions should be sent by email to: letters@pgcitizen.ca. Maximum length is 750 words and writers are limited to one submission every week. We will edit letters only to ensure clarity, good taste, for legal reasons, and occasionally for length. Although we will not include your address and telephone number in the paper, we need both for verification purposes. Unsigned or handwritten letters will not be published. The Prince George Citizen is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact Neil Godbout (ngodbout@pgcitizen.ca or 250-960-2759). If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.
these changes, theoretically, should take pressure off our hospital system. And that in turn ought to save money, since acute care beds cost far more to operate than any other form of care. But theory and practice are two different things. There are always more patients who could be admitted to hospital, even though the severity of their condition doesn’t immediately warrant it. If the vacated beds are simply filled again with less urgent cases, overcrowding will continue.
The solution must be to bring physicians more directly into the running of our health-care system. They have an essential role to play as gatekeepers, but that requires empowering them, no easy matter.
Traditionally, there has been friction here. Doctors feared that additional responsibilities would keep them from their patients. And governments have been reluctant to share their power.
If the reforms Dix announced are to work, such mindsets must be changed. And that might be the most difficult task of all. —
Victoria Times Colonist
Long wait times concern residents
Last month, federal Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer sent a letter to provincial and territorial premiers in which he vowed to increase health transfers if he becomes prime minister after next month’s election.
By addressing this complex topic before the campaign even begins, Scheer seeks to accomplish two goals. The first one is to connect with the one-in-five Canadians who identify health care as the most important issue facing the country. This is a group that includes 32 per cent of Atlantic Canadians, 24 per cent of Canadians aged 55 and over and 22 per cent of women.
The second goal, important from a strategic standpoint, is to effectively issue a pre-emptive strike before the campaign undoubtedly brings allegations that the Conservatives are seeking to establish a “two-tier” health care system.
In British Columbia, health care was ranked as the second most important issue facing the country in July (16 per cent), after housing, homelessness and poverty (24 per cent). With this in mind, Research Co. asked British Columbians about their perceptions of the health care system, which problems should be dealt with and whether they would open their wallets to access specific services.
A quarter of British Columbians (26 per cent) seem to offer a ringing endorsement of the system, saying, “health care in British Columbia works well, and only minor changes are needed to make it work better.” Conversely, 12 per cent of residents believe “health care in British Columbia has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it.”
This leaves a majority of British Columbians (58 per cent) who believe “there are some good things in health care in British Columbia, but some changes are required.” British Columbians who are profoundly satisfied with the way health care works outrank those who are deeply dissatisfied by a two-to-one margin. Still, there are some differences that merit attention.
Men in British Columbia are more likely to believe that “only minor changes are needed” (30 per cent) than to express a need to “completely rebuild” the health care system (nine per cent). The numbers are not as rosy among women (22 per cent for “minor changes” and 17 per cent for “rebuild”).
When asked to pinpoint the biggest problem facing the health care system right now, almost twoin-five British Columbians (38 per cent) say it is long waiting times. One-in-five (20 per cent) select a shortage of doctors and nurses, 15
Mailing address: 505 Fourth Ave. Prince George, B.C. V2L 3H2 Office hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday General switchboard: 250-562-2441 info@pgcitizen.ca General news: news@pgcitizen.ca Sports inquiries: 250-960-2764 sports@pgcitizen.ca Classifieds advertising: 250-562-6666 cls@pgcitizen.ca
per cent believe it is inadequate resources and facilities and 10 per cent pick bureaucracy and poor management. Other concerns were in the single digits, including lack of a wider range of services for patients (six per cent), vague legal rights of patients (four per cent), little focus on preventive care (three per cent) and insufficient standards of hygiene (one per cent).
Long waiting times are a particularly big problem for men (41 per cent), Metro Vancouverites (also 41 per cent) and residents of Northern B.C. (48 per cent). In other regions, perceptions are more nuanced.
In the Fraser Valley and the Southern Interior, long waiting times are the biggest issue (31 per cent and 32 per cent, respectively). In the Valley, inadequate resources and facilities ranks second (23 per cent). In the Interior, it is a shortage of doctors and nurses (27 per cent). On Vancouver Island, more than a third of residents (36 per cent) cite a shortage of doctors and nurses, followed by long waiting times (24 per cent).
The fact that long waiting times is the most pressing concern province-wide does not mean that British Columbians are ready to purchase medical services. Almost half (45 per cent) say they would “definitely” or “probably” be willing to pay out of their own pocket to have quicker access to medical services that currently have long waiting times.
Even fewer provincial residents (37 per cent) say they would “definitely” or “probably” be willing to travel to another country to avoid waiting lists and access care promptly.
Both options are more popular among residents in the highest income bracket, and least popular with British Columbians aged 55 and over.
So, in the likely event that discussions about health care during the federal election turn into accusations of “two-tier” finagling, it would be wise to remember the feelings of British Columbians. Only about one-in-eight residents believe the health care system should be “completely rebuilt.”
And while waiting times are, understandably, identified as the most important problem, the group that is the least likely to pay out of their own pocket to access medical services – domestically and internationally – is residents aged 55 and over.
Shawn Cornell, director of advertising: 250-960-2757 scornell@pgcitizen.ca Reader sales and services: 250-562-3301 rss@pgcitizen.ca Letters to the editor: letters@pgcitizen.ca
Website: www.pgcitizen.ca
Website feedback: digital@glaciermedia.ca Member of the
of Glacier Media
BY THE NUMBERS
MARIO CANSECO
AFN outlines election priorities
The Canadian Press
Canada has been treating Indigenous issues as higher priorities since the last federal election but more work needs to be done, says Assembly of First Nations Chief Perry Bellegarde.
The national group, which includes First Nations chiefs from across Canada, is outlining its election priorities for Canada’s First Nations, with less than a week before the federal campaign must begin.
Bellegarde released a 16-page document today in Ottawa, saying he hopes it will frame the dialogue around First Nations during the election race and help set the agenda for Indigenous rights and priorities for the next government.
“Has the gap closed yet? The answer is no. Has there been movement? The answer is yes, but we have to maintain momentum,” he told reporters.
Neither Bellegarde nor the AFN is endorsing a particular political party for the Oct. 21 vote. Rather, the hope is to motivate Indigenous Canadians to exercise their right to vote and, when they do, to examine the progress that has been made by all parties on making First Nations issues a priority, Bellegarde said.
“I think we can have an impact, no question.”
The AFN election document, entitled “Honouring Promises,” lists short and long-term goals to improve the lives of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
The top priority is mitigating the effects of climate change. It calls on the incoming federal government, within the first year of its mandate, to work with First Nations to make climate change a national priority.
The AFN wants First Nations to
become full partners in carrying out Canada’s climate plan, including in any decisions on how to spend money raised from carbon pricing, and would like direct participation in federal environmental policy-making.
“For generations we have heard promises. Now we must see action, in partnership with Indigenous knowledge,” the document says. “We must develop a vision of environmental stewardship that is global and holistic, taking us beyond existing targets and timelines, toward a sustainable future for all generations.”
The national group is also looking for recognition that First Nations’ treaty rights would allow
them to develop and implement environmental regulations and impact-assessment regimes.
A number of First Nations have mounted legal challenges against the federal government on major energy projects, including the Trans Mountain pipeline, on grounds of not having been properly consulted – some of which have been successful.
The AFN is now asking for the federal government to support First Nations-led environmental and regulatory reviews as part of a more collaborative approach to environmental stewardship.
This 2019 election document builds on the AFN’s “Closing the Gap” document, distributed to
each party during the last federal election. Bellegarde says he is confident his organization was able to influence the policies of political parties in 2015 and hopes to do so again this time.
“Concrete actions” and investments have been made, Bellegarde acknowledges, while stressing the “considerable ground to make up to ensure First Nations and Canadians share an equal quality of life, and to see generational shifts in outcomes.”
Another area where “sweeping changes” are needed is in the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in the criminal-justice system and in jails and prisons in Canada, the AFN says.
In 2017-18, Indigenous inmates represented 28 per cent of the total number of federal prisoners, despite making up just 4.3 per cent of the total Canadian population, according to the annual report of the federal correctional investigator. The situation for Indigenous women is particularly striking – over the last 10 years, the number of Indigenous women sentenced to more than two years in prison increased by 60 per cent, and they now are 40 per cent of incarcerated women in Canada.
The AFN is calling for new restorative-justice systems to promote community healing, reconciliation and reintegration, displacing punitive measures.
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde releases “Honouring Promises: 2019 Federal Election Priorities for First Nations and Canada” during a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Monday.
Freight stopped on Columbia River
A critical navigation lock at the mighty Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River has shut down because of cracked concrete, meaning huge barges that transport millions of tons of wheat, wood and other goods from the inland Pacific Northwest to the Pacific Ocean for export are at a standstill.
The closure comes at the peak of wheat harvest and could be devastating for farmers who ship to Asia via barges that fill up at more than two dozen grain elevators along the river network as far inland as Lewiston, Idaho.
Many of those barges are now stranded above the dam, unable to reach deep water export terminals on the Pacific Ocean.
“All the growers have done their part, they’ve raised high quality wheat and they want to get it out to feed the world,” said Kristin Meira, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.
The crack in the concrete sill was discovered late last week and the lock was drained of all water over the weekend.
On Monday, crews were working to demolish the faulty concrete section so repairs could begin, said Chris Gaylord, a spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Portland, Ore.
It was unclear when the repairs would be done.
“We’re trying to be really, really transparent and feed people updates as quickly as possible,” he said. “We’ve been getting work done out there as quickly as possible.”
It’s not known what caused the damage; the locks are maintained annually.
The damage means that barges headed upstream can’t travel the Columbia River past the Bonneville Dam and those headed downriver toward the Pacific Ocean are stuck behind the Bonneville –effectively putting a chokehold on all river commerce in a huge swath of the Pacific Northwest from eastern Oregon and Washington to Idaho.
The eight dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers are critical parts of a watery highway that transports millions of tons of cargo for shipment to and from the Pacific Rim via large, deepwater ports on the coasts of Oregon and Washington.
The first of these dams is the Bonneville Dam, located about 64 kilometres northeast of Portland, Ore.
“It’s essentially the cork in the bottle for the whole rest of the system. If the navigation lock at Bonneville Dam is down, essentially the rest of the river system is down,” said Meira. “It is absolutely critical that the Corps of Engineers reopen that lock as soon as possible.”
Eight million tons of cargo move inland on the Columbia and Snake
rivers each year and 53 per cent of U.S. wheat exports were transported on the Columbia River in 2017, the latest year available, she said.
About $2 billion in commercial cargo travels the entire system annually, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and it’s the No. 1 export gate in the U.S. for wheat and barley and the No. 2 export gate for corn.
Navigation locks allow the large barges to pass through the massive concrete dams that were built across the Columbia and Snake rivers decades ago to generate hydroelectricity for the U.S. West.
A boat enters a sealed chamber filled with water – essentially like a giant concrete bathtub – and then the water level is lowered or raised to match the level of the river on the other side of the dam.
Then the lock opens on the other side and the boat exits.
The concrete sill that is cracked in the Bonneville Dam is similar to a rubber threshold on the bottom of a door.
Just as that rubber strip creates a seal to keep cold air and moisture from leaking in under the door, the concrete sill meets up with the lock’s gate and creates a seal to keep water inside the lock.
The cracked concrete is on the downstream lock gate, but the damage was causing significant leaking in the whole system – so much so that water levels were falling when the lock was in operation, said Gaylord, the Army Corps spokesman.
The dams close each year for a week for maintenance and once every five to six years, they close for several months, said Rob Rich, vice-president of marine services for Shaver Transportation.
But in those instances, farmers and shippers and barge companies have two years of notice, allowing them to plan ahead, he said.
Rich said half of his company’s business comes from barges that tow cargo on the river system above the Bonneville Dam and he is anxiously awaiting more information about when the lock will be repaired.
Rail and trucking aren’t reliable alternatives; most of the rail system is used for grain coming from the Midwest, he said.
“I’ve been working on this system for 40 years and I can count on my hand the number of times that we had emergency outages, where we didn’t know this was going to happen,” Rich said. “It has a major impact.”
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS VIA AP
This photo provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Sunday shows a dry boat lock on the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River that connects Oregon and Washington at Cascade Locks., Ore.
cut interest rates by 25 basis points but there’s disagreement about whether it would be followed by further cuts. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 40.24 points at 16,495.09 after hitting an intraday high of 16,566.74. Eight of the 11 major sectors of the TSX moved lower. The key materials sector decreased 1.8 per cent with shares of Kinross Gold Corp. and Barrick Gold Corp. falling. The December gold contract was down US$4.40 at US$1,511.10 an ounce and the December copper contract was down 0.65 of a cent at US$2.63 a pound. Technology shares fell on both sides of the border. Shopify Inc. was down 5.9 per cent while Blackberry Ltd. was 3.4 per cent lower. In the U.S., tech shares fell on intensifying antitrust actions by the government on big firms including Google.
The energy sector gained 2.3 per cent as Encana Corp., Crescent Point Energy Corp. and Canadian Natural Resources each gained more than three per cent. The October crude contract was up US$1.33 at US$57.85 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up 8.9 cents at US$2.59 per mmBTU.
The Associated Press
Ball battle
Bianca feeling the love
Canada rejoices; Andreescu rises to No. 5 in world rankings after US Open victory
The Canadian Press
The queen of Canadian tennis is on top of the mountain after her first Grand Slam title. Bianca Andreescu’s next challenge is staying there.
Riding high from her U.S. Open final victory over Serena Williams, Andreescu’s off-court whirlwind continued with high-profile TV appearances on Good Morning America and“Live with Kelly and Ryan.
She also rose 10 positions to a career-high No. 5 in the WTA Tour’s world rankings on Monday, the latest achievement in a stunning ascent from relative unknown to top-flight contender. The 19-year-old Andreescu has handled her exponential climb with aplomb, displaying a level of maturity and confidence beyond her years.
“She’s shown a remarkable ability to adapt quickly to her new world order and I suspect the same thing will happen here,” said former national team coach Robert Bettauer.
Andreescu’s title at Indian Wells, Calif., last March got people’s attention. Raising the Rogers Cup trophy last month proved that win was no fluke. Beating an all-time great like Williams for a major championship has sent Andreescu into another stratosphere.
This was a sports moment that had a ‘where-were-you-when’ quality in this country, like Mike Weir winning the Masters or Sidney Crosby’s golden goal.
Final ratings released Monday by TSN were a monster, with a record average audience of 3.4 million viewers (combined with the French-language broadcast on RDS) reported by Numeris to go with a peak of 5.3 million when Andreescu closed out the match.
There were some nervy moments in her 6-3, 7-5 win at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
She took the opening set in 42 minutes, but the packed house of 26,191 fans popped in the second set when Williams broke Andreescu’s serve to stay alive. The veteran American then sent the crowd into a frenzy by winning the next three games.
At 5-5, Andreescu showed the mettle that has won over tennis observers. She halted Williams’s momentum with a key hold and
then broke her serve for the victory.
“That’s just guts,” said Bettauer.
“That is a very, very extraordinary aspect to Bianca’s game and why she will go to No. 1 and why she will win more than a few Grand Slams. It’s much more than just the tennis game she plays.
“It’s who she is and the resolve she has a competitor. That is just superb championship quality.”
Andreescu, from Mississauga, Ont., earned a whopping US$3.85 million for the victory. She improved to 45-4 on the year and padded her 2019 prize money total to $6.06 million.
Quite a jump for a player who was ranked No. 152 at the end of 2018 and often earning a few thousand dollars at each tournament.
“Some players have all the tools and don’t know how to use them. She has all the tools and knows how to use them,” said former ATP Tour player Jesse Levine, now a coach based in Boca Raton, Fla.
“She can play offence, she can play defence, she can hit spin... she can make you play the shots that are awkward and you’re not used to seeing.”
Fellow Canadians Milos Raonic and Eugenie Bouchard have
reached Grand Slam finals (both at Wimbledon) in recent years but couldn’t get over the hump. Both reached the top five but weren’t there for the long-term.
Andreescu seems primed to not only remain among the upper echelon, but to ascend even further.
The No. 1 spot has been a revolving door of late with Ashleigh Barty of Australia the latest to hold the position. Andreescu is the lone teenager in a top five that includes Japan’s Naomi Osaka, Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, all players in their early-to-mid-20s.
“Bianca is now one of them,” said Bettauer, a Sportsnet analyst and CEO of the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence. “She may have the best all-around combination of skills, athleticism and mental fortitude to be the one to rise above the pack and be the lead.”
Unlike a year ago, Andreescu doesn’t have to overload her schedule anymore. With injuries a concern in recent seasons, she can build up ahead of top events like Grand Slams and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Her decision to skip the Cincinnati tournament after winning in Toronto looks brilliant in hindsight. The next big circle on
the calendar is the Oct. 27-Nov. 3 WTA Tour Finals in Shenzhen, China.
“I think the last quarter is all about keeping her healthy and getting her ready to peak for the year-end championship,” said Tennis Canada president and CEO Michael Downey.
Proper rest and recovery will be paramount for Andreescu, who paid her dues on the lower-level circuit before her breakthrough and was grinding through qualifying draws at this time last year.
It’s hard to overstate the impact her remarkable nine-month surge will have on Canadian tennis and the domestic sport scene.
“There are so many young Canadian tennis players and athletes from all kinds of sports who watched what happened this weekend and have been following Bianca,” Bettauer said.
“She is their star, their role model, their hero. They’ll want to now follow in her footsteps.”
Show her the money!
Andreescu won US$3.85 million when she won the women’s final at the U.S. Open on Sunday in New York, but it’s likely that paycheque is only the beginning of
million-dollar payouts from future sponsorship deals.
In fact, earlier this year, Andreescu signed a sponsorship deal worth about $50,000 with Copper Branch, a plant-based eatery chain with more than 50 locations mostly across Ontario and Quebec.
But with her U.S. Open victory in hand, her financial situation allows her to take her time and determine what brands the young star wants to associate herself with.
Andrew Infantino, marketing director at Copper Branch, says the chain signed her after searching for an up-and-coming athlete from Ontario and believed a tennis player would be a good fit considering their season would be coming up in the summer.
The Copper Branch contract ends in early 2020, but the eatery hopes to extend it or sign a new one. Until it runs out, Copper Branch plans to continue using her image on menu boards and its website, but also wants to ramp up the connection between Andreescu and the chain.
It may place lifesize cutouts of the tennis star in its stores and may add an Andreescu-themed menu item, Infantino said.
The Mississauga, Ont., teen seems to embody the Canadian identity well and that’s one of the things fans and brands likely love about her, said Cary Kaplan, president of marketing firm Cosmos Sports & Entertainment.
Some noted her quintessentially Canadian response to winning the final match when Andreescu apologized to the stadium crowd for beating Williams.
Kaplan said she will likely consider what brands best represent her image, adding Tim Hortons and Canadian Tire spring to mind as natural fits. Canada’s major grocers and even some of the country’s banks may vie for a piece of Andreescu, he said. In some categories, Andreescu won’t have the option to choose a homegrown brand, he said, and will affiliate with an international brand.
Still, Kaplan hopes she maintains relationships with her initial sponsors following her rise to fame and grandfathers in companies like Copper Branch, which endorsed her at the beginning.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE
UNBC Timberwolves striker Claire Turner and UBCO Heat midfielder Erica Lampert fight for the ball Saturday afternoon in Canada West women’s soccer action at Masich Place Stadium. Turner scored once with Sofia Jones adding two more as the Timberwolves defeated the Heat 3-0.
CP PHOTO
Bianca Andreescu poses with the US Open women’s singles championship trophy at Top of the Rock on Sunday in New York.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats come off bye week
Dan RALPH The Canadian Press
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats head into an important four-game stretch following their first of two bye weeks.
The East Division-leading Ticats (9-2) visit the Calgary Stampeders (7-4) on Saturday in the first of four straight games versus West Division clubs. Hamilton will also play Edmonton (6-6) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-3) before returning to Tim Hortons Field to host the Eskimos on Oct. 4. Hamilton is a solid 5-1 versus West Division rivals this season. But the Stampeders are 2-0 with CFL/Grey Cup MVP Bo Levi Mitchell back in the lineup and coming off a Labour Day sweep of the Eskimos. Edmonton has dropped three straight but remains 4-2 at Commonwealth Stadium. And West Division-leading Winnipeg is a stellar 6-0 at IG Field.
The Ticats, under first-year head coach Orlondo Steinauer, are 3-2 on the road and 6-0 at Tim Hortons Field. Hamilton will have its final bye week following the home game against Edmonton then finish up against division rivals Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto.
The Ticats can’t afford to stumble with second-place Montreal (6-4) just four points behind. But unlike the Ticats, the Alouettes won’t have another bye week. After visiting Saskatchewan on Saturday, they’ll face Winnipeg (twice), the B.C. Lions, Calgary, Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa.
Dubious streaks end
The Toronto Argonauts ended two rather embarrassing streaks Saturday in their 46-
17 win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
The victory was Toronto’s first on the road since a 40-13 decision versus the B.C. Lions on Nov. 4, 2017 - a span of 15 contests. The Argos (2-9) were 0-9 away from BMO Field last season and had dropped their first five road contests this season.
The Argos also scored their first rushing touchdowns of 2019. Derel Walker had a one-yard TD run in the first quarter before James Wilder Jr. scored on a five-yard effort in the fourth.
Wilder Jr. finished with 42 yard rushing and the TD on eight carries while adding three catches for 45 yards and two touchdowns. Toronto still remains last overall in rushing scores, three behind eighth-place Ottawa.
Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw for 411 yards and three TDs against Ottawa. It’s the seventh time this season Bethel-Thompson has surpassed the 300yard passing plateau and marked his second 400-yard performance after throwing for 464 yards in Toronto’s 28-22 loss to Montreal on Aug. 25 in Moncton, N.B.
Bethel-Thompson leads the CFL in TD passes (19) and is second in passing yards (3,004).
Harris to return
When the Winnipeg Blue Bombers come off the bye next week, they’ll have their offensive lynchpin back.
Running back Andrew Harris can return to the lineup Sept. 21 when the Bombers (93) visit the Alouettes (6-4). Harris missed Winnipeg’s Labour Day split with Saskatchewan while serving a two-game suspension
following a positive drug test.
Despite the two-game absence, Harris remains the CFL rushing leader with 908 yards. The 32-year-old Winnipeg native has a 93-yard advantage over Edmonton’s C.J. Gable, with the Eskimos also on a bye week.
Montreal’s William Stanback is third with 689 yards heading into the Alouettes’ road game Saturday against Saskatchewan (7-4).
Winnipeg’s rushing attack didn’t suffer much without Harris. Johnny Augustine ran for 173 yards on 28 carries (6.17-yard average) in the two games against Saskatchewan.
This season, Augustine has rushed for 233 yards on 37 carries (6.6-yard average). He’s also added six catches for 80 yards and a TD.
Chris Streveler remains at quarterback for Winnipeg with incumbent Matt Nichols (upper-body) on the six-game injured list. The Bombers are 2-1 with Streveler under centre.
Ground to make up
Brandon Banks headed into Hamilton’s bye week leading the CFL in receiving, but returns standing third overall.
Banks had 10 catches for 109 yards in Hamilton’s 38-27 home win over Toronto on Sept. 2. That put Banks atop the receiving standings with 65 receptions – one behind teammate Bralon Addison for most in the CFL – for a league-high 862 yards with five TDs.
But after last weekend’s action, Calgary’s Reggie Begelton leads with 66 catches for 930 yards with seven TDs. Toronto’s Walker climbed into second with 52 receptions for
897 yards and five TDs.
Begelton and Walker have each played 11 games, one more than Banks, although the Ticats star has been targeted 96 times, seven more than both Begelton and Walker. On Saturday, the CFL issued a tweet outlining Begelton had become its leading receiver. That prompted a response on Twitter from Banks stating: “Guess they broadcast it when I’m on a bye week they don’t let it be known week to week that I’m in lead it’s cool tho end of season will prove it.”
Betts signs
The Eskimos signed Canadian defensive lineman Mathieu Betts on Monday. Edmonton selected the former Laval standout No. 3 overall in this year’s CFL draft but he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears. Betts was among the NFL club’s final cuts.
The six-foot-three, 250-pound Betts won two Vanier Cups at Laval. He also became the first player in Canadian university football history to capture the J.P. Metras Trophy as top lineman three straight seasons (2016-18). Betts was also Canadian university football’s top rookie in 2015. Also on Monday, veteran running back Tyrell Sutton was among four players the Tiger-Cats added to their practice roster. Sutton, 32, has previous CFL playing experience with Montreal (2013-18) and B.C. (2018), having rushed for 3,841 yards on 698 carries (5.5-yard average) with 17 TDs while adding 178 catches for 1,539 yards and three touchdowns.
Ron Abernethy 1928 - 2019
It is with sadness we announce the passing of our father Ron Abernethy. Predeceased by his loving wife of 64 years, Joyce. Survived by sons Gordon (Jean), Gary (Kathy); daughters Cindy Norum (Royce), Susan Morash (Shawn); seven grandchildren, ten great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. A Graveside service will be held at 11:30am on Saturday, September 14, 2019 in the Prince George Memorial Park Cemetery. Following the graveside service, please join the family for a Celebration of Life at the Columbus Community Centre at 12:00pm. In lieu of flowers donations to a charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.
www.wcgservices.com Office/Clerical
BVCHILDDEVELOPMENT CENTERSPEECHAND LANGUAGEPATHOLOGIST
Thisisafull-time permanent(35hours/ week)positiontostarton September30th,2019. hr@bvcdc.ca www.bvcdc.ca/jobpostings-new
Thisisafull-time permanent(35hours/ week)positiontostarton September30th,2019. hr@bvcdc.ca www.bvcdc.ca/jobpostings-new BVCHILDDEVELOPMENT CENTRE PHYSIOTHERAPIST BulkleyValleyChild DevelopmentCentre requiresaPhysiotherapist inVanderhoof,BC. Thisisafull-time permanent(35hours/ week)positiontostarton September30th,2019. www.bvcdc.ca
Rd, Dawson Rd, Seton Cres, • Austin Rd. College Heights: Needed for Sept 1, 2019 O’Grady Rd and Park, Brock, Selkirk, • 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, Melbourne, Guerrier, Loedel, Sarah, Lancaster, Lemoyne, Leyden,St Anne, St Bernadette Pl, Southridge, Bernard Rd, St Clare, Creekside, Stillwater, Avison, Davis, Capella, Speca, Starlane, 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
Full Time and Temporary Routes Available. Contact for Details 250-562-3301 or rss@pgcitizen.ca
professional.
OVERVIEW:Seewhatittakestobecomeaproattaxesat H&RBlock’sTaxAcademy.Thealwaysin-demandskills andknowledgeyou’lllearncanopendoorstorealjob opportunities.
CAREERBENEFITS:Trainingfromindustryleaders,the abilitytotackleanytaxsituation,theopportunitytowork asapart-timetaxprofessionalatH&RBlock,and flexibilityandindependence. There’sneverbeenabettertimetoenroll!Classesstart thisSeptember. hrblock.50864@hrblock.caor www.hrblocktaxacademy.caorcall250562-6247
Planned giving, donations in tribute, gifts through wills & estates are gratefully accepted - tax receipts issued “Promoting the Mental Health of all People in Prince George & Northern
Right now, five million Canadians are living with diabetes and six million more are at risk of developing it soon.
Diabetes 360° is a national strategy that could prevent millions of Canadians from being diagnosed with diabetes and save billions of dollars in healthcare. Diabetes is an epidemic.
