Ethics, values questioned on Day 1 of election campaign
OTTAWA — An election campaign sure to feature plenty of pocketbook promises got underway amid deeper questions of ethics and values Wednesday as federal leaders challenged Canadians to consider the kind of country they want to vote for 40 days from now.
A front-page story about the SNC-Lavalin affair cast a pall over Justin Trudeau’s Liberal campaign launch, while Andrew Scheer’s kickoff bid for Conservative support in Quebec prompted questions about that province’s controversial secularism law.
“We’ve done a lot together these past four years, but the truth is we’re just getting started,” said Trudeau, moments after asking Governor General Julie Payette to dissolve Parliament and launch the campaign for the Oct. 21 vote.
“Canadians have an important choice to make – will we go back to the failed policies of the past or will we continue to move forward?”
Clouding his optimism was SNC-Lavalin, given fresh life by a Globe and Mail report that the RCMP’s investigation into potential obstruction of justice has been hamstrung by the shroud of cabinet confidence.
Asked what his government is hiding, Trudeau would only say that his Prime Minister’s Office issued the largest waiver of cabinet confidences in Canadian history – a decision that was made earlier this year at the height of the tempest, to allow former minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to testify.
He stayed largely mum when questions about the controversy, which reached a fresh crescendo in August when the ethics commissioner declared Trudeau broke the law by trying to influence a decision on whether the Quebec engineering firm should go to trial on charges related to alleged corrupt dealings in Libya.
“My job as prime minister is to be there to stand up for and defend Canadians’ jobs,” he said when asked if he’d made personal mistakes.
“I will always defend the public interest.”
When it comes to Quebec’s controversial Bill 21, which bans religious symbols in
public service, Trudeau suggested for now he’s content to let questions about whether that’s in the public interest rest with the courts.
“I’m very pleased that Quebecers themselves have chosen to contest this bill in court, to stand up and defend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” he said.
“I have been watching very closely the process, considering the federal potential actions, and at this time I feel it would be counterproductive for the federal government to engage in this process.”
Quebec Premier Francois Legault urged the leaders to keep the law off the federal
agenda, and to promise not to challenge it in court.
“Bill 21, which prohibits religious signs for people in authority, was adopted legitimately. A large majority of Quebecers support Bill 21. So I think Quebecers have the right to know. I would like the leaders of the federal parties to commit to not participate directly or indirectly, in any judicial challenge to this law.”
While Trudeau has repeatedly said he is against the bill, Scheer – kicking off his campaign in Quebec, where the measure is broadly popular – dodged the question, repeating only that it was up to the courts and that a Conservative government would not introduce a similar federal bill. Indeed, Scheer had more pressing matters to attend to Wednesday – namely, siphoning votes away from a resurgent Bloc Quebecois.
“It’s not the Bloc that will replace Justin Trudeau, it’s not the Bloc that will leave more money in your pockets,” an energized Scheer told the crowd. “Quebecers can only rely on us, Bloc members of Parliament will always be powerless spectators.”
Scheer kicked off his campaign energized by the rekindled SNC saga, a central element of the party’s preferred narrative: that ethics scandals have robbed Trudeau of the moral authority to govern.
“You just cannot trust Justin Trudeau,” Scheer said. “He will say anything to cover up his scandals, he will say anything to get re-elected.” — see ‘THIS IS THE, page 3
Trans Mountain expansion project faces delays: report
Laura KANE The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER — Construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion will likely be delayed due to detailed route hearings, outstanding provincial permits and Indigenous court challenges, says a report from environmental group Stand.earth.
The report argues that the Crown corporation that owns the project faces bigger construction challenges than it has openly acknowledged and is unlikely to complete it within a planned three-year timeline.
Many details of construction are publicly available, but they are complex and buried on the website of the Canadian Energy Regulator, formerly the National Energy Board, Tzeporah Berman of Stand.earth told a news conference Wednesday.
“The lack of transparency about the impacts and timeline of the potential construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline has been worse since the federal government bought it,” she said.
“Canadian taxpayers who are the ones paying for this multibillion-dollar project have a right to know the impacts that construction will have on communities
and the environment.”
The Canadian Energy Regulator revoked all previous route approvals in July and required Trans Mountain Corp. to file new
notices of its proposed route. Residents, municipalities and Indigenous groups may then file statements of opposition and the regulator decides on a segmentby-segment basis whether to hold detailed route hearings.
The environmental group’s report says statements of opposition have been filed in every major segment and hearings are likely to be considered for the Fraser River crossing, Burnaby Mountain Tunnel, and areas where schools, homes and municipal water supplies could be affected.
Stand.earth adds the project needs 1,187 permits from British Columbia and as of June, the province was reviewing 658 permits, while applications for a further 243 have not made yet.
It also notes that the Federal Court of Appeal has granted six Indigenous groups leave to challenge the federal government’s approval of the expansion. The court called for narrowly focused hearings with a strict timeline.
Trans Mountain has said that it is proceeding with the project in
a phased approach, starting construction where it has received permits, and that it has begun work on its terminals in Burnaby and plans to start work in the Greater Edmonton area soon.
The Crown corporation said it expects the project to be operational by mid-2022.
The report also highlights seven construction areas in B.C. that it says pose risk to surrounding communities: the Westridge Marine Terminal, Burnaby tank farm, Burnaby Mountain tunnel, Sumas tank farm, Coquihalla River crossing, Fraser River crossing and temporary work camps. These work camps or “man camps,” temporary housing facilities for predominantly male workers, will be established in at least five B.C. communities during construction.
The recent report following the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women linked such camps to higher rates of violence against Indigenous women.
— see ‘WE’RE CONFIDENT, page 3
CITIZEN PHOTOS BY BRENT BRAATEN
LEFT: Campaign signs for local Liberal candidate Tracy Calogheros are displayed in the window of her campaign office at 15th Avenue and Spruce Street.
RIGHT: Eric Depenau puts up a campaign sign for Conservative MP Todd Doherty along Foothills Boulevard on Wednesday.
Stephanie LEVITZ The Canadian Press
TRUDEAU
SCHEER
Pipeline sections are stacked at a Trans Mountain facility near Hope on Aug. 22.
Housing project aimed at downtown homeless
Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff
mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca
Officials from BC Housing and the City of Prince George shed more light Wednesday on a plan to build housing for the homeless and people living on low-to-moderate incomes on the edge of the city’s downtown.
First announced in August, the projects are planned for 805 First Ave., the current home of NR Motors.
The city will be purchasing the site – with the price to be disclosed once the transaction has gone through – and BC Housing is to lead the construction of 50 units of supportive housing and one holding 50 units of rental homes for low-income people.
The buildings will also include ground- floor healthcare services, ranging from primary care to harm reduction to specialized mental health and substance use services.
In a meeting with local media, held prior to a community information meeting at the Civic Centre, city manager Kathleen Soltis said they were looking for a site large enough to accommodate
all those needs and in a location that people who need the help can reach.
“It’s not smack in the midst of businesses as some of the health services now are,” Soltis said.
“And in addition to that, it’s going to be a lovely site... it will be a nice building, it will be well maintained and it’s going to have lovely landscaping, so it is going to be a very good place for people to live at and access the services they need.”
BC Housing regional director Malachy Tohill said getting people living on the fringe into safe and stable housing is a “first step for people to be able to move on to a better quality of life, to be able to access the other supports.”
The project will have an “impact on the streets,” he said.
Teaching basic life skills will be among the services.
“Each unit will have its own self-contained kitchenette too and one thing that we’ve found in the past is that the one they don’t know how to do is to cook and start taking care of themselves,”
Tohill said. “So we’ll have a meal program, where we’ll supply two
meals a day, and also help them learn about cooking and those other things that will help support them and move forward in life.”
As to who will be accepted, Tohill said a committee will consider candidates with an aim at getting those with the biggest needs off the street.
“However, you do need a mix in there, so that you don’t have 50 people in there with hard-core mental-health and addiction issues,” he said. “Some will have lesser issues, some will have more issues, but we want to have the right mix to make it a good community environment.”
On the health services, Northern Health spokesperson Steve Raper said the agency is looking at how it can “co-locate into an integrated model,” and indicated the needle exchange will be moved to the spot. “We’ll include harm reduction, but it’ll also include primary care and things of that nature,” Raper said. The projects remain subject to the property rezoning process which includes a public hearing before city council.
‘We’re confident that we will build and operate the expansion safely’
— from page 1
The group reiterates concerns raised by the City of Burnaby about the potential impacts of earthquakes or fires on the project’s local infrastructure.
It says a diluted bitumen spill would pose health risks including cardiovascular or respiratory illnesses, reproductive disorders and cancers.
The report says the corporation’s plans to cross the Coquihalla River using “cut and cover” techniques, in which a trench is excavated and backfilled after pipe is laid, are disruptive for fish species, while a rupture of its crossing in the Fraser River would harm nearby residents’ drinking water and local economies.
It also says the expanded Westridge Marine Terminal would obstruct 30 per cent of the width of Burrard Inlet and increase the risk of collisions between tankers.
Trans Mountain said in a statement Wednesday that after seven years of consultation, design, studies and planning, it is confident it have considered, ad-
dressed and effectively mitigated the concerns and risks raised in Stand.earth’s report.
“The re-start of construction on the expansion project demonstrates that Canada can have a healthy, rigorous discussion about issues and also ensure a project that has followed every process and obtained the necessary approvals gets built,” it said.
“We’re confident that we will build and operate the expansion safely, responsibly and in respect of communities, Indigenous groups and the environment.”
The Liberal government, which purchased the pipeline and related assets for $4.5 billion, has argued the expansion is in the national interest and said it is investing in ocean protection and climate change initiatives at the same time.
However, Berman told reporters that it was impossible to fight climate change while increasing the flow of oil.
“When your house is on fire, you don’t add more fuel. The Trans Mountain pipeline is more fuel and presents serious safety, security and climate risks.”
‘This is the most important election in Canadian history’
— from page 1
For his part, Bloc Leader YvesFrancois Blanchet launched his Quebec-only campaign by urging voters tempted recently by the Liberals, Conservatives and New Democrats to return to their senses.
The mission, he said, is not to win government, but to ensure the eventual government respects Quebec values of secularism, gender equality and love for the environment.
Scheer was to wrap up the first day of the campaign in the Toronto area, while Trudeau is holding his first rally in Vancouver, where began and ended his run in 2015.
Polls suggest the Liberals and Conservatives are in a dead heat, with the NDP and Greens fighting for distant third.
The NDP launched their campaign Wednesday in London, Ont., one of the regions of the province where they think they’ll be able to hold onto seats.
After a rousing speech to supporters, Singh quickly found himself fielding familiar questions about his party’s meagre war chest, unfilled candidate spots and weak polling numbers.
Canadians, he said, are tired of governments that don’t have their backs and will soon embrace the NDP’s third way.
“I’m confident that people will see in us champions who want to put them at the centre and the heart of everything we do.”
Elsewhere, some of the campaign’s most intriguing supporting roles were looking forward to their own star turns.
“This is the most important election in Canadian history,” Green party Leader Elizabeth May, her party buoyed by enduring concerns about climate change, told about 200 cheering supporters.
“We are going to stand firm. We will tell Canadians how serious the climate emergency is.” What climate emergency, wondered People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier.
“There’s no climate emergency in this country,” said the former Conservative MP and leadership runner-up, whose nascent party is running at about three per cent in the polls.
“We have the real policy that will help our country be freer and more prosperous,” he said. “I’m not appealing to (Canadians) emotions, we are appealing to their intelligence.”
At the dissolution of Parliament, the Liberals held 177 seats, the Conservatives 95, the NDP 39, the Bloc 10 and the Greens 2. There were eight independents – including former Liberal cabinet ministers Jane Philpott and Jody Wilson-Raybould. The People’s Party of Canada had one seat and former New Democrat Erin Weir sat as a member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. Five seats were vacant.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN
City manager Kathleen Soltis and Malachy Tohill with BC Housing go over the panels that were at a public information session on Wednesday evening that provided information about the proposed housing project that has been identified for First Avenue at the current location of NR Motors.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN
A fossilized Mollisonia plenovenatrix, preserved in dorsal view, is seen embedded in B.C.’s Burgess Shale. The well-preserved fossil is the earliest-known ancestor of modern spiders and scorpions.
Oldest known spider ancestor found in Burgess Shale
Tiny
at him from the rockface of the Burgess Shale drew Jean-Bernard Caron to the fossil of the oldest known ancestor of today’s spiders and scorpions.
“I was sitting there along the quarry and I turned my head to the right and I see this glowing light coming from this rock,” he said.
“Two eyes, almost staring at me.”
The eyes turned out to belong to a 500-million-year-old specimen of Mollisonia plenovenatrix – so well preserved that Caron and his colleague Cedric Aria were able for the first time to definitively place the long-gone beastie at the root of a family tree that now boasts thousands of branches.
It was only thumb-sized, a scurrier of ancient sea bottoms. Still, the two paleontologists from the Royal Ontario Museum say it would have a been a fierce predator.
Large eyes spotted prey. Long limbs propelled it across the sediments. Its head was like a modern multi-tool with limbs that could sense, grasp, crush and chew.
The tiny pair of structures in front of its mouth really got Caron and Aria excited. Those same pincers can be seen on all members of the family Chelicerata. That’s 115,000
Those fossils tell us about the origin of key innovations in animal evolution. It’s important to understand how they happen. Because when they happen, there is often an explosion of life that is the consequence.
— Jean-Bernard Caron
different species, and here was their progenitor.
“I was really excited about this,” said Caron, who published his findings Wednesday in the journal Nature.
“Those fossils tell us about the origin of key innovations in animal evolution. It’s important to understand how they happen. Because when they happen, there is often an explosion of life that is the consequence.”
Intriguingly, the species was clearly some
distance along its evolutionary path, welladapted to its environment and breathing through thin gills layered like the pages of a book.
“This discovery tells us that at the time of the Cambrian they were already there,” Caron said. “They probably evolved earlier than that.”
That means there’s probably another, even older ancestor out there – maybe waiting in the same Burgess Shale of southeastern British Columbia.
Those rocks are renowned the world over for their wealth of fossils from the middle Cambrian period, a time when the Earth’s biodiversity exploded. What sets Burgess specimens apart is the clarity with which the soft parts of the animals are preserved.
“I feel like a boy in a candy store,” Caron said. “There are a lot of candies to choose from and the question is which one I’m going to pick and describe first.
“We could work for decades there and still feel we haven’t scratched the surface. There’s still a lot ground we haven’t covered.”
Look for the eyes, said Caron.
“The eyes are very reflective. It’s very striking. Many fossils that we discover in the rocks, the first thing you see are the eyes, like shiny spots in the rock.”
The Canadian Press
LANGLEY — Police say a deadly shooting around dinnertime in a McDonald’s restaurant in Langley was “brazen” and a threat to public safety.
The RCMP were called Tuesday evening to multiple reports of a shooting at the restaurant in the Aldergrove suburb.
Officers found a man in his 30s with gunshot wounds outside the restaurant where he was pronounced dead.
About 30 minutes later, police in the neighbouring city of Abbotsford say they received a report of a black SUV on fire that investigators believe is connected to the shooting death.
A statement from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the victim, who was known to police, was targeted and the shooting has ties to gang activity.
Sgt. Frank Jang said the shooting at a busy restaurant at 8 p.m. was reckless.
“It just speaks to brazenness of these people, the recklessness. I’m sure these people, they don’t give a damn about our safety, yours or mine, and that’s concerning to us. So we’re doing our absolute best to find these people and bring them in,” he said.
In a statement, Jang said:
“This was a brazen shooting in a public space and we are fortunate that no one else was hurt,”
RCMP Supt. Murray Power says police would expect “absolute outrage” from the community.
“No grievance between two individuals justifies this level of risk to the community,” he said in a news release.
“We will provide any and all necessary support to (the homicide team) in their investigation and continue in our collective effort with our many partners to target the ongoing gang conflict.”
Opioid vending machine will save lives, Vancouver doctor says
Camille BAINS The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER — A doctor with an expertise in public health says he will soon be dispensing opioids through a vending machine in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside in order to prevent overdoses from fentanyl-laced street drugs.
Dr. Mark Tyndall said the machine that’s been created in Toronto would scan a patient’s hand for identification before dispensing a pre-programmed number of hydromorphone pills that are a substitute for heroin.
The eight-milligram pills cost about 35 cents each and focus groups with drug users have suggested most people would need about 10 to 16 pills a day, said Tyndall, who is also a professor of medicine at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia.
“The pills are cheap and readily available right now, and legal,” Tyndall said. “We could individualize the dosing and we’d probably scale it up over two or three days.”
He said the device includes a touch screen and a biometric hand scanner on the side and pills would be dispensed in about 20 seconds for patients who have been approved to receive them, possibly several times a day. Built-in cameras could be programmed for a video call to a health-care provider, Tyndall said, who floated the idea for a safer drug supply about 18 months ago and plans to start offering the dispensing service within a few weeks.
“I’ve already lined up people who want to do it,” said Tyndall, who would write the prescriptions for hydromorphone, a pain medication that is sold under the brand name Dilaudid.
Hydromorphone is typically crushed and injected by people who may have previously used OxyContin, before that drug was made more difficult to tamper with following multiple fatal overdoses, Tyndall said.
The same medication is available through a limited number of Vancouver clinics offering supervised injection to those experiencing severe substance use disorder.
However, Tyndall said the clinics’ rigid requirements that have people returning multiple times a day are impractical compared with his plan.
He said his idea would save the healthcare system thousands of dollars and is the most impactful way to curb overdose deaths in a province that declared a public health emergency more than three years ago.
Data from the BC Coroners Service show that between 2016 and June 2019, B.C. had 4,559 deaths. Just over a quarter of them
He said the device includes a touch screen and a biometric hand scanner on the side and pills would be dispensed in about 20 seconds...
were in Vancouver.
Karen Ward, a longtime substance user and former board member of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, said she supports drug dispensing from a vending machine for people who are at highest risk for overdose and may not have a family doctor or housing.
“It gives people a lot of agency,” she said of using a machine, especially if it is in their neighbourhood where health-care workers know drug users’ needs. “I’m hesitant to go put up with something if I’m just going to be judged and talked down to and made to feel like I have all these problems when I’m trying to just not die.”
Dr. Keith Ahamad, an addiction specialist at St. Paul’s Hospital, said any plan to provide safer drugs should be rigorously evaluated to reduce potential harms and illegal drugs should be regulated through a framework similar to cannabis and alcohol, for example.
“There’s just a real need to regulate the illegal drug market because as it stands right now it’s toxic and poisonous and overdose deaths and overdoses have skyrocketed lockstep with the introduction of fentanyl,” said Ahamad, who is also a clinical researcher at the BC Centre for Substance Use. “It’s obvious that immediately we need to intervene on the supply side, and I would like to see if there is a way to regulate that illegal market so people don’t need to go to drug dealers to get these really risky, dangerous drugs.”
The College of Pharmacists of BC said Tyndall’s plan “creates a complex scenario” with multiple layers of requirements at both the federal and provincial levels as well as its own bylaws.
“This does not provide for a clear approach for Dr. Tyndall’s vending-machine proposal for providing hydromorphone outside of pharmacies,” the college said in a statement, adding it’s working with the BC Centre for Disease Control and the ministries of Health and Mental Health and Addictions to help develop strategies to improve access to safe sources of opioids under the current regulations.
Bob WEBER The Canadian Press
eyes blinking
DNA study used in hunt for Loch Ness monster
Proving negatives is difficult. To claim something doesn’t exist or won’t happen is hard to demonstrate.
Proving a positive claim is much easier. All it takes is a single example to demonstrate a positive assertion.
“If I strike a balloon with a pin it will pop” can be easily demonstrated with a balloon and a pin. Indeed, it would be extraordinary result if the balloon didn’t pop. (It can be done, but it is a little tricky.)
But proving that a balloon will never pop is much more difficult. Never is a long time. It might not pop for years and years but there is nothing saying it won’t pop the next day or even the next minute. Proving something will never happen is difficult. With this in mind, cryptozoology finds just enough wiggle room to keep interest alive. Is there a monster in Loch Ness? There has never been a credible unchallenged sighting and every bit of instrumentation brought to bear on the lake has found no evidence of the monster. But that doesn’t mean the Loch Ness monster doesn’t exist –just that we have no evidence for it. Maybe if we look again, we might find it tomorrow. Or, at least, that is the argument fans of the Loch Ness monster use. It is very difficult to prove the monster is not there.
One of the new techniques being employed by environmental scientists in conjunction with biochemists is called environmental DNA.
It turns out we are always shedding DNA in skin cells. Much of the dust in your house, for example, is sluffed off skin. Taking a sample of the dust allows scientists to determine who was in the house based on the DNA present.
The technique has been applied to rivers and lakes. One research project at UNBC examined the DNA content of fish stomachs to assess what they had been eating. DNA is a good marker for organisms in our environment.
Neil Gemmell and his team from the University of Otago in New Zealand decided to investigate the waters of Loch Ness. They were looking for traces of DNA which might indicate the presence of the monster. They didn’t find any. According to Gemmell, they “didn’t find any reptiles at all. We tested a variety of ideas about giant sturgeons or catfish that might be here from time to time but we did not find those either.”
On the other hand, they did find DNA traces of more than 3,000 species living in or beside Loch Ness. Human DNA was relatively abundant along with domesticated
animals such as dogs, cattle, sheep and pigs. There was also DNA from deer, fish, birds and a multitude of micro-organisms. But nothing which could be construed as belonging to Nessie.
The one thing the work did reveal is Loch Ness has a lot of eels.
According to Gemmell “Out of the 250odd water samples that we took, pretty much every single sample has got eels in it. But are they giant eels? I don’t know.”
That the Loch Ness monster might be some form of giant eel has been a possibility bandied about for almost 100 years.
The history of a monster in the lake dates back to the sixth century and the legend has remained in place since then. If the creature is a singular holdover from the age of the dinosaur, as has been suggested, then it would have been inhabiting the lake for at least 1,500 years. In fact, its lineage would need to be almost 60 million years old.
Nessie really came to the fore in the 1930s when a Scottish newspaper reported a sighting followed by a famous photograph a few years later which was printed in a London newspaper. While the photograph has since been shown to be a hoax, the notion that something inhabits the lake has remained.
All sorts of scientific instrumentation has been brought to bear on the issue but no sign of the beast has ever been found. But since environmental DNA doesn’t rely on actually observing the creature, it has the advantage of being able to survey the lake in a very different way.
The 250 samples show which animals, plants, and microbial organisms were in the lake during the two week sampling period in June 2018. None of the samples show any sign of Nessie.
One possibility left is the creature is actually a form of giant eel. Eels as long as three metres have been found in European lakes.
It is possible the conditions in the Loch have allowed a sub-species to grow to prodigious lengths. The DNA evidence is silent on the issue.
While it is hard to prove a negative, environmental DNA makes the usual candidates for Nessie unlikely. But it does not rule out the possibility there might be giant eels inhabiting the Loch. That would be a significant discovery.
Scientists find first rocky exo-planet with water
Sarah KAPLAN The Washington Post
In the dim, red light of an alien sun, scientists have found the first evidence for water in the atmosphere of a rocky planet – offering a tantalizing new target in the search for life in the universe.
The intriguing world, which goes by the impersonal designation K2-18b, lies 110 light-years away in the constellation Leo.
More important: it sits in its star’s “habitable zone,” where it is bathed in the right amount of warmth to allow for liquid water on its surface.
Twice as large as our own planet and eight times as massive, K2-18b possesses powerful gravity that would make it difficult to walk upon. It orbits close to a red dwarf star, much smaller and cooler than our sun. And aside from water vapour, its atmosphere contains mostly hydrogen gas – a molecule that makes up less than one part per million of our own atmosphere.
It is no “second Earth,” said astronomer Angelos Tsiaras, the lead author of a study on the planet published Wednesday in the journal Nature Astronomy, but “this is the best candidate for habitability that we know right now.”
The paper by Tsiaras draws on publicly available data produced by Björn Benneke, a planetary astronomer at the University of Montreal. On Tuesday, Benneke’s team posted its own analysis of K2-18b on the preprint server arXiv, which hosts academic papers not yet published in peerreviewed journals.
Benneke and his colleagues also found signatures of water vapour in K2-18b’s skies. But they were less optimistic than Tsiaras about the potential habitability of this world.
The Montreal-based team’s interpretation of its data suggests the hydrogen atmosphere forms a thick, gaseous envelope around the planet. This would generate intense pressures at the planet’s surface –perhaps enough to push hydrogen into a liquid form.
“It is not a true Earth analogue,” the researchers report.
Laura Kreidberg, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said that K2-18b might be better described as a “mini-Neptune” than a “super Earth.”
Extensive research with computer models suggests that, at 1.6 to 1.8 times the mass of Earth, planets tend to become huge and gaseous, rather than rocky.
Though K2-18b is likely solid at its core, the temperatures and pressures at the surface would be so high that few complex
molecules would survive, let alone life.
“I think the result is amazing,” said Kreidberg. “It’s definitely the smallest and coolest planet that we’ve had a glimpse into the atmosphere of so far... But I don’t think it’s potentially habitable.”
Scientists had detected water only in the atmospheres of gas giants – huge exoplanets that lack solid surfaces, much like Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system. Rocky exoplanets are smaller, making them harder to find and more difficult to study. Even a planet like K2-18b can be examined only with humanity’s most sensitive space telescope – the Hubble.
When K2-18b was discovered in 2015, Tsiaras and his colleagues thought it would be a good candidate for a form of analysis called transit spectroscopy, which involves studying the changes in a star’s light as a planet transits, or passes in front of it.
The planet is so close to its cool host star that it takes just 33 days to orbit. So, month after month, the researchers waited with Hubble to capture the moment of transit.
As the starlight filtered through the planet’s atmosphere, some of it would be absorbed by the gases in the planet’s air. By separating the light into its component parts, the scientists could look for signatures of particular molecules. What they found suggests that the composition of K2-18b’s atmosphere could range from 0.1 per cent water vapour (about the proportion in Earth’s upper atmosphere) to a whopping 50 per cent. (At its highest, water vapor concentration in Earth’s lower atmosphere is about four per cent.)
The Hubble isn’t sensitive to the right types of light to detect other important molecules, such as nitrogen or methane, so the researchers can only speculate about the precise composition of the atmosphere. The planet could have thick clouds, like Venus, that would heat its surface to an intolerable degree. Or its atmosphere might be so thin and insubstantial that it offers no protection from the perils of space, like the atmosphere of Mars.
Researchers must wait for more sophisticated tools, such as the long-delayed James Webb Space Telescope, to reveal more details about the distant world.
Yet Giovanna Tinetti, a colleague of Tsiaras’s at University College London and a co-author of the Nature study, suggested it’s still possible that there is liquid water somewhere below the atmosphere. “We’re going to need more observations,” she said. “We need to know much more about the planet.”
ARCHIVE PHOTO
This undated file photo shows a shadowy shape that some people say is a the Loch Ness monster in Scotland.
Response from West Coast Olefins
Editor’s note: On Sept. 6, The Citizen posted a series of questions from the Too Close 2 Home group about the proposed petrochemical plant in Prince George and we invited Ken James, the president and CEO of West Coast Olefins, to respond. The following is his reply: We will not have any polyethylene plants on our site. This project involves:
• One natural gas liquids recovery plant – the fractionation portion of that plant will be located on the West Coast Olefins site.
• One ethylene plant that will produce ethylene from the ethane recovered in the above fractionation plant – this will also be located on our site.
• One polyethylene plant that will be developed by a third party and will not be located on our site.
I have met with Marie Hay on two separate occasions (Aug. 7 and Aug. 22) and with other members of PACHA. I informed her that West Coast Olefins were just about to enter into the formal regulatory process. Much of the information she is requesting will be provided to the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) once they have issued their Section 11 order. The process leading to the Section 11 Order includes:
• EAO develops a draft order under section 11 of the Act that specifies the scope of the project and the assessment.
• Order also sets out the procedures and methods of the EA.
• EAO sends the draft order to Aboriginal groups for review and considers comments that are received.
• EAO provides a letter responding to any comments provided on the draft Section 11 order.
• EAO issues the Section 11 order. Hopefully the responses below to this latest questionnaire will help clarify the points that the Too Close 2 Home group have raised.
Refining/manufacturing
1. Which main chemicals will be used in the proposed refining/manufacturing process?
• Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) (used for passivation of furnaces, small amounts)
• Acid (used for regeneration of demin treatment)
• Amine
• Caustic soda
• Specific amounts of these chemicals will be determined during detailed engineering phase.
2. How will these chemicals be transported to the site?
• By truck and mainly rail.
3. What type of onsite storage facilities will be used and what safeguards are associated with such storage facilities?
• Industry standard storage vessels, such as spheres or bullets. Primary and secondary containment strategies.
4. What precautions will be in place to protect the chemicals and processes associated with the plant from contaminating the land, rivers, and groundwater?
• No underground piping or hydrocarbon (HC) tanks, this will reduce the potential for underground leaks.
• Secondary containment procedures.
• Tertiary containment procedures (site contained stormwater systems, which control, capture, test and release any collected stormwater).
5. How will solid/liquid waste products be handled? What percentage of these is expected to stay in the local area?
• Will generate very few liquid/solid wastes. Those which are produced will be captured, contained and shipped of site to the appropriate and accepted location for disposal. See the project description for a detailed list of liquid/solid wastes and the proposed management and mitigation techniques.
• Have not completed a survey of available waste disposal facilities in B.C., but Swan Hills Waste Treatment Facility in Alberta is often used for Albertan projects and is close enough to be considered an option for waste disposal for WCOL Project.
6. Will the plant’s tailing ponds be completely covered over and will this prevent associated toxic fugitive air emissions?
• There are no tailings ponds in NGL recovery or ethylene plants. These are typical of mining projects.
7. How high will the plant’s flare stacks be, and how much of the time will flaring take place? Which times of day and week will flaring be conducted (times; frequency)? How long are the sessions expected to last?
• Flare stacks are typically in the range of 150 feet. The height will be determined by proximity to other buildings and radiant temperature relative to ground level.
• The Nova E2 ethylene plant where I worked from 1989 to 1994 only flared during startup and shut down. There were no scheduled outages. The plant typically had less than one unplanned outage per year. From experience with Nova, the flare will usually last less than 10 hours during startup. Startup and shutdown flaring typically occur every three to five years during periodic planned turnarounds that are scheduled to ensure the integrity of the plant and associated equipment.
• The flare system is a key safety system. It permits the safe release of compressed hydrocarbon during a serious upset or emergency. It is not intended as an incineration device as was often the case with older plants.
8. When flaring does take place with either planned or unplanned shutdowns at the plant, how much of an additional air emission load is to be anticipated during such times?
• Modern flares are designed to have a combustion efficiency of close to 100 per cent. This means 100 per cent combustion to hydrocarbons to CO2 and water vapour.
• Specific volumes will be reported within the Environmental Assessment (EA) Application, however we must receive Section 11 Order first and then complete sufficient engineering to make this determination.
9. What is the anticipated production capacity of the ethane extraction plant, and which products and markets will it most closely be affiliated with? Is the plant’s maximum capacity one megatonne?
• The plant will process between 1.5-2 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas in Enbridge’s Westcoast Energy Pipeline and recover approximately 65,000 barrels per day of ethane, 26,000 barrels per day of propane, 9,000 barrels per day of butane and 2,000 barrels per day of condensate.
• The NGL recovery plant will produce ethane which will feed the ethylene plant. Byproducts from the NGL recovery plant are propane, butane and C5+ condensate.
• The ethylene plant will produce ethylene, which will feed the ethylene derivatives plant. Byproducts from the ethylene plant are mixed C3 (which consists of mainly of propylene (86 per cent) and propane (11 per cent), mixed C4 (which consists mainly of butadiene (45 per cent) and pyrolysis gas (consists of aromatics and heavy HC). These byproducts will be sold to third parties for further refinement to more valuable products.
• The third-party ethylene derivative plant will produce polyethylene pellets.
10. West Coast Olefins Ltd. has publicly suggested that up to three plastic plants can be accommodated on the 300-acre site to utilize the ethylene produced by the ethane plant. What are the expected emissions into the PG airshed in terms of expected increases in truck, rail and car traffic with all the proposed facilities at the proposed site location in Willow Cale, through all phases including construction through to ongoing operation? What impacts are you anticipating with increased road and rail traffic, and what measures will you take to mitigate those potential impacts?
• The WCOL development will involve three separate plants. West Coast Olefins in only developing two of the three plants. The NGL recovery plant, and the ethylene plant. The NGL separation plant and the ethylene plant will be on the Willow Cale site. The NGL extraction plant will be on a site located in close proximity to the preexisting Westcoast Energy Pipeline. The ethylene derivitive plant, most likely polyethylene, will not be located on the Willow Cale site. It will be located on a separate site and will be owned by a third-party partner. No plastic plants will be built on the 300-acre site. WCOL does not make plastics. A third-party will make the polyethylene pellets. This has been clarified several times.
• All emissions will be reported through the EA application process.
• We will be primarily shipping by rail from the B.C. Industrial Park to Prince Rupert. The advantage of Prince George is that this rail routing will ensure there is minimal disruption to local traffic as the rail runs under Highway 97 at the south entry to Prince George, under Highway 16 at the east entry and then along First avenue then under River Road and the two Nechako River bridges. All switching will occur on the BCR Site, a benefit of the proposed location. Other locations that have been suggested, such as Hart North, would require major rail development and increase rail traffic greatly.
11. If the main product is plastic pellets and the majority of those will be shipped to Asia, how many rail cars are going to be needed to transport the pellets to Asia through Prince Rupert? Will this put an additional strain on rail, rail companies, and/or communities with rail lines? If so, how will the company work to mitigate associated negative impacts?
• The ethylene derivative plant will likely be producing plastics. This facility will be owned by a third party. We have had numerous discussions with potential third parties but have not concluded an agreement with a specific third party as this point.
• The third party will be required to provide this information when they go through their own separate regulatory processes.
12. How much extra rail line is going to have to be built by CN in order to connect with and serve your site?
• We will build our own rail system on our property adjacent to the CN rail line. The West Coast Olefins property has ap-
proximately one mile of frontage on the CN rail line to Vancouver.
• These details will be developed with CN and included within the EA application/
• The polyethylene producer will be responsible for their own rail requirements.
13. As the current CN rail capacity to Prince Rupert is already at maximum capacity, will CN be building more railways to Prince Rupert to accommodate the extra rail car traffic?
• This information is incorrect. Following discussions with CN, there is a preference to route through Prince Rupert as it has the most available capacity. From Prince George, we have the option to route through Prince Rupert, Vancouver and Kitimat.
14. Will this increase in rail traffic bring westerly passenger rail traffic to a halt? Can you provide evidence to reassure community members that rail capacity can be augmented without increased conflict or risk?
• No, it will not bring passenger rail traffic to a halt. In fact, should the WCOL Project not go ahead, there are other projects in the works that will produce these same products in Alberta and these products will still route through Prince George.
15. It is our understanding that the Port of Prince Rupert is also currently operating at maximum capacity. Is the port capable and prepared to accommodate and service all the extra tanker traffic, unloading, storage, and loading of one mega tonne of ethylene product?
• Again, that is incorrect information. It was CN that suggested Prince Rupert as their preferred export destination.
16. How will you mitigate fugitive plastic pellet and dust losses around Prince Rupert and the harbour area, bearing in mind the welfare of the marine animals that live there?
• It is the responsibility of the third-party producer to address all questions regarding polyethylene pellet production and related activities. West Coast Olefins is not authorized to speak on their behalf.
Process
1. Will this proposed plant be built with flexible process production lines? What considerations have been given to planning upgrades to more environmentally sustainable production methods and process?
• No, only hard piping will be used, no hoses.
• The advantage of building a new plant is that we have the option to implement state of the art technologies, processes and methods. New plants are significantly different to those built 40 years ago. For example, the first Joffree Plant, started in 1979, used 50 per cent more energy (and therefore produced 50 per cent more emissions) to produce ethylene than the plant built in the early 2000s. We have the advantage of implementing further advancements that have been developed over the past 20 years.
2. Where exactly will the raw supply for the ethylene production come from and how is it going to be transported to the new facility? Many residents have expressed concerns that your facility will require another pipeline to be built to supply it with the raw materials. Due to the recent pipeline explosion last fall near Shelley, B.C. and subsequent voluntary (and mandatory) reduction in use of natural gas throughout the province, most British Columbians are now aware that the Enbridge pipeline is still only permitted to run at 85 per cent of its capacity and is responsible to supplying much of the central and southern interior’s natural gas for both commercial and residential customers. How do you plan to address these concerns?
• Raw material for the NGL extraction site will be supplied via Enbridge’s existing Westcoast Energy Pipeline, which delivers natural gas to customers in BC, Washington, Oregon and California and has been operating for more than 60 years.We will only require a short pipeline from the pipeline to our BCR site to transfer recovered natural liquids for processing. This transfer line will not impact operation of the Enbridge pipeline.
• Our job is not to manage this pipeline.
Water and Air Quality
1. Please provide quantitative estimates of expected VOCs, especially Benzene,1,2Butadiene, and formaldehyde, as well as the
tonnage per annum of fine particle emissions during all phases of the proposed development and its ongoing operation.
• VOCs: Volatile Organic Contaminates are those organic emissions that will vaporize at atmospheric conditions. Modern plants are designed to minimize VOC emissions by eliminating atmospheric vents on tanks and other process equipment, implementation of vapour recovery systems and routing waste streams for safe incineration. Dry gas seals and flanges are designed to minimize leaks to the atmosphere.
• Benzene: There has been a lot of misleading information being circulated regarding benzene emissions. In my first meeting with Hay, she initially quoted that the Joffre site emitted 35 tonnes/year of benzene and then restated the same information during the Open House an hour later. This is incorrect. Two days later, she wrote a letter to The Citizen and revised these number down to state that “Red Deer also emits five tonnes of benzene, which has no safe lower limit in the air shed.” The 2017 Facility and Substance Information Report for the Nova Chemicals Corporation (Joffre) Site that Hay often refers to states that the Benzene emission is 3.5 tonnes/ year, not 35 or five. In addition, the Joffre site has three times the ethylene capacity of the plant we are contemplating and two of the three plants use 40-year-old technology. The site also has two very large polyethylene plants and a linear alpha olefins plant on the same site. The Project WCOL is proposing is one-third of the ethylene capacity and will be using much newer technology and processes.
• Hay’s assertion is that there is “no safe lower limit in the air shed” is incorrect. I want to make it clear that West Coast Olefins is not condoning benzene emissions, acknowledge that it is a known carcinogen and will take extensive measures to minimize exposure and releases. However, it is important that we consider information in a real context.
• The data below is the estimated emissions in kilotonnes adapted from Benzene Emissions Inventory for Canada (19902010), illustrates where chemicals fit relative to other large emitters of benzene (note that the numbers are in thousands of tonnes per year).
• As can be seen, the petrochemical industry has one of the lowest benzene emissions, with forest fires emitting 270 times more benzene in 2010, and residential wood (burning of wood pellets within the home, for example), emitting 120 times more benzene in 2010. If the Red Deer emissions are pro-rated down to reflect a single point, our plant, as Hay would project, then our emissions would .001 kilotonnes to the table or 0.0016 per cent of total benzene emissions.
• The greatest exposure that most people will encounter is when fueling your car. The maximum benzene content for gasoline is specified as one per cent. About half of the exposure to benzene in the United States results from smoking tobacco or from exposure to tobacco smoke. Benzene is a byproduct of the combustion of tobacco in cigarettes. The average smoker (32 cigarettes per day) takes in about 1.8 milligrams (mg) of benzene per day. This amount is about 10 times the average daily intake of benzene by non-smokers.
• Butadiene: I believe the reference should be 1,3-Butadiene? 1,3-Butadiene will be produced in our Mixed C4 byproduct and is an important input synthetic rubber production.
• Formaldehyde: This chemical is not produced in our plant.
• Fine particle emssions: As has been mentioned to Hay multiple times, the NGL recovery and ethylene plants will not produce particulate emissions as we do not have solid products. Our fuel gas is a mixture of methane and hydrogen making it the cleaned fuel of any industrial plant.
• At this stage of engineering development, we do not have accurate and detailed quantities for the emissions being referenced but will need to do so to get through the regulatory process. B.C. has a very stringent Environmental Assessment processes and the public should place some trust that these regulatory bodies will execute their duty and ensure there is adequate consultation with the public.
— See more on page 7
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
Ken James, the president and CEO of West Coast Olefins, speaks at an open house in Prince George in July.
— from page 6
2. Do you have wind maps to suggest where the emissions from this facility will travelhow far, how frequently, and how long can we expect to experience emissions in each area of the city? What degree of accuracy is associated with these maps? Which areas will be most affected and how will you mitigate these effects?
• This information is publicly available through Environment Canada and these will be used when we have air dispersion modeling done by a third party.
• Mitigation techniques, where applicable, will be reported throughout the application process.
3. Please provide planned procedures and technologies that will be used to address the VOC emissions mentioned.
• Some procedures and techniques to address VOC emissions include, but are not limited to: closed HC systems, no intentional or unintentional atmospheric venting (like past processes commonly did. This is the purpose of the flare, to safely vent and burn HC inventory/purge during plant upsets or during startup or shutdown procedures), vapour recovery systems, elimination of underground piping and HC tanks, design and monitoring of flanges on piping and equipment, seals and packing on valves and rotating equipment to minimize leakage of process fluids (fugitive emissions).
4. Please include the estimated carbon emissions from transporting product and wastes to and from the site, storage, delivery, etc.
• The carbon emissions associated with our project is a very good story. Extracting natural gas liquids from the Enbridge pipeline will make it a much cleaner fuel when it is burned by downstream users where virtually all of the gas is burned as fuel in home heating, refineries and power plants. Cleaning up this large hydrocarbon fuel source by removing the heavy components (ethane, propane, butane and condensate) reduces carbon emissions that more than offsets the direct carbon emissions from our facilities. In addition, producing polyethylene in Canada from ethane and selling it into the Asia market will displace Chinese production where polyethylene is produced from coal but with 15 times the carbon emissions.
• Figure 1 compares greenhouse gas (GHG) emitted (combustion sources) from the NGL recovery plant and ethylene plant with the direct reductions achieved from the cleaner combustion associated with the return of lean gas into the Westcoast Pipeline and the beneift of displacing high emissions production in China. The 8+Mt/a reduction in GHG emissions is a significant portion of the total 60+ Mt/a that B.C. emits annually.
• Quantities for carbon emissions associated with transport of products and waste will be developed during detailed engineering, but these numbers will be minor compared to those referenced above.
5. How many millions of plastic pellets and how much plastic dust will be lost into the environment per annum, both as inevitable and accidental fugitive plastic losses during all phases of production, storage, transport and delivery. What efforts will be taken to reduce such losses?
• As previously stated, this information will be provided by the third-party polyethylene producer.
6. How will you mitigate emissions, spills, or chemical explosions at your facility? What risks exist for adjacent facilities, Haggith Creek, and the Fraser River should a spill, explosion, or fire occur at your facility? What strategies will you have in place to ensure further contamination does not occur following a fire? What is your response strategy to minimize impacts while ensuring worker safety?
• See answer to question 4 in the refining/manufacturing section.
• Emergency response plans will be developed before the plant starts up. As the hazards are so unique, the standard practice in modern petrochemical plants is to train their personnel in emergency response as they best understand hazards and appropriate responses.
7. How will you protect the salmon and sturgeon living in the Fraser River, from both accidental and inevitable plastics losses into the river?
• Third-party partner will be responsible for addressing all concerns regarding the production of plastics and the associated activities. However, we would be very surprised if this third-party locates the plastic loading close to the Fraser River.
8. What emissions standards are currently in place for the newest facilities in the world, and exactly how do you plan to meet or exceed these?
• This is a very broad answer, but many of the methods are referenced in the responses provided in this document.
• I have worked on all the ethylene plants in Canada. Our team will be working from good benchmarks and have very good knowledge of the improvements that have been made (previously discussed improvements from the Joffre plants).
• B.C.’s regulatory regime is one of the most stringent in the world and we will need to ensure that we are using the best available proven technology if we hope to obtain regulatory approval for our project.
9. How do these contemporary plant emission standards (see previous question) compare to what you intend to build in the bowl of Prince George on Willow Cale Road? How does the proposed plant for Prince George compare with the Joffre plant in Red Deer (that you have publicly referenced)?
• See answer to question one within the water and air quality section for comparison with Joffre Plant.
• Furthermore, all of the people we have talked to don’t consider the south end of Willow Cale Road, where our plant will be located, as within the Bowl area. It is within the Prince George airshed, but not within the Bowl. The site location is on the southeastern boundary of the city within the BCR
Industrial Site.
10. Would the chief operating officers of this company want this facility in their backyard? In their children’s airshed?
• Both the CEO and COO have worked daily within an ethylene plant and would have no concerns working there on a long term basis.
• I have worked in ethylene plants in Russia, China, and the United States Gulf Coast (USGC), but would not go back as readily as I would in any of the ethylene plants operating in Canada. I am very proud of Canadian standards for the petrochemical Industry and they have been demonstrated leaders with programs such as Responsible Care.
Site selection
1. Why have you chosen this site for your proposed facility? How did this site win out over alternative sites?
• The criteria that was used in site selection by WCOL includes the following considerations: reasonable commute for workers; utilization of previously developed industrial land; close proximity to critical infrastructure (road, rail, Westcoast Energy Pipeline); and local community capable of supporting the long-term operating and maintenance needs of our project.
• The Pas Lumber Site was the first site considered and was identified by the provincial government as an abandoned industrial site that might be suitable for our project. Considerations for not selecting this site included: disturbance of a large block of undeveloped land that would have to be disturbed to make this site suitable; the lack of existing infrastructure such as water and railway; and the lengthy commute from Prince George that would pose the single most significant hazard to our workers and local residents using this highway.
• The former North Central Plywood (Canfor) site was the second site considered and was located within the BCR Industrial Park. The main attraction was the existence of all critical infrastructure our plant required and the fact that we would be utilizing land that had previously been used as a large industrial plant site. However, this site was not chosen for the following reasons due to the close proximity to College Heights, approximately 0.95 km away from the closest house in College Heights.
• Hart North site: In our first meeting with Hay and other PACHA members on Aug. 7, Hay questioned why we had not selected the Hart North site, that was recommended in the Prince George Area Industrial Land Profile study that was published in May 2008. West Coast Olefins stated that we were not aware of the report, at which point Hay gave us a hard copy. An hour later, during our open house, Hay made a public accusation that we had not considered the Hart North site option or even read the copy of the study she had given us, despite knowing in the hour that had passed since our earlier meeting with her and PACHA, we were preparing and presenting at our open house to present our project to the general public. Prior to our next meeting with Hay and PACHA member on Aug. 22, West Coast did review the document, only to realize that it is not a real option at all. We had visions of an existing industrial park that was zoned and approved for industrial development. In fact, this “industrial park” is piece of Crown land athat lies 30 km north of the City boundaries. It has not been transferred to any proponent that intends to develop it as an industrial park. For this to be considered a valid option, significant time, effort and money would be required to achieve the following: a proponent would need to be identified to develop this site, which we assume would be the Regional District (the land lies outside of the city, and therefore, Prince George representatives would have no jurisdiction over rezoning, or transferring land titles); an application would need to be made to transfer title from the Crown; and First Nations title rights and impact on treaty and Aboriginal rights would need to be addressed as the Hart North site is located in the traditional lands identified in the McLeod Lake Indian Band treaty and overlapping claims with Lheidli T’enneh First Nation. Achieving all of these milestones will take several years, and there are several risks that this outcome will actually never be realized. How can West Coast Olefins consider this as a real site option when nobody has taken any steps to develop it, despite the fact that 11 years have passed since the 2008 report was issued? Despite being made aware of this fact, Hay continues to suggest that Hart North is the site we should be using.
2. What meteorological data did you use in determining the best site for your petrochemical plant?
• What does this question have to do with site selection? See previous question for site selection criteria.
3. How did proximity to residential neighbourhoods and schools, as well as the ALR designation for the land upon which the site is proposed, factor into your site selection?
• There has been a lot of incorrect information circulating regarding the proximity of our site to Lower College Heights. In our first meeting with Hay and PACHA, she stated that the site was 800 metres from Lower College Heights and she restated this in our open house later that same day. Later, in her letter to the Prince George Citizen, Hay modified her assertion that the Willow Cale site is two kilometres from Lower College Heights but this information is also incorrect. The distance between the proposed location of the ethylene plant, and the nearest house within College Heights is 3.65 km. The proposed WCOL Site is located on the southeast boundary of the City of Prince George.
• Between the community of College Heights and the WCOL Site is the Fraser River, Chemtrade West, multiple fabricators within the BCR Industrial Site, the Pacific BioEnergy Plant and the CN rail line. We are located within the industrial area of Prince George. We do not border any schools, we are approximately 4 km from the nearest school and we are 3.65 km away from the nearest residential neighborhoods.
• Parts of the fringes of the property are designated as ALR, however the location in the BCR site makes it impractical for agricultural purposes. We have talked to the city and they do not foresee insurmountable issues in having this land redesignated.
4. How does this kind of project fit in with the global need to reduce the proliferation of plastics?
• Our project has nothing to do with proliferation. The overall WCOL development will create product that the market is demanding. The reality is the Chinese market has developed a coal to methanol to olefins industry which has 15 times the emissions as a plant which uses ethane as its feed. If the world is going to have plastic, it is important to supply it in the most efficient way possible.
• Alternatively, the Frontier Project plans to export liquids, that would otherwise be used by WCOL to Alberta and create jobs there. Is this the preferred outcome?
5. Both Sarnia, Ont. and the Louisiana Gulf Coast which have big petrochemical ethane cracking plants are referred to as “Cancer Alleys.” What convincing evidence can you offer that in 10-15 years Prince George will not also be referred to as “Cancer Alley?”
• This information is incorrect. Prior to the last five years, Sarnia and the U.S. Gulf Coast have not been ethane-based producers, most using naphtha (liquid HC) as feedstock. These plants produce more by-products and many were built 40-70 years ago. The rapid development of shale gas in the past ten years has provided the ethane feedstock that is being used in plants that have recently been built or converted to ethane feedstock. None of the environmental standards, let alone measuring tools, existed when these older plants were designed and built. We believe the solution is to replace aging infrastructure as quickly as possible and that is the best way to improve the environment and still provide the necessary commodities of today’s lifestyle.
Human health
1. How do you plan to respond to well documented long-term human health impacts and concerns associated with similar existing facilities elsewhere in the world?
• See answer to previous question. The best thing is to replace with more efficient plants.
2. Can you provide evidence that your proposed facility will not cause long-term negative human health, environmental, and air quality impacts both on site and in the greater community?
• I don’t think there is an answer we could provide that would satisfy you on this. See answers to previous questions.
3. How will you protect workers in your facility from exposure to toxic heavy metals like lead and mercury, arsenic and cadmium? How will you seek to prevent worker nanoparticle dust ingestion/integration, exposure to toxic chemicals and gas emissions?
• None of these heavy metals are present within NGL Recovery, ethylene production or polyethylene production. These are present in mining processes and have nothing to do with our process.
• All operators and onsite personnel will be provided with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and training before they work on the WCOL site(s).
4. How do you plan to monitor levels of exposure for your workers regarding inhalation of nanoparticles, chemicals and gas emissions? If exposure, acute, and/or long term health impacts are reported, how will you work to address these in terms of reducing harm to workers and improving the health and safety of the plant?
• All new workers will be undertake full medical to serve as a baseline for all future testing.
• All workers will be equipped
with monitor badges and adequate PPE.
• Industry accepted safety practices and regulatory bodies, such as Occupational Health and Safety and Worksafe BC will address these issues.
5. The City of Prince George is a signatory to the Blue Dot campaign. As a Blue Dot community, our city council has committed to protecting residents’ rights to a clean environment. This includes the right to breathe healthy air. What data can you supply residents to assure them that the proposed plant will not compromise this?
• See previous questions for answers to air emissions. As has been stated multiple times, the NGL recovery plant and ethylene plant will emit no particulate matter, closed systems will be implemented to reduce the possibility of atmospheric leaks and will be using cleanest burning fuel, to name a few.
Environmental assessment & community engagement
1. Do you have deadline dates for the Provincial Environmental Assessment Process and can you share those with our group?
• One of the first steps in the regulatory process is to determine whether a project is reviewable as defined in Section 10 the BC Environmental Assessment Act. Once that determination is made, the Environmental Assessment Office will issue a Section 10 with its decision. West Coast Olefins is in the process of trying to secure its Section 10 order.
• Assuming that the determination is that an environmental assessment certificate is required for the project and the proponent may not proceed with the project without an assessment, the Environment Assessment will determine the specific assessment scope, procedures and methods required in the proponents environmental assessment, as defined under Section 11 of the act. The EAO will issue these instructions as a Section 11 Order. West Coast Olefins is hoping that occurs later this year
• The timing for the actual assessment activities will depend on what is specified in the Section 11 order.
2. Will the proposed plant be subject to regulation under the Oil and Gas Activities Act as amended by Bill 23- 2015?
• The regulator will guide WCOL through the applicable legislation and regulations.
3. Please provide dates, times, and locatios for the next public information session/s you will be offering in our community.
• The public consultation requirements will be defined in our Section 11 order when we receive it.
Ken James President and CEO West Coast Olefins Calgary
JAMES
Gov’t struggling with gig economy
The Canadian Press
A newly released government document shows that federal officials feel stymied by data roadblocks in their bid to help policymakers tackle a growing political concern about the country’s “gig” economy.
Documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act show federal officials were leery of the reliability of existing data on the number of Canadians using online platforms to earn their livings, even though the figures had come from reputable sources.
The late-March briefing note shows officials at Employment and Social Development Canada were looking for alternatives.
Federal officials have been closely watching the changes in the labour force away from full-time jobs in favour of more temporary, part-time or contract work.
Available research suggests young people are more often found in these positions, which can be lower-paid and without benefits or longer-term job security. That makes the effects of the gig economy of particular interest to politicians: millennials make up the largest voting cohort this election season.
Concerns about the ripple effects have prodded changes to the Canada Pension Plan, analysts’ deep policy dives into the future of the federal social safety net, new spending on skills training and amendments to the federal labour code.
What makes measuring the size of the gig economy so difficult is that there are competing definitions of what it includes. ESDC officials leaned on an American definition that described gig workers as those who take short work or tasks through websites or mobile apps that arrange payment and connect them directly to consumers.
So, for instance, driving Ubers, making SkipTheDishes deliveries, or picking up odd work from TaskRabbit. Putting together multiple part-time jobs, soliciting work through a website such as Kijiji, or surviving on short-term contracts didn’t count.
Underlying concerns about the gig econo-
my is a demographic shift firmly underway in Canada.
Aging baby boomers will retire in droves over the coming years without enough young workers to replace them – which raises a potential problem. Unlike the Canada Pension Plan, old-age security payments are funded by tax dollars, and federal coffers might not be able to cover the cost of seniors’ benefits that are increasing faster than inflation.
Add to that populist concerns about immigrants, who have been the main drivers of population growth as birth rates have declined, and there is a potential potent mixture for the coming election campaign. What to do beyond election day has engrossed federal officials from multiple departments, who have tested worst-case
systems are not designed for that reality and that’s where we’re hitting the stress tests.”
The briefing note, sent to a handful of top ESDC officials, lamented that the “available evidence about the incidence and quality of online platform work, in Canada and abroad, is currently quite limited, impeding the provision of policy advice.”
Officials also raised cautions on survey results from two major federal institutions – Statistics Canada and the Bank of Canada – on the number of Canadians using online platforms for their incomes, highlighting concerns with how the data were obtained.
The document says Statistics Canada scuttled a plan to replicate an American labour survey on gig workers after U.S. officials admitted there were problems with the results. Instead, a survey of the digital economy found about 230,000 Canadians had been involved in platform work in the previous 12 months, or 0.8 per cent of the population over age 18.
A similar effort by the Bank of Canada suggested between four and 6.5 per cent of Canadians over 16 were part of the gig economy.
scenarios and a range of policy responses.
Armine Yalnizyan, an economist who has researched the gig economy in detail, said available data suggests a growth in the platforms could erode wages for engineers, accountants, programmers and lawyers as companies connect with cheaper overseas labour. Federal programs either provide workers with capped income supports –which for high-wage workers would be well below the earnings they’re used to – or retraining funding, she said.
“This isn’t the hollowing out of the middle, this is the hollowing out of the highskill, high-wage class and we don’t have programs for that crowd,” Yalnizyan said.
“What are you going to train them in?
They’ve just spent seven to 10 years training and spent a fortune on it. Obviously, our
Both results, different as they were, were “markedly lower” than other countries, the document says, and should be “treated carefully due to the small number of respondents.”
“We know there’s been growth and we know Canada is very reliant on this form of labour, both among employers and, oddly, amongst workers,” Yalnizyan said.
“Something’s happening, we just don’t know how to measure it properly.”
Results from a new Statistics Canada effort are expected to be available this fall, the briefing note says, but officials at ESDC were already pushing “alternative methods of data collection” to learn more about platform workers and their job quality.
A department spokeswoman said ESDC “continues to explore the possibility” of taking part in an international survey of platform workers and an in-depth study with Statistics Canada, both of which would take place next year.
California bill protects gig economy workers
The Associated Press
California lawmakers sent the governor a bill Wednesday that would give new wage and benefit protections to workers at so-called gig economy companies such as Uber and Lyft where people pick up jobs on their own schedule.
The 56-15 Assembly vote marked a victory for labour unions and a defeat for tech companies that vehemently oppose the proposal. It was previously approved by the state Senate and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he supports it.
The measure could have national implications as politicians and businesses confront the changing nature of work in the so-called gig economy.
“It’s forced the nation to take a look at what the future of work is going to look like,” Democratic Assemblyman Ian Calderon of Whittier said in supporting the bill.
In a rare injection of presidential politics into a state issue, most of the major Democratic presidential contenders urged California lawmakers to pass the bill and have championed similar proposals in their campaigns.
“This isn’t perfect, but I think this goes a long way to protecting workers, legitimate small businesses, legitimate businesses that play by the rules, and we as taxpayers that have to clean up the mess when these businesses don’t provide enough for their workers,” said the author of the bill, Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, her voice shaking with emotion.
Uber, Lyft and meal delivery companies such as Doordash and Postmates still hope Newsom can negotiate a new proposal with unions that would create a sepa-
rate set of rules for gig workers. Newsom is committed to continuing talks on refinements, said his spokesman Nathan Click.
The bill was approved over strident Republican opposition. By picking which industries can use independent contractors and which workers must be treated as employees, “we are playing a political Russian roulette with their lives, their livelihood and their labour,” said Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson of Fresno.
The bill has drawn staunch opposition from on-demand delivery and ridesharing companies that say it will effectively kill their business model. They’ve argued that making their workers employees would limit their ability to work flexible hours.
Lyft predicted that riders could see higher costs and longer waits if the measure takes effect. It also reiterated an earlier pledge by several companies to spend $90 million on a California ballot measure “to preserve the freedom and access drivers and riders want and need,” spokesman Adrian Durbin said in a statement.
Uber’s chief legal officer, Tony West, contended that the bill does not automatically reclassify drivers to employees, and the company has properly classified its drivers as independent contractors. But he conceded there will be legal challenges involving the status of Uber drivers.
Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives wrote in a note to investors that the firm expects gig economy companies to push back and find a middle ground.
The California measure could spread to other states, especially those with big cities such as New York and Illinois that already have strong regulations for taxicabs, said Michael Ramsey, an analyst
for the Gartner research firm.
If that happens, Uber, Lyft and other app-based companies could become software platforms that contract with cab or other companies to provide mobility services, he said.
The bill would put into law a California Supreme Court decision making it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors and instead would make them classify the workers as employees.
“Today these so-called gig companies present themselves as the so-called innovative future of tomorrow,” Democratic Sen. Marie Elena Durazo of Los Angeles said Tuesday. “Let’s be clear. There is nothing innovative about underpaying someone for their labour.”
While its impact on gig economy companies has drawn most of the attention, the bill would affect a wide array of industries.
The law lays out a test to decide if workers can be labeled as contractors. The worker must be free from control of the company, perform work “outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business,” and be engaged in an independently established trade or business of the same nature of the work they are performing.
John Kabateck, California director of the National Federation of Independent Business, called the bill’s passage “a sad day for good governance” because it carves out 37 occupations from the high court’s ruling instead of setting a uniform law.
Gonzalez said nothing in the law forces companies to eliminate worker flexibility. As employees, the workers would be entitled to minimum wage and benefits such as workers compensation, unemployment insurance and paid leave.
Economy ‘softening,’ CN Rail CFO warns
The Canadian Press
A CN executive says a sputtering economy is contributing to weaker freight volumes.
“In the short-term, is the economy softening? Absolutely,” said chief financial officer Ghislain Houle. “We are obviously seeing volumes weakening on a short-term basis.” Traffic in the third quarter is looking “flattish” compared to the same period last year, Houle said. He cited an earlier outlook of high single-digit growth in revenue ton miles for 2019. “Obviously, that’s probably not in the cards as we speak.”
Weaker volumes of wheat, coal and lumber are partly to blame for CN’s more sluggish pace, Houle said, as a cold, wet spring hampered growing conditions, low natural gas prices weakened demand for coal-generated electrical power and the mountain pine beetle continued to exacerbate B.C.’s forestry sector downturn.
CP FILE PHOTO
In this Jan. 31, 2018, file photo, a Lyft logo is installed on a Lyft driver’s car next to an Uber sticker in Pittsburgh.
What’s new with the Cougars? Get the latest on trades, injuries, post-game analysis and more in
Kings’ Cunningham, Welsh take aim at Grizzlies
Ted CLARKE Citizen staff
tclarke@pgcitizen.ca
Corey Cunningham felt chills running through his spine as the Prince George Spruce Kings hung their championship banners last Friday at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
It was a monumental evening shared by a crowd of 1,239 to salute what stands as the most successful season in the team’s 24-year B.C. Hockey League history.
Cunningham, 18, was one of only two Prince George-born-and-bred players on the team last year (along with winger Craig Cunningham, now playing junior B in Dawson Creek) and that hometown achievement left Cunningham hungry for more.
“It was awesome, it meant the world to me, as it did our city, I think, everybody was pretty excited and it was pretty crazy playing that first game in front of such a big crowd, we really enjoyed it,” said Cunningham.
The two weekend games that followed the banner-raising ceremony, back-to-back losses to the Surrey Eagles, were much less memorable from a Kings’ perspective but will serve as a learning experience they hope will produce positive points this weekend when the Victoria Grizzlies and Penticton Vees come calling for their one-and-only regular-season visits to Prince George.
“We didn’t get the outcome we wanted to, with a new group of guys it’s tougher,” said Cunningham, who assisted on both Kings’
goals in their opening 4-2 loss to Surrey.
He was left off on the scoresheet in Saturday’s game – a 4-3 overtime loss to the Eagles. Cunningham is patrolling the left wing on a line with right winger Nolan Welsh and newly-acquired centre Preston Brodziak, a 20-year-old who played last season for the Nanaimo Clippers.
As a BCHL rookie, Cunningham played 47 games last season and collected eight goals and six assists. He caught fire in the playoffs, picking up five goals and 10 points in 17 games leading up to the Kings’ Fred Page Cup championship and also contributed a goal and an assist in their six-game Doyle Cup championship win over the Brooks Bandits.
“I got a lot of confidence playing last year on the third line with Welshie and (Lucas) Vanroboys and I just gave it my all every game and we got what we wanted last season,” said Cunningham.
“Me and Welshie, we clicked at the end of the season, playing a bunch of playoff games together and I think Brodziak fills Vanroboys’ position pretty well. I think we’re getting it going right now. It’s a pretty fast line and we’re an energy line. I think we’ll produce this year.
“I expect us to have an above-middle team this year and I hope we can be even higher than that. We want to be the top team backto-back years, we just have to find a balance and if everybody buys in it will be the same as last year.”
Like Cunningham, Welsh amped up his point production last season in the playoffs. After a 20-point regular season he scored
four goals and had 12 assists in 17 games in the BCHL playoffs. He also put up two goals and three points in the Doyle Cup series and had four points in the national championship tournament in Brooks, which ended with a 4-3 loss in the final to the host Bandits.
Coming off his shortest off-season ever, all of three months, the 20-year-old Welsh is back for his fourth BCHL season and third with the Spruce Kings since being acquired in a trade from Victoria and this year he’s sporting the ‘C’ as the Kings’ captain. He said he’ll cherish his memory of seeing the team’s first championship banners raised to the roof.
“That was a huge moment, to be able to accomplish that,” Welsh said. “When you’re older, being able to say you did that is something I’m going to remember the rest of my life.”
The Kings, under first-year head coach Alex Evin, outshot the Eagles 33-28 in Saturday’s rematch and Welsh thought they played well enough to win.
“Tough games, I thought we got better as the weekend went on,” said Welsh. “The first game we didn’t start off great, kind of got better in the third period but made some errors and we weren’t playing as the team we need to be. In the second game we came together and played the way we’re supposed to but made some mistakes again and they put it in the back of the net.
“It’s a young team and it takes a lot to learn the systems, let alone how you’ve got to play in this league. I think it will defi-
nitely come and you can see already we’re improving a lot, so I’m excited to see what happens. We have lots of skill and everyone is hardworking. We just have to get some experience and we’ll have a really good team again.”
The Spruce Kings have two tough opponents on their hands this weekend.
The Grizzlies (0-1) are coming off an opening 8-2 loss to Cowichan Valley on Saturday. The Griz were swept last season by Prince George in the Coastal Conference final and will be looking for vengeance when they meet the Kings Friday night.
“Victoria is a fast team and they like to catch you when you’re in the o-zone they transition defence to offence in three seconds, so we have to stop that,” said Cunningham. “If we bear down on our chances, hang on to pucks down low, don’t give the any time and step up on the bluelines, we’ll do pretty good. Their d-men like to pinch and we’ll get odd-man rushes.”
The Vees (2-0), who play the Kings on Saturday, are coming of a pair of wins last weekend in Trail and appear to be the team to beat this season in the Interior Division. They’ve added Philadelphia Flyer’s firstround draft pick Jay O’Brien, a 19-year-old centre selected 19th overall in the NHL draft in June, who left Providence College to join the Vees. Penticton forward Danny Weight, the 18-year-old son of former NHL defenceman Doug Weight, is a Boston College recruit for 2021. He leads the BCHL scoring race with a goal and five assists in two games.
Gauthier back from NHL audition with Bruins
Ted
CLARKE Citizen staff
Taylor Gauthier returned to familiar surroundings at CN Centre Wednesday. Fresh from facing professional shooters Monday in Buffalo, where he guarded the crease for the Boston Bruins in the second half of their 3-2 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils, Gauthier was back in his Prince George Cougars goalie gear for their final practice before they head to Dawson Creek for a two-game exhibition series against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
After a week of handling the rubber-biscuit barrage from the Bruins’ top pro prospects in practice as one of three goalies in camp, followed by a period-and a-half of preseason game action, the 18-year-old Gauthier now has a better idea what it will take to earn a permanent position in pro hockey.
“It was obviously a really cool experience, it’s something you work for a long time and to be
able to put an NHL jersey and go out and play for an NHL team is a huge honour for me and I’m very happy I was able to do that,” said Gauthier.
“They have such a storied franchise there and to maybe have the potential to carry on that legacy, I take lots of pride in that. Even if it was just a rookie tournament, it’s something pretty special to me and to my family, something I’ll look back to for a long time.”
Gauthier faced 14 shots and let in two, both to Devils’ forward Ludvig Larsson, who scored the tying goal on a tap-in from the side of the net with 8.1 seconds left while the Devils were skating 6-on-4.
Larsson also netted the OT winner, using a Bruins defenceman and a Devils forward as a screen when he beat Gauthier with a low shot from the slot.
“Whenever you step up to that level it’s gong to be a little different but I think for the most part I handled it well,” said Gauthier.
“Everyone’s a little bit faster,
shots come in quicker and it’s harder to pick up releases but I think I did a pretty good job of adapting to the scenario I was put in. Obviously it’s harder to come in in the second half but I did the best I could and made the most of the opportunities I was given. “We had a good couple days of
practice and it was good to see those big shots coming in on you from guys who have played in the NHL. I was able to pick the brains of the coaches, who have been around the game for a very long time. I think a lot of my hard work paid off and I hung in there going up against the best of the best, going up against guys like (Devils first-rounders) Jack Hughes (who went first overall in 2019) and Ty Smith.”
After being a workhorse in net for the Cougars last season and playing four of the seven games for Team Canada at the U-18 world championship in April in Sweden, Gauthier was touted as one of the top goaltenders available in the 2019 NHL draft in Vancouver. He flew from his Calgary home to attend the draft at Rogers Arena that weekend and left disappointed when his name was not among the 217 players picked. Two days later, he tweeted: “What a whirlwind weekend. Thank you to everyone who has
supported me over the last couple days. It hasn’t gone unnoticed, this has ignited a fire that hasn’t been lit before. I’ll be back better than ever. Looking forward to proving everyone wrong with the @PGCougars this season.”
Now, after being invited to the Bruins’ development camp in July and playing for Boston in the rookie tournament in Buffalo he knows he’s officially on the NHL radar and is using that as motivation heading into his third season with the Cougars.
“Obviously coming in as thirdyear guy I’m looking to take on one of those leadership roles on the team,” he said. “Any time you get some experience at a higher level, you come back to spread the knowledge you gained during your time away.
“I’m looking forward to getting in games with guys. We have a good mix or younger and older guys, so I think we might be able to take some teams by surprise this year.” — see ‘WE’RE ALL, page 10
CITIZEN
Spruce King players Fin Williams, Nolan Welsh, Nick Poisson, Chong Min Lee, Corey Cunningham and Nick Bochen hold the championships banners the team will be raised at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena on Friday.
Andreescu looks to move up
The Canadian Press
Winning the U.S. Open has made Bianca Andreescu such a big deal that she can leave Drake on read.
Andreescu was on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday and mentioned to the talk-show host that she still hadn’t heard from Drake, whose hit 5AM In Toronto had been one of her pumpup songs along the way to becoming the first Canadian singles player to win a Grand Slam.
Drake dutifully reached out to Andreescu after seeing the interview, but the 19-yearold tennis phenom from Mississauga, Ont., didn’t reply right away.
“I’m actually having a conversation with him, this is unreal,” said Andreescu at a news conference on Wednesday. She then started reading Drake’s messages to her out to reporters. “He’s like ‘here I am, smiley face. Congrats. We are all so proud of you. I’ve been liking every post with you in it LOL I thought you’d see.’
“I didn’t, I was barely on social media. I was just posting things. That was cool. I don’t even know what to reply to that. It’s going to take me a while.”
Added Andreescu with a laugh: “He has the seen message. Don’t worry, I’m going to answer, I’m going to answer. I can’t R-bomb him.”
That’s the surreal existence Andreescu has been living since defeating tennis legend Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5, on Saturday in the U.S. Open final.
It’s been a whirlwind of talk-show appearances, messages from Drake, Shania Twain, members of the Toronto Raptors, and being flown back to Toronto in a private jet provided by LeBron James’s social media platform Uninterrupted.
“I still can’t believe I was on The Tonight Show,” said Andreescu. “I didn’t think (Jimmy Fallon) was a real person before I actually met him. I’ve watched his show many, many times and to be able to sit in that chair was really cool.”
Nearly 30 reporters, 20 television cameras, and a dozen photographers were at Aviva Centre on York University’s main campus Wednesday as Andreescu made her first media appearance in Canada since winning the Grand Slam.
She answered questions about how she celebrated (dinner with her parents), who would play her in a movie (Jennifer Lawrence), what song did she listen to before the U.S. Open final (Hot Girl Summer by Megan Thee Stallion) and how her parents and her dog Coco were handling their fameby-proximity.
“They’ve been getting a lot of attention too, especially my mom. I think she has her own BuzzFeed post. I think that deserves
a round of applause” said Andreescu, clapping and laughing. “It was really funny all the tweets my mom has been getting and obviously my dog Coco.”
It was exactly a month ago that Andreescu sat in the same room, addressing reporters after she won the Rogers Cup when her idol Williams retired with back spasms just four games into that tournament’s final.
A lot has changed for Andreescu since then.
She has rocketed up the WTA’s world rankings to sit at No. 5, made herself the favourite to win year-end awards as Canada’s sportsperson of the year, earned US$3.85 million at the U.S. Open and elevated herself to worldwide fame.
Andreescu is hungry for more, however.
“It’s time to move on to the next after today, after all this media stuff,” said Andreescu. “Of course, today, I’ll celebrate a little bit and I’ll see my friends. But I’m still focused on what’s to come.”
Andreescu said one of her immediate goals is to qualify for the WTA Tour Finals in Shenzhen, China next month. She is currently fourth in the standings for that event, with the top eight qualifying.
The world No. 5 is expected to make her return to action later this month at the Beijing Open.
The only thing that has slowed Andreescu down this season is an injured shoulder and ongoing tightness in her upper thighs. She has won 23 consecutive matches, not counting when she has had to retire from
matches due to injury.
Because of those injury concerns, Andreescu has expanded her team to include a full-time physiotherapist to help her avoid any further issues.
“If I’m healthy than I think I can do even bigger things in the sport,” said Andreescu. “One of an athlete’s biggest enemies is being injured because we’re sitting on our butts watching people play when we’re injured. I don’t think any athlete likes that.
“The main goal right now is to stay as healthy as I can because I’ve been injured quite a bit in my short career.”
When asked about a possible parade or celebration in Toronto or Mississauga, Andreescu was open to the idea, but said nothing has been finalized.
Stamps looking for payback against TiCats
Dan RALPH The Canadian Press
The Stampeders (7-4) host Hamilton (9-2) on Saturday night at McMahon Stadium. It will be the second meeting of the season between the two teams after the East Division-leading Tiger-Cats captured a 30-23 home victory over Calgary on July 13. Hamilton is 4-1 – and riding a four-game win streak – with Dane Evans as its starter. Over that span, the 25-year-old former Tulsa star is 114-of-168 passing (67.9 per cent) for 1,392 yards with more interceptions (seven) than TDs (six). But in his last start, Evans was 31-of-37 passing - completing 19 straight at one point - for 442 yards with two TDs and two interceptions in a 38-27 home win over Toronto on Sept. 2. Pick: Calgary.
Ottawa Redblacks versus B.C. Lions (Friday night)
At Vancouver, B.C. (1-10) has lost seven straight and is a dismal 0-4 at home. Ottawa (3-8) has lost four consecutive contests but is 2-3 on the road. The Lions come off a 21-16 loss to Montreal but starter Mike Reilly was sacked just once, a moral victory considering they’ve allowed a CFL-high 45 thus far. The Redblacks dropped
‘We’re all ready to go’
— from page 9
“I think the only guys we lost were our three (20-year-olds, Mike MacLean, Josh Curtis and Joel Lakusta) and Vlad (Mikhalchuk, who left to play in the KHL) and lots of us have good chemistry with one another. Coming to camp we’re all ready to go and in good shape and I think it’s going to be a positive year this year.”
The Cougars still have three goalies in camp, with incumbent 19-year-old Isaiah
DiLaura and 16-year-old rookie Tyler Brennan also in the mix.
Gauthier played in 55 of the 68 games last year and came out of the season with a 3.25 goals-against average and .899 save percentage.
He’s penciled in as the starter in 2019-20 but is taking nothing for granted.
“I’m in that battle right with them, you’re never guaranteed anything, even if you were the starter last year,” said Gauthier.
a 46-17 decision last week to Toronto with former Lion Jonathon Jennings as the starter.
Pick: B.C.
Montreal Alouettes versus Saskatchewan Roughriders (Saturday night)
At Regina, the Riders (7-4) return to Mosaic Stadium - where they’re 5-1 - after having their sixgame win streak halted emphatically 35-10 by Winnipeg last week-
“In this league, it’s a business and the best goalie is going to get games. It’s really a three-way battle right now and it will only help us in the long run.”
Defenceman Cole Moberg and left winger Josh Maser, the other two Cougars who attended NHL camps, were due to arrive back in Prince George later Wednesday.
Moberg, a seventh-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019, picked up two assists and a plus-2 rating in four games
end. The Bombers took control of the game in the second quarter, outscoring Saskatchewan 21-0 for a 28-3 halftime advantage. Montreal (6-4) has won three straight, doing just enough to earn the win over B.C. as quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. ran for two TDs and threw for another. Pick: Saskatchewan. Last week: 4-0. Overall: 35-15.
playing for the ‘Hawks at the eight-team rookie tournament in Traverse City. Mich. Maser suited up for two games in the same tournament with the Rangers and finished with one assist and a plus-1 ranking. Both are expected to play for the Cats in Dawson Creek when they face the Edmonton Oil Kings tonight and Saturday. The Cougars started the preseason on the road last weekend with losses to Kamloops, Vancouver and Kelowna.
PHOTO
Bianca Andreescu laughs after reading a message from rapper Drake as she speaks to the media Wednesday in Toronto after she became the first Canadian player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
MONEY IN BRIEF
Currencies
OTTAWA (CP) — These are indicative wholesale rates for foreign currency provided by the Bank of Canada on Wednesday. Quotations in Canadian funds.
dollar 0.9044
Get
The markets today
TORONTO (CP) — Canada’s main stock index rallied to its highest level in seven weeks Wednesday despite crude oil prices getting hammered. Investors are slowly “nibbling” back into the market on hopes of progress in trade issues, says Colin Cieszynski, chief market strategist at SIA Wealth Management.
“I think they’re getting a feeling that some of the worst risks related to trade wars are dissipating,” he said.
The U.S. and China are preparing to resume negotiations next month and the British parliament has passed a law to thwart a hard Brexit the end of October. The Chinese contributed to the improved sentiment by backing off on imposing some tariffs.
“On some selected goods they had backed off on implementing new tariffs and so that has helped,” Cieszynski said.
The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 73.80 points at 16,611.14, the highest level since July 24 and less than 62 points off April’s record high. Seven of the 11 major sectors of the TSX were higher, led by technology. The sector gained 1.9 per cent as Blackberry Ltd. was up 5.5 per cent and Shopify shares gained 3.4 per cent. Consumer discretionary, financials, health care, telecommunications, utilities and materials were also higher. Roots shares lost more than 13 per cent after the chief executive said lacklustre foot traffic and a challenging move to a new distribution centre weighed on its most recent quarterly results that missed expectations.
SNC-Lavalin shares climbed 4.5 per cent on the day and 17 per cent this week after a regulatory filing showed Jarislowsky Fraser Ltd. became one of the engineering giant’s top three shareholders. Materials was up as the December gold contract rose US$4.00 to US$1,503.20 an ounce while the December copper contract was down 1.35 cents at US$2.61 a pound. Energy was down slightly despite a big drawdown for the week in U.S. stockpiles. The October crude contract was down US$1.65 at US$55.75 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was down 2.8 cents at US$2.55 per mmBTU.
A2018 survey of the singles scene in the U.S. shows how weird dating standards have gotten.
In a world of hyper-tailored, swipe-right connectivity, the average cost of a date in New York is over $297 US, including a meal, drinks and entertainment. (That’s over $392 in Canuck-bucks). That’s ridiculous.
Cheap date nostalgia
In the early 1980s the Kinks lead singer, Ray Davies wrote Come Dancing, about his beloved older sister Rene.
In the catchy tune, a line about his sister’s dance partners stands out: “He’d end up blowing all his money for a week, for a cuddle and a peck on the cheek.”
Around the time the Kinks were basking in their Come Dancing royalties, in 1986 I invited a cute brunette on our first date in Surrey.
With less than $4 to pull it off, I walked her on to the brand new Skyrain (which was temporarily free) and we rode it from one end to another, stopping midway at McDonalds to share a small side of fries.
By the end of the night I still had about $1.77 left when, taking one of the biggest risks of my life, I leaned in for a cuddle and a peck on the… lips.
She hasn’t left me yet.
Better take her dancing.
The aforementioned Kinks hit makes no mention of the tragedy buried in its author’s memory.
In 1957, Davies’ older sister Rene was back home in the U.K., visiting her family from Canada, where she had been away living with her reportedly abusive husband.
While at home, she splurged and bought her little brother a guitar for his thirteenth birthday. His parents said it was too expensive.
He sat home that night admiring his precious new instrument, while his sister went to the local music hall she’d frequented as a teen.
While dancing reminiscently there, she suddenly died of a heart attack right on the ballroom floor.
Wills matter
Grieving the death of a loved one is a painful and emotional process. When the death is tragic and unexpected, that process becomes even more complicated.
Get a professional executor
“Unless someone has acted as an executor, or watched someone close to them go through the process, we generally find that Canadians do not put a lot of real thought in to whom they are appointing,” said Leanne Kaufman, head of RBC Royal Trust. “Often they choose individuals who are their own age, meaning that they age together, and the chosen executor may not be in a position to act when needed.”
Most major financial institutions have a trust division which can provide specialized professional services during what might be the most stressful and emotional upheaval of our lives. Taking a few minutes to grant a professional appointment in your will won’t actually cost you anything in your lifetime, but will give your beneficiaries and/or executor(s) peace of mind. You’re telling them it’s okay to offload the cost and stress to a pro. Otherwise, they’ll have to simultaneously absorb the burden of losing you and figuring out that you buried that tax return in the basement under that stack of 8-track tapes, next to your old baseball shoes, and those old sweat pants you refuse to throw away.
The intricacies of an estate Settling an estate can include more than 70 individual tasks, including funeral arrangements, managing investments, inventorying assets, keeping detailed accounts, settling debts, selling real estate, and preparing and filing multiple tax returns.
The process generally takes many months – sometimes years – even for what may appear to be a simple estate. All of this during a very difficult emotional time.
Nov. 2, 2016. In 1957, Davies’ older sister Rene died of a heart attack while at a dance hall, eventually inspiring the Kink’s hit song Come Dancing – and some advice
While it can be frightening to contemplate one’s death, it’s important to ensure your will and overall estate plan remains up-to-date.
“We encourage our clients to review their wills every few years and whenever they experience a significant change in their personal circumstances to ensure their estate plan continues to reflect their wishes,” says Elaine Blades, senior manager, RBC Wealth Management Royal Trust.
It’s uncomfortable talking about death, but it’s actually much more cruel not to. The people left behind pay for your discomfort. Talk it over with the kids and others who need to know.
Plan ahead for a smooth transfer of wealth
According to a 2017 survey commissioned by RBC Wealth Management, 66 per cent of those who began their financial learning before age 18 reported being more confident on the topic, versus 41 per cent of people who started after age 55.
General family conversations and meetings with professionals are two places to start.
If you involve children in your estate planning, not only can you manage expectations, but you can encourage financial stewardship, setting an example for future generations.
The tricky parts are your need for privacy, and worries of spoiling those overgrown rug rats of yours. But get them involved in the process at least enough to make the transition smooth. Chances are you won’t be spoiling them. You don’t have to detail the numbers, just the process.
And most people receive their inheritance after they breach age 60 themselves, well beyond most of their major life decisions.
Mark Ryan is an investment advisor with RBC Dominion Securities Inc. (Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund), and these are his views, and not those of RBC Dominion Securities. This article is for information purposes only. Please consult with a professional advisor before taking any action based on information in this article. See Ryan’s website at: http:// dir.rbcinvestments.com/mark.ryan
Kinks singer Ray Davies holds his Classic Songwriter award at the Q Awards in London on
about wills from Citizen columnist Mark Ryan.
Donald William McGregor
January 5, 1943August 29, 2019
With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Donald William McGregor, aged 76, on Saturday August 29th, 2019 at Rocky Mountain Care Home in Fernie, BC.
Donald was born in Thunder Bay Ontario and moved at a young age with his parents Deloss and Helen McGregor along with his twin brother Gary to Jasper, Alberta. Donald spent his formative years loving the outdoor life in the Rocky Mountains - most of Don’s time was spent alongside his twin brother, training and competing in all aspects of skiing.
Don spent a brief time at Montana State University where he thought of pursuing his love of photography fulltime - he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and left post secondary to join the railway workforcespending his next 35 years working for BC Rail as a Conductor. Donald moved to Prince George with his former wife Carol; where they raised their three children. An avid outdoorsman - many fond memories of fishing and camping trips with friends and family punctuate this time.
Donald continued to work for BC Rail and moved on to the communities of Kamloops, Lillooet, Ashcroft and Barriere - when not working - he was always researching and planning his next outdoor adventure. Always the one to document his trips with his camera - his love of biking and photos was a constant throughout his life. After retiring, Donald turned his adventurous soul to travellingspending many winters in Mexico, Thailand and the Philippines and taking many pleasure train trips. Never slowing down - you would often see Don riding his “Fat Tire” bike on trails as late as 74 years of age - when he moved to Kimberley and then on to Fernie for his final adventure. Don’s passion for adventure and love of sports lives on in his kids and grandkids. He is survived by his children; Shawn (Lisa), Tisha (Bryce), Kyle (Heidi), his twin brother Gary (Toni) and his grandchildren Katie, Natalie, Logan, Cole and Hudson.
A special thank you to the caregivers and nurses at Rocky Mountain View in Fernie BC - we are very grateful for their care and kindness. There will be a celebration of life in Jasper, Alberta to be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Society of Canada.
Raymond Laurence Adey
January 10th, 1931September 4th, 2019
“I finally kicked the bucket” (Dads words)
With heavy hearts and sadness we announce the passing of Ray Adey. He started work with the Newfoundland Railway in 1948 and retired with the CN Railway after 41 years. He was predeceased by his wife Rose (2018) after 65 years of marriage and his grandson Dillon. Survived by his 6 children Larry (Daphne), Derrick, Ken (Bev), Perry (Cindy), Penny (Bonnie) and Selwyn. As well as 6 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Dad had a great sense of humour and will be missed by many. Our thanks to Doctors (MOA), Home Care Nurses, Cardiac Lab, Kidney Clinic, Home Support and all of the kind neighbours. With a special thank you to Kelly and Janyce our “Guardian Angel”. Dad was known for saying “I’m still here”. Dad you will always be here in our hearts forever. Have a safe journey to Mom (the love of your life). No service by request. In lieu of flowers, donations to Dillon Adey Bursary at the College of New Caledonia would be appreciated.
LiedI - Rosa December 13, 1929August 28, 2019
It is with deep sadness that the family of Rosa Liedl announces her death at the age of 89. She was a devoted wife, mother and friend; unassuming to a fault, firmly grounded in basic decencies and selfless in all her dealings. Born December 13, 1929 in Kiefersfelden, Germany to a family of eight children at a time when bad times were just ahead. At the age of ten the second world war started and children grew up very quickly having to help to provide for the family’s needs. In 1947 she married Rudi Liedl and had two sons - Rudi and Karl. In the cold month of November, 1959, she left her parents and all her brothers and sisters to cross the ocean to a new land and language to be with her husband. A year later they had a daughter, Trudy. In her 40’s, wanting to work and living out of town, she learned to drive and worked until 1984 when they packed up once more and moved to West Bank. Prior to his death in 2002, her husband urged her to move back to her children in Prince George thinking that she could never manage the property with all the fruit trees and garden. But, in her wisdom, she decided to wait a year. The years passed and she stayed in her home and managed very well until suffering a stroke. Left to mourn are her two sons Rudi (Shelli), Karl (Brenda), daughter Trudi (Bill) Engler, grandchildren Konrad (Chantelle), Kirk (Michelle), Karen (Jason), Sara (Troy), Michael (Lorena) and six great grandchildren. She was predeceased by husband Rudi and grandson Martin. We cherish the many memories of her hospitality, kindness and her incredible Apfelstrudel. A Memorial Service will be held at the St. Giles Presbyterian Church Saturday 14, 2019 at 1:00pm. Luncheon to follow.
Victor (Roy) Cox
July 2, 1930 September 11, 2019
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our father and husband, Roy Cox. Roy passed peacefully on September 11, 2019 at UHNBC, after succumbing to the effects of a stroke. He leaves behind his wife of 64 years, Melba; as well as three children, Brenda (Richard), Dan (Donna) and Lana (Shannon). He is also survived by three granddaughters and three great granddaughters. Roy was never scared of a hard day’s work, and spent many years in the forest industry. He also loved camping and hunting, and being outdoors.
There will be no service, by request, but next time you’re standing beside a good campfire, pour yourself a hot coffee and think of Roy.
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.
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PRINCE GEORGE SAFE ATTITUDES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019
Local director off to Stratford
CALDER CHOSEN TO SERVE AS ROTARY DISTRICT GOVERNOR
For more than 26 years, Lorne Calder has been a member of the Rotary Club of Prince George.
He was recently named the 5040 District Governor Nominee and will serve his one-year term from July 2021 to June 2022. Rotary District 5040 includes 54 Rotary Clubs Prince George, Mackenzie, communities west to Prince Rupert, the Cariboo to 100 Mile House and Greater Vancouver.
As a dedicated member of Rotary, he’s taken on every position there is as an opportunity to serve the community.
“I was inducted in 1993 and I’ve been president, treasurer, sergeant-at-arms, and so I’ve done just about everything within the club,” Calder said. “I’ve also been assistant governor for the area for a three-year period, which is important because you get to know five different clubs and I have been actively engaged at the district level for a few years.”
The mission of Rotary is to provide service to others, promote integrity and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
To be designated as the district governo, there is an application process and Calder said he has applied for the position twice, knowing it takes time to get in line for it. There is a panel review and interview process. Calder knew in November that he was selected to serve as the 2021-2022 district governor.
“It’s a big learning curve, there’s lots of training and leadership development that goes on so you can be successful in your one year,” said Calder, who was encouraged by many members of the three Rotary clubs in Prince George to pursue the role.
There have been only two district governors in Prince George during the last 30 years. Neil King served in the late 1990s and Ron Neukomm served in the early 2000s.
When Calder takes on his duties as district governor, he will be able to host the district conference in Prince George in 2022, which means there will be about 200 Rotary members in attendance. Usually conferences are
about two and a half days and run Friday, Saturday and part of Sunday. District conferences feature inspirational speakers whose focus is leadership training and Rotary engagement as well as showcasing local Rotary clubs as vibrant organizations.
“Sometimes we throw on another day in front of the conference for a day of golf, a fun event or project,” Calder said.
Calder’s family is also involved with the club. While his wife, Sue, is not an official member, she is very involved and Calder’s oldest son, Christopher, is currently the treasurer of the club and both he and younger brother Jeffrey have been on youth exchanges.
“We’ve been an active Rotary family for over 25 years,” Calder said. “It’s in our DNA now. Prince George is a volunteer town so that’s what we do.”
CHRISTINE HINZMANN
97/16 staff
97/16 photo by Brent Braaten
Lorne Calder of the Rotary Club of Prince George has been named the Rotary 5040 District Governor from June 2021 to June 2022.
FROM NORWAY TO P.G. FARM GIRL
Synove (Lea) deDreu, one of four children, was born in Sandefjord, Norway in 1943. She was born at home, on the farm, during the war. She remembers the stories her mother told of how the Germans occupied the top floor of their house during the war.
She was raised and schooled in Norway. Learning to knit with five needles was part of the curriculum in elementary school and Synove learned her lessons well.
Her mom had a serious stroke in her early forties and spent one year in rehabilitation. Since Synove was the only girl in the family, she took on the responsibility to cook, clean, do the laundry, mend the clothes, milk the cows and quite often worked in the fields as needed. In those days, everything was done by hand and many hands were needed to turn the rows of hay and stook it to dry and then load it on wagons to take to the storage place in the barn.
She worked in the garden and helped with the sales of their strawberries and cucumbers for extra money for the household. There was always work and Synove worked hard with no need for supervision.
The children always knew that Saturday afternoons and Sundays were special days set aside for them to just play and have fun. After high school, she lived at home for the next six years and worked at a department store in kitchen wares and in the gift shop.
In 1966, at the age of 23, she left Norway headed to Prince George for a job that was waiting for her. A Norwegian lady needed home care for her family after a surgery and Synove was summoned and agreed to help. When she arrived, everything was new to her and she quickly found out that it was going to be difficult because she did not speak English. She went to night school and started to learn English; it was hard for her because at school, they did not understand her questions because of the language barrier.
Time went by and she applied for a job in the stockroom at the new Woodward’s department store. They hired her because of her experience and started her in the sporting goods department. This was a new challenge because she had to learn how to sell and issue fishing and hunting licenses.
Synove said, “It was a great experience and I learned a lot for a new Canadian. It wasn’t long and I advanced to the fine china and kitchenware department which was my specialty at the store where I worked in Norway. I knew the difference between fine china, bone china and porcelain and I was able to explain to the customers why it was all so expensive.”
She worked at Woodward’s from 1966-69 and became the head of her department.
Synove met and married Maurice deDreu in 1967. Maurice was born in Holland in 1942. He moved from Alberta to Prince George when the pulp mills came to town. They got married in Norway and visited Holland on the same trip.
Synove said, “Maurice worked at the pulp mill but all his life he wanted to be a farmer. The chemical smells at the pulp mill eventually made Maurice ill and he wanted to move out of town.
“I always said that I would never marry a farmer but I did. We homesteaded and then bought the land located just five minutes north of Salmon Valley on Beale Road.
“We started homesteading with nothing. There were no buildings, no power and no source of water. We were very isolated and rarely saw other people. I am a very social person and I didn’t know it but I missed seeing people. When you are young and in love you look at things differently and those things didn’t seem to matter at the time.
“A pipeline went through our property and since I am a gardener, I planted strawberries where the land had been cleared.
“It is a long story but we had to have six families living along the road in order to even request installation of power lines. We had to clear five kilometres of land – from
McLeod Road to the end of Beale Road – by hand using a power saw in order to bring in power lines. Once we accomplished that, we had to agree to pay a minimum of $10 per month for the service before they would run the poles for power. Prior to this, we relied on kerosene lamps for light.
“Once we had power, we began to develop our land with our D-7 Cat, built a small house, named our farm the Mountain View Ranch and started a family. We built a small barn for my chickens, goats and my geese.
“I worked at Polar Sawmills in Bear Lake from 1990-1999. At first, I got all the dirty jobs on clean up but I hung in there. I had the opportunity to take early retirement and I took it. It was extremely hard work for a woman but I was always thankful for the job and even more thankful for an early retirement.
“Eventually we built a beautiful twostory house and the small house became a workshop. We cleared 130 acres of land to accommodate 70 head of cattle. We had a root cellar and raised and sold organic potatoes to the Cariboo Restaurant. We raised rabbits and sold organic rabbit meat.
“The ranch was a great place to raise our children. We had so much fun as we crosscountry skied as a family and with the Sons of Norway ski club on our many acres of land at the ranch.
“I grew a huge garden, baked, canned and pick berries because I wanted chemicalfree food for my children.
“We have three children Roy, Anita and Erick who gave us three grandchildren. We raised a foster child for four years and that was a very rewarding experience.
“I spent 51 years on the ranch and I turned into a real farm girl. When I turned 70, I moved into Prince George. I worked hard all of my life and it didn’t hurt me one bit but now I wanted to just enjoy a small garden, a social life, go to the theatre and go dancing in my senior years while I was still able to.
“One of my greatest joys is having been a member of the Sons of Norway since 1967. The Norwegian ladies are like a second family to me. With my family still back in Norway I was homesick (we were all homesick) and these ladies filled that void for me. I was invited to weddings and birthday parties and I felt like I was part of this big happy family. We all worked together and the Sons of Norway ladies auxiliary group put together two fund raising events each year and donate the proceeds to local charities.
“My proudest and happiest time of my life is all about my children and the fact that they gave me three wonderful grandchildren.”
97/16 photo by Brent Braaten Synove deDreu enjoys her garden at her Prince George home
KATHY NADALIN
ADVOCACY IS A QUIET ACT OF STRENGTH
There are a lot of catchy words and phrases out there – things that are trying to sell us something or convey a complex concept in simple terms. Many of these catch phrases and words are used in business and work environments so often that they lose all meaning and significance.
I’d like to talk about one of those words today: advocacy.
I’ve heard this word a lot in my line of work.
“You have to advocate for yourself.”
“We’re advocates for our clients.”
Advocacy is a nice word. It sounds intelligent. It has a weighty importance to it. But what does it really mean? How do you advocate for someone? How do you advocate for yourself?
I’d like to share my story of advocacy as related to my struggles with mental illness after the birth of my first child. I hope this story can show how simple advocacy can be, but also how important it is, how life saving it can truly be.
After the birth of my first child, my mother moved in with us from halfway across the country. At this point my baby was a few months old and I had been feeling a bit off for the past few weeks. My mother was the first person to say something to me and suggest I might not be well. I just snapped at her and said I was fine.
Because isn’t that what you do?
Of course she was right, I wasn’t fine. After her words had a couple days to sink in, I was able to admit to myself the
truth: I was coming apart at the seams and I needed help. I made the decision to talk to the doctor at my daughter’s next check-up.
At the four-month checkup, the doctor who saw us was not my regular doctor. She was someone I had never met before or even seen at the office. I knew going into the appointment that I was still not feeling well. Things were not getting better. My anxiety about producing enough breast milk was incredibly high. I was barely making it through the day without freaking out. I often yelled and raged and I would never have described myself as an angry person in the past.
The doctor did a perfectly good job of checking out my equally perfect, healthy baby. But you know what she didn’t do? Ask me anything about how I was doing. I had been sitting there, in one of those completely uncomfortable plastic chairs, holding my chubby squirmy baby and waiting. Waiting for the moment when she was going to ask me about my mental health (which my regular doctor had done at our previous two-month checkup). The words were swirling around in my head, dancing on the tip of my tongue, just waiting to pour out.
But she never asked. And I never told.
Instead I sat there realizing this was the end of the appointment, and she wasn’t going to ask and I had that feeling – that weighty feeling of knowing I should say something but I couldn’t. The words weren’t just caught in my throat, they were caught in my brain. They were trapped in the mass of chaotic thoughts I had about myself and my situation; that I was not a good mother, that I should be able to make myself feel better, that this would just go away if only I worked harder to think positive, that this doctor would judge me horribly for admitting I sometimes got so angry at my baby I yelled at her, that I felt inadequate and incompetent and that I would never get it together.
I don’t remember leaving the doctor’s office. To be honest, a lot of my memories of those early months with my daughter are kind of patchy or missing altogether. Like a blurry photograph where you can barely make out what’s happening and certainly can’t see any of the details.
I do remember having a conversation with myself about how I needed to try harder, I needed to be more positive. I was young, educated, had support, had a nice home and enough money to get out of the house and do things with my baby.
I didn’t fix it. It got worse. It got scary.
The next doctor’s visit was the sixmonth baby checkup.
Before that appointment, I did one of the bravest things I have ever done. I told my mom I needed to ask for help, that I should have already asked for help, but I hadn’t. I had her come to my appointment with me to make sure I got those words out: “I am not well. I need help.”
I did get those words out. Thank goodness. Because I really needed help.
Having my mom there and my regular doctor to talk to took that lump out of my throat and stilled some of the chaos in my mind. It was still hard to say the words. It is hard to admit what feels like a failure, for anyone, at any time.
My mother was my advocate that day. Yes, my mother who simply sat there beside me, offering emotional support, was my advocate. She didn’t have to say anything, but I knew she would if I needed her to. I knew she would be my voice if mine failed. For me, just having her there beside me was enough: it gave me the strength to be honest.
Advocacy sounds complicated. It sounds like something other people do: smarter people, stronger people. Anyone can be an advocate. Advocacy is about speaking your truth or supporting others to speak their truth. Advocacy is a quiet act of strength and one I believe we are all capable of, if only we believe in ourselves.
FUN WITH SCHOOL SUPPLY SHOPPING
There is something gloriously stressful about September. Back to school supplies, new clothes, crisp fall evenings, rotty plants in the garden that you should do something about.
I love it.
Being behind in life, as I have been for quite some time, this year I decided that I don’t care if we have a thousand pencil crayons and pencils at home, I am buying everything new because it was easier.
My craft area in my house (which is less of an area and more of a random assortment of things in eight different places), is disorganized. I have Pinterest dreams of having a beautifully organized craft area with tidy rows of paint bottles and drawers of the same sized paper and pencil crayons in the original boxes (all sharpened). The ideal craft area also includes felts with their lids and none of them are dried out. This is not my reality. Our felts are (mostly) in a mandarin orange box that is precariously stacked on top of a variety of partially used scrapbook paper that I keep in the vain hope that I will eventually complete a scrapbook for my kids of the first five years of their life (they are currently eight and almost six years old so I am a bit behind).
The wax crayons are an assortment of peeled and broken horrors that live in an old perfume box and also on my living room floor. Occasionally, I also find crayons mashed into the fabric in the minivan. Restaurants should not let you bring crayons home as they never seem to make it into
our house but are dropped into a million pieces like a colourful bread crumb trail. Such as it is, it was easier buying the school supplies new than it was to organize my existing shame. So one evening in late August, I asked my mom if she wanted to come school supply shopping with me. She said something like, “Boy, do I ever!” with no small amount of sarcasm and we went school supply shopping, without the kids. It was amazingly easy.
When you don’t bring the kids with you, they have no opinions and therefore, you can buy whatever you want. I always enjoy shopping for school supplies and when browsing the rows of binders, I always feel a little bit nostalgic for my old Trapper Keeper binder – it was dark purple with a giant tiger on it. It was amazing. I am fortunate enough to be teaching a couple of classes this term (more to come on this in later columns, I’m sure), so I was also able to pick up a few things for me.
From our family to yours, happy back to school.
I wish you great joy in shopping for the right kind of glue sticks and the correct amount of sharpened pencils (don’t forget the 100 boxes of tissue paper).
AROUND TOWN
Classical Concert
Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity United Church, 3555 Fifth Ave, Living Room Live presents a classical music concert featuring soprano Sawyer Craig and pianist Nicola Davies. Hosted by the Prince George Conservatory of Music. Tickets are $20 at the door.
Contact: 250-564-7467 | pgconservatory@gmail.com
Sea Cadet Open House
Thursday from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Connaught Youth Centre, 1491 17th Ave., the Sea Cadets, a youth organization for teens aged 12-18 will showcase the wide range of activities they do including building leadership skills, good citizenship and physical fitness. Teens and their parents are invited to join the fun filled evening to learn about the organization. Contact: 250-562-0158
Women in Business Networking Lunch
Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. at the Coast Inn of the North, 770 Brunswick St., Community Futures FFG is pleased to host a Women in Business (WIB) Networking Lunch where women can connect with each other. Bring yourself, bring a friend if you wish and bring some business cards to share with others as you network. Lunch will be served a la carte.Register by phone or email. Contact: 250-562-9622 | general@cfdc. bc.ca.
Ferret Frenzy 2
Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Knowledge Garden, Prince George Public Library, 888 Canada Games Way, the ferrets are back. Have you ever wondered what ferrets are like as pets? Join Ferrets North Information and Rescue Society in the Knowledge Garden. Enjoy a short presentation, bring questions, and best of all - meet some ferrets. Feel free to BYOF (bring your own ferret). Weather permitting. Contact: 2505639251 | adhanjal@pgpl.ca
FSJ: Kill Them With Love Tour
Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. at ArtSpace at Books & Company, 1685 3rd Ave., see Mwanasi during his comedy tour. He has performed in Canada, USA, and Africa and is just launching his Kill them with
all
of Thursdays.
Love Tour. Tickets are on for $15 and are up for purchase through eventbrite. Contact: 250-563-6637.
Discovering the Forests
Monday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Exploration Place, 333 Becott Pl., Discovering the Forests through the people in Papua New Guinea will be presented by Dr. Michelle Venter, post-doctoral researcher at UNBC. Venter’s work in ecology has allowed her to lead field expeditions in remote locations including the Australian Outback, Bering Sea and tropical forests of Papua New Guinea. She studies the relationship between forest carbon, climatic, and abiotic variables. Doors open at 6:45 p.m., lecture starts at 7 with a Q&A after the lecture until 8:30 p.m. This event is free thanks in part to the generous support of the Prince George Community Foundation and the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. Contact: 1-866-562-1612
University Women Open House
Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Magnolia Gardens’ club room, 2055 Ingledew St., the Prince George chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) would like to invite any interested women to attend the open house. We are committed to the promotion of education and improvement of the status of women and girls. As well we have on going social events such as book club and bridge. Learn more about the group. We welcome new members.
Contact: Maureen Fotos 250-561-0403 | mlfotos44@gmail.com
Friday Night Mics
Every Friday at 7 p.m. Books & Co., 1685 Third Ave., in Cafe Voltaire, hosts an open mic night for all musicians local or just passing through. The weekly event features great music, audience engagement, tasty beverages and treats while intermission finds people browsing through book shelves filled with contri-
butions from local authors as well as best sellers. For more information visit www. booksandcompany.ca.
Family Gaming Afternoon
Every Saturday until Dec. 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Nechako Branch, Prince George Public Library, 6547 Hart Highway, bring the family to monthly gaming afternoons at Nechako Branch and play a variety of tabletop board games and video games. Contact: 250-563-9251 | ask@pgpl.ca.
Scrabble Sundays
Every Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. at Books & Co., 1685 Third Ave., in Cafe Voltaire there is Scrabble Sunday every weekend. Bring friends, family or yourself and your scrabble board.
Contact: 250-563-6637 | orderbooks@shaw.ca
Continued on page 6
97/16 photo by Brent Braaten
The new home for the Tapestry Singers is at Trinity United Church downtown. The community choir is inviting
schoolaged children who would like to participate in a choir to come out for rehearsals over the next couple
AROUND TOWN
Wordplay Open Stage Night
Third Thursday of every month Books & Co., 1685 Third Ave., hosts Wordplay Open Stage Night in Cafe Voltaire from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. This event is geared for poets and storytellers, aspiring, published or professional. Bring original work, take the stage and share with a creative reading.
Tapestry Singers
Sept. 12, 19 and 26 at 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. for junior choir and Sept. 12 and 19 at 6 to 8 p.m. for senior choir – all students in the community are invited to attend rehearsals at Trinity Downtown, 1448 Fifth Ave., where students in Grades 4 to 7 and Grades 7 to 12 can see if the choirs are the right fit for them. For information visit tapestrysingersd57.weebly.com/ or email carolynduerksen@hotmail.com.
Ladies’ A Cappella Boot Camp
Sept. 24, Oct. 1 and 8 at Studio 2880 15th Ave., the White Spruce City Chorus, where every voice matters, invites
women of all ages to Tune Up Their Voice. To reenergize a passion for singing, women are invited to attend these events. Regular rehearsals are every Tuesday at Studio 2880. For times and more information call 778-675-9224.
Red Green
Sept. 26
He’s colourful in name and deed. Red Green is the bumbling but pleasantly practical TV fix-it man, the clown prince of duct tape, the sage of the man-shed. This Canadian comedy icon is coming to Vanier Hall on his Red Green-This Could Be It Tour. His P.G. shows are always a sell-out. Get tickets at the TicketsNorth website/box office.
Chris Gaskin Comedy Tour Special
Oct. 5 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Artspace, above Books & Co., 1685 Third Ave., hometown boy Chris Gaskin will be taping his first ever comedy special. Hailed by Brielle Magazine as the BabyFaced Assassin, Gaskin is known for commanding audiences’ attention with his innocent looks and sharp tongue, which has led to him being described as, brutally honest and hysterical. Tickets on sale at eventbrite.com
Patrick, Scott & Tessa
Oct. 12
During last year’s sold out Thank You Canada tour, it was clear to figure skating superstars, Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir and Patrick Chan, that they were far from done creating and developing a new style of skating entertainment. They and some special guest performers come back to CN Centre to show the Prince George fans what they’ve come up with next. Rock The Rink is the first edition of an annual tour that focuses on being more than a figure skating show. Combining the highest level of on-ice superstar talent with an ever-evolving touring production, Rock The Rink will produce the highest value of entertainment in the figure skating realm. This year – along with upgrades to lighting, video and interactive technology – live music will be introduced to the show, with featured special musical guest, Birds of Bellwoods.
Burton, Live
Oct. 18
Canada’s piano man, the Guess Who’s epic vocalist, the only artist inducted into the nation’s music Hall of Fame for both his band and his solo career, the incomparable Burton Cummings is coming to PG. He was the power voice propelling American Woman, These Eyes, No Time, Clap For The Wolfman and many other
hits of the groundbreaking band The Guess Who, but then when he went solo he continued the multi-platinum success with I Will Sing A Rhapsody, Stand Tall, My Own Way To Rock, Fine State Of Affairs, You Saved My Soul, Break It To Them Gently, and more besides. Cummings will be solo at the piano at Vanier Hall. Tickets are on sale now through all TicketsNorth platforms.
World Curling
March 14 start
Don’t let the date fool you. The event may be in 2020 but the plans are underway now and the tickets are on sale for this Prince George groundbreaker. P.G. goes global as the host of the World Women’s Curling Championships. Get your tickets now, and spread the word to friends and family everywhere that this is the time to come spend some Prince George time and get a close, personal view of the world-class action the rest of the winter sports community will only get to see on TV. Oh yeah, and there’s also the great social side of curling – there’ll be no bigger party in Canada. Contact Tickets North for tickets and info.
Let us know about your coming events by emailing us at events@pgcitizen.ca
LOCAL DIRECTOR OFF TO STRATFORD
CHRISTINE HINZMANN
97/16 staff
A local artistic director and theatre instructor will be on her way to the Stratford Festival in Ontario to take her place as assistant director for a classical play at the end of this month.
Melissa Glover didn’t hesitate to take the opportunity when it was offered even though she won’t know what production she’ll be involved with until just a few days before she leaves.
Glover has been working as an assistant director at Theatre Northwest for the last five years and offers theatre classes to youth through Shooting Stars Theatre.
Glover will be under contract in Stratford from Sept. 25 to Oct. 17 and before this opportunity came up she had applied for the Michael Langham workshop that takes place at the Stratford Festival next spring and summer. She won’t know if she’s accepted into that program until November.
Glover made a connection with Bonnie Green, the playwright of Meet My Sister, whom she met at the Western Canadian Theatre in Kamloops, along with the play’s director Sharon Bajer when it was presented at Theatre Northwest this spring. Through those connections Glover said she was able to find her way to Stratford to learn from Canada’s best.
“I started to take an interest in directing in 2010 when I directed the Vagina Monologues at UNBC,” Glover said. “I’ve been acting since I was five so I always loved performing and being on the stage and then I went to theatre school for acting and I just realized there’s a lot of stress in acting professionally and you’re going to hear ‘no’ a
lot of the time and it’s very difficult and I really have just always loved directing because then you’re part of the whole picture where sometimes as an actor you’re not - you’re just in certain scenes but a director has to see a vision for the entire play and I’ve always been fascinated by that.”
Glover said she has a lot of creative ideas
that she would like to explore and that’s what inspired her to start directing.
Right now it’s all right that it’s a mystery as to what play she will be assistant directing.
“A part of me kind of wants to know but at the same time it’s kind of neat to not know yet,” Glover said. “As a professional artist the dream when you’re in Canada is getting to
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Stratford or Shaw - they are the two biggest festivals so it’s kind of neat to say yeah, I’m actually going.”
Local actor Alana Hawley went to Stratford in 2007 and Glover acknowledges it’s a rare opportunity for her.
“It’s really neat to do it from the directing side versus the acting side,” Glover said.
WELLS GALLERY HOLDING ART AUCTION
IN P.G.
Island Mountain Arts will be hosting its Bids & Brews fundraiser art auction and dinner in Prince George on Oct. 5.
The fundraiser, which also features an online auction, will help support the programs offered by the gallery in Wells, including the Toni Onley Artists’ Project, International Harp and Cello School, ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art, gallery exhibitions and the artist-inresidence program.
The auction, live music and dinner start at 5:30 p.m. and take place at Hub Space (1299 Third Ave.). Tickets are $35 for Island Mountain Arts members and $50 for non-members.
The gallery is seeking donations of artwork, unique items and tourism experiences to include in the auction.
For more information or to buy tickets online, go to support-imarts.com/newevents-1/2019/10/5/bids-amp-brewsauction-fundraiser, contact Allyson at allyson@imarts.com.
97/16 photo by Brent Braaten Melissa Glover has been given the opportunity to be assistant director at Stratford Festival for a classical play at the end of September.
ALEX CUBA SUBLIME ON NEW RECORD
STUART DERDEYN
Seven albums in, Alex Cuba has upped his game again with Sublime.
To appreciate that statement, you should consider the Smithers-based singer/ songwriter has already racked up four Latin Grammy Awards and two Grammy nominations for the best Latin pop album. No surprise the legendary Cuban vocalist Omara Portuondo (Buena Vista Social Club) and rising star Silvana Estrada make appearances on the John (Beetle) Baileyengineered record.
They are the only other performers on the album recorded in Canada, Mexico, Cuba and Spain.
Cuba handles every other instrumental duty on the disc and he’s never sounded better. As he readies for an extensive round of touring across North America and elsewhere, the musician discussed the realities of breaking into markets where his music is more readily consumed.
As an almost entirely Spanish language artist, his fame is far greater outside of this country than in it. He’s fine with that.
“Mexico has emerged as quite the place for me in the past few years,” said Cuba. “According to streams on Spotify and other sites, it is the place that listens to me the most and we are, obviously, paying attention to that. It’s the kind of place you can find any kind of music really and where they are quite open to a lot of variety in the music.”
That’s a good fit for the artist whose work can best be described as pop/rock. Owing to his understanding of Latin American genres ranging from bolero and bachata to rancheros to son, Cuba has always worked elements of these forms into his hook-laden material.
But there are considerable influences drawn from classic pop tunesmiths like the Beatles or funk masters like Stevie Wonder turning up in gems such as his hit Directo. On Sublime, he opens with a complex rhythmic romp titled Yo No Se that could have been on an early Brazilian Tropicalismo release by Caetano Veloso or Gilberto Gil.
The artist loves the comparison, noting he still listens to a lot of recordings from that era because they are “so real, so honest, the music is pure and it keeps it sounding alive.” That he can write something that hearkens back to that creative hubbub is impressive. That the opening song on Sublime was an instant recording is amazing.
“Yo No Se was the last song on the album, written on the spot on the last day in the studio, which came from a bass line I was jamming and loved and knew I had to use,” he said.
“So I was writing the lyrics while I was playing all the different parts, shouting them out and we were both rolling on the floor by the end of it blown away by the results. Essentially, the concept of the song
became was Alex Cuba rehearsing with Alex Cuba, so I made this video for it that has me, in colour, and a bunch of black and white Alex Cubas playing the song.”
The track sets the vibe for Sublime and it’s spot on for the collection of a dozen songs ranging from the tender lead single Voz De Corazones to the easy flowing duet Solo Mia with Mexican star Leonel Garcia.
Dominican star Alex Ferreira and Cuban musicians Kelvis Ochoa and Pablo Milanes also appear on the album. For those in the know, this lineup along with Portuondo and Estrada demonstrates the kind of pull that Cuba has in the upper levels of Spanish language stars. People want to perform his songs.
“I grew up listening to people like Pablo Milanes, who is the Cuban Bob Dylan, and Omara and others and really wrote the songs that they appear on with their spirit in mind, because their work really shaped my writing,” he said.
“And when I decided to go to the next
level and see if they would honour me by appearing, I was really taken aback that they knew who I was and knew my work and said yes. Canada may not be the best place for putting my music forward, but the reason that my music is fresh and different is because it comes from Canada.”
Sublime holds a special spot in Cuba’s heart as it is the record, he believes, that took him back home to his birth country of Cuba and reflects the journey he’s taken to where he is today. The musician originally hails from Artemesia, Cuba, and both he and his brother, Adonis, were schooled in music by their guitar-playing music teacher father from a young age.
Alex and Adonis settled in Victoria in 1989 after Alex married a Canadian he met in Cuba. The Puentes Brothers duo released a Juno-nominated debut, eventually deciding on solo careers around the early 2000s. Alex moved to his wife’s hometown of Smithers in 2003 and has run his career from the central B.C. town since.
He said he can make music anywhere
and finds the natural beauty and chill vibe completely suited to crafting his, frankly, more tropical material. He is constantly jotting down ideas, melodies and more on his phone wherever he is and that process was used on Sublime.
“I recorded this album in Gibsons with Garth Richardson, because Beetle Bailey said he had a great sounding room there,” said Cuba.
“So I packed up all my toys — seven guitars, congas, a standup bass, bongos, shakers, triangles and more — into my car and drove down. It took two days and I had my computer connected to the stereo and the phone on voice memos.
“I had a lot of time to myself to think about things like, ‘Oh, we need a handclap there and this would be a good place for more backing vocals.’ ” The ultimate goal is to give each song the right vibe and Cuba feels Sublime has it in large amounts. All the technological tricks in the world can’t fake it. If it’s there, you can make it happen anywhere.
97/16 file photo Alex Cuba played the BCLC Mainstage in Canada Games Plaza during the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
Vancouver Sun
Watching and participating in an online group of concerned residents about the proposed plastics plant has been interesting. I didn’t really learn anything new but I was reminded that it is never a good look to be so certain of our own superiority that anyone with a contrary view must have evil motives.
I did, however, learn something new from an old friend, offline, when I told her about this group of concerned residents. My friends said Prince George has good air, so there was no need to be panicked. If I hadn’t been buckled into a vehicle when she said that, I may have fallen off my chair!
Having been a resident of the Regional District of Fraser Fort George for 25 years, I was deeply steeped in the knowledge that Prince George has very bad air and was very sure that we should not add any industry that might add even a microgram of pollutant to our city’s airshed. My friend, however, was surprised that I thought that. She challenged me to look around the world to compare our air in order to give Prince George a fair assessment.
Well, lo and behold, Prince George matches up pretty well, all told. The World Air Quality Index has a very useful map to search the real-time data for air quality around the world. Over the last year, Prince George lands at moderate or healthy for small particulates but at or near zero for the other pollutants. Over the last number of years, we have improved our air quality about 40 per cent and we have the concerned residents who have been advocating for improvements to thank for that.
Thinking about this reminded me about other biases or misconceptions we have and risks we willingly embrace because we either aren’t aware of the risk or we think it is worth it. Consider that in Canada, more people die due to medical
TRUDY KLASSEN
error than from opioid overdoses and car accidents. It’s the third leading cause of death, apparently. Around 30,000 people each year die at the hands of those trying to help them. So, how much safer is it to be admitted to hospital now than when doctors weren’t washing their hands between examining dead bodies and helping with childbirth? I believe significantly better, but that stat makes me wonder.
Think about bears and how afraid we are of them. The bear attack at Ferguson Lake last week may actually keep some of us from enjoying the outdoors, when among the worst things for us is lack of exercise. Our fear of bears is not based on bare statistics, but on our real vulnerability if we are confronted by a bear with no real way to defend ourselves. It doesn’t matter to our brains that the statistical chance is very low. Our brain seems to calculate risk by some other metric. When confronted with avoidable death or injury, we often get outraged at the wrong things or ignore important ones. For example, we frequently say, in defense of a costly new safety initiative: “If it saves even one life…” How do we justify spending great amounts of money and time to save one life if there is something we could do to save a half million? In 2017, 435,000 people died of malaria. They live in Africa, so they don’t count? Humans are funny and irrational. We constantly do stupid things and choose the worst option between two bad ones. Let’s keep this in mind as we think about ways to diversify our economy so that our children and grandchildren can find good work here.
YOUNG PEOPLE CAN LEAD US INTO THE FUTURE
The Dalai Lama recently tweeted: “I am encouraged to see young people trying to bring about positive change. Confident because their efforts are based on truth and reason –therefore they will succeed.”
As one who works with young people, I find these words so encouraging. As I look around me, I see that they are very true.
The American political system was set aflame when 29-year-old Alexandria Ocasio Cortex was elected to Congress in 2018. Regardless of what one thinks of her opinions, it is clear that she has a deep love for the democratic process. She is brilliant, idealistic and well-informed, and she is not afraid to challenge the integrity of those more than twice her age. In a time of cynicism and despair, she has been a beacon of hope.
Across the Atlantic, another even younger woman has pricked the conscience of a complacent society. Greta Thunberg is a 16-year-old who came to public attention last year for boycotting
LESSONS IN LEARNING
GERRY CHIDIAC
school to picket the Swedish parliament. She is autistic and states that she has selective mutism, only speaking when she feels it is important. She believes the climate crisis is very important and has given a Ted talk, spoken to government representatives and addressed the European Union on the issue. She has also encouraged student protests around the world on the climate crisis. She recently crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a carbon-neutral ship to speak at the United Nations in New York. While adults continue to debate the significance of global warming, Thunberg calls for action today, pointing out the nega-
YOUNG PEOPLE
Continued from page 10 tive impact complacent adults are having on the future, her future.
Great leaders inspire others to embrace their greatness. Ocasio-Cortez and Thunberg are not only creating waves by their actions, more importantly, they are demonstrating what can be done to make our world better. Apathy is a myth. If we dare to stand forward for what we believe in, we will make an impact.
Twenty-two-year-old Cariboo-Prince George Green Party candidate Mackenzie Kerr clearly understands this concept. Like Ocasio-Cortez, she will take on a well-established member of a very strong federal political party in an effort to be elected. Conservative Todd Doherty is well respected and has worked very hard to earn the trust of his constituents. The leader of his party, however, does not hold the same esteem as Elizabeth May, the leader of Kerr’s party, who is seen by many Canadians as the conscience of Parliament. In addition, the Conservative platform does not give the same attention to environmental issues as the Greens, and as Thunberg demonstrates, that is a major issue among younger voters.
Kerr grew up in Prince George and was a national ambassador for 4-H. She
not only learned about agriculture but leadership and public speaking as well. At UNBC, Kerr is majoring in forestry, with a minor in environmental studies. This is why she is focussing on a sustainable forest industry. It’s an issue which is extremely prevalent for residents of northern B.C. who are concerned about long-term employment. She also envisions a new economy, making renewable energy affordable and accessible for all Canadians.
Though the result of this fall’s federal election is far from being determined, several things are already certain. The climate crisis is an important issue for many Canadians, and leaders like OcasioCortez and Thunberg have empowered and inspired youthful voters. A number of young candidates have already announced that they are running in this election, and some of them will be elected. It is up to the voters of CaribooPrince George, however, to determine whether or not Mackenzie Kerr will be among them.
— Gerry Chidiac is a champion for social enlightenment, inspiring others to find their greatness in making the world a better place. For more of his writings, go to www.gerrychidiac.com
BOOK LAUNCH: What the Wind Brings is local author Matthew Hughes historical novel, which he considers a life’s work. Hughes received a $25,000 Canada Council grant to write the book. Hughes will host a book reading and signing at Books & Co., 1685 Third Ave. on Friday at 6 p.m.
STRANGERS USUALLY STEP IN TO HELP THOSE IN NEED, STUDY FINDS
HANNAH NATANSON
The Washington Post
Most of us are familiar with “bystander apathy”: the chilling idea that large groups of people can watch horrific crimes without feeling compelled to step in and help.
The idea first gained traction after the 1964 killing of Kitty Genovese, a 28-year-old New Yorker who, it was believed at the time, was killed as 38 people looked on. While the number of eye witnesses was later found to be untrue, the story has become a cautionary tale to explain high-profile tragedies and the decaying of society.
But new research suggests we should take a rosier view of human nature.
Bystanders will intervene nine times out of 10 to assist the victim in a public fight, an international team of researchers found in a study called “Would I be helped?,” published in American Psychologist this summer. After reviewing surveillance footage of more than 200 violent altercations around the world, the researchers concluded that having more bystanders around makes it more likely that someone will intervene.
“Our study suggests that if assaulted in public you will most likely be helped by a bystander,” said Richard Philpot, a psychology research fellow at Lancaster University and
the study’s lead author. “This is reassuring for potential victims of violence, the public as a whole, and . . . has important implications for our understanding of bystanders as a crime-preventive resource.”
Philpot and his team examined 219 CCTV videos of assaults or arguments in three major cities: Amsterdam; Cape Town, South Africa; and Lancaster in the United Kingdom.
The researchers selected their videos based on a few criteria: The filmed encounter had to be “aggressive,” involving behavior ranging from “animated disagreements to grave physical violence,” according to the study. It had to involve at least two main participants, and it had to develop organically - the team discounted videos of traffic accidents, robberies and drug deals. Finally, it had to begin without police or paramedics present.
Philpot’s team watched every altercation until it dissipated naturally or until police arrived to break it up. The team then recorded whether bystanders - whom they defined as anyone not involved in the original argument - did anything to “placate the conflict,” according to the study.
The researchers counted any of the following activities as placation, per the report:
“pacifying gesturing,” “calming touches,” “blocking contact” between the people arguing, “holding, pushing or pulling an aggressor away,” “consoling a victim” or “providing practical help” to anyone who suffered physical injuries.
After watching all the videos and crunching all the numbers, Philpot and his team found that at least one bystander decided to help out in 91 percent of the cases studied. On average, at least three people chose to intervene - and every additional bystander present increased the odds that the victim would receive assistance by roughly 10 percent.
“The high level of help was surprising,” Philpot said. He said the findings “overturn the impression of the ‘walk on by society’ in which victims are largely ignored by bystanders.”
The researchers also found that there was no statistically significant difference in the rates of bystander intervention across the three cities studied. Philpot said this suggests that “people have a natural propensity to help others in distress,” no matter their nationality.
Philpot was inspired to conduct the study after noticing that many of his peers in the social sciences, as well as members of
the media, took for granted the idea that bystanders are generally indifferent to the plight of others. He also noticed that most previous research into bystander intervention relied on laboratory experiments or self-reported accounts of violent incidents, both of which can be “unreliable” and sometimes “strip out complexity,” he said. In contrast to past work, Philpot wanted to scrutinize “actual bystander behavior in real-life public emergencies” - something only possible to assess via security-camera footage. His research represents the largest study of real-life arguments captured on CCTV, he said.
While his findings challenge the notion of bystander apathy, Philpot emphasized, he and his team did not test the equally well-known “bystander effect”: a psychological claim that the greater the number of bystanders at the scene of a crime, the less likely each individual is to help (perhaps because they assume someone else will do so).
That may still hold true, Philpot said. His team did not explore individual bystanders’ motivations. Instead, the researchers focused on the “situational likelihood of intervention,” Philpot said, whether at least one person in a large group will step in to intervene in a conflict.
97/16 photo by Brent Braaten
Back to School: A History of Colonial Kids
School Lunches
As Kid Scoop readers return to school, they start to wonder, what’s for lunch? And what will I use to carry my lunch?
When people started eating lunch at work or school, lunches were packed into pails, baskets and tins. What do you use when you pack a lunch?
Turn of the Century (1607 to 1776) (Early 1900s)
Serving school lunch to children began in the early 1900s when it was believed that many children did not eat a nutritious midday meal. This began in Boston, but it didn’t happen everywhere.
In America’s colonial times, the midday meal was called dinner. It was the biggest meal of the day. Most families ate this meal together at home, even if the children attended school.
Supper was the evening meal, and it was typically smaller and made up of leftovers.
Did children in colonial times eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?
Hold this page up to a mirror to read the answer.
Great Depression (1929 to 1939)
The Great Depression was a time of great hardship. Parents were without jobs, and their children went without good food. At the same time, farmers had produce that people couldn’t afford to buy. The government of President Franklin D. Roosevelt bought up the extra food and opened kitchens which started the school lunch program.
In 1946, another president signed the first National School Lunch Act to provide lunch in all schools. Circle every other letter to reveal his name.
Ask a friend to give you each type of word. Fill in the blanks and read the story aloud for some silly fun.
Loopy Lunch
Last Friday, something very strange happened in the school cafeteria. Instead of the regular menu, they served ___________, ______________________ and _________________ .
Students had to ____________ in a very long line to get their ________________ lunch. This caused a lot of confusion, so they were instructed to ___________ in line instead.
How many apples can you nd on this page?
Design a Lunch Box
In 1950, Aladdin Industries created the first children’s lunch box based on a TV show. Hopalong Cassidy Over the years, more and more TV, film and cartoon characters showed up on lunch boxes. For decades, choosing a new lunch box was a treasured back-to-school ritual for kids.
Draw a lunch box here you’d like to have. Will it feature popular characters or something of your own design?
What goes on the Food Share Table?
Food Share Tables at school help reduce food waste. If you don’t want to finish all of your lunch, you can share your lunch by placing it on the table. Food that is whole, uneaten or unopened can be placed on the Food Share table.
Circle the foods that can go to the Food Share Table.
LEFTOVERS
Look through today’s newspaper to find: Something to write with Something to read Something you would like to have to share A way to get to school
A number that shows the grade you are entering
A number that shows how many years you have gone to school
Our principal tried to calm everyone. He spoke into the ___________ ________ , but everyone was too busy trying to ___________ through the mess. Our custodian used _________ _______________ to mop up the spill, which seemed really strange, but it worked.
Find the words in the puzzle. How many of them can you find on this page?
Dig up some interesting information about your family history by talking about lunches!
Ask your parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents or anyone who is at least 10 years older than you the following questions:
What did you use to carry your lunch to school?
What was your favorite school lunch food?
Did your school have a kitchen where they made hot lunches on site? What did they cook?
© 2019 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 35, No. 40
GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY
STAFF
McHappy Day in Prince George this month raised $22,533. Brian Boresky, owner of the McDonald’s Restaurants in Prince George, Eric Simmons, operations manager, and Joanne Kitney, community relations representative presented Darrell Roze, the executive director of the Child Development Centre with half of the
proceeds from McHappy Day. The funds will be used to buy new equipment at the CDC. The other half goes directly to Ronald McDonald House, which supports families from Northern B.C. In 2018, 268 families from communities in Northern B.C. stayed together at Ronald McDonald House while their child received treatment at B.C. Children’s Hospital.
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