CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE/LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE
Residential school survivors Rosie Sam, left, and Zephiria Joseph, right, share a story about their time at the Lejac Residential School on Sunday during the final day of the Wiping of the Tears Healing Ceremony
Residential school survivors from all over northern B.C. came together this weekend for a three-day sacred fire healing ceremony at the site of Lejac Residential School in Fraser Lake, 160 km west of Prince George.
The ceremony, hosted by Nadleh Whut’en and Stellat’en First Nations as well as Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS), was intended to honour the 215 children found buried outside of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School and to release their souls to the Creator.
The event called, ‘Wiping of the Tears Healing Ceremony’ included four sacred fire pits in four separate quadrants where people could burn letters as an offering or tissues soaked with their tears.
TED CLARKE
A suspicious fire late Friday night caused extensive damage to a two-storey downtown beauty salon and left the owner wondering where she will have to move to attend to her clients.
Prince George Fire Rescue was called to the scene at 1180 Third Ave., at 10:54 p.m. Friday and four halls initially responded.
There was thick smoke and flame coming from the roof of Special Beauty Parlor and Day Spa when firefighters arrived.
“I got a call that my burglar alarm was going off,” said salon owner Jacqueline Marion. Damage is estimated at $320,000 and most of that was to the salon. The blaze appears to have originated in a second-floor suite on the roof of the salon.
from page 1
“There’s a 900-square-foot suite upstairs and it wasn’t being used,” said Marion.
“I’ve had the business for 23 years downtown and the building, I purchased it in 2017,” she said “I love the downtown and decided to buy the building. It’s the prettiest place You can do a walk-through virtual tour and you can see the love that’s been put into that building
“I’ve been in my industry since 1983 - a long time.”
The fire was contained to the building where it started and was quickly extinguished. There was some heat and smoke damage to the neighbouring buildings, one of which is vacant and one which houses New Life Centre.
Nobody was injured in the blaze.
The top-down fire left a thick layer of black soot throughout the salon.
The structure was built in 1920 and is the former site of the Savoie Hotel, later becoming the Embassy Café and the Oriental Inn.
An RCMP investigator at the scene confirmed the fire is believed to have originated from the outside, rather than in the building, and said reports of vagrancy on the rooftops of downtown buildings are a common occurrence.
“This is where I’ve grown up, I love my city,’ said Marion “I love Prince George. I don’t like the way it’s been the last couple years but it’s a good city
“I don’t know the extent (of the damage), but if it’s fixable I’ll definitely fix it. I’m just trying to find someplace I can relocate temporarily so I don’t lose business.”
City of Prince George2020 Annual Report
Noticeisherebygiven pursuant to Section99(3) of the Community Charter that Prince George City Council will consider the 2020 Annual Reportatits June 28,2021 regular meeting to be held at 6:00 p.m.inthe CityHallCouncil Chamberslocated on the 2nd Floor, 1100Patricia Boulevard, PrinceGeorge,B.C.
TheAnnualReportwill be available for reviewbythe public beginning June 10, 2021,onthe City’swebsite: princegeorge.ca/annualreport. Papercopieswillbeavailable for reviewMonday to Fridaybetween the hours of 8:30a.m.and 5:00 p.m. at the Service Centre (1st Floor, City Hall)and the Legislative Services Division(5thFloor,City Hall).
In accordance with the order of the Provincial Health Officer related to gatherings and events, in-person attendance at City Council meetings is not permitted.Council meetings are live streamed on the City’swebsite www.princegeorge.ca and the recordings are archived for viewingatany time
Members of the public whowish to present submissions or askquestions with respect to theAnnual Reportatthe regular council meeting on June 28thare invited to provide written submissions or register to speak to Council live via phone.
Formoreinformationontelephone participation, pleasevisit princegeorge.ca/annualreport.
Written submissions, regardingthe 2020 AnnualReport, should be forwarded to theCorporate Officer by 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, June22, 2021,tobeincluded in Council’sagenda package Submissions received after this time willbeprovidedtoCouncil on the dayofthe Council meeting for theirconsideration.
Written submissions maybesent by email to cityclerk@princegeorge.ca, faxedto (250)561-0183 or mailed to the address notedbelow
Attention: Corporate Officer Legislative ServicesDivision City of PrinceGeorge 5thFloor,1100 Patricia Boulevard Prince George, BC V2L3V9
Forfurther information, please contact theLegislative Services Divisionat(250) 561-7600 or cityclerk@princegeorge.ca.
A fire at a downtown beauty salon is believed to have started in this rooftop suite connected to the building. The suspicious blaze was reported at 10:54 p.m. Friday and caused an estimated $320,000 damage.
The City is currentlyseeking residents interested in servingonthe followingcommittee:
·Advisory CommitteeonDevelopment Design –One (1) Vacancy
This Committeemeets bi-weekly or as needed,toprovide advice to City Council on matters respecting policiesand guidelinesaffecting the City’sphysical/built environmentaswell as applicationsfor developmentpermits in accordance with theCommittee TermsofReference. The Committee serves to encourage well-planned development in the City that considersthe areasofpublichealth, safety,convenience, climate,accessibility and aesthetics.
Applications from individuals with expertise,experience,certificationand/or representation in thefollowing categorieswill be considered. Clearly indicateonyour application to which categoryyou areapplying:
•LandscapeProfessional;
•Architecturalordesign representativeassociated with buildingconstruction and site developmentinthe City of Prince George;
•Representative with experience in CrimePrevention Through Environmental Design(CPTED); •Registered ProfessionalPlanner; or •Representativefromthe NorthernRegional Construction Association.
The City is accepting applications to fillone (1) vacancy for atwo-year termeffective on appointment by Council andending March 31, 2023
Individuals interested in servingonthis committee mustbeavailable to attend regularly scheduled meetings on Wednesdays from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Interested individuals should include aresume detailing their expertise, experience, and certification in thecategory to whichtheyare applying
Information on thiscommittee including the application formand details on theapplication process are available on theCity’swebsite(www.princegeorge.ca/committees) or maybe pickedupfromthe Legislative Services Division, 5thFloor, City Hall.
Deadline for all Applications: 5:00 p.m., Wednesday,June 30, 2021
Applicationsmay be completedand submitted online (www.princegeorge.ca/committees), delivered to theService Centre,First Floor,City Hall, at theaddressbelow,oremailedto cityclerk@princegeorge.ca.
Forany questions,ortohaveanapplication form mailed to you, please contact the Legislative Services Division at (250) 561-7655orcityclerk@princegeorge.ca
“I was scared to go through that gate because I had bad experiences when I was young here,” said Lejac survivor Zephiria Joseph of Tl’azt’en First Nation, regarding her first day attending the ceremony
“But I thought I’m coming here and I’m going to leave everything here – all of the bad experiences I went through – just leave it here and never look back.”
Jospeh came to the ceremony with her sister, Rosie Sam, who is also a Lejac survivor.
“When they found those kids in Kamloops, I was so, so, very sad. Even now I cry about it Three days I just cried. I didn’t know any of them but I just cried,” said Sam, who added she has blocked out most of her memories of Lejac.
The two sisters spent time during the three days walking around the school site, visiting the grave of Rose Prince, sharing their stories and listening to other survivors.
“When I hear stories I think ‘Oh my god she is telling my story. She is telling my story and that is what happened to me.’ You always think I am the only one that went through that hell,” added Joseph.
“We aren’t the only ones but a lot of people don’t want to talk about it.”
The Lejac Residential School was open from 1922 to 1976 and was operated by the Roman Catholic Church. The majority of children who attended were Carrier, although Sekani and Gitksan children also attended.
“I went to Lejac school here but I call it Lejac penitentiary. I did seven-and-a-half years in there,” said Joseph Charlie from Stellat’en First Nation. “With only straps and slapping and physical abuse I got very angry. I was becoming a very angry person.”
Though his experiences deeply affected him, Charlie said eventually found healing and became a drug and alcohol counselor himself after
page 1 he became sober in 1985.
“I did some more growing from inside out and I felt more freedom,” he added. “Before I used to walk around angry all of the time and depressed all of the time and feeling bad about life.”
The three-day event concluded with speeches from Indigenous leadership from across the province.
“I know a lot of our Elders here suffered at the residential school and some of them are with us and some of them aren’t,” said Chief Corrina Leween of Cheslatta Carrier Nation and president of CSFS.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY PLAN BYLAWNO. 8383, 2011 AMENDMENTBYLAW NO.9178, 2021
Subject Property –3751BarnesDrive and3777Barnes Drive
The City of Prince Georgeisconsidering thefollowing amendmentstothe CityofPrince George Official Community Plan (OCP) BylawNo. 8383, 2011:
•Amend ScheduleB-6: Future LandUse to redesignatea portionofthe subjectproperty fromRuralResource to Neighbourhood Residential; and
•Amend ScheduleB-4: GrowthManagementto redesignate aportion of thesubject propertyfromRural ResourcetoInfill
The property ownerwould like to adjustthe interiorlot line that divides3751 Barnes Drive and 3777Barnes Drive by establishing the interior lot lineinaneasttowest orientation, ratherthan northtosouthorientation. This application to amend the OCPalso includesa rezoning application under BylawNo. 9179, 2021.
“My mother went to Lejac for eight years so it is a real blessing to be here and to listen to the drumming and watch the young children dance and hear their laughter that is in the air with the hurt. Hopefully, these kinds of gatherings can help people to work through the grieving process.”
She said Tk’emlups te Secwepemc finding the 215 children in unmarked graves is a testament to what people went through in residential schools and how they suffered.
“What was described as a school, many of the survivors describe it as a prison or a concentration camp,” said BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee.
“How do we move on beyond this? How do we wipe away the tears and begin the healing process? First, as Indigenous people we gather, we
come together, we support each other, we talk about it.”
He called also called for a change in provincial and federal policies before listing every residential school that operated in British Columbia.
“Racism exists. It is alive and well in Canada and British Columbia and in all levels of government It needs to be dismantled and rebuilt with our involvement as Indigenous peoples,” he added.
The ceremony also included a memorial wall where survivors, family members or allies could write or draw a picture as well as a shoe memorial where the shoes will be donated to First Nations children in need.
Wiping of the Tears concluded with an honour song sung by Jasmine Thomas from Saik’uz First Nation followed by a burning ceremony.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN Pursuant to section 26(3) of the Community Charter,the City of Prince George intends to lease to Kodiaks Football Club (Inc No. S0074593) land legally described as (that portion of PID 008-522600) Lot 1District Lot 4048 Cariboo District Plan 23271, except Plans 29327 and PGP38268 for a5 year termat$1,000.00 per year
Ian Wells, Acting Deputy
Please visit theCity of Prince George website at www.princegeorge.ca formore detailed information.From thehomepage of the CityofPrince Georgewebsite click on “Businessand Development”; click on“Planning and Development”;click on “Land Use”; andscroll down to “Applications in Progress”.
TheCity requests written comment from anyperson, organization, or agencies thatmay be affected by this amendment to the OCP.Please forward any written submissions by July 9, 2021 by 5:00 pm to theDevelopment Services Division at 1100 Patricia Boulevard, PG V2L3V9, Fax: 561-7721, Email: devserv@princegeorge.ca
Manager
The gleaming whitewall tires of the 1970 Ford Thunderbird two-door coupe Karl Haus drives are the reason cat whiskers were invented.
You sure wouldn’t want to scuff up tires that pretty
His 34-year-old daughter Katrina, the co-pilot in the passenger seat as they waited to get rolling in the Cruisin’ Classics Charity Cruise, says she knows nothing about the mechanical side of her dad’s bright blue T-bird but she does know a thing or two about its curb feelers.
“If you make a sharp turn or anything like that and get too far in to the concrete curb it scratches and makes a noise so you know you’re too close to the sidewall,” said Katrina.
“It’s awesome to ride in. When it’s nice weather we just like to go cruising. He doesn’t go in the rain - heaven forbid water. There’s power under that hood. I’ve never driven it but I’ve never asked. This is his thing; I’d rather just enjoy the ride ”
That 429 cubic-inch engine in the T-bird puts out enough thrust to shoot front-seat passengers into the back if they’re not careful. It is a bit of gas guzzler but Karl says it’s no worse on mileage than a Hummer He found the car in an ad three years ago and had it shipped from Ontario. Of all the years Ford made Thunderbirds there were only two years in which the hood had a beak-shaped peak in the middle and Karl loves his.
“A big car like this, you want to cruise, you don’t want to speed,” said 61-year-old Karl.
Karl works as a baker at Pastry Chef downtown. His plan is to pass his old cars down to his kids as part of their inheritance..
“One of them gets the ‘67 Mercury Meteor Montcalm convertible and one of them gets this one,” he said. “The Mercury was made in Canada for the centennial year.”
Karl’s 30-year-old son was working out of town in the oilfields near Grande Prairie and missed the Charity Cruise and Karl was wishing he was there with him and his sister to celebrate Father’s Day and take in the warm sunny weather Sunday Karl didn’t know about the cruise last year and
Abvoe, Lynn Crowley and her dad are always on the good side of the law when they go out driving in Bob’s 1978 Chevy Caprice, which is made to resemble an Los Angeles Police Department cruiser Below, Katrina and Karl Haus love driving around town in Karl’s 1971 Ford Thunderbird two-door hardtop.
by fluke just caught the tail end of it when he “weaseled in” to the long line of vehicles passing by hundreds of onlookers who crowded along the route.
“It’s nice that people still appreciate beauty,” he said. “I think that’s got lost in today’s society that people actually stop and smell the flowers and actually look when they see something nice. Everybody’s just, rush, rush, rush. I like to drive these things because it reminds me of the old days, better times.”
A couple rows away in the staging area of the vast CN Centre parking lot, the long arm of the law was there and another father-and-daughter team was ready in their black and white police cruiser to answer the call if any trouble was rewing Bob Crowley used his skills as a licenced mechanic to turn a 1989 Chevy Caprice Brougham into an immaculate replica of the Los Angeles Police Department cruiser used in the ‘60s-era TV series Adam-12 It’s got all the sirens and warning beeps,
flashing red cherry lights on the roof, a side-mounted searchlight, and a piece of whittled wood and steel pipe glued together to resemble a dashboard-mounted shotgun. It even has the LAPD decals on the door that match the number of the car officers Jim Reid and Pete Mulloy used to chase down bad guys in California.
Crowley, 58, He’s always loved cop shows He was an auxiliary RCMP constable for 20 years and now works as a security guard for Telus. He and his 32-yearold daughter Lynn each have complete LAPD uniforms with caps they bought on eBay and they’ve worn them together at Northern FanCon but it was a bit too warm Sunday to bother getting dressed up in all that gear
“Adam-12 was my inspiration,” he said Bob knows when he’s out driving his cop car there’s a good chance he’ll get pulled over by the RCMP and that’s not because he’s doing anything wrong.
“They love it, they stop us and take pictures all the time it’s a pain in the butt,” he laughed. “They were going to a forest fire situation outside Quesnel on Upper Fraser Road and they pulled a U-turn and came screaming back behind me to get pictures of this.”
The car was parked for two years during the height of the pandemic and Bob said he didn’t know about last year’s Cruisin’ Classics Charity Cruise. He also has a replica California Highway Patrol car of the type used in popular 80’s TV series, C.H.I.P.S. and has uniforms for that as well. He’s waiting for his collector’s plate before he insures it.
“It’s just great being part of dad’s hobbies,” said Lynn, who helped him scrape the vinyl-top roof off the Brougham. “Putting the new roof on was fun.”
The car count for the Charity Cruise exceeded 400 on Sunday, about 70 more vehicles than last year’s event.
This year’s 45-kilometre charity cruise through the city streets was a joint fundraiser for the Prince George Hospice Society and the Prince George office of Alzheimer Society of British Columbia Donations were being accepted at the parking lot or through email at cruisinclassicscharitycruise@shaw.ca.
MARK NIELSEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The victim of an attack by a black bear at a remote work camp in northeast B.C. says things could have been much worse if not for the actions of those around him.
Gil Graham says he will probably be left with little more than a “few fang holes” on his left thigh as a souvenir to go along with the story he lived to tell.
“I can’t say enough about how well I was cared for and how smoothly everything went,” Graham said over the phone from his home in Coquitlam
On the evening of May 31, Graham and seven co-workers were in the process of reopening a camp that had laid dormant for the last two years. Graham went behind one of the bunkhouses to turn on the propane and light up a furnace. But when he stood up to leave the propane tanks, he spotted a “big black mass” out of the corner of his eye.
“His ears are back, his paws are down, and we’re about five feet apart,” Graham said “It was at close range and I know this isn’t going to go well.”
Then the bear stood up, put his paws down and lunged at Graham’s thigh. As he struggled to protect himself while hitting the bruin on the nose with a met-
al flashlight, his co-workers rushed to the scene One threw a large rock that landed on the bear’s haunches. It was enough to get the animal to back off from Graham but not enough to make it leave. Instead, it went after Graham’s would-be rescuers who were forced to retreat behind closed doors.
Once again, the bear turned on Graham and clamped down on his thigh for a second time His colleagues, in turn, launched a second rescue attempt. Between that and the “combined hail of boulders” from the others at the site, it was enough to get the bruin to retreat.
Graham said he’s “super lucky” that the bear did not hit an artery or damage any bone or tendon and did not tear away any muscle “Everything went the best it could,” he said of the care he got in the hours that followed.
Graham figures it’ll be another four to six months of healing overlapped by about a year of physiotherapy before he’s truly back on his feet But he hopes to be returning to lighter duty by the end of this year and believes there should not be any long-lasting damage.
Now 65 and after more than 40 years in resource exploration, Graham said he had been trying to “quietly fade out of the business,” just not that way.
Local Journalism Initiative
A Prince George contractor who failed to meet the deadline for construction of a new home has been found in breach of trust for spending money earmarked for the project on unrelated debts.
In November 2016, a fire destroyed a home in the 13000 block of Buckhorn Lake Road and the insurer subsequently agreed to provide just under $445,000 toward building a new one
In late March 2017, the owners signed a contract with John Mehrassa, owner of JTM Solutions Ltd., to do the work.
He was to receive 30 per cent upon permit approval, 30 per cent at lock up, and 30 per cent at occupancy and final inspection while the remaining 10 per cent would be held back for 45 days.
Mehrassa received a first payment of $133,463.34 in mid-May 2017 and on that
same day, $130,000 was transferred to an account held by his wife.
When lock up was achieved, a second payment of the same amount was issued, with $133,000 transferred to his wife’s account.
In both cases, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Ron Tindale found the funds were used to pay various payees, “many of whom were not owed money on account of the project to rebuild the home.”
Mehrassa had contended the first and second payments were “earned money,” but Tindale found the funds constituted a trust with an obligation tied to them.
“This is not a case where funds were comingled with other funds in the same account to advance multiple projects,” Tindale wrote. “The funds were almost entirely transferred to an outside entity unrelated to the project on the same days they were deposited.”
Damages will be assessed at a later date.
Ourcrews will be workinginPrinceGeorgeoverthe coming months,making importantupgrades to ournatural gasline.
Most work will occurnexttoroads or highways andwe anticipate it will have little to no impact on traffic. These upgrades will help ensure we cancontinuetodeliver the naturalgas homesand businesses rely on—now, andwellintothe future
Thankyou foryourpatienceaswecomplete ourworksafely, andasquickly as possible.
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Questions?
Call us: 1-855-576-7225
Email: inlandgasupgrades@fortisbc.com
His interest in witch trials has led Aaron Larsen, a local teacher and UNBC graduate, to do his doctoral research at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world.
It all began as an undergraduate assignment for a UNBC history class where he studied a witch trial that took place in Zug, Switzerland in 1737.
Larsen will continue his work as a PhD student at Oxford under the supervision of Regius Professor of History Lyndal Roper, one of the foremost experts in witchcraft, religion, and gender in early modern Europe.
“My nine years at UNBC have prepared me immeasurably to continue my studies at Oxford,” Larsen said. “The combination of phenomenal courses in the department of history, dedicated faculty, and exceptional peers has allowed me to flourish in academia, building the confidence and breadth of understanding that I will need to thrive at Oxford.”
Larsen started studying history at UNBC in 2012.
He graduated in 2017 with his bachelor of arts, finished his education degree in 2019 and has been a School District 57 teacher ever since while still working on his master of arts at UNBC.
Through the research of the witch trial, Larsen is looking to map the lives of the nine women and one man that were accused of witchcraft.
As he combines their testimony with geographic information, he’s seeking to get a better understanding of their everyday lives.
“My research provides insights into the geographic world of lower status women living in eighteenth-century Switzerland, recreating the cosmos of people whose lives and experiences are so often lost to the past,” he says.
“I am looking into both the borders of their world and their conceptions of the spaces in which they lived, all tied to the fantasy of witchcraft.”
Larsen’s interest in history was instilled by his grandfather Lloyd Comish, who
a local
the
began sharing picture books about the Titanic with Larsen when he was young and they explored other areas of interest as he grew up in Prince George.
“Though he passed away in November of 2020, my grandfather was always eager to hear about my research,” Larsen said “I am so thankful that he lived long enough to know I had been encouraged by one of the top scholars in my field to apply for doctoral studies at the best school in the world, since this journey truly began with him.”
Larsen said he is grateful for the opportunities he had at the local university
“My years at UNBC have given me a direction in life and the skills to pursue anything I could dream of,” Larsen said.
“Over nine years and three degrees, I have gained so much through interdisciplinary research, community service on campus, and the tutelage of phenomenal professors.”
that ran for a number of years before the pandemic and won an award for campus leadership as a result of the volunteer work he’d done in the university community.
Larsen believes his volunteerism in the community contributed to being accepted into Oxford.
He works at Nusdeh Yoh (House of the Future), the local Aboriginal Choice Program School.
“I trained as a high school social studies teacher,” Larsen said.
“Since graduating from the education program I’ve been teaching in a variety of positions at Nusdeh Yoh - resource teaching, Grade 4/5 teaching and right now I am an English Language Learning teacher.”
Larsen said he’s really proud to work at an Indigenous choice school and enjoys working with the children there.
Out of the classroom Larsen joined many student-led organizations, served on the UNBC Senate, created a history conference
“It’s been really cool to work with children to help immerse them in their culture and help bring the history of their culture to life,” Larsen said. “It’s a really powerful feeling to help keep the history alive.”
MARK NIELSEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Northern Health is denying the allegations set out in a lawsuit filed on behalf of a Burns Lake woman who suffered a debilitating stroke two days after she was discharged from the community’s hospital.
According to a statement of claim filed in March, Rochelle Turner attended the emergency department at the Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre on June 28, 2019, where she presented with symptoms of numbness and tingling in her right arm and fingers, blurred vision, confusion and slurred speech and intermittent facial tingling.
Turner was examined by a physician but no treatment was administered and she was discharged, the statement says. Two days later, she suffered a stroke “so severe that she has been left with severe, permanent, physical and mental impairments.”
In a response filed on May 21, Northern Health says Turner first attended the hospital because of an inability to use her right arm the day before. After taking vital signs, running an electrocardiogram and
taking a urine sample, the attending physician diagnosed the problem as carpal tunnel and Turner was discharged.
In the notice of claim, it was alleged Turner presented with symptoms of numbness and tingling in her right arm and fingers, blurred vision, confusion and slurred speech and intermittent facial tingling on the first visit.
Similar to what was stated in Turner’s notice of claim, Northern Health says in the response that two days later she was taken to the health centre due to right-sided weakness and the attending physician diagnosed a stroke. Turner was then transported to University Hospital of Northern British Columbia in Prince George where a CT scan and CT angiogram helped confirm the diagnosis.
In the response, Northern Health goes on to say all those involved “acted fully with the standard accepted practice” and provided appropriate care.
The single mother of four children now relies on a wheelchair and other aids to move from place to place and needs constant help with basic day-to-day tasks. Her speech has been profoundly impaired and she will never be able to work again.
MARK NIELSEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
An uproar over a private land owner’s decision to put a gate across a key access to the community of Penny has caught the attention of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways.
For the last 70 years or so, the Penny Access Road, which meets Highway 16 about an hour’s drive east of Prince George, has acted as an alternate way to reach the community Travellers still had to cross the Fraser River by boat to finally reach the destination but, according to a preamble to an
Organizers speak at a vigil held on the steps of city hall last Tuesday in honour of the Afzals, a Muslim family who were attacked and killed while out for a walk in London, Ont., on June 6.
online petition launched by Dawn Boudreau, that’s no longer possible because the property that holds the landing was recently sold to a new private owner It means there is now just one way to drive into the community - a 129 kilometre trek along Upper Fraser Highway and a series of smaller back roads
In an emailed statement, a MoTH spokesperson said officials are aware of the situation and are committed to working with the land owner and the community to find a solution but also noted officials will have to act “within the limits of the ministry’s jurisdiction and legal ability.”
HANNA PETERSEN
There’s a lot of unique things about Prince George but one of the most important is the relationship between the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and the city’s regional museum, the Exploration Place Museum and Science Centre.
Over the course of 20 years, the Exploration Place and the Lheidli T’enneh have worked together to preserve and showcase the living culture of the Lheidli T’enneh and promote a better understanding of history.
The success of their partnership has even received national acclaim as a model for how Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities can work together toward reconciliation.
When the museum shut down in 1999 for its expansion project and rebrand as the Exploration Place, it reopened with a gallery called All the Time We Have Lived on the Land That display featured some Dakelh material culture but did not represent the Lheidli T’enneh’s efforts to keep its culture alive in the face of colonial oppression.
The museum eventually brought in an exhibit called Where are the Children, which told the story of Canada’s Residential School System and included Elders from all over northern B.C Exploration Place CEO Tracy Calogheros
said when the exhibit opened, an Elder approach her and told her it was the first time she had been able to talk to her grandchildren about her experiences.
“It became clear very quickly we had
a role to play for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members in telling these stories and building some understanding,” said Calogheros.
The museum then began working with the Lheidli T’enneh to tell the story of the expulsion from the park – formerly known as Fort George Park – which is the Nation’s original village site, burial ground, and traditional territory.
“In 1913 they were raised out of their homes, they were tricked, and their homes were set on fire and the Indian agent himself hired folks to do the burning,” said Calogheros, adding that most people in Prince George did not know the history.
“When we launched that exhibit, we were right, most people in Prince George had not heard the whole story.”
The exhibit was called September 1913 and Calogheros said it called to the foreground some of the uninformed racism that was existing in the community.
“That really began our work as an ally as an organization.”
The success of these exhibits fostered trust between the museum and the Lheidli T’enneh. In 2013, the museum opened a temporary exhibit called Cultural Expressions, which coincided with the Lheidli T’enneh’s hosting of the Provincial Elders
Gathering. The exhibit showcased the Lheidli T’enneh as a living culture and won a British Columbia museum award for the partnership it exhibited.
“We always feel that it is an act of bravery every time an Indigenous person or organization shakes the hand of a non-Indigenous person or organization and we want to more than live up to our end of that bargain,” said Calogheros. Repatriation and Governor General’s Award
In 2016, The Exploration Place and Lheidli T’enneh Nation began construction of a new permanent gallery titled, “Hodul’eh-a: A Place of Learning” which built on the now decade-long partnership.
The Lheidli T’enneh Nation Chief and Council as well as the Lheidli Elders Group participated in multiple consultations and made significant contributions in the areas of content, language and style.
“It was up to the Elders of what was going to be put on display in that gallery and the story we were telling,” said curator Alyssa Leier.
“Overall we had about 50 elders that took part in those consultations. We had a variety of voices and we were really appreciative of that.”
Along with the opening of the exhibit in 2017, the Lheidli T’enneh signed a memorandum of understanding with the museum, which transferred legal ownership of all Lheidli T’enneh materials in the Exploration Place to the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation.
“We are the Lheildi T’enneh’s official repository and as a non-Indigenous organization the importance of that cannot be
overstated,” said Calogheros.
Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dolleen Logan said the relationship between the two is built on a foundation of trust.
“They work hand-in-hand with us They are part of the Lheidli T’enneh and we are part of the museum,” said Chief Logan.
“The history should be taught and if it wasn’t at the museum, if we had it at our band office, no one would see it. At the museum everyone sees it and everyone stops to read it.”
The Exploration Place and the Lheidli T’enneh also received the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming for the exhibit and repatriation.
They were recognized for serving “as a model for how Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities can work together to reclaim traditional spaces, protect cultural assets, and promote a greater understanding and respect for Indigenous history and experiences.”
Calogheros said it’s vital there is a space in the community where people can ask questions and learn about the Lheidli T’enneh culture.
“I think education is a key and very important first step that all of us can take toward reconciliation,” added Leier “If you
are not familiar with your local First Nations culture and you are not familiar with your history, you are going to have a really hard time taking part in reconciliation and that is something all Canadians should be doing right now,”
A relationship built on trust
Another significant moment in the relationship between the Lheidli T’enneh and the Exploration Place occurred when the construction of the Lheidli Memorial Park Pavillion unearthed ancestral remains.
The Exploration Place temporarily housed the remains until the Lheidli T’enneh determined a final resting spot. Chief Logan notes that the Exploration Place was instrumental in helping with the burial.
“Tracy and I were involved in that process and one way we really felt honoured and cared for is, afterward, they approached us and asked how we were feeling about the situation and had Elders come and smudge us to make sure we were okay,” said Leier
“The fact that they came to us afterward I thought was really special.”
That trusting relationship was again demonstrated in the wake of the recent discovery of the 215 children whose remains were found at the site of Kamlooops Indian Residential School.
The Exploration Place quickly stepped up to offer the Lheidli T’enneh a space to display and store the memorial of children’s toys and shoes that formed on the steps of city hall amid the tragic news
Chief Logan says the Lheidli T’enneh are now working with the Exploration Place and the city to determine the future of the memorial.
“We are trying to figure out what to do to respectively, put it on display for everyone to see and for no one to forget. We have to keep the story going.”
Chief Logan said she hopes the relationship between the Lheidli T’enneh can serve as a model for other regional museums, businesses and organizations.
“It’s been twenty years and it’s probably going to be at least another hundred this relationship will never stop. It is a strong relationship built on trust,” added Chief Logan.
The Exploration Place Museum and Science Centre is currently closed for renovations but is now in the process of hiring its first Lheidli T’enneh curator
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Each week this summer, Citizen editor Neil Godbout will share his experience learning to golf at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club.
Want to get in a free round with Neil? Just drop him a line at ngodbout@pgcitizen.ca
Old habits die hard and I’ve acquired about 15 years of bad golf habits, starting with holding my golf club like a hockey stick.
The first order of business in my first lesson with Prince George Golf and Curling Club pro Blair Scott was to get my hands right.
There are three main golf grip styles: interlocking, overlapping and the baseball grip. All three accomplish the same thing, which is to get the hands working together with the arms and then the shoulders and the rest of the body in one cohesive swing.
Once Blair had me using a proper grip (I did the baseball grip during the lesson but I’m thinking of sticking to the interlocking grip), he set me to hitting a few balls with a pitching wedge off the mat at the driving range. He also laid out a small pole about 10 yards out with a string stretching back to the mat as a way to help me aim.
A proper grip and the aiming aid had an immediate effect. The grip helped me aim much better and also made my swing more controlled and less wild.
But that’s just the beginning.
Blair got to work on making me aware of
the full golf swing recipe.
The proper distance from the ball. The proper spacing between the feet. The weight transfer between the feet in the beginning, during and after the swing. The turn of the body during and after the swing, with the belt buckle pointed forward at your aim spot.
At this point, it’s the equivalent of think-
ing of all the individual steps needed to ride a bike. It’s overwhelming for me now but the goal is to put in the time and effort that it all becomes proper habit and each step happens naturally and without much conscious effort.
We then did a little chipping practice and I’m going to have to work extra hard to break my bad habits here because I do
everything wrong. I swing off my back foot, flicking my hands to lift the ball Blair got me to work distributing most of my dadbody weight on my front foot with a short, controlled swing.
After a few swings, he zeroed in another error.
“You want to stab at the ball,” he said, stressing how the club head should hit the ground as part of the swing to get right under the ball.
That’s another habit I’ll have to break. I always thought divots were the sign of a bad swing but they’re actually the exclamation point on a good swing.
After Blair left, I spent the next hour hitting a bucket of balls, carefully focusing on my technique. I was hitting better shots, straighter, farther and more accurate more often. I was able to analyze what went wrong with the sloppy shots.
And more good news.
Several people reached out to me after last week’s column, wanting to golf with me, including one reader whom I’ve never met but am eager to get to know over a round this week.
That is the other sweet part about golf. There’s actually not a lot of playing time. Most of it is a nice walk with friends new and old. But when it’s time to grab a club and get to work, at least I know now how to hold it right and increase my chances of hitting a good shot.
The work continues and it just got a lot more fun and interesting.
The Prince George Kodiaks Football Club is expanding its horizons.
The Kodiaks have leased a parcel of city on the east side of Heather Road on the former site of three Babe Ruth baseball diamonds that were decommissioned five years ago The club plans to build one full-sized football field of CFL dimensions with lighting as well as two smaller fields to help spur the growth of field sports in the Hart community at the north end of the city
The club is also proposing construction of a parking lot and a 30-foot X 100-foot building at the site south of the Ellksentre Arena. The plan calls for a three-metre wide walking path contained within the field area by a high fence.
Kodiaks program manager Ryan Bellamy said the success of the Kodiaks’ 7-on-7 touch football league for players in Grades 2-7 this spring is a sign of renewed football interest in the city
Kids in the Hart have been using the field for the now-closed Austin Road Elementary School but the Kodiaks want a dedicated facility in the area, where they can play nighttime games as an alternative to the turf field at Masich Place Stadium, which is in high demand.
“For our future growth plans with the team we’re looking at being able to run more programming and with that is going to come the need to run later times in the fall to run practices and currently Masich is the only lit field,” said Bellamy “So a field project where we can build a home that’s going to have the right setup and but lit is exactly what we’re looking for.”
The 7-on-7 league has about 40 players from Hart neighbourhoods involved in the inaugural season that goes to the end of June They practice and play games in three different age groups twice a week at Austin Road, then meet teams from the other two city zones (Bowl and College Heights) for 25-minute games on Friday nights at Masich Place Stadium.
“The kids are doing really well, picking up the game fast, and it’s really cool too see after the year we’ve had,” said Bellamy “The numbers are about where we expected based on how all the COVID health restrictions were going so it’s been a good Year 1 for us.”
The existing Heather Road fields will need to be either seeded or sodded to be ready for football and Bellamy hopes that can be accomplished this summer so they are ready for next year
“One will be ready to go a little faster
than the other ones and the hope for it is it will be a multisport facility for everybody to access in the Hart,” said Bellamy “The smaller fields will give the ability for youth soccer, kids’ rugby, field lacrosse, stuff like that, to access these fields.
“We lost Kelly Road field during construction when they built the new school in the old field so all these school sports have been displaced to the Austin Road school district storage facility It might still be another year or two years till there’s a field over there. Because of where it’s situated, you’ve got houses there and it becomes a less-likely avenue to light that facility When Duchess Park put in their new field the people surrounding it didn’t want lights on it.”
The Kodiaks have also worked out a strategic partnership with the Hart Community Centre to utilize office and storage space in the building at the corner of Austin Road and Heather Road.
The centre’s primary use will remain as a community hall for weddings, parties, dance, grad ceremonies and craft fairs and it also hosts yoga, zumba, fitness and dance classes. The centre’s management staff will continue to look for new services to bring to the Hart community with the centre as a gathering place.
Last week, former CFL all-star defensive back Keon Raymond was introduced as the Kodiaks’ director of football operations. Raymond is due to arrive in late-July with his family to fill the full-time position promoting high school and community football in the region. Bellamy says the announcement last Friday of Raymond’s hiring has created a buzz in the city.
“It’s huge, it’s getting a lot of interest,” said Bellamy “Bringing a guy of that calibre to town can’t do anything but help grow the sport here. As well, we’ll have a person that’s here full-time, working on helping us find the best program path and safer ways to approach what we’ve been doing and developing coaching and player-development models as well as allowing the sport to expand into other communities.
“In the past, we’ve had people in other communities who are interested but when you have volunteer people working their other 40 hours a week it’s tough to then go to another community to help them build their programs. We’ll have a guy who’s here full-time and when those opportunities come he can go to outlying areas to help them set up football programs, go run some camps with them, and do some instructing to help new parents and coaches.”
From a gun-wielding home invader to an Indigenous artist showcasing a mural series depicting clans from Prince George to Haida Gwaii, Dylon McLemore has made the move toward healing not only himself but his relationship with his community
McLemore, 24, has been incarcerated at the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre (PGRCC) since May 2020. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 25, at which time he’s hoping to be released.
Going into the correctional facility, McLemore was a crime-involved gang member. Coming out of it, he’s determined to be an upstanding member of his community who now proudly carries his Lheidli T’enneh First Nation heritage with him.
Within the walls of PGRCC is a first-of-itskind program called the Indigenous Cultural Spiritual Support that offers people in custody the opportunity to explore their heritage so they can find the connection to their community or reestablish a connection that has been broken.
McLemore lost his family connection when he was embedded in gang life and was able to reconnect with family members during his stay at PGRCC.
“I don’t know where I got my talent,” he said. “My grandma has told me numerous times she doesn’t know where I got it.”
He remembers drawing all the time when he was little and then when he was 14 he started his career as a tattoo artist and has been doing that professionally ever since.
“I was trying to do something successful in here and it was the Indigenous program that got me started,” McLemore said. “It gave me the opportunity to release my art in a positive way They asked me if I could do this mural project and it bloomed and
sky rocketed from there.”
The mural project depicts 13 clans from Prince George to Haida Gwaii.
“I designed them all myself,” McLemore said. “They are on display all throughout the hallways - all the way down from one end of the jail to the other They were all evenly spaced out in between the windows so it’s the perfect project and they all fit perfectly in the space. It’s so important to me that the community can see the work I’ve done at PGRCC I wanted to honour the people, not only the Lheidli T’enneh but all the people from here to Haida Gwaii.”
When McLemore is released, he has plans to give back to the community and
SUBMITTED PHOTO
From left, the Bear Clan and the Salmon Clan are depicted in murals on the walls of the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre by Dylon McLemore, a Lheidli T’enneh artist.
hopes to become involved with an anti-gang program for at-risk youth where he can teach his art and offer his guidance to help those heading down the wrong path to find their own way toward healing.
“That’s what’s ticking for me right now,” he said. “Right now I’m trying to figure out ways to put my art form into perspective to send strong messages to youth. For some youth it takes a big toll to grow up in Prince George. There’s a lot of poverty and homelessness that people have to overcome here. I’m just really trying to focus on something I can do to help point youth in the right direction and not go in the direction I went.”
He’s got his spouse and her child in the community and credits his partner with helping him stay focused on the positive while in custody at PGRCC.
“I want to move on with my life and with her encouragement this experience has changed my life,” he said. “If it wasn’t for my spouse I wouldn’t be so far in my healing as I am today.”
With permission from McLemore, PGRCC Warden Dennis Stavrou spoke on the record with The Citizen.
“One of the things we’re trying to do with our folks right now as part of the case management process is to look at what connections they have to the community and how we can help strengthen those connections,” Stavrou said. “So when they do get discharged from the correctional system they can go back to the community, have those connections that can help them be successful in their rehabilitation plan and when I talk about rehabilitation I am talking about rejoining society outside of the correctional facility.”
People in custody at PGRCC include 70 to 85 per cent Indigenous people at any given time, Stavrou noted.
“This is nothing new but the question is what can we do to provide resources that folks in custody can access so that they can enhance their healing journey and they can be ready to go back to their community when their time in custody comes to an end,” Stavrou said. “When I see the work Dylon has done, I think he is an incredible young man and he’s incredibly creative and committed to his art and I think the affect he has on people in terms of what the environment in the correctional facility is shaping into is extremely positive. Now we’re at the point where we’re using his art as a form of healing.”
“Sending bylaw officers out to fine homeless people is stupid. Why would city council do such a stupid thing?” was a common refrain heard last week. Yet the question sat there, unanswered. Why indeed?
Is it to harass an already victimized population and financially punish people who have no ability to pay a fine for nuisance behaviour?
Or is something more going on?
Issuing tickets under this bylaw will give the city plenty of information about which parts of downtown are the worst, what the offences actually are and identify the most frequent offenders.
As for the fines, the city is required to stipulate penalties for all bylaw infractions.
Everyone who actually works with and deals with Prince George’s street population or who owns and/or operates a downtown business knows a simple fact. A small minority of the population is causing
a majority of the problems. Identifying those individuals and finding ways to keep them off the street will go a long way
The worst offenders don’t just make life miserable for downtown business owners and operators, RCMP and bylaw officers. They make life miserable for everyone, which includes homeless people.
And it’s likely a handful of the worst offenders don’t even live on the street
They already have stable housing through a variety of means but go downtown every day just to get free food, clothes and drug paraphernalia, followed by hours of fun tormenting everyone, from downtown shoppers and workers to social services workers to the actual people trying to live peacefully on the street.
That torment is real.
The physical and verbal assaults are real.
The vandalism is real.
The theft is real.
The infractions the bylaw officers will report back to city council will quantify what downtown business owners and operators
I am an Indigenous person, raised a Catholic. When my grandmother passed, the Catholic Church Bishop requested to do my grandmother’s funeral.
What history has taught us is the Church’s financed exploration but it didn’t stop there. The government and churches opened and operated these so-called schools We have learned these were houses of horrors where government and church could kidnap and torture children. It took over 150 years to expose what these institutions were - concentration camps, where they experimented on children, beat and raped them, separated them from siblings, beat them for speaking the only language they knew and if a parent didn’t want them to be taken, they faced criminal charges for trying to protect their most precious gift from God.
I often angered my mother (now gone) when I would describe myself as a recovering Catholic. The Pope’s decision to push off accountability to the lower cast of the church is an illustration of man’s weakness I lost faith in attending church when I received my communion at the young age of eleven where I had to confess all my sins before I could receive communion.
What our people want is for the head of the church, a man of God, the human
representative in the cloth, to confess for role the Catholic Church had by taking children they harmed under the name of the church. Until the Pope confesses to the church’s role, the church needs to do away with confession before communion.
Jo-Anne Berezanski Lheidli T’enneh Elder, Victoria
Dear mayor and council:
I am a homeowner in the Millar Addition and a resident of Prince George for the past six years I am writing to express my dismay and disappointment at your recent bylaw amendments, which target members of the homeless population, further destabilizing their situations and turning desperate people into criminals
Where is your sense of humanity?
I, along with dozens of others, gathered outside city hall last week, listening on webcam while you debated this issue. I applaud Murry Krause, Cori Ramsay and Frank Everitt and I condemn the rest of you for the way you handled an extremely important and currently universal issue. This issue is about how we treat each other. In the light of recent findings at residential schools, there is no denying how skewed society has become because of racist inequalities that go back for generations What legacy are you leaving in further
have been reporting on their Facebook pages for years.
The damage to their buildings from fires and vandalism.
The needles, the litter, the urine and the feces left at the front door of their establishments
The shooting up with drugs and the sex acts committed within full view of customers and workers.
How often is that happening?
Where is it happening the most?
Who are the worst offenders?
That’s what this bylaw is going to find out.
Acting alone, the City of Prince George doesn’t have the financial and personnel resources to respond to the broader social issues of homelessness, substance abuse, mental health, trauma and income disparity It has been a good partner working with social services agencies and other levels of government to seek solutions but others, especially senior levels of government, need to do more.
City council is under enormous pressure from all sides, however, to do something and this is something it can do quickly
The power and authority mayor and council do have is to address the current problems as a public safety issue.
The Safe Streets Bylaw is an effort to do that. The bylaw doesn’t target the homeless It seeks to hold anyone engaging in nuisance behaviour accountable for his or her actions
For homeless individuals and the broader street population, you have the same right as anyone else to be downtown.
But no one has the right, regardless of their background or circumstances, to litter, to assault, to vandalize, to trespass or to utter threats. No one has the right to block the entrance to a business or to accost pedestrians with veiled threats for money
What this bylaw spells out is that the streets of downtown belong to everyone and need to be shared.
-Editor-in-chief Neil Godbout
perpetuating these inequalities, further criminalizing those who can’t afford a place to live and who ask only for a space to live on? We have more than enough space to share.
I abhor the idea that some of my neighbours are abusing and complaining about people tenting below Patricia Avenue. To me, that is a perfect place for people to live. Rather than handing out fines or forcibly removing those who are trying to survive, why don’t we provide basic amenities such as toilets and showers and a source of clean water?
I would be proud to be a citizen of a city who could demonstrate this level of inclusion and acceptance of those who have become disenfranchised for historical reasons, that those of us who are privileged enough to own a house, need to consider carefully. I will be joining others to protest again, and again, and again, until there is acknowledgment of the humanitarian crisis in front of us, and more responsible, compassionate governance Susan Phillips, Prince George
The bears have been coming closer again this spring. I have seen a lot of recent bear scat on some of the lesser-used trails in Forests For the World, some even quite close to the parking lot
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But I was still surprised when I happened on a bear with a tiny cub while I was hiking the Otway trail, not far from the university, near the yellow sign warning people that Otway was still a long ways off This is a main trail that has become heavily used not only by hikers but also by cyclists and joggers, so I did not expect a bear staying right on this trail.
I don’t blame the bear for being there. But I also don’t want to have to hear about a similar encounter with a cyclist or jogger gone wrong. They go through the woods too fast and without consideration. Who is going to bear the cost for such an encounter gone wrong, the bear or the visitor or both?
Traditionally, the trails were for hikers who took an interest in the natural world. They learned to know the animals, the plants, and the rocks, and they appreciated the spiritual value of the scenery in quiet.Instead, you now see lone speedsters cycling or jogging as if they were on an athletic circuit, or groups of people walking the trails chattering as if they were sitting in a coffee house, all almost oblivious to their surroundings.
How disrespectful can you get?
No, I’m with the bears on this one. Ralf Peters Prince George
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ALYSSA LEIER
After the discovery of 215 unmarked children’s graves in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, the question of J. Fergus O’Grady’s legacy has come into question. The University of British Columbia is considering removing his honorary degree after an appalling letter written by O’Grady during his time as principal has resurfaced. Communities have voiced concerns over honouring a man that actively participated in such a destructive and oppressive system.
In the Nov 18, 1948, letter, he cautions parents that “It will be [their] privilege… to have their children spend Christmas at home with [them] ” One which would only be granted if very strict regulations were followed. Regulations that would have made it impossible for many families to take part in this “privilege.”
For many, this exposé has been a long time coming; for others, this is a difficult revelation.
O’Grady was nicknamed the Bulldozer Bishop This nickname came from his desire to expand the Catholic Church’s school system A system that forcibly separated children from their families for extended periods of time and forbade them to acknowledge their Indigenous heritage and culture or to speak their own languages. A system that has created intergenerational trauma and that continues to undermine Indigenous communities
On June 29, 1934, Bishop O’Grady became an ordained priest of Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate at the age of 25.
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a religious order of priests and brothers that originated in France, was given responsibility for the mission of the church on the mainland of British Columbia starting in 1861
After searching through thousands of pages of archival documents, the following information can be confirmed:
After being ordained, O’Grady found his way to St. Mary’s Indian Residential School in Mission, B.C. He served as principal here from 1936-1939.
Six weeks after his appointment, an unfavourable report was made of the school to the Department of Indian Affairs that “found fault in almost everything.” O’Grady stated his annoyance with this as it was “insinuated that the present state…was due to the change of principals,” putting the blame on his management.
It is after his short stretch in Mission that O’Grady was moved to the Kamloops Residential School, where he was the principal from 1939- 1952, during the time
when it held Canada’s highest residential school population Although it has not been determined if any of the children’s remains found on the site were put there during this time, I can confirm there were at least six recorded “pupil deaths” between the years 1945-1950 while he was principal Records for other years could not be found
Five of the six of these recorded deaths were blamed on disease, and one from a lack of due care and supervision signed off on by O’Grady himself. As for the other five, it is documented by staff working at Kamloops Indian Residential School that due to overcrowding, it was impossible to isolate the sick children from the healthy ones, leaving many healthy children to get sick during their time there A letter from a grief-stricken parent also brought to attention the fact that parents were not receiving notice of their children being sick before it was too late In this case, the children’s parents were only notified by telephone the morning of the day the child died Although they came right away, the child passed before they were able to get there.
In fact, primary documents reveal that there were serious concerns over the fact that the school was overcrowded and over-capacity
After twelve years in Kamloops, O’Grady became principal of the Cariboo Indian Residential School until 1953. After which, he was named as “Provincial in charge of all English-speaking Oblate priests in Canada” and was ordained Bishop and appointed Vicar Apostolic of Prince Rupert by Pope Pius XII on March 7, 1956, and set about establishing Catholic day schools for an “integrated” student body.
Although O’Grady was no longer principal of any of these schools, as the highest-ranking official in the region, he continued to preside over residential schools that children were forced to attend and where they continued to receive verbal and physical abuse
In 1960, O’Grady opened the first known integrated school in the region, known as the Prince George College.
In the 2001 thesis written by Kevin Beliveau, a former student and a Catholic teacher, it is stated that after reading through O’Grady’s personal files:
“What is clear is that the ‘integration’ attempted at Prince George College was not the policy envisioned by government or Indian Brotherhood policy-makers who saw a synthesis of cultures -rather than varieties of tokenism and outright assimilation.”
During his contentious career, O’Grady headed three different residential schools, all of which have documented physical and verbal abuse, and as the Bishop of the Prince George Diocese, O’Grady continued to supervise over residential schools where children continued to receive verbal and physical abuse.
An excerpt from the Prince George Diocese states that:
“With only four Catholic schools in the nearly 347,000 square kilometers of northern BC, it was clear to Bishop O’Grady from the start that Catholic education was a primary need.
“He began a recruitment drive and hundreds of young people from around the world, inspired by his vision and enthusiasm, began arriving to help.
“In four years, the number of schools increased to thirteen… Over the next 35 years approximately 4,000 people from five continents became part of this movement known as the Frontier Apostolate.”
He also writes, “The school lay on a foundation of a carefully constructed ethos, the sacrifices of hundreds of lay volunteers, and the involuntary financial subsidies provided by Aboriginal students from approximately 1960 to 1989.” The school received government subsidies for every Indigenous child enrolled, and after government subsidies for Indigenous students ended, recruitment of these children steadily decreased. The school shut down for good in 2001.
In 1986, O’Grady retired and was awarded the honorary “doctor of laws” degree conferred to him from UBC for his religious work with “Native Indians”. But as Be-
liveau notes, “His missionary mindset was predicated on the assumption of European spiritual and cultural superiority.”
During his contentious career, O’Grady headed three different residential schools, all of which have documented physical and verbal abuse, and as the Bishop of the Prince George Diocese, O’Grady continued to supervise over residential schools where children continued to receive verbal and physical abuse.
O’Grady was succeeded as Bishop of Prince George by Hubert Patrick O’Connor O’Connor resigned in 1991 after being charged with sexual assault in the 1960s during his time as Principal of the Cariboo Residential School. He was convicted in 1996 for rape and sexual assault against two victims As the highest-ranking Catholic official in Canadian History to be charged with sex crimes, “The case attracted widespread attention, as it became a symbol for debate about the role of the justice system in handling cases of aboriginals abused at church-run residential schools.”
After his retirement in 1986, O’Grady remarked that he had relatively few disappointments or regrets during his career. After listing those few disappointments, none of them included the untimely deaths of pupils during his time in Kamloops or the alleged cases of physical and sexual abuse of students he presided over. This includes students who were still under his care during O’Connor’s time at the Cariboo Residential School. Ironically, the “untimely deaths” of three other priests were at the top of his list of regrets.
- Alyssa Leier is the curator at The Exploration Place.
When Germany talked about reuniting as one country after the fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989, many world leaders were quite concerned, especially British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and French President François Mitterrand.
But Germany was not the same country it was in the first half of the 20th century, and today it is not the same country that it was when it reunified in 1990 In 2021, Germany is considered by many to be the most progressive country in Europe and even in the world
It has welcomed more Syrian refugees per capita than any other wealthy country and it is leading the way in establishing reconciliation with its former African colonies. Even when there are demonstrations by racist throngs on the far-right, they are always followed by much larger demonstrations of solidarity with visible minorities, though this news rarely gets significant coverage in the international press.
The way that Germany came to be what
GERRY CHIDIAC
it is today is recorded in Susan Neiman’s book Learning From The Germans: Race and the Memory of Evil. Neiman is a Jewish-American scholar who grew up in Atlanta and now makes her home in Berlin. She primarily compares the way that Germany has dealt with the Holocaust to the way Americans have dealt with the memory of slavery, but the principles she discusses can be applied to any country, including Canada
Neiman points out that the first generations of German after the war resisted reconciliation. The generation which came of age in the late 1960s, however, began challenging their parents, grandparents, and teachers about their past With the end of the Cold War, this effort became even more earnest, and Nieman notes a significant change that has taken place since she first arrived in Berlin in 1982
The Germans have a word for the journey they have chosen, Verganenheitsaufarbeitung, which Neiman translates as “working off the past.” In essence, the generation that is primarily the grandchildren of those who supported Hitler’s war and genocide have honestly asked themselves how their ancestors could have done such heinous acts and have accepted responsibility for making sure that it never happens again They have embraced the path of reparation, reconciliation, and truth. They are not guilty of the crimes of their ancestors, but they are responsible for building a more peaceful, tolerant country and a better world
This is in stark contrast to what most nations do after they have committed crimes against humanity - they deny that they ever happened. Neiman argues that this is what generations of white southerners did in the decades that followed the American Civil War, most notably the Daughters of the Confederacy Instead of embracing the truth that their ancestors fought a war to preserve their right to enslave and abuse other human beings and taking the necessary steps toward reconciliation,
When my friend recently suffered a concussion, it took me back to when I was injured over two years ago.
I recall I was nauseous all the time because the room was constantly spinning. I wore sunglasses because any amount of light would feel like an ice pick was going through my head. I couldn’t use electronics either I never used to have headaches, but after injury, it became a regular part of my life.
My vision and hearing were affected. I had problems talking and formulating sentences. I stuttered and slurred my words. I couldn’t focus or concentrate on anything. Making decisions and problem solving were impossible. I was severely fatigued and slept between 12-14 hours a day
Although my symptoms have improved over two and a half years, I have not forgotten how ill, vulnerable and confused I felt. Because of my friend’s recent injury, this prompted me to write about how to be helpful to folks with concussions, especially in the days and weeks that follow the incident.
Concussions are often not diagnosed at
the time of injury My friend went to the hospital and was diagnosed right away. In my case, it took three weeks before I realized that I was not well. You don’t necessarily have to hit your head to receive a concussion. Strokes, near drowning, drug overdoses, being exposed to explosions and viruses such as meningitis can cause concussions If a person has not recovered after four months, then their condition becomes a brain injury.
There are definite do’s and don’ts when interacting with someone who has a recent concussion Expect they will require a lot of rest because the brain requires this in order to heal. Avoid long conversations over the phone and in person because they will not tolerate this well. For example, irritability is a common symptom. I recall talking with a friend on the phone shortly after I was hurt. She is a fast talker
Smiles make difference
they created a myth that the Civil War was all about states’ rights, the so-called “lost cause narrative.” The result has been a society that has never overcome its racist history and remains deeply polarized. Fortunately, steps are being taken to speak a more truthful narrative, and perhaps that is the greatest hope in healing the deep wounds that hinder progress in the United States today.
And what do countries like Canada have to learn from the Germans?
We too have crimes against humanity and genocide in our history. Few of us alive today are guilty of these racist acts. We are, however, responsible for finding a better way forward. The 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission echo many of the actions taken by Germany to heal the wounds caused by previous generations.
There is a great deal of work to do in building a more compassionate country and a better world, but the Germans have taught us that it can be successfully done. Now we just need to do it.
-
Gerry Chidiac is a Prince George high school teacher
and her sentences are often disjointed. I couldn’t keep up the conversation. I asked her to slow down and when she didn’t, I yelled into the phone “STOP TALKING!”
This is not pleasant but if you experience this, don’t take it personally And if they don’t reply to your texts or emails, don’t be surprised What can seem to be a small task to you might be overwhelming for someone struggling with a concussion. Often, people with concussions cannot tolerate groups of people, stores or restaurants because of overstimulation. I almost threw up in the grocery store on one occasion because the lights, noise and music were too much and I became quite nauseous. Don’t expect your injured loved one to go shopping or out for lunch.
In mine and my friend’s case, our vision was severely affected to the point we couldn’t drive Offer to pick items up at the grocery store or pharmacy This would be super appreciated. Other helpful tasks would be to babysit, help with house and yard work, provide rides to appointments, bring over a meal or snack Again, avoid too much talking and have one person speak at a time During the beginning days
of my healing, if two people were talking simultaneously, I couldn’t keep up and my brain would shut down. I would cry, not be able to speak, leave the room and afterwards have little recollection of what happened
The most important thing to remember is do not have expectations that someone with a concussion can help solve problems, babysit or do anything that requires energy not spent on themselves.
Injury to the brain is serious business. Although the person may look the same as before, their cognitive and physical functioning can be severely impacted.
Someone else will have to cook Christmas dinner or host family or friends from out of town. Someone else will have to drive the kids to school, soccer and other activities.
Appearance wise, the injured person may appear selfish, lazy and uncaring The truth is they can’t do much beyond taking care of themselves. Understanding and practical support would be a godsend.
- Diane Nakamura is a social worker on long-term disability after suffering a brain injury.
I feel Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent emphatic suggestion that “the next time you see a woman in a hijab or a family out for a stroll, give them a smile” is actually a very healthy and powerful, yet relatively effortless, response by caring individuals toward all acts of targeted hate. One might also wear anti-hate symbolism, e.g. a colored ribbon or shirt. I decided to do just that as my own rebellious response to the (as anticipated) acts of racial/religious intolerance that soon followed Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential election victory. Anti-Trump demonstrators’ catchy slogan was “Love Trumps Hate”; not much for the ‘love’ part, I would do the next best thing by offering a smile.
In today’s climate of bigotry, I feel it’s not enough to just not think/act hateful; we all also need to display kindness, perhaps through a sincere smile.
Frank Sterle Jr. White Rock
“The Dominion Day weekend in Prince George was a Centennial ‘swinger,” the Citizen reported on July 3, 1967. “(The) biggest attraction was the colourful street parade Saturday morning.”
The parade featured the largest number of floats seen in the city’s annual Dominion Day parade, the Citizen reported The parade featured beauty queens; pipe, accordion and trumpet bands; a Chinese dragon and more Beatrice Beekman was named Queen Aurora, the city’s beauty queen, on June 30 and rode in a float with visiting beauty queens: Miss PNE, Miss
Nanaimo, Miss Vancouver Princess and Miss Cariboo
“The winning float was a big hit with the children – a B.C. Hydro ‘cherry-picker’ made up a giant giraffe. The theme of the float was a tribute to the late Walt Disney,” the Citizen reported
“Army, Navy, and Air Force marchers, baton-swinging girls, scouts, guides, vintage cars, a fire truck, and a variety of floats rounded out the successful parade.”
At Fort George Park (now Lheidli
T’enneh Memorial Park), a team of seven Prince George men challenged children to a tug of war. The team went undefeated until a team of 30 children challenged them and won.
“Other events at the park included races for the children, horse-shoe and rollingpin tossing, and a pet show,” the Citizen reported. “The family day was followed by a fireworks display on Connaught Hill about 11 p.m. Sunday.”
Prince George paddlers Gene Scott and Jim Robertson won the tenth annual
Canadians have a global reputation for being friendly and polite. However, Canucks have a lot more going for them than being wellmannered. To celebrate Canada Day, here are five things that this country and its citizens do best.
What do Eugene Levy, Mike Myers, Samantha Bee, John Candy, Catherine O’Hara and Jim Carrey have in common?
They all hail from the Great White North and are prominent names in the world of comedy
2. HOCKEY
This sport is an inarguable part of the Canadian identity Professional teams have won more championships than any other country, and national teams regularly top the world rankings.
3. COTTAGE
Canada has more lakes than any other country in the world. When combined with ocean coastlines, mountain ranges, unique deserts and abundant wilderness, Canada provides more opportunities to get away from it all than just about anywhere else
In addition to their regional accents, Canadians use terms and idioms that’re all their own. Where else can you say, “I’m going to put on my toque, drive a few clicks down the road and pick up a two-four”?
From Nanaimo bars and butter tarts to poutine and donairs, Canada is home to some of the best snack foods out there. Our chocolate bars are also second to none In fact, Coffee Crisp, Smarties, Mr Big, Aero and Caramilk can only be found on Canadian shelves. Additionally, dill pickle and ketchup chips are unique to Canada.
This year on July 1, take a moment to reflect on all the things that make this country and its citizens great Happy Canada Day!
In Canada, we eat, sleep and breath hockey no wonder it’s our national winter sport. TO CELEBRATE OUR COUNTRY’S BIRTHDAY, FIND THESE 72 HOCKEY-RELATED WORDS.
ARENA - BOSSY
GLOVE - GOALS - GOALTENDER - GRETZKY - HABS - HAT TRICK
CHAMPIONS
CHECKING
CHL
COACH
CROSBY
DEFENCEMAN
DOAN
DRAFT
FACEOFF
FAN
FLAMES
FORWARD
FOUL
GAME
ICE - IGINLA - INTERFERENCE - JETS
JUNIOR - LETANG
LINEUP
MCDAVID
MVP
NASH
NHL - OILERS - ORR - OVERTIME
PAIR
PASS
PEEWEE
PENALTY
PLAY - POOL
POWERPLAY
PRICE
PUCK
REFEREE
RICHARD
ROOKIE
ROY
SCORE
SCOUT
SEASON
SENATORS - SERIES
SHARP
SHOOTOUT
SHOT
SKATE - SPORT
STANLEY CUP
STATISTICS
STICK
STOPS
SUTTER
TEAM - TORONTO
TROPHY
VANCOUVER
VICTORY
WIN - WING - WINTER
Canada Day is a time to celebrate the nation’s birthday as well as the cultures and achievements of its people from coast to coast to coast. But how well do you really know this vast and beautiful country that so many people call home? Take this quiz and find out.
TRUE OR FALSE
1. The popular video game series Assassin’s Creed was developed in Quebec
2. The first European explorers arrived in Canada in 1534.
3. The first newspaper printed in Canada was the Halifax Gazette.
4. Hawaiian pizza and California rolls were invented by Canadians
5. Moncton is the capital of New Brunswick.
6. The opening of the first railroad in Canada or the first baseball game in Canada?
7. The founding of the RCMP or the right for women to vote in federal elections?
8. The creation of the National Film Board or the creation of the CBC?
9. The opening of the CN Tower or the opening of the Confederation Bridge?
10 The first Calgary Stampede or the first Grey Cup?
11 Gros Morne National Park, Signal Hill National Historic Site and the Cabot Trail
12. Niagara Falls, the RCMP Heritage Centre and the Big Nickel
13 Whistler Blackcomb, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Capilano Suspension Bridge
14 Pond Inlet, Miles Canyon and Tombstone Territorial Park
15 Mont Tremblant, Omega Park and Hopewell Rocks
Canada is made up of 10 provinces and three territories. CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE FLAG ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THEM?
It’s easy to learn the basics, free to play, requires no expensive equipment, there are no dress codes, and it is a fun, casual game for all ages and fitness levels So, scratch that, it’s nothing at all like regular golf.
Disc golf is a game just like regular golf, except instead of trying to hit a ball into a hole, players aim to get their disc into a metal basket in as few throws as possible
While serious players use purpose-made discs – long-range ‘drivers,’ mid-rangers and putters – a dollar store Frisbee works just fine if you want to give it a try.
When putting in to the basket, aim for the chains and don’t throw too hard If you do
it right, the disc will hit the chains and fall neatly into the basket.
The par for each “hole” at the Rotary Disc Golf Course at Rainbow Park is three. Sharing the course with other park users is part of the game, so be courteous if you have to play around an outdoor yoga class or skip a hole to avoid hitting a family picnic.
Grab some discs and some friends, download the course map off the city’s website (www.princegeorge.ca then click on the Things To Do tab in the menu) and head out for some Canada Day fun. - Arthur Williams
Home of the wide open spaces, a visit to Huble Homestead historic site always inspires the intake of the clean crisp air, a sigh of contentment, and a giddy impulse to go exploring in all the nooks and crannies where we hope to find our own special piece of history
Usually I make my annual trip out to the land of peace and quiet during the fall harvest when the lovely staff have done all the hard work of growing a variety of hardy root vegetables and even harvested them for me so that I might partake in my favourite of their events the Potato Festival.
I must ask that you say “Potato Festival’ with a song in your heart and a lilt to your voice and if you can manage a brogue as well that makes it ideal because as you know
the luck of the Irish is with you when it comes to picking heirloom potatoes.
But residents shouldn’t wait until the fall to visit Huble Homestead.
There’s good news for those who wish to celebrate Canada Day this year with a great throw back Thursday feel to it
While all the other Canada Day celebrations have been canceled Huble Homestead is hosting its Dominion Day celebrations not only on July 1 but from June 28 to July 4 to make sure everyone who wishes can celebrate the old-fashioned way.
So don’t wait for my beloved Potato Festival to visit. Find your way out there to enjoy a trip across the country like the explorers we all wish to be and once your passport is filled head to the General Store for a prize
To get a hands-on history lesson pre-book a spot for heritage skills demonstrations like ice cream making and butter churning
Demonstrations will be limited to ten people per session and cost $3 per person; these spots must be booked in advance.
Huble Homestead Historic Site is located on the unceded traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh, 40 km north of Prince George, just off Highway 97 on Mitchell Road and is open daily until September 6. Admission is by donation, and dogs are welcome
To book demonstration time slots, view activity schedules, and learn more about safety measures, visitwww.hublehomestead.ca, or call 250-564-7033.
- Christine Dalgleish
If you haven’t done so already, the Canada Day long weekend could be the perfect time to take a drive out to Ancient Forest - Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park and walk along the boardwalk between the towering red cedars that make up the inland temperate rainforest Guaranteed to make you dizzy To find it, head east on Highway 16 for 120 kilometres.
For more information, go to bcparks.ca/ explore/parkpgs/ancient-forest/
If you don’t have the time there are a couple good options closer to the city:
- You can thank the glaciers - and some inspired thinking by the powers that be - for the creation Eskers Provincial Park, which has been dubbed by some as the “best little provincial park in British Columbia.”
It’s 40 kilometres northwest of the city (just follow the signs along Chief Lake Road), and it’s home to as much as 16 kilometres of fine walking along a series of gently rolling gravel ridges that curve around several small lakes that are also popular with canoeists. Signs along the way describe how these features came to be as the glaciers receded.
For more information go to bcparks.ca/ explore/parkpgs/eskers/.
If you are looking for something a little different to do this July 1 why not try and bake a strange ‘Canadian’ food
To get the red-and-white look use two round cake pans and add cream cheese frosting in the middle Eat at your own risk!
The recipe can be found online here: www allrecipes.com/recipe/217814/great-canadian-heinz-ketchup-cake/ - Hanna Petersen
- Even closer to the city at a mere 15-20 minute drive to the east along Highway 16 is the Tabor Mountain Recreation Area While one side is dedicated to motorized recreation, the side along Highway 16 is for moving about by foot and pedal only There are several small and longer loops you can follow and handy map can be downloaded at tmrs.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ TMRS-Maps-2021.pdf.
- Mark Nielsen
The ketchup company Kraft Heinz has a recipe for what they call a ‘Great Canadian Ketchup Cake’ although any ketchup brand would do The red-and-white cake recipe can be found on the back of some bottles of ketchup and online, but it’s essentially a white cake recipe, with a water-ketchupand-food-colouring mixture added after you beat in the eggs and before you add the flour.
The provincial parks and private campgrounds in the area are great but if you’re looking for something more adventurous (and off the grid), give a B.C. recreation site a try.
There are numerous spots in the Prince George area Davie Lake, for example, is just a few minutes north of the Crooked River Provincial Park at Bear Lake. It’s a great, open spot with 11 campsites, tables, toilets and a boat launch
The plus side to camping at a B.C. recreation site is the camping is free on a first-come, first-served basis but there are a few catches.
Frst, these sites are popular. Tacheeda Lakes is a long way to go to find out there are no spots left or the spots left are less than ideal, which happens on the major summer holiday long weekends. Early birds get the best spots.
Second, these spots are accessed on forest service roads. If the prospect of possibly having to share a narrow gravel road with loaded and unloaded logging trucks while driving your motorhome or large fifth-wheel stresses you out, this isn’t for you.
Third, each forest service road is different in terms of size, maintenance and logging truck traffic. The Willow Cale out to Buckhorn Lake and St. Marie Lake is wide and well-kept. The Chuchinka Red Rocky/ Colbourne out to Tacheeda is far more challenging Whether as a group or going in alone, a radio is highly recommended so the truckers know you’re coming and vice versa, especially through the canyon.
Visit sitesandtrailsbc.ca for a full rundown of the recreation sites available. It’s also worth visiting the website for updates on road conditions and site closures.
- Neil Godbout
A Prince George couple is celebrating 65 years of wedded bliss on June 20. Their secret?
“She speaks for me,” Walter Shelest, 87, said of his beloved wife Marilyn, 84. Marilyn smiled serenely.
There’s a lot of give and take and each has the utmost respect for the other. They each found that special someone that is like minded and each defers to the other with a great deal of care and consideration, Fran Shelest said of her brother Walter and sister-in-law Marilyn
“They are quite content, they don’t need big stuff, their lives are very very simple and they’re very compatible,” Fran said Walter was born in Prince George after his parents came here from Poland
He’s lived here all his life and only moved away for work in Kitimat on the Kemano project where he met Marilyn. She had come from Ontario when her family moved to Kitimat so her father could work on the same project.
The pair married in 1956 and Walter brought his bride back to Prince George in 1961.
Walter and Marilyn spent the rest of their lives here raising their family, working and volunteering, building deep roots in the community
The Shelests have three daughters: Lenna, Cindy and Lissa Lenna lives in Comox, Cindy lives in Parksville and Lissa lives in Vernon. Walter and Marilyn are proud of their three grandchildren and one great grandchild.
“We are over the moon about them all,” Marilyn said. “We are truly blessed. After raising our three beautiful daughters they blessed us with these wonderful grandchildren and great-grandchild and our lives
revolve around them all.”
As for their working life, Walter worked for R.F Klein Contractors and later went on to start a small plumbing business of his own He expanded and took on the Aqua Soft Water Conditioning service installing water conditioning equipment, water treatments and water filtration systems, along with many other jobs and development properties he’s owned.
Marilyn worked as a secretary for the school board and retired after 27 years of service. She first worked at the Connaught Jr secondary school until 1971 and then at
Lakewood Jr secondary.
“I enjoyed my work and I always considered it a wonderful job,” Marilyn said. “I worked with great people and I loved the kids It still makes my day when students stop to say hello because they remembered me from their school days.”
Walter was elected as a School District 57 school board trustee in 1972 and served a two-year term alongside Superintendent D.P Todd who, at that time, was the first superintendent to be appointed by the school board.
Over the years, Walter volunteered
for the Prince George Junior Chamber of Commerce Jaycees and served as the local president and later as the district president for northern B.C.
Working beside him, Marilyn volunteered her time with the Jayceettes.
As the couple has gotten older and things have slowed down so much because of the pandemic and the restrictions around socializing the pair has kept to themselves lately There’s many phone calls to stay in touch with friends and to keep busy they go out into their beautiful yard to spend time together maintaining it.
“We go for a lot of drives around town, driving by Walter’s parents’ old house and now because of covid shopping is an outing too,” Marilyn laughed “We have a nice life.”
This year’s 65th wedding anniversary will be a low-key affair with family.
Walter and Marilyn are well respected in the community and are happy they will soon be able to see their friends once again and return to the Elder Citizen Recreation Centre when restrictions are lifted
“My parents are so well liked in the community,” Cindy, their middle daughter, said. “Everywhere they go people stop to say hello. They’ve been a big part of Prince George for so long. People always tell me how kind they are and how many people look to them for support and a kind word. They’re just really nice people and really they’re getting cuter and cuter as they get older They’re very dependent on one another and they go everywhere together and it’s really very sweet.”
with notes from Kathy Nadalin’s 2017 Seniors’ Scene column about the Shelests.
RFOCUS ON SENIORS
on and Yvonne Pierreroy have deep roots through Prince George and area. Their ancestors have been present since long before Prince George existed. Their families were both witnesses and a part of all the changes that led to our current city.
“The first Pierre Rois was a trapper out of Quebec.” Says Ron. “He came to the Hudson Bay post at Fort St James. He married a Nak’azdli woman, and they had a son They named him Pierre, too, but he changed the family name to the English spelling.”
Pierre married Sophie Boucher, a sister to Granny Seymour, for whom our Seymour subdivision is named. Their son took his father’s full name and combined it to the new family name of Pierreroy. He was Pete Pierreroy
Pete’s son was Wilfred Pierreroy, who was born in 1915, the same year that Prince George was incorporated. Ron says his father Wilfred was often invited to take part in celebrations for Prince George because of that. When he was 14, Wilfred left home with a saddle and a horse and worked as a cowboy Later he learned to be a saw filer That was a job in high demand at the time, so he and his young family moved from place to place until Ron was eight and they settled in Prince George, near Grandpa Pete Pierreroy’s trapline.
As a small child, Ron wandered the trapline with Grandpa Pete. It ran along the creek that runs through modern day College Heights, out to the Shell station west of town and up around behind UNBC. Parts of their trail and the trapper’s cabin can still be spotted on the trails behind and around UNBC. The trapline was sold to someone else, possibly named Bob, as the cabin is sometimes referred to as Uncle Bob’s cabin.
When Ron and Yvonne visited the Huble Homestead a few years ago, their tour guide told them about a piece of the Pierreroy family history they did not know Ron knew Grandpa Pete Pierreroy delivered supplies up and down the trails, including the Huble Homestead. He didn’t know Annie Huble credited Pete Pierreroy with saving the family’s lives when he found them sick during the Spanish Flu epidemic and cared for them until they recovered.
Grandpa Pete lived in a cabin near the river, on land that is now the Landsdowne subdivision. Ron remembers visiting when he was 11 or 12. Grandpa had a table made of planks, stools that were chunks of wood and a dirt floor. At some point the land was sold and streets were created and named, including one named Pierreroy Road! There is a lot of history represented in the trails and streets of Prince George. Yvonne’s roots are equally deep and long. She can trace her mother’s ancestry back to Chief Kw’eh (aka Quaw) who is famous for having four or maybe five wives. He saved the life of James Douglas who later became the first Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Douglas was described by George Simpson, governor of Rupert’s Land, as a stout, reliable man who could become violent when aroused. There was an incident in 1828 when he pursued a Dakelh/Carrier suspect into the Nak’azdli village. There are reports of violence and the Nak’azdli say that Douglas was only allowed to leave alive with Chief Kw’eh’s permission. His relationship with the local natives did not recover and Douglas was transferred to Fort Vancouver in 1830.
Chief Kw’eh has hundreds of descendants in the area His son Simeon, dubbed Le Prince by one of the Hudson Bay
factors, had a son Joseph, who had a son Benoit, who had twelve children, one of whom is Mildred, the mother of Yvonne Pierreroy.
Yvonne’s mother told her that when she was released from Lejac Indian Residential School at the age of 16, her father, Benoit, took her and her older siblings out on the trapline in Nation Lakes in September It did not matter that she was a girl, she was taught to check traps and prepare furs for sale. Each of the children had their own traps to tend. When they returned to Fort St James before Christmas to sell their furs, each one got to keep the proceeds of their work The Hudson Bay Company kept the post in Fort St James open until 1952.
Yvonne Pierreroy’s mother married and had twelve children like her parents. Yvonne’s father built their home in Fort St. James, built riverboats, made his own fish nets, snowshoes and anything else needed to support his family Her mother would tan her own moose and deer hides and sew moccasins, mukluks and gloves to sell Her parents were very rich in their language and culture and passed their knowledge to the children
Yvonne attended Lejac Indian Residential School from Grade 5 to Grade 8
“In Grade 5, every day after school, we
had to darn socks. They would bring over a tub full of socks from the boys’ side,” explains Yvonne. “There were a hundred boys and a hundred girls in the school. In Grade 6 to 8, we learned to sew on the machine. We did a lot of mending, making our own clothes and other items for fund raising.”
Yvonne was a sponge, soaking up all the education she could. After leaving Lejac, she continued at the Prince George College, where she met Ron. When she graduated, they got married.
“We were both involved with the Prince George Native Friendship Centre as founding members.” Says Yvonne, “In 1971, I was the Indian Princess for the Friendship Centre. Ron was friends and neighbours with one of my classmates and that is how we met.”
Ron worked at Canfor Clear Lake sawmill until its closure to support Yvonne and their two children. Then he retired and went to work for Yvonne. He built a hide wringer to help with curing moose hides.
The Pierreroy home is near the creek where his grandfather’s trapline ran. Ron likes living where he wandered as a child and youth, even if there are a lot more houses. They still pop across the road to pick berries!
With her family, Yvonne has contributed to the First Voices website to preserve and teach the Dakelh language and produce publications. Her parents taught her the local plants and berries, which are good for food and medicine
The past year has been busy Yvonne was an online elder advisor for an Emily Carr program. Her project was to share her knowledge on beading. Currently she is working on four commissioned sewing projects.
In the summer of 2020, the family decided it was time to repair Yvonne’s father’s trapper’s cabin at Camsell Lake. It meant hauling all the materials across the lake by boat. Ron and Yvonne parked their trailer at the campground. With the help of family and friends, they loaded up the borrowed river boat and headed across.
The cabin had to be lifted, the flooring and foundation replaced and then lowered back in place. On one momentous day, they hauled four 30-foot beams across!
This summer, they plan on staying close to home Their yard needs attention and next year they hope to be travelling again The cabin at Camsell will have its tin roof replaced this year to complete its transformation from a trapper’s cabin to a family meeting place.
Times change and we adapt!
JuneisNationalIndigenousHistory Month.ThisisatimeforallCanadians –Indigenous,non-Indigenous,and newcomers–toreflectonandcelebrate thehistory,heritage,anddiversityof FirstNations,Inuit,andMétisPeoplesin Canada.
June2,2021alsomarkedthesixth anniversaryofthereleaseoftheTruth andReconciliationCommissionof Canada(TRC)94CallstoAction.(www. trc.ca/about-us/our-mandate.html)
TheTRCwasestablishedaspartof theIndianResidentialSchools(IRS) SettlementAgreementin2007,which settledthelargestclass-actionlawsuit inCanada’shistory launchedby severalthousandsurvivorsofthe IRS.ThemandateoftheTRCwasto informallCanadiansaboutwhat happenedintheResidentialSchool system.Tothisend,theCommission spentsixyearstravellingtoallparts ofCanadadocumentingthetruthof survivors,families,communitiesand anyonepersonallyaffectedbytheIRS experience.Oneofthekeyfindingsof theCommissionwasthattheresidential schoolsystemfacilitatedcultural genocide
In2015,theTRCreleasedits 6-volumeFinalReport.Thereportisa comprehensiverecordofthepolicies andoperationsoftheresidential schools,theworkoftheTRC,whatthe
Commissionheardfromover6,000 witnesses,andconclusionsregarding theresidentialschools.Thereport includes94CallstoActionwhichprovide aroadmaptowardReconciliationin Canada.
Oneofthemanywaystorecognize andhonourNationalIndigenousHistory MonthistoreviewtheTRCand94Calls toAction.TheCallsaregroupedina rangeofcategoriesincluding:child welfare,education,languageand culture,health,andjustice.
Inaddition,youcanvisittheCelebrating NationalIndigenousHistoryMonth webpagetoaccessfreee-books,listen todescriptivestorytellingthrough podcastsandaudioclips,watch freemoviesandvisualsproducedby Indigenousartists,anddownloadcrafts andmulti-mediaactivitiesforthewhole family.(www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1 621447127773/1621447157184)
Resourcestolearn,reflectand celebrateIndigenoushistory FirstNations,Inuit,andMétis organizationsacrossthecountryalso provideresourcestohelplearnabout, reflectonandcelebrateIndigenous history.It’simportanttorememberthat FirstNations,Inuit,andMétisPeoples sharemanysimilarities,butthey eachhavetheirowndistinctheritage, language,culturalpractices,worldview, andspiritualbeliefs.
Additionalresourcescanbe foundatthefollowing:
•AssemblyofFirstNations (www.afn.ca)
•FirstNationsHealthAuthority (www.fnha.ca)
•InuitTapiriitKanatami (www.itk.ca/about-canadian-inuit)
•MétisNationBC(www.mnbc.ca)
•NationalCollaboratingCentreforI ndigenousHealth(www.nccih.ca/en)
Supportisavailableforanyoneaffected bytheirexperienceatresidential schools.
•AnationalIndianResidentialSchool CrisisLinehasbeensetuptoprovide supportforformerstudentsand thoseaffected.Peoplecanaccess emotionalandcrisisreferralservices bycallingthe24-hournationalcrisis line:1-866-925-4419
•TheKUU-USCrisisLineSociety providesaFirstNationsand Indigenousspecificcrisisline available24hoursaday,sevendays aweek,toll-freefromanywhere inBritishColumbia.TheKUU-US CrisisLinecanbereachedtoll-free at1-800-588-8717orwww.kuuuscrisisline.com
•TheNorthernBCCrisisLineoffers24/7 supportacrosstheNHregion,and canbereachedat1-888-562-1214.
BritishColumbianscanalltakepartin respectfulandsafetravelanywherein BCstartingJune15.Let’sallpractice goodtravelmannersandrespectlocal communitiesasweexploreBC.Learn more:gov.bc.ca/RestartBC
ACROSS
Overly curious
Contend (with)
Healthy
Mouth edge
Ring
Along way off
Verse type
Ship’s pole
Barked shrilly
Fire residue
Showy flowers
Iced
Talks wildly
Manner
Society miss
Damp
Presently
Exude
Slipped
Spookier
Gooey stuff
Camp worker
Hastened
Become sick
Fill in the grid so that every row, every columnand every3x3 boxcontains the numbers 1through 9only once.
Each3x3 box is outlined with adarkerline. You already have afew numberstoget youstarted Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1through9inthe sameline,column or 3x3box.
Shell dweller
Go away! 25. Perfect
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Biblical song 22. Drama divisions
Parable
Unpaid
lodge
2x39.3
June 30, 2021 2 pm - 5 pm 2357 McMillan Dr
PGC002206
WHELAN,DavidG. July28,1934-April08,2021
DadpassedawaypeacefullyinhissleeponApril82021. Hestillhadhismind,itwasthebodythatworeout. Predeceasedbyhis1stwifeDorothy,andsisterLorraine, andsurvivedbyhis2ndwifeGloria,his3sons, Peter,Rodger(Janet)&Richard(Reo),Stepchildren Lynn,Dara,David,Greg,Melvin,Dwight&Tammy& numerousGrandchildren&GreatGrandchildren. Hewaslovedbyallandwillbedearlymissed.
Alicia CourtorielleBrignall
Dec. 20, 1993Jun. 13, 2021
Alicia CourtorielleBrignall passed away suddenly Jun. 13/21 at 27 years of age in Prince George, B.C. She leaves behind her son Donovan Courtorielle-Anderson (Dean), Father Bradley Brignall, Grandmother Donna Courtereille. Brothers: Brandon Courtorielle, Anthony Allen(Courtorielle) & Zachery Brignall. Sisters: Tonnallee Courtorielle, Aimee Brignall, Alexis Brignall & Abigail Brignall. Various Cousins, Aunts and Uncles. A celebration of life will be held on Friday July 2 /2021 at Assman’s Funeral Chapel at 3:00pm. Friends and family are all welcome.
“One day she will fly far away. With wings so strong to be broken, and a spirit too wild to be caged...” - Samiha Totanji
2x100.5
PGC002216
McConaghy,Lester(Mel)L. May10,1936-June09,2021
LesterMelvin(Mel)McConaghy(May10,1936-June9, 2021)sailedships,drovebigrigs&classiccarsand,he toldstories.
MelspentadecadeatseaduringhisearlyNavalcareerincludinga12monthtriparoundtheworldontheRoyal YachtBritanniawithQueenElizabeth,openingtheSt. LawrenceSeawayin1959.
Later,ondryland,hispreferredhome(sinceinfancy)was PrinceGeorge;hisfavouredcareer,ProfessionalTruck Driver.
Melfirmlybelievedthatwhileyoumayhavetogrowold, youneverhavetogrowup.Inhis60’s,heenteredhis first&onlySpeechArtsFestival,winningacovetedfirst prize.
At70,hetradedworkfordrawing,story-telling&writing. Heovercamedyslexia,bought’Sparky’(hiscomputer) andpublished4books(including’TheStoker’&’MyLife throughaBrokenWindshield’).Hewroteamonthly’ProTruckerMagazine’column,broadcaststoriesonCFIS 93.1-FMRadio,andproducedhisownbooksontape.His websiteledtolastingfriendshipswith’truckers’ worldwide.
At80,Meldreamedupthe’80over80’CharityRacefor Alzheimers,anddragracedatPrinceGeorge’sNitrotrack.
Inlateryears,Mel’sgreatestlove(secondonlytohisdear wifeof58years,Barbara,d.2014)was’Frosty’,his1950 Chevy2-door.Theycouldalwaysbefoundatthe OverdriveCarClub’sweeklymeetups.
Melwas(infamously)proudofhisfamily,especiallyson Michael(d.2010),daughterKaren,son-in-lawJohn HowardHong,andhisgrandchildren,Caylee,Matthew, Nicole,andAdam.Likesomany,wewillmisshisbad jokes,swaggeringstroll,andunconditionallove.Welove youawaysMel. CelebrationofLifeTBA
Oct. 21, 1931May 29, 2021
Donna was born in Prince George to early PG pioneers Robert and Catherine Cadden. She married Ross Ferguson on Oct. 11, 1952 and lived all their lives in the home they built in the 1950’s in Prince George, and spent time between home and their cabin at Summit lake, raising their four children. Donna is predeceased by her husband Ross, son Ronnie, her parent’s Robert and Catherine, brother Jim Cadden, and sister Jean Lang (Cadden).
Donna is survived by her twin brother John (Pat), her three children Darlene Walker, Sandra Makowsky (Tony), Terry ( Alex), her three granddaughters Jocelyn (Fraser Ruggles), Erin Walker, and Jessica Makowsky, and one great grandson Simon Ruggles.
Donna will be truly missed by all that had the opportunity to know her. No funeral by request. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Prince George Hospice society or AiMHi Society in Donna’s name.
Karen Ann Macialek (Hainsworth)
Feb 16, 1950June 7, 2021
Karen passed away peacefully surrounded by her family and friends after her 2nd battle of cancer.
Predeceased by her parents Bruce and Hazel Hainsworth.
Karen, a loving wife, mom, sister, auntie, grandma, and friend will be sadly missed by her husband of almost 54 yrs Larry Macialek, her children and grandchildren - Christine (Andy), Cory, Ashley, David (Darlene), Curtis, Dylan, Kevin, Penny (Jason), Morgan and Ryan. Her siblings Pat, Brenda, Steve and many nieces and nephews and so many other family and friends. She was the happiest when we were all together. Family was everything to her. We have so many memories, she will be deeply missed but never forgotten. She is one of God’s angels now, still watching over us.
We love you so much xoxoxo
MEGAN CARTER
2x37.5
PGC002220
Carter,Margaret"Maggie"G.
February25,1946-June7,2021
Maggiewillbedearlymissedbyallwhoknewandloved her.Shewasakind,generouspersonwholovedto garden,bakeandcraft.
Seeonlineobitformoredetailsonthisbeautifullady. Thefamilyrequeststhatinlieuofflowersdonationscan bemadetotheB.C.Children’sHospital.Asmall,private celebrationoflifewillbeheldatalaterdate.
Celebratethelives oflovedoneswith yourstories, photographs &tributes
Best Mom and Nanny April 23, 1932- June 15, 2021
Myrtle Radford of Prince George, BC passed away peacefully after a 3 year battle of kidney disease. Born in L’Ardoise, NS, Myrtle was survived by daughter Susan (Rick) Cyre of Prince George, sons Dale (Lyla) Radford of Georgia, USA and Chris Radford (Vickki) of Prince George.
Cherished Nanny to Lisa (Scott) Erwin, Ryan Cyre(Maria), Fallon (Adam) Moreland, Terence Radford(Graham), Jason Radford, Darren Radford, Christian Radford (Kristi), Blaine Radford (Jessica) and Kevin Radford.
Great Nanny to Benjamin, Hannah, Maddox, Brynn, Bo, Harlee and another sweet baby due in December.
Nanny spent her days working at the Fort Nelson Hospital and at Simon Fraser Lodge until she was forced into an early retirement. Her focus then switched to her grandkids and then eventually her great grandkids. She enjoyed a busy full life. Sunday dinners will never be the same, but her seat will always remain open. Nanny’s love for being together is what meant most and usually spent Sundays in the kitchen preparing a feast that we all looked forward to. Nanny loved to travel, it didn’t matter whether it be on a tropical vacation or a road trip she was always packed and ready to go.
We will think of you often and always keep your memories alive. Please watch over us and visit often… Until we meet again, Love you beyond measure.
She was pre-deceased by her Husband Neville Radford, Son Shane Radford, Parents Willie & Della Mombourquette, In Law’s Jack & Doreen Radford, Sister and Brother in Law Muriel & John Maunder, Brother and Sister in Law Gerard & Marie-Jean Mombourquette, Brother In Law Allan Radford, Niece Tracy Burke and Nephew Bruce Radford.
Our family would like to send a special Thank You to Laurier Manor and all the staff and residence that made this home for Nanny. Thank you also to the Prince George Hospice for the comfort in her final days.
A special Thank you to Marietta Cullen for being the Rock that the family needed during this difficult time, We love you.
A celebration of life was held with family and close friends. Our family’s wish is that in lieu of flowers or donations, please do something kind for someone else. Please also give your loved one an extra hug.
Gail Ware (née Billingsley) passed away June 10th, 2021 in The Prince George Hospice house at the age of 58 due to cancer. She was born August 31st, 1962 to Olga and Lorne Billingsley in Giscome. Gail married Randy Ware on February 16th, 1991 and they raised their family in the house they built. Her loving and outgoing nature affected everyone she met. While raising their children Gail volunteered in the school, church, and dive club until she started helping children professionally as an educational assistant. Gail was pre-deceased by her father Lorne, father-inlaw Gordon (Dad Ware) and mother-in-law Dorothy (Mom Ware). She is survived by her husband Randy; children Kelley (Sam) and David; mother Olga; siblings Barb, Ed and Patty (Bruce); nephew Richard (Angie); niece Lorann (Nate); as well as Randy’s family.
Due to COVID restrictions there will be no funeral, but Gail’s life will be celebrated on August 28th at their family home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the charity of your choice.
Announcements
Do you have a disability and a hard time accessing the internet? Neil Squire wants to help bridge the digital divide. COMPLETE our 5 Minute Survey: call 1-888-802-2233 or visit: www.neilsquire.ca/survey BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Alot of used & new puzzles. $5-$15 each. 778-675-4716
Established Franchise Photography Business
Serving Northern B.C for over 35 years
Gross Revenues of $150.000 plus annually from seasonal work
Lots of opportunity to expand the business. Transition support available to the right buyer
Office 250-596-9199 Cell 250-981-1472
Established Franchise Tax Preparation Business Mackenzieservicing and McLeod Lake area for over 30 years.
Gross Revenues of $85,000 to $90,000 Annually and Potential to expand revenues in a growing economy.
Transition support available for the right buyer.
Serious Inquires Only Office (250)997-9003 Home (250)997-5538 Cell (250)990-0152
DrakeExcavatingLtdis lookingfordriverswith experiencehauling53’ walkingfloortrailers. Wepaystandardrateas aminimum,company healthplan,RSP.Please contactBryanat: 250-960-9350 bryan.hart@ drakeexcavating.ca
Dollar Saver lumber operates a lumber remanufacturing operation in Prince George We currently have an opportunity in our management group for a Sales Production Coordinator.
This position is responsible to perform the following functions:
• Co-ordinate purchase of raw material to meet mill requirements
• Co-ordinate shipments of finished products to existing customers.
• Work with Mill Manager to ensure optimal inventories are maintained.
• Communicate with customers to ensure their needs are being met.
Preference will be given for persons:
• Who have an understanding of sawmill operations familiarity with lumber grades and sizes
• Good computer skills including proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
Successful candidate will possess the following qualities:
• The ability to deal with customer needs in a calm constructive manner
• The ability to adjust to rapidly changing conditions and developments
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team
The position offers:
• A competitive salary and benefit package
• Opportunity to work in and exciting dynamic environment.
• Opportunity for advancement.
Please submit your resume to Frank Skerlak, General Sales Manager at fskerlak@lumber.ca or Bev at: gobbi1@telus.net Only those persons chosen for an interview will be contacted.
Millar Western’s Whitecourt Pulp Division is seeking a Maintenance & Engineering Manager Reporting to the Mill Manager, the successful candidate will be an integral member of the site’s leadership team and responsible for the mill’s preventative maintenance processes, operational reliability, capital project activities, and maintenance and repair programs The successful candidate will be an Electrical, Mechanical or Industrial Engineer with a strong background in project management, preventive/predictive maintenance and asset reliability. Applicants must have several years of progressively responsible management experience , preferably in a
manufacturing environment, along with strong
Forest
ts
The Technician per forms some or all of the following duties:
• Check bulldozers, cranes, graders and other heavy construction, for proper per formance and inspect equipment to detect faults and malfunctions
• Diagnose faults or malfunctions using computerized and other testing equipment to determine extent of repair required
• Adjust equipment and repair or replace defective parts, components or systems, using hand and power tools
• Test repaired equipment for proper performance and to ensure that work meets manufacturers’ specifications
• Clean, lubricate and per form other routine maintenance work on equipment
• Service attachments and working tools such as harvesting and tillage equipment, blades, ploughs, winches and side booms
• May perform repair work on heavy trucks
• May attach components and adjust new acquired equipment.
• The Technician may also specialize in specific types of machiner y, or in engine
Responsibilities:
• Test repairs for proper performance and ensure the work meets manufacturer ’s specifications and legislated regulations
• Repair and replace defective parts and components on all machinery, equipment, hand tools, and power tools
• Read and understand operating manuals, blueprints and drawings
• Perform daily routine maintenance on machiner y and equipment including cleaning and lubrication
• Complete all duties in accordance with Company health and safety regulations.
• Work independently and collaboratively with other members to achieve common objectives
Requirements:
• Experience working with all brands of heavy-duty equipment.
• Valid class 1 driver ’s license
• 5 years experience with diesel engines, hydraulics, electrical, and air brake systems.
• Must have a Red Seal certification
• Ability to lift and carry heavy objects: minimum 50 lbs
• Strong analytical, problem solving and decision-making skills
• Must be able to take direction from super visors and work with minimal super vision
• Good command of oral and written English
To apply to this position please contact: Justin Dechamplain Resumes can be dropped off to the Decker Lake Forest Products office: 10345 Lewis Road Or emailed to justindechamplain@hamptonlumber.com
(mattress not included) $2000 250 964-9417 pics at http://invacare.ca/doc_files/Etu de_Booklet.pdf
Spacious, 3 level 4 bdrms, 4 baths, superb location. $277,500. 250-561-1255 Ready to sell!
4 bdrm house - 2 bdrms upstairs, kitchen, bathroom completely renovated. 2 bdrms basement need upgrading. Stove, fridge, blinds inc. Buy now before the price goes up. $380,000 2679 Queensway St. Will consider trade of a motor home, newer trailer or truck. 250-981-3583
“DUNSTER PROPERTY FOR SALE” 115 acres with 1/2 mile Fraser River frontage. 10 acres Island. 15 acres cleared. Mixed forest. 100% reliable water source. Log cabin attached to mobile home. Water line and hydro. Easy access. Mountainscape views. Private. 250-479-5545
2294 Queensway St. Fully service, C6 zoning, will take partial trade of motorhome, trailer or pick-up. $149,500 (250) 981-3583
45.5 ACRES Corner of Upper Fraser Rd & Beaver Forest Rd. with good driveway & building pad. $155,000. 250-614-6667
1000sq m building lot, #L72NCorintoPearleco-development Honduras.
160 Acres, 72 miles East Prince George, all weather road access year around, mixed timber, 250 feet from river frontage, creek flows through property. Electricity and phone.
have found that the more information you provide, the better the response.
• Limit abbreviations Use only standard abbreviations to avoid confusion and misinterpretations.
•
• Include price. Always include price of the item for sale.
• How to respond. Always include a phone number (with area code) and/or
1. Excessively showy
2. Put an end to 3. Blood disorder 4. Ingredient in wine 5. Shellfish 6. Made smaller 7. We 8. The Treasure State
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Scared to Cry” author
Country music legend Haggard
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More deformed
Bleated
Set on its end
An aspect of Ra
Releasing hormone (abbr.)
Harsh, grating noise
49. __ Francisco
22. Small parrot
Fictional “Star Wars” planet
French wine grape
Football stat (abbr.) 30. Sound unit
Where you sleep
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Miller beer offering
50. Common Japanese surname
51. Punish with an arbitrary penalty
53. Football position (abbr.)
54. Not in the know
56. African antelope
58. Popular tech (abbr.)
59. Baseball teams get three of them
60. Make up one’s mind
63. __ Spumante (Italian wine)
64. Martens
65. Susan and Tom are two
42. Sound made in speech
44. Handgun (slang)
45. Fill up again
46. Evoke or awaken
47. Beam Me Up, __! 48. Spider wasp genus 50. Headdress 51. Exclamation of surprise 52. Of I 54. Figures
Men’s fashion accessories 57. Indicates position
Megabyte
The Prairie State
Archaic term for until
There are plenty of ways you can reduce your ecological footprint when relocating from one home to the next If you’re keen on protecting the environment, be sure to follow these five eco-friendly moving tips.
1. Recycle whenever possible. You’ve sorted through your belongings and are now faced with a mountain of junk (tattered clothes, broken appliances, forgotten toys, etc.). Before feeding the trashcan, find out which items are recyclable For example, you can drop off broken electronics at a nearby depository. For safety reasons, never dispose of solvents, oils, leftover paint or other hazardous materials by throwing them in the trash or pouring them down the drain.
2. Give your goods a second chance. If many of the items you no longer want are still in decent condition, organize a garage sale or put them up for auction on a classified ads website. Better
yet, donate them to a local charity.
3. Don’t buy boxes Instead of buying boxes that you’ll end up throwing away, ask local business owners if you can take some empty boxes off their hands. You can also rent plastic bins to help transport your belongings from point A to point B. Use bed sheets, towels or old newspapers instead of bubble wrap to protect your fragile items from damage.
4. Rent a moving truck. Think of all the
gas and time you’ll waste driving back and forth in your small car on moving day! Renting a truck is a cost-effective alternative that respects the environment.
5. Choose green products. Is your new home in need of a thorough cleaning or a good paint job? Be sure to carry out such chores with products that aren’t harmful to the environment. In need of new appliances? Opt for energy efficient brands!
Many companies offer eco-friendly products and services to safeguard the environment during moving season. Contact your local movers to find out more!
For many animals, the arrival of moving season means parting ways with their owners for good Every year, factors like moving to a smaller property or one that doesn’t allow animals drive countless pet owners to abandon their furry companions There are solutions.
• If you anticipate moving, begin your search early to ensure you find a house, condo or apartment that not only suits your needs and budget, but also allows your trusted companion to come along for the journey.
• Ask potential landlords if they’d be willing to meet your well-behaved pet prior to the big move If impressed, would they consider making conditional modifications to the lease?
• Track down a caring family who’d gladly adopt your furry friend Ask friends, co-workers and neighbours, and leaf through classified ads to find prospective pet owners in your area.
If you aren’t in a position to take your pet with you, leaving your dog, cat or bunny in a box by the side of the road is never the solution! As a last resort, entrust your pet to a no-kill shelter.
When it comes to flooring, homeowners have a range of options. Popular choices include hardwood, vinyl, terrazzo, laminate, ceramic, cork, natural stone and bamboo. Here are four factors to consider if you need to update your floors
1. FUNCTION
Do you have kids or pets? Do you like to exercise in a particular part of the house? Opt for flooring that’s practical and suits your lifestyle For instance, while blonde hardwood and white marble floors are stylish, they may not be the best choice if you have a cat or dog with dark fur. Additionally, you may want to avoid flooring that’s excessively hard in rooms where you spend a lot of time on your feet.
2. ATMOSPHERE
Flooring is an integral part of your home’s appearance, so make sure you choose a type that contributes to the style you want to create For example, natural stone generally provides a Zen-like ambiance, whereas blonde hardwood will add warmth to a space. If you want a retro vibe, consider pastel terrazzo. For a more sophisticated look, opt for dark laminate flooring
When you visit your local stores and suppliers, make sure to compare different flooring samples and seek advice from a qualified salesperson. It’s a good idea to bring along photos of the rooms you’re renovating
3. INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
Before you install new flooring, you may need to update the subfloor. This could be the case if you have heavy
flooring that requires extra support. It will also be necessary if you choose to install electrical wiring, plumbing or radiant heating in the subfloor A qualified professional is always the best person to install new flooring.
Some types of floors require maintenance that goes beyond simply sweeping and mopping For example, you need to periodically apply a sealant to porous flooring such as unglazed tile, limestone and concrete.
In the case of hardwood, you need to sand and varnish it every so often. Before you settle on a particular type of flooring, make sure you know what sort of upkeep it requires.
Keep in mind there are professionals who can provide expert advice. Contractors, interior designers and the staff at your local home improvement and furniture stores will be able to recommend specific solutions for your home.
Are you a parent or grandparent to young children? If so, it’s important to think about risk prevention when you design your landscaping. This will ensure you can provide a safe space for your little ones to play.
Here are a few tips to get you started.
• Create a designated space to safely store tools, fertilizers, pool chemicals and other potentially dangerous items. Don’t keep toys in the same area.
• If you plan to build a multi-tiered garden, consider using ornamental gates and ramps to reduce the risk of falls.
• Make sure pools, ponds and other bodiesofwaterare fenced off and only accessible through a gate that latches Check if your municipality has height requirements.
• If you use stakes to support climbing plants in your vegetable garden, cover the ends to prevent injuries in the event that someone trips and falls
Finally, when it comes to populating your garden, choose non-toxic species without latex or thorns. Or better yet, opt for edible plants.
