GATEWAY - AUGUST 2016 by Prince George Citizen

GATEWAY

Your community voice for the north! WEDNESDAY August 17, 2016

NEWS AND EVENTS FOR PRINCE GEORGE AND CENTRAL INTERIOR

INQUIRY BEGINS CP photo

Bridget Tolley, whose mother Gladys was killed in 2001, is embraced after the announcement of the inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women at the Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Aug. 3. The federal government announced the terms of a long-awaited inquiry into murdered and missing indigenous women. See page 3 for coverage.

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National inquiry needs tighter focus, activists say Samantha WRIGHT ALLEN Citizen staff sallen@pgcitizen.ca

he national inquiry into murdered and missing women will need to narrow its scope and build on existing recommendations from numerous past reports if it will have impact, local family advocates say. “In this national inquiry (the question) is how do we ensure that the next steps are going to be taken in a strong, thoughtful manner because we have to figure out how we’re going to implement this and we need to look at developing on an accountability framework,” said Mary Teegee by phone after the Aug. 3 announcement of $53.8 million over two years and five commissioners, led by a B.C. judge, to oversee the inquiry. To represent the north, Teegee and Brenda Wilson John of Carrier Sekani Family Services, the host agency for the Highway of Tears Initiative, flew to Vancouver for the announcement. Both stressed the need to pull from past reports – including the Missing Women Commission of

Inquiry, overseen by Wally Oppal and the decade-old Highway of Tears Symposium Report – and questioned why so many of the recommendations have yet to be implemented. While they praised the inquiry’s focus on systemic issues that lead to the national tragedy, they questioned whether it could fulfill such a broad mandate on the current budget. “We need to put it in that context,” said Teegee. “It’s actually a broader problem ... the impacts of colonization and residential schools and to not look at missing and murdered indigenous women without looking at systemic issues, we would be remiss in our duties.” A relaxed and culturally sensitive approach to consultation will be an improvement on the “regimented” approach of the Oppal report, Teegee said. That recommendation came from preinquiry meetings held in 16 spots, including Prince George. She was also pleased to hear counselling would be offered to families. It was an emotional day for Wilson John, who in June completed a 700-kilometre trek from Prince Rupert to Prince George in an effort to cleanse Highway 16, known as the Highway of Tears

Teegee along that stretch. “I could see the whole highway,” said Wilson John, whose 16-year-old sister Ramona Wilson went missing near Smithers in 1994. Her body was found almost a year later. “It was amazing because all I could hear was the families, all their voices, all their recommendations.” Both the province and federal governments stressed the goals of the inquiry were to look at the patterns and underlying factors that lead to higher levels of violent outcomes for indigenous women. “While British Columbia’s Oppal Inquiry looked at specific cases of missing and murdered women in the Downtown Eastside and

along the Highway of Tears, the national inquiry will take a new approach, focusing on the underlying root causes and systemic issues that increase the vulnerability of Indigenous women and girls,” said Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton in a statement. Teegee said the group would be meeting with Anton Wednesday afternoon as the province has an important role to play. “You can’t (look at) systemic issues without including the child welfare system in B.C. – and that’s provincial jurisdiction – and policing,” she said. “Definitely all of those barriers and challenges that our families have faced, many of it comes from the province so they have to be integral to this inquiry but they’re also fundamental to the solutions that are coming out of the inquiry.” Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett said in a January interview the inquiry needs to go to rural and isolated communities. Teegee said it’s absolutely necessary the commissioners visit those affected communities. “They have to come to the north,” said Teegee, where many of the women who end up in urban centres or the Downtown

Eastside are originally from. “We’re going to make sure, trust me.” “(I)t will be up to the Commissioners to decide how, when and where to hear from witnesses, including survivors, families and loved ones,” said an email statement from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, adding the commission will establish a website in the next few weeks. The inquiry is scheduled to begin on Sept. 1. Before then, Teegee and others have work to do. That includes reaching out to Grand Chief Stewart Phillip and setting up a meeting to create an advisory group. “We want to make sure whatever we’re doing in the region helps the national inquiry in the best way possible.” While the commitment felt like a step forward, Teegee said the day had a mixed meaning for many. “It’s a happy day but it’s a sad day. After all these years where all the voices of missing and murdered were not being brought forward, that finally there is a validation that our lives matter but it’s sad that it had to come to this.” — with files from Mark Nielsen and The Canadian Press

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Breast milk donation site launched at hospital Samantha WRIGHT ALLEN Citizen staff sallen@pgcitizen.ca

abies born prematurely in Prince George now have better access to breast milk with the creation of a milk donation site at the University Hospital of Northern BC. The depot opened quietly in July, but was part of a provincewide announcement Aug. 2 of six new locations. Now BC Women’s Hospital is calling on local women to consider donating their milk. “I am thrilled that we’ve finally gotten to the point where all the NICUs (neonatal intensive care unit) in the province will have the same standard of care, which is using pasteurized donor’s milk in the absence of

the mother’s own,” said Frances Jones, who has run the provincial milk bank, located at BC Women’s, for the last 16 years. “I’m hoping that we will have so much milk flowing forth that we will be able to actually offer it in the maternity units in the province.” In 2013, the province gave a $650,000 grant to the hospital in part because “research (shows) babies in neonatal intensive care units receiving breast milk have shorter stays in hospital, fewer infections and few hospital readmissions in the first year of life.” It’s part of an ongoing push to increase access to breast milk. Last year donations jumped by almost 50 per cent after it opened 17 depots through a partnership with Fraser Health in 2014. — see ‘IT JUST, page 5

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‘It just brings a smile to your face’ — from page 4 That added 500,000 millilitres of the 2,803,800 mL donated to to the B.C. bank last year. But there still isn’t enough for all of B.C.’s babies in need. Over the years Jeanne Hagreen has packed bags of frozen milk from northern mothers who wanted to contribute and taken them with her on flights to Vancouver. She remembers the looks she’d get dropping off the cooler box with large letters saying ‘Do not thaw.’ Now there’s no need for that extra effort. “It just brings a smile to your face because this is something we’ve wanted for so long,” said Hagreen, who retired from her position as a lactation consultant at UHNBC last September after 20 years on the job and 38 on the maternity ward and has been a longtime advocate for the service.

Human milk is very important for premature infants, Jones said. It reduces the risk babies will get necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) – a disease of the bowel. “Babies that are born premature, because their systems are less developed, are at much higher risk to develop NEC and if we feed them formula they’re at – depending on what study you read – somewhere between three and 10 times more likely to develop it,” Jones said. “We know by having pasteurized donor milk we can reduce the incidents and just have healthier babies.” It’s taken the last three years to set up agreements with all of the health authorities. Northern donors must first be screened by the provincial bank and will drop off frozen milk at UHNBC where it will be shipped to Vancouver to be screened, pasteurized and redistributed across the province. — see ‘IT REALLY, page 6

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‘It really is an amazing gift’ — from page 5 For the first six months, BC Women’s will pay to ship milk from Northern Health to BC Women’s and then for the processed milk back to Northern Health. After that Northern Health will take on the shipping costs. Northern Health did not provide comment. “Donors understand that some of the babies are very fragile and won’t make it without human milk,” Jones said. “It really is an amazing gift.” Workers at the Prince George and District Elizabeth Fry Society, which offers support programs for new mothers, see a need for the services among the mothers they serve. They echo Jones’ hope that the milk bank could be expanded beyond the neonatal units especially for women who don’t have the option of breastfeeding their babies.

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Containers of pasteurized donor human milk are seen in a handout photo. “There’s sexual abuse and body image issues and society issues that make breast-

feeding difficult,” said Jodie Flanagan, family support worker. “There’s all this

information out there about breastfeeding and how good it is for your baby but it’s the accessibility and the availability that is the struggle.” Between 80 and 90 per cent of the mothers they work with breastfeed immediately after birth, but at six months that number drops to 50 to 60 per cent. Flanagan and resource nurse Jody Youb call breast milk a baby’s first vaccination. “It decreases diseases and infections and tons of other things,” said Youb, adding that early start could have a positive snowball effect on the healthcare system. “A lot of our moms do come from a poverty background and giving the baby that good start to good health is better in the long run,” Flanagan said. For those interested in becoming a donor, visit www.bcwomens.ca/donate or call 604875-2424, local 6013 for more information.

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Pokemon Go good for business, community Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff chinzmann@pgcitizen.ca

uddenly small businesses and non-profits have found increased foot traffic making a huge impact on the downtown culture of Prince George. Gamers who usually stay close to the big screen televisions in their living rooms and basements are now out and about in a big way with the new augmented reality game Pokemon Go, that’s only been available in Canada for the last few weeks. Clusters of all age groups congregate at popular Pokestops to hang out and play parts of the game while others can be seen strolling the streets waiting to catch their latest Pokemon character. Either way, historic downtown sites and some savvy businesses are seeing the ben-

efits of the crowds who enjoy playing the game outside. The Exploration Place’s administrators are delighted with the increase in pedestrian traffic to their location adjacent to Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. “Pokemon Go is something we thought we’d capitalize on so we are offering a free train ride if you drop a lure at one of our stops – we’ve got stops all over the park plus two gyms (a part of the game where characters do battle) and we’ve posted that all over our social media,” said Tracy Calogheros, chief executive officer at The Exploration Place. “The traffic down here – even at two in the morning is crazy. I keep looking at it on my phone camera so I can watch the parking lot and it’s nuts. If I could run that train all night I’d have people on it, I’m sure of it.” — see ‘POKEMON GO, page 9

Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

Chris Blackier from the Black Donkey Cafe sorts through Pokemon Go Bingo cards for a Pokemon-themed event at the cafe.

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‘Pokemon Go is awesome and it certainly is good for any business that makes use of it’ — from page 8 Augmented reality is something that museums have been looking at for a long time, Calogheros said. “This first iteration of it has been cool but it’s just got some learning curves to it. I think Pokemon Go is awesome and it certainly is good for any business that makes use of it.” The museum has seen an increase in the purchase of snacks, pop, water and ice cream sales. Calogheros says the Fort George Railway Station is a Pokestop and warns people to stay off the Little Prince train tracks for safety sake – that’s a Pokemon No Go train. The Black Donkey Cafe, across from the courthouse downtown, has also seen a significant increase in customer numbers, said owner Chris Blackier, who has maximized the game by offering extended hours, and making his cafe a stop to recharge those quickly draining smart phone batteries. Pokemon Go doesn’t use a lot of data but sucks the battery life so boasting 32 recharging stations for devices and three Pokestops at the cafe leads to an increase in revenue as gamers refuel their bodies with food and drink. The cafe saw more than 30 people during the Pokemon Go Walking Tour the library hosted Aug. 3 and also hosted a Pokemon Bingo night with a grand prize of a solar panel backpack. “So people can recharge their cell phones as they’re walking around catching all their Pokemon,” said Blackier. When the Pokemon craze started, Blackier said he was not prepared at all. “Downtown has been rather stagnant for so long and now there’s been a massive influx of Pokemon enthusiasts that are congregating in the area and we’re going to add six picnic tables and another 60 charging stations outside,” said Blackier. “Our goal is to have at least 100 people inside and out and having that mass of people on this corner lately has actually pushed out a lot of the negativity of the surrounding area.” Blackier believes creating a positive safe atmosphere in the downtown is the ultimate goal and looks to the city for more police patrols as well as more garbage cans. More recycling bins for pop cans and water bottles are also on his wish list. — see ‘I THINK, page 10

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‘I think you’re going to see more games pop up like this’ — from page 9 “The culture in downtown has definitely changed for now, whether or not it’s going to taper off in the future is another thing,” said Blackier, who is a video game enthusiast. Pokemon has been around for 20 years and the template for the current game came from another game called Ingress, he added. “So as long as that template is being used for any other game the downtown core will always be bustling because it has the most congestion of Pokestops in town,” said Blackier. “But the city really needs to come on board and clean it up to make it more appealing to people. As I have said, this is the catalyst to making downtown Prince George young again and the city needs to help continue it.” Walking along Third Avenue recently were two working moms on their lunch break playing Pokemon Go. Both Tracy Arrowsmith and Lonnie Campbell blame

their children for their recent enthusiasm for the game. “That’s the excuse I use anyway,” laughed Campbell, who added their usual lunchtime walking route has many Pokestops, including four right by the Black Donkey if you stand in the right spot. Campbell believes this trend might not end as quickly as people think. “I think you’re going to see more games pop up like this – more, not less,” she added. Campbell was at West Edmonton Mall late last month and said strangers were gathering in Pokemon hot spots and having conversations because of their common interest in the game. “We had people from rival teams gathering outside the pool in Quesnel at a swim tournament my family attended on the weekend and they were all chatting about what Pokemon they had,” said Arrowsmith.

RCMP handou photo

An RCMP helicopter is seen in an undated handout photo.

North District RCMP get helicopter Citizen staff

helicopter will now be North District RCMP’s eye in the sky, while its airplane will patrol the Southeast District RCMP’s territory in an exchange of aircraft announced late last month. Prior to the switch, Southeast District, based in Kelowna, had two helicopters but no airplane. A lack of runways and the more remote destinations made the helicopter a better fit for the North District, according to the RCMP.

It can also be used to service the repeater sites that make up North District’s radio communications system. “It is important to note that the North District comprises 73 per cent of B.C.’s geographic area, so this realignment is simply a matter of common sense,” said Nigel Bushe, Officer in Charge of E Division (B.C. RCMP) Air Services in a statement. North District RCMP Chief Superintendent Lesley Bain welcomed the move. “It is a valuable asset that will further our efforts to protect and serve northern British Columbia,” she said.

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Program aims to restore caribou population

Zoe DUCKLOW Dawson Creek Mirror

Dawson Creek Mirror photo By Zoë Ducklow

A caribou cow stands in a pen near Chetwynd. The new mother was one of 17 animals released back into the wild on July 15 as part of a program to restore caribou populations.

arrett Napoleon and Harley Davis walk up from their cabin with several bags of lichen, collected by community members from under the pines between Chetwynd and Tumbler Ridge, where there are hoards of the

food stuff. Over the last few weeks the herd has been weaned off a diet of pellets of fats, minerals and protein back to plain lichen in preparation for release back into the wild. It’s two days until Davis and Napoleon will open up the fence, and they feel sad to say goodbye. “Sad but happy,” Davis says. “It’s time for the caribou to be out on their own, and we’ll still monitor them after they’re out.” This maternal pen is run by Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations along with Wildlife Infometrics, which was hired three years ago to intervene in the sharply declining numbers of caribou. The Klinze-za herd in Northeast B.C.’s Rocky Mountain foothills used to be hundreds of animals strong, but three years ago, there were just 16 caribou. Now, after three years of protected calving, the herd is up to around 70 animals. Maternal penning allows mothers and calves to bond in a safe place, and lets the calf get fast enough

to keep up with the mother once they’re released. “It gives them a much stronger fighting chance of survival,” says West Moberly Chief Roland Willson about the project. Everyone seems encouraged by how the new calves are doing, but maternal penning is not a golden bullet for the caribou’s woes. The population has been in decline due to habitat loss and changes to predation. Caribou are a migratory animal and need wide uninterrupted spaces to roam. Access roads for logging, gas wells and mines fragment their habitat and inadvertently give predators easy access to terrain that used to be natural sanctuary for caribou. Wolves, for example, don’t travel well in deep snow like caribou do with their spindly legs, but access roads have paved a way for wolves to the formerly inaccessible mountain tops. There’s no avoiding the invasive capture process, but the team at Wildlife Infometrics do what they can to prevent harm, beginning with picking what cows to capture. “We try to pick cows who don’t have a calf with them, or a teenager from last year. And we look at the group size, if there’s only two or three we won’t take one. We don’t want to break up the families too much,” says Brian Pate who works for the company. — see ‘THE GOVERNMENT, page 14

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‘The government values the coal more than they value the caribou’ — from page 12 The capture starts with a helicopter chase, where a professional shoots a net gun to trap the caribou, and the drops down to hold her in place until help arrives. “Once he covers the eyes, usually they calm down pretty quickly,” Pate says. “The veterinarian lands in a helicopter just behind, and they’ll check over the cow and give her a nasal spray that’s like a relaxant.” Assuming nothing went wrong with the net gun – broken legs are a risk, which is why they use a professional, Pate says – the main concern is temperature. Designed for life at -40 degrees Celsius, caribou are made to keep heat, not lose it. Running away from

a helicopter is hot work, so the veterinarian wants to make sure the animal doesn’t overheat. Next they’ll hobble her legs so no one gets kicked and load her into the helicopter, landing a half-kilometre away from the pen so as not to frighten the animals already there. They’ll bring her the rest of the way with a snowmobile and sleigh combination. At the pen, veterinarians check over her health, record weight and collect various samples before administering an antidote for the nasal spray. “Within a minute or so she’ll bounce right up and be fine,” Pate says. This is the cost of development, some conservationists say. It

Davis would be nice to think of maternal pens as an ideal solution to population decline, but in truth it’s far

from it. “We can pen and recover as many caribou as we want,” Willson says, “but if we don’t have the habitat for them, it’s not going to mean anything. They’re just going to keep on getting eaten.” He’s called for wider habitat protection but says the provincial government is unwilling to protect area with natural resources. “The only part they have protected is the high alpine, because there’s nothing that they want there. But low elevation habitat zones are just as critically important – the caribou can’t stay on top of the mountain all the time – but the government values the coal more than they value the caribou,” he says.

“We’ve said this all the time that, the First Nations are not opposed to development, but it’s got to be done in a sustainable and responsible manner.” Napoleon and Davis are two caribou herders from Saulteau who live up in the mountains every other week from March to mid-July, rotating with two other herders from West Moberly. “I stay out of the politics and just look after these guys,” Davis says, looking over the herd who are slowly making their way towards breakfast. “Some people do all this scientific stuff, but it’s simple, really. They just need food, a good habitat, fresh water and protection.” —see PRESERVING, page 15

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Preserving caribou for the next generation — from page 14 Davis grew up in a time when caribou were plentiful. “They were sustenance, they were clothing, they were medicine. They were everything,” he says. “I think it’s our job to ensure that our children and our grandchildren are able to experience what we enjoy today. I don’t want them to see them in pictures or books or videos or whatever. I want them to go out there and see them in real life.” By the time all the lichen was laid out in the troughs, the calves had gathered in a small meadow, watching but not approaching. Davis and Napoleon slowly circled around the perimeter coming up well behind the calves, passively

herding them toward the food. They’re careful to keep their distance, so the animals never become too accustomed to their presence. It’s also important not to make eye contact even if a cow or calf comes close enough. “Predators look them in the eye,” Davis says. “It’s predacious behaviour; we don’t want to intimidate them.” Earlier this month, the herders opened the fence releasing the nine cows and eight calves back to their usual haunts. By late afternoon, they had all left the pen, calves with their mothers. Four cows and three calves got out in mid-June when a portion of the pen fence was damaged by heavy rainfall and flooding in the region.

The crew has kept an eye on the animals that left early – so far they seem to be doing fine. Each animal is fitted with a radio collar that records their position once a day, and transmits the data to Wildlife Infometrics Wednesday afternoons. “Scientifically we’re looking to see what habitat they choose. We’re interested to see if they join up with other animals,” Pate says. “We also look to see that they aren’t moving around too much – this would be a sign they’re being pushed by predators. “Normally caribou will find a place they like and stay there for a while, moving maybe 200 metres in a day. But if there’s a bear or something, they might run 10 kilometers in a day.”

Dawson Creek Mirror photo by Zoë Ducklow

Brian Pate with Wildlife Infometrics scans the mountains for caribou that got out of the pen early when a portion of the fence collapsed in the heavy rain and flooding in mid-June.

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Martial arts show touring region

C Citizen staff

hinese martial arts performances will be presented throughout the Central Interior as local governments partner with the cultural department of China’s Henan Province. There are 18 elite practitioners of martial arts from the Shaolin Epo martial arts school of Dengfeng City who will perform various demonstrations including pictographic animal boxing, knife and whip group boxing, variations of hard qigong (involving pikes and steel nails) and the use of 18 weapons developed by Shaolin monks over the last several

decades. The performances will take place between Aug. 18 and Aug. 22 in 100 Mile House, Williams Lake, Barkerville and Prince George. Tickets are on sale now for $15 each. Performances are at 100 Mile House on Aug. 18 at Martin Exeter Hall, Highway 97. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are available at the Cariboo Regional District office, Unit 3-170 Cedar Ave., District of 100 Mile House Office, 385 Birch Ave., and at Donex Screamin’ Reel, 145 Birch Ave. The Williams Lake show is on Aug. 19 in the Gibraltar Room,

Cariboo Memorial Complex, 524 Proctor St. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are available at Cariboo Regional District’s Williams Lake office, Suite D, 180 N Third Ave., and The Open Book, located at 247 Oliver St. The performance at Barkerville is on Aug. 20 at the Theatre Royal in the Barkerville Historic Town & Park. The doors open at 2:30 p.m., and the show starts at 1 p.m. Advance tickets are available at Barkerville Visitor’s reception centre and www.theatreroyal.ca. The tour concludes in Prince George on Aug. 22 at the Prince George Playhouse, 2833 Recreation Pl.

The doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are available at Studio 2880 Ticket Centre, 288015th Ave., and Books & Company, 1635 Third Ave. The series is part of the 2015/16 China-Canada Year of People-toPeople and Cultural Exchanges initiative between the Government of Canada and the People’s Republic of China launched in 2015. “The (Cariboo Regional District) is proud to be partnering with our municipal members in the Cariboo and our friends in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and the City of Prince George to host the Shaolin Martial Arts School performers from

China,” said Al Richmond, district chairpeson and Area G director. “This upcoming martial arts performance series will be a great cultural opportunity for the Central Interior and further strengthen our relations with China by facilitating cross-cultural learning and exchange.” Sponsors of the event include the Cariboo Regional District; Cultural Department of Henan Province, People’s Republic of China; District of 100 Mile House; City of Williams Lake; District of Wells; City of Prince George; Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and Barkerville Historic Town and Park along with support from the Central Interior Regional Arts Council.

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Zimmer raises concern about rifle magazine rules Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

rince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies MP Bob Zimmer is upset with the way he said the RCMP’s Canadian Firearms Program has rolled out a decision regarding a type of firearms magazine. In a statement, Zimmer said the decision has made the magazine for the Ruger 10/22 rifle prohibited and was done so without issuing a public bulletin. The decision makes “many law-abiding firearms owners unknowingly considered criminals,” he added. In a statement recently posted on the CFP’s website, the agency

confirmed magazines for the 10/22 platform that can be used in semiautomatic handguns as well as rifles are prohibited unless their capacity is limited to 10 rounds, a point Zimmer did not mention in his statement. The move follows on a bulletin originally issued in September 2013, which set out the status for magazines for centrefire rifles and handguns but failed to address magazines for rimfire firearms. In a revised version posted that same month, the bulletin says the 10-round limit also applies to magazines for rimfire guns and notes the omission made in the original. And it uses the Ruger BX25 magazine as an example, saying it can be used in the brand’s Charger handgun as well as its SR

Zimmer 22 rifle. The magazine can hold up to 25 rounds. “As a result, this magazine is a prohibited device unless modified so its capacity is 10 cartridges or

less,” the CFP says. Ruger’s BX-1 rotary magazine holds 10 rounds, according to the company’s website. The most-recent posting was put up to further explain the September 2013 bulletin. It includes an answer to the question: What magazines are prescribed as prohibited? “Magazines designed for 22 Long Rifle calibre 10/22 platform firearms that have not been altered, or “pinned,” so that they can hold more than 10 cartridges are prohibited devices.” Zimmer said many constituents have reached out to him after hearing of the change and he has sent a letter to RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson outlining his and their concerns.

Zimmer maintained the decision goes against Criminal Code regulations saying magazines for rimfire ammunition are not include in the restrictions. “I urge you to reverse this unfortunate decision which has done nothing to promote public safety, and has only created fear and uncertainty within the law-abiding firearms community,” Zimmer said in the letter to Paulson. Owners of the magazine have the option of complying with the regulation by pinning the magazine so it holds no more than 10 rounds. There is also an option of lawfully disposing of an overcapacity magazine for those who no longer want to possess one. For details, they’re asked to call the CFP at 1-800-731-4000.

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Westjet adds flight to P.G.-Vancouver route

W Citizen staff

estjet will soon be flying between Prince George and Vancouver five times a day during the work week. An additional flight each way will be added to the Monday-to-Friday service starting Sept. 19, beginning with a 6 a.m. departure from Vancouver, arriving in Prince George at 7:15 a.m. The plane will turn around and fly out of Prince George at 7:45 a.m., effectively creating a third morning flight down to Vancouver. Other than seeing the 10:45 a.m. flight

out of Prince George moved to 11:15 a.m., the other flights on the schedule remain unchanged beyond some minor adjustments. The 6:30 a.m. flight out of Prince George will remain in place. “Getting people to Prince George earlier in the day allows them to do a full day’s worth of business,” said Prince George Airport Authority CEO John Gibson in a statement issued Wednesday. “The early departure time out of YVR allows travellers to skip the morning rush hour on the roads in Vancouver, while the departure out of YXS at 7:45 a.m. is a prime time flight for Prince George residents destined to YVR and beyond.” The weekend schedule remains unchanged.

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RCMP officer sued for allegedly hitting boy with SUV Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

n RCMP officer is being taken to court over an allegation he struck a 10-year-old boy while driving through the Lake Babine Nation reserve near Burns Lake last year. According to a civil notice of claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court in Prince George, Aaron Vaaghn

Semmler was heading south along Sus Avenue in an RCMP SUV on July 28, 2015 when he struck the boy who was riding his bike east on Tsa Street. Semmler was on duty and had been “moving near or over a speed bump marked with the correct warning signs” when the collision allegedly occurred at the intersection of the two roads. The boy, whose name is included in the notice, suffered an injury to the occipital bone on the back

The notice says Semmler was negligent and was driving at an excessive speed... of his head, cuts and abrasions on his scalp and pain in his lower back and pelvic posterior. He will continue to suffer pain and loss of enjoyment of life and has incurred

special damages, according to the notice. The notice says Semmler was negligent and was driving at an excessive speed and had turned left without making sure he could do so safely. Semmler has not been charged under the Motor Vehicle Act or the Criminal Code, court records indicate. Negligence in civil cases is decided on a balance of probabilities while whether a person is guilty of a criminal charge is based on the

higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt. A litigant guardian with the same last name as the boy’s has filed the suit on his behalf. The B.C. Justice Minister – Suzanne Anton – is also named as a defendant because she is responsible for policing in the province, according to the notice. The defendants have not yet filed responses to the claim and the allegations have not yet been tested in court.

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Manning joins NHL’s millionaire club Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca

e’s not lighting any cigars with 20-dollar bills but Brandon Manning did get a substantial raise from his hockey employer. The 26-year-old defenceman from Prince George has signed a two-year contract worth $1.95 million US to resume his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers. The one-way deal will pay Manning $850,000 this season with a $100,000 signing bonus and an even $1 million for the 2017-18 season. He earned $625,000 playing for the Flyers as an NHL rookie last year.

Known as a dependable puckcarrier, strong skater and punishing bodychecker, Manning played 56 regular-season games in 2015-16, finishing with a goal and six assists, 66 penalty minutes and a plus-two rating. He also picked up an assist in six playoff games in the Flyers’ first-round loss to the Washington Capitals. “We kind of had a deal in place for one year and I definitely wanted the security of the second year,” said Manning. “When the Flyers were willing to make that happen for me it was a bit of a nobrainer to have that security going forward and to be two years back in Philly. “Being a free agent next summer, I probably could have had a

Manning few options if things go well but the fact Philly was willing to give me that second year shows a bit of confidence in me and I was very happy with that.” Manning and his agent, Manny

DeSousa of Edmonton, had an arbitration date set but it was canceled. The Flyers won’t have to go to arbitration with any of their players. “It was nice to have it done and not have to fly to Toronto,” Manning said. Manning drew top-six minutes with the Flyers last year in the playoffs and he’ll be battling for icetime next season on a blueline crew that includes Shane Gostisbehere, Nick Schultz, Michael Del Zotto, Radko Gudas, Mark Streit, Andrew MacDonald and rookie Ivan Provorov, the Brandon Wheat Kings’ star the Flyers picked in the first round in 2016. “I’m confident – we had eight guys last year and they made a move with MacDonald and sent

him down and this year there’s probably eight of us now with Provorov, whether he plays with us or goes back to junior,” said Manning. “I still have the same mindset I always have. I’m going in to make the team, I’m not being complacent and too confident in my position.” As for joining the millionaire’s club, Manning isn’t letting any of that go to his head now that he’s reached that milestone with his salary. “It’s definitely kind of surreal right now,” hew said. “Obviously, coming back to P.G. and spending my summers here I try to stay humble and I don’t think too much will change for me in that.”

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Citizen photo by James Doyle

Cyclists ride the lift to the top at Tabor Mountain Bike Park on July 16.

Tabor Mountain offering free bike park passes Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca

f you’re from northern B.C. and want to try out the Tabor Mountain Bike Park, here’s an offer you can’t refuse: free lift passes. Starting Aug. 13, Tabor Mountain is offering free passes to riders from surrounding communities in the north central interior. Just show your identification with a valid address and there will be no charge for the lifts to take your bike to the top of the mountain. Tabor reopened its bike park in July for the first time in 10 years and is using the summer season to gauge interest in having the park open permanently to mountain bikers and is looking for feedback from riders. The park currently has 12 trails to suit riders of all abilities. All riders must have helmets with chin straps and are required to have bikes with

at least 24-inch wheels equipped with disc brakes. Protective padding for legs, shoulders, torso and arms is also recommended. Riders must sign an insurance waiver each day they ride the park and those who are 18 years and younger must have a parent or guardian sign the form before they will be allowed on the lift. The out-of-town riders will be admitted free based on the following weekend schedules: •Aug. 20, Burns Lake. • Aug. 21. Quesnel. • Aug. 27, Vanderhoof and Fort St. James. • Aug. 28: Valemount, McBride and Jasper. • Sept. 3, Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Fort St. John and Mackenzie. • Sept. 4: Terrace and Prince Rupert. Free days for Williams Lake and Smithers were held on Aug. 13 and 14. Lift tickets are $35 for adults and $30 for riders 17 and younger. The lifts will be open on weekends through the summer from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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