Last Minute Gift Guide - Gateway to the North

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Your community voice for the north! Thursday, December 7, 2017

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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GATEWAYnews

WestJet bringing back Prince George-Calgary flight Arthur WILLIAMS Citizen staff awilliams@pgcitizen.ca

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estJet is reintroducing direct flights between Prince George and Calgary as part of a partnership to increase direct service between smaller markets and the airline’s hub at Calgary International Airport.

The new flights will be operated by WestJet Link, a partnership with Pacific Coastal Airlines. Pacific Coastal Airlines aircraft painted in WestJet colours will provide the service.

“We are very excited to have non-stop service between Prince George and Calgary

again with service provided by WestJet and Pacific Coastal Airlines, both Prince George Airport partners,” Prince George Airport Authority CEO John Gibson said in a press release. “Calgary is the number-one unserved market requested by the greater Prince George community.”

The once-daily service will begin on March 14, just over two years since WestJet cancelled its direct flights between the cities in March 2016. Central Mountain Air also previously offered direct flights to Calgary, but suspended the service in October 2015.

Prince George Airport Authority spokesperson Robin Smith said the service will provide travellers from Prince George more options when travelling.

— see CALGARY,page 5

GATEWAYnews

Calgary a sought-after travel destination — from page 3 “Currently the majority of our travellers are connecting in Vancouver (to other destinations),” Smith said.

Since direct service to Calgary was cancelled, the airport authority has received frequent public feedback that it was wanted, “and we passed that on the airlines,” Smith said.

Flights will be on 34-seat Saab 340B aircraft and will offer six WestJet Plus seats.

Special introductory rates were available for travel between March 14 and June 27, 2018.

Other communities connected through

Since direct service to Calgary was cancelled, the airport authority has received frequent public feedback that it was wanted, “and we passed that on the airlines,” Smith said. the WestJet Link partnership are Lethbridge, Lloydminster, Medicine Hat and Cranbrook.

News Tip? Call 250-562-2441

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GATEWAYnews

Permit required to cut your own Christmas tree Citizen staff

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ritish Columbians interested in cutting their own Christmas tree should obtain their permit online or contact their local forest district or FrontCounter BC office, the provincial government said this week.

Local forest district offices can provide details about specific cutting requirements and approved harvest areas.

Free use permits are provided for personal use only – selling a tree cut under a Christmas tree permit or cutting in an unauthorized area is illegal.

When cutting a Christmas tree, harvesters are asked keep the following tips in mind: • Leave home prepared. Bring ropes, gloves, tools, tire chains, a first aid kit, a mobile phone and warm clothing.

• Drive carefully. Be prepared for logging trucks: www.bcforestsafe.org/files/tk_pdfs/ gde_resrd.pdf.

• Make sure you have found the tree you will use before cutting to avoid wasting forest resources. Some permits specify only one tree can be cut.

• Choose a tree that can be cut near the base and is easy to transport. Wasted tree remains left in the forest form a summer fire hazard.

• Clean up and remove all debris associated with your activity.

The ministry’s Christmas Tree website, www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/xmastrees.htm, provides links to online Christmas tree permits, FrontCounter BC and district office contact information, and the B.C. Christmas Tree Council’s website containing a list of tree farms and “U-Cuts” around the province.

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GATEWAYnews

Feds, province sign deal to aid mountain caribou Citizen staff

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he federal and B.C. governments have developed a draft agreement to support recovery of the southern mountain caribou, starting

with herds in the B.C. Peace and down into the Rockies.

The agreement sets out short-, mediumand long term goals for reversing the decline of the population, known as the central group, according to a statement is-

as with stakeholders, to develop sciencesued in November. based approaches to recovering caribou Actions under the plan include range while continuing to support planning, habitat protecWe are economic development tion and restoration, as and job creation,” federal well as population managecommitted... environment and climate ment, including maternity to develop change minister Catherine penning and access control McKenna said in the stateto sensitive caribou habitat. science-based ment.

B.C. is also to establish a approaches to Once the final agreement fund to support the efforts. recovering caribou is in place, the intention is Following consultations to expand the agreement to with Indigenous communi- while continuing to other southern mountain ties and stakeholders, Otsupport economic caribou groups in B.C. tawa and Victoria expect to development and “Along with our Indigconclude their negotiations enous and federal partners, on the draft agreement over job creation. the next several months — Min. Catherine McKenna we will work closely with industry and other stakeand release a final agreeholders to effectively reverse the decline ment in spring 2018. in caribou...,” B.C. Environment Minister “We are committed to working with BritGeorge Heyman said in a press release. ish Columbia, Indigenous Peoples, as well

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GATEWAYnews CP file photo

Duncan Coutts, Steve Mazur, Jeremy Taggart and Raine Maida of the band Our Lady Peace pose for a photo in Toronto on March 28.

Our Lady Peace, Matthew Good playing PG. Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca

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fter 10 years of absence from CN Centre, two of Canada’s biggest bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s are coming back. Together.

The Matthew Good Band crushed the

charts with Hello Time Bomb, Apparitions, Symbolistic White Walls, Weapon, Load Me Up and more. The group earned themselves 14 Juno Award nominations and spun Good off into an acclaimed solo career that carried on to today.

He has gone back to the band configuration for this powered up tour. — see BANDS HAVE, page 11

GATEWAYnews

Bands have catalog of hits — from page 10 Headlining the night is none other than Our Lady Peace. They have sold millions, worldwide, and emerged as one of the definitive bands of that era, Canadian or otherwise. Their hit-list includes Naveed, Somewhere Out There, Whatever, Is Anybody Home?, One Man Army, Thief, Superman’s Dead, 4 a.m., and many others. They were applauded as consummate musicians, shone a bright light into the poetry community, and emphasized artistic collaborations.

The two acts have had heydays and hiatus periods, branched off into projects outside their regular spotlights, but have never ceased to pound out literate, thought-provoking, head-banging power rock. It’s no surprise to music critics that the two found themselves to be a fit for a modern day cross-Canada reminder tour.

Both acts will also ride a wave of new material that comes from equal parts brains

Good and guts.

Our Lady Peace and the Matthew Good Band will return to CN Centre on March 28.

Order tickets online at www.ticketsnorth. ca or charge by phone at 1-855-925-6027 or buy in person at the box office at CN Centre.

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GATEWAYnews

Nechako Watershed Roundtable seeking sustainable funding Arthur WILLIAMS Citizen staff awilliams@pgcitizen.ca

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he Nechako Watershed Roundtable is looking to regional municipalities to secure sustainable funding.

Outgoing roundtable coordinator Theresa Fresco and Fraser Basin Council senior manager Terry Robert appeared before the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board of directors on Nov. 16 to make a case for funding the program.

“We’re looking at around $200,000 per year. Really, our primary goal is to look at a 50-50 funding relationship (with) government and non-government (sources),” Rob-

ert said. “In essence, the local government funding source will be the steady, reliable funding that is used to leverage funds from away.”

The Nechako Watershed Roundtable was formed in October 2015 to coordinate the efforts of local governments, First Nations, non-profit groups, government agencies, researchers and other groups working on issues related to health and management of the Nechako River, Fresco said. In addition, the group acts as an information hub for studies and reports about the river system.

In 2015, the group prepared a report on the health of the Nechako watershed and in 2016 developed a watershed strategy, including 33 recommendations.

— see MUNICIPAL, page 15

GATEWAYnews

Municipal support sought — from page 14 “Over the last year we’ve been working to advance some of those 33 recommendations,” Fresco said.

However, because of a funding shortfall in 2016-17, the organization was forced to scale back its planned work, she said.

For the current year, the organization is seeking $1,700 each from 12 communities in the Nechako watershed, including Prince George and Regional District of Fraser-Fort George electoral areas A and C. The City of Prince George and both regional district electoral areas have already committed to provide the funding for this year.

Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall put forward a motion for the regional district staff to work with the Nechako Watershed Council on potential sustainable funding models.

“We’re a regional district. Whether you’re in the (Nechako) basin or not, this is a

There is a wealth of work that has been done up to this point, and I’d like to see it continue. There is a lot of partnerships coming out of this...

— Director Lara Beckett regional issue,” Hall said. “I think we need engagement with this group.”

Hall’s motion was supported unanimously.

“I’m generally supportive that we should look at ways to make it happen,” Area C Director Lara Beckett said. “There is a wealth of work that has been done up to this point, and I’d like to see it continue. There is a lot of partnerships coming out of this...”

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GATEWAYnews

Cat shot with pellet gun Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

N Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

Nicole Crandell holds her cat Biggie, who was shot with pellets.

icole Crandell was both elated and shocked when her cat Biggie was returned to her nearly three weeks after he had gone missing – elated that he was still alive and shocked that he was found with extensive injuries from being shot multiple times with a pellet gun.

Now she’s asking for the public’s help to track down the culprit.

“Obviously, we’re super, super happy to have him home but really saddened by the fact that he was pretty traumatized,” Crandell said. “Imagine going through that, getting shot at least four or five times, it’s just really saddening.”

Crandell lives in the College Heights area

of Prince George by a greenbelt so when four-year-old Biggie first went missing on Nov. 3, she thought a fox might have got him. But two-and-a-half weeks later, she got a call from a veterinarian who told her he had been found in Blackburn, about 15 kilometres away. The feline was traced back to Crandell through a tattoo in his ear.

The good news was countered by the fact more than five shots from a pellet gun were found in his head and cheek. Three of them remain following surgery to remove the shots.

She speculated Biggie was kidnapped from College Heights, taken out to Blackburn, shot point blank and then dumped and left to die.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Crandell.

She said a file has been opened with the SPCA.

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GATEWAYnews

Northern Health promoting flu shots Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff chinzmann@pgcitizen.ca

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ven though only between five and 10 per cent of the population will get influenza this year and the immunization is only about 60 per cent

effective in an average flu season, Northern Health representatives still think it’s a good idea to get the shot.

“To be 60 per cent less likely to get sick is still, I think, quite worthwhile,” Dr. Andrew Gray, Northern Health Northern Interior Health officer, said.

ed influenza vaccine and for those who are He said the vaccine may also diminish 65 and older and living in residential care symptoms if a person does get sick despite facilities it is also recommended to take the getting the shot. pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine.

The immunization is considered imporFlu clinics have already started within tant especially to protect those vulnerable the Northern Health Authority in Terrace people in the general population. It is and Prince George, and believed to be the best pharmacists and other protection against The immunization is medical professioninfluenza and the considered important als offer the service of complications that especially to protect those immunization as well, come with it kills about 1,400 people in vulnerable people in the Patricia Strim, regional nursing lead, public B.C. each year, Gray general population. health regional comsaid. municable diseases, There are two difsaid. ferent kinds of vaccinations but those do “Flu shots are available for free to a wide not protect against the stomach flu or the range of people who are either at high common cold, which are different illnesses risk of serious illness from influenza or to than influenza.

The most common vaccination is the inac- spread influenza to someone in a high risk tivated influenza vaccine, while others who group,” Strim said.

— see ‘THERE ARE THINGS, page 19 are more vulnerable need the live attenuat-

GATEWAYnews

‘There are things we can and should do to avoid the flu’ — from page 18 This means the flu shot is free to all children six months to five years of age, people 65 and older and adults, including pregnant women, and children with chronic health conditions and compromised immune systems.

The vaccine is also free for anyone who lives or works with a person at high risk to have problems with the flu and those who provide essential community services like firefighters, police officers and ambulance attendants, Strim added.

“There are things we can and should do to avoid the flu and to protect the people around you,” Strim said.

“Get your flu shot, practice frequent and proper hand hygiene, good cough etiquette,

Get your flu shot, practice frequent and proper hand hygiene, good cough etiquette, and stay home if you’re sick to help stop the spread of flu to others.

— Patricia Strim, regional nursing lead and stay home if you’re sick to help stop the spread of flu to others.”

To find out where to get your flu shot visit northernhealth.ca or HealthLinkBC or immunizebc.ca.

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GATEWAYnews

P.G. biathlete doesn’t make World Cup cut Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca

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egan Tandy’s hopes of starting the season on the World Cup biathlon team were dashed two weeks ago at the senior team trials in Can-

more. Her fourth-place results were the two best finishes in the trials for the 29-yearold Caledonia Nordic Ski Club member from Prince George. With just two World Cup spots open on Canada’s four-woman senior team, that wasn’t enough to cut it for Tandy.

alistic. I didn’t shoot amazingly and even if Her disappointing results interrupted a I had shot 100 per cent every race it would six-year run of starting her season racing have been really difficult with the best in the world with just two spots open.” on the World Cup tour.

Although her World Cup Instead, Tandy will join string has been snapped, Sarah Beaudry, a Prince that does not mean Tandy George born-and-bred biwon’t get to compete in athlete, on Canada’s fourher third-straight Olymfemale B-team to race the pics. She is still ranked IBU Cup circuit. third in Canada based “I had a decent training on her World Cup results year and left Germany from the second half of (where she lives) heading last season and assuming for trials feeling confident the current World Cup and thinking I was in the team members racing best shape of my life,” said Tandy from now until the end of Tandy. “But I caught a January don’t bump her out of a position cold that came with a persistent cough and by posting better results she will have an I arrived and felt crappy from the get-go.

Olympic team spot in the Games in FebruIt wasn’t quite game over but it was pretty close. I felt (considering how her illness im- ary in PyeongChang, South Korea.

— see ‘ALL I CAN DO, page 22 pacted her ski times) it was relatively unre-

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GATEWAYnews

‘All I can do now is relax’

News Tip? Call 250-562-2441

— from page 20 Tandy, who competed in the two most recent Olympics in Sochi and VancouverWhistler, spent nearly two weeks in Canmore preparing for trials. She’s now back home in Germany awaiting her first IBU Cup start.

“All I can do now is relax, get healthy, do good training and post results that prove I should be swapped out and earn the opportunity to be moved up,” Tandy said. “There’s no hard number, it’s a case of coaches’ discretion and they will try to

make realistic judgments based on shooting speed, shooting percentage, and ski speed.

Their intention right up until the Olympics, regardless of who is qualified, is to have the best four women at any moment racing World Cups. They are open-minded to swapping athletes.

“I’m assuming top-10 results on IBU Cup would put me in position to start that discussion,” she said.

Canada will send 10 biathletes to the Olympics (five women and five men). One of each gender will serve as an alternate.

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