Prince George Citizen February 8, 2019

Para Nordic prep

Plan shows room for six new tenants in mall

Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

Pine Centre Mall has made space for a half-dozen new tenants in the old Sears department store, a floor plan that is part of an application to city council to rezone a portion for a government-run recreational cannabis store. Along with pointing out a 400-squaremetre (4,309-square-foot) spot in the southeast corner where the Liquor Distribution Branch hopes to open up the shop, it marks out spaces for five other stores.

One measures about the same size as the proposed spot for what could be the city’s second B.C. Cannabis Store, both with outside entrances.

It also makes room for three 335-square-metre (3,600-square-foot) stores, plus one 1,280-square-metre

(13,780-square-foot) tenant in the southwest corner and capped with a 3,900-square-metre (42,000-squarefoot) tenant on the north end.

However, Pine Centre Mall marketing director Jessica Brown cautioned against reading too much into the image.

“Our team is working to get as many quality tenants into that area as possible, but we’re not releasing any names or any final floor plans until the leases have been signed,” Brown said.

The Sears at Pine Centre closed its doors in October 2017, creating a large void at one end of the mall.

In a February 2018 press release, mall owner Morguard said the string of Sears closures would put a damper on the viability of the country’s shopping centres over the short term but would be partially offset by a stream of new international entrants to Canada.

The company also said malls are being

“re-envisioned as investors and landlords turn to non-traditional tenants including medical, services, entertainment and government agencies as part of their transformation into community hubs.”

The Liquor Distribution Branch’s application remains subject to a public hearing and then final approval by city council.

Staff is recommending approval, saying it is about one kilometre from John McInnis and Peden Hill schools, and separated from Pine Centre by Pine Valley Golf Course and Ferry Avenue, and over 300 metres from Prince George Secondary School, and separated by Massey Drive and “a considerable change in topography.”

An application to rezone sites at 7250 and 7574 Willow Cale Rd. measuring 14.9 hectares (37 acres) for a cannabis production facility has also been advanced to the public hearing stage.

B.C. calls for action on overdoses

Dirk MEISSNER Citizen news service

VICTORIA — British Columbia’s mental health and addictions minister has joined health officials to call for a safer drug supply to fight the rising overdose death toll while urging the federal government to open a “courageous conversation” on decriminalization.

“They are not prepared to do that at this time but we’re pushing the limits within British Columbia,” Judy Darcy said Thursday after the BC Coroners Service reported 1,489 people overdosed last year.

The province is using “every available tool” to address the crisis but criminalizing people living with addiction has not worked, she said, adding some police forces are co-operating on projects that connect drug users to outreach teams to begin treatment instead of arresting them.

“We have some pilot projects that are happening in downtown Vancouver, where we are working to increase people’s access to safe prescription alternatives to a poisoned street supply,” she said.

“This is a poisoned drug supply that is killing people,” she said during a news conference in Surrey, B.C.

The coroners service said 1,486 people died in 2017 despite efforts to combat the province’s public health emergency.

Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, Dr. Evan Wood, of the BC Centre of Substance Use and Leslie McBain, who co-founded Moms Stop the Harm after her son died of a drug overdose, said that more must be done to fight the crisis.

“Substance use disorder is a health issue and forcing those attempting to manage their health issue to buy unpredictable and often toxic substances from unscrupulous profit-motivated traffickers is unacceptable,” Lapointe said at a joint news conference at the B.C. legislature.

Lapointe said the province must do things differently to save lives, adding the highly potent and addictive opioid fentanyl was detected in 86 per cent of the overdose deaths.

— see ‘ALMOST 1,500, page 3

HANDOUT IMAGE

This map shows the proposed location for a B.C. Cannabis Store in Pine Centre Mall.

Fireworks to mark Chinese New Year

Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca

The sky will ignite Saturday night with the cheerful thunder and colourful lightning of the Year of the Pig.

Each blast of fireworks over Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park will call out gong hei fat choy and gong xi fa cai to celebrate the lunar new year celebrated in China, one of B.C.’s oldest and richest international connections.

The Exploration Place is the annual headquarters for the Chinese New Year celebrations, with a sky-burst going off at 8 p.m. designed by the fireworks team at Starlight FX.

“They always go above and beyond for us, because Chinese New Year is so connected to fireworks and that’s what they do best,” said

Tracy Calogheros, CEO of The Exploration Place. It was in China that fireworks were invented in about the ninth century A.D. Bamboo stalks stuffed with gunpowder would be thrown into fires to give off entertaining blasts of colour, and the tradition is still alive and well around the world.

A party (almost sold out) will be going on inside The Exploration Place at the same time. One of their Way Late Play-Date events is set to coincide with the fireworks show.

Anyone with a ticket can enjoy the spectacle inside the city’s primary museum and science centre, and also take part in the evening’s affairs.

“We have a prohibition theme for this party,” said Calogheros.

“With the legalization of marijuana, that concept has been brought to the top of the

public’s mind, so we thought it would be fun to look back at the Roaring ’20s era. People love the fashion of that period, it was all about great suits and great dresses and great music.”

Participants will be “snuck” into Exploration Place as though it were an old after-hours speakeasy.

Once inside there will be prohibition-themed cocktails and a casino atmosphere with skillbased party games like darts, building card towers, giant Jenga, the use of the museum’s vintage pool table, and more. Participants for the party must be 19-plus to attend. Contact The Exploration Place for ticket inquiries.

All ages and walks of life are welcome to position themselves at the park (or anywhere with a view) to see the Chinese New Year’s fireworks, free of charge.

Celebration on tap for Chinese New Year

Citizen staff

The Chinese Benevolent Association will be celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year this Sunday.

The event will be held at the China Cup Buffet in Parkwood Mall, starting at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for members are $10 for adults and $7 for children. For non members, they’re $16 for adults and $10 for children. (Cash only). For more information, contact Vicki Larsen at vicki_ bluewater@hotmail.com or 250-565-7900.

The celebration marks the beginning of the Year of the Pig. The pig, which is the 12th position in the Chinese Zodiac, represents luck, romance and personality while also being diligent, compassionate and generous.

College of New Caledonia students are also hosting a celebration on Saturday at First Baptist Church, 5 p.m. start. However, as of Wednesday only a handful of tickets were left for the event. Those that are left can be purchased at the CNC students’ union office or the international education office and are $25 for adults and $15 for children.

Todd Whitcombe explains the science behind every day life in Relativity, every Thursday only in The Citizen

People watched the annual Chinese New Year fireworks at The Exploration Place on Feb. 17, 2018. The event returns on Saturday.

Canada facing labour shortage: BDC boss

Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca

Local businesses were warned of a labour shortage headed their way. It is already being felt across the country, said Michael Denham, president and CEO of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), and companies in this area were already taking steps to ease the effects.

Denham was speaking before a breakfast crowd of the region’s business leaders co-hosted by the local BDC branch and the Northern Regional Construction Association. The BDC is a federal Crown corporation focused on the financial needs of entrepreneurs, and a big part of that is research on behalf of business. Their latest studies showed a major hurdle hurting business from coast to coast to coast, and that was a labour shortage.

“The reasons are threefold,” Denham told The Citizen following the breakfast discussion. “One is the Canadian economy continues to grow. Second is we have an aging workforce and people are retiring. And thirdly there just aren’t enough people – Canadians and immigrants – entering the workforce. So as a result of this, we forecast Canada is going to have literally zero per cent increase in its working population over the next seven to 10 years.”

A lack of people to do a company’s work means that company has to cut back on what it can do, even if all other factors are in their favour. That will slow down the local economies of towns and communities across Canada. Larger companies might have a

chance to attract the workers they need, hot sectors can perhaps attract the workers needed, but eventually there will be no one to do the work of everyday Canada at the grassroots level.

“It’s not a cyclical thing. It’s a structural characteristic of Canada that we need to come to terms with,” Denham said.

He pointed to two Prince George examples of how a company at a local level can shield itself from the shortage of skilled workers.

One was the industrial business Wolftek headquartered in P.G. It

Council to mull four per cent tax hike

Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff

mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

City council will consider a fourper-cent increase to the property tax levy when a meeting to set the budget for 2019 is held on Monday.

The hike, if approved, will work out to $4.15 million and will raise the total levy to $103.7 million.

$1.95 million of the increase will be needed to maintain core services and contractual commitments, city finance director Kris Dalio said in a report to council.

Out of that, $1 million will cover the new Employers Health Tax, based on a rate of 1.95 per cent of the city’s payroll. The EHT was invoked by the provincial government to replace the Medical Services Premium.

A further $1.5 million will go towards snow control, raising that budget to $8.5 million while road rehabilitation will get a $650,000 boost and push that budget up to $5.65 million.

The hike to snow control comes after the cost of winter sand pickup, amounting to $1 million per year, was transferred from the road service category to more accurately account for the true cost of the service.

In 2018, when a massive dump of snow struck the city in February, the city spent $9.7 million on snow control, well above the $7 million allocated. As a result, the entire reserve for the function was emptied and a further $79,773 was taken from general service to cover the cost.

In addition to taking on the cost of winter sand pickup, the $1.5 million increase is also meant to account for the “rare capital expenditures that the snow control function faces,” Dalio says. And in answer to the volatility in the amount of snow that can fall on the city from one year to the next, staff is also hoping it will be enough to generate a reserve equal to 25 per cent of the service’s net expenses, or $2.125 million.

The $650,000 increase to road rehabilitation will go towards maintaining bridges, gravel roads and urban lanes. At $5.65 million, the budget still falls well below the $7 million staff recommended in 2011 following an analysis by the asset management division.

A remaining $50,000 will go into the general infrastructure reinvestment fund, raising it by two per cent to $2.55 million to keep pace with inflation.

On a percentage basis, four per cent will have been the largest increase seen in at least the last five years. Hikes of 2.5 per cent were approved in 2014 and 2015, followed by 3.21 in 2016, 3.19 in

On a percentage basis, four per cent will have been the largest increase seen in at least the last five years.

2017 and 1.87 in 2018.

For the average Prince George household, four per cent will amount to an $84.64 increase to the city’s portion of the property tax bill, hiking the total to $2,200.

The average assessed value for a home in Prince George was $278,509 in 2018.

As it stands, Prince George was in the middle of the pack in a comparison between nine B.C. cities of how much a typical homeowner paid last year.

Most expensive was Victoria at $2,795, followed by Maple Ridge at $2,358, then Kelowna at $2,136 and Kamloops at $2,121. At $2,116, Prince George was fifth, followed by Nanaimo at $2,081, then District of Langley at $2,050, then Saanich at $1,863 and Chilliwack at $1,803.

The meeting starts at 3:30 p.m. with a 15-minute public input session. A second input session is scheduled for 6 p.m.

The full agenda package is posted on the city website at princegeorge.ca. Click on City Hall, the Council Meetings and Agendas and scroll down.

specializes in mill supplies and construction, employing about 40 people.

Wolftek went to Ireland to recruit a machinist through the Immigrant Worker Program, as one solution, and invested in technology to automate areas of the business for which they could not find suitable employees.

The other example Denham found locally was Krell Wellness. Prioprietors Tina Krell and Mike Voltz implemented a set of in-house social programs to keep employees engaged. The retention

rate of existing employees went up to the point they haven’t lost any staff in the past two years, allowing them to now expand to a second location.

There are four key antidotes, Denham listed.

One is find employees within pockets of Canada’s demographics that are under-employed: calling retirees back into the workforce, unleash Aboriginal populations, draw in the immigrants who are on Canadian soil but not in gainful jobs, accommodate students on their school-focused schedules,

and reach out to the so-called disabled population.

“There are probably about a half-million Canadians,” available for recruitment in that manner, said Denham, plus the option of attracting immigrants from other countries directly to your operation.

Retention is another main strategy, as with Krell Wellness, whereby employers make the job so satisfying that employees don’t want to go elsewhere.

Thirdly, invest heavily in work processes, so workers and innovative tools are used to maximum effect, as was the Wolftek case.

“And the fourth strategy is to work as a community,” Denham said. “In Prince George, you are all in this together, and rather than try to solve this company by company, think about Prince George as a whole, finding sources of talent either within or from outside of Canada, and as a community find the machinists, the welders, the millwrights up here.”

It also speaks to community capacity, meaning the lifestyle, social characteristics, and cultural infrastructure that make a place welcoming to someone so they aren’t looking to leave their employment for outside opportunities.

Denham said this message is one the BDC is trying to amplify all across Canada, and if Prince George businesses feel themselves facing this challenge, or their bottom line is not responding as well as hoped, then call the local branch because one of the main services they offer, in addition to financing, is consultation. They have staff that can look your operation over and make recommendations.

‘Almost 1,500 people dying last year, is not good’

— from page 1

She said illicit overdose deaths claimed more lives in 2018 than deaths from motor vehicle accidents, homicides and suicides combined.

Henry said her office is working with the Health Ministry, the Mental Health and Addictions Ministry and the Justice Ministry to find ways to deal with the crisis.

She said she is looking to help supply people with safe drugs and working with law enforcement to steer people into treatment and away from the courts and jails.

“These are the people we need to support with regulated pharmaceutical-grade opioids to help them and meet them where they are so that they are able at some point to look at the possibility of recovery,” Henry said.

She said the “de facto decriminalization” of drugs can help people get rid of the shame and criminal stigma that prevents some from seeking treatment.

B.C.’s drug death numbers appear to be levelling off, but the crisis is far from over, Henry said.

“We need to find something

positive in all of the work that has been put into keeping people alive over the last few years,” she said.

“If anything, it tells us that measures we’re taking are helping out but they are not enough.”

The provincial health officer declared a public health emergency almost three years ago in B.C. as the number of drug overdoses and deaths rose.

The figures for 2018 show middle-aged men are over-represented in the death toll, with 80 per cent of the suspected fatalities involving males.

People aged 30 to 59 accounted for 71 per cent of the deaths.

Wood said there’s an urgent need to end the harms caused by prohibition.

“Its incumbent for all of us to keep the pressure on and not get complacent,” he said.

“Fentanyl, unfortunately, is something that’s not going away.”

McBain agreed that a stronger response is needed.

“Work has been done, but the numbers, almost 1,500 people dying last year, is not good.”

A task force involving mayors

from 13 cities including Vancouver pushed in 2017 for prescription heroin to be made available to people who have not responded to other forms of intervention. Vancouver has the only clinic in Canada providing prescription heroin but it accepts a limited number of patients.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said in December that creating a safer opioid supply was being reviewed and discussed with provinces and territories.

Officials in cities including Vancouver and Toronto have also called for decriminalization as the number of overdose deaths increases across the country. Canadian health-care experts have encouraged Ottawa to adopt Portugal’s approach to drug policy, which decriminalizes limited amounts of drugs for personal use, while offering education and social supports.

Data from a federal task force on opioid deaths said nearly 4,000 Canadians died as a result of overdoses in 2017, a 34 per cent increase from the previous year.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN

Michael Denham, president and CEO of Business Development Bank of Canada, was in Prince George on Thursday.

B.C. starts new reconciliation process with Wet’suwet’en

Citizen news service

VICTORIA — British Columbia says it’s starting a new reconciliation process with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs, who are at the centre of opposition to a natural gas pipeline in northern B.C.

The province says in a release Thursday that the government and the Office of the Wet’suwet’en are undertaking a process focused on Wet’suwet’en title, rights, laws and traditional governance throughout their territory.

The release says B.C. has appointed Victoria MP and lawyer Murray Rankin as its representative to help guide and design the process, adding that Rankin has an understanding of the Supreme Court’s historic Delgamuukw decision that helped define Indigenous title. It says the province and the Wet’suwet’en are committed to explore a path forward together that seeks to build trust over time and meaningfully advance reconciliation.

The Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs oppose Coastal GasLink’s plans to build a pipeline from northeastern B.C. to LNG Canada’s export terminal in Kitimat, and RCMP arrested 14 people at a blockade last month before reaching a deal with the chiefs.

The province says its commitment to lasting reconciliation is not connected to any specific project, and the new process will build on discussions that have been ongoing since Premier John Horgan and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Scott Fraser visited the territory in August.

“We all recognize that the path forward will involve challenges. It will take a willingness to innovate and take bold steps together,” the province says.

“This engagement is a historic opportunity to advance Wet’suwet’en self-determination and self-governance, and for the province and Wet’suwet’en Nation to establish a deeper relationship based on respect and recognition of rights.”

Governor says Washington will try to sway Trans Mountain decision

SEATTLE — Washington

Gov. Jay Inslee says his state shares concerns with British Columbia about the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and will continue to voice its objections any way it can.

Inslee made the comments at a joint news conference in Seattle on Thursday with B.C. Premier John Horgan, who is visiting the state to discuss partnerships on endangered killer whales, clean energy and high-speed rail.

Asked how Washington could influence the pipeline project, Inslee replied: “Every way that we can under Canadian law.

“We’ve done that so far by our Department of Ecology making a vigorous, robust statement of our concerns.

“I have exercised my rights as governor to speak publicly and vocally about our concerns about this project.”

His concerns include the increased risk of oil spills and the impact of increased vessel traffic and noise on endangered southern resident killer whales off the coast of B.C. and Washington, he said.

“This (project) does not move us toward a clean energy future,” Inslee added. “For both short and long-term reasons, the state of Washington stands with, I believe, the people of British Columbia expressing concerns about this project.”

The expansion would triple the capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline, which runs from near Edmonton to a waterfront terminal in Burnaby, B.C. Canada has purchased the pipeline and expansion project for $4.5 billion.

We’ve done that so far by our Department of Ecology making a vigorous, robust statement of our concerns. I have exercised my rights as governor to speak publicly and vocally about our concerns about this project.

— Washington Gov. Jay Inslee

The Federal Court of Appeal struck down the project’s approval last August in part because of the National Energy Board’s failure to consider marine shipping impacts. The government ordered the board to conduct a review of this issue and report back by Feb. 22.

Horgan has said that B.C. would use “every tool” in its toolbox to fight the pipeline expansion.

He would not explicitly say on Thursday what tools the province has left.

“I’m not answering that question directly in British Columbia, so I would be remiss if I did that today,” he said. “We do have tools available to us.”

The federal government has jurisdiction over inter-provincial pipelines, Horgan said, but the province has filed a reference case in the B.C. Court of Appeal to see

if it has jurisdiction to regulate the transport of oil through its territory.

“The challenge is that Alberta is landlocked and it has a resource that it believes it needs to get to market and they’re struggling with that,” he said. “I appreciate those challenges but my obligation is to protect the interests of British Columbia.”

He added the federal government is in a “difficult” position now that it has purchased the pipeline.

Trudeau has said the expansion is in the best interests of all Canadians and his government has committed $1.5 billion to an ocean protection plan that includes millions for research on B.C. killer whale populations.

Horgan also announced Thursday that B.C. will kick in another $300,000 to help fund a study of a potential high-speed transportation service linking B.C., Washington and Oregon, after contributing the same amount last year. He said he envisions high-speed rail running from Seattle to B.C.’s Lower Mainland, with a terminus in Surrey that would connect to public transportation infrastructure to take riders to Vancouver’s airport, the city’s downtown core and the Fraser Valley.

Inslee added that a preliminary review has shown the rail link could generate 1.8 million riders in the first few years and Washington has contributed over $3 million to the project.

“It’s based on an optimistic vision of the growth that we’re going to have in British Columbia and Washington,” he said.

“We are a world-class community across that border.”

B.C.’s public auto insurer heading for another billion-dollar loss

Citizen news service

VICTORIA — British Columbia’s attorney general says the financial situation with the province’s public auto insurance agency is critical and getting worse.

David Eby says the Insurance Corporation of B.C. lost $860 million for the first nine months of its fiscal year, $273 million higher than expected. He says that puts the Crown corporation on track for a year-end loss of $1.18 billion, compounding the blow of last

year’s $1.3 billion deficit.

Eby says a key reason for ICBC’s worsening financial crisis is the escalating costs of settling personal injuries claims, which have jumped by 43 per cent over five years, and almost half of each litigated settlement is legal expenses. Major reforms are kicking in on April 1 this year and are expected to save the public agency more than $1 billion a year, but Eby says recent financial results make it clear the government needs to do even more.

Eby says the government will have more details in the coming days on how it intends to respond to the escalating legal costs.

“Although ICBC’s financial challenges are significant, there should also be no doubt that ICBC remains a valuable public asset that provides important benefits for British Columbians,” he says in a news release.

“Our government’s job is to deliver affordable, high-quality auto insurance to British Columbians, and we will do so.”

Special warning to watch for treeline avalanches in B.C. backcountry

REVELSTOKE (CP) — Avalanche Canada has issued a special warning for backcountry users of British Columbia’s Interior mountain ranges through to the end of Sunday.

The warning covers the ranges from the North Rockies near Hudson’s Hope to the South Rockies on Canada’s border with the U.S., and includes the Cariboos, North and South Columbia, Glacier National Park, Purcells and the Lizard Range.

The forecasting agency says the trouble is a weak layer of snow at lower elevations, making the snowpack at the treeline more dangerous than in the alpine. The agency says it’s concerned the unusual situation may catch some users off guard and many close calls have been reported in the past few days.

Senior avalanche forecaster Grant Helgeson says it means that trees are not the safe haven they normally are and identifying avalanche terrain in the lower elevations can be difficult. The warning says people will need to be aware of smaller slopes, cutblocks, gullies and even just openings in the trees that are primed for human-triggered avalanches.

Laura KANE Citizen news service

CP PHOTO

British Columbia Premier John Horgan shakes hands with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee following a joint news conference on Thursday in Seattle.

Trudeau denies report his office pressured AG to help SNC-Lavalin

Jim BRONSKILL, Joan BRYDEN Citizen news service

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has denied a potentially incendiary allegation that his office told former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to help SNC-Lavalin avoid a criminal prosecution.

The Quebec engineering and construction giant has faced legal trouble over allegations it paid millions of dollars in bribes to get government business in Libya, which would be a crime under Canadian law.

As attorney general, Wilson-Raybould could have become involved in the case against the company by directing federal prosecutors to negotiate a “remediation agreement,” a way of holding an organization to account for wrongdoing without a formal finding of guilt.

The Globe and Mail newspaper reported Thursday that SNC-Lavalin repeatedly lobbied Trudeau’s aides for a deal and that his office leaned on Wilson-Raybould to make it happen.

The federal director of public prosecutions told SNC-Lavalin in October that negotiating a remediation agreement would be inappropriate in this particular case. Months later, Wilson-Raybould was moved to the veterans affairs post in a January cabinet shuffle, and Montrealer David Lametti took over as attorney general and justice minister.

During a visit to Vaughan, Ont., on Thursday, Trudeau said the allegations in the newspaper story “are false.”

“Neither the current nor the previous attorney general was ever directed by me or anyone in my office to take a decision in this matter,” he said.

Asked whether he or his office had applied any influence or pressure on the minister, Trudeau repeated they had never directed Wilson-Raybould or Lametti to intervene.

Neither Wilson-Raybould nor SNC-Lavalin has responded to questions from The Canadian Press about the story.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said the allegations suggest Trudeau demoted his attorney general for defying his orders, and he called on the prime minister to immediately reveal what he knew about the matter.

“Nothing short of full disclosure is acceptable. His carefully crafted and legally vetted answers today fall far short in this regard,” Scheer told reporters on Parliament Hill. “If he continues to fail to be transparent with Canadians, Conservatives will make every effort and explore every option to make

sure Justin Trudeau and his office are held accountable.”

A senior government official with direct knowledge of the matter said a lawyer did not draft Trudeau’s denial of impropriety, but noted Trudeau deliberately said the PMO did not direct the attorney general on the matter. The prime minister wanted to avoid leaving the impression that no one ever discussed the issue, given that SNCLavalin was heavily lobbying government officials, the source said.

At no point was there an attempt to influence Wilson-Raybould, added the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the file publicly.

In the extensive conversations with Lametti about his new job, the matter was never mentioned, the source added. During question period in the House of Commons, Lametti also denied engaging in discussions about SNC-Lavalin before his appointment.

Conservative and NDP members pressed the government for details of any conversations that may have taken place on the file in government circles, including between the Prime Minister’s Office and the attorney general’s office.

Conservative MP Mark Strahl baldly accused the government of firing WilsonRaybould for failing to follow orders.

Lametti repeatedly said the Prime Minister’s Office had not given directives to him or his predecessor on the matter, nor had he or Wilson-Raybould been pressed on the case.

Wilson-Raybould did not rise in the House to answer questions.

The attorney general can give the director of public prosecutions directives on general issues and on individual cases, provided the directives are in writing and published in the Canada Gazette, the federal register.

The fact that such directives must be done publicly would seem to constrain a justice minister from doing anything overtly political.

Analyst Yuri Lynk of Canaccord Genuity said the reputational damage of a looming corruption case could hurt SNC-Lavalin more than a ban on federal contract bidding for up to 10 years – one possible outcome of a conviction if the case heads to trial.

“In my mind, it’s worse just to have this hanging over the company’s head for another several years. It hurts their reputation,” he said. “Their competitors would always be reminding clients that you’re dealing with someone with outstanding charges against it in its own country.”

— With a file from Christopher Reynolds

CP PHOTO

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau address attendees at the Liberal fundraising event at the Delta Hotel in Toronto, Ont., on Thursday.

City should sell some buildings

Just like for local residents, the bills never stop coming in for the City of Prince George.

The latest big expense on the horizon is $79 million over the next 10 years for basic upkeep of civic facilities. City council received a detailed report this week of a comprehensive three-year review of 53 of the city’s 62 facilities. Currently, the city is spending about $2.2 million per year on facility maintenance but that is less than a third of the annual funds needed to do the job properly, engineering and public works general manager Dave Dyer told mayor and council.

More good news: that number doesn’t include the cost of taking on new facilities or of upgrading current buildings.

Just like local residents facing a huge bill to maintain stuff they own, one quick and long-term solution that will help decrease the size of the problem is to start selling. Most of the buildings the city owns have to stay in public hands, from the fire halls and the swimming pools to the arenas, the library, the art gallery and city hall itself. Yet there are several buildings in the city’s inventory that could be sold to both help pay for the upkeep of essential civic

The city owns the Kinsmen Community Centre. Considering both the Hart Community Centre and Columbus Community Centre are privately held, there seems little reason for this facility to be owned by local government.

facilities while also reducing that overall long-term maintenance bill.

The city owns the Via Rail building on First Avenue. While Tourism Prince George operates out of that building (and more than a few local residents would argue that’s not where it belongs), there doesn’t seem to be much of a reason for local government to own it, especially if annual upkeep costs are $150,000 per year or $1.5 million over the next 10 years. Not only would the city have that liability off the books, a private owner would be paying property taxes on the building, which would help offset Tourism Prince George’s costs to lease the space.

Best of all, the sale might put as much (or more) than $7.1 million into city coffers, which is what the assessment report found would be the cost to replace the building if it burned to the ground.

A few other buildings jump out as possibilities to put into the hands of private owners.

The city owns the Kinsmen Community Centre. Considering both the Hart Community Centre and Columbus Community Centre are privately held, there seems little reason for this facility to be owned by local government. If the building and property could be sold for anything near its replacement value of $6.4 million, that’s an easy win for the city.

How about the Seniors Activity Centre downtown and the Elder Citizens Rec Centre?

Again, the Hart Pioneer Centre isn’t owned by the city, so there’s nothing written in stone that says the city needs to own either of those buildings. With replacement values of $8.6 million (ECRA) and $7.7 million (SAC), there could be an opportunity

YOUR LETTERS

Panic button an option

Re: “Are we the next Cranbrook?” editorial, Feb. 6

I agree with Neil Godbout that the Cougars are on thin ice when it comes to staying in Prince George. Once a popular entertainment choice for P.G. folks, it no longer seems so. Many factors have contributed to the failing support of WHL hockey in P.G., such as a mediocre team, general lack of interest from millennials and other entertainment options. The fans are staying away, and, in the end, this will kill the team and if the Cougars “are not hitting the panic button yet,” perhaps they should be.

Having been a season ticket holder from Day 1, I was encouraged and delighted when a local ownership group came on the scene a few years ago. There was new energy and excitement in the building and within the team. The product on the ice improved and the fan base increased. The Cougars had a great run and were one of best junior hockey teams in the CHL. Unfortunately, they had a poor playoff run that year to the disappointment of fans and ownership I’m sure. Nevertheless, it was a great season with excellent entertainment at a reasonable price. Then the marketing kerfuffle!

Perhaps a new marketing strategy would help. Get rid of the “pay where you sit” theme.

We were told that the team was still not in a profitable situation. Fair enough but the strategy to raise ticket prices so dramatically and go to the new seat pricing format was not a good one in my opinion. I think most season ticket holders would have accepted a gradual raise in ticket prices (say 10 per cent per year) over a three-to five-year period to assist the team becoming profitable. Also, a significant number of season ticket holders were grey-hairs and this increase directly impacted them the most. Many season ticket holders, including myself, did not renew their season tickets the following season and now we see the reduction of 1,000 fans per game. I think the team has to accept some responsibility for their current predicament. Perhaps a new marketing strategy would help. Get rid of the “pay where you sit” theme. Just because it works in other WHL markets doesn’t mean it will work here. Go back to having reduced ticket rates for seniors and students. I wish the Cougars good luck and hope that they can

stay in Prince George but feel marketing changes need to be made. If the Cougars revisit their seating protocol and make some changes, I would consider renewing my season tickets. I agree that fans have to step up to show their commitment but so do the Cougars.

Stan Hyatt Prince George

Choked by our own ideals

I am not surprised by the unanimous decision city council set in moving forward on the pot issue. However, watching Mayor Lyn Hall reiterate the question of how much do we get from the feds in transfer payments, I can’t help but laugh out loud at this useless and backward attitude which has made P.G. miss some huge opportunities both before and immediately after legalization. We always seem to be choked by ideals saturated in small-town conservatism while feeding our egos on how international we are. Kudos to our ‘Johnny-comelately’ council. Now get out of that old-boy school sack and get up to speed. We are a university town. Make way for a product which has limitless applications where business is concerned.

D. Ouellette Prince George

LETTERS WELCOME: The Prince George Citizen welcomes letters to the editor from our readers. Submissions should be sent by email to: letters@pgcitizen.ca. No attachments, please. They can also be faxed to 250-960-2766, or mailed to 201-1777 Third Ave., Prince George, B.C. V2L 3G7. Maximum length is 750 words and writers are limited to one submission every week. We will edit letters only to ensure clarity, good taste, for legal reasons, and occasionally for length. Although we will not include your address and telephone number in the paper, we need both for verification purposes. Unsigned or handwritten letters will not be published. The Citizen is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact Neil Godbout (ngodbout@pgcitizen.ca or 250-960-2759).

SHAWN CORNELL DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

there, especially since the annual maintenance charges on those two buildings are estimated at $114,000 for the SAC and $172,000 for ECRA.

How about the SPCA building and property?

The Prince George Hospice Society operates out of leased, privately-owned space on First Avenue, so there’s no reason the SPCA couldn’t do the same. Yes, the SPCA works with the city to enforce the animal control bylaw but that doesn’t necessarily mean the city needs to own a building and land to house the SPCA.

Some might argue the city shouldn’t own the Connaught Youth Centre or the South Fort George Rec Centre, either. Others would say it’s time to cash in on the value of the property the Prince George Playhouse sits on.

Regardless, the point is that mayor and council need to give a hard look at the city’s building assets before exploring increased taxes, increased user fees and other options to pay that maintenance bill.

Reducing the size of that bill by reducing the number of buildings and properties owned by the City of Prince George would be the right place to start.

— Editor-in-chief Neil Godbout

Parties building files on us all

If you’re zealous about protecting the privacy of your personal political inclinations during provincial elections, the first thing you have to do is shut down your Facebook page.

Scrub all your other social media sites as well. And never sign a petition or answer the door during the campaign.

Actually, don’t bother. It’s already too late.

Information and privacy commissioner Michael McEvoy released a report Wednesday about how B.C.’s three biggest political parties handle personal information.

The above steps are the first things that come to mind after reading it. But they should all have been taken years ago to make any difference now.

Most people are familiar with the phenomenon of searching a particular topic on one platform – “blue suede shoes,” say – then instantly seeing ads for blue suede shoes on their other feeds.

It doesn’t happen by accident, of course. Corporations are constantly churning through your personal data; that’s their main revenue stream. B.C. political parties are getting into the game, as well, and the report says some of their practices skirt B.C.’s privacy law, if not evade it.

The report includes a compilation of information that the parties can glean from voters’ social media presence with minimal effort. They can get all the profile information – email, location, picture, biography. Greens also make note of whether an individual has liked, shared or commented on any of the party’s social media posts.

Greens and B.C. Liberals didn’t disclose volumes but the NDP revealed it captured data on 40,000 people from Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook during a one-time harvest in the past.

Parties are free to collect information when an individual contacts them via social media because the contact implies consent.

But using the data beyond the purpose of communication is likely outside the law. So if you like or share information about a party, that doesn’t give it consent to collect your personal information.

The NDP and the Liberals also try to infer new information from the data they have on hand. The report found that they attempt to predict individuals’ ethnicity, gender and age based solely on their name.

“The parties, either manually, or using software, compare an individual’s name to historically

IN THE FAST LEYNE

popular names to estimate their age. Gender and ethnicity are similarly inferred. It’s likely that this would go beyond the reasonable expectations of many British Columbians.”

While the parties are feeding off social media, they are also feeding information into the bigger platforms. All three of them have supplied personal data to Facebook so that corporation can target those voters with ads. Facebook also processes all names with similar characteristics into one package that it can offer parties as a target audience.

Parties are keen to identify voter preference, but even when you don’t volunteer it, they do their best to “score” it using available data.

They use point scales and databases to make guesses based on canvassers’ interactions or the number of visits to a party’s website or email subscriptions.

None of the parties ask explicitly for permission to make such guesses about your response to a question that you’ve already declined to answer.

McEvoy said: “None of the parties has to date provided my office with a satisfactory explanation of how such processing is in accord with (the law). I have significant concerns that it may not be.”

The office has not received any complaints about the practice but it’s likely only because the parties haven’t previously acknowledged it’s taking place. They also haven’t been transparent about what canvassers are up to while they are at your front door. It’s obvious they are asking for support of their candidate. It’s obvious that they want to ascertain your voting intention.

Voters give consent to that as soon as they start interacting. But canvassers for the NDP and the Liberals might also be noting your gender, ethnicity, language and religion, which are considered sensitive categories of information.

“It’s highly unlikely... that voters are consenting to this collection.”

The information and privacy office is going to keep tabs on such practices, with the view that political parties keeping people in the dark about the significant amounts of personal information they’re getting and using “is not sustainable legally or ethically.”

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LES LEYNE

Is he really dead?

Details emerging about young founder of QuadrigaCX

Michael MacDONALD Citizen news service

HALIFAX — A clearer picture is emerging of the young man at the centre of the mysterious demise of one of Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.

Gerald Cotten, a Nova Scotia resident originally from Ontario, was 30 years old when he died suddenly while travelling in India on Dec. 9 – leaving his virtual company, QuadrigaCX, without access to $180 million in Bitcoins and other digital assets.

His widow, Jennifer Robertson, has said in court documents Cotten was the only person with access to his laptop, thought to contain the digital keys to the socalled cold wallets containing the missing cryptocurrency.

The circumstances surrounding Cotten’s death – and the way he conducted his business from the couple’s home in Fall River, N.S. – has led to a flurry of speculation and allegations in internet chat rooms, with some former QuadrigaCX users coming forward to raise questions about the $250 million in cash and cryptocurrency owed to 115,000 of them.

Cotten signed his will on Nov. 27, 2018 – less than two weeks before he died at a private hospital in Jaipur, the capital and largest city in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.

In an application to probate the will, filed on Dec. 21, 2018, Robertson confirmed that the gross value of Cotten’s personal property – all of which was left to her – was $9.6 million. She was granted the right to administer his estate as executor on Jan. 2.

The will specifically states that Robertson was authorized to access his digital assets and “obtain, access, modify, delete and control (his) passwords and other electronic credentials.”

Robertson, in an affidavit filed Jan. 31, said she was not involved in the business, and she insisted Cotten – as QuadrigaCX’s CEO and sole director – was the only person with access to the private digital keys.

The will includes a few details

Interested parties attend Nova Scotia Supreme Court on Feb. 5 in Halifax as Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchange seeks creditor protection in the wake of the sudden death of its founder and chief executive in December, and missing cryptocurrency worth roughly $190-million.

about Cotten’s assets, but those items are limited to a section dealing with property that would have been bequeathed to friends and relatives should Robertson die within 30 days of his death.

The list includes: a large home in Kelowna; a property on Nova Scotia’s western shore; an undeveloped property in Fall River, N.S.; a 2017 Lexus; an “airplane;” a 2015 Mini Cooper and a 50-foot Jeanneau 51 sailboat.

There was also a plan in place to provide $100,000 to Cotten’s in-laws to help them cover the costs of caring for the couple’s pet Chihuahuas, Nitro and Gully.

Court documents attached to the will include a statement of death from the J.A. Snow Funeral Home in Halifax, dated Dec. 12, which says Cotten died in Jaipur on Dec. 9. The cause of death is not listed.

In her affidavit, Robertson says she has been subjected to online threats, slanderous comments and speculation about Cotten’s death, “including whether he is

really dead.” Robertson said Cotten was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 24, about a year after he co-founded QuadrigaCX with his partner Mike Patryn.

She said Cotten died from complications linked to the disease, which disrupts digestion by causing inflammation of the bowels.

Fortis Escorts hospital in Jaipur issued a statement Thursday confirming that Cotten was admitted on Dec. 8, 2018, at

When losing means winning

Ihave been called a loser more than once.

Oftentimes it’s by my kids who don’t like some stupid joke I just played on them but admittedly I have made a bucket load of mistakes in my time and have lost everything from money, to employees, to elections, to friends. I have even lost the trail in the bush a few times. I lost twice this week – at least the basketball team I coach did –in our quest to be the best junior A girls team possible. Going into the tournament we had a perfect record of 17 wins and 0 losses. However, the teams we played were older, bigger and faster, and the losses humbled us. Still, the defeats we suffered were invaluable to our squad in our quest to be the best we can be. Losing hurts, and if you are like me, you probably don’t typically like losing, but it is a part of our lives and our businesses.

If it hurts so badly, how can losing be valuable?

My biggest financial loss takes me back to 1998 when my partners and I opened up a new business. As the operating partner,

BUSINESS COACH

it was my responsibility to see that the business made money and was successful. This didn’t happen. In fact, the business lost hundreds of thousands of dollars over the first three years before I was able to turn it around and run it profitably until 2017 when I sold out.

Yes, I could blame others, the economy, location and a whole litany of other things but ultimately I had to face the fact that I made some bad decisions and poor choices. As a leader, I took my company down a difficult path that was painful for people in the company and my family.

Ask me if I would do it again and the answer would be a resounding yes. That loss and those difficult years taught me so many things that enriched my life. Here is what I found valuable in losing:

• Clarity: when we lose something, we start to understand

what is important. We see clearer what we value and those things that are significant to us. Having a big financial loss might give us clarity that family and friendships are important, that preparation and planning make a difference, that there is so much more to life than money.

• Resilience: when we suffer a loss, we start to realize how strong we can be. We start to think differently and figure out ways to get out of a tough spot. In turning around a basketball game or a business, we need to be tough and fight for what we want. Losing teaches us that we can come back.

• Learning: I have learned more through my losses than I ever have through my wins. The reason that learning is such a great benefit of losing is that we often spend more time dwelling on the reasons for our loss. Whether we have lost a love, or an investment, the impression is probably burned into our brain as something we don’t want to feel again. Learning from our mistakes is what drives us to be better.

• Humility: I don’t have all the answers and I am more likely to

9:45 p.m. and died from a cardiac arrest at 7:26 p.m. the next night, according to CoinDesk, an online publication that tracks the cryptocurrency industry.

Cotten was in septic shock when he was admitted and suffered two cardiac arrests before he died, CoinDesk reported.

Meanwhile, industry critics have come forward to say the QuadrigaCX debacle has proven to be a major embarrassment for Canada’s cryptocurrency industry, which includes more than a dozen exchanges across the country.

Some industry insiders have said provincial and federal officials should move quickly to do something about a business that is largely unregulated and has no independent oversight.

The Canadian Securities Administrators, an umbrella organization representing provincial securities regulators, issued a statement Thursday urging Canadians to be cautious when buying crypto-assets through trading platforms.

listen to those who might when I get into a tough spot. Losing is truly humbling and through that humility not only do we gain knowledge but we gain friendships.

My team did lose this weekend and I suspect we might lose a few more times before the end of the season. However, the losses we suffered actually encouraged our team to fight harder and to believe in ourselves more. Not only did my basketball team learn from the experience, it bonded them together.

Having a strong team that has been fortified by going through tough experiences enables you to be able to face challenges that you might not have been able to before. Whether it is in our personal lives, business or sports, losing can change us forever in a positive manner.

However, if we fear failure, we rarely take the risks that give us those chances to grow as a company or as a person.

Dave Fuller, MBA, is an awardwinning certified professional business coach and the author of the book Profit Yourself Healthy. Email dave@profityourselfhealthy.com.

China trade deal negotiations. Anxieties were heightened after the European Commission slashed its growth outlook for the euro zone to 1.3 per cent this year from 1.9 per cent in 2018, said Kash Pashootan, CEO and chief investment officer at First Avenue Investment Counsel Inc. Additionally, investor optimism about a Chinese trade deal evaporated when White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the world’s two largest economies were far away from striking a deal.

Reports also suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump was unlikely to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping before the March 1 deadline when the administration has threatened to raise tariffs to 25 per cent on US$200 billion worth of Chinese goods. Pashootan says markets could continue to fall in the coming sessions but he doesn’t believe it will match the deep sell off at the end of 2018.

Concerns about a global economic slowdown pushed crude oil prices down and caused Canada’s main stock index to reverse Wednesday’s gains. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 8.95 points to 15,703.36, after hitting an intraday low of 15,588.66.

The influential energy sector led the fall, losing 2.35 per cent as the March crude contract was down US$1.37 at US$52.64 per barrel.

Crius Energy Trust was one of the biggest movers of the day, losing $2.02, or 36.86 per cent, to $7.50 on heavy trading. Canadian Natural Resources, Suncor Energy Inc., Imperial Oil, Enbridge Inc. and TransCanada Corp. all fell. Several Canadian banks saw their shares decline to offset the 3.3 per cent gain by Great-West Lifeco Inc. in the financials sector.

The health-care sector rose 1.5 per cent as cannabis producer Aurora Cannabis Inc. was up 3.21 per cent, while Aphria Inc. was down about one per cent.

The April gold contract was down 20 cents at US$1,314.20 an ounce.

The Canadian dollar fell to a twoweek low by trading at an average of 75.27 cents US, compared with an average of 75.82 cents US on Wednesday. American markets fared worse than the TSX with the Dow Jones industrial average losing 220.77 points at 25,169.53.

CP PHOTO

COTTEN

RAPTORS TRADE FOR GASOL, BEAT HAWKS

Page 10

Slumping Cougars fire Matvichuk

GM Mark Lamb to take over as head coach on interim basis

Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca

Caught in the grip of an 11-game losing streak that’s sunk the team into last place in the WHL’s Western Conference, the Prince George Cougars have fired head coach Richard Matvichuk.

General manager Mark Lamb has assumed Matvichuk’s duties as the team’s interim head coach,with director of player development Nick Drazenovic moving behind the bench as an assistant to Lamb and associate coach Steve O’Rourke.

Matvichuk learned of the Cougars’ decision to fire him Wednesday night at CN Centre, after the Cougars lost their 11th-straight game, 4-3 in overtime to the Vancouver Giants. Lamb admitted the losing streak is what triggered Matvichuk’s dismissal but regardless of the team’s current standing it became apparent Matvichuk would not be returning for a fourth season behind the Cougars’ bench.

“This has been ongoing for a while – I think it was inevitable that something was going to happen last night, win or lose,” said Lamb. “At the start of the year we talked about a lot of development and getting better all the time and we seemed to be stagnant and just kind of not getting better.

“It’s a lengthy streak and it’s hard on everybody – the coaches, the owners, office staff, everybody. It’s not a fun time and you just can’t keep it going. You have to do something to make it change.”

Matvichuk’s three-year contract was due to expire this summer but Lamb said that did not play a role in his decision.

“Whether he had one year or two years left was irrelevant on how we were thinking.”

The Cougars’ offensively rank as the worst team in the WHL, scoring an average 2.17 goals per game. Throughout their 11-game slump they scored two goals

or fewer in every game except Wednesday when they managed three against the Giants.

Lamb realizes making playoffs is a longshot but there is enough time to instill different work habits and game strategies in his players he thinks will make the team successful in the long term.

“We have 16 games left and we’ve got to change some stuff and hopefully make everything positive,” said Lamb. “We need to get better and play a more consistent game that’s going to be more conducive to winning hockey games, it’s not about just scoring goals. It’s hard to score goals in this league and it’s hard to defend and we made way too many mistakes.

“You’ve got to be real smart defensively and you’ve got to be real aggressive offensively and when you put it all together it just wasn’t getting done. I met with the guys (Thursday) and we’re going to change practice habits and change how we think. We’ll certainly take

a run at playoffs but a lot of things have got to come into play. We have to change our attitude and how we do things around here to start winning some games.”

Matvichuk was hired in June 2016 as the Cougars’ 12th head coach and in 2 1/2 seasons at the helm he led the Cougars to an 85-89-12-10 record. A Stanley Cup-winning defenceman with the Dallas Stars in 1999, Matvichuk played 14 NHL seasons with Min-

Kings want to catch Chiefs

Ted CLARKE Citizen staff

Having clinched home ice for the first round of the BCHL playoffs, it’s all about the standings for the Prince George Spruce Kings and going for No. 1. With eight games left in the regular season, the Kings (3212-1-5) are seven points behind the Mainland Division-leading Chilliwack Chiefs (38-12-1-0) for first-overall in the league and home-ice advantage for the duration of the playoffs. The Chiefs have seven games left and three of them are against Prince George. That makes this weekend’s three-game road trip for the Kings of vital importance if they hope to catch up to Chilliwack. They’ll play tonight in Coquitlam, Saturday night in Langley and Sunday afternoon in Surrey.

ues to be the stingiest club in the league.

Goalie Logan Neaton set a team record with his 27th win Monday in Langley and his 1.93 goals-against average is tops in the BCHL. Through 50 games the Spruce Kings have allowed just 107 goals. Next closest are the Penticton Vees, who have given up 125 goals.

The Spruce Kings have yet to sweep a three-game weekend road trip this season and head coach Adam Maglio says this would be an ideal time to make it happen.

“We want to take the division title so we need to keep winning games,” said Maglio, whose team has won five straight. “Chilliwack is (seven points) up but we have them three times so we can control our own destiny if we keep winning. These are big building games going into playoffs and we have to build a bit of a road game going into playoffs. We need to get a clean sweep here.” Maglio likes the fact his team contin-

The blueline continues to be the backbone of the team and Maglio says 17-year-old Layton Ahac has raised his game a notch since he was chosen the most outstanding player for Team West in the CJHL Top Prospects Game a couple weeks ago in Okotoks, Alta.

“The Top Prospects game was huge for Layton and being the MVP, you’re going to get confidence from that,” said Maglio. “He deserved that and he has some swagger from that for sure. The Prospects game is bumping him up the ranks (of potential NHL draft picks).”

The top scoring line of Patrick CozziDustin Manz-Ben Brar continues to produce points and the addition of centre Lucas Vanroboys in a trade from Cowichan Valley has added key depth to the forward lines, playing with Tyler Schleppe and Corey Cunningham.

“He helps us up the middle with strength and he possesses the puck well and he has good hockey sense and good vision around the net,” said Maglio. Kings forward Nolan Welsh remains out with a concussion.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Darnell Nurse gave reeling Edmonton an early boost by scoring 2:15 into the first period, and the Oilers halted a six-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory Thursday night over Minnesota that sent the Wild to its fourth straight loss. Ty Rattie, Leon Draisaitl and Zack Kassian also scored, Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had two assists, and Cam Talbot made 35 saves for the Oilers, who were just 5-13-2 in their previous 20 games.

nesota, Dallas and New Jersey. He came to the Cougars after four successful years as a minor pro coach, coming off a season in which he was ECHL coach of the year with the Missouri Mavericks.

In his first season in Prince George he guided the Cats to their first-ever division crown and a 4521-3-3 record which established franchise records for wins (45) and points (96). But the team underachieved in the playoffs, losing in the first round in six games to the Portland Winterhawks.

Last season, with the team toiling in mediocrity at midseason, the Cougars unloaded their veteran assets at the trade deadline and they finished in the B.C. Division cellar and last in the Western Conference with a 24-385-5 record. They currently rank last in the division with a 16-30-42 record and are last in the West, eight points out of a playoff spot.

“First of all, I’m very proud of what we’ve done here in P.G. –we’ve put a banner in the (rafters)

At the start of the year we talked about a lot of development and getting better all the time and we seemed to be stagnant and just kind of not getting better.

— Mark Lamb

for the first time in 25 years, the best winning record this organization has ever had and we’re very excited for that as a family,” said Matvichuk. “My wife, kids, people I’ve talked to in the community the last 12 hours have said how proud they are of what we’ve done.” Matvichuk said he did not expect Wednesday’s firing, which came a day after he celebrated his 46th birthday.

“I’m a proud guy and when I took the job three years ago, you do whatever you have to do to make things right and that’s what I did – the hours of time you spend to make these kids develop, and that’s the difference from pro was how much more time you have to spend with these young men,” said Matvichuk.

“I want all these boys to succeed, if it’s CIS, the American League or the National League, it was my job to develop them and I can hold my head up and say I did the best I could.

“The double-edged sword was the texts and phone calls I got from these kids last night, it made it real special, knowing I did my job. It’s always easier to replace one guy than 20. We know where we were at as an organization, it was a rebuild deal and obviously management didn’t feel things were set.” Matvichuk will always look back on the 2016-17 season as one of the highlights of his hockey career. Once the team jettisoned its veterans from that team for future assets he fully expected wins would be hard to come by. As badly as the Cougars have performed offensively, their much-maligned power play had goals in each of the past five games and their penalty-killing now ranks seventh in the league.

— see ‘I’VE GOT, page 10

UNBC drops playoff game against Cascades

Ted CLARKE Citizen staff

For two quarters, the UNBC Timberwolves stemmed the flow of the Fraser Valley Cascades on the U Sports Canada West men’s basketball court Thursday in Abbotsford.

Leading by 12, the T-wolves were in position to pull off the first upset of the Canada West playoffs. But their work in the suddendeath game was only half-complete and unfortunately for the T-wolves, the second half was a killer.

The Cascades outscored them 23-10 in the third quarter and 18-11 in the final frame on the way to a 67-59 victory which ended the T-wolves’ season.

Trailing 40-29 to start the second half, the Cascades defence came up with a series of timely stops which triggered a 16-0 run that whittled the lead down to just one point late in the third quarter. A layup and a foul shot completed a three-point play for Vick Toor which gave the Cascades a 44-43 lead with 1:28 left in the quarter and they continued to strike. Sukhman Sandhu, with a three, and Parm Bains hit key shots down the stretch and Fraser Valley led 49-48 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, UNBC shooters continued to struggle, missing field goals and layup attempts and going cold at the foul line. Sandhu was a physical force underneath the basket and his relentless presence disrupted the T-wolves’ attack, forcing them to miss passes or cough up the ball. Sandhu sunk two clutch threes in the dying minutes to extend the Cascades’ lead.

“We played pretty well in the first half and executed the game plan and got ourselves into a good position and in the second half Fraser Valley amped up their defensive intensity for sure,” said UNBC head coach Todd Jordan. “We had a number of offensive possessions but we just struggled and kind of got undisciplined for a stretch and lost momentum. Their length and size in the second half gave us some problems and they funneled us into their bigs down low

and got into some tough areas where it was tough to finish and we ended up taking a lot of tough, low-percentage shots and that’s what stuck the knife in our chests.”

Sandhu finished with a game-high 18 points. Parm Bains collected 16 points and Andrew Morris picked up 10. Navjot Bains, a former T-wolf, scored six points and had nine rebounds for Fraser Valley.

Backed by some deadly shooting from Tyrell Laing, who went 3-for-3 from threepoint range, the first half the T-wolves shot 48.4 per cent from the field (15-for-31) and led 38-26 heading into the intermission. UNBC guard Jovan Leamy had 11 points in the first half, while Laing put up nine, and James Agyeman and Vova Pluzhnikov each hit for six points in the opening half.

UNBC led 17-10 after the first quarter.

In his final U Sports game as a senior guard, Leamy finished with 15 points and had eight rebounds. The Canada West steals leader added four more to his total in Thursday’s playoff game. Laing collected 13 points, hitting four triples, and Pluzhnikov shot for 12 points. UNBC forward Vaggelis Loukas, in his final university game, totaled 12 rebounds and four points.

The T-wolves (9-11) finished 11th in Canada West, while the Cascades (13-7) were the fifth seed in the conference. The T-wolves were trying to replicate their showing in the 2018 playoffs and advance to the second round for the second time in the team’s seven-year Canada West history. Fraser Valley now advances to a best-ofthree quarterfinal against the third-ranked UBC Thunderbirds (17-3), which starts next Thursday in Vancouver.

Meanwhile, in Canada West women’s basketball action tonight in Langley, the ninth-ranked Timberwolves (11-9) will take on the eighth-ranked Trinity Western University Spartans in a sudden-death playoff. The T-wolves women were in the stands in Abbotford cheering on the UNBC men Thursday night.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

Richard Matvichuk, now the former head coach of the Prince George Cougars, is shown during a practice at CN Centre on Sept. 1, 2016. He was hired in June of that year to replace Mark Holick.

Canucks lose in overtime

CHICAGO (AP) — Jonathan

Toews scored 3:21 into overtime to lift the Chicago Blackhawks over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on Thursday night for their season-high sixth straight win.

Alex DeBrincat scored twice before Toews ended it with his 24th goal to cap a flashy individual effort. Chicago’s captain skated in from the blueline, slipped past Christopher Tanev with a quick move and snapped a shot past goalie Jacob Markstrom.

Vancouver rookie Elias Pettersson scored a power-play goal with Markstrom pulled for an extra attacker to tie it with 1:52 left.

Brandon Saad also scored and Dylan Strome had three assists for the Blackhawks, who have climbed back into the crowded fray for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Alex Biega and Josh Leivo scored for the Canucks.

Delia made 40 saves. Markstrom blocked 31 shots in his sixth straight start. The Blackhawks went 2-for-5 on the power play. Chicago has scored with the man advantage in 15 of 17 games and converted 23 of 57 chances during the stretch.

DeBrincat has 28 goals, matching his total last season as rookie, and 10 goals in his last 12 games.

Markstrom slouched to the ice after blocking a high shot by Toews with just over five minutes left in the first period but stayed in the game after skating to the bench during a timeout and getting treatment.

DeBrincat and Saad scored power-play goals 59 seconds apart late in the first to give Chicago a 2-0 lead.

DeBrincat opened the scoring during a 5-on-3 advantage with 2:01 left in the first. He beat Markstrom with a one-timer from

the left side after taking Strome’s cross-ice feed.

Saad made it 2-0 from the crease when he converted a rebound of Brent Seabrook’s shot from the point.

The Canucks bounced back to tie it 2-2 early in the second on goals 2:21 apart by Biega and Leivo.

Biega cut it to 2-1 at 2:20 of the period on a high shot from the blue line as Pettersson cut across the crease to distract Delia. Leivo then beat Delia on the glove side with a rising shot into the upper corner of the net from the left circle.

DeBrincat’s second goal, with 5:59 left in the second restored Chicago’s lead at 3-2.

Connor Murphy held in a loose puck at the blueline and swept a backhand pass down to Strome at the right side of the net. Strome fed a cross-ice pass to DeBrincat, who whipped in a one-timer from the left circle.

New-look Raptors top Hawks

ATLANTA (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have a new big man coming to help their push for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

In the meantime, the Raptors won by playing small.

Pascal Siakam scored a careerhigh 33 points, Fred VanVleet added a career-best 30 and the Raptors rallied after trailing by 17 points in the first half to beat the Atlanta Hawks 119-101 on Thursday night.

Toronto, which pulled within 1 1/2 games of Eastern Conference leader Milwaukee, acquired centre Marc Gasol from Memphis before Thursday’s trade deadline for Jonas Valanciunas, C.J. Miles and Delon Wright, and a 2024 second-round draft pick. The team should learn today when to expect Gasol’s arrival.

“There are a lot of positives that come with a guy like Gasol and I think most of them come with being battle-tested,” said Raptors coach Nick Nurse. “He’s got a hell of a career under his belt.”

The Raptors were short-handed after trading four players in two deals. Toronto also traded centre Greg Monroe to the Nets for cash considerations.

Toronto used only nine players and relied heavily on Siakam, who also had 13 rebounds, and VanVleet with All-Star Kawhi Leonard resting.

Rookie Trae Young and Taurean Price each had 19 points for Atlanta.

Atlanta led 66-49 in the second quarter. “I give them credit, man, they came out guns a blazing,” Nurse said of the Hawks.

After their big deficit, the Raptors used an 11-0 run to launch their comeback. Danny Green, who had 12 points, sank three free throws to cap the run.

Toronto kept the momentum in the third quarter and led 88-85 entering the final period. The Raptors opened the fourth quarter with a 13-3 run to extend the lead in their third straight win.

The Hawks scored 68 points in the first half and only 33 after halftime.

“We thought it was going to come easy for us in the second half and it didn’t,” said Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, who added, “Finish has been a key word for

Pelicans keep Davis

Citizen news service

NEW ORLEANS — After Anthony Davis found out he wouldn’t be traded this season, the six-time All-Star learned the New Orleans Pelicans will let him suit up for the remainder of the season. While Davis had stated publicly that he’s ready to move on from New Orleans, he also had said he was prepared to play for the Pelicans as long as he remained under contract with them.

“Ultimately, Anthony made it clear to us that he wants to play and he gives our team the best opportunity to win games. Moreover, the Pelicans want to preserve the integrity of the game

and align our organization with NBA policies,” the Pelicans said in a statement Thursday night. “We believe Anthony playing upholds the values that are in the best interest of the NBA and its fans.

“We look forward to seeing Anthony in a Pelicans uniform again soon.”

The Pelicans initially appeared inclined to move on without Davis and focus on the players who might help them going forward. Davis’ image has been removed from the team’s promotional materials, the club’s official website and even a team hype video that plays before home games on the Smoothie King Center’s expansive scoreboard screens hanging

us all year. ... I thought we were complacent.”

Kyle Lowry had 13 points while making only 3 of 13 shots from the field. He had 13 assists.

Tip-ins

Raptors: Leonard was held out with a sore left knee. ... Siakam scored 17 points in the second quarter. ... Siakam had 30 points at Milwaukee on Jan. 5. VanVleet’s previous high was 25 points.

Hawks: John Collins had 12 points and 12 rebounds. ... With his sixth point, Vince Carter tied Jerry West for 21st on the NBA’s career scoring list (25,192). Carter finished with nine points. ... The Hawks were forced to waive G Daniel Hamilton, who had averaged 3.0 points in 19 games, to accommodate the trades. ... Atlanta’s modest two-game winning streak ended.

Welcome to Toronto

Lowry said he was sorry to see the exits of four teammates but was eager to have Gasol join the team. He said he exchanged texts with Gasol after the trade.

“Marc’s a hell of a basketball player,” Lowry said. “It’s going to be very cool. He knows he’s going to a good opportunity.”

above the court.

But benching a healthy player could potentially infringe on NBA rules designed to protect the investments of ticket holders and broadcast partners alike against the prospects of star players being arbitrarily rested. Those rules, for example, prohibit clubs from “resting healthy players for any high-profile, nationally televised game.” Doing so, the rules state, “will constitute conduct prejudicial or detrimental to the NBA and result in a fine of at least $100,000.”

The Pelicans play next on Friday night at home against Minnesota, and the game is slated for national television.

‘I’ve got a lot more experience coaching than I do as a GM’: Lamb

— from page 9 Matvichuk says the Cougars have been limited by the fact they have to rely on four 17-year-old rookie centremen without WHL experience to carry the load, which he says has a large bearing on the team’s inability to score.

“When you go all-in, like we did two years ago, and you take a look at how many players were drafted in the last five years who aren’t even playing in the WHL, regardless of whether it’s a first-rounder or a seventh-rounder, the development curve wasn’t there,” Matvichuk said.

“We knew as an organization last year when we decided to go into our rebuild it was going to be a struggle, and it was a struggle. We’re not far off where me and the coaching staff thought we’d be, right around 20 or 25 (wins) and fighting for that last playoff spot this year and that’s exactly where we’re at. Going through the season our goal was to get better every day, the playoffs was never an issue, it was about developing these kids to get ready for the next three years. It wasn’t about winning and losing, it was about making these players better every day and I truly believe that’s what we did.”

Lamb will make his Cougars’ debut behind the bench in Kelowna tonight. The Cougars also play Sunday afternoon in Langley against the Giants.

Lamb played 403 games as an NHL centre over 11 seasons for the Flames, Oilers, Senators, Flyers and Canadiens after being drafted as a Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman in the fourth round in 1982 by Calgary. He retired in 2000 and began his coaching career as an assistant the following season in Edmonton with the Oilers. He then went to Dallas as assistant for seven seasons with the Stars from 2002-09, where he coached Matvichuk for two seasons. He took over from Todd Harkins as Cougars GM last June. The 54-year-old native of Ponteix, Sask., grew up in Swift Current, where he was the Broncos’ head coach and general manager for seven seasons. He left Swift Current in the summer of 2016 and served one season as an AHL head coach of the Tucson Roadrunners. Despite his extensive coaching background, he did not expect to be cast into a role as the Cougars coach.

“It was something that was not in my plan at all when I got the job in Prince George but coaching is something I’ve done my whole life,” said Lamb. “I’ve got a lot more experience coaching than I do as a GM and the comfortable part of it is it’s going to be an easy transition for me. Hopefully it’s the right thing.

“I’ve known Richard for a long time, not just only here, we go back to our Dallas days and I have a lot of respect for what he has done, not only as a coach but as a player. He won a Stanley Cup and was a big part of those huge teams in Dallas and that all comes into play, you use those experiences to take into your coaching world. He worked very hard and tried his best to get the team going in the right direction and sometimes just another voice needs to change and do things a bit different and that’s what we’re doing.”

Cougar fans who have stuck

with their team ever since it arrived in 1994 are used to hearing the familiar “wait until next year,” refrain from team officials. Aside from a few exceptions when the Cougars advanced to the third round of playoffs, that optimism never seems to pan out. But Lamb says he would not have taken the job as GM if he didn’t think the Cougars had what it takes to build a winner and says they are exceptionally well-stocked with young talent, high draft picks and a committed ownership group to make that dream of a WHL championship eventually come true.

“The fans have been around a lot longer than I have so their pain is a lot more than mine,” said Lamb.

“This (firing) was very painful for me too but we do have a lot of good things going on in the organization that’s not talked about every day. We’ve cleaned out a lot of players from last year, we got a lot of players coming into our lineup and we had a really good draft last year and all kinds of assets moving forward. That’s the positive part for the team.

“So for the negative part that’s been on the ice so far this year, if they can be patient, the other part will be coming at some point. I know everyone’s heard it before but that’s a common thing in sports, not just in hockey, that we’re going to be better, and once you do that there are still no guarantees because there’s so many things that can happen to teenaged boys when you’re trying to put a team together.

“You have to draft good, you’ve got to recruit good and get those players signed and then you’ve got to develop. Sometimes everything has to align for you to win and when you do win you’ve got to build your organization up to win a couple years in a row and that’s what those teams have done.”

Matvichuk has already spoken to teams in North America and Europe who might be in the market for a coach. He has no immediate plans to move from the city, where he lives with his wife Tracy and their boys Dillon, 14, and Dalton 11. They have one older son, Cole, 22, who attends college in the U.S.

“It’s a tough time, nobody likes to lose their job,” Matvichuk said. “As a coach, at some point, you’re hired to be fired. We’re very invested in the community and it’s just one of those things you move on from. Our time in P.G., has been very special, it was a great 2 1/2 years. The friends and relationships Tracy and myself and two boys have made here are really special and they’ll be in our hearts for a long time.”

LAMB

Save your money

What Men Want has complete lack of redeeming qualities

Not to kick off this review with a spoiler alert, but after seeing What Men Want the answer to what men want is probably the same as what women want: not to be ripped off by yet another dubious rom-com like this.

Taraji P. Henson tries a little too hard in a predictable, genderswitching remake of the Nancy Meyers-led 2000 romantic comedy What Women Want. This time, a woman unlocks the power to read men’s minds. The premise has potential but What Men Want is not funny enough, it’s poorly edited and blunt when it could have been sharp. Henson plays Ali, a hard-elbowing, high-powered sports agent who is bitter and brash – “OK, Bridezilla, take a Xanax,” she tells one of her three best friends. To a co-worker, she says: “I’m going to need you to calm down, baby man-child.” There’s a weird ’90s feel to the look and dialogue of this film, accentuated by a dusty soundtrack that features hits by TLC, Bell Biv DeVoe, 2 Live Crew, En Vogue and Salt-N-Pepa. Ali is repeatedly passed up for promotion at her smarmy, allmale firm, which seems to leak testosterone in buckets. “You don’t connect well with men,” she is told by the boss. To make partner, Ali vows to land the biggest sports

target of the season: the No. 1 NBA draft pick. Along the way, she somehow bangs her head and then can hear the inner thoughts of any man nearby. That happens about 30 minutes in, which is an eternity of set-up, including a flabby and pointless scene at a club. And what are men secretly thinking about? According to this film, it is fears of being fat, feeling lame, worry about bodily functions, trying not to completely geek out about little things, a near-universal adoration of arena skyboxes, mundane stuff like lost keys, and the occasional horrific X-rated bluntness.

If you expected director Adam Shankman and writers Tina Gordon, Peter Huyck and Alex Gregory to find rich material to discuss male privilege in these #MeToo days, think again. Men actually come off not so bad here. The women, though, end up worse: there’s a scene with all of Ali’s best friends wrestling during a horrific, weave-yanking cat fight at a church that’s the nadir of filmmaking in 2019. Ali learns to use nuggets of insight into co-workers’ minds to gain an advantage and falls for a boyfriend whose inner thoughts seem to be pure. But Ali also learns that it’s not what’s in men’s minds that really counts. It’s what’s in their hearts. And winning, if you’re a nasty person, doesn’t matter. Cue the montage of her fixing all the things she just did wrong. Hen-

son does as best she can with this material, attempting Lucille Balllevel physical comedy. But she’s labouring and often overshadowed by the one unpredictable spark in the film – provided by Erykah Badu. The singer-songwriter is in rare form here as an off-kilter fortune teller, shooting electricity in every scene, while small roles by Tracy Morgan and Pete Davidson are oddly flat. (If you’re still bored, there’s always playing Cameo Bingo: look for appearances by sports figures Mark Cuban, Shaquille O’Neal, Lisa Leslie, Grant Hill and Karl-Anthony Towns.)

The script is uneven and heavy, with some of the only jokes coming from Badu and a few movie references to Black Panther and Get Out. Mostly, this is a film that still thinks people having a hard time navigating a beaded curtain is funny and that surprise S&M sex is hysterical.

Another thing that seems forced in What Men Want is the tremendous amount of alcohol sucked down. There’s day-drinking, blackout nights and cocktails at work. The cast drink margaritas, whiskey neat, wine, beer and vodka and cranberry. Toward the end, it seems like every scene had some booze, a lazy way to create mischief.

But, come to think of it, if alcohol was offered to the audience, this whiff of a film would be better received. — One star out of four

Grammy events begin with salute to Willie

Kristin M. HALL

Citizen news service

LOS ANGELES — Kacey Musgraves, Dave Matthews and Lukas Nelson saluted the outlaw king of country music Willie Nelson with tributes and performances at a famed Los Angeles studio.

The Recording Academy’s Producers and Engineers Wing honoured Nelson on Wednesday night ahead of Sunday’s Grammy Awards.

The 85-year-old Texas singersongwriter was a man of few words when he was presented with a plaque, jokingly asking if he was graduating. He thanked all the producers and engineers, adding that “I’m glad they liked me ’cause they could have really screwed me up.” Nelson is nominated for two Grammys: best traditional pop

vocal album for My Way, a covers album of Frank Sinatra; and best American roots performance for Last Man Standing.

The event is regularly held in the small auditorium at The Village, the studio where Fleetwood Mac recorded their seminal record Tusk, Bob Dylan recorded Forever Young and the hit soundtracks for The Bodyguard and Moulin Rouge were mixed. Artists and songwriters including Diane Warren, Weird Al Yankovic, Ziggy Marley, Lisa Loeb, Feist and more attended the event.

Musgraves, who is nominated for three Grammys including album of the year, had much more to say about the Red-Headed Stranger.

She said her fellow Texan has an ability to bring together people, no matter their differences: “Underdogs, outliers, Republicans, rappers, presidents. Everyone loves

Willie,” Musgraves said.

Nelson’s songs are so iconic, “they’re never going to die, and let’s get real: he’s probably not either,” she said.

Matthews played the Nelsonpenned song Funny How Time Slips Away, and a song Matthews wrote that he got Nelson to record, called Gravedigger.

Matthews was joined by two of Nelson’s sons, Micah and Lukas, to help cover songs like Crazy, and I Thought About You, Lord. Lukas Nelson, who worked on the soundtrack and film for A Star Is Born with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, can sing a dead-on impersonation of his father’s unique high singing style.

But a gruff-sounding Willie returned to the stage to trade guitar licks and sing with his sons on Living in the Promiseland, before ending with his trademark, On the Road Again.

Cosby’s kids, wife haven’t seen him in prison

Maryclaire DALE Citizen news service

PHILADELPHIA — Bill Cosby has been moved to the general population but hasn’t had any visits from family four months after arriving at a Pennsylvania state prison.

The 81-year-old Cosby, who is legally blind, has been moved out of special housing where he spent time getting acclimated, a prison spokeswoman said. He still has inmates assigned to help him throughout the day, given his age and disability.

Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt said he doesn’t expect Camille Cosby or their daughters to visit the prison, which is about 32 kilometres from a family estate in the Philadelphia suburbs. Cosby is serving a three- to 10-year term for drugging and molesting a woman there in 2004.

“He doesn’t want to have them in that environment,” said Wyatt, who visits regularly. “Why put them in that position, to make it turn into some form of a circus?”

Camille Cosby made just one brief appearance at each of her husband’s two criminal trials, and their three surviving daughters stayed away. Cosby’s

wife of more than 50 years did, however, file an ethics complaint against the trial judge last year, accusing him of bias in the case. She continues to strategize on her husband’s behalf behind the scenes, Wyatt told The Associated Press on Thursday. Cosby, after being moved last week, now has a single cell in a two-storey unit at the newlybuilt SCI-Phoenix in Montgomery County. Wyatt said he’s in a unit reserved for veterans, something the prison would not confirm. He had earlier been in a private cell and day room near the infirmary.

Cosby believes he is a “political prisoner,” targeted for his social and political views much like heroes Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela, Wyatt said. “He said, ‘They want to entrap me to say I’m remorseful, or to say I did something I didn’t do.’ I’m not going to fall for it,” Wyatt said.

Inmates at Phoenix are awakened at 6 a.m. and back in their cells by 8:45 p.m. They can spend several hours a day in the gym or exercise yard, and other time in the library, classroom, day room or visiting area, state prison spokeswoman Amy Worden said.

Mark KENNEDY Citizen news service

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Josh Brener and Taraji P. Henson in a scene from What Men Want.

“Ronnie” Ronald Russell

November 18, 1935February 2, 2019

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great grandfather, Brother, Uncle, and Friend. Ronnie passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side. He was born in Doaktown, N.B. to Walter and Laura (Storey) Russell. In addition to his parents he was predeceased by his seven brothers(Lawney, Eugene, Stanley, Buddy, Wendell, Kenny and Gary) and one sister (Mildred O’Donnell). Ronnie will be greatly missed by his loving wife Jean, sons Ronald Jr. (Stacey) and Steven (Michelle), daughter Cindy Forrest, eight grandchildren, five great grandchildren, sisters Elsie McCormick and Lorenda (Ray) Betts, sistersin-law Lois Russell and Pauline Russell, numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and good friends. As per Ronnie’s wishes, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, if one so desires, donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or to the Canadian Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated.

Franklyn Joseph Leeson

November 30, 1929February 5, 2019 --------89 Years--------

It is with heavy hearts the family of Frank Leeson announces his passing. His heart was tired and broken from the loss of his beloved wife Jean Leeson of 57 years on November 2, 2018.

Frank is survived by daughters, Carla (Warren) Power & Heather Moffat, grand children, Frankie McMillan, Megan (Cody) Teichroeb, Ryan Moffat, and sister, Donalda Knox. Predeceased by wife, Jean Irene Leeson, grand-daughter, Brittany McMillan, son-in-law, Blain McMillan, parents, Harry & Hazel Leeson, brothers, Harry, Alex, Dan, & Melvin Leeson, sisters, Elsie Ward, Ena Love, Evelyn Love, Hazel Larson, Ella Larson, Betty Magoon, in laws, Arthur & Ernestine Hawley.

Our dad was an honest and hardworking man. Friends and family were always welcome in his home. He had a great sense of humor and never missed an opportunity to tell a good story or make someone laugh. He lived a wonderful and adventurous life in his early years. He left Saskatchewan riding rail cars with his friend Leo at age 15. He worked on steam powered paddle boats on the Yukon River before making P.G. his forever home in the 1950’s. He then worked for La Pas Lumber, Rustads, and Thursday Lumber, before joining Lakeland Mills, where he worked loyally for 27 years until retirement. Frank was known for his abundant garden, growing cabbage, potatoes, and raspberries, which were always shared with friends and family. Frank enjoyed the company of his wild birds and fed them winter and summer, bringing much entertainment through the kitchen window. Every year, moose would find safe haven in his yard, often bringing their calves to eat the Russian Willows off the lawn in early spring. Like us they will also miss our Dad.

Love you … until we meet again.

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday February 10, 2019 at the Knights of Columbus Community Hall, 7201 Domano Blvd, Prince George Doors open at 1:30pm, Service at 2:00pm. The family would like to thank the RN’s, LPN’s, Care Aides, House Keepers, and Social Workers in the Emergency department @ UHNBC, and in particular Dr. Da Costa & family physician Dr. El Gendi; for their dedication and loving care given to Dad. Lastly, the family would like to extend a large thank you to all of Dads fantastic neighbors and friends who helped him and kept him company during these last few months.

Carl Schwab July 28, 1922February 5, 2019

It is with the saddest of hearts that we announce the passing of Carl Schwab. Carl passed so very peacefully with his family by his side. Carl was predeceased by son Darrel. He was an amazing husband, father, papa and great papa who will be greatly missed but never forgotten by wife Georgina, children: Debbie (Roy), Dennis (Lesley), Kelly (Evan), Carol (Larry), Danny (Janet), Sandra, Todd. Grandchildren: Makenna, Nolan (Brittney), Brennen, Jereme (Simon), Courtney (Blair), Cristen (Jayson), Kira, Kelsey(Brodie), Ryan (Saleena), Scott (Kaylee), Andrew (Aley), Adam (Rochelle), Aleah, Tony, Michael, Zachary. Great Grandchildren: Luke, Nash, James, Reid, Mason, Camila, Haellie.

Carl was an avid sports enthusiast, spending many hours watching his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in their numerous sporting events. He was a diehard Prince George Knights fan. He had an amazing love for the Blue Jays and followed them to different venues during spring training and regular season games accompanied by family. Carl felt he was blessed to live long enough to see the firing of John Gibbons!

The family would like to thank Dr. Schokking, Jennifer and staff for the wonderful care you have given to Carl over the years. We would also like to thank Dr. Hamilton, Bryce and the nursing staff in Emergency at UHNBC for the kindness and support you showed us.

There will be a viewing and prayers at 12 noon on Monday, February 11, 2019 followed by a Funeral Service at 1:00 p.m. at Church of the Immaculate Conception, 3285 Cathedral Avenue, Prince George, B.C. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to a charity of your choice.

As Dad would say “Treat others as you would like to be treated”

Evelyn Muriel Capp (Reid) nee Spence August 11, 1931January 21, 2019

Our much beloved mother, Evelyn Capp, passed away peacefully at Prince George Rotary Hospice House on Jan. 21, 2019. Born and raised in Chauvin, Alberta, she married George Reid, a railway engineer, and raised a family of 4 children in Prince George. She worked at the Prince George Experimental Farm, then later as Administrator for the Prince George Senior Citizen’s Society. Evelyn and George could be found almost every weekend at Purden Mountain during the ski season. After George’s sudden passing in 1985, she eventually married another railroader, John Capp. John and Evelyn moved to Penticton and lived there happily for 22 years until John’s passing in October, 2018. While in Penticton, she was very involved in the Concordia Lutheran Church and its school. In April, 2018, Evelyn moved back to Prince George to be near her many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Nine months later, she unexpectedly passed away after a two week illness with family and her pastor by her side. Evelyn was also predeceased by her parents, Alfred and Ethel Spence, sister Mildred (brother-in-law Bob Pickrell), mother and father-in-law, Clayton and Victoria Reid. She is survived by brother Stan (Kay) Spence, and four children Patricia (Amos) Culham, Barry (Carla) Reid, Brenda (Mike) Morton, and Robert (Christine) Reid. Surviving grandchildren are: Samantha Parent, Melanie Culham, Robyn Culham, Dayna Culham, Courtney (Kris) Carr, Amy (Jess) Morton, Benjamin Reid, and Emily Reid. Great grandchildren: Kyla, Kelly, Jamie, & Morgan Culham, Kalen & Jasper Jamison, and Corbin Carr. Great Great grandson: Joel VanKonett. Sister-in-law, Marg Ziglin. We greatly appreciate the excellent and very empathetic care from the many doctors, nurses, and care aids working in the Emergency and Surgical South wards of UHNBC, as well as those at Prince George Rotary Hospice House.

A celebration of Evelyn’s life will be held at the Zion Lutheran Church and Christian School on Saturday Feb. 16, 2019 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Zion Lutheran Church and Christian School or Prince George Hospice House.

June 12, 1928 — January 30,

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our Mom. She was predeceased by her husband Paul Schweda, sisters Thelma and Norah. She is survived by her 3 daughters, Debbie, Karen and Terri and sister Kandy. 7 grandchildren and many great grandchildren. Margaret moved from North Vancouver in 1949 and started teaching in Shelley, BC and then taught at Connaught Elem./ Ron Brent for 42 years. She will be missed by all who knew her. There is no service by request.

SCHWEDA, MARGARET TERESA

2019.

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Robert (Bob) Arthur Cassell on February 4, 2019 at the age of 83. His service is on February 9, 2019 at 1:00pm at 7364 Hart Highway (Country Senior Home).