Prince George Citizen March 20, 2025

The Bay faces uncertain future

CITIZEN STAFF

The Bay in Prince George could begin liquidating its goods this week if a court approves its struggling parent company’s plan to radically downsize its operations at 80 Bay and 16 Saks stores.

The company, which filed for creditor protection on March 7, is dealing with challenges such as low consumer spending, Canada-U.S. trade tensions, and a drop in foot traffic after the pandemic.

Hudson’s Bay proposed a liquidation that would span 10 to 12 weeks, during which it could remove some stores from the process if it secures new financing.

However, Ontario Superior Court Judge Peter Osborne postponed a decision, citing the need for more time to consider the complex issues involved.

The 354-year-old retailer’s financial difficulties include deferred payments to landlords, vendors and employees.

Hudson’s Bay had planned to restructure by closing half its stores, but financing fell through at the last minute. Although the company secured $23 million in funding from Restore Capital, it still faces a shortfall, pushing the liquidation plan forward and putting 9,000 Canadian jobs at risk.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER It’s business as usual at The Bay store in Prince George for now, but that could change this week as its parent company waits for a judge’s

Council set to approve Official Community Plan

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Prince George residents had the chance to give their thoughts on the next major version of the city’s Official Community Plan (OCP) Wednesday night.

As the session was held after this edition of The Citizen went to press, full coverage will be available online and in next week’s paper.

For now, here’s an overview of what an Official Community Plan is, why they’re required and what they contain.

What is an OCP and why are they needed?

Local governments in BC, which are municipalities and regional districts, are required by the Local Government Act to have one or more Official Community Plans.

Section 471(1) of the act says OCPs are “a statement of objectives and policies to guide decisions on planning and land use management, within the area covered by the plan, respecting the purposes of local government.”

These plans must include:

• The approximate locations, amount, type and density for residential developments needed to meet housing needs over fiveand 20-year periods

• The approximate location, amount and type of land uses for commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural, recreational and public utility purposes

• The approximate locations of sand and gravel deposits

• Land use restrictions for areas subject to hazardous conditions or that are environmentally sensitive

• The approximate location and phasing of major road, sewer and water infrastructure

• The approximate location and type of current and potential public facilities like schools, parks, waste treatment and waste disposal systems

• Greenhouse gas reduction targets and policies

• Other elements that are required by the minister in charge of municipal affairs

Though not mandatory, OCPs can also include policies on social needs, social well-being, social development, agriculture, environmental protections and transportation.

Once an OCP is officially adopted, bylaws or works enacted by a local government’s deliberative body must be consistent with it.

A recent example of friction relating to the OCP happened with bylaws relating to a proposed industrial development on Guay Road.

Mayor Simon Yu pointed out during a public hearing that there was a slight overlap between an area proposed to

have a restrictive covenant preventing further development and an area designated for future light industrial development in the OCP.

City staff asked for the public hearing to be ended and rescheduled, so that they could update the paperwork to remove the overlap and have the bylaw consistent with the OCP.

If a developer wants to build mixeduse buildings, those with both residential and commercial uses, they’ll need to do it along areas designated under future land uses as Neighbourhood Centres and Corridors where they are supported by the OCP.

These areas are primarily placed around arterial or major collector roads like Ospika Boulevard, Central Street, Queensway, Ferry Avenue, 15th Avenue

Light, medium and heavy industrial land uses are largely limited of the more densely populated areas of the city, like the BCR Site, along Boundary Road and near the airport, and along the Fraser and Nechako rivers north of where they merge near Cottonwood Island Park.

If a developer wants to build something outside the designated future land use in the OCP, they must require an amendment to the plan from council. What does the draft OCP cover?

The draft OCP is a 92-page document that starts with a demographic assessment of Prince George and projections for what the city’s population will be like by 2050.

It contains 12 policy areas: Truth and Reconciliation

• Growth management

• Housing

• Economic development

• Arts, culture and heritage

• Infrastructure

• Transportation and mobility

• Parks and recreation

• Social health and wellbeing

• Climate action and resilience

• Natural environment

• Hazard lands

It also contains maps showing the city’s growth management areas, water systems, sanitary sewer system, storm sewer system, road network, cycling network, pedestrian network, parks and open spaces, aggregate sources, community facilities, development permit areas and future land use plans.

How is an OCP made official?

Official Community Plans are established through bylaws passed by a local government’s council, when it comes to municipalities, or board of directors for regional districts.

When developing an OCP and its associated bylaws, local governments must provide at least one opportunity to consult with people, organizations or authorities that it thinks will be affected by it.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

This map from the City of Prince George’s draft Official Community Plan shows the proposed future land use for properties within city limits.

Here’s everything you need to know about the OCP

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

These organizations can include regional districts, adjacent municipalities, First Nations, boards of education, the provincial government and the federal governments as well as their agencies.

After first reading of a bylaw establishing an OCP is passed, the local government must consider whether it aligns with its financial plan and its waste management plan.

Then, it must refer the plan to the Provincial Agricultural Land Commission for comment if it affects designated agricultural land and hold a public hearing sometime before third reading of the bylaw is considered.

This is where the Prince George stands, with its public hearing set for March 19 and third reading of the bylaw scheduled immediately afterwards.

If council wants to alter any land uses, increase or decrease property densities after the hearing, it must host another public hearing before voting third reading.

When do OCPs have to be updated?

The province currently requires OCPs and zoning bylaws to be updated by Dec. 31, 2025, after local governments have completed an interim housing needs report. Prince George’s interim report was presented to council in early December 2024.

Then, once a full housing needs report is completed, local governments must update their OCPs once again by Dec. 31, 2028.

With a municipal election due to take place in 2026, that means Prince George’s next OCP could be decided by a different mayor and council.

How has Prince George gotten to this point?

Prince George’s current OCP was adopted by city council on June 25, 2012, though there have been minor amendments in the years since.

On Dec. 19, 2022, council passed a resolution directing administration to update the OCP.

Shaded areas on this map from the City of Prince George’s draft Official Community Plan show properties that are in the urban containment boundary.

The first round of public engagement took place between September and November 2023, featuring open houses, round table discussions, kiosks at events and social media posts.

Between December 2023 and September 2024, city staff worked on a draft of the new OCP.

After a final round of public engagement, including a survey and more kiosks, the new plan was submitted for final approval.

Even before the OCP review was ordered, members of the local advocacy group Ginter’s Green Forever (GGF) have been pushing for the area to be protected and specifically defined as a park.

The current OCP would see the Massey Drive and Foothills Boulevard extended through the area and GGF pushed to have those plans axed.

The group’s wishes on that front have come true in the draft OCP, with those road extensions having been removed.

However, GGF wants the OCP amended to contain even more protections for the area.

Attached to the agenda for the public hearing are several letters advocating for council to take more action.

A letter written by GGF organizers that multiple people emailed to council asks that the light industrial and rightof-way land uses be redesignated as parkland and that several properties currently for sale within Ginter’s Green be removed from the urban containment boundary.

The urban containment boundary, according to the city, is “the boundary outside of which urban development is not supported.”

“Land within the Urban Containment Boundary is expected to develop and redevelop to higher intensity uses to accommodate the anticipated growth of the community to 2050.”

What about the future of Ginter’s Green?

Ginter’s Green, also known as Ginter’s Meadow, is a forested escarpment along the bottom of Cranbrook Hill extending roughly from the intersection of 18th Avenue and Foothills Boulevard to the intersection of 22nd Avenue and Webber Crescent.

The area includes a sizeable off-leash dog park and connections to several municipal trails, including the UNBC trail system.

Other residents not identifying themselves as part of GGF also wrote letters asking for Ginter’s Green to be protected against encroaching urban sprawl, describing it as a valuable community hub where residents can connect with nature.

How can I provide my input on the new OCP?

Now that the public hearing has happened, those who want to chime in on the new OCP can submit written comments by sending an email to cityclerk@ princegeorge.ca, faxing 250-561-0183 or dropping off or mailing comments to the corporate officer on the fifth floor of city hall.

CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE

Prince George-area MLAs welcome carbon tax repeal

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Two Prince George opposition MLAs are glad that Premier David Eby has announced he’ll repeal BC’s consumer-facing carbon tax, but they say that the carbon price on industry will mean that costs are still passed down to the average person.

On March 14, one of new Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first actions after being sworn in was to sign an order-incouncil eliminating the federal carbon tax.

In response, Eby put out a statement later that same day announcing he would follow through on a campaign promise from last fall’s provincial election that his party would remove BC’s carbon tax if the federal requirement was removed.

All provinces and territories were required to have a price on carbon pollution, with the federal government implementing a backstop if they didn’t have strong enough measures in place.

BC’s carbon pricing was stringent enough not to be subject to the backstop, but would have been subject to it prior to March 14 if the province decided to repeal its carbon tax.

In a statement, Eby said his government his government doesn’t want British Columbians to have to choose between taking action on climate change and affordability and is “preparing legislation for this session to repeal the tax in BC.”

“As the federal government removes the requirement that B.C. have a carbon tax in place, we will act quickly so the people of British Columbia don’t feel the pinch when filling their cars or heating their homes,” Eby said.

“While we eliminate the consumer carbon tax, we will continue to ensure big industrial polluters pay their fair share by maintaining an effective price on carbon for large emitters. Our goal is to incentivize industry to adopt lower-carbon technologies while maintaining their competitiveness.”

The premier added that the carbon tax has been an important tool to help

the province’s efforts to tackle climate change, but “there is no longer support for the measure.”

In 2008, BC was the first jurisdiction in North America to implement a carbon tax under the BC Liberal government of Gordon Campbell.

Reached by phone, Prince GeorgeNorth Cariboo Conservative MLA Sheldon Clare said his party has been successful at influencing the government on a number of issues, but particularly the carbon tax.

“I think (Eby)’s facing a lot of opposition within his own caucus because I think they’re starting to realize that some of the actions they’ve been taking are not popular with their constituents.”

Clare said he thinks the legislature will have to be recalled early if the government wants the tax eliminated before the carbon tax increases on April 1.

Though he’s glad the consumer-facing carbon tax is being removed, Clare said the average person will still be affected by the price levied on businesses considered large polluters.

to be removed, so we’re going to keep fighting.”

He said the tax’s removal is especially good news for Northern BC residents, who pay a higher cost for energy to heat their homes and must travel larger distances.

Both Clare and Giddens said their party is gearing up its opposition to the government’s Bill 7, which the NDP says will give the government the power to react quickly to the ever-evolving trade war between the United States and Canada.

In a statement issued March 13, the government said the bill would allow the provincial cabinet to reduce barriers related to interprovincial trade, toll non-Canadian commercial vehicles using provincial public infrastructure like highways, allow public-sector bodies to exclude U.S. suppliers for procurement and “temporarily make changes to cut red tape and regulations to take fast action to defend the BC economy from challenges brought on by continued threats.

“It gets passed on down to consumers regardless, so it doesn’t really make a difference to keep it on one and take it off the other,” Clare said. “I’d like to see the whole thing go.”

His colleague, Prince George-Mackenzie Conservative MLA Kiel Giddens, called the announcement “a win for British Columbians” given ongoing affordability concerns and the spectre of American tariffs.

“Right now, this needs to end,” Giddens said of the carbon tax. “This week in question periods, (party leader) John Rustad was demanding carbon tax removal again and David Eby stood up and was defending it, saying he wasn’t going to remove it right away. This is long overdue.”

Like Clare, Giddens said the industrial carbon tax gets passed down to consumers as well.

“It’s a burden for workers, for small businesses and for all families,” Giddens said. “It adds to the cost of goods, services and ultimately our jobs in the province. John Rustad has been very clear that we want the entire carbon tax

The Opposition Conservatives have described the legislation as a power grab, with Clare directly comparing it to the Enabling Act of 1933, which allowed German dictator Adolf Hitler to make and enforce laws without the input of the country’s president or legislature.

“It makes going to the opposition unnecessary,” Clare said. “You can just make rules and have all sorts of changes done. That’s another thing to look into, we’ve been paying attention to that quite a bit this week.”

Giddens said the bill made him think of the John Locke quote “where law ends, tyranny begins.”

“We can’t take away the rule of law and expect that we’re going to get good governance,” Giddens said. “That’s what the Legislature and our democracy is for. And ultimately with Bill 7, the premier is telling British Columbians that he wants to basically be a benevolent dictator. That’s not how we do things in Canada.”

Prince George-Valemount MLA Rosalyn Bird didn’t respond to The Citizen’s request for comment.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Premier David Eby addresses the 22nd Annual BC Natural Resource Forum this past January. On March 14, Eby said he would respond to the federal government eliminating the carbon backstop by introducing legislation to repeal BC’s carbon tax.

China Cup buffet losing its home at Parkwood Place

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Sometime this spring, Northern Health will begin occupying the space at Parkwood Place mall that’s been home to one of the city’s longest-standing Chinese buffet restaurants.

China Cup Buffet has been feeding hungry customers for 18 years at its downtown Prince George location at 121-1600 15th Ave., and there’s a good chance the restaurant will continue to do business.

“There is a possibility we might be relocating to a different location in Parkwood Mall and I think we might be getting close to the landlord and us making a decision - either we will relocate or be closing down, for now,” said Pong Cheung, one of the partner owner/ operators of China Cup.

“We haven’t heard from the landlord (Bentall Green Oak Properties of Vancouver) yet. Pretty much at the end of this month or early next month we should have an answer and know if we will be relocating or not.”

The Citizen reached out Bentall Green Oak Properties for comment but has yet to receive a response.

Northern Health needs an alternate space to replace offices now occupied by the Northern Interior Health Unit adjacent to the hospital at 1444 Edmonton Street. That building is slated for demolition to allow for construction of the new $1.579 billion patient care tower at University Hospital of Northern BC.

The health authority will also be taking the second floor of the Hudson’s Bay department store at Parkwood Place at the same time. Both spaces will need extensive renovations to serve their Northern Health functions. Cheung said the landlord has told him and the other China Cup owners they will have to vacate the building in either May or June.

“They didn’t say when, for sure, but that’s what they’re planning to do,” said Cheung.

“Whether we’re moving or not we will be out of here in that time period, that’s what we’re hearing from the landlord.”

The future of the Bay store in Prince George is uncertain after the 345-yearold company (the oldest in Canada) announced March 8 it has filed for creditor protection. The company announced Friday it intends to begin liquidating stock.

According to Northern Health’s plan, the China Cup site will house adult specialized services, including addictions treatment and overdose prevention services, with the remainder of services, including the vaccination clinic and other community health services, housed at the Bay site.

The two spaces will be renovated this year and adult community health services will be relocated from the Northern Interior Health Unit in the spring of 2026. Demolition of the Northern Interior Health Unit will follow in the summer of 2026 once the building is vacant, and construction of the new seven-story tower is slated to begin that fall.

Cheung is part of the ownership/management group that bought China Cup nearly four years ago and he’s also one of the chefs. Until then, it was operated

as the China Cup under different owners, who took over the restaurant space a year or two after Mama Panda’s closed in 2002.

Cheung bought into the China Cup at a time when restaurants were reeling from the COVID pandemic. He said the federal government’s Canada Emergency Response Benefit that kept Canadian families and businesses solvent was a godsend.

“With the help of government we managed to survive,” he said. “Business picked up a little bit after COVID but again the economy wasn’t great and it’s not great right now either, but we’re trying our best to run things still.

“We do have a lot of regulars that come here, and a lot of people heard we are closing but they don’t know we might be relocating. They are actually looking for places for us, suggesting what location we can rent and start our business there. We do have some regulars and they like us.”

Cheung also wants to offer job protection for China Cup employees. That includes six who work in the kitchen and six who work in the dining room or are part of the cleaning/jantorial staff.

The China Cup is open for all-you-caneat buffet service and takeout orders seven days a week from 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

CITIZEN PHOTOS BY CHUCK NISBETT

Server Manvir Kaur (left) and front of house cashier Narinder Kaur stand ready to welcome guests to the China Cup (exterior pictured below) on Thursday, March 13.

Calls from ‘Northern Health’ may not be legitimate

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Scammers may be using Northern Health’s name to trick potential victims.

It’s also possible that a company unaffiliated with the health authority is using its name in telemarketing calls.

The healthcare provider, via social media, indicated it is aware of several instances of individuals receiving phone calls claiming they have won a prize from “Northern Health,” such as a fire safety basket or a free home safety inspection.

Northern Health stated that these calls are not affiliated with the health authority.

“In this case, it appears there’s a company that has the phrase ‘Northern Health’ in its business name,” said Eryn Collins, Northern Health’s regional director of public affairs and media relations. “They may be calls made as part of a marketing campaign or something similar. It’s not really for us to determine whether any campaigns like that or the offers they’re making are

Phone calls offering free services from ‘Northern Health’ are not from the health authority.

legitimate. But it’s causing confusion for people who are receiving these calls and thinking they’ve been speaking with someone from the health authority.”

Collins reiterated that no one at Northern Health has made any calls related to a fire safety basket or free home safety inspections, and that such prizes or inspections have never been offered by Northern Health.

Northern Health advises anyone who receives a call similar to the ones described in the statement to carefully check the origin before providing any personal information.

The health authority also

recommends that anyone in doubt contact Northern Health directly to confirm if anything using the authority’s name is legitimate.

Collins also told The Citizen that the health authority is no stranger to this issue, as last year, its name was used to promote free home inspections and fire safety kits.

In addition, over the years, Northern Health’s name has been used in fundraising scams.

“Unfortunately, there have been instances in the past where individuals have misrepresented themselves as Northern Health or claimed to be on

behalf of one of our facilities, such as a hospital in our region, then claimed to be fundraising or seeking donations,” Collins said. “We’ve been able to determine that these were not legitimate. We don’t call around looking for donations or fundraising purposes, so we’ve issued similar cautions in the past for people to be really careful.”

Scams claiming individuals have won prizes are often designed to gather personal information, such as home addresses or banking details, which are then sold online or used for the scammer’s gain.

Free home inspection scams may also offer fraudulent services at inflated rates, often by fixing non-existent problems or even creating those problems themselves. One common example is scammers removing shingles during a fraudulent roof inspection to sell their services at a higher price.

Once payment is received, the work may never begin, and the phone number or business may disappear.

If you suspect you are the target of a scam, contact the RCMP non-emergency line at 250-561-3300.

With tariffs in effect, city relaunches ‘buy local’ campaign

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The City of Prince George has reinforced its commitment to supporting local businesses.

In a statement released Monday, March 17, the city announced it is relaunching the Support PG initiative through a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce.

The initiative, originally launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to support businesses impacted by the crisis, will encourage locals to purchase goods and services from Prince George, British Columbia and Canada whenever possible.

The relaunch is made possible through collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, which helped the city secure $396,000 in grant funding

from the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) in February 2024 to revitalize the Support PG initiative.

The city also hopes the initiative will gather critical data from a recent business survey on the impacts of tariffs and what supports could help. The survey remains open until March 31.

“What we have seen through evolving tariff threats from the U.S. is increased awareness about where the products people purchase are made. We are also seeing a united, collaborative approach in terms of retaliation,” said Neil Godbout, executive director of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, in the city’s press release.

He said the threat of tariffs has renewed consumer interest in shopping at and supporting local businesses.

“We are also seeing a more ‘Team PG’

approach,” he said. “Take the survey, for example. In the past, each partner would have unilaterally done this kind of survey for their members, clients, or contacts, staying in our silos instead of working together. But now is the time to stop worrying about stepping on each other’s toes and spend more time holding hands and working together.”

Mayor Simon Yu also commented on the need to support local small businesses during this challenging period.

“The situation is constantly changing, and it’s challenging for business owners to predict the long-term impacts,” said Yu.

“As a city, we want to explore what changes may be possible within our own procurement processes while ensuring we continue delivering essential services.”

A report on the city’s procurement

practices was discussed at the March 10 council meeting. It outlined that the city is subject to trade agreements such as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement (CUKTCA), the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), and the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA).

These trade agreements emphasize open and non-discriminatory procurement and prohibit preferential treatment of local suppliers past certain thresholds.

However, council has requested a follow-up report outlining next steps regarding procurement practices, the implications of national tariffs, and potential options for adopting social procurement practices that align with the city’s existing criteria.

No Prince George cases as measles starts to spread

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Measles cases have risen in Canada over the past year, but so far there is no sign of the disease in Prince George.

This year has seen a significant increase in measles and rubella cases across the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.

However, the good news is that Northern Health reports that Prince George has been measles-free since 2014, despite cases in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Measles is a highly contagious disease with an incubation period of up to 21 days, making its spread difficult to track. It is easily transmitted by individuals who are susceptible, especially in confined spaces such as airplanes.

As of 2025, the Government of Canada reports 224 measles cases across these four provinces, with 173 confirmed and 51 considered probable.

Ontario, in particular, is grappling with a large measles outbreak, with 350 cases reported since Oct. 18, 2024, and 140 cases reported in 2025.

These outbreaks are especially concerning given that Canada reported only 12 confirmed cases of measles in 2023.

British Columbia has experienced several small outbreaks in Vancouver, bringing the total to four confirmed cases.

Two of these cases occurred in February, with the two most recent reported in the first week of March. The latest case followed a trip to Southeast Asia.

These two new cases are unrelated to the earlier case identified in February.

Fraser Health is advising anyone who travelled on Flight KE 75 from Seoul,

Herd immunity is vital to present the spread of disease, as this graphic shows.

South Korea, to Vancouver on Feb. 17, 2025, to monitor for potential exposure to measles.

Northern Health notes that measles can lead to serious or life-threatening complications, particularly among infants and young children. The virus spreads through airborne droplets that are coughed, sneezed, or exhaled by an infected person. These droplets can remain airborne for hours, making air travel one of the most frequent modes of transmission.

Typical measles symptoms include:

• Fever, cough, runny nose, and watery, inflamed eyes

• Small red spots with white or bluish-white centres in the mouth

• A dusky red, blotchy rash that begins on the face and spreads across the body, typically appearing on the third to seventh day of illness and lasting four to seven days

Measles can cause severe complications, especially in unvaccinated infants. One in 10 cases will lead to ear infections or pneumonia, one in 1,000 will result in measles encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), which can cause

permanent brain damage, and one in 3,000 cases is fatal.

The most serious complications occur in children under the age of five, health authorities state.

Measles can also cause long-term complications, including a rare, fatal neurological condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, which can develop seven to 10 years after recovering from measles.

Northern Health notes there is no known cure for measles, and the best protection is the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. This vaccine is typically given to children at 24 months of age.

The latest data from the BC Centre for Disease Control’s Childhood Immunization Coverage Dashboard shows that MMR vaccination rates for two-yearolds are below the provincial average of 81.7 per cent across Northern Health regions.

Vaccination rates are 79.5 per cent in the Northern Interior, 73.8 per cent in the Northwest, and 68.4 per cent in the Northeast.

The recent drop in vaccination rates is likely attributed to vaccine hesitancy, which has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Northern Health encourages parents to consult with their primary care provider or a public health nurse if they have concerns about the MMR vaccine and to ensure their children’s vaccinations are up to date.

OPINION

Take the return of measles seriously — get vaccinated

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

Measles outbreaks are occurring in the U.S., Ontario, Quebec, and the Lower Mainland. While we haven’t yet seen any local cases of measles, we know from the pandemic how quickly that can change.

The COVID vaccine hesitancy that we saw during the pandemic has been spreading to other vaccines. This has led to the resurgence of measles, something we thought we’d beaten decades ago. It is a painful reminder that even in a post-pandemic world, we’re still vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases.

The antivax sentiment we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic is a major factor in this growing threat. Misinformation about vaccines has made many question their safety and effectiveness, despite over half a century of use and overwhelming scientific evidence that vaccines work.

However, vaccination rates, particularly among our younger populations, remain dangerously low. That rate use to be in 93 to 95 per cent range, now just 82 per cent of two-year-olds in BC have received their first dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to the province, and only 72 per cent of seven-year-olds are fully vaccinated. These gaps leave a large portion of the population at risk.

This is not a hypothetical concern. In places like Gaines County, Texas, a measles outbreak led to the deaths of

ANNUAL

Cases before: Average number of disease cases reported yearly in Canada during the five years before routine vaccine use, or the closest possible five years where stable reporting was occurring.

Cases after: Average number of disease cases reported yearly in Canada from 2013 to 1017.

one child and one adult, even though the vaccination rate there was 82 per cent — a familiar number.

When vaccination rates fall below 95 per cent, the risk of outbreaks increases dramatically.

BC’s rates are even lower in certain areas, like the Northwest and Kootenay Boundary, where only 74 per cent and 62 per cent of children are vaccinated, respectively. This puts our communities at direct risk of an outbreak.

Measles is really, really contagious. One infected person can contaminate the air in a room for up to two hours, letting the virus spread rapidly among unvaccinated people in that room, and then on to the people they later encounter, and so on, exponentially.

It isn’t just about a rash. Getting

measles can mean severe complications, including brain swelling and deafness and even death. Measles also weakens the immune system, leaving individuals more vulnerable to other illnesses. There is no treatment or cure for measles.

And it can be fatal. That’s right. One in every 1,000 people who contracts measles will die.

We can avoid this through vaccination. But there are still people who would put their own vaccination theories (or fears, or suspicions) ahead of their community’s health and their children’s.

Experts have highlighted how even small gaps in vaccination can lead to outbreaks, putting everyone in danger.

When vaccination rates are low, large

numbers of people, especially kids, are susceptible to infection. This puts a strain on our healthcare system and leads to unnecessary suffering, all of which can be avoided.

The solution to this problem is clear: we must refocus our efforts on increasing vaccination rates.

Dr. Jia Hu of the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has urged individuals to check their immunization status and make sure they’re up to date. Vaccines are free for all ages, but it’s up to families and individuals to take responsibility and ensure they are protected.

Another point: Parents have to take care of making sure their kids’ immunizations up to date. The pandemic disrupted many children’s vaccine timelines, and now is the time to catch up.

For measles, two doses of the MMR vaccine offer up to 100 per cent protection. For those who cannot be vaccinated, such as pregnant individuals or those with weakened immune systems, herd immunity is critical.

By vaccinating, we’re not just protecting ourselves; We’re protecting our community, including those who cannot get vaccinated.

As we learned from the pandemic, our actions affect others. We must rise to the challenge of ensuring our vaccination rates are high enough to prevent outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles.

The time to act is now, before there is a measles outbreak in Prince George.

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We should be able to process our milk in the north

The Back Story

JAMES STEIDLE

We are encouraged to buy Canadian milk, but why can’t I buy Prince George milk?

BC Milk, the industry-controlled agency that manages our dairy supply system, could do something to change that, if they wanted.

There are a few dairy farms in northern BC: 11 in Smithers alone, one in Vanderhoof, one near Hixon, and a couple near McBride.

But all the milk gets sent to the large processing facilities in the Lower Mainland, put in cartons, and sent back north again.

Most of this production is done by just one giant corporation: Saputo, which likely processes between 60-70 per cent of the milk in BC at just two facilities. Exactly what their market domination is, we don’t know. BC Milk knows what it is to the penny, but they told me they can’t release that information.

As we’ve experienced in recent years, this exposes us to vulnerabilities and food shortages.

When the roads get wiped out or a GMO virus escapes from a lab, our shelves grow bare.

Although BC Milk assures me large-scale centralized processing does not cause milk shortages and that the system is resilient, the fact remains that three times in three years we had empty shelves because we don’t have northern processing.

Worse, when these things happen, the local milk up here has nowhere to go. We have no “plant of last resort.”

It gets dumped down the drain. You’d think if BC Milk cared about Northern BC, they’d want to help get milk processing established in the north.

But BC Milk, in its quest for “fairness,”

in fact discourages progress on this.

Currently, BC Milk’s Cottage Industry Program is a good program that allows dairy producers to process their own milk.

But it only allows producer-processors to process their own milk directly for things like yogurt and cheese, not for fluid milk.

Dairy farms that want to bottle and sell their own milk have to first sell their milk to BC Milk, then buy it back again for 35 per cent more even though the milk doesn’t leave the farm.

This is done to subsidize the cost of milk used for things like higher-profit cheese and powdered milk, products the large processing firms are more likely to produce.

Industry analysts and participants have argued either that this price spread should be eliminated or that the Cottage Industry Program be expanded to include exemptions for fluid milk processing and sales.

Another thing that helps the large plants is that the dairy farmers pay for the costs of centralization—namely, the transportation of milk from farms all

over the province to processing plants, mostly in the Lower Mainland.

In 2023, the BC Milk Board spent $31 million hauling milk around — money that comes out of farmers’ pockets and is by far the biggest expense the organization incurs.

A lot of this has to do with complications that arose from the concentration of processing in the 1990s and Saputo’s takeover of the dairy farmer-owned cooperative Dairyland in 2001.

The end result has been the loss of the transportation advantage of on-farm processing.

If Saputo had to pay for the transportation of milk to its facility, decentralizing some of that processing to northern BC would start to make more sense. It would also give a competitive advantage to local northern producer-processors.

But apparently, these kinds of ideas are unfair to Saputo.

As BC Milk director David Janssen said in a Country Life article, favouring small milk processing with preferential pricing is “contrary to the board’s founding principle of fairness for all

producers and processors.”

If you asked me, the unfair thing in this situation is that we’ve allowed certain megacorps to achieve such size and economies of scale that the small local processors are practically non-existent, and the ones that exist can barely squeak by.

If you want to know what’s unfair, it’s that we have antitrust regulators in this country who aren’t doing their jobs to protect competition.

Saputo should be broken up, not protected by passive regulators who stand by as the little guys drop like flies.

The neoliberal mindset that obviously holds sway at BC Milk might believe that efficiency is more important than competition and that size is more important than resiliency. But we are at a point in time when we need to ask whether this mindset has got it backwards.

The bigger the tree, the harder it falls, and if we want Prince George to gain some kind of control over its destiny, we will need a new model — not just in dairy, but in all aspects of our economy.

James Steidle is a Prince George writer.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

When the roads get wiped out or a GMO virus escapes from a lab, our shelves grow bare, James Steidle writes today, pointing out that that three times in three years Prince George has had empty milk shelves because we don’t have northern processing.

OPINION

Prince George-area MLAs welcome premier’s carbon tax repeal

it will be interesting to see if the price of gas goes down or it they conveniently leave it where it is or it goes down and in a short time goes back up...

I can also see a different tax initiated to compensate for the loss of a free pocketful of money the government has been getting bcracer

Prince George-area MLAs welcome premier’s carbon tax repeal

Mark Carney said he will just move the carbon tax onto big “polluters.”

Which means he’ll hammer the oil companies who will then pass it on to consumers, the price of gas may go down temporarily but will likely go up even higher as the hidden carbon tax.

BC has the highest gasoline price in North America, but I notice it hasn’t made a difference in consumer habits.

Carney previously said that’s because the carbon tax wasn’t anywhere near high enough.

Art Betke

Letter to the editor: U.S. will come out of this hurting much more than Canada

If Canada is to prevail, Canada needs to remake itself.

The east to west railway built Canada. It goes past my community.

There is a real problem with that great piece of twin steel that links Canada together. Empty container cars go west, loaded container cars go east. Loaded bulk resource commodity cars go west, and empty bulk cars go east.

That is the real problem, importing manufactured goods and exporting raw materials. If Canada really wants to be exceptional and break the North-South ties with the U.S. of A it will take an exceptional effort greater than the huge effort that built the Canadian transcontinental railway in the 19 century.

We will actually have to go to work and build things to fill those empty container cars going west.

The real problem is that Canadians are not inclined to go to work.

Canadians have gotten too soft living off of the wealth of the resource wealth cars going west to Tidewater.

waymar10@telus.net

Letter to the editor: Here’s a challenge to Citizen columnist’s ‘turncoats’ opinion

“The principles of a free market competitive economy that enable one to become successful in business are the same that enable astute businessmen to become billionaires.”

Mostly true except we no longer live in a “free market” & have not since the mid to late 1970s.

Systematic financial deregulation, mostly in the US, has produced a system that rewards the extremely few while the rest of us get the crumbs.

These “astute” business men are really nothing more than a modern version of well connected robber barons that rely on massive government subsidies to fuel their rocket dreams (pun intended).

While these plunderers may not be taking billions in cash they are certainly taking billions in assets.

A friend works in the lumber industry in the U.S. southeast where they are building mills that can compete with ours, which is fine, except they are being supplied with raw logs from our forests, not fine. Viquick

Discussion on downtown patrols scheduled for next public safety meeting

One more option that is guaranteed to work.

Remove the revolving door from the front of the courthouse!

The Citizen has published stories of people being arrested two or three times in the SAME DAY. Time that people face real consequences when being released under conditions.

A good starting point for a charge of breach of an undertaking or probation is a minimum of 30 days in jail. If they have hree charge — see ya in 90 days.

The way it stands they are making fools out of the judges who kick them loose on conditions or probation only to see them back in court again & again.

If someone is sentenced to a years probation and they re offend, the probation should be revoked and the offender jailed for the remainder of the sentence plus the 30 days for each charge of breach.

After a short time even the slow learners might keep their nose clean while under court ordered conditions.

Bobs your Uncle

Heritage chair calls for more city support, resources

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

The chair of Prince George’s Heritage Commission called on the city to provide the organization with more resources and allow it to meet more often during the Monday, March 10 city council meeting.

George Davison, a former history instructor at the College of New Caledonia, was on hand to present the commission’s annual report for 2024 and outline its work planned for 2025 at the council meeting.

He started off by wishing Prince George a belated 110th birthday and giving a brief history of local initiatives to preserve the city’s heritage before identifying some of the challenges that the commission is facing.

Last month, Davison said, was the 30th anniversary of the Heritage Commission itself.

Since the city’s heritage registry was created in 2007, Davison’s report said just 15 buildings and sites have been added to it despite nearly 500 sites and trees with heritage value having been identified.

The commission’s working group handling interpretive signs for heritage sites in the city has determined that of the 61 heritage-related signs in Prince George, about half need repair but there’s only the budget to replace three per year. That means that it would take 10 years to replace them all.

That budget also doesn’t account for the need to update some of the signs. Some lost signs haven’t been replaced.

“Most of all, in the spirit of reconciliation, the signs need to acknowledge that we live on the unceded territory of the Lheidli T’enneh, people who’ve been here and shepherded its resources for thousands of years,” Davison said.

“We’ve had two stakeholder meetings, pulling together representatives of the (Prince George Public Library), the Exploration Place, the Lheidli and commissioners. We want to have more meetings, but it makes sense to have the partners represented on the commission.”

The chair added that some heritage businesses noted by signs no longer

exist, like Northern Hardware and Pastry Chef.

The estimated cost of replacing the signs is around $60,000, which Davison said could come from the city, from heritage grants applied for by the city or the commission’s partners or from donations from businesses.

“We want to revitalize heritage and broaden its definition from the narrow focus that’s led to just 15 things being placed on the register,” Davison said.

“If you were a stranger coming to Prince George, could you tell much about the heritage by looking at six old houses, an old post office and liquor store, two old schools, two tree-lined streets and a bridge crossing? Heritage needs to be dynamic. Heritage needs to resonate with the public about where we come from and what we enjoy. Heritage needs to be taken into account when council makes decisions.

“You can’t do that if you don’t know much about it.”

Davison said that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission met 10 times

Further, Davison said that requiring the commission to hand in an annual report in December but waiting until March to have it presented means that its work is put on hold in the meantime.

During council’s discussion of the report, city manager Walter Babicz said adopting Davison’s recommendations would have financial implications either through direct funding or in-kind staffing resources.

For those reasons, he said it would be best for council to refer the recommendations to staff to examine to determine the cost.

Manager of development services Mandy Jones said her department doesn’t have “any further capacity to assist more with the Heritage Commission” beyond the single planner assigned to the file.

Coun. Garth Frizzell put forward a motion referring the five recommendations to staff for study.

a year and three city staff assisted with the commission’s work. In 2021, staff support was reduced to two employees and meetings became quarterly.

“Over the last two years, the commission has had six meetings — two were lost for a lack of quorum in 2023,” Davison told council. Despite additional working group meetings, Davison said the commission hasn’t been able to accomplish much.

Davison’s report listed five recommendations for council:

• Increase the number of annual meetings of the commission from four to seven

• Endorse reconciliation with the Lheidli T’enneh through future commission projects

• Provide additional financial support for updating and replacing heritage signs

• Increase the number of commission members to 12

• Direct staff to investigate increasing staff support for the commission

Coun. Tim Bennett noted that Davison’s report said that the commission hasn’t spent any of its $7,000 per year budget in the past four years and wondered whether that money could be reinvested in heritage activities rather than a general surplus.

Director of finance and IT services Kris Dalio said it would be possible to set that up, but it would take time to track and measure it properly.

Coun. Cori Ramsay asked her colleagues to consider how updating the signs fits in with their strategic objective to grow the city, saying that the way to attract visitors is to show off how great the city is.

“If it’s $60,000 of on an almost $200 million operating budget, I feel like this is perhaps pennies that would be spent to invest in our strategic plan and … enhance the visitor experience, which I think is something that we all want,” Ramsay said.

Babicz said the item could be discussed at a Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for June 25 to go over items on the city’s list of unfunded capital projects.

CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE LIVESTREAM

Prince George Heritage Commission George Davison provides an annual report during the Monday, March 10 meeting of city council.

Two additions considered for city’s heritage registry

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

The Prince George Heritage Commission is looking to advance the nomination of two buildings proposed to join the city’s heritage register years ago.

At the commission’s first meeting of 2025 on Thursday, March 13, heritage liaison Melissa Pritchard gave an update on heritage register applications for Knox United Church at 1448 Fifth Avenue and the home at 2299 Laurier Crescent.

The commission nominated the church to join the heritage register back in 2016, before part of the building was redeveloped into what is now the Knox Performance Centre.

According to Pritchard’s report, the property’s previous owner signed a form granting consent for the building to be added to the register in May 2017 and council considered adding it to the register the following January.

However, the building was noted at the time to have changed ownership and the church was removed from the list of properties being added to the register, with the application remaining stagnant since.

The report recommends that the commission complete the formal evaluation process for the building as there is no record of it having been done previously.

Once that is completed, the commission is recommended to review a draft statement of significance document outlining the building’s heritage value

before entering consultations with the current owner.

A copy of that statement of significance document from 2017 is attached to the meeting agenda. It says the church’s current building opened in 1922 (the congregration was founded in 1910) and is “the only remaining Gothic Revival design in the City of Prince George.”

As of 2017, it was also one of only two buildings left in the city that were designed by architect Henry Wilson. Some of the trees on the lot were planted during landscaping work in

1933.

The Laurier Crescent home, also known as the “House by Greenwell,” was nominated for addition to the registry in June 2022 but the creation of a statement of significance was never completed.

City staff recommend that the statement be completed before consultations with the owner start.

The draft statement said that the house was built in 1962 from a design by architect Alan Greenwell. Originally born in Newcastle upon Tyne in England, Greenwell moved to BC in the

late 1950s where he eventually served as an alderman on Prince George city council.

His firm, Greenwell & Bryan Architects, designed several notable buildings in Prince George including Prince George Secondary School, the Prince George Conference & Civic Centre and the HSBC Bank Tower. Greenwell died in 2021.

As he noted while delivering the commissions 2024 annual report to city council on March 10, Davison said again at the March 13 meeting that since the register was established in 2007, only 15 buildings have been added to it.

He also noted that there are few houses in the city built during its earliest years post-incorporation in the 1910s and 1920s.

Also on the commission’s 2025 work plan is several tasks to update the heritage register and the nomination process.

That includes broadening the definition of heritage to allow for more places to be added to the register, engaging the public to solicit nominations for the register and updating the nomination form for the register.

Other aspects of the work plan include working on revitalizing the city’s heritage signs, which Davison talked to council about at length, community outreach efforts and partnerships with other groups and Lheidli T’enneh First Nation.

During the meeting, Davison was re-appointed by his colleagues as the commission’s chair for 2025 and Ayesha Rogers being appointed as vice-chair.

Commission is asked to consider partnership options

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

Coun. Trudy Klassen said the city needs to take responsibility for preserving its heritage not just for the local benefit, but as citizens of the world.

Coun. Kyle Sampson asked Davison whether there had been consideration of making the commission into an arms-length non-profit so that it would

still get grant funding but have more freedom.

Davison said the idea has been raised, but the commission has not discussed it. He said that while volunteers have come and gone over the years, the city has been a constant partner.

Sampson moved for the idea of making the commission to be made more independent to be added to the list of

recommendations forwarded to staff.

Coun. Susan Scott asked whether the commission had ever discussed a partnership with Tourism Prince George. Davison said there had been talks, but there hadn’t been much follow-up as they haven’t had much in terms of programming or actions to go off. Once progress is made, more discussions could be had.

The motion to forward the recommendations to staff was amended to include Ramsay and Sampson’s additions and then was passed.

Another motion to adopt the committee’s 2025 work plan was passed after being amended to remove reference to the $60,000 needed to repair the existing heritage signs.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

Choirs from Prince George, Vanderhoof and Quesnel sing together at Knox United Church in this 1965 photo.

UNBC removes barriers for Lheidli T’enneh students

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and the University of Northern British Columbia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will ensure the educational success of Lheidli T’enneh students at UNBC by removing the financial barriers that prevent many of the community’s young people from post-secondary studies.

This MOU will offer comprehensive financial assistance and academic support by allowing eligible Lheidli T’enneh students to attend UNBC at no cost.

In addition, all extra costs associated with post-secondary education like living expenses, course fees, tutoring services and textbooks will also be covered.

This new initiative is built off the success of the 2019 pilot agreement that formalized the Lheidli T’enneh Northern Promise Partnership Program and the Lheidli T’enneh Northern Promise Partnership Transition Program. These two programs give the funding needed to achieve an undergraduate degree at UNBC and help students with the transition to university by providing full tuition support respectively.

The signing ceremony took place at the Robert Fredrick Galley at UNBC, on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh. The document was signed by UNBC president Geoff Payne and Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dolleen Logan.

“It’s all about working together,” said Logan. “It’s not about what one person wants. It’s teaming up and working together for the future for everyone. Reconciliation is not just for First Nations, it’s for everyone. This is our home, we should all be working together to further all of our children’s education.”

Logan stated that this initiative will aim to deepen collective responsibility to support the academic success of Indigenous students, and is crucial to ensuring that all voices and perspectives are considered as they work together to ignite the next generation of Indigenous leaders in British Columbia.

“I can speak with experience,” she

said. “My granddaughter, this is her first year at UNBC, and she absolutely loves it. At first, going into university is scary, two months ago, they were lifting their hands to ask questions and lifting their hands to leave the room, and now they go from teenagers to adults, So, the experience here is fabulous, and they have the Aboriginal room, and they have an opportunity to go in there and work, … they feel comfortable coming here. Because there are people to talk to.”

Payne told The Citizen that he hopes this project will significantly advance truth and reconciliation for the university.

“What’s really important is that this is not just ticking a box,” said Payne. “This isn’t about just offering a tuition waiver. This is building upon a strong relationship that we’ve had and being good stewards of that relationship. On the university side, know that we don’t do this because we have to do it but because it’s important to us. There’s a deeper meaning to that. So I do hope this continues on the path of truth and reconciliation, which is so important to us here at UNBC. If you look at our new strategic plan for the university, acting on truth and reconciliation is front and centre.”

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CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dolleen Logan and UNBC president Geoff Payne hold up the signed memorandum of understanding between UNBC and Lheidli T’enneh First Nation on Thursday, March 13 at the university. Some of the people who helped make it happen stand behind them.

Family wants answers after inmate’s death in PG jail

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Kurtis Champagne’s life as a ragefilled alcoholic, tormented by years of struggling with his mental demons and the violence they brought out in him, ended tragically Feb. 13 in a Prince George hospital room, hours after he smashed his head repeatedly against the wall of his cell at Prince George Regional Correctional Centre.

Cassie Savage admits her 37-year-old brother was no saint. He was put in jail for physically assaulting his girlfriend days earlier at their apartment and already had a criminal past of domestic violence and drunk driving.

Savage says his suicidal thoughts were already documented, having twice been admitted to UHNBC during the 4 ½ days he was held in custody, but still he was allowed to hurt himself again in his cell to the point he sustained a bluntforce trauma brain injury which was the cause of his death.

Champagne was arrested early in the morning of Feb. 9 and was brought to Prince George Regional Correctional Centre. He spoke to his mother for the last time from jail two days before his death and the call was cut off suddenly when he became agitated. According to a Northern Health social worker who spoke to the family, he was found unconscious and not breathing in his jail cell at about noon on Feb. 13. He was rushed to hospital and put on life-support but there was nothing that could be done to save him.

“They called my mom around 7:30 at night and told her that he was there, after he’d been there for quite some time and that was it,” said Savage. “They took him off life support about 11:20.

“The neurosurgeon for all of BC that was on call said it was one of the worst CT scans he’d ever seen.”

According to Savage, Champagne’s girlfriend told the arresting officer that he was talking about killing himself. Savage says if that was known to the authorities, she asks why he was allowed to repeatedly bash his head against a wall, especially after he’d twice

been taken to the hospital for the same reason.

“It’s absolute crickets,” Savage said. “We just want to know what happened at the (jail) facility. Was there a failing getting mental health support? Did he slip through the cracks? What kinds of things was he saying? Nobody from the facility has even contacted us and there’s supposed to be a family liaison officer. Not even to acknowledge him or the situation or acknowledge us, just feels really cold and dehumanizing and everyone wants to sweep it under the rug.

“I understand there needs to be repercussions when people do things wrong but at the same time if there is a pattern of the same thing happening over and over again at what point do we step in or the government step in or the ministry or agency step in and say obviously

what we’re doing is not working.”

Savage contacted the Independent Investigations Office, which was not aware of Champagne’s death. Neither she nor her family have spoken to anybody from Prince George Regional Correctional Centre or BC Corrections and they want answers.

“The social workers told us that between his last hospital visit and his arrest there were two or three additional hospital visits where he had to be seen by a doctor and got scanned because he was doing the same thing — hitting his head against the walls and the floor,” she said.

“He was getting these opportunities to do it again and again, that’s kind of where our questions are, why wasn’t he put on high watch that was being observed on CCTV? They could have had him on watch but we don’t know.

At what point do our systems intervene and help?”

In an email from the Ministry of Public Safety and the Attorney General, the province confirmed Champagne died Feb. 13 and that BC Corrections and the BC Coroners Service are investigating his death and how it happened. But due to privacy laws the release of any details of the coroner’s investigation will not be released because they are considered private health information.

“BC Corrections can confirm that in this case, senior management spoke with family members on two separate occasions to provide information as appropriate while investigations are underway and offer their condolences,” according to the ministry’s email sent to The Citizen.

FAMILY PHOTO

Cassie Savage and her brothers Mike (centre) and Kurtis Champagne are shown in happier times when they were kids growing up in Prince George.

Sister calls for more mental health, addiction supports

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“Though privacy laws prevent BC Corrections from releasing further details, BC Corrections can confirm that both BC Corrections and the Provincial Health Services Authority Correctional Health Services team, who is responsible for health care services for individuals within custody, extensively screen every person entering custody to help identify seriously ill individuals and prevent self-harm and suicide.

“This includes being seen by a nurse and mental health screener within 24 hours of admission into custody and ongoing health screenings and care as required for anyone identified as being at risk.”

Savage said it was obvious the mental health supports he needed to turn his life around were not there for him and he continued in a downward spiral. Champagne had alcohol-induced psychosis and drank to the point where his internal organs and digestive tract were damaged and he was excreting blood. She first noticed he had a drinking problem at her wedding reception in 2019 when he requested a full bottle from the bartender rather than just a glass.

“He was severely alcoholic,” said Savage.

“He got his first DUI in 2018 but that wasn’t anything that set him back drastically, he was still working and functioning. But from 2019 downwards it was a steady decline. Looking back on it now it was very quick.”

There were moments of clarity when he talked about hitting rock-bottom and was indicating he wanted to get into treatment at the Baldy Hughes Therapeutic Community and Farm, but the urge to drink again was too strong for him to resist.

“He couldn’t have just one sip,” said Savage. “It was a whole bottle and he would go on these days-long binges. Before he got arrested he went on a fiveday binge and it was a terrible five days of him abusing his girlfriend.

“When the alcohol came out it turned to rage which is what he got arrested for the most and he never got proper

intervention for that. He needed some kind of mental health intervention, but there’s a stigma around men getting mental health help, and I hate that. You could never convince him to talk to anyone.”

Champagne grew up in Prince George with Cassie, their older brother Mike and their mom. Although she was only 10 months younger than Kurtis they were never close, she said.

She recognized early on he had anger management issues but nothing was done to try to correct the problem.

He loved the outdoors and had a passion for fishing. As a kid growing up in the Pineview neighbourhood he was

him from following a similar path. Champagne was good with his hands, working as a house builder and roofer, and his employers held him in high esteem.

But eventually it got to the point where he couldn’t get through a day without reaching for the bottle and he lost his job.

“His last boss said, ‘I don’t want to fire him but I have no choice.’ Kurtis was his best worker and we’ve heard that from quite a few of his employers,” Savage said.

Savage fully supports Prince George psychiatrist Barb Kane’s push for the province to build a mental health hospital in northern BC and she wants more health care dollars targeted to address a problem that appears to be worsening.

“I do believe he needed to be in jail for what he had done but if he had been getting mandatory treatment while he was in jail it would have been a gamechanger for him.” Savage said.

She wants her brother’s death to serve as a wake-up call that society can longer afford to turn a blind eye to the increasing epidemic of mental health issues and substance abuse that’s killing people from all walks of life.

into painting Warhammer action figures and enjoyed skateboarding with his friends. He was always trying to build things or fix motors.

He got as far as Grade 11 at Prince George Secondary School but was expelled for smoking pot one too many times. Their parents divorced when Savage was three and her dad died when she and Champagne were in their early 20s.

Champagne’s alcoholism ruined friendships and during his last drinking binge he expressed his regrets that his friends had moved on with their lives and were having families of their own while the chaos of his addiction kept

“People have such a callous disregard for the lives of people who are addicts and the transient population. That’s not how they want to live, somewhere along the way there were system failures, lack of assistance, and ultimately they’re the ones paying for it,” said Savage.

“It’s not that they want to steal or beg or prostitute for a living or scam, that’s not the way that anyone wants to live. You have to take the stigma out of seeking mental health treatment. A lot of people in our community need to take away that callous perspective that addicts are addicts by choice.

“I’m relatively unemotional about it because the brother that I knew and I cared for, he’s been gone a long time, but it’s still heartbreaking and sad to think about what could have been if he was given the right interventions and treatment.”

FAMILY PHOTO

Kurtis Champagne is shown wearing the coat his mom bought for him at Christmas. He died less than two months later on Feb. 13 as a result of a brain injury he sustained after repeatedly hitting his head against the wall of his jail cell at Prince George Regional Correctional Centre.

Jail time for man who lied in order to delay sentencing

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A 48-year-old Prince George man was sent to jail for almost a year for intimidating a justice system participant.

On March 10 in Kelowna, provincial court Judge Andrew Tam sentenced Troy Alvin Mruk to 15 months. Since he had been in custody for 61 calendar days, Mruk qualified for 92 days credit. That means his net sentence is 358 days.

Mruk, who was tried over five days in November and one in December, should have been sentenced sooner, but he lied about his mother being hospitalized. In his sentencing decision, Tam said Mruk had told the court that his mother suffered a heart attack on the day that she was going to drive him from Prince George to Kelowna.

“The court required Mr. Mruk to furnish a letter to confirm that his mother was in fact at the hospital,” Tam wrote. “The matter was then adjourned on a couple of occasions for the production of the letter, which letter was ultimately not available because his mother was never at the hospital. While it is true

Woman confined, assaulted in bathroom for days

A man pleaded guilty Wednesday, March 12 in Prince George provincial court to assault by choking and assault with a weapon.

Judge Cassandra Malfair adjourned the case of Ashton Edward William Morris for sentencing in Indigenous court on June 24.

The court heard that Morris, born in 2004, was arrested trying to flee out the front door of a house after RCMP were called to a report that he assaulted the woman on Sept. 18, 2024.

According to the victim, Morris had punched her in the head and face in a washroom on Sept. 14, 2024 and kept her confined to the bedroom for four days, only allowing her out to use the washroom. She said he continued assaulting her in the bedroom, where he choked her and broke a bed frame.

Troy Mruk was sentenced to 15 months in connection with the intimidation of a witness.

that his mother is elderly and may have health issues, the explanation that she was in the hospital and could not provide transportation was a lie. This shows, again, the little respect Mr. Mruk has for the administration of justice.”

Evidence at trial showed Mruk was friends with a drug dealer who broke into a former customer’s home and assaulted her. The woman reported the incident to police and the drug dealer was charged.

COURT NOTES

He also punched her in the face on Sept. 15, 2024, leaving her with black eyes. On Sept. 18, 2024, Morris threw a TV remote that hit the woman below her left eye and threatened to kill her.

Accused admits assault at Musqueam First Nation

A man pleaded guilty March 12 in Prince George provincial court to assaulting an elder at a First Nations community in Vancouver.

Judge Cassandra Malfair heard that police were called to a residence on the Musqueam reserve at 11:31 p.m. on Aug. 23, 2023 after a fight broke out.

Witnesses said Ronald David Junior Edgar, born in 1980, was the aggressor who attacked an Elder on the victim’s property without provocation. Family

Mruk contacted the victim by text message, using his nickname, “Bones,” on a phone borrowed from a third party. Mruk’s message read: “Keep your word n show up for court ������ know and we know now the law needs you to tell them YOU lied!!!! It is all for the best for everyone involved Especially YOU!!”

The victim did not recognize the phone number from which the message came, so she asked the sender to contact her. When Mruk called, he reiterated the text and “also added that he knew where (the victim) lived,” Tam said.

Tam said there was more than one victim of Mruk’s actions, because “the offence strikes at the very core of our justice system, which is itself an essential part of a healthy democracy.”

While the offence is punishable by up to 14 years in jail, the Crown sought a nine-to-12 month sentence, plus a 12-month probation order. The defence asked for six months, but did not contest the Crown’s probation request.

Tam described Mruk’s criminal record as “dated,” but it includes: False pretenses in 1999, reporting an offence committed when it was not in 2002 and uttering threats twice in 2012.

members came to the victim’s aid before Vancouver Police arrived.

In court, Edgar claimed he was pushed and then he pushed back, but agreed that he used more force than was necessary to defend himself.

The case was adjourned to May 7 for a pre-sentencing report.

Vodka thief sentenced to 18 months for assaulting ex

A provincial court judge in Prince George gave a man an 18-month conditional discharge on March 12 after he pleaded guilty to stealing liquor under $5,000 and assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

Jordon Zachery Roland Cote, 22, will not have a criminal record if he successfully completes the 18-month probation.

“Domestic violence is taken very seriously and, generally speaking, wouldn’t be in the public’s interest to have no record for that type of offence,” said

“Mr. Mruk’s moral culpability is also high,” Tam said. “It was a pre-meditated offence in that he took the step of using someone else’s phone to deliver the message. It was not a spur of the moment event. It was a calculated threat to induce [the victim] to change her story in court for the benefit of his friend.”

However, Tam took into account Mruk’s personal circumstances as mitigating factors.

Mruk grew up with an alcoholic, abusive father and worked as a long-haul trucker until seven years ago when he was injured in a serious motor vehicle crash. Mruk has since relied on WorkSafeBC benefits and income assistance. Mruk has been sober 20 years and is single, with a 31-year-old son. He lives with his elderly mother, but he suffered a stroke around Christmas 2024, was diagnosed with blood clots and lost two of his toes.

“I have given compassionate consideration to Mr. Mruk’s health challenges as well as those of his elderly mother,” Tam wrote. “Had those not been at play, the sentence would likely have been in the range of 18 months to two years less a day.”

Judge Cassandra Malfair. “But I’ve taken into account it was a joint submission, I’m taking account your Indigenous background, and with the addition of a counselling term that will address some of the issues that are causing you to come before the courts, I think that would be beneficial.”

Court heard that Cote hid a bottle of Smirnoff Red Label vodka, worth $40, in his pants and walked past the clerks and out of a BC Liquor Store in Cache Creek on April 27, 2024. The store manager discovered the theft after reviewing store surveillance footage.

Malfair’s conditions for Cote include 50 hours of community work service, no communication or contact with two named individuals, no weapons and a prohibition from visiting any BC Liquor Store location.

By

Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

TROY MRUK/FACEBOOK

Prince George among highest rate of toxic drug deaths

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The BC Coroners Service has released new data related to the ongoing drug crisis in the area covered by Northern Health.

Prince George ranks among the cities with the highest rate of drug-toxicity deaths.

According to the service, 152 people

Police looking for driver in hit-and-run involving teen

A youth was struck while walking along Holmes Road near Ellis Road on Monday, March 3 around 6 p.m.

Prince George RCMP are investigating, and investigators are looking for dashcam, cellphone or video surveillance footage from the area.

“Thankfully, the youth was not seriously injured,” stated Cpl, Jennifer Cooper, the local detachment’s media relations officer. “We are reaching out to the public to see if anyone has video surveillance or dashcam footage that could help move this investigation forward.”

The vehicle involved is described as a black or grey pickup truck, possibly a GMC or Dodge Ram.

Police also believe it may have had a lift kit and metal racks in the truck bed.

The truck continued west along Holmes Road after striking the youth.

died in the province from unregulated drug toxicity in January.

Of these deaths, 46 per cent occurred in private residences, 35 per cent took place in social and supportive housing or other private areas, and 18 per cent occurred outdoors.

People aged 40 to 59 accounted for 50 per cent of drug-toxicity deaths in the province.

Three deaths were reported among

Anyone with footage from between 6 p.m. and 6:25 p.m., or who has spoken with someone who witnessed the incident but has not already spoken with police, is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line at 250-561-3300.

Local man wanted by RCMP on warrant in mischief case

Thomas Timothy Simpson is currently wanted by the Prince George RCMP. Simpson, 23, is wanted on one unendorsed warrant for mischief under $5,000. He is described as white, 5’9 1/2”, 144 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.

RCMP consider Simpson dangerous

children and youth under the age of 18.

In local areas, the highest rates of drug-toxicity deaths last year were recorded in Prince George, Vancouver-Centre North, Lillooet, Greater Campbell River and Terrace.

Fentanyl and its derivatives were the most commonly found substances in unregulated drug deaths in January.

More than three-quarters of the

CRIME NOTES

and warn that he should not be approached. If you locate him, contact local police immediately.

If you have any information about his whereabouts, contact Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

‘Prolific offender’ arrested in string of downtown

thefts

The Prince George RCMP have arrested a suspect in connection with a series of five break-and-enters that took place between March 2 and March 7, 2025.

The incidents occurred after businesses had closed for the night and employees had left.

Although there were no eyewitnesses, the RCMP gathered evidence from

deceased who underwent testing had fentanyl in their system.

The highest rates of deaths were reported in Vancouver Coastal Health, with 40 deaths per 100,000 people, and in Northern Health, with 32 per 100,000.

However, this report is preliminary and subject to change as additional toxicological results are received and investigations conclude.

surveillance cameras at the affected businesses and nearby establishments, which helped identify a suspect.

On March 7, 2025, police located and arrested 44-year-old Allan Douglas Nigh in connection with the break-and-enters. Nigh, a known repeat offender, was previously arrested in September 2024 for breaking into multiple businesses and vehicles in downtown Prince George. At that time, he was charged with three counts of break-and-enter with intent to commit an indictable offence and three counts of mischief under $5,000.

“These incidents were all linked, and a suspect was identified due to the high-quality video surveillance provided to our investigators. In cases where eyewitnesses are unlikely, having direct access to surveillance footage is crucial for quickly piecing together the investigation,” said Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer for the RCMP.

Suspicious letters targeted school employees: RCMP

The suspicious letters that led to the temporary closure of the Vanderhoof Canada Post office on Feb. 28 contained threatening statements targeting specific employees at Evelyn Dickson Elementary School, RCMP say. The envelopes flagged as suspicious were later found to contain a non-toxic white powder.

Vanderhoof RCMP reported Thursday, March 13, that the letters included

a statement directed at the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion guidelines in B.C.’s Expect Respect and a Safe Education (ERASE) policy.

“While the substance was found to be non-toxic, the threats within the suspicious packages are being taken seriously,” said Cpl. Madonna Saunderson of the B.C. RCMP. “Specific employees being targeted for following a provincial policy that promotes a culture of inclusion and safety for all children is unconscionable.”

The letters may be linked to previous threats sent to teachers in November at

Evelyn Dickson Elementary, RCMP said. “These attacks must stop,” said Vanderhoof Mayor Kevin Moutray in a statement issued by his office. “The first one was one too many. The teachers and staff in our school district put in a tremendous effort every day to provide students with a quality education. It is saddening, disgusting, and disturbing to see them threatened for simply doing their job. No one should ever go to work, anywhere, worried about their own safety and security, or that of their families or colleagues. These actions are a black eye on Vanderhoof and have

no place in any society. Vanderhoof is a friendly, welcoming, and inclusive community. We work hard, we work together, and we show up for our neighbours every day. We cannot and will not let the actions of a few people change the culture of our community. Kindness must triumph over hatred.”

The North District General Investigations Section is now leading the investigation and is seeking any information that could help identify a suspect. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Vanderhoof RCMP at 250-567-2222.

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Simpson

Poor judgment, but not child abduction, judge rules

Quesnel man was accused of kidnapping a 10-year-old boy

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A BC Supreme Court judge ruled March 13 in Quesnel that while a 46-year-old man was guilty of bad decision making, but he was not guilty of child abduction.

Justice Anita Chan acquitted Jason Adam Penner of the charges of abduction of a person under 14 and abduction of a person under 16 because the Crown failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Penner was charged after Quesnel RCMP investigated a report of a 10-yearold boy going missing on July 21, 2022.

“The evidence does not show that Mr. Penner tried to do anything to take (the child), to entice him away, to detain or conceal him,” Chan said in her oral ruling.

During the trial, the boy’s mother testified that her son had a 6 p.m. curfew, but he did not return on time on July 21, 2022, causing her to worry. She printed a photo of her son and showed it to people on the street as she searched for him through the night. He was found safe and returned to his parents. The mother testified that she did not know Penner and did not give him permission to take her son.

The judge said that “a fair view of the evidence” is that the boy and Penner randomly met outside a Circle K store on July 20, 2022 and engaged in conversation about rare hockey cards before Penner invited the boy to his house so he could show him some of those items.

When the boy left for home, Penner, who was planning a garage sale, asked him to come back the next day to look at some more hockey cards.

“There’s no evidence that Mr. Penner did anything more than that,” Chan said.

Chan said while the Crown emphasized the “enticement of candy, ice cream and a garage sale,” she did not find that Penner intended those to be

enticements for the boy to go to his home on July 21.

“Considering the statements made by Mr. Penner that he was told by (the boy) that he had his parents’ permission to be there and that (the boy) could have left at any time — with the totality of the evidence — the court is not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Penner intended to abduct (the boy),” Chan said.

“That is not to say Mr. Penner bears no blame for the incident. In my view, Mr. Penner’s decision to allow (him) to stay overnight was a very poor one. However, I do not find, on the circumstances of this case, that this poor decision rises to the level of criminal responsibility.”

First Nation considering data centre near Fort St. John

CITIZEN STAFF

Citing its proximity to Site C and the cooler climate needed for largescale data storage, a Northern BC First Nation and a venture capital firm are exploring the possibility of building a large-scale data centre in the Fort St. John area.

Prophet River First Nation, an independent Dene Tsaa Nation, has entered into a letter of intent with ABCT Pacific Ltd., a BC-based venture capital corporation.

The partnership comes in response to the growing demand for data storage, driven by advancements in Artificial Intelligence and other technology sectors, the first nation stated in a press release.

Fort St. John, with its abundant energy resources such as hydroelectric power from the Site C Dam, is seen as an ideal location for the project. The area’s cooler climate further enhances its suitability, offering an advantage over more arid southern regions.

“This is a unique and forward-looking opportunity for economic development that will benefit Prophet River First Nation, its people and our operations,” said Prophet River Chief Valerie Askoty

facility, its proponents say.

of Prophet River. “It gives us substantial involvement in the rapidly growing information economy, and we see it as a win for Prophet River, the Fort St. John area, and British Columbia as a whole.”

The size, scope and capital cost of the proposed data centre will be determined during the feasibility process, with Prophet River First Nation set to be the majority owner of the project.

Phil Kershaw, co-founder and CEO of ABCT Pacific, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration.

“We are extremely honoured to be working with Chief Askoty and the Band Council on this vital and exciting opportunity,” Kershaw said. “This project is not only important for the British Columbia economy, but it also reflects vision, reconciliation, and economic

diversification going forward.”

The project also drew support from Stewart Muir, co-founder and CEO of Resource Works, a Vancouver-based public interest advocacy group.

“BC has all the conditions needed to become a leader in secure, sustainable data storage,” he said. “The province could position itself as a premier destination for the data economy.”

BC Hydro’s Site C near Fort St. John is seen on Nov. 28, 2024. The dam’s proximity to Fort St. John makes the area suitable for a large-scale data

Mixed reaction to Valemount business recovery efforts

ABIGAIL POPPLE Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

While some Valemount business owners have begun to recover since the nearly three-week-long shutdown of Highway 16 and Highway 93 last summer, others are struggling to keep afloat from the cascading economic impacts.

In early November, the Village hired consultancy firm Strategies North to assess the economic impacts of the highway closures and implement an economic recovery strategy. The firm met with business owners later that month, and produced a report for Council in January estimating that $1.5M would be needed for Valemount’s economic recovery.

The firm said it hopes to get economic support to village businesses through lobbying the federal government, as well as the governments of B.C. and Alberta. Additionally, Strategies North began offering grant application coaching as of Feb. 10.

The efforts have elicited a variety of reactions from local business owners.

The owner of Emerald Earth Organic Spa, Sherri Houghton, said she has not received concrete support from the Village or the consultancy firm.

“I received maybe three follow-up emails from Strategies North (after the November meeting),” Houghton told The Goat

“Unfortunately, none of them were what I was hoping for. I was looking for some business grants, and they didn’t find any grants that would suit my business.”

Houghton said she can no longer work on her business full-time, and has had to accept part-time work in other communities.

“They’re still looking, so I’m hopeful that maybe they will find something that will help me,” Houghton added. “But so far, I haven’t had any successful help or outcomes from the meeting.”

Some businesses have been able to weather the economic turbulence. Owner of The Caribou Grill, Patricia Thoni, told The Goat her business was

buoyed by winter tourists.

“I did talk with someone (from Strategies North),” Thoni said. “I didn’t lose as much as some other businesses… We closed for the fall, and then December was decent, so I just didn’t really follow through with it.”

Kelly Anderson, owner of Blue Sky Cabins, said she was fortunate not to have any booking cancellations as a result of the Jasper wildfire. As a longtime visitor to Valemount and a new business owner, she is pleased to see the village trying to expand its tourism market.

“We had international guests that came and enjoyed Valemount. Although they were disappointed to not be able to travel into Jasper, it gave them a chance to look around Valemount and the surrounding area,” Anderson said. “A lot of people do come to venture towards Jasper. We have people coming to enjoy the bike park, enjoy the hiking around Valemount, and I think Valemount is starting to make its own path.”

In an email to The Goat, Strategies North president Grant Barley said business owners can reach out to the firm to ask about potential grant opportunities. Barley’s team is also forwarding grants to Valemount businesses they have been in contact with, he added.

The firm does not specialize in writing business grants, but it can provide coaching, Barley said.

“We are helping Valemount businesses as much as we can with information and advice on preparation and submission of applications,” he said.

Barley added that he is optimistic about potentially helping businesses earn money through grants, and lobbying on behalf of the Village.

“We have over $800M successful applications in the 10 year history of our company,” Barley said.

“Working with the Village of Valemount and the Valemount business community has been excellent and we’re very proud to be working for the community.”

This article originally appeared in The Rocky Mountain Goat.

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FACEBOOK PHOTO

The wildfire that devastated Jasper last year had an effect on Valemount and other area communities that rely on summer tourist traffic.

What’s happening in PG

Prince George Cougars vs Victoria Royals goes Friday, March 21 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 22 at 6 p.m. at CN Centre. Tickets at https://ticketsnorth. evenue.net/events/CSG.

Rockabilly Weekend with the Chevys goes Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22 from 8 to 10 p.m. at Trench Brewing at 399 Second Ave. The Chevys are a four-piece band from Prince George that is dedicated to creating a rockabilly musical experience for audiences of all ages. There’s no cover charge but tips are always welcome. Book your reservation today by calling 236-423-0065.

Rated PG Thrashers vs Bulkley Valley Bruisers goes Saturday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Roll-A-Dome, 2588 Recplace Drive. This is a classic roller derby event with a beer garden. Admission is $5.

Art Knapp Fertilizer Fundamentals Workshop goes Saturday, March 23 at 10:30 a.m., at Art Knapp Plantland, 4411 Kimball Road. Unlock the secrets of effective plant nutrition by decoding the numbers on fertilizer packages and what it means for plants. Organic vs. Non-Organic: Explore the benefits and differences between organic and synthetic fertilizers and how to choose the right one. Seasonal recommendations: Get tailored advice on the best times to fertilize different plants throughout the year. Enhance gardening skills and ensure plants get the nutrients they need to thrive. Workshop is free and donations collected will go to Special Olympics Prince George.

Miracle Theatre Presents Lunenburg and Here on the Flight Path by Norm Foster from March 27 to April 23 at ArtSpace, above Books and Co. All proceeds from the shows will be donated to the Prince George Seniors Emergency Endowment Fund at the Prince George Community Foundation to help seniors in need meet essential expenses through the Prince George Council of Seniors Resource Centre. Tickets are at Books & Co., 1685 Third Avenue or by calling 250-563-6637.

Improve Shmimprov Brighten Your

Day goes Saturday March 29 from 8 to 11 p.m. at Omineca Arts Centre, 369 Victoria St. Brightening up your beautiful March evening, with a glorious evening of improvised theatre. There’s a host of new games that will be played out for your amusement. As always, there’s snacks and drinkie drinks so bring your significant other and have some laughs. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8. Tickets are $20 at www.shmimprovimprov. ca/brightenyourday.

Night at the Hart, Kick Cabin Fever goes Saturday, March 29 at 7 p.m. at the Hart Centre Mall, 3831 West Austin Road. Get ready to paint, socialize and enjoy a glass of wine. First 20 ticket holders receive a free cactus and potting soil. Don’t miss out on the chance to shake off those winter blues and have a blast. Every ticket purchased has a chance to win some pretty awesome door prizes. Limited seats, $35 advanced ticket sales end on

com/e/ok-dope-presents-dan-duvall-andemily-woods-live.

Spring Fling Alice in Wonderland Variety Show presented by the Queer Connection Society goes Saturday, April 5 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Ignite Nightclub, 1232 Third Ave. Step through the looking glass and into a world of wonder, whimsy, and fantastical entertainment. Ignite transforms into a Mad Hatter’s dream, where reality bends and time races into a curiouser and curiouser landscape of play. Mesmerizing performances include belly dancers, drag artists, Legends Live tribute acts, gravity-defying pole dancers, burlesque performers. Dress up if you would like to embrace the Wonderland theme. There is a themed photo booth and interactive surprises. Tickets: Member Pre-Sale: $20 (Members, check your email for your promo code.) Regular Pre-Sale: $25, at the door: $30 (if not sold out) Tickets at www.eventbrite.ca/e/2025-spring-flingvariety-show-tickets.

March 22. Follow on Facebook for more information at www.facebook.com/ HartCentreMall.

Willow River Farmers Market presents the Spring Market on Sunday, March 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ferndale Hall, 3595 Upper Fraser. Come and support local vendors. There’s a concession, too.

OK Dope presents Dan Duvall and Emily Woods Live on Tuesday, April 1 at 8 p.m. at Trench Brewing, 399 Second Ave. Duvall is a comedian who has performed across Canada, the U.S. and Europe including at Just For Laughs Vancouver, CBC’s LOL, The Winnipeg Comedy Festival while Woods is known for silly confessional storytelling, crowd work and hosting. Woods was featured on the 2022 Just For Laughs Originals album, is a regular host at Hecklers Comedy Club in Victoria and headlines comedy clubs across Canada. Tickets are $35 each at www.jumpcomedy.

No Big D album release show with Scribbens goes Saturday, April 5 at 9 p.m. at Legion 43 PG, 1110 Sixth Ave. Brand new album from Quesnel-based all-femme post punk garage rockers. With multiple songwriters sharing vocal duties and a collaborative approach, they wasted no time crafting a set list of all original tunes. Their individual styles are eclectic, adding a dynamic edge. On stage there is no doubt that these four friends are in their happy place, so come see what all the fuss is about. Scribbens is a local favourite, bringing their own approach to the post-punk genre that borders on prog. Music For $15 tickets visit www.madloon.ca/ tickets.

Ranunculus Workshop goes Saturday, April 5 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Studio 2800, 2880-15th Ave. Join Lisa from Wildflower Farm to learn how to grow ranunculus and receive six corms to take home. The workshop is $20 per person and pre-registration is now open. Contact Lisa at 250 961 3519 or wildflowerfarmpg@hotmail.com.

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EMILY WOODS/FACEBOOK

Comedian Emily Woods performs on Tuesday, April 1 at 8 p.m. at Trench Brewing, 399 Second Ave. She’ll be joined by comic Dan Duvall.

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Hop into Spring Décor Display Class goes Sunday, April 6 at 1:30 p.m. at Studio 2880, 2880-15th Ave. Create a design featuring two wooden bunnies and a 5×7 double sided box frame sign. The set also comes with a beaded tag and a riser. If you bring children, two per adult, they get assorted fake eggs to decorate, while you create your masterpiece. $50 per adult, $10 per child. Pre-registration required by etransfer to cindy@repurposewithcindy.ca.

Bachman-Turner Overdrive Back in Overdrive goes Tuesday, April 8 at 7 p.m. at CN Centre. Join Randy Bachman, Tal Bachman, and the rest of the band for this rockin’ show, along with special guests April Wine and Headpins. The band will also play hits from The Guess Who, the iconic rock group which Bachman co-founded with Burton Cummings. Tickets are at https://www.ticketsnorth.ca/event/ back-in-overdrive-2025/

YEG Exotic Plant Crowd, Rare Plant Show goes Saturday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 5375 Woodoak Crescent. Green Goddess is hosting this even in their showroom for everyone who enjoys rare plants. For more information visit www.yegexoticplantcrowd. ca.

Spruce City Wildlife Association Banquet and Fundraiser goes Saturday, April 12 from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Roll-A-Dome. Enjoy a wild game buffet featuring delicious dishes like cougar, bear, lynx, elk, moose, and more all catered by the amazing White Goose Bistro. There will be fundraising games and silent auction items including quad & side-by-side rentals, fishing charter, helicopter ride and flights, Skykamp Mini 2.0 rooftop tent and more. Tickets are $100 and support conservation in the Omineca Region. To purchase tickets in person visit SCWA hatchery at 1384 River Road on Saturday, March 15 from 4 to 8 p.m., Sunday, March 16 from 2 to 6 p.m. or Tuesday, March 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. Cash is preferred as there will be a small

surcharge for debit or credit. Tickets are also available online at https://scwa. bc.ca/2025-banquet-tickets/.

Annual Pruning Clinic goes Sunday, April 6 at 10:30 a.m. at Art Knapp Plantland Home & Garden, 4411 Kimball Road. Sharpen your gardening skills at our Annual Pruning Clinic hosted by expert gardeners Jos and Harry. This workshop is perfect for anyone looking to master the art of pruning to ensure their plants are healthy, wellshaped, and productive. Workshop is free - donations welcome for Special Olympics Prince George. For more information and to register visit www. artknappspg.com/events.

Easter Event goes Saturday, April 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This event is hosted by Buckhorn Rec and Buckhorn Elementary school at PG Snowmobile

Lessons go every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 483 Gillett St. Everyone is welcome to attend. Drop-in fee is $5 at the door.

Games Night goes every Thursday at 7 p.m at Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Drive. Come on down and join in a game of backgammon, checkers, crib or better yet try out the pool table or dart board, please bring your own darts. Open to everyone for a $5 drop in fee.

Craft & Chat at the main branch of the Prince George Public Library goes every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. in the magazine corner, second floor, where fibre artists are invited to bring their latest projects to share, vent frustrations, brag about successes, get and give help and join in lively discussions. Snacks provided. This event is in partnership with Great Northwest Fibre Fest.

Parkinson Support Group meetings are the third Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. at the Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Drive. Meetings are informal and are for sharing information about slowing down the progression of PD. There are guest speakers, special events and biweekly exercise sessions and positive social interaction. Use lower parking lot beside ball diamond to access the seniors centre.

Club, 12000 Scott Road. There is a full day of fun-filled activities planned for the whole family including an Easter egg hunt, colouring contest and a full concession stand, cash only. There is a silent auction with proceeds going to the school’s year end trip. Easter Bunny will make an appearance.

Prince George Mixed 55+ Slopitch League 2025 with practice every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon from about May 13 to Aug. 12. A group of players is looking to put together a team for the 55+ BC Games this year. Format is seven men and at least three women 55+. Registration is April 28, 29 & 30 at the Prince George Golf & Curling Club from 1 to 4 p.m. $75 per player, cash only. For more information call Jackie Burns at 250-962-9230.

BC Old Time Fiddlers’ Jams and

Trivia Night at Nancy O’s goes every other Wednesday at 8 p.m., 1261 Third Ave. There are three rounds per game, each round has five themed questions and five music questions. There’s something for everyone. The winning team gets a custom Nancy O’s Trivia trophy and a round of drinks, their photo on the wall that goes into the winners’ book after two weeks. Those caught cheating will be publicly shamed and labelled as cheaters – good wholesome fun. Book a spot by calling ahead at 250-562-8066.

If you’ve got an event coming up email us at news@pgcitizen.ca to offer details including name of the event, the date, time and location, ticket price and where to get them and a little bit about what’s happening, too. LOCF

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

Moose is on the menu at the Spruce City Wildlife Association Banquet and Fundraiser on Saturday, April 12 from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Roll-A-Dome. The wild game buffet also includes cougar, bear, lynx, elk and more, all catered by the White Goose Bistro.

Seniors to benefit from Miracle Theatre’s productions

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

The Prince George community knows that when Anne Laughlin and Ted Price take on a fundraising project, it’s through Miracle Theatre.

This year, Miracle Theatre is offering two plays in repertory by Canadian playwright Norm Foster: Lunenburg and Here in the Flight Path, from March 27 to April 23.

Each Miracle Theatre production has proceeds directed towards a great need that Price and Laughlin feel must be met in Prince George.

Recently, Laughlin and Price learned about the struggles some seniors face across the country—and, more importantly, right here in Prince George. These seniors are unable to afford their rent and are often forced to make the impossible choice between medication and groceries because their fixed income just isn’t enough.

To help ease the financial burden, the Prince George Council of Seniors Emergency Fund has been created, held in trust by the Prince George Community Foundation, with proceeds going to the most vulnerable members of the community.

“When we saw the need, we thought, how do we get funding up in a hurry so the endowment fund can have a significant impact as soon as possible?” Price said.

“Our goal is to always make the next endowment fund bigger than the last. Last year, we raised $180,000, and by doing two shows this year, we hope to surpass that amount. Our double-barreled effort is going to something that’s largely going unnoticed.”

“Some people haven’t even heard of the Prince George Council of Seniors,” Laughlin said.

“They help people with their dentures, income tax, food, and housing,” Price added.

“So we’re trying to make a bit of noise,” Laughlin said.

“And when people come to the play, they will hopefully learn a little bit and get it onto their radar that there are people who need help.”

“There is a serious, unrecognized need out there,” Price said.

One in four seniors lives below the poverty line of $23,000 a year, he added.

“We want to chime the bell for organizers like the Prince George Council of Seniors, who pitch in and work hard and really deserve a lot of attention,” Price said. “They’re doing all this crucial work in the community, and people need to hear about it.”

Malhar Kendurkar, executive director of the Prince George Council of Seniors, said the council is humbled to be the recipient of the endowment fund held in trust by the Prince George Community Foundation.

“We have so many clients who need help,” Kendurkar said. “We have many programs to serve seniors. We have Meals on Wheels, Better at Home, Community Connections, a seniors’ housing navigator, caregiver support programs, and we rely on many volunteers to help with our front desk and throughout all our programs.”

It’s tax season, and the Prince George Council of Seniors is offering free tax services to low-income seniors aged

55 and older. In previous years, the service ran for two days, but due to high demand, it has been expanded to four days this year.

“There was such a demand for this much-needed service,” Kendurkar said. “We also have an advanced planning clinic, provided by Seniors First BC, for low-income seniors who need documents like a will, power of attorney, or representation agreements drawn up, which is so helpful.”

Another program, Meals on Wheels, has been managed by the Council of Seniors for the Prince George area for the last 20 years. Recently, it expanded into College Heights and the North Nechako areas under the guidance of new coordinator Andrew Agbenin. He has been able to accommodate everyone on the waiting list, which was more than 60 people. The program now serves about 152 clients, delivering between 360 and 380 meals each week. Seniors pay $9.50 per hearty meal, delivered by volunteers. There’s also a program where people can adopt a senior so that the meal is provided at no cost to them.

Rounding out the support for seniors, the Prince George Council of Seniors Emergency Fund will play a vital role.

“We were so pleased when we met with Anne and Ted and they told us they saw the need. Now, we will be able to address it,” Kendurkar said.

“It’s not often that people see how seniors are struggling in our community. Here at the Council of Seniors, we see it every day. Having an endowment fund will provide the funds every year, and that will make a huge difference. That’s what the Council of Seniors is so grateful for—having those funds to provide to seniors during emergencies.”

Miracle Theatre presents Lunenburg and Here in the Flight Path by Norm Foster from March 27 to April 23 at ArtSpace, above Books and Co. All proceeds from the shows will go to the Prince George Seniors Emergency Endowment Fund at the Prince George Community Foundation to help seniors in need meet essential expenses through the Prince George Council of Seniors Resource Centre. Tickets are available at Books & Co., 1685 Third Avenue, or by calling 250-563-6637.

MIRACLE THEATRE IMAGE

Miracle Theatre presents two Norm Foster plays in repertory as a fundraiser for the Prince George Council of Seniors Emergency Endowment Fund held in trust with the Prince George Community Fund. The plays, Lunenburg and Here on the Flight Path and will be presented at ArtSpace from March 27 to April 23.

Independent liquor stores face cutoff of U.S. spirits

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) has decided to aggressively respond to U.S. tariffs as part of the broader provincial and federal government response.

Earlier this year, after the U.S. first announced, then put on hold, tariffs on Canadian goods, the LDB only removed liquor from red states that voted in favour of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Following a directive from the BC government, the LDB announced on March 10 that it would halt the importation of all U.S.-made liquor products.

In addition, it also announced that it would stop the retail sale of all U.S.made liquor products and remove these items from store shelves immediately.

Premier David Eby recently addressed the decision to restrict the sale of U.S. products.

“Today, we are ordering the removal of all American beer, wine, spirits, and refreshment beverages from the shelves at BC liquor stores,” Eby said. “The stores carry hundreds of types of U.S. alcohol, which the BC Liquor Distribution Branch will no longer be purchasing. We are taking this action in response to escalating threats from south of the border.”

The premier followed up, stating that these bans are a response to a very real economic threat from the United States.

“Let there be no mistake about the intent behind tariffs: President Trump wants to hurt Canada economically so he can annex Canada politically,” Eby said. “As hard as it is to believe, our longtime friend and ally is behaving like a foe. Trump wants to force us into becoming the 51st state. That will never happen. We are proud Canadians. We will always be the true north, strong and free.”

Canada is also fighting back against these recent tariffs by removing trade barriers between provinces.

In a recent announcement, Canadian first ministers spoke about plans to remove these barriers and allow direct-to-consumer alcohol sales amid economic threats from U.S. tariffs.

A selection of American liquor was still available at Liquor Warehouse when this photo was taken last week, and will be until the provincial LDB’s existing inventory runs out.

This ban, however, will only affect liquor products that are manufactured in the U.S. and imported into Canada. U.S. brands produced in Canada, like Budweiser, will not be removed from shelves.

In a statement, the LDB noted that the mark-up collected from liquor sales is an essential source of government revenue, contributing just over $1 billion to the Government of British Columbia. The LDB controls the distribution, stocking, and promotion of all the products under its umbrella, which means all breweries, distilleries, and wineries must operate under distinct sales agreements.

This suggests that more promotion of

pull it because we need to be paid for that inventory, and we wouldn’t be able to get our money back or return it.”

Fletcher told The Citizen that when American products run out, the focus will shift to promoting Canadian-made liquor through in-store tastings and social media.

She added that the most impacted American brands will likely be bourbon and wine, though they represent only a small percentage of the products available at the Liquor Warehouse.

Overall, Fletcher is not concerned about the recent removal of U.S.-based products.

“We’re definitely affected by this, but I don’t think it will negatively affect us for long,” Fletcher said. “I think Canada as a whole is fighting against this and really coming together to buy Canadian and support Canadian as well as other countries, like those in Europe. So I think we’ll be all right.”

Liquor on the Hart store manager Sharlene Sellars said smaller stores like hers often can’t afford to sell only Canadian liquor and are unable to pull American products off the shelves due to storage constraints.

BC and Canadian brands will be seen in the near future.

Even independent liquor stores not under the LDB’s umbrella typically acquire their stock from it, meaning American products will likely disappear from these shelves once current stock runs out.

“Right now, we are still able to order products made in the U.S. until all the inventory currently sitting in the warehouses is gone,” said Alana Fletcher, manager of Liquor Warehouse in Prince George. “It’s already been imported into Canada. I’m not sure yet if we’re going to be ordering anything from there at this point. Pretty much, we just have the stuff on our shelves. We’re not going to

“I don’t have the storage space,” Sellars said. “If I were to take all of the American product out, I would have nowhere to put it. So I think lots of the private stores will just sell what they can. I’m not doing anything differently. I can’t afford to … Bacardi’s a really big seller, but I’m not going to pull it off the shelf just because it’s American. If the price goes up and people want it, then obviously I’m going to sell it.”

The manager of BX Pub Cold Beer and Wine Store, Cindy Lowley, has not yet felt the impacts of the ban but has seen massive increases in the purchase of BC products.

“It’s really not going to impact us that much,” Lowley said. “I’m sure customers will complain about it not being on the shelf once we can’t get it, so we’ll just have to put more BC wines in that spot it takes up. But in the last 10 days, we’ve sold more BC wine than we’ve ever sold. We’ve got people coming in and seeking it out.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

College of New Caledonia honours Indigenous culture, history and tradition during Aboriginal History Week

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

Aboriginal History Week was celebrated at the College of New Caledonia (CNC) from Monday, March 10 to Friday, March 14, offering an opportunity to learn from Elders and knowledge holders while experiencing the traditional ways of Indigenous culture.

“We’ve been celebrating Aboriginal History Week at CNC for years now,” said Elder Darlene McIntosh, CNC cultural advisor.

“The Gathering Place is the number one place to be to visit with participants like the medicine people, the singers, the dancers, the beading artists – they all share the richness of their culture that some people don’t really know about. It’s so important to showcase all of these things.”

Violet Prince and Maggie Morris, Nak’azdli Elders, were sharing their knowledge of traditional medicines with visitors to their booth.

“The medicine women are so welcoming and friendly when people ask questions,” McIntosh said.

“So many people are going back to traditional medicines because we all know we need to look after ourselves so this is one way that we can help people by allowing them to ask any type of questions, talk to our elders and knowledge keepers. Because of what’s happening on the other side of our border, we need to be self-sufficient and we need to grow our own food and share it with our own communities and not ship it out.”

Indigenous peoples have always honoured the land and those in the Gathering Place on Tuesday were able to offer advice about getting back to nature and living in the bountiful environment of the region.

Those in the Gathering Place included:

• Roy and Terry Nooski (Nadleh Whut’en Elders) – Sharing traditional medicines

• Julie Jacques (Takla Elder) –Showcasing cultural crafts

plan on being here for the next 9,000 years - at least.”

The lunchtime offerings of entertainment ended with a cultural favourite, a variety of bannock that attendees enjoyed.

On Wednesday, March 12 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Room 1-306, T’soh Dih Pete Erickson, a member of the Yinka Dene/Dakelh Nation from Nak’azdli and the Ts’umusyoo (Beaver) Clan, spoke. After serving 28 years as a constable and corporal with the RCMP, he now leads the Salmon Hatchery. As a Denezah Clan leader, Erickson is deeply engaged in the traditional governance system and represents Nak’azdli Whut’en on provincial and federal committees. As a respected knowledge holder, he shares the rich cultural traditions of First Nations people by weaving captivating stories.

• Violet Prince and Maggie Morris (Nak’azdli Elders) – Sharing traditional medicines

• Genny Pierre (Tl’azt’en Elder) –Showcasing traditional cultural crafts

• Marie Desjarlais (Cree Métis Elder) – Showcasing traditional cultural crafts

• Joyce Roberts (Métis Elder) –Métis exhibit

• Crystal Behn (Dene) – Manitobah Mukluks artist and exceptional beader

• UNBC First Nations Centre & IMSS – Supporting diversity at the college

Providing a glimpse into cultural celebration dances were Michael Antoine of the Saik’us First Nation, who is a pipe carrier, Sun Dancer, holistic student support, drummer and singer.

Also dancing was Tracy Peters of the ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation who is a jingle dress dancer (pow wow style), beader, sewer, singer, and Sun Dancer.

The CNC Drummers Group also performed several songs.

“And of course, we cannot have a First Nations gathering without bannock and so we will share our bannock that has come from the House of Ancestors, which is of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation,” Elder McIntosh said.

“What’s so important about the Aboriginal History Week is that here at the college we have such a diverse community because we have so many international students and when we showcase our culture to those students it’s to emphasize that we have been here for thousands of years and have managed to keep our traditions going throughout that time. Proven by lithic evidence we have been on our traditional territory for 9,000 years and we

A Beaded Earring Workshop was held on Wednesday, March 12 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Aboriginal Resource Centre, Room 1-773. Stephanie Jack and Jaelyn Fulton will provide instruction on creating beautiful, handcrafted earrings. This workshop is open to all, with no registration required.

A screening of Oscar-nominated documentary Sugarcane was held on Thursday, March 13 from noon to 3 p.m. in the Lecture Theatre, Room 1-306. Sugarcane is a critically acclaimed documentary that delves deeply into the tragic history of First Nations people who attended the former St. Joseph’s Mission residential school. The film explores the ongoing impact on survivors and their descendants.

Directed by Secwepemc artist Julian Brave NoiseCat and journalist Emily Kassie, the film has received widespread acclaim since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, including a 100 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a nomination for Best Documentary at the 97th Academy Awards. The documentary highlights the profound injustices endured by Indigenous communities in Canada and serves as a call to action for a more just future. This documentary is rated R.

PHOTOS BY CITIZEN STAFF

ABOVE: Terry and Roy Nooski, Nadleh Whut’en Elders, share traditional medicines in the Gathering Place during CNC’s Aboriginal History Week on Tuesday, March 11.

BELOW: Traditional jingle dress dancer Tracy Peters, ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation, performs.

PHOTOS BY CITIZEN STAFF

ABOVE: Michael Antoine, Saik’us First Nation, showcases his traditional dancing skills.

BELOW: Genny Pierre, Tl’azt’en Elder, discusses traditional cultural crafts.

Group aims to fill gaps in north’s 2SLGBTQIA+ history

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Northern B.C. Queer Connection Society is pleased to announce it has received funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) through the 2SLGBTQIA+ Projects Fund 2024.

The $299,000 grant will support the creation of an archive of Northern 2SLGBTQIA+ history and a documentary capturing and exploring the diverse voices, experiences, and milestones of the Northern BC queer community.

Collaborators include Dr. Theresa Healy, filmmakers 6IX SIGMA Productions, community members, and organizations.

The archive project will serve as an accessible repository of historical interviews, documents, photographs, and memorabilia, aimed at being a resource for researchers, educators, and the public.

“I think preserving history in general is important so future generations don’t face the same struggles of invisibility and erasure,” said project manager Jessica Davey.

“Especially in Canada, where forced assimilation of two-spirit people was so prevalent. I feel like it helps younger

available before.

queer people connect with those who came before them and recognize the progress that’s been made. For some, it helps them understand that they are not alone and that others have walked similar paths.”

Davey told The Citizen that the creation of these projects is not only about preserving an important aspect of history but also providing critical resources that were previously

unavailable.

“I hope this will help provide more resources for schools, researchers, and activists to educate others,” said Davey. “I hope to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes by fostering a more accepting society. By helping those who haven’t had the chance to live openly or have their stories told or accepted, we preserve their stories in a way that honours their resilience. We can ensure that

their history, and our history, hasn’t been forgotten.”

One of the key aspects of these projects is addressing the gaps Davey has observed in queer history in Prince George and the North as a whole.

“I feel like the larger cities have kind of overshadowed us,” said Davey. “In the North, we are so spread out that even regular history hasn’t been talked about much. For example, some pride societies didn’t even start until after COVID. Acceptance has been slower in the North. Talking about those histories and being open has been a slow process.”

Davey is currently building the archive while the documentary is in production. She is in talks with various pride societies across Northern BC, historians, and is even consulting The Citizen’s archives (online at pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca) for more information.

However, she is also asking for help from Northern residents with her project.

“If anyone would like to participate, share their voices or experiences, or contribute documents, photographs, or artwork, we’d be happy to include those in our archives,” said Davey.

To provide information to the archive, contact Davey at projects@nbcqueerconnection.com.

Calendar fundraiser benefits BC Children’s Hospital

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH

Citizen Staff

For years local artist Rick Mintz has been creating calendars as a fundraiser for BC Children’s Hospital that helps so many children from Northern BC.

Mintz started the project in 2019 featuring his own paintings as the images for each month in the calendar.

There’s always a theme and for 2025 the calendar showcased iconic scenes from each Canadian province and the Territories.

It’s an important cause to Mintz.

“There were more than 130,000

children at BC Children’s Hospital last year,” Mintz said. “And more than 4,000 children came from Northern Health.”

Mintz said he would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who supported his BC Children’s Hospital Calendar project.

“I was able to send nearly $4,000 to the hospital,” Mintz said.

“Special thanks to the organizations and businesses that helped sell calendars, Studio 2880, Central BC Forestry and Railway Museum, Omineca Arts Centre, Books and Co, the Open Door Cafe, The Prince George Golf and Curling Club and the Prince George Citizen. I am looking forward to next year’s

calendar featuring Classic Cars from Prince George.”

The 2026 calendar will be sold early at the Cruisin’ Classics Show ‘n’ Shine on Father’s Day because some of the cars at the show will be featured in the calendar.

“I’m hoping I can get a head start on fundraising,” Mintz said.

Mintz said he knows most people don’t use a calendar any more but people still support the cause by making the purchase and at least they can enjoy seeing prints of his artwork.

Along with his calendars for sale for $20 each, Mintz also puts the original paintings up for sale to add to the total

donated. So far Mintz has donated more than $20,000 to BC Children’s Hospital. For more information and to view Mintz’s artwork visit www.ramart.ca or reach out to him at rmintz@shaw.ca.

NORTHERN BC QUEER CONNECTION PHOTO

Jessica Davey works on an archival project designed to preserve history while providing resources that weren’t

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DALGLEISH

Rick Mintz’s 2025 calendar filled with his artwork as a fundraiser for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Piche pivots with Wheelin’ Warriors of the North

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

Wheelin’ Warriors of the North began participating in the BC Cancer Foundation’s Tour de Cure bike ride in 2012 after founder Karin Piche lost her friend Nola to cancer.

The Warriors raised $2 million for the cause before Tour de Cure announced on Oct. 29, 2024, that it would end the annual event. The two-day, 200-kilometre ride, which started in Cloverdale and ended in Hope, had seen hundreds of cyclists participate each year.

The event ran for 16 years, raising more than $131 million for cancer research. Now, members of the Prince George-based Wheelin’ Warriors of the North must pivot to another fundraising avenue if they wish to continue supporting the BC Cancer Foundation.

Though the sudden end of the event was hard to process, Piche is now focused on a new plan as spring approaches.

This May, Piche and her Wheelin’ Warrior friends, old and new, will take on the Workout to Conquer Cancer challenge, where participants commit to moving for at least 30 minutes every day throughout the month.

“This May, I will move every single day to raise funds for life-saving research and care at the BC Cancer Centre for the North – Prince George,” Piche said. “I will move for the people who cannot and for every survivor who now feels strong. This challenge is more than just exercise; it’s about coming together to push beyond our limits and make an impact for the 80,000 British Columbians facing cancer each year.”

When Piche started Wheelin’ Warriors of the North in 2012, the goal was always to direct funds raised toward the north.

“It took five years before I could actually get the funds to our cancer centre, and I didn’t want to let that go,” Piche said. “The team is in a unique position, and so is anyone in Prince George who supported us in any way – whether they became a rider, donated to a rider, sponsored an event, or contributed

It’s about doing what we can to raise those funds throughout May.”

Though she only created the team on the Workout to Conquer Cancer site two weeks ago, there are already 14 members on the roster.

“I’m hoping for at least double that,” Piche said.

“I have a health and fitness background, and it was always about encouraging people to adopt a healthy lifestyle through movement. Tour de Cure just happened to be on a bike. This fundraiser is more inclusive because we’re encouraging people to move in any way they can for 30 minutes each day.”

This challenge serves as a reminder that, together, we are stronger than cancer, Piche added.

cookies to the bake sale. All those funds supported our clinic.”

While Workout to Conquer Cancer isn’t a new event, it’s now the fundraiser that Wheelin’ Warriors can participate in—whether by riding bikes or doing any other form of movement. Teamwork is key to the fundraising effort, and group rides will be scheduled throughout May to help participants meet the goal of moving for 30 minutes a day.

This fundraiser has a different setup: each team must raise a minimum of $5,000. Piche, however, has set the team goal at $10,000, with hopes of surpassing it.

“As a team, we just have to shift our thinking a bit from the Tour de Cure ride,” Piche said. “The priority—the goal—is to raise as much money for our cancer centre as possible. But this time, it’s not about a big bike ride at the end.

“I will give it my all and move forward with the team,” Piche said. “As soon as the weather improves, we’ll get together for group rides like we’ve always done. It’s fun to ride with others. It starts with you, with all of us.”

Since 2017, Workout to Conquer Cancer has raised more than $5.4 million, with 12,600 participants and 1,425 teams contributing more than 11 million minutes of movement.

For more information and to donate to the Wheelin’ Warriors of the North,

visit Workout to Conquer Cancer.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Karin Piche is the captain of the Wheelin’ Warriors of the North, a team who used to participate in the 200-km ride from Cloverdale to Hope to raise funds for the BC Cancer Foundation. Moving forward the team will participate in the Workout to Conquer Cancer in May.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Wheelin’ Warriors of the North founder Karin Piche is taking on the Workout to Conquer Cancer challenge.

Northern BC Women in Business Association forms

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Northern BC Women in Business Association is a relatively new organization in Prince George that supports the growth of women in their careers through networking and learning.

The association is a volunteer-run organization operated by women who have separate full-time jobs or own their own businesses.

Founded in January 2024, it provides a forum for women to connect through events like its most recent Launch Party at Northern Lights Estate Winery. The association also hosts frequent workshops to educate and connect with business leaders in Prince George.

Sarita Parmar, president of the association, told The Citizen the group was created to fill a gap in Northern representation.

“Essentially, the Northern BC Women in Business Association is a forum for women in business to connect, learn from each other, and grow,” Parmar said.

“Larger centres have all types of

clubs and associations, but we were really lacking something like that in Prince George and the surrounding area. It started with Caitlin Saunders, our executive director. She and I got connected through another woman in business. Fast forward to today, and I sit on the board as president. What we’re looking to do now is grow a community.”

Parmar comes from a professional background in business banking and finance and has worked with a diverse range of businesses. She currently provides coaching and consulting services and hosts professional workshops.

Through her workshops and interactions in business, Parmar has identified key gender-related issues in the professional world.

“I deliver workshops on confidence,” Parmar said. “One of the big stats I used to share, which LinkedIn data backs up, is that, typically, a woman will see a job posting and, unless she meets 100 per cent of the criteria, she won’t apply. A man, on the other hand, will apply if he meets 60 per cent of the criteria. This kind of stuff still exists, whether we want to believe it or not. So, bringing women together to share these stories and empower one another is a key focus of our organization.”

Parmar also noted that she has seen a female friend paid less for the same

work at the same company with the same educational background. These stories have inspired her to provide more support for women in the North. In the wake of International Women’s Day recently, Parmar emphasized the importance of keeping the momentum going.

“I think it’s nice to have one day to recognize it,” Parmar said. “But the real work happens after the hype is over. Everybody on social media will say ‘Happy International Women’s Day,’ but what is it? It’s actually a call to action. When I talk about the pay gap and how women still feel they can’t apply for leadership positions, it’s a call to action. We make up 51 per cent of the population in Canada, yet less than six per cent of women hold CEO positions. Initiatives like International Women’s Day are designed to highlight these discrepancies, but it’s not just women who have to do the work. Men also need to step up and say, ‘That’s not cool. We can’t just be fighting for ourselves.’”

The association is hosting another event in April and is looking for businesses or individuals to help sponsor its events or the organization itself.

If you are interested in learning more, visit the group’s website at northernbcwib.ca or follow the association on social media.

NORTHERN BC WOMEN IN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Northern BC Women in Business Association members mingle and talk at the group’s launch party.

Ukrainian community steps up with language lessons

The cancellation of classes at CNC left newcomers at a loss

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Due to the cancellation of CNC’s English language programs, many Ukrainians living and working in Prince George are being left without a vital service that can improve their career prospects and quality of life.

However, the Ukrainian community and St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church have stepped up to fill the gap, with support from locals in Prince George.

“The Ukrainian community decided to unite,” said event organizer Iryna Chorii. “Some people work in the morning, so they can’t attend language courses. Some people are afraid of getting bad grades or making mistakes, and they are embarrassed to speak English, but it is necessary to adapt in Canada. This is our new home. CNC is no longer recruiting new students, and this is a big problem. Teachers and students in the ENLA faculty tried to keep the program alive, giving arguments about why newcomers need academic English. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. Everyone has different reasons, but the same goal.”

The church will now host weekly meetings every Thursday at 7 p.m., aiming to learn from volunteers in the community.

“It’s very heartening for me because this is about them driving the process,” said Charles Scott of Prince George for Ukraine. “

It’s really important that people, as they navigate these major life changes, move from, ‘Okay, here I am, what do I do?’ to increasingly driving the process in a direction they want … they didn’t turn to us and say, ‘What’s your plan?’ They made their own plan, and that’s fantastic.”

Chorii also noted that the support from Share Hope and Prince George for Ukraine made organizing the events

much easier.

“The Ukrainian St. George’s Catholic Church has long been cooperating with our friends Share Hope Refugee Support Society and Prince George for Ukraine,” said Chorii. “These organizations helped us organize these meetings, as they’ve helped many Ukrainian families who have come to Canada. Every Thursday, the church hosts meetings for Ukrainians.

On Saturdays, volunteers cook cabbage rolls and pierogies, and part of the proceeds from the sale goes to purchase medicine for Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.”

In addition, Scott, one of the volunteers at the first meeting on Thursday, March 6, is encouraging others in Prince George to get involved.

“My Thursday nights are set aside,” said Scott. “Come and have a conversation with folks who want to learn and are committed to the process, looking to start a new life. This is a very positive environment with determined and hardworking people who are going to do something with it. These aren’t folks going through the motions.”

Scott told The Citizen that the initial meeting was a success, with more than 25 attendees and about 12 community volunteers engaging with participants.

Eva Gillis of Share Hope for Ukraine was responsible for facilitating and recruiting volunteers and was thrilled by the turnout.

“I just phoned a couple of people, and I got three yeses,” said Gillis. “Then I texted more people, and I got more yeses. In the end, we had 11 facilitators—English-speaking Canadians. It was an amazing evening, and we wanted that many facilitators so we could have small groups at each table, so everyone had a chance to talk. Many of them have taken lessons but haven’t had a chance to practice. It’s like a coffee shop. When I looked out at them, I saw grinning faces everywhere. It was fantastic.”

Gillis added that the biggest challenge will be managing the large number of attendees, as they may need to be spread out throughout the church for future events.

EVA GILLIS PHOTO

Members of the local Ukrainian community gather with newcomers in this file photo.

Teens learn about policing at RCMP Youth Academy

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Prince George RCMP, in partnership with School District 57, is hosting the 2025 RCMP Youth Academy this week.

Twenty-one high school students in Grades 11 and 12 have been selected to participate in the Youth Academy, which aims to give the students a sneak peek at what it takes to survive the real RCMP training academy, known as Depot.

The program is running for a full week from March 16 to 22 and will be held at College Heights Secondary School.

Students and their RCMP facilitators will sleep, eat and learn together at the school for the entire week.

Participants will engage in physical activities such as drill practice, handcuffing and the Police Fitness Assessment (PFA).

They will also study subjects including Indigenous policing, Criminal Code offences and powers of arrest.

“The students will participate in mock court trials and several live-action scenarios that test the knowledge they’ve gained throughout the week. They’ll meet police officers from Forensic Identification, Police Dog Services, and even take a tour of the RCMP hangar. Their days are long, starting at 6 a.m.

and running until 11 p.m. every day, simulating the workload we experience as recruits at Depot,” says Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP.

Residents near College Heights Secondary School can expect to see students in their community from March 16 to 22 while the Youth Academy is running.

RCMP note that if there are more police cars than usual in your neighbourhood during the program week it’s likely due to the Youth Academy in action.

Horse virus forces temporary closure of Agriplex

CITIZEN STAFF

The Agriplex facility temporarily closed its doors last week after a confirmed case of equine herpes virus (nEHV-1) was detected.

Officials at the facility are urging those who have attended recent events to consult their veterinarians for guidance and to avoid spreading misinformation regarding the situation.

Details were laid out in a Facebook post.

The horse involved in the outbreak initially tested negative for nEHV-1

twice by the facility’s local vet and was deemed fit to return to the boarding herd last Friday.

However, the animal showed signs of illness on the 14th day after its return, prompting the closure as a precautionary measure.

“We understand the concern this has caused among our community and appreciate the support we’ve received,” said Agriplex officials in a statement.

“This is a challenging time for our facility and the boarder herd, and we are following all recommendations from our veterinarian.”

In an effort to curb misinformation, the Agriplex is asking via Facebook for those who have attended events to

refrain from sharing inaccurate details circulating on social media about the infected horse or isolation protocols. For accurate updates, the public is encouraged to contact the facility directly at pghscomplimentsandcomplaints@gmail.com.

The Agriplex has pledged to keep the community informed and will post updates as new information becomes available. In the statement, the facility thanked the public for its ongoing support and co-operation as officials work to resolve the situation with the help of their veterinarian.

RCMP PHOTO

This is a group photo taken during the 2024 RCMP Youth Academy. The program is under way for another year this week at College Heights Secondary School.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

The Agriplex is temporarily closed because of an equine virus.

Throwback Thursday: Week of March 20

20, 1999:

SUBMITTED

March 22, 1966: The latest entry in the Prince George Centennial Fountain Design race was this one, by Orlorenzo Battistello of the Austin subdivision. The design included a model of the late Margaret (“Granny”) Seymour. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY PETE

MILLER

being considered for a roller skate and skateboard

10 years later. Council voted to demolish the changerooms and pumphouse, which had deteriorated beyond repair, but a study on whether the pool could be used for other things was ordered. CITIZEN

March

It’s a thumbs up for Prince George from actor Ben Affleck, in town filming Reindeer Games (2000), and city film commission manager Sarah Shaak on the set of the film. The thriller, which also starred Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise, was filmed at several PG locations.

PHOTO

March 20, 1981: Watrous Pool, the subject of city council debate since it was closed in 1971, was

rink

FILE PHOTO BY BROCK GABLE

March 20, 2012: Rick Hansen and Paul Jalbert take part in the Prince George portion of the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay at the Civic Centre Plaza. Hansen was recreating the Canadian stretch of his 40,000 trip around the world in the 1980s. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN

Seniors learn about advance health-care planning

ABIGAIL POPPLE Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Dozens of Robson Valley seniors gathered in the Valemount Community Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 25 to learn about resources for making an advance care plan – that is, a series of instructions for substitute decision makers if one becomes incapable of communicating their own healthcare preferences.

Hosted by the Valemount Elder Collaborative, along with support from Robson Valley Community Services, Northern Health, and the BC Association of Community Response Networks, speakers outlined what kinds of documents and processes are necessary to make sure medical professionals and family members can follow seniors’ preferences for medical care even if they are unable to communicate those preferences in the moment.

Presenters shared two documents with attendees: the My Voice Advance Care Planning Guide – a booklet created by the Ministry of Health that allows users to name substitute decision makers and list medical procedures they do not consent to – and the Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment form, more commonly called the MOST form. This form allows people to file a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order with their local health authority.

It’s important for these forms to be kept somewhere obvious in the home, said Valemount Community Paramedic Sean Carmen. He suggested leaving a copy of the MOST form in a plastic sleeve on the fridge, something he commonly encountered while working in the Fraser Valley.

“That’s one of the first things paramedics will go look for,” Carmen said. “If you’re in a condition where you’re incapacitated and not able to communicate properly with us, it gives us the instructions on how you wish to be treated and your wishes for further care. These are important documents to have at home and to keep updated as well for moving forward.”

McBride-based nurse Ashley Flavelle,

Valemount-based community paramedic Sean Carmen speaks at the Advanced Care Planning informational session on Feb. 25. He suggests leaving care planning documents in a visible place in one’s home, so first responders know about requests such as do not resuscitate orders.

who also presented at the event, agreed that keeping advanced care plans up-todate is crucial. The MOST form requires a physician’s signature and is kept on file with the local healthcare centre, and patients can call to update the form once it is filed, she said.

Flavelle also introduced attendees to the My Voice booklet, which can be accessed online.

“Planning for advance care is one of those things that we all need to talk about and we all need to think about,” she said.

“(The booklet) is going to help you answer who you want to make decisions for you if you’re in a situation where you can’t.”

It’s important to have open discussions with substitute decision makers, and revisit your care plans about once a year, Flavelle added.

“In some situations, you get a little bit messy if you don’t have the right person making that choice,” she said. “That’s why it’s important to pick the person that will have your best interests in the moment and do the things that you want them to do.”

Former notary Linda Fry explained how the booklet can be approved without having to visit a notary or lawyer.

“If you do it without a notary or lawyer, you have to have two independent witnesses do signatures for you… If you go to a notary or a lawyer, they

can draw these documents and witness your signature. They only need one witness,” Fry said. “This really gets you familiar with this paperwork. You can do it yourself, or you would have that information to speak to a lawyer or a notary.”

Saving an “arm and a leg”

Attendees appreciated the opportunity to learn about their legal options for free. Valemount resident Byron Bustin told The Goat he had previously been unaware that a lawyer is not necessary for making an advance care plan.

“Basically (we attended) so that we don’t have to pay lawyers $400 an hour,” Bustin said. “Reading through this (My Voice guide), it looks to me like we could have a representative that doesn’t have to be a lawyer. That caught my attention because it takes an arm and a leg (to pay) for a lawyer.”

McBride residents Pete and Irene Berndsen said they attended the event to learn about the options available to them.

“We’re jumping the gun at 71. How’s that for positive thinking?” Pete Berndsen joked. “It’s good to be informed, and we saw the presentation was available.”

The Berndsens said they feel fortunate to have access to healthcare in the Robson Valley.

“My mom, for example, is 91 in Winnipeg, [and] has to wait six hours

in a lineup at a walk-in clinic to get attention,” Pete Berndsen said. “Here, you can walk in, Valemount is good and McBride is good as well. I got nothing but kudos to say.”

Valemount resident and member of the Valemount Elder Collaborative Kurien Thomas said the event was a good opportunity to get more information about advanced care planning to the public.

After spending decades advocating for better healthcare access in rural Alberta and B.C., Thomas was pleased to see more public discussion of healthcare in the Robson Valley.

“We don’t know health status, how many cancer patients we have, how many heart patients we have, these kinds of different information (in the Valley),” Thomas said. “The thing is that autonomy, self-determination, these are parts of health.”

He added that when he lived in Alberta in the 1970s, the province did not yet have home care available for aging patients. While B.C. may have a long way to go in getting equitable access to health care between rural and urban areas, there have been improvements in the resources available to seniors, he said.

“(The presentation) is useful,” Thomas added. “About 80 people came here, from McBride and Valemount. It’s very nice that they came here.”

ABIGAIL POPPLE,

Helpful caribou goes on a mystery trip

Cardboard Spirit promotes new patient self-check-in kiosks at the new Ksyen Regional Hospital

HAYLEE SEITER-GILL

Northern Health

The new Ksyen Regional Hospital will feature state-of-the-art technology, including patient self-check-in kiosks for scheduled appointments.

To help promote these new kiosks, Spirit the (cardboard) Caribou was brought in to show where the new kiosks will go and what they look like. However, he went on a little adventure first ...

“There was a bit of a mixup when the kiosk sign was delivered,” explains Julie Creaser, regional manager of Consumer Health Systems.

Julie and her team oversee the exciting new patient technology at Northern Health which includes the new self-check-in kiosks that are coming to Ksyen Regional Hospital in Terrace.

“While the delivery company said Spirit the (cardboard) Caribou had been delivered, he was nowhere to be found for almost seven weeks! This happened around the same time as the busy holiday shipping season, so we had high hopes he would eventually turn up.”

The mystery was suddenly solved, when cardboard Spirit showed up at the facility one February day, without any explanation for their misadventures.

“This sign showed up in the entrance way of Ksyen Regional Hospital,” said

After a little adventure, Spirit (the cardboard) Caribou has arrived at Ksyen Regional Hospital to help promote the new patient self-check-in kiosks coming soon.

Teresa Ward, who works as a health information co-ordinator at Ksyen. “I have no clue who put it up there, but we do have it!”

To the mystery person who brought cardboard Spirit to his new home at Ksyen Hospital, thank you!

Province working to attract

CITIZEN STAFF

British Columbia is ramping up efforts to attract more doctors and nurses from the U.S. by fast-tracking credential recognition and launching a targeted recruitment campaign. The province aims to address healthcare worker shortages, particularly in rural areas and specialized fields such as cancer care and emergency departments.

Stay tuned for when the new patient self-check-in kiosks are available.

When the patient self-check-in kiosks are up and running, information will be shared at on the Northern Health website and on the Northern Health social media channels.

more U.S. doctors, nurses

In partnership with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, B.C. is making it easier for U.S.-trained doctors with American Board of Medical Specialties certification to become fully licensed in the province without further assessments.

U.S. nurses will also benefit from a streamlined licensure process in collaboration with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives.

A marketing campaign targeting Washington, Oregon, and California will begin in spring 2025, promoting job opportunities across BC. This effort builds on past recruitment initiatives in the U.K. and Ireland.

In 2024, B.C. connected a record number of people to primary care providers, with nearly 250,000 individuals linked to a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

New maternity ward opens in Quesnel

CITIZEN STAFF

Expecting families in Quesnel and surrounding areas now have access to a new source of care with the opening of the Quesnel Maternity Clinic at GR Baker Hospital.

The clinic aims to provide comprehensive and culturally safe perinatal services to the community.

“Receiving consistent maternity care close to home makes a huge difference for pregnant people,” said Health Minister Josie Osborne.

“This new clinic will ensure that a team of medical practitioners is available to support the entire cycle of a patient’s healthcare needs – from conception through the post-natal period, strengthening healthcare for families in the region.”

The clinic is designed to be a one-stop location for maternity care, offering integrated services with a team of healthcare professionals. These include physicians, nurses, a nurse practitioner, a social worker, mental health clinicians, chronic disease management, virtual dietitian services and virtual lactation support.

Amber Wentzel, Northern Health’s maternity clinic implementation lead, explained that the goal is to ensure consistent access to care for pregnant clients.

“We envision a ‘one-stop shop’ for pregnant people for all their healthcare needs, throughout their pregnancy,” she said.

The clinic is open Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pregnant patients can be referred by their primary care provider or contact the clinic directly to self-refer.

“The opening of this maternity clinic means that families in Quesnel and surrounding areas can receive high-quality maternal care at all stages of their journey without having to travel far from home,” said Debra Toporowski, parliamentary secretary for rural health.

NORTHERN HEALTH

Local Sports

PG Cougars in first heading into final week of season

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

After watching their two-goal lead evaporate in the third period, the Prince George Cougars needed someone to bail them out of the jam the Wenatchee Wild had gotten them into.

Borya Valis was that guy.

He raised his hand as if to say, “Hold my water bottle,” then joined the rush into the Wenatchee zone. Riley Heidt took off along the right wing and dished the puck to Carson Carels, who was cruising across the slot. Carels backhanded the puck to Valis, who dragged it across the crease and, while falling, tucked it wide around goalie Brendan Gee.

That goal, with less than four minutes left, was the 34th of the season for the 20-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs prospect and helped secure the Cougars’ ninth win in 10 games. But they weren’t done yet. Aiden Foster added an empty-net goal, much to the crowd’s delight, sealing a 5-3 victory.

Carels, the Cougars’ standout 16-yearold rookie defenceman, notched the second three-assist game of his young WHL career and played a crucial role in keeping the Cougars first in the BC Division as they head into the final week of the regular season.

“It felt really good, especially when they came back like that. We needed a jump, and we got that break, and it went in,” said Carels. “We work on those 3-on-2 entries a lot, and I guess it’s just creativity at that point—go with your nerves and instincts. (Valis) was calling for it, so I found him, and it went in, so it was good.”

Carels, who played seven games last season as a 15-year-old but not in the playoffs, knows he will have a major role in determining how far the Cougars go in the postseason.

“Right now, I’m just so much more comfortable. Jimmy (associate coach

Playfair) and the whole team have been such a help in getting me to this point, where I’m comfortable like that,” Carels said. “I’m just going to bring my game, and the team’s going to bring their game, and we’ll get as far as we can.

“(Playfair) just pushes us to do the right things and trains us like NHL defencemen. That’s the best thing he can do. On the bench, he just lets us play, gives us our pointers, and lets us go. He’s the best.”

It was a carbon-copy start for the Cougars, who beat Wenatchee 4-2 on Friday. Just as they did in that game, they opened the scoring on the power play with their first shot of the game.

Poster boy Koehn Ziemmer, whose accomplishments as the all-time leading Prince George Cougars goal scorer were featured on a poster handed out to fans entering the rink, took a pass from Carels while standing in the left circle and picked the far corner low on goalie Gee. It was Ziemmer’s team-leading 36th

goal of the season and, with it, he broke Dana Tyrell’s team record for most career power-play goals.

Riley Heidt drew the second assist, the 250th of his WHL career, and one of four assists in the game for the Cougars captain.

Ziemmer’s goal came six minutes into the game, and the Cougars didn’t get another shot until much later in the period. The Wild took control, holding the puck and keeping the pressure on goalie Cooper Michaluk. Wenatchee capitalized on that territorial advantage when Dawson Seitz finished a 2-on-1 break with a low shot under Michaluk’s glove to tie the game 1-1.

The shots were 11-4 in Wenatchee’s favour when 16-year-old defenceman Daniel Vaillant, playing his first WHL game after being called up from the U18 Calgary Buffaloes, got caught for tripping. The Cougars made the Wild pay for the penalty. Heidt spotted Viliam Kmec jumping into the play from his

blueline position and fed him a perfect pass in the circle. Kmec scored his 18th goal of the season, moving closer to the 20-goal mark for defencemen.

That goal came just before the intermission, and the Cougars quickly padded their lead.

Cooper Michaluk had just bailed them out with an electrifying glove save to deny Luka Scherbyna after defenceman Alexey Chichkin fell while trying to clear the puck. Moments later, Matteo Danis fired a routine wrister on goal, and the puck deflected in off Wild goalie Gee’s trapper.

Three goals on nine shots for a 33.3 per cent scoring rate — quality trumped quantity for the Cougars at that point, 6:39 into the second period.

Evan Friesen made it a 3-2 game with his third goal of the weekend on a rebound at 8:15. Four minutes later, Wild captain Friesen tipped in a shot from defenceman Eastyn Mannix for his fourth goal of the weekend to tie the game 3-3, but it wasn’t enough for the visitors.

“We kind of built off (Friday),” said Friesen, the 20-year-old Wild captain. “That was a hard game, giving up that 2-on-1 that won it, and I thought today we had a bit of anger in our game. We played a full 60, but some bounces didn’t go our way.”

“It’s tough coming up short. We’re trying to push for the playoffs, and we need every point we can get. This is a tough loss.”

Michaluk played a key role in the win, making timely saves to keep the Wild off the scoresheet, especially when the Cougars were getting outplayed early.

“They’re a tough team to play against, and we came out on top, so I’m very happy for the guys,” said Cougars head coach Mark Lamb. “We’re sitting in second spot, we control our destiny, and it’s all good.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Wild forward Tye Spencer stretches to reach the puck around Cougar Evan Groening Saturday March 15 at CN Centre.

Spruce Kings’ playoff ambitions are still on the line

The team took a loss from the BCHL’s highest-scoring team

Sunday afternoon

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

The Prince George Spruce Kings’ playoff hopes are starting to fade.

A 3-2 loss to the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Sunday afternoon at Kopar Memorial Arena increased the likelihood the Kings will miss the BCHL postseason for a second consecutive year.

But don’t despair, Spruce Kings fans — as long as there’s a possibility, there’s still hope.

Despite a shaky start that led to two Sherwood Park goals in the first seven minutes, the Kings showed the intensity, commitment to teamwork, and work ethic needed to be a playoff team. They used their home-ice advantage to make the Crusaders dig deep to pull out the victory.

After seeing the game unfold, Kings captain Linden Makow certainly hasn’t lost faith in his team.

“I thought we handled that game well. We found a way to push back and tie it up at the end. We just need to clean up some minor details and hopefully put some games away,” said Makow, whose power-play goal at 10:52 of the third period briefly tied the game.

“The chances are there; we just need to bear down in front of the net. I feel we have the group here that can make playoffs, and we just have to push for it. I thought we played a good physical game. We just need to keep it rolling.”

The Crusaders, the highest-scoring team in the BCHL, flexed their muscles less than four minutes into the game. A miscommunication in the Kings’ zone led to a turnover, and Masun Fleece, standing just off the post, received a pass from linemate Joel Purdom to tuck it into the open side.

A failure to clear the puck from the defensive zone led to another disastrous result for the Spruce Kings just

shy of the seven-minute mark. The puck went through a couple of Prince George sticks before squiring out into the circle for defenceman Jude Bray, who slid it past Kings goalie Charles-Edward Gravel.

Aside from those two mistakes, the Spruce Kings matched up well with their opponents in the opening frame.

Down 2-0, they came out for the second period looking like a team desperate for points to get closer to a playoff position. They had the edge in quality scoring chances, and after surviving a few dicey situations in their own zone, facing the league’s top power play, the Spruce Kings finally got on the board thanks to Mason Loewen.

The Crusaders were attempting to clear the puck when Loewen seized the opportunity to flatten defenceman Cooper Sharp with a clean check in the corner. With Sharp down on the ice, Loewen grabbed the puck, carried it to the net, and lifted a high shot over the shoulder of goalie Spencer Michnik to cut the gap to 2-1.

Gravel came up with a terrific kick save late in the period to deny Kale Dach, the BCHL’s second-leading point-getter, with the Crusaders

Blackfalds and Spruce Grove, before returning home to face Coquitlam and Chilliwack on March 28-29.

The Crusaders (31-18-1-0) moved within two points of Salmon Arm for fourth place in the Interior Conference. With four games left, they know that finishing fourth will secure home-ice advantage for the first round of playoffs.

Crusaders head coach Brennan Menard said it was a unique experience for his team, playing for the first time on the league’s smallest ice surface at Kopar. At 10 feet shorter than a typical NHL-sized rink, the Kings used it to their advantage.

“They played a hard, heavy game, credit to them. The degree of difficulty in that win was high for our team, and I’m really happy they were able to pull it out,” said Menard.

threatening on the power play.

The Kings’ desperation was even more evident in the third period as they pressed for the equalizer. They kept the Crusaders on their heels with a mid-period surge that led to Makow’s power-play goal. Brock Cummings won the draw, the puck came to Makow, and his hard shot trickled through Michnik’s pads.

But it didn’t take long for the Crusaders to get the eventual game-winner. Off the rush, Fleece fed the puck to Lucas Brennan, whose low wrist shot from the slot deflected off Gravel’s leg and in.

The Spruce Kings (19-25-4-1) now have five games left to close a four-point gap on the Langley Rivermen for the final Coastal Conference playoff spot.

The team leaves Thursday morning for the Lower Mainland to begin a three-game weekend trip, with stops in Coquitlam, Chilliwack, and Surrey. They will complete the regular season March 29-30 at home against Powell River.

“Every game from here on out is a must-win game now, that’s how we’re looking at it,” said Makow.

The Rivermen (19-22-8-1) are down to their last four games. They head to Alberta this weekend to play in

“I know what their record is, but they play well in this rink, and that was a difficult game. They kept coming and pressed and pressed. The two goals early allowed us to make some mistakes and learn the rink a bit and not end up on the losing end.

“They know how to play in this rink. It plays differently than just about any rink. Even shots from distance are much closer, with the lively boards, and you have to make sure you don’t get beat when the puck ricochets. It always makes for a tense game, and you never get a chance to relax on the bench.”

The Kings can take some satisfaction in limiting Jeremy Loranger and Dach, who have combined for 174 points this season, to just one assist, which came on Bray’s goal.

“The effort was there, and they did a good job shutting down their top line,” said Kings general manager Mike Hawes. “Unfortunately, their supporting cast is extremely strong, with a lot of speed, skill, and work ethic. I have to give them full marks for the two points.

“Our guys battled hard but just couldn’t get it done in the end. You can’t get down early like that and have to battle back against a team like that when you’re trying to claw back the entire game. We needed to get off to a better start.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Spruce Kings goalie Charles Gravel pokes the puck away as Crusaders forward Maxime Ly tries to force his way past Spruce Kings defenseman Ludvig Basth Sunday, March 16 at Kopar Memorial Arena.

College Heights hoops star Caceres heads to UNBC

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Homegrown high school point guard Lorenn Caceres has locked up her chance to play post-secondary basketball and has committed to the UNBC Timberwolves for the 2025-26 season and beyond.

“I grew up watching the Timberwolves play from a young age and it’s inspired me to work hard,” said Caceres. “It’s always been a goal of mine to play university ball so when Coach Sergey (Shechepotkin) offered me the opportunity to play at UNBC, I saw it as a great chance to accomplish that goal.”

The five-foot-six Caceres has just finished her Grade 12 season with the College Heights Cougars, where she served as team captain.

As a second-team tournament allstar Caceres averaged 20 points per game and a game-high 36 points as the Cougars finished sixth in the BC triple-A girls provincial championship in Langley.

“I like the motivation that basketball gives me,” said Caceres. “I have been able to gain confidence, leadership and self-esteem. But the best part for me is the community that being a part of a team has provided for me.”

In her earlier years at College Heights playing basketball, Caceres captured

College Heights Cougars point guard Lorenn Caceres (3) drives around the Cedars Christian Eagles during a game at the College Heights tournament. Caceres has signed a commirtment to play for the UNBC Timberwolves next season.

Junior Athlete of the Year honours in Grade 10 and won the Cody Tuffnel Award while representing Team B.C. at the U15 Nationals during her Grade 9 season.

“We’re happy that Lorenn has decided to continue her basketball

journey in Prince George with the UNBC Timberwolves,” said Shechepotkin, who has coached Caceres at various Junior Timberwolves camps since she was in Grade 3.

“Her mix of leadership, work-ethic, and all-around talent have helped her

thrive at the high school level, and we’re excited to see how she’ll develop at the Canada West level.”

Caceres also plays club basketball and coaches (voluntarily) at the Northern Bounce Basketball Academy.

Academically, Caceres’ resumé is equally impressive, having earned the Top Academic Award in each of the past three seasons. She’s planning to study either health sciences or bio medical at UNBC and is considering either physiotherapy or dentistry as a future career.

For Caceres, committing to UNBC is a dream come true and now the real work begins. During the spring and summer months, Caceres is planning to work on quickness with both decision-making and foot-speed, to put herself in the best position to contribute early at the Canada West level. But despite knowing the hard work that still lies ahead, Caceres can also acknowledge the excitement and joy that stems from this opportunity.

“When I put that jersey on for the first time, I’m definitely going to be thinking about the coaches and former teammates who helped get me here,” concluded Caceres. “But mainly I’ll think of my parents and the amount of time we’ve spent together. My Dad spent so much time rebounding for me, and I’m excited that he gets to watch me.”

Victoria soccer midfielder signs with Timberwolves

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

The UNBC Timberwolves have added some attacking sting to their women’s soccer lineup for next season.

They signed midfielder Sophie Postlethwaite of Victoria to a university commitment.

Postlethwaite will be graduating this year from Stelley’s Secondary School in Victoria, where she was a dominant component on the Stingers high school team coached by Jenny Large and Ryan Braun.

The five-foot-eight Postlethwaite also suited up for the 2007-born Van Isle Wave of the BC Soccer Premier League, coached by Cody Ackinclose. One of her teammates was fellow 2025 UNBC women’s soccer recruit Laney Stewart.

“I got to visit UNBC last summer and all the girls were super welcoming and the campus is beautiful,” said Postlethwaite, who points out that TWolves’ head coach Neil Sedgwick was a big factor for her decision to commit to UNBC.

“Neil is the type of coach I want to play for. I love his style of play and I’m

Postlethwaite

grateful for this opportunity.”

On the pitch, Postlethwaite brings a wellrounded skillset and an obvious positivity to all she does.

“Some of my strengths are my technical ability, my stamina and my shot from distance,” she said.

“But what I focus most on is being a positive and supportive teammate. I

bring lots of energy to every practice and game.”

Scholastically, Postlethwaite has a 4.0 GPA and plans to study Health Sciences at UNBC with the career goal of working in healthcare. Later this month, Postlethwaite is heading to Tanzania with her Global Perspectives class to help build school dorms.

“We are excited about Sophie joining the Timberwolves,” said Sedgwick.

“With a high desire to improve on top of a strong playing foundation, we think that Sophie will thrive in the program’s development focus.”

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

MARCH 2025

in 10 days to the Cougars, with all the Broncos for from 2009-16.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS

Top jockey Ken Hendricks leaves a winning legacy

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Ken Hendricks was performing his usual pre-race post-parade routine on the track for the seventh race at Assiniboia Downs on June 6, 1976, when the warning came.

An ominous black storm front, resembling a tornado, was heading straight for the racetrack, and everyone began scrambling for cover.

Hendricks galloped down the maintenance chute into Barn F, where he ran into Bob Franklyn, an old-timer who was a fixture in the Winnipeg thoroughbred scene.

Franklyn, unaware of the impending twister, wondered why Hendricks— known to everyone as Hank—was dressed in his racing silks, looking for shelter while wind and rain tore through the adjacent grandstand.

Hendricks, sitting in the saddle, smiled and told him: “This son of a gun blew the turn, and this is where I ended up.”

Hendricks died suddenly at the age of 75 on Feb. 15 in Prince George, where he had lived for the past 15 years.

Prince George was always home to Hendricks, the winningest jockey in Assiniboia Downs history, dating back to the track’s opening in 1958.

Over his 40-year career, he made 1,666 trips to the winner’s circle at the Downs, earning countless friends who remembered him for his great sense of humour and the respect he showed everyone. He understood horses and had the talent to make them run that extra inch it took to finish at the head of the photo-finish line.

“It takes a lot to win that many races. You’ve got to be fit, and you’ve got to have the desire to keep riding. He was just as good when he was older as he was when he was younger,” said Winnipeg horse trainer Carl Anderson, one of Hendricks’ closest friends.

“He was smart, and he was a fierce competitor coming down the stretch. He had a lot of tricks up his sleeve and could find that extra gear when it really counted. He knew when to use a horse

at just the right time to get the most out of them. In a big stakes race, he was hard to beat.”

Hendricks’ wins record is unlikely to be surpassed. The only two jockeys currently in the top 20 are hundreds of wins behind him. Known as the go-to money rider in Winnipeg, Hendricks won seven Gold Cups, the premier stakes race at Assiniboia Downs, from 1971 to 2004. He also claimed two Manitoba Derbys, riding Manitoba-bred Merry’s Jay in 1976 and Langara Island in 1995. In 1981, he rode Black is Beautiful to victory in the Klondike Open in Edmonton.

Hendricks was the first jockey at Assiniboia Downs to win 100 races in one year (1976), and he rode 11 horses that either set or equaled track records. On July 12, 1975, he won five races on a single card.

“He was a very talented rider, and he could have done even better, but he had a chip on his shoulder and didn’t kiss anyone’s ass,” said Clint Dahl, Hendricks’s Prince George stepson. “He told people how it was instead of being diplomatic about it. He’d say, ‘Your horse is a piece of crap.’ He didn’t care; he wanted to ride good horses for good people. He didn’t try to ride as many horses as possible. He just tried to enjoy what he was doing.”

Hendricks entered Dahl’s life when Dahl was five. Together with his sister Darcee, their mother Charleen, and Ken’s daughter Krystal, they formed a new family in the horse barns—the lifeblood of the thoroughbred circuits. They moved regularly between meets, and Dahl says he never spent more than three years in one place before they packed up and relocated to another city. He wanted to be a jockey just like his dad, but he grew too big.

Born in Prince George on June 22, 1949, to Jock and Queenie Hendricks, Hank developed his love for horses on a farm near the BC-Alberta border. Through family connections, he met prominent Alberta horseman Don Gilykson, who recognized his potential as a rider. After training with Gilykson in La Glace, Alta., northwest of Grande Prairie, Hendricks had his first taste of racing in the fall of 1968 in Lethbridge. He followed Gilykson to Winnipeg in June 1969 and achieved instant success, winning his first two races on Gilykson’s horse Chilcotin Blaze, just days shy of his 20th birthday. Despite years of dominance on the Prairie racing circuit, it wasn’t the path to riches. Hendricks had opportunities to move to Toronto, where the big money was at Woodbine, but he had no interest in big-city life, especially with a young family to care for.

“The backstretch is a big family. Everybody knows everybody and a little too much of everyone’s business,” Dahl said. “In the mornings, you’d be at the track at 5:30 to exercise the horses. Afterward, the riders would go to the kitchen, smoke, and drink coffee. Then they’d head home for a nap before returning at 4 p.m. for the evening races. After the races, we’d go out to the parking lot and have beers.”

Standing at five-foot-five, Hendricks was on the tall end of the jockey spectrum. Though he struggled to maintain his weight at 112 pounds, his body type was well-suited to his chosen profession, and he proved extremely durable. In a sport as dangerous as thoroughbred racing, he was involved in many spills, was thrown off a few times, and broke his collarbone once. But he was fortunate to never sustain any other serious injuries.

“He knew how to land and bounce,” said Dahl.

After making his mark in Winnipeg, Hendricks went on to win regularly at meets in Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Vancouver.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Prince George jockey Ken Hendricks rides Uene to victory in the 1988 Gold Cup at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg. Hendricks died in his hometown suddenly on Feb. 15 at age 75.

His record at Assiniboia Downs may never be surpassed

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Stubborn and set in his ways, he was selective about his friends. But if he liked someone, he made it clear.

“He rode for a lot of the smaller stables that weren’t doing well, and he’d try to help them out. He was a goodhearted guy that way,” said Anderson. “He also rode for some of the biggest stables, but he liked winning races for people who really needed the money. He was very good that way.”

Horse trainer and exercise rider Wes Adams quickly became friends with Hendricks, who was older and showed him the ropes around Assiniboia Downs. Once their families were established, they went on holidays together and became close.

“Ken had a world of friends but not that many really close ones. He was just that kind of person,” said Adams. “He was honest, straightforward, and called it like he saw it. He made that work for everybody. I don’t think Ken had an enemy in his life. His family—his kids and grandkids—that’s what he lived for after he stopped riding.”

Adams is confident that Hendricks’ record at Assiniboia Downs will never be surpassed.

“He was the king of Assiniboia Downs. He rode there for 34 different meets,”

said Adams.

“He was a fantastic horseman and a genuinely good guy. He had everything: athleticism, intelligence, and an innate understanding of horses. He was just one of those guys who was meant to be

a jockey.”

Hendricks rode for five decades before retiring, but his skills remained in high demand. He was hired by Stronach Stables, owned by Ontario auto-parts billionaire Frank Stronach, and spent

four or five winters in Florida exercising some of the top-quality horses Stronach owned and bred, including 2000 Preakness Stakes winner Red Bullet.

“I worked with him in Florida, and he got to ride some world-class horses,” said Adams.

“He got to ride on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs, which was a big deal for him. It was something he’d never done before, as the only turf track in Canada is in Toronto, and he never rode there.”

Hendricks returned to Prince George in 1992, the year before Clint graduated high school, and they spent some time in Terrace.

Hank found work with Greyhound and as a sheriff before settling back in Prince George, where he lived at Spruceland Seniors Home.

An avid fisherman with a witty sense of humour and an infectious laugh, Hendricks spent some of his retirement driving a cab, just because he liked being around people.

Survived by his brother Kitt in Quesnel and sisters Treena and Elaine in Prince George, Hank’s dying wish was to return to Assiniboia Downs. This summer, the family will travel to Winnipeg with his ashes for one final ride. Anderson is sponsoring a memorial race in Hendricks’ honour, which will take place later this year.

Jockey Ken Hendricks makes one of his 1,666 trips to the winner’s circle in a 40-year career at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg. This was when he won the 2004 Gold Cup on Deputy Country.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Ken Hendricks (right) shares a moment with his Prince George family. From left are his stepson Ken Dahl and granddaughters Trista Haley-Dahl and Reegan Haley-Dahl.

Life Events

In Loving Memory

Mary E. Schmelzel

Born September 4, 1932 Passed March 8, 2025 in Creston, BC at the age of 92 years. Celebration of Life Service

Saturday July 26, 2025, at 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Creston Curling Club Lounge

In Loving Memory

Walter Eberle

February 17, 1945 to March 14, 2022

I cried when you passed away, I still cry today. Although I loved you dearly, I couldn’t make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, Hard working hands at rest. God broke my heart to prove to me he only takes the best

Antonieta “Melva” Tecson

March 24, 1933 - February 27, 2025

Antonieta “Melva” Tecson, Born March 24, 1933 passed away February 27, 2025 in the Phillipines Predeceased by her loving husband Ceterino “Pinong” and her daughter Georgie

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Irma Wilson.

Irma was predeceased by her parents Maria and Rudolph Klix and her husband Bill. She leaves behind her children Stephanie, Elizabeth, and Jeffrey, her grandchildren Eric and Jordan, and her cat Missy.

Irma was born in Summerland, BC and married Bill Wilson in 1976. She and Bill moved to Prince George in 1980, where she worked as a Registered Nurse at Prince George Regional Hospital for many years in ICU, PACU, and the Cardiac Lab. Irma very much enjoyed volunteering with the Prince George Ringette Association (even the 6:00AM games and practices) and the St. Vincent De Paul Society.

Irma loved the outdoors, whether working in her garden, hiking, long walks around Prince George, camping trips, summer stays at Crescent Beach on Okanagan Lake, trips to Bill’s placer claims in the Wells-Barkerville area, or simply watching the birds and squirrels from her dining room window. When she and Bill moved “into town,” she was delighted to meet new walking partners and find new inspiration for her flower beds. No phone call home was complete without a detailed description of what was in bloom as well as the dogs she met on her daily walks around Moore’s Meadow.

Thank you to everyone at Raven Primary Care, BC Cancer, University Hospital of Northern British Columbia, and Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society. Irma deeply appreciated the care and kindness of her team.

Irma’s funeral will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Friday, March 21 at 11:00 AM.

August 2, 1944 - March 8, 2025

Lillian Bernice Schlesinger (Whitelaw) aged 80, passed away on March 8, 2025.

She was a beloved mother, wife, grandmother, sister, and friend.

Lillian was born on August 2, 1944, in Vancouver, BC. Her family moved to Prince George, then Fort St. John, where Lillian graduated high school.

Lillian became a nurse in 1967. She married Gary on April 22, 1967, in Ft. St. John. They settled in Prince George where they raised three daughters. Lillian was an incredible nurse who worked the majority of her career at PGRH. After Lillian retired, she worked at the hospice house where she was able to focus on palliative nursing.

Lillian was a devoted Mom and Grandmother and always went above and beyond to provide for everyone. There was nothing that brought more happiness to Lillian than her grandchildren.

Lillian died in the early morning of March 8, on International Women’s Day. She died peacefully, on her own terms, with family by her side. We would like to thank the ICU staff that did everything in their power to move her towards recovery while also caring for her family.

Lillian is survived by her devoted husband Gary, her children, Cheryl (Kevin), Debbie, Brenda, and Pam, and her grandchildren, Marcus, Caitlyn, Nathan, and Rylan. Her memory will be cherished by all who knew her.

A private gathering will be held for family and friends in the early summer in Prince George and Trail.

www.floobydust.wordpress.com

Love Grandma, Love Mom, Love Lill

Survived by children Tina (Bob), Zeny (DoDong), Ted, Tirso (Lerma), Chitol (Eva), Luzvee (Roger) and son in law Weldon. Her many Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren and Great Great Grandchildren. Melva came to Canada on April 13, 1988 with Georgie and Luzvee. Her husband, Chito, a few months before. Memorial Service will be held on March 24, 2025 at Sacred Heart Cathedral – 7:00pm

Lillian Bernice Schlesinger

Irma Wilson

Peter Gunther Reinhart

May 7, 1954 - March 4, 2025

It is with deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Peter Reinhart on March 4, 2025, in Prince George, BC.

Peter passed away surrounded by his loving family, after a long courageous battle with cancer.

Peter was born in Prince George where he will be remembered for his kind soul and loving nature.

Predeceased by his father John Reinhart.

Survived by his loving mother Erna, brothers John (Lyn) and Glenn, his sisters; Sylvia (David), Carmen (John), also fondly remembered by his nieces and nephews; Jennifer (Matt), Laura, Steven (Pati), Graham, Taylor, Jenna, Nicholas, Audrey, Emma, Kali & Gabby.

Our thanks to all who helped Peter, especially Dr. Syal. Dr. Grobelar and the caring staff at Gateway. Peter will remain in our hearts forever. “Rest In Peace Peter”

William John Tedford

August 27, 1951 - February 28, 2025

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Bill Tedford. Bill was a loving father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend.

He is survived by his children Ryan, Nicole (Jeremia), and Kristin (Mike), grandchildren Brynn, Rhya, Emery, and Rhett, and siblings Robb, Jeannie, and George, along with many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Bill was a respected member of the Prince George construction community and enjoyed a peaceful retirement, gardening and working in his woodshop. He was well-loved by his neighbors and everyone who knew him.

Bill passed away at the University of Northern British Columbia Hospital with his family by his side.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you plant a vegetable garden in his memory.

He will be deeply missed, but his memory will live on in the hearts of those who loved him.

Honouring those who have touched our lives

or call

Gordon MacKinnon

September 10, 1950 - February 28, 2025

After a battle with cancer, Gordon MacKinnon died February 28, 2025 in Prince George.

He was born to Murdoch and Ann MacKinnon in Vancouver, BC. After graduating from Britannia High School, he married Katherine Bainbridge in 1972. Soon after, they left Vancouver and Gordon pursued a career in the trucking industry. They had two daughters, Terra and Shauna, and first moved to Prince George in 1977. He later moved to Fort St. John, returning to Prince George on his own in 1999. There he met Priscilla Fortier, his partner and friend for 25 years, and his caregiver for the past year. He worked his way up to General Manager at Inland Kenworth. Later he brought his interest in finance to James Western Star, working there until his retirement in 2020.

He had a love for travel, boats and diving. Closer to home, he enjoyed cooking, hiking, gym workouts, and coffee with friends. His Mercedes and spoiling his dog Lilah were highlights in his later years.

Gordon is survived by Priscilla Fortier, his daughters Terra and Shauna (Brant) and grandchildren, Neve, Errol and Gabriel, sister Darlene and nephew Ryan.

He was predeceased by his parents and sister Sylvea.

Heartfelt thanks to Dr. St. Rose and Dr. Sainchuk for their compassionate care and to his neighbours and friends for their support over this difficult year.

Donations in Gord’s memory can be made to the SPCA.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Lorraine Avis Knight

August 6, 1931 - March 10, 2025

Lorraine Avis Knight, of Prince George, B.C., passed away peacefully on March 10, 2025 at the age of 93, at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia after a brief illness.

Born and raised in Prince George, Lorraine was the daughter of Josephine and Jock O’Rourke (James Ruark). Her family had deep roots in the community—her grandmother, Madeline Izowsky, was a true Prince George pioneer, co-owning and operating Izowsky & O’Rourke with her daughter Josephine, a successful Ladies’ and Children’s Wear store from the 1920s until 1966. Lorraine attended Prince George Junior-Senior High School, completing Grade 13 before continuing her education in Vancouver in 1951. A glimpse into her future was captured in her 1948 yearbook from grade 11:

“Lorraine’s the girl who’s exactly right, She’s small and sweet and short in height, And when she’s out, she’s out by (K)night.”

In 1952, Lorraine married her high school sweetheart, Dene Knight, and together they built a family, raising four children—Lynn, Doug, Bob and Lyle. She dedicated her career to education, working as an elementary school teacher and librarian for the Prince George School District until her retirement from Seymour Elementary School.

Even in retirement, Lorraine remained active with the Prince George Retired Teachers’ Association and went on to author, “First Tracks: Building Ski Culture in Prince George, B.C.” Lorraine and Dene lived their lives to the fullest, enjoying a remarkably active social and recreational life. They were longtime members of the Prince George Golf & Curling Club and Gyro International. Their love of the outdoors led them to spend cherished time at their cabins at both Purden Ski Village (for endless happy hours) and Summit Lake. Lorraine often attributed her longevity to northern BC huckleberries and good scotch.

Their adventurous spirit also took them beyond Canada’s borders—sailing their ketch, Knightwind 1, from Vancouver to Costa Rica over several years. Lorraine was a creative and musical soul, and regularly pursued new passions such as the ukulele, writing, drumming and painting.

Lorraine is lovingly remembered by her four children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Dene, her parents Josephine and Jock and her siblings Jackie Wallace and Jim O’Rourke.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible staff at Jubilee Lodge for their care and kindness during Lorraine’s final chapter.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to MS Canada in Lorraine’s memory.

Classifieds

BAILIFF SALE

The bailiff will offer for sale by public tender at 8983 Rock Island Rd, Prince George, BC on March 14th, 2025 the 2002 Ford E450 1FDXE45F52HB61514 for repairs completed for TLL Moving & Storage Inc. in which the balance remaining due and owing is $25,237.27 if the balance is not paid by March 20th, 2025.

Sold as is, where is, the highest or any offer not necessarily accepted.

To view the item or to obtain further information contact:

0870989 B.C. Ltd dba Just Diesel ; 250-614-9334

Booking deadline: Friday noon

Approval deadline: Monday at noon

frontdesk@pgcitizen.ca

250.562.2441

BAILIFF SALE

The bailiff will offer for sale by public tender at 8983 Rock Island Rd, Prince George, BC on March 14th, 2025 the 2007 Western Star 4900 5KJJALAV17PY27572 for repairs completed for Crazy Horse Enterprises in which the balance remaining due and owing is $30,328.18 if the balance is not paid by March 20th, 2025.

Sold as is, where is, the highest or any offer not necessarily accepted.

To view the item or to obtain further information contact:

0870989 B.C. Ltd dba Just Diesel; 250-614-9334

Quesnel Tillicum Society seeks a full time (35 hours/week)

FAMILY LAW ADVOCATE

To provide legal information, referrals, legal advice, legal representation, public legal education and related supports with other services in the Quesnel Community.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• A law degree or paralegal training with knowledge and experience in the areas of family law – knowledge of Child Protection

• Maturity and capacity to manage a demanding case load while maintaining work/life balance when working with a diverse client base who often face difficult life circumstances

• Aptitude for working effectively with clients with diverse backgrounds

• Strong conflict resolution and problem-solving skills

• Ability to work independently as well as seek assistance/advice/direction as appropriate

• Superior file management and experience with client and professional ethics

• Appropriate computer and other technological literacy

• Good knowledge of legal community and social services available to clients

Salary is dependent upon experience and qualifications. The successful applicant is eligible for a benefits package with QTS. This position is subject to funding from the Law Foundation of BC

Please send electronic resumes with cover letter to Tony Goulet - Executive Director; tony.goulet@qnfc.bc.ca

In person; Quesnel Tillicum Society, 319 North Fraser Drive, Quesnel, BC, V2J 1Y9

Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. We thank all individuals who have submitted an application for their interest.

Application Deadline: Friday March 21, 2025 (3:30pm)

LOST CONTACT

Looking for former roomate; Robert Adam Please contact; Robert Adams 250-960-2274

In accordance with the Forest Range and Practices Act, Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (Canfor) invites the public to review its Forest Operations Maps (FOM ID: 2220) in the Prince George Natural Resource District. The FOM describes areas proposed for Cutting Permit and Road Permit development within the next three years starting on April 17th, 2025, and ending on March 17th, 2028. We welcome your comments and feedback during the one-month review period starting March 17th, 2025, and ending April 17th, 2025.

The map is accessible for review and comment submission online at: https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/ projects#publicNotices.

Alternatively, in-person review and comments can be completed at the following location during regular office hours (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM):

5162 Northwood Pulpmill Road, P.O. Box 9000, Prince George BC V2L 4W2

Comments may also be submitted by mail to the above address or submitted via phone or email at: 1-250-962-3512; pg.fom.comment@canfor.com

24’

Freight available No Fuel Surcharge Dealers Welcome 780-821-9020

US & CDN Silver Dollars... Todd 250-864-3521

Bachelor and One Bedroom Cabins. Fully furnished. Weekly rates. Apply in person. 867 17th Avenue.

DOORS, WINDOWS, SIDING

Rememberance Day - Remember Small Repairs GREAT NORTHERN SIDING & WINDOWS

BBB Acredited BBQ melted siding repair, gutter cleaning and repair downspout

Sekani Forest Products

Public Notice: Forest Operations Map Review and Invitation for Comment.

In accordance with the Forest Range and Practices Act, Sekani Forest Products and Spectrum Resource Group invites the public to review its Forest Operations Maps (FOM ID: 2230 and 2231) in the Mackenzie Natural Resource District. The FOM describes areas proposed for Cutting Permit and Road Permit development within the next three years starting on April 20th, 2025, and ending on April 19th, 2028. We welcome your comments and feedback during the review period starting March 20th, 2025. Please, submit your comments by April 19th, 2025.

The map is accessible for review and comment submission online at: https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects#publicNotices

Alternatively, in-person review and comments can be scheduled and completed at the following location during regular office hours (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM): 1960 Robertson Road, Prince George, BC, V2N1X6

Comments may also be submitted by mail to the above address or submitted via phone or email at: 1-250-564-0383; etorres@srg.ca

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My Golden Retriever, “Jasmine,” was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. I’m devastated. She seemed to tire easily, so I took her to the vet for a checkup, where they said her lymph nodes were enlarged. They did a biopsy to confirm that it was cancer. My question is, what now? The vet said she needs more tests, but I’m not sure what happens after. -- Grace T., Hartford, Connecticut

DEAR GRACE: I’m glad you took Jasmine right

to the vet, because even though the diagnosis is a serious one, she can start getting treatment that much sooner.

According to the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, lymphoma is sadly common in Golden Retrievers and other dog breeds. However, it can be treated, with chemotherapy as the primary therapy. Surgery might be recommended depending on the type of cancer.

Now that lymphoma has been confirmed through the biopsy, the next step is to determine how far the cancer has spread through Jasmine’s body. Several tests are done: blood tests,

urinalysis, a bone marrow test, X-rays and sonograms. Some veterinary offices are equipped for these tests, but you may be referred to specialist care for more advanced testing. These tests are essential for developing an appropriate treatment plan for your dog.

If the vet has not yet followed up with next steps since the diagnosis was made, call and ask for more details and their recommendation. Most vets provide this information along with the diagnosis, so it’s worrisome that you don’t have a path forward. You can always select a different vet if you aren’t confident in the current one.

*On March 31, 1492, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile issued the Alhambra Decree, which mandated that all Jews be expelled from the country by the end of July. The church had already forced much of Spain’s Jewish population to convert, and modern historians estimate that

• On Nov. 11, 1831, Nat Turner, an American slave and educated minister who believed that he’d been chosen by God to lead his people into freedom, was hanged in Jerusalem, Virginia, for leading a revolt with 75 followers through Southampton County, killing about 60 white people.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) The week promises a calmer aspect. Although there might be some lingering effects from a recent job problem, things should continue to ease up. Also expect a change in a home-based situation.

around 40,000 Jews emigrated.

* On April 1, 1963, ABC aired the first episode of “General Hospital,” which became the longest-running serial program produced in Hollywood.

On the same day, rival network NBC premiered its own medical-themed soap opera, “The Doctors.” Both networks aimed to capitalize on the popularity of shows such as “Dr. Kildare” and “Ben Casey.”

* On April 2, 1992, mob boss John Gotti, aka the “Teflon Don” due to his notable ability to avoid conviction, was found guilty on 13 counts, including murder and racketeering, and sentenced

• On Nov. 12, 1969, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh revealed the extent of the U.S. Army’s charges against 1st Lt. William L. Calley at My Lai, Vietnam, in a cable picked up by more than 30 newspapers, saying that “The Army says he [Calley] deliberately murdered at least 109 Vietnamese civilians during a searchand-destroy mission in March 1968, in a Viet Cong stronghold known as ‘Pinkville.’”

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) If you feel uneasy about a colleague’s suggestion, it might be that your wise inner Taurean guide is alerting you to a potential problem. Stepping away could turn out to be the right thing to do.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A family get-together opens up new opportunities for renewing ties. It can be especially effective in dealing with disagreements that should have been resolved but never fully were.

to life in prison. A decade later, he died of throat cancer at age 61.

* On April 3, 1948, “The Louisiana Hayride,” a country radio program broadcast out of Shreveport, Louisiana, debuted. It launched the careers of several country music giants, and also that of a certain teenage, honey-voiced aspirant by the name of Elvis Presley.

* On April 4, 1975, Operation Babylift, an American airlift to the U.S. and other Western nations of Vietnamese children deemed war orphans, had a disastrous start when an Air Force cargo jet crashed shortly after takeoff in Saigon, killing more than 135 passengers.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You might be surprised at the response you get to a recent decision. You might be even more surprised by the reasons behind it. In any event, you’ll learn something important.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Your aspects favor resolving any tensions left over from a recent incident. You might want to consider having a “clear the air” talk as soon as you can. A call can lead to a change of plans.

• On Nov. 13, 1979, Philadelphia 76ers center Darryl Dawkins leaped over Kansas City Kings forward Bill Robinzine for a memorable slam dunk that shattered the fiberglass backboard. His equally memorable comment on the move, which was not his last and the sound of which spectators likened to a bomb going off: “It wasn’t really a safe thing to do, but it was a Darryl Dawkins thing to do.”

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22)

Avoid repeating yourself. If your first few efforts fail to connect, maybe it’s because you haven’t found the right way to get your message across. Try changing your approach.

• On Nov. 14, 1882, outlaw Frank “Buckskin” Leslie shot and killed Billy “The Kid” Claiborne, who had publicly challenged him, in Tombstone, Arizona.

• On Nov. 15, 1984, Baby Fae, a month old infant who received the world’s first baboon heart transplant, died at California’s Loma Linda University 20 days after the operation. Three other people had received animal heart transplants, but none survived longer than a few days.

• On Nov. 16, 2001, British author J.K. Rowling’s most famous and beloved creation, the bespectacled boy wizard Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe in his first major role), made his silver-screen debut in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” which went on to become one of the highestgrossing movies in history.

* On April 5, 1984, Kareem AbdulJabbar scored the 31,420th point of his career, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA all-time scoring record. Abdul-Jabbar’s record would remain intact for almost four decades.

* On April 6, 1909, American explorer Robert Peary believed he had fulfilled a long-cherished dream when he, his assistant Matthew Henson and four Inuits reached what they determined to be the North Pole. Decades after Peary’s death, however, navigational errors were discovered in his travel log, in all probability placing his expedition several miles short of its goal.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22)

Good intentions plus a strong resolve to succeed can take you where you want to go. Don’t give up just because someone suggests you might be pursuing an impossible cause.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) An unexpected setback can be a blessing in disguise. Use it to recheck your facts and how you’ve presented them. Meanwhile, look for ways to expand your contacts.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) You should finally be seeing a positive change in a recent personal situation. However, an on-the-job matter might need more attention than you realized. Stay with it!

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) While you should be close to completing an important matter, you still need to maintain your focus. Things will ease up in time for weekend fun with family and friends.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A certain matter might take an unexpected turn. Don’t simply accept it; ask for an explanation. What you learn might be helpful in shifting the situation around to your benefit.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Projecting a positive attitude helps restore calm, even when you’re confronting some pretty stormy situations. Stay the course! The outcome will be well worth your efforts.

Homes & Living

To clear or not to clear

Clearing snow off your yard or grass can be a contentious topic among homeowners. While some swear by the benefits, others caution against potential drawbacks. Here’s a balanced look at the pros and cons of this winter chore.

Pros of Clearing Snow Off Your Yard/ Grass

Preventing Snow Mold. Snow mold is a type of fungus that thrives under snow cover, especially when the snow is deep and persistent. By clearing snow, you reduce the risk of snow mold, which can damage your grass and lead to unsightly patches come spring.

Early Spring Growth. Removing snow can help your grass get a head start on growth in the spring. Without a thick layer of snow, the soil warms up faster, allowing grass to green up and grow sooner.

Avoiding Ice Damage. When snow melts and refreezes, it can create ice layers that suffocate grass and damage

its roots. Clearing snow can prevent this cycle, ensuring your lawn remains healthy.

Improved Aesthetics. A snowfree yard can look tidier and more inviting, especially if you have outdoor decorations or pathways that you want to keep visible and accessible.

Cons of Clearing Snow Off Your Yard/Grass

Potential Grass Damage. Clearing snow can sometimes cause physical damage to the grass, especially if done with heavy equipment or aggressive shoveling. Grass blades can be torn or roots disturbed, leading to patches of dead grass.

Labor Intensive: Snow removal is a physically demanding task, particularly if you have a large yard. It requires time, effort, and sometimes specialized equipment, which can be a hassle for many homeowners.

Risk of Overexposure. Grass exposed to the elements without the insulating

layer of snow can suffer from frost damage. Snow acts as a natural blanket, protecting grass from extreme cold temperatures.

Environmental Impact. Using salt or chemical de-icers to clear snow can have negative effects on your lawn and the surrounding environment. These substances can seep into the soil, harming grass and other plants, and potentially contaminating groundwater. Deciding whether to clear snow off your yard or grass depends on various factors, including your local climate, the health of your lawn, and your personal preferences. While there are clear benefits to removing snow, such as preventing snow mold and promoting early growth, there are also significant drawbacks, like potential grass damage and the labor involved. Weighing these pros and cons can help you make an informed decision that best suits your yard’s needs and your winter maintenance routine.