Prince George Citizen May 2, 2019

Alberta, B.C. pipeline legal showdown begins

Residency rules forcing top doctor to leave city

Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

An award-winning family doctor is leaving Prince George because her husband has been denied a residency in the region despite being a Northern Medical Program graduate.

Dr. Cecila Siegling, who received the My Family Doctor award from the B.C. College of Family Physicians in 2017, and husband Rudi will be moving to the Saskatoon area in the hope a residency in a family practice will be available there. This comes after Rudi tried twice to land a residency, first in this region, then in province, so that he could stay close to his family for the two years it would take. The couple have three schoolaged children ages seven to 11 years old. Although they are leaving reluctantly, Rudi said they have come to accept their situation. However, he said the process for placing graduates in residencies has left him concerned for the local community and whether those selected will simply move on once their times are up.

Launched in 2004, the Northern Medical Program was established in answer to a shortage of physicians practicing in northern B.C. The idea is to give students a sense of what it’s like to live and work in rural and remote communities and consider careers in those places.

But the residency process runs counter to that idea in Rudi’s opinion.

“I’m sure it’s amazing applicants that they select, but are they going to stay in the north if they’ve got no ties to the north?” he said. The news has not sat well with at least one of Siegling’s patients.

“Many doctors choose to start their careers in the North to get their foot in the

door then move on after their initial contract is up. We hear all the time how hard it is to retain doctors in the North,” said Bill Leslie in a letter to the Citizen. “This is a

Council approves $3.95M library project

Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff

Work on a new and long-awaited entrance to the Bob Harkins branch of the Prince George Public Library is to go ahead after city council approved a $3.95-million budget for the project. The total represents a $1.28-million increase over the estimated cost reached in late 2017 when a design had been finalized. All four bids submitted for the work exceeded the mark, largely because labour and material costs jumped 15-20 per cent over the last 12-18 months, council was told. As well, $181,000 worth of extras were added to the design, primarily in the form of an extra staircase and relocation of fire department connections to the main entrance from the parkade to meet fire code standards. Also, the elevator was extended to the upper floor and the entry lobby was increased to 1 1/2 storeys from one storey. The cement and metal railing staircase up to the entrance on the north side has been in place since the building was opened in 1982 and has long been considered unsightly, unwelcoming and dangerous. — see ‘IT’S NOT, page 3

case of professionals wanting to stay in the North but are forced to leave in order to secure their careers.”

The Association of Faculties of Medicine

of Canada (AFMC) administers the process, called the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS).

— see ‘THE ONE THING, page 3

Kids free at Northern FanCon

Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca

Kids go free to FanCon.

For families in the city, that takes a financial pinch off of attending the most all-ages, all-stages kind of event that Prince George does. Northern FanCon is one of those events that has its own internal economy, with the merchant items and art and activities and photo opportunities and autographs that are for sale inside. But it is also a place tailored for added value. Once you’re inside, it’s a wonderland of sights and sounds and experiences all for no extra charge, and kids get to enter that magical world, thanks to a particular donation by Kristine Newell of Team Powerhouse Realty.

This is the second year in a row Newell has taken care of the kids’ tickets. She was in a casual conversation with event coordinator Norm Coyne, the idea came up organically and became an immediate action plan.

“It was a conversation we had right about fair time (the BCNE) and I was thinking about how important events like the fair and FanCon are, overall, to our city, but how there were still barriers,” Newell said. “I just thought about how I know what it’s like to be a working mom, you want your kids to take part in community things, you want them to be engaged little people, have fun like kids are supposed to do, and show them the exciting things going on in their com-

munity that makes this a great place to live. But I know very well how hard it is to make ends meet, and I saw this as a way to take some of that burden away. It just helps on so many levels, because it brings people through the doors of FanCon, and this town really needs to support this event because of what it means to tourism and family activity and our local economy, but it also means a lot to a kid to take in all the amazing things that go on at this event, an event that is like none other anywhere near here.”

Newell added to the fun by making the free kids’ tickets a physical thing, not just a wave-through at the gate. Like so many Charlies excited about Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, there is an actual ticket out there for them.

“I dropped off a bundle to every school in city limits and I even drove out to Giscome Elementary which is a little drive I highly recommend,” she said. “I’ve been putting some in people’s mailbox, I have them at my office where they can be picked up, and we’re trying to make sure every child gets one.”

Newell said her own son was bouncing with excitement when his class got their packet of tickets, “so that’s really sweet and shows how important FanCon is for kids, and what these experiences mean to kids, because he was so excited.”

Newell will also have a booth at FanCon with family fun built into her display. The public is invited to swing by and say hello and say thanks in person to every FanCon kid’s fairy godmother.

This artist’s rendition shows the planned redesign for the Prince George Public Library’s Bob Harkins branch.

Dr. Cecilia Siegling and her husband Rudi Siegling. The pair are leaving Prince George because Rudi could not get a residency match in Prince George.

Robbery charge dropped City council rejects RCMP service fee for hosting special events

Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

City council voted 5-2 Monday night to reject a proposal to charge special events an hourly fee for attendance by the RCMP.

In the name of cost recovery, those holding such events were to be charged $115 per hour for each member had the proposal won approval.

Among those opposed, Coun. Cori Ramsay cited a section of the city’s sustainable finance guidelines which encourage user fees to cover the cost of city services except when they result in a reduction of their use and lower revenue to the city.

Charging the host of a special event a user fee to have RCMP members on site could be the deciding factor on whether or not to go ahead and could produce significant consequences for the city in terms of economic impact, Ramsay continued.

“The revenue from this could be a couple thousand dollars but the result of losing out on an event for the city could be several hundred thousands of dollars,” she said.

Non-profit organizations who rely on events where alcohol is served to raise funds would be hurt, not just for-profit businesses, Ramsay later added.

Speaking in favour of the proposal, Coun. Garth Frizzell was skeptical about

the impact it would have on businesses and not imposing a user fee means the taxpayer will have to continue to bear the burden.

“We’ve got to find ways to recover costs, it can’t always be (about) money going out,” he said.

“We’ve got to look at good ideas like this for bringing money in.”

Councillors Terri McConnachie, Brian Skakun, Murry Krause and Frank Everitt also voted against, while Mayor Lyn Hall joined Frizzell in voting in favour.

Coun. Kyle Sampson excused himself from the debate because he often works on holding special events as part of his day job and Coun. Susan Scott was absent from the meeting.

Citizen staff

A woman no longer stands accused of helping to rob a local business.

Counts of robbery and possession of stolen property against Beverly Candice Cunningham were stayed last week.

Cunningham and Kyle Thomas Howden were arrested on Feb. 21 after RCMP were called to a report of man brandishing a knife inside a business near Eighth Avenue and Ahbau Street.

Cunningham was apprehended near the scene and Howden a few blocks away.

Stays are issued whenever Crown counsel determines there is not enough evidence to pursue a conviction.

Howden remains in custody on counts of robbery, disguising his face to commit an offence, wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer, fraudulently obtaining transportation and possessing stolen property.

Art federation holds first local show

Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca

The city’s newest arts association is about to have its first exhibition.

The participants have, in large part, held their own solo shows or been involved in group displays in the past. Some are among the city’s biggest names in painting circles, but this is the grand debut of the Central Interior chapter of the Canadian Federation of Artists (CFA).

“It’s a good representation of what the artists of this region are doing,” said inaugural chapter president Andrea Fredeen. “It is only artists from our chapter, but that is the whole region, not just Prince George, so it’s a big mix, a lot of diversity.”

The show has about 20 individual works of art by 11 of the chapter’s members. It was not as simple as just sending in a painting. Even among the membership, outside eyes had to qualify each painting. High standards of exhibition is one of the hallmarks of the CFA nationwide. Even at the local level, all exhibitions are juried. When the outside examinations were complete, a set of winners was also announced from among the submissions.

First place went to Kristin Vignal for Pool Buddies (pastel on paper), second went to Wendy Framst for Reach (watercolour), and third place went to Heather E. S. Armstrong for Anticipation (acrylic on canvas).

Honourable mentions were granted also

to Jeanette Orydzuk, Karma Vance and Lesley White.

Joining all these painters in the show will be Fredeen, Laura Chandler, Melanie Desjardines, Pat Gauthier and Anne I. Moody.

“There are so many amazing artists up here, there has always been that caliber, and although CFA chapters have been attempted in the past, this time it is on really stable footing,” said Fredeen.

“The commitment is quite strong, and the numbers are already there and they will grow. Membership is open to anyone who appreciates two-dimensional artwork in any form. We have beginners all the way through to professional. Everybody supports one another, we share feedback, we talk about what’s working or what might not be going your way, we teach each other and we inspire each other, but always in a constructive manner and full of support and mutual appreciation.”

The CFA unveils its first Prince George group show today at a 6:30 p.m. reception at the Bob Harkins Branch of the Prince George Public Library. The party is in the Keith Gordon Room and the paintings are on display in the library’s staircase gallery. It will hang throughout the month of May.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Fredeen.

“We are the youngest chapter in the federation and here we are at our first show.”

Anyone who wishes more information or to join the Central Interior chapter of the CFA can contact Fredeen at andreafredeen@ gmail.com.

‘It’s not going to get any cheaper to fix’

— from page 1

The new entrance will amount to a 2 1/2-storey addition with a total gross floor area of 394 square metres (4,240 square feet). The building envelope will consist of metal panel with extensive glazing to allow a maximum amount of natural light and create an open atmosphere.

Council members voted unanimously in favour of approving the revised budget for the project, which has been on the city’s capital plan since 2014. (Coun. Susan Scott was absent from the meeting).

“Tonight, we have the opportunity to demonstrate our political will and our approval to get this library entrance done,” said Coun. Terri McConnachie, who is council’s liaison to the library board. “Like myself, it’s not going to get any younger, it’s not going to get any cheaper to fix and it’s certainly not going to fix itself.”

The project will be funded out of the city’s endowment reserve. As of the end of 2018, it stood at $8.3 million. However, the city has since received $8.1 million from the

Citizen staff

Passengers with check-in luggage are asked to arrive two hours before their flights out of Prince George Airport because the baggage x-ray equipment has broken down. Without the equipment, security people

‘The one thing we can’t do... is to just have a pipeline from the Northern Medical Program through to a residency program’

— from page 1

It works on a nationwide basis and while candidates are welcome to seek residencies within a specific geographic area, they are encouraged to consider openings from across the country.

The process relies on a computer-based algorithm to match students with residencies.

“The match algorithm compares applicant and program rank order lists and matches applicants to programs based on both parties’ stated preferences,” AFMC CEO Dr. Geneviève Moineau said in an email.

The algorithm is “applicant-proposing,” she also said, “meaning it looks at the applicant’s highest ranked program, then checks to see if that program has ranked the applicant and if a training position is available.

“If these conditions are not met, the algorithm moves on to the next rank on an applicant’s rank order list and continues the process. The algorithm provides applicants with their best possible outcome based on the rank order list submitted. This process is national in scope.”

Dr. Paul Winwood, UNBC’s associate vice president for the Northern Medical Program, said the method used to match graduates to residencies is not ideal.

“The one thing we can’t do that we’d like to do actually is to just have a pipeline from the Northern Medical Program through to a residency program here but we’re not allowed to do that,” Winwood said.

However, every medical school in Canada is obligated under contract to be a part of the CaRMS, he also noted.

Despite the shortcoming, Winwood said the NMP has produced positive results. He said there are more than 100 physicians who graduated from NMP working in Prince George “at last count.”

“I’ve looked at this more than a year ago, so there will be more now,” he said, and added about 60 per cent of NMP graduates go into rural and northern practices.

“It could always be better but it’s pretty good and I think it’s realistically as good as we’re going to get actually,” Winwood said.

He also said about 60 per cent of NMP graduates go into family medicine, compared to 40 per cent nationally, and the rest work to become specialists.

“We are higher than the norm for family practice which actually makes sense be-

cause we want family doctors in northern B.C. and we want generalists,” Winwood said.

That some NMP graduates move on to practice in larger centres has its pluses, he added.

“I often said to people that if one of our graduates ends up being a cardiac surgeon in Vancouver, that’s got go be a good thing because when people from Prince George go to have cardiac surgery in Vancouver, they’re encountering a physician who has some understanding of what it takes for that patient to get down there and what they’re going through,” he said.

To the extent that there is a move to improve the system, it is a call to increase the number of residencies.

Under the rallying cry of “no doctors left behind,” the University of British Columbia Medical Undergraduate Society said there were 14 unmatched graduates from that school in 2018 due to a lack of residency positions.

And the AFMC said 98 graduates were left without matches while 52 residencies were left unfilled following the latest round. It is calling on provincial governments, including B.C., to provide 110 positions for each 100 graduates.

In Prince George, there are 15 residencies for family practice and two for psychiatry. Fort St. John is home to four family medicine residencies and Terrace is home to two. About a quarter of those residencies are held by NMP graduates.

Of the NMP graduates who completed residency programs in the North, more than 70 are currently working in Northern B.C. and more than 100 physicians who are currently working in the region have been trained in University of British Columbia programs in the North. Nearly two thirds of NMP grads who are established in family practice are working in northern and rural communities in B.C.

“Recognizing CaRMS is a highly competitive process, our Office of Student Affairs runs a career planning program which provides services to help students plan their future careers in medicine and prepare them for applying to residency programs,” NMP spokesperson Sonya Kruger said. NMP provides support to those who remain unmatched, she also said, including a new course that gives graduates the opportunity to engage in clinical activities to develop skills and to gain experience to help strengthen their residency application for the next year.

provincial government and an extra $3.2 million from the federal government to spend on capital projects.

The same reserve will also be used to fund a $409,000 renovation to the library’s circulation desk, also unanimously approved by council on Monday.

Both projects include a 10 per cent contingency. If work on the entrance project runs into trouble, city engineering director Adam Homes said it will be the “civil and the underground.”

“Once we get past that, it should go fairly smoothly,” he added.

He said the contract is based on a “stipulated price” as opposed to a “guaranteed fixed price,” which tend to be higher to cover the cost of insurance to pay for overruns. However, Homes said there are safeguards in place to prevent the contractor from digging into the contingency without good reason.

“They have to have a reason and we look through that very carefully with the architect,” Homes said.

are manually screening checked passenger baggage.

Those with carry-on baggage only are not affected.

Technicians have been called to service the equipment and hope to have it back in operation by midday Thursday, airport spokesperson Susan Clarke said.

Local members of Canadian Federation of

show inside the Bob Harkins Branch of the Prince George Public Library on Wednesday.

Millions spent subsidizing northern bus services

Jeremy HAINSWORTH Glacier Media

B.C. taxpayers have paid more than $31 million since 2012 to subsidize almost-daily northern bus services by a private company on runs Greyhound ran at market costs but abandoned last year partly due to competitors’ subsidies, a Glacier Media investigation has found.

The latest funding came April 24 as federal Minister of Transport Marc Garneau and B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Clare Trevena announced ongoing subsidies for the BC Bus North service.

Neither ministry, though, will say how much more money is on the table for the service.

What Garneau did say is that BC Bus North is important where other options do not exist.

However, options do exist.

BC Bus North partially duplicates or fills gaps in the Northern Health Connections (NHC) service funded by Prince Georgebased Northern Health Authority since 2007.

Both services run from Prince Rupert to Prince George and Prince George to Fort Nelson. The NHC service also runs into Vancouver with stops along the route.

Diversified Transportation, a subsidiary of Calgary-based Pacific Western Transportation, operates both BC Bus North and NHC. Pacific Western director of business development John Stepovy said the two services are different, and that there is potential for BC Transit and Northern Health to work the services together.

“I would imagine there are some discussions happening at those levels,” Stepovy said. “We’re operators. We don’t set schedules, times or frequencies.”

Between the two operations, Diversified is running daily services throughout the north on routes remarkably similar to Greyhound’s.

And, of the options, Trevena and the previous B.C. Liberal government had a hand in creating them at a cost of at least $10 million – although some of that funding was in anticipation of Greyhound’s departure.

Moreover, the public record shows Greyhound was signalling there were problems years before it ended service, contrary to government characterizations of the decision as an abrupt surprise.

It was the NHC service that Greyhound cited as an example of unfair, taxpayersubsidized competition when it abandoned its western Canadian services in 2018. NHC fares for routes significantly undercut Greyhound’s, the latter company said.

Between 2012 and 2018, Diversified received $21.3 million from Northern Health, vendor payment documents show.

Northern Health spokeswoman Eryn Collins said NHC was introduced because transportation options weren’t meeting the needs of people requiring health services.

“The NHC service has reduced the burden of travel for people who require health care not available in their home community,” Collins said. “Transportation for people who are sick, require support, and who need to be taken to medical facilities is very different than options that serve the needs of the broader travelling public.”

Greyhound said subsidies to NHC covered 80 per cent to 90 per cent of fare costs, competition Greyhound cited as unfair.

Greyhound’s final one-way fare from Prince Rupert to Vancouver was $213, compared with the $40 NHC currently charges. NHC riders are supposed to present valid medical certificates for travel.

However, Greyhound said as far back as 2012 there was no enforcement of use of the buses for health reasons. People without medical documentation were using the provincial buses, taking business from Greyhound, a September 2012 company document said.

BC Bus North has two fare tiers. The $35, short hauls are for travel between Prince George and Smithers, Smithers and Prince Rupert, Prince George and Valemount, Fort Nelson and Dawson Creek, Prince George and Mackenzie, Mackenzie and Fort St. John.

The $45 long-haul routes are between Prince George and Prince Rupert, and

Prince George and Fort St. John.

The province pumped $2 million into BC Bus North last June at Trevena’s direction to have an interim solution between Greyhound’s departure and the establishment of a full service.

“Pacific Western Transportation already operates long-haul services for other organizations in northern B.C., understands the area, and were able to support us with fleet and staffing requirements to launch within a reasonable timeframe,” said BC Transit communications manager Jonathon Dyck.

“To ensure the service was operational quickly to meet the needs of people living in northern BC, the contract for the interim, 12-month solution was awarded to Pacific Western Transportation,” Dyck said.

passenger revenues for the additional period is $72,000, which will be used to offset operating costs.

“In other parts of the province, we continue to work closely with the federal government as part of an interprovincial working group to address the impact of discontinued intercity bus services and develop solutions,” the statement said.

The ministry added private companies continue to express interest in B.C. routes and the PTB is fasttracking applications.

Transportation for people who are sick, require support, and who need to be taken to medical facilities is very different than options that serve the needs of the broader travelling public.

“This falls within the province of BC procurement standards because the services would not otherwise be obtained in time,” Dyck said. “The service is funded fully by the province of B.C. through BC Transit, and all revenue is returned to the province of BC through B.C. Transit.”

—

Eryn Collins, Northern Health spokeswoman

“Six inter-city bus companies are operating and there are three new inter-city bus route applications that are currently before the board,” the ministry statement said. NHC and BC Bus North service aren’t the only ones the taxpayerfunded agencies are subsidizing.

There is also the Highway 16 Transportation Action Plan created in under Liberal premier Christy Clark’s government in 2017. The plan was created in partial response to the disappearances of women along Highway 16, the so-called Highway of tears.

In December 2017 emails released under access to information laws, then-coordinator of patient transportation Maureen Haley said the NHC service would not affect Greyhound.

Haley said passengers had to present proof of medical appointments, a condition Greyhound claims wasn’t enforced as passengers rode at subsidized rates the bus line couldn’t match.

But before the community buses and BC Bus North arrived, Greyhound had reached the end of its tether.

“The situation in BC was exceptionally challenging for Greyhound due to both the regulatory environment and subsidized services,” Greyhound Canada senior vice-president Stuart Kendrick told Glacier Media.

“Specifically, it was impossible to operate with highly subsidized lower fares that competed directly with our schedules, plus we complied with a lengthy regulatory review process that required months to approve our route changes,” Kendrick said. “This made it very difficult to meet changing market and ridership demands. And with declining ridership, we could not sustain long-term viability from the fare box alone.”

While intercity buses such as Greyhound are regulated under the Passenger Transportation Act, the health buses are not, another reason Greyhound cited as a fairness and competition issue.

In an April 30 statement to Glacier Media, B.C.’s ministry said the province’s northern region with its long distances and remote communities presents unique transportation challenges.

“Greyhound’s decision to eliminate service in western Canada left people in the north vulnerable and stranded – especially Indigenous communities, women, seniors, children, and people with disabilities,” the statement said. “That’s why the BC government stepped in with BC Bus North – to provide a provincially funded service which allows people to travel safely, affordably and reliably between northern communities.”

Stepovy agreed. He said operating in B.C.’s North and on the Prairies is challenging given the remoteness and distance between communities. He said bus companies are successful in places such as the East Coast or Europe where population density creates for business opportunities.

“There’s a reason Greyhound exited the market,” he said. “Challenging times.”

The ministry said BC Bus North has extended the service to Sept. 30. BC Transit estimates the cost of the extension at $480,000 in operating costs with projected

The NDP added another $800,000 for that service linking smaller communities in the 2019 provincial budget, the bringing the total investment to $8.1 million.

In July 2018, Trevena called Greyhound’s announcement that it was pulling out of B.C. service a surprise. This week, the ministry called it abrupt.

But the writing was on the wall long before. Greyhound was making its concerns known to B.C.’s Passenger Transportation Board. (PTB) as far back as 2012.

The company first announced withdrawal from various northern and southern routes in September 2017. In May 2018, it announced withdrawal from all northern routes and two months later from western Canadian service.

However, even before Greyhound pulled out, the PTB recognized the problems Greyhound faced from government operations.

“Some of Greyhound’s competition is heavily subsidized and not regulated by the board,” a September 2017 board decision said, noting lost services would leave holes in meeting public needs, public safety issues and isolation of communities.

Northern Health seemed oblivious to the brewing problem.

“Those services are overseen by the various health authorities where they operate,” a Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure statement said.

Asked if the ministry had done any due diligence to see what services might be duplicated, a ministry spokesperson said the health buses were a separate entity and issue from BC Bus North.

Pacific Western subsidiary Ebus March 6 was awarded Kelowna-Vancouver and Kamloops-Vancouver routes by the PTB in expedited decisions to fill Greyhound gaps.

The PTB’s April licensee report also lists Ebus as operating a Prince George service. Through its PW Transit Canada subsidiary, Pacific Western also operates the municipal bus services in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John as Peace Country Transit and in Port Alberni, Prince Rupert, Squamish, Terrace-New Hazelton and Whistler. Only Port Alberni returned Glacier calls. Municipal director of finance Cathy Rothwell said that city’s system is subsidized through property taxes at a cost of $800,000 a year.

Garneau’s office would not comment on what work if any, had been done to examine northern B.C. bus services prior to the funding agreement.

A Northern Health Connections bus is seen parked at the University Hospital of Northern B.C. in 2014. Taxpayers have paid more than $31 million since 2012 to subsidize regular bus service in northern B.C.

Supporting Jubilee Lodge

Hendrickson to take on Poon in Art Duel

Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca

The paint-off was fierce and it was close.

In the end Makyla Hendrickson prevailed and now awaits the promised showdown between herself and superhero artist Andy Poon on stage at Northern FanCon this coming weekend.

The paint first flew at Pine Centre Mall this past weekend for a preliminary round of action. Four local artists prevailed from an online vote for the privilege of taking each other on one-onone in a live showdown, painting against the clock and each other in front of a live audience at the mall’s centre court.

Raquel Pokiak went up against Hendrickson in one heat. Hendrickson took that duel by a single vote’s difference.

In the second heat, Miranda Marcotte and Harmony Loyie were set to drop the gloves but Marcotte was unexpectedly unable to attend. Emma Lucas happened to be working that day at her job at Great White. This store is a major retail partner with FanCon and Lucas is a fast-rising artist, so she was in attendance at the event. Circumstances collided and Lucas ended up facing Loyie and moving on to the second round where she and Hendrickson had their final duel.

Andy Poon is the prize and the opponent. He has been checking out Hendrickson’s art online at the Northern

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Driver of stolen truck sentenced

Citizen staff

A Dawson Creek man whose drive in a stolen truck carrying a stolen snowmobile was cut short by some alert City of Prince George employees was sentenced Tuesday to one year probation.

Tyler Lee Calliou, 31, had remained in custody since he was arrested on Jan. 17, adding up to 102 days.

Prince George RCMP said the employees recognized the vehicle from a posting on social media and notified police. Calliou was arrested on West Williams Road, just south of Red Rock.

“Without this information, the suspect may not have been apprehended and the stolen property likely would not have been returned to the rightful owners,” Cpl. Craig Douglass said at the time.

Checks revealed the truck was stolen from Mackenzie, its licence plate was stolen from Beaverlodge, Alta., and the snowmobile was stolen from Dawson Creek, RCMP said.

Calliou was issued the term for possessing stolen property under $5,000 and two counts of breaching an undertaking or recognizance.

He was also prohibited from driving for one year and fined $1,000 plus $150 in victim surcharges for two counts of driving while prohibited or licence suspended under the Motor Vehicle Act, committed in Dawson Creek and Pouce Coupe.

Officials look to prepare for future floods

Lee BERTHIAUME The Canadian Press

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FanCon Facebook page so he can get a sense of his opponent.

It is easy to do reconnaissance in reverse. Poon’s art defines much of the look and visual atmosphere of the CW family of superhero shows like Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and the like. His artwork is prominent in any online search, and indirectly by watching these entertaining TV shows.

“I might get my butt kicked, but that’ll be fun too,” said Poon on Wednesday, the day before leaving his Vancouver home for Prince George. As much as he is a seasoned veteran of pop-culture art, he has even less one-on-one experience as a duelling painter than his upcoming local opponent.

“I’m pretty used to people looking over my shoulder as I work, but a live art experience in a competitive environment will be totally new to me,” he said. In addition to Poon and Hendrickson’s showdown on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in CN Centre, there will be an all professional warmup event. This undercard features Ryan Benjamin and Sean Galloway painting against each other on Saturday at 3:30 p.m., also in CN Centre.

“These are two friends who are incredible artists, we’re so happy to have them at FanCon, and they have agreed to have an art duel of their own, just to show people how it’s done and what the pressure of a moment like that can do for an artist,” said convention director Norm Coyne. “It is the first time we’ve

ever done it right inside the main event (there were trial art duels during some off-site FanCon night parties last year), but it’s a standard thing at other conventions. Ryan and Sean are really looking forward to it.”

Poon is looking forward to the duel and meeting another creative Prince George fan of pop-culture art. This city has become a favourite of the superhero art pro. He has been coming since the convention’s first year, only missing one reluctantly along the way.

“I feel like I’m becoming a fixture at Northern FanCon and hopefully I’ll keep being a familiar face there,” Poon said.

He’ll have a sales booth in the trade show area where the public can buy his wares and talk shop with him all weekend. “I do other conventions, and I talk to a lot of other artists who do conventions, and there seems to be agreement that Prince George has something special going on. The big cons can get so busy you lose perspective. Prince George has grown and evolved, and there are a lot of people there for sure, but it never gets overwhelming.

“You can actually meet people and have conversations and take in other parts of the con for your own enjoyment. (For exhibitors and spectators alike) you can have experiences and feel connections, not just that it’s a big market.”

These arts events are sponsored by Mills Office Productivity, one of the city’s most prominent art supplier stores.

OTTAWA — Flood waters were still rising around Ottawa Wednesday, even as officials talked of planning for a future of similar disasters – and Canada’s need to prevent, prepare and adapt.

“Either you invest in adaptation – otherwise you’ll have to spend on remediation year after year,” federal Infrastructure Minister FrancoisPhilippe Champagne told reporters.

He said he wanted to sit down with his provincial counterparts about where and how to build after a flood, and the role of federal funding, including how to get some of it into cities that want to invest in disaster adaptation.

The federal government is planning to spend $2 billion over the next decade on projects that will help mitigate or prevent damages from disasters like flooding.

“I think it’s just the right thing and the smart thing to do,” Champagne said. “So what I’m saying is that let’s get together, let’s work together.”

In Quebec City, Premier Francois Legault announced the creation of a group to co-ordinate the government’s flood response and prevent future disasters.

In addition to ensuring municipalities and homeowners are compensated quickly, Legault said the group would review what’s considered a flood zone and “ensure good decisions are made, whether it’s for infrastructure building or moving certain residences.”

Legault said he hopes the group will have a plan in place in the coming months.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN

Myron Sambad, left, and Leonard Timmins, right, from the Prince George Gizeh Temple of the Shriners present $44,000 to

Selen Alpay and Judy Neiser of the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation. The money will support the Jubilee Lodge revitalization project. This project is a three way partnership between the Shriners, healthcare foundation and hospital auxiliary to improve patient comfort and safety at Jubilee Lodge.

Weighing the evidence

Whether it’s law, science, medicine or figuring out whether your guiltylooking teenager is lying about what time they came in last night, evidence is essential. The problem, however, is deciding the “beyond a reasonable doubt” point. At what point does not enough evidence to back a conclusion become ample evidence?

This is the daily world of police officers, judges and juries but it is also a key part of other professions, from journalists and mechanics to teachers and doctors.

How much information does a doctor need before diagnosing a patient?

What does a mechanic need to find under the hood of a vehicle before figuring out what’s wrong with it?

It’s not only about the evidence at hand but also the probability of the proposed solution.

Casual and intimate relationships are also rooted in evidence and probability. What do you need to know about a person to upgrade them from acquaintance to friend?

What does a spouse need to know to be convinced they are being cheated on by their partner?

In his letter to the editor in Wednesday’s

Citizen, Larry Barnes brought up the Solutrean hypothesis, which suggests that Europeans crossed the Atlantic Ocean thousands of years earlier than first believed, either at roughly the same time or even earlier than it is believed people migrated across the Bering Strait from Eurasia during the last Ice Age. This theory hinges on the age and style of a handful of stone points found at a few sites, mostly in the Eastern United States.

The problem, as Barnes freely admits, is the Solutrean hypothesis is mired in accusations of racism.

There are those who would use the Solutrean hypothesis as a racist weapon to delegitimize the Indigenous peoples of North and South America as the original settlers of these continents while many defenders of the Clovis theory supporting Indigenous peoples as the original settlers of the Americas quickly dismiss anyone who says otherwise as racist.

Strip away the emotional rhetoric and it becomes a matter of competing scientific theories. From an evidence standpoint, the Clovis theory is widely accepted as true for two reasons: ample evidence forms a reasonable explanation to a scientific question and there is no competing theory that comes even close to being more probable or having as much supporting evidence.

The Solutrean hypothesis is also missing many details. In contrast to the geological data that shows there was a land link that would have simplified Eurasian humans crossing into the Americas, there is little to show that European populations had anywhere near the technological sophistication to build ocean-faring vessels and navigate them across 2,000 kilometres of open sea. And even if they did, could they have crossed in sufficient numbers to support a settlement that would eventually spread across two continents?

That doesn’t mean the Solutrean hypothesis should be outright dismissed, but there simply isn’t enough evidence or probability to take it seriously next to the Clovis theory. Barnes is right when he says that more work needs to be done but he’s wrong to suggest that if archeologists keep digging, they’ll eventually find the evidence they’re looking for. Kids use the same logic all the time to insist Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are real.

Furthermore, the absence of counter evidence is used all the time to support the probability of prevailing scientific theories (like evolution and Clovis), not to mention killers convincted even without the presence of a body, based on the probability they murdered the missing individual.

Albert Einstein predicted the existence of

Stop scolding ‘toxic’ men

What is toxic masculinity? It generally means men behaving badly.

Why then are some so upset about the term?

“Toxic masculinity” describes a kind of masculinity that encourages or gives legitimacy to misogyny, homophobia and sexual violence. It involves dominating others (especially women), and means resolving disputes with physical conflict and exhibiting an aggressive machismo.

Although social conservatives tend to oppose the term “toxic masculinity,” they don’t necessarily condone behaviour associated with toxic masculinity. For example, in The National Review conservative writer David French criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s equation of “aggression with manliness,” his “tough guy” act, and his “strutting of the schoolyard bully.” French concludes: “This isn’t the masculinity we should respect.”

But some perceive an all-out attack on men coming from different directions. This includes the American Psychological Association’s (APA) recent guidelines, “Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men.”

The guide doesn’t mention “toxic masculinity” but it characterizes “traditional masculinity ideology” as: “A particular constellation of standards that have held sway over large segments of the population, including: anti-femininity, achievement, eschewal of the appearance of weakness, and adventure, risk, and violence.”

The APA says this traditional

masculinity “represents a set of characteristics that are unhealthy for men.”

Debates about toxic masculinity are really about the changing nature of what it means to be a man.

Western economies have been shifting from manufacturing to a service-based economy since the 1950s. By the end of the 20th century, corporations had outsourced much of their production to the Global South, significantly reducing the number of manual labour jobs.

This shift meant a dramatic increase in employment opportunities in the service industries, which require different skills than those in blue-collar jobs: emotional intelligence, communication skills and empathy.

Those changes dovetailed with the feminist movement of the 1960s and a widespread acceptance of second-wave feminist ideals. It meant that western economies and cultures came to value and normalize what have historically been feminine qualities. Traditional masculine traits are no longer as economically valuable as they once were.

Women entered the workforce en masse, challenged preconceived notions of femininity and claimed reproductive rights. Women’s critical reflections gave birth to women’s and gender studies in the academy. The term “toxic masculinity” has its roots in

the 1980s, when it was introduced by the Mythopoetic Men’s Movement, a byproduct of the women’s liberation movement.

The changes in our economy and culture have rendered old conceptions of masculinity pathological.

Romantic relationships between men and women radically changed.

Humanistic psychology, attuned to the liberal ethos of the 1960s, introduced the need for open communication in healthy romantic relationships. It also fueled a new movement toward self-care and an awareness of mental health.

New ideals on healthy romantic partnerships require men to be more emotionally available, sensitive and vulnerable than traditional masculinity allowed. Today, individuals who do not share their problems are considered at odds with fulfilling and healthy relationships.

These are the underpinnings of the APA’s contention that “traditional masculinity is psychologically harmful.”

Many men – especially millennials – have accepted these more egalitarian understandings of romantic partnerships and parenting.

Those who bewail the loss of traditional masculinity ideology are fighting a losing battle, but I believe those who seek to stamp out all things traditionally masculine, despite their good intentions, are also making a mistake.

— Galen Watts is a PhD Candidate in the cultural studies grad program at Queen’s University

both black holes and gravitational waves but was far from convinced he was right. It took thousands of scientists working decades after his death to provide enough evidence to show he was right.

Same for the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs and most of life on Earth. The hypothesis offered a convenient explanation of that mass extinction event but there was no hard evidence until the discovery of the Chicxulub crater in the Yucatan peninsula 40 years ago. Currently, astrophysicists are hunting for dark matter, because its existence would explain several current mysteries about the workings of the universe.

The core problem with the Solutrean hypothesis (and why archeologists shouldn’t devote too much time to collecting supporting evidence) is that if it were true, it would create more questions than answers about the prehistorical human settlement of the Americas.

Put simply, it remains little more than a “what if” scenario, a solution seeking a nonexistent problem.

Just like people shouldn’t accuse a spouse of having an affair or send a criminal to jail when there is far more evidence to show innocence than guilt, the same should go for questioning the origins of the Indigenous peoples on the American continents.

—

Editor-in-chief Neil Godbout

Gas prices will remain high with no end in sight

Game on. The taps won’t be turned off soon. But the tap-dancing has begun.

Jason Kenney, barely through his first cup of coffee as Alberta premier, has proclaimed a law that may be proven lawless. Bill 12 was created by the former Alberta NDP government and will be opposed in court by the British Columbian NDP government.

Among the many ironies of the moment, it has taken a United Conservative Party premier in a neighbouring province who likely wouldn’t come close to being electable here to stand up for the majority in our province who support the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline.

The bill’s proclamation is a trump card to reduce the shipments of energy resources on the basis – some might say pretense –that doing so protects the national economy. It could ignite the federal-provincial tinderbox and spread quite the wildfire.

But not so fast.

Is it at all clear the Albertan will follow through on his oft-emphasized election mantra?

Well, as one might expect, Kenney the Campaigner has become Kenney the Conciliator.

He said Wednesday he prefers “the path of diplomacy,” chatted with John Horgan the night before and wants to meet him, looks forward to the Western Premiers’ Conference next month, and so on and so on and so forth.

Thus, no tightening of the screws in short order.

Horgan’s attorney general, David Eby, has signalled the province’s readiness to challenge the constitutionality of the Alberta bill on the basis of its restriction of refined products between provinces.

But even with that move imminent – the province filed for an injunction to stifle the bill – Kenney wasn’t betraying any expectation of a near-term battle of the nonblinkers at his news conference Wednesday. He wouldn’t reveal his strategy –noting that in poker you don’t play the high hand off the bat – but asserted the bill is “not a bluff” and that the province won’t stand for a “long-term campaign of obstruction.”

That being said, a lot more talking will precede any sort of

BY THE NUMBERS

walking.

We might eventually be freezing in the dark – not a safe bet, though – and it sounds like we can be driving in the warm sunshine for the next while, albeit at record expense, which Kenney reminded us about repeatedly in suggesting the pipeline would be in our gaspumping interest.

Experts don’t think it would make a massive difference, but when you see spontaneous lineups for $1.59-a-litre gas like it’s a door crasher, you have to think Greater Vancouverites would take any relief they could get any time in the next few years.

The bigger problem by the day is Ottawa’s: a dormant multibilliondollar project it has paid for and cannot easily sell without confident resumption of construction, and a prime minister who insists “it will be built” but is in no apparent rush to push his cabinet to authorize expansion.

Trans Mountain is not an evident priority. He has SNC-Lavalin to put in the rearview mirror, eastern Ontario flood sandbags to fill, steel and aluminum tariffs to suffocate and a stagnating economy that he must reboot.

Oh, and he has an election that is more testy by the hour, in which it would be seemingly wise to minimize the pipeline expansion’s prominence as an issue. While the shovels ought to be hitting the ground soon, instead we’re going to get the political shovels out for the rhetoric.

If the public spat hits the courtroom, lawyers will be able to put their children through law school, their grandchildren through medical school, and their great-grandchildren through business school with the dividends.

Meantime, our premier is offering no particular relief – except the comedic kind – about how to deal with the raging bull of pricing. His suggestion that Alberta spend about $5 billion to build refineries to feed our market borders at once on parody and farce.

Our new slogan: Keep Calm and Cycle.

LETTERS WELCOME: The Prince George Citizen welcomes letters to the editor from our readers. Submissions should be sent by email to: letters@pgcitizen.ca. No attachments, please. They can also be faxed to 250-960-2766, or mailed to 201-1777 Third Ave., Prince George, B.C. V2L 3G7. Maximum length is 750 words. We will edit letters only to ensure clarity, good taste, for legal reasons, and occasionally for length.

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MARIO CANSECO

Still haven’t got our bodies figured out

The human body is a complex organism. It consists of trillions of cells interacting with each other producing life as we know it.

One of the more complex questions for biologists has been just how many cells are present. You would think this would be a straightforward question to answer – just take a body and count each individual cell –but the number of cells is prohibitive. You could just measure the volume of a cell and then divide that into the volume of a typical human body to get a number but which cell would you use?

Based on the volume of a red blood cell, the answer would be 276 trillion cells but using a skin cell you would get only 15 trillion.

Alternatively you could weigh cells but the same problem arises – different celltypes are not all the same size or weight.

In 2013, researchers reporting in the Annals of Human Biology conducted a celltype by cell-type analysis of all the major organs and tissue types in the human body using existing literature. With a 70 kg male as their standard, they concluded the body has 37.2 trillion cells (plus or minus 0.81 trillion) with the caveat cell counts might vary for individuals depending upon various factors such as health and age. By any measure, 37.2 trillion is a lot of cells. Each communicates with its neighbour through chemical compounds. Each receives nutrients and oxygen via the circulatory system. Each has a role to play in the overall community.

Recognizing we are a community or collective organism is starting to take hold in some circles as it has implications for disease as well as other aspects of our nature. In particular, we also carry within us a separate community of other organisms. It is estimated the ratio between our cells and those of the bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses co-habiting our bodies is around one to 1.3. That is, we are host to somewhere close to 50 trillion other organisms. One of the implications of this communal structure is only about 50 per cent of the DNA in our bodies is “ours” although our DNA dominates any other single species of organism. The plethora of organisms of different species means our bodies are “ours” but increasingly scientists are recognizing our bodies and all of these other organisms do talk. This has led to philosophical discussions about what constitutes a collective organism such as ourselves.

It has also generated discussions about the nature of the interaction between our cells and our guests. In 1885, Louis Pasteur correctly speculated animals lacking in

RELATIVITY

TODD WHITCOMBE

bacteria would die. Our relationship is one of mutual benefit. Our microbiome, as it is called, provides us with a wide variety of useful compounds while we provide it with shelter and raw materials.

For example, it is estimated there are upwards of 10 trillion organisms living in our digestive tract. They breakdown complex molecules into simpler, more readily absorbed compounds. They modify proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into other useful compounds. They do a lot of the “grunt” work in providing us with a nutritious diet. And to some extent, they protect us by attacking foreign organisms within our food. It is a mutually beneficial relationship.

But the influence of the microbiome may not stop there. Studies seem to indicate a connection between our gut microbes and mental health. In 2004, Nobuyuki Sudo’s group at Kyushu University reported microbe-free mice reacted more strongly to stress than regular mice. While this paper didn’t initially garner a lot of attention, it is now viewed as the start of a new field of research into the gut-brain connection.

In 2009, neurobiologist John Cryan reported that when young rat pups were separated from their mothers, the stress could lead to long-term changes in their microbiome. Further studies on mice showed that giving the animals the pro-biotic bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 resulted in both a decrease in stress levels and changes in brain chemistry.

Much of this research has focused on the vagus nerve which is a superhighway for information between the brain and the gut, among other regions of the body. When the vagus nerve is severed in mice and they are given L. rhamnosus JB-1, changes in stress levels and brain chemistry didn’t occur.

Similarly other diseases may have a braingut connection. For example, epidemiological studies suggest if a mom is obese, there is a higher possibility of the offspring developing autism. And there may be other gut-organ connections. A recent study has demonstrated an increase in the frequency of heart attacks among women who have accumulated two months of time on antibiotics. The risk for women over 60 doubles compared to the control group, albeit from three in 1,000 to six in 1,000.

There is much we still don’t know about the complex human body and all its inhabitants.

Cost of celery spikes amid juice benefit claims and poor weather conditions

Aleksandra SAGAN The Canadian Press

A fad diet promoting the healing properties of celery and bad weather in important growing regions have caused a spike in prices for the vegetable.

“It’s pretty clear that celery is more expensive right now than it is usually,” said Mike von Massow, an associate professor at the University of Guelph.

In April 2018, customers could expect to pay $3 for a kilogram of celery, according to Statistics Canada. The agency stopped tracking the price of the vegetable the following month. In the most recent years for which data is available, the price mostly hovered around the $3-mark – save for a couple spikes that pushed it upwards of $4.

Now, one major Canadian grocer is advertising celery stalks for $5.99 online. A two-pack of celery hearts costs $6.99, while celery root runs $11 per kilogram.

Fresh vegetables, including celery, have been seeing big price increases lately.

Shoppers paid 15.5 per cent more for fresh vegetables in March 2019 than they did the previous March, according to Statistics Canada.

The jumps for December, January and February were also in the double digits.

“We’re seeing shortages of celery because of weather conditions in California,” said von Massow. “That will lead to an increase in price.”

Celery-producing regions of the state have seen heavy rain, he said. The Oxnard, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz., regions produce a significant proportion of the celery Canada

imports, wrote Statistics Canada spokesperson Emily Theelen, in an email. They “have experienced unseasonably cold temperatures and heavy rainfall over the past few months,” she said. Too much rain at the wrong time can lead to problems, like diseases and quality issues, said von Massow.

It doesn’t help that celery is a smallvolume crop with production only in a few places, he said, meaning it’s more susceptible to production issues impacting supply.

Compounding the weather issue is a recent rise in demand that seems to be coming from a number of social media personalities promoting the health benefits of celery juice, including self-proclaimed medical medium Anthony William, said von Massow.

William claims to have started extolling the benefits of drinking the one-ingredient juice on an empty stomach since 1975, when he was a child, according to his website. He claims the daily practice can clear skin, reduce bloating and aid weight loss, as well as heal people of different illnesses.

Von Massow stresses there is no science to suggest celery is a superfood.

The hashtag celery juice has been used more than 133,000 times on Instagram.

Celery juice benefits and celery juice heals have both been used more than 10,000 times.

“That’s probably one of the reasons that we’re seeing this dramatic increase in the price of celery,” said von Massow.

“A change in demand can dramatically affect the supply and the price.”

CP FILE PHOTO

Beto Pina bites into a stalk of celery while working the fields in 2005 on the Deardorff-Jackson Co. farm near Fillmore, Calif.

Spruce Kings tie up Doyle Cup series

Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca

Junior hockey playoffs in May?

Live and in Prince George?

It’s been a long time since that happened, 12 years in fact, and if Wednesday’s barnburner of a game was any indication, it was sorely missed.

The Prince George Spruce Kings came up with one of their best games of a long season, powered by a two-goal effort from Nolan Welsh, defeating the Brooks Bandits 3-1 to tie the Doyle Cup series 2-2.

Patrick Cozzi had the other goal in a battle that went down to the final 32 seconds. Welsh ended the suspense with a shot into an empty net for his second goal of the game.

Logan Neaton made 19 saves for his 18th win of the playoffs. Jacob Lee’s power-play goal 8:11 into the first period was the only shot that beat him, The Kings outshot the Bandits 28-20.

Game 5 of the best-of-seven series to determine Pacific region junior A hockey championship is set for tonight (7 p.m.) at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena. There will be a Game 6 Saturday at RMCA.

Trailing by just a goal, Bandits forward William Lemay had the tying goal on his stick as he circled in front and let go a shot but Neaton stretched out his body and blocked it to preserve the lead with 51 seconds left.

“When you’re playing hockey in May you’re going to have two good teams and that’s what we saw here tonight,” said Kings general manager Mike Hawes. “It was a tremendous effort, we got down early but kept at it and managed to get the game tied and we kind of took the game over once we got that goal. Our third period was tremendous and the guys did a great job of defending our lead and getting the victory.”

The building erupted 1:09 into the second period when Welsh tied it up on a power play of their own. Cozzi started the play with a 3-on-2 entry into the Brooks zone and got the puck over to Dylan Anhorn on the left side and the Kings defenceman spotted Welsh alone in font. He took the pass and had an open net to shoot at for his fifth goal of the playoffs.

All 1,908 spectators who entered the rink were given Spruce Kings rally towels and Welsh’s goal gave them a reason to wave them.

Game Summary

(Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Game 4 Wednesday summary Bandits 1 at Spruce Kings 3

First Period

1. Brooks, Lee 8 (Scanlin, Campbell) 8:11 (pp) Penalties – Bast BKS (high-sticking) 2:23, N.Poisson PG (tripping) 6:32, Manz PG (tripping) 15:48. Second Period

2. Prince George, Welsh 5 (Anhorn, Cozzi) 1:09 (pp)

3. Prince George, Cozzi 3 (Manz) 18:23

Missed penalty shot: Ahac, 18:48

Penalties – Christy BKS (interfer-

Cozzi gave them another, scoring a spectacular goal with 1:37 left in the second period to give Prince George the lead.

ence) 0:43, Theis BKS (hooking) 19:37. Third Period 4. Prince George, Welsh 6, 19:28 (en) Penalty – Ceulemans BKS (roughing) 6:00. Shots on goal by Brooks 8 6 6 -20 Prince George 4 14 10 -28 Goal – Brooks, Charleson (L,14-5); Prince George, Neaton (W,18-3);. Power plays – BKS: 1-2: PG: 1-4. Referees – Ward Pateman, Jeff Eden; Linesmen – Nick Albinati, Riley Balson.

Attendance – 1,908. Three stars – 1. Patrick Cozzi, PG; 2. Max Coyle, PG; 3. Nolan Welsh, PG. Scratches – Brooks: D Ethan Lund (healthy), D Wyatt Villatlta (healthy), F Bobby Harrison (healthy), F Andranik Armstrong (healthy); F Taylor Makar (healthy), D Jordan DiCicco (healthy), D Tyler Bates (healthy), G Ethan Barwick (healthy). Prince George: D Jay Keranen (upper-body injury), D Liam Watson-Brawn (upper-body injury), F Nick Wilson (healthy), F Spencer DenBeste (healthy).

charging Lemay. Welsh set up Lucas Vanroboys twice in the deep slot with dangerous-looking chances but he could not convert. The Kings had another golden opportunity when Dustin Manz tied to make it a 3-1 game on a wraparound with 1:12 left in the second period. The puck was left unguarded in the crease and Bandits defenceman Luke Bast put his hand on it, resulting in a penalty shot.

Layton Ahac was elected and he tried to beat Pierce Charleson with a backhand move but was foiled by the 19-year-old goalie from Aurora, Ont. The Kings outshot the Bandits 14-6 in the middle period. That did not include the shot Kings captain Ben Poisson clanged off the goalpost with 10 seconds left in the period after a face-off win in the Brooks zone.

The teams picked up the frenzied pace in the third period and Kings continued to control the puck and generate chances, outshooting the Bandits 8-0 in the first 10 minutes of the period. They made it extremely difficult for their opponents to get across the line into Kings territory, holding them without a shot until the period was 13 minutes old.

Brooks centre Lee has been the hottest Bandit lately and he cashed in a rebound on a power play to open the scoring eight minutes in. Brandon Scanlin took a shot from the point and Lee was there to jump on the loose puck, taking it wide around Neaton with 21 seconds left in a tripping penalty to Nick Poisson.

Lee scored two goals and had an assist Sunday in the Bandits’ 4-0 win in Game 3 and the 20-year-old Owen Sound, Ont., native potted the insurance goal in their 3-1 win in Game 2 on Saturday.

In between those two goals there was a period of fast, physical hockey dominated by the Spruce Kings. Welsh’s goal seemed to take a load off the shoulders of the home side and they poured

He carried the puck out of his own end and turned on the afterburner, using his speed to deke his way through the Bandits until he got to the face-off circle and let go a high wrister to the far side that made the net ripple. It was the third goal and 20th point in 21 playoff games for the Greenlawn, N.Y. native.

the pressure on the Alberta Junior Hockey League champions. Kings’ fans were holding their collective breath a couple minutes after Welsh scored when William Lemay, the AJHL scoring champion, took off on a breakaway. He got a good shot away but Neaton stood tall and used his stick to deflect it away, then got run over by the

Loose pucks: The Kings have played in May just once in their 23-year BCHL history when they hosted the 2007 Royal Bank Cup national championship and lost in the final 3-1 to the Aurora Tigers... Both teams have qualified for this year’s national tournament, May 11-19 in Brooks… Seventyfive tickets reserved for Brooks fans will be made available to the masses starting at 10 a.m. today at the Kings’ office… If Game 7 is needed it will be played Sunday night… Bandits centre Lee and Spruce Kings defenceman Max Coyle were teammates last season playing junior B in Ontario with the Listowel Cyclones.

Kozlowski, Bailey start season in winners’ circle

Ted CLARKE Citizen staff

It didn’t take long for Prince George golfers Natasha Kozlowski and Cody Bailey to get into the swing of things. Despite a lightning storm and gusty winds which suspended play at Chilliwack Golf and Country Club on Saturday the Prince George Golf and Curling Club members were calm under pressure while winning their respective junior titles at the Maple Leaf Junior Tour Ford Series tournament.

The 17-year-old Kozlowski started out with a first-round 80 and shot 84 on Sunday for a two-round total of 164. She won the girls 15-18-year-old category by six strokes over Lucy Park of Abbotsford.

Kozlowski, who captured the Ladies Simon Fraser Open title last year, will graduate this spring from College Heights secondary school and will move on to university golf in September at a yet-to-beannounced school.

“For young golfers like me, the MJT events are a great way to gain tournament

experience,” said Kozlowski, in a Maple Leaf Junior Tour release.

Bailey won the junior boys 15-18-yearold division Hoselton Trophy when he shot 79-70-149. Holding a one-shot lead heading into the final round Sunday, Bailey scorched the course on Sunday, posting five birdies and an eagle. His two-under 70 left him 10 shots ahead of runner-up Riley Geiger of Langley.

“It feels extra special winning,” said the 18-year-old Bailey.

“I just decided to stop my other sport

and pursue golf (he was a rep hockey team centre for the Prince George midget Tier 1 Cougars until last season). This win validates the choice I made.” Bailey won the Junior Simon Fraser Open last summer on his home course, winning by eight strokes over Kozlowski.

Kozlowski and Bailey are now shortlisted for the U.S. Kids Teen Golf Championship, July 25-27 in Pinehurst, N.C. The Maple Leaf Tour resumes this weekend at the TaylorMade Series tournament in Vancouver.

Cougars have second, fourth pick in draft

Ted CLARKE Citizen staff

It’s draft day today for the Prince George Cougars and they are in an enviable position, with two picks among the top four selections at the WHL draft table in Red Deer. The Cougars will pick second overall,

after the Winnipeg Ice, using the pick they acquired in January 2018 when they traded defenceman Josh Anderson to the Swift Current Broncos.

The Cats also own the fourth-overall pick.

“We’re doing our homework, formulating our lists and getting as much background information as possible on every player

we’re interested in,” said Cougars generalmanger Mark Lamb, on the Cougars website.

“There’s a lot of talent in this draft, especially in the first round.

“We are looking forward to Thursday morning.”

Prince George has two second-round

choices, their own (26th overall) and the 36th pick acquired from Portland in the Dennis Cholowski trade.

The Cats traded away their third- and fifth-round picks but have two in the seventh round.

Progress of the draft, which starts at 7:30 a.m. PT, will be updated on www.whl.ca.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE

Prince George Spruce Kings forward Patrick Cozzi chases the loose puck while being held up by Brooks Bandits defender Orca Wiesblatt on Wednesday evening at Rolling MIx Concrete Arena in the fourth game of the best-of-seven Doyle Cup series.

Swimming is life for young Barracudas

Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca

Twelve-year-old Masha Wood spends at least nine hours each week working on her swimming technique.

Her elite group workload increases when she joins her Prince George Barracudas Swim Club teammates in events like this past weekend’s Dental Moose Meet.

The payoff for Wood is she’s become fast enough in the water to represent the Barracudas at big meets like the long course age group championships coming up in June in Chilliwack.

But there is a price to pay for all that success, and it’s unavoidable.

“You always smell like chlorine,” said Wood.

Chloe Vertue, her 11-year-old Barracudas clubmate, says the most difficult aspect of being a competitive swimmer is having to say no to her other friends when they try to include her in their after-school activities.

“Sometimes when you want to hang out with your friends and it’s a Friday night, you can’t, but that’s OK because swimming is like life for me,” said Vertue. Wood and Vertue both find it frustrating when they’re trying to achieve a personal best time in an event and it takes a full season for that to happen.

Liberty Vaughn, 13, says she would like to try a few other sports once she becomes high schoolaged, but for now she’s quite happy being a full-time Barracuda. Vaughn is having a blast hanging out with her friends Wood and Vertue and she’s getting the results that show she’s making progress.

“All of my races were pretty good this meet,” said Vaughn. “I really liked the 200 fly I did (Sunday). I was tired of course, I like doing it long course better than short course.”

The three-day Dental Moose Meet attracted 270 swimmers and provided the three girls their first racing test of the season in the 50-metre pool at the Aquatic Centre and they were encouraged by their results.

“All three girls have really good swimming skills,” said Barracudas coach Jason Smith, who coaches them as part of the club’s elite group.

“Chloe has the talent, and Lib-

erty and Wood both have a background in gymnastics and their body awareness for any sport they want to do is going to be easier for them. Physically they’re stronger because of that.”

Vaughn already had a couple years invested in the Prince George Gymnastics Club’s recreation program before she joined the Barracudas five years ago. Wood was in the competitive stream of gymnastics and did both

sports until it became too time consuming and she narrowed it down to swimming.

“Gymnastics training gives you lots endurance because it’s a very hard sport to perfect every skill,” said Wood. “Every day, when I was doing gymnastics I would go home (from school), eat and go straight to gymnastics and after that I’d go right away to swimming. I did that for five days (per week) for a lot of years and that

gave me a lot of endurance and strength and flexibility to go faster in swimming. It helped me a lot.”

Vertue joined the club four years ago after three years training with a club in Smithers.

Her 13-year-old sister Jordan is now one of the top Barracuda swimmers.

Chloe’s efforts to try to keep pace with her sister and also match the intensity of Wood and Vaughn, who share her lane in training, provides incentive to work hard in practice.

“Sometimes they push me and sometimes I can push them, which helps a lot,” said Vertue. “I love swimming and it’s really helpful when my coaches and teammates are encouraging me to go faster and do better in everything.

“My sister is very good at swimming. She makes all the high-level competitions and it’s really challenging for me to get to where she is. I have lots of people that push me.”

All three girls are aware of Haley Black, 23, a former Barracuda who set a new Canadian record in the 50-metre butterfly in December at the short course world championships in Hangzhou, China.

Black is a three-time NCAA AllAmerican who graduated from Auburn University in Alabama and now trains at the High Performance Centre in Vancouver.

“I think that’s really cool a Barracuda swimmer made that high of a level of swimming,” said Wood. “I feel just like never giving up and always try your best. I’m trying to get scholarship for swimming and then I’ll move on from there and see where I get.”

The Dental Moose Meet began the long course season. Wood has made it her goal to qualify for the long course provincial championships and join Vaughn and Vertue at the meet in Victoria, from July 4 to July 7.

Lehner thriving after confronting mental health issues

Stephen WHYNO

The Associated Press

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — A sign hangs above the door between the locker room and the ice at the New York Islanders’ practice facility that reads, “GET BETTER TODAY.”

It carries a powerful double meaning for Robin Lehner, who before the season, disclosed his struggles with mental illness and is now a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender. He was a huge reason the Islanders returned to the playoffs after a two-year absence.

“It’s been a fun year,” Lehner said. “I feel like I’m playing good... Obviously I made some changes. Yeah, it’s clicking.”

It’s finally clicking in every possible way for Lehner, who has figured out how to manage a bipolar disorder and thrive on and off the ice. The 27-year-old Swede set a career high with 25 victories, posted a 2.13 goals-against average and .930 save percentage and, in tandem with Thomas Greiss, helped New York go from worst to first in the league in goals allowed.

Lehner stopped 130 of the 136 shots he faced in a first-round sweep of the 2016 and 2017

Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins to get the Islanders into the second round against Carolina. He didn’t do it all himself, but teammates are quick to say Lehner shouldered the burden to solve his problems.

“Robin’s handled a lot of this with his support staff and his family and people that are closest to him, and he’s done a wonderful job with that,” captain Anders Lee said.

“The biggest thing is just being there for him, letting him know that we have his back and if he needs to reach out to any of us, just being an outlet.”

Lehner first detailed his demons and diagnosis of bipolar 1 with manic phases in an essay published by The Athletic in September. He documented his suicidal thoughts, the game that forced him to seek help from the NHL/ NHLPA Substance Abuse & Behavioral Help program and his path back to the ice.

Islanders winger Matt Martin recalls meeting Lehner last summer. Lehner was fresh out of a stint in alcohol rehab and had just landed a contract.

“He was kind of on his way back,” Martin recalled.

“He had a clear head, but he still had a long way to go from a fitness standpoint and he worked hard every day. He was here all summer getting better.” It had been a rocky road. After he was revealed as a Vezina finalist, Lehner said eight or nine teams

were interested in him as a free agent last summer before that list shrunk to two after he and his agent were transparent about his coming out of rehab; one meeting “didn’t go well at all.”

Conversations with new Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello changed Lehner’s life.

Lamoriello signed Lehner to a $1.5 million, one-year contract that is known in hockey circles as a “prove-it” deal. Lehner has outperformed it by leaps and bounds and the organization has helped him.

“It’s not like I’ve been a special case that I need someone holding my hands,” Lehner said. “They’ve been incredibly supportive and open-minded and nonjudgmental and all that stuff.”

Lehner said plenty of people deserve credit for his spectacular season, from Lamoriello and new coach Barry Trotz to goaltending guru Mitch Korn and goalie coach Piero Greco. But those around the league believe Lehner also deserves a lot of credit for the courage to tell his story.

“We are extraordinarily proud of him both in terms of what he’s been able to accomplish for himself and his family personally,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “I do believe that players and the league based on the profile we have can be role models, can let people who are not processional athletes but who adore the games and professional athletes understand that everybody can have problems and everybody can

have issues, it doesn’t matter what your walk of life is and that there is hope and that you can address these things.”

Attitudes in hockey have changed since Corey Hirsch tended goal in the NHL and dealt with his own mental health issues, largely in hiding. He, too, has disclosed details publicly to help others learn and understand.

“You’re seen as mentally weak... I know what I went through and I know the strength you have to have to get to practice every day,” Hirsch said this week. “The excuse that we don’t want someone who has mental illness because I can’t win a Stanley Cup with them or have a successful team, Robin Lehner just blew that out of the water.”

Lehner did so after the Islanders made him part of their plan at goaltender after struggling at that position last season. They’ve since watched him turn into a leading piece of a playoff run for a franchise starved for post-season success over the past quarter century.

“Robin has got his life in order,” Trotz said. “When your life is in order, your career is in order. It’s amazing how it sort of goes hand in hand. If it’s not in order, I guarantee you it will fall apart. He’s done a really great job. Really proud of him for getting all that stuff in order and he’s been rewarded with a real great year.”

The Islanders by extension have been rewarded for their belief in Lehner, who has been in an ongoing battle while having a career year.

“I know if I go into depression, if I go into mania, I know now and my wife knows, ‘OK, maybe I need to fix something, tweak something,’ and I’ve had to do that throughout this whole season,” Lehner said.

“I’ve had bad days. I’m always going to have them. It’s like everyone else on their team, they’re going to have bad days. It might get a little worse, but I know how to handle it now and it’s nothing to be scared of.”

Lehner revealed his struggles as a way to educate the public and try to influence others who are dealing with similar things.

That, more than anything else, is what impresses teammates about how Lehner has handled his journey.

“He just really wants to help other people now because he’s been obviously in a dark place and he wants to help other people out of that dark place because he’s an example of kind of that sort of success story,” Martin said. “I’m sure it’s not easy for him. I’m sure he still has his demons, I guess, on a day to day basis, but he’s done a great job and we’re all here for him.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY TED CLARKE

Nearing the end of the Dental Moose Meet, Prince George Barracudas swimmers, from left, Liberty

Vaughn, Masha Wood and Chloe Vertue, took a breather before diving in to the pool for the team relays Sunday at the Aquatic Centre.

AP PHOTO

Carolina Hurricanes’ Justin Williams (14) scores the game-winning goal against New York Islanders

goalie Robin Lehner (40) during Game 3 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C. on Wednesday.

Dallas dominated St. Louis 4-2

St. Louis Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko is pushed away by Dallas Stars’ Miro Heiskanen (4) as Stars’ John Klingberg, right, reaches for the puck during Game 4 of an NHL second-round playoff series Wednesday in Dallas.

Hurricanes beat Islanders 5-2, take 3-0 series lead

Joedy MCCREARY

The Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — Sebastian

Aho set up Justin Williams’ goahead goal with 9:45 remaining, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 5-2 on Wednesday night to take a 3-0 lead in their second-round series.

Teuvo Teravainen had two goals, including an empty-netter with 57.1 seconds remaining, Justin Faulk also scored and Aho added another empty-net goal with 4.8 seconds to play.

The wild-card Hurricanes – in the playoffs for the first time in a decade – moved within a victory of a berth in the Eastern Conference final and took a 3-0 series lead for just the second time since they moved to North Carolina in 1997.

After losing the first two games of its first-round series with Washington, Carolina has won seven of eight.

Josh Bailey had a goal and an assist and Devon Toews scored on the power play to spark a dormant Islanders offence. New York had scored one goal in the previous two games of this series and its average of 2 1/2 goals in its previous six post-season games was the lowest among the eight teams that are still playing.

But it wasn’t enough to keep them from a precarious spot. After sweeping Pittsburgh in the first round, the Islanders are in danger of being swept.

Only four teams in NHL history have won a series after losing the first three games.

Curtis McElhinney – who at 35 years and 343 days old became

the oldest goalie in NHL history to make his first playoff start –stopped 28 shots in place of Petr Mrazek, who is day to day with a lower body injury. After McElhinney made two bang-bang saves in the second period while doing a split, the crowd chanted his first name.

Robin Lehner stopped 34 shots for the Islanders, but his career record against the Hurricanes fell to 0-7.

It took an impressive individual effort for Aho to put the Hurricanes ahead to stay.

After Nino Niederreiter dumped the puck in, Lehner played it behind the net – only to have Aho snatch it in the corner and pass to Williams, who chipped it past the Islanders goalie.

New York couldn’t get Lehner off the ice for an extra attacker until about 90 seconds remained, and if Teravainen didn’t ice it with his empty-netter in the final minute, Aho certainly did with his.

The Hurricanes have six players dealing with publicly known injuries, but – aside from the injury to Mrazek – they seem to be getting a bit healthier.

Rookie winger Andrei Svechnikov, who had been in the concussion protocol after taking a punch from Alex Ovechkin in Game 3 of the series with Washington, returned to the lineup. And forward Jordan Martinook, who missed the first two games of this series and suffered a lower body injury in Game 4 against the Capitals, also was back.

The most impressive goal of the night belonged to Faulk. As he stormed out of the penalty box after his hooking minor expired,

Carolina Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov (37) tries to score against New York Islanders goalie Robin Lehner while Islanders’ Adam Pelech (3) defends during Game 3 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C. on Wednesday.

Warren Foegele flipped the puck toward him at the blue line. Faulk plucked it out of the air – like an outfielder tracking a fly ball – and then beat Lehner with a rising backhand with 8:02 left in the second.

The lead didn’t last long. Bailey tied it at 2 with 5:47 left when his shot from between the circles got past McElhinney’s glove – and then teammate Brock Nelson gave the Carolina goalie’s helmet a tap after the play. It was the second time a Hur-

ricanes lead turned out to be short-lived. Teravainen put them up 1-0 with 13:19 left in the first. Unchecked at the right post, he stopped the rebound of Jaccob Slavin’s shot with his left skate, then whacked it in for his fourth goal of the playoffs and third in five games.

Toews – who drew a high stick that sent Warren Foegele to the penalty box – tied it 99 seconds later with a straightaway blast from just inside the blue line through traffic.

Notes: The last team to win a series after trailing it 3-0 was Los Angeles against San Jose in the first round in 2014... Slavin, who assisted on first Teravainen’s goal, has a league-best 11 assists during the playoffs... Svechnikov rang the post with a wrist shot late in the first, and Williams did it early in the second... New York RW Cal Clutterbuck returned after he was helped off the ice during Game 2. Up next The series resumes Friday night for Game 4.

B.C. to challenge Alberta law aimed at cutting off oil supply

Dean BENNETT

The Canadian Press

EDMONTON – British Columbia’s premier fought battles over the Trans Mountain pipeline on two fronts Wednesday, going to court against Alberta’s premier, who wants the line expanded, while urging Ottawa to start shipping more gasoline through the pipe that’s already there.

John Horgan, speaking to reporters in Victoria, announced his government has filed court documents challenging the legality of an Alberta law that gives that province the power to squeeze B.C. over oil and gas shipments.

The law was proclaimed a day earlier by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney on his first day in office.

Horgan said he spoke with Kenney by phone after the law was proclaimed. He said while it’s “regrettable” the bill was activated, he respects Kenney’s stand and thinks the two can work together to find common ground on the root cause of the dispute – the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

“The conversation was quite cordial. We had some good laughs. He’s got a sense of humour. That puts us in a good spot right off the bat,” said Horgan. “He worked very hard to ascend to the position he’s now and I don’t believe he did so just to be combative.”

The law at the centre of the fight gives Alberta a say in how much gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and other oil products exporters can ship out of the province.

It is legislation passed by former NDP premier Rachel Notley a year ago and held in reserve as Alberta battled B.C.’s opposition to the Trans Mountain expansion, a project that would triple the capacity of the existing pipeline in order for Alberta to export more oil abroad.

When Alberta passed the law a year ago, B.C. challenged it in court. But that case was tossed out because the law had yet to be proclaimed.

The latest legal challenge is to be heard Tuesday, said B.C. Attorney General David Eby.

The province will argue the Alberta law is unconstitutional because provinces can’t discriminate in the distribution of natural resource products, Eby said.

Kenney told reporters while he doesn’t plan to use the law right away, he needed to send a message.

“We did this to have the power to protect Alberta, to protect our ability to get full value for our resources,” he said.

Horgan said Wednesday that Trans Mountain has become a real and expensive issue in B.C. as motorists pony up around $1.70 a litre for gas in the Lower Mainland.

He said the existing Trans Mountain line, which is owned by the federal government, is sending higher amounts of raw bitumen and less refined products such as gasoline to the West Coast to be used by B.C. residents.

“The consequence of that is prices are going up,” said Horgan.

“I will say directly to the prime minister, but I said to his people today: ‘You own the pipeline. Get some gasoline into that pipeline so that we can relieve pressure in

Plain-packaging rules for tobacco to take effect in November

The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Canadian cigarette packs will have to be plain drab brown with standardized layouts and lettering under new rules that kick in next Nov. 9, Health Canada says.

Officials said plain packages will increase the impact of graphic health warnings about the dangers of smoking, keeping them from getting lost amid colourful designs and branding.

The government wants to stop cigarette companies from using their packs as tiny ads for their products, insisting even on a single shape and design for the packs themselves – meaning soft packs are out, as are creative designs with bevelled edges and any other distinctive features.

Health Canada picked the same dark brown for the packages as Australia did for its tobacco products a few years ago, one identified by market researchers as the ugliest colour in the world.

Several European countries have used the colour as well.

“Packages with darker colours were perceived to be more ‘harmful to health’ and their products ‘harder to quit,’ in contrast to packages with lighter colours,” the department said in a summary of the plans.

Health Canada said there could be a shortage of the new packs in the early going as a very limited number of suppliers retool to make just one design instead of many different ones.

The regulations released Wednesday also standardize the size and appearance of cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products inside the packages.

Specific rules have been awaited since Parliament passed a law requiring them last fall, joining 13 other countries that have adopted similar measures.

The new rules are part of a larger strategy aimed at driving the rate of tobacco use among Canadians down to five per cent by 2035. Federal statistics show that in 2017,

18 per cent of Canadians over the age of 15 said they used tobacco in the previous month, an increase of 15 per cent from 2015.

The Canadian Cancer Society praised the government’s regulations, calling them “the best and most comprehensive in the world.”

On the flip side, the industry association representing convenience stores said plain packaging increases the appeal of contraband tobacco products and makes them harder to distinguish from legally marketed ones.

“Instead of addressing the 20 per cent of tobacco that is sold illegally in Canada, government is adding one more burden to law-abiding retailers who don’t sell to minors, comply with display bans, and partner with government to collect and remit most of the $9 billion in tobacco tax revenue every year,” Anne Kothawala, president of the Convenience Industry Council of Canada, said in a statement.

Imperial Tobacco Canada’s head of regulatory affairs, Eric Gagnon, said the Australian model is a failure.

“Despite what some Canadian antitobacco lobbyists will claim, plain tobacco packaging has been tried, tested and failed, and it will have the same result in Canada,” Gagnon said. “The plain packaging experiments in Australia, New Zealand, France and the United Kingdom have yielded the same results: plain tobacco packaging does not work.”

According to periodic snapshot surveys by the Australian government’s Institute of Health and Welfare, the proportions of daily, occasional and very occasional smokers in the population all declined between 2013 and 2016, one and four years after its plain-packaging rules kicked in, though the long-term trend of declining smoking also slowed.

A 2016 research summary by the World Health Organization says that “peerreviewed studies point in one direction and confirm the merits of plain packaging.”

the Lower Mainland.”’

When asked by reporters if he would bargain with the federal government, perhaps swapping B.C. approval for the Trans Mountain expansion for more gasoline coming down the existing pipeline, Horgan said he wouldn’t negotiate in public.

But he added: “We’re going to sit down with people and work out what’s in the best interests of all parties.”

B.C.’s gas price spike adds a few more tangled strands to what has become a knot of competing political and economic interests over Trans Mountain.

While Horgan said B.C. wants the federal government to put more gasoline in the existing Trans Mountain line, he also said they can’t countenance agreeing to a project

that risks an oil spill from a loaded tanker in the heavily populated Burrard Inlet. Ottawa wants to get more oil to market to help the national economy, but has pledged to do so in an environmentally sustainable way, which includes a carbon tax.

Kenney, however, won the recent Alberta election on a centrepiece promise to kill an existing provincial carbon tax and fight Trudeau’s carbon tax in court.

Kenney also campaigned on labelling Trudeau an arch foe to Alberta’s oil patch and has promised to do everything in his power to get him defeated in the fall federal election.

“There is an opportunity for the three governments to find a way forward,” said Horgan. “But there is a lot of work to do.”

Despite demand, many new medical specialists unemployed

Stephanie MARIN The Canadian Press

MONTREAL — Despite long patient waiting lists, almost one in five Canadian medical specialists weren’t able to find work upon graduation from their training programs in 2017 – the highest number ever reported, according to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

A study released Wednesday by the professional association that oversees Canadian medical specialists’ education found that 19 per cent of specialists didn’t immediately find work upon completing their certification.

Unemployment numbers for newly certified specialists have fluctuated between 14 and 19 per cent since the group began conducting surveys in 2011, with the 2017 numbers being the most recent.

The numbers don’t point to a surplus of specialists but rather a need for better planning, according to a spokeswoman for the group.

For the moment, “the system isn’t working in an optimal way,” said Danielle Frechette, the executive director of the royal college’s Office of Research, Health Policy and Advocacy and one of the survey’s authors.

In a phone interview, she said some doctors can spend more than a year jobhunting.

The goal of the survey is to “find solutions for problems linked to employment of doctors, to improve physician workforce planning and inform career choice,” the royal college said.

The response rate to the initial survey was 37 per cent, while 51 per cent of specialists who reported employment challenges agreed to a follow-up survey.

The survey suggests changes need to be made to better serve patients, Frechette said. “If governments think of aligning human resources with physical resources to give care more punctually, we would all be

happier,” she said. The survey respondents noted several barriers to finding employment, including a lack of positions in their specialty; poor access to job listings; their own reluctance to leave their home cities due to family obligations; a lack of resources including hospital beds or operating rooms; and the delayed retirement of senior physicians and surgeons.

“Some hospitals would like to hire me but no funding for operating room time so no job. Older surgeons don’t want to retire,” one newly certified oncologist wrote in the survey.

As for those who don’t want to move, many are members of “generation sandwich,” who are simultaneously caring for children and aging parents, Frechette said.

The 2017 survey results confirmed previous years’ findings that surgical specialities requiring more resources are the most affected by employment issues. Neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists were the most affected in each of the seven years the survey has been conducted, followed by orthopedic surgeons and nuclear medicine specialists.

At the same time that specialists report difficulty finding employment, an international investigation has found that Canadians have reported longer wait times than other similar countries when it comes to seeing a specialist.

More than half of Canadians, or 56 per cent, waited more than four weeks to see a specialist, compared to the international average of 36 per cent.

This is according to the 2016 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of adults in 11 countries, the royal college said. The good news in the survey is that 61 per cent of specialists who reported difficulty in finding employment had secured a position by the time a follow-up survey was given 12 to 17 months after certification, Frechette said.

CP PHOTO

A no trespassing sign is seen posted outside double security fencing at the Kinder Morgan Burnaby Terminal tank farm, the terminus point of the Trans Mountain pipeline on Tuesday.

MONEY IN BRIEF

Currencies

OTTAWA (CP) —

Electric vehicles just got cheaper, as rebate kicks in

Mia RABSON The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Federal rebates to encourage Canadians to buy electric cars took effect Wednesday, shaving as much as $5,000 off the purchase prices of electric cars.

The rebates were announced in the last Liberal budget and fully electric cars that have starting prices of less than $45,000 are eligible for the full $5,000 rebate. Plug-in hybrids, which combine electric power with traditional combustion engines, can get up to $2,500 off.

The rebate will still be available on higherend versions of the base models that are eligible – such as those that come with upgrades like leather seats, more colours and longer driving ranges – as long as the final price, options included, doesn’t exceed $55,000.

Tesla, whose Model 3 was the most popular electric car in Canada last year, lowered the price of its standard-range version of the Model 3 to $44,999 to come in just under the base-model price limit but this version can only get 150 km on a charge. But, because the company lowered the price of the standard-range Model 3 below $45,000, the $53,700 higher-range version, which can travel 389 km on a single charge, also becomes eligible.

Fifteen fully-electric vehicles, including base models and upgrades, as well as 13 plug-in hybrids, are currently eligible for the rebates.

The markets today

TORONTO (CP) — North American stock markets closed weaker Wednesday after the Federal Reserve chairman poured cold water on hopes of interest rate cuts and the price of oil and precious metals moved lower.

The S&P/TSX composite index lost 77.98 points at 16,502.75, after hitting an intraday high of 16,604.91.

Eight of the 11 major sectors were down, with the influential energy and materials sectors losing 2.8 and 1.6 per cent respectively on lower commodities prices.

The June crude contract was down 31 cents at US$63.60 per barrel as the weekly U.S. crude oil inventory report pointed to another large buildup in domestic stockpiles.

“They seem to have retraced a little bit of that weakness. The stocks kind of remained down today fairly significantly,” said Les Stelmach, portfolio manager at Franklin Bissett Investment Management.

Shares of Cenovus Energy Inc. and Crescent Point Energy Corp. each lost nearly five per cent while First Quantum Minerals Ltd. fell 6.9 per cent and Teck Resources Ltd. was down five per cent.

The June natural gas contract was up 4.5 cents at US$2.62 per mmBTU.

The June gold contract was down US$1.50 at US$1,284.20 an ounce and the July copper contract was down 10.25 cents at US$2.80 a pound.

The Canadian dollar traded at an average of 74.54 cents US compared with an average of 74.50 cents US on Tuesday.

The Canadian technology sector led the TSX as Shopify Inc. rose 1.6 per cent a day after posting strong quarterly results. The U.S. tech sector also gained following a strong report from Apple Inc., whose shares were up 4.9 per cent.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 162.77 points at 26,430.14. The S&P 500 index was down 22.10 points at 2,923.73, while the Nasdaq composite was down 45.75 points at 8,049.64.

U.S. markets fell after the Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday and Chairman Jerome Powell signalled that it’s unlikely to either raise or cut rates in coming months amid signs of renewed economic health but unusually low inflation. Despite Wednesday’s market losses, he said investors shouldn’t lose sight of the strong performance of U.S. markets this year.

The rebate is paid to the dealers and will reduce the sticker price at purchase. It is not paid to the consumer. The program is costing $300 million over three years and the money is available on a first-come, first-served basis: once the allocated money is gone, the program ends.

In Quebec and British Columbia, which offer

A Tesla Model 3 recharges at a Tesla charging station. Tesla lowered the price of its base Model 3 to $44,999 so that it will be eligible for a $5,000 federal rebate.

their own provincial rebates of up to $8,000 and $5,000 respectively, the federal incentive will be applied in addition to the provincial one on eligible cars.

Electric-car experts say there is no doubt government incentives help drive electric-car purchases. Ninety-seven per cent of electric-car sales in Canada have taken place in Quebec, B.C. and Ontario, all of which have offered rebates. Ontario’s new Progressive Conserva-

tive government killed the province’s $14,000 rebate shortly after taking office last year.

Carmakers reported a marked decline in electric sales in Ontario after the rebate was dropped. Nissan, for example, reported the number of Leafs sold in Ontario fell from 695 in August to just 10 in November.

“At this point in the market the incentive still matters,” said Dan Woynillowicz, policy director with Clean Energy Canada.

Use your tax return wisely

Tempting as it is to spend your tax refund on a vacation, a home renovation, or a free-poutine-foreveryone-street-dance party, investing it long-term will pay off nicely, especially if you are younger. As any rudimentary financial software, or Grade 8 math teacher will attest, the compounding effect of an early-life savings plan is astonishing.

There are other good things to do.

Another is implement strategies in your financial plan, if you have one (hint: you should have one).

For example, you could use the refund to:

• Prepare your will or power of attorney.

• Set up your emergency fund.

• Put adequate disability or life insurance in place.

• Contribute to an RRSP, RESP or a TFSA.

• My personal favourite – pay down debt.

Most people understand the benefits of saving but some of us have a bit of a tortured relationship with death, math – and insurance.

Here’s the thing. What is your most valuable financial asset? Your house? Your RRSP? Your Wayne Gretzky rookie card?

If you are under 55, probably not. Add up your expected average annual income over the lifespan of your employment span of 35 or 40 years (say $75,000 x 40 years = $3,000,000). That’s already a huge asset, without being grossed up for inflation. So insure it, especially if you have a family relying on you. And not only your life, but insure your health (with disability insurance).

If you plan to help your children or grandchildren with their education, you could use your tax refund to contribute to a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). Note that the first $2,500 of an annual RESP contribution attracts a federal government grant of $500 (that’s a 20 per cent return. Just do it). If you are behind on this strategy (which is designed to accumulate annually) you can double-up your annual contributions, which will double up the annual grant until you are caught up. Don’t wait too long. Once the youngest in your family plan turns 17, the annual grants dry up.

Also, reduce non-tax-deductible debt.

First, slap yourself in the face for buying that outrageously-expensive deck furniture set last spring, then pay down your outstanding consumer debt, beginning with amounts subject to a higher interest rate.

Most debt interest is not tax-deductible, but some is. Generally, it has to be clear that the loans were expressly provided to fund either investments or a business in order for

its interest to be tax-deductible.

You can sometimes do a little juggling, but do it under supervision of a professional accountant.

For the record, I discourage my clients from diving in to a leveraged investment portfolio, motivated by a tax rebate, its taxdeductible interest, and a chubbier, debtladen portfolio. Yes, it’s a perfectly legal and legitimate investment strategy, but the sexy loan portfolio is usually outweighed by the dark circles under your eyes, which isn’t attractive unless you are a gothic punk rock star, or a pouty teenage YouTube sensation, which you aren’t. A good night’s rest is precious.

A much cooler idea is the spousal loan strategy, if you are in the right income bracket. That’s another whole article of its own, coming soon.

If you don’t have high-interest non-taxdeductible debt, consider contributing to an RRSP or a non-registered investment account. The choice between the RRSP or non-registered account depends on several financial assumptions. Here are a couple of suggestions that may help:

• If you expect your marginal tax rate in retirement to be the same or lower than your marginal tax rate today, consider contributing to your RRSP.

• Securities that produce Canadian source dividends and capital gains are usually part of a portfolio mix, often substantially. Their tax advantages (of dividend and capital gain income) are wasted in an RRSP, but they are still good investments in any account. If you have a choice, and are already maxed on your RRSPs, lean to the nonregistered accounts for these.

The TFSA allows you to make a $6,000 (for 2019) annual maximum contribution, for a total of $63,500 per person if you qualified from the start. (Any bets this eventually becomes a Liberal-Conservative election issue sometime this decade?)

All growth, income and withdrawals are tax-free, which makes me want to dance in the street. You can also gift money to your spouse to invest in a TFSA without being subject to the income attribution rules. Should you invest your tax refund in an RRSP or a TFSA, if you’re unable to do both?

Choose the TFSA if your expected tax rate in retirement is going to be higher than today.

Otherwise, choose the RRSP.

Given that TFSA’s allow for tax-free withdrawals, some people think of them as an emergency fund. That works, I suppose, but their long-term tax-free advantages really pay off in the later decades – the power of compounded growth is, shall we say, compounded by their additional tax-free status. There’s a lot here, but we’ve really only scratched the surface.

Mark Ryan is an investment advisor with RBC Dominion Securities Inc. (member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund), and these are his views, and not those of RBC Dominion Securities. This article is for information purposes only. Please consult with a professional advisor before taking any action based on information in this article. See his website at: http://dir.rbcinvestments.com/mark.ryan.

Hugs, tears mark taping of final Big Bang Theory episode

Lynn ELBER The Associated Press BURBANK, Calif. — Hugs and tears punctuated the final taping of The Big Bang Theory, a lovefest for its stars, crew and audience alike.

There were plenty of punchlines as well, as the true-to-form hit comedy about scientists and those who love them wrapped the twopart, hour-long finale that will air in mid-May on CBS.

“This show has touched so many hearts,” an emotional Kaley Cuoco told the fans who filled a Warner Bros. soundstage Tuesday. She

shared a comment made by series creator Chuck Lorre at a reading of the final script: “The Big Bang Theory will live on in our hearts forever.”

Johnny Galecki, who plays husband Leonard Hofstadter to Cuoco’s Penny, thanked the audience and called the top-rated comedy’s 12-season run “a dream come true for all of us.”

It was definitely a pinch-me moment for those lucky – and persistent – enough to be on hand for episode No. 279. Some, urged by audience warm-up comedian and emcee Mark Sweet, paid tribute

to the series that turned the really smart set into unlikely crowdpleasers.

Malerie Shakter of Oakland, Calif., who works in the tech industry, said she’s been inspired by the powerful female characters portrayed on the sitcom. She waited in line for 14 hours to get a seat, she said, adding, “I would do it all over again.”

Jim Parsons, who stars as awkward genius Sheldon Cooper, had a key fan in attendance: His mother, Judy Parsons. The actor, a four-time Emmy winner for the role, looked relaxed and even

broke into a few dance moves between shots.

Parsons is keeping ties to his character, as an executive producer of Young Sheldon, the CBS spinoff about the future physicist’s childhood in Texas that stars Iain Armitage in the title role.

The cast, including Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar and Melissa Rauch, lingered after taking their final bows. Mayim Bialik, who plays neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler, hugged Lorre tightly on the stage that was named after the series last February.

A plaque outside the building

commemorates other projects filmed there, from movie classic Casablanca to the TV series Cheyenne in the 1950s and 1960s. The celebration continued Wednesday, as the stars put their handprints in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre, a nearly centuryold Hollywood salute to its famous citizens. The Big Bang Theory episode taped Tuesday will air as the last half of a two-part finale on May 16. Also airing that night is Unraveling the Mystery: A Big Bang Farewell, with Galecki and Cuoco hosting a behind-the-scenes look back at the show.

Netflix announces deal for film about Thailand’s cave boys

The Associated Press

BANGKOK — Netflix is joining with the production company for the movie Crazy Rich Asians to make a film about last July’s dramatic rescue of 12 boys and their soccer coach who were trapped in a flooded cave in northern Thailand for more than two weeks.

Netflix and SK Global Entertainment said they acquired the rights to the story from 13 Thumluang Co. Ltd,, a company that Thailand’s government helped establish to represent the interests of the boys and their coach, who attended the news conference for the announcement Tuesday in Bangkok.

Thailand’s Culture Ministry in March first unveiled the deal, announced as a miniseries.

Deputy government spokesman Weerachon Sukoondhapatipakat was quoted then as saying that the families of the cave survivors would each be paid 3 million baht ($94,000).

A date for the project to be released wasn’t disclosed.

The boys of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach became a centre of world attention after they became trapped in the cave

on June 23 last year, with doubts they were able to find shelter from rising flood waters that poured in after unexpected rain. They were found by two British divers and brought out by an international crew of experienced cave divers who teamed up with Thai navy SEALs in a dangerously complicated mission that was successfully concluded on July 10.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to thank the people and organizations from Thailand and around the world who came together to perform a true miracle, by retelling our story,” said Ekapol “Ake” Chanthawong, the boy’s assistant coach who shared the ordeal with them.

“We look forward to working with all involved parties to ensure our story is told accurately, so that the world can recognize, once again, the heroes that made the rescue operation a success.”

Tuesday’s announcement said 13 Thumluang “has committed to donating 15 per cent of the revenues derived from bringing this story to global audiences to charity organizations that focus on disaster relief.” Jon M. Chu, who helmed Crazy Rich Asians, and Nattawut Baz

Poonpiriya, a Thai filmmaker, will be directors on the cave project.

“We are immensely proud to be able to support the retelling of the incredible story of the Tham Luang cave rescue,” Erika North, director of International Originals at Netflix, said in a statement. “The story combines so many unique local and universal themes which connected people from all walks of life, from all around the world.

“Thailand is a very important country for Netflix and we are looking forward to bringing this inspiring local but globally resonant story of overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to life, once again, for global audiences.”

The rescue was a rare bit of feelgood news from Thailand, which has been mired in political conflict and heavy-handed military rule for more than a decade. The cave rescue also allowed the government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who had seized power in a 2014 military coup, to share in some glory.

An independent film about the adventure, The Cave, was shot soon after the rescue and is supposed to be released later this year.

In this January file photo Kunal Nayyar, from left, Mayim Bialik, Melissa Rauch, Jim Parsons, Simon Helberg, Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki, from the cast of The Big Bang Theory, present the creative achievement award at the 24th annual Critics’ Choice Awards at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.

AP FILE PHOTO

Ekkapol Chantawong, left, and Adul Sam-on, 14, participate in an event in New York last October. The coach and a member of the youth soccer team from Thailand that got trapped in a flooded cave appeared at an event in New York as they begun a short U.S. tour.

Low wages kill

Andrew VAN DAM The Washington Post

Since 2000, the suicide rate in the United States has risen 35 per cent, primarily because of the significant increase in such deaths among the white population.

There are hints that these deaths are the result of worsening prospects among less-educated people, but few immediate answers. But maybe the solution is simple: pursue policies that improve the prospects of working-class Americans.

Researchers have found that when the minimum wage in a state increased, or when states boosted a tax credit for working families, the suicide rate decreased.

Raising the minimum wage and the earned-income tax credit (EITC) by 10 per cent each could prevent about 1,230 suicides annually in the U.S., according to a working paper circulated by the National Bureau of Economic Research this week.

The EITC was designed to boost the wages of low-income workers, particularly families with children. Many states have supplemented or expanded the credit.

Raising the minimum wage and increasing the tax credit help less-educated, lowwage workers who have been hit hardest by what are now known as “deaths of despair,” according to the analysis of 1999-2015 death data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by University of California economists Anna Godoey and Michael Reich, as well as public-health specialists William Dow and Christopher Lowenstein.

Deaths of despair, a phrase popularized by Princeton economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton in a pair of widely cited 2015 and 2017 papers, typically refers to rising death rates among middle-aged white nonHispanic Americans.

In 2017, Case and Deaton wrote that those rising death rates can be attributed to “drug overdoses, suicides, and alcoholrelated liver mortality – particularly among those with a high school degree or less.”

To evaluate how policy choices could

Increasing minimum wage, tax credits for families reduces suicide rate, study shows

affect those deaths, the Berkeley team identified states that had raised their minimum wage or EITC between 1999 and 2015.

They also included states whose wages were affected by federal minimum-wage increases. The researchers then measured the change in the rate for such deaths before and after the policies took effect.

To control for national trends, they compared the changes with states that hadn’t changed their minimum wage or EITC.

The researchers looked at suicides and drug overdoses.

Unlike degenerative liver disease linked to alcohol abuse, those events can be connected to a single point in time.

The team found little change in drug over-

doses, whether intentional or accidental, after the new policies took effect. This falls in line with the growing consensus that, unlike other deaths of despair, drug overdoses probably are linked to increased availability of addictive (and lethal) drugs.

But the number of suicides that weren’t related to drugs dropped noticeably. Among adults without a college education, increasing the EITC by 10 per cent appears to have decreased non-drug suicides by about 5.5 per cent. Raising the minimum wage by 10 per cent reduced suicides by 3.6 per cent.

“When they implement these policies, suicides fall very quickly,” Godoey said in an interview. Although raising the minimum wage led

to an immediate decrease in suicides, raising the EITC had a delayed effect, resulting in fewer suicides the following year, once the tax change came into force. In both cases, it appears as though taking home more money had a positive effect.

The effect was strongest among young women and others who were most likely to have minimum-wage jobs. Among men, black and Hispanic Americans saw the largest effect.

A March study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine also found that a one-dollar increase in the minimum wage was associated with a 1.9 per cent decrease in suicides, and that the association was strongest between 2011 and 2016, the most recent year studied.

Leading minimum-wage scholar Arindrajit Dube of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, who shows in a forthcoming publication in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics that higher minimum wages increase incomes for the poorest families, said the two studies provide “important additional evidence on the possible impact of a higher minimum wage on the standard of living – or living at all.”

The scholars are contributing to a larger body of work that links health, particularly mental health, with economic policy and outcomes.

In a 2014 analysis in American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, William Evans of the University of Notre Dame and Craig Garthwaite of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management found that mothers who received a higher EITC reported better mental and physical health.

In a paper to be published in American Economic Review: Insights, David Autor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, David Dorn of the University of Zurich and Gordon Hanson of the University of California at San Diego drew on data from between 1990 and 2014 to find that the death rate among men tended to rise in cities where jobs were vanishing because of competition from cheap foreign goods.

LNG Canada proof Canada can get projects built, Morneau says

Andy BLATCHFORD

The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Finance Minister

Bill Morneau says a $40-billion operation to eventually ship liquefied natural gas to Asia from Canada’s west coast shows the country can still get major projects done, despite corporate complaints about regulatory hurdles.

The federal Liberals have been facing criticism from some political foes and business leaders over Canada’s regulations, including those blamed for holding back the construction of oil pipelines out of Alberta.

With the federal election six months away, there’s intense political debate about Canadian regulations as parties, especially the Liberals and Conservatives, fight over which of them one is best suited to deliver on energy projects.

Morneau insists work is already underway on the LNG Canada mega-project in British Columbia because efforts were made to listen to people opposed to the venture as well as those advancing it.

“Canada can get big things done, but we have to do it by working together,” he said.

“The necessity is that we go through this process, that we do it in the right way. And that’s clearly different than has been the approach in the past.”

But shortly after LNG Canada’s approval in October the federal Conservatives, who had been in office until 2015, insisted they deserved credit for getting the project finalized.

At the time, Tory MP Shannon Stubbs said in a statement the Harper government helped LNG Canada through the approvals process. She said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “showed up for the final photo-op” and tried to take credit for it.

The head of LNG Canada says the Trudeau and Harper governments both gave boosts for the project, which will build an export terminal in Kitimat, and is on track for completion by late-2023.

Andy Calitz said in an interview this week that the project, which

went through approvals between 2012 and 2018, received support from governments of different stripes over that period – in both Ottawa and B.C.

The country treated LNG Canada “extremely well” and the permits were delivered by the regulators on time, he said.

“So, in that sense Canada has treated LNG Canada well or alternatively we did our work thoroughly – or both. I’m not sure,” Calitz said when asked about concerns over regulations and other obstacles faced by large projects.

“At the same time, I am today concerned about the interprovincial strife between Alberta and B.C. and the constant regulation challenges to pipelines being built.”

He added it makes foreign investors, who are part of his project’s consortium, vigilant about Canada.

Calitz, the outgoing CEO, met in Ottawa this week with Trudeau and members of his cabinet to introduce them to his successor, Peter Zebedee, and to provide an update about LNG Canada.

He said he told them it had moved from the planning phase to construction.

For example, the Kitimat site has been cleared and worker housing is being installed, he said.

Morneau’s comments came a day before the government released a list of the types of projects that will be assessed for their environmental, health, social and economic impacts under Canada’s proposed update of how major new energy projects are evaluated.

He said it’s important for Canada to have a regulatory system that works, and he argued the new environmental assessment law, if adopted, will improve the process.

MORNEAU

It is with broken hearts that we announce the passing of the matriarch of our family, our beloved Mom, Grace McKinnon (Henry) on April 27, 2019. She was predeceased by her husband Mal, son Kenny and infant grandson Mitchell. She is survived by her daughters, Karen Forde (Rolly), Gale Richet, Sherry Dawson (Jack), Tracey Dowhy (Brad), Grandchildren; Michelle, Jake, Tyler, Nadine, Brad, Corbin, Cassity, Tanner (Tori), Parker, Great Grandchildren, McKayla (Drew), Katie, Tatum, Garrett, and soon to be Great-Great Granddaughter due in May. Also survived by a large extended family. Mom was born in Prince George, BC September 10th 1932. She was an incredibly hard-working woman who would tackle anything! Most everyone would say she had a feistiness about her; a trait that was passed on to her daughters. She was an impeccable homemaker, avid gardener, and every summer her and dad could be found salmon fishing in Kitimat. She began her journey with Alzheimer’s in 2006. In spite of the diagnosis, she lived her life to the fullest and leaves behind fond memories with all those she met along the way. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Cosio and Dr. Fredeen, and to the entire staff that cared for Mom at Gateway Lodge. For the past six years you became like family not only to Mom, but to us daughters as well. Our sincerest gratitude is beyond words knowing that Mom was so well cared for. No service as per Mom’s request. A celebration of life to be held at a later date. Mom, you held our hands when we were small, you caught us when we fell,The hero of our childhood and the latter years as well. Every time we think of you, our hearts fill with pride, And though we’ll always miss you, we know you’re by our side. In laughter and in sorrow, in sunshine and in rain, We know you’re watching over us until we meet again.

MARGARET KEIBEL

Dec 8, 1930 - Dec 16, 2018

At Margaret’s request, there will be a Celebration of Life at the Elder Citizens Recreation Association (ECRA) 1692 10th Ave on Monday May 6, 2019 from 2:00

Robert (Bob) Arthur Hawke passed away peacefully with his family by his side, on April 19, 2019 in Prince George, B.C. Bob was the youngest of 7 children, born Aug 2, 1932 in Hudson Bay, Sask. to Sophia and Stewart Hawke. He is survived by his wife Fern of 66 years, son Stewart (Lorraine), daughter Sherri (Dwain), daughter Karen, son Robert (Brenda), son Marvin Blair (Valerie), daughter Susan., two sisters, one brother, many grandchildren and great grandchildren and a large extended family. Bob grew up working in his Dads Lumber Co. and a few years after his death ended up owning and operating Hawke Lumber Co. in Hudson Bay Sask. In 1961, Bob sold out to The Co-op and moved to Melfort Sask to open up “Bobs Color House,” a paint & Interior Decorator store. Several years later he also bought a coffee shop and restaurant in Melfort. Bobs itchy foot then took him to Calgary where he worked for Atco Trailers until he came further West ending up in 1973 in Prince George, to work for Stolberg Construction, Overhead Doors, Carrier Lumber & Rustads. Then in retirement he decided to work for himself “Shelfhawke” came into being, making anything and everything wood, shelves, benches, swing sets, picture frames, you name it, he built it and lastly “growsticks.” Bob was an active member of Knox Unitied Church, always fixing something, he was also a choir member for over 45 years. Dancing was his passion and he made sure his daughters could dance as well. Bob was curious, an inventor, jack of all trades master of none. Services were held Sunday April 21,2019 at Trinity United Church, Prince George. You may view the service at www.Trinitypg.ca, livestream worship archives, scroll to April 21, Bob Hawke.

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THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2019 Page 14-15

Looking back on a busy weekend

EBBS EAGER FOR LIVE DEBUT

It started with two, but by the time The Ebbs finished their first interview as a band, they had grown to three. And they haven’t even played their first concert. Together, that is.

William Kuklis is a well known solo performer in Prince George, for his songwriting and his emotive vocal power.

Joe Shea is part of the popular Rocky Mountain act Trundled with nationally known bandmate Ellen Braun (of Ottawa and Canmore).

Over the years they made their way to Prince George after coming from other places in Canada. Kuklis was a Lower Mainland transplant (with some Victoria and some Wells in there, too). He has been noted as much for acting as for his concerts and songs.

Shea is from Hamilton but his wanderings (Calgary, Canmore, Kathmandu) eventually brought him west.

“We were both approached to play at a concert at the Caledonia Nordic Ski Centre, a show in the clubhouse, which is really great for that, by the way, what a place, and that’s where I met Willie,” said Shea.

“It was a great night, a fun crowd, the setting was crazy cool, everybody was into it, and Joe and I just hit it off,” Kuklis said.

When Kuklis performed a solo gig at Nancy O’s not too long after that, he in vited Shea to come up on stage with him for some guest accompaniment. Again, it worked.

They liked each others’ songs. It was as

simple as that. It helped that both were multi-instrumentalists as well, so neither of them get bogged down in sound ruts. It was a duo in the making.

But there is only so much two performers can do together, especially when both have the gift for hearing music in their heads more holistically than just the instrument in their hands at the time. To help Kuklis and Shea expand their sound they asked Fin Scott-Neff to join in.

Here in Prince George from California, Scott-Neff was busy with his UNBC studies and was happy enough to perform on a part-time basis with a set of university profs on a band they called - for a quintessentially northern B.C. identity - Beetle Kill. He wasn’t keen to lock into an upstart duo that didn’t even have a name, even though they extended the invitation to their Cali-friend.

A long email chain but a short time

later, Kuklis and Shea did have a name for their project: The Ebbs. It took them some hashing and gnashing to get there, but it has a certain flow, doesn’t it?

And as Scott-Neff sat in on their debut interview ahead of their premiere concert coming up on Friday, he didn’t even notice himself start using words like “our” and “we” as the conversation unfolded. By the end of the visit, everyone just nodded and agreed there had just been an ebbspansion of the band.

“This gig is actually the first step in the visa process to obtain my full Canadian citizenship,” Scott-Neff deadpanned.

“People always thought I came here for the school. It was for The Ebbs.”

The songwriting so far is handled by Kuklis and Shea bringing their own tunes to the table and the others adding their layers to it.

“We take on each others’ songs and do our best to not make them worse,” said Shea.

“We take whatever the songwriter brought in and just add in some harmonies and develop some extra instrumentation, and that’s about all,” said Kuklis. Shea said “sometimes it’s symbiotic, sometimes it’s psychotic, but it’s working so far.”

When asked if that meant his solo cupboard was being depleted, Kuklis just shrugged and said “Take ‘em. Take ‘em all. This is ebbsolutely working.”

The duo that is now a trio will perform their maiden voyage on Friday at 8 p.m. at Trench Brewing & Distillery. No cover charge.

Breakfast with Rex Murphy

May 7, 2019 | Prince George, BC | 7:00 AM - 8:45 AM

Join us for an informative discussion with the incomparable, insightful, and hilarious Rex Murphy, a CBC and National Post commentator and stalwart supporter of construction and responsible resource development.

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Civic Centre

808 Canada Games Way

Prince George Tickets

ICBA Members: $50

Non-Members: $75

COUPLE WORKING TOGETHER

TO OVERCOME STROKE’S EFFECTS

Julia (Bussey) Cook worked as the coordinator for the Prince George Stroke Recovery Branch, a part of the not-for profit Stroke Recovery Association of B.C., for 10 years until she had a stroke in 2015.

When she suffered the stroke, she was also involved in a motor vehicle accident. Four years later, she is still slowly recovering from one of the most traumatic events in her life.

Julia explained, “A stroke happens when blood cannot supply oxygen and important nutrients to your brain cells. When brain cells do not get enough oxygen or nutrients, they die. A stroke can happen in two main ways: cholesterol plaque or a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel leaks or breaks. There is also a transient ischemic attack (TIA) which happens when the blood supply to the brain is blocked temporarily.

“A stroke can happen to anyone and the main thing to remember is that the

SENIORS’ SCENE

faster the stroke is treated the better it will be for the patient.

“Fortunately, my previous work with the Stroke Recovery Association has helped me understand my situation. The association provides services and information to anyone whose life has been affected by stroke and offers social, emotional, mental and physical support for stroke survivors, their caregivers and their families. Program activities include exercise sessions, physical games designed to maintain coordination and mental fitness, speech therapies, health and wellness lectures, caregiver support and community reintegration.”

Julia, the eldest of five children, was

born in Moose Jaw, Sask. in 1944. In 1966, she completed her licensed practical nursing degree (LPN) and worked her way across Canada, landing in New Brunswick where she took her civil service exam allowing her to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Her sister had previously moved to Prince George; Julia and her husband Bob Crozier followed in 1974. Bob was a carpenter and easily found work with Erickson Construction upon their arrival in Prince George. Bob passed away in 1984 due to a heart attack.

Julia worked for the Woolco department store for four years. She worked as a care aid and the recreation director at the Simon Fraser Lodge for 26 years. She was laid off in 2004 when the job was changed to contract work. From there, she went to work for the We Care Home Health Services (which later became Northern Home Care) for the next eight years and coordinated blood pressure, flu

and wellness clinics.

Julia met Neal Cook at a dance in 1989. They got married in 1991 and as she said, “The rest is history.”

Neal was born in Vancouver; his parents Edward and Martha Cook moved to Prince George in 1969 where his father worked as a mechanic at Lakeland Mills.

Neal graduated from Duchess Park school and remembers him and his two brothers crossing the railway tracks twice a day on their way to and from school.

After graduation, Neal and a partner formed an auto body business for about six years. He went to work at Prince George Precut, attended CNC and earned his accounting diploma and drove for a towing company. Later, he worked in Quesnel for Frank Thompson Trucking out of Prince George and then he drove for Mel Wiebe hauling freight for the next five years. Neal is now semi-retired, works part-time hauling freight and enjoys working in his woodworking shop and playing bridge.

Over the years, Neal was a volunteer driver for the CNIB curling team and volunteered at the Legion.

Julia was a volunteer at the Hospital Auxiliary for 20 years, the Prince George Council of Seniors for five years and the Festival of Trees for 20 years.

Julia concluded by saying, “My life was so much easier before my stroke. I still have memory deficiencies and I am working toward improvements to my mobility.

“I have recovered enough to currently act as the interim coordinator of our Stroke Recovery Branch. Our program offers social events, exercise, communication, cognitive stimulation and friendship.

“I have chosen to not drive until I am better; with that decision I have to depend on the HandyDART BC Transit system, friends, relatives and my husband Neal for transportation.

“I realize that caring for stroke survivors can cause high levels of emotional, mental, and physical stress for both the stroke survivor and the caregiver. Caregiving is challenging and is often described as the most difficult job you never applied for.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank my doctors and the HandyDART transit system, friends, relatives and my loving husband Neal for all that they do to help me get through this.

“To the general public my hope is for compassion and empathy to all people with disabilities.”

KATHY NADALIN

97/16 photo by Brent Braaten Julia and Neal Cook in their Prince George home.

TRUTH AND LOVE ANTIDOTES TO EXTREMISM

HLESSONS IN LEARNING

GERRY CHIDIAC

umanity is reeling from the deaths of innocent people all over the world in houses of worship. Members of no religion seem to be immune from violence, nor can any major religion claim to be free of extremists who perpetrate hate crimes.

Many will ask what the world is coming to. In actual fact, these horrendous crimes against humanity are nothing new. Need we be reminded of pogroms, cross burnings and countless other attacks on innocent people which were racially and religiously motivated? To begin to understand what to do today, we need to ask how we responded in the past, and what responses were most effective.

In a recent interview, former Ontario Premier Bob Rae pointed out that the extremists who organized and carried out the recent attacks in Sri Lanka are no more representative of the Muslim religion than the Ku Klux Klan are representative of Christianity. The same can be said of anyone who commits hate crimes. They have nothing to do

with religion and everything to do with human beings struggling with internal brokenness.

How then do we respond? In the past, the government of the United States took strong action against the Ku Klux Klan in order to protect the rights of African Americans and other minorities. They made their organization illegal and strictly enforced these laws. Though the organization did resurface several times, these actions were and continue to be largely effective.

The media was also influential in diminishing the influence of the

One of Prince George’s most acclaimed writers of local history is now one of B.C.’s most acclaimed for 2019. When the Historical Federation

Crimes against humanity are in essence borne out of the horrendous lie that we need to fear those who are different. When we examine this fear more deeply, we see the preposterousness of it.   9:00 am -

Immaculee Ilibagiza illustrates this point in her book about the Rwandan Genocide, Left to Tell. She discusses how the accusations regarding Tutsis made on the Hutu Power radio broadcasts would have been comical, had people not taken them seriously.

Discriminatory comments rarely have anything to do with truth. I recall listening to a person’s rant regarding immigrants. He said, “They expect us to take them in. If we went to their countries, would they welcome us?”

Klan. In the 1940s, several episodes of the popular series Superman were dedicated to demonizing an organization which had much in common with the KKK. Recent films like the award-winning BlackkKlansman continue to discredit this organization in the public eye.

The most profound response, however, comes from people who choose not to react with hatred and vengeance. In response to the horrific attacks at mosques in his country, Iman Gamal Fouda stated, “This terrorist sought to tear our nation apart with an evil ideology that has torn the world apart. But instead we have shown that New Zealand is unbreakable, and that the world can see in us an example of love and unity. We are broken hearted but we are not broken. We are alive. We are together. We are determined to not let anyone divide us.”

Crimes against humanity are in essence borne out of the horrendous lie that we need to fear those who are different. When we examine this fear more deeply, we see the preposterousness of it.

To this I replied, “Yes. That has always been my experience. I’ve lived in several countries and on four continents. I’ve always found people very kind and welcoming, even if I struggled to express myself in their language.”

I’d be hard pressed to think of any Canadian who did not have a similar experience.

The threat of racially, ethnically and religiously motivated terrorism will not soon disappear. We can be grateful for international law enforcement experts who work very hard to keep us safe. At the same time, we each have our role to play in making the world more peaceful by being more peaceful ourselves. Truth is powerful in helping us to find peace, and the truth is that goodness exists in every group and in every person. Truth also points to the most powerful force in the world. When we choose to respond with love, we can never be broken.

Gerry Chidiac is a champion for social enlightenment, inspiring others to find their greatness in making the world a better place. For more of his writings, go to www.gerrychidiac.com

HISTORIAN UP FOR B.C. AWARD

Historical Writing Competition announced its shortlist this week, Lily Chow was one of the nominees.

“The award celebrates books that make significant contributions to the historical literature of British Columbia,” said Maurice Guibord, Chair of Historical Writing for the British Columbia Historical Federation. “Congratulations to all the finalists.”

The nominees are:

- Lily Chow for Blossoms In the Gold Mountains: Chinese Settlements in the Fraser Canyon and the Okanagan, Caitlin Press (Prince George)

- Cathy Converse for Against the Current: The Remarkable Life of Agnes Deans Cameron, Touchwood Editions (Victoria)

- Ken Mather for Trail North: The Okanagan Trail of 1858-68 and its Origins in British Columbia and Washington, Heritage House Publishing (Vernon)

- Tyler McCreary for Shared Histories: Witsuwit’en-Settler Relations in Smithers, British Columbia, 1913–1973, Creekstone Press (From Smithers, now

lives in Florida)

- Chad Reimer for Before We Lost the Lake: A Natural and Human History of Sumas Valley, Caitlin Press (Chilliwack)

- Bruce Rohn for S.S. Minto: The Arrow Lakes Longest Serving Sternwheeler, Arrow Lakes Historical Society (Nakusp)

- Veronica Strong-Boag for The Last Suffragist: Standing The Life and Times of Laura Marshall Jamieson, UBC Press (Victoria)

The BC Lieutenant-Governor’s Medal for Historical Writing will be awarded together with $2,500 to this year’s author whose book makes the most significant contribution to the historical literature of British Columbia. The second place winner will receive $1,500, and third place gets $500. A book will also be awarded the Community History Award and $500. The winners will be announced at the British Columbia Historical Federation Conference Book Awards Gala on June 8 at the Native Sons Hall in Courtenay.

Ilibagiza

ATHLETE NUTRITION STILL EVOLVING

On April 17, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which is the international governing body for the sport of athletics, released a consensus statement on nutrition for athletics.

A team of 50, including the Head of Sports Nutrition at the Australian Institute of Sport and representatives from Athletics Canada and the Canadian Sport Institute, looked at new developments in sports nutrition to see how they apply to the five core areas of athletics: sprints, jumps/throws/combined events, middle distance, long distance and ultra distance/mountain running.

The consensus statement recognized the fact that sports nutrition is a constantly evolving science and so these summaries are needed to pull recent evidence together and translate it into practice. Similar studies were conducted in 1995 and 2007.

Reading through the statement, I noticed several findings that are either not wellknown or were stating the opposite to commonly held sports nutrition myths.

One seemingly lesser known issue, even in elite athletics, is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), formerly known as Female Athlete Triad syndrome, which can occur when an athlete consumes less calories than they’re expending. The triad referred to the combination of disordered eating, loss of menstruation and osteoporosis, but can also contribute to reduced testosterone levels in

97/16 file photo

Prince George Spruce Kings forward Patrick Cozzi tries to get a shot off against Vernon Vipers defender Trey Taylor. Nutrition for elite athletes depends on the demands of the sport and is constantly evolving as more research is done.

men, increased risk of illness and injury, cardiovascular disease, and impaired training capacity and performance in athletes who are experiencing an ongoing calorie deficit.

New findings outlined in the statement highlighted these additional risks. The importance of an athlete consuming enough calories for their training load is emphasized for athletes across all areas of athletics. Since an ongoing calorie deficit is now considered to be a major risk factor in the development

of bone stress fractures, it should be addressed in both prevention and treatment.

A couple myths that were addressed in the consensus statement centered around the inclusion of supplements and the avoidance of gluten. Athletes should take a “food first” approach to their diet and supplements should only be used to address nutrient deficiencies or to help the athlete meet nutritional goals when it may not be practical to eat food, such as taking an energy gel in the middle of a marathon. As well, contrary to the belief of many, there have been no direct benefits associated with the avoidance of gluten by clinically healthy athletes.

Other findings:

• Only five supplements have a base of evidence to support claims that they contribute to athletic performance, and not all are appropriate for all disciplines.

• Nutrition can aid in the rehabilitation of muscle injuries. Goals around recovery should include adjustments to energy (calorie) requirements and distribution of protein intake to minimize the loss of lean muscle mass and increase muscle repair.

brain and nervous system. Carbohydrates can stimulate areas of the brain that control pacing and reward systems via communication with receptors in the mouth and gut. This evidence provides another reason for the intake of carbohydrates during distance events.

The consensus statement from the IAAF serves as a good round-up of current, reliable evidence and how it relates to athletes in specific disciplines. One particularly useful section of the statement includes a table with the common characteristics of different events and the key nutritional strategies to be considered for athletes who train for, and compete in those events.

One very important point to keep in mind is that these findings/recommendations are applicable to athletes involved in the field of athletics who are training on a consistent basis and whose physical demands of their sport require specific dietary considerations. These recommendations are not meant for the recreational participant.

• Vegetarian diets can support athletic demands but special attention and planning are required to ensure adequate calorie and nutrient intake since specific nutrients are less abundant and/or less well-absorbed (e.g. iron) when coming from plant sources.

• Consuming carbohydrates during exercise can provide additional benefits via the

The IAAF’s consensus statement was published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism but can be accessed for free at journals.humankinetics.com by searching “International Association of Athletics Federations Consensus Statement 2019: Nutrition for Athletics.”

Kelsey Leckovic is a registered dietitian with Northern Health working in chronic disease management.

AROUND TOWN

Sewing classes

Registration is now open for Sewing For Young Children and for Sewing Camps-Beginners, a pair of fibre art summer programs for youngsters being offered by the costume department at Theatre NorthWest. The Sewing For Young Children classes run July 2-5 with options for morning (9 a.m. start) or afternoon (1:30 p.m. start). This class is designed for young children with an interest in learning to sew, ideal ages 8-10 years old. The class consists of 3 hours per day for 4 days.

The Sewing Camps-Beginners program runs July 22-26 afternoons only starting each day at 1:30. The ideal ages are 1015 years (as young as 8 for experienced kids) with no experience necessary. It runs three hours per day, producing a project each day.

Sign up at the Theatre NorthWest website.

2880 show

Painter Darin Corbiere is the artist in the spotlight with his new exhibition at the Studio 2880 Feature Gallery. Entitled Seeing Things In A Different Light: Changing Perspectives, this special presentation of the Community Arts Council will run until May 9.

Art exhibit

The Federation of Canadian Artists has a members’ show on display now at the Bob Harkins branch of the PG Public Library. This group exhibition by the Central Interior Chapter runs through the month of May.

Northern FanCon

Northern FanCon is on. The city’s definitive pop-culture event takes over the CN Centre complex from May 3-5 with superstar guest Edward James Olmos, sci-fi star Amy Acker, original Hulk actor and strongman Lou Ferrigno, Hollywood favourite Alan Tudyk, and so many more from the world of acting, cosplay, film production, art, writing, and more. Tickets are on sale now at the Tickets North website or at the door.

Ebbs concert

The Ebbs perform their debut concert at Trench Brewing on May 3. This Prince George duo is comprised of two well established muscians, William Kuklis and Joe Shae. This is their first public appearance working as a band. They will show their skills on a number of instruments, as well as vocals. Special guest act Finn Scott-Neff joins them for this event. The music starts at 8 p.m. No cover charge.

6x6 art

The Best Damn Little Art Show Ever is coming up May 3 from 7-9 p.m. at Groop Gallery downtown (1127 3rd Ave.). This is the annual 6x6 art show and auction, where the artists are a mix of brand new and well established and all creations limited to six inches in any direction. It is a fundraiser and a great way to showcase the local arts scene.

Tickets are $10 to attend, and participants are encouraged to bid, bid, bid. Adcance tickets can be purchased at Studio 2880.

PGSO

The PGSO presents Spring Breezes, a “date night” symphony show at the Ramada Hotel ballroom at 7:30 p.m. on May 3 featuring the orchestra’s professional core as they play selections of jazz, classical and pop all while enjoying snacks and beverages. Tickets available via the Central Interior Tickets website.

Clean up for kids

The Variety Children’s Charity Community Clean Up for Kids goes Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the gravel portion of the CN Centre parking lot. Bring in any scrap metal items & refundable bottles in support of Variety, the children’s charity. $5 lunch special available throughout the day. ABC Recycling together with our partners will donate all proceeds collected from the $5 lunch, your scrap metal and refundable bottles to Variety Children’s Charity.

Piano recital

The Prince George Conservatory of Music hosts the Terry Yeh Piano Recital on May 4 at 7 p.m. (location: 3555 5th Ave and Union Street). Yeh will perform solo works by Chopin, Bartok, Debussy, Beethoven, Khachaturian and more. Admission is by donation, all proceeds donated by Yeh to the Conservatory.

Nove Voce

Award-winning local vocal ensemble Nove Voce is hosting a night of geeking out with song. The choir will perform May 4 (yes, as in, May The Fourth Be With You) as a complementary show to Northern FanCon happening the same weekend. The choir will be at the Prince George Playhouse at 8 p.m. to sing selections from video games, and sci-fi franchises, “all your favourites including Star Trek, World of Warcraft, Harry Potter and so much more,” said director Robin Norman. Tickets are $20 at Books & Company or the door.

Mayor’s ball

The Mayor’s Black & White Ball For The Arts happens May 4 at the Prince George Civic Centre, with cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7. Attire is formal with a black and white colour theme. Purchase your tickets at the Theatre NorthWest website. All money raised is shared between Theatre NorthWest, the Prince George Symphony Orchestra and the Community Arts Council.

African dinner

The 10th Annual African Dinner happens May 4 at the Columbus Community Centre to raise funds for the Northern Uganda Development Foundation. Tickets to attend the dinner are available at Books & Company, at the UNBC Bookstore. Seats can also be purchased, or any form of support arranged by contacting Opio (250-961-9221 or chris@ nudf.org) or fellow foundation member Andrea Byrne (andrea.nudf@gmail.com or 778-689-2160).

New Moon

Kirtan Fusion with Danielea Castell is a New Moon Ceremony involving chant, singing, dance, and sound weaving on May 5 at 2 p.m. at the Zandra Ross Lifestyle Studio (575 Brunswick Street).

Open studio

May 5 is the next Sunday Open Studio at Two Rivers Gallery. Drop in from 1-4 p.m. to make art from the provided general materials. It’s free for gallery members or $7.50 adults, $3 children, or $15 for families.

Children’s play

Theatre NorthWest hosts the children’s play Jack & The Magic Bean on May 9 and 10. Written by Linda Carson, directed by Kim Selody (both former PG theatre professionals), this is an enthralling new spin on the old story of Jack & The Beanstalk. Showtime is 6 p.m. both nights (get tickets online at the TNW website). Perfect for ages 3-9, fun for any age.

Rock of Ages

Rock Of Ages pumps out the hard rock tunes of the ‘80s in a musical theatre event coming to CN Centre for one night only. A small-town girl arrives on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood and falls head over heals into the L.A. lifestyle when she meets a big-city rocker. Rock Of Ages has delighted international audiences for the past 10 years. This is the P.G. debut. Tickets available now at the CN Centre box office or online at the TicketsNorth website. Start believin’ and don’t stop.

Quilt show

May 10 and 11 come see the biggest collection of quilts and quilt art of the year, presented by the Prince George Quilters’ Guild at their Fly Into Spring show and sale (this year the quilters will be demonstrating a kite theme). Tickets are $5. It includes vendors with quilting supplies, door prizes, raffles and more all at the Prince George Golf & Curling Club. Times are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Maker lab

Two Rivers Gallery hosts a May 11 special event called Science OdyssyEnhanced MakerLab from 1-4 p.m. Try 3D doodling, use the laser cutter, try out cyanotypes, see demos and try your hand at the build-it station and more. It’s a free drop-in event for all ages. Call 250-6147800 for more information.

Symphony

Art Of The Dance is the final mainstage show of the season for the Prince George Symphony Orchestra, with a very special guest performer.

Enjoy Lehar’s Merry Widow Waltz, Brahm’s Hungarian Dances, Marquez’ Danzon No. 2, Smetana’s Three Dance Episodes from Bartered Bride, and Strauss’s On the Beautiful Blue Danube. Also joining us for this evening will be the winner of the 2018-2019 Integris Youth Concerto Competition. The show is May 11 at the Prince George Playhouse at 7:30 p.m. Get tickets via the Central Interior Tickets website.

Rap & Rhymes

Omineca Arts Centre is the stage for A Night Of Rap & Rhymes on May 11 at 8 p.m. All welcome, tickets are sliding scale from $10-$20 at the door. Kids are welcome (licensed event). Bring your own poetry for the open mic component. Featured performers are telephone switches, The Brain Porter, theWETuntreatedCEDARshingle and GRIM.

Lake fundraiser

May 11 is the Save The Lake fundraiser at the Westwood Pub, all money raised goes to purchase a weed harvester for Tabor Lake. Burgers and auction. If you have a business and can donate or help please call David Mothus at 250-961-7664.

Let us know about your coming events by emailing us at events@pgcitizen.ca

As an informal part two of my campaign to bring back fluoride into our water supply like a normal, well-educated community, I wanted to spend a little bit of column inches to go over my own personal experience of what it is like when a community removes fluoride from the water and the consequences thereafter.

Before I begin, in my last column, I declared that I believe in science. A friend has reminded me that science is science regardless of whether or not I, or you, believe in it. You can have your own opinion. You cannot have your own facts. Facts are facts and science is science and the science stands with fluoridation and removing it from our public water supply is a bad idea. Also, it has been exceptionally inconvenient for me personally and traumatic for my son.

Last year, my son had a dentist appointment. We have been blessed with good health care coverage and have been able to go for cleanings and check-ups every four months. At this appointment, he got a full x-ray exam, which revealed four cavities.

From zero to four in six months.

For context, our daughter is a candy fiend and loves all sweets and chocolate. Left to her own devices, she would subsist on corn syrup and soda pop and jitter her way through life.

Our son, on the contrary, chooses water to drink and fruit is his poison. Forty per cent of our grocery bill is bananas, oranges and apples. He can have treats but he would rather an apple

over a cookie.

I would have guessed that my daughter would have been the kid with bad teeth but here we were. It was recommended that he be sedated in order to take care of the cavities all at once and it was expensive but we did it in order to not have him overly traumatized at the dentist. He was put asleep, they fixed up the cavities and we carried him home – a leggy, six-year-old with a fresh root canal and a crown on a tooth that will eventually fall out. My husband and I both had to take the day off work because you need two adults to drive home because the kids are out of it and super floppy.

Fast forward to a month ago and his crown has fallen out, he’s developed an abscess and he’s in a lot of pain. He’s in so much pain that he’s not eating much, which breaks my heart because he loves to eat. We brought him back to the regular dentist after spending the evening with hipsters in the walk-in medical clinic to get antibiotics. The tooth had to be pulled and a spacer put in to hold the space for the adult molar.

Two needles later, my son is convinced that everything will hurt and he screamed every time the dentist came near him. Back to the other dentist we go so he can be sedated to pull the tooth.

This time however, he’s older, heavier and harder to manage.

Unlike the first sedation where he just slept for fourteen hours straight and woke up ready to party at 3 a.m., this time he was convinced that he need to be somewhere. He is a limby, almost eight-year-old, who weighs 70 pounds. A stringy boy is hard to hold down when he is hallucinating, convinced he’s got to be somewhere and bleeding profusely from his swollen mouth on my sofa pillows. He was scared, frustrated and upset. He couldn’t talk (which is a major hobby of his) and he so desperately wanted to feel better.

Our dentist has told us that without fluoride in the water, there is no time to “keep a watch” on kid’s teeth in between appointments. The cavities will start and get worse in between appointments and our kids teeth hurt.

Cavities and fillings and needles for children have increased exponentially since fluoride has been removed from our water. Is this the type of thing that our community wants to be known for? There is no legitimate reason to remove fluoride. There is nothing that says that we can’t have it back.

By discussing my family’s experience with childhood dentistry and relating it to fluoride, there will be a number of personal attacks made towards me and my parenting. People will say that I am a terrible mother and we have terrible hygiene and that is why my son has cavities. People will say exceptionally awful things about me personally. It is com-

ments like these that make it difficult for regular people to stand up and fight for the things that are scientifically-proven and factual from any qualitative measure. Activism is for the strong-willed and passionate people who can withstand public vitriol, hate and slander. I am not an activist. Most of the time, I like to stay at home and read on the couch. I write a family-based column that is focused on the community that we live in and what it is like to live here. It is hard to put yourself in the public eye knowing that the internet trolls will come and visit and the people who agree with you will do so quietly and without fervour because that is what is encouraged in our society.

If you are one of the quiet majority, I am calling on you to take a very small step forward towards the greater good of our community. Contact a member of city council – the contact information for all of the councillors is conveniently located on the City of Prince George website. Ask your representative about what they believe and whether they stand with science and fact, not hysterical untruths. Ask them to stand up for us and for the health of the community at large. It is not just about me and my family, it is about yours, and your neighbours, and for the families that cannot afford to take their kids to the dentist because they do not have extended health care. This community fought to keep the dental hygienist program in our community; let’s fight to bring back fluoride too.

DISCONNECTION FOCUS OF EXHIBIT

If we are lost, sang Blue Rodeo, then we are lost together.

Society has tools now that allow for millions of people to be in unprecedented touch with each other, but those same tools also build figurative walls or incent us to stay within our actual ones. This junction in time is the basis for (Dis)Connected, the latest exhibition to open at Two Rivers Gallery.

“At the beginning of the 21st century, communication and other technologies ensure that we are more connected to each other than at any other time in human history,” said gallery curator George Harris. “Yet, many have argued, we are paradoxically more disconnected from our shared humanity than ever before. This condition is the focus of artists whose work is collected here offering insights from a number of different perspectives.”

The show is a group exhibition, with artwork created by combinations of solo and duo artists. The creator roster includes Jeroen Witvliet, Shawna Dempsey & Lorri Millan, Brendan Lee Satish Tang & Diyan Achjadi, and the team of Mathieu Doyon & Simon Rivest who usually work as a team. Doyon-Rivest is a well-known name(s) in the Quebec arts scene.

“It’s our first show west of Toronto,” said Rivest. A mutual friend of Harris’s acted as intermediary to connect the duo with Two Rivers Gallery.

“It is open art, as much as possibleopen for people’s interpretations and imaginations,” Doyon said. Rivet added, “to set the table for people’s discussions. We want people to think about the computer, the smart phone, the social media without actually using those things in the art.”

The public in Quebec City already got a close look at one of their showpieces on that theme. It is a film on a television screen of what looks to be a drive-in theatre showing a movie, but coloured lights flash inside all the assembled cars parked in their rows, and the eye soon detects that no one is in any of the cars. The automobiles themselves are reacting emotionally to the scenes on the screen.

“The drive-in is kind of an archetype of the American dream,” said Rivest. “You are sitting in your car beside other people in their cars, all reacting to one source of input but disconnected and physically separated from each other. It is very analogous of what is happening right now with our screens held in our hands. We are connected by these devices like never before in human history, but we are alone with them, distracted from each other by them.”

In Quebec City, the viewers got to walk among the actual cars in their actual makeshift drive-in. In Prince George, the viewers are seeing this installation art play out on yet another screen.

In another segment of Two Rivers Gallery, the duo has another piece that was

so new that Doyon and Rivest were still constructing it on the spot the day the show opened. It is a box into which viewers put their head to see a TV screen at the far end. The screen shows a sequence of film clips and mirrors surround the box’s interior to give the effect of infinite images – images of the screens and images of you as you enter their world.

“This whole piece is the first time we’re showing it,” said Doyon. “We had the video made but we didn’t know what we were going to do with it, the thought wasn’t formed until we came here. This is the first time ourselves that we get to see it.”

The pair has other pieces of art in this exhibition as well, and each of them is a silent discussion of how modern technology has taken steps forward from past technologies in a progression of disconnection. This is all the more underscored by the two artists working together on installations that now stand alone to entertain and inform.

“Because we are two, the bright side of working together is we can work out ideas and question those ideas before it gets to the point of being in a gallery,” said Rivest.

It’s a helpful irony, in the case of this particular show, where the entire two-gallery showspace is devoted to the concept of a society at odds with human interaction. It is a rare occasion that both of the gallery’s primary display rooms are used for one combined exhibition.

Presented by: YMCA Healthy Kids Day M ay 5 • 11:00am-3:00pm

“Dealing with diverse concerns during fraught times, these artists examine various points of disconnection within their photographs, paintings, video and installation-based work,” said Harris, describing the exhibition as a whole. “Doing so they embody the human impulse to connect with others and remind us of what it is to be human at a time when it seems too easily forgotten.”

Harris brought in Rivest and Doyon who are a career duo, but he also created a connection for some of this show. He explained that “normally independent artists Diyan Achjadi and Brendan Lee Satish Tang have collaborated to produce Residue: Tracing the Lore, a series of photographs that explore the transmission of traditions through generations and the enduring legacies that remain with us.”

Another pair working together, Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan, were pulled by Harris right out of cyberspace into the tactile world. Their piece Consideration Liberation Army was, said Harris, “originally a web-based project but reprised here as an installation, calls for thoughtful acts and respectful deeds where civility is often lacking.”

The final participant is someone with a dual background. Born in the Netherlands and now living in Canada, Jeroen Witvliet’s work in this exhibition speaks, said Harris, of “connections to place, the self and others as a way of investigating different forms of belonging.”

The show is on at Two Rivers until July 7.

FRANK PEEBLES 97/16 staff

97/16 photo by Brent Braaten

Artists Mathieu Doyon and Simon Rivest look over one of their interactive pieces on display at Two Rivers Gallery.

WHO ARE YOU REALLY ANGRY AT

WHEN YOU RAGE AGAINST ADDICTS?

Iam angry about all the hurt, the pain and denial out there. Addiction strikes about one in 10, so the next time you are in a classroom, a meeting, workplace or bus, take a gander around and estimate how many might be secretly addicted or impaired near you. Then consider their impact on others, how widespread their disease is and how far it reaches beyond only you.

Mothers, fathers, children, nephews, cousins, employers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, foster parents, government (in terms of costs), doctors, nurses, lawyers, coworkers, police, ambulance attendants, funeral directors, morticians, journalists, reporters, employees and friends – even strangers hit by drunk drivers and onlookers are all impacted by this deadly disease.

We live in such utter denial about its harmful reach – people who vape, smoke, gamble, overeat, undereat, drink, drug, have excessive sex, watch too much porn, masturbate too much, overspend, hoard, continually seek love, play endless video games, are addicted to anger or rage, take steroids, overwork, overexercise, compulsively wash – each of these people impact us all.

I become curious about those who previously raged on Facebook then suddenly stopped. I fear you have retreated or worse, are living in denial about the impact of all this. You stopped commenting – perhaps thinking your silence

ASK AN ADDICT

conveys you are OK – while I am thinking your anger does not.

I am not here to incite rage but rather to help. When people refuse to comment and remain in their pain (by simmering in silence), then this is what worries me most as you truly are hurt. The disease of addiction loves to silence all those around – it loves to go underground, into the dark, this is where addiction flourishes most.

People rage against the alcoholic/addict and say we must stop; they point their finger at us while three fingers point right back at them. Dr. Phil says it best – “there’s something about that person that I don’t like about me.”

I isolate because people reflect me back to me. I can’t be me because of people like you, who unconsciously rage against people like me. Pain begets more pain and increases mine – and when in my pain, I reach for more wine (whine/anger/drugs).

Life is too deadly to be taken seriously all of the time.

People wonder why it is so hard for addicts to seek help. All I can say is look

“there’s something about that person that I don’t like about me.”

in the mirror to see why that might be. I see me wherever I go; I isolate at times because it is hard to see me, reflected in you.

You are unconsciously hurt and refuse to admit this; you have denial, just like within us.

You are not like the addict you might unconsciously scream; unfortunately, your unacknowledged pain/anger comes out sideways when dealing with us. You rage online, you rage against addicts like me who do exactly the same thing when we rage against you. You, like the addict, blame us for your pain. You, like the addict, refuse to seek help.

I am grateful to have a program to lean on, a higher power which guides me each day. I am not religious, but spiritual in nature. It bears repeating that addicts are frustrated mystics who constantly seek greater purpose in life. When we discover alcohol or drugs we think: “Finally the answer, the hole in my soul is filled from these drugs!”

We mistakenly believe we have found our answer, the meaning in life through intoxicated states, so when the drugs turn we grow frustrated and rage. Twelve step programs bring us a life lasting peace – they provide us purpose and meaning in life. We no longer suffer.

Ironically, it’s no longer yet always, all about me (and you, if you have the courage to step up beside us).

– Questions for Ann? Send your submissions (anonymously, if you choose) to columns@pgcitizen.ca and we’ll pass them along.

COUNTRY STAR RETURNS THIS FALL

97/16 STAFF

One northern B.C.’s biggest names in music is coming for a Prince George concert appearance, with two other shows in the nearby area.

Country star Aaron Pritchett is riding tall on the strength of new hit single Better When I Do. The tune hit No. 1 earlier this month, and that was preceded by the hot chart hits Worth A Shot and When a Momma’s Boy Meets a Daddy’s Girl just before it.

The radio rotation is a comfortable place for Pritchett after a string of hits over the years including favourites like Hold My Beer, Dirt Road in ‘Em, Let’s Get Rowdy, Hell Bent For Buffalo, How Do I Get There, his version of The Band’s classic song The Weight, and many others.

He has been nominated for 58 major music industry awards in Canada (including three Junos), winning 30 of them.

He has called the Lower Mainland home for his adult life, but he spent many childhood years growing up in Kitimat. In more recent years he’s settled (as much as a touring troubadour can settle) on Gabriola Island which is exactly where Prince George’s country music legend Gary Fjellgaard pitched his permanent tent, and where Fort Fraser’s Heidi Burtenshaw of local band Sound Of The North recently moved.

Pritchett has already done one round of Canada on his Out On The Town tour, and now he is circling in for some shows

in this region. Joining him will be hot new talents Kira Isabella and David James as supporting acts. Both are buzz-names on the Canadian country scene these days, out earning their road miles with Pritchett showing them the way. They will perform at Heartbreakers on Oct. 5, then off to the Roundhouse Theatre in McBride for Oct. 6 and the Valemount Community Theatre on Oct. 7.

CP file photo

Be careful about judging addicts too harshly. Dr. Phil says it best –

97/16 file photo Aaron Pritchett returns to Prince George for a show in October.

INTERSTELLAR JAYS LANDING AT LEGION

The birdwatchers haven’t reported any sightings, but music fans are hearing the songs of Interstellar Jays all over the Cariboo.

The sound of the Interstellar Jay is a little bit ska, a little bit old tyme, a little bit klezmir, and completely infectious. There was just a sold-out infestation at The Occidental in Quesnel, and the twitter of their tunes will touch down at the Sunset Theatre in Wells on May 17 then The Legion in Prince George on May 18.

The Interstellar Jays flock includes Sean Scallion on drums, Joel Stern on bass, Leila Sumi on fiddle with her husband Birch Kuch on piano, Rhodes, and clarinet. They have just released a 14-song album entitled Musasabi Madness that Kuch described as “55 minutes of groove-driven good times.”

Kuch said the band was gifted with a couple of months in an empty house in the Cottonwood community on the Barkerville highway, while the owner was away for a long period. It allowed the band members, who live in various locations around the area, to have a recording studio set up to their precise wishes. The drum kits was set up in a bedroom with favour-

able acoustics, the bass amp in the basement, the piano on the main floor, and so on.

“We had 300 feet of headphone cables, I think,” he laughed. Then they took all the tracks to Kuch’s and Sumi’s house to set the levels, back-

A SNEAKER THAT FIXES ITSELF?

Picture this: You’re playing soccer with friends. As you kick the ball, you realize the bottom of your foot feels cold and wet. You turn your sneaker up to look at the sole. A big crack is letting water from puddles seep right through it. When you get home, you throw your ruined sneakers in the trash.

Now imagine another scenario. You don’t throw the sneakers away. Instead, you push the two sides of the cracked sole together so they’re touching. You leave the sneaker in a warm spot. A few hours later, the crack has fused itself back together.

Thanks to Qiming Wang, a self-healing sneaker sole could soon become reality. He’s a professor at the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering. In February, he, three of his students and a professor from the University of Connecticut announced that they had invented 3-D-printable rubber that could fix itself.

“It can heal just like a wound to your muscle, returning to its original structure,” Wang says. The material could be used to 3-D-print not only sneaker soles, but also toys, bike tires, even satellites. The material is a kind of rubber made

woods Cariboo style.

“We did it all ourselves: mixed and mastered at our house on solar panel power. We live close to Bowron Lake, off-grid. It didn’t take much power, really, and it was a pleasure to work on. It’s way more satisfying

of silicone. When it’s exposed to heat, it causes a chemical reaction that bonds its atoms back together. The higher the heat, the quicker this happens. Wang says healing can happen at room temperature, too – it just takes more time.

To 3-D-print a self-healing object, the first step is to make a model of it in the computer. The model is virtually “sliced” into 100 smaller images. This first image is projected onto a thin layer of the rubber, which starts out as a liquid. The rubber takes on the shape of the image, and the light from the projection turns it from liquid to solid. The next image is projected on another layer of liquid rubber on top of the first one. The final, complete shape is built up layer by layer like this.

Many different companies “want future technology like this,” Wang says. His research was funded partly by the United States Air Force. It is hoping to make “3-D-printed airplane wings that can selfheal after impact with a bullet or a bird,” he says; 3-D printing makes this kind of manufacturing quick and inexpensive.

After Wang’s team published its research, it was contacted by footwear companies that want to use their material to make shoes. First, though, Wang

when you do it yourself. And months later, we’re still really happy with it. I still consider it good driving music when you have that hour on the road.”

According to the band, when asked to self-describe their sound, Interstellar Jays “em-

brace instrumental music by exploring all that a melody and a rhythm have to offer. Original arrangements of obscure and familiar old tunes mix with traditional gems to fill a large and growing repertoire of music for any occasion.”

They call Quesnel their hometown “because that’s where we all buy our groceries” even though none of them live inside the city boundaries.

They’ve appeared on a Prince George stage a couple of times in the past, doing mini-sets for the Coldsnap Music Festival two previous years. When they come to P.G. this time, it will be the first time they’ve been able to play a full set.

Watch for them at a number of the region’s music festivals this summer as well. Their summer schedule includes the Valemount Craft Beer Experience, Performances In The Park at Williams Lake, the Midsummer Festival in Smithers, Arts On The Fly in Horsefly, the Bella Coola Music Festival, the Robson Valley Music Festival at Dunster, and ArtsWells in Wells.

For their show at the Sunset Theatre, Quesnel band No Big D will be opening while the group My Band will be the opening act in Prince George.

Handout photo

The Insterstellar Jays are set to play a show at The Legion in Prince George on May 18.

Michael Lovett, a worker who was hurt during a workplace accident in his youth, speaks at the annual Day of Mourning ceremony on Sunday afternoon at the Worker’s Memorial.

Randy Lewis, a customer security representative with Shred-it, is handed a stack of files and documents to be shredded at the Crimestoppers Shred-it event on Saturday morning at the CN Centre parking lot.

The Prince George Canata Singers perform Song For The Mira on Sunday evening at the Prince George Playhouse during the Curve of Gold show celebrating their 50th anniversary.

and Judy

show off the garbage they picked up on Foothills Boulevard near the landfill on Sunday morning during the annual Citywide Spring Clean-up.

Peter Griffiths, left,

Clarke

Amy Blanding performs at Hubspace on Saturday night as part of Good Egg Records Spring Fling.

Raquel Pokiak focuses on the details at Pine Centre Mall on Saturday morning while competing in the Northern FanCon art duel.

PHOTO: JOAN MARCUS.

Raiden Lainchbury form Lake City Secondary School flies through the air while competing in the Boys 14-15 triple jump on Saturday afternoon at Masich Place Stadium during the Prince George Track and Field Club’s Sub Zero Meet. Lainchbury won the event with a distance of 9.79 metres.

Team Myatovic forward Seth Habsburg drives to the net past a Team Leslie defender on Sunday morning at Rolling MIx Concrete Arena during the North Central & North West Bantam Zone Camp. Team Myatovic won the game 4-1.

Two participants pose for a photo on the Cutbanks on Saturday afternoon during the 2019 Climb for Cancer fundraiser. Almost 500 people took part, raising $60,000, a record amount.

Kaelin Govender glides through the water on Sunday morning at the Prince George Aquatic Centre while competing in a 50m backstorke heat of the Prince George Barracuda’s Dental Moose Meet.

History of Ping-Pong

In the 1800s in England, the winter weather made it hard to play sports like tennis outside. People invented an indoor game for wintertime fun. The game was such a hit, that soon people were playing it year-round.

What is Ping-Pong?

Ping-Pong is a tennis game played on a table with a small ball and small paddles. Use the code to find out another name for this game.

The official rules of Ping-Pong state that the ball shall be: spherical, with a diameter of 1.6 inches (40 mm) and weigh 0.1 ounces (2.7 grams) and be made of celluloid or similar plastic material.

Which of these items weigh about the same as a Ping-Pong ball?

Ping-Pong paddles come in an endless assortment of colors and patterns. Look carefully at the Ping-Pong paddles below. All of them, except one, have an exact duplicate. Can you circle the unique paddle?

The First Ping-Pong Balls

The first Ping-Pong balls were made of different materials. Sometimes they were made of rubber, string and even old champagne corks. In 1901, the Englishman called James Gibb discovered that balls made of celluloid worked better. Today, most balls are made of a plastic that is very much like celluloid.

Amazing Ping-Pong Records & Firsts

Do the math under each of these statements to see if they are true or false. If the answer is an even number, that statement is true. Odd numbers are false.

The first world championship table tennis games were held in London in 1926.

Why is it called Ping-Pong?

In 1988, table tennis was first played in the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

The official record for the fastest Ping-Pong ball hit is 72.08 miles per hour (116 kph), set by Lukasz Budner in Poland in 2016.

15 + 9 = 18 + 4 = 23 + 5 = 25 + 7 =

The World Record for the longest Ping-Pong rally is 8 hours, 40 minutes and 5 seconds set in 2014 in London.

Ping-Pong is an onomatopoeia, or a word that sounds like the sound it describes. Ping and pong are the sounds the ball makes when it is hit by a paddle and bounces on the table.

Remember how to spell onomatopoeia by finding each of the letters in the word in the newspaper. Cut out the letters and glue them below to spell onomatopoeia

Won the Ping-Pong Games?

In Ping-Pong, the first player to reach 11 points wins that game as long as they are two points ahead of the opponent when they get 11 points. If not, the game keeps going until a player has 11 points or more and is ahead by two points. Circle the scores that are winning scores in Ping-Pong.

Look through the newspaper for examples of words that are an onomatopoeia.

Find the words in the puzzle. How many of them can you find on this page?

Imagine you are a professional athlete. Write a paragraph about a career highlight moment.

© 2019 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 35, No. 21

SELF-HEALING SNEAKER

A model of a self-healing sneaker, which could fuse itself together if it were torn.

Continued from page 13 and his team have to try to make it in different levels of hardness. They also need to figure out how to make wounds such as punctures, which have ragged edges that don’t touch on all sides, recover their original shape so that healing can happen.

Wang thinks it will take two or three

years for their material to show up in shoes we buy in stores.

One exciting thing about self-healing materials is the amount of waste they could eliminate – especially with so much plastic littering our oceans and landfills. Wang’s special rubber can self-heal “more than 10 times, no problem,” he says. When it can’t heal anymore, it can be recycled.