Leave it to MLA Shirley Bond to bring us into the tick-infested, eight-foot deep trenches of a combat zone, standing in the muck up to our knees in the rain, eating moldy bread to demand we see – if only for a moment – the realities of war during the Remembrance Day ceremonies held at the Civic Centre Sunday morning. It was written all over her somber face as she quoted a short paragraph from Pierre Berton’s book Vimy. Bond was at the Remembrance Day event to honour those veterans that were present, and those who were left behind on the battle fields.
“Lest we forget” suddenly meant something to each and every per-
son at the ceremony. We weren’t going to forget, thanks to Bond’s stark reminder.
Bond was just one of many speakers at the Civic Centre ceremony that acknowledged the 100th anniversary of the First World War where about 200 people were on their feet as several hundred others were lucky enough to find a seat for the 90-minute event.
“As we reflect on the 100th anniversary of the armistice, it is hard, if not impossible to imagine what it was like for those who fought and what they endured on our behalf,” Bond said, who went on to thank those who have and are serving in the military today.
Other dignitaries who spoke during the ceremony included MP Todd Doherty, MLA Mike Morris, acting Mayor of Prince George Garth Frizell and Chief Dominic Frederick of the Lheidli T’enneh
First Nation.
Then came a few words from Memorial Cross Mother Colleen Fitzpatrick who lost her son Cpl. Darren Fitzpatrick on March 20, 2010 when he succumbed to injuries sustained in a bomb blast in Afghanistan where he had been serving as an infantryman with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based at CFB Edmonton.
She emotionally talked about the toll war takes on those left behind and that having loved ones acknowledged during the Remembrance Day ceremonies helps.
“It’s so meaningful to the families that their loved ones be remembered,” Fitzpatrick said.
After more of the traditional ceremony took place, including the performance of Amazing Grace, the recitation of Flanders Fields, the Warriors’ Lament and the singing of the national anthem and the
royal anthem, those in attendance were invited to go to the temporary cenotaph placed in the middle of the street on Seventh Avenue, close to the Terry Fox Memorial.
Thousands of people attended and when the Last Post was bugled and two minutes of silence were observed all eyes were raised as an RCAF Hawk aircraft from 419 Squadron flashed across the sky to honour those who have been affected by conflict and to acknowledge the armistice.
A very emotional Robyn Holling stood at the back of the crowd at the temporary cenotaph in honour of generations of her family who have been affected by war.
“I grew up in a military family,” Holling said, whose dad served in the regiment in New Westminster and her grandfather, who was in the Royal Air Force.
“It’s just hard this year because my dad is not well,” Holling said.
Glen Holling now lives in Williams Lake and Robyn doesn’t get to see him as much as she’d like.
“Being in a military family, this has been part of my whole life, right? So this just brings back memories of watching my dad in the parade so it’s just hard to be here without my family.” Holling said she watches documentaries about war at this time every year.
“When you see what the people went through and the families and what they lost and you look at our young children – they have no idea,” Holling said.
During the cenotaph ceremony there were children who were laughing and playing nearby, as parents were there to remember.
“To see those children playing it was one of those happy and sad things,” Holling explained.
“They don’t have a concept of it – and isn’t that great?”
Museum event promotes science, technology
Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff
It was all about getting your hands dirty at the The Exploration Place as children and adults discovered free STEAM on Saturday.
That’s science, technology, engineering, art + design and mathematics for those of you who want to be in the know about the coolest things.
John Adams brought grandsons Fletcher, 9, and Harrison, 6, to the museum to check out the Terry Fox exhibit called Running to the Heart of Canada, and happened upon STEAM Learning Ecosystems in the foyer. Harrison had just come from checking out the miniature bridges with Adams, while Fletcher was wrist deep in blue goop, also known as silly putty, that the UNBC chemistry lab guys were helping children create.
Fletcher was taking his cue from Dylan Fossl from UNBC and seemed delighted by the process of making his own goop.
“We’re having good fun,” Adams, who
has a membership to The Exploration Place, said.
“I love it that the kids can interact with stuff like this – that way they learn more than they think they’re learning.”
Adams also discovered you’re never to old to learn a thing or two.
“I got some information from Todd (Whitcombe, UNBC associate professor) about construction and I’m actually going to have to go home and have a look at it,” Adams said.
We see there are gaps in these careers – where they are heading and what kids are learning in their earlier years.
Jaclyn Baxter, Tech Up facilitator, took the lead in organizing the STEAM activities at The Exploration Place. Science, technology, engineering, art + design and mathematics are the fields that need focused learning, Baxter said.
“We see there are gaps in these careers – where they are heading and what kids are learning in their earlier years,” Baxter said.
need to know. So what STEAM Learning Ecosytems originated as was a way to get kids interested in these fields and to show that it is accessible and it’s not scary. It’s fun and we’re doing stuff like this to show them that they can do these things.”
And there are careers that are geared toward all the activities showcased during the event, she added.
There were several demonstrations including exploring different types of dirt, making silly putty, building a bridge that would actually stay put, and discovering the under bellies of insects.
It’s all about old-time construction that included weaving willow branches and securing it with mud, Adams added.
“Not that I need to build anything like that but now that I’ve got a little tip I’m going to look into it,” Adams said.
— Jaclyn Baxter, Tech Up
facilitator
A high percentage of jobs the current elementary-school aged children will be doing have not even been created yet, she added.
“So those will involve technology, coding, different scientific methods, right?” Baxter said.
“So there’s a huge gap between what we’ve been teaching kids and what they
Children had the option to fill out a passport by completing six activities so they could be entered into a draw to win prizes.
Some of the information booths included Science World, The Exploration Place, Two Rivers Gallery, Tech-Up Robotics, Dr. Luke Harris from the UNBC physiology deparment, Dr. Todd Whitcombe from UNBC chemistry department and Science Magic with The Exploration Place’s Science Guy, Christian.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE John Scott, vice president of the Royal Canadian Legion BC/ Yukon Command, salutes as a bugler plays Reveille on Sunday as part of Remembrance Day ceremonies.
wspaper s
Members of the RCMP march in the Remembrance Day Ceremony and Parade on Sunday
Prince George provincial court docket
From Prince George provincial court, Nov. 5-8, 2018:
• Christopher James Edwards (born 1974) was sentenced to 14 days in jail and one year probation, prohibited from driving for one year, issued a five-year firearms prohibition, fined $1,000 and assessed $500 in victim surcharges for assault with a weapon and assault under the Criminal Code, committed in Hixon, and driving while while prohibited and driving while prohibited under the Motor Vehicle Act, committed in Cinema and Prince George.
• Lucas Vincent Lee Switzer (born 1990) was sentenced to three months probation and assessed a $200 victim surcharge for possession of a firearm contrary to an order and break and enter with intent to commit an offence.
Switzer was in custody for 330 days prior to sentencing.
• Ronald Albert Moore (born 1968) was sentenced to one year probation with a suspended sentence and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for breaching probation.
• Josh Benjamin Gerard Callahan (born 1983) was prohibited from driving for one year and fined $500 plus a $75 victim surcharge for driving while driver’s licence is
suspended under the Motor Vehicle Act.
• Harold Lewis Clifton (born 1986) was sentenced to 25 days in jail and assessed a $100 victim surcharge for breaching probation. Clifton was in custody for three days prior to sentencing.
• Justin David George Dupray (born 1995) was prohibited from driving for one year and fined $500 plus a $150 victim surcharge for driving while prohibited or licence suspended under the Motor Vehicle Act.
• Kyle David William Gladue (born 1987) was prohibited from driving for one year and fined $1,000 plus a $300 victim surcharge for driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08.
• Dylon Antoine Felix John (born 1995) was assessed a $100 victim surcharge for breaching probation. John was in custody for 13 days prior to sentencing.
• Logan Robert Solonas (born 1997) was sentenced to one day in jail and assessed $200 in victim surcharges for two counts of breaching probation. Solonas was in custody for 20 days prior to sentencing.
• Lucas Kenneth Richard Turner (born 1987) was sentenced to 45 days in jail and one year probation and assessed $200 in
victim surcharges for theft $5,000 or under and breaching probation. Turner was in custody for three days prior to sentencing.
• Dallas Lee Blanchette (born 1986) was sentenced to 30 days in jail and one year probation, prohibited from driving for two years and assessed $800 in victim surcharges for possession of stolen property over $5,000, flight from a peace officer and two counts of breaching probation. Blanchette was in custody for 100 days prior to sentencing.
• Sheila Dawn Brewer (born 1978) was sentenced to one year probation and assessed $200 in victim surcharges for breaching probation and breaching an undertaking or recognizance.
• Douglas Earl Harcus (born 1986) was issued a one-year $500 recognizance after allegation for causing fear of injury or damage.
• Jeremy Corbin Gunanoot (born 1973) was sentenced to 474 days in jail for trafficking in a controlled substance, to 270 days for theft $5,000 or under, another count of trafficking in a controlled substance, to 30 days in jail for breaching an undertaking or recognizance and to one
year probation, issued a lifetime firearms prohibition and assessed $700 in victim surcharges on the counts. Gunanoot was in custody for 412 days prior to sentencing.
• Erika Britt Mattson (born 1987) was sentenced to one year probation, issued a five-year firearms prohibition and assessed $200 in victim surcharges for assaulting a peace officer and breaching probation.
• Cali Ronald Harold Peal-Barton (born 1994) was assessed a $100 victim surcharge for breaching probation.
• Edward Peter Quinn (born 1941) was assessed $300 in victim surcharges for three counts of breaching an undertaking, committed in Gold River and Campbell River.
• Brandhon Leslie Dargatz (born 1993) was sentenced to one year probation with a suspended sentence and assessed $200 in victim surcharges for assault and breaching an undertaking.
• Murphy John George (born 1983) was issued a lifetime firearms prohibition and assessed $400 in victim surcharges for assault, possession of a firearm contrary to an order, unauthorized possession of a weapon and failing to appear in court. George was in custody for 117 days prior to sentencing.
morning.
TOP: The Royal Canadian Legion Colour Party leads the Remembrance Day Parade down Canada Games Plaza on Sunday morning on its way to the temporary cenotaph on Seventh Avenue.
BOTTOM LEFT: Colleen and Jim Fitzpatrick prepare to lay a wreath on Sunday. The Fitzpatricks’ son, Cpl. Darren Fitzpatrick, died on March 20, 2010 after he was mortally wounded by an IED in Afghanistan earlier that month.
BOTTOM RIGHT: The Lheidli T’enneh Khas’tan drummers perform during the outdoor portion of the Remembrance Day Ceremony on Sunday.
Symphony, singers to play the songs of our people
Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca
From the rocks of Newfoundland to the sands of Haida Gwaii, Canada is an expanse that cries out for song.
Music has been the vehicle for this nation to converse and come together as a culture over time and over landscapes, as the song goes, “from Bonavista to Vancouver Island.” Those travels and journeys come to a meeting point around campfires, in coffee shops, in stadiums and arenas, and on Monday night in Prince George it will be at Vanier Hall when a set of acclaimed musicians crack open the The Great Canadian
Songbook. The Prince George Symphony Orchestra is partnering with a set of folk acts that all together will perform some of the strongest pieces of our musical culture in one feel-good night.
The incoming special guest performers are Ken Lavigne, Tiller’s Folly and Diyet. They will take turns leading this campfire sing-along of familiar all-Canadian tunes by folk legends Leonard Cohen, Stan Rogers, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Buffy St. Marie, Anne Murray, Stompin’ Tom Connors in addition to contemporary stars like the Barenaked Ladies, Blue Rodeo, and original songs by the Great Canadian Songbook performers themselves.
The PGSO is the beneficiary of this fund-
B.C. pot company hopes to replace lost mill jobs
Citizen news service
MERRITT — Arnold Meyer spent 40 years working at the Tolko Industries Ltd. mill in Merritt, but then he faced the reality of being laid off.
The 62-year-old was one of about 200 employees who lost their jobs in 2016, crippling the economy of the small town in British Columbia’s southern Interior and prompting politicians to promise to restore the ailing forestry sector.
Two years later, the province’s lumber industry is still facing challenges, but a new sector is revving up. A cannabis company hopes to build a grow facility in Merritt, replacing jobs, including Meyer’s that were lost in the mill closure.
“It sounds good to me. They said they want me to be one of the first hires for when the plant opens up,” said Meyer, who held various positions at Tolko, where he mostly drove machinery.
Emerald Plants Health Source Inc., or EPHS, purchased a massive chunk of land in the city and plans to build an initial 3,700-square-metre facility before building up to potentially more than 100,000 square metres.
The facility would eventually employ more than 200 people in a range of jobs, from low-skill trimmer roles to higher-paid management jobs.
Members of the company first learned about Meyer in a Canadian Press story on whether marijuana had the potential to revitalize small towns hit hard by resource job losses. In the 2017 article, Meyer said he hoped a cannabis company would create jobs in the community.
“It just resonated with us as a group as we read that article, that this could really change people’s lives in Merritt,” said Jeff Hancock, executive vice-president of Emerald.
“I think that’s really what Arnold Meyer symbolizes to us as a company.” Emerald also hopes to contact others formerly employed by Tolko.
raiser concert.
“I cant think of a more delightful concert to offer to people in Prince George,” said PGSO general manager Teresa Saunders. “It’s an experience we’ve never had before in our city. Some of these musicians have been here, but never together, and not in a performance like this. It isn’t orchestral music, like we are used to presenting, but it will reach people who don’t normally come to PGSO kinds of concerts. Our theme this year is “For People Like You,” which means we want to be the catalysts for a wide array of live musical experiences and opportunities for the people of Prince George to enjoy music in a number of forms.”
The Great Canadian Songbook was built
together by Ken Lavigne, Tiller’s Folly and Diyet as their way of celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary. They explained that they had consistently crossed paths at gigs and festivals across North America, over the years, and so often it resulted in invitations to collaborate. Eventually, they did, and The Great Canadian Songbook was the result.
“The tickets are $20. We kept the price low so many more people could come see this unique show,” Saunders said. The event will be held at Vanier Hall on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available in advance at the Central Interior Tickets website, or at the door.
Humanity is our tribe
Pittsburgh rarely makes headlines in B.C. It usually appears when its world-class medical facilities are referenced by heart surgeons, when its beloved football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, win yet another NFL championship, or when Sidney Crosby is in the news.
Pittsburgh sits in a wooded and forested environment near the confluence of three rivers, the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio. Besides steel and football, Pittsburgh is also a city of large, globally situated universities.
It is at one of these universities – the University of Pittsburgh – that I studied as an undergraduate student and encountered a world outside the woods of southwestern Pennsylvania. It was there that I studied African literature and first encountered the writings of the great Nigerian playwright Ola Rotimi.
One memorable discussion focused on Rotimi’s signature work, The Gods Are Not To Blame, a post-colonial West African adaptation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. During these discussions I heard the phrase “Humanity is my tribe,” referring to Rotimi’s words in a 1975 interview about his work.
I recall having those discussions, now
nearly 20 years ago, while in the protective shell of the Cathedral of Learning, a few blocks down the street from Squirrel Hill, the neighbourhood where the recent massacre of 11 members of the Tree of Life synagogue occurred. These simple and hopefully self-evident words – “Humanity is my tribe” – are sentiments I convey to my students in Victoria, where I now teach global and comparative history at the University of Victoria.
Pittsburgh maintains a reputation for being one of the most livable cities in the United States. I now live in Victoria, known to the world for its natural beauty and quiet lifestyle. Neither place is usually known for violent anti-Semitic acts.
As David Shribman, the executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and many others have mentioned, this is not the Pittsburgh we know. It doesn’t happen in this kind of place.
Victoria, now my home, hides behind its façade a long history of dispossession, violence against Indigenous peoples, racism and, as well, a history of anti-Semitism, such as anti-Semitic posters found on UVic’s campus last year and instances of local Jewish congregations receiving hate mail. Pittsburgh’s image as one of the most livable cities in America also hides an ongo-
ing history of racism, police brutality, and spates of recent murders and attacks on minorities.
As a historian of globalization, I have found that all the world’s a stage for so much conflict that it is difficult to keep it all straight. As long as we live on the traditional territories of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and WSÁNEC peoples, the legacy of colonialism is alive, well and impossible to miss.
The violence in Pittsburgh reminds all of us that hatred, bigotry, racism and all the violence associated with such positions have yet to wash away with the tide of history. When we ask about why and how events happened in killing fields that appear so far away, we are compelled, without a doubt, to ask why it is happening now, here and among us.
Around the world, before and during the rise of U.S. President Donald Trump, proposals for Brexit, the election of reactionary nationalists in India, the Philippines, Brazil and many more places, localized acts of violence have risen with a numbing frequency. Victoria has been listed by Statistics Canada in the top 10 cities for hate crimes.
Rabbi Harry Brechner, at the vigil last Tuesday at Victoria’s Jewish Community Centre, said an attack on Jews is not an
Carbon tax is here to stay
Last week, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans to institute backstop carbon pricing on provinces that refuse to adopt their own plans in the form of a tax. In a speech at Humber College in Ontario, in premier and carbonprice-holdout Doug Ford’s provincial riding, Trudeau pledged that 90 per cent of the revenue collected under the plan will be returned to Canadians in the jurisdiction in which the money was collected. The rest will be divided among schools, hospitals and small businesses that can’t forward the cost to consumers. The backstop pricing will apply only in provinces that refuse to price carbon themselves. So far, that’s Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Most residents of those provinces will receive more money than they pay. Checks will start to arrive before the 2019 federal election.
Most of Trudeau’s speech was statesmanship – looking into the future, asking what those looking back at us will think of our action or inaction.
He concluded: “This is not about politics or about the next election, this is about leadership.”
The rest of the speech was campaigning. He criticized the Conservatives for failing to develop a plan of their own, arguing that the economy and the environment go hand-in-hand, carefully avoiding pipeline chatter. The balance seemed about right a year out from what may be a close election against the
backdrop of increasingly alarming warnings that we, as a species, are about to get cooked and drowned and starved to death.
But campaign or no campaign, Trudeau did something that is often hard to do in politics: he told the truth about just how urgent and serious our troubles are – even if he didn’t discuss how much more, beyond a modest carbon tax, we need to do to save ourselves.
It could be the stark and plain admission that we are responsible, here and now, for what comes next for us and for all of those who follow us. The past –the old ways of consuming, the promises we were made, the incentives and expectations that were built into our economies and our lives – offer an untenable model for not just the future but also the present.
Time after time in pre-speech interviews, during the speech and in the question-and-answer period that followed it, Trudeau repeated another line we should expect to hear more often: to date, pollution has been free, and therefore we have freely polluted. But in Canada, those days are over. Good riddance.
If you take the prime minister at his word (and you should), and if you believe that Canadians are either already used to and fine with carbon pricing (as they are in British Columbia or Quebec) or
that they will quickly come to appreciate rebate checks once they begin to arrive (they will), then the conclusion follows that a national carbon scheme is probably here to stay. So, even if Conservative leader Andrew Scheer forms a government in 2019, he will have a hard time undoing what will by then be a system, expectation and even a norm well on its way to becoming entrenched.
The Trudeau government now faces the task of helping both the country and itself by barnstorming for the plan both as a declaration of values and of value. It’s all well and fine and important to sell the plan as the right thing to do in and of itself, which it is. But it must also be sold as a value proposition, which is to say, it must answer the question “What’s in it for Canadians?”
One of the challenges of selling climate-change solutions is that the threats remain abstract and distant, although increasingly less so. The government must still convince Canadians that the plan not only won’t make it harder to make ends meet, but that it will in fact make it easier for (especially lower income) families to do so. That task will be eased by the arrival of cash in the mailbox. But that will take time. Until then, the message from Trudeau, his ministers and lawmakers of his party must be clear: A carbon tax is both the right thing to do and good for your pocketbook.
— David Moscrop is a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council postdoctoral fellow in the department of communication at the University of Ottawa.
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attack on one group, one community or one religious formation. It is an attack on all humanity.
Whether in Pittsburgh or in Victoria, when these attacks occur, the largely heartfelt responses – in our neighbourhoods, homes, on campuses or at local places of worship – showcase the resilience, love and hard work that happen every day without news cameras or journalists taking note.
As horrific events seem to happen at a pace faster than we have the ability to comprehend, the local remains a tangible sanctuary not for one, but for all. These local spaces must be protected and preserved. Yes, violence, racism, anti-Semitism and much more occur in places such as Pittsburgh and Victoria. They show us, though, that as much as that happens, locals get together across spaces of difference, to heal and do the hard work of getting on with life when nobody out there is noticing. It is in these moments when nobody has to be taught that humanity is our tribe. It is shown in our actions.
— Neilesh Bose is a Canada Research Chair in Global and Comparative History and an assistant professor in history at the University of Victoria.
Province’s electoral reform discussion not going away
In between all the interruptions, there were some glimmers of hard news during the leaders’ debate on proportional representation on Thursday. One development: Despite this being the third referendum in 13 years on changing the voting system, the idea won’t necessarily die if this month’s referendum vote defeats proportional representation. Another referendum is already required if the current one passes. It will be held after two elections under whatever new system is picked, to confirm whether people accept the change. But if this month’s referendum fails, that might not be the end of the matter.
B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson committed to convening another citizens assembly to examine the voting system, if the circumstances arise.
He did it partly to avoid having to defend the main drawback of the current system – parties usually get majority control of the legislature with only a minority of the popular vote.
“Trying something new would be entirely appropriate, and that’s why we’ve been saying it’s time for another citizens assembly,” he said.
“A citizens assembly would be a good idea.” He said it would produce a straightforward yes-no question that would be put on the ballot during a general election.
It wouldn’t necessarily take a Liberal return to power for that to happen. Under certain circumstances, the NDP might endorse the idea, as well, in the event its campaign for proportional representation fails.
So why does B.C. have this recurring obsession with the voting system, to the point where there’s a chance of four referendums over the course of six election cycles?
Nobody else does this.
It’s partly due to one outlier election result that started the ball rolling, and two subsequent ones that have maintained the idea’s momentum. The NDP won the 1996 election by six seats, even though it got 2.4 per cent (37,500) fewer votes that the B.C. Liberals. The losers were floored by that result. When they did finally gain power, they created the first citizens assembly, hoping for a system that would prevent that from happening.
The independent, randomly selected assembly of 161 citizens arrived at a new idea, the single transferable vote. It was a theoretically viable idea that few under-
stood, so it didn’t pass the strict thresholds in a 2005 referendum. The vote was close enough that a second effort was ordered, and it failed outright on a second vote in 2009.
But the 2001 election that saw the Liberals elected was also important for a different reason. They got more than 50 per cent of the vote, a first in B.C., but scooped 77 out of 79 seats. It was a wildly disproportionate seat count, and the winners took full advantage of it. They even denied the two NDP MLAs the courtesy of party status. The house was dysfunctional for most of that term. The whole basis of parliament – no matter which voting system is used to assemble people – is the adversarial system. If there are almost no adversaries, it doesn’t work right.
So for years afterward, the NDP stewed about a fluke election that almost wiped out the party.
The third election that drove the electoral reform agenda was the most recent one. For all the complaints about the current system’s deficiencies, it produced a perfectly representative result.
People couldn’t make up their minds. The popular vote was almost a dead heat. (With two million votes, Liberals got 1,667 more than the NDP). So there was only a two-seat difference in the count, and the electorate, in its wisdom, played a wild card.
Voters returned three B.C. Green Party MLAs, then sat back and let the players figure it out.
The first new party elected in decades had the balance of power, and one of its priorities was to cement its hold, by changing the rules to bring the seat count closer to the popular vote. That meshed with the NDP promise to change to proportional representation. The referendum currently underway is a product of that.
The other shred of news was Premier John Horgan’s assurance that there would be more MLAs in the house under a new system. That’s not specified in the outlines provided, but it seems likely there will be as many as eight more MLAs.
The more seats created, the less wrenching the consolidation of ridings will be.
And the government wants to make the change as painless as possible.
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LES LEYNE
In the Fast Leyne
DAVID MOSCROP
Guest Column
We shall remember them
Lest we forget:
• Sgt. Marc D. Leger, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, Pte. Richard A. Green, and Pte. Nathan Smith, April 17, 2002.
• Sgt. Robert Short and Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger, Oct. 2, 2003.
• Cpl. Jamie Murphy, Jan. 27, 2004.
• Pte. Braun Woodfield, Nov. 24, 2005.
• Diplomat Glyn Berry, Jan. 15, 2006.
• Cpl. Paul Davis and Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson, March 2, 2006.
• Pte. Robert Costall, March 29, 2006.
• Cpl. Matthew Dinning, Bombardier Myles Mansell, Lieut. William Turner and Cpl. Randy Payne, April 22, 2006.
• Capt. Nichola Goddard, May 17, 2006.
• Cpl. Anthony Boneca, July 9, 2006.
• Cpl. Francisco Gomez and Cpl. Jason Warren, July 22, 2006.
• Cpl. Christopher Reid, Aug. 3, 2006.
• Sgt. Vaughn Ingram, Cpl. Bryce Jeffrey Keller and Pte. Kevin Dallaire, Aug. 3, 2006.
• Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt, Aug. 5, 2006.
• Master Cpl. Jeffrey Walsh, Aug. 9, 2006.
• Cpl. Andrew Eykelenboom, Aug. 11, 2006.
• Cpl. David Braun, Aug. 22, 2006.
• Warrant Officer Richard Nolan, Warrant Officer Frank Mellish, Sgt. Shane Stachnik, and Pte. William Cushley, Sept. 3, 2006.
• Pte. Mark Graham, Sept. 4, 2006.
• Cpl. Shane Keating, Cpl. Keith Morley, Pte. David Byers and Cpl. Glen Arnold, Sept. 18, 2006.
•Pte. Josh Klukie, Sept. 29, 2006.
• Sgt. Craig Gillam and Cpl. Robert Mitchell, Oct. 3, 2006.
• Cpl. Albert Storm and Chief Warrant Officer Bob Girouard, Nov. 27, 2006.
• Cpl. Kevin Megeney, March 6, 2007.
• Sgt. Donald Lucas, Pte. Kevin Kennedy, Cpl. Aaron Williams, Pte. David Greenslade, Cpl. Christopher Stannix and Cpl. Brent Poland, April 8, 2007.
• Master Cpl. Allan Stewart and Trooper Patrick Pentland, April 11, 2007.
• Master Cpl. Anthony Klumpenhouwer, April 18, 2007.
• Cpl. Matthew McCully, May 25, 2007.
• Master Cpl. Darrell Priede, May 30, 2007.
• Trooper Darryl Caswell, June 11, 2007.
• Sgt. Christos Karigiannis, Cpl. Stephen Bouzane and Pte. Joel Wiebe, June 20, 2007.
• Capt. Matthew Johnathan Dawe, Cpl. Cole Bartsch, Cpl. Jordan Anderson, Capt. Jefferson Francis, Pte. Lane Watkins and Master Cpl. Colin Bason, June 4, 2007.
• Pte. Simon Longtin, Aug. 19, 2007.
• Master Cpl. Christian Duchesne and Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier, Aug. 22, 2007.
• Maj. Raymond Ruckpaul, Aug. 29, 2007.
• Cpl. Nathan Hornburg, Sept. 24, 2007.
• Cpl. Nicholas Beauchamp and Pte. Michel Levesque, Nov. 17, 2007.
• Gunner Jonathan Dion, Dec. 30, 2007.
• Warrant Officer Hani Massouh and Cpl. Eric Labbe, Jan. 6, 2008.
• Trooper Richard Renaud, Jan. 15, 2008.
• Sapper Etienne Gonthier, Jan. 23, 2008.
• Trooper Michael Hayakaze, March 2, 2008.
• Bombardier Jeremie Ouellet, March 11, 2008.
• Sgt. Jason Boyes, March 16, 2008.
• Pte. Terry Street, April 4, 2008.
• Cpl. Michael Starker, May 6, 2008.
• Capt. Richard Leary, June 3, 2008.
• Capt. Jonathan Snyder, June 7, 2008.
• Cpl. Brendan Downey, July 4, 2008.
• Pte. Colin Wilmot, July 6, 2008.
• Cpl. Jim Arnal, July 18, 2008.
• Master Cpl. Josh Roberts, Aug. 9, 2008.
• Master Cpl. Erin Doyle, Aug. 11, 2008.
• Sgt. Shawn Eades, Cpl. Dustin Wasden, and Sapper Stephan Stock, Aug. 20, 2008.
• Cpl. Andre Grenon, Cpl. Michael Seggie, and Pte. Chad Horn, Sept. 3, 2008.
• Sgt. Scott Shipway, Sept. 7, 2008.
• Warrant Officer Robert Wilson, Cpl. Mark McLaren and Pte. Demetrios Diplaros, Dec. 5, 2008.
• Pte. Justin Jone, Cpl. Thomas Hamilton and Pte. John Curwin, Dec. 13, 2008.
• Pte. Garrett Chidley, Cpl. Zachery McCormack, Sgt. Kirk Taylor and Sgt. George Miok, Dec. 30, 2009.
• Sgt. John Faught, Jan. 16, 2010.
• Cpl. Joshua Baker, Feb. 12, 2010.
• Cpl. Darren Fitzpatrick, March 20, 2010.
• Pte. Tyler Todd, April 11, 2010.
• Petty Officer 2nd Class Craig Blake, May 3, 2010.
• Pte. Kevin McKay, May 13, 2010.
• Col. Geoff Parker, May 18, 2010.
• Trooper Larry Rudd, May 24, 2010.
• Sgt. Martin Goudreault, June 6, 2010.
• Sgt. James MacNeil, June 21, 2010.
• Master Cpl. Kristal Giesebrecht and Pte. Andrew Miller, June 26, 2010.
• Sapper Brian Collier, July 20, 2010.
• Cpl. Brian Pinksen, Aug. 30, 2010.
• Cpl. Steve Martin, Dec. 18, 2010.
• Cpl. Yannick Scherrer, March 27, 2011.
• Bombardier Karl Manning, May 27, 2011.
• Master Cpl. Francis Roy, June 25, 2011.
• Master Cpl. Byron Garth Greff, Oct. 29, 2011.
• Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, Oct. 20, 2014.
• Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, Oct. 22, 2014.
• Sgt. Andrew Joseph Dorion, March 6, 2015.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE
Ceremonial wreaths are arranged at Prince George Civic Centre on Sunday morning prior to the start of Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Spy chief has heard audio of Khashoggi murder, CSIS says
Jordan PRESS, Jim BRONSKILL Citizen news service
PARIS — Canada’s spy chief travelled to Turkey at the request of the prime minister and heard a recording of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service says.
CSIS director David Vigneault “has listened to the audio tapes in question” and provided a briefing to Justin Trudeau and other Canadian officials upon his return, said John Townsend, a spokesman for the intelligence service.
Trudeau said Monday in Paris he has not personally heard the recording that Turkish officials have also provided to allies such as the U.S. and Britain in recent days, though he said he had been told about its contents.
“Canada has been fully briefed up on what Turkey had to share,” Trudeau said during a press conference at the Canadian Embassy in Paris.
The development is the latest piece of a gradually unfolding investigation into the death that has reverberated through the international community. Khashoggi’s killing last month at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul further strained an already difficult relationship with Canada and renewed public outrage over Ottawa’s $15-billion arms deal with the regime.
Canada has joined other countries in applying pressure on Riyadh to provide better answers about what actually happened to the journalist.
Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen but a resident of the United States who’s been critical of the Saudi monarchy, was last seen entering the consulate in Turkey on Oct. 2, where he’d gone to get papers to marry his fiancee.
His killing has prompted widespread condemnation, including from Trudeau himself, but the prime minister did not say how the recordings have affected his thoughts on repercussions for the Saudis.
“We continue to be engaged with our allies on the investigation into accountability for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and we are in discussion with our like-minded allies as to next steps towards Saudi Arabia,” Trudeau said.
The shared audio is the latest move by Turkey to maintain international pressure on Saudi Arabia over the killing.
Trudeau said he brought the subject up during a recent phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and briefly again when the two met on the week-
end in Paris. Trudeau said he “thanked (Erdogan) for his strength in responding to the Khashoggi situation.”
Also Monday, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was in Saudi Arabia, where he met King Salman and was expected to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The crown prince is widely suspected of at least having knowledge of the killing, which involved some members of his security entourage.
Hunt – the first British minister to visit Saudi Arabia since Khashoggi was killed –said he would press the kingdom to fully co-operate with a Turkish investigation into the writer’s killing.
“The international community remain united in horror and outrage at the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi one month ago. It is clearly unacceptable that the full circumstances behind his murder still remain unclear,” Hunt said in a statement ahead of landing in Riyadh.
On Sunday U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with the Saudi crown prince on the telephone and “emphasized that the United States will hold all of those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi accountable, and that Saudi Arabia must do the same.”
Under mounting pressure, Saudi Arabia has changed its story about the death, first saying Khashoggi walked out of the consulate the day he disappeared but eventually acknowledging he died inside. Saudi Arabia has also recently acknowledged Turkish evidence that showed the slaying was premeditated. Turkey says a 15-member Saudi assassination squad strangled and dismembered Khashoggi at the consulate.
Saudi officials characterize the killing as a rogue operation carried out by Saudi agents who exceeded their authority.
California wildfire death toll rises
FLACCUS, Don THOMPSON Citizen news service
PARADISE, Calif. — The dead were found in burned-out cars, in the smouldering ruins of their homes, or next to their vehicles, apparently overcome by smoke and flames before they could jump in behind the wheel and escape. In some cases, there were only charred fragments of bone, so small that coroner’s investigators used a wire basket to sift and sort them.
At least 42 people were confirmed dead in the wildfire that turned the Northern California town of Paradise and outlying areas into hell on earth, making it the deadliest blaze in state history. The search for bodies continued Monday.
Hundreds of people were unaccounted for by the sheriff’s reckoning, four days after the fire swept over the town of 27,000 and practically wiped it off the map with flames so fierce that authorities brought in a mobile DNA lab and forensic anthropologists to help identify the dead.
Meanwhile, a landowner near where the blaze began, Betsy Ann Cowley, said she got an email from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. the day before the fire last week telling her that crews needed to come onto her property because the utility’s power lines were causing sparks. PG&E had no comment on the email, and state officials said the cause of the inferno was under investigation.
As the search for victims dragged on, friends and relatives of the missing called hospitals, police, shelters and the coroner’s office in hopes of learning what became of their loved ones. Paradise was a popular retirement community, and about a quarter of the population was over 65.
Tad Teays awaited word on his 90-yearold dementia-stricken mother. Darlina Duarte was desperate for information about her half-brother, a diabetic who was largely housebound because he had lost his legs.
And Barbara Hall tried in vain to find out whether her aunt and the woman’s husband, who are in their 80s and 90s, made it
out alive from their retirement community.
“Did they make it in their car? Did they get away? Did their car go over the edge of a mountain somewhere? I just don’t know,” said Hall, adding that the couple had only a landline and calls were not going through to it.
Megan James, of Newfoundland, searched via Twitter from the other side of the continent for information about her aunt and uncle, whose house in Paradise burned down and whose vehicles were still there. On Monday, she asked on Twitter for someone to take over the posts, saying she is “so emotionally and mentally exhausted.”
“I need to sleep and cry,” James added.
“Just PRAY. Please.”
The blaze was part of an outbreak of wildfires on both ends of the state. Together, they were blamed for 44 deaths, including two in celebrity-studded Malibu in Southern California , where firefighters appeared to be gaining ground against a roughly 370-square-kilometre blaze that destroyed at least 370 structures, with hundreds more feared lost.
Some of the thousands of people forced from their homes by the blaze were allowed to return, and authorities reopened U.S. 101, a major freeway through the fire zone in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Malibu celebrities and mobile-home dwellers in nearby mountains were slowly learning whether their homes had been spared or reduced to ash.
All told, more 8,000 firefighters statewide were battling wildfires that destroyed more than 7,000 structures and scorched more than 840 square kilometres, the flames feeding on dry brush and driven by blowtorch winds.
In Northern California, fire crews still fighting the blaze that obliterated Paradise contended with wind gusts up to 64 km/h overnight, the flames jumping 100 metres across Lake Oroville. The fire had grown to 303 square kilometres and was 25 per cent contained, authorities said. Winds were expected to weaken tonight.
Gillian
AP PHOTO
A burned out vehicle sits in the Seminole Springs Mobile Home Park on Sunday after wildfires tore through the neighborhood in Agoura Hills, Calif.
KHASHOGGI
Sports
Reed propels Polars into provincial quarterfinal
Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca
The South Kamloops Titans watched the video of last week’s P.G. Bowl Northern Conference high school football championship and were well aware of Braden Reed’s capabilities as a gamebreaker. They knew the key to beating the Prince George Polars in Saturday’s first-ever double-A varsity provincial playoff game at Masich Place Stadium was putting the stop on Reed.
Easier said than done.
Reed put his faith in his offensive line teammates and their ability to rip holes in the Titans’ defence and that’s exactly what they did. Given the chance to use his explosive speed and powerful running stride, Reed proved unstoppable. He danced his way to five touchdowns and 272 yards in a 42-14 victory which vaulted the Polars into a B.C. Secondary Schools Football Association quarterfinal clash Saturday at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver against the Holy Cross Crusaders of Surrey.
“We started off slower than we thought we would and they came out a lot harder than us so it could have been a close game, but luckily we got our heads in the right place and we pulled ahead,” said Reed. “That offensive line unit is the reason why I’m successful and I owe it to them. They had a helluva game. They’re out there blocking guys and making my job easier.”
The O-line – Sasha Gajic, Josh Gabriel, Max Vohar, Zack Whitfield, Matt Shore and Grade 10 centre Jason Kragt – had a field day eating up the Titan defenders.
“On inside-zone runs they were just more powerful and stronger than us inside and we couldn’t contain or push them back,” said Titans running back/defensive back Mike MacDonald. “(Reed) was crazy. We watched the film. He’s a good player.”
The Polars held the ball for six possessions in the game and scored on all six. Each drive ate up large chunks of the clock which kept the Titans’ offence off the field.
“This was just a real tough grind-it-out game – they had a lot of physical players and we had physical players and we just kept pushing them over and over again and dug deep,” said Polars senior offensive guard/defensive tackle Sasha Gajic.
“It was our first provincial game here and we made history. You just want to play better for your home crowd, it brings energy into you. When you run out of gas and you hear them cheer, something comes out of me and it gets me going. It was my last game at home and I’m really glad I got a win with it.”
Reed also scored five touchdowns in the P.G. Bowl final a week ago and the Grade 12 honour-roll student is drawing interest from university teams. His dominance on the field Saturday was a sight to behold.
DiLaura earns shutout against Giants
Ted CLARKE Citizen staff
Time was ticking down to the last three minutes Sunday in Langley and Isaiah DiLaura couldn’t help but think he’d once again lost his first-ever Western Hockey League shutout on a last-ditch effort from an opposing team. It happened to him a week ago when the Seattle Thunderbirds played spoilers, scoring with just 38 seconds left in what turned out a 4-1 Cougars’ win. On Sunday, with the Cougars leading 1-0, Vancouver Giants defenceman Bowen Byram took the shot from the slot after a rink-length rush. The goal light was tripped and the music blared at Langley Events Centre as the Giants got set to celebrate the apparent tying goal. Even DiLaura was convinced it was in, until he looked back and saw the puck had hit off the crossbar and dropped straight down on the keep-on-playing side of the goal line, with the referee right there to make the call and signal no goal. Cats defenceman Joel Lakusta cleared it out of the crease and sent Cole Moberg in on a breakaway which ended with him missing the Vancouver net. It was a tense final three min-
utes for the Cougars, trying to protect the shutout for DiLaura, while his parents Chris and Kim from Lakeville, Minn., watched their son from the stands for the first time in his WHL career. But the Giants never came close after that and DiLaura’s 26-save shutout was signed, sealed and delivered.
“Finally,” said the 18-year-old DiLaura. “All the emotions are still going through my head. Last year I got my first win in Vancouver (a 7-6 victory on Dec. 30) and now I just got my first shutout. It’s pretty crazy.
“I just saw it go past me and I was like, ‘not again,’ with three minutes left and I look back and see it on the goal line and I went to reach back for it and it was already gone. Everyone thought it was in. It went off the crossbar, off the post and then just sat and rolled on the goal line a bit.”
The Cougars never let off the throttle for the whole game and were rewarded for it. They’ve now won three of their last four games.
“We played like we did against Seattle in the last two (home) games and tonight we did the same thing, we’re just starting to take the right strides,” said DiLaura. “We’re doing all the little things right.”
DiLaura has played well in his last three games, dating back to the Brandon game when he came in to replace Taylor Gauthier in the third period.
“For me it’s just been working with (goalie coach) Taylor Dakers on the mental side in between periods, just visualizing mentally, focusing before the game and just doing all the small things right,” said DiLaura. “I can’t be happier with how I’m playing. It’s really helping my confidence realizing I deserve to be here and I’m just looking for more starts and hopefully I’ll push myself to be the starter here.”
Ethan Browne, who returned to the lineup for Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Giants after missing two games with an upper-body injury, scored the only goal Sunday, eight minutes into the game while the Cougars were on the power play. Moberg made a nimble play to knock down a clearing attempt at the blueline to hold the puck in the offensive end and he got the puck deep to Vladislav Mikhalchuk, who patiently waited for goalie David Tendeck to move in his direction before he fed Browne a crisp goalmouth pass for an easy tap-in into an open net. It was the seventh power-play goal in the past seven games for
the Cougars, who are no longer sport the league’s worst powerplay stats. Now firing a 14.5 per cent clip (19-for-83) they jumped ahead of the Swift Current Broncos into 21st spot in the 22-team league.
The Cougars outshot the Giants in both games. They fired 32 shots at Tendeck Sunday, after finishing with a 33-29 edge on Saturday.
“(On Saturday) we played well enough to get points, a couple of breakdowns but there were a lot of positives and we carried it into (Sunday),” said Cougars head coach Richard Matvichuk. “From goaltending to special teams, everybody played well.
“The crossbar and goalpost, if you ask a goalie that means their angle was in the right spot. It was a good break for us, obviously. We’ve always had confidence in Isaiah and he proved it tonight, he can play against anybody. He had an unlucky bounce there, probably deserved the shutout the other night, but he stood in there tall tonight and made the saves he had to and his puck movement was really good too.”
Cyle McNabb and former Cougar prospect Tyler Ho scored for the Giants Saturday, both in the second period, after Connor Bowie gave the Cats the lead 6:10
— see ‘THE OFFENSIVE LINE, page 8
“Just the energy he brings and the class and maturity, I can’t put it into words,” said Gajic. “Guys are hammering on him every single play, over and over again and he just keeps it clean. He’s never worrying about getting back at them or getting angry or yelling at them or making dirty plays, he lets his game do the talking.” If there was a turning point it happened with about eight minutes left in the second quarter. The Polars were leading 14-0 when Titans running back Ryan Zamudio took the reverse handoff and ran it 44 yards into the end zone. It appeared the Titans had made it a one-score game but the play was called back for an illegal block. The Polars stuffed the Titans’ fourth-down gamble and took over the ball on their own 23-yard line and Reed resumed picking the defence apart with his quick feet. A personal foul penalty moved the ball into Titans territory and Reed took the snap and broke free for a 41-yard TD romp, then completed the two-point convert himself for a 22-0 lead.
into the game with his first of the season. Trent Miner picked up the win in goal to improve his season record to 5-0-1. In the Cougar nets, Taylor Gauthier dropped to 5-6-1. Sunday’s win left the Cougars (8-8-1-2) third in the B.C. Division, three points ahead of the fourth-place Kelowna Rockets (8-12-0-0) who will be in Prince George to face the Cougars Wednesday night at CN Centre. The Cats went 5-3-1-1 in their last 10 games.
The Giants (13-4-2-0) remain first-overall in the Western Conference, tied in points with the Everett Silvertips, nine points ahead of the Cougars, who rank sixth in the West. Prince George is just one point behind the secondplace Victoria Royals, who stand third in the B.C. Division, holding three games in hand over the Cougars.
LOOSE PUCKS: Wednesday’s game begins a five-game homestand for the Cougars, who also host Kamloops (twice), Regina and Saskatoon over the next two weeks. DiLaura’s parents will fly up to Prince George and will be in town until Nov. 26… The starter on the Cougars bus failed Sunday and the team was elected to stay in the hotel another night while the repair was made.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE
PGSS Polars player Gage Bernard tries to break the tackle of South Kamloops Titans player Callum Gorman while attempting a two-point conversion on Saturday evening at Masich Place Stadium. The Polars took on the Titans in B.C. Secondary Schools Football Association double-A varsity playoffs.
Sports
Biathlete
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
Emily Dickson leaves the range after shooting in the 2015 Jr. Womens 15 km
Of the four fastest female skiers Thursday at the Biathlon Canada selection trials in Canmore, three wore the colours of the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club.
Prince George was prominent in the third and final race to determine Canada’s teams for international competitions later this year. After six kilometres of racing in the individual start race, Caledonia racer Emily Dickson, a native of Burns Lake, crossed the finish six seconds behind race winner Nadia Moser of Whitehorse, Yukon.
Dickson was second, followed by third-place
Sarah Beaudry and Megan Tandy, who both consider Prince George their hometown.
Dickson, 21, shot clean in both shooting rounds which helped make up time on Moser, who had a 22-second penalty tacked onto her time for missing one target in her standing round.
Moser clocked 19:57.5, while Dickson came in at 20:03.5, 1.3 seconds ahead of Beaudry and 8.7 seconds in front of Tandy. Beaudry cleaned both rounds, while Tandy had one miss in her prone round.
The 30-year-old Tandy, who is now based in Germany, won Wednesday’s sprint race and was second in Tuesday’s sprint.
In the men’s race Friday, on a 7.5 km route,
senior team member Christian Gow set the winning pace (18:58.3), edging his brother Scott by 8.9 seconds to win his second of three trials events. Both Canmore natives got through the race without a miss on the range.
Nathan Smith of Calgary was third, 33.7 second off the winning pace. He missed two of the five prone targets. Matt Neumann of Prince George was 14th (20:42.16), 1:44.3 behind.
Racers were each allowed three spare rounds in their clip. The women’s race drew 27 biathletes while 41 entered the men’s race.
On Monday, Biathlon Canada will name its three teams for the international circuits –IBU World Cup, IBU Cup and IBU Junior Cup.
‘The
offensive line is awesome’
— from page 7
The Titans scored on the next possession. Zamudio set it up, connecting with quarterback Eric Crawford for a 30-yard passing play, followed by an 18 yard run to the 10-yard line. MacDonald then ran the ball in from 10 yards out, keeping the Titans’ comeback hopes alive. It didn’t take long for Reed to quash them.
With only three seconds left in the half, after marching the ball from his own 33-yard line, Reed bulled his way through the pack and took off on a 28-yard run for his fourth touchdown of the day and a 28-8 lead and they never looked back.
“The offensive line is awesome we pounded it and had probably close to 300 or 400 yards on the ground and lot of it was right up the gut and a lot of it was for Braden,” said PGSS head coach Pat Bonnett.
“You can’t run the ball unless your offensive line is doing it, and I believe if the offensive line is firing out you’ll win the ball game. They have to dominate the line of scrimmage and they did.”
Bonnett liked the fact his special teams, led by kicker Brandon Martin, did not allow any long gains on kick returns and that they gave the Polars good field position to work with. The Titans had some success on pitches and reverses which moved the ball upfield and Bonnett said there’s plenty of room for improvement on defence, which they will work on this week practicing indoors in the Northern Sport Centre and PGSS gym.
Reed nearly had his sixth TD of the game in the fourth quarter when he honed in on a Crawford pass deep in Titans territory and had the ball go in and out of his hands, with not a defender in sight.
Michell ran 19 yards late in the third quarter for the Polars’ other touchdown. Zamudio found the end zone from two yards out to cap the Titans’ scoring early in the fourth quarter.
Already without fullback Gage Ridland (broken collarbone), the Polars suffered another tough loss nine minutes into the game when Grade 12 running back/ outside linebacker Gavin Murray went down with a knee injury and did not return. That put the onus on Gage Bernard and Brayden Michell to pick up the slack taking the ball in the backfield on the few occasions when Reed wasn’t on the run himself and they performed admirably.
The Titans replaced the Samuel Roberts Technical Titans of Maple Ridge, who forfeited the game due to a lack of players. South Kamloops was the third-seeded team in the Interior Conference.
“(Reed) is a tremendous player and a tough runner and they kind of rode him all night,” said Titans head coach J.P. Lancaster.
“It is what we expected and we prepared for it but it was a war of attrition and they chipped away at it and we couldn’t get a stop when we needed one.”
The Polars will travel to Vancouver to play Holy Cross of Surrey, the Western Conference top seed, at B.C. Place Stadium.
Earlier in the day, the Kelly Road Roadrunners lost their double-A varsity playoff 59-6 to the G.W. Graham Grizzlies of Chilliwack.
Scott
CHARLES Citizen news service
NEW YORK — Two of the New York Rangers’ younger players helped veteran goalie Henrik Lundqvist get a big milestone win.
Filip Chytil and Brett Howden scored to back Lundqvist’s 437th career win as the Rangers beat the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 Monday night. Lundqvist tied Jacques Plante for seventh place on the NHL’s all-time list.
“The guy knows how to win hockey games,” alternate captain Marc Staal said of the 36-year-old Lundqvist. “You have to be an elite competitor and elite goaltender to have that many wins, it’s that simple. He is brought that his entire time here.”
The Rangers improved to 6-0-1 in their last seven, getting their longest points streak since an 11-0-2 run Oct. 18 to Nov. 15, 2015. Rangers beat Canucks
Fleming douses sizzling Spruce Kings
Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca
Braedon Fleming brought his Scrooge-like tendencies back to the hockey rink Saturday.
After getting the hook in Friday’s 8-1 blowout loss to the Prince George Spruce Kings, the 19-year-old Langley Rivermen goalie was not in a giving mood and returned to the form that earned him his reputation as one of the top goalies in the B.C. Hockey League.
He blocked 37 Spruce Kings shots in the rematch at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena to preserve a 2-1 victory.
Jake Livingstone, on a first-period Rivermen power play, and Trevor Ayre, in the second period, scored for Langley. Nick Bochen was the lone Spruce Kings marksman. The win snapped a three-game winning streak for the Spruce Kings (15-7-0-1), who remained second in the Mainland Division, tied in points with the third place Coquitlam Express. The Spruce Kings and Express are 10 points ahead for the fourth-place Rivermen (10-11-1-0).
“We came out and played a full three periods and we got the ‘W’ and that’s what counts,” said Fleming.
“We got a couple bounces at the beginning of the game and that carried on into our play and went from there, it was just an all-around better game. We just wanted to regroup and come out a different team and that’s what we did. It’s always a tough battle with them, it’s a tough barn to play in and when they come down us sometimes they get the win but to goes back and forth and it’s a good rivalry.”
The Kings, who won twice in Langley this season by one-goal margins, now lead the season series 3-1.
The Prince George line of Patrick Cozi, Dustin Manz and Ben Brar, which accounted for five goals and six assists Friday, was held without a point. But it wasn’t for a lack of trying. At least twice Manz was denied on point-blank shots by the glove of Fleming on back-door plays while standing close to the net.
“We had a lot of chances we just needed to bear down around the net and I think that game was ours,” said Kings defenceman Layton Ahac. “They were a physical team and I think we needed to match their physicality better.
“Fleming is a good goalie but the second and third chances we got need to go in the
net. Obviously we wanted that one and we want to be in first (place). I think we’ve had a good start to the year, we just have to keep going and take tonight as a learning experience.
The Kings scored four goals in the second and third periods Friday on the way to their most lopsided victory of the season. The Rivermen wiped the slate clean and came out determined to frustrate the Spruce Kings by setting the tone with their physical play. When they did falter against their speedy opponents Fleming was there to bail them out.
Livingstone scored his second goal of the weekend, sneaking in a shot from the point that caught a piece of the post before it went in, 4:08 into the game, near the end of a holding penalty to Kings defenceman Jay
Keranen. Ayre doubled the lead 6:01 into the second period on a wraparound that ticked in off the pad of Kings’ goalie Bradley Cooper.
The third period was the strongest for the Spruce Kings. They outshot the Rivermen 13-5 and had a several close calls but the only one that beat Fleming came with 55.9 seconds left and Cooper on the bench.
Bochen let the puck fly from the right point and it deflected in off a Langley player in front in the net.
The Kings had the puck in the Langley end the rest of game but couldn’t score the equalizer.
“Any time you beat a team 8-1 that team is going to be a bit angry and they came out tonight a little desperate and they won more battles and more races to loose
pucks,” said Kings general manager Mike Hawes. “They did a lot of little things well and their goaltender was probably the difference as well. I didn’t think we played poorly, Langley just stepped their game up and let’s give them some credit. Their coaches did a great job and they made some adjustments that really affected the play tonight. They have an elite goaltender, one of the best in the league and he showed it. He struggled (Friday night) and credit to him he came out and made some key saves for them tonight.”
The Spruce Kings leave Wednesday for Powell River, where they will meet the other Kings of the BCHL Friday in a threegame, three-day tour of the Island Division which also stops in Alberni Valley and Nanaimo.
Calgary Olympic bid leader expects close vote
Donna SPENCER Citizen news service
CALGARY — Scott Hutcheson carries a volunteer medal from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary with him these days.
His parents Bob and Jane relocated from Ontario for a month to donate their time at the Nakiska alpine ski venue during those games.
Bob recently sent the medal to his son, who hopes Calgarians feel its value as much as he does when they vote today in a plebiscite on whether or not they want the city to bid on the 2026 Winter
Games.
“That’s what it’s about,” Hutcheson said Monday.
“Giving your spirit, giving your all to a community. That’s what he did.”
The board chair of the bid corporation Calgary 2026 feels the plebiscite will be a close race between those who want to host another Winter Games eight years from now, and those who don’t.
“I think it’s a jump ball,” Hutcheson said. “Depends who votes, depends who gets out.”
The result may be non-binding on a Calgary city council that has the final say on a bid, but it will
heavily influence its decision.
“Vote, regardless of where you stand,” Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi said. “Let’s make sure there’s a really high voter turnout so there’s an unambiguous decision on this.
“I hope people vote ‘yes’. I think there are many, many great reasons to keep this process going and to not let this opportunity pass us by.”
The cauldron atop the Calgary Tower began igniting last week at 8:26 p.m. for 20 minutes 26 seconds. The tower is a symbol of the ‘88 Olympics, as the relay torch was a replica of it.
The tower is an asset in
Hutcheson’s commercial real estate company, but the former national alpine team skier says he’s not using it to ignite ‘88 nostalgia in Calgarians to favour another bid.
The pro-bid Calgary Hotel Association is sponsoring the lighting of the tower in the run-up to the plebiscite, as well as cauldrons at WinSport and the Olympic Oval, he said.
Calgary 2026’s mandate is to “promote a responsible bid.”
It became easier to do that, Hutcheson said, after the proposed cost-sharing agreement between the three orders of government became public less than
two weeks ago.
“The bid is understood. That momentum is exciting, but it’s late,” he acknowledged. “If it were done three months ago, it would have left way more time to talk about what this means from an investment standpoint.”
In an estimated $5.1 billion total price tag, the federal government has committed $1.45 billion and the province $700 million. The city’s share would be $390 million. Hutcheson wants Calgarians to see it as a small investment for a big return.
“I never expected this small an investment to work from our city at $390 million,” Hutcheson said.
Prince George Spruce Kings foward Nicholas Poisson makes a play with the puck before being checked by Langley Rivermen defender Colten Kovich on Saturday night at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena in the second game of a weekend doubleheader between the two teams.
Celebrities offer thanks, condolences in death of Stan Lee
Citizen news service
Celebrities offer their thanks, remembrances and condolences in the death of Marvel legend Stan Lee, who died Monday at age 95.
“Thank you, Stan, for making me not only the boy I was but also the man I am today. You had great power and you always used it responsibly, fostering billions of dreamers who all know your name – a name written in the stars for all time. You were not just the literary titan of comic books, you were our modern day Mark Twain. I will miss you all my days, my friend and hero. Excelsior forevermore.”
– Filmmaker, comic book devotee and Stan Lee friend Kevin Smith, via Instagram.
“Original and genius are two very overused words in the world today, but Stan was both. Add irrepressible and irreplaceable, and you begin to describe the man. We have all lost a true superhero. We will greatly miss our friendly neighbourhood Stan Lee.” – Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group chairman Tom Rothman, in a statement.
“I owe it all to you... Rest In Peace Stan... #MCU #Excelsior #legend #rip #stanlee #TeamStark”– Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr., via Instagram.
“We’ve lost a creative genius. Stan Lee was a pioneering force in the superhero universe. I’m proud to have been a small part of his legacy and... to have helped bring one of his characters to life. #StanLee #Wolverine” – Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman, via Twitter.
“There will never be another Stan Lee. For decades he provided both young and old with adventure, escape, comfort, confidence, inspiration, strength, friendship and joy. He exuded love and kindness and will leave an indelible
mark on so, so, so many lives. Excelsior!!” – Captain America actor Chris Evans, via Twitter.
“RIP Stan. Thanks for everything.” – Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, via Twitter.
“Stan Lee’s imagination helped spawn a universe of characters that inspired both kids and adults around the world for generations. He has become the driver of an incredible lasting legacy for our modern pop culture mythology.” – Marvel cinematic universe directors and brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, in a statement.
“Onward and upward to greater glory! Excelsior! Good man,
Excelsior!”– Black Panther actress Angela Bassett, via Twitter.
“Thank you Stan Lee for making people who feel different realize they are special.” – Seth Rogan, via Twitter.
“I was first interviewed for Stan Lee’s obituary about 20 years ago. I was happy he defied the reaper and carried on. With Stan gone, an era really does come to an end. He was the happy huckster that comics needed. And he really did alliterate like that when you talked to him.” – Neil Gaiman, via Twitter.
“No one has had more of an impact on my career and everything
we do at Marvel Studios than Stan Lee. Stan leaves an extraordinary legacy that will outlive us all. Our thoughts are with his daughter, his family, and his millions of fans.” –Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, via Twitter.
“Thank you Stan Lee. For your service in protecting our freedom and for your creativity and imagination! You were and will always be a SUPER HERO!” – Jamie Lee Curtis, via Twitter.
“To Stan Lee: Thank you for making my childhood so much more exciting with your astonishing superhero characters. Thank you for inspiring me to think and
Deadpool 2
Michael CAVNA Citizen news service
And here Aquaman thought he would have the live-action superhero screen all to himself this Christmas.
On Friday, Ryan Reynolds tweeted out a poster for Fox’s
dream big. Thank you for the Hulk, Thor, Fantastic Four and many others. You will be sadly missed. RIP.” – Gene Simmons, via Twitter.
“I was a happy little boy lost in the sanctuary of my SpiderMan comic books, collecting ’em, savoring each one, the piles of comics stacked high next to my bed. Thank you Stan Lee, what a creative whirlwind, wow. Rest In Peace in the divine. What an honour it was to help bring one of your characters to life with my scratchy little voice.” – Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who voiced Roller Man in Stan Lee’s Mighty 7, via Instagram.
“You gave us characters that continue to stand the test of time and evolve with our consciousness. You taught us that there are no limits to our future as long as we have access to our imagination. Rest in power! #EXCELSIOR #StanLee #rip.” – Black Panther actor Winston Duke, via Twitter.
“His contribution to Pop Culture was revolutionary & cannot be overstated. He was everything you hoped he would be & MORE. I loved this man & will never stop missing him. They say you should never meet a childhood idol. They are wrong. #RIPStanTheMan.” –Marvel animated universe alum and Star Wars star Mark Hamill, via Twitter.
“He lives forever through his work. What a giant. With great power comes immortality.” – LinManuel Miranda, via Twitter.
“Born before Edwin Hubble discovered the expanding universe, he ultimately created an expanding universe of his own – one of scientifically literate superheroes such as Spider-Man , The Hulk, Iron Man, & Black Panther. Stan Lee RIP: 1922 - 2018” – Neil deGrasse Tyson, via Twitter.
re-released as PG-13
Once Upon a Deadpool – a release that represents both a noble act of charity and a brilliant bit of boxoffice marketing.
Once Upon a Deadpool is a recut version of the R-rated summer sequel that tones down the language and violence to secure a PG-13 rating.
Or as Reynolds tweets of the
new version: “The only F word in this movie is Fred Aaron Savage.” And on Instagram, he calls it “a fairy tale that gives zero F’s.” In the poster, Reynolds is pictured clinging to Savage while mounted on a reindeer.
The Deadpool franchise, so laced with 1980s references, stays true to such riffing here.
Savage played the grandson being read the storybook tale in 1987 The Princess Bride; in Once Upon a Deadpool’s new scenes, Reynolds will reportedly read his Deadpool adventure to the adult Savage in the same childhood bed.
Deadpool 2 grossed $734 million worldwide this summer – nearly as much as the first film made in 2016. As Deadline reported this week, Fox had long sought a PG-13 version of a Deadpool film.
“Fox has been asking for a PG-13 basically since the start in 2006,” Reynolds told Deadline on Monday. “I’ve said ‘no’ since 2006. Now, this one time, I said ‘yes’ on two conditions. First, a portion of the proceeds had to go to charity. Second, I wanted to kidnap Fred Savage. The second condition took some explaining.” Reynolds said that $1 of each ticket sold will go to a campaign that will be called Fudge Cancer.
Once Upon a Deadpool will open on Dec. 12 and run through Christmas Eve.
That means it will go head to head with Sony/Columbia’s animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (opening Dec. 14) and WB/DC’s Aquaman (opening Dec. 21).
Because what are the holidays without a convergence of red and green Spandex?
This Is Us season to answer war mysteries
Lynn ELBER Citizen news service
LOS ANGELES – This Is Us series creator Dan Fogelman says the NBC drama’s Vietnam story line won’t remain a prolonged mystery. Fogelman says that viewers will know by season’s end how Jack’s younger brother, Nicky, died in the Vietnam War.
The identity of a mystery woman shown with Jack in a wartime photo also will become known this season, he says.
Milo Ventimiglia, who plays Jack, says there will be pain along the way.
The actor says this week’s episode brought him to tears for his character, something he says has never happened before.
This Is Us airs Tuesday night on NBC.
CITIZEN NEWS SERVICE FILE PHOTO
In this August 2017 file photo comic book writer Stan Lee waves to the audience after being introduced onstage at the Extraordinary: Stan Lee tribute event at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, Calif. Lee died Monday in hospital.
Heart meeting features fish oil, vitamin D, cholesterol news
Marilynn MARCHIONE Citizen news service
CHICAGO — Fish oil, vitamin D, novel drugs, new cholesterol guidelines: News from an American Heart Association conference over the weekend reveals a lot about what works and what does not for preventing heart attacks and other problems.
Dietary supplements missed the mark, but a prescription-strength fish oil showed promise. A drug not only helped people with diabetes control blood sugar and lose weight, but also lowered their risk of needing hospitalization for heart failure.
Guidelines are from the Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology and are endorsed by many other doctor groups. No authors had financial ties to drugmakers.
Here are highlights from the conference, which wraps up Monday:
Cholesterol
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. High cholesterol leads to hardened arteries that can cause a heart attack or stroke. When guidelines were last revised
five years ago, they moved away from just using cholesterol numbers to determine who needs treatment and toward a formula that takes into account age, high blood pressure and other factors to more broadly estimate risk.
That was confusing, so the new guidelines blend both approaches, setting targets based on the formula and considering individual circumstances, such as other medical conditions or a family history of early heart disease.
If treatment is needed, the first choice remains a statin such as Lipitor or Crestor, which are sold as generics for a dime a day. For people at high risk, such as those who have already had a heart attack, the guidelines suggest adding Zetia, which is also sold as an inexpensive generic, if the statin didn’t lower cholesterol enough.
Only if those two medicines don’t help enough should powerful but pricey newer drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors be considered.
Finally, if it’s unclear whether someone needs treatment, the guidelines suggest a coronary artery calcium test, which looks for hardening of the arteries, to help decide. It’s
a type of X-ray with a radiation dose similar to a mammogram and costs $100 to $300, which most insurers do not cover.
The Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Steven Nissen, who had no role in the guidelines, called them a big improvement but disagreed with “using a test that involves radiation to decide whether to give a drug that costs $3 a month,” referring to the price of statins. A cheap test to check for artery inflammation would be better, he said.
Fish oil, Vitamin D
Two major studies gave mixed results on fish oil , or omega-3 fatty acids. There are different types, including EPA and DHA.
In a study of 26,000 healthy people, one gram a day of an EPA/ DHA combo, a dose and type found in many dietary supplements, showed no clear ability to lower the risk of heart problems or cancer.
But another study testing four grams a day of Amarin Corp.’s Vascepa, which is concentrated EPA, found it slashed heart problems in people at higher risk for them because of high triglycerides, a type of
fat in the blood, and other reasons. All were already taking a statin, and there’s concern about the results because Vascepa was compared to mineral oil, which can interfere with statins, and may have made the comparison group fare worse. Still, some doctors said Vascepa’s benefits seemed large enough to outweigh that worry.
The study that tested the lower amount of fish oil in the general population also tested vitamin D, one of the most popular supplements, and found it did not lower the risk of cancer or heart problems.
“I think we need to accept that that’s a good test” and that the vitamin is not worthwhile, said Dr. Jane Armitage of England’s Oxford University. “We do not see any benefit.”
Diabetes
People with diabetes often die of heart disease or heart failure, and new diabetes medicines are required to be tested in large studies to show they don’t raise heart risks. One such medicine, Jardiance, surprised doctors a few years ago by lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes. A second medicine, Invokana, later
showed similar benefits but with some worrisome side effects.
A new study tested a third drug, Farxiga, in more than 17,000 diabetics with other heart risk factors and found a lower rate of hospitalization for heart failure or death from heartrelated causes – five per cent among those on the drug versus six per cent in a placebo group after four years of use. That’s on top of the drug’s known benefits for controlling diabetes. Certain infections and a serious buildup of acids in the blood were more common with Farxiga but these were rare and are known complications of the drug. It costs about $15 a day, about the same as similar medicines. Farxiga’s maker, AstraZeneca, sponsored the study and many study leaders consult for the company.
One independent expert, Dr. Eric Peterson, a Duke University cardiologist and one of the conference leaders, said doctors have been eager to know if the earlier studies suggesting these drugs might help hearts were a fluke. Results from the new study, the largest so far, “could make this class of drugs much more standardly used” for diabetics with high heart risks or heart failure, he said.
