Prince George Free Press, April 04, 2014

www.pgfreepress.com | newsline: 250.564.0005

FOOD: Can we feed the need in Prince George?P

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FRIDAYAPRIL4

Coleman comingto talk LNG in P.G.

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Rich Coleman, Minister of Natural Gas Development, will be in Prince George next week to talk about liquefied natural gas.

He will give a pre-sentation, entitled Building a Strong Liquefied Natural Gas Industry in British Columbia, as the keynote talk at a Prince George Chamber of Com-merce Speaker Series luncheon.

The purpose of the event is to inform Chamber members and the local busi-ness community on the B.C. govern-ment’s plan to build a strong liquefied natural gas industry in British Colum-bia. Coleman will provide an update on the status of the various proposed projects, his recent outreach efforts, and the opportunities for local businesses to get involved.

The luncheon will be held at the Twisted Cork on Friday, April 11. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are available at the Chamber office and on its website www.pgchamber.bc.ca

Phone 250-563-6444Toll Free 1-800-219-6327910 Third Avenue,

Prince George, BC

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Th e board of governors of the College of New Caledonia are looking at a way to reduce their projected budget defi cit for the 2014-15 school year by 20 per cent – without dropping programs.

A proposal was brought forward at the March 28 board meeting to close the CNC Day Care. Executive director of external rela-tions Randall Heidt made one thing clear in his report to the board.

“Th ere are no plans to close the ECE (Early Childhood Education) program at CNC. If the daycare is closed at the April 25 meeting, we believe impact to the ECE students will be minimal.”

He says the day care was originally estab-lished to support CNC students with children, making it easier and more aff ordable for them to attend classes.

“Th ere are currently 15 children in the daycare: seven belong to CNC students, three belong to employees, and fi ve are from the community.”

With the space not being utilized for what it was designed for, and budget demands con-tinuing to rise, the proposal is one the board will look at when it approves its fi nal budget on April 25.

Heidt says the budget problems just keep coming.

“I think it’s important that people under-stand that CNC has had to cut $9.67 million from its budget since 2008,” he reported to the board, “which has become so diffi cult that many of the current choices may be undesir-able but are necessary to submit a balanced budget to the government.”

Th e projected defi cit in the 2014-15 budget is $1.2 million, and closing the day care is projected to save $240,000 overall.

“We have already prepared plans for using that space,” Heidt says. “We’re running out

of space in other areas of the campus. so we would move some classrooms and faculty of-fi ces to that space.

“Th at would allow us to keep things in more central locations, which allows us to save money on power and heating, because we don’t have as many buildings which need to be kept operating all the time.”

Heidt says CNC currently off ers two other ECE programs, neither of which are a close match to the one in Prince George.

“We have an Aboriginal ECE program which is off ered online. Th at one has students from across B.C. and even outside the prov-ince. We also have a daycare at the regional campus in Burns Lake, but it is run on a cost-recovery basis, and also gets additional fund-ing for its links to the FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) programs we run there.”

Th e Prince George campus day care is sub-sidized by about $50,000 a year, he says, and each student at the school is assessed a $2.50 day care fee as part of their fees.

Allan [email protected]

CNC tackles defi cit

Beth Pawluk in traditional Ukrainian dress with her handpainted Ukrainian Easter eggs (Pysanka) at her home recently. Every year the artisan creates new patterns and colours on her decorated eggs and then sells them at crafts fairs or the Easter Bazaar at St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. This year the bazaar is on Saturday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and includes sales of perogies, cabbage rolls, Easter bread and sausage as well as a raffle draw.Teresa MALLAM/

Free Press

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2 Friday, April 4, 2014 www.pgfreepress.comPrince George - NEWS - Free Press

Join us for our “New Logo” Launch at Center Court Pine Centre Mall - April 4th from 12 pm - 1 pm

Celebrate with us - National Volunteer Week - April 6-12, 2014

Thank You to ALL of our Volunteers!

Volunteer Prince George Member Agencies

“Why I Volunteer” by Nicole LodgeMy name is Nicole Lodge. I am from Fort St. James B.C. Over the last three years I have resided in Prince George while attending university. Volunteering has always been an important aspect in my life. Prince George offers a vast number of programs and organizations to volunteer with! I got started by talking to a representative at the Volunteer Prince George table advertising for volunteers. I found it difficult to just choose a couple places to volunteer at. I wanted to choose them all! I finally chose two programs that I could help out with while working towards achieving my Bachelors of Social Work degree.

The first one was the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization where I volunteer with a youth girl on a weekly basis. We play games and talk about the issues she is facing as well as bake. She loves to bake! Secondly, I chose the CNIB where I volunteer as a vision mate. In this position I assist a young woman with vision loss to be more independent. These positions both call for empathy and respect. They allow me to work within this community to help others out to the best of my abilities. Over the course of my placements each relationship has grown immensely. I have many great volunteer memories. I love to see the youth women smiling and enjoying the time with me as much as I do with them. One moment where I could not help but smile was when the young BBBS girl told me that the only reason she comes to school is to see me. She always has letters and drawings for me stating how important I am to her. I cannot explain in words the amount of joy and happiness I get from each of these relationships. I want to share with others that are considering a volunteer position… there is no better feeling then knowing because of your work you are helping change or improve the life of another! Volunteering has hands down changed my life!

For more 2014 “Why I Volunteer!” stories, check out our website - www.volunteerpg.com

2015 Canada Winter Games Aboriginal Business & Community Development Adoptive Families of BC AiMHi – PG Community Living Airport Ambassadors Alzheimer Society of BC Arthritis Society, The Autism Society BC North Auxiliary to University Hospital of NBC AWAC – Advocating for Women & Children BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North BC Northern Exhibition BC SPCA – BC North Cariboo Branch Beaverly West Leisure Society Big Brothers Big Sisters Blackburn Community Association Canadian Blood Services Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Canadian Cancer Society Canadian Diabetes Association Canadian Home Builders NBC Canadian Mental Health Association Canadian Red Cross Can-Do Committee Carefree Society Carney Hill Neighbourhood Centre Hadih House CFIS 93.1 Community Radio Child Development Centre Children First CNIB College Heights Community Association Community Arts Council Community Policing

CPSABC/Sportability Crescents Community Association Crisis Centre for NBC Elder Citizen’s Recreation Association Enhance PG Exploration Place; Fraser-Fort George Museum Fraser Basin Council Friends of the Library Future Cents Girl Guides of Canada Handy Circle Resource Society Hart Community Assn Hart Pioneer Centre Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC Heritage Commission Huble Homestead Giscome Portage Heritage Society Immigrant & Multicultural Services Iris House Jubilee Lodge Junior Achievement BC Kidney Foundation Le Cercle des Canadiens Francais Learning Difficulties Centre of BC Literacy Now MADD Canada MS Society PG Chapter Multicultural Heritage Society NBC Centre for Skating NBC HEROS Nechako Community Theatrics Society Ness Lake Bible Camp Northern BC Children & Families Hearing Society

Northern BC Friends of Children Northern Bear Awareness Northern HIV & Health Education Society Northern John Howard Society Ovarian Cancer Canada Parent Support Services PARTY - PG Safe Attitudes & Action Society Patient Voices Network PG Brain Injured Group PG Chamber of Commerce PG Community Foundation PG Cougars Hockey Club PG Council of Seniors - Seniors Resource Centre PG Crimestoppers PG Crisis Pregnancy Centre PG Downtown Business Improvement Assn PG Freemason Cancer Car PG Hospice Society PG Lupus Chapter PG Metis Elders Society PG Metis Housing SocietyPG Native Friendship Centre PG New Hope Society PG Parkinson’s Support Group PG Power Mobility Society PG Public Library PG Search & Rescue PG Stroke Recovery Branch PG SymphonyPG Therapeutic Riding Assoc PG Youth Custody Centre - Chaplaincy/Volunteer Department PG Youth Soccer

Phoenix Transition House Positive Living North Project Friendship Society R.E.A.P.S. Railway & Forestry Museum Rated PG Rollerderby Society RCMP Victim Services Rotary Clubs of PG Salvation Army Community Ministries Self-Management BC Senior Activity Centre, PG & Dist Shepherd’s Corner South Fort George Community Assn Southbowl Community Association Special Olympics Prince George Spruce Capital Seniors Spruce City Minor Boys Softball St John Ambulance St Patrick’s House St Vincent de Paul Surpassing Our Survival (SOS) Theatre North West TOPS – Take Off Pounds Sensibly Tourism PG Two Rivers Gallery UNBC Alumni Association University Hospital NBC Spiritual Health Dept Vantage Vision & Reading Vanway Community Assn Variety-The Children’s Charity Welcome Wagon West Bowl Community Association World Vision

Friday, April 4, 2014 3www.pgfreepress.com

Not all homeless people go hungry and not all hungry people are homeless.

Some local groups such as Community Partners Addressing Homelessness (CPAH) and student events like Homelessless Action Week at UNBC show that people without means – or meals – in Prince George are not

forgotten. Breakfast

for Learning launched a social media campaign in March to focus on child hunger and numbers that suggest one in six Canadian children face hunger.

Locally, they support school nutrition pro-grams in two Prince George schools.

Individuals in our commu-nity also make it their life’s work to bring their own knowledge about food and nutrition “to the table.”

Th at is how artist, activist, environmentalist and farmer Jovanka Djordjevich spends much of her time.

Rich or poor, when it comes to putting food on the table or serving lunch at a shelter, our healthy choices are important, she says.

It is about quality, not quantity.Th is is especially true for consumers on

low or fi xed budgets, she says. As an advo-cate for healthy eating and volunteer with Prince George’s Good Food Box, a program that provides fresh produce from local farm-ers, Djordjevich says education is key.

Th at’s why she’s involved in community events which have food knowledge com-ponents: Community Garden planting and harvests, local Chef ’s Challenge (using local meats and fresh produce), Wine Festival and

Farmers’ Market.Healthy eating is

a universal issue, not just a local one, she says.

“It is the people who can aff ord good food and who make the de-cisions that direct the world and they are being poor role models and ‘cheaping out’ on food, that is lead-ing to the collapse of our whole food system.”

Djordjevich said that she asked some northern medical students a few years ago during a talk about local food op-portunities, “are farmers partners in health?” She was astonished, she said, that the majority of them “had no idea that our food system is the foundation of a healthy body, or that our poor food system is a determinant of poor health.”

None of them thought of farmers as partners in health, she said. Th at is just one of the problems.

“A doctor should send a sick person to their local farmer, not the drug store. Our food system is crumbling because farmers’ kids see the poor wages that farmers make – probably a tenth of that of a doctor. Yet we can’t exist for long without food.”

Some high-profi le events miss the mark when it comes to eating healthy, she said.

“Fundraising for health care oft en in-cludes drive-thru breakfasts and hot dogs and movie days on spring aft ernoons when people should be out getting their Vitamin D from the sun instead of a bottle, this role modeling says it is OK to do this. When health regulations say that the wiener is a low-risk item to serve but whoa, hold the salad or the fresh baked muffi n because these are riskier foods, these encourage and

facilitate poor eating habits. When food safety regulations make the potluck a high-risk activity but buying something baked in the east with tons of chemicals and preser-vatives, transported for days and sold at a high cost in the big box store are the permis-sible option, our food system is crumbling because of regulation rather than education.”

Th ere are so many reasons why there is less good food in our daily lives, Djordjevich says.

“Places that feed the homeless are no longer allowed to encourage people drop-ping off their homemade pies (made with love) due to health regulations but at the same time people are picking out of garbage cans to sustain themselves. Our food system has become wrapped in red tape and hyper-liability scares.”

Advertising can be another culprit when it comes to “feeding” us misinformation about healthy food, she says.

“Take a look at what gets advertised. It isn’t the simple carrot or apple, it is highly processed, over-packaged foods that we don’t need in our diets, along with all the supplements. Th ere just isn’t enough money in selling potatoes, even though wholesalers, retailers and shippers make a whole lot more than the farmer does on that potato.”

Bottom line, Djordjevich says, is that we can learn a lot on our own about what con-stitutes good food but we need leadership and role modelling from the health sector and government.

“We all need good healthy food and I think the majority [of people] do not know what that is and more importantly, the decision makers do not know what that is. I don’t think it is a wealth question, it is a lack of education and experience by the policy makers and probably a very strong lobby from the big corporations who make money on this so-called food.”

BILL PHILLIPS | 250.564.0005 | [email protected] | www.pgfreepress.com

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ALR: Are we saving farmland or destroying it?P

7

The face of poverty is changing and the number of mouths to feed is growing. The Free Press will be examining this topic in the coming weeks from the perspective of the users, provid-ers and observers. Is our present system of providing food for our most vulnerable population in Prince George working? If not, what can we do to improve it?

Can we feed the need?Teresa [email protected]

Teresa MALLAM/Free PressUNBC students Michael Packham, Courtenay Hudebine, Chris Moreau and Trevor Pachurko are part of a group who spent three nights sleeping outside recently to raise awareness about homelessness and hunger in the community.


an intermittent basis, placed on probation until the expiration of the jail sentence, fi ned $500, assessed a victim surcharge of $75 and prohibited from driving for three years.

Damion K. Sharp was found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance and sen-tenced to one day in jail. Sharp was also found guilty of a second count of failing to comply with a condition of an under-taking or recognizance and assessed a victim surcharge of $50.

Saie J. Yellowbird was found guilty of two counts of failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to fi ve

days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Yellowbird was also found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an under-taking or recognizance and a third count of failing to comply with a probation order, sen-tenced to 10 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100.

Christopher R. Blaney was found guilty of in-timidation of the justice system, sentenced to 360 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $50. Blaney was also found guilty of a second count of intimidation of the justice system, sen-tenced to 650 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $50. Blaney was also found guilty of resisting a peace offi cer, sentenced to 30 days in jail and assessed a vic-tim surcharge of $100.

Michael B. Meck was found guilty of assault, sentenced to 30 days in jail, placed on probation for one year, assessed a victim surcharge of $100 and prohibited from possessing fi rearms for fi ve years. Meck was also found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance, sen-tenced to 15 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Meck was also found guilty of possession of a con-trolled substance and failing to comply with a condition of an under-taking, sentenced to one day in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100.

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WANTEDCrime Stoppers is asking the public’s assistance in locating the following person who is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant. As of 0900hrs this 2nd day of April 2014, Quentin Mackenzie NOOSKI (B: 1982-06-22) is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant for BREACH OF UNDERTAKING. NOOSKI is described as a First Nations male, 173 cm or 5’8” tall and weighs 125 kg or 275 lbs. NOOSKI has black hair and brown eyes. NOOSKI should be considered violent

WANTED

WANTEDCrime Stoppers is asking the public’s assistance in locating the following person who is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant. As of 0900hrs this 2nd day of April 2014, Alisha Chelsi BURGER (B: 1994-08-25) is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant for THEFT UNDER $5000 and BREACH OF UNDERTAKING. BURGER is described as a First Nations female, 183 cm or 6’0” tall and weighs 70 kg or 155 lbs. BURGER has brown hair and brown eyes.

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Crime Stoppers is asking the public’s assistance in locating the following person who is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant. As of 0900hrs this 2nd day of April 2014, Perry Andrew CHARLIE (B: 1992-08-28) is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant for POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. CHARLIE is described as a First Nations male, 173 cm or 5’8” tall and weighs 80kg or 177 lbs. CHARLIE has black hair and brown eyes. CHARLIE should be considered violent.

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presents…

Courts kept busy

Teresa MALLAM/Free PressAustin Laurie, 9, explains his technique to the audience Sunday during the official opening of a student art exhibit att the Prince George Public Library. Besides having their work on display, Wendy Framst’s art students were asked to give an artist’s talk about their work. The exhibit will be up for another week.

Austin’s ArtIn Provincial Court on Jan. 9:George L. Olsen was found guilty of uttering

threats, placed on probation for 18 months, fi ned $10, assessed a victim surcharge of $3 and prohib-ited from possessing fi rearms for three years. Olsen was also found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking, sentenced to one day in jail, fi ned $10 and assessed a victim surcharge of $3.

Wendy T. Angus was found guilty of theft of property with a value less than $5,000, sentenced to seven days in jail and placed on probation for 12 months. Angus was also found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking, sen-tenced to six days in jail, placed on probation for 12 months and assessed a victim surcharge of $100.

In Provincial Court on Jan. 10:Francisco R. Gonzales Castro was found guilty of

possession of a controlled substance for the pur-pose of traffi cking, sentenced to 60 days in jail to be served on an intermittent basis and placed on probation until the expiration of the jail sentence.

Brian M. Visona was found guilty of driving while prohibited, sentenced to 14 days in jail to be served on an intermittent basis, placed on probation until the expiration of the jail sentence and prohibited from driving for three years. Visona was also found guilty of a second count of driving while prohib-ited, sentenced to 14 days in jail to be served on

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UNBC board approves budget

UNBC has a balanced budget, but it comes with a cost.

“It does involve the elimination of 10 positions, most of which are already vacant,” said interim president Mark Dale on Tuesday aft er the board

of governors approved a $68 million budget for the institution.

Th e budget is about $400,000 less than last year, largely due to reduced government grants and static enrolment. For example, UNBC’s provincial government grant for 2013/14 was reduced by about $126,000; it is estimated that for 2014/15, the reduction will be $473,000.

“We have tried to be more effi cient in what

It’s offi cial, off -street parking rates won’t be quite as high as originally planned.

Aft er getting some serious fl ak from the public about substan-tial increases to off street parking rates approved last year. Coun-cillors Lyn Hall, Frank Everitt, and Murry Krause brought the issue back to the table last month

and council, in a split-vote aft er a heated debate, approved increases of 25 per cent this year and 10 per cent in each of the next two years.

On Monday, fourth and fi nal reading, was given to the bylaw setting the new rates, despite a plea from the Downtown Busi-ness Improvement Association

to hold off .“If the proposed parking

rates ‘roll-back’ bylaw is voted through, the city will fi nd itself in a funding shortfall,” wrote DBIA executive director Carla Johnston.

“At this point, we can only as-sume that these shortfalls will be passed on to downtown property owners through the (downtown parking) levy.”

She said, in the DBIA’s opinion, the actual cost of run-ning parking facilities was not discussed to the extent that it should have been.

POTHOLE PLANSIt’s spring and, in Prince

George, that means potholes.Th e city has budgeted just over

$1 million for pothole repairs this year and with the freeze/thaw cycle this year, crews are bracing for holes to arrive.

“Th is year the city expects to see signifi cant potholes develop on Chief Lake Road, Lansdowne Road, North Nechako Road, Malaspina, Simon Fraser, Old Cariboo Highway, and Giscome Road,” wrote director of op-erations Bill Gaal in a report to council.

Last year was a slow year for pothole repairs, with 15,280 of the nasty critters fi xed.

Th at is down from most of the previous years: 21,987 fi xed in 2012; 21,349 fi xed in 2010; and 26,029 fi xed in 2009. Th e anomaly over the past fi ve years was 2011 when 12,847 potholes were repaired.

Crews have been repairing potholes since mid-January and will continue until late fall.

we’re doing,” Dale said. “It’s not unlike what other universities are facing.”

Th e budget also contains a two per cent tuition hike. Tuition for a full-time undergraduate student will now be $4,912 per year, an increase of about $96 per year.

Enrolment at the university has been “fl at” over the past few years and Dale said more student en-rolment would certainly help the budget.

Stating their case to government for more funding is also part of the strategy.

Th e university is also developing a plan to deal with savings rising from short-term staff vacancies, allowing the allocation of savings to projects that will help student recruitment and retention initiatives, fund capital equipment replacement, or other projects anticipated to either reduce operating costs or increase revenue.

About two-thirds of the operating budget for the university is provided by the province. Slightly more than 27 per cent comes from tuition fees. Wages and benefi ts account for about three-quarters of the univer-sity’s expenditures.

Job losses, tuition hike needed to get into balanceBill [email protected]

Council OKs changes to off-street parking rates

Bill PHILLIPS/Free PressNew Prince George Chamber of Commerce director Dan Ryan was decked out in style for the Masquerade-themed president’s gala Saturday.

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Just as the changes to the Agricultural Land Commission will split the province into two zones, there are two zones of debate over the plan.

“It’s something that should have been done in the ALC originally,” said William Norton, a former vice-chair of the Agri-cultural Land Commission and Prince George rancher.

At the other end of the spectrum: “Upon the day it is passed, I believe that Bill 24 will increase uncertainty in the marketplace and undermine the stabil-ity of the agricultural land base that has been forged over the past 40 years,” writes UNBC professor David Connell in a letter to the editor (See Page 13). “Th e conse-quences of eroding the province’s ability to protect its agricultural land base will be irreversible.”

Under the new plan there will be two ALC administered zones. In Zone 1, (the Island, South Coast and Okanagan) where land is in greater de-mand and there are development and population pressures, ALC decisions will continue to be made on the basis of the original principle of preserving agricultural land. In Zone 2, (the Interior, Koote-nays, and the North) where growing seasons are shorter and there are lower value crops, ALC deci-sions will now, in addition to the original principle, include the consideration of non-farm uses.

“It’s about fi nding improvements, not about fi nding cost savings,” said Forests Minister Steve Th omson last week, announcing the changes for Agriculture Minister Pat Pimm.

He stressed several times the new structure “won’t changes the independence of the commis-sion. Th e focus is about sustaining the farm sector.”

Th e ministry backgrounder states the new regulations will “allow new, limited, value-added farming activities, such as food processing, on farmland.”

Th omson said it is about allowing “home-based” businesses on farms, however when asked what constitutes a home-based business or what kinds of non-farm activities would be allowed, he said those are yet to be determined.

Acceptable uses will be determined through regulation in consultation with the ALC, the agricultural sector and Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

Th e ALC’s existing model of six regions and six regional panels will be formalized, with regional panels making decisions for their specifi c regions. In addition, local governments will be required to engage the ALC earlier in land-use planning pro-cesses, such as Offi cial Community Plans.

Agricultural Land Reserve -Is it being modernized or is it being destroyed?Bill [email protected]

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Council has appointed city manager Beth James as the city’s representative on the 2015 Canada Winter Games Host Society.

LANE IN WINNIPEGFormer fi re chief John Lane, who resigned last

fall, has been hired as the fi re chief in Winnipeg.

SECOND LOOK AT SUITESHot on the heels of taking a second look at the

off -street parking rates, Coun. Frank Everitt has served a notice of motion to review council’s deci-sion last year to require rental properties to have business licences.

“Implementation of the business licence fees has created inconsistencies between the diff erent classes of residential properties,” Everitt said in his notice of motion.

Free Press briefi ng

the beauty of our cemetery, staff is removing faded, seasonal and weather-worn fl owers, and any non-compliant items from the cemetery. Residents wishing additional information can contact Cemetery Administration at250-562-4661.

INVITATION TO BIDRequest for Proposal:

T14-10 Asphaltic Concrete Rehabilitation and Related WorksClosing Date: April 14, 2014

For information concerning City of Prince George bidding opportunities visit BC Bid at www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca

JOB POSTINGS

14/030 – Asphalt Raker (Summer Seasonal)Closing Date: April 4, 2014

14/031 -- Arborist 1 (Full Time)Closing Date: April 4, 2014

14/037 – Event Coordinator (Term, Part-Time)Closing Date: April 9, 2014

For more information on Job Postings please visit www.princegeorge.ca

YOUR CITY MATTERSApril 4, 2014

provisions of Section 26(3) of the Community Charter that the City of Prince George intends to lease 1412 2nd Avenue, Prince George, BC legally described as Part of Lots 10 to 12, Block 19, District Lot 343, Cariboo District Plan 1268 to Lawrence Prasad dba 2nd Thoughts Buy & Sell for a term of 1 year at a rent of $10,200.00 per year, plus applicable taxes, with one option to renew for a second term of 1 year at the then fair market rent.

Ian Wells,Director, Planning and Development

PROCLAMATIONS

- April is proclaimed “Daffodil Month”- April is proclaimed “Autism Awareness

Month”- April 2, 2014 is proclaimed “World Autism

Awareness Day”- April 6 to April 12, 2014 is proclaimed

“National Volunteer Week”

MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY

The staff at Memorial Park Cemetery is currently performing Spring Clean-up duties, in preparation for Easter, Mother’s Day, and the summer season. In order to maintain

CITY COUNCIL MEETINGRegular Council Meeting

Monday, April 14, 2014 – Council Chambers – 6:00 p.m.

COUNCIL, COUNCIL COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, AND BOARDS MEETINGSCommittee of the WholeMonday, April 7, 2014 – 2nd Floor Conference Room – 6:00 p.m.

Advisory Committee on Development DesignWednesday, April 9, 2014 – 2nd Floor Conference Room – 12:00 p.m.

Advisory Committee on Enhancing Prince George (Enhance PG)Thursday, April 13, 2014 – 2nd Floor Conference Room – 12:00 p.m

PUBLIC NOTICEReal Estate ServicesNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to the

1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC V2L 3V9

Tel. (250) 561-7600 • Fax (250) 612-5605www.princegeorge.ca • [email protected]

Norton says the previous legislation governing the ALC was too limiting.

“It gives (the ALC) an array of tools that they can use to make common sense decisions,” Norton said.

Th e changes, however, are being

soundly criticized by the New Democrats. Th e Agricultural Land Commission and Agricultural Land Reserve were both created in the early 1970s when the NDP were fi rst in power under Dave Barrett.

“Breaking apart the Agricultural Land

Reserve is breaking trust with British Co-lumbians, who overwhelmingly support the protection of farmland for today and for the future,” said NDP agriculture critic Nicholas Simons. “Th e ALR was created to protect farmland in all of British Co-lumbia, not just in some regions of British Columbia.

“Th e way to support farmers is with program support like extension offi cers, farm insurance and other farmer friendly policies, not by opening up farmland to industrial activities, residential develop-ment and other non-farm uses.”

He said the changes will give “unac-countable B.C. Liberal appointees” the power to allow industrial and residential development on 90 per cent of ALR land.

NDP leadership candidate Mike Farn-worth said less protection for farmland will leave the province in a “precarious” situation.

“People across the province are em-bracing locally grown food, and B.C. is uniquely positioned to meet that need,” he said. “But instead of capitalizing on the asset we have in protected farmland, the BC Liberals are determined to destroy it.”


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Construction seems to have picked up somewhat in Prince George, according to the value of building permits issued.

In February, 15 building permits were issued with an estimated value of $10.4 million. In February last year, 24 permits were issued with a value of $4.6 million and in February of 2012, 23 permits were issued with a value of $2.1 million.

To the end of February this year, 26 permits were issued in the city with a value of $13.3 million, down from the 44 issued in the fi rst two months of last year that were, however, only

worth $8.3 million.Th e February 2014 building per-

mits include four new single-family dwellings worth $1 million and two new multi-family units worth $739,000.

Signifi cant building permits is-sued include: improvements to the Finning mechanic shop worth $1.5 million; canopy revision and re-clad-ding for Finning International worth $306,000; the University Hospital of Northern B.C. Learning and Devel-opment Centre worth $5.9 million; and the washroom block for the Learning Centre worth $595,800.

Construction permits climbing

Th e last spike on the Grand Trunk Pacifi c Railway was driven 100 years ago just east of Fort Fraser on April 7, 1914.

A plaque near the site notes the importance of the railway in opening up central British Columbia and the fi nan-cial problems that plagued the company, forcing it to amalgamate with Canadian National Railways in 1923.

Stretching 4,800 kilometres from Winnipeg to Prince Rupert, the Grand Trunk Pacifi c was Canada’s second transcontinental railway. Th e Canadian Pacifi c Railway was our fi rst transcontinental railway, completed on Nov. 7, 1885, with the last spike driven at Craigellachie, B.C., near Revelstoke.

Th e weekly Fort George Herald newspaper of Satur-day April 11, 1914 had Mon. Apr. 6 as the date of the last spike on the GTP. Several books give diff erent locations and dates for the event. How-ever, a 1974 letter from R.A. Harlow, a GTP surveyor who was at the last spike ceremo-ny at Fort Fraser, confi rmed April 7, 1914 as the correct date.

Th e event was described on the Herald’s front page.

“About twenty railway of-fi cials from Winnipeg arrived on the scene early in the day by special train, and although no public announcement had been made and no invitations issued there were over 1500 persons present at the his-tory-making ceremony. Th e track-laying gangs had previ-

Photo courtesy of The Exploration PlaceDriving the last spike on the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway on April 7, 1914.

ously arranged to have a mile of grade left open for a speed contest between the gangs of east and west. Both teams started off together but it was soon evident that the men from the east had more order and system in their work and were easy winners with 14 minutes to spare. A large fl ag pole was erected at the centre post where a large crowd gathered, and the offi cial photographer and moving picture man got into position.

“When they came together there was a scene of great enthusiasm and the Union Jack was hoisted to the top of the pole. Th e last spikes, about nine on each rail, were driven by the several offi cials attending. In an interview before the ceremony Vice President Donald-son said that during the past week the GTP had shipped to Prince George alone no less than seven tons of settlers’ eff ects. Th is state-ment will give some idea to the rank and fi le of the rapidity with which settlers are pouring into the country.”

It would be several months before regu-lar train travel was available for passengers

wanting to travel from Fort George to Prince Rupert and points west due to washouts, set-tling of the track and maintenance required on the railway.

With the GTP completed, Harlow noted that “Canada had a coast-to-coast railway through the lowest mountain pass with the lowest gradient and fl attest curves on the North American continent.”

A special two-week train trip is being of-fered April 1- 15 by Rail Travel Tours to mark the 100th anniversary of the last spike on the Grand Trunk Pacifi c, running from Toronto to Prince Rupert and back. Th e Railway and Forestry Museum on River Road will have an exhibit opening in late April on the an-niversary of the arrival of rail in Fort George. Th e museum has a piece of the last rail laid on April 7, 1914 that will be on display (the rail was cut into quarter-inch slices that were polished, engraved and given as souvenirs to GTP offi cials).

Jeff Elder is a member of the Prince George Heritage Commission.

Last spike centennialJeff ElderSpecial to Free Press

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On the morning of April 24, 2012, Canfor president Don Kayne awoke in Vancouver to a world that had changed overnight.

Th e violent explosion the night before at a competitor’s sawmill in Prince George, Lakeland Mills, was the second mill explosion within three months. Something – possibly sawdust from dry, beetle-killed timber – had turned two sawmills into deadly workplaces.

Th e Lakeland Mills explosion killed two and injured 22. It was by appearances nearly identical to an explosion three months earlier at Babine Forest Products at Burns Lake, that had killed two and injured 20. Although there was no proven cause, sawdust was the one element both mills blasts had in common.

As chief executive offi cer of one of the largest forest companies in North America, Kayne was one of the few people in British Columbia who had the power and the ability to do something about the risks to workers and mills posed by sawdust.

So when Hank Ketcham, chairman of rival West Fraser Timber, called later that morn-ing about the explosion and its implications to the province’s forest industry, the two men decided that they needed to act.

Th ey couldn’t wait, their employees couldn’t wait, for an inquiry to determine what had happened, said Kayne.

“Th ere was understandably a lot of concern. Th at was huge, for the fi rst while, to ensure employees felt confi dent that they were safe coming to work,” Kayne said of that fi rst day.

If the two largest companies didn’t take the lead in showing that the industry was safe, who would?

“We have to put something in place to make sure that this never happens again,” Kayne recalled Ketcham saying in that fi rst conversation. “We need to do some-thing immediately, not in a week or two or three, we need something set up right away,”

Kayne and Ketcham called their fellow CEOs, chief executives from major lumber companies like Tolko, Interfor, Dunkley, Western Forest Products and Conifex. Th ey set up a meeting at a nearby hotel.

By the end of the day, the CEOs had decided to put their rivalries aside and to take the unprecedented step of forming what became known as the CEO Task Force. Th eir mandate was to develop a strategy for dealing with dust in sawmills. If the sawdust issue were to be resolved, the new direction needed to be set from the top.

From that fi rst meeting, the task force grew to include 12 of the province’s largest forest companies, representing 55 sawmills and 70 to 75 per cent of B.C.’s total lumber production.

Th e executives knew that they could not manage what they did not understand. Th e task force wanted buy-in from workers as well as managers, which meant bringing in the Steelworkers Union.

Forest companies and the union were oft en at odds over workplace issues. Th is time, however, the union and the CEOs had a common objective: ensuring that sawmills were safe work places.

“Our workers needed assurances that whatever the hell happened there won’t happen again,” said Bob Matters, head of the Steelworkers Wood Council, recalling the days aft er the explosion. Th e Steelworkers have a national reputation for taking a tough stand on safety. Th e union fought a 12-year battle to amend the Criminal Code to include corporate negligence aft er the 1992 Westray coal mine explosion in Nova Scotia that killed 26 workers.

Now corporations were asking the union to join them in fi nding a solution to explosions in B.C.

Matters was asked to join the CEO Task Force. Th e fi rst thing to do was to clean the sawdust out of all the mills and then, with the immediate hazard removed, fi nd out under what conditions sawdust becomes explosive, conduct a risk assessment at each mill and devise more eff ective ways of dealing with dust. Finally the task force wanted to establish a way of auditing dust mitigation measures to make sure the issue doesn’t return.

Th e task force used an already-established industry safety group, called MAG, the Manufacturers Advisory Group, to take on the combustible dust issue. Former Canfor chief forester Ken Higginbotham was brought out of retirement to head it in its new role.

Th e CEOs’ decision to own the issue meant that it was taken seriously at every level, Higginbotham said.

Quite separately, WorkSafeBC was also requiring companies to undertake a risk assessment of all mills and to develop a wood dust control program. Further, the B.C. Safety Authority, responsible for the safe installation and operation of electrical and gas systems in sawmills, issued an order requiring mills to establish processes around dust build-up.

Th e directives from the regulators on sawdust manage-ment were the fi rst indications to industry that wood dust was viewed as a key factor.

Canfor safety manager Ross Lennox explained how Canfor responded to both the MAG and the directive

from the regulators.“We brought together

a team of people from across Canfor, it involved people from across all of our operations.

“We also involved technical experts and engineers who have been trained and qualifi ed working in the insurance industry to participate as part of that process. Over the course of about a week and a half, these

teams went out to all of Canfor’s facilities and undertook that risk assessment.”

Th e same process was underway at the 55 mills owned by MAG’s 12 corporate members. Th ey opened their sawmills to each other so that collectively, safety managers could see what works and what doesn’t when it comes to sawdust control. Th at level of co-operation was unprec-edented in an industry where the diff erence between profi t and loss is measured in how milling technologies are applied. Mills do not share their secrets easily.

Th e CEOs’ involvement changed that and safety people began touring each other’s mills. Th e union and the com-panies also worked closely together. Th e CEOs knew that no two mills are alike, and if the sawdust issue were to be corrected, MAG needed to catalogue best practices and share them with everybody.

Matters also contacted all the sawmill locals.“If anyone had any discomfort at all about sawdust,

they were to stop work and start cleaning up,” he said.Kayne took that same message to employees at the

company’s B.C. mills.At that point, May 2012, dust was still a theory; Matters

was not yet convinced himself. Issues around past prac-tices surfaced almost immediately: It turned out practices like getting out an air hose and blowing out the dust, simply put more fi ne particles into the air.

“Information was beginning to trickle out and we realized cleaning up these mills is a bit of a specialty,” Matters said. “Th is was evolving, almost day-to-day aft er

Lakeland.”Th e CEO Task Force

also needed accurate science on what condi-tions create explosive dust before they could develop mitigation strategies and audit procedures. Cleaning up was a start, but until the issue was understood, there could be no guaran-tee there would not be a repeat.

In Nov. 2012, MAG’s eff orts were recognized by the B.C. Safety Authority. It received the province’s highest safety honour, the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for its work on managing combustible dust. Further, the attitude to sawdust on the mill fl oor has changed as well.

“Before, when I would walk through a mill, (managers) used to talk about quality,” said Kayne. “But now they know when I walk through a mill that I look up. I look at the raf-ters, I look at the beams.

“Th e awareness has changed.”

Sawmills and dustSpecial Report:Canfor commissioned former Vancouver Sun business reporter Gordon Hamilton to report on how the forest industry responded to the tragic

sawmill explosions that occurred in Burns Lake and Prince George in 2012. Hamilton was granted access to two Canfor sawmills and interviewed

company representatives spanning roles from the sawmill floor to the CEO. The articles detail the many measures the industry is taking to control wood

dust, how the process unfolded in the aftermath of the incidents, and the science behind the response. This is the second of a three-part series.

Gordon HamiltonSpecial to the Free Press

Dust that eludes the extraction system at Canfor’s Prince George Sawmill is cleaned up by staff like Thomas Seright, who is using a broom to prevent dust build-up on pipes and level surfaces.

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How can it be April already?I’m pretty sure it was just last week that I was working Op-

eration Red Nose on New Year’s Eve, and now you’re telling me March is over?

OK, I get it. Somebody’s pulling an April Fool’s joke on me by trying to tell me it’s April 4, when I know it’s actually only March 35.

Aft er all, if it isn’t April yet, it can’t be time for April Fool’s Day, right?

Wait a minute, you mean it really is April? Th is isn’t a joke?It has to be a joke, though. I mean, the Toronto Raptors in

the playoff s and the Vancouver Canucks out of them? Th at can’t be right.

Speaking of time (and how’s that for a nice little segue?), there is a unit of time scientists refer to as a “femtosecond”. A femtosecond is a millionth of a bil-lionth of a second. A femtosecond has the same relation to a second as a second does to 32 million years.

So what good is a unit of time that small? Well, several people have come up with practical, every-day occasions where a femtosecond is a useful period of time.

For instance, a femtosecond is the period of time:

• between when the light turns green and the driver behind you leans on their horn;

• between when a parking spot opens up at Pine Centre Mall at Christmas and when that same parking spot is fi lled again; or

• between staring at a crossword puzzle clue in complete bewilderment and seeing it in complete and glorious compre-hension.

Th ere is one unit of time which is even shorter than a femto-second, however, even if science has not yet given it an offi cial name. Th at is the period of time between the house or car door locking and the realization your keys are still on the other side of the door.

I also noticed again this week another incredibly short pe-riod of time. It’s the time some drivers save by weaving in and out of traffi c.

On one day, while I was driving on Ospika Boulevard, I had two diff erent drivers come racing up behind me, discover (to their shock) that I was actually obeying the speed limit, pull out (usually without signalling) into the other lane, race by me, get back into my lane (again without signalling) . . . and then turn one block up the road.

So that extra second or so they gained by racing by me was worth it when they were only going to turn off the road that soon? I don’t think so.

I’m waiting for the day when one of these drivers is engaged in this maneuver and fi nds a police vehicle taking an interest in the speed he is driving at.

I think he’ll end up losing more than the second he gained with his speeding.

ALLAN’S AMBLINGSALLANWISHART

I’m a second-generation B.C. newspaperman. But I’m a third-generation B.C. farmer.

My family has ranched the same piece of land for about 100 years now. We’ve been there a long time. My grandfather used dynamite and horse teams to clear land that is now a productive hayfi eld.

My father was a big supporter of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) when it was instituted 40 years ago and, like a lot of people who understand its function, wants it maintained.

Th ere have been plenty of complaints about the ALR over the past 40 years. Th ose complaints usu-ally come from developers who want to develop something on farmland other than farms and poli-ticians who also want to push that development.

Is that always bad? Not always. But the rhetoric we hear about the ALR is that it is, or has, curbed development in this province.

I disagree. Look to the Lower Mainland where the condos and strip malls continue their relentless march across fertile farmland, or the Okanagan where our prized B.C. wineries are being replaced. Th e small valley where I grew up and where the Phillips farm remains, is a classic example. Th ere are fewer people living in the Elk Valley now than there were 40 years ago when the ALR was created. However, there is considerably less farmland available.

Th ere are rows and rows of condos sitting on what was once farmland. Th e kicker is that the area is now a tourist destination because of the ski hill and most of those condos sit empty for six months of the year.

Here in Prince George, the land had to be removed from the ALR to facilitate the airport logistics park. Th e list goes on.

Th e argument that the ALR restricts development simply doesn’t wash. It hampers rampant development that was de-signed without forethought to preserving some of what is great about this province. Th at’s a good thing.

Does it need some tweaking? Absolutely.Th e government was singing a convincing tune

when it announced changes to the ALR last week. It talked about how ranchers and farmers oft en have to take jobs off the farm to make ends meet. Th at was also the case 40 years ago when the ALR was brought in.

But let’s be clear. Th e changes brought in last week are all about making it easier for development to occur on farmland. While the government says pre-serving farmland is still paramount, it’s clear this is about opening farmland up for more development.

And, as they say, the devil is in the details.Forest Minister Steve Th omson, in announcing

the changes, talked a lot about how it allows ranch-ers to operate small businesses that are non-farm related, on their property. When I asked what constitutes a small business the response was that hasn’t been determined yet. When I asked whether allowing a third party to do business on farm property (i.e. allowing a developer to build condos) the answer was the same … that hasn’t been determined yet.

What is clear is that the changes announced last week to the ALR are more about opening up farmland to development, not preserving it.

Try to read thisin a femtosecond?

WRITER’S BLOCKBILLPHILLIPS

Farmland getting plowed under

Teresa MALLAM/Free PressCrystalynn Tarr stands at the Groop Gallery on Third Avenue with artworks from her new exhibition, The Mountain Diaries, which opened last week and runs until the end of April. For more information, visit the gallery’s website at www.groopgallery.com.

The Mountain Diaries

12 Friday, April 4, 2014 www.pgfreepress.com


During the lead-up to the civic elections in November, many questions will be posed to candidates.

Voters will want to know their views on many things rang-ing from potholes to the prospect of a performing arts cen-tre. Th e wise candidates will have answers designed to alien-ate the fewest number of voters. Th erefore, their answers will be as vague and non-committal as they can get away with. Th at is just standard political practice.

Potholes, patching and paving has a high profi le in our city. As a city in a harsh northern climate and high volumes of heavy industrial traffi c, our roads and highways take a severe beating every winter. We are blessed with winters which allow moisture to pen-etrate, freeze, thaw, get soggy, and freeze again and on and on. Th ese freeze/thaw cycles are as eff ective as a big crew with jackhammers. Th e more cycles we have, the more rapidly our pavement deteriorates. Th at is a simple fact of northern life.

Prince George pothole protesters are numerous enough to form their own politi-cal movement. PPP is certainly a name which would get noticed. It would be interesting to have a civic group propos-ing candidates motivated by the PPP. Th ey would likely end up being a one-term wonder as little would change. Th eir philosophy that potholes in the city must be banned forever ranks right up there with climate change deniers.

Th e ongoing discussion of building a real performing arts centre will also arise. It will be protested by those who protest every step forward as too expensive for the poor and oft en ignored taxpayer to fund.

It is unfortunate that the citizens of the city decided we didn’t need a Discovery Place about three decades ago when federal and provincial funding was bountifully available. It

was visionary, and many of the facilities included in the plan have since been built and built at a much higher cost. Th at was an opportunity fumbled and lost so we should not be too quick to shoot ourselves in the foot again.

Th e city funds and maintains many civic facilities. Th e majority of residents appreciate the value of having hockey arenas, indoor swimming pools, soccer and ball fi elds, parks

and a host of other facilities which bring us to-gether as a community. A performing arts centre may well be the next best addition to civic life we can invest in.

We are an improvised community in terms of social venues. A great deal of applause and admiration must be given to groups such as Judy Russell dancers who give us the Nutcracker ballet every year, the Prince George Symphony who manage to bring wonderfully diverse and profes-sional performances, and all the other groups from blues bands to little theatre. Th ey overcome the almost impossible task of delivering a great performance in the barn of Vanier Hall. Vanier, with the acoustical qualities of a large cardboard

box and the technical capacity of a home workshop, is useful for high school assemblies and little else.

Since the dawn of man, there has been something special and bonding about coming together to participate in live events. It is a powerful experience which cannot be repli-cated anywhere on our 200 channel television. People being with other people, experiencing the same emotions, laugh-ing together or crying together, is the core of a cohesive and dynamic community.

Let it be a civic election issue and see if those who wish to sit on council have a position. Th e future is not built with bricks and mortar but in the hearts of those who live in the community.

Did you get suckered in by any good April Fool’s Day pranks this year?

No, Paul McCartney is not coming to Prince George.

Along with the pranks Tuesday morning, there were many changes to your everyday life that weren’t all that funny. Here are some of those changes::

Hydro rates will began their 28 per-cent climb starting with a nine per cent jump April 1. It’s the first of annual increases over the next three years.

Ferry fares will increase again by four per cent. Not a huge daily issue for us in the North, but an increase to many in this province nonetheless. The April Fool’s Day hike was on top of a 3.5 per cent hike in January.

On top of that, coastal communities from Prince Rupert down are up in arms over changes to the less-profitable, but vital to the communities they serve, routes away from the Lower Mainland. Op-position to the service cuts to those communities resulted in Highways Minister Todd Stone reversing the dictate of his former boss, Gordon Campbell, and every premier back to, and including W.A.C. Bennett … that the ferry system is part of the prov-inces highway system.

Then, to accommodate that huge demographic of British Columbians poised to retire … they cut ferry discounts for seniors in half.

The LiveSmart program for businesses also ended April 1. The Prince George Chamber of Commerce ran the program in Prince George that successfully helped businesses become energy efficient. For-tisBC and BC Hydro have started funding a similar program for homeowners.

And these are on top of some of the other good-ies. Medical Services Plan premiums went up in January, for the fifth year in a row. And they will go up again next year. The Liberals have managed to double MSP premiums during their tenure.

ICBC rates are expected to increase between 3.4 and 6.4 per cent by the end of the year.

We have stories in this edition of the Free Press about both UNBC and CNC struggling to balance their books. Enrolment is always a factor, but so is decreased funding from the province.

April Fools Day has come and gone. It would just be nice if it didn’t feel like we’re being played for fools all year long.

The heart of our future

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Justfooling around

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Editor:I’ve considered writing on this subject for some time and

with the current governments (provincial/federal/local) under-mining the state of our resources in accordance with their ideas of necessity I feel I may as well spew forth some opinion.

Right across British Columbia, for example, we are due for a change in our ability to provide for our mobilized lifestyles, that most of us fear to accept, as the inevitable consequence of living in and for mobility.

Th e system we had for the last 300 years was exploiting the surface of the land through easily acquired resources such as timber, hydro-electric power, farmed-gathered foodstuff s, minerals, shallow drilling, etc. As I write, wheels are in mo-tion to change the very nature of the provincial/federal/local laws which were placed in eff ect over the prior 100 years in an eff ort to protect our environment from the dangers of over-exploitation

Th is mobile lifestyle is a consequence of hundreds of years,

if not thousands, of trying to dominate the fear of our natural environment. It is a hard thing to purposely consider when the term ‘fear’ is used but that is exactly what drives the human expansion endeavors.

Th e term I fi rst encountered was “expansionist-politic”, used years ago to name the driving force behind non-sedentary and sedentary cultures. As humankind became more aware of its environs it also became more accepting and thus more manipulative, as well, and the end result is where we currently stand on a global basis. Th is is exactly the same theme which allows every species to interact but the exception is in choice for humans have a greater cognition and so greater is the ability to choose what and how to interact with its environs.

Unfortunately for a host of other species human choices have historically and systematically favored humans rather than seeking balanced mobility. All of this can be understood by the belief systems humans have allowed to further our particular aims of domination. Th e facts from confl ict, pollution, weather

patterns, and such are growing by leaps and bounds on a daily basis as inevitable boundaries and limitations appear. Th ese represent the ‘rock’ in the title of this article and the ‘hard place’ is our refusal to accept that our industries of mobility are the cause. It seems we’ve become complacent in this false belief that we, are the pinnacle of creation and deserve some sort of “punitive reward” for being thus.

Th e governments at all level represent the consensus of thinking by the members of all societies in what we are willing to accept by design.

Even those of us who question the motifs set forth and the motives behind them are still a part of this whether we admit it, like it, or not. So I’ll end this brief opinion by asking the question which is on the lips of many humans at this point in time......”what will you do to ensure that your children’s children have a life?”

Dennis OuellettePrince George

Editor:An open letter to Premier Christy Clark

I am writing to express my deep concerns about the pro-posed amendments (Bill 24) to the Agricultural Land Com-mission Act and the negative impacts these changes will have on the provincial agricultural land base, our farmers, and the future of our province.

Th e very purpose of land use planning in the public domain is to envision a desirable future that refl ects the public interest, understand what decisions about land resources need to be made today to achieve that vision, and translate these decisions into policies that protect the land base and allocate its uses. Th e ultimate outcome of land use planning processes is to minimize uncertainty and maximize stability for the benefi t of both public and private interests.

In this context, the strength of farmland preservation policy resides in clear statements that protecting the agricultural land base and promoting farming as its highest and best use are long-term public priorities. Th ese statements must be embed-ded in provincial policy, integrated across jurisdictions, and implemented free of undue political interference. In contrast, the proposed changes presented in Bill 24 undermine the basic principles of land use planning by increasing uncertainty for all concerned while undermining the public interest in preserving B.C.’s agricultural land base.

My concerns centre on several critical areas. Th e focus on providing fl exibility for farmers to have non-farm uses of their land is misguided; it serves no purpose other than to promote

private interests at the expense of the fi nite agricultural land base in the province.

Th e restructuring of the ALC panels to refl ect local priori-ties serves only to undermine the very purpose of having a provincial statement of public interest to preserve farmland. Th e broadening considerations for non-farm uses and land exclusions will weaken the mandate of farmland preservation. Th e political appointment of regional panel members and CEO will erode the independence of the ALC and its ability to fulfi l its mandate free from political interests.

In sum, upon the day it is passed, I believe that Bill 24 will increase uncertainty in the marketplace and undermine the stability of the agricultural land base that has been forged over the past 40 years. Th e consequences of eroding the province’s ability to protect its agricultural land base will be irreversible.

My views on agricultural land use planning are informed by a rich and varied background and quali-fi cations. I am an Associate Professor in the School of Environmental Planning at the University of North-ern British Columbia with a background in business development, economic development, and community development. I am a Registered Professional Planner with undergraduate degrees in Economics and Com-merce, a Master’s degree in Business Administration, and a doctoral degree in sustainable rural communities.

My work experience includes international man-agement consulting, small business consulting, and

working in the non-profi t sector for at-risk youth programs and healthy communities. By drawing upon all of these expe-riences and areas of knowledge I have come to see protecting farmland as a foundation for a more sustainable society.

From this perspective I see that British Columbia has been a leader in enacting policy to protect its farmland and improving prospects for a more sustainable society. Now I am concerned that the proposed changes to the ALC Act will lead British Co-lumbia toward problems not only for its farmers and agricul-tural land base but for the future of all of its residents.

David J. Connell, MBA PhD RPPPrince George

Farmland won’t be protected

Living between a rock and a hard place

Government, the forest industry, organized labour and WorkSafeBC have issued the fol-lowing statement following their March 28 meeting in Vancouver focused on combustible dust and sawmill safety:

“We had a frank and open discussion on sustainable compliance at this meeting and the result is an aggressive co-ordinated plan to accomplish a number of specifi c outcomes in the next 90 days. Th at plan includes a number of key components:

• Th e Council of Forest Industries will contemplate their ability to stipulate member-ship conditions related to compliance with the combustible dust strategy.

• A team of technical experts will be established by industry and supported by WorkSafeBC to help all mills on compliance with the Workers Compensation Act and the occupational health and safety regulation.

• Th e Manufacturers’ Advisory Group, made up of a dozen companies which ac-

count for about 75 per cent of B.C.’s lumber production, has developed a Dust Mitigation and Control Audit protocol and is off ering it to mills of every size throughout B.C.

Th e group will use its expertise and re-sources to ensure that best practices regard-ing sawmill dust risk reduction are shared with any company needing help within the province.

• At organized labour’s request, this audit tool will be reviewed by all parties to evaluate it as an enforceable standard. WorkSafeBC has agreed to lead that discussion.

• Sawmill employers, organized labour, and WorkSafeBC will launch an awareness campaign on workers’ rights in refusing unsafe work. A toolbox kit on the issue will be provided by WorkSafeBC to employers, health and safety committees, and health and safety representatives in all sawmills.

• WorkSafeBC will double the size of the designated inspection team to 20 and launch

further sawmill inspections during Phase 4 of their Sawmill Inspection Initiative. Th e focus of this phase will be on companies which were found to be out of compliance, particularly in Phase 3, but all sawmills will be included.

• WorkSafeBC will write to the 61 sawmills with combustible dust compliance issues during Phase 3 to set expectations for the next round of inspections. Where there is repeat non-compliance, WorkSafeBC Offi cers will consider penalties.

• WorkSafeBC is currently reviewing its Occupational Health and Safety Policy with a focus, at this stage, on high-risk violations and the consequences for non-compliance. Th e elements that can lead to a dust explosion will be included.

• All parties agreed to continue the dialogue from the meeting on April 1, 2014, when WorkSafeBC hosts a joint meeting with industry and labour at the COFI convention in Kelowna.

All of us agree that the overarching concern here is every worker has the right to a safe workplace and to come home safe at the end of their shift .”

Shirley Bond, Minister, Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Labour

Steve Th omson, Minister, Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

Ted Seraphim, President and CEO, West Fraser Timber; Chair, COFI

Rick Jeff ery, President and CEO, Coast Forest Products Association

Jim Hackett, President, Interior Lumber Manufacturers’ Association

Bob Matters, Chair, United Steelworkers Wood Council

Diana Miles, Chief Operating Offi cer, WorkSafeBC

Don Kayne, President and CEO, CanforKen Higginbotham, Project Manager,

Sawmill Dust Initiative Manufacturers’ Advisory Group

Government, industry, unions work to combat sawmill dust

Whenever you have an efficient government,

you have a dictatorship- Harry S. Truman


As a family, they were a “baker’s dozen.”Th irteen children growing up with loving, hard-

working parents on a farm in St. Catherines, Prince Edward Island.

Celeste Veld of Prince George was 13 years old when her brother Parnell was born Oct. 15, 1954.

“Th ere were no prenatal ultrasounds and blood tests like there are now, to identify Down Syndrome,” said Veld. “My mom just knew from the start that he was diff erent from the rest of us.”

However, he was never treated that way.Veld’s brother Parnell is now 60 years old and lives

in a group home. For most of his life, though, he lived at home, raised along with the rest of his siblings.

“Th e life expectancy of a person with DS, at that time (in the 1950s) was, I think, not beyond 21. So Parnell has done a good job of blowing that statistic out of the water.”

Shortly aft er he was born, Veld said her parents realized Parnell might need more special care than their other children, and took him to a pediatrician for advice.”

What they heard was “shocking,” says Veld. “Th e pediatrician said, ‘He’s no good, he will never

be any good. Put him away somewhere and forget about him.’”

Veld said her parents were horrifi ed: “Th is is our precious son, a child of God. He will

not be put away or treated any diff erent than any of our other 12 children.”

So they took Parnell home and the entire family rallied around their brother, said Veld.

“We all took it upon ourselves to teach and help Parnell all we could [given] his limited ability for academics and such ... but that was of no concern considering all he was teaching us – such as love, patience, forgiveness and tolerance.

“Th ings we taught him like good manners, good hygiene and helpfulness, he grasped these very well.”

Parnell was involved in everything the family was doing, said Veld.

“We never left him out of anything. I think if he had been put in a home, back then, he could have been over-medicated and gotten lonely in there – and maybe even died of a broken heart.”

Indeed, his family has always been there for him. Even now, the group home where Parnell lives is overseen by his brother Richard and sister-in-law Linda who make sure he and other residents have love, support and good quality care.

It was his father who made it all possible. “My father was a visionary, one of the great think-

TERESA MALLAM | 250.564.0005 | [email protected] | www.pgfreepress.com

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Spring Home Business Fair at the Hart Pioneer Center, 6986 Hart Highway. Satur-day, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shake those winter blues away and join in on the fourth annual Spring Business Fair with over 35 home-based businesses. Free Tim Hortons Coff ee and other snacks. Lots of prizes to be won.

Th e third annual Girl Friends Who Care Fashion Show, a fundraiser for the Prince George Rotary Hos-pice House is on May 3 at the Ramada Hotel. Tickets are $50 and go on sale at Butterfl y Th reads on April 10.

Th e event features dessert only buff et, entertainment, women’s trade show with lots to try, buy and see.

Spring fashion show fea-tures fashions from Butterfl y Th reads.

Join in on the annual Walk of Sorrows, Way to Freedom on Good Friday, April 18 starting from the steps of City Hall at 12:30 p.m. and wind-ing through the downtown streets following in Our Lord’s footsteps, fi nishing up at the Courthouse.

Th is beautiful and mov-ing procession is always the perfect and meaningful start to the Easter weekend.

Th e Gospel Singers present Elvis’ Gospel Favourites at the Elder Citizens Recreation Centre, 1692 Tenth Ave. on Saturday, April 26 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m. Featuring pipers from the Prince George Pipe Band, also Dan Watt on guitar.

Admission: Adults $10, children fi ve to 12 $5, tickets available at the offi ce and the door. Headsets for the hard of hearing available at the door.

FASHION SHOW

BUSINESS FAIR

WALK OF SORROW

GOSPEL SONGS

Growing up with Down

Teresa [email protected]

Teresa MALLAM/Free PressCeleste Veld with a portrait of her brother Parnell, 60, who has Down Syndrome and who “brings joy” to their whole family and everyone he meets.

ers of the community [Souris] in which we lived,” said Veld.

“He foresaw the day when he and Mom would not be able to totally care for Parnell themselves and they knew we would be busy with raising our own families. So Dad began organizing fundraisers to build a group home for not only Parnell but others like him.”

Aft er years of sharing his vision and raising funds, the group home became a reality. Parnell spends most of his time there, although he still enjoys going home for visits to the family farm.

Everyone who meets Parnell fi nds him uplift ing and cheerful with a sense of humour and a “prank-ster” personality.

“He likes to play tricks on people and he’s always blurting out funny things and making us laugh.”

He is more aware and knowing that some people think, said Veld.

“When he saw me in a wheelchair for the fi rst time he was shocked. [Veld was diagnosed with MS and was then in a wheelchair. She’s now walking – another story, she says.]

“He came over and held my hand and said to me, “Cess (he can’t pronounce Celeste), you sick. Lord have mercy.’ Th is was pretty profound because back in 1997, he couldn’t put more than one or two words together.”

When Veld’s husband Scotty passed away in 2009, Parnell was at the viewing and someone tried to tell him Scotty was just sleeping.

“’No, daddy’s dead, not sleeping,’” Veld recalls her brother saying. “He knew a lot more than some people gave him credit for.”

She and Parnell were always close, said Veld, and when she and Scotty were dating, he oft en went too.

“If we were going to the beach, to church or just for a drive, Parnell was always along for the ride. Parnell never forgot this.”

Her brother is a perfectionist who always makes sure he’s dressed well and everything around him is in order, said Veld. He loves good food and he enjoys all life’s experiences to the fullest – but he has no knowl-edge about things like money matters.

“He works hard. Every day, he gets up and goes to work in the woodworking shop for people with disabilities. He refi nishes furniture and he just loves doing that.

Last year the family believed they might lose Parnell, who had pneumonia and Veld said she put her thoughts on paper about their life together. She realized how much he’s enriched other people’s lives.

“Whenever I think of the amount of joy he brings to everybody around him, it makes me smile. When he was in hospital, the nurses all wanted to look aft er him because he brings such a light into their lives, he has this glow about him.

“And when I think that a doctor wanted to have him put away – and 60 years later he’s still here and giving all this joy to the world. I hate to think what his fate might have been if my parents did not take him home so we could all love and care for him.”

Veld is awed at what he’s accomplished in his life.“Parnell may have had many mental and physical

limitations, nor formal education, no college degrees but he surely was a teacher. He taught us all how to live, how to laugh and how to love.”

Siblings learn from brother born with Down Syndrome

MAY DAY: Annual parade in downtown Prince George cancelledP

19

Friday, April 4, 2014 15www.pgfreepress.com Prince George - COMMUNITY - Free Press

COMMUNITY FORUM:COMMUNITY FORUM:

RENEWING OUR WOODSRENEWING OUR WOODSKeeping our forests public and sustainableKeeping our forests public and sustainable

For further info: 250-562-0015

Come out and discuss:1. Forest tenure that works for all British

Columbians

2. Bringing our forests back to health

and sustainability

Speakers:Anthony Britneff, RPF; Vicky Husband,

environmentalist; Leonard Thomas, Nak’azdli

First Nation; Keith Atkinson, RPF; Arnold

Bercov, PPWC; Frank Everitt, USW; Megan

Scott, BCGEU; Scott Doherty, Unifor; Peter

Ewart, SUFTN

Prince George10-4pm, Saturday April 12

#1-310A, CNC

Sponsors: Stand Up for the North, PPWC, USW 1-424, FACNC, BCGEU,

North Labour Law, Unifor,North Central Labour Council

Tammy RaeTammy Raewould like to invite her current and new clientsto come and see her at “Rock your Hair Studio”

(formerly from Razor’s Edge)

1661 Spruce Street(beside Sylvan Learning Centre)

250-563-0043

1393 Central St. West, Prince George (Next to Bank of Montreal) • OPEN 7:30am–10pm 7 days a week • Group Gatherings • [email protected]

What are people saying?Indo/Canadian Cuisine

www.barbequenation.cacheck out our full menu at… Lunch 11:30am–2:30pm

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Plus breakfast served all day

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• “Fantastic!!” Krista & Chris, Williams Lake, BC• “Excellent!” Ben & Marlene, Dunster, BC

• “Very Good!” Wayne, Abbotsford, BC•”S-o-o-o Good!” Jillian & Shannon, Gibson’s, BC

MADE FRESH!NO MSG

Fresh Looks, the name of an exhibit showcasing student art, offi cially opened Sunday in the Keith Gordon Room of the Prince George Public Library.

Th e exhibit runs until April 5. Students of varying ages, all

working with artist/illustrator Wendy Framst, were on hand to talk about their art pieces, their use of colour and the techniques they used. Th e group exhibit includes works mostly done in acrylics and water colours, and Framst says a theme and com-mon colour palette connects their works.

“Most of the artists are young and none of them are public speakers but I am so proud that they agreed to talk at the open-ing about their art,” she said.

Th e works were done during instructional classes this year and Framst says she is just as inspired by her students as they are by her.

It shows in the works on display.

“Th ey used the same colour palette that I did in my water colours,” she said, “so that’s why there is a similarity in some of them – and we were all working on the same techniques.”

Framst said creating her art is a passion that borders on obses-sion. Her family members oft en fi nd their table covered with her and her students’ art projects,

she told the audience. “Painting and inspiring others

to paint rejuvenates me [and] provides a personal therapy,” she said in her artist’s statement. “As part of this departure from my every day experience, I leave my family and friends each year, in order to take intensive work-shops progressively farther and farther afi eld.”

Aft er feeling inspired by her growing young children to begin painting seriously (they are featured in some of her earlier paintings), in 2000 she began giving art lessons to others.

“At fi rst I began by teaching privately and by teaching a les-son each year in my children’s classes at school. Th is progressed to other classes with the school and eventually other schools. Although I have been teaching many classes in many venues, I am looking forward to yet another new experience where I will be teaching two one-day workshops in Dawson Creek in April.”

Framst’s “retirement” plans include becoming a travelling workshop instructor, so the Dawson Creek workshop is a “good step in the right direction,” she says. As part of her own learning experiences, she has studied with contemporary water colourists Elizabeth Kincaid, Bir-git O’ Connor, Tom Lynch, Paul Jackson and Soon Y Warren.

Framst’s formal education in-cludes two university degrees: a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of

Social Work, and she now works as a contract specialist. But it is travel, life and having children that have perhaps given her the richest education, she says.

When she is not a teacher, she is a student.

“I choose art instructors that use intense contrast in value and saturated hues. Th e other excit-ing thing about the workshops I take is that I have been choos-ing locations farther and farther afi eld such as France and Italy. My plan is to continue to take workshops until I can no longer hold a brush.”

Her next workshop is with Paul Jackson in Baltimore.

While she inspires the use of colour and creativity in her students, her students have a way of furthering her own artistic ambitions, she says.

“I am fortunate that some students and parents found me that share my love of painting and playing with materials. My students inspire me to continue combining my love of teaching with my love of painting.”

Th ere are three adults in the class, two probation offi cers, one a stained glass artist, and they all say Framst’s art classes have al-lowed them to leave the cares of their day jobs behind them and get the creative juices fl owing.

Th e Fresh Looks student art exhibit (along with some pieces by Wendy Framst) is on display at the PG Public Library’s Keith Gordon Room until April 5 dur-ing regular library hours.

Art gets Fresh Looks

Teresa MALLAM/Free PressArtist/illustrator/instructor Wendy Framst (third from right) with her students whose art work is on display this week at the Prince George Public Library, Keith Gordon Room.


Yovanka AdanicYovanka Adanicwould like to invite her existing clientele and new clientele, to her new salon “Rock your Hair Studio”

1661 Spruce Street(beside Sylvan Learning Centre)

250-563-0043

pgfreepress.com Be fi rst to add to the story or read what your neighbour thinks. Be a part of your community paper.Comment online.there’s more online »

voices


FridayCrown Market, Friday-

Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 3955 Hart Highway.

Read-to-me Storytime, Fridays, 10-10:45 a.m., South Fort George Family Resource Centre, 1200 La Salle. Information: 250-614-0684.

Al-Anon New Hope AFG meets Fridays, 7:30-8:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 483 Gillett St. Information: 250-561-3244.

SaturdayPrince George’s

100-foot Diet, April 5, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Artspace. Information: Dave 250-963-8578, Krista 250-564-2116.

Craft and bake sale, April 12, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre.

Spring book sale, April 12, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., downtown library. Information: Margaret 250-561-2310.

Easter sale, April 12, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. Information: Rose Marie 250-564-3577.

Nechako Public Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 5100 North Nechako Rd.

A Butler’s Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 1156 Fourth Ave.

Bible talks, Sundays, 4 p.m., Columbus Community Centre, 7201 Domano Blvd.

SundayPancake breakfast,

April 6, 9-11 a.m., Hart Pioneer Centre.

Fun Dog Obedience Match, April 6, Pawsitive Steps, 1839 First Ave. Registration 3:30 p.m..

Nechako Public Market, Sundays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 5100 North Nechako Rd.

A Butler’s Market, Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 1156 Fourth Ave.

MondayCanasta, April 7,

7 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre.

Tai Chi, Mondays, 1:30 p.m., Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr.

Cariboo Toastmasters meet Mondays, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Ramada Hotel, 444 George St. Information: caribootoastmasters.com or Laura (250) 961-3477.

Al-Anon Hart Serenity AFG meets Mondays, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Knox United Church, 1448 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-561-3244.

Northern Twister Square Dance Club meets Mondays, 7 p.m., Knox United Church basement. Information:

Gys 250- 563-4828 or Reta 250-962-2740.

TuesdayBridge, Tuesdays, 1

p.m., Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr.

Center City Toast-masters meet Tuesday, noon, City Hall Annex. Information: 9164.toast-mastersclubs.org.

Al-Anon PG Beginners AFG meets Tuesdays, 7-7:45 p.m., Knox United Church, 1448 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-561-3244.

Buddhist meditation class, Tuesdays, 7:15-8:45 p.m., 320 Vancou-ver St. Information: 250-962-6876 or www.kmcvancouver.org.

Spruce Capital Toastmasters meet Tuesdays, 7:25 p.m., 102-1566 7th Ave. Information: Tom 250-562-3402.

Sweet Adelines women’s four-part chorus meets Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m., Studio 2880. New members welcome. Information: Kathy 250-563-5170.

WednesdayBingo, Wednesdays,

1-3 p.m., Spruce Capital Senior Recreation Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr.

Whist, Wednesdays, 7 p.m., Senior Activity Centre, 425 Brunswick

St.Al-Anon Hart

Courage AFG meets Wednesdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Knox United Church, 1448 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-561-3244.

Hart Toastmasters, Wednesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre. Information: harttoastmasters.ca

CNC Retirees meet fourth Wednesday, 9 a.m., D’Lanos. Information: Lois 250-563-6928.

Army Cadet Rangers free youth program, meets Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Connaught Youth Centre. Information: Sondra 250-963-9462 or Andrew 250-981-8270.

ThursdayBingo, April 10, 12:30

p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre.

Potluck, April 10, 5 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre.

Whist, April 10, 7 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre.

Little Artists, Thursdays, 10:30-

11:30 a.m., South Fort George Family Resource Centre, 1200 La Salle. Information: 250-614-0684.

Prince George Grassroots Cribbage Club registration, 6:30 p.m. play 6:45 p.m., Thursdays, 3701 Rainbow Dr. Information: Gerda 250-564-8561.

Tai chi, Th ursdays, 7-9 p.m., Knox United Church, 1448 Fift h Ave. Information: Lister 250-964-3849 or [email protected].

DayBreakers Toastmasters meets Thursday, 7-8 a.m., UHNBC Conference Room 1. Information: Heather 250-649-9591.

Al-Anon Mustard Seed AFG meets Thursdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m., St. Michael’s Anglican Church, 1505 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-561-3244.

BC Civil Liberties Union meets second Thursday of the month, 6 p.m., 1575 Fifth Ave.

Plaza 400 Toastmaster Club meets Thursday, noon, Aleza room,

fourth floor, Plaza 400 building, 1011 4th Ave. Information: 6252.toastmastersclubs.org/ or 250-564-5191.

Prince George Toastmasters meet Thursdays, 7:15 p.m., AiMHi, 950 Kerry St. Information: pgtoastmasters.com, Joyce 250-964-0961.

Old Time Fiddlers jam, Thursday, 7-10 p.m. Elder Citizens Rec Centre, 1692 10th Ave.

ECRA Forever Young Chorus meet Thursdays, 12:45 p.m., ECRA, 1692 10th Ave.

Support Groups

Tuesday night Tops (take off pounds sensibly) 6:15-7:15 p.m. weigh in, 7:30-8:30 meeting. Everyone welcome. Information: Marvene 250-962-8001 or 250-612-2031.

Prince George Healing Rooms - Are you hurting? Do you have health issues? Confidential prayers Wednesday noon-

2 p.m, All Nations Church, 1395 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-617-9653.

Heartbeat, a group for mutual support of those who have lost a loved one through suicide, meets monthly at CMHA office. Information: Sandy 250-961-9330.

Thursday Tops (take off pounds sensibly) 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Knox United Church,1448 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-564-6336 (days), 250-964-4851 (evenings).

Rainbows grief and loss program for ages 5-15, registering for the fall session. No charge. Information: Catherine 250-563-2551.

Tea Time for the Soul. Would you like someone to listen to you? Come, listen, and share while enjoying a cup of tea. Mondays from 3 to 5 p.m. at Forest Expo House, 1506 Ferry Ave. No cost. Information, Jesse or Catherine at 250-563-2551.

Community BuilderAUTO BO DY LTD .

Proud to recognize those who give in our community.

AUTO BO DY LTD .2065 - 1st Ave. • 250-563-08832065 - 1st Ave. • 250-563-0883

www.csninc.cawww.csninc.ca

Thank YouPrince GeorgeFor Voting Us

Best Auto Body Shop!

Best Best Auto BodyAuto Body

ShopShop

Prince George dentist Dr. Arnold Steinbart, centre, receives the Honoured Member Award from President Dr. Peter Stevenson-Moore, left, and Registrar & CEO Mr. Jerome Marburg at the College of Dental Surgeons of B.C.’s annual awards in Vancouver.

w w w . p g f r e e p r e s s . c o m

Datebook

The Community Datebook provides free community event listings every Friday. Submissions are accepted in written form only – dropped off, mailed or emailed – No Phone Calls please. Datebook runs as space allows, there is no guarantee of publication. Mail to 1773 South Lyon St., Prince George BC V2N 1T3. E-mail [email protected]

“GIVE A LITTLE…GAIN A LOT!”

For information on volunteering with more than 100 non-profi t organizations in Prince George, contact Volunteer Prince George

250-564-0224www.volunteerpg.com

2015 Games“WIN-WIN” PROMOfor VOLUNTEERS!

Support the work of Volunteer Prince George by signing

up to volunteer for the 2015 Canada Winter Games during National Volunteer Week.

2015 Games will donate $2.15 per “new” volunteer

sign-up from 8:30am Monday April 7 to 4:30 pm to Friday April 11, 2014 to Volunteer Prince George for their continued work in the

community.

Go towww.canadagames2015.ca

for details.


Blues-rock musi-cian Matthew Curry is upbeat and friendly Wednesday as he talks with the Free Press about his soaring ca-reer and his Canadian tour with the Steve Miller Band.

Th e 18-(going on 19)-year-old American singer-songwriter from just south of Chi-cago is happy with his early recognition and awards from the music industry.

His fi rst CD, If I Don’t Got You, ranked high in the International Blues Competition and his song, Blinded By Th e Darkness, won in Best Blues Song category in the International Song writing Competition. His second CD, Elec-tric Religion has won critical acclaim in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia.

Curry has played with Tommy Castro, Bernard Allison, Bryan Lee and Ronnie Baker Brooks and in 2013 was inducted into the prestigious Brother-hood of the Guitar.

His plans are to just “keep on, keeping on” making music, going on tour and writing new songs. He brushes off references to how young he is – and he corrects reports that he’s still 17.

“Actually, I’m 18 now, going on 19.”

Th e artist’s sights are set solidly on his music career.

“I know this is what I want to do,” said

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Forever!LOSE WEIGHT

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PRINCE GEORGE • FRI, APRIL 111PM to 3PM or 7PM to 9PM

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Remember them with Respect,

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Dignity Memorial ProvidersFull Service … One Call

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A FULL CHOICE FUNERAL CENTREwww.assmansfuneralchapel.com

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• Level 1 and TE Courses

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April 21 - May 2May 5 - 16

May 26 - June 6

April 5May 10

May 9-11 & May 23-25 (6 days total)

ENFORM H2S ALIVE (8 HOUR)

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July 21 - 25December 1 - 5

September 8 - 12

Lifesavers Lifesavers First AidFirst Aid

250-562-1238250-562-1238Call now to register

LIFESAVERSFIRST AID

439 Cassiar St. (across from Hands on Carwash)www.lifesaversfi rstaid.ca

To place a Classifi ed ad call...250.564.0005

STAY ALIVE & WELL!FoodSafe Level 1

Group Rates AvailableDiane Rosebrugh & Dick Rosebrugh, B.Ed.

Who needsFOODSAFE? In Home • Food Handlers Volunteers • Care Givers

ABC Foodsafe [email protected]

250-563-2585Fax: 250-563-2572

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Apr. 12, 2014IMSS Building1270 2nd Ave.

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Curry plays CN CentreTeresa [email protected]

Curry. He and his dynamic band members – drummer Tim Kramp, bassist Tim Brickner and keyboardist Mike Nellas – are in high gear.

“Our music is mostly blues rock. We defi nitely have our feet in the blues and there is a jazz and funk infl uence but we pull from everything we can in our music and now we have added some Americana too.”

Th e band’s schedule for the next several months is set.

“Aft er the Canadian tour, we’ll by fl ying to Australia, opening for [blues jazz artist] Robben Ford and then it’s back to the U.S. for a short run, then a week

or two off before going on tour with Peter Frampton. We’ll be hitting the studio any time we have a chance and I’m always working on my songwriting.”

Th ey just came off touring several U.S. cities.

“Everything happened pretty fast. I was never too much of a school person. My Mom forced me to fi nish high school – and for that, I’m really thankful,” said Curry, “because now I have my diploma and I started travelling and touring right out of high school.”

Curry’s vocals, even though he’s obviously gift ed with natu-ral talent, are oft en described by

album reviewers as “mature.” “I took some lessons two

years ago to learn proper vocal breathing techniques, and all that.”

Songwriting? “I started messing around

with songwriting when I was six or seven.”

Curry says that he’s looking forward to his band Matthew Curry opening for Steve Miller Band April 9 at CN Centre. He hopes fans come out to enjoy their music.

Th e show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at all Tick-etmaster outlets or charge by phone at 1-855-985-5000.

Photo submittedGuitar sensation Matthew Curry plays CN Centre, opening for Steve Miller Band, April 9.


Working in partnership with B.C. and Alberta First Nations and Métis Communities, and leading energy companies in Canada

“We have plans to build a safer, better pipeline. We also have plans

to operate it that way.”Janet Holder, Leader of Northern Gateway

I’m Janet Holder, leader of Northern Gateway. Of the 209 conditions set by the Joint Review Panel, over 60 deal specifi cally with land safety and related environmental safeguards.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

We are working on those conditions with the same diligence that we are applying to the tough conditions mandated by the Province. In many cases, these conditions refl ect the world class voluntary land safety measures that Northern Gateway proposed during the Review process.

A BETTER, SAFER PIPELINE

Our land safety measures primarily focus on spill prevention. With new standards in pipeline design and integrity, construction, monitoring and project management, we want to build a better, safer pipeline.

A RESPECTFUL ROUTE

After a decade of planning, we have mapped out a pipeline route that will have as little

impact as possible on British Columbia’s terrain and neighbouring communities. In fact, 70% of the route utilizes previously disturbed lands, including old forestry roads, cut blocks and other disturbances.

A WATCHFUL EYE

We are equally committed to setting new standards when it comes to Emergency Preparedness and Response. In fact, JRP Conditions #174 and #175 require us to fi le separate emergency response plans for every 10-km section of pipe. That’s over 110 separate plans that include details covering specifi c habitat to protect. Our plans also include realistic training programs and exercises, staffi ng of all pump stations, 24/7 monitoring, advanced leak detection systems and more remotely-controlled isolation valves. We’re doing all this hard work because we are committed to developing the most sound, sensible and sensitive approach to designing, constructing and operating the Project.

Learn more at gatewayfacts.ca

Janet Holder,Leader of Northern Gateway


May Day parade cancelledNot everyone loves a

parade.Th e Elks May Day Parade

is cancelled for this year, say organizers.

In a statement from Prince George Elks Lodge No.122, president Nancie Krushelnicki said Tuesday that while several organi-zations have been active participants over the years, the lack of recent support or representation by City representatives, tourism and downtown businesses has led to a decline in volunteer spirit needed to keep the parade afl oat.

“Th ere have been fewer fl oats in recent years,” she said. “Last year we didn’t even have a city representa-tive – we provide the car and the sign. All they have to do is sit there. I’m sure it’s due to cutbacks or some-thing but we send out invi-tations with a general letter every year letting people know about the parade, when it is, how to book a fl oat and so on and we get no response.”

Youth groups like Boy Scouts and Big Brothers and

non-profi t groups take part every year, she said. First Nations groups take part and so do special interest organizations.

“We do get support from our ‘regular’ groups and that’s been terrifi c. But we’re seeing a general decline in interest from the other groups. We had no response from our city represen-tatives and none of the downtown businesses or schools showed any interest in taking part in the parade. (Last year one of the local high schools took part, she said.) Th at makes volunteers very disheartened and they lose interest too.”

Even if there is last-minute interest shown, the parade is on hold at least for this year, says Krushelnicki.

“Th ere isn’t time to pull it together for this year. Th ere’s is a lot of background work such as getting various permits that goes into this. We hope to be able to bring the parade back in 2015 as Prince George celebrates its 100th anniversary and there is more civic pride.”

Over the years, Krushel-nicki said many individuals and groups have shown their continued support and enthusiasm for the parade

and for that, she is grateful.“Th ank you to the many

groups, organizations, participants and volunteers who have helped us put on this event over the past 85

years.”Th e Elks May Day Parade

has in past years been a very popular and colourful event in the downtown with a vibrant wash of purple,

dancers, drummers, bands, clowns and candy. Th e event is historically one of the hallmarks of spring.

“We [Elks Club members] will miss being there. We

always have our clowns and the kids really enjoy it. And the [Prince George] pipe band is always there but we hope next year people will get on board for the parade.”


Free Press file photoThe streets of downtown Prince George will be less colourful next month, with the annual Elks May Day Parade being cancelled.

Shell BuseyThe popular Canadian radio and television personality and home improvement expert will be at the 2014 Home Show.

MAJOR PRIZES TO BE WON!From Tropical Home & Patio, Tropical Pool & Spa, Twin

Anchors Houseboats and more!

Shell BuseyThe popular Canadian radio anpersonality and home improvebe at the 2014 Home Show.

MAJOR PRIZES TO BE WON!!From Tropical Home & Patio, Tropical Pool & Spa, Twin Fro

Anchors Houseboats and more!

nd televisionement expert will

Building? Renovating? Decorating? Rejuvenating?

Exhibition Park April 25, 26 & 27

Learn how at the Home Show!

COLOURING CONTESTWatch the Prince George Free Press for a colouring page and enter at Central Builders’ to WIN awesome Bike Packages from Koops Bike Shop! Check www.chbahomeshow.ca for details.

Available at: Rona, Central Builders’ and Windsor Plywood

For further information go to:www.chbahomeshow.ca

Tickets: $8.00 General$6.00 Senior Citizens and Disabled Attendees Children under 12 Free

Advance Tickets just $5.00!Apr. 7 - Apr. 21, 2014

Sponsors:

THE HOME DEPOT LITTLE BUILDERS’ WORKSHOPS!SAT. & SUN 11am - 3pmKids 12 years & under build and take home a bird feeder!


MOUNT POLLEY MINING CORPORATION

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Mine Maintenance Supervisor will report to the Mine Maintence General Foreman.

Responsible for all aspects of maintenance including, but not limited to the following: supervising the maintenance crew to ensure the safe, efficient and environmentally responsible maintenance and repair of heavy equipment; safety meetings and follow up; writing requisitions and work orders; and ensuring equipment availability.

Must be willing to work shift work in all weather conditions and overtime as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PREFERENCES

The ideal candidate will possess an interprovincial trade qualification with an advanced knowledge of mining-related equipment, hydraulics, maintenance procedures and practices. They will have proven competencies in time management as well as planning and organisational skills. Working knowledge of computers and computer programs will be highly regarded.

Candidates must demonstrate leadership and problem solving skills; effective verbal and written communications skills are required for this position. The ability to work independently and maintain positive relationships with all levels of Company employees is essential.

A valid driver’s license is required.

An attractive salary package, including relocation, will be negotiated with the successful candidate.

QUALIFED APPLICANTS ARE INVITED TO SEND THEIR RESUME & COVER LETTER TO:

Mount Polley Mining Corporation Human Resources Department

[email protected] / fax #250.790.2613

Mount Polley Mine is not a fly-in camp. Employees are expected to find their own accommodations. Daily transportation to/from the mine site is available.

Candidates must be eligible to work in Canada.

We thank all applicants for their interest in Mount Polley Mining Corporation, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

POSITION: Mine Maintenance Supervisor

Looking for a change?Enjoy people?

Change scare you? It shouldn’t.Just make sure you join the right team.

South Cariboo Dealership looking to add a team leader to it’s dealership. Proud community spon-sor and a full disclosure dealership. If the idea of change, sales, fun and trucks sounds appealing, you must be our new leader. If you are experienced as a Sales manager or General manager in a deal-ership environment, if you are an honest, integral, fun and hard working Manager – please consider sending us your resume and/or credentials. It may just surprise you, be much easier and way more fun than you imagined.

Remuneration, benefits and moving expenses based on experience.

Email: [email protected]

GENERAL MANAGER / SALES MANAGER POSITION IN SOUTHERN CARIBOO / INTERIOR OF BC

Prince George Association for Community Living

CAREGIVER OPPORTUNITIESWe are currently recruiting six male and female employees with full time or part time availability and 12 relief staff to create a positive home life, support people when participating in community events and assist with planning and delivery of skill building opportunities. You will also assist people with daily living skills which may include personal care.

RequirementsRegular employees must complete Community and School Support (CASS) Courses 140, 145, 130, & 150 within two years. Related experience and ability to organize activities, establish rapport with clients, observe and recognize changes, and work as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

Valid B.C. Class 5 Driver’s License and Driving Abstract; work may require the use of a personal vehicle. Basic computer skills and physical ability to carry out the duties are also required. Paid orientation/training; excellent bene ts and Municipal Pension Plan provided.

With over 400 dedicated employees, AiMHi is an accredited organization providing advocacy, support and service to people who have special needs.

950 Kerry StreetPrince George, BC V2M 5A3

Phone: 250-564-6408Fax: 250-564-6801

Email: [email protected]

APARTMENT/CONDOMANAGER TRAINING

• Certifi ed Home Study

Course• Jobs

RegisteredAcross Canada• Gov. Certifi ed

www.RMTI.ca / 604.681.5456 or 1.800.665.8339

Employment

Education/Trade Schools

Announcements

Obituaries

BC Cancer Foundation1215 Lethbridge Street

Prince George, BC V2N 7E9

Please include your name and mailing address for the tax

receipt, the name of the person you’re remembering

and the name and address of person to notify.

250.645.7300 ext. 687469bccancerfoundation.com

Information

ADVERTISE in the LARGEST OUTDOOR PUBLICATION IN BC

The 2014-2016 BC Hunting Regulations

SynopsisThe most effective way to

reach an incredible number of BC Sportsmen & women.

Two year edition- terrifi c presence for your business.Please call Annemarie

1.800.661.6335 email:

fi [email protected]

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUSDo you think you may have a problem with Alcohol? Alcohol Anonymous, Box 1257, Prince George, BC V2L 4V5Call 250-564-7550

Travel

TimeshareCANCEL YOUR timeshare. NO risk program stop mort-gage & maintenance pay-ments today. 100% money back guarantee. Free consul-tation. Call us now. We can help! Call 1-888-356-5248.

Employment

Business Opportunities

EXPANDING INTOPRINCE GEORGE!

Includes TrainingCall Dave for Franchise

Presentation. 1.855.301.2233www.bc.abuyerschoice.com

Employment

Business Opportunities

GET FREE Vending ma-chines. Can earn $100,000 + per year. All cash. Retire in just 3 years. Protected territo-ries. Full details call now 1-866-668-6629 www.tcvend.com

Caretakers/Residential Managers

RES MANAGER VICTORIA-1 F/T + 1 P/T. 55 unit building. Offi ce on-site. Rent discount. Car required. Experience an asset. Start late May/June. Fax: (250)920-5437.

Drivers/Courier/Trucking

HIGHWAYOWNER OPERATORS$3500 SIGNING BONUS

Van Kam’s Group of Compa-nies requires Highway line-haul Owner Operators based in our Prince George terminal for runs throughout BC and Alberta. Applicants must have winter and mountain, driving expe-rience/training.

We offer above average rates and an excellent

employee benefi ts package.

To join our team of profes-sional drivers, email a resume, current driver’s abstract & details of your truck to:

[email protected] Call: 604-968-5488Fax: 604-587-9889

Only those of interestwill be contacted.

Van-Kam is committed toEmployment Equity and

Environmental Responsibility.

www.pgfreepress.com

Employment

Education/Trade Schools

INTERIOR HEAVY EQUIP-MENT OPERATOR SCHOOL.NO Simulators. In-the-seat training. Real world tasks.Weekly start dates. Job board! Funding options.SignUp online! iheschool.com 1-866-399-3853

Home Care/Support

Employment

ForestryWANTED: FORESTRY Tech-nician for sawmill complex in Alberta. Experienced in plan-ning and harvesting opera-tions. Full time permanent. E-mail resume: [email protected].

Career Opportunities

Employment

Help WantedSteady/PT to vacuum, wipe &wash cars. Apply to Hands onCar Wash, 1956 3rd Ave

Tease Hair is looking for full orpart time stylists. Please applywith resume to 7582 HartHighway. 250-962-0212

Career Opportunities

250.564.0005

INDEX IN BRIEF

“Advertise across Northern BC in the 32 best-read

community newspapers!”

AGREEMENTIt is agreed by any Display or Clas-si ed Advertiser requesting space that the liability of the paper in the event of failure to publish an advertisement shall be limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for that portion of the advertising space occupied by the incorrect item only, and that there shall be no liability in any event beyond the amount paid for such advertise-ment. The publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typo-graphical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement.

bcclassi ed.com cannot be responsible for errors after the rst day of publication of any adver-tisement. Notice of errors on the rst day should immediately be called to the attention of the Clas-si ed Department to be corrected for the following edition.

bcclassi ed.com reserves the right to revise, edit, classify or reject any advertisement and to retain any answers directed to the bcclassi ed.com Box Reply Service and to repay the customer the sum paid for the advertisement and box rental.

DISCRIMINATORY LEGIS-LATIONAdvertisers are reminded that Pro-vincial legislation forbids the publi-cation of any advertisement which discriminates against any person because of race, religion, sex, col-or, nationality, ancestry or place of origin, or age, unless the condition is justi ed by a bona de require-ment for the work involved.

COPYRIGHTCopyright and/or properties sub-sist in all advertisements and in all other material appearing in this edition of bcclassi ed.com. Per-mission to reproduce wholly or in part and in any form whatsoever, particularly by a photographic or offset process in a publication must be obtained in writing from the publisher. Any unauthorized reproduction will be subject to re-course in law.

Free PrFree PressessPrince George

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

CHILDREN

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICE GUIDE - PERSONAL

BUSINESS SERVICES

PETS / LIVESTOCK

ITEMS FOR SALE / WANTED

REAL ESTATE

RENTALS

TRANSPORTATION

MARINE

LEGALS

1645 Spruce St. Prince George

250-562-7311www.educate.com

Call today and ask about our in-centre or live, online tutoring programs.

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Friday, April 4, 2014 21www.pgfreepress.com Prince George - CLASSIFIEDS - Free Press


JOB DESCRIPTION

The HEAVY DUTY MECHANIC will report to the Mine Maintence Supervisor.

Duties will include preventive maintenance and repairs to surface heavy equipment (eg. loaders, excavators, rock trucks, bulldozers).


The ideal candidates must be a journeyman Heavy Duty Mechanic with a BC or Interprovincial trade qualification and a valid drivers license.

Previous experience in a mining environment will be considered an asset.

Shifts and wages as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

QUALIFED APPLICANTS ARE INVITED TO SEND THEIR RESUME &

COVER LETTER TO:

Mount Polley Mining Corporation Human Resources Department




We thank all applicants for their interest in Mount Polley Mining Corporation, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted

POSITION: Heavy Duty Mechanic


JOB DESCRIPTION

The Electrician will report to the Maintenance Foreman. Responsibilities will include constructing, maintaining, altering, repairing and testing all electric or electronic systems and components that are integral to the operation’s mining activities.


The candidate for this position will have a minimum of two years mining experience. A valid Journeymans Electrical Certification and valid drivers license.


QUALIFED APPLICANTS ARE INVITED TO SEND THEIR

RESUME & COVER LETTER TO:

Mount Polley Mining Corporation

Human Resources Depart. [email protected] / fax #250.790.2613




POSITION: Journeyman Electrian


JOB DESCRIPTION

The Millwright will report to the Mill Maintenance Supervisor.

Duties will include general preventative maintenance and repairs in a concentrator setting. Must be willing to work shift work in all weather conditions and overtime as required.


The ideal candidate will be a journeyman millwright with a BC or Interprovincial trade qualification and a valid drivers license.

Previous experience in a mining environment will be considered an asset.


QUALIFED APPLICANTS ARE INVITED TO SEND THEIR RESUME & COVER LETTER TO:

Mount Polley Mining Corporation Human Resources Depart.





POSITION: Millwright

“HEAD CHEF” position is a Full-Time Management job for a hands-on managing Chef to handle all aspects in the Kitchen at the Billy Barker Casino Hotel in Quesnel, BC. Must lead the kitchen team, possess excellent communication skills, leadership, and time management skills. Chef experience of no less than 5 years with a history of loyalty to one employer. Experience in hiring, training, supervision of up to 15 kitchen personnel, discipline and terminating exercises. Ordering supplies, scheduling of kitchen help. Must hold a valid WHMIS and FOODSAFE, and First Aid Level 1 certificate.Salary range is $40,000. to $48,000. per year, depending on experience.Apply via email to [email protected] with detailed resume complete with references.

“CHEF” up to 3 “Chef” positions are available to commence by late April, 2014. The Billy Barker Casino Hotel in Quesnel, BC is looking for experienced and energetic people in our new kitchen, for preparing and presenting of all food items. Some supervision is required, and will work closely with the Head Chef. Ensure kitchen sanitation is maintained, all safety and security precautions are met and health standards are observed. Salary range is $27,000. to $33,000. per year, depending on experience.Apply via email to [email protected] with a detailed resume complete with references.

Billy Barker Casino Hotel CAREER OPPORTUNITY

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITYPlywood Shift Supervisor

Canoe Forest Products Ltd., located near Salmon Arm BC has an immediate fulltime opening within the Plywood Department for a Shift Supervisor.

Reporting directly to the Plywood Manager, the successful candidate will be responsible for the supervision of all aspects of the plywood manufacturing business. The position offers a challenging opportunity to an experienced, self-motivated, technically sound individual who can work with minimal supervision. Other prerequisites include above average interpersonal and communication skills.

A thorough understanding of Quality & Statistical Process Control systems would be desirable. Preference will be given to those applicants who hold post-secondary education in Woods Product Manufacturing or Business Administration. Three to five years of related supervisory experience would also be an asset.

Canoe Forest Products Ltd. offers a competitive salary and benefits package based on experience and qualifications.

If you possess the skills and qualifications for this position, please submit your resume with cover letter, in confidence, by Monday, April 7, 2014 to:

Human Resources Department Canoe Forest Products Ltd. Box 70, Canoe BC V0E 1K0 E: [email protected] F: 866‐514‐8773 www.canoefp.com

Canoe Forest Products thanks all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

DRIVER WANTEDFor local, in-town deliveries.

MUST know City.Part-time work available.Contact (250) 552-4114

by April 11, 2014

Employment

Help Wanted

CLEANING SUPERVISORreq’d. Sal: $18.00/hr. F/t, Pmt. 1+ yrs. exp. Duties: Supervise and co-ordinate the activities of cleaners. Inspect and ensure of estab-lished safety and cleanliness standards are met. Hire, train and schedule staff. Estimate and optimize bud-get. Lang: English. Contact: Harpreet from Northstar Janitorial Services in 193 Aitken Cr, Prince George, BC, V2L 4N3, BC. Apply at [email protected]

Sales Person WantedThe Logomap & Guide Co. is

looking for a hard working sales person in advertising and products. Must be neat and well mannered, experi-

ence an asset, a reliable vehi-cle. Wage and or Commission.

Apply with resume to [email protected]

THAI Cleaning requires full Thai speaking workers. Call 250-563-8533

The Prince George Sylvan Learning Centre

is looking for certifi ed teachers profi cient in teaching reading, writing and math. Please drop

off, fax or e-mail resume to: 1645 Spruce Street, Prince

George, BC V2L 2R3; Fax: (250)562-7312;

E-mail: [email protected].

Home Care/SupportResidential Care Workerswanted for 27yr Autistic Male. Requirements: Foodsafe, Level One First Aid, Class 5 Drivers License, Physically Fit Will train eligible candidates$18/hr , 8 hr shifts.Contact: [email protected]

Help Wanted

Employment

Hotel, Restaurant, Food Services

LOOKING for a lasting career with opportunities for growth and advancement? Due to rapid expansion in Northern BC, A&W is currently seeking Store Managers. If you have a proven track record in man-agement and are energetic, hard-working, and enjoy a fast-paced work environment, a career with A&W may be for you. We offer an excellent compensation and incentive package. Locations: Vande-rhoof, Burns Lake, Smithers & Terrace. For more information, or to apply, send resume by email to [email protected]

Janitorial

Housekeeper &Hotel Houseman

Jani-King wants candidates who:• Have a desire to help others• Are service-oriented• Can work fl exible schedules• Are bondable• Can handle a fast pace

[email protected]

Trades, Technical

Fabricators, Millwrights, Welders and

Industrial PaintersTimber West Mill Construc-tion is currently hiring Fabri-cators, Millwrights, Welders and Industrial Painters.

Resumes accepted by fax (250) 964-0222 or e-mail

[email protected]

LICENSED PLUMBER/GAS FITTER

Req. at Canuck Mechanical in Prince George. Must have exp. doing service work & be profi cient with trouble shoot-ing heating systems & plumbing problems.

Top wages & benefi tsEmail resume to:

[email protected]

Help Wanted

www.pgfreepress.com

Employment

Trades, Technical

J. WALSH & SONS• WE ARE LOOKING

FOR THE BEST.• WE ARE READY TO HIRE 2 FULL TIME TRADES PEOPLE.

Willing to pay premium wages, top benefi ts in industry.

For the right person - Substantial signing bonus.

PLUMBERWith gas ticket, sheet metal furnace

install experience.

REFRIGERATION HVAC MECHANIC

Lots of service experience. Must be top of your fi eld.

APPLY PERSONALLY TO FRANK WALSH - 250.372.5115

Fax: 1.250.372-5711OR CHECK US OUT AT:

www.jwalshandsons.com

CNC MAZAK MACHINISTS. Live, work & play in sunny Shuswap. ISO Certifi ed, Excellent Safety record, Spotless shop. New machines & Brand new building on the way 50K-80K+ /yr + OT and bonuses. Multiple positions available for the RIGHT people. 4+ Axis experience an asset. Apply by: [email protected] Fax: 250-832-8950

PCL ENERGY. Now hiring Journeyperson Pipefi tters ($40+/hr) and Scaffolders ($38+/hr) for an industrial pro-ject in Vanscoy, SK. LOA of $145/day worked and bonus-es! We offer competitive wag-es and benefi ts. Send resume to: [email protected].

Services

Alterations/Dressmaking

FOUR SISTERS SEWING250-564-4985

Help Wanted

www.pgfreepress.com

Services

Financial ServicesDROWNING IN Debt? Cut debts more than 60% and be debt free in half the time! Avoid bankruptcy! Free con-sultation. Toll Free 1-877-556-3500 BBB Rated A+ orwww.mydebtsolution.com

GET BACK ON TRACK! Bad credit? Bills? Unemployed? Need Money? We Lend! If you own your own home - you qualify. Pioneer Acceptance Corp. Member BBB.

1-877-987-1420 www.pioneerwest.com

IF YOU own a home or real estate, Alpine Credits can lend you money: it’s that simple. Your credit/age/income is not an issue. 1-800-587-2161.

Help Wanted

Services

Legal ServicesCRIMINAL RECORD? Don’t let it block employment, travel, education, professional, certifi -cation, adoption, property ren-tal opportunities. For peace of mind and a free consultation call 1-800-347-2540.

CRIMINAL RECORD? PardonServices Canada. Established

1989. Confi dential, Fast, &Affordable. A+BBB Rating. RCMP Accredited. Employment & Travel Freedom. Free Consultation 1-8-

NOW-PARDON (1-866-972-7366)RemoveYourRecord.com

FramingREDUCE energy use 50-90% with a super-insulated & airtight new home for the same price as a stan-dard build. E. Olofsson Construc-tion Inc.,Licensed Builders. 604-761-3499 [email protected]

Help Wanted

Trades, Technical Trades, Technical

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22 Friday, April 4, 2014 www.pgfreepress.comPrince George - CLASSIFIEDS - Free Press

250.564.0005 www.pgfreepress.com

CAREERS &OPPORTUNITIES

To be included in the

Free Press

Careers &

Opportunities Pages

Call 250-564-0005Call 250-564-0005Deadlines for

Friday issue: 1:00 p.m. Tuesday

FINDFIND the the staff you staff you need... need... Now!Now!

PRINCE GEORGE NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE

Our People make a difference in the community

The Prince George Native Friendship Centre, a visionary non-profi t society, has been serving the needs of the entire community for the past 43 years.

We are seeking candidates for the following position within our organization

YOUTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES: Friendship Home Coordinator Closing date: April 14, 2014

FAMILY WELLNESS PROGRAMS: Little Friends Day Care ECE Assistant Closing date: April 16, 2014

A hard copy listing the roles, responsibilities and qualifi cations of the position are available from the Prince George Native Friendship Centre’s web site atwww.pgnfc.com (click on Join Our Team / Careers).

To apply, submit a resume, cover letter and three (3) references detailing which position you are applying for, to:

Prince George Native Friendship Centre 1600 Third Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3G6 Fax: (250) 563-0924 E-mail: [email protected]

Applications will be accepted until dates noted on posting, no telephone inquiries please. We thank all applicants, however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

Prince George Free PressDescriptionWe are seeking a team player with a professional attitude to work and learn in a fast paced, business environment.Quali cationsThe ideal candidate must be motivated and take the initiative to sell multiple media products, including on-line advertising and special products, work with existing customers and develop new customers. Strong interpersonal skills and a strong knowledge of sales and marketing are required. Above average communication skills, valid driver’s licence and a reliable vehicle are necessary.If a rewarding challenge resonates with you, contact us today. Please submit your resume and cover letter to:

Ron Drillen, General Manager Prince George Free Press 1773 South Lyon Street Prince George, B.C., V2N 1T3, Canada Tel: (250) 564-0005 Ext.115 Fax: (250) 562-0025 Email: [email protected]

Outside Advertising Sales Representative

AberdeenPublishing.com778-754-5722

TERRACE KITIMAT AIRPORT SOCIETYBRISTOL ROAD UPGRADE CONSTRUCTION

TENDER 2014-1439-1INVITATION TO TENDER

Sealed tenders marked “Bristol Road Upgrade Construction Contract 2013-1439-1” will be received

no later than 3:00 pm local time on Monday May 5, 2014 by the Terrace Kitimat Airport Society at the office of McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd. Suite #1 – 5008 Pohle Avenue, Terrace, BC V8G 4S8.

This tender is for the construction of storm water, sanitary sewer, water main, shallow utilities and road construction on Bristol Road.

The owner reserves the right to reject any or all of the Tenders and the lowest tender will not necessarily be accepted.

Tender Documents may be viewed at the Terrace-Kitimat Airport Administration Office or at McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd. Suite #1 – 5008 Pohle Avenue, Terrace, B.C on or after April 10, 2014.

A recommended pre-tender meeting will be held on April 29, 2014 at the Terrace Kitimat Airport Administration Building at 10:00 a.m.

Tender documents may be obtained at no cost in PDF on or after April 10, 2014 from McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd., Suite #1 – 5008 Pohle Avenue, Terrace, BC V8G 4S8, or by hard copy for a non-refundable deposit of $150.00 made payable to McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd.Project Engineer contact: Joel Barkman, P.Eng. Phone: (250) 631-4071 or [email protected]

Legal LegalServices

Household ServicesA mature lady interested in do-ing light housekeeping in your home. If interested call San-dra at (250)981-3752

Available to do housecleaning. Experienced, honest, reliable,

has references. Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly.

250-561-1245 ask for Sonia

LandscapingFall YARD CLEAN-UPGarbage Removal &

Gutter Cleaning (250)961-3612 or

(250)964-4758 resPAL’S MAINTENANCE

Painting & Decorating

Paint Special 3 Rooms $589incl. prem qlty paint, your col-or choices, 2 coats, fi lled nail holes. Ceiling & trim extra. Free Est. HB Tech Painting250-649-6285

Merchandise for Sale

Free ItemsFree double rabbit cage. Call250-962-9856

Misc. for SaleHOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available. 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/newspaper?

RESTLESS LEG Syndrome and leg cramps? Fast relief in one hour. Sleep at night. Prov-en for over 32 years. www.allcalm.com Mon-Fri 8-4 EST 1-800-765-8660.

SAWMILLS FROM only $4,897. Make money and save money with your own bandmill. Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. Free info & DVD: 1-800-566-6899 Ext:400OT. www.norwoodsawmills.com/400ot

Merchandise for Sale

Misc. for SaleSTEEL BUILDINGS, metal buildings 60% off! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for bal-ance owed! Call 1-800-457-2206; www.crownsteelbuildings.ca.

Misc. WantedCoin Collector Looking to Buy Collections, Estates, Gold & Silver Coins + 778-281-0030

FIREARMS. ALL types want-ed, estates, collections, single items, military. We handle all paperwork and transportation. Licensed Dealer. 1-866-960-0045. www.dollars4guns.com

Will buy unwanted gold & sil-ver, coins, quality watches, Rolex. Will meet or beat any reasonable competitors rate, local buyer. 250-612-1828, Prince George.

Real Estate

Other Areas20 ACRES $0 Down, Only $119/mo. Owner Financing, NO CREDIT CHECKS! Near El Paso, Texas. Beautiful Mountain Views! Money Back Guarantee Call 1-866-882-5263 Ext. 81www.sunsetranches.net

Rentals

Apt/Condo for Rent 2 bdrm $675

Bachelor $480 or $540 Includes heat & h/w 1601 Queensway St.

250-596-4275 250-612-7199

HARDWOOD MANOR 1575 Queensway

Bachelor, 1 & 2 bdrm Suites Heat/hot water included

Adult Oriented/Students welcomeIncentives for long-term students

Call (250)561-1446

www.pgfreepress.com

Rentals

Apt/Condo for RentJUBILEE Apt’s

1 bdrm, small 2 bdrm Adult orientated, close to downtown & bus route. N/S, N/P. Parking. Call: (250) 562-7172

SUMMIT APTS2666 Upland Street

1 & 2 bedroom apts. Rentincludes: hydro, heat, hot

water, appliances, drapes and parking. Quiet, no pets

250-564-3162

Commercial/Industrial

Midtowne

To Rent Call:250-561-1447

• 1 & 2 bedroom apartments available

• Close to hospital & downtown

• Rent includes heat, hot water• Elevator to undercover

parking • Fridge, stove, quality carpets,

drapes • Laundry on each fl oor • No pets

Space available for rentFor all your rental needs

Call 562-8343 or 562-RENT

Majestic Management(1981) Ltd.

• OFFICE

• COMMERCIAL

• RETAIL

www.pgfreepress.com

Rentals

Suites, LowerFully furnished 1 bdrm bsmt suite for 1 person - no pets. New appl, wireless cable, & all utilities included in rent. Available immed Close to CNC, UNBC & Pine Centre. 250-564-9443 or 250-301-9350

Transportation

Scrap Car Removal

FREE SCRAP CARREMOVAL

within 15 kmP & R

250-963-3435Email: prfl [email protected]

MEMBER OF

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLER’S

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC.

“DO’IN IT RIGHT”

Wrecker/Used Parts

USED TIRESCars & Trucks

$25 & upMost Sizes Available

15270 Hwy 97 South250.963.3435

Transportation

Boats

.

Tenders Tenders

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PRIVATE PRIVATE SALESALE

• Car • Truck• SUV • ATV• RV • Boat

For just $50 + HST you receive a 1x1.5” boxed classifi ed ad including a picture of

your vehicle along with text describing it’s features.

Call us today!

250-564-0005or Email:

classifi [email protected]

Run your advertisement

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Used

Friday, April 4, 2014 23www.pgfreepress.com Prince George Free Press

We can help drive your customers to your door step!Call your sales rep today!

250-564-0005 Your best resource for community news

Kia taking on the small cars from the big guys

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA – Kia rounds out its attack on the country’s best-sell-ing cars with the launch of the final two models to the Forte lineup.Last year Kia introduced their all-new Forte sedan to compete with such top sellers as the Honda Civic, Mazda3, Toyota Corolla and Hyun-dai Elantra. This week, the 5-door hatchback version called Forte5 and the coupe, called Forte Koup begin arriving in dealerships.The launch of these two vehicles took us from Huntington Beach, California, through the mountains and desert to Borrego Springs and then back through the mountains to San Diego. The terrain varies from massive California highways to very twisty mountain passes and vast desert valleys. Stunning scenery and a recommended drive for any sightseer or driving enthusiast. LooksThe Forte5 is the more practical of the two new Kias with a hatchback design that sets it apart from the competition. Many competitors don’t offer a hatch so this is sure to be noticed by people who need extra storage and passenger room. Sold with a new base 2.0L engine or an optional 1.6L turbo engine, there are varied looks depending on which trim is chosen. The non-turbo Forte5 gets a front grille similar to the sedan with a smaller lower intake and a larger grille opening. The Forte5 SX turbo gets the same grille as the Koup, with the opposite

front treatment, a bigger lower opening and a smaller, more aggressive grille. The great news is that all Forte5 and Koup models come with alloy wheels; 16-inches on the Forte5 and 18-inch alloys on the turbo version. The Koup has 17-inch base alloys or 18-inches on the turbo.InsideI drove the top Turbo version of the Forte5 and the base, non-turbo version of the Koup. Both have an amazing level of interior refinement. If you have ever questioned that Kia knows how to make good quality cars, just look at these new products. The switches and dials look and feel first rate and the layout is logical and easy to use. Koup can actually fit adults up to six feet. The dash has either a conventional radio layout with a smaller screen but when the backup camera is added on either model, the screen jumps to 6-inch-es and becomes a touchscreen device. If the buyer wants the navigation system, then the top turbo model with luxury package is needed. The front seats sit high off the floor for good outward visibility. What continues to amaze me is the level of equipment Kia offers from standard Bluetooth and satellite radio to optional heated and cooled seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, power folding outside mirrors and more. True luxury touches.DriveKia has put some punch into both the base and turbo versions of the Forte5 and Koup. The base engine is a large 2.0L direct injection engine with 173hp. In comparison, the top selling Civic has 143hp. The turbo model gets a 1.6L direct

injection engine with a solid 201hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque that comes on at a very low 1750 RPM. The turbo also gets a stiffer suspension, bigger wheels, sharper steering feel and shorter gear ratios from first to third gear. This makes the car livelier and handles better but it also makes the car a bit twitchy on the highway when driving straight.

The base 2.0L would be my choice. 173hp is loads for a car of this size and the smaller wheels and less aggressive suspension might be a better day-to-day driver. Ei-ther way, Kia has kicked things up a notch and both are fun to drive and never feel underpowered.

VerdictThe Forte5 starts at $19,495 and tops out at $28,395 for a turbo with navigation. The Koup comes with a few extra standard features and it runs from $20,895-$28,695. Some might think that the higher end models are getting expensive but they have features such as dimming rearview mirrors, power outside mirrors and heated rear seats that are not generally avail-able in this class.Kia has been growing steadily since it entered Canada 15 years

ago, and with new products like the Forte5 and Koup, there’s no reason to believe the trend will [email protected]

The LowdownPower: 1.8L 4-cylinder with 132hp or 140hpFill-up: 8.6L/5.8L/100km (city/highway Forte5 auto) Sticker price: $19,495-$28,395

DrivewayCanada.ca | Welcome to the driver’s seat DrivewayCanada.ca | Welcome to the driver’s seatWelcome to the driver’s seat

Question of the week:As spring approaches, new drivers will be as common as the blossoms on the trees. Should a course of professional driver training be mandatory for all new drivers?

Please explain why you have made that decision. Go to DrivewayCanada.ca to submit your answer and you could win a $100 Safeway gift card.

OF THE WEEK!

?QUESTION

Safety Tip:Auto crime incidents continue to plummet across the province but there’s still more we can do to deter thieves and

protect our vehicles. Use an anti-theft device, park in secure, well-lit areas, remove all valuables and always lock your doors.

Buying used? We’re looking out for you. Find out how at WatchoutforWalt.com

Confessions of a Curber...Meet Walt. He lives with his wife and two teenagers in a quiet neighbourhood. Walt goes to work every morning, provides for his family and chats with his neighbours. Walt has a secret. He’s no Walter White from“Breaking Bad.” But, his love for quick cash and high profi ts drive him to a sideline that makes us all a little less safe and costs some their savings. Walt is a curber.

Walt has no shame! This week he sells a stolen car.

Visit the 2014 Kia photo gallery at DrivewayCanada.ca

If you have ever questioned that Kia knows how to make good quality cars just look at

these new products.

Zack Spencer

‘‘Kia has been growing steadily since it entered Canada fifteen years ago and with new products like the Forte5 and Koup, there is no reason to believe the trend will end.’’Zack Spencer

24 Friday, April 4, 2014 www.pgfreepress.comPrince George Free Press

Buying used? We’re looking out for you. Find out how at WatchoutforWalt.com

Noodling on the web one morning I found out that I was selling vehicles illegally. If I was in the business of selling, I need to be licensed as a dealer.Oh well. Everything’s been working out just fi ne for me. I skated through those recent bad deals. My previous sales were a distant memory – I was eager to start selling more. So, I decided to up my game a bit. I got a low-end truck and a car from an auction and another car from a new parking lot friend. I put ads for all three vehicles on Craigslist. Of course my ads said they were all real gems. You’d think people might see through my ads. “Need to sell fast, so price is fl exible. Call with best offer.” And my cell number was the same for all three. Would anybody notice?The fi rst two cheaper vehicles sold quickly.The last one took a bit longer to sell. Of course, it was the one I was most eager to sell. Why, you ask?Well, not that I passed the information along, but the auction provided vehicle history reports for the fi rst two. I had no information on the last.So, I bought ICBC and CarProof vehicle history reports. I wanted to educate myself. To my surprise, there was a statement in both reports that the vehicle was possibly “stolen*.”I knew I had to sell it fast. I mean, I’d paid for it and I knew my new “friend” wouldn’t take it back.Four days later, I got a call from a young

woman. She asked if the car would fi t a family of four. “Defi nitely!” I practically screamed. I was a wreck during this sale. I just needed to get rid of this car – fast. I told the nice lady the details of the car. Apart from being stolen, it was pretty nice!I told her I was in a hurry to visit my mum in the hospital. She was in a hurry too – her three-year-old was anxious, pulling at her pant legs. She seemed to not want to be there as much as me. Finally, she agreed to buy the car. Phew! I was saved. Whatever happens next, I don’t care. It’s her problem not mine.I quickly changed my phone number (again). Weeks later, I saw her on the news – with kid still at pant legs – talking to a reporter. Apparently, the car was towed away by the police. And yes, she was trying to fi nd me. Had I covered my tracks? I agonized.

*How can a stolen vehicle be sold? Curbers often break the law by bridging a title. Instead of registering a vehicle in their name within 10 days after a purchase, as required, they leave it in the name of the previous owner. This keeps their name out of the chain of title and from being caught with a stolen vehicle or one that would not be able to be registered or insured for another reason.

Confessions of a CurberConfessions of a Curber

“Apart from being stolen, it was pretty nice!”

driveway

Dart GT could be edgier but delivers valueTh e Dodge Dart has held its own in a sporty compact segment where competition is fi erce.Perhaps it is because of its value, the various engine choices or that it has some pretty cool features (like available under-the-front-seat-cushion storage) and a fresh style – inside and out – the Dart seems to be a hit.Two years in, Chrysler has loaded it up with an en-gine full of gusto, unique styling cues and added a couple of letters on the back and now we have the Dodge Dart GT.What sets it apart from its siblings are a stretched-down grille and LED headlights. You’ll fi nd the rear clad with the ‘Racetrack’ LED lights that run the full length of the trunk.Th en there’s a set of 18-inch wheels come standard on this vehicle along with a 2.4L, Multi-Air, 4-cylinder Tigershark engine, matched with a 6-speed manual transmis-

sion, that brings to the pavement 184 horsepower and 171 lb-ft of torque. Of all the characteristics I like about this trim of Dart, I think its transmis-sion is the weakest link. In previous reviews of other Dart models – like the 1.4L, Turbocharged ver-sion with 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque – the gear throws are, in my opinion, too long to really give it that edge and sporty vibe that it needs to compete with vehicles like the VW GTI, Honda Civic Si or even the Ford Focus ST. Th e gear throws are long and the clutch has little weight to it, taking away the performance aspect of the GT that it should have.On the fl ip side, the light clutch works favourably in the urban environment. Th is setup makes being stuck in traffi c bearable.Getting back to the gear-box, I really wanted to like the Dart more. I really did. So I concocted scenarios in my mind to fi gure out a

way to not be so sad about its lack of panache. I think I found one. Buyers of the GT will like what they get for the value.Aft er all, it has a starting MSRP of $21,995. Th at’s thousands less than the aforementioned competi-tors. And some buyers of vehicles who want that extra kick don’t neces-sarily need all the sports sedan-like characteristics. Th ey want power but in a comfortable and aff ord-

able package.Furthermore, they enjoy added touches like a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel, GT spe-cifi c sport leather seats, a Parkview rear backup camera and more. Th e interior has a pleasant look to it and it’s very agreeable to drive.

On the highway, special attention from designers and engineers were paid to make sure you drive in a quiet cabin.Minimal road noise entered the GT’s cabin, allowing my passengers and I to enjoy the musical stylings of various bands being listened to on the

Alpine premium stereo system with nine speakers (an additional $1,295 for this sun and sound package.) Th e sun portion of the package adds a power express open/close sunroof to the mix.Aft er I switched into this mindset, I found I was able to alleviate my frustrations of what the GT didn’t have, but what it did have.Additionally, a feature that I love about the Dart – and all other Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler products – is the Uconnect media interface. Th e GT comes standard with the 8.4-inch touch-screen and is a dream to work with. Large icons, easy prompts and a no-fuss approach to pairing your handheld device to the Bluetooth system all

come standard.Whether taking the GT for a drive in the city or on the open road, it does have some solid legs to stand on.

Visit www.dodge.ca for more [email protected]/cargirlsgarage

‘‘Whether taking the GT for a drive in the city or on the open road, it does have some solid legs to stand on.’’Alexandra Straub

Rugged beauty is more than skin deep

Th e all-new 2014 Jeep Grand Chero-kee is a luxury sport ute that attracts a lot of attention. Th e body styling went through some major changes this year and is very diff erent to the previous version that had more chiseled and square edges. Th is vehicle is refi ned and more rounded. If it wasn’t for the tradi-tional Jeep grille you would think this was a Volvo or an Audi. Th e fi rst thing you notice is the new LED lighting that wraps around the HID headlamps, it gives it a very so-phisticated and contemporary look. Jeep did not sacrifi ce its off road ca-pabilities. Options are; Quadra-Trac 1 that features full time on demand four-wheel drive with single speed transfer case and equal torque split (50 front/50 rear) with brake control. Quadra-Trac 11, with a 2 speed transfer case with low range and variable torque distribution that delivers up to a 100 percent front or rear. Quadra-Lift air suspension that lift s four corners of the vehicle to provide the best in class ground clearance of 272 mm that will allow you to negotiate just about any ter-rain you encounter. Th e Summit model has a gorgeous interior, all the bells and whistles. Premium Nappa leather seats with heated/vented 12 way power front seats.

Th e steering wheel is heated and wrapped in leather with sections of wood. Th e instrument panel, doors, and centre console are also leather stitched. Th e Power lift gate that can be controlled via the remote to make life easier loading and unload-ing cargo. Be careful at night, with the lift gate open it’s hard to see the bottom of the gate and if you’re not careful you will be wearing the lock mechanism as a tattoo on your forehead, don’t ask how I know. With this model, you get the naviga-tion screen complete with a backup camera. Th ere is also an optional rear seat DVD system.Th ere is an optional stability control with anti-roll, hill start assist, trailer sway control. Front air bags with re-active head rest restraints, and side curtain airbags. Forward collision warning system detects whether you are approaching another vehicle too rapidly and alerts you to take action. Parkview/ Park-sense Park assist systems that help see what perhaps you would not see when backing up. Four engine choices here. Th e fi rst is a 3.0L Ecodiesel V6 that an amazing 420 lb-ft of torque and 240 horse-power. My tester was equipped with the fuel frugal diesel – 9.8 /7.0 L/100 km (city/highway).Th e second is a 3.6 L Pentastar VVT

V6 that has been on the Ward’s 10 best engine list for three years. It delivers 290 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Th ere is a 5.7L VVT V8 with 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque and delivers a surpris-ingly 9.9L/100 km on the highway. Th e last engine choice is the 6.4L HEMI V8 which is available on the SRT model. It delivers 470 horse-power and 465 lb-ft of torque, all these engines come with an 8 speed automatic transmission. Basic war-ranty coverage is for three years or 60,000 kmI remember as a kid, wearing my Sunday best and then going out and playing in the mud! With this Jeep, you push a button, hike up the truck, and go have some fun! I was very surprised that it was able to perform off -road given that it has undergone some dramatic changes to the body and the ride comfort, but like all Jeeps it is built to take a punishment.

Sticker price:Price as tested $54,395Laredo $39,995Limited $47,895Overland $55,895Summit $60,895SRT $63,495

[email protected]

‘‘I remember as a kid, wearing my Sunday best and then going out and playing in the mud! With this Jeep, you push a button, hike up the truck, and go have some fun.’’Ian Harwood

Friday, April 4, 2014 25www.pgfreepress.com Prince George - SPORTS - Free Press

JUST SAYING........... Is your garden hose still on? Chances are it will leak inside your home this spring.

Do your water shut offs work ? Do you know where they are?

Have you had your hot water tank checked? Old tanks can leak causing insurance claims.

[email protected]

Serving Prince George & Area

Duncan Desharnais

www.CustomStitchPG.com1.800.616.1338TOLL

FREE

Ten days remain in the NHL regular season, and most playoff positions have been established, albeit the races for the wild card spots in both conferences will continue to garner attention down the stretch.

Of note, there isn’t a lot of drama in the race for the major individual awards. Scoring leader Sidney Crosby is a “shoo-in” for the Hart (MVP), Alex Ovechkin will capture the Rocket Richard goal scor-ing title, Tuukka Rask is a lock for the Vezina (Top Goalie), Patrick Roy has a com-manding lead for the Adams (Top Coach), and Nathan MacKinnon appears set to earn the Calder (Rookie of the Year). Th e Norris (Top Defenceman) is debatable, although it’s hard to argue against Duncan Keith. By the way, Ovechkin is poised for another 50-goal season but his league worst -36 highlights his defensive defi ciencies.

Now here are 10 (team) obser-vations for which awards will not be granted:

Team to beat: Boston. Th e Bruins top the league in goal diff erential and have the fewest weaknesses. Th ey also have an ace goalie that can bail the team out on rare off nights.

Team to avoid: Los Ange-les. Th e Kings will likely meet Anaheim or San Jose in the fi rst round. L.A. reminds me of Boston. Th e Kings may not have as much fi repower as the Bruins, but they are well rounded with a top-notch goalie, a standout

defenceman and an understand-ing of how to win at the most important time of the year.

Team with the most to prove: St Louis. Th e Blues did not ac-quire goalie Ryan Miller to place second. St. Louis has the record, the stats, the personnel and the

coaching to capture the Stanley Cup, but do they have the intes-tinal fortitude to win four rounds against gruelling competition? I doubt it. For what it is worth, the Blues could not beat the Vancouver Canucks in three regular season meetings.

Team under the radar: Philadelphia. Th e Flyers were heavily

criticized for fi ring coach Peter Laviolette just three games (all losses) into the season. Th ey promoted Craig Berube from assistant and, aft er a transition period, Philly has soared. With the Flyers on the verge of a playoff spot, Berube has reaped respect for doing a credible job while on the hot seat.

Team with the biggest enigma (goalie): Pittsburgh. Th e Pen-guins are obviously loaded with skill, but their talent won’t mat-ter unless Marc Andre Fleury shows the form that helped the team win the Cup in 2009. Fleury’s last two playoff s were horrendous. Th is season his save percentage and GAA numbers are not in the top 10. I am not sure there is another player that will be more scrutinized once the post-season begins.

Team that needs shootout les-sons: New Jersey. Th e Devils are likely not going to the playoff s and they can look squarely at

their hideous shootout record (0-11).

Team stuck in no man’s land: Winnipeg. Once again, the Jets aren’t good enough to make the playoff s but not bad enough to secure one of the top fi ve draft picks unless they win the lottery. With a roster fi lled with aver-age players, the Jets are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Team not equipped to deal with pressure: Toronto. Th e Leafs had a near lock on a post-season spot, and then they unravelled during a recent eight-game los-ing skid. Toronto is last in the entire league in shots against per game.

Team that underachieved the most: Edmonton. Th e Oilers continue to be in disarray. Coach Dallas Eakins could not connect with his players and the goalten-ding carousel became laughable. Teams like Buff alo, Florida and Calgary did not have the talent to compete for a playoff spot, an excuse Edmonton is not able to use.

Team with the brightest future: Vancouver. OkK, I ac-complished my goal of grabbing your attention and fi nishing with a chuckle. Th ere are just fi ve games left for the Canucks and many of their fans would agree the end cannot come soon enough.

It’s diffi cult to describe in one word what the 2013-14 Canucks season will be most remembered most. Th e leading candidate ap-pears to be Dysfunctional.

Hartley Miller is the sports director for radio station 94X. He also writes for hqprincegeorge.com. Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected].

Follow him on twitter: @Hart-ley_Miller

HART BEATHARTLEYMILLER

Special NHL awards

Allan WISHART/Free PressPat Harris, left, chats with his wife, Nancy, and Bill Russell at the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday at the Hart Community Centre. Harris was inducted as a coach for his work with wheelchair basketball in the community and the province.

Entering The Hall

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26 Friday, April 4, 2014 www.pgfreepress.comPrince George - SPORTS - Free Press

Th ere’s still a lot of snow on the track at Masich Place Stadium, but Bill Masich is already settling in as the new head coach of the Prince George Track and Field Club.

“Track and fi eld is in my blood,” says Masich, son of the club’s founder, Tom Masich, in a press release. “With my children now becoming more active in the club, playing a larger role just makes

sense.“Th e club has a very

strong volunteer coach-ing staff , and I look forward to working with them to grow the club’s Track Rascals program while helping our com-petitive athletes reach their goal.”

Th e club is continuing to practice at the North-ern Sport Centre.

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Allan WISHART/Free PressLisa Russell, left, and brother Ryan come to grips at a Prince George Judo Club practice Tuesday. The two will be competing at this week-end’s tournament at the Northern Sport Centre.

Judo takes floor

Th ey’ll be coming from across B.C to the Northern Sport Centre this weekend to take to the mats.

Judoka from clubs as far away as Smithers, Kamloops and Campbell River will be attending a competition on the weekend, which will also serve as a test event for the 2015 Canada Win-ter Games.

“Th ere will a kids competition on Friday evening,” says Aline Strasdin of the Prince George Judo Club. “Th en on Saturday we will have the Canada Games test event, which will also serve as part of the selection process for the provincial team.”

All three local clubs – Prince

George, Nechako and Hart – will be at the tournament, which, Strasdin fi gures, will probably be bigger than the Canada Winter Games.

“At the Games, you have 13 teams, with 10 people on each team, so that’s only 130 judoka.”

Th e Canada Winter Games restrictions for judo are for those born between 1996 and 1999.

“Th is tournament will be more to allow the coaches to identify athletes who could make the pro-vincial team. Th e fi rst real points event for qualifying isn’t until the nationals.”

While the athletes competing on the weekend will be trying to catch the eye of the provincial coaches, the venue itself will be trying to catch the eye of Canada Winter Games offi cials.

“It’s defi nitely a test of the venue,” Strasdin says. “It’s a test of the fi eld of play we will have for the Games. We’ll also be looking at our scorekeepers and timekeepers, to make sure they are qualifi ed for the Games. Th ere will be offi cials here from Judo Canada as well as from the Canada Winter Games.”

Th e kids event on Friday night, which is basically just for youngsters from the northern part of the province, runs from 5 to 8 p.m.

Th e competition on Satur-day starts at 9:30 a.m. and runs most of the day, to be followed by a training camp. On Sunday, Strasdin says they are looking at having team matches starting at 9:30 a.m., followed by another training camp.

for test event on weekendAllan [email protected]

Bill Masich takes over as track club coach

Friday, April 4, 2014 27www.pgfreepress.com Prince George - SPORTS - Free Press

Th ey may have been the fi rst games the UNBC Timberwolves women’s soccer team played in 2014, but coach Andy Cameron says the exhibition games in Kam-loops on the weekend were not really a start to the new year.

“It was more a wrap-up to the previous season,” Cameron said. “It gave us a chance to measure how the players developed over the winter.”

Th e Timberwolves lost 4-1 and 3-0 to Th ompson Rivers University, but Cameron wasn’t concerned with the fi nal results.

“Th ere were some easily correct-able mistakes that cost us some goals, but there were a lot of posi-tives that came out of the weekend as well.”

Cameron has a problem a lot of coaches would like, since the week-end games could also have been a preview of the upcoming season – with some bonuses still to come.

“All 23 of the players on this year’s team are eligible to return next year, and we’ve added four commitments, including Madison Emmond, who is a product of the Prince George Youth Soccer As-sociation.”

Th e other commitments include Nicole Gibbons, who played last

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of people.“We had little manpower when we

started the courts, but as we went along, the people started to fi gure out how to do it quicker, and we got more people to help as well.

“For the Games, we’re looking at possibly getting courts that have a zipper, rather than need tape. It should be easier to lay down.”

Th e fl oor wasn’t the only surface being looked at during the test event. Davison, who took part in the tour-nament, said she was looking at the walls as well.

“In our report on the test event, it will be indicated the draping was good. I noticed quite a diff erence when I was playing.

“Th e one thing I did see was a glare from some of the windows, so we may have to raise the draping to cut down on that.”

She also said she hadn’t heard any comments from players being dis-tracted by people using the walking

track.Th at may not be a problem, be-

cause I have heard the track may be closed during the Games anyways.”

She was also happy realizing that many of the details the organiz-ing committee was looking at this weekend won’t be problems for the Games.

“A lot of the things we planned for on this one will be handled by the Games. Th at will be nice.

“All we have to worry about is the venue, the scheduling, the tourna-ment itself.”

Th e biggest problem Davison saw on the weekend was a lack of offi cials.

“I would have liked to see more linespeople out on the weekend. We fi gure we’re going to need about 50 offi cials, including umpires, service judges and linespeople, for each part of the Games.

“We’re going to host smaller events starting in the fall to get more people trained.”

FROM PAGE 28

People main need for badminton

UNBC soccer looking forward

Allen DOUGLAS/Kamloops This WeekTianna Pius of UNBC, left, and Olivia Rasmussen of Thompson Rivers University vie for a ball during an exhibition match in Kamloops on the weekend.


season with Kwantlen University, McKenzie Ricard from Penticton, and Anna Greenbaum from Colo-rado.

Th e team may look familiar but the Canwest conference won’t, since the addition of TRU, UBC-Okanagan and Grant MacEwan (Edmonton) means the league will split into two divisions.

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Just because many of the badmin-ton players at the Northern Sport Centre on the weekend were raising a racquet, Don Abercrombie didn’t want any racket he made to interfere with them.

Abercrombie was back in a corner of the Northern Sport Centre at UNBC, weaving his magic with play-ers’ racquets at the North Central Junior, Open and Masters Tourna-ment. Th e equipment he had with him held a badminton racquet fi rmly in place while Abercrombie gave it a new fi tting of strings.

“I like to be back here,” he said, hardly pausing from his work, “be-cause the machine does make a bit of noise at time, and I don’t want to distract the players.”

As he runs the nylon from holes at the top of the racquet to holes at the bottom, he occasionally does a quick count to make sure the strings are straight. He doesn’t have to count very oft en, though.

“I’ve been doing this for about 25

years now. I fi gure I’ve strung about 40,000 racquets.”

He stops for a moment to remove a knot from the nylon.

“I can adjust how taut the strings are for a player, that’s the biggest change I can make. A tauter racquet gives you better control, but you have to know how to strike the bird right.”

He says he gets a number of racquets that need restringing from players who are moving up in ability.

“Th eir coaches will fi gure they’re ready to move to a tighter racquet, but if you’re not catching the bird on the sweet spot, in the middle of the strings, it’s easy to break a string.”

He also has a pretty good idea of what local players will be looking for in their strings.

“I’ve done enough racquets for the players here that I pretty well know how tight a string they can play with.”

He fi nishes stringing the nylon in one direction on the racquet, and starts weaving it through in the other direction.

“Each racquet takes me about an hour. I could get a machine that would do it faster, but I still like to do it myself.”

Allan WISHART/Free PressDon Abercrombie works on a badminton racquet at the Northern Sport Centre on Saturday. Abercrombie was repairing racquets for players in the North Central Tournament held on the weekend.

Stringing the players alongDon Abercrombie makes sure racquets are in repair


Tournament passes Games test

Th e North Central Junior, Open and Masters Badminton Tournament may not have aced its Canada Winter Games test, but it defi nitely passed with fl ying colours.

“Everybody was very happy with everything,” sport chair Lisa Davison said aft er the weekend competition at the Northern Sport Centre. “Th ere were small details that need to be looked at, but nothing major.”

One of the points which will be looked at is, basically, where to put everyone.

“Th e number of people we have will be much greater,” Davison said.

“We only had about 50 on the week-end, but for the Games, we’ll have about 130, and they’ll be there every day.”

Th e layout of the courts, which had to be specially installed on Friday before competition began, will be similar when the Games are here in February, but Davison said there will be some things that have to change.

“We had six courts this weekend, and we’ll have eight for the Games. We also need to make sure there’s enough room for the umpire’s chair on each court, since we were only us-ing it on one court on the weekend.”

Laying out the courts also took more time than she had hoped it would, but that was more a question


CONTINUED ON PAGE 27