Prince George Citizen September 28, 2023

Protesters disrupt SOGI rally

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

A rally in support of the province’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) education program in K-12 schools turned ugly last Wednesday when an anti-SOGI protester in the crowd walked up the steps of city hall and pushed the event organizer.

Jean Baptiste was watching speaker Tess Healy address the crowd of about 300 when the man, holding a sign that read No Sex Exploitation In School, reached out and shoved Baptiste from behind.

Immediately, people in the crowd converged on Healy to form a protective shield and rushed to Baptiste’s defence by surrounding the man, using their pro-SOGI signs and a rainbow-coloured umbrella to block out his sign.

After he stood for several minutes facing the crowd on the steps and shouting out his viewpoints over the voice of speaker talking into the mic, two Prince George RCMP officers arrested the man.

Police had been drawn to the rally minutes earlier by two men in a motorhome who interrupted the speeches when they stopped on the road directly behind the crowd and blew four truck horns mounted on the roof for several minutes.

The motorhome’s occupants got out of the vehicle and shouted out their objections to inclusive education policies before they eventually left, returning for one last drive-by blast of the horns just as the event was ending.

The pro-SOGI gathering was in response to the 1 Million March 4 Children demonstration held last Wednesday (see pages 4-5) in at least 80 Canadian cities to protest inclusive education curriculum in schools.

Aside from the confrontations, Baptiste was pleased with the turnout, which drew three times as many people as the morning anti-SOGI gathering, also at city hall.

“I’m really fortunate to have a really incredible community around me and today we were able to demonstrate we’re here for love and solidarity,” said Baptiste. “Yes there was violence on the side of the anti-LGBTQ+ protesters, but really our community came together and witnesses came forward. We are here out of love and for peace and we are here because equity and our youth and education matters.”

Baptiste said the protester’s intention was unclear.

“I knew that he had a sign, I knew he was trying to be disruptive and my concern was Tess’s safety and I think out of that concern we were able to handle the situation in as peaceful of a manner as possible and we were really able to stay true to our intentions of today,” said Baptiste, who plans to pursue charges against the man.

Earlier in the rally, Prince George District Teachers’ Association president Daryl Beauregard told the crowd that teachers are united and will continue to provide students support and will encourage them to not be afraid to show their gender identity and feel safe about expressing that in their schools.

“If public school is not inclusive of everyone, it’s not public school anymore,” said Beauregard. “This is the only institution that educates children that is trusted with opening its doors for every kid, every family.”

Beauregard said people are unaware the SOGI program is not course material presented to students in a learning block in a certain time slot set aside for that purpose. Instead, its intent is to provide guidelines of inclusivity that become part of daily conversations teachers have with their students throughout the school year.

“What SOGI is, it’s welcoming kids into our buildings as they are and who they are and celebrating who they are and making them feel safe and comfortable and have the students around them comfortable too,” said Beauregard. ”It’s an awful statistic that kids who are gender diverse that come to school are four times more likely without support and a feeling of safety to engage in self-harm or worse. We cannot allow kids to get harmed or a loss of life because someone doesn’t feel safe in a school.”

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Parents rally for their rights

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

MINI SUPER BINGO

Prince George mom Jaime Moore said she felt after attending last Wednesday’s protest against the K-12 school system in B.C. that teaches students Sexual Orientation and Gender Ideology (SOGI).

Moore pulled her children, Caia and Lincoln Wood, out of their elementary school classes so they could attend the rally at Prince George city hall and together with some of their young friends they stayed for the noon-hour march of about 100 flag-waving people, which wrapped up the event.

“I’d like to have a say in what my children do and I didn’t want my parental rights taken from us and I don’t believe in what they’re teaching them in the school system. It’s wrong and it’s unacceptable,” said Moore.

“They should not be sexualizing young children, it’s inappropriate. The books that are out there in some of the schools, teaching them about oral sex and masturbation. Kids are very confused and they don’t need to be learning that stuff. Furthermore, it’s not their job to be teaching our children about sexual education. Keep it to the A-B-Cs and 1-2-3s. There are things that should not be taught in school.”

The protest was part of the Canada-wide 1 Million

March 4 Children movement, which organized similar rallies across the country to protest schools promoting LBGTQ rights, gender ideology, the idea of mixed-gender bathrooms in schools and students using identifying pronouns of their choice. Pro-SOGI signs posted on poles read No Space For Hate but Moore said the intent of the protest and the motivation of the speakers who got behind the mic was never to make anyone feel hated or uncomfortable about own sexual identity.

“It’s not about hate, it’s all about love,” said Moore. “I have gay family members and that’s what’s sad about this whole protest thing is them thinking it’s against them, when it should be our rights to teach our children and let kids be kids. They are going to learn it eventually but that’s our job to teach them, not the school’s job. It was such a positive protest and such good feeling to be out there standing up for my children because if we don’t stand up for our children nobody else is going to do that.”

Jessica Fowlie, a Grade 11 student at College Heights Secondary School, skipped her morning classes so she could attend the rally. She said teachers at her school are bound by the system to teach inclusivity. She has no problem with students having their rights as individuals protected and supported but she’s against being forced to agree with their lifestyle choices as they apply to

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‘I

don’t want them forcing their beliefs on me’

sexuality and gender identity.

“I understand there are people in my school who have different beliefs than me but I don’t want them forcing their beliefs on me when I don’t agree with them,” Fowlie said. “Obviously I will respect them, I just don’t want them to be telling me I have to change who I am to accommodate them. I think the kids are really nice and understanding and respectful towards others, I think it’s just the teachers themselves who make it a bit harder to be in that school, being a religious person.”

Fowlie says she understands why LGBTQ people feel threatened and might

be uncomfortable expressing their true identities and she just wants them to know they should not feel that way.

“I just want people to feel like they belong,” she said. “They are so loved. They have different beliefs than us, obviously, so we’re not going to tell them that they’re wrong. We just don’t want them to tell us that we’re wrong.”

Jessica’s mother, Carol, who has three other children in the school system, worries her right to have a say in what they are being taught is being eroded.

“I’m seeing more and more where parents aren’t getting as much freedom to still have their own cultural beliefs,

whatever they are, to teach their kids, and the division is happening in the school system,” said Carol Fowlie. “There are ideologies being pushed in the system, things that are being legislated versus parental values.

“When I see a form come home from school where parents are expected to sign off and say that they’re going to behave on the football field and yet they’re being told they’re not part of the conversation about a person wanting to switch genders, it seems like there’s a misunderstanding where parents should be involved and where they shouldn’t.”

She says schools should focus more on

teaching her kids math, English and other academic skill sets and leave it up to families and the community to guide students on cultural nuances and lifestyle choices.

“Discrimination has come into the school system the more we stick labels on people,” she said. “Even the concept of skin colour, I don’t think that’s appropriate either. I didn’t grow up having to pay attention to whether a person was Asian or Indigenous or whatever, I had people they were my friends and I didn’t care about skin colour. Now I have to make decisions about whether I use the right word in a sentence because I might hurt their feelings.”

What is SOGI and why is it needed?

JON MANCHESTER

Castanet

Both sides of the SOGI debate say they want the same thing – to protect children.

Hearing virtually the same words come from speakers in opposing camps within moments of each other during pro- and anti-SOGI rallies across B.C. and Canada last Wednesday put a somewhat a ironic twist on what was a tense but peaceful day, loaded with emotion for protesters on both sides.

SOGI stands for sexual orientation and gender identity education.

On one side, critics say children must be protected from it, while supporters say SOGI itself is the protection trans and non-binary youth need to feel safe at school.

So, what exactly is SOGI and what do our children learn from it?

“It isn’t about being gay or trans, it’s about keeping our kids safe,” one woman said last Wednesday.

Another said: “This has nothing to do with sexuality of adults, it’s about keeping our kids safe.”

Can you tell the difference?

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Among high school students, one per cent identify as transgender and five percent of Aboriginal students identify as two-spirit.

Among all LGBTQ2IA+ students, a whopping 42 percent report being victims of cyberbullying, and lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are seven times more likely to attempt suicide.

It is about building understanding of the diverse society that we live in and learning to treat each other with dignity and respect.

“Teachers and schools choosing to address SOGI in the curriculum is not about students developing a particular set of beliefs around sexual orientation and gender identity. It is about building understanding of the diverse society that we live in and learning to treat each other with dignity and respect,” Grade 6-7 teacher and SOGI lead Robyn Ladner said in an email.

Provincial statistics show 19 percent of B.C. high school students identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or not exclusively heterosexual.

What can you do?

Wear your orange shirt on September 30

These are the reasons SOGI exists. Removal of it would lead to lives lost, mental health advocates say.

SOGI is for all students, “as every person has a sexual orientation and every person has a gender identity,” provincial documents on the program state.

The Ministry of Education SOGI policy guide says its three goals are visibility, protection, and inclusion. SOGI 1 2 3 resources include gradelevel appropriate lesson plans, online learning modules and customizable templates and tools that are interwoven through several curriculum areas, most notably, physical and health education, language arts, and social studies.

“How the topics are introduced to students is dependent on the age and stage of their development,” the

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‘Gender is about self-identity’

ministry says. “These topics may also be discussed as they arise in the daily lives of students.”

Students may guide the conversation as much as the teacher. Topics include:

• K-12 - Why “That’s So Gay” is not OK Elementary

• K/1 Social Studies & Physical and Health Education (PHE) – Family Diversity

• K/1 Social Studies & PHE – Name Calling

• 2/3 English Language Arts & PHE –Gender Identity

• 2/3/4/5 English Language Arts & PHE–Questioning Gender Expectations

• 4/5 Physical and Health Education –Gender Identity, Media and Stereotypes

• 5/6 Social Studies - LGBTQ Human Rights

• 5/6/7 Arts Education & PHE – Gender Stereotypes and Bullying

• 6/7 PHE & English Language Arts –Gender and Appearance in Media

• 8/9 Physical and Health Education –Gender Identity

• 8/9 English Language Arts – Gender Stereotypes in Literature

• 8/9/10 English Language Arts – Social Justice Vocabulary

• 8/9/10/11/12 English Language Arts –Gender in Short Stories and Poetry

• 8/9/10 Physical and Health Education & 10/11/12 Social Studies – Language and Terminology

• 10/11/12 Social Studies / BC First Peoples / Indigenous Studies – Indigenous Perspectives of Gender

“When discussing gender, the conversations are largely about what people like to wear, the activities they engage in and how they feel about themselves. Gender is about self-identity. When students learn they are not bound by gender stereotypes, they have an opportunity to explore a greater range of interests, ideas and activities,” the guidelines state.

“The ways that teachers may address

SOGI in the curriculum are not about students developing a particular set of beliefs around sexual orientation and gender identity. Educators help students deepen the understanding of the diverse society that we live in and how to treat each other with dignity and respect regardless of our differences.”

The program is supported by the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (of which the School District 57 District Parent Advisory Council is a member).

Studies have shown it to reduce discrimination, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts for all students.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CIRCUS ON THE ROADS

A few years ago, the city finally addressed the hazards of people crossing the bypass near CNC by erecting a chainlink fence.

While this fence would have been enough, they also chose to reduce traffic options by redirecting and in some cases eliminating traffic off of Westwood and the frontage road along Spruceland.

Maybe that was too much? Maybe that could create problems in the future? Fast forward to 2023 and we find ourselves in autumn, with traffic congestion on Ospika and elsewhere at ridiculous levels and we have to ask ourselves why?

Is it because someone decided to start construction on University Way in September, at the start of the fall semester instead of during the summer semester when far fewer students and out-of-town students were attending? Is it because traffic patterns have changed over the years, with access from Pine Centre, and Westwood onto the bypass eliminated, forcing people to use Carney or Ospika?

Is it because relief avenues like 18th Avenue could have been used, but cannot as roundabout construction has been going on since the spring and the road is still closed? Is it that Hart traffic is also adding to the congestion on Ospika as University Way is no longer an option to those travelling to College Heights?

I understand fully that many will say that this is no big deal, that it is a temporary inconvenience; but the current situation is a prime example of the lack of

foresight and proper planning by many who consistently do a poor job at our city’s highest level.

When will enough be enough?

Eliminating bypass access and directing traffic to Carney has also created issues due to sink holes and failing infrastructure, not to mention that our largest fire hall is right there! Carney was never a viable route to get from Pine Centre to Spruceland. If the number of problems I have mentioned are not enough, consider that hockey will be returning to the exhibition grounds soon, youth soccer is back, and any event held at the CN Centre, will only add to the congestion.

Who would think that September is the right time to start construction on any university access road? Construction overruns, broken budgets, and simply upping the taxes to pay for mistakes, when will this circus end?

Michael Maslen, Prince George

TAXPAYER QUESTIONS

An advocate from Toronto working in Prince George has brought up the question of all the legal fees we had to pay out for the so-called city-owned unwanted campsite called Moccasin Flats.

I also have some questions as a Prince George taxpayer.

Why did we lose in court? Because we need to provide housing for people from here, there, and everywhere, with who knows what? That’s impossible. How much did we have to pay out to the homeless for their stuff How many have

been paid? How many do we still owe? And who are they? Where are they from?

So now we have a city-owned campsite below a residential area. The people in the residential area need protecting.

This unwanted campsite needs to have rules and regulations like any campsite. People need to registered, as there could be anyone in there, like a pedophile.

Prince George still has lots of seniors, and I am one of them, that were born in this city and care about it.

And we are still here. We didn’t make our money and leave as many have done.

It’s devastating to watch what is happening to our downtown and area. More people have to come out of the woodwork and have a voice. The young mother that could have lost her life did it for me. We need to take our city back.

Helen Robertson, Prince George

WILDFIRE COSTS

The Adams Lake Complex fire started on July 6, 2023, burning for five weeks before persistent dry weather and a cold front, with resulting wind changes, led to the events of August 18. As of August 31, the fire spanned more than 43,000 hectares. It destroyed 180 structures, left hundreds of people evacuated and many homeless, closed the Trans-Canada Highway for a week, and lost revenue for local businesses. This is one of many fires in BC and western Canada this year.

While we are not clear on why this fire was left to burn, despite its proximity to populated regions and worsening

conditions, we suspect that BCWS had limited resources. Why wasn’t this fire put out when it was small? Why did it get out of control? Is funding for the B C Wildfire Service insufficient? What are the costs of letting this one fire burn?

1. Release of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere: According to Werner Kurz, a senior research scientist at the Pacific Forestry Center in Victoria, burning 1 hectare of boreal forest emits 170 tons of carbon dioxide. The average vehicle emits 4.6 tons of C02 yearly. The Adams Lake/Bush Creek East fire likely released the same amount of carbon dioxide as 1,560,000 cars this year (about half of all registered vehicles in BC). On a national scale in 2023, with over 15 million hectares of forest burned, a rough calculation suggests this is equivalent to the carbon footprint of over 500 million vehicles (more than 20-fold all the vehicles registered in Canada).

2. Loss of stumpage and income from logging. If one hectare of BC forest can produce $25,000 in income, this fire may have consumed over a billion dollars of forestry income. Salvage logging brings a fraction of those profits to British Columbians. This burned forest will not be absorbing much C02 for years to come. Forests are ‘carbon sinks’, when healthy.

3. Loss of homes, properties, businesses, likely over $200 million dollars.

4. Increases in firefighting costs due critical infrastructure rebuilding (hydro, water, roads and bridges, etc.)

Continued on page 9

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Politicians are not superheroes

One of my favorite comic strips is “Non Sequitur.” It runs full panels on Sundays.

This week, it featured a politician who promised to tell the whole truth and the punchline was “Ok, here it is … facts are the reality whether or not you want to hear them.”

That is reminiscent of Neil de Grasse Tyson’s comment: “The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it.”

The facts are the facts and while everyone is entitled to their own opinion, they are not entitled to their own facts.

But the comic strip wasn’t what really

caught my eye.

It was a “featured comment” underneath which said: “I am from the Planet Bull-S, and I have a superpower that allows me to cut taxes, increase spending, balance the budget and increase wages. I can also lower house prices for people who want to buy and increase house prices for people who want to sell.”

An amusing comment.

The unfortunate reality is politicians would have us believe they can do all that.

It easy to blame our present financial crisis on them but the reality is that no one – not Justin Trudeau, not Pierre

Poilievre, not Jagmeet Singh, not David Eby, not Kevin Falcon – is blessed with a super power that will allow them to do contradictory things.

The Conservatives spent years cutting taxes with the idea that returning the money to people would grow the economy to the extent that it would cover the increased cost of government.

Didn’t happen.

Instead, we ended up with massive deficit budgets.

The Liberals hoped their stimulus packages would ward off a depression and allow the economy to recover from the pandemic.

While it is recovering, it has been at the cost of inflation levels not seen since the 1980s.

The NDP has never wielded enough power to do any of these things.

Like it or not, the fact that the market economy has flaws in it which have allowed for price hikes and stagnant wages is why the average family is now struggling to afford a home. And why the next generation despairs about the possibility of ever owning one.

It is not government but the system which needs fixing.

Todd Whitcombe is a chemistry professor at UNBC.

Not to blame doesn’t mean not responsible

One of the greatest writers on the meaning of human existence is the psychiatrist Viktor Frankl. His theories were galvanized as he battled between life and death every day in Nazi concentration camps. Ultimately, he chose to say yes to life and miraculously survived the ordeal. Frankl discovered that a key to finding happiness and meaning in life is understanding the difference between guilt and liability. If we get sick, for example, it is not a question of fault; however, we make changes to ensure the most complete recovery possible. Taking on such obstacles can be a tremendous source of self-realization and joy.

We live in a very sick world. People have done great damage to one another and to the planet we live on. Most of us were not yet born when much of the damage took place, or when the institutions doing the damage were established. We are not guilty, but we are liable in the recovery process, and it is in accepting

Continued from page 8

5. Human suffering — loss of homes and businesses, trauma and grief, smoke exposure, and working conditions for firefighters that will lead to burnout. What is the long-term effect on people’s health from breathing in smoke for many weeks?

6. Death of wildlife and loss of habitat

responsibility for restoring health that we find our greatest happiness and meaning in life.

This is ultimately why I find my work as an educator so fulfilling. My German grandfather was not a leader in the Nazi regime, but he was an early member of the party and likely voted for them. I am certain he regretted having done so, and I am not responsible for decisions my grandfather made 90 years ago. My responsibility is to learn from his mistakes and make reparations. I honour my grandfather by intentionally living each day doing all that I can to ensure that the lies espoused by the Nazi party are challenged. In doing so, I promote respect for all human beings, honour freedom of the press and academic freedom, encourage critical thinking, and try to treat each person I meet with dignity.

I am not alone in this way of thinking. Many forget that it was once acceptable for churches to own people. The Jesuits, a Catholic religious order, still run

This one fire did all this damage, and yet it could have been extinguished weeks earlier for a few million dollars. Canada has just 106 dispatchable water bombers, spread over 10 provinces, according to CBC. Some are more than 40 years old. Water bombers and helicopter are the only way to put out fires in

Georgetown University in Washington DC. The Jesuits owned enslaved human beings in the 1800s and then sold them to pay off the school’s debt. Once this truth came to light, rather than dismissing it as an unfortunate event in history, Georgetown found and contacted the families of the people they had so gravely harmed, and has since been collaborating with them in the reparation process. It has not been an easy road, and it has already cost the Jesuits, Georgetown University, and their alumni tens of millions of dollars. This sort of transparency in an educational institution is priceless because the wisdom gained will expand exponentially into future generations as they continue the process of building an ethical world. Unfortunately, not all former slave owners are as transparent and courageous as Georgetown University. British Member of Parliament Richard Drax still owns the plantation where his family brutalized generations of human beings in Barbados. While he verbally acknowledges that

inaccessible areas. These craft can attack fires quickly, depending on weather. Canada has the planes, the water and the fuel to fly them. When these water bombers are not in use in Canada, they can be put to good use, helping other countries fight forest fires.

Let’s double the number of water

slavery was a bad thing, he continues to have an obscenely opulent lifestyle, living off wealth generated from the slave trade. He also refuses to even begin making meaningful reparations.

We are not responsible for the actions of our ancestors, and few of us have archives that we can research like Drax or the Jesuits. In addition, few of us have benefited financially from the actions of our ancestors to the same degree. It is, nonetheless, very uncomfortable to look honestly at the harmful legacies of those who came before us, especially members of our own families. Moving through the discomfort, however, leads to something beautifully and uniquely human, taking positive action, and knowing that we are leaving a much healthier legacy for those who follow us.

Though powerful people in the world seem to have forgotten this truth, embracing our liability is an essential key to finding meaning and happiness in life.

bombers and provide more funds to improve our wildfire fighting abilities. This year we failed at that. Let’s do better. Please send this letter on. Governments are like elephants; they move slowly, but if prodded by enough small spears, can be influenced to act.

Chris and Marg Parfitt, Salmon Arm

Gerry Chidiac is a Prince George writer.

Local man sentenced for sexual assaults

MARK NIELSEN

Special to The Citizen

A 55-year-old Prince George man, John James Groeb, was sentenced Friday to two years less a day in jail followed by three years probation for two counts of sexual assault.

Details surrounding the incidents are protected by a court-ordered publication

ban against information that would identify the victims but the victims waived that protection in order to make Groeb’s name public.

Groeb had pleaded guilty to the counts on the first day a trial was scheduled to begin in June and he has remained in custody ever since.

Less credit for time served, Groeb has one year, 212 days left to serve in jail.

Terms of probation include reporting all relationships with females to his probation officer, to refrain from contacting the victims or being in their presence and to take counselling as required by his probation officer.

Groeb was also prohibited from frequenting areas where minors are typically present, such as schools, swimming pools and playgrounds, for 10 years, his

Duplex construction up significantly

Duplexes are making a big comeback in Prince George, according to a report to city council

There were 23 building permits worth a combined $6.3 million issued by the City of Prince George by the end of August of this year for new duplexes.

That’s more than the previous two years combined, when five permits worth $2.5 million for the same time period were issued in 2022 and seven permits worth

$3 million were issued in 2021.

In August alone, the city issued three permit worth $1 million for new duplexes, compared to none during the previous two Augusts.

Single-family home construction has slowed down from past years, with 44 permits worth $22.7 million, as of the end of August 2023.

That’s compared to 65 permits worth $36.5 million during the same time period

in last year and 73 permits worth $38.5 million for January through August of 2021.

There were nine permits issued for new single-family homes, worth a combined $5 million, last month.

There were also seven commercial building alteration permits issued, worth a combined $2 million.

There were a total 49 building and development permits worth a combined

name will be on the national sex offender registry for life and he was issued a lifetime firearms prohibition.

In issuing the terms, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Carol Ross accepted a joint submission from Crown and defence counsels. Groeb plans to apply to Ford Mountain Correctional Centre in Chilliwack where programs for sexual offenders are available, the court was told.

$9.8 million issued in August.

Overall building activity remains down in 2023 from the past two years.

By the end of August of this year, the city had issued a total 269 permits worth $91 million.

During the same time period in 2022, the city had issued 329 permits worth $187.2 million.

In January-August 2021, the city had issued 332 permits worth $144.5 million.

OCP input sought

The City of Prince George is hosting an open house on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at Two Rivers Gallery regarding the city’s Official Community Plan (OCP).

The event will include a 20-minute presentation by the city’s planning

consultants at 5 p.m. with small group activities to follow.

Presentation boards (with interactive activities) will be on display throughout the evening for those who can only drop by for a short time. The event runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

QUESNEL MILL SOLD

West Fraser has sold its Quesnel River pulp mill in Quesnel, along with its pulp mill in Slave Lake, Alberta, to Atlas Holdings for $120 million US, the company announced in a statement.

Atlas owns and operates several pulp, paper and wood products businesses in Canada and the United States. The Quesnel and Slave Lake pulp mills will be operated by Millar Western Forest Products, which became part of Atlas Holdings in 2017.

The agreement includes related woodlands operations and timber holdings in Alberta and a long-term fibre supply agreement for the Quesnel River pulp facility, the statement said.

TEEGEE TOP CHIEF

Terry Teegee has been acclaimed for a historic third term as the regional chief of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations. It’s the first time in BCAFN history that a regional chief has been elected to a third term and won by acclamation.

Teegee is a member of Takla Nation who lives on the Lheidli T’enneh reserve at Shelley, near Prince George.

Joining Teegee on the BCAFN board will be Chief Maureen Luggi of Wet’suwet’en First Nation, Brian Assu of We Wai Kai First Nation, and Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc.

Kyle Alec of Penticton Indian Band will be the male youth representative while the female youth representative will be Crystal Starr Lewis of Squamish Nation (Swxwú7mesh Úxwumixw).

UBCM POSITION

Art Kaehn, Regional District of Fraser Fort George director for Woodpecker-Hixon, has been named first vice president of the Union of B.C. Municipalities. Kaehn served as the Fraser Fort George regional district chair from 2007 through 2022.

Councillor Trish Mandewo of the City of Coquitlam was acclaimed UBCM president. The UBCM executive is made up of 22 local elected leaders from around the province. Other area representatives on the UBCM executive include Prince George city councillor Cori Ramsay (director-at-large), Jerrilyn Kirk, the Regional District of Fraser Fort George director for Crooked River-Parsnip

(electoral area representative), and Fraser Lake Mayor Sarrah Storey (director-at-large).

HOUSE FIRE FATAL

An early-morning house fire last Thursday in the Hart neighbourhood has claimed the life of one occupant.

Prince George Fire Rescue responded to the call at 2:27 a.m. and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the home.

“On arrival, crews found a fully-involved mobile home with an addition on it and after we suppressed the fire we were able to conduct primary search and found the lone occupant,” said PGFR deputy chief Bryan Burleigh.

The cause of the fire remains unknown while the investigation continues.

This is the first fire fatality in Prince George since March 2022, when a fire at seniors complex in the 6900 block of Dagg Road claimed a life.

SUZUKI TO SPEAK

Conservation North is bringing David Suzuki to Prince George for a fundraising event. The renowned scientist and broadcaster will be doing a keynote address at the House of Ancestors in Lheidli T’enneh territory (Prince George) on Oct. 7. A meet and greet reception with David will take place before the main event.

Suzuki was last in Prince George in 2015 during his “Blue Dot” tour, which attracted hundreds of attendees.

Tickets are on sale at Books and Company and on Eventbrite for $50 to attend the keynote and $100 to meet David ahead of the event and attend the keynote.

SHREAD-IT SATURDAY

Northern BC Crime Stoppers is hosting its annual Drive Thru Fall Community Shred-It Event this Saturday (September 30) from 10 a.m. to 2p.m. at PGSS.

The event gives residents the opportunity to shred personal or important documents, helping to ensure they are not a victim of identity theft.

This service is provided for the cost of a donation (minimum $10 per bag or box) and is not meant for business owners.

For another $5 donation, donors can grab a Mr. Mike’s burger from the Mr. Mike’s community BBQ, which will be available from 11a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Eviction ‘a serious violation of human rights’

The clearing of the Millennium Park homeless encampment in Prince George “amounts to a serious violation of human rights,” federal housing advocate Marie-Josée Houle says.

“The forced eviction of people taking refuge in Millennium Park ignored the fact that this is a crucial survival space for the city’s unhoused and unsheltered residents,” Houle said in a statement.

“Canada has acknowledged that housing is a fundamental human right and that housing is essential to the inherent dignity and well-being of the person,” she said. “All Canadian municipalities have a responsibility to uphold the human rights of people living in encampments.”

She also raised an “ongoing concern that the City of Prince George is relying too heavily on policing and emergency services in their approach to residents who are unhoused and unsheltered in their city.”

She is urging the federal minister of public safety to look into the actions of the Prince George and “ensure that they are aware of their human rights obligations and are acting in accordance with human rights principles.”

The housing advocate repeated the suggestions she made to Prince George City Council in a letter on April 11, 2023, which urged the City of Prince George to:

• adhere to and promote the application of the human

rights principles contained in the National Protocol for Homeless Encampments in Canada;

• recognize the distinct rights of Indigenous peoples and include them in the development of policy approaches to encampments;

• undertake a meaningful process of engagement with encampment residents, regional First Nations

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leadership, service delivery providers, and First Nations organizations;

• provide encampment residents with access to basic services such as clean water, sanitation facilities, electricity and heat; and

• de-emphasize the use of law enforcement as the primary response to encampments.

Work with homeless, stop paying lawyers: advocate

Working with the homeless to clear encampments would be cheaper than paying lawyers and make “better friends,” Prince George homeless advocate Amelia Merrick says in a letter to Prince George city council.

The Sept. 7 letter, which is in the agenda for city council’s public meeting on Monday, Sept. 25, blasts the city for clearing the Millenium Park encampment at First Avenue and George Street.

“Behind closed doors you made a dangerous decision, with no plan, coordination or support,” she wrote “Neither housing agencies, outreach workers or residents were consulted. Please learn from your mistakes! Even the Minister of Housing is calling you out for your bad decision.”

She said the city has not learned its lesson after losing two court cases and issuing a public apology after the

attempted clearing of the Moccasin Flats encampment in November 2021.

“In 2021, the victims of your failed decampment gave you clear instructions for how to improve the decampment process,” she wrote. “You have rejected every one of their recommendations. We do not want to waste more tax dollars on legal fees or payouts. (How much have you spent on lawyers so far?)”

The letter briefly lists the recommendations, which includes procedures on communications, support, the handling of personal belongings, photographs and signed agreements.

“Claimants felt that if transition to housing and the “clean up” is done right we (the City and citizens) will be “better friends” afterwards,” she wrote. “Claimants and other de‐housed citizens are willing to provide consultation so we can get this right.”

The clearing of the Millennium Park homeless encampment earlier this month.

Arts council names Bell artist-in-residence

The Community Arts Council of Prince George and District has chosen Danny Bell as its next artist-in-residence.

Bell is the first musician chosen in the 10 years of the artist-in-residence program.

The program accommodates artists for a period of one year for the development and production of ongoing or new bodies of work.

Part of Bell’s residency will includes at least one feature performance at Knox Performance Centre in May/June 2024.

The past artists-in-residence were Corey Hardeman, Cliff Mann, Crystal Tarr, Carla Joseph, Michael Kast, Lynette LaFontaine, Donna Morrison, Erin Stagg, and Frances Gobbi.

“Danny’s exceptional talent and dedication to the arts align perfectly with our mission to enrich and diversify the

cultural landscape of Prince George,” arts council executive director Eli Klasner said.

“His residency promises to be a remarkable journey, and we look forward to witnessing the transformative impact of his work on our community.”

Bell was born and raised in Red Wing, Minnesota, and moved to Prince George in 2009 where he earned a degree in anthropology from UNBC.

He has performed across western Canada, headlining at the Edge of the World Music Festival in 2022 and playing at the Arts Wells Music Festival, Robson Valley Music Festival, Kispiox Music Festival, Wayestock in Alberta, and The Napatak Ramble in northern Saskatchewan. He is currently preparing to embark on his first U.S. tour of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

His latest musical release, 2022’s Killing Birds, was mostly recorded in the foreman’s office in an abandoned sawmill just outside of Mackenzie.

“A

CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO

Danny Bell performs at Coldsnap in this file photo.

Crime wave worries downtown business owner

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

Al Russell has been doing business from his downtown Prince George store for seven years and he’s never seen vagrancy, property crime and violent people causing problems like he has lately.

The owner of Buckhorn Heating & Air Conditioning/Carrier Plumbing & Heating on Second Avenue east of Queensway was reminded of that last week when a man smashed 10 windows of his shop in a late-night spree of vandalism that hit three other neighbouring businesses.

“It’s gotten 100 times worse in the last four or five years. When I first started you didn’t have people camped on Second Avenue,” said Russell. “Their numbers are increasing, we’ve never had this many homeless on our street and they’re mean.

“The street people we had before were courteous and nice,” he said. “They were down and out but they weren’t creeps or violent people. My daughter used to volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul and now I wouldn’t let her, it’s scary. They’re mean and you take your life in your hands when you go into a group of them. It’s been getting like this since the Greyhound bus stopped.”

Greyhound shut down its bus service in Western Canada in October 2018 and until that point inmates were given bus tickets to their homes in other parts of B.C. or other provinces upon their release from custody at Prince George Correctional Centre. Now they get taxi rides downtown.

“If you don’t have money in your bank account or someone to pick you up

then you are stuck in Prince George,” said Prince George RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Cooper.

Russell says the jail in Prince George is the source of many of the undesirable people who frequent downtown and are causing problems for shop owners and their customers with their open drug use, and street loitering and their willingness to commit property crimes and threaten

the same page.

acts of violence.

“Some people thought it was the fires (in 2017 and 2018) that brought them in, but those people could go home again after the evacuation and maybe a few stayed in Prince George but not to the extent we’re seeing, and it seems to be getting worse,” said Russell.

Russell wants the courts to quit letting habitual criminals back on the street after

they’ve been arrested and give them jail time when they break laws to remind them there are repercussions for what they do.

“They’ve got to stop treating them like babies, they’re adults who make choices that aren’t good,” he said. “Either they follow the rules like everybody else or they get put away. It seems like nobody’s listening.”

Whether they’re thumbing through pages or swiping to the next article, 4 in 5 people in Canada read the news each week — by print, online or digitally.

Al Russell, owner of Buckhorn Heating & Air Conditioning/Carrier Plumbing & Heating on Second Avenue, holds a glass shop repair bill estimate of $11,776 to replace 10 windows broken at his shop last week by a vandal.

Window-smashing vandal targets businesses

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

A storefront vandal who used a bicycle handlebar to smash windows as he walked the streets of the light industrial area east of Queensway in a late-night rage has left business owners stuck with hefty repair bills.

Polar Refrigeration co-owner Clint Badry woke to a 1 a.m. phone call last Wednesday when the security company that monitors his downtown business detected glass breakage. When he arrived, he saw one large window of his Third Avenue shop was broken, as was the windshield of the company’s cube van.

The same culprit is believed to have hit three other businesses as he walked down Second Avenue, using the bar to break windows at Buckhorn Heating & Air Conditioning/Carrier Plumbing & Heating, Rampage Cycle & Auto and Solar Inflatable Boats Canada.

Carrier/Buckhorn shop owner Al Russell came to work Thursday morning and found 10 windows smashed.

RCMP were called to the scene after the alarm was triggered and questioned a man standing near the Polar property at 910 Third Ave. but did not have sufficient evidence to make an arrest.

“The guy that I had been kicking off the back step smoking crack and everything else every day was walking down the street and the cops had him sitting there, but there was no proof to take him until the next day when we found the proof (in the video) from Al at Buckhorn,” said Badry.

“When I saw Al’s video I knew that’s the same guy because he’s been writing on our walls and everything else at the back here and I’ve been telling him he can’t hang around here.”

RCMP collected the video taken from the plumbing shop, which shows a man using the bar to break the windows. Meanwhile, Russell is facing a repair bill of $11,776, which he’ll have to put through as an insurance claim.

Russell was later told by an RCMP officer that the same man captured by video surveillance breaking the windows of his shop had been arrested late Thursday afternoon, allegedly in connection to an

assault on a woman which happened near the Second Avenue-Queensway intersection.

“This guy was arrested for writing on the doors (at NR Motors) on Wednesday and I was told he’d been released and that night he proceeded to break the windows,” said Russell. “(Clint) saw the video from our cameras smashing the windows and it’s the same guy.

“They tried to find him on Thursday and sometime late on Thursday the police got a report of a woman being beaten on Queensway by the same guy with the same bar. So he’s off the street now; he’s arrested.”

Russell was told by police that an offduty sheriff or jail guard made the arrest.

Prince George RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Cooper confirmed there was an assault and ensuing arrest but did say whether it was the same suspect who also broke the windows.

“The incident took place around 5:45 p.m. near Second Avenue and Queensway and the suspect was located and arrested,” said Cooper.

“It is too early into either investigation for me to be able to comment on if they are related.”

Cooper said police are awaiting more surveillance video from other downtown businesses in their vandalism investigation.

CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO

A worker at Solar Inflatable Boats on Third Avenue covers up the damage after the shop window were deliberately broken by a vandal early last Thursday morning.

South African forest firefighters celebrate culture

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

After a month battling B.C. wildfires, a group of 215 South African firefighters has gone,.

On their last night in Prince George, they showed the spirit that binds them in a soulful presentation of traditional song, chants and dances to wrap up their Canadian tour of duty.

The 60 women and 155 men were selected from disadvantaged cities and towns to form a national firefighting force sent to help fire-ravaged Canada.

For Thursday’s evening sendoff ceremony, they formed groups that represented seven of the nine South African provinces to provide a memorable night of entertainment for officials from BC Wildfire’s Prince George Fire Centre and an American firefighting unit united in the efforts to suppress fires burning west of the city.

“It has been a great pleasure to give support to our brothers and sisters in

this part of the world, it was a very good experience,” said Antoinette Jini, senior representative of the South African force.

“The incident management team opened their hearts and has lovingly taken us through the whole incident and have given us support and briefed us on the objectives of the assignment and I think we did exceptionally well.”

Kamloops and Kelowna.

Incident commander Steven Goldman of the U.S. Forest Service praised the work of the South African firefighters to suppress hot spots as as part of 600-firefighter force in the Vanderhoof-Fort St. James fire zone, They performed that dangerous work incident-free and without injury.

“We are proud as South Africans that we came and made an impact in Canada,” said Jini.

“The most important thing is we are team players and this is what we think we’ve achieved. We became part of a team with one vision. We’ve built the relationship among Canadians and our role was to build the partnership and stakeholder relationship and make a difference and I think through our music and dancing, people were touched.”

They brought that same enthusiasm and unity working 12-hour days on the fire line. From the moment they stirred from their tents to line up for breakfast it was a regular occurrence for them to break into song and dance before they loaded into trucks to bring them to the fires near Vanderhoof, Fort St. James,

The South African force spent several weeks in Alberta fighting fires on mop-up/ clean-up detail and hot-spot patrols before they arrived in Kamloops Aug. 29. They made up one third of the Van-Jam firefighting force and had the numbers to make up 11 unit crews.

All of the 215 South Africans speak English and their selection was based on each of them meeting Canadian fitness standards, which was highly evident watching them perform their athletic dances. The South African government employs them and it is their full-time occupation. Jini said some of them use their training as firefighters as a springboard to become police officers or paramedics.

“All of them are taken from disadvantaged communities, it’s a poverty-relief program we provide for those who are jobless or didn’t finish school, as long as you can read and write,” said Jini. “The program started in 2004 and we’ve got alumnis who have gotten to better places in life because of this program.”

South African unit leader Khulani Zulu lives in Pietermaritzburg, capital of the KuaZulu-Natal province, and his trip to Prince George was his fourth firefighting mission in Canada. He arrived in Prince George Sept. 12 and in that two weeks he gained much from watching the BC

A South African firefighter kicks up some dust while dancing in a cultural ceremony at the Prince George fire camp which marked the end of their month-long deployment fighting B.C. wildfires.

Wildfire Service and U.S. Forest Service crews in action.

“There are things happening in Canada which we do not have in South Africa, so it was a great experience,” Zulu said.’ The incident command system that is being used here is very amazing. You see many structures pulling together in one incident to make sure they achieve the goal to put the fire out.”

Zulu also learned about ash pits, holes left by the burning of organic matter and roots that collect hot embers below ground level.

The pits can remain hot for days after a fire has been extinguished and if undetected can cause serious injuries or death if someone falls into one.

“We don’t have ash pits in South Africa but here we encountered that,” he said. “The terrain isn’t much different, it’s only the trees. The spruce trees here , when it’s windy they just fall. In South Africa the roots are better and the trees are more stable in the soil.

“That’s one of the most dangerous parts of firefighting and you have to look up to ensure that no one is getting tripped or that the trees are falling into them. We appoint a lookout who works behind the team who can tell them when there is a tree that might fall down.”

During the two weeks they camped in Prince George there was downtime on the fire line while crews waited for work assignments and the South Africans took

of music that brings their morale up. The moment they start singing, it motivates them to keep going on the fire line.

“It’s so refreshing. Once you start a day with the melody of their voices in your ears that helps you keep going and keeps you motivated to do more. You need that to revamp your spirit.”

The 2023 fire season, which started in early May, has burned an unprecedented 2.5 million hectares of B.C. forests and the province has leaned on the support of about 1,000 out-of-province and international firefighters from South Africa, the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and France.

Of B.C.’s total, 1.92 million ha has burned in the Prince George Fire Centre, which encompasses most of northeastern quadrant of the province. As of Thursday there were still 130 fires in that area, 66 of which are out of control, with five wildfires of note in the region.

advantage of that to work out their dance moves and flex their vocal cords.

“They get free time to dance,” Zulu said. “It’s the type

“It’s not normal for us to have this amount of fire on the landscape at this time of year,” said Sharon Nickel, community engagement specialist for the BC Wildfire Service. “Unfortunately we’re in worse drought conditions than we were last year at this time and we have exponentially more fire on the landscape. Back in July in the Prince George Fire Centre we surpassed our 20-year combined total hectares burned.”

CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO

Three female firefighters from South Africa hold the Canadian flag while they sing their country’s national anthem during a ceremony Thursday at their fire camp near Prince George Airport.

Fast track Ukrainian skilled workers: refugee

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

Ukrainian war refugee Michael Pluzhnikov has a daily morning ritual.

Before his first cup of coffee, he goes on the Telegram social media site to find out what’s happening at home.

“I see bomb attacks, drone attacks, cruise missile attacks, you only have a few happy days when you open the news and see there was no attacks,” said Pluzhnikov, who brought his wife and three children to the Prince George For Ukraine picnic at the Central B.C. Forestry and Railway Museum earlier this month.

The 37-year-old arrived in Prince George late last December from with his wife Krystina and their kids – nineyear-old Michelle, six-year-old Leo and five-year-old Julie. They had been living in a Vancouver basement suite and despite working long days as a casual labourer in several jobs he could not afford to pay $3,000 monthly rent. Last winter they met up with friends Andrei and Halyna, who live in Prince George and they told them there would be a warm reception waiting for them if they moved north, where the rents are not so steep.

“That’s how I knew there was a good community in Prince George which helps Ukrainians,” said Michael.

Michael and Krystina both had jobs with the Ukraine government and each holds three masters university degrees. Michael studied law, economics and public administration and went on to earn his doctorate in political science, while Krystyna studied public administration, journalism and international relations.

“I was working for the federal

government and working for the university teaching our public servants to improve their skills - I’m overqualified for a lot of jobs,” Michael laughed.

He now works as an employment consultant for WorkBC and is one of the primary contacts for new arrivals from Ukraine before they come to Prince George.

Pluzhnikov says about half of the 220 displaced Ukrainians in the city are now working. Many of them were trained and have worked in the Ukraine as doctors, nurses, engineers, tradesmen or truck

drivers, but because they lack Canadian credentials they can’t work at their jobs and are forced to take whatever work they can find.

“They are here with their families and they need to pay rent each day and they have no money and no time to transfer their skills from their previous jobs to the local market. It’s the same with doctors and nurses here. We run out of doctors and nurses here in P.G., but there is no fast track for those people. They have no time and no money (to recertify) and that’s why they are cleaning our streets,

cooking sandwiches or serving donuts.”

Krystina, who worked as a liaison between the office of president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian parliament, now works as a baker for Cobb’s Bakery. She’s expecting her fourth child on Christmas Day.

With so many job sectors facing shortages of skilled labourers, Pluzhnikov says Canada needs to find a better way to integrate internationally-trained workers into the workforce. Assuming they speak English, he says in most cases it should only take a few months for them to learn the new rules or standards for their jobs and the costs of that retraining or retesting should not be prohibitive.

“It would be good for this economy when you have such qualified people over here with the experience they have,” he said. “Think how much of Canadian taxpayers’ money is spent to make one doctor, or to make one truck driver, or plumber or engineer. They just need to be fast-tracked.”

Now that they’re settled in Prince George, the Pluzhnikovs enrolled their kids in the French immersion program at Lac des Bois Elementary School. They plan to make Prince George their permanent home.

Organized by Prince George For Ukraine and the Share Hope Refugee Sponsorship Committee and sponsored by Save-On-Foods, the afternoon picnic drew a crowd of about 250 people to the Forestry and Railway Museum.

Since the Russians launched their invasion on Feb. 24, 2022 the volunteer group has helped 80 Ukrainian families get settled in the city and 220 of those people have stayed in the city.

CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO

The Pluzhnikov family, from left, Michael, Krystina, Julie, Michelle and Leo.

Healthy North

Tips for easier school lunches

One thing that parents and guardians are not stoked about when it comes to back to school - packing lunches! Do you find this daunting? Looking for some lunchbox inspiration? Northern Health dietitian Emilia Moulechkova offers some tips

“Snacky’” lunches for the win While sandwiches and leftovers make good lunch options, my go-to is the “snacky” lunch. This consists of smaller amounts of different food items that require little to no cooking. For Lise Luppens, dietitian and mom of a 2nd grader, “snacky” lunches offer many benefits, including more choice.

“Packing mainly a sandwich or a mixed dish for my daughter’s lunch feels “risky” - like putting all my eggs in one basket,” says Lise. “If it’s something that she is not keen to eat that day, which happens, there would be few options left in her lunch. Instead, the ‘snacky’ approach gives her more choice.”

Tips for creating “snacky” lunches

If you’re packing food for lunch plus one or two snacks, if can be helpful to aim for five or six different items The amount you offer of each food will depend on your child’s individual needs Mix and match items to include a combination of protein, grains, and vegetables and fruit For example:

Protein foods

Hard-boiled or scrambled egg; hummus or bean dip; peanuts, nuts or seeds, or their

butters; canned or dried fish, shredded or deli meat, cubed, shredded or string cheese; cottage cheese; yogurt; milk; or fortified soy drink, etc

Grain foods

Crackers, bagel, bannock, pita, naan, waffle, pancake, cereal, granola bar, whole grain muffin, etc.

Vegetable or fruit

Veggie sticks, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, dried seaweed, whole or sliced fruit, berries, fruit cup or sauce, dried fruit, etc.

More tips

• Prep ahead, if you can. For example, keeping a few hard-boiled eggs in the fridge, cutting up extra fruit or vegetables when making dinner, or making a double batch of muffins to freeze for later.

• Try using a container with divided sections. This can be handy for keeping food items separated. Packing items in smaller, individual containers also work too

• Pack a reusable water bottle Plain milk, fortified soy milk, or a smoothie in a thermos are also hydrating and nutritious drink options

Find resources and read the full story here: stories northernhealth ca/stories/tipseasier-school-lunches

Honouring history and healing together

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) is September 30.

Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR). The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process. This federal statutory holiday was created through legislative amendments made by Parliament. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - Canada.ca

September 30 is also Orange Shirt Day (OSD) in Canada. This day creates awareness of the individual, family and community intergenerational impacts of Indian Residential Schools Orange Shirt Society – Creating Awareness (orangeshirtday org)

NH acknowledges the ongoing harms experienced by Indigenous People accessing the health care system NH is committed to new ways of being and that work starts by building healthy and trusting relationships with Indigenous communities, families, individuals and Indigenous employees

It’s not too late to apply for an IMAGINE Grant!

Wondering if your project is a good fit for Northern Health IMAGINE Grant funding?

Check out our map of previous projects that have been funded over the years for inspiration and ideas to help promote health and well-being in your community!

IMAGINE Grant applications are open now! Deadline to submit is October 6, 2023.

Learn more about the grants and find the map here: www.northernhealth.ca/services/healthy-living-in-communities/imagine-grants

HOROSCOPES

ARIES

If you do your work wholeheartedly, your efforts won’t go unnoticed; you can expect to be rewarded with a higher salary Open up to your significant other, too, and you’ll reap the benefits.

TAURUS

There’s a lot of activity around you. Even if you have a lot of tasks to accomplish, opportunities to have fun will spontaneously pop up. Try to strike that happy balance between entertainment and responsibility

GEMINI

It’s a time of turmoil and uncertainty You could try fighting the current, but it’s wiser to trust in the signs and follow their lead. Take care of yourself and listen to the messages your body is sending you.

CANCER

Making new friends and expanding your network of contacts is possible. With such a busy schedule, you may find it difficult to spend time with your family while also managing your responsibilities. Good organization is essential.

LEO

You’ll undoubtedly have lots to do in all aspects of your life. Try to complete everything on time You’ll feel better if you take a little time for fun and relaxation. Treat yourself to a little outing a comedy show, perhaps to rediscover your smile.

VIRGO

Plan a getaway and have fun learning something new In doing so, you may discover new perspectives for a more stimulating career Whether you’re single or in a elationship, inspiration will guide you away from monotony

LIBRA

Dream big and with passion! Use your determination and daring to achieve your persona and professional goals. Don’t try to please everyone Instead, shape your world according to your unique desires and aspirations.

SCORPIO

You’ll be in a position to bring colleagues or clients together to celebrate the signing of an important contract or bring a workplace conflict to an end. In romance, you’ll receive a sign of commitment from your significant other If you’re single, you’ll turn on the charm.

SAGITTARIUS

Work or health will take priority; you’ll correct one situation or the other, and it’ll improve your future. When it comes to your love life, having a deep discussion may help you resolve emotional issues.

CAPRICORN

Take care of yourself to earn applause and recognition. Take pride in what you’ve accomplished. Frequent displays of love and affection will help you l ght the fire of unending passion.

AQUARIUS

You’ll discover your nner joy and et it radiate around you. Let every day be filled with moments of pleasure and happiness. Share your oy with your family and loved ones. Watch how that joy spreads.

PISCES

You’ll need to travel for work and in your personal ife.

To feel more safe and secure with all the germs in the air, follow basic hygiene rules. In your relationships, your choice of words wil reveal your emotions.

cl assi fi eds

In Loving Memory

of our Son &Brother

Shayne Edward George Ryll Dec. 2/64 -Sept. 28/87

Wilfred (Fred) Joseph Dettling 1933-2023

It is with deep sorrow that we announce Wilfred (Fred) Joseph Dettling went to be with his angels at the age of 90 years old on August 4, 2023. Fred was born in Friedenstal, Alta on Feb 24, 1933. He was the youngest son of German immigrants, Susanna (Friedel), and Jack Dettling. Fred grew up in Friedenstal, Alta, Rock Creek, and Osoyoos, BC. In 1955 at the age of 22, he settled in Prince George. He met Bernice Engstrom, and in 1957 the two married and later raised two daughters, Angie and Heidi. Fred was a loving husband and father. He was well known around Prince George and worked as a bartender, brewery and distillery representative, and asbestos salesman. He became a very successful car salesman working at Fred Walls and Sons, Fred Dettling AMC Jeep Renault and Schultz Pontiac Buick. Fred’s greatest passion in life was training and travelling with his standard bred harness horses for racing throughout western Canada. In retirement, after Bernice passed away Fred found love again with Donelda Carson. Together they became super fans going to the Cougars hockey games, having lunches at the senior center, and living at the Prince George Château. Sadly, Fred developed dementia, and spent the last three years of his life at the gateway complex care. He passed away in the arms of his beloved daughter, Heidi.

Fred was predeceased by his loving wife, Bernice in 2002, cherished daughters, baby Karen in 1959 and Laura Stewart in 2005, brothers Edward and Charles, sisters Kay (Capricorn), Teresa (Readman) and Nettie (Hogaboam). Fred’s memory will be forever cherished by his daughters Heidi (Tracy Devris), Angela (Carl Overennay) and son Wade Larson, as well as granddaughters Emily, Kaitee, Jill, Aleta and his love Donelda Carson. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Fred’s family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the nurses, care aides, and staff at Gateway complex care for their compassionate care for Fred during his final days.

In Memoriam

Obituaries

Kenneth Allan Lindley

March 25, 1940September 6, 2023

It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce the passing of our loving husband, father, grandfather and friend Kenneth Lindley.

Ken was born in Toronto Ontario to Ernest and Helen Lindley. He spent his childhood in Ontario until he went to serve in the Navy. After his discharge, he moved to Prince George in 1968 to pursue his dreams. In 1971, Ken met the love of his life Gail and they were married. The pair welcomed their son Peter in 1974. Through his time in Prince George, Ken was an active member of different activities. He was involved with his United Transportation Union, where he served as president for a time. Ken was also an active member of over 50 years with the Royal Canadian Legion.

Ken is survived by his loving wife Gail, their son Peter (Cindy), granddaughters Adaya, Chelsea and Victoria, his brothers Larry (Linda) and Robert (Marlene), sisters-in-law Muriel, and Randie (Gene). He has left many memories with all of his family and friends who knew him.

Ken has requested that there be no service. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Royal Canadian Legion in Ken’s honour.

You will be deeply missed, and forever loved by your family and friends that you have left behind.

John Harold Ryser

October 6, 1932 - December 9, 2022

Ernest Edward Ryser

October 2, 1936 - March 23, 2021

Join us to celebrate the lives of John and Ernest Ryser on Saturday, September 30, at 4 pm at Pineview Hall, 6470 Bendixon Road.

Harvest was their favourite time of year. It was a time when everyone was working together towards the same goal to get all of the potatoes in before their birthdays in early October.

In honour of these two incredibly close brothers, come to enjoy some fiddle music, tasty snacks, an assortment of potato dishes, and some incredible stories! Be casual. Wear your favorite potato picking clothes!

REMEMBRANCES

Marcel Lawrance Sawan

Marcel Lawrance Sawan passed away August 11, 2023 surrounded by family. Celebration of Life will be held on October 6, 2023 at the Native Friendship Centre hall from 12 pm - 4 pm.

Barry John Shawara

1945-2023

On the early morning of September 16th, 2023 Barry John Shawara passed away unexpectedly with his wife Kathy by his side after a tough battle with MDS.

Born Jan 20, 1945, Barry was a life long resident of McBride BC. “Gods Country” as he loved to call it.

Barry married his wife Kathy Garneau in 1970,and they spent 53 years together in McBride raising their children Penny, Elaine, and James. Barry spent most of his working years in the logging, trucking and paving industry. He was always proud to have spent time working along side his son James over the years. After retirement Barry loved to spend his time working in his yard, fixing his old black truck and making trips to Kamloops for the weekend.

Barry was a force of nature and his family meant more to him than anything else in the world.

Barry’s greatest joy was when his was blessed with his grandaughter Sophie, and he was endlessly proud of his children.

Barry was predeceased by his parents John and Sally Shawara, brother Ronnie Shawara, brother in law Loyal Mortenson, and an infant son.

Barry is sadly missed by his loving wife Kathy, children, Penny, Elaine (Clay/Sophie) and James. Siblings Blanche Mortenson, Dennis (Rita) Shawara, Leslie (Colleen) Shawara, Marlene (Paige) Comis, Debbie Shawara, and many brother/sister inlaws, nieces, nephews,and friends.

We will miss you forever Dad.

The family would like to extend sincere thanks and gratitude to Dr. Malek, and all the nurses and staff at the McBride Hospital for taking such good care of Dad.

Celebration of Life service to be held Saturday, September 30th, 2023 at the McBride Evangelical Free Church- 1 pm, with luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the McBride Hospital Auxillary in Dads memory.

Marion Hausot

Jan 3, 1946 - Aug 27, 2023

It is with heavy hearts the family of Marion Hausot announces her peaceful passing at the Gateway Lodge in Prince George, B.C., on August 27th, 2023. Marion was born on January 3rd, 1946 in Fauldhouse, County of West Lothian in Scotland, to George and Madge Redpath. She was a loving wife to Fritz, mother, sister, aunt, and Gran, along with being a friend to many.

Marion is survived by son Fred (Cindy), daughter Heather (James), and her beloved grandchildren Megan & William and Merin & Andi. She is also survived by her numerous nieces & nephews in Canada, Austria and Scotland.

Marion is the last of the Redpath Clan, predeceased by her parents, George & Madge Redpath, brothers George & Robert and sisters Nancy, Jenny, Marjorie & Mary.

Marion spent her early years in Scotland, and loved her life there. She had a passion for cooking, baking, entertaining and especially feeding people. Marion immigrated to Canada in 1965 and eventually settled in Prince George, BC in the 1970’s. She enjoyed life and was an immensely talented golfer and pianist and loved being a grandmother more than anything. She was kind and always smiling and ready for a good time. She enjoyed her vacation home in Maui, road trips in the motorhome, golf, life in Edgewood, then Pineview and Ness Lake.

A special thank you to Dr. Hagen & Dr. Grose and everyone who helped care for Marion. In memory or in lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia or Alzheimer Society of Canada. A celebration of life will take place soon this fall, please contact Heather for details.

Doris Linea Dittaro

1928-2023

Doris Linea Dittaro, born Doris Linea Pearson on February 20, 1928, in Fort Frances, Ontario, departed this world on 12 September 2023. She was the beloved daughter of Peter Leo Pearson and Hilma Sofia Brendor, the cherished sister of Ruth and Jimmy, and a remarkable woman who lived a life filled with adventure, love, and creativity.

Growing up during the tumultuous times of the Great Depression and World War II, Doris faced both trials and successes that shaped her into the resilient and caring individual she became. Her childhood was spent in the charming town of Fort Frances, where she delighted in exploring the local lumber company wood lot, Point Park, and the roller rink. It was at that very roller rink where she met the love of her life, Fred Dittaro.

In July of 1950, Doris and Fred exchanged vows and embarked on a journey together that would see them raise four wonderful children: Peter, Carolyn, Michael, and Larry. Their family traversed the landscape of Canada, residing in Fort William, Dryden, and finally making Prince George, British Columbia, their cherished home.

Doris’s career took her to Northern Health, where she served as a dedicated nurse’s aide, offering compassion and care to those in need. Tragically, on February 10, 1976, Doris faced the untimely loss of her beloved husband, Fred, in a vehicle accident, leaving her to raise three children on her own. Her strength and unwavering love for her family shone brightly during these challenging times.

Throughout her life, Doris harboured a deep passion for the arts, particularly drawing and painting. As the years passed, this passion bloomed into a remarkable talent, and she became a recognized and accomplished artist. Her paintings graced galleries and exhibitions throughout the province, earning her a well-deserved place among the Milltown Artists. Her artistic creations, which she generously shared with friends and family, remain a testament to her creative spirit and enduring legacy.

Beyond her love for art, Doris had a wanderlust that led her to explore the world. She embarked on unforgettable journeys to Europe and Australia, creating cherished memories and lasting friendships along the way.

Doris Dittaro will be remembered for her strength, creativity, and the love she poured into her family and her art. Her life was a journey filled with courage, resilience, and the pursuit of beauty. Her passing leaves a void in the hearts of those who knew and loved her, but her memory will live on in the beautiful works of art she created and the lives she touched.

Doris Dittaro is survived by her children, Peter, Carolyn (Peter Kelly), Michael (Audrey), and Larry (Chris), 6 Grandchildren, 2 Great Grandchildren and a predeceased Grandchild as well as her cherished friends and admirers. She leaves behind a legacy of love and creativity that will continue to inspire and comfort those who were fortunate enough to know her.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the charity of your choice in Doris’s memory, continuing her tradition of giving and caring for others.

A celebration of Doris’s life will be held at a later date. Where family are invited to gather, share memories, and pay their respects to this remarkable woman who touched our lives in so many ways.

Doris Linea Dittaro will forever remain in our hearts, a beacon of strength, love, and artistry, and her legacy will continue to shine brightly in our lives.

Randall Kenneth Ivers

June 3, 1955 - September 23, 2023

Randy was born to Mary and Ken Ivers (now deceased) in Moose Jaw SK. June 3, 1955. He passed away Sep 23, 2023 in Fort Nelson BC after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Randy leaves behind his longtime partner Helen Wildeman. His daughter Stacey and (Chris) Hauser, their children Tanner, Grayson and Remington. His brother Doug and (Chris) Ivers, sister Bev and (George) Gobbi and his sister Barbie and (Louis) Lins many nieces and nephews.

Randy started working, tailing the gangsaw underage in Giscome. His foreman had to lay him off every Friday and rehire him on Monday, several times until he turned 14 with consent from his mother. He was the only guy they could get to do that tough job. He stuck with it for a few years, next he went to the bush running cats and skidders.

In the 80’s, he started trucking Randy put in thousands of hours hauling logs, gravel and dirt until his health gave out. In his spare time, he thoroughly enjoyed building things, fishing and beer, Lots of beer.

In his final days through all the pain he kept his sarcastic sense of humor, it was fun and sad to be there.

We will always keep you in our hearts Randy, Rest Easy!

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Established Franchise

Photography Business

Serving Northern B.C for over 35 years

Gross Revenues of $150.000 plus annually from seasonal work

Lots of opportunity to expand the business.

Transition support available to the right buyer

Serious Enquiries Only

Office 250-596-9199 Cell 250-981-1472

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Established Franchise Tax Preparation Business

Mackenzieservicing and McLeod Lake area for over 30 years.

Gross Revenues of $85,000 to $90,000

Annually and Potential to expand revenues in a growing economy.

Transition support available for the right buyer.

Serious Inquires Only Office (250)997-9003 Home (250)997-5538 Cell (250)990-0152

Collectibles & Classic Cars

Motorcycles

SUDOKU

Legal/Public Notices

Central Interior Native Health Society

In-Person Annual General Meeting

13 October, 2023

4:00pm to 5:30pm in our large board room 1110 4th Avenue

In order to attend virtually, contact John for the Zoom link at info@cinhs.org or phone: (250) 614-2031

Please RSVP by 6 October, 2023

Providing Service since 1993

Everyone Welcome

LAND ACT: NOTICE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR AN ASSIGNMENT OF A DISPOSITION OF

CROWN LAND

Take notice that the Hart Community Centre Society, located at 4900 Austin Road West, Prince George, BC, has applied to the Ministry of Forests, Lands Division, Omineca Region, for an assignment of their Lease for Community Hall purposes to the Kodiaks Football Club, from Prince George BC, situated on Provincial Crown land located in Prince George, described as Lot A, District Lot 4048 Cariboo District Plan 28355.

The Lands File for this application is 7400736. Written comments concerning this assignment application should be directed to Susan Spears, Authorizations Specialist, Ministry of Forests, Lands Division, Omineca Region at 5th Floor 499 George Street, Prince George, BC V2L 1R5, or Susan.Spears@gov.bc.ca Comments will be received by Ministry of Forests, Lands Division, Omineca Region up to November 4, 2023. Ministry of Forests, Lands Division, Omineca Region may not be able to consider comments received after this date.

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. Access to these records requires the submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.

A hard copy MAP showing the location and extent of the application area may be acquired by calling the Authorizations Specialist named above at 250-561-3479.

Repairers Lien Act

Whereas Ken Bishop is indebted to Subaru of Prince George for repairs and storage in the amount of $16,464 on a 2015 Subaru Legacy VIN 4S3BNFA64F3002244.

Notice is hereby given that at noon on October 6th, 2023 or thereafter, the unit may be sold at 105 Brunswick St, Prince George, BC. For more information call Subaru of Prince George. 844-205-9855

“The Blonde Bombshell”

Leak slowly through

Shaped like a circle

Make a pig of oneself

Cause to become insane

Bluish greens

Supported with money

Type of equation

Court officials

Indian god

Rids

Leg (slang)

Pokes holes in

Moved quickly on foot

Fix-it shops

Type of bread

Repaired

Synthetic diamond (abbr.)

Units of ionizing radiation

Midway between south and southeast

Type of drug (abbr.) 30. German city along the Rhine

Animal disease

Martini necessities

Get away from

Village in Mali

Djibouti franc

Nautical ropes

Have you considered converting your bath into a shower?

Does your bathroom have a shower-bath combination with a bathtub that never gets used? Replacing your underutilized tub with a shower enclosure could improve the look of your bathroom and make it a more enjoyable space. Before starting the project, here are some things you should know.

MULTIPLE ADVANTAGES

Converting the entire area currently occupied by your bathtub and shower to a walk-in shower will make your space feel roomier. You can also reduce the space used for the shower to give yourself more room to move around the bathroom.

If you or a family member has reduced mobility, you need to consider accessibility. Installing accessories like a bench and grab bars can make the shower more accessible. Plus, it costs less than installing an adapted bathtub.

COSTS TO CONSIDER

The cost for your project depends on various factors, including your choice of flooring, wall covering, and fixtures, as well as the type of enclosure and doors. If you’re making changes to improve accessibility, you may qualify for subsidies. Hire a plumbing expert to do the job to benefit from a custom installation.

FREE ESTIMATES

HOW TO choose living room furniture

Whether you want to spruce up your living room or completely remodel it, choosing new furniture can be a challenge. Here are some tips that can help.

IDENTIFY YOUR NEEDS

Consider how the space will be used. If you watch a lot of TV or enjoy frequent movie nights, opt for a comfortable couch with enough space for the whole family. For avid gamers, an entertainment unit with shelves to store consoles and controllers is a practical purchase. A coffee table that can be adjusted to various heights is a great solution if you tend to eat your meals in the living room.

Additionally, a sofa bed is a versatile choice if you need your living room to double as an occasional guest room. You should also determine how much storage you’ll need to ensure the space is functional and free of clutter.

ASSESS THE SPACE

Measure the dimensions of your living room before you go shopping to make sure you choose pieces that fit. If you want to maximize the space’s potential, sketch out a few different floor plans.

Keep in mind the location of windows, doorways, baseboard heaters and floor vents when you design the layout. You should also take note of whether direct sunlight will create glare on the TV screen or potentially fade furniture fabric.

ESTABLISH A BUDGET

Evaluate your financial situation and inquire about financing options for bigticket items. Once you know how much you can afford to spend, decide on a budget and stick to it. Keep in mind, however, that while quality pieces are more expensive, they’ll also last a lot longer. It may be worth shelling out a bit more for furniture if it’s well made.

SETTLE ON A STYLE

When buying new furniture for your living room, it’s best to choose pieces with colours and textures that complement one another. Additionally, deciding on a design style will help guide your choices and allow you to successfully pair wood, metal and glass pieces. From the whimsy of bohemian chic to the crisp simplicity of Scandinavian, there’s a wide range of styles to select from. Choose one you love and pick your items accordingly.

TEST EACH PIECE

Before you purchase a sofa or chair, try out the floor model to make sure it’s comfortable. If you find a few items you like in the same store, ask if they can be placed side by side so you can see how they look together. You should also bring along

paint chips, swatches and photos to help you find furniture that matches what you already have.

To simplify your search for living room furniture and help you create a cohesive space, consider hiring a professional interior designer.

5 common masonry problems

Are the exterior walls of your home or business made of brick, stone or concrete? If so, it's important to know the signs of masonry deterioration. Watch for these five clues and take action to prevent minor issues from becoming safety hazards.

1. Bulging. A section of a brick wall might show signs of “belly-beef swelling” due to warping. It’s usually caused by water accumulating in the wall behind the brick. The presence of mould and rust can cause the wall to weaken, posing a risk of collapse.

2. Cracking. Unrepaired cracks in your masonry can lead to leaks and seepage. Cracks may also be a sign that the house or foundations are sagging.

3. Spalling. Temperature fluctuations and other factors can cause your masonry to chip or crumble. It's important to repair or replace any broken or splintered stonework as soon as possible to avoid collapse.

4. Efflorescence. Excess moisture can cause white spots to appear on your brick or stone wall. These blemishes

can easily be cleaned off and are only a concern if they recur frequently.

5. Degraded mortar. Old, crumbling mortar between the bricks can compromise the wall’s stability and make the entire building vulnerable to moisture. Remove all traces of the old material before applying the new mortar.

Do you spot any of these issues in your building? Contact a local masonry specialist to handle it and help you prevent long-term damage.

GO FOR GOLD.

4 ways to waterproof your basement

Basements are frequently exposed to moisture and humidity. This is partly because rain can accumulate near the foundation of your home. Keeping it dry will help you avoid a host of problems. Here are four ways you can make your basement more water-resistant.

1. REPAIR CRACKS

It’s normal to see fine lines appear in your foundation over time. However, large, deep cracks can allow water to seep inside. It’s important to promptly repair these fissures with a moisture-proof sea-

lant to help prevent leaks.

2. APPLY WATERPROOF PAINT

Waterproof paint prevents water from seeping into your home by creating a vapour barrier for your foundation. However, this safeguard is ineffective in severe weather or flooding. Therefore, it’s best used together with other measures.

3.

ADJUST YOUR GROUND LEVEL

It’s important to ensure that the land slopes downward from your foundation so that water can flow away from your home rather than into it. The ground may even out over time, so you’ll need to add soil periodically to maintain the right grade.

4. INSTALL A FRENCH DRAIN

A French drain system redirects water away from your home’s foundation to a designated location. This solution is wellsuited to properties with insufficient space to allow for sloped-ground drainage.

Local waterproofing specialists can assess your home and determine what combination of strategies is best for your basement.

RENOVATIONS

If you’re gearing up for a major renovation project, whether it’s roof repairs, a kitchen remodel or a house extension, you’ll inevitably have to talk to multiple contractors. Experts recommend that you obtain two or three quotes before choosing a contractor. Here are some tips to guide your selection process.

• Price. The quoted amount is no guarantee of quality. Comparing the price of each element within the quote, such as the materials and labour, rather than the total cost will help you determine an accurate amount.

• Contract type. A fixed-price contract means the contractor pays the difference if the final cost exceeds the quoted price at the end of the contract. If you go with a cost-plus contract, the quoted price may be lower, but you’ll have to pay for any unpredicted overages. Evaluate which contract type is best suited to your financial flexibility.

• Relationship. It’s crucial for you and the contractor to have a good working relationship. You should feel comfortable doing business with them. If you have

Tips for comparing estimates

differences of opinion during your first meeting, you're probably better off working with someone else.

• Details. Each estimate you receive should be itemized so that you can make an accurate comparison. If any information is missing on one of the quotes, feel free to ask about the omission and request an adjustment that includes the missing detail. Before finalizing your choice of contractor, make sure they have all the necessary certifications and licences.