PRINCE GEORGE
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THURSDAY, JUNE 8,
Citizen
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Legal pot costly; resident finds
by BOB MILLER Citizen staff
A Prince George man is one of 241 people who’ve answered a proposal to grow marijuana — legally and with the blessing of the federal government.
But Gary Halls has discovered the proposition is just a bit too steep for his pocketbook, despite the $5-million contract one of them will land.
Health Canada spells out the criteria the successful grower must meet in a 200-page tender package, which hopefuls like Halls had to purchase for $78 including taxes and a courier fee.
They wouldn’t take a certified cheque or money order either, Halls found out. If you didn’t have plastic you were out of luck, so Halls said he bor-
rowed a friend’s credit card to make the deal.
Reading through the material he discovered the successful bidder would be required to post a bond for $100,000, about 25% of what the grow operation would cost to set up.
The grower would be expected to provide
100,000 marijuana cigarettes a year, which Halls estimated would require at least 1,000 plants.
It will require major financing, he said, probably $400,000 for land (indoor or outdoors) security fencing, surveillance cameras etc., not to mention growing the pot, rolling it into cigarettes, packaging the product and sending it by courier to people all over the country who would be testing it for medicinal purposes.
Halls said he has no fear that by applying for the
bidding package he’s tipped his hand to the RCMP narcotics squad.
“The police already know,” he said. “I talked to the police before I went into it. All they said was ‘It’s up to you’.”
Halls wonders why the government is going through the whole process of finding a grower and paying them $5 million for marijuana, when the police confiscate tonnes of it every year.
“Why isn’t Health Canada testing this (confiscated) marijuana to find a suitable source?” he asked.
Halls said if things don’t go his way, he may apply again next year.
“Or I might try to get a job with whoever gets the contract."’
Internet scam
probed in city
by KAREN KWAN Citizen staff
RCMP say they are investigating the activities of a local resident after a Prince George woman complained she was swindled by a man she met over the Internet.
Police said they believe there are more victims, and are asking them to come forward.
The investigation began after a 59-year-old woman told police she was conned out of money and some of her property by a 31-year-old man she met over the Internet, RCMP said.
Police said the suspect targets
women in various Internet chat rooms, including those who use the Singles Club chat room based in Prince George.
Kamloops RCMP are also investigating the suspect in connection with similar allegations in that area, as well as for complaints of harassment and stalking from women he befriended over the Internet, RCMP said.
Anyone who feels they are a victim or who believes they have been targeted is asked to contact Const. Dave Chauhan of Prince George RCMP at 561-3300 or through Crime Stoppers at 564-TIPS.
Vandals target park before opening day
by BERNICE TRICK Citizen staff
Glenda Nelson is upset about vandalism of heavy concrete picnic tables in the new Bittner Park.
“Here we are about to dedicate this park to the city of Prince George Sunday, and two of our tables have been flattened during the past 10 days,” said Nelson, director of development for the Blackburn Community Association.
“It looks like a sledge hammer was used,” said Nelson, explaining the tables are made of solid concrete, weigh about 800 pounds and cost about $1,250 each.
“I’m heartbroken over this. One table, for sure, is beyond repair. This is community money down the drain.” Nelson has reported the vandalism to the RCMP.
The five-acre park, located just west of Blackburn Elementary, was developed by the community association. It offers a trail system, picnic areas, a gazebo, rest benches and activity field.
Sunday events begin at 9 a.m. with pancake breakfast and continue throughout the day with the official ceremony at 1 p.m. as well as ball tournaments, and children’s activities.
Citizen photo by Brent Braaften
TALL TULIPS — Helen Pettypiece peeks through her 42-inch high tulips growing in her garden in front of her condo at Ospika and Ferry. The unusually high tulips are just regular tulips according to Pettypiece. She does take the bulbs out after they have bloomed in the summer and puts them back in the ground in the fall.
TODAY
COMMUNITY
PAGE 13 Pull-tabs help kids
Cornered by Baldwin
Ann Landers..................18
Bridge.......................23
Business .................28-30
City, B.C..............3,6,7,13
Classified ...............20-23
Comics ......................26
Crossword ...................26
Entertainment 25-28
Horoscope ...................22
Lotteries....................15
Lifestyles...................27
Movies.......................27
Nation....................14,15
Sports ....................8-12
Television...................27
World .......................16
"I think I can, I think I can ...”
What will happen if doctors withdraw privileges?
by BERNICE TRICK Citizen staff
A local physician says Prince George residents should not be over anxious if worst comes to worst and Prince George doctors withdraw privileges from Prince George Regional Hospital June 15.
“We will not, knowingly, harm any resident,” said Dr. Bert Kelly, secretary of Northern Medical Society, which is seeking a funding package from the B.C. Ministry of Health for recruitment and retention of doctors in Prince George. There was no word by Wednesday evening what, if any, parts of the doctors’ plan have been approved by the Health Ministry.
Here’s what is expected to happen if the doctors withdraw privileges, according to Kelly:
■ Family doctors and some specialists, like internists, will continue to work in their offices and see patients, but all disciplines of surgeons and anesthetists will not perform non-emergency surgery. “Emergency department, intensive care unit, pediatrics and obstetrical (moth-
Gov’t officials decline early-morning talks
The Northern Medical Society (NMS) president says B.C. government officials would not get up early enough today to hold a conference call on the critical doctor shortage at Prince George Regional Hospital.
Dr. Michael Moran told The Citizen that health ministry officials called late Wednesday requesting a Thursday conference call.
“We asked that it be at 6:30 a.m. because of our heavy work days, but they refused,” said Moran, who added:
“One of the secretaries said she’d still be in bed at that time.”
As of Wednesday night, no time had been set for a conference call, Moran said.
■ In another development late Wednesday, Moran said there will be no anesthetic coverage, except for emergencies, at Prince George Regional Hospital today.
“This has not happened for at least 10 years,” said Moran.
PGRH has five anesthetists on staff which is a decrease from eight at the beginning of the year, Moran said.
ers and babies) unit will always be staffed,” said Kelly. “Come June 22, should family doctors resign privileges at the hospital, they will move to an emergency level, but continue to
work in their offices.”
■ People can expect longer waits in emergency, some transferring of patients to other centres and reduced hours at the walk-in clinic.
“If patients need to be transferred, family doctors or specialists will arrange it,” Kelly said.
Kelly said his “main fear is that once the people (doctors) resign their privileges, they will be head-hunted “ by other communities.
“I’m surprised by how many doctors have told me they are just waiting to see how this turns out with the government. If there’s no significant move by the health ministry they say they’ll be looking at offers. If it’s not fixed, I think we’ll see an exodus of our core personnel leave our community, and that will be awful.”
The society’s plan is estimated to cost $30 million annually to implement throughout the Interior of B.C. About $15 million would be for Prince George alone.
It calls for signing bonuses, increments for five years, on-call pay and funding for education and teaching opportunities for doctors.
Doctors say a meeting in Prince George Monday showed the society and the ministry are far apart when it comes to numbers, but local members say they hope the two sides can work towards a mutual agreement.
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