Superjumbo jet unveiled /16
Drazenovic hopes to shine at Prospects Game /8

Music helps ease pain /21
Rice testifies before Senate /15

CITIZEN
Serving the Central Interior since 1916

PRINCE GEORGE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2005

80 CENTS (HOME DELIVERED: 57 CENTS A DAY)

Rain wreaks havoc on streets
Icy conditions cause accidents, injuries
by PAUL STRICKLAND and BERNICE TRICK Citizen staff Prince George's transit system and school buses ground to a halt Tuesday after rain turned snow-covered streets into treacherous skating rinks. There were so many accidents on city streets that RCMP stopped counting and were only going out to the most serious collisions with injuries. Some students were left at school after Diversified Transportation called buses back that were going out to pick up children because so many were sliding into curbs or vehicles, even with chains on. "Two school buses even slid off the road at Third and Victoria," said Ron Burrows of Diversified. School superintendent Dick Chambers said the district was prepared to keep schools open all night for children who had no means of getting home. City transit buses were also ordered back to yards after a number had difficulty moving, even with chains. UNBC closed at 4:30 p.m. and cancelled evening classes. Prince George Regional Hospital saw several people with sprains and fractures from falls. One hospital visitor, whose husband slipped on the ice and dislocated his shoulder, said the emergency department saw four people brought in with ice-related injuries in just one hour. The city's transportation manager said sanding and gravel trucks would be working late until 8 p.m. Tuesday and the night shift, which usually starts at 11:30 p.m., would start work at 8 p.m. "We are placing winter crush -- a coarse gravel -- around the downtown core," Frank Blues said. "We are using a mixture of salt and sand in other areas, and adding in salt to improve the mixture's melting capacity." The city also had two graders working on breaking up and removing ice from some main routes. A climatologist with Environment Canada said the rain was expected to continue through much of Tuesday night, and temperatures were to stay around 1. There was to be a break in the storm overnight but rain was expected to resume at mid-afternoon today. By that time, however, highs might climb to 7, Bill Miller said. In Quesnel, road conditions were so bad Monday morning, school buses were cancelled in the morning and in the afternoon the whole city was pretty much shut down. "At least the kids are all home," said Quesnel mayor Nate Bello, who shut city hall down early and sent everyone home except city road crews. "It's a sheet of ice here. There's no other way to describe it. Our crews are out there sanding and doing the best they can, but there are road closures

within the city and Highway 97 going south is down to one-lane traffic," said Bello. "People are just crawling along the streets at about five kilometres per hour." Quesnel RCMP Sgt. Gary Clark-Marlow said there have been no bad accidents, but lots of fender benders, despite road closures in the hilly parts of the city. -- See related stories on page 6
Citizen photos by Brent Braaten

A truck and fifth wheel trailer sit in the ditch off Highway 16 West at Lower Mud River Road, top. The two occupants were unharmed. A tow truck rear-ended a bus along a skating rink-like First Avenue, above. A school bus slide into a parked truck near Second Avenue and Victoria Street, right.

High : 3 Low : -7 page 2

Gov't launches plan for mining sector
by GORDON HOEKSTRA Citizen staff The B.C. government launched a 10-year mining plan on Tuesday which it hopes will continue to revitalize a sector already showing signs of rebirth. Buoyed by surging commodity prices and changes already brought in by the province, mining exploration has increased significantly in the past few years, and more than a dozen mines are in the environmental review process, the majority of them in northern B.C. The province just issued an environmental assessment permit for a proposed $116-million coal mine in northeastern B.C., which is expected to create 200 jobs. "The B.C. mining plan will help to ensure that the resurgence of this historic and vital industry continues in the long term, benefiting all British Columbians," said Energy and Mines Minister Richard Neufeld. The plan -- outlined in a 68-page report -- is meant to keep B.C.'s mining sector competitive globally, protect workers and the environment, increase secure access to the land base and deliver more benefits to local communities and First Nations. Officials of the B.C. & Yukon Chamber of Mines, which represents the exploration sector, and the Mining Association of B.C., which represents producing mines, applauded the government for developing the plan. But the mining industry acknowledged the blueprint was light on details. Among the 50 promised actions is a commitment to pursue strategic investment opportunities in unserviced areas to secure long-term delivery of energy supply and transportation infrastructure. This has been a top priority of the B.C. mining sector, particularly in northern B.C. But the promise of infrastructure does not indicate how much money, if any, will be committed to either road or energy supply during the next 10 years. And while another action calls for the province to monitor and report annually on the global competitiveness of B.C. mining-related taxes, fees and regulations, there is no commitments on meeting or beating those taxes or fees in other jurisdictions. Asked if the these promised actions were too vague, Mining Association of B.C. spokesman Brian Battison said he has similar questions. "What I'm hoping is we're going to tackle these 57 action items in a co-operative way, and get to the bottom of what is really needed to continue the confidence," he said. B.C. & Yukon Chamber of Mines executive director Dan Jepsen said while there may be some people looking for more specific numbers in the plan, it will give B.C. a substantial competitive advantage. "This is something you can give to a potential investor, they will look at it, and clearly the government is very committed to encouraging exploration and mining in B.C.," he said. "It's in writing, and you can't deny it." Neufeld said the transportation and energy needs will have to be addressed on an individual basis as they come up, noting that nobody knows where the next motherlode will be found. Neufeld added the province is not promising to have lower taxes and fees than anyone else, but B.C. is committed to being competitive. He pointed out the B.C. Liberals have already created a competitive tax structure. They have eliminated the sales tax on mining machinery and equipment, reduced the corporate tax, eliminated the corporate capital tax and continued the flow-through share program.

INDEX
Annie's Mailbox . . . . . . . . .19 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Business . . . . . . . . . . . .16-18 City, B.C. . . . . . . . . . . .3,5,13 Classified . . . . . . . . . . .24-27 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Coming Events . . . . . . . . . . .2 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . .23 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6,7,14 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,15

0

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8

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LOCALL Y OWNED & OPERAT ED

JANUARY SPECIALS
Prices in effect to January 31

3680 OPIE CRESCENT �
REGULAR HOURS:

562-5577

$99

Mon. - Fri.: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm � Sat.: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm � Toll Free: 1-877-662-5577 Fax: 562-2391

Gift tes Certifica Available

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$99

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SWITCHBOARD: 562-2441

CLASSIFIED: 562-6666

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