Cult film figures dig Degrassi / 18

Eskimos win Grey Cup thriller / 9, 12
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2005

Snow unleashes chaos on parts of Europe / 15
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Liberal slate a mystery
by FRANK PEEBLES Citizen staff If the federal Liberals have any candidates chosen for the two Prince George ridings, they are not being publicly named yet. Those who have been linked to the Liberals in the past are pledging their support, but not their name on the ballot which means the two Conservative incumbents will be facing fresh political foes. In the riding of Prince George-Peace River, held by Jay Hill, two-time Liberal challenger Arleene Thorpe has declined the nomination, but is acting as riding association president and promises a couple of names are under consideration by the party, with a final announcement set for later in the week. In the riding of Cariboo-Prince George, held by Dick Harris, previous Liberal challenger Garbux Saini has also declined to run again but vows to be an active campaign volunteer for whomever does run. Riding association president Dave Wilbur, himself a past candidate, says it won't be his name either but a couple of names are simmering among local party members, and someone will be announced by the end of the week. Hill is so ensconced in his MP position, Thorpe told the Citizen Sunday night, that there is likely little the Liberals can do at this juncture other than float the best candidate they can and build for the future or hope for an unexpected turn of events. That message does not prevail among Liberals in CaribooPrince George, who see a different voter profile in their riding than the north east. Two Liberal activists spoke to the Citizen on condition of anonymity and said they feel Harris is vulnerable. "I think anything is possible with a strong candidate. Dick has never faced a real challenger, and I don't think this area elects the Conservative Party automatically," said one. "Realistically Harris has been coasting on his party and on the western sentiments against central Canada. He gets elected because nobody, especially our party, has offered a real alternative." Another high-profile Liberal said demographics has been a friend of Harris and he has taken advantage. "Dick is hoping a Liberal candidate runs, because he is scared of the NDP and no one else," said the Liberal. "A strong Liberal candidate makes an attractive split for him. He doesn't actually win by a very large popular result, but because of the left/centre split it looks like a landslide." The Liberal members do feel the party has been impacted in some ways by the scandal outlined in the Gomery Report, but they also believe the appearance of hard-line right wing philosophies attached to Conservative leader Stephen Harper balances some of that. -- See PARTY page three

Tories ready for campaign
by FRANK PEEBLES Citizen staff The federal Conservative Party is practically giddy with the prospect of an election, even over the Christmas holidays and through heart of the Canadian winter. There is a lot of talk from party members about how the Martin Liberals have "lost their moral right to govern" and how the Canadian voter "deserves the chance to get rid of this corrupt government that stole tens of millions of our tax dollars and gave it to themselves." Locally the two Tory candidates (all Conservative incumbents were acclaimed by the party) say they have their campaign teams lined up on the start line and the motors revving: the Jay Hill team in Prince George-Peace River and the Dick Harris team in Cariboo-Prince George. Harris says the party is out to win in a significant way across the country. He told the Citizen on Sunday, "We've been crunching our numbers pretty good and  Tory House leader Jay Hill on there is potential for us to today's historic vote, page three. win another 30 seats in On Government set to fall, page six. tario. There are also some  Leaders' future on the line, page seats in the west we don't six. have now that I think we can win, also in Atlantic Canada that we are doing well in now." Harris thinks the aggressive touring Conservative leader Stephen Harper did this summer showed him to be a warmer, more accessible leader than Prime Minister Paul Martin, and with no taint of scandal on Harper, the decision is academic in his mind. By Wednesday he will be back in Prince George fresh from the non-confidence vote to deliver that message, with his campaign signs already going up early this week. "The last time a Liberal was elected in the Prince George area was back in the '60s-'70s and I'm inclined to think the voters of Prince George are going to vote for a party that has policies and principles that line up with how they think, and a candidate whose policies and principles reflect their own, and I think that is the Conservative Party and myself as that representative for the past 12 and half years," said Harris. "And frankly I think I've done a darn good job and I'll be holding my track record out as a reason people should support me. I think my proven track record will see me through this election quite well." -- See CAMPAIGN page three

INSIDE

Citizen photo by Dave Milne

SEA DOGS -- Angel, a swashbuckling American bulldog, struts her stuff on the CNC catwalk with Rebecca Austin and her pirate crew family, at the second annual Doggie Fashion Show at CNC Saturday. There were 20 or so entries. Prizes were given for the best costumes and the entry fee was a donation of pet food to the SPCA.

High : -8 Low : -14 page 2

Reserve searching for stolen bell
Citizen staff Shelley Reserve residents would like the stolen voice of their church to be returned. They are offering an amnesty for anyone who has the bell for Saint Pius X church, the historic chapel located on the Lheidli T'enneh site north of the Fraser, just outside the city. The church was built in 1913 and is one of the region's most treasured architectural artifacts. Nine original stained glass windows were removed last week in a joint recovery effort by the Lheidli T'enneh band, The Exploration Place museum and local Rotary clubs to salvage the priceless panes of coloured glass. In the process, concerned Lheidli T'enneh residents renewed their hopes that whomever stole the church bell years ago might now want to return it. "If it is known where it is, or if you feel bothered that it is gone from the church, it can be returned and there will be no questions asked," said Ron Seymour, a band researcher and one of those spearheading the church restoration initiative. The church originally held two bells in its multiple belfries, explained Seymour, who grew up attending the church when it was the literally the centre of the community. Now the settlement has shifted west and the original Catholic mandate has been abandoned, leaving it mostly untended and overgrown with weeds, on the outskirts of Lheidli T'enneh civilization. The main bell, Seymour said, was about two feet in diameter and called parishioners to worship each Sunday. The secondary bell was smaller and rang for funerals. He recalls that latter bell being taken from the church by a priest and sent to a chapel he believes at McLeod Lake. The main bell was taken from the belfry and stored in an outbuilding on church property but that was broken into at some point and the bell disappeared. Seymour expects it is still in the area. Returning the bell would be a step towards rebirth for the building, which is already having its historic stained glass windows saved for posterity and the rest is being examined for full restoration. "We made an attempt to do some work on it back in the 1980s but it has fallen into disrepair," Seymour said. "What we are hoping to achieve is to have the old building restored, back to basically its original condition and have the windows restored, reglazed and reinstalled. "From memory I can say the church itself is what brought the community together," he recalled. "Since it has been in disuse, it seems like there is nothing holding the community together anymore. People have gone their own ways. I can see it being like that again." Anyone with any information about the bell can contact the Lheidli T'enneh band office or call the 24-hour anonymous Crime Stoppers tips line (1-800-222-TIPS/8477) to report its location. If it is voluntarily returned, Seymour confirmed it would be seen as a positive gesture towards the community.

NDP hoping to build on B.C. success
by FRANK PEEBLES Citizen staff The local New Democratic Party forces are trying to use the recent momentum they built provincially to have an impact on the federal scene, now that a national election is almost assured for early in the new year. "We have had election planning committee meetings and we have a nomination meeting set for Dec. 10 for the Prince George-Peace River riding association," said riding association director Sandra Ford, Sunday evening. "At this time we have no candidate declared but we will know at that time. I don't know the date but I know the CaribooPrince George riding association will also have their nomination meeting, about the same time, too." The NDP candidates in the last election were Michael Hunter in Prince George-Peace River, a man just elected to municipal office in Tumbler Ridge, and Rick Smith in Cariboo-Prince George who recently ran for Prince George council, finishing in the middle of the pack. Both Smith and Hunter topped 20 per cent to finish second in their respective federal races in 2004. Ford would not indicate if Smith and/or Hunter were interested in running again, saying only that interest from among NDP hopefuls has emerged for both ridings and a choice will likely have to be made. As for how longtime incumbents like Dick Harris and Jay Hill, Conservative MPs in the area since 1993, they can potentially be unseated, Ford said, and the NDP would focus on the issues of greatest concern to the local public. -- See TERASEN page three

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INDEX
Annie's Mailbox . . . . . . . . 17 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 City, B.C. . . . . 3, 5, 13, 16, 17 Classifi ed . . . . . . . . . . . 20-22 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Entertainment . . . . . . 18, 19 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15

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November 16th to December 4th

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