Phoenix cashes in at Golden Globes /14

Trolley museum reopens after fire /21
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2006

Number of railway jobs to decline /6

Cougar to play in prospects game /12
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Pot use factor in log crash: coroner
by GORDON HOEKSTRA Citizen staff In an unprecedented move, the B.C. Coroner's office released the results of toxicology tests Monday, which show a logging truck driver killed in a backroad crash last month had used marijuana. It's the first time in at least a decade the regional coroner's office has released information into a logging truck death before the investigation is complete. Lloyd Edward Booth, 48, had a level of cannabis in his blood that would have resulted in impairment in his ability to operate a motor vehicle, said information released by regional coroner David Coverdale. Booth's loaded logging truck went over a steep embankment on the morning of Dec. 8 heading south on the Raspberry Forest Service Roast near Houston, 300 kilometres west of Prince George. The truck lost its load of logs and the cab of the truck was crushed on impact. It was the fourth logging truck fatality in the Northern Interior in 2005. Coverdale said, according to a toxicology expert, the cannabis level confirmed in the analysis would have been a contributing factor in the incident. "Because of the media coverage that's being paid to these forestry deaths, I felt, in this case, that it was worthwhile for the public to know what one of the major contributing factors were," Coverdale said in an interview. "If you have a whole bunch of people out there driving drunk, the public wants to know about it. If you have logging truck drivers out there smoking pot, I have a hunch the public wants to know about it. And I have no other way other than through this mechanism of releasing information." The coroner's office has been testing for marijuana through toxicology tests in forest-related deaths for several years, said Coverdale. Logging truck fatalities are the leading cause of death in the forestry sector in northern B.C. -- See DEATH on page 3

Bell predicts settlement in softwood dispute
by GORDON HOEKSTRA Citizen staff Prince George North Liberal MLA Pat Bell is predicting Canada will settle the softwood lumber dispute with the U.S. this year. Bell said the timing is right to find a long-term solution to the five-year-old trade fight, the latest round in a twodecade dispute. Factors in favour of a deal include the Canadian election cycle, the American election cycle, the willingness of producers to push this through and the amount of tariffs being held by the BELL Americans, said Bell. More then $5 billion US is on deposit with the U.S. from Canadian softwood producers, about half of that from B.C. "I think people sense it's time to get this done," said Bell. "I think the Americans understand their protectionism has just kind of gone on for too great an extent." Forests Minister Rich Coleman said last week he expected Canada to be back in discussions with the U.S. in the next month. The provinces had agreed to a mechanism for a deal -- one that centred on a border-tax rather than a quota -- and trade officials had been involved in back-door discussions prior to the federal election, said Coleman. A negotiated solution to the nearly four-year-old softwood dispute has proved elusive.

Citizen photo by Dave Milne

READY TO ROCK -- Stage crews unpacked more than three semi-trailer truckloads of lighting and sound equipment Monday in CN Centre for the Nickelback concert tonight. Ticketmaster will have some last-minute additional tickets on sale at 10 this morning. See related story on page 5.

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Missing snowboarder found safe
by FRANK PEEBLES Citizen staff A missing snowboarder was found alive and well at Powder King early Monday morning after a night search effort. The male from Dawson Creek, whose name has not been released, went snowboarding outside the established boundaries at the ski hill with some friends Sunday afternoon. They became separated from the male and grew alarmed as the day drew to a close, said Sgt. Brian Coldwell of the Mackenzie RCMP. "It was just before 6 p.m. when we got the call," Coldwell said. "When he didn't meet up with his friends at the end, they advised the lodge and their staff began a perimeter check, they called us in, we mobilized the Mackenzie Search and Rescue group." They searched farther and farther out of bounds, eventually finding the missing snowboarder on the far side of the mountain at about 1:20 a.m. "It is not usual for them (Search and Rescue) to do a night search," said Coldwell. "However, the conditions that night were such they could do it safely. Visibility was good, there was plenty of moonlight, they are quite familiar with the Powder King operation and the lay of the land, they were comfortable with the snow and the terrain so they continued." Coldwell said the snowboarder could not walk out due to the depth of the powdery snow. "Downhill on a snowboard is easy going, but walking up, even on snowshoes, I know, it's hard to do in that fluffy stuff," Coldwell said. This is the first such incident of this ski season at Powder King.

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INDEX
Annie's Mailbox . . . . . . . . . 16 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Business . . . . . . . . . . . .22-24 City, B.C. . . . . . . . . . . .3,5,13 Classifi ed . . . . . . . . . . . 18-20 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Entertainment . . . . . . .14,16 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6,7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Chinese sports official plans visit
by MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff Mayor Colin Kinsley's efforts to draw athletes to Prince George in the lead up to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games may be starting to pay off. Wang Yitao, president of the Chinese Ski Association, is planning a trip to Prince George after meeting with Kinsley in China this week, city hall said in a press release Monday. Yitao is also the director general of the Winter Sports Administration Centre of China and a member of both the Chinese Olympic Committee and the All-China Sports Federation. "Although his primary interest is in training facilities for biathlon and cross-country skiing, Mr. Wang has indicated that he would like to look at other facilities for his colleagues responsible for curling, short-track speed skating, hockey and figure skating," the city said. Kinsley, who was joined by city manager George Paul and Events Prince George manager Virginia Sprangers, left last Tuesday on an eight-day trip to China that included stops in Beijing and in Changchun, where they attended the World Winter Cities Association mayors conference. Through a "Train in Prince George" campaign, the city and Events Prince George have been working to convince international-calibre teams and athletes to train in Prince George. The campaign has been emphasizing such features as the capacity for an Olympic-size hockey rink at CN Centre, the new lodge at the Otway Nordic Centre and the Nor thern Sport Centre, scheduled to open in 2007 at UNBC. The possibility of an artificial outdoor ice oval at Exhibition Park has also been raised, although the facility remains tentative given the estimated $5 million price tag. Wang and other Chinese officials will also meet wit h members of Prince George's "Team Torino" delegation in Italy next month for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

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