Canadians reach out to Afghans with medicine /15
TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2006

Alberta surplus hits new high /7

Major mining merger proposed /22

Boy George avoids jail time /17

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Gaming centre moving forward
Citizen photo by David Mah

COOLING OFF -- Trevor Johansen, 14, left, and Jesse Campbell, 13, were jostling for position on their raft Monday as they floated down the Nechako River under the Foothills Bridge. There were groups of people finding relief from the hot weather in the cool river.

Competition report keys on North
by GORDON HOEKSTRA Citizen staff The B.C. Competition Council released a set of recommendations Monday meant to enhance the province's competitiveness. The proposals include increasing information on the Interior's oil and gas basins and improving access along a northern B.C. highway. The competition council, created by Premier Gordon Campbell, also recommends the province fund and support regional airports. In addition, the report says the province should consider the Site C dam on the Peace River as part of its effort to identify new electricity resources. There were a number of general recommendations, including reducing taxation and focusing on education and skill training. The report calls on government and industry to sponsor an additional 7,000 apprenticeships over the next three years. "Education and skills development are one of the most important contributors in building a successful economy," said competition council co-chair Dan Miller. The council estimates all recommendations would cost government $350 million, rising to $450 million by 2010. The report says the provincial government should undertake geo-scientific surveys for oil and gas in the the two Interior basins, the Nechako and the Bowser. The two basins -- in central B.C. and north-central B.C. -- have been cited as having potential. The report says the additional information from the geo-scientific surveys is needed to assess the potential for economic activity in regions impacted by the mountain pine beetle epidemic. The beetle epidemic is killing large areas of lodgepole pine in north and central B.C. An increase in logging to salvage beetle-killed trees has increased economic activity, but that's expected to decrease within a decade. The report says access along Highway 37 should be expanded, and industry and government consider how to share the costs. Highway 37 -- which runs from Kitwanga at Highway 16 to the Alaska Highway -- gives access to some of the most remote territory in the province. There are a number of major mining developments planned in the area. The Site C dam, first proposed in the 1970s, was shelved because of opposition from area residents and ranchers, would provide cheap power for the province. The report also recommends a cut to personal income taxes to help make the provincial economy more competitive. The council says lowering personal taxes for those earning between $67,000 and $150,000 a year would help attract and retain the workers B.C. needs. The report also called on the government to address high municipal taxation rates for heavy industries like pulp and paper, smelters and ports in some municipalities. The recommendations from the B.C. Competition Council were developed with the involvement of a dozen industry sectors, including forestry, oil and gas, technology, mining, film and media, transportation and tourism. Earlier the competition council released major reports on the wood sector and the pulp and paper industry. Those reports called for lower taxes, deregulation and a push for a more business-oriented culture in the province's ministry of forests. The changes are meant to help the B.C. coast's wood industry, and the pulp and paper sector, from collapsing, as well as helping the Interior deal with the impacts of the mountain pine beetle epidemic. ghoekstra@princegeorgecitizen.com

Citizen staff The quest for a new home for Good Time Bingo built in downtown Prince George advanced Monday when city council voted 7-1 to have the relevant rezoning bylaw drafted but not without some fireworks. In a less-than-veiled shot at some other council members over proponent John Major's financial support of their election campaigns, Coun. Brian Skakun excused himself from the debate citing a non-financial conflict of interest. "I believe that in respect to the mostrecent election, I was offered but refused a contribution in my relation to participation in this matter and I believe such a contribution is not a valid contribution therefore I will excuse myself," Skakun said. Coun. Deborah Munoz voted against the motion after raising concerns about gambling addiction and what she described as a questionable economic benefit to the city. However, others agreed the item should at least be taken to a public hearing so that the issues and public opinions can be given a full airing. The bylaw would still have to be passed through first and second reading before a public hearing on the issue could be held. Current planning director Dan Milburn declined to say when a bylaw could be brought to council but indicated it will be soon. Major, who also owns Treasure Cove Casino, wants to build a 30,000square-foot community gaming centre at the corner of Quebec and Seventh Avenue to replace Good Time Bingo's current home in the old Safeway building at Fourth Avenue and Vancouver Street.

High : 28 Low : 12 page 2
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Hot weather brings fire bans to region
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INDEX
Annie's Mailbox . . . . . . . . . 16 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Business . . . . . . . . . . . .22-24 City, B.C. . . . . . . . . . . . 3,5,13 Classifi ed . . . . . . . . . . . 19-21 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . .17 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6,7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,15

A plane drops flame retardant Sunday near the Prince George observatory on Tedford Road to tackle a blaze that threatened the local landmark.

by STEPHANIE MORGAN Citizen staff With the recent spat of hot and dry weather, fire bans have been put into place throughout all of the Prince George and Cariboo Fire Centres. The bans are in place for backyard and industrial pile burning. Campfires are still allowed for now. Backyard burn bans affect fires that burn waste in piles less than two metres high and three wide, and in grass burning areas that are over 0.2 hectares. The industrial burn bans prohibit open fires that

burn materials in piles over two metres high and three metres wide. Windrows and stubble in areas over 0.2 hectares are also prohibited. "It has been very hot and very dry and there is the risk of fire. We want to limit the risk of personal caused wildfires," said Barbara Durau, information officer from the Prince George Fire Centre. "We ask that anyone going camping this weekend please exercise extreme caution with their campfires." If any wildfires are spotted call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on most cellular networks.

Bear Lake says farewell to its school
by FRANK PEEBLES Citizen staff Bear Lake school looks like it has already been forgotten. Brown grass crackles underfoot as you walk past the metal and wooden playground structures that are being torn out of other schools in the district. But on Monday morning, for the first time in recent memory, and the last time in the school's history, the hallways were loud and bustling. A community assembly brought back former teachers, students and those who were there 50 years ago when the school was built. On Monday, they were there to see it closed. With only three students likely to enroll next year, it was inevitable that the school district would close it down. The community was sad but it understands. "Busing to the sawmills, that is what killed the school. It killed the town," said Mary Hagen, a school volunteer, as she hustled about getting patties on the barbecue and condiments on the table. "This is becoming a retirement settlement. It's just grandparents here now, all the kids grew up and moved away." The last class to attend Bear Lake numbers seven: Dawn Meakings, Janine Baird, Kathleen Hawley-Edwards, Jon Green, Dallas Meyer, Logan Child and Zach Patterson. They ranged from Grade 2 to Grade 6. Next year they will be dispersed to Heather Park middle school and Springwood elementary. It is a long bus ride, about 75 kilometres, but the parents say getting up at 5:30 a.m. is just going to be a fact of life. The social upsides are something they want for their kids, even if it does mean a jump to a school population of 750 or more. -- See FORMER on page 3

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