All ashore that's going ashore (Cruise reviews of Prince Rupert)

As a follow up to an item we posted on the blog in early June, we'll track some of the reviews of the Prince Rupert Cruise experience here.

From reviews of our scenery to our attractions and dining, we cull the reports those that have dropped in for a visited and posted their thoughts about on the cruisecritic.com website
.


August 2010
Norwegian Star



KandJCruising-- Since the prop was working again we added Prince Rupert back to the lineup. We just walked around town in Prince Rupert and enjoyed a little local seafood.   (full cruise review) No Port of call rating provided


Travelling withKids-- Prince Rupert was so disappointing. Looks pretty from afar. We took a tour of the city and viewed houses. I'm not kidding you! We saw new houses, old houses, stores. Not fun.  (full cruise review) No Port of call rating provided 


Sailorgirl222--We did not book an excursion in Prince Rupert and I must say that I have yet to figure out why any ship would dock there. It is very small and there is absolutely nothing to do. We saw the entire town by foot in 1 hour. There is a little shopping area (read: 3 stores) near the dock with specialty (expensive) merchandise. There is a mall but don’t waste your time. It is nearly empty.  (full cruise review) No Port of call rating provided


July 2010
Norwegian Star

lalex-- They are always better excursion deals outside the ship; except Prince Rupert. The NCL cruise will not allow you to book anything outside of them at this port. This was probably our most disappointing port. We went walking around for about an hour and returned back to our ship. We ate supper and then took a Crab Discovery Excursion. It was informational and good for small children, but definitely not worth the $130 per person. You also received a crab dish and complementary drink. Make sure you get back to your ship by the designated time or your ship will leave you. Many people were left behind. The Discovery Sea Life & Crab Excursion crew asked us to put reviews in so other cruise ship will stop at this port. It was my least favorite port, there is not much to do here. NCL had all the excursion bookings for this port. So it was very expensive. I had booked in advance the Kutzeymateen Bear excursion, but received an email 2 weeks prior to embarkment that they cancelled this excursion. So I am scrambling at the last minute to find an excursion. So we did the Crab Excursion. The crew was very knowledgeable about the sea life and eagles. They put crab traps in the water and we collected them later in the trip. They cooked some crab for us to eat. They threw fat up to the eagles, and they swooped down to collect the fat around our boats. It was not worth the $130/pp charge. (full cruise review) Port of call rating 2.0


davideb-- Short times in port. Had to leave Juneau at 1:30, for example. (But unlike many people, we actually enjoyed Prince Rupert, because it seemed like a real town, not a tourist trap, and wasn't filled with other ships).  (full cruise review) No Port of call rating provided

knotgillty-- We woke up to beautiful views outside our balcony (again) and just lounged around since we did not dock in Prince Rupert until late afternoon. After eating a yummy breakfast in the main dining room, we hung out and played a little bingo. Once we docked in Prince Rupert, we left the ship and made the mistake of going up the hill where the shopping consisted of a mall. If I wanted to go to a regular mall, I can do that at home. So we walked back down to the ship and shopped in the 4 or 5 small shops right next to the Star at the bottom of the town. Prince Rupert is relatively small and we did not find a lot to do. Our excursion was cancelled because of a lack of participation so we just shopped. The ladies found a craft fair and enjoyed that while the guys briefly shopped and then returned to the ship. I did get some great video of an eagle that was sitting on a roof top (about 30 feet away) eating a pigeon. That was really cool. There were several eagle nests nearby and 4 or 5 eagles were always close to us at the bottom of town. Prince Rupert has a few touristy souvenir type shops near the boat at the waters edge of the marina. Make sure you don’t make the uphill walk away from the marina unless you want to shop at a typical mall, the likes of which you can find at home (full cruise review) No Port of call rating provided.

chaslexi-- Prince Rupert (Canada) was forgettable except for the scenery. Don’t forget your passports which you also need to re-enter the US in Seattle. I ended up taking my daughter on a 3.5 hour kayak tour which was well worth it. However, not being experienced kayakers we got very tired 1.5 hours into it and found ourselves dying by the end to get back to the beach where we started from as the clock ticked towards 8pm and getting darker and colder. But the tour cooked up free crab and donuts at the end and they were very friendly and informative. (full cruise review) No port of call rating provided.

purplecatlady-- If Skagway is the place to be, Prince Rupert is the place not to be. If your looking to just go for a walk Prince Rupert is for you. Make sure you buy any souvenirs prior to getting here, because they don't have much other than art work from natives in the area. You will see bald Eagles here, which is nice. If you have the money, make sure you take a shore excursion here, otherwise you'll probably be bored. (full cruise review) Port of call rating 2.0

travelstudy-- Prince Rupert was a total waste of time, although it is a short walk from the ship there is nothing much to do unless you book an excursion. NCL is the only ship to stop at this port which may tell the visitor something since most go on and stop in Victoria where there are more sights and interesting places to visit. Prices are higher in the stores by at least three or more dollars. There are two museums, but they tend to be overcrowded since there is not much of anything else to do in the town. Beautiful view of the ocean, but nothing special. (full cruise review) No Port of call rating provided.

June 2010

Norwegian Star

legato-- Pretty setting, weather unexpectedly sunny. Dreary port town with no touristy shops like the previous 3 ports that we could find on a quick look. Returned to the ship to eat in the main restaurant. Too much time in this port. Would've prefered super-touristy but interesting Victoria as our Canada port. (full cruise review) Port of call rating 2.0

Raven Lightfoot-- and finally my favorite, the Sealife and crab extravaganza in Prince Rupert. The crab was great, but the close encounters with many amazing eagles that is what I loved the most. (full review of cruise) No Port of call rating provided

steelgoddess-- Prince Rupert - no scheduled excursion. Great weather so we just walked around a while. Had Fish and chips again, this time at Smiles next to the marina. Very good. Large portions so order a large and split it. Across the street was Cowpuccinos. Cute coffee shop with a nice view of the marina. Don't expect much from Prince Rupert and you won't be disappointed. I took some of my best pictures there. Colorful area with lots of eagles. Bought Canadian Maple Syrup for gifts. Use small american dollars because all change is given in Canadian dollars and cents. (full review of cruise) No Port of call rating provided

sweetnlo-- Ports of call--all great choices but Prince Rupert??! Not a tourist destination at all. I saw other reviews that said the same. I've never been to a port that had nothing to offer.Not a tourist destination! No reason to stop there. An hour walking around and people were lined up to get back onboard! I've never seen that happen before. (full cruise review) Port of call rating 1.0

medford 2--We pulled in to Prince Rupert at 4pm on Thursday. We were scheduled to pull out at 10pm. It was a cloudy, cool, drizzly day, and started raining harder after we returned to the ship. Prince Rupert, BC, is a picturesque small town nestled into the mountains, right on the coast. From the number of boats I saw, I would say commercial fishing is the mainstay of their economy, along with our cruise ship. I don't know if any other ship besides ours stops here or not. We just got out and looked around a little. It was a stampede for everybody to get off the ship, even though we had a hamburger basket at the Blue Lagoon when disembarking started to give the crowd a little time to disperse. Don't forget your passport. All we basically found was a tidy little town with the customary tourist trap souvenir gift shops close to the dock. Then there was a stampede back on the ship when everybody realized there really wasn't anything here. Got my picture taken with a Mountie. Told him I was a cop too. He didn't seem impressed. In my opinion, if I had a choice of visiting Prince Rupert, or spending the time at sea, I'd pick Prince Rupert, but I'd much rather take Prince Rupert completely off the itinerary, and give us more time in the other three ports. (full cruise review) Port of call rating 1.0

sadied--One of the ports was Prince Rupert where it rains almost constantly. There is little other than the museum to see and that has been sewn up by the cruise line so it is really a useless port when they could have stopped instead at Vancouver or Victoria, both glorious cities. No doubt hey are cutting costs but the passenger doesn't get any benefit. Someone needs to wake up Norwegian.( full cruise review) No Port of call rating provided
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May 2010 
Norwegian Star
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Clicquot- Don't bother to get off the ship, There is NOTHING here. The one gift shop Number 2 on the Where to Shop pamphlet) is about 500 square feet. It's easy to miss, we walked right past it. (full cruise review) Port of call rating 1.0


tpen!66-- Honestly, aside from being in another country... was not worth getting off the boat. Very little to see or do there. We did go to a nice museum which was worth the $6 admission. The highlight there was an entertaining eagle and some good pics. (full cruise review) Port of call rating 1.0


BKBMN--The only reason I can figure that NCL stops in Prince Rupert is to have a foreign port before returning to the US. We saw no NCL shore excursions that looked remotely interesting, and none of the trips being sold on the dock were any more interesting. The weather was nice, so we walked up the hill into town and to a mall, where we were able to buy Wi Fi access for $2 per hour. Half of the storefronts in town are vacant. There are several blocks of vacant lots, and even a burned out building. The town center appears to mainly serve fishing crews. How else would you explain 5 barber shops, and a bar that does not open until 9 PM? The fire museum just up the hill from the dock is somewhat interesting and is free (donations accepted). There were some little craft shops in Cow Bay, down by the dock. We also stopped for a beer at Breaker’s Pub in Cow Bay. They had some interesting Canadian beers and free Wi Fi. Nearby, we watched a bald eagle in a nest.  (full cruise review) No Port of call rating provided

????--There is absolutely NOTHING in Prince Rupert, so I consider the time there to be a total waste of time. The biggest attraction was the very friendly RCMP Mountie taking pictures with the tourists. I would rather leave from Vancouver than from Seattle if it means skipping Prince Rupert.  Don't even bother to get off the ship in Prince Rupert, nothing to see or do. (original post on the cruise critic site has apparently been removed)

Darnoc--Scenic but tiny Prince Rupert was, mysteriously, allotted the same time as Juneau with a 4pm arrival time. (full cruise review) No Port of call rating provided

lunarp--We spent most of the day sailing, with a stop in Prince Rupert, B.C. in the evening. We had no excursions planned and visited a few museums. I enjoyed the tiny Police/Fire museum, and the train museum was pretty cool as well. I generally hate museums, and the one at the visitor center was boring as hell. I split away from my parents afterwards, as they were wet and grumpy and I don’t mind the rain. I walked around a bit and found a pub, where I pretended I was Canadian by drinking Canadian beer and watching hockey. I even cheered for Montreal. I was very annoyed at lunch when I found some scallops in the baked pasta which was labeled “baked pasta” with no mention of scallops (what if I had a deadly shellfish allergy?), and then found ham in the (unlabelled) waldorf salad. Thus far I’d had no qualms with the food, and this vexed me. Granted, I shouldn’t assume that the food is meatless, but it had been until that point. I was angry with myself for not analyzing it beforehand. I then found a tiny sliver of pepperoni on my cheese pizza. I stopped eating and fumed silently. This special snowflake had started to melt. I got over it, though. My displeasure was voiced via comment card.  (full review here)
No port of call rating provided

Podunk Below the Masthead Archive for June 2010

Our archive of the daily findings from Prince Rupert's various media sources, from the Daily News, Northern View, CBC and CFTK News, we outline the main stories of the day for the month of June 2010.



June 25-- Prince Rupert Grain receives its award, the RCMP seek a suspect in an east side assault and Skeena Queen Charlotte Regional District goes on the defensive over its comments policy. (see post here)


June 24-- A review of departing School District principal Steve Riley's career, Prince Rupert RCMP are kept busy on Thursday morning on 6th West and CFTK profiles Rudy Kelly at his new position with the City of Prince Rupert, some of Thursday's news offerings. (see post here)


June 23-- City council has a chat with Enbridge on their pipeline plans, Canpotex offers up little new on their terminal plans and Terrace RCMP deployed a taser in last nights stand off, some of the items of interest for Wednesday. (see post here)


June 22-- Regional District decisions jump to the front page, yet more changes for School District 52 and a look at the job ahead for Rudy Kelly, as he takes on his new role with the City of Prince Rupert, some of the items of interest from the Tuesday news files. (see post here)


June 21-- Haida Gwai welcomes its past back home, North Pacific Cannery hopes for a tourism rebound and an Alaskan couple is killed in a car crash Saturday on highway 16 east of Terrace, some of the items of the news review for Monday. (see post here)


June 18-- Air Transportation in and out of Prince Rupert could face strike action, NWCC looks for a new leader and an advertisement notice in the Daily News becomes the talk of the town, some of the items of note from Friday's news cycle. (see post here)


June 17-- Questions persist about make up of Cohen Commission into the Fraser river fishery, Lax Kw'alaams Academy prepares for a unionization vote and Carole James outlines her opposition to the Northern Gateway pipeline project, some of the items of interest for Thursday's news files. (see post here)


June 16-- CityWest prepares to celebrate it's birthday, the Chamber identifies the economy as a major concern and the Nass fishery opens up, some of the highlights of the day's news for Wednesday. (see post here)


June 15-- More coverage of the passing of Mike Tarr, CEO of Northern Savings Credit Union, the city details its salary and financial information and the Fraser Institute's high school rankings are released, some of the items of the Tuesday news file. (see post here)


June 14-- CFTK's video coverage of Seafest, news from the School District and a look at Blair Lekstrom's resignation from the Campbell cabinet highlight the Monday news items. (see post here)


June 11-- A Much respected Rupertite passes away, Carole James comes to town and Third Avenue West Merchants take charge of their own area improvements, some of the items of interest from Friday's news files. (see post here)


June 10-- Education highlights Thursday's news items with School District 52 making some changes to its management listings and Lax Kw'alaams Academy finds itself in the midst of a unionisation drive and the Port of Prince Rupert celebrates its 2009 statistics. All part of Thursday's review of the news. (see post here)


June 9-- RTI takes the board on the road, changes are in store for SD 52 and drugs and a sense of local denial are on the mind of a local advocate, some of the items from Wednesday's news files. (see post here)


June 8-- The welcome mat goes out for the newest container ship to call on Prince Rupert, Gary Coons brings a friend to seafest and keep an eye on your mail slots, some of the items of interest for Tuesday's files. (see post here)


June 7-- The Salvation Army celebrates 100 years in Prince Rupert, Carbon trading at the Coast Hotel and TV 7 hops aboard the Cosco Malaysia at its Prince Rupert debut, some of the items of interest for the Monday edition. (see post here)


June 4-- Transport Canada begins it enforcement of new regulations on the water, a big day at the Port as the largest vessel yet makes a port call and Gary Coons wants the province to bring a stop to Enbridge's Kitimat plans, some of the items of interest for Friday. (see post here)


June 3-- Finishing touches on the all day kindergarten plans, our cruise visitors don't always leave happy and the RCMP Rural squad makes a weapons related arrest in Kitkatla, some of the highlights of Thursday's news file. (see post here)


June 2-- The Grads of PRSS celebrate their achievements, Enbridge moves the pipeline process further along and less time to recycle on Saturday's, some of the items of interest for Wednesday. (see post here)

June 1-- Rallying against Enbridge in Kitimat, Nathan Cullen explains his side of the MP spending debate and some on Haida Gwaii have questions about NaiKun, some of the items of interest for Tuesday's news cycle. (see post here)

All ashore that's going ashore, but some it seems are just not that into us!

If Prince Rupert is to become one of the jewels in the Alaska Cruise industry crown, we apparently have a bit of work to do.

With the weekly Thursday visit of the Norwegian Star, thousands of would be visitors have the option to come ashore and explore our charms, though if they read ahead more than a few apparently might be inclined to stay aboard the big boat and look at us from a distance.

The Northern View outlines a small sample of the feedback thus far to a website called cruisecritic.com, which offers up commentary from those that have blazed that cruising trail. And if the early reviews are any indication, we're not wowing the visitors at the moment.

The Norwegian Cruise Lines is the only major line of the cruise industry to regularly call on Prince Rupert, those exciteable days of three or four visits a week but a memory for now and unless the reviews improve on what's available here we imagine that won't be a situation that will change in the near future.

It wasn't that many years ago that former Mayor Pete Lester was talking about how the cruise industry was going to be a major asset to the city, but a variety of factors back then (including concerns over attractions in the community) contributed to the industry's disappearance from the local scene. A cautionary tale for those that are hoping that this time around the industry will become a permanent fixture and contributor to the economy.

The full page of reviews for the Norwegian Star can be found here, but below are some of the more interesting of reports from those that have wandered ashore to see what we have to offer. And while clearly the sampling of four or five accounts won't tell the whole picture of the Prince Rupert experience, it does provide an idea as to what perhaps folks may be talking about once the ship pulls away and heads out to sea again.

We'll update the reviews as they come with a link on our right hand column of the blog in our Podunk info centre section.


The only reason I can figure that NCL stops in Prince Rupert is to have a foreign port before returning to the US. We saw no NCL shore excursions that looked remotely interesting, and none of the trips being sold on the dock were any more interesting. The weather was nice, so we walked up the hill into town and to a mall, where we were able to buy Wi Fi access for $2 per hour. Half of the storefronts in town are vacant. There are several blocks of vacant lots, and even a burned out building. The town center appears to mainly serve fishing crews. How else would you explain 5 barber shops, and a bar that does not open until 9 PM? The fire museum just up the hill from the dock is somewhat interesting and is free (donations accepted). There were some little craft shops in Cow Bay, down by the dock. We also stopped for a beer at Breaker’s Pub in Cow Bay. They had some interesting Canadian beers and free Wi Fi. Nearby, we watched a bald eagle in a nest.

There is absolutely NOTHING in Prince Rupert, so I consider the time there to be a total waste of time. The biggest attraction was the very friendly RCMP Mountie taking pictures with the tourists. I would rather leave from Vancouver than from Seattle if it means skipping Prince Rupert.  Don't even bother to get off the ship in Prince Rupert, nothing to see or do.


Scenic but tiny Prince Rupert was, mysteriously, allotted the same time as Juneau with a 4pm arrival time.


We spent most of the day sailing, with a stop in Prince Rupert, B.C. in the evening. We had no excursions planned and visited a few museums. I enjoyed the tiny Police/Fire museum, and the train museum was pretty cool as well. I generally hate museums, and the one at the visitor center was boring as hell. I split away from my parents afterwards, as they were wet and grumpy and I don’t mind the rain. I walked around a bit and found a pub, where I pretended I was Canadian by drinking Canadian beer and watching hockey. I even cheered for Montreal. I was very annoyed at lunch when I found some scallops in the baked pasta which was labeled “baked pasta” with no mention of scallops (what if I had a deadly shellfish allergy?), and then found ham in the (unlabelled) waldorf salad. Thus far I’d had no qualms with the food, and this vexed me. Granted, I shouldn’t assume that the food is meatless, but it had been until that point. I was angry with myself for not analyzing it beforehand. I then found a tiny sliver of pepperoni on my cheese pizza. I stopped eating and fumed silently. This special snowflake had started to melt. I got over it, though. My displeasure was voiced via comment card. 

Podunk Below the Masthead (Wednesday, June 2, 2010)

The Grads of PRSS celebrate their achievements, Enbridge moves the pipeline process further along and less time to recycle on Saturday's, some of the items of interest for Wednesday.

Prince Rupert Daily News, front page, headline story
PRSS GRADS GET AN ARMLOAD OF INFORMATION ON GRAD NIGHT-- A look back at last weekends Graduation ceremonies for the class of 2010 at Prince Rupert Secondary School.

While protesters may not be enthused, Enbridge Incorporated has moved forward with its plans for a pipeline across Northern British Columbia and an oil shipment terminal at Kitimat, filing their Environmental Assessment application with the National Energy Board.

Long time environmental advocate Jean Martin was right after all, the Recycling Centre in the Industrial Park is set to reduce its hours of operation on the weekends, Wednesday's paper outlines the background on the plan.

The Sports section featured a look at Dragon boat practice sessions as well as a look at the debate between choosing the BCJHL or WHL and a profile of local player Devin Oakes as he weighs his hockey playing options for the future.

(Daily News Archives for Wednesday, June 2, 2010)

PRSS Grads get an armload of Information on Grad Night
Enbridge files its EA application
SQCRD depot hours get recycled
Prince Rupert manager wins BC SPCA Staff Excellence Award
The go-to man for student employment

The Northern View
Buy a coffee, help send a child to camp-- A look at Tim Horton's Camp Day activities at the local coffee shop (see article here)

CFTK TV 7 News
No Prince Rupert items were posted to the CFTK TV website for Wednesday

CBC News Norther BC, Daybreak North
Daybreak North is only posting selected items on their website now. 

The most recently posted items can be found on the archive page for Daybreak North click here 

Daily News, front page, headline story 
PRSS Grads get an armload of information on Grad night 
By Monica Lamb-Yorski
Staff Writer 
Prince Rupert Daily News
Wednesday, June 2, 2010

 A crockpot, flashlight, package of black socks, duct tape, a toilet brush and the globe. All were part of a list the 78 PRSS graduates were told are essential to making the transition from home to being on their own.

It was a list provided by teacher Tulani Ackerman during her address to the graduates at Friday night’s ceremony. Ackerman taught at PRSS in 2008-2009, organized ballroom dancing events and coached soccer.

Colleague Alison O’Toole, assuming a ‘Vanna White’ mode, displayed each item on the list to the students, amid laughter from the students and audience.

 “The crockpot is the difference between a pot roast and Kraft Dinner. All you need is water, vegetables and some spices and your friends will think you’re Martha Stewart,” Ackerman suggested.

 A flashlight, she said, will be necessary for those who don’t think bills are a priority. “When you are standing there dumbfounded, knowing you left the front porch light on, and at that moment recall the big bold disconnection notice. You try to find the lock on the door, but it’s too dark. You will be stumbling when you recall my voice whispering, ‘flashlight’.” While O’Toole waved around duct tape, Ackerman recounted its multipurpose virtues. It can be used to cover cracks in walls, rips in pants, tape holes where mice are getting in, or used as a decorative bracelet, she commented.

Reigning fourth in the list was a package of black socks. “Who knows where you will be living and whether you will have laundry facilities?” she said. “You can wear black socks for weeks on end.”

The last useful item was the toilet brush. “There’s nothing more disgusting than a grungy toilet,” Ackerman told the students.

“Toilets must be cleaned once a week, not once a year. Socks may come in black, but toilets are generally white.” 

Ackerman’s last piece of advice was for the students to realize they have contributions to make to the world, symbolized by a globe that she held up high.

“The world is waiting for all of you,” she said. The students selected the theme “Dream, Achieve and Inspire” for the grad and Ackerman encouraged them to live up to it.

 “If someone is standing in the way of your dreams, you have to ask them to step aside. I’ve learned if you don’t, you become cynical and old. It’s our brightest lights, not our darkness that frightens us. Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond belief.”

“Your dreams are too powerful to sacrifice. Allow others to doubt yourselves, not you. Write your dreams in pen so that you can’t change them.”

Waving the globe, she concluded. “Go show the world what you have to offer. It’s yours. Take care of it, love it, live it, go get it.”

Principal Sheila Wells described the class as talented, carefree and loving to text. “They are definitely the new generation, live and let live. They have excelled into a variety of disciplines.”

Trustee Bart Kuntz told the graduates that attending the grad ceremonies is one of the best parts of being a trustee. 

“The theme you’ve chosen shows that you are well on your way,” he said.

Superintendent Lynn Hauptman, also a graduate from PRSS, compared the Lester Centre of the Arts as a superior venue to the school gym, where her commencement took place.

 “It was decorated with hundreds and hundreds of paper flowers,” she recalled. “Yours is a little classier.” ]

In 1997 when the 2010 grads entered kindergarten, Hauptman recounted, Jean Chretien was prime minister, Bill Clinton was in the Whitehouse, the U.S. began its exploration of Mars, the movie Titanic crashed into theatres, the Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings and Elvis Stojko won the Figure Skating World Championships. Mother Teresa and Lady Diana died and the first Harry Potter book was published that year.

 “What do those people have in common with you? They all had dreams,” Hauptman said.

 Reading from a message written by North Coast MLA Gary Coons, Vice Principal Kevin Leach congratulated the students, reminding them, “The tassel is worth the hassle.”

Teacher Anna Ashley, in her role as City Councillor, brought greetings from the City.

Quoting from American author Mark Twain, Ashley said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you did not do than by the ones that you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

By the end of the evening, over $72,000 worth of scholarships and bursaries were presented to the graduates by 76 different organizations and businesses.

“The community continues to be supportive and generous,” said Wells.

In return, graduates Sarah Robin and Jake Rochon presented the SPCA with a gift of $1000 in recognition of the support the facility provides to the community.

It's the economy (Wednesday, June 2, 2010)

Globalization according to Buzz, speculating on the fate of BP, and a little bluster from down under, some of the items of interest from the financial world for Wednesday.

Globe and Mail-- Nfld. official plays down oil spill worries
Globe and Mail-- Why BP’s Tony Hayward must go
Globe and Mail-- Buzz Hargrove: 'Globalization is largely a fraud'
National Post-- Rating agencies got it wrong, Buffett says
National Post-- BP oil leak could last until Christmas
National Post-- Labour shortage anticipated for energy sector
Vancouver Sun-- Weak B.C. home sales leads to revised national forecast
New York Times-- Ford to End Production of Its Mercury Line
New York Times-- Greece Announces Sale of State Assets
New York Times-- China Weighs Tighter Controls on Rare Elements
USA Today-- Obama: Roll back tax breaks for big oil, embrace clean energy
USA Today-- Should we care about Greece's problems? Not too much
Guardian UK online-- Worsening Deepwater situation prompts speculation over BP's future
Guardian UK online-- EU plans to create watchdog to curb credit rating agencies
Guardian UK online-- Warren Buffett tells US inquiry: it's easy to be wise after the event
Times on line UK-- BP to promise $10bn payday as criminal inquiry looms
Times on line UK-- This is the age of war between the generations
Telegraph UK online-- Gulf of Mexico oil spill: BP must win over shareholders as well as fishermen
Telegraph UK online-- Why a 'new euro' could be the saviour of the European dream
Telegraph UK online-- Soaring inflation delivers an early warning to the new Government
Melbourne Herald Sun-- Rio: We pay our fair share
Melbourne Herald Sun-- Spooked buyers wait
Sydney Daily Telegraph-- Australian economy the 'envy' of the world
People's Daily-- Shenzhen aims to close to Singapore's GDP in five years
People's Daily-- China's restrictions on resource exports consistent with WTO rules: experts
China Daily-- Cheap labor has limits in manufacturing industry
China Daily-- Real estate developers to face financial difficulties: report
Times of India-- Michelin to hire about 200 people in India this year
Times of India-- Overdrive: Car sales zoom on fast track

Closing time for Extra Foods

 

" There is no way we're going to become part of a race to the bottom - we have no appetite whatsoever to see Loblaws (Westfair) once again try and undermine the contracts we have fought so hard to establish with our member's employees," -- Ivan Limpright, President of UFCW Local 1518, responding to the plan of Loblaws/Westfair to change over their Extra Foods brand to a No Frills concept, posted to the union's May website newsletter.   

For those that have wandered the aisles over the last few weeks, the end it seems was all but inevitable as shelves emptied and stock diminished, and if all goes according to the outline letter posted in front of Extra Foods, today will be the last day of operations for the Rupert Square based grocery outlet.  

A corporate decision by parent company Westfair Foods/Loblaws that will leave Prince Rupert with but two grocery store options for their daily shopping requirements .

The long, drawn out labour dispute over the bid by Westfair Foods to turn the Extra Foods store into a No Frills style store will come to an end as the doors close at the end of business today.

The short note recently posted outside the store provided the company's point of view that after numerous, yet unsuccessful attempts to negotiate on the issue, they now feel that they have no option but to close the Prince Rupert store.

Those negotiations have proven to be rather acrimonious over the last few months as we've outlined on the blog since the issue first percolated a number of months ago.

With the end of the store's presence in the city now within hours, there will be reduced competition in the grocery scene in town and of course a number of new additions to Prince Rupert's already high unemployment rate.

The labour dispute became the focus of UFCW Local 1518's Spring Newsletter, as the union provided their side of the dispute under the larger banner of fighting for the rights of all grocery store employees over the issue.

The No Frills story is given four pages of the Spring Newsletter available on line (see copy here pages 17-20)

Among the key points of the Prince Rupert report from the union's newsletter, is a list of what the union calls the "No Frills attack on Prince Rupert", items which include the following:

• Negotiations between the union and Loblaws (Westfair) for the Extra Foods store in Prince Rupert began in July 2009.


 • Loblaws claimed throughout negotiations that Prince Rupert Extra Foods was not profitable - but refused to provide financial statements to back their claim.


• Loblaws demanded Prince Rupert members accept their "No Frills" contract demands, or their store would close.


• Loblaws applied to the Labour Relations Board (LRB) twice to force 'final offer' votes of their No Frills contract demands, but in both cases, Loblaws behaviour in Prince Rupert was so bad the LRB ordered the votes not be counted.


• The LRB found Loblaws guilty of engaging in an illegal lockout in Prince Rupert, and ordered them to pay union members the wages & benefits they lost.


• Loblaws was also found guilty of bargaining in bad faith and forced by order of the LRB to provide financial statements so the Union Negotiating Committee could see and understand just what Loblaws was trying to hide.


• It quickly became clear that Loblaws claims about the store losing money were simply not true. But rather than changing their outrageous "No Frills" contract demands and negotiating a fair contract that would work for both Loblaws and its employees, Loblaws once again threatened to shut down the store June 2, 2010.


 • There is no justification nor  need to roll wages benefits, and working conditions back the way Loblaws wants to with its No Frills contract.


 • The union's commitment to Extra Foods members  remains, and the union will continue to support members fight Loblaws destructive agenda right across B. C.

Some of the key points in the dispute seem to have involved the changing nature of hours of work and salary expectations, according to the unions breakdown the majority of the hours that would be worked in the No Frills concept would be for wage rates of 9 dollars to a maximum of 11.90 per hour, with no benefits.

A few remaining hours would be for wage rates up to 15.75 per hour and by their calculation that would only be in place for two employees in the Prince Rupert store.

The cumulative effect of those changes, again according to the union's website would be the rolling back of wages by thirty years, rolling benefits back forty years and according to the union would make working at a No Frill's store "worse than working at Wal- Mart"

From the company's point of view there seemingly has been little in the way of public comment or explanation, short of the letter posted outside the store and the occasional newspaper comment on the situation.

Though one thing seems certain as the hours tick by on this final day, with the Rupert store closing today, the battle lines apparently are now set in the ongoing labour dispute between the UFCW and Westfair/Loblaws, a battle which as we outlined on the blog last month, may yet bring another change to the dynamic of the grocery industry across the nation.

Other posted articles in Podunk on the No Frills dispute:

February 22/10-- Extra Foods and UFCW talks break down
November 30/09-- No Frills or No jobs 


Other news items on labour relations in the grocery industry

May 23-- Globe and Mail-- Loblaw seeks union work rule changes
May 23-- CTV news-- Loblaw seeks union work rule changes
May 26-- Fresh plaza-- Canada: Loblaw seeks flexibility, locks horns with union on work rules
May 11-- Toronto Star-- George Weston revenue rises; net income was $42 million

Podunk Below the Masthead (Tuesday, June 1, 2010)

Rallying against Enbridge in Kitimat, Nathan Cullen explains his side of the MP spending debate and some on Haida Gwaii have questions about NaiKun, some of the items of interest for Tuesday's news cycle.

Prince Rupert Daily News, front page, headline story
FIVE HUNDRED PROTESTERS GATHERED AT KITIMAT RALLY -- Details of this past weekends rally against the plans of Enbridge to construct an oil pipeline and terminal to move Alberta Tar sands oil to world markets.

The return of the totem pole from Jasper Alberta to the Haida Nation was featured in Tuesday's paper, regular readers of our blog first heard of the plan a week ago when we outlined the details of the cross province trip aboard a special VIA trip which will see the ancient artifact  returned to the Islands later this month.

Another familiar item to our blog readers from last week can be found both in the Daily News and on the  Northern View website today, as Nathan Cullen outlined his thoughts on the recent ranking of high spending MP's which found the MP for Skeena Bulkley Valley in among the top five spenders in Ottawa.

The Daily's Tuesday Sports section featured a look at a Rupertite's experience at the Boston Marathon, as well as a report on the Prince Rupert Seamen Rugby squad.

(Daily News Archives for Tuesday, June 1, 2010)

Five Hundred protesters gathered at Kitimat rally
Ancient Haida pole repatriated
Smolt Festival a big hit with youngsters
A Federal riding the size of Poland
The Young and the helpful

The Northern View
MP discusses spending, budget-- Nathan Cullen, MP for Skeena-Bulkley Valley outlines some of the challenges that serving a riding the size of Skeena can provide (see article here)

The Northern View
Northern Health gives community update-- Some background on the recent community update from Northern Health (see article here)

The Northern View
City unveils its nuisance property bylaw to mixed reaction-- The City's new nuisance property bylaw proves to be a discussion starter for the community (see article here)

The Northern View
Haida Gwaii group seeks investigation into NaiKun -- Potential conflict of interest concerns lead some residents of Haida Gwaii to seek an investigation into NaiKun's movement through the process for development of wind power in the region (see article here)

The Northern View
Cancellation of medical accommodation program postponed-- A reversal at Northern Health into a recent decision to end the medical accommodation program in the city, with the program's ending postponed pending further study (see article here)

CFTK TV 7 News
Seaplane safety review launched -- In the wake of a seaplane crash over the weekend on Vancouver Island, British Columbia's seaplane fleets will be put under a safety review through the Transportation Ministry (see article here) (Sahar Nassimdoost provided this report for TV 7 News)

CFTK TV 7 News
Fate of Eurocan site still in limbo-- There is no word yet on progress or a solution to the closure of the Euroan Mill in Kitimat after Monday's meeting in that city between Eurocan Viability Group and officials with West Fraser (see article here) (see TV 7 report here)

CBC News Northern BC, Daybreak North
Daybreak North is only posting selected items on their website now. 

The most recently posted items can be found on the archive page for Daybreak North click here 

Daily News, front page, headline story
Five hundred protesters gathered at Kitimat rally
By George T. Baker 
Staff Writer 
Prince Rupert Daily News
Tuesday, June 1, 2010

 Led by Friends of Wild Salmon director and Haisla band councillor, Gerald Amos, and Gitga’at community leader, Clare Hill, numerous speakers took to the platform to discuss why they were against the project.

Once the more than 500 opponents of Enbridge Inc.’s proposed Northern Gateway project were past the Kitimat RCMP blockade, it was clear sailing on down to Kitamaat Village, where a troupe of speakers were on hand to lecture the converted about problems associated with the proposed tar sands pipeline project.

The transportation risks that include transporting tar sands oil to Kitimat from Bruderheim, AB through a 1,172-kilometre pipeline and the transporting of oil along the B.C. Pacific Northwest coast, opponents maintain, are too much to accept.

“What this fight is about is the unholy marriages of the governments of B.C. and Canada and multinational corporations,” said Union of BC Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, who was on hand Saturday along with renowned scientist David Suzuki and Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen.

Phillip said that the Haisla territory he’d seen all day blew him away.

“You have such a beautiful, beautiful place and I know you will defend your territory with every fibre of your being. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs will be there with you. The Penticton Band will be there with you,” Phillip promised a crowd that awarded him a standing ovation.

The Joint Review Panel, which will review the project’s effect on the environment and the socio-economic impact on the communities that live within the pipeline’s route, has already received a record number of submissions and comments on the project, most of them negative.

Art Sterritt, the executive director of Coastal First Nations, which was once ‘Turning Point’, said his organization has invested $300 million in trying to evolve the economy in the Northwest. He said all the work put forth by his group could be washed away with one spill.

Sterritt, who was instrumental in persuading the B.C. government to protect the 64,000 square km area known as the Great Bear Rainforest, said the forest represents 25 per cent of the remaining temperate rainforest in the whole world.

 “The threat that we have before us is the most dire we have ever faced,” he warned.

 While the protests mount, Enbridge has made many attempts to persuade the public that their project is safe and to show how they would react in the case of a spill on either land or water.

 The $5.5 billion project would begin to open up Asian markets for Canada’s tar sands industry after its scheduled completion date in 2016. The majority of oil sands oil is consumed in the U.S., and is projected to become the largest single source of the U.S.’s crude oil this year, according a recent study by consulting firm Cambridge Energy Research Associates. The oil transportation giant has sent out a brochure to locals living in the Northwest to inform them of the company’s view on how the project will be environmentally sound and good for the regional economy.

Enbridge claims that over 200 environmental experts and scientists conducted a comprehensive analysis along the project route in areas such as marine biology, soil, vegetation, wildlife, water resources, fish, human health, archeology, and others.

The company has also committed, though the brochure, to a public consultation program that is designed to provide information about the project, identify issues, listen to concerns and answer questions, obtain input into environmental, economic and community benefits.

But outside of comments made by CEO Pat Daniel to the Globe and Mail and National Post, that painted project opponents as hypocrites because of their own reliance on oil products, the company has been careful about when it answers questions from the media.

The parking lot at the Haisla Community Centre was filled with cars, quite a few of them older model, gas eating pick-up trucks, used by visitors from as far away as Prince Rupert and residents of the Carrier Sekani Tribal Territories in eastern B.C.

Amos did not dispute that there were some uncomfortable environmental issues that opponents will have to acknowledge and change. But he said it didn’t take away from why they fundamentally oppose the project. “His comments were totally irresponsible and out of hand,”
Amos criticized Daniel. 

“We accept some responsibility for our own environmental challenges. We know that eco-tourism that we do, when you include the flights to our area, and the drive from the airport, and the energy needed to keep us warm, that we can’t really call it eco. But what Pat Daniel is proposing is a project that will make us more reliant on dirty oil.” 

Amos was asked if he had spoken the CEO lately. He said he hadn’t. But an hour before he spoke with the Daily News, he and Eric Swanson of the Dogwood Initiative, a Victoria-based environmental organization that is also opposed to the project, made a call to Daniel’s answering machine. When the machine picked up, at least 200 people screamed “We Say No to Enbridge Oil.”

There were no visible representatives of Enbridge at the daylong event, but Kitimat Mayor Joanne Monaghan, who is a supporter of the project, and Prince Rupert Mayor Jack Mussallem, who has yet to take a strong position either way on the matter, were both on hand.

With the spectre of British Petroleum’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the Exxon Valdez spill 21 years ago in Alaska, representatives of First Nations on the North Coast said they have not shifted positions on the project and were very unlikely to do so.

The two mayors, along with a filled gymnasium, heard no positive words on the project. “The Americans have a reliable, first class response and they still could not respond to the devastation in the Gulf,” said Lax Kw’alaams representative James Bryant.

Bryant said that Canada’s capacity for even a large-scale human rescue mission on the West Coast has not been up to snuff in the past. He wasn’t sure that oil would receive better treatment. He would like to see the federal government pay for a complete coastal community emergency training before any pipeline is okayed.

“When the Queen of the North – which is still leaking oil - sank, if it wasn’t for the people of Hartley Bay, it would have been a major disaster.”

The Mayors did hear the opponents’ dogged commitment to remain opposed.

“We will do our best to take a stand,” said Haisla elected Chief Councillor Delores Pollard. “We are not only fighting a multinational corporation, but also two levels of government who want to turn a blind eye. But they have a responsibility, too.”

Podunkian Podcast Portal

This will be an ongoing listing of the Podcasts we may stumble across and find of interest.

Politics/Economics

Countdown with Keith Olbermann (MSNBC)
Cross Country Check Up with Rex Murphy (CBC)
Left, Right and Centre (PBS KCRW)
Planet Money (PBS)
Public Eye (CFAX Victoria)
The Economist (Economist Magazine)

Sports

Hockey Night in Canada Podcast (CBC)
World Football (BBC)
World Cup Daily (BBC)
World Cup Podcast (Globe and Mail)
Word Cup Today (ESPN)

From the files of the Prince Rupert Detachment-- May 31, 2010

Another week of investigations and revelations about crime in the city.



The week of May 24 to May 30, 2010 Prince Rupert RCMP received 211 calls for service.

 Our newest member had to count $65 in nickels and dimes this past week while he booked in a male for being drunk in public. Can someone say low Mountie on the totem pole!

 RCMP executed a search warrant on a residence on Hays Cove and seized drugs as well as drug trafficking equipment; scales are not something most people usually have displayed on their coffee tables. The male was arrested for possession for the purpose of trafficking.

RCMP attended after they received a complaint of a fight at the OK Corral...I mean the Rupert Square Mall parking lot. It appears two males got into a heated discussion about a driving incident. One male pulled a knife and the other countered with his belt. It could not be determined who the victim was in this incident and neither of the males involved wanted charges laid.

The bright suns seem to have a negative effect on drivers Wednesday morning, which resulted in two vehicle accidents on McBride. It doesn’t happen often here, but the sun can reduce visibility. Make sure you drive according to weather conditions and make sure lane changes are being made safely; shoulder checks are not just a good stretch for your neck.

Remember our young 18-year-old who keeps failing to appear on court and keeps getting released and committing new crimes? He was arrested again for breaking into a locked garage. The male was located by RCMP inside the garage and appeared to be loading up on tools. The Identification Unit attended, but I should hope his red hands would be enough evidence for a conviction.

A counterfeit $20 bill was received at a local bank through the ATM machine. It only takes a few seconds to check the security features on bills. If you need more information on counterfeiting, please call Prince Rupert RCMP to set up a training date for owners and employees.

A 17-year-old male was charged with impaired driving over the weekend. Shortly before he was stopped on Wantage Road, he had informed another officer that he and his friend were going to walk home. I guess he changed his mind. The young man blew over the legal limit and was released on a court date. His father then arrived to pick him up. I am sure the ride home helped to sober up the young man.

There were 12 noise complaints called in with eight of them occurring over the weekend. Make sure to keep an eye on your stereo volume. The noise bylaw is in effect 24 hours a day. A neighbourly knock on the door may alleviate the situation as well.

A laptop, printer and cash register were stolen from the McBride Street Market earlier in the week. Break-in tools were seized for prints.

Please contact Prince Rupert RCMP at 250-624-2136 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS if you have any information on any crime.

Past reports can be found here.

Putting the cow into Cowpuccino’s

One of the city's favourite coffee shops finds itself as the star attraction in a Toronto travel item for the Ontario based Sun newspaper chain.

Cowpuccino's  and it's bounty of bovine fare is featured in an expansive report on some of the things to do during a stay in Prince Rupert.

Coffee with the Cows
Diane Slawych
QMI Agency

PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. — Judson Rowse never imagined he’d learn so much about cows when he opened a cafe 14 years ago. But when your coffee house is called Cowpuccino’s, well, it’s not entirely surprising. Though the name is a play on the word capuccino, and the city’s Cow Bay, customers assume he has an abiding love of cows and regularly send him cow-themed paraphernalia.

He started with one knick-knack and now has a collection of hundreds of items — from cow-shaped magazine racks, cookie jars and sugar-packet holders, to stuffed animals, cushions and an array of whimsical ornaments. 

Rowse cheerfully displays them all on the walls, tables and window ledges of this cozy cafe, along with some of the 200 postcards he’s received in which a cow figures prominently. “I’m surprised where they come from — China, Panama, Thailand.

I think we’ve got most countries covered,” he muses.

Thanks to a lady in Britain, Rowse is now familiar with the long-horned and shaggy Highland Cows, and can easily identify a Belted Galloway. The customer who sent a postcard of the latter joked that the heritage breed from southwest Scotland resembles an “Edwardian matron in a tight fitting corset!”

Asked if he has a favourite item, Rowse points to a picture on the wall.

“The cow head in South Dakota made of rail ties — it’s 50-feet tall — that’s pretty cool,” he says. Nearby is a photo someone sent of their van, painted in a black and white pattern that resembles a Holstein cow.

 “I just got this in the mail from New Brunswick,” Rowse adds. “It’s people dressed as cows in a parade in the Tintamarre festival.”

 You’ve heard of a rocking horse? Here you’ll find a wooden rocking cow. It’s usually parked outside. And don’t expect to hear the ocean when you put that giant seashell to your ear. This one “mooos,” like a cow!

Cow connections Oddly there are no real cows to be found in Prince Rupert, though that wasn’t always the case. An historic plaque in town explains that in 1908, a Swiss man named John Nehring decided to open a dairy here but there was no dock to unload the herd of cows from the barge, so the animals had to swim to shore!

The dairy didn’t last, but the name Cow Bay stuck.

The whole town plays up the cow theme. Trash bins around the city are painted in black and white Holstein pattern. There’s also a Cow Bay Rd. — where, incidentally, you’ll find the excellent Cow Bay Cafe restaurant, and not to be forgotten — the Cow Bay Gift Galley — which sells, among other things, cow-patterned soap dispensers, oven mitts and plates.

But Rowse maintains: “We’re the most cow-oriented business in town.”

Prince Rupert’s star attractions:

Located on Kaien Island in the province’s northwest, Prince Rupert was once known as the “Halibut Capital of the World,” and has a surprising number of notable attractions. Among them:

 — Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, accessible by boat or plane north of Prince Rupert, is said to be the only one of its kind in North America. Tours operate from mid-May until the end of July,

 — Whale watching: Peak time to see the Orcas is May and June, followed by Humpbacks from August to September, and Gray Whales from late August to October.

 — The North Pacific Historic Fishing Village built in 1889 and the last of hundreds of B.C’s coastal canneries, is now a National Historic Site, complete with antique equipment, wooden boardwalks and a company store.

 — Museum of Northern British Columbia exhibits Northwest Coast history and culture dating back to the end of the last ice age.

 — Five archaeological sites at Laxspa’aws or Pike Island can be visited on guided tours

 — Visitors can travel the scenic Inside Passage to or from Prince Rupert on the new ferry MV Northern Expedition, a 150-metre vessel that can carry 600 passengers and 130 cars.

 — Seafest, the annual summer festival, takes place June 10-13 this year with a parade, quick and daring boat building, soap box derby and more.

It's the economy (Tuesday, June 1, 2010)

BP shares drop company's future under debate, Waves of losses for Europe's banks and China and India mix it up over telecoms, some of the items of interest for Tuesday.


Globe and Mail-- Gravity shift: How Asia's new economic powerhouses will shape the 21st century
Globe and Mail-- Solutions for a crisis in its sovereign stage
Globe and Mail-- BP plunges, costs near $1-billion
National Post-- Canada's big banks hike prime lending rates
National Post-- Inside BP's 'intervention room'
National Post-- Did Carney go too far?
Vancouver Sun-- Task force fudges business tax recommendation
New York Times-- Chinese Honda Strike a Wake-Up Call for Japan
New York Times-- European Debt Crisis Feeding Into Economy, Data Show
New York Times-- Austerity and a Jobless Rate Near 20% Weigh on Madrid
USA Today-- BP shares dive; analyst says situation has 'smell of death'
USA Today-- Stocks retreat as energy shares drag down market
Guardian UK online-- Billions more wiped from BP's value as shares plunge on oil spill failures
Guardian UK online-- Ryanair to reject 'ludicrous' Iceland volcano claims
Guardian UK online-- Manufacturing sector's winning streak continues - for now
Times online UK-- BP’s latest plan to plug leak hits shares
Times online UK-- Eurozone banks facing second wave of loan losses
Telegraph UK online-- MPs and capital gains tax: we are living in fiscal apartheid
Telegraph UK online-- UK manufacturing lifted by overseas demand
Telegraph UK online-- Euro slides, stock markets fall as China, Europe fuel fears for world recovery
Melbourne Herald Sun-- Interest rates - what the Governor said
Melbourne Herald Sun-- Manufacturing recovery slows
Sydney Daily Telegraph-- Salary starved workers put bosses on notice over pay
People's Daily-- Economic zone receives nod for expansion
People's Daily-- Official: Natural gas price hike needed for rational resource allocation
China Daily-- No winners in China, India telecom spat
China Daily-- China repo rate surges to 19-month high
Times of India-- India's exports rise by over 36% in April
Times of India-- Gold zooms to new record high of Rs 19,050

Watch your step going off the back porch!

Look down, look way down...

It's going to take an awful lot of backfill to bring back this neighbourhood in Guatemala

The giant sinkhole, measuring 20 meters deep and 15 wide appeared in Zone 2 of Guatemala City. It is just the latest of natural disasters to befall the Central American nation, which in the last few weeks has suffered a hurricane, volcano and now shifting earth patterns.

Boing boing has the full story and a number of different views of the hole as well as suggestions on how to help out those affected by the string of disasters..

Podunk Below the Masthead (Monday, May 31, 2010)

Forestry companies in the Industrial site welcome their latest addition, a vehicle crash on Highway 16 claims one life and Seafest preparations continue as the festival gets closer, some of the items of interest from Monday.

The Daily News, front page, headline story
IT'S FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR LOCAL LOG DEBARKER--  The latest piece of machinery to be installed at the old North Coast Timber site has local forest companies hopeful of better times for the industry on the north coast.

With the closure of the local Ministry of Forests and Range office, employees prepare to leave the north coast and when they do a bit of Prince Rupert's forest related history will be left behind in the vessel Coast Ranger.

Time Horton's annual coffee day takes place this week and the Daily News featured some details of the event and where the money raised is directed to.

The Sports section features a look at high school  track and field and the progress of local hockey player Devin Oakes as he moves on towards provincial Team BC tryouts.

(Daily News Archives for Monday, May 31)

It's full steam ahead for local log debarker 
The end of an era 
Annual coffee day for kids' camp
Keeping an eye on medical stats

The Northern View
No new local items were posted on the Northern View website for Monday

CFTK TV 7 News
Weekend Vehicle Crash Near Terrace Claims Life -- Tragedy on Highway 16 as a pick up truck goes off the road near Kalum River claiming the life of one of four in the truck (see article here)

CFTK TV 7 News
2010 Seafest approaching -- The first report in the lead up to this year's Seafest Celebrations (see article here) (Sahar Nassimoost offered up this report for TV 7)

CFTK TV 7 News 
Enbridge Promises Full Review of Northern Gateway Project -- Enbridge officials weigh with their thoughts on environmental concerns over their proposed Gateway project (see article here)

CBC News Northern BC, Daybreak North
Daybreak North is only posting selected items on their website now.

The most recently posted items can be found on the archive page for Daybreak North click here

Daily News, front page, headline story
It’s full steam ahead for local log debarker 
By Monica Lamb-Yorski
Staff Writer 
Prince Rupert Daily News
Monday, May 31, 2010 


For almost a week, the new log debarker at the former sawmill site has been churning out peeled logs at a rapid pace.

Built by All-Wood Fibre of Prince George, the vast machine is made primarily from recycled parts. Some pieces came from North Central Plywood after it burned to the ground two years ago.

 “The only thing left at the site was the debarking line,” Project Manager Steve Holdstock told the Daily News. All-Wood Fibre purchased the facility last year, rebuilt it and shipped it to Prince Rupert’s industrial park.

Working in collaboration with All-Wood Fibre, Tidal Coast Terminals Ltd., Alcan Forest Products and Coast Tsimshian Resources have come together to make the million-dollar plus debarking project a reality.

On Tuesday the debarker was fired up for the first time and by Wednesday, most kinks were ironed out and it was running well.

The equipment can process five logs a minute at high speed. On Wednesday, 90 percent of the logs losing their bark were Balsam and the rest were Hemlock.

Operator Ray Bulleid from Terrace stood on the platform running the machinery with a remote control. It was his second day on the job.

 “We’re all learning,” he called over the roar of the peeler.

 The logs are deposited up onto the platform by a loader and then roll along the platform before they drop down, and move toward the large spiked blades, losing their bark along the way.

It’s a debarker that has the ability to adjust, depending on the diameter of the logs, and once each logs has lost its bark, a horn blows, alerting the machine operators.

Electrician Geoff Ronan controls the machine’s computer. He and Bulleid are the production team.

There have been six other employees during the construction phase and some of them will return for routine maintenance, said Holdstock.

In addition, there are scalers, loggers and truckers bringing and retrieving the logs. “It’s created jobs, which is a good thing,” he added, saying the machinery will run six days a week, 12 hours a day.

 When asked if rain causes a problem, he said, “No. This thing can run rain or shine.”

According to Holdstock, part of the whole idea behind the facility is to develop a business place together that goes beyond a debarking facility.

“All the companies have brought an expertise to the table that will benefit the partners. We’re all hoping this is a small stepping stone in our business venture together.”

Peter Brown of Tidal Coastal Terminals Ltd. described the new project as a great 
opportunity.

 “We’re using fibre that wouldn’t have been used ten years ago, it would have just been a pulp situation. We’re also using it to open up new markets. It opens up opportunities for longshoremen on the ships and container service. Also we’re doing some of our high ends of logs as well, and that opens up markets in China.”

In fact, Wayne Drury of CTR said, in an email Wednesday, his company has been in China on a wood marketing trip.

“Much of our effort is focused on exploring the opportunity for custom cutting lumber for the Chinese markets. We are visiting Beijing, Shangahai, Lonshang, Taichang, and a couple other locations,” Drury wrote.

Looking around the site Brown admitted he’s really happy with what’s gone on in the last six months, especially in these tough economic times.

 “Even in this week I must have had four different inquiries from other sources to bring wood to be debarked here,” he added.

Responding to concerns regarding what is going to happen to the leftover bark, Brown said they’ve been talking with the Ministry of Environment about several different options.

One is the possibility of making fishmeal, another is using a curtain burner to generate power.

 “We’ve been looking at options and the Ministry of Environment seems satisfied with the proactive stance that our companies have taken,” Brown commented.

 If the site was closer to the interior of the province the bark would have a higher value, but the cost of transporting is prohibitive and local solutions need to be created.

 “Everybody sees that if they give us a little bit of time, we will find the value again here on the Coast,” Holdstock said.

 Drury has been tod by a number of people that the debarker is the best operation on the coast of British Columbia. 

“Pretty exciting, the employment it is generating and the benefits to the Northwest from Terrace to Prince Rupert and Lax Kw’alaams, all lead by a First Nation Community that was once described by the CBC as “at the end of the forgotten road”,” Drury added.