Most Esso and Shell stations are over $1.20 a litre in Prince George ! They continue to gouge every penny they can ! Everyone should remember that when getting gas !

Thank you Costco for that discrepancy in gasoline prices. Now why did they not get into the diesel fuel game??
metalman.

So whats with all the people lately who can’t seem to make up their minds when turning? 5 times in the past two days I was nearly side swiped by someone who moved into the turning lane only to quickly swerve back into the lane nearly taking out the front of my car. My favorite was the guy on the cell phone who rolled down his window and swore and fingered me after cutting me off because I had the audacity to honk to show my displeasure.

So Harper is now in Europe signing Canadian sovereignty away for the new EU Free Trade deal AKA the corporate multinational bill of rights.

Look for prescription medicine to cost more, natural herbs and vitamins to become illegal if not produced by a pharmaceutical company, private EU conglomerates running the water and sewer systems in our cities for profit, everything that is essential infrastructure privatized (or we get sued for legislating against their potential for profits), and international tribunals unaccountable to democracy making the decisions that restrict our elected bodies.

All done in secret with no input from even our Parliamentarians. Trust in king Harper is all we got….

Why did the BC liberals open up BC hospitals for paid parking meters at the emergency? Enriching their friends at Empark at the expense of those in dire situations?

They have a sign that says if you need help call this number… only to get put on hold and then transferred to someone that doesn’t even know where PG is. If you are lucky you can get the number to the hospital security from them.

The machines only take coins so if you have bills hospital security will tell you to come into the hospital to get change (risk getting a parking ticket) and then walk back out to the parking meter… estimate how long one would be in emergency for, and then drive back around to the emergency parking… to avoid a parking ticket.

Problem is if you are going to the emergency then you are not likely in any condition to do all that walking and all that hassle to avoid very expensive parking fines and potential tow bills.

It just shows complete disrespect from the hospital for people having this type of needless impediments put in front of them.

Why not just have license plates registered at the emergency check in for emergency parking and tow any vehicles that are not registered with the emergency patients check in? Or at least allow for the parking fees to be paid for at check in and not having all the hassle involved. Some injuries simply don’t allow a person the ability to do all that walking just so they can park… but who cares right?

I would like to apologize to the person I pulled out in front of in the fog on the highway yesterday – but maybe if you had your effin lights on I could have seen you!
It’s that time of year, please please please turn on your lights in the mornings and evenings, or even during the day if you don’t have DRL’s. Just because it’s light enough for you to see the road doesn’t mean other drivers can see you in your dirt covered vehicle!

I like to apologize to the small car I almost cut off, I didn’t see you in my blind spot.

On another note, I’m extremely unhappy with the city wanting to put in a hotel at the exhibition grounds. I do realize it’s a good idea in theory, and yes it’s not right next to the townhouses on 22nd and Ospika or any other residential properties. But what’s stopping them in another 5 years from rezoning and again amending the OCP to clear off the treed section and put in some sort of shopping center/strip mall because the hotel wants to expand?
We need to start saying no to all these amendments and actually start following the 10 year plan instead of plopping down development wherever a proponent wants.

“Problem is if you are going to the emergency then you are not likely in any condition to do all that walking and all that hassle to avoid very expensive parking fines and potential tow bills. “

The really problem is this, if it’s an emergency you should be in no shape to drive yourself to the hospital.

Eagleone, it is disappointing that they would do that to the emergency parking. But I do believe it should be a no tow, and a $100 fine. This is to deter non emergency parkers from using this space. You get your get out of jail card from the Triage nurse.

I agree with peegee.

I would like some of the erudite posters on this site to explain to me how the system works. Here is the scenario.

1. Property at 22nd and Ospika is zoned as parkland. (Referred to as Exibition Park)

2. One would assume that since it is zoned parkland in the OCP, that the property is not for sale.

3. Proponent approaches the City with a proposal to build a hotel on the site, and wishes to purchase the property.

4. City goes into special ((closed meeting)) to discuss terms of sale. Meeting must be closed because sale of City property is involved.

5. First two readings are approved, and City will make necessary zoning changes.

6. The project is announced and some pseudo public meetings, times, and dates, are announced., The requisite announcements are made in the local papers

7. Indications are that the project will go ahead.

Now here is the question. Where in the above process did any other members of the public, business or otherwise get an opportunity to purchase this land??? Are we to believe that if you approach the City with a proposal for a project on City property, that you get the property without any competitive bidding from other interested parties.??

How do we know if the City is getting fair value for this property??? Would we get more if it was put on the open market??

In my opinion having land sales behind closed doors does not (or should not) give the proponents exclusive right to the property.

When will we actually be told the amount that the property was sold for?? Do we have to get this info from the Land Sales Office in Kamloops, or will our illustrious Cit

Metalman, I asked that question before it opened. They buy the fuel in huge bulk, the market for diesel is not that big in scale. The amount of diesel sold in PG alone will not warrant them to make that change in their operation. They need to be able to sell it out of a lot of operations for them to buy the diesel at a bargain.

If they were to start selling diesel, they would like have to have at least 10 locations that would be able to have strong diesel sells.

Diesel pickups may be popular in the North here, but in bigger markets like the lower mainland and Okanagon, not so much.

Eagleone; I agree with your concerns relating to the EU Free Trade deal, particularly as it relates to privatization of our water.

Can you imagine a corporation owning something so essential to sustaining life? We can live longer without food than water. With the signing of this free trade agreement, corporations can now own our water, and the infrastructures that deliver that water to us.

Wow… when corporations get into the business of owning something, it is ALWAYS in the interests of making a profit, and that profit will be off of us, the consumer!

http://www.theeuropean-magazine.com/germa-bel–2/6625-the-economics-of-water-privatization

So the word of the day is “entitlement”. For all those people who feel entitled to drive like maniacs (especially in school zones), for those people who feel entitled to leave their dogs’ droppings on my lawn and sometimes in the middle of the sidewalk, for those who feel entitled to using foul language loudly and in a public place, and especially to the person who felt entitled to my tires in my carport this morning: I feel entitled to a front row seat when karma comes knocking.

I’m curious why 250 not only closed off comments on the Greg Matters inquiry. Elaine’s explanation just doesn’t cut it.

The fact that posters put up irrelevant comments should NOT be an issue. If the comments are blatantly libelous, then delete those, but irrelevant is no reason to shut down discussion, especially when the subject is related to the matters (no pun intended) being posted.

When it is foggy out turn on your headlights, your running lights do not turn on your tail lights.

yep, The city wants to sell the golf course, want to sell the exhibition grounds. This land belongs to the tax payers of the city, we have this land not for us alone, it is for our children and their childrens future green space.

These lands were set aside by our city fathers who understood the value of green space. This was forward thinking on their part. They did not set it aside so it could be sold off to deal with just todays issue. Shame on you for selling our designated green space.

250 news is not and should not be a baby sitter for those people who feel they can post whatever they want, whenever they want in a public forum. We do not have the luxury of sitting around reading every comment that is made. In this instance suggesting someone committed a murder is not only wrong but is simply, in the most basic terms, not fair it is also grounds for legal action.
Murder is a legal term that indicates there was intent.
There have also been numerous accusations that those testifying are liars. Those accusations are also foundation for legal action, not only against 250, but against the author of the comments.
Forgive us for trying to prevent our readers from having to undergo such court action.
If posters feel they are above the law, and need not show any civility , then we will remove those comments and in some cases their privilege. If that results in us losing some readers we will have to live with it. 250news is a news site, we are here to deliver news, plain and simple.

The EU deal is a huge win. The opening up of markets for a trading nation like Canada is a good thing. The increase in beef, pork, automobile access, and many other items is great news for the majority of Canadians. The reduction and elimination of most tariffs will only help consumers.

Tinfoil hats like eagle, predictably see a conspiracy.

Bottom line if people#1 is against it, its a good deal. The same arguments against NAFTA(water) never materialized, this will be the same.

“if it’s an emergency you should be in no shape to drive yourself to the hospital.”

Not true. For one thing, emergency may be the only option for people who need medical care at odd hours or for people without a family physician during regular hours. The out of hours clinics aren’t open 24/7. For another, there are conditions that call for prompt care that leave you quite capable of driving yourself. And sometimes the patient can’t drive but a friend, family member, or co-worker can. And although it doesn’t happen often, people sometimes find a need to go to emergency while driving. My late father, a doctor, was on the way to work (not in PG) when he had a heart attack. Instead of going to the staff parking lot, he parked in front of the ER and walked in. They later told him that if he hadn’t gotten there so quickly he probably would not have survived.

Regarding the 250 decision to suspend readers’s posts and comments on the Coroner’s
inquest until the process has concluded …

I totally agree …

The Coroner’s inquest includes due process and a jury of our peers will be making comments and recommendations in due course. A part of living in a civilized society is the requirement that citizens respect and support the processes developed and the individuals involved.

I thank those members of our society who accept the responsibility to fulfill the roles of jurors and respect their judgement in advocating in our collective interest in moving forward. It cannot be easy to sit each day listening to these details, sifting through the stories and trying to formulate recommendations within the protocols.

Our role as citizens comes later when it is time to act upon their recommendations through collective processes to ensure the likelihood of this type of tragedy is reduced or prevented in the future.

Have a great weekend and celebrate the freedoms enjoyed by citizens of our country desired by so many and enjoyed by so few. It may not be perfect but it is sure better than most alternatives.

Posted by: billposer on October 18 2013 11:08 AM
“if it’s an emergency you should be in no shape to drive yourself to the hospital.”

Not true. For one thing, emergency may be the only option for people who need medical care at odd hours or for people without a family physician during regular hours. The out of hours clinics aren’t open 24/7. For another, there are conditions that call for prompt care that leave you quite capable of driving yourself.

——————

Nonsense. The first two aren’t emergencies; you can park elsewhere and walk. As for your third example; if you’re in immediate danger of dying you should not be driving anywhere; seriously, how many bystanders do you want to take with you?

As for your dad; that’s a one in a million scenario.

I have to agree with Eagleone about the EU Free Trade deal. As dow7500 says, in many respects free trade is a benefit for consumers. However, those benefits have to be balanced against the damage to domestic producers. If domestic producers can’t meet foreign prices, it may be that they are inefficient and should get out of the business, but there may be other reasons for the difference, and even if there are not, we may want to phase them out gradually rather than suddenly subjecting them to devastating competition.

The real problem with this treaty though lies in provisions that do more than eliminate quotas and tariffs. The treaty is intended to put EU and Canadian companies on an equal footing in every respect. For example, it would change our pharmaceutical patent law to agree with that of the EU, which makes it much easier for drug companies to extend patents. If implemented, this will cost us billions, and it is dubious that the pharmaceutical companies deserve such a windfall. Similarly, if we allow private companies to provide public services, foreign companies will be able to compete for these contracts on an equal basis. Sometimes that will be alright, but in other cases it will mean giving up control over important public services. It’s one thing to let a Canadian company, which we can regulate, provide water or electricity, but quite another to allow a foreign company, over which we have much less leverage, do it.

Lots of good information on this topic is available at Michael Geist’s blog: http://www.michaelgeist.ca/tags/ceta.
(He is professor of law at the University of Ottawa and an expert on technology and intellectual property law.)

I was surprised that the Matter’s threads ever contained comment areas. Based on other subjects before the courts that had comments shut down, the fact that this one is shut down shows that 250 is a place for news and not just a place for gossip.

If it’s good for business it must be good for everyone right Dick?

Charging people to park at a Hospital, College, or University is pure BS.

In this day and age we should be able to supply free parking at these places. Lets not forget that taxpayers paid for the buildings, the property, pay the wages of everyone who works there, and then we have to pay to park, to use the facilities that we bought an paid for.

There is something seriously wrong with charging for parking at public facilities. Especially for patients, or students.

Can Prince George ever get to the point where it becomes a leader, rather than a follower on some of these issues .??

The problem with free parking at emergency would be this: There would not be a single open spot EVER… it would be full of hospital staff, Tim Hortons staff, visitors etc…

Hospital staff have their own parking, which should also be free. As for Tim Hortons, the amount of staff would be small.

The Northern Health parking lot across the street from the Hospital should be free parking for anyone from 6pm to 6am.

There are other ways of solving the parking problem without having to charge everyone. Charging for parking is just another **cash** grab.

dow7500 states; “Bottom line if people#1 is against it, its a good deal. The same arguments against NAFTA(water) never materialized, this will be the same.”

I did not make those arguments against NAFTA, but if you want to bring up the USA so be it dow7500.

The USA has a more plentifully supply of fresh water than European countries. Yet still, water privatization in the USA provides us with a window into the future on what can happen when water is “owned” by corporations.

“The water companies – American Water and Aqua America – are leading drinking water suppliers in Pennsylvania, where drilling is booming. They also sell water to gas companies — which use a drilling technique that requires massive amounts of water — and have expressed interest in treating drilling wastewater, a potentially lucrative opportunity.

These investor-owned, publicly traded water utility companies are also dues-paying “associate members” of the gas industry’s powerful Marcellus Shale Coalition, a fact confirmed by coalition spokesman Travis Windle, who says associate members pay $15,000 annually in dues. “Our associate members are really the backbone of the industry,” adds Windle.

Both water companies serve millions of people across the country – Aqua America operates in 11 states and American Water in more than 30. Neither company is currently in Colorado.

The coalition, which is led by major gas producers, contends that “responsible development of natural gas” will bolster the region’s economy while providing an important source of domestic energy. It has reported over $2 million in Pennsylvania lobbying expenditures since 2010.”

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/04/23/469062/private-water-companies-join-forces-with-fracking-interests/

Natural gas fracking uses huge volumes of water, will these private water companies provide any for agriculture irrigation? Provide any for local towns and city residents use? Or will it be the richest “clients” willing pay the most that get the lions share of a finite fresh water supply? Hmm… can anyone guess who would be willing to pay the most for water given that underground oil & gas reserves are worth BILLIONs to TRILLIONS of dollars?

Oh, by the way dow7500, I included “Oil” because, in the case of Canada, we have an unusual source of oil mixed with sand that requires a huge amount of water (heated) to separate that oil from sand. There is only a finite supply of fresh water, when “people” have to compete with industry for it, who will come up short?

I say… “People First”!!!

Free parking only exists in Monopoly(monotony) In the real world there is subsidized or user pay as someone has to pay for things like snow removal and patching. With health care dollars being what they are I for one would sooner see the bucks spent on hiring nurses rather than a bobcat to put snow in a pile.

Concept might be hard for you to grasp Palopu as you think the “free fairy” should also haul your excess garbage up to the landfill for nothing.

Bang on, ewitt.

peegee: “We need to start saying no to all these amendments and actually start following the 10 year plan instead of plopping down development wherever a proponent wants”
I agree with this comment and others relating to the city selling property without following their own 10 year plan. However; is it okay that city wants to sell the Civic Centre, and Four Seasons Pool along with other civic buildings that they probably haven’t even bothered to tell us about yet? Are these ‘sales’ any different than the CN land?

The golf course land and the exhibition grounds were given to the Citizen of PG by the Federal Government to be used for recreation purposes.

As for if we get top dollar for it, the answer would be no. Can you imagine how much we cold have received from the land that is now car dealerships if all the dealers in Pg were bidding for the land. Or did the City deal with it – if you don’t complain we will make sure that more park land in the same area is yours to buy with any bidding.

Must agree with Ben.
Opinion 250, in a nutshell, is a place to get news first, and a place to express an opinion on that news.
To those who wish to place libelous or slanderous comments, or simply post frivolous or vexatious meanderings, I’m sure there are plenty of “blogging sites” where those are probably welcomed.
I enjoy this site and I’d hate to see it go down the tube because some person “who wishes to dump on someone” gets his or her butt in a lawsuit sling and costs this site at the same time.
And to Opinion 250 staff, thanks for keeping it clean.

I fully agree with 250 having the right to control their site against libelous comments. My comment was the wholesale dumping of the comments on Matters’ situation. Not all were worthy of the DELETE button.

When you silence the good (or plain indifferent) comments with the illegal ones, then you run the risk of losing the readers who you want the most to read the site.

I still think the methodology of site control needs to be rethought, that’s all.

Posted by: jetstream on October 18 2013 3:08 PM
I fully agree with 250 having the right to control their site against libelous comments. My comment was the wholesale dumping of the comments on Matters’ situation. Not all were worthy of the DELETE button.

When you silence the good (or plain indifferent) comments with the illegal ones, then you run the risk of losing the readers who you want the most to read the site.

I still think the methodology of site control needs to be rethought, that’s all.

——————

As Mr. Meisner explained, his website does not have the resources necessary to constantly monitor the comments section. The all or nothing approach is pretty much the only option available to him at this time.

So I see that the Senate is considering suspending Wallin, Duffy and Brazeau without pay for the rest of the session (could be up to two years). In response, Wallin’s lawyer has indicated that they will launch a legal battle against this move if it goes ahead. Heck, maybe the other two would join in as well.

Do they REALLY want this issue to hit the public record and to have all kinds of people drug into court to answer questions about what went on in this whole debacle? This could hurt their prospects more than the original scandal, LOL! Honestly, who the heck do the Conservatives have in their strategy department? Wow.

axman: “As Mr. Meisner explained, his website does not have the resources necessary to constantly monitor the comments section. The all or nothing approach is pretty much the only option available to him at this time.”

The site would probably be cleaner by taking out the comments section entirely. But he’d probably lose a lot of traffic at the same time.

This Matters inquest is a very sensitive issue, and with any jury, the Coroner would caution the jury to remove themselves from viewing any comments made in the media about the inquest as perception may be that it taints the outcome of the recommendations that may be made.
IMHO, there should be no commenting involving any jury or inquest. If you don’t have the time to go and listen as is the right of any person, you don’t get the whole picture, which leads to comments that would not have been said in the first place. This one has some very sensitive issues behind it, and comments that the writer feels no impact in, may very well have an impact in another way.
In other words, thanks, Opinion 250.

Grizzly: “In other words, thanks, Opinion 250”

For Grizzly and others who make the same mistake… this site hasn’t been “Opinion 250” in a long time. It’s “250 News” now.

While driving to the grocery store on my way home from work, I saw one young fellow driving and talking on his cellphone. Darn young irresponsible drivers, right?

But I also saw three middle aged adult drivers driving with loose dogs in their vehicles. In two of the three cases, the dogs were sitting on the driver’s lap! I see this all of the time and can’t help wondering how these drivers think that they can safely operate their vehicle with Fido or Fifi sitting on their lap?

Nice to see that these adult drivers are setting such a fine example for our young irresponsible drivers!

No kidding Hart Guy. Some of these people need to imagine Fido hitting them in the face at 300km/h when the airbag deploys.

Since this is a Friday Free For All, I thought I would submit something different: a spicy “50 Shades of Grey” story, based on, and supported by, current news events.

Fifty Shades of Grey: Courting the USA

Harper, on behalf of BIG OIL, has been courting the USA and showing them his proposed and thoroughly impressive XL pipe….line

Uncharacteristically, the US seems very reluctant and concerned about letting Harper lay his XL pipe deep into some of it’s well used and travelled territory. Uncharacteristically you see, because in the past, the US has always said “YES”, and has been a gluttonous whore for pipe and, more importantly, the contents contained there-in. Sooo… much to Harper’s, and BIG OIL’s shock, the US says; “No, not right now, I have a headache and need to think about it”.

Harper and his BIG OIL buddies are desperate, so they get Harper to sweeten the deal; “I’ll tell you what” Harper says to the US, “I will make sure that if you let me lay my XL pipe in you, I will promise to not to pass too much gas while doing so.”

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/09/06/2586091/canada-formally-offers-limit-greenhouse-gas-emissions-approves-keystone/

Again the US says let me think about it… upon hearing this response Harper (and his BIG OIL buddies) became very alarmed! Both panicked and incensed that their precious load of oil could remain landlocked, (essentially nut sacked), BIG OIL pushes Harper into one last desperate attempt at getting the US to say “YES” to his impressive XL pipe and the precious contents, there-in.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/harper-wont-take-no-for-an-answer-from-us-on-keystone-xl/article14547474/

So that is where we currently are at with Harper’s, and his BIG OIL buddies, approach to getting the USA into bed, to accept his XL pipe…line, and the oh so precious contents contained there-in.

I have to go right now, but if I am allowed later on tonight, I will be submitting the second part of my post titled; “Fifty Shades of Grey: Courting BC”

You must have a lot of free time, People#1.

Emergency parking should be free for those who have to drive themselves in. Afterall, it is still free downtown.

250News has the right and the obligation to limit comments on sensitive issues.

You’re doing a great job 250News! Most of us appreciate that a lot. Thankyou.

Oh, and for the little white car who was beside me eastbound on Ferry the other evening: if your lane has to merge and you have your signal light is on when you are beside me, guess what, I can’t see it!! So don’t lay on your horn and finger me. First of all it doesn’t bother me a bit and second, it just shows all the other drivers your IQ level. Otherwise, have a good weekend.

people#1 is a paid troll. I, my self am just an opinionated local redneck. See the difference???

people#1 is a paid troll. I, my self am just an opinionated local redneck. See the difference???

“how these drivers think that they can safely operate their vehicle with Fido or Fifi sitting on their lap?”

Have seen the same thing. The one that sticks in my mind the most is the female RCMP officer driving off the Francoise lake ferry with her mutt on her lap.