In Manila right now looking out across the city from the 18th floor of my hotel room to the most fantastic view anyone could possibly imagine. A city of 14 million.

Friggen awesome experience down in Davao and Semal Island. Can't say enough and to much to list in one post... the place has zero tourists and I am king as the only white guy in town... I love it and it doesn't get any better. Our dollar is like gold here... took out five friends the other night to a 5-star steak house and had all the staff to ourselves and the table full of good food and lots of drinks... paying the bill for everyone is not a problem when its the equivilent of $50 Canadian. $300 and you are a king for a week. I wish I had more lugage to take back all the loot.

Davao is a fantastic experience of a caotic city of 4 million (3rd largest in land sze in the world) and no mass transit, just the Jeepney's and walking busy bustling streets that go on for miles and miles of free enterprise small business thriving enabling a real freedom not experienced in many other cities. Smelly durien fruit is my only complaint... minor one at that.

Semal Island and the Pearl Farm is unbeleivable... I can't even describe with words how beautiful and peaceful it is there... the worlds best beaches and all to myself with the friends I traveled with... like five waiters for each tourist and the cost is almost embarassing... feels good to tip like a king. I highly recommend it for everyone... very safe place and amazingly friendly people... ten times the experience of Mexico for a tenth of the cost. December is the best month to travel there as its the coolest month of the year... very hot place... so you need to be by the beach lots and have a cool drink on the go....

Anyways suckers... lol... not looking forward to going back the crime capital of Canada anytime soon.....

How fantastic to feel like a king on the backs of paupers.

hmmmmm .....

http://www.asiahotels.com/guide/Philippines/Manila

"There's no getting around the fact that Metro Manila is an unattractive city. It's no coincidence that tourist brochures push the beautiful sunset over Manila Bay - with the city totally out of view. It is overcrowded, polluted and chaotic with highly visible poverty and crime. Visitors will need to take extra care of their valuables. Security is also an issue and the recent spate of bombings in the region has made bag, package and car trunk inspections normal routine in all major establishments."

PG might be number one by someone's standards ..... does not have quite the reputation of Manila yet though .... maybe you can bring some ideas back with you eagleone ... LOL

I would nominate the "Chances" story as the investigative journalism story of the decade out of PG. Heck probably the century. This is good work and interesting reporting by any standard. Nice work opinion250!

I am sure there are even poorer countries in the world that would give your ego an even bigger boost!

Places were others have a very low standard of living are always dangerous. Your jeans are worth killing for (well maybe not your jeans). Cuba is the notable exception.

Enjoy your holiday Eagleone, others are just jealous.

Another eventful week draws to a close.
Have a good weekend all.
Stay safe on the roads.

"Born in BC" I agree with you totally. I look forward to each part. I always suspected something was funny with that deal. I am very thankful for opinion digging into issues such as these. Happy Investigating!!!

"I always suspected something was funny with that deal"

Funny?

So far I see nothing fraudulent. You are seeing the "in crowd" at work making deals.

Charles Jago continues to be in a conflict of interest with his recent reappointment to Northern Health Board while sitting on Canfor Pulp board... when will it ever end around here!

econ101; why should someone feel guilty about spending money in an impoverished locale? Do you really believe that the people who are providing the services that Eagle One describes, resent the fact that he is there helping to pay their wages?
Do they look upon the gratuities with scorn and disgust because the tourist benefactor is from a 'rich' country, and could give or do so much more?
With all due respect sir or madam, give your head a shake. Have fun Eagle One, wish I could join you.
metalman.

What I would like to know is why the police are not investigating what is going on at city hall? I think our mayor sitting on a board who is backing the pipeline is also conflict of interest!

Anyways suckers... lol... not looking forward to going back the crime capital of Canada anytime soon.....

-------------------------------------------

Why bother coming back? With everything being so cheap, wonderful and perfect over there why would you even consider coming back to what you consider to be the worst city in Canada?

Being able to live there in perfect peace and harmony like a king on just a few dollars a day sounds like paradise!

Of course, there is a huge difference between being just a tourist for a few days and actually trying to live there...believe me, I have been to many countries and I know.

Hope I see you at the P.G. airport when you are getting off the plane and when you are kissing the ground!

I almost did a couple of times!

eagleone keep us updated. Do not be put off by those with no clue.

I hear on the radio this morning our #1 man mayor Rogers is going to be sitting in on discusions with the RCMP about crime and our #1 rating. Why is he going, he couldn't organize a two car parade. Are they all hoping if Mayor rogers raises their taxes they will leave the city... I guess you never know until you try.

A little off the current vein of topic, but I've been pondering this major disappointment about Canada not getting a security seat council. Does anyone know what the big deal is. If Canada got the seat, would it put any more bread on Canadian tables or would it take food from our mouth. Apparently some African nations voted against us because we haven't done enough in the foreign aid category. Has anyone informed them that our government is in a deficit and everytime we start sending cash overseas we have to go borrow it from someone overseas and start paying interest on it. Almost pathetic when you think about it. Our kids will have to pay back a debt for money we gave to someone else who later turned around and said - not enough go XXXX yourselves. Meanwhile someone sin Canada is waiting for a new hip, knee, cancer treatment, you name it. Makes me wonder.

Crisp air feels good this morning. Have a great weekend all!

Some people have no clue. I had a fantastic day in Manila today... far from a third world country... Makati district is nicer by far than even Vancouver... thousands possibly millions of people safe walking the streets and jogging the parks all through the night... sky lines and parks and kind hearted good people everywhere (even had a late night church gathering in the main downtown shopping district... broadcasted through loud speakers for all to listen to and everyone debating the morl issues of the day... very unique experience)... totally safe and unbelievable unless you were here to see it for yourself. I had no idea and was surprised myself. If I could show pictures it would change a lot of minds I'm sure... maybe I'll do a facebook link or something... some people obviously need to be educated.

As for Davao... nothing wrong living like a king when the locals appreciate it and really need the tourist exposure to help raise their standard of living... I took people out to dinner to places they never could have gone themselves... donating to the poor with no legs on the street and starving children makes one feel really good and costs next to nothing... I have no shame in my conduct and I'm proud I was able to help where I could... wish I could go back again soon. That city is on the cusp of going from the 18th century to the 21st century over the next two decades and I think it will be the most transformed city in the world over the next decade... I cherish the oportunity to see where it begain and where it will be going. Big things about to heppen there and huge opportunities about to happen... first Manila was transformed and next their second largest city in Davao will be I'm sure over the next decade... strong leadership, good people, and fantastic tropical potential make this city one to watch over the next 10-20 years... I have no doubt good things will be happening to them... one can walk for 100 blocks of crowded streets late at night in a city that never sleeps (to hot during the day) and feel 100% secure and fascinating the good nature and high morals of everyone in that city (they even had a midnight massage gathering of probably 5000 people out in front of city hall... craziest thing I ever saw)... never saw a single vice the whole stay there.

Some people choose to be ignorant... I choose to learn and help where I can. I met a lot of contacts and have a lot of great ideas on what makes a real city... a social city... a city where even though they have poverty are able to create opportunities for their people to live in happiness, rather than the rich taking advantage of the poor. Some people have no idea of what they talk about.

Tomorrow going to the National museum and old Manila to learn more.

Canada in no way deserved the security council seat in light of our Israel police. Simple as that. picking sides (the wrong side) in an ethnic conflict based on racism is not something needed on the security council. Harper should wear it as he deserves it.

Here is my humble opinion about Prince George's unfortunate ranking as crime capital of Canada:

This is an issue that the citizens of Prince George need to take ownership of. The police and city council cannot solve this problem alone.

Report every crime or suspicious activity you witness. Do not give up if you feel you are being brushed off, or that no action is being taken. Information is powerful and the police need weapons.

Do not frequent businesses known to be owned/operated/frequented by gang members.

Support your local social services agencies and organizations that are struggling to carry out their mandates. Poverty, illiteracy, addiction = higher crime rates.

Support your police. Yes, there are some bad apples, but there are many that do good work daily. Let them know they have your support. Encourage them.

Set a community goal; create a vision, “The 2012 MacLean's Annual Crime Report will note the remarkable improvements made in crime reduction in Prince George and direct struggling communities to model Prince George’s actions.”

YOU can do something about this.

I agree Jales4 - the problem is, how do we know or find out what businesses are owned or operated by gang members? I've heard lots of rumours but you cant just start naming names without being libel...

I agree 100% with Eagleone and Metalman. Have a wonderful vacation and tip like mad!

hey lets jump on the bandwagon. the city and mayor and rcmp aare puting on a gang task force.BUT
i wonder if i would have to pay hst on the 55 dollars.

Saw a patch wearing biker getting pulled over yesterday by the RCMP, what a D-bag!! Trying to lean on his crotch rocket all cool like..

RCMP - keep the pressure on these fools, even though our legal system doesn't help you very much.

Society - Educate!! 'No' is one of the hardest words to say when you are a young person, but we need to make sure our children know they have resources to go to when confronted by gangs to join or pressured to take or sell drugs.

Anyone making negative comments on these boards about PG and our issues, are not a part of my PG they don't even deserve to be responded to. Let them sit in their own lack of dignity and self respect.

Great posts, verballabel & jales4! I have been living in PG for decades. By choice. I like it here and I wish PG residents wouldn't try to dump on PG from Alberta, Manila or from other places who all have enormous problems too!

The sun is shining, clear blue skies all around, the air is cool and fresh (in the Hart) and I will keep enjoying my life in Prince George without letting baseless fearmongering get to me!

Have a nice weekend!

Jales and Verb:
Well done. Sometimes this is the groundswell needed to kickstart a kick in the Gangs Ass.
Police need our support more than ever. Now I gotta go call them cause I think a house couple houses away is being used for making drugs.

I think it's pretty naive to think gangs are solely responsible these stats. This has always been a rough, violent town. Sure gangs are a problem, but they also make a pretty convenient scapegoat.

In Davao they had the highest crime rate in the Asia Pacific during the 1980's... cival war between Muslims and Catholics. Things were really bad.

Along came Mayor Rodrigo Duterte a strong man... took it to the extreme in some cases... 'rumour' has it that it was he that backed the PDS (police death squads)... strange people dressed in all black riding fast bikes that would carry out assasintions of known criminals... a proscription list would be published when and as needed of known criminals wanted for things like murder and gang drug trade... once on the proscription list they had a few days to make themselves scarce, or get a visit by the PDS. It had its effect on the hard core element and was no longer needed in short time due to its effectiveness.

Thats all and good for the hard core element, but facts are most crime is the result of low level actors... low level actors that involve more than something the PDS could be used to solve.

Mayor Duterte took a parcel of land in the center of Davao in the heart of their best land location... surounded by their primary business district (like where our RCMP station is proposed by PG Admin and Council). Mayor Duterte didn't build a police station, but rather his approach was to build 'The Peoples Park'... kind of Orwilian sounding I know... The Peoples Park concept was to create a new norm of safety in the community comming together (especially at night when its cooler out)... the idea was to build a 'Central Park' type thing in the heart of the downtown that was very well lit up and very secure with police protection, and use it to highlight culture, art, and history of the Dacao people.... everyone goes there to do everything from jog at night, to preach and practice outdoor religous services, to dating, to family outings, to just going for a strol and getting something to eat. The point was it created a new norm in the Davao town center for congregatting and socializing in safety that would then eminate from the heart of the city to create a new norm for the rest of the city as a whole.

The concept worked and I couldn't find a single person in Davao that would have anything but complete confidence and praise for Mayor Duterte. I didn't like some of his methods, but the fact is today Davao has next to no crime... very religous people setting probably one of the worlds highest examples of a whole people buying into the values of faith in their religion and the happiness that peace can bring them.

You would be hard pressed to find any crime in Davao today as a result... there future is bright indeed... especially if they can gets some more air conditioning around there... new coal fired power plant is in the works being spear headed by mayor Duterte... my thoughts are he should go with beetle wood instead to power the new plant (still in planning stage)... the people of Davao have no natural gas so they still heat their food with charcol... enabling the mass importation of cheep reliable charcoal would enable mass distribution of a reliable source of cooking fuel friendly to their fragile environment... most people I talked to agreed with me on that one. When I left the Waterfront where I stayed for a night they had a confrence there with thousands of foreign concrete people (in a city where its still made on the road side and sold in stands)... plans are now underway for their first mass transit with a new LRT system and buses... lots of potential on the horizon for this city that is ready to start rapid development... and as far as I can see at the heart of its success is 'The Peoples Park' concept, and the new reality of peace and security and community belonging that it enabled... something big old 'know it all' PG could learn a good leason from.

Oh and they are not the most educated in Davao (but working on it for their youth) and they surely don't have any wealth... but when it comes to community spirit they could sure teach a lot of people that do have those things. Maybe PG should take the opportunity to partner with a city that really could built a two way relationship that is beneficial to both cities... unlike the political twin cities like we so often hear about....

I agree weaksouce... those people would love a police state too... PG is a draw center for a lot of small remote violent commmunities... with out mentioning the obvious of course... most crime in PG comes from outsiders to our community... this is the real challange is how do we deal with the issue in the north as a whole... and not just make PG a police state full of snitches on their neighbors and tax collectors in the name of public safety.

Interceptor, you are correct - rumours about various bars and businesses being gang owned are rampant. Perhaps not going into an establishment that has bikers present on a regular basis is the best course.

Well, another dubious title for P.G!! #1 for crime in Canada per capita. Some of you have mentioned the other cities in the magazines report but look at the population base in those cities. Our fair "city' is nothing more than a subdivision in comparision to those mentioned! Prince George has a huge problem! Can't blame Dan, he is way too busy drumming up reasons why corporations should set up shop here..this should help his cause. R.C.M.P, well, way too busy chasing down that fellow that had a beer with his lunch. Just doing their jobs to keep the roads safe. The problem starts with the courts. Those caught in the drug trade should, in my opinion, receive a automatic prison sentence regardless of age. This crap of releasing minors to the parents should stop as the parents are a good part of the problem. Gangs recruit minors with promise of money and such. Send little "Jimmy" to the slammer for 6 months a then see how he likes the trade he chose! We need a judicial system that isn't afraid to send someone to jail for a drug offence/crime. Check out the weekly court docket and laugh like me at the punishments handed out! Kinda comical! We, the citizens of this city have to start "harrasing" the cops till they come and check that house down the road that has people coming and going at all hours. Simple really, shut down the pipeline (the minor offender) Pressure the court system for REAL sentences for offences and keep reporting any strange activity in or around your area and sooner or later those in question will pull up shop and go elsewhere. I know those leaving our city only adds to another cities problem but at least I can walk outside at night and my daughter/son is a lot safer. As Ben says" that is one mans opinion"!!!

On a positive note, the city is doing a pretty good job of cleaning up the downtown. Now we just need to get some more businesses open down there.

Eagleone once they get a liberal education like here. then they will develope a court system like we have, a joke.

Ben, Elaine.

That is quite the story we have on the Chances. I am sure that your i's are dotted and the t's crossed. I sure am impressed with your tenacity to get the information right.

At one point or another, one does have to take a stand, in what they believe in. Or the bullies will run us over. Thank you for standing up to the bullies. It is a risk that you take, if all the bloggers think like I do. Your website, is my #1 source for whats happening in town. Keep up the great work, and don't let your foot off the gas pedal.

For anyone interested, there is a local picture entitled Beautiful Fall Day on the river on the weather network site. Customize the settings for Prince George and then check out the photos. This one was taken by Joan on Oct 1st—it is really worth sharing...gorgeous!

PLEASE STOP THE SENATE !!GET RID OF THESE OLD DINO,S, 5 HOURS A WEEK FOR KILLER CASH!! PLEASE THIS IS COMPLETLY BIZZARE! RIGHT MIKE DUFFY ?IF ANYTHING ... ANYTHING THIS OLD PIGS TO THR TROFF PLEASE AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

PG #1 in crime in Canada? I"m quite sure in McLean's magazine they omitted an obvious "crime" here in PG, as in ain't it criminal that the city has done little to make our roads and streets better thesze past few years?

I agree He spoke, I also am very impressed with opinion 250 and their tenacity on the Chances/PG Hotel issue. I am enjoying reading the series.

Was that hotel owned by the "private investors" for even an entire week before flipping it to the city? There's our taxpayer's dollars hard at work filling the pockets of the "in crowd" as gus calls them.

It's great you guys aren't backing down on any of this. Thank you!

On another note, I read a big ad in last weeks Citizen about a Swiss Chalet franchise available here in PG. Please don't bother crapping on the merits of Swiss Chalet. It's a franchise. It's a business. It's a job creating, taxpaying entity. Anyhoo...the individual who grabs this opportunity better have deeeep pockets and a new two year calendar before he gets involved with our anti-business city hall. My opinion is that before the said franchisee is offered any cooperation from city hall, they must first be willing to open downtown. Failing that, city hall will do everything to delay, annoy,frustrate, aggravate said franchisee. Betcha. Would you spend a lot of money in our downtown as an investment? Where would you build a new restaurant in this town? If you were.

I would just like to say that if you want to compete with gangs trying to recruite kids, don't target the gangs, target the kids. Kids and young people need something cooler to do so they won't be attracted to that lifestyle.

Two more skate parks are needed in this town, one on the hart, one in college heights. A cheaper movie theatre, bigger mall, etc. And a bigger night life for the young adult crowd.

I know it takes private investment to do this, but we need to take the right approach.

There will always be gangs, believe it or not.
We should focus less on getting rid of them, and more on preventing people from joining.

How much would a "big brother eye-in-the-sky" closed circuit camera/surveillance system cost for downtown, similar to London's?

I agree He spoke, I also am very impressed with opinion 250 and their tenacity on the Chances/PG Hotel issue. I am enjoying reading the series.

Was that hotel owned by the "private investors" for even an entire week before flipping it to the city? There's our taxpayer's dollars hard at work filling the pockets of the "in crowd" as gus calls them.

It's great you guys aren't backing down on any of this. Thank you!

We can't just sit and watch the gangs dictate or drug laws. Make weed legal now.

Eagleone I envy you. Enjoy your stay there.
On the crime stats. Statistics can be manipulated to say just about anything you want them to. I think for the most part Prince Georgians are decent people. Sure we have some problems but where don't people have problems? It is what we as individuals do and can do about every situation we encounter that makes a difference. Just try to do the right thing always. It will make a difference. Be the change you want to see.

A fellow from the highsways dept. was on the news talking about speeding in constrction zones, yes I agree don't speed. So Rick why are not the signs taken down or covered when there is no construction and no issue with the road?

well maybe one day, when you all get your heads out of each others butts, it will be too late for Pig Gorge! Me thinks it already is! If you want to continue to down play everything negative said about your little S#!+ hole, nothing will ever change.

You are NUMBER ONE IN CANADA, must make you all proud!!!!

We are #l in Canada but not for the reasons in the News. What has happened to us is we have let the bleeding hearts rule our City and distroy it and we have sat back and done nothing.One has been feeding off the other. What is going on with this big Wellness Center that is being planed for the Drug Addicts ?? lets bring in more of Canadas unwanted. I bet the land is bought and it is in a Residential area. We would not want in the downtown. The big question is why do we even need it?? The Center should be built on the S coast, it sounds like they need it there Its to nice.