I’m not sure how much coverage to give John Rustad/the B.C. Conservative Party in this newsletter. While Rustad was previously one of three MLAs representing a portion of Prince George, that ended in 2009 when the Prince George-Omineca riding became Nechako Lakes, shifting the electoral boundary westward and out of the city. However, he has gone from being a backbench MLA in the B.C. Liberals (now B.C. United) to an independent (after getting kicked out for questioning the science of climate change) to, with the recent defection of fellow former B.C. Liberal/United MLA Bruce Banman, the leader of an organization that will have official party status in the upcoming legislative session.

And while Rustad may not be running for Prince George in the next election, there are currently only four declared candidates for the party across the province, one of whom is current Prince George school board Rachael Weber. She will be running in the potentially-vulnerable Prince George-Mackenzie riding (I say potentially vulnerable because Mike Morris, who has represented the riding for the Liberals/United for the past decade-ish, has said he won’t be doing so again). So it is, at the very least, probably worth noting what Rustad/his party has to say about certain issues.

So: This past weekend, as thousands of people marched and gathered and reflected on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is meant to honour the victims and survivors of residential schools — a multi-generational tragedy marked by lost lives, countless destroyed or frayed familial connections, the attempted eradication of entire cultures and languages and a legacy of trauma that continues to permeate today — Rustad decided to compare what happened to Indigenous people to the fact that kids are being taught about sex and gender diversity in schools in a way he says he doesn’t like:

Anyways, in 2019 Rustad (wrongly) publicly speculated that government scientists were killing caribou and when it was pointed out to him that was completely false he said while he didn’t want to promote fake news, it felt like “information worth sharing.”

Hart to Hart

This Reddit thread on the Hart is fun if for no other reason than all the nicknames for it: Mackenzie South, the Harctic. Also this observation: “What I’m most curious about is why no one visits after you move. It’s like 15 mins on the highway is an overnight trip for most people!” Having never visited the Hart for anything other than the occassional sports game until I was a legal adult, can confirm.

Quick news:

• “It will take time to heal all this”: Hundreds gather for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

• A conversation with Lheidli T’enneh chief Dolleen Logan.

• Purden Ski Village owner Keith Buchanan and silviculture specialist Jerry Edwards identified as those killed in helicopter crash.

• Shorsey star Keiliani Rose says returning to her Lheidli T’enneh culture has helped her heal after being shot in Los Angeles.

• B.C. police watchdog criticizes Prince George RCMP for leaving weapons within reach of an arrested man who pepper sprayed an officer inside the detachment, resulting in a shot being fired into his groin.

• No surprise, given the sneezing and coughing going around, but: respiratory illnesses on the rise at the hospital.

• CNC tuition is going up, also.

• This letter to the editor calling for Rachael Weber to resign is making the rounds.

• The disc golf course that used to be on the Hart ski hill has moved to Otway. Maybe now people will go there since it’s not so far away (look, I did a callback).

• The Prince George Cougars swept the Victoria Royals with two road victories.

• Spruce Kings won, too. But also lost.

• Kodiaks just lost.

• Feels like this could apply to about five generations of Prince Georgians:

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