Thursday, August 22, 2019 | Your community newspaper since 1916
CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE
Ready for adventure Brian Kuney, Ryan Astles and Jeff McLaren, all with the Canadian Ramp Company, work on the Blackburn RE/MAX All Wheels Adventure Park on Wednesday morning. The park will feature a dirt and wood bike track, bike and skateboard ramps, rails and public washroom facilities. The park is situated between Blackburn Elementary School and the Blackburn Community Hall.
Lost boy suffered minor scratches, dad says Mackenzie rally today
Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff chinzmann@pgcitizen.ca There’s a little scratch on his cheek and another on his left arm but that’s all the harm that was found on little George Hazard-Benoit’s body when he was taken to hospital Sunday night after spending about 31 hours in the wilderness near his home town of Mackenzie. It all started when George’s mom Tykao Hazard and a friend went berry picking near Mackenzie’s Lions Lake campground and left George to nap in the family van Saturday around 12:30 p.m. When George woke up alone, he left the van and wandered into the woods. A huge search was launched and at about 7:30 Sunday evening, George was spotted from the air and the spotter then directed the RCMP officer who handles police dog Kash to George who was then immediately taken to the hospital. The search involved hundreds of people including police, search and rescue personnel and an army of volunteers. George’s father Kris Benoit is very grateful to everyone for all their efforts. Benoit stayed at home during the search. He said he was afraid that if he saw Hazard among the searchers he would have hurt her. “But I was just so mad at Tykao for losing our child,” Benoit said. “I do feel bad – I feel kind of guilty for not helping to search for George because I wonder if we could have found him sooner.” Benoit said he knows Hazard is still beating herself up over losing George.
Today’s Weather Hi +15° Low +10° See page 2 for more details and short-term forecasts
LOCAL HOROSCOPE OPINION NEWS SPORTS HEALTH
Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff
FAMILY HANDOUT PHOTO
George Hazard-Benoit, 4, left, plays with step-brother Tobias, 5, at home. George was lost in the forest for about 32 hours and was found Sunday not much worse for wear. He was released from hospital on Tuesday. “I told her when we got to the hospital that I was still mad – and I really was – I was glad that George was home but I was still really mad at Tykao,” Benoit said. “And I wanted to be mad at her, but at the same time all I could do was give her a hug.” Beniot said Hazard told him she was so sorry and not to hate her for losing their son. “I told her ‘I don’t care, George is home, George is alive, George is safe and he’s with us,’” Benoit said.
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He and Hazard have not been together since George was one and a half. Benoit said that when he was told by police George had been found it was all he could do to stay in the house. “I wanted to run to the hospital to see George,” Benoit said, who lives close by. The police came and got him and they couldn’t come fast enough. “I ran into the hospital room and just cried when I saw my little boy covered in all those blankets,” he added. — see ‘GEORGE SAID, page 3
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Mackenzie residents are gathering for an afternoon rally today, hoping political leaders invited to speak can offer hope to the troubled community north of Prince George. “We would like our logs to stop leaving the community, we would like our sawmills to be able to run and you know, the bottom line is we’d like them to change the legislation so logs have to stay in the community and be milled here,” Kim Guthrie, chair of the Mackenzie Matters rally, said. “We have a small community here that keeps shrinking and how do we keep towns like this surviving and thriving and being sustainable when we keep losing our ability to maintain,” she said. “We’re hoping he comes up with some good news they’ve been working on in the background.” The Canfor sawmill in Mackenzie was put on an “indefinite curtailment” July 19, a few days later the Conifex facility was on temporary curtailment and then because it couldn’t get the wood from local mills. Parallel 55, which is a finger joint mill shut down, too. It’s a trickle-down effect, Guthrie, a notary public, said. “There’s also indirect job loss for other businesses in the community,” she added. “We’ve already had lay-ffs at the grocery store and small businesses like mine.” Guthrie said when she moved to Mackenzie 30 years ago there were three elementary schools and a high school, a dentist, a chiropractor, an eye doctor, two grocery stores and three gas stations. — see ‘SOMETHING’S GOT TO BE DONE, page 3
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