Stabbing death at Tachie,
one man in custody
The Indpendent Investigations Office has been
called in following the stabbing death of a
Tachie man Sunday.
Fort St. James RCMP report they were called
out to a stabbing on the Tl'azt'en Nation
Reserve, about 65 kilometres west of Fort St.
James shortly after 2 a.m.
En route to the call officers intercepted family
members of the victim, a 31-year-old Tachie
resident, who were transporting him to the
nearest hospital. Officers were advised of the
suspect’s name and family members were
advised to carry on to meet with the
ambulance while one of the officers followed
the family vehicle.
The victim was pronounced dead at the
hospital and the North District Major Crime
Unit has taken carriage of the investigation.
The suspect, a 33-year-old Tachie resident was
taken into police custody. It is believed the two
individuals involved knew each other and the
community is not at risk.
Investigators are asking anyone with
information to contact the Fort St James RCMP
at 250-996-8269.
As required by the Police Act, the Independent
Investigations Office (IIO. BC) has been notified
and they are assessing the matter as it relates
to police officers’ actions and the medical
assistance provided to the now deceased
victim.
EI changes are
now in effect
Changes to the Employment Insurance (EI)
program are now in effect.
The changes include the elimination of EI
eligibility requirements for new entrants and
re-entrants. Instead of having to accumulate
910 hours of insurable employment, claimants
newly entering the workforce or returning
after an absence of two or more years must
now meet the same eligibility requirements as
other claimants in the economic region where
they live.
Job search responsibilities for EI claimants have
been simplified. Rules enacted in 2012 forcing
unemployed workers to commute farther or
take lower-paying jobs have been reversed.
Canadians living in the 15 identified regions
hardest hit by the commodities downturn and
that have experienced a sharp and sustained
increase in local job losses have started to
receive extended EI regular benefits.
Briefing Room
The province and the feds are
working towards getting a
federally inspected beef
processing plant operating in
Prince George.
The BC Cattlemen’s
Association (BCCA) will
receive up to $144,000 of
federal and provincial
government funding to identify
supply-chain and investment
partners, and develop business
models for the ownership and
operation of the plant. The
BCCA will also contribute up
to $16,000 for the development
of the plan, which will
incorporate a marketing and
sales strategy, defined
production and operation requirements, as well as financial, human resource and contingency plans.
If it were to proceed, the plant would significantly boost the capacity to export B.C. beef directly to foreign
markets. Currently, B.C. cattle are most often processed at federally licensed plants in Alberta or the United States
when the beef is going to be sold to other provinces or countries.
The business plan will support earlier BCCA research that predicted a federally inspected plant would potentially
generate significant economic benefits for B.C.’s cattle sector and the Prince George area, including, within three
years of operation, potential for:
An additional $250 million in annual beef and byproduct sales.
An increase in value-added exports of up to $180 million.
Up to 180 new full-time-equivalent jobs within the plant and about 620 spinoff jobs.
The plant could increase local food supply security and help supply beef to British Columbian families, as well as
be exported to markets in Europe and Asia.
The funding is provided under Growing Forward 2, a
five-year agreement which launched in 2013, that
provides a $3-billion, federal-provincial-territorial
government investment in innovation, competitiveness
and market development.
“B.C. has a vibrant cattle industry that has opportunity
for growth," said Kevin Boon, B.C. Cattlemen's
Association general manager, in a press release. "The
lack of a federally inspected packing plant restricts us
from taking advantage of many aspects of the value
chain. The investment of these dollars now is prudent
for industry to make informed decisions as to whether
this is a viable progression for the beef industry in
B.C.”
Beef processing
plant gets closer