There was no shortage of news and newsmakers in Prince George during 2013.
Below, you'll find five individuals and a combined trio that Citizen staff are nominating as the top local newsmaker of 2013.
The final decision, however, is yours. We'd like to hear from you about who you thought was the Prince George newsmaker of 2013 and why. Send me an email at [email protected] (click on the address) with your pick. Voting closes Monday, Dec. 30 at noon. Check out our New Year's Eve edition, where we'll name the Prince George newsmaker of the year, as chosen by Citizen readers.
-- managing editor Neil Godbout
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Andy Beesley
He underwent a complete lifestyle change in 2013, losing 95 pounds, so he could star in a once-in-a-lifetime role as Jean Valjean in Judy Russell's production of Les Miserables this summer.
In the fall, he was named Citizen of the Year, thanks to his 30-plus years of devotion as a Big Brother, as well as his tireless volunteer work with minor hockey and other community groups.
Beesley, who manages CN Centre and the city's recreational facilities, led the team that brought country superstar Carrie Underwood and legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld for shows in 2013.
He's also been busy behind the scenes. Beesley sits on the bargaining committee for the City of Prince George with its unionized employees, who are currently in a position to strike after a one-day walkout Saturday.
-- Christine Hinzmann
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Shirley Bond
Shirley Bond's victory in the May 14 provincial election makes her case not only for the Citizen's newsmaker of the year but as one of the foremost - and finest - politicians of any stripe in this region has ever seen. The win secured her fourth term as a B.C. Liberal MLA, this time for the riding of Prince George-Valemount, and marked the continuation of a career as a perennial party frontbencher that has seen her hold the balance of the party's major portfolios, from health to education to serving as the province's first female Attorney General.
Now she's in the crucial role as jobs, tourism and skills training minister. Jobs first is Christy Clark's mantra and it puts Bond near the centre of the bulk of B.C.'s most crucial economic issues, from the government's push for liquefied natural gas to the supposed shortage of skilled workers to, of course, the overheated debate over the Northern Gateway pipeline project. All of them could mean plenty of work for British Columbians and those in Prince George but they no doubt will leave much to do both for Shirley Bond and those who must write about her in 2014.
-- Rodney Venis
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Beth James
When she was first unveiled as the new city manager, Beth James was highlighted as an outsider: a senior executive, former provincial deputy minister from the Lower Mainland who was expected to shake things up at city hall.
And if that's what council wanted when they hired her by unanimous decision, then its wish has been granted.
To quote Miley Cyrus, James came in like a wrecking ball.
James put her experience into practice, swiftly bringing down the hammer, corralling senior staff into what's now referred to as the "executive team" and essentially rewriting the core review report from KPMG - a $350,000 exercise that was a basic retread of reports produced for other communities.
Further "efficiencies" have since been found at city hall, with jobs getting shuffled, layoffs handed out and more management plans in the making. For the first time in the city's history, its unionized employees staged a one-day strike and is still in the position to go back to the picket line.
Even the political side is feeling the influence of James, with mayor and council quick to defer to her for guidance when making decisions. Because within the walls of city hall, James's word is law.
-- Charelle Evelyn
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Tracey Matters
Greg Matters and the controversy surrounding his death in a confrontation with police made him the 2012 newsmaker of the year and the case can be made for sister Tracey being named this year's top newsmaker.
Thanks largely to her actions, Matter's case has remained in the headlines in the months leading up to the coroner's inquest that went for two weeks in October and will continue for another week in late January.
She kept the pressure on for solid answers after the Independent Investigations Office cleared RCMP of criminal wrongdoing in her brother's death in May, contending police overreacted to a simple domestic dispute.
In September, shortly before the inquest began, Tracey and her mother were on hand to receive a Memorial Cross from the Canadian Armed Forces in Greg's name.
During the inquest, Tracey was again back in Prince George, having flown here with her husband from Melbourne, Australia, to take in the proceedings from the gallery's front row and relaying her thoughts to the media during the breaks.
-- Mark Nielsen
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Terry Teegee
As political leaders, industry representatives and residents of northern B.C. debate the future of the region's natural resources industries, Carrier Sekani Tribal Council chief Terry Teegee has been at the centre of the conversation.
Any way you slice it, First Nations groups will have a large say over how mining, forestry and oil and gas projects proceed in the coming years. Whether it's organizing rallies or hosting summits, Teegee is making sure his people's voices are heard and he's ensuring the Carrier Sekani will be part of the decision-making process.
Teegee has been an outspoken opponent of the proposed Northern Gateway heavy oil pipeline from northern Alberta to Kitimat. Debate surrounding the pipeline made headlines throughout 2013 with the conclusion of the Joint Review Panel process and will continue into 2014 as the federal government contemplates the future of the mega-project.
Teegee was also the face of the successful First Nations LNG Summit in Prince George in October, which brought together national, international and provincial political leaders with aboriginal representatives from around northern B.C. to discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding liquefied natural gas. With the provincial government keen on making LNG the cornerstone of B.C.'s economic growth, the issues discussed at the summit likely set the table for negotiations that will carry on into 2014 and beyond.
-- Peter James
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Sheila Leggett, Kenneth Bateman and Hans Matthews
Their names may not be familiar, they're not from Prince George and they're nominated for something they haven't even done yet, but there is no doubt they will be responsible for the biggest news story in Prince George in 2013 and possibly the decade.
Leggett, Bateman and Matthews are the three members of the federal government's Enbridge Northern Gateway Project Joint Review Panel, which is charged with reviewing the environmental and social impact of the proposed $6.5 billion, 1,177-kilometre twin pipeline project.
The panel concluded its hearings into the proposed pipeline in June, and is scheduled to present its final recommendations to the federal government and the public this afternoon.
There has been 15 years of research, discussion and debate since the initial feasibility study in 1998; over 180 days of hearings from Jan. 10, 2012 to June 28, 2013; countless protests, news stories, editorials, letters to the editor, ad campaigns, opinion polls and announcements; political wrangling at the highest level of provincial and federal government; and even a wildcat proposal for an oil refinery by B.C. media baron David Black.
Their report will be vindication for one side of this controversial issue and an outrage to the other. It will set the context for the final government decision on the project, and has the potential to shape Canada's policies and approach to energy exports for decades to come.
-- Arthur Williams
