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United Steelworkers spokesperson grateful for Prince George hospitality

Prince George has welcomed over 7,000 wildfire evacuees since the fires began last weekend and ravaged much of the Cariboo.

United Steelworkers Local 1-2017 First Vice President Paul French

Paul French is one of the people displaced due to the fires.

He is the First Vice President of the United Steelworkers Union Local 1-2017.

French says the experience has been wonderful. “Prince George has been incredible hosts – they must have they must have a thousand volunteers at the college and university bringing in people. You just can’t say enough about the hospitality in Prince George with people offering their houses, bringing meals and there are all kinds of stuff going on and they’re having that a big rally in the park on Saturday with a whole bunch of events and of course the BBQ, it’s just absolutely unbelievable what’s what’s happening.”

French is also lobbying for government support during this time with production at several facilities now halted.

“We’ve got a disaster here and we’ve got our five mills down, our mines are in trouble, all the small businesses in town are in trouble. We need help because this doesn’t affect just our unionized sites, everybody in Williams Lake is affected..”

He advises anyone whose place of employment is being affected by wildfires to apply for Employment Insurance through Ottawa.

Both mill managers at Tolko and West Fraser will provide $1,000 to each employee for disaster relief

Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].

Brendan Pawliw
Brendan Pawliw
Since moving to Prince George in 2015, Brendan has covered local sports including the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, Prince George Spruce Kings, UNBC Timberwolves, Cariboo Cougars AAA, and Northern Capitals U18 female hockey teams. Career highlights include play-by-play during the Spruce Kings' BCHL championship runs in 2018 and 2019, including the Doyle Cup win. He also covered the 2019 National Junior A Championship, the 2017 Telus Cup, the 2022 World Women’s Curling Championship, and the 2022 BC Summer Games. Brendan is the news voice on 94.3 The Goat and Country 97 FM, reporting on crime, real estate, labour, and environmental issues. Outside of work, he officiates box lacrosse and fastball, sits on the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame board, and co-hosts the Hockey North podcast.

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