Ranking April Fools' jokes I saw
And forestry in a time of tariffs
Given the state of everything, you’re really playing with fire posting April Fool’s Jokes online these days. One, because misinformation is already rampant so unless it’s incredibly obvious it’s a joke you are liable to have people believe it’s true without every fact-checking and two, truth is so often stranger than fiction these days.
And yet, some locals forged on anyways.
In order for a modern online April Fools’ joke to work I think it needs to be ranked by
Is it funny/clever?
Is it easy to identify as a joke?
If it harmless (just in case it is not identified as a joke)?
Here’s are the ones I caught:
Citizen to host federal leader’s debate
The premise itself is a bit meh, but there are some good lines in here:
The panel will be moderated by Citizen editor Kennedy Gordon.
“I’ve never moderated any kind of debate before, let alone at this level,” said Gordon. “But I did handle the customer service announcements when I worked at Zellers in the ’80s so I should do OK.”
And
To properly showcase our community to the party leaders before the debate, they will be taken on a tour of Connaught Hill and shown the site for our city’s new IMAX theatre. Arriving at the PG Playhouse, The Citizen has arranged for Mr. PG to welcome them, decked out with a Citizen hat and T-shirt. As well, Mr. PG will have a newspaper delivery bag over his shoulder and be holding a rolled-up copy of the paper.
Is it funny/clever?
4/10
Is it easy to identify as a joke?
8/10
Is it harmless?
8/10
Total ranking: 20/30
Paid parking at the CN Centre
I have a harder time judging this one because I didn’t see it in realtime and it’s been deleted from everywhere it was posted (CKPG, plus the websites for 101.3 and 99.3). I’m not certain, therefore, whether the big “APRIL FOOL’S BANNER” was originally posted, or not, and whether the River’s note to “please stop calling city hall, the city of Prince George is not pleased with us…” is part of the joke or an actual thing that happened. If the original story was posted without the April Fools messaging this would have to take a lower ranking because it’s clearly a semi-believable premise with actual implications for people who didn’t realize it wasn’t true. My ranking is based somewhere between…
Is it funny/clever?
1/10
Is it easy to identify as a joke?
5/10 ???
Is it harmless?
6/10???
Total ranking: 12/30
Overhang is removing all of its orange holds as a statement against Trump
To be fully honest, I am still only 98 per cent certain this is a joke because there’s no obvious earmarks stating it except the day it was posted and the relative absurdity of the premise, moreso for the cost than the sentiment. That said, it is clever enough to offset any potential confusion and, arguably, if it isn’t a joke it’s actually stronger given current vibes.
Is it funny/clever?
15/10
Is it easy to identify as a joke?
4/10 ???
Is it harmless?
10/10
Total ranking: 29/30
CKPG Today pivots to full emu coverage
A second offering from the Pattison gropu, this one via CKPG Today and host Caden Fanshaw. While full emu coverage is a believable premise, the joke is given away by the “Happy April Fools” at the end and the spring photo - you won’t trick me, Fanshaw!
Is it funny/clever?
8/10
Is it easy to identify as a joke?
9/10
Is it harmless?
10/10
Total ranking: 27/30
Forestry in a time of tariffs
CBC’s the National visited Prince George and Vanderhoof for a report on forestry:
I worked with the team for a write-up around the story, though most of it is what you’ve heard already if you live here and aimed at a more general audience. Still, I wanted to note John Brink’s emotional response to the tariffs and 51st state talk:
John Brink is a Prince George-based businessman whose companies manufacture finger joints, used to link pieces of wood together, using unused lumber discarded by other mills.
The main market for his products is the United States, but, he says, once 25 per cent tariffs come into effect, he's not sure the business will be viable, making him visibly emotional.
"A lot of people will get hurt, losing their jobs, losing their businesses," he said. "It's not viable."
Brink came to Canada from the Netherlands in his 20s, settling in Prince George amid a boom in the lumber industry that saw it and surrounding communities rapidly grow through the 1950s and 60s.
Canadians, he says, were his heroes, thanks to their role in liberating his hometown from German occupation when he was just five years old.
"I hear the president of the United States talking about Canada like it's just another state," he said, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's continued habit of referring to Canada as if it were a territory of the United States. "No respect. That bothers me."
More candidate profiles, more candidates
This time it’s Angie Bonazzo, NDP candidate for Cariboo-Prince George:
“The NDP is the original party that brought public health care to Canada,” Bonazzo said.
“This is where I make my living, I work with patients directly and I’m very passionate about this. The NDP has brought in the dental-care program, pharmacare, is delivering right now birth control and diabetic medications and I want to preserve that. This is one of my guiding principles to preserve that for this region and all of Canada.”
Bonazzo is a mental health support worker at the adult withdrawal management unit in Prince George, more colloquially known as the detox unit.
She also volunteers at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia as a newborn cuddler at the neo-natal intensive care unit and as a yoga instructor at the Prince George YMCA.
There’s also confirmation that Cory Longley is the NDP candidate for Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies and a note that the Christian Heritage Party is also running a candidate in Cariboo-Prince George.
Cougars down 2-1
Unfortunately, it was a pretty massive sweep with a 6-3 loss on the road, putting the team down 2 games to 1 in the series.
Related: “We need to be the hunters,”: Playfair says Cougars need to be more assertive against Portland; Ravensbergen and Kmec named to Western Conference second All-Star team.
News roundup:
“Food charter” to push for local food sovereignty in Prince George–Lheidli T’enneh.
Dr. Shannon Freeman honoured for research contributions to aging and palliative care.
Lheidli T’enneh chief and council candidates’ leadership discussion happening 5-8 p.m. today.
$12,000 worth of stolen equipment recovered, returned following Thacker Crescent investigation.
Crews respond to commercial structure fire at Tidewater refinery.
Pickering's Prince George Percherons steal the spotlight in Arizona.
100-Day Countdown to 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games begins.
Another indoor playground? We went 0-100 on this service.
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I'd give the CKPG pay parking article a 0/10 for all metrics. When I read it at 8:30ish am, it did not include the April Fools banner, and readers had to scroll past the huge ad break on the page to read that the point person for the project was named Apryl Phools. Almost no one reads to the end of an article or post when they're fired up about something, especially when it comes to governments making financial decisions that impact citizens (and especially since snow removal has been a contentious point of the budget for years now). My first thought was "whelp RIP city staff" and looks like that was an accurate prediction :( They really missed the mark on that one.
I really enjoyed Nest and Sprout’s April Fool’s joke, which included an old school html website: https://nestandsprout.ca/blogs/news-from-the-nest/big-changes-at-nest-sprout-meet-crazy-eric-s-baby-emporium