B.C. man survives 70 years in the arctic and other April Fools’ Day pranks

In an incredible story of heroism and survival, a man who was presumed dead after being lost in the high arctic has been found alive after 70 years.

Discovered by two hunters in a remote area of northern British Columbia earlier this year, RCMP Officer William Crayford returned home to Vancouver in February.

Despite initial skepticism, experts from the RCMP and the Vancouver Maritime Museum have been able to verify him as a member of the original crew of the RCMP vessel St. Roch which crossed the Northwest Passage twice in 1942 and 1944.

He will be honoured in a special ceremony at the Museum on May 31.

“This is one of the most incredible survival stories I have ever heard,” said RCMP inspector Ken Burton, “I can tell you that no one believed it at first. But having seen the evidence and heard the story, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the real Bill Crayford.”

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The Abbotsford Police got into the fun as well, putting a notice out this morning that drivers will now be charged for making left turns.

“Today is the first day for tolling for left turns,” said Cst. Ian MacDonald.

“Starting this month, registered owners will start receiving invoices for every left turn they take. Those invoices are going to amount to $2.57 each, although the APD has started an initiative where you can get decals.”

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“We have three levels of decals – weekly passes, monthly passes and yearly passes.”

A yearly decal will cost you $10,000.

Over on Vancouver Island, Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard and Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen announced they were going to ask the province to change the name of the University of Victoria – to the University of Saanich-Oak Bay.

That would make sense, they argued, as it would better reflect where the campus is located.

In a well-executed video prank, Simon Fraser University announced a new program today called ‘Semester in Space’.

“Simon Fraser University will be the first university in the world to offer a truly out-of-this-world experience,” said Dr. Jon Driver, vice president, academic.

Students will have the opportunity to spend a semester in a satellite campus in orbit.

“Students should be cognizant that their urine, their sweat, will be recycled, so in essence , the coffee that they drank yesterday will be the coffee for the crew mates tomorrow,” said Dr. Robert Thirsk, former astronaut.

Not to be outdone, here at Global BC, we announced Mark Madryga is going to be leaving us as he will be running for the position of Mayor of Surrey.

And we also introduced our concept of hyper local news, something we are calling “Glocal News.”

“I turned 50 last year, been in this business for 20 years, been doing weather since I was nine, thought maybe there was something else that I wanted to do, and there is something else I want to do with my career, and so this morning I’m going to be announcing and I am announcing right now, that I’m going to be running for the Mayor of Surrey,” said Madryga.

Do you know of any other B.C. pranks? Let us know in the comments below!