Port Edward wants a referendum
‘on any land clyim deal negotiated
with the Nisga’a of the Nass Val-
ley.

Don Simmons made the state-
meit in a letter to Preinier Mike
Harcourt protesting the lack of in-
formation and involvement in the
negotiations now underway be-

tween the Nisga’a, the - federal.
government .and the provincial:

government.

‘The ultimate stakeholders af-

Deficit
at Mills
despite
Cuts

TERRACE — Mills Memorial
Hospital will. still run a deficit of
as much . as $200, 000-this year
despite layoffs and bed closures.
That’s because’ ofthe length of

time it’s taking for the layoffs ta,

take effect, says Terrace Regional
Health Care Society chief execu-
live officer Michael Leisinger.

Although the hespital’s finan-
cial year begins April 1, its final
budget wasn'l sellled until carly
summer,

The hospital then had to decide
what measures (o take to reduce
expenditures and it’s taking time
to implement layoffs because of
seniority and bumping-provisions,
said Leisinger.

Original projections were for a
deficit of $525,000-1£ layoffs. and
bed closures didn’t take place.

‘We said at the start the budget
would be balanced with the cuts
on an annualized. basis, But that
dacsn’t help us’ for this fiscal
year,” said Leisinger.

A final deficit: figure is also
pending once the hospital is fin-
ished calculating the impact of
retroaclive wage settlements with
its unions.

Leisinger said he first thought
the deficit might be as much as
$250,000 but that provincial pay-
ments for wage equity provisions
in new contracls have helped.

Mills and other northern hospi-
tals ran into financial trouble this
year when their budgets were
- frozen at least year’s level.

That left them coping with in-
Nation and wage increases with
ihe same amount of money as
they had last year...

Mills cut the equivalent of 10
full time posilions aid closed 22
of ils 89 beds in the attempt to
balance its budget, ©

Mayor

TERRACE — The mayor of

fected by this process must have a
‘chance to both understand what is

being uegotiated and bow it will .
impact on their lives,’? he wrote. ©. -

. Simmons’ -letter was written
after an Aug,-20 secret meeting

“held: by. the: provincial govern-

ment to discuss: the negotiations.

He was critical of the request, by
the provincial negotiators: ta Keep

~the information given a secret,

: ~ ir became apparent’. that the
piesent position ‘of the three ne-

gotialing parties is to cotclude -

pul, and this is net palatable to

the majorily of the people:in Port”
Edward and we are confident ¢
throughout the region,” Simmons

told Harcourt.

Simmons’ said mayors at ‘the

meeting could - only: personal
opinions and didn’t -have the

~ability to discuss the issues with
‘their constituencies.

~The Couiicil of the District af
Port Edward requests. your inter-
vention in this process to censure

Living history

HERITAGE PARK isn’t just a place where items gather dust. Donations are enjoyed by people
for arn idea of how settlers lived and what they did, Terrace Regional Museum Society employ-
‘ees Sheila Sandover-Sly and Lee Cameron pose outside of the park's Kalum Hotel show-
Piece, The park closes for the season Sept. 23.

land

‘the agreement without public in-

' the. province,
through referendum, to voice ac-

thatas much information as. jios-
sible is disseminated to the public
as the partics come to agreement
on cach issue, and that ultimately
the residents of the region, if not
have a ‘chance

ceplance or rejection, ” he con-
tinued. ao

volvement. in. another: native. is-

ste, settiig up of-a native com- ,
mercial fishery,. resulted inca dis-

aster, _

TERRACE — A plan by CN
Rail to __ install
avalanche-control artillery
cluding one near Usk — has
sone residents worried,

CNR spokesman Marian
Robson said the railway plans
to install. between five ‘and

from
Rupert.

The only one that’s cons
tentious, Robson said, is the
one planned for near Usk.

Kilwa nga

Residents there arc upset

Guns ol worry —

several |

guns along its rail line —-in-*

solution to the concerns about

seven. of the gun. positions. noise,” Robson added.

to Prince .

-about the prospect. of noise
from the firing of the 105-mm
gun. on ,
“CN and the highways minis-
try held a, meeting with resi-
deuts (here Monday night in‘an
‘ effort to calm fears,”

“We're trying to find game”

She said the guns are needed’
to bring avalanches down safe- :
“Aye .
Snow slides frequently block
the rail line during the winter.

“Tt happens every yea,” she
added.

“TERRACE — _ Blaine Johnston is

back in business as the Jocat. mar

chinery for the Oct, 26 constitu-
tional referendum starts up.

The main office is in the-old
bingo hall, beside Kondola’s Fur-

'. niture, on Hwy16, said Johnston
- who has been the returning of--
* ficer for recent federal, provincial *

and municipal élections.’

The voting will be conducted -
ol the cxact same fines’ as any

federal election.
There’s an enumeration period,

advance polls and a revision peri- .

ad leading to the final voters’ list,
said Johnston.

Here's a rundown of significant .

dates: ‘

- the Progressive -

we

“Door to ‘door

Oct: .

each sakes place to com~
. pile the voters’ list,

The New Democratic P arty and
Conservilive
party, which placed. first ‘and sec-
ond respectively in the last: ‘feder-

> al election here, have the’ right to

nominate enumerators,

The plan is to have one person

from cach party go door to door
in urban areas with one person
doing the work in rural areas,

“Those who will be away for this
period can have friends, neigh-
‘bours or relatives in the same

polling division put them on the
list, said Johnston.
Oct. 12 - 17 and Oct. 19 - 20.

: Terrace mayor Jack Talstra,

who walked out of the Aug. 20.
mecting after the secrecy request
was made, fell just short’ of
endorsing. the = referendum

‘demand.

'T don’t think al this time we
would want to-go out and have a
referendum. We want input as the

: ero 7 | ggies are resolved and preferably
Simmous-said'lack of public in- a

before they-are resolved, * he said

lasts week,

- But Talstra-did point to the Oct,.
6 federal referendum on the con-

* stitution-as: an example of what

aim vote

can be done to gain. public r reac
tion to major issues.)

And he did add that provincial
voters last fall gave overwhelm-
lng approval to the idea of posing
questions ina referendum format,

‘We haven't! heard-a word
about that since,” said Talstra.

That referendum: plan would

" first, have: to. become - part of

provincial law.
There’s: been no: sign. yet from

the provincial government: on “if.

and when that legislation will be
introduced.

Situation

‘desperate’
at camp |

By JEFF NAGEL
TERRACE — Aiyansh RCMP
and Prince Rupert. RCMP’s com-
mercial crime unit are investigating
allegations of fraud at a Nass
Valley mushroom picking.camp.

And health-inspector Ron Craig
said he is checking complaints of
inadequate food, drinking water
and sanitation at the same camp.

The allegations follow stories of
nearly 200 young prople from as Far
as Ontario responding to ads pro-
mising ‘income of up to-$1,000 a
day. ?

The camp, ran by Natural Ex-
cellence Industries Ltd. of Van-
cauver, is ‘Tocated T2km west of
Cranberry Junction. ;

Young people now: in the camp
say the company has failed to live
up to ils promises, of hot food Land
showers.

Most of the 170 pickers ‘who are
rived at the beginning of the
mouth paid $1,000 up-front as a-

“service” fee’? in return for ac-
commodations and instruction on
how to pick mushrooms. ;

The camp, billed- itself as a
cooperative venture, willl. pickers
working together,’ flying’ 40
remote picking areas in helicop-
ters, and collecting higher pralits
by flying the mushraams Aireetly
to the airport.

Pickers also paid $25 in camp
fees (since reduced to $12 a day),

Butthe mushroom season so far
has been bad, leaving the pickers
with te source of- income. _Al-
though many people are attracted
by prices as high as $75 a-pound,
few mushrooms ate appearing.

Many pickers, short of maney,
have sbandoned the camp since
arriving at the beginning of the
month,

One group of six from the
camp; who. fear reprisals from

Advaice voting for these people
who will be owt of town Oct. 26
will take place al the retuming of-
fice.

Oct. 17 - 19. The court of revi-

“sion sits for people who for one

Teasou, or another were not

"enumerated Oct. 2+ 7.

Oct, 22°- 23, Advance polling.
Locations. for these polls and
polls .on referendum day are
being worked out,

Oct. 26. Referendum day. Palls

open at 9 ain. and close at 8 p.m.

Locations will be announced.
Voler requirements remain as
they would for any federal elec-
tion, said Johnston. A voter must
be at least 18 years of age, be a

. the Klondike gold rush.

enrolment st a Nort

camp operators if they are é identi-
fied, say they've made io money
in three weeks there.

‘Two of the group’ say. they have:
been sick ‘in the last week, All:
complained of living conditions,

“It’s bread: if! the morming,-

bread at Hoon and -bread in the:

evening,” said. an _Edinonton:
woman. |.

T’ve lost 10 pounds 80 fur, at
Vancouver-area man ‘Said. op
know one’ guy who’ ‘lost 25:
pounds.’”?

They. said . ‘some: * pickers. are:
going on welfare, aud some go to:
a soup kitchen in Terrace. - :

“A lot af people have no way:
to get back,”’ sald one picker. mo

Bill Young, who owns te Bill-:

Nor Tillicum’ Lodge «at. Nass:

4

; Camp, sald. he: has, tried to feed
“sone of Me HEY preneree

“People tire bloody desperate,”
said Young. I really ‘feel sorry -
for them: People: are up. there:

- starving. They've gat no money:

and no way to get home. I don’t
know ‘whiat- Some of ‘them’ ate
going to do.” :

- Local ‘depot “operator Phyllis
Burkett: likened the situation , to

“People: from‘all over the coun-
try are coming herc,” she said,
“They're selling: their, last, assets
to come here and.pick,"” >

“You ‘only hear about, ‘the sue-
cess stories,” she said. "You

— don’t hear about the ones that are.

freezing. The ones that are “starv-
ing. ‘Fhe ones. that can’t get
home,””

New Aiyansh RCMP said they °

were ‘investigating reports of: a
disturbance at the camp Sunday.
Attempts. to, contact company
representatives have so far been
unsuccessful,

chine cranks up

Canadian citizen and have lived

_in the area at Teast six months.

There’s also an important item
for people who may not.be on a
voters’ list but think they can reg-:
ister at the polls on referendum,
day, said Johiiston. -

The rule is that people who: live

in a‘ amunicipality of 5,000 or

more won't be able to register at
the polls, she said... .

“Terrace, Kitimat: and Prince
Rupert are urban areas, ‘Thombill
isnat,’’ Johnston said, .

For the -first time, inmates wilt
be allowed to vote.

That’s being handled separately
and isn't part of Johnston’ $ re-

sponsibility.

era ig