A4- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 21, 1996 TERRACE STANDARD ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, [988 ADDRESS: 3210 Clinton Street Terrace, B.C. * V8G 5R2 TELEPHONE: (604) 638-7283 * FAX: (604) 638-8432 MODEM: (604) 638-7247 Get ready KER-WHUMP!!! That’s the avalanche sound of the combined forces of the federal, provincial and Nisga’a public relations machines descend- ing upon the northwest now that an agreement in principle for the Nisga’a land claim has been signed. One of the prime selling points of an eventual Nisga’a treaty will be the economic benefits for all residents of the northwest. Heck. We already knew that. Ask anyone in the accommodation and transportation business and they'll tell you of the dollar boost given them over the past three years of negotiators, consul- tants, lawyers, politicians and the like jetting up and down, renting rooms, renting vehicles, buying goods and services. It’s a fair bet the two major airlines would have replaced their jets with prop jobs years ago had it not been for the regular business afforded them by treaty talks. Last week, for example, a small army of spin doctors descended upon Terrace for the release of the agreement in principle — each promoting a particular point of view and each contributing dollars to the local economy. But now the serious business begins — that of determining how the proposed treaty affects us all and what will happen now that the three parties have agreed to what they call certainty in resource, government, taxation, social programs and educational areas. We’re told there’ll be extensive information made available and many chances to respond and give opinions. So far things haven’t gotten off to a smooth start. Last week’s signing of the agree- ment in principle in the heart of downtown Van- couver is but one example. To ignore the area in which the treaty will have the largest impact is hardly an inspiring reality for northwesterners. A lot of us have wondered about what’s been going on behind closed doors all those years. And a lot of us have wondered how and when we'll have a say in the final outcome. We’re now to have our chance. We’re going to hear the good things, the bad things and every- thing in between. As the minister Says at the marriage altar — ‘‘speak now or forever hold your peace,’’ Rental quandry A LIVEABLE city must contain an adequate mix of housing. But there’s a massive gap here in the apartment rental category. That’s in part the reason for the massive interest shown in multi-family units on the southside — the market’s demanding this kind of housing and developers are responding. The other reason stems from zoning on the southside which allows this kind of housing. Yet the problem for the city is that the area is also one of single-family homes and it anticipates much opposition should those developments go ahead. The city’s response is to change the zoning. It might make southsiders happy but developers angry. And the problem of that gap in the hous- ing mixture won’t go away. Next month the city will be looking for opinions on what to do. We ultimately get the kind of city we want and that means the city needs to hear from as many people as possible. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Rod Link ADVERTISING MANAGER: Mike L. Hamm PRODUCTION MANAGER: Edouard Credgeur NEWS Jeff Navel « NEWS SPORTS: COMMUNITY: Cris Leykaut OFFICE MANAGER: Audra Creek ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS: Sam Collier, Janet Viveiros, Tracey Tomas ADVERTISING ASSISTANT: Emma Law DARKROOM: Susan Credgeur COMPOSITOR: Kelly Jean CIRCULATION SUPERVISOR: Karen Brunette MEMBER OF 8.0, PRESS COUNCIL Serving the Terrace and Thornhill araa. Published on Wednesday of each week by Cariboo Press {1969} Lid. at 4647 Lazeile Ave., Terrace, British Columbia. _ : Stories, photographs, illustrations, dasigris and typestyles in tha Terrace Standard are the property of the copyright holders, including Cariboo Press (1969) Ltd. its illusteation repro servicas and advertising ences, : Reproduction In whole or in part, wilhout written permission, is specifically prohibited, Authorized as second-class mail pending ihe Post Office Department, for payment of postage in cash _ CNA By SONA # wa . “WU * | iaruLanay fae CONTRO: LFE Special thanks to all our contributors and corraspondents ~~ for thelr time and talents A good Code for our abode VICTORIA —— I don’t expect British Columbia’s new Forest Praclices Code lo stop the hard-line — environmentalists fram giving our province a bad name on the international slage. But for those with open minds, I’d like to give a little | guided tour of our forests and what the new code means to their future, In 1994, the NDP govern- ment, which introduced the Forest Practives Code, com- 3 nissioned Westland Resource Group to conduct an indepen- dent review of the new Iegisla- tion and its associated regula- tions. The consulting firm was to compare the code and its cf- fects on our forests. with forest - " practices“ legislation’ in “14° jurisdictions across Canada, the U.S., Australia and Europe. The results are in and they bode well for the future of British Columbia’s forests. To start with, the study found that British Columbia Forest Practices legislation was the most-encompassing, address- ing public input, biodiversity, visually sensitive landscapes, old-growth preservation, soil conservalion, First Nations’ concerns and water qualily. HUBERT BEYER FROM THE CAPITAL The study concluded that: * Only British Columbia, Ontario and Tasmania have legislation to penalize law- violating forest companies with fines of up to $1 million. _™ Only British Columbia, the U.S. Forest service and Ontario use audits to verify compliance with forest prac- tices legislation and have legis- lation that specifics treatment to prepare sites for repencra- tion. * Only British Columbia, the U.S, Forest Service, Victoria State and Western Australia consider both recreation and visual landscapes in their forest practices legislation. * British Columbia ranks among world leaders in estab- lishing wide no-harvest zones along stream beds. * British Columbia's forest practices legislation is the most exhaustive of all jurisdictions compared, in the areas of soil conservation and soil erosion control, Not a bad report card for a province that until a few years ago was seen as being plundered by forest companies. And not a bad report card for the government that brought about the necessary changes. The study makes some other interesting observations: For instance, Sweden, often touted by environmentalists as the Mecca of good forestry, bar- vests about the same amount of limber a year as British Columbia. * aa ~The” difference “is “that Sweden has only about 30 per cent of British Columbia’s to- tal forest land. Falling back on my limited Math 101, I get the feeling that Sweden is cutting down about three times as many trees in relative terms, I said ] don’t expect the en- vironmentalists to jump with joy over the Westland Resources study. Well, they didn’t, “My eyes popped out of my head and steam came out of my cars when I saw it,” said Westem Canada Wilder- ness Commitlee spokesman Joe Foy. “B.C. is using its Forest Practices Code the way the Soviet Union used its constitu- tion. It’s pointing to all the nice rules but ignoring the small print which gives the government the power to over- ride them,’’ he said. Foy’s ranting doesn’t im- press me and leaves me wondering just what would salisfy the guerrilla shock troops of the environmental movement Brilish Columbia has made giant strides in every field of environmental protection. In four years, this province has set standards that are the envy of.,other countries. And yet, ‘people like Foy are trying to ‘tell us that the sky is falling. I think I'll stick with ignor- ing the prophets of negativism and doom and rely instead on common sense and a dose of healthy skepticism when deal- ing with crucial issues. In the case of forestry in British Columbia, I'd say we're on the right track. Beyer can be reached at: Tel:(604) 920-9300; Fax:(604) 381- 6922;E-Mail: hbeyer@direct.ca Give a smile for the judge PAUL BERNARDO did it. Three Florida teenagers did jt. Now an Alantic sealer has done it. Starred in their own videos documenting their warped behaviour, We all know the despicable acts Bernardo committed. The Florida teenager vandal- ized several posh homes, smashing toilets and windows, microwaving a live goldfish and getting terrier high on marijuana smoke. The seal hunter shot a seal, clubbed it about the head like a blind golfer, then sat astride the fallen beast, another Errol Flynn gloating over his kill. Why would anyone fil themselves doing a dastardly deed? Isn’t it enough satisfac- lion for psychopaths and blowhards to commit their crimes; do they have toa share them with us? Or for them Is part of videotaping’s charm the expectation that somehow their video will hortify others, THROUGH BIFOCALS CLAUDETTE SANDECKI maybe even internationally? In one respect, criminals Should be encouraged to videotape themselves mid- crime, Police possession of such a tape shortens any crime investigation by months. And if more than one perpetrator is invalved, the video makes it clear which twit did what, In addition, a video answers the court’s questions about the So? WHAT PART wee OF THE NORTH Be ARE You FROM? og KNOW I'M A u NORTHERNER ? io * inna . X a od or J J FORT DOGGEREL! BuT How'p You WELL, IT'S SIX DEGREES BELOW FREEZING AND accused’s state of mind. When the jury sees a vandal grinning from car to ear, egging others on, congratulating himself with every swing of his razing axe, it’s plain he wasn’t coerced. But the seal hunter was too short-sighted to consider the far reaching harm his video could initiate when manipu- lated by an animal rights group, in this case the Interna- tional Fund for Animal Wel. i fare. With his seal-battcring film, lhe IFAW is attempting to spark a boycott of Pacific sal- mon by England’s salmon lovers who, in 1994, bought two-thirds of B.C.’s canned salmon exports, a mere $53.3 million, How well Brits know Cana- da’s geography I don’t know, But whipped into a froth by the IFAW Brits may not dis- tinguish between Atlantic seal and Pacific salmon. Videotaping docs a fine job YOURE STILL IN SHORT SLEEVES ! chronicling family reunions, birlhday parties, graduation ’ ceremonies, or other respect- able occasions worthy of being brought to life in more than memory, But why anyone would stretch his neck on the guil- lotine’s block by recording himself doing something il- legal or sickening ..., The seal hunter, apparently, killed the animal in a manner nol sanctioned by the hunting . laws of Canada, Granted. But what raised the fur on my neck was the way he sat on the animal holding its head up for 4 belter camera angle. Pure egotistical showing off. Trophy hunters of any kind eam my contempt Still, lawbreakers who opera- te by the rules go out of their way to avoid security cameras and thus = maintain their anonymily. Only egomaniacs Slar_ in their own x-rated Inovies.