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“The B, C. government \ was ina a self-zongratulatory mood a few
-days ago, announcing that at some point there will be a road
built into the Iskut River gold fields. Now the dicey part begins.
as two levels of government and a whole host of resource com-
panies begin trying to figure out who's going to pay for-it. —

That road, when it goes in, is going to change the frame of
behavior for the mine servicing industry in this region. Develop-_
ing mines will be far less dependent on expensive air shipping of
equipment and materials into their field operations. Transporta-
tion ‘routes will redraw themselves, and new opportunities are 80-
ing to. spring up.

Terrace in particular and the B. Cc. government in general has
not had what could be called a very pro-active history in going
after those opportunities. As indicated in this newspaper for the
_, past two years, we’ve been beaten like gongs by the Alaskans on
_what should be our own turf at every turn in development. When
. Johnny Mountain, the first producing gold mine in the 1980's —
‘Northwest gold rush, officially opened its mill last year there was
_no one from any level of Canadian government except one lone
"local representative present at the ceremonies. By contrast, it
seemed like half the Alaskan government and business communi-
-ty flew in. That embarrassment is still fresh as we observe the:

. continuing development in those mountains and try to find ways
- of cashing in on it and to fit it into the long-term health of the

-local and regional economy.

It’s going to take a bit more effort than has been exerted in the -

past. While the government was trying to figure out what to do
-about.the situation at the Bob Quinn Lake airstrip, the.cargo

- transfer business for the mines sought another outlet and. found it .

‘at Wrangell; and that’s still where most of it is, although the
road is going to change that. Another indication that we’re per-

forming at the low end of the scale when it comes to enterprising |

pursuit of business came last week, when we got figures down to
the last aircraft movement from Wrangell’s (former) economic
development officer — the annual figures lately indicate $15

~ million annually into that community from B.C. mine servicing...
We contacted local governments and the local chamber of .com-

‘merce here to find out what. it’s. worth: to Terrace, and. nobody, aegis vac sale te

seems to know. .

. Mining i is a volatile business: at the best times, and governments

and business are understandably reluctant to commit large in-
‘vestments in roads, bridges, new equipment and facilities to ser-
_vice-an industry that could pull up stakes on short notice due to
‘some unpredictable and ungovernable change in global markets.
The average life of a gold mine in the Northwest may only be .
five years, but many analysts in the mineral field are forecasting
that the 1990’s will be the decade that base metals take off. In
the midst of drilling results circulated frequently by ‘companies -
- exploring: the Northwest, promising figures for metals like copper. .
and zinc are often listed with the gold and silver assays. -

"Those mines could be producing for a long time, and the
" Alaskans are also talking about road access.

ony

VERIO
bu LAC

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APOga Tuas

VICTORIA — Religion. .

It’s a topic which smoulders
just beneath the surface in B.C.
politics these days, especially
when discussing Social Credit
and its enigmatic leader, Bill
Vander Zalm.

And at the Socreds’ annual
convention at the end of this -
month, religion could hit the
headlines as the latest conten-

_tious issue within the divided

party,
Some years ago, the Socreds.

got rid of a reference in their

constitution to ‘‘a party found-

_ ed on Christian principles or

values’’. That was designed to
reflect British Columbia’s
growth as a multi-cultural
province which welcomes all.
races, creeds and colors.
~~ Now, however, Vander
Zalm’s Richmond running
mate, Nick “The Puppet”
Loenen, has introduced a rec- ©
ommiendation for the conven-
tion to reinstate the Christian-
principle clause. .

If it gets to the open floor of
the convention at Vancouver's
posh Pan-Pacific Hotel Oct, 26.
to 28, all hell will break loose
— if you'll excuse the expres-
siont

Some of the staunch Socred .
delegates who happen to be of
the Jewish or Sikh persuasion
are ‘prepared to rise up and
raise Cain over the issue. They
believe Loenen:and those who
favor a reference to Christian
values are lurching backward
rather than striding forward
when it comes to accepting
other beliefs, and to realizing
that Social Credit is not an

elitist, all-white, Christians-only

domain. -
Given Mr. Vander Zalm’s

The view from

Victoria —

byd John Piter

oe oho

penchant for pushing his beliefs
as the only “‘right’’ ones —
politically and religiously — I

_ find it hard not.to believe that

the premier was involved in

‘Nick the Loon’s action.

Remember, too, that Mr.

‘Vander. Zalm gave general sup-
- port to Loenen’s proposal, tell-

ing reporters that the idea of
Christian values is more wide-

~ ranging than just that religion.
.Nice try, Bill, but it won't sell.

_ The latest on the issue is that
there apparently will be an at-
tempt to table the outrageous
resolution, and several others,
at the convention, in a bid to
derail further angst and

criticism of the premier.

Among the many fascinating |
scenarious developing for the
annual Socred bunfight, that
could be the most intriguing of
all. Stay tuned.

Socred caucus chairman .

‘Carol Gran, the erstwhile
‘Langley MLA, is facing attacks
- provincial scene to sucha.

_on two fronts — from the |
media and within her own con-
stituency — as she tries to keep
the raucous caucus together,
whilst fighting off an ambitious
local politician in her own con-
_ Stituency.

Several of my media cok
leagues have blasted Gran for
mishandling the timing of the
caucus meeting in the wake of
the Socreds’ humiliating defeat

_ in the Cariboo last month.

You will recall that Gran

| booked the session for Oct. 25,

the day before the convention,
but nearly five weeks after the
by-election loss, Although only.
four of five concerned MLAs
phoned her to have the meeting
eatlier, and Grace McCarthy
was publicly calling for a ses-

sion sooner, Gran-tried to stick
to her guns. Then came the .

four defections, which promp- .

ted Cabinet to agree to the
emergency caucus meeting held
on Oct. 6. '

The Oct, 25th plan wasa
mistake, an unwise political er-
ror, and she’s suffering the
slings and arrows of outraged
columnists and fellow MLAs
because of it. But it’s hardly a
devastating, long-term blow for
the forthright woman who has
guided the caucus through two.
of its most tumultuous years

ever.

Watch for Gran to be in-
cluded in the Zalm’s new
Cabinet — the long-overdue
shuffle is likely to happen
within a few weeks. But be -
very careful if you accuse her
of supporting Vander Zalm just
to get a Cabinet post... I truly:

. believe that she doesn’t work

or think that way, and you'll
get a blast back, believe me.
With Gran involved on the

degree, the home. fires have |
been perhaps less weil tended
than usual, So it isn’t sur- .
prising to find a self-righteous,
anti-abortionist named John
Scholiens, a Langley Township
alderman, signing up members
to prepare to take on Gran or
running mate Dan Peterson for
one of the Socred nominations
for MLAs in the two new
ridings.

There are reports of
members being signed up in
churches, especially those
publicly condemning abortion...
Although such shenanigans ap-
pear to be a local problem, 1

mention it here because it raises

suspicions that the on¢-issué |
continued on. page §