From front Aboriginal increase helps ease downturn non-native population plummetted nearly 16 per cent over the same pericd. “A lot of Prince Rupert people are moving to Terrace,” adds Elmer Derrick, the Gitxsan chief negotiator who lives here. He and McDames say the things that make Terrace attractive generally — its college and university access, health care, shopping, ame- nities and climate - are also a draw for abori- ginal people. “Right now it has-a lot to do with educational opportunities,” McDames said. Welfare payment cutbacks may also be a factor, Derrick said, adding aboriginal people in Vancouver are increasingly abandoning the big city to move back to the northwest where housing is more affordable. “You just can’t make a go of it in the urban centres if you don’t have a good paying job,” Derrick said. oo Mayor Jack Talstra sees the relocations. as a result of Terrace’s evolution as the region’s centre, . _ “It's kind of a meeting place for native people,” he said. “Whether you're Tsimshian or Haisla or Nisga’a or Gitxsan, you tend to meet in Terrace, So that’s a plus for us.” Increasing numbers also means increasing clout, Talstra said, predicting aboriginal . people will grow in influence in local politics and other avenues of advancing their priorities. “In a democratic society, numbers count,” he said. Talstra said the growing number of aborigi- nal people here means Terrace stands to bene- fit as natives over time become more prosper- ous, educated and employed, “My sense is First Nations communities are emerging out of the economic stagnation and are starting to move forward,” Talstra said. “That's good for everybody.” If the rapid aboriginal growth here over the ‘past five years continues for another 10, Ter- race will surpass Prince Rupert as the largest aboriginal pepulation centre west of Prince George, and potentially replace Rupert as the : northwest’s aboriginal ca- pital. The census numbers also suggest the aboriginal growth here has helped ‘stabilize Terrace’s econ- omy during the recent dif- search of jobs elsewhere. If Terrace’s aboriginal po- pulation — rather than growing rapidly — had de- clined at the same rate as the non-native population, the city would have 1,050 fewer residents than it does today. That loss — effectively doubling the damage of the population decline of the past several years — would have been a further major hit to the economy at arguably the worst possible time. Local business leaders agree. “The. support of the aboriginal community for business here is huge,” confirms Northern Drugs co-owner Gerry Martin. “Especially in these tough times, they have really made a significant difference from a business point of view.” “They’re a very large part of our business and a very important part of our business.” What makes the increasing native numbers especially important to merchants here is the aboriginal tendency to spend more of their zl Gerry Martin ficult years when. non- ..J. aboriginals fled. the city.in --. oe A ue 3 a THE SIGNING of the Nisga’a treaty, which took effect in May 2000, was a landmark in Terrace’s history and has only begun to influence people’s movements and prosperity. City of change A growing native population will increasingly link Terrace’s future to aboriginal success ws ; ? First of a two-part special report on our changing ethnicity | Aboriginal population 1996-2001 | 4750- 4500 § ABBO-|