Aé - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 16, 2003 CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD The Mail Bag Time to stand up, Mr. Harris An open letter to: Roger Harris, MLA, Skeena Dear Sir: 1 am extremely distressed and concerned with your lack of support for our northwest region in ensuring that Alcan meets its obligation to the province to provide jobs and investment in return for the water rights it needs to produce power. Your apparent inability to understand the implications of Alcan’s efforts to manipulate, the terms of the contract to their own interests is disturbing. Don’t get me wrong. I cannot fault Alcan. They are simply doing what they are in business to do i.e, to maximize the return to their share holders - to make money. However, the interests of British Columbia's citizens aré not that same as the interests of Alcan’s share holders. And in this case they are at decided odds. So in the management of this contract it is your government’ $ responsibility to protect the interests of the cilizens of British Columbia and it is your personal responsibility, Mr. Harris, to communicate and defend the interests of your constituents. Most certainly the response of Kitimat citizens at town hall meetings makes it clear that you and your government do not get it. These meetings brought toge- ther individuats of the most diverse political interests in a common concern, that is, the continued existence of our communities. You might poll the merchants of Ter- race as to the implications to the regional economy should Kitimat cease to exist. I think it fair to say that the research reported by the municipal government of Kitimat suggests that the demise of Kitimat is possible. As a citizen of this region, ] implore you to act re- sponsibly, to inform yourself, and represent my interests, Doug Thomson, Kitimat, B.C. Corporate Alcan taken to task Dear Sir: 1 certainly take exception to the propaganda that Alcan has “put: forth in their attempt to generate public support in respect to the selling of power vs production of aluminum. As a senior, 29-year Alcan employee, longtime activist, and previous resident of Kitimat, I have certainly seen and heard it all from corporate Alcan, The corporate slant is not what T have observed over many years. rroduction facilitated through Line 1 is still partially idle. Alean’s position is that they were forced to curtail production as a result of a water shortage, in, the reser- voir, which occurred during 2000. ‘By: ‘Alcait’$“own ad- mission they deemed the water crises tobe over:by June 2001. If this was truly the issue then why wasn't full pro- duction resumed immediately? Mr. Roger Harris, the MLA for Skeena, has also mis- represented the public and showed his lack of under- standing of the agreement reached between Alcan and the B.C. government both in 1950 and 1997 pertaining to the control of the Nechako River. While I do not profess to be a lawyer, my understanding and reading of the agreement do not lend any support to his claim that the previous government gave Aican total and unconditional ownership to water that belongs to the people of British Columbia. The facts of the 1997 agreement which [ understand are that Alcan would be given extended rights to the water shed of the Nechako River in perpetuity provided the company would invest in a $1.2 billion project to ex- pand and or build a new smelter in Kitimat. At no time since 1997 or in recent meetings with Cynthia Carroll, the Alcan CEO, have they been prepared to fulfil that commitment or discuss in detail. While this may not be an integrat part of a firm writ- ten contract, promises have however on a continued basis over the past 30 years have been made and broken by corporate Alcan in respect to expansion or rebuild of the smelter, It is high time that Mr. Harris fight on behalf of the people he professes to represent. An agreement signed by the union and company re- presentatives during the water crisis provided for an obli- gation by the company to provide 12 apprenticeship po- sitions in 2002, Alcan outright cancelled the implemen- tation of these apprenticeships in 2002. This has been challenged in the arbitration process, but lends little cre- dence to the trustworthiness of Alcan representatives signing an agreernent. On this and other issues I sincere- ly question whether Aican really does honour many of its agreements, and commitments. Ross Slezak, Terrace, B.C, * Ty Beanie Bunnies ity) * Danielles Chocolates *Egg Cups 2th. Plush Bunnies, Ducks & Chicks . Enter Our Draw Se» ForALarge Ty Rabbit valued at $80 Open. Sundays. ); OOD FRID. It is our oil and gas An open letter to: Roger Harris, MLA, Skeena Dear Sir: 1 certainly share in the gladness ihat our oil and gas industry is expanding in B.C. and your government, on our be- half, is taking steps to pave the way for this expansion by allowing mineral and drilling rights to companies for our valuable resources, I would like you to consider whether this expansion really benefits or harms, the majority of British Columbians. My guess is that, if you were to do an in- formal poll on how northwesterners feel about the 41.8 per cent natural gas hike as reported in The Terrace Stan- dard, you may find that the expansion is not economical for them. Not only do we have to face the hike to heat our homes, but our retai- lers will have to hike prices to stay in business. Is this the way to “kick start our economy and foster an environ- ment for prospective entrepreneurs” which the Liberal platform emulates? Why not have a condition of mi- neral rights that allows for the people of B.C. to benefit from the expansion through low natural gas prices. After that, the rest of the world (the lions of the market) could pay world prices, Could you not see how this would defi- nitely kick-start our business commun- ity? I’m not looking for an answer like “the global conditions are affecting us all’; CNN already does a wonderful job with that, [f our very own resource is harming us instead of benefiting us, then oil and gas expansion should be withheld, plain and simple, Pat Smith, Terrace, B.C. Royal LePage Terrace congratulates LISA GODLINSKI on obtaining the Royal LePage Terrace “Master Sales Award” during the month of March 2003, TO Rt TU ee Lew UTED) Sa LANL TTT RT GALAGA ROYAL LEPAGE CC ccc n cc ccmneneevcereaueeeit : All Reattors at Royal LePage contribute to the RIP Shelter foundation 635-2404 to Royal LePage OG) essrncos TURNMRE Gee More & more people are coming LLL Beceecuersa (FLUTE T Bese CERN AS ees FERED posers Oe Whila quantities last. Available in our Bulk Foods Department. card price Cadbury Creme Eggs or Mini Eggs, Selected Varieties F472 Fancy Pistachios Natural or Red, No. 1 Grade F25647-9 Available in our Bulk Foods Department. card price ' orHion bod Oranges | California Grown, 8 |lb.Ba sid 8 ji Beatie arel Ene ay pee 447144 eae eka ep ate Picture Frame or Album, Selected Varieties, Assorted Sizes s41e36 Prices in-store reflect discount, card price 89... 40% $0 MUCH mone IN STORE Prices effective fi fram n Wednesday to Saturday, April 16 to 19, » 2003 Look inside your weekly Save-On-Foods Ayer, from. April 6 ue May 3 2003, for your we Soa & Win roc shure. save on). cee ni clea erreeatandcmmemeraemmannd i