North says NO to the accord TERRACE — A majority of northern B.C. residents will vote ‘no’ to the proposed constitu- tional changes, indicates a poll done for The Terrace Standard. The poll, conducted between Oct. 2 and Oct. 9, found that 60 per cent of those who said they will vote, stated they will vote ‘no’. Yet a full 40 per cent of those contacted said they either won’t vole or did not give an answer when asked, The poll was conducted by Educomp, a lower mainland poll- City ties Up land TERRACE — The City of Ter- race has reserved a 30-acre chunk of Crown land on the bench for itself. The parcel is on the southeast comer of Soucie and Marshall, That’s the same site that was sought in 1990 by provincial government negotiators for a new jail until residents’ protests forced them to back down. Administrator Bob Hallsor said the city hasn’t yet decided whether or not to buy the proper- ty, and probably won’t make that decision until more studies are done on the probable develop- ment of the bench. ‘We're not absolutely sure at this time,’’ he said, ‘“We want to get all our studies done and then look at it with some in- telligence,’” The reserve status also ensured the city. had some control over de- “velopment there, mayor Jack Tal- stra pointed out. Although the province had been very co-operative in such matters over the past 10 years, he pointed out it was not abliged to abide by any municipal zoning or other regulations. Having the land in the city’s reserve gave it “better control’’, he added. Explaining why the city was in- terested in that particular piece of land, Hallsor said it needed to have land of its own in what was ‘the area of growth as we see it for the municipality. ‘That (property) in particular, once services are in, may lend it- self well for future locations for a second fire hall —- al] sorls of municipal purposes,’’ he noted. “Even housing, So we said let's puta reserve on it.” The reserve is for a five-year period, said lands ministry spokesman Ron Creber, and can be renewed indefinitely. ing firm. It sampled 658 voters between the Qucen Charlotte Islands, cast to Prince George along Hwy16 and south to 100 Mile House. The sample size gives a maxi- mum error of approximately plus or minus four per cent 19 times out of 20. The poll asked three qucstions how a- person intended to vote, the most importance reason if the vote was ‘yes’ and the most important reason if the vote is ‘no’" Of those indicating they will vote ‘yes’, 56 per cent said it will put an end to debate on the con- stitution. Another 23 per cent said it would be positive for the country while 17 gave either no response or listed another reason. Only four per cent of ‘ycs’ voters said their vote was in response to the provisions for na- tive self-government, These answers were obtained ‘free form’’ and were not as a result of responding to a list given them. Of those indicating they will vale ‘no’, 23 per cent said the Charlottetown Accord will give too much to Quebec. Another 21 per cent said their Vote was anti-government or anti- Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. The aboriginal issuc was listed by 12 per cent of those who said they will vote no, whilé 11 per cent said it was for the lack of B.C. representation stemming from the proposed changes. Seven per cent said ‘no’ for lack of a legal text while 26 per cent gave no response or another Teasol. RE gh country _ A LONE HIKER is dwarfed against the majestic splendour of Marcon Mountain in late sum-. ‘mer. The mountain's rolling alpine landscape is a particularly after forests ministry improvements to popular-destination for outdoors enthusiasts, . the trail, which is northeast of Kalum Lake. , Educomp president Ron Taylor said he has never secn such a high —- 40 per cent — won't vote or won’l answer response in his years of polling, He said he thought heavy ‘yes’ advertising would have had more ofan impact on voters by naw. And he pointed to the 21 per cent of ‘no’ volers doing so as anli-government or anti- Mulroncy. People ‘‘scem to be in the mood to screw the politicians. It has nothing to do with (political) parties,”’ he said. Inside — * On Page A2 you'll find more information about what’s happening locally with the constitu- tional referendum. * Time is running out to get on the voters’ list. That story on Page A3. * Pages AS and A6 fea- ture six guest columns written on the subject. li’s either a poison or a house TERRACE — The proposed constitutional changes are cither a house that has some bad features ora poisonous cocktail, 55 peaple were told last Friday night. They gathered to hear MP Jim Fulton and MLA Helmut Gies- brecht go through the 60 points of the Charlottetown Accord and to debate their implications, “Can ] offer you a cocktail con- taining 95 per cent pure Canadian water and five per cent poison?’’ Terrace resident Bruce Watson asked Fulton. ‘*Look al the velo. We’re stuck with poison. It'll always be in the glass. B.C. will always be a prisoner of central Canada,’’ he said. . Watson’s comments were directed at the veto provision in ' the proposed ‘changes. oy It requires the consent of all ‘10 provinces and the federal govern- ment for changes to [ederal in- stitulions and to the make up of Parliament. But Fulton compared the Char- lottetown Accord to a house for sale, urging those at the mecting to balance the good with the bad. ‘You may not like the carpct and the paint’s gaudy but you like the kilchen. You have to look at the whole,’’ he said, The proposed changes, added Fulton, are a stricture upon which ta build. A number of the questions dur- ing the three and a half hour ses~ sion concentrated on nalive self- governmctt, Queslioners wondered if the granting of special status and of government powers would have an impact on other Canadians. Fulton said those changes will enable natives to negotiate ways to manage their own alfairs, ad- ding it will end what he ‘called 125 years of institulionalized racism against natives, ‘This may not be the best thing since sliced bread, but. they should net be feared,’ said Fulton of pending native sclf- governmens, He predicted the creation of three or four native government siructures in the northwest by the year 2000. There was applause when Fulion said first the Indian Act and then the Department. of In- dian and Northera Affairs will be wiped out. And he did acknowledge that native governments will be ‘able to override the Charter of Rights . and Freedoms. -” Fulton also altacked peréeptions about assistance natives now get fram the federal government. “Free housing docsn’t exist — not in this riding, in this province or in this country. There ain’t no such beast,” he said. ; “People think there’s some kind of 24-hour boog-a-rama going on in their communities. Free cash, free houses, free cars — that they’re having a whale of a time down there. It just ain't so,’* Fulton continued. The realily of life for natives ia Canada, he added, is the highest rates in the country for infant mortality, the lowest life” ex- pectancy, the highest rate ‘of suicide and the highest rate of un- employment. Giesbrecht several times said the Charlotletown Accord recog- nizes ‘‘political realities’? dating back several hundred ycars of Quebee’s role in Canada, Council dispute on hold TERRACE — Kitselas band members have abandoned their campaign to force band leaders to resign. Ron Nyce, a band member who was spokesman for protesters who occupied the band office in April, said band members are still angry, but have decided to wait for new band elections | next spring. “I think most people have de- cided to wait until May and then clean howse,’’ he said. The protesters blamed chief Ralph Wright and administrator Brian Seymour for the loss of more than $3 million in pre- approved federal grants for a housing project on reserve land. They were also angry about delays in the completion of 20 new houses at the band’s Gilaus subdivision, Those houses were finished in the spring. The two-week occupation, which began April 22, of the Kit selas band office by protesters was the first in a series of protests. It culminated this spring in a rental strike by Gitaus residents. Protest leaders vowed to withhold rent money — which the band needed to pay the mortgage on the new subdivision — until Wright and Seymour stepped down, 65 SE SARR TL eS St FS NL TDS TE PRS DEP ee LEER T changes our nation.”’ “F cannot support which create elite classes of Canadians, entrench racism and guaran- tee segmentation of OPINION + A6 Raising history A once-in-a-century event happens on sat- urday in Canyon City. COMMUNITY » Bl “Tt was putting on quite a bit of pressure,’? Nyce said, ‘‘But a lot of people were concerned about where they were going to be living.”’ He said residents feared the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which par- tially backed the housing devel- opment, was going to foreclase. CMHC officials last spring in- dicated that if the band defaulted on mortgage payments for the subdivision, CMHC would buy out the mortgage, held by the Bank of Montreal, acquire ihe houses and eventually sell them. “People were scared — I really can’t blame them,’’ he added. PERL CLATEL TA PELE ety Ta TS Bale Band members also feared the band would lose any chance at gelling money from CMHC or the Department of Indian Affairs for future housing developments if the band defaulted. “Bverything’s OK now,’’ says Seymour, who along with Wright refused to step down. ‘‘Every- thing got smoothed out.’”” DIA officials said that, to their knowledge, the band has not de- faulted on its mortgage. DIA spokesman Deborah Wil- son also said there was no freeze on federal grants to the band, be- cause all moncy it receives was deemed essential. session TERRACE — First it was pamphlets, then radio commer- cials and now it’s an open house. The three parties negotiating the Nisga'a claim to 25,000 square kilometres of land centered on the Nass Valley will be available for question- ning Oct. 23. It’s the latest in a series of ef- forts to give out more informa- tion on the claims talks. The open house takes place the same week as the Nisga’a Tribal Council and the federal Nisga‘a claim Oct. 23 and provincial governments gather for another negoliating session. People attending will hear opening remarks by the chicl negotiators al three times — 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m: The open house runs from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. “Also on hand will be written: information and the parties are. planning cither video or slide preseniations, — The open house takes place at the Tetrace Inn. Refresh- ments will be served, Grader crisped NEWS AIS SALVAGE A native company has" joined two U.S. firms to log blow-down timber. BUSINESS “ ATO.