A16- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 25, 2003

Smoke sale
nets fine
for business

By SARAH A,
ZIMMERMAN
A TERRACE business has
been fined $575 for seiling
cigarettes lo an under age
person.

Gusto’s Restaurant-Ltd.
was found guilty April 10
for selling the cigarettes at
Gus’ Family Recreation
Centre on Greig Ave,

The conviction: stems
from a Dec, 8, 2002 sale of
a package of cigarettes to
a 14-year-old secret shop-
per, says regional tobacco
enforcement officer Colin
Merz.

Tests shoppers are. paid
lo attempt to -buy cigar-
ettes from retailers
throughout the northwest
as part of the province's
tobacco enforcement pro-
gram.

The first time a retailer
is busted selling cigarettes
to a minor they receive a
writlen warning.

Business owner Kon-
stantinos Sfikas was issued
a written warning Oct. I1,
2002, Merz said.

The second offence car-
ries a $575 fine. .

Merz says the program
is not designed to entrap
retailers but to make sure

Rural B.C.
sees less
prosperity,
poll finds

MOST VOTERS in the
north and interior say
B.C.'s fortunes have de-
clined under B.C. Liberal
rule, according to a new
poll.

The May 29 Ipsos Reid
poll found 54 per cent of
so-called “Heartlands”
area voters it surveyed say
B.C. is in worse shape at
the two-year. mark of the
Liberal government.

Just 18 per cent of
northern and interior voters
said things have improved,
while 27 per cent said they
are about the same.

Pollsters said the Heart-
lands delivered the most
hegalive response to the
question of all B.C. re-
gions.

B.C. Liberal support is
also weakest in the north
and interior.

Just 34 per cent of so-
called “Heartlands” area
voters contacted told
pollsters they would vote
Liberal if there were a pro-
vincial election today.

The NDP got 28 per
cent in the north/interior,
while the Green Party has
23 per cent and Unity B.C.
trails with eight per cent.

Province-wide, the Lib-
erals lead with 44 per cent
to 28 per cent for the NDP,
18 per cent for the Greens
and five per cent for Unity.

The Liberals and the
NDP are almost even in
support on Vancouver Is-
land, but the Liberals holed
a massive 25-point lead in
the Lower Mainland,

Ipsos Reid also de-
scribed Liberal support as
weak,

Half those who said
they'd vote Liberal also
indicated they'd do so not
out of agreement with gov-
ernment policies but be-
cause there is no reason-
able alternative.

Three quarters of those
surveyed said a new NDP
leader -— to be declared
later this year — would
make no difference in how
they might vote.

Most cf those polled
said high-income people
and cotporations have
gained under the Liberals,
while low-income people
have lost.

The results were. less
conclusive on the fate of
other groups. But norther-
ners tended to also pul
small businesses and mid-
dle-income British. Colum-
bians into the “worse off”
category.

they’re complying with
B.C, laws which make it
illegal to sell cigarettes to ~
anyone under 19 years old.

“We make sure the kids
look young, we're not try-
ing to deceive anyone. in
that respect,” he says.

“The case law deve-
loped threughout Canada
has supported the testing
of retailers in. this manner
soit’ doesn’t meet the
strict legal definition of
entrapment.”

Merz has been travel-
ling the. region recently
giving out information kits
to stores on how to comply
with the tobacco laws.

He says it’s up to busi-
ness owners to make sure
they and their employees
aren’t selling cigarettes to
minors.

“Asa retailer it is in
fact your responsibility,”
he says. “If you don’t want
the responsibility, don’t
sell tobacco.”

Terrace merchants have.
the best record in the
northwest for not selling
smokes to minors.

Terrace’s compliance
rate sits at 96,5 per cent
compared to just 90 per
cent adherence: in 1 Prince -
Rupert.

83%

TERRACE...

STANDARD

IN A RECENT SURVEY CONDUCTED BY GRAHAM PALMER AND ASSOCIATES.
OF THE PEOPLE INTERVIEWED, PREFERRED “THE TERRACE
STANDARD" FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION,

3210 CLINTON STREET, TERRACE, B.C. V8G 5R2

638-7283 FAX 638-8432

ADVERTISING: advertising @terracestandard.com

EMAIL:

EDITORIAL: newsroom @terracestandard.com
WEB: hitp://www.terracestandard.com

IMAGES OF CHAMBER
‘Scramfabulous |

Cham ber: Scramble

Terrace and District
Chamber of Commerce

Business Community Bus Trip to Gingolix. May 8 , 2003
We seem to have made a little history as we were the first
bus to visit their community. It was a wonderful trip build-
ing relationships with the communities of Gingolix and
Greenville. If you haven't taken the trip yet put it on your
schedule over the summer. We were presented with a pic-
ture of Gingolix at sunset,,, pop down to the office and
have a look.

“Scramfabulous” Chamber Scramble,
Sunday June 1, 2003

Well it's over, and what a time we had. Thanks to everyone
who called In to say what a great time they had. The
Chambers, first ever, much anticipated “ScramFabulous, 9
Hole Scramble" worth over $100,000 In hole prizes. This
event was talked about so much that It was full before we
put up the posters. Look for it again next year...even big-
ger. Mark your 2004 calendars, May 30, Scramfabulous 2

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the hole
sponsors, the sponsors for the longest drive, closest to the
pin and putting contests and the many, many members who
donated the door prizes that we gave away during dinner.

A BIG thank you to the Scramfabulous committee, chamber
board members, Ladles Hockey Team (next year you'll have
your own cart), Northern Motor Inn for the courtesy van,
and last, but not least, to Kevin, Mel and the staff at the
Skeena Valley Golf Course for all their assistance,

With any successful event It takes a TEAM of people who
work to make it happen, See you next year!

Buisness After Hours at Terrace Totem Ford, june 17,2003
Kevin, Mitch and Shayne and all their staff would Ile: to
thank the close to 70 businesses that turned out to help
them celebrate their 30th Anniversary. If you didn’t get to
this one you missed out,

Congratulations to the door prize winners...the Ford
watches, Harry Rogers and Terri McPhee and Elleene
Kennedy who won the Anniversary Jacket,

Terrace & District Chamber of Commerce AGM and

yearly update from Mayor Talstra, June 19th , 2003
Thank you to all our members who attended our luncheon,
and especially Justin Rigsby who facilitated the AGM por-
tion of the meeting. Mayor Talstra gave a presentation on
what has been happening in Terrace over the past year and
what he sees in our future.
The new Terrace &. District Chamber Board Is...
Executive: S, Love, President (remaining for a second
term), B. Barton (Past President), T, McPhee (Treasure), B.
Husband, (1st Vice President), K. Jeffery (2nd Vice
President)

’ Board Members: Dave Martin, Charlie Graydon, Lael

McKeown, Mike Lefebvre, Clarence Nyce, Kevin Kennedy,
Glen Kelly, Diane Critchley, Diane Francis, lan Black,

_tHe New
INTEREOR

NORTH COAST DIVISION
Forestry, Logging, Engineering and
Milling

#206-4716 Lazelle Ave.

~~ ‘Terrace, BC
VEG 2VO
“Phone: (250) 635-0635. =
Fax: (250) 635-0636

www.interfor.com

Growing with Northwest
Communities

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