Pretty cool : A Terrace man héads to. : Antarctica for. a13- month | ‘stint at the. South Pole \COMMUNITY I Bt Offshore options | drilling \NEWS. AB | Local MP: says a recent ort should be enough. to. keep the | ‘moratorium on offshore oil - | Aiming a arrows. ‘The Whiskey. Jack archers: fling arrows at their. 3- D tournament at Copperside | ‘Stables \SPORTS B4 r lL 00 Pius 7¢ GST : _ Gt-10 plus 8¢ GST - routside of the Terrace Bree) VOL.17 NO. 35 “By J EFF N AGEL | A GOVERNMENT. crackdown on who | can hold raffles is threatening an: inno- vative school band program. and anriual Christmas dinners forthe mentally: handi~ capped. . Both the Dare to Dream. “Foundation : and the- Stepping Stone. Clubhouse have. - been told they can. 20 longer sell raffle * tickets, At Stepping: Stone’ Ss: ‘Greig ‘Ave. xt _payforthis month’ $ Chiistrnas dinner, but “on, day trips throughout ihe: region and:has: : “paid fora variety of clubhouse: amenities “over the. years. : ps ies.” in centre, clients. have already made‘a‘quill ..«- ‘and needlépoint- art as: prizes: to raffle off: and don't understand 1 what. s 's changed this -Sa.pool table: with that money, she: adde Money raised last year is sel aside to, 2005 may not be as jolly. a gaming money is off limits, - ‘The raffle money:also helps clients 50 ” employ: ces there say: ‘Law: said. “Ws: Easter. dinner. And: alot of the’: ~ extras. the: “ays, (Bet. 10 do. i . “It’s:not just, ‘Christmas ‘iniver." Loe ‘They had bought themselves. a aVeR with that money. They, bought themselves: Official, Nikki MeCatlum. «: url ts local groups — em. Health Authority.” Because. the NHA - is:a government-linanced health provider, ~Up until. April.of this year the: govern- . nient agent’: 's office: here had authorily to. ° “apprave” “rattle appli ications themselves, But now. groups apply: online and. ‘of- i ficials'i in Victoria won" bend the rules. ° Sans “Gaming: grant} furids dire intended sole: : “by for funding community-based programs: - “and, services,” says: gaming, policy. branch. : : “Programs: ‘publicly. funded, such: a8. "Wednesday, December 8, 2004 had'been threatened by budget cuts. The foundation's latest raffle applica- tian has been rejected because it supparts . . education; which the province pays for. =. “We were’ trying: to have, two. per year “Gaming funds, - including. licensed «= one in the fall.and one: in the: spring to. _ gaming moneys, ‘can't be used for! trans: ' faise. the majority. of the money." * °. ferfance for curricular pur} ses to school aon —_ districts: for.school. purposes: or for.any off -. ing school. hours. If it pulls it back: outside: - vie thelt programs or activities.” ‘Says Mc Cal- rae ‘houis;. it could requalify,, for the a lium. | a bee oe wt, ‘Dare to’ Dream must raise. $15,000 per But’ fouindation: ‘chair ‘Donna ‘Begler a -year,: ‘money matched by’ Alcan: and: the ‘ays they: don’ i avant-to go. the: ‘route of... ‘school district, inorder to pay for a “band” -1 g:Kids in the program pay, ‘because’ - vas effective. _ “With our litle raffle, if we’ re lucky. Ss we make, $3,000 or $4,000," Kerr said. [Right now. the band | program ‘funs. uit a ; - yearn : “They're missing 0 outa on over "$3, 000. os ‘said’ Katie. Law, who ‘volunteers: jo-sell raffle tickels each year for the clubhouse; | “That's how they have the Christmas din- re ner every year. ; rrr to ‘be able to do. ” : _ “There: sa lot of. things they're. ‘not. “going 7 ; : The rejection is one example ofa recur: : ring problem. hitting: groups around town.- ~The Stepping Stone: Clubhouse. is “a 4 program administered through | the North school. programs “and. ‘hospital: programs, “woulda t-be eligible. because they're, al-~ Teady furided: by the public.” ae “W's ‘asimilar: story with the: Dar: to o. -Dream Foundation, which raises: money to: help subsidize school band programs that “gram alive.” Dream ‘volunteer. “By JEFF NAGEL to-become the regian’s largest timber holder Farm, Licence No, I. Rupert into’a “sdurces .clbiiied: by: the: Terrace area TFL. ruptcy trustee's ‘plan: io ‘sell: tie-430,000 cu- ‘million. ~ log yard just east of'Frank Stand other’ pri+ wale timber lands Skeena owns’ north of-T - face, - : called Port ‘Simpson, has ‘sparked: anxiety ‘that splitling.. off. the: timber’ will ‘undermin efforts to restart the Térract sawmill ‘ing a petition calling forrestrictions, to ensure the timber. is available lo. local mills: ‘The Kitselas and: Kitsumkalum -Had “pro: ‘logging arm, “Kalu: Ventures: Lid, '. “We wauld enter. into a log. ‘supply. agree ‘that we. avould be able. lo put 250. People: Ac work right away.” ‘bic metre licence: ‘to- Lax Kw" alaams- ‘owned : Coast Tsimshi an: Resources Lid. for, $4. BIS... : a “We: can t use a rat fle $0 s‘then what do- we do?”-asked Marilyn Ker, i Dare. to: She s id-the group: will look for other , ways to raise. money. Dut added the raffle, : “THE LAX KW°ALAAMS -band - is poised after outbidding' Terrace- -area: bands (or Tree = Al thrusts: the Tsimshian band n near’ ‘Prince Supreme. Court ‘Justice: Donald: ‘Brenrier : last week: approved’ the New: Skeena’bank- 7 work > wit said. + The salé. io: Lak ‘Kiva alaams, ‘soineliines ‘Retired logger | Mario Da Costa is circulat- posed to buy the tree farm licence in partner- .. ~ ship with Terrace: logging: contractors Main» - Logging and Bear Creek - ‘Contracting; : says - -Ron Barlett,: CEO. ‘of ihe’ ‘Kitsumkalum’ Ss. ment_.with: them: to give them the. logs they © need (0,run the sawmill,” said Bartlett, “With... He Said he’s: worried the Lax. Kw! dlaans would be.market loggers. and send the. wood Doe Reece.said there's no cause ‘for alarm: :: Pie "We're willing. to meet: with people and ae “area,” he a -.. teacher ‘and keep: the 360), 000: band. pr: e dhat will exclude students Whose families _ | ; can’t afford it: the cutting of ‘schdol band ‘here was held... .“Up.as One of the innovative measures: gov ernment ericourages."." oS ys “Continued on AZ. oastal band set to be major player’ - + “They are not interested in ‘operating’ ‘any a 2 local facilities,” Bartlett said. “Being market. 1. .. loggers, you log: when. the, market’ is. Bod _ and let it si'when it’s nat,”.,*. ae "He also. noted-the Lax Kia’ alaams: pur- chase would terminate the: perpetual contracts > of three “local Joggirig - conttactor: it Don. Hull and Soris and’K’ st > ‘selas “and: Kitsumkaluin. ‘bands: = who. are. also. Tsimshian and: were also bide 0B Tor, the: nian Logging. “Those contractors are in: ‘court Again, to “morrow 10 fight’ the terminations: - Lax. Kwa’ ‘alaams’chicf. councillor Garry . people | in the Tetrace holdings | to 730,000.cubic metres. we're quite. excited about It," Reece ‘said. . ~ He said some:of the. money for the pur: . ‘chase is coming from the band’s recent log- =. : “They'ré borrowing’ the rest of : ion of-his evergreen contract,” : : “They: contacted “us, and: they aid they’ want ta’ ivork’ With 'us,” Hull ‘said:.“They* would | liké:to keep the expertise. in the area. ; ‘that! s here: : ’ 4 ~ He-said. his. firm expects: to meet {with the: oe ‘ Lax Kw'alaams in the:days ahead.* 2 - "They. were extending an olive: branch, . “Hull said. “OF. course, we Te. interested in - inything (hal makes:sense,””. - - The’ Dare to Dream: Solution 10 avert Reece: said ihe. gale, which is to clase Jan. ce j ° sl 15, Will. boost the: band’s existing” timber - The deal’ aiso includes, the: ‘S0-acre Poitier a, “I's a: huge. amount for.qur- ‘band: and oni k Hull. and Sons ptesident Lloyd Hull ee a : optimistic, despite the. potential Neem oe There’s-rio reason to expect” the: ‘aval oe Will: be starved: of timber if the TFL i is: under : 7 “different ownership,: he added: no : There i is'an. awful lot of” wood. arnt ws @ Have Santa, am happy. BUD KIRKALDY on.Alder St. in Thornhill continues-a tradition of lighting. and: decorating for Christmas that he figures stretches back 30 years. He adjusts and changes the display each year. MARGARET SPEIRS, PHOTO. Jobless rate dips again» and is below 10. per cent | THEREGIONAL unemployment rate droppedi in November, continuing'a gradual turnaround that began in late summer. Statistics Canada figures for November, basedon Emoloy- 7 ment.Insurance data, show an official unemployment rate of .. "2 ber and September which were lower. than for the same Wo . months in 2003, .-".2 9. 3 per cent. That's down from Ostober’ $9.5 per cent; ‘September 3. 11.4. per. cént, -and ‘August’ 12:1 per cent for the-arca: from: s Ss anid older in:the region, according: to Statistics Canada, .re-" “mains down at 72,000 in, November. When’ compared to the : the Queen Charlotie Islands to hear Vanderlioof.: . The number of people aged: 15 and over ‘tegisteréd | as be: m ing in the‘labour force has also: been, tising, from: 49, 400.1 in *.) September. to-49; 700 in November, 000 + Of that November. figure, 4,600. péople were listed as he- ing unemployed but part of the available labour force, a 300 ~~ had-part time jobs and 33,700.had full time employment; The mitber of full ‘time jobs slipped a bit-from October's: figure of:33, 800 and: from 10, 700. - ent qu the humber of Part! Time, Jobs. of the labour forte i in November compared. to. 22,7001 in Oe tober, August 2003 was Aa. L per, cent, fee 1 4 per « cent | Seplent The 2004 numbers are o bettir thant the | ones for'the.¢ équiva: Ble lent period. last’ year when the: posted unemployment rale for... . _Stitl better than the 15 pe cent of November 200% : ber 2003 and 10.6 per cent. in 1 both October and November 2003. va “This” November's. ful and: part t time work farce count ~- topped the. November. 2003 total; reversing figures for Octo- The overall: populaion of ‘worklig age people 18y yeats 72 800 recorded for the: same month i in: 200 Declining. unemployment rates were ‘registered in every: “other aréa of the province: which, as'a whole, had adropfrom © _ Seven pér-cerit in October;to'6.4 per cent-in: ‘November..: ‘Noveniber's, provincial ‘unemployment fate: Is the lowest 7 ot since. 1981. rate was'5.7 per cent, and it was 6.4 per. cent in. Vancouver. to 7.3 per cent In October.” .. Nationally, Canada’s - “uninploytiient: rate’ in ‘November - was listed at 7.3 per cent,.up from, October’s.6,8 per cent but 7 “Fhe. Cariboo came in: avith’ a rate of 4 7 per cent compared” . ~ out of, the: c'region... “The lowest liner ployment tale in November i is in. 1 the : eae Thompson- -Okangan where: it was: five’ ‘percent, Victoria’ s And 22,300 people ‘veto off dally listed as not being part- Continued on ARS a Skeena Jr. ‘Ss “got heart “JOE TELEK holds up two‘heart-shaped boxes that are part of a ‘donation of handmade wooden toys his Grade 10 class is donating to Terrace Anti-Pover-- wy $ Christmas s Campaign. To learns more, turn to Page BI. JENNIFER LANG PHOTO :