Rail riders
on Skeena
increasing

MORE PEOPLE are taking
Via Rail’s Skeena train be-
tween Jasper and Prince
Rupert than ever before,
says an official from the
federal crown corporation.

And more revenue is
being collected along the
way.

But the Skeena run has a
long way to go before
revenue reaches expenses,
says Joe Volk.

In 1996, Via carried just
under 20,500 people on the
Skeena and that number
grew to 22,321 in 1997.

Revenues also increased
by nearly 30 per cent. The
scenic mun still loses 50
cents for every dollar paid
in fares or for service.

Fare increases have helped
as did the decision to bring
in a first class or ‘“Totem’’
service and switching the
schedule to an all daylight
Tun between Prince Rupert
and Prince George in 1996,
said Volk,

“We've been marketing
the Totem class extensively
in Europe and that’s paying
off,’’ he said.

Totem class passengers
receive meals as part of
their fare, higher standard
passenger cars and access to
a View car at the rear of the
train.

Those riding economy
must buy their meals on-
board or carry their own
food and are restricted to
their own car.

Demand for Totem class is
such that there are two bigh-
er class cars compared to
the one for economy and
Via can add another Totem
car should il be necded, said

Recall

change

unlikely

AS VOTERS on Vancouver
Island wait to see if their ef-
forts to recall MLA Paul
Reitsma are successful, it
seems the government has
no plans to tinker with the
legislation to remove MLAs
from office.

Although Premier Glen
Clark vowed during recall
campaigns eatlier this year
against Skeena MLA Hel-
mut Giesbrecht and Prince
George MLA Paul Ramsey
that there would be a review
of the law later on, Gics-
brecht says it doesn’t appear
that will happen.

“Tt doesn't seem like any-
body’s got an appetite for
it,’ Giesbrecht said. ‘And 1
don’t think anyone can
tolerate the nolion that it
might be done to the benefit
.of one side or another.”

The possibility of a review
also came up in the form of
a resolution at the NDP’s
annual convention this
spring, but it was shot down
there.

“You don’t want to give
the other side any more am-
munition,’’ said Giesbrecht1.

In the absence of govern-
ment action, he said, it ap-
pers the B.C. Civil
Liberties Association is so
fat taking the most direct
action in dealing with the
law.

-The group is going to
court’ in an effort to strike
down':,recall legislation on
the basis that it violates the
constitutional right. of
citizens to vote.

Those on both sides of the
recall battle here ended the
campaign carly this year
agreed that, some sort of
changes should be made to
the legislation.

Giesbrecht supporter Ray
Brady wanted to climinate
petitioners going door to
door and instead have
citizens come to a voting

_ booth ata public building to

sign a recall petition.

He sald that would also
eliminate the fear that
there’s a fist of people who
are for the MLA's removal
and in particular the fear
that such a list could get out
or be made public.

: $79 if booked seven days in

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 17, 1998 -A11

Porites id
ro

Volk.

“We look at the Totem
class as value-added,”’ said
Volk of Via’s marketing
stralegy to European and
American tourists,

Via expects its fare picture
to improve this year thanks
to an increase of five per
cent for Tofem class and

three per cent for economy.
An economy ticket will

cost $131 plus GST between
Prince Rupert and Jasper,

advance. Totem fares now
cost $297 plus GST for the
same distance.

Volk said = scheduling
agreements between Via
Rail and B.C. Rail’s service
to Prince George from
North Vancouver have
boosted the Skeena’s attrac-
tiveness.

A low, tourist-only Cana-
dian Airlines fare between
Vancouver and Prince ONCE ON the endangered list, Via Rail’s Skeena run from Prince Rupert to
Rupert so people can either Jasper has been revived thanks to a change in the schedule to a daytime run and
fly up to join the tain or fy 0 extensive marketing in Europe. Passenger traffic has increased and so have
back 1o Vancouver after ar- feVvenues but the federal crown corporation still has a way to go befare breaking
riving in Prince Rupert is ven on the service, The scenery and amenities appeal not only to tourists but to
also working well, he added, locals iooking for a way to enjoy themselves in the northwest.

arena ey

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