Legislatiy @ Libra Parliment Buildings “Y Victoria, B.c V8V-17z74 °° “Serving t the Progressive. ” “Northwest _ Yr Febranry) 1964 People you. “ghould know ‘by PAM WHITAKER | | “Herald Columnist. ” The sod you have been treading may very well be a the sod of Miguel (Mitel) Aguirre. He has a 30 acre. Bod and potato farm at 5021 Graham Ave. in Terrace. ’-Itis the only sod farm in the Pacific, northwest, the. «. closest one toit being at Prince George. ‘Youcan buy a-teady made lawh there, by'the yard, of carpet'a a _ Soccer field.” The weather: is probably -better here than in Prince George for sod and’ potatoes.’ There is 4 a longer. harvesting season, + «2 * Aguirre was not alwaysa farmer by any’ means but - his roots are in it; He was born in a. farming com-.. munity in Basque, a -fiercely independent - little . - country between France.and Spain, divided-during - the Franco regime. _His parents pursued: mixed 1 farming and had .11 children ‘eight sons and three daughters, as was a great hardship for’ the people to be forbidden to abpeak their own language. For a school boy it Was . *aiffioult learning. and particularly: hard’ when’ “peeing invalved in ‘schoo! hoy pranks, to. defend: “ones self,. . _ “At age ll, Aguirre was shipped by train to the city te live with his sister and her huaband, His brother in- ‘law was not there on time to meet the.train at San |, Sebastlan Station and Miguel’ remembers well the “vonfusion and fear of travelling alone for the first “ time, ‘not being able to ‘coramunicate with i ‘anyone in -_ - the crowds. of people. - oe ’ It did not take him long, however, to eit into the ety. In fact; when he ‘was 15, during the revolution, he ‘became the sole ‘supporter of his sister aid her baby: | ‘Hever came back,” Aguirre explained. “farm but eventually the political situation improved _ and they moved back to the farming.aréa, Aguirre * ‘spent some tine there working in a-bakery, = “It was very distasteful for-a Basque to be drafted into Franco's, their aggressor’s army, and when _ Miguel found ‘himself in that ‘situation in 1045, -he ; taped ‘to France. a “coast of. Normandy to.help clean wp the rubble in the “ 4 gee of the | Basque agricultural territory there and Miguel ac: | cepted an opportunity to manage a farm, his.first..-, _ ot that time. | | In 1951 he and sonie friends, ‘three Frenchmen and . one Austrian, boarded a ship - the Georgique - to Scotia, then went on to Montreal, From there, Aguirre-ended up'working. in logging . enterprises in Northern Quebec and Ontario, Wishing to avoid the cold one winter, he took a job washing . dishes in Montreal. "There were stacks and stacks of dishes,” he-remembered. “You just finish a stack and some more conie!” He was'soon back logging . and worked in various aspects of the forest industry. for many years. 7 _ ‘In 1952 Aguirre took the CPR: to. Vancouver and looked up-an aquaintance, a Basque, the maker of _ Miguel Aguirre Terrace former , "The Basque had their own linguaige - - an idiom, not uo, -adialect - :,and when Spain. took over the territory It . - “ _ » be undertook some logging contracts near Prince- » as her husband had gone to war. “My brother-in-law a “Whey. were’ cut-pft at that time’from thelr father’s. ~ Heé-and his friend were sent by the French up. “the a 5 stander greens of early spring wtien he firat saw it an fell 'in love wi they bea World War.- wae headed south ‘again and ended up oom ~ ““myeh of it has ‘been cleared, “At one time that area fr working ina panei forest: “They were close toa love. He gained valuable experience and knowledge Canada, They arrived on July 21 at Halifax, Nova, — “Mitch Aguirre Pierre Paris’ logging boots, His friend helped’ ‘him ; ’ find employment at Elk River near Campbell River " ‘oa Vancouver Island. pas Because of.a strike Miguel decided to. 0; north, io ' Prince George and was employed in the interior. until. ” . Rupert: including Smith Island. -He has. done Just: ~ about everything theré-is to do in the’ ‘logging and.’f sawmilling industry. He spent several years around ~-4- ‘Burns, Lake where he met his late. wife, Betty. “ She: was keeping books at the Jack Nicholgon: mill 4 and Niguel beard that she did other people’ 3 books in . ‘ herspare time -shie agreed to do his, ° They were married in 1958. A son, Dale Porter of , Terrace: is: married to Shirley: Waywitka and’ ‘they: " have'two children. ‘Daughter Linda and her husband ; ‘Louie Page of Fort Fraser have two children also, . Miguel Aguirre’s sod and potato farm ig situated on” rich loamy Skeetia bottomland. It waa misty with the = “ hit. Luch birch grow there. althoug! was quite swampy.as most of.Graham Avenue was. - He has an orchard or cherry, apple and crabapple; . trees, a good sized vegetable garden, a long. potate %. shed, and some pigs. Hundreds of Canada Geese stop to rest onhis field each spring and fall, _ : “Aguirre enjoys a reputation for making. ‘the. ‘best wine in the territory and attributes it tohis care of the - wooden wine caskets that contain. the wine; The local potatoes industry received :a: blow this - past'Year as U.S. potatoes Hooded the -market and brought the prices below profitability, There are no " guidelines that large food chains be required to . handle local produce although they I have cboperate to some degree, *:- “Aguirre doesn’t think he'll plant many potatoes this - Summer -it’s not worth it ‘and besides he wants more : freedom during winter months to seek the Bun. After } t 1 ih ; OTTAWA (CP) — spranch to its restless unions: taday, announéing ‘no em- “ployees will be laid off during the. 196485, fiscal Year in its | jdtive for'a balanced budget.. ; President Michael Warren said t the: agency wil rely on ‘atirition rather than layoffs to’meet its financial goals, although, transfers and retraining i may. be necessary for me employees, jadbont 3,000 jobs have heen eliminated by ‘attrition since e post office was converted: froma government separ: fment to a Crown corporation in 1981, . . ’ Warren's statement came.a day after the agency for. : inally approved a controversial five-year ‘plan to-wipe out postal deficits. and make operations competitive with private business rivals. * protest the plan as directors: of the agency Gathered to endorse it, » Jean-Claude Parrot, president ‘of the 23,000-member * inside: ‘postal workers’ union, warned of “industrial chaos” “if the plan is not modified, arguing it would mean sevice: : euls and reduced benefits for ‘Postal employees. _ The plan calls fora balanced post office budget by 1986-87, . | The current deficit is about $300 million, down from the’ nearly $1-billion, deficit the agency’ ‘inherited in 1981, - Parrot had to immedjate comment- today” on ‘Warren’ ‘s announcement. A spokesman said Parrot ‘would study: it. , and issue a statement next week. Robert McGarry, head of the Letter Carriers ‘Union of Canada, also with 23,000 members, breeted the t news with ‘Kemano supported Herald Staff Writer. | ' TERRACE— “Let's show Alvan that we weleome them to this area,” says Chamber of Commerce President, Judy Jephson, + And on Tuesday, at their noon meeting, the ehamber did. exactly that, passing a resolution that.showed strong | dupport for the Alcan Kemano Completion Project, in order that a smelter be built at or near Vanderhoof ad a omelter ., at or near Tetrace, : reer meeting to be held on Friday, ira 2, at the arena’ banquet room at 7:50 p.tn rs Postal ‘olive branch extendec — Canada Post Corp. extended an olive’ 7 misinterpretation,” ae ' Members of the Canadian: Union: of Postal ' Workers’ : . paraded outside Canada Post“ headquarters ‘Thursday to. . all, mone he only looks 48, he is over 60. , - cautious approval, “The language of the. Ainouncement is. cortainly, better: 7 ‘than language they have used previously, which allowed for. ; ., layoffs to ‘achieve their: financial goals," McGarry said:.: “T.don’t find it too surprising, but it seems 5 osillve. as far. as it goes." “"° _ Contfacts for both: the letter carriers and. the ingide” . workers ‘expire: Oct... ‘and ” both “unions foresee tough: bargaining to reach i hew agreements; ‘, . The no-layoff antiduncement by Warren, was distributed . initially witha warning | that it would not apply, “during any period of work ‘disruption. ns ; : Buta hasty cofrection was issued to delete the reference. ; "Information offi ices for the agency sald tt “could bei Open to. me ! a CNB’ ‘seeks: help "Herald Staff Writer cats TERRACE— Local organizers of the Canadian ‘National Institute for the Blind are looking fora new. : Broup to maintain canvassing for fund raising in October. . . Charles’ Bailey, area representative, says he-is- looking . "for a good series of area captains who will recrult aboitt 70 people to canvas the area. Until recently the Lions ranthe ‘|, § Operation but a manpower shortage forced then tp drop it. When it was taken ovér by an independent. committee last year itwas rot as ood as the CNIB had hoped for. . CNIB tries to get 50 cents per capita In each community. The institute has 18 clients in Terrdce and about six in the outlying area. There are six prevention cases involving — “people who havea visual loss but are not légallly blind. In Kitimat there are 13 registered clients and. two prevention cases. TheCNIB has been servicing the area since the early 19503. It assists with ity braille and talking books libraries, ’ trains people to read and write, provides counselling ser- *, vice topeople who become blind and their ‘families, 1 ani has ' an employment counselling office in Vancouver from, which - '_& representative comes to Texrace regularly; °° Blind people are very excited about the new talking chip in computer word, | processing. Presently 65 podt secondary | level students are active in getting into the computer Held through the CNIB, says Bailey. Bailey will be staying at the ‘Terrace Hotel until earns if anyone has information or questions toaskhim.: . .-<, ‘ ' TERRACE— Negotiations between the’ Terrace School -and the Terrace District. “Tedchers’ Association Se ‘broke down ‘Wednesday- evening when the’. teachers "4. Megotlating commiliée refused the board's offer of a Billa : » €xeniption.. et st A board spokesman: said ihe. only. point of ‘eontention " remaining was the TDOTA riegotlating committee's demand /treplace the elected school board as the final authority in - selting the district budget, allocating the’ number Of * teachers: to schools, ‘and appointing principals, “EDTA A president, al Lehamn said he was surprised to hear that the ‘school board was taking ‘this attitude. « _ 7 “I find it really. incredible. that they - ‘would make a ‘ statement like that, We have no interest in the budget and ° "as far as allocating. teachers is concerned, I feel that it ° - would be beneficial to thie school board if the association were allowed some input in-regards to. § student-teacher - Tatio,” be said Thursday afternoon. , He explained that there are. cases at present where = teachers: are giving instraction 4o classes holding over 35 ot studeits i in rooms that were designed for 28 students. Vo? He saya, that, with, input coming from teachers regarding we { elass size, thea ones to benefit will be the students. ore | An. the’ ‘matter * regarding: principal appointment; _ ‘Lehamann sald that the proposed senlovity list ‘bas. to o apply , am to all: . "Realizing th this, i. it 80 happened that a junior principal e with little seniority) was ‘Boing to. be affected by a 2 layoff, his position ¢auld be exempted or over Jooked if he some Special qualifications or {raining that make | him 4 ei jin his field of: studies. OTETRACE- cn Rail plans to “extend its current yard ‘facilities to include’ an,, additional | five tracks east of the Sande Street. Overpass: , with one track, which willbe used asa switching tead. Soi ' concecn'w } N on Thuksday,’ Feb. 9,-that the ‘tHiethanol being stored i in : : the city centre could present a potential hazard should an - = directly with the increase in traffic colume, necident ever occur involving these cars. a Terrace teachers want ‘input WN to ‘extend ; ‘AS weil, CN plans 1G expand west é across Kenney Street . \ AS far. as: storage of ‘dangerous- ~ commodities 16 Cori “gamed, CN public affairs manager, Bill Dewan, says that no ‘hazardous materials are kept in. the yard! for longer than 24 - -hours,, “He. explained. that the Procor: care. carrying. methanol to ‘Kitimat do no{stay in the yard for more than. several hours,’ and, are ntedately moved | ‘once a ‘ral héads ‘out ti However, if a junior principal were to be layed off, thena teacher. with more seniority thai that of the principals could put an application in with theschool board to gain that: position, This could only. oceur if the principal had little seniority. and only if ‘he was: gotng bo be definately affected by a layoff, He says that the: “IDTA ts interested: in having a “com: mittee of four people set up, two trustees and two teachers, ” to make decisidhs regarding appeals or grievances: As well, the association would like to see a third party: . appointed to arbitrate on matters the committee couldn't”. come toa decision on;. _Thisperson could be someone that Is acceptable to both. ° the school hoard and the teachers’ association, be itaschool:* ~- superintendent from another district or someone appointed s by the government. Vol uid cee Danny Sheridan, chairman’ of the ‘board's: negotiating ..'. committee, said he ia at a toss: to understand | the. teachers’ position, . He pointed out that’ ‘the teachers went on strike in-the. fall: to protect in part, a logs of local autonomy of school boards oe in deciding on district's -priorities. . “Tt'seama inconcelvable;" he said, “that teachers would - turn over control ef what school programs will be run in the - district, to a single person who is not an-educator, let aloné aah _ an elected official responsible to the public.’’ “There are no- ‘future ‘negotiating ineetings “scheduled between the board and the TDTA negotiating committee and no further meetings are contemplated | until. the full ” board has been consulted, he current yord Dewan polnis out that methanol is less volatile than’ gasoline and because it does not stay in the area very Jong, it doesn't present that‘much of a hazard. Dewan points out that the railways are strictly regulated and the: penalties quite severe should’ the proper - precautions not be taken in storing and transporting dangerous commodities. As far as the expansion of the yard goes, work wlll begin * in 1984. and will be completed by the end of 1985. bait a Cost’ forthe. project, in. $his area. will, be in, the ‘neigh * a ‘Possible: increase ih oes fs the’ number: of employées working in the area: Ws “bourhood of $6 million and Could see, a gee ‘However, Déwan’ ‘points out: that’ this increase it tied in . “gonigs, which reflect the ‘lifestyle arfd-environment of “TERRACE ‘Singersongwriter Vie Bell will be -préserited in concert by the Terrace Coffeehouse in. Terrace on Sunday, Feb. a) at Don Diego's Restaurant Concert time is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are “4 and are at the . “dége which opens at 7 p.m. - Queen Charlotte Islands.and was involved with'several _Brassrodts environmerital ‘groups‘at” ‘that time. His northern B. C. and. Alberta, are’ often stories based on " experience -,- a fishing boat returning home. across Hecate. Strait, a conoeing tragedy in the northern " wildemess, a crew of fishermen turned .salvagers, hauling: logs off the beaches. © . 7 ~ rae as By. Tetracs Coffechouse "Bell presented in concert Born in Vancouver, Bell lived for seven years on the - For!’ ‘the last two years, he~ Has lived in Calgary, _ Queen Chariotte Islands, Before beginning the tour, teaching adult guitar classes for the school board and .for inmates in the local prison. Active in Calgary's extensive folk musle scene, he has played many concerts’ in the local folk clubs and twice performed mainstage at the Canmore Folk Festival, He is performing here as part ofa 15-concert tour of ‘small communities throughout British Columbia, co- ordinated by the’ Prine George-based Northern Music Circuit. — The circuit is a non-profit. and volunteer operated association of member coffeehouses - located throughout the province. The circuit was established in 1978 by organizers of the Hudson’s Bay Coffeehouse in Quesnel, Since 1082 a central co-ordinator in Prince . George has been working with a board of member . coffeehouse representatives in’ the communities the circuit serves, It operated solely on a volunteer basis, Operating expenses are covered by percentage fees paid by the touring artists and an annual membership fee paid by participating coffeehouse groups. Through a system of block booking, the circuit is able to introduce musicians at prices the smaller coffeehouses can manage. -The service also provides exposure and format for musicians who would otherwise find it difficult to break. in to inlerior B.C. The coffeehouse format offers an excellent project for small communities relatively isolated from the cultural opportunities of the urban centers. Performers pay their own travel expenseson the tour, which include ferry passage and air service’ to the performers are provided with detailed information on the facilities present in each community on the tour. Most coffeehouses have adequate public address systems for performers who choose not to tour with their own equipment. ’ Communities on the circult include Port Clements, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Kispiox, Smithers, Endako, Fort St. James, Vanderhoof, . Mackenzie, Prince George, McBride, Golden, Invermere, Creston and ‘ernie pagés 485 pages 6&9 ) pages 10, 11412 Classifieds ( _ —\ ' WHY BUY NEW? | WHEN USEDWILL Dor Do you want parts totix up your car but your budget won't allow if? Beat the high cost of new parts with quality used parts from _S.K.B. AUTO SALVAGE 635-2333 or 635-9095 | Ca eS i ge a akmneng gerag , 1690 Ovhan (justotf Hwy. 16E) J. Me