Leave B, Cc. alone. Lots of action.

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s ensible ‘way to reach that New

gives. his land claims

perspective\NEWS' A16

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Airport lease

THE PROVINCE’s plan to charge
municipalities for airport lands
amounts to little more than a cash
grab, says a city councillor.

David Hull says Victoria should

turn over the land for.a dollar, rather.

than insist on negotiating leases.

‘The city wants 2,000 acres of land

surrounding the airport turned over
free to the city, which could then be
used to develop business or an indus-

trial site with revenues, that could’

subsidize the airport. .

The federal government ‘announced.
plans to offload federal airports, and-
close any that other governments -

don’t take over.
The Terrace airport loses approxi-

mately $800,000 a year.

The statement issued last week by
employment and investment minister
Glen Clark says the province is com-

mitted to helping the airports’ in’

question develop into self-supporting

- businesses, |

**The arrangement that we have de-
cided upon is‘mutually beneficial to
communities. and the provincial
government,” Clark said.

But the vague statement included
no details,:and. said the terms of
leases would’ be negotiated individu-

ally with each affected municipality,

Getting extra land beyond what the
airport sits on depends on submitting

a business proposal and agreeing to

share revenue with Victoria.

Hull ‘says many airports in B.C,
gained the land they sit on from the
province for a dollar back in the
1940s. .

Terrace was one of the ones -that
didn’t. .

“For the: sake of a ‘clerical error in
the . 1940s we're . being’ held to

‘ransom by the provincial government

for the value of the land while the
federal government is holding an an-
vil over.our heads,’’ Hull said.

“They should ‘roll back the. clock

and put everybody on a level playing
field’

The Terrace airport will be at a
competitive disadvantage with air-

ports in Smithers and Prince Rupert,
he said, where the land was turned
over decades ago for free.

“It’s going to discourage busi-
ness,”” he said. ““We view the airport
as an economic generator. Having it
tied up in some kind of screwball
lease arrangenient won't help turn it

into an economic generator — it'll
-make it an - albatross around our -

neck. ”

- He said the. vague statement will
further delay city plans to examine
taking over the airport. | ,

‘“You can’t go to a consultant, give

him 40 different scenarios and tell
him to work it out.”

simply rong the meagre ‘value of the
land at the Terrace airport.

‘Tt’s 2,000 acres of gravel ‘and

‘scrubby little trees and they’re going

on about timber value,’’ said Hull.
“You'd think it was the Carmanah

the way they’re holding onta the
bloody thing.”? :

He said the airport issue is, critical
to the future of Terrace and Kitimat:
and predicted it will figure promi-
rently's when people here elect a new

-“T strongly suspect this is going to
become a_ political: football in ‘the

_ next ‘Provincial election.” ~ eee

E Going the distance

JUST LIKE Superman, modern communications technology
is faster than a speeding bullet, more power than a spgeding
locomotive and can clear tall buildings in a single bound.
UNBC student Morgan Cranny Is just one of. many north-

emers to make vite long distance. conneotions, But there's
‘also a competitive. ‘aspect: to” ‘all of this. For: more “on.who. Is Los
doing whet and what the ‘future: holds for nonthwestem :
please see Page AS. (PHOTO COURTESY UNBC}:

| Dr. Jane Pegg.

Health programs receive money’

MORE THAN a year after it was announced,
the last of the. money for area health care pro-
grams has been allocated,

Nearly $354,000 is going to eight programs
timed at keeping people out of hospitals as part
of the provinclal. government's Closer to Home
initiative.

The money is part of a $1.035 million package
for the northwest announced in 1994, Nearly
$700,000 was given out in eatly 1995.

Topping the list this time is $65,000 for a
tegional crisis-line that'll tle into an existing one
operating out of Prince George.

Northwesterners will be able to call, toll- free,
speak to a volunteer cousscliot and obtain in-
formation ott available help in their hometowns.

A one time. $72,000 grant is going for an as-~

sessment of regional drug and alcohol services
to determine how what is available how cai be

better used,

Prince Rupert is to be the base of a $109,000

effort aimed at reducing heart risks.

Mills Memorial Hospital is to get $15,000 for
an electroconvulsive therapy inachine for
psychiatric patients.

Hazelton and Good Hope Lake are to receive

diabetes education programs, Kitimat is to geta...
boost in its hospice support services and there'll
be training for first responder volunteers in the

Stikine,
Although the programs were approved by the

‘ area’s new regional health board in-early.'fall, :
the official announcement by the health minis- :

try wasn’t made until last week,
“1 don’t know if freeze is exactly the right

‘word, but In. the government overall.wé’ve had
“instructions ‘fo watch spending,’ said Gaty:~
o Roper, who ‘watches’ over-the Closer to Home :: a Hon me

- program in the northwest, when asked about the

. thme lag.

And he sald there was ‘some: e discussion 2 as to
whether the money for the ‘programs was. to be.
released.

“But there weré guarantees given that this:

: ‘funding was to be available,’? Roper added of
- discussions between the health’ ministry, and. the.
_Feglonal health board. -

‘Three of the programs — the regiosial crisis:

- line, the Prince Rupert-based: heart tisk’ reduc-.
tion scheme and-the Hazelton: diabetes: educa-”
» tion, effort — are meant to “continue: in Future.
“years:

That means ibey'l be dependent upon’ a con-

tinuing stream of money being allocated under -
othe’ unibrella -effort | to’ reduce. the anicunt. ‘of.

“people sae might erwise need hospltaliza.

Happy landings

THE FRUSTRATION of trying to land at the’ airport
here only to be diverted to Prince Rupert aid then |
facing a long bus ride home has Deen felt” by. fewer:
people this winter than ever before. a
Only 18 regularly scheduled passenger fighis since.
Oct. 1 have been called off because of bid weather,
says Terrace-Kitimat airport managet Darty! Ladrent,
“And the worst was Monday (Dee. 48) when all five
flights were cancelled,” he added. :
Given that there.were more than’ 500 Hights achedul: 7
ed between Oct 1 and last week, ‘the: eancellation rate:
is a remarkable three per cent. © 7
That's much different than previous winters when up 7
to one landing in 10.was called off, a
“Tt’s. excellent, I was surprised when ] saw. the fig: :
ures. The weather’s been pretty good but what really:
helped out are the new approaches,’’ said Laurent. . |
Those new approaches, now more than a year old, al :
low aircraft to come in at lower altitudes than before, *
That was partly due to cutting trees off of the: top of a
Little Herman Mountain located on the ‘approach: lato .
the airport from the south. T

Docs fear are
hospital cuts

THE LOCAL MEDICAL community's: ‘chief spokesman
doubts if specialists can keep up current level of services
should more beds be cut at Mills Memorial Hospital. :

Dr. James Dunfield, a surgeon and medical chief of staff
at Mills, says Mills risks being reduced to a facility able to
provide basic care just for Terrace and surrounding area,’

“The first thing to look at-is that the government funds
the hospital as a community hospital's and ‘net an regional
referral hospital,’’ he said. a 2

“The budget allowed us to do that in the past but: ‘we
can't do that anymore.”

Accepting a role as a community hospital would mean
restricting access to patients from outside the: immediate
Terrace area, Dunfield added. ;

But should that happen, specialists will begin to lee
and services suffer, he-said -

Oue. specialist leery about the iden to reduce beds and
combine different wards into 8 central, area, 4s pediatrician

She's worried that pediatric services will | affected and
that nurses specializing: in the care of children mays not be
on duty when required.

“Tm worried. about, the level of « care, that will result,”
Pegg sald. | as

~ OF equal worry: to Pegg is the possibility, th a second
| pediatrician she’s just recruited may mot want: to come
* given the possible cuts to the pediatrics ward.

Pegg is now: the only full time pediatrician in. the north.
“west, a workload she says she. won't be, able to handle

‘much longer if she doesn’t get help.

*. “7 haven’t spoken to-this person | yet, 50 I don't now
what will happen,” sald Pegg.” a

“It could very well be that } person wilt want to ‘ake a
look at other job options.’?

“Tf that happens, I’m also. going to ‘have to look at op-

| tons I can’t go on doing this forever.”

Medical chief. of staff Dunfleld says: -écal - physiclans
don't: blame hospital mang; ement or: ‘thi board 'E for the

~ pending cuts,

“They're between a ‘rock and hard place,’ This is somte-

. thing the provincial government has done,’?

‘Dunfield did acknowledge: that: it: the. seven: years he’s

been here, Mills ‘has: reduced its bed count from 97 without

aifecting : service, 4 *
» Wet tye been able to switch { to aye burger imioré ut

onde abow th