Security force Find out what Canadian peacekeepers are © doing in Bosnia. \NEWS A5 > Last year Local figure skaters enter their last Season with ‘the: Terrace Skating . Club\SPORTS B5 moves onto an 2 international school in | China\COMMUNITY Bi $1.00 pLus 7¢ GST ($1.10 plus 8¢:GST.- outside of the Tarrace area} “VOL. 14°NO. 35 © Offshore oil a low in More profit, less risk to be found on land By JEFF NAGEL OFFSHORE oil drilling in north coast waters is a risky and expensive pro- spect. And it will likely attract little inter- est ot cash fram oil companies while there there are more reliable and pro- fitable oil and gas plays on land, an industry official predicts. The provincial government’s idea of Harris queries kidney costs SKEENA B.C. LIBERAL MLA Roger Harris wants to know why it could cost more than $1 million to turn existing vacant space at Mills Memorial. Hospi- | tal into a kidney dialysis [im unit, “I’m told that this is consistent with the stan- dards on other pro- jects, but I have some concerns,” said Harris last week, “It seems awfully high for the 3,000 square feet or so of space.” The cost breaks dawn to $800,000 for renovations with an additional amount for contingency, supervi- sion and testing, he said. The vacant space is on the second floor of Mills and has never been used except for storage. The floors are bare as are the walls. There would need to be wiring and plumbing installed. For the sake of compar- ison, the 10-bed regional psych unit at Mills, which is in a much larger space than the planned dialysis unit, was recently gutted and completely renovated at a cost of approximately $650,000. The Skeena MLA has been tracking the progress, or lack thereof, of the planned six-stalion dialysis unit at Mills. Memorial Hospital since it was first Harris lifting B.C.’s moratorium on offshore exploration will be the subject of a public forum in Terrace Dec. 10. Even government ministers fronting the idea concede it could be eight to 10 years before significant offshore ac- tivity begins. If anything, that estimate is conser- vative, says David Luff, vice-president of environmental and operations for the Canadian Association of Petro- leum Producers (CAPP). “It would not be sooner than that,” m@ Light it up CHRIS HANSEN of the Greater Terrace Beautification Society braves cold winter winds to help put up Christmas lights near the new gazebo at Linear Park. SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN PHOTO. Luff said. It took 25 years from the first seis- mic tests before cas began to flow from wells off Nova Scotia’s Sable Is- land, he said. “It was a long period of time from initial activity through to production,” he said. Huge uncertainties are stacked against development of B.C.’s off- shore, even if the moratorium is lifted immediately. “Sensitive marine areas have to be "Wednesday, December 5, 2001: identified and protected so we know where they are,” Luff said. Native land claims to the seabed would also have to be resolved. And a seamless framework of regu- lations, in particular with no disputes between provincial and federal levels of government, would also be crucial, he said. “We do nol want to be operating in areas we shoulda’t be operating in - whether that’s for environmental rea- sons, whether that’s a conflict with dustry priority other industrial users in an area, or whether it’s because of First Nations land claims, Those three things need to be addressed.” “We need certainty,” he added. “There is uncertainty.” And if all those obstacles are over- come, B.C. walters may still be a low priority for new investment, Luff said a tremendous amount of money would have to be spent on seis- mic testing and exploratory wells to apparently on the con- struction approval track this fall but was then fro- zen as part of a general re- view of government ex- penditures. The projected costs have now been forwarded by Prince George. health authorities, who will run the unit as a satellite Continued Page A2 Gov't might let towns evade SCI referendum Councillors dismiss idea as political suicide BY JEFF NAGEL NORTHWEST towns have heen told Victoria could eliminate the need for. a teferendum and allow them to invest millions of dollars in Skeena Cellu- lose without local tax- payers’ approval. Terrace councillor Rich McDaniel said the city re- ceived a letter from the province’s lawyers sug- gesting some alternative may be possible allowing the city to put up its $5 million without the uncer- tainty of putting the deci- sion to a local vate. “There wis some sug- gestion we could go ahead without doing a referen- dum,” McDaniel said. The idea of abandoning a local referendum has ari- sen because of the loom- ing Dec. 14 court deadline tu cunclude a firm apree- ment to sell Skeena Celtu- lose to Swiss-based Mer- cer International. A definitive sale agree- ment must be in place by then or else SCI could be petitioned into bankruptcy. One condition of Mer- cer’s offer requires that nortiwest towns and purt- ners invest $20 million. But Skeena MLA Roger Harris said there are fears the sale will be remain un- certain and could well be torpedoed if it depends on a teferendum ‘yes’ vote in January or February. “Will the judge accepl the agreement on a pro- mise for a referendum? There’s not a lot of com- fort with that,” Harris said. McDaniel and olher T “errace councillars say they will never agree ta any scheme that would put city tax dollars at risk without a referendum. “You won't find me ap- proving anything involving taxpayers’ money without a referendum,” McDaniel said. The mayor and council have repeatedly pledged any decision to risk cily money on SCI will go to a referendum. “To preceed without a referendum is morally re- prehensible, political sui- cide and just plain wrong,” added councillor David Hull. He said there is “not one iota of desire” for the idea on council. “It won't happen,” Hull said of the province's idea. “H would be trampling all over any respect for the taxpayer by not going to them.” Councillor Marylin Da- vies, who said she has alsa been told of the letter, vowed to vote against. any proposal to proceed with- out a referendum, no mat- ter how vital the case for community investment. “You want to keep the avenues open,” she said, “but to stiggest we cin just skirt that part, I don’t be- lieve in it.” Although the deadline is challenging, Harris ad- mitted he, toc, doesn’t see “ how a referendum could be aveided. “I don’t know how you do this without consulting the taxpayer.” " The Local Government Act requires that long-term borrowing — spread out over more than five years: ~ must go to either a refer- endum or counterpetition. Under a counterpetition, . the city announces its in- tention to borrow money and the plan is approved unless at least five per: cent of cilizens sign a pe- tition against the idea, Hull said the only way the city could embark on Major borrowing without a referendum or counterpeti- tion is if the provincial government granted a spe-' cial exemption from the provisions of the Local Government Act and let council simply make the decision. “The alternative is the government can empower us to proceed without a re- ferendum or counterpeli- tion,” Hull said. It’s not clear under what authority such an exemp- lion could be made or whether it would involve simply ministerial appro- val, an order of cabinet, or an act of the legislature. Bul he stressed that even if such an option could be made fegal it is’ politically impossible. An exemplion to exist- ing legislation was already being contemplated to allow the community buy Cont'd Page A13 Kids’ Christmas bazaar latest victim of teachers’ job action ways invited to attend the event, operation, to provincial health officials in Victoria. IIE take them two or three weeks to examine the costs after which it'll go before the province's fi- nance people for approval. “It'll move into the po- litical and decision mak- ing process at that time,” said Harris. : He’s confident the pro- ject will get approval by very early next-year. 0. “There’s tio doubt this isa priority,” said Harris. By JENNIFER LANG STUDENTS AT Clarence Michiel Ele- mentary School in Terrace were told the bad news earlier this week. Plans to hold the schoal’s 23rd an- nual Christmas bazaar have been called off due to the teachers’ job action, school principal Bill Gook said. While the job action is in place, tea- chers aren’t performing a range of non- teaching duties in an effort.to put pres- sure on the negotiating table, including taking part in fundraising activities. _ The bazaar is traditionally held’ on. wo thé. last Thursday-before classes are. dis- - missed for the holidays. It’s open to the public and features a craft sale, loads of goodies, games and aclivilies. It’s also a major fundraising event for the Salvation Army — last year the school raised $2,200 for the Christmas campaign. In past years, the school has raised an average of $1,000 for the Salvation Army, Gook said. “Even if. the job- action ends, there woulda’ { be enough time to organize a successful bazaar.for Dec. 21, he said. “It is unfortunate,” he said. “We e have done this for so many years.” | “It-takes the combined effort: of ‘stu- dents, staff, parents and people in the community lo organize the bazaar cach year, “Without the teachers’ involvement, | don’t think it will be anywhere near as successful for the community,” he said. Students have already been hard at work preparing crafts to sell at the ba- zaar. The money is traditionally donated to a Salvation Army representative at a special assembly on the Friday before Christmas break, | The bazaar Is also a way to introduce Grade 3 students from neatby primary schools to Clarence. Michiel. Classes from Parkside ‘and E.T, Kenney are al- This is the second school fundraiser that’s been affected by the teachers’ job action. Thornhill Junior Secondary's band in- structor Michac! Wen put plans for a No- vember concert at the R.E.M. Lee Theatre on hold after the job action began. The concert, featuring the school’s band students in Grades & to 10, is a key meney-raising event to help pay for travel experises for a national music competi- tion called Music Fest Canada. Wen plans to take band sludents to Calgary in May. os