PAGE 4, THE HERALD, Tuesday, December. 13, 1977 aed . Aske ae Editorial Log LOG CITY City Terrace is a sawmill and logging city. At least that is how it is described in most of its promotional booklets. However -—— apart from the visible signs of production — the smoke from the slash burners; the steam from the wood kilns and the stacks of poles and lumber seen in product promotion. ssing, there is little other evidence of Tourists to Prince Rupert have expressed disap- pointment when they had expected to find bargains in. ish and seafood products. As one complained, “Although shrimp is landed at Rupert, } can buy It cheaper at Prince George,” A recent article on salmon stated Rupert canned salmon is cheaper to buy in Tokyo — thousands of miles away — than where itis caught and processed. . Is it ssible the same contradiction holds true with log and lumber products in Terrace? A visit to the Black Forest in Germany will show the traveller what imagination, ingenuity and business can do to promote the sale of wood Generations of woodcarvers have grown up t products. ere over the years whocan fashion almost every known variety of object made from the trees of the Schwartzwold (Black Forest). Carvings of gnomes, Grimms Fairy Tale characters, wooden cuckoo clocks, wooden cased grandfathers clocks, doll houses and toys of every description; wooden egg cups, wooden carts, wooden lattices and trellises; furniture for little people as well as adults. Wooden windmills; dioramas of moving figures protraying scenes from other lands. The whole world, likewise associates “‘klompen” (wooden shoes) with Holldan. Sweden is famous for wooden salad and serving bowls, dishes and “salad servers” 5 Whatis ons and forks, re tocompare in the city of Terrace? The other day I went to buy an axe for splitting firewood. Despite the fact that Terrace — and B.C. — is “logging country” the onl. axes and hatchets I could find were made in Sweden, A plain axe handle (made in Quebec) cost $4.50; the axe was $14 for the cheapest model. Could not we competitively produce our own? Think of the transportation costs from Sweden then across the continent 4,000 miles to Terrace! How about adding courses in creative wood use at our Community college? Whatever happened to the art of Fretwork? is it a Jost art --- or can.it be revived? Remember the fancy lettering and flowers and birds and geometric designs that our grandparents used to turn oul thal were given at weddings and an- niversaries, made from wood with scroll saws? How about a “Wood Museum” showing all the different varieties of wocd grown in Northern B.C. and examples of the tens of thousands of products made from wood the world over? With such a showcase, perhaps interest would be sparked in establishing local industries to produce some of the many products that would, in turn stimulale employment. The Irish “invented” the shillelagh — a kng of short walking stick useful in'Beatiig their over.the- head in.a; ‘fair’ fight:'"the’ shillel rt item throughout the’ worl major ex profit is immense. by, igh is a — and the :o y Here, in the Terrace area, we have the famous Native Indian “Talking Stick'’ — models of which could be carved by local native craftsmen, and solid it with explanatory erature describing the tradition and lore behind the cerernonial item. On an even larger scale is the vast potential of waste wood for the production of methanol alcohol which cna be manufactured for as little as 30 cents a gallon, and can be used, straight, or diluted with gasoline — to fuel automobiles and all internal combustion engines. To “economically” produce methanol on 4 commercial scale would require con- struction of a multi-million dollar refinery, employing many workers — but what is so wrong about that? There is virtually a bottomless market awaiting methanol alcoho! — over 3 billion gallons per year in Canada, according to one government source, With the insulation boom on to save heat and con- serve energy, wood wool, processed and fireproofed — is in such emand the market cannot be met. What is Terrace doing about meeting that demand? These are just a few ideas that the Terrace Chamber of Commerce and all local business persons might ponder, whereby the renewable natural resources of timber with which God and Nature have blessed us could be turned to advantage and used to create employment for every person willing to work. Day To Remember Bill Schneider The Board of Driectors of the British Colurnbia Independent Association (BCILA) has declared Wednesday, December 14th as “Bill Schneider Day” within the forest industry. Board Chairman Bob Lind of Princeton says there have been numerous requests and suggestions from members of the industry as well as equipment dealers and suppliers to establish some kind of permanent , memorial to Bill Schneider, ‘‘What we hoep to do,” says Lind, “ig to raise enough ; money to provide a building at the Junior Forest Warden's Camp at Silver Lake in the Okanagan. This was a project which Bill sup- - ported in his lifetime and, . is ap: one we = think proproate as uw mem- orial to him.” The Silver Lake Camp is- a project of the CanadianForestry Association and provides facilities for children {to enjoy a summer holiday away from urgan cen- tres. It offers supervised vacations where youngsters can ‘learn woodlore, swim, hike, ,,, Logging | british Columbia * dependentLogging _ Association ans was boat, and generally enjoy a period in the woods. The BCILA Chairman says the association - will “donate to the youth cam all monies raised on ‘‘Bill Schneider Day’ which are forwarded by cheque or pledge to the BCILA office in Prince George. The money will be the result of pledging the proceeds of the December | 14th production or kume part of it hy jogging and trucking © operations throughout the province. Other members of the ‘Jogging community like suppliers and dealers-can also send their pledges or whatever amounts they feel are sutiable to the association's office in Prince George. Bill Schneider was the founding Chairman of the n- active in its affairs until chig death on August 2,, 1977 as a result of injuries sustained in an industrial aceident the previous week, He, was,an active supporjer, pf decal and provincial youth programs*!-and- sports activities... . Sim wie me - (Scenic Letter To The Editor Chief Gitrhawn’s Daughter Speaks Her Mind Mercy E. Robinson KincOlith, Nass River, British Columbia, Canada, VoV 1B0 9 November, 1977. The Honourable Premier Rene Levesque, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Mr. Premier:- I have been curiously watching and listening to your concerning a possible separation from the rest of Canada and your concern in the preser- vation of the French ‘Culture -within Canada. ** T’am a Native Indian and Canada is my “Motherland”. My beliefs are that as long as all the other cultures have their Motherlands, deliberations’ their cultures will not perish within any country that they have adopted as their Habitat; therefore 1 feel that the English culture will survive because there is England, French culture will survive because there is France and any other culjures related to their own Motherlands will surely survive and I with all of my people will survive because — ‘‘We are Canada.” Mr. Premier, you are always emphasizing “Cultural preservation,’ are you also considering the cultural preservation of the Native Indians within Quebec? What is your Government doing, besides sending your “armed forces’’ into Indian Reservations, to Lost - Found - Lost VANCOUVER (CP) — Some people pick up starving, abandoned animals and make homes -for them. Petur Sigmundson found an abandoned, neglected 1961 MGA roadster a few weeks ago on a city street, fed it some clean oil, and had it purring in a warm garage. It was ai] done with the blessing of the provincial Motor Vehicles Branch (MVB), and the pracess cost him $1.37. The car he figures will be worth $2,000 when it’s all fixed up, is all his, Sigmundson thought, until a monkey wrench was thrown in the works last week. Sigmundson, a Van- couver advertising distributor, said that in eajq September, he saw the car parked for several weeks with its convertible top open, The rains came, and he closed its top, and began won- dering about the sleek two-seater, He called an office of the Moetor Vehicles Branch, which said he might get the car under a section of the Highways Improvement) Act which allows either city or provincial officials to dispose of abandoned cars, SENT LETTER The branch gave him instructions which he followed to the letter. He paid 25 cents for a vehicle search, then sent a double-registered letter ($1.12) to the register3d owner who apparently was in Toronto and the letter was returned marked undeliverable. Sigmundson — brought the unopened letter to the MVYB, and to his astonish- ment, the branch said the car was his, “That day they signed the car over to me, and 1 got a licence and _in- surance,”’ he said Sun- day. ‘I started working on it and put about $400 worth of work into it.” Then came the bad news. A senior employee of the branch sent Sigmundson a _ note saying he was driving a stolen car. Sigmundson met with the MVB office manager and a city police detec- tive who “told me he wasn’t exactly sure if the MVB had the ‘right to assign the car.” CAR NOT HIS He was informed Friday by the police that city lawyers believe the car is not his. Regarding abandoned cars, the Highways (Scenic Improvement) Act says the province, or a municipatity, ‘‘may cause the vehicle to be disposed of and that neither the person or agency that disposes of the car, ‘‘nor the person who receives the vehicle on a disposition under this section’’. (Sigmund- son) is Mable to the previous owner. The ledislation says that the province can dispose of tars outside a municipality, and the city can dispose of cars within its jurisdiction. Sigmundson's problem: what happens when the provincial MVB disposes of a car that showd be disposed of by the city? While the jegal experts argue, Sigmundson says he'd ‘ike to phone up the original owner and find out how he feels about it, but I don’t like the idea of buying a car [ already own,” ih Sigmundson has about $300 worth of additional parts on order for his stray MGA, and plans to tour Oregon when il’s ready to go. Meanwhile, it’s not all that certain the original owner nay want to claim the car. Maximum penalty for abandoning a car under the act is $500. Skyline of Edmonton, capital of the energy-rich province of Alberta, with the Mutta compensate the Indian Culture, aboriginal heritage, land claims and individual Human rights within the Province of Quebec? What Cultural Preservation are you offering them? Do you recognize their need for self and cultural preservation? Or are you smothering their existance with — Your Foreign Culture? In view of what you want from the rest of Canada mr. Levesque, such as your language bill 101. You want your culture retained and practiced across Canada asd second “Official” language. ‘My. Native India’ language is my “Official”? language, 1 use the English language as my communal par- ticipation in this “New” | Society within our country, Canada. We, the Native Indians of Canada were forced to learn the English language, and now our children will be subject to learn the French language through the school system. Still,. we are considered second class citizens with no intelligence and suave to Saye Firs gh PART he compete with the rest of the Canadian society, and yet — after 10) years plus has passed and not even 1 per cent of the Canadian white or other races have been able to master any of our North American Indian languages. If you and your Cabinet Ministers are able to master any of the North American Indian languages, I would not mind Jearning the French’ language, then — maybe — we will be on our way to understanding one another’s Cultural, Economical and En- vironmental problems in order to solve them, both for your ‘peoples’ ‘and mine, and also for the rest of the multi-cultures within Canada. We, the Native Indians of Canada do not mind if you separate from the rest of Canada, just be sure to leave “‘Our Land” where it is when you go, because it has never been compensated for by the Quebec Government or any other Government. The reason the I use “Our Land” is because my people knew no boun- daries. Canada as a Letter To The Editor Why Teachers Quit Dear Sir, This letter will put forward reasons why some teachers quite their profession nowadays. It is written so that the’ public may be aware of some of these reasons. 1) The school’s role in society is to perpetuate the “status quo” and therefore, any teacher who challenges his pupils and exposes them to new ideas and presents them with conflicting in- terpretations of the same event or situation, of- fends the ‘statud quo’, is not wanted and leaves, 2> The foregoing teachers are watched closely — their filed trips, films ete... have to be okayed at several levels. This inslults the teacher as a responsible person and professional educator. Thus the teachers’ ability to guide and stimulate his students is questioned — and that teacher is treated like a child. Such teachers are asked to responsibly teach a class everyday, 5 days per week and are at the same time told that they are not trusted to do the job. (This happens to many teachers). 3) The — Provincial Government’s _ attitude towards Education also annoys teachers — budgets have been reduced and education suffers as a result. Teachers are asked to accept above the per- missible number of studentsin a class. (Even parents must know that no kid should have to be lost ina sea of faces while trying to get an education). And moreover, how can teachers possibly do the job they’re supposed to do, when they don’t even have the time to get to know their students. 4) Some teachers also worried about the in- troduction of the Core Curriculum, Are we returning to the days when only those who could afford a liberal education, were given one? When most people learned only waht was necessary for them to be - able to do their jobs. If we are, then we are denying people the op- portunity to pursue and develop their interests and talents. Doors will be left open only for those who. can afford, after ublic education, ta go to niversity. And teachers eir hearts that not how a society know in this in democratic operates. Is our society then so fragile, so close to collapse, that it can't tolerage new ideas? Is it so insecure in what it stands for that it is ranoically threatened y questions and challenges? And does our society deny the right of a liberal education to all, because of budget cuts, core curriculum etc, The public would do well to ponder the foregoing matters — seriously. “Educationist.” rt Conservatory in foreground. ‘plus °10 years. in ir whole is “Qur Homeland’’. There were no divisions of our homeland into Provinces, nor was there a_ line drawn across the North American Continent, creating two countries — Canada and - United States. “This is our land’’. With the impact of our race and others, our ands have been raped and ravished of its’ natural resources anc nothing is being put back to replenish what has been taken. Our" Traditional Cultural Artifacts” were taken from, my ,.people when the - white. ‘race punctured. our existance. My Father — “Chief Gitrhawn's” traditional Eagle totem pole was taken and is now standing in the Quebec museum. It is our Native Custom that whereever our traditional totem poles stand, that land belongs to the owner of that specific totem pole. It is very much like your custom only you put a flag on the end of your pole. Therefore, my father is part owner of the Province of Quebec, besides the other Aboriginal owners that live there. My father, “Chief Gitrhawn” is a Nishga Indian Chief in the province of British Columbia — and yet his traditional totem pole stands in the Province of Quebec — unpaid for by your government or by ary other government. I eall that injustice. To think that my father has to view his Totem pole froma photograph and to think that my father’s pride, dignity and culture is being trampled upon by another culture displaying his ancestoral heritage. Therefore, I demand that all our traditional cultural . ar- tifacts be returned ‘to their rightfull owners across Canada, including my father, “Chief Gitrhawn's” traditional Eagle totem pole, so we can proudly display our cultural heritage for the public and the visiting tourists from other countries to see, so we the owners can henefit the financial gain that is being appreciated by the Provincial and Federal Government ; With {their Mustums tit teet Apt In any divorce actions, Mr. Levesque there is a settlement, if you want a divorce from the rest of Canada, then that is your business, butif you want to separate one part of Canada from the other then that becomes an Indian concern because as the aboriginal and true owners of this land you must settle with the In- dians and compensate. them for their aboriginal rights to the land before you leave. Mr. Levesque, ou have a price to pay, fore you separate. what does not belong to you. Aurevoir, Mr, Premier, Mercy E. Robinson Aboriginal Canadian Nisgha Indian Postal Address :- Mercy E. Robinson Administrator Native Counselling and Referal Drop-In. Centre; 150 East Cordova St., Vancouver, B.C, a _BCTF Gets New P.R. Head B.C. Teachers’ Federation President Pat Brady is pleased to an- nounce the appointment of Arnie Myers to the federation's com- munication division. “We had 150 ap- plications for the position,” Brady says, “including ai large number of top quality candidates.”' “Selection was difficult among so many well qualified people. But we eel that in Arnie Myers we have chosen the best person abailable to help teachers communicate with the public. His wealth of experience in the news media and considerable, background in the educational milieu of this province can only be viewed as being very positive assets. Arnie Myers briags to the BCTF 22 years in newspaper journalism in- stitutional com- munications and public relations. His most recent position has been with the yaiversity of B.C. ser- ving for the past 10 years as Director of In- formation Services... Myers began work at the Regian Leader-post,. 1945, the Winnipeg Free Press, 1946-49, before movin to British Columbia in 1949 to work on the Vancouver New- Herald. . . He worked as. a legislative press gallery correspondent and copy editor for the Victoria Daily Colonist, 1950-56. He served as a8 reporter, feature writer, medical writer, copy. editor, and assistant city editor for the Vancouver Sun, from: 1956 to 1947, -. Myers has won two awards that shwo the high regard the news industry has for his, capabilities, one the. MacMillanBlbedel Journalism prize, and the other the ~ National Newspaper Award for feature writing, a The appointment is effective January 2, 1978.