NE EEN A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 26, 1997 Libs would open FRBC’s wallet LIBERAL LEADER Gordon Campbell would use Forest Renewal B.C. money to cover the debts of northwest logging contractors pushed to the edge of bankruptcy by the Repap crisis. The opposition leader has backed the pleas of north- west contractors, who want the government to simply pay them what they’re owed by Repap, rather than ex- tending more l cans. Campbell said FRBC money should be used to cover that estimated $20 to $40 million owed to contractors. Forest Renewal B.C. would become an unsecured risk associated with it, Campbell said. “FREC has taken hundreds of millions of dollars out of the forest industry, much of it in the northwest,”’ he said. ‘You will get far more return by doing that than running anolber multi-hundred thousand dollar ad- vertising campzign in the lower mainland trying to convince people that all this burecticracy is a good idea.’ Campbell, however, refused to say how far he would go in bailing owt contractors and suppliers of B.C. forest companies that run into trouble. He would not give 2 figure of how much of FRBC’s money he would prepare to commit to similar situations if the B.C. forest industry crisis deepens. He said the government must act quickly to steam- line the Forest Practices Code and address stampage inequities to bring industry costs down. “Having Forest Renewal step up to the mark might light a fire under the government.” Deputy premier Dan Miller roasted Campbell for suggesting FRBC money should be used as bailout money. “This is a private sector company that is, basically, bankrupt,” Miller said of Repap B.C, ‘It’s entirely in- appropriate to use taxpayers’ money to pay people it awes money.” ; er acelin Dieienn _ I Forest task force sets sail — A ‘BLUE-RIBBON' task force to find made-in- the-northwest solutions to the forest industry crisis shauld be appointed in April, Terrace mayor Jack Talstra says. The group is to be made up of the best minds in the northwest to tackle wide-ranging prob- lems affecting mills and jobs in the region. — Talstra fas asked each community in the iorthwest to submil names for appointment to the group, ee “The idea is to try to work on some kind of “Those are not necessarily people from the north,’? Talstra said, adding the northwestern mayors felt it was a good idea to have their own independent group. it Talstra said ‘it’s hoped the chairman of the . northwest task force can also be on the Repap . B.C. restructure committee. He''said the task force would act as a watchdog on the other two groups. The main goal will be to ensure the noribwest - industry can break even’ — and thereby keep forget about the long-term,”’ Talstra said the group’s short-term goal will be to critique the business plan that the court- appointed monitor is to come up with in the next couple of months, “Tf the banks say they can’t make a go of it then that’s pretiy tragic for the northwest and we. probably wouldn’t accept that,” Talstra said. ‘‘Then we look at our own plans and see if they’re right or wrong and suggest ways they maybe can make agoofit.”’? - ~ creditor instead of the contractors, and would take the | Fishing fee fight on IMMEDIATE ACTION is needed to overturn massive increases in angling licence fees that threatens to decimate the northwest tourism industry, according to angling guides, tackle shop owners and sportfishing groups. Victoria's move to jack angling guide licence fees for non-residents by up to 400 per cent on April | will drive away out-of-province tourists, they say. And local guides are facing fee increases of 1,100 per cent. Komaham Lodge, for example, will see their fees rise from $1,127 in 1996 to $12,637 this year. Angling puide representative Steve Nickolls told city council Monday they expect half the German tourists booked to come here will cancel when word gets out. “In this case T think there is only one way to describe it and that word is incompetence,” mayor Jack Talstra. said. adding the city will take immediate action. FROM FRONT Court lifts lid on filing liens The banks have been given permission to control the-company for up to five years — instead of the usual two years — to give them more time to get Repap B.C. back on its feet and find a buyer. The court also ordered that all Repap B.C. creditors owed less than $2,500 be paid out to reduce the number of creditors involved, “Everything we asked for we either won directly through negotiations with Repap or else the judge covered it off,” Strukoff said, a co The court also is allawing contractors to file liens, fora short period of time. , ; Nobody will be able to enforce those liens; however, while the courl-approved creditor protection is in place. And-there’s no indication that those liens will-be valid or worthwhile in the endl. Liens filed just prior to Repap’s move to seek bankruptcy pro- tection at the beginning of the month remain active, but they wan't be used to siop wood from flowing, because that would shut down the company. Two logging contractors — Don Hull & Sonst and K’ Shian Construction — placed liens worth $2.6 mil- lion on wood in the company’s yards on Feb. 28. GRAVE Ua 21OPPERS Terrace Crime Stoppers are asking for your assistance in sclving the theft over $5000 from a worksite on Egan road in Rosswoed, B.C., approximately 40 minutes north of Terrace, B.C. Sometina betwean October 1996 and February 1997, unknown culprits) had gained access to a worksite at this location and proceeded lo force their way into a large tool storage box. At this time, the unknown culprit(s) proceeded to go through the tool items kept on site and select those they wished to steal, . Stolen from the worksite were tools and property items belonging to Marko and San Logging Ca. Among these were the following: : ; ; 1-a Coleman generator model#1400-1750PC - $870.00 2-three Husky Turbo chaln. saws; siza 934 - $1050.00 yeach} : 3-a journeyman welding outfit - $750.00 4-a complete set of Mac offset wrenches - $2200.00 5-asetofSne an 3/4” sockets - $1900.00 6-one 1/2" dri, Grey socket set - $600.00 7-one set heavy dtty 30' booster cables - $100.00 8-one alectiic {ual pump 12v - $470,00 9-a 135 gal, Tidy tank - $409.00 10-one set standard wrenches - $350.00 (Total value of this theft - aver $10,000.00) ; H you have any information about this or any similar ineldents, or If you Know the identity of the person or persons responsible for. this theft over $5000.00, ‘Crime Stoppers’ would !Ike to hear from you, Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $7.000.00 for information leading to an arrest and charges being laid against an individual inthis or other unsolved crime, if you have any information call Crime Stoppers at 635-Tips that's 635-3477. Callers will not be required to reveal their identity nor testify in court. Call 635-TIPS pe ey en a: ide a + made-in-the-northwest solution that. would be viable for the long term,”’ Talstra said. He said it may appear the group will duplicate | the work of two other groups — the ‘court appointed committee in charge of restructuring Repap B.C. during the creditor protection peri- od, and a provincial government team of bureaucrats Grom different ministries dispatched to look at the region’s problems. Mair reaches suit settlement CKNW radio broadcaster Rafe Mair bas reached an out-of- court setilement with ex-federal fisheries minister Tom $iddon in a defamation lawsuit, CKNW’s insurers will pay Siddon a figure reported to be between $200,000 and $400,000. In his radio talk show in 1994 and 1995, Mair repeatedly crilicized Siddon’s role in allowing Alcan’s Kemano Com- pletion Project to go ahead. The massive hydroelectric project —- which would have diverted more water out of the Nechako walteshed to tur- bines at Kemano — was cancelled by the provincial government early in 1995. Mair was among the leaders of the move to scrap the project, and later won a Michener award for meritorious public service through journalism for his coverage of KCP. As part of the settlement, Mair read a ‘‘slatement of regret”’ on his radio show last Thursday, saying he never intended to suggest Siddon was corrupt or dishonest in bis handling of the project. But after reading the statement, Mair denied it was an apology. ‘J unsay not a word.”’ Siddon’s lawyers said they’re reviewing the transcript to determine whether Mair violated their agrecment., Siddon said he feels vindicated. “Rafe Mair used the public airwaves to conduct his on kangaroo court by charging, trying, convicling and sentencing. me and others without the benefit of a fair defence,’’ Siddon told reporters. The Kitimat-based Northwest Communities Coalition, a group formed primarily to defend Kitimat, Alcan and Kemano against further attack, called on Mair to retum his journalism award, “We wauld hope that a prestigious organization like the Michener Foundation would not want to recognize some- one for what is now perceived as libelous or defamatory stalements,”’ co-chair Allan Wakita said, adding. Mair should voluntarily give back the award. The coalilion says Kitimat was permanently damaged by the loss of KCP, and says the group now wants to sce a e- gotiated settlement of the dispute between Alcan and the province that leads to further expansion of the Kitimat aluminum smelting operations. Talks between B.C, and Alcan are aimed at resolving the company’s claim for $500 million it spent on KCP prior to the Harcourt government’s move to cancel the project. Anger over Mair’s role in stopping the project extended to Terrace, where city council declared the broadcaster persona non grata, Economic benefits of the billion-dollar coustruction project were expected to boost Terrace as well. " Correction A HOUSING registry here isn’t completely closing down as indicated in a March 12 story. Although grant money for the registry, being run by the Terrace Anti-Poverty Group Society, is being eliminated, it will continue to offer a slimmed dawn version of the ser- vice, . f= Pee ee ee | ' Can't Wait For Spring | ' Can't Wait For Spring | Get Away Contest Get Away Contest j ! t I ' i ! l I I I rs eww eee as Seitetetedteiaieed running —- even when commodity p the bottom of their cycle. ©. ; _.The task force will look at wide-ranging ways | to achieve that — up to and including ideas on tenure reform and ownership. Talstra says his fear is that the government will abandon the northwest quickly and not fol- low through to find long-term solutions. “As soon as the shorter term fix works they SEE THE INDUSTRY'S BEST SNOWMOBILES & A.LV’S rices are at He noted that the difficultics in the northwest aren’t limited to Repap. - _. West Fraser:has said it’s losing $1 million a month at its Terrace sawmill and unless that changes, it’s unlikely the mill will continue run- ning ‘once il consumes the. wood now in the yard. = “The West Fraser siluation is every. bit as crit- ical as the Repap side,’’ Talstra said, only at AU AUTOMOTIVE & INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY 4641 Keith Avenue, Terrace,B.C. - 635-6334 TO-PARTS & SERVICE CENTRE — $400 second year to $225 cash back from Polaris and ake d Polaris snawmo ‘Sept and accessories OR low 4.9% APR financing* Plus... a FREE service contract, up Reserva anew 1998, your1998 Palatis engine cliveryofy ne Choate Opti ember 30." 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