| : Flaherty signed - Ex-Terrace resident Wade 7 iF Flaherty’ has. been picked » De. Jong will be: sadly.” missed \NEWS ‘ANS. ‘Writers’ camp. , ‘Terrace: carves out. a spot: on northern: _B.C.’s literary: ‘Scene\COMMUN $1. 00 plus: Te GST _ . ($2710 pls 8¢ 6ST: outside of the Terrace. afea) VOL. 17 NO. 14 NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUED late last weck between New Skeena Forest Products and northwestern minnicipali-, ties over nearly $30: million 4 in ) unpaid properly taxes. * _ New Skeena is now its: Terrace sawmill, and: the munici : - palities ‘weré holding’ firm last-. week as part of any plan for the company to come out from behind ‘creditor protec 2 would’have from’ your. “principal stake-™., ~ holders,’ “especially. “(he “municipali-. ties,” said. company president W. -Geo-- Ffrey,. Beattie in’ a. letter. to “New. Skee-. tion: afforded by. the: B Court... : Terrace is owed: 92. 5° million 7 dat. ing back” three’ - years: and ”a’ further: $576,000 under @ previous repayment - plan which was’ never fulfilled, -Of-the remaihiig. municipalities of : '. Port Edward, New... Hazelton” and New Skeena fate Prince Rupert, the. latter is owed. the largest amount — $22 million. The municipal position. became. a: : flash-point. in B.C. ‘Supreme. Court: ‘July * 5 when prospective New. Skeena. in-: several years in, ~ arrears on. its. holdings; which. include.. ° vestor. The- Woodbridge ‘Company: backed ‘away from’ its earlier:intention. ” of Putting $70 million into. the > compa that some form‘of ‘Tepayment i isneeded* ; level of: “support : ‘that. “any: prospective .. investment and restructuring: “proposal : na’s Dan Veniez. ; “We are | -concerned- with the. toné a ‘emanating from. property tax, ereditors : ‘in recent days,” iw he added. www.terracestandard.com inges on taxes" “More time .is ‘eequired ia’ assess s the ~ That was -in ‘reference to a June 24 ; “meeting between Terrace city council and.New Skeena officials in. which ins > “considerations al play ‘and. that it pre- i a fers to-have another investor lined Ups “We now belicve: that-an“invest-.” ment. by: is. should’ be. made" together: fi “with a. corresponding investment by ‘an. industry: partner: satisfactory :to- Wood: ‘bridge and: NWBC ‘Timber: ‘and Pulp: he dividual couricillors said: the. back 1aX- es must be paid.’ : Woodbridge, ‘said. “Beattie - in the aa eiter, had-spenil.’ $500,000 in extensive | due diligence work: dating ‘back:to.the._ Spring: But there was'no: ‘indication of whether’ ‘Woodbridge: ‘had ‘considered “ ‘the’ “property. “Tax - matter’: ‘prior to. the ‘;Statements in-the letters © 2° . None of the once- “contemplated: $70 : million investment by: Woodbridge had: ‘been - targeted: toward: -the Properly: lax, a “issue... . “That amount repiesents ‘about half: of what-New. Skeena needs (o'Te-open,. New Skeena. president: Dan. Veniez.- -. -said-lastweek, Already existing com= " nitments of various kinds: flesh’ out the . : remainder, he added. F “other strengthen | ‘the cére business: PROP: : Beailic ‘con- . linued.~- ; ; Woodbridge. fins, however, loaned ° -New. Skeena i] _nfillion to “keep: il Foundation eyes: ; new equipment . BOLSTERED- BY: two’ very, substantial-individual be- ~ quests, the Dr: R.E.M.:Leée: Hospital Foundation has ‘set! «- ‘its sights on ‘purchasing: badly needed" medical equip: ~ ment for: Mills Memorial: Hospital. “ ‘ oe “A. $100,000 donation -from:Joc: Hipp. in, memory of. his: - _ wife, Olga,’ and..$50, 000 ‘from the-estaté of Eleanore. . _ Muehle ‘give: the foundation: a. solid. base: from: Wwhieli tot: start, foundation chair: Nota: Eanes said last week. *. Bhe Aipy ‘donation 2 bane dy made.'since: the foundation. was started 7 ‘in the late 1980s,.. ~~ was made. last year. The Muehle bequest was madethe year before ‘and: was part ofa $400, 000 distiursement to er * various local ‘charities and organizations... oe “These. donations’ give: us. a very, good start.” “said a Phillips. “And once we have: ‘made’a decision, onc ; “have. a goal, people will then tend-to give ‘their-supporl.””: ce “>. Phillips noted it- was. Toéal, groups. and: efforts which - ‘fiade it possible. 12 years ago‘to raise’ the ‘subistantial:. _ -amount of money* needed -to- purchase’ a CT scan-ma- ©. | chine for Mills. Thal machine is now old, oul of date and. it has. become. ‘increasingly” expensive 410° maintain “and the foundation. would love nothing’ better than to. have it. ‘Beattic. did -say there were, ‘other. [which controls: “New “Skeenal, osition - ‘of New Skeena,” replaced, _ Wednesday, July 14, 2004 _ ticking over while inother investor i . sought. The July. 5 ‘New. Skeena court hear- ing. resulted. in. Chief Justice: Don . “Brenner extending: ‘ils ‘creditor . protec- lion status. and: giving ‘Il. until Aug. oa to... fi nd: that ‘investor, : - Speaking: late. jst. week, Terrace ‘Mayor. Jack Talstra. said there is’com- ce -fort in’ that. $1", million loan: Tnade. by ‘Woodbridge. “That'll keep the compas) - ony going for-another. sionth,” he said.” “Sich a. ‘partner ‘would “contribute i: additional, and ‘complementary: altrib- utes’ and depth: that ‘will Serve to” fur-: “He ,and . city. ‘administrator. Ron’. ‘Poo: ie':flew- down: for. the. July’ ‘S.court hearing’ but-ended - up staying: ‘three “more. days: as. “thunicipalitiés, and New. “ Skeéna, ‘as -well’.as. their’ respective- ae “lawyers, huddled to. negotiate : a resblu-. — tion to. the: unpaid taxes,: But the: foundation: uriderétands the: works and Will ‘be financed . bythe: ‘Northein’ Health : Authority (NHA) and. other:public, sector agencies, Phil- jips said: A‘ new, ultrasound device’ is-also needed. ere “What, we ‘don't-want to.do is buy: anything they" ie: ea _ Cont'd. Page rv) ‘eplacément is | in individual: : oor ready” goltig-ta ‘buy,” Phillips: ‘said; . = "So the foundation is:waiting for. the NHA io. ‘release a- list of planned capital purchases and: ‘equipment: needs - |. for the: next several years. Once it ‘looks’ at’ that list and then speaks ‘with the- authority,” the. foundation can then ‘make a decision, : said’ Phillips: * : TERRACE, UNDER-15 player. Michael Waizig, in 1 the yellow and blue, bat- “tles’ a: Prince - George United player in the focal team’s first game of the Provincial Challenge Cup. for Boys July.9 at’ Christy Park. Terrace won that:- game 4-t.. Below right;- ‘young Thane Hill.was at the- tournament's official opening July 9, also-at Christy Park. MARGARET SPEIRS PHOTO a ‘City shows off its best. “won. their first’ games” vals, _ play stared 1 July.9:. - So ‘All told,: “ad. teins ‘ot yours male “soccer: “players under" . the age of 18 were, in the tournament. chase equipmeni ‘the health” authority- will pay-t {o: operate. IT: LOOKED like ‘rain. early on last week; but ‘the. sin™came.-oul justin, time. for.the: start’ of the 2004 Provin-. - cial “Challenge. ‘Cup:“for: ‘Boys’ soccer, championships: lieres: : ~ Les Sinnott, one of the tournament’ s 0 Close. to. “2,000: ‘aang ‘players, coaches, chaperones, ‘parents: and.,othé - local ‘organizers, “praised . ihe. efforts of . J all participanils “at the: July. 9 ‘official. “ers descended on the city’ for. the. July’: 8-11. tourhanient, the: first, ‘lime. .it, has opening ceremonies... been Feld i in-a cily’so far: north. 25: ; “stayed - in: a uribier of Action centred on. TWO" ‘fields, ; ‘places; ‘including a ‘group ‘who camped... “Christy. Park ‘inthe horseshoe ‘and. at out® behind: Skeeria “Junior. Secondary _ néver-opened - Mountainview: ‘Blemien- School. -Even-the, former regional .cor- tary on the bench: = : _ Fectional centre,’ ‘which: is being bought ‘All four. Terrace’ teams | - ~ Under: 13, «by the Muks-Kuin- ‘Ol Housing Society 7 under 18 ‘Under-16- and . Under- 18. = ‘was pressed into service. _to run it, she. said. 7 ~ Phillips anticipates: the. foundation’ will be ina: posi- lion to make.a decision’ when, its. board Toeels, again i ‘in- September. oe vo The Northern: Health Authority has ‘already drawn up a a preliminary | list. of “equipment needs, forecast. up:.until . dation. That's in order to: give the. agencies’: ‘and. groups.” time to decide what. they! waril-lo- do, said health authori- : ty official Mark. Karjaluoto, heats - Local taxation authorities. ‘such: as the Northwest: Re- gional Hospilal- District raise, as, much as 40 per cent’ of | with. the new kidney dialysis.unit:at Mills. . For more on Olga Hipp, please see Page. Bl: redit card company rejects MP The foundatidn..also_ wants to “make sure. it will pur-. a afterward and, equipment for whieh there’ are trained staft o a 2008 but. isn’t releasing, it until-it- has: ‘been: reviewed by at other publig. agencies, and” bodies. such asthe Lee foun. a the money necded for major: ‘projects. That was the case a NATHAN CULLEN may have. been elected to represent. the northwest ‘in. Parliament, providing him, with. a-six- . figure salaty and expenses, but its, didn’t cut any “mustard with his, credit card company.» : The, NDP MP- elect, had‘ to borrow 7 money from friends to ‘fly. to: Otiawa > . last week when the Visa: company. re fused to extend-his, credit: limit. - Cullen had ‘maxed: ‘out his'card: “with: wa eleélion ° expenses. and. called. Visa, 10. ask for:a‘ boost in. his: linnit. to. pay’ for the plane ticket, explaining that’ whe had just: been elected-to, Parliament: .. > "The person tPF talked: sah on t co “said of the, incident. oe " “Friends helped oul. ve \ at 7 approximately $1,400 expense, Cullen said“he'll be taking up-the. - matter-with the: VanCity’ credit. union,. Pm good for it” added. Cullen: of the _ the institution which issued his ‘card, “Cullen's friends will. be’ reimbursed 7 m eventually. but it.willitake some time.” - “In addition: to borrot int because: of: money," Cullen noted Gullet’s ‘off lola slalus as: the Men ing ‘money. for “sum that includes provisions for per-. +, sonal expenses.. It’s. fully: taxable: and’ - replaces“a system of salary plus:.tax-’. © free: allowance which. was’ done. away: ‘with in: 2001, “Last year, ‘MPs earned $139, 200. “He'll alsa be. eligible fot a a. maxi-" “mum. ‘of 64 taxpayer-financed.. ttips a” it’ year between. Ottawa and the” forth: : ae west or other, parts of Canada. woe Vay riding, which siretchés: from th ds om sing mo 1 “Charlotte Islands, to the’: out But Cullen, site be asi ‘for: ae, 0 -alsohas to. hire: ron and‘ ing’s area grew so much — (he area -east of Telkwa to Fort St. James was - ‘added on to.the Skeena area’ ~ with | the redistribution of seiits that: took ete. feet for the Jurie 28 election. — “He'll establish a, main ‘office’ in. either. ‘Terrace or. Prince Rupert: and_ wants at least!-one satellite” office, probably i in Burns Lake.” ; We’ Ibe: setting up‘in avery ‘ live: way, ond gt “openings Ottawa ae aa -Way, more, than’ a ‘place lo. “make « an: inquir Yi be a: pegs said Cul: < I t. “constituency: office, : $230,307 ‘on stalf and: oiher- expenses - : ‘related to-his constituency’ office for’ i the 2002-03 financial’ year,: according “rent tied .t0 ‘his: now- -closed ’ Terrace Av-additional $148,374 was provide travel, , telephone; printing,’ Office Sup-: plies: and _atlier.éxpenses. -Although ‘Cullen--has:yel'to” sel: up. “an official office, he's. already. hired - ane constituent queries and com: to House of Commons filings: ‘He Spent: ce an. additional $33,296: on travel afid.on =. the Hoiise of Commons: for other... one: person. inder a. short-term: contract