A judge rules. New: Skeena ye
‘logging contractors can't hang pe
onto their evergreen ‘contracts\
_NEWS Aid co

- hove's: sie /

“$1.90 Plus 7¢ GST: .
“(110 plus 8 GSTs
: outside ot the Terrace 5 aaa. we

“IN A DISPLAY of solidarity with the
‘northwest, ‘Santa: Claus has. made the:
region’s famous white-furred Kermode ©
‘bear an honourary reindeer.
- “It strikes me that ata time wheri the
northwest faces: economic ‘and other chal-..:
lenges, a connection, even symbolic, be-.
Iween myself and the région‘is:néeded;””
said Santa in an: interview: froin the North
Pole last week. ; i
“Some of: my ‘biggest’ siippoiters ive.
in the northwest. and: it oily. makes sens¢
lo try to repay that support | insome. Tash ;
ion,” the red-suited jolly-man said, ,
Santa'said he was‘ driven to make the:
- Kermode bear an: ‘honourary: reindeer af-"..
ter B.C. Liberals; ‘meeting in convention.
in Whistler several months. ago, refused
“10 endorse ¢ a “forihyyest motion to. back

having the bear. be named asy mbol of the
2010 Winter Olympics. - ~
_ “Personally, Iwas shocked,” said San-.
“tar Here. was sonicthing that could have |
- brolight -some good news to the north- .”
owestand? they: couldn't do-it) What- kind we
of message-does that send?” * :
“So itonly 1 made sense that 0 one 1é north
“etn area; the. Noth’ Pole, step up. ard’:
connec with another northérn atea,? he

oh “And, you know, this Olympics thing --
‘seeitis 10. be a. Jot-of flash:and no sub-
‘stance. It" S going to cost several: ‘billion :.
dollars and I’m wondering: ‘what it.will
really accomplish: Santa’
: Those Olympics are not.” -
Santa. said he ‘was also: disappointed
that lawyers for. the Olympics are trea -

2010"

aeenace

ening people. with lawsuits who use (he
“Word ‘Olympics’ or even. the number’.
in pramoting

| Sea honour ‘Kerm

. Pole.”

products and .scr-.-

“We'll be making a ‘special :
stop’ on Prince Royal-Isiand.
where: the Kermode lives. 4.

>". Santa. Claus; «.

¥ ices.

here’ Torever: -

“IE ihe Olympics: are supposed to make
‘ people feel-good, what's that all about?”
-he-said.” “I let? anybody. use the words

“Santa Claus’ or ‘North Pole’: -We'haye“*:°
freedom: ‘of speech uP here 2 al the. North .

The honourary reindeer ttle bestowed.
upon the Kermode bear is believed to be, |
“the: first ever move:of this type made by 2:

; oT talked i iv over: ‘firs ‘with Rudolf,
~ Dasher, Dancer ‘and the other. reindeer,
‘They: loved. the idea, They. didn’t vant: ©
the Kermode. to: have: the: Teeling nobody”!
“cared. They:do care-and-this-is how they:
~ are showing it,” said Santa. V3
"The Kermode will receive a ct
b made ‘set. of. ‘sleigh. bells: and‘a: red nose ~
» specifically. designed, soit. will. fit: prop- ae
erly, They: wore crafted: by the elves. in.
Santa’s Workshop on their awn time. ”
“We're. going to present’ these items
‘on our swing through the- northwest,” 7

said Sania, “We'll be making a ‘special ere
stop on Princess Royal Island: where whe |
" Kermode lives.” : : re
_ And if the Kermode wants 10 join in a |
onthe: various. ‘Stops. in thenorthwést,
Santa anid: the. reindeer wi | ben more, than ae
“happy to.oblige.. 2." -_
” “Kermode iwith your | ‘nose’ $0. . brighe —
won! L you: guide our sle eigh tonight, Has. ;
“anice. ring to it, -don’t-you: think?" Santa
“Added. =. ey
] ~ But’ Sania’ 5" “not sure: if the: ‘Kermode er
“wil accompany him down any. chimneys os
“10. ‘deliver présents. ; fo
ay m.- big and it’ sa challenge. for me at oan
“the. best. of times. Somebody. the sizeof...
“Kermode? {don't know about that. Ti
could bs be a problem.” .

MERRY 2
S CHRISTMAS
“aa TERKACKEE

EROM SOUTH

POLL.

. Salutations from 90° south ©

HE MADE iT: Erlé Duncan sends:his Christmas greetings. all the way from the frosty South Pole. The 22-year-old. cook raceni
he'll be working for the next year. From Holland to. Thailand, from the Middle East to Antarctica,. readers have emalied t!
C1 and C2. For more on how Eric’ Ss been faring i in his new surroundings, ‘turn to page ‘ C1 0. os

THE PROVINCE could offer. special aid. for ©

towns hit by the“New. Skeena Forest Produicts.

bankrupicy, says: Skeena MLA Roger Harris.

He also’ femains- optimistic ‘that the province -
will wipe out the néed for municipalities to repay...
more than $5 million | in: school and B. C, assess: - -

ment laxes.

purchaser to take over New: Skéena.:.

into bankruptcy in. ‘September:
But Harris, believes. the

remains lo- assist.’
AS il stands, the tov

schooi-taxes, even though, the: municipalities: will
never collect that tax, °

palities to remil a Tax that has provincial amelia
lion when they’ré not-collecting:it,” Har i
“It’s an extra.double whammy,”
He said d Murray C Coell, the f

- Gov’t ponders help

Victoria the money New: ‘Skeéna‘ owes’ in unpaid.

“Sees municipal affairs: now appears to be consid
ering going beyond school tax relief.

_“*They"re looking at Whether there is other as- -

sistance the province can bring,” Harris said.

- Officials:in Coell’s ministry have said that ef .
fort is proceeding. under. the ministry” 'S: com
; nity transition services.departinent.
Inthe sumraer ccabinel had indicated it’ was pre: .
pared to forgive'the taxes as. part.of any. deal by a.

The: first step will be to earry oul a study, they,
‘said; eclining to. say: how much money may be ne
oe available, - :

The bids fell through, and the company tone a |

eam When major employers, may ou of towns
as Gold River, Tahsis and Tumbler: Ridge:

for Terrace

bit the bullet eartler than. olhers,”:
"Whalover: the province dows has to be equitable

“Harris said the: Municipal: Finance Authority
‘= the: organization that acts. like: -a credit union of:
all. B.C. towns and élties 7 may also play arole, °
. Harris said it fis, an ‘exceptionally good: credit: |

province, sind will be motivated to ensure there i ig.
no ‘chance of financiat collapse by’ any. Ineanber, .

-iminicipaiy.

Harris -said, any assistance c- plan has to be -
equitable, not -geared: solely ‘for. Prince Rupert, a
‘which is owed$25 million of the $30 million’ ‘New
-Skeena’ has failed to pay fiorthwest towns. -

A further: complic

is complex becaltve. some “mlinicipalities

Fam iliar faces :

os] for George Petty are bidding to buy. New: Skeena’ s Ter. — .
ion, he said, is that’ séme..

“towns, such. as: Terrace, stopped counting’ on the *

‘New. Skeena taxes: quickly and have adjusted tticir..-
finances ' accordingly. Prince.: ‘Rupert: intensified: -
"ils erisis. by” ‘borrowing more money. against the.
: exe af eventual payment of New Skeen rf

Harris’ said.”

if

1 “could, eid up. allied with'a rival bidder. for the mill,

bid for mill —

| THREE FORMER: ‘Repap executives who orice’ worked
face sawinill out of bankruptcy...) Poy
Harry. Papushka, Rudy Schivaria and: Russ Jenkins. _

= all former bisiness associates of Petty and Dan Veniez. |-
~ are one: of three. groups: negolialing: With the. receiver].
“and the city, says local logging contractor, Lloyd Hull By
- and others close to the discussions. . os foe
“Those three guys are the. front running. bid,” wo
shld, Adding he has concerns if they gain contrat.” et
-V'm getting a little tired of: Repap and thei cronies," |
“said Hull declining t to elaborate: further. =
‘- Petty’s. Repap” Enterprises: ‘controlled Skeena’ Celle
from’ the late 1980s," when, it oversaw, the moderti-.,
-déallon of the sawmill here, until the B, c. arm ‘collapsed
“undér massive debts in 1997.2" nS
-Huil's: company, Don Hull: and Sons: Contmeting, a