He’ s ‘the best in Canada, ‘he’ S beaten the: best: in ‘the ‘world and he’s. coming, here\SPORTS B10. Friends. s gather to. ‘Birthday. boy . “($1.40 plus 8¢- OST outside of the. Terrace are) ee ' "VOL. mer NO. ¢ By JENNIFER LANG an ‘A SCHOOL that teaches First Nations: ’ culture and'-language ‘alongside regular curriculum, is one of three proposals submitted § to .° use™ “never-opened .. Mountainview Elementary on the bench, : The First: Nations . Education Cenire, -which is part of the school district, and . a consortium of stakeholder. groups: have ‘ developed a, proposal for a. culturally- responsive. School for students j in Grades K-7. ae : _ Proposals. The local Canadian Parents fot French. "Pm chapter and ‘the new. : private “Mountain «to. have | at. -- View Christian Academy: also. submitted’: a ; proposals to the’ Coast Mountains, school a - district by the Jan, 31. deadline.’ 7 “+ Gowen said. School * School trustees . :are’ gots ing: /o Trustees. care : a opening up Mountainview Elementary: - cexpected ‘to-release. Lorrie Gowen “the school’ “board. to “ask”; Completed. in 2002: at -a cost of ‘83, ‘more. > details: later” for other: proposals and"to million; it’s been vacant ever since. . In addition to receiving proposals from: other BrOUPS: trustees. have. not tuled: Hout. _ ~ board’ meeting. ° opened is sawmill up after an alght month closure. opening the. school ; ‘as a‘slandard public. elementary facility. -- board _ chair Lorrie Gowen said the district is. :, seeking’ legal advice -this: week fo: ensure thar things are: done. F ~. fairly when | it looks.’ --for.comment.on the . : hoping ~ ‘least 30-day . public“ - consultation’ period,’ yee ——— ssw torracostondard com. ” among parents and schools. . J. before ‘a final’ decision is . made, > ; : A- “detailed. ‘Terrace * chapter proposal,” submitted ‘in December, ‘would’. see” a) French immersion programs - ms move'to Mountainview. = ‘Chapter: president Darcie: - * Annesiey said - moving B . French - - immersion.’ to ¥ Mountainview. ensures the. viability of the’ program at’ the high. school. level: by! bolstering. numbers: cane :-The™ group: ‘had « urged , Canadian Parents for French Terrace’ s. elementary ‘level. “said Roger ; -Ewald, - Roger’. “chairman - of. Mountain : View ‘Christian i View Christian Academy, an independent Christian school which has-orice again. offered to buy® the. school. outright, ‘an. offer the district has so far resisted; 7 The school board. says it won't lease: : or-sell schools’ to private: schools, feating. competition for shidents.. ©: ‘Academy" s board of. directors. - Ewald doesi’t-see: “whi: the academny 3, - should be Tejected on the basis. that it 8 ” an: ‘independent school. Sy ee “We feel exactly, the same. way. ‘about ~ French: Immersion’ or a’ ‘Magnet school « they’ re: still competing’ for’ ‘students: . from’ the public. school : system,” “he said, “adding. “the. other -two- -proposals. could. “We. just’ said. We're. . “open”. for: negotiations on a. fair’ purchase. price,” Ewald, “this month following | a Feb; 25 special The proposals will then be. circulated | LUMBER GRADERS were among those back at work last week atter West Fraser . Mountainview’s fate... | WORKERS at. Around = 35.” employees ‘are now . back’ on. the: job, said managet Lou Poulin.::: when back.in full- operation... The .sawmill first ‘went down as a side éffect of a Tun out of! room: to store: chips. ; But \-when ‘because. of an. oversupply. later, when the. [WA went coastal. forest- ebmpanies.” . an’ end: to. the TWA: strike: - and’ named: ‘mediator Don: * "settlement if there ~ by May 31. : -reprieve. last: month. when ‘a tentative” ~ lumber deal “with, theU.S,. | fell apart that would have oo Few could lose welfare here | JUST FIVE people - ‘in Terrace. and: area risk, losing their welfare benefits. as’ of “Apri A, say provincial uma. resources officials. The five, a single. person” “and: two. ) couple’, ‘are to: be “subject, to new rules limiting people to collecting welfare - two years oul of every. five, - . Across B.C,; just. 37: peoplé may lose their benefits aS. of. April and 439 People may be affented uP until the end, of _ next March. : _. Welfare activists’ “aid: others had piedicied” thiousdnids. of people would -be: cutoff over the new rules’ requiring .- stringent job search and preparation requirements brought i in by the provincial Liberal-government. ‘Those rules: set ‘out a ‘staged elimination’ or reduction of oo ‘benefits should those-on welfare ‘not. follow individual: ‘job : search plans set.out by welfare officials: °: “I should say that these people may not lose theif benefits. - at all, as Jong’ ag.they follow. their plan,” human Tesources a ae ds tiot mieét any-of the 25exemption criteria are limited to a: cumulative two years of assistance out of every, five, The 25% ‘exeniption criteria ate desigried to’ enstife that no one who Is “unable to work of who is actively looking for work ‘will lose S assistance, says the human resources ministry. : ae ministry official Richard Chambers’ said last'week:: “If these people follow their employment plans seriously, they are legally binding,. and take responsibility, they. would not be cut off,” he said. - “If. they follow ‘the ‘plan ‘and do ‘everything that is required arid cannot find a eh that i is ‘Tio. Fault of thelr own,” nm Chambers continued. it sa matter of interviewing lechigues then we e will ipovide ws ‘that, ” he’ said. people are employed, : “Under th limit policy, employable. f wh a . ner. the time. tien pl ey emp oye recipients: a resolve’ the. objections © of | ‘neighbours, “he said. Cramer: St. tesident‘Linda‘Lee.: “Ht: fe For a st of exemptions, see Page: A2- 4: Fraser’s Ternice 2 sawmill’ “Fettinied fo -Work Feb, a7” - - finally: marking “the end of - - an eight-month shutdown, wo Up to 50 ‘more are: to: be recalled by, mid-March. ‘the plant's“ Kilns, - planer and lumber yard ‘are - ~ on strike in’ its dispute. with "consult with the public before: deciding : The third Proposal is from = Moanin “West: . “month supply. of: logs in its . ‘yard right, now,. ‘Poulin said. «.- will make: it less expensive ~ “to get more timber out of the. _ : bush by the time that. Al supply “snow to get.at the wood,” he. » said,.“We're going to wait ‘fora while and see if Mother’ ‘Nature-helps.us out.” : strike last summer ‘at West ~. Fraser’s Kitimat. pulpmill,.. Had it-continued to operate the company would have |. a “hot. ‘yet ‘clear Sailing for- the . _ 2 Skeena Sawmills operation, . “the. strike ended ain September, ‘the: . ries Saacnany -PO| ulation tal lies diy in ‘of chips in the region, and, >. pl pp 9 : ‘NEW: ESTIMATES: suggest: Terrace. arid. “most other: northwest. owns” continued to- ‘lose population in, 2003.2 oo The’ governinent ordered? “in 2003, according to ‘estimates released: by : . B. c. Stats, a provincial agency, . ST Munroe, who. will. imposé:a:."- That's an. overall drop of. 2. 1 per: ‘cent : © Bo deal. . residents within Terrace city. limits. The: mili’ ‘got “another: : “year. to. 14,760. ‘That’ 83, A per cent off from. eos. 7 : - Chambers “-said ‘human resources. officials “were” not: a ‘iécessarily sutpriséd at the low number of people who ) might ” beaffected by the new rules. a , “We tiever _Speculated as to. what those nurnbers might ’ “bei he said. ; ey - The estimates, weie prepared by combing social assistance ae files, looking at: demographics arid, past ‘behavioural, ‘and a *. inconie assistance-collection habits? - “ . Welfare fules and eligibility: tid :to'Job éeaich preparation iE and requirements: were tightened under the: previous NDP” |: “ government ‘and. accelerated when: the Liberals were elected , vd in the spring. ‘of 2001; we “ A series of for-profit employment aésistance. companies 2 were! ‘set up. They're paid based on the number of welfate: : -T contractors nol ta clear snow. ‘between My - " ‘recipients they: place i in jobs, and. on the length of time those fy, a - chanee. to discuss’ the hold. back’with- forced: production: limits on Ly Canadian: producers: °° °°7T: “fesuiie purchasing - -wood © ‘from independent. loggers. |, to‘reduce ‘the amount ‘of light” shining: These incliide j persons: with disabilities, pregnant. women, “wide area to collect garbage. oo single parents. with young children, people ina special care : 7 facility or people with an aleohol or‘drug problem. “interest groups, too. - West Fraser Has 3 a three: - - “He hopes warmer weather Tuns out, © “We're not going to plow . The mill_also- ‘expects to ‘it's: ” But’ Poulin: .warris which he faid remains only: _ A “high” . Tetrace declined by 0.6 per ‘o6ht to | 2; 393. Since the: 2001. census. counted: te, 639- “Prince Rupert declined. 1.9 per seit last. AS, 282 in 2001.. a Kitimat lost l 4 per ent of its population: be ‘characterized as’ representing special * Mountain View: Christian ‘Academy. Lou Poulin. o marginally profitable, g5il5 _ _ a ° | A cy. ee bs opened i in Sepiember. “students. : “in September. here were’: from. the existing ‘independent school. « ~ Church property. at near capacity. he said. « a its insurance. coverage changes.” : “ covered: by its general policy. . noth have the school i in 1 Use very’s soon, atter a slong eight months: “dollar” lumberprices have: cut: into revenue,” on the edge." : “And. new rates. the minimal stumipage rates here in.recent years. ” cents but.if it goes up that’s Canadian . burt us," Poulin: added. ast. ‘year, ‘declining tc to 10, 432. That! S 300 a fewer than in 2001.” 7 ~ Hazélion and New Hazéltan Both loat3. 3 ot : per cent last year, Together. their ir population cee _Asjust over 1,100. oe a The: only place. west: of, Burns, Lake to record. an increase ‘was ‘Stewart; where. the 7 “population estimate'is 701, up: ‘one, per cent = oF seven ‘people ~ - from 2002. - Wal- Mart. “WAL: MART: is. ‘promising action ' “to | -answer neighbours’. complaints; ‘about: on “noise and bright lights, ey ; . Store managers say noisy refrigerated : “tracks are only: on ‘site. forthe “initial “. “stocking -of the: store; and will be gone, “within. five weeks, . . 2s Wal-Mart: will also add: shielding to “some: of its lights, ‘and take other. steps. _ime neighbours’ ‘homes, a report to’ city i council says..The store: -will also ‘direct: - pm:andS am: > > ~- Those. “commitments: should: help 8 appears. that. they’re trying," Lee. said of. _company and clty-efforts, > © The’ store also promises. to: ‘patrol : “Many ‘of the | concerns ; the: residents ».| - have-have. logical answers: ‘and it's just a: - them, ‘to their satisfaction,” seid Wal-Matt: “ se on lights, noise * the’ development’ of a riverside trail will ; * be completed: this: spring, ; decision last .imonth to: withhold . $15- “million due to"Wal- Mart: It's: money put “up tO ensure “completion. of landscaping ~ and: ‘highway. work, plus a contribution}. -the city prontised to make for the new, intersection there. . “the city, butit’s not an unusual situation. — “Withholding money. i8 fiot- uncommon, “with -a- developmient. ‘of: this’ size and_ “Scope, especially. telating 1 to landscaping. e : ‘commitments, he said, - "We know we. have pgreements and 7 : commitments. in place and. we'll honour “question of time before we can: address . promises _ spokesman Kevin Groh,’ “He ‘said: remaining: fandscaping- “and : “That was patt: of the basis for the city’s 8 ~ -Grolisaid the company ‘ins 0 not vel had . then,” Groh said:.""And similarly, we'd expect fair treatment from the city,” Lee: said neighbours, plan to remain vigilant, : “None ‘of: the. students. that ‘started. 7 “Right: now ‘the. school: is’ ‘operating’ 7 out-of a small; building’ on: the Alliance’. a “T-think it. really is ‘the’ size: of the ee school ‘that will: determine enrolment Var o The school: ‘distciet ‘needs to use ‘ Mountainview in some ‘capacity before. +: Right: ‘now. the district is operating 7 under a ‘grace. period -and ‘the’ school” is. nit “But that will change should the district . _ a and relatively tow os “The . ‘higher. the. ‘dollar oT ‘is, the worse itis for us,” he said. “We're probably. right, a uncertainty. - is coming onthe ‘expense " _ side. at the “end of. March,” when the provinége: shifts: to market-based. Stumpage : That could } put an ‘end to : " of 25-cents per cubic metre’ : ; that West Fraser has : paid . ms " “We'dlike it to stay at 25 ve ~. also something ‘that: could, . The’ population drop’ ‘is. in. “contrast: to. increases - Tecorded i in. other: areas: cof the 7 province, - oa _ It has a current ‘enrolment ‘of a po oe public school system,” he said, adding’ re "the «majority. of students “were: being... homeschooled. A‘ few. came from | ‘an. Pe