On stage Volume two. The candidates who want your vote in Monday's federal election - Spar in debate\NEWS A6 A new book tells of pioneer days _ ‘like when the Skeena River froze solid\COMMUNITY B1 Gidtimer power Frank Mahovlich and other aging NHL stars come back to Kitimat for revenge\SPORTS B8 WEDNESDAY November 22, 2000 College could link to UNBC program TERRACE COULD one day be the home of a nurse training program de- signed to train northwestern residents for northwestern jobs. At the least, people might be able to take the first two years of a four- year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree leading to registered nurse sta- tus. At most, they could take more ad- vanced portions of the program, if not the full four years, says Sylvia Barton, the chair of the University of Northern British Columbia nursing program. Barton’s basing her comments on a collaborative arrangement between ae UNBC and the College of New Cale- donia (CNC) in Prince George. CNC offers the first two years of a four-year depree program after which time students seamlessly transfer over to UNBC for the final two years. Barton will be talking about the ar- rangement on a visit here next week to meet with Northwest Community Col- lege (NWCC) and local health care officials. She envisions students from Terrace feeding into UNBC’s final two years in much the same fashion as is the case with ones from CNC, “In years one and two, there are electives that could be offered through the college,” she said. In addition, the community already has a UNBC satellite operation here sae Ha " and there’s a hospital which could ful- fil the work experience portion of the training. Barton's visit comes at a time of a groundswell of support from health councils and municipal governments for NWCC to open a nursing program. Hospitals and health care facilities throughout the acrthwest have been hit hard by a general nursing shortage. More often then not bed closures aren’t because of a lack of money; they happen because there aren’t en- ough nurses available. UNBC and CNC have had their partnership for four years and this spring the first seven people graduated. Next year’s prad class is scheduled to number eight with 22 the following year, 32 in the next year and 57 the year after that. It’s these increases which Barton says must take place. “We aren't graduating enough nurses now and the shortage will get worse when we get a bulge of retire- ments in the next 10 years,” she says. . One advantage of a nurse training program here and perhaps similar ones elsewhere is the realization that north- erners who receive their education in the north tend to stay in the north. Having a program in Terrace then means greater access and opportuni- ties for northwestern residents. Barton’s heartened by the growth in public awareness of the nursing short- age and for the push to train more. “The timing is right ta do some- thing in the northwest,” she says. - STANDARD $4.00 PLUS 7¢°GST ($1.10 plus 80 GST outside of tha Terrace Bioa} VOL. 13 NO. 33 Nurse training eyed for Terrace Barton does caution that setting up a training program requires much co- operation. It also requires money and that’s al- ways an issue wilh governments even though the province has responded by increasing the amount of money for nurse training. The increase to 57 students entering the first year of nurse training at CNC is an example of that kind of increase. Barton said there’s interest in Ques- nel to the south of Prince George and in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John to the north to establish partnerships with UNBC. CNC in Prince George is also to Start a licensed practical nursing pro- gram and one to provide refresher training for registered nurses. Health bosses efforts a It sure looked real PASSERSBY THE downtown area Nov. 18 no doubt looked twice and pernanps three times before realizing that an accident driving and marked the culmination of drug and alcohol aware- ness. week. Other events took place as well over the course of pooling THE PEOPLE who run the northwest’s community health councils have found a way to work more close- ly together. The chairs of each health council will now become the board of direc- tors of the regional com- munity health services society. That means they'll not only be involved in deci- sions affecting care in hos- pitals and care facilities in their hometowns, but also involved in community- based health care pro- grams through the North- west Community Health Services Society. Terrace Area Commun- ity Health Council chair Bob Kelly said having the chairs of the health coun- cil make decisions about health care will bring about more co-operaticn. “We've been meeting as the Council of Chairs, but we've not had any offi- cial status,” he said. “This gives us a little What's going to make this move toward more re- gional co-operation more tangible, he continued, is the hiring of a new chief executive officer for the Northwest Communily Health Services Society. That person will not only be the society’s main administrator but, under the direction of the health’ council chairs, will work on regional hospital-based care issues. Half of the new chicf execulive’s salary will come from communily health councils. The community health services society will have to hire another person to act as its chief medical health officer. “This now provides us a Structure from which we can go forward,” said Tony Briglio of the North Coast Community Health Coun- cil in Prince Rupert. Briglio, who chaired the effort of community health councils to produce a scene unfalding before their eyes was make believe. The visual demonstration was a reminder of the dangers of drinking and the week, including demonstrations of non-alcoholic drinks. Events were organized by local professionals and volunteers. Not on deathbed, SCI says $15 million profit so far this year, company says By JEFF NAGEL SKEENA CELLULOSE officials spent last week trying to refute suggestions the company is once again on the edge of the financial abyss. It all began with a Vaacouver Sun story -Nov. 16 headlined “Skeena Cellulose on deathbed”, The story quoted Robert Buchan, SCI’s hired public relations spokesman, as saying “we are in deep financial trouble” and that the company is “basically running right on the edge.” Company president Bill Steele says Buchan . denics the comments attributed to him. And while some things -— lumber prices in particular — could be better, Steele says the company is far from its deathbed. ' “7 wish somebody would send me flowers,” he joked. “To me it’s irresponsible that such words ‘were used,” Steele said. “We're now going to spend time reassuring suppliers: that that is not the case.” Steele said the company has recorded a net profit of $14.9 million to the end of October 2000. “It’s a significant turnaround from last year on the strength of improved pulp prices this year and in spite of plummetling lumber prices,” Steele said. Lumber fell more than 30 per cent this year from 1999 levels. The net profil to date this year would have been higher, he said, had the company not lost pulp production during a longer- than-expected summer shutdown of the pulp mill’s B line during capital improvements. “We did lose money through those construction months but we anticipated that and expec- ted that and we have been pro- fitable since,” he said. “At this point in time we ex- pect continuing profitability.” Steele also said the company has (his year paid out $10 mil- lion in deferred siumpage 9 charges and property taxes owed | to the provincial government and the cities of Prince Rupert, Terrace and Port Edward. “We're living up to our responsibilities in that regard and I think we’re going to be around for a while,” Steele said. Despite high pulp prices, company profits are not likely to be high enough this year to trigger bonus payments to creditors of SCI pre- decessor Repap B.C. Those creditors took 10 cents on the doilar for what they were owed, but were promised a further five cents on the dollar in any year in which pulp averaged $625 per tonne and SCI profits were at least $50 million. Pulp prices are high enough, but profits won't likely hit the $50 million requirement. An extra five per cent of the original $87 million in unsecured debt would have put $4 Bill Steele miilion back into the region in bonuses from a couple thousand dollars for small creditors to more than $60,000 for the largest ones. Steele said there continues to be interest in the company from po- tential buyers. Bul none are at ihe advanced stage reached in failed discussions a year ago with Texas-based Enron Corp. “] don’t believe anyone is pre- pared to maké a commitment at this time,” he said. Steele said Skeena Cellulose supports most of the recommen- dations urged in the Cheston re- port, which calls for a special zone for forestry in this region re- cognizing the high costs and poorer quality timber. “We have lobbied for decreased stumpage in the Hazelton area because of the level of decadent wood we have across our entire wood basket,” he said. One idea of the Cheston report -- that Skee- na Cellulose and West Fraser trade some of their sawmills — has been discussed, he said, “There has been no agreement reached nar do [ anticipate that it will happen,” he said. Steele also confirmed the company supports the idea of building an alternate road to the Kemess mine from Hwy 37. “It would provide access to wood that at the present time is unavailable to us,” he said. For mare on the outlook of pulp. and lum- ber prices, see Page A2. more exposure.” Continued Pg. A2 Voters go to the polls on Monday TERRACE AND area voters will be headed to eight palling stations Nov. 27 as they choose the new MP for Skeena. Polis open at 7 a.m. and clase at 7 p.m. B.C.’s polling hours are different than elsewhere in Canada because of a staggered open and closure schedule. Polls everywhere in the country used to be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. But that meant the outcome of an election could very well have been decided far in advance of B.C,’s polls closing because of time zone pro- blems. Now the opening and closing hours are sche- duled much closer together across the country to take time zone differences into account. There are eight polling stations in the area. Elks Hall, Kin Hut and Veritas School are with- in the city and the Thornhill Commnity Centre is for people living there. The Rosswood Community Hall is for people living to the north and the Cedarvale Museum is for people living out to the east, Lakelse Lake residents can vote at Mounty Layton Hotsprings and there is also a polling sta- tion at the Kitsumkalum Community Centre for those living west of the cily. If you are not on a voter’s list, you can still vote by registering at the polls on Nov. 27. But youl to do so at the polling station nearest your hore. To register, you must be at least 18 years of age and be a Canadian citizen. Bring some picture ID and other documents such as a hydro bill to verify your address, Elections Canada has a focal office and its phone numbers are 635-8617 or 635-8615 for people who have questions.