A4 - The Terrace Stondard, Wednesday, October 8, 2003 . TERRACE STANDARD ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1988 PUBLISHER: ROD LINK ADDRESS: 3210 Clinton Street Terrace, B.C. * V8G5R2 TELEPHONE: (250) 638-7283 «FAX: (250) 638-8432 WEB: www.terracestandard.com EMAIL: newsroom@terracestandard.com Do the bear THERE WAS good news ina recent Vancouver Sun on-line readers’ poll asking what B.C. crea- ture should be named the mascot of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Of 708 ballots cast over the course of one day, the killer whale came out on top with 283 votes, The northwest’s very own kermode bear ran sec- ond with 209 votes. The Vancouver Island mar- mot gathered 73 votes, the spotted owl 37 votes and the hoary marmot 36 votes. Another 70 peo- ple wanted something else, but didn’t indicate what that should be. The kermode’s second place ranking is exactly where the northwest wants to be. It shows the white bear rates high around the province as a recognizable creature and provides a foundation on which to build. Let those others continue to pursue the idea of having their favourite creature be declared the mascot of the games. If killer whale or marmot backers want to have people in creature costumes dancing on the sidelines at Olympic events, fire away. The kermode push has a far higher goal in mind — to be named the emblem of the games, proudly displayed on the official 2010 Winter Olympics flag, on banners, on t-shirts and as the dominant visual image before an international TV audience. If the goal of the kermode push is to highlight the northwest before the world, then its elevation to emblem status would surely accomplish that. It would also keep the kermode as a northwest property and out of the hands of people such as North Vancouver environmentalist.Simon, Jack- - son who has hooked up with: some-Hollywood — types to make an animated feature of the bear. B.C, Licutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo is said to be a backer of the Vancouver Island mar- mot. Given that it finished behind the kermode in that above-mentioned poll and given that she is from Prince Rupert, it is time for the Lieutenant- Governor to sign on and unite behind the north- west. Her support can only propel the Kermode to new heights. Skeena MLA Roger Harris regards the ker- mode emblem campaign as just as important as a road to open the northwest to mining and forest- ry. He’s right. The continuing changes in our eco- nomic structure demand that innovative ideas be pursued. And the kermode is just one of those ideas. In short, do the bear. (Readers are invited to check out the entries in The Terrace Standard’s Unofficial 2010 Winter Olympics Emblem Contest. Go to www.ierra- cestandard.com, and look for the ‘photo galler- les’ section on the left hand side of the page. Then click on ‘Olympic emblem designs.’ The contest closes today.) a ae PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Rod Link ADVERTISING MANAGER: Brian Lindenbach PRODUCTION MANAGER: Edouard Credgeur NEWS: Jef Nagel NEWS/SPORTS Sarah A. Zimmerman NEWS /COMMUNITY: Jennifer Lang 2002 WINNER CCNA BETTER FRONT OFFICE: Darlene Keeping & Carol McKay NEWSPAPERS CIRCULATION SUPERVISOR: Terri Gardon COMPETITION ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS: Bert Husband COMPOSING: Susan Credgeur AD ASSISTANT: Sandra Stefanik SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: $57.94 (494.06 GST)=62,00 per years Seniors $50.98 (+$3,57 GST)=54.55; Out of Province $65.17 (+$4.56 GST)=69.73 Outside of Canada (6 months) $156.91(+10,98 GST)=167.89 MEMBER OF B.C, AND YUKON COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION, CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION HCNA peerrere Pilih Ginale oe Cane Al B.C, PRESS COUNCIL (www.bcpresscouncli.org) Serving the Terrace and Thomhilt area. Publishad on Wadnasday of each waek at 3210 Clinton Streal, Teraca, British Columbia, VEG 5R2, Stories, pholoyraphs, illustrations, designs and typestyles In the Terrace Standard ara tha property of the copytight holdars, intluding Cariboo Press (1969) Ltd., Its Iilustration repro servicas and advertising agencles. Reproduction in whole or in part, without written permission, is specilicaly prohidited. Authorized as sacond-tlass mail pending Ihe Posi Otice Deparment, for payment of postaga in cash. Special thanks to all our contributors and correspondents for their time and talents NEPOTISM, WASTE, FAVOURITISM, SCANDAL, CORRUPTION, CRONYISM, QUESTIONABLE ETHICS, LAVISH SPENDING BUtey TACTICS, ARBITRARINESS... THERE, | THOUGHT ) WHEW: DATS A REEF. | FOR A MINUTE. “THEY WERE “TALKING ABouT ME. Our planet is stressed to the max | VICTORIA — Not a day goes by without a rerninder that our environment is stressed to the breaking point. While the affluent western world keeps buying more SUVs, flushing sewage into ‘the ocean, as in Greater Vic- toria, demanding more and more energy to support ils ex- travagant lifestyle, the only planet we've got is groaning under the onslaught of ever-in- creasing pollution. Scientists have warned us for years and keep warning us that the planet’s ecological system is in peril, but for the most part, we ignore them or worse, dé@nounce them as doomsayers. One of the problems is, of course, that not every scientif- ic prediction has come true. The Club of Rome was way off base in its population in- crease predictions. This serves those of us who would rather close our eyes to ‘the problem:a convenient:.ex-— cuse to ignore all scientific findings that warn of disaster down the road. Yet, the signs of the plan- et’s pain are everywhere. For the first time in history, the Rhine, one of Germany’s Lar- gest rivers, is no longer fully navigable, Except for the narrow ship- ping channel, the Rhine car- riés no more than about 60 centimetres of water. Ships can only navigate the Rhine FROM THE:CAPITAL HUBERT BEYER with one-quarter of the normal load. Experts say that it would take six months of solid rain to bring the Rhine’s water level back to normal, which is not likely to happen. The world’s oceans, once believed to have an inexhaust- ible supply of fish are going barren. - Some African countries that rainfal! haven’t seen rain in years. The drought leaves des- titute populations in its wake. Global warming is begin- ning to threaten the health ‘of Western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Warmer, drier winters have resulted in lighter snow packs in the mountains. Less snow means less runoff lo the rivers that depend on melting moun- tain snow. Warmer streams used to: gel- at least: ‘the odd. with less water affect the spawning and migration of sal- mon. Warmer. temperatures also . mean forests are drying oul, becoming more vulnerable to fires and disease outbreaks. Think of pine beetle and: re- cent Interior forest fires. During the past 100 years, temperatures on British Col- umbia’s coast have risen by’ about 0.6 degrees, while the - Interior has warmed by more than 1 degree ~ double the rate of the global average. The Lower Fraser Valley is. projected to experience some of the most significant climate change impacts in British Col- - umbia. Warmer, drier summers will include periods of hot, stagn- ant weather, which will result in more severe smog. Global warming also has an econoniic impact. As I -men-’ tioned above, salmon runs have decline’ toa. dangerous devel. we las eae 7 Forests in British Columbia were devastated in 2001 -by the spruce pine-beetle,~ which thrived thanks to unusually mild’ winters. §00,000 hectares of. timber worth $4.2 billion was infested, according to the forests minis- iry. The 2001 prairie drought cost the Canadian economy over $5 billion in agricultural losses, according to a Univers- ity of Manitoba study. An estimated = Life on Earth has existed in some Form or other for. four bil- llon years. Before homo sapiens came: ..... along, nto species. was able to pose a threat to. the planet.. That is a: distinction reserved for us. ‘In-Hilthe mare, than a century, we have: come from the steam the Jupiter Probe. Ina recent interview with Bill Moyers, : David: Suzuki, Canada’s: distinguished -scien-. list and spokesman for the, en- vironment, pul it this: way: “Forthe first time: in: buian "history, we “now: have “to. ask. what’ are: all -six billion people on- the planet doing? | What is the ® ‘collective impact of hu- manily? 9" “And because we've . never had to do ‘that, we are not used io thinking this. way:And it's” taking - time ‘for -us