This has been one of the better summers in recent memory for Terrace, in terms of the weather, the economy and virtually every- thing else. Riverboat Days was the traditional festival we’ve come to expect, the value of new construction is soaring, and everyone who lives up here knows that things are pretty well alright. We were recently presented with further evidence, however, that people from Victoria shouldn’t be allowed to wander around here without an escort. Something seems to happen to their minds, per-_ haps a sort of disorientation or distemper at being out of sight of the legislative buildings. In the latest issue of B.C. News, the snazzy four-colour propaganda sheet put out quarterly by the provincial government and delivered to every household unfortunate enough to be on Victoria’s mailing list, we discovered a number of rather startling things about our region, things that a community newspaper certainly should have known about. For example, we were surprised io read that the City of Terrace is planning a housing development near Mills Memorial Hospital to offer accommodation to families of out-of-town patients, The con- ‘cept, B.C. News says, is to prevent destitution through having to pay hotel bills when visiting a sick relative here, It’s not only a great idea, but a complete fantasy as well. What mayor Jack Talstra was talking about when interviewed by B.C. News was the supportive housing complex being built next to the Terraceview Lodge for local people who need a bit of help but can still live independently. In a list of industrial developments that are taking shape up here, we're sure Gulf Minerals was taken aback to find that they’re planning on spending $500 million to bring the Mount Klappan anthracite coal mine into production. Gulf’s been trying to sell that particular white — or in this case, black — elephant for two years — now because they can’t secure markets for the product. © There may have been a few puzzled faces around the board room of Skeena Cellulose after B.C. News revealed they will be spending $1.2 billion on the Port Edward pulp mill. The last number anyone heard was $600 million for an expansion that’s conditional on secur- ing additional wood. . , The projects itemized that aren’t true are less mysterious than the » things that are true but weren’t in the list. What about the reconstruc- tion of the B.C. Rail line into the Sustut-Takia timber licence? Per- haps it had something to do with the lack of consensus on what it | will cost — $25 million or $44 million? -— and a bit of fogginess about who’s footing the bill, = oe a In reviewing all the complaints from the current administration over the past fout years in regard to distortion of issues and facts by the news media, we have to wonder if the government is trying to get some kind of strange revenge by issuing this error-riddled snow job. And if this is what we get in the Northwest, what are people in other parts of B.C. getting in their mail boxes? — Despite all the moaning about the news media coming from the government side of the House, it’s obvious that they have a certain amount of difficulty separating fact from fiction. We would suggest they get out of the newspaper business and leave the field to people who know what the hell they’re doing: professional journalists. 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Publisher: Mark Twyford Editor: Michael Kelly _ Staff Reporters: » _ Tad Strachan, Betty Barton Advertising Manager: Mar} Twyford Typesetting: Carrie Olson Production Manager: _ dim Hall Production: Charles Costello, Gurbax Gill, Linda Mercer, Ranjit Nizar Office: Carrle Olson Accounting: Marj Twyford, Harminder K. Dosanjh 4535 Greig Avenue, Terrace, B.C. V8G IM7 Phone: 635-7840 Fax: 635-7269 (Serene One year subscriptions: In Canada $39.00 Out of Canaga $100.00 Senlors in Terrace and District $30.00 Seniors oul of Terrace and District $33.00 a) MV WHICH WAL TRASH. TE TAANGS OF se raecy poEREX ch ae: We sere yy See wee ae e THe GST... SSE ? ave u = “S500 aa exbbah is yy EE ag yy ef < S\ AS $ Z Hy Oo ae , t ty nVges Ly, Wa , Zp Aa fi eee Hee it TRASHED THE RORTY.. The view from Victoria — by John Pifer VICTORIA — The natives are restless, and rightly so. But already there are those who say the native Indians’ current confrontational tactics may trigger a bitter and dangerous backlash which would serve no useful purpose, least of all to see some of their demands met for just settlement of land claims and compensation. . Don’t get me wrong. I have no © problem with fair and reasonable negotiations to lead to some justice for Canada’s ‘first people’. It is long, long overdue... like 119 years overdue! But one can only hope the demands for sovereignty and self- government spelled out this week by native leaders is merely an opening stance in the bargaining process, and that they realize they will have to soften that stance somewhat. Otherwise, they and their cause will likely be maniputated for political purposes in an election year, and that would be tragic at best and exploitative at worst. It is interesting to note that in the course of four days, no less than three senior Socreds have made a point of telling me how marvelous it is that the govern- ment and Premier Bill Vander Zalm have not — repeat, not — iried to make political hay out of the Opposition’s stand on the issue. Given NDP leader Mike Har- court’s stance on land claims, it would not be a surprise to this correspondent to see the Socreds change that, scon. Here’s Harcourt’s comments on ‘the issue from a year ago: "What matters is that (land claims) must be dealt with. (As to) the formula for dealing with it, and how much is federal and how much provincial, the vast majority of it will be federal, but the province has to be at the table; and it is going to have to come up with some of the resources (he means money). "The few million dollars a year ‘that would be involved in the settlement of the land claims will be split between the governments, and will be reinvested in B.C. "The benefit of getting rid of this huge insecurity for investors, this source of destabilization and bitterness for British Columbians, and creating a win-win situation for natives and non-natives alike, is worth doing.” How Vander Zalm and Harcourt . and their troops play this one may well determine the outcome of the next election, Stay tuned. Just when you think politics will quieten down for a while, and that all the MLA's are out manning the August barbecues, along comes another Social Credit retreat for Cabinet and caucus. On Wednesday and Thursday, instead of burning various por- tions of their anatomy, the gov- emment members will be huddled in a conference room at Harrison Hot Springs to plot strategies and to assess damage control. Everything from how to deal with the native blockades to ‘political advantage, to finding a time when they might stand a chance in a general election, to a rumoured mini-shuffle of Cabi- = SBE ite rckam trae eI ane CORR cme eee Laie acrertye SA.rv4t Geeks ste Wed ar PR a a , net, are likely to be on the agenda. Also, it will be interesting to sce if former attorney-general Bud Smith attends, and to learn how the fallout from that ’scan- dal’ is settling. The Socreds are trying to ignite fires among their rank-and-file by . mumbling openly about the possi- bility of an October election, and tallying their troops to Harrison is no doubt part of that. Meanwhile, the defection of Oak Bay Mayor Susan Brice from their ranks, and the one- issue (anti-abortion) candidates taking on other ’star’ candidates such as former columnist and Vander-basher Nicole Parton in Burnaby, has hurt that process far more than the party brass will ever acknowledge publicly. They are said to be absolutely furious with Brice, who had long been touted as the epitome of the 90s’ kind of candidate the party needs, Her decision to walk away from an already-won nomination in the wake of the Siemens and Bud Smith ‘scandals’ was quote a blow, albeit one that did not get the media play it deserved, thanks to holidays and the silly season. Nevertheless, the Socreds now are desperately seeking Susan’s.. Yeplacement, and trying to keep other skittish possible candidates from bolting. An October election? Nah, this scribe still doubis it; but hey, I have been wrong before... I think it was the summer of '65, or was it 6671! — Continued on page A7