7 ey A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 28, 1997 What Sobal, Witherly have to do Can Scott win riding again? By MALCOLM BAXTER Special Correspondent ONCE THE national TV networks start flashing the Eastern results up on the screen, it will quickly become clear which party will form the next federal government. And leaves local political junkies to con- centrate on the Skeena result. So how can they arrive at an early projection of the outcome? We offer the following analysis based on the resulis of the 1988 and 1993 elections. But first, some background, In 1988 New Democrat incumbent Jin: Fulton bucked the national trend by scoring a landslide victory in Skeena, coming home with a stagger- ing majority of more than 7,000. Five years later the NDP were obliterated, parachute candidate Joe Barrett dropped to a distant third, more than 5,500 votes behind Reformer Mike Scott’s 12,000 votes. Meanwhile Liberal Rhoda Witherly rode the . Liberal wave to record just short of 7,500 votes, almost 3,000 more than 1988 Liberal candidate Odd Eidsvik. This time around? New Democrats Don't look for Isaac Sobol to achieve the NDP’s 1988 figures. It must be remembered the Fulton Factor was at work in that election. Fulton had been around awhile and was one of the smartest politicians you were ever likely to meet, He knew exactly what buttons to push to get national media coverage and, at the same time, pull at the heart strings of his constituents. More importantly, he had established himself in the eyes of the average Skeena voter as some- one who would. listen and go io bat for them with a vengeance, Which meant he pulled votes from those who would never vote NDP in a | provincial election. Sobol is trying to assume that “I'll fight for Skeena’’ mantle, but can only do 50 if voters trust him at a time when, as he admits, they do not have a great deal of respect for any politician. Reform Mike Scatt got elected on a. massive protest vote, a combination of revenge on the Progtes- sive Conservatives for ‘‘betraying’ the West and a feeling that the only way to make the protest heard was to go il alone with a distinctly Western party, Is that same sense of protest still there? Liberals Rhoda Witherly also appeared to pick up some of the anti-Conservative vote and/or NDPers disillusioned with their candidate but who could not bring themselves to vote Reform. Can she fend off the attacks on her govern- ment’s cuts to transfer payments to the pro- vince? That she's part of an Eastern establish- ment party that doesn’t really know there’s any- thing west of the Ontario-Manitoba border? Who has to do what where? In 1988 Fulton, not surprisingly given his ma- jority, won everywhere in the riding. In 1993 Scott won in Kitimat, Terrace, Thorn- hill, Smithers, the Queen Charlottes, Stewart and the far north. Witherly took Prince Rupert while Barrett’s lone victories were in the Nass Valley and (nar- rowly) the Cedarvale to Moricetown area. To have any chance of winning the riding Witherly must not only hold Prince Rupert, but increase her margin. Last time she polled 2,300 to the NDP’s 1,930 and Reform’s 4,900, While she probably has little to fear there From front Low election from Scott, Sobol’s continual hammering of the Mifflin plan and its adverse affect on the com- mercial fishery may pull some NDPers back to the fold. If, with half the polls reporting from Prince Rupert, Witherly is trailing Sobol, she's out of the race, If she can’t win her home town, she’s dead in the water, Sobol's targets are clear: first he must fashion a dramatic turmaround in the usually solid NDP city of Kitimat. In 1988 Fulton garnered more votes than both the Libs and PCs combined. Five years later the NDP vote there vanished with Scott nearly doubling his main opponents, Sobol must win Kitimat to have any chance because Scott will likely prove immovable in the Smithers-Telkwa area where he pulled in 2,277 votes last time against a combined NDP- Lib vote of less than 1,500, Sobol will cruise to victory in the Nass and pretty well sweep native voters clsewhere, but their numbers are not enough to give him vic- tory unless it is a neck and neck race across the entire riding. And for that to happen he must make dramatic inroads in Terrace and Thornhill, both of which gave Scott a better than 2-1 margin over the combined opposition last time. And Scott? As with all incumbents, his target is to get close to the previous elections figures, He also has a reasonable cushion, He would have to lose 20 per cent of his 1993 supporters and have every one of them vote Liberal to be unseated, But if mid-way results show Scott behind in Kitimat as well as in trouble in Terrace and Smithers, he’s fighting for his political life - and losing. FARM AUCTION Saturday, May 31, 1997 Beginning at 12 noon for Bill Monts Estate. Leave Highway 16 just east of Smithers and follow Old Babine Lake Road 7 km to Auction Site Water Pumps Taps and Dies Hydraulic Valves Hydraulic Cylinders MF 2675 Tractor NH 855 Round Baler Farendlose Swath Turner McGormack Grain-Hay Elevator Pipe Threaders Gooseneck Trailer Platform Scales Harrow Bar ' Beam Scales Rockford Metal Band Saw Wood Range Homebuilt Post Driver Axe Grinder MF 36 Conditioner (new) Greaser Pails Fertilizer Spreader Alr Compressor 18.438 Tractor Tire Farm Machinery Parts Trailer with Box and Hoist =‘ Bearings Gear Reducers Starters and Generators Electric Motors Vises and Anvils MF Side Delivery Rake WE&W Cattle Squeeze Cat. 435 Pullscraper Cat 80 Pullscraper DS Brush Blade Blow Torches Cat Wing Blade Leg Vise Cat Double Drum Winches Overhead Trolley Cat Drawbar Boom Chains Wheel Arch Crosscut Saws Drill Rig PTO Shafts Fuel Trailers Pipe Fittings Fuel Tanks Wood Stoves Sawdust Blowers , *TERMS - CASH * Persons paying for major items with uncertified cheque will be required to leave itams on the grounds until the cheque clears the bank. Lunch of the Grounds Not responsible for accidants KERRS AUCTION RR1 Kerr Road, Telkwa, B.C. Phone 846-5392 LET THE Hidden treasures taken TERRACE COPS were confronted Sunday by a man wielding several rubber penises. Police say the 30-year-old Terrace man smashed the glass door of Ebony’s Hidden Treasures on Kalum Street Saturday night and made off with several treasures. A witness at the scene gave police a good description of the man. He was later located and arrested after a brief foot chase. The suspect, on parole at the time, is lo appeat in Terrace court this week. Recreation topic tonight APUBLIC MEETING tonight at 7:30 at city hall is anoth- er chance for residents to state what kind of recreational facililies they want to see built here. About 400 surveys distributed earlier this month have come back to city hall. It’s hoped the process will lead to a consensus of what the town’s recreation priorities are. The exercise stems from the failed 1995 referendum on a proposed second sheet of ice. Officials are hoping more people turn out tonight. The first public meeting attracted only two people — one a proponent of the second sheet project and the other a leading critic of that idea. In addition to second sheeters, the commission has so far met with the Terrace Greenbelt Association, Terrace Youth Soccer Association and Terrace Little Theatre. Suspicious fires TWO SUSPICIOUS fires and a vehicle blaze in the Nass Valley kept firefighters busy over the weekend, Police.say at about 5 a.m. Sunday morning, one home in New Aiyansh suffered minor damage to it’s deck and car- port from fire. However, one of the residents noticed the fire and quickly extinguished it. Unfortunately, another fire at about the same time on Sunday morning nearly destroyed the home of Peter Adams of New Aiyansh. The volunteer fire department quickly responded to the scene and contained the blaze. White facing new immigration charge JUST AS Ric White was about to be released on parole from a lower main- land jail, he was arrested late last week. White, 46, was serving a two year sentence for break and enter and for sexually assaulting Tammy Fee in 1995. Just after midnight on — Thursday, Ageasiz police re-arrested White. He was charged with using Canadian citizenship thal was falsely obtained, The charge dates back to the 1970s when White first § arrived in Canada and received Canadian citizenship. “This is so awesome,” said a jubilant Tammy Fee last Friday. “This is an answer to all my prayers. For the first time I feel free since this has happened to me.” Fee had con- Ric White ole, since she feared for her safely, White was in court in Chilliwack on Friday on a bail hear- ing. Bail was set at $2,000 and was posted by White’s moth- er, Cleo White. While was then returned to a halfway house in the Fraser Valley area to complete his parole. He'll be in court in Queen Charlotte City on June 19 to answer the new charge, At the time he entered Canada, White was unlawfully at large from the U.S. Marine Corps, He was living in Queen Charlotte City when he became a Canadian citizen. Because of the charge there is a possibility that White will be deported. Skeena Reform MP Mike Scott takes credit for White's artest, saying the additional charges laid by the police are the direct result-of a letter written by him to the federal immigration minister. ’ -That’s because while people can register at the polls June sidered going into hiding once White was released on par- - = turnout feared Enumerators left a mail-in registration form if they failed to contact people in person. But those forms required a photocopy of ID such as a driver’s licence in order for a person to be placed ona list. Large numbers of people didn’t send in photocopies and, as a result, aren’t on the list even though they think they are, While Elections Canada has asked people to check that they have received registration notices in the mail and to call and check to see if they are indeed on the list, campaign managers remain concemed, FUTURE BEGIN KENT GLOWINSKI A REAL PLAN FOR: * ASTRONG SKEENA ECONOMY * MORE JOBS AND LESS TAXES * INCREASED HEALTH CARE * A UNITED CANADA * A POSITIVE AND REALISTIC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT 2, delays may discourage those people who are registered Authorize by B. Sweetnam, Offa Agent bork. Glowinskt _ Lo ae from waiting in lines. ‘‘I just hope Elections Canada has extra people on duty that day,’’ said Reform’s Carter. Liberal Silversides hopes people are aware of the change in the voting time from the traditional 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Having polls close an hour earlier than what has been the case could be a factor in turnout, he said. ‘There are tradi- tionally three busy periods at the polls — first thing in the moming, between 4 and 5 p.m. and between 7 to 8 p.m.,”” Silversides continued. THE C TERRACE City Hall Public Works Parks & Recreation CITY OF TERRACE SUMMER HOURS City of Terrace operations will be on Summer Hours as follows: June 2, 1997 to August 29, 1997 * Please note that gorse will be collected earlier during the NOTICE OFFICE 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. OFFICE 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. WORK CREWS *7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. OFFICE 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ‘PARKS CREWS 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. FACILITIES AS POSTED due to summer hours. E.R. Hallsor Clerk-Administrator N_/ BRITISH COLUMBIA LUNG ASSOCIATION #(250) 847-8833, Play 902 courses for $32. 10 including C GST ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Have you ever wondered what the trendy term Ecosystem Management really means, in theory and in practice? Here is an opportunity to find out. A two day workshop is to be held in Terrace that will explore what ecosystem management is and how it can be practiced. Each afternoon session will include field tours with applied themes. Date: Place: Fee: The workshop has been sponsored by Forest Renewal BC. For more information, please call the Forestry Continuing Studies Network As part of the workshop, there will be a special keynote speaker the evening the workshop commences on May 28, 1997 at 7:30pm at the Coast inn of the West, All.members of the public are welcome to attend the keynote speaker address free of charge. Please let us know If you are coming by calling #(250) 847-8833. The speaker will be Dr. Malcolm Hunter who is an internationally recognized authori- ty in the application of ecosystem management prin- ciples in forest management. Dr. Hunter is the Professor of Conservation Biology in the Dept. of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Maine. May 28-30, 1997 Coast Inn of the West $150 FOREST — RENEWAL BC BC Did you know, sixty-five percent of all B.Cs Children’s city of Vancouver? Hospital's patient visits involve children living outside the qtls YN Children’s Hospital