Page A4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 30, 1992 OU TERRACE ST ANDA AR Jeff Nagel - News/Community, Malcolm Baxter - News/Sports, ; Y. Publisher/Editor: Rose Fisher - Front Office Manages, Carolyn Andarson - Typesetter, I veer Rod Link Arlerie Watts - Typesetler, Susan Credgaur - Composing/Darkroom, Special t thanks to : we ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1968 . Janet Vivelros - Advertising Consuftant, Sam Collier - Advertising Consultant, all our “a : reer ee Advertising : Charlene Matlhaws - Circulation Manager ; Registration =I 7820 “4647 Lazelle Ave,, Terrace, B. C., VEG 198 Manager: contributors and correspondents = - Mike L. Hamm ay, CCNA an Phone (604) 638-7283 Fax (604) 638-8432 Eoie conn am for their time and Serving tha Terrace area. Published on Wednesday of each week by Cariboo Prass (1959) Ltd. at 4647 Lazelie Ave., Terrace, Brilish Columbia. ; ; 2, Cecna 7 Stories, photographs, ilustraions, designs and typestyles in the Terrace Standard ara the property of the copyright holders, including Ceriboo Press Production Manager: or a cs - VeRiFigD talents. ae (1969) Lid,, ifs ilustration repro services and advertising agencies. Edouard Credgeur piel assoc -CIFIGULATION e Reproduction la whole or in part, without written permission, Is specifically prohibited. Gcia g CONTHOLLED Aulhorized as second-class mai? pending the Post Office Department, for payment of postage in cash. . I (I te ADUGHT THAT COUNTS... AND ('VE BEEN THINKING, . D RATHER HAVE int MONEY... | __ EDITORIA =FUNDS| | The year ahead If 1992 was a busy year in Terrace, 1993 will be more so. But it will be busy for dif- ferent reasons. This past year marked an increase in the commercial and residential sector. More services are now located in the city, further cementing its position as being the major business centre for north-_ western B.C. And more housing increases - some clues to a final outcome and we’ll then be able to evaluate it properly. We'll alsa get a better idea of the wood supply in the northwest. Serious observers of the industry say there is tao much mill- ing capacity for what is left in the forest. Some of the news may not be nice, but it ~. will at least do away with a lot of un- the attractiveness of the city and sutround- ing area to new residents, What’s going to happen in the new year is a resolution of major issues that will dic- tate the economic shape of the northwest into the next century. . We'll know if Orenda Forest Products will build its pulp and paper mill south of Lakelse Lake. The project has been under planning for more than four years now, It is finally moving through the variaus government approval processes. Its major hurdle for 1993. remains finding the con- struction money. We should know by spring the broad qut- line of the Nisga’a land claim settlement. It remains a question mark to the great ma- jority of people who live in the northwest. Same of those questions have been eased in the past few months, yet there remains a lot of uncertainty. An agreement in princi- ple, due in March, will finally give us the certainty that has surrounded the industry for the past decade up here, All of these economic implications will naturally affect the social structure of the city and of the northwest. New jobs or new kinds of jobs change the make up of an area and of its people. This will undoubtedly cause worry and lead to uneasiness. But the situation is a lot different than in past years. The issues pre- sented above contain opportunities for people to have a say in the eventual out- come. Strong public involvement in land claims, for instance, will ultimately lead to a settlement acceptable to everybody wha . lives up here. And that leads. to the biggest issue for 1993 — the ability and capability of Ter- race and the northwest to take an active role in what happens. Change can bring out the worst in us, But it can also bring out the best. Road To success So, the city wants to set up a lottery to raise money for community projects. But it has also wiped outa proposed,..25-year. . we AEE gs paying plan, Why not combine t the iwo? Call it Pave and Win. Instead of money, the prize is some of that luscious asphalt. The success- ful winner gets the road paved in front of his or her house, If nobody chooses the winning number one week, the Jength of asphalt increases. That’ll lead to entire streets’ combining t to _ purchase tickets in the hope for a longer, ribbon of smoothness. There could even be some consolation prizes — filling in a per- prospect of trying to figure out what streets should be paved and when. The luck of the draw will decide, ending any nasty thoughts of playing favourites. And it will end the city’s continual pain of raising money through faxes. If this thing works, the city could extend it fora new sewer system. The name? ; Easy. Flush and win. Worst isn’t over When the Thornhill Voluntecr Firefighters paraded down our street Sunday night in their annual Christmas salute, 1 felt like a grad stand- ing tall in appreciation of my leacher’s dedicated efforts, Only the day before the firefighters’ carol parade, we had moved back. into our Through Bifocals by Claudette Sandecki rebuilt home alter being burned oul Sept. 10, We were happy to switch on our oulside | lights and exchange energetic waves and "Merry Christmas" as the string of decorated fire trucks inched past, crew lined up on top like Playschool . people. All day Saturday we had moved. Cold and blowing snow discouraged customers. By midafternoon, our belong- ings were distributed in desig- nated rooms to await building of closets, cupboards, sheives, | and other space-expanders. Al last, afler three months of con- centrated effort, our lives were again under onc roof. For most of us, the carol tour. is a happy ritual accompanied ° by familiar holiday music played at a volume: teenagers only dream of, Toddlers watch wide-eyed as the procession of red trucks approaches, outlined - by an aura of flashing lights © Yuletide ~ and ___ vibrating melody. Then, lo havea firefighter jump down: and- hand out Christmas candy! Il’s senough =to = convince - im- pressionable youngsters’ that: anta Claus wears ‘yellow raingear. : I wonder, though, about two othu kinds of observers — ar-... sonists, and tipsters with the knowledge to turn them in Vandal Watch. The entire entourage drives by in sec- onds. Yet to an arsonists or a tipster, those seconds probably drag like waiting for word of a governor's pardon. Arsonisis must envy ‘firefighters. Fire trucks flashing four colors of lights rather than one — meander. about Thornhill for up to four hours, commanding public in- - ferest. An arson fire, if set with an accelerant, lasts 15 minutes, not counting smouldering which may go on the "for days. Folks look forward. to -the carol ‘tour, they. know = well ahead. when it will-happen, A wide audience welcomes and ‘praises firefighters for their generosity in giving up family time 1o- freeze and delight _ feighbourhoods. ~The pro- cession is even part of an in- _ ternational holiday. By’ contrast, arsonisis: must operate: covertly, strike un- expectedly, and waive all pub- lic recognition of their accom- plisiments. In ~~ addition, . ‘they’ re referred to in unflatter- “ing: ‘terms, ° vilified: and. con- demned in absentia, No praise for them... © - anonymous phone call Tipsters, too, no doubt chew their knuckles at the first peal of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear", Do they debate with themselves whether or not to divulge what they know, whether to make an to Vandal Watch’s tip line? A $200 reward would buy a salisfaclory’ = amount of ‘Nintendo, And what could be casicr? Uniess they’re so implicated in the arson they could be charge also. Or. the arsonist has, threatened them should they open their mouth, ruin his alibi. ‘Being burned out of our. home was traumatic, But for | us, the worst is over. Not so for the arsonist. Liberal conflict gives government undeserved edge VICTORIA — What did Gordon Wilson say to his wife when he came home. Give up? “Honey, [ shrunk the caucus.”” The Liberal opposition leader did not look a happy. camper when David Mitchell, the Libera! MLA for West -son’s favourite-pothole, for instance. 24:0 y...Mancouver-Garibaldi, askeda21' Al this could do. away. with‘that dreary." . Speaker,Joan Sawicki to. makes: the necessary arrangements for him to sit as an independent Member of the Legislative As- . sembly, Having been blind-sided by Mitchell’s unexpected an- — nouncement, Wilson tried to recover, only to make matters worse. Instead of silently ac- cepting Mitchell’s defection, Wilson, assisted by Liberal House leader Judy Tyabji and Gary Farrell-Collins, laznched. into a tasteless and tacky desk- thumping. While Mitchell’s bolting came unexpectedly, it is fairly easily explained. Relations be- tween Wilson and Mitchell had been somewhat strained _ right off the start, but they al- ways managed lo patch things up again. And then, along came the Unity Referendum which saw Mitchell‘and Wilson on oppo- site sides. Ignoring his leader’s specific orders not to campaign in favor of the Char- lotictown Accord, Mitchell — threw himself into the fray with a vengeance. Campaigning vigorously for the yes-side. Mitchell found himself on the same slage as NDP members of the House on several occasions. It was more than Wilson’s ego could swallow, and the relationship between the two men took a significant turn for the worse. Scen in that context, Mitchel]’s decision to sil as an independent member of the legislature doesn’t come as. much of a surprise. Mitchell’s: remarks at a press conference laier that day also indicated rh ie oy GAN From the Capital _by Hubert Beyer been severely hampered by the bad relations between him and Wilson. “It has become increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to - effectively serve my con- stituents as a Member of the Liberal caucus,” Mitchell said. ““My conslituents expect me to be their voice in Victoria, Increasingly, attempts have been made to silence me, For whatever reasons, efforts within the caucus (0 isolate me, to hold me back from speaking out on issues of im- portance, to prevent me [rom addressing the concerns of my riding, have escalated to the point where I can no longer do my job effectively,’ he said, And in a parting broadside at his former leader, Mitchell charged that ‘ ‘quarreling and petly bickering’’ have pre- vented the Liberal caucus from coming together asa team. “*Far more effort seems ta have been directed toward | dealing with insecurilics and _ paranoia within the Liberal - _caucus than to maintaining a much-needed vigil on the NDP government,’” he said. It would be tempting to al- iribute these rather harsh and condemning words to sour — grapes, but unfortunately, they — are truc. The paranoia manifests itself in other ways. Liberal caucus staff have been instructed not - to approach Wilson with any problem they may have, His handlers probably see such a move as necessary to insulate lems when, in reality, they are isolating him from the people. . whose loyalty and suppart are absolutely essential to his tenure as leader of the official opposition. - Thave on several occasions said that the Liberal opposi- tion wasn’t doing its job, The problem has been and still is leadership. “ Wilson has been unable to . weld his caucus:into an effec- : tive team, and unless he does so soon, his problems will only have begun. Further defections from his. caucus are nat only possible, but likely, Art Cowie, MLA for... Vancouver-Quilchena may be next. The embattled Clive Tanner, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, is still « banned from caucus and may decide to sit as an indepen- © dent, . Unless Wilson is able to as- scrt himself as leader and turn his caucus into a unified force, he may wake up. some day and no longer be the official Oppo- Silion leader, + : Take this scenario: There are now six Socreds and two inde- pendents, plus Tanner for 4 to-. - talof-nine, The Liberals are ‘left with 15 members, It only takes four more defectors to -Set the stage for a coalition of 13 against Wilson’s remaining 11 members, leaving Wilson as leader of ‘‘the third party.’’ . Ata lime when the Liberals ' should begin to come across as a credible choice in the next. clection, they are barely hold- ing together, None of which bodes well for the democratic i a \. WHITE XMAS" wit i b 7 irl a ‘ail : cae ut, fl ANG A WH AR RSeNyING. . AND A WHITE EASTER !! that his role as an MLA had their charge from petly prob- process, © WELL' LOOKS LIKE you V |/ we ALWAYS HAVE AID A WHITE /4 GET THE FEELING WE'LL ave. A : RIDING? A Alas XMAS ! HALLOWEEN ! SHE'S NOT LOOKING- FORWARD To + Vz MONTHS ON THE TRAPUAE HI! 7.