A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 7, 1994 Natives eye ’shroom cash HAZELTON AREA natives have brought in their own regulations in hopes of managing the multi- milion dollar pine mushroom picking industry. The Gitwet Corporation has an- nounced licence fees of $75,000 each for the 20-odd° mushroom buying stations in. the Hazelton area, And it wants to register all pick- ers except Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en people and charge them a $250 fee, | ‘Theyre outsiders that come in and lake all the profits and get out of here,’ said Gitksan Wel’suwet’en Watershed Authorily co-ordinator Chris Barnes of the plan, ‘*There’s $30 million that goes out of our terri- tory and it’s all unregulated.” Aayone ignoring the announced regulations will be dealt with by Gitksan-Wet’suwet’en Watershed Authority Rangers, and ultimately “by Gitksan-Wet’suwet’en law,”’ stid Barnes, It wasn’t clear what penalities that would entail. Mushroom buyers — who to date have functioned unregulated by any native. or government agency — were not overjoyed with the GitWet proposal. Said Aaron Greycloud, a Nass Valley picker and = buyer: “Moabody’s going to pay that much —- I sure won’t and I’m an Indian,” he said. ‘They should give their heads a shake.’’ Kispiox forest district opera- tions manage; Ron Mould said: “This is a First Nations initiative. It is not sanctioned by the govern- ment. It’s not legal by the laws of the province.”” He suspects a lot of people won't buy a permit, and that buyers may have the right to get court injunctions. — “It’s gaing to be interesting to see what happens this year,’ said Mould. The regulations are a first step in developing native-controlled products that will allow the Gitksan-Wet’suwet’en. people to be self-sufficient, Barnes said. Part of the markeling strategy includes setting up a central Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en House Society Co-operative that man- ages all mushroom harvesting on the territories, including lucrative mushrooming sites around Hazelton, Kispiox, Kitwanga and the Cranberry. Kaoru Kobayashi, director of the GitWet Corporation since April, said a house meeting in mid-August taised more than $100,000 in start-up funds for the Health proposals coming in APPLICATIONS FOR money have already been received here under a provincial program to cut . health care costs. They'll be judged, along with others received up until a Sept. 16 deadline, on how best to reduce expensive hospital services or to replace them with cheaper, communily-based ones. The applications will be screened by a local health council steering commitiec before being passed to a regional health care body for approval. The northwest has been given just over $1 million by the provincial government under the program it calls Closer 10 Home. The local health group and the regional one represent a new look for provincial health care with the idea that health spending deci- sions are best made by people who live in the affected areas. The local health council steer- Thornhill study one step closer ANOTHER STEP on the road to the long awaited study on how Thornhill should be governed has been taken, Today was the deadline for six consultancy firms to make sub- missions to the Kitimat-Stikine regional district. Economic development officer Andrew Webber said the proposals will be examined by a regional district commitice next week, It is expected to make a recom mendation on which consultant to hire and that in tum will for- warded to regional district direc- tors at their Sept. 16-17 meeting. Webber said the terms of reference call for the successful bidder to complete the study within six months. It will look at a variety of issues including current property assess- ments, level of services and im- plications for taxpayers of any change in the local government syslem. While the study will con- conirate on the financial nuts and bolis of options like independent inecrporation or amalgamation with Terrace, Webber said the consullant will also report on the feelings of the public. In their proposals, the bidders are supposed to outline how they Survey growing AN ESTIMATED 1,500 to 2,000 people have responded so far lo Skeena Reform MP Mike Scott’s survey sent out. in his first houseiolder, The publication asked con- stituents for their views on two is- sues — gun control and doctor- assisted surcide. They're still trickling in, one or two a day,” said Colleen Davis, Scott's constituency as- sistant, She said they plan to begin sort- ing through the responses and labulaling them laler this month. Meeting notes TOMORROW IS World Lileracy Day and it'll be noted at noon with a reading and story telling circle. The event takes place at the Terrace Women's Resource Cenire. All are invited. kekkk Those interested in learning more about the provincial govern- ment’s plan to regulate the pine mushroom picking industry are Invited to a public meeting Sept. 14, There’s a pilot project going on between the province and the Nisga’a Tribal Council. The meeting lakes place in the Skeena I room at the Terrace Inn and itstartsat 7 pms ‘would go about getting public opinion, he added. Meanwhile, next Thursday Dease Lake and area residents have their first public meeting on possible restructuring for that unincorporated Hwy37 North community. Although the money for that process and study is channeled through the Kitimat-Stikine regional district, said it is not directly involved in the process. ing committee is expected to receive official status this January and has on it representatives from a variely of social and health care organizations. ‘Representatives from local councils are then appointed to the tegional body. “Applicants just have to indi- cate the intent. A detailed proposal isn’t yet required,’’ said Judith McLean of the local steer- ing committee. Applicants must indicate how much their proposal will cost but don’t have to include a budget breakdown. The applications are being ac- cepted by community council member Kathy MacDonald at fax number 638-5434 up until 4 p.m. Sept. 16. They’ll be reviewed Sept. 19 by the local steering committee and will then be forwarded to the regional body. Those interested in the applica- tlons and other information can find them at the front desk of Northwest Community College or on top of the book case near the shelves containing recent book atrivals at the public library. THE Bavarian Inn Restaurant The friendliest “inn” townl . Make our place “Your Place” to enjoy an evening EOS ot intimate dining with reasonable prices! FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER ED GARLIC ICKEN PEN sliced chicken breast sauteed in a spicy tomato sauce & served on asta penne $14.50 frash from Prince Rupert, served with saffron rice & peppers: $16.50 Open For Lunch Tuesday - Friday 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Dinner Monday - Sunday 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. THE POUNDER one pound of steamed Prince Rupert shrimp & baked potato $16.50 For Reservations - 635-9161 4332 Lakelse - Terrace cooperative. The money appar- ently came from house finances. At the meeting a large number of chiefs signed an agreement to operate the 1994 mushroom har- vest, he said, as 4 provisional venture sustained by their own in- vestment capital, Revenue from mushroom sales will be reinvested into environ. mental protection and local devel- opment, Kobayashi said. ‘Should this venture be a suc- cessful one, we will have the necessary confidence and time for a Gitksan-Wet’suwet’en House Society Co-operative to manage all mushroom harvest for the ter- ritory in the future,’ the agrec- ment states. One signatory, Gitanyow speaker Glen Williams, said the intent of the cooperative is to re- place the current independent buyers. “‘There’s ample room for the ald buyers to work in the co- operative,” he said. ‘“They just have to apply to the Gitksan- Wet’suwet’en for a buying sta- tion.”’ Williams described the an- nounced regulations as a means of getting a jump on pending provincial regulations. To date mushroom picking has remained unregulated and un- taxed, A provincial government task force studying the matter has put out a number of proposals for public discussion, including regulating buyers. But according to task force re- search officer Nelly de Geus, analysis of those comments won't be ready until November, ai the carlicst, and serious organization won't come till much later. BC FOREST INVESTMENT Silviculture Seedling Enhancement * exceptional tax refund *14% annual dividend « RRSP eligible * minimum investment $27 ,500 Call 1-800-567-5188 IECO Capital (VCC) Corp. This offer does nat constiure an offer to soll or buy @ saucrly which can only be made by offering mamorandum. Rosswood Fall Fair Saturday, Sept. 10 Starts at 10 a.m, at Rosswood Community Grounds * Fun music night with local musicians « Concession * Auction of Fair items No Admission Charge Come fora TOTTI oN VIV Ore fehe eh enviv: AUTOMOUNT of Family Fun! ae 3e at, tetotalotslatatatatatattalatataialalaletetotatatatatatala’ * Children's Bike Parade * Family Games * Kid's fish pond & “Carnival” WP a a ag yg ag a ag ia at ya al i a gt ia i a eg. Dr. Thomas Nenningeres..er, ase, ons will practice GENERAL DENTISTRY at 101-4619 Park Avenue commencing Sept. 19, 1994 Mon. - Wed. Tues. - Thurs. Fri. Office Hours 8am-5 pm 8am-8 pm 8am-1pm Please call 635-1213 for an appointment. ANNUAL GENERAL -MEETIN G of the. cos TERRACE REGION: Al HEALTH CARE SOCIETY sincy September 15, 1994 | 8:00 PM Guest Speakers: Helmut Giesbrecht, MLA Skeena and ~ Judith McLean, Coordinator for the | Community Health Council Steering Committee Education Room, Mills Memorial Hospital 4720 Haugland Avenue Fr ROAD REPORT N During the week of August 15th watch for mowers working Highway 16 west; patching crews on Highway 16 East and Highway 37 south. Also watch for crews working on bridges on Highway 16 West and Highway 37 south. Please watch for and obey tratfic contro! signing. To report road hazards, call 638-8383 during office H hours. After hours, please call 1-800 665-5051. eo ee me wea ee ee wee tee ew ew ew ee ee ew f- An Environmental Citizenship Message From Environment Canada a CONSTRUCTION SE AVICES Your Road Maintenance Contractor Many of our communities chlorinate their drinking water to kill bacteria, Although chlorination can ) also form harmfull by-products, Its benefits are much greater than the smail risk of health effects from these compounds.