Az - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 19, 1997 Fish guides hurt by 3 government indecision Taxpayers Federation pulls back from recall DON’T COUNT the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) out of the Crash Helmut campaign just yet. It will still be holding a pro-recall training seminar here this weekend and will be involved in work leading up to the start of any signature gathering campaign, its B.C. execu- tive director said yesterday. (See earlier story, Page All). Troy Lanigan made the comments in responding to news reports the federation is abandoning the pro-recall field in light of criticism by anti-reeall forces. Those anti-recall forces, the Skeena Taxpayers Association, spent the last week painting the CTF as an outside group meddling in the northwest. “We said all along we wouldn’t be involved during the yelition period. It is going to be up to the local group to get those signatures,” said Lanigan. - What the federation won't be doing is going ahead with advertising during the 60-day period in which pro-recall forces have to get enough signatures to remove Giesbrecht from office and force a by-election. “We have become such an issue that it has turned into a referendum on the CTF and it was one we couldn’ win,” said Lanigan. “If anything, the issue can now focus solely on the performances of the MLA and of the government.” Lanigan dismissed one criticism of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation ~ that it pays a 30 per cent commis- sion to salespeople to raise operating money. “Everybody has overhead in raising money whether you do it by direct tail or telemarketing or whatever,” he said. Local recall chairman Lome Sexton deciined to say if the anti-recall forces won a tactical victory by putting the spo- tlight on the taxpayers federation. “We wouldn’t be where we are - we wouldn’t have the (recall) forms — without Troy and the federation down there in Victoria,” he said. “We’re just a local group and we're up against the NDP. It’s nol a level playing field.” Sexton also said that regardless of the taxpayers federa- tion involvement, local people and money are financing the Giesbrecht recall effort. The CIF spent $11,500 on recalf to date and had planned to spend another $14,800 upto next March, Park site search goes on THE LOCATION for a proposed $200,000 skateboard park here remains up in the air. But the city is now scouting around for possible private kand to buy in or near the downtown core, That’s the decision councillors came to Monday night after hearing from more than 30 skateboarders, the Farmer’s Market Association, and a new society committed to raising money for the skateboard park. Council had asked city staff to look at possible locations because the originally proposed site — behind city hall — might interfere with future expansion of the fire hall. City parks and recreation superintendent Steve Scott had reviewed six sites already owned by. the city and recom- mended the skate park be built on vacant city land adjacent to Riverside Park. But the skateboarders urged council to look for a she closer to the downtown care. “It’s quite isolated, it’s a grave] drive in there and it seems like we're being tucked away in a comer there,” said skateboarder Mike Talstra. Because of the remoteness of the location, he suggested unsavoury elements could cause trouble there and the ska- teboarders could be blamed for whatever transpires. One of the other sites discussed was the Farmer’s Market site on Davis Ave. Councillors wondered whether the market might wish to relocate. , Market representatives said they view their present loca- tion as ideal and want to ensure they don’t lose any space. And skateboarders also voiced opposition to that idea, saying they don’t want to “barge in” and create hard feel- ings with another group. “It feels like we're being asked to step on the toes of oth- ers in the community and create resentment,” Talstra said. “We don’t want to annoy other organizations in the community.” In the end, council asked staff to determine what suitable privately owned land might be available for purchase. Council is committed to building the ‘skateboard park, and councillor David Hull said it will be worthwhile to take a few extra weeks and make sure they end up with the right site. Also at Monday night’s meeting was Ron Craig, spokes- man for the Terrace Youth Action Society. The group is a newly incorporated society comprised mainly of volunteer parents who aim to raise $60,000 to help complete the skateboard park. “If it’s as far out as Riverside it just won't get patronized the way it should be,” said Craig. “We don't want to create a park that’s worth a quarter of a million dollars that’s just stuck cut somewhere.” Two-week shut planned WEST FRASER will halt all of its logging and sawmill operations for two weeks over Christmas, company offi- cials said Manday. The Skeena Sawmill operation in Terrace will shut down on Dec. 19 and re-start on Jan. 5, said West Fraser's north- west operations manager Brace MacNicol. MacNicol said a longer shutdown so far isn’t being con- templated, although markets, particularly in Asia, continue to look bad. “We're not looking at it at this point,” he said. Skateboarder hit by van ASKATEBOARDER struck by a mini-van at the inter- section of Lakelse Ave. and Sparks St. is in hospital with a broken leg, Terrace RCMP said the youth was crossing the street against the light when he was hit by the mini-van, The skateboarder was first taken to Mills Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Kitimat General Hospital, wate he was treated for a compound fracture of his left ibia. Grant for Anti-Poverty TERRACE ANTI-POVERTY will receive $50,000 from the provincial government to develop an affordable hous- ing strategy here. The grant is part of HOMES BC’s Community Housing Initiative. HOMES BC is a provincial program aimed at developing affordable homes in the province, The money will be used to develop strategies to increase the number of households in Terrace with adequate and affordable housing. It can be used to help build partnerships that would help communities deal with housing problems. LOCAL ANGLING guides and outfitters are once again being left in the dark by the provincial government. The environment ministry still hasn't decided whether or not-non-resident angling licence fees will i increase to $40 per day next season. And that has many guides and lodge own- ers wondering what to tell their customers. “It (fee schedules) should have been out at the end of October,” says Kermodei Bear. Lodge owner Irene Walker. “Booking has already started in Europe and cuslomers are calling to ask us how mich licence fees are going to be, but J can’t tell them.” Last spring the environment ministry pro- mised stakeholder consultation, after a del- uge of protest when the fees were raised without warning. Some of that promised consultation has occurred in the fonm of ccn- ference calls between the ministry and sports fishing representalives. But months later, no decisions have been made. “It’s not looking real good,” says Steelhead Society vice president Bruce Hill. “They’ve dithered so long that it’s too late for some people. Resoris and tackle shops are in a sus- pended state. All their plans are on hold.” Hill says that stakeholder recommenda- tions arising from discussions with the min- istry say to keep the rates at current levels. “The government has nat done any cost- benefit analysis of these increases,” he says. “They have no idea what the results might be and they could be economically devastating.” Jim Culp of the Sports Fish Advisory Board also says the discussions have gone on for too long without answers. “No one knows where we stand,” he says. “There’s a glimmer of hope that fees could stay where they are, but for some people it may already be too late.” City council has also expressed concerns about the lack of government decisions. “1 think it’s absolutely appalling that we've gotten into this situation again after all the outcry we had in the last year,” said council- Jor Val Gecrge at a meeting Nov. 10. David Hull echoed that sentiment, pointing out that “in one foul swoop,” the province could kill an industry that locals have spent decades building up. Skeena MLA Helmut Giesbrecht says he too doesn’t know where the ministry stands on the issue. “It's still up in the air. I haven’t heard from the minister on what she plans to do.” Giesbrecht says he’s told environment minister Cathy McGregor that if the ministry has to get more revenue, not to get it out of local anglers. And if they go after foreign anglers, to do it in a way that doesn’t inter- . fere with the seasonal planning of guides and outfitters. But Assistant Deputy Minister Don Fast, who is in charge of the consultations, says the ministry hasn’t made any decisions yet. “We've had discussions with local people and we are getting feedback,” he says. “We are aware of the concerns,” However, Irene Walker says the lack of a response indicates to her that Victoria doesn’t care about the situation. “Maybe the issue isn’t very important in Victoria, but it’s important here,” she says. SLGLOLGLSLSLS1 SLOLSLGLE) HARYANA’S AUTHENTIC EAST INDIAN CUISINE W OPEINY (Located at The Kalum Motel) 5508 Hwy. 16 West Ph: 635-2362 me we we nel gene ee ae ee if he won't do his Job, then we must do ours. www. kermode.net/recaliskeena/ "C. HELMUT! on. Erase Recall Helmut Giesbrecht 1997 The Committee To Recall Helmut Giesbrecht Email: crash, helmut@kermode.net Phone/Fax: (250) 638-7739 wow GOOD ONLY AT SAFEWAY * FOOD FOR LESS Lien! of one coupon pac customer. Whi stacks fast, Coupon effodtive st all Conoda Safeway stores, COUPON EFFECTIVE MOVEAWER 1 6-HOVEMIEER 22, 1997. FIRST 2 WITH THIS COUPON Me } anes 22/97 Lin two per customer , Oranges Poor "~~~ j 7 : : , | 1 zi ¢ met pr Cp mt I (OP as i HU a GOOD ONLY AT SAFEWAY * FOOD FOR LESS Limi of oe coupon per customer, While locks Jost, Coupon offectiva af cll Canada Sofeway stores, COUPON EFFECTIVE OCTORER 26-HVEMUER 22, 1997, Rats SAFEWAY PRINTED COUPON PLU 07766 ED COUPON PLUOT766 MOO AL GOOD ONLY AT SAFEWAY + FOOD FOR LESS Und cf ona coupon per customer, White shocks lost, “ Coupon affective art all Conada Safeway stores, 2 COUPON EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 26-HOVEMUR 22, 1547, : bacdSad SAFEWAY PRUNTED (UPON PLU OF 785 0 ae, “AIR MILES.” Shepard Go Krafi Saled Dressing © Assorted Varieties 250 mL “THIN A BLUE MOON | THIS FRIDAY § | WERE OPEN {TILL 11:00PM] FIRST 6 WITH FHIS COUPON ii | Hawkins Cheezies 2256 PKG H Whit Stocks Lost! | WATCH FOR | HOT HOURLY | SPECIALS DURING ONCE INA 3 Q0000 0 IM re ay i (§) SAF ‘a v RACK UP THOSE _ AIR MILES! {Lucerne Large | Eggs 12's/Dox & Valid Until GOOD ONLY AT | GOOD ONLY AT SAFEWAY + FOOD FOR. LESS | * Foop FOR. LESS. Lire! of one coupon par cusierit, Wile stocks bl, Coupon affective of oll (anode Safeway storns. COUPOM EFFECTIVE OXTOBER 76-HOVEMIER 72, 1157. SAREUAY SAFEWAY PRINTED COUPON PLU O77: 5 . GOOD ONLY AT SAFEWAY.» FOOD FoR LESS: FIRST 4 BOTTLES WITH THIS COUPOW Umit of s08 coupon par customer, While stocks lat. Coupon affective ot off Conade Safeway siorss, COUPON EFFECTIVE OXTOGEN 26-HOWIIALR 22, 147. } a SAFEWAY FRINTED COUPON PLU 07759 ‘ SAFEWAY , ‘FOOD. & DRUG AY EACH 0000 10058 Edwards Coffee e Regular Drip Fine or Extra Fine 737 g “5 FIRST 2 WITH TELS COUPOM AW lt Sprite f° ivsarted Varieties ce 4 . us dope sit & errviro levy where