7 by Tod Strachan It may be a futile effort, but no one in the Northwest is about to forget the Sustut-Takla timber licence, timber that once belonged to the northwest and now belongs to the northeast. ‘The switch, apparently, was in everyone’s best interest a couple of years ago. It would save Prince George jobs, the government Lawyer hired for suit claimed. But it wasn’t in everyone’s best interest, local officials, industry and experts argued. Insects would destroy many of the trees before the Prince George consortium of logging firms even figured out how to get into the remote (from Prince George, at least) area. Last August, Village of Hazelton mayor and regional district director Alice Maitland made a plea to the against forests ministry regional board: give us some money and we'll fight the govern- ment decision in court, The regional district offered a sum of up to $2,000 to help Hazelton cover legal expenses. Maitland widened her search. Terrace city council did little, but Prince Rupert offered support in principle and promised to meet to decide how much they were willing to spend. Last September, the provincial Terrace Review — Wednesday, January 30, 1991 A3 | Land claim parties close to procedural agreement: In Prince Rupert last week negotiators for the Nisga’a Tribal Council and the federal and provincial government came within a pencil’s-breadth of signing an agreement on the protocol for three- party land question negotiations. Last week’s meetings were intended to arrive at a framework agreement, a set of procedural rules that will govern negotiations. The framework is required to allow the government of B.C. to participate. Since the 1970's the Nisga’a and the federal government have been negotiating the Nisga’ claim while the province refused to get involved on legal grounds. With the provincial government’s change in position last September the talks have changed form, and now the three parties have to agree on how they are going to proceed. Nisga’a Tribal Council representative Chief Alvin McKay said a comprehensive land cabinet met in Terrace and an offshoot of that meeting was to be a helicopter tour of the Sustut by forests minister Claude Richmond and local politicians to witness the devastation caused by insects. He didn't go. He flew to Stewart, had a look around, then apologized for the fact he didn’t have enough time to fly over the Sustut. In December, the regional district received a letter from Richmond: Usk may get road Residents of Usk who live on the north side of the Skeena River may eventually be free of their reliance on the reaction ferry and cable tram system that is currently the only way out of the community. The Terrace district office of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways indicated last week that the road planned to run from Terrace to the Kitsclas area on the north side of the Skeena may be extended to the isolated community. District highways manager John Newhouse said Jan. 25 that the ministry is committed, on a cost-sharing basis with other agencies and interests, to building an all-weather road into "I particularly enjoyed the helicop- Monday the framework agreement is nearly complete, with three clauses left to be signed. "It’s language adjustment, not a major disagreement," McKay said. Members of the three sides are working on the wording of the clauses by telephone and fax, he said, adding that he hopes the framework will be completed by the next scheduled meeting, in Victoria during the week of Feb. 18. With the framework agreement signed, the three sides can begin what officials call "substantive negotiations", in which the issues surrounding the land question can be addressed directly and in detail. McKay ’said he hopes an agenda for topics of substantive negotiations can be set on the first day of the February meetings — provided the framework agreement is out of the way. ter tour of the North Kalum," he said of his stay here. "I am looking forward to the occasion when my itinerary takes me back to your beautiful part of the province and can tour the Takla-Sustut area by helicopter." Regional board chair- man Jack Talstra remarked, "I find this a little bit amusing." This month the regional district — Continued on page A4 Kitselas. As part of the study process the ministry is also going to examine the cost of extending that road a further seven or cight kilometres to Usk. “There are some terrain problems,” Newhouse said. "We’re going to look at the feasibility, see if it’s an economical option.” Newhouse added that the cost of building and maintaining a road will be compared to the cost of continuing to operate the ferry and tram service, estimated at over $200,000 a year. Newhouse said he hopes to have the feasibility study for the entire project finished at the latest by May, and preferably by March so the district office can include it in the 1991-92 budget. _ INFORMATION SESSION | 7 Business Opportunities in Maintenance of Provincial Roads and Bridges in British Columbia Highways maintenance contracts are coming up for tender in 28 contract areas in 1991. . The Ministry of Transportation.and Highways will be conducting an information session on business opportunities for the maintenance of provincial roads and bridges in British Columbia. Ministry staff will outline the standards for maintenance, review contract conditions and answer your questions as potential bidders before contract negotiations begin in each area for the next three year term. A complete information package will be provided to registered participants prior to the information session. Additional information on maintenance standards and the contract will be available at this session. The session will be heldon: February 21, 1991. in: Vancouver,BC. - from: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration Fee: $250.00 Luncheon will be served . (Maximum two participants) DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION FEBRUARY 8, 1991. ee ee en ee nee ane en em em mE SERS SST Opportunities Information Session. Ministry of Transportation Teh Na. and Highways aton, Minister Send to: Director I enclose my cheque for $250.00 registration payable to Minister of Finance. 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