A4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 4, 1997 TERRACE. STANDARD ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1988 A Division of Carlboo Press (1969) Ltd. ADDRESS: 3210 Clinton Street Terrace, B.C. * V8G SR2 TELEPHONE: (250) 638-7283 * FAX: (250) 638-8432 EMAIL: standard@kermode.net ‘We’re all pals YOU’D THINK the provincial government had a big stake in an automobile company judging from the way it tosses one word around, That word is ‘‘accord’’ and after “‘consultation’’ is tops on the NDP vocabulary list. We’ve had a variety of accords over the past several years whereby the government sets itself up as a kindly parent overseeing the affairs of its family. But none has more potential for success -~— or failure — than the one Premier Glen Clark and company are working on for the forest in- dustry. Simply put, Mr. Clark wants more high-paying union jobs from the forest sector. It’s an ad- mirable goal given the high unemployment rate and the social and monetary cost of having people out of work. To do this he’s wielding a’ huge stick in the various licences granted by the government to log trees. Play along and there’s no problem with those licences. But kick up a. stink — now that'll be another story. Mr. Clark needs allies to bring the forest com- panies in line. Two weeks ago he and his minis- ters wooed members of the Northwest Com- munities Coalition, formed first in Kitimat with the hopes of bringing the government and Alcan together over the Kemano Completion Project dispute. The coalition has since added the perilous state of the post-Repap-disaster northwest forest in- dustry to its list and it found a willing audience when it travelled to Victoria. Mr. Clark and others appeared warm and open to regulation changes giving forest contractors more muscle in dealing with large industry players, particularly in light of the Repap mess. But politics is the art of the deal and it’s clear the government will move on some of the coali-’: tion’s points provided it play along with the pro- posed jobs and timber accord. And that’s what makes politics so interesting because opponents one day are allies, if not friends, the next. Yet let’s not forget the overall goal — the provision of jobs in a rational and commonsense fashion. ae On It stinks SO, THERE’S a proposal floating around out there to charge a fee to Terrace homeowners who take garbage to the dump. It’s not enough that homeowners already pay for garbage pickup from their doorstep. Now somebody thinks it might be a good idea to also whack homeowners who take it upon themselves to haul the stuff the city won’t. We’re told domestic dump fees would aid recycling. But this is clearly a case of double taxation. In a sense, homeowners are doing the city a courtesy by relieving the pressure on the curb-side gar- bage pick up service. To consider imposing a fee for homeowners would be counter productive, discriminatory and just plain rude. What’s worse is the prospect of some homeowners dumping on back roads in- stead. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Rod Link ADVERTISING MANAGER: Rick Passmore PRODUCTION MANAGER: Edouard Credgeur NEWS Jeff Nagel « NEWS SPORTS: Dave Taylor COMMUNITY: Cris Leykauf OFFICE MANAGER: Kathleen Quigley ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS: Sam Collier, Janet Viveiros, Tracy Cowan TELEMARKETER: Tracey Tomas ADVERTISING ASSISTANT: Emma Law, Kelly Jean TYPESETTING: Sylvana Broman DARKROOM: Susan Credgeur CIRCULATION MANAGER: Karen Brunette SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: $53.50 per year; Seniors $48.15; Out of Province $60.99 Outside of Canada (6 months) $149.80 (ALL PRICES INCLUDE GST) MEMBER OF B.C. AND YUKON COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION, CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION pa me COMMUBHTY MEWELPAPERE Attotciavion Redthd Calambte ced alow AND B.C. PRESS COUNCIL Serving tha Terraca and Thombill area, Published.on Wednesday of each week by Cariboo Press (1989) Ltd. af 3210 Clinton Streal, Terrace, British Columbia, V8G 5A2, . Stories, photographs, illustrations, designs and typestyles in the Terrace Standard are the property of tha copyright holders, including Cariboo Press (1969) Ltd., Is lilustration repra services and advertising agencies, Reproduction in whole or in part, without written parmission, is specifically prohibited. Authorized ag second-class mail panding the Post Oifice Department, for payment of postage in cash. Special thanks to all our contributors and correspondents :for their time and talents - Admiral Clark sails the seas VICTORIA — The B.C. mouse roared and the U.S. elephant took notice. In an unprecedented step, British Columbia has told the United States to get the hell out of the missile test range at Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Is- land. I didn’t think Premier Glen Clark had the guts to do it, but he did. The surprise move comes on the heels of the collapse of the Pacific Salmon Treaty talks which, according to Clark, were marked by an *‘unfriend- ly and uncooperative approach taken by the Americans.”’ The talks broke off when Ca- nadian negetiators learned that their American counterparts had no mandate to cut a deal. No sooner had Clark pulled the plug on the Yankee’s mis- sile playground, than U.S. Sec- retary of State Madeleine Al- bright hinted that she was will- ing to get the negotiations _ going again. And what do you know — next day word came down from south of the border that the talks would resume and this time, U.S. negotiators would bave authorization to Shake hands on a deal, Clark took a quick trip to Washing- ton State to tell his counterpart FROM THE. CAPITAL HUBERT BEYER that B.C. is serious about pro- tecting its salmon stock. Mind you, the talks were off again when Ottawa started ar- resting American fishing ves- sels, but you can expect that problem to be solved quickly. For the past three years, there has been no treaty to divvy up the annual salmon catch, and British Columbia has com- plained bitterly that Alaska and Oregon fishermen take tco many salmon returning to B.C. waters to spawn, thereby endangering stocks, The salmon fishery will be- gin in British Columbia waters by mid-June, and B.C.-bound fish are already in Alaskan waters. And unless there’s a new treaty in place, the U.S. salmon harvest could seriously threaten the province’s conser- vation efforts. Clark had a number of op- tions to draw the Americans’ attention to the urgency of the issue. He could have imposed stiff fees on fishing vessels going through Canadian waters. He couid have held up U.S. truck transport at the bar- der. In fact, he may still resort to these measures. But interfering with a U.S. military installation was bound to make U.S. President Bill Clinton’s head snap around. Meanwhile, Ottawa is trying to play down B.C.’s role in getting the talks going again. Rather than taking decisive ac- tion himself, federal fisheries minister Fred Mifflin muttered something about co-operation being better than confronta- tion. His stance was repeated by transport minister David Anderson, who also said Clark’s approach wasn’t the right one, Guess what, Dave, Clark got results, your govern- ment didn’t The premier’s tough stance also brought about a rare spec- tacle in British Columbia politics, All opposition parties agreed that Clark had taken the right approach. Fishermen also hailed Clark’s move, ‘‘It’s a treat for me to have somebody go to the efforts he does,” said Al Brown, who has been fishing in B.C, waters for more than 30 years, and who was present when the premier made the an- nouncement. The showdown is one more example of the gradual shift in jurisdiction over fisheries from what was once solely a federal responsibility to the province. Fisheries Renewal B.C., modelled after Forest Renewal B.C., will be charged with the protection and enhancement of fish stock. Not unexpectedly, Clark’s success in overcoming U.S. obstinacy, ~ was. immediately exploited for ’ election campaign purposes by the fed- eral New Democrats. Radio spots, pointing out that it was the decisive action taken by a provincial NDP government that promises to bring about a new salmon treaty, were on the air a couple of days later. But hey, in an election campaign, you don’t look a - good-news horse in the mouth. Beyer can be reached at Tet: 920-9300; Fax: 385-6783; E- Mail: hubert@coolcom.com Little change over the years LITTLE HAS changed in the 40 years I’ve been able to vote, My first voting experience took place in 1957; John Dicfenbaker was running for federal office. Too young to understand the complexities of federal issues, I did what seemed best — I voted the same way as my dad, The smidgen of party politics I’d heard came from listening to my Dad rant while he washed up for dinner. Noon news would light his fuse. Towel in hand, he’d pace the kitchen like an inmate, from the washstand to the living room door where he’d pause, taking in Saskatoon's CFQC rumbling from our lone radio, a batlery-powered cabinet Philco. Intent on details, he’d dry one finger at a time, rotating each digit in the towel to wipe all moisture from each web. By the time he spread the terry towel on the chrome rod, his temper would be at a rolling CLAUDETTE SANDECKI boil if either of two subjects. were mentioned — the deficit, or the Crow. I couldn’t understand what the deficit was. I knew only that its effect on Dad was akin lo nitroglycerine on blasting powder. As for the Crow, he would have shot it if he could. The Crow and the wheat board conspired to keep farmers poor. Because those issues meant so much to Dad, 1 opted to support his position at the KINPA GIVES NEW MEANING «.- ballot box. I voted in Saskatoon. My only memory is carrying a bal- lot into a voting booth en- closed by honest-to-goodness down-to-the-knees black fabric curtains. No one could observe me. Voting in Terrace I’m often appalled by the lack of secrecy. A cardboard carton offers litile privacy. In one in- stance, a couple of voters stood behind me as I voted. Within weeks of the 1957 election, I moved to New York City. When I first returned to visit my family three years later, | was eager to receive my Dad's praise for having voted for Dief, who, by that time, had been prime minister for more than half a term. Picture my disappointment when Dad came in for dinner, washed his hands, and heard mention of the deficit on the noontime news. It was deja vu all over again, with Dad blam- ing Ottawa for farmers’ prob- Onn To THE WORE A TAILSP(N, EH? 4 nn lems, ' we Though Id been living away as an adult for three years, I quickly adopted a juvenile sur- vival mode. When bullets flew overhead, even verbal shots, it was wise to keep the head down. I made no mention of having voted for Dief in 1957. We were probably well into the lemon meringue pie before Dad cooled down about the sorry state of Saskatchewan farming brought about by the deficit and the Crow. For me, it was a hard lesson, From euphoria to disappoint- ment Since then, I’ve ex- pected less from those I elect. This has reduced my post- election depression, _ During the 40 years, Little's changed. The deficit still crip- ples farming. Just this winter prairie farmers paid $30 mil- lion to grain cargo ships to sit in Vancouver harbour waiting to be loaded while railroads and grain handlers failed t deliver. :