AQ - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 5, 2000

CONSERVATION officers here were bursting with bear
complaints in 1999 to give them one of their busiest
years of the past decade.

The bear season here was so hectic that by Septem-
ber’s end, conservation officers said they were swamped.

Only September 1994 was busier, said Terrace can-
servation officer Adrian Juch.

“That was an extremely odd year,” said Juch, adding
there was a bad berry crop that year which may have
forced bears into urban centres for food.

Record bear complaints translated into bear kills this

ear.
, Conservation officers shot 15 problem black bears re-
gion-wide in September alone.

That's almost half of the 38 bears destroyed in the
other months.

Another 32 problem bears were reported shot in the
region, either by RCMP officers or private individuals
upon whose property bears had strayed.

Two kermode bears and eight grizzlies were trapped
at the New Aiyansh dump and relocated.

Kitimat had 421 complaints up to Nov. 30, most of
which stemmed from the area’s coastal landscape,
which funnels bears through town via the Kitimat River.

And when in town, bears typically switch from sal-
mon to garbage.

Surprisingly, conservation officers responded to 3
fewer complaints there than they did near Terrace,
where 391 complaints were charted last year.

“We're extremely limited by manpower and
resources”, said Juch, adding officers already spend
most of their time in the Kitimat area.

Officers are more likely to respond to complaints
when they know the bear will still be there - making
time delays between the office here and a bear in Kiti-
mat, Rupert or the Nass Valley a problem all its own.

Juch said officers have tried to combat that by sche-
duling dedicated patrols in Kitimat, or sending an officer
there on other duties in hopes his shift will coincide with
a bear complaint.

“That doesn’t always work,” said Juch, adding that
time can be wasted when no complaints come in,

Two bears near Kemano were relocated and conser-
vation officers shot 20 bears in the Kitimat area. RCMP
and others shot LO additional bears.

Medical News
They talked after all

JUST DAYS after Kitimat Stikine regionai district
chair Joanne Monaghan complained she couldn’t
talk to health minister Penny Priddy, the pair con-
nected by phone Dec, 13.

Monaghan said it was a productive discussion in
thaf"she had a chance td“tell the minister of north-
west healthcare! pidttems,

The key, said Monaghan, is to convince Priddy
and the others that it is more expensive ta provide
health care in the north than in more populated
areas.

“We'll be providing her with statistics very
shortly,” said Monaghan. She estimated that so far
this year, $500,000 has been spent on flying people
down south for treatment. If there were more ser-
vices here, some of that cost could have been
avoided, said Monaghan.

Priddy has been invited to a rural health confer-
ence in Prince George next month and if she goes,
Monaghan hopes to speak with her there in person.

Come together right now
THE HEALTH MINISTRY is intrigued with a sug-
gestion floating around the northwest that com-
munity health councils share administrative posi-
tions,

Ministry official Jeff Gaulin said the prospect of
having shared administrative positions might be
one way of developing effective regional services.

But he drew the line at having the ministry im-
pose an overall governing structure.

“If the ministry were to do it unilaterally, it
could be something that would be disruptive ta the
system,” he said.

The ideal is a co-operative situation where com-
munities feel they are gaining by having shared
speciality services rather than losing if they aren't
located solely in any particular hospital, said Gau-
lin.

So far, Gaulin added, there is no evidence the
current system of having many community: health
councils and no regional structure isn’t working.

“But if it were to become dysfunctional and not
meet patient care needs, than would be looking at
ways to improve that,” he said.

Going to Prince George

NORTHERN HEALTH care officials and others
are gathering in Prince George, Jan, 22-24 to go
over common problems and develop ways of deal-
ing with them,

The conference is being sponsored by the North
Central Municipal Association, which represents
municipalities, and the University of Northern B.C,

One of the top themes will be recruiting and
keeping health care professionals. Communities
such as Terrace are suffering from nursing short-
ages and there are vacant specialty medical posi-
lions across the north.

More than 300 people are expected to attend the
conference.

a Country Cottage G ifts °° ‘
i
‘ s. ” ‘ . '
"Teddy bears, dolls, gift baskets, “eds, bath = “g
‘ balms, scented candles, throws, placemats, napkins,»
t t massage cream, bath salts, soaps, creams, pot pourtl,
‘ dried floral arrangements, wreaths, swags, and a
‘ so much mere! ne
bs ». located in the Lazelle Mall) 638-1178 .

wa : a ats a ae,
meant i hae iat) wo yi! a," al

Last year was busy
on the bear front

Three violations under the new Wildlife Amendment
Act, which makes it illegal to attract dangerous wildlife,
were reported in Kitimat.

At least three businesses were: ordered to improve
their garbage collection system.

Prince. Rupert-reported 44 complaints, Officers re-
sponded to five of those complaints.and’ destroyed nine
bears. Local RCMP. or. local citizens destroyed six addi-
tional bears.

By October,. 1998 officers. received 249. local. bear

complaints from the-Terrace area; .

In 1997, there were 201. complaints ‘and: in 1996 and
1995 there were 309 and 177 complaints,

Conservation officers: destroyed.-38- bears in 1998.
Property owners and RCMP. destroyed : another 13 bears.

“In £997, officers had the option. of. relocating bears if
they felt the bear would survive and they found a suit-

Red Flame Seedless Grapes

New Crap. Imported.
No. 1 Grade.
SAVE at least $1.50 Ib,

199...

Highway
able location, One bear. was relocated j in 1997.0 last summer; 1999 was one of the busiest bear years here this decade.

Chicken Thighs

Back Attached, Seasoned. individually
Quick Frozen, Sold ws a 4 kq box in
only $784 each, MIT TWO.

Minute. Maid Orange juice )

355 mb,
FIRST EIGHT,
SAVE at least 90

; SAE at
es
196/kg

Kellogg} s Mini Wheats =

725 g. Or Com Paps 375 g,
Froot Looe $ 425 gor Frosted
Flakes 525g

SAVE at least 33 30

Quaker Instant

zu -

Assorted varieties.
325 to 470 ‘

SAVE at least $1.58 on two

arr Chips

Assorled varieties,

ibibibie eT TTT TT TTY 340 g.
tid Ek ts SAVE at leest $1.98 on two
Bate Dh ;

: ‘eee Le
yor ant Fs

Green | Giant Niblets Com

Or Cream Style Corn,
341 to 398 mL.

SAVE at least 96 on four

PSun-ype juice :
Assorted varieties, | Litre. Plus depos
ar enviro levy where applicable,

SAVE at least $2.16 on four

Musing MUSHROOM
| meena SOUT BOUD

Canptl’ Crean of Aushroon cap

Or Vegetable or Chicken
Noodle, 284 mL. FIRST EIGHT -
Combined varieties:

SAVE at least $1.96 on four

Ad

| Lipton Rice & Sauce

Or Noodles & Sauce. Assorted
bteayans varieties, 122 to 142 g. FIRST
bagi gyn FOUR - Combined vaneties,

SAVE at least é 16 on four

Assorted varieties,
900 g.

SAVE at least $2.96 on four

Primo Pata Sauce
Assorted vaneties.
680 mL.

SAVE at least $2.96 on four

a gpaminencnn sige

Edwards Coffee :

Regular, Fine or Exka fine Gio 737g,
FIRST ONE - Combined vanieies.

SAVE at least $1.51

88

Kraft Salad Dressing

Assorted vaneties. 475 ml.
FIRST THREE - Combined varieties,

SAVE at least $1.20

1.99