So long 2004 Part 1 of our look at the 7 people and stories that - touched the. community \COMMUNITY Bi mill plan debated _ Mill buy. plan. debated: . but put aside by Kitimat: . | Stikine regional district \NEWS AZ. ‘ Sports review. | A new ‘hockey team: . $1.00 plus 7¢GST “(G1.10 plus Be: GsT _ outside 0 ofthe Ter i LOCAL employmentanalyst is waiting for December and “January | statistics ~~ to better, determine if, the’ norihwest’ s economy is, turning, around when iv comes tO jobs. ’ “We seein to. have reachéd some kind, of plateau. Things hay ¢ been pretty stable, ° since June, but it's “what happeny: alter’ - - Chiisimas = that’s-the:key,”: said Patrick .. . Melntyre. Avho works forthe regional. Hu man Resources Development Cafiada‘ol- - fice in | Terrace, ~ “AL these “numbers, “we may: most recenily available: ‘statistics. -. November's “official, ‘unempl have’, reached . the bottom: and: are. starting Oo “ see some. improvement,” * he added’ of the... cynen rate of: 9.3 per cent dipped {rom the 95 “percent posted tn Oclober/and were the first: months of. single-digit results Boing: “back four years, . Melntyre: says: that ‘while December o -slalisis, will clear up part ‘of the picnire ; egarding, economy activity, Janiiaty fi fige 22 “ies ‘Avil provide, yet more: inforniation {o . ‘determine if there i isa trend.” =: : Apri and =: “May this: year, with’ 14,5 per: cent unem-, ployment i in those’ ‘inonths, seem to hase . “Looking: atthe’ numbers .. pean rock bottom,” y Met said." The Salvation Army was also busy last week. Resource bucks not tied to area, says. SKEENA ‘LIBERAL MLA Roger) Harris | ; isn’t in favour-of insisting that the $100: million Alcan owes B.C.-Hydro from a. . ‘ complicated . power-.sales arrangement vet ; -diructured 50 that revenue generated fiom. ary one region ‘of the province becomes _ ‘the exclusive properly of that region. - - : And if that were the case. there would . lotle Islands t to near Vanderhoof: ; ~. By July. that, number. had climbed to 43,500 and was 45,100 in, November. +The. numbers are taken from Surveys: conducted ciich month: by: Statistics C ane: a . ada.. ee Mcintyre. keeps a close eyed gin. the! pare . ticipation :rate,: the: percentage: of- people -: “wlio, cither: have Joes ‘or who are "looking ; THE TERRACE ANTI Poverty Society officé was busy last week as workers either delivered Christmas presents to children and. teens or’ people came and picked them up. The number of children registered was down this year from last, but the number of families who signed up increased over 2003. From the left is Rosanne Pearce, one © of the: spasty’ s staff members, with volunteers Janis Sharyk and L¢e-Ann Dixon.’ LESLIE DICKSON PHOTO” for highway work, he said “That infrasiructure here has been im- : ~ proved. ‘Most of the money comes from: > the Lower Mainland because thai’s where’ - most of, the fuel is sold,"-Harris added. ——— ‘selves as not being i in the labour farce has “years | inthe 20,000 to 22,000 range, “over (he age’ of 15 Wwas'74,600. ‘compired, : eg “0 the 72,000 in- November... past years and ‘that’s fine,” said Meio en it: hasn’ tr been rising, ‘inthe: sum- Sowa despite the érop in ‘both -pop- _ _ ulation and’ potential work ‘force: * - Generally speaking, Meintyr¢ said the: | - _ ‘drop i in the: unemployment; rate.could be © 7 he humber of people. who fist them- remained. fairly steady over. the past four ; But that must be faid against’an over-”* compared | (0 four: years agOs > : An: July. 2000; :the number: ‘of : ‘people ~The total labour force of “people aged 5-and over dropped, to 49,700 this No- ee from 52,200 in July 2000.” “Al the: same: lime, the number of peo-. the area to find work.’ ple listed: as unemployed -in July 2001. © - . was, 4.800 compared to. 4,600 this Past ~atiributed ta people without jobs, leaving we -all: decline. in: the potential workforce |. Peop J aa “and ihe lower number of people. working. AS with: inost analysts: Mcintyre’ keys . ‘on:2001, the year. Skeena Cellulose last. “had-its mills vorking, as thé time when “thé northivest” - Bah to sour,’ employment picture be- - *-But he said signs: ofa decline | in ‘fore Sest industry employment began: as early ce “as:1996, .- vo “The: ‘number. of tradespeople began to. _ drop from then. On," said Melntyre. « pho we ~ By LESLIE DICKSON. - Oe ORGANIZERS. of . the ‘Terrace: Anti- Poverty. “society's Christmas” ‘campaign are | “blown, away! * with the level: of . “community support this years. . “There are really no wards to. describe the. generosity, e cs pecially knowing the avay our. economy ‘Has been this year," ‘ says director Tanya Gauvin. - The group's “Christmas ca pai igh) which has: been. ~ ting for more than a-decade, give riéwborns to- 18-year-olds, the ‘8 Gauvin : said the. ‘Progrant.15° every. ‘child. gels a-Christmas : ‘prescat.. oe “Christmas is really for. kids and-every Child deserves. 10 = have something for Christnias day,” said Gauvin,” .:. a - Just Kiddin Adventure Playground. gave non- perishable _ resis to Ehild k before: Chilstimas, B. food and unwrapped presents, which it accepted instead of . Gauvin.. “recorded in2003: | ‘this, year, as well. ~Jastaveck: A shortage: of. to staff them.- Donough. | 7 with Fundraising... about.when the well runs dry, what hap- ; “pens then?” Harris added, _ ey, Alcan owes B.C. Hydro stems from.a- “power contract, it had with the provincial Children’ S- piesenis. were. » also pul un ., Terrace businesses by. local. -residénts. MA oo. The Christmas campaign. gotani “unexpected boost at a” dance held at. the: end ‘of November, Gauvin said the:Ter-" race Anti-Poverty. Group raised, $3, 000, double the amount pea factor tn the fundraising shortfall; _.. The-keitles: were’ set‘up: at four downtown Iocations un> - i] Christmas Eve, -but'Moulton said thé: kettles would have been sei up in. other businesses had, there been more people. ‘But MeiJonough said. ‘the Salvation meet: its ‘fundraisintg:. slarget. this year. bechuse of Terrace's current economic situation, = ~ “Tt might just be there isn not as s much. money out there ibis year suid McDonough: ae “The $100 million, in ‘American curren a " lion (U.S.) - admission Dec: 20, tothe’ group. Proceeds from-children’s.° , ~ pictures. swith, Santa’ the same: “night were “also” donated, sald, er t Although the number. Of : fartilios signed a up! 5 for | preétents increased this year to. 160 from 133° last: year, there’ were. “Aboul.30 fewer children than fast year's ‘Total. OF549.. -*Last year we had a lot‘of big fainilies, bul Ave have-mos > ly:2eand 3- children families this year,"said Gauvin,” =. =: - The presents. were. either: delivered by Santa 0 or picked up by parents at: the office: i =: Gauvin said she. rioticed Ey lot of n new. faces signing, up for 06! “presents this year, While a Jot, of old faces hadn't retumed.. 2. ‘More parents requested. gifts of clothing for their children = The Salvation ‘Army alsa ltrbuted ays and ‘Christmas 7 foad! Hampers to: more than: ‘530 children and their fami lies - Heading into the Cliristinassveekend, the Salvation Ariny ~ had: raised $53,000 ‘this year, $20, 000 Jess ‘than’ they fad. +. _ hoped, said: community: faaidind director Ian:McDonough. ° | - -But-McDonough said thete Was: still lithe:to make up the dif- - ference bythe end-of the year.’ ; volunteers. for the tile: anipaign: said Cpt. David: Moulton. ’. That aside, iMeDonough said Salvation! Arty volunteers oe “were “tremendous”: this years: “There® 's been a Tol of great ‘volunteer support," Both Moulton and_ McDonoiigh. suggested: belter proiio- : ~~ tion- next-year. could i improve the: Salvation Aimy; § success - | em could fail ‘ta i “guarantee. ‘Both patties faced off in a oe - gal’ action: but it was halted when Alcan accepted thal it. would pay the $190 mil- “Alcan and. B ¢. ‘Fiyaro. are now’ ‘nego: 8) aL: a several oe ‘one siiid; Mew | be. exclusively dedicated: For use, In- the “northwest,” am we “Theidea that the. Alcan thoney | / becoine . a base. for: econatii “incentives: up hete be major imbalances bewween. n regions, he. : tiating ‘how.that money,Wwill be: paid and * ve seta | deadline of the middle.of: next mo imonth to wark out-details- - “Alean officials’ have: said the paymeni a thie fe orm of power instesid “The: MLA and. forests: opt rations mine. crown “corponition that “it subsequently oy di ie. iden . Sold to former: ‘American. nerey | ding” in... giant Enron: ” TAS: part-of the: sale. provisions,. “Alcan. ropa on-a Teel level: but wrong: he agreed “to guarantee: the. contract: Up: ‘to: an looking at the enlite’ province. $100 inillion:: ‘So. when. Enron, went under , mcom pany has aay ont’d:Page Aa.