Tee Be

aE

Terrace eenlora celebrated the

Seventh anniversary of the Happy Gang Centre on Sépt. 14. Pictured

above are some of the members who belong:

~ is-unanimous in, describing the

Ministry of Forest’s new policy.

. in B.C. as avery: complex issue
. that will affect the industry in a
_- way that ‘no one” can really

- predict. a

‘by Tod Strachan

_ The industry’s reactions were
best summarized by Skeena
Cellulose - official Jim Davis,
who said, “Every woodland

Manager in the province is busy
playing with those numbers right
now, and it’s premature to com-
ment.’” _

_ Forest Minister Dave Parker
predicted that industry’s first |

_@d to the club. in 1980 and. were a part of the wo

The Northwest forest industry

“tary setback”? “until everybody”
. got.clear on. what the few. pro-

gram .is,.and how it will affect

~ them.” But "he. also predicted,

after the initial reaction, ‘‘é:will.
be business as usual...
Parker. summarized the
overall effect of the new policy
by saying that the big gains to
the industry would be more
jobs, responsible forest renewal
and the growth of secondary in-
dustry. ae a
He explained that industry
will be paying for those gains
but the net result will -be. “to
create. a positive environment
for investment in the forest in-
dustry’’. . _
“Because of the higher cost
for the raw material,’ he ex-

rk.and planning that made the centre possible.

reduce waste.”

“They realize that, and they

will be paying attention to value-

. plained, “industry. will have to.

‘added opportunities,’’ he said-
: According. to Parker, the.

main objectives of his ministry’s
new policy are to eliminate the
15 percent . federal softwood
lumber export tax, as it applies
to B.C., by increasing stumpage
and other forest charges,
-Parker explained that increas-
ed stumpage fees will be govern-
ed by a new formula based on
tree quality and accessibility,
geared to Statistics Canada in-
formation on all B.C. softwood
lumber markets. It will be ad-
justed up or down quarterly to

feaction would be ‘‘a momen-

wassetin 1961.0 a

make the whole stumpage

=

' Photo by Dianne Parfitt

See story page 18.

system ““‘sensitive to. lumber
markets’, a

“The idea is not to kill. in-
~ dustry but to. encourage industry
to continue to collect revenues
and provide jobs,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s
a lot better to forego a little
revenue and keep those jobs in
place.”’ 7

He said these changes will be
effective Oct. 1 and, beyond in-
‘creased stumpage fees, industry
will also be responsible for the
total cost of .reforestation, and
road and bridge building.

He added that in turn for their
greater responsibility in
silviculture, companies with
long-term timber rights and
commitments will receive more
secure tenure and land rights.

He pointed out that this
means ‘‘effective immediately’,

made under section 88 of the
Forest Act, which in the past
allowed companies to receive
credits for basic silviculture and
access construction,

Parker explained that while
this heavier load is being placed
on big industry, the new policy
will benefit smaller operators by
making ‘“‘more wood available
for competition on the open
market’’. a

Also, Parker said thousands
of jobs had been lost in the
forest industry due to the “‘in-
creased efficiency’’ of forest
companies, but the new policy
will create employment with
more ‘“‘labor intensive forestry
work required to replace forests,
initiatives in wood marketing,
forest research, and increasing
the amount of wood proctssing
and manufacturing of value ad-
‘ded products within the pro-
vince’.

He also predicted a shift in

-employment from the forest ser-
continued on page 24

Legislative Library,

V8V 1X4

ere

no new commitments will be

. Parliament Buildings,
Victoria, B.C.

one Ta nt een

Terrace
to host
British

Consul-

General —

TERRACE — A special visitor

to the Northwest this month. will .--
be British Consul-General Brian
" Watkins, oa eo
f° The Consul-General will be.
met at the airport by Major‘Jack
Talstra at 9 a.m. on Sept. 30 and”:
then be driven to city hall fora”.

meeting with city aldermen
before beginning his tour‘of the
area, : SE

Japanese gardens at Northern

Light Studios, a Chamber-of © |.
~ Commerce luncheon, a tour of |.
local businesses, a visit. to —

- Heritage Park from 2:45.p.m. to’
- 4p.m., and finally-a tour of the:
Skeena Cellulose mill: prior to.
dinner at the Bavarian Inn at 7

pm

-. Following his Terrace visit he .
will tour Kitimat and Prince ~
- Rupert on Oct. Land2.- 000
__- Watkins was educated at the:
‘London ‘School of Economics
-and later did military :service in
the Royal Air-Force. So ,

He later served in Her Majes- -.
ty’s Overseas Civil Service :in-

Sierra Leone, a republic on the

west coast of Africa, and thenas .

the Administrator of Tristan: Da
Cunha, a small group of islands
in the Atlantic Ocean which
were evacuated in 1961 due to
volcanic eruptions, but late
resettled in 1963, _.
In 1971, he joined the British
Diplomatic Service where he
served in the Foreign Common-
wealth Office in London.

He then became the Director.
of British Information Services

in New York..in 1973 and re-
joined the Foreign Common-
wealth Office in 1978, this time

-in Ireland.

Cate _, Prec.
Sent. 14 12 «8 43:mm rain -
Sept.15 1067 7mm rain -
Sept. 18 12.6 trace:
Sept. 17 12 8 2mm raln
Sept. 18 14°«8 . nit
Sept. 19 10.68 89 mm rain
Sept. 20 wo 4 100 mm raln

Forecast: Very unsettied
weather, milder temperatures
later In the week. Highs, 12° to
15". Overnight tows, 5° to 8, An
alttime record was set for
September on Sept. 20 with 100
mm rain. The previous record
was set In Sept, 1961 with 43.9
mm rain.

Inside
Business Gulde 10
Church Directory 12
Classifled Ads 21
Coming Events 14
Comics 20 .
Crossword . 20
Dining Directory 2
Entertainment ‘wee 6
Horoscope 18
Letters ; 5,7
Opinions 40
Sports 8
Talk of the Town 5

His agenda for the balance of a
the day will include a tour of the ’. .

aoe Me

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