From front Offshore drilling forum gets a rough ride here go elsewhere and few benefits may flow to the region Gravity-based offshore oil plat- forms — like the Hibernia platform off Newfoundland — are unlikely in B.C, waters, Hill said. Instead, floating platforms are likely to be used, and they can be built far away and floated in. Hibernia, off the coast of New- foundland, only took place with up to $6 billion in government subsi- dies, he said. “Fewer people are employed by Hibernia than are employed by Skeena Cellulose,” Hill said. Hill also denouced as “voodoo math” suggestions thal initial esti- mates of 10 billion barrels of oil in Hecate Strait could actually be re- covered. Industry experience indi- cates just 10 to 25 per cent of oil in the ground is recoverable, he said. “Many people on the narth coast will fight this any way they can,” Hill said, and predicted the oil indu- stry will stay far away. “The Shell Oils of the world have no appetite to come into the north coast and get into a donnybrook with First Nations, the B.C. environ- mental movement and the fishing in- dustry.” Gordon Gillam, a retired Prince Rupert insurance broker living at La- saeyy. ROBERT HART was one of the speakers to address an offshore ail and gas forum here Dec. 10. kelse Lake, was among the few to speak in favour of lifting the ban. “I'm not with the doom and gloomers,” he told the MLAs. “We have to diversify and get away from just a forest-based economy.” He said offshore oi! drilling is done safely around the warld, and there’s no reason to treat Hecate Strait as a “sacred cow.” “What are we going to do? Sit on our hands?” he demanded. “We need every single avenue of deve- lopment we can get, if offshore oil and gas happens to be one, so be if.” Terrace Chamber of Commerce rep Charlie Graydon said the region has been hammered by downturns in mining, fishing and forestry. “The people in the region need some hope,” he said. The Offshore Oil and Gas Task Force is to report to the government Jan. 15. Hearings wrapped up Dec.1 1° in Prince Rupert. . Bulkley Valley-Stikine MLA Dennis McKay said the committee met “overwhelming opposition” to lifting the moratorium in its tour of the coast. But Terrace resident John How said the premier prejudged the pub- lic hearings when he made com- ments in support of offshore oil ex- ploration to an industry gathering. “It seems perhaps this has been predetermined for our convenience,” How said. “Um convinced the decision is made,” college professor John Hart told the committee. Victoria stands to gain enormous toyalties, he said, while predicting few jobs will be based in the region. “We're not going to get that money,” said Hart. “It will go into general revenues.” The resource will still be there 30 years from now, he said, and may be safer to extract then. New czar based in Prince George acorss the north. Warwick became the The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 19, 2001 - A13 GARBAGE COLLECTION ¢ The City of Terrace and Terrace Landfill will be closed on December 25th & 26th. On Thursday, December 27th, starting at 8:00 a.m., we will pick up Tuesday's, Wednesday's and Thursday's garbage routes. *Garbage Tags for refuse over limit can be purchased for $1.00 each at City Hall, Public Works or the Aquatic Centre. Our collection does not include Christmas trees. Scouts will be fund- raising and picking up Christmas trees by donation, in Terrace, on Saturday, January 5th. . Merry Chrilmds y The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #13: Terrace, B.C. o40 Friday, Dec.21 8pm til 12am