A8 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 10, 1996

Repap hopes
to cut wait
on payments

Officials meet angry loggers
on eve of Orenda hearings

REPAP OFFICIALS met with disgruntled Hazelton log-
gets last week in an effort to ease concerns over the com-
pany’s delayed payment schedule.

"Some people were supportive and kind of understood
the explanations we made,’’ says Repap B.C. woodlands
general manager Dan Tuomi.

He says the company hopes ta get back to a normal pay-
ment schedule for its contractors by the end of the year,
but added that depends on markets and the company can-
not commit to it,

“We're nol happy with having our contractors extended.
It’s a priority with us to get them back as quickly as we
can,”

The length of time waiting for payment right now ranges
from around 35 days for Terrace-area contractors to 45
days in the Hazcltons and up to 90 days for some road-
building contractors.

‘The strike last fall knocked the sails out of us,’’ Tuomi
explained. “‘Hindsight is 20/20, but maybe we shouldn’t
have kept everything running. Maybe we should bave
laken some down time.’’

The issue blew up last week when nearly all of Repap's
Hazelton-area contractors signed a petition calling on the
forest minister to block the proposcd $25 million sale of
Orenda Forest Products
and its forest licence to
Repap until the payment
policy changes. .

The last thing the com-
pany wants is a confronta-
tion with its own con-
tractors on the eve of the
public hearings over the
licence transfer.

Tuomi said the purchase
of Orenda would not be
done on the backs of
Repap’s contractors.

“The financing is sclf-
contained,’’ he said. ‘“The
actual assets of Orenda are being used to secure financing
for the purchase. And it will be a standalone business
unit.”’

The Repap deal to purchase Orenda follows a failed at-
tempt by a New York consortium to take the licence and
ship the wood to a mill on Vancowver Istand,

“This vulture fund takeover attempt last year was a
wakeup call for us that this wood maybe wasn’t going to
slay in the area and we better look at it,’’ Tuomi said.

Most of the Orenda wood has been bought by Repap for
years, so the company views the purchase as securing the
fibre it alzeady relies on.

“We feel we betler make.sure it is secured for the fu-
ture,” he sald. a ae

Repap owns 65 per cent of the fibre it needs to feed its
northwest mills, and bas to buy the rest on the open
market,

“'We’re at the low end of the totem pole right now in the
province in terms of fibre security,’? Tuomi said.

Tuomi also noted that the company does pay interest on
payments thal wait beyond 14 days.

The hearings are expected to begin later this month, No
dates have been set yet.

_The purchase would give Repap contro! over an addi-
tional 342,000 cubic metres of wood, and help buffer the
loss of as much as 170,000 cubic metres that goes to the
Nisga’a as part of the proposed treaty,

Repap will in turn offer the Nisga’a a chance to buy 49
per cent of Orenda. .

“This vulture fund
takeover attempt last
year was a wakeup
call for us that this
wood maybe wasn’t
going to stay in the
area and we better
look at it.’’

Conference
planned

MORE ORGANIZERS are needed for an
aboriginal youth conference to be held in April
next year.

The conference will be for native youths from
throughout the Pacific Northwes~ It’s purpose it
lo give youths a voice through workshops,
meetings and it's also about youths just getting
together and having a good time.

“We're hoping the conference will help to
change the stats for the area,” said organizer
Bill Christiansen, referring to the number of
nalive youths who suffer problems with alcohol,
drugs and suicide,

Only 42 people showed up to one of the first
meetings, held a couple weeks ago, including a
few local elders.

Now Christiansen plans to talk to elders from
other communities, to help get them involved.

‘It'll be a chance for youths to speak and
connect to elders,” said Christiansen, He hopes
aboriginal communities across the northwest
will become involved.

The next meeting will be held September 15.

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dence in the Pine Trailer
Court at 3839 Muller Ave.,
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1996, ;
The investigation has
revealed that the culrpit(s)
entered the residence bet- j
ween § p.m. June 23 and 11
a.m. June 24 by the living
room window. Only two J
speakers were taken _ two
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each valued at $800. The
speakers are about three §
feet in height, 18 inches §
wide and black in colour, §

Due. to their size it is and a great way to make}
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have seen the culprit(s) May through ;

arrive and leave the trailer September

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