PAGE 4, THE HERALD, Wednesday. June 14, 1978 Editorial Mystery at City Hal Can anyone tell us why last Friday's set- tlement of the long-standing (three year) dispute between Mickey Johnson and the corporation of the district of Terrace included a three month news media ‘‘blackout’'? One citizen of Terrace recently showed us a pile of correspondence, including news clippings, approxinately 18 inches high and seventeen pounds in weight, dealing with the Johnson- Terrace case. That's nothing, the person remarked, noticing our amazement — there are three times that amount in the City’s files. Another informant insists the legal fees to . induce Johnson to comply with city laws has cost taxpayers in excess of $20,000 over the past 36 months. If that is the case, surely, it would seem, the taxpayer has the right to know the details of the settlement at once — rather than have to wait three months. Had the long; drawn. out legal, verbal and iaterary controversy not involved use of the radio ‘Shot line” and taken up, on occasion, entire halves of the front pages of local newspapers — not to mention occupied much discussion on television and open meetings of Council, at- tended by the public and news reporters, the decision to forbid both parties to “‘...undertake to the Court... for a period of three months from June 5, 1978, that neither they nor their agents, employees or anyone acting on their behalf will release, or suffer to permit the release of any statements or information to the news media relating to this action which has not first been considered and approved as to content by Counsel for both parties.” might seem to make SENSE, Rather than providing a peaceful end to an ofttimes heated and emotional controversy, the three month “news blackout” might serve, in- stead, to cloak the settlement in mystery that will keep speculation and controversy more alive than ever. One of the most cutting remarks that can be made to a child, has traditionally been to suggest he never had a “father” in the legal sense. The word “bastard” referring to one who was born out of wedlock, therefore without a legal father, has probably caused more grief, heartache and tragedy than any other five letter word in the - English language. . of them boys) and a New York Amtrack station by three more grandchildren (two of them boys)- -let me hasten to reassure others not so “‘lucky’’ that fatherhood-—even in the legal sense—is no bed of roses. Imagine, for the moment, the father who is just not a born athlete. Expected to teach his sons hockey, baseball, and the other sports— imagine the embarrassment of the father who is a dead loss at these—and other “manly arts”. Imagine the father who is a congenitally ‘poor student’’—faced with the embarrassment of expecting his offspring to do passably well in school—when he cannot understand-let alone help--with the “homework’’ they bring to him to story and film exists, to varying degreés, in almost every family. Co How can a youngster hold up his head among his classmates, when they taunt him his father is a garbage collector, or,on welfare, or has some particularly unglamourous occupation? Every father, faced with a situation of that sort, un- dergoes agonizing heartache. Just seeing the look of shame on his children’s faces, when he passes them on the school playgrounds, as he is coming home from work in his soiled coveralls can be enough to send some fathers to the “thottle’’. — Not all fathers are handsome, athletic, owners of fast cars, flashy yachts, or work in moderh l, Father ’s Day — the Perennial flop" Being a Mother may be a sacred and blessed state; being a child is a sometimes painful and awkward and difficult experience. I will grant that. . oe But being a father and recognizing and at- tempting to fulfill the many difficult, em- barrassing, complex and continuing roles and responsibilities to ones children and one’s home is far from being the simple matter so frequenly imagined and portrayed by those who mold the public image and concept of “Fatherhood” while promoting Father’s Day. Small Business Initiatives help them with. : The “My father can lick your father” " If the absence of a recognized male parent, >... mr. Waterland: then, is such an importan t lack, one would its two year suppose the father’s place in the life of a family lifespan the Smithers Forest would be highly recognized; or at least equal to that accorded the mother. "a “Not’so, it seems. Advisory Committee has become established as a reasoned voice for all forest. in our area. Brought ‘Whereas the observance of Mother's Day, together by ‘the'B.C. Forest instituted in the United States, I believe, about a Service, half century ago, caught on, almost im- representative mediately, with the public, Father's Day has continued, decade after decade, a3 a much more reluctantly observed occasion. ‘We have Father’s Day,’’ said one writer, “only because we have Mother’s Day.” ori Stories have been told that would make the me detons have the sup- the accepted sense. As a legal father to daughters, and having just returned fro week vacation where I was met at the Winnipeg station by no less than ten grandchildren (eight General Office - 635-6357 Clreulation - 635-6357 TERR ACE/KITIMAT ‘daily heraid PUBLISHER...Don Cromack MANAGING EDITOR... Ernest Senior REPORTERS...Donna Vallleras (Terrace-Thornhill) REPORTERS..,.Scott Browes (Kitimat-Kitamaat) KITIMAT GOFFICE...Pat Zellnskl - 632-2747 Published every weekday af 9212 Kalum 5t., Terrace, B.C, A member of Varifled Circulation. Authorized as second class mall. Registration number 1201, Postage | pald in cash, return postage quaranteed. . NOTE OF COPYRIGHT The Herald retains tull, complete and sole copyright (n any advertisement produced and-or any editorial or photographic content published In the Herald. Reproduction is not permitted without the written bermission of the Publisher. : Publithed by Ster'ing Publishers Letters to Editor: Blames the Nalablla Extention by- It is fitting, given the recent events in Clifornia, not to look, far from home, too, long, before one loses the momentum for reform, that may be'applied to the Kitimat acene. Looking over the history of certain egotists, whose self pralse, and self gratification, ls more the norm, than the sincere desire to lead our community to prosperity. 1 cannot help but wonder, “Why has the “Northern Sentinel” been more of a “Northern Sleeper’ or “Northern Creeper" when it comes to the affairs of our city? Remember the hard sell of the Kitsumkalum Ski Hill: Who was Mayor, George Thom. It passed-It overran its budget, Then there was law. Who was Mayor,. George Thom. It over ran ite budget. It pagsed. We then had the great sports plex by- law. Who was Mayer, George Thom. By-law defeated along with the Mayor, and for two brief years, peace reigned in the valley with relative contentment by all, 1976, enter Mayor George Thom again, and what do you think happened? You guessed right. Another referendum. I recall Georges platform, a8 he coined it was to decrease taxes by brondening the tax base by attracting new In- dustry. Kitimats record of attracting new industry read like this, Whon initially planned, Kitimat was to be a the committee . is of most of the community including the three ‘main licencees in the Smithers PS.Y.U. Decision making within the group has been by consensus rather than ty vote so recom- strongest male weep about class assignments in port of all members. school for Father’s Day, and the suffering this has caused pupils who ‘‘never had a father” in We have two overall ob- jectives--a stable community with meaningful work for all and a forest environment three sons, and ) two, that can provide a sustained ma three’ yield of all resources. The proposed Forest Act (Bill 14) introduced by youin . the legislature on May 12 sets a tone and framework for foreat management that we feel could seriously un- dermine our advisory process and objectives, In particular we would question - ‘whether sustained yield forestry will continue to be encouraged in B.C. and whether informed public input, such as our committee has attempted to provide, is to be strongly discouraged. “Annual allowable cuts will reflect social needs rather than being based exclusively on biological factors.” _ 1978 Forest and Range Legislation Highlights The question immediately arises as to what happens when, as 1s offen the case, - our social needs exceed the ability of the ‘biological factors’ to fulfill them, If the social needs could be determined in an open... high rise offices: Yet, their sons and daughters, they know, must often compare them to the fathers of their companions, who are more gifted, and well to do. democratic manner at the community level the result, in time, may bear some stable relationship with the renewable resource base. As it is, Section 7 of the Forest Act indicates that the“sdcial needs’ will be defined: by industry and central government. 7. 43) In determining an allowable annual cut under subsection (c} the chief forester shall consider... , ‘ the nature, production capabilities and timber requirements of established and proposed timber processing plants, (d) the economic and social objectives of the Crown, as defined by the minister, for the area, for the general region and for the Province... The other subsections of Section 7, (a), (b) and (2), essentially describe the criteria presently used by the Forest Service in — calculating the allowable annual cut of each sustained . yield unit in the province. Subsections (¢), and (a), quoted aboye, are new and dangerous ideas. They allow the introduction of demand criteria into ‘the deter- mination of resource supply. ‘This appears to-violate basic economic and resource management rules as well as plain common sense. “The new intensive forest management: _policy...will increase the amount of wood that can be grown on an area - thug increasing the annual allowable cut.” 1978 Forest and Range Legislation Highlights As you are aware from eurrent © correspondence between yourself and this committee we. serioualy ‘farm licences _ and questlon the basic assump- - tions that allow an increase in eut now in anticlpation of possible future increased yields due to intensive silviculture. Your answers to our questions indicated that the Foreat. Service, has.., as yeta hazy concept of what intensive silviculture can and cannot do. They do not know if tree growth on ’ entover lands is equalto that stands as They of natural presently assumed, -have not allowed for the decline in annual allowable cut ab a result of present calculation methods. They do not know bow much of the province’s forest land is economically viable under intensive silviculture. The Forest Act “provides for public hearings in certain . situationg such as in the establishment of new tree farm licences.” - . 1978 Forest and Range Legislation Highlights The Smithers Forest ‘Advisory Committee haa shown that the involvement of a knowledgeable public in - formulating policy for forest management in their local area is a worthwhile and necessary process. ‘The resulting recommendatioas to the Forest Service could not have been drafted or so ‘effectively presented by committee members acting as individuals. or as representatives of a special interest group. We therefore regret the legislation does not allow for public input for critical forest policy decisions, namely the renewal of tree the establishment and renewal ‘of forest licences which replace the present timber sale harvesting licences.~ . Sees Forest Act Bill 14 a threat. to Smithers Forest Advisory group The provision for hearings at the establishment of new tree farm~ licences and pulpwood agreements is something of a cynical gesture as it is very unlikely there will be any new dillocations. of this form, of. Avs tenure in B.C, We also view with alarm Section 149 of the act which keeps secret from the public basic harvesting data which is necessary information if the performance of industry under its contract with the Crown is to be. fairly assessed. The clause in this section that calls for the dismissal of forest service personnel who release this information suggests a closed and uncertain decision making process. Without an open, wi ranging discussion of forest management there will be no incentive for industry to practice true sustained yield forestry. Your much quoted threat industry to ‘tue it, manage it or lose it” is an empty promise. Tha political pressure a large forest company can exert on the government with counterthreats of masa unemployment, _ host towns provision of the act ‘may exist on paper it will never be a political reality. With regard to the above points we would ask you to delay the passaage of this legislation until the next seasion of the legislature so the local public can have the act clarified and suggest ammendments. Yours slncerely, Tim Toman Chairman ‘ Smithers Forest Advisory Committe: ‘ economy, Recognizing the im- portance of smal] business to the overall strength of the the Trudeau. government has taken decisive steps aimed at stren the position of the small business en- trepreneur. The package of new measures unveiled by Small Business Minister Tony Abbott is in addition to: existing instruments like the Small Business Loans Act, the Federal Business Development Bank, and the Enterprise Development Program. They provide positive incentives for growth and remove long- 8 irritants. The incentives include tax changes and exemptions, greater opportunities business with the govern: ment and provision of snore - yenture capital. At thesame time, the small business operaly: who has com- plained about the volume of paper-work required by Ottawa will see the reporting load lightened. In recent yeara, the trend has been for the gradual disappearance of the small, family-owned business. To halt this development, the federal government will introduce legislation to permit the tax-free transfer of small businesd holdings from a perent to a child or grandchild. “ The changes will allow a deferral of up to $200,000 in capital gains when shares of an in- corporated small business are transferred between generations of a family. This action fulfils a pledge en in the government's. recent’ study “Small Business in Canada: Per- spectives”, September 1977, to find ways of maintaining the survival of small family businesses. Another important tax ° break is the decision to exempt from federal sales tax all‘ business manufac- turers with sales of leas than’ $50,000 annually. This measure, to cost Ottawa some $0 million, will free 11,000 manufacturers from the tax, Further relief is contained. in the provision to permit small manufacturers to purchase or import, without payment of tax, the production machinery they need to manufacture their goods. And to give the rmall businessman more time to run his business, the federal government will introduce a more flexible system for fillng federal sales and excise tax returns. Thousands of firms will now file bi-annual or quarterly "returns instead of the present requirement of filing monthly. About one half of Canada's small business ork. An office of Paperburden, established in April, has , made immediate progress, and amendments to the corporations and Labor Unions Returns Act (CALURA) will relieve 70,000 small businesses from voters and mayor for high budget overruns community of 50,000 people and a thriving industrial complex, Source Alcans brief to B.C, government 1952 where it waa to include Chemical Plant, Sawmill and Pulp-mill Complex in addition to the smelter. After 25 years we have 13,000 people. At the pregent rate of growth it will take another 75 years to reach the goal of 50,000 people. We have two industries and little leadership to acquire more and don't expect any until the taxpayerd wake up aa to why the taxes keep rising. The present year excluded because this is sugar-time. Mayor Thom is up for re- election this year folkal Watch next years billl The reduction thia year ‘will be short lived, Instead of new industry we get ‘The Riverlodge Referendum" Who was Mayor, George Thom, but before one nail has been pounded, we are told it's $200,000 over budget. A fact that was known before the:ink had dried on the writ of referendum. [ believe the project was oversold and short on facts to the public but before the facts canjé out we had the. City Centre Arena Referendum. Who was Mayor, George Thom:: Overrun on the budget? Only the future will tell but don't hold your breath, 1 was informed by sources reasonably in command of the facts that prior to the City Arena Referendum figures of a $200,000 over-run on ste Riverlodge * cessfully Referendum were being bandied about and my in- formant was preity displeased that the matter did not surface prior to the City Centre Arena Complex Referendum. Now, to show that I am not without feelings for our Mayor and bis council, all I can say is that under our system of democracy and its Inherent adversary judicial system: I have to com- pliment the Mayor, his council, and tightly knit administration, of suc- ; . this com- munity’ so many white elephants, that still have to be paid for, by the tax: ‘ payers, and pald for they must be, as that’s democracy, Don't ask queations now; Don’t criticise the Mayor and his council now! You sat on your duffs listening to your favourite channel with your favourite brew in hand and let your franchise slip idly by! For those of you who did not vole, and by statistics you were in the majority when the tax bill to pay these non-budgetary overruns came in, have another beer. Wash away your blues, but don't blarmie the Mayor end his council for the high taxes or high rents, They played the game by the rules and whether you had been given all the facts of the case or nat, Is not the question, -It is not, only, the duty of citizens, to pay the taxes, but to enquire into the affaira of their community. To blame ‘jnvolyed perhaps the politicians and the bureaucrats for high taxed as in California, is only of therevolt and Its the part I do not like, since it by-passed the responsibility of the citizenery to be part of the process, If the citizens were the justification for higher taxes would be sgen or prevented and tax revolls would not be needed. in closing I maintain its time you, my fellow citizens instead of lamenting in your brew at the City Hall Brigada, after the fact, get involved. and tel] the City Hall Brigade where you want togoas acommunity, If City Hall is not acting in your interest, clean up at election time in November. Revolt Yeal But only by. in. reporting under the act. The new small business policies also address the problem of raising capital for expansion and moder- nization. A wide-ranging Discussion Paper on Equity Financing of for Small Business was presented to - gtimulate discussion on the best means of improving amall business financing. This will be followed by government proposals to: assist equity financing. Asan immediate measure in this area, the government will amend the Income Tax Act to allow much broader deductions for capital losses. At present allowable capital losses can only be deducted from capital gains. The new policy will allow capital losses to be deductible against income from any source, ‘This change will. encourage more risk capital to be invested in small business. The tax changes contained in the small business package will enchance a tax system that John Bulloch, President of the Canadian Federation if Independent Business says is already the best for smal] business in the industrialized’ nations. In addition to improving the environment for the small entrepreneur, the federal government will also help him increase his business volume with federal contracts. At present, small businesses supply about 41 percent of Ottawa’s requirements. To encourage even: more sub-contracting to small firms. by :large firms who receive federal contracts, the government will require that each major suppiler appoint a. coordinationg officer for all sub-contracts to small business. Com- panies bidding on govern- ment contracts will be requested to include in their tenders a plan to sub- contract to small businesses. To assist those firms who might encounter cash flow - problems, the government will examine methods to speed up payment on government contracts. Manpower is another ares where small business will benefit from federal programs. A Small Business Intern Program has been set - up with $5.4 million to create some 800 permanent {obs. The federal government will pay 50 percent of the wages - fauniversity or community | college graduate hired by a smali business during the . first year, to a maximum of $675 a month. ‘ These programs’ demonstrate the Trudeau government's determination to build upon the foundation established when it set up the Ministry of State for Small Business in 1976. . They complement earlier acions designed to improve the tax position of small businessmen, improve their ability to get capital, and provide assistance in specialized areas like research and development and marketing, : volvement and excercising your precious vote; Speak part your mind, and ideas with fellow citizens and pass the word along to City Hall. As for me: ‘Please’, .“PrettyPlegse”, Mayor George, no more referm- dums, until we pay for the present mess of overrins, referendums, shopping malls and all the trivia that gives you your jollles, in- dividually, or collectively, as acouncil. Its just too much for a country boy to grasp and pay for, Its just revolting Mayor George! Cordially youre Arthur David Serry HUNTING-SPIDERS acme er ara in the zon region grow 80 large that they can catch birds, .