_ making an honest dollar at the same time. "Unless

you have a rising mineral market, it doesn't go that

well,” Fulton explains. Profit and industry viability
are regulated by world markets, So, says Fulton,
"Stewart: will boom time and time again within our
lifetimes." oe

In Fulton’s estimation then, Stewart isn’t going
to die. But at the same time, it’s a community that
will suffer one forced economic diet after another
unless something is done. And that something, he
says, is diversification — a federal responsibility.
Fulton points to “cottage industries” and "bedrock
value-added industries" as the keys to creating an
economically stable Stewart.

And what about Terrace? This community sur-
vives basically on the forest industry. Some might
describe Terrace as much more — the "Hub of the
Northwest", If all the one-industry towns served by
this “hub” follow Cassiar’s trail, however, Terrace
could well be a hub with no spokes, oe

And there might be other factors that threaten
the "hub" theory. "There will be a certain number of
things that are going to come together in Kitimat,"
Fulton predicts. "Kitimat’s small business sector is

Boing to click back into gear, And that’s going to

have an impact on Terrace that people won't be quite
ready for.” 7

Terrace is attracting some appropriate insurance,
says Fulton. "Terrace needs to lock down some small,

value-added industries, Because they're out there, —

They’re drifting around. But you've got to be very
quick at grabbing them and getting them into the
community," .

Diversification, specifically the development of
secondary manufacturing in resource-based towns, is
a must, says Fulton, "We've got to diversify the
Rupert pulp mill," he says. "And we've got to diver-

sify the Kitimat operations.

"And in terms of all our wood line, right from —

Terrace right on through to Prince George... All of
those lines have got to go to value-added and
remanufacturing if theyre to survive, We can’t
continue to get so few jobs per unit cut and shipped
out.”

Again, diversification, secondary manufacturing,
this identification and “locking down" of small, value-
added industries... It all takes money and expertise.

And again, says Fulton, the federal government

should be playing a significant role. -
That "significant role" is providing more money.

That means higher taxes... Right? Not according to

Fulton. One of the most obvious pools, he says, is one

held by the Minister of Finance. It’s called deferred .

taxes,

"I would hire however as many Revenue Canada
collection agents or mounties as were required to go
and collect the more than $30 billion in deferred
taxes from profitable corporations from last year,"
says Fulton. "You can do quite a bit with $30 billion,"

B.: what would happen to these big corporations
who were suddenly told to pay their "fair share" of
taxes? Fulton hasan answer there too. At least in
part. All we need to do is cut the "billion dollar free

Junch program".

According to Fulton: "The fact of the matter is,
that the corporate sector in this country is doing very
well, thank you very much. They have amongst the
lowest actual rates of taxation anywhere in the world
and they are also accessing a kind of tax write-off

that I think is disturbing.

"You can’t get milk and cookies for children at
school... You can’t get daycare... But the corporate
sector writes off a billion dollars in free lunches...
and they’re also writing off escort services, .

“I mean, I can’t believe that the Minister of

Finance wouldn't have at least closed off that loop-

hole that allows corporate executives to go out at
lunchtime, and not only have a few free martinis on
our taxpayers’ back, have some nice. lunch... And

then. go and hang out with an escort for the rest of

the day,

“There are clearly loopholes. I mean if you can’t
close the escort, martini, free lunch loophole... Who
are you really governing Canada for?"

— Tod Strachan

‘Third
_ Avenue
_ Shoes

A complete line of
_ Naturalizer, Salamander &
Clarks Wallabies in stock.
All sizes available.
4615 Lakelse Avenue |
Terrace, B.C.
V8G 1P9

635-5222

Terrace Review —~ March 13, 1992