Out & About Come here and produce NORTHWEST towns have banded together to try to at- iracl major new manufacturers lo the region. The initiative, a rare union of Kitimat, Terrace and Prince Rupert, attempts to boil a list of 470 different manufacturing sectors down to just a few with strong growth potential that could fit well with the northwest Ken Veldman, executive director of the Terrace Eco- nomic Development Authority, said the towns will then be able to focus on individual companies that might be persuaded to locale here. : The Prince Rupert Economic Development Commis- ston’s Don Allan, said the regional approach stretches dollars and recognizes the region’s common labour pool and interconnectedness. “In terms of specific location within the region — let the best property win,” he said. Lions Gate Consulting Inc, is to complete the work by Feb. 28. Industry Canada is paying half the costs. Enron facing bankruptcy U.S. ENERGY giant Enron Corp., which at one point was close to buying troubled Skeena Cellulose, is itself on the brink of bankruptcy, The share price of the company plunged 84 per cent last week after a merger with a rival energy firm was called off. That led to a downgrading of Enron’s credit rating and calls for it to repay billions in debt. Enron was in detailed negotiations with the province in 1999 to buy SCI. Victoria walked away from what it considered a low offer. An offer from SCI management to buy the company was to be backed by Enron. That offer was withdrawn and the province ultimately picked Mercer International over NWBC Pulp and Timber Co. for final sale talks. On der tour BUSINESSMAN Bruno Belanger, owner of Gemma’s, served up hot mulled cider for German travel agents at Heritage Park last week. About 40 of nearly 700 German travel agents who came to B.C with with the Dertour Travel Aca- demy dropped by Terrace, in between stops at K’san and North Pacific Can- nery. The Terrace Tourism Council, aided by the city and ather local busines- ses, organized tours of Heritage Park for the two groups that came here. It's hoped visit will lead to more Germans coming here. JEFF NAGEL PHOTO Killing commish raises concerns THE NORTHERN Deve- lopment Commission, set up by the former provincial government to work on northern issues, will be dismantled by the provin- cial government. Instead, northern issues will be handled by the Liberal northern caucus, chaired by Skeena Liberal MLA Roger Harris. “Our clear finding was that the commission was no longer the most effec- live or affordable vehicle to address issues of impor- tance to the north,” said Harris. The commission had a smail staff, a budget of $1.8 million a year and was overseen by northera commissioner John Back- house in Prince George. Backhouse, appointed by the former povernment, will receive a severance package of approximately $110,000, equivalent to his salary for 13 months. Other staff members are being offered severance pack- ages as well. The commission is to be gone by Dec. 31. Northwestern mayors in Spread holiday cheer with a gift of Christmas flowers SEND THE FTD® CHRISTMAS a TRADITIONS™ BOUQUET FOR CHRIstMAS, TUESDAY, = DECEMBER 25 From Send a sleigh” full of beautiful flowers this season! 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Terrace mayor Jack Talstra, named to chair the northwest mayors’ group, said he has concerns about the commission's non-par- tisan wotk being taken over by MLAs with ties to politicial parties. “We thought there was some merit to having a northern commissioner’s office. that was not politi- cized,” he said. If northern MLAs are split between different po- lilical parties after the next election, Talstra said, it would be difficult for a Bovernment caucus to serve all the north. “What does that da to the northern initiative,” he said. “Whereas the com- mission would at teast have the potential of being non-political, of working with anybody and every- body in the north.” Harris hopes to prave those fears are unfounded. “There’s no doubt the ball is in our court now to deliver on what we say we will do,” Harris said. a 2