irl ad ein Eten tiie hited eid nt iat iin Pandit tit innt ate atice din tats iiatiindlt tie A4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 8, 1997 _ TERRACE STANDARD ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1988 ADDRESS: 32106 Clinton Street Terrace, B.C. * V8G 5R2 TELEPHONE: (250) 638-7283 » FAX: (250) 638-8432 MODEM: (250) 638-7247 Murky waters THERE WAS little question from the start that the recent study of a Nisga’a treaty’s probable effects on the region would be of dubious worth. . First of all, such economic impact assessments: are largely an exercise in crystal ball gazing. There’s a wide range of variables that can’t be predicted with any certainty. In this case, those unknowns were multiplied a hundred-fold. The study is based on the agreement-in- principle signed in February, but even now huge sections of the treaty are yet to be negotiated. These include areas such as the pace of logging in an eight-year transition period, which would have substantial effects on forestry jobs here. Also up in the air is whether the Nisga’a will. get an immediate $190 million cash payout or whether the settlement money will be doled out. in $10 million chunks over decades. That will af- fect the degree of spinoff benefits to this area. But by far the biggest area of uncertainty is what the Nisga’a themselves will want to do, Will they build a sawmill? A cannery? Will they set up an adventure tourism business? Will their business savvy help them attract foreign in- vestment from overseas? Will the repatriation of. artifacts make the Nass Valley more of a tourist draw? How many self-government provisions contained in the deal will they want to invoke? Even the Nisga’a leaders don’t know the ans- wers to those questions yet. But a few things are likely. First of all, some people will lose out. The treaty process is to some extent about ‘‘creative destruction.’’ Existing structures, bureaucracies and patterns of trade are being torn down and re- placed with new ones that natives will buy into. That will be uncomfortable for those who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s little comfort that the real culprits were the colonial leaders of a century ago who failed to sign treaties in B.C. — as happened in the rest of Canada under the direction of the British crown. But negotiation, even a century later, remains a better option than the status quo or the courts, Secondly, it’s not possible to pour $190 million into the Nass Valley — no matter how it’s spent — without this town enjoying major economic spinoff benefits. ‘The Nass is as closely linked to Terrace’s economy as Kitimat is. The benefits will likely far exceed the losses in forestry. Thirdly, the Nisga’a, compared against other native groups in the province, are smart cookies. Their backroom lobbying and non-violence per- suaded the senior governments that they should be the first native group in B.C. to negotiate a modern treaty. They inspire confidence in companies as well. Repap officials expect they’ll be able to work with the Nisga’a. That’s bound to pay off in spades for both the Nisga’a and everyone else near them. On balance, there’s no way a treaty with the Nisga’a cannot bring a net benefit to this area. That, however, is not to say that just because it’s good for us here, the deal is either affordable or sensible, especially when extended to dozens of other groups. The self-government provisions — which would create many extra native-controlled layers of bureaucracy ~~ seem excessive in light of government efforts to control spending, Most troubling is the possible net effect on the forest base of successive treaties in the region. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Rod Link ADVERTISING MANAGER: Rick Passmore PRODUCTION MANAGER: Edouard Credgeur NEWS Jeff Nagel * NEWS SPORTS: Dave Taylor COMMUNITY: Cris Leykauf OFFICE MANAGER: Kathleen Quigley ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS: . Sam Collier, Janct Viveiros, Karen Dietrich, ADVERTISING ASSISTANT: Emma Law, Kelly Jean, Shannon Cooper TYPESETTING: Sylvana Broman DARKROOM: Susan Credgeur CIRCULATION MANAGER: Karen Brunette MENBER OF &C. PRESS COUNCIL Serving the Terrace and Thomhil! area, Published on Wednesday of each week by Cariboo Press (1969} Lid. at 2210 Clinton Street, Terrace, British Columbia, V8G SA, Stories, hs, illustrations, designs and typestyles in the Terrace Slandard ara the property of the cori tls, including Cariboo Prass (1969) Ltd., its illustration repro senioas and advertising Raproduction In-whela of in part, without written permission, la specifically prohibited. Authorized 28 second-class mail pending the Post Office Dapartmani, for payment ol postage in cash, Special thanks to uii our contributors and carrespondents for thelr time and talents Batececration He)fab Colum bie ead Yolen Old hat for the north country VICTORIA — Most of my readers live in northern and central British Columbia, and for as long as I have been writ- ing this column for them — going on 15 years now —- I have made one point, over and over again: People in southern British Columbia haven't got a clue what gocs on north of Hope. And that includes most of our politicians. Well, between Christmas and New Year, they found out, the hard way. Victoria, that balmy cily of year-round golfing, of Icisurely walks along the ocean, of flowering trees in January, got hit by a blizzard thal would have done Winnipeg proud, Folks in Fort Nelson, Gold- en, Williams Lake and Quesnel must have had a laughing fit when television news coverage brought them images of the capital city gripped in the most ferocious snow storm in 80 years. And believe me, it was a beauty, I’ve gone though countless blizzards in Win-- nipeg. This one could hold its own. In just a couple of days, mother nature dumped 124 centimeters of snow on Vic- toria. Gag tags help "COLD CASH" read the Pro- vinee’s front page headline December 27, "Record-breaking Boxing Day chills Vancouver area residents, but not their shop- ping spree." Nothing adds more sparkle to unspectacular news than an . off-beat headline. But writing a funny caption takes more than a good grasp of the news, a broad knowledge of literature and music, and well as a close acquaintance wilh Broadway show tunes, movies, TV com- mercials and current jargon. It needs an energetic imagination able to sce a connection where none exists, That’s why clichés and dou- ble entendres are favorite sources for headtines. Early in December when Vancouver's New Year's Eve . concert by the three tenors was in doubt, the Province highlighled the indecision UP IN THE ARIA. And when Canadian Air- lines’ negotiations stalled be- cause Buzz Hargrove rejected BIOLOGIST —rae eee in —_ in. BANK OF MONTREAL MATTIFW BARRETT CHIEF EXECUTIVE TM A COMPUTER ANALYST BUT I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A WILDLIFE FROM THE GAPITAL HUBERT BEYER For one brief week, the ‘‘real British Columbians,’’ as Bill Bennelt once referred to those living in the northern and cen- tral pari of the province got their revenge. Just for once, Victoria and, to a lesser extent Vancouver, experienced what the rest of British Columbia endures year after year, For several days, the city was paralyzed. Nothing moved. Public transporiation was at a standstill, Airports were closed. Ferries didn’t operate. No cars could make it out of the driveways. The sireets were deserted, But there was a good side to THROUGH BIFOCALS CLAUDETTE SANDECKI the wage cut five fellow unions had accepted, the headline read RANCOR AND FILE. Sports set up some of the best situations for wordplays. For instance, a few weeks ago Joe Paopao decided to quit as coach of the B.C, Lions. His resignalion was announced as THROWIN’ SALMOAN GOIN’. In 1994, when the Canucks tied the scries with the New SO, TELL ME. it. Nothing brings people closer together than a shared hardship. Traditionally some- what standoffish, Victorians tediscavered what being good neighbors is all about, nothing new to British Columbians living in harsher winter climes. There was the wonderful story of litle Megan Egilson being born at home during the worst of the blizzard, because there was no way for mother Joy to get to hospital. Neigh- bors had offered to shovel the driveway, but as the storm progressed, there was no way any car could make it any- where. While the family doctor was able to send a nurse, who lived nearby, over io the house, a family friend located a mid- wife who also somehow made it through the storm to the Egitson’s house. Little Megan made her ap- pearance without a hitch, and she’s one of the few babies who may later tell of how her umbilical cord was tied off with stezilized kite string. The army reserve tried its best ta help out, but said later it was hampered by a “‘lack of sufficient effective communi- cations equipment, vehicles, ANOTHER DAY— ‘a ANOTHER $15,440.00 Ag OMRILE % winter warfare clothing and equipment, and basic filed unit stores.”’ Seems to me that’s just about everything an effective amy ought to have, The fact that none of the Greater Victoria municipalities have any snow-clearing equip- ment to speak of didn’t help ei- ther. In the end, mother nature herself repaired the havoc she had created. Rain and warmer temperatures made the snow melt rather quickly, and Vic- lorians were able to dig out from under the worst snow storm in eight decades. It took a few days before grocery stores stocked up on staples again, and ICBC caught up on claims for damage to vehicles caused by backhoes _ and graders, but life is grad- ually returning to normal. And as the last chuckles echo up north over the lesson nature taught this province’s banana belt, hope springs eternal that southern British Columbians will look with renewed respect at their northern cousins to whom all this is old hat. Beyer cant be reached at Tel: 920-9300; Fax: 385-6783; -E- Mail: huberi@coolcom.com make a rag York Rangers, the editor responsible for inventing head- lines parodied Dr, Joyce Brothers’ book title to come up with THEJOY OF HEX. In July, 1995 Jacques Vil- leneuve won the Texaco- Havoline 200 race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis- consin, The Province exulted CANADIANS HIT THE JACQUES-POT. Under a photo of two farm youngsters leaning over a grain bin watching wheat being augured inte winter storage, The Western Producer printed BIN THERE, DONE THAT. About a year ago the United States backed out of an electri- cal power deal with us. The B.C. government’s anger was neatly expressed in the head- line DAM YANKEES. Last summer, dozens of migrant orchard harvesters camped — out-unemployed-in southern B.C, because weather had delayed crops. Their predicament was explained FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR OSCYOOS BERRY PICKERS. Movie titles inspire delight- ful headlines, such as the an- nual fireworks competition staged along Vancouver’s False Creek, where six coun- tries outdo each other with their fireworks artistry. Last August’s contest was billed THE WIZARDS OF AHHHHH! Ofien the headline grows out of the news item itself, as when two doctors on a flight form Hong Kong saved a woman passenger whose life was threatened by a collapsed’ lung. Using only a coast hanger, pen, and a knife and fork hastily sterilized in brandy, the doctors drained the woman’s lung OPERATING ON THE FLY. But my favorite headline, tidy as a comedian’s pun- chline, topped a brief item about the downing of an Alas- kan airplane by small birds sucked: into its engine. The headline? 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