Page Ad — Teriace Standard, Wednesday, March 6, 1997 DITORIAL —- i In hot water _ “Regional ' district’ “directors failed to give Brian Fairbank a fair hearing when . he appeared before them recently to seek approval’ for a plan to test the possibilities of geo-thermal power at Lakelse Lake. Fairbank’s company, Fairbank Engineering, ‘wants to drill test wells to see if there is enough hot water contain- ed below the ground to run turbines to generate electricity. It has interesting potential in that it adds another dimension to produce elec- tricity in the northwest, is a proven technology and doesn’t require tax- payers’ investment on the part of B.C. Hydro. But regional district directors iced the © plan, saying they were worried about the effects of tapping the water on the | Mount Layton Hotsprings development. They thought that any other use of the super-hot water might take away what the hotsprings needs for its tourist- oriented activities. It’s a reasonable worry, but directors registered their objections without enough information. What Fairbank Engineering wanted was permission to determine the possibilities of geo- thermal power, not to go ahead with development. -- Road warriors iT4ie Wot often a government ‘backtracks, but we're seeing one of those occasions now. ‘It has to do with the province’s con- tracting out of road and bridge maintenance, Contracts let three years ago are up for tender this year and the highways ministry is busily preparing for the task. Three years ago the province made much of telling motorists the new system would be more efficient and would save money. This time, the province is pump- ing up the public relations angle of this “And, directors made their objections” more or less on the say-so of Mount Layton Hotsprings owner Bert Orleans. In opposing the test drilling, Mr. Orleans made reference to studies indicating the hotsprings would be affected, but regional district directors made no at- temet to nail down the specifics of his clain og One question which remains unasked and unanswered is the amount: of ‘hot_ watet in. the ground compared to the” amount the hotsprings now uses. 4 Regional district directors are -con- tinually asked to make judgements:.on matters upon which they have no- knowledge or background. This makes it all the more important for directors to become fully versed with issues before they make decisions. Admittedly, regional district directors can’t be expected to know everything about situations within their jurisdic- tions. But that’s not a reason to shut down intriguing new possibilities. Directors have a responsibility to en- courage’ development as well as to enhance ‘and to protect what is already here. That requires a bit of progressive thinking and that’ s not too much to ask for, isn’t it? kind of contracting out. ‘ “We are highlighting the fact that the public expects quick action when a “LO = Tysatr, Rae Fa ea is te "soecpodens fo tor’ * raon — Typesetier, Susan r=: Compos Rapiatration No, 7820 4647 Lazalte Ave., Terrace, B.C.,.VeG 188 (604) 638-7283 Rod Link’ [aim Coulter ‘Advertising Manager, Janet Vivelros — dverisig consuiant | thelr time and: Serving the Terrace wee. Publahed on Weesday ofeach weak by Cutboo Presa (1969) UWL. A 4647 Lazele Ave,, Teriace, British Columbia, sa) Coltiar — — Adverts, Consultant, Temy Milor =, iratog Superior talents, Hts Stories, photograph, wistrations, designs and typestyles In ina Terrace Standard ara the property of the copyright hokders, Including Cariboo Prass (1969) Li, int Production’ Manager: 2 LUA, . ey 3 lustraonrora sevice. and adverisng agincis, @ Edouard 4 Credgeur Reproduction ir hole of in part, without written permission, is specifically promibitad. > Cc A , Authorized os second-class mall panding the Post Office Department, for payment of postage in cash, GET | Ine gor ANE? ee FRIEND... be an election instead, unless, of course, Premier Vander Zalm steps down. In that case, there will be neither a- budget nor an election this spring. ~~ * When the legislature _reconvenes, on March.11,, >. wall continue’ the | session days before’ t tu aerate ia pins was interrupted last fall.’ The government will i in-- ‘ troduce and ram through some maintenance need is identified. We have learned from the first three-year term,’ highways minister Rita Johnston said i in a recent press release. Motorists should note that Mrs. Johnston has consistently refused to release results of her ministry’s grading system applied to the private contrac- ‘tors. Perhaps there’s more to Mrs, Johnston’s statements than she is letting That time a In a few weeks we'll witness ain the return to the northwest of ‘hummingbirds, swallows, and _ tourist. In Hinterland’s Who's - Who, few itinerants are as ubi- Bifocals -quitous, studied, or vied foras by Claudette Sandeckl the common tourist. Through The tourist heads the list of ‘desirable imports. On his sun- burned shoulders balances the economic salvation of every underemployed region. For this reason, tourist information of- fices have been set up at regular ‘intervals along their customary ‘trails like‘Catiboo-road houses. ‘So fierce is the’ rivalry for the ‘tourist's dollar, ‘B,C. cities offer : Superhost courses to train staff - ji the art of civility. Other cities “have installed tourist traps. ‘For the most part, tourist " traps are gaudy embellishments - | with flashing lights and jingling : coins. A popular mini-trap has : acrank on one side which, when activated by the tourist, rotates ‘yows of coloured fruits in ‘mesmerizing ‘patterns. Las : Vegas, Disneyland and Niagara : Falls are three such cities. Because tourist seldom linger ‘tw’ any location, ‘prefering to ‘ graze: restlessly, much research : fag gone into: determining tac- - tics to persuade. thei to tarry, : Bach year committees made up : of experienced tourist -trappers brainstorm: inducements. Ter- : race's’ inducements: are: dubbed . Riverboat: ‘Days: Heritage ' Week, and Logeers Sports. seasonal haunts along major highways or ferry routes. However, unlike caribao or whooping cranes who rely upon inborn signposts to guide them, tourists place their trust in travel agents and road maps. Occasionally they migrate in pairs; frequently they relocate in “tours” ‘with Airstream trailers or motortiomes the size of airport ‘terminals: Their migration patterns shift drastically at the hint of rising gas prices, daily out-of-province fishing licenses, or rowdy night life near their roosts, (As Vic- ’ toria just found out.) Though thelr plumage runs’ the gamut from Tilley tan to the rainbow palette of the CBS | f ‘tourists’. are: ‘easily — peacock, - tc identified by their wash and wear leisure suits, sandals, and sunglasses, Nikons- draped about the neck are a: standby, “8 Many bulge on one side, from -§ travellers. cheques and credit” cards, used to stock up on film, souvenirs, and paper towels, Unlike - ‘species. such. #8 penguins or giraffes whose in- dividuals. fook remarkably allke,: tourist come: in nialapes e legislation, including a billthat will allow it to introduce elec-: tion referendums, and then give everybody a few days off for Easter. Following the Easter break, the ald session will be pro- _ rogued and a throne speech . and sizes as nonuniform as 4° bride's homemade dinner rolls. The majority have skin the tint and texture of overbaked Gem: potatoes. i They frequent \ fishing streams, roadside turnoffs, and provincial ‘campgrounds, mingle with the locals i in shopp- ing malls. ! Wherever they go, they ate welcomed for their dollar, but often resented for ‘their intru- sion. Like junkmail in our boxes, they clog our ferries, en- cumber our highways, and choke our salmon rivers. Yet again Chambers of Commerce or - -will ring in the Fourth Session of the 34th Parliament, That session will probably be one of the shorter ones in . © B.C. history, because the ‘ government hasn’t got any in- tentions of bringing down a budget, which happens customarily exactly one week after the lieutenant-governor reads the speech from the throne. The throne speech will be a masterpiece of rhetoric. With no budget scheduled to follow the throne speech and,» therefore, no onus on the government to deliver in the budget what it promises in the throne speech, honest inten- tions and truth will not be a major component of the throne speech. You can expect the customary union-baiting and Ottawa-bashing. There will be veiled warnings that a socialist government could easily destroy British Columbia. You will-be treated to wild promises as well as self-congratulatory hyp. Arid: all that bombast and verbosity is to soften up British Columbians for the “election campaign. The throne scan the horizon for this year's _ first tourist. aN Dp our HEGAPRODECT. CaN ENEFIT YOUR TOWN! she CHANGES Da You WANT 7 UGHTS FAVEMENT? PUMGROUNDS 7 ? speech will, in effect, be the . government's election plat- form, not a nice way to treat — an ancient parliamentary tradi- be: spring J vote VICTORIA — There will be no budget this spring; there’li ‘From the. Capital by Hubert Beyer CARGO ARE Too SKNNY, CAN You J FATIE THEM? Peat k we fe 2s tert! tion, ‘but what do you “expect” from modern politicians? ° “The entire scenario I just outlined is based on one assumption, that Conflict of Interest Commissioner Ted Hughes’ report on Premier Vander Zalm’s alleged invalve- ment in the sale of Fantasy Gardens, isn't too devastating. . If Hughes concludes that Vander Zalm is guilty of a: conflict of interest, all bets are off again. [f he’s hung out to dry by Hughes, the premier - may havé no choice but to resign, But anything short of a complete and unmistakable in- dictment will be seen as a vin- dication by.the premier. He will tell us how he knew all along thathe had done nothing wrong and call the election for sometime in mid- - May. While ] don’t expect that Hughes” report will exactly commend the premier, it will probably fall short of stating | that, yes, the premier is guilty of a conflict of interest. One of Hughes’ problemis is that he can’t investigate the matter under the terms of the Conflict of Interest Act. That act didn't become law until after the premier sold Fantasy . Gardens. "The only yardstick against which Hughes can measure the premier’s alleged conflict are .the guidelines devised by the ;. premier himself, and they’ re. no great shakes.’ . - In fact, considering the ~ goofy guidelines, according to: which: the permier asked to be judged, I'nv still amazed - Hughes accepted the job, Had he been ‘asked to in- ;. vestigate the issue as Conflict FLAY ICE IS. TOO { Teice FoR. FISHING @ CAN You Ta IF? and I'd resign. the argument ‘of whether the o premier isa Victim of the“; - ings. And that has a nice be < . R rh = ee e:.: Ss ery a WET 7 etn ke) of- Interest Commissioner, + armed with the weapons, the... legislation gives him, it might have been a pretty good note’ on which to begin his new **: duties, but as it is, Hughes hasn't got much to investigate with. He has no judicial powers, . He can’t subpoena anyone, he can’! order anyone to produce documents, he can’t even put... anyone under oath and make: - him tell the truth. Asked ‘to: testify, anyone can-tell Hughes to stuff it. nm Given those rather limited’ tools, Hughes would probably have been better'off declining the offer to look ‘into the Fan-- tasy Garden Scandal. + Of course, having ¢ accepted mean he'll compleié'it. What ~ do you think Hughes'will do’ if he gets little or not co- operation? I. know 3 what, I would do. I'd say there’s no. way 1 can complete this job 1 Perr r aee Whatever happéris, there’s one consolation. Vander Zalm’s mandate expires on. November 17, five years | after. i the chief electoral officer, returned the writs.of the last general election, Even if he: ;: waits until the very last day, there will be an election this ; b year, After suffering through five years of unprecedented © 3:1 i _ political turmoil,:British Cob ~. umbians will:have' a chance to i “get even with “their elected -° ' representatives’. 700i" Voters will be able to- ‘settle i media or his own shortcom: : to it, i, His 15 peFinneLy “ Not OKLAHéMA Tole ' ¢