f TERRACE & KITIMAT . . 63546387; ! | Published every weekday at 3212 Kalum Street, Page 4, The Herald, Friday, June 5, “yao (TERR ACE/KETIMAT) daily herald © ‘ ‘ : General Office - 635-4957 ‘Circulation » 635.6357 Sterling Publishers PUBLISHER - Calvin McCarthy EDITOR - Greg Middleton CIRCULATION Published by Terrace, B.C. A member of Varifled Circulation. Authorized as second class mail. Registration number 1201, Postage pald In cash, return postage guaranteed, NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT The Herald retains full, complete and sole copyright in any advertisement produced and-or any editorial or photographk content published in the Herald. Reproduction {s not permitied without the written | mene of the Publisher. © OTHER VIEWS -_, By DIANA FRENCH Williams Lake Tribune - It’s no wonder languages become less than “pure” with constant use. Everybody is always getting into e act. : - , At the family level small children often contribute their own version of a word or phrase and it sticks. Sometimes kids will come up with a new word that makes more sense than the original. One of my boys called his ears his hears and a friend’s son called his knees his kneels. It figures. Small children usually have to devise their own method of telling time, too, and the usual methed of telling days is by ‘‘sleeps” -- so many sleeps until your birthday or Christmas or whatever. A small friend of ours has taken this a step further because she got stuck after too many sleeps. So she measures weeks by cartoons days -- Saturdays. This particular kid picked up another definition of | time from me and I should have known better. en our boys were small and wanted immediate but not emergency attention and I was busy doing. - something and couldn't stop -- I’d ask them to wait “a little minute.” ; Now anybody knows a little minute isn’t as long as an ordinary minute and big minutes are what you wait . through when you're put on “hold” on the telephone. Anyway, small friend took that one home with her and her parents found it as.useful as J had. Only her mother embarrassed herself at work one day by asking a customer to wait a little minute. : The customer gave her an odd ‘look, she Says, and’ how do you explain? Words are a writer's basic tools. Newsroom staff usually come equipped with a wide - ranging vocabulary which is enhanced every day but even the best stumble every once in a while on the new language -- bureaucratese. Unlike children, bureaucrats and public relations officers do not come up with words that make more sense than the original. Take this one, from the Washington State Game ‘department commenting on the effect of the Mt..St. Helen’s eruption on wildlife. - so “The Mt. St. Helen's elk herd was impacted but | groups of live animals have been sighted within the damaged area.” impacted? Further delving seems to indicate they mean the voleano has had an impact on the elk herd. Once in awhile someone comes up with a dandy catch word or phrase that explains things so well it naturally becomes a part of the language. Dirty Thirties for instance. I wonder who'll come up with a name for the eighties? And what will it be? Nadine Asante comments on Dear Mr, Bonner: In the Summer of 1978 a Land Representative fram B.C. Hydro and Power Authority presented us, by hand, a document on which my husband’s and my name were drawn up as joint owners of our properly. The document said in effect that for the token payment of five dollars ($5), we would allow B.C, Hydro and Power Authority to survey, clear ‘land, erect power poles, run lines and etc. for thelr proposed Right of Way. When alt this had been done, B.C. Hydro would then negotiate with us for payment for land, value of trees, damages, etc. . My husband and myself informed your Land Represet- | tative that we did not want our property traversed by a power line for any amount of compensation. Upen making legal enquiries we learned that B.C. Hydro _ and Power Authority Is so powerful that it has the right to expropriate any land it desires...even if it bisected someone's living room! There was absolutely nothing we could do to _ stop Hydro crossing our property...no recourse at all, We obtained a copy of the B.C, Hydro and Power Authority _ Act'to find out the exact extent of power held by your com- pany and were horrified at what we read. For the edification of anyone who may read this open letter to you, I would like to list only a few of the powers which are listed in alphabetical order in Section 14 of the Act: item (d) “to Good and overflow land, purchase, otherwise aéquire, accumulate and store watet', raise or lower the level of rivers, lakes, streams, and other bodies of water, item (}) “to apply for and obtain and exercise any franchise ~ fleence, right or privilege that may be conferred or obtained jhder an Act of Canada or of any Province, - item (im) “to purchase power from or sell power to any corporation, form or person, (As an aside here I understand that 20 per cent of the ex- eas power produced by Alcan’s Kemano generators is bought by B.C. Hydro for export to the United States even though the water levels in the Nechako River are en- _ be criticized, ‘suggestions do not get: plant -advocated ‘ a Comment from the legislature By FRANK HOWARD - One of the favourite accusations levelled by the Social Credit government against the NDP Opposition is that-we are negative and don’t put forward alter- native suggestions or new-ideas. _ First, let's understand that it isso easy to fail heir to that accusation. The fact that the official designation __ is The Official Opposition almost automatically-leads many to believe that all we ‘do is oppose. things. OF. course, one of our functions is to.oppose when matters’ | MEAREPORTS ee Charles Barber (NDP-Victoria) ‘advocated ‘a hon-. political land use planning program. Charles is the strongest advocate of an up-grading in the ferry service between the mainland and Vancouver Island. ~“Notman Levi (NDP-Maillardville-Coquitlam) ] proposed that $500 million be released from surplus - funds for’an expanded housing program, the result being affordable ‘homes plus the creation of 20,000 need to be opposed: to criticize when matters néed to: ‘positive action.on interest rates to ensure that small Te “businesses and the housing industry get a decent | But, let's make one thing quite clear. We are? positive in the way wee look at government': decisions. And we make positive. suggestions i the House. Many times; these positive: fully reported. So, let me report some of them to} you. : I, for example, have: been a consistent sup-: I have also; that} B.C.R.LC, get invalved in the copper smelting; process in B.C. rather; than let some U.S. firm do it. Ernest ‘Hall (NDP-Surrey) suggested that tHe Legislature be called into session in January so we can get some of the financial business of the Legislature passed before the: end of the fiscal year. Karen Sanford (NDP-Comox) wanted. funds released to train additional ambulance drivers. She Kitimat. proposed additional female representation’ on the - Human Rights Commission instead of the tokenism now in existence. " chance... | the above suggestions ‘and ideas were extracted - _ from Hansard, the official printed report of speeches ‘NDP, concerned that people’ should have * made in the Legislature. There are others there, but I merely wanted to bring a few of then/ to your attention to show that we in the NDP do think positively. The mere fact that thereis a Hansard is the result of positive thinking on the part of the NDP. It was the read what their: political figures say, that brought - Hansard into existence in the first place. For an‘ example of a negative attitude about Han- " gard one needs only to look at the meeting of the Legislature on January 24, 1967. At that time the NDP ‘ was able, when in Opposition, to get a motion on the - * floor to have a verbatim report of the debates (Han- sard). When the motion was put to a vote every Social Creditor voted against it. Included in the negative votes were such notables as: Jim Chabot, Grace McCarthy, Cyril Shelford, Pat.Jordan, Evan Wale, and Phil Gaglardi. , In the years subsequent to 1967 whenever the NDP tried to get the same motion back on the floor it was ruled out of order. Seems strange to me that a motion can be in order at one time and then out of order thereafter. Maybe it was the embarrassment to Social Credit that caused the change. However, we now have Hansard, thanks to the NDP and we'll have many additional positive thinks in the future, thanks also to the NDP.: ‘ rn LIER) (o'r bk! (Alda pcReBih Ar 2 ly fe a --MRESE WE BUEN THE HOSTAGE! Daley. Ne a a , 4 dangering fish habitat...water levels controlied by dam spills by Alcan). oO item (n) “to purchase, subscribe for, underwrite, guarantee the subscription of and otherwise acquire and deal in, sell and dispose of stock, shares, bonds, debentures, debenture stock, notes, securities and evidences of indebtedness of any corporation and any stocks, funds, and securities of any government, municipality, or other authority. item (q) “to issue securities in exchange for any obligation assumed by the Authority or in exchange for securities of any other corporation, form, or person, representing such obligations, and to enter into any covenants or agreements. considered necessary ‘or desirable for that purpose. (Again as an aside, I would presume that the above power gives B.C. Hydro the right to do its borrowing abroad'in the © amount of millions upon millions of dollars in the name of British Columbians for generations to come!) item (v) “to finance In every way or in any particular way the operations of any corporation having powers the exercise of which, in the opinion of the directors, would be beneficial to the Authority. ‘ Avid finally ‘item (x) “to do anything necessary or desirable for the carrying out of any of the powers aud purposes mentioned itt s section. I reiterate, the original request te run a Right of Way through our property was made in 1978. When we found it impossible to stop your company from taking our land we were foolish efough to sign a contract for payment for the larid. Only half the going rate for adjacent property recently sold was paid because as It was explained “B.C. Hydro is only leasing the land, not buying it.” But leasing in per- petuity which is what was done Is very little different from . of . ee, owning it outright because of the restrictions set, by the company. : sos : Our next shock was when an evaluator from a company . hired by B.C, Hydro came to the door asking for permission to value the trees which would be cut to make the Right of Way. The gentleman mentioned a number of acres which was three times the amount of land which had been discussed by Hydro employees, When I said, no he must be incorrect, the gentleman said, “oh no, you were.told only about the legal Right of Way, which is much smaller than the Right of Way. It seemed that a strip on elther side of your Conipany's legal right of way is also cleared to insure that no trees fall on the tratismission line. There was no compensation to be paid for that land at all. ' ; Itis now two years later, We were told originally that there was a great need for haste to bring Peace Power to our area as Kemano could no longer supply power to Terrace or Prince Rupert. A company from south central B.C. was brought in to clear the land, Heavy equipment laid waste ta actes of what had been young green forest. On our property & ‘beautiful shaded forest pond was laid bare. The Right of Way is crise crossed by deep tractor ruts which have exposed the top soil to erosion. Ali along the Right of Way there are piles of cut trees waiting for burning, . All the rear perimeter of our 43 acres has been opened up to allow range cattle to meander at will up to our home to eat bulbs, flowers and leave their calling cards around our driveway — or their hoof Imprints on our new lawn. On the main highway driving out to our home, the Right of Way on either side of the road is an eyesore where unseemli piles of household garbage haa been dumped by uncaring Citizens, ; When I enquired recently why the work had not been continually ongoing I was told that perhaps the line will never be utilized because of unresolved negotiations between Hydro and the people in charge of future airport expansion. Something I have neglected to mention is that there is another B.C, Hydro transmission line only yards away from the right to when both ottawa “pep ) OTTAWA | OFFBEAT By RICHARD JACKSON J { OTTAWA — The man for years has been a highly- respected architectural and construction consultant of bs. | ee oa, co . Bill King (NDP-Shuswap-Revelstoke) wanted the federal government. He is one of a very select few retained by the federal ‘architect:in charge of any major building. project, to make sure. the plans and specifications’'are strictly followed, and to detect’ and have correcléd any deficiencies, ~~ 0 - He has the power — and has frequently used it ~ to order a section of a job, regardiess of size, torn down. and properly rebuilt if found flawed... : _He has kept his carefully trained and skilled eye on construction of at least 12 of the largest federal jobs undertaken in the national capital in the last 15 years and Hull were transformed from quiet ordinary medium-sized central Canadian cities . into shining clusters of gleaming high rise office towers. «|. : re Not just your typical concrete and glass towers, but special, with made-to-order touches like two-inch- thick black walnut office doors. Ss That kind of class costs. __ 7 ‘ But no matter. What’s money anyway, when the head of the department and even the chief of any of-its _sections can demand — and have installed — anything he fancies in the design, equipment and furnishing of his quarters. - oes . 2 Before signing on as an architectural and con- struction consultant of big federal building jobs, our man designed and delivered to the cities of Ottawa and Hull a large variety of municipal projects. The other day he asked an odd question: =. - “Why should they need me-when the Department of Public Works already is hugely overstaffed with ar- chitects © and construction —erigineers?” _Why indeed? : ‘ ae ' Because, says he with the anger of an outraged taxpayer, “they can’t do the job; they may ‘be qualified on paper, certified by- their, university degrees and given top-drawer salaries, but they just _don’t know how to carry out some of the simplest designs. a Se “So the architect in charge calls me in while they -Suck their thumbs.” ~ ae He asked another provocative question. .— _ With Public. Works, like other departments sup- -posedly under tight spending restraint, federal con- struction in Ottawa is shut down tight, and he is | without any current consultation assignments. : In fact not only has federal ‘building stopped dead, but there is a great glut of empty government office space, urider lease for which millions of dollars in rent continues to be paid. : So in the circumstances, his question is this: © - “What are all. the .architects and structural engineers on the Public Works staff-here in Ottawa — ‘ahd 'perhaps in a lot of other ¢iti¢s; too — doing these days to keep busy?" 0 ee “He-thinks he has the answer. | sb And it is the same answer this reporter.got some years ago when he sauntered along the corridors of one of the Capital’s larger departmental headquar- ters. . wo VE tigedl bolls P Our man wandered just the other. day through the big new mirrored-glass block-long-and-wide :C.D. - Howe building. Tye ~ He was looking into a score of offices occupied by Industry Trade and Commerce.’ people. No, they weren’t doing nothing. Not exactly. . But many — so many it made his tax-paying blood . boil — were reading newspapers or magazines, _ playing chess, checkers, gin rummy, bridge. Some were just chatting. . Others gazing vacantly out the windows. More were ‘‘strolling around visiting.” = . Many women were knitting, doing crossword puzzles, jig-saws, or chatting it up. It was mid-afternoon. . . a They were back from lunch and perhaps feeling a bit lethargic. _ And soon it would be four o’clock, four-thirty, :or whenever generously ‘flexible’ quitting time ‘is ‘reached, and they would be on their way to the parking lots and home. oe Another hard day done serving the taxpayer. B.C.Hydro policy the proposed new one and when I suggested to many Hydro employees who swarmed over the property during the first few months’ flurry of work, that it seemed ludicrous to go to the expense of building a new power line when there was already one a short distance away, they smiled and agreed ’ but said, “What the engineers decide on is what isdone.” - _ So, Mr, Bonner, at the risk of sounding disrespectful of your position, I would like to point out that you are chairman of a Crown corporation’and as such you are, in effect, in the employ of the citizens of B,C. whosupport B.C. Hydro. And as Iama citizen of the Province of B.C., you are in my employ. I would like to say that lam certainly not happy with the way: the buginess of B.C. Hydro and Power Authority is conducted and I think there are many things which should be changed, - | believe it is time that the people of British Columbia questioned the powers of B.C. Hydro and looked very seriously at rescinding those powers, In 1964 when the B.C, Hydro and Power Authority Act was ssed, the collective mentality agreed that biggest was st; nobody gave serious thought to the environment; and the smell of pollution was said to be the smell of money, But times have changed. We understand now that our natural resources are indeed limited and the wanton destruction of forests, streams and rivega is no longer acceptable. Thereis « a great deal of speculation about the damming of the Stikine River further north, although that is still being vehemently denled by your company. . _ : And I really think that it is about time that B.C, Hydro. is made to prove the need for more energy for the people of B.C. and not just more power for export for profit while our natural resources are being depleted in the process. [know my personal petty grievances are irrelevant {n the larger context of the supply of power but I would suggest in elosing that the absolute authority of B:C. Hydro should come under s¢rutiny by the Government of the people who financially support it. ‘ ; Yours very truly. Nadine ‘Asante.