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“VOL. 17 NO. 8

risky strategy,
Kitimat warns ©

By JEFF NAGEL -

KITIMAT officials. are ona Ceaneetione::

sive” against : what they say. “aré_ the: at-

tempts of Alcan ‘and its Terrace: business _

allies to isolate’ them.

- Kitimat manager “Tratford. Hall: says”
Alcan officials — who spoke - ata forum °
here two weeks ago = continue -io purse -

a strategy to lay ‘the* groundwork. for an-
nouncement ofa smaller: aluminum smel-

‘ter than’ what. can: be. built if all. available ve

power is used,"

“We-see a: roll-aiit campaign and. divi- a
de-and- -conquer, tactics,” Hall said. “Tt is an
in my mind a‘grand. manipulation of. cor-

_ porate and: political deception.” * .

Alcan’s promises: of. an. economic. de- wee
velopment officer for. the.région, ‘he’ said, nal
amounts to the:selling-of a “dream to dis- "
tract the region. from the: central ‘issue eof

‘power:

|. tend the focus’ should

sent jobs to just: 800.

mean far fewer job
‘than’ the’ * 4 600: ni

ah

Trafford Hall,

the smelter,

Hall disputes that would be ithe cage |. -
with a full-sized smelter ~ one he defines
a5 making full hydroelectric ’ ‘use of the »°

~ water in the Nechako feservoir.

“There wouldn't be.cuts: of. 800 jobs. 2 of

There would be cuts of. 50 or.tens.””

And ‘Hall says: Kitimat: is. “unveiling a

“new proposal that-should be:examined:

It’s based around ' the: idea. that” Alcan, 7
builds a. lager capacity -new smelter: -
using: all its existing Kemano. power, plus. .
another 175 megawatts it. can ‘tap as: part.
of.a compensation agreement ‘struck: with ~.
the B.C. goverment for the 1995 cancella-: | :

tion of the Kemano ‘Completion Project...
That agreement ° ‘would. see: the - pro-
vince séll to Alcan: the power ‘KCP would:

have delivered but.at the below- market 7 -

Continued. Page’ A10.

Alcan: ‘officials con!

. be on value-added and. ° f
other industries, atgu-.~ |
ing al cmodernized... Fim
450,000 tonne smélter . <|,
- would halve the pre-.

‘They. Say. even anven-".. fy
larged. smelter- would

ALCAN director of operations Paul Henning pulled-on a Tetrace ‘Sportsplex jersey last Wed-
“nésday to-celebrate with mayor Jack Talstra the company's. $450,000 donation to the pro--
" ject. Talstra said the | money ensures the Sportspiex will get built. JEFF NAGEL PHOTO

Trustees vote to keep

four-day school week

In the end, school closures and larger classes deemed worse

By JENNIFER LANG °
STUDENTS. ACROSS ‘the “Coast -
Mountains school: district are cheering
the board's unanimous: decision ‘to!
keep the: -four- day ° week - “an V place, for
‘another’ year, 7
: “It’s:awesome,”:a “group Sof Skeena
Junior students chimed. as: they : helped .
out at their school’ 8-grand opening Fri-
day - a day they’ ve normally had: off o
this.year. |< :
A majority. ‘of. ‘Students. ‘aurveyed:
said ‘they. preferred ; the shorter ‘school.:

_week. even though | it.means longer.’
school days,-in part: because. they: have :
more time to, socialize... :

Trustees. approved a “school Gilens

dar based ond: four-day: week. at-a.spe-. °
cial board meeting in: Terrace May-26,
ending ‘a: public debate, thar’ 8 "been: in-
creasingly intense.. ey
“Most of the. ‘children Te ‘talked to
‘like the four-day’ week, eyen my -kids,””
board chair Lorrie~ Gowen. noted. “I. * |
__ think it’s really critical. that we listen. ©
_ to our children.” * >. © i
The move means. six. schools. threa-..:
tenéd with closure - including: ‘Par
side Secondary, ‘Thornhill: Junior: and
E.T. ‘Kenney: ‘Primary: locally. = shave
now - been - taken: off. the. ‘chopping. an
block. - *

classroom,” Gowen said.
At a series. of - school- by- ‘school -
meetings, . the: “trustees: discovered

week, they: had: late Appetite | fo the

‘demic ‘performanie.~, -:
-. “E-do-not think, that. going back: to: A
five day school
- ger. class sizesis-poing to further dur
“That's not keeping cits 9 Lof the: goal. of: improving ; Jditeracy,””: Hazelion .

“trustee “Jessica, Mikolayezyk said. >

alternatives.— or the upheaval reinsta-_ from ‘students at. South, Hazelton Ele ;

ting the five-day. week would bring.

:. This. isthe. third-year iniasrow —
. trustees have grappled with budget. de. . the’ school, means.1o ‘these kids,” a
7 cisions that. have resulted in. changes -
in every: corner. of. the: district. :*
ae “| myself ‘am sick and bloody. tied.
of being: crisis-driven,”: trustee” Nicole
, Bingham: said. “Never, have we just

‘back ‘and -done” some. planning,

“added, “It's not effective... :
This time, trustees. were: faced, with,
“the: prospect of ‘closing schools,: cutting © :

agree. more: time.is. needed: to: ‘deter.

mine if. thie shorter week: bas: hurt’ aca-

eek” and: ‘havirig: lar-

‘threatened “with” closure ‘also cat
while parents . opposed ° the four-day: trustees, make .‘up theif-minds,- — «:

- Stedham ‘was moved: by; ines

mentary.

~ the alternate: program.

ed faxes)” letters, ‘and _phone: calls’ from

cision. day.

~-Others-urged: the board: to:
. ‘the. five ‘day week, -

‘adequately: consulted’ ‘parents. -

‘ funding fom ‘the education’ unlty.

meet with them: in July.

“attention to the’ issue

“It brought iears’ to. ‘my. “eyes, sy what :

He: said” one: Parkside: Secdéndary
: parent, told: birh,. ey “Hl ‘chain. myself-to |
“a pate. if F have to’: in: order. to save |

“Other. trustees reported. a “wave: of:
: students: and parents: leading, Up. to: de- te

Parental: opinions ‘remain ‘divided: = a :
transportation, ‘and boosting. class ‘sizes ‘depending’ on, “the ‘Community. ‘and . oo
to make.up the $1,8 million. needed. to -./sehool, : oa
‘reinstate. the five day: week. * a
“L have not‘'seen “aiything- to pe ;
Suade: me that’ closing schools: ‘and lar-
per: classes: is: the: way. to: BO." -Bing-..
shame saids 9 pe -

a]. really ‘wish Leduld say there's. f
“another way to make up the’ money,”
‘Hal Stedhain- Said, “For all intents ‘and:
purposes,. the money. just: doesn’ tL seem.
to be there for another option.” “

2° Stewart: -residerits- told | ‘trustees to. Eps
“keep the: four-day. ‘week in’ ‘place, as yo:
“did: some ‘parents in. Kitamaat: Village. f
reinstate om ee

Earlier. this : year,’ “a- ‘Peiace. parent’ : . es
rriounted: a “court challenge: to the fours]
‘day. -week,' arguing «the: board ; sling

: “+ | And: patents in. Kitimat have’ kept Q
“Trustees and: district: officials. alike 2 Ups: ‘the. political: pressure... They've...
“mounted escalating: lobbying. -efforts'..
"opposing the four-day. week — and for a:

j Wednesday, June 2, 2004

J Sportsplex

= gets Alcan.
| donation —

: . By JEFF NAGEL oe
A $450, 000 GIFT from Alcan puts Terrace: a big. step
closer to assembling the. $4 million needed to build the:
city’s planned sportsplex.:

It’s the’ single biggest contribution : so far ‘afler the: al- :
ready approved $2: million, federal: provincial. ‘infrastruc-_
ture grant, h ’ .

’ Alcan ‘will tum: over “the ‘money spread out over the
next four years. * 7

“With 250° employees ‘living. in “the: ‘Terrace’ “area,” :

' Talstra'said the: project, “which bia evolved over: a a de- 7

recreation facility. for the:fulure: : .
“Ts an opportunity’ to. show. what we ean do together
even when times are. tough,” he: said. | :
Alcan Kitimat Works director of operations: Paul Hen: -
ning’ ‘said the: corporation was: ‘approached : eight months
ago, and admitted. the. money ™y: “have. arrived slower
than the city ‘wished. s
“It’s a good. solid project," he, sal
‘we're about.” “
~ Henning -was presented with ‘a tiockey jersey ‘emblae~
zoned with-his. name and “Terrace Sportsplex.”. re
“Tm looking forward ‘tO. Alcan, being “part of ine,
“team,” he" said;
~The city’ had oviginaly requested ‘82 million ‘from:
“Alcan: .
The’ ceremony. in the. arena banquet’ room: was ‘witnes- a
‘sed by, premier: Gordon:Campbell and MLA: Roger Harris. *
“The. $450,000 from Alcan, ‘combined with the: $2. mil:
‘lion federal- -provincial. grant, a further. $490,000" green
grant the. city. expects to get and an estimated $730,000
“donated, ‘committéd. oF: pledged i in. in- -kind * services . and
» supplies brings: ‘the total now in, place t0'$3.67 million.

“tt fi is with what

—the’ target the city: -set’for. fundraising.
Fundraising ‘work: is. continuing, ‘said committee. chair
Art ‘Erasmus: “Negotiations ‘are? already. underway : with
-Some citizens: in- Terrace for’some. of--that remaining
- $350, 000;""he said.: ‘The task is now:so doable;”” ’ :

ther $900, 000: will-be spent.to. ensure the existing: pool.
‘and arena‘on either side of it run-on the same geather-
“mal heating: system. It's expected to deliver: energy cost

savings estimated at.$140,000 per year.
: .-’ Continued. Page A2 |

Christensen said: she: “vould agree to ° ;

Pula Said, Sena § par- ye: ee
ent advisory: councils ‘for: helping draw a

Alcan. is a major-part of our community,” Terrace. mayor : :
- Jack Talstra said: at’ the May 26. ceremony: “Thank you.
- to Alcan. for joining. our.team.”

cade from, éarlier efforts:.to build a; second. shéet of ice.
‘and. then_a-larger multiplex, i isn t just a about: ‘building al

That “leaves less -than .$350,000-to goto. hit the 4 : 7

‘Although the sportsplex. itself costs $4, million, ‘a ‘fire : 7