4 Terrace Review —~ Wednesday, Feb. 19, 1986 hae Orvinions Trade with Japan our country prepares for negotiations to secure and enhance trade relationships with the United States, it’s important to bear in mind the growing impor- tance of the Pacific Rim markets to our province and to Canada. by Premier Bill Benneit Our trans-Pacific trade with nations such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan has shown a steady growth and the potential for expansion is enormous. Canadian trade with Japan, for example, has increased substantially over the past few years with 52 percent of our country’s exports now coming from British Col- umbia. Last year Canada bought close to $6 billion worth of Japanese goods and, in turn,, we sold to Japan coal, lumber, wood pulp, copper and other resource products worth almost $5.5 bil- lion. The value of our Prov- ince’s trading relation- ship with Japan is worth $1,200 a year to each man, woman and child in British Columbia, During my meeting with Prime Minister Nakasone of Japan in Vancouver, there was mutual agreement to Terrace Review Established May 1, 1985 The Tarrace Review is published each Wednesday by Close-Up Business Services Ltd. Publisher: Mark Twyford Editor: Maureen Barbour Advertising: 695-4339 or 635-7840 ‘Production: Kim Kimble Office: Carrie Olson Accounting: Mar} Twytord Second-class mail registration No. 6896. Reproduction of this paper or any portion thareo! ts prohibited without permission of the publisher. 4535 Grelg Avenue, Terrace, B.C. V8G 1M7 Phone: 635-4339 Pe has increased work together to strengthen further our trade ties. And I was pleased to hear the Prime Minister confirm that Japan plans to ease its duties on B.C. plywood and to reduce its tariff on our two by fours from 10 to eight percent in 1987. That means our wood products — which are already well-accepted by the Japanese — vill become even more com- petitive. So while negotiating a comprehensive trade agreement with Canada’s biggest trading partner — the United States — will be an im- portant step forward, we intend to press ahead with expansion of our links with the Pacific Rim and our other customers around the world, including the European Economic Community. I gave that assurance to Prime Minister Lalters to the editor will be considered for publication only when signed. Please include your phone number. The editor reserves the right to con- dense lelters. Opinions ex- pressed are not necessari- ly those of the Terrace Review BCRIC Frank Howard, NDP House Leader, says that the record low price of BCRIC shares is one basis for judging the pro- vincial government, for it was the Bennett government that created BCRIC in the first place and urged British Col- umbians to buy BCRIC shares. Howard said, ‘“‘If there is one standard by which we can assess the effectiveness of the economic polices of the Nakasone and made it clear, as did Prime Minister Mulroney, that increased trade with the United States will in no way prejudice the valu- able trading relationship — we have with his coun- try. And I - noted that although Canada is seek- ing freer trade with the United States, we are also pressing for negotia- tions to strengthen the General Agreement on trade and tariffs,~ in order to increase trade ona global basis so as to benefit all countries. Increasing trade with the United States makes good business sense for our province and for Canada. But at the same time, we have to work hard to strengthen the relationship and mutual interests we share with our other valued part- ners in the Pacific Rim and elsewhere around the world. Our goal rather should be to maximimize trade with all our customers while, at the same time, maintaining a balance that prevents us from over-reliance on any one country. nee mena “Big mouth!” Message to city council To the editor, Open letter to the Mayor and Council of Terrace: I know that the Supreme Court did away with the Lord’s Day Act. It is unconstitutional, they say. To me, this seems to be a deed of discrimination. Discrimi- nation against the work- ing class, who deserve at least one day of rest once a week, Some store workers are terribly upset that the big businessmen in Van- couver have indicated they want their retail stores in Terrace to be at record low current government it is by watching the move- ment of BCRIC shares on the stock market itself.” The current govern- ment sold us what ap- pears to be a “‘bill of goods” in 1979 when it gave away those five so- called free BCRIC shares and urged people to buy more, Howard said. That government activity appears to have been a political ploy for election purposes and the govern- ment, because it espous- ed BCRIC so fervently, must be judged by its own words and its own standards, Howard said. I know the govern- ment tends to blame the world economic situa- tion from time to time and blames that situation for our economic prob- lems, but it must be kept in mind that the stock markets keep going up while BCRIC keeps go- np down, Howard add- ed, open on Sundays. I feel we should remain boss in our own house (Terrace). boycott the stores that are open on Sundays and take the law in our own hands by ignoring the Supreme Court’s deci- sion. Your council has the right to renew your bylaw concerning shop- ping hours and days. You should protect the worker and his/her fami- ly. This is our civil right. If our rights are opposed to the capitalist rights, then, in my estimation, the rights of the little guy should come first. Six days shopping should be enough for businessmen to get rich. I bélieve you also have a duty to protect the small cornerstore keepers who are trying to make a liv- ing and must stay open all week. ] am looking for some drastic action on your part. Bill Homburg Terrace, B.C. Expo to provide unique business showcase To the editor, Expo 86 represents a unique business oppor- tunity for all British Col- umbtans to showcase our Province and its poten- tial for further economic development. The Ministry of Inter- national Trade and In- vestment, through a Business Visitors Pro- gram, is determined to turn that potential into reality. A series of six mailings is now being sent to more than 30,000 business, industry and government leaders in 60 countries around the world inviting them to visit British Columbia during Expo 86 ‘‘to see, to grasp, and to profit from the business oppor- tunities inherent in this world exposition and throughout our Prov- ince”’. On Tuesday, Feb. 18, my Ministry, in co- operation with the Cen- tral Coastal Regional District, presented the Business Visitors Pro- gram to the Terrace District business and community leaders at the Inn Of The West. At this presentation, residents saw and heard how they could become actively involved in pro- moting Expo 86 as a business event with significant short and long-term economic benefits to their organization and to British Columbia. Don Phillips Minister of International Trade & Investment Posters to be returned Betty Campbell, of the B.C. Heart Fund, is re- questing the return of several posters she lent to a gentleman during the Regional districts under review Municipal Affairs Minister Bill Ritchie has announced that a com- mittee will be struck to develop legislative pro- posals arising from the evaluation of regional districts soon to be com- pleted by former Min- ister of Municipal Af- fairs Dan Campbell. The committee, to be chaired by Campbell, will be made up of local government officials with expertise in the area of regional districts. It will make recom- mendations in the form of proposed amend- ments to regional district legislation based on the findings of the review. “The committee will use Campbell’s review as the basis for a major up- dating of the role of regional districts in our province,” said Ritchie. Campbell began the review in 1983 and has completed his evaluation of all but three of the 28 regional districts in the province, He was given the task of determining if regional districts were providing services in an efficient and cost effec- tive manner. The recommendations of the committee will be introduced as amend- ments to the Municipal Act during the spring sit- ting of the house. The course of ‘legislative change will then follow the con- sultative process that proved so successful with Bill 62, recently enacted in the last session. The amendments will be open to comment Heart Fund’s recent display at the Skeena Mall. Campbell said the posters were given out Saturday, Feb. 15. The individual who ‘has them can contact Campbell at 635-5221. from local government and the public through the summer of 1986, ful- ly discussed at the UBCM convention in September, adjusted ac- cording to the results of this process, and enacted in the late fall session. “This process will en- sure that the legislation is realistic, relevant and timely,’’ said Ritchie.