Al2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 5, 1994 Gitksan budget small potatoes, says Ryan AN OFFICE sect up by the Gitksan to support treaty negotia- tions begins operations with a budget of $1.172 million. But Gitksan chief negotiator Don Ryan says that's small com- pared to the government response to land claims. “Every federal department and ~ every ministry has added big, large sections just to deal with this,’’ he said. “It’s a massive in- dustry.” Employing about 15 people, the Gitksan Treaty Office (GTO) opened early in September. It results direcily fom the political agreement signed in June this year between B.C. and the Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en to ne- goliate a treaty about ownership, jurisdiction and self-government. Initial funding of $1.172 mil- lion comes from a combination of grants and loans. The province contributes 20 per. cent of the costs aS a grant, and the federal government provides the remain- ing 80 per cent as a loan to be paid back out of the eventual teaty settlement. The money will pay salaries of GTO workers plus the six- member negotiating team. Support staff in the GTO in- ‘clude Merle Greene (executive director), Doug Donaldson (com- munications director), Gary Pat- sey (senior researcher), Alice Jef- frey (house coordinator), Russell Collier (map technician), and Kathy Holland (librarian), Negotiators include"Don Ryan, Jim Angus, Elmer Dertick, Ray Jones, Neil Sterritt and Ardythe Wilson. Commission mum on claim budget ALTHOUGH the Gitksan have no problem discussing operat- ing budgets for the Gitksan Treaty Office, that openness isn’t shared by the B.C. Treaty Comission. Charged with overseeing the negotiation process between B.C. native groups and the fed- eral and provincial govern- ments, the commission handles all money matters under the Working documents and budgetary information will be kept confidential, and it’s not clear whether it will ever be- come public. “T?’s a question of the Public Information Act,’ he said. | To date, 41 separate native groups have been accepted into the Treaty Commission process. They’ve each filed notice of in- tent to negotiate a treaty. The first installment should cover the costs of part of the treaty talks, Ryan said. “That’s for the duration of Stage one, two and three. That should get us to the framework agreement plus negotiations on the framework agreement.” The cost of the GTO was among the items discussed at a Sept. 14 meeting in Kitwanga. “Everybody knows how much we got,” Ryan said. He wasn’t clear on how much his salary will be. “*That’s something I’m working on now,’’ he said. ‘That will all be public.”’ Ryan also said the public would be surprised to leam how much is being spent on the Gitksan nego- tiations alone — even he can’t figure it out. “Its amazing. EF can’t jie it down, because there are people who are assigned directly to the ’ file and technical people, but a lot of it is done by support people from the various ministries."” For example, at a treaty meeting on Sept. 9, the room was full of federal and provincial officials — 15 to 25 — with about five Gitksan, according to Ryan. And in bi-lateral talks between the Gitksan and the province for forest use agreements, he added, seven different ministries are represented at the table. The final figure is hard to break down, Ryan said, but was sure a lot of taxpayers’ money is being wasted. Your Image | Is Our Concern Only 1 salon offers you 11 Stylists 4 Estheticians +All Esthetic services, including electrolysis. with no stripes. ~ *Stand up tanner that gives you complete tanning — Friendly services by professionals who care, because at Images... Your image is our concern. process. Bill Winnett, chief financial officer with the commission, said releasing financial informa- tion about a particular native group could threaten negotia- tions. “This information could be prejudicial to the interests of another first nations in the pro- vince, Many have overlapping claims with each other,’’ Win- nett said. “There’s a whole bunch of reasons this.information has to be kept confidential because they are in tie process of nego- tiating with some -of their fellow first nations as well,” MORE THAN JUST ENTERTAINMENT. iN TNJ SOUND SYSTEMS STEP UP T0 Woop HONE Th i Talk to the ENTERTAINMENT Injuries Stop Here. Adjust Your Head Rest and Buckle Up. Tk p Road sense Pt if Good Guys at TING Sound for * 100 Watsfchannel stereo 70 Watts x 2 front all your audio surround, 30 Watts ) cen and needs, We'll Walis{channe! rear " * Dalby 3 CH sleren | show you a ful g * Adjustable delay time + 30 FM/AM presets line of + Rolry CD player can Kenwood ¥ replace 4 discs during | ay Surround * Mull-Edit mode * 32track CD memory Sound play KR 794 Dolby KENWOOD | - DPR 894 5-Disc Pro-Logic eee _«Rotary CD Player Surround Receiver + JL-545 3-Way ° KXW 594 Double Speaker System Cassette Deck of - AUDIO/VIDEO SOUND SYSTEM V-794 MSC A Great Value At Onlystevscervseieessneues Oey 099” TNJ SOUND SYSTEMS (¢7 638-1200 SS Es =) Downtown Terrace Open unt: 7pm Monday - Friday © Saturday 9am-4pm.: " 4652 Lazelle Ave. 635-4997 = Si N ‘NS The Terrace & District Chamber of Commerce is frosting the 1994 NORTH x NORTHWEST ANNUAL GENERAL ‘simNG AND CONVENTION . ROPED INTO” | THEN XNW Thursday, October 13, Friday, October 14 and Saturday October 15, 1994 at the Terrace Inn * ‘SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: ‘eunject to chance) . Thursday, October 13 Registration - Terrace Inn WELCOME RECEPTION - Terrace Inn (entertainment by Cy Sterrit - Hee Haw!) Free to everyone. Sponsored by the City af Terrace Friday, October 14 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm 8:00 am- 10:00am _ Registration - Terrace Inn 8:15 am-9:15am: FIRST TIMERS BREAKFAST - Terrace Inn (Bright ideas!) 9:30 am- 11:46am HUMORIN THE WORKPLACE - Terrace In - Linda Gomez — 12 noon-1:30 pm — Luncheon Presentation - Terrace Inn - Rodd McCormick, Mariager, a EDUCATIONAL SERVICES - Ministry of Tourism |< 3../2 : 1:45 pm - 3:00pm | SEMINAR .- Terrace Inn - Effective Marketing and Presentation “Dov Smith OR wel SEMINAR - Terrace Inn - Labor Code - Employment Standards - ‘Michael Wile. 3:30 pm - 5:00pm OPTIONAL TOUR of Heritage Park and Northern Lights Studio” Moe 7:00 pm- 9:00pm CHUCK WAGON EXPRESS - Terrace Tin (Get a taste of the true “Old V West”), 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm KITSELAS DANCERS (a visual taste of history) ° Saturday, October 15 : 10:00 am - 11:45 am “CRACKER-BARREL”- Terrace Inn (your chance to speak up on any ‘isaue) 12 Noon - 1:30pm - OLD FASHIONED “BOX LUNCH?” - Terrace Inn (Networking & fun. Don't miss it) 1:45 pm - 3:30pm . Nx NW ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS - Terrace Inn): cabal 3:45 pm- 4:15pm. Nx NW Bonrd of Directors Meeting , : 6:00 pm- 7:00 pm PRESIDENTS RECEPTION - Coast Inn of The West (string quartet for dining pleasure) Sponsored by the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine °° 2 y 7:00 pm AWARDS BANQUET AND AUCTION - Const Inn of the West | Full Delegates and Spousale Delegates ard invited to attend all events and functions listed on the schedute. If you are unable to atlend the entire convention, components can be purchased from Nx NW Staffat ihe Host Hotel - The Terrace Inn: Non-Member Registration $225 + ss ‘Member Registration $175 +ss1 HOSTED BY: Fp TERRACE & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE “A Whole Lot In Terrace...A Whole Lot In Store For You.” P.O. Box 107, Terrace, BC V8G 4A2 (604) 635-2063