The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 3, 2003 - A5 rs 3 SHOOTING on the set of Insomnia at the Bear Glacier, near Stewart, in 2001. Al Pacino was filmed in this Jeep falling asleep while trying to unravel a mystery set in small town Alaska. Film commissioners hope to attract more big-budget pictures to northern B.C. We should be In movies Film industry promoter dazzled by northwestern B.C.’s location potential ~ By JENNIFER LANG THE MOONSCAPE of the Nass Valley lava beds was one standout in a star-studded tour of the northwest’s natural sur- roundings, says the woman who markets the north as a lo- cation for big-budget movie productions. ‘Prince George Film Commis- sioner Karen Cameron embarked _ ona driving tour here in June to. acquaint herself with the region. She returned to her home base filled with a new appreciation for ‘the northwest’s biggest assets: its rugged mountains, winding roads ” and jaw-dropping scenery. “Now that [ve been up there and have seen it, it’s changed everything,” Cameron said. She spent six days touring the northwest by: road, stopping in New .Aiyansh, Gitwinksihlkw, Nass Camp, Stewart, Hazelton, Kitimat, Prince Rupert and even Shames Mountain and Smithers. Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed ” Park.was a standout, “It was just stunning,” Camer- on said, adding that she'd seen photographs of Canada’s most re- cent lava flow before, but they didn't prepare her for the sheer size. “T was just speechless.” She was also amazed by the beauty of the Nisga'a Highway and thinks car companies will be, too. “Once they pave that, that is a total car commercial location,” she said. Car companies expend huge budgets in order to shoot commer- cials” against spectacular back- drops in remote locations. Nortlz- west mountains have provided just the right setting (try Nepal, com- plete with yak-toting herdsman in one recent example) for more than one truck commercial. But the super scenery formula it’s not so cut-and-dry when it comes to scouting out potential mavie locations. While she was on the road, Cameron snapped more than 500 . digital photographs of potential locations in northwestern B.C. — images that will become part of a new, digital library al the Prince George Film Commission. Cameron said her priority for the next 10 months will be build- ing a. digitized library that’s quickly becoming the industry _ standard, “There’s a tot of wark to do,” she said. But once it’s complete, it will be simple to search the da- tabase and email suitable images to clients. She found Prince Rupert’s old buildings remi- niscent of San Francisco, while Kitimat’s old hospital seems to suggest a fitting backdrop for a horror movie or as an insane asylum. Two years ago, a Hollywood production chose the Bear Glacier near Stewart for a four-day shoot on the movie /nsomnia, only be- cause the glacier is uniquely si- tuated next to a highway. That, Cameron said, is unusual. Most production companies choose locations for a variety of Teasons. Some make sense, Other factors can be more difficult to determine. “If the director’s wife likes to shop in Vancouver, the director is hot going to Toronto.” Along with the Nass Valley's lava beds, Cameron was impres- sed with the movie star potential of several other northwest loca- lions. She found Prince Rupert's old buildings reminiscent of San. Francisco, while Kitimat’s old hospital seems to suggest a fitting backdrop for‘a horror movie or as an insane asylum, The Hagwilget Bridge spanning the Bulkley River between New and Old Hazelton was another im- pressive site. Cameron's role as commissio- ner is to market the north asa lo- cation for film productions and commercials. She praised her local contacts, including Brian Baker and Glenda Lamarche at the Terrace Econo- | mic Development Authority and Andrew Webber, manager of spe- cial projects at the regional dis- trict, describing them as very bu- siness oriented and supportive. “They understand the chal- lenges of shooting in the-north and they understand that we’re doing the best we can.” Cameron says local govern- ments here also’ understand that courting film productions is money well spent. The Prince George Film Cam- mission opened in 1997, and it's cost about $850,000 in total to operate. Since then, northern B.C. has seen $18 million in film pro- jects. “Its free money, -it’s clean money, it’s Hollywood,” Cameron said. “What's not to like?” It's now year three of a market- ing agreement between the com- munities of northwest B.C. and the Prince George Film Commission that’s worth $10,000 a year. The Kitimat Stikine Regional District and the Terrace Economic Development Authority each kick in $2,000. Kitimat, Smithers and Prince Rupert contribute to the annual marketing agreement, too. North could brand itself Derrick said businesses Partnership idea advanced as way to unite northemers and boost economy By JEFF NAGEL ABORIGINAL | ieaders hope to develop a “Northern Partnership” - brand to foster economic stability and growth. - The idea is to have all northerners — aboriginal or not — work toward a shared vision to’ guide northern --development, says Gitxsan chief negotiator Elmer. Derrick, , ‘If that common vision 1s possible, it would then help bring certainty - and that can then become a marketing tocl to promote -the region to investors and - customers. “We have to find a way to keep people here,” Der- rick says. ; “We can’t say tourism ds the magic bullet. We can’t say forestry or ~ mining is the magic bullet. But all ‘of those things have to be part of the picture.” - Geographically defined : branding, Derrick says, has ~ Been: extremely successful in focusing global atten- ‘tion on the central coast, which’ environmentalists dubbed the Great Bear Rainforest. Rather than blocking logging, a shared set of values for development of the north could become a powerful trademark or brand to promote the area. Derrick said all signa- tory businesses could use it to promote their products or services. The concept is being advanced through the Northwest Tribal Treaty (NWTT) group. It’s a collaboration of First Nations from across the north, in much the same way as the North Central Municipal Asso- “Northerners know better than anyone what works in the north.” ciatlon is the joint lobby group of northern mayors and councils, The project has been FORGING partnerships: Northwest Tribal Treaty co- chairs Justa Monk {left) and Gerald Wesley (right) signed a protocol agreement with Ted Armstrong of the North Central Municipal Association this spring. given $500,000 for three years worth of work from the B.C. Economic Mea-— sures Fund, an arm of the provincial ltealy negotia- tions office. Overseeing the project will be Dr. Ken Whyte, who will be based in Ter- race as the NWTT's pro- . ject director for its econo- mic strategy initiative:- Aboriginal. groups and . other partners are to work to share existing economic development plans and strategies as a starting point. A series of meetings across the north would ensue to begin forging the shared vision. The plan fits the Gitx- san and now the B.C. Lib- eral government’s philoso- phy of trying to gradually build on-the-ground cer- tainly for investment now rather than walting . for treaties to address aborigi- nal claims. need to see the aboriginal character of the north as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. The project sounds like it could sag under the weight of process. But the stated goals are laid out in unbureacratic language in a March 20 paper. It says the aim is to achieve a new kind of. cer- tainty — not what it calls the “grudging” type of cer- tainty that can emerge from treaties laying oul what is “yours and mine” but rather a declaration that it’s all “ours.” ‘“Northerners: know bet- ter than anyone what works in the north and what type of development is consistent with the tra- ditional values of First Na- ‘tions and the values of all northerners that have been shaped by this beautiful and demanding region we share,” it says. “These values are what will shape a new direction for. the north and its people,” , The Mail Bag We need to compete Dear Sir: A few years ago | was employed by a forest company that sold some of its products to Japan and Korea. During that time I travelled to those countries lo meet with cur customers. On a trip to Korea in 1993 I was told by a Korean businessman that they would not be able to continue buying forest products in Canada and the USA if the costs of those products continued to go up. It was his opinion that costs in North America were completely our of control. It was only a short time after that trip thal we no longer could sell our forest products in Korea, as indeed our costs did continue to go up. They found cheaper forest products. This problem is definitely not something that only affects our ability to sell Forest products. This problem has now affected every type of business in North America. We are no longer able to compete in the world market place as our costs continue to go up. Thousands of people are: losing their jobs every month as large companies either downsize or close down completely. We ‘are getting very close to the complete collapse of the North American economy and it will take the complete co-operation of everyone if this collapse is to be avoided. We must find ways to lower the cost of doing business in this country. If this is to happen we must all lower our expectations. If we are not willing to do this I have no doubt it will only be a few years before we face a depression as bad_and probably worse than the one in the 1930s. It is up to you and me. Do we lower our expectations a little now or give up everything a few years down the road. Brian Mould, Kitwanga, B.C. Use our power wisely ; Dear Sir: I have an idea, As a reader of your paper ri have “observed the various goings on in this region of B.C. - We are acting like a three-year-old having a tantrum. Instead of unions against business, business against unions, school boards vs. Christian schools, . politicians and their constituents duking it out in the paper, we should all be putting our heads together to explore ways of returning this area back to an economically viable and attractive place for individuals and businesses. No wonder with all of the antics going on in this paper we are unable lo attract businesses. Families are leaving in a mass exodus, In the past while we saw the power outages in Ontario and eastern U.S. Ontario has proven that it is unable to guarantee power and its quick return to normal usages. However, south of the border, no problems. According to news reports on TV, large corporations are re-thinking their locations in Ontario for their ‘operations as they need that guarantee. T understand that Alcan wishes to begin selling off ils power supply and there are objections to this due to possible job losses. My idea — to have all of the local city councils, chambers of commerce, economic development officers, aboriginal leaders, businesses and unions work together to design a package that would attract and meet the needs of these large corporations (a new © home and electricity). The people of this region would get jobs and Alcan would get its wish quickly before these corporations tun south. It’s just an idea. , Joni Andrews, Terrace It’s runway envy Dear Sir: I cannot believe this (‘Airport eyes even longer runway,” The Terrace Standard, Aug. 20, 2003). Once again, how many long range aircraft will land in Terrace or for that matter Prince George? This is 2003. Please not not waste money to lengthen the runway beyond Terrace’s needs. Money will only go to the people. that lengthen the runway, which is fine for awhile . Get real, Mr. Fraser Mackie. Norm Stack, Richmond, B.C, Don’t bash unions Dear Sir: I'm getting tired of reading all the union bashing. In particular Gordon Blakeburn (“Unions have it wrong,” letter to the editor, Aug. 27, 2003) who thinks he knows all about those greedy unions because he worked in one for three whole years. It seems like because our economy is in the toilet everyone is looking for someone to blame. With our current anti- union government, unions are an easy scapegoat. A union is nothing more than a group of individuals who choose to bargain as a group. It is not a cull and we do not work into a frenzy and beat our chests. At least at none of the mectings I’ve been to. I'm not saying [ agree or disagree with the stand that the Eurocan workers have taken but it is a legal strike and if the Petrocan employee was a union member than he should be obligated not to crass the line, It’s a matter of solidarily as the driver could be the one walking the picket line next. If Gordon spent a little more than three years in a trade union and actually. talked to some of the older members he'd realize why many of the older generation support their local. Not only did many of them fight to get a fair wage, not piles of mancy as some may think.’They know unions were needed in the past and will be needed in the future to ensure fair treatment for all. What keeps businesses, big and small, going is customers that can afford to make purchases because they make a decent wage. It’s time we stop laying blame (there’s enough to go around), roll up our sleeves and get to work so we can get this economy rolling again. ; Clay Dunsford, Terrace, B.C. About the Mail Bag The Terrace Standard welcomes letters. Our address is 3210 Clinton St., Terrace, B.C, V8G 5R2, You can fax us at 250-638-8432 or e-mail us at newsroom @ terracestandard.com. No attachments, please. We need your name, address and phone number for verification. Our deadline is noon Friday or noon Thursday if it's a long weekend.