A4 - The Terese Stanas Wednesday, August " 2004

STANDARD

UESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1988

- PUBLISHER: ROD LINK

a ‘ADDRESS: 3240,Clinton Street Terrace, 8.C..* VG SR2
TELEPHONE: (250) 638-7283 « FAX: (250) 638-8432.
: ue WEB: www.terracestandard. com ;

EMAIL: néwsfoom@terracestandard.. com na a ” de of

SHELL CANADA’ s venture. into the Klappan
-coalfields north of here in search of natural ‘gas
is far from: Jed Clampett’ S: “up: from the. ground
came some bubbling criide” ‘lucky: shot on the
Beverly. Hillbillies television show’ s. Opening s Se-
quence... a

Exploring: for: natural’ as i in. the. Klappan (the
product is termed coalbed, methane’ because itis.
found with coal): i is one. thing. Finding: ‘enough,
of it to justify a ‘commercial: ‘venture. is another:

Extracting coalbed. natural gas is new to Can-
ada. Generally speaking, ‘it requires more wells |
to produce’ ‘the: game. amount’ of. ‘coalbed gas
: compared © ‘to. more ‘conventional. ‘natural : gas |
pumping methods...

‘There’ ‘are several “pilot projects: ‘in B: G. but |: .
none have reached the: commercial: stage .as ‘of, _
yet. And: there. are tricky environmental, consid-

erations involved.’

But: it does “represent. ‘the first sign in’ the -
northwest’ of: the provincial goverment’ 8 plan; ie
aided by. industry-wide: tax deferrals and other.
incentives, ‘to steer the.‘search for. oil. and. Bas:

away. from the northeast to other locations:

The Klappan, ‘in the Bowser. Basin, and: ‘the .

Nechako | ‘Basin,

. potentially lucrative oil and. gas deposits.

This does. not. discredit the continuing: horth-
east oil: and: gas” ‘bonanza. Tt: is’ simply: smart”
~ business to. prevent ; all of, B.C.’ 8. energy industry 1

cegs from being placed i in the same basket,

Shell’s ‘search. in the: Klappan. by. virtue of. re

"successfully, obtaining eight years: ‘of. exclusive ;
Sew. CEQ,: picked: by: the - Lib-:
~erals: to run. the company ; likey:
a ‘business, Nick -Geer, left: his.
=e job as

exploration. rights: Is. also. ‘a ‘counterpoint: ‘to the: -
lengthy ‘debate’ about lifting: the: ‘™oratoria: avon

offshore. oil and | gas: exploration.

CS.

activity by the end of this decade; a ‘sort of care
- bon fuel-based. Olympic. medal haul... oe

. _south.’ and’ west: of Prince: oe
George, are two.such. locations which. contain, Be

Early. on“in ‘his. mandate, - premier. Gordon’ :

- Campbell ‘said he’d like to. see ‘some offshore’ ~* grumbling. Bur

Lig summer: ‘hes “was. ‘pushed. out

“VICTORIA = Look for. ICBC.

-tion.to Bet, a makeover by the’
., Liberal” government,” a_tisky.

me an election:

BS CBC's Brip. ‘and ‘let. private: in-
_surance_ companies grab a big-

 eanipaign, platform: : included a

. reduce - ‘Motor, vehicle. Premie
ums."
That hasn’ t 1 happened.

iin. ‘As. the. Liberals: took
52 Over, > private ~ car -
_yales-‘were- soaring’ actoss Can-

"*vada-and ‘becoming’ a major. po-.

: “litical” ‘problem . for: provincial’
: “governments. ‘ But>

tem: Was; Working. :

yan’ imto'a problem in ICBC's -

“vice-president: ©

ae ae Timmy Pattison’ empire to run
“The: previous: NDP. provincial ‘government. | , peace

opened: the door to that: possibility and the. cur=.
‘rent . provincial... Liberal - administration * has]
- charged: through, gathering. both allies and crits ce

“ ‘JIcac.
_ ‘the: company; he’ decided: the ~

which is_-tiny:: = served: ICBC .
and, its Customers: well. © .

~ Geer: “won. the: battles “for. a:
“time, . -despite-;. government
“earlier, - this.

~That’s not likely‘ to” ‘happen. The: list of “prob a = sh ~~

lems associated with offshore oil and gas are
long and: -Gomplicated.: Ownership: ‘of. ‘whatever.
‘may. lie beneath the seabed, has yet. to be settléd |
* between. the provincial.and federal governments |.
_and native groups has- -yet: tobe: decided: - Parallel. ae

' shore. indiistry..
fairly troublesome:

“ject is evidence. of that. State ya

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Sarving the Tettdce and Therntill area, Pobished on Wada = a ‘ach viaek al 3210 Sinton Sire Totrace,-
_ British Columbia, V8G 52. :. vo
Stories, phdtegraphs, ilusttaltons, designs and ijpetivies In tha Terrace Stindatd are thé property al tha. Loopy: fl:
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And environmental’ impacts ae, ne

INTERN REPORTER: Rehecca Collard

Noonan. :
aT ¥yive

one. thing - “right.

me: red: sidewalk” ‘mailboxes -.

always. open : and: ‘close the |
“hopper: twice:to make: sure my
‘Jetter had. dropped into. the box 7
“out Of sight) 6 0°

‘: Saturday Forengon:

pulled 7

‘oe down. the- hopper ‘of the: out-of-
| town's mailbox -next”:to: Shop=, 7
1 pers: ‘Upside down o'the steel °° N¢
if ‘lay’ two’ largewhite envelopes. f
BO ] could have examined the two dini
: “end-to-end,
our, numbers. Alter. ‘breakfast.

‘tinations ¢-and" “origi, veven
qnerely :made. ‘sure. ‘both’ det
rs.- and: “Mine: disappeared. 0
: gether. wy

Are, we “Canadians to inst

things to work Properly?

ARE WE THERE.

ARE We THERE,

. to be. the” next Crown: corpora-”

-” move in the last: months before. a

~The Liberals“ ‘want. to. loosen oe |

ger: ‘share of the 'business.Their - -.
«pledge. to introduce” “gieater | 7

; ; competition in auto: insurance, _ :
lO create increased Choice and. |

SFROM THE CAPITALS
“Part .-of the. problem © ‘was s

“insurance _

in. BC,
rales ‘were. ‘stable: and the sys

“The: ‘privatization: push also"

in JEAN CHRETIEN got at “least: a
When’. yous)
‘have proof, :and: ; your know-you :.":'},
vhave‘a. proof,: -you-have. a. proof, Jub
; Saturday I. had’: proof of]

7 somethin that’s’ long: wi d o-
to this is how ‘to: divide: the. revenue pie, -evenif |: a. IB Worle’.
something. is found: Unlike » ‘dryland drilling, |.

there’s no ‘regulatory’ regime in- ‘place. for‘an off- |)

“can’t be: trusted: to’ ‘swallow...
“Jetters’ beyond::the teach’ of un- >
“7? authorized. personiel.’. ede
“For years ‘Pye fretted ‘about an ee

“one of my letters : adhering: wo
. where. someone: could reach it,..
_ By far the best bet fort new. oil and. ‘gas exttac-

oat read. ity: even" loss” ‘it: away. ‘To ns
tion. remains on: dry: land. Shell’ $8, ‘Klappan Pro-.

-opened’ and: read. them. Adidas)

~ Before. driving: out. of the:
parking” lot,. my husband: veal
ized he :was. missing ‘a medical
_ item: Had he) deft i i upstairs? :

——_

PAUL WILLCOCKS .

- With: a.. $450,000 severance
“package oy ae
ICBC board member | Ted’
‘ Smith, 8 ‘former broadcast .in-:
“dustry executive, : ‘blamed the.
"government. “In all my “years:

in: business, Thave: never, ‘seen.
a. more Stupid move in’ any.
company: or corporation, pub-
lie“ or- private,’ he told’; the’

! Vancouver Sun? 8. Vaughn Pal
mer.

“Geers “ikély “successor is.

helping: the Liberals. Cut: cdsts..
since -he ‘was brought in right:

i after the election.
And after: ‘aking. a. ‘Took at m

Taylor’ ‘helped “gpeathead

“the: Klein- ‘government's ” cost: *
"current level’ “of. competition “eutting - -Moves;,” and” has - done ..
“the same ‘thing. for: the Liberals -
+ as finance :deputy minisi¢r. His:
Q government : ‘role has: just been’:
-eut back, -clearing: the way. ‘for ~
the leap to ICBC; where he'll”

Push. the, Liberal: plan: to” 0 shrink =

THROUGH BIFOCALS
 CLAUDETTE SANDECKI ’

Take the Best “Western Ho- ©
tel

second: flogr,

re ‘Toomy. shoving ‘tables

FoR Gawo's ae

.. fuse after ~
in. Saskatoon .where we.
2 overnighted attending “a family».
‘-retinion, Four- of our, .farnilies..
. Tegistered ° for ‘rooms. on the

: especially
Ol: accommiddale:

“he:
counier?’ Or “goes” ‘round the:
corner. ofa. produce: display 10°
fila: bag With apples while: her,
“ cart: ‘is blocked from: cher. view,

the corporation’ s role, ° é
~ [t's an, initiative that ‘should oo
have -Liberal MLAs. cringing. ...
- The Campbell: government has.
_ stumbled into-a'string of prob-. =
lems with its’ plans: for Crown.
7 corporations, with ‘the current’. -
“BC Ferries’, furore’ only. the Tat:
“- esl 7.

“another one, so close: to the
election, « seems ° ‘highly: ‘risky.

corporation. that’ ‘touches.

Family: in the province.:

- The idea “of: competition ‘is:

appealing; ‘because . ‘without -it

_ consumers: will: qieyer. ‘know if,
~‘they’ re paying. too". ‘much - for:
‘their ‘car; insurance, The: basic ee
- principle, ‘that competing com-"
“panies ‘will: produce; innovation ~.:
and “benefits. for: _Sonsumer, .

"makes good: sense.

“entire, insurance. market.
Optionai-. ‘insurance.

/ example. :

Open.. tO. “competition,”

‘the path of least resistance’ and o
~ buy. their optional “coverage™ -
“from the Crown: \ corporation as 7

oY asked: i Hen

searched: under: ihe: beds.
- When; I came , downstairs

- empty: handed,’ 1- ‘expected’ a
scene. Instead my husband: was
joking, with ’,Helen. ..
found the item in his pocket. a
/ was, i
’ “How easy: it had: been’ ta ‘re- feast expect. ite oy
We: ‘shopped * ‘the €o! FOP store. ee

“terrorist: gone back to irigger aot: ‘poked. through 4 aetond, mee

my “family © “was 7

My." second thought: :

~~ gain ‘entry. to: the whold ‘second ONG
_ floor. Suppose “[: had. ‘beena.

safe?” aan

Crazy), sure: Bul r a bet en- 7
try. wouldn't have ‘been. so easy--
“had the hotel been in, + the U. Se.
~ +> Britain, or Israel.. 2
For, sires Women’ ‘are. far too:
1 prasting aoa, ‘their. handbags, ©
“supermarkets.
Ever: swalch a a “womat leave. her
: handbag 4 in: the lop, part-of her!)

scart: while she: strolls.
“lengih- of the’:

“Taking a" : fling. at terfiaking

."pointment’ ‘sends a. signal “that.” 7
= “the the” Liberals. think the - toughest.” no
" coverigg lo: Pay for.repairs,. for.
- theoretically. wn
But =
ACBC's grip onthe. basic .cov-.!

"erage meaits ‘most people take: a
“ding: $262,000 . ‘to: run ICBC, are

the ‘repistiac” ;
~ ‘tion: clerk, for our key card:and °
- raced upto our:rodin to. check:
~ -every” counter ‘and. nightstand, in
‘Nothing, On hands cand. knees: 1°

. available’.

‘He: had os

“meat: © ee
- Opportunity fo-ruin ‘your. : lifes. 0 oe

ED You. KNOW
“AS WELL ASL
DO WE'RE Nor
i VEN: CLOSE To |

“LABOUR, DAY AND.
THE. START ¢ OF

‘tit ain’ ‘t broke, don’t fix it

“well, The result. is: that private:
companies © “have: about’ IS" per.
“cent “of the: oplional ‘coverage,
‘a percentage that: hasn't ‘really:
changed -under the Liberals. .°-~

Crunch the’ siumbers, “and®

per. cent of. the total: vehicle. in
“. surance * ‘market. “That's,
: meaningful competition.” me

- But ideology. aside,’ the.gov-:

ernment has.” been’: unable to’ ©
Especially when it's aCrown
the’.
~ pocketbook. of. “almost. “every.

“surance.” (Asked » what: effect: .
that “would -have, ~ Geer. ‘said’

“You: would. find. chaos: in® the ey
marketplace, you would: proba- me

~ bly -:see.
ICBC.
The: ‘Crown: ‘corporation has
“seut costs, Taised ralesby-about -
13 \per: cent” over. ‘three: years”
and: reduced ‘the’ level of covers

‘bankrupte :

oe BBE ‘and generally : ‘seems to re-~

. Right now there is.-0, ‘real nt
“competition in Car’ insurance in.
_BCHICBC has ‘a monopoly on ©
“basic: ‘insurance —.the coverage
“you: must “have -to’ cover. the.
Paul : “Taylor, ..who--has beens :costs of ‘dealing: With: injuries:
resulting: -from:) a “\car:s-oragh::;.-
"That's ‘about: 60: per cent’. af the _

main --well- viewed “by. British :
Columbians. - « 2
“Tt hardly seems ike. the. kirid oy

~ebfiniiént. “would “want to -méss
awithrtin the” runupd

May’ s election,
 Footridte: Taylor’

“paid: $200, 000; Geer: Was’ gel:

“with: hefty. bonus potential.
_ wwilleacks @ultranet.c ca ne

. grapefruit?: . a

and’ debit “card. sit. “invitingly ©
to vany~

-her-cart, thrust her: handbag un-., |
“der his:jacket- and nonchalantly”
Teave ‘the store,-

-Then again, : “people” ‘can: be
amazingly’. “honest ‘when = you 2

- way. home, Our’ excursions must
‘have taken 30° minutes: oF more,

rinkets ‘and: gifts for the. family.
were: “still. where we ‘had e
them. ° :

ecent;

«helpful rather.

- bird” Who ‘newer , Passe’

- Because: of that: odd: bird, “al. -
‘ways check to be sure’ your let-
“ter: has” ‘slipped. into the, tail,
POR ES ae

P pas Row

'. Special thanks to: all. our contributors ‘and. carespondenia 7

oatre inthe HN

aa ee:

WE Disues]
My POINT AT
THE oRrzOU

XMAS Tens:

; you RETHE any
ARELEFT OUT |
SAUL YEAR |

‘ADULT MALE.
WEARING SHIRTS tes

“you firid ICBC: has‘cloge to 95°.

_ justify selling off ICBC or end= me
cing sits” ‘monopoly - on. basic. in-:..

-of-thing. that. an unpopular’ gov- > Pages

- part,of ‘the cost-cutting program =... ‘
are behind- them. Italso- could. 2
“ mean’ a big’: -Taise: Taylor, Ws

oy. ‘thoubtains - or oranges: an : av

s Tritent -on> selecting” perfect oe :
Spartans, ‘she lets’ her ‘wallet: 6.0"

thief avho- “ . Pe
would’ tisk.:a- quick ‘scoop’ into /.'.".

 All-that ‘time: Thad forgotten to. oi ie
lock ° my: truek’ door. "Yet: both -
2. the truck and-its many. vacation

“Folks “are,” for the: most: pant feeey ":
‘thane 17
‘hurtful. Then: thete’s.: ‘that. “odd oy