re ee nee Some, By GAIL DOTINGA Herald Staff Writer Terrace’s economy will remain much the same in 1961 as it was in 1980 with no big upswings or downturns expected. Ken Yendall, director of the Canada Employment Centre in Terrace, says the 3.5 per cent growth rate expected for all of B.C. will ‘also hold for Terrace. : “We expect some grawth here but not a lot," he said. “Mostly we'll just be holding our own." Yendall added that 3.5 per cent growth rate is- better than whatis predicted for other ~ parts of the country. . * One of the areas where growth might occur is in construction. He says it is quite strong, especially in Kitimat with the Ocelot methanol plant, LEGISLALLVE LIchaky, PaRLLAMENT PULLULhus, VICTORIA, [%.C., vev-1X4 but also in Terrace with residential building. “It could be a good year for construction but union contracts in the industry are also coming up this year,” he said. , The forest industry is still Terrace’s largest employer and the pulp market is expected to remain good in 1991, Other segments of the industry, _ logging but not much | and sawmill operations, will depend on the American economy as _well as on the interest rates. : “If the housing market in the States improves then they will be able to sell . their wood,” said Yendall. During the past year he says the companies have stockpiled wood. Right now logging. operations have 361 COMP. 77/78 ro\ been shut down for a month but will resume Jan. 17. No growth in the government here is predicted for 1981. Yendall SAYS with budget ‘restraints, many offices willremain at their present size, The service industry will also not expand in 1981. There might be some in- crease in business when the _toad from Kitsavit is ‘completed next fall but Yendall says it’s hard to forecast how much of an effect it will have. “The stores should notice some increase.”’ The unemployment rate in Terrace is expected to be higher than thal forecast for northern B.C,, which is between 3.5-5.5 per cent but lower than the provincial average of 7.1 per cent. Yendall says the reason for the. lower rates in northern B.C. is that most people who come here already have a job lined up. There will be a shortage of skilled tradesmen in the ‘area as there is throughout the province. “If you are a heavy-duty mechanic or.a sheet metal worker, you should have no h expected h ere problems in finding a. job, " . he said. For the unskilled worker, Yendall suggests looking for a job in the forestry industry or in construction. Last year the Canada Employment Centre in Terrace registered 5,575 people and placed 1,711 of them in jobs. An additional 190 ‘received capual em ployment through, the centre, Open b: :30am- “p> 635-5274 5 (chev Westend mags 1a, 635-1228 "We Satisfy Tummy 4& Tank Westend Food Mart 7 days a week eat | ia RRAC I -KITIMAT \daih bse 75 No. ? Wednesday, Janyary 14, 1981 A oTeM NENDIyg “Complete Office Coffee Service” oodhost 638-1825 4928 Hwy. 16 W. TERRACE J Members of the Happy Gang Center for Senio gave the Daily Herald some of their thoughts on living in our inflationary times Tuesday. They are, left to right, ' Marge Brown, Bill Jensen, Gladys Clifford, Mabel Seniors have to share Terrace senior citizens with an average income of _ $00 per month say that, although they live com- fortably, about 70 per cent ad their pension money ‘goes towards the monthly necessities of food, clothing, shelter and transportation. A group of pensioners at the Happy Gang Center in Terrace told the Herald Tuesday that it is almost impossible for, someone in * thelr income brackel te live alone. “The people who share expenses find it easier lo survive,” they. said. One of the main problem for senlors is the costly expenses. “We just get over Christmas and we get hit by the new ICBC rates, which we think are com- pletely unfalr, 30 we never get ahead,” say the pen- sloners. “The price of oil is out of this world ... it has more than doubled in the last five years; and groceries are getting so high it is becom ng totally ridiculous , supermarkets are throwing out a lot of food because the prices are beyand most people; but everyone has to eal," they bay. Some pensioners are angry thal workers are able to fight for their in- creases through strike action while they must accept what the govern- ment gives them. “Unions . 365 DAYSA YEAR” In Terrace “3s BH Jensen practices his shuffleboard for the Happy Gang Center for Senior Citizens tournaments. Jensen was among the old age are only defealing them- selves by fighting this vicious circle, but it’s we pensioners who really aulfer when prices go up." Although pensioners do have a COLA clause each ‘Inerease only amounts to ‘about $5 af one time and sometimes when they ‘do get a raise the government finds some way of taking -imore money away from them than the increases are worth. One pensioner said she calculated -that she and three other seniors don’t pay enough in income tax to pay for Prime Minister Trudeau’s salary for one month. “I don't kndw how a politician who makes $65,000 a year canexpect us to live on what we gel,” she says. “It must be lovely for Trudeau to say Uhat pen- : Hobenshiéld, Charlie Oliver, Peggy Hildt and Clo Bealle. * Irene Hampion knits in the background. Clarence Steel — and Marg Carlson were also on hand for the discussion. : pensioners to give the Daily Herald in- formation on how seniors are coping with today’s high sioners can have all the food \hey want on their tables if they only cut back on other expenses when he is making the salary he gets ... I don't know haw pensioners can really survive on what they get,” says another pensioner. Some pensioners say thal if they did not work they would be getling less than $100 per month. “I don't know how } could survive cost of living. on my pension if I didn’t work,’ one person sald. "My pension only amounts to $35 a month.” Gladys Clifford, president of the Old Age Pensioners Association in Terrace, says that there are 120 members Involved in the association and the Happy Gang Center. Mosl of these people average from $300 to $400 per month in salaries. Ferries awash in confusion VANCOUVER (CP) — ‘The government-owned B.C. Ferry Corp. was accused Tuesday of piece- meal planning and of Starling a money-losing run with little or no study. A study of the car- poration by. the legislature’s committee on Crown corporations found there is no agreement among directors on any long-range planning, and its new northern service, that is expected ta lose about $5 million a year, was introduced ‘with little or no study" and withaut’a decent look at allernatives. The committee’s report, released Tuesday by chairman Jack Kenspf (SC ~” eonfusing and “below the Standards it would be reasonable to expect of a Crown corporation.’* The report said whatever pricing policy the cor- poration has, if any, could be changed al the whim of cabinet. The deficiencies do not mean the corporation. is poorly managed, Kempf said, but “it could be im- proved,” What is needed, he said, iS more autonomy for. directors, and more ac- countability from them. Under current terms of the Ferry Corporalions Act, any major decisions are subject to alteration by cabinet. A major concern of the | committee, Kempf said, is the formulas used to set- ting fares and apply sub- sidies, and the lack of guidelines for sharing costs between ferry users and taxpayers. He said the. use of passenger miles as op- posed to route miles might provide a more. appro- priate subsidy formula. This, ‘the ‘passenger rather than ve- hicle traffic, thereby im- proving the’ use of currently unused pas- senger capacity “and perhaps delaying the need ’ for investment in new equipment.” Kempf said the new B.C. Ferry run between Prince Rupert and Skidegate in the Queen Charlotte Islands will lose about $5 ; _ Report. wid, “Unight) ‘encourage ithe" corporation « ‘to. attract | million annually, . “That's not to say that we don’t agree with the service (althaugh) we're just wondering whether there couldn't bave been provided a different or better service for that kind of money." The report says the com- miltee now will consider . three possibie courses to make the coporation ship- shape: co ’ “Maintain the status quo, return the ferry system to direct government control as a ministry respon- sibility, or move in. the direction . of enhanced corpora te auta homy- accountability,” The ‘directors have moré autonomy in the, area. of: séiting” fates and“. “Gécidion making | asifar as- routes are: ‘concerned, " Kempt sald. He sald directors should set goals to make it-a well- ‘run business, possibly with — a fiveyear plan. - - The committee also” called for more labor representation on the board, and Kempf said he ’ believes there would be | more harmony in- the Crown corporation if that step was taken.” Nixon Watergate aide fights for his job WASHINGTON (AP) — Alexander Haig called the Watergate scandal “‘illegal and stupid"' Tuesday and denied he was involved in any way as a trusted aide to former president Richard Nixon. Haig. who is President- elect Ronald Reagan's nominee for state secretary, portrayed him- self as a White House chief of staff who fought to keep Nixon from committing criminal acts. Om the fourth day of his confirmation hearlngs before the Senate foreign relations committee, the retired four-star general and former NATO com- mander exploded in anger under persistent questioning from Senator Paul Sarbanes (Dem. Md.) who sought Haig's “value judgments” about the right and wrongs of Watergate. “ET never went along with or supported any thing | believed to be illegal," said Haig, who testified under oath at his own request. Sarbanes asked Haig repeatedly whether he considered Watergate wrong. The senator said he was concerned more about Haig's atlitude toward Nixon's “abuses’’ than about whether Haig was directly involved. Other senators joined in asking that question and finally Haig replied: “It was both illegal and stupid, And I think if’ President Nixon were here, he would say it was stupid." Haig described a3 minoc’ his role in the wiretapping of 17 .Nixon aides and - reporters and in corer at U.S. operations agai Salvador Allende, the late, - Marxist president of Chile. . But Haig defended his’ role in the initlally secret U.S. bombing of Cam- bodian sanctuaries during the Indoching war, INSIDE=. = THE HERALD © A fascinating four years ahead as American, with its automatic reflection on Canada, changes from a dove to hawk. Brian Gregg’s Cornerstone, page 3. Montreal Expo pitcher Sill Lee says he ‘just wants to be happy and sees money as the root of ill-feeling. Archie McDonald of the Vancouver Sun interviewed him for the Canadian Press, Page 7. Pinky Fung was the lone casualty in a hotel fire. How did it happen and what could have saved her? Page 10. ~ Classified ads, pages 8 and 9. Comix, page 4. Dear Abby, page 6. Horoscope, page 6. Crossword, page 6. TV listings, page 10. “must <5 ASNT Catan Aig a?