What a gas | Lighting up your life The government backs off from putting a tax on alternate Cal boys play host Locals provided competitive Here’ s the person who each year atmosphere. a huge weekend hoop : makes Christmas more. fuels\NEWS A7 tournament\SPORTS B7 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 18, 1996 Study paints rosy treaty p A TREATY EFFECTS their own sawmill in the Nass, That UP TO 80 logging jobs here could be lost due to a Nisga’a treaty. But major economic benefits to Terrace and the region should more than make up for those losses. That's the conclusion of the province's study of.the probable effect of the Nisga’a agreement-in-principle on this region. The study concludes job losses in forestry and the commercial fishery will be “relatively minor.” “Same individuals will lose their jobs or may have their incomes reduced because of economic transfers and reductions,” the study says, but adds it may be dif- ficult to determine the cause given other changes in the region. Those peaple are most likely to be loggers in Terrace @ Up to 80 legging jobs could be dis- placed by the Nisga’n takeover of 45,500 hectares of forest land, accounting for about seven per cent of the timber northwest mills depend on each year. @ Because that reduction is spread across various companies, the study does not project any job losses at mills. It notes that the most seriously affect- ed firm, Repap, loses 12 per cent of ils secured timber under the deal, but has compensated for that to a large degree colourful\COMMUNITY B1 through ils purchase of Orenda Forest Products, @ Jobs could be further reduced if the Nisga’a reduce the annual allaw- able cut (AAC) on their lands. The sharpest possible AAC reduction of 45,00 cubic metres over cight years would cost another 20 logging jobs. “However, reductions to the AAC should be expected regardless of the Nisga’a treaty,” it says. M@ After year 10 of a treaty, the Nisga’a have the option of building PROJECTED NISGA’ would create 50 to 100 new jobs, But those jobs could come at the expense of jobs in Terrace if existing companies aren’t able to maintain their timber supplies. M Fisheries: Up to 19 fish boat crew and operator jobs could be lost. Further losses are possible if the Nisga’a build their own fish processing plant. Economic benefits may happen if the Nisga’a buy up existing fishing 93¢ PLUS 7¢ GST VOL. 9NO, 36° icture licences. Mf Tourism: The backcountry com- mercial recreation licence and angling guide licence for the Nisga’a would create at least 10 jobs and more than $300,000 a year in revenue. The study says those tourism jobs shouldn’t come at (he expense of tourism opera- tions elsewhere. M Mushrooms: New jobs are possi- ble if the Nisga’a hire people to manage or monitor the annual pine mushroom harvest. whose logging jobs would be taken over by Nisga’a workers. Tourism and pine mushroom harvesting may enjoy more activity and mining is expected to be unaffected, It says the $190 million the Nisga’a are to receive under the treaty could be spent on anything from road ultimately decide to do, “While it is not yet possible to calculate the net impact on the region at this time. it is difficult to see . fom the analysis how the overall result of the treaty could be anything but economically beneficial to the Tegion,” it concludes, The study assumes the money will be paid out i Slages lo a Nisga'a central government. construction, buildings, new businesses. a sawmill or a cannery, or cash payments to individual natives, That will generate jobs and spin-oif activity in the whole region. the study says, noting that how signifi cant those effects are depends on whut the Nisga‘a Continued Page A2 College plans job cutbacks | NORTHWEST COMMUNITY College has taken the first Step toward cutting the equivalent of up to 16 jobs in an attempt to cope with a debt of more than $800,000. On the chopping block are a variety of educational programs and administrative positions, The plan was passed in draft form Saturday and, if uccepled, __..Will be in place by the end of February... ren: The plan outlines cuts ‘over four years. Starting i in io97ioe the board hopes to cut $89 1.000 from college programs, 7 ~ University credit courses could be cut-by 25 per cent, the naiu- ral resources program would be reduced by $450,000 and pro- grams to train-health and social services“workers could be reduced by 30 per cent. Rocque Berthiaume, who is president of the union which rep: resents instructors, says he doesn’ L want to see the college Tush- ing into the cuts. ” _ “It's a mistake to say we don’ ‘ have time, ” he said of the col- lege board’s February target. He wants to lobby the education ministry for short term bridg: . ing cash to deal with the deficit. Then he said he would work with the college board to convince the province to change.the formula the it uses to finance B.C,’s colleges; “The formula is weighed against rural colleges,” he said. Berthiaume also wants the college board to do a better job of listening to what college employees-and students have to-say about alternatives, adding he’s dissatisfi ed with what has taken place. Norma Kerby, head of' the university credit faculty, also asked for more consultation and more.time.. ~ She warned that 35-40 university credit courses would de lost under the draft operating plan, and that this would effect other courses, She says the statistics the board used to justify its cust cutting measures are Innccurate, Enrollment is up 21 per cent in Terrace, “We provided new programs and new sludents and we get a 25 per cent cut?” said Kerby. Welcome aboard WINTER WEATHER can mean missed landings for pilots and long cause of poor visibility at the airport, but the clouds ited just long bus rides for passengers. That's Canadian Alrlines Captain Hal Marsden and first officer Don Mascon. The two pilots almost had to turn their plane around last Thursday and head to Prince Rupert be- enough for them to land. Unfortunately, our winter weather isn't al- ways so cooperative. To learn more about the alrport ‘and why flights get re-routed to the port city see page AS. $5 million in timber at stake Treaty logjammed By JEFF NAGEL TSIMSHIAN treaty negotia- tions are being threatened by the federal government's seizure of $5 million worth of trees cut down by the Port Simpson band. At issue is the failure by the band to obtain a cutting permit from the federai In- dian Affairs department. It wants to sell and then export the logs to a Japanese buyer. The controversy arose when otherwise amiable open negotialions broke. into open hostilities last Thurs- day at Kitsumkalum, Tsimshian negoliators demanded to know whether Ottawa is about to break olf talks. *T don’t take very kindly to these kinds of threats,” Tsimshian iegotiator Art Sterritt told federal negotia- tors. He was responding toa Nov. 28 letter from chief federal negotiator Pauline LaMothe that indicated Ot- tawa won’t- be signing a Tsimshian framework agreement until the dispute is resolved. Canada is the only party that has not signed the framework agreement, which brings ihe Tsimshian talks into the next stage of the treaty process — sub-— slantive negotiations. And thal raises the pos- sibility that — if the dispute drags on into the new year — the feds might break off negotiations altogether. LaMothe said legal ad- visors have told federal ne- goliators it is not wise to continue treaty negotiations while a lawsuit that could involve some of the same is- sues is before the courts. Logging of reserve land is aliowed under the Indian Act, but bands have to apply and get a permit under the Indian Act to do so, Sterritt said the band tried to get a permit but found the Department of Indian Af- fairs didn’t have anyotie on staff to process the applica- tions at the time. Frustrated, the band de- cided to go ahead and log the land without a permit, Sterritt said,‘ On Aug. 15, federal offi- ‘cials seized 27,000 cubic metres of logs worth an estimated $5 million, federal communications director Tonl Timmermans said, She said the band then ap- plied within 30 days to con- test the seizure, and the resulting court proceedings were aimed at resolving the dispute, Timmermans said an out- of-court setilement was reached two weeks ago, but has not been signed yet, She said the deal would not be made public until it is signed. I€ it is all-but-resolved, Tsimshian negotiators did not appear comforled during negotiations Thursday, and continued to dematd to know whether the. issue might affect treaty talks. “Is Canada going. to with- draw from negotiations and if so at what stage,’ Art Sterritt demanded chief Tsimshian negotiator Gerald Wesley. LaMothe refused to give an answer to that question, saying an out-of-court setilement could. be im- minent and il may not be necessary lo lake further steps, Positions Ottawa takes al the trealy table could jcopar- dize ils case in court, she sald; and likewise undermine —- its >> trealy bargaining position, 2.” For more on the Tsim- shian talks, see Page Al0, } argu. ments tabled li court could: College official want to have their cost cutting plan in place by February to meet layoff notice requirements contained in vari- ous union contracts. , Violence, vandalism plaguing high school By CRIS LEYKAUF GARBAGE CANS and food thrown over lockers, Broken lights. A rash of false fire alarms. Hateful graffiti. Fights. All this and more was the subject last week of a meeting between Caledonia Secondary teachers, students, administra- tors, parents, police and the fire chief, “p m quite concerned not only for the safety of students bul for the safety of my colleagues,” said physical education teacher Scott Stewart. “Half the time E don’t want to be here,” admilted one student, Those at the mecting said a very small number of students —- perhaps 20 out of a school population of more than 600 — was responsible for the problems, Principal Geoff Straker spoke about two fights and one assault, the first in many years in the school, he said. Straker didn’t go into details about the as- sault. It occurred two and a half weeks ago and is being characterized as not connected to the school. A student was struck in ihe head three times and kicked when he fell to the ground, *Straker also said the school had been plagued with graffiti, “It’s racist. in some "cases, and foul,”' he said. One student spoke about'a “novel about my friend written on a bathroom wall.’ The remarks were very derogatory and sex- ual, she said in calling it harrasment and as- king why no one was punished, Straker was also concerned about a new “sport”? in the ballways, called “locker volleyball.’” That's when students lob food back and forth over lockers. A more dangerous twist on the pastime was when garbage canis were tosscd over as well, False fire alarms are also a problem, fire chief Randy Smith told the mecting. He said there have been 10 recenlly and three fires sct in garbage cans. Just as serious is a small group of stu- dents who dismantle door hinges, door closures and stair railings. . “My daughter goes through those doors and down those stairs,” said ‘a father at the mecting. ‘It doesn't! take a very large num- ber (of students) to put at risk a Jot of stu- dents.” “One student sald the situation has gotten out of hand because it takes so long for the offenders to get suspended. Straker said the names of known problem students had been passed along to the po- lice and fire department, . Various. ways .of. dealing with the school's “problems were . discussed, For that story, see Page AlZ.