- sions,

TERRACE STANDARD

 Sserane "deny road
is to haul resources

Others doubt

U.S. claims

By JEFF NAGEL
ALASKAN proponents of a
road to the panhandle say
their proposal no longer
aims to be a route to haul
away B.C.’s timber and

_ minerals.

Their plan to drive a
toad up from the Bradfield
Canal in Alaska into B.C.
and along the Craig and
Iskut Rivers to Hwy 37
was the topic of debate at
a Feb. 26 chamber of com-
merce meeting.

' Critics call the concept

a resource grab that would
kill the part terminal at
Stewart and many of the
few jobs still employing
people there.

‘But Terry Otness, the
road coordinator for the
City of Wrangell, said it
was.a “youthful mistake”
years ago to promote the
project as a resource road.

“We understand the

problems people are hav-

ing with that,” he said.
“We aren’t proposing to
Move resources oul on that
road,”

‘It had been discussed,
he said, because propo-
nents then thought the road
‘could only be financed
through tolls. on mining
and. other companies.

' Since then, he said, in-
dications are the U.S. fed-
“eral government will pay
to. build. the entire road -

7 on-bath sides of the border

“= if B.C. agrees to it and
‘the ‘project gets environ-
_ mental, approval.
“The road is needed to
ship fish to markets and to
~-eircumvent what he called
-a:-clogged and failing
. Alaskan ferry system.

He said the road would
_mean Alaskan panhandle
-residents could come to

Terrace to shop and create

attractive new circle tour-
_ ism routes,

= “We believe the road
would do much to benefit

us. as well as your people.”
Terrace mayor Jack

Talstra said he doubted as-

~* ‘surances the road wouldn’t

~ carry B.C, resources to an
Alaskan port.

“1 think a road is a road
quite’ frankly,” Talstra
_ said, adding economics
“tend to find a way through
obstacles,
"If the road

_ Truckers
In talks

EXCEL Transportation Inc.:

is warning its unionized
‘truckers the company
could close unless they
agree to pay and benefits
cuts in the next contract.
-*The company is indi-
cating if it does not get
significant changes to the
collective agreement their
plans are to wind down the

operation and for all. in- | |”
‘tents and purposes per-.

‘manently close it,” IWA

-* -Jocal 2171 president Darrel
Wong said,

. © TWA officials in Prince
© George say the firm em-

ploys about 170 members
“in the two cities, although

-Excel’s general manager |
“said the unionized work-

"farce is closer to 90.

“...) ‘The company runs chip.
*, trucks for Canfor in Prince

.George and Eurocan Pulp
-and Paper in Kitimat.
'--,Wong said extreme
~competition in trucking
- has’ left Excel battling ri-

~~ vals with much lower costs
"--ae especially on benefits.

“Wong admitted the

- union is under “significant

“pressure” to make conces-
But he said the
> union will wait until it
+. Meets Excel officials
~. March 10 before deciding
s on a course of action.

is there

Terry Otness

probably it will be used for
as Inany purposes as their
are entrepreneurs who
necd to get a product
somewhere.”

But Talstra said that’s
not necessary a “scary”
idea, calling the tourism
benefits clearly positive.

“It may make some
mines viable that are not
viable now,” he added.

Otness- said up to three
years of environmental
study are ahead of any
actual construction.

He called for a joint
B.C.-Alaska economic
study of the project ta ad-
dress remaining questions.

But Brian Baker, exec-
utive director of the Ter-
race Economic Develop-
ment Authority, said it
should be a B.C.-only
study to safeguard the re-
gion’s interests.

ENE ENTE EA Pe: en 03 tr et te

est Gli
|H94.Toes

“403 EXPLORER XLT 4X4

“We have ta look at

what's right for the Cana- |

dian side,” he said,

‘Baker cautioned the
road could bring in more
Alaksans but at the same
time depopulate towns like
Stewart. “Do we rob Peter
to pay Paul?” he asked.

Baker said the road
would be a clear benefit to
Terrace’s business com-
munity alone, but the issue
gets murkier when looking
beyond to effects on other
communities.

Otness sparred with
Chris Zimmer of the
Transboundary Watershed
Alliance, who came here
from Juneau. He ridiculed
the idea that the U.S. will
spend half a billion dollars
building a road just to ship
fish and carry tourists.

He said a 6,000 foot
single-lane tunnel planned
at the international boun-
dary suggests a road for re-
source trucks, not RVs.

Chamber of ‘commerce
president Sheila Love said

“the Alaskan government

has offered to pay for a
study on the Canadian side
of the border, adding B.C.
should accept the offer,
Skeena MLA Roger
Harris said a joint study
makes sense to save
money, but says B.C.
should pay its own share.
“Each party should be
paying their own share so
the results are credible.”

THE NO EXTRA-CHARGE MOONROOF.
‘NOW YOU?LL SEE EVERYTHING COMING YOUR WAY.

Vi Sere treet Cone, acheot a trartatesion ovnrteie ssp wet
depot reqgered fifa et nee sesh EOI 791) 601, on coca te Dobusaed
gurl vars wd oa ria Chae mek tac tad ih
oahu prround of purchene price Phetshise

creat aeend gues eter oe ees

DOM Osnend yon Keen, CL Te eh ig MB a cominned path

eats i
Sacer a bide

fed hates enleron

moras, money pry it L458 8 pont of SW iosas ARE
lesa. Limited thee offers, Offers may be changid at ny line withoul nite. Al offert

Goer XLS model. eater any sell oF lex

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 5, 2003 - Al]

AFTER INVENTORY

Weve re counted and we're still
overstocked and that’s great news for you!

‘Dr. Jelke Hoekstra, Optometrist

will be in Terrace and accepting
appolment at
Dr.’s Clark & Counts office

March 3rd - 7th

for appointment, please call

638-2020

: GREENWOOD | vs
CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES .

« Emergency Care & X-Ray
¢ Auto & Work Injury

* Sports Injury

* Footmaxx Orthotics

_ NO REFERRAL NECESSARY

| Dr. R.D. Greenwood

* 4635 Lazelle Ave., Terrace, B.C.
638-8165

| OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY

Excluding Collectables
No Layaways
No Special Offers

aPOW NOW 2

Are you considering re-training?
if you’re thinking about starting courses in Sept. 2003 -
you need fo start your plan NOW! Processing time for”
semester courses is a minimum of 3 months. |
Other services provided are:

Y Career decision making

’ Job search skills, and oe
’ Access to photocopy, phone/fax servi

jv

es
NORTHWEST TRAINING LTD.

#201-4622 Greig Ave.
Call 638-8108 to make an appointment ¢ or drop inf for further information

The government of Canada has Government | Gouvernement
contributed funding ta this intlative of Canada

du Canada

Cash purchase for $38 f99 $995 air lax/freight

OR choose 0 45 purchase financing up to 36 months

on, BF *icase financing

* 4.0L V6 « 5-soeed automatic * No extra-charge moonroof * 4-wheal disc brakes with ABS « Controffrac” 4-wheel drive
« Sport bucket seats w/6 way power driver seal « A/C * AM/FM with cassatta & CD player © 16” cast aluminum wheels » Fog lamps

aden er Fre 5 ke eh Oa ew wr rit rere HE Ba hat LS Lr
a earage rte 0) Rr OC en oe 48 neg re taept Ecorse be oe ea thet

of =xTHa-CHARGE |
| MOON ROOF

| A on most ‘03 Explorers"
(a $1,020 value!)

expr is the Word ‘8 » Bost-Saling suv".

, ingladas $970 sirta

. 03, 0 Duratec V6 = sespecd automat
- #15" cast aluminum wheels:.« A/C # Remote keyless
8 » Power whedayaninorsoor locks . AMM with op playel

QB EXPLORER “u's,
© SPORT TRAC 4X4 - hyn |
_ ena

: Or cash purchase fi

2 *36/199"

*4.0LVB, + 5- -inood automatic Ho actracharge monroe!
¢ 16" cast aluminum wheels © Tonneau cover ® Cargo caga
. Remote keyless entry Wikeypad . AEM with CD player

06 EXPLORER SPORT
| XLT. axa

Cash h puichave for

Si 699

includes ee
alr taxitelght

9 A.OLVG © S-Speed automatic « No extra-charg
. 16*cast aluminum wheals ¢ A/G « Power windowe/mrorstoo
: » AN/EM wicassatte & 0 payer . Fe ramps:

ash purchase for

$30,899

includes $870--:
* alrtax/fraight

03 } ESOAPE XLT 4X4

. «ot puratc Vi» 4-aped auc 4c AB -
16” cast aluminum whae's # Controffrac II” 4-wheel dive © AC» Side step bars *
AAEM with SdiseGD player * Perot alam system. Fog lampa: ©:

“PRY NOTHING UNTIL 2004!

7 GH MOST NEW IN-STOCK 2003 VEHICLES”. :

Aniston fees and applleabie toxea nade
“Ure fime offers. '

 ford.ca CG

cate

FESmichoe Ipole, plat iocbcabe

Seyee aber 5% nate
or eqaniend
bea ey Sn hore’ pene Greta meee a eg rece vey rd Cv 7S bru prc hy aot 6 wd HE CM aC AT
zx a , I