AA - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 6, 1999

STANDARD

ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1988

PUBLISHER: ROD LINK ADDRESS: 3210 Clinton Street Terrace, B.C. * V8G 5R2 TELEPHONE: (250) 638-7283 * FAX: (250) 638-8432 EMAIL: standard@kermode.net

All for one

PEOPLE LIVING outside of the lower mainland have known this for years — there are two Brit- ish Columbias. But now it’s official, according to provincial government statisticians.

Population figures released last week show an alarming amount of people are crossing the Rockies for the more vibrant economies of the Prairies. If not for international immigration, there would have been a net population loss in BC.

And this is where the reality of the two British Columbias comes into play. Most of the popula-

, tion loss comes from the regions where resource \industries have collectively taken massive hits, ‘forcing people to move out. To be sure, there has been economic diversification in the regions since the last economic downturn of the early 1980s but not to the point where new economies can replace the loss of primary resource jobs.

The lower mainland isn’t so much affected as it is the prime target for immigrants so they tend to balance off any bad economic factors there. As well, industries such as movies, television shows, high tech and tourism, which are removed from the up-down cycle of resource ex- traction, have become major players in the lower mainland.

Years from now, with the luxury of time passed, a reasoned analysis may well point to the last years of the 20th century as the end of the old logging and mining British Columbia and the beginning of a new one.

Yet the reality of today provides little comfort for those who are victim to massive economic shifts over which they have no control. If we are to become leaner, then so be it. But at the same time we cannot become meaner. For to do that would deny the essential element of community

come,’

wishes

ONE OF the more popular sections of The Ter- race Standard is its letters to the editor section. We’re particularly blessed with readers who reg- ularly and strongly give their opinions and com- ments on any number of topics weekly through the mail, by fax, by hand delivery and by e-mail. .People curious about the pulse of the com- munity have only to read what other readers write in order to find out what is going on. Politicians, community and business leaders are remiss in their duties if they do not regularly read letters to the editor as they, offer a very real indication of what is on the mind of-residents.

One of the challenges is to print as matiy. letters as we can. Available space often works against newspapers as there never seems to be enough to give full value to letter writers. Yet we ap- preciate those letters as part of our job of letting the community know what people think.

So to those who have written us in the past, we wish you the best in 1999, And to those who will write us over the next year, we look forward to your contributions.

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Greenpeace chases money

. VICTORIA — Just when I

thought [ had heard and seen it all, I find out that Greenpeace atid MacMillan Bioedel, along with a Native band, are going into the logging business in Clayoquot Sound, of all places.

Clayoquot Sound, you will recall, was the batile ground a few summers ago, between the environmentalists and forestry giant MacBlo. Hundreds of people were arrested. Many were thrown in jail.

But it seems that the two for- mer adversaries have kissed aud made up.

The plan is to log parts of Clayoquot Sound selectively, very selectively, according to Greenpeace. Never mind that special harvesting require- ments for MacBlo’s operations in Clayoquot Sound were in place before. But that didn’t

stop Greenpeace and other cn- .

ironmental .. bit,, squads from eating, ‘the’shoyydowa.

Now, 4 reasonable person might see this new partnership of former enemies as a good thing, Co-operation beats con-

by

. frontation any time, right? It

does, as long as neither of the partners have a hidden agenda.

And I believe that’s precisely the case with Greenpeace.

I might even have believed that Greenpeace has suddenly realized is O.K. to cut down the add tree, if it hadn’t been

FROM THE CAPITAL

HUBERT BEYER

for another one of the environ- mental organizalion’s major offensives against British Columbia in the U.S.

The same week the ex- traordinary partnership to log with love was announced, Greenpeace, along with several

other .. environmental Broups, . bought ja full-page - vadvin the. . New York Times. decrying;log- -; |

ging in old-growth forests along B.C.’s coast.

The ad lists 27 major U.S. companies that are doing without old-growth forest pro- ducts and seven others that have not made such a commit- ment,

The aim of the ad is, of course, to create consumer pressure on companies that comply with Greenpeace’ s demands,

r amazed, at,the.rever

It should me mentioned that the firms subscribing to the no- old-growth-lumber edict ‘such as cosmetics manufacturer Estee Lauder aren’t exactly using a lot of timber.

The ad is very effective be- cause of its common-sense and reasonableness.

You're led to believe that Greenpeace will have no fur- ther demands if jogging in old- growth forests is stopped.

Well, that isn’t the Grecn- peace I have come to know. Nothing will ever make Green- peace happy. The battle be- tween Greenpeace and British Columbia’s forest companies has been the international en- vironmental organization's biggest cash cow. And they’re not about to put that cow out to

pasture. Last summer, I visited Germany for a week, I was

Greenpeace, is-held amazed at the misconceptions in the public’s mind about British Columbia forest prac- tices. I wonder who planted them there,

So why would Greenpeace want to go into the logging business with MacMillan

Bloedel? I believe the answer is very simple: to be able to prove that the organization isn’t against logging at all. Ounce the operation gets

going, Greenpeace can honest- ly say they’re all for logging.

_ Why, they even do it them-

selves,

It’s an ingenious plan and it will probably work like a charm. Even Premier Glen

Clark will have to think twice

before again calling Green- peace and enemy of British Columbia.

I’m uot the only one who has misgivings about the partner- ship.

Significantly, the Friends of Clayoquot Sound, an environ- mental group whose concerns

and interests aren’t global: as -

those of Greenpeace, aren’t buying into the deal.

Publicly, the group says it’s.

concemed and will keep a close watch on the operation. Privately, some members have told me they’re horrified and 7 Greenpeace has sold

deal may well be a_ sell-out. But then, an international orga- nization has different needs than a small band of concemed citizens. And the need to keep money flowing into the coffers may. just be greater than the need to be principled.

Beyer can be reached at: (250) 929-9300; Fax:

Tel: (250) 356-9597; hubert@coolcom.cont

E-mail:

A womb’s work is overdone

AS IF the world isn’t well populated already, women routinely treated for infertility are rivaling Mme. Dionne, giving birth to as many as eight babies in a single preg- nancy.

Do fertility doctors think they’re in animal husbandry, treating rabbits?

Fertility doctors take the Bible too literally. Go forth and multiply doesn’t mean every female should hatch a clutch, Doctors need to divide their efforts between adding and multiplying to achieve a healthier balance, Barren women who year to give birth don’t wish to end up living ina

shoe.

Or is GST at the bottom of this cheaper-by-the-dozen trend? Six babies at once cost less than one, like buying muf- fins or doughnuts?

That wide-eyed grin a mother displays for the media is nost likely a combination of

OPEN HOUSE 7

“THROUGH BiFocats CLAUDETTE SANDECKI

Shock and gas, plus the cold realization she’s cloned a baseball team. ‘

At bathtimes, mealtimes, and diaper-changing sessions, the commotion and din will im- itale Grey Cup half time. Where’s the joy in lining up six babies and feeding them with the tender attention of a harried short order cook slap- ping together BLT sandwiches

f STUFF FROM HOME AND Have A BIG CLEAN -UP AFTER...

to feed a tour bus crowd? Parents have no time to coo, coax, or chuck the wee ones under the chin. And the kids will forgo the one-to-one atten- tion youngsters thrive on; they'll do like the youngest girl in a family of eleven who, late one night, crept aut of bed and

. padded into the living room to

climb in to her mother’s lap. ‘Because you never have time to talk to me during the day,”’ she said, pouting.

Now that’s sad, to have to queue fora cuddle with Mom.

Economists estimate raising one average, nonmal child to age 18 costs a family $180,000. An underdeveloped premature baby costs about that in specialized medical care per week. For months,

Few of these multiple birth babies have millionaire fathers. The family will be dependent upon social assistance, corpo- rate donations, and the good- will of friends, nelghbours, and

It

relatives. God may provide, all right, but He’s apt to expect hard work ftom Mom and Dad as a show of good faith.

In Ontario, so much of the province’s health care dollars and medical facilities are being claimed by premature babies that mothers having difficulty with single births are being flown about the province like Mary and Joseph in search of a hospital with a bed to take them in.

Most fertility-assisted multi- ple birth babies. need prolonged, expensive medical care lo survive until they achieve normal birth weight,

If fertility doctors rationed the number of embryos they implant to a realistic count we wouldn't bankrupt our health care system staffing and outfit- ting neonatal hospital units

whe

Well, rout where the Friends: _ of Clayoquot Sound stand, the

with pricey medical experts -

and high tech equipment to do a womb’s work.

So? Powe HAVE QM tow'r Peastic A Pb-20 WwelL Marten! LT CTanDTUl ENOUGH STYROFOAM HR BAD CHOICE. FoR THINK WE'VE. es BRING” CUPCANDPLAST(C JB AN ENVIRONMENTAL ; GoT ENOUGH Cu FLAGT CUTLERY FORTHE JMNM GATHERING ?!! se LEFT OVER ream feat a ENVIRONMENTAL Jl DAMIR 2 couLD BRING THE FOTLUCK !

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