For a number of special athletes, the highlight of Special Olympics Month will be their RCMP floor hockey challenge. There was no clear winner in the game, both sides scored their fair share of goals. But it didn’t really matter. Everyone was having too much fun to bother keeping track. One fact evident in the goals scored by Special Olympics athletes, however, was that the RCMP don’t necessarily always catch their man.

federal and provincial govern- ments, resumed in February after a long break at the end of 1991. The negotiations began Oct. 10, 1990, after the provincial government agreed to join the Nisga’a and the federal govern- ment in seeking a settlement. The intent was to have a completed agreement within three years. Although nearly half that time has elapsed, interim protection measures — actions that would prevent depletion of the land resources under discussion during the period of the negotiations —~ are still not in place for resources under provincial jurisdiction. _ Federal negotiator Gay Rear- don said after the February round that she is astonished at the patience of the Nisga’a, who are encountering one delay after another in their quest to resolve the land question. First the prov- ince joined the negotiations, she said, and although the process

was “going great guns" it was interrupted by the election last October, which resulted in a change of government for B.C.

The province has made a commitment to pick up the pace, she said.

Reardon said the federal gov- ernment has only two areas of jurisdiction it can negotiate: a few small areas of reserve land, and federally-controlled fisheries. On the latter, she said, they have a draft agreement involving co- management, a training program for Nisga’a to co-manage the resource, and future enhancement of fish. That agreement is going before Cabinet and then the Treasury Board. Reardon expects it to be ratified by the end of this month.

On Wednesday the federal and provincial governments announced that they will begin a separate set of negotiations on cost-sharing.

CHECKING THE EQUIPMENT

Sparked by the potential of the Imperial Oil bulk plant ex- pansion, Terrace city council has asked the Fire Commissioners Office to make a complete survey of Terrace’s firefighting equip- ment and capabilities.

Fire chief Bob Beckett points out, however, that Imperial Oil is not being singled out. At Jeast one other oil company has suggested they may consider re-locating to Terrace and there has been an increase in the quantity of haz- ardous materials passing through the community as well.

City administrator Bob Hall- sor says says the completed Fire Commissioner’s report will be sent to city council and could play a role in future budget deliber- ations.

Terrace Review — March 6, 1992