Editorial The

The party is over and in the wake of the finale lie memories that some might wish could live on as a continued reality.

The Expo extravaganza on False Creek in Vancouver is now being dismantled and sites that became familiar as old haunts to visitors will disappear from the black- topped horizon. |

Expo 86 rolled into being and exited with a variety of impressions expressed regarding the production.

Some view the expected $3 million debt load, resulting from the fair, as too big a price to pay while others felt the display was

well worth the promotional effort.

Whatever the array of opinions concern- ing the exhibition, some witness its demise with melancholy regret. ‘‘I’m going to miss

party is over

Expo,’ said one northwest resident who

visited the site for three days this summer.

Blue-sky days, stretched over a panorama of spectacular proportions, remain locked in

his memory. Faces from stations over the

globe, together on an ever-changing prome- nade along the Expo site, propelled this nor- thwest resident onto a world screen of action in the midst of an enlightening and enter- prising development scene.

People watching people, the night lights,

entertaining sights and festive atmosphere

could not help but brighten the summer of 86 for many who chose to attend the world’s fair. Simply put, Expo was fun and as with any good time, it never seems right that a fine party has to end.

Dave Parker, Social Credit candidate for Skeena.

. William Hayes,

B.C. Liberty Party candidate for Skeena.

‘Lettars to the editor will be

considered for publication only when signed. Please include your phone number. The editor reserves the right to condense and edit Jatters. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Terrace Review.

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Gordon Sebastian, indepen- dent candidate for Skeena.

New Democratic Party candidate

Frank Howard,

Skeena Candidates: continued trom page 1

ly, despite the fact that various negotiations have been proceeding

‘between the Canadian

government and the Nishga since 1973, the Tsimshian since 1984, and other tribal councils

and Indian bands across -

B.C. for a number of years. Independent can- didate Gordon Sebas- tian, a native Indian lawyer from the Hazel- ton area, stated at the forum, ‘‘Not only In- dians but also many others are involved here; all people must be con- sidered in the negotia- tions, a settlement must not be imposed on any- one.”?’ NDP incumbent Frank Howard has said that the negotiations must be ‘‘tripartite’’, with the provincial government taking an active role, and he stated at the forum, ‘‘It’s not a question of winning or losing, we must recog- nize aboriginal title and we have a legal’ obliga- tion to do so under the Consitution.’’ NDP leader Bob Skelly has in- dicated during the cam- paign that the extent of land claims has been greatly exaggerated, but the 54,000 square

kilometer Gitksan-Wet’- suwet’an land claim, like a spectral and trembling volcano, continues to fill the horizons of land use policy in every visible direction.

Questions about the future of the forest in- dustry in the northwest have been answered with a number of promissory statements. The NDP has used a series of analyses by forest economist Peter Pearse to arrive at a figure of $300 million per year for reforestation purposes. Jack Kempf, Social Credit MLA for Omi- neca and _ current Minister of Forests and Lands, recently pledged $18 million for an aerial- ly applied fertilization program; at the forum Skeena Socred candidate

Dave Parker said that ©

the export of raw materials, such as dimen- sion lumber and logs, is decreed by the world market force, an in- fluence that is ‘‘bigger than Skeena.”” Liberal Bill Hayes has spoken in favor of better use of the trees that we’ve got and proposed iow-technol- ogy innovations in forest management such as the

for Skeena.

use of grazing and browsing animals for vegetation control in reforested areas. Gordon Sebastian argued that local control of resources would allow commmuni- ty enterprises to flourish. With respect to en- vironmental issues, the candidates agreed that there should be a more generalized public, héar- ing process for effluent discharge applications. Bill Hayes contended that the onus of proof regarding the safety of pesticides and other chemicals with broadcast applications should rest strictly and stringently upon the manufacturers of the products. Education came up at the forum when a ques- tioner asked for posi-

tions on a recent state-

ment by Russ Fraser, Minister of Post- Secondary Education. Fraser stated in a widely- covered interview that students in B.C. who cannot afford the cost of college or university should abandon or postpone their educa- tional ambitions. Dave Parker distanced himself from his fellow Socred’s

continued on page 12

Hubert Beyer

Terrace Review Victoria Correspondent |

Thanks for a non campaign ©

Who would have thought that the weird and wonderful world of B.C. politics could become even weirder and more wonderful?

I’ve covered many an election campaign both federal and provincial since moving to British Col- umbia some 17 years ago. All of them were fought

“with a vehemence that was reminiscent of armed

combat.

Who could forget W.A.C. Bennett’s battle cry in- voking a higher ordr to crush the godless socialists who were storming the gates, determined to poison forever the wholesome air of free enterprise?

And I fondly remember the succession of firebrand NDP leaders whose holy mission in life was to free us from the clutches of capitalism.

Left and right were locked in a struggle that seem- ed to forever repeat itself, no quarter given, none asked. .

It was the very stuff B.C. politics was made of. We would never stop complaining about it, We professed to long for sweetness and light, but all the time, we loved to hate the knock-’em-down, drag-’em’out politics that was exclusively ours.

Enter Bill Vander Zalm and Bob Skelly, the latest custodians of their respective parties, neither of whom showed any respect for our traditions. They both made this campaign look more like a contest for class spokesman than the political battle it ought to have been.

This campaign was without a doubt the dullest and most lacklustre of them all. In one corner, we had a man who dazzled the voters by saying absolutely nothing, while his opponent in the other corner had all kinds of things to say, but didn’t get the words out.

If the Socreds had an election platform, other than Vander Zalm’s call for ‘‘a new beginning”’, I didn’t see it. Aside from promising to be a good boy and lead by example, Vander Zalm confined his cam- paign to smiling. a

The NDP, on the other hand, had a lumber yard full of planks but was unable to explain any of them without confusing the voters.

And.the media were as confused as everybody else. You try to make sense of Vander Zalm’s 24-hour smile and Skelly’s herculean efforts at explaining his party's position and falling on his face doing so.

And if you think I’m badmouthing Skelly, try to find his picture and name in local NDP brochures. No such luck. It got so bad that when the Skelly cam- paign bus came rumbling into town on three flat tires, the local NDP candidates would wave him on to the next town. .

The Socreds, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough of their smiling man. Never mind that he didn’t say anything, He didn’t have to. He just work- ed his charm.

Skelly may as well slice himself into neat ribbons for export to Nicaragua. If he doesn't, his party will do it for him.

As for the Socreds, they should seriously look into the possibility of marketing their man with toothpaste companies. These guys pay well for happy smiles, The proceeds could be used to reduce the pro- vincial deficit.

If my ramblings lead you to conclude that I’m angry, you’re right. I’m fit to be tied.

Like most politically-minded British Columbians, [ had been looking forward to a real election cam- -paign, one in which pressing issues would be forcefully debated. I had also been looking forward to a contest in which the leaders of the two major parties would be evenly matched, giving voters the opportunity to choose on the basis of performance, as well as substance.

Instead, we were treated to one leader with

continued on page 19