PAGE Ad, THE HERALD, Wednesciay, November 3, 1976 \ Gv EDITOR , PAT O‘DONAGHY |. the herald ~ 635-6357 "An Award Winning Weekly, _ ‘Published by Sterling Publishers Ltd.’ Published every Wednesday at 3212 Kalum St., Terrace, 8.C. A member of Varified circulation. Authorized as second class mail. Registration number 1201. Postage paid in cash, retura: postage guaranteed. PUBLISHER, GORDON W. HAMILTON | ’ NOTE OF COPYRIGHT The Herald retains full, complete and sale copyright in any advertisement produced 2-dor' ediforial or photographic content published in the Herald, Reproduction is not without the written permission of the Publisher. ADVERTISING MANAGER RALPH KERMAN: . he f Terrace is terrific Terrace is terrific and if you doubt it, ask the citizens! The recent publicity through the various media and Mr. X (ex-premier of the province) has exaggerations and erroneous information in it. That has our dander up! If four thousand people have left this community, this means that an average of four (which may be a little high) people in each family, then we must have a vacancy of one thousand or more residences while in truth there are thirty-five unoccupied houses in this area, Houses for sale? Why naturally — that is the way of life today. Almost every house is for sale — at a price! The ratio, [ am sure is no greater than Van- couver or any other populated area. To say that business is booming would be an erroneous as the contents of the articles recently written about Terrace. We have The future The Vancouver Province Attention: Chuck Poulson Dear Sirs: Re: Province Edition of October 26, 1976, Front Page, Third Section: “Terrace: Where Boom Became Doom" My first comment to you, Mr. Poulson, is ‘Thanks, thanks for nothing!” Ad- mittedly we are facing an employment problem and a general slowdown in the economic situation but your doom-slanted article only makes it tougher for us to solve the problem, If you and your paper were ac- tually concerned with the well-being of the poole in thig area, 1 would respect- ‘fully suggest that you sensationalize the following in your next edition: ’ You stated in your article that four thousand people have fled the community, followed by a statement that two hundred homes are vacant. Do you believe we have an average of twenty people living in each home? The following figures on . vacant houses in the District of Terrace were gathered through a physical check this morning, October 27, 1976: Houses vacant - 27 (9 of these never lived in) Apartments for rent - 48 (vacant) Vacant trailer and-or lots - 9 TOTAL SINGLE FAMILY ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE - 84 _ Although you obviously discredit the integrity of our local real estate firms, a telephone survey asking the following: ‘‘How many vacant homes in the District of Terrace have you listed for sale?’ brought these replies: suffered from worid market conditions and a depen- dency on the forest industry. There is no doubt that the economy of the area is suffering but, if you canvas the whole of the Dominion with the possible exception of the prairies, you will find that no one is jumping with joy at the present business levels and future prospects. We have a sick economy in Canada and Terrace is just part of it. Perhaps we are more affected by the fact that we almost totally rely on the marketability of forest products. When the provincial cabinet had their meeting here. we all expecte miracles but didn't miracles disappear many, many ears ago? Cerlainiy we ieve that the acuteness of our economic problems could have been relieved by more positive action, but, momentarily we forgot that the most effective help is SELF HELP! Our present concern is just that — SELF HELP and we do not ap- following facts: During the recent B.C. Drama Festival, the Drama Committee reported the highest audience par- ticipation, over five nighits, ever recorded in B.C. Arecent performance by the [rish Rovers resulted in having to schedule a second performance because the 700 seat theatre could not handle the advance ticket sales, 577 advance tickets, at $10 each, have been sold for an ra to be held here on ovember 23. The Chairman of a C.N.1.B. drive held ap- proximately two weeks ago reports that community support topped all previous donation records. - At present, the District of Terrace is engaged in a Capital. Improvement Program’ for storm and saiitary sewer, water and road improvements which exceed financial com- mitments of any previous year. When the District Engineer was approached about the availability of equipment for these rojects, his reply was, ‘We ve Found it necessary to contract equipment irom out of town, because all local firms were already com- mitted.” ; The following major construction permits have been taken out in the past month: . B.C. Hydro Area Headquarters; Cloverlawn - Portion of Shopping Centre; Medical Clinic - Terrace Medical Building; K. Spikas - Commercial Complex, Total for commercial permits taken out to date in 1976 is $671,000 as compared with last year's total of Park Avenue Ralty 16 $404,000, Pruden & Currie 4 Totals for industrial Wightman & Smith lL permits taken out to date in McColl 23 = (1976 are $437,000, as opposed You quoted Chamber of to Jast year’s total of Commerce President Ted Taylor pointing out that several businesses have closed, but only specifically named one. How about the following headlines: “New n New business Business started Terrace: licences in 1976 total 59; resent total 594 a more of business icences in Terrace now nv As for the entertainment world, I would suggest that positive reaction could be taken from the $327 00. The following figures were obtained this morning, October 27, 1976: Total real estate tran- gactions in 1975 in the ‘ District of Terrace were 374, value $16,108,000. For the first five months in 1976, total transactions 211, value $6,665,000. Projected figures based on the first five months would be: total real estate transactions for 1976 - 506, value $16,020. I respectfully request of - ask the preciate adverse and out-of- context publicity that is a deterrent to our intentions. If the media must write about Terrace, why not say that this area is a jewel, set ina part of the province that has no peer for beauty, Why not say that fer a com- munity of this size we have greater arts and sports facilities per capita than any community in British Columbia and yes, perhaps Canada, Why not say that through the riches of the resources of this area that we are the providers of the paper on which you write, the lumber from which you build your homes and office buildings, the hub of the great nor- thwest of Canada which holds the key of the untold wealth of our Dominion. Would you say that we do not have a future? We are working for that future and we should be. recognized as the source of the great wealth that filters to the lower mainland of the province and the rest of our ' The-Four-Way Test | Of the things we think, say or do. is it the TRUTH? Is it fair to all concerned? "Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL .. to all concerned? a citizens country. : Let this be a record to ali concerned, When publicit: is afforded a community it should give both sides of the story, We have attributes of which we are very proud. Our economy is slack but our attitudes and ambitions were never greater. Our attributes should never be forgotten, nor defiled. Terrace is part of British Columbia and also part of Canada. The economy is not. great here in Terrace, nor is it in British Columbia or Canada. Perhaps we can be of some help to those of you who are not fortunate enough to live in Terrace. Our message is — “Pull up your socks — all of you have a job to do — a job of beit- tightening and a job of stimulating pride and confidence in communities with an eventual benefit to all of Canada.” Ted Taylor President Terrace and District: Chamber of Commerce. of Terrace all news media outlets receiving copies of this report that they release a news report, based on the enclosed information. I'm not asking for anything but fair play — if you report the negative, how about the positive? Lam taking the liberty of enclosing an item which I wrote about my opinion of the future of Terrace, which I gave to Mr. Poulson, but which he left on the desk because, I suspect, it did not fit into the article he had already made up his mind to write, prior to coming to Terrace. Yours truly Gorden EB. Rowland Mayor ; . c.c. Mr. D, Barrett, Leader Oppesition; CBC News tor; CTV News Editor; Vancouver Sun; Canadian Press-Broadeast News; Premier Bill Bennett; The Hon. Cyril Shelford, MLA; Toronto Glohe & Mail: Financial Post: . Terrace Herald; News Advertiser; CFTK News Director; Iona Campagnolo, MP. - THE FUTURE OF TERRACE To me, it can be summed up in one word — Terrific. As our slogan goes, “Terrace is Terrific’. Certainly over the past couple of years, we have been experiencing - an economic slowdown; two main reasons for this as I see it are the tight wood market and the pessimistic attitude of some of our citizens (article printed in the “Toronto Globe and Mail'’). "Even if the lumber in- dustry was not ever to rebound, which I don't believe for one second will happen, our future {a still great, uo We in Terrace are in a beautiful geogra hic ition — the hub of the wheel. The north must and will be developed — mining resources, land an recreation, To our south; Kitimat, possible steel mill, pipe lines and deep sea port. ‘o the west: Prince Rupert must eventually become a major prt — everything shipped through Rupert must come through Terrace..To our east: the rest of Britlsh Columbla — how can we lose? When we consider the past development in western Canada Edmonton started approximately twenty years ago and is the fastest growing city in Alberta. Ten years jater Prince George, now the second largest city in British Columbia. Why? Because of their geographic location. Guess who's next? Terrace, that’s who! . Don't join the pessimistic few. Grant you, everything is not right at our hand for the grabbing, it will take a little patience and hard work, but it's still a great place in which to live, work and enjoy life. I still believe ~our biggest problem in the future is going to be to contro] our growth. I think we would be better off with a Steady growth, we don’t need a boom situation at the cost of dur present citizens. Gordon E. Rowland Mayor C.N.1.B. _ Canvas Dear Editor: - , On behalf of President Walt Davies and all .the members of the Terrace Downtown Lions, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Terrace residents, the businesses and the people in surrounding areas of Terrace. Your generosity made this year’s Canvas for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind the most successiui we have ever conducted. The total collected was $4,606.83. - We wish also to extend a very special thanks to all the canvassers, approximately 170 people; lo CFTK Radio. and TV; the Terrace Herald; The Royal Bank and staff; the Salvation Army and The Terrace - Centennial Lions. The ¢.N.LB, extends its many services to some 3} blind or near blind people in our immediate area. They .also provide lectures and films through their field representatives on the conservation of sight .to industry and schools upen ing all of you once: again for your help. Terrace Downtown Lions Al Purschke, Chairman - at Re The Editor, Terrace Herald, Dear Sir: The ~ Terrace’ “Zone Members of the Northwest - Real Estate Beard are extremely concerned with the article appearing in the October 26, 1976 Edition of the Province and entitled: “Terrace; Where Boom Became Doom.” We will of course strongly convey our objections concerning the article in its entirety to the Managing Editor of the Province, — however, we note in par- ticular one paragraph which states — “O'Donaghy, who ‘bases housing and rental statistics on studies done under-a L.LP, Grant —" tends to suggest that possibly some of the statistics contained within the article such as ‘Two hundred houses stand vacant and a total of four hundred are for sale.’’, were provided by yourself, urther, we are informed by two of our Board Members that during a brief personal discussion with you, you stated that the statistics were supplied by yourself and obtained from studies formulated under a L.LP. Grant, If this is in fact true, we must seriously question the creditibility of the L.LP. Study and yourself, as well as your altitude towards this community. Not only have you contributed blatant untruths to an already totally misinformed and sensationalized article, but also you have dealt a great disservice to this com- munity. The ramifications of such action are very serious and will only act as a deterent to any attempted bolstering of the economy of Terrace. We would like to offer our factual statistics concerning ‘thenumber of vacant houses and houses for sale within the District Manicipality of Terrace, advising that our figures are compiled from actual listing contracts held by the four Real Estate Offices in Terrace and from a physical check of the community to determine homes privately for sale and vacant as follows: Total Houses for Sale 130 Total Houses Vacant &. We feel very strongly that the residents of Terrace and economic concerns outside our area, must be truthfully informed of the situation in Terrace, in respect of houses for sale and vacant, To this end, we are most adamant that you. clarify your position with respect to involvement in supplying information used in the questioned newspaper article by answering whichever is appropriate of the following: 1. Did you, in whatever fashion, supply information to the Province reporter, Mr. C: Poulsen, leading him to believe that 200 houses stand vacant and 400 houses are for sale within the District Municipality of Terrace? 2. If you did not, should it not be your civic duty to refute the article aa it pertains to | incorrect statements concernin housing statistics an contains inuendes linkin; you to the release of suc statistics? And would you undertake to do this through the Terrace Herald and Province? 3. If you did we hereby challenge you to sub- stantiate the information you offered and ask if you would undertake to do this through the Terrace Omineca Herald? 4. Who were the people involved in the L.L.P. Study? tis sincerely hoped that you will offer a reasonably prompt ‘reply to the con- cerns mentioned in this letter, as the Terrace Zone Members of the Northwest Real Estate Board have withdrawn - all advertising from your newspaper awaiting a satisfactory reply from you. Yours truly, Northwest Real Estate Board E.R. Hallsor Secretary-Treasurer Mr. E.R. Halisor Secretary Treasurer Northwest Real Estate Board Dear Sir: Before replying to the series of questions included in your letter abqve I would like to point out that your inference in the final paragra h that the integrity. of the, statement that all ad- verlising has been with- drawn from our newspaper pending what you refer toas a satisfactory answer borders on defamation of character. In 30 years of Province article © itor of the, Herald - “could bé influenced by your aie journalism, [can assure you at on no eccasion has the advertiser influenced factual reporting. To your first question the answer is an unqualified no. Despite suggestions an the part of members of your organization I had no in- fluence on the Poulsen article nor did I furnish any statistics. Mr. Poulsen came to see me al the end of a two day assignment in Terrace on the way to the airport. He asked me if I could provide photos for an article that he was writing on both the Terrace economy and on Judge Selwyn Romilly. This did. We discussed the Terrace economy for the ap- proximately fifteen minutes at he spoke to me and statistics were discussed. He mentioned 200 homes for sale‘and vacant in Terrace. I said that this was not so but that figure should be houses for sale. I also told him that according to an LLP. funded census un- dertaken in the apring and winter of this year it was discovered that a total of familles, which include bachelor residents, who have left the area in the past 12 months were in the 400 range. This also includes vacant lots. These figures are based on a triple check. One the telephone book, two the Terrace City Directory and third the voters list. We also told Mr. Poulsen that it was impossible to determine the exact number of homes which are vacant end for sale if you consider homes that have heen vacated by the owner and which are rented pending a sale. A statement given to the Mayor by Real Estate le in Terrace indicate tthere are 196 homes for sale in the greater Terrace area and that Real Estate Firms will have undertaken more than 500 transactions during the course of ‘1976 which bears out our figures. ;Figures released ‘by' the .Schao).Board eC ore than 400 pupils less than anticipated in September also bears out these statements, Insofar as question two is concerned, we at the Herald are only too prepared to pot before our reading public the true facts a3 we are in fact doing with this writing, Your request to do as much in the Province is ridiculous. as I have no authority over the various editorial chairs at the Province, In regard to your third uestion I have ‘already lone this. In reply to your final question _the roup responsible for the Census was La Federation des Franco-Colobiens and the title of the project was A census of French Canadiaris and their interests. The reference to housing therein was simply to explain the number of homes from which no replies were recelved. , If you would permit me a few observations I would say that a reporter working on a story does not under any circumstances seek information from another reporter, He digs up his own material and as in Poulsen case dropped in for a chat, some pictures, and a comment which I gave him in that I sald that it was going to be ‘One hell of a. winter”, This, in my mind does not involve numbers and I would consider it a terrible winter If there were only a dozen families con- cerned, You and I both know that the state cf the present economy involves more than 20 percent of the population of the area on unemployment benefits or social assistance. To suggest that your members’ advertising hinges on a reply to your satisfaction really bothers me. There is no doubt that our members’ advertisin is an important source 0 revenue to this newspaper but I repeat under no cir- cumstances would such advertising influence the factual reporting of The Herald. The fact that’ your members have made such extensive use of our pages to advertise your clients’ homes and property over many years is of course an indication that this ad- vertising has been beneficial to your clients. It is therefore most difficult to understand why you put “your own operations in Jeopardy by such unjust and arbitrary actions. ] am sure that the only people to really suffer from this action would be your clients. Patrick OF atrick O’Donaghy, Editor. ey _letters to the editor __ Day of protest Sir: ‘ Since your coverage of the so called Day of Protest in Terrace was incomplete, I would like to add a word or two, how we, Pohle Lumber employees ‘protested’. majority of Canadian workers voted, whether they are willing to sacrifice one day's wages in this political football game Mr. Morris, versus Mr. Trudeau, We, members of L.W.A., were’ deprived of this basic right’ of our free society. For us decided our union bosses in Vancouver. They simply ordered us to stay off the We came to work as usual, shortly before 7 a.m., despite the LW.A. order. After all, we are employed by the company, not by the union. But at te main’ gate we were stopped by about 20 men strong picket, and what Incorrect. The Editor: . ‘Some statements at- tributed to Richmond school trustee Madeline Noble in a. recent Vancouver Province article (McGeer Accused of Breaking faith) -are in- corrent. Me ‘The newspaper report implies that a core’ curriculum is. for the “standardized assessment of “student and teacher performance,” This Is in- correct, The provincial agsesament program is, intended . to evaluate, curriculum progratis, not individual ; teachers. The evaluation of teachors.or-students should be done at the: local level. Teacher performance cannot be evaluated through. roviricial - atudents or. astonished us most, NO ONE of this employed by Pa Ltd. There were some angry shouts from workers’ side, Communists. and Hitler belng mentioned. The fuehrer of the picket made several wa 3,and we all will remember for long. (“Cross this line and you see what we do with scabs. You: all know, what pened to one guy in timat....”” Yes, we. know. And “Your cars won't. look same as they look now’’.) e Lumber After this we somehow cooled off, made some more shouts about democracy, and then we all left. = We will certainly consider it well, whether in future we want to be ‘organized’ by the - union, which decides abou us without us. : Yours (uly, ~ Pohle employee the proposed provincial assessment program. * In addition, the B.C. School Trustees Association did not adopt a ‘position régarding implementation of a core curriculum dirin a seminar last weekend. Al the. seminar lower mainland school trustees and Department _ of Education representati discussed. the basic ob- jectives and structure for a core curriculum in B.C, schools. This meeting was an opportunity for an ex-. change of viewpoints aaa not a policy meeting of the Boars ¥imes ; Yours trul ‘ Rendina Hamilton . President © BCSTA picket was, ves, Congratulations The Editor to the Minister of, Human Dear Sir: Resources expressing our We would like to hope that they will recon- congratulate you on your article concerning the B.C. Conference on the Family a few weeks ago. We have been learning something about this con- ference and its work and feel there is a great need for -it to continue. So we have hap- written to the Premier and sider the decision to discontinue it at the provincial level. We have tied to emphasize the value of the program and the great need for it. _ Thank you for keeping us informed about such things. Yours truly ; Mr. & Mrs. B.J, Griffin To enforce or not. Dear Editor: . Last week (October 22) three of the employees of the office received tlekets for parking viclations. The employees work on Kalum Street and their vehicles | ‘were parked in front of their place of employment. First point of the matter is the fact that the cars were ‘parked in the only place possible. This is due to the ‘construction in. progress ' behind our office. This - construction has blocked off the alley behind the building and, although there is one entry to the driveway in _back, there is not ample ‘room for more than two vehicles to get in and. out. There is also a parking lot beside the mentioned building but this lot is ac- companied by a “24 Hour Private Parking" sign. Therefore, the only. con- ceivable place to park was on Kalum Street in front of our place of business. The other point is that these by-laws, if enforced; should be enforced at all times; not just when the district officer hag nothing elee to io. . ‘ ank you for your at- tention to this matier. . Dave Hamilton Sandra Alexander Now, a voice in Cabinet By KENNETH McDONALD The appointment of Len Marchand as Minister of State (Small Business) in the Department of Endustry, Trade’ and. Commerce fs a, major ‘advance for small business In Canada. Now the. owner-managed_ sector, which employs $5 per cent ‘of -all working Canadians, has its own voice in the federal Cabinet. ; Originally proposed three years ago by the Canadian | Federation of Independent Business, the appointment of a minister to concentrate on - small business constitutes both uw victory ‘for’ the Federation and a welcome. . dent in Ottawa's preoccu- pation with Big Businessand - Big Unions, .