A4- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 3, 1996 TERRACE. STANDARD ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1988 ADDRESS: 3210 Clinton Street Terrace, B.C. * V8G 5R2 TELEPHONE: (604) 638-7283 * FAX: (604) 638-8432 E-MAIL: terrace. standard@sasquat.com MODEM: (604) 638-7247 We're all politicians THERB’S something un-Canadian about the brash hard-edged bluster of Jack Munro. But the ex-FWA boss and now Forest Alliance of B.C, chairman has a point when it comes to defending our own interests. Nobody, he rightly notes, will do the job for us. Munro’s suggestion is that each and every one of us take on the job of telling visitors to this province that forestry is now a different game from the policy of plunder of 10 or 20 years ago. Certain sects of the environmental movement refuse to acknowledge that forest practices can and do change, and continue to demonize B.C.’s forest industry, ultimately threatening the jobs of workers here. It’s a simple, believable message that readily draws support — and cash contributions — from dwellers of America’s concrete jungles. Tourists are now arriving here from every corner of the globe. It’s simply good business to engage them and make their stay here pleasant and informative. And Munro’s point about countering the propaganda that hurts us is a good one. It’s even worth extending the principle to the fishery, since many American tourists are on their way to Alaska right now to catch what in some cases are Skeena-bound chinook salmon. They should know that their own government’s policy is driving fish stocks here ever closer to extinction, In the end, each and every one of us is a politician and diplomat for the place we live. 4 poets te OUI dor : “ a Geese cea Use it or lose i THUMBS UP to city council for beginning to get back on the bus. A year ago some councillors were seriously talking about the idea of scrapping our heavily subsidized public transit system altogether. But in the end we were not condemned to choke on our own exhaust. In a flash of enlightenment, council realized that if they invested a bit more in the bus system and made it useful, people might actually use it, Now it’s up to the rest of us to prove them right by checking out the new routes and more con- venient schedule. More is at stake here than just the bus system. A poor response says that the naysayers were right. An improvement of the bottom line — which is the best way to catch this council’s attention — might even encourage other pedestrian-friendly measures, _ And if bike paths are too much to hope for, what about an alternate pedestrian crossing of the railway tracks between Keith Ave. and Greig? It’s well known that many people don’t use the Sande Overpass and instead cut through CN Rail’s yards, Yet the city continues to concentrate multifami- ly housing on the south side without any exam- ination of this problem. Sooner or later, someone is going to get killed under a train. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Rod Link ADVERTISING MANAGER: Rick Passmore PRODUCTION MANAGER: Edouard Credgeur NEWS Jeff Nagel » NEWS SPORTS: Dave Taylor COMMUNITY: Cris Leykauf OFFICE MANAGER: Laurie Ritter ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS: Sam Collier, Janet Viveitos, Karen Dietrich & Cheri Reidy ADVERTISING ASSISTANT: Emma Law, Kelly Jean TYPESETTING: Sylvana Broman DARKROOM: Susan Credgeur CIRCULATION SUPERVISOR: Karen. Brunette MEMBER OF B.C. PRESS COUNCIL Serving the Terrace and Thombill area, Published on Wednesday of ach week by Caritoo Prass (1989) Lid, al 3210 Clinton Street, Teracs, Briish Columbia, V8G 5R2, ; Stortes, photographs, ilustrations, designs and typestytes in tha Terace Standard are ihe property of tha Copyright holders, including Cariboo Press (1969) Ltd., Its Mustration repro services and advertising Fleproduction in wtole or in part, without written permission, is specifically prohibited, Auihorized as second-class mail pending he Post Office Department, for payment of postage in cash. Special thanks to all our contributors and correspondents for thelr tima and talents 4 Yeba, a ig it? | @lgche CSS SS DS ; SS ~ be i i NY Ml ie = SS & 7. dopo high or OSD ier won SOO AIGA. UNIVESILY 1 Of arts degree ang nobody eer Buphe you how to pillout 3 welfare GpphCAc ior; Clark calls a spade a spade VICTORIA — So the eastern media were all atwilter last week over Premier Glen Clark’s outburst at the first Ininisters conference in Ot- tawa, Clark called the federal government — stupid, in- transigent and arrogant. What would they have him call a government that ignores Brit- ish Columbia’s demand to tke control over west coast fisheries, That demand isn't just a grab for greater provincial aulonomy. It is, according to all experts, a desperate attempt by British Columbia to prevent the west coast salmon from going the way of the east coast cod. Former premier Mike Har- . court went to Oliawa as a con- ciliator, placing national unity ahead of all other issues. In return, be was dubbed Premier Bonchead -—— also by some idiot of the eastern media. Welcome to Glen Clark, folks, We like his style just fine. And if you think that our premier’s remarks last week were a tad too harsh for your sensitive ears, get ready for moore, We don’t call the guy pitbull for nothing. I don’t, believe in Otlawa- FROM THE CAPITAL HUBERT BEYER bashing for its own sake, but the fisheries issue is too impor- tant to be couched in diplomat- ic nicelies. Every expert I’ve talked to says the Mifflin plan isn’t going'fo work. They say it.is | “going to. destroy'small fishing communities along the coast, What we need is a home- grown plan, a course of action mapped out by British Colum- bians and followed through by British Columbians. If sacrifices must be made to save and revive our salmon stacks, they’re a lot easier to accept if the decisions are made right here in British Columbia rather than some Ot- tawa bureaucrats. The premier tells me that ata scrum in Ottawa, the national media asked him 20 questions, all of them about Quebec. Well, there is life west of the Rockies. It may not live up to the lofly expectations of my colleagues in eastern Canada, but we like it fine, thank you. And there are issues other than national unity or Quebec. Fisheries is one of them ~ the most important one, in fact. The Throne Speech opening the first session of the 36th Parliament Jeft no doubt that Clark is determined to pursue the fisheries issue with the same vigor he showed in Ot- tawa, and I expect with the same language, if necessary, Keep in mind that the Throne Speech is written by the government and ‘certain to be checked and approved by the * premier. “My government will con- tinue to press Ottawa to re- place the Mifflin plan with a plan designed by British Columbians, for British Columbians, a plan that reduces the fleet in a balanced way, and provides adjustment for the workers and com- munities who are affected,”’ Licutenant-Governor Garde Gardom read from the Throne Speech. And lest Ottawa thinks Brit- ish Columbia isn’t serious and determined to take jurisdiction over west coast fisheries from the federal government, here’s what’s at stake, according to the B.C, government and, I suspect, according to most British Columbians. “People in this province have long recognized that the Pacific salmon is more than just a resource. It’s part of our history, part of our culture, and part of our identity as British Columbians, **Protecting this resource is more than just an economic imperative. It is the defence of our cultural, historic and natu- ral heritage. “The loss (of the salmon would be measured in thou- sands of fisheries jcbs and the devastation of our many fish- ing communities, but it wauld also be felt in the very soul of this province.” = With stakes such as these, polite and diplomatic language would be folly. Stay the course, premicr. Go for the throat. Hubert Beyer can be reached at: (Tel) 604-920- 9300; (Fax) 604-385-6783; E-nail: hbeyer@coolcom.com ur . It’s time to strap on a bucket THE HEART and Stroke Foundation’s big bike would be a novel yet useful permanent addition to the com- munity, like the blue-and- white striped tent bought to shelter holiday gatherings. Schools could save on bus costs renting it for short range field trips. Mothers Time Out could navigate the neighbour- hood byways with their young- sters perched beside them in- stead of sitling cooped up in a room watching their kids “socialize” over a toy. People who talk exercise but lack motivation could team up to ride together and chat the kilometers and pounds away, Heritage Park could contract the bike for museum tours tak- ing tourists to all the main pioneer points within city iimits, Along with our town’s unique sights, they could sample the smells and sounds of Terrace and the Skeena Val- ley. Folks with AlJzheimer’s B So SKOOKUM CO wHAT DID YOU DO Toy ? THROUGH: BIFGCALS” CLAUDETTE SANDECKI could indulge their fondness for an open air pedal yet be well chaperaned and brought safely back to their starting point If families incorporated a big bike ride in their reunion plans, no kid would have an excuse to re-cnact a fight for a window scal. Even Vancouver has a pres- ent use for a big bike. With the Second Narrows bridge traffic WELL, T CHEWED AN OLP BEAVER TAIL, ATE A ROTTEN FISH, SUCKED MARROW) FROM A PUTRID Moosé Bon E AND ; DRANK SOME SCUMMY WATER. slowed to a crawl by repaving of the center lane, commuters could hop aboard and pedal across the span quicker than Many sports cars are traversing it this summer. Elder Hostel could organize cross-country excursions for energetic seniors who might relish a bicycle trip but not the upkeep of changing tires, repairing sprockets, and oiling chains. They'd be happy to have a mechanic-leader take them fora ride. A bike that size has plenty of advantages besides camaraderie. [t commands respect from motorists, Think of the many eye witnesses should the bike be sideswiped or rear-ended by an impatient driver, And even a crew of Olympic bikers wouldn't be able to muster enough speed to trigger a radar camera. Because the bike can’t tip, you don’t have to know bow to balance a two-whecler. For someone like my mother who Pa ee v O p.uequraay CAN'T YOU TELL FRoM my BREATH 77 grew up on horseback and never had a chance to master a CCM, it would be superb. The big bike appeals to me because you don’t have to wear a helmet to ride it, At least nol yet. September — with its mandatory helmet lw — is coming up fast and I don’t look forward to always strapping on a safety helmet, even lo travel six blocks to read my granddaughlers to bed. Sull, to set a good example for the kids, I must soon go shopping for a brain bucket, as Harley riders dub it, Then I must practice wearing it. More than once since the law passed in the jegislature Jast year the kids have asked me, “Did you buy a helmet yet, Grandma?”’ They know~ the value of one. Automatically as they straddle their bikes they buckle up their helmets, i must leam to wear one, too.