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Leith’ 5 Liver oar é

The: Neifers: thank: Terrace. after their 16-month: old. son gets. a liver. transplant Bo

- $1.00 Plus 7¢°GST 07 ($200 plus.8¢ GST. = outside of the Terrace area) i ‘

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| Regional jobless rate goes up _

‘per cen. The rate makes the northwest: " regian the. worst economic performer if the province. Second: on, the list-is - the Cariboo witha. stated unemploy.. a

But MLA Harris, chamber president. see a. turnaround ment rate of 13 per cent.

/. Mayor Jack Talstra . provides: his annual state of

‘the-city address. | ‘For’ ‘that. - Story see @ Page Al2. :

‘May 2004.

a

. Nationally, . the: ‘only: province. in THE PROVINCIAL economy, spurred... worse shape* than -the northwest is by housing ‘Starts and sales in -the-more ~ Newfoundland which -has: a: posted. uns populated southern’ areas and! thé-al-: .. employinent rate- of. 16: 5 per. cent. lure -of ‘the: 2010 Winter’-Olympics, Within:B.C.; Victoria has. the: low. may be growing. but that’ s not. the- case st" unemployment rite. at 4.4 per-cent © in the northwest..." ~while‘it@is.7.2, per cent ‘in ‘the lower —- Latest stats: “accumulated ‘by: Statis- ~ mainland, “The: northeast; bolstered. by ties Canada and: federal: employment “oil ‘and. gas, has: an unemployment: Tate ... officials show ‘tinémployment: grew ~ of 6.3. per cent.: a over last year. as the Population LOM May’ 's. northwest ‘Tale’ of. 143- ner’ tinues to drop. * - -eent-i is. an_ increase. from April's: 43, 9 _ The ainemployttient. rate- is now’ ‘ist-" per. cent and ‘Marcli’s 13 percent... ed at 14.5 per.cent for May, nearly...” In May 2003; the northwest's. unem- . double the provincial average of 7,9:

: ployment. rate v was: A 2 per cent.

*

CHRIST LUTHERAN congregation member Gordon Watmough stretches to brush on the final touches as he and other church members re-painted the church’s outside trim fast week. It's being done just-in time for Christ Lutheran’s 50th. anniversary: celebration. this: Sunday.

‘Church notes 50 years. with service this Sunday.

MEMBERS. ‘OF ‘Christ: ‘Lutheran Church here and: ‘guests. ‘pather June: 20° “fora morning . Service. celebrating, its 50th anniversary. Founded primarily” ‘by! ‘people : of: - German and‘ Norwegian. ‘background _ Christ Lutheran-is, located on the c cor * er of Park and. Sparks.” Food and: ‘resentallons: will

the service... ra :

“The church: also has a new: “pastor, “Margaret Powell,’ who: was’ ‘officially: ; - installed: June 13.. “ a VAn. ‘Anglican, Powell divides “her ime. between Christ Lutheran here and ( hrist. Chure Anglican in:Kitimal:A © ' Powell » was,

_ Stewie B 1B

othe federal fi igureé ‘apply to ‘foughly, A the area-from: Vanderhoof. west to the: © Queen. Charlotte. Islands and. uP. to" the. “Yukon border. °~ a ” "Phe . statistics also. ‘indigate a “cole ni tinuing decline - in: “the: ‘population . year from’ 73,300: people im May: 2003 -to’ period. ; a Across :B.C., the ‘otal | for: the. same

72, 300-in! “May: 04.’ That. compares’ to three month, ‘period was more than $2.8

van: overall rise inthe provincial -popu-*- “-Jation from '3.355- million in May 2003 .. “(9 3.404 million in May. 2004. Provincial stalistics.’ also: ‘indicat a - ‘then number: ‘af people working. overall °

Northwest reviv al repoR

"sentatives, ein o Proposals and requests | for everything from t more roads

“up. north to more: power’ up. ‘north to: help: with Prince Rupert’s port potential came up atthe’s

that burned

-and 35 firefighters | were

aa Krumm Road June 10.

‘the time’ firefighters got . _ Thursday, afternoon, lucky,” said: provincial: for- - est service fire officer. Kaz week ‘slow: the | spread: of. _ the fire.

“week ago,” said Kopec.: “It

“died pretty quickly when it~

: * soutee for the’ blaze hasn't.

“positively. determine the ". - Gause of fires like:this. one. *

_ see, ‘someone: Jimatch., ta: “know. for. ‘sure,’ - said Kopec.. i

“Rife Department:.was. the, first on the scene and was:

“Statistics Canada

- thal ‘of. last:year. :

readied »

'SKEENA. LIBERAL MLA Roger Harris hopes: to havea - blueprint for’ the northwest’ s-economic revitalization. for.

Premier Gordon: Campbell: by. mid summer.

It'll build on. information: given’ to the: premier "at ‘the: ~ mini economic summit. ‘here: ‘in’ May, ‘Harris said: last’

week, . ““It's:a raatter ‘of ‘what 8 working and iow we. lake the

: next step,” said the MLA whois also the provincial gov. ve

ermment's forest’ ‘operations ministers:

Those at the session - ‘included regional’ industrial

crown “corporation, native, civic: and educ

cA

“It was. preity exciting. There. was a:lot of. sharing

lot of these people fh had not talked | to each other: before,” ,

. said Harris. : The’ session, comes: at'.a, time: “when the northwest a

-ecoflomy continues”. to lag - substantially behind activity in the-rest of the province, - 7

Haris said the: challenge: is ‘Ww: find: industries that ha ven! ‘t existed before: and which will: ‘help ‘wean th ‘area. ~ from an overdependence upon traditional. {arge scale for~ .

est industry: Operators.

THREE HELICOPTERS

needed: to calm: a blaze in a 40 hectare cut block off

About 2.5: hectares had’ ; been charred and: smoke filled the nearby’ area: by.

the’ fire -under- -control _

“We were actually

Kopec, explaining ‘that the ‘rain. the area’ received last

“Its, _ good, it. wasn "t ‘a

hit the standing. timber.” -Kopec. says. while . the

“been. deterthiiied,. it was: ROCKY DOAN ol the Ki

definitely, man:coused. . ~ He ‘that it's difficult: to

is rising — from 2.002 million aeople in May 2003.10 2,032 million: people in:

The. May: 2004 ‘unemployment. figs. : “- ures come ‘at -a-time when’ niuinerous °.. “commercial and - industrial’ sectors are

"> reporting” an: increase. in’ “business: in. other-parts: of the: province.

ed ‘more than’ $1 § billion i in building permits’ were. issued 4 in. the lower main:

billign,-an: increase oF 28 per cent: over oi

-<Skeena. Liberal MLA. Roger Harris : conceded the ° grim nature. of the | forthe .

marketing a

ing to help: ‘finance: from. proceeds of. the B.C. Rai

~ “That's: the -hard part. it won't be like switehing on a light: switch,” he said. “We still need'to be patient.” Harris. added that when people ‘speak to him: about’ the. :

|Rain helped dampen the fire — near Krumm Rd.

Krumm road Thursday. It took 31 men from the Unit Crew and the Thornhill : Fire Department to get the blaze under control: 7

Wednesday June 16, 2004

west: numbers, ssaying th

of: years. “The issue -is. Tores : has’ been that; When‘ thebanks pulled. ‘the-pin.on old. Skeena that. Was when - ‘it started,” he'said.” ay But. he’ 5 aptitnistic. a turnaround. is. tinderway- and that’ June’s figures: will: how.a different: story: - “ML kriow. there :are: ‘people’ back 7 ins -+-he. bush: and he. loggers’ are’pretty, Op. — limisticn ni hearing | there's a ‘shortage. a YC oF, -mechanics-and: ‘other: trades,” a said” re Harris: -last: week: ; weve ols a. sign, Harti - - change of forest: policy to: ‘boost. wood, ©

last week -repert:

"sales to small Operators | is: beginning | to: set “work, mt

“Cont d. Page J Aa:

remier

state: “of the’ ‘economy, the foundation for thei worryis “the. declining | value Of their homes.’ “There are only so many ways to charige t that and Ones is:to bring’ people. into ‘the community ” to. build. Up. a de: we ‘mand’ for: homes again,” * said. Harris; ; 2S]t'samatter of paintinga-picture. “for: ‘peop ole ‘in the: ” oimmunity ‘and a visidn of. What it might look like.” ee *“The- teal: objective is to, get infrastructure’ inj place to” Sy makeit-happen..8 i oa ‘Harris: “predicts the northwest will, be béc calls the next:“‘gold ‘rush. : ~ He" s. béen’ hearing’ of interest. from ‘southern:develop a ers in land: and other purchases: in: the: norihwest because. wT prices“here:are. so. cheap compared to other plate 600 Harris is: ‘particularly happy with‘an incréase:in miner: [ exploration, saying. that: tmifing: ‘répresentatives- at’ the’ ‘session: with: Canipbell: Fepott ‘having to £0. overseas to. “find qualified people. ~ a 7 = ~And he’s ‘confident. ihe: planted ‘container port: vat

: ‘Prince Rupert,’ "which the: ‘provincial government is wilk. sales.

déal, will. generate opportunities. oO

" ! The key: here ‘is, marketing it. ‘50, y that. suppliers will oye

say they wart their’ “predict shipped. ‘through: that, “port,”

said Harris. . - - : “The cabinet. minister ‘and’ MLA: did! day “a re “opened oe

New Skeeia Forest Products Would: be- the: “icing onthe —

7 cake” for a new- look forest Aconomy. in the: northwest, ,

timat- Terrace Unit ‘Crew works to put.out the fire ‘off

REBECCA COLLARD PHOTO :

fighting forest fires,

wey ‘You’ d- almost: have 16 -

“throw a. rélatively.- unpopulated

The Thenbill Volunteer,”

“soon. followed by the pio- ‘vincial: forest. ¢

’

“It's wiade up: of 30 ped:

‘Although =the sarea’ is:

"there. ‘was some concern: for..a home just - under: ‘ge som kilonietie. northwest’ of: the”.

haps early June:12, siren. a “up“the blaze and burning: J pie. ‘trained. and skilled in’ a iother ectare.

this are typically the result ~ bill. for fighting: the. fire. of Yecreational * activities: Wa alfendy around $8,000. “cand said ca lot-of. the fires shad’. they respond: to are started”. lo. the: ; because, | people. have. oa abandoned: campfires. . Hes: -reminding “resi pet dents: be ‘extra carefil. in’ a “They” don’t’ “usually “ nd appen. Ne close to. com-...-.p 8; Not, of ‘thal mag- > 416

* Kopec ‘estimated: ‘the.