Cassiar Courier the Voice of Cassiar Country MARCH 1986 10 cents. Guno Wins NDP Nomination At a meeting held in Stewart, B.C. on February 15, 1986, Larry Guno won the nomination to represent the NDP in the next provincial election by defeating the one other candidate, Victor Pakalnis. Guno received 212 votes and Pakalnis 65. Only 158 members of the NDP Atlin Constituency Association did not cast votes. Mail- in ballots were used because of the large area involved. Guno, a native of New Aiyansh in the Nass Valley, practices law in Vancouver. Virginia Goodwin, president of the NDP Atlin Constituency Association, says “At this time he has undertaken to have a larger presence in the riding’. Guno has indicated he plans to open a branch office in Stewart. - Cassiar Pays: ~. Millions In Taxes. by Keith Jones Cassiar Mining Corporation is continually asking for government help in running the townsite of Cassiar. As you can see from the following figures Cassiar Mining Corporation and its employees contributed almost $8,000,000 to various forms of government in.1985. I do not think that we in Cassiar are getting anywhere near our fair share of government services. Dease Lake receives electric power from B.C. Hydro at a subsidized: price of seven cents per kwh (Cassiar Mining’s cost to produce electricity is 14 cents per kwh). Also road main- tenance and snow removal are provided by the Ministry of Highways. 4 Following is a report that shows the amount of taxes remitted by Cassiar Mining to the various lévels of govern- ment: Canada Pension Plan — employee portion $157,599 — employer portion 157,599 $315,198 Unemployment Insurance — employee portion $ 211,950 — employer portion 265,149 $477,099 Workers’ Compensation $26,777 Property Taxes 709,334 Fuel Taxes 766,940 Sales Taxes : — Provincial Sales Tax $ 815,340 — Federal Sales Tax 411,624 $1 226,964 Income Tax (per T4 slips) 3 955,700 TOTAL TAXES REMITTED #7978012 Taxes remitted on behalf of employees $4 325,249 Taxes remitted by the employer 3 652,763 $ 7.978,012 Sexual Assault Cases Decided Two cases of sexual assault were decided at the Feb- tuary 13, 1986, sitting of criminal court in Cassiar. George Holman, charged with two-counts of sexual assault and one charge of indecent assault, was sentenced to eight months in jail at the Prince George Correctional Institute. He is to receive psychiatric and psychological counselling and treatment, he must attend alcohol coun- selling and he must refrain from any contact with the victims without expressed written consent. The judge ordered him not to be in the company of young girls under the age of 16 unless he is with another adult over the age of 21 years. After serving his jail sentence he will be on probation for two years. The charges arose out of two incidents involving a 12 year old girl from Good Hope Lake and one incident which occurred in 1981 involving an 18 year old girl. The crown counsel asked the court for a jail term of 18 months. She told the court, “Society finds it ab- horent when a man presents himself as a respectful member of the community until he goes home and locks the door.” Holman was the coronor for Cassiar. He is an em- ployee of the Ministry of Highways and is well known in the area. Several community members gave their personal recommendations to the court on Holman’s behalf. How- ever, the crown prosecutor maintained the recommend: Continued on Page 16. Cassiar profits down Revenues and net earnings after extraordinary items in 1985 were 61.3 million dollars and 1.2 million dollars respectively (compared to 73.3 million dollars and 3.4 million dollars in 1984). The 1985 earnings take into ac- count an extraordinary item of 2 million dollars which re- presents sale of mining properties. The earnings per share, after extraordinary items, were $0.26. No comparative fi- gure for 1984 is available due to the re-organization of the share structure of the company during the latter part of 1985. Cash flow from operations was 16.2 million dollars, of which 8.3 million dollars was-applied to reduce bank debt of 43.9 million dollars. The McDame adit was completed by November of last year and a bulk sample processed at the Cassiar mill confirmed the potential of the high quality McDame de- posit. Further development work will be done during 1986 on the McDame deposit. ~ TOTAL ERICKSON TO REBUILD MILL Flames and smoke rise up from the destroyed ruins of the Total Erickson mill. The fire occurred January 23, 1986. Total Erickson Resources Ltd. plans to re- build its mill near Cassiar before the end of the year. Company Executive Vice President Kristian Ross said construction will begin, ‘‘when the frost goes out of the ground.” The Erickson mill was destroyed by fire in January just 1% weeks before an $800,000 up- grading program was to be completed. Although investigation into the fire is not complete, Ross said the fire was an accident. The amount of loss has not been agreed upon, however, negotiations are continuing. Despite the loss of production, the fire has caused, Ross is optimistic about the company’s and the mine’s future. He said the new mill will be basically the same plant as the old mill, but it will be a steel construction. It will be a 300 ton per day mill. At Total Erickson’s Mt. Skukum mine near Whitehorse they are presently testing the equip- ment in the mill and hope to be in full production in March. The Mt. Skukum mill is also a 300 ton per day plant. However, production will begin at 200 tons per day and later will be increased to its full capacity. : Meanwhile, Total Erickson Resources Lid. has signed an agreement with NIM & Co. Ltd. Part- nership - 1986 of Vancouver for a flow through share issue of Canadian exploration expenditures of $3.5 million. An amendment to the agreement was signed on Feb. 10, 1986, for an additional $1.5 million to fund the company's expanded 1986 exploration programs. The funds will go towards _both underground and surface explor- ation. Ross said the bulk of the money will be spent at the Erickson camp near Cassiar but some of the funds will be spent elsewhere. Jennifer Becket wins Gold sik % \ Be gee a : ae ] , Jennifer Becket The Judo Club sent a team of athletes to represent Cassiar at the B.C. Northern Winter Games in Smithers on Feb. 7, 8 and 9. Team members were Priscilla Quash, Jennifer Becket, Tracey McDougall, Trun Lehki, John Cavanagh Jr., Jason Hebert, Philip Hutchen and Nelson Hartman. The instructors were John Cavanagh and Ed Farrell. The Judo Shiai (competition) was held at Lake Kathyn Elementary School in Smithers. Other Judo clubs competing were from Prince George, Smithers and Kitimat. ~<*<*The Cassiar Judo club competitors ‘gave an-outstand- ing performance at the competition, taking four medals in their weight divisions. Medal winners were : Girls — 105 lbs. — Jennifer Becket Gold — Tracy McDougall Bronze Girls — 135 Ibs. — Priscilla Quash Silver Boys — 150 lbs. — Jason Hebert Silver A mention to Trun Lehki, John Cavanagh Jr., Philip Hutchen and Nelson Hartman for their outstanding part- icipation, especially to Nelson Hartman, whose compet- ition was against competitors of higher rank (blue belts and brown belts). Well done, Nelson. After the Judo competition, Ed Farrell and I part- icipated in a Judo Coaching program by Judo Canada. The program lasted 12 hours — 8 hours classroom and 4 hours mat work. The program instructor was a 4 degree black belt. Ed and I hope that with the knowledge gained at this program we can advance the Judo students to high- er levels. by John Cavanagh Arbitration Ruling Awaited Cassiar Mining Corporation and United Steel- workers Locals 6536 of the Production and Mine Work- ers and 8449 of the Office and Technical Workers are awaiting the results of an arbitration hearing which will determine the fate of the bunkhouse/cafeteria system in Cassiar. The hearing took place February 12 and 14 and a fast decision on the matter has been requested. Results were expected to be announced while this paper was at the printers. The company has announced plans to close down the bunkhouses ‘and change the cafeteria to a full time restaurant. There are presently 95 people living in the bunkhouses at a cost of approximatley $13,000. per person per year. Mine Manager Keith Jones said the company has decided it cannot afford that cost any longer The company planned to convert two of the newer bunkhouse blocks into 20 apartments — 16 singles and four doubles. Nine units would also be built at 215 Smith Street. The remaining bunkhouse people would be encour- aged to rent or buy the 35 trailers and houses that are presently vacant in town. The renovations were estimated to cost about $400,000 and original plans were to have the work com- pleted by June 1, 1986. Members of the United Steelworkers Union felt the bunkhouse/cafeteria system is a benefit the workers have had for many years and they don’t want to give it up. As ‘a result the union grieved the proposal on behalf of its members.