Page 2 janet 1986 Cassiar Courier M.L.A. REPORT Al Passarell $2500 INVESTOR LOAN The Legislature has adjourned for-the fall, and during tthe Session there were 25 new pieces of (Tage passed by government. o One of the more interesting legislations is a bill that © benefits the fairly small investors in the Province. The Provincial Government is offering B.C. citizens interest free loans of up to $2,500 as an inducement to invest in B.C. companies listed on the Vancouver Stock Exchange. The provincial Government. will lend. B.C. residents 25% of the purchase price of new shares issued by eligible companies, up to a maximum of $2,500.00. The investor has six years to sell the shares and repay to the provincial government either 25% of uae sale. price or $2,500 00, whichever is less. This plan would encourage: a number of revenue- producing private B.C. Companies in our Atlin Constit- uency to be listed, raise equity in the plan and expand, thus, creating new jobs in the Far North. Alberta has a. similar plan and new jobs in the resource industry have been formed. Firms issuing the shares must have a B.C. Investment to be eligible. Further qualifications will be based on per- formance and would eliminate numerous: speculative companies on the Vancouver Stock Exchange with no rev- enue. If you would like further information please contact my Victoria office, Room 204, Government Caucus, Parl- jament Buildings, Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X4. We need jobs in the North and private companies, through growth and depPlOn nel produce jobs, not pie- in -.the - sky slogans. More on Page: 16 Priority Post Is it the answer? Canada Post advertises that only Priority Post Courier will deliver your shipments to any postal address in Can- ada, at courier speed. ~ but just what is ‘courier speed’? AS a newspapet in’ the far north, we rely heavily on the postal: service.. Recently, an advertiser phoned from Vancouyer. to say an. ad. was being sent ‘Priority Post’ for = the December i issue. The Priority Post: package was mailed from Vanccuv- er on: Saturday, November 30, 1985, and arrived in Cas- siar on Friday. December 6, 1985. There had been a plane from: Vancouver on Sunday, December 1, and Wednesday, December 5, but, ae to the local post office; this Priority Post arrived by truck on Friday, December 6, 1985. Needless to say; it arrived too late. for. our Decem- ber issue. Another example this week was a letter jrrailed from Arizona to Cassiar on November 25, special delivery. It is stamped as arriving in Stewart. B.C:on December 5, 1985, in Dawson Creek on December 9, 1985, and finally in Cas- siar on December 12, 1985. The address was complete, even as to postal code, and ‘special delivery” was marked on the envelope six times. These two examples are not isolated cases — we could go on and on. Our local post office workers are courteous and help- ful and after the recent open. house one-can better under- stand and appreciate the work that goes on at Voc 1E0 — but one also wonders what happens to the mail before it arrives in Cassiar and after it is mailed from Cassiar! Yes, we do live far away from Vancouver, and even farther away from Arizona, but this is 1986 — not 1896, and surely we’ should expect = and get — ‘better service than this. Police News Snowmobilers injured Edgar Frank, Lyle Quock and Ellery Day were in- volved in an accident on the Glenora Road, Telegraph Creek, on. December | at approximately 11:20 a.m. They were on a snowmobile which rounded a corner.and ran into another moving vehicle. One, with some broken _ bones, and one with internal injuries, were flown out to Terrace Hospital. The other‘person had minor injuries. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured but there - was approximately $800.00 damage to the vehicle. The snowmobile was a total write - off. No‘charges have been laid but investigation is contin- _uing. Theft results in jail term William Clarence McNabb was sentenced to 100 days -in jail for theft. He was found guilty of stealing equip- ment from the Ministry of Forests: This occurred the past summer while firefighting. ‘i ; ~ Letters to the editor INDIAN LAND CLAIMS Indian land claims are becoming a hot issue in Can- ada. The Haida tactic of becoming involved in the Lyell Island logging controversy has served to focus national at- tention on their claims and others here in the Northwest. The Haida are doing a very good job of telling Canadians of their dependence on traditional foods and customs which is, in some strange way, being threatened by log- gers on Lyell Island, some 89 miles or more from their homes. What they haven’t told the Canadian people how- ever, is that many of the Haida people involved in this con- troversy are themselves employed in the logging in the Charlottes, and have fed and clothed their families for years through logging employment. When I lived in the Charlottes the Indian people, including the gal who just about had a Vancouver judge in tears over her descrip- tion of traditional food gathering, gathered their food in the supermarket in a grocery cart just like everyone else. They may supplement their diet with fish and game, just as most people in the Northwest do, but if the grocery store went out of business, they would be in just as much trouble as you and. A question that plagues me is, why is this issue only now coming to a head, some hundred years after the white man first made his appearance? One reason for the casual acceptance of the white man’s presence by Indian ancestors has to be obvious. The arrival of the white man with his myriad of useful tools and weapons must have been viewed as a great economic and practical boon to the Indians. Can you imagine how a person, used to spending upward of a week of hard labor to burn down a tree and several months to hollow it out with fire and stone tools, would react to a white man arriving on the scene with an axe that could do the job in hours? Or the sudden possi- bility of owning a gun that could take most of the risk of starvation out of a hunters existence? Or the sudden op- portunity to trade furs, previously suitable only for cloth- ing, for a host of weapons and tools and apparel? Whether it was a smart decision in retrospect or not, I think there was a conscious decision that there were advantages to be gained by the white man’s presence. The fact that things haven’t panned out to original expectations doesn’t neces- sarily mean we can turn the clock back a hundred years and start all over again. Even today, despite all the claims of hardship and mistreatment, there are definite advant- ages to being a native and a ward of the federal govern- - ment in a white society Native people take full advantage of all the opportunities and conveniences brought by the new arrivals. as evidenced by TV satellite dishes, four wheel drive pickups and all the acoutrements of the space age that are seen in=native communities ‘in - this area. The same employment, education and business oppor- ° tunities all of us have in this area are available to them. They. also. have the full benefit of Canada’s extensive social network, such as baby bonuses, old age pensions, welfare and unemployment insurance. In addition, there are a host of benefits available to. Indians as wards of the federal government that are not available to the popula- ation at large, such as free medical and dental care, free eyeglasses and dentures. free legal service, a $40 a month incentive for children to attend school, reduced train fares on Canadian railways, generous hunting and fishing privil- eges, freedom from provincial’ sales tax on cars and most other items, free or subsidized housing, free government supplied infrastructure such as water and sewer systems and roads on reserves, freedom from income tax on.earn- ings on reserves, freedom from municipal, regional, hos- pital and school taxes for reserve residents, free university » U.I.C. SOCIAL SAFETY NET MUST BE KEPT AND STRENGTHENED The department stores have had their brightly col- oured Christmas decorations-up for several weeks now - an ever present reminder to many that another Christmas is at hand. For.some it will be a real struggle to put a train set or a doll under the tree. A million and a half men and women in our country face the Christmas season without a job. The little money they will spend on themselves, their families and loved onés during this. most festive occasion will come from whatever savings they have left, if any, and from. our soc- ial programmes - most notably unemployment insurance. te dtis-d humbling experience - the first time you apply for’U.I. But each and every: working Canadian has paid into this programme and it’s our right to use it when “necessary. And with 1.5 million unemployed, now is the _ time to strengthen and: improve this social safety net. Early last July... Brian Mulroney announced the crea- tion of a task force on unemployment insurance. . The five member. task force, comprised of two members from labour, two from business, and one independent chairman is to study the coverage, benefit structure and funding of ea and other higher education and probably some more I haven’t heard of. It is not for nothing that the dirtiest word in the na- tive community these days is “extinguishment”. That is the nefarious scheme entertained by the federal govern- ment some time ago, of making ordinary Canadians out of the Indian people in return for land claim settlement. The native people have now made it very clear that, while they would like to see land claim settlement, they want at all cost to maintain their Indian status with some form of self government. With the Haida claiming the Queen Charlottes, the Nishgas the Nass Valley, the Coast Indians the coast and the Gitskan’s just about everything else west of Houston, there is some very stiff negotiating to be done. While these claims will be dealt with in a forum that us ordinary Can- adians will not be party to, it behooves us to be well aware of the scenario being put forward by the Indians and the effects it would have on us white interlopers. Land claim settlement is envisioned to take the form of large cash payments, large tracts of land and control over natural resources, such as minerals, forests and fisheries. The claim I keep hearing is that these resources are being mismanaged by the present users (which include most na- tives) and that the native people themselves would manage them in a traditional and supposedly much more efficient manner, all of which will result in expanded wealth and prosperity for all of us in this region. Personally, I have some serious misgivings about these claims. Sure, there is a lot of room for improvement in the management of our natural resources, and I think we are continually heading in that direction. But I certainly haven’t seen evidence of the superior management skills in the native community that would lead me to believe they could do a better job than our two levels of government and our whole society are trying to do at the present time. By all means, let’s go through the land claims process; let the courts and the federal government decide on a set- tlement, and by all means, let’s have our provincial govern- ment involved if there is to be poker playing with the re- sources we all depend on. But let’s keep in mind that, as ~ Paddy Green told the B.C. Wildlife Confederation con- vention, “if there is an outstanding debt, it is a debt by all Canadians, and not by us in the Northwest”. Then let us work together as equals and as Canadians to create a better society for our children and grandchil- dren, where we won't be speaking of “us” and “them” any more and where all can contribute and benefit from | our efforts. P. Weert New Hazelton TAHLTAN ABORIGINAL RIGHTS We see in your recent edition of November 1985, that - the Residents for a Free Flowing Stikine received consider able coverage concerning the Stikine Watershed. In that coverage representations were made with respect to Tahl- tan Aboriginal Rights. While we appreciate all the support we can get in our efforts to reach a just settlement of our claim, we feel compelled to state that we have no political affiliation with non-Indian groups. We have given no other group a mandate to speak on our behalf, and we should not be seen as endorsing the actions of others who express pub- lical opinions about our unresolved claims. Vernon Marion, President, Tahltan Tribal Council, Dease Lake, B.C. “OTTAWA VIEWPOINT By Jim Fulton, M.P. (Skeena) U,1.C. and make recommendations for changes to the Em- ployment Minister by March of 1986. Public meetings have been scheduled across Canada to provide a forum for concerned groups and citizens to discuss U.I.C. The hearings started at the end of October and are continuing through the month of January. Al- though the task force will not be holding a public hearing in Skeena, Commissioners will be meeting with those who are intested on January 9th in Prince Rupert. I encourage those who want to have input into this very important issue to contact Martine Gow-Cooper of the Inquiry. on - Unemployment Insurance, Box ake Ottawa, Ontario, — K1P 5KO. Many special interest groups Sane have ajaeanl have called for cuts in U.I-C., a longer waiting period and a re- duction of insured weeks. which has helped thousands of families in Skeena’and has helped bolster the economy during the last few years. In the 1984-85 fiscal year more than $55 une was: paid out to residents west of Topley. While many people fear the Conservatives have’ Fine Hoel ready. decided to slash the U.I.C. programme, I nonethe- less encourage interested individuals to participate in the — Continued on Page 16. oe U.LC. is a social safety net CASSIAR Bits & Pieces _ November 1985 was cold but not the coldest recorded! in ‘Cassiar. The mean. temperature. for November 1985 was -18.75°C but in November 1955 it was -21.4°C; However, one record was broken on November 26, 1985. when the temperature dipped to - 42.5°C., The previous low. was - 40°C, also recorded in 1955. ; CONGRATULATIONS “to . Les’ Larcombe, ‘Marv ‘Lar: combe, Cliff Shipley and Marlene Shipley on scoring an Eight-ender in the Friday /Saturday ‘mixed curling league on November 29, 1985. Their opposition that evening were Bora Radulovic, Dushenka Radulovic, Miro Jakl and Ned Kos. Wonder if anvone has heard saaiie about the Goodies SOUT ELIS Marlene H, and Cec T. lately? . ee Cc ON GRA TULA Th (ONS Adolf Penno com- | pleted his R.L.A. course and received his degree at the graduation _.cerem- onies held at the Westin Bayshore, — Vancouver, Oct. 26:: ta The log home of Peggy Wurtak, Richard Benno and their three children was destroyed.by fire on December 12. It was fortunate there was no'one home when the fire broke out at approximately 9:00-a.m. as it was, only.a few min: utes before the whole building was engulfed. in flames. - Wow. — wonder, what. John ‘Shepherd did to deserve that lovely Christmas gift called “Yukon Rose”? , So, we understand Mike Pennock has a budding new career in the Arts — ballet we.. believe., Providing, of course, that the accompaniment is provided by Ron oe Is that Rick Gabel waiting in the wings for his turn! Nice to. see Rose ,O’Neill back in. town for a-short visit, also Bob and Stephanie Bowen. Our condolences to Carol Bowen, whose mother passed away recently. Ts it true that Al Beaton likes to take visitors from Van- couver on showshoe hikes on. Table. Mountain in- the dark? That isn’t a moose calling - that’s Wendy Zabot! Seems Desmerais is hosting the Peace River Games this vear and Wendy is in charge of the Moose Calling event! — Now. that Joan. has announced your retirment, Verna, have vou handed in your notice? -. WHERE HAVE ALL THE PARENTS GONE? _ by Lorraine Drzimotta In the last two weeks | have witnessed two events | have encountered many times over in my six years as a coach. They , are the sad lack of parent participation in their children’s sports. The first one was a figure skating carnival meeting at which, six members of the executive, a coach and two par- ents were present, There are, approximately 35 children in thei@lubs Vesa The second one was a Minor Hockey tournament held in Watson Lake, which the Bantam Midgets ‘from ‘Cassiar attended. ‘One set of parents gave their child a ride io Wat- with rides. There are eleven’ players on the team. nae onl te isa definite shame that in a community as close- knit as ours that such ‘eglect can happen., Ihave gone through a six month. skating season and never met some ‘of the parents, of the kids | have coached. MR RIN Tt is not only important for parents to show: up ; at ma- jor evenis ‘such as tournaments and Carnivals, but for Tac- tices as well. Children need encouragement all year round, not.just a pat on the back at the end’ of the. year and’ say- ing they've. done good. As a coach, I. realize sometimes it ‘is impossible to be at two places at One time. Sometimes, both parents. ‘need to work in order for their child to participate in an activ- ity. But there are usually. after work and weekend prac- tices. Some practices are eyen held before school. If the child can make, the effort, the encouragement should be there also. Most major events, are held (on weekends. When a child is developing skills, there is a great need _ for them to show. off, their new talents. A coach has to divide his attention many different times during a session and sometimes it is not enough for a certain child. If the parent is in attendance that child works harder and strives to be better for his audience. This is a great help, for the coach,,as well as the child. It shows the child his « accom: plishments are well noticed by both coach and parent so his work is not in vain. ; It takes a great effort on all parts. to ‘make’ a great sports season work. Getting involved i in your child’s activ- ity not only - brings communication between coach, stu- dent and parent and executive, but also shows your child you. care. And that can make all the difference in) the world for everyone. wt hs Seasoned ie - STORE HOURS > Beginning January, 2 1986 Monday : Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 12 Noon - - 6:00 cot ie : Satuiday © ni 10: 00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. Closed Wednesday & Sunday The Ladies Tea was a resounding success again this year — Ina and Alice certainly were having a good time keeping. the singing going. As predicted ‘by Marian, Kendel Brass- mouse found the kitchen and had to be removed from: sev- eral plates of goodies before they were served. Julie MacR. now realizes just how serious some shoppers in the Big City really ‘get! Yes, some “ladies” really will”: fight over one item — not just in the cartoons. The Watson Lake airport was a very busy place during December with Cassiarites going out to do their Christ- mas shopping or for holidays — and young Cassiarites coming home for the school holidays, as well as many friends and relatives coming to Cassiar to spend the holidays. Cassiar makes the news! On November 11, 1985, a report f er from the New York Times spoke with Lisa Prosser and an article about our weather appeared in their November [1 issue. : WELCOME TO: Albert, Wendee, Jason and Morgan Quinn “Wayne Roberts, who has joined the plumbing crew | ARRAL Mary and_J. R. Waite, a son Justin, 5 lbs. 8% 02. on Dec- ember 6, 1985, in Kamloops, B.C. -Who’s News NEW STORE MANAGER Albert Quinn has-recently. arrived in Cassiar as the, Retail Store Manager. Prior to coming to Cassiar,.he was with the W..W. Arcade Ltd. stores in Edmonton for 20 years. Albert, wife Wendee, and sons Jayson and Morgan, are looking forward to their life in Cassiar. The boys. are already into hockey and. Albert.is looking. forward _ to doing some hunting and fishing. c assiar "Courier January 1986 Page : Erickson. Greet Colit ni: aoe ee mn by pat Lamborn _ Happy New, Yéar: Gassiar Countty! HE Sona Erickson’ has been-hopping. with parties. this holiday season. We've. teen gladly ringingout the old year and pewuiniten hy looking ahead to 1986. , We even have:.a,new name, now,-— .Total Erickson Resources Ltd. (See, front . page: for. more details.) The president of Total Erickson, Jean-Pierre Januard spent a very busy few days hére in’ mid- December. In between meetings and touys'of-the operation he’ had an interésting anid extended-snow-shoeing expedition’on Table Mountain with mine manager Al Beaton..’Al insists ‘he’ wasn’t eae he‘just took the long’way home!.' ! °-) 7)" 1M. Januatrd ‘spoke ‘to the: Erickson