Pa pe _2 December 1988 Cass Cassiar Courier OFFICE. OF THE PREMIER ‘Bill Vander Zalm | Victoria -- The economic well-being of our province depends, to a large extent, on getting our valuable natural resources to market. The provision of good transportation services is a high priority of your provincial goverment. We know that such services are the key to a prosperous British Columbia. The cost of good transportation services is high; the cost of poor transportation services can be even higher. To provide effective transportation services, we must invest our limited resources with care, enough care to be sensitive to the environment, enough care to make the right decisions at the right time. Your government will soon be releasing a trans- portation plan that looks at the needs of the entire pro- vince -- air, marine, transit, rail and highways. The plan will show that the province is making a commitment to involve every region in setting priorities, a commitment to multi-year development and a commit- ment to beginning the highest-priority projects immed- iately. The Vancouver Island Highway has been identi- fied as a priority. The provincial government will spend in excess of $600 million over the next eight years on developing a much needed, modern freeway running the length of the Island. Construction to upgrade portions of the existing highway will begin in December of this year, with con- struction of the new inland Island freeway from Nanaimo to Campbell River commencing in the summer of next year. The government is also dealing with a long-standing traffic problem in Vancouver. The provincial government in conjunction with the federal government and the City of Vancouver, will spend $85 million building the Cassiar Connector between the Second Narrows Bridge and the Trans-Canada Highway. This section is the worst bottleneck west of Toron- to, with 100,000 vehicles a day travelling the route. The Cassiar Connector will not only alleviate the traffic bottle- neck but will assist in the movement of goods in and out of Vancouver. Further projects in other parts of the province will come about as a result of our transportation plan. LARRY GUNO, M.L.A. (Atlin) GUNO CALLS ON GOV’T TO UPGRADE HIGHWAY 37 Victoria - New Democrat. MLA Larry Guno says the Social Credit government should stop ignoring the poor condition of Highway 37 which he said jeo- pardizes the safety of northern residents. Guno, who.-has written a letter to Highways Minister Neil Vant spelling out his concerns for resi- dents using the highway north from Kalum Road to the Nass Valley, says the long-standing problem ,needs to be addressed before the government goes ahead with any new transportation strategy for B.C. “J have received many complaints from residents and travellers who have to deal with hazards and higher costs in maintenance and repairs as a result of these conditions,” said Guno (Atlin). “People of the North are paying their fair share of taxes to the province and they deserve to see some of those dollars reinvested in their communities,” said Guno. “The cost of living in communities served by the highway is already high, and northerners should not- be penalized for choosing to live in the North.” Guno said if the government is prepared to spend $600 million on Vancouver Island highways, it should ensure Highway 37 get adequate funding for upgrading. “That should be a priority. Upgrading and repairs are essential if we are to avoid ay, serious accidents in the future,” said Guno. Jim Fulton, New Democrat MP for Skeena, has added his voice to Guno’s in calling for highway improvements. Fulton has promised to investigate the possibility of securing federal funding assistance for road improvements, noting that’ he has been success- : ful in securing federal. funds for the upgrading of the - Prince-Rupert-Terrace section of the Yellowhead High- way in Skeena. AN OPINION Omineca Update Jack J. Kempf, M.L.A. for Omineca Should the Vander Zalm government be allowed to proceed with the Fletcher Challenge application for Tree Farm License at Mackenzie, not only will it become the largest giveaway in British Columbia history, but it will also add a horrendous new meaning to the word ‘privatization’. The application, which covers the entire Mackenzie T.S.A. - some 6 million hectares (approx. 15 million acres), includes 3 million hectares that aren’t even timbered. WHY? It’s bad enough to give away land tenure worth an estimated $2/billion in asset (timber) value. But why twice as much land as is covered by timber? There can only be one answer -- Wilderness Management. We are embarking on a course in this province to privatize the management of our wilderness areas. This scenario is only the tip of the iceberg. Very good authority has it that Fletcher Challenge did not press the government for this T.F.L. It was in fact just the opposite. Forest Minister Dave Parker urged them to get on with it, in order to meet the new objectives in forest management as dictated by Bill 28 passed in the legislature last spring. If this new objective is allowed to be carried out, it will mean the eventual demise of the B.C. Forest Service and its watchdog capability over the foreign interests which control our industry. Parker said it himself during the legislative debate on Bill 28 - “We are getting as close as possible to providing almost the private land situation for the major licenses.” Presently there are approximately 6.5 million hectares of provincial land under Tree Farm License in British Columbia. This one additional T.F.L. will increase that figure by 6 million hectares -- almost double. If we allow this to happen when the plan is complete an addi- tional 36 million hectares will be tied up in this type of tenure -- an estimated $14/billion value. A $14/ billion giveaway! Where is this all consuming passion for privatiz- ation taking us? I believe I know, and it must be stopped before it goes any further. Write your M.L.A. Write the Premier and Cabinet. Write your newspapers and other media. You are the only one who can make a difference. It’s your resource, and now what’s left of your province is up for grabs. I can be reached by phoning 387-3038 days, 384- 9285 evenings, or by writing c/o Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C., V8V 1X4. Support the Democratic Process. Keep in touch with your M.L.A. AN APOLOGY Two errors appeared in our November Cassiar Mine Story. The first indicated that plans were that the underground would be in full production by 1991. This should have read 1990. The second error indicated the possibility of transfer to the open pit copper mine for some of the excess employees at Cassiar. This has not been sugg-. ested. In fact the company suggested contacting a number of. similar mining operations with a-list of possible candidates. Opposition Leader MIKE HARCOURT As I put pen to paper, the civic and federal elec- tion campaigns are in their final days. Since I’m not about to pre-judge the results, I want to look this week at the lighter side of the political scene. I’m sure you’ve been overwhelmed just now with the non-stop seriousness of politics. Daily, and often conflicting, polls. Political lawn signs on every vacant lot. (Do vacant lots vote?) Barbara Frum interrupting another analyst on The Journal. John Tumer and Brian Mulroney scrambling to wrap them- selves in the flag. (“And I want to tell you, sir, that I was born to a Canadian family.”) But politics isn’t all dead earnestness. You can’t take yourself to seriously in this business. Sooner or later most politicians are flattened by the steam- roller of public opinion when it turns against you. A sense of humour helps. One needs the attitude of Graham Spry, a CCF losing candidate who said that on voting days he was defeated by “large and enthus- iastic majorities.’ In fact, losing often brings out kinder feelings in voters. As Stephen Lewis once said, “The surest route to affection and esteem is defeat and retirement.” So let me tell you a few oF the more humourous moments myself and others have experienced on the campaign trail that help to keep us humble. Like the most common greeting I receive on the road. It’s not congratulations on a by-election victory, or best of luck in my work, or can I explain a certain policy. Usually, the first thing I hear is “I’ve seen you on TV. I didn’t know you were so. big.”’ Being 6 feet 3 inches I dutifully explain-how TV cuts us all down to size (in more ways than one), yet some folks still look at me like I’m not whom I claim to be. Tommy Douglas, by the way, had a way of hand- ling those who questioned his small size. Once an oppo- nent threatened to swallow him whole. “In that case,” Tommy said,“you’d be: a ‘biological ‘monstrosity, because - you would have more brains in your stomach than in your head.” : Then there are those voters who remind you of what for them really is the bottom line. A former federal cabinet minister from Newfoundland put it this way: “Every time you start thinking you’re going to go into the history hooks as the guy who finally solved the Middle East crisis, one of your constituents says, ‘Never mind that. When are you going to fix the plank on the wharf?’ ” And finally, there’s the famous tale of Ontario Liberal premier Mitchell Hepburn. He was speaking to a group of farmers in the late 1930s while standing atop a manure spreader. (They had “photo opportun- ities’? back then, too.) He thought he was getting off a good line when he said, “This is the first time in my life that I have spoken from a Tory platform.” But one of the farmers one-upped him by roaring back: “Throw her into high gear, Mitch, She’s never had a bigger load on.” Peat anahane nS ag acne he nm annnnoe ye of nk Seasons Greetings from Jim Fulton, HM. P. « Larrp Guno MLA. : and ‘The Gilin 2.B.7. - Association Box 359 k : ZEW aN e, Cassiar, B.C. VOC 1E0 778-7340, RO I OE ora ake tee eR EE DR SEERA AS eo | t (S -+ CASSIAR Bits & Pieces | Terry Brown and. Denise Chamberlain were in town from Erickson. the other day. They were bidding good-bye to old friends before leaving for Campbell River. Friends said good-bye also to. Bill and Betty Carter and family recently. They were honoured at a farewell party before heading off to Stewart. Another farewell party was held last week for John and Laura Van Damme. They are also on their way to Stewart, They will be missed in the community where John was always helping somebody out. Santa Claus came early to Marg Whalen the other day. Marg was the big winner at the bingo, sponsored by the hockey club. Congratulations, Marg. Congratulations also to. Bobby Jo, and, Danny on the recent birth of a baby son at Vancouver. At last word every one is doing fine. Somebody came in the other day and suggested congratulations to Barbara Boyes and Tom Gibson. They went to England not so ons ago and ‘tied the knot’ over there. Get well soon to Louise Larocque whois in the hospital at Vancouver. Greg drove her down. I’m glad he came back, keeps me busy chasing his dog. It ‘must cost him a fortune to feed that dog, it eats BE, whatever eee "use to feed him in. Again there seems ‘to be a‘ number of new: faces ‘around town, but we don’t know who they are. If you read _this and are new in town, stop in and introduce. your- self, then we can tell everybody about you. I have one last moose story for this year. Up a- round Anchorage, Alaska on one eight-mile stretch of highway, motorists and truckers killed 40 moose last year. Apparently, it is a crossing area and the kill is bad every year. The game branch decided to put in a tunnel so. the moose could go under the ‘highway, similar to what the British people did a couple of years ago’ to get their toads across the road, only on a larger scale. Mike Mac- Donald of the Alaska Fish and Game Department claims that the.tunnel is indeed working and that the highway kill this year was down to eight animals. A Note From The Editor’s Desk As we frantically prepare to go to press with our Christmas issue I want to stop for a minute or two and share some of our future plans and hopes for the Courier. After a shaky start in September, when we appear- ed to have lost all possible hope of any continuity, we appear to have settled into a more comfortable rou- tine. It is our intention now, over the next few months to seek input from our readeis and advertisers as to what they would like to see in the paper. Here at the Courier we have some very definite plans for change, but this is your paper, it is the community’s paper, so drop us a note and let us have your input. We would like to see a “Letters to the Editor”, column on a regular basis. We need contributions to keep our writer’s column going We need continuous input for our Cassiar Bits and Pieces. In short, we need you. We are planning also, to expand our coverage into the outlying areas to cover Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, Good Hope Lake and up to Watson Lake. In fact, we have distributors in Watson Lake this time. Erickson Creek Erickson Slowdown The exodus from Erickson camp to Cassiar and other places has been going on for some time. In an effort to get the straight facts, the Courier has contacted Mine Manager Tom McGrail. His reply to us is being printed verbatim. November 21st, 1988 To; The Cassiar Courier From: Tom McGrail As is generally known, Erickson ceased milling ore in late October. This was due to the mine’s inability to provide sufficient mill feed. Mining however, is presently continuing and will cease in mid-December 1988. This mine has had diminishing accessible ore re- serves during the past year. The expertise of our explora- tion staff has consistently found additional ore to allow continued operation. This summer, unfortunately, the ore found is unavailable early enough to allow for con- tinued operation. Therefore, unavoidably, we must cease operations temporarily. The nature of this type of operation is cyclical by nature. Narrow vein mines are normally development in- tensive, ie. a considerable amount of time and monies are expended to access limited ore reserves. When this is compounded with a mill feed rate exceeding three hun- dred tons per day, the problem of supply becomes acute, thus the temporary shut down. By the end of December the number of employees will. be reduced to 20 from a normal winter complement of 100. We have enjoyed great success in attracting very FIRE CHIEF Here in the office, we want to improve our communication with the community.’ Due to the fact that this is a part-time operation, there are days at a time when no one is here. So we miss messages and we miss visitors. We are considering placing an answering machine on the line so that we could at least get back to people who call. We will also be plac- ing a drop box near the door for notes and contri- butions. These may appear to be small items to some people, however we feel they are important. If Cassiar intends to grow, we intend to grow with it. Let’s hear from you Managing Editor Don Campbell eno rete DAKO! rela _ Cassiar Courier December i988 Page 3 good employees and this is exemplified by the current recruiting being done by other mining companies. It is regrettable to see these people leave. This temporary shut down will however, afford the opportunity to rescind some previous decisions. Cassiar Mining Corporation and Bill Zemenchik have been most receptive and helpful in the relocation of some of our employees to the community of Cassiar. Accordingly, the decision has been taken to remove the married accommodations at the mine site. This will cer- tainly change the character of our camp, but it is our _ shared hope and expectation that this community’s de- mise will be to Cassiar‘s benefit. As stated earlier, the more accessible ore has been found and mined. Presently and for the next eighteen months a 2.6 kilometre access drift will be developed to the Michelle. Drill indicated reserves in this area exceed 25,000 tons at a cut grade of over 1.0 ounce of gold per ton. Continued delineation of more ore reserves in this area has proven to be extremely costly and difficult. This access drift will then allow for extraction of these known ore reserves and also provide an exploration plat- form from which continued diamond drilling is expected to dramatically increase these known reserves. In addition, deep diamond drilling is continuing in the Main Mine areas as similar scenarios (areas of gold deposition) may occur at increased depths. Further, the Beaton and Finlayson Creek fault zones will be drilled as these bear close resemblance to the Erickson Creek fault zone, the host of much of our previous ore reserves. This company has in excess of 80 square miles of property to explore, of which less than 10% has been tested. Given our success to date in this region, we should be mining in this area for a long time to come: This certainly is our intent. I would like to take this opportunity to-wish all my staff, employees and the peoples of Cassiar continued success and growth! Tom McGrail, Mine Manager Erickson Gold Mining Corporation FOR A DAY Every young boy, and girls too, love to ride on the fire engine. This dream came true recently for young Gary Crant. After lunch with Fire Chief Gord Becket, Gary toured the local fire hall, put on his fire helmet and was delivered back to school in the fire truck. } Gary was the winner in a contest sponsored by the Cassiar Fire Department to promote safety in the home. The contestants were required to draw a plan of their home and to mark in the escape routes in case of a fire. Gary is in Grade Three and has only recently arrived in Cassiar. Fire Chief Becket and the Cassiar Fire Department want to stress the fact that fire safety in the home should be of utmost concern to us all, and as the holiday season approaches we should remain alert to the possibility of fires.