PRINCE GEORGE
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MONDAY APRIL 29, 2002
Serving the Central Interior since 1916
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Prospect of wood deal soft: Dhaliwal
Natural resources minister says U. S. bargaining in bad faith
by GORDON HOEKSTRA Citizen staff
Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal offered little hope of a negotiated softwood lumber deal with the U.S. and made no promises of federal cash to help rehabilitate dying lodge-pole pine forests during a weekend visit to Prince George.
“There’s no use going back to the table if the U.S. has nothing of substance to offer,” Dhaliwal told reporters Saturday following a fly-over of mountain pine beetle infested forests west of Prince George and a visit to Canfor’s Isle Pierre sawmill.
“We’ve urged the U.S. to sit down and have a fair deal. We’ve made a very good offer to them. I think they should be willing to come down and give us something of substance. And then we’ll look at it. Otherwise, we’ll deal with it at the NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement) panels, where we’ve won twice, and at WTO (World Trade Organization).”
Car-truck crash fatal
A Prince George man was killed early Saturday morning at the intersection of Highway 16 and Kimball Road when his car crossed into the oncoming lane and was struck by a B-Train, says the Prince George RCMP.
According to police, 26-year-old Kerry Hammerstrom was heading west on Highway 16 when his car collided with the eastbound B-Train - a semi with two trailers attached - at around 3:20 a.m.
Police say Hammerstrom was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver was uninjured.
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Canfor teams up to fight cancer
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INDEX
Ann Landers .. ..........17
Bridge....... ...........6
City, B.C...... .3,5,13,16,23
Classified ----
Comics ...... ..........18
Coming Events ........2,16
Crossword ...
Entertainment .......18,19
Horoscope ... ...........7
Lotteries.....
Lifestyles ..... .......15,17
Nation....... ...........6
Sports ....... ........8-12
Television .... ..........19
World........
Canada .corn
DHALIWAL
Dhaliwal was evasive about what he meant by an offer of “substance” from the U.S., instead saying the Americans are bar-gaining in bad faith.
Dhaliwal said the key now is figuring out how to find a way to help companies and workers during the legal process at NAFTA and the WTO, which could take years.
However, he said a decision on an aid package will have to wait until the U.S.-based International Trade Commission decides whether to uphold its preliminary ruling that the U.S. lumber industry was injured by alleged Canadian subsidies. If it does, Canadian companies will have to start paying, by mid-May, cash duties totalling 27% on lumber exports to the U.S.
Minister gets earful from local politician
Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal was to meet with five Northern Interior mayors, but missed three of them because his flight from the beetle infestation was delayed.
Prince George city councillor Gord Leighton, who was sitting in for mayor Colin Kinsley, said he told Dhaliwal Canada needs to take a tougher stand on the lumber dispute and launch a public relations campaign to let the American consumer know the trade battle is increasing new home prices.
He also impressed on Dhaliwal the impact the mountain pine beetle infestation could have on forest-dependent communities long-term sustain-
ability because of its effect on the timber supply.
Leighton also asked for the minister’s help in finding a way to increase the value-added wood sector in B.C.
“There were a whole lot of platitudes and comments that everything is on the table and nothing is excluded, and we’re studying it,” noted Leighton. “So, stay tuned. We’ll see what really happens.”
Dhaliwal also met with Fort St. James mayor Jim Togyi, but missed Vanderhoof mayor Len Fox, Quesnel mayor Steve Wallace and McBride mayor Mike Fraser.
See also page 5.
Ottawa has been considering an aid package that would include extending Employment Insurance benefits to forestry workers to allow them to top up their wages. A more controversial plan involves, providing loan guarantees to lumber companies.
Dhaliwal wouldn’t commit, only saying all options should remain open.
After viewing the heart of the growing mountain pine beetle epidemic west of Prince George firsthand, Dhaliwal would only say Ottawa could provide research help to learn more about the pest’s movement and how to control it.
Asked about a northern forest industry request for $600 million over the next decade to help cut dead lodge-pole pine stands and quickly replant them, he said Ottawa is reviewing the proposal with the B.C. government.
“The federal government can play an important role in research and development,” said Dhaliwal. “The other areas are something we’ll look at, but they are much more difficult to deal with.”
Citizen photo by Dave Milne
KEEP A GOOD THOUGHT -
Sisters Macaulay Baldwin, 3, left and Mackenzie, 8, each place a flower in the Nechako River during a ceremony to honour women who have been victims of violence. The ceremony was held as part of the Violence Against Women Week.
Hepatitis, AIDS conference successful
by SCOTT STANFIELD Citizen staff
Facing North, a three day conference for community workers, clinicians and those living with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, drew about 120 people from around B.C. last week to the Coast Inn of the North.
“It was a very successful conference,” said Olive Godwin, executive director of AIDS Prince George and project manager of the conference. “This was the first time for looking at these (AIDS and Hepatitis C) together."
Along with northern B.C., she said
most of the participants came from the Kootenays and Vancouver. There was even one person from South Africa who found out about the conference through a friend in Vancouver.
The event began with a Wednesday retreat for people living with AIDS and/or Hep C, the most widespread and serious of the six forms of viral hepatitis for which there is no vaccination, says HepCURE (Hepatitis C United Resource Exchange).
Godwin said the number of people in these areas living with Hep C is well above the national rate.
Thursday featured a plenary session about the challenges of care, treatment, prevention and HIV/hepatitis research in northern, rural and remote B.C. The panelists included Dr. Lorna Medd, medical health officer for the Northern Health Authority, and Katha-rina Patterson, NHA director of aboriginal health.
Friday and Saturday focussed on clinical and social determinants, and living with HIV and hepatitis. Godwin said there was also discussion about safe injection sites.
The conference, hosted by the NHA
and AIDS Prince George, focussed on two themes: developing partnerships and formalizing action plans.
“Our biggest problem in the north is raising awareness of HIV,” Godwin said. “One of the biggest issues here is sharing syringes.”
Godwin and company expect the conference was an important step to establishing a northern network of services.
AIDS Prince George currently provides services to about 75 people, about 80% of whom Godwin estimates are aboriginal.
Home show attracts 23,000 patrons
by SCOTT STANFIELD Citizen staff
There were boats, barbecues, lawn-mowers, Shrine Clowns and abundant amounts of food at the 25th annual Prince George Home Builders Association Home Show at the Kin centres on the weekend.
Event organizer Gordon Johnson estimates about 23,000 people passed through the gates to attend the three-day event, which featured $27,000 worth of prizes.
“Given the state of the economy in Prince George, I’d say this has been an excellent success,” said Johnson, who chairs the seven-person home-show committee.
Johnson praised his fellow committee members for devoting 10 months of every year preparing for the next home show, where he said ticket prices have not increased for several years.
The major prizes, to be drawn this morning on CKPG radio and PGTV, include a $7,500 renovation package, a patio set, pool table and hot tub from
Tropical Pool and Spa, a gas barbecue courtesy of B.C. Gas, and a one-week houseboat vacation courtesy of Twin Anchors.
As at past Home Shows, one of the feature attractions this year was the appearance of Shell Busey, the radio and television host of the Home Discovery Show, who was on stage numerous times each of the three days of the event.
“Prince George has been, as usual, very accommodating,” said Busey, who was impressed with the questions thrown his way from the “knowledgeable” audience members.
Another feature of this year’s event was the Prince George Hospice Society garage sale, which Johnson called a “big success.”
“There was everything from soup to nuts,” he said.
Jean Cameron of the Hospice Society said there were five truck-loads of items which were sold by way of donation. She estimates the proceeds, coupled with a portion of the sales of
plants from Art Knapp’s, totaled at least $5,000 for the society.
“The response was overwhelming,” Cameron said. “People were very generous.”
Along with Art Knapp's and the various volunteers, Cameron would like to thank the following sponsors of the
Citizen photo by Dave Milne
Claude LeBlanc, left, owner of Woodflre Outdoor Furnaces talks with Dennis Rivard about the benefits of his outdoor furnace at the 25th annual P.G. Home Builders Association Home Show.
garage sale: Hewlett’s, Hugh Readman, City Second Hand Shops, Cover All Shelter Systems, Dave Ball Signs, Western Equipment, Northstar Autobody, Prime Truck Rentals, Central Display, the Prince George Firefighters, and the Home Builders Association.
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