Bachman, Cummings to tour in support of new CD /26
FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2006

Tough night for Flames, Oilers /9

Add some life to your pot roast /37

Pregnancy has become hip, glamorous and sexy/40

$1.00 (HOME DELIVERED: 59 CENTS A DAY)

Industry backs new lumber deal
by GORDON HOEKSTRA Citizen staff B.C.'s lumber industry has given conditional support to a new deal reached between Canada and the U.S. to end the long-running softwood lumber dispute. The seven-year deal was reached following a week of marathon bargaining, which ended with a pair of adjustments Thursday that were instrumental in securing B.C.'s support for the agreement. The deal will now be fleshed out by lawyers in the next month or two. "The framework is good enough for all of us," Forests Minister Rich Coleman told The Citizen. "Obviously when you get a deal, there's give and take, and nobody is 100-per-cent happy because they always think they left something on the table," said Coleman. "But when you can get seven years of stability and you know what you're dealing with, and you know the numbers . . . then you decide whether you're going or not, and we decided to go ahead." The deal returns 80 per cent of $5 billion in tariffs already collected back to Canadian lumber companies. The U.S. Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports will be allowed to keep half of the remaining $1 billion in tariffs. The other $500 million will go to jointly agreed activities that would benefit the North American lumber market or housing reconstruction in areas hit by hurricane Katrina. When lumber prices are above $355 US, there will be no export restrictions on Canadian lumber shipments. However, Canadian lumber shipments to the U.S. will be subject to export taxes and volume caps based on a 34per-cent Canadian share of the U.S. lumber market when lumber sells below the $355 US benchmark. Lumber prices have hit levels above $400 in 2004, but have also fallen below $300 in the past three years. The framework also includes allowing regions -- B.C. is broken down into the Interior and the Coast -- the choice to opt for an export tax tied to lumber price levels, or lower export tax rates combined with stricter lumber volume caps. One of the adjustments agreed to Thursday was lowering the benchmark price of lumber that export taxes would no longer be paid from $360 US to $355. The other adjustment amended a surge mechanism. The mechanism increases the rate of the export tax if a region ramps up its lumber shipments in a threemonth period. -- See B.C. on page 3

Liberals unveil class size limits
by FRANK PEEBLES Citizen staff The issue of class size and composition has been addressed by government. In a surprise move Thursday, Education Minister Shirley Bond introduced Bill 33 in which the government commits to limits B.C. teachers had been calling for and went on strike for last fall. The bill states that classes for Grades 4 to 7 will be capped at 30 students, and the district average cannot exceed 28 per class. Exceptions are possible with the consent of district administration, but rationales for oversized classes must be made public. The bill also states no class for Grades 8 to 12 will exceed 30 students, with the same exceptions. Furthermore, the bill enshrines in law that no class will have more than three PEARCE special-needs students, without the same administrative approval process. "I am a little bit surprised, but pleased," said Matt Pearce, vice-president of the Prince George District Teachers' Association. "It is a compromise but one everyone had input on. We haven't gotten back everything that was stripped out of our contract but it will provide protection for most students." Pearce was most pleased with the timing of the legislation. In a Citizen story on Thursday he explained that teachers could hardly engage in wage negotiations without first knowing what their working conditions would be. Wage positions were exchanged (though not made public) on Wednesday with more talks slated for Monday, and this announcement gives teachers the perspective they lacked only a day earlier. Pearce acknowledged concern that there was still the possibility of classes exceeding 30 students, but also said that for some classes, like band, that was not a detriment to the students' education. Penny Tees, chair of the B.C. School Trustees Association, was in Prince George Thursday for the BCSTA annual convention when news of the legislation was learned. She said the mood at the meetings she was involved in had a decidedly positive tone. -- See TRUSTEES on page 3

CITIZEN PHOTO BY DAVE MILNE

MODEL DISPLAY -- Ministry of Forests protection assistant Gary Casperson carries a mannequin outfitted for repelling to its spot in a display by the ministry and the City of Prince George fire department at the Northern B.C. Home, Garden and Leisure Show, which runs today through Sunday at the Kin Centres.

Legislation pleases Bond
by FRANK PEEBLES students in B.C.," she said. "We don't Citizen staff know exactly where those numbers Education Minister Shirley Bond will move yet, but our modelling said the work on the legislation tabled shows the system has the ability to adThursday to address class size and just to these class limits." composition was almost around the Bond said she hopes this shows clock. teachers that the government was seShe is hopeful the direct effect will rious about its intention to examine be better learning environments for the issues in detail and come to the students in B.C. and the spinoff effects best possible solutions in the face of will be a negotiated settlement for different opinions coming from the B.C. teachers. various stakeholders in education. BOND What Bond did not know Thursday "The legislation we brought today was how many new teachers will have to be was to demonstrate that we understand these hired to ensure no classes break the law. are critical issues not just for teachers, and the "We have done some modelling and looked at challenge we faced was hearing the diverse the capacity of the system, but schools will look views of the partners and try to work somemuch different next fall in ways we can't pre- thing out within that," said Bond. cisely predict, because we will have 7,000 fewer -- See MINISTER on page 3

High : 18 Low : 4 page 2
E-Mail address:

news@princegeorgecitizen.com
Our website:

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com

INDEX
Ann Landers . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Business . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-34 City, B.C. . . . . . . . . . . 3,5,6,13 Classifi ed . . . . . . . . . . .16-22 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Entertainment . . . . . . . 25-27 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-11 World . . . . . . . . . . . .14,15,24

Local teen vying for national pageant crown
by BERNICE TRICK Citizen staff A Prince George teenager is hoping to wear the Miss Teen Canada crown before summer is over. K a r a K e l l y, 17, i s a m o n g 4 0 teenagers vying for the title in the Miss Teen Canada Inter national Pageant being held Aug. 17 to 26 in Toronto. "I read the information about the pageant and decided to give it a shot," said the Grade 12 student at College Heights secondary school. "I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and that it would be extremely rewarding just to be part of it." She sent in her application and was directed to go to Vancouver where eastern officials interviewed B.C. candidates. A call a week later confirmed she had been selected to represent her home community, so she's all set to go except for one thing. Entering the contest costs money. "I have to raise more than $3,000 by July 1. I have to find two major sponsors and 10 other backers among local limited businesses," said Kara, who must pay a $500 entry fee, $100 for the Vancouver inter view and her transportation costs. Anyone who'd like to help her raise the funds can deposit contributions at the Royal Bank, Pine Centre branch. Donors must present the account number 04540--5185566 to t he teller. Since contestants are required to fashion a teddy bear to be auctioned off for charity, Kara has decided to "make a forestr y teddy b e a r w i t h wo rk boots and a little log under his arm." KELLY "Maybe I'll even put a pine beetle on the log," she said. Contestants, who share rooms in a hotel, are monitored for nine days on personality, poise and how they present themselves, and are scored on talent, essay writing and knowledge about Canadian history. They all go home with the wardrobe provided for them. The winner signs a contract to represent Canadian women for the next two years. "You get to volunteer with younger children, in hospitals and with seniors. It would be just so rewarding," said Kara. Among her wishes would be to help out with the Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver. "It's so important for parents of sick children from the North and the rest of B.C. to have a place to stay," said Kara, who describes herself as a "kind of grandma at heart" who likes to sew and cook. btrick@princegeorgecitizen.com

0

58307

00200

5

805 1st AVE. 563-8891
OR OUT OF TOWN CALL

** Does not include documentation, taxes or insurance

1-800-563-8893

ON SITE FINANCING AVAILABLE ON APPROVED CREDIT! � www.nrmotors.ca

SWITCHBOARD: 562-2441

CLASSIFIED: 562-6666

READER SALES: 562-3301

487154

1st AV LOCATION! NR MOTORS RV & MARINE SALES
DL#7970

O NR MOTE RS V

Stock#13178

Stock#13478

Stock#13430

2005 Aerolite Travelaire Trailer
was $21,280

2005 Fleetwood Bayside Tent Trailer
with hotwater, furnace and refridgerator, was $16,740

2005 Class A Motorhome
Model A3803FGB, was $305,242

$17,900

NOW

$14,740 $250,000

NOW\

NOW