S TANDARD TERRACE
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VOL. 28 NO. 1
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Tahltan, gov’t close to mine deal THE TAHLTAN Nation and the provincial government are close to finalizing a deal to provide a share of the millions of dollars in mineral revenue taxation the province will collect from the Red Chris copper and gold mine owned by Imperial Metals. Located on Tahltan traditional territory off of Hwy37 North near Iskut, the mine is in its final stages of reaching normal production and has
already been shipping out ore concentrate. A draft agreement has already been reached and the parties now have to ratify the document. Terms were not released but similar mineral tax agreements signed by the province with other First Nations for other mines provide them with anywhere from 12.5 to 37.5 per cent of what the province collects. “We anticipate the agree-
ment will be ratified within the next few months,” a statement from the provincial government indicated. On the Tahltan side, it must be ratified by the Tahltan Central Council, the Iskut Band at Iskut and the Tahltan Band at Dease Lake and Telegraph Creek. This would be the second such mineral tax agreement signed by the province in northwestern B.C. The first, signed with the
Nisga’a Nation last year, will provide it with an estimated $43 million in tax revenues over the projected 16 year life of the planned Avanti Kitsault molybdenum mine. The mineral tax revenue agreement follows another revenue sharing deal agreed to by Tahltan Nation members two weekends ago with the Imperial Metals subsidiary which is operating the Red Chris mine.
This agreement sets out a goal of 40 per cent direct Tahltan employment at the mine, other employment and business opportunities, environmental monitoring and payments to be made by the mine to the Tahltan Nation. The agreement was approved by 86.9 per cent of the 495 Tahltan members who voted out of an eligible voting pool of 2,100 people. Tahltan Central Council president Chad Day noted
that the agreement contains environmental protection conditions. “The agreement also brings local jobs, careers and training for our people and their families. That’s good for our nation and it’s good for the mine,” he said. One of the environmental oversight provisions is protection for mine employees who wish to report incidents or concerns.
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Major hockey tourney bid being prepared THE AREA could play host to a national aboriginal hockey championship tournament in 2017 provided a bid being prepared is successful. Eight female and eight male teams of players in their mid to late teens from across Canada along with coaches and others would be expected to attend, says Terrace city councillor Brian Downie, a member of a committee which has been exploring the idea of hosting the tournament. The bantam/midget level National Aboriginal Hockey Championships have been held since 2001 and Downie expects more than 500 people would travel here. “I think this is an exciting opportunity,” said Downie in comparing the tournament to the hosting here in 2010 of the BC Winter Games, an event which harnessed a huge amount of volunteer participation. As many as 44 games would be played, taking up approximately 120 hours of hockey at the Terrace Sportsplex’s two rinks over a week-long period. “It would be a pretty busy place,” said Downie of the sportsplex. This year’s tournament began April 27 in Halifax and lasts until May 2. The 2013 and 2014 tournaments were held in Kahnawake, Quebec. The local committee, which includes Kitselas and Kitsumkalum, the Kermode Friendship Centre, the Kermode Tourism Society and the Terrace Minor Hockey Association, has until today to submit a letter of intent which would then be followed by a comprehensive bid package.
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JOSH MASSEY PHOTO
■■ Homeless in Terrace MIKE WATSON, far right, from the Terrace and District Community Services Society, speaks to several people as he and others conduct a homeless count on April 21 and 22. It’s the second year in a row the count has been held and the numbers are up from last year. For that story, please see Page A3.
The Diviners
Local food
Victory
Centennial students tell tale of boy and preacher with same unique gift \COMMUNITY A10
Advocates look toward area becoming farming community once again \NEWS A5
Roller derby girls get first win against Quesnel in three years \SPORTS A25