InteriorNEWS THE
108th Year - Week 40
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Wednesday, October 14, 2015
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www.interior-news.com
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Bulkley Valley students dash through the drizzle at Riverside Park last Thursday at the school district’s annual cross-country run. Story and results on A19 and A20.
Xuyun Zeng photo
Election candidates on the Hwy 16 transport Trans-Pacific Partnership forum in Smithers By Chris Gareau Smithers/Interior News
On Monday, Canada’s 78-day election campaign comes to an end. In the final days leading up to the final vote, there have been plenty of issues for the candidates in Skeena-Bulkley Valley to chew on. The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal was finalized last week, but has to be ratified by the new Parliament to go into effect. The 12 Pacific nations involved in the deal make up 40 per cent of the world’s economy. The deal would have a large impact on industry in the Northwest. According to the federal government, $7.9 billion was the average annual value of B.C.’s exports of metals and minerals to TPP countries from 2012 to 2014. Tariffs on lumber exports to Australia and Brunei would be eliminated immediately, with
exports to Japan becoming tariff-free within 15 years. But that deal does not solve the problem of the expired softwood lumber agreement, which ended Monday. It also does not end log export restrictions on B.C. “Obviously we would like to see this agreement move forward, and I think industry on both sides of the border would, but for reasons that were not entirely clear, the American administration hasn’t seen it that way,” Harper said in an interview with Black Press. “In terms of forestry, what the TPP does do is provide new tariff-free access to many Asian countries, including enhanced access to the Japanese market.” Restrictions on log exports from B.C. are also not eased by the TPP, which includes Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, New Zealand and Australia. See TRADE on A16
Smithers/Interior News
News that Smithers will play host to a forum aimed at improving transportation along Highway 16 has been greeted with mixed reactions from advocates for the cause. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) announced Friday they were partnering to host a transportation symposium in Smithers on Tuesday, Nov. 24. According to a press statement from the ministry, the discussions would be attended
by representatives from 23 First Nations communities along with municipalities along the stretch of highway between Prince Rupert and Prince George. FNHA spokesperson Richard Jock said his organization hoped the forum would lead to safe and affordable medical transportation along the highway. “The FNHA assumed responsibility for medical transportation in 2013 and we look forward to working with First Nations, government and other partners to create new models which address transportation along the Highway 16 corridor in a more fundamental way,” said Jock. See MIXED on A2
TAYLOR MURDER TRIAL Damien Taylor takes the stand in his own defence for the murder of CJ Fowler.
BOVILL SQ. TRICKOR-TREATING Little ghosts and goblins can trickor-treat and catch a movie on Halloween.
REGISTRATION PROBLEMS A Two Mile voter had trouble registering for the first time in 30 years.
NEWS/A3
A&E/A21
THREE RIVERS/A27
Friday Only!
see last page in A
By Alicia Bridges
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