Keep watching that horizon!

The Premier made many stops during his weekend visit to Prince Rupert; one of interest to Rupertites would be his attendance at the local gathering of regional Liberals. It was at that affair he waxed enthusiastically about the prospects for Prince Rupert and declared that the rough piece of road we have been on is over!

Somehow you sense that if a video of his speech were to be created it would have to feature Barry Manilow’s Made it through the Rain as the theme music.

The Premier advised podunkians to keep their eye on the horizon as there are many things just over the other side that are heading our way and the tough times that we have dealt with in the last couple of years are about to change.

So dig out your old Manilow CD and set the mood as you read along to the Daily News’ recitation of the visit of Gordon Campbell!


PREMIER SAYS PORT KEY TO NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Page One

It’s been a challenge to get the rest of the country to recognize the importance of the northwest corridor to Canada’s future, said Premier Gordon Campbell.

But the recent listing by the National Post of two B. C. towns – Prince Rupert and Prince George – as the country’s two top future boom towns shows that things are changing, said the Premier during his recent visit.

“In no time in the last 60 years has there been so much on the plate, just on the horizon, for northern B. C.” said Campbell.

“We are a Pacific country, the fact we are the door to the Pacific, to that opportunity, is enormous for us.”

Campbell was here with six Liberal Ministers, northern MLA’s and Liberal supporters to attend a northwest regional Liberal convention over the weekend.

Visiting with Campbell were Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development, Shirley Bond, Deputy Premier and Minister of Education, Pat Bell, Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Bill Bennett, Minister of State for Child Care, and John Rustad, MLA for Prince George-Omenica.

Campbell said the northern economies from Prince Rupert to Prince George and into Edmonton will benefit with the development on the container terminal.

“The challenge is not whether the port will expand but how quickly we can get it to expand to meet the need of our customers,” he said. “Those customers are not just in Asia coming into the North American market place but in North America going into the Asian market place.”

He said the development of the port impacts other projects proposed for northern B. C. such as the two oil pipeline projects proposed for Kitimat.

“When we think for example about the Enbridge pipeline development that’s taking place in Western Canada, a lot of that pipe is coming from Asia. It gets to the sites of those pipeline developments much quicker through the port of Prince Rupert as soon as we can get it up and running,” he said.

“Also when you think about the mineral opportunities here, they will need markets in China, Korea, Japan and India. This is the closest port by a long shot to those markets.”

Construction of the Fairview Container Terminal in Prince Rupert is underway with $130 million from both the federal and provincial government and private partners such as Maher Terminals and CN Rail.

While Campbell said there have been no specific discussions between the feds and the province for funding Phase II of the terminal, he believes investment will continue to flow into the area.

“I think we have taken a huge step forward with the Port of Prince Rupert and we are going to see those steps continue. I believe we are going to see them accelerate,” he said.

“Working in partnership with the Government of Canada, I think you are going to see substantial investment, not just in this port, but in other ports as well.”

Campbell added he enjoys visiting Prince Rupert, because people keep a positive attitude, even through the tough times.

“Sometimes when you go through a rough piece of road, you wonder is it ever going to be over? But it is over,” he said.

“People here are positive, they are constructive. As has always been the case for me, they come and say. This is what we are trying to do, how can you help.”