Well geez, I may be able to milk the Prince Harry scandal for one more day here at Podunk.
As things have developed overnight, it seems that the snap shots of the young Prince's rambunctious ways were actually three years old and stolen from a London apartment to boot!
The release of the pictures comes at the same time as News International was set to appear in court over charges of spying on the Royal Family. This latest bit of theatre probably won't help their cause in front of Her Majesties Lords, but it sure is doing wonders for circulation!
As for the Podunk portal, well let those site meter hits start a rollin!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Pictures of Podunk: Prince Rupert Grain engine
The harvest will soon be taking place on the prairie and that means busy times at the Grain Elevator, one of the shunter engines idles at the Elevator shops.Fishing Derby issue makes an appearance at City Council
Fishing Derby issue makes an appearance at City Council
Well everyone else in town is talking about the negatives and positives of the ongoing Great Northern Salmon Classic, so why not the folks down in the big house on Third Avenue West.
City Council sort of addressed the controversial fishing derby in its regular session on Monday night; then again perhaps they just brushed it aside. The issue came up for discussion, but not debate, with a number of councilors exchanging views on the merit of discussing the issue at this time.
In the end, bureaucracy won out. As the issue had not been properly added to the agenda, the discussion on the derby was brought to an end. Not before most councilors and the Mayor got to express their two cents worth on the process of discussion..
The Daily News covered the to and fro of the council chamber in its Tuesday edition. Grab a scarp of paper and see if you can draw a line between the alliances from Monday night.
COUNCILLORS LOCK HORNS OVER THE FISHING DERBY
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Page Three
The great fishing derby debate rages on, and that continued Monday night at Prince Rupert city council. Coun. Joy Thorkelson, who is also the northern representative for the United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union (UFAWU-CAW), voiced a concern that she says is currently shared by the majority of commercial fishermen on the North Coast – she questioned whether the current fishing derby, that runs until Sept. 15, will further impact future coho stocks.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t well thought out,” she said. “The derby impacts the Upper Skeena (or summer) stock, but it’s also going to affect the fall (lower Skeena) stocks.
The department (of fisheries and oceans DFO) has said there’s not enough fish for us. The fall coho, we have not been able to access since 1997.”
Thorkelson went on to suggest that council should come up with a status report on whether or not he derby is currently affecting coho stocks, but the motion never made it off the floor.
That said, Coun. Tony Briglio agreed that council should monitor the situation, because depletion in future stocks would affect the community.
“While we’re still in the game, we should keep our eye on the ball,” he said. “I would make the motion that staff would come back with information.”
“I hate to see these things sit there on the burner.”
But Coun. Sheila Gordon-Payne didn’t agree. “I’m not sure what hard information they’d be able to give us at this time,” she said.
Gordon-Payne added that Tourism Prince Rupert had approached council earlier in the summer with the fishing derby proposal, and it had been approved.
Coun. Ken Cote suggested that the city invite DFO to an upcoming meeting, but Thorkelson said: ”The department can’t stop derbies. I want to know what the derby is doing for Prince Rupert, and what it will do to future stocks. This is a conservation issue.”
Briglio’s motion was defeated, but that still didn’t stop him from pointing out the obvious: ”It’s almost pushing us into a debate,’ he said. “Who can tell us what is going on?”
Mayor Herb Pond then recommended that such issues need to be put on the agenda ahead of time, so all councilors have ample time to collect proper information.
“We need to start respecting our agenda,” he said. “This is a time for information, but the agenda had no line for this item. I don’t thing we have to get bogged down with this.
”If there’s a request for fisheries, or tourism to attend, I can arrange for that. It’s good to debate, but prior to a good debate, is good information.”
Gordon-Payne ended the discussion by pointing out that with the derby already in full swing, council can only sit back and wait.
“There’s nothing we can do to change this, but there’s a lot we can do about this in the future,” she said.
Well everyone else in town is talking about the negatives and positives of the ongoing Great Northern Salmon Classic, so why not the folks down in the big house on Third Avenue West.
City Council sort of addressed the controversial fishing derby in its regular session on Monday night; then again perhaps they just brushed it aside. The issue came up for discussion, but not debate, with a number of councilors exchanging views on the merit of discussing the issue at this time.
In the end, bureaucracy won out. As the issue had not been properly added to the agenda, the discussion on the derby was brought to an end. Not before most councilors and the Mayor got to express their two cents worth on the process of discussion..
The Daily News covered the to and fro of the council chamber in its Tuesday edition. Grab a scarp of paper and see if you can draw a line between the alliances from Monday night.
COUNCILLORS LOCK HORNS OVER THE FISHING DERBY
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Page Three
The great fishing derby debate rages on, and that continued Monday night at Prince Rupert city council. Coun. Joy Thorkelson, who is also the northern representative for the United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union (UFAWU-CAW), voiced a concern that she says is currently shared by the majority of commercial fishermen on the North Coast – she questioned whether the current fishing derby, that runs until Sept. 15, will further impact future coho stocks.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t well thought out,” she said. “The derby impacts the Upper Skeena (or summer) stock, but it’s also going to affect the fall (lower Skeena) stocks.
The department (of fisheries and oceans DFO) has said there’s not enough fish for us. The fall coho, we have not been able to access since 1997.”
Thorkelson went on to suggest that council should come up with a status report on whether or not he derby is currently affecting coho stocks, but the motion never made it off the floor.
That said, Coun. Tony Briglio agreed that council should monitor the situation, because depletion in future stocks would affect the community.
“While we’re still in the game, we should keep our eye on the ball,” he said. “I would make the motion that staff would come back with information.”
“I hate to see these things sit there on the burner.”
But Coun. Sheila Gordon-Payne didn’t agree. “I’m not sure what hard information they’d be able to give us at this time,” she said.
Gordon-Payne added that Tourism Prince Rupert had approached council earlier in the summer with the fishing derby proposal, and it had been approved.
Coun. Ken Cote suggested that the city invite DFO to an upcoming meeting, but Thorkelson said: ”The department can’t stop derbies. I want to know what the derby is doing for Prince Rupert, and what it will do to future stocks. This is a conservation issue.”
Briglio’s motion was defeated, but that still didn’t stop him from pointing out the obvious: ”It’s almost pushing us into a debate,’ he said. “Who can tell us what is going on?”
Mayor Herb Pond then recommended that such issues need to be put on the agenda ahead of time, so all councilors have ample time to collect proper information.
“We need to start respecting our agenda,” he said. “This is a time for information, but the agenda had no line for this item. I don’t thing we have to get bogged down with this.
”If there’s a request for fisheries, or tourism to attend, I can arrange for that. It’s good to debate, but prior to a good debate, is good information.”
Gordon-Payne ended the discussion by pointing out that with the derby already in full swing, council can only sit back and wait.
“There’s nothing we can do to change this, but there’s a lot we can do about this in the future,” she said.
Fairview Container Terminal on track to open in 2007
The construction phase of the Fairview Container Terminal continues along the Prince Rupert waterfront. And while the public can no longer get a day to day view of the progress (unless you happen to have a boat), the face of the Fairview area is changing day by day.
In Tuesday's edition, the Daily News visited the site and took its readers on a tour, providing a an update on one of Prince Rupert's most anticipated projects.
PLAIN SAILING SO FAR AS PORT SHAPES UP
By Sarah Fox
The Daily News
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Pages One and Three
Construction at the Fairview container port is ticking along on time and staying on budget, says Port Authority representative Barry Bartlett.
“We’re quite pleased with the progress and how everything is going,” said Bartlett.
“We’re finding that with our partners, the city and the federal and provincial governments, that great partnerships have been formed and everybody is working together for a common goal.
“Everybody is supportive and everybody is working together in dealing with the problem solving that’s going along.
“One of the great reasons I think we’re doing so well in terms of being on time and on budget is because of how supportive everybody has been and how well we’ve been working together.”
To date, the most significant construction at the port has been the extension of the wharf by 20 metres wide and 187 metres long, to accommodate the super-post panamax shipping vessels that are set to arrive at the terminal late September 2007.
“Basically, where we are is we’re installing 90 piles, which will hold up the wharf,” said Bartlett.
“Each of the piles are 120 feet long, three-feet in diameter and this week we’ll reach the halfway point where we’ll have installed about 45 piles.”
Instead of the traditional hammering down of the piles, the 90 piles are being vibrated down to the bedrock to minimize the noise in the area.
The piles are then drilled, like a screw, eight feet into the bedrock when each pile is filled with cement.
The second area of construction at the port is the demolition of the CN railway line.
Ninety per cent of it has been demolished to date and they have to demolish it all because they need to be upgraded and they need to run close to the port,” said Bartlett.
“We’re going to be running about 20,000 feet of track when this is finished.”
Installing this amount of railway track will make the use of trucks at the port minimal.
“It’s going to be straight from the container vessels to the rail-car and from rail-car to container vessel,” said Bartlett. “That’s one of the strengths here.”
“At the other West Coast ports, congestion is a problem and that’s from the transferring of containers to trucks and then to warehouses and then to trucks again to shuttle to another train area – so with this, there really won’t be any trucks involved and we’ll circumvent the congestion problem.”
The construction crews are well on their way to completing the installation of armour rock, which are huge boulders that will push up against the edge of the wharf, under water, to reinforce the structure.
The armour rock is needed because when the container vessels come to dock, they use thrusters on the sides of the ships that can move ocean floor silt around, potentially causing a wharf to become unstable.
The boulders hold the wharf and silt in place.
“Interesting enough, these boulders as a by-product, are creating aquatic habitat,” said Bartlett.
“Before all that was there, there was silt … putting the boulders in will create lots of hiding places and nooks and crannies for sea life.”
On the terminal side, the port crews are continuing to rip up and demolish all the old pavement so that new gas and power lines can be installed.
Bartlett says the old pavement will be recycled and used when they lay the new pavement over the expanded port.
So far, $80 million dollars in construction contracts have been awarded at the port with a completion date of June 2007.
The first cranes are to arrive in July 2007 and phase one of Fairview Terminal is set to be operational by late summer, early fall in 2007.
In Tuesday's edition, the Daily News visited the site and took its readers on a tour, providing a an update on one of Prince Rupert's most anticipated projects.
PLAIN SAILING SO FAR AS PORT SHAPES UP
By Sarah Fox
The Daily News
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Pages One and Three
Construction at the Fairview container port is ticking along on time and staying on budget, says Port Authority representative Barry Bartlett.
“We’re quite pleased with the progress and how everything is going,” said Bartlett.
“We’re finding that with our partners, the city and the federal and provincial governments, that great partnerships have been formed and everybody is working together for a common goal.
“Everybody is supportive and everybody is working together in dealing with the problem solving that’s going along.
“One of the great reasons I think we’re doing so well in terms of being on time and on budget is because of how supportive everybody has been and how well we’ve been working together.”
To date, the most significant construction at the port has been the extension of the wharf by 20 metres wide and 187 metres long, to accommodate the super-post panamax shipping vessels that are set to arrive at the terminal late September 2007.
“Basically, where we are is we’re installing 90 piles, which will hold up the wharf,” said Bartlett.
“Each of the piles are 120 feet long, three-feet in diameter and this week we’ll reach the halfway point where we’ll have installed about 45 piles.”
Instead of the traditional hammering down of the piles, the 90 piles are being vibrated down to the bedrock to minimize the noise in the area.
The piles are then drilled, like a screw, eight feet into the bedrock when each pile is filled with cement.
The second area of construction at the port is the demolition of the CN railway line.
Ninety per cent of it has been demolished to date and they have to demolish it all because they need to be upgraded and they need to run close to the port,” said Bartlett.
“We’re going to be running about 20,000 feet of track when this is finished.”
Installing this amount of railway track will make the use of trucks at the port minimal.
“It’s going to be straight from the container vessels to the rail-car and from rail-car to container vessel,” said Bartlett. “That’s one of the strengths here.”
“At the other West Coast ports, congestion is a problem and that’s from the transferring of containers to trucks and then to warehouses and then to trucks again to shuttle to another train area – so with this, there really won’t be any trucks involved and we’ll circumvent the congestion problem.”
The construction crews are well on their way to completing the installation of armour rock, which are huge boulders that will push up against the edge of the wharf, under water, to reinforce the structure.
The armour rock is needed because when the container vessels come to dock, they use thrusters on the sides of the ships that can move ocean floor silt around, potentially causing a wharf to become unstable.
The boulders hold the wharf and silt in place.
“Interesting enough, these boulders as a by-product, are creating aquatic habitat,” said Bartlett.
“Before all that was there, there was silt … putting the boulders in will create lots of hiding places and nooks and crannies for sea life.”
On the terminal side, the port crews are continuing to rip up and demolish all the old pavement so that new gas and power lines can be installed.
Bartlett says the old pavement will be recycled and used when they lay the new pavement over the expanded port.
So far, $80 million dollars in construction contracts have been awarded at the port with a completion date of June 2007.
The first cranes are to arrive in July 2007 and phase one of Fairview Terminal is set to be operational by late summer, early fall in 2007.
Where the blogosphere’s mind is at
Well we proven one thing at the ole Podunk this week, scandal sells!
My normal traffic on this humble portal is not of an earth shattering nature, a few loyal visitors return each day, and some bring a friend or two. But for the most part, the crowd that swarm to the embrace of the Podunkian point of view is shall we say, smallish.
That is until Tuesday’s click count came in. A normal day at the Podunk sees anywhere between 50- 60 hits on the site. Not enough to get me a major contract with Slate, Salon or any number of other major websites, but still enough to keep my fingers plugging away through the week in search of interesting things to share.
Tuesday however we crashed over the 100 hits point by the witching hour, an impressive surge of Podunkian visitors.
Could it be the thoughtful piece on the Middle East? Perhaps the hopeful story about a return of football to the nation’s capital? Then again it could have been the late breaking news from Monday of a fire in the east end of Podunk.
Well we’d like to think that it was all of that and much more. But we’re under no illusion here; it’s simply a picture of a Prince, a grin and a grope.
Yep, Prince Harry it seems is the new savior of the web. The tale of his night of debauchery seems to have resonated around the world and even here in Podunk.
It reminds me of a tale that seanincognito once told of his blog (currently on an extended hiatus) and Britney Spears, a simple mention of Ms. Spears and perhaps a portion of her anatomy had the blogging world clicking his site at a rapid clip.
Titillation it seems sells, tales of misbehavior seem to be what the blogging public wants. Researching those thoughtful pieces, well it’s a thing of folly it seems.
We’ll file away this bit of information for future reference, one thing is certain if you want to gain your hits, you have to show some………………..
My normal traffic on this humble portal is not of an earth shattering nature, a few loyal visitors return each day, and some bring a friend or two. But for the most part, the crowd that swarm to the embrace of the Podunkian point of view is shall we say, smallish.
That is until Tuesday’s click count came in. A normal day at the Podunk sees anywhere between 50- 60 hits on the site. Not enough to get me a major contract with Slate, Salon or any number of other major websites, but still enough to keep my fingers plugging away through the week in search of interesting things to share.
Tuesday however we crashed over the 100 hits point by the witching hour, an impressive surge of Podunkian visitors.
Could it be the thoughtful piece on the Middle East? Perhaps the hopeful story about a return of football to the nation’s capital? Then again it could have been the late breaking news from Monday of a fire in the east end of Podunk.
Well we’d like to think that it was all of that and much more. But we’re under no illusion here; it’s simply a picture of a Prince, a grin and a grope.
Yep, Prince Harry it seems is the new savior of the web. The tale of his night of debauchery seems to have resonated around the world and even here in Podunk.
It reminds me of a tale that seanincognito once told of his blog (currently on an extended hiatus) and Britney Spears, a simple mention of Ms. Spears and perhaps a portion of her anatomy had the blogging world clicking his site at a rapid clip.
Titillation it seems sells, tales of misbehavior seem to be what the blogging public wants. Researching those thoughtful pieces, well it’s a thing of folly it seems.
We’ll file away this bit of information for future reference, one thing is certain if you want to gain your hits, you have to show some………………..
Hays Cove Circle Fire under Investigation
Last nights fire on Hays Cove circle is now being investigated by both the RCMP and the Fire Department. The blaze which broke out around 9:45 was quickly put out by the Prince Rupert Fire Department, but the duplex involved suffered some serious damage.
The Daily news had full details in its Tuesday edition.
Probe launched after homes are gutted by fire
By The Daily News
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Page One
Last night, Prince Rupert RCMP and the Prince Rupert Fire Department were called to a house fire on the 500 block of Hays Cove Circle at 9:45 p.m.
The fire crews arrived to find the two story building engulfed in flames.
Additional firefighters were called in to assist and the fire was put out by 10:14 p. m.
The house was under construction and unoccupied at the time of the fire.
No injuries were reported.
Blown-out windows and a collapsed roof could be seen from the roadside. Damage to the building was estimated at $60,000. Police believe the fire was started deliberately and it is currently being investigated by both the RCMP and Fire Department.
Anyone with information should contact the Prince Rupert RCMP at 627-0700.
The Daily news had full details in its Tuesday edition.
Probe launched after homes are gutted by fire
By The Daily News
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Page One
Last night, Prince Rupert RCMP and the Prince Rupert Fire Department were called to a house fire on the 500 block of Hays Cove Circle at 9:45 p.m.
The fire crews arrived to find the two story building engulfed in flames.
Additional firefighters were called in to assist and the fire was put out by 10:14 p. m.
The house was under construction and unoccupied at the time of the fire.
No injuries were reported.
Blown-out windows and a collapsed roof could be seen from the roadside. Damage to the building was estimated at $60,000. Police believe the fire was started deliberately and it is currently being investigated by both the RCMP and Fire Department.
Anyone with information should contact the Prince Rupert RCMP at 627-0700.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Nolan sets sights on Phoenix for his return to the NHL
Owen Nolan at the 1997 All Star Game
Sportsnet, TSN and all the websites between are hot on the story of Owen Nolan’s return to the NHL. The winger apparently has settled an outstanding grievance with the Toronto Maple Leafs and freed himself up to play this season.
Desert bound, Nolan will join up with Wayne Gretzky’s crew of past Olympian and World Cup participants.
Stating that he still has a passion for the game, Nolan went through a number of tests to show Coyote management that he is still capable of playing the game at a high level.
For those looking to circle a date on their Hockey Night in Canada calendar, don’t bother. The Coyotes and Leafs won’t meet up unless they play in a Stanley Cup final. This is as they say most doubtful thing, even for the most optimistic of Leaf or Coyote fans.
But for hockey fans, especially those of an Irish persuasion just having the boyo of Belfast back in the game, should make for an exciting season.
Nolan settles & moves on
August 15, 2006
Sportsnet.ca -- The Phoenix Coyotes agreed to terms with Owen Nolan on a one-year contract, Sportsnet has learned, following extensive testing to the forward's health.
Before agreeing to make Phoenix his next destination, Nolan settled his much-publicized grievance with the last team to employ his services: the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Sportsnet has learned the 34-year-old winger settled the $12.1-million grievance on Tuesday ($6.5 million based on Leafs locking out an injured player, remaining $5.6 million based on his player option in 2005/06). However, under the details of the ruling, no details will be disclosed due to a strict confidentiality pact between the two parties.
Nolan told Sportsnet he is "happy and relieved" to put the experience behind him and looks forward to his future with the Coyotes.
After undergoing several MRIs and on-ice testing, the former all-star winger and Canadian Olympic Gold medalist convinced Coyotes management that he still has the passion to continue his career and play at a high level again.
"I am very excited about resuming my career with the Phoenix Coyotes," Nolan said. "The doctors cleared me weeks ago, and physically I have never felt better."
Nolan's summer training regime -- which included two on-ice sessions a day -- has dropped Nolan's weight down to 205-lbs and, more importantly, has left the winger's body pain free.
Nolan's representatives were seeking a deal in the $2-million range. If Nolan has the ability to stay healthy, there's little doubt the 34-year old will add more toughness and scoring to head coach Wayne Gretzky's lineup.
The first overall pick of the Quebec Nordiques in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, Nolan last played in 2003-04 with the Leafs. The club did not pick up his $5.6-million contract option for the following season, claiming that the forward suffered an injury to his right knee that was not hockey-related. However, the five-time All-Star believes Toronto misdiagnosed the injuries, which originally occurred in April 2004 and were surgically repaired on July 26.
Nolan has recorded 735 points (349 goals, 386 assists) in 915 career games. He has reached the 20-goal plateau nine times during his 14-year career, but numerous injury problems have not allowed the Belfast, Ireland native to play a full 82-game season in the NHL.
The above post first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!
Sportsnet, TSN and all the websites between are hot on the story of Owen Nolan’s return to the NHL. The winger apparently has settled an outstanding grievance with the Toronto Maple Leafs and freed himself up to play this season.
Desert bound, Nolan will join up with Wayne Gretzky’s crew of past Olympian and World Cup participants.
Stating that he still has a passion for the game, Nolan went through a number of tests to show Coyote management that he is still capable of playing the game at a high level.
For those looking to circle a date on their Hockey Night in Canada calendar, don’t bother. The Coyotes and Leafs won’t meet up unless they play in a Stanley Cup final. This is as they say most doubtful thing, even for the most optimistic of Leaf or Coyote fans.
But for hockey fans, especially those of an Irish persuasion just having the boyo of Belfast back in the game, should make for an exciting season.
Nolan settles & moves on
August 15, 2006
Sportsnet.ca -- The Phoenix Coyotes agreed to terms with Owen Nolan on a one-year contract, Sportsnet has learned, following extensive testing to the forward's health.
Before agreeing to make Phoenix his next destination, Nolan settled his much-publicized grievance with the last team to employ his services: the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Sportsnet has learned the 34-year-old winger settled the $12.1-million grievance on Tuesday ($6.5 million based on Leafs locking out an injured player, remaining $5.6 million based on his player option in 2005/06). However, under the details of the ruling, no details will be disclosed due to a strict confidentiality pact between the two parties.
Nolan told Sportsnet he is "happy and relieved" to put the experience behind him and looks forward to his future with the Coyotes.
After undergoing several MRIs and on-ice testing, the former all-star winger and Canadian Olympic Gold medalist convinced Coyotes management that he still has the passion to continue his career and play at a high level again.
"I am very excited about resuming my career with the Phoenix Coyotes," Nolan said. "The doctors cleared me weeks ago, and physically I have never felt better."
Nolan's summer training regime -- which included two on-ice sessions a day -- has dropped Nolan's weight down to 205-lbs and, more importantly, has left the winger's body pain free.
Nolan's representatives were seeking a deal in the $2-million range. If Nolan has the ability to stay healthy, there's little doubt the 34-year old will add more toughness and scoring to head coach Wayne Gretzky's lineup.
The first overall pick of the Quebec Nordiques in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, Nolan last played in 2003-04 with the Leafs. The club did not pick up his $5.6-million contract option for the following season, claiming that the forward suffered an injury to his right knee that was not hockey-related. However, the five-time All-Star believes Toronto misdiagnosed the injuries, which originally occurred in April 2004 and were surgically repaired on July 26.
Nolan has recorded 735 points (349 goals, 386 assists) in 915 career games. He has reached the 20-goal plateau nine times during his 14-year career, but numerous injury problems have not allowed the Belfast, Ireland native to play a full 82-game season in the NHL.
The above post first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!
A Kitimat Civil War? City turns thumbs down on the Alcan expansion plan if it involves hydro sales.
Yesterdays announcement by Alcan of its plans to modernize its Kitimat Works smelter to the tune of 1.8 billion dollars, isn’t getting the warm and fuzzy feeling in parts of Kitimat today.
The City of Kitimat concerned that the aluminum giant is planning on focusing more on power sales and less on job creation, is apparently planning to continue on with its current court battle with the Aluminium Company.
And while that court case will wander through the system for a bit, in Kitimat itself there are conflicting opinions on the city’s case and what impact it may have on Alcan’s plans and how it may affect the city .
With the city led by Mayor Rick Wozney forming one group and an Alcan funded and favourable business group on the other, a split in Kitimat seems to be the one secure thing for the near term.
It’s an age old dilemma for any small town. Modernization means downsizing in today’s lexicon, and with the modernization plan in place Kitimat stands to lose over 500 jobs by the time the revitalized smelter is on line.
What is galling to many in the northwest is the belief that Alcan will be making huge sums of money off of electricity sales, money that many of those in the community feel should be returned in the way of increased employment opportunities.
It makes for tense times in the Aluminium city, where families will be called to stand on one side of the battle line or the other.
Three stories below, will give you a wide perspective of the current situation.
From the City of Kitimat’s point of view on how the Alcan project is more about power sales than it is about jobs
A piece that includes the thoughts of that business group, they suggest that the Alcan project will be bigger than the Olympics and that the city and Regional District has backed itself into a corner fixated on the power aspect.
We finish the post off with long time Alcan observer Ben Meisner, who is a critic of the Hydro plans of Alcan. He looks at the bigger picture beyond just Kitimat and how the province is subsidizing a huge corporation as it collects more and more revenue from power sales.
B.C. town battles Alcan over electricity sales
PETER KENNEDY
Globe and Mail Update
August 15, 2006
Vancouver — The northwestern British Columbia community of Kitimat is vowing to thwart a smelter expansion plan that would give Alcan Ltd. the right to sell excess power from its B.C. aluminum operations back to the hydro grid at lucrative prices.
Kitimat mayor Richard Wozney said he is concerned that Alcan is expanding its smelter — at a cost of $1.8-billion (U.S.) — after being given the right to sell power that he said should be used to support industrial development and create jobs in the region.
“This is not the best deal for Kitimat or for British Columbians,” said Mr. Wozney referring to an agreement between Alcan and the B.C. government, which was announced on Monday.
The district of Kitimat attempted to reinforce that view by filing a petition with the British Columbia Supreme Court last month.
The petition seeks a court declaration that power sales are a contravention of a 1950 Industrial Development Act which set the stage of construction of the Kitimat smelter and related hydro electric facilities.
The case centres on the district's view that hydro electric resources available to Alcan in the Nechako River will support a much larger smelter expansion than the one that the Montreal-based aluminum giant is contemplating.
Under the plan that was unveiled this week, Alan is set to increase its aluminum production by 60 per cent to 400,000 tonnes, a level that falls far short of the 550,000 tonne operation that the district is hoping for.
“We question why Alcan is downsizing their plans,” said Mr. Wozney. “The answer can only be that Alcan wants to entrench power sales in the original water-for-jobs agreement they signed with the Province,” he said.
Under the expansion plan, Alcan will have the right to sell sufficient excess power to keep the lights on in 225,000 homes, said B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell.
A spokeswoman for B.C. Hydro said the newly expanded smelter will require 675 megawatts of the power, much less than the 735 megawatts that she said the turbines at the nearby Kemano hydro electric power facilities can generate.
“Because of the low cost of producing electricity at Kemano — about $5 per megawatt hour versus the current long term electricity price of $75 per megawatt hour — Alcan can make very big profit by not producing aluminum and selling the corresponding electricity for export or domestic purposes,” said David Austin, a lawyer who acts for independent power producers. “ It can make money producing aluminum but not nearly as much,” he said.
The district of Kitimat is proceeding with the court case, after the B.C. Court of Appeal ruled in Alcan's favour.
Cynthia Carroll, the President of Alcan's Primary Metals Group, has said the ability to sell power was only a “minor factor” in the company's decision to proceed with the expansion.
Alcan's excess-electricity sales spark discord
Critics claim the sales violate a 1950 agreement
Derrick Penner, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Alcan Inc.'s promise to spend $1.8 billion modernizing its Kitimat aluminum smelter did nothing to quell controversy within the small northwestern community over Alcan's sale of excess electricity from its Kemano power plant.
A business group aimed at promoting economic development in the region, formed with Alcan's help, lauded Monday's announcement as a long-sought stability for the plant,
Municipal officials, however, criticized the plan as shortchanging aluminum production in favour of continued power sales.
"It sounds great, because technological change allows [Alcan] to expand capacity," Trafford Hall, Kitimat's municipal manager said in an interview.
However, Hall said Alcan will still be breaking the 1950 agreement it signed with the B.C. government that granted the company use of water from the Nechako River at heavily discounted royalties in exchange for developing an aluminum industry in the northwest.
Hall said the expansion won't use all the electricity Alcan can generate from its Kemano power plant located in a remote mountainside about 90 kilometres southeast of Kitimat.
"We supported full expansion [of the Kitimat smelter]," Hall said, "[but] this significantly under-utilizes the water resource.
"And growth was important to offset some of the job losses due to technological change."
Hall said Kitimat will likely continue its court challenge of Alcan's power sales.
Alcan is proposing to build a 400,000-tone-per-year smelter to replace its existing, 50-year-old plant with 272,000 tonnes capacity. It would see Alcan's workforce in Kitimat shrink to about 1,000 from 1,550 today.
The plan also saw Alcan strike a new power sales agreement with BC Hydro, which includes a "smelter first" provision meaning that Alcan's power needs for smelting aluminum will take priority over contracted sales to the public utility.
BC Hydro CEO Bob Elton said that will see Alcan's sales to BC Hydro fall to 55 megawatts by the time the expansion is complete in 2011 from an average of 140 megawatts today.
Skeena MLA Robin Austin said the $1.8 billion-US investment is good news on one hand, because it means investment in an industrial plant that needed it. However, he added that "a private company has been given a huge windfall profit" with the power sales agreement.
"We've essentially given [Alcan] a river, and we're buying back . . . electricity at full market price," Austin said. "What's in it for British Columbians?"
Gerry Martin, president of the Kitimat-Terrace Industrial Development Society, a group of business people from the two communities, said critics are "really grasping at straws to find anything negative" about Alcan's announcement.
The construction project, Martin said, will be "bigger than the Olympics," and will be an investment that keeps Alcan's Kitimat smelter modern and competitive.
"It assures that there are 1,000 jobs there ongoing," Martin said, and sends a positive signal about the region to potential investors.
"Unfortunately the District of Kitimat has kind of backed themselves into a bit of a hole around this whole power-sales thing," Martin said. "They've alienated a lot of people they need to work with as partners, and it's unfortunate."
depenner@png.canwest.com
Alcan's Kitimat plans
$1.8 billion being spent to upgrade the aging smelter.
Resulting in a 60% increase in production of aluminum.
And more than 500 layoffs from workforce of 1,550.
Spin on Deal Will Leave You Dizzy: One Man's Opinion
By Ben Meisner
Opinion 250 website
Tuesday, August 15, 2006 03:57 AM
Just what is the deal with the new smelter being built by Alcan in Kitimat?
The facility will operate with 850 fewer jobs than when the old facility was working at full capacity.
The company (according to its releases) now accounts for $217 million dollars in the provincial manufacturing economy. Take away $60 million of that which will be the reduction of a total of 850 jobs and you have lost 30% of the total manufacturing economy.
Is there any wonder why the city of Kitimat is shrinking?
The agreement signed in 1950 (which is the template for any new agreement ever signed by Alcan) says that the extra power can be used for the development of industry "within the vicinity of the works." That is what the District of Kitimat will use as the basis of its challenge in the courts come this fall. That is of course unless the province has inked a new agreement preventing that community from arguing that excess power was to be used for development of the "Pacific Northwest" an argument long held in this province.
According to Premier Campbell , when the new smelter is built, Alcan will be able to sell to the BC Hydro grid enough power to look after 225,000 homes. That translates into about $154 million in power sales annually by Alcan to the BC Hydro grid. Because of the amount of water rates they pay the province, Alcan will be able to make 1700 % on every mega watt they sell.
That means that the new smelter will be paid off in about 13 years ($1.8 billion US) without so much as one dime coming from the smelters operation. In the meantime, BC Hydro, owned by the people, will earn $217 million in 2006, serving the entire province with electricity while a single company, Alcan will earn $154 million for its sales to that grid.
Is there any wonder that Alcan has announced a new plant? A new plant along with the cold water release facility being planned by the province (with the province kicking in $50 million for the construction) will free up yet more water which means more money for the company.
Why in the world the contract signed in 1997 is being revised also leaves one wondering.
That contract between BC Hydro and Alcan was for a rate of about $28.93 back in 1994, adding on the inflation clause it would be no where near the $75 dollars that Alcan will now receive . Why would the province negotiate a new deal that costs the people of the province more, leaves ore scratching.
BC Hydro will also hand over $45 million to Alcan in 2007 and a further $66 million in 2011. Now under the deal that was cobbled together by then Premier Glen Clark, the province would supply the company any power lost for their expansion in Aluminum production, but this new plant will use less electricity and so why in the world are we in the province on the hook for a further $111 million?
I had a call in to the President of BC Hydro to explain this deal, but no call back.
In the end it is the people of the province who will pay for lost jobs, lost income in this province and increased profits for Alcan at the expense of the water rentals they receive.
All these concessions for what?
I’m Meisner and that is one man’s opinion.
The City of Kitimat concerned that the aluminum giant is planning on focusing more on power sales and less on job creation, is apparently planning to continue on with its current court battle with the Aluminium Company.
And while that court case will wander through the system for a bit, in Kitimat itself there are conflicting opinions on the city’s case and what impact it may have on Alcan’s plans and how it may affect the city .
With the city led by Mayor Rick Wozney forming one group and an Alcan funded and favourable business group on the other, a split in Kitimat seems to be the one secure thing for the near term.
It’s an age old dilemma for any small town. Modernization means downsizing in today’s lexicon, and with the modernization plan in place Kitimat stands to lose over 500 jobs by the time the revitalized smelter is on line.
What is galling to many in the northwest is the belief that Alcan will be making huge sums of money off of electricity sales, money that many of those in the community feel should be returned in the way of increased employment opportunities.
It makes for tense times in the Aluminium city, where families will be called to stand on one side of the battle line or the other.
Three stories below, will give you a wide perspective of the current situation.
From the City of Kitimat’s point of view on how the Alcan project is more about power sales than it is about jobs
A piece that includes the thoughts of that business group, they suggest that the Alcan project will be bigger than the Olympics and that the city and Regional District has backed itself into a corner fixated on the power aspect.
We finish the post off with long time Alcan observer Ben Meisner, who is a critic of the Hydro plans of Alcan. He looks at the bigger picture beyond just Kitimat and how the province is subsidizing a huge corporation as it collects more and more revenue from power sales.
B.C. town battles Alcan over electricity sales
PETER KENNEDY
Globe and Mail Update
August 15, 2006
Vancouver — The northwestern British Columbia community of Kitimat is vowing to thwart a smelter expansion plan that would give Alcan Ltd. the right to sell excess power from its B.C. aluminum operations back to the hydro grid at lucrative prices.
Kitimat mayor Richard Wozney said he is concerned that Alcan is expanding its smelter — at a cost of $1.8-billion (U.S.) — after being given the right to sell power that he said should be used to support industrial development and create jobs in the region.
“This is not the best deal for Kitimat or for British Columbians,” said Mr. Wozney referring to an agreement between Alcan and the B.C. government, which was announced on Monday.
The district of Kitimat attempted to reinforce that view by filing a petition with the British Columbia Supreme Court last month.
The petition seeks a court declaration that power sales are a contravention of a 1950 Industrial Development Act which set the stage of construction of the Kitimat smelter and related hydro electric facilities.
The case centres on the district's view that hydro electric resources available to Alcan in the Nechako River will support a much larger smelter expansion than the one that the Montreal-based aluminum giant is contemplating.
Under the plan that was unveiled this week, Alan is set to increase its aluminum production by 60 per cent to 400,000 tonnes, a level that falls far short of the 550,000 tonne operation that the district is hoping for.
“We question why Alcan is downsizing their plans,” said Mr. Wozney. “The answer can only be that Alcan wants to entrench power sales in the original water-for-jobs agreement they signed with the Province,” he said.
Under the expansion plan, Alcan will have the right to sell sufficient excess power to keep the lights on in 225,000 homes, said B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell.
A spokeswoman for B.C. Hydro said the newly expanded smelter will require 675 megawatts of the power, much less than the 735 megawatts that she said the turbines at the nearby Kemano hydro electric power facilities can generate.
“Because of the low cost of producing electricity at Kemano — about $5 per megawatt hour versus the current long term electricity price of $75 per megawatt hour — Alcan can make very big profit by not producing aluminum and selling the corresponding electricity for export or domestic purposes,” said David Austin, a lawyer who acts for independent power producers. “ It can make money producing aluminum but not nearly as much,” he said.
The district of Kitimat is proceeding with the court case, after the B.C. Court of Appeal ruled in Alcan's favour.
Cynthia Carroll, the President of Alcan's Primary Metals Group, has said the ability to sell power was only a “minor factor” in the company's decision to proceed with the expansion.
Alcan's excess-electricity sales spark discord
Critics claim the sales violate a 1950 agreement
Derrick Penner, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Alcan Inc.'s promise to spend $1.8 billion modernizing its Kitimat aluminum smelter did nothing to quell controversy within the small northwestern community over Alcan's sale of excess electricity from its Kemano power plant.
A business group aimed at promoting economic development in the region, formed with Alcan's help, lauded Monday's announcement as a long-sought stability for the plant,
Municipal officials, however, criticized the plan as shortchanging aluminum production in favour of continued power sales.
"It sounds great, because technological change allows [Alcan] to expand capacity," Trafford Hall, Kitimat's municipal manager said in an interview.
However, Hall said Alcan will still be breaking the 1950 agreement it signed with the B.C. government that granted the company use of water from the Nechako River at heavily discounted royalties in exchange for developing an aluminum industry in the northwest.
Hall said the expansion won't use all the electricity Alcan can generate from its Kemano power plant located in a remote mountainside about 90 kilometres southeast of Kitimat.
"We supported full expansion [of the Kitimat smelter]," Hall said, "[but] this significantly under-utilizes the water resource.
"And growth was important to offset some of the job losses due to technological change."
Hall said Kitimat will likely continue its court challenge of Alcan's power sales.
Alcan is proposing to build a 400,000-tone-per-year smelter to replace its existing, 50-year-old plant with 272,000 tonnes capacity. It would see Alcan's workforce in Kitimat shrink to about 1,000 from 1,550 today.
The plan also saw Alcan strike a new power sales agreement with BC Hydro, which includes a "smelter first" provision meaning that Alcan's power needs for smelting aluminum will take priority over contracted sales to the public utility.
BC Hydro CEO Bob Elton said that will see Alcan's sales to BC Hydro fall to 55 megawatts by the time the expansion is complete in 2011 from an average of 140 megawatts today.
Skeena MLA Robin Austin said the $1.8 billion-US investment is good news on one hand, because it means investment in an industrial plant that needed it. However, he added that "a private company has been given a huge windfall profit" with the power sales agreement.
"We've essentially given [Alcan] a river, and we're buying back . . . electricity at full market price," Austin said. "What's in it for British Columbians?"
Gerry Martin, president of the Kitimat-Terrace Industrial Development Society, a group of business people from the two communities, said critics are "really grasping at straws to find anything negative" about Alcan's announcement.
The construction project, Martin said, will be "bigger than the Olympics," and will be an investment that keeps Alcan's Kitimat smelter modern and competitive.
"It assures that there are 1,000 jobs there ongoing," Martin said, and sends a positive signal about the region to potential investors.
"Unfortunately the District of Kitimat has kind of backed themselves into a bit of a hole around this whole power-sales thing," Martin said. "They've alienated a lot of people they need to work with as partners, and it's unfortunate."
depenner@png.canwest.com
Alcan's Kitimat plans
$1.8 billion being spent to upgrade the aging smelter.
Resulting in a 60% increase in production of aluminum.
And more than 500 layoffs from workforce of 1,550.
Spin on Deal Will Leave You Dizzy: One Man's Opinion
By Ben Meisner
Opinion 250 website
Tuesday, August 15, 2006 03:57 AM
Just what is the deal with the new smelter being built by Alcan in Kitimat?
The facility will operate with 850 fewer jobs than when the old facility was working at full capacity.
The company (according to its releases) now accounts for $217 million dollars in the provincial manufacturing economy. Take away $60 million of that which will be the reduction of a total of 850 jobs and you have lost 30% of the total manufacturing economy.
Is there any wonder why the city of Kitimat is shrinking?
The agreement signed in 1950 (which is the template for any new agreement ever signed by Alcan) says that the extra power can be used for the development of industry "within the vicinity of the works." That is what the District of Kitimat will use as the basis of its challenge in the courts come this fall. That is of course unless the province has inked a new agreement preventing that community from arguing that excess power was to be used for development of the "Pacific Northwest" an argument long held in this province.
According to Premier Campbell , when the new smelter is built, Alcan will be able to sell to the BC Hydro grid enough power to look after 225,000 homes. That translates into about $154 million in power sales annually by Alcan to the BC Hydro grid. Because of the amount of water rates they pay the province, Alcan will be able to make 1700 % on every mega watt they sell.
That means that the new smelter will be paid off in about 13 years ($1.8 billion US) without so much as one dime coming from the smelters operation. In the meantime, BC Hydro, owned by the people, will earn $217 million in 2006, serving the entire province with electricity while a single company, Alcan will earn $154 million for its sales to that grid.
Is there any wonder that Alcan has announced a new plant? A new plant along with the cold water release facility being planned by the province (with the province kicking in $50 million for the construction) will free up yet more water which means more money for the company.
Why in the world the contract signed in 1997 is being revised also leaves one wondering.
That contract between BC Hydro and Alcan was for a rate of about $28.93 back in 1994, adding on the inflation clause it would be no where near the $75 dollars that Alcan will now receive . Why would the province negotiate a new deal that costs the people of the province more, leaves ore scratching.
BC Hydro will also hand over $45 million to Alcan in 2007 and a further $66 million in 2011. Now under the deal that was cobbled together by then Premier Glen Clark, the province would supply the company any power lost for their expansion in Aluminum production, but this new plant will use less electricity and so why in the world are we in the province on the hook for a further $111 million?
I had a call in to the President of BC Hydro to explain this deal, but no call back.
In the end it is the people of the province who will pay for lost jobs, lost income in this province and increased profits for Alcan at the expense of the water rentals they receive.
All these concessions for what?
I’m Meisner and that is one man’s opinion.
Landing the big one on Fraser Street
You have to like it when the fish start coming to you. No muss, no fuss, no sunburn nor windburn either. No throwing out a line, just standing in one!
DFO had a giant fish giveaway last Friday as they handed out a truck full of fish that commercial fisherman can’t keep as part of their quota. From an alley behind the Friendship House they gave away about 150 fish to roughly 40 people in about fifteen minutes.
The Daily News explained the dynamics of the fish giveaway in its Monday edition.
FISHERIES OFFICERS, FISH PLANT HELP SHARE BOUNTY OF FISH
By Sarah Fox
The Daily News
Monday, August 14, 2006
Page One and Three
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans gave back to the community on Friday when they distributed a truck full of frozen salmon to people who had lined up in the alley behind Prince Rupert’s Friendship House.
“We mainly do this to get fish to people who don’t get their food fish,” said DFO officer Blair Thexton. “There are a lot of complaints from elders that are unable to get enough fish and this is one way we try to ensure that some people get it.”
Thexton estimates that he gave away at least 150 fish to about 40 people. The fish that is given out is fish that commercial fishermen are not allowed to catch as part of their quotas but are caught in commercial nets.
Normally this fish is returned to the ocean, or thrown out, but Oceans Royal Fish Plant, in Prince Rupert collects and freezes the fish so that the DFO can give it away to hungry people.
“It ensures that the fish doesn’t go to waste,” said Thexton. “They can’t sell the fish because they are fish that commercial fishermen are prohibited from catching we can give it away.”
Due to the fact the fish giveaway is so popular, the DFO doesn’t advertise when and where they are going to do it. They are notified by Oceans Royal Fish that they have some fish available, two to three days before they give it away.
Usually they call the Friendship House and they put the word out or they drive into one of the North Coast villages and give the fish away there.
“We usually do it by word-of-mouth,” said Thexton. “The Friendship House has their own system where people are notified that the fish are being given away and they come. It all happens very fast.”
This time, the 150 fish were given out in about 15 minutes.
Thexton said that being in a position where he can give away the fish makes him feel pretty good.
“For a good portion of our job, we’re seen as the bad guys,” he says. “So it’s good that we can come out here and give back to the community, interact with the community, and help people who have problems getting fish.”
DFO had a giant fish giveaway last Friday as they handed out a truck full of fish that commercial fisherman can’t keep as part of their quota. From an alley behind the Friendship House they gave away about 150 fish to roughly 40 people in about fifteen minutes.
The Daily News explained the dynamics of the fish giveaway in its Monday edition.
FISHERIES OFFICERS, FISH PLANT HELP SHARE BOUNTY OF FISH
By Sarah Fox
The Daily News
Monday, August 14, 2006
Page One and Three
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans gave back to the community on Friday when they distributed a truck full of frozen salmon to people who had lined up in the alley behind Prince Rupert’s Friendship House.
“We mainly do this to get fish to people who don’t get their food fish,” said DFO officer Blair Thexton. “There are a lot of complaints from elders that are unable to get enough fish and this is one way we try to ensure that some people get it.”
Thexton estimates that he gave away at least 150 fish to about 40 people. The fish that is given out is fish that commercial fishermen are not allowed to catch as part of their quotas but are caught in commercial nets.
Normally this fish is returned to the ocean, or thrown out, but Oceans Royal Fish Plant, in Prince Rupert collects and freezes the fish so that the DFO can give it away to hungry people.
“It ensures that the fish doesn’t go to waste,” said Thexton. “They can’t sell the fish because they are fish that commercial fishermen are prohibited from catching we can give it away.”
Due to the fact the fish giveaway is so popular, the DFO doesn’t advertise when and where they are going to do it. They are notified by Oceans Royal Fish that they have some fish available, two to three days before they give it away.
Usually they call the Friendship House and they put the word out or they drive into one of the North Coast villages and give the fish away there.
“We usually do it by word-of-mouth,” said Thexton. “The Friendship House has their own system where people are notified that the fish are being given away and they come. It all happens very fast.”
This time, the 150 fish were given out in about 15 minutes.
Thexton said that being in a position where he can give away the fish makes him feel pretty good.
“For a good portion of our job, we’re seen as the bad guys,” he says. “So it’s good that we can come out here and give back to the community, interact with the community, and help people who have problems getting fish.”
Checking out the investment and other possibilities
Now that they’re land owners in Podunk (and maybe one day taxpayers!), the Chinese government is keeping a closer eye on its investment. Prince Rupert was host to a delegation from the Chinese consulate in Vancouver last week. They toured the city, explored the museums, looked at our port project and immersed themselves in the culture of the city.
They also spent some quality time with our local politicians, learning of our ways, our dreams and our immediate needs. Something to do with employment I believe was the underlying theme of our side of the conversation. From the pulp mill to the port, partnership was the word of the day. And while the Vancouver office doesn’t set the timeline on the mill, the Consular staff now apparently has a better idea about the mill’s importance to the economic life of the city.
The Daily News provides a recap of the visit, what they learned and what they said, and perhaps reading between the lines what they will report back to the head office!
CHINESE OFFICIALS IN TOWN TO FORGE LINKS
By Sarah Fox
The Daily News
Monday, August 14, 2006
Page One
China’s Consul General Chynyan Tiam, who is based in Vancouver, was in Prince Rupert August 9 to 11 to meet the local councils and industry experts about further connecting China and Prince Rupert’s economy.
Consul Tian’s entourage consisted of Juan Weim Consul of the People’s Republic of China, department of commerce: Julie Liu, Vice-Chairperson of the Chinese Business Development Association and the Vice-Chairperson of the Canada-china Business Women’s Association and Weiwei Qui, Public Relations Consul for the Vancouver Consulate.
“They been getting reports and hearing about development of the Prince Rupert port and Prince Rupert economy in general and wanted to come up and have a look for themselves and become more fully acquainted with what is happening, because they want to be able to assist us in making connections with Chinese business in China and they also want to be able to guide Chinese entrepreneurs and Chinese people to this expanding opportunity,” said Mayor Herb Pond who had the chance to meet with the Consul and her entourage extensively.
These meetings were all done under the assumption that business with China is a high priority, with the developing port in Prince Rupert.
While the Chinese were here, they spent some time with the councils of Prince Rupert and Port Edward and toured the city.
They also visited the North Pacific Historic Fishing Village and then spent a good deal of time with the Prince Rupert Port Authority.
After, they met with members of the Chinese community in Prince Rupert.
“One of the things they were trying to gauge is how strong the local Chinese community is because when they are talking to business people about potential business start ups and relocating to Prince Rupert, they want to have some understanding of what kind of cultural support they will have,” said Pond.
The Chinese consulate members were able to talk with Mayor Pond about the recent acquisition of land at Watson Island by Sun Wave Forest Ltd. a division of the China Paper Group.
They now have a better understanding of the urgency that the residents of Prince Rupert have to see a start up of the old mill sooner rather than later, although they are ultimately not the decision-making authority, said Pond.
“I think there was a strong coming together between different parties in Prince Rupert and the Chinese counsel and that we have a very strong ally now in our efforts to grow the economy of Prince Rupert,” said Pond.
“As well, we talked about cultural exchanges, so it’s a lot more than just economic, but where we’re at right now the economy tends to dominate. Jobs, that’s what I said to the consular general, we want jobs.”
Pond visited China a year and a half ago and was surprised to see how much industry development is happening there.
“I was overwhelmed by what I saw there,” said Pond.
“The growth rate is staggering and the construction is staggering. The number of container ships and cranes is overwhelming; everything we do in North America seems small in comparison with what’s being done over there right now.”
It’s just a matter of making partnerships and bringing some of that business our way, said Pond.
They also spent some quality time with our local politicians, learning of our ways, our dreams and our immediate needs. Something to do with employment I believe was the underlying theme of our side of the conversation. From the pulp mill to the port, partnership was the word of the day. And while the Vancouver office doesn’t set the timeline on the mill, the Consular staff now apparently has a better idea about the mill’s importance to the economic life of the city.
The Daily News provides a recap of the visit, what they learned and what they said, and perhaps reading between the lines what they will report back to the head office!
CHINESE OFFICIALS IN TOWN TO FORGE LINKS
By Sarah Fox
The Daily News
Monday, August 14, 2006
Page One
China’s Consul General Chynyan Tiam, who is based in Vancouver, was in Prince Rupert August 9 to 11 to meet the local councils and industry experts about further connecting China and Prince Rupert’s economy.
Consul Tian’s entourage consisted of Juan Weim Consul of the People’s Republic of China, department of commerce: Julie Liu, Vice-Chairperson of the Chinese Business Development Association and the Vice-Chairperson of the Canada-china Business Women’s Association and Weiwei Qui, Public Relations Consul for the Vancouver Consulate.
“They been getting reports and hearing about development of the Prince Rupert port and Prince Rupert economy in general and wanted to come up and have a look for themselves and become more fully acquainted with what is happening, because they want to be able to assist us in making connections with Chinese business in China and they also want to be able to guide Chinese entrepreneurs and Chinese people to this expanding opportunity,” said Mayor Herb Pond who had the chance to meet with the Consul and her entourage extensively.
These meetings were all done under the assumption that business with China is a high priority, with the developing port in Prince Rupert.
While the Chinese were here, they spent some time with the councils of Prince Rupert and Port Edward and toured the city.
They also visited the North Pacific Historic Fishing Village and then spent a good deal of time with the Prince Rupert Port Authority.
After, they met with members of the Chinese community in Prince Rupert.
“One of the things they were trying to gauge is how strong the local Chinese community is because when they are talking to business people about potential business start ups and relocating to Prince Rupert, they want to have some understanding of what kind of cultural support they will have,” said Pond.
The Chinese consulate members were able to talk with Mayor Pond about the recent acquisition of land at Watson Island by Sun Wave Forest Ltd. a division of the China Paper Group.
They now have a better understanding of the urgency that the residents of Prince Rupert have to see a start up of the old mill sooner rather than later, although they are ultimately not the decision-making authority, said Pond.
“I think there was a strong coming together between different parties in Prince Rupert and the Chinese counsel and that we have a very strong ally now in our efforts to grow the economy of Prince Rupert,” said Pond.
“As well, we talked about cultural exchanges, so it’s a lot more than just economic, but where we’re at right now the economy tends to dominate. Jobs, that’s what I said to the consular general, we want jobs.”
Pond visited China a year and a half ago and was surprised to see how much industry development is happening there.
“I was overwhelmed by what I saw there,” said Pond.
“The growth rate is staggering and the construction is staggering. The number of container ships and cranes is overwhelming; everything we do in North America seems small in comparison with what’s being done over there right now.”
It’s just a matter of making partnerships and bringing some of that business our way, said Pond.
One of Prince Rupert’s favourite sons moves on
Jim Terrion will soon be calling Prince George home, the popular and well known citizen, best known for his amazing fundraising at Terry Fox Run time has decided that life’s path will take him to larger centre in the interior in the near future.
Terrion is relocating in order to become better versed in sign language and to be able to put it into daily use, something that doesn’t happen with a lot of regularity here in Rupert.
Perhaps one of the most recognized persons in town, especially as August turns to September; he still plans on taking part in the Canadian tradition each September here in his home town. As he continues on his path towards raising a million dollars for the Terry Fox Foundation, a goal that gets closer and closer each year.
While he says he'll miss his hometown, he plans on keeping a picture on the wall. Perhaps the Mayor can help out there, I'm sure the city can find a suitable photo to be framed for the ambassador for Prince Rupert.
The Daily News had a heartwarming story about the young man in its Monday edition.
Terry Fox sensation is hitting the road
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Monday, August 14, 2006
Pages One and Three
Prince Rupert will soon say goodbye to one of the city’s most impressive citizens, but the Terry Fox Foundation won’t
Jim Terrion – who has raised more than $400,000 for the Terry Fox run in the past 15 years – will be moving to Prince George following this years Run in September. However, that doesn’t mean that Rupert has seen the last of Terrion, who plans to return every summer to continue raising money for the foundation.
Terrion, who is unable to hear or speak, visited the Daily News Monday morning, and responded to questions in writing.
“Yes, I plan to attend the Terry Fox Run every year from August to September,” he wrote. “I can walk for the Terry Fox Run in Prince Rupert,”
“I don’t want to walk in Prince George.”
Terrion’s reasons for moving to PG are pretty simple. In the bigger city, he will have more opportunity to learn and use sign language, and will also be able to make more friends.
It’s been recommended by his psychiatrist,” said Faye Terrion, his mother. “It’s better for him to be around people he can use sign language with.
“He’s sad about it, but I told him it’s time he starts thinking about his own life.”
The move to Prince George has been on Terrion’s mind for two and a half years.
“I need to talk more to deaf friends,” he wrote.
There are about 20-25 deaf people in Prince George.
”I need more words for my mind.”
Terrion is still determined to raise as much money as possible for the Terry Fox Foundation, and has already raised $3,100 in the first 13 days this year, leading up to this years Run on September 17.
“My goal (is to raise) one million dollars,” he wrote. “I will keep working at the Terry Fox Run for life.”
Back in April, Terrion was recognized by the provincial government for his work, and Premier Gordon Campbell presented him with the British Columbia Community Achievement medallion.
Faye Terrion pointed out that Jim Terrion would probably already be close to that goal of one million, if he had started fundraising earlier than 1991, “if he had known how to do it.”
But it wasn’t until Terrion walked across Canada to raise awareness for the deaf in 1990 that he realized he could fundraise, despite being deaf and unable to speak.
Going forward then, Terrion also plans to be down in Port Coquitlam, Terry Fox’s home town, for his 20th year of raising money for the Foundation.
“We were down there before,” said Faye Terrion.
“And Jim walked with Rick Hansen, but Rick was too fast for him.”
Rick Hansen confined to a wheel chair, raised money for spinal cord research by traversing the world in his wheelchair on the “man in motion.” tour back in 1985.
As for Jim Terrion, he isn’t officially moving to Prince George until after September 17, and he agrees that he will definitely miss Prince Rupert once he leaves town.
“I feel sad,” he wrote. “I will miss Prince Rupert.
“But I will keep a framed picture of Prince Rupert on the wall.”
Terrion is relocating in order to become better versed in sign language and to be able to put it into daily use, something that doesn’t happen with a lot of regularity here in Rupert.
Perhaps one of the most recognized persons in town, especially as August turns to September; he still plans on taking part in the Canadian tradition each September here in his home town. As he continues on his path towards raising a million dollars for the Terry Fox Foundation, a goal that gets closer and closer each year.
While he says he'll miss his hometown, he plans on keeping a picture on the wall. Perhaps the Mayor can help out there, I'm sure the city can find a suitable photo to be framed for the ambassador for Prince Rupert.
The Daily News had a heartwarming story about the young man in its Monday edition.
Terry Fox sensation is hitting the road
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Monday, August 14, 2006
Pages One and Three
Prince Rupert will soon say goodbye to one of the city’s most impressive citizens, but the Terry Fox Foundation won’t
Jim Terrion – who has raised more than $400,000 for the Terry Fox run in the past 15 years – will be moving to Prince George following this years Run in September. However, that doesn’t mean that Rupert has seen the last of Terrion, who plans to return every summer to continue raising money for the foundation.
Terrion, who is unable to hear or speak, visited the Daily News Monday morning, and responded to questions in writing.
“Yes, I plan to attend the Terry Fox Run every year from August to September,” he wrote. “I can walk for the Terry Fox Run in Prince Rupert,”
“I don’t want to walk in Prince George.”
Terrion’s reasons for moving to PG are pretty simple. In the bigger city, he will have more opportunity to learn and use sign language, and will also be able to make more friends.
It’s been recommended by his psychiatrist,” said Faye Terrion, his mother. “It’s better for him to be around people he can use sign language with.
“He’s sad about it, but I told him it’s time he starts thinking about his own life.”
The move to Prince George has been on Terrion’s mind for two and a half years.
“I need to talk more to deaf friends,” he wrote.
There are about 20-25 deaf people in Prince George.
”I need more words for my mind.”
Terrion is still determined to raise as much money as possible for the Terry Fox Foundation, and has already raised $3,100 in the first 13 days this year, leading up to this years Run on September 17.
“My goal (is to raise) one million dollars,” he wrote. “I will keep working at the Terry Fox Run for life.”
Back in April, Terrion was recognized by the provincial government for his work, and Premier Gordon Campbell presented him with the British Columbia Community Achievement medallion.
Faye Terrion pointed out that Jim Terrion would probably already be close to that goal of one million, if he had started fundraising earlier than 1991, “if he had known how to do it.”
But it wasn’t until Terrion walked across Canada to raise awareness for the deaf in 1990 that he realized he could fundraise, despite being deaf and unable to speak.
Going forward then, Terrion also plans to be down in Port Coquitlam, Terry Fox’s home town, for his 20th year of raising money for the Foundation.
“We were down there before,” said Faye Terrion.
“And Jim walked with Rick Hansen, but Rick was too fast for him.”
Rick Hansen confined to a wheel chair, raised money for spinal cord research by traversing the world in his wheelchair on the “man in motion.” tour back in 1985.
As for Jim Terrion, he isn’t officially moving to Prince George until after September 17, and he agrees that he will definitely miss Prince Rupert once he leaves town.
“I feel sad,” he wrote. “I will miss Prince Rupert.
“But I will keep a framed picture of Prince Rupert on the wall.”
Her Majesties Realm will be in good hands, er hand!
Oh Oh, I sense a Royal talking to coming down soon.
With some Fleet Streeters facing some jail time over their attempts to spy on the Royal family, you had to know it was going to be open photo season on the Royal princes.
And the boyos did not disappoint, as the Tabloid the Sun discovered the heir and the spare out on a night on the town, followed by the talk of the town the next morning.
The lads tend to be the thing that papparazi dreams are made of with their public appearances frequently making the tabloids, much to the consternation of Papa and Grandma. No doubt another sit down is on the Royal agenda to go over the ground rules for Royal Princes and their public persona.
As for the Fleet Street Journalists, they had best be prepared, this could be one long and nasty war between the Establishment and the rabble
***UPDATE***--Well maybe Dad and Grand ma won't have much to say to the young lad after all. The photograph of Prince Harry's raunchy ramblings apparently took place not this week, but rather in 2003. As things turned out, the pictures were stolen from the flat of the young lady in the centre of the picture. The Prince's current girlfriend was rather mortified to see her boyfriend on the front pages of the world's newspapers, but now has been talked down off the wall by her Prince. There are full details on the latest twist to the battle between the Royals and the Fleeters in the link above.
In the container world, does size matter?
Our Fairview container port project continues to make news across North America, but sometimes we don’t come out on the positive side of the news.
Our municipal ego would have taken a bit of a kick should we have picked up a copy of the Contra Costa Times of California this week, which is decidedly not overly impressed with our burgs size.
While putting together an article on the ever competitive world of container shipping, it offered up this quaint little description of our city.
“Local governments from the tiny fishing village of Prince Rupert in British Columbia down to Lazaro Carenas in southern Mexico are looking at their waterfront property as potential sites for container ports.
The article (see it in full here) is looking at how development of container facilities across North America may impact the current arrangements in California and what they need to do to not only remain competitive but remain dominant.
Part of the strategy must be to downsize those communities that are offering up some competition!
Bigger port, bigger ego, eh!
Our municipal ego would have taken a bit of a kick should we have picked up a copy of the Contra Costa Times of California this week, which is decidedly not overly impressed with our burgs size.
While putting together an article on the ever competitive world of container shipping, it offered up this quaint little description of our city.
“Local governments from the tiny fishing village of Prince Rupert in British Columbia down to Lazaro Carenas in southern Mexico are looking at their waterfront property as potential sites for container ports.
The article (see it in full here) is looking at how development of container facilities across North America may impact the current arrangements in California and what they need to do to not only remain competitive but remain dominant.
Part of the strategy must be to downsize those communities that are offering up some competition!
Bigger port, bigger ego, eh!
Filtering the news, from perception to reality.
From the Tyee website I discovered a rather disturbing look at life in the Gaza Strip, the West bank and other portions of Israel and Gaza, a documentary from 2003 that examines the perceptions of the current troubles in the Middle East as presented by the American media. From a bit of a leftist bent, it’s no doubt a program that wouldn’t get much in the way of exposure from a news service such as FOX.
Titled Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land, it’s a story decidedly favorable towards the Palestinian side of the Middle East issue. It features some pretty horrific images of brutality in Gaza and other areas, some of which can be very hard to watch and does provide a bit of a window into the mindset of people living there, explaining to a degree why those ancient hatreds run so high.
Made while Israel still occupied many of the settlement areas and Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon were the main players in the area, it spent much of its time on that period in recent Middle East history.
It’s certainly not the last word in the debate over the troubles of the Middle East. And in a way is propaganda of its own design. It focuses on the media coverage of the dispute and provides its take on the manipulation of the daily news from that viewpoint.
The program which runs over one hour was a presentation of the Media Education Foundation and features the thoughts and ideas of Noam Chomsky and a host of intellectuals and political officials in America, Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East. It focuses very much on the behavior of the Israelis but doesn’t offer up the same criticism of Hamas or Hezbollah, who also have done things in the area that obviously are not in the interests of peaceful co-existence.
The documentaries makers frequently quote a number of UN resolutions that they say are ignored by Israel, but don’t offer up the same criticism of resolutions ignored by the Arab side of the argument. Of course documentaries are supposed to provide background on a story and some on occasion do take sides; this one certainly takes its cause of media bias to heart. There’s not a particular rush to offer up some balance to the documentary, it does seem that in this instance that’s not the mission.
That being said, in order to begin to understand an issue you need to learn all sides of the debate. This documentary provides a small piece of a very large and complex puzzle.
You certainly won’t pick up a feeling of hope while watching this, but you do get an understanding of some of the elements in the Middle East that have led us to the tipping point we seem to sit on in 2006.
You can understand how the seeds of hatred can be planted, what you despair for is a sense that somehow both sides can co-exist and find common ground. After watching the documentary, there’s certainly more despair than hope. You end up wondering if all the different groups involved will ever find enough in common will to live peacefully.
While portions of the documentary are close to five years old in content, it sadly reflects a part of the world which today is still mired in a never ending cycle of violence. It’s an interesting, if rather depressing look at a part of the world that puzzles us most of the times and horrifies us at the worst of them.
(To view the documentary on line, click here)
Titled Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land, it’s a story decidedly favorable towards the Palestinian side of the Middle East issue. It features some pretty horrific images of brutality in Gaza and other areas, some of which can be very hard to watch and does provide a bit of a window into the mindset of people living there, explaining to a degree why those ancient hatreds run so high.
Made while Israel still occupied many of the settlement areas and Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon were the main players in the area, it spent much of its time on that period in recent Middle East history.
It’s certainly not the last word in the debate over the troubles of the Middle East. And in a way is propaganda of its own design. It focuses on the media coverage of the dispute and provides its take on the manipulation of the daily news from that viewpoint.
The program which runs over one hour was a presentation of the Media Education Foundation and features the thoughts and ideas of Noam Chomsky and a host of intellectuals and political officials in America, Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East. It focuses very much on the behavior of the Israelis but doesn’t offer up the same criticism of Hamas or Hezbollah, who also have done things in the area that obviously are not in the interests of peaceful co-existence.
The documentaries makers frequently quote a number of UN resolutions that they say are ignored by Israel, but don’t offer up the same criticism of resolutions ignored by the Arab side of the argument. Of course documentaries are supposed to provide background on a story and some on occasion do take sides; this one certainly takes its cause of media bias to heart. There’s not a particular rush to offer up some balance to the documentary, it does seem that in this instance that’s not the mission.
That being said, in order to begin to understand an issue you need to learn all sides of the debate. This documentary provides a small piece of a very large and complex puzzle.
You certainly won’t pick up a feeling of hope while watching this, but you do get an understanding of some of the elements in the Middle East that have led us to the tipping point we seem to sit on in 2006.
You can understand how the seeds of hatred can be planted, what you despair for is a sense that somehow both sides can co-exist and find common ground. After watching the documentary, there’s certainly more despair than hope. You end up wondering if all the different groups involved will ever find enough in common will to live peacefully.
While portions of the documentary are close to five years old in content, it sadly reflects a part of the world which today is still mired in a never ending cycle of violence. It’s an interesting, if rather depressing look at a part of the world that puzzles us most of the times and horrifies us at the worst of them.
(To view the documentary on line, click here)
If they have the capital, there will be football next year in the Capital.
From orphans to the most wanted kids on the block, that could be the new saga of professional football fans in Ottawa.
Jilted just as training camps were going to begin, the long suffering Ottawa football fan is probably just a little jaded about it all. But yet, the signs are all quite hopeful for a rebirth (again) for football in Bytown.
Three different groups advised the CFL on Friday that they were interested in bringing football back, and all three seem to be well stocked in that key ingredient for success, financing.
A group of Capital investors from Toronto fronted by Ottawa 67 owner Jeff Hunt, would seem to be the front runners at the moment. Known as Golden Gate Capital, they have the financing in place and Hunt provides local knowledge of a market that has for too long been subjected to outside owners who arrived and departed with the frequency of an Air Canada shuttle.
Frank D’Angelo of Steelback beer and cheesy TV commercial fame, is another financially sound option. Though his over the top way of self promotion, might remind the locals of the Gleiberman era, which is not something good for a hopeful franchise. He was however the first in line to try and resucitate the football corpse in Ottawa. It's though however, that his brashness has turned off a number of the CFL owners.
The third group involves a number of American investors with Bill Palmer as their point man. A former Ottawa Rough Rider and the father of Jesse Palmer currently of the San Francisco 49ers camp, he too has some ties to the Ottawa area and might be capable of making a return of football a success.
His group has already negotiated a deal with that old Rider name of Horn Chen, to purchase that old Rider name. Mr. Chen apparently cognizant of the law of diminishing returns, will apparently pocket 100,000 dollars for the Rough Rider name should the Palmer group succeed.
The early line on a potential successful candidate though, probably is the Hunt group. With the money coming from Toronto, Hunt who has run one of the most successful junior hockey franchises in the country could put his marketing skills to work for the new CFL franchise. He has a certain flair for getting the most out of his product that is certain, despite a professional team playing out of Scotiabank Place and another Junior team in Gatineau (formerly known as Hull for those with old atlases), and a number of tier two junior teams playing in the suburbs, he still regularly attracts huge crowds to the Ottawa Civic Centre to see the 67’s.
It’s thought that with Hunt onboard, a combined ticket selling and promotional department would bring success to both operations. Hunt has been a fixture on the Ottawa scene for a number of years, and offers that one thing that all successful CFL franchises must have solid and believable local involvement.
It would seem to be a match made in heaven for the CFL, but in the end we guess it will be who has the most ability to provide a stable source of financing for a number of years that will get the nod.
Of course success will only be guaranteed if the team is competitive. And while nobody expects are reborn Ottawa (fill in your team name here) to win a Grey Cup in year one, they need to be competitive from the get go. The Renegades were on the cusp of becoming contenders with Kerry Joseph, Josh Ranek and a number of other players that have since gone on to other CFL teams. They slipped back in the year before their demise, but that seemed more due to office politics than on field dynamics.
It’s doubtful that the current eight teams will now willingly give up many of the players they claimed in the vulture draft earlier this year. But the CFL must make sure that the Ottawa franchise is stocked with a fair share of quality players and provided with early draft choices to quickly rebuild the CFL brand in the capital.
However it shakes out though, it’s great to be talking about football in Ottawa again. Let’s hope the CFL doesn’t fumble the ball on this project and that those long suffering Southsider and Northside stand dwellers at Frank Clair Stadium, soon have a team to cheer on.
The above posting first appeared on my Twelve Men on the Field blog, for more items about Canadian football check it out!
Monday, August 14, 2006
Fire in the east end
About nine thirty or so this evening, black smoked billowed over the east end of the city, as a large house fire broke out in Prince Rupert.
The Fire on Fifth Avenue East was rather close to Hays Cove Petro Can, it appears to be the duplex about two or three houses down the road towards town. It consumed the building in pretty quick time.
By 10 pm the PRFD pretty well had the thing under control, but not much seemed left of the building itself. The RCMP had blocked the road off at Petro Can by the bridge and up on the hill on 5th Avenue.
Must have been some nervous times though with the gas station so close to the scene of the fire. Hopefully no one was injured during what seems to have been a pretty fast moving fire. I believe that they were still working on the house, putting in the dry wall and such, so I don't believe anyone was living there at the moment.
We direct you to the hackingthemainframe site, where Mig snapped some on the spot news pictures of Prince Rupert's Bravest at work.
The Fire on Fifth Avenue East was rather close to Hays Cove Petro Can, it appears to be the duplex about two or three houses down the road towards town. It consumed the building in pretty quick time.
By 10 pm the PRFD pretty well had the thing under control, but not much seemed left of the building itself. The RCMP had blocked the road off at Petro Can by the bridge and up on the hill on 5th Avenue.
Must have been some nervous times though with the gas station so close to the scene of the fire. Hopefully no one was injured during what seems to have been a pretty fast moving fire. I believe that they were still working on the house, putting in the dry wall and such, so I don't believe anyone was living there at the moment.
We direct you to the hackingthemainframe site, where Mig snapped some on the spot news pictures of Prince Rupert's Bravest at work.
Mike and Mah, two for tea and tea for two!
Mike Wallace came out of retirement this week, to interview Iranian President Mahmound Ahmadinejad for CBS's 60 minutes (see CBS archives here for video). Ahmandinejad’s appearance made for a bit of a coup (if that’s a safe word to use in the Middle East) for CBS as they got the perceived man of the hour to appear on their network first.
Of course the chances of him ending up on Fox were pretty slim, so the network pool of possibles was probably rather small. It’s of interest to note; that it seems that part of the deal was that CBS must provide a complete un-edited version for broadcast in addition to the usual edited one that 60 minutes aired. The Ahmadinejad Unplugged session runs tonight on C-SPAN in the USA.
The long time correspondent for CBS had been wandering the back forty in anxious retirement of late, when the call came that the President would like to meet him to share the word.
His interview with the Iranian leader went through the list of current issues of the day, Iran’s quest for nuclear technology, Iran’s thoughts on the Holocaust, its possible involvement with the insurgents in Iraq, the war in Lebanon and any advice that Ahmandinejad might have for the American President.
Since the program aired on CBS many commentators in the US have expressed less than glowing reviews of Wallace’s conversation with Iran’s leader. Many suggest that Wallace, who was once known for his pit-bull ways, came across more like a poodle, fawning over the Iranian President and giving him a free pass on the issues of the day. Some going so far as to suggest that Wallace must surely have applied for a PR position with the President’s office, such was the spin put on the comments.
Mind you even before the interview aired, Wallace was under attack when he described the Iranian leader as “an impressive fellow”.
Needless to say the folks on the right of the spectrum didn’t think much of those comments nor of the show that would follow.
Investors.com suggested that Wallace was awestruck
Frontpagemag.com called him a dupe
John McInytre at Yahoo News gave Wallace credit for the news coup, but suggested that the Iranian president won in a knockout.
The National Review Online talked about missed opportunities
And those were some of the “reasoned” opinions, there are plenty more available on the net that aren’t quite as, shall we say, measured.
CBS posted its own comment page on the web (scroll down, and down and down!), where writers tended not to be too offensive to the 88 year old interviewer and his subject; some even said he had done a nice job of it all. Though one has to admit that for the most part the fans of Mike seem to be in the minority at the moment.
As for the interview it seemed at times that Wallace went out of his way to be deferential to his host. He went so far as to express fascination with the President’s clothing and appearance, almost reassuring him that he was a dashing young leader. Perhaps Wallace could negotiate a GQ spread for the leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Ahmadinejad offered up some career advice for President Bush during the course of the sixteen minute interview, stating that “those who refuse to accept an invitation to good will not have a good ending or fate”. What exactly that might mean is open to interpretation, but it’s doubtful that he’ll be sleeping over at the White House guest house any time soon to share more thoughts.
For Ahmadinejad, the appearance on 60 minutes is but a small part of his multi media debut to the world. He’s long been the staple of Al Jazeera and just this week launched his very own blog, complete with polls and room for comments.
Of course, this conversion to a free and unfettered media is something to take with more than a grain of salt. It’s still probably not particularly wise to be a fellow journalist or blogger in Iran, as Canadians know oh so well, there have been far too many reports of journalists being tortured or killed while pursuing a story in that part of the world.
With that in mind we somehow don’t see the comment box filling up with requests anytime soon. Nor do we think we’ll se the humour in the President’s blog that the rest of the blogosphere can provide from time to time.
For instance this offering below from a You Tuber, probably won’t be making the short list for the Ahmadinejad Awards this year.
But it does put the Mike and Mah show into a humourous context, which in the end is what the world needs a lot more of. It makes for a moment of needed levity in what seems to have been some very trying times of late, with more unfortunately probably still to come!
Of course the chances of him ending up on Fox were pretty slim, so the network pool of possibles was probably rather small. It’s of interest to note; that it seems that part of the deal was that CBS must provide a complete un-edited version for broadcast in addition to the usual edited one that 60 minutes aired. The Ahmadinejad Unplugged session runs tonight on C-SPAN in the USA.
The long time correspondent for CBS had been wandering the back forty in anxious retirement of late, when the call came that the President would like to meet him to share the word.
His interview with the Iranian leader went through the list of current issues of the day, Iran’s quest for nuclear technology, Iran’s thoughts on the Holocaust, its possible involvement with the insurgents in Iraq, the war in Lebanon and any advice that Ahmandinejad might have for the American President.
Since the program aired on CBS many commentators in the US have expressed less than glowing reviews of Wallace’s conversation with Iran’s leader. Many suggest that Wallace, who was once known for his pit-bull ways, came across more like a poodle, fawning over the Iranian President and giving him a free pass on the issues of the day. Some going so far as to suggest that Wallace must surely have applied for a PR position with the President’s office, such was the spin put on the comments.
Mind you even before the interview aired, Wallace was under attack when he described the Iranian leader as “an impressive fellow”.
Needless to say the folks on the right of the spectrum didn’t think much of those comments nor of the show that would follow.
Investors.com suggested that Wallace was awestruck
Frontpagemag.com called him a dupe
John McInytre at Yahoo News gave Wallace credit for the news coup, but suggested that the Iranian president won in a knockout.
The National Review Online talked about missed opportunities
And those were some of the “reasoned” opinions, there are plenty more available on the net that aren’t quite as, shall we say, measured.
CBS posted its own comment page on the web (scroll down, and down and down!), where writers tended not to be too offensive to the 88 year old interviewer and his subject; some even said he had done a nice job of it all. Though one has to admit that for the most part the fans of Mike seem to be in the minority at the moment.
As for the interview it seemed at times that Wallace went out of his way to be deferential to his host. He went so far as to express fascination with the President’s clothing and appearance, almost reassuring him that he was a dashing young leader. Perhaps Wallace could negotiate a GQ spread for the leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Ahmadinejad offered up some career advice for President Bush during the course of the sixteen minute interview, stating that “those who refuse to accept an invitation to good will not have a good ending or fate”. What exactly that might mean is open to interpretation, but it’s doubtful that he’ll be sleeping over at the White House guest house any time soon to share more thoughts.
For Ahmadinejad, the appearance on 60 minutes is but a small part of his multi media debut to the world. He’s long been the staple of Al Jazeera and just this week launched his very own blog, complete with polls and room for comments.
Of course, this conversion to a free and unfettered media is something to take with more than a grain of salt. It’s still probably not particularly wise to be a fellow journalist or blogger in Iran, as Canadians know oh so well, there have been far too many reports of journalists being tortured or killed while pursuing a story in that part of the world.
With that in mind we somehow don’t see the comment box filling up with requests anytime soon. Nor do we think we’ll se the humour in the President’s blog that the rest of the blogosphere can provide from time to time.
For instance this offering below from a You Tuber, probably won’t be making the short list for the Ahmadinejad Awards this year.
But it does put the Mike and Mah show into a humourous context, which in the end is what the world needs a lot more of. It makes for a moment of needed levity in what seems to have been some very trying times of late, with more unfortunately probably still to come!
Konichiwa and bottom’s up
Canada’s Sleeman breweries is about to be handed over to foreign interests, but instead of an American or Dutch brewer gobbling up some Golden nectar of Canada, it’s a Japanese brewer that has plans for the Great Thirsty North.
Sapporo brewery of Japan has set about trying to purchase the stock of the Guelph based brewery and take the company to the next level. They have offered up to 400 million dollars for the Ontario suds maker, bringing to an end the process that has seen Sleeman’s out on the market for the last five months.
Sleeman was one of the last of the independent breweries in Canada, one that fought the good fight against the BIG breweries of Molson and Labatt, neither of which now are controlled by Canadian interests.
Whether it’s Bob and Doug McKenzie, or the Molson ranter, Canadians take their beer seriously
Beer is like blood for many Canadians; Sleeman’s soon to be new owners are hoping to give the nation a transfusion.
Sapporo brewery of Japan has set about trying to purchase the stock of the Guelph based brewery and take the company to the next level. They have offered up to 400 million dollars for the Ontario suds maker, bringing to an end the process that has seen Sleeman’s out on the market for the last five months.
Sleeman was one of the last of the independent breweries in Canada, one that fought the good fight against the BIG breweries of Molson and Labatt, neither of which now are controlled by Canadian interests.
Whether it’s Bob and Doug McKenzie, or the Molson ranter, Canadians take their beer seriously
Beer is like blood for many Canadians; Sleeman’s soon to be new owners are hoping to give the nation a transfusion.
Alcan announces 1.8 billion dollar modernization of Kitimat Works
Alcan today announced a 1.8 billion investment in the company and the community, with its plans to modernize Kitimat works.
Upon completion the project is expected to make the Kitimat operation into what is described as a world class smelter, one of the three largest aluminum smelters in North America.
It is anticipated that production of the plant will rise by more than 60 per cent, to 400,000 tonnes a year from its current 245,000 tonnes. Ultimately when on line the new plant will increase Alcan's annual production of primary aluminum by more than four per cent.
The project which has been quite controversial in the Kitimat area for the last little while, should continue to be the thing of heated conversation around the town with today's annoucement.
A coalition of local interests called Don’t sell us out, had banded together to challenge Alcan’s plans of selling hydro power into the power grid instead of expanding the aluminum smelter. Local residents were also concerned that the company’s modernization plans would result in a reduced work force at the smelter, with approximately 700 jobs eliminated from the workforce.
Part of the electrical generation concerns were addressed in the Alcan press release, as the company announced it had a "smelter first provision" in its agreement with BC Hydro, suggesting that the bulk of its power from its Kemano generating plant will be used more efficiently in the new plant. However, one assumes that there will still be power to be sold to the province, power that many might prefer to see used at a smelter employing more people.
Today’s announcement suggests that 2,000 temporary and 1,000 full time jobs will be created through the project. However, it doesn’t specify if those 1.000 full time jobs are in addition to the current work force, or if that will be the final head count of workers on opening day in 2009. Such is the thing of the finely tuned press release; it never really spells out the picky little details. One would parse the numbers to conclude that the 1,000 number will be the final tally of workers at the new and improved smelter.
The details of today’s announcement would seem to confirm for the residents of Kitimat that indeed those 700 jobs will be eliminated through modernization. That is if you consider their concerns back in June, with the details of today’s announcement. In a Prince Rupert Daily News story at the time, Mayor Rick Wozney expressed concern over the plans of the giant aluminum smelter and the apparent change in corporate plans.
His concerns seem to be backed up by Prince George commentator Ben Meisner, a long time critic of Alcan, who suggests today's announcement is not all that great for the Aluminum city, and doesn't particularly bode well for the provinces resources, which Meisner says are being sold off dirt cheap..
The CBC website offered complete information (well as much as they were provided) on today’s 1.8 billion dollar project.
Alcan to build world-class smelter in Kitimat
Last Updated: Monday, August 14, 2006 7:09 AM PT
CBC News
Alcan Inc. plans to spend $1.8 billion US to upgrade its aluminum smelter in Kitimat, B.C., creating 2,000 temporary and 1,000 stable, full-time jobs in the community, near Prince Rupert in northern B.C.
The upgrade will also do the following:
Raise production of the plant by more than 60 per cent, to 400,000 tonnes a year from its current 245,000 tonnes.
Increase Alcan's annual production of primary aluminum by more than four per cent.
Make Kitimat one of the three largest aluminum smelters in North America.
The project "would make Kitimat a world-class aluminum production facility for the next 35 years and beyond," said Marco Palmieri, president of Alcan's regional primary metal group.
"Alcan's intention to invest in British Columbia reflects the province's competitive business climate, one which will contribute to Kitimat's economic vitality."
The smelter due to come on stream in 2009, subject to company and regulatory approvals.
Perhaps Paul would prefer NASCAR!
The rumours have been making the rounds the last few years that Paul Tracy might like to move off of the Champ car circuit and head over to NASCAR.
After the last two weeks, his fellow drivers in Champ may want to buy him a bus ticket to the Deep South.
For the second week in a row, Tracy has become involved in a post race shoving match with a fellow Champ driver.
Last week it was Alex Tagliani that went toe to toe with the thrill from West Hill, this weekend it was Sebastian Bourdais who popped a punch at Paul.
Tracy bumped Bourdais off the track in the final lap of the Grand Prix of Denver on Sunday, dashing Bourdais hope for a win, securing victory for Tracy’s team mate A. J. Allmendinger and setting up another post race scrum for the television cameras.
Already on probation for last weeks dust up, it will be interesting to see what becomes of Tracy after the latest confrontation.
One thing seems certain, should Tracy decide to move on to NASCAR, he’ll have this bump and grind thing down pretty well.
Somewhere in the background I hear the strains of a guitar and the theme from Dukes of Hazard.
“He’s just a good ole boy…………….
Transportation Board releases more findings on the Queen of the North sinking
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has released another bit of its investigation into the sinking of the Queen of the North. The latest letter from the Board, focused on the record keeping practices of the Ferry Corporation.
The highlighted aspect of this part of the investigation was the fact that while BC Ferries kept a manifest of passengers at the Ferry Terminal in Prince Rupert, there was no corresponding count made at the time of boarding the ferry.
It apparently is a situation that has been addressed by the Corporation, which now apparently issues boarding numbers to be cross referenced with the main manifest.
The ongoing investigation into the sinking of the Queen of the North is expected to continue for a number of months yet, with these "letters" released from time to time depending on their importance.
The Globe and Mail has a full report on the latest bit of information released.
Ferry head count faulty, board finds
PETTI FONG
The Globe and Mail
August 12, 2006
The highlighted aspect of this part of the investigation was the fact that while BC Ferries kept a manifest of passengers at the Ferry Terminal in Prince Rupert, there was no corresponding count made at the time of boarding the ferry.
It apparently is a situation that has been addressed by the Corporation, which now apparently issues boarding numbers to be cross referenced with the main manifest.
The ongoing investigation into the sinking of the Queen of the North is expected to continue for a number of months yet, with these "letters" released from time to time depending on their importance.
The Globe and Mail has a full report on the latest bit of information released.
Ferry head count faulty, board finds
PETTI FONG
The Globe and Mail
August 12, 2006
VANCOUVER
-- As part of its investigation into the March sinking of the Queen of the North, the Transportation Safety Board has found that B.C. Ferries failed to count and record the names of passengers as they boarded the vessel.Although shore-side personnel prepared a manifest according to company procedures that recorded the number of passengers who should have been on board, there was no count made of passengers as they got on the vessel.
Initially, B.C. Ferries said all 101 passengers and crew on board the ferry were rescued after the midnight sinking on March 22.
Hours after passengers and crew abandoned the vessel and arrived safely in Prince Rupert, however, the concerns of a man who couldn't locate his brother and sister-in-law alerted ferry officials to two missing passengers.
Gerald Foisey and Shirley Rossette are believed to have drowned in the sinking. Their bodies have never been recovered.
"There was no physical count made of passengers as they boarded the vessel, nor were their names recorded," wrote Marcel Ayeko, acting director of investigations in the marine section for the TSB in a letter to the acting director-general of marine safety in Transport Canada.
The letter was released yesterday by B.C. Ferries.
During and after the sinking of the Queen of the North, investigators found those responsible for ensuring all passengers had been accounted for had difficulty establishing the total count.
Initial counts of passengers were head counts and later counts included the compilation of a list of names of those who had been rescued.
After the sinking, B.C. Ferries updated its passenger reservation system.
At the terminal, all passengers are issued a boarding number, which is then cross-checked against the names on the manifest.
"In an emergency, where abandoning of the vessel is the only recourse, an accurate tally of the number of people aboard is critical for well-organized abandonment and efficient search-and-rescue operations," the letter said.
"A properly detailed passenger and crew information system can help in identifying any missing people, their infirmities [if any] and also their likely location aboard the vessel."
Mr. Ayeko said the benefits of a well-designed identification system have been recognized and implemented by many cruise ship and ferry operators. In 2000, when a fire broke out on the cruise ship NieuwAmsterdam, which was en route to Glacier National Park with more than 1,000 passengers on board, Mr. Ayeko noted that two missing passengers were quickly identified by a roll call from the manifest.
That identification enabled crew members to focus their search near the passengers' cabin on board the Nieuw Amsterdam.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Sometimes the smallest just doesn’t get enough respect!
It’s crunch week for Pluto, that far off planet that we all learned about in elementary school science classes, may find itself stripped of planetary status by August 25th.
A gathering of 3,000 astronomers and scientists are set to meet in Prague to kick around the idea of kicking Pluto out of the planetary club. Pluto gained its admission back in 1930, when a dog in the employ of the Walt Disney Company discovered it (oh, ok I made that up).
Actually the planet did receive its planetary deed back in 1930, but the debate as to whether it deserves to be listed with the big players like Mars, Saturn and Jupiter has raged on since our abilities to see into space have increased.
With the advent of the Hubble Telescope the farthest planet from the Sun has been revealed to possibly be a bit of a fraud, nothing more than a hunk of space rock and ice only one four hundredths the size of the earth.
The calls for its banishment from the list of planets gained momentum when UB 313 was discovered a few years ago, named Xena (guess what TV shows scientists watch?) it is larger than Pluto and so the debate goes should replace the teeny weenie one on the big list. In short, UB 313 is something of a celestial troublemaker for those fans of Pluto.
The debate has picked up speed as it seems is that are more than a dozen other celestial bodies floating around in space that also are larger than Pluto, leading to the possibility of up to 12 or more planets being added to the curriculum and sending science students over the edge when studying the new testament of space.
The meetings in Prague are supposed to settle the debate once and for all, though some are urging that they keep the order as it is. They are suggesting that dumping Pluto and adding a bunch of new planets to the solar system will only lead to chaos.
And we all know that scientists don’t like chaos!
Order is what they crave; and this week Pluto is causing a major disruption in the Force.
But is anyone concerned about the kinkajou?
Paris Hilton has managed to make it back into the headlines, this time after a late night visit to an emergency ward. It would seem that her pet kinkajou, took a bite out of Ms. Hilton, after she became excited. The kinkajou that is, not Hilton, or maybe it was both! Who knows?
The 25 year old favorite gal of the papparazi was treated at the LA area emerg ward, where "She was seen by a doctor, who treated the wound, gave her a tetanus shot, cleaned the wound and applied something to it,".
No word on whether the kinkajou too received a tetanus shot, or any other form of medical attention. It has been taken into custody by LA health officials, ostensibly because it is considered an illegal animal, though one wonders if it's not just protective custody for the safety of the animal.
Interestingly enough the wound inflicted by Baby Luv, was described as superficial. Which as you might imagine has been a term applied to the kinkajou's master from time to time!
The 25 year old favorite gal of the papparazi was treated at the LA area emerg ward, where "She was seen by a doctor, who treated the wound, gave her a tetanus shot, cleaned the wound and applied something to it,".
No word on whether the kinkajou too received a tetanus shot, or any other form of medical attention. It has been taken into custody by LA health officials, ostensibly because it is considered an illegal animal, though one wonders if it's not just protective custody for the safety of the animal.
Interestingly enough the wound inflicted by Baby Luv, was described as superficial. Which as you might imagine has been a term applied to the kinkajou's master from time to time!
iPod Rotation for August
Songs on the Podunkian iPod for the months of August
August 25 The Guess Who-American Woman
August 22 Pink Floyd-High Hopes
August 19 The Eagles-Hotel California
August 16 The Rolling Stones-Satisfaction
August 13 Tom Petty- Don't Do Me Like That
August 25 The Guess Who-American Woman
August 22 Pink Floyd-High Hopes
August 19 The Eagles-Hotel California
August 16 The Rolling Stones-Satisfaction
August 13 Tom Petty- Don't Do Me Like That
He shoots, He scores, He's disappeared!
It's international intrigue time again in the hockey world as Russian wunderkid, Evgeni Malkin has apparently gone missing from his Russian club teams training camp in Finland. Russian officials say that Malkin left the training camp of Metallurg Magnitogorsk and took his belongings and passport with him, not the signs of someone planning on coming back from a brief walk in the park!
This comes on the heels of word this week that he was planning on leaving his club team in Russia, as he would give his two weeks notice. Russian hockey officials may wish to stake out the Pittsburgh airport as perhaps the young Russian star is heading for the NHL and his place with the Pittsburgh Penguins who hold his rights.
Watching the video clips above, you can see why so many are interested in having young Mr. Malkin pull on the blades for them.
It will be quite interesting to see where he surfaces in the next few days, not to mention the impact that his departure, mysterious as it is, will have on the already tense relations between the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and the NHL.
The above posting first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!
This comes on the heels of word this week that he was planning on leaving his club team in Russia, as he would give his two weeks notice. Russian hockey officials may wish to stake out the Pittsburgh airport as perhaps the young Russian star is heading for the NHL and his place with the Pittsburgh Penguins who hold his rights.
Watching the video clips above, you can see why so many are interested in having young Mr. Malkin pull on the blades for them.
It will be quite interesting to see where he surfaces in the next few days, not to mention the impact that his departure, mysterious as it is, will have on the already tense relations between the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and the NHL.
The above posting first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!
A Hop, skip and a jump and not because it’s safer that way!
They’ve finished laying the black top at the Charles Hays track and in fact the surface is almost back to the pristine shape it once was in back on the day that Dan Miller opened it.
Things fell into a bit of dis-repair over the years, as budgetary concerns kept putting the rejuvenation project onto a back burner, leaving the track and its various accessories to pose more of a testimony to good eyesight than athletic skills. It was a wise runner or jumper who kept his head down and eyes watching for a hole, roll or bump that could do more than take a few seconds of your time.
But as school ended this year, the school district decided the time was nigh to bring the facility back up to standard and allocated the money ($530,000 at last report) to get the job done. Now with three weeks to go til the start of school (yikes, how many saw that coming eh!) the job is almost done and plans are in the works to re-open the track in style with an invitational meet.
The Daily retraces our steps along the track and recounts the bumpy road to rejuvenation that it has taken.
RE-OPENED TRACK HAS ATHLETES SET TO HIT START LINE
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, August 11, 2006
Pages One and Six
The sport of track and field is usually reserved for the spring season, where after spring break, high school athletes train and prepare for the short season, with a goal of provincials on everyone’s list.
But with the repair of the Charles Hays Secondary School track underway, officials decided to add a special sporting event to the September schedule, as a way to celebrate the official re-opening of the track for the school season.
“This would be the starter,” said school trustee Brian Johnson, who is also the acting track and field coach for both Rupert High Schools. “It’s (to celebrate) the reopening of the facility.
“If we do have an invitational meet, which I’m sure we will, we’re looking at some time in September.”
Johnson has no interest in holding the track meet any later than Sept. 30, although he will wait at least two weeks into the school year before hosting the event.
“We have to allow everyone to get back into routine,” he said. “But we have to do it when the weather is still good, and September usually is pretty good.
“I would open it up to the Northwest (like Terrace, Kitimat and Smithers) and all the Alaska teams.”
In addition to an inaugural September meet, plans are underway for hosting an annual Panhandle meet in the spring (see Page six for full story).
After a delay that lasted nearly three years, both the school board and the City of Prince Rupert finally came to a financial agreement to get the repairs on the track started. The estimated cost for fixing the track stands at $530,000.
Officials hope to have the repairs complete by Sept. 1.
With the track expected to be back in competitive shape by Sept. 1, Johnson is also hopeful that the September track meet will lead to greater success for the local track athletes.
“No more one-month wonders,” said Johnson. “I’m trying to spread (the training out through the year. If I can bring it out slowly through the year, I can get the athletes more ready to compete.”
Following the conclusion of the invitational meet in September, Johnson will continue to train his athletes through the winter, in preparation for the spring track season.
That said, Johnson expects the local Rupert contingent to perform well at the September meet, despite the lack of initial training time.
“Our track team will be ready and raring to go,” he said.
PANHANDLE TRACK MEET IN THE WORKS
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, August 11, 2006
Page Six
Canada-US relations locally are about to get even more intense than usual, and the issue is expected to be settled on the Charles Hays Secondary School track this spring.
Brian Johnson, coach for both Rupert high school track and field teams, has had the dream for the past few months of hosting a Panhandle track meet. And now, with the work underway to restore and repair the track, the dream can become reality, setting up a U. S. versus Canada battle.
“The guy in Ketchikan put the seed out there,” said Johnson.
Ketchikan has been looking a long time for more competition for their athletes, as opposed to settling on the odd excursion up to Juneau during the shortened track and field season. After discussion with Johnson about the possibility of setting up a meet between Ketchikan and Rupert teams, Johnson began trying to put a plan together regarding a Panhandle event.
Meanwhile, other Southeast Alaska communities like Metlakatla, Wrangell and possibly even Craig could join the Ketchikan Kings making up what could an impressive field for a track and field competition.
“It would be cheaper for the Alaskan team to come down as a group,” said Johnson.
“It would be early spring for a possible Panhandle track meet.
“It’s just a matter of getting a hold of all the Alaskan coaches.”
Ketchikan, Rupert’s closest U. S. neighbour up the Panhandle coast, currently trains at an indoor track.
And while the possibility is always there that in the future, Ketchikan and Rupert could alternate as hosts for the Panhandle meet, that won’t be possible with current Canadian school athletic budgets.
”The Ketchikan coach said that the budget is around $100,000 US,” said Johnson.
“Their budgets are 10-fold compared to us. We would really have to look at the budget before considering that.”
Johnson would also invite local Northwest teams like Terrace and Kitimat to the event.
The Panhandle track meet would also add another even to the list of meets for Northwest athletes. Currently there are only three (Prince Rupert, Prince George and Smithers)
“It gives our team a chance of something to look forward to,” said Johnson.
Things fell into a bit of dis-repair over the years, as budgetary concerns kept putting the rejuvenation project onto a back burner, leaving the track and its various accessories to pose more of a testimony to good eyesight than athletic skills. It was a wise runner or jumper who kept his head down and eyes watching for a hole, roll or bump that could do more than take a few seconds of your time.
But as school ended this year, the school district decided the time was nigh to bring the facility back up to standard and allocated the money ($530,000 at last report) to get the job done. Now with three weeks to go til the start of school (yikes, how many saw that coming eh!) the job is almost done and plans are in the works to re-open the track in style with an invitational meet.
The Daily retraces our steps along the track and recounts the bumpy road to rejuvenation that it has taken.
RE-OPENED TRACK HAS ATHLETES SET TO HIT START LINE
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, August 11, 2006
Pages One and Six
The sport of track and field is usually reserved for the spring season, where after spring break, high school athletes train and prepare for the short season, with a goal of provincials on everyone’s list.
But with the repair of the Charles Hays Secondary School track underway, officials decided to add a special sporting event to the September schedule, as a way to celebrate the official re-opening of the track for the school season.
“This would be the starter,” said school trustee Brian Johnson, who is also the acting track and field coach for both Rupert High Schools. “It’s (to celebrate) the reopening of the facility.
“If we do have an invitational meet, which I’m sure we will, we’re looking at some time in September.”
Johnson has no interest in holding the track meet any later than Sept. 30, although he will wait at least two weeks into the school year before hosting the event.
“We have to allow everyone to get back into routine,” he said. “But we have to do it when the weather is still good, and September usually is pretty good.
“I would open it up to the Northwest (like Terrace, Kitimat and Smithers) and all the Alaska teams.”
In addition to an inaugural September meet, plans are underway for hosting an annual Panhandle meet in the spring (see Page six for full story).
After a delay that lasted nearly three years, both the school board and the City of Prince Rupert finally came to a financial agreement to get the repairs on the track started. The estimated cost for fixing the track stands at $530,000.
Officials hope to have the repairs complete by Sept. 1.
With the track expected to be back in competitive shape by Sept. 1, Johnson is also hopeful that the September track meet will lead to greater success for the local track athletes.
“No more one-month wonders,” said Johnson. “I’m trying to spread (the training out through the year. If I can bring it out slowly through the year, I can get the athletes more ready to compete.”
Following the conclusion of the invitational meet in September, Johnson will continue to train his athletes through the winter, in preparation for the spring track season.
That said, Johnson expects the local Rupert contingent to perform well at the September meet, despite the lack of initial training time.
“Our track team will be ready and raring to go,” he said.
PANHANDLE TRACK MEET IN THE WORKS
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, August 11, 2006
Page Six
Canada-US relations locally are about to get even more intense than usual, and the issue is expected to be settled on the Charles Hays Secondary School track this spring.
Brian Johnson, coach for both Rupert high school track and field teams, has had the dream for the past few months of hosting a Panhandle track meet. And now, with the work underway to restore and repair the track, the dream can become reality, setting up a U. S. versus Canada battle.
“The guy in Ketchikan put the seed out there,” said Johnson.
Ketchikan has been looking a long time for more competition for their athletes, as opposed to settling on the odd excursion up to Juneau during the shortened track and field season. After discussion with Johnson about the possibility of setting up a meet between Ketchikan and Rupert teams, Johnson began trying to put a plan together regarding a Panhandle event.
Meanwhile, other Southeast Alaska communities like Metlakatla, Wrangell and possibly even Craig could join the Ketchikan Kings making up what could an impressive field for a track and field competition.
“It would be cheaper for the Alaskan team to come down as a group,” said Johnson.
“It would be early spring for a possible Panhandle track meet.
“It’s just a matter of getting a hold of all the Alaskan coaches.”
Ketchikan, Rupert’s closest U. S. neighbour up the Panhandle coast, currently trains at an indoor track.
And while the possibility is always there that in the future, Ketchikan and Rupert could alternate as hosts for the Panhandle meet, that won’t be possible with current Canadian school athletic budgets.
”The Ketchikan coach said that the budget is around $100,000 US,” said Johnson.
“Their budgets are 10-fold compared to us. We would really have to look at the budget before considering that.”
Johnson would also invite local Northwest teams like Terrace and Kitimat to the event.
The Panhandle track meet would also add another even to the list of meets for Northwest athletes. Currently there are only three (Prince Rupert, Prince George and Smithers)
“It gives our team a chance of something to look forward to,” said Johnson.
You need to make your money in less than four hours!
The 2006 cruise season in Prince Rupert has reached the half way mark, and one thing has become rather clear. If you want to make your money, you have to move fast.
With the cruise lines dedicating less time to their stops in our fair burg, the entrepreneurial class in Rupert has to work quickly to separate the tourists from their dollars.
We seem to have lost two hours of shore time locally as the ships now only stay for a four hour visit as opposed to the six of last year. This makes for changes to the plans of our local attractions and will make for a rethink on how others go about servicing the industry.
It seems that our visitors want excitement and a chance to see the wildlife, and we're not talking about the bar crowd on a Saturday night. With all of those dreams of money in the bank still out there, a workshop has been planned for August 18th, where those with a plan to cash in on the tourist wave can get more info.
The Daily had all the details on the current status of the season and the plans for the future in its Friday edition.
CRUISE SECTOR’S NEW WAVE OF OPPORTUNITY
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, August 11, 2006
Pages One and Two
The 2006 cruise ship season has been all about getting some more interaction between passengers and Prince Rupert in less time.
As the season has just slipped past the halfway mark, the Prince Rupert Port Authority has released its annual request for proposals (RFP) asking local tour operators and would- be operators to submit excursion packages that will be sold on all cruise ships calling on Prince Rupert next year.
The number of passengers is down slightly, said Marieke Gerlach, Business Development Officer for the port, but some of the ships, like the one that was in port on Friday, have a greater passenger capacity, meaning numbers could increase next year. But the main challenge has surrounded the fact that the port of calls for these ships – the time they are in town – has decreased from six hours to four.
“We’ve had to adjust some of our tours,” she said. “It has been a bit of a challenge,”
With shorter but more interesting excursions planned for cruise ship passengers in the future, the port is hoping to get more ideas from local tour operators going forward.
“Cruise ship passengers are interested in experiencing the destination to the fullest and want to actively explore the places at which they stop,” said the port’s Director of Business Development, Shaun Stevenson, “We are working with our community partners to ensure that we can supply a world class shore excursion program that best reflects the many opportunities Prince Rupert has to offer, said Stevenson.”
While Prince Rupert currently offers man top-notch shore excursions, feedback from cruise ship passenger exit surveys combined with a projected growth in the number of ships calling on Prince Rupert, has identified further opportunity for expansion of the tour program, said Stevenson.
“We’ve gotten some very good feedback and comments from passengers,” said Gerlach. “It’s been very positive.”
In the future, the port would like to add more people for the tours, which would ease the pressure of trying to do more in less time for the tourists, said Gerlach.
Currently, popular excursions include fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and whale watching, in addition to the city tours. Expanding the adventure tour side of things is paramount going forward, said Gerlach.
As part of its goal to build this tourism capacity in Prince Rupert, the Prince Rupert Port in partnership with Tourism British Columbia, Prince Rupert and Port Edward Economic Development Corporation and Tourism Prince Rupert, will be hosting a Tourism Packaging and Production Distribution Workshop in Prince Rupert on Friday, Aug 18 at the Crest Hotel. The three hour workshop, starting at 1 p. m. will be followed by a presentation on the 2007 cruise season, cruise related tour packaging opportunities and the process for getting tours on the cruise ship.
Anybody interested in obtaining more information about the workshop or registering for the workshop can call the port at 627-8899.
“When they come up to Alaska, they want to experience the wilderness,” she said. “Basically, (we need more) major wilderness products,” said Gerlach.
“That’s why we’re sponsoring the workshop,”
More information on the local cruise industry is available by visiting http://www.cruisetoprincerupert.com/.
With the cruise lines dedicating less time to their stops in our fair burg, the entrepreneurial class in Rupert has to work quickly to separate the tourists from their dollars.
We seem to have lost two hours of shore time locally as the ships now only stay for a four hour visit as opposed to the six of last year. This makes for changes to the plans of our local attractions and will make for a rethink on how others go about servicing the industry.
It seems that our visitors want excitement and a chance to see the wildlife, and we're not talking about the bar crowd on a Saturday night. With all of those dreams of money in the bank still out there, a workshop has been planned for August 18th, where those with a plan to cash in on the tourist wave can get more info.
The Daily had all the details on the current status of the season and the plans for the future in its Friday edition.
CRUISE SECTOR’S NEW WAVE OF OPPORTUNITY
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, August 11, 2006
Pages One and Two
The 2006 cruise ship season has been all about getting some more interaction between passengers and Prince Rupert in less time.
As the season has just slipped past the halfway mark, the Prince Rupert Port Authority has released its annual request for proposals (RFP) asking local tour operators and would- be operators to submit excursion packages that will be sold on all cruise ships calling on Prince Rupert next year.
The number of passengers is down slightly, said Marieke Gerlach, Business Development Officer for the port, but some of the ships, like the one that was in port on Friday, have a greater passenger capacity, meaning numbers could increase next year. But the main challenge has surrounded the fact that the port of calls for these ships – the time they are in town – has decreased from six hours to four.
“We’ve had to adjust some of our tours,” she said. “It has been a bit of a challenge,”
With shorter but more interesting excursions planned for cruise ship passengers in the future, the port is hoping to get more ideas from local tour operators going forward.
“Cruise ship passengers are interested in experiencing the destination to the fullest and want to actively explore the places at which they stop,” said the port’s Director of Business Development, Shaun Stevenson, “We are working with our community partners to ensure that we can supply a world class shore excursion program that best reflects the many opportunities Prince Rupert has to offer, said Stevenson.”
While Prince Rupert currently offers man top-notch shore excursions, feedback from cruise ship passenger exit surveys combined with a projected growth in the number of ships calling on Prince Rupert, has identified further opportunity for expansion of the tour program, said Stevenson.
“We’ve gotten some very good feedback and comments from passengers,” said Gerlach. “It’s been very positive.”
In the future, the port would like to add more people for the tours, which would ease the pressure of trying to do more in less time for the tourists, said Gerlach.
Currently, popular excursions include fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and whale watching, in addition to the city tours. Expanding the adventure tour side of things is paramount going forward, said Gerlach.
As part of its goal to build this tourism capacity in Prince Rupert, the Prince Rupert Port in partnership with Tourism British Columbia, Prince Rupert and Port Edward Economic Development Corporation and Tourism Prince Rupert, will be hosting a Tourism Packaging and Production Distribution Workshop in Prince Rupert on Friday, Aug 18 at the Crest Hotel. The three hour workshop, starting at 1 p. m. will be followed by a presentation on the 2007 cruise season, cruise related tour packaging opportunities and the process for getting tours on the cruise ship.
Anybody interested in obtaining more information about the workshop or registering for the workshop can call the port at 627-8899.
“When they come up to Alaska, they want to experience the wilderness,” she said. “Basically, (we need more) major wilderness products,” said Gerlach.
“That’s why we’re sponsoring the workshop,”
More information on the local cruise industry is available by visiting http://www.cruisetoprincerupert.com/.
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