4 www.pgcitizen.ca | Tuesday, June 1, 2010 local It’s all about resources in ............. H ,xpo 2010 not just about forestry, all industries represented Frank Peebles Citizen staff A shift in focus this year has ramped up the buzz around Resources Expo 2010. What used to be a forestry-focused event now includes all the industrial sectors. If you want to know anything about mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, construction, and yes forestry — plus all their satellite industries — then RE-10 is a show to explore. “Resources Expo’s business-to-business focus is about making the contacts and getting the information you need to be part of the ‘northern decade,’ a period of phenomenal growth and development in BC’s economic development,” said a statement issued by the Central Interior Logging Association. CILA is a major supporter of RE-10, with two of its officials — Maryanne Arcand and Roy Nagel — acting as event co-chairs. “Many thousands of jobs and contracting opportunities will be available in the next 10 years. Come and be part of it.” Houle Electric is a company that signed up to do so. Al- though based in Vancouver, their Prince George branch is expanding and company president Robert Lashin told The Citizen “I’m banking” on the northern development referred to by CILA. A company like Houle plugs directly into all of the industries covered by the expo so the extra emphasis on business-to-busi-ness networking this year is what impressed Lashin the most going into RE-10. “You have to develop strategic partnerships: other trade contractors, alliances with suppliers...,” Lashin said. “Suppliers are the ones who know about potential projects out there and will work with you to install those products. They are extremely important for you to succeed, they will help you find the potential customers. If you have a great product that isn’t installed properly, those product suppliers won’t want to work with you anymore. We have to represent the material well, with no callbacks and customers who say ‘that was a good job.’ People like to work with people they like.” And the work is there. The downtown revitalization activities in Prince George are a sign of the upswing in industrial opportunities. Construction activity all flows from activities being talked of now for the near future of this area: pipeline construction, wind farm projects, bioenergy plants, highway improvements, possible mine expansions and openings, a recovering lumber industry with new markets opening up for local wood, the electrification of the Highway 37 region, the building of the Site C Dam, the opportunities hinging on the Port of Prince Rupert and the Prince George Airport expansion, etc. “I’m really, really busy. Really busy,” said Bruce Sutherland, president of Wolftek Industries Inc. based in Prince George. Wolftek is an exhibitor but also involved with the Central Interior Mining Group which is connected as well. “A couple of years ago, I was scared about having to shut the doors but right now we have to hire people, and it’s competitive for that. It’s great to have to work hard to get the right people because your business is doing so well.” Highlighted speakers — Ken Shields, CEO of Conifex, will be talking about the investment his group is making in forestry and their purchase of the Mackenzie mills; — Dr. David Fung is back to shed light on doing business with China; — Transportation Minister Shirley Bond is moderating a panel on transportation development critical to moving goods and services; — Imperial Metals CEO Pierre Labelle will be highlighting mining development; — BC Transmission Corp’s Bruce Baret will explain the Hwy 37 electrification project, key to development in the Northwest; — Dave Conway will explain BC Hydro’s Site C project and Clean Energy; — Chief Derek Orr, from the Macleod Lake Indian Band, will share what it takes to partner with First Nations; — The Pacific Carbon Trust’s David Muter will present information on BC’s carbon economy; — Forest and Range Minister Pat Bell will close the event with an overview of the northern decade; — Richard Dunn of Encana will discuss Horn Basin natural gas development plans; — And more, on bio mass, TILMA, demographic trends, silviculture & bio energy.... The Resources Expo 2010 event runs Thursday through Sunday at CN Centre. More than 180 indoor and outdoor exhibitors are confirmed, plus a number of networking opportunities. For detailed coverage of RE-10 look for an indepth supplement in the Wednesday edition of The Citizen. The Class of 2010------------------- Congratulate your Grad! The Prince George Citizen will be publishing a Special Grad Supplement Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Deadline: Friday, June 4th Show them how proud you are by congratulating your grad in this annual keepsake section. f mincludes Run a Photo for only.... GST $ L 1 tuaj, J Ull 1C 23 99 For an additional $10 we will run a First Day of School or Kindergarten Graduation Photo £/* * j/ isati ^citizen george it's what matters to you Call 250-562-6666, or email your photo(s), student’s name and graduation information to cls@pgcitizen.ca The Prince George Citizen Class of 2010 P.O. Box 5700, Prince George, B.C. V2L 5K9 Student Name:_____________________________________________________ School:_______ Graduation Date: Address:_ Phone: Postal Code: (Address & phone numbers will not be published) Cash Check M/C Visa Air Canada Jazz flights could be disrupted by strike Rodney Venis Citizen staff Air Canada Jazz flight attendants joined their colleagues in the cockpit and voted to OK possible strike action Monday in a move that could disrupt regional air travel across the country. The vote affects roughly 300 workers in B.C. and Alberta, said Jennifer Kalmar, western vice-president for the Canadian Flight Attendants Union, and could see the airline’s cabin crews strike, or be locked out, as early as June 16. According to the Canadian Press, Jazz pilots could mount similar action three days earlier. The firm operates six round trips flight daily between Prince George and Vancouver. “When Jazz went into bankruptcy protection, we gave up significant wages, working conditions, benefits, pension contributions, you name it, everything got touched in order to allow the company to restructure itself and be profitable again,” said Kalmar. “We’re just looking for acknowledgement for our contribution to the success of Jazz at this point.” The pilots’ union is set to meet with the company and a federal negotiator on Wednesday. Talks between flight attendants and Jazz are scheduled for June 7 to 11. “We’re optimistic we can achieve a deal,” she said. “I’m really hopeful.” Both bargaining units voted 99 per cent in favour of strike action and have both been without a contract since June 2009. For the flight attendants, Kalmar said her members last took a strike vote in 2001. Since then, the airline lurched into financial trouble in 2003 and 2004. With the airline posting record profits, she said the union believes Jazz can afford to improve the wages and working conditions of its members. Of particular concern, said Kalmar, is a two-tiered wage structure the union agreed to in 2004 that caps the amount flight attendants hired after that date can earn. She said the flight attendants are willing to strike on that issue if the so-called B-scale wage rate payments are not modified. Debra Williams, a corporate spokesperson for Jazz, declined to comment on negotiations past saying a strike mandate was a normal part of the negotiation process and the firm remains committed to letting the bargaining process continue along its natural course. She also declined to say what contingencies Jazz had in place in case of disruptions to flights, citing a wish to preserve the “in-tergrity” of the negotiations. She said workers at Jazz operate under six collective agreements. Three — with maintenance, airport and dispatch staff—have been ratified. Buying? Selling? Refinancing? REALESTAVETRANEAOICN • Wills • Powers of Attorney • Travel Letters These are all major transactions in your life. You need someone you can trust, who will advise you, personally. Linda Manning Jaron Manning Linda Avis Marvin Hawke Elaine Aubry Robert Fedorkiw 250-563-6008 250-563-6008 250-562-9566 250-649-0817 250-564-8442 250-561-2174 Notaries A Trusted Tradition 00662968