THE PRINCE GEORGE
FREE PRESS
VOL.7 NO.22
SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 2001
 PHONE 564-0005
 Breaking Trail
                    City has deal with Stream
                   Lease deal almost settled, city helps with infrastructure
  By CHRISTIANA WIENS
  Free Press staff writer
     If a formal lease arrangement is finalized between local property holders and a Massachusetts-based call centre this week, Stream International could be answering phones in the Brick building as soon as April 1.
     And depending on how fast The Brick and Liquidation World can move out of their current location, Stream could begin pre-training of its first call centre staff here in a possible temporary location at Redwood Square next month. That would only be required if The Brick needed longer than two weeks to vacate their current site.
     According to realtor Harry Backlin, the agent acting on behalf of the owners of The Brick building, the only thing holding the deal back now is a
  single contingency clause in long term lease arrangements between The Brick, Liquidation World, Stream and building owners.
    “I have four lawyers involved in the formal lease document,” Mr. Backlin said on Friday. “We’ve resolved some of the issues but we still have one item to be concluded. I hope to do that today or Monday.” It’s his understanding that Liquidation World has agreed to move to the old K mart building on Third Avenue, The Brick is still looking to Safeway real estate people to takeover a building lease, and Stream has completed their negotiations in the form of a $5-million guaranteed loan with the city.
    City Manager George Paul says the city is not expected to comment on their portion of
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  Backlin
                                                 Doctors want funds for UNBC plan
    Doctors say they are prepared to work with local governments because there’s a lot that still needs to be done.
    The Northern Medical Society, the group of Prince George doctors who sparked attention to the health care crisis here last spring and summer, made their presentation to over 400 delegates Saturday
    The presentation stressed the need to follow through on initiatives and continue to pressure federal and provincial governments.
    Dr. Michelle Sutter, herself a graduate of the residency program here, criticized the government for the lack of financial commitment to the Northern Medical Program.
                                                                                         Training
                                                                                          doctors
                                                                                            here
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  Please turn to Stability, Page A2
Chief justice looks for ways to control cost of court
By CHERYL JAHN
Free Press staff writer
    The cost of justice just keeps rising. So much so, it sparked concern from the judiciary.
    A study was conducted recently, which
revealed some rather startling figures about how much litigation costs. The study took three average civil trials - a three-day trial, a 10-day trial and a 15-day trial - and compared the amount of filing fees to make those trials happen. "Filing fees” are the costs a litigant must pay for
certain services. For instance, to file a statement of claim, alleging in written form some misdeed against another party, a litigant must pay $200. There are a plethora of other costs. To file a petition to get divorce proceedings underway, the price tag is $218. Those fees go to the
provincial government.
   The study conducted compared the fees paid oui in September 1990 and July 1998. In 1990, the government earned $535 in fees for a three-day civil trial. In July 1998, the government netted $2,260. With
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Brian McBride took advantage of the fresh snow and a clear day Friday to go for a ski in Fort George Park. John mckenzie/free press