By Alex Rinfret--The northwest is being pummeled by a steadily declining population, a rising unemployment rate, and a tailspin in the tourism industry, Port Clements mayor Cory Delves told MLAs in Victoria late last month.Mr. Delves was part of a four-member delegation that made presentations in Victoria Jan. 20 and 21. The delegation also included Kitimat mayor Joanne Monaghan, Terrace mayor Dave Pernarowski and Prince Rupert mayor Jack Mussallem.The mayors asked for any help available from the provincial government to deal with the serious economic challenges facing the northwest.Mr. Delves said the presentations - to the government's northern MLAs and to the NDP rural caucus - went well, although he was disappointed that Forests Minister Pat Bell was away attending the truck loggers' convention in Vancouver."I've sent him correspondence in addition to the presentation I made," Mr. Delves told Port council members Monday night (Feb. 1).The four mayors told the MLAs that:.In 2008, the north coast lost almost 800 residents, the 10th year in a row of population decline..Northwest BC had the highest unemployment rate in the province at 7.7 percent in 2008, and employment is forecast to decline further in 2010..There has been a particularly acute decline in wood produce manufacturing jobs in the northwest, and the impacts are continuing with the closure this week of West Fraser's Eurocan pulp and paper mill in Kitimat, which employed 550 people.Mr. Delves said he made his own presentation about the situation on the islands, and asked the provincial government to help small business loggers here by having BC Timber Sales provide timber immediately by auction, to establish a community forest on Haida Gwaii, and to make funding available over the next two years to build the new hospital in Queen Charlotte.