28 : Terrace Review — Wednesday. August 3, 1988

“Women’s action group |

sets election strategy

Lynn Kaye, the new president
of the National Action Commit-
tee on the Status of Women, was
in Terrace Monday announcing
the federal election strategy of
the national women’s group.

The four main issues they will
tackle include the effects of free
trade on women, reproductive
choice, a national child care
strategy, and funding for ser-
vices to battered women. In ad-
dition to inviting the three na-
tional political leaders to par-
ticipate in a debate on women’s
issues, Kaye urged Terrace area
women to lobby locally, ‘To the
extent you can organize here,
that’s the extent we will be suc-
cessful.’?’ She wants women’s
issues to be front and center this
election, and suggested local
women’s groups ask candidates
about their stand on these and
other questions, or sponsor their
own debate on the issues.

She bagan her luncheon
speech with a short history of
NAC, which started in 1972 with
35. groups. After the Royal
Commission on the Status of
Women completed its lengthy
Teport, NAC formed to monitor
the implementation of the
recommendations. It now repre-
sents 586 women’s groups across
the country, including the Ter-
race Women’s Resource Centre,
the Monday event’s sponsor.

Volunteer executive members

and regional representatives are
elected annually by member
groups and do the work of the
organization, with the assistance
of four to seven staff people.
The local regional rep is
Rosemarie Supernault, a legal
aid director in Burns Lake, and
a former Terrace resident who
was instrumental in the creation
of Ksan House and the Terrace
Women’s Centre.

Regional representation has
become an important part of the
organization, with the original
central-Ontario focus expanding
to include all of Canada. Kaye
spent the morning of her visit
here discussing with local ac-
tivists how Northwest B.C.
women can have more influence
on NAC policies.

Of the four election issues
identified, Kaye focused on free
trade. “‘It’s a Trojan horse,”’ she
said, that appears good on the
outside but holds dire conse-
quences within for Canadian
women.

The service sector, where
about 70 percent of employed
women work, is not protected,
and neither the Canadian nor
U.S. government have issued
Studies of the effects of free
trade on this sector, With lower
wages prevailing in the U.S.,
“What is the incentive for a data
processing company to stay in
Canada?’’

Labour Council attacks
Terraceview decision

Paul Johnston, president of the Kitimat-Terrace and District
Labor Council, describes government interference in the decision-
making power of the Terrace Health Care Society as a ‘‘political
and ideologic decision — not a construction decision’’.

Johnston says the Health Care Society's recommendation to
select H & H Builders over Kermodie Construction for the extended
care unit was a ‘“‘good decision’? which demonstrates they realize
‘there was something other than just price to be considered’’.

Johnston points out that Terrace H & H Builders is a reputable
firm which has been in Terrace for many years. He adds that the H
& H bid was only three percent above Kermodie’s and that H & H
employees are ail members of the labor council, which provided the
low interest loan for the project through their pension fund. He says
the decision effectively denies those employees the right to work on

the project,

There were six bids on the Terraceview project and Johnston says
that three of them were below the architects’ estimate of $750,000.
Kermodie was the lowest bidder with a price of $697,345, while Ter-
race H & H Builders came in a close second at $759,756.

Other bids came from Wayne Watson Construction of Prince
George who priced the project at $743,893, Norcan Construction of
Prince George with a bid of $818,000, Tendev Construction of Sur-
rey who said it would cost $896,400, and Bud’s Truck and Equip-
ment of Terrace who put in the high bid at $1,136,000.

Steelhead —— continued from page 4

and pink salmon. ‘They really
take a hammering from the com-
mercial fishery,’ Hooton
remarked. Ministry figures in-
dicate 61 percent of summer-run
steelhead this year were
destroyed in commercial nets.
The winter-run steelhead,
however, return to the Skeena
well after the commercial fishery

is over. Hooton said if winter-

run fish are discovered in the
Copper, regulations could be
amended to reflect that.

Hooton said he expects the
program to get started sometime
in November. The Steelhead
Society is expected to do the
monitoring.

Report —— continued from page 2

vide port access.

Another item of interest was
the relocation of the Terrace
Corrections Centre. Pousette
described the present facility,
-which-he said is overflowing ils

capacity, and told Parker that

suitable land for a new facility is
available in the city, At the same
time, he told Parker that the
centre's operation is unique and
emphasized the need to maintain
the training concept it offers.

In manufacturing sectors such
as textiles, where many women
work, free trade will exert a
downward pressure on wages,
‘*In fact, at the McGregor Socks
strike a few years ago, this is the
reason management gave for
keeping wages low. They said
they had to compete with com-
panies in the southern States.”’
Free trade will only worsen this
situation, Kaye said.

Subsidies of Canadian in-
dustries will be challenged by
Americans, such as when the
east coast fishing industry was
considered subsidized because
fishermen can collect unemploy-
ment insurance for part of the
year. The softwood lumber in-
dustry has already felt the effect
of countervailing duties, a tactic
likely to be used more often
under free trade.

What else will be considered
‘‘unfair subsidies’’? Will a
U.S.-based company, which
doesn't have Canada’s medicare
benefits available to its workers,
complain and ask for counter-
vailing duties? ‘‘What about job
training? | noticed in the local
paper an an article about subsidized
wages,’’ she said, looking at a
recent issue of the Terrace
Review. “Will an American
manufacturer consider this an
unfair subsidy?‘

The government says there
will be an independent tribunal
to look into matters of this sort,
but it won’t decide whether or
not the duty should be paid, on-
ly if American law is being fairly
applied. “‘And the U.S. can
change their laws if they feel
they’re not tough enough.”’

Will American private day
care companies move into
Canada to take advantage of
government subsidies? Under
the free trade agreement, Kaye
said, any American company
operating in Canada must be
treated like a Canadian national
company.

Kaye concluded by encourag-
ing the women present to
become familiar with the free
trade agreement, and took ques-
tions from the floor.

Youngsters registered with the Terrace Library's Reading Club had a
fulfliiing experience last Thursday and Friday when they took a Pause
from reading and participated in the Big Rock Candy Mountain Cake
Decorating Contest. Pictured above are Amanda Braam, Scott Bromley,
Bao Van Diep, Phoenin Diep and Mary-Anne Bromley.

Anti-poverty group
gets charity status

The Terrace Anti-Poverty
Group just got some good news
— they'll be able to use the
charitable tax number of their
umbrella organization, Feder-
ated Anti-Poverty Groups lo-
cated in Prince George. That
means donations to the Terrace
group will be tax-deductible, an
incentive Gerry King hopes will
encourage area businesses to be
generous, He’ll be hitting the
streets this week to solicit funds
from local merchants.

For four and a half years,
King has volunteered his time to
assist about 300 people a year
with problems regarding unem-
ployment insurance, income
assistance, pensions, and job
searches, The funding to operate
the service came from communi-

ty groups, unions and churches, —

but many of these funding
sources are also experiencing
their own financial difficulties,

King believes the time has
come to broaden the base of the
Terrace Anti-Poverty Group,
His personal commitment to
assisting low-income people
stemmed from his student prac-
ticum at a local soup kitchen in
the early 80s, Since the closure

of the soup kitchen in 1985 and
the Unemployed Action Centre
last year, King has volunteered
on his own. ‘‘Now a board of
directors will be formed, and I’ll
start talking to local businesses
about donations.”

He said the low-profile nature
of the group had to be changed
since financial problems
threatened to close the office in
June. Fortunately, Tillicum
Theatre waived the office rent
for a month, giving King the op-
portunity to make a community
appeal,

Plans also include a bid to get
a federal grant to provide
lifeskills and job training. The
trainees would be paid $225 a
week through the program, and
be placed with focal! employers
for work experience.

Assuming people are poor
because they’re lazy is a
whitewash, he says. Although
the feeling of being ‘‘stuck’’ in
poverty can seem insurmount-
able, he’s confident the re-
invigorated group and an in-
tegrated community program
can assist people to overcome
the obstacles.

DOORS OPEN AT 4:30 P.M.

_ Terrace’s Bingo Place
Lucky Dollar Bingo Palace

SUNDAY: Terrace Athletics Assn.
MONDAY: Terrace Minor Hockey

4818 Hwy. 16 West

TUESDAY: Kermodes or Jaycees OS
WEDNESDAY: Terrace Blueback Swim Club

THURSDAY: 747 Air Cadets |
Ladies of the Royal Purple

FRIDAY: Parapelegic Assn.
SATURDAY: Parapelegic Foundation

Regular
Games

18

EVERYONE WELCOME!

(Age 14 years and up)

Extra
Games

Thank you! Have a Nice day!

(tinge ee Te