Class is a massive waste of our time Dear Sir: Tam a grade eleven student who has been attend- ing the CAPP (Career And Personal Planning) course for two years now. During my attendance of this program, I have noticed that the curriculum which has been fol- lowed has been virtually identical from one year to the next, even though I had different teachers (dif- - ferent schools, even) each year. ‘An both grades ten and eleven, we practiced writ- ing cover letters, resumes, thank you letters, re- search projects on limited subjects, completed many ‘fill in the blank’? assignments, and listened to large numbers of guest speakers, All assignments and lectures were on the very same subject matter, no matter which grade. ' Add to this that, in both years, the majority of our classes were used as unstructured, so-called “study”? periods, In grade ten, at the same time as I was learning about STDs in CAPP, I was also learning about _ them in Physical Education, Science (both of which are required courses for any grade ten student, guar- anteeing that every student would learn about them al least twice in the year, regardless of CAPP), and also in Child Care. Another large problem with CAPP is that it takes up much otherwise useful time in the school day, creating scheduling difficulties. For instance, I per- sonally wanted very much to take a full semester automotive course. However, as a result of the CAPP program’s scheduling times, which con- flicted with the automotive course best suited to my time table, this was not possible and I wound up wilii a spare block. It should be mentioned that the total time required for the CAPP course between grades eleven and twelve (the graduation years, where productive ‘class time is particularly crucial, especially for any- body aiming for a university education), works out to be an entire semester. I think that this is a mas- sive waste of time. Another point worth mentioning here, is that many teachers, including those who teach the course, appear to be unenthusiastic towards it. This attitude seems to detract from the motivation and the encouragement of interest in our futures which is supposed to be generated by this class. Fram my peers also, I have heard numerous nega- ‘tive comments regarding it. Very rarely do I hear any praise for the CAPP program. What bothers me the most about the Career and Personal Planning course is that nobody seems to be able to supply me with an answer to the question of just why we are forced to take it, and especially, why we must repeat it every single year. mo Sandi Harrison ; Terrace, B.C. Majority.opposed Scott Dear Sirs °°" " St, Mike Scott andthe Terrace Standard must be tak- . ing math lessons from the NDP. '~ Scott’s claim (June 4, Page Al) to represent a ‘*silent majority’’ of this area’s residents in regards to the land claims issue not only defies logic but the physical laws of the universe. - Mathematics is an exact science, and brooks no creative interpretation by politicians with inflated egos. ee tad S Cee) The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 18, 1997 - A5 School courses, cuts debate CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD The Mail Bag Since when is 42 per cent a majority? What math- ematics tells us is that the combined votes for the parties currently engaged in the treaty process, and supportive of it, were clearly in the majority. Mike Scott won a sizable plurality, and the op- . portunity to put forward his views in the House of Commons, but if he insists those views represent a majority of the voters in this riding he will quite rightly be branded a liar. ] hope I don’t get sued for correcting bis math. The other Scott claim, that he represents a sizable number of First Nation peoples opposed to the aaa treaty process, was also solidly refuted by the elec- tion results, Hopefully we can now have some peace from that @ fantasy of his. a6 For: certain Reform has tapped into a huge amount of discontent in British Colombians, a discontent I a share, if not to the point of oe: & supporting Reform. a But one can’t help but Mike Scott — wonder what the results in this riding might have been in the absence of the unpopularity of the present provincial government, and the lacklustre performance of our local MLA. If one examines the voting results in all the other northern ridings the results are clear, Mike Scott is the least popular Reform MP, and clearly does not enjoy the support of the majority. And for goad rea- son —- he remains a one issue MP, ignorant on fisheries, resource issues, quality of life issues. The question that needs to be asked is not whether Mike Scott has the right to express his views as he has, of course he does, but rather whether he has done so responsibly. His latest wild claims answer that question. . Mike Scott won another election, and deserves congratulations. And our utter contempt for so. polarizing our communities along racial lines. Bruce Hill Terrace, B.C. Theatre cuts dismaying ; Dear Sir: ; I am writing on bebalf of Theatre BC, the British ’ Columbia Drama Association, to voice dismay and objection to the recent reduction of funding to the . REM Lee Theatre in Terrace and the Mount Elizabeth Theatre in Kitimat. - Both these theatres have been used for the Skeena : Zone Drama Festivals over the years, non-profit events that lead up to the annual Mainstage Provin- cial Drama Festival. Zone festivals and Mainstage festivals are the major venues for community theatre groups to com- pete and showcase their best work. Most theatre groups involve young people in their productions, and teachers consider this a valuable contribution to students’ education in the arts. Festivals attract spending dollars to the com- Nisga’a deal a modern thirty pieces of silver’ Dear Sir: The Nisga’a Agreement in Principle (AIP) is con- vulsing on ils death bed — a fitting ending for a document that was destined to destroy the Nisga’a nation, Basically, the AIP was destined for an early demise for two reasons. First, the particulars of the AIP without major revisions are antithetical to the precepts of our revered Ayuuk Nisga’a (the com- mon sacio-economic, political, and tribal laws that governs the cultural integrity of the Nisga’a na- tion.) ~The AIP stands poised to erode the cultural in- tegrity of the Nisga’a people. Its legacy of course, would eventually leave future Nisga’a beggars and immigrants in their own lands, The AIP is a cofossal myth because it is basically asking Nisga’a peopte to wear the make-up of our colonial landlords. It is asking us to reject our cul- tural heritage by accepting this sacrilegious docu- ment in return for short term economic benefits. Basically, three things distinguished First Nations people, The land, the culture, and their tribal affilia- tion. By surrendering 92 per cent of our traditional territories to the ‘‘crown’’, the Nisga’a Tribal Council (NTC) has surgically removed 92 per cent of the heart of the Nisga’a culture, Any time native people are severed from their emotional attachment to their traditional tefritorial lands, the consequences are predictable. If the NTC thinks that the AIP without major revisions will lead us to the ‘‘promise land”’, the land of milk and honey, they are welcome to their delusions. The second reason why the AIP will soon be laid to rest is because of the NTC’s inability to assess ’ and evaluate the feedback from the Nisga’a people themselves, Instead, they were too busy catering to the whims of white government officials and third party interests. The current revolt by the Gingalx (Kincolith) people is testimony to this in- conipetesice, The NTC has had a year to deal with the concerns of Nisga’a unhappy with the particulars of the AIP. Instead, they ignored their concerns and demonized and vilified those who spoke out against the AIP, In closing, I support the actions taken by the Gingolx people in their courageous act of defiance because they at least are hanging on to the princi- ples and precepts of Ayuuk Nisga’a and are not prepared to sell-out for ‘‘thirty pleces of silver’’. The NTC can find some solace in the fact that they were not charged with treason because to con- tinue to flog the AIP as a solution to our economic woes is, indeed treasonable activity. As a final tribute to the ‘‘revolutionists’’, I would like to remind them and all Nisga’a who may have been misled that you have nothing to lose by reject- ing this ‘‘colonial chartcr’’, Ray Guno Lakalzap, B.C. Treaty supported Dear Sir: The federal government, the British Columbia government, and the Nisga’a nation are to be com- mended for signing an Agreement in Principle in - February, 1996. The Nisga’a AIP. represents the logical progres- sion of a process started by the Nisga’a nation 130 years ago, empowered by the Federal Government in 1973, and endorsed by the Provincial Govern- ment in 1991, , British Columbians have a unique opportunity to conclude a bitter chapter of Canadian and B.C. his- tory by resolving long-standing obligations and grievances, thereby enabling all citizens of the pro- vince to better understand, respect, and co-operate with each other. We, the signatories below, sincerely recommend to the three parties that a final and binding Treaty be signed as soon as possible. Mary-Wynn Ashford, Cunliffe Barnett, Dave Barrett, Robert Bateman, Thomas R. Berger, Judd Buchanan, Dianne Cardin, David Crawley, Robin Fisher, Hamar Foster, Doublas Hambidge, Lynn Hunter, Len Marchand, Norma Mickelson, Ted Scott, John Shields, Tom Siddon, Surjit Singh Sodhi, Wilfred Soloman, David Suzuki, Clive Tanner Treaty betrays Nisga’a Dear Sir: Two Nisga’a individuels from Gingolx (Kin- colith, B,C.) were successful in initiating an injunc- tion against the 1996 Nisga’a Agreement In Princi- ple (AIP) in the B.C, Supreme Court recently, This injunction effectively hinders the Nisga’a Tribal Council (NTC) from signing the final agree- ment with the two levels of government. munity, both focally and regionally. They enhance the attractiveness of the community to visilors and encourage people to relocate to their ‘arts-rich’ area, which includes students and groups being able to benefit from local facilities. The decrease in funding makes it extremely dif- ficult for Theatre BC’s Skeena Zone to consider slaging a festival at the REM Lee or the Mount Elizabeth Theatres. Not to speak of the future, when Terrace may be invited to host Mainstage, which is a week-long, high-profile event receiving enormous exposure and respect throughout B.C. and the Yukon. ; It is discouraging to face the fact that this Board of Trustees docs not place serious value on its arts community, and it begs the question: will our vibrant community suffer and shrink as a result? Is this the message with which we educate our young people? Marianne Brorup Weston president, Theatre BC CBC stands by story Dear Sir: I would like to respond to false allegations printed in your paper, They were contained in a letter writ- ten by Steve Bateman, pastor at the Evangelical Free Church. (Terrace Standard, June 4). Mr. Bateman was concerned about a CBC Televi- sion item [ produced and reported that aired in your region Friday, May 23. It concerned the vicious at- flack on Terrace resident Tammy Fee by former Terrace resident Ric White. While rescarching the story in Terrace, I spoke at length with Mr. Bateman about his church (of which Mr, White was a member). He said at the time that he believed what happened to Tammy Fee was a terrible thing. But he also said that Tammy should not have had a relationship with Ric While in the first place, be- cause she was martied to another man (the two were no longer living together). Mr. Bateman weut on to say that Tammy ‘tempted’? Ric, and for doing that, was now paying fer her sins. I am alarmed that Mr. Bateman would deny we ever had this conversation, and to go so far as to publicly call the report “not accurate’. I made detailed notes of our conversation. I also immediately relayed it to the camera opera- tor I was working with, and ] have become aware that earlier, Mr. Bateman made the same statements to Tammy Fee in the presence of other witnesses. The CBC stands by its report. It. is, unfortunate. that Mr. Bateman now: feels. it necessary to deny the content of our conversatipn. ” Erica Johnson Vancouver, B,C. + dn? MP didn’t act alone Dear Sir: 7 A few months ago, I went to see our MP Mike Scott. As our elected representative I felt that it was his job to be our voice in Otlawa and become more involved in educating ‘‘the rights of prolection for women and children who are at risk’ within our communities. Mr. Scott did bring this issue forward in the House of Commons and | thank him for doing so. In the article, ‘‘White facing new immigration charge” (Terrace Standard, May 28) it was stated that “MP, Mike Scott takes credit for White’s ar- rest, saying the addilional charges laid by the police are the direct result of-a letter written by him to the federal immigration minister.” The Terrace RCMP started a criminal investiga- tion: long before MP Mike Scott wrote a letter and as~a-result-of their-hard-work- sufficient. evidence was found to lay further charges against the of- fender. , I wish to publicly thank the Terrace detachment, Inspector Leach and especially Cpt. Udsen for not only listening but also investigating the allegations of the past criminal misconduct of this offender. It is all people, leaders in the community and members of our government working together that will create safer communilies. We must recognize that we are all a part of the solution that will make a difference. ae Tammy Fee Terrace, B.C. Give it up, Lloyd Dear Sir: , I read the two letters from Lloyd Hull in the May 28th issue with some amusement, In his response to Mary Bond he uses the famous John Tumer tine “T (we) had no option’’. Much as I feel badly for anyone owed moncy by Repap, J don’t accept the position that the Minister of Forests is responsible and that the taxpayers of B.C. should pay Repap’s debt. While that has some local and short-term appeal for some, even for me, just think of the precedent that would set. E firmly believe that contractors had collective power which they could net use because they were not united-as a group. That lack of solidarity was a choice and when someone like Hull tries to point a finger it Is fair to correct the record, Some time ago I heard someone suggest that there are a Jot of pure free enterprise proponents who scem to think that the government should “privatize the profits and socialize the losses”’. Lloyd also seems to want it both ways and when he can’t have it, he launches a barrage of invective against people who disagree. As for his wanting to give school grades for per- formance, he should remember that first one must have the credentials to do an evaluation and then be objective. Lloyd Hull has neither the credentials nor the ob- jectivity if his letters are any indication. Pure partisan biases just won’t cut it, Also, just for the record, my letters are only in response to letters from people like Mr. Hull. Necd Tsay more? ; _ Helmut Giesbrecht . MLA for Skeena whe ashebya a) ada; vd boscuadh Ura Letalio obi ib: sa) Yu ity Letters welcomed The Terrace Standard welcomes letters to the editor. Our mailing address is 3210 Clinton St., Terrace, B.C., V8G 5R2. You can also fax us at 250-638-8432, And you can e- mall us at standard@kermode.net . ‘y’ FOR VICTORY was Nisga’a Tribal Council president Joe Gosnell's signal after an agree- ment in principle was reached 16 months ago. But the battle has continued internally in recent weeks as critics of the deal from within the Nisga’a stepped up their protests. The injunction is a public statement to the NTC that the genuine concerns of the Gingolx have been ignored and trivialized by the Nisga’a ‘‘negotiat- ing’? officials. The injunction will also address the. ‘ indiscretions that the NTC officials employed to legitimize their so-called AIP. These two people of Nisga’a ancestry exercised a . very courageous stand against the AIP. We as Nisga’a citizens and owners of the Nass Valley must take precautions before .we sign any agrec- ments with both levels of government. We need to question why we are allowing the Nisga’a Tribal Council to settle for a mere eight per cent of our traditional territories. Let’s take our time and re-examine this docu- ment. Our late NTC president James Gosnell’s famous quote ‘‘We own Nisga’a lands, lock, stock - and barrel, the Nisga’a lands are not for sale be- cause it guarantees our survival’’ seems to have been incomprehensible to the negotiating officials because the AIP in general is ilie antithesis to the precepts of Ayuukhi Nisga’a. Qur forefathers fought and died protecting all the territories from intruders attempting to pry owner- ship away from us. One big reason why we will not let go of our traditional lands is due to our ancient traplines that have existed since time inumemorial, especially those traditional lands at the mouth of the Nass River that the NTC has now deemed as fee simple. — These traplines that run up the Observatory Inlet belongs to and still belongs to Wilps (houses) tong before Europeans ever set foot on North American soil. These traplines are the Nisga’a deeds to the land. ‘Our Nisga’a ancestors had vegetable gardens scaltered throughout the mouth of the Nass River and at Red Bluff belonging to families who owned ihe right to retum year after year. . What will Gingolx have to fall back on if the NTC goes ahead with this ill-conceived document? ‘As a proud nation of Nisga’a, we need to look at this process and questlon whether our children and their children will truly benefit if the NTC signs away 92 per cent of the traditional territorics that still today is our bread and butter. ve! Darryl Watts (Wilp Daxaan Ksi-Gingolx) . .» Lakalzap B.C,