The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 21, 1998 - AS

Doc’s critique
gets criticized

Dear Sir:

‘Tam responding to ‘‘Doc doubts herbal cures’? (The Ter-
race Standard, Sept. 30).

‘I am a practising naturopathic physician. To become a
Yaturopathic doctor entails pre-medical university studies —
followed by a four-year full-time program at an accredited
school of naturopathic medicine, followed by the writing
of board exams for licensure and monthly regulating fees.

! The article was filled with much ignorance. By ignorance
I‘am referring 1o the blatant lack of knowledge expressed
by. Dr. Appleton and also by the unquoted statements in-.
‘ferred by Frances Birdsell,

: The most distressing comment for me was as follows:
‘Birdsell and a citizens health group ... say there’s no
proof that berbs do any harm either.’’ This is an absolutely
Indicrous and irresponsible statement.

‘It is truc that herbs by their nature tend to act more gent-
ly than pharmacculica] drugs in most cases, and have less
side-effects. However, many herbs have the potential for
having toxic effects at high enough doses, Some plants are
very toxic even at low dosages.

*Dr, Appleton is correct when be states that herbalists are
uireguiated, The only lisensed and regulated professionals
able to prescribe herbs for treatment to people in British
Columbia are naturopathic and osteopathic doctors.

‘However there are many traditional native healers and
responsible herbalists that are very knowledgeable in the
field of botanical medicine. Medical doctors with further
training in herbal medicine (even though this is not in their
medical scope of practice and therefore there is no
licensure for this type of prescribing) also have much to
offer. The question is, what extent of knowledge and train-
ing do the people that are prescribing herbs have?

Dr. Appleton is clearly not knowledgable regarding the
wumerous studies conducted on the use of many botanical
medicines, their efficacy and their side-cffects,

The following statement needs to be questioned:
“Appleton doesn’t refer patients to naturalists or herbalists

Treaty cries
for referendum

By BILL VANDER ZALM
DURING THE latter years of Prime Minister Brian
Mulroney we saw numerous attempts at constitutional
change. The first attempt was to reach an accord at
Meech Lake, this to satisfy and include the province of
Quebec.

Then came Ottawa 1988, a First Ministers Confer-
ence to deal with aboriginal people. It was then that I
really became aware that the Prime Minister and his
government wanted to setile with B.C.’s native Indians
at whatever the cost.

The First Ministers were ready to agree and to ap-
prove the necessary constitutional changes to give the
aboriginal people land title and self government. The
big debate was the meaning of ‘‘sclf government’’,

It was British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New-
foundland that stopped it from getting the required ap-
proval. The aboriginal delegation was furious at the
refusal. The argument that no one could define self
government did not seem to calm their anger.

British Columbia had already granted self govern-
meut to the Sechelt band in the form of 4 municipal
type of government. The Sechelt band seemed very
pleased with the arrangement but others wanted more,
‘some much more,

Recognizing public concern about possible constitu-
tional change, whether to please Quebec or the
aboriginal people, I proposed to my cabinet that we
pass legislation to require approval from the British
Columbia voter ‘through the process of referendum.
The proposal was well received and acted upon.

The Social Credit
government viewed the
negotiations with the vari-
ous aboriginal groups to
be more along the lines of

The NDP was
prepared to carve
up the province

because he’s not certain whether or not ... (it) really r Sechelt agreement. into a large num-
works’’. The closer truth would be that he does not possess ti © tebe OF _constiti- ber of nation
the knowledge about alternative medicine to make an in- penis aie not real states
formed judgement regarding referral. ly envisaged and this even ‘

more so after the lengihy
Gitksan-Wel’suwet’ea
casc was decided by Chief Justice McEachem.

It was former Premicr Harcourt who took the un-
believable, unprecedented step of firing. the lawyers
that won the case. He had them replaced, to act for the ;
government, by a firm that previously represented y
aboriginal groups.

The Harcourt lawyers, on behalf of the province,

While pharmaceutical drugs are life-saving for some, and
a blessing for relief in many types of disease states, there
is another side to the drug story that has not been men-
tioned. Many drugs cause terrible side-effects and in some
cases, they are worse than the disease they intended to al-
leviate.

Dr. Appicton was shocked at the payment for herbal
remedies. Take the drug Losec for example. It acts as a
proton-pump inhibitor (ic. blocks stomach acid). It costs

DR. LAUREL Gregg, of the Nirvana Metaphysic. and Healing Centre, with a
patient. A recent series of articles on health practices, including comments from a
physician, have drawn many responses from readers.

What’s with the PhD?

$80.50 per month. Many people are on this drug for years
— pretly scary considering you need your stomach acid for
proper digestion aud to kil! off microoraganisms that may
cause serious gastric disease in the future.

With a change

in diet, some supportive kerbs,

homeopathy and/or mineral supplementation and address-
ing the cause of the excess stomach acid, the cost for most
people would be considerably lower and much more

health-producing.

If a patient has been on Losec for three years, it would
cost-him/her $2898, Typically, including initial consulta-
lion-and ‘medicines, the samé :patient would pay between
$250.— $1000 coming:to see me for naturopathic care
depending on how complicated their case was. They would
likely also be much healthier all around.

In general, I find the cost of pharmaceutical drugs much
more costly than I do botanical medicines.

Let’s discuss efficacy. This is the truth. Not all drugs are
able to help people. Not afl herbal medicines are able to
help people. Many drugs help people. Many herbal medi-
cines help people. End of discussion.

, Dr. Kathy Graham, Naturopathic Physician,

Smithers, B.C.

Dear Sir:

more than physicians do.

Compare T-4s

Dr. Geoff Appleton has provided a community ser-
vice to Terrace by alerting your readers (The Terrace
Standard, Sept. 30) that some herbalists are earning

To fully expose this unreasonable practice and pro-

vide readers with a factual basis for comparison, will
Geoff please meet with Frances Birdsell immediately
and submit a joint letter to The Terrace Standard stat-
ing what their respective gross billings and taxable in-
come were for 1997.

The article also assured me, according to Geoff, that
phannaceutical companies must first prove their pro-
ducts work, and second, prove they are safe.

Would Geolf please tell your readers how many
Thalidomide babies and their parents were offered this
assurance previously. Would Frances please tell your
readers how many times she or other herbalists pres-
cribed the drug Thalidomide to pregnant women.

Dear Sir:

Referring to an article in the Sept. 23 is-
suc of The Terrace Standard I draw your
readers’ aitention to the fact that Laurel
Gregg is referred to as ‘‘Dr. Laurel
Gregg’’. In an article exclusively concerned
with health, there is an implication that Ms.
Gregg is a medical doctor, which she is not.
Ms. Gregg advertises her services with the
qualification of PhD; perhaps she could be
more forthcoming about the field of study

., of .her doctorate, where she received it and

the length of study, This disclasure would
provide useful information to the public.
The women in the arlicle may cail them-
selves healers: however, unlike registered
massage therapists, registered
acupuncturists or B.C. naturopaths, they are
not examined and registered with any
regulatory body which is mandated by the
BC Health Professions Act to protect the

public. Which is also why the Medical Plan
does not pay for their services,

All health professionals who are regis- -

tered under the act have achieved a high
level of accredited education. They are also
subject to a complaint process; that means
that if a patient or client feels harmed or
poorly treated, he or she can lodge a com-
plaint, which is heard by the discipline
panel of the respective profession. Users of
the services of an unregistered healer do not
have recourse ito this process, ~ :

Consumers of alternative health care need
to be aware of the qualifications of those
who treat them.

Ann Kantakis, Registered Massage

Therapist, Terrace, B.C.

(Editor’s note; Laurel Gregg is a Doctor
of Metaphysics and has a PhD in
metaphysical counselling, requiring four
years of study and three theses.)

Much studying required

Dear Sir:

This letter is for anyone who wishes to
take the time to be correctly informed.

A certified reflexologist must pass an ex-
tensive written exam, complete 20-30 hours
of classroom study and complete a prac-
ticum of 20-40 complete case studics. Each
case study requires 1 1/2 hours of time.

An aromatherapist that is certified has to
complete a study of anatomy, physiology,
the theory of aromatherapy and herbology.
Twenty hours of class study is required for
each level; there are four levels of study.

Each level also requires a written exam
and 15-30 case studies. Here again, 2 case
study requires 11/2 hours to complete.

For healing methods such as pranic heal-
ing, polarity healing, therapeutic touch and
others there is 20-30 hours of classroom
study for each course, a wrillen exam for
each course and a specified number of case

The case studies will vary depending on
the method being studied but will take be-
tween 30 and 60 minutes cach.

There are specific guidelines set down by
the BC and Canadian Reflexology Assn.,
the BC and Canadian Federation of
Aromatherapists, tue BC Holistic Healing
Assn, the Canadian Instilute of Natural
Health and the Canadian Federation of
Spiritual Healers.

If you require any of these addresses they
are available to the public and you can ob-
tain them from our centre.

I would suggest people talk directly to the
professionals in the fields of allerna-
tive/holistic methods and to their assacia-
tions before making mistcading, judgmen-
tal, misinformed and at times. slanderous
stalements,

Laurel Gregg, Mse.D. Phd.,
Nirvana Metaphysics

asked the court to confirm the existence of unspecified
(open ended} aboriginal rights. The province asked the
court to overturn the case it had previously won.

The negotiations proceeded very differently from
those in earlier days. The NDP now, in its haste to con-
clude an agreement for political points, not only agreed
to pick up the cost which was rightfully federal but was
also prepared to carve up the province into a large
number of nation states.

Ironically, the very referendum tool that could keep a

central Canada dominated federal government fairand }

honest in its constitutional dealings with B.C. may now
become of no value. A cynic might eveh suggest that’
the federal government will forever have silenced the
threatening cry of B.C. separatism.

The Nisga’a agreement is not for a municipal type of
goverment such as granted the Sechelts, It’s a totally
new type of government not provided for constitu-
tionally. Again a cynic might suggest that it’s no coin-
cidence that the next agreement in principle to be
reached will be with the Sechelt Indians.

The whole concept of establishing nation states in
British Columbia that are communal and governed by a
racially-based government with unique powers dif-
ferent from those presently provided for in the constitu-
tion for other governments, screams for a referendum.

The Nisga’a agreement is the template for a possible
50 or more such agreements, If this agreement leads to
more division, bigger walls and future disputes, we
best deal with it now not after 50 more.

For Mr. Clark and the NDP to proceed without in-
volving the people through a referendum is a breach of |
trust with all the people of our province. If however the
agreement is approved in parliament and again in the
legislature then despite the legislation requiring a vote
by way of referendum before constitutional change is
approved, it will become constitutional.

Once constitutional, any change, back or otherwise,
will require the approval of the federal government, the
provincial government and First Nations governments.

Once approved we'll have to live with it forever,

The Social Credit premier of B.C. between 1986 and
3991, Bill Vander Zabn has recently returned to ac-
tive political life as the president of B.C. Reform. Dur-
ing his time in office, the province joined in land
claims talks with the Nisga’a.

Jerry Reitman, Terrace, B.C,

studies for cach course.

& Henling Centre, Terrace, B.C.

City folk said to be unaware

By MEL SMITH
TREATY-MAKING in the
‘Nass Valley tucked away in
northwestern B.C., the home
of the Nisga’a, seems so
remote from the major pop-
ulation centres of the pro-
vince as to cause many city-
dwellers and suburbaniles to
never give the matter a
serlous thought. -

Although they may have
some Vague understanding
that this will be the first of
50 or more treaties il will
only be when the process
reaches their backyard, so to

_-speak, that their interest will
be heightened and concerns
expressed.

This is unfortunate be-
cause the principles that are
being put in place now in
the Nisga’a treaty are those
which will te followed in

future treaties unless, of

course, in due time atiother

“provincial goverment is
elected that has a different
treaty policy.

Once of the reasons for this
suburban somnolence is the
assurance given by govern-
nent negotiators that private
property is not on the nego-
tiating table,

We cast our eyes over our
60-foot lot and home upon
it, or our condominium, ci-
ther of which may have
taken half a life-time to pay
for, and are content to know
that our home is still our
castle and likely to be un-
disturbed by the treaty-
making process. Un-
fortunately, it’s not quite
that simple.

In the first place, although
we are assured private prop-
erty holdings will not be
disturbed, the native negoti-
ators have made it plain that
they expect ta be com-
pensated in dollars by the
government for private
property values.

Such a proposition borders
on fantasy when the calcula-

tlon of private property in.

Greater Vancouver, for ex-
ample, is considered.
There’s not enough money
in the bank, much less in the
federal and provincial
treasuries, to meet such a
demand.

Nonetheless, the four
separate bands laying claim
to the lower mainland will
press the point in negotia-
tions and the likely outcome
will be (if the current trealy-
inaking policy is followed)
that sclilements may be
reached which
heavy on cash paymests and
lighter on the transfer of
Crown land simply because
such land is in short supply
in many urban arcas.

So the first impact of
urban-centred treaty-making
will be even larger cash
payments than the Nisga’a
deal which will be reflected
in substantially higher taxes

- for all.

Secondly, urban treaty-
making will likely gobble

are top: -

up whatever Crown land
there is within the area.
Parks will not be immune.
Stanley Park is part of onc
or more land claims as are
other public parks in Greater
Vancouver,

land use regulation and
could overrule the Agricul-
tural Land Reserve legisla-
tion.

If this were done, one
estimate is that the valuc of

So the first impact of urban-centred
treaty-making will be even larger cash

payments than the

Nisga’a deal which

will be reflected in substantially higher

taxes for ail.

How this will play out
remains to be seen, This
niuch we do know, that the
B.C, government has set
aside 1200 acres of Crown
land purchased 30 years ago
for the Roberts Bank super-
port In case it is needed to
settle a land claim with the

Tsawwassen band.
On the basis of the
Nisga’a deal, the band

would have the final say on

such land would skyrocket
to $100,000° per acre
whereas non-native ncigh-
bours would have their land,
presently. valued at $5,000
per acres, remain in the
ALR. So much for equality,
It is this inequitable
regulation of land use which

has the greatest potential for |

conflict, division’ and dis-
cord belween lands covered
by urban treaties and neigh-

of treaties

bouring lands.

The ongoing dispute be-
tween Delta municipality
and the Tsawwassen band
over the development of
reserve lands in a way
which is incompatible with
Della’s own requirements is
a case in point.

This is minor compared
with what the situation
would be if urban treaties
give First Nations the final
say on land use decisions.

Government treaty-makers
miust insist on the applica-
tion of the ALR over treaty-
lands and the provincial
government’s ultimate say
on land-use — decisions
throughout the province and
not give that power away
under treatles.

In my view, treaty-making
of any kirid in urban settings
makes no sense at all.
Treaty-making can only be
satisfactorily achieved if it
takes place prior to the in-
flux of selilers,

That is why all treaty-
making on the prairies be-
gan about 1880 and wag
completed by 1925. All
treaties entered into since
that time cover sparsely

populated areas of the
Northwest Territories,
Northem Quebec = and
Yukon. .

Moreover, most Indians
living on reserves adjacent
to urban cenlres in British
Columbia are substantially
integrated inio the larger
community around them.
Why tum back the clock? ..

Mel Smith was a lawyer,
senior bureaucrat and con-
stitutional adviser to -a
series of Social Credit
governments in B.C. retir-
ing in 1991, He’s the author
of Our Home or. Native
Land? lives in Victoria and
is a columnist with B.C,

Report, This column. was

commissioned by the com
pany that owns The Terrace
Standard. pats