EEE iste 6 EH ‘mage TERRACE ~. VOLUME 71 NO. 150 rl ily herald TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1977 20¢ ibe RE SEM : Picketters Protest _ Skeenaview Phaseout by Donna Vallieres Herald Staff Reporter Picket lines formed in front of Skeenaview Lodge Monday morning at 6 a.m. in protest of the provincial government’s ision to phase out the intermediate care facility. As many as 26 picketers formed lines in the entrance to the lodge, walking with signs in 15 below weather. Signs . carried © such is ‘a ‘human garbage ean,’” “Shelford just hot air — we want jobs", and “B.C. — Canad 's Facist growing province,” The dicket was in- stigated by the Kitimat- Terrace and District Labour Council who formed the lines at 6 a.m. to prevent the day shift of workers from entering the building. Night shift workers were invited to leave if they wished and would have. been replaced one for one, but none of the workers asked to leave. The strike was planned to protest the movement of patients from the odge, which the government stated: ig Structurally unsafe and must ‘be _ replaced. Recently the lodge had a patient capacity for 140 uch - residents but pjand to Slogans as -“‘Skeenaview - - reduce-thisnumber to 115 by the end of the year, As patients are moved, the staff at Skeenaview is reduced. . “The first few months of a ‘three year phasing out program’ has already meant a 23 per cent reduction in residents and a similar reduction in staff,” according to a release from the labor council. Two unions represent workers at Skeenaview, the B.C. Government Employees Union (BCGEU), and the B.C. Registered -Psychiatric Nurses’ Association (BCRPNA). Employees at the lodge are not consulted about changes, according to the labor council, including a rumored decision that the laundry will be moved to Kitimat, forcing a further ’ reduction in'staff. - 9 - -‘The-~Social *** Credit ~ government is “rippikig off the blind and han- . dicapped,”’ the labor group charged, not only with the proposed closure of Skeenaview, but with recent closure of human resource boards, reorganization of in- dustrial first aid training and: cancellation of ap- prenticeship training at Northwest Community Canada Works Program “Despicably Tainted ” Jim Fulton, Federal Candidate for the New Democratic Party in Skeena, said Friday in Tiel, “That young peonle in Canada should cer- tainly take notice of Liberal Defence Minister Barney Danson's roposal to pull them off e streets into the Ar- med Forces for a yeheque in the neigh- rh of $1,000 per year!” “The Liberals are so hung up on statistics that they will stoop to any level {to lower em- ployment, regardless of repercussions as long as the price is cheap, continued Mr. Fulton, “The Liberals have sold out a good chunk of our natural, non-renewable resources and now they plan to do the same wit our most ~ valuable resource: our youth.” Lack of imagination and a low level of ability in delivering services are trademarks of the present government's youthemployment rograms. OFY, LIP, AP and now Canada Works, each program is more despicably tainted Meeting - ; Cassie Hall School will be holding a Home, and Schoo] meeting at ‘the Cassie Hall libréry on Wednesday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. Baby sitting for mothers attending the meeting will be provided for a nominal fee. with political patronage,’ says Mr. Fulton, ‘Now, con- scription for less than $100 a month! The Liberals would and may, lead us to believe that starvation and poverty are just around the corner. Let’s unite and give the youth of Canada back their future; imaginative long-term - employment.” Twin River Timber Hearing Continues A polluting charge against Twin River Timber has been ad- journed to April of next year because of a legal technicality. 4 wyers representing the crown and defense argued in - Terrace provincial court Monday over the legality of the charge because of a missing date in the original information. The company is alleged to have unlawfully put, or permitted to be put, slash into a stream frequented by fish, The alleged incident occurred in a tributary of the Mayo Creek, outside Terrace, during the months of March, April and May of this year. The date was given only as June, 1977, with no day included. New information had to be filed and served, thus the reason for the ad- journment. Another argument brought up by defense counsel Robert Gardner was the un- constitutionality of the charge. Gardner cited several . Fisheries of Appe recent cases when the constitutionalit; of this clause of the Federal Act was challenged in the courts on the grounds - that logging is a. provincial field and the federal government has no jurisdiction. Thecaseiscurrently on the level of the B.C. Court al. Judge Selwyn Romilly ‘would not hear evidence on the case Monday, speculating that it may be no more than “an academic excercise.” However, he did note later that it could take a year or longer for the appeal to be decided upon. Witnesses who were supoenaed for testimony were dismissed for the day Although there was initially |= some un- certainty as to whether ’ the case could go ahead because of the ommission of the date, the original information was dismissed and new in- formation drawn up. . The matter is ad- journed to April 17 and 18. ne ity prowncla Department of College. The dilema at Skeenaview was first made public in Sep- tember when a former director of the Skeenaview Society resigned because of the proposed changes. Rev. John Stokes stated at the time that the proposed new facility would cause serious hardship to residents of the lodge. wo. _. THe.” New facility, proposed <°° “by ealth was a 60-bed unti, probably located near Mills Memorial Hospital. Stokes questioned the wisdom of a 60-bed unit, claiming it has always been government policy that no unit under 150- beds is. economically At the time, the Department of Health defended the position of phasing out the lodge ecause the buildings were old and wnsafe, but a March, 1976 memo from A.G. Gilmore, a director of the Department of Human Resources, stated the structural condition of the building is ‘‘good.”” It was Gilmore’s opinion at the time that. Swe can have a very, he effective and appropriate rogram in the existing acility at substantially less capital cost than could . be achieved through building replacement.” t is not known when the strike will end or what effect it will have on the operation of Skeenaview en! or a ote yiusedees | yavetat For Skeenaview tales he ey Sead velias No Immediate Closure Says Health Minister “T would like to reiterate that the Provincial Government has no in- tention’ at the present time of closing Skeenaview Lodge at Terrace and that no reduction is planned in the regular staffing of the Lodge.” That statement was made today by Health Minister Bob McClelland in response to an illegal picket line that had been set up at Skeenaview Lodge Monday morning. McClelland said discussions are currently underway with the Regional Hospital District and the Skeenaview Society regarding construction of a replacement facility for the existing building which is considered unsafe and incapable of being renovated. The Health Minister said that there had been a continuing inability on the part of the Lodge to recruit nursing staff, which had necessitated the restriction of ad- missions and the tran- sferring of some of the patients to Valleyview Hospital at Essondale. According to Brad Gee, executive director of Skeenaview Lodge, pickets had effectivel prevented the day shift from reporting today, with the exception of 3 or 4 employees who had arrived early. However, Gee said, the night shift had been retained on duty and patient care was not immediately threatened. Police Still Seeking Slayer of Ten Women LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police are combing mental-hospital records, re-reading old crime files and checking suspicious licence plates but have come up with few clues in the search for the “Hillside Strangler,’ believed responsible for the slayings of 10 young women in six weeks. Patrols have been increased in areas of the city where the victims, aged 12 to 28, were last seen alive before their strangled bodies turned up in remote hilly sec- tions. Most of the women were raped and most were-found in the ‘nor- thern suburbs. 2+ Five of the women were known to be involved in the seamy Hollywood street scene, and two of those were reported to have been prostitutes. The Hillside Strangler police unit concluded that a 26-yearold man from rural Hesperia, arrested in connection with a rape and robbery in a different incident, was probably not linked to the Hillside Strangler slayings. Investigators arrested Bennett Merrett on Friday after interviewing a woman in connection with the death of the first known strangler victim, Yolanda Washington. The interviewed woman said she was raped and robbed. Police said Merrett was booked for investigation of those charges, and held in lieu of $20,-000 bail. In- vestigators. said Merrett. . resembled a Glendale po- Mee composite drawing of .a man seen driving the car of another strangler victim, Lissa Kastin. Merrett’s car also was similar to one described by a witness fo the ap- rent abduction of the ast known strangler vic- tim, Lauren Wagner. Rifle Charge A 36-year-old Kitimat man pleaded not guilty to three counts arising out of a incident in Kitimat where he — allegedly pointed a rifle at two RCMP officers on December 2. Gordon Rae who ap- peared in Terrace provincial court Monday in handcuffs, was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon and pointing it at the two policemen. Court was told that a Kitimat RCMP corporal was standing at the front counter in the police office when Rae walked in with the rifle. He pointed the rifle at the corporal, according to the read circumstances, and: . stated he had come to get his son, who was in the RCMP office. Another police officer entered the office when Rae pointed the rifle at him, stating, you're dead,”” court was told. The policemen had a long talk with the accused who surrendered the rifle. A search turned up five live rounds of am- munition in Rae’s pocket and two live rounds in the rifle. _ Rae was “quite drunk” at the time according to defense counsel Don Brown, who asked that the accused be released from custody. , Describing the case as ‘‘emotional’’, Judge Selwyn Romilly said there was a temptation to incarcerate in such eases, but instead released Rae on $1,000 recognicense. Date for trial was set for Jan. 5. FRANKFURT _ «(Reuter), - The U.S.— dollar fell to less than 2.20 marks for the first time when it traded at 2.1995 marks on the West German foreign-ex- change market today, dealers said. This compares with a closing price of 2.2040 marks on Friday. viable. At approximately 4 p.m. Monday a desperate group of about 6 medical staff from the Skeenaview Lodge descended upon MLA Cyril Shelford in a last ditch effort to prevent the transfer of 10 patients from the Terrace facility for aged and handicapped to Valleyview Hospital at Essondale. The ten were scheduled to be flown out of Terrace at 9 a.m. Tuesday, December 6th. Shelford was so impressed by the clear cut case against the pre-Christmas “exile” he immediately got B.C. Health Minister Bob McCtelland on the telephone | and = con- vinced him the move was both untimely and Lodge wiwise. Shortly af- terwards, according to Shelford, the Health Minister issued a press release stating no fulltime staff members would be laid off, as had been suggested, and he alse committed himself to fly to Terrace before Christmas to in- vestigate the situation at first hand and meet with the administrator of the Skeenaview Lodge. Monday night Shelford told a reporter from the Daily Herald that -he will further insist the Minister meet with the staff as well as with the administrator, Shelford says he sees quite a difference between staff and administrator in their presentation of the situation. “Some of the original patients came to Skeenaview from Essondale in 1954-23 years ago- as part of an initial “shipment” of 70 from that in- stitution” he said. A number of others have been here over 15 years and to them Terrace is “home’’. “«,..and just before Christmas..."" The timing would be especially unfortunate, he felt. Shelford stated in his opinion the way to go was to carry on with Skeenaview the way it is until the new building is ready, rather than to phase it down before. He said he also wants the new facility that will be ‘Skeenaview had . Last Minute Reprieve Granted 10 Won’t Be Sent to Essondale replacing the present long-condemned structure to be erected on the same site, rather than adjacent to the hospital. The B.C, Member explained further that 15 years ago 300 patients, whereas now he was told it had only 130. Despite this, there are more professional staff persons now than when there was double the present number, owing to newer medical techniques and Nurses Union demands. Among the latter is a ruling that sets the minimum per centage of RNs or professionals to non- professionals. Skeenaview is currently short 13 R.N.s to meet union regulations. Déspite]’ expensive advertising| across Canada only 3 R.N.s have been recruited. If 10 more]. can be found a wing,] recently closed, will be reopened and == ap- proximately 27 tem- porary employees, now laid off, will be re- hired, he said. Smithers new in- termediate care facility is scheduled to open in January. Approval for an 150 bed unit has been given for Prince Rupert. When the Terrace institution is replaced, making 3 new in- termediatecare “homes” there will be no longer any need to turn local citizens away, or fly them south, he concluded. fT a ‘A: Kz} & All garages in town have been ekp business. While gasoline sales may have been only slightly higher, the service departments were kept on the hop with starting boosts, a’ Ud t busy with cold-weather battery charging, and two waiting line for anti-freeze, tick calls, Atsome garages there was a “bang, —