“Program to aid quality of life

by Daniele Berquist
Terrace—The Kermode
Friendship Society
plays an important role
in the local community.

Viola Thomas, ex-
ecutive director for the
center and the president
of the National Associ-
ation of Friendship cen-
ters, said that the or-
ganization provides in-
formation, assistance,
social and cultural ser-
vices, as well as rec-
reational activities for
its 3,000 natives in this
area. In brief, Thomas
said, it’s a place to
meet, make friends and
enjoy yourself.

The program is de-
signed to improve the
quality of life for native
people in an urban en-

vironment by support--

ing self-determined ac-

‘tivities which encourage

equal access and parti-
cipation in Canadian
society and. which also
respects native cultural
distinctiveness. In fact,

said Thomas, the urban

native population has
been described in the
following manner: ‘SA
high incidence of unem-
ployment, under em-
ployment and low wage
employment. A low self
esteem and low levels of
social participation,
poor health, lack of
education and/or train-
ing; high dependence
on alcohol and social
assistance programs.”
The continued exist-

-ence and operation of

Native Friendship Cen-
ters is of the utmost
importance, stated
Thomas, The work un-
dertaken by the staff
and volunteers is irre-
placeable in terms of
how services are pro-

are being undertaken
through the National
Native Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Program,
Health and Welfare
Canada, the program is
primarily aimed at on-
reserve Indians and
Inuit populations. Fri-
endship centers are,
however, trying to ad-
dress substance abuse
among their popula-
tion. -

Thomas stated that
centers across the na-
tion have participated
in a major national
research activity called
“The Urban Research
Project’? of which Tho-
mas, along with others,
helped guide towards
the completion of the
project. This program
is intended to increase
availability of reliable
information about the
nature and scope of
abuse and to examine
existing services and ac-
tivity. It is also hoped,
said Thomas, that the

project will identify
various financial re-
sources that centers

may access to in-
crease and support pre-
ventive measures al-
ready in place.’’ It Is
again important to re-
cognize that the federal
government, as well as
provincial and territorial
governments have ac-
knowledged these con-
tributions, said Tho-
mas. As native people
continue to grow and de-
velop within Canadian

society, noted Thomas,
so shall the need for
Friendship Centres.
‘Friendship centers

must continue to be
given the same oppor-
tunities so that they can

further participate as

established in the late
1950’s in response to
pressing needs of native
people moving to cities
in search of education
and employment as well
as housing, health care
and other community
services. There are cur-
rently 95 such centers
across Canada, said
Thomas.

Both the society: and
the center are named
after the Kermode bear,
an important name in
the cultural history of
the native people in the
area.

- Terrace Review — Wednesday, J une25, 1986 3

School board reviews class sizes

TERRACE — Negotia-
tions between the Ter-
race District Teachers’
Association and the
board of School District
88 took on a fresh aspect
recently as the board’s
negotiating committee
released a revised pro-
posal for ‘ controlling
oversize classes in local
schools, Although the
proposal was criticized
on several counts by the
teachers’ bargaining
committee, it represents
a departure from the

board’s previous posi-

tion and appears to be
somewhat closer to the .

type of agreement the
TDTA has been seeking.

‘ by Michael Kelly

The draft proposal!
was made public by
trustee Danny Sheridan
on June 20: following a
lengthy round of talks
with teachers’ represen-
tatives the previous day.
Sheridan characterized
the document as ‘‘a giant
move?’ but cautioned

Visitor tells of homeland

TERRACE — The com-
mon North American vi-
sion of the islands in the
south Pacific Ocean is
one of tropical Edens,
having endless miles of
white sand beaches punc-
tuated with coconut
palms and populated by
smiling natives. During
his recent visit to Terrace
Rex Rumakiak, an in-
habitant of one of those
islands, disclaimed that
vision as a myth.

by Michael Kelly

Rumakiak comes from
Vanuatu, a small island
off the coast of New
Guinea and the centre of
a recently-formed in-
dependent state in the
islands of the South
Pacific. In Terrace, he
presented a talk and slide
show about his home-
land. ,

The chain of coral
atolls which now
makes up the nation,

Rex Rumakiak recently came
to Terrace with a first-hand
account of the devastation
caused to his South Pacific
homeland by the unrestrict-
ad testing of nuclear
weapons.

forces. Although the
French are continuing
above-ground explosions
of nuclear devices in the
area, the United States
and Britain stopped their
testing programs in the
late 1950’s. Rumakiak
pointed out, however,
that by then the damage
was already done.

“The whole of the
Pacific Ocean has
become the most
radiation-damaged. area
in the world.”

Rumakiak’s tour of
Canada was sponsored
by the Canadian Univer-
sities Service Overseas,
and the Terrace portion
of his trip was sponsored
by the Northwest De-
velopment Education
Association.

that it will have to be
ratified by a full meeting
of the school board,
scheduled to take place
June 24, ,
The proposal is a five-
year agreement divided
into two portions: goals
and objectives, and im-
plementation. Both sec-
tions have clauses pro-
viding for annual
renegotiation upon
notification by either
trustees or teachers. In
contrast to the board’s
past procedure of using
pupil-teacher ratio
averaging from the
Ministry of Education’s
personnel practices
guidelines, the new. pro-
posal contains a phased-
in class-size reduction
for specific types of
classes within the school
system. A class-by-class
breakdown of student
numbers for each in-
dividual elementary and
primary school in the
district, based on current
and projected enrolment
figures, was attached to
the draft agreement.
The other issues of
contention such as
library staffing, salary

continued on page 24

ROYAL W.

Official Souvenir

THE

ADDING

74

‘vided and at what cost. : has b d= si
: ‘ ** equal partners in the Mas Deen use since ; . an
voubissaid Thomas, is SHS, Merecnomic and the end of | World | Fublsted by Gracious Permission |
- vices and referrals, hos- wman resource devel- War IT as a test site for of Her Majesty The Queen
tel facilities for native OPMent of this coun- atomic weapons by the aN (Se
people newly arrived. "FY." United States, French
Low cost co-operative Native centres were and British armed This glossy 32 page program
housing as well as hous- includes:
ing for the elderly; * The story of the Eyes and corte of
translation and _ inter- 3 S Prine Andrew erguscn
pretation and court as- ST . Mi ATT H EW 83 colour and black and white photos |
sistance services, cultur- , through colour photo'formal study of fe
al activities for persons ; ith Sarah F 4
will require by August 1st, a part time Prince Andrew wi erguson
of all ages, focusing on ! : :
fanguage, “culture and maintenance man. This Is to provide x Family tea Pines Andrew an
traditional native arts | maintenance on St. Matthew's pro- © A history of royal weddings,
and crafts, day care [| perty holdings on a regular basis. Westminster Abbey, royal wedding
services and programs

Duties will include general
maintenance of grounds and
bulldings, reporting to the Secretary: |
Manager. At this time, we anticipate
2 hours per day, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.,

gowns ;
for the children, are e A profile of the wedding party

available. Receiving
homes, transition ser-
vices, recreation pro-
grams, socio-economic

Proceeds from the sale of the souvenir program
will be devoted to King George's Jubilee Trust, to aid

j . i ippling ill ;

Pe aeeos, human te. § Which could be Increased in the children affected by fatal or crippling nesses
source development; Jf future. Starting wage based at $5.00 preceveceses fascceewess
rauve ot fa nei part per hour. Written applications only : Clip and mall to: °
ies and fund-raising ff will be received by the Rectors ® ROYAL WEDDING SOUVENIR, Box 345, Station A, Toronto, Ont. MEW 402 :
are included. All of : * Pi d me. book/s at $6.95 plus $1.00 for postage and handling. Please find =
these, noted Thomas, Warden until July 9, 1986. : snctoted Is a cheque ar a money order or $ (payable to Canada Wide Feature Service «
are direct-line services. left. In the | © Lid.) or charge my VISA or MasterCard account, Please allow for 3-4 weeks for delivery.
n a general basis, it || Applications may be left in the . :
has been calculated tia’ 7 Church office, in a sealed envelope |; Name :
y_ dolar the ked RECTOR’S WARDEN ¢ Addraes
center receives ‘‘we are || Marke . ° Clty Province Postal Code, :
able to raise another ' . = Phone No. (Res.) (Bus.) °
four dolla’s "devastatin St. Matthew's Anglican Church © COVISA C) MasterCard CI Cheque ©) Money order :
problem facing the ne 4726 Lazelle Avenue, = account Number :
i ] Terrace, B.C : CLOSE UP BUSINESS SERVICES LTD. =
tive people everywhere , UU, Expiry Data TERRACE REVIEW .
is that of alcohol, drug veg 172 ele TERRACE B.C °
and solvent abuse, said 8/25 $ Signature a :
Thomas. While efforts PPT rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrie rrr ria, ee cccenncesescecs