- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 7, 1996

— Press

Bed cuts still possible

despite city pressure

A CITY DELEGATION to Victoria has failed to get a
promise from health minister Paul Ramsey that there will
be no further bed cuts at Mills Memorial Hospital.

Terrace Mayor Jack Talstra and councillor David Hull
met with Ramsey in Victoria last week.

Although Ramsey reiterated a promise last full to
maintain the present level of health service at Mills, he did
not concede that further bed culs will reduce service.
Talstra said Ramsey indicated he will wait for the
hospital bourd’s recommendation on how to further cut
the hospital’s budget.

At that point a decision will be made on whether any
bed cuts contained in the recommendation are justified.
Talstra said he hud: hoped to get a promise from
Ramsey that any proposed bed cut from the board would
be rejected by the ministry, but Rainsey wasn’t biting,
“[t’'s really in the hands of the board in terms of what
ihey want to say to the minister,” he’ said, -
Hospital officials have indicated they are considering
cutting the number of beds from the present 42 to as little
us 33,

But city council has publicly split with the board on
ihe issue and called on bath the board and Ramsey not to
cut beds.

“Any cost-cutting should be aimed at the non-medi-
cal administrative side of the hospital,” Talstra said.

Board chair Olga Power admitted the city's move irks
her and will make the board's job more difficult.

Nisga’a talks aim at fish

NEGOTIATORS are back at the bargaining table
today in Vancouver to continue the Nisga’a treaty talks.
The deal is extremely close and negotiations continue
on the only remaining large issue to resolve — what kind
of guaranteed commercial fishery the Nisga’a will get.
The federal government want a fishery agreement
that would give the Nisga’a approximately 116,000 sock-
eye a year — roughly double their present allocation and
about 26 per cent of the catch of recent years.

In years with exceptionally strong runs, that number
would increase slightly, although non-native fishermen
both the vast bulk of the fish and a larger proportion —
about 81 per cent — of the catch, according to federal
documents.

In years with low returns, the Nisga’a catch would
decline. At the lowest levels, nobody would be allowed to
catch anything. At the next level, the Nisga’a would be
allowed a small non-commercial fishery for food, social
(and ceremonial purposes. —

The Nisga’a commercial fi fishery wouldn't be allowed
to start until there wis enough fish for the non-native
commercial fishery to begin as well.

Federal officials say the deal would at least ensure
both natives and non-natives fish commercially at the
same time — an arrangment they think would ease tensions
over the present Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy that allows
natives to fish when commercial fleets aren't entitled to
vo lishing,

The Nisga’a have agreed to the proposal, but the pro-
vince is taking a hard line with an eye on public opinion.

Commercial fishing organizations are opposing the
idea of creating guaranteed aboriginal commercial
fisheries.

Skeena MP Mike Scott says any fishery deal included
in the treaty would become constitutionally protected.

“Tt would be a constitutionally protected business that
could not be changed unless all three parties agreed to it,”
he said, adding any change that didn’t favour the Nisga’a
would likely be vetoed by native leaders.

“We can’t give in to entrenching constitutional pro-
tected businesses and we can’t set forever in our constitu-
tion different rules and regulations for people based on
race.”

Scott said the negotiators instead should give the
Nisga’a cash with which to buy commercial boats and
licences from existing licence-holders.

The deal is expected to set the precedent for future
fisheries settlements with other native groups in B.C.

Federal officials indicate their plan is to limit coast
wide fishery settlements for natives to about 15 per cent
of the total annual commercial catch,

The deal is expected to give the Nisgu’a 2,000 square
kilometres of land in the lower Nass River valley, und
around $175 million. Mining and forestry rights, plus self-
government provisions are also part of the package.

Local escapee arrested

A TERRACE man who tried to collect welfare in
Vancouver has been arrested for taking off from the
Terrace Correctional Facility a year ago.

When Jean-Denis Meunier, 25, and his girlfriend,
Carmen Quock, 21, showed up at a Vancouver welfare
office last week, workers there told the couple that under
B.C’s new welfare residency requirements, they wouldn't
be eligible to collect any money for three months.

The couple had been visiling- his parents in Quebec
for the past six months, but both are originally from B.C

Meunier, and Quock, who's five months pregnant,
were outraged and took their hard- luck story to the
Vancouver Praviace newspaper,

The Province interviewed, the couple, and ran their
story in Sunday’s paper, complete with a front page
photograph.

Terrace RCMP Sgt, John Veldman says police there,
for whatever reason, decided to run the man’s name in
their computer and that’s when they found out he was
wanted in Terrace.

Meunier is currently being held in Vancouver.

He's also wanied on outstanding warrants in Prince
George and Edmonton for offenses which occurred since
he’s been on the foose,

Meunier was serving time for assault, mischief and
escaping lawful custody when he escaped last year.

From front

Nisga’a ready
to celebrate

FEBRUARY 1996

"SUNDAY..." MONDAY

PALACE

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

LUCKY DOLLAR BINGO

FEBRUARY 1996

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Politicians, negotiators, the media, and observers from | 3
across the northwest will be there, says Nisga’a Tribal rie ott Canadian Rotary Club
Council executive director Rod Robinson. AEE | Pacocic assoc, | Parents ior Flenh
“We are making Preparations wilh an eye on how our Terrace Nisga'a Tribal | Sheena Valley
forefathers would have done it through the traditional sys- AntiPoverly | GavncilTerrace | Snowmobile Assoc
tem,’’ he said.
Terrace
one MF the people he S hoping to see in New Aiyansh is 4 s) Terace 6 7 Order of Elks om 1 0 Minor
rime Minister Jean Chretien. Terrace Minor Kermode Terrace #426 | Paraplegic Assoc, | — alba Assoc.
Robinson remembers when Chretien came to the village Community | Hockey | Friendship} Bluaback | Tenace | “hisgata tra | Kinsmen Club
of Kincolith in the 1960s as the minister of Indian Affairs. Band Association Society Swim Club Anli-Poverty | Council-Terrate | Teraca Stating
‘'He was a very young maa then,” he recalls. | | | 3 | 4 | 5 ] 7
That was only a decad
that banned b a h cade after Ottawa had repealed laws Terrace Terrace Minor | Big Byothers & Knighils of
at banned both the potlatch and any activity aimed at Skeana Minor Kermode Terrace Softball Big Sisters Terrace ___ Columbus
pressing native land claims, Jr, Sec, Baseball Friendship Peaks Terrace Nisga’a Tribal | Youth Soccer
. Back (hen you could go to jail for even whispering School Association | Society | Gymnastics | AnitPovery | Counci-Terace | Search & Rescue
about i obinson says,
Chretien gave his moral support to the decision by 18 7 20 ol , 22 Taree 2S canasien 24 Terrace Art
Nisga’a elders to take their land claim to the courts. Skeena Minor Kermode Community ue ee Paraglege Association
coo. | —————
The result was the 1973 landmark Calder case in which ves. Hockey | Friendship | Volunteer Terrace Nise Titel PACES. Daycare
Supreme Court Justices split 3-3 on the question of chO9} Association | Society Bureau Anti-Poverty | Council Terrace | Terrace Skating
whether the Nisga’a still hold title to their traditional terri- 9 5 °7
tory. .
tat ' . Terrace Terrace Blueback | Order of Royal
spanned 20 yeas agreed to slart negotiations which have Caleconia Minor Kermode Swim Club Purple”
° _“ Hockey | Friendship Sh
a : i . ames Kitsumkalum
Now, 35 years after Chretien’s visit, Robinson looks for- School Association f Society | Mountain SkiCub} Sisterhood

ward to secing him retum to the Nass Prime Minister to
help finish the work that was started so long ago,

Correction

THERE ARE 5.5 head nurses positions at Mills Memorial
Hospital, not nine as indicated in a Jan. 31 article.

Sat. Afternoon Games
Evening Games

TV. MONITORS

4410 Legion, Terrace

Thurs., Fii., Sat. Late Night Games
Family Bingo Every Saturday Afternoon

SMOKE REMOVAL

Doors 11:30 a.m. Games 12:45
Games 6:15

Doors 4:30 p.m.

Doors 9:30 p.m.

Games 10:00 p.m.
Last Wednesday af the month {s DOUBLE BINGO

AISLE CONCESSION
635-2411

Those positions are located in emergency, the psych
ward, the operating room, on the medical/surgical ward, in
maternity/gynecology and a half time posting in the

pediatrics ward,

Rick< Paul King
FO ATION

This Foundation is committed to financially supporting
community recreation projects and programs including the
addition of a Second Sheet of ice.

For information call 635-6948 or write to

Rick and Paul King Foundation,
P.O. Box 203, Terrace, BC, V8G 4A6.

The Rick and Paul King foundation is a registered non-
profit society and is registered as a charity with Revenue

Canada.

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. . WEEKLY CLIMATOLOGICAL REPORT

Jan.
26
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30
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7

“Naw Record

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warmer periods watch for slush when salt is applied. .
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contral signing. TO REPORT ROAD HAZARDS, CALL 1-800-665-5061.

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