something else,” he continued. deserve salar boost | so soon after election SKEENA NDP MLA Robin Austin says he doesn’t deserve ‘the 15 per cent salary increase unanimously voted.in last week by he.and other provincial legislators. “As a rookie MLA who has been on the job for only six months, I haven’t done enough work yet to justify a wage — increase,” he said last week of the salary boost from $75,400 ~ to $86,580 as of April 1. The wage is 60 per cent of-an an MP’s salary of $144, 000 “and will be tied to that percentage amount here on in. “What I need to do now is work hard to prove that I am worth 60 per cent of an MP’s salary,” added Austin. “It’s going to be up to the people to judge and for me to do,” he said.. Austin said he and others MLAs had no choice but to ac- cept the wage increase becausé it is part of a package called Bill 17 that involves other items. : One of those is a $35,000 increase to MLAs to run their constituency offices, a task that’s challenging for representa- tives from rural areas, said Austin, “We'll now be able to communicate better to our ‘con- stituents and be more effective,” he said. Another part of the overall package is a new pension plan replacing one that was based on RRSP contributions. _ The new plan is based,on a percentage of an MLA’s three best earning years but he or she must first have six.years of . service over two elections to qualify. | “If a person is in for six years, they can’t collect until they . are.60. If in office for 12 years, they. can collect at 55,” said. Austin. “] think that’s much more acceptable than collecting right” . ke 1p t ver q U e t THE METHOD used by pr ovincial politicians to give them- away if you leave office at a younger age and then to do Austin made his comments just an hour before NDP lead- er Carole James asked Premier Gordon Campbell to hold off on asking the Lieutenant Governor to officially have the bill containing the salary, pension and other increases become law. “I am also calling for the full package to be referred to an independent panel for full public review and input with a report to the legislature in the spring,” said James late in the os ee Te SE ope TO SPONSOR @ ApoptTeA®PETs! Ice Man’ was sadly abandoned outside our shelter door It's hard to imagine how someone could leave behind such a beautiful cat. He has already been neutered, is very clean and is in great shape. ‘Ice Man’ would be better suited in an adult environment as he prefers quieter surroundings. Great lap cat!! Life lonely? 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Shelter . afternoon of Nov. 18. heard lots of criticism about the way a = She said. she’s committee of Liberal and NDP MLAs decided on the wage — and benefit increases. “T entered public life to do politics dif ferently, to help ri re- establish faith in. our democratic institutions and to provide . new leadership and a new tone to the public dialogue. ” said ° James. “The NDP caucus takes full responsibility for failing to . meet that standard on this issue,” she said. > ~ Premier Gordon Campbell followed with his own state- ment within two hours of the one by James, saying he would | turn the matter over to the Liberal caucus for a decision on Nov. 28. : : “It-has been unanimously passed by all members of the Legislative Assembly from both parties, and is the product °. of both parties’ mutual agreement at every step,” he said. “The Leader of the Opposition has apparently now de- ‘cided to withdraw her support for Bill 17 and that is her right. But it is disengenuous for Ms: James to intimate that ‘her withdrawal of support is somehow the result of a revela- tion that the public would have ‘serious concerns’ ‘about ‘the process we took to.arrive at the decision to increase MLA | salaries, pensions and the resources to serve constituents,” the premier continued. Pay raise plan selves a raise to $86,580 a year as of next April 1 was very . quiet and came as a surprise. Bill 17 was introduced in the legislature the afternoon of Nov. 17 and passed barely two hours later. The legislation was the product of several weeks of quiet = Cont’d Page B2 eae TERRACE : | Up, up and away we, oe ~-BRANDON STELLA pumps air into a two- litre. pop bottle during a. 1. Science q -World demonstration at Uplands Elementary School Nov. 17. ‘Moments later - it was propelled into the air hitting the ceiling and splashing | excited students The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - B1 | Community C1 City Scene C2 Sports C4 Classifieds Caey with water. Students were fired up about the zany sciénce experiments. SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN PHOTO sot stocking stuffers list! Mein The, C oteibatchay Qaer gain Fenfiay Gant Spon Sundae Leanonns Spare Terrace Fire Rescue and the Thornhill Volunteer Fire Department would like to THANK MCDONALDS. ened to attend this exciting oy for their continued support of our Fire Prevention Week activities; in particular their sponsorship of the annual Fire Chief for a Day Contest. The winners have a great time, as do all of us who get Terrace Fire Rescue would also like to THANK WIGHTMAN & SMITH INSURANCE for sponsoring — the annual free Extinguisher Training and INDEPENDENT INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY (TERRACE) LTD. for providing the Extinguishers for this training. Canada’s Gas Station, Receive a FREE $1 oO Petro-Canada Gift Card' - When you spend $50 or more at Shoppers Drug Mart” _— Then fill up during the month of December at Petro-Canada! ‘Gift Card must be redeemed between December 1 - 31, 2005. *Marque de commerce de Petro-Canada — Trademark. Utilisée sous licence — used under license. **Offer valid on the purchase total of eligible products after discounts and redemptions and before taxes. Excludes prescriptions, products with codeine, tobacco products (where applicable), stamps, lottery tickets, event tickets, transit tickets and passes, electronic gift cards, Life Experiences packages and prepaid phone cards. Due to location restrictions we reserve the right to substitute an item of equivalent value. Offer valid November 26, 2005 only. Gift cards will only be accepted at participating Petro-Canada locations from Thursday, December 1 to Saturday, December 31, 2005. See cashier for.details. _ Saturday, — “November 26 ONLY!» ny SHOPPERS DRUG MART A