AA- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 22, 1998 “TERRACE ' STANDARD ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1988 PUBLISHER: ROD LINK ADDRESS: 3210 Clinton Street Terrace, B.C. * V8G 5R2 TELEPHONE: (250) 638-7283 « FAX: (250) 638-8432 EMAIL: standard@kermode.net Off target VICTORIA was bent on regionalizing services paid for by the Ministry of Children and Families, but a damning report has forced the government to backtrack. An independent review of the ministry’s con- tract and program restructuring effort found that the process became confused, little attention was given to the impact on employees and there wasn’t adequate consultation with clients, families and service providers, Not surprisingly, this is what the non-profit groups which provide most of the services to children and mentally handicapped adults were saying. The groups stated regionalization wouldn’t improve quality of services for clients and could impact the dedicated. employees providing care. ’ It appears Victoria was dragged kicking and screaming into withdrawing from restructuring. By pushing for restructuring, the NDP essen- tially said it was more interested in saving a few bucks — which was never proven would actually occur — than supporting the efforts of non-profit boards, staff, families and clients. It will take months, if not years for the provincial govern- ment to mend fences with all involved. The provincial government has stated it will ex- tend contracts’ with providers until Sept. 30, 1999, While that is a good first step, Victoria must ensure that such a haphazard process never occur again and if changes to the care structure are needed, that input from providers, clients and families are a priority. A juggernaut THE BURDEN of history, the responsibility of power weighs heavily on our political leaders. Not often, but from time,to time... Among those times have been the occasions in which politicians have been confronted by the plight of the Nisga’a. Their story has been extraordinarily persuasive — a history of non-violent interaction with suc- cessive governments since the 1880s in pursuit of title to their land. Provincial leaders throughout this century found themselves dogged by Nisga’a leaders of charisma, style and substance, backed by law- yers, consultants and PR men, and infused with drive and persistence. In September of 1990, it was Bill Vander Zalm as premier of the province who finally folded un- der the pressure and made the historic decision to bring B.C. into treaty talks with the Nisga’a. That courageous move ended a century-plus of denial and opened the way to widespread treaty negotiations that are the only way for govern- ments to escape with honour rather than be dragged through successive defeats in the courts. Today, Bill Vander Zalm is the newly sprouted head of the B.C. Reform party — a safe distance from the burden of power — and the latest oppo- sition politician to pick up the sword of demo- cracy and attempt to stand in the way of the Nisga’a treaty. Go for it Bill. Just make sure someone’s there to clean up after you. 1998 WINNER CCNA BETTER PERS TION PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Rad Link ADVERTISING MANAGER: Brian Lindenbach PRODUCTION MANAGER: Edouard Credgeur NEWS Jeff Nagel * NEWS/SPORTS: Christiana Wiens NEWS/COMMUNITY: Alex Hamilton STUDENT: Anita Dolman OFFICE MANAGER: Sheila Sandover-Sly CIRCULATION MANAGER: Karen Brunette ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS: Sam Bedford, Janct Viveiros TELEMARKETER: Patricia Schubrink AD ASSISTANT: Kelly Jean COMPOSING: Susan Credgeur TYPESETTING: Sylvana Broman, Julie Davidson SUBSCRIPTION RATES 8Y MAIL: $56.18 per year; Seniors $49.76; Out of Frovince $63.13 Onitside of Canada (6 months) $155.15 (ALL PRICES INCLUDE GST) MEMBER OF B.C. AND YUKON COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION. CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCLATION @ CNA =. B.C, PRESS COUNCIL Serving the Terrace and Thomhilll area, Published on Wednesday of each week at 3210 Clinton Strect, Terrace, Bitish Columbia, V8 SR2, Stories, pholagraghs, ilustrations, designs and jas In the Terrace Standard am the property of tha copyright holders, including Cariboo Press (1968) Lid., its illustration repro bervices and advertising agencies. Reproduction in whole or in part, without written permission, is specifically prohibited. Authorized as secon-iast ma pendng tba Post Ofice Dopartmont, for payment of postage in cash, Special thanks to all our contributors and correspondents for thelr time and talanta Weer THEN THE ”” FIRST PRIME MINISTER , SETTLEMENT CASH , .. NOW THIS MEDAL. «> COSH!. | ALMOST AIRBUS Justice comes for Nisga’a VICTORIA — Let history record that at 4:10 p.m., July 16, 1998, a historic wrong was righted. Justice had her blindfold removed, and her scales tipped in favor of a people that had endured endless repression at the hands of those who came nearly 200 years ago and dis- enfranchised the once sovereign masters of this land. Dressed in ceremonial zobes and dancing to the beat of drums, members of the Nisga’a nation celebrated the conclu- sion of British Columbia’s first modem-day trealy in Terrace. Tears streamed = down Premier Glen Clark’s face, a rare show of emotion for this tough and combative politician, Later he called it ‘‘a wonderful day for British Columbia,”? And that it was. This is, after all, the province that banned the import of South African wines to beat apartheid to its knees, while refusing to acknowledge its own injustices towards its na- tive peoples. The final agreement is sub- stantially the same as the inter- im agreement signed in 1996, which gave the approximately 6,000 Nisga’a 1,930 square kilometres of their traditional lands in the Nass River Valley, $190 million in cash, and a form of self-government. FROM!THE CAPITAL HUBERT BEYER The fact that it’s the right ‘ thing to do, doesn’t mean the road to ratification won’t be strewn with obstacles. Before the treaty. takes effect, it must be ratified by the Nisga’a people, the House of Commons and the B.C. Legis- lature, where it is to be put to a free vote. But before it even reaches the legislature, the deal will also be voted on by the Treaty Advisory Negotiating Committee, a group of busi- ness, labor, municipal and en- . vironmental representatives. But make no mistake about it: even if the advisory com- miltee turns thumbs down, the treaty will be voted on without changes. Clark made that clear " responsible. when he said that changing anything in the treaty would be a ‘‘betrayal’’, an ‘‘act of bad . faith and profoundly unfair’ to - the Nisga’a. ‘‘We’re com- mitted to implementing it in ils totality and we'll live with ihe consequences.” I tend to agree with Clark. To jeopardize this agreement at the last minute would be ir- Equally __ir- Tesponsible would be an at- tempt by the NDP government - to make the agreement an elec- tion issue, And that would al- most certainly be the case if the agreement ran into serious opposition from the Liberals. The Nisga’a’s journey to reclaim what was righifully theirs began 112 years ago, when Nisga’a and Tsimshian chiefs traveled to Victoria to demand negotiation of treatics;, It was to take another 108° years before their deniands: . were met and negotiations bee: . gat. Nisga’a history in the Nass River Valley goes back a long way. The earliest evidence of habitation in the Nass River Valley dates from about 5,000 years ago. Archeological finds include finely-polished slate tools and weapons. With the arrival of the first Europeans, the fortunes of the Nisga’a declined. In 1870, British Columbia unilaterally denied existence of aboriginal title on the grounds that native people are too primitive to un- derstand the concept of land * ownership, Today, we know that the Nisga’a culture is as rich and complex as any European, organized according to clans - ° aud governed by a strict code of laws and customs known as the Ayuukhl Nisga’a. Also along on the long Nisga’a journey were some people who should stand up and take a bow today. There’s Frank Calder, * hereditary chief of the Nisga’a - Nation, former Member of the ° - B.C. Legislature, affectionately known as the Little Chief. It was Calder who spearheaded an action in the Supreme Court of Canada that resulted in a split decision in 1973 on title to their traditional lands." | ‘There’s former premier Mike Harcourt, who once told me he was willing to stake his politi- cal future and that of his party on the settlement of native land - claims. And there’s the Anglican Church, which has stood be- “hind the Nisga’a during their long battle for justice with both moral and financial support, The agreement is, indeed, a wonderful day for British Columbia. Skateboarders should cool it COUNT on it. Every barrel has one or two rotten apples. So it’s inevitable the local skateboard park would have one or two night owls. Seniors living near Terrace’s temporary skateboard park have complained to city coun- cil about the noise skateboar- ders make riding late into the night. As late as 2:30 a.m, What intelligent, courteous skateboarder would even dream of catching air beyond 11 p.m.? If these dichards per- sist, they could consign their skateboarding park to death row, After the controversy that preceded settling on the arena site as a compromise location, all skateboarders ought to Tealise it wouldn’t take much to turn ordinary citizens against them. Given all the hard work contributed by parents and local supporters to provide a temporary park, that would be a shame. Councillor Rich McDaniel has lobbied city council to con- a THROUGH BIFOCALS >. CLAUDETTE SANDECKI cede the need for a skateboard park, and twisted the arms and sweet-talked many equipment owners and contractors into donating time, machinery, and supplies to equip the park. To have the inconsiderate be- haviour of one or two self- absorbed skateboarders jeopar- dize the facility would be regrettable. RCMP shouldn’t have to be summoned to enforce a quit- ting time. Other noisy sports have the decency fo go home before they try the patience of nearby neighbors. Rifle ranges hold their fire at a reasonable hour. Organized drag racers kill their engines well before bedtime. Why can’t skateboarders recognize their own clatter? Ghettoblasters too loud, per- haps? Repositioning of the plywood ramps might lessen the din, according to the recreation director, If so, get moving. But skatcboarders themselves have got to rein in their hours. One segment of society shouldn’t suffer to al- low another segment to have fun. Elderly folk can have true difficulty falling asleep, Once wakened, they often remain Sleepless until dawn. Insomnia isn’t aided by whippersnappers taltling over plywood sounding like giant clappers, Seniors complain these marathon riders fO 7 Deat My Martens We FDEAR HERMAN: Tam bitchingh ier “< H COST oF TRAPUNE 42,000 Fionn \as sorner| 5c COST oF CABIN g,000 mia are p AIR CHARTER TO LAKE 2,500 Fingi nenge re fa ¢ aan I YEAR GEUB Qt, Boo -lrap ling or jiving COST of TRAPS: 3,400 Free bs blefe ch ea COST OF SLEDE DoS 6,000 off the land/ os NOE Merah Ty 3 oe O re Oo ily Sincere. , FP COSTOFCAMPGEAR = 2,300 Herman y manus. 600) 0 ONLY AIG. EA ; =] es, T have & 600 3 wikia 74250 can’t even make their way off the hil without clamour. If these late nighters require so many hours per day of riding, let them get up earlier and begin skateboarding before noon. During midday, seniors socialize at the Happy Gang Center, visit their doctors, or undergo physiotherapy, That these night owls can stay up so later suggests. they’re either unemployed adults, or teenagers whose - parents don’t care where they: are or what they’re up to, They've proved they’re self- centered, Instead of looking over their shoulders for cops, they ought to took out for seniors on canes | and walkers, ; Rile seniors, and these skateboarders could find them- selves banished so far from the heart of town Mom or Dad will have to drive them to and fro.. Seniors’ Xs marked on a ballot ‘have clout, Skateboarders should leave — the park at 11 p.m. walking softly, carrying skateboards, r ‘whether the Nisga’a still hold “"