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The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 11. 1995
politicall correct is incorrect |

Gov’ t wrong ¢ on claims —

Dear sir:

For years [ have worked in the
pursuit of knowledge and under-
standing. Admittedly I have been
preoccupied in learning. what
makes government and natives
fuaction. - ,

I do not know the exact figure
given to native bands every year,
but I-do know that. these funds
come from all working taxpayers.

It strikes me as being very odd
that native bands would blockade
logging, mining, fishing, and. yes,
even ski chalets. While these in-

dustries are halted. so too are the

workers’ wages: ‘and input ‘into
taxation.

Tf a band stops. tax revenue to
the government, should ‘this cost
not be: absorbed directly by the
band. responsible? I realize a lot
of militant natives will say it was
alf ours: ‘before and so it is our in-
herent Tight to have ital. 0
cre 100 years ago, a speck

imé «and :.evolution, natives
lived ‘in: fear ‘of warring, neigh-
bouring tribes and froze to death
in hovels during cold winters. -

‘Natives.-died of .starvation . in

had years ‘and. ‘drowned from dug

out canoes. “They dragged ‘their:

attac ked |

Dear Sirs

Two. -years ago the Reform .
Party won a majority of western ,

Canadian seats in Parliament.
Reform promised voters change
from the cynicism of the Mul-

roney years. So has our represen-

tation improved? ‘In Skeena our
MP distinguishes himself by his
silence. Compare this to the
record set by Frank Howard, Iona
Campagnolo and Jim Fulton.

Like them or not, these former
Skeena MPs' raised their voices
and forced governments to listen

to the aspirations of common:

people. -
. To date Mike Scott’s outstand-
ing achievement.has been to-stir-

up il will and misunderstanding” 4

about the trealy process.
Last fall. our-MP sponsored a
series of ‘public meetings’ to dis-
cuss settlement of land claims. In-
stead of listening to constituents
Scott pursued a biased agenda.
Scott placed no value on work-

ing out solutions to the difficult .

problems before us. The M.P.
limited himself to his narrow
dogma,

Mike Scott has said” nothing
about a host of critical issues af-
fecting the northwest. These in-
clude airport privatizations, cuts
to: federal transfer payments and
manpower office closures, .

In Reform terminology docs
less government mean being ab-
sent? In Skeena we've seen too
little of Mike Scott and what little
we've seen doesn’$ inspire hope,

Joe Barrett,.
Prince Rupert, B.C.

(Editor’s note: Mr. Barrett ran
as the. NDP candidate against
Mr. Scott in the 1993 election.)

Bonus
a waste

Dear Sir: .

As part of Canada’s policy of
official bilingualism, civil ser-
vants in what are. deemed to be
“bilingual’’ postings are
rewarded with an additional $800
per year, just because they are
able to speak both English - and
French.

1994 saw 64,797 civil servants
eagerly collect this bonus, at a
cost to the taxpayer of close to
$52 million. In. Western Canada
1,828 public employees reccived
this bonis.” ~

It is time our politicians woke
up to a very basic fact: in most
parts of the country the French
language has taken the high road
to extinction. The demand for it
in British Columbia is zero,
nunca, rien,

The payment of this so-called
bonus then amounts to rewarding
people for skills which are not
needed.

Businesses in the private sector,
the real world, do not reward em-
ployees for redundant skills, and
itis an insult to taxpayers to see
our federal government lower our
standard of living by squandering
our tax dollats in such a manner.
‘Rob Hargrove,
oS “Terrace, B.C,

CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

The Mail Bag

belongings. ‘around ‘behind ‘them
on two sticks of wood: Thes Se are
their inherent rights also... -

Do the natives of. today honest- .
dy believe . they | could: “have

evolved ta outboard motors,
aluminum. boals. and ”.survival
suits. Do they not realize that soft
ice cream and cheese burgers are
not inherently native food,
Certainly natives haye been
quick to accept the use of bospi-
tals, computers, and automobiles,
All thesé =. wonderful . and

"miraculous things- given them,

things they never could have ac-

~ complished in'100 years, if ever. :

How do these people now show
their gratitude for all these
wonderful things. They shoot our

finest police officers. They call us -
- white trash and pillagers of the
~ land.

How then can T or: anybody be
blamed when -we stand in awe
watching. our’ elected” spineless,
weak-kneed:: governments. give
away. massive tracts of land and
money and not ask for compensa-
tion from the natives for all the
good we have done them.

How can these
politicians watch police officers
be shot and military personnel be
punched and spit on. How can
our so-called leaders call them-

‘selves proud Canadians.

- All T-can say about our leaders

and Canada’s stance in the world

is that it is politically correct. As

a people I believe we have been

humiliated, and disgraced by

government inaction and com-
placency.

Altai Grier,

Terrace, B.C.

gutless

wasn't
proper

Dear Sir: .

. As a regular contributor over
the years to the Dr, R.E.M. Lee
Hospital Foundation, I was
surprised to see the full page
political ad in The Terrace
Standard. of Oct, -4- sponsored
by the foundation. -

I must disagree with the
foundation using any contribu.
tions made for the purchase of
hospital equipment for political
purposes,

The. foundation has --been
raising’ money. for Mills
Memorial Hospital for many
years now and it has been very
effective because. it was not
seen as a political organization.
It is supported by people of all
| political stripes. —

I for one find the founda-
tion’s sponsorship of an ad
with blatant political messages
very distasteful and improper.

Walter McConnell,
Terrace, B.C.

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TERRACE and THE TERRACE &
STANDARD to salute people in §
Your Community who make it a
better place to live.

, SURPRISES, FU
_challenges. That’s what
m scouting is about, says
B.assistant diatrict
commissioner _Charles
i Johnstone. =~
He’s" responsible for. the
Ist Terrace: group, from”
Beavers aged 5-7 to Ventures
in their 20s. ~
As a group seouter he .
provides a familiar face to
kids as they graduate from ..
my one group up to the next
M@ level. Johnstone also attends:
weekly meetings, helps train |

ro Pie © hs

. active participants

scouting leaders, and puts
together programs for the
different age groups.
Johnstone has heen
involved with scouts since he
was 8 cub in Port Alberni, ;
“way back when.”
"Now he and his family are
~ his
three sons are involved, and
his wife is a--leader. In
Terrace, Johnstone has-been
-part- of --the - scouting
movement for’ ithe Past four

oy: really venjoy showing °

- Johnstone.

- spent the days negotiating

A REWARDING EXPERIENCE

of an oil-spill accident.
“By the end of that trip we
were really close,” he says.
Although scouting can be
time consuming, he says he
sees results every day in the
kids’ faces,
If you're interested in the
outdoors and. would like to
_help the scouting ‘movement,
they
searching for new leaders in
' Terrace, No : prior, scouting
experience is needed, just a
‘love of children. ‘Training 4 is.
"Provided. 2 a tes ee

the kids new things, and.
being a role model,” says
“It's ‘a: very
rewarding experience.”

He recently accompanied
a group of Terrace scouts on
a trip to Prince Gearge-this _
summer for the provincial.
jamboree, And since he
believes that leaders should
participate in the same
activities.as the -kids, he

obstacle courses, swinging .
through. the» trees, 'and |:
- Preteniding.t torbe- a. survivor”

‘are ‘desperately

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