Aé - The Terrace Standard; Wednesday, August 25, 2004 Dear Sirs” Health Act’ does nat guar: antee . free’ or -universal-- health care; , What‘is. does. _ say, and I quote; from the on act, “is that Tis: hereby. declared that the ‘primary: ‘objective: of Canadian. health. care’ ‘policy is to- protect, ‘pro-~ mote and. restore the phy-. “sical ‘and’: mental: “well=: being of residents of Cana- 7 da to facilitate: ‘reasonable : ‘access to ‘health « ‘services. : without financial ‘or ‘other ~ “paid” ‘in. this: country: and a. barriers.” .. “Sounds ‘pretly good" at. first glance but‘ read-a lit- We further.in- the. act. It: states a bit about how the - provinces must administer \ o rey “premiums... “Tn order. tor ‘satisfy: the’, the ache 0.7 ' criterion respecting ‘public: administration,- (a) health care. insurance plan. of a province, must: bé ad- "2 ministered and operated: on” a ‘non- profit: basis: by. a = ‘public authority appointed aS or designated by: ‘the’ gov: ernment, of. the’ province,’ - We can’ rest: ‘assured. our. provincial. government. is clearly following this sec--. . tion as they are:so far from: “noen- -profit” they. should. get an extra award... Next. “In. order to satis- fy the criterion: respecting.’ universality, ithe” “health : care ‘insurance. plan “of. a.” Province. must. entitle. One’ “the.-° i governed by” ‘provincial laws: This. _meéans, if-.you.. ~idon’t ‘pay;. they | (go: to col: co - hindred per cent of the i in- Don't be under any 1 mis- a conceptions. The Canada. sured persons, of the’ pro- vince tothe insured héalth “services | ‘provided : ‘for, by the plan ‘on uniform derms sand conditions.” Poe! “Ta-fact-ineB Ron not only: ae is, universality ’ ‘available, it~ dents ‘of: British Columbia, : -pose some: sort: of ‘premium ‘ in- order! to ‘recover: Aheit ‘poftion.- of the: ‘cost “of medical: ‘services’ “-(don" i forget a lot of” taxes ‘are - big portion:-of..them-come ° ‘back :-to ‘the’: province) nol all -proviricés. have- institu. ted health care” premiums. a * Some: provinces’. have, “Manitoba,” for example, offers abasic: premium: free: health. plan:. but allows topping up: ‘with. “private insurers to. cover... additional, medical proce-.” dures or hospital stayse “2 ‘And /in- those * "provinces." where: premiunis do. exist.” ihe’ ‘collection. of - them. is: ‘lection and-you get the full power. of, “he: province * ‘againsl.” you, °. lieris ‘and seizures of bank: accounts: “and: ~ personal: 7 Property. wos 80.10 summarize: a Participation” is man; » “datory. Although: you: can -. - _ choose to! Opt out thereby .- is mandatory “for; all resi- (702. “And: although: the ‘Cana-" da® Health--Act’ ‘stipulates, a that | provinces “may” dm Sand ‘also,..force “them. 16. ~pay,. what's next? © “including ~ __ CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD _ Free health a No way > A New School Year Means You Deserve A Great f Now / hook! : things. Tf:a.government:can”.” force citizens: to take -part.. 3. IF -$96-a month. Gr “$1 152.8 year) j is not extra. - billing, ‘what is. it. exactly. I: pay. half of this- per month -° for ny: “vehicle! “insurance, ‘which ‘grants: me. a’ large liability. coverage in: ‘the _event of an accident: Cer-. ; tainly” more: ‘than I would: . ‘payin a lifetimé of doctor * or ar hospital Visits, .«. Tam ‘confident . that. if : he Mail Bag Temoving yourself volun- “tarily. from -the entire uni-— . versality, concept of the ‘-Canada Health Act, B.C,’ ‘has even denied the work- _ ing middle’ class ‘this out. : The: first part of their. op- «. _ ting: out! guidelines clearly” . states that opting out, does’ ‘ot remove any. prior-un-" _ paid ~ premium: debt’ ‘and: . thatthe full’ weight ‘of the. . government: collection ‘pto--: cess’ will’ cbe:: “brought. tO: _ bear. : : the Medical Services Plan . _ of B.C. were. scrapped en- ~ _tirely and replaced wholly . by 4 private insurer, (like Blue. Cross for: example) -:the _premiums. would ‘be - Jess: But the- ‘goverhiment ° . slush . fund: would: valso” ‘be. ° less.” moe “The. Carlada. Heatih ‘Act. does : guarantee’. that: “all” Canadians have access: ‘tol: health care: regardless : ‘of ‘has satisfied this. portion: ‘of ‘the act “by. ine. _Stituting’a premium. ‘assis- : _ tance plan with a threshold: ‘of $24,000. total’ family inet. - jnéome: per. year based’ on *\ taining the status..quo for : othe) previous three years of 7 , - tax returns. 0” HAIR GALLERY a) Keith AVe., Terrace [All West Glass Centre) ‘OPEN 6 _ A WEEK © 635-3729 the” foreseeable future. Ray Hallock, » Terrace, ; B. | Ora CITY OF TERRAGE ‘and TERRACE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION : muowing benefits: Terrace Fire Départment isa composite Department, comprised of. eight (a) ‘career staff members. and approximately twenty-five (25) Volunteer Firefighters. The Volunteers do not receive direct financial remuneration, but do receive the Full participation i in the Department's social funotions; _ Service: Awards and recognition; | ; : ‘WCB coverage; ~ S are seeking VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS More must be done ~ for’ Dear Sir: - : I look “at my. ‘friends i in.- n Terrace: ‘and: I. can count’ the ones: that don’t ‘do ‘drugs |” and are not ‘pregnant. Or. haven't gotten” someone, pregnant On one hand.: ; .- That's sad: that iny- friends who | are still : in high. school, -or should ‘be at least, are drug users and parents’ to" be," How’-can’a ‘child raise a child’ just doesn’ t make: sense. What happened 1a. hes girls and. ‘boys. 4 that I used.to’ go to-school with?: The ones that: thought: listenirig. tothe: teacher, ‘read “The Hobbit”. tous. “was ‘better, than an thing in ‘the world; the ‘ones’ ‘that: waited anxiously. for the. récess bell’ to ring. ‘so- -we liked, but would. ‘never: ‘ever date.’ Why is :it-now that they: go out to: par- oo ties, -and get so messed ilp, that they can't. . remember who they slept with? °~ .. :“Bécause: it's, fun" or.” elsé:to. ‘do here.” that we could chatter about the boys that." ‘errace’s ‘eens “bell to ° ring, . because - they" ‘ve never. in a school to. hear it. a lifestyle. for.a lot of Tertace: teens, - “There? s. nothing. : So ‘maybe: ‘another question’ should be asked: ‘and: the answer thought about - i “What can: be done to’ ‘help the teenager’ tof Terrace?” we “Tf a.teenager: is asked: why: they- think: Jer their. friends . da’ ‘drugs, or, why, they: do.-. “drugs,” the. answer §. usually: something: Ls i “[ don't know, Life Insurance and AD&D coverage; City of Terrace 35% recreation discount: fie i you meet the following requirements: be we Resident’ of Terrace (so that you can fespond | “ Minimum Grade 12 (or equivalent) education; - ‘Minimum-nineteen (19) years of age; my participate’ in > firefighting activities; : ” Volunteer. Firat ighter; _ 27 Terrace Volunteer Firefi ighters’ Association. - ‘.Able.to meet: the Fira: Department's physical arid: agili ‘Lam a 17-year-old, and L lived i in. Tere rane «., Able-to.obtain a medical. examination certifi ‘race: ‘Twas. born’and’ taised..there. until Ps}. >was. thirteen years old: 1 went through-my ."|>” "experimental: slage,. where: everything: ‘had. to be'tried at least. once, -but that was, just: “~" astagé: for’ me.” T fear that if nothing’ is ~ done then this “stage” i is going. to become “ and. would like to be a ‘part of. one’ of B. C! 'S best Fire Departments, “we wou ¢ . ‘welcome your application. by Friday, September: 40,. 72004: ‘to on the i : The city of Terrace i isan n equal opportunity amployer. The Bpnlication form can be picked up from the Terrace _ or downloaded from the website at; http://www. city. terrace.bc.ca/departments/fd-department3. htm! Coe HE ‘Nieéle Stack,. : | Port Alberni, B.C. - And they no. longer wait. for thie fecess h oa "7 Theré has bean’ a: lot sold: in the | press: lately” ‘about Offstiore | : | Gas and oil and | would tke to give you'my, thoughts. : . Off- shore: ‘gas’ &: oll ‘has ‘Many challenges; ‘erivlronmental, : ". quéstions of -ownership,: first nations-concerns, _tegional. - benefits ;quarles, “employment. challenges, and~oublic 9 ‘+=. acceptance, just-to.name a few. When} hear the NOP: tail. ‘|. me that they ara: opposed - to. offshore gas ‘and. oll’ ‘development because Itds-at least 15 years, off. what | hear is : _ that*you don't care ‘about my. children" as ‘During their decade in power | ihe-NDP ‘could not resolve the . _ Fitst Nations issues, they couldn't -resalva the ownership issues, _ they Couldn't: work, with: thé docal collage. system .and:. develop the cpordpriale' training’ ‘Pfograms.so that all‘of-the | jobs go ‘te local .psaple..and -they. couldn't, salve’ the. “enviranniental Ghallengas. All of. this begs: the question. What. ; _ OS a parly-had they besn doing:for the ‘past-10 years? The: . ..pudlig expacis governments to solve: these ‘problems; ney a expect thelr politicians to think long: term." ae Honourable Roger Harris Minister of State for . Forest Operations MLA Skeena ‘: Thdse opening comments would lend. most: individuals 16 believe’ that. Jom: o ston’ “supporter of offshore ‘development of.gas and oll: What'l’am a strong supporter. of Is the“: “obligation.and tespansibility of politicians ard -governmeants:to finally start thinking long- terml Stick personal:views on issues in heir, back pocket, do the due diligerice asia: government, so that the: public con. make: ‘an infoimed decision. on-whelher-ornot fo | pursue a couse of public policy, in this. case specifically, Offshore gas and oil devalopment, Tl we. asa province. do decide to puisua. thls resource extraction indusiry, the. tasponsibility of the government is f6 astabllstistrong principles. cround it so-that-all: British Columbians. . Will feel the benefits. It Is:to.our advantage to.look around other Jurisdictions ond learn from: them, what they. did rant and whet they did’ ‘wrong The NDP ehoases to 0.onW soak out the nagativa, | A-decade: ago Norway a “country ‘of ‘orourid a. 4 ralllion, 5 beople, madé a eciion fo. ‘ develop thair offshore gas and oi! Industry. Today this nation has.amoassed!in excess ‘of $130 ”-oillion Jn. a trust fund, while: providing some of the. most enhariced anc’ generous: sacial,. health, and educalienal Programs to thelr: public. * For those’ who balieve’ gaVernmant’ 5 major. role is that-of providing a ‘strong: social network..for Norway; offshore. gas and oll: extraction has-been.a. means tothat.end: ‘Tha’ challenge with the NDP is: thal they have » always failed to:draw that critical cérinection balween o hedithy. aconomy: dnd the abtiity : to provide comprehensive. Social: programs... Qvar-the decade: of: thé 90's the NDP continued to ignore the need to plan long: term Inan ‘etfart to Gamer political points.” Lam excited about the gas and oil Industry, but- mote :so in it's potential te develop. the . _ Uitapped basins of the interlor *égions:sAecifically: the Bowserand Nechakd Basins, : - The inland’ development: Is ‘much: less “controverdial operating procedures : ‘have- been - significantly rafined Gnd public acceptance bs: generally’ more positive: Our.rulal- college : system is now, providing: training programs-to. ensura-Inat the skills tequired-to’ work. in this industry of attainable. within the regions; The economic: ‘spin rots and’ benefits fo the regions and ‘Provines, ore. still: significant, sondt: ‘ SONse" to Pursue these ; "opportunities. 2 fai ESOS ; -The gas arid oli: ricliste g worklig flat out ih fhe narthe @ natural jogresion of the industry. will be to-move from. the horiheast into the-other Intarid: basins fot exdloration | work, This éxplorcition work will ' determina the raal pofentialof:those basins: Infrastruckure will then need to be bulll-1c pfovide aecess. and transport product. Its-at“that time thal the industry will ‘turry its @yes to. ihe. offshore: ‘ond start. the: exploration necessary to determina the. exact potential of those.’ reserves, That:ls. why. it's.30 NEGESSCTY to use the : time we have. and plan this process in away fhat works. for British Columbia. » aS : ‘lf you ‘worked’ al Methanex: toddy, you would: ‘hear ihe NDP. speck: ‘Out ‘agoirst even ~ Investigating Ihe opportunities of offshore gos’ & all development'and hesitant: cround ony . "inland activity, You would Have a reason to.bé concemned|: The future of your Industry:and family supporting. employment is complatelydependant .on the