The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 6, 1994 - AS

HEALTH

_ Minister seeks guidance

HEALTH MINISTER Paul Ram-
sey hopes a new task force will
help guide the way to improved
northem health care services,
Ramsey said last weck he is ap-
pointing a ‘‘Northern and Rural

"Health Task Force?’,
-.He said the health ministry
- Tecognizes that health care is har-

der:and more expensive to pro-

“vide in the north,
o-~ Ramsey noted it’s also harder

for-northern communities to at-

tract and keep specialists,

_.¢ The task force is to find ways to
make access-to specialized health

services more equitable across
B.C.

~~. Other goals, he said, are more

equitable allocation of resources

vto--the regions and improved
“ wecrultment and retention of

..""jepoit could play @ role in chang- .°

health professionals in rural and

"emote areas.

~ Ramsey said the task force

ing the funding formula for north-
erm health regions and will hopé-
fully give regional health boards

.» Ideas...
“ ~ Ramsey stressed the task force

msey

Paul Ra

is not a government attempt to
wrest control of anything back
fram rural communities,

“This task force fias nothing to
do with the establishment of
boundaries, nor does it have to do
with meddling with (health

boards) authority,’” he said.

Ramsey said the task force was
prompied by the royal commis-
sion into health dare, which two
years ego found inequities in ac»
cess to health services in B.C,
particularly in northern and rural
areas.

Ramsey said the NDP’s New
Directions health care overhaul
that responded to the commission
will either move specialized ser-
vices into areas that need them, or
figure out a way to move people
to the services they need,

It involves communities devel-
oping their own plans, and
making their own decisions.
Recommendations from the new
task force should help that pro-
cess along, Ramsey said,

Ons important job for the task
force is to help develop a whole
new funding strategy for regional
boards, he added. .

“The work of this task force, I
believe, is vital for getling it right
on a funding formula for alloca-
tion of health dollars.’’

Asked why it took so long to
call for a task force to look into

the unique health needs of rural
and northern areas, Ramsey said:

“Whether it should have been
done two years right after the
Royal Commission report or now,
the important thing is that it’s get-
ling done, I think the recom-
mendations the task force will be
bringing forward will be very im-
portant to the new regional health
boards that are being set up.

“They need some good ideas
and some innovative strategies
for insuring more equitable ac
cess and for increasing recruil-
ment and retention of medical
professionals.””

Ramsey has set a fast pace for
the task force. He wants it up and
running by the middle of this
month.

“T would hope they'd be under
way and meeting and looking at
data that's already been collected
by August, aid I want to see a
draft report on my desk sometime
in mid-fall, late-fall, around No-
vember,”’ ,

He’s called for nominations
from regional health steering
committees in each affected area.

_UBCM |

calls for

delay of
regional

plan

THE UNION of B.C,

' Municipalities wants health

minister Paul Ramsay to delay

plans to turn control of regional
health financing over to local

vboards,

Victoria so far maintains that
a series of regional health

-. boards will-be In place by
.- October and decide how health

dollars will be spent.
‘The UBCM wants Ramsay to

: Instead conduct pilot projects in

some regions to determine
whether the government’s New
Directions idea will work.

The organization’s‘June 2
statement to Ramsay indicates
municipal governments are

increasingly worried about how
health care regionalization will

proceed.

“What we can report isa
continuing landscape of
confusion, uncertainty and
growing disappointment and
disillusion among even the most
originally devoted local
government afficials,’’ the
paper says,

The statement levels several
criticisms at the New
Directions:

ig The plan will place billions
of dollars in undetermined
hands.

@ There is no criteria for
accountability,

Wi Timelines are unrealistic,

Bf The rush will waste health
care money.

Wi And that the process itself
is now eroding support for the
original principles,

The UBCM says a major re-
think of the establishment of
regional health hoards should
be carried out,

The boards should be directly
accountable to the people, it
says,

UBCM also says the
principles of “representation
by population’ and ‘no
taxation without
representation’’ should be
abserved.

Smithers balks at boundary

By PHILLIPA BECK
; The Interiar News
AN EFFORT TO put to rest the
thorny issue of regional health
boundaries didn’t last long.
Three weeks ago, Smithers’

‘community health council voted .
to stay within the current. Skeena....

region: -, boundaries, which

-... Stretches: from the Queen Char-
-lottes-to Houston,

"A few days later Smithers town

council took action to reverse the

decision. “It favors joining the

Northern Interior Health Region
ta the east.
In a strongly worded letter to

stegional New Directions coor-

council) .
decision-making process and .

dinator ‘Dave Dennis, Smithers
criticized the local

—". galled for an extension on making

the boundary decision,

-. Barly last week the Ministry of
. Health granted council's request

— in this area the province-wide
June 30 deadline for settling
regional health boundaries is now

“pushed forward to August 1.
‘. "The Minister, recognizing we

- 4, 2000 pound monarch

~ 14, Path
~ . 15. Noisy dog town

16, Costello’s Chevy
17, Transparent fluid
18, Bill’s pond ----

_ 19, Chocolate dessert
20, Set fire to water

98. Gritty saliva
95, Attack a large animal

-. 28, Money river
29, Tough limb =
30, Devil’s entrance

~ 1. Former queen

- 12, Massachusetts tavern

Get out your map and see how many

have a little bit of work to do siill,
has extended the deadline,’’
Dennis said.

“‘It gives us five to six weeks to
pull together all the stakeholders
and basically get all the players
together, and gather information
on: changing boundaries,’ _ he

said.

resentatives voted in favor of
slaying with Skeena, two ab-
stained and two — including the
town’s representative — voted
against.

A decision by only four people
on such an important issue is
“mot... demacratic,;’ , Gasdacre
said.

“I predict all the money would go to Terrace, or
Rupert, with the argument that it's only two and a

half hours away. occur

svactensasseararazeseres GOOOACTO

‘My tole is to make sure the
community is aware of the deci-
sions that are being made.’

Council’s letter to Dennis
pointed out weaknesses in Vic-
loria’s planning around the imple-
mentation process. There are no
Tules on the voting process,
Counc. Bill Goodacte said.

As a result, only nine of 19
health council steering committee
members were present at the
boundary vote.

Of those, four communily rep-

The. boundary issue is sig-
nificant because it will determine
where Smithers’ hospital funding
comes from.

Goodacre said council is con-
vinced Smithers won't see « new
hospital if it stays with the
Skeena region. ;

**Being such a small fish in a
big pond is going to be very dif-
ficult,’ he said, referring to the
larger hospitals in Terrace,
Kitimat and Prince Rupert that

Solve riddle of B.C. names

matches you can make between these clues and

_actual B.C. place names. (Answers are on page B70.)

‘2. Fishy appendage

3.:To woo a joint

5. Pursue

6, Sea drops

. 7; Between faith and charity

8. Horse drawn buggy

9. Century home ----
10. Big utensils

11. Award ----

(13. Open pasture

“21, Overcook a honeymaker

-. 22, Shelter for a panel truck

24, Aware cove

26, Ex-Premier’s foot

31; Bee’s bum |

"32. Famous mom in rocking chair ------+—--1-ssienecnees
~ :33.Dicken’s character: --=---+-2r--s0ee0

would have a lot of clout in
demanding funding.

“To be perfectly blunt about it,
we'd much rather fight with
smaller towns — like Vanderhoof
and Burns Lake — over pots of

. Moncy than bigger towns...

~. “predict all the maney would
go to Terrace, or Rupert, with the —

argument that it’s only two and a
half hours away.

‘““We may never see the re-
placement of this hospital, just its
closure.”

- In addition to extending the |

deadline, the Ministry of Health
has agreed to hire a consultant to
help research the options of join-
ing each health region,

Dennis said no dollar figure has
been tagged to the study, yet.

T haven't been given a limit,’’
ou expenses,’ he said, ‘but
there’s no blank cheque either,

“The Ministry is committed to
putting the resources into this —
we want to be as prudent as we
can with public funds, but we are
committed to doing this,”’

34. Admiral of the fleet
35. Cat’s mug

36. Balcony
37, Soup stream

38, Rugged harbour

39, Ringer’s cove
40, Aching last digit

41, Automobile shaft circles

42. Stretched shores ----

43. Royal twin boys

44, Kootenay fortress ~---

45, This fort will rust

46, A lot of talking here
47, All that glitters is not

48, A sense of purpose
49. A row of tall trees

50. Radioactive hot water

51. 2000 pound shield |
52. Left side of a cantelope

53. Lady at forge

54, Bob’s financial institution

55. Fuzzy joint

56, Foreign shore
57. Exchange footwear

58, Never a skin irritation -----=--=.-

59, 2000 pounds of nuts

60. Peak for an acrobat -

61, Lock type
62. A cool beauty

63. Recent preacher, :

“here from the east . --s-ssiem.

EL
CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

“meetings,

The Mail Bag

Seal hunt said food harvest

Dear Sir:

We are concerned by recent media reporis that the Tsimshian
Nation will be conduction a commercial seal hunt within our terri-
tory.

As President of the Tsimshian Tribal Council, I feel it in-
cumbent upon me to clear up some misconceptions regarding this
matter. :

This is not a commercial hunt, it is an aboriginal food harvest.
Under a communal permit form D.F.0., we will be humanely har-
vesting a small number of adult seals for food and skins,

We were very surprised to find that, according to marine mam-
mal ““experts’’, our people no longer eat seals,

In fact smoked seal meat is a popular delicacy at our feasts and
was prominently featured at last year’s Annual Assembly.

The confusion over food harvesting v. commercial hunting
arises from the fact that we hope to provide some limited employ-
ment in our remote communities by utilizing the seal skins to
make crafts or clothing for sale.

We might also barter seal hides with some of our neighbours for
traditional products such as eulachon prease or dried berrics.

We do not expect opposition from legitimate environmental
groups as seal hunting is clearly an aboriginal right and this
resource has -historically been used for food, social and
ceremonial purposes.

The Tsimshian have harvested seals in this area for thousands of
ycar, the name of the world-famous Khutzeymateen Valley is a
corruplion of the Tsimshian word K’tzim-aDiin which means
‘*hlace of the seal (raps”’, .

We are also concerned about the possibility of chemical con-
laminants in the seal meat due to the proximity of the Port Edward
pulp mill and the seals will be tested to determine the levels of
various pollutants, 7
This harvest is not intended as a predator control measure, The
communal permit will Limit the harvest to 40 seals; the seal popu-
lation of the Skcena River alone exceeds 1800 animals.

This number represents the upper limit of the carrying capacity
for the Skeena. Any seals taken in the Skeena would be quickly
replaced by migrants from the estuary, ;

’ Far more than 40 seals are shot every. year by commercial
fisherrnen or accidentally drowned while preying upon salmon -
caught in gill-nets.

This incidental mortality has made no significant impact upon
the seal population in the area,

Robert H. Hil,

oo ; President,
‘Tsimshian Tribal Council,
Prince Rupert, B.C,

- TYSA doing its share
Dear Sir: °
‘Your article entitled ‘‘Boys will be Men’’ (June 8, 1994,) con-
tained the following quote from a spokesman for the Men’s Soc-
cer League: T.Y.S.A. is doing nothing for the kids who’ve gone
through their system. There’s no effort to give them anything else,
I would like to state that the Terrace Youth Soccer Assn. is ex-
acily that-a youth organization! - .
From five years to 19, the young people of our community are
taught soccer skilis, good sportsmanship and responsibility, Hope-
fully this training enables them to. reach their potential, so that
“they can participate in and help organize adult sports leagués,
This year G54 players are registered with T.Y.S.A. and each
year numbers are increasing. _ - 4
Any organization that nurtures so many young players for a pos-
sible 14 years is certainly doing its share, and more, for the good
of our community,
Cynthia Northridge
Terrace, B.C.

Call to protect Ul

An open letter to: Mike Scott, Skeena M.P. ;

As you ate no doubt aware, the federal government is proposing
massive cuts to unemployment insurance. | ee
Unemplovment insurance has been seriously eraded since 1990,
when the Mulroney government withdrew financial support. This
left workers and employers to fund the program entirely. A clear

case of legislated destruction,

As unemployment insurance is not only aninsurance policy for
workers, but a program for the entire community, we call upon
you - on behalf of our 5,500 - to live up to your electoral promise
to represent us by calling on the federal goverment to pay its fair
share in the delivery of unemployment insurance,

Anearly response is appreciated. ' :
_ Norm Lavallee

President,
Kitimat-Terrace & District Labour Council

EE
THE START IS FOR PEOPLE LEARNING TO READ

The Start

Affordable housing popular

MORE THAN 100 people have already contacted
the Skeena-Kalum Housing Society asking to live in
its new affordable housing development.

The 32-unit complex is now being built at the
comer of Haugland and Evergreen on the city’s
south side. -
When complete, it will contain four single
_ bedroom units (two of those wheelchair accessible),
a dozen each two-bedroom and three-bedroom units

and four with four-bedrooms. ee
. Anyone interested in housing at the complex can
phone 638-1996 or write to the society at P.O. Box

- 696 here in Terrace. :

Pay increase on hold |
CITY COUNCILLORS have decided to again
postpone giving themselves a pay inctease.
Under a policy adopted in. 1985, mayor and
' council were to get a 3.1 per cent increase this year,
_ Last year the mayor received ‘almost $20,000 of
which $6,555 was an. expenses allowance.
Councillors got $8,572 of which $2,857 was for
_ expenses. ; , SEy
However, councillor David Hull has suggested
council should look at a “‘performance system”’ like
the one used. by the Kltimat-Stikine regional distiict.

where directors get. paid: if they show. up for

64. Barbed viewpoint