PAGE 4, THE HERALD, Thursday. June 22, 1978

EDITORIAL

This is one editorial { am almost afraid to
Write, because what I am about to say, I know,
will seem so far-fetched and perhaps so in-
credible to many that it may be brushed aside as
the writings of someone with a highly over-active
imagination. Nonetheless, in the light a crop of .
recent articles on the same subject - such as one
contained.in a supplement of last weeks Van-
couver dailies, I feel it has to be attempted.

Visiting a son who had just had a kidney
transplant, in the Winnipeg General Hospital last
month, - here are a few of the incidents that
occurred during the three days I was there,

A cleaning woman entered the ward and the
heavy swinging door fell off its hinges onto her,
pinning her, and her cleaning equipment,
against a wall. The two interns passing by did
not stop to help her. , -

Dried blood on the floor next to my son’s bed,
from.a previous patient, was still there when I
left, three days later.

After ten minutes of screaming from the ad-
joining room, a woman ran down the corridor to
the counter where the nurses had a desk and
fastened hold of the desk, refusing to let go until
she was forcibly removed several minutes later.

OTTAWA REPORT

I was in Queen Charlotte City this past
weekend to address the graduation banquet of
the Queen Charlotte City High School. It was a
most enjoyable and inspiring evening, and I
want again to thank the organizers of the event
for their kind hospitality and also to congratulate
the “Grad Class of ‘78 — especially those
students who had returned to school after taking
@ year or more out ~- on their excellent
achievements.

NEW DOCK FACILITIES .

‘While in Queen Charlotte City, I had the
- chance to inspect a recently completed Canada
works project that is an excellent example of the
community benefits that can be derived from
this job creation program.

Last fall, the Queen Charlotte City Rod and
Gun Club, working in cooperation with the
federal Department of Fisheries and the En-:
vironment, received a $23,100 Canada Works
grant to undertake improvements to the
government dock facilities at Queen Charlotte
City. The improvements were the installation of
a fresh water delivery system to floats,
upgrading and cleaning of the community's boat
grid, and the construction and installation of
finger floats for the use of local pleasure boats.

Aseparate facility for pleasure craft had been
made necessary by the increasing number of |
such vessels in the Queen Charlotte City area,
and by the damage they received when tied up
alongside the much sturdier fishing vessels.

*Working with an additional $17,000 made
available by the Department of Fisheries and
Environment, the Rod and Gun Club sponsored
project has constructed finger floats 120 feet in
length, and capable of accomodating around 25
pleasure crafts. oo.

The facility has just recently been installed
by the Department of Public Works, and should
make the summer months much more enjoyable
for pleasure boaters and commercial fishermen
alike. It is an excellent project, well-run and
controlled by theRod and Gun Club, who are to
be congratulated on their community in-
volvement — as well as on their creation of 7 jobs
for local residents.

Smithers Swimming Pool .

In Ottawa last week, I was pleased to arrange:
a visit for a delegation from the town of
Smithers, seeking possible additional financial
assistance for the community’s proposed
swimming pool. In addition to meeting with
myself, the delegation had talks with the
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of
Indian and Northern Affairs, and officials of the
Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

It was through: Smithers’ - designation for
assistance under C.M.H.C.’s Neighbourhood
Improvement Plan that the initial nioney for
approximately one-third of the cost) for the
swimming pool was made available, and the
town is now attempting to secure the balance of
the funds before giving the project the final go-

ead,

Secondary Industry oo

Eleven months ago, the federal government.
designated northern B.C. for assistance under
the Regional Development Incentives Act
(RDIA) of the Department of Regional
Economic Expansion. The budget for our area
was $20,000,000 over three and a half years, and
while the program was slow in starting, results
are now beginning to appear.

In the past few weeks, three large grants have
been made to companies establishing secondary
industries in northern B.C. The establishment of
a new industrial drill bit manufacturing plant in
Prince Rupert, the re-opening of the old ‘Uncle
Ben’s ” brewery in Prince George, and the ex-
pansion of fish processing facilities in Prince
Rupert are expected to create, between them,
close to 100 new jobs. The encouraging fact is
that all of these jobs are in secondary industries.
They are, hopefully, the beginning of many more
such jobs, and the beginning of the diver-
sification of our northern economy away from
our traditional reliance on our primary,
resource-extraction inddstries. .

For further information on the RDIA program,
and on the government's other industrial
development initiatives for our area, please do
not hesitate to write to me, c-o the House of
Commons, Ottawa, Ontario; K1A 0X2, No
postage is required. |

‘

She had pulled out the intravenous needle from

her arm and left a trail of blood down the

corridor, which an orderly was mopping up,

casually, with a string mop, as I watched. It was

approximately five minutes before an assistant

arrived to attend to the woman, still clinging
ere,

A patient in the next bed, with blood on her
gown or robe when I first arrived still had not
been issued a clean garment wher I last visited
three days later.. _

Twice, during that period, the nurse brought
my son the wrong medicine: once it was for high
blood pressure - (his was very low.) For-
tunately, he had taken a brief couse on
medication for kidney patients, and refused to

accept it. The nurse admitted her mistakes.
The general housekeeping of the building - at

least the section I visited, which was an older

part of the building - appeared to leave a great

deal to be desired.

Victoria Bureau |
by Tony Macgregor

by Tony MacGregor

VICTORIA - With his call
for 9 B.C: tax revolt, Vic
Stephens, the newly elected
leader. of the provincial
Progressive Conservative
Party, has latched on to-an
issue which could change the
electoral map of B.C.

Last June 6 California
voters showed their disap-
proval of high taxes by
passing the Jerivs-Gann
Amendment which cuts the

average property bill from ~

$1,400 to $600.

On the same day Stephens,
the only member of
‘conservative party in the
House, called his own: tax
revolt which splashed his
name in headlines
throughout the province and
established him as a
provincial personality to be
reckoned with. ;

He told me he has received
80 many telephone calls on
the issue that he has asked
people not to call anymore.
By last Wednesday he had
received about 500 letters on:
the issue,

‘*..it’s time to show
politicians who's boss," be
said, . “Its time for a
revolution. We're fed up
with constantly increasing
taxes,"

Stepheas said he would
defend free of charge anyone
who refused to pay his tax
bill and said he was con-.
sidering burning his own tax
bill on the steps of’ the ;
legislature.
_ The Socred government,
on the other hand, despite its |

.Feputation as a hard-line,

cost-cutting government,
fumbled the issue. It tried to .
blame municipalities,
labelling as sneakey and
deceptive local governments

LETTERS TO

Editor; Dear Sir:

In 1938, Herman Raushing,
then President of the Danzig”
Senate, resigned from
Hitler's National Socialist
Party and fied to England to
live in exile.

He tried to warn the world
of. Hitler's tyrranical
aspirations in a book titled:
The Revolution of Nihilism
In effect, he accused an
apathetle world citizenry for
continuing to appease the
arrogant dictator, saying:
“The temptation of the day is
to accept the Intclerable, for
fear of worse to come.”

Today, Canadians again
tend to “accept. the in-
tolerable for fear of worse to
come” a clever ploy used
invariably by those intent
upon maintaining the .in-
tolerable - including in-
tolerable inflation, in-
tolerable unemployment,
intolerable government
spending, a devalued dollar,
the downgrading of our
Constitutional monarchy and
a morally perverted society.

If Canadians insist upon
accepting the intolerable,
either out of naievity,
Ignorance or “‘the fear of
worse to come” they will
HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME
BUT THEMSELVES FOR
THE CONSEQUENCES. .

Yours sincerely,
Patricia Young

which raised taxea under
cover of the new assessment
act.

By the time Finance
Minister Evan Wolfe got
around to pointing out the
difference between B.C,'‘and
California. property taxes
and lionizing the govern-
ment's cost-cutting
programs, it was too late.
Vie Stephens had established
himself‘as th man to vote for
if you want taxes cut.

Shrewdly avoiding
arguments about what
services should be cut,

the Stephens concentrated on

the sufferings of old-age
pensioners whose taxes had
taken a dramatic leap,

The NDP’s attempts to
exploit the issue were
hobbled by its philosophy.
You can’t provide services
without taxes and the NDP,
of course, is the party which
advocates more government
services. :

The one-member Liberal

party left the issue alone so- d

Vie Stephens was left on the
battlefield alone, waving the
banner of lower taxes and
looking like a long-awaited
savior to the hard-pressed
B.C, taxpayer. ;

The tax issue is probably
one of the few issues which
Tory party in BC; And tight

‘ory nB.e; r
now, the governing Social
Credit party has more to fear
from a resurgent Tory party.
than it does from the NDP.

A resurgent Tory party
could split the free-
enterprise vote and drain off
enough Social Credit support
to put the NDP in power.
That is, of course, unless the.
issue.of high tax bills fades

into the background by the

time of the next elections.

THE EDITOR

Dear Editor: .

We meet to seldom people
who inspire our ideals, and
foster hope where apathy
reigns. Fortunately on the
June 3rd week-end in Prince
George, I had the pleasure of
sharing some time with such
an individual,

What Doug Fernette has
done in Kitimat is worth
spreading far and wide. But
I know that only a few
concerned people would
appreciate the degree of
caring expressed by Doug
through his work with
Canada’s future adults.

He is accomplishing many

which paid
professionals could never do
and Iam convinced much of
his success (in addition to his
personal qualities) is
because he is‘a volunteer,

Also the members of the
Youth Council deserve a
large congratulations and
thank you for serving others
in Kitimat.

Sincerely yours.

Ed Taylor,

Red Cross Kelowna
. Regional Co-ordinator.

Editors note: Mr. Frennette
has been actively working
and caring for the youths of
Kitimat for several years
now and has been marked
with the success of many
Youth Council endeavours.

It is agread, Doug Frennette
deserves much more credit
than he gets aa a volunteer.

_A “Big City” hospital experience

A number of the doctors and the nurses were
recent immigrants from countries where the
language structure is vastly different from that
of English. Consequently they have problems in
understanding spoken English and difficulty in
making themselves understood. A nurse who
admitted my son, while I was there, made a
number of mistakes in taking down the in-
formation required. She was from a central

European country, and very difficult to‘un: .

derstand. A young Korean doctor was ex-
periencing similar problems, and a few patients
who had experienced some of his mistakes were
despérately trying to get other doctors assigned
to them - “anyone:but bim”’, one of them openly
admitted.

While I was there, an interne using a large
syringe,.attempted to drain an abscess that had
formed under the incision of the kidney tran-
Splant, sitting on my son’s bed, without an
assisting nurse or aide.

‘When I appeared incredulous at some of the
procedures I observed, I soon found myself
exposed to a veritable litany of complaints,
stories of ‘‘goof-ups” and anecdotes which at
first I refused to believe, expecting they might
have been the usual “leg pull’’ given by patients
to hospital visitors as an exercise in humour.

For example, I thought it was a joke, at first,

.

when I was told mice had run out of a piece of
renal dialysis (kidney) machine when it had
been brought over from another building - until I
was shown the actual equipment.

Some of the patients were interviewed and the
interview run on Winnipeg television, showing _
instances of actual mistakes and poor sanitation,
and care. _ 7

It was a pleasant surprise, therefore, to visit
Mills Memorial in Terrace, after I returned, and
see the visibly much _higher Standards of
sanitation and hygiene - the sparkling woodwork,
shining floors and gleaming equipment. The
staff, too, seemed, less harrassed and the
patients more relaxed and at ease. A general air
of informality seemed to pervade those parts of
the building that I visited.

The hospitals at Terrace, Kitimat and Rupert
may not have the last word in all types of
equipment. (There are no renal dialyzers in any
of the three, I understand) The three hospitals
may lack specialists in a number of important
areas. However, for the average diseases and
emergencies that occur, residents of the Pacific
Northwest can consider themselves fortunate.
they do not have to go to the large city centres bo -
be treated.

I know where I would prefer to be cared for,
should the need arise.

Line Vienneau and Kathy Patershuk, two of this year’si
Caledonia grads, will be spending six weeks in Quebec
City this summer with the help of funds from the Summer
Language Bursary Program under the auspices of the

federal government. The course Is designed to encourage®
“bilingualism among young Canadians. A similar program

allows French teachers to spend time in Quebec to im-
prove the quality of their teaching, - .

- In North America

Parents are fifth largest child killers

A similar US.

MUNTREAL (CP) -
Author Mary Van Slolk says
she was compared to Adolf
Hitler for suggesting that the
federal government enforce
Sterilization of unfit
mothers.

Ms. Van Stolk, founder and
president .of the privately-
run dar atbody lavertion of

nada, & veatigating
domestic strife, said in a
recent interview that
comments she made last
April before a Senate sub-
committee investigating
child abuse have met with
“open hostility.”

— COOL

WILMINGTON; Del. (AP)
.— Two cats who kept their

cool despite the heat in the
kitchen haye been honored
for heroism by Gov. Pierre
du Pont.

The pet cats, Tiki and
Minet, awakened their
mistress, Susan Dyson, from
@ nap one evening last

February just as smoke and.

flames began to fill her
* Wilmington home.

Mra. Dyson, who. was 24
anda little over eight months
pregnant at the time of the
fire, said she was taking a
nap after working in her
kitchen.

“The cats came into the
bedroom and they caused a
ruckus,"" Mrs. Dyson said.
“They weren't {lghting, they

* executive director of

“One man likened me to
Adolf Hitler,” she noted.
“But after he heard the
statistics on- child abuse he
understood why such. a
serious proposal could be
recommended as one-and I
atress, only one-of a series
of suggestions,” ;

Ms. Van ‘Stolk, author of
The Battered Child in
Canada, told the committee
that the federal government
should establish a tribunal to
test and license prospective
Barents with a history of

violence and to enforce
sterilization of unfit
mothers.

CATS!

were just making noise
together and they never do
that. So ] woke up.”

The living room was filled
with.smoke and the kdtchen
was in flames, she recalled.

The cats were taken to the
governor's office Monday to

‘receive the William 0,

Stillman Award of the
American Humane
Associatlon.

The award is given to
people who risk their lives

saving animals and to.
animals who savé humans,
Said Patricia Prescott, «

the
‘Delaware Humane

Association and a directer of .

the American’ Humane
Association,

uw ,

Canada helps Caribbean kid

Dear Sir:

Once again, IT want to
report to your readers on the
success of the Caribbean

. Hearing Ald Program co-

ordinated by the Ontario
Miniatry of Education,

During 1977, Dr. Donald
Hood, Audiologist, and Mra,
Hood, a Speech Therapist,
visited St. Vincent in the
Weat Indies where they did
follow-up. work on children
previously fitted with
hearing aida; conducted
tests and fitted aids for other -
deaf children.

At this time, 65 children

”

have been fitted with hearlng
aids donated to this program
by Canadians from coast to
coast, And, like all suc-
cessful dp-going and
voluntary programs we are
again In need of discarded
hearing alds.”

Anyone with a hearing aid,

in any condition, is invited to.

support this smal] but
productive effort to help the
deaf children in St. Vincent.
Hearlng aids may be
mailed to:
Project Hearing Aids,

* Student Activities Branch,

Ministry of Education,

"Ontario
19th Floor, Mowat Block,
Queen's Park, Bay Street,
Toronto, Ont, M7A1L2
On behalf of the deaf
children who have already
benefitted from this

* program, and those who

have yet toenjoy the world of
sound, [ thank your readers
for their warm response to
my previous appeals.
Sincerely, ¢
George J. Mason

TODAY IN HISTORY

1778-~Beau Brummiel. (he
English man of fashion, was

rn. i -
1848—Paul Gauguin,
French artist, was bori.
1940—Singer Tom Jones
was born. ; ’
1s49—Rev. John Burgess

By THE CANADIAN PRESS

was elected the first black
bishop of America's

- Episcopal church,

ivts—West German Chan-
vellor Willy Brandt, on a
visil to Israel, denounced the
Nazi persecution of Jews,

She said she favors
sterilization as part of the
prevention of criminal
behavior in the family.

“The main thrust of my
recommendation was that
we must begin educating
parents,” she said,

Ms, Van Stolk conceded
the idea’ of enforced
sterilization appeara
“drastic, fascistic and
against God's will,

“But your attitude may
change when you consider
that parents are the fifth
largest killer of children in:
North America, after ac-
cidents, cancer, congenital
abnormalities and
pneumonia.” .

She was unmoved when
told that her recom-
mendation--if adopted.
might eventually force all
praspective parents to seek
licences.

“Yea, it might. But it's a
smail price to pay when you
consider the enormous cost
to society of not protecting
its children, in terms of
crime, medical expenses and
s00n.”
‘In June, 1976, the
Washington-based National
Center on Child Abuse and
Neglect sald it was

- teasonable to assume there

were one million cases of
chitd abuse and neglect
annually, although not ail
are reported,

General Office 635-6357
Circulation - 635-6357

| TERRACE/KITIMAT

daily herald

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MANAGING EDITOR...Ernest Senlor
REPORTERS...Donna Vallleres (Terrace-Thornhill)
REPORTERS...Scott Browes (Kitimat-Kitamaat)
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Reproduction is not permiited without the written

permission af the Publisher.

organization based in.
Denver, Colo., reported that
each year 2,000 American
children die of abuse or

neglect.

The Quebec” Youth
Protection Committee
handled 3,102 cases of child
abuse in its first 19 months of
operation and said “about
four percent of these ©
children die of their injuries,
while over 30 percent suffer
psychological effects for the
rest of their livés.””

Canada-wide, about 9,000
cases of child abuse are
reported annually, But Ms.
Van Stolk feels the figure is
only the tip of the iceberg.

“Hypocrisy is. one of the
prime reasons the family
isn't working,’ said Ms. Van
Stolk, a divorced 47-year-old
mother of three. .

“In order to perpetuate the
myth that every child is the .
child of good parents, most
physicians don't report cases
of child abuse-no matter
how gross,

“The absolute right of the
father since Roman times is
being carried on," she ad-
ded, 'We atill have to deal
with section 43 of the
Criminal Cade.

e section gives parents,
teachers and any pergon in a
position of authority the
right to use foree in.
discipline, ;

. Publishedby fl
Sterling Publishers