Cutting

AT LEAST one lecal citi-
zen. is sure the provincial
government can find
“massive savings” if it
looks in the right places,
City councillor Val
George, wha ‘spoke as a
concerned citizen and -not
a city representative to the
government's select stand-
ing committee on finance
“when it appeared hére two
“weeks ago, predicted gov-
‘ernment reform can save
major amounts of money
and ‘actually improve ser-
vice to people,
George said critics of
government cost-cutting
are. probably sincere, but

are. also quile wrong in -

their dire predictions.

He also said abuse of
government services by
the public must be tackled,

. George applauded Vic-
toria’s decision to no long-

Two-tier
minimum
wage hit

STUDENTS are denoun-
cing a two-tiered minimum
wage that will let emptoy-
ers pay workers new to the
workforce 25 per cent less
starting Nov. 15.

Although the minimum
wage went up as planned
from $7.60 to $8.00 an hour
on Noy. 1, Victoria an-
nounced last week it is
creating a separate “first
job” minimum wage of
$6.00 an hour.

The lower rate is for the
first 500 hours worked and
takes effect for people
hired after next Thursday,

“It’s a blatant abuse of
young people,” said Karen
McAthy, a local student
and rep for the Northwest
Community College Stu-

dent Association. “It shows |

contempt fof their work.”

She predicted any em- -

ployers who were about to:

hire new workers will now -

wait until! Nov. 15 — when
the first-job rate takes ef-
fect — so they can pay
their new employees 25
per cent less.

“t’m hoping most em-
ployers won't be that
crass,” she said. “But I’m
concerned.”

. The big fear is that em-
ployers could lay off or re-
duce the hours of workers
after 500 hours when they
become more expensive,
and replace them with new
cheaper workers.

“It’s going to make it
very difficult to save
money to go to school,”
added McAthy.

Unions call the first-job
rate a betrayal of Liberals’
‘promises to taise the mini-
mum wage for all workers.

“I wonder if the premier
is willing to pay his mini-
slers and deputy ministers
25 per cent less until they
‘learn. the ropes’,” said
BCGEU president George
Heyman.

Labour ministry spokes-
man Gordon Williams said
the employment standards
branch will deal with any
complaints of abuse.

Existing workers with
less than S00 hours of work
won't be affected.

’ But workers changing °

jobs may have to prove
they have enough exper-
_ ence to qualify for regular
minimum wage.

That's raised fears the
new system will create ex-
cessive paperwork and en-
forcement problems.

B.C. has had a two-tier
minimum wage before.

From 1972 ta 1995 a
separate minimum wage
paid workers’ under 18
years old about 50 cents
an hour less.

An age-based lower
minimum, wage was rejec-
ted this time out of fears it
could be challenged as
discriminating. against
workers on the basis of
age, Williams said.

The B.C.- Restaurant
and Foodservices Assacia-
tion, which gave to the
Liberals’ election -cam-
paign, lobbied for a lower
tipping wage as well.

,

waste and abuse
will help a lot, says local

er pay for routine eye test-
ing by optometrists,

He also noted an esti-
mated one-third of visits to
doctors’ offices are unne-
cessary.

And, he said, it’s esti-
mated a third of welfare
claims are fraudulent ~ a
major abuse of the system
that should be reformed.

“Those opposing that
claim to be defending the
poor and the needy when
they’re only protecting the
abusers to the detriment of
those in genuine need,”
George said.

Savings culled from
abusers could provide
more benefits to the truly
needy, he said.

Government manage-
ment and administration is
a major area where cuts
are possible, he said.

Combining health coun-

@
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&

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““tEOtters appty lo 2002

for conditions and details.

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assary Limited lime offers which may not be combined with olher oars. Sae your dealer

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betwaen the price lor tha Smariiease/GMAC purchase finance oHer and the “cash

ofrgation is $10,992, $10,995, $14,345, $13,343, $15,264. Annual kilametre limit 20,000 fon, 50.12 per

deposit and PPSA. Licen:

purchase pfice" shawn. The difference

, 6.4%. “Drive Away without paying” offer dogs not appty to purchase fi

ed on the “Cash

expressed a3 an actual percentage rale which is 7.54%, 7.64%,

igation is $10,392.56. Down payment, trade and /or security deposit may ba required. Month!

nfire SL Coupe ar Sedan R7A, Sunfire SLX Sedan or Coupa AB, Pontiac Grand Am Sedan A7A, Totat‘o
Dealer Markaling Association area only. Dealers are free to sot individual prices, Dealer order or trade may be n:

ptions available. Genera! Motors will pay first month’s GMAC lease payment inclusive ol applicable taxes plus security

ca rates lor Sunfire St Coupe or Sedan A7A, and Pontiac Grand Am Sedan R7A are nol available with and are nol calculat

whelher of not the Same represents actual interest, and is required to be

“Based on a 48 month lease for Su
is $292.96. Talal obli

758, $7,411, $9584, (plus applicable taxes}. Other lease o
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re laws to be a cost of borrowing,

meanada:com or call 1-800 GM-DRIVE.
thly payment is $216.52 for 46 months. Cost of borowi

t us at www.g
excess kifometre. Option to purchase al iaasa and is $5,999, $5,767, $7,

and laxes nal included. t¢The SmartLease monthly pa)
Purchase price” ofler is deemed under provincial disciosu:

cradit only. Example: $10,000 at 19% APR, tha meni

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2

Val George

cils under fewer admin-
istrators, and conducting
further amalgamation of
school districts are pos-
sible methods, he said,
“We should go down to
about 15 or 16 school dis-

SEDAN

* Tilt Steering
—~OR—
COUPE

tricts in this province,”
George said,

Curbing waste in gov-
ernment could save mil-
lions, he added,

George pointed to a
$230,000 regional study of
how to regionalize health
care in the northwest.

“The result was so
superficial as to be almost
worthless,” he said.

Land-use planning ~
George served for five
years on the Kalum plan -
take far toa long. and cost
too much, he added,

This region's plan took
nine years to achieve.

“That’s hugely ineffi-

cient,” he said. “It should:

be done in a third the time
at a third the cost.”

The standing committee
will report its findings
early next year in advance
of the next budget.

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