pee I rma ree 24 Terrace Review — Wednesday, October 8, 1986 Candidates for Skeena address issues Witllama Hayes, B.C. Liberal Party candidate for Skeena. President’s report to college board members by Val George President NWCC MOBILE COMPUTER CENTRE rhe Mobile Computer Centre went on the road in July. All the major college centres were visited. Short workshops, seminars and individual consultation ses- sions were conducted by Rainer Giannellia, North- west Community College (NWCC) new Business Education instructor. ' The initial response was encouraging. NWCC has been able to follow up with some short courses, but we are still in the process of assessing the specific needs for the unit. EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION APPLICATION The Ministry has held back about $2 million in the Excellence Fund for special equipment purchases where industry is prepared to make % partial dona- tion of a portion of the value of the equipment. NWCC has made a submission to buy some saw- mill equipment from the Moricetown Band for use in the college millwright program. Specifically, college officials have requested $20,000. Decisions regarding this funding will probably be made in November. MARINE TRAINING — THAILAND PROGRAM Captain Ben West, NWCC Marine Training Coor- dinator recently went to Thailand on the invitation of Prince of Songkia University to discuss the possibili- ty of the college being involved in their marine train- ing program. There is a good possibility that the university will send two or three of their instructors to Prince Rupert for training. Funding would probably be through C.1L.D.A. COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS DIPLOMA The Business Education department is developing a diploma program in Computer Information Systems, This program would be two years in duration and would consist of a combination of existing business courses and some new specialized courses, The intent is to try to get the program in place for Fall 1987 (maybe earlier). NATIONAL COLLEGE WEEK Last year many B.C. Colleges participated in a College and Institute Week, This was quite successful in publicizing many aspects of the college system. This year A.C.C.C. is supporting a national pro- | gram of a similar nature. The dates will be Nov. 16 - 22, 1986; the theme will be ‘‘Canada's College... Touching Lives”’. NWCC is being asked to participate, and I recom- mend that we do so. ‘continued from page 5 be followed by ‘‘fortress Asia’, Europe, and so on. Howard: We: already have free trade with the U.S. in lumber; it is in- teresting and discomfor- ting that the provincial government is taking steps to change that. We should insist on sectoral free trade - as an exam- ple, under a blanket free trade arrangement, the B.C. dairy industry would stand to be wiped out, but consideration by sector could preserve it, Parker: Participate. 5. Are you in favor of an affirmative action. policy by the provincial government to further the rights of women and minorities and reduce the incidence of discrimina- fion in B.C? Hayes: Definitely - I believe in affirmative ac- tion as an_ effective policy to assist both women and minorities. Howard: Absolutely — if there’s anything that. makes the New Democratic Party dis- tinctive, it’s our policies on human rights and non-discrimination. Parker: I’m in favor of the policies and pro- grams that are already doing that, policies and programs that are al- ready in place. The B.C. Social Credit govern- ment was the first in Canada, in 1953, to legislate equal pay for work of equal value. With regard to in- dividual complaints. I would be willing to listen ‘to any of my constituents who have problems. 6. Should the minimum wage be changed? Hayes: Yes - go up. Howard: Yes, up- wards. The consumer drives the economy; if there is more money to spend, that will result in more people being employed. Parker: [ have mixed emotions. about the minimum wage. I think it should it should be determined by the employer, but ‘if & the consituents have any views on this I will be 4 glad to listen. 7. What measures can be undertaken by the provincial government to improve labor relations in B.C.? - Hayes: A less confron- tational attitude - needed. Howard: We must develop laws reflecting labor-management rela- tions in consultation with labor and industry, get everyone in the same room seeking an accord between workers and management. . Parker: We can con- tinue the Premier’s lead toward consultation in- stead of confrontation. _ 8. Are you in favor of increasing the provincial government’s shareable portion of education - costs? Hayes: Yes. As an ex- ample, the B.C. Liberal Party is committed to a 10 percent increase in funding to post-secon- dary education, Howard: The govern- ment should give back taxing authority to local boards, in that the boards should be al- lowed to tax industrial and commercial property for school purposes, and then see what the results are in terms of impact on the cost-sharing for- mula, It is a responsibili- ty on the part of the pro- vincial government to - provide adequate funds for education; the burden of the cost should be on resource in- comes rather than prop- erty owners. Parker: As a school trustee I’m close to this issue, and I know that if there is an increase the money has to come from somewhere else, which means funding cuts in some other program. What I would like to see is more judicious ap- plication of existing funds. 9. Should the B.C. health care financing LE Spe er eer Frank Howard, B.C. New Democratic Party candidate for Skeana. system be reviewed? Hayes: Yes - I believe - in equal access to quality health care. The B.C. Liberal Party would eliminate all user fees, including emergency ward, chronic care, and daily charges. Howard: It should be reviewed to the extent of removing user fees and eliminating the eight per-. cent income tax sur- charge, Parker: The financing comes out of general revenue. Nobody that I know of has ever been refused medical atten- tion; considering the cost, it’s a lot better than the U.S. system. 10. Should tax conces- sions be granted to northern B.C. com- munities to relieve the higher cost of living and doing business in remote areas? Hayes: It is B.C. Liberal policy that three tax-free years would be granted to small businesses in B.C., in- cluding the north, Howard: The province could negotiate with the federal government over the income tax question. It would help if the pro- vincial government would quit looking at the north as a source of wealth for the south to live on. The development — of secondary industry, something that would in- crease incomes through a value-added factor, would be preferable to a tax restructuring that leaves us in the same place we started. Parker: I don’t know if tax concessions are an ‘answer, it may be worth considering. A _ better transportation in- frastructure would help, but tax concessions alone will not alleviate the high cost of living in the north, Canadian weather The earliest calendar event is a 1604 reference to Champlain becoming snowbound in New Brunswick on Oct. 6, 1604. 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