_— ee

els eee eee

Terrace Review —- Wednesday, November 13, 1991 5

Candidate profiles, Nov. 16 school board election

STEWART CHRISTENSEN

KEN HANSEN

JACQUES (JACK) LEBLANC

Stewart Christensen is director of engineering for the -

city of Terrace, a resident of Terrace since 1969, and
has experience as a school trustee from a two-year
elected term and a one-year appointed term. His two
sons have gone through school in Terrace, and he is a
member of the Terrace Rotary Club and active as a
‘local church member.

Christensen says he intends.to work as a trustee
toward maintaining educational standards in the district
within. the financial limitations imposed on schoo!
boards by the provincial government, while ensuring

. that the board gets good value for its money.

When asked what approach to education he would

like to see the new provincial. government take,

Christensen said he hopes some autonomy will be
returned to local officials. If that occurs, he notes, it
will bring with it increased accountability for the
board.

"I feel that the primary local issue is in creating a
spirit of unity amongst the students, the teachers, the
parents and the school board members in achieving our
common objective, which is a high standard of educa-
tion for our students,” he said. "Today’s students must
be prepared for a life-long learning experience."

Ken Hansen is a logger, having worked in virtually
every aspect of the industry, including bush work as a
logger and machine operator, mechanic, millwright and
pipe welder. "I’ve moved trees from stump to dump,
through sawmills and pulp mills," he says. Hansen has
paid taxes.in the local school district since 1974 and

-his children have gone through the public school

system here.

Hansen said he decided to run for school trustee
because he is not satisfied that local taxpayers are
getting value for their money out of the school system.
He sees taxes paid into education as an investment and
expects a return on that investment: well-educated
students. "On the evidence I see in our students, I am
not satisfied with the return on my investment," he
says.

Hansen notes that the taxation rate on his property
has tripled in the past 10 years. He asks, "Are
[teachers’] wages and benefits now three times
greater? Are students now three times harder to teach?
Do we now have three times as many students? Do we
now keep them in school ‘three times longer?"

Hansen says he is seeking office to bring greater

‘| accountability to the local board’s actions and policies.

Jack LeBlanc is a contractor and businessman, a
long-time resident of Terrace who has been involved
in local sports as a coach, He says he is running for
school trustee because he has gotten a great deal out

of the community and wants to put something back
into it through public service. "There is a growing

interst in education; there are a fot of big changes
coming,” he says.

One of the reasons he filed his nomination is that he

found the lack of interest in the last trustee election
"disheartening" and he says it is encouraging to see
other candidates in the race. LeBlanc is not running on
a single issue, but says there are some specific pro-
jects, like the Young Moms Program, that have
attracted his interest.
With the change in the provincial government,
LeBlanc believes it is important for trustees to ensure
that the district gets its fair share of funding under
whatever policies the new regime brings about.

LeBlanc says, "People on the board need to sit down
and talk, prepare, put aside their personal feelings and
differences. The reality is that the school system is a
big-team, and we have to do what we can to make
things work out for the general good."

SALE RUNS
OCT. 15/91
. LHROUGH
DEC. 15/91

LABOUR - UNDERLAY - CARPET

# HARDING

En Vogue Plush Saxony
Stardom Plush Saxony
Top Brass Sculpture
Tahili Twist Trackless
Key Largo Berber

Fashion Dream Plush Saxony

Stainless
Stainless
Stainmaster
Stainless
Stainmaster
Stainless

Armstrong Candide
Armstrong Prevail

All Domco Lino 10% Off

$21.95
$15.95

- Blue Star Flooring is Terrace’s newest floor fashion centre.
We feature Harding Carpets, Armstrong Floor Coverings,
Domco Floor Coverings, Colmar Floor Coverings, Horizon
Carpets, Happy Foot
Underlay and Centura Ceramics.
We offer a unique assoriment of carpets and runners.

_¥ Colmar Metropolitan & Colmar Studio .. 20% Off, only until Nov. 16/91
/ Special new home deals / Free estimates
/ Harding Carpets are exclusive in Terrace & Kitimat at Blue Star Flooring

ee :
‘smiling!

Fax 638-8833

BLUE STR FLOORING =

CONTRACT FLOORING

DIVISION OF BLUE STAR
4550 GREIG

_ 638-8881