oh ht ta New cops on the block IF YOU don't recognize many of the RCMP of- ficers in town these days it's because they've just gone through a major rotation. That means we have lots of new faces from other places in uniform here. That's con- stable Tara Clements, fram Edmonton. With her is constable Blake Walkinshaw. His — last posting was at Fort Rae in the Northwest Terri- taries. Compared to there, he says, Terrace is down right balmy, And on the right is constable Mike Hacker, who hails from Toronto, Other new officers not pictured here include constables Jamie Saxton, Jason Mac- donald, Tania Wilson and Joe Hanley. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 17, 1997 - A3 News In Brief Gov’t probes abuse complaints Foster care allegations taken to neutral bodies’ : By CRIS LEYKAUF A MAN concerned about native children in the care of the Ministry for Children and Families Were is turing to non-ministry agencies for Yelp. ’Bill Christiansen, a former native and youth family advocate, says at least eight native chil- dren he knows of have been abused while in foster care. ? And he claims parents of those children have experienced discrimination from ministry staff. "So Christiansen is directing his complaints to the provincial: Ombudsman’s office and to the BC Human Rights Commission. ‘*7 want an inquiry. There shouldn’t have to be a death before someone looks into what’s going on around here,’” he says. ‘The Human Rights Commission is holding hearings into proposed changes to the Human Right Code tonight at the Coast Inn of the West, and that’s where Christiansen will first bring up some of his complaints. * The Children and Families ministry is also conducting its own review into Christiansen’s allegations, at Cash, As if You Needed Another Reason To Buy An Arctic Cat. Now’s the time to make your move on. an Arctic Cat.® That's because if you buy 2 new ‘98 Cat™ You'll get $300 in Cat Cash™ to use for quality Arcticwear® clothing, and genuine Arctic Cat parts and accessories. We also have great financing options you won't want to miss. And with one full lineup of Arctic Cat sleds, you're sure to find the machine you want. But you’d better hurry because deals like these won't stick around for long. You only have until Sept. 30, 1997 Always wear a helmet and don't drink and ride, © 1997 Arctic Cat Sales Inc., @™Trademarks of Arctic Cat Inc., Thief River Falls, MN 56701 (218) 681-4999 NEO Seeenae LTD. What Snowmebitings All About” At the local level the ministry is looking into five cases be brought to their attention. And Ross Dawson, director of the child protection branch, has asked for a review of a case of a five-year-old boy who Christiansen alleges was sexually, physically and emotionally abused while in foster care. That boy then abused his three-year-old sister, says Christiansen, and is now talking about kill- ing himself. Sam Rainboth, a ministry spokesman, said Dawson will review Christiansen’s allegations, to see if they have any substance, However Christiansen doesn’t trust the minis- try to do ils own review, saying a neutral party is needed. , The: grandfather of the boy whose case is being reviewed by the ministry, is unhappy with the treatment he’s received from the ministry. Tony (his last name is not being used to pro- tect the children) claims he and the children’s mother have been through many social workers during the boy’s short life, and most of those social workers ‘‘don’t widerstand anything about the native problem.’” He acknowledges his family has had prob- lems, including alcohol abuse, but says they’ve been willing to take the programs necessary to help ect the five-year-old boy and his sister ck. ‘What's the use of going to treatment centres or counselling --- the system doesn’t work,” says Tony. “It’s like you get an echo back from (the so- cial workers.) It's like you’re talking in the mountains.” Carol Sabo, of the £ AO a Terrace Women’s Resource Centre, says there’s few parenting programs here to help parents improve them- selves so they can get their children back out of foster care. **They expect parents to become bet- ter parents overnight,”’ she says. Christiansen = says he’s: “asking parents who have complaints with the Children and Christianson Families ministry to fill out discrimination forms and submit them to the Human Rights Comunission. New UNBC chair for NW DR. MARIAN Scholtmeijer has been appointed the uew northwest regional chair for the University of Northern B.C, She takes over the position for one year from Dr. Margaret Anderson, who is currently on sab- batical. Dr. Schoitmeijer has lived in Terrace for two years, teaching English courses for UNBC and First Nations Studies for Wilp Wilxo’skwhl Nisga’a in New Aiyansh. She has a PhD from Simon Fraser University. The regional chair is the main academic and adminis- trative position for UNBC in each of the three regions. In addition to helping develop courses for regional, delivery, the regional chair also provides student ser- vices and works with community representatives to identify areas of educational need. While on sabbatical Dr. Anderson is working to de- velop a multi-media, computer-based publication and research archive for studying the Tsimshian culture. She’s compiling field research by various scholars from the past 50 years. The result will be a multi-media resource to be used by scholars, Tsimshian com- raunities and students. Picker found STEWART RCMP rescued a 42-year-old female mushroom picker last week who had been missing in the bush for five days. Nida Walsh of Surrey, B.C. disappeared from the Van Dyke Forest Service Road, just off Hwy 37 on Sept. 5, Informal searching was conducted by friends and other pickers late into the evening before police were contacted, The RCMP responded to the search the following morning, and on Sept. 7, the Provincial Emergency Program team arrived on the scene. Three different helicopter firms, along with Terrace, Hazelton and Bulkley Valley Search and Rescue teams, Terrace’s police dog and many local volunteers were involved. At about 6 p.m. Sept. 10, Walsh was spotted from the air, about nine kilometres from where she was last seen. Police say she was rescued in good condition and didn’t require medica} attention. Cops meet citizens THE MONTHLY meeting of the RCMP Community Consultative Committee is coming up Sept. 24. ; Don’t be put off by the lengthy title. This is simply a meeting between the police and any citizens concerned | about various aspects of policing or crime in the com- munity. , All citizens are welcome to attend. It’s at the RCMP detachment, Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. For move info, call Inspector Steve Leach at 638-7415, Student jobless rate high UNEMPLOYMENT RATES for B.C, students are the highest this decade. According to figures released last week by Statistics Canada, B.C.’s student unemployment rate from May until August of this year was 19 per cent. That’s up from last year’s 16.2 per cent and nearly double 1990's 9.4 per cent, That left about 25,000 studenis in the province unem- ployed during the summer. More than 75,000 students are expected to apply fora student loan this fall. Great Grocery Give Away Helping reduce your grocery bill these community minded sponsors want to help stretch your food $$ this fall. Sept. 1 Sept. 24 Oct 1 ARCTIC CAT Each time you visit the Terrace Co-Op food floor between Now & Oct. 27, 1997 you have a chance to Win a cart full of groceries valued at over $300. Receive your entries at any Co-op food cashier. No purchase necessary but the more times you visit the more chances you have to win. FA RMS LTD Pe The GROCERY JIM DANIEL _ PEOPLE — aa - Phone 635- 3478 te Fay 635250505 OTD. Oo - oo