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TERRACE STANDARD |

~Bustness REvIEw

Local to address Senate
on air security surcharge

By JEFF NAGEL

A TERRACE AIRLINE
owner plans to appear be-
fore the Senate to urge Ot-
tawa lo alter its plan to
make air passengers pay a
$12 air security fee start-
ing next month.

Hawkair Aviation's
Dave Menzies has been
invited ta appear in Otta-
wa before the Senate com-
mittee on finance or else
participate by videoconfer-

‘ence from Vancouver on

either Mar, 2! or 25th.
“This thing they've
brought in here is a blatant

tax grab, that’s the only

way to describe il,” said
Menzies, a vocal opponent
of the air security sur-
charge.

He contends the sur-

charge is wrong-headed,

unfair and that the federal
government isn’t even

technically prepared to” —

proceed with it. :
“Hawkair is: incensed ‘it
will, have to charge ils
passengers. the fee. even
though there’s-no indica-
tion yet-any enhanced se-
curity will be applied here
or at the Vancouver air-
port’s south terminal.

Menzies said that

Out & About

New TEDA head picked

THE TERRACE Economic Development Authority
has chosen a new executive director,

Brian Baker will start Apr. 8, replacing Ken
Veldman, who has moved to Prince George.

Baker comes here from Baie Verte, Newfound-
land, where he worked as a placement officer for
the Sedler Employment Corp. He worked with local
business, the community and government agencies,

A graduate of the University College of Cape
Breton, Baker’s area of expertise is community de-
velopment and comparative development studies.

TEDA’s board of directors picked Baker from a
number of applicants from across Canada.

It's a Save-On

OVERWAITEA will shut down late this week and
re-open Saturday as a Save-On Foods.

The much-rumoured transformation takes place
Friday ahead of a grand reopening Saturday.

It caps a major renovation of the store and an ex-
pansion of nearly 11,000 square feet, or about 40 per
cent, that has been underway since August,

Aboui 8,000 square feet was added by extending
the eastern wall of the building, with the rest com-

“tie by expanding into. other. mall retail space.

eRe parhacy" las been-added and 4 photo céntté]°*
and a Changes recycling:centre were also part of

the plan. The expansion eliminates 36 parking stalls.

through SU

One way. Includes all taxes and airport fees.

BOOK WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

NDAY, MARCH 31, 2002

For selected flights
APRIL 1 through JUNE 1, 2002

Minimum 3 day advance required, new bookings
only, limited seating, restrictions apply.

Hawkair wishes to advise our customers that alll
seats at all prices purchased prior to April 1, 2002
will NOT be subject to the proposed federal tax of

$12 one way / $24 round trip. Buy now to save.

Call your favorite travel agent or

-HAWKAIR RESERVATIONS
635-4295

We're open 7am - 7 pm, 7 days.a week

means its passengers will
pay the fee for a service
they won't receive - and
they'll even pay GST on it,

Another bone of conten-
tion for smaller airlines is
the fact the fee will be
paid on each ticket issued.

Because Air Canada
will issue one ticket fur a
customer travelling a num-
ber of connecting legs with
that’ airline; an Air Canada
passenger: may. only pay
the $12 fee once, or twice
for a round trip.

-But a Hawkair passen-
ger who connects to a
Westjet flight to Calgary
buys separate tickets and
will pay the fee twice to
get to Calgary, or four
times to return,

Menzies said federal
Tevenue officials indicate
those passengers will be
able to apply for a refund,
because the fee is to only
apply once on a contin-
uous journey. ’

But he said that means
passengers will have to fill
out forms to get their
money back.

Also affected ig TR Air
Charters.

Its passengers don’t
even enter the terminal
building — the airline has a
small separate building
with direct access to the
tarmac and TK Air’s se-
ven-seat Piper Navajo.

“We won't see any new
security,” Bowker said.
“The passengers won't feel
any safer going from Ter-
race to Smithers.”

Menzies is also angry
with transport minister
David Collenette’s sugges-
tion that air fares can be
cut to offset the $12 per
flight surcharge because
Ottawa’ is taking"over: se-
curity costs airlines pre-
viously paid.

“David Collenette is a

a.

}

Dave Menzies

blithering idiot,” Menzies
said. “With that statement
he exposes exactly how
much he understands the
airline industry in Canada,
which is not at all.”

“My cat would make a
betler transport minister
than David Collenette,”

Menzies says the only
real beneficiary is Air Ca-
nada.

The security surcharge
aids the big carrier by
picking up its costs, he
says, but picks other air-
lines’ pockets to pay for a
system many won't even
use. .

“It’s as if Air Canada
wrote the rules,” he said.
“It’s going to be a benefit
to them and it’s going to
hurt everyone else by

making their service less -

affordable.”

Menzies argues the
thousands who died in the
collapse of the World
Trade Centre and the re-
sulting economic downturn
are proof that all citizens
and society benefit from
tighter air securily, and not
just those on a hijacked
plane.

Therefore the costs

ought to be borne by the:

government as a whole,
and not just airline passen-
gers, he says.

Ihe lerrace Standara, yednesaoy, murcn zu, 2uuZ -

B Wed & Thurs Pasta Special
g 2 Small Pastas » 15 Wings &

as Oast Mountains SCHOOL DISTRICT

3211 Kenney Street, Terrice, LC. V8G 3E9 hone 250635-4931 # L-HUO-G65-6134 © Fax 250-635-4287

March 12, 2002

Hon. Christy Clark

Minister of Education and Deputy Premier
P.O. Box 9045 :
Stn Prov Govt

Victoria, B.C. V8W 9E2

Dear Ms. Clark:

We are writing to express our concern regarding the interpretation and application of
the recently passed Education Services Collective Agreement Act (Bill 27) ond the
Public Education Flexibility and Choice Act (Bill 28).

As you are aware, in any educational program, the teacher is the ultimate service
provider through their constant interaction and contact with the students. We
recognize and valve the essential contribution our teachers make in the delivery of
education programs within our School District. We appreciate the work they do and
the commitment they demonstrate in educating our children. We have worked hard to
build a positive working relationship with our teachers, however, since the passage of
the legislation, we have noticed a marked decline in morale. Our Administrative
Officers, through hard work, are doing their best to maintain a positive learning
environment for the benefit of our students.

We are concerned that the impact of this legislation and the recent budget
announcements, will reduce our ability to meet the requirements of our Accountability
Contract which focuses on student achievement, We will be unable to financially meet
legislated obligations. Some of the budget difficulties relate to issues of non-lunded
salary increases in Years Two and Three of the Legislated Collective Agreement. The
only mechanisms readily apparent to us to combat this issue is increased class sizes,
subsequent downsizing of the wark force and school closures.

We wish to appeal to this Government fo reconsider and to provide funding for the
mandated increases.

ard ta

We trust you will give serious consideration to our concerns and we look forw
jour reply ‘ beove ae eoofom a Ce

Linda Campbell
Chair,

an coe i ee

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