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Vital clue uncovered

RCMP now. have a drawing of me
person who might know: about :
Lana Derrick\NEWS A AT

[ Celebrate alife

‘The holidays bee sad time
for those who have lost. loved
| ones\COMMUNITY Bi

he forest service finds ‘out how
much we | love B.C.'s. great
outdoors\SPORTS BS

By JEFF NAGEL
SKEENA MP Mike Scott is standing by
his allegations of corruption within vari-
ous native governments in the northwest.
Scalt hinted at financial improprieties
by native leaders during a town hall
meeting on the _ Reform Party's
aboriginal policy here Nov. 15.

“There are bands where the leadership |
is completely out of touch, where there ~

have been RCMP investigations. over
fraud and theft and foreign bank ac-
counts,"’ Scott told the public forum. +

Questioned after the meeting, Scott ad-
mitted most of his contentions are based
on anecdotal evidence.

The most solid evidence he has is a
copy of a 1992 RCMP investigation into

green,
~ em lig

How ‘and red aurora, of the north-
Astronomy text-books will tell.
you: that its the interaction: of the: ‘earth's
magnetic fields with: atomic: partictes’ com-"

ing. from the sun that: jcause ‘the ‘aurora,

gen in the upper cposphera, “eee made

alleged theft and fraud of money by offi-
cials of the Gitksan Wet’suwet'en

Government Commission.

Obtained under Access to Information,
the 300-page file documents allegations
of cerlain Gitksan house chiefs who said

‘native leaders used their names without

their knowledge or authorization ‘to ob-

tain economic development money: from

Ottawa,
The six-month investigation by Prince

Rupert. RCMP’s commercial crime unit:
concluded the allegations might be ‘a

civil matter for the parties involved, but
that they did not warrant criminal prose-
cution..

“T am aware there have been other in-

vestigations and there may be investiga-

2s Now this is spooky

ONE OF THE’ great pleasures of the night
sky in northern B.C, is catching the bright

tions,

to glow like the gas ina fluorescent light. .
Solar storms that cause large aurora have -
been known tordisrupt radio communica-: -
ahd power lines, Photographer
Brian-McNalr, who took this shot, prefers
to leave the boaks in the house and goes
aut to enjoy one of nature's most dramatic
displays. The next time’ you look out your

tions ongoing at the Present time,”* Scott

says,
Although proof may -be lacking, Scott

still maintains the overall picture is one:

of a: select group of well-heeled, well-

connected native leaders and bureaucrats 2
living. off the money that should be spent

bettering the life of the average person
on reserve.
““We see a small number of individuals

who appear to be benefiting from their

close proximity to the band council or

‘their involvement: in the’ ‘band council,

but the vast majority of native people are
not seeing any real benefit from the
money that is being spent,’’ Scott says.
“The accountability is poor to say the
least.’”

ut

a call.

window and. see a green glow in the night
: sky; ‘take your: camera out and give it a-
ty, ‘advises: McNair.-He says. it's: easier -
than you might think to get great aurora.
photographs, : This: photo was taken on-
400 ASA slide iilm. The camera was ona
tripod and the exposure was 30- seconds... |
if you're not sure how to doi it, give McNair:

“The structure often leaves ordinary
rank and file native person virtually at
the mercy of the band council,”’ Scott
‘says. “They have to hope: their band
council is going | to’be honest’ and above
board." >

He said Department of Indian Affairs

stats indicate 20 to 25 per cent of Indian’

bands. being sued by some of the people
they're representing, --

‘*That’s.a very clear indication this is a
problem. that is endemic within the na-
tive community in Canada,”’ .

the need for’ greater : native government
accountability, .

He .also contends that individual na-. -

tives should be able to decide whether or

was sinking,

By CRISLEYKAUF _ the

could be the victims of a the | three
government plan to cut edu-
cation costs.

The province wants to 88.

merge school districts to The money Js allocated by
. a» complex: formula which

pays school districts for spe-
_clal needs ‘students on a de-
tricts now get for special” ‘scending scale,

Simply’ put, school dis-
‘tricls receive a fixed amount
for, Abeig first special needs

save money,
But in doing so it could af-
fect the amount school, dis- .

needs education.
Right now, the Terrace,
Kitimat and Stikine school

disiricts receive a combined atudent “and. lower amounts
$7 million for the education for each one thereafter,
of mentally and physically’ .
handicapped students, me
But that could be cut by as
much as $800,000 a year if

In: the

province
SPECIAL NEEDS students through on iis plan to merge

‘Barry Piersdorff, secretary
treasurer. of School District

severely. hand.’ ;

000 pet ‘ei ‘tot fhe

follows — first four children,

‘districts, says

to $11,000 per child,

only ove district,

.Piersdorff. |

teacher.

If there are eight children,
the ministry reduces that
figure to $23,000 per child.
After that, the figure drops

While the number of spe-
cial needs students wan't:
change, there will be less |
money because. ihere’ll be.

There's @ reason: behind
this ‘formula stepping,’ said

If ‘a “district has just one
severely. handicapped: child,
then the salary anes a pee

fr 2

amount of money required
per child is theoretically cut
inhalf
Terrace ‘school board
. chairman John Pousette says”
that although it’s tao soon to:
try*and understand ‘the im-
-plications ‘of ‘these cuts: to.
Special needs studeits, there
‘ds “currently not’ lot of fat
in the system." -
When pressed he admitted
the.*.- reduction’. would
prejudice ihe education of
Special needs students,
The $800,000. that . could :

saved if the Terrace, Kitimat

come “ron” et
spending. "e458

Edhication . ministéz)"
Charbonneau |
‘month that ‘the proposed
merger
preserve: the “quality. of: ‘the
- me eitication syle. Bo

where rethty most benefit stu.
: ‘dents,"? said Charbonneau,
2 Under.the merger. Scheme,
=. the ott of: the

Cuts threaten special cl ie

fice workers.

remap

Art
said. last:

-scheme . would

Boys escape
car sinking |
in Skeena.

TWO BOYS are orphaned after batt pared c
Dec. 1 when their car went into the Skeena Riv

Dead are Hieu Loc Vo, 51, and Lien’ Thi i Bui, 49; both of
Langley. Their two sons — aged 10 and 1: I ged. pe
the right rear passenger door: and escape through it'as the car

The Vietnamese’ family w were: inovinig from Langle
ince Rupert when ‘their 1986 Ford Tempo’ spun out of'co
trol and went off the i icy, highway. into the river about 85 km
west of Terrace hear Polymar Creek. ; :
“There's indicatiéns’ the parents ‘aighe have helped ihe
kids get out first before they perished,” " said Prince, Rupert
RCMP Const, Mike Legault.
The boys swam to shote and ‘Stawled up the bank, where
passing cars ‘wete already stopping, ‘They. were treated at
Mills Memorial Hospital and are now staying with relatives,
The Terrace Water Rescue team scrambled and weré.on,.
scene an hour and 10 minjtes after the
Diver Dave Jephsen suited up and:
icy depths for the car, But conditions were extremely diffi- -
cult, with visibility about'a foot'and'a dangerous current, -
“Every time I turned around. there was a big tree or airock .
fin my way,” he added,” “
Ss It wasn’t until the ‘end of. the. second dive ‘that Jephsen
m. found the car ~ Upside down about ‘60 feet. downstream of,
where it went: ‘under; in: 16 to 18 feet of | water, Two more
di ves Were needed to hook’ acable to the car: oe
_* People can occasionally be resuscitated after being °
underwater up to an hour and a half, But by the time the ‘car:
~ was located, two and a half hours had passed and conditions,
" were too dangerous to také extra risks,
_ Entering the car when it\was found - = with air -ronining out

cy, but i shways maintenance: ‘Crews. were |
"working hard, aang out

secretary-treasurers and of-:

: come: up with,
Gn will be severely slashed their share. of the $20 mil-.
from .-21/ to seven). That Hoa:
reduction alone acéaiini (
an anticipated sayings ‘of apy”
proximately . $155,000. ‘be-. fion in savings it wants’ in
tween the three districts. 3
Grants. for-. Maintenance
will be increased by tPPTOR»
* imately -$160,000,-due toa.
complex . averaging of fac.
tors across all three current’
districts, explains Plersdorff, mist
And. grants: for aborigin “northwest.
. education will be reduced « ‘with rovincial
‘by: $100,000, from :-$1,8
million to $1.79 millon.

not their share of ireaty ‘gettlements
should be adininistered by their | ‘govern’
ments or go directly tothem,.  “”
Settling claims without doing” that _
or without a major change in the way na-.
tive governments operate — would lead:
to the select few becoming ultra-rich and’
the vast majority of natives getting little’
benefit from the treaty largesse, he says,
Native leaders maintain Scott is. merely”
trying to drive a wedge between natives:
and. their governments to. ultimately,

. defeat the treaty process.
Scott uses the allegations to proclaim :

“He’s just trying to inflame | the situa-i

tion,” says © Gitksan Treaty Office”
Spokeoman, Don Ryan, ‘ es

“Contd d Page A

manag

Wweht in the tive
began searching the

a aes T passed: two or a plows,” :

¢

the: ‘provincial govern--
tient wants to: see saved.
next year, and the $30-mil-

subsequen years,

“School boards: have ‘until
mid-April” -to” * sibmit” a
savings plan. :

_olticlals

Pete oe

district aon

“emer yet ee