Page A4 — Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 12, 1990

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_ EDITORIAL —

We’ re born and then we die. In bet- ween we become sick, become injured in accidents and abuse our bodies. That

"simple reality sums up the questions sur-

rounding what kind of health care system should exist in the province. But. reality sometimes has its com-

' plicating factors and health care, par- ticularly in the north, is not so much a

matter of being healed but of having the ‘services and organization necessary to accomplish the task.

The provincial Royal Commission on Health and its Costs heard a lot about the mechanics of health care during

hearings in the north last week. There

isn’t enough money, there isn’t enough training, there aren’t enough profes- sionals, it’s expensive to travel down south for specialized medical treatment.

But one common theme that popped

A healthy brew

up was the cooperation, or lack thereof, | between health care agencies and even those who work in different sections of those agencies.

Perhaps what the commission was

- really hearing is that bureaucratic struc-

tures born in larger centres and transplanted up north simply don’t work. Each organization requires its own administrative and decision making structure. When resources are few, the adminstration of those resources takes up an inordinate amount of time and money better spent elsewhere.

Of all the recommendations the com- mission will assemble, a clear statement that northern spending on health is bet- ter accomplished by northern agencies made up of northern people is in order. With that in mind, here’s a toast to our health.

Deeper problem

As much as it is comforting to the vast majority of Canadians to see the army moving in on the Mohawk barricades, there lies one central issue that is not so comforting. And that is the ability of Quebec to deal with those who do not support its own sense of nationalism.

There exists in Quebec a curious blend

of blindness and intolerance to anything |

that does not fit in with that province’s sense of culture, language, philosophy and history.

‘That blend is evident to the rest of us (and we’re not perfect by any means) who live in Canada and most certainly to the minorities who live in Quebec. In Quebec, with its harsh and abusive laws restricting the use of the English

language, for instance, it is their way or the highway.

It is also quite ironic to consider that the same grievances put forward by the Mohawks are quite simliar to those that Quebec lays out across the rest of the country.

Finally, the leadership qualifications of Quebec premier Robert Bourassa come into question. This is the second time Mr. Bourassa has had to ask for federal help in the form of the army.

. Aside from the issue of Quebec saying it can run its own affairs but turning to the federal government when it is in a jam, it makes you wonder what kind of leader of a separate country Mr. Bourassa would be.

students prefer Usk

If the Ministry of Highways ever towed away Usk’s ferry as they did Robson-Castlegar’s, 18

Through |

. similar

families tiving on the north side

of the Skeena would be Bifocals

marooned, They could save bY Claudette Sandecki

themselves from being left high.

and dry by pointing out loss o Usk. may wind up baiting slug i

the ferry would scuttle the education ministry’s Year 2000 curriculum.

“Caledonia high school students especially would be demotivated if the ferry ran aground. Though few people — beyond parents and teachers — may realize it, Usk and its ferry are powerful motivators in the academic endeavours of many Caledonia scholars.

For some learners, the hamlet of Usk beckons like Taronto’s CN Tower, a pinnacle of

achievement toward which they strive unswervingly; for others, it’s Usk’s reaction ferry that coaxes them to do well on ex- ams. Either way, Usk occupies grads’ thoughts dispropor-

_ tionately to its overt economic

prospects.

Leaf through any Caledonia Kermode -yedrbook to find a sampling of Usk references:

A shoe store. ‘owner’s son hopes to take over his father’s business and become a millionaire. . Or he'll repair shoes in Usk.

. Another grad intends to bea

_ billionaire computer tycoon

before he’s 20. Short of that achievement, he'll operate’ a

computerized garbage dump at :

tte Qe Ree meg wl

A guitar-picker yearns to play lead and rythm in a big rock 'n roll band: but he realized he may be satisfied playing washboard in a jug band at an Usk bar,

The guitar-picker can expect to have qualified backup, however. If a musical lass who visualizes becoming the prin- cipal flutist of the New York Philharmonic falls short, she'll play cymbals in the Usk band.

A female grad grooming

herself tc become a hairdresser

(or an interior decorator) says if success brushes past her she'll decorate outhouses in Usk.

A pessimistic grad, who sees her life gojng downhill faster

than a northbound Usk resident in a jalopy without brakes, .

daydreams of succeeding Julie as Loveboat’s cruise director,

but will reconcile to selling ~

tickets for the Usk ferry.

One girl with a rotten self- .

image, -is resigned to living in Usk, as an old maid, A fellow underachiever can live with the prospect of being poor, but looks to relieve her Poverty by

winning Usk’s Shack-of-the- -

Year contest,

A science student keen to

become a marine biologist in

Australia nontheless Sexpects she.

Usk. . And a grad with an en- trepreneurial bent fears ending up as Usk’s ferry manager. He may have to compete for the position, though, because a classmate gazed into a crystal ball and saw herself running to the Usk ferry. and having to drink warm beer in a little shack. .

Besides revealing the scope of grads’ ambitions, these thumb- nail predictions warn Usk’s community association to gear up for a popluation influx, should Caledonia alumni suffer career failures en masse.

-At least it’s an excuse. for staffing a-ferry that’s afraid to leave the dock...

MIGRATIONS "

me,

KOQKUN’S. CIENCE. . ERI ES. es cm

‘eo D PECAD pes BIOLOGISTS WERE

PILED BY THE FALL REVERSAL oF CARIBOU. 7

Coy

Socreds heading to fall election |

VICTORIA — The latest in- dicator of a fall election came a few days ago when finance | minister Mel Couvelier released the first quarterly financial report for the 1990-91 fii seal year.

When Mel talks of the dangers of inflationary wage settlements and the need to» contain public sector spending,

. you can bet that he’s flying... ‘another election campaign kite. «

The report shows a - remarkable and, I believe, deliberate lack of optimism. Its warnings of tough times ahead are to stress the need of good fiscal management. There is the unspoken warning not to turn to the NDP in times of need.

The report says British Col- umbia’s economy has slowed down as a result of weaker economic conditions in the rest of North America, as well as “some softening” in resource product markers, particularly pulp and paper.

Consumer spending and in- vestment continue at high levels, says the report, but are growing more slowly than in 1989. And then comes a reference to what is un- doubtediy to be a plank in the Socred election platform — in- flationary wage settlements.

Premier Vander Zalm already said some time ago that public sector wage set- tlements might have to be

‘ regulated. Some sort of

restraint program is obviously in the works.

In the first seven months of this year, the report says, the British Columbia Consumer Price Index rose by 5.6 per cent, compared with the na- tional average increase of 4,9 per cent.

Wage settlements during the

‘same period rose at an annual

rate of 6.4 per cent, compared with the national figure of 5.6 per cent, according to the report.

Retail sales and housing starts, two of the most impor- tant economic indicators, are down, but still very lively com-

Qt

cc as nel

f , Wb Ne aie J) | im)

“THEN RECENTLY THO. BiologssTs FouND THAT

DURING THE FALL CARIBOU GORGE on Musy Rooms: a,

From the

Caplial by Hubert Beyer

pared with the national figures.

- The only positive note is the report’s reference to capital-i -in- vestment which is to remain

' strong at an anticipated $18.1

billion this year, up from the original forecast of $17.9 billion.

The government’s own ‘financial house is in order, ac- cording to Couvelier’s report. Revenues and expenditures are “fon track," and the minister confidently predicts a ‘‘balanc- ed budget.” I dressed the term

in quotation marks because the |

last budget also laid claim to being balanced when, in fact, it wasn't.

Couvelier expects the B.C, © economy to grow by three per cent this year. Better than

-nothing,but rather paltry when

compared with some.other economies.

West Germany, for instance, experienced a 14.1 per cent growth during the first quarter, In fact, the West Ger- man economy is so sirong that despite having to shore up the bankrupt East German economy after the reunifica- tion, economic growth is still © expected to be i in excess of five per cent. ;

On the other side of the globe, Japan was expecting a five-per-cent growth, but that figure could be derailed by an increase in oil prices, resulting from the Persian Gulf crisis.

’ Heje are some of the report’s doom-and-gloom |

' scenarios: “Growth in the rest —

of North America is very slow; rising oil prices may tipthe North American economy into

a recession and fuel higher in-

flation at the same time.

“The federal government’s proposed goods and services tax will ‘also cause slower

“gut ff Took Two

Bush MASTERS To |. SHow SCIENTISTS. |: THAT THE WEIRD: | FALL MIGRATION S. <u) ARE SimPLY BECAUSE.

growth and higher inflation in 1991; demand for capital from Burope: may keep. interest rates high. . : “Despite recent declines, ; Canadian treasury bill rates are still more than five percentage points above U.S. rates and .

the resulting high ‘value of the’

Canadian dollar relative to the American dollar threatens our

. export competitiveness in the

short term.”.

Most crown corporations did well during the first three mon- ths of the current fiscal year, The best performance was

~tumed in by B.C. Hydro

which reported a $24 million

-profit, up $15 million during

the corresponding period last | year. But Couvelier doesn’t even . mention B:C. Hydro's ac- complishment. He concentrates on the bad news, and that leaves me to conclude he's try- ing to use the report for elec- . lion purposes,

The blood-sweat-and-tears approach worked for Bill Ben-_ nett in 1983, and now Vander’ |

’ Zal, hopes it will work for _him, Never mind that we're «.

not in a recession, which we: were when Bennett convinced. L voters in 1983 that restraint .- was the only way to go. - Sadly for Vander Zalm, he hasn’t got.much else to fight an election with. Aside from.

_ the Native land claims issue

and some post-Meech Lake .. posturing, both of which are: refusing to-catch'on as election issues, he-can: only hope that voters still belleve'in the ©: Socred's ability to control the i purse strings.

_ Sadly again for Vander Zaim, that myth: doesn’t carry’ half the punch it once did, but as: said, he hasn't got- much < else. .

“THE CARIBOU ARE.

STONED‘ |