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@ Braving the cold

SISTERS Kierra Obzera Obzera didn't jet the cald Snap last

time off schoo! during March break,

A14 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 28, 2001

{on bike) and Ajah week stop

them from getting outside and enjoying thelr

TRANSPORT MINISTER David Collenette has pro- mised to look into com- plaints that an instrument landing system (ILS) for the Terrace-Kitimat airport is being stonewalled.

The issue was raised in the House of Commons March 12 by Skeena Al- fiance MP Andy Burton.

Burton called ILS a “necessary safety feature that is long overdue”.

He noted a precision approach to Terrace would chop the number of missed flights that are unable to land here due to weather by 75 per cent.

“Last year our com- munity depended on 241 medical evacuations by jet aircraft to Vancouver and five evacuations had to be cancelled due to weather,” Burton said.

“Without reassurances that the aircraft will land we fake an incredible risk of losing a patient because we could not transport them in a timely manner.”

The federal transporta- tion minister pledged to investigate, ;

“IT am aware of the par- ticular problems at that airport,” Collenstte said. “I will take a personal

Bargaining

heat rises

after Alberta’s nurses ratify lucrative contract

B.C.’S REGISTERED nurses and the pro- vincial government have a new bench- mark to consider in negotiations to reach a contract.

Nurses in Alberta and their employers have a new contract making the former the best paid in their field in the country, for now.

Their new agreement, which takes hold April 1, boosts nursing wages by 17

to 22 pet cent over. two years, By April . -

2002, an Alberta registered nurse with nine years experience and with a diploma will make $33.42 an hour for a total of $64,000 a year, an increase of $12,000 a year over the current rate. A new nurse will make $24.70 an hour, or more than $49,000 a year which is a raise of approx- imately $6,500 a year, .

B.C.’s registered nurses want wage in- creases of 60 -per cent. They now make, on average, $26.50 an hour but they want that increased to $42 an hour. The aver- age registered and registered psychiatric urse now makes approximately $50,000 a year, not including overtime or other factors,

The wage increase demand would push that average to close to $80,000,

For the Terrace and Area Health Council, which runs Mills Memorial Hos- pital and Terraceview Lodge, the impact

could be more than $210,000 based on the approximately 70 full time equivalent registered nurses it employs,

B.C. Nurses’ Union officials say the in- crease is needed to keep nurses in B.C. and away from other.places prepared to offer substantially more than they naw make. ‘Nurses in Ontario, for example, make an average of $30.25 an hour;

. Nurses here are coming off a contract over three years which gave them 0, 0

_and 2 per cent.

There are approximately 26,500 regis- tered and registered psychiatric nurses in the province, but there are also close to 1,000 vacancies.

There are approximately 900 registered nurses. in the northwestern part of the pro- vince. _

Nurses who use vehicles also want an increase from. 38 cents a kilometre. to $1.25 a kilometre.

And nurses want a night shift premium increase to $6 an hour from the current $1 an hour, $3 an hour instead of 50 cents an hour for working weekends and an in- crease to $12 an hour for being on-call,

That latter demand is $2 an hour more than what local physicians and specialists now receive for being on-call. This $10 an hour fee is being renegotiated.

about landin

look at this to see what his

concems are and to see if there needs to be any re- medy from Transport Ca- nada on this issue.”

Local airport officials _have complained that Nav Canada, the not-for-profit agency that controls air navigation, is stalling in the face of repeated de- mands for the system to be set up here, _ The airport sent its re- quest last summer and Nav Canada promised an an- _swer within four or five weeks,

A new lighting system

MP grills fed minister

g system

on the main runway at the airport has helped pilots a bit and logging on a moun-

fain at the south end of the.

main runway several years ago removed some trees

which lowered the height

aircraft can descend before pilots must make visual contact with the runway in order to land,

But local aviation ad- vacates say an ILS system

remains the best bet to.

erase the airport’s reputa- tion as a place where landings are a problem be- cause of weather.

CRIME ail) STOPPERS

635-TIPS|

CRTC FE CRTC HEARING Canad"

The CATE invites you ta participate at a public hearing commencing on 17 April 2001 at9.00 AM, at tne Conference entre, Phase IV, 140 Prom. du Partaga, Hull, Oc,, to con- sider the applications from CTV Television Inc., acting as an agent on behalf of OKS Cabta Comaration, Regional Cablesystams (Waster Inc. and Shaw Cablesystams Company, for authority to distribute CIVT-TV {Vancouver) ag a distant signal in the inte- tior of 8.C. As af September 1, 2001, CTV Fogrammiag will no longer be available to B.C. residents on CHAN-TV ar CHECK-TV. Oni the same date, CIVT-TV (Vancouver) will

commence full carriage of CTY programming. The applicants mentioned above have +

applied ta carry CIVT-TV as a distant signal in ordar to ensure the continued accass of their subscribers ta CTY programming through @ B.C. station, For mare information, please consult the notice of public hearing. if you wish to supper or oppose an appii- cation, write 10 the Secretary General. CATC, Cttawa, Ont, KIA ON2, You may also file your intervention by fax at (819) 994-0716 or by e-mail at: procedure@crte.ge.ca. Your comments must be received at the CRTC on cr bafara § April 2001 and include the proof that you sent a copy to the applicant, The CRIC may allow intervenors who wish to comment on these applications and participate in the heating but who ara unabla to attend the hearing, to present their comments by teleconference withaut requiring them ta file written interventions. Formore information: 1-877-249-CRTC (Tall- free) or Internet http:/Awwerte.ge.ce, Reference documant: Notice of Public Hearing CATC 2001-2-3, a. , .

7 | Conseil da la radiodittusian et des

Canadian Radio-television and | Télécommunicallons canadiannes

Talesommunteations Commission

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‘

| The Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters ' | (SAFER) program provides direct rent

making ends meer.

SAFER is one of the many programs offered by delivering affordable housing programs.

aie |

Helping seniors across B.C. :

assistance for people age 60 and over — :

a time when some people have trouble ~

‘BC Housing

SAFER is designed to help older British Columbians on fixed incomes pay for rent and leave them with enough money for the other necessities of life such as food, utilities and transportation,

if you are a senior who spends more than 30 per cent of your income on rent, you may be eligible for rent assistance provided by the SAFER program. Over 12,000 B.C. seniors are benefiting from the program... you could too.

BC Housing, the provincial agency responsible for -

Call (604) 433-2218 or 1-800-257-7756 (outside the Lower Mainland) and ask for more information about the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SA

FER) program. For more information on BC Housing, visit wwnw.behousing.org. _ ; :

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