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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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