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PRINCE GEORGE
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MASSIVE PROTEST AT LEGISLATURE
Loggers take case to Victoria
by Canadian Press
VICTORIA — B.C. Forests Minister Andrew Pettcr repeated a pledge today not to immediately implement a controversial Vancouver Island logging plan as thousands of loggers streamed into town for a giant protest rally.
Petter said the recommendations contained in a report by the province’s independent resources and environment commissioner will be shelved pending an economic-im-pact assessment.
“We’re committed to the future of forest workers and to the future of their communities,’’ Pettcr said. “We’re not going to let them down.”
He said a new strategy aimed at assisting struggling forestry-de-
pendent communities will be ready within two months.
The protesting loggers meanwhile, their trucks streaming symbolic yellow ribbons, continued to roll into town for today’s rally.
Logging trucks, motor homes and cars paraded down the narrow, rain-swept Island Highway all day, leading the Yellow Ribbon Caravan that will converge on the lawn outside the B.C. legislature today for a massive rally.
Vehicles lined up at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal south of Vancouver, as loggers and supporters from the mainland prepared to join the Island throng.
“This is going to be bigger than a rock concert,” said organizer Lynne Broekhuisen. Protesters
Layoffs feared at city college
by MARILYN STORIE Citizen Staff
The Ministry of Skills, Training and Labor have put the thumbscrews to deficit-ridden colleges in B.C., telling those considering tuition hikes they must comply with new demands before the increases are approved.
Colleges and other institutions in the province are faced with jumping 1994-95 tuition fees from nine lo 11 per cent for the coming calendar year.
Along with staff layoffs and program cutbacks, it is one of the unpalatable options left to institutions struggling to comply with funding freezes and continuing deficits.
Already faced with a projected budget shortfall of more than $1 million for the 1994-95 calendar year, the cash-strapped College of New Caledonia has $550,000 socked away to cut the deficit. That sum includes a
9.75-pcr-cent tuition fee hike that CNC is counting on in its calculations.
But even if tuition is increased, CNC staff and board members say layoffs may not be far behind at the college. Under the collective agreement with the CNC Faculty Association, layoffs must be announced by March 31 or wages must be paid for another year.
The government reserves the final decision on whether tutition fee increases will be allowed. A March 15 letter received from minister Dan Miller indicates the government will insist on more bang for the bucks put into higher education in the province before it approves fee hikes.
Low level of inflation cited
Calling if die “government’s perspective on tuition fee increases at the post-secondary institutions in 1994-95,” Miller notes the college board should take into account the “relatively low level of inflation in the economy at present.”
Miller informed the board that tuition fee increases should not “act as a barrier to post-secondary education.”
If the board decides to raise tuition fees above the rate of inflation, Miller asks that:
■ The decision be accompanied by steps to increase the availability of need-based student bursaries complementing existing student financial assistance programs;
■ A new tuition fee bylaw be requested by the college board that includes an outline of steps to address the minister’s requests above;
■ Other steps be considered such as enhancing student access, providing more high-demand programs and improving instructional services in student support services..
In a surprise move Friday night, the CNC board voted to table the
9.75-per-cent increase proposed last month.
Board members acknowledged it may only delay the inevitable, but that the budget to come down Tuesday afternoon should provide some final answers. A decision on whether to raise tuition fees is expected at a special meeting March 30.
“One of the things CNC has always been proud of is keeping a relatively low fee,” CNC president Dr. Terry Weninger said. “We recognize the hardships faced by students, but we have to balance it.”
were being urged to be orderly and ignore any goading from opponents.
The rally is intended to win the spotlight away from anti-logging cnviionmentalists and send one clear message to the politicians: Dump the report of the Commission on Resources and the Environment.
Known simply as CORE, the report recommends 13 per cent of Vancouver Island be set aside as parkland and a further eight per cent be protected with limits on logging and mining.
Commissioner Stephen Owen says his blueprint could cost 900 direct and indirect jobs unless the government retrains those who are displaced.
But loggers, and residents of Island communties that depend on the industry, say the report vastly under-estimates the job losses and they aren’t prepared to see their livelihood wiped out.
“We’re not trying to cause trouble,” said Dave Busch of Port Hardy as he made his way to Victoria.
“We just want the support of the people and it looks like we’ve got it. We started this morning in Port Hardy and we’re moving all the way through.”
Said another Port Hardy logger, George Martynuk: “If we shut down (logging in) the north island, we’re going to be a bunch of welfare cases up there.”
Premier Mike Harcourt, who
plans to address the rally, says his NDP government will not implement the CORE proposals until it has assessed their impact on the economy.
Many in Victoria welcomed the cavalcade by placing yellow flags atop buildings and tying yellow ribbons to flowering cherry trees and lamp standards.
But the weather was less accommodating as high winds whipped signs and placards off trucks.
Money spent by the demonstrators in Victoria will be marked with a yellow dot sticker saying B.C. Natural Resource Dollar to show how much spinoff money comes from logging and mining.
Port McNeill pharmacist Garnet Whitmarsh said it is not only
directly related industries that will suffer if forestry jobs are lost.
“We depend on the loggers,” he said. “If the loggers are not working, we can’t stay in business. We have been through it before with strikes. We go up and down with the logging industry.”
The rally is intended to be friendly, but concerns about security are growing.
Handouts say: “Pleasfi do not be goaded or intimidated by people who do not support the Community Coalition, we don’t need to see these conflicts in the media.”
Environmental groups have said they will have people on hand to comment, but do not plan any counter demonstrations.
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Farcus
by David Waisgiass Gordon Coulthart
it? - : *
B.C. budget: Watch for ‘non-tax’ hits
by Canadian Press
VICTORIA — Tuesday’s provincial budget will contain no new taxes, but British Columbians should brace for a “nontax” hit in the form of increased fees, licences and service charges.
Premier Mike Harcourt has already acknowledged inflated fees and other shadowy charges will amount to around $50 million in his NDP government.’s third budgeL
The Opposition Liberals are also warning taxpayers to keep a close eye on their usual provincial bills -- everything from
hydro rates to auto-insurance premiums.
“That’s where they’re going to get you,” says Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell. “I don’t think we should get too excited about this so-called tax freeze.”
The budget will be the first from Finance Minister Elizabeth Cull, who took over the portfolio from Glen Clark in last year’s cabinet shuffle.
Harcourt and Cull have already spilled the major budget numbers, which are: fl Spending will rise an estimated 3.5 per cent, Harcourt has said, so expect a total budget
package worth around $19.7 billion.
■ The annual deficit will come in under $1 billion for the first time in three years, so simple arithmetic points to total revenues of under $18.7 billion. Last year’s deficit was $1.5 billion.
■ Spending on health and education will rise 3.2 and 3.7 per cent respectively. Schools and hospitals will face new spending caps, forcing them to cut administrative costs while directing more funds to services.
■ New spending on training and child care.
As usual, the annual flurry of rumors arc making the rounds at the provincial legislature as budget day approaches. Some of the more reliable are:
■ A break for car buyers. Look for the tax on used vehicle trade-ins to be reduced or scrapped. Luxury cars buyers may get a break on a surtax introduced last year.
HI Changes to the controversial corporate capital tax. Expect the threshold at which the tax kicks in to increase.
■ A possible service charge or fee on customers of make-your-own beer and wine shops.
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Citizen photo by Brent Braaten
Dancers Melanie Stark and Mary Elizabeth O’Malley perform in the duo acrobatic dance class for those 14 and younger during the Prince George Dance Festival. The 18th annual event started Saturday at Vanier Hall and ends Friday ending with the honors performance. About 800 dancers, from Prince George and as far away as Calgary, are taking part in daily sessions.
Dancing duo
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