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A8 QUESNEL CARIBOO OBSERVER Wednesday, April 14th. -2004
Don't toss
your butts
Wow, what a great, warm and sunny Easter weekend!
That was great! Most of the snow is finally gone. Spring
has come to the Cariboo, and in no small measure.
In fact, it's pretty darn warm out there, and that brings
to mind a not quite so happy thought.
Fire season is on the way, and by the looks of thinigs, it
could well turn out to be a doozy. We've already heard
nervous reports of one fire this season in the Barrier
area.
Now, being mortal, there are only a few things we can
do to prepare for a natural disaster of the magnitude
faced by the B.C. Interior last summer. Hcwever, we are
also not entirely helpless.
One of the simplest things we can do is to stop being
slobs and butt out our cigarettes in the car's ashtray,
rather than flicking the butts out the window, as seems
to be the practice of many smokers.
It's a pretty small change iri behavior, but it could prove
a potent tool, if it catches on. Just butt the darn things
out and then empty out the ashtray into a garbage can
later on. Is that so hard to do?
Don't natter at us about how you are responsible butt
flickers. You're throwing incendiary devices that contain
chemicals specifically designed to keep them burning
right down to the filter, and you're throwing them onto
roadside grass and scrub that will undoubtedly get drier
and drier as the summer wears on.
Just don't do it any more.
Other than that, we can take a look around our own
homes and maybe clear up some of the scrub and dried
debris that could act as tinder during the dry season.
The local fire department held special sessions for homeowners
to show them what to do. Use that knowledge,
and, if possible, share it.
We are primates and therefore able to learn from experience.
Let's take whatever lessons we can from last
summer's wildfire infernos and apply them in very real
ways to our own lifestyle here.
After all, we're confident that people would rather
learn from other people's experiences of out of control
wildfires than from their own.
There's still time to
get Foundation tickets
As many people in Quesnel are already aware, this Saturday
is going to be a whole lot more than just a good
night to party. It's also a good night to party for a very
good cause.
That's because Saturday night is the night when the
Quesnel Community Foundation struts its stuff.
This worthwhile community organization has been
busy this year, raising money to create a legacy that will
continue to keep on giving, year after year.
Organizers of the event have lined up a top-notch
speaker for the big night, in the form of Jack Nelson.
Mr. Nelson, was not only the 1997 Citizen of the Year,
but he was nominated two other times for that prestigious
honour as well. Nelson, a noted local historian
and author, was also nominated for the province's Courage
to Come Back Award.
So, quite apart from the fact that it's for a good cause,
the evening should be interesting and a lot of fun, to
boot.
QUESNEL • CARIBOO
OBSERVER
UNCI 1*U
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Are ic costs under control?
The Liberals sound lost
on the threat of Olympic
cost over-runs.
Before the first lick of
work has started, Vancouver
Olympics organizers
are warning that they don't
have enough money to build
the rinks and ski trails and
other facilities needed for
the 2010 Games. They'll be
coming back to provincial
and federal governments
for more cash, says Games
chair Jack Poole.
That should be a cause
for concern. The Games are
going to cost about $3 billion;
even a small percentage
over-run can turn into big
dollars. And the government
had promised that every cost
was included.
The NDP raised the issue
in the legislamre, asking
the government what it has
found out about the size of
the cost over-runs and what
measures are in place to
control spending.
Christy Clark responded
to the questions - you
couldn't say she answered
them - in her capacity as
deputy premier.
Nothing to worry about,
she said. The province won't
come up with any more
money. The budget is fixed.
Contingency funds are built
into budgets.
That's a remarkably in-
Darcy Wiebe
Publislwr/Adv.Msr.
Neil Horner
Editor
H
Paul Willcocks
VICTORIA REPORT
accurate answec There is
no limit to the province's
commitment. To win the
Games Premier Gordon
Campbell promised to assume
all responsibility for
any Olympic cost over-runs
or revenue shortfalls.
It's a reasonable enough
risk, but it remains a risk.
And simply wishing away
the problem of cost overruns,
or hiding from them,
is irresponsible.
Especially because the
Games' organizers are already
warning that the construction
cost allowances
aren't adequate to cope with
inflation and other pressures
over the next six years. The
Games has a capital budget
of $620 million, with the
cost shared between the
federal and provincial governments.
If it's not enough,
BC. taxpayers -the ones ultimately
on the hook - need
to know.
Cost over-runs are a
constant Olympic reality.
The team organizing the
f i-,',:,«. -ift
^ r /
BevWd^itman
Production Mgr.
I
JaiceyFonnan
Circulation Mgr.
2006 Games in Piedmont,
Italy, visited Vancouver this
month to share information.
Figure on up to 15 per cent
in extra costs for unexpected
emergencies, they advised,
and 20-per-cent cost overruns
on construction.
Provincial Auditor General
Wayne Strelioff has
also warned that the $139million
contingency fund
included as part of the
Games budget might not
be adequate. "Achieving the
financial results predicted
by the Bid Corporation will
. need excellent management,
effective marketing and a
favourable economy," he
warned.
There's no reason to panic
here. There will be lots of
ups and downs over the
next six years of work to
prepare for the Olympics.
But the govemment's headin-the-sand
approach does a.
disservice to taxpayers.
Clark didn't provide any
information on possible cost
over-runs. She responded
with a rant about how great
the Olympics would be
for the province. The New
Democrats just hate the idea
of the Games, she said, ignoring
the fact that the NDP
government launched the
bid for the 2010 Games.
"Those members don't oppose
the Olympics because
of the cost," Clark said.
"Those members oppose
the Olympics because they
don't want British Columbia
to do well." (It is the kind of
response that should make
everyone cringe. Legitimate
questions deserve real answers.
Failing that, call the
New Democrats stupid, or
incompetent. But it's just
dumb to argue that they ran
for office because the want
the province to do badly.)
Clark likewise brushed
off a suggestion that makes
imminent sense. Why not
appoint the province's
auditor general as the official
auditor for the Games
committee, asked the New
Democrats?
Again, no answer. But it's
a sound proposal, given the
taxpayers' interest in financial
accountability.
The Games and the Sea-to-
Sky Highway improvements
are slated to cost provincial
taxpayers $1.3 billion, with
our share of convention
centre expansion and the
RAV line to the Vancouver
airport on top of that.
If cost over-runs are already
threatening to push
our share higher, we have
a right to answers, not
bluster.
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Have we really lost the
heart in West Fraser?
Editor:
What a lot of fuss over a
building.
West Fraser school has
not been the heart of this
community for a very
long time. The parents
were more than - willing
to hand over fundraising
events - which, oddly
enough, did at one time
bring the community together
at the school - to
the West Fraser Fire Hall.
There has not been a
fall fair and potluck dinner
and auction in years
at the school, which also
used to bring the community
together.
I find it amazing and
more than a little curious
that parents are suddenly
so passionate for something
they no longer had
anyway.
I got quite a chuckle
out of Sherry Webster's
dismay over the possible
closure and loss of her
own community school.
Perhaps if her children
were enrolled in their
own community school
they would not have to
endure those long and arduous
bus rides to town.
Narcosli Elementary
was a thriving commu-
"West Fraser
School has
not been the
heart of this
community for
a very long
time."
• Sherra-Lee McLean
nity-based rural school in
its own right until parents
out there decided to send
their children to West
Fraser so that they could
be privy to the same opportunities
as the town-
ies. Loyalty is a rather
fickle friend.
I went to school at West
Fraser from 1964 to
1972, and both rny children
spent their elementary
years there as'well.
I held various positions
on the PAC, which at the
time was the wealthiest
parent group in the whole
district. We had excellent
parent support and community
loyalty.
I am not sad to see it
end. I will not miss the
garbage that rolls down
the ditches on either side
of the school property. I
will not miss the disturbingly
discordant sound
of what some educators
think passes for the ringing
of the bell.
I certainly will not miss
the heart of the community
- it's just down the road
a piece, at our. fire hall.
Sherra-Lee McLean
West Fraser
community
Quesnel
Hats off to politicians
Editor:
I have been enjoying reading the articles
on the work of the Citizen's Assembly
on Electoral Reform. They are
doing very necessary work and I cannot
wait to give my input.
However, I have found it ironic to
have those very thoughtful articles
juxtaposed with two insulting editorial
cartoons about politics and politicians.
Now, I am one who enjoys a good political
cartoon, but these were not prime
examples of that. I thought that the one
suggesting that a little boy wishing to be
an MLA obviously needed therapy and
was obviously nasty, was particularly
unnecessary. ,
I have had the proud opportunity to
work with probably 100 politicians in
my 10 years in Victoria and I certainly
saw the full range of ability, drive, intelligence
and compassion. But for each
dog, and there were a few of those, there
were one or two absolute stars.
The majority were well-meaning and
hard-working. Their work is how
policy is made and how programs are
created.
And lest you think me partisan to a
fault, I have experiences with dogs in
each party and with stars in each, too.
Yes, we have had some extremely
disturbing political scandals in Canada
and we are experiencing some now that
make my skin crawl. I would never
minimize that. But we need new leaders
that can look at these scandals, learn
from them and say, "we would never let
that happen because these new checks
and balances are in place."
It begs the question, if we are reforming
the electoral system, who are we
doing it for? Who would want to run
in a political climate so negative and
prejudicial?
We need good people to run, and there
are plenty around, but why would they
want to? Consider for a second that we
may get the representation that we deserve,
simply because our negative name
calling drives the good people away.
So the next time you feel free to joke
about "politicians," ask yourself, would
you be willing to step up, to put yourself
on the line and to commit to your community
in this way?
Sarah Hilbert-West
Quesnel, NDP Riding President
QUESNEL CARIBOO OBSERVER Wednesday. April 14th. 2004 A9
Pharmacology fans
Licensed practical nurses at G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel got a boost
in the skills department this past week when 26 of them completed both the basic
and geriatric pharmacology course. Shown here are (back to front, left to right)
Jenny Grapes, Peggy Emerson, Jan L'Heureux, Cheryl Aspin, Cindy Johanessen,
Irene Durocher, Mae Ramsey, Linda Schwemler, Shelley Close. Maureen Howe, Pat
Freer, Terry Thomson, Joy Grevatt, Joanne Thomson, Jeanette Gardner, Trudy
Gassoff, Joan White, Lori Bowdon, Linda Findlay, Gail Keith, Jane Watson, Lois
Williamson, Josephine Stephenson, and Shelagh Wiwcharuk. Missing from photo
are Pat Allen, Trina Wiebe, and Chrystal Cookson. Neil Horner photo
Some students match-happy
Editor:
This is a letter for all
of the match-happy high
school children.
I was just walking with
my girlfriend up above
the boat launch when we
came upon several spot
fires burning and smoldering
away in the under
brush, and had looked to
be doing so all night. Not
far from these fires was
a burn scar surrounding
empty beer botdes and
other trash.
After the summer we had
last year, and the amount
of concern already raised
as to the unseasonably
warm dry weather we are
currently experiencing, I
find it amazing that these
children (and I stress the
entertainment I community news j business | letters | life styles I classifier
term children) would still
find it funny to start these
extra brush fires.
For a group of people
who so desperately want
to be considered adults,
it blows my mind at the
lengths to which they will
go to attempt to squander
the freedom they already
have.
Now, I'm not that far out
of highschool myself and I
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firmly believe that there
needs to be a place for
kids to go so they can have
a few drinks and hang out
with friends. With those
types of freedoms also
come "responsibilities" or
"comon-sense decisions"
(making no claims that
sense is common amongst
some highschoolers).
Do yourself and your
friends a favor and try to
think further than five
minutes into the future
'regarding the outcome of
the decisions you make.
Maybe you'll find there
won't be so much negative
attention on pit parties if
you act like the adults you
claim to be.
Graham Hall
Quesnel
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