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Friday, February 24, 2012 Trail Daily Times
PROVINCIAL Province to prepare back-to-work legislation for teachers: minister THE CANADIAN PRESS VICTORIA - British Columbia’s education minister announced Thursday that he’ll ask his staff to start preparing back-towork legislation for teachers, after a fact finder concluded the chances of a voluntary end to the long-running dispute are “very unlikely.” Teachers have been on a limited strike since the beginning of the year, and while they can’t legally walk off the job, they’ve been refusing to perform administrative duties such as filling out report cards. George Abbott wouldn’t say when the government would introduce the backto-work legislation, but he said he expects the matter will be seriously discussed next week. Abbott said the two sides are “an ocean
“A freely negotiated agreement, I am satisfied, is an impossibility.” GEORGE ABBOTT
apart.” “A freely negotiated agreement, I am satisfied, is an impossibility,” Abbott said. Trevor Hughes, the assistant deputy minister of industrial relations, was asked to look into the dispute and the progress of negotiations, and he released his report earlier in the day on Thursday. Hughes found that despite almost a year of negotiations and more than 75 faceto-face sessions, the two sides have not been able to narrow the gap between their positions.
“Neither party views the other party as anywhere close to what is commonly referred to as the ‘settlement zone,”’ Hughes wrote. Hughes said both the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association and the B.C. Teachers’ Federation view each other as unwilling to budge. The employers’ association complains that teachers’ won’t identify its priorities, making it difficult to find areas where progress can be made, said Hughes. In turn, Hughes said the teachers regard their employers as “intractable, unwilling to move and ‘not in a settlement zone.”’ Hughes said the government’s mandate requiring public sector unions to negotiate contracts that
do not have any cost increases is a “fundamental obstacle in this set of bargaining.” Hughes’s report says the teachers’ union wants a wage increase of 15 per cent over three years. “Net-zero is the order of the day,” said Abbott, referring to the government’s policy that any new public-sector wage increases must be offset by concessions elsewhere in a collective agreement. “I know the BCTF believe that doesn’t apply to them.”
Avalanche warnings across B.C. this weekend THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER - The Canadian Avalanche Centre has issued a sweeping warning to backcountry enthusiasts there’s a high likelihood over the coming weekend that skiers and snowmobilers will trigger snowslides across B.C. The special bulletin applies to the Cariboos, the North and South Columbias, the North and South Rockies, the Lizard Range, the Purcells, the South Coast Inland and Northwest Inland from Friday to Monday. Avalanche forecaster Karl Klassen says a series of weak snow layers has piled up on the mountains, which have been buried by smaller snowfalls that disguise the danger. Large natural slides have been thundering down the backcountry over recent days, but when those conditions settle down, Klassen worries the public may develop a false sense of security. Klassen says people should remain in managed ski areas, but if they do choose to venture out into the backcountry, they should only go with someone who has extensive local knowledge and training - and not forget to tote a shovel, probe and transceiver. Five people have died in avalanches this winter season, while the yearly cross-Canada average is just under 15 fatalities.
PENTICTON
Man rescues woman in river channel BY KRISTI PATTON Penticton Western News
A Penticton man rescued a woman whose car ended up in the south end of the Okanagan River Channel on Wednesday morning. Harvey Hunchak said he was driving on Skaha Lake Road when he noticed a group of people gathered looking at the submersed car. “I went across the bridge and turned into the parking lot thinking I got to see what is going on then I saw a lady had popped out of the car and she didn’t look like she was doing very well, of course the water is cold. He grabbed a pipe and put a strap around it that was in his work truck as the woman was
floating towards the bank and yelled at her to grab onto it. With the assistance of another man he pulled her to the shore right as the ambulance showed up. “It was just instinct I guess,” said Hunchak of why he drove in without a second thought. “There was a lot of people on the channel side that wanted to help, in fact there was one lady that dived right off the bank into the water. She just went a little ways and turned around and went back because she realized she wouldn’t make it either, that water was cold. I was lucky she floated towards the bank,” said Hunchak. “The other lady should be commended for her efforts for sure. I would just
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Rossland Light Opera Players Proudly Pr roudlyy Present: Present: Bernard J. Taylor’s
Pride & Prejudice
Area ’A’ Director Ali Grieve
Area ‘A’ Residents—Beaver Valley Area ‘A’ Director Ali Grieve and Regional District of Kootenay Boundary staff invite all Area ’A’ residents, taxpayers and interested parties to a Town Hall Meeting to learn about the proposed 2012 Budget, the 2012-2016 Five-Year Financial Plan and how Regional Districts operate.
Based on the novel by Jane Austen. Book, Boo k, music & lyrics by Bernard J. Taylor
Trail
Charles Bailey Theatre
Friday, February 24 at 7:30 Saturday February 25 at 7:30 Sunday February 26 at 2:30
RDKB staff will provide information regarding the legislative framework, what regional services are provided and what specific Area ‘A’ services are provided and how much taxpayers pay, as well as how levels of taxation are determined.
Tickets at Charles Bailey Box Office
Rossland
Rossland Secondary School
© Tim Hortons, 2007
Information regarding current projects and what the Regional District has been working on will also be presented.
Friday March 2 at 7:30
Tickets at RossVegas Boardshop & Rossland Pro Ha Hardware. Hardw rdware are.. Cash Cash & che ccheque eque q sales only. que $
This is your opportunity to comment on the 2012 Budget and an opportunity to let your RDKB Director know your views and what kind of local government services YOU want that would make our community a better place.
17 Ad A Adult du ult | $12 C Chi Children Child hild hi ld dre ren n 12 12& & under unde nder d r A $2 service charge will be added to all Charles Bailey performance tickets. More info at rlop.ca Sponsored nsored d by b
When: MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012—6:00 P.M. Where: Club Meeting Room, Fruitvale Memorial Hall 1968 Main Street, Fruitvale, BC
24918
In Timbits Hockey, kids learn that there’s more to hockey than just playing the game. It’s also a fun way to make new friends and discover a love for the game. Tim Hortons is proud to support the boys and girls who play Timbits Hockey in Castlegar and Trail.
hope someone would do the same if I needed help.” Hunchak said the woman in the submerged white Hyundai Elantra was speaking when she was in the water, stating she didn’t want to go back to the hospital. Cpl. Ted Manchulenko said the woman was fortunate that bystanders came to her assistance. “Being in the middle of the channel in fairly cool water for this time of the year, it was fortunate to get other people to risk their own safety to assist her,” said Manchulenko. RCMP said the woman was transported to Penticton Regional Hospital to undergo more tests.