VICTORIANEWS VICTORIA Humming a happy tune
Loving landscapes
An Esquimalt man is helping researchers learn about local hummingbird populations. News, Page A3
Saanich artist Christine Reimer loves recreating her outdoor experiences on the canvas. Arts, Page A14
Friday, June 1, 2012
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Vets Affairs cuts will exacerbate already critical situation: Legion Veterans will suffer from numbers game, union rep says Erin McCracken Vic High’s busy 2012 valedictorians, Jessica Dillon and Noah Spriggs have been trying to fit in time to work on their joint speech for next Tuesday’s graduation ceremony at the University of Victoria. Vic High’s prom happens tonight (June 1).
News staff
dinner-dance, Dillon and her nine fellow crew members organized several fundraisers – with just 13 days of planning. After purposely lowballing their fundraising goals on each event, but maximizing their efforts, they shattered their objectives and brought in $5,000. That level of leadership is something of which Grade 12 students have plenty of opportunities to take advantage, she says.
The elimination of frontline staff at the Victoria office of Veterans Affairs Canada this fall will deal a devastating blow to military veterans, says the union representing affected employees. The federal department’s main office on the Island will see its roster of 17 client service agents shrink by 4.37 full-time equivalent positions, as part of a nationwide downsizing plan. The Victoria agents each work with hundreds of veterans – including those from out of province – applying for disability pensions and mobility aids, among other services. In the wake of the job cuts, the Royal Canadian Legion in B.C. expects to see an influx of veterans Dave Sinclair submitting more disability claims. That will further swamp the Legion’s two service officers, one each at CFB Esquimalt and in Vancouver, who are already filing papers for hundreds of vets, who turn to the Legion rather than Veterans Affairs. “The workload has increased tenfold for our two service officers in the last few months, to a point where we’re going to have to hire two more,” said Dave Sinclair, immediate past president of the B.C./Yukon Command of the Royal Canadian Legion. Job cuts at Veterans Affairs will only compound the challenge of providing for military veterans, he said. The number of Afghanistan vets who are now seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder from Legion-funded treatment programs, and who are seeking to file claims, is only the tip of the iceberg.
PLEASE SEE: Vic High grads, Page A8
PLEASE SEE: Long-term effect on vets, Page A13
Don Descoteau/News staff
Prom, grad cause for reflection The months, years go by ‘so fast’ for Vic High students Don Descoteau News staff
A
s parents of school-aged children can attest, spring is often a busy time of year. Try being a student in Grade 12, attempting to find a balance between numerous activities and end-of-term schoolwork.
Then throw organizing your class’ grad activities into the mix. “May has been a blink,” says Jessica Dillon, Vic High’s co-valedictorian with fellow student Noah Spriggs. “June is going to go by so fast. I’m looking forward to a slow summer.” Dillon has played a leadership role on the school’s grad committee, in a year where students have picked up the organizational slack due to teacher job action. “We’ve been off-our-feet busy,” she says. To help reduce the costs to students for tonight’s (June 1) grad
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