Friday, August 15, 2014 Have an opinion you’d like to share? email editor@cowichannewsleader. com. phone 250-856-0049
YOUR TURN Are members of the BCTF executive doing their part?
Dear editor Re: Morale low among teachers. Kathy Santini writes “The local teachers’ association president said there’s been increased demand from local teachers for the $1,000 hardship fund, with lots of people asking for gift cards.” “The British Columbia Teachers’ Association’s strike fund has been tapped and teachers have only been paid for four of the days they’ve been on strike.” My question is has anyone asked, or reported on, if and when Jim Iker and the BCTF executive, and the presidents and executives of all the local unions (i.e. Cowichan District, Vancouver - VESTA/VSSTA, Victoria, etc.) have donated 13 days worth of their wages to the various teachers’ hardship funds and the BCTF strike fund? In the past this gesture of solidarity by our union leadership has been done. But I have not
We asked you: “Do you think Native chiefs’ salaries should be made public? You answered:
94 per cent YES
To vote on the next Question of the Week, log onto the web poll at www.cowichannewsleader.com
Cowichan News Leader Pictorial 7
What penalties should be laid from the Mt. Polley mine disaster? “The owners (Imperial Metals) should pay all reparations, and compensate the public for all damages and habitat loss. Also, make fines for its executives so heavy, it ensures this doesn’t happen again.”
Steve McKinnon, Duncan
“Fines; the only thing that talks. Fines should be a percentage of (Imperial Metals’) profits for the next 10 years. That money should go into an environmentalreclamation fund.”
Peter Nix, North Cowichan
What do you think? Log on to www.cowichannewsleader.com and answer our Question of the Week by Peter W. Rusland. Results will be published in our next edition.
seen it reported in either the news or on the BCTF web portal and emails to its membership. Keep in mind our local union leaders and BCTF employees do not usually work in the school system, thereby collecting a paycheque via a school board. They are actually taking their wages — often a salary of close to or over $100,000 per year — directly from the union dues and fees removed from teachers’ paycheques each and every pay period. So have they lost, donated, given 13 days of their pay as teachers have done? Minus of course $200 in strike pay ($50 from the Canadian Teachers Federation as a donation). In my opinion this would make a great story to chase and would be one worth telling people about. Thanks for your time. Chris Castellarin 20 years a teacher
CTF bias has to be taken into account on salaries
Dear editor I was upset to read your coverage of the revelation of earnings of native chiefs and councillors — Peter Rusland’s on Page 5 (Aug. 8) and the editorial, equally. They both seem to be entirely based on info from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, CTF. You know that CTF is a citizens group with its own definite agendas; their material is likely to contain biases and certainly has errors that you have published unquestioningly. The obvious error is referring
DATELINE: COWICHAN
see more careful reporting on your part. Thanks for your attention. Bob Nation Duncan
Whether to increase taxes for teachers the question
Andrew Leong
The super full moon rises above the sky in Cowichan Bay on Sunday. When the full moon is closest to Earth, or perigee, it is called a super moon. The last appearance was last month on July 12th. sources I know that they typically to the Kokwitlan chief’s famous $915,000 as “salary” (in both your have other substantial responsibilities related to social welfare/health/ pieces, I believe). From sources child support, and these can be like the CBC and Times Colonist we learn that the chief’s salary was very demanding. An article in the $40,000 to 50,000; the big amount Times Colonist from Sasakatoon was commissions on development quoted one person over there saying “this isn’t a band office, this projects that he arranged in a different capacity. The propiety of is a crisis centre.’’ I think a mayor can leave these problems to the that is a good question for discusprovince. Members of a band will sion, but it’s a different issue, and know better than the CTF whethcould be addressed in a different er particular chiefs and councillors way. are earning their salaries. Why do you get data from the I’ve not read any account that CTF, anyway? Why not get it says these earnings should not be from the relevant government made public — beyond one idea office, as CTF must do itself. (Or if CTF is speaking for the govern- of circulating the data only within ment, there is an interesting story). the band, as some already do. It Another aspect of their bias that has been said (not by CTF!) that these new regulations are stricter you picked up is to suggest that in certain ways than those regulatchief and council’s functions are ing municipalities and other gov’t much like those of a municipal levels. In any case, I would like to council or MLA. From other
1982: golf Cowichan Golf and Country Club director Ron Loiselle achieved a holein-one on the seventh fairway with a nine-iron while playing with Andy Baranuik and George Payne.
by Ann Andersen
1982: rugby
The Cowichan rugby squad captained by Ian Hyde-Lay narrowly lost the final during its first appearance at the Can-Am sevens in Bellingham. The team included Steve Ridenour, Marius Felix, Dwayne Van Eeuwen, Barkley Logan, Derek Garside, Robbie Paris and John McCulloch.
Dear editor Today, we have taxpayers who do not support the school teachers and taxpayers who do support them. These taxpayers that do support the school teachers are two faced. Why? If the government decided to hold a province-wide referendum asking the taxpayers to make a decision of whether or not to give in to the requested demands of the B.C. Teachers Federation of a five-year contract with an 8% pay raise and a $5,000 signing bonus, the question could read something like this: Are you in favour or not of giving the teachers their request of a five-year contract with a pay raise of 8% and a $5,000 signing bonus. If in favour, the increase will be covered with a immediate increase in income tax deductions to all taxpayer paycheques. The vote result would be a solid NO! There are even some school teachers who would also vote no on the question. Why, just ask a waiter or waitress in the food service industry. Their question is what is the difference between a teacher and a canoe? Canoe’s tip. Pure teacher greed! Joe Sawchuk Duncan
1982: skiing Seventeen-year-old Shawnigan Lake water skier David Durrant won a gold medal in the jumping competition at Kelowna with a jump of 85 feet, while Shawnigan’s Richard Allan, also 17, won silver with his jump of 65 feet.
Little Britches Rodeo results
Dateline 1982: A wild time with the young ones Ann Andersen
News Leader Pictorial
D
uring the early 1980s, the weekly Cowichan Leader continued to publish lists of youngsters who did well in competitions they enjoyed. At the annual August 1982 Little Britches Rodeo held at the Gibbins Road grounds, Max Brouillard won the high point perpetual trophy for the six and under age group. He also captured the title of Prince as the winner of highest points over all age groups, taking first place in needle in a haystack, barrel
race on foot and untie a ribbon from the goat’s tail. In the seven to 10 age group, Laura Williams was the trophy winner as well as earning the Princess trophy as overall female rodeo winner. Her performance included a first place finish in the barrel race on horse. Susan Durrance was trophy winner in the 11 to 13 age group with Kenny Elzinga taking the 14- to 16-year olds and Rene Elzinga capturing the trophy for most points in the open jackpot events. Other seven- to 10-year-old winners included Ryan Hall, tie ribbon on goat; Duncan Stead, calf riding; and Tarmii Miskiw, boot race. A special trophy donated by Floyd Nichols for a costume race was won by Ken Gilbertson. All trophies were donated again this year by Fred Walker and Merv Brown.
courtesy Cowichan Valley Museum and Archives
Pictures of the Past
Interior view of Thorpe’s furniture store located on the corner of Station and Craig streets that started in 1912. Owner Roland Thorpe is on the right. —We want your historical photos of Cowichan people and places. Email a high resolution jpeg along with your phone number and a brief explanation to editor@cowichannewsleader.com. Or drop by during regular office hours and we’ll scan it in.