A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 5, 2002

Healing wounds to take time

IT’S GOING to take time
for doctors ta overcome
any bitterness toward the
provincial government,
says a Terrace doctor and
northern representative on
the B.C. Medical Associa-

tion board.

Pay disputes aside,
doctors remain angry that
the provincial Liberal gov-
ernment not only wiped
out a binding arbitration
award of earlier this year,

Docs’ actions
limited here

DOCTORS HERE didn’t
go as far as others else-
where in taking limited
strike action over the past
weeks to pressure the gov-
ernment into a new fee
deal.

Elective surgeries were
cancelled at Mills Memor-
ial Hospital but ones con-
sidered urgent, emergent
or life and limb threaten-
ing went ahead as sche-
duled, says Cholly Boland
of the Northern Health Au-
thority.

“We weren't affected a
lot. Basically the OR
operated as normal,” he
said last week.

On those days when
general practitioners and
specialists closed their of-
fices, the emergency room
did register an increase in
traffic.

“But it wasn’t enough
to have to bring in extra
staff,” Boland added.

Terrace physician Dr.
Geoff Appleton, a board
member of the B.C, Medi-
cal Association, said
operations were monitored
at the hospital to ensure
they did fall under the ur-
gent or emergent categor-
ies.

“But we didn’t go as far
as [only doing] life and
limb,” said Appleton.

As examples, Appleton
said an appendectomy was
performed and a C-section
carried out.

“I think we've said this
before ~ there was really
nowhere else to send
people,” Appleton conti-
nued.

Physicians also decided
against resigning their hos-
pital privileges, which was

one of the tactics called

for in order to press the
province into an agree-
ment.

“And there was no way
we were going to get into
a situation where we’d
close the ER,” said Apple-
ton.

He said physicians in
smaller towns have more
contact with their patients
and didn’t want to be seen
to be unduly affecting
them.

This was the second
time in two years in Ter-
race doctors undertook li-
mited strike action.

In 2000, they declined
for a brief period to work
in the hospital, resulting in
some transfers elsewhere.

Earth.

our livingroom...
KEEP IT
CLEAN!

www.pitch-in.ca’.

Northwest Smile

Design Center
DPA. Okie.
Fay Deny ul face Orhodent, TM.

» Serving the Northwest for 10 years
» Full Face Orthodontic Cure

+ Invisalign - the invisable braces
* TAL, Treatment

* Porcelain Crowns and Veneers

© Teeth Whitening [Bleaching]

* lolex Free Office

Dr. Peter, A. Okimi

200-4419 Park Avanue,
Terrace, B.C. V8G 1V5

(250) 635-7611

Did you know thet a chifd should be sean for
their first orthodontic scraaning before age 7?

That was part of a dis-
pute in which rural and re-
mote doctors said they
needed more money to at-
tract new physicians and
to keep existing ones in
the north.

That dispute ended with
a bonus system and an on-
call pay schedule to es-
sentially match incentives
given to Prince George
and Williams Lake doctors
earlier in 2000.

Financing subject to approval b

but eliminated altogether
the concept of binding ar-
bitration, said Dr. Geoff
Appleton last week.

“We still have a major
problem with Bill 9,” said
Appleton of the legisiation
used to wipe out the award
and which lead to the con-
frontation of the last three
weeks,

What makes it compli-
cated is that doctors gen-
erally supported the pro-
vincial Liberals in last
year’s provincial election.

“It’s one thing to get
screwed, but it’s another to
get screwed by people who
you thought were your
friends,” said Appleton,

Appleton, himself a
Liberal supporter, said his
resolve was tested by the
recent events.

“I’m going to have to
think about that for
awhile,” he replied when
asked how his support of

Starting from

24938 %308

the government was hold-
ing up.

Yet Appleton suid he
bears no prudges against
the province generally in
terms of statements made
over the past weeks,

. Health services minister
Colin Hansen several
times said doctors were
greedy and that their ac-
tions were causing pain
and suffering to patients.

He had also given doc-
tors a deadline to settle or
risk some form of back-to-
work legislation.

“I don’t want to use the
word posturing, but this is
politics and youn can sce
through that,” said Apple-
ton.

“He’s doing his job,”
said Appleton of Hansen's
comments,

“I think they realized
they couldn’t make us

‘work if we didn’t want to,”

the physician added,

AN AFFORDABLE SUMMER

Inside our family owned
inns you'll {ind spotlessly clean
rooms, comfortable surroundings
and great food. And, the only
thing more friendly than our
smile is our rales. Please

make yourself at home!

Valid to June 30/02.

1-800-663-0258
www.accentinns.com
Canadian owned and operated

Accent
Inns.

quality where it counts

~ VICTORIA. | VANCOUVER AIRPORT | VANCOUVER BURNABY | KAMLOOPS. | KELOWNA

on lease for

u month for 48 manths.
Plus $3,999 downpayment
or equivalent trade.

$995 freight included.

FOR A LIMITED TIME

SE 28D Features Include: .
© 3.3L V6 engine — 180hp « 4-Speed automatic transmission + Air conditioning « Multistage driver and front passenger airbags
* 7 Passenger seating * Power windows, locks and mirrors * Speed control » Sentry-Keye theft deterrent system

plus

+

or choose
% .NO
purchase Us

Arancing PAYMENTS FOR
upto
48 months,

DAYS

_GET.A GREAT DEAL ON CANADA’S #] SELLING VEHICLE

my

Dodge 4) Caravan

Visit your neighbourhood Chrysier, Dodge, Jeep, Dealer or dodge.ca

Wise customers read the fine print: *, '*, t. 6 These aro limited time offers which may not be usad in combination with any other offers except
Graduate Rebate. Dealer trade/ordar may be nacossary. See deater for complete details and conditions, ' Based on a 48-month lease for the 2002 Dodge
vehicle as described: Caravan 280+ALS. Total lease obligation is $18,783. Lease finance inlerest rata is 2.8%. Kilometres are limited to 81,600. Charge of
$0.15/km for excess kilometres. Leases include freight and exclude licence, insurance, taxes and registration. °* Price includas factory to dealer incentives andis = Relate
apolicable to cash purchases only, If consumer chooses. 0% purchase financing then the negotiated price may be higher, + 0% purchase financing up lo 48-months on all Up te tldde 4
2002 Dodge Caravan madels. Example; $25,000 @ 0% APR/48-month term; equals 48 monthly payments of $520.83. Cost af borrowing ts $0. Total obligation is $25,000.
! DaimlerChrysler Financial Services. 6 No payments for 90 days on selactad 2002 Chrysier, Dodge, Jeep vehicles. See dealer for complete datalls. 4 Graduate Rebate
applias as follows: $500 cash allowance on leased vehicles, $750 cash allowance an Neon purchase, $1000 cash allowance an purchase of vehicle excluding Chrysler Neon. Offer applies to ail vehicles
excluding Dodge Viper and Chrysler Prowler. Some conditions apply. See dealer lor complete details and conditions. t Wananty valid for 5 years or $00,0G0km, whichever comes first, See dealer for detalls.
@ Jeep |s a registerad tradamark of DaimlerChrysler Corporation used under license by DaimlerChrysler Canada ‘

(cRaoue] Seay

Inc, DaimterGhrysler Canada Inc: is a wholly owned subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler Corporation.

TER

tf

~~ 4916 Hwy, 16 West, Terrace, B.C.

1-800-313-7187

www.terraceautomall.com pir, 5958

tA a rae

oath Maas