A10 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 13, 2002 MLA more assertive as criticisms mount against gov’t actions SKEENA LIBERAL MLA Roger Harris has turned down an invitation to at- tend an Action Coalition of Terrace-sponsored rally Feb, 24, . It’s being billed by the coalition as a time for people to talk -to: Harris about the Feb. 19 provin- ciai budget. “| don’t see any need to attend,” said Harris last week. “I'm available to meet with people and I'll always be available to meet. with people.” “I don’t see any need ta be at that forum to do that,” said Harris. Coalition representative Maureen Bostock said she was distressed by Harris’ decision. “We'll be hoping to change his mind,” she_ said. “This was his chance to explain the impacts of the budget and to talk about what he was doing to miti- gate the effects on the community,” Bostock added, , “What’s going to hap- pen to Terrace? He made a commitment during the campaign he’d be available.” Bostock said the rally at the R.E.M. Lee Theatre will go ahead regardless if Narrtis is there or not. Posters circulating the community last week have Harris listed as an invited guest and feature his photograph. Harris’ decision not to attend reflects a prawing sharpness in the debate over both povernment ac- tions to cut jobs and ser- vices and the role that pro- testers are taking in this - community. Harris had speht a lot of time since his May 2001 election carving out a re- pulation as a conciliatory MLA. Late last year — and be- fore the job and service . culs were announced — Harris gained points by skipping his lunch at a chamber of commerce event in order to speak to people worried about what was going to happen. But two weeks ago Har- ris termed “irresponsible” suggestions by some pro- test leaders that they tar- pel businesses whose ow- ners support the provincial Liberal government. FRED GLOVER was outside of the office of MLA Roger Harris last week at one of three rallies hald throughout the city to protest government cuts. “Tt shows if anything a lack of sense of commun-. ity and a lack of respect for the system,” he said, Harris has also joined a growing list of government ‘supporters critical of pro- tests and protesters. by comparing government job cuts with the number of people out of work stem- ming from the Skeena Cellulose mill closure here last year. “You heve $00 to 200 people in the woods“indu- - stry out of work here,” Harris noted. Best estimates are that the community will lose 89 full time equivalent dir- ect government jobs from cuts over the next three - years. Harris has also focussed in on union leaders, saying they haven’t come com- pletely clean with their members when it comes to their wage levels. It used to be 4 case that 4 civil servant traded off pay for security, said Har- ris. “That was until the last five to six to seven years,” added the MLA in citing a figure that the average civil servant now earns $3,000 more a year than a person in the private sec- tor. “They now deviate to the top end of the bracket,” continued Harris. “People have asked why a faller earns $450 a day. That’s because they may only work 120 days a year,” said Harris. “It’s _a matter of trading security” for income,” he said. “The public sector has “never understood that and the union leaders have been negligent in pointing that out to their members,” Harris also said. he found ironic having school teachers protesting about tax breaks for those who earn more than $60,000 a_ year when teachers them- selves earn more than $60,000 a year. “They say the tax breaks are going all to the tich and they say that bracket starts at $60,000,” he said. Harris locked doors ROGER HARRIS had the doors locked to his constituency office for one day last week, fearing there might be an attempt to accupy it by protesters. The office was one of more than 20 belonging to B.C. Liberal MLAs on a list of possible occupations by something called The People’s Opposition. That appears to be a loose-knit group of anti-poverty advocates and others tagged Feb. 7 as which had “Accountability Day.” Harris, who was in Victoria that day, said the doors were locked to safeguard the two employees he has in Terrace. “We did it in their best interests. Their safety was first,” said Harris. Harris’ office is in a Park Ave. build- ing. Access is via a common-use entry door from the street and it was this one that was locked, It did have a sheet taped to it, inviting those who wanted to make an appointment to jot down their name and phone number. Barely a dozen protesters did show up on Feb. 7. None of them said they had an interest in occupying the MLA’s office. One person, Fred Glover, said he found it shocking that people could not enter their MLA’s office. “Helmut [Giesbrecht] never did that once and he was in for 10 years,” said Glover of the former NDP MLA and cabi- net minister. Glover, on occasion, had also protested outside Giesbrecht’s office. Harris said any more decisions to lock doors will depend upon what is happening outside. It has been the scene of a number or protests against provincial government job cuts and service cuts. Languages English Interested in a new career? Need specific courses for College or University? Wish to upgrade your Math or English Skills? Finish High School At Home For Free With NCDES & Expand Your Career Options Learn at home at pour oun pace. 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