nee November 28, 2001 Laura Lavin Peninsula News Review “My initial thoughts were that it’s friendly for every- body who's connected with this. It makes all parties happy — everyone can find something they like in it. UL timately — you still can’t drink the water,” said Frank Towler, referring to the wa- ter on Senanus Drive and a report forwarded to Central Saanich council from the Capital Regional District. The report by Richard Stanwick, M.D., Medical Health Officer and Director of Research for the Capital Health Region, along with a report from Piteau Associ- ates, Geotechnical and Hy- drogeological consultants, originated when _ the Senanus water quality issue was brought to the CRD by John Alexander, a lawyer representing the Central Saanich West Voters Associ- ation and put on the agenda by the CRD board chair. The report: states: that there are aesthetic prob- lems with the water, but found no immediate health ‘concerns. In his conclu- - ~ sions to the CRD, Stanwick. . _ Stated, “Many of the para-. meters that did not meet the : fy drinking water guidelines . are taste and colour related --- aesthetic: parameters, in-- : cluding hardness; chloride, -. “iron and. ‘Manganese. Of: 7 ‘these, many samples had- concentrations that were ~. well above. the established guidelines.” He also said that due to Phil! Jensen Peninsula News Review . the poor aesthetic quality of the drinking water that wa- ter treatment units would be required to enable residents to consume the average rec- ommended amounts of wa- ter per day as suggested by Health Canada. “The problem can’t be treated according to Giles re- port [a report prepared for the Central Saanich West Voters Association [CSWVA] by Giles Environmental En- gineering in November of 2000]. People with high blood pressure, children, people with low-sodium diets shouldn’t drink it— we can’t drink it anyway. It’s a bit of a catch-22 — no one is sick, or will get sick, because every- one knows not to drink the water,” said Towler, who is the president of the CSWVA, and a Senanus Drive resi-_ dent. — He said he is pleased. with Dr.. Stanwick’s report but would like to sée the CRD Send a message back to Central Saanich and _ tell them to take another look at solutions to the problem. In a reference to ground- water. management, — the Piteau report said, “The wa- ter quality problem appears | to be related to over-pump- -ing the fractured bedrock : aquifer, resulting i in Salt wa- -ter-intrusion. If a detailed: : . hydrogeological» ment was carried out it may “be possible develop a local. _-area groundwater manage- ment strategy. that would “minimize the water quality problem in the area. Man-.. agement options could. in- “aSsess- ey The British Columbia Teacher’s Federation (BCTF) mod- ified its salary demands during last week's negotiations, but ‘the new numbers still weren't good enough to kick start stalled talks with the British Columbia Public School Em- ployer's Association (PSEA). The teachers’ new proposal asked for a six percent mar- ket adjustment, six percent in the first and second years, and four percent in the third year. Under this arrangement ~a_ teacher. earning $60,000 would get raises totalling $14,319.40 over the life of the three year contract. Although this is almost $10,000 less than the same teacher would re- ceive under the previous salary proposal, the PSEA coun- tered with an offer of 7.5 percent over three years, “(What you're asking for] is still in excess of $5 billion,” said Ken Denike, spokesman for the PSEA, “And we have $3 million to work with," Saanich Teachers’ Association president Mike Hayes said, “As far'as we know the 7,5 percent offer is tied to a complicated plan ine: employer _ to. create regional. SOME GREAT SAVINGS ie i} f bh A i oan i ay ia sapere “f “ Tevelies pie. wae i ay Ki 0 rt mt > a McFLOOR iy Wind cor! 7 -FLOATING FLOORING ; Made by the world’s largest manufacturer of laminate flooring, » Great for thedo-it-yourselfer” looking for a well constructed floor covering. © 10 year warranty ® Ideal for just about all areas of the home! Priced right Aten clude: setting abstraction limits on selected wells, pro- moting groundwater recharge, encouraging the use of cisterns for storing roof runoff, grouting off fractures in selected wells, abandoning some of the wells near the shoreline and possibly installing a com- munity well field further in- land.” Towler said that the con- cept of acommunity well was one that they had looked at “early in the game” and felt that the cost involved pre- sented a significant risk. to the residents should they go to the expense of building a community well that could possibly fail: Stanwick’s report con- cludes that consideration must be given as to what in- creased demands would be placed on the existing sup- ply by possible treatment options. “It was beyond the scope of this review, but it would ‘have to be estab- lished whether wells which are already of low yield, would have the ability. to pump the extra water to op- -erate these systems. The _ technology solutions would. not be viable if they in fact exacerbated the existing sit- uation in causing even less water of poorer quality to be » available to the residents of - ’ Judy Reimche ; Peninsula News Review of services by teachers. tg : is Connectiiig to the main "- ” waterline ‘would be. ‘at! no or 10:30." --cost to the local tax. payers -orthe municipality. All we're’: asking for the municipality’ So. support - in’ the. grant : process, ” said Towler.’ salaries.” He explained that in the first year of the plan teachers in lower paid districts would get raises, but those in better paid districts would get nothing. In the second year all teachers would get.1.3 percent, and in-year three they — would all receive one percent. Although the increase would average out to 7.5 percent province wide, some teachers would get no more than 2.3 percent over three years, said Hayes, Finance Minister Gary Collins supported the PSEA of- fer, stating that BCTF wage demands are out of line with: what other public sector employees have settled for re- cently. He pointed out that last summer transit workers ac- cepted an offer of 8.5 percent over three years, and in March the BC Government Employees’ Union (BCGEU) was awarded seven percent over the same period of time. He said, “We're certainly looking to have a negotiated set- tlement, but given the position the BCTF has taken at the bargaining table, that is growing ever more unlikely,” Hayes is convinced that the teachers’ union hasn't been able to reach an agreement with the PSEA, because of an- expectation that the government will eventually legislate the Ha “el ati A it if ie hal u : cog STYLE LAMINATE ’ Hea wh ny a Students at Claremont Secondary school walked out on classes at 9:30 a.m. Friday to -protest the cancellation of their annual Christmas Grad Dinner. The dinner. was slated to be cancelled due to the withdrawal “There. was anger, mostly directed at the teachers,” said Saanich Teachers Associa- tion representative Mike Hayes. “But when there was an agreement to meet, and to:re- port by.Tuesday afternoon, most students = went back to class, Most were back by 10; 15 ake ‘School District “Administrators Mike -Mackay.and Gordon Tinney, Hayes and stu- dent grad representatives met later that. day - “to discuss ways.to allow the dinner to pro- ceed. At that time, students brought for- r¢ fi eR R ati pe faa " ™ ‘ 'D OURS! au, E aN DOO at AMATI POA AS ve i i I a U LAURA LAVIN PHOTO Dan Sam, first elder of the Indian Shaker Church, performed the blessing ceremony for a tong deceased, but eternally respected, member of the Saanich First Nation. SD63 students walk out. ward two other concerns: the cancellation of some learning support and cancellation ©: of Christmas choir and band concerts, also- brought about by the teacher’s strike ac- tions. “We were able to-resolve the dinner is- sue. That will go ahead with the help of ad- solve the issues:around learning suport or : car ds we’ve been: dealt:”’ soon:. ahead as scheduled. PSEA is the monkey, dancing to government's tune | settlement. “It is classic that the government is directly i in- volved in these negotiations, but has not and will not come” to the table,” Hayes said. “They’re the organ grinder and the PSEA is the monkey. The government is hiding behind the faceless bureaucrats at PSEA, allowing them to do their’ dirty work.” He said he suspects the role of the appointed government. fact finder is to assess the situation, “then to see that the two’. sides are too far apart, and then to use that as an excuse for government intervention. Any intervention is bad for teach- ers, bad for public educaitn and bad for students, too,” In addition to salary increases, teachers are asking for early retirement incentives, more specialized teachers in all schools, a guarantee of services for special-needs children, and a reduction in class sizes, On Nov. 8, British Columbia teachers began Phase One Job Actions, refusing to perform any tasks not directly related to classroom teaching. The Labour Relations Board hasn't yet ruled on what will he permitted under Phase Two Job Action, but itis expected {o include some form of rotating withdrawal of all services . at schools throughout the province, 44 ot on cig’ ” 3 Ud AEB yf Sap ra eae iv nh te ay « wil be Set a Aa die tea & ie ae oe Crossroads. | Victoria, BC ¢ 652.5632: Prices in effect until Nov 30/01" ministrators and volunteers. We: didn’t re- the concerts,” Hayes said: “Those issuesoc- ~ cur.more places than just Claremont: The” : association feels this is a legitimate job ac- ~ tion. ‘They’ re not likely: going to'give. up. the : “He said the strike is proving extremely ane _ stressful” for teachers’and students, andthe... ; situation isn’t likely to. improve anytime 2. oo ~~ School solrcas s say cone planned for” es ‘Parkland and Stelly’s secondary are e going ay