A1O- the Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 22, 1998

Punjabi passes one hurdle

co

d Cox

Recall in court

B.C,’s RECALL legislation is facing a court challenge from the =BC, Civil Liberties Association.

The civil rights group will argue that recall violates British Columbians’ con- slitutional right to vote con- lained in section 3 of the Charter of Rights and Free- doms.

It filed the challenge prior (o the latest recall effort sparked ex-Liberal MLA Paul Reitsma’s phony letter writing campaigns were ex- posed,

Association director Avigail Eisenberg — said tecall provisions frustrate and undermine the votes of those cilizens who voted for an MLA when that MLA has committed no crime or conducted themselves in a: way that warrants impeach- Inent.

Eisenberg said some of the association’s worst fears. came true in the course of the campaigus to recall - Skcena MLA Helmut Gies- * brecht and education minis- ter Paul Ramsey in Prince George.

“Those who believe that tecall is pure democracy in. action are sorely mistaken in actual fact it encourages demagoguery and leads to bag government,” she said.

“We want our MLAs to. be free to balance competi- ng interests and to act in the public interest, without hav- ing to be continually look-

Harol

ing over their shoulders to. .

see whether a disgruntled minority of constituents will start a recall campaign,” Eisenberg said.

The case argues that recall . _introduces political institu- tions foreign to and in- compatible with the Cana- dian system of par - liamentary democracy,

The civil liberties associa- tion calls recall a profound change to the system of rep- resentative democracy, entrenching a theory of government that sees MLAs merely as mouthpieces of their constituents, rather than their representatives in the legislature,

The case is expected to be argued early in 1999 in B.C, Supreme Court.

In 1994, the civil rights group tried to persuade the province not to pass recall legislation.

They argued it would:

Mi make compromises be- tween the interests of dif ferent constituencies more difficult,

Hi undermine cabinet and caucus solidarity, discourag- ing teamwork in govern- meat.

Youth at risk

THE PUBLIC is invited to a free presentation on children al risk, April 29 at 8 p.m. al the REM Lee Theatre.

Dr Martin Brokenleg, a. professor from South Dako- ta, will speak about Sirategies for creating ¢n- vironments for young people to grow and flourish,

Brokenleg is in Terrace as part of a teacher’s union spring conference April 36 and May 1 for teachers in

Terrace, Kitwanga, Hazelton and Stewart. Brokenleg will also be

speaking to teachers sepa- rately on the topic.

Also coming are teaching | assistants, administrators,

nurses and health: care workers.

THE SCHOOL district’s education committee has given preliminary approval to offering Punjab! language courses in Grades 5-11.

Punjabi is now offered outside of school hours by volunteer teachers at Clarence Michicl in Grades 4-7, A teacher at Skeena Jr, Secondary teaches a conibined Grades 8-10 class as a second language elective,

To offer Punjabi in Grades 5-11 could cost the board up to $41,000, says Harold Cox, director of instruction.

The education ministry won't pay for extra second lan- guage courses. So that money would have to be found in the district’s already cash-strapped budget.

Cox recommended the board offer Punjabi 11 only if a minimum 20 students enrolled by June 1.

He acknowledged French classes haven't had any mini- mum class size restrictions at Caledonia, but the board

might have to look at that in the future. French 12 isn't of- fered in Hazelton or Stewart because class sizes would be too small, Cox pointed out.

The Punjabi community had asked for Punjabi 12 to be made available, but there’s no students who've taken the pre-requisite of Punjabi 11, singe it’s never existed here,

The committee also recommended Punjabi continue to be taught ina combined grade 8-10 class, with a minimum of 20 students. And at the grades 5-7 level, it was recom- mended Punjabi be taught inside school hours, if at least 22 students were enrolled.

Cox cautioned that the recommendations depended on finding a qualified teacher. He said it might be possible to hire one teacher for all three classes,

The fina] decision on whether Punjabi language courses will be offered is up to board trustees. They meet May 6.

Tnside

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