JOCHEN BIERTUMPEL

The Honourable Andrew Petter
has created a new program to

 

minimize the cost of education
for students in British Columbia.
This program, which will cost
our provincial government 3.4
million dollars, employs students
between the ages of IS and 24.
Students can work a minimum of
100 hours to a maximum of 300
hours, and receive-an average wage
of eight dollars an hour. In turn,
the participating companies
employing the students are paid
$3.84 per hour by the
government, so the businesses save
money. However, the currency
that the students earn is not in

il
the form of bills. Instead, they
acquire credits toward their post-

secondary education.

The program was celebrated on
Monday, November 2, 1998 at
the SUCCESS building in
Vancouver. Jenny Kwan, MLA for
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, intro-
duced speakers Grace McCarthy,
Lilian To, the Honourable
Andrew Petter, Mark Chen and
Noel Oco, Grace McCarthy, pres-
ident of the BC Child
Foundation, continually compli-
mented Mark Chen on his work
with the Smiles Campaign that
helped raise money for the foun-
dation. She said, “If we can teach
young people, if we can help

young people, if we can embrace

Youth Community Action update

them and bring them along so
that they will give back to the
community, that really is very
important.”

Andrew Petter, provincial edu-
cation and technologies minister,
believes that this program pro-
vides triple benefits. First, the stu-
dents receive their education; sec-
ond, they learn additional skills
from their employers; and third,
the community gains from the
students’ work. After four months
in operation, three-quarters of the
anticipated student load for the
year has aleady been met, so the

program will expand to meet the .

increase that could “hit 1500 stu-
dents.”
The minister said, “This is a

pilot initiative and my personal
view is that it is very forward-
thinking and ground-breaking. It
involves the community and gov-
ernment working in a new rela-
tionship and I think it is interest-
ing that it has attracted national
attention more than it has attract-
ed local attention.”

Lilian To, executive director of
SUCCESS, mentioned how more
access to jobs gives more oppor-
tunity for students to frequent
universities. She also said, “Youth
not only helps to build our com-
munity, but our whole nation.”

Mark Chen, a I5-year-old
grade ten involved with Youth
Community Action (YCA),
claims that this program taught

  
  
 
 
   
   
   
  
   
   
 
  
 
   
  
 
 
    
   
   
 
  

By MATTHEW KAYAHARA

OTTAWA (CUP)—After the
University of Ottawa awarded federal
Minister of Industry John Manley an
honorary doctorate degree last month,
some people are questioning the
purpose of the academic ritual.

Manley, a graduate of the University
of Ottawa, was awarded the degree at
the university's fall convocation October
25:

The minister's acceptance speech

 

touched a nerve with some critics who
say honorary degrees should not be
given to politicians.

In it, Manley referred to the good
work his department has done since he's
been minister, including a project link-
ing a dozen Ottawa schools to the
Internet. “This program...is one of my
department's proudest achievements,” he
said.

Some students objected to the self-
congratulatory nature of Manley’s
speech. They also said the real purpose
of convocation—to honour academic
achievement—is compromised by the

appearance of political officials.

Timber continued...

West's logging plans include measures to
protect biodiversity, fish and the area’s

the trees in the area can be harvested by
loggers.

“We believe we are accommodating all
three of those as this plan evolves, and

said.

Alison Spriggs, campaign coordinator
with the Western Canada Wilderness
Committee, said the term Special
Management Zone gives the public the
wrong idea about what kind of logging is
going on in the Upper Walbran.

“Convocation, is not a forum for pol-
itics,” said Terri Lacourse, who graduat-
ed with a master’s in geography at the
ceremony. “We shouldn't be listening to
[political speeches] there,” she said. “It
would have been one thing if he gave a
speech about education, [but he didn’t].”

Sitting politicians should not be
handed honorary degrees, she added.

“Giving active politicians doctorates
is a very overt support of [that politi-
cians] political party,” she said. “It’s
like a tradeoff; it’s scratching each
other's backs.”

The criticism of Manley’s award is
not the first time students have voiced
their opposition to the concept of
granting prestigious awards to politi-
cians.

A recent rumour that Memorial
University was thinking of giving Prime
Minister Jean Chretien an honorary
degree sparked outrage among students.

The university did not confirm or
deny the reports, but professors and
students condemned the potential move
anyway, calling it politically motivated
and inappropriate in light of the APEC
scandal.

“A SMZ is still about clear-cut logging,”

Students criticize UofO decision

And last year, students, faculty and
campus groups at the University of
Toronto protested the conferring of an
honorary degree upon former US
President George Bush. While he wasn't
in office at the time, critics opposed the
decision because of his policies while in
power.

him a lot of valuable work, time
management and people skills. He
also found the program fun and
enjoyed his experience with his
bosses and fellow workers. He
said, “Working in BC Child has
taught me many important les-
sons in life...”

Noel Oco, Douglas College
student, and campaign manager
for the Heart and Stroke
Foundation through YCA,
explained how he felt about the
program. He mentioned his con-
cerns about tuition and how this
program has helped him earn
enough credits to pay for it. He is
looking forward to another job
like the previous one.

 

 
 

. What on earth
are you doing
- in 19997

» Habitat Restoration Program
Information Session
Thursday, Nov 26 - Spm

New West Campus - Room 3903

Habitat Restoration is a skills-based program that
lets you combine your interest in the environment
with a rewarding career. It's ideal if you have
completed studies in biology or geography.

recreation values even though up to 90% of

obviously the Ministry of Forests concurs
because they have given us our permits,” he

she said. “We are trying to put the message
out that the Walbran Valley is being actively
logged and southern Vancouver Island is
being overcut.”

Spriggs said there is not enough old
growth forest left on southern Vancouver
Island to sustain a viable population of old-
growth-dependent species, including
threatened species such as the marbled mur-
relet and the goshawk, as well as wild
salmon.

Only 6.6% of Vancouver Island’s low
elevation forest is protected from logging,
she added.

 

Come to the free Information Session and learn
about program study options and career
opportunities in the private and public sector.

Located at Coquitlam's David Lam Campus, the
Habitat Restoration Program has new student
intakes in January and September, 1999.
Spaces are limited so apply early. For more

information call 527-5817.

 

ae
Douglas College

 

 

 

 

The Other Press

November 111998 — Page 5