Local /National News News Shorts By Nikalas Kryzanowski, News Editor granted day parole The Saskatchewan farmer sentenced to life in prison for killing his severely disabled daughter has been granted day parole after serving seven years of his sentence. The 1993 case sparked debate in Canada on the issue of mercy killing. The conclusion by the parole board was that Mr. Latimer was not a threat to society and not a high risk to re-offend. Latimer was thus granted parole under two conditions—he must not have responsibility nor make decisions for any individuals who are severely disabled; and he must participate in psychological counseling to address any personal or emotional issues. Prince George contemplates first- ever Aboriginal school The City of Prince George is mulling the idea of opening a separate elementary school for its aboriginal students. The suggestion was presented to school trustees by the Aboriginal Education Task Force which was formed last fall in an effort to stem the high dropout rates among aboriginal students. There are already band-run schools on reserves, but as of yet there is no such school that is part of the public system. Aboriginal philosophies would be embedded into the teaching plan, which would be open to both Native and non-Native students. Prominent Quebec writer threatens to torch his oeuvre over bilingualism A prolific francophone writer in Quebec has threatened to burn his complete works over what he calls an “act of treachery” on the part of the separatist Parti Quebecois. Victor-Levy Beaulieu has accused party leader Pauline Marois of paving the way for francophone assimilation after she stated that Quebec school children could benefit by taking more English language classes. Beaulieu, better known as VLB to his fans, is considered one of Quebec’s greatest of contemporary writers. He won the Governor General’s Award in 1974 for his work Don Quichotte de la démanche and was nominated twice more in 1983 and 1991. Extra funding for TransLink lifts cloud of uncertainty By Nikalas Kryzanowski, News Editor oF Esk will soon receive a permanent portion of the federal tax applied to every litre of gasoline sold at the pumps. The pledge was announced in the federal budget issued by the Conservative government last week. TransLink board chair Dale Parker hailed the news as “fantastic.” TransLink had long lobbied for a permanent share of the gas tax. It will receive $49 million this year from Ottawa, based on revenues collected from the greater Vancouver region. The amount should grow to $123 million within two years. The agreement was set to expire in 2015 but the Conservatives now say that it will be extended. Parker said the ongoing stream of gas tax revenue can now be used to back borrowing for large-scale transit expansions. “Even at this year’s rate, today’s budget means that TransLink could finance half a billion dollars in improvements,” Parker said. The federal gasoline tax adds 10 cents to every litre of fuel sold—equivalent to $240 million per year collected from Lower Mainland motorists. The federal tax hand-back will reach five cents, or half the money collected, by 2010 and is expected to rise further after that. Transit will also benefit from another goodie in the federal budget. The Evergreen Line to Coquitlam is slated to receive a share of $500 million that is destined to be pumped into Canadian municipal transit. TransLink currently collects revenue from gasoline, property, parking, and—oddly enough —hydro taxes. It uses these funds to pay for public transit operations and road maintenance. movement! In Solidarity, Ally MacGrotty Douglas Students’ Union STUDENT UNION SPEAK Check out International Women’s Day! March 8" is International Women’s Day, an internationally recognised occasion to commemorate women and the feminist movement. It is a date commemorated by the United Nations, and constitutes a national holiday in many countries. The event brings together all women from ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political backgrounds for a day to reflect upon the victories we have achieved towards women’s equality. On Thursday, March 6", the Douglas College Women’s Centre, in collaboration with the Douglas Students’ Union, is hosting our Annual International Women’s Day in the Lower Cafeteria at the New Westminster Campus. The doors will open at 5:30pm and dinner will commence at 6:30pm. Tickets are just $6 for students and $15 for everyone else. There will live comedy, music, guest speakers, prizes and fun galore! For tickets, please contact the Douglas College Women’s Centre at 604.527.5148, womctr@douglas. be.ca or Ally MacGrotty at 604.527.5114, external @cfslocal18.ca. We encourage everyone to attend and help us celebrate the successes of the women’s External Relations Coordinator Canadian Federation of Students’ Local 18 6