Rail workers hold raliy Katharine Hamer News Reporter ANGRY BC Rail workers staged a rally outside the company’s Esplanade offices Thursday morning. Locked out by rail bosses since Christmas Eve, employees gathered in the cold to hear labour leaders denounce the Crown corpo- ration. “The basic message is, we're not going down the concessionary road.” said Jim Sinclair over a Joud- speaker, “we're not giving back what we fought for.” Rait employees were upset with BC Rails cost-cutting Foreshore reinforcement possible Ee ~ io VPA Lond y esses Erosion a Between | Daty & Ellis 4 ies z From pase 1 The previous use of concrete walls or rip-rap, alone, stated Bennett in his report, “has resulted in much of the habitat destruction and access limita- tions identified elsewhere by the Waterfront Task Force and pub- licly debated.” Studies by the DFO and municipal staff show that the DDollarton foreshore represents a significant inter-tidal marsh habitat. The most likely alternative is thought to involve regrading the existing foreshore with 3 combination of rip-rap and veg- etation, at a cost of $10,000 per lot. “We don’t care. what’s done,” said Sweeney, “we just want it fixed. It’s very distressing, to the neighbours to rebuild ~ what’s been lost.” plans and the corporation's retusa’ to allow workers a 2% Pav raise over three vears. A limited 72 hour strike notice was issued on Dec. 24 under the auspices of the Couneil of Vrade Unions on BC Rall (CTU). The council represents over 1,500 BC Rati workers. The target of the action was four holiday trains and a special New Year's Eve ser- vice. Workers were immedi- ately locked out by BC Rail. To press time negotia- tions berween BC Rail and the unions had reached a stalemate, with proposals and counter-proposals: shut- tling back and forth across the rable, but no agreement. Sinclair said the rally was ignittcant E rostord Berean Elis & Horton! organized aie Wednesday afiernoon, “The lockout was totally unnecessary,” he said. “This is about salaries and bonus: os Much of the workers" anger seemed to be directed atu BC Rail) president and CEO Paul Mciligots. “F***ing monkeys!” shouted one worker, “HH he's making $380, 000 af **ing year, then put him down to 200! Start at the top!” Said CTU vice chair Ross Peterson, “lt's a sad day and & sad month within the province of B.C. when a Crown corporation is active: ly locking out its employees. “We're sick of their threats.” From page 1 did not share details about those projects. “That's pretty well tied into existing processes,” he said. He added it inchided ‘plans for land under the Lions Gate Bridge, currently leased to Environment Canaday for the Capilano Reserve, for the Squamish River estuary, and to tedevelop the Mosquito Creek Marina in the Mission Reserve. Currendy, any plans the Squamish Nation makes for its land must be approved by the Minister of Indian Affairs. Bill C-49, said) Mathias, “will give us more indepen- dence from bureaucracy... it will get the DIA completely off 5 we NEWS pholo Mike Wokefieid NORTH Vancouver District environment manager Ken Bennett (left) discusses plans for erosicn control on the waterfront with Cliff Sweeney of the Doliarton Foreshore Association. Tne 2800- and 2900-blecks of Doliarton Highway have been fosing up to four feet of foreshore a year. However, he does assert that a retaining wall would be “very much part of an environmental package. The district gets a retaining wall that doesn’t offend anybody, BERC gets a protected habitat, and we stop the erosion.” “Once it’s done,” Sweency said, “itll be there for 50 years. If it’s not done, there won't be WELL PAY TOP DOLLA 2 OW?! FOR YOUR QUALITY USED Goons No costly adverts! Cash irnmediately! No waiting for the phone to ring! Wall BUY NOW! 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'm not going to Jet my house stide into the water.” Give Her The Ultimate Christmas Gift #2-2435 Marine Or., West Van 922-3014 (ouck taney Contribute early...and often Fidelity favestisnents- (3 Merril! Lynch Sunday, January 2, 2000 - Morth Shore News - § onsultation queried our backs with respect to land- use decisions.” Bur tint, the band must develop its land code, a process scheduled tG begin “in the new year,” said Chief Bill Williams in the same meeting. According to the bill, the code must be developed i consultation with the approxi- mately 2,700 members of the nation. Williams said the mem- bers will develop the codes via “family meetings,” in which all members of family groups meet with members of council to discuss their wishes for the code. He added that because of the complexity of their current leases and holdings, the process could take up to two years. Some band members — who since the fall have been raising, concerns about how the band manages its affairs — are skeptical. about the family meetings process, “Divide and conquer,” said Wendy Lockhart-Lundberg of the council's plan for commu- nity consultation, She was one of almost. 100 members who signed a peiition sent to Ottawa asking for a forensic audit of the council's manage- ment practices. Phil Findlay’s signature also appeared on the petition, still under review in Ottawa. “This is the first Pve heard about these meetings. You'd think if that’s what they are planning they would have told us about them. “They've done these meet- ings betore. They say they will listen and then turn around and do whatever they wart, despite what the community says.~ In 1995, the band held a series of family dinner meetings to discuss its physical develop- ment plan. Members discussed housing, economic develop- ment and community services. Few of members’ suggestions with regard to housing type and allocation seem to have been put in place. Findlay worries the same will happen with the land code. “Ud like to draw your atten- tion to Section 12 (c) of (Bill C-49),” said Findlay. The sec- tion says the code is approved if” (a) a majority. of voters approve; (b) all eligible voters who intended to vote, did, and a majority approved them; or (¢) in any other manner agreed on by the first nation and the minister. Bur Mathias said the coun- cil is aware, especially after the media attention in the past few months, that the band will be watched closely as it develops its land code. “The — provisions — for accountability will rest with the people. It is not the 16 council- lors whe will develop the code. “The reality is the next day the minister sull has the veto. “But if it goes through because our people want it to go through, that will be the last time (the Ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs) can veto .. forever.” /Di>count}— The Great Canadian @il CHANGE Since 1973 LIE. Petro Canada "10W30 Don't forget about our T-Tech transmission service - _ Shange 100% of your fluid not just 40-60% arene pamemcernerre| ! "985-1050 x D; you write one cheque to Revenue Canada on April 30 of each year and continue on the same corsse until the follawing spring? You could be missing out on the potential for substantial, | tong term growth by compounding your tax-deferred growth within your Fidelity RRSP. Pre-authorized chequing lets you contribute early and often (and effortlessly) during a tax year rather than at the Jast minute. 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