i a co eG a nee mannan are me TM en Pn cr a6 MO anne

co ee ee ange RN HEH

Ombudsman,. Dr. - Karl
- Friedmann, will open his.
office for the © ’ public ‘on’
-October 1, Attorney-

General Garde - Gardom ~

announced recently, |

Gardom and Dr: Fried-
mann at.2 meeting last week,.
worked out a schedule for
the opening. Dr. Friedmann
will complete ‘his
'_ ployment duties with the

University. of Calgary by .

June 30, and- will commence.
his organizational’: activities .
as B.C. Ombudsman on July —
ist.

It is expected - that this
preliminary work will. take

three months in preparation

for the October Ist opening.

“Dr. Friedmann’s basic
function will be to- in-
vestigate complaints’ from
people who feel aggrieved by
the administrative processes
of the Ministries and Civil
Service of the Provincial
Government. —

Helping _ _
publishers |

A new program to assist
British Columbia’s troubled
publishing industry and to
provide new books for
public libraries was an-
nounced recently by Hugh
Curtis, provincial secretary
and minister of government —
services. —

The program, funded by a
grant from the provincial
lottery fund, will earmark

$100,000 to purchase current
books published in B.C. and
make them available to all
libraries in the province.

“This province’s
publishers have developed a
lively and serious industry,”
Curtis stated. “It is of great
importance to the writers of
our province and to the
reading public.”

“But, long-term financing
problems have placed these

same businesses in jeopafdy. |

Under the bulk purchase
program, books from the
current catalogue ‘Books
from British Columbia’ will
be purchased from B.C.
publishers as ordered by
libraries throughout the
province.

“This kind of funding is
consistent with lottery
guidelines and I believe all
British Columbians will

support this move,” Curtis
added.
The one-time program

will be administered by the
cultural services branch of
the ministry of provincial
secretary and government
Services.

Mother
in myth

Over 2000 years of
Mother's Day cards? Not
quite, but ancient myth myth
dates a forerunner of our
modern Mother's Day to
Rome, 250 B.C. A three day
celebration, abounding with
food, wine and song, was
launched on the Ides of

March in honour of the
goddess Rhea, mother of
upiter, Neptune, Ceres,

Juno and Vesta.

em-

“Where there has been an.
inequitable decision or an”

oppressive practice, it will
be the job ‘of the Om-
budsman to make enquiries

and to gather all necessary:

“information.

“Then if jhe decision or
‘the practice has not been

bobs

; corrected, he will’ be enabled

to ‘make

recommendations

‘to the

- authority concerned, to the

Cabinet, or to’ the.
Legislature itself. 2 |
_ “He “is required to

maintain confidentiality. of

Provincial
Elections Act |

\

public.” =

information that i is received. .
appropriate - vy him in the performance: of.

his .duty,

service for

but. he: is also:.”
empowered to. publicize. his :
. _ findings, which will ensure ~
On both counts . the | best
the. general

"Province of | a
British Columbia

Gardom said he is
~ especially pleased with the
opening of the Ombudsman’s

Office because he’ piloted.
the Bill through the. House. .
‘after advocating the’ ‘measure

‘since 1966. OF ie
‘He expressed his very best’

: wishes to Dr. Friedmann arid

wished him every success
and every fulfilment in the

discharge of his duties. .
‘Dr. . Friedmann is an
' Associate Professor of

’ Political Science at- the

University of Calgary: .

If you are away from home but
. still in British Columbia on Election Day,
there is a way to vote.

*

Absentee voting means that if you are absent
' from your own electoral district or polling division
on Election Day, but still in British Columbia,
you can vote. In certain greater Vancouver and
greater Victoria electoral districts voters may
not cast absentee ballots within their own

electoral district.

On Election Day, go to the nearest polling
station and request a special Absentee Ballot.
Remember, you must be on the Provincial voters
list for your electoral district to be eligible to vote.
You vote for the candidate of your choice in your

electoral district.

To assist the local etection officials, give them
the name of the electoral district where you are
registered, or ask for assistance to locate the
name. The election officials will have a list of
candidates for all electoral districts. Polling stations

will be open throughout the province on Election

Day, May 10, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific
Daylight Saving Time. As an absentee voter you
can vote anywhere in British Columbia.

In the Victoria, Surrey and Vancouver
electoral districts, two members are elected. Voters
registered in these districts may vote for two

candidates and will be advised at the poll.

ELECTION/’79
BRITISH COLUMBIA

K. L. Morton, Chief Electoral Officer,
2735 Cambie Street, Vancouver, B.C.