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Attendance Record

Falls As Classes
Begin = ty Jonas

A record head count of ap-
proximately 2700 students are ex-
pected to attend classes this semes-
ter at The University of Northem
British Columbia. Wednesday
September 4th, was the first day of
the academic year, it marks the
start of the third year of full opera-
tions a UNBC.

Highlights at UNBC this
year includes a new BA in Re-
source-based Tourism. This pro-
gram will be unique in Canada and
relates to tourism activities and
experiences that involve the natu-
ral and cultural environments, in-
cluding such topics as ecotourism
and First Nation heritage sites.
Another highlight is improved ser-

- vice to communities outside of
Prince George, over 40 different
courses are available at 14 regional
locations. The majority will be
offered face-to-face, with some
being offered via video and audio
conferencing. The University is
excited to welcome 65 interna-
tional students, also a record. The
students are from countries such as
New Zealand, Russia and Sweden.

The record attendance af-
fects students’ lives on a daily ba-

First Nations Firsts at
UNBC - by Dayle Bowyer

August was a memorable month for the UNBC record books as
a number of first were acomplished by a single Graduate Student.

Michi Kiwako Okuma of Japan has become UNBC’s first inter-
national student to graduate, and the first graduated student of the
First Nations MA program. The thesis defense took place in New
Aiyansh, with a committee including people from the Nass Valley.
Entitled Aboriginal Education as a Decolonizing Method: The Nisga’a
Experience, the thesis argues that for decolonization through educa-
tion to be effective, rethinking of institutionalized teaching structures,
methods and content must take place. The study also focuses on what
traditional Nisga’s educational philosophy can contribute to main-

stream pedagogy.

Deanna Nyce, Executive Director of the Wilp Wilxookwhl
Nisga’a, said that his was the first time in the history of any aboriginal
community she kriew of where a masters student who worked in an

aboriginal community presented the thesis in that community.

The Insurance Brokers As-
sociation of BC (IBABC) has
launched a province wide public
awareness campaign today to warn
consumers about the pitfalls of
buying optional auto insurance
coverage through 1-800
telemarketing schemes.

“British Columbia’s 6 500
independent insurance brokers
want customers to be aware of just
what they’re getting —and what
they’re giving up — when they buy
their optional car insurance
through a telemarketing opera-
tion,” says IBABC General Man-
ager Jack Hamiltion.

The Campaign, which will
run for six weeks, reinforces mar-
ket research that demonstrates buy-
ing car insurance over the phone

sis mostly in the search for hous-
ing and getting into extremely
popular coursed. The two on cam-
pus residences are full with 550
students and more on the wait lists.
Keep looking at the off campus
housing registry, it contains avail-
able accommodation listings.
Prince George residents are still
welcome to resister available suites
by calling the UNBC Housing Of-
fice at 960-6430.

The most popular courses
this semester are Microeconomics
and General Chemistry, Computer
Applications and Ecology. This
has caused elation for those who
need and were already registered
in the courses, alternately it created
havoc at the Registrar's Office for
those still attempting to enroll in
the courses. The nightmarish wait
in long lines have abated thanks to
the tireless efforts of the staff at the
Registrar's Office.

These are the types of grow-
ing pains a new and increasingly
popular university will have as at-
tendance has grown 17% from
1995-96 and 93% from the inau-
gural year of 1994-95.

The Alberta government
used an obscure procedure on Au-
gust 21 to stop a debate on a Lib-
eral private member’s bill designed
to protect to a greater extent vic-
tims of domestic violence. Bill
214, the Victims of Domestic Vio-
lence Act, drafted by MLA Alice
Hanson, was already approved, in
principle, by the government and
schedule for a two hour debate.

Less than one hour into the
debate, Calgary MLA, Jocelyn
Burgener, made a motion to leave
the chair, which stopped
procedings. The move means the
bill cannot be reintroduced until
the next sitting of the legislature,
no sooner than next year.

According to Liberal
MLA’s, opposition used the rare
procedings because they didn’t
have the courage to vote down
what they knew was a good bill.

Bill 214 would allow three
main changes for the rights of vic-
tims of domestic violence in
Alberta:

1. Victims could go to court
‘any tiie, Gay dF hight,+6 véfd pro- |
tection order to keep the abuser
away.

~~2, An order would not cost
the victim the current $200 fee; it
would be free.

3. The order would last for

SOaBLE

s =

is not a popular option for most
drivers. In fact, four out of five
consumers consider insurance too
important to purchase over the
phone.

“Drivers say they need to
know who they are dealing with
when they buy their car insurance,”
says Hamilton. “They want per-
sonal, face-to-face contact with
trustworthy, knowledgeable and
professional staff who will answer
all their questions, deal with all the
issues, verify all the information
and complete the transaction on the
spot. That level of service is sim-
ply not attainable when you can
only do business over the phone.”

In British Columbia, the
Hongkong Bank of Canada entered
the auto insurance market earlier

3 years rather than its current 3
month duration.

According to Burgener, the
motion was made to buy time for
public consultation and debate.

Hanson had discussed the
bill at dozens of public hearings
since May and the bill came wih
pages of amendmants.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IN
B.C. FOR VICTIMS OF DO-
MESTIC VIOLENCE?

In B.C., court orders to keep
domestic abusers away from their
victims cost nothing to the victim
and come in two forms: by order
of Peace Bond and by Restrain-
ing Order.

Though both require court
hearings that may only occur dur-
ing usual court hours (day time),
a Peace Bond requires both the
abuser and the victim to appear in

September 18, 1996 : Over the Edge | 3

Tele-Insurance Scheme or Scam?

-by Dayle Bowyer

in the year by creating a wholly-
owned subsidiary, Canadian Direct
Insurance (CDI), to see optional
coverage via a 1-800 line.

Hamiltion says that while
buying car insurance over the
phone might sound convenient,
telemarketing customers actually
have to buy two separate policies
and make two separate payments.
“They still have to visit an inde-
pendent insurance broker to buy
their mandatory ICBC coverage
and pick up their insurance decal.
Customers may even have to file
two separate claims and satisfy two
separate adjusters in the event of
an accident.”

MOTION TO SHUT DOWN
BILL TO PROTECT VICTIMS
OF VIOLENCE +1y 101i ara

court and may last up to one year.
A restraining order requires only
the victim to be involved in the pro-
cess and may last up to 2 years.

In both cases, the victim may
report the abuser to the RCMP and
have him/her arrested at any time
of day.

For Prince George victim ser-
vices and transition home informa-
tion, the Pheonix Transition Home
(24hr line, 563-7305) and the Eliza-
beth Fry Society (563-1113) pro-
vide information and services for
women and women with children
who need direct or indirect support.
Anyone can contact the RCMP
(561-3300) and 24hr Crisis Line
(563-1214). Crisis line for teens
(564-8336) and the children’s help
phone (1-800-668-6868) are also
services provided for confidential
help.

Books on Fourth

Led “il
Phone 563-6637
Fax 563-6610
Toll Free 1-800-303-2950

1229 4th Avenue
Prince George, B.C.
V2L 355