REGIONAL COMMITTEE the Voice of Cassiar Country FEBRUARY 1988 FOR NECHAKO DISTRICT Social Services A social services committee from the Nechako Region was recently established by the Minister of State, the Honourable Stephen Rogers. Following an invitation from Rogers to commun- ities across the region for submissions of names Rogers selected 26 residents of the region to work toward im- proving the social services available in Region 7. Appointed to the committee from the north part of the region are Michael Strange from Atlin, Ross Harper, Lee Coran, Clarence Quock and Roy Carlick from Cassiar; and Vern Marion, Joanne Voss and Allan Neigal from Dease Lake. The committee had its first meeting at Smithers at the end of January. Rogers noted that he was pleased with the enthusiastic response he’d received from the Nechako communities. Economic Development A total of 26 people have been appointed to the Nechako Economic Development Committee in Region 7. Included on the list are mayors from the major centres of the region and other elected officials from Regional Districts and Town Councils. “In an attempt to have as fair representation CRITICAL The educational programs currently in place to develop the health, nutrition, exercise and related life skills of B.C.’s students are inadequate. In a brief presented to the Royal Commission on Education, the Sport Medicine Council of B.C. strongly recommended that the Ministry of Education critically review the current situation in our school system and reflect on the future implications should these trends be allowed to continue. An emerging Canadian awareness of health and the importance of a physically active lifestyle is a posi- tive attitude that receives very little attention in our present curriculum. In fact, not only has there been a gradual decline in the number of hours of physical education time, many students are never exposed to any physical education in grades 10 through 12. In fact, only approximately 35% of the student population (10% of the female population) in our secondary schools receive physical education in our present system. Ad- ditionally, our elementary school physical education curriculum is almost 20 years old. To further compli- cate this issue, information emerging from a 1985 na- tional survey revealed that less than half of all physical education teachers surveyed had a physical education degree. The current trends are both alarming and clear: * There is a decrease in fitness among the nation’s youth. For the majority of Canadian children, as possible we have looked toward elected officials for their contribution to this committee.” Minister of State for Nechako, the Honorable Stephen Rogers commented. Cassiar will send Bill Zemenchik and Cary Moffatt to contribute to the committee for the northern com- munity, Zemenchik has been a resident of Cassiar for over 20 years and is manager of the mine. Moffatt is an employee of the WSTV Cable Company in Cassiar. John Thuot, a Forests and Lands employee from Dease Lake will be serving on the committee. Good Hope Lake Band President, Clarence Quock, will also be serving on the committee to express the views of the northern region’s Native community. Good. Hope Lake band Vice President, Roy Carlick, and Tahltan Tribal Council president, Vern Marion, are also being named by State Minister Rogers. The communities across the Nechako were invited to submit names of those who are considered resource- minded residents of the region. “We wanted to ask them all for their expertise”, Rogers explained, “‘but-a committee of 26 is already fairly large.” The first meeting of the Economic Development Committee scheduled for the end of January in Smithers coincided with the quarterly meeting of the Intermunicip- al Councils. SPORTS MEDICINE COUNCIL Curriculum to Develop Health, Exercise and Life Skills of B.C. Students is Inadequate physical fitness starts to decline from the time the student sits behind a desk at school. * An inactive lifestyle is associated with cardio- vascular disease, and for example, hypertension, obesity, and high serum cholesterol are highly prevalent in children. The pattern for this lifestyle may be learned at a very early age and it is well known that an increase in physical activity makes a significant contribution to risk reduction, particularly if begun early in life. * Those youth who are less active tend to have poorer health habits and a less positive self- appreciation of physical and emotional well- being. The rationale for advocating regular exercise is well documented. Quality daily physical education will optimize a student’s overall growth and general development, assist in the realization of both physical and intellectual potential, foster a healthy lifestyle and potentially affect the quality of health and likelihood of disease. Adequate curriculum time can be devoted to physical and health education without jeopardizing academic learning in the other subjects. The Sport Medicine Council wholeheartedly supports the notion of “back to basics” for education and clearly this must include the physical development of our youth. M.L.A. VOICES HIS CONCERN Larry Guno, M.L.A. for Atlin visited Cassiar on January 26th, 1988. “I wanted to swing through the riding before the upcoming session scheduled for late February or early March. I wanted to gauge the concerns of the people and to gain some sense of their perception relating to our performance as the Opposition.” “Tt is such a vast riding,” continued Guno, “that much of what we did last year was experimental. We needed to know how best to represent the constituency.” Guno expressed concern over being more acces- sible to the problems facing the people in the various regions of the riding. The Fisher Commission on Electoral Boundaries not being readily accessible to Atlin voters prompted Guno to present a letter to Judge Fisher. “Fisher stated publicly that he would appear in communities that would not require more than one and a half hours travel for the average citizen throughout the _ over the years.” ” province.” said Guno. His party also supports Guno’s concern and the party representatives have made this clear.” Guno has also written a letter of support to the Premier supporting Cassiar Mining Company’s loan appli- cation for the McDame Project. “I have stated that there is a critical situation developing here.” says Guno. “I have spoken with Jack Davis, Minister of Energy and Mines and Petroleum Resources and he is very positive as to a favourable response by the government.” Guno feels that the government recognizes the importance and viability of the operation. “The Cassiar mine has had a very good record Guno adds that Mike Harcourt, Leader of the Opposition, is in support of this proposal and he stated that the Opposition will monitor the government’s action on this matter. CONT Page 15 S FATALITY AT CASSIAR MINE Truck Driver Dies ’ TRUCK 66 GOES OFF THE 5660 HAUL ROAD An accident at the Cassiar asbestos mine ws claimed the life of Gert Hagemann. Hagemann’s ore truck went down the bank, off the 5660 haul road, at approximately 10:45 a.m. ‘on January 14, 1988. His co-workers began rescue operations immediately, and the Mine Rescue Team, doctor and provincial ambulance crew were on the scene within minutes. The victim was evacuated to Vancouver where he passed away early the next morning. Hagemann, 46, was a sixteen year employee with Cassiar Mining Company. He is survived by his wife, Ruth and children Joe, Andy and Rhonda of Rich- mond, B.C. and a sister Eva Kollar of Laboe, West Germany. Funeral services took place January 20th in Richmond. Provincial Mines Inspector, Doug Flynn from Smithers and Mechanical Inspector, Keith Hughes of Prince George and others have completed a preliminary inspection. A coroner’s inquest into the accident is anticipated. “Gert was a very quiet and sincere individual who will be missed by his many friends”, said Bill Zemen- chik, Mine Manager. GUNO SUPPORTS LOAN REQUEST Atlin MLA Larry Guno has written to Premier Vander Zalm urging the government to give favourable consideration to the loan application for Cassiar Mining Corporation’s new underground operations at its McDame site. In a letter to Premier Vander Zalm on January - 14th, Guno stated that he was concerned about a poten- tially serious situation developing in Cassiar, which poses an uncertain future for the town. By 1991 Cassiar Min- ing Corporation could cease operation as an open-pit mine and this will have serious economic repercussions, not only for the community of Cassiar but for the whole far north/west region as well. The Cassiar Mining Corporation has eyprodehed the Provincial government for support in the form of a loan. This would enable the company to commence underground operations at its McDame site. This would inject new life into the community and would mean sav- ing the livelihoods of several hundred people. There is no doubt about the viability of this new mining operation. Cassiar as a mining community has, over several decades, demonstrated not only productivity but responsibility. He urged that the government give its most favour- able and urgent consideration to the Cassiar Mining Corp- oration’s application.