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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - JUNE 21, 2005
Dear Editor;My name is Sherida Crane, for those of you that don't know or remember me, I am currently completing a spring semester at the University of Winnipeg. I am 19.5 credits away from completing my degree in Conflict Resolution.
I have a problem, and I am hoping someone in the Native and Non-native community can assist me and/or give me some ideas. I have four children, Ashala(16), Mary-Rose(8), Emma (6), Willy(3) and they all are living full-time with their father and step-mother on Okanogan Indian reserve, near Vernon British Columbia.
As it stands I receive post-secondary funding from my reserve, Siksika Nation in Alberta. I receive single person funding from them which is eight hundred dollars a month, ($800.00). My rent is four hundred and fifty dollars a month, ($450.00), plus hydro, and phone bill, and food.
I also have to pay for automobile insurance etc, unfortunately it has been impossible to save money.
I finish my last exam June 31st, and will start my last year of studies in September.
I miss my children terribly, and I know they miss me. Currently my band has no travel funds. I choose the University of Winnipeg, not on a whim, but because it was the only place I could receive a BA in Conflict Resolution in Canada, other then a university in Ontario. There are no Conflict Resolution BA programs in British Columbia, and Alberta. I have a GPA standing of 3.5. I have been working hard.
I come from a back ground of alcoholism, family violence, and sexual abuse.
I have had to work hard at changing my own abusive patterns, and believe me I have worked hard at changing my life,( it seems to be a work in progress). I do not want to be stuck on the welfare cycle.
I donıt come from BC, and my children are used to their BC S'quilx father, and relatives, so my life will have to remain in British Columbia.
Once I complete university it is my hope that I can receive permanent employment after graduation to be able to buy my own home in the Similkameen area since I will live off my ex-husbandıs reserve. My children, and I love the Similkameen!
Unfortunately I have no relatives in British Columbia other then my children.
I want to desperately spend July and August with my children in BC. I have not seen them since Christmas.
As it stands, I have no travel funds, ie gas money, and no money to pay rent let alone damage deposit. In order to apply for social assistance I would have to be a resident of BC for at least a month, and wait thirty days before I could even see a social assistance worker.
I am looking for a low-rental house and/or apartment to rent in the Similkameen/Cawston/Hedley area just for JULY AND AUGUST.
The landlord has to be extremely understanding until I can receive rent from SA or another source.
It is a complicated matter, and I am hoping that someone can help me, and or present some ideas. Please feel free to reply to me at the following email: calfchild@yahoo.com, and or phone 204- 783-9219.
I'm hoping to leave this July 1st and head to BC.
Sincerely, Sherida Crane
Dear Editor:
This is in response to Gary Gattrellıs letter, "Reader fires one at Gouk," which was published in your June 14th edition. It seems that the fundamental premise of Mr. Gattrell was that I was using my mailing privileges to campaign against the NDP. In actual fact, the survey that went to the Similkameen area was one of six mailings sent throughout the riding covering such topics as definition of marriage, child pornography, the firearms registry and various justice issues. The true intention of the mailings was to determine from constituents whether or not the position that I and my party had taken on various issues was on track with local opinion. This is a necessary process if one is to truly represent the wishes of constituents. Ironically, Mr. Gattrell may be one of those who would also be quick to complain if I didnıt seek constituents' opinions. You just canıt win with some people.
For Mr. Gattrellıs information, most of my federal riding has always been NDP except for the previous provincial election when the entire province was anxious to kick the NDP out of office after they had spent two terms in Victoria proving just how badly they could run our province. I can assure Mr. Gattrell that very few of the many constituents who have returned my questionnaires selected NDP as the party that best represents their views.
Mr. Gattrell asked why I didnıt mention the Liberals' purchase of Belinda Stronach or their attempted purchase of Gurmant Grewal. The answer to that is that those events hadnıt occurred at the time I prepared the surveys. It takes quite a bit of time for writing, camera ready prep for the printers, and then the actual printing, shipping and distribution by mail of this material. Beyond that, these blatant examples of vote buying had nothing to do with the subject of the questionnaire he is reacting to.
Obviously an NDP supporter, Mr. Gattrell suggests incorrectly that Jack Layton got $4 billion for social programs. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Plainly, Jack was out-maneuvered by a cagey Prime Minister. While a spending commitment of 4.6 billion dollars for items from urban transportation to foreign aid was made, there are no details as to how that money would be spent. This is a favourite Liberal tactic of creating slush funds that can be spent without further scrutiny or consultation in vote buying tactics that support little except the Liberal Party of Canada. In actual fact, the NDP played right into the Liberals hands. Jack Layton wasnıt bought -- he was simply rented for a few weeks to enable the Liberals to complete their own political agenda. Mr. Gattrellıs claim that the gas tax rebate wouldnıt have happened under a Conservative government is totally false and I suspect he knows that. It is our party that has pushed for this fuel tax funding. I am on record as far back as 1996 with then-Finance Minister Paul Martin pushing this very issue.
In a final shot, Mr. Gattrell asks what responsible person needs a gun for their business? Many very responsible community members own and use firearms for recreational purposes. This includes such activities as hunting, trap and skeet shooting and other firearms competitions and recreational pursuits. Law-abiding citizens are not the problem when it comes to firearms, yet thatıs where the billion dollars firearms registry takes aim. Too bad the Liberals and NDP cant seem to understand that.
Sincerely,
Jim Gouk, MP
