Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 8, 1978, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press monday May 8, 1978 City news f is s 2nd class mail Refl stration number 0286 Alice Krueger worst feared on Bill 58 one of the less publicized casualties of the provincial restraint program is the apparent postponement of legislation to integrate about children with special needs into she regular school system. So Little has been said about it in fact that even an advisory committee to education minister Keith Cosens does t know for sure whether plans have been shelved. The advisory committee has yet to hear directly from Cosens about the future of the legislation but its members fear the worst. Although there has been no definite announce ment evidence would indicate the Lyon govern ment has decided to delay its implementation. For one thing the 1978-79 spending estimates of the education department show a substantial drop in funding for the program with Only plotted compared with last year. Without adequate funding most of the preparatory work of the past year and a half will grind to a halt. And while Cosens has t told his advisory committee yet he has As much As told the Manitoba association of school trustees and the Manitoba teachers society that implementation has been delayed indefinitely. The legislation was contained in Bill 58, passed in 1975 by the previous nip government but not proclaimed and therein lies part of the problem. Advisory committee chairman e. T. Sale who is executive director of the social planning Council of Winnipeg feels Bill 58 is being viewed As a political Issue by the progressive conservative government. I think we Are seen As the former government s advisory committee because we were appointed by Ian he said. The committee was appointed in november 197g to study implications of education for children with Spe Cial needs within the regular school system. It is made up of representatives of the trustees association teachers society the University of Manitoba s Educa Tion faculty school counsellors association Manitoba association of school superintendents health depart ment education department and private agencies serving children with special needs. Sale said what is unfortunate is that a lot of time and Effort has been spent by his committee laying the groundwork and allaying fears of parents teachers school boards and other agencies who would be affected by the proposed legislation. That will now be lost As will the momentum to get it implemented. The committee made its initial report to the minister last december recommending a target Date of septem Ber 1980 for implementation plus Steps on How to proceed. Since then the committee has t heard i word from Cosens. Sale said the committee has written three letters to the minister since december asking whether the pc government planned to proceed with gradual implementation of the legislation and whether he wished their continued advice. So far no response. However the minister s intentions seemed pretty Clear in a speech he made to trustees and teachers in March. There is no general consensus that seems to justify immediate Cosens said then. We feel we can implement the Bill Only when those responsible Are ready to assume the tasks. Another restriction is a familiar one Money. Until we have personnel and the financial resources to ensure that the implementation of the Bill enable divisions to provide a better education for special needs children than they have now change will of necessity be Sale takes Issue with the minister s claim that there is no general consensus. That statement simply will not Bear the chairman said adding that about 75 per cent of the province s school boards endorsed the committee s Brief. To say there is no consensus just won t it s not As if Manitoba would be breaking new ground by integrating special needs children into the system. Countries such As Finland France and great Britain have had considerable experience in this Field. And says Sale experience in those countries has demonstrated the Efficacy of consistent prenatal and infant screening to prevent handicaps. Such screening and Early detection have proven to have Long term Cost benefits As in Finland where it served to reduce future expenditures materially. One of the major Points in the committee s Brief emphasized the need for just such Early detection and diagnosis. Sale said the government should be setting targets now to Start this process. As Well he said parents and teachers at the local level should be assessing needs in their respective areas. But i Don t think anything is being done he said. Proposed victim compensation amendment court backlog could Rise tenfold Brodsky by John Barr a proposed amendment to the criminal code would increase the backlog in Canadian courts tenfold Greg Brodsky president of the Manitoba trial lawyers association says. Brodsky said the proposed amendment included in the list that would also change the nation s rape Laws orders the court in any criminal proceeding to also consider compensation to the victim of any offence. Brodsky said that by including the provision ordering courts to consider compensation minister of Justice Ron Basford was trying to slip in a major criminal code amendment under the Glare of publicity surrounding changes in the rape Laws. Under the proposed victim compensation amendment the victim could make representations in court. The court would then have to consider that representation in addition to consideration of the guilt or innocence of an accused. Brodsky said that Means the victims of crimes would use the criminal courts to collect judgments and Money they might feel would be owing them. The courts would face the spectre of compensation Brodsky said. Currently victims of a criminal act May sue in a civil action to recover compensation. The proposed amendment follows a judgment earlier this month by the supreme court of Canada affecting a Manitoba court of Appeal decision. The supreme court decision upholds the right of a criminal court to consider compensation for the victim As part of a criminal proceeding but does t go As far As the amendment which would order a court to consider compensation. The supreme court ruled thai Eaton s could not get compensation from a woman who had robbed one of the company s Winnipeg stores of it said in that particular Case there was t enough information before the provincial court judge for him to make a compensation order. But by a six to three decision the supreme court said that a criminal court judge does have the Power to order compensation As part of the penalty provision of the criminal code. Two judges on the Manitoba court of Appeal had ruled that Way. Three Manitoba Appeal court judges said that such staff photo Brodsky Basford trying to slip in major change compensation orders went beyond the Powers of the Federal government the author of the criminal and instead the compensation orders should be part of a civil proceeding As a provincial right. Brodsky said that if the proposed amendment is approved the backlog of cases would increase dramatically. Brodsky made the comment about the amendment Dur ing an interview following a meeting saturday morning of the Manitoba trial lawyers association. The rape Law amendments which would bring a charge of indecent assault rather than rape after a sexual attack on a woman or Man were termed a sop to women s by Brodsky. The trial lawyer association president said that rape ought to be abolished As a sex offence. The maximum penalty for assault should then be increased to life imprisonment with a consideration of the facts determining whether the attack was sexual. Fourteen years has been proposed by Basford As the maximum penalty for indecent there s no assault by breaking an Arm or manslaughter by shooting or Brodsky said. Brodsky agreed with the amendments that would make purveyors of child pornography face prosecution. He said he would include provisions that would allow for the Banning of magazines such As Playboy when it features photos of Young girls or the Banning of a movie such As pretty baby which depicts the introduction of a Young into prostitution. A 12-year-old actress plays the Lead he opposed the amendment that would make it a crime for a Parent to take a child from the estranged spouse during a custody dispute. Brodsky said such disputes resulting in one Parent taking a child from the spouse can be handled by court order. Breaking a court order is contempt of and the penalty for that is at the discretion of the judge but no criminal record results for the guilty Parent Brodsky said. The proposed amendments Are on the discussion list of the trial lawyers association for the coming year. At saturday morning s meeting about 20 trial lawyers discussed changes that have been made to the Legal Aid service in Manitoba. Frank Allen one of the authors of the task Force on government organization and Economy report recommend ing changes in the Legal Aid Manitoba attorney general Gerry Mercier Norm Larson executive director of Legal Aid Manitoba and Sidney Spivak minister responsible for the task Force and its co chairman had been invited to the meeting to discuss he changes during a panel discussion but none showed up. Rpt Ioto by Dave Bonner John Demarin 6, left employs raw strength to pitch that softball while Fraser raise s13.ooo in pledges for a new playground at the school. Events included a Mcewan 6, employees dazzling footwork through some old tires. Their efforts were Wal Kathon Field events and a disco danc Eathon. Joined by More than 5oo students of Dieppe elementary school in Charleswood to Winnipeg surgeon honoured for distinguished service the International College of surgeons has awarded an honorary membership for distinguished service in medical science to Winnipeg surgeon or. Victor Rosen Field. Rosenfield director of medical services at the Vic Toria general Hospital is to receive the award at the organization s 2lst International biennial Congress in Jerusalem Israel. A citation issued by the College said in part Rosen Field is being honoured among other things for his work in helping to develop an automated Hospital information system at Victoria Hospital. He also developed and introduced an ongoing medical audit program at the Hospital designed for later integration into the information system. Rosenfield has been associated with Victoria general Hospital since the mid-1950s. Or. Rosenfield Mil pledges pressure Nels Thibault Campaign on unemployment the Manitoba federation of labor in tends to continue to bombard the govern ment with demonstrations and hold forums to organize pressure As Long As unemployment continues. The provincial government was elected on a Promise to create jobs yet about More people have entered the unemployed ranks since it took Power Mil president Nels Thibault told 20 people at a meeting on unemployment sponsored by the new democratic party constituency Organiza Tion in Winnipeg Centre. Thibault said he does t have the answer for the unemployment crisis saying the solutions have to come from govern ment because it has the Power to regulate the Economy. Unemployment like we Sec in Manitoba is More than a crisis. It s a Damn disgrace. If they re the government such great Clydesdale studs they should be Breeding he said in reference to Premier Sterling Lyon s remark that the Progress Ive conservatives were among the Best breeders in the world. The unemployed Aren t the Lazy Wel fare bums the task Force would have you Lynn Hnatiw a member of the International association of machinists told the meeting unemployment causes dissension amongst the employed As Well As the unemployed. Women Are hard hit because during times of unemployment the old attitude of women working for pin Money Resur faces he said. Companies Are Able to take a harder line bargaining because of internal dissension in unions and because of the numbers of people who need work ;