Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - September 28, 1998, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnie press local monday. September 28, 1996 editor Doug Speirs / 697-7292 features editor. Buzz Curne email City desk free press my Ca a3city accused of a playing games by David Kuxhaus legislature al exporter having narrowly survived the flood of the Century the City of Winnipeg is being accused of crimping on a study that could protect it from future disasters. The charge is being levelled by the co chairman of an International task Force responsible for the red River Valley. A a they re playing games a said Bruce Rawson. A they seem to think this is something they can bargain the task Force was struck by the International joint commission following the officials Challenge has Union fuming by Kevin Rollason staff rep Cier stung by criticism of the Way City fire officials test recruits the Deputy fire chief fired off a Challenge yesterday to the executive of the firefighters Union come and take the test yourselves to judge How fair it is. In the letter dated sept. 26, but sent yesterday to All members of the emergency response services department and the free press Deputy chief Ken Sim said the testing can be done this Friday at 9 . At the fire Hail at 1001 Mcgregor st. Sim said he is offering the test giving priority to Union executives to allay Union concerns that recent candidates for jobs Are less capable than previous recruits and current firefighters. A i believe your participation and evaluation will reveal the Standard expected of the recruits meets or exceeds the requirements you have publicly stated Are Paramount to your members a Sim wrote adding the testing would be carried out in front of the Media. Alex Forrest president of the United fire fighters of Winnipeg said the Union will seek a Legal opinion today whether the letter is an unfair labour practice. A i can to believe he a doing this a Forrest said yesterday. A it serves no purpose. We re going to give this to our Legal counsel. Its merely an attempt to Embarrass the executive. A it is merely trying to deflect the responsibility of last week the Union claimed that during the testing of 40 recruits five people failed a test that involved lifting a ladder Down and w Ere Given a second Chance. During the second test the height of the ladder was lowered. Four of the five recruits were women. Fire officials defended the lowering of the ladder saying male recruits who had taken the test in the new training facility last june had complained it was placed higher than usual making it difficult for Shorter candidates. When five people failed the ladder portion of last weeks test officials decided to lower the ladder. The Union has alleged standards Are being lowered to get More women hired. But Forrest said yesterday he has no problem with women who Are currently working As firefighters. A it Isnit a gender Issue at All. The women who work with us Are very Good and 1 would put my life in their hands a he said. A we Are saying you cannot lower the standards because we say it is a safety although Winnipeg has the most female firefighters in the country they comprise just 19 of 800 City crimping on study commission raw son said they want to do a specific risk analysis for the City at a Cost of $300,000. The commission has put up $100,000 and raw son said he has a commitment from the province for an equal amount. However he said the City has been unwilling to co operate. A it really is a trivial amount in comparison to the Impact Quot said Rawson adding �?o$100,000 could be just the Cost of one flooded a study by the Manitoba water commission indicated if Winnipeg had been subjected to the floodwaters that swamped several communities to the South the damage could have been As High As $7 billion. Even a senior Engineer with the City has recommended that it participate in the study. Bob Gannon chief financial officer for the City denied the City was taking a hard line. A it Isnit a question of anybody saying no we do it Quot said Gannon. But he said previous flood related funding arrangements have seen the City pay Only 10 per cent of costs. Coun. Shirley Timm Rudolph said Council is under financial constraints. A we done to have the Money in the while Timm Rudolph did no to Rule out coming up with $100,000, she said it would require cuts in other areas or an increase in property taxes. A i done to think people want that a she said. Rawson said if the commission does t get started on the study soon it will be too late. He said tenders need to go out and researchers must be hired. Follow up work May also be required once its Complete. The task Force is scheduled to Issue its final report by june 30. Ruth Bonnier bile Winnipeg free press Cross Celebration spans centuries members of Winnipeg a ethiopian Community gathered in Assiniboine Park yesterday for a holy Cross Celebration that dates Back to and 375 in Jerusalem. Participants said that a when smoke from burning incense led searchers to the Cross and a part of it was then hidden in Northern May follow Manitoba a Lead looking at tougher Laws for Johns by Paul Samyn National reporter Ottawa a Federal Justice minister Anne Mclellan May take a Page from the film on governments Law and order Book As her department considers a National crackdown on prostitution. Mclellant a office has confirmed she directed a Federal provincial committee studying possible changes to the criminal code to look at a Manitoba Law that allows police to seize vehicles used in prostitution related offences. A we Are researching what Manitoba has gone ahead with a said Carole Theberge counsel with the Justice departments criminal Law policy Section. Theberge said it is too Early to say what action a if any a Mclellan might take on Manitoba a plan to get Tough with those who solicit sex from hookers. A the ministers position at this time is to wait and see what the Federal provincial report an interim report shows Manitoba a Law a a key Justice Plank in the 1995 tory election platform a has sparked both positive and negative feedback from those studying it. A some respondents Felt that this option would be administratively burdensome and involve a heavy handed approach to a summary conviction offence a the interim report says. The document also warns it would be inconsistent to seize the cars of Johns while vehicles Are not impounded when drunk Drivers injure or kill people. However there was support for the Manitoba Law among the working group. A others Felt that such a penalty would have a Strong deterrent Impact and could be justified on the grounds the use of a motor vehicle is an essential part of the nuisance associated w Ith Street Manitoba a Law w hich has been passed by the legislature but is not yet in Force uses the Highway traffic act to seize vehicles used by Johns. The province Hopes to begin enforcing the Law late this year. Upon conviction the vehicle or Security on it is forfeited. First time Johns can get their car Back if they participate in a course designed to prevent them from using prostitutes. The Manitoba Law allow s Cash recovered from the seizure and Sale of vehicles to help fund programs that get prostitutes off the Street. Manitoba Justice minister Vic Toews said he is delighted Mclellan has expressed an interest in Manitoba a approach to quashing the demand for prostitutes. A i Welcome her interest in this matter and i w ill co operate w Ith her a Toews said. Thew s said he Hopes Mclellan does enshrine Manitoba a idea in the criminal code As it w Ould be More effective from an administration standpoint. Because provinces cannot make changes to the criminal code Toews has had to w Ork administratively through the Highway traffic act a much More complicated and cumbersome w a to seize Johns vehicles. Toews said if some provinces Are against changing the Law Mclellan could still move ahead with criminal code amendments and allow provinces to opt in. Meanwhile the City Isnit the Only government the task Force is having trouble getting Money from. Funding from the . Government appears to have dried up. Rawson said they need about $2.5 million to Complete their study of the entire Basin but so far Only Ottawa has anted up its share. Leonard Legault Canadian chairman of the commission said Washington has always honoured its financial commitments to the inc. However he said there a currently a quarrel Between the administration and Congress regarding funding for the . Army corps of engineers. Legault said he Hopes to have a final answer from Washington by october. A of support workers ratify pact staff the University of Manitoba a support workers voted 75 per cent in favour of accepting a three year contract last night. Cecile Cassista National representative for the Canadian Auto workers said the 425 Union members will receive raises of one per cent for each of the first two years and a two per cent raise in the third year. As Well Cassista said freezes in Trade rates and the food services wages have been lifted and the so called Filmon Friday layoffs Are no More. Cassista said w Hile workers approved the contract Many were upset at the University a hard line at the bargaining table which put them on the Brink of a strike that could have begun As Early As today. Members Friis rated a the membership w As frustrated at the University because they gave and helped out when the University needed it and then they were forced to fight to get it Back a she said. Caw represents mechanical Power House janitorial and tradespeople As Well As food services workers. The agreement w As reached late saturday night and the membership voted to accept it last night. Now that one collective agreement is settled the University still faces a possible strike because of a dispute with about 1,100 professors instructors and Library workers represented by the University of Manitoba faculty association. At Issue is the University a desire that professors be forced to retire at age 65.our mistake mayoral candidate Peter Kaufmann said he would cot up to 2,500 City jobs Over 10 years through attrition. Incorrect information appeared in sundays week in review column. Air duct cleaning whole House package hurry Call now whole House package includes unlimited vents and main duct. Benefits duct cleaning helps relieve symptoms of allergies asthma and respiratory discomfort by removing indoor airborne irritants such As dirt dust animal Dander and pollen. Process Industrial Grade equipment Brush vacuums the air ducts and vents. 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