The Leader-Post from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada • 4

The Leader-Post Regina Wednesday, July 29, 1998 A 4 General Low-tech exhibits are busy Komaraow says Ottawa fiesdble aboot programs Heart and Stroke Foundation, and toward a prize in this weekends Fort QuAppelle Rodeo. Last week marked the second time the ride was held, and Im fairly sure theres going to be a third annual, says Lionels sister Marmie Poitras. Call Constable Rick Sanderson of the Indian Head RCMP detachment or Constable Ian Morris at the Fort QuAppelle detachment. Nifty things that caught my eye as I trudged through the Exhibition yesterday: 15 metres of Canadarm (as used on space shuttles), a place to sign up for a Saskatchewan Roughrider MasterCard, a large RCMP 125th anniversary display and a massive sand sculpture. Ah, it doesnt get much better than this! For what its worth, the largest crowds I saw were not for high-tech gadgets or breathtaking rides, but for very low-tech things: the petting zoo and the Speedo diving show.

And at the humane society booth, kids were so excited to spot a sleeping housecat that youd think they'd never seen one before. Go figure Seen on a T-shirt at the fair Ossifer, Im sotally tober! When I asked Don Chatwin, Regina Exhibition Park spokesguy, for the unchangeable rules of thumb of the Ex, he gave me three: A few children will always get lost; Some people will never read the Exhibitions advertisements, and; The weirdest outfits in town will be seen on the midway. All you have to do is stand here for five minutes and check out the garb, he chuckled. A silly question: why do the people doing computerized horoscopes at the Ex still use a machine the size of a Volkswagen? And finally, a deep thought: of all the events occurring annually in the city, is there any other whose patrons reflect Regina age-wise and racially so well as the fair does? And is there any other at which people get along so well? attracted people from as far away as B.C. and Edmonton.

The numbers are still being crunched for the festival (the second held in the Friendly City), but my spies report good crowds at the opening gala (with Ben Wicks and The Arrogant Worms). Will the festival return next year? We certainly hope so, said assistant co-ordinator Lori Dean. Were hoping to make it an annual event." This seems a good time to mention the festivals next fundraiser, a concert by the hot Newfie band Buddy Wattsisname and The Other Fellers. Its in Moose Jaw, venue TBA, Oct. 15.

Festival sparkplug Gary Hyland reports the most touching moment came during a discussion of the book Stolen Life The Journey of a Cree Woman, moderated by writer-politico-niceguy Dennis Gruending. The scene: one of this books authors, Rudy Wiebe, was present at Zion Church; the other, Yvonne Johnson, was confined to Corrections Canadas facility for aboriginal women near Maple Creek, and participated via telephone. As the session neared its end, those present realized that Rudy would be able to mingle with the people and decompress she (Yvonne) would have to go back to her room, Gary said. I dont think anybody in Canada could have done a better job moderating that session than Dennis. There were people in tears there.

Second, we note a successful end to a trail ride that commemorates RCMP Constable Lionel Poitras, who died in November 1996 doing what he loved off-duty: taking part in a rodeo. To salute Lionel, who died of a heart attack, friends and family organized a trail ride through 40 miles of the beautiful QuAppelle Valley, from the Craven area to Fort QuAppelle. The 70 riders got barbecues, guides, feed, entertainment even Portapotties! Proceeds go to the Saskatchewan A reporters notebook: Hats off to everybody connected with Sunday nights terrific fireworks show ending Pile Bones Sunday. The consensus was that it was the best local fireworks display in recent memory Quote of the week: it came from the patron of last weeks heartwarming Habitat For Humanity blitz build in Regina, former governor-general Ed Schreyer. Sporting a large padded bandage on his left middle finger, he told the crowd at the dedication ceremony for the six new houses, how appropriate it is that this is happening in Saskatchewan which I can say, as a resident of the neighboring province has in so many ways led Canada in terms of concepts of co-operation and the general uplifting of humanity.

Incidentally, if youre interested in becoming involved with Habitat For Humanitys Regina group, call 569-3949; if nobody answers, leave a message. Letters can be sent in care of 1940 McIntyre Regina, S4P 2R3 Finally, who is the most wildly optimistic guy in Canada? Answer: its the guy who posted this note on the Internet's Canadian football newsgroup: Can anybody tell me where the Grey Cup is this year, and will the Green Riders be considered the home or visiting team? Will Chabun unites three times a week. If you have an interesting item for his column, unite, phone (565-8267), fax (565-2588) or e-mail him wchabunsk.sympatieo.ca) By BONNY BRADEN Leader-Star News Premier Roy Romanow says his meeting today with Prime Minister Jean Chretien in Saskatoon shows Ottawa is flexible and open-minded about sharing control over social programs like Medicare. Chretiens open mind will set a positive tone for the premiers conference next week in Saskatoon where the negotiation of a new social framework tops the agenda, Romanow said. Other topics slated for discussion include jobs, a national highways program and the employment insurance surplus.

I'm quite encouraged by the fact that the prime minister seems to be coming here from the point of view of being flexible and open-minded and I intend to try to foster that approach further if I can, Romanow said Tuesday in Regina. Romanow hopes provincial leaders will follow suit and show some flexibility of their own at the conference, Romanow said. I think that they will see, the provincial governments and I hope the federal government, that the merit of cooperative action outweighs any kind of standoff at the OK Corral where the provinces are shooting at Ottawa and Ottawa is shooting at the provinces. Saskatchewan Party Leader Elwin Hermanson urged Romanow to ensure the conference is more than just a photo op. He wrote a letter to Romanow and all other premiers asking them to deal with four major areas of concerns in Saskatchewan and across Canada.

Ottawa should replace half of the $6 billion it pulled out of social transfers over the past three years, Hermanson said. There should be a national cost-shared highways program. Ottawa should also allow families to split income between spouses so one parent has the option of staying home to care for children. Hermanson also urged Ottawa to tighten up the Young Offenders Act, force criminals to pay restitution to their victims and allow more victim in put on sentencing. Tax relief and young offenders are not on the conference agenda according to government officials.

But both social transfers and highways will be discussed. Romanow hopes the public will be all ears for news from the two-day premiers conference and his meeting with Chretien. But he admits the phrase discussion of a new social framework, can be a big turn-off for the public. These words make it sound like a legalistic and constitutional issue, he said. But we're really talking about the preservation of health care, the enhancement of health care, social services programs like child benefit and education programs.

Were talking about a new model, a new era where we can demonstrate to Canadians that governments work in their interests in tangible ways. Chretiens meeting with Romanow follows the very positive move made by Ottawa 11 days ago. Thats when the federal government released its position paper on how social programs should be managed and funded. Finally, the provinces have some idea of where Ottawa is going, Romanow said. The provinces released their position paper on the social framework in June and were waiting for some counter offer from Ottawa.

Provinces want to help interpret and enforce Medicare standards and say Ottawa must stop creating new social programs without talking to them. Provinces should also have the right to opt out of any new federal social programs, while still collecting the federal funding directed to that particular program. Romanow says the provinces want Ottawa to limit its social spending power so it is in sync with the provinces. I do not believe the spending power should be so emasculated that the federal government cannot act in the interests of all Canadians. It has a duty to do so.

Ottawa agreed this year not to set up new cost-shared social programs without majority approval from the provinces, Romanow said. Leaving the Ex, here are two stories with happy endings: First, a report on last weekends Festival of Words in Moose Jaw, which Wage gap between young, old widens It may also be easier for employers to justify pay cuts to young, entry-level employees during periods of downsizing than it is to do the same to older, more established staff. OTTAWA (CP) Canadian youth are not only faced with double-digit unemployment, but also a gradual decline in the hourly wage they are paid relative to older workers, says a Statistics Canada study released Tuesday. In the last couple of decades, young Canadians between the ages of 18 and 24 have seen their wages shrink compared to their elder counterparts. Their real income has dropped com- pared to what their counterparts made in the 70s.

The study suggests a quarter of the wage gap between young and old can be blamed on an increase in the numbers of better-educated, more experienced older workers currently in the workforce. In the past, younger workers had an educational advantage over older workers that compensated for lack of experience and led to well-paid, white collar jobs. The data now suggests that older workers are almost as highly educated now as younger workers, said Garnett Picot, director of the business and labor market analysis at Statistics Canada. As the education of older workers increased relative to younger workers, then their wages increased relative to younger workers." While no one is certain precisely what else is behind the growing gap, a number of factors may be co-operating to bring it about. It could be blamed on the kinds of entry level jobs now available to youth, said Lucie Bohac Konrad, executive director of the Canadian Youth Foundation in Ottawa.

Today the job growth is really within the small-medium business sector, definitely in the services and those in the services are not high-wage earners, she said. MTnh iL The City of Regina ProgramCommunlty Guide FallWinter 98 BaUEFt X-Act and X-Cite men's and women's In-line fitness vesicates iilBlii All O'neill and Body Glova ana super comfort. Compare at 300.00 Nik Mr Tr Woman's I Casualfshoe JTy Sportswear and swimwear Huge sanction of men's women's and kids shifts, Unlu, boatd shorn and swlmweai 35 OFF Oukes J. Dubb or Unknown suede shoes Ttih classic styling Vy fsupenoi quality. tySXompo'e at 80.

Crosstraining Shoes PgjSj suspension bikes. All the information you need to register for programs offered by the City of Regina and community organizations. Delivered to all Regina households Friday, August 2898 To reserve advertising space call 565-7438. fni city of 15 Regina if SEufifcagESHSHBS I NBEA' tkJt IQOltllUsUftUSIf'tftOOrtllOll'IOt 601(1 Mill MWjUklMUlMUtil MUiMUHIII MULHtwih MM Nil) IHNUHN attjttREGIIIA 921 ALBERT ST. Vf (AlbARY IMlWNIUWN 1 Scjikhb Ql SlMtlnn Ave umoss Iioih Hunkim Mull) 4 HMD AlfsAKY NORIH IASI Mmlluiimiiih Weill SA9 69IR, -L! li! llH (AHARY SOU1H Mudftfiri nt Vtwl Av (tonfe Sonin hull) 7S (I I (AlliARY NORIM Wi Hwitwoori Vrilwj ftnil to london iKuyv) 2HV GiLUUL St UliHlL-ZrJ 320, RMMMf A tAHinwt; Avenuo (ViMmcjo Mull nnitto Mud Wmk Wnotltouw) 34 6144, lUMUNlUN WI SI I NU 4H6HU, lytptwww.sporfmorlciaijMiiiiUiNXiHi.'jrstMkui imuuxtAZiiu 3110? ttBlOl.