Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 05/00) - Mary Kosta, who recently endured a three-week hunger strike in support of Giant miners, has decided to at least for now, postpone resuming her fast.

Kosta made her declaration Friday, following her meeting with Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew.

"She asked me not to go back on my hunger strike, to give her a little time, and I said I would," Kosta said.

Fighting back tears, Kosta said, "We have a really great Member of Parliament. We're lucky to have her.

"She told me today she's still fighting for us, and still supports us, and she still cares," Kosta said.

"I believe her. I have a lot of faith in her. She told us what we were told yesterday isn't the end of the story."

Kosta was referring to a meeting she attended Thursday. Representatives from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, as well as the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, said that, under existing legislation, they could not assist the miners.

At issue is the fact retired Giant miners in the underfunded hourly pension plan are to have their benefits reduced 25 per cent, beginning April 1. As well, more than 200 workers laid off from the bankrupt mine in October have yet to receive severance pay.

Kosta said Blondin-Andrew agreed to meet with her again this weekend.

Kosta said all Canadians need to understand what's going on here and that it would be really helpful if there was a debate in the House of Commons on workers' rights.

Kosta and her husband Bob, who was among those laid off from Giant mine last fall, have their house for sale.

Giant pensioner Mike Walcer also attended Friday's meeting. Referring to the hourly pension fund, which was contributed to and run by Royal Oak before it went into receivership, Walcer said, "It's a case where you trust.

"And dammit, maybe we trusted too much."

Walcer told Yellowknifer it's "quite a jolt to the system" when faced with a cut to your pension.

"Some of the public still thinks it's a gift," Walcer said. "It's a negotiated thing in lieu of wages."

Meanwhile, DIAND special advisor to the Royal Oak team, Dave Nutter told Yellowknifer Friday the department can't legally provide funding for a private pension plan.

Nutter said the trust fund established when DIAND brokered the sale of Giant mine in December to Miramar has to be used for environmental cleanup of the mine.

"The Income Tax Act is very clear," Nutter said.

"If the funds were used for any other purpose, they would no longer qualify under environmental trust."

Nutter said legislative changes could prevent problems like those facing Giant pensioners from happening again.

"But that would not apply to pre-existing problems. Government is reluctant to pass legislation which is retroactive."