5 ) 2 cs _ Castlegar News ve 19. 1985 Editor's note: Nelson resident Vera Kristiansen joined a group of 33 Canadian peace activists in a tour of the Soviet Union in May. Some of the peace organizations represented were Operation Dismantle, Ploughshares, Peace Resource Centre (promoting World Conference on Religion for Peace), the Peace Tax Fund Committee, Performers and Artists for Nuclear Disarmament, Children for Peace, and others, including one person from the United States representing a religious group called “The Brethren.” Following is Kristiansen's report. * * Our peace tour took us to eight cities located in four republics, where we saw all the tourist places like museums, castles, mosques, schools, tea plantations. However, the highlights of each city were our meetings with peace groups and/or Friendship Socieites in each city. The meetings were very frank and open, with a good exchange of views and opinions and an opportunity to ask questions of each other. There are some three million members in peace organizations throughout every republic, and they-raise millions of rubles each year.We were told of the many ways they raise funds, including groups of students taking train trips to talk to passengers, get signatures on petitions and collect donations. Many people leave donations in their wills, saying the best wish they could make for their grandchildren is that there shall always be blue skies. One group told us a young girl sends them 100 kopeks every year saying, “This is the ice cream I didn't eat and the movie I didn't see.” They spend their funds on many functions includ: wife .in Tblisi, Georgia, whose son was stationed in Afghanistan, and, although they hated to see him there, they appeared to feel it necessary. . Another question asked was, in light of the fact that there is enough nuclear arsenal in the world now to blow up the world 40 times over, was their government still producing more nuclear weapons daily? Nobody seemed to know, although they felt certain that bombs were not produced continuously, but that research was conducted. I might point out that the peace group members with whom we met were ordinary citizens, including many workers, retired teachers, other retired people, and several doctors. They were not government officials or politicians. All we talked to were quick to point out the fear they had of being attacked, and their memories of the last war were too vivid to allow them to relax. (They lost 20 million people.) This was the one area we could not help but be moved. When the Soviets talked about the last war, the feelings with which they would describe personal experiences, the horrors, the destruction, was very moving. Their fear of war was most evident and sincere and their understanding of a nuclear war was realistic. We saw many movies and photos of Leningrad and Volgograd and the damage that was inflicted during the war. Both cities were reduced to rubble. The amount of rebuilding that has taken place is unbelievable. There was a striking difference between those two cities and those in the republies of Georgia, Azerbaidjan and Uzbeck where the war did not reach. The latter lectures, research, conferences. One of their recent successes was in getting the first day of school dedicated to peace activities in all the schools. The day is used to discuss the issues surrounding peace, and hear reports of what their country was doing and why. We asked if it was possible for our members to correspond with their members, and the suggestion was received enthusiastically. We were assured every effort would be made to match up members for this purpose, and as long as the language difficulty was solved, this could work out well for exchange of views and for greater understanding. I have addresses to write to if anyone is interested. The Canadians asked if the Soviet peace groups thought they had an influence on their government, and in most cases they said they thought they did. They then asked us the same question. Most of our group thought we did, at least during elections. They then asked if we ever recalled any elected representative or government if they did not live up to their promises. We explained we had no recall system. We were informed they did have recall powers, and in fact over 4,000 deputies had been recalled in the past 10 years. We asked the Soviet members if they ever marched or protested against their government's actions. While they said they could and would if their government was not carrying out the wishes of the people, they were not sure what we thought they should protest at the present time. “Should we protest against the nuclear freeze our government proposed in the United Nations? Should we protest against the unilateral declaration against first use of nuclear weapons — against first strike? How can we protest our government's stand against Star Wars, arming of outerspace?” I asked about Afghanistan and how they felt about their involvement in that country. Most members seemed supportive of their government's action, explaining that Afghanistan was a very poor country, and its government has been trying very hard to build up its economy, provide irrigation in order to grow its own food, educate its people. Small communities keep being raided by armed bands, many based in nearby Pakistan, and reportedly financed by the CIA, consequently destroying what progress was achieved. They further said that the Soviet Union was asked for assistance 13 times before finally agreeing. We talked with a university professor and his are so more wealthy, with three times as many cars on the streets as in the Russian republic. The architecture of the buildings blending from one century to another made such interesting contrasts. We were asked if most Canadian people were anxious to find ways to ensure peace. Our answer was yes, certainly. However, I could not help thinking about the Peace Week at the Nelson high school which prompted a critical editorial to be printed in the local newspaper, and the condemnation from an elected representative. Other questions put to us, at least by English ‘speak. ing rs who obviously read English newspapers, were: Why does a one-legged man have to run across the country to raise money for cancer research? How do people still tolerate having the lower-income groups pay taxes while the wealthy do not? Why are so few women and working people elected to our governments? How could there be one and a half million unemployed in such a wealthy nation as Canada? My observations of the Soviet Union were impressive. Everybody works. Wages range from 175 to 600 rubles a month. Some difficult and dangerous jobs pay more than doctors and dentists. There is no mandatory retirement; an 83-year-old woman said she still worked a few hours a week to supplement her pension, as she had no family and nothing else to do. For a highly regulated country they seemed very flexible as regards to hours or days of work. One woman at our hotel said she chose to work a 16-hour day and then took two days off. Another woman working in a park said she had to care for a certain portion of the park, and as long as it was watered and in order, nobody cared what hours she put in, or if her granddaughter helped her (which she was at the time). And we heard several other variations. We visited a school in Tashkent and talked with the principal and several teachers, as well as children in the nglish class. We were surprised to find that all elementary students were provided three hot meals a day at school. School was compulsory until Grade 10, and is about to be changed to Grade 11. After that a person wenf to work or to a technical institution, vogattomat school or university. Students in higher instit is were paid a small wage and could also work to supplement this income. Everthing was free, including all books. Society in general appeared to be slower, calmer, quieter. No con men hustling on the streets, peddling merchandise. No sales clerk anxious to make a sale. Fewer cars on the streets with less pollution set the Peace activist tells of Soviet Union atmosphere at a calmer pace. There were no long limousines. We were, however, surprised at the varied style of dress which were stylish, colorful and individualistic, at least those worn by younger people. We learned that when our news broadcasters talk about world inflation, it does not include the Soviet Union. Bread prices have not changed since the 1940s. Transportation prices (streetcar, bus or metro) have remained at five kopeks. Prices are going down on large items such as refrigerators and televisions. A number of us had to buy different drugs for colds and other illnesses, and found the cost of pills to be four, six or 10 kopeks. A doctor came to the hotel to see anyone who needed it, at no cost to us. Rents for twoor three-bedroom apartments ranged from four to 25 rubles, including water, gas and heat. A few years ago there was a waiting list of two or three years to purchase a car. Now there is no waiting list, cost of a car is between five and eight thousand rubles. The downpayment was one-third the cost, and then payments were arranged. With the kind of sketchy information we have about the Soviet Union, I was surprised to find such a friendly, orderly country. I speak a limited Russian so I could talk to people wherever we went. In the southern republics, where Russian was the second language and therefore as limited as mine, I had mor edifficulty communicating. However, with more time and effort I had many good discussions. No drug problems (our guide said it was undesirable therefore not allowed). Practically no mugging or pickpocketing, no holdups (handguns cannot be pur- chased), and the most common crime was breaking and entering. No pornography, no prostitution — no moralizing over the matter of rationalizing that it is the oldest profession in the world. When opportunity to work is provided people do not choose to become prostitutes. Although this is not considered a Christian society (although there are many different practicing churches in every city we visited, and many of our members attended services and had meetings with church members), the morals seemed very: high. Our guide told us that she and her fiance had planned to marry for two years but their respective jobs kept taking them in different directions, but they would marry soon. One of our group asked if they were living together, and the astonished look she gave him! “Certainly not! It is simply not done.” I shall never call that country Russia again. Our guide pointed out that “to call this Russia is like calling the United States Texas.” It is called the Soviet Union because there are 15 individual republics in the USSR. Most of the republics have their own language, and the Georgian republic even has its own alphabet (one of the world’s 13 alphabets). Russian is taught as a second language in all the republics as a communicating language. I feel like I visited four different countries, with the advantage of using one language and one coinage (money). There is such a contrast from the staid, 4 industrious, reserved northern culture of the Russian republic to the hustle and bustle of the southern republics of Georgia, Azerbaidjan and Uzbeck, which are Latin or Arabic in temperament, with colorful silk clothing and boisterous, jovial, congenial people. They are as different as Egypt and Sweden. Some day I expect the European Common Market will bring about a common communicat ing language and money in Europe. It would ease travelling in the various countries while retaining the different cultures. At the last general meeting of our peace tour group it was unanimously agreed that this was a very worth while, educational and interesting trip and, hopefully we made good contact with peace groups in the Soviet Union. Churches need young “Gundey services 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. CALGARY (CP) — Chur. Robson Church ches must look to their own 2nd and 4th Sundays failures rather than the per- 10a.m. ceived evils of drugs, rock Rev. Charles Balfour and roll, sexual permissive. 365-2271 ness and liberal schooling as the reasons young people are | ST. PETER LUTHERAN voiding churches, says Chris. tian youth worker Don Pos. terski. 713 - 4th Street Worship Service 9 a.m Sunday School 10:15.0.m Pastor Terry Defoe Office 365-3664 Residence 365-7622 Listen to the Lutheran Hour — Sunday, 9 a.m on Radio CKQR Rev. Herman Engberink Ph. 365-7143 WEEKEND SERVICES Saturday 7 p.m Sunday 8 and 11 a.m ST. MARIA GORETTI NEW IN TOWN? LET US PUT OUT THE MAT UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA 2264 - 6th Ave 1% Blocks South of Community Complex 9:40 a.m. — Singing 10 a.m. — Worship <<) and Sunday School Robson: Ist Sun, 7 p.m 3rd Sunday, 10 a.m. Rev. Ted Bristow 365-8337 or 365-7814 %, = ON WON 809 Merry Creek Road Past Fireside Motel Pastor: R.H. Duckworth Family Bible Hour Sas am. _ Morning hip CHURCH OF GOD 11:00 a.m 2404 Columbia Avenue Evening Praise Church School p.m. 9:45 a.m WEDNESDAY NIGHT Morning Worship Study & Prayer — 7 p.m 1am Church 365-3430 Pastor 365-2808 Pastor ira Johnson Phone 365-6762 ST. RITA'S CATHOLIC PENTECOSTAL TABERNACLE 767-11th Ave., Castlegar Pastor Rev. Ken Smith Assistant Rev. Morley Soltys Phone 365-5212 Sunday Morning Services ot 8:15. a.m. and 11:00 o.m. Christion Education — 9:45 a.m Evening Service — 6 p.m APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF PENTECOST Below Castleaird Plaza Phone 365-6317 Pastor: Victor Stobbe Phone 365-2374 SUNDAY SERVICES Sunday School 9:45 a.m Morning Worship 11:00 Evening Fellowship 6:30 FOR YOU! GENELLE * Men's y: Bible Study . Sunday 9:30 a.m * Wee College ond Prayer 7:00 p.m * Home Bible Study Group Thursday a amore Youth Meeting 6:30 n Wednes im EVANGELICAL OF ives! m tow a Poo ted HOME OF CASTLEGAR FREE CHURCH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY -78) 914 Columbia Ave, | GRACE PRESBYTERIAN oe: 7e18 Family Bible Hour 2605 Columbia Ave SEVENTH-DAY 4 Sunday Worship Service ADVENTIST CHURCH lla.m Bible Study & Prayer Tues. 7:30 p.m Pastor: Tom Mulder Phone: 365-2281 Joyce 365-3091 Connie 365-7601 Sunday School 9:45 a.m Morning Worship 11 a.m Home Bible Studies For information Call 365-8292 1471 Columbio Ave., Trail 364-0117 Regular Saturday Services Pastor Cliff Drieberg 365-2649 Rie, ewpintes bygny inary FBP. sean AUTOMOTIVE DIRECTORY FRE. orslaory bpphary omers FR, sencary AUTO BODY & REPAIR WANETA PLAZA TOYOTA Complete Car and Truck Repairs AUTO BODY & PAINTING Bear Creek Road, Trail 364-2588 AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIES MITCHELL AUTO PARTS my For All Your Auto Needs &) 707 - 13th St., Castlegar 365-7248 (=3)eumpPeER To BUMPER. 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SALES & SERVICE SL 365-7145 = 1050 Columbie, THE KITCHEN CORNER * For Every Kitchen Need * IdealGitt items FULL LINE OF WILTON PRODUCTS LOCATED AT WANETA WICKER 1458 Bay Ave., Trail 368-8512 RANERIDGE PAVING Lp 352-7333 __ INDUSTRIAL — COMMERCIAL _— RESIDENTIAL = 352-7333 PAVING ate {Also Offering: Gravel Supplies * Grading, © Oil Spraying ( * Compacting é Tracking EFFECTIVE MAY 10, 1985 ie 24 Hour Answering Servic pit 17:000-332-4475 For Free Estimates FALCON | PAINTING & DECORATING 2649) FOURTH AVEN CastieGan go YE VIN #8? 365 3563 hts’n Ser ighting od Stock of Lig’ poth Accessories & Waterbeds i} +s Towne Square Mo toirs in Trail's Upstel Prene 368-5302 Carol Magaw Dianna Kootnikoff ADVERTISING SALES R NEWS CASTLE Ques ve vent OFFICE 365-5210 The Plumbing REPAIRS @ 24 HOUR EM Octor RENOVATIONS IERGENCY SERVICE COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL PLUMBING M.D. (MARK) FISHLEIGH _ 4762 LIFESTYLES COMPUTERS TO LINK WOMEN’S SUPPORT GROUPS OTTAWA (CP) — Women's support networks, which over the years have formed the backbone of the feminist movement, will soon be getting a boost from high technology. Linda Ryan-Nye and Pat Hacker, both of Toronto, are putting the finishing touches on a new computer network to link women across the country and around the globe. They hope to have the system fully operational by the beginning of August. Ryan-Nye, 39, and Hacker, 49 are best known for their success four years ago in linking women throughout the country in a mammoth demonstration of support for the principle of sexual equality. Women discovered years ago that if they wanted to get ahead in business, polities or other fields, they had to rely on the support and expertise of others. And that meant “networking” — getting on the phone or writing letters to build up the friendships that may be helpful later. REPLACE LETTERS Now a)specially adapted microcomputer — like those often used inthe home — will take the place of some of those telephone calls and letters. Linked in a computer network dubbed The Amazon Line, women will be able to call up information on subjects ranging from health and travel to the latest legal cases of interest to women. They will also be able to set up personal two-way conversations, tap into conference calls and send out or receive general news about activities by women's groups. “It's a fast, effective and not very expensive means of keeping in touch and sharing information and taking action,” says Ryan-Nye, who was in Ottawa with Hacker to attend a conference. Details of the cost aren't yet worked out but Ryan-Nye predicts there will be a once-only link-up fee of $50, a monthly flat fee of $10-$15 and then a charge for users of 25 cents a minute. SHARE UNIT Women won't have to spend big bucks to buy a computer — they can share one at a women’s centre or other convenient place. Ryan-Nye, who took a computer-programming course three years ago, says an important feature of the network is that it will force women with a fear of high technology to overcome it by a head-on confrontation with the hardware. “We have to get comfortable with it or else the shape of things to come will be the male shape again,” warns Ryan-Nye. The system will offer three levels of confidentiality for users. There will be open calls for messages aimed at the whole women’s community and confidential links between people who don't want anyone to know they are in touch. In the middle are so-called closed connections, which are private but posted as taking place on a generally accessible list. CONTROL ACCESS This gives women control over access to messages without requiring a system that would bar men or women hostile to the feminist cause, Ryan-Nye says. In fact, she says, “we would be delighted to see men and governments to get on the system. “They should be seeing the discussions that are going on to understand what issues are concerning women.” Ryan-Nye, now responsible for introducing com puters in the North York Board of Education, says she and Hacker, a career consultant and former teacher, are unlikely to make a killing with the project. “We have some money on the line and I think we will do all right,” she says. “But we're not going to make millions and be able to retire early.” Hacker and Ryan-Nye were in the core group of women who, in late 1981, called in their women's network to mount a fierce national protest against the federal government's plans to weaken sexual-equality guaran tees during negotiations on the Charter of Rights. The protest blitz proved successful and the charter, patriated with the Constitution in April 1982, now guarantees equality between men and women. BOSTON (AP) — Two grown men face each other in a college classroom, one pretending to be dad, the other playing his year-old hter who refuses to finish dinner. They snap at each other, haggle and moan in frustration. It’s not an acting class, but a gut-wrenching eight-week course designed to teach men who are confused by the times, their roles and their children how to be fathers in a changing world. kn “I give up,” the man playing dad finally says. “This is tly the way it is at home. We can't communicate. “Stick with it now,” counsels instructor Ronald Levant, director of Boston University’s Fatherhood Project and a clinical profs of i and psychology. “You're making progress.” Dad parse bang urging his daughter to take smaller portions instead of harping on her wastefulness. She agrees and the 15-minute exercise is over. Levant says the Fatherhood Project, which has just finished its second year, reaches out to men who are tongue-tied when they try to get close to their children even though they want to enjoy familial intimacy. COURSE A ‘GIFT’ exa THE FATHERHOOD PROJECT Class helps fathers Other experts agree that since more and more women began leaving the home for the workforce in the 1970s, more has been expected from fathers than just bringing home the paycheque. “Those people born in the 1950s had a father like me, who went to work, came home tired, gave the kids a pat and a little kiss and went out again in the morning to make enough money for you to live,” says Dr. Alvin Eden, a New York pediatrician who for 30 years has written books and articles on being an effective parent. TEACHES SKILLS “It used to be when the kid was old enough for little league, then the father would start talking with him,” Eden says. “Now I hear mothers and fathers talking about our, that’s o-u-r, baby before the child is even born. “Fathers today are learning on the job,” he adds. “They are like pioneers.” The Fatherhood Project meets once a week for three hours. The eight-week sessions run in the fall and spring, attracting between six and 14 participants. Levant said the course is not psychotherapy, but teaches skills men can use at home. The participants play-act conflicts they have recently experienced with their children. “This is a course for men who find the chan; of them today rather difficult,” says Levant, specialist in family therapy. The participants hear about the $100 class from advertisements, and more than once it has been a gift from a wife or grown child. . “These are changing times for men. They were not raised with a male role model who showed them how to be comfortable with children or with their feelings,” Levant adds. “We're providing remedial education.” The i are for class Levant said the progress of learning to be a communicative father is long and difficult, but reaction to the class has been positive. He estimated that five per cent of thé"pdrticipants drop out in the first weeks, but the rest struggle through. “At the end of eight weeks we find their sensitivity to their children increases significantly,” he said. “We hear this through interviews with their wives and kids.” MDs condemn SELKIRK COLLEGE SUMMER SERVICES 8 0.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri. YY OPERA' June: noon-4 p.m, Tues. and Thurs. August 19-30: noon-4 p.m., Tues. and Thurs. CLOSED July \-August 18 TELEPHONE: 365-; —————-ROSEMONT CAMPUS ———_ OPEN 8 o.m.-4 p.m., Mon.-Fri. OPEN 8.0.m.-4 p.m., Mon.-Fri. CLOSED June 29-Sept. 3 TELEPHONE: 368-5236 Selirk College apologizes for any inconvenience baby walkers HAMILTON (CP — Baby walkers, used by up to 90 per cent of Canadian children, have been condemned by two major medical groups. The Ontario Medical Asso- ciation advises the public not to buy them and wants the federal Department of Con sumer Affairs to ban their sale. The Canadian Pediatric Society says it “cannot rec ommend that they be used.” It adds that nearly 40 per cent of children using them have some mishap, ranging from trapped fingers to head injuries, but there have been no published studies indi- cating they are of any bene- The medical association cited in its annual report a study by the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, which admitted 266 children over a three-year period for injuries received when they fell down stairs in walkers. 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