ca Castlégar News March 14, 1990 Rules changed on education savings By The Canadian Press Education is the best provision for old age, Aristotle wrote more than 2,000 years ago. And Canadians in 1990 can continue to provide for their children’s higher education through RESPs — registered education savings plans. But February’s federal budget has changed some of the rules dramatically — to the extent that those who had been staunch advocates of RESPs are becoming less enthusiastic “*It’s still better than nothing, but it’s worse that it was as far as flexibility and financing on education,”’ says Mike Grenby, an independent personal financial adviser in Vancouver, Grenby’s main criticism is the change in the size of contribution allowed into the plan every year. LIMITS IMPOSED Before Finance Minister Michael Wilson’s budget, there was no annual limit — only a cumulative maximum of about $32,000 per plan. That's all changed. Now, a contributor can only put $1,500 a year aside in an ‘RESP, with a cumulative maximum of $31,500. Parents or grandparents who wanted to make one large payment for a child’s education can’t do it any more, says Tom O'Shaughnessy, a vice-president of Toronto-based Canadian Scholarship Trust Foun- dation, which administers RESPs. Many parents are busy paying off mortgages and other major bills during a child’s early years and can’t Put away money for his education, Grenby says. However, when a child reaches teenage years, the mortgage may be paid off and the parents could afford to catch up on an RESP. With the new rules, that can’t be done. Some say that even if you do put in the yearly limit, it’s hardly enough to carry a student through university. $7,000 ENOUGH? Estimates from the Finance Department suggest that if $1,500 is put away each year into an RESP for 1S -years, a student will reap $7,000 annually for a four- year period. But Peter Volpe, president of the Canadian Association of Financial Planners, says _$7,000_ is barely enough today to finance an education — tuition, room and board — let alone 15 years from now. “What they’ve done !s ijcopardized the average Canadian from being, able to contribute to programs for post-secondary educations,”’ Volpe says. The new RESP rules went into effect Feb. 20. For any contributions made after that date, Ottawa has imposed a penalty, of one per cent a month on amoun- ts over the new annual and cumulative limits. There is one exception: people who were required to sign agreements with administered plans on annual contributions are allowed to continue them even if they are above the $1,500 limit. FULL TIME ONLY To cut down on abuses, the new rules state that RESP recipients must be ‘‘full-time students enrolled in qualifying i at i educational institutions. Beneficiaries who had been going to school part time’before the federal budget can continue to do so, but all new plans stipulate only full-time students. Mining industry lacks trust TORONTO (CP) — Canada’s INTERIOR _ VACUUM CENTRE SALES ¢ SERVICE ALL MAKES & MODELS! Closed Saturday & Sundays! 365-2512 2181 Columbia Ave. mining industry is digging itself out of an environmental hole, but it still has a long way to go to win the public’: trust, a senior federal official says. Public demands for environmental responsibility have outstripped the industry's current efforts, Len Good, deputy minister of Environment Canada, told a meeting of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada on Monday. “dn an absolute sense, you’ve made a tremendous amount of progress on the environment,’* Good told a seminar. “Unfortunately, you are being judged relative to the increase in public i id As well, the maximums now apply per iciary — not per contributor, as had been the case previously. There might still be 10 people, for exam- ple, putting money into an RESP, but they have to get together to make sure they're not over the total $1,500 limit. It’s important to remember that contributions to RESPs are not tax deductible from the income of the contributor, as is the case with registered retirement savings plans. However, the interest or dividends in a plan are sheltered from tax, until paid out to the student who is then taxed. TWO RESP TYPES Like registered retirement savings plans, there are two kinds of RESPs — administered and self-directed. The self-di ed, through usually have annual fees of about $100 to $250, and the administered kind often have an enrolment fee of about $200. There may be additional charges to ad- ministered RESPs depending on the plan, says O'Shaughnessy. There are other ways to finance a child’s education that may be u: conjunction with an RESP. You can invest additional funds outside the RESP in stocks, for example, says Grenby. “*Maybe you'll make some tax-free capital gains if you still have your $100,000 capital gains exemption.”” And there’s still one old standby, Grenby says. “You can put the family allowance payments into an account in the child’s name, and that investment growth will be considered (by Revenue Cai the child’s,’” Good said the findings of an Angus Reid poll conducted for the Canadian AUCTION New Furniture & Carpet Sale Russell Auction House * 2067 Hwy, 3A Thrums ’ Sunday, March — PARTIAL LISTING — NEW FURNITURE Oak Dining Table & 6 Choirs Oak Roll Top Desk Oak China Cabinets Queen Anne Dining Set Buffet & Hutch Entertainment Centre Ook & Brass Coffee & End Tables Hwy. 3A Thrums SELL rmeion 399-4793 Open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Ns SSELL For 18 — 1 p.m. Sharp Rattan Chai Cedar Chests Bar Stool & Lamps (NEW CARPET & LINO 1000 sq.yds. of Carpet 300 Yds. of Underlay sin m9 Talent show More than 400 people packed into the KJSS gym Wednesday for a SHSS grad 1990 fundraiser... A2 saints marching Selkirk College's men’s volleyball team is off to the national championships . . . B1 - LOTTERY NUMBERS in Saturday's Lotto 6- 35, 38 and 40. The bonus number was 45. The winning Extra num- The winning number 49 draw were 11, 17, bers are 1, 2,39 and 78. The winning numbers drgwn Friday in the B.C. Keno lottery were 16, 23, 28, 33, 34, 37, 44 and 48. The $1,000,000 winning number in Fri- day's Provincial lottery draw is 2452745. dealing with government is Heritage report John Charters says the like dining with the devil — take a long spoon 85 Mining Association last year confirm the industry is viewed with-suspicion by large segments of the population. “Clearly, you’re in a difficult _astlegar News position, behind the eight ball in some ways,"’ Good said. ‘‘You have some recuperation to do, and the attitude you present is going to be crucial to your success.’" The Reid poll found that only 39 per cent of Canadians surveyed felt mining executives could be trusted and 88 per cent want increased gover- nment inspection and regulation of the industry. Association president Robert Ginn id the mining industry has mended its environmental ways, but must im- prove its public image —_before—it becomes burdened with government regulation. But George Miller, president of the Canadian Mining — Association, blamed the industry’s critics for its negative public image. “*We are puzzled and sometimes annoyed by the blanket condem- nation of our industry by some ac- tivists and governments,’ Miller said. “Often they resort to 19th century Customs inspectors cause border delays VANCOUVER (CP) — Canadian customs inspectors wanting better- paying job classifications are com- pounding already long lineups at U.S. border crossings. Travellers returning to British Columbia from the United States faced delays of 2% hours over the weekend. On Monday, normally a quiet day, travellers with items to declare faced an hour-long lineup AB.C. spokesman for the Customs and Excise Union said the additional delays are caused by inspectors making more inspections and collec- tions as part of a dispute over new job classifications. Delays were encoun- tered at border crossings across Canada, said Cathy Shukin, branch president of the union representing customs inspectors. “*I guess you could call it a protest, but I am not going to say it’s a protest,’ said Shukin. ‘Inspectors are buckling down. They are opening more trunks and as a result it’s causing longer lineups.”” The action is a response to a recent Treasury Board decision to reclassify 27 per cent of the inspectors across Access To Innovations in materials, manufacturing techniques, packaging, assembly and marketing requires a skilled workforce that can keep pace with technology. Selkirk College is keeping up with the times by continually revising the content of its programs and courses. Close co- operation with business and industry keeps college New Technology “Who’s there?” ki lege courses abreast of changes in job skill requirements. Preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs is what Selkirk College is all about. We invite you to cash in on the opportunity To learn more, contact Selkirk College at 365-7292. Canada to higher-paying jobs. The Union applied last year to have all in- spectors reclassified. Shukin said that because the reclassification is based on a com- petition, inspectors are enforcing regulations to the letter to show their supervisors they deserve those jobs. She said the delays can be expected to continue until the end of the month, when the Treasury Board is scheduled to announce the reclassifications. Canada Customs spokesman Robert Ricketts said he is aware of no deliberate actions _by inspectors—in British Columbia, but that management is monitoring the situation. “What they are doing is simply collecting duty and taxes on people who owe duty and taxes,”’ he said. Blaine police chief James Hinchey ~ said traffic was backed up from the border into the streets until 11 p.m. “I’ve never seen it that bad, even in the middle of summer,” he said, noting his officers were compelled to spend their time on traffic duty to keep intersections clear. “That's it for me. I don’t feel my time is worth an hour of that,’’ said Bob Kendrick of suburban Coquitlam, after spending 20 minutes in’a border lineup and then another hour waiting inside the customs office to pay $15 duty Surrey resident Joe Macaulay, who goes to the United States every week, said he was surprised to find a long wait Monday. WHISPERING PINES MOBILE HOME PARK Genelle,B.c. | WEPAY.__ \\ THE TOW or GIVE YOU 4 MONTHS FREE RENT! * Hot Tub Recreation Centre being installed * tore private lots *% Underground services * Riverfront property Phone (604) 365-2111 or (604) 362-9250 (Under New Management) when describing us.’’ Miller said his association is willing to strike a bargain with “‘responsible’’ environmental groups, to improve co- operation with them. In return, Miller said the industry would expect regulation based on scientifically demonstrated need, con- sideration of economic factors in en- vironmental decisions and open discussion with the industry’s ‘‘social Ppartners,"’ including environmental groups and governments. Monte Hummel, president of World Wildlife Fund Canada, an en- vironmental group that opposes mining in areas designated ecologically sefisitive, said there is room for agreement between en- vironmentalists and the mining Province of Bi Ministry of Transportation and Highways CALL FOR The Ministry of Transportation and Highways is accepting Proposals from interested and qualified parties to provide road and/or bridge project supervision and management services in ish Columbia PROPOSALS the Ki di igh ¢ y y work includes: 1 and ys District. The scope of the hired or ¢ labour Is an to perf road or bridge construction; — accounting and recording project costs; — ensuring safety of public and workers, as and when required. The successful party should be available on short notice and lently under the ge K will work indepen ‘al direction of the District Highways District, Grand Forks. Interested and qualified parties may reply to the District High- ways Manager, Kootenay Boundary Highways District, P.O. Box 880, Grand Forks, British Columbia, VOH 1HO. Companies, firms and individuals are invited fo submit a resume including previous experience, r. and expected rates in an en MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISION SERVICES PROPOSAL”. velope clearly marked “PROJECT y dary Highways erences, equipment, dustry. This is o call for expressions of interest only. ‘Eligibility for future contracts will be based upon review of resume. Proposals will be accepted up to 2:00 p.m. on April 4, 1990. D.H. HUTTON District Highways Manager KOOTENAY BOUNDARY DISTRICT FREEDOM Ministry of Transportation To rH and Highways MOVE Honourable Rita Johnson, Minister Giving You the Freedom to Move Turbo station during peor wash to Spok ‘and one to Abbotstord. i me Mee? RITES OF Sr.. it Air Cadets take off winter's grime on a pickup truck Saturday at the Castlegar raise funds for two trips the squadron will take, one to CosNews photo by Simen Birch AY vy E. CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 1990 WEATHERCAST Today: Cloudy with @ risk of light showers. Highs 10°.12'. Monday Sunny with cloudy periods Probability of precipitation is 40 per cent today and 10 per cent Monday 3 Sections (A;B & C) SJ a AP A TRL BS API EE AS Limited Time Offer... J) as 3% mw F Series Trucks [= hh Brand New XLT F150 4x4 rai .oasec OL EFl engine sliding rear window *block heater *deluxe styled stee! wheels dual tanks sheavy duty rear suspension reg. and deluxe tu-tone paint *6 yr. 100,000 km. powertrain warranty 6 year 160,000 km. corrosion warranty Reg. Price $24,572.00 Sale Price $1 9,939" save * 4,633°° headliner and insulation pkg ir conditioning *convenience group speed control/tilt steering AM/FM elect. stereo/cassette ower locks/windows aah / \ oe Brand New Ford Festiv ‘2pe0d 010 ranemission stront whee! drive Reg. 8988 Sale Price..... bight red sory cloth interior *8988 SELECT PRE-OWNED VEHICLES 1986 MERCURY LYNX 2 door hetcnback slereo cassette, ss005 1985 CHEV CITATION V4. 4 speed, (070) low hme 1982 CAMERO were cree $5995 1988 F150 SUPER CAB Air cond. 8.0. 1985 CHRYSLER LASER 2 600r, sporty, ‘sunroot, 8 epeed, $8906 1968 TOYOTA 4x2 Speed, with 1961 JEEP WAGONEER Grana 4 1981 DODGE VAN CONVERSION ! 1900 F150 4x2 Xi xcettent Scytinger, conaition $7095 | sarees pital TAZ 1906 CHRYSLER LASER b= ‘S$ w0ees S serve. turbo. SS $19,006 | ‘nnn werenty ey 01. $9095 A.M. == TRAIL ac” [ Mercury | 2795 mem Out of Highway Orive, Trail, B.C. town call Trail 364-0202 collect Castlegar 365-0202 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 6:00-8:00 * Saturday 8:00-6:00 ZENS ALL MODELS = ALL MAKES E TN J Committee gears up for long haul By CasNews Staff The committee overseeing plans to turn the stage in the activity room at Stanley Humphries secondary school into a ‘' pretty extravagant little com- munity theatre’’ is prepared to work on the project for five or six years if that much time is needed to see the committee’s vision made a reality, Castlegar and District Arts Council president Donna Moyer said. But for the time being, the commit- tee, headed by Castlegar school district assistant superintendent Lach Farrell, will be content with ‘‘bare bones’’ such as fire walls and wiring for future lighting and sound equip- ment paid for with money from the Alde * By CasNews Staff All Castlegar residents who are eligible to ride the HandyDart bus for senior and disabled passengers should register with the Trail transit authority so the bus hours can be ex- tended to make the system more aseful to passéngers, Castlegar Ald. Marilyn Mathieson said B.C. Transit will not extend the tours, which run from 8 a.m. to | »m., unless there are more riders ‘egistered than the 60 currently on the list, she said, Sadding that those eligible for the service should register even if they don’t plan to use the bus regularly. Mathieson said about 240 Castlegar residents are eligible for the service which would be more useful to riders if the bus ran a full eight hours. For example, visiting someone at the hospital or attending a class at the Aquatic Centre are difficult to do when getting to and from the facility~ must be done before | p.m., she said —Mathieson—added—that—she—is- provincial government for the plan- ned SHSS upgrading, Moyer said. “‘As long as we can stop it from being an overflow gym space as it is now,"’ she said. However, the Ministry of Education will not pay for a complete theatre to be built because such a facility would be more than the school needs,’’ Moyer said The committee does not know how much its plans would cost, Moyer ad- ded, but they would be too expensive to be included in the approximately $5.8 million the ministry has said it is willing to provide for the entire upgrading project The rest of the funds for the theatre will have to come from other sources such as corporate fundraising or GO B.C. lottery funds, she said. However, to be eligible for GO B.C. money, a community group must spearhead the project, Moyer said. That is one reason why the Castlegar and District Project Society will take over the theatre plans once loose ends from the recently com- pleted Aquatic Centre project are tied up, she said. The theatre would not qualify for federal-funding because it is inside a school, Moyer added The committee, formed last April, toured Kootenay and Okanagan continued on page A2 Canada Post sets deadline By CLAUDETTE SANDECKI Staff Writer Robson residents have been notified by Canada Post that if a franchise operator for the. Robson post office is not found before March 30 the existing federal government- run office will be shut down April 20. In a letter dated March 13, J.D Zayac, Canada Post manager of rural services, says residents should become __ involved in finding a local business to take over the running of the post of- fice which Canada Post wants to privatize ""We urge you to lend your support to your local businesses in applying for the retail postal outlet as soon as possible,”’ Zayac says. Sandra Groepler,. spokesman for the Ad Hoc Committee to Save the Robson Post Office, calls Zayac’s suggestion *‘blackmail.’’ “*We object vehemently to your blackmail tactics of trying to get Rob- son residents to put pressure on Larry Koftinoff, the owner of Johnny’s (Grocery) to take a franchise,’’ Groepler says in a letter to Zayac and his associate Fred Morley. “*We feel you are trying to use local residents to do your dirty work.’* Koftinoff told the Castlegar News Friday he is still unprepared to accept a franchise and has recently received information concerning other businesses that have postal franchises that supports his position “Canada Post is trying to-have_a franchise to do the job that was done by professionals before, at a much lowerrate,"’ Koftinoff said However, Koftinoff has said he would be willing to lease part of his store to Canada Post so that the federal Crown corporation could con- tinue to provide the service in Rob- son. One of the reasons Canada Post has given for wanting to privatize the Robson service is the condition of the building in which the post office is currently housed. Colleen Frick, media and com. munity affairs officer. with Canada ‘ost in Vancouver, said Friday the rman urges bus use worried the hours may be cut back or the service may be scrapped if more riders don’t register. However, Dennis Stach, manager of the Trail Regional Transit System, the contractor that runs the Trail and Castlegar services for B.C. Transit, said he doubts that will happen unless the City of Castlegar stops supporting the service. = “I find that very unlikety,”” he said But decisions on the system, funded by B.C. Transit and the Regional District of Central Kootenay board, rest with Victoria, Stach added Mathieson said people can register for the service by calling the Trail transit number and added that the bus can be used by people other than those with permanent disabilities Seniors unable to walk to the bus stop or people with temporary in: juries can also use the service, she said Hogg named principal By CasNews Staff David Hogg, the principal of Salmo Junior-Senior secondary school, has been chosen as the new principal for Stanley Humphries secondary school, the Castlegar school board has an- nounced. Hogg, who is in his third year at Salmo and has served as principal of ‘assiar secondary school and” taught in Princeton and Surrey, will take up his new post July 1. Hogg was chosen during interviews last week of the five shortlisted can- didates_forthe-position— ‘The schoot was left without a permament prin cipal after Gordon Shead left last year to take a post with the Ministry of Education in Victoria The interviews were conducted by a committee consisting of trustees, superintendent of schools Terry Wayling, assistant superintendent Lach Farrell, a representative of the SHSS staff and a parent group representative “Given Mr. Hogg’s successful ad ministtative and teaching experience in other jurisdictions, the school ‘board is confident thar the teeds-of- —the school, Wayling said. * students, staff, parents and the com- munity will be well served under his capable leadership,"’ the board said in a news release Hogg could not be reached for comment Friday or Saturday. Jack Closkey, who has been acting principal since Shead’s departure, was one of the five shortlisted for the permanent position “*That's the way it goes,’’ Closkey said Friday. ‘‘You win a few, you lose a few."" Closkey will move into the vice principal position when Hogg joins KEY WYLLIE . will talk to RDCK board Lions Head Pub is another business eligible for the franchise. However, both Koftinoff and Groepler said the pub’s owner has publicly expressed his” reluctance to accept a franchise. And “I don’t think the public would approve" of a post office in a pub, Groepler said, noting. children, for example, often go to the post of- fice Regional District. of Central Kootenay director for Area J Ken Wyllie, who-has notified Canada Post he will consider seeking an injunction to stop the privatization, said Friday he will take no action until he hears from Canada Post or the RDCK board. Wyllie said he hopes the board will turn the matter over to its lawyers and if they determine Canada Post acted improperly in the issue, he can file for an injunction since Canada Post has been notified of his intentions. Wyllie, a lawyer and Robson resident, said he will wait for word from the RDCK board at its next meeting March 24 tion cannot be taken through the RDCK, her group doesn’t know what else can be-done to fight the closure of the post office. Groepler also said her group objec- ts to the type of service Rdbson residents may end up with if a fran- chise operator isn’t found. “You imply covertly in your notice that we will be forced to take reduced services if we don’t find a franchise operator by March 30,"* Groepler says in her letter to Zayac The notice states that without a franchise, postal services will be limited to postage stamps and receiving large items such as parcels from the contractor who delivers the mail fo Robson The contractor would sell stamps and provide parcels from his vehicle when he is in the area, Frick said. The notice also states that ‘‘mail will, of course, continue to be delivered to Robson’’ through the in stallation of group or community mailboxes or ‘‘a lockbox centre or a mini-park.”” When asked how senior or disabled Robson residents would manage with such limited outdoor facilities, Frick said Canada Post has heard from disabled customers in other areas who say mailing letters and picking up par- cels at community mailboxes is a more convenient system for them if they have trouble getting into a post office Frick added that imposing a deadline for finding a franchise operator is part of what must be done to follow ‘‘the plan from head of fice."” But in-her letter to Zayac, Groepler. calls the possibility of greatly reduced service if a franchise operator isn’t found before the deadline a **threat."’ “*Your very real dictatorial attitude implied by the threat contrasts shar ply with your opening statement of your notice that ‘Canada Post Cor poration has examined closely the concerns raised at the public meetings, by your member of Parliament and the mayor of Castlegar, as well as the various letters from the c oh ee The ad hoc c support Wyllie’s legal plans, Groepler said But she said Friday that if legal ac Groepler writes continued on poge A2 By CasNews Staff The Castlegar school board has informally extended to the end of March the deadline for registration in a proposed late French immersion program for the 1990-91 school year, superin tendent of schools Terry Wayling said Friday Only 19 children, short of the minimum 25 the board deter mined would be needed to justify running the program, were signed up during a registration Saturday several weeks ago, and assistant superintendent Lach Farrell said at the time the program would likely be delayed until next year when registration would be tried again However, another student was signed up several days later and the board decided to extend the Board extends registration deadline, Wayling said. Curren- tly, 21 students are registered for the program, he added Denise Evans, a director of the West Kootenay French Association and a member of Parents for French, said Friday a trip has been arranged March 30 for interested parents and students to travel to Nelson to visit the late French immersion classes at Central school As well, parents have been going to Castlegar schools to talk with Grade 6 students about the trip and the program Late French immersion, which begins in Grade 7, provides 90 per cent of instruction in French the first year, 60 per cent French in Grades 8 to 10 and 25 per cent French instruction in Grades 11 and 12, Evans said, describing the Nelson model