as Castlegar News December 20, 1989 Revised tax draws fire OTTAWA (CP) — The good news is Finance Minister Michael Wilson has slashed the rate of his goods and ser vices tax to seven per cent The bad news is he still plans to im plement it on Jan. 1, 1991 and that brought fresh protests from those op: posed to the tax The sales tax on a broad range of goods and services has evoked protests since Wilson announced in August that the rate would be nine per cent He hoped Tuesday's changes which includes changes to taxes and spending worth about $6 billion would calm the furore “IL think people will agree that a seven-per-cent rate is better than a nine-per-cent rate,"’ Wilson told reporters. Think again The new rendition of the tax got overwhelmingly bad reviews, although it did receive bravos from some business groups, such as the Business Council on National Issues, The um brella group for big business said the lower rate would make the tax less in. flationary “T think it helps a lot to.maké the whole package more ‘palatable to everyone,"” said Laurent Thibault, president of the Canadian Manufac turer’ Association JEERS DROWN GHEERS But that, for the most part, was it for the cheers The jeers were led immediately by the opposition in the Commons: Liberal Leader John Turner called the changes fraudulent and NDP Leader Audrey McLaughlin said they just prove’*Tory times are taxing times."” And small businesses complained the tax is still too complicated to collect The Canadian Chamber of Com: merce and Canadian Federation of In dependent Business have both called for one federal-provincial sales tax “We're still getting snake oil — it’s just coming in a smaller bottle,"* said federation president John Bulloch, who predicted the rate would jump to 11 percent after the next election The provin had said the tax would ‘cost them billions — again spoke out against the tax. In Halifax, the four Atlantic premiers said the new tax rate is still unacceptable — a message echoed by many of their colleagues in the West Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon said lowering the rate is ‘like saying, ‘Does it hurt less when there's a horse stan; ding on your foot than when there’s an elephant?’ And Alberta Treasurer Dick John. ston accused Wilson of reneging on his 1 governments — who GST: Voting Intentions of Canadian Public Atlantic Ontari Quebe GRAPHIC OPPOSITION . this week lowered to seven per cent. CP News Analysis By LARRY WELSH OTTAWA (CP) Why did Mic Wilson HBB Vous not vote tor candidates 3 GST British National Columbia Prairies Would vote for candidates supporting GST . a Gallup poll conducted in November for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business shows the overwhelming opposition among the public to the proposed nine-per-cent goods and services tax which Finance Minister Michael Wilson Polls force GST change r’s original nine-per-cent proposal — losing the ction expected in 1992 — were simply too high None of the federal government's traditional! allies ; pport for the nine-per-cent tax. promise to reduce income taxes — a commitment he made in 1987, during the first phase of tax reform. “1 don't think you can trust Mr. Wilson because he’s already revoked his position on the personal income tax side."” But Wilson did receive support from Parti Quebecois Leader Jacques Parizeau, a Harvard-trained economist. He said the lower rate will be less inflationary and Ottawa, as Wilson insists, must implement the tax to replace the existing 13.5-per-cent sales tax on most manufactured goods. Wilson outlined several measures to pay for the reduced rate, including: Cancelling a promised cut in the personal income tax for middle-in- come earners to 25 per cent from 26 per cent to save about $1 billion. The existing high-income surtax will be extended to basic federal tax in excess of $12,500, down from $15,000, and increased by two percentage points to five per cent Credits to offset the impact of the tax on lower-income Canadians will be reduced to $1.2 billion from $2.4 billion, but Canadians earning less than $30,000 will still pay less under the new tax A tax rebate on purchases of new homes will be reduced to 2.5 percen tage points for homes valued at less than $350,000 from 4% percentage points to reflect the lower rate. That will save the government $4.5 million Payments to small business to help pay for collecting the sales tax have been eliminated, but there will be a one-time credit of up to $1,000 Income tax for large corporations will be increased SALE 40 to 60% Off Gold Rings With Genuine Stones Jade * Ivory Brass & Porcelain ii ines ious Articles Costume Jewellery Come in and browse you ll be pleasantly surprised at our large selection INTERNATIONAL TRADERS Across from SuperValu in downtown Trail Phone 364-1895 (604) 365-6549 Box 211, Robson, B.C. VOG 1X0 ( KOOTENAY OUTLET) JREELECIION ¢ IS NOW IN YOUR BOOKSTORES Procter General Store Balfour Superette Lang’s Marina & Snack Bar L & J Bookstore, Trail Oliver’s Books, Nelson Kaslo Drugs, Kaslo The right side of the Procter School is part of the original one-room building built in 1913 with the addition made in 1920. The school was closed in 1986 and was recently secured by the community who voted to demolish it The recollections in Kootenay Outlet Reflections reveal the part the school played in community life; Annie MacKinnon Metcalfs’ memories contains recollections of her 10 years in at tendance at the Procter School (page 288) MAIL ORDERS AVAILABLE Box 58, Procter B.C., VOG 1VO POSTAGE & PACKAGING EXTRA PHONE 229-4729 or 229-4993 Special Arrangements Can Be Made For Christmas Delivery! Change his mind about his proposed rine-prer-e and services tax and cut the rate to seven per cent? Opposition critics say it’s simple: The polls “T think it was the simplest thing in politics, public said NDP finance critic Lorne Nystrom: technical paper last opinion, Since Wilson released th August explaining how the nine-per-cent sales tax would work, polls have repeatedly shown overwhelming of position to the measure Last month, Canada’ Mulroney would face certain defeat in if Wilson didn't overhaul the tax The Gallup Poll, conducted last mor Canadian Federation of Independent Busine 87 per cent of Canadians t wouldn’t vote in the next ported the tax Despite Wilson’s repeated stat ts that his nine per-cent sales tax was hat couldn be changed, opposition critics said it was inevi the finance minister would change ‘His motivation (to lower simple, political,” said Doug associate fing The final dec abandon the nine-per-cen rate appears to n made during a De of the federa leading small-business group released a poll suggested Prime Minister Brian next election teasily ble that 9 meeting Although several business groups said they liked the idea of replacing the existing 13.5-per-cent federal sales tax on manufactured products with a goods and fervices tax, they all had major reservations about Wilson’s proposal Almost every witness appearing during cross untry hearings held by the Commons finance commit ¢ urged Wilson to scrap or alter his plan. There were growing rumblings of discontent among Mulroney's own backbenchers, especially those from Alberta, the only province that doesn’t already have a retail sales tax “The nine-per-cent rate is absolutely, totally un able,”* said the NDP’s Lorne Nystrom, who predic ted months ago that Wilson would lower the tax rate to seven per cent Forging ahead without changing Wilson's proposal would be “political suicide It’s impossible. There would bea backbench revolt,"" he added The question now is whether a seven-per-cent and services tax will be any easier for tax-weary anadi toswatlow? And will the federal government do a better job of selling a seven-per-cent tax than it did promoting the nine-per-cent version? Nystrom and Young are quick to say ‘No. peesting that hitting Canadians over the head seven s instead of nine times will be just as painful But one of Canada’s largest business groups, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, appears to be ready ion to the tax December 20, 1989 BI Castlépar News PORTS Talk to us today. Kootenay Savings Where You Belong, — VANCOUVER (CP) — The Calgary Flames'keep get ting fortuitous bounces against the snake-bit Vancouver Canucks. The Flames always seem to get the key goal when it matters in \the bitter rivalry between Smythe Divsiion teams. Last spring, Joel Otto scored for Caigary in overtime during theseventh game of a Stanley Cup playoff series the puck deflected into the net off his skate In the latest episode, it was Joe Mullen’s turn for a bit of luck when the Flames edged the stubborn Canucks 2-1 Tuesday night at the Pacific Coliseum, Mullen broke a 1-1 deadlock at 15:04 of the third period when a point shot by Roger Johansson bounced into the net off his hip as he was being checked ““Ht-was another bouncy goal, just like in the playof fs,"’ said disgusted winger Jim Sandlak of the Canucks. In other games, it was: Edmonton 5, Minnesota 0; Calgary 2, Vancouver 1; Los Angeles 9, Winnipeg 5; NY Islanders 5, New Jersey 4 in overtime; and Washington 2, Philadelphia 1 Gretzky aod Canada's & best, one more time TORONTO (CP) — Wayne Gretzky scored his second national award in two days Tuesday when he was named winner of the 1989 Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s outstanding athlete It's the fourth time the hockey superstar has won the award, spon- sored by the Toronto Star and named in honor of the newspaper's onetime sports editor and columnist. No other athlete has won the award more than three times On Monday, Gretzky had been named recipient of the Lionel Conacher Award as The Canadian Press male athlete of the year It's been quitea year for Gretzky Playoff’ a vu for Canucks DOUG LIDSTER . «costly giveaway WHALERS8 PENGUINS 4 Living out of a suitcase pays dividends for the Har tford Whalers. The Whale, as the NHL team is affectionately known, added to its league-best road record Tuesday night, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 8-4. Hartford has won its last five road games and 10 of the last 12 and is 11-5 while travelling, compared with 6-12-1 at home ISLANDERS 5 DEVILS 4 Don Maloney’s goal at 3:18 of overtime continued New Jersey’s woes’ ai the Nassau Coliseum, where the Devils have a lifetime 2-38-4 record. New Jersey had a two: goal lead with less than four minutes left in the third period but Pat LaFontaine forced overtime with goals 97 seconds apart. Alan Kerr also scored twice as New York ended New Jersey's four-game winning streak. Sylvain Turgeon, Brendan Shanahan, Jamie Huscroft and Kirk Muller scored for New Jersey CAPITALS 2 FLYERS 1 The Patrick-Division rivals kept referee Denis Morel busy in the second period when he handed out 100 minutes in penalties, 66 of them after a brawl with Washington’s Alan May and Philadelphia's Terry Carkner as the main event. Kelly Millet netted the winner with 3:30 left in regulation time, Rob Murray also scored for Washington, while Jiri Latal had Philadelphia's goal OILERS 5 NORTH STARSO Bill Ranford made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season as Edmonton extended its unbeaten streak against Minnesota to 12 games. Craig MacTavish scored twice and Craig Muni and Esa Tikkanen had singles. The North Stars were blanked for the first time this season KINGS 9 JETSS After having his 18-game scoring streak halted, Wayne Gretzky went ona binge, scoring two goals and adding four assists to match his biggest scoring night of the season, Keith Crowder and defenceman Steve Duchesne also had two goals and Luc Robitaille, Steve Kasper and Marty Mc- Sorley each contributed a goal. Thomas Steen, Phil Sykes, Pat Elynuik, Fredrik Olausson and Doug Small scored for the Jets LEARNING TO SKI. . . The Nordic Cross Country Ski Club held the first Jack Rabbit ski lessons of the season Saturday at Mud Lake, 25 kilometres west of the city. WAYNE GRETZKY . . incomparable He took on the responsibility of fatherhood, he recaptured the NHL's most-valuable-player award and he became the league’s all-time points leader Gretzky, the Brantford, Ont., native who skates for the Los Angeles Kings, corners the Conacher award for "81, '82, '83 and '85 This time, he edged out world figure skating champion Kurt Browning and NHL scoring Mario Lemieux, last year’s winner, in the an champion talent is tempo And it's a talent because his the SHSS vice: ministers. At the governn Meech Lake abo | Mulroney made the final decisio! percent The stakes involved to drop its hostile oppo It is now hat the drawing board right tharour voice is being heard and forced to go back to the Chamber president Tim Reid said ina This time, we hope they'll get it X WAIT — su Castlegar News 365-2212 ] Every minute counts. Quickly, the sands of shopping seconds have slipped aside. Happily, St. Nick left all your Christmas needs in one time-saving place. See how time flies. WANETA PLAZA Open Tonight, Thursday and Friday, 9:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. nual poll of Canadian sports writers and broadcasters conducted by CP and itsaffiliate, Broadcast News Gretzky received 18 of47 first-place votes and a total of 92 points in the CP survey, which gives three points for a first-place vote, two points for a second and one fora third Browning, the Caroline, Alta., skater who stunned the figure skating world by winning the men’s title at the global meet last March in Paris, received 17 first-place votes and 76 points. Lemieux, a native of Montreal and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ scoring ace, received seven first-place votes,and 62 points In October, playing in Edmonton against his former Oilers teammates, Gretzky earned a first-period assist to tie Gordie Howe's all-time points mark of 1,850 points. Gretzky broke the reocrd with a late goal to force overtime and scored in sudden death to lift the Kings to victory Through the first 33 games of the season, Gretzky leads the scoring race with 1S goals and 52 current assists. Lemieux is eight points back The male athlete-of-the-year award was first handed out in 1932. No other athlete has won it as many times as Gretzky. Baseball pitcher Ferguson Jenkins won it four times and hockey firebrand Maurice Richard won it three times. principal has taught the senior girls basketball team with singing results The latest of those results was a 57. 46 win over Trail’s J. last night at SHSS. Crowe team A recap of the Rockettes’ season to date is sweet music to Closkey’s ears And he had something to feast his eyes ‘on too when the provincial rankings were issued this week and he found his team ranked 10th inthe province The ranking comes as no surprise to Closkey as the conductor behind the team’s season-opening tournament victory at{Mount Boucherie secondary in Kelowna in which’ the Rockettes went undefeated to "win it easily.”” Next up for the Rockettes was the Blue and Gold tourney at SHSS last weekend in which Closkey’s girls claimed five straight victories before bowing out to Summerland secondary 50-47 in the tourney final. The Sum: merland team is also top 10 ranked and Closkey says it’s a team the Rockettes can beat The key to the team’s success so far this season is nothing magical accor ding to Closkey “We have tremendous quickness and intelligence on this team. We may have the quickest team in B.C," said Closkey as he worked to put the finishing touches on some paperwork it's more musical. in his office Tuesday afternoon As acoach there are some things you can do with speed that other teams can’t control The key is controlling the tempo of the game,” he said. And that means running two and three different defen ces, pressing or falling back on offen ce, or the fast-breaking or ball-control game. JACK CLOSKEY ... team conductor It’s pretty complicated stuff usually reserved for the university-level teams but Closkey says he feels comfortable introducing it to his squad “We're way ahead of where | thought we'd be with this team (at this point in the season) and that tells me that these guys are so smart and so quick that we are going to be better than | thought we'd be. We're hoping eam playing sweet music for coach By ED MILLS Staff Writer a sixth time. He also won it in-1980, If Jack Closkey wasn’t a Stanley Humphries secondary school basket} ball coach, he might have been conduc ting the school band to be able to run some complex things,’” he said So while the team isn’t blessed with a lot of size (the tallest player is five- foot, 10 inch Carolyn Briscoe), Closkey uses its speed and intelligence to control the tempo and keep his team dancing on the court while the other teams try to figure out the music To be a good conductor, the first thing you need is good players and Closkey can let the individual records so far this season speak for themselves Denise Pottle was voted most valuable player in the Mt. Boucherie tourney while Briscoe picked up a first team all-star laurel. The two were both selected to the first all-star team at the Blue and Gold tourney as well “Pottle is an outside shooter who is exceptional defensively (and) Briscoe is a tough inside power forward who can go outside and shoot," says Closkey Add all-round athlete Makortoff who anchors the team defence and Closkey’s orchestra is almost complete But Closkey is quick to point out that you can’t play an opera with a three-piece band “The kids really respect each other and that’s important (because) in basketball, at least at the high school level. . . there’s a lot of pressure and you need that support from the people around you. This team is just great that way,"" he says The Rockettes travel to K.L.O secondary in Kelowna for the senior girls classic there Jan. 12and 13 Meanwhile, the junior boys team is in action tonight taking on L.V Rogers of Nelson at 5:30 p.m. in the gym at SHSS Sherry i 1 Rebels woes not over yet By ED MI Staff Writer The Castlegar Rebels had better hope they got some good presents this Christmas because it’s getting tough to find any gifts under the tree in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League these days The Rebels lost their fifth straight game this month, 5-3 to the Beaver Valley Nite Hawks in Beaver Valley last night The loss, combined with the Nite Hawks’ two weekend victories, moves Beaver Valley two points up on the Rebels and into the fourth and final playoff spot in the KIJHL’s West Division With the Nelson Maple Leafs, Trail _Smoke Eatersand Grand Forks Border Bruins having virtual locks on the top three spots in the division respectively, the Rebels and Nite Hawks are the only two teams fighting for their playoff lives in the West And it was the Nite Hawks who showed the most viatlity lastnight scoring four third-period goals to take round one in a battle that could go on for the rest of the season The game's first period was scoreless until the final minute when Rebels’ leading scorer Dale Bonderud scored onan unassisted shorthanded effort to give the Rebels the lead heading into the dressing room The Nite Hawks responded in the second period with a powerplay goal at the midway point and that's the way the game stayed until the third The Nite Hawks struck first in the final frame when Clay Alderson scored to put the Nite Hawks up by one with Rebels defenceman Kevan Rilcof in the penalty box for holding. The teams exchanged goals 31 seconds apart with the Rebels Mike Korzenowski, on an assist by Keith Semenoff, tying the game, before Kim Verigin came right back to restore the Nite Hawks’ one-goal lead Two goals were again scored lightening fast in the third but this time they both were Nite Hawks markers and that put the lid on the victory Jesse Anast and Greg Seib scored 23 seconds apart at the halfway point of the period and the Rebels never did recover:-— — aos ae David Vecchio, from Cory Ross and Kevin Kazakoff, scored for the Rebels in the last minute as the Rebels’ misery in the Christmas month was extended. The Rebels lost 6-5 to Trail Friday night at home and were beaten 6-3 by the Maple Leafs in Nelson Saturday. The loss to the Nite Hawks puts the Rebels’ record at 9-17 and a chance to play .500 hockey this season seems to be slipping out of sight Rick Edwards took the loss in the nets for the Rebels The Rebels’ last chance to make up lost ground on the Nite Hawks before the holiday break comes here Friday as they host the East Division cellar dwellers Kimberley Knights. Game time is 8 p.m. at the Community Com- plex Junker’s goal sinks Cougars Castlegar native Steve Junker ended any Victoria Cougars’ dreams of a tie or even.a possible win by scoring an empty-net goal with 11 seconds left as the Spokane Chiefs beat Victoria 6-4 in a Western Hockey Tuesday night League game It was the Cougars’ 12th consecutive loss and left}them with a 3-29-2 record In the only other game, it was: Brandon Wheat Kings 9, Saskatoon Blades 8 In the Victoria arena on Blanshard Street, the Cougars led 1-0 at the end of the first period but Spokane moved ahead 4-1 by the end of the second The Chiefs were leading 5-1 early in the third period when the Cougars rallied to score threé unanswered goals by 13:37 Then Spokane goalie Jeff Ferguson settled down and held the Cougars off until Junker scored his third goal of the game. “*We eased off in the third period,” said Spokane coach Bryan Maxwell “*Wetried todo things the soft way and the Cougars took advantage. They came on strong.’ MOSCOW (CP) Team Canada lost to Finland 2-1 at the Izvestia hockey tournament today but remained within striking distance of the first-place Soviet Union The loss — Canada’s first in the six-team, round-robin tournament drops Canada to 2-1-1. The Fin ns are to2-2 But Canada can still catch the Soviets, ‘who lost 4-3 to Czechoslovakia, when the two meet in their final games of the championship Friday Czechoslovakia is tied Canada for second. The Soviets are in first witha 3-1-Orecord. with Canadians split On Tuesday, Steve ¢ power-play goal at 3:19 of the third period carried a spirited Canadian team to a 5-4 upset victory over Czehoslovakia. “We're not quite as skilled as the other teams, but it comes down to Canadian aves’s good old desire,”” Graves said “We played our hearts out,” added Canadian goalie Warren Skorodenski Danny Gratton, Serge Boisvert, Todd Strueby and Todd Brost got the other Canadian goals. Josef Beranek scored twice and Ladislaw Lubina and Yaroslaw Benak addev one each for Czechoslovakia