Local briefs Nelson woman nets jail term By CasNews Staff A Nelson woman who was one of 11 East and West Kootenay residents charged with drug trafficking following a Nelson RCMP in- Yestigation has been sentenced to four months in jail after pleading guilty to the charge, Castlegar provincial court records show. Denise Rose Fabbro, 35, was charged with trafficking in cocaine along with Mark Steven Bate, 27, and Robert Osmachenko, 34, both of Castlegar, Cameron James Jones, 24, of Nelson, Marc Conacher, 32, of Riverdale, and Roger Desnoyers, 26, and Ralph 48, both Forestry plan called for By CLAUDETTE SANDECKI Staff Writer B.C. forests should be managed as a whole, rather than as isolated stands of timber around the province, a Slocan Forest Products Ltd. official and a spokesman for the Coalition for Information on the Pulp Mill Expan- sion agree. However, the Slocan forest com- Forest company, CIPE disagree on rt forestry management Policy.” SFP has experienced several years of reduced cuts and “planning plan's form Problem stems from the fact there is no overall plan for the area, no vision of the future. As a result, the Forest Service, which should be strong and pany and the group disagree on what form that of Fruitvale. Bate and Osm in Castlegar court last weel-and are scheduled to reappear May 30 to elect trial by judge or judge and jury. Donald Inness, 37, and Leslie Haley, 34, both of Creston, and Ed- ward Zaffa, 25, and Warren Ferris, 19, both of Fernie, have been charged with trafficking in marijuana, RCMP said. Teacher program ‘a sure thing’ A teacher-training program to be run out of Selkirk College in Castlegar that a consortium of West Kootenay school districts hopes will help ease the province-wide teacher shortage is proceeding although it hasn't received final formal approval from Victoria, a Selkirk College spokesman said Friday. “It’s basically a sure thing unless something disastrous happens,” said Gerry Ehman, co-ordinator of the Open Learning Centre at Selkirk. The Ministry of Advanced Education has agreed to provide about $600,000 for the first year of the program which will accept people with degrees for a teaching certificate program durings its first year of ‘Operation, expanding to include a bachelor of education program for those without degrees in the second vear. Ehman said Stolen B.C. Tel truck found A B.C. Tel truck stolen during a break-in at the B.C. Tel office in Castlegar Thursday night has been recovered in Nelson, Castlegar RC- MP said Friday. The white 1987 Chevrolet S10 pickup had B.C. Tel logos on the sides and was taken along with a number of other items including a small safe, police said. The RCMP have no suspects and the investigation is continuing. Nominee Waters to speak Stan Waters, a Senate nominee elected by Alberta voters in 1989 but who has yet to be appointed to the upper house by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, will discuss Senate reform, the Meech Lake accord and other topics of local and national interest at a public meeting in Castlegar May 16. Waters will speak at the Castlegar C at 8 p.m. should take. A_ provincial land-use plan is needed to remove uncertainty over forest use for industry, government and individuals, SFP divisional manager Terry Dods told a forestry commission panel Friday in Castlegar. But CIPE spokesman Darcy Suehn called for B.C. forests to be managed locally through an “‘innovative, in- because of over land use, Dods said. “Changes in plans, delays in per- mits and uncertainties in forest development are often caused by lack of basic information. Industry should not have to take public criticism for activities authorized by the ministry only to discover later an uninven- toried value’’ for the land, he said. **We do not entirely blame the local groups for their protective demands,’’ Dods added. ‘‘In our view, the DBA seeks funds for downtown By CasNews Staff A committee formed by the Down- town Business Association hopes tq have $2,500 collected from merchants and property owners in downtown Castlegar by the middle of May to begin the first stage in a downtown revitalization program the DBA is spearheading, DBA president Jack Parkin said. Business and property owners have been asked to help pay for the hiring of consultants to prepare a strategy plan outlining what businesspeople and other interested parties want to see in the downtown area, Parkin said. Merchants are being asked to i $15 each while property Complex b owners are being asked for $30 each. The DBA izati i IBEW accepts By CasNews Staff The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is claiming victory after the 38-day strike at West Kootenay Power came to an end last week. The 189 union members voted 73 per cent in favor of accepting the new contract Wednesday. The settlement, hammered out between the union and the company April 25, gives the union almost everything it had originally asked for, said IBEW spokesman Al Oliver. “I would consider it a victory, yes,”’ Oliver said in a phone interview from his Kelowna office. ‘‘It was wor- th the effort of the picket lines.”” WKP spokesman Jack Fisher was not at work Friday and couldri’t be reached for comment. Oliver said the workers will receive a 7,5-per-cent wage increase retroac- tive to February of this year, a further six-per-cent increase in February 1991 and a 2.5-per-cent hike in July next year. tr a effect of 16.8 (per cent) which gives us parity with the Okanagan electrical workers, which is something we were asking for all the time,’’ Oliver said. The IBEW also got a new health plan it had asked for and increases in travel and living allowances. *1t’s a fairly_rich one (agreement) actually, which just reflects the fact that we were behind others in the in- dustry,’’ Oliver said. “E think (the vote) reflects the at- titude of the workers. You know, wants the funds collected as quickly as possible because there are a num- ber of steps the project must go through after. the strategy plan is completed before actual changes can be made to the downtown area, he said, adding that each major step must be endorsed by city council before the provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs can be asked for is: unable to take a firm stand on any land-use issue.”” ~*~ An inventory of forests, water, ‘seenic-values, fish, wildlife, tourism; minerals and recreation would be the first step toward preparing a land-use plan which would allow the provincial government to balance the many uses and demands placed on B.C. forests, Sec PMLEN DP | of these impacts on its_industries_and Sy ere question and that ce must not be upset.’’ ‘Suehn said local controt of forests would lead to better management. “The people in the Arrow Lakes forest district should sit on a commit- tee responsible for setting and main- taining forest policy in their own. district,”’ he said. ‘This level of local control and involvement would lead to a greatly improved conservation of the resources that must sustain this region in the centuries to come.”” “allow a few huge corporations to decide our future for us without our consultation. **We must live with the end results, Therefore, we have a right and a moral obligation to decide the way in which our forests are managed,” Suehn said. And logging practices should be monitored by-the ministry, local law enforcement agencies and the-com. ‘munity, rather than by the logging companies, he added. “*You do not send the fox to count the chickens,”’ Suhen said. Dods also told the panel SFP wants to see Celgar Pulp Co.’s expansion project go ahead ‘‘at the earliest possible date’’ to ensure local sawmills have a-market-for their wood ar decrease in -pulp-chip deliveries to Celgar immediately results in growing chip piles and reduced cash flow to the sawmills,”’ he said. ‘The economic well-being of the West Kootenay is tied toa healthy pulp mill in Castlegar. “Tam sure the technology of today can take care of any environmental concerns’’ about the expansion proposal, Dods said in response to questions from panel members after his presentation. CIPE_ is opposed to- the—Celgar project being approved before public hearings are conducted and the group has concerns over the impact the ex- pansion will have on the local en- i and ity services CIPE opposes pulp agreements and tree farm licences that such as highways. Briefly funding for that part of the project through the i B "s downtown revitalization program. City council has approved a grant of $2,500 toward the strategy plan and the committee will apply for $5,000 for the plan under the provin- cial revitalization program. The DBA would like to see work being done in the downtown core by the fall, Parkin said. new contract they’re just not happy with West Kootenay lately.”” Oliver said workers have until Wednesday to return to work but he expects most to be back on the job Monday. Meanwhile, members of the Office and Technical Employees union will vote Wednesday and Thursday on a tentative agreement reached with the company. The 85 OTEU members weren't on strike but refused to cross IBEW picket lines during the walkout. Rail continued from front page Kristiansen is demanding the NTA hold public hearings on the aban- donment application. The NTA turned down CP’s initial application for abandonment of the line two years ago because there was a possibility the line could become economically viable in the future, the chief of transportation subsidies for the NTA’s western region said. Local businesses had invested in expanding their facilities and told the NTA they would likely have an in- creased use for the branch line in the _ future, Roy Proctor told the Castlegar News in an interview Thur- sday from Saskatoon. The NTA gave notice March 22 that it will be idering CP’s ap- If there are no written interventions and no offers to purchase the branch line by May 22, the NTA “‘shall for- thwith order that the operation of the branch line be abandoned.”” If the agency has received enough briefs intervening in the application, it will initiate an audit to determine what, if any, losses CP incurred run- ning the branch tine for three years Prior to the application, Proctor said. CP claims it lost nearly $3 million between 1986 and 1988, according to CP figures included in the NTA notice of reconsideration of the aban- donment.— _ 7 The agency is required to ‘‘deter- mine whether the branch line is economic or uneconomic and, if uneconomic, whether there. is a ility of the branch plication—and—anyone who wants to tine—beeoming—economie—in—the future,’’ the notice says. register to the must do so within 60 Lottery numbers The winning numbers drawn Thur- sday in the B.C. Keno lottery were 15, 21, 24, 25, 40, 45, 47, and 53. The winning numbers in Wed- nesday’s Lotto 649 were 2, 5, 11, 2 3tand 43; The bonus number was 30. The jackpot of $1,545,373.40 was split between winners in Ontario and in Quebec. The four extra winning numbers for British Columbia were 65, 88, 94, 97. The winning numbers drawn Wednesday in the B.C. Keno lottery were 2, 19, 25, 27, 30, 31, 47 and 48. These numbers provided by The Canadian Press must be considered unofficial. *°. Overwaitea * Shoppers * SuperValu © Thunderbird ¢ Zellers Not oll Hyers receive tull distribution: 1 ‘end would like to do so, please phone our Circulation Department at 365-7266 days, or by May 22, the notice says. The NTA can order public hearings if it determines there is evidence of a substantial amount of economic development in the area that could lead to greater use of the branch line, Proctor said. If the NTA determines the line is not economic for CP and will not likely become economic in the future, it can order the line abandoned within six months of the notice of recon- sideration, he added. The NTA should have a mandate from government to work actively for the preservation and reinstatement of many rail branch lines rather than ad- pect A ications for abandon t, Kristiansen said in his brief. “Rather than simply overseeing the current dismantling of our national rail cargo network, the NTA should be advising government on the steps VOTING DAY... Ald. Calderbank slips his baltot into - Castlegar the box during Saturday's $200,000 schoo! district reterendum. CosNews photo By CasNews Staff The Jean Chretien steamroller plowed through Kootenay West- necessary to -of our rail cargo system. “The NTA should have a mandate Thursday night giving the federal Liberal i Local delegates back Chretien — and is a Chretien supporter. Eighty-two Liberals had votes at the meeting and. there were 23 contenders for the 12 slots. adult male del candidate the same two-to-one edge over Paul Martin to turn around the current aband: ment trend,’’ Kristiansen said. Study continued from front page Al Fisher, vice-president of engineering—and—construction ~ with H.A. Simons, said his company is well aware that environmental con- cerns are the top priority in designing pulp mills in the 1990s. “We recognize that we work in fragile areas of the environment, the future is in our hands and we must ac- cept responsibility to work for an im- Proved quality of life,’’ Fisher said, quoting the environmental policy of H.A. Simons’ president. The consulting firm’s goals while it was designing.the expanded mill were for Celgar to become an environ- mentally clean world-class mill capable of a competitive edge in the world market and with the capacity to incorporate any fdture pulp industry technology, said-Fisher, a Rossland native who was involved with the developmeft of the original Celgar mill. ns Celgac) will be a ‘‘low-cost Producer,”- able to sell pulp even during an economic downturn in the market, he said, adding that the ex- panded mill will be capable of using about 72 per cent of the surplus fibre currently shipped out of the area. MacKay dismissed recent reports of the existence of pollution-free mills, saying a pulp mill that gives off zero emissions hasn’t yet been built. Responding to questions from the audience on the issue, MacKay said the mills being discussed are mechanical pulp mills which produce low-grade pulp, used in products such as newsprint, by grinding the wood fibres apart. Celgar is a chemical mill which uses a chemical process to dissolve the material holding the fibres together, producing pulp that can be used for high-quality white-paper products. Such mills also produce chemical emissions. However, the mechanical mills require a great deal more energy and large quantities of coal must be bur- ned or a valley flooded to generate the amount of energy needed to run the mills, MacKay explained. Second charge of abduction laid By CasNews Staff A second Castlegar man wanted by the Castlegar RCMP for his alleged role in a hostage-taking incident has appeared in Castlegar provincial court. Gordon Jack Benton is charged with breaking and entering, using a firearm during the ission of an Both men are scheduled to appear in court again May 23. The, charges stem from an incident April 24 when a Castlegar man alleges he was taken hostage at gunpoint by two men who drove him to a secluded area west of Castlegar, police said. The victim alleges he was told he would be shot if he did not divulge the offense and assault with a weapon in addition to the abduction charge, court records show Daniel Sydney Haack, also of Castlegar, who appeared in court in late April, faces the same charges. ofa which had been stolen from one of the alleged attackers; RCMP said. The victim alleges one shot was fired but said he was driven back to Castlegar and released with only minor injuries, police added. that is occuring country-wide. Editorial, page A4 Chretien picked up eight delegates while Martin got three, while one youth delegate on the Martin-backed slate at the meeting in Castlegar’s Fireside Inn told the crowd of more than 100 that he had yet to decide. Garry Jenkins, riding association president and Liberal candidate in the last federal elec- tion, is an automatic delegate to the June 23 Calgary convention were Chretien slate candidates Dana Urban and Nick Oglow while Martin supporters Bob Buckley and Tom Esakin were also elected. Adult female delegates will be Chretien supporters Babs Bour- chier, Dianne Jenkins and Margaret Stacey while Martin backer Louann McCurdy also got delegate status. Successful youth delegates are Chretien supporters Janice Fit- chett, Kirsten Jenkins and Ken Oglow while independent Ian Farmer, who was endorsed on the Martin slate, was also successful. In Memory 1990, at age 79. and five He was Peter Kalesnikoff of Brilliant passed away Wednesday, May 2, Mr. Kalesnikoff was born Feb. 2, 1911, in Saskatchewan and came to Brilliant with his parents in 1912. He grew up in Brilliant and married Annie Saprikin there on March 29, Kalesnikoff worked as a carpenter. He was a member of the USCC. He enjoyed woodworking, carpentry, gardening and his family. Mr. Kalesnikoff is survived by his wife Annie of Castlegar; son, Peter of North Vancouver; daughter Elaine Hoodicoff of Castlegar; 1941. During his life Mr. one daughter, Vera Kalesnikoff. Funerat Funeral Chapel. by one son, William, and was held Friday and Saturday at the Castlegar Funeral Chapel with burial at the Brilliant Qemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Castlegar Chretien contemplates future MONTREAL (CP) — Jean Chretien, commanding leader in delegate support for the Liberal plans. Chretien ‘said Friday he will likely take several months after the June convention in Calgary to rebuild the party bgfore entering the House of Commons through a byelection as leader of the Opposition, “*We have internal problems in the party,”’ he said in an interview. ““We have to eliminate the debt. And over the course of the cam- paign I've come to realize that in certain parts of the country the party paid heavily for the defeat that we suffered.” “He said he will run fot a Commons seat before the next federal elec- tion and has several offers from MPs ready to offer their places. In the next general election, Chretien said, he will return to his former St-Maurice riding in central Quebec which includes his home town of Shawinigan, which he represented for 23 years, PM's leadership questioned TORONTO (CP) — Rank-and-file members of the Conservative Party are starting to question the leadership of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and some hope he.won't run again, party activists say. Restive Tories, worried about the party’s low standing in public- opinion polls, blame Mulroney for failing to sell Canadians on the Meech Lake constitutional accord and the proposed goods and services tax, the Toronto Star says. *‘Among party workers there is still a good deal of loyalty to Brian because he gave us victory in two national elections. But for the first time there is serious discussion of whether he should lead us into the next election,’’ the Star quoted David McFadden, former President of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives. If the performance doesn’t improve, and give someone else a chance.”” Fax users get price break VANCOUVER (CP) — The long-distance facsimi'e transmission rates will be lowered starting June 1, the B.C. Telephone Company said Friday after federal regulators granted interim approval of a rate reduc- tion. Eamon Hoey, a telecommunications consultant in Toronto, said that B.C. Tel is reacting to the marketplace and competing with CNCP Telecommunications’ Facsroute service. Leslie Pasternak, of B.C. Tel, agreed and said the company believes its rates are competitive. B.C. Tel’s FaxCom, a subscription service for business andi residential fax users will allow d ission on long-di lines within British Columbia and to anywhere in Canada or the United States, except Alaska and Hawaii. Pasternak could_not_provide_a flat rate-reduction figure, saying that savings will vary by distance and call duration: U.S. mill will be reopened SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A lead and zinc mine in northeastern Washington that has been closed for more than a decade will be reopened, officials said. Resource Finance Corp. of Toronto has agreed to buy the mine and will have the property in production early next year, said president Douglas Nicholson. The $1.25-million US deal with Gulf Resources and Chemical Corp. is expected to close in two weeks, he said. Resource Finance has spent $6.5 million US evaluating the site. ae At full production, about 2,400 tonnes a day, the mine would em- ploy 165, Nicholson said. Permit_work has begun and rehabilitation of the mill at the site should also get under way this year, he said. Developing the mine will take an additional $27.8 million US, he said. Canadian economy forecasted WASHINGTON (CP) — Canada’s economy will probably grow much more slowly this year than the world’s other big industrial coun- tries, says the International Monetary Fund. However, Canadians will be spared a recession, and their economy should rebound strongly next year. Part of the reason for the slower growth will be Canada’s high in- terest rates, the fund says in its semi-annual economic outlook. But there will be an increase in inflation that will require continued high interest rates to control, the fund says. The IMF report projects the Canadian economy will grow by only 1.6 per cent this year, down from 3.9 per cent last year and below the 2.3-growth rate of the 22 other big industrial countries. Progress made in trade talks NAPA, Calif. (AP-CP) — Canada, the United States and their major ing partners-are progr in-an iti effort to overhaul the global trading system while also conceding that serious obstacles remain. Trade Minister John Crosbie, U.S. Trade Representative Carla Hills and their counterparts from Japan and the 12-country European Community said Friday they were able to better define the differences that exist between them during three days of talks at a posh resort in California wine country near San Francisco. Crosbie said he believes they were successful in “turning the heat up”’ to provide momentum toward an agreement. Japanese Trade Minister Kabun Muto called the discussions “frank and useful.”’ Anglo-Irish accord may fall BELFAST (Reuter) — Britain’s willingness to consider an alter- native to the landmark Anglo-Irish accord on Northern Ireland has cleared the way for crucial talks with Protestant politicians. The assurance given Friday night by Britain’s Northern Ireland Minister Peter Brooke could break a five-year political deadlock in Nor- thern Ireland. Unionist leaders representing the north’s one million strong Protestant majority have been implacable foes of the 1985 Anglo-Irish accord that gave Dublin a say in the daily running of the province. Unionist leaders lan Paisley and James Molyneaux now are expec- ted to meet Brooke within two weeks to begin talks on some form of local government for the province ruled directly by London. Latvia moves to independence RIGA, U.S.S.R. (AP) — Latvian economists took what they said was “‘a concrete step to independence” on Saturday by announcing plans to introduce a convertible currency in their secessionist Baltic republic. The move came one day after Latvia adopted a declaration of in- dependence from the Soviet Union. The republic’s legislators said they are now in a transition period and want to start_negotiations_with Moscow. Another Baltic republic, Lithuania, has also declared independence from the Soviet Union, Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis said Saturday he is’still waiting for Moscow to begin talks with his represen- tatives, even after he endorsed the idea of slowing the drive for indepen- dence. German unification cleared BONN (AP) — The four main Allies of the Second World War agreed Saturday that German unification should go forward without delay. is making p y people hope he might retire “The Cold War is over,"’ Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevar- dnadze said after the nearly seven-hour meeting. ‘‘Our planet, the world, Europe, are now embarking on a new road.”” « YSN. ZS Main man of the '90s The women's choice was Ben Dillen, who was a bi: while strolling around in his bikini briefs during Community Complex Friday night. Dillen beat out four other h: as Castlegar’s number one guy. ig hit with the women, especially the Man of the 90s show at the fuls to win the di CasNews photo Ed Mills Meech Public hearings close OTTAWA (CP) — After a final day of pleas for and against the Meech Lake constitutional accord, a special Commons committee wrapped up public hearings Friday and set to the task of sorting out a report by May 18. With the June 23 deadline for Passage of Meech Lake seven weeks away, the 15. ittee has a Written report expected to be daunting task without it constitutional progress will ‘bog down, perhaps for years. Michael Behiels, a University of Ot- daunting task. From 160 oral sub- missions-and 715 written briefs, it must distil a solution to the con- stitutional impasse. In 31 hearings from Vancouver to St. John’s, Nfld., the committee heard from frustrated senior citizens, angry natives, well-rehearsed Premiers, scholarly academics, im- passive lawyers and puzzled citizens. The final day of hearings, in Ot- tawa, showed the wide range of opinion. Ontario Premier David Peterson called emotionally for speedy ap- proval of the accord, saying that tawa pi » urged that the accord be amended before passage. If June 23 passes without a constitutional agreement, he promised, ‘The sky won’t fall."” John Crispo, professor at the University of Toronto, predicted economic turmoil if the accord fails, and also said nothing in the accord is worth breaking up the country for. And native leaders from the Easdt Coast and Saskatchewan demanded guarantees of aboriginal rights before Meech is ratified. It was like that throughout the hearings under committee chairman Jean Charest, Conservative MP for Sherbrooke, Que. “‘Some_people_mayexpect us to come up with the solution,’’ Charest said. “I'm not sure that that exists.”” “‘The most impressive thing among all the witnesses we've hear Toronto Liberal Bob Kaplan, no matter how professional or in- tellectual or argumentative they try to be, at some point or other the passion. comes through.”” Kaplan added: “I don’t believe we're going to come out of it with a whole lot of choices. I know people are pressing many many dozens of different approaches on us but they all have to be tested on the forge of reality."” “The stakes are so great in this,” said Svend Robinson, the young Van- Hanford a nuclear nig RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — A critical self-assessment of the Han- ford nuclear reservation found 1,300 safety, environmental and management problems, U.S. Depar- tment of Energy officials said. But 90 per cent of those were minor, and none posed an imminent threat to the lives of workers or the public or risked widespread environ- mental damage, Harford manager Mike Lawrence said Tuesday. The most serious problems iden- tified at Hanford, the nation’s most polluted nuclar production site, were how to dispose of radioactive wastes inside aging storage tanks, the assessment said. The self-assessment was released in anticipation of a late May visit by a U.S. Department of Energy ‘‘tiger team’* that will do a critical study of the Hanford site in southeast Washington. “My hope is that when the tiger team comes in and spends two mon. ths, it will say our self-assessment was right oh,"’ Lawrence said. ‘‘In reality that will not be the case. I'm sure some things were missed."” Hanford critics said the assessment was meaningless. self- “They are trying to set themselves up to get good reviews (from the tiger team),’’ said Jim Thomas of the Han- ford Education Action League. “‘It's DOE's own assessment of its own problems.” Don Provost of the state Depar: tment of Ecology said he hoped the studies would ‘‘shake out a few of those hidden problems of the past." But there appeared to be little new in the four fat volumes that formed the self-assessment data base. The work started in November and largely involved collecting data from recent assessments of various Han- ford operations performed by a wide variety of groups, putting it into a Standard computer format and assigning severity’ and priority ratings to each problem. “*I think there were no surprises,” Lawrence said, although he conceded some long-standing problems that "Should have been solved made the list. Recent developments such as con- cern over potentially explosive nuclear waste storage tanks were not included because they occurred after the cutoff. The top three problems relate to dealing with radioactive wastes inside old single-walled storage tanks that date back to the Second World War. But they are an old concern. “‘Leaks from these tanks pose a potential threat to the environment,” said the assessment. = Corrective actions include further study of what is in the tanks. dumping out the contents and other provisions of a state-federal agreement signed last year on the issue, the assessment said. The second highest priority was that exhaust monitor upgrades had not been completed for some tanks, while the third was failure to upgrade all tanks so that pumping of a leaker lron Lady dented LONDON (CP) — Prime Minister Margaret_Thatcher- shrugged ofa stinging defeat in local elections but the swing in the vote from the gover- ning Conservatives would bring in a Labor government if repeated at Britain’s next general election. Labor gained 300 seats across the country and 40 per cent of the vote which in a parliamentary election would put leader Neil Kinnock in Downing Street with a comfortable majority in the House of Commons. The Conservatives with 32 per cent of the vote lost 191 councillors in the elections held in England, Wales and Scotland but the results did not produce the disaster they had feared The centrist” Social and Liberal Democratic party lost 48. Apart from the Scottish Nationalists and the tiny Green party, other minority parties all had net losses in the about 5,000 seats con- tested. Labor had control of 110 of the 201 councils contested, up from 97. The Conservaties had $1, down from 60. The Social ic and Labor party had 17, down two. No party won a majority in the rest. Pollsters had predicted Labor could win $00 seats which politicians agreed would have put pressure on That- cher’s 11-year leadership. “We have from these focal” elec- tions a very good basis to go forward and win the general election,’’ That- cher told a news conference. Deputy Prime Minister Sir Geof- frey Howe, asked whether Thatcher would lead the Conservatives into the next general election, which must be called by mid-1992, said: ‘‘That is now a much stronger prospect for the next election than it was 24 hours couver-area Democrat who has served on three constitutional committees in ‘@ decade. “"We're talking about the future of the country. We all recognize that.’’ Later Friday at Mont-Trembiant, Que., where the federal Tory caucus was meeting, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said the days leading to the Meech Lake deadline will be crucial in Canadian history. — The accord would recognize Quebec as a distinct society and ex- pand provincial power in- several areas. The Charest committee was struck March 27 to study a companion resolution to Meech proposed by Premier Frank McKenna of New Brunswick. He and Premier Gary Filmon of Manitoba refuse to ratify Meech in its present form, and Newfoundland has rescinded its sup- port for the deal. If not ratified by all provinces by june 23, the accord dies. htmare can begin within one week of its discovery. Major categories of problems in- cluded failure of the Department of Energy to fully implement environ- mental laws and regulations on the Hanford site; a lack of “discipline of Operations’’ in non-reactor Poor documentation of safety issues; and a lack of clarity and consistency in directives from Department of Energy management to its contrac- tors. in vote ago.”’ Despite disappointing losses for his party in London, Kinnock said there was now a spread of Labor support throughout the country. ‘We shall win the next general elec tion and (Thursday's) result was a very effective test,’ he said In a particulrly sore loss for Kin- nock, the Tories wrested from Labor the west London borough of Ealing, where Kinnock lives Battered woman wins court case OTTAWA (CP) — The Supreme Court of Canada upheld the battered woman defence Thursday, ruling a Winnipeg woman acquitted of mur- dering her common-law husband won't have to face a second trial The ruling came on an appeal by Angelique Lyn Lavallee against a decision by the Manitoba Court of Appeal that she must face another trial for fatally shooting her spouse, Kevin (Rooster) Rust, 24, on Aug. 31, 1986. Lavallee was 22 at the time. Rust was shot in the back of the head as he left Lavallee’s bedroom during a party at their home at which they had been fighting The Supreme Court restored the jury acquittal, saying there was ample evidence Lavallee was ‘‘battered repeatedly and brutally” by Rust during the three or four years they lived together in Winnipeg. Defence lawyer Greg Brodsky Predicted the ruling will mean in. creased funding for shelters for bat- tered women.