> ~ Lechatative Ltprany) Parlianent Blags Vietoria, B, 0, 1X4 vev. + 301 Ballevirte st Winning style Local figure skaters wir medals at West Koot- enay championships. fop 10... B2 Rossland skier Don placed in the sunpayY Cas Vol. 40, No. 17 0 Cents' The six winning numbers in Saturday's Lotto 6/49 draw were 2, 11, 16, 23, 29 and 45. The bonus number was 37. The winning number in Friday's Provincial are also sub- lottery draw is 2736479. There sidiary prizes. Dancing tunes Old time fiddlers play their tunes for a local dance... 83 CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 1987 - flies ‘Cas’, Castlegar's new purple fish-fly tied by Bob Lacny, will be used in a promotion for economic by the Develop- & ment Committee. = _CosNewsPhoto by Ron Norman uvnnannansnaeecseenvenavttUHdttitt REFUGEE STATUS Legislation essential By MIKE KALESNIKO Staff Writer Though tough new laws governing refugee access to Canada has stirred people requested refugee status in Canada. “Part of the new legislation will require some significant increases in some critic! from con: Koot- enay West MP Bob Brisco maintains the legislation is essential. Brisco told the Castlegar News Friday that Canada simply was not prepared to handle the sudden wave of refugees. “What has happened is the massive influx of refugees is beyond the capac- ity of the government to deal with fairly and equitably,” he said, citing the additional financial burden on the Canadian social welfare system. The new legislation was brought into effect to stem the flow of those seeking refugee status in Canada. Now, all claimants entering Canada through the United States from their home country must remain in the U.S. until they receive a hearing from Canadian offi cials. “A number of people did call our office expressing dissatisfaction with the legislation,” said Brisco. “But it was no comparison to the number of com- plaints I received about refugees be- fore the legislation.” Brisco explained that in the first six weeks of 1987 alone, more than 6,000 Pp to deal with the problem we are faced with,” he said. “We cannot just hire and train new people in a day or a week or a month.” Brisco said Canada must also deter- mine “who are the oppressed and who are the oppressors,” by screening the refugees for criminal backgrounds. Brisco also pointed to the absurd demands of refugees as in the recent case with the 155 Tamils from Sri Lanka who were dumped into Maritime Canadian waters last fall. “We were going to put them up in hostels but they wanted hotel rooms,” he said. “Canada extends the olive branch and they snatch it out of our hands and snap it over their knees.” Brisco said such actions taint Can- adian views towards other refugees. “Such actions don't sit well with Canadians,” he said. “The pressure was on the government to take the action it did.” On the other hand, Brisco sees an end to the overwhelming refugee flow since the legislation will put a stop to the “unscrupulous travel agents” who make false promises to immigrants. “We cannot go to West Germany and shut them down,” he said, referring to the departure point of the Tamils. “These are profiteers plying their trade in human misery.” When asked if the U.S. should be held accountable for the Latin Ameri. can refugee problem, Brisco said it wouldn't be fair for him to comment without having first viewed the American immigration figures. “I don't have any idea of the sheer numbers of refugees that have poured into the U.S. since 1982,” said Brisco. (The U.S. Congress passed a law that all illegal immigrants who entered the country after 1982 are to be de ported.) “I know it has an enormous population and it has historically been a country that has welcomed refugees. “I don’t know of any (Canadian) authorities who have commented on that,” he said. But Brisco also pointed to another group that “hasn't yet seized the public eye.” He explained that refugees in refugee camps in such countries as the Philippines are seeking immigrant status in Canada through bureaucratic channels. Brisco said the people are interviewed by the authorities of the continued on A2 2 Sections (A.& B) $5.5 MILLION Increase planned for Seven Mile By RON NORMAN Editor B.C. Hydro plans to spend $5.5 million to increase the generating capacity at its Seven Mile Dam east of Trail. The work, which will include modi- fications to the five spillway gates on the dam along with clearing and some stabilization of the existing reservoir banks, is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 1988. Hydro spokesman Peter McMullen said there are no figures on how many jobs will be created, or When construc- on will begin. ” ~ “Already the planning work is underway,” he said in a telephone in- terview from Vancouver Friday. He added that construction should start “fairly soon.” The changes to the dam will allow Hydro to raise the Seven Mile res- ervoir on the Pend d’Oreille River by 4.6 metres, bringing it to its maximum operating level. The changes will increase the 607 megawatt Seven Mile powerplant's generating capacity by 43 megawatts. ‘The dam was completed in 1980, but the water level behind the dam was held down because there was no agree- ment to extend the reservoir back into the United States. The Skagit River Treaty signed by Canada and the U.S. in April, 1984 Seattle City Light’s Rose Dam, a project that would have flooded some of the Canadian portion of the Skagit Valley. lien said the 1 impact of the increased reservoir level will be “very minimal” because the reservoir is éontained within a deep valley. As well, McMullen said the project does not indicate a new construction phase for the Crown corporation. “As far as Hydro is concerned, we aren't building anything at the moment,” he said, with the exception of taking a “hard look” at the proposed Site C dam in northern B.C. Chernoff appointed -as director By CasNews Staff Castlegar resident Jack Chernoff has been appointed to the board of directors of the Canada Post Corp. Chernoff works as a modernization program supervisor at Cominco Ltd. in Trail. He was appointed to the board of directors, along with William Dalton of St. John’s Newfoundland, by Consumer and Corporate Affairs Minister Harvie Andre. Chernoff said he was excited to be appointed to the position. He said the most pressing problem facing Canada Post right now is to become indepen- dent of the federal government. “It (Canada Post) has to become self- sufficient. That's very important. The mandate is for Canada Post to become if. provided for g the level of the Seven Mile reservoir as part of an agreement not to raise CP Rail proposal opposed By SURJ RATTAN Staff Writer Opposition is mounting over a CP Rail proposal to abandon the branch line between Castlegar and Midway. after more than 60 people met in Christina Lake Thursday to address the issue. Castlegar council is concerned about an increase in truck traffic along Columbia Avenue if the line is scrap- ped. Presently, the CP Rail link between Midway and Castlegar allows logs and woodchips to be transported to the Celgar Pulp mill and Wester Timber’s Southern Wood Products sawmill. But Castlegar Mayor Audrey Moore predicts a major increase in trucks carrying logs and woodchips along Columbia Avenue if the rail line is shut down. The Christina Lake meeting was called by the Kootenay Boundary Re- gional District in an attempt to prepare a plan of action to try and keep the rail link operating. Some of the people who attended the meeting included Moore, Kootenay West MP Bob Brisco and represen- tatives of industries that would be af- fected by the rail closure. Marten Kruysse, economic develop- ment officer for the Kootenay Boun- dary Regional District, said the re- by 1988, but whether or not that will happen I don't know,” Chernoff said. TEN-FOUR GOOD BUDDY .. . increased He added that Canada Post is a large outfit and “the most important thing is to supply better service to the rest of Canada at a reasonable price.” Andre said in a prepared release, “The two new members bring to Canada Post extensive experience in the community and business world which will assist the corporation in its effort to achieve its mandate of im- proving service to its customers, and balancing its books.” Canada Post board of directors are paid $471 a day plus expenses for attending 12 to 25 meetings in a quar- terly session. Chernoff, who is the president of the Kootenay West Progressive Conserva- tive party, and Dalton replace out- going board of directors Adelard Sav- oie of Moncton, New Brunswick and West Vancouver Mayor Don Lanskail. logging truck traffic along Columbia Ave. is almost a certainty if CP Rail should abandon the branch line between Castlegar and Midway. gional district will be preparing a report detailing what has happened with the proposed closure of the Castlegar-Midway rail link and what the fears are if CP Rail abandons the line. He added that the report will be given to Brisco, who in turn will raise the issue with the Progressive Con. servative's B.C. caucus. After the B.C. caucus examines the report it will be delivered to Transport Minister John Crosbie. CosnewsPhoto “We have to keep everyone informed as to what is happening with this issue,” said Kruysse. “The theme that CP Rail no longer wants to service their customers was quite evident throughout the meeting.” Brisco said CP Rail has not applied to abandon the rail link. But he agreed that several people are concerned about losing the Castlegar to Midway rail connection. “The matter is still under review. continued on AZ