arbia ive nt BlUgB-> Be Liorary. 5O0L Belleville Cc. Victoria. Castlegar's Felix Belc- zyk turned in his best performance ever in a World Cup downhill ski race Saturday’... BI stat studio... Aé New TV studio Shaw Cable is nearing completion of of-the-art a new TV LOTTERY NUMBERS The winning numbers in Saturday's Lotto 6/49 3, 12, 19, 35, 47 and 49. The bonus draw we number wi The winning numbers drawn Friday in the — The Pick lottery were 6, 14, 15, 24, Lotto We: 31, 32, 40 and 48. The $500,000 winning number in Friday's Provincial lottery draw is 8781601. this week deal... A2 free trade Kootenay West MP Bob Brisco was in Castlegar touting the virtues of the free-trade Castles Vol. 41, No.7 sy. ar News NDAY CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 1988 Sunny today with increasing at- ternoon cloud. High -1° to 2° Outlook for Monday is cloudy with scattered snow showers. Chance of precipitation is 30 per cent today and 40 per cent Mon. doy a 60 Cents 2 Sections (A &B) 23 PER CENT Shaw Cable rate hike approved By RON NORMAN Editor The Canadian Radio-telev: Telecommunications Commission gave the go-ahead this week to Shaw Cable's request for a 23 per cent rate increase. Beginning Feb. 1 cable TV rates in Castlegar will jump by $2.15 a month — from $9.35 to $11.50. The CRTC initially approved the rate hike last November. However it suspended all but a 36-cent a month cost of living increase while it reviewed a number of interventions filed against the hike. Shaw Cable voluntarily delayed the 36-cent increase until the CRTC ruled on the larger increase so that rates would change only .once, Shaw Cable manager Lynn Greentree said. In a decision handed down Thurs. day, the CRTC lifted its suspension of the $1.81 a month increase Greentree said the increase will allow Shaw Cable to combine its Trail and Castlegar systems via a microwave system, and to bring live community programming to the entire area. As well, he said it will mean Shaw Cable can proceed with plans to extend service to Ootischenia and Pass Creek, estimated to cost $250,000. The CRTC noted in its ruling that it received comments on the rate hike from 29 subscribers and Kootenay West MP Bob Brisco. Shaw Cable's proposal to improve its community programming received support from the Trail Community Economic Action Committee, and from a petition containing 157 names. Shaw Cable also plans to dis. tribute nine Canadian and eight U.S. radio stations. Region to get By BRENDAN NAGLE Staff Writer The Central Kootenays will re ceive as much as $2.1 million over the next five years from the federal gov ernment to help create jobs, Kootenay West MP Bob Brisco announced this week. Nelson, Castlegar, Kaslo, Creston and Nakusp will receive a maximum of $1.5 million over the next five years to establish a Business Development Centre and $561,600 over the next year for employment initiatives, Brisco said. The $561,000 will be -used for people on Unemployment Insurance or other forms of social assistance who want to test new business ideas. Brisco said the $2.1 million came from a federal program called Com munity Futures. The program was started to help workers in communities with serious economic problems but which showed potential for growth “What it (community futures) does is make available to people in the area employment programs that are én- hanced, extended so it provides a greater opportunity for employment prospects,” Brisco said in an interview Brisco said the Business Develop ment Centre will stimulate the private sector to help create permanent, long-term employment through bus. iness advice and investment funds. The Self-Employment Incentive will give U.I. recipients and others eligible for social assistance a chance to test new business ideas. Brisco said grants, instead of U.I. or social assis tance benefits, can be provided for up to one year for people who can come up with viable business ideas. “If they can express their idea of a cottage business or whatever to KREDA (Kootenay Region Employ ment Development Agency) or (Can ada) Manpower, then it'll be funded, LIAISON OFFICER SKI RACER . . . Michael Beckner of the Larch Hills ski club near Salmon Arm pushes for finish line in 7-Up Cup cross-country ski race Saturday at the Castlegar Golf Course. More than 60 skiers took part in the weekend races. Full results on Wednesday CasNews Photo by Phil Catderbonk LOCAL OLYMPIC CELEBRATIONS SET FOR TODAY By BONNE MORGAN Staff Writer Castlegar's version of the Olympic Torch Relay race kicks off this afternoon at 4 p.m. at Selkirk College. The Torch Light Run is an eight kilometre course which circles over from the college to the Castlegar-Rob- son ferry and ends up at Safeway People are invited to come out for the run and cheer the runners on. Relay runners — selected lottery-style from their entry forms — will each run one kilometre and will be accompanied by two “escort” runners. The Castlegar RCMP will also escort the runners. with the torch. Thor-Larsen. The runners will be carrying a replica torch made and donated by the City of Merritt. The flame burns between 20 and 25 centimetres high and is designed to withstand winds up to 50 kilometres an hour. The flame is expected to arrive at Safeway between 4:30 and 6 p.m. At that point an Olympic-style cauldron — made and donated by Inland Gas Company — will be lit Everyone at Safeway parking lot will parade to the Community Complex where Celebration ‘88 festivities are to take place. The eight runners chosen to carry the replica torch are: Gordon Bowe; Alesha Campbell; Aimie Chernoff; Jason Ferris; Shawn Horcoff; Emmitt Nephin; Tammy Sookorukoff; and Sara Vatkin. The escorts are: Elizabeth Anderson; Tod Bonderoff; Michele Bonji; David Campbell; Robbie Campbell; Chris Dubord; Michelle Ferris; Cam Foodikoff; Zohra Fostey, Carla Josephson; Gordon McFadden; Chris Miller; Jennifer Small; and Ben Carrie Markin; Craig McFadden, Pulp union wants action By BRENDAN NAGLE Staff Writer The union representing Celgar Pulp Co. employees wants the pulp mill to take steps to lower dioxin levels in the mill's waste and finished product. Michael Espenhain, pollution chairman for the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada Local No. 1 at Celgar, says the union is concerned the mill isn't upgrading its operations as quickly as it could be. “We're putting as much pressure as we can on Celgar to step up improvements,” Espenhain said in an interview. “The company’s been lag: ging in improving effluent discharge.” But mill manager Wilf Sweeney said the mill has already sent four samples — two effluent samples and two pulp samples — toa lab in the U.S. for dioxin tests. He said the tests are expensive and that “one test doesn’t mean that mueh.” Espenhain said dioxins will be a major topic of discussion_at the PPWC pollution seminar next month in Van couver. “We'll be asking for the entire bleached-kraft section of the industry to be switching over to the oxygen bleaching process nationally in place of chlorine,” Espenhain said. continued on page A3 As well, it has agreed to substitute Canadian advertisements if a program is broadcast simultaneously on Can adian and U.S. channels. For instance, if The Cosby Show is featured on an American channel at the same time it is being shown on a Canadian channel, Shaw Cable must insert the Canadian signal, allowing Canadian ads to be shown Meanwhile, the company also received permission to increase its rates in Nelson by $1.14 a month. And the CRTC gave Shaw Cable the green light to expand into Balfour and Procter. Howeyer, it ruled that the comp- any can only charge $11.50 a month instead of the $16-a-month fee Shaw Cable had requested. The CRTC said the higher rate is “not justified.” $2.1m Brisco said. “There's enough money there to fund about 60 projects and we've got 100 applications right now.” Brisco said a committee chaired by Nelson's Tom Baybutt has assessed community needs and has examined some options available under the Community Futures program. The Community Futures committee may recommend one or more programs to support small business development and to help workers start businesses and learn new skills. The first year of funding for the Business Development Centre will total $399,916. Funds in the following years will depend on the success of the development centre and the demand for its service. The federal government support for the centre is available for up to five years. The $561,600 for the Self-Em: ployment Incentive option will be made available over the next year Baybutt declines post By RON NORMAN Editor The Kootenay Development Re gion is looking for a new regional liaison officer after Tom Baybutt backed out of the post this week But Nelson-Creston MLA Howard Dirks, the region's parliamentary sec retary, says Baybutt's decision won't set back decentralization plans for the Kootenays. Dirks said he and Minister of State Rita Johnston have already asked area councils, school boards, regional dis tricts, businesses, labor organizations and community groups to name ap- pointments to the two regional de velopment committees. In addition, he said provincial ministries have started collecting nec- essary data. “We're doing all the behind the scenes things,” Dirks said in an inter view However, Dirks admitted that Baybutt's decision will mean a heavier workload for his constituency office until a replacement can be found. Dirks said a new liaison officer won't likely be appointed for some time. He noted that most potential applicants are already working and active in the community He suggested it will take time for the new officer to divest himself of his personal and business commitments before he can take up the post However, Dirks said Johnston is accepting applications for the position and will be reviewing applications already on file. Baybutt was appointed liaison HOWARD DIRKS - no setback officer late last year on a six-month contract, but he never assumed the position. A prepared release from John ston's office Thursday said heavy “per sonal and business commitments” kept Baybutt from assuming the positiori “in a timely fashion.” Baybutt’s status came into ques- tion last week at Castlegar council Dirks initially told council Baybutt had accepted the post, but had not started work yet. He said Baybutt had to wind down his business affairs to ensure there was no conflict of interest. But later, Dirks said Baybutt was among a small group that helped decide the new committee format for the region. Mayor Audrey Moore countered: “But Howard, you told us we don't have a liaison officer.” Dirks explained that Baybutt was a “liaison designate officer.” “He's working and he's not work ing,” Moore replied. “That's correct,” said Dirks. “God help us,” responded Moore Dirks added that Baybutt working on his own time. Meanwhile, Dirks told the Castle gar News there is some concern among residents that the Kootenay region is slow off the mark. “There is a fear here we're getting left behind,” he said. However, Dirks pointed out that decentralization is not a “race” and in spite of reports that other regions have applied to the provincial cabinet for various projects, they are not any further ahead. A Canadian Press story this week reported that the Cariboo region has asked its minister of state, Environ ment Minister Bruce Strachan, to ask cabinet’s: approval for a_ silviculture program, a power regeneration project and a fully accredited university for Prince George. The story also says a Gold River spokesman is concerned her region may be losing out because it is the last to hire a liaison officer. Elsewhere, Johnston explained the two-committee format for the region. Each committee will be made up of 25 to 30 persons representing a range of groups from throughout the Kootenays. “These two groups will be at the forefront of the decentralization initia tive,” Johnston said in a prepared continued on poge A3 was