editorial comment

What the hell
is happening?

Just what the hell is going on in our community?
Unfortunately, and to our eternal shame, all one
has to do is look at and read page 3A of this weck’s
Castlegar Sun w secognize that there is a growing
of crume in Casth
" What one reads on page three is certainly not
something to be proud of. For example, take the
‘story about the man who was stoned by five
teenaged boys. What kind of people look for plea-
sure in the horrid act of stoning a defenceless, aged
and harmless man. Was he stoned because he was
aged, alone or “different”?, Not that the answer
matters much, but one can’t help but wonder what
the motivation was behind such a crime.
Pebens Bo culprks got seme sost of sick and
out of the act—but what kind of
imagine. We also can’t help
the five teenaged boys’ parents
they were at about 11 p.m. on a school
night. It boggles the mind. Should a curfew be rein-
stated? But on the other hand, the incident could
just as easily have happened at 9 p.m. with the
same devastating effect.
When found, the boys’ names should be pub-

Act will allow these boys’ acts to go unnoticed and
virtually unpunished.

And even better, if they are sentenced to a youth
detention centre all they have to do is read the story
on page 3A about the juvenile who escaped from a
detention centre, came back to Castlegar, commit-
ted more crimes, and after being on the lam for
almost a week was only sentenced to another
month.

If that story didn’t grab you and make you mad,
read on. Same page, same type of story. Three
fenced horses were shot to death by a sicko wield-
ing a 22. They were shot in a way that resulted in
long and hideously painful deaths: Now what rea-
son could someone have for-shooting horses? It
was a sick sight, bet ie ‘action was even sae

In the days of the wild west we all know how
horse thieves and horse murderers were dealt with.
But we're a civilized society and don’t deal with

ieee east wi vied ck aege hae
hung for crimes—but don’t you think it’s about
time that our society, and our judicial system stood
up and let these people know we just won’t take it
arymore?

Somewhere and somchow it’s got to end. But
remember one thing. These people are products of
our society. . The healing has to start right in our
homes about it. And
if you're still not convinced, read page three again.

ERRORS:
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in with hee emer occurred, whether such error is due
. and there shall be no
ability for non insertion of any advertisement beyond the amount

2 eral arssreercinret imran ated arate

approval. from contract
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TWIS PERSON 1S...°

wOoRKWk I) A STEEL Pant

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A FoTuRisnc NAL GOAL TENDER:

ce? ATTEMPTING TO MAL A LETTER
IW CASTLEGAR.

A tale of two politicians

There are good

then there are hag not-so-, aoe
ones. I'd like to introduce you
today to one of each. Meet Corky
Evans, the NDP MLA for Nelson-
Creston, and Allan Warnke, the
Liberal MLA for Richmond Steve-
ston. The two incorporate the best
and the, well, let’! 8 just say the

the other 73 Members of theLeg-
islative Assembly, for more than
two years now.

And while Evans has always
impressed me as a person who rep-
resents his constituents, regardless
anda serist of humility, Warnke,
for the most part, has shown him-
self to be a master of pomposity
and obtuseness.

The difference between the two
says everything there is to say
about what's wrong with politics
in British Columbia. And that dif-
ference was more glaring than
ever during an exchange in the

last week.

It happened during Private
Members’ Statements, an occa-
sion on which MLAs can speak
about any issue dear to their heart,
and for which the legislative cal-
endar sets aside some time every

the opposition’s response, the
MLA who delivered the statement
will wrap up the brief debate,

Private Members’ Statement
time is basically an exchange of
ideas, devoid of the cut and thrust
of adversarial politics.

Topics may range from Citizen-
ship Week and reflections about the
country we live in to a recent
appeal to British Colombians to
enroll in the organ-donors program.

Evans chose May Day for his
topic. Evans was born in the Unit-
ed States into a working-class
family. His father was deeply
involved in the strugglé for work-
ers’ rights in that country. His
father’s experiences have never
been lost on Evans.

His opening remark was vin-
tage Evans. If he were a school
teacher, he said, he would want to
bring his class to the legislature on
a Friday, “when the debate is ele-
vated to the level of the moral and
the ethical and the historic and the
parliamentary, and some of the
nonsense that goes on during the
other four days is a bit absent.”
Little did he know.

He then traced the history of
May Day as the workers’ day,
rooted in the plight of workers
during the industrial revolution,

of Pr i —
to make a statement will inform
the opposition about the content,
giving them an opportunity to

when people,
leaving millions without jobs,
without hope.

He talked about the beginnings

of the labor union movement, how
it was despised for the notion that
people should have the right to
sell their labor and their sweat for
more than starvation wages, and
that child labor and sweat shops

He talked about the changes
these pioneets of the trade unions
brought about, often with their
blood, changes that channelled
excess wealth into education of the
children of those who created it.

It was an impassioned speech,
without political edges, and it
would have been so easy for
Warnke to respond in kind.
Instead, he dragged the legislature
to anew low.

There was another aspect to
May Day which he would like to
bring to the members" attention,
he said.

Backing into his bombastic dis-
course with a brief introduction of
May Day as an old pagan festival
in honor of the Roman goddess of
spring, dances around the May
pole and all that, Warnke got
down to some good old right-

wing, union-bashing, Commie-
flailing, NDP-goading business.

May Day, he said, initiated a
new era of violence. It had a “dark
and seamy side.” Why, the Soviet
Union used May Day to parade its
latest weapons technology in the
struggle against capitalism.

It got worse. Somehow, Warnke

to drag the abduction in
1978 of former Italian prime min-
ister Aldo Moro by the Red
Brigade, and the murder of Hans-
Dietrich Schleyer by the Baader
Mainhof gang into the May Day
Statement. I expected him at any
time to accuse Corky of having
engineered the whole mess.

It'was, by far, the'most vicious,
down-in-the-mouth, and idiotic
speech I have had the misfortune
to listen to in some time. And I
don’t think I was the only one
who felt embarrassed. The fact
that not one MLA, not even a soli-
tary Liberal applauded Warnke's
effort speaks for itself.

As for Evans, he resisted the
temptation to get down into the
gutter with Warnke, saying only
that this brief exchange “illus-
trates the differences in back-
grounds, philosophical beliefs and
politics that brought us here.”

One final observation: Evans
has been working with his hands
all his life. Warnke is supposed to
be an educator, a former college
instructor. But I'd rather have my
children learn from Evans.

Wednesday, May 4, 1994

The Castlegar Sun

Page 7A

Letters to the Editor

Editorial comment leaves reader cold too

she aebaas ood of April
27, 1994 titled Hot Issue Leaves
Some Cold leaves your reader cold
and at best uninformed—at worst
misinformed.

‘The School District No. 9 board
meeting of April 25, 1994 was cer-
tainly a hot affair. To balance the
budget of the school district, the

support staff (custodians, bus
maintenance sec-
retaries, childcare workers and

This decision brought out a
large crowd of employees who
were disturbed that the jobs of
their fellow workers were being
used to balance the budget.

There are two matters which
fuelled the meeting. They are the
balancing of the budget at the
expense of one group and a larger
issue of how we must react to the
growth of the wage related portion
of our school budgets.

You can

Dear Editor:

We'd like to take this opportu-
nity to comment on the immature
aperh eh premtlea ion dona

What we had the pleasure of
enjoying while we sat down to
ear our food in Subway, was con-
stant burping and giggling from

‘The fact that the school board
chose to balance the budget ky
reducing the hours of only the sup-

the relative size of the non-salary
budget. The non-salary budget is
comprised of the costs of supply-

port staff is a wrong ision. If
we are forced to reduce work, the
reduction should be shared by all
employees.

The choosing of one group to
take the fall will only lead to bitter-
ness on the part of that group
towards the school district. This
bitterness always leads to a trou-
bled labor relations environment
and a harsh bargaining session.
This is not in the interests of the
citizen and most certainly not in
the interest of the student.

There is a larger issue which
haunts this and other school
boards. This issue is the steep
growth in recent years of the
salary portion of school budgets.
When I came on the board of
School District No. 9 the non-

budget was 14 per cent of
the total budget. Today it is 11 per
cent of the total budget. That is a
decrease of some 20 per cent in

ing, and supp

our schools. This is what most
people see as “the school”, The
reduction of this portion of the
budget is not in the interest of the
citizen and most certainly not in
the interest of the student.

The analysis of this situation is
what is misleading to the reader of
your editorial comment. This situa-
tion was not made~in Victoria, it
was made in Castlegar. Victoria is
everybody's personal devil or
saviour. It detracts people from
looking to themselves and fo their
community for the solution to their
problems.

The board of school trustees and
the administration made the deci-
sion to single out the support staff
for special treatment, and it was the
board of school trustees and the

‘There is no easy way out of the
financial mess that public educa-
tion is in. The worst way out is to
look for some foreign devil to
explain the predicament. It is this
analysis on the part of your editori-
al that most misleads people. Do
not look in Victoria, Jook in
Castlegar for both the problems
and their solutions.

I do not have the solutions for
the financial problems in the pub-
lic education system, but I do
believe that we should talk frankly
about them.

We must stop singling out
groups for special treatment and
we must open our affairs to our
employees and to the general pub-
lic. With openness there comes
shared responsibility.

I is only through shared respon-
sibility that we can find the solution
to our financial problems, When
People fully understand the prob-

ion who d the

non-salary budget to decrease to a
critical anemic level.

dress them up...

these “young adults” while repre-
senting their school. They contin-
ued to run around the restaurant
pulling up their barely visible
skirts and fixing their outfits.

We were terribly offended by
this behavior and we think that
someone should teach these kids
some manners.

I guess the phrase: “you can

dress them up, but you certainly
can’t take them out” fits this situ-
ation quite perfectly.

This kind of behavior wasn’t
tolerated when we went to K.J.
(K.M.S.), why should it be now?
These people have much to be
ashamed of.

Names withheld by request

Mistaken identity could be dangerous

Dear Editor:

This is a letter to the lowdowns
that broke into my shop some-
time April 26 and stole my Four-
Trax, also gas and metre money
from my pickup.

The FourTrax was later located

by the RCMP in the field with a
flat tire. This probably prevented
you from taking it further.

We have bears come around
disturbing us once in a while, so I
use my gun to scare them off.

You were lucky I wasn't up

when you were around, otherwise
you could have been hurt and
possibly seriously, by mistaken
identity.
Next time you may not be so
fortunate.
N. Bayoff

What better place for a university?

Dear Editor: 4
Much media attention has been
given lately to stories document-

Nelson University Centre, now in
its. fifth year of operation, with
transfer of course credits to East-

ing many in

funding and the large numbers of
students who either can’t get in to
universities or who take courses
they neither want nor need in the
hope that next year they will get
the program they want.

Meanwhile, a small group of
people, most of whom are volun-
teers, have been working to rein-
stitute a university in Nelson,
B.C.. Notre Dame University, a
Catholic institution that was sec-
ond after the University of British
Columbia to be chartered by the
government of B.C., flourished
here from 1950 to 1976.

The David Thompson Univer-
sity Centre, with degree comple-
tion through the University of
Victoria, was a short-term
replacement, from 1980 to 1984.

The result of the volunteer
efforts has been the non-sectarian

em W University in
Cheney, Washington. Some ten

tion to teaching and to students
before research, and their insis-
tence on small classes.

Happily, students who are
caught in the numbers-crunch at
Canadian universities can now

have Pp d EWU
degrees in various programs dur-
ing that time.

Now NUC has an articulation
agreement with Gonzaga Univer-
Sity, a prestigious Catholic insti-
tution in Spokane, Washington.

Because Gonzaga has
approved NUC's courses and its
core curriculum, students can
take up to five semesters (two
and one-half years) at NUC, then
transfer to Gonzaga for the com-
pletion of the four-year BA
degree program. This gives stu-
dents a unique international expe-
rience.

NUC’s core curriculum in the
liberal arts and sciences has been
one comerstone of their philoso-
phy. Other foundational tenets
include their instructors’ dédica-

It’s time to stop fighting

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to
the letters to the editor that
appeared in the April 20 edition
of your newspaper. As a long

The Grizzly Project, our club
and the Fish and Wildlife
Branch have variety of opin-
ions on the status of grizzlies in
BC. All share an admiration for

time ber of the Cast
and District Wildlife Associa-
tion I feel it is necessary to
point out some inconsistencies
in the articles that have
appeared regarding grizzly
bears, wildlife advocates and
our past president, Mr. Steve
Davis.

The Grizzly Project is a Nel-
son based group which con-
ducts research and education on
grizzly issues in BC. Their plan
in to stop grizzly hunting in BC.
That plan is in direct opposition
to the purposes of our Wildlife
Club which supports hunting,
fishing, mining, logging and
other consumptive use of
resources.

See @RIZZLY

follow the NUC-GU route to a
BA degree.

Nelson is a beautiful setting
for a university, and the commu-
nity affirms the value of all
aspects of higher education.

Naomi Winckler,
Nelson

Thanks a lot

jet to comes And this we
second time. You did it to me
“and my mosh twice.
» You took something away’
‘from me that I can never get
_ back. You took my VCR that
was a very special Christmas
gift. And my mom's camera.
It was my birthday a week
sso fn fe cane
the in, pepe
es hearing us
lay cards when you stole
my VCR or I'm sure you didn’t
‘even care to look.
And I had piggy bank that

hope one day you learn your

lems in front of them, they will est of the citizens and most certain-

choose the appropriate solution. ly in the interest of the students of
This solution will be made in School District No. 9.

Castlegar. That will be in the inter- Mickey V. Kimakin

Speeding Costs Almost 8,000 —
Please, Slow Down.

rail Optical's everyday low prices just

got better. With every pair of glasses

purchased, we'll rhrow in the scratch coating
absolutely free - that's a $20 value!

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TRAIL 3,
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CASTLEGAR WOMEN’S AGLOW - May 4th, 10am.
Legion Hall. $3.00. Speaker Mary Dyck - Nelson

From your fs
Name withheld by request

Castlegar Aquanauts

License No. 784512

MOTHER'S DAY BINGO

Saturday, May 7th
Castlegar Arena Complex

$1000
JACKPOT

PAID OUT
$7000
LAST BINGO

60% PAYOUT « EARLY BIRDS * 60% PAYOUT SPECIALTY GAMES
Early Bird 6 p.m., Regular Bingo 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, MAY 7
music by dna

> DOOR PRIZES
ALL NIGHT LONG 2

$5.00 cover charge
Tickets available at Clab House
and The Casttegar Sun

el Family Restaurant & Lounge
(located at the Castlegar & District Golf Club)

365-2439

Presid All Ladies

CASTLEGAR SENIORS ASSOCIATION #46-Business
Meeting May 5 at 2pm. Social May 19th at 2pm. Whist
May 12th & 26th at 7pm. Bridge Mondays & Fridays
1pm.

CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S CLUB Dinner Evening Thursday,
May 11th-Fireside Feature-“Hanging Plant Ideas” by
Georama Nurseries. Soloist-V urtweg. S
Karen Gleddie from Tilley Alberta. Reservations '365-
8025 or 365-3886.

JOB'S DAUGHTERS Spring Tea Sat. May 7th 1pm-
3pm. Legion Hall. Bake table, door prize. Tickets $1.50.
Everyone welcome.

A CONFERENCE ON BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS in
Comprehensive School Health will be held May 25 at the
Ootischenia School. Keynote Speaker is Arlene Burden,
Coordinator, Education Change Project, BC Teachers
Federation. Sponsored by Central Kootenay Health Unit
and Union Board of Health. This conference is for

's, health professi is, social workers, trustees,
parents, students, police, drug abuse prevention
workers, 's & repr from all ag
involved in schools. For further information contact
Shirley Hunter-Oglow Castlegar Health Unit. 365-4300 or
fax 365-4303.

*May SPECIAL |
‘ REPRINT SPECIAL
B 45¢/REPRINT

FROM A 35 MM NEGATIVE
“Offer expires

May 31/94
1125-4th St.,

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Castlegar/565 Baker St., Nelson

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