Castlegar News fervor 16, 196

Warmer air to the south of the border is keeping cloud and flurries over the

SYNOPSIS: Ww:

southern halt of the province. At the same time o trough ext:
supplying cold al to northern 8.C- ard cool air to he south. This
next 48 hours and of snow are likely

oreding Sram northern Alberta is
l

will keep skies cloudy over the

Lumber
talks
‘useful’

PRINCE GEORGE (CP) —
Canada-U.S. lumber trade
talks wound up Friday with
the Americans calling them a
success and the Canadians
calling them useful.

“I think we probably nar
rowed differences in view,”
said Perey Eastham, direc
tor-general of the U.S. rela
tions bureau in the federal
External Affairs Depart
ment.

Ann Hughes, deputy as
sistant secretary for the U.S.
Department of Commerce,
said lumber is the biggest
trade issue between the two
countries.

She said at the meetings,
“there was a full explanation
ices on both sides of

of
the border.”

Aa LI ES&S

in Washi D.C.

The next talks are expec:
ted to begin within a month

WILDLIFE CLUB
BEGINS CHECK
ON FISH

By SIMON BIRCH
Staff Writer

There's a census underway in the Castlegar area but
unlike government censuses we're all used to, this one
doesn’t ask any personal questions — unless you consider
the length and weight of your day's catch personal
information.

Yes, we're talking about fish here.

The Castlegar and District Wildlife Association has
prepared a “creel census kit” which the association is
distributing to fishermen on the Arrow Lakes. The kit
contains a chart on which fishermen record the date
fished, number of rods used, number of hours fished,
number and species of fish caught and the weight and
length of each fish over 12 inches (30 centimetres).

“We've even thrown in a pencil so there's no excuse
for not filling out the form,” said Brian Briscoe of the
CDWA.

Why a fish census?

Definitely not just for fun.

Briscoe explained that the CDWA is conducting the
Hraene saa way of chtnining data on the quality of fishing
on the Arrow

The census is ee important in determining
the success of fish enhancement projects on the lakes,
such as the rainbow trout enhancement project the
CDWA is currently conducting at Scotties Marina on
Lower Arrow Lake.

The CDWA has 10,000 Gerrard rainbow trout in a
pen at the marina. This June, when the fish are about
15-18 centimetres long, the club will mark the fish and
release them into streams that feed Lower Arrow Lake.

Briscoe said the census will help the association “get
some history on what happens” to the fish after they are
released.

“We want to see sport fishermen catching them
when they are much larger,” he said. “The only way we're
going to know they are is if we get some sort of reporting
system back.”

Briscoe added that the census will also help
determine the success of the Hill Creek spawning channel
north of Nakusp. He said many of the fish from there
have been in the lake for four years and are returning to
their artificial spawning ground.

Therefore, he said, it is especially important that
fishermen cirele any marked fish on the form and record
the location of the catch and describe the marking.

“If we catch fish from there we'll know,” Briscoe

The CDWA will forward the data from the census to

the fisheries branch of the Ministry of Environment in
Nelson, which will combine the association's data with
lata from the branch's own census.

Bob Lindsay, a fish biologist with the environment
ministry in Nelson, welcomes the association's effort
because he said the ministry's census is nowhere near as
intensive as the CDWA's.

“We normally do five days a month,” Lindsay said.
“If (the CDWA's census) works, we should get close to
100 per cent coverage.”

One of the things the census will tell the fisheries
branch — as well as local fishermen — is the number of
rod-hours fishermen are putting in to land a fish.

Rod-hours are the number of rods used multiplied by
the number of hours fished. Two fishermen each using a
rod for five hours produce 10 rod-hours of fishing.

Lindsay said that on Kootenay Lake, fishermen
average—about-40 rod-hours to catch a seven to 11
kilogram Gerrard rainbow trout.

The CDWA census will provide equivalent informa
tion for the Arrow Lakes.

In addition to charting their catches, fishermen are
being asked to provide scale samples from the fish
caught. The creel census kit contains small envelopes in
which to put the samples.

The CDWA sends the samples to the fisheries
branch which can determine the age of the fish by
examining the scales under a microscope.

Briscoe said one reason the age is important is it
allows a determination, along with the length to weight
ratio of the fish, of whether the fish in the lakes are
getting an adequate food supply.

For example, a fully grown older fish that doesn't
weigh much is obviously short on food. However, Briscoe
pointed out that fish reach full length before putting on
weight. Hence the need to distinguish between a young
fish and an older fish.

And what's in all this for the fishermen?

First of all, each form will be used as an entry form to
a draw for fishing and boating equipment. A draw will be
held every three months.

Secondly, reports will be made of the compiled data
and copies of the reports will be distributed to those
fishermen who sign the forms.

Briscoe stressed that the names of the fishermen will
not be used in the reports.

He also pointed out that the census is in no way
intended as a check on the legality of one’s fishing.

Briscoe said about 100 census kits are now in
circulation and he said he hopes many of the spring and
summer fishermen will cooperate with the association in
conducting the census.

He added that the census poses a “considerable cost”
to the CDWA.

“But the costs are worthwhile if we get the data
back.”

The census kits are available at all marinas along
Lower Arrow Lake and are also available from the
CDWA.

ON THE LINE . . . Shaw Cable workers string a picket
across the Sandman Inn's driveway Friday to protest

SHAW CABLE

continued from tront page

a union shop clause in the
contract.

what they say is o Shaw Cable office inside the local

hotel.

CaaNews Photo by Simon Birch

_ “If the Sandman Inn applied for an
to stop the i

workers’
Culpepper said.

Culpepper said the union has “evi-

dence” of the work Shaw Cable is doing
at the Sandman but on the advice of the
union's lawyer would not give any de-
tails, saying it's a matter “that would
be given in front of a judge.”

could meet local needs.

Announcement’ of the fund drew a
cool reception from teacher and school

trustee organizations.

“We're going to see school districts
scrambling to submit wish-lists so the
cabinet can play pork-barrel politics
with them,” said Pat Clarke, pr
of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation.
“It'll dole out the money wherever it
looks like it'll do the Socreds the most The

good politically.”

Eric Buckley.

would produce the evidence in court”

He added that the workers would
maintain the picket line in front of the
Sandman until the union is “convinced
that Shaw Cable has closed down this
office or until we reach a collective

SCHOOL FUNDING

continued trom front pege
Bennett said, however, there will be

consultations with the education com-

munity to determine how the money

The B.C. Sehool Trustees Associa-
tion also reacted warily.

“I find it totally mysterious and puz-
zling why cabinet must decide who gets
the money,” said association president

Although the government wants the
money to be spent on computers,
teacher training, language training and
texbooks in schools, Buckley said the
province's 75 school boards can make

agreement.”
A Shaw Cable representative could
not be reached for comment Friday.

In other strike-related news, Cul-
pepper said every Shaw Cable office in

B.C. was picketed Friday and that a
Shaw Cable shareholders meeting this
weekend in Edmonton will be visited
by union members who will hand out
information about the strike.

“a more

Bennett later this

other uses, which he will spell out to

premier gave no details of how
much of the fund will go to schools and

argument” for
week.

term.

how much will go to universities and
colleges.

Meanwhile, New Democrat
Rose, the opposition education spokes-
man, welcomed the announcement of
the new fund but noted the Bennett
government has cut $350 million from
the education system over three years
and now is just giving back a third of
the amount.

“This is a predictable election shell
game,” said Rose, alluding to specula
tion that Bennett would call an election
this year — the third of his five-year

Mark

Westar reports loss

VANCOUVER (CP) —
Westar Mining Ltd. reported
Friday net earnings for 1985
were $34.7 million, compared
with $40.9 million the pre-
vious year.

After extraordinary items,
Westar had a loss of $186.8
million.

Court news

SALMO VALLEY WILDLIFE

Society won't give up

By CasNews Staff

The Salmo Valley Wildlife Society is not giving up on its
proposal for a wildlife park and wildlife rehabilitation centre
south of Salmo even though the group's request for Expo
legacy funds was turned down before Christmas.

The wildlife society had applied for $402,500 to purchase
about 25 hectares of land four kilometres south of Salmo on
the Salmo airport road. The proposal also calls for
construction of a two-storey museum as well as crafts
booths.

A news release from the society quotes a letter from the
Expo legacy committee as stating that although the proposal
“was in keeping with the legacy program, local contribution
was substantially less than the committee was prepared to
consider for a project of this size.”

A requirement for the grant states that the community
must match the funding.

Iris Bakken, Regional District of Central Kootenay
director for Area G (rural Salmo) and president of the
wildlife society, said this week the society is renewing its
efforts to garner local support and contributions for the
project in the hope of convincing the Expe legacy committee
to reconsider the proposal.

“We'll submit the proposal again if we get real good
support and some donations,” Bakken said

Bakken said the wildlife society has raised about $1,200
for the project.

She is circulating a form letter that supporters of the
proposal can sign and send to Education Minister Jim
Hewitt, minister responsible for the Expo legacy fund. The
letter also contains space to indicate a donation to the

project.

Bakken said Salmo village council will be preparing a

list of projects and will ask village residents which one they

prefer as a legacy project.

“Lhave a good feeling our project will be supported, she
said. “As a legacy project, it's something the whole area

could be proud of.”

Services held

John J. Kazakoff of Cres
cent Valley passed away on
Feb. 13 at the age of 85 years.

Funeral service was held
on Friday and Saturday from
the Castlegar Funeral Chapel
with burial in the Krestova
Cemetery.

Mr. Kazakoff was born
May 29, 1900 at Verigin,
Sask. and came to B.C. set

During his life, Mr. Kaz.
akoff worked as an edgerman
for Waldies Sawmill and later
for Celgar. During the last
few years, he operated the
rural mail route in Crescent
Valley, retiring in 1984.

He is survived by two
daughters, Helen Makortoff
and Mary Zaitsoff of Castle-
gar; seven grandchildren; 14

tling in Or with his
parents in 1901.

In 1907 the family moved
to Grand Forks where he
grew up and lived until he
moved to Shoreacres in 1934.

In 1971 he moved to Kres-
tova where he had since re-
sided.

@ and one
Se ea prentaee. He
was predeceased by his wife
in 1972 and one grandson in
1982.

Funeral arrangements
were under the direction of
the Castlegar Funeral Chap-
el.

In Castlegar provincial
court this week, Audie Hash-
ka pleaded guilty to two
counts of breaking and enter-
ing and was sentenced to 60
days in jail on one count and
30 days concurrent with six
months’ probation on the
other count. Hashka also
pleaded guilty to possession
of stolen property and was
given a 30-day concurrent jail
term along with six months’
probation.

In addition to those char-
ges, Hashka pleaded guilty to
being a minor in a licensed
establishment, a minor in
possession of liquor and con.
sumption of liquor in a public
place. He was fined $75 on
each of those charges.

Hashka also pleaded guilty
to two counts of driving
without a license, speeding,
speeding in a playground
zone and not having a license
in his’ possession.

He was fined $15 on the
last count and $35 on each of
the other counts.

. 8 6

Frederick Hazelton plead-
ed guilty to driving with a
blood-alcohol count over .08
and was sentenced to three
months in jail. He also plead-
ed guilty to failure to appear
and received a 30-day con-
current jail term.

The extraordinary charge
of $294 million reflects the
writedown of the book value
of the company’s Brae assets
in the North Sea. An agree-
ment was later reached to
cancel a Brae funding ob-
ligation with Bow Valley In.
dustries of Calgary.

Westar said in a news re-
lease it had an extraordinary
gain of $72.5 million on the
sale of Westshore Terminals
to B.C. Resources Invest-
ment Corp. in April 1985.
Westar is 67-per-cent owned
by B.C. Resources.

Westar said 1985 sales
were $614.9 million, com.
pared with $621.7 million the
previous year, as reduced
coal revenues were partly
offset by higher oi] revenues.

Earnings before extraor-
dinary items for the fourth
quarter were $9.3 million,
compared with $10.9 million
in 1984. After extraordinary
items, Westar lost $284.7
million, compared with a
$3.8-million loss the previous
year.

Company president Gary
Livingstone said world over.

supply of coal continued to
depress prices for both met.
allurgical and thermal coal
throughout 1985. But he said
stringent cost controls and
accelerated marketing ef.
forts helped reduce the im.
pact of poor markets, al
lowing Westar to remain
competitive.

Livingstone said because
of expected flat coal prices
and sharply lower oil reven
ues in 1985, the company sees
little hope of improvement
for 1986.

Mount Sentinel
scholars named

Mount Sentinel Secondary
School has announced their
scholars at the end of the
first semester. The grade
point average is based on
A(5), B)4), C-plus (3), C(2),
C+1).

To make the Principal's
List a 4.5 grade point aver-
age is required while a grade
point average of 4 is nec
essary for the honor roll.

Principal's List

Grade 12: Simon Carr and
David Sookaveiff.

Grade 10: Duane Sheloff,
Sasha Lees, Lorrie Popoff
and Lorraine Argatoff.

Grade 9: Zoey Lewis, Clin
ton Swanson and Al Jury.

Grade 8: Lara Podmorow,
Suzanne Hodges, David Vel-
isek, Darren Zarubin, Holly
Pommier, Delphi Hoodicoff,
Jason Letkemann and Kam-
ala Meeres.

Grade 7: Sara Hoodicoff,
Lee Lidstone and Cindy Hoo-
laeff.

Honor Rell
Grade 12: Geneen Coffey,
Inderjit Bhabra, Dan Tar-
asoff, Mike Nelson, Lisa
Koorbatoff and Steve Swan-
son.
Grade 11: Jesse Cowern
and Joshua Powell.
Grade 10: Todd Markin,

Steve Sapriken, Lori Legebo-
koff and Elissa Wadds.

Grade 9: Shellie Maloff and
Saranjit Bhabra.

Grade 8: Michelle Thickett
and Steven Ball.

Grade 7: Andrea Verigin,
‘Trevor Kanigan and Leonard
Popoff.

Fonyo wanted

MEDICINE HAT, ALTA.
(CP) — City police say they
had telephone calls all day
Friday from people offering
to pay a $30 speeding ticket
for amputee runner Steve
Fonyo.

But a provincial court of.
ficial said the court wouldn't
accept the money.

“If the ticket is paid, it
means he's guilty of the
speeding offence,” said Gary
Taylor, district manager of
court services.

“Mr. Fonyo may not feel
he’s guilty. Unless the person

who's paying has been in
contact with Mr. Fonyo and
is acting as his agent, we just
won't (accept the money).”

A warrant for Fonyo’s ar.
rest was issued Thursday af.
ter he didn't show up for a
provincial court appearance
to deal with the ticket.

The 20-year-old Calgary
resident, who raised millions
of dollars for cancer research
with a cross-country run that
ended last year, was in Tor.
onto attending festivities in
his honor.

Briefly

42 INJURED

BERNIERES, QUE. (CP) — Forty-two people
were injured Saturday when a Via Rail passenger
train collided with a stationary freight train in the
third serious Canadian railway accident in the last
week,

Two passengers, whom Via refused to identify,
remain in hospital in Quebec, One passenger is
suffering from a broken leg, while another passenger
suffered a back injury. Both are expected to be
released today.

The 40 injured p , with an
assortment of minor bumps, sprains and contusions,
were released shortly after being checked by doctors
at five hospitals in the Quebec City area.

FIGHTING CONTINUES

MANAMA, BAHRAIN (CP) — Heavy fighting on
the southern front of the 5'-year-old Persian Gulf
war moved into its sixth day Saturday, with Iran and
Iraq apparently close to stalemate again in the
conflict.

Neither side seems to have established any
decisive battlefield advantage since Iranian troops
poured into Iraq a week ago across the Shatt al Arab
waterway at the head of the gulf.

Conflicting claims and counter-claims made it
difficult to gauge how far Iran had advanced into Iraq,
but their forces appear well entrenched round the
disused Iraqi oil port of Faw.

VIOLENCE ERUPTS

NEW DELHI (REUTER) — Authorities imposed
curfews, banned public meetings and sent police
reinforcements to calm Hindus, Moslems and Sikhs as
religious tensions erupted into violence in northern
India.

At least one person was killed, 50 hurt and 135
arrested on Friday in Hindu-Moslem clashes in Delhi
and neighboring Uttar Pradesh state. The violence
was sparked by protests over the reopening of a
disputed Hindu temple once used as a mosque.

In Punjab state, authorities ordered police rein
forcements to the Sikh holy city of Amritsar where
militant and moderate Sikhs moved toward a
showdown over control of their religion's holiest
shrine, the Golden Temple.

CEREMONY IN CANADA

TORONTO (CP) — The United Steelworkers of
America will hold swearing-in ceremonies for its
international officers and executive board in Canada
for the first time in the union's 50-year history:

Steelworkers spokesman Sue Kelley said the
elaborate ceremonies for 24 district directors, five top
officers, Canadian national director and head of the
union's upholsterers division are set for a downtown
hotel on March 1.

All 31 officials sit on the union's international
executive board. The ceremonies officially start
four-year terms.

The Pittsburgh-based union has always held the
ceremonies in the United States. But Kelley said
president Lynn Williams, a Canadian, wanted to
change the venue in recognition of the union's 160,000
members in Canada.

POLLEN WINS

VICTORIA (CP) — A downtown Victoria hotel
lost its suit for slander against former mayor Peter
Pollen.

The Kings Hotel sued Pollen — now leader of the
provincial Conservative party — over remarks he
made about the hotel at a city council committee
meeting in January 1984.

Pollen called the hotel a dump and a pigsty and
charged it was contributing to the deterioration of the
area.

But Mr. Justice Reginald Gibbs ruled Pollen was
protected by privilege and was free to speak his mind
Gibbs said Pollen genuinely believed what he said and
a cross-section of the community agreed with him.

COMPANY QUITS

VICTORIA (CP) — Tourmaster Holidays Ltd. of
Victoria has had its licence lifted and is under
investigation by the provincial registrar of travel

It is the fifth B.C. travel company to fail within
the last year

Registrar Frank Basiren said Friday: “They
phoned and said they didn’t have sufficient funds to
carry on. I was getting suspicious and I guess they
decided to voluntarily close for a few days.”

He said he received a couple of customer
complaints last week about cheques that bounced and
began an investigation Monday. On Tuesday, Tour.
master owner Ian Thow phoned to say the company
could not continue

MP WON'T RESIGN

ARTHABASKA, QUE. (CP) — Conservative MP
Maurice Tremblay, convicted Friday of assaulting the
president of his riding association, said he has no plans
to quit his seat in the Commons.

“I will not resign,” said Tremblay, who first won
the riding of Lotbiniere in the 1984 election. “And I'm
not at all worried about getting the approval of my
party or caucus.”

The conviction stemmed from an argument last
May 24 when Tremblay, 41, struck Robert Desaulniers
and broke his nose

Tremblay said the injury occurred accidentally
when he raised his arm to defend himself after
Desaulniers pushed him

LAWMAKERS MEET

BEIRUT (AP) Four Christian legislators met
Saturday with Syrian-backed Moslem leader Nabih
Berri in an effort to defuse a growing campaign to oust
Maronite Catholic President Amin Gemayel.

Meanwhile in South Lebanon, two Moselm
children and their grandfathér were killed when a
hand grenade the children found exploded at their
house, police said

Police said nine-year-old Karam Farhat found the
grenade in a field near their house in Angoun,
southeast of the port city of Sidon, and brought it to
their grandfather's shop

race. Casts News 1

GRAND OPENING .. . the ay roe Red Cross Society

its West K

the B.C. Interior,

of the C

Intor-

mation Centre and Castlegar toon Service on Saturday
in room 102 of the Sandman Inn. On hand were (left to
right) Ed Taylor, regional director of the Red Cross for

Reed, r
Brian Gilbertson
division of the Red Cross.

Ald. Carl Henne, Anne Jones

Society, Den

gar Hospic
ional vice-president for the Red Cross, and
commissioner of the B.C.-Yukon

CosNewsPhote

PWA offer
rejected by
two unions

CALGARY (CP) — Two of three striking unions at

fligh'
ia tay eaees thas sate eed Oia ca
ticket agents.

Jack Lawless, director of public relations for Pacific
Western, said negotiations for an orderly return to work
will start Monday.

Lawless said PWA was disappointed the other two
unions chose to reject their offers.

“The offers ... were, in the company's view, fair and
reasonable in today's competitive airline industry and the
best the company could offer.”

Jo Bannon of the flight attendants said the three
unions entered the dispute Nov. 20 with the agreement
none would go back to work until they all had collective
agreements. She says her union has no reason to believe
that commitment has changed.

About 1,800 Pacific Western workers across the
country walked off the job Nov. 20 in a contract dispute
with the company.

Personnel fi

NEW YORK (AP) — Cyanide found in a Tylenol capsule
that killed a woman could have been injected months ago,
federal authorities said Saturday, as the painkiller's maker
began a review of production and distribution and 30,000

employee files.

“The work we did showed no time restrictions such as
were previously reported,” said Food and Drug Adminis
tration Commissioner Dr. Frank Young.

He was referring to statements by Westchester County,
N.Y., authorities that the poison would dissolve the capsule’s
gelatin casing in eight to 10 days.

Westchester District Attorney Carl Vergari said he was
concerned such statements created “the false and dangerous
impression that people shouldn't worry about the bottles

they bought before that time.
reports made

Vergari said FBI

to him indicate

tampering of two bottles found to contain cyanide-tainted
capsules appears to have been done during manufacture, but
FBI spokesman Bill Baker would ny comment on Vergari'’s

statement.

The second bottle was discovered Thursday, and came
from a store just two blocks from where the first was
purchased, in Bronxville, a suburb north of New York City

Robert Kniffen, a spokesman for Johnson and Johnson,
which makes the drug, said Saturday the company is
reviewing the personnel files of about 30,000 employees in

TRAIN COLLISION

es reviewed

the United States. The’company is also going over the
production, storage and distribution process, he said, but

would not elaborate.

Tylenol sold in the United States is made in plants in
that country. Tylenol distributed in Canada is manufactured
in Canada and is not affected by the U.S. actions.

Johnson and Johnson has offered a $100,000 reward for
information leading to an arrest in the case.

The FDA has tested more than 100,000 capsules, and
Young said the testing will continue throughout the

weekend.

Young said the Westchester cyanide is different from
the cyanide found in Tylenol capsules that left seven people
dead in Chicago in 1982, and also is different from cyanide
stored for testing at MacNeil Consumer Products Co., the
Johnson and Johnson subsidiary that produces Tylenol.

FBI investigators and Yonkers police will visit the
Pennsylvania plant where the fatal bottle of Tylenol was

made, Vergari said.

Baker said FBI agents across the country are working
on the case, checking on “so many investigative leads (to)
make some headway and get a break on this.

“Right now, we have no suspects.”

Diane Elsroth, 23,

of Peekski died Feb. 8 at her

boyfriend's Yonkers home after taking Extra-Strength
Tylenol capsules contaminated with cyanide

Death toll may be lower

HINTON, ALTA. (CP)
The death toll in the head-on
crash of two trains last
weekend could be lower than
26, Alberta's chief medical
examiner says.

Dr. John Butt told an Ed
monton news conference
there are fewer than 26
names on a list of identified
victims and of people missing
and presumed dead. He re
fused to say how many names
are on the list.

The week-long effort to
identify the dead has been
hampered by conditions at
the crash site, where twisted
metal lies buried under piles
of grain from the CN Rail
freight train that pulled into
the path of a Via Rail pass
enger train near this west
central Alberta community
last Saturday

Butt said another problem
is the possibility that some
passengers aboard the east
bound Via Rail Supercon
tinental bought their tickets
from a conductor. Their
names would not appear on
computer records.

The conductor of the pass
enger train died

Since the accident, officials
have reduced the possible
body count from as high as 50
to 29 and then to 26. Butt said
further checks could reduce
the number again

“The question of on-train
(ticket) sales is why we are
guarding the numbers. We
have been conservative
about downgrading the num
bers because of the potential
for recovering more human
remains than are actually on
our missing-person and pre
sumed-dead list.”

Butt said a list of the

missing and presumed dead
could be released by today

Investigators have deter
mined that engineer Jack
Hudson and brakeman Mark
Edwards were in the front
locomotive of the freight
train when the trains col
lided, he said.

RECOVERS BODY

“The brakeman’s body was
recovered with his seat, but
the seat was dislodged and
was a substantial distance
from the cab of the loco
motive.”

By Friday, 10 bodies had
been recovered. Butt said it
will take recovery crews
until Monday at the earliest
to sift through the flattened,

charred remains of a pass.
enger coach where most of
the bodies are believed to be.

Butt said some of the vic
tims may never be positively
identified because of the poor
condition of the bodies.

“We're hoping to relieve
the anxiety of people through
positive identification, but
we can't be certain.”

At a separate news con
ference, Ross Walker, CN's
senior vice-president for
Western Canada, said the
railway has concluded that an
error by the freight train
crew caused the accident

The statement was made
after much thought about the
anguish it might cause fam

ilies of the trainmen, he said,
adding the public's right to
know outweighed those con
siderations.

In another development,
the Brotherhood of Mainten
ance Way Employees called
for a public inquiry into the
safety of rail inspection and
maintenance in Canada

Union vice-president Ar
mand Passaretti said the
number of kilometres of
track inspected by each
worker has nearly doubled in
the last five years.

“In some cases, one person
ona railway motor car is res
ponsible for inspecting 75 to
100 miles (120 to 160 kil
ometres) of track every day.”

Flaw in shuttle process?

WASHINGTON (AP)
The presidential commission
investigating the crash of the
space shuttle Challenger has
determined the decision to
launch the spacecraft “may
have been flawed,” commis.
sion Chairman William Rog
ers announced Saturday

The commission has aksed
NASA not to permit any of
the people involved in the
launch decision to participate
on the space agency's in
ternal investigative teams
looking into the Jan. 28
explosion that killed six
astronauts and schoolteacher
Christa McAuliffe, Rogers
said.

“In recent days the com
mission has been investigat
ing all aspects of the de
cision-making process lead
ing up to the launch of the
Challenger and has found
that the process may have

been flawed,” Rogers said in
a statement issued by com
mission spokesman Mark
Weinberg.

Rogers said President Ron
ald Reagan was advised of
the Saturday decision.

“Dr. William Graham, ac
ting administrator of NASA,
has been asked not to include
on the internal investigating
teams at NASA persons in
volved in that process

‘The commission will, of
course, continue its investi
gation and will make a full
report to the president,” the
statement said

Reagan, in naming the 13
member commission Feb. 3.
asked for a report from the
panel within 120 days.

Weinberg said it was Rog
ers’ decision, in consultation
with other panel members, to
request NASA exclude those
involved in the launch de

cision from investigative
teams.

A knowledgeable
speaking on condition of an
onymity, said the ban would
apply to various people who
were involved in the “checks
along the road” that led to
the final decision to go ahead
with the launch from Cape
Canaveral, Fla

source,

been
focusing on the possibility
solid-fuel rocket

Investigators have
one of the
boosters powering the space
craft from the launch pad de
veloped a leak that caused
the fiery explosion 58 sec
onds after liftoff

Most photo
graphs ‘released by NASA
have shown a small plume of
black smoke seeping from
where two segments of the
booster were connected by a

recently

seal

strike is hurting the airline
financially despite PWA's success in maintaining a full
schedule, says a leading investment house.

In a circular issued Jan. 22, Wood Gundy analyst
Steve Garmaise said the strike “has proven costlier to
PWA than we had expected.”

He added: “The savings in labor expense, estimated
at $100,000 per day, have been more than offset by the
need to train replacement crews, to pay management
staff overtime for their 12-hour days, and to beef up
security to deal with disruptions by the strikers.”

Although the airline has sustained a full schedule and
kept its share of the market, said Garmaise, revenues
have dropped because of the loss of maintenance work
and cargo business.

The refusal by print unions at Pacific Press Ltd. in
vi tocarry PWA adi in The Sun and
the Province, has also “probably hurt PWA's business.”

Garmaise said Wood Gundy previously expected that
PWA would earn a small profit of three cents per share in
the fourth quarter of 1985 without strike and a small loss
with a strike.

“It now appears that the airline could suffer a large
loss in the fourth quarter, in the neighborhood of 55 cents
a share.”

However, said Garmaise, the “main reason” for the
expected loss is the general economid downturn facing
the Canadian airline industry. “Air Canada, CP Air and
Nordair have been suffering as well, particuarly in the
domestic market. Demand for air travel remains
depressed.”

Wood Gundy continues to recommend that investors
sell their PWA shares, said Garmaise.

PWA spokesman Jack Lawless said he has read the
Wood Gundy report, and called it “an accurate reflection
of some of our costs and some of the challenges we are
facing.”

Lawless said the strike is hurting PWA, but not
enough to make the Calgary-based airline withdraw its
concession demands.

“There's no question we're paying a premium right
now for some of the contract work on major outside
maintenance, but it's better to pay the price now versus
something we will have to live with over the next few
years in terms of a contract.”

Lawless said the main problem facing PWA is the
depressed airline market and the economic malaise in
Western Canada. PWA stock prices have remained
stable throughout the strike at about $13 per share, he
added.

Reforms could
save money

OTTAWA (CP) New
Democrat finance critic Nel
son Riis says his party's tax
reform proposals for the Feb
26 budget could save the
government $3.2 billion a
year

But the proposals would
clearly require a massive re
treat by Finance Minister
Michael Wilson from his May
1985 budget

Ina letter sent to Wilson at
the start of last week, the
party called for the immedi
ate elimination of a number
of tax breaks, including the
May budget's $500,000 life-
time capital gains exemption
and provisions for so-called
topping up of Registered Re
tirement Savings Plans.

“The top-up provision pro-
vides maximum benefits to
those whose incomes are
$89,000 a year,” Riis said
Friday

“We're suggesting that
thdse with $89,000 a year
probably don't need federal
incentives to save for their
retirement.”

The NDP has also argued
that the capital gains exemp
tion is of most benefit to
upper-income Canadians.

According to the May bud
get papers, the capital gains
exemption will cost Ottawa
$700 million a year, though
many tax experts say that
cost will be much higher.

The RRSP changes, if they
had not been delayed, would
have cost the federal treas
ury $80 million this year, an
amount that would have in
creased in each of the five
years during which increased
contributions were to be
phased in.

Other tax breaks are in
cluded in the NDP budget hit
list, said Riis.

OTHER ADVICE

The Liberals also are mak
ing recommendations about
the planned federal budget.

Liberal finance crities Don
Johnston and Raymond Gar
neau say if the general public
and politicians are to under.
stand where the federal gov
ernment is going with its
next budget, five-year pro
jections on the economy must
be included.

The two held a news con
ference in Ottawa calling on
Finance Minister Michael
Wilson to reinstate five-year
projections,