Casthégar News _ Moy 7.97

MANILA (AP) —
fraud in last week's «
Philippines, said Saturday they. would mount
country-wide demonstrations for a new vote and called’ }
on the military to back them,

The country’s top two military leaders’ said the
army will. continue to back President Corazon’ |
Aquino's government. |

Crash kills 46

KHARTOUM (AP) = A bus plunged into the Blue
Nile River when it missed the entry ramp to a ferry,
and 46 women and children aboard drowned, Sudanese
police said Saturday.

Witnesses said the driver and a number of male
passengers jumped out and swam to safety when the
bus plunged into the river Thursday at el-Kamlin, 90
kilometres southeast of Khartoum.

A police spokesman said the driver lost control as
the bus approached the ramp and the vehicle went
straight into the water, trapping the women and
children inside,

Students battle

SEOUL (CP) — Hundreds of Buddhist monks
denounced South Korean President Chun Doo Hwan
on Saturday for blocking democratic reforms as
thousands of students clashed with police in
anti-government protests.

At Seoul National University on the outskirts of
the capital, about 1,000 students. fought a running
two-hour battle with hundreds of riot police, using
gasoline bombs and stones against tear gas. At least
three policemen were hurt. The number of student,
casualties was unknown.

Chirac slammed

MOSCOW (CP) — French Premier Jacques
Chirac's three-day visit to the Soviet Union ended on a
sour note Saturday, with a rare diplomatic dust-up
over France's position on nuclear disarmament and
human rights.

At a windup news conference, Chirac gave a
generally upbeat account of his talks with Soviet
Leader Mikhail Gorbachev and other Kremlin officials.

Chirac had hardly vacated his chair when Soviet
Foreign Ministry spokesman Gennady Gerasimov sat
down and told reporters he would show “the other side
of the coin” — then proceeded to heap scorn on
France's disarmament position and its criticism of
Soviet human rights policy.

Fiji coup

SUVA (AP) — Coup leader Lt.-Col. Sitevene
Rabuka vowed Saturday to prevent East Indians from
ever again assuming political power to Fiji, and
Indians shuttered their shops and gathered ‘to protest.

Rabuka told a news conference that last
Thursday's bloodless coup, which toppled the South
Pacific country’s first-ever Indian-dominated govern-
ment, would “safeguard Fijian land and protect the
Fijian way of life.”

Missile launched

MOSCOW (REUTER) — The Soviet Union has
launched a new-generation rocket capable of putting
reusable space shuttles into orbit, the official Tass
news agency said Saturday.

Tass said the rocket, code-named Energia
(Energy), was launched Friday from the Baikonur
space centre in Soviet Central Asia.

It said the launch demonstrated the high
reliability of the rocket, and described the flight as a
major achievement which opened new prospects for
the exploration of space.

Foreigners blamed

NEW DELHI (REUTER) — Prime Minister Rajiv
Gandhi, trying to deflect mounting criticism of his
government, told a rally of 200,000 people on Saturday
that unfriendly foreign forces have conspired with
domestic enemies to destabilize India.

Speaking from a bullet-proof enclosure at a rally
sponsored by his ruling Congress party, Gandhi said
“we will never succumb to the pressure.”

He also said the government would put down Sikh
extremism in Punjab state with “an iron hand.” The
central government assumed direct control of the
Sikh-dominated northern state last Monday.

Population growing

LONDON (AP) Sometime in the next few
months the world's population will reach_five billion,
raising new questions about whether Earth can cope
with its rapidly multiplying population.

“The fact that rapid population growth can lead to
environmental detrioration, economic decline and
political instability is no longer a hypothetical case,”
Lester Brown, president of the Washington-based
Worldwatch Institute, said

“We can see it happening in all too many places in
the world,” he said during a three-day United Nations
seminar on population, which ended Saturday.

Network eyed

SEATTLE (REUTER) Congress is studying
whether a worldwide network of secre’ vestments
was used to launder funds for arming Nicaraguan
rebels, a top congressional Democrat was quoted
Saturday as saying.

Tom Foley, majority leader in the House of
Representatives, was quoted in the Seattle Post-Intel
ligencer as saying a financial partnership including
retired Maj.-Gen. Richard Secord took $150,000 from
Swiss bank accounts and invested it in several U.S
projects, including a fledging machine-gun manu
facturing plant and a 4,000-hectare land deal that fell
through.

x

ALDERMEN FOR A DAY . . . From right, Cathy Pasz-
ty, Monica Tymofievich and Jennifer Breckenridge

take notes on debate in council chambers Thur-
sday. CosNews Photo by Sur Rattan

COUNCIL

continued from page Al

He spoke on the issue of a proposal for & new swimming
pool for Castlegar.

In 1983 a Facility Fact Finder project was
undertaken asking Castlegar residents which of four
projects they would support the most. The projects
included a marina and waterfront park, an arts and
convention centre, a new public library or an indoor
swimming pool.

The survey found that 56.6 per cent would throw
their support behind a new indoor pool.

The estimated cost of the pool is $2.4 million and the
city would have to put up $1.5 million to fund the project.

At the Thursday meeting, council was asked in a
report by city administrator Dave Gairns if a referendum
should be held asking Castlegar residents if they
stpported a swimming pool knowing theit taxes ‘would be
increased by $50. One of the features of the project would
be a licensed lounge.

Ald. Cathy Paszty said she did not like the idea of a
lounge being a part of the swimming pool complex
because there would be an element of danger with alcohol
present.

“I think it’s a bad idea to include this, while a child is
taking a swim lesson and mom and dad are over having a
drink and a bite to eat,” said Paszty. “If there was a
drowning from alcohol there could be a lawsuit.”

But Gairns said lounges are one way of raising
revenues to pa¥ for projects such as a swimming pool.

Ald. Carrie-Lynn Brown said the city should not
worry about a lawsuit “because we have insurance.”

Ald. Jennifer Breckenridge said she disagreed with
holding a referendum on the swimming pool project this
year because council does not know if the federal
government would be contributing the $800,000
requested.

Brown agreed with Breckenridge and said the city is
already paying for a new library and has a debt on its
industrial park.

Brown's motion to hold the referendum in 1988
instead of this year failed by a 4-2 margin with herself and
Breckenridge the only ones voting for it

Ald. Jennifer Rezansoff argued that the referendum
should be held this year because it would tell council if
residents are in favor of paying higher taxes for a new
swimming pool

Ald. Laura Goetting agreed saying, “The federal

government may not be willing to offer the money if they
don’t know if the public is willing to have it.”

rights and smokers should be allowed to smoke in
designated area:

and a smoking bylaw should not be forced on them.

Council passed a motion to hold a referendum on the @
swimming pool issue this year while Brown and
Breckenridge went on record as opposing the motion.

Council has been asked to implement a no smoking
bylaw in the city. While Paszty agreed the bylaw would
be useful, she added that rights of smokers should be
considered as well.

“It should be cqnsidered that smokers have some

said Paszty.

She added that Castlegar should adopt a smoking
bylaw similar to that of the City of Vancouver's.

But Ald. Monica Tymofievich ‘said Qe wrights”‘ot

i
zF

riyttt
are

H

other labor

“Locals
Hanford

AE
=

‘their views on larger ques-
tions,

The N Reactor is the
United States facility most
like the Soviet Union's Cher-
nobyl reactor.

‘Those at the hearing spoke
of whether there is a need for
the Pe grade pluton-

tion and the building trades

council,

start of a ban on overtime by
unions.

attend |
hearing

south-central Washington,
has been shut down

Jan. 7 for safety modifica-
tions. The 23-year-old
produces plutonium, for wea-
pons and steam for electricity
production,

The Department of Energy
wants to restart the reactor
in July, even though officials
acknowledge any sort of im-
pact statement probably
could not be completed for
about two years.

Most witnesses urged a re-

ium the N Reactor produces
and the question of nuclear
disarmament.

About 200 were in the
audience. The hearing drag-
ged, past its scheduled six
hours as the 50 speakers
stretched the individual five-
minute limits.

The N Reactor, on the
Hanford nuclear reserve in

of the N Reactor’s
existence in any form. Se
veral noted recent economic
arguments for keeping Han-
ford’s plutonium plant open
and suggested N Reactor
workers be kept at work
cleaning up Hanford.

Mayor Gerald Rotering of
Nelson noted that he lives
closer to Hanford than most
Americans.

Footbridge cost
could be less

By CasNews Staff
The. cost of replacing the

ee
business owners should also'be takef into:@6ngiieration * gr on eG:

“It should be up to the proprietors and what they
want. If they don't like the bylaw they shouldn't be forced
to accept it because it is their own building,” said
Tymofievich.

Rezansoff said if a no smoking bylaw is passed, it
should apply to all public places and that there should be
smoking and non-smoking areas available in all public
places.

Arnett said council should define what is a public
place before adopting a no smoking bylaw.

“It seems that all of you agree there should be
smoking and non-smoking areas in restaurants but as Mr.
Gairns said, what about supermarkets? That's what we're
here to make a motion on,” said Arnett.

Council passed a motion to implement a no smoking
bylaw in Castlegar similar to that of Vancouver's.

After the meeting adjourned, Arnett said it felt
“quite authoritive” to be mayor for’a day.

“It was a lot of fun and good experience,” Arnett tald
the Castlegar News.

She added that after taking part in the mock council
session that municipal politics is one area she would
consider entering in as a career.

“Tm keen on it now that I know about it, but it was a
great learning experience.”

Arnett said the mayor's job is hard because she had
to keep the meeting going and keep tabs on what
everyone was talking about.

Today is the last day of Municipal Awareness Week.

ith

WITH POOR TURNOUT

Sullivan unconcerned

VANCOUVER (CP) — Barry Sullivan isn’t concerned
the first two public meetings of the British Columbia
government's royal commission on education have been
sparsely attended and there has been no formal input from
teachers.

“The numbers have been small, but the quality has been
terrific,” Sullivan, the one-man commissioner, said in an
interview from Nelson. “We’ ve received a number of briefs
that have been outstandin,

Evening meetings in Castlegar and Nelson earlier this
week attracted only about 20 people.

But Sullivan, a Vancouver lawyer whose report is due
next April, said he met privately in both communities with
teacher representatives and parent groups. And he said the
“door is always open to make submissions.”

Sullivan also said there was “fantastic response” from
students at school assemblies.

The lack of response at the public hearings may simply
be a case of timing, said Sullivan.

“This is the first two days and we have to ensure the
message is out,” he said, adding he has made a commitment
to return to the Kootenays because two or three groups told
him they didn't have enough time to prepare submissions.

The B.C. Teachers’ Federation, representing 26,000
full-time public school teachers, has said it will make a
formal presentation to the commission some time in the
future.

But spokesman Arnie Myers said the federation has
refused to become involved in the commission's organiza.
tion, research and collection of responses.

Myers said the federation has left it up to individual
district associations and teacher professional gropus
whether to participate privately with Sullivan or at the
public hearings.

Sullivan admitted the current dispute between the
teachers and the provincial government over proposed labor
legislation covering teachers has obscured the commission's
focus somewhat.

MAJOR CHANGES

The teaching profession act would make major changes
to teachers’ bargaining procedures. It would also eliminate
mandatory membership in the teachers’ federation and
create a college of teachers responsible for professional
development and discipline.

The federation opposes the idea of a college, a concept
that last year Sullivan recommended the Socreds examine.

Sullivan said he looks forward to the legislation fracas
“finally being resolved so everybody can turn their attention
to the royal commission exclusively.”

Meantime, teachers’ association presidents say the
legislation is compromising contract talks.

Among boards that are talking with their teachers, a
major concern in negotiations this year is “bridging
agreements” that will protect teachers when the legislation
comes into effect next Jan. 1.

The current School Act covers teachers’ sick leave,
tenure and automatic deduction of dues for the teachers’
federation, but the proposed law makes no such provisions,
leaving it up to teachers bargaining groups to negotiate
those items.

aeross the Columbia River
and linking Castlegar to the

However, a Trail alderman
suggests the cost could pos-
sibly be less.

District Highways mana.
ger Dennis Oliver said the
$80,000 estimate could vary
up or down, depending on
such things as the cost of
materials at the time.

But Ald. Norm Gabana of
Trail, a former Castlegar

Court news

Castlegar provincial
court this week, Kevin Proud
pleaded guilty to one count of
a drinking-driving related of.
fense. He was fined $400

. 8 6

William Parkinson was
placed on three years’ pro-
bation after he pleaded guilty
to one count of fraud.

resident, said covered stair-
cases built in Trail cost about
$80 a foot. The most familiar
stai to Castlegar resi-
dents would be the one near
the Trail Junior high school
at the end of Cedar Ave. and
the one to Central school
near the downtown core.
At $80 a foot, cost of the
703-foot footbridge would be
$56,240. While the CPR foot-
bridge would not be covered
or require concrete footings,
it is over-water construction
and would likely require a
safety boat to be in the river
throughout the construction
period. —~

/

/

eee

Weather

Sunny periods this mor-
ning with some clouds in
the afternoon and a slight
chance of showers tonight
with the same forecasted
for Monday. Highs today
geor 20° with the lows near

Aid sought
for Interior

By The Canadian Press

TRAIL — Students from
the Interior should receive
extra financial assistance for
their post-secondary school.
ing, the one-man British Col
umbia royal commission on
education was told several
times Thursday. .

Barry Sullivan also was
told that Interior school dis.
triects need special funding in
areas such as the arts and
special education.

Robert Cacchioni, school
board chairman, teacher and
father of six, called the lack
of special grants for post
secondary students from the
Interior a “disgrace.”

He said it costs local par
ents $8,000 a year to send
their children to university

wand this amounts to double
taxation.

Trail Mayor Charles Lakes
said when commercial and
industrial property taxes
were taken over by the

province several years ago in
the name of equity, indus-
trialized areas like this smel-
ter city lost out.

“They were concerned
about the rise in school taxes
in the suburbs of Vancouver,
but the government didn’t
consider the cost of sending
students to university (from
the Interior),” Lakes said.

Several submissions men.
tioned that the isolation of
rural districts drives up the
cost of some programs. Ac.
cess to specialists for the
assessment of special needs
students and exposure to the
performing arts were two
examples cited.

Cacchioni, commenting on
proposed legislation changes
that affect teacher bargain.
ing, said the existing system
has resulted in only four lost
work days since its inception.

“Why change the system if
you have had absolute labor

© for 65 years,” he said

‘May 17, 1987

-N ag

Reflections 40th
USCC Union of
Youth Festival

40th FESTIVAL . . . Some of the acti
Festival at the Brilliant Cultural Centr
a.m. and run until 5 p.m. Outdoor act

at this weekend's USCC Union of Youth
Events continue today beginning at 10.
jes are stheduled for Monday.

CosNews Photos by Ryon Wilson

DISABLED
FUNDING
SHRINKING

By MIKE KALESNIKO
Staff Writer

The newly-formed Castlegar chapter of the Learning
Disabilities Association of British Columbia is determined
to squeeze additional funds from the provincial
government for learning disabled instruction.

Bernice Beckstead, president of the Castlegar
chapter which formed just last month, said programs for
the learning disabled are slowly being whittled away by
shrinking funds.

“The ministry only funds for three per cent of the
school population (as needing special instruction),”
Beckstead told the Castlegar News Thursday. “But the
association says there are more kids out there.”

Beckstead said the Castlegar association’s immediate
objective is to create awareness and recognition of
learning disabled. She said children who require the
classes “blossom” under the special instruction but she
emphasized that the children's education will suffer if
programs are subjected to further funding problems.

“It is the right of children in this country to receive
an education,” she said, “whether it’s in a classroom or
individual instruction.

“But I can't sit here and watch them take it away and
take it away until there's nothing left.”

Beckstead has already met with many of the area's
school administrators, and with trustees and superinten-

dents of the Castlegar school board.

She said her intention is to “work with the board, not
against it.”

Beckstead said she has found enormous support from
area residents and teachers.

To date, she believes that between 20 and 30
members have registered with the Castlegar chapter but
she said, with the help of the four other members on the
strictly volunteer committee, there are new member
ships everyday.

Every area school so far has bought a membership.
The $20 fee gives schools or groups access to information
on learning disabled, including films, videos and
literature, plus lists of available speakers, such as doctors
and teachers, who are experienced in the working with
the learning disabled.

ident of the Learning Disabilities

Columbia Peg Beaton was in

Castlegar to meet with principals, teachers and school
trustees to explain the objectives of the organization.

The Castlegar chapter is now one of 25 chapters in
B.C. made up of some 700 members.

A person with a learning disability, often referred to
as the invisible handicap, generally possesses average or
above average intelligence but is afflicted with a

“neurological dysfunction” which creates a learning
difficulty not found in the majority of children.

According to an h the
cannot be cured, but if detected in early childhood, special
teaching methods can allow the child “to reach his full
intellectual potential and to lead a normal, healthy life.”

Beckstead, a mother of two elementary school age
children, is encouraging any area parents who have had
their child assessed by the local assessment officer to
contact her.

The group plans to begin organizing parent
meetings, informational discussions with guest speakers
and distributing information packages by next Septem
ber.

Princeton welcomes Hansen

PRINCETON (AP — The last time there was this much
excitement in Princeton it was the summer of '86 and Burt
Reynolds had blown into town to film his latest movie,
Malone.

Most of the town's 3,000 residents packed into the local
ice arena Friday to give Rick Hansen an enthusiastic,
ear-shattering, 15-minute welcome.

There were almost as many yellow balloons bobbing
over the crowd, propelled by hundreds of arms frantically
waving plastic yellow ribbons

Mayor Gloria Stout says the community really pulled
together to come up with almost $16,000 for the Man in
Motion tour.

“Anything like this is good for the community and it's
good to know there is such a bunch of caring people here,”
said the two-term mayor

The carefully coiffed, white-haired Stout said Princeton
also gave a lot of support for Journey-for-Lives runner,
Steve Fonyo, when he passed through town over two years
ago.

“We raised about $13,000 for Fonyo,
we've certainly surpassed that this time.

he recalled. “But

Princeton has endured rough times recently

Last year's 4'-month lumber strike almost crippled
operations at the Weyerhauser sawmill which employs over
260 people.

Then the town's other major employer, the Newmont
copper mine, threatened to close down and put another 300
out of work.

Both operations are still going, and although some
residents say the mine will close down in five years, Stout
confidently predicts Newmont has a life span of at least
another decade.

“There's been a lot of bad publicity about the future of
the town recently, but it really isn't that bad here,” Stout
insisted.

“The mine didn't shut down, and if anything, I think it's
picked up some.”

The recently released Malone was worth $500,000 to the
local economy, and Stout said she's been assured other film
projects are on their way.’

The Man in Motibfi, meanwhile, spent a quiet day
resting Saturday before tackling the tour's last big summit
between here and Manning Park today

SPEECH TO STEELWORKERS

Carr slams Mulroney

By BRIAN KENNEDY

Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — The president of the Canadian Labor
Congress urged 400 cheering steelworkers Friday to do
everything in their power to help force an early federal
election.

“Prime Minister Mulroney has almost singlehandedly
put Canada in the grave,” Shirley Carr told delegates at the
final day of a three-day Canadian policy conference of the
United Steelworkers of America.

We should get the message to Brian to start polishing
his 80 pairs of Gucei shoes because he will be packing after
the election.”

The Tories are only midway through their term, but
that didn’t stop Carr from basking in the glow of recent polls
showing federal New Democrats in either first or second
place.

“Canada doesn’t need movie stars at the helm, but a
man who cares about people like Ed Broadbent.”

While Carr's condemnation of the Mulroney govern-
ment was applauded, her assault on B.C. Premier Bill
Vander Zalm landed her in hot water with the steelworkers’
executive.

Carr said Vander ‘Gham, ° “as a new Canadian,” should
remember who helped liberate his country (Holland) during
the Second World War.

“He has no right to bring his fascist ideas to this country
and practise economic terrorism,” she said.

Gerard Docquier, national director of the union, said
afterwards he was not happy with Carr's comments because
they could be construed as racist

“Our union was built by immigrants and I don't agree
with some of her statements,” he told delegates

Carr told reporters she is not a racist and her
description of Vander Zalm was not intended as a personal
slur.

Vander Zalm, 53, came to British Columbia in 1947 when
he was 12.

The steelworkers were given a sobering reminder of the
tough times they face by president Lynn Williams.

Canadian membership has dropped to 157,000 from
nearly 200,000 several years ago and it continues to decrease
in the United States.

“We have been forced to introduce belt tightening
because the union is spending more than it’s taking in”,
Williams said.

“Our first priority is for those on the picket line and
therefore our strike fund has to be maintained.” The union
has about $160 million in the fund.

Before winding up their three-day convention, the male
dominated union passed a sexual harassment policy that
would see a special counsellor, working with the company,
help resolve any incident.

Meanwhile, Canadian steelworkers sported a sense of
humor Thursday along with orange buttons that read Free
Canada, Trade Mulroney, as they denounced the concept of a
free-trade accord with the United States.

“Working people will pay in lost jobs, inadequate social
programs, greater and political d and a

loss of cultural identity, said Hugh Mackenzie, a United
Steelworkers of American researcher.

He said the Progressive Conservatives are so keen to
get a free-trade deal they are ignoring the fact many
Canadian industries are not as strong as their American
competitors.

A policy paper titled Free Trade: Trading Away
Canada’s Future said the benefits of free trade for the West
and Allantic Canada have been exaggerated and its costs
ignored. The paper disputes the idea resource-based
industries would benefit from free trade.

=

“Since most resourced-based products are already
traded at very low tariffs, free trade will not increase
exports to the U.S.” the paper says.

Docquier said attempts by the federal government to
portray free trade as a regional development policy are
deceptive.

Canada may have to abandon regional development
initiatives,” he said. “The results would be catastrophic
levels of unemployment and poverty in many parts of
Canada.”

Delegates also called on the Ontario government to
implement a ban on overtime for companies which have laid
off workers who were on recall lists.

“As many as 700 workers could be back on the job at my
company if overtime was banned,” said Bryan Atkinson, an
employee with Steelco Works in Hamilton.

“I would like to see an overtime ban across Canada,” he
said. “Because companies are using overtime to get around
having to pay benefits to employees that could be recalled.”

The conference doesn't have resolutions addressing two
controversial pieces of legislation introduced last month in
the B.C. legislature — the industrial relations reform act and
the teaching profession act

But Ken Georgetti, president of the B.C. Federation of
Labor, tore a strip off the Social Credit government for
“misleading British Columbians on the new labor legislation
Why doesn’t (Premier Bill) Vander Zalm and the labor
minister (Lyall Hanson) either admit they're conning the
people or that they screwed up,” he said as the delegates
cheered enthusiastically.

Georgetti received a standing ovation when he vowed
employers would “pay through picket lines and boycotts and
other traditional measures used by labor” if the legislation
passed without amendments satisfactory to labor

He downplayed a general strike

“We are involved in intelligent militancy and it will
continue. A strike is the last card we would play.”

Georgetti, a former leader of the steelworkers
employed at Cominco Ltd. in Trail, described the company
as being two-faced in asking employees to take more wage
cuts after posting $5.7-million profit in the first quarter of
1987

“Any company that has the audacity to do what they're
trying to do can go to hell,” he said.

Some 3,300 workers at Cominco operations in Trail and
Kimberley have been on strike since last Saturday seeking
improved pensions, job security and cost-of-living increases

as a weapon