a2 Castlegar News April 22, 1990 a2_Castle Meech hearing in B.C. degenerates into circus show VANCOUVER (CP) — It was what entertainers call a tough room. Jeering spectators disrupted Friday’s session of the Commons committee looking into New Brun- swick’s Proposed companion Fesolution tothe Meech lake-con- stitutional accord after two would-be witnesses weren't allowed to speak. B.C. Liberal Leader Gordon ‘Wilson stormed~ out of- the-session when committee chairman Jean Charest refused to let him speak. “I find this offensive,’’ said Wilson, who said committee staff members had assured him he was on the agenda. ‘‘I find this committee a farce. “I think this is a travesty of f justice Of the people of Canada, > Wilson, whose party hasn’t had a seat in. the legislature for 10 years, said the B.C. Liberals are the only party in the province unalterably op- Posed to Meech Lake. Despite demands from the audience to let} Wilson speak, Charest stood firm, saying leaders of political par- ties weren't allowed to address the committee. He also froze out the Vancouver president of the Alliance for the Preservation of English in Canada. Russ Martin said he’d spent a week preparing a brief but arrived to BUT NEED HOMES TO SELL Coll JORDAN WATSON 365-2166 © 365-6892 For a Free Market Evaluation Castlegar Realty Lid. * 1761 Col. Ave. discover he wasn’t on the tist of speakers either. Martin wasn’t listed on the agenda, Charest said. “This is the biggest farce I’ve ever seen in Canada,"’ said Martin. ‘‘What did we fight for this country for: We fought so we could have some freedom and democracy. This is terrible. I’ve never been so insulted in later dismissed Martin's saying in an interview in French that the alliance was simply a bunch of racists. “CROWD RESTLESS The confrontations set the tone for the hearing’s early stages. Although only about 40 people turned up to watch the meeting — the room could | easily have held three times as many — spectators peppered Charest with catcalls, even interrupting the mum- bled roll-call. Charest finally called for order and said the committee would hold another open-microphone session af- ter the scheduled speakers have been heard. The practice was started at the Yellowknife session after complaints that the 15-member committee wasn’t hearing from ordinary Canadians. The Meech Lake accord, a package of amendments tothe 1982~Con- stitution, recognizes Quebec as a distinct society and increases power for all 10 provinces. New ‘Brunswick Premier Frank ‘McKenna’s companion accord would allow the Northwest Territories and Yukon to become provinces by federal legislation and grant them a say in Senate and Supreme Court ap- cece Castlegar & District Project Society Annual General Meeting Tuesday, May | 7:30 p.m. Casti ity C Cc 3 Y r in Arts & Crafts Room How Selkirk College Graduates Stack Up Against Grads Provincially Had a Related Job Still in Related Job Now Employed 70% 80% 90% 100% Job survey continued from front page said 60 per cent of what the college does is ‘‘train people for entry level positions in different areas’’ so he couldn’t be happier with the survey results: “It’s certainly nice to know we’re continuing to hold our own (in comparison to other colleges) in those areas . . . obviously the college is meeting its mandate," said Perra. the Of the 386 graduates contacted, just under half responded to the survey while the provincial result. — tabulated from all the com- munity colleges in the province — are based on 7,700 graduates out of 12,900 contacted. “if Only those graduates who were enrolled in occupational programs such as nursing, forestry, cooking and photography were included in the survey and not university tran- sfer or adult education graduates. Of the three areas-of study at college, programs hold Selkirk’s students. Hallet said the results are used to evaluate programs and to give the college. an idea of its level of success. we're -offering oc- cupational-oriented programs and students aren’t getting jobs, we've got problems,” he said. The survey’s other findings in- de> © 81 per cent of Selkirk grads reported still being employed in jobs related to their studies. © In one of two categories in which the college was below the provincial mark, 79 per cent of the occupational the bulk of approximately 193 students who responded. said they were curren- tly employed. It was 82 per cent at the provincial level. © Only 15 per cent of Selkirk grads continued with their education while 18 per cent did so provincially. Hallet said the college conducts surveys of past graduates on an on-going basis because the college has to keep track of former students in_order_to evaluate its Programs. Celgar continued from front page of the ecosystem including water chemistry, algae and benthic insects. If an ‘‘intensive, multi-year’? B.C. Hydro fisheries study does not proceed by the fall, ‘‘it is the responsibility of (Celgar) to undertake and fund appropriate fisheries studies approved through the (review process commit- tee).”” *_interprete-current-environmental data gathered by government and B.C. Hydro on dioxins, furans and other chemical found in air and water emissions. The Cut ‘n Loose Team Welcomes LUCY NUNES Back to the Work Force! Lucy invites all her friends & customers to come in& see her! ~ We féature: ius addition ‘‘fibre-sourcing’’ and © assess the impacts of the proposed changes on the foreshore of the river. © study the groundwater/surface water relationships for the landfill site, chemical handling facilities, hog fuel and chip area and biotreatment ponds to ensure that there will be no leaching from these facilities into the Columbia River. * analyse project air emissions and provide more details on areas ‘such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen and i from the effluent treatment pond. Air and water impact assessments will form the bulk of the studies Celgar has been asked to undertake but in transportation-impact studies will be required, the terms say. Celgar is required to prepare an analysis indicating the current “‘supply and disposition of residual chips produced’’ and the current supply utilized by Celgar and other users. The study must indicate the amount of pulp logs Ceigar will need if the expansion goes ahead and where those logs would come from. As well, the study must outline the impact of increased pulpwood demand on the regional economy. mn The transportation study must analyse the current and projected truck and rail traffic in the region “by cargo, origin, destination and routing,”’ and evaluate the alternative transport-option for wood chips by rail, road and water. As well, Celgar must consult with the Ministry of Transportation and Highways to evaluate the highway system’s ability to ‘‘accommodate projected truck volumes, configurations and weights, in terms of traffic safety, pavement conditions and ferry capacity."” An independent review panel will be set up £0 review Celgar’s stage two report and public hearings will be con- ducted after the public and government agencies have reviewed the report, the terms of reference says. A final report from the review panel is expected in September, a government news release says. Budget —___ PRODUCTS TANNING BED <2 HA DESIGN x * * * FASHION EARRINGS New Stock Arriving Soon! 623 Columbia Ave. ¢ 365-2142 It’s On Now! continued from front page fund and its line of credit. Thursday, Couvelier scooped $684 million more and boasted there is still more than $1 billion left in the fund. The budget announced no tax in- creases, but introduced a $3 levy on each new tire bought, $5 on new lead- UNORTHODOX MANAGER’S SALE Special Sunday Opening April 22 Noon to 5 p.m. —_~HOME GOOD acid car—and marine batteries_and removed the provin sales tax exemption on disposable diapers. “Only the Social Credit gover- nment would think that imposing a $3 tire levy will solve our tire disposal problem,” Clark said. “Only a Social Credit government vironment fund the government says it will create. This year, $222 million will be paid from the fund for reforestation. Lottery numbers The xinning numbers in Wed- nesday’s Lotto 6/49 drax xere 9, 22, 24, 27, 36 and 46. The bonus number was 7. The jackpot of $1,767,352.70 goes to the holder of a ticket bought in Ontario. The four extra winning number for B.C. were 6, 18, 46 and 50. The winning numbers drawn Thur- sday in the B.C. Keno-tottery were 3, 26, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41 and $5. The xinning numbers draxn Friday in the B.C. Keno lotter xere 3, 4, 7, 11, 13, 16, 24, and 37. These numbers provided by The Canadian Press must be considered unofifical. For the record A story on Selkirk College’s co- operative education program in the April 15 Castlegar News inadvertently omitted the first-name and position of a Selkirk staff member quoted in the story. Dexter MacRae is the manager of “The fund is largely a re-packaging of existing and Clark said. Pr ed with the college. would think that ing the sales tax exemption on disposable diapers would have an input on waste management.’’ ‘Clark said ‘virtually no-households In Memory in B.C. will receive any near” the bigger homeowner grants promised to offset school taxes. And although $1 billion is ear- marked for low-income renters to create rental housing and to promote home ownership, a program last year didn’t work, Clark said. He also questioned a 24 per cent increase in environmental spending, to $553 million, and a sustainable en- Timothy Shane. Steven Benton Steve Benton of Robson passed away on April 18, 1990 at age 58. He is survived by Shirley, Jack and Brady; grandson Timothy; Timothy’s mother, Janet; and brother Charlie and sister Gail. He was predeceased by his mother and father, brother Jack and son In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the: Castlegar Hospice Society, 629 Columbia Ave., Castlegar, B.C. VIN 1G8. You have a choice * ON QUALITY MONEY SERVICE ~% VALUE FOR YOUR * PROFESSIONAL FAST FILM DEVELOPING Slide Film Processing & Custom Enlarging le iG Furniture Warehouse o pdubileyeoernwoocnseanes ‘alin a eels see what we have for you in our —J Floor Covering Centre camera section... c—_—_ Gf), — — J Genelle Phone 693-2227 Vogue ‘ Studio OPEN 9:30 A.M. TO 5:30 P.M. TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY CITY CENTER SQUARE — THE YELLOW BUILDING IN. DOWNTOWN CASTLEGAR — 365-7515 BREATHING tSAFACT + Zt Sg i, wate Campaign Life Canada Safeway City of Castlegar Shoppers SuperValu Zellers Not all flyers receive full distribution. “ not receive one of these flyers ond would like to do to ‘our Circulation Depertment at 7266. Briefly Interest rates jump again _ OTTAWA (CP) — The prime lending rate charged by b Jump by a half a percentage point to 14.75 per cent Monday, boost r" other interest rates for business and consumers. The Royal Bank took the lead Friday, followed ‘by Toronto- Dominion Bank, Bank of Canadian Imperial Bank of Com- merce and the Bank of Nova Scotia as all announced the prime will rise from 14.25 per cent. In anticipation, mortgage and other interest rates started rising Friday and the Toronto Stock Exchange took a beating as investors shif- ted their money from stocks into higher yield securities. Walesa re-elected to post GDANSK (Reuter) — Lech Walesa brushed off challenges from two rivals to win re-el as at the union’s national congress. Delegates burst into rhythmic applause and Walesa was mobbed by reporters after winning 362 votes in a secret ballot, against 42 and 25 respectively for his rivals Andrzej Slowik and Tomasz Wojcik. Earlier, Walesa told Solidarity for the first time of his plans to run for Poland's presidency. ——Walesa, 46, elected leader with 55 per cent of the ballet at Solidarity’s only previous congress in 1981, won just over three-quarters of the votes this time. Twenty-eight delegates voted against all three candidates. .Moscow blockades Lithuania VILNIUS, U.S.S.R. (CP) — The Kremlin has begun a total economic blockade of Lithuania, the defiant Baltic republic’s deputy prime minister said Saturday, as factories are shut down to save fuel and raw material. Deputy Prime Minister R Ozolas told rep iee | believe the blockade has started: a total blockade, absolutely.” Another top Lithuanian official said earlier today that layoffs will begin within about 10 days in the breakaway republic in the face of an expanding Soviet embargo to break the independence drive. the deputy ics minister, said before Ozolas’ latest remarks that more food products had been added to the list of supplies that Moscow was cutting. a Lithuania shut most of its factories as a conservation measure, Ozolas said. 48 injured in rampage EAST BERLIN (AP) — Hundreds of right-wing and left-wing ex- tremists went on a rampage in East Germany after a soccer game leaving at least 48 people injured; authorities said Saturday: Soccer fans and neo-Nazis were dispersed in East Berlin before a teftist- group arrived from West Berlin-to- confront them. But the leftists themselves then went on a rampage back in West Berlin, looting stores and hurling rocks. Fifty-seven people were arrested, officilas said. USSR economy grim picture WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence experts painted a grim picture on Friday of the Soviet economy, saying the reform efforts of President Mikhail Gorbachev are failing and predicting an unstable year “*Soviet economic performance was abysmal in 1989, the worst sin- ce Gorbachev took over’’ in 1985, said John Helgerson, the CIA's deputy director for intelligence. The joint CIA-Defence Intelligence Agency report to Congress also noted a four per cent drop in real Soviet defence spending last year, strengthening the position of those in the U.S. Congress who are seeking larger Pentagon budget cuts. The study also forecast a ‘‘daunting’’ road ahead for the elected of former Soviet satellite countries in Eastern Europe. Included in the forecast: high unemployment, price increases and falling wages. Post office will stay open OFFAWA-{(CP}— Last-minute income tax filers-will again_be-able- to make a midnight dash to the post office on April 30, Canada Post announced Friday. Postal outlets in more than 70 cities and towns across Canada will stay open until the exact deadline for filing 1989 income tax returns. Returns must be postmarked no later than April 30th to be con- sidered filed on time. Mill review delayed further EDMONTON (CP) — Native and environmental-groups seeking a federal environmental review of the Daishowa pulp mill before operations begin this summer suffered a setback Friday. Federal Court Justice James Jerome said the earliest date the ap- plication for a review can be heatd is September because no judges are available before then. ___ John Bill, lawyer for the native and environmental groups, had hoped for a June hearing on the $1.2-billion Daishowa pulp mill development on the Peace River about 300 kilometres northwest of Ed- monton. The environmental groups, the Friends of the Peace and Friends of the North, the Metis Association, the Dene Nations of the Northwest Territories, and the Little Red River band from northern Alberta launched the lawsuit in February. Drug barons continue terror BOGOTA (CP) — Gunmen killed a newspaper employee and a State assemblyman and kidnapped a priest in violence in Medellin and Cali, the home cities of Colombia's biggest cocaine cartels, police said. Meanwhile on Friday, authorities said they found two more bodies in a common grave on a farm owned by Fidel Castano, a reputed mem- ber of the Medellin Cartel, bringing to 26 the number found in the last week on the land $00 kilometres north of Bogota. At least six of the bodies have been identified as those of people kidnapped in the northern town of Puerto Bello. A right-wing death squad allegedly financed by drug traffickers abducted 42 peasants from the town in January. Liberal concedes race already HALIFAX (CP) — While the rest of the field shrugs off Jean Chretien’s huge lead in the Liberal leadership race with, ‘It’s never over "til it’s over,’ John Nunziata had a message for them Saturday. It’s over. Nunziata, who has the least delegate support among the five leader- ship candidates, said Chretien is so far ahead that the rest of the pack is just spinning its wheels. “It would appear that Mr. Chretien will be the next leader of the party given the present trends,’’ nunziata told reporters before the leadership forum. The five candidates are in Halifax to make their pitch to Atlantic delegates. —— Making a SHSS grade 12 student tang raver with city difference merchandise at th ‘environmentally s: d Earth Day {whieh is today) by setting up up distor pie booths with lly safe y afternoon. Earth Day will be celebrated in Coogi with various activities planned for today; — cosntews photo by Ed mills Ottawa pushing B.C. minister says VICTORIA (CP) — The federal government is pushing British Columbia toward breaking off finan- cial relations, says Finance Minister Mel Couvelier. He plans to invite his provincial counterparts to B.C. in June to discuss options to current federal- provincial finance arrangements. “It’s time to recognize the federal government is walking away from the commitments it “Undertook in establishing our national, social and economic programs,’’ Couvelier said Thursday in his budget speech in the legislature. ““We must reduce our dependence ‘on the federal government in a host of areas, including social programs, economic development programs and taxation arrangements."” At a news conference shortly after the speech, Couvelier denied he is tatking about a politicat split; but said changes could go as far as British Columbia collecting its income taxes separately, much like Quebec. “F-don’'t know how we-can-avoid disentangling ourselves from the federal government,’’ he said. ‘‘It just seems to me it’s inevitable that we have to.”” He said the federal government has put the provinces in a ‘‘financial vice’’ by hanging on to a greater share of taxation revenue while cutting its provincial expenditures. Uncertainty has price, premier says HALIFAX (CP))— Nova Scotia and the rest-of Canada are paying a financial price for uncertainty over the Meech Lake accord, Premier John Buchanan said Friday. “*We're starting to pay for it now,"’ the premier told reporters at the provincial legislature “That's not me saying that! The people in the investment world have already said it.’’ International investors don’t like the instability created by the fact that the accord hasn't been ratified by all Provinces and are worried about the Prospects of Quebec separating if the deal dies, said Buchanan “You hear and you speak to people who talk about investment leaving Canada. “Just. yesterday some massive amounts of money left Canada and the reasons given were because of the uncertainty and the instability because of what's going on in the country,"’ he said. Buchanan caused a furor across the country Wednesday when he said Nova Scotia and the other Atlantic Provinces would have no real choice but the join the United States if the accord died and Quebec separates. He reiterated Friday that Canadians had better wake up to the Prospects of what will happen if the constitutional accord is not ratified by its June 23 deadline Debate over the accord, which would make Quebec a willing partner in the Constitution, has refuelled Separatist tensions there. “We have a pretty serious problem on our hands here and we just can’t continue to be lulled into this bit of false security that we seem to bein (that) the country’s going to stay exactly as it is and Quebec will go along as normal," said. Election hot topic as budget tabled By GREG JOYCE VICTORIA (CP) — Election speculation was front and centre Thursday after the B.C. government released a $15.26 billion budget billed as being balanced for the second year in a row. “I’m absolutely positive I could win and that Social Credit will be leading the province as it has in years past,”” Premier Bilt Vander Zalm said: Still Vander Zalm was coy on when the election might be called. ““We've got some work to do yet. Stick around.’* NDP Leader Mike Harcourt-was_predictably-unim- pressed. “If Social Credit wants to call an election on that budget,”’ said Harcourt, ‘fall I can say to Bill Vander Zaim is be my guest. 2 “T hope so.”* Finance Minister Mel Couvelier acknowledged it was “*possible this is the last budget before an election. “That's the premier *s call.”” school taxes. The government promised $1 billion to help low- income renters, create rental housing and promote home ownership by slightly expanding its property tax relief ram. But Wally Miller, president of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of British Columbia,, said more must be-done_to_make homes more_ affordable, _par- ticularly in the Vancouver areas. Couvelier pledged to introduce a policy of equal pay for work of equal value within the public service. Finance ‘Ministry-officials estimated that will cost between $30 million and $35 million the first year. That announcement drew yawns from the B.C. Government Employees Union and the B.C. Federation of Labor. John Shields, president of the government em- ployees union, called the government ‘‘morally tired.”’ “I wouldn’t want to go to the people on this budget. Today’s budget shows that ‘the government is not The budget help for and _in- troduced a sustainable environment fund. The environment fund will total almost $300-miltion this year on environmental protection and reforestation, although more than $200 million is transferred from the Forests-Ministry Overall-spending on the environment will rise by 24 per cent to $553 million. Greenpeace spokesman Brian Killeen called the en- vironmental initiatives ‘‘generally shallow.’” While glad to see the government raising money from the sale of tires, lead-acid batteries and disposable diapers, Killeen said the budget was not clear on how the money would be spent in helping to clean up the envior- 4 nment. NOT ENOUGH Bill Andrews, spokesman for the West Coast En- vironmental Law Association, said more money may help but additional staff is needed for the Environment Ministry. Homeowners will receive a bigger grant to offset to take action on the important issues facing working women."’ Shields’ union —represents_27,000_workers in the Public service, 57 per cent of whom are women NOT ENOUGH Angela Schira, secretary-treasurer of the provincial labor federation, said the reference to equal pay was a “‘throwaway sentence of a government getting ready for an election.’” NDP finance critic Glen Clark vehemently attacked the government for calling the budget balanced. The balanced budget was achjeved with help from the government's budget stabilization fund, an accoun- ting device that shuffles money between the government's general operating fund and its line of credit. Couvelier dipped into the fund to the tune of $684 million to help balance th ebooks. “This is a $684 million deficit budget, one of the largest deficits in the history of British Cotumbia,** said Clark By GORDON GRANT VICTORIA (CP) — Magic Mel Couvelier dipped into his bag of tricks Thursday and came up with what he described_as a balanced budget for British Colum- bia. The finance minister turned the trick by using a bit of financial flim-flammery called the Budget Stabilization Fund, or the B.S. Fund as it is widely, and, perhaps aptly, called. The second balanced budget in as many years — this time a $15.26 billion document — comes at an op- portune time for the Social Credit government led by Premier Bill Vander Zalm. It is widely rumored that an election is in the of- fing, perhaps as early as June. A good-nexs budget may be enough to put the Socreds ahead in the popularity polls, where they've traield the Socreds Opposition New Democrats by as much as 20 points. ANALYSIS But the tide has been turning a bit recently and one poll suggested the Socreds were only marginally behind the NDP, often referred to by the premier only as the Socialists — almost as though he were discussing some particularly axful disease. The Socreds — who have held power all but three years since 1952 — currently hold 42 seats and the NDP 26. There is one Independent Magic Mel seems to have done all the right things Thursday in his budget speech: There were no {ax in: creases — he didn’t even mention raising booze ahd cigarette taxes — he came up with a green levy, a nice touch at a time when the environment is the top issue in the resource-rich province He gave a tax break to property owners and an. nounced a break for renters. He also took a few shots at the federal gover nment — always a popular sport on the West Coast And he said the provincial sales tax will be levied on Couvelier pulled budget out of his bag of tricks retail prices before the federal goods and services tax is applied. The Socreds are seen as unpopular with women. So the budget promised equal pay for_work-of equal value in the publis service, a move that will cost about $30 million in the first year. A balanced budget? Well, the government will spend $15.26 billion and take in only $14.6 billion, but Couvelier borrows $684 million from the B.S. fund and voila, a balanced budget The fund is an accounting device that shuffles money between the government's general operating fund and its line of credit It’s hard to understand. Couvelier's news confer- nce following the budget sounded like an Accounting 101 lecture. And was almost as confusing But then it’s almost a tradition in B.C. politics, pulling funds out of obscure bookkeeping accounts. W.A.C. Bennett did it in the '70s and his son, Bill, pulled it off in the '80s. “*This is a $684 million deficit budget,’’ said NDP finance critic Glen Clark, ‘‘one of the largest deficits in the history of British Columbia."* DIFFERENT STORY Vander Zalm disagreed. His view was don’t worry, be happy “It’s not a deficit budget. You’re listening to the NDP. Don’t do that. You'll become negative,’* he told reporters. Ron Pickerill, president of the Certified General Accountants Association in B.C., when asked whether it was balanced, said “Well, with the B.S. Fund they’re using creative bookkeeping “As a bookkeeper, I can appreciate that. But it’s not a balanced budget.” He said it is illusory to argue that the B.S. Fund has $1 billion available for a rainy day when ‘‘tax- payers are being asked to pay interest on accumulated past debts of more than $3 billion."”