OPINION Castlégar News PAGE A4, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1990 MEMBER OF THE B.C. PRESS COUNCIL ESTABLISHED AUGUST 7, 1947 TWICE WEEKLY MAY 4, 1980 THE MIO-WEEK 12, 197 IST 27, 1980 LV. CAMPBELL — PUBLISHER, AUGUST 7, 1947-FEBRUARY 15, 1973 PUBLISHER — Burt Campbell EDITOR — Simon Birch RTISING MANA‘ OFFICE MANAGER — Linda Kositsin CIRCULATION MANAGER — Heather Hadley EDITORIAL Speed lacking at Revenue Canada If you have a problem with Revenue Canada, don’t expect a quick solution. An example brought to our attention involves a woman who is trying to clear up a matter with Revenue Canada regarding the transfer of some registered retirement savings plan funds which she thought were not taxable income. Because of some incomplete advice from Revenue Canada’s Penticton office, she omitted a receipt (which wasn’t issued by the trust y inistering the RRSP) ing the fun- ds were transferred to the plan. As a result, Revenue Canada said she owes an additional $800 in taxes. The woman’s daughter, who had been handling her mother’s tax affairs, called Revenue Canada and was told to get the missing receipt and send it along with a letter explaining what happened. She did, also informed Revenue Canada that her mother had, in the meantime, changed her address. Subsequently, the woman received a letter from Revenue Canada saying it had received the additional slip and the letter and that the agency would be in touch if any further action would be taken. Two days later, another letter from Revenue Canada, postmarked Winnipeg, and originally sent to the wrong address, arrived saying the woman still owed $800 plus the interest that had accrued on that amount during the time it had not been paid. This time, the daughter called Revenue Canada’s office in Van- couver where her mother had moved. She said she would be in Van- couver in three weeks and asked if she and her mother could make an i to meet in person to get the whole matter straightened out. Indeed she could, but the Revenue Canada bureaucrat to whom she spoke told her it would take three weeks to get her mother’s file from the Surrey tax centre, the huge maw which swallows the income tax returns of B.C. residents, to the Vancouver office and that the file might not make it in time to coincide with the daughter’s visit to Vancouver. For those of you unfamiliar with the Lower Mainland, Surrey is about 25 kilometres from Vancouver. A three-legged turtle with the file strapped to its back could make it from Surrey to Vancouver in less than three weeks if pointed in the right direction. Therefore, the delay must lie with Revenue Canada. At the time of the last phone call, which was mid-July, the bureaucrat said Revenue Canada was still dealing with letters sent in early May. é We realize Revenue Canada has to process millions of tax returns. Its employees are probably overworked, they take holidays, they get sick. Still, to common citizens faced with a government monolith grin- ding out paperwork at a snail’s pace, the slowness of the process is frustrating, especially if they are made to sweat it out under the im- pression that they owe hundreds of dollars in back taxes and penalties. In these days of li ing-fi s and almost i: worldwide communication, it’s a puzzle why a government bureaucracy has to take months to sort out simple problems. It’s also rather sad. VIEWPOINT Socreds pledge cleanup effort By HOWARD DIRKS Provincial Secretary As part of a continuing commit- ment by our Social Credit government to protect the environment, the Hon John Reynolds, minister of the en- vironment, has released a list of the 109 top polluters in B.C. This is the first time a government in Canada has provided data of this kind and the release of this list testifies to the fact that our goverm ment is committed to dealing for- thrightly and decisively with pollution concerns. This list is the first of many which will be released on a regular basis * throughout the coming years to en- sure that the public is informed and aware of the effectiveness of waste regulations in our province. The regular publication of this list will also ensure that as standards tighten in the future, and as new problems are iden- tified, more polluters will fall under public scrutiny until all existing problems are rectified and polluters take every possible action to eliminate discharges that threaten our environ- ment — and the health of British Columbians. The government of British Colum- bia has made great strides in the past few years to clean up the environment and ensure a sustainable future. Pollution standards have been tightened and enforcement of those standards has increased to the point where in 1989 the Ministry of En- vironment had a 370 per cent increase in the number of charges it laid. Our aim is not to shut down the economy — it is to clean up the en- and to ensure economic For this reason, the publiciation of the pollution list is seen as part of a broad strategy to educate polluters in B.C. and to offer them assistance in their efforts to improve their operations Municipalities in British Columbia will receive over $70 million this year alone for improvement and expansion of sewage treatment facilities. The pulp and paper industry has commit- ted to spend over $1 billion by 1991 to bring its facilities into line with the new regulations and $600 million to meet additional reduction targets set for 1994. And other companies among those on the list of polluters have individually announced that they will be spending additiong] millions of dollars to ensure that they, too, meet government targets and will not ap- Pear on future lists. This Social Credit government will not relax its enforcement efforts until the number of permits in contraven- tion is reduced to zero. We will cons tinue to tighten regulations, lay charges, hand out fines and publish regular lists of major polluters. We will also help B.C. industries and local governments to overcome their en- vironmental challenges and ensure that-a-wettinformed public is a part of this solution. This will ensure that British Columbians can enjoy both a healthy economy and a clean, sustainable en- vironment well into the future Howard Dirks is the MLA for Nelson-Creston. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Wilderness liked 1 am in support of the White Grizzly Wilderness Area proposed by the Valhall: and Pro Terra and oppose any heli-opera! Meadow Mountains and areas adjacent to the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy. lam also opposed to the Crown grant over Crown lands at Lardeau because a commercial lodge with heli-operations is incompatibl residential area at the North Arm of the Kootenay Lake. It is unjustifiable to allow or even pri A San bag we only checked two seats that were without tether straps. The most common fault we noticed was that some seats were correctly installed but were without a locking clip on the seat belt assembly. (Some cars that have a continuous loop- lap/shoulder belt with a latch plate or buckle that slides freely up and down the belts require a locking clip to stop the fatch plate or buckle from sliding and allow the belt to be properly tightened when used with a child restraint.) I wish to thank Terry Henschell, an interested parent from Trail who volunteered to help with the la Society tions at le to the ‘omote any fuel commercial activities in this time of the century while the majority of the population is so much more environmentally aware and concerned. The wildlife and vegetation in the alpine areas need to be protected from noise and air pollution the helicopters or any high-impact comm: developments by humans. Please leave wilderness alone for its own sake. We do not need to open up more wilderness areas with colonial mentality for foreign exploit Sailan Schindjer Johnsons Landing Check encouraging Last Saturday, July 21 we held the fi on Board child car seat safety check at the Castleaird Plaza. During the check we inspected one infant carrier, 21 toddler seats and two booster seats. We also had numerous requests for. information from people without babies and children, particularly grandparents. It was encouraging to see that parents are buckling their children up safely and correctly. We have spent a great deal of time promoting the legal requirements for a tether strap (until rece: only an optional extra) on toddler seats. Parents in Castlegar do seem to be taking notice of t! caused_by ercial Nelson at 352-6215. Mavis Roskell tation. NDP frightening Moe Sihota lends a new meaning to the term “bedroom eyes."” irst Baby ntly itwas Iris Bakken his, since Salmo check, CKQR radio and Ross Hawse, who not only promoted the event but were on location during the check, and Super Valu who donated juice to all the” families who participated in the check. If any parent requires information regarding child safety seats, please call me at my office in ICBC, Traffic Safety Education Community Programs Manager It is hard to believe that Mike Harcourt and the others in the NDP are not calling for Sihota’s resignation instead of treating him like a hero. What is really frightening is that these people do not even see what is wrong with taping people's private phone calls and, even more disgusting, giving such tapes to the media. To them the end justifies the means. It is horrifying to think what these sort of people might do to the average citizen if they ever got in power. I think it would be fitting if the NDP changed its initials from NDP to KGB. Kootenay Stone Masonry Training Institution Mohawks supported I am writing this letter to support the Mohawks to obtain some recognition for their claims and their non-violent blockade at Oka. 1 am distressed and ashamed of my native land, Canada, for its ‘‘ham-handed’’ assault against these nature-loving people and the loss of _ life of the police officer just to grab land for an enlarged golf course. - Ihave always thoughtof my country, Canada, as a caring, compassionate nation, as a champion of human rights (overseas) with a democratic government and justice for all. But now I am worried that this latest incident over a golf course will degenerate into an ugly blotch that will destroy Canada’s reputation. I appeal to all people to write to the federal government and request an urgent fair decision. Otherwise, silence means consent. Pat Romaine Castlegar Please address all letters to the editor to: Letters to the Editor, Castlegar News, P.O. Box 3007, Castlegar, B.C. VIN 3H4, or deliver them to our office at 197 Columbia Ave. in Castlegar. Letters should be typewritten, double- spaced and not longer than 300 words. Letters MUST be signed and include the writer's first and last names, address and a telephone number at which the writer can be reached between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The writer's name and city or town of residence-only will be published. Only in exceptional cases will published without Nevertheless, the name, address and telephone number of the writer MUST be disclosed to the editor. The Castlegar News reserves the right to edit letters for brevity, clarity, legality, grammar and taste. letters be the writer's name. NHL not pleased with lottery WINNIPEG (CP) — The National Hockey League is huffing and puffing but it’s unlikely to blow the house down this fall when a form of betting on NHL games spreads to the Prairies. The Winnipeg-based Western Canada Lottery Corp. recently an- nounced plans for a new lottery in which ticket buyers may bet from $2 to $100 on the outcome of a slate of NHL games It will be Canada’s third such NHL-based lottery, following in the footsteps of Loto-Quebec's Pari Sportif trial last winter and B.C. Lot- tery Corp.'s two-year-old Punto Select, which uses NHL and Canadian Football League results. The NHL isn’t pleased. Such lotteries are unauthorized, unprincipled and illegal, maintains Gil Stein, NHL legal counsel and vice- president. In announcing its new Sports Select games, the Western lottery agency, which operates in Manitoba, Saskat- chewan and Alberta, referred to “tongoing discussions’’ with the league. Stein acidly said that doesn’t tran- slate into NHL approval. “Absolutely not — we have not sanctioned it,’’ he said in an interview from NHL headquarters in New York. “*We had some discussions at the beginning of 1990 and we agreed to have more but they just announced they’re doing it without any discussion."’ Asked if legal action is likely Stein replied, *‘I would think so."" He would say little more, although the basis for a league challenge is un- clear. ° “It’s rather a complex problem,” agreed Stein. “Quite obviously, we are against gambling on the outcome of hockey games. We are also, at a different level, concerned about their using our copyrighted property without our ap- proval or control.’” The National Basketball Association is embroiled in a suit with Oregon Lottery’s sports betting game. Filed last December, it isn’t expec- ted to conclude until this fall and ticket sales are continuing. Oregon also has a game based on National Football League results but the NFL opted to lobby the state to change gaming laws, instead of suing. On this side of the border, Loto Canada started a baseball lottery in 1984 that had the National and American Leagues threatening lawsuits. It even elicited an official protest from the U.S. government and died on its own after a few short, profitless months, when the federal government changed hands. Stanley Ade, president of a Win- nipeg firm that specializes in sear- ching and registering trademarks, believes the NHL is heading into un- charted territory if it goes to court. “it’s one of these borderline cases,”’ said Ade. “I'm positive there hasn’t been a case in Canada, and of course the U.S. (cases) wouldn’t have any bearing up here. “This isn’t clear cut because it’s * second-hand (information) — it’s whether once (scores and schedules) are disseminated, they're public Property. Existing American and Canadian sports lotteries avoid copyright violations by identifying teams by city only and never using team or league logos. Jim Davey of the Oregon Lottery said they have the same right to schedules and game results as newspapers and taxi drivers. “We're using the point that this is public knowledge,”’ Davey said from Salem, Ore. “We're not using that information any more than a cab driver taking someone to a football game, or a newspaper using results to sell Papers.” The Western Canada Lottery Corp. is hoping to avoid legal action. Public relations manager John Matheson sists copyright and trademark infringements are being carefully avoided. Since bettors must wager on the outcome of between three and 15 games simultaneously, the integrity of any single game is preserved, he says. Matheson didn’t seem particularly concerned with NHL sabre-rattling. His composure may be based on B.C.’s experience. Guy Simonis, president of the B.C. Lottery Corp., said Stein visited -the Punto Select operation last year and was ‘‘very friendly,”” even though he didn’t grant his approval “I would term it absence of disap- proval,"’ said Simonis. Lottery money helps build local hockey arenas, pays their electricity bills, starts coaching clinics and sup- ports other hockey-related public works. A spokesman for Loto-Quebec said their pilot project was enough of a success that some form of full-scale hockey lottery will commence this fall. Nathan Savard sajd the NHL was not contacted and has not troubled the Quebec lottery. TORONTO (CP) — The federal government is proposing jail terms of up to five years and fines of $1 million for directors Feds to get tough Nations standards to be issued this fall. Louis-Paul Tardif, the general manager of the Canadian and i whose Trucking Associ said the perly ship goods. The measures are ‘contained in Proposed tough amendments to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act. The 37 amendments are aimed at giving teeth to the 10- old legislation and provide uniform enforcement across the country and in accordance with United should improve the act. Currently, the maximum fine for two or more summary convic- tions in a safety-related matter is $100,000. For an indictable offen- ce, imprisonment is not more than two years. And, for other. offen- ces, the maximum penalty is $10,000 or one year in prison. NATIONAL NEWS Quebec MPs prepare to work for independence MONTREAL (CP) —_A group of independent Quebec MPs led by for- mer federal environment minister Lucien Bouchard presented its manifesto for the “Bloc Quebecois”’ today, ~ Bouchard said the group — himself and five other former Conservative MPs and ex-Liberal Jean Lapierre — will act in-Parliament in the interests of a sovereign Quebec. All seven resigned from their federal parties after the Meech Lake constitutional agreement expired last month. The policy statement said the group will not be a party and individual members will be free to speak -and vote according to conscience. The statement recognizes the Quebec legislature as ‘‘the supreme democratic institution of the Quebec people.’’ It says the group will protect Quebec’s interests in Ottawa and promote a radically different arrangement between Quebec and **its Canadian partner.”* **We will present an extension of the movement towards sovereignty in Ottawa,”’ said Bouchard, flanked at a news conference by Lapierre. “We... are going to Ottawa to defend the sovereignty of Quebec,” Lapierre, who will be the group’s House leader, said it is negotiating for recognition as a parliamentary group, which would entitle it to privileges such- as research funds and time during question period. He said other Quebec MPs may join the bloc. Bouchard, a longtime personal friend of Tory Prime Minister Brian Mul: 7 he disag with Lapierre on fundamental policy Questions such as abortion and the goods and services tax. But all the MPs are united on questions affecting the future of Quebec, said Bouchard, who heads the group. “The GST is important but the GST has nothing to do with the destiny of Quebec.’” Also at the news conference were former Tory MPs Francois Gerin, Benoit Tremblay, Nic Leblanc and Gilbert Chartrand. Absent were Louis Plamondon, a former Tory now sitting as an Indep- endent who has announced he will join the bloc, and former Hull Liberal MP Gilles Rocheleau. Lapierre said Rocheleau is still considering whether to join the group. Mohawks await assault OKA, Que. (CP) — The third week of confrontation between armed Mohawk Warriors and police began with warnings from native leaders that police are preparing another assault on their barricades, this one by the RCMP. A provincial police officer was killed in a gunfight here two weeks ago when hundreds of provincial police armed with tear gas, stun grenades, rifles and automatic weapons stormed a Mohawk barricade erected to block court- approved plans to extend a golf cour- se to Mohawk-claimed land. “*We have received an unconfirmed report from a reliable source that the RCMP are planning an attack on Kahnesatake,’’ said a statement from the Mohawk nation office in this town northwest of Montreal. “They may be prepared to accept heavy losses among native and non- native people as well as among their own personnel.’” The statement did not indicate the source of the information. However, Sgt. Pierre Belanger, spokesman for the RCMP in Ottawa, said today, ‘‘There is absolutely no No appeal in budget leak case TORONTO (CP) — There will be no appeal of a judge’s decision to quash charges against TV journalist Doug Small and two others charged after the 1989 federal budget leak, Ontario’s attorney general said today. “It would not do fairness to the ac- cused to carry this forward,’’ lan Scott said outside a cabinet meeting. “I don’t think the public has a sense that we should be carrying the case forward.’” Scott said he decided against an ap- peal after reviewing the case with senior counsel in his ministry, who agreed that it would be unfair to Small to appeal. On July 16, provincial court Judge James Fontana halted prosecution of the case, saying there had been an abuse of process by law enforcement officials. Scott said he agreed with the judge’s decision when he said a theft did not occur in the budget-leak case. “I agree it was not theft, because that’s what the judge said and I respect the reasons that he concluced that,’’ he said. Small, the Ottawa bureau chief for Global television news, was charged with possession of stolen property under $1,000 after he broadcast details of the April 1989 budget before it was presented to the House of Commons. Similar charges were laid against John Appleby, a former Defence Department clerk, and Normand Belisle, a waste rcycling company em- ployee. An additional charge of theft under $1,000 had been laid against Belisle. - Fontana found no evidence of political interference. But he said the charges should not have been laid because information is not property that can be stolen, and the budget pamphlet that was the basis of the leak had no real monetary value. oth oy ue 1:00 p.m s 825 4466 truth at all to the rumor that the RC- MP is planning an assault at Oka. None, none, none.”’ Provincial police, meanwhile, con- firmed that they had opened several hundred criminal investigations which could lead to hundreds of charges against Mohawks behind the barricades. Only two concern possible charges of murder and conspiracy to murder in the death of the 31-year-old police officer July 11. The rest include possession of prohibited firearms, _ illegally discharging firearms, theft of public vehicles, blocking public roads and threatening to blow up the Mercier bridge south of Montreal. Interviewed at the Mohawk nation office in the Kanawake reserve where the Mercier bridge is blocked by native barricades, Paul Bear said, “*speaking personally | am a Warrior but I don’t consider myself a criminal. “*When officials in Ottawa call us criminals, when Parti Quebecois leader Jacques Parizeau calls us terrorists, it seems to me that they are Preparing the propaganda groun- = WWWWWWWWWWww > dwork for another armed interven- tion. “*It doesn’t look like they are trying to make a good climate for negotiating.”” Mohawk fears were heightened by a meeting in Ottawa Tuesday night between Indian Affairs Minister Tom Siddon, his controversial deputy minister Harry Swain and Solicitor- General Pierre Cadieux, the minister responsible for the RCMP. Earlier, one of the federal gover- nment’s top three native employment officials walked off the job to protest the government's lack of action over the Oka standoff. George Miller, acting director of the Public Service Commission’s Aboriginal Peoples Programs, said Tuesday he couldn’t stand by and do nothing while the federal government “‘shirked’’ its responsibilities to Canadian natives. At Siddon’s locked constitutency office in Richmond, about 30 placard-bearing pickets, only a few of them native, waited in the corridor for a couple of hours. They then spilled into the. street and stopped traffic, soliciting signatures to a petition supporting aboriginal claims. Mon.-Thurs., Sat. 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Fri. 9a.m.-9 p.m. re All ° Sales Final! FINAL SUMMER CLEARANCE Ladies Wear UP TO........... 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