Castlegar News October 20, 1990 LOCAL/PROVINCIAL NEWS Socreds feel betrayed in nomination case. VANCOUVER (CP) — Disgrun- tled Social Crediters went to court to challenge Nicole Parton’s nomination in a suburban riding because they weren't being treated fairly by the party, the group's lawyer said. The 208-member group, headed by losing candidate Ron Gray, say alleged balloting irregularities should force a new vote for the Burnaby- Edmonds Socred nomination. The group’s lawyer, Charles Lugosi, said there was no way to for- mally appeal the vote after the nomination meeting and they lost confidence in the party’s ability to deal with their allegations. “They didn’t feel they got a fair shake,’’ Lugosi told B.C, Supreme Court Justice John Cowan. Parton, a former Vancouver Sun columnist, won a one-vote victory over Gray, a freelance writer, at the Aug. 27, nomination meeting. But Gray and his supporters claimed there were improprieties in the voting. Socred lawyer George Cadman, said party president Hope Rust tried to get details of the alleged irregularities from Gray’s campaign after the group issued a news release. Rust finally sent campaign manager Central Foods (Prices effective Oct. 22-Oct. 27) Fields (Prices effective Oct. 24-Nov. 4) Overwaitea (Prices effective Oct. 21-Oct. 27) David, Donovan a letter setting a deadline to back up the charges or the party would consider the matter closed, but no details were forth- coming, said Cadman. Lugosi said Gray's organization responded by saying the issue had been put in the hands of legal counsel. Gray and his supporters contend Parton’s 190-189 victory, with one spoiled ballot, was not an absolute majority of the 380 votes cast, and that one of the voters was ineligible. Chiropractor Bill Chan uses his Bur- naby business address on his Socred membership but actually lives in Van- couver. The Socreds argue the party’s handbook for running nomination meetings calls for spoiled ballots to be ignored in the vote count and that one vote was an adequate victory margin. The group didn’t bring up Chan’s name until documents were filed for the court case, Cadman said. Lugosi_said one of Gray's scrutineers challenged Chan's eligibility at the nomination meeting but the complaint went nowhere. The voting was by secret ballot but Lugosi said Parton had signed Chan’s membership renewal. Much of the argument Thursday swirled around the validity of the handbook. Lugosi said the party executive board never formally adop- ted the manual and its ballot-counting guidelines, as required by the party's constitution. Cadman said there was a consensus among party directors to use the manual and no formal resolution was necessary. ‘It was used at all other nomination meetings, Gray also signed nomination papers that included an agreement to abide by all party rules and procedures, implicity including the handbook, Cadman said. But Lugosi said that agreement didn’t mean much if the handbook wasn’t properly adopted. “*It’s unfair to ask Mr. Gray to play by the rules, then for the party to disregard its own rules,”” he said. The bitterness. surrounding the challenge surfaced outside the cour- troom Thursday. Parton, who attended briefly, refused to comment when asked whether she responded with an ex- pletive when Donovan tried to greet her at last weekend’s Socred conyen- tion. VANCOUVER (CP) — B.C. Hydro has reported net earnings of $24 million for the first quarter of the 1990-91 fiscal year, com- pared with $15 million in the same period last year. Strong revenues and reduced expenditures accounted for most B.C. Hydro booming income during the quarter ended June 30, Hydro said in a news release Wednesday. Revenue rose 7.2 per cent to $415 million from $387 million in the same period last year. The Crown corporation is the third-largest utility in Canada, serving about 1.3 million WAITING ON A FRIEND Jay Rego, 2, was disappointed by the Somtents of this Lpesoed which landed at the Castlegar sda} isn't e people he was waiting to see. But Jay wasn't dejected for long, his caren arrived on the next flight. —cosnews photo by Ed Mills Airport Thur: AG admits oversight | VICTORIA (CP) — The executive assistant to former attorney general Only cabinet ministers are entitled Shoppers (Prices effective Oct. 23-Oct. 27) SuperValu (Prices effective Oct. 21-Oct. 27) Zellers (Prices effective Oct.24-Oct. 28) Not all flyers receive full distribution. to do so, please phone our Circulation Department at 365-7266. of the improvement in operating customers. SELKIRK TOASTMASTERS @ e effective M , October 22, 1990 meetings will be roy ot Selkirk College, Castlegar Campus MONDAYS AT 7 P.M. Room 8-16 Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to making effective oral communication a reclity. FOR INFORMATION PHONE: Martin Meyer 365-2353; Don McDowell 365-5918 or Madeleine Harlamovs 367-6549. Bud Smith, who has continued in the $55,000-a-year_ position since Smith resigned in July, will lose his, job, At- torney General Russ Fraser said. Fraser said it was ‘‘inappropriate’’ assistants. became the highest-paid executive assistant in the B.C. government. Smith resigned July 12 after the NDP made Public intercepted car in which he that Kelly Reichert to draw his full salary and work out of Smith’s office in Kamloops after his boss quit the cabinet. “Frankly, it was an oversight on my part. He should never have con- tinued on. It was inappropriate,’ Fraser said. ‘‘Obviously, it has to be taken care of and it will. He'll be taken off that job."’ discussed the prosecution of former cabinet member Bill Reid. Fraser said he has no idea whether Reichert will get another political ap- pointment or another job in gover- nment. Neither Reichert nor Smith retur- ned several messages left at Smith’s constituency office. As well, efforts COMMUNITY MEETINGS ON FORESTRY & THE ENVIRONMENT * DR. HAMISH KIMMINS, Professor of forest ecology at the University of B.C., will be speaking at a series of public meetings throughout the Southern Interior about the various impacts and consequences of logging and related forest activity. * Dr. Kimmins, who is recognized by his international peers as one of the top forest ecologists in the world, will be making an introductory presentation, after which he will respond to questions asked by the pudience. GRAND FORKS DATE: Tues., Oct. 23, 1990 & TIME: 7:00 p.m. PLACE: GFSS AUDITORIUM (1431 Central Avenue) NELSON DATE: Wed., October 24, 1990 TIME: 7:00 p.m. PLACE: Civic Centre Badminton Hall (719 Vernon St.) * As forestry issues are important to everyone, please take the time to attend! Sponsored by the member companies of the Interior Lumber Manufacturers’ Association. M PRE-SEASON OCT. 31 PASS SALE FCA SEASON PASSES ON SALE At the Chako Mika Mall Oct. 25, 26, 27831 ALSO AVAILABLE AT MALLARD’S, SNOW PACK, COOL SPORT AND SAVE ON THE REGULAR RAT Whitewater WHITEWATER SH RESORT UD Gor cOManon BC Vit SP7 to reach the two men at their homes were unsuccessful. “It was improper for him to con- tinue in that job, and I think the public has a right to know whether or i a\misuse of taxpayers’ leader Mike Harcourt said in an interview. The Kamloops News reported Thursday that Reichert continued to draw full salary while performing constituency work for Smith, despite the fact Smith was no longer a cabinet minister. Fraser said he has not talked to Reichert since he assumed his new portfolio when Smith resigned, and only became aware of Reichert’s con- tinued employment this week. Feds fail test OTTAWA (CP) — The federal government has failed many simple tests of its commitment to protecting the country’s troubled environment, a coalition of major environmental groups said. Mannington Gold-Floors. Beautiful. And Guaranteed To Stay That Way. Come see Mannington Gold -- * Super Stain Resistance our best quality floors with the incredible guarantee. If you're unhappy with your new floor anytime during the first year, we'll put ina new floor, free! Or, if yeur floor wears out during the next 10 years, you'll also get anew floor free. See our beautiful colors and patterns today! * Superior Indentation Resistance * Unsurpassed Scuff Mark Resistance Shines Like New A Long Time “No Questions Asked” Guarantee* *See us for details on everything that ts ontiirs ! Linoleum and Window Coverings 365-2265 Questions Asked 2313-H-6th Ave. Castlegar “The per is pretty disap- pointing,’’ said Stephen Hazell, chairman of the Greenprint for Canada Committee. “They've really flunked out on a number of major issues.” The coalition released a report card of dismal government performance over the past 18 months to 12 key en- vironmental issues. The government received a grade of F on five issues, including its handling of the environmental review process required for major developments un- der federal jurisdiction. The coalition hastily downgraded the C it had awarded the government in light of its “‘abysmal’’ handling this week of the Rafferty dam crisis in Saskatchewan. October 20, 1990 Castlegar News A3 LOCAL/PROVINCIAL NEWS B.C. doctors frustrated by gov't tactics VANCOUVER (CP) — B.C. doctors are angry and frustrated by government negotiating tactics, remains among the few options open to them, the President of the B.C. Medical Association said. “Our range of options have narrowed so much that we're left with very few and that (strike action) is one of the very few,"’ Hedy Fry said in an interview. At a news conference, Fry said physicians rejected the last government offer by a vote of 66 per cent. She of- fered to meet with Premier Bill Vander Zalm to seek a resolution of the dispute. She said 75 per cent of the fee-for-service physicians voted on the offer, a number much higher than usual. “*So that tells us that the members out there are very angry and very frustrated. Physicians tend to be very con- servative by and large.’’ The dispute has been unresolved for about 19 mon- ths. This summer, doctors rescheduled office visits to hold study sessions in protest. Health Minister John Jansen said in Victoria that the care is of a contract. government act last offer was generous and there is no more money, especially with a deepening recession. “The concern | have is the expansion of any costs beyond what is on the table now,” don’t see it happening."’ He said the threat of a strike and its effect on health very, very serious,’’ but wouldn't speculate on if doctors walked out. Finance Minister Mel Couvelier said he will be hard pressed to cover the last offer and ‘‘the thought of tryi ry to find even more money is difficult, if not impossible.”’ B.C. doctors want the dispute sent to arbitration. Fry said the government isn’t negotiating fairly because it plans budget caps that would affect fees in the third year he said. “I frankly The government has offered yearly increases of 3.75 Per cent retroactive to April 1989, four per cent and 4.5 per cent in the third year with the capped budget. The last agreement expired in 1988. Fry said a star- ting point on fees would be five to six per cent.a year to keep up with the cost of living. Doctors in British Columbia are the in Canada. Fry said that under the 1988 last year an agreement was in effect, doctors-grossed an average of $162,000 a year. After expenses, they had in- come before taxes of $70,000 for a 60-hour week fifth highest paid fee schedule, the _ quality of care.”” The medical association board is meeting today in Vancouver to discuss its next move. Fry, a family physician, said the government offer would increase her fee for an office visit to $22.80 from $21.25 but inflation and increased operating costs would “Patients must have confidence, when visiting their doctor, that financial r will not One area where the two sides have reached a deal is on the master agreement. surance and other factors in health-care costs. It covers benefits, liability in- The association's 4,500 doctors began taking their case to the public last May when they started rotating study sessions in North Vancouver, where a field hospital the set of the series MASH was set mean her income for that patient would drop to $11.05 up. from $11.50. Patients are receiving as good health care from their doctors as they were five years ago, but not from the P health care system in general, ‘‘because the wai are getting out of sight,’’ she said. Under the last offer with its budget effect, would be penalized if the public used the system too often.” The sessions didn’t disrupt surgery or emergency ser- vices but patient visits were rescheduled. ig lists cap, “doctors, in also held and at Premier Vander Zalm’s Fantasy Gardens theme park in Richmond. Earlier this year, Jansen told a royal commission on health care that costs are soaring out of sight, so the at the system must change if it is to continue operating, BRIEFLY From Wire Service Power deal questioned PORT HARDY — A proposed high-tech smelter in this northeastern Vancouver Island community would receive a $22 million break on its electricity bill over the next six years. Th¥ Victoria-ordered subsidy to the ferrochromium plant could total $55 million over 10 years, Vancouver economics consultant Marvin Shaffer told a public hearing on the plant. ac! that it was a i subsidy given the size of the project in terms of the number of jobs created,”* Shaffer said. Shaffer was testifying at environmental impact hearings into the $41 million plant proposed by U.S. industrialist Jay Wooding. ‘ Wooding says the plant, which will use a new chromium smelting process, will be non-polluting and will create 120 jobs. Shaffer said the electricity deal calls for B.C. Hydro to bill the plant at a lower rate than the one usually given to industrial eustomers. The deal was arranged under a 1989 B.C. cabinet order, said Calvin Sandborn, of West Coast Environmental Law Association. “Why is the government spending tens of millions of dollars to bring into B.C. a plant which may destroy one of the few pristine estuaries left?’ said Sandborn, who represents residents opposed to the project. But the plant's project manager said the rate only kicks in which the plant is at full production. “I think someone has taken some figures and extrapolated and expanded them and come up with some very good figures,”’ said Robert Pitchers. ‘I certainly do not agree with them.”” President appointed PRINCE GEORGE — The academic vice-president of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Qnt., has been appointed president of the new University of Northern British Columbia. Geoffrey Weller is keenly interested in the role universities play in the social, cultural and economic development of northern communities, Murray Sadler, chairman of the university’s interim governing council, said in Weller’s i Sadler says Weller’s academic publications became familiar to the members of the Interior University Society and the government- appointed implementation planning group during the development of plans for B.C.’s fourth public university. Conservative Christians angry VANCOUVER (CP) — Some Christian delegates to last weekend’s Social Credit convention say the party will pay for removing a commitment to Christian principles from the par- ty’s constitution. The conservative Christians — who say they represent roughly 25 per cent of the Socred faithful — are threatening to stop donating, spoil their ballots in the upcoming election or leave the party. “‘Thousands of disillusioned’ veteran Socreds believe party officials have tried to silence the party’s Christians and anti-abortionists by manipulating a convention vote on the Christianity clause, said Peggy Steacy, REAL Women B.C. president and a Socred delegate. “The party doesn’t deserve to win an election,’’ longtime Point Grey Socred Cecilia von Dehn s: A majority of convention delegates voted to remove the Christianity clause. Party president Hope Rust said Thursday the convention was a broading of the base of the party, “‘not a refusal of Christian people.’’ “It ‘was for everyone to express their feelings and beliefs. I have not had any sign of disillusionment so far.’” Asked to comment on the claim that conservative Christians represent roughly 25 per cent of the party, she said the party doesn’t ask for its members’ religious affiliations. The Socred party wooed Christians in the 1970s by funding religious private schools, said delegate Kathleen Toth of Victoria, but now Party brass see Christian supporters as an embarrassment. ~ “There are a lot of people who are very, very upset,’’ said Toth, a Roman Catholic. “The party is going to see a great drop in funds. I just received a letter from the party asking for donations and I just thew it in the garbage."” McCarthy, who is 63, reflects ‘the old generation’’ in the Socred party establishment, said Von Dehn, a Catholic who referred to the party's Christian contingent as the future of Social Credit. Von Dehn was upset at McCarthy for chastising the roughly 500 delegates (including Lillian Vander Zalm) who initially supported a motion to remove media from the Socred convention. If Nicole Parton ends up running for the Socreds in Burnaby-Edmonds, von Dehn said, the former Vancouver Sun columnist will realize ‘‘we’re not going to rally around her just to beat the NDP..”” Parton, who is pro-choice, won the nomination by one vote but her op- ponent, anti-abortionist Ron Gray, is challenging the result in court Parton said anti-abortionists have “coalesced around this single issue and they don’t realize it is a federal Give the United Way Compliments of Castlegar News didn’t know it at the time,”” politics and social causes interview “Ina sense Prof. Weller has been a part of the development of the University of Northern B.C. from its earliest beginnings although he Sadler said. The university is to open in the fall of 1992. B.C. Fed gets message VANCOUVER — Stephen Gray wants unions to stay out of So he has formed the Save the Union Movement to deliver that message to the B.C. Federation of Labor. “They are going to destroy the union movement, “There are a lot of union workers who can’t even make their and the union is i ** Gray said in an mortgage p' nothing to do with the workplace.”” Gray’s group, with 350 people on the mailing list, is running advertisements warning against union involvement with issues such as homosexual rights, feminism and the pro-choice movement. Ken Georgetti, B.C. Federation of Labor president, said the to its money on issues that have when it supports causes is simply or takes a political stand. direction from the membership,”” he said. Zalm’s holiday destination. “*Every year the federation debates these issues and we take our he said. Georgetti said the union movement’s concern with social issues is a powerful influence on the political process. “‘If it wasn’t for the union movement we wouldn’t have medicare,”” Premier cancels trip VICTORIA — Premier Bill Vander Zalm has cancelled a trip to Asia this fall and will take a holiday instead. But International Trade Minister Elwood Veitch said he is still planning a tour through Asia sometime between now and the spring, although he will not be stopping in Taiwan. Press secretary Ian Jessop said the premier is planning to take some holidays instead of joining the tour, but would not disclose Vander LOTTERIES The $1,000,000 winning number in Friday’s Provincial lottery draw is 4202622. There are also subsidiary prizes. The winning numbers drawn Thur- sday in the B.C. Keno lottery were 7, 13, 15, 22, 29, 35, 46 and 55. The winning numbers in Wed nesday’s Lotto-649 draw were 9, 13, 14, 33, 39 and 40. The bonus number was 8. There was no winner of the jackpot prize of $5,021,421.40. Therefore, the Lotto-649 jackpot prize pool estimate for the next draw will be $10 million The second prize pool, awarded to those matching five regular numbers and the bonus number, had four win- ners of $240,087.40. The third-prize pool, awarded to those matching five regular numbers, had 257 winners of $2,857.50. The fourth-prize pool, awarded to those matching four regular numbers, had 16,055 winners of $87.90. In addition, there were. 316,741 prizes of $10 awarded to those mat- ching three regular numbers. There was a total of 333,057 prizes worth $11,294,793. The four Extra winning numbers for British Columbia on Wednesday were 29, $8, 59 and 86. A match on all four numbers wins $500,000. Three numbers wins $1,000. Two numbers wins $10. One number wins $1. The winning numbers drawn Wed- nesday in the B.C. Keno lottery were 1, 14, 15, 17, 32, 41, SO and $6. In the event of a discrepancy bet- ween these numbers and the official winning numbers list, the latter shall prevail. Ministry reviewing nutrition report VANCOUVER (CP) — People on welfare in British Columbia should not expect payment increases because a recent study says they cannot afford a healthy diet, says Social Services Minister Norm Jocobsen. “I don’t know that it is fair to say I'm considering increasing (welfare rates),”” he said. “We certainly are reviewing the report and we’re concerned about some of the suggestions that exist within the report.’* The B.C. Nutrition Council report found that a family of four in British Columbia would pay an average $512.30 a month for what the federal Agriculture Department says is the minimum amount of food required for health That family, if on welfare and deemed employable by the gover- nment, receives $494 a month for food and living expenses, excluding shelter, under the Guaranteed Available Income for Need (GAIN) Program. There were 192,633 people receiving GAIN benefits as of March, the last month for which figures area available. The report also found food costs vary greatly between regions of the Province. Jacobsen said his ministry is considering tagging GAIN rates to regions A family of four in the Vancouver suburb of Coquitlam would pay $322.54 a month for the basic nutritious diet, while the same family in Fort Ware, about 950 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, would pay $932.63. Victoria nutritionist Sandra Marquis, one of the survey organizers, said the organization will lobby to have the GAIN act changed. “The way the GAIN act is set up now depends only upon the number of members in the family,’’ she said “*What we would like to see is . . . the act is amended so the money received depends upon their geographical location and also the age and sex of the family members.”* But Jacobsen said such a scheme would also have to look at a number of other factors, such as the cost of housing in each region A separate shelter allowance is provided for people on welfare, however, Marquis said in areas where housing costs are higher, money that should be used for food is probably being used to pay the rent. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mel Couvelier promised his recently an- nounced budget cuts will not touch the GAIN program, but he would not say if increases will be possible. wood trimmings twice a year. a sparkling reflection on the run! e company, which exports finished wood products all over the world, burns off its excess The licking flames of a blaze at the International Lath and Lattice company in Brilliant casts er Th ing water of the by Ed Malls Celgar continued from front page numbers used in Travers’ study but the document raises questions that “‘needed to be aired,’’ Payne told the Castlegar News. ‘*We wanted to know what (would be) the maximum level of logging that could possibly occur given a set of improbable conditions,’’ he said The study is an “‘insurance policy’ that puts the department on record as having concerns which may need to be explored in the future if Celgar ever wants to log in the pulpwood agreement area, Payne explained “We've just raised ‘some red flags here,”’ he said. Parnell told reporters Celgar con- siders the study to have credibility since it is endorsed by the federal department However, company officials have some ‘‘very serious concerns’’ about the information provided in the study, he said. The study says that timber supply areas have not been reassessed since 1981 and a review will likely lead to a decline in the annual allowable cut The current allowable cuts are 22 per cent ‘‘overcommitted” and that will also lead to an eventual decline in the amount of timber logged, ‘the study says. The .decline in annual allowable cuts will affect the supply of sawlog- grade timber that can be logged, which will in turn affect the wood chip supply and will force Celgar to log Pulpwood Agreement No. 9, the study concludes. Travers points out that logging in the pulpwood agreement area could harm fish habitat in the area. The technical hearings continue today with presentations scheduled concerning truck traffic and com- munity impacts of the proposed ex- pansion. The hearings will then resume Oct. 25 to look at the pulp mill process and water quality and fisheries. Oct. 26 will be completely devoted to water quality considerations and briefs Oct. 27 will mainly concern air quality Pulpwood continued from front pege the pulp logs to Celgar because tran- sportation costs would be reduced, Madlung told the Castlegar News. A more economic means for a tim- ber company to dispose of pulp wood is an incentive to better use wood that is not suitable for lumber production, he said Less pulp-grade wood is left on the forest floor after logging, providing a cleaner site for tree planting and reducifig siliviculture costs because less site preparation is needed before replanting can begin, Madhung said. McGee suggested a downturn in the lumber market, such as the one being experienced now by B.C. forestry companies, is likely to affect Celgar’s wood chip supply and lead the pulp _ company to begin catting_in- he pulpwood agi But Juhasz referred to the down. turn in the lumber market in 1974 when sawmills’ began chipping low- grade lumber and logs because the demand by pulp mills meant the pulp companies were willing to pay a higher price for higher-grade chips. Responding to a question from McGee, Juhasz said he couldn't think of any harm a decaying tree would cause if it were left standing rather than cut and chipped for pulp. However, Juhasz, when questioned by Brian Wallace, one of Celgar’s lawyers, said a stand of decaying trees has no economic use and is occupying a site that could be replanted to grow healthy trees. D'Arcy continued from front page D'Arcy, a Castlegar resident, said when asked if he had thought about running for mayor “I do have an interest in civic politics because of my present 1_— capacity. And because I'm very busy right now with what I'm doing for as long as I'm going to be doing it.” D'Arcy was in good humor when discussing whether his ex tensive experience as MLA would qualify him for a good. candidate for mayor and quoted a statement attributed to author Robert Louis Stevenson ‘Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no Preparation is thought necessary.’ “And in B.C. we can say there certainly is no mental test," D'Arcy quipped. ‘‘l don’t know why my name has come up but I guess I'm flattered that it has."’