a. G'DAY . . . Lynn and Bob Mann brought back lots of souvenirs from their trip to Australia which they won at last year's Suntest. On hand to hear tales from Down Under is Mark Rutherglen (left), manager of BCAA Travel in Nelson which put together the travel package for the Mann: Manns return from Australian holiday By MARILYNSTRONG Imagine being 17,000 kilometres from home, and, one hour after arriving in your hotel you hear a familiar but unhappy sound ... the fire alarm! That’s just what happened to Castlegar Fire Chief Bob Mann and his wife Lynn on their recent trip to Australia The Manns won the return trip for two to Australia, courtesy of Quantas and five nights’ accommodation courtesy of BCAA Travel in last year’s Sunfest button lottery and have just returned from their three-week ad. venture We were only in the hotel in Sydney about an hour when the fire alarm went,”* Lynn Mann said. ‘Thank fully it was a false alarm but Bob had a chance to see the Sydney crews in action. We took-a few pictures and it was interesting afterwards comparing the woo! clothing the Sydney firemen wore to the fire resistant outfits that “we have **AL first 1 was hesitant and apprehensive about the trip,’ Lynn said. ‘‘Even the win was just overwhelming, something I couldn’t believe would happen to me, but now to come back, you almost have.to pinch yourself to believe you’ ve been there and seen so much “Everything was so fabulous and I can wake up in the Middle of the nighrand Fmstitt not sure where-Lam We were doing 18 hour days on this coach tour to see everything we wanted to and visit the islands.” After the win, the Manns contacted BCAA Travel, and their trip was seven months in the planning. From their reading of Australian books at the.library, the Manns knew what they wantedto do The first night in Sydney was memorable because they had dinner in a revolving restaurant It was wonderful,"’ Lynn said. ‘We arrived for dinner before it was dark and saw the lights come on in the city. The restaurant revolved around thre while we were there and we had a great overview of the city and harbor and where everything was. We felt we times knew the city before we started on the day tour the next day The day tour included a tour of the Sydney harbor and a trip into the Blue Mountains to see the koalas and kangaroos It was wonderful,” Lynn said They brought a koala on the bus and showed us how to holdit They also had an evening excursion in Sydney where they went out for a dinner show which includéd a sheep shearing demonstration In Sydney itself, Lynn’s photos show the Harbor bridge, Opera House, the sailboats and the beautiful homes along the harbor itself and red brick buildings In behind are red roofs The Mann's journey took them 18 days, through two states on 3,500 kilometres of narrow roads along the coast of Australia from Sydney to Cairns. “Once we passed the Tropic of Capricorn it got hot and humid and there were rainforests. The weather was perfect — 30-37C every day and the air was clean. We were lucky because the rain was behind us and except for our very last day in Cairns, there was sunshine,” Lynn said The coach tour took them to several islands off the famous Gold coast. To get to the 120-kilometre-long Fraser Island, which is the largestysand island in the world, they travelled by bus, barge and then-bus again. The island has 30 permanent residents and it is just star ting to discover tourists. Other visits were to Hamilton Island — where the rich and famous live — and Daydream Island which Lynn described as ‘absolutely beautiful."" Daydream Island has exotic birds such as lorikeets, sulphur-crested cockatooos, pelicans and kukaburras. “The birds are in flocks, not cages and flock all over you at breakfast and,sit on your shoulders,”” she said , The Great Barrier Reef was also on their agenda Lyne and Bob took a glass bottom boat cruise and were able to see the fish and coral What did they like best? “Everything,” Lynn said. “We had a chance to meet people from different countries and we made good friends with people from Edmonton and Ireland. The bus driver was great and he was also an excellent tour guide. There was a train ride‘on stilts up the side of a mountain to Carranda to see crocodiles and exotic birds and the trip ona boat around the lake which had for- med atthe topofavotcano The Manns also visited Port McQuarrie — the most easterly point of Australia and walked out to the lighthouse in high winds Lynn kept a journal of her travels and is re-writing it “*so it makes some sense.’* Her photographs are all in her album and she plans to make a scrapbrook Fast food was a little different in Australia, Lynn said Hamburgers don't have mustard and relish, they are loaded with onions and pickled beets which is ac tually grated beet root,” she said “+1 am still overwhelmed at winning the trip and can hardly believe we've been there and back,** Lynn added, And will she buy a Sunfest lottery button ticket again this year? Oh yes, but I hope I don’t win. would love to go to Montreal by train but it would be nice for someone else to get achance to win too," she said modestly Creston selected Court news as meeti ng si te Lam wath Chainer prone Several hundred delegates and a large representation of NDP caucus members will meet May 26 to 28 in Creston fora regional policy conferen Official Opposition leader Mike Harcourt will open the conference, Future A and will be “Sustaining Our Kootenay Perspective,” present throughout the weekend to greater number of people can influence party policy and platforms going into the next election.’ The Friday May 26 session opens ce, the party has announced with a question-and-answer with Harcourt and-caucus member Harcourt speaks Saturday morning before the opening panel on regional development and the future of the Kootenays. Workshops Saturday will court, Ricky Rizzotti pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and was sen tenced to 21 days in jail Herbert Jerome pleaded guilty to period ATiving with a blood alcohol reading over .08 and was fined $400 or, in default, 12 days in jail This week, Denni pleaded guilty to driving w Pereversof! le under the influence of alcohol and was fined Parker says Doman contract amended. VICTORIA (CP) — A 12-year-old contract requiring Doman Industries to build a pulp mill in return for rights to Crown timber was amended just four_months ago, Forests Minister Dave Parker said? The new clause requires the forestry company to “diligently pursue’ the pulp mill proposal or other types of mills, as long as they employ the same number of people the pulp mill would. lt was to have been built by 1981, ac cording toa 1977 contract Parker was replying to questions raised Thursday in the house by New Democrat Bob Williams, who charged that Doman received special treatment from the Forests Ministry At the time, Parker repeatedly refused to answer. He said he could not comment because of a libel suit com: pany president Herb Doman has filed against Williams and because of a pen- ding court case involving allegations of insider trading against Doman But on Friday, Parker tabled brief written answers to Williams’ questions. Outside the house, he sald he tabled the answers on the advice of his staff. Williams- said Parker's responses “blows into the sky all his phoney legal arguments."* Former forests minister Jack Kem pf, who now ‘sits as an independent, told the legislature Thursday that .at the time Parker was his parliamentary secretary, the forest service "*was fully aware that Doman was in non compliance with his contract.” Kempf said he threstened to pull Doman’s cutting rights in 1987 because of the long time lapse. WROTE COMPANY Parker acknowledged Friday that soon after becoming forests minister, he wrote the company offering to defer a decision on cut controls. “It was a case of either jeopardizing an existing operation that provides employment for many people because the harvest was 14 per cent. below the required level over a five-year period, or allow that company to continue to provide much needed existing em ployment and, create new em- ployment,” hesaid. Under the ministry's ‘use it or lose it” policy, “companies must log @ minimum percentage . of their allowable cut over a five-year period, or they will lose some of their timber allocation Williams told the legislature that Doman harvested far less than the minimum, but was not penalized Parker also cited a clause in the con tract that said if the company was delayed in the project by circumstances beyond its control, the government could give ‘reasonable extension’ of time A change was made in 1982 requiring Doman to build either a pulp mill or another type Of mill, as long as it employed the same number of people The company is planning a remanufac turing plant in Nanaimo Timber-cutting fees problem for exports PRINCE GEORGE, B.C: (CP) Sawmill owners here say they Were already paying the highest timber-cut ling fees_in British Columbia—when new, even higher rates were introduced on April The cost per cubic metre of wood the amount of wood in a went up between $2 and $3 for stud mills, two-by-fours harvested telephone pole used in home construction. Mills making random width boards found tees in some harvest areas went down about nine cents, while other cutting permit areas went up about-SO cents, Dr. Hartley Lewis, director of the brach of the B.C Service in Victoria, who administers valuation Forest the system, confirmed the rates. The issue came up at the Council of Forest Thdustries, Northern Mrertor-tumber— Sector convention RCMP seize beer By CasNews Staff RCMP seized hard liquor and ap- proximately 100 cases of beer Friday night from partygoers headed for Pass Creek, Cpl. Terry Hyland said : Five youths were charged under the Liquor Control Act when they refused to give their beer to police; Hyland said. The five are minors and their names can’t be released About 45 per cent of the estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people at the party were under the legal drinking age of 19, Hyland said. The high cutting fees are causing problems for wood exports to China, said Cao Wang Ko manager ol the Ching Nationa Nanve Produce Import-Export Corporation in Shanghai, China Cao told the convention that China has high regard for B.C deputy general softwood umber, but it’s being priced out of the market China now ranks as the world’s Seco aT EST 10g amc tumber-imtper—_—$—_—_l sai. slace-after-thy ler, With 75 per cent of the 5.3 milliorr cubic, metres imported from North Anierica used in Shanghai and the surrounding area PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. (CP} Forest companies have a poor image with almost half the Canadian public, says Decima Research president tar Ntckinner McKinnon told the Northern In terior Lumber Sector convention that surveys in 1987 and 1988 showed that 45 per cent of Canadians feel the forest industry does a poor job or fair at best when it clearcuts large areas of forest The public is split on whether it believes companies have a long *term commitment to the forest or are only after short-term profits, McKinnon told 300 convention delegates. He said that 70 per cent of Canadians who live in urban areas close to the United States border are more hostile toward forest company activities than those who live in rural areas, McKinnon said. “The environment is one of the things that defines us as Canadians, and for people living in Forest companies have poor image urban areas the knowledge that there are parks and wilderness areas is mote important than visiting them,” he said “Canadians are more concerned about the forest and identify with the forest more than Americans.” Canadians are also skeptical of opinions from either end of the spectrum, he said. They tend to professors and television personality Dr. David Suzuki as believable spokesmen, but rank forest company presiden- is and Greenpeace representatives as least believable view university “Overall, if people could vote on it, forest companies wouldn't be able to continue doing what they now do,”* he said But McKinnon said the forest industry is doing a better job of get ting its message across to the public, with attitudes on several issues about five per cent more positive in the 1988 survey than in the 1987 version. Dirks against changes By CasNews Staff Nelson-Creston MLA Howard Dirks and Salmo Mayor Merle Hanson say—the -provincial government shouldn't-allow- proposed boundary changes that would take Salmo andthe surrounding area out of the Nelson Creston riding and put it into Rossland-Trail Judge Thomas Fisher was charged with the task of redrawing B.C.’s riding boundaries to even out the population densities of each con stituency and eliminate dual ridings. His report was released last week. The move would be ‘‘absolutely asinine,”” Dirks said, adding that the change would mean he would have to travel through the Rossland-Trail riding to reach Creston. “ Hanson said the move ‘doesn’t seem logical’’ since it would mean Salmo would be in a new riding while still part of the Regional District of Central Kootenay However, provincial constituencies and regional districts are part of two different levels of government and have no direct relationship to one another. “1€ we just let it ride, we'll get something we don’t want,’ Hanson said Dirks said a more sensible way to redraw the boundaries would be bet ween Tarrys and Shoreacres. Rossland-Trail MLA Chris D'Arcy said he is in favor of the report's recommendations. “[’m inclined to want to accept the decision of the judge — it’s an attempt at fairness,"* D'Arcy said. He said upgrading and resurfacing of roadways such as the highway bet _ween Fruitvale_and Salmo and the “neglecting” of the Burlington Nor- thern rail lines that link up with Canadian Pacific rail lines to exchange cars along the U.S.-Canadian border are issues he would want to address if the area becomes part of his riding The report has been sent to the legislature's labor and justice commit tee and must be passed by. the legislature before the new boutdaries take effect meet delegates and members of the public from the four participating con stituencies. Conference co-ordinator Evans of Winlaw said local organizers chose Creston because its economy reflects the mixed economy of all the regions participating. The central location also gives delegates from the constituencies of Kootenay, Columbia River, Nelson-Creston and Rossland Trail an equal chance to participate The regional conference is a positive step for the NDP, said Evans, a Kootenay representative on the provincial party's executive “*Instead of an annual convention in Vancouver, we now hold a series of policy conferences outside Vancouver every other year,"’ Evans said. ‘The eight regional meetings annually move the spotlight from the Lower Mainland to the issues of rural B.C. and mean a Bonnie give delegates the opportunity to for mulate positions on regional develop ment before the plenary session Sun day We're excited about this conferen ce, because it is a truly grass roots ap proach to planning. sustainable economic development,” Evans said A noon lunch Saturday wiffhonor local civic and regional NDP com munity leaders, and will be followed by a supper and dance that night. A Sun. day breakfast will focus on women’s concerns Caucus members confirmed for the conference include Anne Edwards, Dan Miller, Anita Hagen, Glen Clark, Chris D'Arcy, and Darlene Marzari Delegate selection for the May con ference is set for the Nelson-Creston constituency on April 23 at the Mickey McEwen Hall (Rod and Gun Club) at 2 p.m $400 or, in default, 12 days in jail — Loss of ski caused death By CasNews Staff A coroner's inquiry has determined the loss of a ski on a steep ski slope at Red Mountain caused the accident which resulted in fatal injuries to 39. year-old Lynn Duncan of Victoria Duncan was skiing Red the morning of Feb. 11 when she slid off course into a wooded area about 10:30 a.r A doctor pronounced Duncah dead at the scene Castlegar coroner Paul Oglow con ducted the inquiry Transportation continued from front page the hearings being conducted now will be discussed by the task force April 21 Before the hearings began, the Ministry of Transpor- tation commissioned an 18-volume report detailing the transportation networks of B,C, and the possible future problems and solutions In discussing railways, the volume on the Kootenays says, in part “As volumes of traffic on branch lines continue to decrease, the railway will tequest abandonment. The province should be aware of these locations and assess the impact on the area. These lines could include the Kaslo, Slocan, Boundary and Rossland subdivisions. - The report also identifies an increased need for transit for seniors and the handicapped, as well as a number of more general recommendations The government through the hearings so it can prepare an ‘integrated provincial Iran sportation plan, which once it’s adopted by cabinet, will become the blueprint for action tation Ministry brochure Each speaker at Monday's meeting will be given 10 minutes to speak and a question period, Penner said About 200 letters asking for-briefs were sent out to economic development boards, environmental groups, major industries.and people who have expressed concerns in the past, he said wants local input according toa Transpor Penner said he expects ‘at least six or seven"’ briefs to be presented Hearings have already been held in Invermere, Cran brook, Sparwood and Creston. Hearings will continue in Grand Forks Tuesday arid New Denver Thursday The Castlegar meeting will start at 7 p.m ee Briefly .. . Centre slated for Vernon VERNON, B.C..(CP) — A national high-altitude sports training centre will be built on Silver Star Mountain, near this Okanagan city, says provincial Labor Minister Lyall Hanson. He announced a $500,000 provincial grant towards the $1,5-million cost of the centre. The money goes to the Canada West Sports Training Society of Vernon. The development will include a arge field house, auditorium, conference room, and weight'training and aerobics exercise facilities. Silver Star Mountain, more than 1,500 metres above seal level, has already attracted some 5,000 athletes to train for sports, including Olympic level biathlon and cross-country skiing and national level swimming Words baffling, council says OTTAWA (CP) — A 189-word senterice in this year’s tax return form will baffle most Canadians, an organization dedicated to plain language has told the Revenue Department. The taxing sentence ‘ifs’ which contained 12 “ands,” five ‘‘ors’” and was one of several examples given the department by the Canadian Law Information Council this week The council is a national, non-profit organization that tries to im prove understanding of the law, in part through encouraging the use of readily understandable language “Filing your income tax return should not feel like a test of your language and mathematical skills,"* the council said in a news release. “It should be a straightforward and easily understood exercise in reporting your income and deductions or credits.”” three Mulroney wants clause removed OTTAWA (CP) — Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said he will push for removal of the notwithstanding clause from the Constitution despite a threateried Quebec veto. Speaking to reporters after a raucous question period, Mulroney seemed undeterred by a threat by Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa to use a veto to ensure the controversial clause remains in the 1982 Constitution Mulroney said the second round of constitutional negotiations to Junc_1990- {theo tke accord will include the notwithstanding clause. Labs suspended from list LONDON (AP) — Seven of the world’s leading drug-testing laboratories, including the facility in Calgary, have been removed from the International Olympic Committee's approved list The reasons include ‘‘some small mistakes” in detecting banned sub- stances, thy “stor r Prince Alexandre de Merode, cliairman of the IOC medical com mission, said laboratories in Calgary, Indianapolis, Moscow, Helsinki and Rome had been suspended from the register for four months for failing to meet strict new anti-doping standards Stranded barge moving again VANCOUVER (CP) — A fuel barge stranded off the west coast of Vancouver Island‘when the American-owned tug towing it had engine trouble was under tow again Friday afternoon The Sea Giant, owned by Crowley Marine of Seattle, was towing the barge containing 10 million litres of light TuéTto Alaska when the engine's cylinder head blew late Thursday night, approximately 32 kilometres west of Nootka Sound. , The barge was in no danger because the tug dropped the towline, which snagged on the ocean floor and anchored the barge, a Canadian ‘Coast Guard spokesman said Survey musn't pry: official WASHINGTON (AP) A sex survey designed to help stem the spread of the deadly AIDS virus must be revised to ensure the U.S. gover- nment- does not pry-needlessly into the personal lives of U.S. citizens, U S. Health Secretary Louis Sullivan has ordered. , Heeding the advice of budget director Richard Darman, Sullivan or dered the Public Health Service to conduct a ‘*thorough review and revision’’ of the survey so that it is scientifically sound and *‘sensitive and appropriate.to the proper role of government.” Darman had been pressured to act against the survey by a few conser vative Republicans in Congress who have organized letter-writing and telephone campaigns expressing outrage at the survey proposal Officer shoots wife, self EDMONTO (CP) — An Edmontan gity policeman who was facing a sexual assault charge shot his wife, also a police officer, before turning the weapon on himself ina bizarre murder-suicide, police revealed Police found Const. Jerry Donovan and Cost. Shannon Donovan dead-in- the kitchen of their bi-level home in south Edmonton suburb Thursday morning, after Jerry Donovan failed to show up for work. They estimate the pair had been dead for 48 hours. Police Chief Leroy Chahley said a note was found at the scene, but he refused to divulge its contents. North says lied to Congress WASHINGTON (AP) congressmen who came to the White House to question him about the Contras. But he said he didn't think it was unlawful because the things he was hiding, ‘‘}-wastold, could not, should not be revealed. “J felt like a pawn in a chess game being played by giants,"’ he testified The courtroom at his criminal trial was packed and long lines formed in the hallway outside ds the former National Security Council aide spent his second day in the witness chair, undergoing examination by his own lawyer, Brendan Sullivan At ihe White House, President George Bush, citing concern about “endangering the trial,””-refused 40. answer questions about his own role = Oliver North has conceded he lied to in aiding the Contras, as disclosed in a lengthy admission of facts in- troduced by North's lawyers. Forgiven by God, Liutjens says VANCOUVER (CP) God for his involvement with Nazi support groups during the Second World War “Seeing my life through the eyes of God is more terrible than any court can be,”” Luitjens said at a hearing in which the federal government is trying to strip him of his Canadian citizenship. Government lawyer Bill Hobson asked whether Luitjens, as a mem Jacob Luitjens said he has been forgiven by ber of several Nazi support groups, informed on Dutchmen who were not national socialist sympathizers “The most important thing was iny conversion to Christian life,” Luitjensretorted. > Agreement changes necessary: Crosbie TORONTO (CP) The federal government wants to rewrite the Canada-U.$. softwodd lumber agreement, Trade Minister John Crosbie suggested The decline in lumber prices and strengthening of theCanadian dollar since the controversial agreement was signed have made changes to the pact necessary, he said outside the House of Commons. Crosbie, responding to questions raised by the opposition, did not specify what changes the government Vill seek He told the Commons. that Canadian trade officials have talked to their U.S, counterparts about the need for changes. to the agreement, which went into effect in January 1987, Whether the United States agrees to any revisions ‘tis another question,” headded The minister's: statements were in reply to questions from Liberal trade critic Lloyd Axworthy, who asked Crosbie to confirm news reports that he has discussed changes to the deal with U.S, Trade Representative Carla Hills. Axworthy also asked what the government is planning to do about allegations by U.S, lumber lobbyists that Canadian exporters are violating the softwood agreement by evading the export tax Dinosaur ains— found COURTENAY, B.C. (CP) The 80-million-year-old remains of a huge swimming reptile the biggest creature from the Dinosaur Age ever found west of the Canadian Rockies has been discovered on Vancouver Island The fossilized ¢lasmosaur, un covered by amateur Michael Trask of Courtenay, dates back to when the Comox Valley was a hot, steamy, shallow swampland with water temperatures near 23 degrees Celsius. ——“Frask*s tint at the’ Royal Museum in paleontologist Confirmed by scientists British Columbia Victoria and paleon tologists in Alberta, gives a rare glim pse of the ancient Pacific Coast ‘It's asnapshot, albeit a faded one, of eastern Vancouver Island 80 million years ago ... that's what I find so ex citing,” said Richard Hebda of the museum, It appears the elasmosaur, a species of long-necked plesiosaur, was in a shallow bay or lagoon along the coast when it died “It couldn't have been far away from land because a preserved leaf was found nearby,"” Hebda said NOLINKS Plesiosaurs differ from dinosaurs because they have no modern descen dants. Dinosaurs are thought to have links with modern birds and reptiles such as crocodiles. Elasmosaur, which resembled a tur tle shell with a long snake threaded through it, had many sharp, serrated teeth and is kelieved to have lived on fish, which it caught by propelling it self through the water with wing-like limbs. Oil headed for Kodiak Island VALDEZ, Alaska (AP) — Shifting wind sent oil from the Exxon Valdez toward the No. | fishing port in the United States, and the Pentagon sent a special team and ¢ -ipment on,Satur day tohelp clean uy se giant slick Wind from the southeast and nor theast pushed oil toward Kodiak Island, 500 kilometres from the site of the worst oil spill in the U.S. The direction of the crude spilled two weeks ago raised fears that the port sown—of-Kediak—eould—be—pottuted within days, officials said. Last year, thetown had $166 million worth of catches. ‘*Georgraphically, Kodiak is downwind of the (oil) area if there are east winds,”’ said Dan Keeton, a meteorologist. with the National Weather Service On Friday, President George Bush said he would send federal troops to help with the cleanup and put the federal government virtually in control of the effort that ‘We are not federalizing this Bush insisted, however, operation “I think we had a problem with organization — that’s what frustrated everybody,” said Rear, Admiral Ed ward’ Nelson, the commander of the coast guard’s Alaskan district DELI DONATIONS... Sontnger school district trustees Bill Hadikin serv up lunch at Safeway in an effort to raise funds for the new Castlegar and District Aquatic Centre. Waiting anxiously for his hot dog is four-year-old Matthew Fontes while his father George waits to pick up t! Safeway turned over a portion of the proce: @ tab. Local community leaders took turns putting on the apron an ds to the pool fund. Uranium cuts announced, Queen invited to Moscow LONDON (AP) Mikhail Gorbachev has announ. ced cuts in the Soviet Union's production of radioactive material for nuiclear weapons and ended a visit to Britain by inviting the Queento Moscow Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher declared the Soviet president's visit *‘very successful, warm and friendly," but Gorbachev igsisted NATO, had an advantage over the Warsaw Pact in every area but tanks and said¢*'In short, fears of the ‘Soviet military threat’ are growfidless,"” Thatcher said East bloc forces still, outnumber the western alliance 2-1 On a happier note, she said the Queen gave ‘ta very appeared unimpressed by his concessions in the military Uctinite yes” to the Mmvitation extended during Gor- field "—_ bgchev’stunch at Windsor Castle. She said the reductions in weapons-grade material “will have no effect in practice’ because ‘they probably have quite a sufficient stockpile of uranium. Although Gorbachev said arms control would stall unless the West’ dropped plans to modernize its short-range nuclear missiles, Thatcher said her belief in a nuclear deterrent remains firm No date was set for the visit which will be the first-by a British monarch since the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 Czar Nicholas TT, who was killed with his family by the Communists, Wasa cousin of the Queen's grandfather When the prospect of a royal visit was first mentioned in November, Thatcher let it be known she was opposed on grounds it was too soon to give Gorbachev's reform program so-emphaticastamp of approyal Man charged with hijacking © after bus hostages released. OTTAWA (CP) — A Montreal man went to-court, a pack of weary bus passengers lefi Ottawa and top-ranking Policemen met Saturday trying to make sense of a bizarre hijack that wended its way down the highway from Mon treal to Parliament Hill on Friday Charles Jean Yacoub, 32, was hustled through an early morning court appearance at which he was informed of the charges against him: hostage-taking, forcible confinement, using a firearm to commit an indictable offence and illegal possession ofa firearm Yacoub, who came to Canada in 1976 and is believed to be of Lebanese origin, entered no plea and was ordered held in custody taking, carries a maximum penalty of life in prison The gunman, said to have demanded an end to Syrian The most serious charge, of Rostage- intervention in Lebanon, eventually released all 10 hostages and surrendered after being denied permission to speak to journalists Leaders of Montreal’s Lebanese community ex- pressed frustration that it took a gun-wielding man onan intercity bus to focus attention on the war-torn Middle Eastern country WHALES COME FIRST? “Two whales trapped in the Arctic ice get more atten- tion and compassion than the |people of Lebanon,” said Joseph Ghalidouni, president of the Groupement Libanais du Quebec He was echoes by others who complained of a lack of media coverage of a march on Parliament Hill Thursday in which 3,000 people protested the Syrian presence in Lebanon. Couvelier awarded for Doublespeak VICTORIA (CP) — B.C. Finance Minister Mel Couvelier ranks right up with White House and U.S State Department officials when it comes to talking without sayinganything The Quarterly Review of Doublespeak, a tongue in-cheek look at confusing language used by public of ficials, gave Couvelier an honorable mention in its most recent issue The review, published by the National Couneil of English in Urbana, ‘Itt., ‘pubtished Couvelier's answer toa question ast year about whether tax had been paid on the