OPINION Wy The Castidgar Sun Zs Serving the 16,000 people of the Castlegar area, The Castlegar Sun ts every Sterlir Ltd, at 465 Columbia Ave. Castlegar, B.C. VIN 1G8. The Castlegar Sun is politi: cally independent and a member of the Sterling News Service, Cana dian C y B.C.C Newspapers Assocation, and the B.C. Press Council, Established 28, 1990. Mail 10420 PUBLISHER MARILYN STRONG DEREK ZEISMAN CHRISTINE MOYER EDITOR PRODUCTION MANAGER GARY SCHNEIDER PRODUCTION ASSISTANT CATHERINE ROSS AD REP. KAREN KERKHOFF REPORTER JEFF GABERT SPORTS NICOLE BEETSTRA ADVERTISING REP. FRED JACK ADVERTISING REP MARGE LALONDE OFFICE/CIRCULATION MANAGER CARI ROHN CLASSIFIED ADS Direct Department Phones General Office 365-5266 Circulation .. 365-5266 Classified Ads 365-7848 Display Advertising 365-2278 Newsroom 365-5579 Fatt: saci 365-7762 A , we 09 dinette editorial comment Photo radar ‘solution’ no solution at all The provincial government is considering a plan to tick- et an additional 1.6 million vehicle owners starting next year, using that questionable new technology known as “photo radar”. Although it remains to be seen whether the West Kootenay is to be included in this ill-advised plan, local police officials appear to be warming up to the idea. But they should give a second thought to supporting the wide-scale use of this system, especially given the lack of unified community support behind electronic policing Echoing the sentiments of Ontario’s new Conservative premier, Mike Harris, B.C. Reform leader Jack Weisgerber claims photo radar is nothing more than a giant government tax grab aimed at fleecing B.C.’s drivers of more of their hard-earned dollars. Mr. Harris used this argument to great effect in the recent Ontario election campaign, holding it up as an example of money-hungry socialist government gone mad. Not surprisingly, the argument worked Weeks after entering office, Harris cancelled Ontario's year-long experiment with photo radar, proclaiming an end to unjustified tax grabs. Now Weisgerber wants to do the same. Although his ce is likely the right one, his oppo- sition would be more reassuring were it not so simplistic The NDP says it is concerned about the number of traffic accidents and road fatalities that occur yearly in B.C., and right- ly so. Studies show, not surprisingly, that excessive speed is the cause of a good portion of these accidents. Certain studies also claim to show how effective photo radar could be in cutting down these numbers So the government's motives shouldn't be criticized too harshly. But even setting aside Reform’s “tax grab” argument, photo radar doesn’t hold-up to rea- soned public scrutiny There are other, more effective ways to cut back on speeding with- Out resorting to another example of Big Broth- €r's growing presence in our modem electronic society. If the police have been able to single out Particular problem spots for speeding locally, such as Arrow Lakes Drive or the Thrums school zone, then they should respond accordingly with beefed-up squad car patrols and increased use of standard radar procedures, with on-site Police, supervision. If they must give out more tickets to Support this increased presence on our streets, then so be it That is a price we should all be willing to pay for improved road safety But photo radar is simply not the answer. Photo radar cannot catch drunk drivers who merrily swerve from lane to lane, without breaking the speed limit Photo radar cannot catch poor (but slow) drivers who endanger others with their unsafe driving tactics. Photo radar cannot catch drivers who speed but illegally cover or blur their license plate numbers, allowing them to buck Big Brother's watchful eye and get off scot-free Photo radar cannot discriminate between serious episodes of speeding and drivers who are simply trying to keep up with the normal flow of traffic And so on, and so on. Photo radar, in shor, is basically a bust. And not just a harmless bust, at that. The mere concept of having our actions recorded by a watchful eye, even if it 1s supposedly for our own good, is just not acceptable The provincial government and regional police should both keep this in mind as the Photo radar debate continues There are other more effective ways to cut back on speeding without resorting to another example of Big Brother's growing presence in our society ERRORS. “1 agrees that the publisher shall not be liable tor damage 3 out of errors in any advertisement beyond the amount pai ® actually occupied by that portion of the © error occurred, whether such error of its servants or otherwise The advert Paid for such Ng Subject to publisher's approval Contracts must be completed within one year from contract date No contingent orders accepted i Victoria Vines Goes. f ( 1 TOLD Yo NOT TO PICK UP HITCHIKERS. TURN BIGHT! RIGHT SAID! RIGHT MAN, ‘Cult of Campbell’ overtakes Liberals As the editor of The Castlegar Sun, 1 see reams of news releases flow across my desk each day Much of this torrent of fax paper emanates from the offices of British Columbia's Official Opposition, the Liberals — led by former Vancouver mayor Gor- don Campbell. Their releases always make for interesting, if not enjoyable reading One such release came to me about two weeks ago, just before the B.C. Legislature wrapped up one of its longest and-nastiest ses- sions in recent memory. It was sensationally titled “Campbell calls NDP politically corrupt” It might just as easily have been called “Pot calls kettle black” Gordon Campbell is certainly no angel, much as he tries to con- vince us of that dubious fact. But he is generally regarded in the media (not to mention those largely irrelevant polls) as the front runner in what will likely be a spring '96 election. So it pays for him to loosely throw around accusations like “politically corrupt”, “ethically bankrupt” and the ever-lovable “scandal-ridden”. But it certainly doesn’t make for fair or even truthful politics. Gordon Campbell is “a man with a mission”, so to speak. That mission is to get himself elected as the next premier of B.C., at whatever the cost. He and his loyal staff put out press releases on an almost daily basis, belittling the reputations of B.C. politicians in the NDP and B.C. Reform, when most are just trying to do their jobs and get a bit of public recognition for it in the process. But this doesn't make for good news releases, of course. So the Liberals inevitably end up ham- ming it up, virtually proclaiming the Harcourt government as equal to Satan himself — dirtier even than the Vander Zalm gov- ernment in its last, dying days, after wave upon wave of ministe- rial resignations and politically questionable behavior succeeded in destroying a 40-year political legacy Let's not forget though, that this is the same Liberal pany to which hoards of disillusioned ex- Socreds, including former pre- mier Rita Johnston herself, have flocked since Campbell's ascen- dancy to the Liberal leadership. So the high moral road is not really an option for Mr. Camp- bell, much as he tries to convince us otherwise Many voters have made the mistake of equating B.C. Reform with Social Credit. But this is only half truc. In reality, B.C. Reform is really just Social Credit without the money — putting this new party at a big disadvantage in the coming provincial election ~ Where did all the Socreds’ money go? Why, to the Liberals, of course — the new panty of big | ZEISMAN business in British Columbia. The election of Gordon Campbell as Party leader ensured that the big campaign money would finally Start rolling in. And whether we like it or not, it's still money — not ideas or integrity — that often succeeds in getting parties elected to office. This is Campbell's trump card for “Victory "96" It’s interesting to note that Gordon Campbell is really no more a Liberal than Bill Vander Zalm is pro-choice. There's no denying that the Liberal party was simply a vehicle for him to (hopefully) ride the wave to the Premier's Office in the shortest time possible. This is perhaps the most unsavory thing about him Where was Campbell. back when the B.C. Liberals were nothing? Back when Gordon Wilson was working overtime to -recreate.a long-comatose pany? Nowheso:, that's where. Yet with the help of his dutiful handlers and political bagmen, Campbell has now succeeded in turning the Liberals into a one- man party. It is a party held cap- tive by the so-called “cult of leader — just as Stalin, Mao and Tito all succeeded in creating their own iron-clad political cults. Of course, those three were all Communists, so the comparison only goes so far. Campbell is any- thing but Communist — as sup- portive of business interests and big money as any B.C. politician ever was. Maybe even more so. For better or worse, the Liberal party of today does not stand for the same things-it did under Art Lee, Gordon Gibson, David Anderson or even poor old Gor- don Wilson — the latter now adrift at sea in his Progressive Democratic raft, along with Kelowna MLA (and loving com- panion) Judy Tyabji. Quickly and quietly, Campbell has succeeded in sweeping away the Liberals’ old political order, transforming a neophyte-move- ment borne of Socred disgust into a powerful, well-organized, well- monied political machine. The money is largely there because of Campbell's intimate connections with downtown Van- couver’s Howe Street business establishment. It never showed up during predecessor Wilson's lead- ership, simply because Howe Street did not trust this naive young hog farmer ‘and college instructor from Vancouver Island. That distrust undoubtedly Played a major behind-the-scenes role in Gordon II's fall from grace, leading to the triumphant emergence of Gordon III as heir apparent to the Liberal crown. Understandably, B.C.’s business establishment is happier than it has been for many a year — the candi- date of their choice is now on the verge of success, meaning closer links between the corporate elite and the lawmakers in Victoria, fol- lowing a Liberal victory. It certainly -hasn’t been like that under Mike Harcourt’s NDP government, much as the envi- ronmentalists and certain union activists would like us to think otherwise. And even Mr. Vander Zalm himself, white knight of the Socreds back in 1986, enraged B.C. business leaders by essen- tially freezing them out from the provincial cabinet table. So it’s been nearly a decade now since business really had a premier it could call its own. That’s where Gordon Campbell comes in. He is pro-business through-and-through — his elec- tion would all but ensure a so- called “Howe Street” agenda for the next five years. But where does that leave the B.C. Interior? Where does it leave the Kootenays? Where does it leave Castlegar? | Speaker’s Corner Castlegar student Tamara Terry is pounding the pavement in search of answers to questions that correspond with news stories that have appeared in The Castlegar Sun. If you see Tamara, it ¢ould be your opportunity to appear in Speaker's Corner, which is published each week Question: How are you going to spend your Kootenay summer? children. Close to my grand McNaughton Visiting friends, and definitely sleeping in fishing, hiking Olympia Shawn Allen Camping, swimming, trying to waterski den. here in beautiful B.C. Henry Tang es: ie | At home, looking and after my beloved gar- — Marie Schuepfer Wednesday, July 26, 1995 Feed BC campaign a hearty success Dear Editor: Would you please allow us to send a thank you out to all those people in the Castlegar area who ~ paign, July 10-14, We would especially like to thank The Castlegar Sun for its Story on Feed BC listing the busi- nesses who had drop-off boxes (Anderson, Cohoe & Castlegar Savings Ins, A; cies, Cartech, Castle Glass, TNT, wsky, His Place Barbershop, SuperValu); also, thank you to Safeway and Castlegar Foods for their campaign partner, ‘Trail/Castlegar area we collected 9,010 Ibs. of food for the local food banks. It is indeed to live and work in such a us 4 If your readers did not take the to con- tribute, we urge them to do so directly to the local food bank (Salvation Army in downtown Castlegar). This year’s campaign is over, but the continues, - Jennine Shannon Nancy Stanton Dear Editor: I am dismayed at the letter to the editor by D. Docherty (July 19). Apparently the writer is very familiar with The Horse Association of the Central Kootenays (HACK) and our membership list As such, I'm surprised that she shows an absolute ignorance of our code of ethics and statements of principles that we insist upon and adhere to. Certainly since the writer has this familiarity with our club she should be aware that we do issue information on issues of safety and horse care, etiquette Reader is Dear Editor: Having read your “Thumbs up, thumbs down” feature on your editorial page, we would like to add a few of our own: THUMBS UP to the city and all those involved in the contin- ued revitalization of the down- town. THUMBS DOWN to the city and all those involved in the com- pleted revitalization as the weeds begin to overtake the lovely shrubs and poke up through the brickwork. THUMBS UP to the recycling depot as it provides a much-need- ed service from a handy location without being unsightly. THUMBS DOWN to one local downtown business that utilizes an empty lot on Columbia Ave. as and decorum, as well as, on a variety of other subjects. Rebuk- ing US as a group in such a public forum for the behavior or the per- ceived behavior of two horse enthusiasts is certainly unfair and distasteful. 1 liken it to criticizing BCAA for two bad drivers or to criti- ¢ize minor hockey for misbe- having hockey players. All very ridiculous! Let me be very clear. Behavior as described is not condoned or tolerated by “The Club” at any club function or event. We adhere to the Canadian Equestrian Fed- all thumbs €s near the interchange which keep their premises neat and Pleasant looking. THUMBS DOWN to the Min- istry of Highways, which does not ensure the flower beds and tockwork of the interchange are weed-free. It’s good to see the revitaliza- tion of our downtown, as the area would surely die if this did not happen. However, there needs to be a revitalization of attitude as well As one drives through our neighbor city of Grand Forks it is obvious they care about the appearance of not only the down- town but of the boulevards along the highway through the city as well. Revitalization must be a a lumber storage area. THUMBS UP to the business- Doukhobor coverage Dear Editor: Thank you for your excellent pictorial coverage of July 12 on the impressive Doukhobor events of the long weekend of July 7, 8 and 9—commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Doukhobors’ burning or arms. For my pan, I would like to.extend a big bouquet of thanks to those talented Doukhobor people—both locally and all across Canada—for Stag- ing these fine events and opening their doors to all As well as the superb encore concert performance of “Voices for Peace” by the United Doukhobor Centennial ‘95 Choir and Drama Ensemble, there was a whole weekend of well-orga- nized events. As an interested outside observer, my sincere appreciation goes to all those who made it happen—the film festival, choral singing, round table discussions, readings from Doukhobor writers, greetings from local officials, delicious banquet and symbolic trek to Verigin's Tomb. At least five international Tolstoy experts were in attendance—from both Ottawa and Russia Finally, I want to express appreciation for that other fine concert, “Voice Within”, that was Staged in May—giving a superb historical revelation of the Doukhobor story from its begin- nings. This was a big help to those of us who aren't well informed in this regard. As for the underlying philoso- Phies of peace, love, understand- ing and refusal to bear arms, it’s a Message which the whole world needs to hear. Those who believe in peace and justice must never forget that Commercial Printing & Bindery} High Volume Copying Graphic Design & Typesetting 1-800-932-1414 511 Front Street, Nelson unique non-violent revolution that occurred in the Caucasus tegion one hundred years ago— when those simple, kindhearted Russian/Ukrainian peasants held their spectacular burning or arms, Countless other People through- out the course of war-tom history could have made the same deci- sion—but they never did. Why were the Doukhobor peo- ple so unusually determined in their refusal to kill other human beings? Goodness know$ they paid a heavy price in the form of torture, exile and death. But in so doing, they took the same pathway as Christ him- self—the greatest pacifist the world has ever known. And look- ing at this from one hundred years after the fact, it almost seems a miracle occurred in that cold wet region of the Caucasus in 1895. Like all other people of the world, the Doukhobors have had some problematic splits along the way. But now they seem to be coming back together in a common cause. In conclusion, I wish good luck to those sincere performers of the “choir and drama ensem- ble” on their upcoming tour to Eastern Canada, New York City, Moscow and Rostov-on-Don thus rejuvenating their ancestor's mes- sage of peace and love for all mankind. Judging from the repeated fail- ures of the violent way of doing things, maybe it’s time the world took a look at the Doukhobor approach. Too bad this peaceful drama group can’t include Bosnia in its tour—to arrange some much-needed present-day burn- ing of arms, ly ongoing process. Kathy Gregory Castlegar impresses God be with them in the good work they are doing. H. F. Killough Located just past the j the Slocah Valley lighway Uniforms & Jackets SPECIAL SNAPPLE (ICE TEA) 946 ML. e with any fuel purchase POPSICLES 2Fror.49¢ Riding president sa eration code of ethics. Ethics incidentally appear to be lacking in attacking our club, and for The Castlegar Sun for further attack ing “Our Club” by their accented boldface heading The Castlegar Sun Page A7 I will certainly address the behavior of our membership, I wonder who will address the behavior of D. Docherty in her blanke{ scathing admonishments of our club, and’who will address sensationalizing 1 horserider’s actions. — UNBELIEVABLE OUR LOW PRICES MAZDA'S GREAT VALUE!! yS no horsing around the behavior of the new Spaper in wo private Garry Dyck President, HACK Bonnington ceeteinion & 1995 MAZDA PROTEGE NOW FROM $13,695 Our GREAT PRICE or FREE AIR or Mazda's GREAT LEASE PAYMENT of $278.30* per month. Simply phone us. We'll do the rest! STK# A-4125-0 me _-s/ | 1995 MAZDA B2300 NOW FROM $12,995 Our GREAT PRICE or Mazda's GREAT LEASE PAYMENT of $259.46 * per month. STK# 2664-0 Simply phone us. 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