March 5, 1989

A2 Castlégar News

march 5.1969 Castlegar News 43

as leader

Broadbent steps down

TORONTO (CP) — Ed Broadbent, saying it's
“‘time to pick a new man or a woman to take us the next
step,"’ announced Saturday he is leaving the New
Democratic Party leader's job.

Canada’s continually most-trusted party leader
cleared the way for a leadership convention to replace
him, in Winnipeg in August or November, and called
fora*‘time for renewal" inthe NDP.

With his voice often wavering, as party members
shouted **No!t"* from the audience, Broadbent told a
gathering of the NDP federal council he was moving on
after nearly 14 years at the helm of C
left-of-centre political party

He later told a news conference he'll remain an MP
for the time being
years — but hasn't decided whether he'll run again

He'said he had many last-minute thoughts about
going, but told .the news conference following a

nada’s strongest

he’s been one for more than 20

firebrand hour-plusspeech that he thought ‘sooner wa:
better than later

“In Parliament, | will have a supportive role for the
new leader — subordinate and supportive role,’
promised reporters

There was no indication about whether there will be
an interim leader. Broadbent doesn’t officially
relinquish his post until a convention, when by tradition
ehe’ll simply not allow his name on the leadership ballot

Asked to reflect today on his work, Broadbent was
candid but upbeat

ADMITS MISTAKES

“Of course, I made some mistakes,”’ he said. ‘*But
if you're asking ime if-1 feel like a failure, absolutely
not.""

Reaction was quick and praising

“He represented New Democrats splendidly for a
long period of time,” said B.C. NDP leader Mike Har
court

“He's teaving- very—big-shoes-te fill,
Romanow, Saskatchewan NDP leader

“I cried a lot about it,’ added Ontario NDP leader
Bob Rae. He and former party general secretary Gerry
Caplan agreed it was the right move

in handing over the leadership.

he

said Roy

While the party's convention now will likely focus
on the leadership convention, Broadbent strongly
suggested in his speech to thie party’s federal council that
policy must also be reviewed. He warned that NDPers
must fight a new conservatism that is widening the gap
between rich and poor, »

“Now is the time for renewal,”’ he said, saving the
personal drama for the very end. ‘Now is the time to
pick a new man or a woman to take us the next step.

Although the-speech sounded very much like a
swan song, no one but a handful of family members and
friends knew he was leaving for sure until the very end,

He said it had been a great honor to serve the party.

He thanked his workers, his wife, his caucus and
those who asked him to stay on.

Broadbent, MP for Oshawa since 1968, announced
his departure during @ speech to about 120 key members
of the NDP’s federal council,. the party’s governing
body. It followed months of speculation about his
political future in the wake of last fall’s disheartening
election

Although the NDP won a record 43 seats, it
remained in third place among the national political par-
ties and failed to win a seat in Quebec where only a year
earlier, it had led the public opinion polls.

Broadbent's decision was one of the best-kept
secrets in recent Canadian politics

The speech, which largely dealt with democratic
socialism in Canada and elsewhere, the state of the par-
ty’s health and which detailed Broadbent’s personal
views on politics, was left incomplete until he took the
podium

The speech’s last page was kept folded in Broad:
bent’s pocket, He said Friday that he had informed
wife, Lucille, of the decision but apparently kept it even
from many longtime aides and associates.

He admitted that couldn't remember taking so long
over a decision, and remarked that he felt happy that it
had been made and put behind him

After consulting friends and colleagues, Broadbent
realized he had to make the decision on his own, he said

**As in the past, when I've reached a decision, I'm

'D BROADBENT
. +» ‘time for renewal’

Broadbent's successor will be only the fourth
leader in NDP history. Tommy Douglas presided over
the party from its founding in 1961 until he stepped
down in 1971 and David Lewis was elected leader

In the 1974 general election, Lewis was defeated in
his home riding and announced his resignation. Broad-
bent, who finished fourth in his first try for the leader
ship in 1971, won the job in 1975

Broadbent won every election in his home riding of
Oshawa from 1968 to 1988, after a career as an academic
and university professor.

While leader, he learned French, became a leading
figure in Socialist International and moved the party
toward the political mainstream.

Through it all, with only a few exceptions — the
patriation of the Constitution is one — the party was

Althoughsthere was no great hue and cry from the
party for him to step aside, it seemed clear almost from
election day last Nov. 21 that Broadbent had fost some
of his taste for political battle.

He questioned his own commitment to the job,
suggested he would like to read novels and perhaps write
‘one, made it clear that leadership takes’a heavy toll on
people and it-sometimes seemed like the socialist fire
that inspired him was going out

Broadbent's aides, a~ fiercely loyal band who
believed as_strongly.as_their leader that 1988 had the
potential to be the dreamed-of breakthrough for the
NDP, remained faithful to the end.

Caucus chairman Audrey McLaughlin, MP for
Yukon, said Broadbent leaves a legacy of respect for the
NDP and its principles

“He obviously leaves a very positive legacy ... he’s
one of the most popular and best-liked leaders in
Canadian politics,” she said. **He’s brought a lot of
credibility to the party."”

Although some have expressed interest, no one has
yet taken official aim on Broadbent's job, and there is
no logical successor — a matter many say made Broad
bent ambivalent about leaving.

Still, the leadership race is expected to be an all-
comers affiar

Among the rumored interested parties: MPs
Nelson ‘Riis, Dave Barrett, Sverid Robinson and Jim
Fulton of British Columbia, Lorne Nystrom of Saskat
chewan and Steven Langdon of Ontario.

Other possible non-MPs for the job: party
president Johanna den Hertog of B.C., autoworkers
chief Bob White of Ontario, defeated MPs Marion
Dewar of Ontario and Jack Harris of Newfoundland
and Louise Simard, a Saskatchewan MLA.

Some potential condidates have pretty well ruled
out rinning, including Stephen Lewis, former Ontario
NDP leader, son of Broadbent's predecessor and most
recently ambassador to the United Nations

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Roy Romanow, an ar
chitect of the Constitution, and Ontario NDP leader

Briefly

Commercial cancelled

STOKHOLM (AP) A Swedish brewery and soft drink producer
has cancelled a fruit juce commercial featuring banned Canadian sprinter
Ben Johnson after a boycott threat, it was reported

Rune Hestner, chairman of a students* sports body representing the
three Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway and Denmark, said the Falcon
brewery told him its commercial wouldn't be shown as planned in Swedish
movie theatres next month

The student group had planned to start a. boycott campaign against
the brewery’s products.

Johnson, thé Toronto athlet? who was stripped of his 100-metre gold
medal in the Seoul Olympics last year after testing positive for steroid use,
was reported to have been paid $50,000 US for a 30-second spot for Mer,
known as More in English

Prince skiing recklessly

ZURICH (AP) — A senior Swiss Ski Federation official has accused
Prince Charles of being reckless by skiing off marked trails where a year
ago an avalanche killed a close friend of the heir to the throne

The official made the accusation after a newspaper printed a
photograph purportedly showing Charles skiing in a restricted area on
Mount Gotschna near warning signs printed in four languages, including

English

“There are those who learn from a mistake and there are others who
don’t; Wednesday's front-page picture shows clearly that neither the
prince nor his entourage heed the warnings of the responsible local of-
ficials," Sepp Scheibert said in a letter published in the newspaper Blick

Grounded tanker freed

HONOLULU (AP) — Tugboats and salvage ships working in rough
seas have freed a grounded tanker that Spilled at least 443,000 litres of oil
into the tide just of f some of Hawaii's most popular beach resorts.

“It suddenly just started ‘floating’’ late Friday, coast guard
spokestian David Gor said.

Authorities had expected to wait until high tide Saturdayto try to free
the-Exxon-Houston,- but salvage -workers who pumped off more than
9,400 tdnnes of ballast water and some of the remaining 14 million litres of
crude oil lightened the ship enough so'that it floated free on its own, said
Scott Hartvigsen, another coast guard spokesman.

Tirethoughrirwastimet
the right time,” Caplan said
‘

yheappy +
right one

united and loyal to him in the same way he was to hi:
party.

Bob-Rae-afi high-profile MP,-are-al

terested.

COMMISSION HEARINGS . . . B.C. Uti
Dave Newlands and William Best listen to
holding public hearings into West K

es Commission members (from left) Milton Swanson,
i i The i is

y Power's

for a rate increase

West Kootenay Power

continued from front page

opinion to organizations that rank companies financially

However, WKP’s lawyer Jack Wilson explained that

Evans has simply looked at objective analyses by the

organizations which don’t rank WKP
He has looked at how they rank other companies and

come to his own conclusion of how they would rank West

Newlands said the problem is Evans’ attempt to give
an opinion of CBS and S & P, the organizations which
ermine the financial rankings
It was not my intention to be speaking for CBS and S.
&P,”’ Evans responded

Casalano Clubhelps
one day ata time

By CasNews Staff .

The provincial government is spen
ding $137 million on a province-wide
awareness campaign to prevent
alcohol and drug abuse. But help is
avaitabte~ in Castlegar~through™ the
local Alcoholics Anonymous. ~

AA does not offer counselling
Members maintain sobriety through
sharing experiences, strength and hope
at group meetings and on a one-to-one
basis, said a local member who asked
not to be identified

The local AA organization known as
the Casalano Club holds six meetings a

member said

Pioneer Arena and begin at 8 p.m. on
Monday through Thursday and Satur-
day. An open breakfast meeting |is
held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sundaysiat
Jenny’sCafe. said. “*

“We share our experiences, it

drinking. There are no dues or fees for
AA membership

He noted that an alcoholicis the last
one to recognize there is a problem
with his drinking.

“Admitting it, is something that
doesn’t come easy,
“Once admittance is
there and the person is willing to do
something then the help is there

“We talk about what happened in
our lives and how we are today,"’ he
said of the group therapy

The Castlegar group has between 50
and 60 active members.
week. The groups meet above the No matter how imany years an
alcoholic has stayed away from a
drink, he never recovers from
alcoholism, the member said

“He is only one drink away,’ he
You can take a drink and that’s

meets in Castlegar.
all walks of life.

the 14-year AA

alone.

exist without it.

what was happening,” he said

A support group for spouses of
alcoholics, known.as Al-Anon, also

He added that alcoholics come from

He said the alcoholic must decide on
his own to stop drinking. There are cer-
tain warning signs of alcoholism: wan-
ting to drink at a certain time of the
day, missing work due to drinking,
being sick more than normal from
drinking, financial difficulties, dif-
ficulties in Sleeping and drinking

The member said his drinking got to
the point where it affected his job and
controlled his life so much he couldn't

“There came a time that I didn’t like
“y
didn’t think I was as bad as some other

Kootenay,”’ Wilson said

But commission chairman Dave Newlands said: ‘The

point is that you can’t attribute an opinion to someone else

if you didn’t ask them

Couvelier says

VICTORIA (CP) — High interest
rates are hurting British Columbia
more than the rest of the country, says
provincial Finance Minister Mel
Couvelier

But the.B.C. economy
all the signs of overheating itself’ and
is ‘still a bit too warm i
ded, explaining thathe is in no position
to complain about the level of interest
rates

Couvelier said there is a shortage of
$kitted tabor, particularly in-construc

is- showing

Couvelier ac

Evans and Brook spent Thursday on the witness stand

while on Wednesday cross-examination of WKP panelists

Stu McKay and Brook wrapped up
The hearings continue next week at the

Uplander

Hotel and are open to the public

ion, leading to projects falling behind
schedule and coming in over budget
‘The construction industry has all it
can handle in terms of work,”* he said
So I cannot be very vocal in com
plaining.’
However, Couvelier_ said high in
est rates put B.C. at a double disad.
vantage
They put costs up generally because
it costs more to borrow money, and the
high rates keep the Canadian dollar
higtrinretation tothe U-S-dollas, hur

rates hurt B.C.

ting exports, he said

But Couvelier said it is federal
Finance Minister Michael Wilson who
is being hurt most by the high interest
rates because of the effect on the cost
of servicing the national debt

“There is a point at which he can no
longer endure the pain,”” Couvelier
said

‘Also, we-are getting dangerously
close to such a high rate that the
economy may be adversely affected, so
1am becoming more concerned."*

strengths and hopes with one
another,’’ the member said. He poin-
ted out that AA is not an organized
group. The only requirement for
membership is a desire to stop

Iv’s a disease you don’t recover
from. We re recovering alcoholics but
not recovered.’”

AA isa program of total abstinence
Members simply stay away from one
drink, one day at atime, he said

people so I didn’t look for help until 1
started looking for a better way of
living.””

His wife was attending Al-Anon and
mentioned an AA meeting to him. He
went and began his recovery

Trustees spouses cost jobs

NANAIMO, B.C. (CP) Two
school board trustees have been
disqualified after a county court judge
ruled they were in a conflict of interest
because their spouses worked for the
school district

Don Brown's wife is a teacher and
Randi Kocher’s husband is a vice
principal

Judge Kenneth Murphy ruled that
the-two-trustees, who were elected
Nov. 19, could not continue because
they have an indirect interest in school

district contracts under which their
spouses are covered

“1 could have had the petition
thrown out of court on an obvious
technicality (on timing),"" said Kocher
“The court acknowledged it. But T
chose to maintain the position of the
merit of the case.””

“It’s an important case that needs to
be clarified due to the ambiguity in the
School Act.”

Kocher said she is considering an
appeal

It was not immeditely clear what will

happen-to the close to-40-other schoot
trustees in British Columbia whose
spouses are employed in the district in

Park aided by snow job

KEEPING IT CLEAR

around the island.

. Don Chambers has been helping the Heritage
Society this winter by keeping the Zuckerberg Island bridge clear of
snow as well as shovelling the white stuff off tables and bench:

By JOHN CHARTERS

Not many people enjoy shovelling
snow, particularly ja the amounts
that we have been getting recently in
combination with the freezing tem
peratures

The paths around Zuckerberg
Island Heritage Park have been par
ticularly treacherous for regular
visitors. However, probably without
their being aware of it, their morning
exercise has been_made-much_easier
and more pleasant by a man who does
like shovelling the white stuff

Don Chambers has been rendering a
service to the Heritage Society
throughout thewinter by helping keep
the bridge clear and shovelling off the
tables and benches around the island
so visitors can sit and refresh them
selves or even hold a winter picnic

Chambers’ wife Sarah, meanwhile
helped prepare the Castlegar Rail
Station for what was a tremendously
successful Heritage Week with over
650 visitors in the seven days.

Teachers

lose bid

VANCOUVER (CP) — The provin
cial Industrial Relations Council has
ruled against two elementary school
teachers who did not want to join the
B.C. Teachers’ F

which they serve.

June Harrison, Nanaimo school
board chairman, said it was “‘a relief to
have a judgment one way or the other,
because we need to get on with our
work and put this aside.’”

The board must decide whether to
hold a byelection, appoint two new
trustees or apply to the Education
Mintstry-to-continue, with a seven
member board.

The B.C. School Trustees
Association plans to push the provin
cial government to come up with
clearer rules regarding conflict

“One piece of legislation should be
able to cover all elected bodies,"” said
Steve Bareham, the association's
communications manager

In memory

Joan Harper and Arlene Cook wan
ted a chance to go before the council to
argue that they should not have to be
members of the federation, the um
brella organization for the province's
teachers.

Before that hearing was able to take
place, the two were told they would be
fired if they didn’t join the federation
by late Friday afternoon.

So the pair went to the council to
have their firing delayed until their case
was heard

The federation president Don
Briard said council commissioner Paul
Devine turned them down. The two
then. joined the federation under

| has not set a date for the
pair’s final appeal

Anna Bignell

Anna Bignell of Castlegar passed away March 3 at Kiro Manor in
Trail at age 97

Mrs. Bignell was born May 20, 1891 at O’Brien, lowa. She moved as
a teenager with her parents to Hardisty, Alta. She married Milton Bignell
in Edmonton on Nov. 4, 1919.

She came to Castlegar in 1964. In 1969 she moved into the Kiro Manor
and lived there until her passing.

She is survived by two sons, Lloyd of Castlegar and Jim of Mission;
eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one browher, Walter Korth
of Rocky Mountain House, Alta.; two sisters, Edith Johnson of Alliance,
Alta., and Mabel Rombough of Alberta. She was predeceased by her
husban Milton; one son, Oram; and two nephews, Gerry and Cliffort

A family service was held and burial will be in Park Memorial
Cemetery, Castlegar

Funeral arrangements-were under the direction of the Castlegar
Funeral Chapel

‘Lis seaworthy ndw,”* Hartvigsen said

New offices for lawyers

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (AP) Orange County officials have
agreed to provide new offices for lawyers who made a stink over their
rodent-ridden office and its overpowering smell

Exterminators set out poison last week to kill the rats, rabbits and
snakes that burrowed beneath the trailer that housed the South Municipal
Court branch of the Public Defender’s Office.

Trouble was the vermin began dying inside the trailer’s floor and
walls :

The smell became so bad that the lawyers stopped taking new cases
and officials closed the office

County officials have decided to bulldoze the infested trailer and
bring in anew trailer, said Carl Holmes, the chief deputy public defender

“A happy lawyer is a rat-free lawyer,"” Holmes said. “It'll be nice to
get back to the business of representing our clients.””

Ex-adviser sentenced

WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert McFarlane, the former U.S.
national security adviser, became the first participant in the Iran-Contra
affair to be sentenced, receiving a $20,000 US fine and suspended prison
term

McFarlane, placed on two-yeats’ probation for misleading Congress
about covert U.S. support for the Nicaraguan rebels, will be a key
prosecution witness at the ongoing trial of his former aide Oliver North

Leaving the courthouse with his wife Jonda, McFarlane said the or
deal left him with ’’strong faith anda terrific wife anda free country

Crews repair racks ‘

VANCOUVER (CP) — Construction crews front B.C. Hydro were
working overtime this weekend to repair racks which catch debris fldating
into the Stave Falls dam near Mission, about 100 kilometres east of here:
The work forced Hydro to shut down four of the five generating units
at the 52-megawatt plant. Officials were also worried that reduced water
flow from the Stave River could affect fish-spawning areas downstream

Board being pressured

OLIVER, B.C. (CP) — Teachers in the Southern Okanagan School
District have decided to step up the pressure against the school board in
contract talks by withdrawing supervisory duties and some services, star
ting Monday

The decision came after a half-day study session by approximately
120 teachers, which left 2,200 students without classes on Friday

Teachers in Okanagan Falls, Oliver, and Osoyoos plan to withdraw
services'such as rcll call and refuse to supervise lunchtime and recess

Youth receives life term

PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. (CP) —|A 15-year-old Kispiox Indian
band member who sexually assaulted and then drowned the six-year-old
granddaughter of the band chief has been sentenced to life in prison for
second-degree murder

Keith Skulsh pleased guilty in B.C. Supreme Court and was senten
ced by Mr. Justice John Lander

Skulsh had been raised to adult court when a provincial court judge
ruled that a trial under the Young Offenders Act, with its maximum,
three-year sentence, would not provide adequate protection to society

The boy must serve 10 years before becoming eligible for parole

Stores petition Court

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. (CP) — Two supermarket chains have
asked B.C. Supreme Court to strike down a bylaw that restricts Sunday
shopping in the Cariboo city of Quesnel

Last month, Quesnel adopted a bylaw requiring stores to close at
noon Sunday, except convenience and drug stores smaller than 50 square
metres

Overwaitea Foods and Canada Safeway petitioned the Supreme
Court in separate actions, claiming Quesnel doesn’t have the power to
enact such legislation

Last December, B.C. Court of Appeal struck down the provincial
Holiday Shopping Regulation Act which let municipalities restrict shop:
ping on Sundays

Court hearings are scheduled for April

Ferry capsizes in river

DHAKA (AP) — A ferry carrying 200 people capsized in the Kancha
River in Bangladesh Saturday, and a news report said at least 20 people
died and about 100 were missing.

Police recovered 20 bodies and were trying to determine how many of
the missing drowned and how many swam to the banks of the fast-moving
river located about 135 kilometres south of Dhaka in southern
Bangladesh, United News of Bangladesh said.

The ferry, which was licensed to carry only 85 people, capsized
because it was carrying too many passengers and loaded with more than
11,000 kilograms of rice in sacks piled on the ferry’s deck, the news agency

| said

Good rock throwers

B event. The

Hayseeds, otherwi
Deschi

School District Country Curling and Hoedown Bonspiel winners were Myron and the
own as Myron and Heather Nichol, Barb Kinakin and Sandy

The OK Corral rink of Gord and Alexia Turner and Ed and Katrina Conroy won the

's and S's — Sherley and Bill Gorkoff and Bruce and Susan McPherson won the

C event while the Rotgut and the Muleskinners team of Lack Farrell, Cheryl Bonowicz and

David and Mary Healing took the D
Darlene Schultz and Darrell Stre!

event. The Barnyarders — Brenda Binni:
v had the best costumes. Nick Verigin won the door prize

Les and

of a return trip to Vancouver and a weekend at the Four Season Hotel for two pr sented by
Ron Armbruster of Time Air.

VANCOUVER (CP) — Chanting “‘choice
choice,”’ about 2,500 pro-choice supporters gathered-at
a downtown’ rally Saturday to show support for
organizers of an abortion clinic that has been hit by
protests and blockades since it opened late last year

Pro-choice spokesmen had urged supporters to
turn out in force for the rally, held as part of Inter
national Women’s Day, to counter anti-abortion ac-
tions that saw 102 people convicted last week of criminal
contempt of court charges.

They are to be sentenced Monday and the Crown
hasasked for jail sentences.

One hundred and five anti;abortionists were
arrested Feb. 7 when they blocked entrances to the only
free-standing abortion clinic in British Columbia in
defiance of a court injunction obtained-by the
Everywoman’s Health Centre. Three of them are to be
tried later

Marchers covered three downtown blocks before
converging at the downtown art gallery at noon to listen
to rousing speeches.

“Our rights will not be violated by a minority of
narrow-minded; -self-righteous--people,”’_Ald, Libby
Davies said to cheers from the crowd, a mix of women,

Pro-choice rally

fen and children. “*They want to impose their personal
views on every woman in this country and we say that
will not be allowed to happen.""

“This is a time to stand up and claim our equai
place in this community and in all communities,”
United Church minister Linda Ervin said to cheers from
the crowd

“We want-no-new laws... for abortion,” Irvin
said. ‘‘We want economic justice. We want social
justice.""

The Vancouver abortion clinic has been the site of a
number of protests since it officially opened Nov. 4

“We are committed to defend the Everywoman’s
Health Centre and today we are demanding full funding
for our clinic as a legitimate medical service for
women,’’ said Davies

The provincial medical plan is covering only the
doctor's fee for an abortion at the clini¢, not the other
related costs, although it fully funds abortions done in
hospitals.

Nearly 40 protesters who face sentences Monday
were spending their fourth weekend in jail after electing
to remain in custody rather than promise to stay away
from the clinic

Train collision kills 2

LONDON (AP) — Two people were killed and up to
50 injured when two passenger trains collided outside Lon
don Saturday, sending carriages careening into the gardens
of trackside homes, authorities and witnesses said

Authorities said one train hit the back of the other near
the Purley station in Surrey, on the southern outskirts of
the British capital

One train remained on the track but seven cars from
the other fell down an embankment into the gardens, the
Fire Brigade said

There was no indication anyorie was hurt in the
houses, but firefighters had to cut dozens of passengers free
from the wreckage.

There were conflicting reports on the number of
casualties.

London Ambulanée first said up to. five people were
believed dead, and the Fire Brigade said there were three
dead and 40 injured

But the Fire Brigade later put the toll at two dead and
50 injured, and British Rail said two died and 32 were in.
jured. Several hours after the crash, British Rail said all but
one person had been evacuated from the wreckage

A spokesman for British Rail Southern Region said it
appeared that one train, travélling north to London from

INQUIRY'S PROGRESS

Horsham, West Sussex, had been crossing from the local
line to a fast track when it collided with a train bound for
London, from Littlehampton, on the south coast of
England

“We presume at this stage that the other (Littleham:
pton) train was already on the fast lane but we do not know
how they impacted,”’ the spokesman said

On Dec. 12, a three-train érash near London's
Clapham Junction station, about 15 kilometres to the nor
th of today’s accident, killed 35 people. Railway officials
blamed malfunctioning signals for that crash

In Saturday's accident, one train ran into the back of
another, plowed to one side, and slid down the steep-em=
bankment, Fire Brigade divisional officer lan Park said
Seven carriages ‘‘slid away and turned over,"’ he said

Samantha Muggeridge, 16, who was waiting on the
Purley platform said: ‘*A slow train was coming toward
Purley station. A faster one came up behind it and seemed
to clip the back of it. Three carriages from the first train
rolled down the embankment and others stayed on the
tracks but they were twisted and titled. There was a very
loud crash after the collision followed by an eerie silence
Then doors of the train started to open and there were

shouts frominside the carriages

Minister satistied

VANOUVER (CP) — The federal

nment's role will be active

government -wants-to- stop—“people
drugging and killing themselves for the
sake of sport,”’ federal Sports Minister

‘They're going to continue to apply
but—during- the-proceedings—of—the
inquiry, we're going to let Mr. Justice
(Charles) Dubin do his work, accom

Track and field coach Charlie Fran
cis named 13 athletes, including star

sprinter Ben Johnson, in testimony

Jean Charest said

Charest said he is satisfied at the
progress of the Dubin inquiry but
declined to comment more specifically
on the sensational testimony generated
at the royal commission

“What I can Say is that the Dubin
inquiry is proceeding in a way and ina
fashion that satisifies us,’’ he told
reporters.

“What is happening before the
inquiry is what we were hoping would
happen
comment on that evidence until all of it
has been heard, until all of the: wit
nesses have been completely heard

“There are reputations at -stake
That is the only reason we do not wish
to comment on the day-to-day
proceedings of the commission.

Charest made his comments after at
tending a news conference with

+ Provincial Education Minister Stan
Hagen to announce a summer jobs
program for students.

The minister did defend the gover
nment’s actions in attacking the
problem of drugs in sports.

“Our rules are there,’

but it is not proper for me to

he said.

plish the mandate that | gave him to
start off with and then we'll reach to it
when he submits his recommen
dations.””

“Then is when the federal gover

this week as having taken performan:
ge-enlrancing drugs
heard

testimony of steroid use in the sport of

The inquiry has also

weightlifting

Friends of missing
boaters still hope

VANCOUVER (CP) Friends and
relatives of five Canadian boaters
migsing in the South Caribbean since
December have not given up hope,
despite an RCMP investigation that
concluded they were lost at sea

“1 still have hope and | will carry
that for a long time," said Margaret
Leach, mother of Frances Eger, one of
the missing

Eger, a 46-year-old Vancouver
schoolteacher, was on a holiday with
real estate ageni Bill O'Brien, 44, her
son Acton, 18, daughter Vija, 19, and

Vija’s friend Jonathan Deitcher, 20, of
Toronto

They were on a one-day excursion
from St. Vincent on a speedboat skip
pered by American Danny Sorren, 31,
when they disappeared Dec. 30,

The RCMP, investigating a charge
that the boaters were victims of a drug’
related kidnapping, said they found no
evidence to support the theory

The RCMP, which sent two officers
to the istands of St. Vincent and Mar
tinique to investigate the allegations,
said it now has officially concluded
that the group was lost at sea

Rushdie
- assured
of support

LONDON (AP) The British
government assured novelist Salman
Rushdie of its unwavering support
Saturday, and Iran suggested London
could defuse the crisis over Rushdie's
new novel by banning the ‘book and
prosecuting the writer

The Indian-born British author
questioned government support for
him Friday after Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher and Foreign
Secretary Sir Georffrey Howe ‘said
Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses
has offended some Britons as well as
Muslims.

Tehran radio welcomed their
statements Saturday but demanded
Britain take ‘concrete action.”

“The British government, by accep-
ting that the book is insulting, Cannot
object to the death sentence on the
writer, which has been issued in line
with Sharia (Islamic law),”’ it said

Britain has repeatedly demanded
Iran’s Islamic patriarch, Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini, rescind his Feb
14 death sentence on Rushdie for
writing the novel, which some say in
sults Islam

The Foreign Office reiterated
Saturday that Britain will not discuss
the Rushdie affair with Iraq until the
death threat is withdrawn

Rushdie, 41, who was born into a
Muslim family in India, is in hiding in
Britain.

On Friday he telephoned the office
of Paddy Ashdown, leader of the cen-
trist_ Social and Liberal Democratic
party, and said he was worried about
the commitment of the government's
support for him.

POSITION UNCHANGED

Asked to comment Saturday on
Rushdie’s misgivings, Thatcher said
“I want to say that the government has
not changed its position at all on this

Home Secretary Douglas Hurd,
who joined Thatcher at a Conservative
party conference in London, was
asked about reports that Rushdie fears
he might lose his continued police

protection

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP)
Washington state apples are showing

Sales of

signs of decline in the wake of a report
linking a chemical used on the apples
to cancer in children, industry officials
said

The apple industry was preparing to
counterattack with advertising ‘and
public relations blitzes.

Gov. Booth Gardner came to the
Washington

defense of apples

declaring: *‘Washington apples and
apple products are safe, they're
nutritious and they taste great

The furor was sparked by the use of
Alar, one of several chemicals that a
group called the Natural Resources
Defense Council said last_week in
creased the cancer risk in children.

The U.S.-based group said trace
amounts pf the chemicals could be
responsible for vancers in one out of
every 3,000 American children

Alar, the marketing name for
daminozide, is sprayed on trees'to keep
the apples from falling before they're
fully ripe. That produces more color
and crispness and a longer shelf life