Wednesday, July 8, 1992 a OurWiEWwS Sihota gets desperate abor Minister Moe Sihota is getting desperate. How else can you explain his latest manoeuvre? Pulling one out of the too little, too late file, the Labor Minister is calling on an already-frustrated Vince Ready to perform a miracle. Monday, Sihota asked the seasoned negotiator to come up with nonbinding recommendations that will help bring the 23-day-old pulp and paper dispute to an end. Good luck. Ready clearly has his work cut out for him. After all, he has already met with the warring sides three times, only to dismiss the parties from the room and himself from the forced- mediation process. If Sihota believes Ready is going to bring an end to the financially- crippling pulp shutdown, he is in for a major disappointment. By asking Ready to come up with ‘nonbinding recommendations,’ he is asking him to build a card house and live init. _ The government must get serious with the pulp shutdown if it expects a AdrianRAESIDE It’s nice to see British Government keeps WHE THE DOGIOR IS ON STRIKE. OR THIS IS THE USUAL. WAITING PERIOD. 5 us guessing New Democratic support, Columbia politics never change. Take Friday, for example. With all the courage of a cowardly lion, the New Democratic government used the last sitting of the spring session to flex its political might: Ignoring the pleas of outraged doctors, the NDP passed two controversial Castlegar gets next to nothing to rejoice in. Sure, the government gave us $3.3 million to help with the much- needed downtown revitalization project, but then it turned around and told us the Castlegar- Robson bridge wouldn’t be built. So crucial is the bridge @ Wodnesday, July 8, 1992 The News Please address all letters to: Letters to the Editor Other VIEWS Letters coWHE EDITO R Your paper’s first report (June 24) on the recent graduation ceremonies at Stanley Humphries was a complete whitewash: anyone reading it would conclude that nothing unusual or controversial happened. For the graduates who know otherwise it must have been very educational to observe the local award- winning newspaper ignore the news. The lesson on how to behave as an adult that your paper offered to the graduates was: if the truth hurts, deny it. Your second attempt at covering the story (front page, July 1) which concentrated on the valedictorian being “expelled” from the ceremony does not rectify the situation. What about the rumors that the valedictorian actually delivered a speech at the event, that he was backed up by a number of parents who told SHSS principal David Hogg in no uncertain terms that his will was not going to prevail in this situation, and that a sizable minority of students The News blows grad coverage perhaps, shown by any student when on stage during the ceremony? There may be a link between these events at the grad ceremony and the Police activity that occurred later. One theory ‘I'll be taking a long hard look at the police, the principal and the newspaper editor, and I’ll be wondering what the real facts are.’ — David Lewis present were thinking about open defiance by way of calling as a group during the ceremony for the principal to let the valedictorian speak? What did some students give to principal David Hogg in exchange for their diplomas? Was anything else other than a proud face (as reported by your newspaper), undergarments which suggests itself to me is that the principal imposed a punishment which was too draconian given the circum: ces because he needed to deny his failure to provide adequate supervision at the decoration of the Community Complex, a failure which had led to the drinking incident. He saw widespread evidence at the grad ceremony that his folly had led to an erosion of respect for his authority. Fearing for his job, which depends on the degree that he can instill respect for authority in the student body, he compounded his mistake and asked the police to demonstrate that authority still exists to the students on the way to the after-grad by removing all their alcohol. If next year’s after-grad goes underground and some kids are killed because adults are not able to supervise the transportation arrangements, I won’t be buying the line that the kids are irresponsible. I'll be taking a long hard look at the police, the principal and the newspaper editor, and Pll be wondering what the real facts are. David Lewis Crescent Valley Proud to be an American in Canada fair resolution to be found. Sihota can’t | medical service bills which Harrison to the project, our Custieget Hews Lak pedud of ia} Canndlan Mads and Burt Campbell Publisher Emeritus LV. Campbell Aug. 7, 1947- Feb. 15, 1973 <= ask Ready to make nonbinding recommendations, knowing full-well that the first gust of wind will collapse any hopes for a settlement. strike he must get off the fence and demand a return to the collective bargaining process. And in doing so, Moe Sihota must stop hiding behind If Sihota wants an end to this costly’ s.D. HARRISON capped salaries and removed an already-agreed- Comparison downtown revitalization committee is going ahead to $25 million pension plan. So much for fair negotiation. Let’s face it, in the three-plus months the New Democrats have ruled the legislature, they've managed to make more than a few people wonder what’s up. Why, I have to ask myself if the Social Credit government ever left. the likes of Vince Ready. Our province depends on it. \ Speaking purely from a Castlegar perspective, the NDP gets a failing grade. Think about it, after years of undaunting with Phase 1 of the three- phase transformation with the hopes that our stingy government sees the errors of its - ways. I wish them luck, but I’m led to believe that in two years time we still won't be seeing a bridge. And with that in mind, what ever happened to our ferry? You know, the one that Mike Harcourt promised to resurrect if elected? please see HARRISON page 7 Streef TALK Christina Evdokimoff Castlegar “They've done a pretty good job so far.” Question: How would you rate the NDP’s performance thus far? Bob Wood Kimberley Kevin Shersty Castlegar “It’s still too early ’t done Bisbee A ty to tell.” any worse than anyone else.” Tammy Foard Castlegar “Pd say pretty bad.” Mike Crowe Castlegar “I think it’s been an adequate performance.” P.O. Box 3007 Castlegar, B.C. V1N 3H4 or deliver them to 197 Columbia Ave. Letters should be typewritten, double-spaced and not longer than 300 words. Letters MUST be signed and include the writer's first and last names, address and a telephone number at which the writer can be reached between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The writer's name and city or town of residence only will be published. Only in exceptional cases will letters be published anonymously. Even in those cases, the name, address and phone number of the writer MUST be disclosed to the editor. The News reserves the right to edit letters for . brevity, clarity, legality, grammar and taste. acquaintances. Independence Day, the 4th of July, has come and gone 10 times since I’ve lived in Canada. I am a U‘S. citizen, granted permanent residence status, living in the City of Castlegar. I have occasionally been the recipient of some very unkind remarks about Americans. In the past, I have allowed these remarks to blur my vision about Canada and Canadians. This year, to celebrate July 4th, I decided to make the following gesture. My wonderful Canadian wife and I invited about 60 of our Canadian friends and acquaintances to a get-together at our home. Almost all our invited guests arrived and we had a very nice time. These Canadians brought with them gifts of American flags, cakes decorated with Canadian and American flags, star spangled decorations, red, white and blue balloons and a great spirit that not even a rainstorm could dampen. This was a Fourth of July celebration I will always cherish. Thank you Canada for allowing me to live here. Thank you to all who made me feel welcome to live here. Larry Weinert Castlegar Harrison continued from page 6 : The humble looking vessel could be just what this community needs to help ease our traffic burdens. And unlike the bridge which carries a $23.5 million price tag, the Robson ferry would cost $200,000 to set up and another $250,000 a year to run. That’s just a drop in the bucket when you consider this same frugal government agreed to repaint the Paulson Bridge for a mere $1.267 million. Makes sense, doesn’t it? The good times don’t end there, however. The province appears hell- bent on seeing even more trucks meander through our traffic- laden biways. In response to a near-fatal accident in Warfield, the Transport Ministry wants to reroute loaded trucks from the Warfield hill through Castlegar. Oh well, what’s an extra 50 trucks a day to Castlegar. While it’s true the NDP can't be blamed for the Warfield hill woes, the government certainly isn’t scoring any points in Castlegar where truck traffic is at a premium. Another New Democrat blunder was they way it handled the sale of Westar Timber Ltd. While the actual sale of the sawmill to Pope and Talbot was a formality, the way the government handled the transfer of Tree Farm Licence No. 23 was shameful. In its quest for fair and open discussions, the government left 280 workers and their families in limbo. These families watched their fates unfold at a snail’s pace, relying on rumor and speculation when ‘honest answers were required. Moving to the labor front, the NDP has failed miserably in its effort to bring peace to our often troubled province. If you ask me, the so-called left wing government is taking the path of moderation to the delight of no one. Take Moe Sihota, for example. The Labor Minister promised to revamp controversial Bill 19 to ensure B.C.’s trade unionists would have the right to erect what they term as ‘fair picket lines.’ With all the flair of a pre- election promise, Sihota said he would dump thé Socred-bill by the end of the first sitting. Much to the chagrin of the province’s 12,000 striking pulp workers, he didn’t. Personally, I’m not for or against any changes in the labor code, I simply want Sihota to live up to his word. Nothing more, nothing less. I know there are some who will be shocked to see a yahoo like myself grading their party, but I have to. The NDP promised us so much, yet delivered so little. It leads me to _ that nothing has ed. I may be giving the New Democrats a failing grade for its first session, but it’s with the hope that things will change. And by change, I want the government to treat Castlegar with the respect it deserves. Honest answers for honest people.