wid an UtiliCorp wants gas division In The Vancouver Sun The Belzberg family is linking up with UtiliCorp United Inc., Kansas City, Mo,, to bid for B.C. Hydro’s gas division. UtiliCorp president Richard Green told shareholders at the company’s annual meeting in Kansas City that UtiliCorp “intends to submit a bid with First City Financial Corp., Ltd., headed by Samuel Belzberg of Vancouver for the natural gas distribution division of the British Columbia division as long as it is run efficiently,” said Canarim I " uk..“It" of service.” “i Pp Stephen Semeni- regulated utility and rates are controlled by cost UtiliCorp has been on an acquisition binge in recent years buying several U.S. utilities. It's also a known quantity in B.C. having bought West Kootenay Power and Light for $80 million from Cominco last sy Cast News * as May 6, 1988 Unemployment rate drops By CasNews Staff Trail Canada Employment The unemployment rate in Centre told the Castlegar the West Kootenay fell sharply in April, S News Friday. Canada reported this week. The rate for the area that includes Castlegar, Creston, Nelson, Nakusp, Revelstoke and Salmon Arm fell from 21,1 in March to 17.2 last month. It marks the first time the jobless rate has dropped below the 20-per- cent level this year, “Things are a good deal better,” a spokesman at the », he is “We're not booming yet.” The unemployment rate for the” area that includes Trail, Grand Forks and much of the Okanagan fell 1.2 per cent, from 18 per cent in March to 11.8 per cent in April. The rate for the province as a whole fell to 10.8 per cent in April. RCMP suicide questioned By The Canadian Press — A Burnaby RCMP corporal who died Thursday after shooting himself with his service revolver was the eighth RCMP member stationed in British Columbia to commit suicide in the last six years. Four of those have been from the detachment in this Vancouver suburb. The Burnaby detachment is the second-largest in the province with 221 members. Staff Sgt. Fred Pachal said Thursday the death of Cpl. Robert William Woolf, 39, a 17-year veteran, was not work-related. “Any relationship toa duty factor has been ruled out or eliminated totally,” Pachal said, Woolf, a Trail native, was on vacation and not due BURNABY back at work until next Tuesday when he shot himself at his North Vancouver home Wednesday night. He died in hospital shortly afterward without regaining conscious. ness. District coroner Dianne Messier said Woolf died from a single self-inflieted gunshot wound. Messier said a police officer friend of Woolf's was with him when he shot himself. She said she was still investigating and hadn't decided whether she would call an inquest or an inquiry. Dr. Ed Kramer, a psychologist hired in 1985 to initiate in-house counselling programs for the 3,600 members stationed in\B.C.'s136 RCMP detachments, said he would review Woolf's death. He said he doesn't know how to explain the four recent suicides involving Burnaby members. “I haven't got’ any evidence to suggest there is something unique about Burnaby to make somebody more likely to commit suicide there than anywhere else,” Kramer said. Kramer said he will report his findings to acting chief RCMP psychologist Dr. Dan Lee in Ottawa and to management officials in B.C. Woolf was promoted to corporal when transferred to Burnaby from North Vancouver 18 months ago, He was one of three supervisors responsible for 21 uniformed constables in the general investigations section. Hydro and Power Authority.” The Belzbergs control First City Financial Corp. If selected, Green said UtiliCorp would retain 50 per cent of the gas division with the rest being sold to the public. Sam Belzberg couldn't be reached for comment and First City spokesman Jane Vincent said First City “hadn't any additional information.” year. “The UtiliCorp/First City bid has got to be a strong P one,” added Edgar. “UtiliCorp is already a known quantity because of the West Kootenay Power and Light hearings before the B.C. Utilities Commission.” The provincial government is scheduled to announce the successful bid in June. Other contenders are Inland Natural Gas~Co.-Ltd., Vancouver and Inter-City Gas Corp. of Toronto. There are also indications that Hongkong Gas will make a bid for Hydro’s gas division. Hydro’s gas system, which has a rate base of about $580 million, serves 385,000 customers in the greater Vancouver Castlegar council pleads poverty By CasNews Staff Castlegar council pleaded “The bid doesn't surprise me,” said Pemberton Securities Ltd.'s utility analyst Garth. Edgar. “It's a favorable marriage of UtiliCorp's expertise in managing regulated utilities and First City’s expertise in finance.” Edgar said it makes sense for First City which has been have to increase residential property taxes by 2.6 per said he spoke to Couvelier about the need to stabilize industrial assessments. AMBASSADOR'S RECEPTION . . . Stephen Lewis, Canada's dmbassador to the United Nations, chats with the people who attended his speech and UN ambassador supports hold on By BRENDAN NAGLE Staff Writer Canada's ambassador to the United Nations says he will question the federal External Affairs Ministry ona recent deal in which Cominco tried to send raw materials to South Africa. Stephen Lewis said trade with South Africa in any commodity is wrong. The export of indium, germanium and antimony to the University of Pretoria was put on hold following an investigation by External Affairs. The South Africans say the goods are to be used in non-military applications, but the export shipment was halted following allegations made in the House of ‘Cominco shipment question and answer period Thursday at) the Brilliant Cultural Centre. CosNewsPhoto Commons that some of the materials would be used for military purposes. When asked about the shipment, Lewis said he was unsure of the deal and couldn't offer an answer, but did give his opinion. “If I had my druthers, I would wish that all trade import/export was cut off with South Africa,” he said. “I think that the Canadian economy can survive and most businesses — which is important — can survive whether its in the primary or secondary sectors without having to trade with that government.” Lewis said it is important for Canada to increase its economic sanctions against South Africa. Canada plays a leadership role amongst Commonwealth nations he said and in the future Canada may even have totut diplomatic ties with the apartheid regime. Severing diplomatic ties would deal a severe blow to that country and it is an option he can see Canada using a few years from now. Putting the most recent Cominco export shipment on hold is the right thing to do Lewis said and he added he will start asking questions of his own concerning the metals shipment. “Now I will find out more about it,” Lewis said. “Maybe asking questions will encourage people to maintain the hold.” chairman Gordon Turner is resting at home following a 80.” heart attack last week. during the night May 5 with chest pains but didn’t want to believe he was having a heart attack. — that kind of thing,” he said. anxious to diversify. But he said First City needed a partner with utility experience if it is to mount a successful bid. “I don't think it really matters who gets Hydro’s gas in Castlegar where he is the head of the Languages and board Literature department and “think about it for a day or By BONNE MORGAN Staff Writer Castlegar school “Instead of turning to go to said he awoke the college, I turned to go to the hospital.” Turner He ended up in the Castle- gar and District Hospital in the intensive care unit for a few days. “I was thinking heartburn Turner said he propped Turner said he is still not himself up on pillows and forced himself to stay awake. “I thought I'd better not lie down.” Turner was still undecided whether to go to the hospital sure how much damage was done to his heart and will go to Vancouver for tests to de- termine whether diet and exercise is the proper course the next day. So he went to of treatment, or whether he Agatha Christie novels, but area. B.C. Energy Minister Jack Davis said the gas division could bring up to $800 million when sold. Chairman recovering “It was mainly a minor heart attack of sorts,” said Turner. He said he plans to get serious about changing his lifestyle. Turner said he hasn't had heart problems before, but had recently noticed he “was tired all the time” and had been told by a friend that hé “was looking rather sick.” Turner says he is feeling “quite good” and is catching up on his reading. “I read seven novels in five days. I picked a whole bunch of light stuff,” he said, adding he has always wanted to read GORDON TURNER go to work at Selkirk College requires surgery. has never had the time. LEWIS continued from front page tions assembly in New York. He will be in his position until August when he leaves to begin lecturing at the Uni versity of Toronto. “It is a pleasure to serve at the United Nations,” he told the crowd in an hour-long presentation. “It gives me a chance at providing input to fashion blueprints for future generations.” Lewis said the main concern he has is for the Third World and developing mations which are in debt to western nations for loans and services. He cited @ recent report on the state of the globe's natural environment called the Bruntland Commission Report and said the outcome of that study — which said the world’s natural environment should be more cared for in the way world industries eat up resources — means nothing until the globe's poor, home. less and starving communities are looked after. “Until you do something about poverty, everything else is just rhetor- ie,” the ambassador told the crowd from behind the podium on the stage. “Until you address the issue of poverty, then don’t talk to us about other issues.” Lewis went to great lengths to des. cribe his forays into the destitute countries on the African continent and how 45 of the 50 countries there are the poorest on earth. “For three to 3'2 years I've watched the African continent,” he said. “It cently. A recent push for disarmament and development has led to 158 nations agreeing on there actually being a problem in these areas. It was an agreement Lewis said was tough to realize because of the more than obvious conflict involved. “The western nations spend billions of dollars on defence and were not ready to admit that the money spent on the nuclear arms race could be used to help developing nations,” Lewis said. “But on the other side, those same wasn’t until the tel cameras drove the point home in Ethiopia that the money so desperately needed for that area finally came in,” he said of that country’s famine in 1984. Lewis linked the arms race, poverty, and the debts that developing nations owe to western nations in a giant vicious eircle which he says has been going around and around until re- ping nations were spending more money on military budgets than education and health care combined.” The $1.8 million per minute the world spends on nuclear weapons could easily conquer world hunger, disease and poverty he told the crowd. “It's the obscenity of the compari- sons that makes so much sense,” he said. Local Liberal supports Turner GARRY JENKINS -.. Supports Turner Restaurant patrons poisoned Public Seclusion ice investi gating a rash of food poisonings at 4 €asth restaurant last week. TURNER continued from front page bother him. “Nothing really phases me these days,” he said. But Turner found some humor in all the turmoil within his party and joked: “When I last looked at it, I was leading a great national party.” The students were hesitant at first to go to the microphones on the floor and ask the Liberal leader questions so he broke the ice for the students. “Don't pay attention to all the media,” Turner. said of the five TV cameras and hordes of national report ers on hand rote visit. “They want to see if I'm still breathing.” Turner left Rossland for the Castle- gar Airport where he finally met with reporters to answer some questions. Expansion of Cominco by way of legitimate incentives and research, and maintaining flow-through shares on mining were two ideas Turner offered for improving the economy in the Kootenays. “Of course we've always believed in maintaining the flow-through shares on mining,” Turner said. “Mr. Wilson (Michael Wilson, the Conservative minister of finance) and his so-called reform package took that away from the mining industry.” Turner also said the lumber indus. try is a key to the area and his party will make Canadian lumber more com petitive in the United States should the Liberals get elected. “Lumber under this proposed trade agreement that Mr. Mulroney signed with president Reagan of the United States is potentially disasterous for the Kootenays and the lumber industry here,” Turner said. “That 15-per-cent export tax which is making Kootenay and British Columbia lumber less com- petititve in the American market has now been rendered permanent within the scope of that agreement with the United States.” Turner said Cominco is already so dominant in the U.S. market it doesn't require any assistance from a free- trade agreement, “The company is already Pearson years, the Trudeau years and we allowed our Western bases to evap- orate.” But Turner said he is confident the Liberal party — both provincial and federal — will become a strong force in the province again. He said the recent Supreme Court ruling on abortion should be dealt with in an unbiased way and that the opinions of the members of Parliament , should not get in the way of the law. Ironically, it was Turner, who as Minister of Justice in 1969 under Pierre Trudeau, introduced the law that was recently struck down. “When I was Minister of Justice I had the responsibility for the law which was recently struck down,” he said. “In 1969 I had to face the country and without free trade,” Turner said. “We've never needed free trade for our metals here.” The federal and provincial Liberal parties have not been too dominant in Western Canada in the last 20 years, but with the recent success o.f the provincial Liberal party in Manitoba “the word Liberal is no longer a dirty word in western Canada,” he said. When asked why the Liberals have been so weak in British Colimbia, Turner quipped: “Because I've been away so long.” But he added: “Western Canada was neglected by the federal Liberal party for 20 years in the latter reach an on the then state of the law. This government under Mr. Mulroney has the same res- ponsibility and should face up to it.” He added his party accepts the judgment. “We accept that judgment. We won't try to restore the law or enact on the law by setting aside the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” Turner said. “The primary responsibility is federal, not provincial, because we have to ensure the quality of treatment across the country.” He algo added that there must be an assurance that abortion not be used as a form of birth control. “There have been outbreaks of a type of food poisoning,” Dr. Monty Arnott, medical health officer for the Central Kootenay Health Unit, con firmed Friday. However, Arnott would not disclose the name of the restaurant, nor how many people were affected. He would only say “large numbers of people” have reported the symptoms associ- ated with food poisoning. But the Castlegar News has learned that as many as 60 people may have been poisoned over two or three days beginning May 5. Arnott said the people reported experiencing vomiting and diarrhea. By BRENDAN NAGLE Staff Writer The Liberal party hopeful for the Kootenay-West-Revelstoke federal riding says the recent events within the federal Liberal party amount to nothing more than an attempt to “stab” leader John Turner in the back. Rossland Ald. Garry Jenkins, who accompanied the federal Liberal leader Friday during his visit to the West Kootenay, also said the party is be- coming stronger out west because of the party in-fighting going on in Eastern Canada. Jeakins, who needs a little more than 200 names on his nomination list to get the right to run in the next federal election, said Turner's visit, as well as the recent controvery surrounding the federal Liberal leader, will help bring out more Liberals. “The controversy has helped too, it's put Liberals in the people's minds,” Jenkins said. “We should rally behind the leader and not try stabbing him in the back. There's a lot of sympathy in the west because of all the in-house fighting that’s been going on.” Jenkins said Turner's visit was mostly social and the two did not discuss policy. “This mostly was a social visit,” he said. “It seemed to go a long ways to buoying the spirits of the local Liberals and hopefully will get the Liberal party going in this area again.” Jenkins said he hopes the Quebec wing of the party will fall into line and stop making so much trouble for the embattled Turner because of an impending election. “With an election campaign coming in the next while I'd like to see some unanimity in the party,” Jenkins said. “But if you try and run an open party you're going to accept that some people don't like your leadership. “I think the Liberals in this area are solidly behind Mr. Turner,” he added. When asked about a date for an upcoming election Jenkins said he was preparing for a fall federal election. “I personally believe there's going to be a fall election but even if there isn't a fall election it'll do the party good to get in shape for an election which has to be held anyways by the summer of "99." Jenkins said he will be ready for an election following the B.C. Liberal convention in Vancouver, which ends y- “It’s my intention to start preparing for an election campaign as soon as this convention in Vancouver is over this weekend.” FERRY. continued from front pege Couvelier during his meeting with council Saturday morning. » no one was h He said the restaurant's name is confidential because making it public might ruin its business. “We have to be very careful,” Arnott said, adding later: “We see food poisonings . . . happening all the time .. . it’s not that unusual.” He noted that a large number of people were recently hit with food poisoning at a Neison “It may not necessarily be a res- taurant’s fault,” he added. He pointed out there have been instances where restaurants have served ham that was processed else- where and the meat was tainted. In that case, the restaurant can't be blamed, he said. “We're not there to jump on people. We're there to prevent it from happén- ing.” » about 85 Robson area residents gathered in the Robson Hall Thursday evening to hear what actions the local ad hoc committee has taken and to map out strategy. As they entered the hall, residents were asked to sign a petition pro testing the provincial government move and given individual letters to sign and mail to Highways Minister Stephen Rogers. Committee member Fred Stroes said more than 1,000 names have been collected on the petition, which will begin circulating in Castlegar this week. Another 200 individual letters have also been sent. “We'll be doing what we've been doing until we hear Stephen Rogers has done what we're asked,” said Stross. Vanderpol told the crowd the next step will be to prepare a brief to present to Rogers. He said the committee will be sitting down with Castlegar council, the Castlegar Cham- ber of Commerce and the Castlegar and District Development Board to prepare the brief. Vanderpol warned that he fears the Castlegar-Robson ferry will be just the beginning if it is removed and that other inland ferries will be next. “If we give in and roll over, then the others will go as well,” he said. Vanderpol stressed that he intends to ask that the province not only continue operating the ferry, but that the ferry return to its original sched- ule. Four years ago the ferry’s hours were reduced in a bid to save money. One resident expressed concern that the removal of the ferry will affect house prices in Robson. Another said the ministry will have éffectively moved his home 13. kilometres away from Ci if the ferry is MEETS COUNCIL . . . Provincial Finance Minister Mel Couvelier (right) met with Castlegar council yesterday during his visit to the area. Couvelier discussed finan- COUVELIER continued from front page But Couvelier said the Partners. in ‘Tourism program was cut because it was being “abused.” “It was being perceived as a crutch,” he told the chamber. Couvelier said the program was initiated to help regions “pull toge- ther.” And since that has happened, the program isn't necessary anymore. “It was never meant to be an ongoing Program”, he said. “It was being abused. It had been in place so long it had become a lifestyle.” Couvelier said Tourism Minister Bill Reid is looking at developing new rules for the program where the province might provide 40 per cent of the funds and the private sector 60 per cent. Couvelier also said the province is ces with the council as Albert Calderbank and Audrey Moore looked on. CosNewsPhoto by Ron Norman trying to return Tourism Ministry spending to “pre-Expo” levels. However, chamber vice-president Jim Craig pointed out that the ministry should look at allocating funding ac cording to the needs of each region. He said the West Kootenay has an unemployment rate of 17.7 per cent, so a reduction in this region has a greater impact than it may have elsewhere in B.C. where the jobless situation is better. “I think it's a real concern to our area,” Craig said, adding later: “It causes sort of a negative feeling in our community.” But Couvelier ruled out providing funding according to regional dispar ities. He said the federal government has taken that route and it has only made the poorer regions “more de- pendent” on government, programs. Craig also pressed Couvelier on the issue of taxing B.C. Hydro dams along the Columbia River. He said the feeling is that the province is taking resources from the area without adequate compensation. Couvelier only replied: “I'd like to think on that.” The Castlegar and District Devel- opment Board asked for Couvelier's support for the Keenleyside dam gen erating project. While he wouldn't commit himself, Couvelier pointed out that the Castle. gar council also mentioned the dam project in its talks with him. “You see these bloodied ears?” he joked. “I've just been worked over pretty good here.” poverty during its meeting Saturday with provincial Fi nance Minister Mel Couvel. ier. Council told Couvelier in a meeting held behind closed doors that the city's revenues are shrinking while its costs are increasing. In an interview following the meeting, Ald. Terry Rogers told the Castlegar News that the provincial government's deregulation of. the natural gas industry means the City of Castlegar will lose $65,000 in franchise fees paid by Inland Natural Gas. Rogers said the franchise fees will drop from $130,000 this year to $65,000 by 1989-90. In order for the city to make that up, it would cent, he said. Rogers pointed to other municipal revenues which have dropped this year, such as the provincial revenue sharing grant. That fell $10,000 and will require a .5 per cent increase in property taxes. Similarly, a municipal i- quor tax which averaged more than $9,000 a year in 1985 and 1986 has been elim inated because of a court ruling. That will mean ano- ther half per cent hike in property taxes, Rogers said. He said he tried to make Couvelier understand that these changes “really hurt a small municipality our size.” “They're nickle and diming us to death.” Ald. Lawrence Chernoff He said assessment ap. peals by industry are costing the city hundreds of thou. sands of dollars. Chernoff also suggested Couvelier look at a new for- mula for providing munici: palities with funds, replacing the present revenu ring grant. Ald. Albert Calderbank noted that while revenues are shrinking, costs are ris. ing. The increase in the provin cial Medical Services Asso- ciation fee will cost the city $4,400 this year, while the province is charging the city $6,300 this year just to dump its treated sewage into the Columbia River. “And yet we're still trying TERRY ROGERS nues shrinking to maintain our tax levels at a reasonable rate,” Calderbank said. Disabled have potential By BONNE MORGAN Staff Writer A committee representing the disabled in Castlegar told provincial government representatives Thursday the proposed Premier's Advisory Council for Persons With a Disability has great potential. “The Premier's Advisory Council has the potential to be a really dynamic force for policy change in the province,” said Catherine LaFortune of the Castlegar Abilities Awareness Advisory Committee. The eight-member steering committee made up of representatives of different areas of government services heard submissions on the format, structure and working relationships of the council during a public meeting at the Sandman Inn. Presenters said the council should work towards increasing communication with and between all the different groups which serve the handicapped. “For too long, services for the disabled people have been fragmented and uncoordinated,” said Jan Lindsey, coordinator of the adult special education program at Selkirk College. “It would be a disservice to disabled people to simply create another level of government bureaucracy,” she said. LaFortune suggested the council be made up of some members of the President’s Council of Associations, an NAKUSP continued from front page Stanley said the first indication he had that water levels will be below normal for the summer was the steps Hydro has taken to prevent dust storms along the mud flats of the Arrow Lakes. Hydro planted fall rye in 70 acres of land where the water levels had receded near Nakusp and another 90 acres in the Burton area south of Nakusp. The lake bottom was seeded “to form a protective cover on these flats to reduce the severity of the dust storms,” Ron Threlkeld, Hydro’s production manager for the southern Interior told the Castlegar News in a telephone interview from his Vernon office. “It was looking very, very doubtful that the reservoir would reach full pond and it still does,” said Threlkeld. Stanley says dust storms in Nakusp can be quite severe. There have only been two storms so far this year because of all the recent rain the area has received. But if it suddenly turns dry the storms could become a problem. “You get 12 hours of sunshine and it’s just as dry as a bone and it just goes,” said Stanley. Stanley said in addition to the dust siorms, boaters and swimmers could be turned off by the low water levels. Stanley said the Village of Nakusp has already hired two lifeguards and an instructor for the main public beach. But because they don't know when and how much the water level will rise by the tourist season, they can't put in a new beach, according to Stanley. He said the low water has uncovered certain uncharted hazards which haven't been there since the dams were built. Stanley said he feels frustrated because while water north of.Nakusp is being stored for Canadian power needs, water to the south of Nakusp is being let down to the United States under the Columbia River Treaty. “We're in between a rock and a hard place,” he said. “We don't have ahy say.” BEACHED HOUSE BOAT . . . Low water levels in Nakusp on the Arrow Lakes have left this house boat high and dry. The water normally covers the enn area during the summer but unusually low water levels have left this boat stranded on mud flats. CotNewsPhoto by Bonne Mor gon lready i body of rep of different associations for the disabled. She said, for example, the council could draw on the Associations’ communication resources. “We feel we could save some reinventing of the wheel by doing that.” All the submissions made to the steering committee emphasized the need for equality for the disabled. “It should be a mandate of the council to guarantee and promote the value and the dignity of every handicapped person in this province,” said Kevin Kennedy, an instructor of vocational services at East Kootenay Community College. Kennedy also addressed the problem of geographic equity of services for the disabled. “I know I won't be alone in suggesting that handicapped persons from the Interior of the provionce are tired of being told that only services exist in the Lower Mainland,” he said. LaFortune said attitudes and opportunities for employment need to change. “The opportunities to do real meaningful work that would be done by a paid able-bodied person are not as available as they might be,” she said. “A lot of people have been relegated to a sheltered situation.” “Accessibility isn't just ramping a sidewalk, said Lindsey. “It’s an attitude on the part of all of B.C.and that’s what we want the premier's council to do.” Lewis supports full sanctions By CasNews Staff Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations says he supports full and complete sanctions aimed at the South African apartheid regime. In a question-and-answer session at the Brilliant Cul tural Centre following a speech in front of about 300 people, Stephen Lewis de. nounced the “racist” govern ment in South Africa and said the only way to get that country to change its ways is through “full and complete economic sanctions.” He called apartheid “fac- sism with a vengeance” and said it is high time the South African government gave up its racist policies. He said that Canada has led the way in the western hemisphere in terms of cut ting trade with the country, but added much more has to be done to pressure South Africa into changing. “The single largest trading partner with South Africa is Japan,” he said. “Britain and the Unithd States are also still trading heavily with the apartheid regime.” The Mulroney government has done an excellent job in dealing with the country. Joao DaRosa passes away Joao Ferreira DaRosa of Castlegar passed away Sat- urday, May 7 at the age of 83. A wake service will be held on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at St. Rita’s Catholic Church and mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10 a.m. with Fr. Herman Engberink as celcbrant. Burial will be in Park Mem- orial Cemetery. Mr. DaRosa was born July 1, 1904 on the Azores, Por- tugal where he grew up and farmed for most of his life. He came to Canada in 1971 and to Castlegar in 1983 after the passing of his wife. He was a member of St. Rita's Catholic Church and enjoyed garden ing and fishing. He is survived by two daughters, Odilia Betten- court of Castlegar and Maria DeFaria of Toronto; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Castlegar Funeral Chapel.