OPINION Castlegar News PAGE A4, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1991 MEMBER OF THE B.C, PRESS COUNCIL ESTABLISHED AUGUST 7, 1947 MID-WEEK, PLANT FOR! IATISII LV, CAMPBELL — PUBLISHER, AUGUST 7, 1947. FEBRUARY 15, 1973 PUBLISHER — Burt Campbell — Simon Birch OFFICE M. 01 CIRCULATION MANAGER — Heather TWICE WEEKLY MAY 4, 1980 12, 27, 1980 EDITORIAL belt Better way of running a city Residents of Castlegar will have a better chance to speak their minds on civic issues if changes in the way city council conducts its business take root and flourish. At a meeting last week with representatives from the local media, city administrator Gary Williams and deputy clerk Betty Price outlined the way they hope council’s new committee of the whole will work in conjunction with council’s regular meetings. Ina nutshell, the committee of the whole — consisting of all seven elected council members — will meet on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, generally at 5 p.m. It’s at these meetings where most of the thrust and parry of debate over the city’s b LETTERS TO THE EDITOR will take place among council members. And it’s where city staff will be available to provide council with the necessary background infor- mation on the business with which it is dealing. Recommendations arising from these meetings will be forwarded to the regular council meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. That’s where council will make its final decisions, as it always has. That sequence of meetings means the public will have a chance to Ponder and comment on any issue in the time between the committee meeting and the regular council meeting. Giving the public time to on city busi i on matters which may be controversial, such as changes to land use, is an important aspect of open government, and one which Castlegar coun- cil has occasionally in the past been accused of abusing. The problem lay, in part, in council’s former committee structure which had six standing committees meeting at various times and on different days throughout the month. Although the committee meetings were open to the public, it was virtually i for a those who work all day: — to attend the meetings. And the local- media, with their small num- ber of reporters and obligations to cover other news stories, couldn’t devote the time the cover the committee meetings. As a result, Castlegar residents generally became aware of an issue after council had debatedit and made a decision at a regular council meeting and it was subsequently reported by the media. The new committee of the whole is in part to ayoid that Problem. Vith just two meetings a month at a relatively convenient time, the public has a better opportunity to attend the meetings. And we in the media have a better opportunity to cover the meetings. However, the new setup does place a greater burden on the media because we're still the main source of information for most of the public. If the committee of the whole is to work the way it’s sup- to cover the and to to, the media have an get the information out to the public. For those media organizations in the V’est Kootenay which have contractual obligations to pay their employees overtime, the ad- ditional coverage means added costs. But, quite frankly, .it’s our job to be brokers of timely and ac- curate information and council is right to expect our cooperation in its new way of doing business. VIEWPOINT Zalmoids ‘robots under control’ By GERARD YOUNG VICTORIA — Zalmoids. Are they extraterrestrials? Test-tube products? Mythical creatures? No, not even outcasts Steven Spielberg movie. In fact, they’re the loyal followers of Premier Bill Vander Zalm, also know as the Zalm. “They're robots under control,”” is the colorful description provided by Jim Hume, the veteran Victoria newspaper columnist credited with coining the name. “God knows what will happen if they ever get out of control,” added the white-haired dean of the legislative press gallery. Most of these so-called Zalmoids are fundamentalist Christians, some are Roman Catholics. They generally oppose abortion and many belong to such conservative groups as REAL Women. They were nameless when Vander Zalm captured the Social Credit par- ty leadership on a sunny day in July 1986. “Praise the Lord,”’ said one, clut- ching Vander Zalm’s hand as he made his way to centre stage after the last ballot was announced. They’re usually family-oriented and extremely committed, some would say intolerant. They don’t particularly like being called Zalmoids, although the word has caught on with some cabinet from a Kathicen Toth, a seven-time gran- dmother who unsuccessfully sought the Social Credit nomination in two Victoria-area ridings. “It implies that you are part of a cult and that Mr. Vander Zalm is, some kind of cult figure."’ Still, Vander Zalm seems to be a rare, if not unique case of a leading Canadian politician who inspires such loyalty because of his religious and moral principles. Ken Tuininga, one of two Socred Licence opposed __, There are several factors to consider before deciding if heliskiing shouldbe permitted in the 0 . serious need of medical therapy. The medical community throughout this country doesn’t have to look far to see the casualties in our own cities and homes that result from this ‘‘kick ass’’ White Grizzly - concerns, wildlife habitat, and economic growth are the issues that must be closely examined before a resolution is drawn. With the information and reports obtained, we recommend that a licence is not issued for a heliskiing company in the White Grizzly Wilderness Area. There are very few areas in southeastern B.C. that have not been encroached upon by development. The White Grizzly area is one of the few areas that does not have mechanized access such as helicopters. The Ministry of Forests’ ‘management policy states that ‘‘sight, sound, and other tangible evidence of motorized equipment should be minimized wherever possible within il "if i it such as this is allowed, it could be the first step in destroying one of the few remaining wilderness areas left in southeastern B.C. Groups within the area, such as Pro Terra ‘ant the Valhatte feet that the proposed White Grizzly area should be developed and managed under the Ministry of Forests’ new wilderness program. This program is developed to Protect wilderness areas while enhancing the natural resources that are compatible with the objectives of the wilderness area. One of the objectives of the wilderness area is to have non- motorized activities. If heliskiing is permitted in this area, then two rare animal species (mountain goat and mountain caribou) could be severely disturbed. Biologist Wayne McCrory says the Goat Range area has a high density of mountain goats and also has a well-known herd of resident mountain caribou. He feels that the impacts could be quite severe because the mountain goats winter on the windswept mountain ridges that are highly exposed to the sight and sound of helicopters. The late winter range for the caribou is also at high elevations. This is a crucial time of survival for these animals and disturbances may determine whether they survive the winter or not. The economic growth in Lardeau would be minimal. There would be jobs created by the construction of the lodge but this would be a short term employment project. The staff needed to run the proposed lodge would not create more than four or five employment opportunities for Lardeau itself. Heliskiing companies often hire i ial staff for ie If a licence is to be issued for a I have nothing but contempt for Brian Mulroney. All he stands to lose is his job, while Canadians in the gulf may lose lives and families. Task you, for what are these people going to die? Perhaps a psychotic will attempt to rationalize why this killing is justified at this time in the gulf but as murder in i “These alternatives appear so far to have been examined only on the basis of private costs to Celgar, with Celgar’s conclusion only slightly more favourable to highway transport. Such a study, which could also involve the community, could analyze costs and benefits of alternatives which might offer the opportunity to avoid truck traffic impacts and provide a basis for comprehensive transportation planning in the region."" We are dismayed that Mr. Penner's Explain this to the families, Brian. John Erb Vallican Withdraw troops In my of the appears to ignore the recommendation of the panel and endorses the highway transport option. Given the panel’s clear indication that it intends to address this matter further in its final report, his announcement appears hasty at best. We request, on behalf of Slocan Valley residents and others who have concern over this issue, that Mr. Penner undertakes the study system in Canada our politicians are elected by the people to serve the people as the people see fit. Not to serve the people as U.S. President George Bush sees fit. According to the latest Gallop poll, 57 per cent of the people oppose Canada’s involvement in the Persian Gulf while only 33 per cent support it. In my understanding, our prime minister should withdraw all of our troops from the Persian Gulf and tell President Bush that we will no longer participate in the military support of this war. But if Brian Mulroney does not have the gumption to stand up to George Bush he should step down as prime minister and give the job to someone who John Chernenkoff ‘Krestova Announcement hasty Recently, local newspapers published a press release ing highway imp: work that is likely to be undertaken over the next three years. This article states that, based upon the Celgar review panel’s conclusions, the provincial has in principle for the Celgar mill expansion and has also announced $40 million worth of highway improvements. Some of this work is for highways 6 and 23, and Wally Penner, regional economic development officer, is attributed with stating that operation in the White Grizzly area, it will be the end of a true wilderness area. The present state of wilderness in B.C. is limited. Therefore, endangered spaces that still exist should be kept and preserved for our future generations. Considering the number of negative influences that heliskiing will have within the riding a revolt against Vander Zalm’s leadership, Says there is such a thing as ‘‘com- petent leadership and people adhere to that.”” And then there is “‘erratic leader- ship that demands blind devotion,’’ says Tuininga. ‘‘That’s what you have here. “You hear the comment on the street lately, ‘Doesn’t anybody in that organization (the Socred party) think?” A recent public opinion poll com- missioned by a group of area, there should be no licence issued for a heliskiing tenure. Clint Nielsen Glade Perry Salikin Krestova War premeditated I feel what the British and Americans have done to Iraq was and these will be made after the federal government approvals of the Ceigar Project and a report by the regional task force. Further, the press release says that if the federal approvals come in, these highway projects *‘will by the review panel prior to any highway i projects which are linked to facilitating chip truck traffic. Richard Allin Co-chair Slocan Valley Watershed Alliance Time to repent Pastor Ira Johnson wrote an excellent analysis of the gulf war in Pulpit and Pew (Castlegar News, Jan. 19). When many people across our country Promote, approve of (in their heart ot openly) and vote for or legislate in favor of the torture killing of the defenseless unborn child (over 60,000 per year in Canada and 50 million worldwide), how can those same people — all guilty of murder — expect God to listen to their prayers or that their protests deserve being listened to? As we commonly deny God's divine and natural law in practising contraception, sterilization, sex outside marriage, condone the act of unnatural sex, read lewd books or watch indecent shows, or give scandal by indecent gestures or talk, we sin grievously. We need to repent first of all sins and do penance so that Jesus our Father with the Holy Spirit who sees our hearts can respond to our prayers in His way. We have a simple choice: hell or heaven, the devil or God. Too many of us are in the dreadful danger Of choosing hell. We all have less than eight years to repent and turn to God because only some of the good and repented people only will survive the be fast-tracked to provide for imp: to the highway to accommodate the expected influx of chip trucks.”” As Mr. Penner knows, the issue of chip transport to the mill is of great concern throughout the Slocan Valley. As well, many individuals from Nakusp and the of and live to rejoice in the peaceful period (12-22 years perhaps) when the devils will be locked up in hell for that limited time. After that, some people will turn from God again, the antichrist will come with calamities and then Jesus Christ will proclaim the end and the Nakusp and Revelstoke cited their concern for Celgar’s truck transport preference. L refer Mr. Penner to the transcripts from the public hearings in Slocan, Silverton and Nakusp for these statements of concern. This announcement, ‘apparently based upon the, review panel’s interim report, ignores the panel’s major recommendation regarding the chip Casualties to women and children in this Island Socreds suggests the party is running 14 percentage points behind the NDP, a consistent trend in the last two years. The poll also suggests the party can’t win with Vander Zalm at the helm. Toth is a pleasant woman, a Roman Catholic who launches itito a lengthy defence of her staunch anti- abortion views with little a “If the premier is dumped, I know ‘8 whole lot of people who will rip up their membership cards,"’ she said. Toth and her husband, Mark, are considering running in the pext please see as ion were to be high among a nation of 18 million, where over nine million — $0 per cent — are children. The military term for the issue. In its interim report, the panel points to “‘certain issues which will be subject to for terms or or in the final the panel one issue which it indicates that it intends to address in final H.J. Kemperman Castlegar INTERNATIONAL NEWS si Opposition to war drops WINNIPEG (CP) — Although an increasing number of Canadians support a national presence in the Persian QGuif war, @ recent Angus Reid poll suggests the majority believe Canadian Forces should not take an offensive role. The survey found 75 per cent of respondents support Ottawa's decision to send forces to the gulf. That's a 15 poinf*thcrease over a Reid survey in December, when 60 per cent favored a Canadian presen- ce in the gulf, Canada has sent about 1,850 per- sonnel, three ships, 26 CF-18 fighter- bombers and other equipment to the gulf region. Opposition to ~anadian in- volvement in the war fell to 23 per cent from 37 per cent, while the number of those unsure slipped to two per cent from three, Between Jan. 16 — the day coalition forces attacked Iraq — and Monday more than 1,500: people across the country were interviewed by the Angus Reid Group. A sample of this size is considered accurate within 2.5 percentage points 19 times in 20, Regional breakdowns are less accurate. The..poll- found 73 per cent of ‘Canadians support the U.S. decision to attack Iraq, but 36 per cent believe Canada should take an offen- sive role, Jut over half the respondents believe Canada should act only in a defensive ‘capacity, while nine per cent believe Canada should withdraw from the gulf and three per cent are unsure. “There seems to be a ‘not in my CALGARY (CP) — A $25,000 contribution from the government of the Northwest Territories provided a boost to Red Cross relief operations in the Persian Gulf, but officials say much more money is needed. The contribution was the first significant donation to the Alber- t Te ies division Shortfall worries Red Cross to send three teams of 21 People each to work in field hospitals, visit prisoners of war and help in relief areas in the gulf. “We are concerned about the lack of public response to our fundraising efforts," said Leslie Leach, the division’s manager of of the Red Cross since it began fundraising efforts last week. The campaign has a goal of about $1 million, but Kathy Krug, the division’s com- munications director, said as of Tuesday: evening residents of Calgary and Edmonton had donated only $935. The Canadian Red Cross hopes services. “People need to realize if we are not successful in our fund- raising efforts, it does have an impact on people’s lives. Without this money we will have difficulty sending enough surgeons, nurses and medical to assist. assistance will be impaired, and we will find it increasingly dif- ficult to carry out our humanitarian work.’ Krug thinks part of the problem is that so far coverage of the war has dealt with strategic and tactical targets. “We aren’t getting the human Perspective of what the war is doing,”’ she said. ‘‘People should know that nine out of 10 people affected are innocent civilians.”” The International Red Cross has appealed for $125 million worldwide to pay for current itarii ivi in the “Our potential to provide the supplies and equipment required to maintain medical and relief gulf. The Canadian government has provided $1.5 million. ‘ Please coueee all uaghohd to the editor 10: Letters to Editor, tlegar News, P.O. Box 3007, Castlegar, B.C. VIN 3H4, double- spaced and not longer than 300 words. Letters MUST be signed and include the writer's first and last names, and a t number its finale report: of alternatives. News reserves the right to eat tater for bro. hry, lope Europeans delay Soviet aid after crackdown BRUSSELS (AP) — _ The European Community says it’s no longer in any hurry to provide $1 billion US in food aid to Moscow, after Soviet tanks and troops cracked down on i Baltic chief said Tuesday in Strasbourg, France. “‘We have to make the Soviets see that their behavior cannot be accep- table,"’ said Je: jacques Kasel, L s Oreign§ affairs Also jeopardized by the recent military action in Latvia and Lithuania is’ a $540 million US technical assistance program, the European Parliament’s budget panel Political director. Luxembourg holds the rotating EC presidency. Both aid packages were promised at a European summit in Rome in mid-December. They came in response to Moscow's pleas for assistance to prop up the faltering Soviet economy and offset shortages of food and other commodities. But the European Parliament, the EC's legislative arm, announced Tuesday it was putting off con- sidering the aid until its next meeting Feb. 18-22. The parliament was to have voted on the issue Tuesday. Zalmoids continued from page A4 back yard’ view on the part of Canadians,"’ said’ Angus Reid, President of the Winnipeg-based Polling firm. The Commons voted 217-47 on Tuesday to support a United Nations resolution calling for Iraqi. with- drawal from Kuwait. Support for a Canadian presence was strong across the country. in- cluding Quebec, where support teached “64 per cent, a 16-point in- Crease over last month's survey results. That support was highest in Atlan- tic Canada (85 per cent), followed by Ontario (81 per cent), British Columbia. (76 per cent) and the Prairies (75 per cent).* Support for the American-led at- tack on Iraq was highest in Atlantic ENGINEE! CIVIL & STRUCTURAL * PROJECT MANAGEMENT DRAFTING —- HOME/COMMERCIAL JOHN H. MOORLAG (Associate) -CANMAR ENGINEERING LTD. 745 Chickadee Lane, Castlegar VIN 3Y3 365-6361 - 9 NOTICE The Board of School Trustees of School District No. 9 (Castlegar) invites the General Public to present briefs for its 1991-92 Operating Budget. MEETINGS WILL BE HELD ON: 9J<02.13 Commencing at 13:30 at the School Board Office 865 Columbia A will be arranged for and individuals Canada at 82 per cent, fol by Ontario and the Prairies (77 per cent), British Columbia (75 per cent) and Quebec (61 per cent). Similarly, the strongest support for an offensive role by Canada came from Atlantic Canada at 41 per cent, followed by Ontario (45 per cent), British Columbia (44 per cent), the Prairies (36 per cent) and Quebec (18 Per cent). Why wait for your tax refund when you could get Cash Back fast? if you qualify and are eligibt for a Federal retund Oor more, you can get a cheque for 85% of the first $300 of your Federal tax refund and 95% of the rest. Plus your Federal tax return Socreds now recognize the election as i if Vander Zalm is forced out — even if that splits the vote and helps lead to an NDP victory. Her husband signed up 250 new Socred members in 1990 because of his“support for Vander Zalm, Toth said. Vander Zalm loyalists have no use for those in the Socred party — or in the media where, after all, the Zalmoid label first appeared — who seemed to undermine him in the last three years. And they have contempt for those currently organizing a leadership challenge. They are still smarting from the party convention in October, when a majority of delegates voted to remove a controversial Christianity clause from the Socred constitution. of God and the rule of law.’ They used to ‘‘foster and en- courage the universally recognized principles of Christianity in human relationships."’ Toth recalls that the Alberta Social Credit party died after abandoning some of its principles. Alberta’s Socreds were virtually wiped out in the 1971 provincial election. Norman Ruff, a University of Vic- toria political scientist, figures those now considered Zalmoids make up about 35 per cent of B.C. Socreds. He says similar followers have been in the party since the days of former premier W.A.C. Bennett in the SOs. “They have an unquestioning loyalty to the premier. They are part of the old Social Credit thing — always look at the positive, the negative is destructive.”” Such people became more Prominent, however, when they gained a voice with Vander Zaim, a Roman Catholic who pushed his an- ti-abortion views to, the point of trying to cut off provincial funding for abortions. Florence Dickinson, a Socred life member and president of the party's women’s auxiliary, doesn’t consider herself a Zalmoid. But she is loyal to the premier as long as he holds of- fice. “If you don’t side with a par- ticular group of people (those who don’t see eye to eye with the Premier),”” says Dickinson, ‘‘they will say you're something else, label d you. Gerard Young writes for The BC cards will be honoured for the above stated date, and not for 310 Ave., Castlegar 365 Hours: 9:30 a.m. «! 330 p.m. -3255 g minute intervals. Written should be submitted the School Board Office on or before 91.02.01. To be b seg on the Agenda, please contact the School Board Office at 365-7731. poten pow SCHOOL Tenens istrict No. 9 bgp a 865 Columbia Avenue, Cas: r, B.C. VIN THS ELE ELEY ITTT TOTTI, We Have Moved to 1458 Columbia Avenue Castlegar (Lower Level — Dr. Tim Allen's Building) 365-5244 CANADA'S TAX TEAM APPRECIATION DAYS! Thurs., January 24 Off Your Total Food Bill* * 10% off discount does not apply to fluid milk or cigarette purchases * 10% off discount applies to only those grocery orders with a minimum value Coffee and Cookies of $15.00 to a maximum value of $75.00 (excluding fluid milk and cigarette purchases) Ss pe tion is our main A . « tt