OPINION

6A

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Castioa:

PUBLISHER MARILYN STRONG

editorial comment

Mark your
calendar—it's
budget time!

It's time once again for Castlegar City Council to
plan the 1993 provisional budget, which means a
public meeting can't be too far off the horizon. In
fact, word from city hall is that a public ing is

Christmas in Goolwa!

The lifelines of Australia are its
rivers which distribute the sporadic
and much needed moisture to a conti-
nent that is often hot and arid but can,
seemingly, get its annual rainfall all
in one day!

G lizing about Australia is

set for January 18.

Well, if you're at all interested in how city council
is planning on spending your tax dollars in 1993,
mark that date on your calendar, because it's going to
be an interesting meeting.

Every time a municipal council conjures up a bud-
get, various groups begin jockeying for positions.
Individual city councillors have their favorites no
doubt, and it will be interesting to see just who's
going up to the plate to bat for what group or project.

Who's in? What's out? And why: won't 'this' even
be considered?

The city is expecting a big crowd for this donny-
brook no doubt, they've rented an area in the Com-
munity Complex. So what's on the agenda? Capital
projects, meaning, the big ticket items that will take
the most time, the most. money, and more than likely, ;
cause the most controversy.

Some examples? Here's a good one. City hall ren-
ovations, which naturally leads us to question about
a new central firehall. After all, anyone who has
taken a quick boo at the architectural plans up on the
wall at city hall for a new city hall, will realize that
an entire firehall has disappeared.

Since it was not included in these renovated build-
ing plans, we can only assume that “it's been placed
somewhere else. Maybe someone on city council
knows the answer to that one.

Another cause for concer is taxes. City Council-
lor Kirk Duff has, for the last six months, emphati-
cally been telling us that taxes will not be increasing
this year. In fact, he's predicting a decrease of two
per cent.

So who wouldn't appreciate lower taxes? But con-
sider this, if they are lowered they will eventually
have to be increased as Castlegar's economic fore-
cast changes—and it will change. The city might be
wiser to promote no increases for this year and pos-
sibly the next. Thus eliminating the shock of a big-
ger hike in the years to come.

CaS CRERINES

By Leigh Rubin

(2-24

“Try not to be too sad about your Uncle Frosty.
He'll just evaporate and go to heaven.”

S)
The Ci Sun
A]

1S POLITICALLY INDEPENDENT AND A
MEMBER OF THE STERLING NEWS SERVICE
Established November 28, 1990

Published by The Sun

Weekly on
465 Columbia Ave., Castlegar, eons

dangerous. Just when you think you
understand some part of it, you
encounter an exception. In that

its regions are as vast and as
different as any of our Canadian
provinces. Because of the salinity of
the ground water of Australia, farm-
ers along the rivers are concerned
about their increasing salt content.
Fresh water is of grave concer to all
Australians, most of whom never
waste a drop of it, except perhaps the
profligate in the cities.

Of all the many rivers of Australia,
the Murray is perhaps the most
romantic. It wends its way from the
east coast, across the continent to
emerge at Goolwa in South Australia,
where it empties into the Great South-
em Ocean. Along its length, the Mur-
Tay sees many changes but it is best
known for its Murray River Gums - a
particular species of eucalyptus tree
that thrives with wet feet, towering
along the riverbanks over the many
Pleasure craft, whether fishing, water
skiing or simply enjoying the ambi-

Some bloated segments of society have yet to

JIM NIELSEN

As folks should know, I am not a
royalist, monarchist or supporter of
the privileged class other than those
who have made: it on their own and
enjoy the rewards of their legal
effort.

Queen Elizabeth has offered to
Pay income tax and knock off the
allowances paid to various members
of her family by the British taxpay-
ers. Good for her. This move may
add considerable years to the life-
time of that particular institution.

One could presume others

ence of the river on a hot day. It was
in the citrus fruit-growing area of Mil-
dura that the popular television series
“All The Rivers Run” was filmed, a
romantic tale about a river transporta-
tion company and a woman steam-
boat captain. Well maintained
wheel steamers still offer luxury
cruises and are a favourite venue for
Corporate meetings.

We had seen much of the eastern

part of the Murray River. We decided
we would like to see the Great South-
em Ocean. An interest in hang-glid-
ing had been quickly and deftly
diverted into windsurfing and we
were both enjoying our new “Wind-
surfer”. We were told about the ideal
conditions on Lake Goolwa, a brack-
ish, semi-fresh South Australian lake
at the mouth of the Murray River.
After the Second World War, Aus-
tralian engineers had built a weir
across the river to form a reservoir,
now named Lake Goolwa. It had the

amongst the privileged class will
see their perks and special places in
society diminish, disappear and die.
RIP. It is with pleasure I watch the
average citizen in Canada and else-
where demand a more equitable
opportunity to be recognized of
equal value as a human being with
anyone else.

What a change in the past few
generations. What a change yet to
come. The strange foulness which
was communism and fascism,
where the state was the be all to end
all and citizens were kept in line by
sheer force, imprisonment or death,
pre d a distorted p

Wednesday, December 16, 1992

The Castlegar Sun

Page 7A

;Letters to the Editor

Canadians must not ignore cutbacks to forei

Dear Editor:

I'm writing this letter to call
your readers’ attention to the
drastic cuts of some $642 million
over the next 2.5 years to Cana-
da’s foreign assistance budget.
There is a further concem that if
Canadians ignore this budget
reduction, more cuts will take
Place in the February, 1993 feder-
al budget.

An easy alternative to these
cuts of 10 percent in each of the
next two years would be to make
deeper cuts to the defense budget
which is to be reduced by only
pst 1 percent during the same peri-

— 1980 defence spending
has increased in real terms by
more than 40 percent. For 1992-
93, defence spending is over $12
billion, more than four times the
foreign aid budget. Also, despite
Pressure to reduce the deficit the
government plans to buy 50 heli-
copters for $4.4 billion. It has
CUT $4.3 billion for the Canadi-
an International Development
Agency’ 's (CIDA’s) current and
d budgets over the past

added attraction of being close to
Adelaide and the wine producing
areas of Clarendon and the Southern
Vales, as well as Victor Harbour, a
summer haven for Adelaide resi-
dents. One of the disadvantages of
living in foreign places is that you are
not close to family at holidays. This
can be particularly felt at Christmas,
when it seems everyone else is
spending the holidays with family.

Lake Goolwa and the district
proved to be a very pleasant spot.
The wind conditions were ideal, par-
ticularly as I was just learning to sail
downwind. The enclosed nature of
the lake meant I would not get blown
out to sea. One is cognizant of the
Great Southern Ocean being the
home territory of the Great White
Shark, which has been known to take
large bites out of surf boards and
boarders alike

We thoroughly enjoyed the days
on the water and the evenings prowl-
ing about the many excellent restau-
rants and pubs, sampling the local
vintages. We had made a
at the dining room for Christmas
Dinner and so we were home early
afternoon Christmas Day to shower
and change for dinner at dusk.

of democracy where the power of
the people was said to be real.
Thankfully, for now at least, those
vulgarities have been cast aside

It remains the Western democra-
cies who strive for equitable oppor-
tunity for all people. Whether it is
the European nations, those in the
Commonwealth, or the U.S.A., the
concept of true freedom, liberty,
equal opportunity and respect con-
tinues to grow, notwithstanding the
very real problems these blocs have.

Some of the bloated segm of

As we arrived in the dining room
in our Christmas finery, we were dis-
mayed to see a scene of total devasta-
tion! Chairs were overturned,

Ballot spoiler should

Dear Editor:
After the election of CURB-
Doug Green

Chri trailed
over tables and lamps, and dirty dish-
es were strew everywhere

This had been quite a party, but
now there was not a sign of a single
soul Finally, the chef in his now crin-
kied hat wandered blearily out of the
kitchen, drink in hand, and i
if we needed something? We
explained we had a booking for din-
ner and he gaped at us in amazement.
“Well you're a bit bloody late!” says
he. “Dinner was at twelve o'clock!”

When he saw the look on our faces
and heard our “American” accents,
he grew a bit more solicitous.

“Would we like some scrambled
eggs perhaps?” We declined gra-
ciously and left. By the time we
reached our room we were holding
each other up we were laughing so
hard! What else could we do? There
was not one restaurant of cafe open
in the whole area! I did some
scrounging in the freezer and found a
steak, and the makings of a salad, to
which we added the blessings of a
bottle of excellent local claret. We
still have a toast each Christmas to
“Christmas in Goolwa!

be punctured

Senate, the diplomatic corps, the
international pork barrel jet set who
occupy positions of power, rank or
special status at public expense will
see the day soon when they will be
treated as you and | are.

I think these times are very excit-
ing. The opportunity for those who
would strive for it has never been
better. While it may take each of us
some time to adjust, understand and
appreciate what these changes
mean, in my opinion the chance for

our society have yet to be punctured
by the public pin but that is just a
matter of time. The judiciary, The

gful and valuable reforms
has never been better.
The Queen is showing leadership
as expected and demanded.

Political marriages made in heaven

DALTON CAMP

According to my afternoon news-
Paper, “outright hostility” towards
the Conservative government in
Ottawa is only half what it used to be.

According to ““party sources,”
who have so informed Maclean's
magazine, the percentage of people
polled recently who say they would
never vote Tory under any circum
stances has fallen to a meagre 17 per
cent. There is more good news
“Senior Conservatives” have been
advised by their polling outfit, Deci-
ma Research, that the Tories could
form the next government merely by
winning only 28 per cent of the vote
in the federal election to come. These
are heartwarming tidings indeed but
they will surely prod the intellectual-
ly curious into further

Why are the Tories only half as
reviled as they once were? And
whereas we have known for some
time Canadians were a humble, seif-
effacing, and remarkably docile lot,
what else has changed to create this
Decima-inspired scenario wherein
fewer than three out of every 10 vote
Tory and — hello — here comes
another Tory government? While
we await further input, we must
acknowledge the common sense of

Decima’s presumption. The Tories
could form a minority government
with help from like-minded friends,
such as those elected as members of
the Reform party, and opportunistic
strays from other parties.

The alternative would be a second
marriage of convenience between
Liberals and New Democrats: The
Previous alliance, negotiated by then
prime minister Pierre Trudeau and
NDP leader David Lewis, produced
harmonious but uneven results,
which is to say more for the Liberals,
less for the NDP, and nothing but
debt and ruin for the country. A
coalition between Tories and
Reformers, however, could be one
of those marriages made in heaven,
as romantics used to say. If any of us
were listening closely to the finance
minister, Don Mazankowski, the
other day when making his ~ state-
ment on the economy," we could
imagine ourselves hearing the mat-
ing call of the Great Western Blue-
winged Merger.

If you have handy for checking
the litte pamphlet entitled 56 Rea-
sons Why You Should Support the
Reform Party of Canada, you would
find at least eight more reasons why
Reformers and Tories should make
love, not war. The party, quote Rea-
son No. 39, “supports the return of

Unemployment Insurance (UI) to its
original function — an employer-
employee funded and administered
program to provide temporary
income in the event of unexpected

Just so, as we heard from the
finance minister who restored UI to
its pristine, earlier **function,”’
which is strictly temporary relief for

those who can’t agree on anything.
It is not too far-fetched to say this
tidal surge of neo-conservatism,
falling late upon our shores, might
well sweep away the whole of the
achievements of liberalism and pro-
gressive conservatism. What new
Tories and Reformers have in com-
mon are the ends; Tories seek them
in order to make the country more

those finding
edly on the street.

Indeed, Mazankowski has gone
the Reformers a few times better,
usually the way with suitors, and has
frozen premiums and exempted new
business from paying any. A finance
minister who would do all that and
freeze his own salary at the same
time is worth a second look, even if
the father of the prospective bride is
Preston Manning.

My own view of these develop-
ments is that a Tory-Reform coali-
tion, however formalized, is what
Canadians expect after the next
assize. While Canadians plainly
have not liked the messenger
(although Decima tells us things are
looking up), they have apparently
bought the message.

There are simply too many Cana-
dians who agree with the tenets of
Mazankowski-cum-Manning; the
only ones who outnumber them are

mpetitive, or to make Canada a
more agreeable trading partner, or
reassure the bond market, while theit
Reformist partners bring a moral
equivalence that justifies the same
ends. Where they both meet, ironi-
cally enough, is in the repudiated
nostrums of Reaganomics and
Thatcherism.

George Gilder, as long
ago as 1981, who addressed in his
seminal book, Wealth and Poverty,
the “moral hazards of Liberalism.”
He argued unemployment insurance
increased unemployment; that health
insurance encouraged illness; that
fire insurance begat arson; that
social i iscouraged personal
savings, thus “low savings are a
moral hazard of excessive retire-
meant benefits. **When too many
people know where they are going,
he said, ~-the economy doesn't get
very far."

and the hiring of what seems to
be a “cracker jack” City Clerk in
Diane Kunz, things at city hall
seemed to be coming around.
Even Administrator Williams and
myself are able to have good
quality discussions when left

Well, as I write this letter to
the editor I am reminded of one
psalm and in particular one sen-
tence - ‘Yea, thou I walk through
the valley etc. and a prayer which
ends - for thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory etc. Well,
last weeks council meeting was a
little of both. I hope that everyone
got a chance to see our council in
action on Shaw Cable.

Various appointments were
made to committees that night,
including to the Regional District
of Central Kootenay. Counsellor
Doreen Smecher was the repre-
sentative last year and has
worked very hard for our com-
munity and the area. Why change
the representative now - well,
that’s what our mayor did, she
appointed herself! She was then
challenged by Council Smecher
and what ensured is well worth
watching on Shaw Cable.

First, after the challenge, the
mayor called for a vote to sustain

Letters Policy

Letters to the Editor are
welcome on any topic of
local or general interest.
Letters should be double-
spaced, typewritten, or leg-
ibly handwritten, and no
more than two pages if pos-
sible. Letters will be edited
in the interests of brevity or
taste if necessary. All let-
ters must be signed, with
address and telephone
number, although names
may be witheld from publi-
cation for valid reason by
the approval of the editor.
Send letters to: The Castle-
gar Sun, 465 Columbia
Ave., Castlegar, B.C., VIN
1G8, or drop them off at

the office.

five years. CIDA administers all
foreign aid monies including
money that goes to Non-govern-
ment Organizations (NGO's)
such as CUSO, OXI-AM, Save
the Children, CARE, etc, etc., as
well as funds allocated to the
sector and ij
organizations such as the World
Bank.

Where CIDA’s budget is con-
cerned, there are indications that
the volunteer organizations such
as CARE or CUSO will be
severely cut while funding to the
World Bank or the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) will
remain constant.

This is despite the fact that
Canadians strongly support
NGOs. More than 50,000 Canadi-
ans donated $2.7 million to
CUSO alone last year. Canadians
want the Canadian government
through CIDA to match that sup-
port.

Canadians support NGO's
because these organizations focus
on human priority needs such as
primary health care, pi edu-
cation and literacy, nutrition,

the chair - correct - good play -
However she had great difficulty
in getting the councellors to vote
because they didn’t understand
what was happening (I guess the
school board meeting taught them
something - If you don’t know
what's going on - do nothing).

It gets very complicated after
this but with the help of city
Clerk Diane, we are now rolling
again. After an intermission so
the procedure could be looked up,
it was decided not to sustain the
chair, withdraw the original
motion to appoint Mayor Moore
to Regional District Rep. (by her
own admission a 14 year veteran)
and to hold a mini-election with
campaign speeches and secret
ballot. OK fine. Mayor Moore is
nominated and Counsellor
Smecher is nominated. Now to
the battling. Keep in, mind there
are seven people voting for either
Moore, three for Smecher and

rural water supply and small
scale agriculture, The United
Nation's 1992 Human Develop-
ment Report found that just 10.9
percent of Canada's aid is in
these areas. That is the portion of
aid that should be increased, not
cut!

NGOs work in grass roots
development, helping people on
cooperative farms, rural women,
villagers, urban homeless and
Poor to organize and find solu-
tions to their own problems. This
kind of work attacks the causes of
poverty, not just the symptoms,
by building self-reliance and
seeking long term solutions.
Without this kind of aid there will
be many more famines and vio-
lent conflicts.

NGOs are transparent and
accountable for the money they
spend. They produce annual
reports to their Boards of Direc-
tors and must provide detailed
accounts to CIDA and are regu-
larly scrutinized by CIDA evalua-
tors.

Rather than cut this kind of
work, the government should cut

logize
one spoiled ballot. Oops! Better
do this again, same instructions
‘vote for Moore or Smecher'
Well, I°ll be darn, three more
votes for Moore, three for
Smecher, and one spoiled. Oops,
oops! Diane waits to table, but
we have a problem, the Commit-
tee appointments for the Regional
District are on Saturday, Dec.
12- We must get it right. Well the
long and short of it is they all
vote again after yet another
lengthy explanation and Mayor
Moore gets the nod.

What was going on in the per-
son’s mind that he or she should
intentionally spoil two ballots.
What was the purpose of this
exercise? An appointment to the
Regional District board is seri-
ous, especially for Castlegar as
one of the major contributors. I
can't. understand this move and
the councellor who did this will
surely be found out, people talk

D 24

Enjoy

A TRAIL TRADITION

4:30 to 7:00 p.m.

dD 25

Closed

December 26 .............:0:0++
D 31

4:30-8:30 p.m. Closed for Lunch

4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

January 1.

SEASON'S GREETINGS

from the

RESTAURANT
Colander Gift Certificates — A Great Christmas Gift
Special dinners available on advance request.
1475 Cedar Ave., uD B.C. — Phone 364-1816

. 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“etters

ts

To Santa

Hey kids send your letters to
Santa before December 17

at
~%

and they will appear in our

December 23 issue along with
our Christmas Greetings,

grants to the international finan-
cial institutions such as the World
Bank or the IMF. These institu-
tions got $554 million from
Canada in this fiscal year - more
than twice the $260 million car-

cuts will severely restrict their
very important and effective
work in this struggling world of
ours

gn assistance budget

Please write and express your

concem today.

Ann Godderis
Castlegar

marked for the NGOs (the volun-
tary sector). In his report
Canada’s Auditor General noted
that these banks are not account-
able to Parliament for taxpayers’
money that they spend. An inter-
nal report by the World Bank's
Vice President found that 35 per-
cent of World Bank projects eval-
uated between 1989 and 1991
were failures

Anyone who shared my deep
concer about where. the Canadi-
an government is spending our
tax dollars i$ urged to write the
Federal government's Finance
Minister, Don Mazankowski as
well as MP Lyle Kristiansen
Postage free c/o House of Com-
mons, Ottawa, Ontario, KIA
OA6.

We cannot afford to be silent.
Canadians NGOs have already
suffered severe cuts to budgets in
the. past few years. These latest

or resign

and the process of elimination
will take over. Speculation has
already begun. Do the right thing
who ever you are and apologize
or resign. Being a counsellor is
no joke
Mike O'Connor
Castlegar

(604) 365-7616
Res 365-3253

If drinking is a part of your holiday
celebrations, plan ahead to make sure you
get home safely..on public transit, in a cab,
or with a designated driver. Because we're
out to stop drinking drivers. And we will.

DEC.8 - JAN. 3

DRINKING DRIVING
COUNTERATIACK

AUTOPLAN
CHANGES FOR 1993

Ew year, ICBC announces insurance premium changes
affecting BC motorists. While these receive lots of attention, other
changes have been made to give you the most appropriate
Autoplan coverage. Changes are effective immediately on new
policies and January 1, 1993, on renewals.

| What's new?

| UMP limit 1s now $1 million per insured
| person. You can buy an optional policy
Offering an additional $1 million in UMP

| S ICBC needs an additional 9.5% in total
| premium income to meet anticipated claim

® Higher Driver Point Premiums starting et four
five.

coverage

Higher Collision &
Comprehensive minimum

cons, | |

| @ Weekly disability payments start on Sth day.
8. Opsioeet pregame or CNS Sat Ener”

Any contradiction. dispute ¢

deductibles

ICBC has increased

a

Higher premiums

ICBC requires an additional 9.5% in total
premium income in 1993 to ensure that
funds are available to pay claims.

Higher Driver Point
Premiums

One way ICBC makes “bad drivers” pay
more is through Driver Point Premiums
which go into the Autoplan Fund to help
reduce costs for the rest of us.

These premiums are being increased once
again so that drivers caught breaking traffic
regulations pay more

Also, drivers will now be billed tor
Driver Point Premiums once they have

accumulated four points, not tive

Daily renewals

ICBC is giving motorists new Autoplan

expiry dates to move from month-end

renewals to daily renewals for improved
Please visit \our Autoplan agent betore

your insurance expires so you aren't

driving without insurance coverage

UMP limit change

Underinsured Motonst Protection (UMP) is

part of your basic coverage. The basic

| disability payments ot |

| bringing ICBC

1 difference between the contents of this adverts

deductible
amounts for optional
coverages. The minimum
Collision deductible is
now $200 and the
minimum deducuible for
Comprehensive coverage
is $100. Deductibles
also now apply to
claims for total loss of
a vehicle due to fire
lightning or theft

Disability
Payments
Under No-Fault Acc
ident Benefits. weckly

benefits now: begin | Raed Seale.
on the cighth day ———
“s benefits in line with
practices in other jurisdictions

Propane/CNG fuel
conversion equipment
coverage
In response to pubhe demand, ICBC ha:
introduced a new optional policy which
will cover, in the event of a total loss of
certain vehicles, the costs of removal and
installation into another vehicle. of a
propane or natural gas vehicle conversion.

resolved only by reference to the

Why is your 1993
increase

of the factors that
affect your individual
insurance rating: the

| value, age and use of
your vehicle, where
you live, what coverage
you choose and where
you are on the Claim~

r Regulations shall be