September 19, 1990 Castlegar News $ Siero LOCAL/NATIONAL NEWS OPINION ESTABLISHED AUGUST 7. 1947 PAGE A4, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1990 TWACE WEEKLY MAY 4, 1980 12, THE MD WEEK Lv Camppen. PUBLISHER, AUGUST 7. 1947, FEBRUARY 15, 1973 HELLO BRIAN?... WE STILL NEED TWO MORE SOPRANOS EDITORIAL Fair balance will set example The Castlegar Chamber of Commerce-commissioned study, which ‘looks at the effects on this c ity and the sur di region if and i 'Ceigar Pulp Co.’s Project doesn’t proceed, paints a grim picture. The study, released last week, concludes that about 1,000 jobs i would be lost — half of them in Castlegar and the immediate area — if the Celgar project doesn’t proceed. — a mainstay of the local economy for The loss of the pulp mil i> = r over 30 years — could trigger an economic downturn three times severe as the recession/ depression of the early 1980s, chamber Jim Craig believes. According to the study, as many as 300 homes could be up for sale i (compared to about 100 at the recession’s peak-in 1984) and about 750 People could be expected to leave Castlegar, including 265 children withdrawn from Castlegar district schools, which would be a severe } economic blow to the funding of education programs in this area since Ministry of Education funding is based on the number of students in a district. There would be a detrimental effect on the eight sawmills operating in the region, and Castlegar property owners could expect to see their property taxes increase by 50 per cent or more as local gover- nments scramble to maintain services threatened by the loss of tax dollars paid by Ceigar. Although these are the conclusions of just one consulting firm — The DPA Group Inc. of Vancouver — the company has experience in analyzing the effects of a one-industry town becoming a i y town, having looked at the effects of the Sullivan mine closure on Kim- berley for the provincial government. B.C. Hydro has also retained The DPA Group to conduct studies in connection with the Hugh Keenleyside dam and proposed Murphy Creek dam project, so the firm is familiar with the Castlegar area. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Neutrality gone I’ve been involved in CIPE, the Coalition for Information on the Pulp Mill Expansion, since its inception last year. CIPE always attempted to take a neutral position, pressing for the fullest and best on the Celgar issue, although there was internal and external pressure to weight our position one way or another. Partly as a result of CIPE’s activity, a formal review of Celgar’s proposal was mandated. The early stages of this review made it clear to all, None of the conclusions are really surprising considering they are based on the theoretical shutdown of Castlegar’s largest employer. But seeing them set down in black and white is somewhat startling. Some will accuse the study of reinforcing what they say are the scare tactir of Celgar’s owners, who have led people to believe the mill will close if the provincial government does not allow both the expan- sion and environmental cleanup of the mill. 2 We think it’s unlikely any government — Socred or NDP — would allow Celgar to continue polluting at current levels given the growing public demand for tougher environmental laws. And Celgar officials Say an expensive environmental cleanup without an expanded pulp- making capacity would leave the mill unable to compete with newer, larger and cleaner mills being built, leaving Celgar ‘‘vulnerable to tent- Porary or permanent closures,’’ according to the company’s Stage II Report. Some disagree with that assessment, but whether you disagree or not, that’s the position Celgar’s owners are taking. We suppose it depends on which side of the fence you’re on whether you consider that a scare tactic or a fact of life. On the positive side, the DPA Group study concludes that about 100 additional jobs would be created if the Celgar project proceeds, half of them in Castlegar “through indirect and induced effects.”” And of course the project would secure the existing jobs at the mill. Celgar’s purchases of wood chips from area sawmills would in- crease by about $32 million a year and purchases bythe company from local businesses would probably increase by approximately $300,000 a year, the study concludes. But the important effect — the ‘‘real thing’’ as Mr. Craig calls it — of the Celgar project is it will anchor the economy of the Castlegar area and the West Kootenay for many years. From a purely economic point of view, Mr. Craig is absolutely Tight. But it’s extremely important not to lose sight of the fact that this Project is also about securing a clean environment for this area’s future. Indeed, that’s the driving force behind the proposal. As we've stated here before, we're satisfied on the whole that the Proposed project will in fact accomplish that goal. We hope that the Celgar Expansion Review Panel, which begins public hearings on the Project tomorrow, will also be satisfied and recommend approval of the Project. If the provincial government agrees, then it will be up to Celgar to build a mill that meets the standards the company has set down in its Proposal and standards required now and in the future ty the provin- cial and federal governments. if the economic needs of Celgar and the region's business com- munity can be balanced fairly with the demand to clean up and protect the environment, this area of the province will have accomplished much and will serve as an example to the rest of B.C. VIEWPOINT its own that Celgar could Rot prove the results its proposal claimed, and that essential information was, at best, lacking. A partial result of CIPE’s activity has been a somewhat improved proposal on Celgar’s part And CIPE’s activity has always been within the letter and spirit of the law. In the past few weeks, members of CIPE have been attacked individually and generally, verbally in the press and directly at home, at work and at public meetings, at least once with violence to Property. Others, environmental advocates, have also been threatened with violence and publicly abused (see accounts in the Castlegar News letters to the editor, Sept. 8 and 12). These attacks do not necessarily come from ihe Citizens for a Clean Celgar Modernization (CCCM), but most of them coincide with its activity. The attacks have resulted in the resignation of CIPE’s co-cl who have Celgar’s profits leave this region. Sure we get jobs, but we also get air and water pollution and a decrease in our forest resource base, among other things. The mill owners and share holders do not live here — they do not care what happens to the community, the forests, the water and the air that we who live here must breathe. Mammon is their god, and profit is their bottom line. (Check the records — when has Celgar been responsible about the environment? It has polluted the air and water with impunity and the government has condoned it by failing to enforce pollution regulations. The company has shown no responsibility in the past and it has shown me no reason to believe that it will be any different in the future with its slick and facile answers to the very real concerns the expansion will create for this. region. If you find this hard to believe, then perhaps you too have been blinded by the twin myths of sustainable growth and ever-increasing profit. It appears that the mayor of Castlegar and many of its business people already have been. If the forests can no longer supply the chips needed to run the mill at maximum profit, do you really think Ceigar will hang around to safeguard your jobs? There has to be an end to growth somewhere and I seriously hope it will be before the forests are decimated and we become a polluted, resource-poor area with no future. dissolution of CIPE. That has now taken place. The co-chairmen also cite inequities in the Major Project Review Process as a factor in their recommendation for dissolution In effect, CIPE is dissolving because there is no longer room in Castlegar for a neutral position. Celgar and its supporters have seen to that. The people who have been taunted, threatened and abused are, after all, simply asking that we take the long view and work to keep our homes, our communities and our world as safe and agreeable as possible. When the opposition debates, it generally argues from fear — fear of changing one’s way of life, at improbable worst, of losing the mill. Nelson, which lost its two biggest employers in the last 10 years, hasn't gone down the tube. What do the citizens of Castlegar know about their town that gives them no confidence in their abilities to survive? It would be easy and natural to attack Ceigar and its supporters in their turn. Instead, I want answers. Who benefits from this violent abuse, and how? Who pays for it? Since we all are now forced to take sides, why are you on the side you've chosen? Are you happy in or proud of your role so far? We've heard a lot on the consequences of living in a city with, or without, a pulp mill. How Jong and well can you live in a city that, right now, Produces organized violence? F. Mark Castlegar Experts biased I recently attended a question and answer session with some of the technical consultants hired by the Celgar Expansion Review Panel These consultants are supposed to be Senate choice hard to swallow By JIM COYLE OTTAWA (CP) — friendship? For Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, in the 24 hours after ap- pointing former Nova Scotia premier John Buchanan to the Senate, it was steep. Thesauruses were thumbed vigorously in editorial offices across the land in search of the appropriate word with which to denounce the ap- Ppointment of a scandal-ridden premier under RCMP investigation for corruption Abominable. brazen. cynical and farcical were among those found fit to print What price Some observers speculated that the appointment was so politically suicidal it could only have been made by a man not planning to be around in the next election to face the con sequences. “Justification? [| can't ghink- of any,”” York University historian Jack Granatstein said in an interview Michael Bliss, a University of Toronto professor, predicted the Tory grassroots might be so disen- chanted, in the face of widespread public outrage, that they would demand Mulroncy’s head. “You wonder if the death wish, or simply the lack of judgment, isn’t so please see SENATE page AS experts. They may have been independent, but most had a definite bias toward Status-quo, pro-industry, growth-oriented, old- school type of thinking. At least one of the experts impressed me with his environmental concerns about the expansion. We need more of this kind of innovative and flexible thinking if we are to challenge this ‘growth forever’’ mentality To view the world in this way makes us Poorer, not richer. To continue on in this fashion is to move down the road to a world that is polluted, over- populated and depleted of most of its natural beauty which, whether we admit it or not, is deeply important to the well-being of the human psyche. The earth is a finite place. Therefore, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that there is a limit to growth — economic or otherwise As an example of this new kind of thinking, a solution which would satisfy the needs and concerns of most of the people of Castlegar and surrounding areas would be to upgrade the mill to Meet more stringent environmental standards, but retain its present size. This is not even being considered as an option by Ceigar. The company Claims that this is not an cconomxally sound opuon and says it won't make enough profit. it must be remembered that the lion's share of Libby Deer Park Driver replies I'm writing in reply to the letter to the editor (CasNews, Sept. 15) regarding bus transportation from Blueberry to Kinnaird elementary school and back home. I'm the bus driver who transports these children to and from and know full weil that no students are allowed to stand while the bus is moving on any Castlegar school district buses. We do not allow such unsafe procedures and I do not take lightly being accused of such an action. On one occasion, four kids sat in one seat. Legally, the Ministry of Transportation allows on a 72- Passenger bus 72 small children, and on my bus that means three to a seat. Students of all ages were in fact not left behind at all but on one occasion I had to ask all the children on the bus whose parents were available to Pick them up, as I knew I was in an overload situation. Two very nice girls put up their hands and said they'd be willing to go back up to Kinnaird elementary school and call their grandma. I thanked them and they went up to the school and made their call. Never have children that I’ve been made aware of walked all the way home to Blueberry and on Sept. 7 no little boy was left at all. The bus leaves Kinnaird hall at 2:30 and if he was late he simply missed the bus. No children that I know of were not permitted to go back to the school to use the phone. This whole story is totally outrageous. The problem of overloading was solved this week by adding another bus to return kids to Blueberry. No bus is now overloaded at all. The school board responded very quickly to the Probigm and on the morning bus I still have room for more students. When and if I'm close to an overload situation, the problem will be dealt with immediately. I realize that the people of Blueberry are trying to get their school reopened and while I'm in agreement with them, I feel that falsely pointing an accusing finger at the professional drivers who transport their children only demeans Blueberry parents and their efforts. . Brenda Binnie Castlegar Doukhobors misled Reading the news story in your paper, got elected into power in 1952, on exactly this kind of militant ignorance, discrimination and prejudice. A year later, the Socreds gained a majority government on the promise that they would *‘break the back of the Sons of Freedom,"’ once and for all. To do this, they had to alter the public’s perception so the government could kidnap the Sons of Freedom children with little opposition from the non-Doukhobor population. Only by deliberately provoking problems, could they demonstrate a need for their radical remedies. Under a coalition government (1950) plans were made for a peaceful, humane and constructive reconciliation with the Doukhobors. The plan to relocate a group of Doukhobors to an isolated area on the northern end of Adams Lake was an portant ¢ in that plan. A ion of approximately 50 Sons of Freedom men and women went to the area under government supervision and at government expense to view and give final approval of the location. A solution was imminent. Mr. Gaglardi got himself elected by whipping his constituency into a fear-filled, frenzied campaign against Doukhobors. It quickly became apparent, once the “‘Socrates’* were elected, that the Doukhobors had once again been misled and there would be no peaceful solution. Mr. Gaglardi and his co- were largely for the problems of the 50s and 60s. The Sons of Freedom were instigated to begin burning their homes. When enough homes were destroyed, the message came for these people to set up a tent village at Perry’s Siding, an isolated area of the Slocan Valley. In the tent village, the Sons of Freedom went about their usual everyday living — until it was time for the start of school, in the fall. Then the **Socrates"’ played their trump card. They sent a squad of RCMP officers to raid the tent village and beat everyone in sight with riding crops and half-inch rubber hoses about 30 inches long. The adults were loaded on toa waiting train and railroaded to Oakalla Prison. The children (the ‘real object of this operation) were taken to waiting staff at a concentration camp (in New Denver) that had been prepared for them well in advance. The children spent seven years behind the high fences of the New Denver ‘‘dormitory."’ Visits with parents were permitted — every second Sunday, for a short time — but only through the fence. As a member of the legislature, Mr. Gaglardi chose to become one of King Herod's soldiers, kidnapping the children, breaking the hearts of their mothers and the hearts of innocent children Asa Christian missionary, he has not yet evolved from the mentality of the ‘Bloody Inquisition."" The **Socrates’’ must now have another evil scheme in mind. Once again, Mr. Gaglardi will manipulate the thinking of the non-Doukhobor population accordingly. Mike E. Chernenkoff Crescent Valley Going too far Lalso was pleased to see Mr. Lewis apologize to Mr. Sweeney But to describe it as ‘‘classy"’ is going a bit too far. Further, a ‘‘classy"’ person does not make those kind of statements in the first place! Judy Campbell Castlegar Please address ail letters to the editor to: Letters to the Editor, Castiegar News, P.O. Box 3007, Castlegar, B.C. VIN 3H4, or deliver them to our office at 197 Columbia Ave. in Castlegar 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 jetters be published without the writer's name Nevertheless, the name, address and number of the writer MUST be “*Gaglardi says he helped block Doukh move,"’ indicates to me (one of the Doukhobors who were to be moved) that there is an election in sight. Mr. Gaglardi and the Secial Credit party first disclosed to the editor. The Castlegar News reserves the right to edit letters for brevity, clarity, legality, grammar and taste. Castlega By CasNews Staff “Castlegar’s first police . officer George (Mac) MacAndrew, passed away quietly Sept. 13 in the Matsqui- Sumas-Abbotsford Hospital in Ab- botsford. Born in Inverness, Scotland, ““Mac,"’ as he, was affectionately known by everyone, came to Canada at-an-early-age-with-his parents. He came to the Castlegar area in 1932 as a constable in the Provincial Police at a monthly salary of $75 to enforce the law between Genelle and Broadwater, and all of the com- munities adjacent to it, including Pass Creek and South Slocan. His office was above Farmer's General Store (where Prestige Cleaners is now located) and the population of Castlegar and district was then about 2,500. He and his wife returned to Castlegar in their retirement, and MacAndrew became active in He was the subject of a Reflections and Recollections column by John Charters in this newspaper on Jan. 14 of this year. He was a- past of the Rossland-Trail Social Credit party, an active member of Grace Presbyterian Church, and became a volunteer counsellor with the provincial gover- nment, assisting senior citizens with such matters as birth certificate sear- ches and pension applications. He was a nominee for Castlegar and District Citizen of the Year in 1987 and was a supporter of the Castlegar and District Heritage Society. ° ... first police officer r's first cop dies Elsewhere in the province, he was the first chairman of the Fraser-Fort George Regional District and was at the forefront of hospital expansion Projects in that area. When the B.C. Provincial Police were amalgamated with the RCMP, he served in numerous communities, including North Vancouver. He is survived by. s6ns Donald (Karen) of Abbotsford, Angus and Robert of Kelowna; seven gran- ‘ ; four gr brothers James of Victoria, Australia and Thomas of Kent, England and sister Barbara Bernard of Lanark, Scotland. MacAndrew, 86, was predeceased by his wife, Exilda Genevieve, on Sept. 18, 1988. A memorial service will be held Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. in St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Mission. By CasNews Staff Unemployment rates in Castlegar and Trail are going in opposite directions. The Castlegar unemployment rate continued to decline in August while Trail’s unem- ployment rate rose again, this time by more than a percentage point. Castlegar’s unemployment rate stood at 9.2 per cent last month, down from 9.6 per cent in July, Statistics Canada said. The city’s unemployment figures have steadily declined over the last few Unemployment drops months after hitting a high of 12.7 Per cent in May. Trail’s unemployment rate stood at 12.2 per cent in August, up from 10.9 per cent in July. Trail’s unemployment rate has been increasing since May. Castlegar belongs to an economic region, designated by Statistics Canada, that includes Nelson, the Slocan Valley, Creston and the Columbia- Shuswap area. Trail is part of an economic region that includes Grand Forks and the Central Okanagan. In liew of flowers, donations may be made to the B.C. Cancer Society or the MSA Hospital in Abbotsford Your satisfaction is our main concern CASTLEAIRD PLAZA “Better you bet" The number of people unem- ployed in Castlegar’s economic region remained unchanged from July, when 4,000 people out of a workforce of 42,000 were seeking jobs. However, the number of unem- ployed people has increased in Trail’s economic region, to 15,000 from 13,000 in July, out of a workforce of 123,000. 7,341 People can’t be wrong! Let's get on with the Celgar Modernization! economic regions should be used with caution because of variability in sampling from month to mon- th. StatsCan warns that figures for Senate continued from page AS strong that eventually there’s going to be a rebellion,”” he said. ‘*1 mean this was worse than Diefenbaker was.”” ‘Mulroney's motivation may have simply been loyalty, his problem sim- ply one of timing. He wants an airlift of Tory senators in place this fall in a bid to wrest con- trol of the upper chamber from the Liberals to get stalled tax reform legislation and unemployment in- surance changes passed. But had he filled the last Nova Scotia vacancy with a less controver- sial Tory, there was no telling when the next seat would be available to reward Buchanan for his longstan- ding support on issues from free trade to Meech Lake. As Dalton Camp, former special adviser to Mulroney, observed Thur- sday, the prime minister is loyal ‘‘to a fault." Mulroney seemed willing to take the immediate flak to ensure his pal was taken care of. It’s almost certain, however, that Mulroney received assurances from Buchanan that he was innocent of wrongdoing, a Conservative insider said. Once the stench of the RCMP nquiry is removed, it’s difficult to argue that Buchanan — experienced in government and knowledgeable about his region — isn’t qualified for the upper chamber. The timing seemed bad. Political analysts assessing the On- tario election last week which produced a New Democratic majority government were alinost unanimous in noting lessons there for Mulroney. Voters, the line went, were sick of old-style politics and desperz:ely craved principled leadership. remarkably They were also disenchanted, it seemed, with the band of 11 first ministers who closeted ‘themselves away for a week in June in a futile bid to save the Meech Lake accord. But, as if to thumb his nose at that message, Mulroney appointed two former Conservative premiers to the Senate within a week — including his constitutional henchman, Buchanan. Bliss laughed that the appointment was probably recommended by the same deep thinkers who crafted the Meech Lake strategy. C.C. Coming Soon! weet ? ios Eosy” reed Cohoe Insurance Agency Ltd. BISON (Plains Buffalo) THE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE Are you interested in a meat source lower in fat and cholesterol than beef, pork or poultry? This product has a delicate flavour, is nutrient dense and has never been subjected to antibiotics, hormones or growth enhancing drugs. This ensures a completely natural product with non-allergenic benefits for people who cannot tolerate other meats. | have the finest quality Bison meat for sale. The meat has all been federally inspected and selected from domestic herds. For more information call Jim Urquhart at 367-6661 evenings 4:30-9:00 p.m. Mon.-Fri. 1127-4th St., Castlegor High School Equivalency Tests General Education Development (G.E.D.) Testing Schedule The G.E.D. testing program. offered by the Examination Branch of the Ministry of is available in the Selkirk College region. The G_E'D. tests provide Overwaitea’s Autumn CASE LOT SALE Coming next week Sept. 23-29 on opportunity for individuals to earn an official document stating that they have secondary schoo! equivalency stonding G.E_D. test sessions for the toll will be held on the following dates Sat., Oct. 20, 1990 at Selkirk College, Castlegar Campus Sat., Dec. 8, 1990 at Selkirk cotege: Castlegar Campus and at Selkirk College, Grand Forks Centre Sessions are from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. P 9 is required. Application forms must be d by the y of Education in Victoria 21 days prior to the testing date of your choice. There is a registration fee of $25. For application forms and further information contact Don Perks. G.E.D. Examiner 365-7292. Local 256 Castlegar C: the Grand Forks Centre er seis &% ——_CASTLEGaR Campus —___ Sox 1200. Castlegar. B.C. VIN 331 365-7292 i FliELDS FIELDS CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY ONE DAY ONLY! 22nt vond 0% OFF || EVERYTHING IN THE STORE .... 310 Columbia Ave., Castlegar 365-3255 F Sat., 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. < Se OS OS ee ee ee ee Get all 4 every $96.20 is Groceries ‘hased entities to get 1 4 of these products ot th ee. at these super low p get? met tench with oh each with $50.00 $75.00 THE MORE YOU BUY, THE MORE YOU SAVE! approx. 14:16 02 each EEE hothouse grown no. 1 peanut butter 1.5 kg 1.99 — MEAT — oo 18 kg. 2.18/ib. loin chops government inspected pork * Fletchers * smoked shankiess pork picnic shoulder government inspected pork * regular cut * family pack fresh pork side ribs kg. 4.39/1b. fd — BAKERY — assorted health breads 454 g. loat plain © iced * sugor cake donuts 10s — PRODUCE — California grown * no. 1 green seedless grapes large tomatoes kg. 1.30/Ib. kg. 1.74/lb. @ 2a d9 — GROCERY — limit 1 © over limit 1.89 West margarine rich blend ¢ limit 1 * over limit 4.99 Nescafe instant coffee Block Diemond © single thins cheese ; slices California grown * no. 1 jumbo cantaloupes white Scott jumbo towels Sunrype ° apple juice 12 tetra case 225 g. packoge . Kraft macaroni & cheese dinner 12 pkg. cose Advertised Prices in Effect _ Wed., Sept. 19 to Sat., Sept. 22 ‘WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT SALES TO RETAN QUANTITIES,”