’ = Castlégar News November 9, 1986 BCUC HEARING continued trom tront page “We are not really concerned as to the flow of advantages to an investor.” he said. But Brisco noted that he was merely expressing concerns made by his con stituents. Another concern Brisco raised was one of mistrust “The people of Kootenay West are cautious of their American neighbors, and for good reason,” Brisco said. One of the reasons, he said, is that there is no doubt that Canada did not reap the full economic advantages of the Columbia River Treaty and that Kootenay West was more adversely affected by the treaty than any other region of B.C. As well, he said that considering the widespread economie dependency of the region on the forest sector, the 27 per cent U.S. tariff on cedar shakes and shingles has had a “very negative effect.” He added that the 15 per cent U.S counterveiling duty on Canadian softwood products, if approved, threatens to have an even more de vastating effect on the region's eco- nomy. “The final straw is the .22 per cent U.S. surtax recently imposed on all imports,” he said. necessary now. tax dollars spent to our maximum benefit. Greater power for municipalities Local control over local resources “I recognize that this unwarranted economic punishment is due to the highly protectionist nature of the U.S. Congress, and is not the fault of Utili- Corp.” Brisco told the commission. “Regardless of that fact, the public cannot help but make the association.” Another issue of concern Brisco raised with Investment Caneda was that of the power g A further concern, which Brisco did not raise with Investment Canada because it is specific to B.C. is the acquisition by a wholly-owned sub- sidiary of UtiliCorp, Energy Invest ment Ine. of a 1.15 per cent interest in the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in New Mexico. “I realize this to be a remote owned and operated by division of UtiliCorp in its home state of Missouri. “Missouri Public Service op a but nevertheless the ques- tion should be raised as to‘whether or not this saqeietion is in conflict with thermal coal-fired power generating plant,” Brisco noted. He said he has spoken with the Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain, and the environmental counsellor at the Canadian Embassy in Washinton and both jnformed him that coal burning industrial plants in Missouri contribute to the problem of acid rain. However, Brisco said it is not clear to what extent coal fired generators in Missouri contribute to the acid rain problem in central Canada. As well, he said he has been unable to ascertain to what degree UtiliCorp’s coal-fired power plant has been retro-fitted with pollution abatement equipment, but he said the corporation has spent $25 million on emission control. A Voice for our Community and our Future JOE IRVING STANDS FOR JOBS © Community based economic development is possible and We have the right to have our people wont LIRVING, Joseph productive FOR ALDERMAN the mining of brag ry BC.” Brisco told the BCUC hearing. He added that he told Investment Canada that in reviewing any appli- cation, it should a series of assessment factors: @ the effect on economic activity in Kootenay West and the remainder of West Kootenay Power's Service area; © the degree and significance of Canadian participation in West Koote- nay Power's management and oper- ations; @ the effect on competition, specifi- cally between West Kootenay Power and B.C. Hydro for sales of Hydro electric power in the U.S.; e the compatibility of the investment with federal and provincial economic policies and objectives. Agreement at Red By CasNews Staff A memorandum of agree ment has been reached be- tween the Red Mountain Ski Society and its employees. The two sides have been in disagreement over proposed contracting and wage cuts. A mediator from the Labor Relations Board met with both sides Thursday to settle the dispute. Bob Steckle, manager at Red Mountain, and Raymond Gaudard, Red Mountain Em ployees’ Association presi. dent, both told the Castlegar News Saturday that further details on the memorandum and results regarding its acceptance will not be known before Tuesday. FANTASTIC OFFER! BUY A Panasonic ° MICROW. AND WE'LL GIVE YOUA x WAVE OVEN ONUS OFFER, PLUS A $60.00 sa COOKING COURSE! * FREE BONUS OFFER x yk | & programs that's truly Feonires nclude 12 hus dey sion bo wong oes 3 SE 2000 2B 2 OS EO We OG Pos Hh Bi & 2) aE SOS eae aa ie did didates FORUM... Castlegar city council gives Gordon speech to resi at all- continued from front page be adapted to library use for less than $100,000,” Ogiow said. Incumbent Ald. Len Embree re- sponded to several of Ogiow’s points, noting that the city hasn't paid any principal or interest on the industrial park ‘loan. He dismissed the suggestion that the industrial park was built because council bought “a pig in a poke,” or was misled. Instead, he said the provincial government encouraged the city to proceed with the park. He added that the council is pressing Victoria and Ottawa to write off the debt. Embree also explained council's decision to proceed with a new library building. He said the library has been discussed for six of the 10 years he's been an alderman. Embree said council “put value” in the library board's recommendation The decision was only arrived at after a number of other locations and buildings were considered, he said, adding for that, the library board deserves recognition and credibility. He also claimed that the city’s total contribution to the new library in cluded the $78,000 value of the old library. But Ogiow corrected Embree, saying the $78,000 value is in addition to $200,000 the city has pledged. Incumbent Ald. Bob Pakula ex pressed concern that delays in building a new library could jeopardize the $200,000 Expo legacy grant from the provincial government “The board has recommended this and we've made a commitment to do it,” he said. ° Meanwhile, candidate Lawrence Chernoff pledged he would work as “a voice on council.” He said one of his concerns is downtown parking Chernoff did not outline any specific ideas to solve the parking problem, but forum for municipal and school board can- Thursday night. reached CANDI DATES FORUM— cerns on council. Elsewhere, Embree and candidate Patti Richards both said homeowners can't afford tax increases. “The residential community can't afford to pay any more,” Embree said. He proposed that the provincial government increase its share of municipal tax revenue from the $297,- 000 it contributed this year. “We've got to get more provincial money into the community . . . there are areas we can put on the pressure and we should be prepared to do that,” he said. Embree also said council will have to meet with the new owners of the Celgar Pulp Co. to discuss Inland Natural Gas Co.’s franchise fees. He noted that the city could lose $100,00 if Celgar purchases its natural gas directly from the producers. Celgar has signed a one-year agree- ment with Inland Natural Gas, but Embree said there's no guarantee the Briefly that a new library be built on the foundation of the present library said he would listen to downtown businesses and represent their con Proposals criticized VANCOUVER (CP) — The B.C. School Trustees As sociation was accused Friday of suggesting a “system of slave labor — exploiting the unemployed-teacher popu lation.” B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Elsie McMurphy said the trustees are con sidering hiring certified tea. chers, calling them interns and paying them only $18,000 a year — about half that an experienced teacher would receive. PLAZA FERRARO'S per va Open for Your Shopping Convenience TUESDAY — REMEMBRANCE DAY 10. a.m. - Monday, Nov. 10 — 9:30 - 6. Sunday 11 - 5 p.m. McMurphy also said trus tees are trying to split the federation’s bargaining and professional responsibilities into separate organizations, she said. “If that's not contracting out and union busting, I don't know what is,” she said. Trustees’ association executive director Henry Armstrong said later the two proposals referred to by Mc. Murphy are both at the “dis. cussion paper” stage only and won't even be brought up until the assocation’s next annual general meeting in April mill will continue to buy its natural gas from Inland Hanford workers tested RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) About 60 workers at the Hanford nuclear reserva. tion's plutonium finishing plant were tested for radia. tion contamination after four workers were contaminated with plutonium and ameri- cium, Rockwell Hanford offi cials said. Rockwell Hanford spokes man Mark Musolf said the hands of the four workers were contaminated late Thursday afternoon, as well as the face of one worker. Officials do not know how the workers were contami nated, or why they weren't wearing protective gear in contaminated areas. An investigation is under way, Musolf said. He said the workers suffered no ill ef. fects from the incident. THE POPPY ISA SYMBOL OF REMEMBRANCE | _©ourt news Troy Banser was charged in Castlegar provincial court Tuesday with having a blood alcohol level over .08 as the result of a chemical analysis and occupying the seat nor ... AREMINDER THAT NO SACRIFICE WE CAN MAKE FOR PEACE COULD BE COMPARABLE WITH THE SACRIFICE MADE BY THOSE WHO GAVE has THEIR LIVES IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM. $400 been ACCOUNTING COMPUTERIED FINANCIAL STATEAEN- TS: For management or tex purposes TUTORING: Setup to nterpretonon 15 Plus iver Experience ‘ou! in the Heart of Downtown Castlegor’ OFFICE AID 365-6658 Three die in fire ORILLIA, Ont. (CP) — Three children perished Saturday in an early-morning fire at their family home. The youngsters — aged five, two and one — were trapped on the second floor of the brick house while flames engulfed the lower section, frustrating rescue attempts by neighbors and firefighters. The names of the victims were not released. Two adults, including the children’s mother, were taken to hospital with burns and shock. Withhold aid VIENNA (Reuter) — A group headed by a former Soviet dissident has issued a statement calling for the withholding of financial aid to countries violating human rights guaranteed under the 11-year-old Helsinki accords. The statement, released Saturday, was issued by the Paris-based Resistance International and Groups de Paris on behalf of about 50 human rights groups involved in three days of events, exhibitions and news conferences here. Resistance International, whose international president is one-time SoViet dissident Viadimir Bukovsky, said it regards its major task as the fighting of Soviet totalitarianism Soviets accuse U.S. MOSCOW (Reuter) — The Soviet Union has accused the United States of pressing an old demand for unilateral Soviet disarmament at last week's East-West talks on European security in Vienna. The official Tass news agency said U.S. repre- sentatives at the 35-country security conference refused to alter the position taken by President Ronald Reagan at his meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Iceland last month ~ U.S. representatives went to the Austrian capital with the same old baggage of lop-sided pro- posals which boiled down to one and the same demand fpr a unilateral Soviet disarmament,” Tass said. Recapture attempted AISLAMABAD (AP) Thousands of Afghan troops supported by tanks, helicopter gunships and jet fighters are attempting to recapture a guerrilla-held fort in northern Afghanistan, rebel sources in Pakistan said Saturday. Jamiat-i-Islami, one of the largest Islamic guerrilla groups fighting the Communist government of Afghanistan, said the Afghan army began the drive Nov. 3 in Takhar province, near the Soviet border. Initial reports described heavy fighting with losses on both sides, but gave few details Bodies recovered SUMBURGH, Shetland Islands (AP) — Divers have recovered 11 more bodies and raised a large section of a Chinook helicopter that plunged into the North Sea, killing 45 people, officials in Britain said Saturday “This is the most significant piece we have recovered so far,” David King. an inspector with the Department of Transport, said about the recovery of the front section of the helicopter Two people — the pilot and a passenger survived Thursday's crash off the Shetland Islands. The twin-roter helicopter had been ferrying workers from a North Sea oil field First blizzard WINNIPEG (CP) — A closed sign was hung over much of southern Manitoba Saturday as the first blizzard of the season swept through, reducing vis ibility to zero in some areas and making travel almost impossible In Winnipeg. knee-high drifts of snow covered the grass that was still visible Friday and winds gusting up to 90 kilometres an hour kept cars off the road Temperature was reported at -8 C The city's main thoroughfare, Portage Avenue. was empty as drifting snow swirled over several cars buried in fresh snowbanks. The few pedestrians brave enough to venture outside appeared as grey sil houettes, barely visible against the blinding snow Collects signatures EDMONTON (CP) — The Alberta Medical As sociation says it is optimistic it can collect 50,000 signatures on a petition calling for mandatory seat belt legislation Alberta and Prince Edward Island are the only provinces which do not require motorists to wear seat belts. Novelist dies PARIS (Reuter) Artur London writer and former Communist leader who. The Confession, recounted the party purges of the early 1950s, has died at the age of 71 London, who had lived in France since 1963, died Friday night, sources close to the family said Satur day. No cause of death was given A hardline Communist militant in the 1930s, London joined the International Brigades that fonght the forces of Gen. Francisco Franco in Spain. During the Second World War he became a leader of an underground immigrant France that battled against the Nazi occupation along side French resistance groups. he Czech in his novel network in Halt planned DAMASCUS (AP) — Western diplomatic sources said Saturday that most of Britain's European allies plan to halt arms shipments to Syria and enforce tighter controls on Syrian diplomats. The sources also said the European countries would closely watch Syrian Arab Airlines Senior foreign ministry officials from European Community countries met in Vienna on Thursday and backed the plan, said the sources, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity November 9, 06 CasthégarNews 3 CAR TOTALLED . . . Tow truck driver examines overturned Pontiac which was totalled as a result of an accident Friday in Thrums. Coshews Photo by fick Grohem Driver loses control of car One man received minor injuries Thursday when the bicycle he was riding struck the side of a car. RCMP say Gary Stephens of Columbia Avenue was riding northbound on Colum bia Ave. on the left hand side of the road when he struck the car driven by Joan Muller of 2234 Columbia Ave. who was turning left into her driveway. Stephens spent the night in the Castlegar hospital and was released Friday. . . A single vehicle accident on Friday has left a 1965 Pontiac totalled. RCMP say Darrin Alex Metcalf of Nelson was driv ing westbound on Highway 3A in Thrums when he lost control of his vehicle on the curve. Metcalf claims slip pery road conditions were the cause. There were no injuries. . 8 6 One suspect has been ar rested in connection with a theft from Skyway Distrib- utors on Oct. 31 RCMP say the suspect has been released on a notice to appear. A large quantity of beer was also recov 7 2 @ RCMP are investigating a purse snatching that occur- red at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 2. A local resident was walk- ing near 500 block Third Avenue when a woman jumped out of a vehicle, grabbed the purse and es- caped in the vehicle. Changes opposed By CasNews Staff The commission into the proposed of such as Trail which would become part the Okanagan-Similkameen and increase “There is clearly the opportunity to the size and population of electoral boundary changes for Koote. nay West wrapped up its meeting in Nelson Wednesday afternoon on @ note that Kootenay West MP Bob Brisco felt was optimistic. “I was encouraged by their re sponse.” Brisco said. “And their frequent referral to the map that was drawn up for the 1983 redistribution hearings.” Brisco explained that the 1983 map never became law because a federal election was called within the time set out by law for a proposal to become permanent Brisco said the 1983 map is similar to the current boundaries yet includes Revelstoke and Trout Lake Brisco, together with a opposition of representatives from almost every community in West Kootenay, cited factors at the hearing that included poor representation and unreasonably long and even dangerous driving distances between MPs and constituents as reasons opposing the boundary changes Other factors mentioned by almost every brief submitted included the destruction of the West Kootenay's historical significance if it were to be eliminated and the complete lack of economic similarities between areas united Nelson to become part of East Koote nay renamed simply Kootenay It was also pointed out that this area would be situated at the extreme eastern edge of the Okanagan riding. insuring that representation would be centred in Penticton and predictably poor in the West Kootenay region. “It's not like a nice downtown Van couver riding where you drive from one end to the other in 15 minutes,” said Brisco. “We would get nothing but lip service.” Brisco said the 1983 map was logical in its proposed changes and would result in better representation Of those who later spoke at the hearing, Castlegar mayor Audrey Moore presented briefs from the Castlegar Development Board and the Castlegar Legion as well as Castlegar City council “I'm certain you have the message over and over again that we are con cerned,” Moore told the hearing Reading from a prepared brief, Moore said, “It is council's position that the inclusion of much of the present West Kootenay in the proposed new electoral area of Okanagan-Similka meen would deprive our area residents of effective representation at the fed eral level electoral areas in the more densely populated portions of the province in order to reduce the size and/or popu lation of rural areas, and to permit retention of the Kootenay West elect oral area,” said Moore. “We urge you to ensure that demo cratic principles are not dictated by a mathematical formula or by mathe maticians.” Brisco explained that once each commission from each province com pletes its report and a painstaking process of referrals and objections is completed in Ottawa, then the new federal electoral boundaries are made public. The new boundaries cannot be used in an election until one full year has passed from the time of publication before an election is called. If parlia ment is dissolved within that one year, the previous election boundaries are used Canada is currently operating with the electoral boundaries prescribed in 1976. The commission has already held meetings in Victoria, Nanaimo, Kam loops and Kelowna. After Nelson, it appeared in Cranbrook Friday, then heads to Vancouver Nov. 12 and finally Prince George on Nov. 13. JOHNSON SAYS i Real change a reality By CasNews Staff Castlegar school board chairman Kay Johnson told an all-candidates meeting Thursday that “real change and real representation is a reality” since she was elected to the board two years ago. Johnson is one of three candidates running for school trustee in the City of Castle gar. Incumbent Gordon Turner and challenger Bill Hadikin are also vying for the one of two vacant seats Johnson said since she was elected, the board has at least five committees on which parents, teachers and support staff are sented repre She said open budget meetings were held for the first time in the spring and meetings with parent groups are held regularly “We are now working to gether,” she said Johnson also said she has not been silent regarding provineial government edu cation policies In addition, Johnson said programs and services re duced because of restraint are gradually being rein stated “Staff morale is better now than it has been for a number of years,” she said Johnson also pointed to the board's openness, saying "Now we do board business in public than ever before.” more Meanwhile, Turner said he has been a “key figure” in decisions that have improved education in the district Before he was elected, much of the board's activities were secret, Turner said. “I have worked to have a more open board,” he said pointing to the teacher liai son committee and the meet ings with parent groups. I took the position that people were the key ingred jent in the education sys tem,” he added. “No teachers or support staff who wanted work were laid off in my two years on the board.” Turner also said he helped change the style of the board so that it is “now a group who can be approached.” He said his background as an elementary teacher and now as a college instructor is essential” to the board “['m pro-education to the core,” he said “I believe I've earned the title of trustee because I have worked continuously to make the education environment the best possible.” Hadikin said he wants to help reduce the “divisions and hostility” in the com munity, adding that the board needs more parental involvement. He mentioned proper noti fication for parents affected by changes, not only to their child's education, but to family life as well And he said parents should have the right to determine which schools their children will attend. It doesn't make sense to bus students to a school where there are 28 students per class when the bus passes a school which has only 16 students class, Hadikin said Hadikin declined to com ment on the closure of the four rural elementary schools this summer, He said he will wait for the report from a special board committee looking into the closures. However, he sug. gested that the schools be made available for commun ity use Hadikin, an Ootischenia resident, also addressed the concern about why he is running in the city. He said the question wouldn't even be asked in a united com munity But he pointed out that his children attend city schools and he pays the same taxes as city residents in each City presents brief at BCUC hearing By CasNews Staff ‘The City of Castlegar went on record Thursday as opposing the sale of West Kootenay Power and Light Co. to UtiliCorp United Inc. Alderman Len Embree, in presentigg,city council's brief to a British Columbia Utilities Commission in Trail into the proposed sale, said the city feels that the ownership and control of electrical generating and distribution facilities, and the assured access to long-term water rights essential for hydro-electric power gener- ation, must remain in Canada. The city took this position “because energy is critical to the economic development and viability of British Columbia and of Canada.” Embree said the city believes that there are “com- pelling reasons why a dangerous precedent” should not be set by the approval of the sale. Embree said the city understands that there is no di for selling an ical utility in Canada to a non-Canadian owner. He said that without a precedent the consequences of approving such a sale cannot be realistically anticipated. “We have no reason to believe that one or more of the prospective Canadian purchases who demonstrated their interest in acquiring West Kootenay Power would not make an offer that would be fair and equitable, and acceptable to Cominco if they were given the opportunity to do so,” Embree said. “Those prospective purchasers offered the oppor- tunity for continued Canadian ownership and regional policy input that we believe have been significant factors in West Kootenay Power's success in the past in providing a high level of service at reasonable rates.” Embree also raised a number of specific concerns which the city had He said the city urges the commission to include in {ts order such conditions as may be ensure that: e UtiliCorp will not at any time attempt to recover any portion of the acquisition premium of about $13,460, 000 Cdn through increased rates to WKPL customers and that the financing of the purchase price will not otherwise to reflected in increases to those rates; © there will be no reduction in levels or standards of service provided; e there will be no disposition of any assets of WKPL, nor any shutdown of any WKPL generating facilities; © The board of directors of WKPL will be established and will continue at all times to consist of five directors who are residents of the service area and who are not employed by either WKPL or UtiliCorp, two WKPL officers who are residents of the service area, and two officers of UtiliCorp; © UtiliCorp will maintain job security, wages, and employee benefits at the level presently enjoyed by WKPL employees: e The head office for WKPL will remain within the area in which its power is generated; UtiliCorp will apply to list its common stock on the Toronto Stock Exchange within 30 days of final approval of the purchase of WKPL, so that there will be an opportunity for Canadians in general, and service area residents in particular, to invest in UtiliCorp and West Kootenay Power e UtiliCorp will not arbitrarily assign any inter-corp orate costs to WKPL, and the cost of any services provided by UtiliCorp or its divisions on a consultative basis at the request of WKPL in the areas of adminis tration, finance. operations, planning or in any other area shall be reasonable in the circumstances and be such that they will not adversely affect rates. Other briefs presented Thursday included those by Peter Duryea of the Eastshore Community Development Forum, Jack McDonald, a former WKPL employee and chief electrical engineer for Gray Creek resident Alice Bruce, and the Kootenay Lake Chamber of Commerce. Duryea in presenting the Eastshore group's brief said the imminent sale of WKPL “falls right in line with the decline of Canadian integrity “Although we are told that significant changes in the current corporate policies of local management and its concern for the local workers, the community and the environment, what guarantees can we possibly secure? The pressures of government and economics can alter the situation overnight and, with Cominco. there will be nc foreign control, we will have no alternative but to accept the consequences The Kootenay Lake Chamber of Commerce brief which was presented by Alice Bruce was concerned that ownership of WKPL. be retained in ( ‘anadian hands for a number of reasons @ control of the levels of Kootenay Lake should be in its passed to a foreign country e the Kootenays already suffer because control of their waters have already been traded off to the U.S. (ie High Arrow and Duncan dams) ea foreign company will not have the interests of the B.C. Southern Interior as foremost in their intentions; ¢ lower power rates need to be retained in order to encourage development and employment in the Koote nays Canada has apparently been outbid by the higher U.S. dollar an opportunity should be allowed for Canadians to purchase this utility