OPINION

, 199

Wednesday, June 28, 1995

The Castlegar Sun

Letters to the Editor

Wy,
The Cast Gar Sun

WS

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editorial comment

‘The weapon that
should have
taken precedence

One year after 15-year-old Tara Manning was
smothered, raped and stabbed more than 40 times
in her suburban home, police believe they have
identified her killer through DNA testing.

A DNA sample taken from the saliva of a 17-
year-old youth matched DNA found in sperm
temoved from Manning's body.

DNA testing could be, without question, the
number one tool used by police and prosecutors in
solving abhorrent crime.

So why has it taken Federal Justice Minister
Allan Rock so long to introduce legislation that
would allow DNA testing across the board?

Unsolved crimes across the nation have certainly
prompted many voters to voice concerns to the
government, including Michael Manning, Tara’s
grief-stricken father.

Last month, Manning submitted 10,462 signa-
tures to Allan Rock calling for mandatory DNA
testing for suspects in sexual assault and slayings.

That petition could have come from any part of
the province, including the Kootenays, where,
sadly enough, vicious crimes against the innocent
also occur.

Who wouldn’t be in favor of a sure-fire way to
solve crimes? Yet instead of pushing this type of
legislation to the forefront, the federal government
has, until very recently, left it on the backbumer.
Was the timing not correct? Were other Bills more
important?

Perhaps there wasn’t enough interest? The tech-
nology has been available for such testing for years
now, and the feds are certainly aware of the success
rate in other countries that utilize DNA testing.

To Rock, pushing through a controversial gun
law was deemed more important. Meanwhile, the
Canadian Justice System, with its inefficiencies and
soft-hearted approach to young offenders, contin-
ues to be viewed as a wet noodle. Another thing to
consider: the DNA testing process is virtually use-
less if the suspect refuses to supply a sample in the
first place

But with mandatory DNA testing on the horizon,
this same system is starting to look as if it is finally
growing some badly needed teeth. It’s about time.

_ knowledge.

Beware! This could happen to your teenager!

On Friday, June 16, a small group of teens
decided to camp out overnight at Syringa Creek
Park. Now, these kids were not looking for a
place to have an all night party. It happened that
one of the girls was having a birthday and the
kids wanted to sit by the campfire, play their gui-
tars, sing some songs and have a nice quiet time.
They are good kids...ones that work hard in
school, have honour roll grades, have part-time
jobs, and ones that can be trusted to follow the
rules set out for them.

I went out to set up our tent trailer on the lake-
side near the park so the kids could play catch or
bocci near their campsite. I'd packed the trailer
full of board games, food, a birthday cake and
anything else I thought might make their stay
more fun. When I entered the park, I made sure
to carefully read the signs that were posted, just
in case there were regulations about leaving kids
by themselves. The signs clearly ‘indicated that if
the kids were over 13 years of age, it was fine to
leave them. (These were all 15 and 16-year-olds
so this was not a problem.)

Later that evening, I took my daughter and a
couple of the other kids out to the park. I made
sure they were set up properly, and I very careful-
ly went over “the rules” with them. I felt quite

with the si i the gates of the
park would be locked at 10 p.m.; they were close
to other campers in case of an emergency, there
were washrooms, firewood and other necessities
at hand for them to use...they would be alright for
the night.

So I went on my way to run a few errands.

middle of what is called the “washout”. This is a
place littered with broken bottles, garbage and
who knows what ¢lse, where there are no wash-
room facilities, no running water, no firewood,
no fellow campers nearby and

no gates that lock at 10 p.m.

What in the world was this
woman thinking...was she con-
cerned at all about the safety of
the kids or did she just want
them out of the park...Out of
sight, out of mind!

When I heard what had hap-
pened, I immediately went up
to check on the kids. When I
got there, I found them safe but
unhappy with the situation. It seems that more
kids from town had heard what had on
and had showed up looking for a “party”. Thi
was not at all what my little group of ehegies
had wanted. Their overnight camping trip had
been ruined.

The next morning my husband called Social
Services (Child Abuse and Neglect) to find out
what the laws are. We were told we had not bro-
ken any law and had not neglected or abandoned
the group of teens.

I also phoned Parks B.C. and talked to a Mr.
Grant who was very understanding and helpful.
He told us that the age limit and parks signs were
not in the process of being changed, that the
teens should never have been moved, and that the
money collector did not own the property she
moved the kids to.

In short, she had lied to the kids. It seems that
the services at Syringa Park are under contract,
as well, and not part of Parks B.C. He stated that
the actions taken by this individual were way out
of line and that he would take
care of the situation.

You know, there are some
kids out there who make it
difficult for the others to get
a fair shake.

On the other hand, there
are lots of really great kids
out there who are responsi-
ble, mature, hard working
and well deserved of our
respect. This woman did not
give the kids a chance. She painted all

MY
TURN

BRENDA
BINNIE

Remembering the forefathers’ courage

Dear Editor:

Fifty years ago, World War II
ended, The assessment of the
unprecedented human and envi-
ronmental tragedy, wrought by
man, began.

The world’s leaders sat down
to discuss how to ‘end the
scourge of war’, June 26, 1945,
the Charter of the United Nations
was signed.

Fifty years earlier, in 1895, a
group of peasants in Imperial
Russia, defied the laws of the
state and church, by refusing to

with the same paintbrush, as “bad” kids. Ones
that would cause her problems. She clearly dis-
criminated again them because of their age. I feel
this is totally unfair.

These kids learned a valuable lesson from all
of this...Know your rights and stand up for them!
Don't allow someone to force you to do some-
thing when they have no right to do so!

In closing, I feel lucky that the kids are okay.
Who knows what could have happened to them
out there in the middle of nowhere without even
the protection of the park gates...for that matter
who knows what kind of accident may have hap-
pened on the Deer Park Road if my trailer
hooked to the fellow’s pick-up had let go!

Brenda Binnie is a city councillor and employ-
ee of School District No. 9.

Upon arriving home later that evening,
though, I found a frantic message on my
answering machine from one of the other
parents, Marilee Papau. I immediately called
Ms. Papau and found that the kids and my
trailer had been moved from the park to the
“washout” site without my permission or

It seems that at about 6:45 the park war-
den/money collector had come and told the
kids and Ms. Papau they would have to
move. Warden advised that she was not there
to provide daycare, and they would all have
to be 16-years-old and have someone who
was 19 with a driver's licence stay at the site
with them...she said they could not stay there.
Parks B.C. had changed the rules and the 13-
year-old age limit posted on the sign was
incorrect and the signs were in the process of
being changed. She had had previous trouble
with teens and was not about to let it happen
again...and besides weren't their parents
being neglectful by abandoning them out
there for the night!

Though the kids had money to pay for the

i Speaker’s Corner

Question:
Should the Ktu-

-
Castlegar student Tamara Terry is pounding the pavement in

Sal search of answers to questions that correspond with news stories
H that have appeared in The Castlegar Sun. If you see Tamara, it
could be your opportunity to appear in Speaker's Corner, which

will be published each week.

naxa/Kinbasket
native bands be
awarded _ their
land claim in the
Kootenays?

campsite, had their parents permission to
Stay, were not breaking any rules, had not
caused any problems, were not noisy, abusive
or offensive, she insisted they leave. Her next
move still amazes me! She told the kids she
owned some land up the road and they could
stay there. She had another parks’ person tie
(not hitch) my trailer to the back of his truck,
tow it up Deer Park Road and plunk it in the

I think that the whole No,
issue of nativé land
claims has gotten way
out of control.
—Doreen Morrey

I don’t think
natives should be
given all this land
—Christa Currie
(with son Tyler)

If the land has in the
past been granted to
the natives by a feder-
al agency, then it is
traditionally and

Yes. I think that per-
haps with more native
influence in the area,
Castlegar and the rest
of the Kootenays can
benefit from the shar-

rightfully theirs.
—Bob Byrn ing of the culture

—Yuki Tatsuno

Council’s

If there were any lingering
doubts about the seriousness of city
council’s bid to take over the
Castlegar Airport, they disappeared
Monday night during a firestorm of
a meeting that had Castlegar Mayor
Mike O'Connor ready for battle.

For months now the public has
been tuning into the continuing
saga over who would takeover the
daily operations of the regional air-
Port. Would it be the city, who had
made its intentions known from the
Start? Or would it be the regional
district, who surfaced at the
eleventh hour to suddenly say they

land.

It too.

One thing you
can say about Kirk
Duff, he is certain-
ly not a mouth-
Piece or a puppet
for city council
while sitting at the
regional district
table. Not
does he have his own mind, he uses

SHARLENE
IMHOFF
only

If he sincerely thought that he
was acting in the best interest of city
taxpayers, how
can you fault
him? ~° front of the cameras.

He might not
have
plished what he
set out to do:
ease the strife
between the
regional district
and the city. But
he did accomplish something that
no other councillor has dared to do:

message finally clear |

two legislative bodies should come
first and foremost in regards to
development of the

by going against the grain, he
stirred up the po,t and council, for
the first time in a long time, had
.Something serious to talk about in

Duff will be the first to admit that
quaint and cozy discussions about
the Castlegar airport have gone on
behind closed doors for too long.

It wasn’t until this resolution
from the RDCK came forward that
council finally had the courage to
show their tenacity on this matter in
a public way. It was a discussion
that was long overdue.

accom-

wanted in too.

Sure the airport takeover is impor-
tant, but the federal building and its
employees, which run an annual
deficit of more than $500,000, are
not the real issue at stake. The issue,
pure and simple, is land.

Who will own it and what will be
developed on it. That is the crux of
the matter right there. Without the
land, taking over the operations of
the airport will not be possible.

But in the same breath, anyone
who thinks development on a few
hundred acres will pay for all costs
associated with running an airport is
in for a surprise

Once the city takes over, other
sources of revenue will be sought,
such as an airport improvement tax

in the killing of man
or beast.

Men of military age handed in
conscription (draft) notices, as
those already in the army were
tortured and killed in military
prisons for refusing to learn the
hideous craft of murder and
destruction.

The Doukhobors gathered
their weapons—guns, ammuni-
tion, swords—and destroyed
them by setting them ablaze; in

this way, assuring that at least
these tools of death would no
longer be usable.

The authorities descended with
savage fury—beating, maiming,
killing, raping, then exiling a peace-
ful people to Siberia (the coldest,
severest region of the Empire).

One hundred years later (1995)
we, Doukhobors, are commemo-
rating our ancestors’ act of disar-

. We are r ing
their courage, honoring the spiri-
tual truth they stood firm on—the
Sixth Commandment, ‘Thou
Shalt Not Kill’.

Today, we continue to carry
this message of universal brother-
hood and peace in our souls,
Strive to live according to the
principles and ideals of God and
Christ, endeavoring to share it
with our global neighbors, our
brothers and sisters, all.

To mark the Centennial of the
Destruction of Weapons, com-
memorative programs are being
held across Canada, parts of Rus-

sia and in New York, in the Unit-
ed States.

On the evening of June 28, in
Kamsagk’, Saskatchewan, one of
the original Doukhobor settle-
ments in Canada, the local
Doukhobor community will start
off the commemoration events in
Saskatchewan.

The next morning, June 29,
will begin with a prayer service at
the grave site of the first Doukho-
bor to reject military service
(Mathew Lebedoff), followed by
a full day and evening of choirs,
displays and speakers at the
Doukhobor Heritage Village
Museum in Verigin,
Saskatchewan.

On June 30, in-Yorkton, at the
Western Development Museum,
there will be an afternoon pro-
gram with tours, historic displays
and other presentations with the
“Voices For Peace’ giving a con-
cert in the evening at the Yorkton
Regional School, sp db

Saskatoon will hold, on July 2, a
morning prayer service at the
Western Development Museum
with displays, speakers and choirs
in the afternoon,

In the evening, the United
Doukhobor Centennial ‘95 Choir
and Drama Ensemble concert at
the Circle Alliance Church, spon-
sored by the Saskatoon Doukho-
bor community, will wrap up the
prairie leg of the commemora-
tion. For more information about
Saskachewan events, contact
George Stushnoff at 306-477-
1124, the Doukhobor Heritage
Village Museum at 306-542-
4441, or Harry Shukin at 306-
542-2017.

The ‘Voices For Peace’ tour
then travels to British Columbia,
where on July 6, the Union of
Spiritual Communities of Christ
will host an exhibition of
Doukhobor arts and crafts and a
concert, in Grand Forks, at the
USCC Ci Center.

y
the local‘Doukhobor Community.

On July 7, in Castlegar, at the

Doukhobor Village Museum, a
three-day event begins with a
film festival, tours and readings
by Doukhobor authors in the
evening.

On July 8, a full day's pro-
gram, featuring guests and choirs
will take place at the Doukhobor
Village Museum, followed by a
banquet and public meeting at the
Brilliant Cultural Center.

In the morning of July 9,’a
prayer service at the burial site of
Peter Lordly Verigin, on whose
advice the historic act of peace
the Doukhobors’ undertook,
begins a day of choral presenta-
tion and speeches by visitors and
representatives of government,
peace and justice groups and
Doukhobor societies, tours and
displays.

A concert by the “Voices For
Peace’ in the evening of July 9, at
the Brilliant Cultural Center will
complete this event

The Union of Spiritual Com-
munities of Christ and the Canadi-

Teen: complainers physically and mentally lazy

Dear Editor:

I'm writing you because I’m
not pleased with the complaints
from teenagers in this area.

T'm a fellow teenager of the age
of sevemeen. The teenagers are
complaining that there is no place
to hang out, do stuff in the area.
We aren't respected by adults and
the youth have no way of putting
their energy, in a good way.

That’s not true. These
teenagers are lazy both physically
and mentally. You have to use
your imagination and your body
to keep yourself in a positive
sense. There is so much to do in

What’s wrong with

Dear Editor:

Re: In reference to-all the citi-
a of Castlegaramierare oon=>

tly complaining and, voicing

their opinions in the paper regard-
ing Castlegar’s “rapid growth”.

Wake up Castlegar! Castlegar is
growing and what is wrong with
that? Three weeks ago one lady
wrote a letter saying Canadian
Tire should apologize to the citi-
zens of Castlegar for backing up
traffic along Columbia Avenue.

Perhaps this lady has forgotten
how many jobs this will create in
an area that probably has one of
the highest unemployment rates
in the country. Or perhaps she is
totally blind to the fact that
Castlegar does indeed need stores
with more selection and more
competitive prices.

Last summer, I went uptown
looking for a garbage can reason-
ably priced and to my utter amaze-

=<
Ln

LADIES WE

this area.

There is tons of hiking and
mountain biking trails of all lev-
els in the Castlegar area. And
when bored of those create new
trails. We can go swimming all
year round at the rivers, lakes and
swimming pools in the area.

We can do it for fun or work
up to a competitive level, or to
just get in shape. We have roller
blading in the dry-season, which
is fun and a sport. What you can
do in the winter is ice skating. We
also have some of the most
incredible ski hills in the world.

Now, if that's too expensive

ment, could not find one in the
town under $10! Oh how I-had
wished weld Canadian Tire then!

As for.backing up traffic, let it
be known that (Hello) Columbia
Avenue is THE only route
through this town, what does she
expect. I grew up in a small town
and I can honestly say that
Castlegar is the most poorly
planned out town I have ever,
ever seen.

Then, Catherine Steinke
debates her point by saying that
the citizens of Castlegar should
be happy to even have a'store like
Canadian Tire come to this area,
let alone Castlegar. Hooray for
Ms. Steinke!

Let’s face it folks, Castlegar is
growing. There are people com-
plaining and complaining and are
scared to death that this will
become a “mini-Kelowna”. First
of all when we talk about rapid

for your blood, try cross country.
It’s very cheap and you can also
catch a ride up with someone, if
you ask at Gerick Cycle. It’s a
sport for all levels and it’s not
boring because you can go just as
fast as downhill skis when far in
the back country.”

There's lots out there, just
open your mind and experience
life to the fullest, really what
would you rather have—memo-
ries of just bumming around town
and getting in trouble or beautiful
scenery and feeling really good
about yourself.

I'm telling you to stop making

growth?

growth, let's be realistic.

Castlegar will never become a
mini! Kelowna because there is
just not Enough room in this val-
ley for it to become as big as
Kelowna. So, let's. say that rapid
growth means that it will expand
to the size of a Cranbrook.

Now, if rapid growth means to
have a city that has newly paved
roads and sidewalks (that go all
the way up along Columbia Ave.,
both sides), better lighting by
street lights at night, turning
lights (am I dreaming) at the
intersection where there’s a lot of
traffic (i.e. CIBC), curbs to keep
the gravel from the streets off
people’s lawns, then what is
wrong with that I ask?

Never in my life have I seen
roads (if you can call them that)
in such dire need of paving. If

See GROWTH

R & FABRIC
DEPARTMENT

SAY E

fo 10 50% OFF

STARTS JUNE 26TH, 1995

excuses for yourself and stop
complaining because if you are
feeling good about yourself even,
and I mean, even the adults will
Tespect you.

Keep your mind busy

because once you stop using it,
you are worse than one of those
adults, who has a one-sided
opinion on teenagers.
From a satisfied teenager of
Castlegar (the city of Joy.)

Dear Editor:

I feel as furious as former
city councillor Jim Chapman,
“It's absolutely abhorrent to
see kids with bare legs ronning
through the grass with the
chemicals all around them.”
(Cas Sun Tune 14, 1995).

T too am outraged at the cal-
lous disregard shown by the
City of Castlegar in their deci-
sion to apply toxic pesticides
«Trike, 2-4-D, MCCP, Dicarm-
ba, Glyphesate and Simazine)
in local

With this act the City has

Parent
expose their children to these
known carcinogenic toxins.

We need Chapman back!

It was puzzling to say the
Jeast to hear of the City tearing
down the fence around Kins-
men Park and then almost
immediately rebuilding it for
the Sunfest dance.

I could not help bat wonder
why such a thing had been
done. I am no longer just puz-
zled by the actions of the City
of Castlegar, I am outraged.

Jim - please consider run-
ningsfor ’ office again. Clearly
we need some changes at City
Hail. In the meantime - does
anyone know how to “de-toxi-
fy” our parks? Perhaps the
great mind behind the “fence
fiasco” can come up with a
‘way to unspray the parks?

Lucinda Fry

an Doukhobor Society are hosting
these three days honoring our
forefathers accomplishment in
support of brotherly love. Con-
tacts for*information on B.C
events are the USCC offices at
604-442-8252 or the Doukhobor
Village Museum at 604-365-6622.
As ‘children of God’, no mat-
ter of what color, religion or
social status, we can join hands
and work: together as we com-
memorate the 50th anniversary of
the first use of atomic weapons,
the end of World War II and the
birth of the United-Nations, and
the 100th anniversary of the
Doukhobor Destruction of
Weapons to help end the ‘scourge
of war’, poverty, disease, starva-
tion and environmental annihila-
tion. Together, we can, ‘Create
Global Harmony Through Toil
and Peaceful Life’,
On behalf of the Doukhobor
Centennial Coordinating
Committee
Laura Savinkoff

More letters
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Make
perfect
strangers

stop by
your

caut: Cathy ¢ Fred ¢ Nicole

Mi
The dS a
AIS

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Many airports do this now, charging
a fee before any passengers enter
the coveted security zone

There is no way that the city can

Only 5”

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afford to be saddled with a mega-
deficit each year, and it would cer-
tainly be unfair to assume taxpayers
will accommodate such a burden.

It is for this reason that council is
so adamant about control over the
airport lands, and the same reason
why city councillor Kirk Duff

thought cooperation between the

plo

sSeSSSESSEzEzzzzz=

C_deponment Store _) ?
1217-3rd St., Castlegar SOD" 7 782

‘

Call: Deb Mcintosh
Castlegar & District Heritage Society

365-6440