this week By CasNews Staif Castlegar pensioners have less than a month to apply for the-Guaranteed Income Sup- COOKED plement of the Old Age Sec- urity, says Bill Morrison, ite, $998 666/100 Gr. . 18. federal Income Security Pro- KRAFT grams district manager. Miracle Whip | 227° i207 25..°% $959 supplement in addition to Old Age Security Pension, but must re-apply by March 31 to avoid any reduction in their monthly cheques. The GIS requires annual application because of pos sible changes in the recipi ent’s income. Those whose income dropped in 1984 will receive larger monthly cheq ues, while pensioners whose income increased during the year will receive a reduced rate. As well, anyone who plans to make claims to Pharma care must submit their claims by the end of this month. Pharmacare will pay 80 per cent of any pharmaceutical claims of more than $175 per family a month. Anyone — not just pensioners — can make the claims. CENTRAL FOODS The Stihl 032 AVEQ CHAINSAW WEATHER 6 ° PRINCE GEORGE = KAMLOOPS KELOWNA \" Gh & Re bd Ssatoox ° —- Ns LETTER TO. THE EDITOR Protesters positive Editer, Castlegar News: As one of the most recent “pro testers” to confront Fred Merriman, in his capacity as a member of the Selkirk College board, I feel obliged to reply to Mr. Merriman’s latest column in which he comments upon the nature and methods of all protesters of the B.C. Government's funding cuts. Mr. Merriman asks us protesters to provide “positive alternatives” instead of mere criticisms. Our reply is obvious, yes, we do have a positive alternative to perpetual budget cuts, and this is, to restore education fund ing to pre-restraint levels. I assume Mr. Merriman’s response to this would be to ask how this funding level is to be paid for, that is, do we have a positive alternative way of paying for quality ; | education in B.C.? Our answer would again be, yes, we 3: ee do; the alternative is to fund education ' \ as we always have before “restraint,” ey ES Veen New By CasNews Staff A new 11-person Katima. vik group arrived in Castle- gar Feb. 28 from St. Ray- toria Grove, Nfld., Judy mond, Que. O'Reilly from Mississauga, The group will be moving Ont., Dave Pokrandt from to Summerland for a short Calgary, Alta., Mario Pare stay on March 20. from Sherbrooke, Que., They include: Charles Ber- Marie-Claude Renouf from ard from St. Catharine's Ont., John Clark from Acton, Ont., Nevin Harbin from Vic Showing your dog The West Kootenay Ken- lowed by an afternoon work- nel Club is providing show ing session. As the working handling seminars March 23 session is restricted to 20 and 24 for those interested in dogs, pre-registration by learning how to show pure- March 13 is essential. bred dogs. The seminars will take There are no restrictions place at the Castlegar Com- on the number of people that munity Complex. may attend the seminars, or The seminars will consist observe the working ses. of a morning lecture, fol- sions. NOW OPEN City Bakery’s New BUN CITY Serving Castlegar grea since 1947! EI EIE & & Katimavik crew Varenne, Que., Doug Try- wick from Vancouver, Luce Trudel from Quebec, and Alain Champagne from Mon- treal. Katimavik is an action- learning volunteer program. It's for young people ages 17 to 21, who want to acquire working experience. by all ient financial re sources to operate the educational sys- tem properly. If there isn't enough money available for this purpose, then the citizens of B.C. should be consulted about whether they wish to preserve the education system by paying for its real costs either through reallocation of tax revenues from other social projects (such as Expo, northeast coal, and the other “megaprojects") or through higher provincial taxes. Everything I've said thus far, Mr. Merriman, has been positive, but now we must explore the negative. It is clear that the education system is being dismantled by the provincial government through deliberate under- funding. It is evident from all the “protests” over the past few years that many British Columbians — a majority according to the polls — do not want the education system to be diminished. It is also apparent that many of our citizens da not believe that there is “no more money available” for education, as they watch their taxes being squan- dered by the government for ques- tionable purposes (such as junkets to the Orient, payoffs to B.C. Rail, ete., ete.). These people have not “remained silent” — they have presented briefs to the government, written and spoken to their legislators, done studies, and finally have protested. The silence you speak of, is that of the government which has refused to acknowledge any of the positive alternatives that have been forwarded by the concerned citi- zenry. Instead the government has re- sorted to negatives — attacks on teachers, parents, school board trus- tees — in short, anyone whose views differ from their own anti-intellectual economic obsessions. So, Mr. Merriman, we “protester” have offered positive alternatives, but the government does not want to listen, As a member of the Selkirk Col. lege board appointed by the current government, perhaps you can get their ear! In the meantime, you may carry a sign and parade on my grass anytime, Mr. Merriman — in fact, I'll join you if your sign seeks to defend education in B.C.! Jim Howard President Selkrik College Faculty Association Now providing complete baking in Castlegar at 1458 Columbia Ave. We have self-service as well If you didn’t see us last week during our Grand Opening, please accept our invitation to visit our new, modern facility. To encourage you to drop in, we are offering you the coupon below .. . as a full service of the most complete line of bakery products in the entire area. f Offer expires Set., Valuable Coupon $ FREE 1 DOZEN DINNER BUNS Bn City Limit 1 Coupon per Fomily $ March 23, 1985 Open Tues. - 1458 Columbia Ave., Castlegar 6 -— _— 4 Sat.,9a.m.-6p.m. NEEDS BUDGET continued from front poge One of the groups in favor of a needs budget is the CDTA. Vice-president Lisa Pedrini urged the board to “protest the imposition of such an unrealistic budget” in view of the drastic reductions imposed on the school district. Pedrini said, “as needs budgets are submitted by distriets throughout the province, a statement will be made to th ministry that restraint has gone far enough and local autonomy must be re- stored to school boards.” She added the CDTA is convinced that the school district cannot tolerate ‘continued funding reductions without seriously damaging the quality of education. “As teachers we are already experi encing the damaging effects of budget reductions in our classrooms,” she said. “We all have stories to tell about the effects of budget cuts on the children in our classes. We’ know that further budget reductions will result in long- term damage that may never be re- solved.” Pedrini said that to date seven school boards have passed a resolution in support of a needs budget, while seven other boards have indicated that they will pass such a resolution. The vice-chairman also reminded the Castlegar board that the BCSTA has stated that it will “provide moral and administrative support to those boards that submit March 15 needs budgets.” The CDTA also offered its support to the school board if it decides to submit a needs budget. During the teachers’ presentation, more than a dozen teachers filed into the board room to hear Pedrini. During the discussion with the teachers, trustee George Anutooshkin said the information “that was brought forth around the table today” will have a bearing as to what decision he will make on a needs budget. Pedrini said that if there are ramifications to submitting a needs budget, the teachers will support the atever actions are deemed Trustee Kay Johnson said that there was a motion before the board for a needs budget, but she withdrew it “be- cause we were looking at a joint submission with teachers.” Another group which called for a needs budget was the parents group from Twin Rivers and Castlegar Primary schools. Z a number of areas where schools e suffered cutbacks, Diane Guglielmi and Faye Rodgers, on behalf of the parents, offered support if the board takes such a stand. “We have elected you to represent us, and we believe at this point what is needed is a strong message to the gov. ernment that conveys Castlegar can not endure anymore cuts,” the group told the board. One concern addressed by parents was that teachers on sick leave are not being replaced. The group said that Twin Rivers school had a Grade 6 teacher who took an extended leave of absence and wasn't replaced. A substi. tute teacher was brought in, but be. cause of budget cuts, was terminated. Now the class has two teachers — one who comes from Ootischenia for part of the day and the other from Stanley Humphries Secondary School. “This is a disruption not only for the students, but to the other schools as well,” they said Overcrowding in the classrooms was another problem. The parents said overcrowding by an increase of up to five students per class is a concern — especially at Twin Rivers because it is the “centre for special needs pro grams.” “When you have a classroom of 29 students with one teacher, and seven of these students have learning problems as well as some behavior problems, how can a student get the individual attention he/she deserves?” the par. ents asked. Learning assistance program cut backs were another issue. The program has been cut back to 80 per cent at Twin Rivers. “This is not enough to provide ade- quate services,” they said. “Further cuts would be disasterous. This pro- gram has increased from 23 students last year to 39 students this year with more students on a waiting list.” The group also addressed the library, which has been cut back to 70 per cent. “The library is the focal point of all schools,” it said. “All reading and re. search skills come from here. If we are going to teach children to read, we need a library to put the reading skills to practice.” 365-222 _Nordlake. Nitto Collection &ARL'S DRUGS 365-7269 How to Subscribe the % } 3 0%: fe astlegar « c On Sets & Open Stock Sutin Dept Oven to table to dishwasher. Microwave safe. Sale continues until March 31, 1985 snigaieteladininees huis L2e%,.fm interested in get * Horizon East Example: toes Sale talown” See Meee ee * Bouquet Rouge 45-pce Set $325 $227.50 Blue Trumpet 20-pce Set - $130 § 91.00 Sovrier mets © Imperial Garden 5-pce Set Compieter $ 76 $ 53.20 Please contact me with * Leilani 5-pce Place Setting.........$ 34 $ 23.80 detoits, + ” 50 % 3 Only “In-store” Stock Sets Nome (Please ina Save 50% off 1984 Retail Prices HORIZON EAS: - Peng bay $155 |i" BOUQUET ROUGE pd Reg. $125. Sele $62.50 City LEILAN! 45-pce Set. Reg. $310. Sele $ 1 55 365-7266 BRIEFLY EDITOR DIES NEW YORK (AP) — Ralph Inersoll, the flamboyant editor who created life magazine and the trend-setting newspaper PM, died Friday at a hospital in Miami Beach, Fla. He was 84. Ingersoll, a journalistic underkind of the 1920s and ‘30s, was managing editor of The New Yorker magazine at 25, managing editor of Fortune magazine at 30 and publisher of Tinie at 37. In 1940, he realized his dream of creating a new kind of American’ newspaper in PM, a New York tabloid that combined fine writing and photography in a modern format and accepted no advertising. He left the paper in 1946 when financial backer Marshall Field insisted on taking ads. BABY FIRST MANCHESTER, ENGLAND (REUTER) — Britain's first so-called frozen embryo baby has been born to a couple who had tried for eight year to have a child, doctors said Saturday. They said Gordon Martin Jackson, who weighed in at six pounds five ounces in St. Mary's Hospital in Manchester on Friday night, was the second baby born in the world by the deep-freeze method. The embryo, created by fertilizing an egg from the 34-year-old Mrs. Jackson with her husband's sperm, was kept in cold storage for about two months while a research team monitored three other embryos implanted in her womb. BOMB KILLS 72 BEIRUT (AP) — Mourning Moslem families gathered for funerals Saturday and the government appealed for blood donations following the explosion of a car bomb that killed 72 people and injured at least 250. The Friday explosion near a mosque in a Shiite neighborhood was the deadliest in Beirut since the truck bombings of U.S. and French military headquarters Oct. 23, 1983, which killed 241 U.S. military personnel and 58 French soldiers. Police, who said Friday that 62 people had died and 200 had been injured in the blast, Saturday raised number of dead by 10 and said 250 were hurt. ANTI-ZUNDEL TORONTO (CP) — B'Nai Brrith’s League for Human Rights is asking the federal government to revoke the mailing privileges of Ernst Zundel, who was recently convicted of spreading false news that the Holocaust was a hoax. In a letter to be sent to Revenue Minister Perrin Beatty on Monday, the league will ask for a permanent prohibition of delivery of all mail to or from Zundel or through his publishing company Samisdat Press. WAR STILL ON TEHRAN (REUTER) — Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini called for the continuation of Iran's 42-year war with Iraq on Saturday, saying Iran plans to deliver a final blow against its Persian Gulf enemy. Both sides exchanged retaliatory air, missile and artillery attacks on each other's cities, but Khomeini said Iraqi attacks on Iranian civilian targets were having no effect on the will of Iranians to continue the conflict CHURCH DEFICIT VATICAN CITY (REUTER) — The Holy See, the central administration of the Roman Catholic Church, registered a deficit equivalent to almost $39 million (Candian) in 1984, the Vatican said Saturday. A statement released after a four-day meeting of 12 cardinals reviewing Vatican finances and ad: s- tration also showed the Holy See expected a deficit of about $41 million this year It said the cardinals were told that the Vatican bank had contributed toward the settlement of debts left by the scandal-ridden, failed Banco Ambrosiano without help from the Holy See and without touching funds of Vatican bank depositors. AMBUSH MOERS (REUTER) — A British air force commander who is one of NATO's top officers escaped unhurt Saturday when gunmen ambushed his car on a West German autobahn near here. It was the latest in a spate of guerrilla bombing and shootinjg attacks on NATO personnel and installations in Europe. A British army spokesman said two gunmen fired three shots at a military car carrying Air Marshal Sir Patrick Mine, who commands NATO's 2nd Allied Air Force as well as British air units in West Germany. POLISH PROBE GDANSK (REUTER) — Solidarity leader Lech Walesa is being investigated on charges of illegal trade union activity and Polish officials have warned him not to leave his hometown of Gdansk without permission, Walesa told reporters Saturday. The official limitation on Walesa’s movements after questioning by a prosecutor was the first since he was released in 1982 from 11 months intrnment under martial law Walesa criticized the authorities for deciding “who is and who is not allowed to participate in public life” and stressed he would continue to head Solidarity despite the risk of charges.carrying up to three years imprisonment SKELLY continued from front page He said that recent NDP Swine in the ridings of yk: ‘North and V it indicate i level in the p ‘About 71,000 of these are young people between 18 and 24 who “have never worked in their lives, and have the or of never working again.” B.C. has become a “have-not” provinée, with “povert; increasing by 4.6 per cent in 1982-83, said Skelly. And most poor families are headed by women, he said. Following his speech, Skelly was quizzed about a recent bill passed in Victoria giving MLAs a travel allowance. Skelly defended the fact that the NDP as well as Socred members, voted for the allowance, saying the Soereds initiated the $6,000 annual raise so that their parlimentary secretaries could be paid. “Those (allowances) were initiated by the Social Credit,” he said. “In order to meet our members’ expenses in Victoria and in the constituencies, we agreed to it.” TO FIGHT WIFE'S APPEAL Olson survivors need funds VANCOUVER (CP) — The because they are short of families of seven of Clifford money. Olson's victims are appealing “We have to continue this to the public for financial help case and fight the appeal or to fight the cash-for-bodies else we'll lose, and we just deal through the courts. don't have the money,” said Facing what they say will Garry Rosenfeldt, stepfather be an expensive court case of Daryn Todd .Johnsrude, when they fight the appeal one of the first young victims launched by Olson's wife, found in the summer of 1981 Joan Hale, and two lawyers when the string of killings to keep the $100,000 she re- ceived in the deal, the fam- ilies have set up a trust fund began. Last December, a B.C. Su- preme Court judge ordered GEORGE PEDERSEN the return of the $100,000 the RCMP paid Olson in August of 1981 to reveal the grave Stephen Olson. sites of 10 of his victims. Rosenfeldt said the court Justice William Trainor’s costs of the appeal will be decision in the civil suit about $10,000 “and that’s not brought by the seven families even including the lawyers.” to have the money paid back So far, the legal battle has was appealed by Hale — who cost the families $9,500 plus is in the process of divorcing another $8,700 contributed Olson — and her two law- by the public, Rosenfeldt - yers, Robert Shantz and said. James McNeney. The $100,000 was originally de- posited in a trust fund set up for Hale and her infant son, “We're not after money for ourselves. UBC resignation criticized VANCOUVER (CP) — George Pedersen's decision to resign as President of the University of British Columbia Inreply toa about the much-publicized new spirit of “co-operation” between the two parties in legislature, Skelly said the NDP “are willing to co-operate with (Premier) Bill Bennett in the way that opposition in the British parlimentary system does. “I have never said to Bill Bennett that the NDP would back off from any of its principles, or any of its principle policy positions in order to submit to Bill Bennett.” Elections for the Rossland-Trail NDP executive took place after Skelly’s speech. Ron Schmidt, staff representative of the Local 480 (Trail) of the United Steelworkers of America was re-elected president, with 90 votes. Schmidt's only opposition was a bid from Castlegar school trustee Rick Pongracz, who received 37 votes. riding Stone school discussed By CasNews Staff Selkirk College principal Leo Perra met with Iris Bak- ken of the Kootenay Stone Centre Feb. 26 to discuss the possibility of starting a stone masonry training school in Salmo. According to a release from Bakken, Perra “is in favor of the masonry training school idea, because the pro- gram would be based on creating new small business entrepreneurs and offering additional upgrade training, and new methods to those al ready in the masonry busi ness.” Bakken says Perra plans to contact Canada Manpower to obtain their support for the project. The school would start with a course, and grow into a school if the response is good, Bakken says. Testimony may be false NANAIMO (CP) — A con. vieted drug trafficker testi fied that another convict told him he lied when he testi for, the Crown against Mi chael Pawliw during a first degree murder trial. Pawliw, 38, Roderick Camphaug, 33, and Roderick was ic and “not in the interests of the university,” the chairman of the university's board of governors says. “The timing is terrible,” David McLean said in an interview. “What you've got to do is hang in and work your way through it.’ Pedersen announced his resignation Thursday, saying uncertainty over the Social Credit government's- e itment to ed i made it is i for him to continue. He will become president of the University of Western Ontario in London. While saying several times that Pedersen was a good president, McLean added that he believes the university will survive the resignation “very nicely.” The board has authorized a committee, chaired by UBC chancellor Robert Wyman, to find a successor to Pedersen. It is expected to submit a list of candidates by May 24. While some administrators, faculty and students predict that a high-quality replacement will be hard to find because of the province's political climate, McLean said there is no shortage of suitable candidates. LOTS OF CANDIDATES “It may be impossible for him (Pedersen), but there's lots of others who don't think it's impossible,” he said. McLean said the resignation might benefit the university. “There are opportunities when leadership vacancies occur,” he said. “George had a great deal of strengths, but he rrow view” that only considered the ity, McLean said. problems of the univer “The government's no perfect, but it has revenue problems,” he said. “I don't think education has been any worse treated than other areas.” McLean said morale p: are temporary. Howard Petch, University of Victoria president, said in a that he sy with Pedersen's frustration. He said universities undersand the govern- ment’s money problems and have done their best for restraint. “However, the announcement of university operating srapis long after the fiscal year has started makes caused by the r Schnob, 30, all of V: are charged with first. degree, or premeditated murder in the shooting death last May 27 of Diana Van. dooren of nearby Duncan. ed financial di and forward almost impossible,” Petch said. “This year has been particularly difficult because of the intense pressures placed directly on the university presidents and because of our great concern that the government plans to interfere with the independence Victory for disabled TORONTO (CP) — A Sas. katchewan appeal court rul- ing that a movie theatre dis criminated cgainst a disabled man by not providing room for his wheelchair is a victory for the handicapped and other disadvantaged groups, legal experts say The experts added the ruling is a message to owners of buildings providing public services that they must pro- vide access to the disabled. the same results as everyone else, the decision says. The experts said this week's ruling will enhance the cases for those groups seeking equality rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms when the anti discrimination section comes into effect on April 17 be. cause of the wide interpre tation given to discrimin ation. MEANS ACCESS outcome,” said Andrew Ro- to see a film if he agreed to man, executive director of watch it from the area in the Public Interest Advocacy front of the first row of seats. Centre. He watched it from the front and p of the ities to decide what. should be taught and who should teach it.” ‘HIGH PRIORITY’ Petch said he hopes the government will realize now that “the time has come for it to place a higher priority on support for the university system.” In Victoria, Universities Minister Pay McGeer denied that the government has meddled in the university's affairs. “Our budgetary process this year is the same as every other year in my memory, there's no difference at all,” McGeer said. “And certainly, certainly there has been absolutely no meddling in the University of B.C. on the part of the government.” Meantime, Charles Taylor, a professor at McGill University in Montreal, told a UBC conference Friday that risk ional training schools with no ability to provide a forum for creative thought as a result of government funding cuts. “As a result of these ill-considered actions today . .. the best and most talented individuals will think of nothing but fleeing as fast as they can,” he said. Pedersen was scheduled to open the conference, but organizer Gail Riddell said he sent his regrets, saying he didn’t feel itwas appropriate for him to make remarks on behalf of the university any longer. Canada helps Caribbean KINGSTON, JAMAICA (IPS) — The United States has welcomed a Jamaican proposal for the establish- ment of a Canadian version of the Reagan administration's Caribbean Basin Initiative. Washington has been en- couraging major U.S. trading partners and allies to extend benefits emboided in the CBI to countries in the Caribbean to help the region's faltering economy, said John Pitts, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department. Pitts was part of a team of U.S. officials who left Thurs. day after two days of talks with Jamaican officials to evaluate the progress of the CBI, implemented just over a year ago. The proposal for a CBI type program to assist Cari bbean countries was put to tablish a one-way, free-trade route between Canada and the Caribbean, somewhat similar to the objectives of the CBI. The CBI's key feature pro- vides for duty-free access to the United States for 12 years for most exports by 27 Central American and Cari. bbean countries. But Seaga’s proposal, e’ dorsed by Caribbean Com- monwealth leaders, suggest ed garments, cigars and foot wear be given duty-free ac- cess to Canadian markets. These products are not em braced under the CBI's duty- free provisions. This mission left Jamaica after hearing the Jamaicans express dissatisfaction with the exclusion of textiles, tex- tile products and footwear from CBI duty-free exports. “It means access for the disabled to transportation, weather, who heads the Can-_ banks, restaurants and other adian Human Rights Com- places offering services to mission. “The good news is the public,” Fairweather that disabled people are said. members of the public and The Saskatchewan appeal providers of services had court ruling is retroactive better act accordingly. and applies to all buildings, It is one of the first times a not just those built after high court in Canada has fol- 1979, when provisions of the lowed the lead of decisions in Saskatchewan Human Rights the United States by effec- Code came into effect. tively saying that it’a not This puts an onus on enough to give a disadvan- building owners to spend taged group the same treat- money to ensure there is ac. ment as everyone else. The cess for the handicapped, or group must be treated in a risk a court challenge. way that allows it to achieve “I'm delighted with this AFFECTS 40,000 “This is a landmark de. cision,” said Gordon Fair. The centre helped Michael Huck fight his case against Canadian Odeon Theatres Ltd., owner of the Coronet theatre in Regina. Huck has muscular dystrophy and is confined to a wheelchair. The unanimous court de cision will have an impact across Canada and lower courts will look to it for dir ection, the experts said. The court overturned a Queen's Bench Court ruling which said it could not uphold a decision of the Saskat chewan Human Rights Com mission The commission had found that Huck had been discrim inated against because he ws denied a service customarily offered to the public due to his physical disability. The appeal court supported the commission's decision On May 16, 1980, the 400-seat Coronet theatre would only sell Huck a ticket but subsequently filed a complaint with the commis sion. “The absence of a motive to discriminate is not deter minative of whether there has been discrimination,” said the judgment, written by Mr. Justice W.J. Vancise. “It is not discriminatory in tent which is prohibited by the legislation but the dis. criminatory result “If the result of the action or practices which are other wise neutral on the face re sult of discrimination, they are prohibited under the code.” Odeon Theatres had argued that Huck got the same treatment as any other member of the public since he was offered a seat from which to view a movie. ‘Identical treatment does not necessarily mean equal treatment or lack or discim ination,” the ruling says No pay hike for gov't workers VICTORIA (CP) — More The two-year contract call than 40,000 members of the ed for wage increases of British Columbia Govern- three per cent the first year, ment Employees Union will an interim increase based on not get the pay hike they the forumula midway were hoping for effective through the contract, and April 1, 1983. four per cent the second The increase, to be based year on an economic recovery for However, both the gov mula, was contained in the ernment and the union dis. 1982 contract negotiated dur- agreed on what would trig ing a strike by 30,000 gov- ger the formula which was ernment workers that began based on productivity within Aug. 6. The strike continued the public service, govern intermittently into the fol- merit~ revenues, provincial lowing spring. economy and inflation, and sent the question to arbitra tor Allan Hope Hope released his 32-page ruling last week and found that under either the gov ernment or union formula “the employees would have received an increase if an economic recovery had taken place.” But union spokesman Rob bie Robinson there was “no economic recovery, and therefore there will be no economic recovery formula payment.” Robinson said the union hoped the increase would be about one per cent, nothing that the formula was predi cated on the economic mater. ial available at the time. Everybody were going to recover in government,” thought we cluding the Robinson said in an interview from his Burnaby office. “We expected to get a one-per cent hike then the bottom fell out of the economy. and is continuing to fall out Prime Minister Brian Mul. roney during a Feb. 25-26 summit in Jamaica. During a briefing with reporters, Pitts congratulat Karl Samuda, junior min. ed Jamaican Prime ister ister for industry and com Edward Seaga, author of the merce, argued at a meeting proposal, and promised the with the team that Jamaica's United States would “con- garment industry had made Garments and footwear are among the biggest employers and foreign exchange earners in the region. tinue to encourage contacts in the direction of the prop. osal.” Caribean, as the plan was called by Seaga, would es. strides recently and inclusion of the item for preferential treatment under the CBI would considerably increase foreign exchange earnings Senate issue ‘diversion’ WINNIPEG (CP) — Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's offer to abolish the Senate was merely a diversion to take the public's mind off the sad state of the Canadian economy, Liberal Leader John Turner told party faith ful Saturday Addressing delegates to the Manitoba Litberal party's annual meeting, Turner re- peated that he is not in favor of abolishing the Senate even though Mulroney made the suggestion in the House of Commons last week Mulroney offered to abol ish the Liberal-dominated Senate if the Liberals would back him, but Turner re fused Turner. said Mulroney's suggestion to do away with the Senate was in keeping with his “diversionary style “The dollar was falling to the floor, the lowest dollar in Canadian history.” told the delegates. Turner “Interest rates were com ing up again. His minister of defence had resigned. Elmer MacKay and John Crosbie were mishandling the Hat field affair and he was def. initely looking for a smoke. screen.” Turner said Mulroney re acted too hastily to the ac tions of Liberal senators who last month held up the pas. sage of a $19.3-billion bor. rowing authority bill until the government tabled its main spending estimates for the 1985-86 fiscal year “Mr. Mulroney over-reac ted to the Senate to try to get this issue before the people of Canada so that we'd forget some of his other problems,” Turner said The Opposition Leader did say however, that he believes the Senate should be more responsive and efficient and that his party, will look for ways to improve the opera tion of the Senate