mber 18, 1988 Castlégar News MAUAABER OF THE B.C. PRESS COUNCIL ESTABLISHED AUGUST 7, 1947 ACE WEEKLY MAAY 4, INCORPORATING THE MID- WEEK MIRROR PUBLISHED SETPEMBER 12, 1978. AUGUST 27, 1900 PUBLISHER, AUGUST 7, 1947 FEBRUARY 15, 1979, puauenen — Burt Campbell — Simon Birch PLANT FOREMAN Peter Harvey ADVERTISING MANAGER — Gory F OFFICE MANAGER — Lindo K CIRCULATION MANAGER — Heather Hadley Lv, CAMPBELL Fees are actually a tax Cable television subscriber rates are already very high, and now the CBC, cabl and the C and Telacomwninteations! Commission seem dorcrmined to push them yet higher CBC president Pierre Juneau claims Canadians will happily pay higher cable-television bills to watch an expanded version of the parliamentary channel they now get for free. This is a patently ob- vious attempt to make taxpayer-cable viewers pay for something that now comes out of the CBC budget. Since the CBC and cablevision companies can't charge for what is now offered, they simply expand the service and then recover not only the additional costs, but the costs that were there before as well No concrete evidence whatsoever has been offered by Mr. Juneau to back up his contention that Canadians are willing to pay more for gavel-to-gavel coverage of MPs talking in the House of Commons and such other events as luncheon speeches, c national party activities, judicial inquiries and — possibly — even ihe televising of “debates” taking place in the exclusive retirement cen- tre known as the Senate. On Feb. 15, 1989, the CBC's all-news cable TV channel will debut. The first year's operating budget is $19.2 million with revenues made up of $4.4 million in advertising and $14.8 million from cable subscriber fees. There is undoubtedly some viewer interest in a 24-hour news and information channel, but to expect to take another $15 million out of the pockets of cable subscribers is ludicrous. The CRTC has simply decided the news channel is desirable, and that cable sub- scribers are to have no option but to pay for it When pay T\V movies were first proposed in Canada, there were two contenders:'First Choice and Super Channel. The two companies quickly found there wasn't enough business for the two of them, so they sawed Canada in half at the Manitoba-Ontario border with Super Channel serving Western Canada and First Choice serving the East The CRTC and the CBC obviously saw a lesson to be learned there. They realized that free choice would likely doom the two Proposals and so, with the reluctant cooperation ot the cablevision industry, pushed the expanded parliamentary channel and the all news channel by imposing mandatory subscriber fees Under the guise of paying for entertainment, we are actually being taxed Good news — maybe Celgar Pulp Co.'s announcement that it has retained a Van- couver engineering firm to study the possible expansion of the Castlegar mill is probably good news We say “probably” because the announcement, while indicating the company is considering expansion of the mill, talls short of a commitment right now to such a project Rumors have been persistent that Celgar would announce sucha plan betcie Christmas We're not engineers or economists, but logic seems to indicate that Celgar must modernize the mill beyond the planned $14-million upgrading already in the works it it plans to compete in the pulp and paper market in the 1990s The announcement this week that the Alberta government has accepted a proposal from Crestbrook Forest Industries Ltd. of Cran brook to build a new $1.3-billion pulp and paper mill near Athabasca seems to indicate confidence that the market for pulp and paper products will remain strong throughout the next decade And presumably, an expansion ot the Castlegar mill — or a new mill — will also incorporate advanced pulp processing technology to drastically cut down, or better yet eliminate, the discharge ot dioxins, a problem which the mill's management must solve sooner, rather than later With the provincial government threatening pulp mills with million-dollar tines and closures unless they clean up their act, com panies have to be concerned with meeting the government's promised new stringent regulations even though at this point there is nothing more substantial from the government than threats and promises If Celgar's announcement last week that it will donate $50,000 tor the new aquatic centre's whirlpool is any indication of the company s plans to invest in Castlegar, then we expect some good news trom the company when the expansion study is completed at the end of February Searching for ancestors Allow me to write to you today, with the hope of receiving an answer from you soon. Iam writing to you with regards to one of my ancestors. Indeed, I'm looking for descend. ants of a man called Claudius Gallot Because I'm in France, I can't pursue this by myself. Here's the story of this man: He was born around 1865 in France, perhaps in the village “Saint Romain Les Atheux”. One of his sisters was one of my great-grand mothers. After having fought in the Tonkin War, he went to Canada (but before this trip, I think he went back to France) at the beginning of the century When he wrote to my family he lived in a town he named “Raven. scrag” but I know this town doesn’t exist anymore (or its name has changed), in Alberta. In 1932, the date of his last letter, he was still alive. I knew he had a nephew (?) who worked in the USA on this date. I also knew he had nieces (?) who came from France to Canada. In my family, we say that these two girls had found their husbands on the boat during the journey. Actually, in Alberta, I think there is a family Gallo (or Gallow). But there are a lot of those families in British Columbia. That's all I know and I hope you'll be able to help me in publishing a part of this letter in your newspaper. You can publish my address too. People who want to contact me can write in English, French or German. Montmartin Fabrice 66 Ter Rue de Burlat 42320 Le Grand-Croix France Letters to the editor Robson pool needed I am becoming more and more concerned every day about what is happening with the aquatic centre. It was reported in this paper that extra costs are just now starting to surface. Extra costs that should not have been unexpected and should have been included in the refer. endum. Now, that should have been used elsewhere in the city budget will be used for the aquatic centre. Why is it that only now after the referendum has passed, the city decides to prepare a plan outlining expected extra costs and how to handle them? The city council appeared to be so concerned with keeping the referen dum free of politics that it neglected its responsibility to thc taxpayers, monies which in this case was to ensure that the referendum included all capital costs involved. Granted, cost over. runs can occur in any construction, but what we have here are new-cost items that are not included in the $2.2 million. The mayor made a statement that, of the three funding partners, the city is going to have a dispropor tionate benefit, as reported in this paper. That comment may very well be true, but it is not an acceptable excuse to justify the new costs that council should have discovered prior to voting day in October. It is with great concern that I look forward to the city council's com pleted report. The comment that the publisher of this paper made that “few Castlegar taxpayers went to the polls not expecting the aquatic centre to cost them something above the referen dum figure” is a disturbing com mentary. The taxpayers should be confident that all capital costs have been iden tified and are reflected in the ref. erendum amount. The way a person votes should be determined by that confidence. I believe the aquatic centre will be a great addition to Castlegar and the regional district. I just wonder now exactly how much it’s really going to cost. Kirk Duff Castlegar Pool cost a concern At open meetings throughout Cast legar and surrounding districts prior to the referendum for the new aquatic centre, there was given a clear impression that Castlegar as a whole, including residents, service clubs, groups, government and corp orate citizens, supported keeping the Robson Pool open as well as the new aquatic centre. This is one reason why the Robson vote was so high at the polls. The Coralea Schuepfer Pool in Robson was used by more people than the Bob Brandson Pool for public swimming in the summer of 1988. We feel this figure will only increase when the new _ indoor aquatic centre opens. On a hot, sunny summer day, most adults and kids prefer to swim outdoors. It also has Red Cross swimming lessons, aqua fit and supports a very active swim club with 60 plus members. Can you imagine the hours that will be booked at the new aquatic centre if there is no Robson Pool? First, there is aqua fit, mom and me, handicap swimming, senior swim, Red Cross lessons, tot 1-2-3, water polo, club and party swim. Then the many, many hours that two swim clubs will require, plus meets, regionals, etc. Public swimming at midnight anyone? Wake the kids up, lets go! It looks like that’s the only time left. So please, Castlegar residents, groups and corporate citizens, let’s all, 100 per cent get behind the Robson Pool Committee and restore the Coralea Schuepfer Pool in Robson. As a whole community working together, Robson supported Castlegar, now its time Castlegar supported Robson. We need both pools open. Jean Bonin Robson Pool Committee Third party ineffectual I feel I have to respond to a letter by F.G. Marsh in your Dec. 4 issue. Mr. Marsh would like there to be no more “mean-spirited, selfish par ochialism from anyone” in govern ment as he feels it is demeaning. Unfortunately, our parliamentary system was set up as adversarial and you cannot get around that fact As we have all seen over the last few years, when we have a member of parliament who is a member of the government in power, he can in fluence cabinet and achieve the goals that he has set for improvements in our constituency. Even as a member of the Official Opposition, a member of parliament can plan improvements for our constituency and when his party finally becomes government again, he then can institute these plans, once again, because he has the ear of the cabinet in power. Electing a member of parliament who is a member of a third party which will never form the government, let alone the Official Opposition, is unfort unately going to bring little or Get your revenge at next election The letter of Dec. 11, “Premier gets advice,” prompted my response. It sounded-more like an attack than advice. Obviously the writer is somewhat familiar with the Bible, and likely calls himself a Christian. The speech he refers to, as I recall, was by the premier to a special group and not the general public. Never. theless, I guess political leaders are not entitled to any principles or scruples at any time. We've got gays in pariiament and they even get re-elected. My point is this — If you want to see what the Scripture says, turn to Titus 3:1,2 or Romans 13:1, where we are told to obey and respect the governments over us, They were voted in by the majority. If you have a problem with that, it's the price you have to pay for living in a free democratic nation Get your revenge at the next elec. tion. Do it during the campaign (not this continual bad mouthing against everything attitude for the whole term). Let those who are so very miser able here, and so full of hate, look for a nice socialist country to move to. There the government will do it all for them — without preaching. That's the way I see it anyway. Ted Dageford Castlegar nothing to the riding. It is one thing for the third party to be the “conscience” of the govern ment but in actual fact, in our parliamentary system a member of parliament who is a member of the third party is quite ineffectual in bringing a proper share of Canada's prosperity to our riding. These facts should be kept in mind while looking at the various parties’ philosophies and platforms. Garry R. Jenkins, Liberal Candidate Kootenay-West Revelstoke Critic takes a break Many of the Castlegar News readers, including myself, use this space to carp and to criticize the various forms of injustice that we see all around us. However this letter is intended to convey only sweetness, gratitude and the true spirit of Christmas. Many thanks to all who parti cipated in the Peace on Earth Christmas party. We need each other today more than ever. We love all of you and say in all sincerity, Remember when 40 YEARS AGO From the Dec. 21, 1948 ar News The Municipal Elections were held Jast Thursday in the Anglican Parish hall from 9 a.m, to 7 p.m, Mr. Joseph Dunlop was elected with 89 votes, defeating James Kelly who received 77 votes. There were three spoiled ballots. ‘The Castlegar Water Co. Ltd. pur. chase by-law 1948 was voted on at the same election by those qualified to vote on a money by-law. 153 were in favor of the purchase and 13 against. * * The monthly Whist Drive spon. sored by the Legion Ladies Auxiliary was held Saturday night in the Legion Memorial Hall with seven tables in play. High score went to Mrs. Findlater and Ron Gemmill while Mrs. Houston and W. Gaston received consolations. . A number of the ministers of Castlegar met together on Thursday Dec. 16 for the purpose of forming the Castlegar Ministerial Associa. tion, At this meeting Archdeacon B. Resker was appointed Chairman and Rev. J.T. Horricks was elected Sec. retary-treasurer. 25 YEARS AGO From the Dec. 12, 1963 Castlegar News Castlegar and Kinnaird voters and those in School District No. 9 went to the polls in a “yes” mood last Thursday. Castlegar voters gave a $525,000. sewage vote 83.3 per cent approval while Kinnaird voters gave public houses an 86 per cent affirmative vote. . * « A stiffened get-tough policy on Columbia River pollution and a strongly-worded demand for infor mation from the Pollution Control Board on the matter are steps taken by Kinnaird council. . 8 « More than 2,000 Cominco employ ees are out of work after a failure in pumping facilities caused major plant shutdowns yesterday. Failure of a large motorized valve in the pumping facilities has also “severely curtailed” the water sup ply to the Village of Warfield and residential Tadanac. . As far as the provincial govern- ment is concerned, there should be no delay in getting the CBC-TV rebroadcaster operating in this area. 15 YEARS AGO From the Dec. 20, 1973 Castlegar News The marriage of the twin towns of Castlegar and Kinnaird as a city is causing the bride or bridegroom — whichever the case may be — some ties. ers were evident at Tuesday night's council meeting in Kinnaird when the opinion was ex pressed that its mate may not be promising to love and obey — just cherish. . Official opening of the new Pass Creek school is to take place the evening of Jan. 2 with the general public cordially invited. ._ 8 Ald. Carl Henne of Castlegar at tended a meeting of the Kinnaird Fire Department on Monday evening to find out how firemen there felt about Castlegar’s new rate structure and fire bylaw. He told his council Tuesday night that he was very well received and anticipates no problems as a result of amalgamation. . 8 Defeated Kinnaird mayoralty can didate Gerry Rust says there were sufficient irregularities in the recent voting in that community to probably result in an upset of the mayoralty election. Mr. Rust, who was defeated by mayor-elect George Bondaroff by one vote, makes the charge in a letter read at Kinnaird's council meeting Tuesday night. 5 YEARS AGO From the Dec. 18, 1983 Castlegar News No formal decision has been made yet by the Ministry of Health on the amalgamation of the West Kootenay and Selkirk Health Units, the Castle. gar News has learned. West Kootenay unit director Dr. Monty Arnott said in an interview Friday a draft report on the proposed amalgamation has been prepared. The report will be presented to the Personnel Resources Allocation Com mittee on Tuesday before going to Health Minister Jim Neilson, Arnott said. * 28 There will be someone else making a list and checking it twice this Christmas other than Santa Claus. It will be the judge in the second annual Castlegar Chamber of Commerce Christmas light and window decor- ation contests. ae tS ~~ Letters to the editor Logging plan questioned The woodfibre supply in the world is now past the point of no return. A recent UN report stated that 33 third world countries now depend on some form of woodfibre supply to support their economy. By the year 2000, only 10 countries will have any forest left. The importance of forest man agement in B.C. cannot be under- stated. In fact, the Forest Act states, in part, “maximum productivity of the forest resource, manage and conserve the forest resource, having regard to immediate and long-term economic and social benefit.” The Professional Foresters’ code of ethics also states, “in all aspects of work, regard as his first respon. sibility, the maintenance of the in- tegrity of the forst resource.” How does management plan no. 7 address these guidelines? Westar submits it will now only harvest 65 per cent s lid wood of selected species — plan no 6. har. vested 50 per cent solid wood of all species. Westar submits it wants to log and then eliminate from the TFL 18 per cent of the total land base. Westar wants no constraints en harvesting hemlock — 21 per cent of gross productive area. Westar wants to eliminate more than 10,000 hectares of productive forest land from TFL 23 because it is Not Satisfactorily Reforested (NSR) land. Good land that the company made money on since 1960 start-up? Total NSR land on TFL 23 is about 46,000 hectares. Rotation age for a tree is 87 years. Westar submits a three-year delay on reforestation — down from five years, but will only replant 85 per cent of areas cut after Oct. 1, 1987 (just a year ago), planning a 15 per cent increase in NSR area each and every year of operation. Westar submits it will only be res- ponsible for “basic reforestation” — any further silviculture depends on grants or government programs even though this has all been pri- vatized in the summer of 1988. Westar submits reduced produc tion to 673,500 cubic metres from 964,576 cubic metres by excluding hemlock pulp stands. The result reduces the landbase to 203,608 hectares from 264,148 hectares. Westar submits that it endorses the use of chemicals to eliminate brush growth — herbicides also at. tack the ecosystem. What is the logic that would spend $20 million to eliminate sawmill waste in each log and then propose to waste 87 years of growth in the bush where it is 64 per cent solid wood? The benefits of clear cut alone should be enough incentive to harvest 50 per cent solid wood as has been the past standard. Westar benefitted from the sale of the pulp mills in a major financial way while electing to retain the TFL and the obligations that go along with it. If Westar cannot meet its commitments now to the TFL with- out exclusions, eliminations and delays, when will it? The five-year plan that is four years late in submission puts in writing what is probably being done anyway — and is really not in all our best interest, short term or long term, and confirms what many con sider the worst case scenario. I submit that the public relations campaign, “Forests Forever,” will not cover up the high-grading prop: osals such as Westar's; I further submit that the company withdraw its portion of the $2 million a year being spent on “Forests Forever” and actually use it to enhance TFL 23. Write Dave Parker, minister of forests, Victoria and complain like hell. Mel McMullen Castlegar No place for war toys It is a truly great paradox that at Christmas time — our most symbolic holiday of peace and love — we often present our children with war toys as Christmas gifts. These are nothing less than small scale models of the monstros ities that world militarists have de. signed with the potential for selec. tive mass murder and destruction of large sectors of mankind. In a very real sense, toys of any sort are models — simulating real-life situations — that we use in the apprenticeship of our children to prepare them for their lives ahead. So in giving our children toys of war we unwittingly tend to apprentice them into a mentality of violence and warfare. Most of us in our childhood had our sets of tin soldiers and models of bat tleships and airplanes. People did not think much about it then — although they should have. But now the prospect of nuciear war is so horren dous as to demand that we pay close attention to trends in modern toys. A nuclear holocaust would turn our planet into a crumbled, radio- Air travel recounted The logo for the City of Castlegar has a jet airplane in the centre of it. We spend a couple of million dollars upgrading the airport and it looks fine and then the jets disap pear. At one time you could fly from Castlegar to Vancouver in 50 min utes. Now it takes one hour and 20 minutes — if you're lucky that is! A short while ago, some friends of ours told us that after leaving the airport at Vancouver their plane taxied to the end of the runway but then could not take off for 35 minutes because of air traffic con- gestion. I went to Vancouver by air on Tuesday Dec. 6 and we arrived over Vancouver right on time. However, we had to circle over Vancouver for 35 minutes, again because of air traffic congestion. The plane then landed and then put us off some 300 feet from the airport building and since it was pouring rain we got wet; no covered walkway, as with the jets. We then went to find our baggage. When we found the roundabout, it was coming down. We waited half an hour and no sign of the luggage. Upon inquiry, we were told it had already been removed from the roundabout and was on the floor among a lot of baggage from somewhere else. I returned to Castlegar on Sunday, Dec. 11 and the plane landed right on time in weather no jet could have landed in. Just one more item, when I picked up my bag I noticed that it was tagged for “CASTELGAR.” This letter is not to make complaints but is to give air travellers from here to Vancouver some ideas of what they may run into en route. Bob Rivers Castlegar YCG CASTELGAR 00-56-00 FLIGHT/ VOL A UNIQUE AND TIMELESS Castlegar & District brick inscription For $35, your name or message will be in scribed on a brick which will be placed, at ran- dom, on the walls of the Aquatic Centre. Buy ‘one for your childre ds, your . Your parents, your frien. yourself, The tax deduc- tible price of $35.00 makes gift giving easy and unique Make your payable to cheque or money order Castlegar & District Aquatic Centre ‘and mail to: Aquatic Centre Brick Program Recreation Department 2102-6th Ave., Aquatic Centre Castlegar, B.C. VIN 31 PURCHASER NAME ADDRESS TELEPHONE BRICK INSCRIPTIONS CHARACTERS ALLOWED BRICK 2 CL BRICK 3 (21 characters maximum, including spaces and punctuation ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 BRICK 4 [ BRICK 5S GIFT CARD REQUIRED: Yes 2 & $25.00 $ 70.00 3 Ge $25.00= $105.00 PAID BY: Cheque Included 1s payment to: 1 @ $35.00 4 @ $35 00™ $140.00 5 @ $95.00 $175 00 No active, lifeless “moonscape.” So why apprentice our children into such madness and guaranteed global sui. cide? Fortunately, people throughout the entire world are beginning to ask this same question. Whether the militarists and mil. itary industrialists are prepared to admit it or not, it is time to begin very seriously to unlearn war if we intend to preserve our living globe. Along with a ban on the real thing, we need a ban on those small-scale military models which we give our children for their play. Surely, under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning — in the joyful hands of children — there is no place for the miniatures of those man-made mon. strosities designed for mass murder and destruction of potentially all mankind. Harry F. Killough Castlegar Please address all Letters to the Editor to: The Castlegar News, P.O. Box 3007, Castlegar, B.C. VIN 3H4, or deliver them to our office at 197 Columbia Ave- nue, Castlegar. Letters must be signed ont include the writer's full name and address. Only y exceptional cases will letters be published without the writer's nome Nevertheless, the name and address of the writer must be disclosed to the editor . The Costlegor News reserves the right to edit letters for brevity, clarity. legality and grammor AS SEASONS GREETINGS CASTLEGAR SAVINGS CREDIT UNION For All Your Financial & Insurance Needs CASTLEGAR SLOCAN PARK 601-18th St,, 365-7232 Hwy. 6 © 226-7212 Insurance 365-3361 Insurance * 226-7216 “From All of Us t a Castlegar Savings" y CENTRAL FOODS SPECIALS COOKED MAPLE LEAF SLICED OR SHAVED POTATO PITTED RIPE OLIV CAPRIE. 398 mi TIN We reserve the right fo limit quantities Prices limited to stock on han PRICI EFFECTIVE ares CENTRAL FOODS OPEN SUNDAYS 10 a.m.-5 p.m. TUES., WED. Community Ow 2717 Columbia, ie caclenae’ Mention this Ad to Receive Super Special WEEKEND PRERAGE 3 days, 2 nights only $9 Expires December 31, 1988 RAY or Double Occupancy Stay in an elegant suite with separate livingroom and bedroom, balcony, color TV, Free parking. DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER — CLOSE TO MOST ATTRACTIONS CHATEAU GRANVILLE “A Best Western Hotel" 1100 Granville St., Vancouver, B.C. 669-7070, Fax 669-4928 Call Toll Free 1-800-663-0575 In appreciation for your business during this holiday season we, the following merchants listed below, would like to give YOU the SHOPPER a chance to WIN ........---02eeeeee nn $ 285 (Worth in Prizes & Gift Certificates) ENTER AT THE FOLLOWING MERCHANTS: LA MAISON FASHIONS caubeger . See 6265 Gift: $75 Value MADISON MAGIQUE HAIR STUDIO 617 Columbia Castlegar * 365-5841 Gift: $50 Value TRIOS SHOE SALON PICTURE YOURSELF RE WI $285 WORTH OF PRESENTS JUST FOR YOURSELF! 465 Columbia Costlegar * 365-3411 Gift: $50 Value ROSE'S BOUTIQUE 331 Colum! io Castlegar * 365-5610 Gift: $60 Value A TASTE OF ART 1129-3rd Street Castlegar * 365-2727 Gift: $50 Value RULES AND REGULATIONS di bi. ‘e not r Wednesday. * December 21, 2 Minimum of $10 (Retail) and up must be purchased in order to receive one entry forms to enter the contest. Must be 16-years-of-age or old for cash. A chance to enter closes 5:00 p.m. 1988. Draw will be held 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, 1114-3rd Street, Castlegar. immediate relatives of owners and employees are not eligible. Offi given by merchants can only be used. Individual merchants may or may not exchange prizes. jal entry forms Prizes