OPINION Castlégar News |E A4, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1991 MEMBER OF THE 8.C. PRESS COUNCIL ESTABLISHED AUGUST 7, 1947 TWICE WEEKLY MAY 4, 1960 THE MIO-WEEK 12, LV. CAMPBELL — PUBLISHER, AUGUST 7, 1947-FEBRUARY 16, 1973 PUBLISHER — Burt Campbel! el i — Simon Birch PLANT FOREMAN — Peter Harvey ADVERTISING MANAGER — Wayne Stoiz OFFICE MANAGER — Warren Chernoff CIRCULATION MANAGER — Heather Hadley EDITORIAL Apology late but necessary Better late than never, Premier Rita Johnston apologized Monday to British Colum- bians for what she says was former premier Bill Vander Zalm’s betrayal of the province through his involvement in the Fantasy Gar- dens issue. “*To those British Columbians who feel betrayed — and there are many of us — I i tedly offer an apology,’’ said Mrs. John- ston, speaking on a provincewide radio open line show. The new premier must have done a lot of thinking over the weekend — and probably received a lot of advice — because until Monday she dfastly refused to I for Mr. Vander Zalm’s predilection while premier for mixing private business and public of- fice, so clearly and unequivocably laid out in the report of conflict-of- interest commissioner Ted Hughes. While Premier Johnston’s excuse for the delayed apology is plausible — she said the media took up much of her time last week and she didn’t have a chance to decide exactly how she should respond to the Hughes report — her decision to apologize now is also politically expedient. There were more than.a few people inside and outside the Social Credit party, as well as many voters, who were annoyed that the new premier initially said the Socreds had nothing to apologize for. Despite the fact that Mr. Vander Zalm probably hoodwinked his cabinet and the party executive as much as he did the public, there was so much smoke around the former premier that his party should have shouldered the responsibility to probe deeper into his dealings to see if in fact there was a fire. There was, and now the party’s paying the price. “The difficult task ahead of me,”’ Mrs. Johnston said Monday, ‘‘is to rebuild the public’s trust and confidence in the office of the premier. I’m obliged as all of us are each and every day to uphold the highest ethical standards, and I will lead by exampl Premier Johnston — a long-time friend and political associate of Mr. Vander Zalm — and her colleagues, especially those who stood by the former premier over the last few months, will be watched closely to see if they truly can renew the party or if the latest rhetoric is simply ly window 2. VIEWPOINT Gov't living by double standard By KEN GEORGETTI In introducing Bill 82 — the Com- pensation Fairness Act, the current government once again has demon- strated that it lives by a double stan- dard. The government imposed this act which unfairly restrains wages for public sector workers, while at the same timé-it doles out millions of dollars in tax breaks and giveaways to corporations. However, the government’s double standard — one for friends and in- siders and one for everyone else — is not acceptable to British Colum- bians. The legislation, I believe, was put forward simply as an attempt to create confrontation because there is no economic justification for this wage restraint. In 1990, there was less than one per cent difference between public sector wage set- tlements and private sector set- tlements. Private sector increases have led those in the public sector in eleven of the last 20 years. Over that entire period, wages in the private sector increased more than in the public sector. The wages we pay to those who perform valuable public service have remained constant or decreased as a percentage of provincial expenditures over the last five years. The bill will restrict the free collec- tive bargaining process that has * worked so effectively in the past. Why is it that a government that is slavishly devoted to marketplace economics everywhere else refuses to let the same rules apply to workers and employers at the negoti 4 = table? It is because this legislation has } more to do with politics and the political agenda of the government than it does for concern over how < our taxes are managed? The bottom line is this — all E paycheques throughout the last > decade. The balance sheet for our ~ province is in trouble, not because of workers’ wages, but because the government has mispent our tax dollars and has not demanded that everyone in B.C. pay their fair share toward running British Columbia. In a recession, when jobs are being lost throughout the forest industry, in the Interior and in the North, public. sector jobs and paycheques are important in keeping many communities and businesses going. Often, in the average household, both spouses have to work to main- tain a decent standard of living. I have visited towns throughout the province where one partner works iri the private sector and the other is a public employee. Today, many of the private sector employees are laid off. Their families now rely solely on the wages of the spouse who teaches our children, keeps our streets safe or looks after those who are sick. It is important for us to under- stand as well that public sector wase restraint unfairly hurts working women the most, as they can least afford to make salaries that don’t keep up with the cost of living. Once again, this government has shown its disdain for half the population. A fair government would get bet- ter value for our tax dollars. It would spend less on flying cabinet ministers to their homes and more on much-needed air ambulance service. A fair government would make sure that no one is unfairly burdened during these difficult times. This wage restraint islati i: Wy Qe (a RO a i Cl Teper err S SEE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Report wrong I wonder how many people are beginning to realize the truth about Bill Vander Zalm. One thing that is glaringly clear about the untruth of the Hughes report is the fact that Fantasy Gardens was already a committed sale arranged by Faye Leung. The premier never used his office to arrange the sale. It is quite obvious, knowing our former premier, he was wanting to share his good fortune with the people of B.C., not helping these people (who had a bundle of foreign money) to invest in B.C. in order to sell them the gardens as was implied. The report has that part backwards. Whoever wrote that report didn’t know Bill Vander Zalm in his heart. When he said it didn't become a conflict until the media became aware and publicized the version that was planted in their minds, he was correct. There is only the perception that he did wrong because of the way the facts were presented. The public only had the information they were fed on which to base their decision. Some people can’t understand that there are people like Bill who do things from the heart to help others for reasons much more important to them than money. Unfortunately for those that plotted against the former premier the public also know the heart of Bill Vander Zalm. In a very short time those who haven’t realized it yet will understand how they have been duped. You see, Bill Vander Zalm was never the choice of the power brokers. It was the people who chose Bill Vander Zalm as leader and then as premier. There has been a very concentrated behind the scenes effort to get rid of him since the beginning. A man of his stature cannot be bought or manipulated because his moral values go beyond the shallow rewards of money, or even power. When he feels he is right he can be very stubborn, thank goodness. He is a true leader. He was often a real challenge to those that tried to handle him for that very reason. Often they wanted him to bend to public perception but Bill would not when he knew that that perception was wrong. Because I know Bill personally | know first hand of the long hours he put in working for us, Tar beyond what he was paid for. While many of the others could throw down their pens and telephones and go on to other things, that man would often work late into the night and most of his weekends trying to solve problems and come up with new solutions for us. It would be interesting to know just how many of the good decisions that were made were initiated by the premier. Even Rita Johnston said that most of the policies that were done were initiated by him. The media made fun of how late at night the light burns in his office in Victoria, and about how when he first got in he tried to answer each letter he received personally. Sure it bogged everything down and eventually he had to give some of it up but isn’t it kind of endearing that he would even attempt such an impossible task? If the media wanted to report all the stories of people he has tried to help, they would not be able to cover it in even a whole year of reporting. I'm not saying Bill is perfect by any means, for none of use are, but he tries harder than anyone I know to follow Jesus’ footsteps, and you can’t ask much more than that. The media and others have been used and manipulated to the Nth degree. When the truth finally dawns orrtfiem, they will start investigating in earnest and I feel sorry for those that were behind it when the media get their teeth into discovering and revealing the truth. They will leave no stone unturned and they will be the ones who will vindicate the premier. They will not be very forgiving to those that used them and almost destroyed their credibility in the process. Good will come of it because the media will realize how such things can be instigated and they will be armed against it in the future. Our media will become fair and unbiased. Many in the media actually like and respect Bill very much, and he understood that they needed interesting stories to. accomplish their jobs and he often helped them in that way. The truth will come out and the people will again choose Bill Vander Zalm as their leader. Please write down any personal knowledge you have of Bill Vander Zalm. Not stuff you've read or heard, but stuff you know in your heart. Any of you that believe Bill did no wrong and got a dirty deal, come to Salmo this weekend, April 13- 14. Pray for the others to understand the truth and believe, and for them to come with you. Iris Bakken Kootenay Stone Centre Salmo Column liked From time to time I hear of awards being made to journalists who have done outstanding work. Most recently I have read of Jock Ferguson of The Globe and Mail receiving a $20,000 Michener Awards Foundation annual fellowship for his i igati ing at the ici level. As well, several men and women who write for Globe and Mail publications have been nominated for National Magazine Awards for their work on such topics as humor, culture, environmental journalism, business writing, with the winners to be announced on April 26. If it is possible for the Castlegar News to make such nati for ition for y writing I suggest that you put forth the name of John Charters for his local news column of April 6, “Morality now just a word.” It is seldom that one sees so much said so clearly and so eloquently in so few words. Fred G. Marsh Robson LOCAL NEWS BRIEFLY By CasNews Staff Fires to help wildlife B.C. Environment Ministry is planning a prescribed burning program this spring to improve deer and elk winter food supplies in the West Kootenay. The controlled fires are part of the ministry’s Wildlife Program, Controlled fires stimulate new growth in overgrown deciduous trees and shrubs, thus providing additional food sources for wintering wildlife, the ministry said in a news release. Natural fires filled this role historically, but fire suppression efforts have almost completely stopped this process. ‘The result has been a major deterioration in food supplies for wildlife, the ministry said. The sites chosen for the 1991 West Kootenay burning program are located in the following areas: Johnson Creek and Tulip Creek on the Arrow Lakes, Midge Creek on the South Arm of Kootenay Lake, ‘Clearwater Creek south of Nelson, and the south fork of the Salmon River on the Salmo-Creston Highway. Every effort will be made to ensure that smoke from these burns does not affect local air quality, the ministry said. DBA holds open house The Downtown Business Association will host an open house meeting in Castlegar council chambers Thursday night to review the draft of the North Castlegar revitalization concept plan. Consultants from Urban Systems Ltd., who prepared the draft plan, will be on hand to review the plan at the open house which gets underway at 7 p.m. It’s important that all interested people attend the meeting, the DBA says. ‘Castlegar-council chambers are now located at 1402 Columbia Ave. Ceremony will mark opening Castleview Care Centre, the city’s new intermediate care facility, officially opens its doors April 18. The opening ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. in front of the facility located at 2300-14th Ave. ‘Following the official ceremony we will be conducting tours of the new 61-bed facility and serving refreshments to all in attendance,”’ Castleview administrator Dianne Ramage said in a news release. Tire recycling to start A program to turn old tires into new products will begin June 1 in British Columbia, Energy Minister Cliff Serwa said. Under the program, scrap tires will be collected and converted into such products as flooring, rubber mats, flower pots and lightweight concrete. At present, only 15 per cent of the two million tires discarded each year in British Columbia are recycled, Serwa said. The program will be funded by the government's levy of $3 added to the price of each new tire. To date, the levy has generated $7 million, Serwa said. continued trom front pegs contamination from coastal mills was even higher. “Sediments at coastal mills in British Columbia showed a much higher degree of contamination and @ more complex mix of dioxins and furans than those of inland mills, probably because of their use of wood chips containing preservatives, the report says. The federal report also confirmed the need for new regulations, Trudel said. “The national program . . . con- firmed the need for regulation and the government is working on the regulations,"’ she said. Federal Environment Ministry of- ficials say Ottawa's proposed regulations should virtually eliminate dioxins from pulp mill effluent by Jan. 1, 1994, Dioxins are a byproduct-of the chlorine bleaching process and are often found with furans. The sam- pling program found both dioxins and furans in i near most Dioxins and furans have been linked to birth defects and infertility in laboratory animals. Eric Muller, head of the pulp and Paper department of Environment Canada, told the Castlegar News today that new regulations will be in- troduced in late spring or early summer this year, Two regulations will come under the Canadian En- vironment Protection Act and amen- dments will be made to pulp and paper mill effluent regulations under the Fisheries Act. Celgar officials say the com- pany’s $700 million ion and CASTLEAIRD PLAZA every $25.00 in groceries purchased entities to 4 of these products at these super low prices: get! get2 3 ot wach with $50.00 $75.00 THE MORE YOU BUY, THE MORE YOU SAVE! bathroom tissue unbleached environmental cleanup of its Castlegar mill will meet all current and anticipated federal and provin- cial environmental regulations. i under the ment Act will require reduced levels of dioxins through modifications to the pulp-bleaching process as well as restrictions on selling and using used in making pulp, Muller said. ‘Property. continued from front poge from the restored Castlegar Station. Moore declined to reveal at the meeting who the owners of the Property are, referring to them only as of our downtown businessmen.’’ Leo Bosse, one of five owners of the property, which is for sale, told the Castlegar News today the city hasn’t contacted him about the con- dition of the property. He said he'd check with the other owners to see if they had heard from the city. Bosse said people shouldn’t trespass on the property. “We have it blocked off. People are not supposed to go there."”” Meanwhile, Bosse said he hopes the new owner or owners would follow through with plans. for a downtown mall which he said city council in principle several Rail Please address all letters to the editor to: Letters to the Editor, Castlegar News, P.O. Box 3007, Castlegar, B.C. VIN 3H4, or deliver them to our office at 197 Columbia Ave. in Castlegar. Letters should be typewritten, double- spaced and not longer than 300 words. Letters MUST be signed and include the writer's first and last names, address and a telephone number at which the writer can be reached between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The writer's name and city or town of residence only will be published. Only in exceptional cases will letters be published without the writer's name. Nevertheless, the name, address and telephone number of the writer MUST be disclosed to the editor. The Castlegar News reserves the right to edit letters for brevity, clarity, legatity, grammar and taste. (Coming to Trail ... Salvation Army Melbourne Staff Band Tuesday, April 16 7:00 p.m. Cominco Gym SALES & SERVICE e LAWN BOY e LAWN MOWERS SALES & SERVICE 693-2382 Tickets are $7.00 and are available from The Salvation Army Thrift Store of-L&J books. Phone 368-3515 for Amore information “It’s the perfect spot,’’ Bosse said. “We're still hopeful that a develop- ment of that nature (a mall) which is already approved in principle will take place and tie in with downtown revitalization.”” He said a supermarket is ‘‘essen- tial’ for downtown Castlegar, especially for seniors who currently must travel to the south end for groceries — a $10 round-trip by taxi. Bosse said 10 lots the city owns in the area and would have to sell to a developer are ‘‘the key’’ to getting a mall project off the ground. A fire gutted the 73-year-old Castlegar Hotel on July 26, 1982. Built in 1909, the hotel was one of the oldest buildings in Castlegar. At the time of the fire, the hotel was used only as a licensed bar. Rooms on the upper floor of the hotel were unoccupied. The building was demolished after the fire. | /SNOWTRAILS CounterAttack reduces tragedies By JIM RABBITT Minister of Labor and Consumer Services ¢ People must do their part in the CounterAttack against drinking and driving. Even though the percentage of drinking and driving accidents, causing injury or death, has been cut in half in B.C. over the past 10 years, the latest figures from Coun- terAttack show that during 1989 in British Columbia: © 146 people died in drinking- driving accidents; * 5,686 people were injured in drinking-driving accidents; and © drinkiig-driving accidents cost B.C. an estimated $120 million in insurance, hospital and justice NUMBER ACCIDENTS those in the public sector and hurts British Columbians in need. This scheme will mean fewer public em- Ployees, larger line-ups and waiting lists for public services. This has system To put some perspective on the ex- tent of this problem, in the same year there were 86 reported homicides, 3,342 reported robberies and 1,447 drug trafficking charges Drinking-driving is one of the tried to provoke confrontation with working people. This legislation is just another example of that tired old tactic which won't work. If the Social Credit government believes that restraint is the answer, let it test the issue at the ballot box. Ken Georgetti, 2 former Trail resident, is the president of the B.C. Federation of Labor. crimes. Yet, it can be st 4 We know that part of the solution is effective enforcement. During the yearly CounterAttack police enfor- cement roadcheck campaign, ap- one in three B.C. drivers is checked. Also in an average year in B.C., police lay about 12,000 drinking-driving charges under the most serious, costly and tragic lopped Alcohol-related accidents in 1989 by day of the Week. 774 Ee) Sou ce motor vehicle branch Wattle accident stottattes. edacition’ Utowgh the public media and dollars of television and air time to schools, is another key step to stop- ping drinking-driving accidents. x SUNDAY NIGHT B-I-N-G-O SUNDAY Lic. No. 764833 Early Bird 6:00 p.m. April 14, ‘91 60% PAYOUT Cacti 9 (Sponsored by Castlegar Rebels Hockey Association) Arena Compl years ago. The Motor Vehicle Branch Driver Examiner will be relocating to the: B.C. Access Centre 1050 Eldorado Street For Castlegar & Thrums Residents Call toll free: 365-8247 Effective Monday April 8, 1991 A Sale Of 4 Cities. a SEATTLE Downtown: WestCoast Roosevelt, Camlin & Vance Hotels, WestCoast Plaza Park Suites* Airport: WestCoast Sea-Tac and Gateway Hotels EVERETT WestCoast Everett Pacific Hotel WestCoast Wenatchee Center Hotel SPOKANE WestCoast Ridpath Hotel This coupon entitles you to stay at any of the WestCoast hotels listed here for just $49 per night, single or double occupancy: So call for reservations now. And catch this special rate before it leaves town. @ WestCoaste Hotel iS For reservations or information, call 1-800-426-0670 Canede * utility vy rock 69 | i. 39 game hens California grown fresh cello 89 carrots apple 1® tumovers 5 lb. pkg. the — PRODUCE — red ripe : Tesh 9 9 strawberries seas seal dD long english By g cucumbers och — BAKERY — & 69 __.99 — MEAT — government inspected poultry * fresh grade A whole chicken ment inspected pork * frozen Prcguier wae family pack side ribs, sm. ~ celery stalks hot house grown * no. 1 * white * whole wheat SuperValu sliced bread SuperValu tray buns sliced or shaved smoked turkey breast roll shaved or sliced a pepperoni or salami 1009. * all fevers GROCERY ho name bottled pop eS pi dap. yy Imperial 2 49 margarine Me F Mazola 3 iy com oil mF mum” 6 99 ultradiapers _—.... a Advertised prices in effect Thursday, April 11—Saturday, April 13/91 “WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT SALES TO RETAM QUANTITIES.”