Wednesday, September 16, 1992 m

Si

Asa British Columb
As a Canadian.
Never has it

meant SO MuCN.

There are times when you’ve probably
said to yourself, “My vote doesn’t count
for much.” But that’s hardly the case
with The Canadian Unity Agreement.
On October 26, with a simple yes
or no, you'll have an opportunity to
decide the future of our country. And
since the full Agreement must be
approved by every province, it won’t
be decided until your vote is counted.

The intent behind this carefully

balanced package is to ensure the unity
and political stability of Canada.

But as B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt
said, “Most important of all is what you
believe. To help you make an informed
decision, we’ll be sending a summary of
the Unity Agreement to every house-
hold in B.C. Please read it over, then
vote in the October 26 referendum.

As a British Columbian, as a Canadian,
never has it meant so much.”

Province of British Columbia

For further details, including the final text,
call the Referendum Information Office.

1-800-463-3141

In Victoria 953-3929

THE CANADIAN

&

AGREEMENT

@ Union-management agree to
disagree after marathon session

Corinne Jackson
NEWS REPORTER

After meeting for 10 hours over Sunday
and Monday, West Kootenay Power and the
International Brotherhood of Electric Work-
ers have mixed reviews of the overnight ne-
gotiating session.

Mediated by Don Cott, the session lasted
until 5 a.m. Monday.

WKP’s director of community and public af-
fairs was happy with the way the negotiations
went, but added that both sides left the meet-
ing agreeing to disagree.

“We've improved what we put on the table
and I think the positive signal was that the
mediator was there for the entire period,”
Mike Bradshaw said.

Although the IBEW’s assistant business
manager was glad to be back at the table he
did not share Bradshaw’s optimism. Calling it
a productive session, Brian Robson said that
success cannot be measured by the amount of
time spent at the negotiating table.

The process was slow-going, he said.

“I think (Bradshaw) is being a little over-
optimistic. We waited half the night with lit-
tle change,” Robson said.

Turning to the positives, he said that “we
did come out of it ahead with some new infor-
mation.

“We now know what (the WKP’s) priorities
are.”
Robson would not say what those priorities

are.

The IBEW has been on strike for eight
weeks. The main issue at stake is a complete
pension plan.

“We’re hearing this loud and clear from our
members again and again,” Robson said. “We
want to settle it completely with nothing left
out so that it doesn’t have to be renegotiated
on an ongoing basis.

“We're getting close,” Robson said.

While about 200 IBEW members have
been on strike, WKP’s 75 managers and su-
pervisors have been trying to keep essential
services operating. ~

“We're taking it one day at a time,” Brad-
shaw said. “Everyone’s energy and attention
is going to provide essential electrical service.”

Castlegar RCMP bust marijuana grower

I Tip leads local police to $25,000
bust at Pass Creek residence

Corinne Jackson
NEWS REPORTER

Early frost has been keeping police on their
toes.

Castlegar RCMP charged Darren Sawatsky,
28, at his Pass Creek home with three counts
under the Narcotic Control Act.

Acting on a tip, police searched Sawatsky’s
Pass Creek property and seized 170 drying
marijuana plants. .

Cpl. Al Brown said the estimated street, val-
ue of the seized product could reach $25,000.

The Sept. 11 bust comes 11 days after police
arrested Randall Donald in Raspberry on sim-
ilar charges.

Brown says the cold weather has forced mar-
ijuana growers to cultivate their plants early.

“The growers like to get the plant and ex-
tract the leaves before the frost comes and we

like to get it from the growers before it’s culti-
vated,” he said.

“This is a good climate for cultivation of mar-
ijuana. With the terrain the way it is, it can be
difficult to detect.Especially at this time of the
year.”

Because the plants are hard to find, police
rely on information given by the public.

“We receive (a tip) and that’s basically how it
works,” Brown said. “We have to have general
public help to confront the drug problem.

Sawatsky, who’s next court appearance is
Nov. 13, has been charged with possession of
marijuana and possession for the purposes of
trafficking.

Brown said he was also charged with culti-
vation of marijuana when police discovered
plants growing in some pots.

Brown said the public must help police if the
marijuana trade is to be exposed.

“It is being sold, but it is being sold very dis-
cretely. That’s a concern.”

ore local news pages 18 and

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Carpenters’ apply
pressure on CSCU

Wi Petition dismissed by
Castlegar Savings

Scott David Harrison
EDITOR

The local carpenters’ union
says it’s being snubbed by
Castlegar Savings Credit
Union.

The International Brother-
hood of Carpenters’ and Join-
ers’ Local 2300 says its peti-
tion has been dismissed by the
CSCU. The petition asked the
CSCU to hold a membership
meeting in the hopes of having
the CSCU board of directors
removed from office after it
awarded a construction con-
tract to a non-union firm.

“They made a terrible deci-
sion as far as working people
in Castlegar are-concerned,”

the union’s Gil Arnold said

Monday.

Arnold said the union man-
aged to get some 397 CSCU
members to sign the petition
aimed at ousting the 10-per-
son board. He said the credit
union management is ignor-
ing the will of its members.

“Castlegar Savings decided
that some of the signatures
were invalid and because of
that, they say that we don’t

have enough,” Arnold said.
“We do, though. In fact, we
have about 100 more than
what is required.”

Not so according to CSCU
manager Lorne’ Myhra.
Myhra said “as far as I under-
stand it, it didn’t meet the re-
quirements.”

Mybhra would not say how
many signatures were on the
petition, nor how many were
disqualified. Instead, he said
he wasn't “at liberty to disclose
board. information.”

Arnold says it’s clear the
CSCU never wants the mem-
bership meeting to take place.

“We are committed to this,”
he said. “We'd like to see the
entire board replaced. They
made a terrible mistake and
we can't forget that.”

Arnold said he has turned
the matter over to the union’s
lawyers. He said’ union
lawyers will look for a way to
make sure a review of the cur-
rent CSCU board takes place.

“At this point, it looks like it
will be our lawyers versus
their lawyers.”

Arnold said he isn’t. pre-
pared to let the matter drop.

“We've got them by the pant
leg and we plan to keep on tug-
ging.”

Treasurer at 365-7731.

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 9

SUBSTITUTE
CLERICAL STAFF

Applications are invited from people with a combination of:

— Minimum 50 wpm typing

— Word Processing - Wordperfect 5.1

— Switchboard, reception experience

— Experience in a people oriented environment
Application forms are available at the School Board Office.
For names to be included on the first list, applications must
be completed by September 21st. Interviews will be
scheduled during the week of September 28th.

For further information, contact John Dascher, Secretary

ROCK CREEK & BOUNDARY
DISTRICT 461Th ANNUAL
FALL FAIR, SEPT. 19 & 20

An old fashioned country fair. Gates open

» Live Music & Entertainment Both Days
Biggest Little Country Fair In British Columbia
Rock Creek Fair Grounds on the River
(Watch for directional signs on Hwy, 3)
Admission - Adults $5, Children Under 12 Free.

So