as_Castlegar News

pril 26, 1989

Wilson promi

OTTAWACP)
the government of Canada is a person;

Let's pretend

a regular guy, family man with alot of
kids, nice steady income — and a few
debts.

About $320 billio
public debt

Like a credit card balance that never
gets paid, the federal debt has been

in 1OUs, The

steadily rising.

It has been called a ticking time
bomb — an insatiable monster

For Finance Minister Michael
Wilson it’s public enemy No. | and he
has already promised higher taxes and
spending-cuts in Thursday's federal
budget to begin reducing that debt

The government has decided the
country is in serious need of some
credit counselling

For example, the government has to
pay $33: billion a year just in interest
charges on thé public debt — its largest
single expenditure

Year after year, the government has
been spending more than it has been
taking in through taxes and other
revenue

DEBT MAY RISt

The result has been. annual deficits

an estimated $29 billion in red ink in
the last fiscal year. Lt will rise to about
$34 billion this year unless Wilson ad
ministers strong medicine

The sum of those deficits since Con
federation is the'national public debt

Howrver, most of the debt_has ac
cumulated in the last 20 years and
almost half has ‘been added since
Wilson was appointed finance minister
in 1984

To cover the difference between
revenue and spending, the government
must borrow, A consumer goes to a
bank for, a loan. The government
borrows from its citizens, business and
even foreigners by floating bonds and
treasury bills

Jack Mintz, an economist at

MICHAEL WILSON
. 2. grappling with
public enemy No. |

Queen's University, says most people
shouldn’t pay more than about 30 per
cent of their income on a mortgage and
other debts, but there's no agreement
on how much debt a government like

Canada can safely carry

The question you have to ask is
how much debt pef capita the country
can afford, and that depends on how
much it can earn to at least pay the m
terest on the debt,” Mintz says

Currently, the federal debt at $320
billion is about half the value of all the
produced in

goods and services

every year the gross

Canada
domestic product
PAYSINTEREST
Mintz said Canadians could con
tinue servicing that debt — just paying
the interest charges — for a long time it
they didn’t worry about paying it off

The problem is, it doesn't leave

room to borrow for a rainy day— a
depression, War or other national
emergency

And he said Ottawa is then com
peting with business and other gover
nments in bond markets

But Ruben Bellan, an economist at
the University of Manitoba, said the
federal government has the ability to
handle even more debt, as long as it’s
held within the country

Currenily 80 per cent of the Bonds
including Canada Savings: Bonds
and other forms of government debts
are held by Canadians

Bellan said Canada’s public debt
was 100 per cent of the GDP by the end
of the Second World War double
he current rate

The tact is the post-war generation

who inherited that debt enjoyed the
highest living standard in history®" he

said

CP News Analysis
OTTAWA (CP) Finance
Wilson may hold a big job in the Cana
but he’s in a small box when ij comes
budgei day -
Hovering over his shoulder as
speech for Thursday are the money m:
deliver the verdict on his workmansh
dict won't hiavé anything to do with pa
Itt
through spending cuts, lax incre
will likely show their approval by inve
assets, bolstering the dollar
That will alleviate inflation and

the Bank of Canada to
Ai international investors arer
bud they'll be inclined to take
Canada, or will demand a highe
ive for keeping it in Canadian a
That would mean a lower dolle
and more pressure from the Bank «
hat inflation through highe
Bank of Cana

doubt with the Commons finance co!

1 Govern

about the narrow room to manoeuvre
him and Wilson

PRINT MONEY?

1 the only way he coul

drop in interest rates would be by pr

id the resultof that policy

was dou al, aid, that the ba

hold down rates at such alevel Tor 307

We ca
directions providing we have a good

coax the financial n
have a good story the markets will Ic

and put their n mew here else

By DENNISBUECKERI

Minister

Investors’ actions will
deliver budget verdict

dication that the government has its debt under control

Michael
dian government
to his options on

$170 billion at the t
he-rehearses his

arkets, which will

ANALYSIS

investors
anadian ween $5 billionand

When it come
mahke it easier Lor Wilson's room to
rates

pleas:

payments to
government intre

possible. The san

Getting such

would nc

mmi does have the numt

that is available to

fluctuate with the ebb and flow of international interest

rates; and the fede

id produce a quick pay the going rate

inting a lovof new Currently the
ould be fleeting. It
able Also limiting

ta

arke 1 for November's general election
that social programs
and promised suppoct for several multibillion-dollat

megaprojects

Part of that good story
So far, Wilson's record-on-the issue has been less

than convincing, with the accumulated national debt

rising to more than $320 billion under his tenure, from

ay the markets are expecting cuts in the deticit of bet
sto how such cuts canbe achieved,
Much of the government's
ns dictated by legislauion

FUNDS COMMITTED
Wilson does not h

he les:
cis true of social programs

tbe an ea!

Similarly, interest

more than $32 billion a year

promises that the Conservatives made in the campaign

sould haye to be an in

ime he took over. Financial analysts

$@ billion.
manoeuvre is, once again, limited

spending is determined by

¢ the discretion to cut transter
bus provinces unless the

duces lation to make that
legislation through the Commons
task, even though the government
ers to prevail in the end
payments on the public debt
ral government has no choice but to
Cost of Tinaficing the public debris
Wilson's

freedom is the litany ot

They said repeatedly

would noi be cut under free trade

sing debt cut

That's because the government can
tax its citizens — unlike most debtors,
who can’t raise their salaries to pay off
their credit card bill, said Bellan,

Bellan said the debt may be a ticking
time bomb.

So long as we borrow within

Canada, it Will tick Torever. without
going off"

FV .

BOATS / RIDE-ONS

* Large Selection of

Pools, water slides and

Oil and gas head
wants to set up

disaste

CALGARY (CP) — In the wake of
the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska,
the new head of Canada’s largest oil
and gas association want to set up an
international committee to prevent
similar environmental disasters

Bart Rombough,
chairman of the Canadian Petroleum

newly elected

Association, said the committee will be
made up of six to eight chief executives
ot-American and Canadian oil com.
panies

What it does is give uy a chance to
learn what tricks U.S. companies have
these situations,’ said
noting it was the

learned in
Rombough,
association’ s idea to set up the commit
tee

He said the committee will study
possible responses to another oil spill
in North America, but added the exact

role of the body has not yet been
determined

Rombough, who is also president of
PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd., said he
hopes to avoid the contusion surroun:
ding cleanup efforts during the first
days of the Alaskan spill

One of the things that was out of

whack was: ‘Who's in charge?" he
told a news conference

He said the association is also con:
cerned about a recent Federal Court of
Canada ruling that halted work on the
Rafferty-Alameda dam project i
Saskatchewan

A judge ruled the $125-million
project wentanead-withoutproper
federal environmental studies

Our Action Ad Phone
Number is 365-2212

Cartoon Movies

at Dixie Lee
for only

$999 ron sscnan

Great Hollywood classic
cartoon movies you can
own for less than rental prices !!

Build your own library
with movies such as
* Popeye * Bugs Bunny
* Porky Pig * Superman
% Three Stooges * and more!

Take home Dixie Lee and your

favourite cartoon movie

Cartoon movies on VHS for only $2.
with any purchase over $10 ® at Dixie Lee

2816 Columbia
Avenue

Castlegar

numerous sand toys

“In the Heart of Down

ea 2 Ze,
INFLATABLE JUNIOR
SUMMER FUN TOYS

Beach Balls, Air Mattresses

CASTLEGAR SAVINGS
—

Cont Siocon Park
sesasee, 226-7216

eS
SKATEBOARD

* Good Selection
* Plus Elbow & Knee Protection

YARDSPINNER

* Great Lawn Game for Both
Children & Adults

POGO BALLS
DISCO STICKS

¥ New Line © Atso Exercise
Hoops in Various Sizes

SUNJAMMERS

* Adjustable Sunglasses

ROLLERSKATES

New FeatherWeight

‘© Also Outdoor Boomerangs

Fisher Price

Bubble Mowers
Sandbox

* Complete with Lid
* Keeps Sand Clean & Dry

TRAVEL GAMES

* Large Selection

* Including: Trouble, Battle.
ship, Connect Four, Yahtze
& More

town Castlegar

OPEN THIS SUNDAY.

NOW AVAILABLE
* NINTENDO
CARTRIDGES
* NINTENDO “TROPHY

FIGURES" (includes score pads

RS PHARMASAVE

365-7813

British Columbians
65 and over

500,000

=

Hon. Peter A. Dueck, Minister of Health

ner Or Later,
e All Face Age.

Right Now, British Columbia
Needs Your Thoughts On
Making It A Better Age.

With our dramaticallyaging popula-
tion, many more British Columbians will
soon be 65 and over. To ensure that we
can continue to provide the best services
for seniors, your government has been

planning for the future.

Some ideas on how to meet the needs

of seniors now and in the years ahead are included in a
discussion paper called “Toward A Better Age”.

Now wed like to hear from you. We hope you'll con-
sider the thoughts expressed in this paper — then offer
us the benefit of your views at one of 21 consultation
meetings to be held around the province. Watth your
local newspaper for meeting dates and locations, to be
published shortly.

CALL 1-800-663-7588 NOW

FOR YOUR COPY OF “TOWARD A BETTER AGE”
y

Z Together.

A Better B.C.

Minister Responsible for Seniors

, going,

PORTS

April 26, 1989 81

g

D
Kootenay Savings

Habs send Bruins packing

MONTREAL (CP) — Ryan Walter, a plugger and
digger on Montreal's checking line, was the hero of the
Canadieny’ playott victory over the Boston Bruins

Just ask Cam Neely, Boston's best forward who saw
nothing but Walter's six-foot, 195-pound trame nearly
every time he stepped on theive

That's really the first-time in my eareer that Someone
said Neely, who was held to only
two goals in the five-game Adams Division tinal series,

has really stuck to me,

Which were all one-goal games
In other years, guys have been on me, but not like
this
Waiter was on Neely again Tuesday night when Mon:
treal wrapped up the series with a 3-2 victory in which Neely

had only one shot on goal. Rookie Bob Joyce had both

Davis
plucks
Jays

OAKLAND (AP) Alter not
having pitched tor nine days, Oakland
right-hander Storm Davis was concer

ned when he couldn't throw a decent
curve ball while warming up in the
bullpen

Lloyd Moseb

hit Davis’s third puch of the game, a

And when Toront

hanging curve, for a home run, it
looked like Davis had reason to be
concerned,

But Davis and two relievers went on
to pitch an eight-hitter as the Athletics
extended their American League
baseball winning streak to seven games
with a 3-1 victory over the Blue Ja}s

Warming up, | had no bredking
ball. 1 way thinking “Geez, I've got to
go against the Blue Jays with just d
fastball? I'm in trouble.” But my fork
ball came along as the game went
along, and | wasall right,"” Davis said

Davis, 2-1, pitched seven innings,
equalling his career high with nine
strikeouts

For not having pitched ina while,
it was much better than anyone could
have expected,
Russa said

A‘smanager lony La

Davis gave up sia hits and walked
two before being replaced by Rich
Honeycutt to start the eighth. Dennis
Lckersley pitched the final 1 2-3 in
nings for his league-leading seventh
save, striking out the side in the ninth

Davis, whose spot in the rotation
was skipped last week when the A’s
had a day off, said he was worried
about the layoft

IS like in spring training when
they take the screen trom out in front
of you for the first time,"? Davis said

But | talked to (pitching coach) Dave
Duncan about it, and he said whenever
you have that kind of feeling you have
lo be real aggressive and go right alter
the other guys.”

Carney Lanstord drove in two runs
as the A’s beat John Ceruuti, 0-1, and
handed the Blue Jays their third
straight loss

We can't keep playing like this and

expect to bein the race. We have to get
Cerutti said

Cerutti pitched great, actually
good enough to win, but it just didn't

work Out manager Jimy Williams said weekend.

ON THE MAT... Pat
n a practice mat at the Castlegar Golf Course during the British
Columbia Golf Association/Copytron Junior Golf Clinic last

Boston goals and Craig Janney had (wo assists,

Neely had five goals in Boston's first. round series
against Buffalo, but one of his goals against the Canadiens
came on one of the rare occasions when Walter wasn’t on
theice with him

The rest of the time, the lett winger trom New West
minster, B.C

Walter, who turned 31 on’ Sunday, has been stoic
about his work which earned him one of the three game

was on the bruising Neely like a terrier

stars in the first two games of the series.
RARELY ERRS
‘I'm just doing my’ job," said Walter, the boyish
looking winger who earned a reputation in Montreal as a
hard-hitting checker who rarely makes a mistake.
Walter has also emerged as a first-rate faceott man,

in of Castlegar takes a swing with an iron

Canada three
wins away
from gold

STOCKHOLM (CP) — The magic number is 3.
Canada plays Sweden on Thursday, the Soviet
nion on Saturday and Czechoslovakia on Monday,
and three victories would give the Canadians their first
world hockey championship in 28 years.

Then again, the other three countries have their
own ideas

Staying out of the penalty box will be a paramount
consideration for headcoach Dave King’s club.

The biggest thing for us is just to play disciplined
and patient hockey,”’ defenceman James Patrick said
alter Team Canada’s workout Tuesday

The first phase of the tournament ended with the
United States beating Poland 6-1 and Finland downing
West Germany 3-1

Ihe Soviets were undeteated, 7-0, to lead the stan.
dings, followed by Sweden, 4-1-2, Canada, 5-2-0,
3-2-2, Finland, 2-4-1, the United
dd, 1-6-0, and West Germany, 0-5-2

Ceechoslovakia,
States, 2-4-1, Po
The top four are in Me medal round beginning
Thursday, with ( anada playing Sweden and the Soviets
tacing Czechoslovakia. No points carry over from the
Hirst round
the bottom tour play a consolation round among

themselves, with points trom the first round carried
over. The team that finishes last, probably Poland or
West Germany, gets shunted to the B Pool next year

Sweden beat Canada 6-5 last Friday in the first
round

“We were up 4-2 and then took some bad penalties
that let them back in the game," said forward Kirk
Muller. ‘We've got to stay out of the penalty box this
time

Detenceman Scott, Stevens suffered a bad cut
across his left cheek, requiring nearly 100 stitches, when
slashed by a skate blade in the game against the Swedes
and missed the games Saturday against the Soviets, a 4-3
loss, and Monday against Czechoslovakia, a 4-2 victory

“I think he may be able to play (Thursday),"* said
King

Stevens was back on skates Tuesday for the first
time since the accident

“It’s good to feel part of the team again,” he said
“All L Could do was sit around the hotel room. It’s nice
to get out there (on the ice) and horse around."

Team USA will be without goaltender John Van
biesbrouck for the rest of the tournament because he
suffered a broken jaw when struck by a puck during his
team’s win over Poland. The New York Rangers goalie
suffered a similar injury on the autumn of 1987 and
missed the start of the NHL season

Pat Lakontaine, Ed Olezyk, Dave Snuggerud,
Tom Chorske, Kelly Miller and Dave Christian scored
1cam USA's goals.

Jari Kurri and kya Llikkanen cach had @ goal in
Finland's win over West Germany

Consolation play begins today with binland versus
West Germany and the United States versus Poland

taking the most important faceotts even when Neely wasn't

on the ice.
It was Walter's kind of work that deteated the Bruins.
The Canadiens were get

laggard, Stephane Richer

“I've said it before and I'll say it again ‘1 believe in

Shayne Corson,”
earlier this week had criticized C orson’s substandard play

“He bounced back tonight with a big game
knows now how much we need him out there

The Bruins had forced a filth game with a determined
effort Sunday in Boston and it-leoked like a sixth game

g an effort even trom their
stragglers.in the finale, as Shayne Corson scored his tirstot
the playoffs and assisted on the game-winner by another

said Montreal coach Pat Burns, who

I think he

might be needed when Joyce opened the scoring at 15:37 of
the first period.

But Montreal suck back with goals by Chris Chelios
and Corson in the second trame and Richer got the game
winner at 4:14 of the third, Joyce.added another and-a
desperate Bruins comeback fell short

“As much as everyone has been saying that we played
badly, |
Burns.

think it was a case of the Bruins playing well,”’ said

Canadiens notes — Montreal captain Bob Gainey
played in his 170th carcer playoff game ... Teammate Larry
Robinson, the all-time leader, played his 190th ... Montreal
started rookie Eric Desjardins for the second straight game
and sat out Donald Dufresne ... Bobby Carpenter missed
his second gametor Boston with a sprained right wrist

Mario marvelous
in goalfest

PITTSBURGH(AP)

season goals he scored, no matter how he elevated the art of

No matter how many regular

playing hockey, there were those*who doubted Mario
Lemieux

Sure, he was a great goal scorer
Sure, he

when the games
didn’t really matter aved a tranchise, But how
could he ever becompared to Wayne Gretzky until he did it
inthe playotts?

May the comparisons begin

Mario Lemieux has the Pittsburgh Penguins one vic
tory away from their first appearance in the Wales Con
ference tinal. Wayne Gretzky is on the sidelines, his Los
Angeles Kings eliminated in tour games by the Calgary
Flames.

Mario Lemieux showed why he 1s the best hockey
player in the world,” goaltender 1om Barrasso said after
Lemieux tied NHL playoll records with four first-period
goals, five overall and eight points as the Penguins beat the
Philadelphia Flyers 10-7 Tuesday night

The victory betore 16,025 towel-waving fans gave the
Penguins a 3-2 edge in the best-ol-seven Patrick Division
final, which continues with Game 6 Thursday night in
Philadelphia. Game
in Pittsburgh

Lemieux was listed as questionable because of
strained neck suffered inthe Flyers’ 4-1 victory in Game 5

7, if necessary, will be Saturday night

and he admittedly couldn't see trom side to side as well as
usual. So, all he did was go out and play ay good a game as
his teammates have ever seen, tying five NHL playolf
records

He tovk control of a game the way only Mario can,
left winger Bob Errey said. “There was one game this
season where I thought he could get 10 (goals) and I thought
he could get 10 tonight

Mario was eacited before the game,"’ said right
winger Rob Brown, who scored twice. ** There were things
being written that he wasn't scoring like he could, that he
was letting us dewn

Tonight, everything he did was right. lonight,
everything he touched went in.

Lemieux scored three goals in the first 6:55-o1 play arid
had tour goals by the end of the first period, when the
Penguins led 6-1. He had seven points in two periods as the
Penguins led 9-3, then scored an empty-netter for the clin
cher atter the Flyers had scored four consecutive tinal
period goals,

In less than seven minutes, Lemigux scored twice on
breakaways and another off a picture pass by Paul Coffey,
who had four assists. A shaken Flyers goaltender Ron Hex
tall, who was lifted twice, wasn't ready to take all the
blame

I don’t like to be ignorant, but you've got to do your
job,"” said Hextall, jeered constantly by fans waving ‘Hex
lowels at him.

You've got to watch the game and know what's
going on out there

““Yousaw what the defence was like. Ht’snormy job 20
tell you who played well and who didn’t but we came into
the game thinking it would be easy. We were expecting a
different team. Without Mario, they are a different team

Reds
slam
Expos

CINCINNATI(AP) — Paul O'Neill
isn’t going anywhere in the Cincinnati
Reds’ lineup

When manager Pete Rose decided to
batting
Tuesday night to try to- muster more

switch his order around

firepower, he never even considered

moving O'Neill higher in the order
than his usual sixth spot
Icturned out to be a good non-niove
O'Neill hit a three-run homer in the
sixth inning that opened up a close
game and gave the Reds a 6-1 victory
over the Montreal Expos.
It a guy's doing good, just leave
them alone,” Rose said
You might put added pressure on
hint (by Moving thine higher-n-the-or
der)
Rose likes O'Neill right where he is
leading the Reds
310 average, second on the team with

regulars with a

a pair of homers,-and tied with Eric
Davis for the RBI lead with 13

He’s been our most consistent RBI
guy," Rose said. “‘He was our most
consistent in spring training, and he’s
been our most consistent to date. I told
you guys in spr training, don't be
surprised if Paul O*Neill has a big
statistical year

O'Neill accepts the praise hesitantly

Ivs hard to: be content’ when
you've only played 15 or 16 games,"" he
said. “When we've played 162, | hope
he'll beable to say that at the end. Then
l'Il feel I've been a success

Rose's strategic moves were a big
suceess | uesday

With the Reds mired in a batung
slump that dropped their team average
to ..218, Rose moved Kal Daniels to the
lead-off spot and dropped first-hitter
Barry Larkin tothird parents
Ie worked tonight,’ Rose. said
Kal got on base three times, and — presentations
Larkin got a big hit with-a man in for most impr
scoring position.”

Daniels reached on two singles and a
walk, scoring twice. He scored the
Reds’ first run on an RBI single in the
third by Larkin, forging a 1-1 tic alter

tive innings. markedly

The regular season of the Castlegar
Figure Skating Club has ended with a
banquet and dinner

Highlighting * the
The first was the award

wed skater, this year
shared by two young women
McLachlan and Chelsea Van Viet

Throughout the season, cach of the to si
skaters improved her skating skills

through hard

AWARD WINNERS. . . Chelsea Van Vliet (left) and Amanda
Mclachlan were named most improved skaters from the Castiegor
Figure Skating Club at the club's i

g wind-up bang

Skating club
puts season on ice

devotion to the sport
The second presentation was made
lor skaters and to Bev Vathin, the club couch who
provided the inspiration for a suc
Vathin

season ay a part-time

cessful season for the CESC

will return nex

event were (Wo
coach. She. will continue with her
Amanda college studies ona tull-time basis.

The CFSC will host a booth at Trade
hair 8¥- where the publie will be it ited:
Higure
videos, and oblitin information on the

down, watch skating

Work and sportot figure skating