Professional Businesses and is hes CORN Services C. MacDonald arts & Service s * Electric or basement you've always wanted. Kootenayview Concrete F happy to answer any questions you may hav arrival of winter best book now for spring renovations. Business of the ‘Month add a unique touch to your home. Kootenayview Concrete Finishing ootenayview Concrete Finishing, owner Perry Hyson, can help Concrete imprinting will allow you to have that beautiful driveway, sidewalk, entryway 365-6898 HANDYMAN SERVICES + Finish Carpentry * Renovations + Drywall Repairs « Painting Do you need (fill in the blank)? Look for it here in the Professional Businesses and Services! . FREE DELIVERY | & PICK-UP ]* - - : Kootenay Sic pics Computers Inc. Tel. 365-6385 FAX# 365-FAXS — PHOTOCOPYING — — FAXING (Send & Receive) — 2313 - 6 Avenue Castlegar, B.C. VIN 2W1 Phone 365-2323 Fax 365-0151 SALES ¢ SERVICE + REPAIRS Stationery * Computer Diskattes Ribbons © Rubber Stamps © Business Cords Letetheads & Envelopes * Magnetic Signs Wedding Stationery as WEST KOOTENAY PA AND SANDBLASTI ° COMMERCIAL - RESIDENTIAL DUSTRIAL INTERIOR EXTERIOR PAINTING ¢ BRUSH ROLLER SPRAY Mobile Painting & Sandblasting Quality Work - Reasonable Rates SENIORS DISCOUNT =| FREE ESTIMATES |. 365-0999 © Word processing © Laminating © Mail box rentals © Resumes Mail outs © Spiral binding © Office support services © Telephone answering ¢ Photocopying © Fax service Paging CASTLEGAR BUSINESS SERVICES | 1402 Columbia Avenue « 36! oo ee KOOTENAY PLUMBING SUPPLIES DESIGN CE Plumbing & Heating Show rene. We cary a complete line of plumbing foctures, ceramic tile, bathroom accessories, gas fireplaces, central vacuum systems to complete your home renovations. | Wiliams Moving & Slorage Local, Long Distance & Intemational Moving Container or Van Service Free Estimates » Call Collect t (604) 365.3328 se ey, * Large variety of |» Easy access +5 minutes from Downtown Castlegar For More Information call CONSTRUCTING CLEAN-SCENE CARPET CLEANERS YOUR NEW HOME? | — = « Framing & Foundation *Most Advanced System ¢ Estimates & Design Gets more deep down soil than any For more information on inishing give Perry a call. He would be e — and with the FREE POOL Monday Night LIVE MUSIC Thursday, Frida: & Saturday Night GREAT PUB FOOD BREAK OPEN To advertising in TICKETS this space Located in Robson just across the Call Cathy * Nicole * Fred 365-2278 Castlegar-Robson Bridge « Management Consulting CONSTRUCTION Committed to Quality & Service other cleaning method *Flood Cleanup Specialists SATISFACTION GUARANTEED 23 years experience Why not Call Us Today! Please call Trevor at 365-5012 FREE ESTIMATES PHONE 365-6969 A.G.M. PLUMBING | & HEATI SERVICES REPA JAMES SWANSON & SONS td bead WE ARE THE ( ? OF YOUR HOME * 3D Computerized Planning © Over 290 Door & Colour Combinations * Custom Millwork © Professional Installation ° West Kootenay Canac Supplier VISIT OUR SHOWROOM Canac Kitchens of Castlegar 3124 Waldie Avenue, Robson, B.C. spECiA LIZED CONTRA SERVICES . = CERTIFIED LANDSCAPING SERVICES 365-0762 WIN IVE S S Controls and Refrigeration Ltd.| © Heating ¢ Air Conditioning ° Commercial Refrigeration © Preventative M ee di HVAC A n © 24 Hour Emergency Service * DESIGN * INSTALLATION * SERVICE 365-4999 ee Surgenor & Rogers — 1444 Columbia Avenue, Castlegar, B.C. VIN 3H4 — BUS:604-365-7208 FAX:604-365-3098 RESIDENT PARTNER NEIL E. SURGENOR C.G.A. ARROW LAKES AIR CONDITIONING & MECHANICAL SYSTEMS LTD. © PLUMBING ¢ HEATING ¢ GAS FITTING © SHEET METAL « AIR CONDITIONING ¢ COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION Phone 365-2485 ¢ Fax 365-7626 613 - 13th Street, Units 1 & 2, a BC DAK Contracting Ltd. PLUMBING » HOT WATER HEATING + RENOVATIONS KEITH ERWIN Ph: 365-7769 ° Fax 365-2998 2245 6th Avenue, Castlegar, BC VIN 2W1 WEDNE November 2 Vol. 5- No. 1 b TO FAMED | vat ( [ORLA ry logar ' ‘Sun cumy ‘The weekly newspaper with a dally commitment’ 75 Cents + G.S.T. FOR UNION jocaL BUSTING X PAYERS SUN STAFF PHOTO / Karen Kerkhott Protesters braved the early morning cold last week to protest B.C. Gas’s hiring of TNL Construction for jobs in Midway and Kitchener. Unionists claim that the unions who represent TNL and other companies are nothing more than “rat unions” which aren't sanctioned by the B.C. Federation of Labor. Unions picket B.C. Gas D) KAREN KERKHOFF Sun Staff Members of the All Trades Coordinating Committee say they smell a rat. They also say they won "t stand by while “rat unions” their commuani- ties and jobs which they say are theirs. Ron Labutte, spokesperson for the committee, braved the cold moming hours of Nov. 18 along with almost 15 other members while picketing the B.C. Gas building in downtown Castlegar. They claim that B.C. Gas is hiring rat unions to do jobs which they claim they can do better. “The low bid mentality doesn’t work. They get guys in who don’t know what they're doing. Mem- bers can do the same job on time and on budget.” Franz Scherubl, labor relations officer for B.C. Gas, said this is not the first time that B.C. Gas offices have been picketed, and defends the y's hiring of TNL Construction—which the committee claims is a “rat union”. “We are in a position that we need to go out and look for the best people for the job, and one that can do it in the most cost- effective way.” TNL, explained Scherubl, met both criteria, and are currently working on B.C. Gas jobs in Kitchener and Midway. “They were both able and the least expensive.” Labutte also castigated the More taxes Sun Editor B.C. taxpayers aren't heavily taxed and would accept tax hikes if they were targetted, Castlegar community leaders told Finance Minister Elizabeth Cull Friday. People always complain that they pay too many taxes, Mickey Cull was pleased with the response from the meeting. “This is the best discussion we've had,” she said. “It's actually quite remarkable.” She commended the representa- tives of business, labor, communi- ty groups and area politicians for their remarks. Katrine Conroy echoed 's comments. “I don’t think that we pay taxes.” She said she has relatives in Denmark and they are surprised at City of Castlegar for its policy of accepting lowest bid instead of local hire. In the end, he said, it's not just members who lose, but the community as a whole as money earned in the community goes home with the worker—usually to another province. The argument that accepting low bid makes economic sense just doesn’t cut it continued Labutte. “They say that accepting low bid is saving us all money—but our bills don’t reflect that. They [the bills] don’t go down.” Rat Unions aren't sanctioned by B.C. Federation of Labor. A pamphlet published by the com- mittee states that rat unions are pany tions that pretend to be unions. " “T think I pay too many taxes.” Call said she has no intention of “We have a tax freeze. Period. That's not an option.” In fact, Cull asked those present if they saw an other areas the gov- emment could cut taxes. Several speakers said they want- ed to see more money spent of ser- vices like job training It’s more of an investment than spending,” said one man. Kinakin agreed. “Education in the workplace is the most impor- Student smoking upsets residents KAREN KERKHOFF Sun Staff Smoking can be hazardous to your health—especially if you're a Stanley Humphries Secondary School student. At a Castlegar school board meeting Monday night Ivy Street ‘ resident Gordon Lamont warned trustees that the current policy, which requires students to smoke out of the school zone, could result in a senseless Z “Somebody is going to get “killed down there. I would rather see some kid willfully die of can- cer than get run down.” The board agreed to have a meeting with the city, parents, citizen to me.” The board also received a petition signed by 39 residents of the area who complained “His solution to me was to take another route home. Having these kids on a street comer is not a ution to this p ad Besides the safety aspect, said Lamont, there are other serious issues. “It’s full of garbage. It’s a d staff and principal to review the policy before the Christmas break Because of the policy, which was initiated this September, students now congregate in large numbers at the corner of Ivy and 9th Ave. ,which is adja- cent to SHSS grounds. And it's Council RGN NORMAN Sun Editor isgr They have lit a fire in my back yard and I've had my tires stolen.” Lamont said SHSS could be likened to a corporate citizen and therefore should accept responsi- bility for the problem. “The school is a corporate citi- zen, but it isn’t a good corporate Td like to see where you seven stand.” = local hire Castlegar council has rejected a local hiring and purchasing policy in favor of its present practice of accepting the lowest bidder. Councillor Ron Armbruster, chair of the administration and finance committee, said that local firms are given preference if all others things are equal. “T think it’s a very fair policy. It gives everyone equal access to bidding on projects and purchases made by the City of Castlegar, . and from what I can see it has worked well. I see no reason to change it.” But a spokesman for the Unit- ed Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 2300, said he is “discouraged” by the decision. Len Embree wonders if council is going to accept contractors who pay half the wages, if it also plans to collect only half the taxes. “How they expect the eco- nomics to work is beyond me,” he said. “T find it kind of surprising that the mayor would run on a plat- form of local hire and change his mind so quickly.” Embree promised that voters will remember this at the next election. “That's no threat,” he added, OK, Cull told tant thing we can do now.” Another man suggested that the government not go into debt on capital investments, but spend “as it is affordable.” He said increasing the provin- cial debt will only mean higher debt servicing costs down the road, which takes money away from needed services. Everette Surgeonor, Castlegar school district superintendent, said there is a need for better ministries. ° He pointed to the school dis- trict’s proposal for a community See TAXES 3A contracts for services and com- mitting to accept the offer from closed doors at a Nov. 1 meeting. It asked city staff to examine Trail’s policy on local hiring and purchasing. Staff reported that Trail's pur- chasing potor is similar to However, Trail instituted a local hiring policy for its new water treatment centre. which States that the contract “will pro- vide employment to bona fide residents and businesses of the City of Trail.” ‘Trail accepted job applications from people t living within city boundaries and passed them on to the contractor. The contract also points out Finance Minister Elizabeth Cull speaking in Castlegar. Check out Festive Treasures exhibit at the National Exhibition Centre