foin the Fun! . Be part of the biggest + Sunfest 9 Parade ever! | oil I |pAddress: ain please mail your entry‘to: Castlegar Festivals Society, Box 3001 Castlegar, BC V1 : ; fe] iC Sha | ba May 20, 1990 Art admirers oc June at Stanley h ‘of Raspb and admire the work of kinde: Grade 8 artists from the Castlegar school district during the Spring Festivals o the Arts Humphries secondary school. The festival, sponsored by Council and the Castlegar school board, also featured drama, band and choir performances. irten to the Castlegar Arts Spring Clearance Sale on Now SAVE 35 Jo Bien STORE HOURS: MON. TO SAT. 9:30 - 5:30 533 BAKER STREET NELSON 354-4438 Sunday, May 13 is Mother's Day! Premiers keep talks on Meech to themselves PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man. (CP) — The western premiers emerged from their talks on the Meech Lake accord Tuesday confident they had moved forward in the search for a constitutional breakthrough. But while it appeared the four premiers thought they have found a way to end the impasse, they weren’t about to let the public in on the secret; “*I like what I saw today,’’ Saskatchewan Premier Grant Devine told_a news conference. ‘‘! feel good about today." The cagey first ministers revealed-they had discussed the idea of a sunset clause to address the complaint Meech Lake would block Senate reform by requiring In a vaguely worded communique, the premiers said they want constitutional talks to continue among the 11 first ministers. If progress is made, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney should call a national first ministers meeting by the end of May, the document said. The Meech Lake accord is designed to make Quebec a willing partner in the constitutional process by, among other things, recognizing it-as a distinct society and requiring unanimous consent for Senate reform. Manitoba and New Brunswick have refused-to ratify- Meech Lake, which is supposed to be passed_by June.23, among the provinces. Few other details about their discussions were divulged. “*I know they’ve got some kind of a deal,"” Manitoba NDP Leader Gary Doer told the Toronto Star. Both Doer and Liberal Opposition Leader Sharon Carstairs said they have been asked to meet with Premier Gary Fitmon today, the leader of the province’s minority Conservative government Manitoba is the only western province that has not approved the Meech Lake accord and the consent of Car- stairs and Doer is crucial to any unified western proposal. Filmon played down Tuesday’s talks, saying serious differences stilt exist among the four premiers, who con- cluded a two-day annual conference. But Devine said it should not be assumed that no consensus was reached. “We're just not telling you,” he said. ‘‘If we had the solution and it was as good as gold and we announced it today, it would fail."’ The premiers said they don’t want to have their ideas shot down before they’re presented to the other first ministers and Manitoba opposition leaders in private. “Perhaps the impression is we're hiding something,” said B.C. Premier Bill Vander Zalm. “If we allow bits and pieces to be in fact open for debate without presenting the whole of the picture, we are while recently its approval. The western_premiers assigned-a team of officials in March to come up with ideas that might form the basis of a united western front on the accord. Those talks were fruitless but Filmon said none of the Premiers has ruled out the idea of a sunset clause to deal with the Meech section that grants every province a veto over Senate reform. The sunset clause would allow the unanimous con- sent section to remain for a fixed number of years. If Senate reform wasn’t achieved by then, changes could then be made with the agreement of only seven provinces containing $0 per cent of the Canadian population. Fitmon said he woutd still prefer to see the amending formula in Meech changed now, rather than a sunset clause. But Carstairs said she believes a sunset clause is at the centre of a deal worked out by the western premiers and she welcomed the idea. “Obviously what we are Ming at now are gestures,"’ she said Tuesday in Winnipeg. “If this is a gesture that will allow Quebec to save face, then it is a reasonable gesture."’ Meech wasn’t the only topic tackled by the premiers. After several hours of meetings Monday, the group fired a broadside at Ottawa, saying federal economic Policies such as high interest rates could spark a ‘tmade-in- Come & Visit Our Mother's Day CRAFT FAIRE Thursday, May 10 to Saturday, May 12 ten (CIELATENIKO IMMA, 1150 Lakeside Drive, Nelson Open Thurs. & Fri. Nights til 9 p.m. not doing the process a service.” VICTORIA (CP) — Finance Mel Couvelier is being irresponsible for continuing to talk about British Columbia being better off i outside C 7 NDP Leader Mike Harcourt said Tuesday. Harcourt said at a time when national unity is seemingly so fragile, Couvelier_and_Premier_Bill Vander Zalm should do more to keep the country together instead of raising divisive issues. “I think it is very irresponsible for the minister of finance to be adding fuel to the disintegration of this great Confederation of ours,” Harcourt told reporters. \ Here’s My Card. . Canada’’ recession Couvelier ‘irresponsible’ “I don’t think it’s very helpful for the premier to say Meech Lake is dead and then sit around and wait for it to fall apart and then for his minister of finance to say B.C. is losing money in Confederation,’’ Harcourt said. But Couvelier, after again ex- pressing his opinion that British Columbia is a‘ net economic loser in Confederation, said the only reason he keeps talking about it is because reporters keep asking him questions. “You can either have me withhold comment, or you can have me try to treat you like I've always treated you — openly and without fear of being misrepresented,’’ he said. He also denied contributing to any separatism threat. “‘In_my_ opinion, Canada is-more than a dollar-and-cents issue and I’m not, by these comments, trying to add fuel to the separationist argument that some are portraying me as holding.” Couvelier’s latest comments came during his response to a_recent Statistics Canada study, which claims British Columbia actually derived a profit from Confederation in 1988 The study shows Ottawa spent about $657 million more in British Columbia than it collected in—1988 and that situation has existed for a number of years. | FALCON | PAINTING & DECORATING 2649 FOURTH vIn 2S! Castlégar News Wayne Stolz Caroline Soukorott ADVERT ISING OFFICE 365-5: 210 © FAX 365-3334 CASTLEGAR 8 © MAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD Lare, y AVENUE 365 3563 JANICE TUR NE 3628923 7 UtiliCorp boss expects to steer steady course UtiliCorp United has announced thar its have re-elected ‘one director and approved the issuan- ce of common shares for employee and director stock plans. net income of $23 million and primary earnings per common share of $92 cents. All amounts are in U.S. dollars. Green said that another solid finan- cial is expected in 1990, The also id that its board of directors will be reduced temporarily to seven members following the retirement of board member Raymond Rollins. Rollins, a director for 12 years, will become director emeritus, UtiliCorp said in a news release. Missouri Public Service president Fred K. Little has announced his retirement. A new president of Missiourt Public Service will be named soon, the company said. UtiliCorp chairman-and- president Richard C. Green, Jr., announced that second quarter-financial- results are expected to decline from the first quarter due to seasonal weather that due to first-time contributions from recent utility acq ticipated subsidiaries. In 1989, UtiliCorp repor- ted. i of $732 the retired president of CharterCorp, Your satistaction is our main concern a bank holding company. The com- pany has since been renamed Boat- men’s Bancshares Inc. Also approved by shareholders: © A proposal to increase compen- sation of cotporate directors through the issuance of stock. Each director will receive quarterly payments of common stock valued at $2,500. * A proposal to increase by 500,000 the number of shares million, net income of $48.3 million and primary earnings per common share of $2.04. All of the 1989 results ‘were company records. “Our business plan in 1990 will be the same one we established when UtiliCorp was formed five years ago,’’ Green said. ‘*We will continue for issuance under the com- pany’s employee stock incentive plan. "Deli Specials. . : 100 9. pepperoni salami beer or _ Summer sausage 100 g. AT * A proposal to increase by 250,000 the number of shares ilable for y under the company’s employee stock purchase plan. Based in Kansas City, UsiliCorp provides gas and electric service in eight states through i divisions, i i Public Service, Peoples baked loaf to ager pursue of utility and energy properties and ex- is ically milder the company’s service territory. UtiliCorp achieved record results in the 1990 fir- st quarter, The -company— reported operating revenues of $278 million, Teck chairman knocks Bank of Canada policy VANCOUVER (CP) — The Bank of Canada’s policy of keeping interest rates high and the Canadian dollar strong will create a vicious circle that will force the government to maintain those high rates in future, the chair- man of Teck Corp. said. Norman Keevil told the mining company’s annual meeting last week that the Bank of Canada should stop setting interest rates five points above the United States and propping up the Canadian dollar at an unrealistic level. “The dollar, which should probably be trading in the mid 70s (cents) against the U.S. dollar, has been-pushed some 15 per cent above its realistic level by the high interest rate policies of the Bank of Canada,”’ he said. “And both these interest costs and the high dollar are hurting Canadian exporters and manufacturers, as well as our government's ability to reduce the annual deficit. = “Ironically, the longer we weaken our economy with punitive interest rates and an inflated dollar, the more that realistic level of the Canadian dollar will stide,"’ which, he said, will tempt the government to keep interest rates high. pand i of our subsidiaries."” Shareholders _reelected Robert F. Jackson, Jr., to a three-year term on the board of directors. Jackson, 64, is “A deteriorating economy is no way to sustain the highest level since the last recession in 1982."” Despite the stronger dollar, Teck recorded its fifth year of record ear- nings last year, $112.9 million com- pared to $110.4 million for 1988. The company, founded by Keevil’s father Norman Sr. who died last Oc- tober, has 41 per cent controlling in- terest in the lead and zinc smelting giant Cominco plus 50 per cent in- terest in the David Bell and Williams Mine in the Hemio-ore body in nor- thern Ontario. Also among its major holdings is a 61 per cent interest in the Bullmoose coal mine in the northeastern” B-C- mine fields, a 14 per cent interest in the Highland Valley Copper operation near Kamloops plus properties in the United States, Australia, and Spain. About 50 per cent of the company’s earnings came from its production of more than 443,000 ounces of gold last year, with the remainder from base metals (40 per cent) coal, silver and petroleum. Keevil indicated the company was keeping debt low to be in a good position for future acquisitions. “Often these (opportunities) come Crestbrook Forest earnings down 46% By CasNews Staff Increased operating costs and ex- penses have caused a decrease of almost 46 per cent in earnings for Crestbrook Forest Industries Ltd. in the opening quarter of 1990, the com- pany says in a news release. Senior officials of the Cranbrook- based forest products company also noted that there was a 2.4-per-cent drop in sales which was directly at- tributable to a reduced demand for pulp. The company said net earnings for the first quarter of 1990 were $4.7 million or 61 cents per common share, down 45.7 per cent from first quarter 1989 earnings of $8.6 million or $1.13 per common share. Sales for the quarter were $61.7 million, down 2.4 per cent from $63.3 million in the first quarter of 1989. **The decline in sales is directly at- tributable to a reduced demand for pulp,” said Sakae Hosaka, Crest- brook’s chairman and chief executive officer. ‘‘Reduced profits are more directly attributable to increased operating costs and expenses.’” The demand for lumber products was good and pricing was comparable to the same period in 1989, Hosaka said. Despite the softening in demand, pulp prices remained stable and generally good during the quar- ter, he added. Crestbrook’s 1990 annual’ general meeting will be held May 17 beginning at 11 a.m. at the company’s corporate head offices in Cranbrook. Crestbrook harvests the forest resources of the Kootenay region in southeastern British Columbia and is a fully integrated forest products Natural Gas, Michigan Gas Utilities, meat & cheese West Virginia Power, Min- Service. British Columbia is a Canadian sub- nesota Utilities and Kansas Public West Kootenay Power in sidiary. tbone steaks * family pack kg. 8.55/lb. fresh broccoli kg. 160/Ib. & 5 a up when times are tough,” he said an- swering a shareholder’s question. “When Cominco came available in 1986 we had firstly no debt and fairly large cash reserves waiting for an op- portunity like that. “So we were able to move. on it when a lot of people in the business . trek bakery * Whole wheat * SuperValu sliced bread 570 g. loot @ © white © champagne = yellow * Purex bathroom tissue * limit 1 per customer ) a Q had fairly high debts and couldn't consider it,” rries ofective PLAZA SUPER-VALU OPEN SUNDAY 10 A.M. TO 6 P.M. Completely Panasonic genius (jénius) Lat;-genius | 3 eI Someone who knows MOM microwave exclusive All you need is “The Genius" for ly cooked time! is, Just a Touch Does So Much. The FutureWave Turntable System ensures that all parts of the food receive direct penetration for even thorough would love a Panasonic cooking! Automatic Cooking- O + Auto Sensor Cook + Auto Weight Defrost + Auto Sensor Reheat * New Popcorn Feature [o) With a Single Touch! i Genius Microwave Oven! + Doneness Control for Custom Results + 22.6 L (0.8 cu. ft. ) Oven Capacity + 6-Power Levels NN 5859 All This and More! *379.95* directly almost 1,400 people in logging, lumber, veneer, plywood and bleached kraft pulp operations. The company also uses the services of more than 400 in- dependent logging ‘truckers and con- tractors. Time Air profits fall in first quarter LETHBRIDGE, Alta. (CP) — Lower passenger revenues and in- creased fuel costs caused Time Air Corp’s. profit to fall sharply in the first quarter of 1990. The Lethbridge-based airline, which operates flights out of Castlegar, made $378,000 in the first three months of this year. That works ‘Out to eight cents # share. The com- pany reported a profit of $1.5 million or 35 cents per share in the same period last year. Richard Barton, the airline's president, said the cost of renting planes before new ones were delivered also contributed to the lower first- ‘quarter profit. Time Air, which flies in Western Canada, Washington, Minnesota and the Yukon, made a profit of $7.1 million or $1.59 per share last year. That compares with $5.1 million or $1.13 per share in 1988. Barton said he expects revenues will rise this year because of fare increases and an expansion. of cargo ions. But iti will make short-term recovery dif- ficult, he added. ‘The purchase of eight Dash 8-300 planes for $125 million in 1989 in- creased Time’s long-term debt to $84.4 million. Barton said the company, which has about 1,000 employees, is preparing for threatened strike action by airline attendants. He said the airline will continue to operate if there is a labor dispute. . 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