January 12, 1986 continue except on occasion when ens precipitation to cross the southern imerior. Little change is anticipated in this pattern in the im ture. EEOREHS No heli-skiing in valley CRANBROOK (CP) — The Valley in h ish Columbia. Lands, Parks and Housing Minister Tony Brummet the n Brit- C k, where were concerned the heli skiing would harm wildlife in the valley. Banff Heli-Sports Ltd. had received approval in prin- ciple to operate in the valley, about 65 kilometres east of Invermere. But a strong lob- by, led by Labor Minister Terry Segarty, legislative member fot the area, was in- strumental in having the ap- plication rejected. Brummet said he has in- structed his staff to withhold further licences for heli- skiing in the area until con- cerns about wildlife can be fully it in ) Add Up the Savings! CARL'S SCHOOL & STATIONARY SALE For School For Office Note Totes Vinyl Binders E $499 1". Reg. $4.75 ig Binders $99 H.B. Pencils 4 Pkg. of 5... Animal Crackers. Loose Leaf. Reg. $3.99... Christmas '/2 Price Sale Continues CARL'S DRUGS Castleaird Plaza — Ph. 365-7269 3 Figuring Pads 3 Typing Paper $ 1 99 Practice. pkg. . : Bic Clic Pens swine rug oe | VDF SUPER SCOTTIE wey 29 98° Letter size Note size Mountainview Agencies Ltd. We are exclusive Listing A\ acquired properties in the Castlegar oreo. This is an assortment of what is presently available for sale. ts for CMHC Phone 365-2111 Deadline set for talks CALGARY (CP) — Pacifie Western Airlines and its three striking unions have set a deadline of midnight Tuesday to decide whether to continue the current round of contract talks. The talks, which have been going on for about a week, will break off Tuesday unless a settlement seems near, union and company spokes- men said. The strike by 1,800 flight di h and BUT SNOW IN MAY 1985 record dry year Staff Writer Last year was the driest since the Castlegar weather office began keep- ing records in 1966, yet it was also the first in which a measureable snowfall was recorded in the month of May. Those were the two most significant records in a year that otherwise passed without much meteorlogical merit, ac- cording to the annual weather sum- mary issued by the Castlegar office. “There's nothing really on the books,” said Jim Richards of the weather office when asked to pick out some notable numbers for the year. But Richards, who grew up in the other ground workers is al- most eight weeks old. Airline spokesman Jack Lawless said the deadline is important to the airline be- cause there are “decisions to be made on the 1986 business plan” and the status of nego- tiations will be “a key in gredient in those decisions.” If the strike isn't settled soon, the airline might have to lease aircraft to other car- riers or reduce its fleet or routes, he said. Union spokesman Chris Anderson said the deadline “gives them a target to aim for. In other developments, striking workers staged dem- onstrations Friday at most major Pacifie Western cen- tres, including Toronto, Sas. katoon, Edmonton and Van- couver. “We want our negotiating team and the company to Know we're strong,” said Ed- monton demonstrator Susan Butterworth, strike co-ordin. ator for the Canadian Air Line Flight Attendants’ As. sociation. “We're going to fight this to the bitter end.” The flight attendants’ union has filed a-charge of unfair labor practice over the dismissal of three strikers. Spokesman Dianna Rien- stra said the union is i ment of the workers, who the union says were fired for “verbal insubordination to a supervisor.” An Edmonton member of the union negotiating team and two Vancouver-based flight attendants were fired last week. Lawless has said only that the workers were fired for “just cause.” Police file Castlegar RCMP has laid charges against a Castlegar man in connection with the November traffic accident that took the life of 18-year. old John Farkas. Harold Chernoff, 18, has been charged with having in sufficient tire tread on his car, speeding and failing to wear a seat belt, Castlegar RCMP said. Chernoff, driving a 1974 Chevelle, struck Farkas who was attempting to catch a foothall thrown from a yard on Sth Avenue. The accident occurred on Nov. 5 at 11:20 p.m. said he thinks the weather might be returning to a pattern similar to that of 10 to 20 years ago. “In my recollection, growing up in the "60s and ‘60s, it looked a little bit more like the summers we used to have — hot and dry for fairly long periods of time,” he said. However, he added that the winters are warmer than they used to be. “The winter means (mean temper. atures) are-much warmer than in the past; although -we-do-have-our-cold periods such as last November's.” Richards said meteorologists talk about “long-term cycles” of weather ranging from seven to 30 years. But he added that each study seems to come up with a different theory. In the nutshell, Castlegar’s weather was sunnier but cooler overall, and of course drier with the record-low precipitation. A total of 479.5 mm of precipitation fell in 1985, easily surpassing the previous low of 586.3 mm set 15 years ago in 1970. The average yearly precipitation in Castlegar is 742.3 mm. In addition to the year-long record, three monthly precipitation lows were set. In January, 9.0 mm was recorded, less than half the old record of 20.9 mm set in 1979. Only a trace (less than 1.0 mm) of precipitation was recorded in July, breaking the old mark of 3.3 mm set in 1973. And in December, 19.9 mm fell, erasing the old record of 25.0 mm set in 1978. Other records set in 1985 were the 4.0 em of snow that fell in May and a record-high monthly mean maximum temperature of 23.6 set during July's long hot spell. The old July record was 21.9 recorded in 1975 and only traces of snow have fallen in May in past years. Overall, 1985 was cooler than nor mal. The mean maximum temperature for the year was 12.8. Normal is 13.5. The year’s mean minimum temper ature was 2.0. Normal is 2.7. As well, the mean temperature for the year was 7.4, also below the normal of 8.1. Mean_temperatures are calculated by taking the daily recorded temper. atures and dividing by the number of days. For example, maximum tempera. tures of 10 and 16 on consecutive days would give a mean maximum of 13 for those two days. Overall monthly means are calculated by adding the daily 7 eh wie and dividing by the number of days. Sunshine for the year was slightly above average with 1,946.8 hours re corded, 91.5 hours more than the average of 1,855.3 hours. February, March, May, June, July and November were all above average in sunshine with the remaining months below average The hottest day of the year was July 9 when a temperature of 39.1 was recorded. That was 0.9 degrees short of the all-time record of 40.0 set on Aug. 6 and 7, 1967 The coldest temperature recorded was -21.2 on Dee. 1, well short of the all-time chiller of -30.6 set in December 1968. June 20 saw the biggest gust of wind blow by Castlegar when the weather station recorded a gust of 73 kilometres per hour. For the year, the wind speed aver. aged 82 km/hr, slightly above the normal average of 8.0 km/hr. However, the prevailing direction for the year was south, a complete turnaround from the normal prevailing north wind in Castlegar Other notable weather events culled from the statistics: from April to September inclusive there were only five days when no sunshine was recorded e for 30 consecutive days — from June 15 to July 14 — no rainfall was recorded e for 48 consecutive days — from June 15 to July 31 — only a trace of rain was recorded on three days for 16 days —Nov. 18 to Dec. 3 — the temperature did not go above freezing e there was a total of 136 days with measurable precipitation (1.0 mm or more) © thunderstorms occurred on 21 days e there were 19 days of fog (visibility a kilometre or less) e 48 days had a maximum temper- ature of 30 or more e 71 days had a maximum temper ature of 0 or less Wilderness areas ‘critical’ Briefly VANCOUVER (CP) — The British Columbia Environ- ment Ministry says the prov- ince is in danger of losing a “unique opportunity” to en- sure that a range of wilder- ness environments is main- tained. “South of Prince George, development has affected large areas,” says the min- istry’s brief to the provincial government's wilderness ad- visory committee. “On the coast, the situation is especially critical, since al- most all of the coastal wilder- ness areas have been ac- cessed or developed. Options for protecting extensive areas of coastal ecosystems in their natural condition are therefore extremely limited.” The wilderness advisory committee, which begins public hearings on Monday, was set up last October to consider the future of 16 Council sets its committees By CasNews Staff Castlegar council's commit tees have been finalized. Each alderman will head one committee and sit on two others. Ald. Albert Calderbank will chair the administration and finance committee, with Ald. Carl Henne and Ald. Nick Oglow as the other committee members. Ogiow will chair the health and welfare i Ald. rounding out the committee. Pakula will chair the plan ning committee. Other mem- bers will be Calderbank and Rogers. And Embree will chair the work and services commit tee, and he will be joined on the committee by Oglow and Pakula. Calderbank will also be eouncil's liaison on the indust- rial ission. Embree will Len Embree and Ald. Terry Rogers are the other mem- bers. The parks and recreation committee will be headed by Rogers, with Henne and Ald. Bob Pakula the other mem bers. Henne will chair the prot- ective services committee, with Calderbank and Embree represent council on the Castlegar Hospital board, while Ogiow will be the city’s alternate on the Central wilderness areas and possible changes to the boundaries of eight existing parks. Among the areas being examined are the Stein River Valley, the last large unlog- ged watershed within easy driving distance of Vancou ver; the Cascade wilderness northwest of Manning Park; and the South Moresby re- gion of the southern Queen Charlotte Islands. A brief submitted by the Council of Forests Industries of B.C. describes logging roads as “a major ‘manent contribution to the citizens of B.C.” “Most people who wish to visit a remote wilderness area will do so through access provided in one way or ano- ther by industrial forest har- vesting,” the council brief says. But the Environment Min- istry brief states that some animals, including grizzy bears, mountain sheep and caribou, “require large areas of undisturbed habitat.” The ministry is concerned about species that “have all but disappeared from more densely populated areas of North America and Europe.” Winlaw man~ passes away George Victor Hives of Winlaw passed away Jan. 10 at the age of 88. Mr. Hives was born Feb. 15, 1897 at the Royal Horse Guards Hospital in London, England and came to Canada in 1912. In 1914 he joined the Canadian Army and was wounded overseas in France. In 1920 he married Anna Marsh Drewry in Saskatoon, skatch He worked Kootenay 1 District board. Moore will continue to represent the city on the regional boards. Rogers will handle the duties of tourism co-ord. inator. for a time with Imperial Oil and began farming in 1929 in the Zealandia area of Saskat chewan until his retirement in 1967. He moved to Winlaw in Castleaird Plaza Only New Store Hours EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY Mon. 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Wed. 9:30 a.m. Tues. 9:30 a.m. Fri. 9:30 a.m. Thurs. 9:30 a.m. Sat. 9:30 a.m. 1978. He was a member of the Elks Lodge of Zealandia and the Kootenay Slocan Lions Club. He is survived by his daughter and _ son-in-law, Vera and Robert Dudlyke of Winlaw; three grandchil dren; three great-grandchil dren; one sister-in-law, Beatrice Hives of Victoria. He was predeceased by his wife Anna in 1978. Funeral services will be held at the Zealandia United Church Tuesday at 2 p.m. with burial in the family plot in the Zealandia Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at the Castlegar Funeral Chapel later in the week. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Castlegar Funeral Chapel in cooperation with Clements Funeral Home of Rosetown, Sask. ——— Court news In Castlegar provincial court this week, Gerald Nich valadoff pleaded guilty to possession of a narcotic and was fined $350. to to 6:00 to 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. OPEN SUNDAY ll a.m. -S p.m. 278 Columbia Ave., Costieger 365-2888 DRUG WORKING VANCOUVER (CP) — Liver transplant recipient Chris Baxter is “looking good” and the new drug given to combat the rejection of his liver appears to be working,” for the F gh Children's Hospital. The year-old y + who just before Christmas started to reject the liver he received Dec. 10, was given his last dose of the anti-rejection drug OKT3 Thursday night, spokesman Mary Anne Ferrence said. Chris remains in fair condition in the hospital. CABINET UPS LIMIT VICTORIA (CP) — The British Columbia cabinet has almost quadrupled the limit on the province's short-term borrowing of Canadian funds, to $500 million. The previous ceiling, set by order-in-council last spring, was $140 million. Finance Minister Hugh Curtis said in a news release that short-term borrowing enables the government to meet temporary financial needs, and provides flexibility in the timing of longer-term bond issues. YOUTH SENTENCED OTTAWA (CP) — Spencer Paul Brown, 17, who blinded a friend in one eye in a game of Russian roulette, has been sentenced to a year in jail. Judge Charles Doyle told the accused he would probably have sent him to a federal prison if it hadn't been for the youth's age. Brown had pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing bodily TREMOR FELT CHARLEVOIS, QUE. (CP) — Dishes rattled early Saturday morning after a moderate earth tremor was felt in this area about 150 kilometres northeast of Quebec City. The quake, which measured 4.20 on the Richter scale, occurred at about 8:30 a.m., said John Adam, a seismologist with Energy, Mines and Resources in Ottawa. NEW LEADER NAMED WASHINGTON (REUTER) — Bishop Edmond Lee Browning of Hawaii was inaugurated as the new spiritual leader of the Episcopal Church Saturday, urging a revival of activism on social issues ranging from South African apartheid to the nugipay arms race. “I want today to recall this church back to its compassionate spirituality,” the 56-year-old former missionary in Okinawa and Europe told an estimated 2,500 worshippers after he was formally installed as 24th presiding bishop of the three-million-member church. TORNADOES HIT HAMILTON, BERMUDA (AP) — Tornadoes hit Bermuda's south and north shores Saturday, tearing roofs from at least 30 homes, sinking boats and causing other damage, officials said. No casualties were reported. A tornado struck the south shore’s Devonshire area Saturday morning and another touched down on the north at St. David's less than two hours later, the weather service and local police said Police spokesman Sgt. Roger Sherratt said the first tornado “cut across the island, ripping off the roofs of at least 30 houses.” AQUINO WELCOMED CEBU CITY (AP) — A crowd of more than 200,000 gave Philippine opposition leader Corazon Aquino a thunderous w: Saturday, dwarfing the size of any election campaign rally held so far by President Ferdinand Marcos. The turnout represented a third of Cebu City’s population of 600,000. It was the largest to welcome Aquino and her vice-presidential running mate, former senator Salvador Laurel, in any of the more than 30 provinces they have visited in the month-long presidential campaign. BLACKS WOUNDED JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and birdshot in running battles with hundreds of young blacks in Alexandra township on the outskirts of Johannesburg on Saturday, witnesses said. At least four blacks were wounded in the clashes, which erupted after a riot victim's funeral, witness said. An armored car was set afire by a gasoline bomb and officers escaped under a hail of stones, said the witnesses. LSD INVENTOR 80 ZURICH (REUTER) — Albert Hofmann, the inventor and the first to experience the hallucinatory effects of the drug LSD, celebrated his 80th birthday Saturday, still convinced of his discovery's overall benefits to humanity. “LSD can be good, even necessary . . . in the area of experimental psychiatry,” the Swiss former research chemist told the Geneva newspaper La Suisse. “The abuses it has been subject to have nothing to do with my work and I am in no way responsible for them.” Hofmann, who worked for the Basel based pharmaceutical company Sandoz AG from 1929 to 1971, produced LSD as a possible means of improving circulation in 1938 and tried a large dose on himself five years later. IDEAS HEARD .~. . federal inquiry into og issioners F Soboda (left) and Dr. Moses Morgan (second from right) to suggestions on how to improve UI! at a hearing held in Castlegar this week. The hearing was sponsored by the Castlegar Unemployed Action Centre. ro THREATENED BY SPILL for a piece of pipe needed to repair a plugged sewage effluent line. They were working against an Environment Ministry deadline to have the damage repaired or face a shutdown — a move that could cost the company tens of thousands of dollars. ‘Tim Mitchell, assistant regional co-ordinator of the provincial emergency program, said Westar was trying to downplay the effects of the Friday morning spill that wasn't reported to authorities until about 10 hours after it happened. “The mill says there is no problem . . . but there is.# big problem. “They're runping interference and trying to talk it! down as much as they can because their butts are on the line.” Officials from the Environment Ministry's waste TWO-TIER SYSTEM from tront page thé problems of the unemployed. Irving noted that the unemployment rate for the region at the end of 1985 was 19.1 per cent — the highest in Canada with the exception of some parts of the Maritimes. The past four years have seen a loss of about 1,300 jobs at Cominco’s Kootenay operations as well as layoffs at Westar in Castlegar and the closure of the Kootenay Forest Products mill in Nelson. While 210,000 B.C. residents search for work, the decision to cut federal funding to Unemployed Action Centres should be reversed, Irving said. He said Unemployed Action Centres are opposed to a number of suggestions in the Maedonald Royal commission on the economy. The centres are opposed to: @ the reduction of benefits from 50 to 40 weeks; ean increase in the number of weeks which have to be worked in order to receive benefits; e a reduction of benefit rates; ¢ an increase in the waiting period. Irving also said that benefits for high income earners should not be reduced. The centres are also opposed to pen- sions being deducted from UIC. He added instead the government should: e extend the benefit period until new employment is attained; © reduce the qualifying period; e return to 75 per cent benefits of insurable earnings; « improve manpower training pro- grams; e increase benefit income earners; increase the amount of money that can be earned while receiving benefits. Irving said the current system penalizes workers for trying to become self-sufficient. He said the centres also favor a simplification of appeal pro- cedures. Kootenay West MP Bob Brisco, had two concerns — UIC for forest fire fighters, and the deduction of pension earnings of UIC recipients Brisco said that during the last forest fire season, people on the fire line were unfairly treated by the UIC system. The nature of the work didn't allow UIC benefits. Brisco said he took the matter up with the B.C. caucus and they con vinced cabinet to make an amendment to the UIC Act. But the process has been stalled by the provincial govern ment, he said. Brisco added that the firefighters are hired by the B.C. Forest service to perform a task and they are not per forming a “moral duty.” “These employees should not be treated any differently than those of the B.C. Forest Service,” Brisco said. “In no case did it imply that these people did not want to work,” he added Brisco said that critics say the provision for UIC benefits would encourage arson, but he said that of all rates for low PM approves sanctions | piKkini MEECH (CP) Mulroney announced Friday LAKE, Prime Minister Brian QUE The limited trade against Libya. Canada joins Italy as the sanctions ment announcement said Ottawa will no longer pro- vide insurance coverage from the federal Export Develop- Corp. to companies seeking business in the North branch were exp d in Prince Rupert Saturday afternoon. Mitchell said the company would be ordered to shut down if it could not fix the problem by the forest fires in B.C., this summer, only one was a proven Case of arson. Brisco also said that by deducting pension benefits from UIC, the govern- ment is penalizing “the wrong sector of the unemployed.” He said this denies from intaii Social Justice Group in Castlegar said that the percentage of West Kootenay residents living in poverty is in creasing. “It is no fun to be poor and unem ployed,” he said. Godderis charged that older P! benefits that may be enjoyed by their younger colleagues. Derek Todd of the Selkirk College Student Society said UI funding should be made available to students who want to take arts courses and job training courses. Mel McMullen of the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada Local 1 stated that the method of calculating the unemployment rate is “highly unac- ceptable” because it does not include cases such as people who have given up looking for work, anyone who works only one day a month, and anyone seasonably employed. McMullen noted that the layoffs at Westar “has a sudden and direct impact on the local business sector and limits any opportunity to rehire any- where locally.” “Unemployment, therefore unem- ployment income, becomes increas- ingly important as it continues to in- crease to unacceptable numbers.” He noted that Castlegar is one of only two areas in B.C. that qualifies under the Modified Industrial Labor Adjustment Program. “We are of the opinion that these programs are part of the problem, not the solution and contribute to grinding people down — when one of the regu- lations of MILAP is that the Canadian fair wage schedule may not apply to work under these grants. McMullen also said that the cost of the Macdonald Commission Report of $22.4 million with the payment of $800 per diem plus expenses to Macdonald “is obscene when unemployment bene- fits of $276 per week and less are being paid at present with contemplation of reducing benefits to claimants even further. “The recommendation of reduced in- come payments, longer qualifying periods, shorter benefit periods, does not in any degree get any acceptance here, nor should it anywhere,” Mc Mullen said. Len Embree of the United Brother- hood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 2300 said he believes “the problems of the unemployed are going to be resolved by the un- employed.” One problem with the UIC Act cited by Embree is that some of his members have been disqualified or have had their claim interrupted when taking a course. He said government grants and make-work projects have “shuffled the unemployed to a lower level.” Embree noted that if a person goes off social assistance to go and work for only $200 a week, when the job ends and he re- turns to UIC his benefits drop. “It just isn't acceptable,” Embree said. “It's a farce.” Bud Godderis of the Inter-Church would be affected Joe Clark estimated the moves could cost Canada $20 million worth of Libyan bus iness. He said he did not know how many companies ip! s are taking ad of the high unemployment rate and “putting the money into their pockets.” He said a guaranteed annual income is the most logical and reasonable next step Canada can take to ensure Can- adians a better life. Sally Mackenzie, speaking on behalf of the Kootenay Council of Women in Trades, voiced concern about the num- ber of weeks of work required to qualify for a UIC claim. “The flexibility that already exists with fewer weeks being required in areas of high unemployment is good. However, that flexibility is minimal right now and should be increased,” Mackenzie said. “In areas of extremely high unem- ployment, such as the West Kootenay, 10 weeks of employment is sometimes not possible to find in a year, especially in the building trades where many of our members work.” She stated that another problem with the UIC Act is the flat rate for benefits — 60 per cent of wages earned. “If you have been working at a good rate of pay, this amount may be enough to tie you over until you find another job, but if you have been working for $4 or $5 an hour or worse yet the minimum wage, 60 per cent is not going to be enough to maintain your standard of living . . . people working for lower wages are also less likely to have sub- stantial savings to fall back on to help them through their time of unemploy ment.” Patricia Lakes, speaking for the Nelson Women's Centre and the West Kootenay Women's Association, said women in the baby boom age bracket in the West Kootenay are being dis- couraged by Canada Manpower coun. sellors from seeking retraining in those jobs which have traditionally not been open to women “It would help people to pursue a career goal and help them get off UIC,” she said. Bonnie Baker of the Nelson Women's Job Core said any cutbacks or res tricted access to UIC for women work ers will be “detrimental to the well being of women in the West Kooten ay. She also said restrictions on the per centage of wages earned particularly affects women who have earned lower wages. “They are forced to make it on 60 per cent of nothing.” Baker said, adding there should be a minimum benefit for all workers. Rick Pongracz of the B.C.-Yukon Building Trades Union said that an attack on the UIC program will only “punish the employed and damage the economy.” He said the government must put in place a budget putting people back to work on a fair wage day night. GOES INTO LAGOON The plugged effluent line was forcing an overflow into_a nearby lagoon that feeds into environmentally- sensitive Wainright Basin, provincial environment officials said. Mitchell said more than 45 million litres of effluent, which contained a number of different highly-toxie chemicals had spilled. Bob Black, Westar's manager of industrial relations, said the company was trying to minimize the effect of the cheniicals, which he declined to name. “At the moment we have some raw water being put into the lagoon. That will minimize any effect.” Black said it was unlikely the blocked line could be repaired Saturday. “Most likely it would be tomorrow,” he said. Mitchell said federal Fisheries officials were testing samples from the basin, but those results were not expected for a couple of days. Mitchell said there was a PCB spill in Wainright Basin about 12 years ago. “It's extremely fragile right now because it's just in the recovery mode. And this may wipe out the last 12) years of recovery.” Inquiry may say reverse changes VICTORIA (CP) — The federal inquiry into upemploy ment insurance may recommend that the government reverse changes made recently. tothe program, says commission chairman Claude Forget. Severance pay, vacation pay and — since Jan. 1 — pension payments are now considered earned income, adversely affecting unemployment benefits for people receiving such payments. “I guess it may be regrettable in a way that this decision is taking effect in the middle of our work,” Forget said, but Ottawa had announced the changes months before the commission was established The federal government “took a substantial risk, perhaps, in making a decision that is proving to be unpopular — certainly among those that are directly affected.” “And they run the risk that in our recommendations we may recommend that they reverse themselves,” Forget said “That's a political judgment that they've made, and by not withholding those decisions until such time as we had produced our recommendations, they are taking that risk “Our commitment is to study and make recommenda tions; it's not to intervene in the day-to-day administration of the program.” Forget and two other members of the commission held hearings in Victoria, while three other colleagues were in Prince George for a similar session MAKE PLEAS Urgent pleas for improvement made at the Victoria hearings by labor leaders of Vancouver Island's soup-kitchen communities. “It's a disaster area,” said Jim Gordon, president of the Labor Council for the Campbell River and Courtenay areas, where he said the actual jobless rate has averaged around 25 per cent for two years and unemployment in the building trades stands at 98 per cent The council has been operating a soup kitchen for three were years. “It just makes you cry when you see people coming in tattered suits, 45 years old, bumming some soup —- they are devastated,” Gordon said “If you cannot come up with a means to improve on the UIC benefits at this time, then please do not attempt any downgrading or changes.” he said Growing automation is going to increase unemployment even as the economy improves, Gordon added Employers are using technology to increase profits with fewer employees and lower benefit payments. he said. The Victoria Labor Council delivered a brief expressing concern about changes being made to the program In fact mated snowpack at for this time of year continued from front poge A th Richards said the esti the weather The office’s mountain observation points is “probably less than half of normal agai 1 snowpack will also mean dry forests this summer, he said fire readings (estimates of hazards) could be a much like last Richards said disastrous summer, only U.S. allies to answer President Ronald Reagan's call for economic reprisals against Moammar Khadafy's government for the terrorist attacks on Rome and Vienna airports two weeks ago “All government financial assistance to Canadian-com panies pursuing business in Libya will cease immediate ly.” Mulroney said in a state ment. African country. It said Libya will be added to an export control list, pro- hibiting “any new contracts for the export of oil drilling equipment containing unique Western technology. It will not affect . . . humanitarian and food exports. “Other products to be af fected will be determined in consultation with our allies.” External Affairs Minister COULD BE HIGHER However, a government source indicated the value of lost business could be as high as $40 million a year. The new export rules lump Libya together with Soviet bloc countries and Taiwan on what is known as the “area control list.” Any Canadian exporter must seek a federal permit to sell any goods to And while everyone other than skiers may be enjoying the spring like weather, we may pay for it later in the year, Richards said. That's because the snowpack pro vides much of the water storage for the area “If we don't have water storage, certainly there'll be restrictions on domestic water supplies (in the summer),” Richards said. those countries. hemes: — A lack of water would also mean vegetation would not be as abun- dant, he said, a have a Idlife in the 1 might detrimental effect or area However, Richards said all is not yet lost It's not too late to build up the snowpack.” he said. “If we go into a more wintery situation, it could cer tainly build up.