104 4-10-93 R LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY PARLIAMENT ' BUILDINGS VICTORIA BC Basketball team has next match today/9A The Castlegar Su ‘Leading the way in supporting local business’ Hobbit Hill helpers! WEDNESDAY December 16, 1992 Vol. 3- No. 1 SUN'STAFF PHOTO / Karen Kerkhoft Some Hobbit Hill Elves helped pick out the perfect tree for their day care centre when they tramping up to the Rotary Club Christmas tree lot at West Kootenay Power. The tree is donated every year by the Castlegar Rotary Club. If you haven't got your tree yet, too late, the supply sold out Sunday afternoon. New labor code could become law this week KAREN KERKHOFF Sun staff It is just a matter of time before the controversial Labor Code, Bill 84 is passed. Already it has reached second reading since it was put before the Senate Oct. 27. Social Credit Caucus Director of Operations, Martin Brown, said the speed in which the pro- posed Labor Code has pro- gressed indicates that the Labor Code will become law sometime this week, or the beginning of next week. “They have passed section 68, which is the most contentious of the sections. The rest, up to sec- tion 176 is very basic stuff, it’s not a highly contentious area, and it shouldn't take them long now to pass the rest.” Brown also said that the Social Credit Party had requested 23 amendments to the proposed Labor Code, but those requested amendments were not accepted by the current government. “We put forward 23 specific amendments, and they rejected all of them. The same thing hap- pened to the Liberals, all their suggested amendments were also rejected. The bill is almost law now. They've all been passed and they're as good as law.” A news release on Dec. 11, from Lyall Hanson, M.L.A. Social Credit Labor Critic, charges the NDP government with siding with union officials when drafting Bill 84. The news release said, “With union officials dominating recent elections to the executive of the BC NDP, it is pretty obvious that the government is about as neu- tral as a parent at a little-league game.” Brown also said the soon to be Labor Law has a specific pur- pose. “This has now tilted the scales of Labor Law in BC towards the unions. The whole purpose is to encourage unionization.” Application to raise youth to adult court will be decided Dec. 29 SUN STAFF An application to raise a youth, charged with sexual assault, to adult court will be decided in Nelson Dec.29 by Judge Enderton. Testimony was heard in Castle- gar Provincial court Dec. 8 by Dr. Paul Janke, a medical doctor with a specialty in psychiatry, who interviewed the youth. Janke had been asked by Crown counsel, Hugh McSheffrey, to examine the accused in an effort to deter- mine his ability to stand trial. The examination included an assessment of the youth's family telationships, behavior, and atti- tude. The assessment also includ- ed the accused's performance and attendance at school. Section 48 of the Criminal Code prohibits publication of a minor’s name, and any details of the testimony. The youth, a Selkirk College student, is facing seven charges, after a home was broken into Aug. 27, and a female had been sexually assaulted. The charges include unlawful confinement, sexual assault with a weapon, breaking and entering, illegal use of a bank convenience card, possession of stolen prope: ty, theft under $1,000 and threat ening. Another youth who had been involved in the incident, has since fled the. country, and has not been charged with any crime. Under the current labor law, the government has the right to legislate the striking workers back to work if it was determined that continuation of the strike could cripple the local economy. But Brown said if Bill 84 is passed, the new law would forbid the ‘government to order an end to a strike. Brown also charged that under See LABOR Lighting up 141A Margaret Pryce, from the Castlegar Hospice Society, celebrates a life by lighting up a bulb on this Christ- mas tree at the Home Support Office. Anyone is able to take part in this special ritual of remembering a loved one this season. ‘SUN STAFF PHOTO / Shartene Imhoff VBV 1X4 camera and flames as locals turn actors/1B MIXED Weather 3A 75 Cents + G re Provincial ministers planning to attend Castlegar meeting SHARLENE IMHOFF Sun Editor Two high ranking provinc government officials will be visit- ing Castlegar early in January to discuss the future of downstream benefits for British Columbia as listed in the Columbia River Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Anne Edwards, and Minister of Eco- nomic Development, Small Busi- ness and Trade, David Zirnhelt, will be in Castlegar to attend a meeting January 9, hosted by the Association of Kootenay Boond- ary Municipality Columbia Treaty Committee. The commit- tee, comptised of representatives from the five regional districts, has been making certain that all districts come together to discuss downstream benefits. The one- Cady elected to chair RDCK. - SHARLENE IMHOFF Sun Ei George Cady, chairman of the Regional District of Central Kootenay, will retain that top position for one more year. Cady was re-elected as chair- man of the board through accla- mation during last Saturday's meeting in Nelson. There were no other nominations for the ion. In his opening remarks, C. congratulated the board for its hard work and dedication and then outlined what he considers “big ticket items” for 1993. ‘Waste management is going to be a difficult situation. We have to ask questions now such as, ‘how are we going to finance this’,” Cady said. The Kaslo representative also touched upon accusations by citi- zens that the RDCK is being dic- tatorial. “That's not the image I feel we portray. I believe we are deliverers of service. Not dictato- rial,” he said. Cady, who first served on the RDCK in 1982, has been chair- man since 1984. He has served for 12 consecutive years on the RDCK, and proudly states, “I have never missed a meeting.” This year, he admits, will be his last. “I’m happy to serve as chair- man for another year, but this will be my last. There's just too many good fishing spots around here.” Cady is also acting chairman of the Central Kootenay Regional Hospital District board. City plans public meeting The City of Castlegar has planned a public meeting to address the direction of this year's provisional budget process. The meeting will be held Jan. 18 in the Community Recreation Complex, and will begin at 7 p.m. Throughout the meeting, the public will be asked to comment on upcoming capital projects, work projects, tax policy and utility rates, among other things. day think-tank on downstream benefits will be held in council chambers. Josh Smienk, Area E represen- tative on the RDCK and chair of the committee, said the meeting is an important one and is geared to provide information on future directions of downstream bene- fits. “No crucial decision-making will be taking place at this meet- ing, but we will begin to set a direction from which future deci- sions on aowastream benefits will be made.” Smienk was adamant that the public not confuse downstream Treaty, although the two are con- nected. The province sold it’s downstream benefits to the Unit- ed States in the carly 1960s. Those contracts, involving the Duncan, Mica an yside dams will be expiring over the next two'decades, and the deci- sions of what to do with these benefits is a growing concern. The benefits include the 50 per cent of electricity that Canadian ‘stofage prodtices as it flows" over U.S. dams. province, when renegotiat- ing, can either maintain all the benefits, maintain some and sell See MEETING Glance Warm for Christmas Congratulations to the Weavers’ and Spinners’ Guild of Castlegar, for donating 12 handwoven lap blankets to the residents at Castleview Care Centre. The blankets are warm and washable, and were designed in colors that harmonize with the centre's own decor. Bottle drive The District Boy Scouts will be holding a bottle drive on Jan. 2 and they are asking all residents to prepare for their requests. The bottle drive will help pay for the club's next trip to the Canadian Jamboree in July. Selkirk College Applications are invited for the nine-month Machinist Millwright program and the one-year Hairdressing pro- gram that begins Jan. 4 at the Selkirk College Nelson Cam- pus. As well, a fundamental literacy English as a Second Language program of six- months duration Jan. 4. sections 24 pages Ann Landers .......... 6B Business ............... 3B COMMOS.....0.s02900-000 TB