Policing dilemma.
for Castlegar —

The City of Castlegar is faced
with something of a dilemma over
a new RCMP detachment building.
Under its contract with the RCMP,
the city must provide new police
facilities.

There's really no doubt a new
RCMP building is needed; the
present building was intended for
a police force half the size of the
Castlegar contingent. Both the city
and the RCMP recognize the need.

The dilemma arises over who
will pay for the new building —
ond this is where the senior levels
of government display some
strange logic. r

Provincial regulations state
that the B.C. and federal gover-
nments will pay all police and ac-
commodation costs for towns with
a population under 4,999,
presumably because those towns
are too small to pay for policing
themselves. Fair enough.

However, any towns, with
5,000 or more people must pay all
policing costs themselves.

The City of Castlegar — with o
population of about 7,000 — finds
itself faced with paying all the
costs for a new RCMP building.

In round figures, that will
amount to $1 million.

The question is: should a com-
munity the size of Castlegar —
which really isn't that much larger
than a community of 5,000 — be
forced to pay all the costs of a new
police building, while a community
only slightly smaller doesn't have
to pay anything?

Mayor Audrey Moore and
Casflegar council say no: So does
Kootenay West MP Lyle‘ Kristion-
sen.
Instead, they suggest o fairer
way to fund new police buildings
would be to have the federal and

provincial governments pay

policing costs equivalent to 5,000
je — just as they would if

Castlegar was a city of 5,000.

The city would in turn poy
policing costs for the rest of the
population.

In other words, in Castlegar
(with its population of 7,000) the
province and Ottawa would pay
tive-sevenths of the total cost and
the city the other two-sevenths.

It's the kind of solution that
could be implemented nation-
wide, and deserves serious con-
sideration.

If the formula is rejected and
Castlegar is forced to pick up 100
per cent of the cost for the new
RCMP building, Castlegar tax-
payers will be saddled with a
significant tax increase — and not
just for a single year, but likely for
years to come.

Who’ can really afford that in
these economic times?

Council
applauded

Two weeks ago we criticized
city council for failing to maintain
some of the streetcorners and
boulevards, and we included a few
Photographs of unsightly tall
grass.

We're pleased to report that
since then, the city crew has been
out with their snippers to take care
of the problem. It's great to see
such quick action and again goes
to show that municipal gover-
nment is perhaps the most respon-
sive to suggestions

Fred
Merriman

Competition is a good thing. Let's
start with the newspaper boy or
girl Most of these hardworking,
self-disciplined young people are
doing good and faithful service.
Those we commend.

However, in the times and
conditions now upon us and given
that many first-class boys and girls
are anxiously looking for a chance to
work, would it not be appropriate
for those who fall béhind to give up
their jobs to those more willing to
go the extra mile?

Let me share the experiences of
at least one paper boy from the
“good old days.”

September 1945, 4 am. Vic
toria, British Columbia. A skinny
fourteen-year-old presented himself
at the Cedar Hill Road substation to
take delivery of 153 copies of the
Daily Colonist, a daily newspaper: It
was nearly 40 years ago.

I know times have changed. So
has the teller. We lugged the
bundles into a Colonist-rented gar
age and took our place at low
benches and plank folding shelves.

The substation captain, another
lad more senior to myself, showed

c
was probably equivalent in weight
to a baseball.
We had been issued with a light

a sy
o)

Road. Barber Joe Wood was one of
the first customers.

Many years later I had the happy
experience of visiting Barber Joe.
He sat our first born son up on the
well worn plank and gave the boy a
free haireut. Tears came to his eyes
as he said, “I have now cut the hair
of five generations of Merriman

See how easy it is to digress when
memories are tapped, The ex-
periences gained during those paper
boy days in Victoria are the basis for
my look at the delivery young

ptingly on the front edge of the
porch. P

Now to the final two pointe of this

Merchant Plan and my monthly
imcome was $38.
In those days that was a small

Letters to the Editor

Tower concerns shared

statements of Bob Brisco that ‘the
Ministry of Transpoft is again consid:
ering closure of the Castlegar control
tower. It is common knowledge at the
airport that the recent studies on
control towers have only one objective
in mind.

As a commerical pilot and com
mercial operator at Castlegar Airport,
I share Mr. Brisco’s concerns and I
would rather have them out in the open
now than after the tower has closed.

Mr. Brisco, in making his

on the possible closure pf the tower,
sought no political advantage. Ne did
not suggest Kootenay West MP Lyle
Kristiansen had not been on top of the
issue, although this is obviously the
case since the last letter written by Mr.
Kristiansen was in October 1962.
Indeed, he did not mention
Kristiansen's name.
On the other hand, Mr. Kristiansen
ded with a that

Transport in the event the Progressive
Conservatives come to power is to
insult the intelligence of the public.
Mr. Brisco's concern was twofold —
safety and jobs. Mr. Kristiansen
demonstrated only one concern, his

has
suggests that Mr. Brisco was en
croaching on his territory. Thank

re-electi
Dale Nielsen
Castlegar

critics eal the “revolving door

SOME SAY 'YES'

Is parole too easy?

By WENDY ECKERSLEY

TORONTO (CP) — The war of words raging over
Canada's parole system and the controversial early-release
program known as mandatory supervision is polarizing
opinion on prisoner release.

The question at its core: Do the gates at Canadian
penitentiaries and jails swing open too freely?

In one vocal camp are victims of crime, citizens and
politicians demanding sterner restrictions on prisoner
release. Their aims are to protect the public from the threat
of dangerous criminals too soon on the loose, and to punish
offenders by forcing them to serve more of their time in
custody

Taking the opposite tack’ are parole officials, various
lawyers and™pai themselves who argue that the
existing system is humane and rational, serving both
prisoners and-eociety by gradually exposing offenders to live
on the outside. .

Those who argue for tighter controls on early release
have seen a measure of success. Federal Solicitor General
Robert Kaplan last month reintroduced legislation to keep
dangerous prisoners behind bars longer.

KEPT BEHIND BARS

The proposed law would allow the National Parole
Board to keep a imearcerated until the last day of
his sentenee, if it can convince the courts he is a dangerous

:effender as defined in the Criminal Code.

Cufrent law automatically releases federal prisoners on
mandatéry’ supervision for good behavior after serving
two-thirds of their sentence.

Federal officials tried in 1982 to circumvent that blanket
release by “gating” — rearresting prisoners considered

Of the 2,906 prisoners released under mandatory
supervision in 1978, 1,122, or 39 per cent, had their release
revoked. Just under half of them went back to prison for
committing new crimes. Another 406, 14 per cent of the
total, committed an offence after completing mandatory
supervision.

Bruce Scott a former Toronto Crown attorney and now
special prosecutor for the Ontario Ministry of Revenue,
wants to get rid of 'y supervision all her.

“It should be a decision we make,” like parole, not an
automatic release, Scott said in a telephone interview.

CITES PERCEPTION

The trouble with mandatory supervision is not so much
the “specific problems of what people do, even though they
may be all over the place robbing banks, but the public's
perception,” he said.

“You always have to consider what the public thinks of the
system. They look at it think it's ridiculous.”

But Suzie Scott, « lawyer, says the
public often misses the point that eafty release with super.
vision is preferable to the alternative.

“Do you really want him (the prisoner) to serve his
whole sentence and then be out free as a bird with no super
vision?” she asked.

“Five years behind bars is a little crazy-making, par
ticularly for the dangerous ones.”

A prisoner's abrupttransition from serving a full prison

freedom is a “much scarier”

as they left prison — but the

serving
Serving orie-thir8. The decision is left up to the parole board,
‘which -¢xamines each case before granting or refusing

About 40 Per cont of those who apply for full parole
receive. tt..
Kgplag’s legislation would also have put an end to what
syndrome” in which prisoners
ean continue earning time off for good behavior even after
theit feleaie on mandatory supervision has been revoked for
Offences while outside.

serving
would be unsupervised once they had served a full sentence.

“Anf if you haven't changed him in six years, if you
haven't done something about his violence by then, is
another three years goimg to change him?”

A Toronto man now out on parole after serving
one-third of a five-year sentence for heroin trafficking says
parole gives conviets a chance to change.

“For most prisoners, as they're serving their time,
there's a point when
straighten up,” Gerry, 87)

ee ee
fe hae Aoty

ree

retiring queen Norma Waldron was the
it of the evening which saw the

A blonde bruin, thought to be a
descendant of a nearly-white bear seen
in the district several years ago, was
shot on the farm of B. Halverson of
Taghum after it had made many sorties
into a field where livestock were
tethered.

-The “Siamese-cat-colored” bear was
owned by Mrs. Halverson and her son
Ted.

Made up of 16 men and four women,
the auxiliary police unit can be called
upon by the RCMP in the event of an
emergency or for “any situation where
extra police officers are required.”

. 8 @

15 YEARS AGO
From the July 3, 1969
Castlegar News
A large hillside area near Robson,
which was stripped of overburden
during construction of the Keenleyside

experiment conducted by B.C. Hydro.
8 6

The Castlegar Cloverleafs won one
game and lost two in Spokane when
they participated in the Friendship
Tournament held over the weekend.

Castlegar lost its first game when it
met the Real Estate Equities Saturday.
Castlegar shut out Kimberley 110
Sunday and were edged 32 by
Sandpoint.

* 8 6

Well-known local druggist Romeo
Goulet this week announced his retire-
ment from business here and the sale of
Castlegar Drug to Tommy Biln, a
pharmacy graduate of UBC who has
been employed at the store for the past
seven years.

5 YEARS AGO
From the July 5, 1979
Castlegar News

Champion swimmer Cheryl Kris
tiansen returned to Castlegar Tuesday
night after repeating last year’s three
gold medal win at the Canada Games
for the physically handicapped.

Kr

breaststrok:
butterfly events in Hamilton, Ont. this
week.

. 8 6
‘The fire which started last Thursday
and later spread to 400 acres of forest

Over $100,000 was reportediy spent
fighting the fire, and three additional
water bombers were used to assist the
three normally provided for the Nelson
region.

° . .

Castlegar Savings Credit Union has

ty’s, best gmall group in Can-
ada because of ite high level of
activity on both the local and
national levels.

Nick Braybrook, newly-
elected chairman of Amnesty
International's executive com-
mittee, was in r rer 4
cently to attend the branch's ‘
annual meeting. NICK BRAYBROOK
During an interview he said the Castlegar group has
been deeply involved in seeking informiation‘about Lazarus

CHAMBER AWARD
husband from Mike

Commerce.

‘Art Anderson Seeepts plaque on behalf of her late
‘Connor, president of the Castlegar Chamber of Commerce
Plaque is in honor of Art Anderson being made a ‘fellow’ of the 8.C. Chamber of

won't be”
running
ination in Kootenay West,

and has never been a de-

ANNOUNCEMENT

. 105) CASTLEGAR SAVINGS

&

#

Pe ce

INSURANCE
AGENCIES LTD.

CosMews Photo

Haukongo, a prisoner in a camp. The

local group actually called the prison camp, Braybrook said.
Amnesty International, éxplains, seeks to

implement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

Braybrook said that no country is immune. from
committing human rights violations.

“Right across the world — every political type violates
human rights,” he says.

That's why the membership of Amnesty International
totals 500,000 worldwide in 160 different countries,
including 50 different groups in Canada, he added.

But in Canada, Braybrook said the only contact
Amnesty had was during the 1970 October Crisis in Quebec
and the Archambault prison riot last year.

“Members of the Canadian section don’t do work on
anything in Canada,” Braybrook noted.

In the Archambault case, Amnesty’s head office in
London did all the investigations and prepared the reports.

“Our part was merely to receive the report,” he said.

It is customary that Amnesty International groups not
investigate in their own country.

“Occasionally, we do work on legislation in the country
to ensure it's implemented, but we wouldn't actually call it
an investigation,” he said.

Amnesty International appeals to almost every person
concerned about human rights, ranging from high school
students to senior citizens, and people in every occupation,
says Bray — a civil engi from V .

Braybrook, who has been active within the organization
for several years, said he joined because he was “struck by
the organization doing concrete things to work against
human rights violations.”

* Aed Amnesty's work basn't' been in. vain. Of the
prisoners Amnesty has been working to have freed, about
half of them have been set free, says Braybrook.

In addition, Amnesty also takes some of the credit for
the work the United Nations has done, for instance, working
on the convention and declaration against torture.

“Countries now feel guilty about committing human
rights violations,” Braybrook said.

But the violations continue, which is why Amnesty still
needs more members, he said, noting that Canada’s
Amnesty group is still in the developing stages. He says

there are still many cities — such as Trail and Nelson —
where groups don't exist.

Amnesty International had its beginnings in Britain in
1961 when a lawyer wrote an article in a London newspaper
saying that people had forgotten about prisoners who were
imprisoned for non-violent expression of belief.

He suggested a short-term campaign to de something
about the situation. The response was overwhelming.

Amnesty International's goal is to see no human rights
violations committed, says Braybrook.

“It's possible,” he says, though he adds, “It may take
awhile.”

Amnesty gets funding almost soley through member
ship fees.

“We don’t accept funds through the government,” he
says, because of the group's non-political stand

And at no level can any more than five per cent of funds
come from a single organization.

Most of the fundraising is done by local groups, he adds,
ranging from bake and garage sales to mail campaigns at the
national level.

“It’s not a complex organization,” he says.

“We need money for stamps, paper, envelopes.”

In addition, the organization pays a small adminis-
trative staf of 15 in its English-speaking branch office in
Ottawa.

“We ensure the membership gets the information
needed,” Braybrook points out.

The office also develops publicity pamphlets and
posters. ry -

Amnesty is currently conducting a campaign to increase
public awareness of the fact that torture does occur. The
campaign, which began in April, will last for 1’ years.

Selkirk College
KIDS & COMPUTER
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3468-6236 BEFORE JULY 3

PWA traffic increases

By CasNews Staff

The number of passengers
travelling on Pacific Western
Airlines’ Castlegar routes
has increased nearly four per
cent from last year, the air-
line says.

“For the period January
through April 1984, Pacific
Western Airlines has han-
died 18,120 passengers on
our Castlegar jet flights,”
Steve Bullock, PWA's direc-
tor for the B.C. Interior, ~<
Castlegar council in a recen!
letter. /

The figure is a total of both
inbound and outbound pass-
engers, Bullock said “and
constitutes an increase of 8.8
per cent over the same per-
iod of 1963.”

However, Bullock notes
that PWA also increased the
number of flights offered
during the same period by
14.2 per cent.

And though there has been
an inerease in passenger
traffic, this year still. lags
behind the peak year of 1980.

Compared to 1980, traffic
is down 31.2 per cent for the
same first four months, while
the number of flights is down
only 11.1 per cent.

Meanwhile, Pacific West
ern also said it will continue
its two daily flights to Van.
couver from Monday to Fri.
day and the one return flight
on Saturday and Sunday.

However, he said the

flights will be monitored
throughout the summer.

In addition, Bullock said
PWA is “extremely pleased”
with recent announcements
by federal Transport Minis
ter Lloyd Axworthy “liberal
izing” Canadian domestic air
policy

“We expect to have more
freedom to offer innovative
pricing in the future and
more flexibility to provide
additional and improved ser-
vice between Western Can.
adian communities when
warranted,” Bullock said.

However, he said the “total
thrust” of deregulation can’t
be determined until PWA
has had a chance to “fully
review” it.

NEW LOCATION

Temporarily — Main Floor, Credit Union Building

NEW BUSINESS HOURS

Tuesday - Thursday — 10 a.m. -5 p.m.
Friday — 10a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday — 9a.m. -3 p.m.

WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE!

RTT TT

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