VOL\ 39, No. 71 Court a last resort By SIMON BIRCH Staff Writer ‘Members and “depositors of the former Teachers’ Investment and Housing Cooperative will consider legal action as a last resort to force an inquiry into the failure of the co-op last November, retired Castlegar teacher Alma McGauley said Tuesday McGauley, who speatheaded a fight to’ free $268 million of the co-op's assets frozen when it was placed in receiver. ship, is angry following the announce- ment Friday by Consumer and Cor. porate Affairs Minister Elwood Veitch that he won't hold an inquiry into the failure of TIHC. MD telethon helps raise RON NORMAN Editor Warfield Fire Department's y telethon fell short of last year’s total, but the Kootenays as a whole raised more funds than ever for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada Warfield firefighter Burt Crockett said pledges totalled about $15,600 when the two-day telethon closed its doors late Monday evening But that figure will be larger because pledges are still rolling in, says Crockett Tl say said That's more than $2,000 shy of last year's total of $18,643. But Crockett isn't upset about the shortfall He explains that last year's figure pledges from around the This year Nelson, Creston we'll go over $16,000." he included Kootenays and Cranbrook had separate pledge centres, in addition to a number of fundraising activities that weren't included in the Warfield total Crockett estimates that the total area collected more than $26,000 this year compared to $18,643 last year In essence we did better.” he said Crockett noted that $1,100 raised by the film crew on the movie Roxanne during a special benefit in Nelson was not included in the Warfield total As well, funds raised by a Cranbrook firefighter who broke the Guinness World Record for sitting atop an aerial ladder were not included. His 35 hour stint atop the ladder beat the old record set in Quebec in July That pledge came in $4,600." Crockett said. But it included in the Warfield the Muscular Dystrophy keep alone about too, was total As funds not because sociation tries to those separate from pledges I's all going in points out Crockett the same pot anyway He gave particular mention to the Castlegar Fire Depart ments. help with this year's activities. They really did a heckuva job,” he Volunteer said. adding that because the Castlegar rtment is included in the Warfield the dep event, it. sometimes doesn't get recognition it deserves Castlegar did excellent.” he added Crockett added that the region's MD child Curtis Randall of Kaslo. Sunday and Menday The $2.8 million in Canada, and with pledges still coming in, the total is expected to 11-yeat old isited the centre telethon raised at least surpass last year's tally of $3.1 million In the U.S. the telethon $34,096,773, outpacing the 1985 t $33,181,652 raised otal of Demers conviction upheld By Camadian Press An antiabortionist who stole and damaged equipment used by a Nelson B.« properly convicted of three offences, the British Columbia Court of Appeal decided James Demers raised the but the for theft stolen property and mischief hospital to perform abortions was Tuesday defence of upheld his of necessity court convictions possession The court was told Demers, 29, be hospital rubber stamped lieving the « on page A2 “The minister of consumer and corporate affairs has a mandate to inquire into consumer problems,” Mc Gauley said. “We feel we're entitled an answer.” In the meantime, she said some of the former co-op’s depositors are lobbying for a meeting with Premier Bill Vander Zalm to discuss the co-op. “We're hoping that Mr. Vander Zalm is open and wants to listen to people's problems,” McGauley said. She added that shé will again contact every B.C. MLA in the next few days in the hope of convincing the government to hold an inquiry. “We want to still be a little bit TTT positive that we can have the govern ment reconsider,” she said. But if the government won't budge, McGauley said a straw poll of the former co-op’s depositors indicates their willingness to take legal action to force an inquiry. However, “we don't really want to talk about that at the moment,” she said. In a news release announcing his decision not to hold an inquiry, Veitch said