A2 Castlegar News

January 8, 1989

U.S. spi

UCLUELET (CP) — Nicole Gervais leaned on her
shovel, looked at the slick of oil staining the sand at her
feet and began to ery. »

read this, not just as ahother story,

id Gervais, 39, wh@was among about
a dozen volunteers helping to collect oil from Comber’
Beach.

“If they feel for the birds then I hope they write to
the minister of environment so there is never anothe
spill like this‘again in our lives,” added Gervais, who has

the Tofino area of Vancouver Island for 14

» birds were vietims of a major.oil spill off the
Washington coast that has fouled the famed, pristine
es on western Vancouver Island. from Port

Renfrew to Tofino.

About 875,000 litres of heavy oil spilled De
when a tug collided with the barge it was towing.

The cleanup moved into high gear Friday with
about a dozen workers. from-the cleanup contractors
joining volunteers.

“It's not hard to clean up,” said Larry Slaght, a
Canadian Coast Guard spokesman

By the time it got to out beaches, it lost its
volatility to 4 large degree, It comes ashore mixed with
kelp and seaweed and then sand so that you can pick up
the glob and put it in a bag.”:

CHECKING DAMAGE

Slaght said a coast guard helicopter was used
Friday to ferry officials from the Fisheries Department,
Environmental Protection Service and the companies
contracted to clean up the oil over the affected area.

Fisheries officials planned to use the information

Winter storms drove the oil ashore along more than

500 kilomeires of toast from Oregon. to British” “tests could

Columbia, contaminat
ts Thursday confirmed the oil came from a Slagh
barge owned by Sause Bros. Ocean Towing of Coos Bay,

Ore. Sause Bros. has

aned fron

agreed to pay cleanup costs He said t

the tour to direct vessels to areas whe

conducted for possible shellfish

results of those tests wouldn't be
available for several days

main concern was for wildlife.

JUMPIN’ JACKRABBITS

“In a month I don't think w
the oil struck unless we
Slaght said

“There's Ho concern about the

hard, labor-intensive work.

Coast guard spokesman Rod Nelson said it may
prove impossible to put a price tag on the damage to
wildlife and the environment and lost recreational value
of beaches and property damaged by the oil

He said there were no indications the oil had spread

further,

The Broken Group Islands in Pacific Rim National

Park didn’t escape the oil

“I am shockéd at how awful
Congdon, who annually
nature tours off Ucluelet

“It's pretty sad to see dead—birds-just—totally

covered in gooey oil. It's easier
devastating it could be
HARVE:

‘ll see any traces of
missed a pocket'or area

es about 1,000 people on

Il poisons B.C. beaches

involving 135 kllometres of coastline in the Long Beach
A 75-kilometre stretch from Pachena Point to Long
Beach was closed to harvesting of all shellfish. Clams
and oysters are the main. bivalves: taken, along this
pictufesque stretch of coastline:

‘The second closure involved 60 kilometres from
‘ach to Estevan Point and involved only mussels

nup. It's just

Long E
and gooseneck -barnacles ;

Meanwhile, the Niu-chah-nulth Tribat Couneil
demanded compensation from the towboat company arid
the Canadian and-U.S. governments.

Council lawyer Hugh Breaker said the shellfish
closures in the area are a sign ofthe spill’s “disastrous”
impact on the environment

The Nuu-chah-nulth chiefs and tribal council’ are
very concerned about the long-term effects of this spill,”

* said Brian

January 8, 1989 Castlegar News a3

Briefly

now to see how
from a tourism standpoint.”
BANS

The oil contamination prompted Fisheriés Minister

Breaker said
“No others

are dependent on this area as the
Nuu-chah-nulth’ people. We are suffering immediate

\gosses of ducks and shellfish and will continue to suffer

Tom Siddon to order two shellfish harvesting bans cod

Bogus Ul

Peter Bullock (right) leads a group of youngsters ages six to 13 or
their first Jackrabbit cross-country ski lessons of the year Saturday at
the Castlegar Golf Course. The lessons are named after Jackrabb

Johanson, a lengendary cross-country skier from eastern Canada
who participated in the recreational activity well beyond his 100th
birthday

Sharp attends parliament

Chris Sharp of Castlegar recently

British Columbia Youth Parliament
which met inthe Legislative Build

ings in Victoria from Dee. 27 to 31
1988

ament Act

The Camp Phoénjx Ac
BCYP's tradition of holdin
long summer camp for
At the session, Sharp, a back

bencher in his first year with the
Youth Parliament, spent five days
bitts and
private members’ resolutions.

eged children and the Rey
Youth Parliament Act
Youth Parliament's comm
sponsoring smaller_parliam

embodie

debating many government
many regions: of B.(
Sharp, a Grade 12 student at young people’ can ex
Stanley Humphries
school

members at timés were a little “un

secondary parliamentary, procedur
said he and other first year Members

required to mair
sure” of what was g on. He
yn their own as we
ever, he is enthusiastic and looks for
ot . the legislated ac
wrard to his remaining three years of ities legislated for this
eligibility in the Youth Parliament. participation in both
Youth Parliament and

Canada Youth Parlia

“I'm interested in attending again
and if given a chance Ic
for elected office,” Sharp told the
Castlegar News. test for high school studer
hosting

sorship of a provice-wide

Two key acts that were passed at educatio

GAGLARDI'S ORDERS

the session were the Camp Phoenix
returned from the 60th Session of the Act and the Regional Youth P

CHRIS SHARP.

Youth Parliament

City staff muzzled

<AMLOOPS CP)
Gaglardi wants to put
city staff.

I'm not gagging anybody,” he
said. “There's no muzzies. But the

elected people are the only ones res

Mayor Phil I'm not some tinpot dictator
a muzzle on said

Gaglardi said he won't is
official city memo orderi:
ployees *to qgm up. He
relying on th
always the news. A
Former mayor Jim Walsh

ponsible for the information wa give
out. It's the
worked with.”

The former Social Credit highways
minister said if reporters want infor

local media t«
policy I've

ous to taxpayers
mation about city issues they can call “We want to know what

a politican who will get the facts from happening in city hall and we expect
the press to stay upon what is going

a bureaucrat and then re it back to

them on,” he said
X

Man going to
court for crash

By CasNews Staff

A man involved in a head-on
collision 19 months ago in Tarrys and the
which_resulted in the death of a
woman goes before a ‘county court
judge in Nelson starting tomorrow
William. Makonin of Glade is with her vehicle.
charged with criminal negligence
causing death, criminal negligence
causing—bodity—harm,
driving and impaired driving, Crown
Prosecutor Murray White said ‘row,
The charges are the result of an Nelson

Poohachoff was travelling east
Highway 3A in a 1981

Poohachoff
pronounced dead on arrival

dangerous —evening of May 11, 1987
Th

“That is the policy I've always
worked on in the political arena

spread

Gaglardi’s plan is potentially danger

RCMP investigation of a head-on
collision involving Nettie Poohachoff
driver of a 1973 Ford

Honda when
the westbound Ford collided head-on
Castlegar and District Hospital t

trial is scheduled for tomor
Tuesday and Wednesday

Ald. Shirley Cilver
the mayor's move, said a statement
by city administrator Pat Anderson
questioning Gaglardi’s plans to force
the federal government to dredge
the North and South Thompson
rivers to reduce flood threats may

who supports

have caused the gag

Anderson said at Tuesday's coun:
cil meeting that city dredging re
always fallen on deaf
ears_and dredging isnot the real
answer. He suggested’ the eity-take
measures to drop the level of Kam
loops Lake

quests have

Ald. Cliff Branchflower said he
doesn't think city staff members
should _be- muzzled because they
usually give out factual information
and rarely express opinions

throughout the province on public
speaking, debating, and parliamen
tary procedure

The Supply Act passed by the
members defines the budget for the
year_and provigs for the raising of
funds through the “sale” of BCYP
bonds,” which take the form of a
tax-deductible donation

The members were able to con
sider’ six private members’ esol
tions during the session. ‘Two were
passedy the Jirst dealing with the
inclusién of sexual orientation in the
Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and
a second light-hearted resolution to
change the value of Pi to 3

Motions defeated were the aboli
Ligp of the Senate, condemnation of
the planned nuclea# submarine pu
chase, forest management and sivi
culture in B.C., and amendments to
the Meech Lake Accord that would
remove the “notwithstanding clause
and reform the Senate

PHIL GAGLARDI
muzzle staff

Anderson said_he hasn't received:

any word about a gag order from
Gaglardi

Lottery numbers

The~following .are the winning
numbers iri Thursday's lottery

The Pick — 6,°7, 28, 32, 34, 40, 41
and 51 z

tatto 6/49: Winning numbers in
Wednesday's draw were 1, 13, 14, 45,
46and 48. The bonus number was 27
The jackpot of $2,158,999 was div.

ided into two prizes of $1,079,499
each

Extra; The four winning numbers
for B.C. on Wednesday were 2, 5, 63
and 91

The Pick: Winning numbers in
Wednesday's draw were 4, 14, 23, 25,
36, 45, 48 and 49

_ losses to other sources of food such as erab, herring and

claims total
$140,000

By CasNews Staff
More than $140,000 in Unemploy

ment Insurance benefits was collec

ted wrongfully in the area last ye:

a Canada Employment Centre officer

in Trail said this week

Greg Patterson said 1,136 cases
were investigated last year and the
investigations discovered that
$140,941‘ in over payments were
doled out by the Trail employment
‘centre in 1988. The 1988 findings are
up considerably from the 1987 report
of 867 cases worth $113,194 in bogus
claims.

The 1988 investigations resulted in
one fraud conviction last month. A
claimant was fined $900 and ordered
to pay back the six weeks worth of
UI .cheques he falsely claimed

If it's serious enough we take
prosecution action,”
adding that usually cheating claim
ants are requested to pay back the
funds they received without having
to go to court. All of the 1,135 other
people caught cheating were ordered
to pay back the funds they collected
wrongly

Jim Switzer, manager of the Cana
da Employment Centre in Trail
which covers the area from Kock
Creek to Thrums, said people who
admit to falsely collecting UI benefits
rarely get charged

“We encourage claimants to come
forward on their own,

Patterson said

Switzer said.
In fact, I don't know of a single case
where the Commission has imposed a

penalty when an individual volun
tarily-owns up-to past abuse of the UI
fund

Patterson said some people who
unknowingly collect UI while work
ing are only issued a warning.

If there was no intent found fo
defraud;-we issue a warning,
said. “The intent has to be the#e

There.are numerous ways to cate!
up with UI
But the most ¢
from matching the UI computer sys.
tem with employer records.

A number of employers in Castle
gar, Trail and area participate in the
UI Report on Hiring

rson said an employer reports

employment centre in Trail

sehen abe employee is hired. If the

employee is on UI and continues to

fits while working for the

byer — without reporting job

nings to the employment centre
investigation is started.

Program.

Pattdrson said he also receives
anonymous tips from
people.who squeal on UI frauds.

I get a lot of leads in this manner,”
he said, “It's amazing how many
peoplé will call in telling ug that their
neighbor, friend or relatiyg is work
ng anfi drawing benefits as well.”

Patterson said overpayment is
ssually caught quickly by the em
ployment entre in Trail. Sometimes
it's just a|matter of misinformation,
he said, or failure to match dates and
weeks of earnings with benefits

numerous

Dome attracts
more bidders

VANCOUVER (CP) Four other
bidders have joined millionaire bus
nessman Jimmy Pattison in the run

to take over’ management
Place Stadium

‘Normarr Stoweof: the. B.(
Corp., the Crown corporation. that
currently runs the domed stadium
said “the majority of them are local
expressions of interest

Hedectined-to'say who the bidders
were.

Pattison’s offer to manage _ the
stadium was made public last month
when it accompanied his bid to pur
chase he B.C. Lions of the Canadian
Feotball Leagwe—Dhe financially
ailing Lions, who are currently com
munity: owned, play their home
games at the 60,000-seat domed sta.
dium

Pavitior

Stowe said some of the pew bid
ders “connect the stadiumi with the
operation of the Lions. Others are
strictly just the stadium, so there is a
mixture

“We're—not committed “to accept
anything. All we did was ask for
ideas on how to better operate the
stadium, if people felt_that could be
done,” said Stowe. ~

Stowe said he expects a decision in
two to three weeks.

The management of the corpora
tion will have a look at the proposals
and make some recommendations to
the board of the corporation,” Stowe
explained. “The board will review it
and take it férward to the govern
ment

The B‘C. government rejected an
offer-by Pattison tast month

In memory

illness at age

a bus driver.

sisters, Joan-Christianson and

Graulund of Vancouver;
Audrey of Red Deer.

Graulund ~

Bor

Graulund

Garth Graulund of Castlegar passed away Jan. 5

Born May 11, 1916 in’ Saskatogn, Mr. Graulund moved to
Castlegar in 1976 after retiring from B.C. Hydro where he worked as

He enjoyed fishing, camping, gardening.and was an
photographer and cepenter, building his own home. He was a
member of the Royal Canadian Legion in Castlegar

Mr, Graulund is survived by his good lady, Hilda Thompson; two
family of Edmonton and Marie
Joseph Thompson and his wife

By request, there will be no funeral service. Those wishing to do
so may make a donation to the B.C

Funeral services were under the direction of Carberry's Funeral

after a long

omplished

Cancer Fund in memory of Mr.

Tremor shakes France

TARBES, FRANCE (AP) — A 15 pnd earth tremor shook the
mountainous southweste rn region of France on Fyiday night, but no
injuries were. reported, officials said.

The quake, measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale, hit at 12:33 p.m
PST. Its epicentre was at thé ski station in La Mongie, in the
Pyrenees mountains that form the border between France and Spain

The tremor was reported to have caused some cracks in buildings
and rattled furniture and other objects.

Socreds launch TRY

VANCOUVER (CP) — The B.C. government has launched a
$137-million three-year program to fight drug and
Labor Minister Lyall Hanson said the campaign will include TV, radio
and newspaper advertising designed to make British Columbians
aware of the dangers of substance abuse. There also will be a 24-hour
information and referral phone line, and a handbook on how
prevent substance abuse. The program is known as TRY
Responsibility is Yours

Snowball leads eath

SEATTLE (AP) — A man was shot  deathin a fight that began
when a snowball was thrown at a car, police said

The victim was identified by the King County medical examiner's
office ‘as Richard Flynn, f Seattle

Detective Ed Striedinger said the shooting occurred after Flynn
threw a snowball.that-hit a passing car at an intersection

When the three men in the car confronted Flynn and two others
who were throwing snowballs, one pulled a handgun and fired three
shots, hitting Flynn once in the chest, Striedinger said. The men then
fled the scene.

Praise construction

f TEINWACH, MAN. ( Builders in this town about 40
kilometres s¢ of Winnipeg can thank God for a blessed year in
the construction business

Last year ‘six churches in the Mennonite
community of about 8,000 people started construction or renovations,
worth almost $8 million in total — just under half the value of all
construction done in the town in 1988

That made last year the second busiest for builders after 1986,
when $19 million in construction permits were issued.

predominately

Grief causes suicide

TOKYO (REUTER) — A Japanese war veteran of the same age
as Emperor Hirohito, who died Friday, hanged himself in apparent
grief over the monarch’s demise, police said

Ue Umanosuke, 87, took pride in the fact that he was the same
age as Hirohito and that he took partjin Japan's past wars, said police
in the southern prefecture of Wakayama

“I will follow his majesty on his death,”
read. Police said Ue was not suffering from any illness.

Ue's brief suicide note

Crash a joy-ride?

VANCOUVER (CP)
to have been joy-riding in a stolen light plane that crashed into a bush
area in Langley, killing both of'them, the.father of one of the victims

Two Port Coquitlam men were believed

said.

RCMP identified the dead men as
Harck, 24

Their badly burned bodies were discovered Wednesday morning
in the wreckage of a rare 1946 Fleet 80 Canuck. A farmer and his wife
found ‘the plane when they were walking on their property in
Langley, about 50 kilometres east of Vancouver

ary Hillier, 33, and Kevin

Prisoners stay put

SAN JOSE, CALIF. (REUTER) — When their guard passed out
from an apparent viral infection, 48 prisoners at the Santa Clara
County Jail calmly walked back to their cells and closed the doors
behind them

“It is absolutely a miracle,” chief jailer Bob Conroy said

Conroy said correctional officer Veronica Foley was on duty
alone when she lost consciousness, apparently because of a virus.

He said one of the prisoners notified her supervisors, by
telephone and the rest returned to their cells ‘to await the arrival of a
replacement .guard

The prisoners were rewarded with ice cream

Cancer patient convicted

VANCOUVER (CP) — A terminally ill cancer patient who
doctors say has about sfx months to live has been sentenced to life in
prison for killing a Coquitlam woman

Ervin Tanner, 32, pleaded guilty to the second-degree.murder of
Mona Carrier, 33.

Mr. Justice Josiah Wood, sentencing Tanner to a mandatory life
term with no chance of parole for 10 years, recommended he be sent
to a federal prison in Manitoba, where his family resides.

“The law js such that I have no discretion as to the sentence I
must impose on you,” the B.C. Supreme Court judge said, adding that
had it not been for Tanner's terminal condition he would have
increased the minimum term before parole eligibility

Reagan under knife _

WASHINGTON (REUTER) an was in
“good spirits” following the successful completion of 2% hours of
surgery to cofrect a contraction of the ring finger on his left hand, the
White House said

he president successfully compléted-the operation about 11
o'clock. He has returned to his room. He is in good spirits,” White
House spokesman Marlin Fitzwaier said

Reagan, 77, is to return to the White House on Sunday

The surgery was to repair Dupuytren’s contracture, a progres
sive tightening of tendons in the hand that causes the finger to curl

President Ronald R

Anchor weds reporter

TORONTO (CP) Peter Mansbridge, the anchor for CBC-TV's
The National, married CBC Ottawa reporter-Wendy Mesley Friday
evening in a private service attended by about 100 guests

The bride’s mother, Joan, acted as her maid of honor and also
gave her away

Following the tradition set by his father who booked three best
men because it was wartime and he was afraid no one would show up,
Mansbridge alse had three best men,”

They were his brother Paul from-Brantford, Ont.,

Brian Stewart and Mike Duffy, host of CTV's Sunday
three showed up.
Mansbridge took over as anchor of CBC's The National from

Knowlton Nash last May

Shultz warns of
chemical weapons threat

PARIS (AP-CP)
retary George Shultz hau: urged the
leaders of more than 140 countries to
foreswear using chemical weapons
and to keep them out of the hands of
terroris: z

Addressing the first session of an
international conference on chemical
weapons, Shultz proposed. the im

position of unspecified penalties by
the United Nations to those violating
the 1925 Geneva Protocol banning ical agents
the: use of “one of humanity's most here are po
dreaded and dreadful forms of war
fare vent terrorist groups from
Shultz warned that the threat of
rrorists using chemical weapons is
“a real one” and said some gov

chemical weapons,”

ernments linked to terrorism haye
the ability to’ produce deadly chem

insurmountable
technical obstacles ‘that’ would pre

using
Shultz told the
conference delegates, including Ex
ternal Affairs Minister Joe Clark,

@

_ Japanese mourn

death of

From AP-CP Reuters
_ TOKYO (CP) — Emperor Hirohito, once venerated
as a living god, died Friday of intestinal cancer, ending a
62-year reign that saw Japan recover from ruin to
ricites. He was. 87 :

Crown Prince Akihiio, oldest of the‘emperor's two
sons, became the 125th occupant of the Chrysanthemum
Throne. Ina solemn, wordless four-minute ceremony, a
sword, jewels and the imperial s
table in front of him, and’ he¢bowed.

Hirohito died without ever having shed much light
on his Second World War role.

Historians generally agree he was a figurehead
who was required to approve decisions of the military
leaders, until he decided the Japanese had suffered
enough — atom® bombing, firebombing and invasion
and personally &nnounced surrender in August 1945.

His death followed a 3¥/-month: illness during
whichaseports on his blood pressure ard temperature
became fixtures of Japanese routine and many
festivities were postponed or cancelled

Prime Minister Brian Mulroney has sent the prime
minister of Japan his tondolences on the death of
Hirohito.

“His was an era of unprecedented duration and
national achievement and—his-memory will long be
cherished by the people of Japan,” said Mulroney ina
letter to Noboru Takeshita

At this-time of national mourning, please accept
my sincere sympathies and those of the government of
Canada.”

The prime minister's office released the letter to
the media for Mulroney, who is vacationing in Florida

The government named the new emperor's reign
Heisei, or Achieving Pe Hirohito's reign, which
began on Dec. 25, 1926, was called’ Showa, or
Enlightened Peace

Thousands of people signed condolence registers at
the palace: Japan's stock markets closed; but banks and
many shops remained open ‘

Some clerks wore black ribbons to ‘sighify
mourning but, prepared by the monarch’s long illness,
people generally reacted calmly

In western Tokyo, police arrested 10 members of
the radical leftist Chukakuha, or Middle Core
on charges of assembling weapons for a demonstration
against the country’s monarchy.

CONFRONT POLICE

About 100 faction membérs tried to demonstrate,
and “some of those arrested tried to push through with
bamboo rods against riot police,” -said- a police
spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity

He Said 15,000 police were being mobilized around
Tokyo against possible sabotage.

About 90 people peacefully marched in another
Tokyo district with banners bearing such slogans as “No

is were placed on a

Faction,

BUSINESS, PLEASURE

Hirohito

more emperor” and suggesting Hirohito bore respon
sibility for the war.

“I could not stand the thought that people outside
Japan are going to think . . . everyone is erying aver his
death,” said organizer Ryuichi Harada. “It is about time
we should learn that the image of him being a pacifist
and-warm-_and kind old- man was forced on us.”

The formal state funeral is planned for Feb. 24,
Kyodo news service reported, quoting government
sources. There was no. immediate
nouncement

Leftists
not
dismayed

TOKYO (CP) — Japan is in mouriing, but all not
Japanese are dismayed by the death of Emperor
Hirohito.

Japanese leftists considered the emperor both
an enemy and an anachronism. Many elderly leftists
suffered severe deprivation and torture at the hands
of Japan's so-called Thought Peélice prior.to and
during the Second World War

The Japan Communist party said in a statement
that “Hirohito had the greatest and highest
responsibility for the war the emperor system
should have been abolished.”

The party's stand on the emperor has always
been that he should stand trial for crimes committed
during the war.

The-fourth-ranking opposition party” in- the
House of Representatives also reminded the con
servative government of Prime Minister Noboru
Takeshita the, Japanese constitution stipulates that
sovereignty lies with the people

The party said it would boycott all parliamen.
tary sessions called to offer condolences to Hirohito's
successor, Emperor Akihito, 55.

Takako Doi, leader of the Japan Socialist party,
expressed her sadness at Hirohito’s death, but added
that the “Showa (Hirohito’s reign) era was full of
bitter experiences and violent -shocks” for the
Japanese people. She pledged that her leading
opposition party: would strive for lasting peace by
“learning from history.”

government an

Premier to take

22-day trip

Couvelier and International Trade
Minister John Jansen.

VICTORIA — Premier Bill Vander
Zalm will leave later this month for a

22-day business and vacation trip to _ The forum annually brings toge

Europe
It will be the longest time that
Vander Zalm has been out of the
province since becoming premier
The premier will leave Jan
from Vancouver and will travel first
to The Netherlands, where he will
spend time with relatives and attend

21 forum, on Feb.

ther business and political leaders
from around the
economic_matters.

Following the conclusion of the
1, Vander Zalm will
return to The Netherlands:for more
vacation time and business meetings.

On Feb. 7, the premier will leave

world to discuss

some business meetings. for Frankfurt to attends the World

Davos, Switzerland, where he will will remain in Germany until the @

On Jan. 26, the premier will fly to

attend the World Economic Forum Feb. when
along with Finance Minister Mel Vancouvedr

Forestry Conference

Vander Zalm

will return to

BILL VANDER ZALM
otf to Europe

Highways a bargain
Statistics Canada says

OTTAWA (CP) Provincial tax- the expense of
payers in Western Canada have been _ panie:
getting q bargain on every kilometre
of new highway being built, figures
released -by Statistics Canada in
dicate.

Statistics Canada said a national
index of highway construction costs
declined by 3.1 per cent in 1987-88
the second yearly decline in a row

The greatest cost de
in the West. Ontario costs were up.

Jim Lightfoot, general manager of

cent over the la

reases were

ton, said low prices for oil used to
make-asphalt and excess capacity in he said. “There
the industry have cut bids for high-capacity
way projects

He said provincial governments
and taxpayers have been gaining at

“They are getting.a hell of a deal
said Lightfoot, whose company does were up
about $30 million annually in strbet
and highway construction in Alberta

He said prices for asphalt, made
from heavy oil, have fallen by 20 per
t few. years.

But he said another
constguction firms,
during the boom years of the early
1980s, now are chasing too few kilo
Wells Construetion Ltd. in Edmon- metres of highway construction

which expanded

ere has to be a rationalization,”

construction com- The only province with

ine-was-British Columbia at 17.4
. said Statisties Canada
marginally in
Atlantic Canada, Newfoundland and
Quebec, but the only major increase

was in Ontario at 8.9 per cent

Bill Nevins, chief economist for the
Canadian Construction Association.
said the provinces have been benefit
ting from the fallingscost of road
building—

But he said they don't appear to be
taking advantage of the savings to
boost their construction programs

The road construction industry has
been mounting a strong lobby to in

ctor is that

jysttoo—much

Highway construction costs — and crease spending on road re
revenues for construction firms
declined by 14.5 per cent in Alberta

construction, saying’ that Ca
transportation system is crumbling

“With the inhibitions against em
ploying such weapons now weakened
through recent years and with
targets for conventional terrorist at
tacks becoming better protected
terrorist groups could-be tempted to
shift without warning to use of
chemical weapons for dramatic poli
tical'and media attention,” the state
secretary ‘said

Shultz ‘also supported increasing
the United Nations secretary gen
eral's authority. to investigate alle
gations into the use of chemical arms
in war, and said countries must find
ways to block thé transfer of tech

logy

He made no direct reference to
Libya, nor did he single out any other
country believed to possess or have
the ability to produce chemical wea

__pons, Only the United States and the

Soviet Union acknowledge
such stockpiles.

U.S. offigials maintain chemical
weapons are being. developed at a
plant some 100 kilometres from
Tripoli, the Libyan capital. Libya
denies it

However, Shultz said chemical
weapons have proliferated in recent
years. He cited reports of the use of
chemical arms in the Middle

putheast Asia and Afghanistan.

“We-cannot-delay;time_is not on
our side,” he said.

having

lran
blamed
for crash

LONDON (REUTER) US.
intelligence agencies believe Iranian
Revolutionary Guards, aided by
Libyan agents, planted a bomb that
destroyed a Pan Am jumbo jet over
Scotland last month, the Telegraph
newspaper reported

It quoted unidentified intelligence
officials in Washington saying “hard
evidence” is emerging to show Iran
ians blew up the Boeing 747 partly in
reprisal for the shooting down of an
Iran Air jumbo by the U.S. cruiser
Vincennes in the, Persian Gulf last
summer.

In an early edition, the pro-Con
servative Telegraph said the U.S. of
ficials suspect Libyans acted as a
“conduit” for explosives that killed
270 people in the Dec. 21 disaster and
they provided ‘intelligence for the
Iranian team.

he newspaper .reported the of.
ficials would not distlos¢ the source
or details of the purported evidence.

Pan Am flight 103 exploded in a
fireball over the small Scottish town
of Lockerbie while ‘on a flight from
London's Heathrow airport to Ken
nedy airport in New_York

In addition to the 259 people on
board, 11 local residents were killed

If the allegations are the
Telegraph said, the Iranfan govern
ment-might_not_be viewed as res
ponsible for the bombing since the
Revolutionary Guards are opposed to
what the newspaper called. Tehran's
improved relationship with Washing
ton.

Teachers
close
to strike

WILLIAMS LAKE (CP) Tea
chers in Quesnel have moved a step
closer to strike action

The approximately 300 teachers in

Quesnel area served

> notice Friday: Jerty Urquhart
president of the teachers association
in the Quesnel region, said teachers
will go on strike by Jan. 16 if a
settlement isn't reached by next
Friday

On Thursday, Southern Okanagan
teachers voted almost 90 per cent in
favor of strike action to back up their
contract demands

There are 121 regular teachers and
35. substitutes inthe Southern- Okan.
agan district

Castlegar teachers Dec. 12 voted
91 per cent in favor of striking if a
settlement locally isn't reached

The 264 teachers in Terrace are al
ready on strike

Elaine Decker,
the B.C
of 73 school districts in the
have contracts with their teachers
One other district has reached a ten
tative agreement while! two others
are in mediation.

ining 58 districts are still

2-hours

spokesman for
Teachers Federation, said 11

province

The
enegotiating with their teachers

Penticton and Shuswap teachers
areé scheduled to conduct strike votes
on Monday