aa Castlegar News June 17, 1990 OPINION E> 3 ESTABLISHED AUGUST 7, 1947 HE MID-WEEK EDITOR — Simon Birch Castlégar News PAGE A4, SUNDAY, JUNE 17, 1990 TWICE WEEKLY MAY 4, 1980 JSHED SEPTEMBER 12, 1978-AUGUST 27, 1980 LV. CAMPBELL — PUBLISHER, AUGUST 7, 1947-FEBRUARY 15, 1973 PUBLISHER — Burt Campbell apvi OFFICE MANAGER ~ Linda Kositsin CIRCULATION MANAGER — Heather Hadley EDITORIAL Not listening Transport Canada has taken the paring knife to the ggntrol tower at Castlegar Airport and shaved a few hours off its operating time. We, along with other worried-local citizens, wonder when the federal gover- nment will grab the cleaver and chop the service completely. Despite a promise from federal Transport Minister Benoit Bouchard to Mayor Audrey Moore to discuss any impending changes to the tower’s operation before they take place, one thing has become obvious — the feds are not inclined to consult with Castlegar city coun- cil or other local governments before tinkering with the tower. The fact that council had to find out second hand about the cut- back in the tower’s hours of operation is disturbing since the issue in- volves such a vital service. It became apparent at a meeting last October in Castlegar council chambers, attended by people from the aviation industry and representatives from local governments and businesses, that everyone who uses Castlegar Airport, from pilots to frequent flyers, considers the tower a vital service. Everyone, it seems, but Tran- sport Canada. We realize that the bureaucrats at Transport Canada’s regional of- fice in Vancouver which oversees Castlegar Airport must work within the confines of a reduced budget, according to information we've been given. But the logic of cutting back a service at an airport such as Castlegar’s where traffic is increasing every year escapes us. Indeed, Castlegar Airport has a flight service station which con- tinues to operate when the tower doesn't. But we’ve heard repeatedly from aviation experts how relying more and more on the flight service station, regardless of the efficiency and expertise of its personnel, will likely lead to increasing delays and perhaps cancellations of flights in and out of Castlegar as well as hurt Selkirk College’s aviation program. Furthermore, it makes no sense to hack away at a service that is a vital part of the package that helps sell the Castlegar area at a time when the region stands on the verge of an economic boom from major development proposals such as the Celgar pulp mill expansion and the Hugh Keenleyside dam power project. It’s not as if all these points haven’t been emphasized to the federal government. Obviously, the government isn’t listening. And it’s time it did. PM's comments may hurt deal CP News Analysis By JIM COYLE OTTAWA (CP) — Prime Minister Brian Mulroney may well have the odd sober second thought this weekend about some ill-advised utterings. By acknowledging the strategy behind last week’s closed-door constitutional confabulations, he drove one disgruntled member of Parliament — Pat Nowlan of Nova Scotia — from the Conser- vative caucus Friday and may have jeopardized a fragile agreement on the Meech Lake ac- cord. Last week, Mulroney won a tac- tical triumph, producing a ten- tative constitutional deal that lif- ted his support in Quebec and quelled, for the time being, discontent among nationalist MPs from that province. But he showed a proclivity. for gloating, saying he had long plan- ned to “‘roll the dice’’ on an 1 1th- hour first ministers’ conference. And he displayed ‘a view of Canadian history not universally endorsed, saying Confederation itself was negotiated in just such a closed-door horse-trading session among “‘the boys.’” His provocative comments during an interview with the Globe and Mail this week drew a pointed putdown from retired senator Eugene Forsey, an acknowledged expert on Canadian constitutional affairs. “It really adds more and more to the file on the prime minister,’” says Donna Dasko of the En- vironics polling firm about Mulroney’s self-congratulation “*He is like this. “He has said many things like this in the past._In-the end, he's been able to kind of get away with it when it really gets down to what's important, which is win- ning an election.” But she says Mulroney might be courting trouble in an area — trust — in which polls suggest he is not highly regarded “‘When Jean Chretien finally does become Liberal leader, Canadians will be in a position to judge whether this new leader is somebody they can trust,’’ Dasko notes. “Somebody who is better able to deal with all the issues .... sion of history, Forsey had a suc- who is more trustworthy and is of _ cinct judgment. igher moral character."” “This is not correct.”* BRIAN MULRONEY Mulroney's comments are par- ticularly risky given that the deal is far from sealed and Canadians have ‘ah emotional stake in the debate, says Winnipeg pollster Angus Reid. Dasko says that most such deals, if conclusive, produce a honeymoon effect for the ar- chitect even if the issue and tactics have been controversial. But Mulroney may not reap the benefits because the deal was thrown into doubt so quickly. “It had a positive life of ap- proximately four hours before it started falling apart,’’ she says. In the Globe and Mail interview Mulroney claimed history was on his side, saying the Fathers of Confederation had engaged in just such a private, collegial exercise with no public participation 125 years ago. However, one columnist prom- ptly produced a substantial historical record describing the 1860s meetings as relaxed, reflec- tive sessions. And Forsey quickly joined the fray, moting that the Quebec resolutions which produced the Constitution Act of 1867 were ac- companied by substantial debate. About the prime minister's ver- MEANWHILE, INTHE SENATE CHAMBER, THE MEECH LAKE 1915, WHICH WILL SETTLE THE SENATES FATE, 1$ MET —. hy OP Hijgy mrennesescegts tts tpt TOTTI CA omestcctoce ij Gal ation (f7 — LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Few alternatives Recently I’ve noticed a lot of people protesting the goods and services tax (and rightly so). But I see very few alternatives put forward. That the present manufacturers tax needs to be restructured is obvious. However, the GST is not the way to do jt. True, the NDP says it has an alternative taxation plan, but if it is anything like the recent proposal by Gerard Docquier in a current Steelworker publication, it is a blue-print for overtaxation and confusion. Since the NDP and the Canadian Labor Congress are usually hand in hand, I don’t see where the NDP has anything different to offer. 7 There are two fundamental problems with the GST. One, it is basically a value added tax (VAT) or hidden tax. This means that the value of the tax will be contained in the price of the goods or services that are purchased and not added on to the total of a receipt. In other words, what you don’t see you won't notice. Two, the GST system will incur an incredible expense just to start up — over $600 million to date. There are no estimates on how much it will cost to operate yearly, but I imagine it’s more than the government is willing to admit. There is a third and more subtle flaw, but no one seems to realize that it is there. The GST is also a tell-all tax that will leave a trail of paper from the consumer to the government. This might not seem like a big deal, but I feel that it is one more intrusion by government into the privacy of individuals and should not be tolerated. However, there is a very viable alternative to this. Instead of implementing yet another VAT, create a personal expenditure tax (PET). A PET will be defined as total income after income tax, plus total borrowings, minus total savings. That is, income that is earned or money that is borrowed is either saved or consumed. The PET would be applied to the money that is the valley shortly after an avalanche originating in a clearcut on Ranch Ridge in Hills ran across Highway 6 two years ago. Now we’ve had three more slides between Silverton and Slocan which have caused severe damage to Highway 6 and private property. One of these slides followed an old slidepath which originates in a 12-year-old clearcut. These recent slides have strengthened the resolve of local valley residents to put an end to clearcut logging in their valley. Hopefully, Slocan Forest Products will revise its logging plans to reflect the local consensus as expressed by the public in the meeting and by the village and regional district governments and resubmit its plans to the public. SFP certainly learned on June 6 that the public is not going to stand for anymore clearcuts in the Slocan Valley. Now is the time for Slocan Forests Products to incorporate environmentally sustainable logging. Grant Copeland, Director The Vathalia Society New Denver Mixed messages We would like to commend the actors of Theatre Energy who presented the play Malefica at Lakeside Park in Nelson. Their character portrayal of actual historical incidents was well presented and professionally done. Yes, we absolutely feel that branding any woman as a witch then burning her at the stake is a tragedy that should never have happened. This tragedy occurred not only against women, but also against other members of society who did not quite conform to the so-called normal trends of the time. They were classed as heretics, thrown in prisons, burned at the stake or hung. This, too, is wrong. The taking of human life should not be condoned under any circumstances. The incident of the raping of Jennet was so The government raised an estimated $15 billion in 1988 from the manufacturers, or federal, sales tax. During the same period, there was a total of $427 billion worth of purchasing transactions in ‘Canada. Under a PET system, the tax rate would’ ve only been 3.5 per cent to raise $15 billion instead of the present 13 per cent and the proposed seven per cent. The advantage of a PET is that it will cost nothing to administer as any person who is doing his or her own taxes would tack on the required 3.5 per cent PET to his present income tax form. And it should only be this percentage for it to remain a revenuemeutral tax, as the g claims the Portrayed that the emotional trauma a woman faces at these times is definitely heart wrenching. On the other hand, we felt that the violence of committing an abortion because of rape or any other reason is just as wrong as branding someone a witch or heretic and burning them at the stake. The play’s message of the injustice done to women by rape or burning at the stake was portrayed as being very violent and very wrong. Yet the taking of an innocent life by abortion was portrayed as being quite acceptable. The theme song of the evening was about the power of women to give and take life. This to us is a definite aa GST will be. Because the GST will not be quoted separately from a purchase, it is a hidden tax, no matter what the supporters of this tax say. Because it is a hidden tax, it gan be raised quite easily without too much attention. Please note that the present government 13 per cent since 1984 and not too many people were aware of it. It should also be noted that once this system is in place, it will be extremely difficult to dismantle as most of the people working there will belong to the Public Service Alliance union and we all know what a sacred cow that is. James May Trail Clearcuts opposed On June 6, Slocan Forest Products held an open house public meeting to gather public input on its proposed five-year logging plan for the Slocan Valley. Well over a 100 local residents came to voice their objection to clearcut logging in the domestic watersheds and visual corridor of the Slocan Valley and the company was sent back to the drawing boards with its plan which specified clearcuts up and down the valley. The public outcry expressed in the meeting against clearcut logging confirms the call for an end to clearcut logging from all three village governments and the regional district. The villages of Slocan, New Denver and Silverton and the Regional District of Central Kootenay all passed ions calling for an end to cleareut logging in One act of violence does not justify another. All human life ig sacred in the eyes of God and only God has the power over life and death. MP priorities Golly! Isn’t that something. Our own Lyle Kristiansen will be watching closely for any changes in public breeding monies and any further purchases of seed companies. Just what kinds of seed is he interested in anyway? 1 guess it is, however, important to know where your seed comes from if one is embarking on a breeding program. it seems to me that, with the pill, abortions and other contraceptive methods, most people sort of scattered their seeds at random. Nevertheless, I’m glad Lyle is taking an interest in these matters. It shows clearly what he i of prime impor ¢ to the in Kootenay West-Reveistoke I thought Meech Lake, crushing national debt, free trade and the goods and services tax were matters of national and regional concern. I even thought the expansion of the Celgar pulp mill was of critical importance to the thousands of forestry sector workers in the Kootenays. I never dreamed that I should be worried about my seed bins instead. «In view of how Chris D'Arcy was scuttled for backing the expansion when (Ed) Conroy and his cohorts appear to be against it along with main NDP policy, it appears that Lyle doesn’t want to offend his Slocan Valley support. I guess that’s why Lyle said in the Nelson Daily News that people should write again to the new environment minister instead of confronting him with the concerns of the majority from Kootenay West-Revelstoke. I guess the ony way to get unbiased representation in government is to elect an independent MP or MLA. I, for one, think our MP should be backing the Celgar expansion 100 per cent through all the federal hurdles. But then I’m ene of those foolish people who think an MP or an MLA should be responsible to the wishes of his constituents, not just a vocal minority group. Fred Peitzsche Ross Spur Role necessary I write to you as a concerned Canadian. I am part of 44 Field Engineer Squadron, Trail, and though only a small part, | am a militia person, and proud of it. Read what I have to say — suggestions and criticisms are all welcome and, as the old adage says, ‘*Two heads are better than one.’” Canada and Canadian soldiers have been in the forefront as observers, trainers and peace-keeping forces in various areas throughout the world. Hence, I believe that we as Canadians should do our utmost to aid and bolster this important asset. Thus, by giving these individuals time for training and incentives to train, we can all participate in this, Canada’s accepted role in the fraternity of the world. Canada has been looked to and at as a peaceful nation — fierce if aroused or provoked — but otherwise gentle and docile, eager to foster peace and willing to place lives on the line to maintain it. Hence, throughout the world we have, or have had, peace-keeping military personnel (regular forces and militia) in South America, Africa and the Middle East. These individuals cannot go without training, without the necessary knowledge and skills to function in this role they are cast in. Training takes time and money, time away from family, friends and vocation. You ask, what can I do to help? Provide the time, ensure that these, our mi attend training, exercises) to achieve a degree of training so that they maintain and excel in this, our accepted role. Secondly, money. Somehow we — industry, government and individuals — must achieve a balance wherein no one will suffer, but training goes on. Industry must not be made the scapegoat but rather through incentives a balance must be created wherein all concerned will benefit. Utopian, No; good sense, yes! If we are to prevent the holocausts of the past, we must not lull ourselves into somnolence, but rather be Prepared as individuals, and as a nation, to promote the search — Tor a Tasting peace. As umpires we have done well. Now we must excel. Gino D’ Appolonia Honourary Lieutenant-Colonel 44 Field Engineer Squadron Trail Please address ail lett: to: Letters to the Editor, C: News, P.O. Box 3007, Castlegar, ‘TN 3H4, or deliver them to our office at 197 Columbia Ave. in Castlegar. Letters should be typewritten, double- Spaced and not longer than 300 words. Letters MUST be signed and include the writer's first and last names, address and .a telephone number at which the writer can be reached between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The-writer’s name and city or town of residence only will be Published. Only in exceptional cases will letters be Published without the writer's name. Nevertheless, the name, address and telephone number of the writer MUST be disclosed to the editor. Castlegar News reserves the right to edit letters tor brevity, clari mt grammar and taste. —__ to the editor June 17, 1990 Castlegar News AS ' LOCAL/PROVINCIAL NEWS Dueck called a frequent flyer VICTORIA (CP) — Former health minister Peter Dueck routinely took government jets even when cheaper commercial flights were available, says Harry de Jong, Dueck’s seat- mate for the Central Fraser Valley riding. De Jong, one of two Social Credit legislative members for the riding east of Vancouver, said Dueck regularly took the government’s Cessna * Citation jet;.while he caught an Air- speed Aviation flight at Abbotsford airport. Both flights went to Vancouver and the commercial flight cost $89. The cost of detouring the gover- nment jet from Boundary Bay air- port, its base, to Abbortsford was estimated at $1,000 by a pilot familiar with the service. Dueck was often the only ger on the flight from Abbot- sford to his Victoria office over the past three years, said de Jong, a backbencher who was not allowed on the government plane. He said Dueck, who resigned as Social Services and Housing minister last month after his former deputy minister was fired over travel expenses to Europe, often returned to Abot- tsford the same evening. “I had to take the commercial plane or take the ferry,’’ he said. Dueck did not return repeated telephone messages on Thursday. The use of the government jet became an issue earlier this week when Carol Gran, Government Management Services minister, said she has had the jet detour to Abot- tsford to pick her up. She says the cost is $122. NDP House Leader Mark Rose ac- cused Gran of using the aircraft like a taxi. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR THE RAINBOW COMMUNITY ACCOUNT “Exclusively for Non-Profit Organizations” CASTLEGAR SAVINGS CREDIT UNION | f 5 ‘Your Community Financial Centre e e Sewing Machine Tune-Up the gee lc SLOCAN PARK Ni pie CASTLEGAR 601-10th St., 365-7232 Hwy. 6, Slocan Pork 226-7212 SUMMER SPECIAL ALLMAKES = *) Local store thanked We recently moved to Castlegar and in the process made many, many trips into our local Home Hardware store — West's. The competent and cheerful staff in West's bent over backwards to help fulfil our requirements. If they didn’t have what we needed, it was ordered and in — within a week. We feel that it is very important in a city this size to applaud their excellent service. It would be nice to see more businesses in Castlegar and area treating the public like ‘‘special’’ customers. Thanks West's! Neil and Debbi Austin Castlegar Research needed Various opinions had been tendered by local panelists at the roundtable discussions on the issue of pollution of our environment, about our concerns for the welfare of our planet, about the effects of contamination coming home to roost at our doorstep. Thinking Globally, Acting Locally — the concluding phase of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ Union of Youth Festival held at the Brilliant Cultural Centre-recently on the theme Our Global Village — apparently prompted the ing of the i i to prod people to the awareness of what is happening on the local scene in respect of our environment. However, the implications involved in the creation of the di b i One white-haired gentleman stepped up to the conditions surrounding us today are not as local as one may be told or led to believe. Until such time as we determine the causes that lead to the creation of such untenable conditions, we will continue treating these symptoms in first aid fashion, relying mostly on wishful thinking and hoping that the malady called pollution will correct itself. Most of the'measures proposed by the apologists speaking on behalf of industry and development today only advance the theory that “*some’’ improvements can be undertaken to curtail the polluting process. As much as to say, ‘‘The contaminating substances will still be discharged into the beds of our waterways in teaspoonful measure instead of discharged. And in the air contamination process only one puff of dioxin will be allowed into the atmosphere instead of the usual half-dozen. In a simple common-sense expression, it is ridiculous to expect any measure of acceptable i to our inui i acti before a down-to-earth research process is instituted, not only in public hearings where ‘‘loss of jobs’ is vehemently voiced ‘‘if we stop polluting,’’ but in a research process that will reveal how we can manage our economy in terms of needs instead of the animalistically prompted wants, and thereby totally eliminate the dreaded polluting hazard. ‘ i ah spoke to the panelists at the roundtable sayirig: ‘‘The April 30th issue of Maclean’s, @ prominent weekly newsmagazine in Canada, has a picture on its front’cover portraying a sickly looking planet carth, alongside an inscripti capo Will Pay the Billions for Cleaning Up the Planet?” That question was also very sickly expressed. When ti peoples resouces of this planet had been plundered. jited by the corporate conglomerat®@ ‘aitar of profit, wouldn’t it make sense and'bé fair to use the amassed profits in the billions of dollars in the process of a cleanup job? And how many jobs would be created in the cleanup process by the seemingly sacred ‘‘job”’ term that dangles like a carrot on one end of the stick of which the other end is securely bound to the jackass’s behind? A pitifully sad situation that defies the top brains of our ruling untouchable hierarchy who want to have their cake and eat it also. I have seen a very realistically posed cartoon in one of our newsmedia a while ago, which portrayed a group of parliamentarians in a session, at which one MP was speaking. “The time has come,’’ the walrus said, ‘‘to talk of many things; of ships and shoes, of sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. And why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings.”” John Perepotkin Slocan Park 7292... Singer Trained Technicion Selling and Servicing Sewing Machines for 20 Years 670 Baker St., Nelson * 352-5414 By, Carter's Sewing Centre > Py € APPROV! DEA Towne Square Mall © 364-1744 7 Home sellers should concentrate on improving the first impression the me makes on potential buyers to improve the chances of selling the Put yourself in the shoes of the buyer and ask what effect a poor first im: pression would have on your ultimate decision regarding the home. | will recommend seve eal “Estate WITH BARRY BROWN HOW TO GET THE MOST MONEY FOR YOUR HOME. 5) Check the roof for missing shingles and fill in those gops. The seller should be aware of “buyer psychology” in sale negotiations. if the home appears to be in a state of disrepair, the buyer will tend to deduct supposed repair costs from the asking price. In fact the buyer will likely try to deduct more than obvious costs in case he or she missed something or under costs timated manicured. As simple as this is, i's becouse it conveys the idea that the home owner cares about its appearance ndition. its best @ YEARS AGO From the June 15, 1950 Castle News Mr. Kirby, of the Monday, June 12th, with rep tatives from the Castlegar Com- missioners. The problem, road Castlegar Projects Society gave an address on the rink for for water service to the new high school, was thoroughly Castlegar, in which he asked for Suggestions’ ‘from’ 'the® Boatd ‘as ‘to raising funds. . . 8 Fourteen cars of freight arrived in (Castlegar in May for local dealers. Those were made up of: six coal, one shook; two cement: two feed; one flour and one hay. © . 8 6 The Castlegar District School Board met at the Board Office on and a y arrangement arrived at, though some mote work will be necessary. 25 YEARS AGO From the June 17, 1965 Castlegar News B.C. Hydro’s offer to Robson resident Fred Pressacco whose Property was expropriated with his case still before Columbia River special commissioner Judge McLeod M. Colqhoun, was only $250 more than the compensation set by an in- CENTRAL FOODS Swor-Easy Foo0s | SPECIALS Specials Sunday, June 17 to Wednesday, June 20 PORK SAUSAGES BEEF BURGERS... BULK WIENERS :::-... np. 92.0070. 1.19 PASTRAMI oe .icer scene nico cemene ..1006.99° LYONER SAUSAGE........ kg.$3.73/Ib. $1 69 kg. $4.37/Ib. 51 98 100 0. 99° gover: appraiser. . . The RCMP are to be asked to in- voke the nuisance bylaw against the McGauley Ready-Mix operation in Castlegar. Council took this action Tuesday night after complaints from resdients in the area that the company has been operating until 11 p.m. and even 1 a.m. 15 YEARS AGO From the June 19, 1975 Castlegar News Busing of kindergarten pupils in School District No. 9 will begin this September. . 8 6 Greenpeace represenatives ad- dressed the Rotary Club at its Tuesday luncheon giving an audio- visual slide presentation on the history of whales. . Recreation and Conservation Minister Jack Radford and Rossland- Trail MLA Chris D’Arcy recently toured the 7-mile Project on the Pend d’Oreille River accompanied by members of the fish and wildlife branch. The objective of the trip was to gain the first hand knowledge of the con- i hside versus id road access to the dam site. 5 YEARS AGO From the June 16, 1985 Castlegar News Pacific Western Airlines promised this week it will not pull its Castlegar SOFT MARGARINE... POST RAISIN BRAN=:22~ 777. 52.59 ORANGE JUICE os: unc sarei8-18 | KRAFT DINNERS... HAMBURGER BUNS. orsce79® DINNER BUNS......0.c.:mas — FRESH PRODUCE — GRAPES CAN. GRADE NO. 1 $1.96 /kg. 89° tte hit quantities CABBAGE CAM. OR, Mo. 1. 640 fag, 29° Tob. 10 99° 225 <.68° 450G. roar? 1.19 voz.°1.19 CALIFORNIA GROWN PEACHES CANADA GRADE Me. 1 81.82/eg. 69° «i te stock on Prices SFPECTIVE SUN... MON. sYr TUES... WED. 8 SUNDAYS 19 a.m.-6 p.m. Owned 2717 Columbie, Swor oot FOO EEE CENTRAL FOODS to Vi flight out of Castlegar Airport even though Air BC plans to introduce the same service. . A jury recommended that Westar Timber keep in closer touch with out- -side—eontractors” on its} A increase in patients at the Castlegar and District Hospital was the main reason why it dipped in- to the red over the 1984-85 year with a $67,000 deficit. cor Paint the exterior, if necessary. But moke sure that the color or colors you choose are acc: to the vast majority of potential buyers. 3) See that the gutters and down- spouts are in good repair. 4) Repair or replace shutters or awnings where necessary. Buyers want a clean home so moke sure your's sparkles estate agents can supply you with a checklist to ensure your home shows Most regi It there is anything | can do to help ycu in the tield of real estate. please coll or drop in at INRS NATIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICE Mountainview Agencies Ltd. 1695 Columbia Ave. Phone 365-2111 of 365-2757 machinery at the inquest Wednesday in Castlegar into the death ofa young man at the pulp mill April 11. HELLO! SUNSHINE! i We have a great assortment of shorts and tanks on sale! PAY “Before I lost 70 Ibs. | was a wallflower.” “Losing weight helped bring out the bubbly, outgoing person that was locked inside me. | can't thank the Nutri/System counselors enough. They really reached out to me — with understanding and support. 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