A2 Castlegar News August 25, 1990 LOCAL/PROVINCIAL NEWS Bud Smith off the hook in tapes case VICTORIA (CP) — Former attorney general Bud Smith will not be charged with obstruction of justice, Ted Hughes, deputy attorney generat-of-British-Columbia said. Hughes was reporting on the results of an investigation by Neil McCrank, Alberta deputy attorney general, who made the judgment after considering evidence gathered by the RCMP in British Columbia. The allegation that Smith obstructed justice was made by the New Democratic Party after surreptitiously recorded tapes of radio phone conversations between Smith and others were tabled in the legislature. “It is my respectful opinion that after a careful review of the available evidence, particularly the two relevant telephone conversations between Mr. (Bud) Smith and Mr. (Bill) Stewart and between Mr, Smith and Ms. (Margot) Sinclair and all the surrounding circum- stances of these conversations . . . there are no grounds for proceeding with charges of attempt to obstruct justice against Mr. Smith or anyone else,” Mc 23-page letter to Hughes. Hughes read the letter at a news conff “There is no suggestion that Mr. Si fice of the attorney general in any way to accomplish anything. If he had intended to use his office in some fashion he could have intervened to stay the proceedings which he chose not to do,"’ the letter said. a “It is my opinion that there is no. evidence in the report to Crown counsel to support charges of attempt to obstruct justice i i fatter ithemnd Stewart, ice, and Sin- ith-CKVU~ ) se ittempted to that Peter Firestone, a lawyer hired by the NDP to prosecute former tourism minister Bill Reid, was incom- petent. Smith and Stewart discussed Firestone in unflattering terms. Stewart was reassigned after the contents of the tape became public and Sinclair quit Hughes ordered an RCMP investigation and arranged for the report to be delivered to McCrank for recommendations. ‘Fhe-tapes were made by Brian Graves, a former Vic- toria radio reporter, his lawyer told police. He passed on tapes to Broadcast News reporter Debi Pelletier, however, they were not used on legal advice until they were tabled. Hughes said that he was not prepared to announce whether the person who intercepted the telephone conver- sations would be charged. That, he said, would be decided later. Sécred candidate and PPWC back mill expansion By CasNews Staff Rossland-Trail’s Social Credit par- ty candidate and Local | of the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada have thrown their support behind the proposed Celgar pulp mill expansion. Walter Siemens, the only Socred vying for the nomination at this pulp mill using technology available. VANDALS STRIKE Wyllie questions service By CasNews Staff Ken Wyllie said he is ‘reconciled t8 the fact’? that Canada Post would eventually privatize the Robson post office. But tne Regional District of Central Kootenay director for Area J — which includes Robson — questions the level of service a post office outlet in Johnny’s Grocery store will provide Robson residents. “I can’t conceive how it would be the same level’’ of service, Wyllie said, reacting to a statement by Doug ~ “It is essential that we recognize this and get on with this massive cleanup,’’ Siemens said in a prepared statement. “Immediate approval should be given to allow the cleanup to start with a system in place for an ongoing process of monitoring the mill while it is in operation. This system would then require further improvements in technology to be implemented.” Meanwhile, the PPWC in a Statement to local media, said the union has been ‘‘actively involdfd in researching various documents to en- sure that Celgar Pulp Co. will build one of the cleanest pulp mills possible, that not only meets but exceeds the present federal and provincial pollution standards.”” ““We support Celgar’s commitment to build and operate the cleanest mill possible and to adopt any new technology as it becomes available,”” the union said. ‘We feel that Celgar Pulp Co. deserves the opportunity to Prove this will be the clean mill they say it will be. We support a thorough review process without unnecessary delays.”” Siemens said environmental groups who are now asking for intervenor funding to hire consultants to study Celgar’s proposal ‘‘should have thought of it two years ago when this Process started.’* “Now they seek funding, then they would want more time to allow the people they hire to do their studies,”” he said. **We simply can’t afford that extra time. Those groups that feel they need financial assistance at this WALT SIEMENS ... get on with it late date should dig into their own pockets, just as all others have done."’ Siemens said his biggest fear is that the funds committed for the estimated $630 million project will disappear because of what he called ‘‘un- necessary delays.’* “It is a well-known fact that in today’s world, money knows no in- ternational boundaries. What is here today may be gone to another country tomorrow. We can’t afford to let that happen.”” Siemens said the economic stability Created by an expanded pulp mill will ensure more young people have an opportunity to stay and work in the West Kootenay “If there is no Celgar pulp mill, the economic stability of this region will be adversely affected for generations to come,”" he said. Siemens said he has spoken with B.C. Environment Minister John Reynolds about the i discovered Thursday morning. + Me CosNews photo For a while it was trees that were taking the brunt of vandalism in Castlegar, but this week it was flower boxes outside the former downtown SuperValu store. The damage was “Ihave . . . conveyed to him my thoughts and concern that we receive an early approval.”” . LOTTERIES The winning numbers drawn Thur- sday in the B.C. Keno lottery were 2, 5, 8,9, 2031, 39 and 55 The winning numbers in Wed- nesday’s Lotto 6/49 draw were 2, 7, 12, 17, 19 and 23. The bonus number was 39 The jackpot cf $1.446,573.40 goes to the holder of a single ticket bought in British Columbia. The second prize pool, awarded to those matching five regular nuinders and the bonus number, had six win- ners of $91,080.50. The third-prize pool, awarded to those matching five regular numbers, Central Foods (prices effective Aug. 27-Sept. 1) Fields (Prices effective Aug. 29-Sept. 9) Overwaitea Prices effective Aug. 26-Sept. 1) Shoppers (Prices effective Aug. 28-Sept. 1) SuperValu (Prices effective Aug. 26-Sept. 1) Zellers (Prices effective Aug. 29-Sept. 2) phone our Circulation Department at 365-7266 had 499 winners of $837.40. The fourth-prize pool, awarded to those matching four regular numbers, had 22,102 winners of $36.30. In addition, there were 347,060 prizes of $10 awarded to those mat- ching three regular numbers. There was a total of 369,668 prizes worth $6,683,821.60. The four Extra winning numbers for British Columbia on Wednesday were 23, 27, 48 and 84. A match on all four numbers wins $500,000. Three numbers wins $1,000. Two numbers wins $10. One number wins $1. The winning numbers drawn Wed- nesday in the B.C. Keno lottery were 11, 14, 17, 20, 35, 36, 39 and 43 The $1,000,000 winning number in Friday's Provincial lottery draw is 3372415. There are also subsididary prizes. In the event of a discrepancy bet- ween these numbers and the official winning numbers list, the latter shall prevail Kristiansen continued from front page you have done so as well,’’ Kristian- sen said. “I don’t know what more can be done.”” He said he was “surprised by the decision’? to move the controllers out of the tower, The proposal has come up before and ‘‘always in the past, with a minimum of effort, we've been able to set those ideas aside,” by in- forming Transport Canada officials of the need for controllers in Castlegar, he said. Mayor Audrey Moore, who met recently with B.C.’s top federal cabinet minister, Justice Minister Kim Campbell, to discuss the airport issue, said she would have liked to hear Kristiansen say he had met with Lewis. Moore added she is waiting to hear from Campbell, who promised she would pursue the airport issue in Ot- tawa. Speaking on other issues, Kristian- sen said he the panel conduc- ting a reed Ee es Rulp Co.'s Death continued from front page had worked as a salesman for the last three years, said everyone liked Mark and are extremely upset over the in- cident. “*It came as a real shock to all of us Peter Raimondi said. ‘‘A lot of his clients and customers were also good friends of his and they are really saddened. He definitely will be dearly missed.’" Raimondi said he and four others will be coming to their co-worker’s funeral Monday in Castlegar. TOURIST ALERT can meet the dates set for hearings and ‘‘get on with it (the revieW).”” ws He said Celgar and thé community are being used as ‘‘guinea pigs’ since the company is the first in B.C. t6 be put through the provincial gover- nment’s major project review process. But the end result will ‘hopefully be something of value’’ to other communities and companies who will undergo the process in the future, he said. McClellan, Canada Post's manager of media relations in Vancouver. On Tuesday, McClellan said ser- vices at Johnny’s Grocery will be the same as what the current post office Provides. McClellan and Randy Morris, the new owner of the store, said an agreement on a franchise for the store is nearly completed. But Wyllie noted ‘‘it’s pretty well impossible to predict’’ what type of services will be available since he has not been part of the negotiations bet- ween Canada Post and Morris. Wyllie said’ he submitted a suggestion to Canada Post that a commercial property near the store might be a better site for a post office. Such a location would allow post of- fice employees to retain some hours of work and possibly avaid some traf- tic congestion in the aréa, he said. He said Canada Post rejected his suggestion. Gamblers can go green VICTORIA (CP) — Lottery ticket buyers in British Columbia may soon be able to choose an environmental cause-for-the profits from-their pur- chases. Environment Minister John Reynolds says he’s looking at having the profits from one lottery directed entirely into the government's sustainable environment fund. “I think it’s an excellent idea,”’ Reynolds said. He said some people who aren’t buying tickets now would do so if they knew the profits would go to en- vironmental improvement projects. The environmental lottery could be up and running as early as next year. The sustainable environment fund was established by the government in the spring 1990 budget. It now is funded mainly from a levy on hard-to-dispose-of products such as tires and car batteries. Reynolds said some people might fear the lottery would mean cuts to core government funding for the en- vironment But he promised that wouldn't happen, saying environmental protec- tion is a major issue. Tourist Alert issued by the RCMP. The following people, believed travelling in British Columbia, are asked to call the person named for an urgent personal message: Patrick and Hanna Keane of Ed- monton, call Shane Keane. Anne Marie Kretschner of Crofton, B.C., call RCMP in North Cowichan- Duncan. Tyrone LeMercier of Victoria, call (604) 380-2425. Terry and Francis Crowder, Quesnel, call Michael Morris. IN MEMORY Mark Lightle Dates away sadly missed by family and friends. Mark Robert Lightle of Calgary, formerly of Castlegar, passed nly Aug. 22, 1990, at age 28 Mark grew up in Castlegar and t secondary school in 1980. He was a caring and loving person who will be from Stanley Hump continued from front page People making presentations at the community hearings will not be required to submit briefs in writing, Ferguson added, In other news, the City of Castlegar's Celgar expansion advisory group is planning a meeting for Sept. 10 to inform the public about what the group has been doing, chairman Susan Knoerr said. As well, answers to questions the group has posed to technical experts retained by the panel overseeing the review of Celgar's expansion plans will be shared with the public, Knoerr said The experts will meet with the group members and city aldermen next Wednesday and Thursday, she said. The group plans to have its own technical experts attend the Sept. 10 meeting as well, Knoerr added. The meeting will be held at the Castlegar Recreation Centre at 7 p.m. The advisory group consists of a variety of community members, incluging medical heaith officer Dr. Nelson Ames, stlegar school board trustee Ed Conroy, Castlegar Chamber of Commerce president Jim Craig, recreation director Pat Metge, Ald. Doreen. Smecher and Area J director Ken Wyllie. Mark enjoyed golfing, skiing and bowling, and spent a lot of time camping with friends in B .C. and Alberta. He had a special interest in raising funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. He is survived by his parents, Robert andColleen Lightle, and his brother David, all of Gold River, B.C.; grandparents Omer and Ora Lightle of Castlegar; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Funeral services will be held Monday, Aug. 27 at the Kinnaird Church of God in Castlegar at 1 p.m Interment. Services will be of- ted by Mark's great-uncle, Reid Lybbert, and his uncle, Doug King. Charitable donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society 408, 4305-11th Ave. S-W., Calgary, Alta., T3C 3P6. Foster's Garden Chapel Funeral Home is in care of arrangements. August 25,1990 Castlegar News LOCAL NEWS BRIEFLY By CasNews Statt Local 9705. “Teindi said this week. all existing buildings. installation . . . smoke alarms. Steelworkers vote yes United Steelworkers of America members employed at Johnson- Matthey in Warfield have voted 67.9 per cent in favor of a new contract The vote count indicates the union members are not happy with the company or with the contract, said Jim Saare, president of USWA tes there's a lot of dissension among the ranks,’’ Saare The union members voted 94.7 per cent in favor of a strike earlier The union will have to work with the com; the electronic materials plant, he added. The one-year contract includes an overall seben-per-cent wage increase for office and technical workers and operators. Tradesmen will end the year with an 8.8 per cent increase. The negotiations also combined two separate contracts, Saare said Production and maintenance workets will now have an extra week off and paid sick leave to provide them with the same benefits office and technical employees have had, he said. The separate contracts were a result of representation by two different USWA locals before the plant was sold to Johnsoh-Matthey by Cominco in 1988, Saare explained. SVWA awaiting slide study An American expert in the field of landslide analysis has looked at the area in the Slocan Valley where thudslides blocked Highway 6 this spring and will submit a report to the Slocan Valley Watershed Alliance by the beginning of October, i SVWA spokesman said. “The intent of the SVWA remains to go to court on this matter, of the landslides)"’ the spokesman said. The alliance has said the slides were caused by clearcut logging in the area and has been highly critical of a Ministry of Forests-Ministry of Environment study that concluded excessive rain channelled by old logging roads, culverts and tracks was the main cause of the slides. Smoke alarm amendment passed Local governments can now pass bylaws requiring smoke alarms in An amendment has been made to the Municipal Act that states local governments can now “‘require the installation of smoke alarms in existing buildings and structures and, in relation to this, establish standards and specifications for required smoke alarms and their The amendment also allows for bylaws to require maintenance of Since 1977, the building code has required smoke alarms to be installed in all newly constructed private dwellings as well as individual apartments and condominiums, but not existing buildings, the July- August bulletin from the B.C. fire commissioner says. iny to improve moral at Slocan Valley and a Celgar 9 @ brief d CosNews photo Open house continued from front page = He said Celgar does not plan to change the format of the open houses despite the opposition the company has encountered and all scheduled open houses will take place. by valley supporter debate the issues Thursday during Celgar's open house in Slocan. Letter continued from front pege the région. To support the CIPE review fund is to affirm that goal.”’ Asked what he thought CIPE’s chances of getting any money from local business people are, Dortaldson replied, “*Slim.”” But Lerch disagreed. Some business people in Castlegar and Nelson, where the letters were ot to a selec. ted number of busin want to see more study of Celgar's plans but have not spoken up because of peer pressure, Lerch said **We don't believe all the business people in\he area are for the expan sion without reservation. We're con fident there are people out there that don't view us as the opposition." However, CIPE does not expect business people to contribute an enormous amount to the group's review fund, he said And the group is not relying solely on local donations, Lerch said, CIPE has received $4,000 from the West Coast Law foundation, an organization that will provide funding for environment-related projects, he said. That money will not go far, he said. modernization’’ slogans, spokesman who attended the meeting R said Ron Ross, a CCCM of action groups F made speeches and asked Celgar officials questions that went unanswered, he said. Several people, including Castlegar Mayor Audrey Browne said company representatives ‘‘appreciate every person that comes along’’ to support the expansion proposal, referring to the Castlegar residents who have been attending the valley meetings. “It’s always good to look out and see a smiling Moore, spoke in favor of the proposed expansion, Ross said “She had a ball,"* Ross said of Moore. “She was really in her element there. And I think she did an ex cellent job in expressing the city’s and the community’s face." Browne said open houses in Trail and Colville, Wash., which were both attended by about 25 people, were quiet. People at the Colville open house said they were im- Pressed to see a Canadian company coming down to tell them about its plans, Browne said. Wednesday night, a group of valley residents disrup- ted the New Denver open house by chanting ‘‘anti- Position.”” Moore said it was ‘‘an interesting meeting’? but declined to comment further on the evening's events. Ross said the evening “ended on a fairly good note’* with many people agreeing to disagree. Celgar’s next open house is ‘planned for"Aug. 28 in Winlaw and will be followed by public sessions Aug. 29 in Salmo and Aug. 30 in Nelson. The open house series will wrap up Sept. 6 with a second session in Castlegar A ‘‘good critique’”’ of the transpor- tation volume of Celgar’s report will probably cost about $5,000, Lerch said, noting that a ‘consultant can charge $1,000 per day “The sky’s the limit,"’ he said, referring to the amount of money €IPE members believe they need to carry out the study because of the high cost of hiring consultants Lerch said the group has set aside $1,000 for legal fees. He said he will begin seeking con- sultants next week. Regardless of what stage the con sulting work is at by the time less. formal community hearings begin Sept. 20, CIPE will make a sub: mission during those hearings as well as at the technical hearings which begin later, Lerch said. NATIONAL NEWS Effluent claims found unsubstantiated EDMONTON (CP) — Claims that a modified $1.3-billion pulp mill in northern Alberta won’t harm fish in the Athabasca River are unsubstan- tiated, says a study by the federal governement Fisheries and Oceans Canada says it has found ‘‘substantial deficiencies” in a revised proposal by Alberta- Pacific Forest Industries. The department’s critique was submitted this week to a scientific review panel which will hold hearings next month on new technology proposed by the company. A panel which reviewed the en- vironmental—impact—of Alberta- Pacific’s original proposal last year recommended the project be delayed until further studies were done into pulp mill pollution in the Athabasca River. Alberta-Pacific has said its revised proposal , will drastically reduce chlorinated pollutants and won't harm aquatic organisms. are going to put more weight behind federal scientists than behind Ed’s C ” Burton Ayles, a for Fisheries and Oceans, said Thursday the department stayed away from making any recommendations on ap- proving or rejecting the revised Project. “That's up to the review panel,’’ he said. Rod Love, executive assistant to Alberta Environment Minister Ralph Klein, said the panel was set up to solicit scientific opinions. “*We weren't prepared to make a decision based solely on Al-Pac’s claims,"’ Love said. ‘‘We expected a number_of _intervenors. would come forward and say, ‘‘We don’t think Al- Pac can do it.’ We expect others to come forward and say ‘We think Al- Pac can do it.’* Love said the fact the opinion comes from federal government scien- tists lends it more credibility. ‘You Quebec Tories to plan strategy OTTAWA (CP) — Quebec federal Conservatives will grope for ew Political hope in a soul-searching and strategy session this weekend in Gaspe, Que. Prime Minister Brian Mulroney vad his 56-member Quebec caucus have suffered this summer through the death of the Meech Lake accord, the defections of six former colleagues, skyrocketing support for Quebec independence, native unrest in Oka and Chateauguay and a disastrous showing in a Montreal byelection “It's been a tough, crazy summer,"’ says Lise Bourgault, MP for Argen- teuil-Papineau. “What's difficult is trying to make people understand why the federal government hasn't been more aggressive. Federalism has lost its allure to some people, who say, ‘If they can’t help us, we don't need the federal government.’ This has given wings to the flight towards indepen- dence." . The Bloc Quebecois is ready to ac- cept more Quebec Tories. The prime mirtister will do our job for_us,"’ says Francois Gerin, a for- mer Tory who left the party to join the new grouping of Quebec nationalist MPs. Gerin said Mulroney will have to cin in the Quebec nationalists in his party or face the wrath of voters in the rest of Canada. MPs who are wavering in their Tory loyalty will be listening closely when Mulroney addresses the caucus Saturday. In its submission, Fisheries and Oceans questions the yalidity of claims that Alberta-Pacific has been able to drastically reduce the toxicity of wastewater discharges. The chemical indicators Alberta- Pacific uses to make the claim — known as chlorophenolics — make up a minuscule percentage of the con- taminants in pulp-mill effluent, the department says. The company has Possibly ignored other potentially aeaccnee STREET SMARTS 2 Tues., Aug. 28 at 8 p.m. LIVE PHONE IN ON SHAW CABLE 10 GUESTS FROM R.C.M.P Highway Patrol and Trail Driving School PHONE: 368-5501 or 365-3122 328 Rossland Ave., Trail 364-1824 NOW TAKING ORDERS WINE JUICE & GRAPES AUICE SUPPLIES *GLASS CARBOY .....17" toxic compounds it may discharge in- to the river, the submission said. “We can’t tell from the infor- mation provided if this is valid,’’ Ayles said. Although the revised proposal will reduce discharge of the toxins, Alber- ta-Pacific hasn’t shown toxins won't accumulate to contaminating levels in fish, the report says. It adds until existing levels of toxins in the river are known, the full extent of the dioxin threat can’t be determined. The scientific review panel has received 16 submissions so far. The city of Fort McMurray is con- cerned the pulp mill will add to pollutants already discharged into the Athabasca. Mayor Betty Collicott, in a sub: mission to the panel, says a pilot plant should be set up to test the Alberta. Pacific process. A submission by two researchers with the Pulp and Paper Research In stitute of Canada say Alberta-Pacific has been conservative in estimating the capability of its anti-pollution technology. They say the company can probably reach extremely low levels of pollution without having to use all the technology it plans to in stall at the mill. p-<<<<—— 30° Per Word First 15 words $5.00 J tan FB “ va, SELF-PRICING > WANT-AD FORM Per Word First 15 words $5.00 $5.00 Piece /$5.00 $5.00 each] $5.00 ox $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.30 $5.60 $5.90 $6.20 $6.50 ~1$7.10 $7.40 $7.70 $8.00 $8.30 $8.60- $8.90 $9.20 $9.50 Please run my ad for Name City Clip & Mail to: 3 Insertions $2 Billing Charge if Po: DON'T FORGET: Include your phone number and address in your Action Ad insertions Classification Desired (Misc. for Sole. 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