WEDNESDAY, July 6, 199 6A OPINION ae icc ‘s by y at 465 Columbia Ave. Castlegar, B.C. VIN 1G8. The Castlegar Sun 's politically independent and a momber of the Stering News Service, 6c. Newspapers Assocation, 28, 1990, Py ang the B,C. Press Council. Established Mail Registration 10420. MARILYN STRONG a toe editorial comment It’s a two-way street There’s more than a few cyclists in Castlegar who are quickly pedalling towards receiving a traf- fic ticket, or a serious injury, if they continue dis- obeying the law. Summer_.has only begun and ready some cyclists are showing they are igr of traffic laws that apply as strongly to them as they do cars and trucks. For instance, how many cyclists in Castlegar continue to drive on sidewalks? A lot. And the results could be disastrous if a vehicle, pulling out of driveway, were to collide with a cyclist who has little to protect them except a helmet. In the war of vehicle versus cyclist it’s pretty obvious who would lose. Which brings us to helmets. Is there a law that fonts spe ee eee ee Ee ibe. And if parents allow their children to ride without helmets they should be charged as any criminal would be for a crime. Nothing is more ing than seeing a father or mother out riding is or her bike with children close behind, all with- out helmets. Cyclists are expected to obey all rules of the 4 including road, trians who are ig ap ry ists insist that motorists respect them on the road. No problem. But are you, the cyclist, willing to respect others on the road? It’s a two-way street. How low can you go? money from a group of individuals who, because of the disease they suffer, have little left over after medical expenses to call their own? Somebody is making a small living out of rip- ping off money from donation boxes placed in Castlegar businesses. We have only heard about the MS self-help group who has suffered at the hands of the culprit(s), but we can’t help wonder- ing who else has been victimized. Another such incident occurred at the Salvation Army last year. It’s likely that there’s more thiev- ery of ion boxes going on than what’s report- or the Salvation Army for food or funds. Those services are there for people who aré destitute and in need of help, whereas conversely there are few places in which groups such as the MS self-help group can turn to for funds. Whoever you are, when you look at yourself in the mirror and ine your i hopeful ly you will have the grace to feel embarrassment and shame for your actions. It’s too late to change those actions, but it’s not too late to replace that which wasn’t yours to begin with. If you feel the slightest remorse how about putting the stolen money in an envelope and dropping it in the slot at The Castlegar Sun. There will be no questions asked and. we will ensure that the group receives paid for such aa subject to publisher's approval. Contracts must be completed within one year trom contract date. No contingent orders accepted. Printed in the U.S.A. yeilding the right-of-way for pedes- Weisgerber out to lunch Freezing privately-owned for- est land under the new Forest Land Reserve is “the single-worst assault on private property rights im 20 years,” according to Reform leader Jack Wei: 3 T like Jack a lot, but I've got to tell him that he's out to lunch on this one. His gut reaction to the issue reminds me a lot of 1972, when Dave Barrett's NDP rammed through the Agricultural Land Reserve. The Socred opposition of the day called the ALR the worst assault on private property rights. They went on the barricades, British to pre- pare for the worst. Unless the NDP was stopped dead in its tracks, they said, British Columbians would have their bank accounts confiscated, maybe even their children taken away. Well, you get my drift. So what did the Socreds do about the ALR when they gained power in 1975? Nothing. They knew damned well that the Agri- cultural Land Reserve had been about 100 years overdue. And 22 years later, it’s still very much with us. So much for the worst assault on private property rights. Now let's talk about the second-worst one — the inchusion of private for- est land in the Forest Land Reserve. Two or three years ago, I spent about 10 days in the Cariboo to do research on a series of articles about forestry. Forest company representatives showed me the best and the worst of their tenure in our forests. But the greatest abuses on the resource I saw had been committed by private land Under the new rules, owners of private forest land will come under the same scrutiny of the new Forest Practices Code as license holders on publicly-owned land, Moreover, if they ever want to alienate their forest land fot devel- opment, they will have to repay some of the tax advantages that accrued to. them while the land was under forestry prody ing them pay a fair share if they want to maximize their profit by using the land for purposes other than forestry isn't an assault on private property rights, it's doing the right thing, and none too soon. To Tt was about time. And before Weisgerber talks you into believ- ing that there's something inher- ently unfair about that me run by you. ‘When the CPR agreed to build isgerber’s credit, the pri- vate forest land issue is the only part of the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan he has singled out for ific attack. Unlike Liberal leader Gordon iP’ who went ip ly off the deep end in his reaction, a on Island some 120 years ago, the govern- meat granted the.company huge land tracts along the line. During this century, the CPR sold every profitable, _ Talk about aTand grab. Talk about greed. Talk about tax, getting the shaft. And that's the re d that the plan appears to have “some public appeal,” and confined his criti- cism to a more general claim that the plan lacks detail which, inci- dentally, it doesn't. The Vancouver Island Land Use Plan, released last week by the Harcourt government, is one of the most comprehensive, ambi- tious and detailed initiatives any mment has come up with in the 33 years I have covered the itical scene. selves champions of. Reining in private forest land owners, making them adhere to modern forest practices and mak- It may be a bitter pill to swal- low for communities that depend on forestry for their survival, but the brutal fact is that without it, these communities would most certainly slide into economic chaos and oblivion in the next 10 to 15 years. Ask any forest company exec- utive, and they will grudgingly admit that we have already taxed the resource beyond the limit. “Forest forever” is a cruel myth, at least if we had continued to overcut. When the first growth is gone, there won't be enough new growth for some years to sustain the industry at current levels. That downfall will result in a massive downsizing the industry, leaving thousands of forest workers unemployed. The Vancouver Island Land Use Plan alone won't change that grim picture, but that’s where the Forest Renewal Plan is to kick in. To reverse the sins of the past, about $2 billion over the next five years will be invested in restoring the forest resource to a point where future sustainability is guaranteed. The Forest Renewal Plan is expected to create an estimated 3,500 jobs for forest workers who would otherwise be unemployed. But instead of falling and bucking trees, they will restore stream beds, return unused logging roads to active forest land, space and thin stands to enhance better future yield. The strategy may still turn out to have some flaws, but I have yet to hear the opposition or the industry, for that matter, propose a better solution. GY, Wie Current government just another fairy tale During the past several weeks, I have been travelling around the infortanately, most o} u news from the national level is not par- clothes. He presents himself to the court with statesmanlike dignity, though in reality he is wearing nothing but the royal shorts. The court applauds, and the court reporters rush to file their . court—blurts out what ought to have been self-evident to all ...““The Emperor has no clothes!” This is supposed to be a fairy tale, but something remarkably similar to it is being enacted in the 35th Parliament. ‘The new government arrives at the opening of Pafliament and immediately the spin And if you can't see these mag- nificent new clothes, you must be stupid and lacking in political Perception. = In reality, the Emperor is wear- ing nothing but a tattered old pair of red Liberal shorts from the 1970s. But the budget that fails to fix the deficit is presented as a true deficit-fixing budget. And the national-unity Strategy that has no h is d as a Clever strategy so subtle that the separatists will never see its contours. No one wants to be thought of as stupid or lacking in political Perception, so all applaud the Emperor's new clothes. The whole masquerade will continue until someone starts to tell it like it is—until someone clearly says what ought to be self- evident to all...““The no clothes! The abe. pedinad —_ Control Plan! The as no National Unity Strategy! And if this continues, soon the Emperor will have no Empire!” aw Gouk, a resident of the ‘astlegar area, is a Reform Party panier of Parliament represent- ing the riding of Kootenay West- Revelstoke ” Wednesday, July 6, 1994 The Castlegar Sun Page 7A Letters to the Editor What gives them Dear Editor: I am one of the irate parents referred to by Banjo’s in their June 22 letter. As I watched tournament par- ticipants slide into third then pick up the turf and throw it to the side I couldn't help but feel anger and outrage. The actions of those adults showed total dis- regard not only for the kids, but for the numerous volunteers who donated their time and equipment to the field ds It is also a well-known fact that the Pony field never absorbed any rain prior to the upgrades and would have been nothing but a huge mud puddle. As to your obligation to teams who travelled long distances, well surely you could have found another field such as those at SHSS to play on where thousands of dollars of work Ci Baseball A has already compromised so that slo-pitch can use the Pony field both Saturday and Sunday mornings, as well as Friday evening. Yes, we will be running the concession for this week long event, and yes, the profits will go to the Castlegar Baseball Association which is a non- had not just been Pp d Perhaps you should have been profit and relies on fundraisers as its main sources Banjo’s failed to mention that despite the ‘grant from the city, the work could not have been completed without the efforts of those volunteers. While it is generally viewed that young people have little regard for things provided for them, it is very apparent that the adults, in this case, have shown little regard for kids and the activities they participate in. Although it is true that Banjo’s had the use of the field for Sunfest weekend it does not excuse the actions of Banjo’s. Common sense should have pre- vailed. Quite simply, the field was in no condition to be played on, especially considering what the calibre of play would do to the field. about your and responsibility towards your community and the youth of Castlegar and area. I would also like to respond to Mr. Campbell's letter of June 29. Mr. Campbell, you appear to be the one who should have done your homework. The peo- ple responsible for field use were well aware of the Castle- gar Baseball Association's intentions to host the District Finals July 9-15. This event is hosted by a dif- ferent community each year. We have no control over the date of the tournament. This decision comes from Little League Canada. As for slo-pitch not having use of the field, well I think you should get your facts straight. Support and love see them through Dear Editor: Although at times we feel powerless over cancer and our lives become unmanageable, we believe there is a power greater than ourselves that will sustain us. We have made a decision to treat. Suzanne with radiation and three different types of over the course’ of one year. After a series of dis- cussions with thetfical people we morally feel this to“be the best therapy at this time. We wish to thank God for his many blessings, some of which have not been obvious before the terror, bewilderment, frustration, and despair, that the news a malignant tumor can bring to a family. Humanitarianism, accep- tance and support is what we have received from our com- munity, as well as the commu- nities of Nelson, Nakusp, and Castlegar. The communities of our parents, relatives and friends. Thank you for your most generous gifts to the Suzanne Ward family, and the Lions Club raffle started especially for Suzanne's cause. We feel the love, hope and faith from all. Thank you. May God bless you all. (Chermeeiott) | Jetmifer and Suzanne Wa Vernon, B.C. Sunday, July 17 2319 - 11th Ave. 1:00 - 4:00 “The Turner's” of . Considering this is a special event it seems a compro- mise is needed to be made. And in case you're wondering, life is full of them. I would also question Mr. Campbell's lack of insight and his very immature response regarding who should assume ponsibility for the done to the field. It is only your opinion that upgrading the field was a poor decision and lacked foresight. I ask you, just because you don't agree with something, does that give you the right to damage and vandalize it and then assume no responsibility for the damage? I don’t know why you feel you need to fight Banjo’s battle. They made a conscious decision to play on that field and they ‘must accept the responsibility for fixing it— pure and simple. The money to upgrade the fields was not “offered” to us. It is no secret that for several years now minor ball has been lobby- ing the city to make improve- ments and changes to the fields. Any organization is free to develop proposals and submit them to the city for review. The only difference between minor ball and other ball clubs in the community is that instead of just talking about it we did it and we were successful. It's time to stop making excuses and start making amends. Field user groups can and should work together to plan for future development of existing parks. Clearly defining the organization responsible for field use as well as the rules to govern the use of the fields may help to avoid situations such as the one that occurred on Sunfest weekend. Field upgrades were complet- ed not only with the District finals and the Babe Ruth World Series in mind, (both of which will generate a tremendous rev- enue for the businesses of Castlegar) but with what the came ee nee re one mas An economical way to get your message out to the community. The Castlegar Sun will design, print AND distribute your flyers for as little as 6.5¢ QA 3 AF ome we oo ow Oe . Run them whenever you want, not on someone else's schedule, and your flyer won't be mixed in with other ones. And, depending on the package you order, we can also throw in an ad to remind people to look for your flyer! Call Cathy ¢ Nicole ¢ Tracy 365-5266 TODAY! *eome restrictions apply. Ask for details future of baseball will bring the community. Perhaps we will be the home town of the next Larry Walker. The possibilities are endless. I invite the members of the community to judge for them- selves. The District Finals take place July 9-15 in Kinnaird Park Show 'n Shine and or dance Your contribution helped ensure the success of the event Sincerely, ———$——__ [Féanbk gost for your support of the 2nd Annual Kootenay Cruise the right to damage the field? with teams from the Bast and West Kootenays competing. So come out and catch the fever! Lori Verigin ootena Lae te Modified & Custom Street Rod \et- fo ioe Freund, Newman Lake, WA loadster 2nd - Mike & Donna Short, Colbert, WA 1933 Ford Sedan Vintage: Pre 1049 1st- Lorren Culley: Rossland, BC 1948 Packard Super 8 “ McCarger, Castlegar iBraeomac Classic: 1950-1959 tst- Jack & Judy Poo! Cineste: 1960-1960 a h 2nd - Jett Robinson, Nelson, BC 1993 Chev Corvette LT1 Coupe Low Rider Ist- Lonnie Foodikott, 1 Truck: Modified &/or Custom st- , Spokane, . io i 1950 ford Sugeread 2nd Jim Hammond, Spokane, WA 1955 Ford Truck Truck: Stock tst- Pete & Nettie Popol, Nelson, BC 2nd - 1964 Chev Truck Unclassified ist - wl 5 Castlega . 1932 4 Door Sedan ‘2nd - Steve iliingsworth, Nelson, BC 1985 Pontiac Fiero GT Work In Progress Thon & Deb Melcher, * Pete's TV Ltd. * Hooters Fitness Thanks to the following for their support: West's:* Woodland Park tel! ~ BEST FORD Doc Becker, Spokane, 1930 Ford SuperCab BEST IMPORT LL Feodikot, Castlegar, 1989 Toyota Truck LONG DISTANCE fue Lawton, Hope B.C., 1986 Ford T-Bird POKER RUN WINNERS ‘Ist - 8. Peterson, 1968 Chev’ 2nd -@ Castlegar 1983 rd - 4. Gray, Castlegar 1960 2-28 (Mark your Calendar...) Thursday, July 7 is Senior's Day at Pharmasave. You can save 15% on most everything you need! PRESENT YOUR PHARMACARE CARD 15% _OFF *MOST EVERYTHING *(Except prescription, dispensary, magazines, tobacco and sale products.) AND SAVE!! _S BS PHARMASAVE Downtown) Costlepor 365-7813 Proud Sponsors of the District 8 Little League Baseball Tournament ID West KOOTENAY POWER sistas tla ‘KS Johnny's Grocery & Gas Sales Kats Trophys: & Signs Kentucky Fried Chicken K & K Contracting OK Welders Plaza Bakery Purnell Distributors Safeway Sandman Hotel Smitty's Super Valu Taylor's Place Family Restaurant The Picture Place 24 Hour Video Twin Peaks Towing Woodland Park Shell