— Bs Castlégar News January 3, 1990 Credi By ROB CARRICK The Canadian Press. -card fraud a problem a problem that bankers are trying to overcome “Credit card losses are an unfortunate cost of says clients are not responsible le forany purchases made A salesman telephones with an offer of a discount vacation. He says he just needs a credit card number to complete the deal. doing business, but we're doing everything we can to cut says lan Dale, a spokesman for the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Or maybe the carbon from a credit chargé slip is secretly taken. More likely, a fistful of cards will be scooped up with a wallet stolen from a car's glove com- partment. fall into the wrong hands. Last year, Canadian banks and trust companies had to write off $15.6 million in fraudulent Visa and MasterCard accounts A total of about $30 billion was billed to the 19.4 million Visa and MasterCard cards in circulation in 1988. So the fraud rate is less than one per cent, figures from the Canadian Bankers’ Association show That's one of the lowest rates in the world, but still BEONGUARD Carbonless charge slips and electronic terminals that authorize cards’ in stores are two new Weapons against fraud, but cardholders can also protect them One way or another, credit card information can selves Most credit card: fraud begins with a stolen card, says Mike Ballard, director of security for the bankers’ association in Montreal. The best hunting grounds for thieves? Car glove compartments, the workplace purses left under desks'’ — not to mention health club lockers and hotel rooms. Once a card is stolen, report it immediately. Ballard ‘*jackets on doors, or PROTECT NUMBER rd number and expiry date is just as important as tooking after the whole card, Ballard says. These numbers can be used to order items through the mail, or over the telephone. “There are professional scamsters who'll call you Ke warns. object of the call is to get your credit card nu, “Our best advice to people is nev card number over the phone unless you initiate tHe call, or you know who you're dealing with.”” A consumer who finds an unauthorized phone Guarding a credit up selling discount vacations,” purhcase on his card. should notify his bank, Ballard after they’ ve notified their Bank about a lost.card. says. y for chargeX.made prior to notification vary from bank to bank and bce always spelled out in the cardholders’ agreement, he say3, noting some provinces have consumer protection laws that limit liability to $50. ‘The matter will then be'sor 2d out with the seller of the goods in question, he says. ** be charged for purchases you didn’t make Some other tips from the banking community to There's no way you'll guard your card against misuse: © Sign the back of a card when you receive it's that athief can’t sign and use it © Makea list of all your credit card numbers so you » can quickly report them stolen. “The whole your card. * Save your charge slips and compare them against your monthly statements to ensdre nobody else used © Rip up charge slip carbons after each purchase. ““It’s possible to get credit card numbers from discarded ‘carbons by rooting through the trash," says Owen Mar- ¢ sh, an Official with Visa Canada < U A report says re- ducing adult illiteracy in B.C. is a priority Horse race A poll indicates the Socreds would have a fighting chance if an election were held today .. Aé LOTTERY NUMBERS:? The winning numbers in Saturday's Lotto 6-49 draw were 5, 6, 21, 22, 31 and 33. The = bonus number was 46. The winning numbers drawn Friday in the B.C, Keno lottery were 18, 29, 38, 39; 42, 46, 52 and 56. The $1,000,000 winning number in Fii day’s Provincial draw was §333761. Play \ by play ” The CasNews adds a new feature to, its sports pages today .+ BI Recession bloated debt CP News Analysis By LARRY WELSH OTTAWA (CP) — Finance Minister Michael Wilson often blames the Liberals for the federal government's swelling debt arid thé tax increases and spending cuts needed tocontrol it. But the two biggest reasons for Wilson’s debt problems have little to do with the previous Liberal government. A worldwide recession in 1981 82 and the finance-minister’s own anti-inflation policies are thie main reasons the federal government owed — $12,265.53 for every Canadian as of March 34 The government’s. debt ballooned during’.the worst recession since the Depression as unemployment insurance spending soared and revenues fell And the miracle of compound interest has kept the federal gover nment’s debt rising ever since. ANALYSIS | Wilson has strongly backed the Bank of Canada’s use of high in- terest rates to battle inflation, but those costly borrowing charges have only made the government's debt problem worse For the year ended March 31, Wilson spent $33.2 billion just to pay interest on the existing federal debt, more money than he spent on any single government program Canafla‘s net public debt, the total amount of money the federal government owes, soared to $320.9 billion in 1988-89, double the $160.8 billion owed in 1983-84 “Two-thirds of the increase in the deficit in the early 1980s originated in the 1981-82 recession,”’ research economist Cynthia Bloskie concluded in a recent Statistics Canada study “Higher interest payments on the stock of debt built up earlier in the 1980s have been the major source of recent deficits.’* HAD NOCONTROL The recession forced a major in crease in spending that the gover- nment had nocontrol over, such as unemployment insurance paymen- ts, while a sharp drop in federal revenues meant the government had to borrow money to finance increased spending As a result, the deficit increased to $27.8 billion for the year ending March 31, 1983 from $13.5 billion in fiscal 1980-81 Net public debt rose to $128.4 billion from $85.7 billion during the same period An argument can be made that 2 MICHAEL WILSON - policies hurt one-third of the increase inthe federal government's deficit in the early 1980s was due to increases in discretionary spending, said Philip Cross, chief of current analysis at Statistics Canada. “But I suppose another way of putting-it is even if we didn’t in- crease spending in these other areas, you still would have had a large accumulation of debt,’ he said About the only way the previous Liberal government ‘could have prevented Canada’s debt from rising sharply during the decade would have been to cut off unem- ployment insurance benefits for people who lost their jobs during the recession “1 suppose the only argument you can make is the government could have just sfopped paying unemployment insurance in 1981- 82,"’ Cross said. ‘*But is that even politically feasible?”” If Wilson is looking for something to blame as he struggles to slow the increase in thé federal government's debt, it would be the last worldwide recession. The collapse in energy, metal and other commodity prices brought on® by the recession especially. hurt the Canadian onbdmy and Wilson’s.-budget problems show the country is still paying the price “It’s just something that would have been very difficult to avoid,”’ said Cross. “The hangover of interest payments from past debt is what's .» he added. ‘In some sense, still paying the price for 1981 BUSINESS DIRECTORY , TELEPHONE 365-5210 New insertions, copy changes and Business Directory willbe \ccepted up to 5 p.m. Tues., Jan. 30-for the month of February. for the Castl News Vol. 43, No. 2 %0 Cents oe » Castles ISLATIVE LIBRA OMENT ELDSS If s Fen: Zz ANT CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, SUNDAY, JANUARY 7 1989 WS WEATHERCAST Today: Rain ond wet snow tapering to showers by the after noon. Gusty-winds in some valleys. Highs neor 3°. Monday Cloudy with a chance of showers Highs near 3°, Probability of pre cipitation is 70 per cent today and 60 per cent Monday 3 Sections (A, B &C) Brian L. Brown CERTIFIED GENERAL ACCOUNTANT 270 Columbia Avenue Castlegar © 365-2151 = Gordon A. Read & Co. Certified General Accountant Office 368-6471 - Residence 365-2339 1250 Bay Ave., Trail PAIN, MIGRAINE OR STIFF NECK? * Call 365-5527 tor appointment HAN’S ACUPUNCTURE 2505 Columbio Avenue BUY or SELL by AUCTION USSELL seen UCTION RU ivome 399-4793 *'My kid ripped up the ace of diamonds. B CASTLEGAR PLUMBING & HEATING For all your plumbing needs and supplies © FIXTURES * PARTS * SERVICE CALL 365-3388 TRAIL CUSTOMERS ONLY CALL 364-0343 Bartle & Gibson The Plumbing & Heating Centre * American Standard * Valley Fibrebath * Crane * Gulf Stream Spas * Duro Pumps & Softeners © PVC Pipe Fittings * Septic Tanks * Electrical &G.E. Lighting Supplies 2317-6th Avenue, Castlegar Phone 365-7702 SANLAND CONTRACTING LID. GENERAL CONTRACTOR 365-3033 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR —— IN THE CASE OF ANN ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY, WEEKENDS OR EVENINGS CALL 365-3033, 365-2973 or 365-6250 SANLAND CONIRACIING Liv. Castlegar, B.C COCKSMITH Licenced and Bonded CALL 365-6562 Carpet Cleaning CLEAN-SCENE CARPET CLEANERS * Most Advanced System Gets more deep down soil thon any other cleaning method %*_ Upholstery Cleaning Too SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Why not Call Us Today! FREE ESTIMATES PHONE 365-6969 Moving & Storage Radiator Repair Mike’s Radiator Repair & Sales New Location 690 Rossland Ave., Trail Open 30 5 p.m. Monday Friday 9.30.2 Soturdey Phone 364-1606. After Hours Emergency or Pickup Call Perry, 364-1506; Tim 359-7951; Mike 359-7058 Aquatic Centre officially opened ByCasNews Staff The doors to a dream were of- ficially opened. Saturday as a host of local dignitariés lined up to pay tribute to the work that went into building the new Castlegar and District Aquatic Centre With, the help of Provincial Secretary Howard Dirks and Castlegar and District Projects Society president Ron Ross, Miss Interior B.C. Judi Closkey of Castlegar snipped through a red ribbon and Dirks officially proclaimed the new pool open before a standing-room-only crowd in the lobby of the Aquatic Centre. Echoing earlier comments by Rossland-Trail MLA Chris D’Ar cy, Dirks said the pool will serve people of all ages in the Castlegar area “It’s something .you can be proud of,"" hesaid. D'Arcy said he can’t think of a better way to ‘get good value for your hard-earned dollars’? than through use of the Aquatic Centre. Joining Dirksand D'Arcy on the platform set up at the front of the crowded lobby were Castlegar Mayor Audrey Moore, Regional District of Central Kootenay direc tor for Areal, John Voykin, acting director for Area J Sven Dahl- Jensen, master of ceremonies Pat Metge, Castlegar and district recreation director, and president of the Castlegar and District Projects Society Ron Ross. Ross, who Metge said has earned the name ‘‘Mr Pool . of Castlegar,’’ was the focus of many tributes for his work'in making the dream of an indoor poola reality. ‘*He was our leader and an in- spiration to all of us," Moore said But Ross modestly deflected the praise to his fellow members of the aquatic centre building committee — Moore, Voykin, Area J director Ken Wyllie, Alexia Turner, Marilyn Gauthier, Ed Chernoff and Gus Young. Ross also’ ap- plauded the major financial con- tributors to the project — Celgar Pulp Co., the Castlegar Aquanauts swim club, B.C. Gas, the Castlegar Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, the Selkirk Lions Club and the provincial-_government, which has paid one-third the cost of the $2.2-million pool with money from the GOB.C. program: To date, the Projects Society has raised more than $120,000 from local contributors in addition to the $733,333 provincial gover- nment grant Also acknowledged at Satur day's opening ceremoni®& were Ed Sherry of Camrec Consultants in Edmonton, the project consultant, and-Paul Semenoff, president of Nu-Tech Construction in Castlegar, the main contractor on the project continued on page A2 Dream comes true the anicalo day of the Cast by Burt Campbell Castlegar and District Projects Society president Ron Ross (left) « and Pro Howard Dirks hold the ribbon while Miss Interior B.C. Judi Closk and District Aqua ” a does the cutting marking Centre. 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PIPELINE PITT ROAD CALL PLANT 693-2430 CASTLEGAR 365-2430 Foot Care MODERN REFLEXOLOGY AND FOOT CARE ¢ > -_ 2808 Columbia Ave. = S. Castlegar 365-5121 CASTLEGAR FUNERAL CHAPEL Dedicated to kindly thoughttul service COMPLETE FUNERAL SERVICE Cremation, Traditional Burial ond Pre-Arrangement Plan Avaliable Granite, Bronze Memorials Cremation Urns and Plaques PHONE 365-3222 We Lo Le Noy B.C. O.D. OPTOMETRIST 1012 - 4th St., Castlegar PHONE 365-3361 Tuesday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m Saturday 9a.m. to 12 Noon ROOF REPAIR * Quality Work * Exceptional Prices * FREE Estimates CALL JAMES 365-3282 Experienced Rooter WEB PRESS FACILITIES All Types of Commercial Printing @ Typesetting Castlegar News 197 Columbia Ave. — 365-7266 ROOFING * Guaranteed Work * Fair Prices * 30 Years 'in Business * Free Estimates JAMES SWANSON AND SONS Ph. 367-7680 Septic Service — COLEMAN COUNTRY BOY SERVICE Sump & Septic Tank Pumping Phore 365-5013 3400-4th Avenue Castlegar Robson post office to be privatized 1 By SIMON BIRCH Editor Canada Post has announced it plans to privatize the Robson post office and is seeking applications from Robson businesses to take over the federal Crown cor- poration’s postal services in that community Local mail delivery will be main- tained but may also be provided through a retail postal outlet depending on customer preferen- ce, According to a letter signed by Canada Post's 4 services of- ficer Martin DeBarros delivered to Robson residents last week Contacted Friday in Vancouver, % DeBarros referred the Castlegar News to Canada Post's media relations department whose spokesman said Canada Post will hold a public meeting in Robson in the next few weeks to discuss with local residents the proposed changes in service. Though the plans call for Canada Post to vacate the building it currently leases, media and community affairs officer Lisa Turner said Canada Post will not close down postal service in Rob- son **What I would like to do is use the word ‘conversion’ because I think that when you say ‘close’ what happens is people become afraid that what Canada Post is planning to do is completely pull out of their community and that there won't be any postal service there anymore,’’ Turner said “That's not the case (in Robson)."" ON THE MOVE . . Robson postmaster Vera Salekin has been offered onener job by Canada Post following the Crown it plans to p Covttows photo by fd Mitty services in Robson. She said Canada Post is asking businesses in the area to let Canada Post know by Jan. 17 if they are in- terested in operating a retail postal franchise. “The franchise is in essence a postal contractural arrangement where a business provides all the same ser vices that the corporate post office would have offered but it offers it on a franchise contract which continued on page A2 Deadline extended for comments on report By SIMON BIRCH Editor Celgar Pulp Co. has extended to Feb. 3 the deadline for public comment on the company’s 25@-page environ- mental impact assessment for the proposed expansion of the Castlegar pulp mill. The previous deadline was Jan. 26 The environmental impact report, which is highly technical in parts, looks fat how Celgar pulp mill operates, how it handles its wastes and how the $650- million expansion and modernization of the mill is expected to affect the mill's emissions. ‘*From what I've read so far, the air and water are going to be a lot better than they are now,"’ Castlegar Mayor Audrey Moore’said Friday, ‘I think that’s good news.” But a spokesman for a group formed to seek more information about the proposed expansion criticized Satur day the lack of time, even with the ex. tension, to respond to the environmen. tal impact assessment “The 30-day period is absolutely unreasonable," said Wayne Peppard of the Coalition for Information on the Pulp Mill Expansion (CIPE), of ficially named Saturday “This is in excess of a 200-page document,"” Peppard noted, adding that there are other documents the coalition will pave to study to adequately respond—to the Celgar report Peppard said the coaltion has decided to formally participate in the public review process and will also pur- sue other avenues for public par ticipation at both the local and regional level. “The one thing that we are here to do is to identify the questions that are not answered, to identify information 84Ps, tO pursue what we can in terms of getting that public information out and to guarantee, as far as we are con cerned, that’ there be public par ticipation on a meaningful level in this whole process,” Peppard said. ‘I just want to make real clear that no one is against pulp mill expansion here. What we are concerned about is that the regional impacts be clearly put for ward, identified and analysed by all of the region not just the city of Castlegar." Peppard said several members of the coalition have reviewed the environ- mental impact assessment and have fgund ‘‘far more gaps than we've fond information.’ “We've established that there are a lot of problems gathering the infor mation regarding regional impacts,” he said. ‘‘We've got an awful lot of questions-and we're having a difficult time getting answers from anyone or them.’ Members of the coalition wil report “back to the groups they represent explaining the purpose of the continued on page A2 Worker happy to have job back TRAIL (CP) — A Trail man sajd he feels ‘*fantastic’’ now that his former employer has agreed to rehire him and compensate him after previously saying he was too fat to work Cominco Ltd. has given Robert Hamlyn back his job as a plant laborer at the company’s lead and zinc smelter, and paid him $65,000 to compensate for lost wages and $2,000 for the humiliation suffered, said Cominco lawyer Nicole Byres “We've hired him backs He starts work Monday,"’ said Byres, adding the company decided not to appeal the ruling by the B.C. Council of Human Rights ordering Cominco to rehire, compensate and restore seniority rights to the 145-kilogram (320-poundy worker The company’s stance is a change from two weeks ago, when Byres said Cominco was considering an appeal “The money is great, but it's having @ full-time job again that matters,”’ said Hamlyn,°38, who has been sup- porting his wife and daughter with odd jobs, welfare or unemployment in surance in the 2' years sincé Cominco refused to rehire him after a layoff Hamlyn gained about 13 kilograms after being laid off in February of 1986 and shot up to about 160 kilograms when Cominco refused to rehire him in March 1987. * That's when Hamlyn took his case tothe human rights council é The human rights coun8i said in a Dec. 8 decision that Cominco had un fairly discriminated against Hamlyn because of his size when it refused to rehire him . Cominco argued before a ‘council hearing earlier this year that Hamlyn was too fat to do his job, which required him to enter small spaces and confined areas Hamlyn argued that when he worked for the company from 1979 to 1986 he had a usual weight of over 160 kilograms and was able to do his job