Pa sanisURe NT ENR A DRAM RAE TNR NEA Wednesday, November 18, 1992 # Is ; PAGE INtON Op Dave McCullough Publisher Scott David Harrison Editor Bob Proctor Marketing Manager Mickey Read Composing Room Foreman Warren Chernoff Accountant Mary Ann Fullerton Circulation Manager Burt Campbell iP OurViEWS Outhouse outlandish Se rookie councillor Doug Green has ruffled a few feathers. How dare this wet-behind-the-ears councillor challenge the bureaucratic framework that has allowed our city to flourish at a snail’s pace. Green has captured the ire of more than a few of his cohorts these days. The new kid on the block is being criticized for not using proper protocol, after all, Green had the audacity to question the merits of a city hall renovation project. Proper protocol? Who’s kidding who? We're talking about Castlegar, not Buckingham Palace. Green has every right to ask questions about this project, especially when you consider that these renovations will cost taxpayers some $900,000. Furthermore, Green should continue to ask questions about this project, all the while crossing his fingers that the progressive thinkers at city hall will see the expenditure as a stop-gap measure. Renovations to the Castlegar city hall will make this building functional, at best. All the paint in the world can’t make this building anymore attractive than your average outhouse. If the city wanted to use the taxpayers’ money wisely, it would stop pretending that $900,000 will make a difference and recognize that an entire new building is needed. The city has two choices — spend a littie now or a lot later. I first met Moe Sihota Mum’s the word wi ~ i — silent Sihota him on the NDP policy for when I was 23 years old. A student at the University of Victoria, I was living with my aunt and uncle in the riding of Esquimalt-Port Renfrew. It was Oct. 18, 1986 and British Columbia was in the midst of a_ provincial election — Bob Skelly versus Bill Vander Zalm. Esquimalt-Port Renfrew was considered a swing riding — the incumbent New Democrat was stepping down, passing the party’s future off on a young, upstart kid named Moe Sihota. I met Sihota on Oct. 18 — four days before Vander Zalm, with the help of slanted television coverage — demolished Skelly in the provincial election. Sihota knocked on the front door on Oct. 18, his hand extended and his mouth moving. He was in luck — this Collwood home was a bastion of New Democrat support — myself included. I began chatting with Sihota, quizzing Harrison tw Comparison Student loans, post- secondary education and the deficit. His answers were short, snappy and to the point. To say the least, I was impressed with his honesty and commitment. I spent the next four days tracking voters and ' making telephone calls on Sihota’s behalf. | Election night was bittersweet for Sihota and _____ us workers. The new kid . on the block walked away with Esquimalt-Port Renfrew, but the party was trounced by Vander Zalm and his pearly whites. I moved to Quebec shortly after the election — tired of the concrete jungle known as UVic. I opted to study at Bishop’s University, continuing my political ties with British Columbia, going as far as to organize out-of-province students against the Socred loan policies. please see HARRISON page 7 Street TALK Publisher Emeritus LV. Campbell Aug. 7, 1947- Feb. 15, 1973 Question: Do you think the 30-day gun amnesty program is long enough to be effective? John Jackman Castlegar “[m against it. It’s a disguised effort to disarm this country.” Debby Rajala Nelson “No. Because some may be hesitant for a while.” Angus Beattie Castlegar “I would think 30 days should be long enough.” Paul DaCosta Castlegar Cyril Burton Castlegar “It should be at least a couple of months.” “It should be — if people really want to turn them in.” @ Wednesday, November 18, 1992 The News /) — = 2 DS = C Please address all letters to: Letters to the or deliver them to 197 Columbia Ave. 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 9a.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 anonymously. Even in those cases, the name, address and phone number of the writer MUST be disclosed to the editor. The News reserves the right to edit letters for brevity, clarity, legality, grammar and taste. Letters coW\HE EDITOR Where’s the Christmas spirit? In response to George Stein, What happened to Christmas that was spontaneous? Well, we grew up and now we do the work our parents did so Christmas can be “spontaneous” for our children. ‘And as for the retailers setting up early, some people have friends and relatives living over seas and must send parcels by a certain date, to be received in time for Christmas. And some of us like to buy for Christmas early and stay away from the Christmas rush. If you don’t want to take the time for Christmas, go for it, but you do not need an excuse. Every year we have someone who must complain about Christmas and commercialism. Christmas has been “so commercialized” since before I was born. It’s your choice to celebrate Christ’s birthday when and how you wish, God Bless. Karen Groutage Ootischenia United Way continues hard work As local president of the Canadian Red Cross, I'd like to publicly acknowledge the wonderful support that the United Way gives to us. It’s donations from local folks to the United Way which enables us to provide the services we do. In Castlegar and area in the past year, for example, we have been able to provide education on international relief and development; collect 368 units of blood; train 501 people in life saving first aid skills; put 900 local people through swimming and boating training; and we helped 98 clients with the free use of health care equipment. Although 95 per cent of Red Cross work is done by volunteers, it still takes money. If it weren’t for the United Way, we (and many other organizations) would be out there knocking on doors and running events to raise needed funds. What a great system it is to have one group with its pi task to work hard to raise these funds through one campaign. Thanks to the donors and the many United Way workers — we and those we help salute you. Kirk Duff Castlegar Branch President Canadian Airlines needs support To the Prime Minister, I am writing to urge your government to offer its immediate and unequivocal support for the latest bid from the 16,000 employees of Canadian Airlines International to save their company and protect their jobs: British Columbians deserve to know that the federal government is doing everything in its power to preserve the 8,000 B.C. jobs that are at stake. Canadian Airlines customers also deserve some immediate assurance from the federal government that they can continue to have confidence in the company. I recognize the complexity of this issue and the risk to taxpayers associated with it. Certainly it is anticipated that all governments involved are taking — and should take — maximum precaution to minimize their exposure and risk. Nevertheless, it is now up to these same governments to take such steps as may be necessary to save Canadian Airlines, not only for the employees involved, but for all Canadians. As I am sure you appreciate, the costs associated with the collapse of Canadian Airlines far exceed the costs of keeping it solvent. Again, I urge you to stand behind the employees’ bid and commit the requisite loan guarantees in concert with the provincial governments. Jack Weisgerber Social Credit leader Government turns its back on veterans Disappointment, disbelievement and anger are words, I can only express of the federal government and labor in suggesting changing the November 11 holiday to coincide with a long weekend. Nov. 11, 1918 — armistice officially ended the First World War. The government has stated there will be no wreaths next year, a saving of $12,000 taxpayers monies. Couldn't some of the GST monies be put towards a wreath? We try to educate our children on what has happened in the past. We are now educating our children in Canadian history, past, present and future. Armistice — the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month is a very important Canadian date that our children should know. How can you explain Canadian history if you move the date to coincide in having a long weekend? Have we, as Canadians, become so uncaring that we are not concerned what has happened in the past? Are we so selfish that all we want is a long weekend? To me this is a very sad situation. Nov. 11 holiday is unique and should never be changed. If this significant holiday can be changed by the federal government and labor, then I can assume that Dec. 25th (Jesus's Birth) is next. Some holidays can be changed but not Nov. 11. We want our children to understand why we have a holiday on a Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday. We want our children to know that this is a day of remembrance not a holiday. Let’s get together in observing Remembrance Day on the 11th day, of the 11th hour of the 11th Month. Bev Maloff Castlegar Harrison continued from page 6 Why, I was a pretty popular figure with the then-Post- Secondary Education Minister Stan Hagen... who somehow lost all those messages I left with him. It’s a miracle my submission to the Royal Commission on Post-Secondary Funding made it to the committee floor. Hagen wasn’t the first politician I dogged and he won't be the last. Hardly. I remember those less-than-polite chats with Flora MacDonald after she arbitrarily axed the Katimavik youth program. Which brings me to Moe... a man I have the utmost respect for, despite the fact that my leftist tendencies have been replace with middle-of-the-road liberalism. See, I think Sihota is giving me the runaround. And it all has to do with Cominco. You recall sometime ago that I wrote a column about Cominco’s financial woes. You may also-recall that Economic Development Minister David Zirnhelt rejected a Job Protection Commission report that outlined how various tax breaks could ensure the long- term viability of the Trail operation. Zirnhelt’s tough stand was made on a Tuesday, and two days later Sihota jumped onto the scene, announcing that the government would provide Cominco with $50 million in load guarantees. If it seems odd to hear the Labor Minister superceding the powers of the Economic Development Minister, you’re right. Thanks to a tip, I began exploring that angle to no avail. I talked to B.C. Federation of Labor President Ken Georgetti and asked him if he played a role in Sihota’s announcement. The most the former steelworkers president would say was that he spoke to Sihota — about what, was my guess. And guess I did. To this day I believe that Georgetti twisted the government’s labor-loving arm, prompting Sihota to stick his neck out and make a ridiculous announcement that no one will confirm. For the past three-plus months, I’ve been trying to contact Sihota about Cominco, but the Labor Minister wants nothing to do with me. It’s become embarrassing to his office and his press agent, who — after some 40 phone calls — recognize my voice. “Hi Scott,” they politely say. “I know he got your messages, but he’s been really busy.” Yah, right. I have left messages with your office since Aug. 19 and you have seen fit to let them collect in some second- story waste paper basket. Pick up the phone, Moe. I can only dial 1-387-1986 so many times before it becomes obvious that your $50 million carrot doesn’t exist. Because Cominco is Castlegar’s biggest employer, I have a duty to find out what the government’s plans are. Until I hear the official word, I can only believe that you were speaking out of turn and teasing the 2,000-plus workers at Cominco. What ever happened to that straight-shooting upstart I campaigned for in 1986?