Saturday, July 11, 1992 @ By Gary Larson TheFARSIDE echinod erm POSS Reagor giant squid Paseer > AA leech ie te wT Madonna, O} mosquito oS tick Gomme musk ox cockroach Jogger ie Lips of the animal kingdom Local MD’s Glen Freeman NEWS REPORTER ; Doctors all over , the province are roves the passing of Bilge y © spending, has “so disgusted ” ¥ the government that many have decided to close their offices. AB.C. Medical Association member who did not wish to identi said “action is be- taken by doctors all over wit Biagio and Duncan (were) “out (Thursday), Williams > Lake Friday, Langley, Surrey and White Rock next week — and the list is changing daily.” Doctors in those areas have chosen to close their offices as a sign to Health Minister Eliz- abeth Cull that they “will not be responsible” for govern- ment underfunding. der action But Castlegar may have es- caped this medical tug-of-war. “We don’t have anything planned in the next week or so,” said Castlegar BCMA rep- resentative Dr. Jon Van Vliet. “That doesn’t mean we're not upset, it just means we don’t have anything planned at the moment.” However, Van Vliet sug- gested that may change. “This is important to us. We're not going to play dead.” Trial set for November NEWS STAFF A 57-year-old Castlegar man appeared irr local court Thursday to answer charges of sexual and indecent assault. “He elected to be tried by judge and jury and the matter was put down for a prelimi- nary inquiry for Nov. 25 and 26,” said Crown Counsel Dana Urban. The accused has been charged with three counts of indecent assault and five counts of sexual assault on both males and females. According to Urban, the as- saults allegedly took place be- tween .1952 and 1991 in Castlegar, Radium, Pass Federal loan funds available to new or expanding businesses that will create new A representative of KREDA will be in FOR AN APPOINTMENT: or for more information call KREDA 352-1933 Bluetop Burger Gia PS Creek and Trail. Urban said the delay in the trial was unavoidable because of “availability of court dates.” All 4 pieces: Loveseat, 2 chairs and table! needs. DOWNTOWN SHELL Welcomes Paul "Shorty" Gobat to their Automotive Department. specializes in small engine service and repair, and. is happy to assist you with your mechanical Shorty DOWNTOWN SHELL REPAIR AND SERVICE , 975 COLUMBIA AVE., CASTLEGAR - 365-6133 | | 183) ¥& Low Cost Warehouse Operation *& No Commission Sales Staff * Manufacturer's Volume Discounts Passed on to you NO FRILLS NO GIMMICKS LOW PRICES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: Mon-Sat: {0 am - 6 pm 4445 Minto Rd. . 365-6433 Sunday: Closed @ Saturday, July 11,1992 3m SecondFRONT | CALL THE NEWS @General Inquiries 365-7266 -OUR HOURS The News is located at 197 Columbia Ave. Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on weekends and statutory holidays. SUB RATES The News is published by Castle News Ltd. for Canwest Publishers Ltd. Mail subscription rate to The News is $37.50 per year. The price on newsstands is 75¢ for each edition. The price delivered by newspaper carrier for both editions is only 90¢ a week (collected monthly). GST extra. Second class mail registration number 0019. Lyle Kristiansen makes it official Scott David Harrison EDITOR It’s official, Lyle Kristiansen is getting out of political life. Saying the Free Trade Agreement is dismantling Canada, the Kootenay West- Revelstoke MP announced Wednesday that he has no desire to seek re-election. “I hope I’m not seen as jumping the ship,” Kristiansen said Thursday; “but I think at this point in time it’s better for some one else to have a crack at it.” Kristiansen said the Free Trade Agreement has all but ruined the nation, destroying a once-thriving manufacturing industry and bélittling Canada as a world power. Kristiansen also criticized the role of opposition parties in Canada. He said opposition parties have given away their powers to “stall and hold up legislation” in order to have greater input on committees. “All you end up doing, I think, is producing committee reports that the government never listens to,” Kristiansen lamented. Kristiansen also said that the powers of MPs have been diminished. He said funds he used to allocate to his riding under economic development programs “has been taken over by the bureaucracy. “It’s frustrating,” he admitted. “Before you used to be able to use some discretion and work in concert with community groups, but that doesn’t happen now.” Kristiansen said he has no reservations about leaving political life. “The riding needs someone ON THE ROCKS Castlegar and District Heritage Society president John Coyle (left) points out damage done to the causeway at Zuckerberg Island while B.C. Hydro officials Harold Gruber (centre) and Lachlan Russel (right) examine a boulder that was toppled by the recent flooding. Please see story page 5. News photo by Neil Rachynski Seniors getting short-changed W@ Action committee co-ordinator scoffs at slight Canada Pension increases Glen Freeman NEWS REPORTER The new rate for the federal Old Age Security pen- sion has been increased. But local seniors aren’t ther indication of the low-level at which the govern- ment is prepared to sustain life.” But Health and Welfare communications officer Tom Kelly disagrees. “The new increase should keep seniors purchasing power intact,” he said. “It’s based on figures from the Consumer Price Index which is baged on the rate of inflation. Now that inflation jumping for joy. “Oh wow,” said local Se- nior Citizens Action Com- mittee co-ordinator Elma Maund of the $1.87 monthly increase. was given in the last budget.’ — SCAC’s Elma Maund is fairly low the increases ‘Well, it beats the 37 cent increase that are down.” Kelly added that such in- creases are given quarterly, and the formula used by the “Well, it beats the 37 cent increase that was given in the last budget.” The increase raises the monthly pension of seniors 65 and older to $376.31 per month. Canada Pension was $347.93 in July of 1990 and $369.62 in July of 1991. “You cannot live on Canada Pension,” she added. “If you are a senior citizen in Canada depending on Canada Pension for your sustenance, it’s just a fur- power in tact.” government to determine in- creases “keeps purchasing “Seniors should be able to buy this month what they were able to buy last month.” But Maund says that’s part of the problem. “This isn’t going to help many people,” she said. “But the message isn’t that the government is being (cheap), it’s that if you want to have money when you’re retired, you better start saving now, buddy.” with more energy than I.” Three hopefuls are poised to fill Kristiansen’s New Democrat shoes, including Nelson’s Heather Suggitt and Revelstoke’s Mengia Nicholson. Former Nelson mayor and current Kristiansen assistant Gerald Rotering will announce his candidacy this week. Kristiansen said he wouldn’t endorse any of the three New Democrat hopefuls, however. “Certainly, all three of these are excellent candidates. I may have personal preferences, but I'll keep that to myself.” Withdrawals alarm local carpenters Scott David Harrison EDITOR ‘ The local carpenters union is concerned about withdrawals from the Castlegar Savings Credit Union. Despite being outraged that the CSCU awarded the contract for its new complex to a non- union company, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners is asking trade unionists to keep their money in the bank. “(Closing accounts) is something we don’t want at all,” the union’s Gil Arnold said Thursday. Arnold said he was alarmed to discover that some trade unionists were leaving the local institution in protest after it awarded the building contract to Brilliant-based William Berg Construction Ltd. He said angry unionists have to stay with the CSCU if they want to have an impact on its future. “We need all the voters we can get if we want to effect changes on the board,” he said. The carpenters union is attempting to have the CSCU’s board of directors reviewed. Arnold said that can be done only if five per cent of the CSCU’s members sign a yet-to- be-circulated petition. “It’s in our best interest to stay with the CSCU,” he said. Despite his disappointment, Arnold said he is staying put with the CSCU. “I, personally, would be nowhere without the Castlegar Savings Credit Union,” he said. “It has helped me and my family so much. - “People have to remember that the Castlegar Savings Crédit Union is about much more than its board, which, with any luck, will be out of the