BAS Ma a

November 25, 1992

Cast!
7

ZB
jar Sun

PUBLISHER MARILYN STRONG

editorial comment

Voting

blind

only causes

disser

vice

Just when Castlegar City Council was becoming more
responsible. And just when it looked as if council members
understood that the decisions they make affect the taxpayers
in this community, an incident occurs and we are reminded

why groups such as the Coaltion U1
cacy are needed.

‘Fhe issue this time involves the
city council i to be an i

Inaccepting Rash Bureau-

local school board. What

oversight has

tumed into an embarrassing issue for both them and the vic-
tims of their flawed policy—the school board trustees.

City council, in their
raise their hands and pass motions,

all-to-hasty ap to
allowed a six-page docu-

ment to slip through the system without full examination.
B

of this

ight (or near bili

councillors

| failed to recognize that much of the contents of this report
would land them in a puddle of controversy. Ignorant of the
information on paper, city councillors jumped into that pud-

die head first.

City Ci illor Doreen S:

believing she had the

full-support of her political peers behind her (she had no rea-
som not to believe so), presented the information which the
city had allowed, to a Provincial Education Funding Review

_ Panel in Cranbrook.

The information in that report not only belittled the role
of local school boards, it accused these elected bodies of
having their own hidden agendas and purposes.

Can anyone blame Gordon Turner and the local school

board trustees for feeling rather
council?

“slighted” by their city

Council's failure to read beforehand what it was they

were voting on definitely ruffled a

few feathers. But what's

the excuse? That they were handed the package late and

therefore did not have time to th
tents? If that's the excuse, it's not a

oroughly digest its con-
good one.

By now, city council should realize that what the citizens

of Castlegar really want is honest
being honest by admitting he/she d
report and therefore is incapabl
argue?

ry. And if a councillor is
lid not have time to read a
le of voting, who could

Members of council have been placed in their elective

Positions to vote on policy—policy

which affects every indi-

vidual in Castlegar in the long run. To vote blindly on any
issue, large or small, is doing a disservice to everyone.

To City Council's merit, a humble apology was provided
to the school board by Mayor Audrey Moore. The apology,
however, was not for what was contained in the report, but
for the flawed policy which allowed it to pass without possi-

ble scrutiny in the first place.

It will be interesting to know whether the school board

realizes the difference.

By Don Addis

© 1982 Creators Synotcate inc

i,

wily

The Castidgar Sun

Z/i\\S

4S POLITICALLY INDEPENDENT AND A
MEMBER OF THE STERLING NEWS SERVICE
Established November 28, 1990

Published by The Cas
Weekly on Ws

Sun
jays

465 Columbia Ave., Castlegar, B.C. VIN 1G8

A season for caution in sun
In Canada, predators have the right to be nox-

ious animals. Noxious animals can be found all
over the globe, but there are more of them in

some places than in others.
It was while living in A

lia that I b d

curled up on the floor on the passenger side.
When he did notice it, he calmly drove to the
local wildlife station and asked the ranger to
remove it! It took four rangers most of the morn-
the task! A

find this

ly learned that although many of their animals are
dangerous and even lethal, they are also protect-
ed. Thus, the instructions for snake bite included
the suggestion that if bitten by a snake and

ing to acc

sighting of the snake!

rushed to hospital for treatment, you should bring
the reptile with you for positive identification.

I often wondered just

how one was supposed

to accomplish that? What would happen at the
emergency facilities should you appear with a
live taipan or desert brown snake, the two most
lethal specimens? I can just imagine the stir you
would cause at one of the bush hospitals! You
certainly would not be very popular with any of

the staff?

While living in Queensland, I heard a tale
In Australia, a
Queenslander is notoriously as tough as old
boots, fearless, and looked upon, especially by
his cousins to the south, as rather like the Canadi-
an Paul Bunyan, but without the Prince George
tuxedo. Queenslanders are the blokes who wear
shorts and heavy sweaters all winter long while

which I believe to be true

others in the south are “rugged up”.

Winter in Australia, even in the north, can be
considered cold in a coastal climate where win-
ters bring high humidity. The story goes that a
Queenslander had climbed into his “ute” (a utility
or truck) one “frosty” morning, (They call dew
“frost” in Northern Queensland!), and drove off
to work without noticing a desert brown snake

in riot gear. They hunted high and low ‘but could
not find the cobra and, finally, left. So did our
friends. They moved out that very afternoon!

In Florida, my sister was almost struck by an
Eastern Diamondback, not unlike our western
rattlesnake, with a nasty and aggressive tempera-
ment. Fortunately, she quickly slammed their
shed door shut and the snake struck the closed
door! The Naples Fire Department, when
requested, came by and dispatched the snake. She
has told me about the cottonmouths, water moc-
casins and alligators in their nearby lake. One
afternoon, while hanging our bathing suits to dry,
I spotted something long, black and shiny mov-
ing about in the shallow water near their back
lawn. I did not stay around long enough to identi-
fy what it was! These tales indicate that I am, by

story hilarious. (It just shows you have to be
there!) I would have abandoned the car at first

We visited friends, working in Kuala Lumpur,

nier climates
nature, a cautious person. It has kept me alive. In
Australia, I was known to wade through tall grass
in my knee-high leather boots chanting “Shoo,
snake! Shoo, snake!” Well, it worked! I saw‘very
few snakes in the almost decade I lived with
them in close proximity.

On holiday in Florida last Christmas, we drove

across the Tamiami Trail to Fort Lauderdale and

1} who found a
cobra on
their son's
bed one
morning,
and called
the Fire
Department
who arrived

lost count of the alligators sunning themselves on
the riverbanks along the way. Most of them were
Positively huge! Subsequently, my golf game suf-
fered accordingly, having to keep one eye open
for alligators in the casual water’ I have used the
same excuse here at home, but my fellow golfers
do not give much credence for it!

While visiting family in the Caribbean, we
were treated to a picnic in the mountains, includ-
ing a few hours of picking citrus fruits. We were
happily engaged in filling the woven baskets
when we were cautioned that we were “above the
line”. Not quite understanding this warning, we
enquired further to lear that the reason we had
not seen any snakes on the island was that the
mongoose had been imported years before to take
care of them. However, the mongoose does not
thrive above 3,000 feet and so the snakes do, par-
ticularly the deadly fer de lance. That was the end
of picking oranges for me!

In Canada, snakes are not considered preda-
tors, though they certainly are from the point of
view of birds, toads-and frogs. You can be hulled
into a false sense of security and then be exposed
to unexpected predators. If-your Christmas holi-
days are to be spent in warmer climates, it is the
season to be cautious!

Harcourt labor legislation erodes the rights of the individual

GORDON WILSON

The Harcourt government's new
labor legislation will fundamental-
ly change the way labor relations
are structured in this province
One major concern the Liberal
Opposition has with this new code
is that it erodes the rights of the
individual while supporting the
rights of the union and manage-
ment elite

During debate on the Labour
Code in the Legislature, the Liberal
Opposition is looking after the
interests not only of employees who
are represented by a trade union and

the rights of management, but of the
individual right of the workers as
well — those people who must be
free to choose whether they want to
be in a union or not. If a worker is
represented by a trade union, the
Liberal Party wants to make sure
that their individual right as a mem
ber of that trade union is not eroded.
In the Labour Relations Code — Bill
84 — employees are mentioned only
once.

Labor legislation should not
only protect unions; it should pro-
tect organized workers: individual
laborers, working men and
women.

This legislation removes the

emphasis on the employee and
puts in the protection for the union
itself. It looks after the interests of
the union, of those who are in
executive positions and who will
be able to advance the desire of
the union. But who looks after and
protects the right of the individual
as a member of that component?

The Harcourt government is
obsessed with the collective rights
of the union at the expense of the
individual rights of an employee.
That's the fundamental basis of the
new labor legislation.

And to those who say whose
side is the Liberal Party on? Let
me be very clear that we're on the

side of the men and women of
British Columbia who work,
whether they're unionized or not
and whether they're in manage-
ment or a union-management posi-
tion.

We're on the side of all the peo-
ple of this province and not any
one component group

The Liberal Party is founded on
a basis of fundamental principles,
which are to ensure that all parties
affected by the new labor legisla-
tion get a fair deal. The Liberal Party
believes in the sanctity of the basic,
fundamental rights of the individual,
and those have been removed from
this legislation.

Slings
and
arrows

Nigel
Hannaford

Syndicated
Columnist

So Dr Peter has died and is
buried

We take delight in the death of
no man. The fellow had AIDS, he
suffered and he died. That is a
shame. He kept his spirits up and
gave many of us a look at what
the effects of this disease are

That was instructive

But as he stands on the thres-
hold of being declared a secular
saint - he has already received an
honorary doctorate from the Open
Learning Agency and there is talk
of a nomination to the Order of
Canada - let us pause a moment
for perspective.

He was homosexual. He was
quite straightforward about that
It was as a result of his homosex-
ual activities that he got AIDS

Now, when a man is the author
of his own misfortunes, should he
indeed not bear the consequences
with steadfastness? Does he
deserve the acclaim of the media
and the affirmation of public
honor? I would say not. Our sym:
pathy and understanding. yes A
pedestal. no

The point becomes clearer if
one considers Terry Fox. Mr Fox
did not choose to get cancer, nor
did he choose a lifestyle which
would contribute to it. He didn’t
even smoke. His affliction was in

no sense any fault of his own.
When he rose to meet the chal-
lenge it presented, he did so with
courage and grace and inspired a
whole generation of young peo-
ple. The Order of Canada which
was bestowed upon him was mer-
ited

Coming back to AIDS, one
feels great sadness when one con-
siders the plight of a person who
gets it through a blood ttansfu-
sion. During my tenure at Fort St
John, such a case came to the
attention of the Alaska Highway
News and my recollection of that
was that the whole family
deserved a medal for the way they
handled it. However, media atten
tion was discreet, at their request

So, what it boils down to is
this Dr Peter may have been a
decent enough man, his homosex-
uality does not preclude that
Still, anybody who knowingly
and recklessly drove down the
wrong side of a dual-carriageway,
sustained a head-on collision and

kept his wits about him while he
died of the inevitable injuries
would have an equal claim to an
honorary doctorate and the Order
of Canada - provided that the
CBC could be induced to film his
lingering departure. Presented
thus, the mawkish sentimentality
lavished upon this unfortunate
doctor is plainly ridiculous.

It is futhermore quite plain that
it is the intention of the gay-rights
lobby and their sympathisers in
the media to create an icon from
his memory and portray his

lifestyle as blameless, his so-—

called spirituality (“I accept and
absorb the power of the earth...')
as profound and his death in some
way noble. We must protest
There is nothing in this man’s life
or death which presents a useful
model to the rest of us.

Ed. Note: The opinion of this
columnist in no way reflects the
views and position of The Castle-
gar Sun

Wednesday, November 25, 1992

The Castlegar Sun

Page 7A

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

cousins would I have had the
knowing? But thanks to the

Last Wednesday was Remembrance Day
again - dark and dull and grey as usual. Once
again I awaited that highly symbolic eleventh
hour to pay me due respect to the fallen. And
again I dusted off that little portrait of the
handsome uniformed lad who would have
been my Uncle Arthur if he had not been
killed eighteen years before I was born -
killed in France in 1916, fighting that grue-
some “war to end all wars”. That depressing,
drawn-out war didn’t end all wars - nor did
the equally tragic World War II - nor did the
endless parade of lesser wars since then.

Again I wondered what he would have
been like if he had been allowed to live out
his life. Would he have been musical like his
four brothers and six sisters? Who would
have been his chosen wife and what other
pleasure of

Where are the wh

witnessing organized genocide in the 1990's?
We dared to think we had turned the comer
on that nauseating practice with the end of
World War I Who would have believed we
would see little children and their
ers gunned down in cold blood as they
mourned for loved ones in a cemetery? Inno-
cent people shot for bounty money - no more
than crows or wolves to the heartless finger
on the trigger. And what we see in Somalia is
even worse. And the big cities of our land
witness gruesome murders of mothers in
front of their own children.

Where are the peace groups now? And
what pathetic weak efforts we are seeing
from our “white knight”, the United Nations,
to end the ungodly conduct in Yugoslavia.
Why are we western powers sitting on the
fence as though watching some tragic drama
Staged for our entertainment? Why are we

ite knights now?

years ago to stop Adolf Hitler the Jewish race
would now be extinct from Planet Earth. And
yet we make no serious effort to stop the
daily genocide in Yugoslavia

What an irony that in the recent case of
Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait (where
‘oil is king) the western powers took swift and
massive military action to liberate the victim-
ized country. Yet now they become pristinely
ethical and say they can’t get involved in
Yugoslavia. And all the while the niutder and
genocide go on day after day - far worse than
anything we saw in Kuwait. And those who
aren't dead or dying have the privilege of
starving and freezing to death this winter.

Where are the white knights of the U.S.
and France and Britain now? — those “smart
war” kings who moved so swiftly to erase the
indignity done to their oil barons in Kuwait?
Behind a haycock fast asleep — and all the

grandmoth-

other Kootenay lads.

from a big exploding canon shell he was
snuffed out in the prime of life - like so many

I try to console myself into thinking that
the human race is getting kinder year by year.
But who would have believed we would be

wave

ig by while the
Stage a 1990 revival of the Crusades to wipe
‘out the Moslems once and for all?

lied “Christians”

Even our respected Canadian generals are

hedging around and saying that Canada
should not get involved. Surely they know
that if the Allies had not joined forces fifty

while the rape and pillage and murder of
decent people goes on apace day after day.

ELF. Killough
Castlegar

Castlegar missed out

Dear Editor:

When I read the local papers
about the super performance of
the young swimmers in our area;
it really bugs me that the Castle-
gar Aquatic Centre was not built
to Olympic measurements.
Money was spent on murals and
many extras not really a necessi-
ty in an establishment of that
size.

My two granddaughters Julia

22 and Cyndy 20 Schwartzen-

hauer, are avid synchronized
swimmers in Whitby, Ontario,
McGill University in Montreal,
and York University in Toronto.
My son George was raised here
from 1950 - 1969 and he deliv-
ered many newspapers around
Castlegar for years. When he saw
the Castlegar pool two years ago,
he wondered why the planners
spent money on so many frills,
but did not build an Olympic size
pool.

If the City of Trail gets the go-
ahead to build an indoor pool, it
will benefit from Castlegar’s
mistakes, when all our super
swimmers drive to Trail to train
and perform for future Olympics
at the Trail Swim Club.

Obituary
Rolf Jacobson

Another beef — the proposed
RCMP headquarters could have
been built as a second story with
an elevator service over the court
house top floor, both are federal

No communication problem here!

Dear Editor:

Is the Ministry of Forest
(Arrow Forest District) attempting
to use divide and conquer meth-
ods in it's treatment of the Glade
community and it's struggle to
make itself heard through the
media? To insinuate that the
Glade Community Watershed
Committee (G.C.W.C.) “had
taken over” from the Glade Irriga-
tion District is a misconception
voiced by timber resource officer
Len Eddy in the Saturday,
November 14 issue of “The
News”. It is true that “the irriga-
tion district is an elected body that
would normally voice Glade's
water concern’s, but that neither
prohibits nor excludes water users
from publict

cal committee, leaves much to be
desired in terms of negotiating
delicacy, “Who do we respond to,
+» Who are we dealing with? Some
of these questions are vague and
nebulous.” The letter in question
was written by the G.C_W.C. with
a return address attached. The
questions are an honest and direct
(and as yet unanswered) appeal
for information regarding logging
in our specific watershed.

During the well attended
September 28 M.O.F. meeting
with the Glade residents we were
quickly informed by the M.O.F.
that we were to have no say in
whether or not to log but rather
how they would log. Their main
objective was to persuade Glade

P ly ing by the
Glade Irrigation District trustees
to look into the matter of the pro-
posed harvesting in Glade’s
watershed.

The quoted reaction of Len
Eddy to a letter from the
G.C.W.C. to the District Forest
office, requesting inf ion

to ipate in a techni-
cal committee which would give
tacit approval of the logging in
our watershed.

Will Glade residents really
have any say in the fate of their
watershed? Len Eddy stated—
“There is obviously a communi-

i but the G.C.W.C.

prior to the formation of a techni-

Vallican school reunion planned

The following is an open letter to the people of

the West Kootenay.

Did you ever or do you know anyone who
ded Vallican Bh

responsibilities — not ici

pal. Again City Council was
asleep at the switch, they love to
spend other people’s money, we
the tax payers’.

I’m still lobbying for a side-
walk on my street. I call it Pau-
pers Row, and now it is a
sightseeing area with three story
homes sprouting up between fifty
year old homes. It’s more fun
than a trip to Zuckerberg Island. I
know my taxes will go up again
even though there is still no sign
of a sidewalk to walk on nor are
the potholes on the street disap-
pearing.

Merry Christmas and cheers to
all the oldtimers, my staunch
readers and supporters. God
Bless You All!

P.S..Watch your step at City
Hall “Jim Boy” in 1993.

Fern Schwartzenhauer

rY

We are planning a reunion for everyone who

ever attended or tanght

at Vallican School. It will
take place at the school which is now called the
Vallican Heritage Hall, on July 31 and August 1,

1993. We are looking for information on anyone

30 - 40 year history.

Please spread the word, we would love to see
everyone again!

taught there during its

: Noni Tedesco

How dare we forget the true meanin

Dear Editor:

How dare the Federal Govern-
ment and Labor even think that
they could change Armistice Day,
to accommodate a long weekend.

Are they looking for “War”. It
is really sad that their shallow
thinking has overshadowed what
this day stands for.

If it were not for the men and
women who gave their lives to
protect our freedom, they
wouldn't even be here. These
people would roll over in their
graves if they knew what is going
on today.

November 11 has a very sig-
nificant meaning—the eleventh
month, eleventh day, eleventh
hour, and can not mean anything
else.

I believe that almost every
Canadian family has been
touched by the two World Wars.
It was someone's grandfather,
father, brother, uncle, aunt or sis-
ter who served their country.
They know the cruel reality of
what happened

Don't think that for one
minute that the Veterans, or the
people who believe that this date

School board should take blame for funding fumble

Dear Editor:

I am writing to you in regards
to the write-up in the Castlegar
Sun “School Board told to give
back $1.5 million” This open let-
ter is addressed to Mr. Kinakin.

Dear Mr. Kinakin:

Why don’t you put the blame
where it belongs, it is not the
Ministry, but the Board who
applied for approval of $1.5 mil-
lion dollars to renovate Twin
Rivers School. That is what the
Board asked for and that is what

P as an at
Cominco for 33 years. Rolf
retired in 1969 and spent his
last years in Robson and
Castlegar. He married Sarah

He enjoyed golfing, fish
and curling and was a mem-
ber of the Castlegar Senior’s
Association. His many hob-
bies included tin and
woodwork which he shared

garet Ink, Eileen

Bisie Penner and Dorothy

Bolton; sister-in-law Mickie

Jacobson of Castlegar, and
nephews.

Friends wishing to do so
may make a donation to the
Alsheimer or Cancer Societies.

they ived.

So now, you are saying that the
Ministry should have known that
renovation means rebuild. You
got what you asked for but now
say “No, that’s not what we want-
ed”. The Board knew that the
school was old and was not going
to hold the Russian Emmersian
Program, where students trav-
elled from all different areas of
the city, as well as special needs,
as well as the students who right-
fully belong there. Why did the

Board not apply to rebuild rather
than renovate, six years ago?

Mr. Kinakin, as a trustee, you
could certainly use a better-
choice of words, when venting
your frustrations. Buy calling this
situation “Chicken Shit,” you cer-
tainly didn’t impress anyone. I
sure hope that it is only your
opinion, because if you are
speaking on behalf of the Board,
we are really in trouble. I hope
now, when you apply for your
approval to rebuild that you
don’t expect any more than
“Chicken Feed” for monies to do
it.

You no doubt voted for the
NDP in the last election, “So
what you vote, is what you get”.

Also to your counterpart, Eve-
lyn Voykin, who states the Board
has to educate Anita Hagen. I
suggest that you educate your-
selves, by getting a dictionary

is a day of remembering and not
a holiday would allow that.

It is just too bad our Federal
Government wouldn't get on with
the “business of the day” like the
economy, employment etc. And
stop wasting taxpayers’ money on
planning a three day holiday. Mr.
Mulroney, you and your party
should enjoy what time you have
left in office, to do something
constructive— not destructive

Also in regards to the Govern-
ment not spending $12,000 for
wreaths for Armistice Day. I am
sure that you can find the money
somewhere in your coffers. You
just spent $500 million dollars on
a i vote and you found

the It was refreshing to
know that Evelyn knows 6+6=12.
As far as being at the back of the
bus, you have to know how to
move to the front.

In closing, I really hope that
the School Board reconsiders
their position on this matter when
addressing the Ministry. By call-
ing names and criticizing will
only hamper your approval in the
future. If you chose not to, then
“good luck” in your attempts to
receive any funding from the

Ministry.

Jan Neumann
Castlegar

the money to do

The Prime Minister wanted to
make history by being the person
who put an end to the Constitu-
tion woes. But that didn’t work.
So now he wants to be known as
the uncaring, selfish Prime Min-

cation p
does not believe that the
lies within the community of
Glade!
Glade Community
Watershed Committee

With thanks

Dear Editor: t

I would like to say a big thank

you to my family and friends 4s

well as the Fiddlers for making

my birthday such a special day. ;

Thank you all. H
Lizzie L

g behind the day

ister who took Armistice Day
from the Veterans and people
who believe in its meaning.

Good luck, Mr. Prime Minis-
ter, because we as Canadians will
see that this little scheme doesn’t
work either.

Jan Neumann
A believer in Armistice Day

ROBSON
MECHANICAL
6
HEAVY DUTY AUTOMOTIVE
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

°
GENE WADDINGTON
365-7006

Ready To Go When You Are
For a great meal take us in to your
home. You will be pleasantly suprised.
For the best chicken in
the best chicken around.
“Remember, Anytime is Chicken Time”|
Celgar & Cominco meal tickets accepted

2816 Columbia Ave.

C ey

town,

and look at what the ing of
renovate and rebuild means.
Anita Hagen obviously knows

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST
GMC TRUCK VALUE

SALE
EXTENDED

DEC. 15/1992

MAS,

In-Store Ig

UP TO

& 30% or 35% orr

Dresses, Sportwear
Coats & Jackets

Department Store

GREAT GIFT IDEAS, SAVINGS & SELECTION

‘UP TO

Flannelette & Brushed Nylon
Sleepwear & Housecoats

Ladies Wear Depa

1217 - 3rd St., Castlegar
365-7782

yr
il