Novenber 22,1907 Castégar News _ +3 Kinakin joins NDP race 1984-85, the first year of Brian Mulroney's government, federal corporate income tax revenues were $9.4 billion compared to personal tax revenues Of $29.8 billion,” she states. “By 1986-87 corporate tax revenues remained steady at $9.3 billion, while personal income tax revenue increased to $37.8 billion. Tax reform is definitely one issue I will be talking about to our members.” : Kinakin says she will bring a new perspective to the discussion of free trade when she details how it will affect November 22, 1987 Mall plan delayed over anchor By SURJ RATTAN ‘Stall Writer for the federal NDP nomination in the new Kootenay West-Rev- elstoke riding. Dorothy Kinakin, a former director on the Regional District of Central Kootenay board, announced her decision to run this week in a prepared release. Kinakin joins former Kootenay West MP Lyle Kristian- sen, Nelson's Marty Horswill and Castlegar's Ron Schmidt in the race for the NDP nomination. women. Citing her concern about tax reform, free trade and the “A huge majority — over 80 per cent of women workers future impact of an increasingly senior population, Kinakin — are employed in the service sector including: advertising, said, “The.most effective way for me to serve the New .data p i and medical Democratic Party is put forward my name as candidate.” services to name just a few,” she suid in a prepared release. Kinakin has been a member and supporter of the NDP “If we are currently shipping medical lab work to Van- for over 20 years and currently is treasurer of the Nelson- couver, at the cost of jobs in our local area, what's to stop the Creston Constituency Association. huge U.S. medical corporations from taking this work right Presently employed by the Nelson school district as a out of Canada?” custodian, Kinakin is Secretary-Treasurer of Local 748 of the Kinakin’s long-range concerns include adequate plan- Canadian Union of Public Employees. ning for a growing proportion of senior citizens in Canada's A former Salmo resident, Kinakin now lives in Nélson, population. where she has served two terms on the Kootenay Lake “When I see what is happening to senior citizen's today, District Hospital Board. She says her varied background, _ half of whom are living below the poverty line, I sense the which also includes a small business ownership in Salmo, will urgency to not only provide an adequate income now, but enable her to not only win the nomination but to lead the also to prepare for a better live for future senior citizens.” local NDP to victory in the next federal election. Kinakin says her supporters represent a cross-section of “When it comes to the issues,” said Kinakin, “I do my NDP members and she feels it is an advantage to not be homework.” She dismisses the Conservative government's identified with any one sector of the party. recently proposed tax reforms with the comment that little “Tl talk to anyone and everyone,” she said. will change for the average working person. Kinakin said her previous elected positions give her the “We still have a federal government that is shifting experience to effectively represent the Kootenay West- taxes from corporations onto the backs of working people. In Revelstoke riding. Drivers pay up VANCOUVER (CP) — Bad drivers in British Columbia are going to pay more for penalty points — a lot more, says the Insurance Corp. of B.C. The Crown corporation announced Thursday that automobile insurance premiums will increase an average 22 per cent — about $90 for the average private passenger car — next year. It said that beginning Jan. 1, the penalty points premiums, which are tied to all driving infranctions whether an aceident’ happened or not, will in some cases more than triple. Christmas bonus VICTORIA (CP) — British Columbia income assistance recipients will get an increase in payments, starting Dec. 1, Social Services Minister Claude Rich- mond announced. Shelter benefits under the Guaranteed Available Income for Need program will rise by 10 to 20 per cent, Richmond said in a news release. will also get a Chri: bonus — $28 for single persons and $70 for families — which will added to their Deeember cheques. Mediation rejected VICTORIA (CP) — The B.C. Teachers’ Fed- eration has issued a hot edict against the Vancouver Island-West School District after the school board rejected mediation efforts and told teachers to accept binding arbitration. ‘The federation said the move amounts to contract stripping because items such as seniority, and working conditions will not be renewed. The hot edict means teachers in other school districts won't participate in the Vancouver Island- West district in music, sports or other activities. Shooting protested MONTREAL (CP) — Hundreds of people braved sub-zero temperatures and chilling winds Saturday to protest the death of black teenager Anthony Griffin, shot dead in a police station parking lot by a Montreal police officer on Nov. 11. Const. Allen Gosset was charged Friday with manslaughter in the shooting. The shivering demonstrators followed the dead man’s family and carried signs with slogans demanding “an end to police brutality.” « ‘The largely English-speaking crowd chanted “we want justice,” and “manslaughter is not enough.” Mom hopeful MONTREAL (CP) — The mother of baby Gene- vieve, the 12-week-old Quebec girl who received a new heart Friday, says she’s exhausted and hopeful. “[ haven't slept in 48 hours and I'm going through, this experience an hour at a time,” said Anne-Marie Gagnon-Brisson, 25, in a telephone interview from California published in Saturday's Journal de Montreal. “But I have lots of hope because my little Gene- vieve is strong.” She said the baby’s skin, which had always had an unhealthy grey pallor, was turning pink. Arafat to help KUWAIT (AP) — PLO leader Yasser Arafat said in an interview published Saturday that he has offered to help defend Kuwait against Iranian attacks. “We proposed to Kuwaiti leaders the immediate movement of Palestinian forces to Kuwait,” the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization was quoted Charne said once the ministry approval was granted, certain department stores were ruled out as potential anchors. Woodwards refused to come into Castlegar because the company only sets up in major markets and had also been suffering financially. Charne said a subsidiary of Woodwards expressed interest in Castlegar but that First Commercial Properties felt the store was “not what we were looking for.” The Bay would not come into Castlegar because the chain has put a freeze on any further development pending a reorganization of its operations. Zellers, a subsidiary of the Bay, is not interested in moving to Castlegar and Woolworths were already located in both Trail and Nelson and have no desire to set up shop in Castlegar. Charne said some department stores probably would have come into Castlegar in the early 1980s but with a decline in the areas economy in the last couple of years they are no longer interested. “We are doing our utmost to achieve a commitment and proceed with that development in Castlegar. At the moment we still do not have a commitment for a department store for that site,” said Charne. He added that he feels Castlegar is the trading centre of the West Kootenay and said if B.C. Hydro decides to go ahead with a proposed construction project to install generators on the Keenleyside dam, a project that could create about 500 jobs, that would have a “major impact” on Castlegar’s economy. “It would seem to me that with the announcement of a dam and the countless man hours that goes into creating one of these developments that in effect would have a major impact on Castlegar,” said Charne. He says that in his submissions to department stores he points out that China has invested in the Celgar Pulp Co. and adds ‘that is one of China's first investments in North America “and that it happened in your community.” “Not many people know that and that should be on the Locating a large department store to anchor the proposed eliptical site mall is the major stumbling block to the mall proceeding, says the president of the company that owns the six-acre chunk of land near Castleaird Plaza. “It's safe to assume that the moment we get a commitment for a department store that makes that development viable,” Ted Charne, president of Winnipeg- based First Commercial Properties, said in a telephone interview Thursday. But he added that some department stores are hesitant to come into Castlegar because they see people from this area going to Trail and Nelson to do their shopping. “The material I've gotten on your community does not sell the community the way I think it should. Today you've got an outflow of sales going to Trail and to Nelson. When people (retailers) look at sales they believe because the sales are in Nelson and Trail that they should locate their retail operations in either of those two communities,” said Charne. But he also added that people in Castlegar, Trail and Nelson would be “better served” if there was a mall in Castlegar. Charne said the key is to establish that Castlegar has a nucleus of people. The Castlegar and District Development Board is pre- paring a population study using a radius of 100 kilometres with Castlegar as the focal point. Charne said that study will help him to convince a major retailer to anchor of the proposed mall. Richard Maddocks of the development board said the study indicates there are people in areas outside of Castlegar who could be ‘lured to Castlegar to do their shopping if there was a mall in the city. “Qur full analysis will be complete within two weeks. One of the preliminary figures we have is that within a 100-kilometre radius of Castlegar, there's a population of 79,450 and there are 35,517 dwellings.” Charne said that other than a department store, a supermarket would also have to commit itself to the mall beforé any development could proceed. While it was hoped top of the list of everyone as an expression of confidence in ‘ion of a mall could have started last the future economic growth of Castlegar,” said Charne. May, Charne said First Properties had to wait “Tm that i with the to get approval from the Highways Ministry for road access of the Keenleyside would certainly strengthen our con- to the eliptical site. vietion that a department store should locate in Castlegar on Charne added that his company already had a depart- this particular site. There's no question it will make a major ment store willing to anchor the mall but that commitment impact of growth and improvement in the economy,” said fell through while waiting for approval from the Highways Charne. Ministry. He added that a mall in Castlegar would not have a “The approval from the Ministry of Transportation and negative effect on existing retailers but would help them Highways occurred in late January of 1987. Department out. He argued Castlegar shoppers would do all of their stores traditionally commit at least 12 to 24 months before shopping here rather than in Trail or Nelson. you actually seek construction. In the case of this particular “It’s (mall) not going to seriously affect downtown. site in Castlegar we had a department store commitment More important, once you stop people on the highway to back in 1980, 1981-82 and of course due to the long delay in either Nelson or Trail, and you stop them in the community, getting the ministry to approve the access, which is then providing you have an —and your essential, we lost the commitment,” said Charne. plans do provide for that at least from the articles I've read He added that when the Ministry of Highways approval in your newspaper — then certainly what we're planning was given last January he had hoped a department store should benefit everyone in the community,” said Charne. ; commitment. for another mall. somewhere in Canada. bad He added that First Commercial ies would like, fallen through and First Commercial Properties could then to “get on with the job” and added that the company likes to lure that department store to Castlegar. « finish projects it starts. LICENCES RETURNED e Bingo might resume DOROTHY KINAKIN . .. fourth candidate CONSUMERS GROUP POSTS $15,000 DEBT By CasNews Staff The consumers group that fought the sale of West Kootenay Power to an American-based firm is $15,000 in debt. The Koot 9) Electric C Associa- tion spent $57,000 opposing the sale at the lengthy B.C. Utilities Commission hearings and for a subsequent appeal to the B.C. Court of Appeal. Association treasurer Ben Wittke told 75 members at the group's annual general meeting last month that a drive for new and renewed memberships is needed to help offset the deficit. Meanwhile, President Don Scarlett of Kaslo stepped down as president, giving way to Summerland’s Jim Milti- more. Scarlett will serve as vice-president of the Kootenay region. Others elected to the executive included Bury! Slack of Oliver as vice-president of the Boundary-Okanagan-Similk- ameen fegion, and Diane Parchomchuk of Summerland as treasurer. Joe Irving and Harry Killough will represent the Castlegat atea' on the board. Other directors for 1968 include: Cawston: Wayne Still; Creston: Alex Ewashen; Fruitvale: Bud DeVito; Grand Forks: Peter Abrosimoff and Bill Campbell; Greenwood: Sonia Stairs; Kelowna: John Broughton, John Ewashko, Cara Stewart and George Straza; Midway: Dorothy Bubar; Nelson: Steve Drew and Alex Walker; Oliver: Jim Slack; Osoyoos: Allan Currie and Vern Hills; Penticton: Pat Leaney; Princeton: Barbara Old; Salmo: Olive Anderson; Summerland: Bill Gilmour, Barry Wilson and Ben Wittke. VOTING TIME . . . Registered voters lined up yesterday to cast their ballots in Saturdays municipal election. TRUSTEES continued from front page Kinakin was vice-chairman of a committee opposed to CP Rail's plan to spray herbicide on school property and near railroad tracks, “a place where kids go.” “The concerns are the same,” he said. & Meanwhile, Voykin has lived in the West Kootenay all of her life. She spent more than eight years working for the Nelson school board as secretary-treasurer. “I think I have a very strong background of financial structure,” she said. Voykin feels communication is es- sential for a healthy board. “I am really pleased to see the board is making an effort to open the lines of communication to teachers, support staff and the public. I would like to see parents make more of an effort to come out. “We are sitting on the board as representatives of the community. We owe it to the people we represent to contact those people,” she said, adding that she would even “knock on doors” to learn of the concerns of the com- munity. Voykin feels supporting languag programs in the schools is important. Her four-year-old son is currently en- rolled in the Russian program at the Brilliant Cultural Centre's playschool. She says she would like to enroll him in Castlegar primary’s Russian immer- sion program next year. mind..You have to go in with all things in mind.” Voykin sees decentralization as hing that has to be thoroughly researched, not something we can just jump into.” However she said a form of decentralization worked in the Nelson school district, where each school was given more spending powers. Voykin adds: “We need more tea- chers which requires more funding to bring us up to a decent standard.” She said a lack of funding has resulted in a poor “level of morale among teachers.” According to Voykin, not enough funding has led to a competition among teachers for certain programs and “teacher bashing” by the public. She As well as a stable Russian immersion program, Voykin says, “I would like to see French in the program too.” Voykin also feels the Special Needs programs and the integration of special needs students into the schools is important. said-she would like’ to \see ‘enough “When I was going to school, you funding to “give teachers the security didn't see these types of prog! "of (maintaining) various p f she said, adding, “Any opportunity “We've been through a couple of that my child has to be exposed to years of restraint and we still don't special needs is a valuable experience seem to be out of it,” she said. for him.” “I am committed to working as But, she hastens to add: “You can't hard as possible to provide a good pro- have trustees with only one thing in gressive school system,” Voykin said. HITTING THE BOOKS . . . Selkirk College students training progrgms have been working out of the studying adult. basic ion and itional college's View Centre since September. CosNews Photo Mistake made with body By The Canadian Press A former Castlegar resi dent was in for a surprise this week when a representative Relatives of Pfeiffer held a memorial service Thursday instead of a full funeral and burial, after learning the of his company went to pick felderly woman's body had up the body of a New West minster woman, only to learn the body had been cremated by mistake. Don Wickett, manager of the Royal Oak Woodlawn. Bowell funeral home, said that when a representative of his company went to Royal Columbian Hospital's morgue Wednesday morning to pick up the body of Beth Pfeiffer, “we discovered it has already been taken away by First Memorial (Funeral Services) and cremated.” Wicket is the former owner of the Castlegar Fun eral Chapel and was a realtor in Castlegar for a number of years before moving to the Lower Mainland. been cremated. Jim Darby, general man- ager of First Memorial, blamed the hospital for the mixup. “The morgue register sheet indicated that this was the body we were supposed to be taking but the problem, we later learned, was that the sheet had both bodies in the same location,” Darby said. He said the body itself was not tagged with identificati my heart is torn,” Darby said. “It’s not like we're in the drycleaning or automo- tive business where you can say ‘send it back and redo it.” Hospital president G.P. but “the attendant physically and personally pointed to the specific location. “I can only reiterate that Hiebert the mixup occurred but he said he was not “aware of the morgue's operating details” and has asked for a report. Freedomite hearing two weeks away By The Canadian Press It might be another two weeks before two Freedo- mite women in the 96th day of a hunger strike get a new hearing from the National Parole Board, says a board official Court news Donald Cusick was sen. tenced to 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to one count of breaking and entering. He also received a 30-day con. current sentence after plead. ing guilty to four counts of theft under $200 and another 30-day concurrent sentence after pleading guilty to one count of possession of a nar. cotic. 7 8 Marlene McAvena plead guilty to possessing stolen property and received a sen tence of one-day in jail and one day concurrent. ._ * * Daryle Rizzotti received a $500 fine after pleading guilty to assault. Fraser B.C. reg- ional manager, said in an interview from Ottawa the board is not scheduled to go to Matsqui prison until the week of Dec. 7. A Corrections Services spokesman said fasters Tina Zmaeff, 63, and Mary Braun, 67, who are serving sent- ences for arson, are getting weaker and sleeping more. Asked if arrangements could be made to speed up the hearing because of the women's declining health, Simmons said: “We're all booked up until then. The board travels all over.” He said he will review the Freedomites’ situation when Police file Slippery road conditions were blamed for a single- vehicle accident Wednesday night that resulted in $700 damages. A 1984 Nissan pickup driven by a Salmo resident went out of control in the snow and hit the ditch on Highway 3 east of Castlegar. Castlegar RCMP are ask ing for assistance in dealing with hit and run accidents. Whenever possible, the public is asked to remain at the scene of the accident and to notify the police, RCMP said in a prepared release. Police said leaving the vehicle at the scene in its original position is beneficial to the investigation. Evid- ence may be either lost or destroyed by prematurely moving the vehicle, RCMP added. he urns to Vancouver on Monday. Corrections spokesman Dianne Brown said the women were happy about getting the new hearing, but did not indicate they would start eating again. They continue to take water with a bit of lemon in it and no solid food, she said. Zmaeff and Braun are members of the Sons of Freedom, a radical sect that broke away from the Douk- hobors. The sect espouses burning as a way of rejecting materialism. Weather By The Canadian Press Some of the 100 charities whose bingo licences were suspended by the B.C. Public Gaming Commission earlier this month could be back in business soon, says Al Hintz, acting gaming branch di- rector. Hintz said the branch is co-operating with the af- fected charities — all of which were associated with seven bingo halls — to ensure Vancouver flight to arrive early By CasNews Staff Starting today, a flight to Vancouver on Canadian Air- lines will arrive almost three hours earlier than it would have a month ago. another aircraft back from lease, but it didn’t come back in time and we had to scramble,” said Lorne Perrin, spokesperson for Canadian Airlines. charities as- sociated with one Trail hall should have their licences re- turned — allowing the hall to re-open — by the middle of next week. Licences at a second Trail hall remain sus- pended indefinitely. At Victoria, where 70 li- cences associated with four halls were suspended, the branch is considering re- quests to relocate many of the charities into one of the four halls. At Penticton, the third trouble spot, licences of seven charities remain re- voked by the B.C. Gaming Commission after initially er i 25 per cent of revenues. Hintz said the problem boils down to mathematics: too many bingo halls were bying for the charities’ bus- iness. There are 65 commer- cial bingo hall operators in the province. Bingo revenues in B.C. for 1987 are expected to be $160 million, with an average of 25 per cent, or $40 million, going to charity. Government regulations require that no more per cent of revenues can be given away in prizes. The re- maining 15 per cent goes to operating costs and hall ren- tal In some halls, charities On Oct. 25, the airline had an equipment shortage, causing it to add a stop in Kelowna to the Castlegar- Penticton-Vancouver route. “We Now, flight 663 to Pen- ticton and Vancouver will leave Castlegar at 3:10 p.m. _and arrive in Vancouver at 8:49 p.m. The Kelowna stop will be on another flight. were expecting suspended by the branch. ‘The gaming branch crack- ed down on charities after on-going audits revealed they were not collecting the gov- revenues. have been foregoing their full share in favor of larger prizes to attract more players. In one instance, the prize was actually greater than the Lighting costs said to be high By RON NORMAN Editor Night lighting for the Castlegar. Airport could cost several million dollars, says a spokesman for a newly- formed regional i Richard Maddocks declined to be more specific, but noted: “It's a pretty high cost.” Maddocks said 17 beacons are needed to provide lighting for night landings at the airport. The new committee has asked Transport Canada for guidelines for installing the lights. Cloudy skies today with rain in the valleys and snow over the passes. High-lows today 2°-6° as well as for Monday. Chan- ce of precipitation for today and tomorrow is 40 per cent. The sun will set tonight at 4:02 p.m. adirector with the Castlegar and District Development Board, is one of six members of the regional committee. The other Castlegar representative is Harry Stan, another CDDB director. Trail has three Nelson economic development officer Tom Baybutt is the other representative. Maddocks said the was ished to coordinate economic development on a regional basis. One of its first jobs was to form a task force to “look into ways the airport can be better used.” The task force includes two Castlegar representa- tives — Dale Nielsen of Adastra Aviation and lawyer John Carpenter — in addition to two representatives each from Nelson and Trail. Maddocks said the task force initially examined ways to get a microwave landing system for the Castlegar airport. However, he said the task force indicated thst the Transport Canada has a timetable for installing the system. Maddocks said the task force decided to turn its attention to night landings, in which he said AirBC “has also shown a great interest.” The regional committee has also been working on establishing a 24-hour customs service at one of the region's border crossings. However, Maddocks said there hasn't been any response from the federal government on the request. mayor-elect Marc Marcolin, Betty-Anne Merry of the chamber of commerce and Marten Kruysse, economic development officer with the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary. The is also trying to.improve north-south highway access to the region. Maddocks said the committee isn't pushing any particular route, but has approached the provincial government about improving ‘one route. as saying by the daily newspaper Al-Watan. “Our forces in Algeria, Sudan, Yemen and Iraq are ready to be dispatched to Kuwait the moment our Kuwaiti brethren fell in need. Our people in Kuwait and the gulf will also defend the Arab land with their blood.” Double agent MOSCOW (Reuter) — British double agent Harold (Kim) Philby dismissed as “complete rubbish” ions he had been mi since fleeing to Moscow 24 years ago, but said he would like to return to England for a visit. Latvian Radio, in an interview broadcast by Radio Moscow's English service on Saturday, asked Philby to comment on reports published abroad that he lived in poverty in the Soviet Union. “How can I be unhappy? I've got a wonderful wife, work with wonderful colleagues, not only in Moscow but all over the Soviet Union.” Reagan's address WASHINGTON (AP) — President Ronald Reagan and the Democratic chairman of the Senate budget committee joined Saturday in urging con- gressional approval of a two-year $76-billion US deficit reduction package, saying it is a flawed but important step forward. Reagan, delivering his weekly radio address from the Oval Office, said, “As with all agreements that result from long and difficult negotiations, this agree- ment is probably not the very best deal that could have been struck, but we have to begin somewhere.” Accord praised LONDON (Reuter) — The governments of several West European countries and Japan praised the Washington accord on cutting the U.S. budget deficit and said Saturday they hope it would stabilize stock prices and the U.S. dollar. Other reaction ranged from an economist who told British radio the agreement was merely “re- arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic,” to a Tokyo- based American analyst who saw the deal restoring foreign confidence in the United States. Sri Lankan ceasefire COLOMBO (CP) — A ceasefire took hold in northern Sri Lanka on Saturday amid reports that Velupillai Prabhakaran, chief of the dominant Tamil tebel militia, would travel to India for talks on permanent peace. No incidents involving Tamil separatist rebels were reported after India unilaterally began the 48-hour ceasefire at 7 a.m. Shoppers on the northern Jaffna Peninsula turned out in force to buy food being trucked in to end a lengthy shortage. College now in town By SURJ RATTAN Staff Writer While it is located in downtown Castlegar in the old Pentecostal Church behind Riverside Video, Selkirk College hopes to one day relocate its adult basic education centre at its main campus, according to the college's director of external and international education. Craig Andrews said the Bonnington View Centre, which provides adult basic education courses as well as i 1 training p is from the Castlegar campus because its students stay in one class- room, unlike those at the main campus who move from classroom to classroom. “We knew we had a crisis on our hands. The students of that program don't move from class to class and that poses problems in an institution where students do move around,” said Andrews. He added that the college had no alternative but to find a separate location for the Bonnington View Centre. “It's not the best solution but it’s the only solution we had. We would much rather have those students at the main campus and we hope to get them here,” said Andrews. There are about 10 to 12 students in the transitional training program. Another 30 are registered in the adult basic education program, which provides make-up courses for students who hope to attend college but need some high school courses. Andrews said the transitional training program is geared towards students with learning deficiences. “There are people in there with learning deficiencies. Some of them are very nearly employable and they're at the stage where they will soon be looking for jobs,” said Andrews. ‘The Nelson, Trail and Grand Forks campuses also have transitional training programs. The new executive and directors will meet Dec. 6 in Grand Forks to appoint committses and set an agenda for 1988. ‘The members also endorsed the following objectives. Represent consumers where possible at future West Kootenay Power rate hearings: e Monitor West Kootenay Power's corporate decisions and performance; Lobby federal and provincial governments to pass a law requiring all electric utilities to be Canadian-owned; Monitor and investigate further Canadian water rights, demands and treaties, such as the Columbia River Treaty and the North American Water and Power Alliance (NAWAPA); ‘ @ Request that all organizations which regulate electric utilities and their functions provide the ECA with infor- mation, plans and any other data which could ultimately affect the B.C. electric consumer; © Assist and seek assistance elsewhere in B.C. from other organizations with similar objectives; Lobby for the establishment of an adequately funded Nursery deadline extended By The Canadian Press Employees of a B.C. gov- ernment-owned tree nursery near Nelson have heen given another two weeks to decide whether they wish to buy the facility, says a spokesman for the government's privatiza- tion group. Workers at the Harrop nursery have until mid-De- cember to submit briefs indi- cating interest in purchasing the property, said Peter Clark, co-ordinator of the figures yet to know whether or not it would be a viable business,” he said. The nursery produces about five million seedlings a year, primarily for use in the reforestation of the Nelson forest district. Debbie Offerman, Nelson representative of the B.C. Government Employees Union, said the jobs of 30 employees are in jeopardy as 4 result of the government's decision to sell the nursery. 8 s pr policy group. Vietoria originally set a Dee. 1 deadline for the em- to respond to the offer, but recently extended the deadline to the middle of the month, he said. Brian Von Niessen, who has worked at the nursery for 13 years and is a member of the employee committee considering the govern- ment’s offer, said no decision had been made whether to buy it. “We just don't have all the hile, in another pri- vatization development, Highways workers in Smith- ers, B.C., voluntarily decided to form a company to bid on their own jobs and are not being forced to “buy their jobs,” a member of the em ployees’ steering committee said Friday. “We're trying to form a company,” said Ralph Dupas, a road foreman in Smithers and spokesman of the seven: member committee. “It's a matter of free choice, you don't have to participate you don’t want to. Dupas is one of three man- agement members on the committee. They and four union members on the com- mittee were scheduled to meet Saturday with the Smithers workers to discuss the B.C. Government Em- ployees’ Union opposition to the plan. The ycion has been given an exemption by the B.C. Federation of Labor from its plan. It will argue in informal hearings Monday that the plan violates their contract. Saturday also was the deadline for a $1,000 trust payment by workers who want to opt into the plan to form a company, so that if their operation is privatized they can bid on work they now do as government em- ployees, said Dupas. He said more than half of the 76 people working for Highways in Smithers at- if tended a meeting with their spouses Nov. 14 to discuss options, and most supported preparing a proposal for gov- ernment. CONDEMNS PLAN But John Shields, presi- dent of the B.C. Government Employees’ Union, condemn- ed the plan, calling it “a con- spiracy to violate the con- tract” and a government at- tempt to extort money from workers. Shields say the plan vio- lates the contract, which he said prevents employees and employers from entering into written or oral agreements that conflict with the col- lective agreement. “The government is under a contractual obligation to the employees not to do that, not to put them in a situation where they are extorting money as the price of a job,” said Shields. Union spokesman Sheila Fruman said she was aware public advocate's office to intervene at utilities hearings on behalf of consumers. Carbon monoxide testing planned By BONNE MORGAN Writer Staff Two Castlegar schools will be tested for carbon mono xide in January or February after carbon monoxide was found in Lower Mainland schools. b Mike Harnadek, chief pub- lic health inspector for the Central Kootenay Health Unit, said Lower Mainland health units tested schools and “found elevated values of carbon monoxide and we're testing on the basis of that.” All arenas in the Central Kootenay will be tested as well in January or February. According to Harnadek, arenas be tested to protect the public because they are enclosed areas and have ice cleaning equipment support the plan even though their union does not. which pr ‘carbon mon- oxide. Harnadek said tests will be carried out at the F largest high school — Stanley school There is a standard for acceptable levels of carbon “We will make our own judgments as to what is credible,” said Harnadek. Meanwhile, Dr. Monty Ar- nott, medical health officer for the Central Kootenay Health Unit, said: “I'm not aware that there is a problem in our schools. It's a very simple test and it's some- thing you don't find unless you ”