OPINION

ESTABLISHED AUGUST 7, 1947

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Castlégar PAGE A4, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1991

MEMBER OF THE 8.C. PRESS COUNCIL

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News

THE MID- WEEK

LV. CAMPBELL BURT CAMPBELL, PUBLISHER EMENITUS.

PUBLISHER, AUGUST 7, 1947. FEBRUARY 15, 1973 PUBLISHER, FEBRUARY 16, 1973-MAY 1, 1991

PUBLISHER — Dave McCullough ITOR — Simon Birch LANT FOREMAN — Peter Harve; ADVERTISING MANAGER F FICE MANAGER — Warren Chernoff CIRCULATION MANAGER — Heather Hadley

TWICE WEEKLY MAY 4, 1960 12, 1978- AUGUST 27, 1980

— Wayne Stolz

EDITORIAL

Education needed

It's obvious a lot more work needs to be done educating some

Castlegar residents about recycling.

The decision last week by Cascade Recycling owner Andy Rober- its to pull his month-old unsupervised depot from the former Super- Valu parking lot in downtown Castlegar is an example of just how difficult it’s going to be to get a recycling program up and running ef-

ficiently in this area.

Roberts, unfortunately, ran into the problem of over-zealous contributors to his depot which contained clearly labelled boxes into which people were supposed to deposit their recyclable garbage such

@s paper and glass.

But some people, perhaps unaware that Cascade couldn’t recycle some materials, deposited plastic and-metal, and other people, just plain stupid, heaped household garbage into the bins at the depot, despite posted signs and brochures outlining what could and couldn’t

be recycled.

Nevertheless, the idea was worth trying and Mr. Roberts should

be commended for his initiative.

“It was a good idea,’’ he told the Castlegar News. ‘‘It’s definitely what people want, but there was just enough people out

there to mess it up.’’ That raises the question:

Will recycling program work any better?

a local government-initiated

Probably, but only because the government Program will have more resources (that is, your money) and more time to organize, as well as the benefit of a thorough analysis by a consulting firm of what’s needed and how to go about doing it.

The Recycle Advisory Group for the Castlegar area has already smade a good start on educating the public with some informational brochures and a regular column on recycling in the Castlegar News.

Nevertheless, it’s clear that some residents will need more education than others if a recycling program has any hope of working.

Just ask Mr. Roberts.

VIEWPOINT

Economy suffers from 11 bosses

By LARRY WELSH

Imagine going to work and getting different orders from 11 bosses.

That’s what’s happening to the Canadian economy.

And the confusion couldn’t come

as federal and provincial governmen- ts try to manage the economy. Former finance minister Michael Wilson said in his budget last February that the federal gover- nment’s main job was to end the

at a worse time as the y tries to ‘stagger back to its feet after a severe recession.

Budgets from the federal gover- nment and 10 provinces tried dif- ferent ways to help end the recession, which has claimed about 300,000 j caused bankruptcies to soar and closed of

y spending and bringing down interest rates.

Some provinces disagreed.

British Columbia, the last province to present its budget, boosted spen- ding last week by 8.1 per cent for the next fiscal year, more than double the percentage increase in federal

turing plants.

Some budgets raised taxes, others didn’t. Many cut government jobs and Ontario tripled the size of its deficit while the federal government preached budget restraint.

» It all added up to a hodgepodge of policies that left the economy without any clear direction.

“It also provided a sterling example of one of the problems facing Con- federation — a lack of coordination

Wilson also said the key to Ot- tawa’s economic plan was keeping the federal deficit in check.

Ontario, accounting for more than 40 per cent of Canada’s economy, responded by tripling its budget deficit to $9.7 billion, the highest annual shortfall for any province.

““We had a choice to make this year — to fight the deficit or fight the recession,”’ Ontario Treasurer please see BOSSES page AS

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Fight planned

By now, the news of the program cancellations from Selkirk College has been made public.

We, the former electronics engineering

students, are di by the decision to terminate our program effective immediately. This means that these students (second year) who have two full years remaining and the third-year students with only four months remaining must find another place to finish the program. Now all this doesn’t sound so bad with the college offering to help relocate these students, The problem lies in the fact that no other course in B.C, is 100 per cent compatible, meaning that at this point in time the third-year students have gone through all but four months of the program and have nowhere to go to finish the course. Have we wasted 2% years and many thousands of dollars?

Let’s step back for a moment. In September 1990, the same possibility of cancellation existed. At that time, the students proposed a solution, actually many i ranging from it

number of electronic students that it is more cost effective to replace us and fill our classrooms with students from overfilled Programs? Is it possible that Selkirk College is just simply saying, when the going gets tough . . . quit?

I submit that we were given a commitment by Selkirk College president Leo Perra, principal Mal Stelck and program chairman Wayne Chernoff that we would have the opportunity for an education. Throughout this past school year, Wayne Chernoff has acted commendably on our behalf to not only let us complete our education, but also to try and save the electronics engineering program at Selkirk, but to no avail.

I personally have spoken to former graduates who are appalled at the treatment of Selkirk students. This college has run this program for well over two decades. We feel that waiting until the middle of summer (the co-op term) to ‘cancel the program effective immediately,”’ is simply unfair and we will not take this lying down!

We propose solutions. We will need two teachers, one classroom, five complete sets of

our program to that of other schools so as to make a transfer, possibility, to revamping the Program so it could be completed by now.

and through responsible organization, condense the remaining four months to two months to be commenced as soon as possible. Do you, as Castlegar residents, feel that these

All our were and we were guaranteed that regardless of what occurred the students already on stream would be allowed to complete the program. It comes as somewhat of a surprise that out of all the programs being affected by this cut in funding, the electronics students are the only ones not being allowed to finish their program.

I offer some possible explanations.

Is it possible that because of the minimal

Pp are Phone or write Leo

Perra at the college and give him your opinion.

Oh, one more thing. Some of the people I’ve told about the way the college is halting our Program didn’t believe me. They said, ‘‘They can’t do that!"* or “No way!’” Well, if you people are concerned but don’t believe me, again I urge you to contact Leo Perra.

This is something that we refuse to accept without negotiation and we will fight this

unreasonable decision.

Rich Aitzetmueller Spokesman

Third-year EET students Castlegar

Rug pulled out

The abrupt cancellation of the electronics engineering technologies program at Selkirk College is a travesty.

Iam, or at least was until last week, a student in this program. The cutting of this and other Programs at Selkirk College is a real stab in the back to the Kootenay community and a disaster to those hard-working students who have had the economic rug pulled from under their feet.

Most of us have spent the last three years in utter poverty to reach this point in attempting to improve our usefulness to society and the economy. Now, with four months of schooling remaining before completion, our government (and hence Selkirk College) has decided that it cannot afford to educate its people.

It can apparently, however, afford to waste thousands of dollars spent so far in supporting our endeavor and flush our education down the drain. I say that our country cannot afford to leave its people uneducated unless we all want to eventually become part of the Third World living in poverty and ignorance.

Let’s get our elected officials to do their job and support education, the only way to improve our human assets in this country.

J. Theo de Kruyf Nelson

B.C. growth pegged at 1.5%

The B.C. economy is expected to expand by 0.5 per cent this year, and 1.5 per cent in 1992. Next year, for the first time since 1986, economic growth in B.C. will be below the rate of growth for Canada as a whole.

These are among the findings con- tained in the annual forecast issue of Economics Analysis of B.C., a newsletter published by B.C. Central Credit Union.

It seems doubtful, however, that the province is facing a repeat of the hardships of 1981-82.

“The economic decline will be less severe this time partly because of

greater diversification in the B.C. economy,”’ said Richard Allen, chief economist at B.C. Central. ‘‘More significantly, though, our export markets are now much more diverse. And the current world slowdown is not affecting as many countries simultaneously as in 1981-82.’ Housing construction had been an area of considerable strength for the B.C. economy in recent years. Since April last year, however, housing starts have been declining quickly. “Strong performance in the early months of 1990 meant that total star- ts for the year were 36,720 units,

only about 2,000 units below the near record-breaking levels of 1989. This year, however, only about 25,000 starts are expected,’’ the newsletter says.

Capital spending is another area that has slowed quickly in the current downturn. Between 1987 and 1989, nominal capital spending in- creased by an annual average of almost 17 per cent. In 1990, this figure fell to 11.2 per cent.

“In 1991, capital spending is ex- pected to increase by only 5.5 per cent, the same rate forecast for in- flation,”’ Allen said. ‘‘That means

no real increase in capital spending is anticipated. Next year, capital spen- ding is expected to increase by seven Per cent, while inflation is forecast to fall to 4.7 per cent.””

Looking at the B.C. economy in 1992, the newsletter predicts:

* An unemployment rate of 9.5 per cent (9.9 per cent in 1991).

Housing starts of 32,000 units (25,000 in 1991).

° A year-end prime rate of 10.5 Per cent (10 per cent in 1991).

© Retail sales growth of eight per cent (six per cent in 1991).

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TT NOTICE OF

Youth sings her way to top spot in talent search

By CasNews Staff

Kirstin Mason will be off to the Pacific National Exhibition in Van- couver in August as Castlegar’s representative at the annual PNE Youth Talent Search.

Mason, a vocalist who accom- panies herself on the piano, took top honors in the PNE segment of the Community Talent Showcase/PNE Youth Talent Search May 24 at Kin- naird Junior elementary school.

“She is really an outstanding talent,’’ Ald. Doreen Smecher said at Monday’s city council meeting.

About 150 people attended the event.

“There was a very high calibre of performances,”’ said Donna Moyer of the Castlegar Arts Council, which co-sponsored the event with the Stanley Humphries secondary school Cheerleaders. ‘‘The panel of three judges had a difficult time making their choices because the level of competition was so.high.””

The Audrey Maxwell Dancers took second place in the PNE segment while Hopscotch, a group of three-to-

13-year-old highland dancers from the Debra Tompkins dance school, finished in third place.

The Tompkins Twins, Ashley and Jodie, took first place and $200 in the Community portion of the talent showcase for their fiddling prowess while Hopscotch was second, win- ning $100.

Stacy Gorkoff placed third and

received $50: for her monologue on crib death which’ Moyer and Smecher both described as a ‘‘tearjerker.”’

Jessica DeWolf, a 10-year-old ballerina from the Question of Balance dance school, received honorable mention.

Proceeds from the talent showcase go towards purchasing uniforms for the SHSS Cheerleaders.

FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC Thurs., June 6

1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. At the City Centre Mall

peta the final draft of the revitalization plan for the north Castlegar business section meet the Urban System. consultonts and the revitalization committee members.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Kootenay Society for Community Living Castlegar Branch

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

Kinnaird Hall 7:00 p.m.

/eomenaemarratenter rte, OPEN HOUSE

CABLE 10

SHAW CABLE 10 SCHEDULE MAY 29JUNE 2, 191

5 P.M. (WED) 9 A.M. (FRI) $ P.M. ( WED) West Kootenay Today — ‘Awareness Week. Mayor Audrey

Moore makes a Census Day proclamation as Paul Francoeur of Census Canada elaborates. The show also looks at the Shaw Cable 10 schedule,

5:30 P.M. (WED) 9:30 A.M. (FRI) $:30 P.M. (SUN) Silver City Days Highlights — Relive the excitement of this year’s annual event. Produced by the Silver City Days Committee.

6 P.M. (WED) 10 A.M. (FRD 6

as a speech by John J. Verigin. Produced by the

USCC Video Society. 7 P.M. (WED) 11 A.M. (FRI) 7 P.M. (SUN) C. Bob

Baliding A fs bantad talks about “accessible parks”

Produced by the Abilities Awareness Advisory Committee. P.M. (SUN) ionor Laurie talks to a new in Castlegar, Vicki Bryant. Produced by Lionor and Stewart Laurie.

9 P.M. (WED) 1 P.M. (FRI) 9 P.M. (SUN) Regional Perinatal Conference — Held at Selkirk College in early May, this program was the Thur:

ing presentation of the two-day con-

coverage of the Monday meeting. Produced by Scott

Blessi PLEASE NOTE — This schedule is repeated on Friday at 9 a.m. and again o

‘Shaw Cable 10 will carry the CHILDREN'S Miracle Network Telehton starting June 1 P.m. Coverage will continue until 3 p.m. June 2

LEGION

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Bosses

continued from page A4 Floyd Laughren said when he presen- ted his budget.

“We are proud to be fighting the recession.””

Canadians ¢an be forgiven if they’re more than a little confused about how their governments are trying to heal a sick economy.

Some of the areas in which there are conflicting budget measures:

* Eliminated jobs. Six provinces cut a total of almost 5,000 civil ser- vants, while four provinces and the federal government announced no layoffs.

* Increased gasoline taxes in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta. Others refrained from

Squeezing more revenue at the pump.

* Boosted cigarette taxes. The federal government and every Province except New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia Picked more money out of smokers’ pockets.

© Ignored personal income taxes. Only Prince Edward Island raised Personal income tax rates and British Columbia soaked people with high incomes for more money.

Confusing the picture further, the federal government and _ several Provinces froze wages for civil ser- vants or put limits on salary in- creases.

Ontario refused to follow Ottawa's lead. Quebec took no action on civil

service salaries in its budget, but said later it wants to reopen existing con- tracts with its unions.

What's remarkable about this chaos is Wilson urged his provincial counterparts, twice before the federal budget and once after, to avoid creating a fiscal mess.

But federal and provincial gover- nments obviously failed to see eye to eye on what should be done to repair the economy.

About the only thing taxpayers share from coast to coast is a strong dislike of the GST and a deep feeling that they’re paying governments too much for too little.

Larry Welsh writes for The Canadian Press.

By ROB CARRICK The Canadian Press

Frank Caruso should have known better, but those white sweat socks he saw while vacationing in the United States looked too good to pass up.

The socks bore the name of a major running- shoe maker and, at $3.99 US a pair, appeared to be a bargain compared with what he expected they would cost in Canada.

“I said those words ‘This looks like a deal,’ and 1 bought them,”’ said Caruso, a manager with the consulting firm KPMG Peat Marwick Thorne and a former employee of Canada Customs.

Later, while shopping with: his wife at a Woolco store in Mississauga, Ont., Caruso noticed similar socks. The price: $10.99 Cdn for three pairs.

Shopping in the United States has become something of a Canadian national pastime for those near the border, and Caruso found in a study he produced recently for Peat Marwick that there definitely are bargains to be had in the United States.

pUVVUTGVEUT ERASE C TDN D DTT TDNS ARADO TY

On the other hand, something that appears to be a. deal in a U.S. store may not be, he warns. Some goods, like those sweat socks, are cheaper in Canada.

“The socks in Woolco certainly felt the damn same,”’ Caruso said. ‘‘If I’d known about them before, I wouldn’t have bought the ones in the U.S.”

Then there are the often overlooked costs that can make goods bought in the States more expensive, even if the ticket price is lower than in Canada.

Caruso said the most obvious additional cost is changing Canadian money to U.S. funds. In mid- May, banks were charging customers about 16 cents on the dollar to convert Canadian dollars to U.S. funds.

Another cost is customs duty, and on a limited tange of items such as jewelry, alcohol and cigarettes, excise taxes. Both are set as a percentage of the price of an item and are payable at the border.

Unless you qualify for an exemption based on your length of stay out of the country, you'll likely be subject to duty. And when duty is charged, so is the seven per cent federal goods and services tax.

As of mid-May, provincial sales tax wasn’t being charged at the border. But New Brunswick and Ottawa recently agreed to negotiate a deal enabling the province to collect its 11 per cent sales tax on U.S. goods dectared at the border. Ontario has been after a similar arrangement.

Shopping in U.S. may not be a bargain

A temptation many people face when they return to Canada after a U.S. shopping trip is to lie about what they’ve bought in order to skip paying duty and the GST.

Of course, that entails the risk of being caught.

“The law states that anything brought back, without exception, is subject to duty,’’ says Duncan Smith, a Canada Customs spokesman in Toronto.

Smith said customs officers have discretion about how to handle people caught with undeclared goods, and base their decisions on the amount of duty and tax involved.

“A large percentage of the population is basically honest,"’ Smith said. “‘They’ll come back with $10 to $20 worth of stuff and be suffering from a bad memory — that’s known as the beat-the-customs- officer game.’’

In the case of a $20 bag of groceries, he said, a person might have to pay only duty (there is no GST on groceries).

(On the other hand, someone who brings back a few hundred dollars worth of goods could have to pay duty and tax — and then the same amount again as a penalty.

To get an accurate picture of the cost of shopping in the United States, take the $20 bag of groceries.

In Canadian funds, the $20 US becomes $23. Add the 11.9 per cent blanket duty on basic U.S.- Produced groceries and the bill rises to more than $25.50. And that's not including the cost of the gasoline to make the trip.

Mel Fruitman, vice-president of the Retail Council of Canada, said it's common knowledge that such heavily taxed items as liquor, cigarettes and gasoline are cheaper in the United States.

“But there are many more items that are the same price and others that are cheaper in Canada,”’ he said.

Fruitman was unable to provide any examples of goods that are cheaper in Canada. Caruso had one: car roof racks.

But Fruitman said the council encourages people to look at the absolute price of the goods they buy in the United States.

“I also try to discourage people from shopping in the United States by telling them what effect it has on the economy and, ulitmately, their job."’

+

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Phone orders subject to $1.10

SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 8:00 RM. CASTLEGAR COMMUNITY COMPLEX

superstars CASTLEGAR SUNFEST. Don’t miss the excitement! TICKETS ON SALE NOW. CALL 2aiZpamrers> TOLL FREE:

handling charge per ticket. OR VISIT PARTICIPATING MOHAWK GAS STATIONS IN CASTLEGAR, NELSON, TRAIL, CRESTON AND CRANBROOK.

Labatts For more information on all MUSIC ‘91 events, call the Labatt’s Hotline 1-800-661-5100.

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Spring Sale!

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