Ready for emergencies
Foam extinguishes fire at the Prince George airport in a demonstration of what a new foam truck can do. The new vehicle, with a capacity of 10,000 gallons arrived here and will increase firefighting ability of the airport fire department. It takes
CKiaen Photo by Dave Milne
only two minutes to pump out the foam, which covers the fire and deprives it of oxygen.
The
Thursday, February 21,1980 Vol. 24; No. 36
Prince George, British Columbia
Citizen
Single copy - 20c
Outside Prince George - 25c
UNJUSTIFIED, VANDER ZALM SAYS
Hydro hikes challenged
VICTORIA (CP) — Municipal Affairs Minister Bill Vander Zalm said today he will look into B.C. Hydro’s request for a seven-per-cent electricity rate increase.
Vander Zalm said he cannot see any justification for the increase, scheduled to take effect April 1.
He said Hydro will save more than $60 million a year when it turns its transit division over to the Urban Transit Authority, so he wonders what reason there might be for the electricity rate boost.
That same argument was put forth Wednesday by NDP MP Charles Barber, who said his party will ask the yet-to-be created Public utilities Commission to turn down the request.
Creation of the utilities commission, which would be responsible for the full regulation of both the electricity and gas sections of B.C. Hydro, was promised ‘in the Social Credit government’s new energy policy released earlier this month.
However, Energy Minister Bob McClelland said Tuesday the commission will not review the proposed increase which is to range from 1.7
Earlier story page 34
per cent to 9.6 per cent for residential customers and by as much as 22 per cent for industrial users. The commission will not be set up before the increase is to take effect, he said.
Vander Zalm said he might raise the issue at today’s cabinet meeting.
VANCOUVER (CP) - British Columbia Hydro has announced net income for the nine months ended Dec. 31, 1979 was $20 million, compared with $15 million for the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.
Hydro chairman Robert Bonner said in a-news release that sales of surplus power to the United States were largely responsible for the improvement in earnings.
NATION-WIDE PRICE FIXING
Moving firms face charges
TORONTO (CP) Canada’s major moving companies have been charged under the federal Combines Investigation Act with a nation-wide criminal conspiracy dating back to 1963 to fix prices to lessen competition.
Federal Crown Attorney Julius Isaac said RCMP served notice of the charges on those involved Wednesday and they are to appear in provincial court April 25.
Five companies — Allied Van Lines Ltd. of Toronto, United Van Lines (Canada) Ltd., formerly Missouri United Van Lines Ltd., of Toronto, American Van Lines Ltd. of Whitby, Ont., Aero Mayflower Transit Co. Ltd. of Toronto and Atlas Van Lines (Canada) Ltd. of Oakville, Ont. — were
Our dollar bucks up
MONTREAL (CP) - The Canadian dollar climbed to its highest level in more than nine months against its U.S. counterpart on North American money markets Wednesday, following reports of possible new oil discoveries off the Newfoundland coast.
The dollar, which gained more than a third of a cent Tuesday in the wake of the election of a majority Liberal government, chalked up an additional 28-100 points to close at 86.69 U.S. cents in active trading.
The currency last closed above that level on May 4,1979, when it traded at 86.99 U.S. cents. It dropped the next day to 86.59 U.S. cents.
Traders attributed the sharp increase Wednesday mainly to an announcement by Mobil Oil Canada that "certain zones of interest” have been noted in the Hibernia 0-35 well and the Ben Nevis 1-45 well being drilled off the coast of Newfoundland.
The report also pushed oil stocks sharply higher on Canadian and the New York stock exchanges.
The election of a majority government continued to be cited by traders Wedensday as having a stabilizing effect on the beleaguered currency.
charged. Also charged are two professional associations, the Canadian Household Goods Carriers Tariff Bureau Association and the Canadian Warehousing Association.
Also named are 22 unindicted co-conspirators, mostly individual officers of the companies and associations, including the Canadian Association of Movers.
The indictment information says a conspiracy existed to fix tariffs in all 10 provinces and two territories between Sept. 1, 1963, and Jan. 1, 1980.
A source at the combines investigation branch said the companies named include all major concerns across Canada engaged in moving used household and office furniture.
Pipeline okay refused
OTTAWA (CP) - The National Energy Board refused certification Wednesday on the pipeline portion of a combined pipeline-tanker route along the BriUsh Columbia coast proposed by Trans Mountain Pipe Line Co. Ltd. of Vancouver until the firm completes further marine environmental studies.
Trans Mountain is the leading Canadian competitor for a U.S. project to transport Alaskan oil south to U.S. markets. The firm wants approval for a $600 million plan that calls for a line to Edmonton from Low
Point, Wash. At Edmonton the line would link up with existing pipelines to the U.S. Midwest.
Because the project would mean more oil tankers plying Pacific waters and increase the risk of an oil spill, the board deferred a decision on the entire plan until the company can provide more studies on possible hazards involved with the proposed oil port and increased tanker traffic.
Foothills Oil Pipe Line-Ltd. of Calgary, whose proposal for an overland pipe was rejected last month by U.S. President Carter, called the board deci-
sion “a signficant judgement in the Canadian public interest.”
Foothills president E.C. Phillips said in a written statement the company will apply again for permission to build the pipeline “at such time as the new federal government advises us that they are prepared to negotiate the all-land proposal with the U.S. government.”
Foothills asked last fall that its application to the board be suspended until a decision on Trans Mountain had been made.
WINTER GAMES HERE
Your help is needed . . .
An army of volunteers is needed in Prince George for the 1981 B.C. Winter Games.
“One volunteer is needed for every athlete taking part," said Jim Roy, a Games director who announced the event is scheduled here March 6 to 8.
The appeal for volunteers to help with staging the massive event, expected to draw 2,500 athletes and support personnel, followed a Games Society directors’ meeting Wednesday.
Directors and society president Mark Gunther were elected at a meeting on Feb. 5 to oversee running of the games.
Roy, manager of The Bay, said at least 2,000 volunteers are needed to stage the Games, helping with everything from housing, and acting as marshals for various events to tasks sucn as mailing and handling registration.
Prince George was awarded the Games for 1981 last year following rejection of an earlier bid by the city, which had at that time put strings on its financial participation.
The provincial government is to provide $190,000 toward the Games. The city’s cost is expected to be about $63,000.
A release from the directors said a minimum of 22 events would be staged here and that full,-time offices are to open in August to begin co-ordination.
Until that time, anyone interested in helping is asked to write Box 141A at The Citizen, 150 Brunswick St.
This year’s Games, which include a large contingent from Prince George, open next week in Kimberley. The B.C. summer games are slated for Aug. 14 to 17 in Kelowna.
Russian
presence
protested
A conviction under the section of the act under which the
charges were laid carries a maximum penalty of five
years in jail, fines up to $5 million, or both.
The Crown attorney would not elaborate on the circumstances of the charges before the accused have appeared in court.
1 KABUL (AP) - Almost all shops and stores in Afghanistan’s capital city closed today in the most spectacular protest so far against Soviet military occupation.
Exactly two months after Russian soldiers first crossed the Afghan border in an attempt to put down a Moslem rebellion against Kabul’s Communist regime, a rebel leaflet urged shopkeepers to show their “unanimous condemnation” of the intervention by paralysing the commercial life of this city of one million.
All but a handful of shopkeepers obeyed the call despite frantic efforts by the Soviet-sponsored regime of President Babrak Karmal to force them to stay open.
Thursday, the eve of the Moslem Sabbath, is normally the capital’s busiest shopping day. In street after street of downtown Kabul, most shop fronts were boarded up or closed by iron shutters.
Despite a steady drizzle, thousands of civilians stood in the streets to observe the success of the protest with evident glee.
“We have won a great victory today,” one shopkeeper told a group of Western reporters. “We have shown the Russians what the Afghan people think of them.”
The Kremlin on Wednesday rejected the Common Market’s proposal to get Soviet soldiers out of Afghanistan, suggesting it was inspired by the White House.
Meanwhile, U.S. State Secretary Cyrus Vance was unable to get West German support for a boycott of the Moscow Olympics and headed into talks with the French today.
JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuter) - Afghanistan’s most vital road link, the Jalalabad Highway connecting the capital of Kabul with the Khyber Pass, is now rebel territory.
Afghan rebels, fighting against the Soviet army presence in their country, control the highway and there is little evidence that Afghan government troops make any serious attempt to keep it open.
TODAY
“I’m from the Olympic commitee. We’re looking for volunteers willing to compete in Moscow.”
FEATURED INSIDE
Olympic
reactions
Athletes have as much reaction as spectators at the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, page 13.
Index
.................19
................8,9
City, B.C........... ......2,3,25,34
................26
..................4
Entertainment ...........26,27
................24
..................7
Rolling Stone.. ................30
.13-15,32,33
................31
Union boss dumped
Union workers at the vital Longbridge factory of British Leyland have condemned their union leader by voting for their jobs instead of a strike. Page 5.
THE WEATHER 1
The forecast for tonight and Friday calls for cloudy skies with some clear periods and occasional snow flurries.
The expected high today was -8, the low tonight -20. Friday’s forecast high is -8. The high Wednesday was -9, the low -21. On this date last year the high was -8, the low -16.
Sunset today is 5:31 p.m. Sunrise Friday is 7:18 a.m. and sunset 5:33 p.m.
Details page 2
NOW HEAR THIS]
• A caller says she’s spotted the first sign of spring. No, it wasn’t a robin or some blooming pussy willows. She reports a young man driving down Eighth Avenue in his convertible with the top down ...
• A North Nechako resident, who says “you really don’t know what it’s like to be without water when the wife was planning to do the wash,” offers a “thank you” on behalf of himself and neighbors for the perseverance of city crews and their speed in restoring service after a water main broke. “There was lots of men and equipment,” he says. “They sure worked hard.”
Got a news tip? Call The Citizen’s 24-hour news line at 562-2441.
Clark makes it official
OTTAWA (CP) - A visit by Prime Minister Joe Clark to ailing Gov.-Gen Ed Schreyer today clears the way for Pierre Trudeau’s Liberal party to resume governing the country.
Clark also told reporters here Wednesday he does not know when the Liberal administration will be sworn in but said his ministers will remain on the job until their replacements take over.
“The decision as to the date of the swearing-in of the new government rests with the prime minister-elect,” Clark said as he left the last meeting of his cabinet.
Trudeau has not yet indicated when he would form a government, but his newly-elected MPs and the appointed cabinet will be sworn in by Chief Justice Bora Laskin of the Supreme Court of Canada since Schreyer is recuperating in hospital from emergency surgery Monday for an acute ulcer condition.
'Fencing'
operation
uncovered
VANCOUVER (CP) -Vancouver-area police have wrapped up their latest fencing operation, issuing warrants for the arrests of 61 people on more than 200 charges, city police Superintendent Tom Herdman said today.
Nearly $500,000 worth of stolen property was recovered during the six-month investigation carried out by city police and RCMP, Herdman said.
The property was recovered when stolen goods were fenced to police officers conducting a storefront fencing operation.
Herdman said police began arresting suspects early today. Charges include burglary, theft, possession of stolen property, fraud, possession of unregistered firearms, and possession of offensive weapons, escaping lawful custody and some drug offences.
New Fraser bridge eyed
SURREY, B.C. (CP) - A $100-million proposal to build another crossing of the Fraser River was unveiled Wednesday by Greater Vancouver Regional District planners in this municipality southeast of Vancouver.
The proposal was made public less than 48 hours before a scheduled announcement Friday by Premier Bill Bennett that is expected to deal with the Social Credit government’s plans for a $200 million crossing at Annacis Island.
The GVRD plan of a multipurpose bridge just east of the Patullo Bridge in New Westminster is a better solution to rush-hour traffic congestion than an Annacis Island proposal, said transportation planner Doug Spaeth.
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