today in brief
AFTER STUDYING the violent ways of Hong Kong’s infamous Triad gangs, the government issued what amounts to a no-holds-barred war on organized crime. Page
THE SOVIET Union defeated Canada in the championship round of the world hockey championship. Page
AN EX-CONVICT who went straight offers some tips on crime prevention. Page
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LOTTERY NUMBERS - PAGE 5
HERMAN
"I'm not going through this every time you go jogging.”
Index
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......20
.. .26,27
City, B.C.......... .3,11,12
...16-21
.....19
......4
Entertainment .... ...28,29
.....23
.....20
....2,10
.....28
......5
...13-15
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- ^ ' Ti
WALK”
SS&
Support grows page 3
Sadrack says
Skies are expected to continue cloudy with intermittent clear periods overnight and Friday with occasional snowflur-ries throughout the area. The overnight low should be near 0, rising to near 3 Friday.
Wednesday’s high was 6, the overnight low was -4, there was a trace of snow and 7.4 hours of sunshine recorded at the ariport weather office.
A year ago today the high was 6, the overnight low was zero, there was 13.6 cm of snow and 4.6
Details page 7
hours of sunshine.
Sunset today is at 7:28 p.m. and sunrise Friday is at 4:47 a.m.
The
Prince George
Citiz
40c
Thursday, April 24, 1986
Forest firms welcome trade talk
Citizen news services
VANCOUVER - British Columbia’s forest industry has welcomed the go-ahead Wednesday on negotiations for a Canada-U.S. freer-trade pact, but remains wary about continued American protectionist sentiment.
There had been some concern that the negotiations, narrowly endorsed in Washington by the U.S. Senate finance committee after a week of uncertainty, could come at the expense of the province’s embattled lumber industry.
“It’s my understanding that they didn’t discuss or vote on any preconditions. . .but we’re still concerned about persistent speculation out of certain quarters of the United States that something on lumber has been discussed,” said Mike Apsey, president of the Council of Forest Industries of B.C.
Sources in Washington, on both sides of the issue, say they’re not sure what happens next in the continuing battle over lumber shipments to the U.S.
Officials from the U.S. general
Protectionist sentiments worry PM
by PETER COWAN Southam News
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said Wednesday that the hard-won green light for Canada-U.S. freer trade talks proves negotiations are essential to save Canadian industries and jobs.
He said the tie vote in the U.S. Senate finance committee, which means “fast track” negotiations towards a freer trade agreement can begin, demonstrated the strength of U.S. protectionism.
“That’s why I wanted the deal because protectionism is there in the United States. It’s strong and it’s growing. Canadian industries could be wiped out with the stroke of a pen.”
Mulroney, who spoke to reporters outside his office, was referring to proposed protectionist bills in the American Congress that would put up trade barriers to a host of Canadian exports from softwood lumber to fish.
“The road ahead will not be easy. The negotiations will test the vision, the stamina, the commitment of business, labor and political leaders in both countries.”
Mulroney said there would be “give and take” on both sides and his government would "defend and advance” Canada’s interests all the way.
He said getting the llth-hour green light from tne senators had taken “all the muscle and clout” of the Reagan White House.
The successful outcome, after two days of suspense, means Mul-roney’s most controversial policy initiative is launched.
If the talks lead to a draft agreement, senior Tories say Mulroney could take it to the people in 1988 and seek a renewed mandate to conclude a Canada-U.S. treaty for freer trade.
Mulroney said the close-run result, which came shortly before 5 p.m., gave the lie to those who had argued that the Americans are anxious to get trade talks and take Canada to the cleaners.
Under Senate regulations, the tie vote means the talks can go ahead.
Mulroney said he had been warning since August that it would be difficult to get talks started.
He said both the U.S. and Canada have their protectionists.
In Canada, said Mulroney, protectionist sentiment was obvious among Liberals and New Democrats.
“You’re going to find that the apostles of reaction are going to be judged severely by history.” said Mulroney of freer trade opponents.
He repeated that more open markets would result in more prosperity for Canada and the U.S. who are each other's biggest tradint
accounting office - roughly the equivalant of the auditor general -are in Victoria today. Their visit is part of the fourth examination of B.C. stumpage practices within the past two years.
Another round of official lumber talks will take place within a month.
“We’re not sure what it is, but we’re going to maintain our vigilance in the coming days to see if there is any substance to the rumors. We remain confident, with the assurances of the prime minister, that he’s not going to let lumber be traded away as a means of getting these talks started.”
Some senators from states with lumber interests had been adamant that the U.S.-Canada lumber dispute be solved before the freer-trade negotiations started.
American lumber interests are upset with Canada’s one-third share of the American lumber market, and argue that subsidized timber royalties give Canadian producers an insurmountable edge.
Apsey said the lumber industry on both sides of the border has been through “a number of years of sheer hell,” but the industry now is starting to recover. The marketplace is working, he said, and there’s no need for restrictive measures.
Premier Bill Bennett told reporters in Victoria he is confident there will be no preconditions attached to the negotiations, but said the closeness of the finance committee vote means the Americans are going to be tough bargainers.
“They’ve got varying, competing positions. . .it’s not going to be achieved easily, and it’s not going to be achieved without tough bargaining and well-prepared positions.”
Cliff Andstein, secretary-treasur-er of the B.C. Federation of Labor, said he’s concerned about the negotiations, saying there hasn’t been enough discussion of the impacts of freer-trade and what issues will be exempt from the talks.
“I think you have to be very careful when you sit down with Yankee traders,” he said, noting that the Americans have already indicated they will be going after non-tariff barriers.
He said aspects of Canada’s social service structure, medicare program and health system can’t be bargained away.
“I’m afraid that that involves national identity and national sovereignty,” Andstein said. “There’s no commitment from the Tories or the Bennett government to maintaining jobs in Canada for Canadian men and women.”
College
transfers
imited
partners, doing more than $150 bif lion of business annually.
VANCOUVER (CP) - The University of British Columbia senate decided Wednesday night to limit future arts enrolment and critics said the move will discriminate against community college students in the province.
The senate decision will limit to 750 the number of second-and third-year transfer students entering the arts program from other institutions.
Arts dean Robert Will said about 50 students from other post-secondary institutions who would qualify for entry under current admission standards could be refused admission in 1986-87 because of the new limit on transfer students.
Will said limits on transfer students are needed to prevent the university “from becoming a finishing school.”
John Waters, president of the 2.800-member College-Institute Educators Association, called the limits an “arrogant action taken without consultation” that will discriminate against college students in B.C.
The senate also voted to limit entries to its bachelor of arts program to 1,500 students in 1986-87.
The measures require ratification by the board of governors.
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Milk run
Prince George secondary school students ignored the chilly wind Wednesday as they donned their shorts and running shoes and set off on the school’s annual 3*km (1.5-mile) Milk Run More than 150 students took part
in the run which raised $200 for Rick Hansen s Man in Motion tour to raise money for spinal cord research. Milk Runs were held at the same time at a number of Prince George area schools. Citizen photo by Dave Milne
TUMBLER RIDGE COSTS
Debt juggled, BCR says
by KEN BERNSOHN Staff reporter
A much ballyhooed refinancing of BC Rail’s long term debt actually just changed old debt for new, the rail company revealed Wednesday.
The government provided $430 million to retire previous debt, but in return BC Rail took over the full cost of the Tumbler Ridge branch line, which exceeded a half billion dollars.
BC Rail president Mac Norris outlined the cost of the Tumbler Ridge line to Chamber of Commerce members, explaining the original $500 million estimate went up due to equipment failures which required replacing motors, wheel slip control devices, and other gear which failed to hold up in harsh winter conditions, where 50.000
volts of electricity passes through ice-filled tunnels in places.
“The government put in $430 million along with $130 million in our sinking fund, and that took the debt off our books,” Norris said in an interview later.
“But in return for that we took on the debt of the Tumbler Ridge branch line,” Norris said.
Roger Clarke, vice-president of finance for BC Rail, said in a telephone interview, “I think what you have to remember is we built the line, with the expectation financing would be paid by others.
“We were going to get a surcharge on the coal carried. We calculated freight rates on the basis of others providing financing.”
Then the line was refinanced.
Clarke explained before the refinancing, “What we had was an
accumulation of $700 million of debt, relating to operating losses, the construction of the Dease Lake and Fort Nelson (extensions), all of which predated any construction with the northeast coal.”
When asked how much money BC Rail was losing on the Tumbler Ridge line, Clarke replied, “We do not prepare financial statements for one mile of our track versus another mile of track.
“We expected the eight and a half million tons represented by the initial contracts would be augmented by additional tonnage. We put in a facility to handle the additional tonnage. We went out and got the rail cars to handle the eight and a half million tonnes.
“We also are suffering from the point of view that we did not earn what we expected to earn,” he added.
A royal grave for Duchess
LONDON (Reuter) — The Duchess of Windsor, who died in Paris today at age 89, was shunned by the British monarchy but will be brought back to England by royal jet to a royal grave beside the husband who gave up a kingdom to marry her.
Queen Elizabeth, her niece by marriage, is sending a plane to bring back the body of the ,
Duchess from '
Paris, Buckingham Palace said.
The twice-di- The Duchess vorced Ameri- Of Windsor can — ostracized by the Royal Family 50 years ago when Edward VIII abdicated rather than give her up — will be buried in a grave a few metres from the mausoleum of Queen Victoria.
She will be buried beside the Duke, who died in 1972. Her grave is to be under a tree in the
Private Royal Burial Ground within sight of Windsor Castle, west of London.
The Queen is expected to attend the funeral service in nearby St. George’s Chapel, burial place of English kings for six centuries, a Palace spokesman said.
Informed sources told Reuters all the principal members of the Royal Family were likely to attend the service and the Queen was expected to declare a short period of court mourning.
“She (the Queen) will do it in tribute to him — her uncle, a former sovereign — not for her,” said one source.
The Queen agreed to the semiroyal funeral for the former Mrs. Wallis Warfield Simpson of Baltimore, in a deal negotiated with the Duke when they met in London in March, 1965.
One leading authority, Harold Brooks-Baker, director of Burke’s Peerage, the chronicler of the aristocracy, describes the deal as a straightforward piece of blackmail by the Duke.
The Windsors, living in exile in Paris, in 1957 bought a plot in Baltimore’s Greenmount Cemetery. Queen Elizabeth had to agree to a joint burial at Windsor or face the prospect of the former King of England and Emperor of India lying forever in a public American graveyard.
“It was blackmail by the Duke and the Queen submitted,” Brooks-Baker said. “It was easier to give in than face the Duke refusing to be buried in England.”
Buckingham Palace said the Duchess’ funeral would be on a much smaller scale than the Duke’s and it was “most unlikely" the Duchess would lie in state as the Duke did.
The Duchess never set foot in Britain after the Duke’s funeral apart from a four-hour visit one year later to lay flowers on his grave. She often spoke bitterly of her husband’s kingdom. “I hate this place,” she said in 1951 during a brief visit to London.
“I shall hate it to my grave.”
Blast wrecks airline office
LONDON (AP) — A bomb blast early today severely damaged British Airways offices in a building near the U.S. Embassy on one of London’s main shopping streets, but there apparently were no injuries, police said.
There was no claim of responsibility for the bombing and “we have no suspects at the moment," said Chief Supt. Hugh Blenlun of Scotland Yard.
A fire erupted after the 4:50 a.m. (10:50 p.m. EST Wednesday) explosion outside the building on Oxford Street, Blenkin said.
No one was reported injured, but a woman was treated for shock, i.e said. Firefighters extinguished the blaze in about an hour, confining it mostly to the state-owned airline office, one of 10 in London.
Blenkin said there was considerable damage to the ground-floor British Airways office. The blast also blew out windows in other buildings in the area.
American Airlines and American Express have counters in the British Airways office, but Scotland Yard spokesman Philip Powell said the airline appeared to be the target.
There are apartments at top of the building and initially there were fears people may have been trapped in them.
But Scotland Yard said in a statement: “Everyone is accounted for. The fire and explosion caused damage to the ground floor.”
The blast followed a series of terrorist acts and bomb threats against British targets since Britain allowed the United States to use bombers based in Britain in its April 15 air raid on Libya.
The bodies of two British hostages held in Lebanon were found outside Beirut last Thursday along with a note claiming a terror group believed linked to PLO renegade Abu Nidal was responsible. That day, a security guard for the Israeli El Al airline at London's Heathrow airport discovered a bomb hidden in the hand luggage of an Irish woman boarding a flight to Tel Aviv.
The woman’s Palestinian boyfriend has been charged with cons piracy to bomb the plane.
On Wednesday, another group rc leased in Beirut what it said was a videotape of the hanging of British freelance writer Alec Collett. It said he, too, was killed in retaliation for British support of the attack on Libya.