The Prince George
Citizen
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24,1992
51 CENTS
(PIUS GST)
Secrets we leave behind
8
High tomorrow: 0
Boy Scouts go co-ed
Queen chides the critics 11
Gino, the Canuck sniper 13
Phone:562-2441 Classified: 562-6666 Circulation: 562-3301
$50 MILLION
Winter driving
Citizen photo by Chuck Nisbett
Everyone’s spinning their wheels these days, even Kay-Anna Slater, 3. Kay-Anna was seen trying to guide her tricycle across a snowy parking lot at Highglen Day Care during a play period. Hopefully she’s had her three winter tires mounted by now.
Election date hinted
OTTAWA (SNS) — Canadians will have to wait “about eight or nine months” for the next federal election, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney suggested Monday.
Responding to a question from Liberal Leader Jean Chretien, Mulroney told the House of Commons he feels comfortable being more than 20 points behind the Grits in the public opinion- polls because there is no election in the horizon.
“I always feel comfortable with a Liberal leader who’s sitting 20 points ahead about eight or nine months before an election,” he said.
The statement drew a strong response from opposition members who charged the government has lost the moral right to govern.
“1 think it’s disgusting,” said NDP House Leader Nelson Riis. “The country is in chaos, the country is in crisis.
“We are in deep trouble in this country and to think we have to last another six or eight months with this government, it’s distressing.”
INDEX
Farcus
Ann Landers . ____8
Bridge..... . . . 23
Business .... . 18, 19
City, B.C. . . . . . 2,3
Classified . . . . 20-23
Comics..... . . . .6
Commentary . . . . .5
Crossword . . . . . . 22
Editorial .... . . . .4
Entertainment . . 6,7
Family..... . . . . 8
Horoscope . . . . . . 23
International . . . . 11
Movies..... . . . .6
National .... . 9, 10
Sports..... . 13-16
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‘I think you’re getting too comfortable in your position here, Smithers."
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Weapons
amnesty
extended
Southam News
OTTAWA — Gun owners will get an extra two weeks to hand over their weapons to police without penalty, Justice Minister Kim Campbell announced Monday.
The month-long national amnesty, the first in 14 years, was to have ended Nov. 30, but will now end Dec. 15.
Campbell said the $ 1.3-million amnesty, designed to reduce accidents and crimes, started slowly but has “warmed up” in the last week. She said it was extended to make sure everyone who is holding an unwanted, illegal or dangerous weapon can dispose of it.
Campbell said she wanted to take full advantage of the increased gun safety awareness that has been generated by the program, and discussed the idea with police and provincial representatives before announcing the extension.
“Everyone has agreed that it was a good idea to extend it.”
Bank rate
OTTAWA (CP) — The Bank of Canada set its bank rate today at 8.82 per cent, up from 7.95 per cent last week.
Ottawa agrees to help airline
by Canadian Press
OTTAWA — The federal government will give Canadian Airlines International up to $50 million to help it stay in business while it sorts out its future, Transport Minister Jean Corbeil said today.
The support falls well short of what struggling Canadian and its employees had been seeking to be able to complete an investment deal with American Airlines.
Corbeil said the money would allow PWA Corp., Canadian’s parent company, “to explore with all interested parties, including provinces and employees, the actions necessary to minimize taxpayers’ financial exposure and to support a viable Canadian, competitive airline system.”
Corbeil, in a statement to the Commons, didn’t say whether the government would do anything else to help Canadian in the longer run. Nor did he give details on how to lessen damaging competition between Canadian and Air Canada.
He hinted that the government might force the airlines to reduce their intense competition for passengers.
“Capacity is loo great for cur-
rent demand, and prices are too low to cover costs,” he said.
Later, outside the House, Corbeil said the $50 million — which will be provided to the airline through its banks — is all the government will contribute.
“There is ample room for other (provincial) governments, and the airline’s creditors, which must be part of the solution,” he said.
Fraser Hodge, a Canadian pilot and member of the council that represents employee interests, called the federal contribution “a good interim measure.”
But he suggested, in an interview from Vancouver, that it’s not a final solution and said he didn’t see the $50 million as Ottawa’s final contribution.
Air Canada had no immediate comment on the aid to its competitor.
Corbeil said federal lawyers are trying to find a way to allow the airlines to slacken their competition for passengers without running afoul of federal competition law.
But the government doesn’t want to go back to the days before deregulation, when bureaucrats determined which routes airlines could fly and much much they could charge.
“We have to make sure, in the best interests of the nation, that we don’t set up a situation where there is no competition,” said Corbeil.
Tom Siddon, a cabinet colleague of Corbeil, said outside the House the government would make a “commitment to sit down with both airlines and deal with excess capacity.”
He suggested there might be “some form of restructuring, perhaps a degree of regulation which would deal with the surplus-capacity problem and the significant financial losses of both airlines.” Siddon is Indian affairs minister but has been involved in the airline issue because his Vancouver riding contains a large number of Canadian employees.
In his statement to the Commons, Corbeil gave no indication that the government would abandon its overall deregulation program, which many observers say has spurred the two airlines into their competitive battle.
“Our preference is to look to every reasonable alternative to preserve a competitive airline system in Canada,” he said.
Corbeil said the government has already paid $200 million to Canadian for three surplus aircraft.
Indian village proposa sparks heated debate
by BERNICE TRICK Citizen Staff
A war of words between city council members and a Lheit-Lit’en Nation representative may endanger a plan to develop a Carrier Indian heritage village within Prince George.
Project director Rob Harrison requested $19,041 Monday at the weekly city council meeting to do a feasibility study for the estimated $4.5-million tourist attraction, but left angry and disappointed when council delayed the request for two weeks for more information.
After what he called a shocking reception from council, Harrison said it wouldn’t surprise him if the Lheit-Lit’en Nation (formerly Fort George Band) decided to locate the project outside city limits.
“We do have another site and, if need be, we’ll proceed on our alternate site out of town. We will persevere with or without council,” Harrison said outside the meeting.
The tourist attraction is now targeted between Queensway and the Fraser River near Hudson Bay Slough.
The village, to be constructed in two phases, would contain both winter and summer dwellings of early Carrier Indians. People on the site would portray the lifestyle of the Indians prior to the coming of the white man from Europe.
The plan has spurred interest from afar and the Nation is receiving inquiries about the opening date from tourist companies, Harrison said.
He said that when he met with
council last June, “No one on city council said they wanted 100 per cent proof of financing sources or final design plans. If I had known that, maybe I could have had that information ready tonight.”
Voices rose during debate when council suggested the matter wait until the 1993 budget discussions in January. Harrison accused members of quibbling.
To quibble over the request when considering the size of the tourist attraction is “like using a hammer to kill a fly,” he said.
After telling Harrison he resented that remark, Mayor John Backhouse countered by saying, “I’m not quibbling over $20,000. I’m seriously considering taxpayers’ money. I want to know what I’m getting into precisely.”
He said he wants to see “the concept of the project” which is to be designed by Duncan and Associates Ltd.
“I’m not going to say we have $20,000 left in our budget because we don’t,” said Backhouse, adding that there are only five weeks left in the 1992 budget year.
When council voted 6-1 to table the request to Dec. 7 to see the concept plan, list of financing sources and reports from city administration, Harrison lashed out.
“I’m shocked and disappointed in your attitude. It’s been a wasteful time to come before you.
“I’m sorry council didn’t inform us it needed this information. If you want the Nation to jump through hoops, we’ll jump through them, maybe,” said Harrison, who asked for a written letter in point
form specifying what information council wants.
Backhouse said he hoped to sec Harrison back at council in two weeks after he’s “considered the opportunities for co-operation.”
Harrison wanted the study to proceed immediately because he says now is the best time to do the topographies and soil analysis, with leaves off the trees and little snow.
It would have meant the study could be complete by Christmas, site development beginning in early spring and completion of the project by May 1994.
Harrison reminded council the project has been talked about between the two parties since June when “simplistic drawings” were looked at.
Now the Nation has reached the final design stage for the location of 20 proposed historical buildings and a fish camp on a small island to be constructed in Hudson Bay Slough.
Backhouse reminded council the agreement in June was to work with the heritage society in acquiring the financing.
“We share the same enthusiasm for the project, but I can’t spend $20,000 of taxpayers’ money when I don’t have anything to go on,” said Backhouse.
“We need that feasibility study to begin with. We need it to show we’ve done our homework,” said Harrison.
Driveways will be cleared
Snow clearing of residential driveway entrances is here to stay.
It’s No. 1 of eight highlights in a revised policy for snow and ice control in the City of Prince George.
City council approved the updated policy Monday which was submitted by Gary Champagne, city public works operations manager.
Residents requested driveway clearing for years before it happened for the first time last year.
During the winter of 1990-1991,
council agreed to a pilot project which experimented with drop blades on snow plows in the Foothills Subdivision.
Other policy changes to refrain from using centre medians for snow storage, ploughing smaller accumulations of snow than before, quicker response to severe storms, keeping the public informed of operations through the media and stricter enforcement of winter parking restrictions.
When snow clearing is necessary, the first priority is on main
arterial streets, downtown streets and problem hills.
Bus routes and commercial or industrial roads come second, while residential streets and lanes are third priority, the policy states.
When the snow reaches 75 mm (three inches) in depth, major arterial and downtown streets are to be plowed.
Remaining streets and roads will see plows when accumulated snowfall reaches 100 mm (four inches).
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