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Terrace Review — Wednesday, May 18,1 988 | §

Controls needed on
genetic engineering

Agar Parks?

~ BI Scott

| think anybody using any

of the facilities should have
user fees. it’s better than our

_ taxes, As a parent | should
pay for my child to go and
use the swimming pool or
parks or baseball or
anything.

Tammy Walker

i don’t think they should
be charged because they
aren't always using Agar
Park. | know some of the
games are at Cassie Hall and
there are other groups using
the fields, so why should
minor softball just be charg-
ed? I don’t understand.

‘Talk of the Town

The Terrace Review asked:

~ Do you think the city |
should charge minor sit
-. baseball and minor a
softball a userfee for |
the use of Rotary and

Ted Shaw

‘No. Because Lotto was
supposed to take care of all
of this. | don’t see why the
public has to pay for the
whole works when they’re
using Lotto money to do
everything else but take care
of the kids.

Letter

To the Editor;

In northern B.C. we are not
often confronted with the reality
that laboratories in Canada are
creating whole new life forms.

_ It may seem hard to believe,
but several thousand new species

of plants and animals have been

created in the past few years.
I am deeply troubled by the
fact that the new science of

". “transgenetics’? is moving full

steam ahead in the absence of
any policy on this issue from the

. Mulroney government.

Sure, some of the new life
forms — such as the ‘‘Canadian-
designed’? wheat stalks (which
don’t freeze because of the addi-

‘tion of the genes of fish) — may

seem like a great breakthrough
for farmers, We move, however,
into more controversial ques-
tions very quickly.

_ In transgenetic experiments,
pesticide-resistant bees are being
developed, turnips are injected
with the genes of hampsters to
allow them to grow in con-
taminated soil, and pigs are in-
jected with the genes of humans.
We are faced with the prospect
of cows being crossed with
elephants and animals being
given wings.

It may seem too incredible a
field to address our minds to,
but we must. This research is go-
ing on right here in Canada! The
most fundamental issue of
planet Earth is being tested —
the genetic barrier between
species.

Already in North America, a a
mouse, known as Mouse

4736866 has been patented by

Harvard University as a new life

form. This group of mice will be
born with a genetic mutation
which causes 50 percent of the
females to develop cancer.

Surely from existing diseases
— from the common cold to
multiple sclerosis to AIDS — we
have learned of the terrible
potency of even the smallest
organisms.

If the government is going to
act, it must act now with some
tough rules on inter-species gene
transfer, and protection against

_ the release of genetically altered
creatures among existing species

until we understand where all
this could lead.

Before the local circus adver-
tises dogs the size of buffalo, or
chickens the size of giraffes, the
public has the right to establish
very precise limits on genetic
tampering.

The issue has gone beyond the
simple matter of developing
quality beef cattle or frost resis-
tant lettuce or multiple-
blooming flowers. This is 2 mat-
ter of injecting fundamental
genetic material from one
species into another.

A few large chemical com-

panies and about 10,000 scien-

tists around the world, are ‘“‘on
the loose’’ right now.

1 intend to push for strict con-
trols on this type of develop-

ment, and I have introduced a -

motion before Parliament call-
ing for a full inquiry into the
scientific. creation of new life
forms.

The government has a respon-
sibility to ensure public.safety
and ethical standards when it
comes to transgenetics.

Jim Fulton, MP
Skeena

Drunk driving stats
higher this year

by Cst. Ewen Harvie

The Spring CounterAttack program blitz in the Terrace area -

Jessica Bowering

‘| don’t think it’s a good
idea because | think it
should be even. If one group
gets to use the flelds for
nothing, the the other group
should get to use the fields
they want to play on. If the
service clubs built them in
the first place they should be
able to use them.

Dan MacKenzie
If it's a public facility they
shouldn't pay — because It’s.
for public use.

Dorothy Britton

It’s to be used by the
public, isn’t It? That’s what
it’s for so why are they charg-
ing a user fee. Isn't that what -
it was built for — the public.
It isn’t logical to pay for
something that’s been built
for you.

Wilma Ceostain

Users of public property
should pay something for Its |,
use but not the whole shot. |
think a small fee — but not a
large one. Nothing Ike that.
Even $899 (the old rate) is too
much,

Matt Hanley

No, | don’t think so. Other
people are using fields that
they don't have to pay for.

covered roadblocks, traffic enforcement and public education. The
public was made aware of the program again this Spring in media
releases, public service announcements and the Highway Banner .
displayed throughout the program in Terrace. The number of road
hours spent by police members increased, resulting in more prosecu-
tions overall. We will continue stepping up prosecutions, especially
with traffic offences in an attempt to reduce motor vehicle ac-
cidents.

We would like to remind all drivers that spot checks will continue |
for impaired drivers, along with equipment checks throughout the
summer. We ask all drivers to plan ahead and avoid finding
themselves in a drinking and driving situation.

(1987 Spring CounterAttack Program results, in brackets)

Fatal Collisions ° 0 (0)
Number Killed 7 0 (0)
Injury Collisions . a 1 (5)
Number of Persons Injured res | (6)
Property Damage Collisions ee 20 3)
Total Traffic Charges 427) = (281)
Number of Persons Charged for ‘17 (11)
Drinking Offences .
Number of 24 Hour Roadside Suspensions 21 (28)
Collisions where alcohol was involved —— 2 (2) —
Number of Road Check Hours . 43 (35)
Number of Vehicles Checked 2,810 (2,150)
Number of Written Warnings Issued | 277 = (284)

(Traffic Offences)

Cst, Ewen Harvie is crime prevention coordinator for the Terrace rey

detachment of the RCMP.

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