Path to debt, despair Gamblers on a losing track By David Taylor THE PAYOFFS can be big: instant gratification, feelings of control and power, the possibility of a big win. But the costs are bigger: the big win proves elusive, the control is just an illu- ' sion, The gambler slips into debt and despair. It's a cycle that Greg McQuarie, the new pam- . bling addiction counsellor at Terrace Addiction Services, has seen all foo often. The gambling program, which began in January, mns on. money from the provincial government and offers education counselling for problem gamblers and their families, McQuarrie will also be holding public information sessions about gambling. The first one is tonight at the community health ser- vices society auditorium. Although Terrace — city council chose not to allow casinos in the city, McQuar- ric. points out that there is stil] no shortage of gambling opportunities here, People can play bingo, buy pull tabs and lottery tickets, bet on horse racing or even visit ‘virtual casinos’’ on the in- ternet. “You can stay at home, lose your home and never . even leave your home,’’ McQuarrie says of internet gambling. With so many op- portunities, there’s bound to be a number of problem gamblers in Terrace, Provi ice-wide, 3.9 per cent’ Re aareise and © of British Columbians are problem or pathological gamblers. Tf Terrace follows the provincial average, that means more than 800 people here have problems with gambling. McQuarrie says the key to helping them is to get the word out that there is now a place for addicted gamblers and their families to turn for help. “For a lot of people, ad- diction is lives,’ he says. “And gam- bling goes hand-in-hand with other addictions.” A tecent study in Alberta actually showed that up to 60 per cent of problem gam- blers had former addictions to aicohol or drugs. That’s because the effects are similar. McQuarrie says thal like drugs and alcohol, gambling offers temporary relief from depression. It lifts up people who are down and relaxes people who are wound up. ‘Tt gives a feeling of empowerment, and takes your mind off your troubles,’ McQuarrie says. The problem is; gambling creates many more troubles and doesn’t actually salve anything. Unfortunately, gambling addicts don’t sec that, they’re stuck, They gamble more and more, thinking the big win is just around the comer. Much of the lime they don’t think at all. “It’s reacting rather than thinking and acting,’ part of their PROHLES GAROLERS AND TROD BS fan as Ir costs Motr GAMBLING ADDICTIONS counsellor Greg McQuarrie has literature and ex- pertise to help deal with the problems from the sport. He's also holding informa- tion sessions, the first of which is this aftemoon at 3 p.m. at the community health services society auditorium on Kalum. There's ane tomorrow at 7 p.m. McQuarrie says. ‘‘When you gamble, you don’t have to think or interact with other people. There’s no emotional involvement. You don’t feel good, you don’t feel bad, you don’t feel,”’ Like other addictions, gambling has a tremendous impact on families. Children grow up ‘‘bingo orphans,’ spouses stop communicating and trust is destroyed, In worst-case scenarios, gambling problems can lead to financial and emotional bankruptcy or suicide. Children growing up in gambling-dependent families often become con- ditioned to the cycles of wins and losses. They go without food so parents can feed their gambling habit, then feast when there’s a win in the family. The result is often a predisposition toward gam- bling themselves, and an in- ability to communicate emotions and accept mis- takes. “Problem gamblers see everything in black and white, wilh no grey areas,” McQuarrie says. ‘They can’t accept their losses and walk away or they feel like losers themselves. So they keep playing,”’ According to McQuarric, problem gamblers will easi- ly spend $20-$100 every night on bingo or pull-tabs. At that rate, it doesn’t take long for savings lo dry up and credit cards reach their limits. To learn more about gam- bling and gambling addic- tion, the public is invited to altend free information ses- sions at the Northwest Com- munity Health | Services Society auditorium tonight at 7 pam. and tomorrow at 3 pin. There are also sessions March 23 and March 24. For more information, call Greg McQuarrie al 638- 8117. Skeena Cellulose boss named The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 18, 1998 - A3 News In Brief Family killed in crash A TERRACE family was killed last week when their small ear collided head on wilh’a large track 22km cast on Hwy16. Eldon Lowell Haugan, 39, his common-law wife Geraldine Ivy Costello, 38, and her son Ryan Costello, 9, ai] died in collision alabout 10 p.m. March £0. Police say the family’s vehicle appeared to have crossed the centre line and into the path of the oncom- ing track. The car was torn into two picces an impact. Police say the family likely died instantly, as none were alive when RCMP arrived at the scene. The driver of the semi truck was treated for minor injuries and released. : Sel. Darcy Gollan of Terrace RCMP notes that road conditions were slippery at the time. The accident is still under investigation. Guns stolen from shop POLICE ARE looking for suspects in a break-and- enter that resulted in a number of guns hitting the strcels af Terrace. Sometime during the evening of March 12, thieves broke into Northcoast Anglers on Kalum St. Entry was gained by forcing a door at Grace Fell Florist and then breaking down two more doors to get into Northcoast Anglers — a hunting and fishing supply store, The culprits made off with a large number of weapons, including knives and about eight shotguns” and rifles, worth between $300 and $1,000 cach. A small amount of cash and some fishing equipment was also taken, : The theft has Terrace RCMP concerned because’ powerful firearms are now in the hands of criminals: and could be used lo commit further crimes. , “Anytime someone sicals firearms we are very con-" cemed,’? says Set, Darcy Gollan. Gollan paints out that these guns can often be sawn- down or otherwise allered to make them into dangerous * concealed weapons. Anyone with information on this crime is asked to Terrace RCMP. Miller case turned down A JUSTICE OF the peace won't be going ahead on a complaint that a cabinel minister did something wrong in having a lawyer phone a judge. Deputy premicr Dan Miller was accused of obstruc- tion of justice and conspiracy when he asked the law- yer to phone the judge hearing the case to restructure the debt of Skeena Cellulose. A number of creditors opposed the proposed debt package, causing the government to declare itself an SKEENA CELLULOSE finally has a chief executive of- ficer. The new top boss of the region’s biggest employer is Bill Steele, a 10-year veleran of West Fraser who was most recently its vice president of pulp and paper in Quesnel. Steele replaces David Bowra, the former court-appointed monitor from Coopers and Lybrand who also served as . CEO for the last few months. - | The new CEQ, won’t be giving any interviews. until he’s had more time to explore the operations and get @ better -sense of whal course he wants to take, McDonald added. Steele will continue to oversee the unfolding of the com- pany’s restructuring plan. There’s no word on where Steele will be based, but there are no plans to move the company’s Vancouver HO, Stecle’s hiring follows the resignation/forced ranoval of senior vice president Rudy Schwartz. Another top official, Harry Papusbka, remains with the company to give advice on pulp marketing. Skeena Cellulose survived being - cut loose by former .. parent company.Repap Enterprises only afler.a -year-long series of negotiations which ended with the provincial . government the majority owner. Victoria holds 52.5 per cent of the shares, while the Toronto Dominion Bank has 275 per cent and pulp mill employces have 20 per cent. unsecured creditor so ils vote would force acceptance of the package. Miller, in advance of the judge’s deci- sion, then asked the Lawyer to tell the judge the pro- vince was appointing a person to look into the creditors’ position that they wanted more money as part of the debt restructuring package. The complaint, filed by lower mainland resident Gor- don Watson, said thé phone call was wrong. But the justice of the peace said there was no suppestion of a threat or altempt to influence the judge. The judge did write a memo noting he did receive the phone call. a Bill Steele Columbia Autohaus On Heaven’s Doorstep, You'll Need A Sled This Wicked! 700ce liquid-cooled high output twin « New de age we : Mikuni TM fiat stide carburetors * New digital : ; : ignition « AWS V front suspension with ae a , 37” ski stance « FasTrack Long- . ' Travel Rear Suspension a rh Sytem with Torque we 7 = Sensing Link (TSL) and ar Extra Travel Tunnel (ETT) # . . 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