Ad - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 16, 1994

TERRACE

STANDARD

ESTABLISITED APRIL 27, 1988

ADDRESS: 4647 Lazclle Ave., Terrace, B.C. * V8G 158
TELEPHONE: (604) 638-7283 * FAX: (604) 638-8432
MODEM: 638-7247

Very clever

IF HEALTH minister Paul Ramsey ever needs to
consider another line of work, he might try
magic. That was some rabbit he pulled out of the
hat a couple of weeks ago in deciding to add a
second orthopedic surgeon in the northwest.

The decision contradicts one made by Mr.
Ramsey just several months ago. Then, acting
upon a recommendation from a 1992 health
study, Mr. Ramsey announced the orthopedic
surgical service in Kitimat was to be transferred
to Prince Rupert. That lead to massive protests in
Kitimat and potential political problems for the
NDP.

Mr. Ramsey’s solution was to keep the service
in Kitimat. To appease Prince Rupert, he an-
nounced a second northwest orthopedic surgeon
would be placed in that city.

Although this would appear to have solved a
troublesome situation, the provincial government
has now.added approximately $1 million to the
provincial deficit, That’s about what it’ll take to
open and run an orthopedic service in Prince
Rupert. This seems strange when the government
is running around at every other opportunity tell-
ing people how much money it is not spcading.

But perhaps Mr. Ramsey has created a clever
trap. Northwest health care decisions on budget
allocations and services will soon be made by a
regional health care council. It'll consist of the
same groups, people and communities who
couldn’t agree on the orthopedic surgical service.

One day that council may not have enough
money to support two orthopedic services. The
‘decision then will be much more difficult to
make. Yet it won’t be up to Mr. Ramsey or his
successor. Mr. Ramsey’s short term gain now

may. Sty. aKeh lead to somebody. elses Jong term

pallateron. ooo ois ‘ tase

It’s illegal

SUPPOSE A group of prominent businessmen,
backed by various pension funds and a big time
partner from south of the border, announced
plans to develop a massive marijuana farm in the
Fraser Valley. ‘‘Sure,”’ they would say, ‘“‘We
know it’s against the law but we’re convinced
the provincial government will change its mind
once they hear of the economic benefits that will
come about.’’

Sounds pretty far fetched but that’s about
what’s happening with the multi-million
proposal to take a piece of Vancouver waterfront
and turn it into a huge casino to vacuum the
pockeis of locals and tourists.

In the rush toward bright lights and the big
time, most everybody seems to forget that gam-
bling for profit in this province is against the
law.

What’s worse is the attitude of the NDP. This is
supposed to be the party which seeks to elevate
humanity beyond the kind of greed exemplified
by blackjack, craps and the like. Instead the party
seems to have its eye on the next election. The
need to produce anything te dazzle voters is
overriding every other consideration.

Cy E
GSAS) PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Rod Link
ADVERTISING MANAGER; Mike L. Hamm

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Edouard Credgcur
NEWS COMMUNITY: Jeff Nagel * NEWS SPORTS: Malcolm Baxter
OFFICE MANAGER: Rose Fisher
COMPOSING: Pam Odell
DARKROOM: Susan Credgeur
ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS:
Sam Collier, Janet Viveiros, Howie Oram

CIRCULATION SUPERVISOR: Charlene Matthews

Serving tha Terrace area, Published on Wednesday of each week by Cariboo Press (1969) .Lid. at 4647
Lazelfe Ave,, Tettace, British Columbia. . . . an
Slories, photographs, Mustralions, designs and typestyles in the Terrace Slandard are {he property of the
copyright holders, including Cariboo Press (1969) Lid, it's illustration: repro. servicas and advertising
agencies, . a . . vs oe
Reproduction in whole or in part, wilhoul written permission, is specifically prohibilad, --
Avihorized as sacond-class mail pending lhe Post Office Deparlmerit, fot payment of postage in cash,

CUNT AM

Speclal thanks to all.our contributors and correspondents
OE for thelr time and talents oe,

VICTORIA — If ever a
politician’s words have come
back to haunt him, it’s got to
be Premier Harcourt’s previous
stance on gambling for profit.

Here’s what Mayor Mike
Harcourt of Vancouver said in
1986 when then premier Bill
Vander Zalm entertained the
idea of introducing Vegas-style
casinos:

‘It’s an open invitation to
the mob, and all that it will
bring with it, all. the dirty
money in terms of raking off
profit from gambling, the cor-
ruption of officials, extortion,
prostitution, drugs and money
being laundered,”’

Seven years later, he is sing-
ing a slightly different tune.
He’s ‘‘ambivalent’’ about
casinos that operate for profit,

He says, "but-he's -reservitig his
et final-verdict until fall when the

government's review of gam-
bling regulations will be com-
pleted.

What makes the difference in
e premier’s attitude between
en and now is a proposed
750 million Vancouver water-
front development, complete
with 1,000-room hoiel-
convention centre, cruise ship
facilities and resort casino,

The proponents of the
scheme are no slouches.
Despite the 15,000 permanent

FROM THE.CAPITAL |
HUBERT BEYER

jobs the project is expected to
create, they know that’s not
enough io swing the govern-
ment’s support behind it. So
they threw in some appealing
bait.

To start with, union pension
funds are to get a 10.5 per cent
ownership in the complex.
First Nations are to get another
10 per cent share. The project
also contains provisions to
build housing for the poor. But
that’s not all.

Jack Poole, the long-time
Liberal and millionaire devel-
oper, who spearheads the
forces that back the project,
has promised to give Van-
couver East Side residents,
who are among the city’s
poorest, first crack to the con-

BITE THE HAND!!...

BITE THE HAND...

struction jobs as well as the
permanent jobs the project
would create,

These guys are pushing all
the right buttons, and it’s easy
to see why the government

would find the proposal ap-'

pealing, a few wrinkles
notwithstanding.

One of the wrinkles is the
direct involvement — some
call it a conflict of interest —
the government has in the pro-
posed development. The devel-
oper is a company called VLC
Properties Ltd., a firm in which
the government has a 16-per-
cent share,

Headed by Poole, VLC’s
board of directors also includes
an array of powerful union
bosses, including B.C. Feder-
ation of Labor president Ken
Georgetti. VLC would own a
20-per-cent share of the casino.
As you can sce, the plot thick-
ens,

Now, what about Harcourt’s
scathing assessment of
gambling- for-profit seven
years ago? Not to worry, VLC
has run a security check on
Mirage Resort Inc. Of Nevada,
the second-largest gaming
company in Nerth America,
which would own 49 per cent
of the complex and run the
gaming facility,

The result of the check, ac-

oN

Mike’s ready to roll the dice

cording to VLC, is that gam-
bling in Nevada is carefully
monitored and provides no
opening for organized crime,

All of which leaves us with
one question: which Harcourt
will prevail, the one who
would have nothing to do with
gambling seven years ago or
the one who’s clutching his
new found ambivalence?

I put my money on the
reformed Mike. The induce-
ments of the proposal are too
great to be ignored. J also don’t
agree with those who see the
mob behind every roulette
wheel and slot machine.

Ican’t say whether or not the
mob has a stake in Reno or Las
Vegas, but I know that there is
ho organized crime in any of -
the famous European casinos.

If the ‘operation is run tightly, . o:
and ‘closely «monitored, the:* ~-

mob won't move in.

So, let it rest and let the
government make a profil on
behalf of the taxpayer. And
let’s keep the money in British
Columbia thai now goes to Ne-
vada.

The casino-hotel-convention
centre-cruise ship proposal is
the best thing to come along
since Expo 86 which, by the
way, was vehemently opposed -
by Harcourt.

A last letter to John Candy

Dear John Candy:

You stunned me wilh your |

sudden leavetaking. There i
was looking forward to a cof-
fee break soon, when CBC
news announced, ‘‘Actor John
Candy died this morning of a
heart attack in Durango, Mexi-
co where he was Glming a
wesierm.”’

Later, the news said you
were one day away [rom wrap-
ping up the movie, Wagons
East. I do hope movicmakers
will be able to complete the
movie wilhout you so your
final work won't be dropped
into the garbage can,

News stories say you made
anywhere from 37 to 15
movies; reports differ. So far
Pye seen only a few —~ Uncle
Buck, Home Alone, and the
one where you play a
polieman and Maureen
©’Hara is your Irish mother in-
lent on getting you hitched,

Now that you've written
Finis to your movie making
carecr, your videos will be so
popular, I'll have to put my

THROUGH BIFOCALS

CLAUDETTE SANDECK]

WELL, TRIS 1S THE \| BECAUSE THAT'S
BEST AXE BUT THIS Pow NORTHERNERS
IS $2.95 CHEAPER) | LIVE BELOW THE

name on a long list to rent
them.

I missed you al the Gemini
awards 10 days ago. Sure,
Valerie Pringle did make pass-
ing mention of both your and
Tommy Sexton's untimely ab-
sence at the ceremonies. But
not a single Gemini winner
hailed you or your achieve-
ments.

Were they sojcalous of your
comedy success they couldn’t
bring themselves to say some-
thing laudatory about you? Or

did they fear breaking down
into a sobbing puddle? Perhaps
the program was so scripled
and rehearsed that, lacking
your improvisational skill, they
couldn’t find a way to slip in
an off-the-cuff.remark to note
your unexpected death only
(wo days earlier.

Even master of the ad lib,
Frank Shuster, though - he
shared the stage with Johnny
Wayne al least in memory, ig-
nored your contribution to Ca-
nadian humour.

I understand you smoked
heavily, and tried every diet in-
venled to trim, your size from
300 pounds. Your SCTY
buddy, Eugene Levy, inter-
viewed by Peter Mansbridge
on Prime 'Time News, said you
were sensitive about your
weight, and well aware your
father suffered a heart attack
age 35.

It didn’t help that you were a
workaholic, driven {o accom-
plishing something every
waking moment. Now you've
abruptly run out of time at 43,

POVERTY LINE
RIGHT?

oy FORTY- SIX? HERE'S A
| FIFTY CHARLENE KEEP

culting short what we all hoped
would be a jong drawn out fu-
ture filled with more funny
movies and TV appearances.

‘You somehow built a career
as a Canadian comic without .
ever letting me know you were
a husband and a father. How -
did you do that? For your wife
Rosemary Hobor, your 13-
year-old daughter Jennifer, and
your 9-year-old son
Christopher, I’m sure your
sudden death has left a gigantic
gap in their lives, physically
and emotionally, ;
’ [can’t do anything to make
things belles,

I imagine you’re in heaven
now, dressed in a {oga and
thong slippers, gathered with
other Canadian comedians —
Johnny Wayne, Tommy Sex-
lon, Stephen Leacock, Sarah
Binks —— chuckling over the
antics of Codco and the barbs
of the Air Farce, while munch-.
Ing potato chips and swigging
beer, ~~

But there is no joy on the Ca-
nadian scene.

¥

3 ¢