AG - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 15, 1997 STANDARD ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1988 ADDRESS: 3210 Clinton Street Terrace, B.C. * V8G 5R2 TELEPHONE: (604) 638-7283 * FAX: (604) 638-8432 ~"" MODEM: (604) 638-7247 Power play FORGET priests. One hockey coach, jailed three and a half years for sexually assaulting young hockey players who went on to the NHL, has set a new standard for sensationalism in sexual abuse cases. The story of junior hockey coach Graham James and his abuse of Boston Bruin Sheldon Kennedy in his teenage years struck the hockey community like a lightning bolt last week. The very idea of it came as an offence to the masculinity of this most masculine of sports. But before denial sets in, let’s examine some of the myths the James episode helps shatter. Fisst is the idea thai tough young men are somehow immuiic io sexual predators. This affair reveals sexual assault for what it really is — a crime of power. Usually it’s men exercising power over women or girls. In this case, junior hockey players said nothing of ad- vances and assaults by their coach for fear of losing their shot at the NHL. Maybe this will open the eyes of young men to the fact that even they are not necessarily safe, and maybe just for a moment give them pause to consider more deeply the plight of the greater numbers of women who are victimized by men. Secondly, maybe hockey parents could start thinking a little more — and we’re not talking about an investigation of your loca] hockey coach. The vast majority are well-qualified, giving volunteers. The real inquisition belongs in the hearts of parents and players who are seduced by the lure of the money and fame associated with profes- sional sports. When that greed is gone, maybe we can get rid of some of the verbal abuse and the pressure to perform that parents heap on children. Only then can we get back to hockey that’s about recreation — not a pipe dream that only a tiny fraction of players will ever realize. Promises WHAT IS it going to take — loggers marching on the Parliament buildings with chainsaws? - You can excuse the people of Stewart for think- ing so. Their workforce, hammered by a mining slowdown now faces the prospect of a six-month logging shutdown. Back in the early 80s, three firms — Orenda Forest Products, Buffalo Head Forest Producs, and Tay-M Forest Products — got licences to log the Stewart-Meziadin area’s decaying and un- productive forests. The companies involved would be required to put processing facilities in place, holding out the promise of stable employ- ment for the Stewart area. Those promises went unkept, the requirements went unenforced, and one by one, those com- panies were bought up by Repap B.C. When Orenda, the third and final firm, was bought by Repap last year, the government paid little more than lip service to the needs of the Stewart area. The toughest conditions of the licence transfer were reserved for ensuring the . survival of the pulp mill in deputy premier Dan Miller’s home town. Now Avenor is poised to take over Repap and forests minister David Zirnhelt isn’t promising so much as licence transfer hearings. But then the people of Stewart know how much promises are worth. 7 PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Rod Link = ADVERTISING MANAGER: Rick Passmore @ PRODUCTION MANAGER: Edouard Credgeur ™ NEWS Jeff Nagel * NEWS SPORTS: Dave Taylor COMMUNITY: Cris Leykauf OFFICE MANAGER: Kathleen Quigley ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS: Sam Collier, Janet Viveires, Karen Dietrich ADVERTISING ASSISTANT: Emma Law, Kelly Jean, Shannon Cooper _ TYPESETTING: Sylvana Broman DARKROOM: Susan Credgeur CIRCULATION MANAGER: Karen Brunette MEMBER OF B,C, PRESS COUNCIL Serving the Terrace and Thambill area. Published on Wednesday of each week by Carboo Press (1969) Lid. at 3210 Clinton Streal, Terrace, British Columbla, VBG 5A2. Storles, photographs, illustrations, designs and lypestyles in the Tonace Slandard ava tha property of the copyright holders, Including Cariboo Prass (1969) Lid., its illustration repro services and adveriising eer otra tis Oey Cota nia oad Tones Reproduction in whole or in part, without written permission, is specifically prohibited, Authorizad as second-class mail pending the Post Office Dapartmenl, far payment of postage in cash, Special thanks io aii our contributors and correspondents for thelr time and talents ee ee RAST OTT AK ey, “aA .. PEOPLE DONT LUKE ~ / MY RED BOOK... 50 GET ME A BOX OF BLUE CRAYONS... Tex tackling booze policy VICTORIA — At long last, the government gave the green light for a review of British Columbia’s liquor policy. Last week, Attorncy General Ujjal Dosanjh appointed Tex Enemark to conduct ‘‘a limited review’ of the mules and regulations thal make up one of the most convoluted and bizarre Jiquor policies in the known universe. The word ‘“‘limited’’ that goes with review has me a bit worried. I hope it doesn’t mean Enemark’s hands are going to be tied before he even starts his review. Knowing Tex, however, I doubt that he will come up with anything less than common-sense proposals to overhaul our antiquated lig- uor laws. Tex is an old hand in the provincial public service. Back _in the Seventies, he was depuly . minister of the Consumer and Corporate Affairs Ministry, which was in charge of the Liquer Control and Licensing Branch. So be knows a lot about the problems he’s sup- posed {o address, There’s also an old associa- tion with the ministry that ap- pointed Enemark: Consumer and Corporate Affairs bad an all-female baseball team in those days, called Tex's Rangers, which would - some- times successfully, sometimes not - clobber the team fielded FROM ‘THE CAPITAL HUBERT BEYER by ihe Attomey Gencral’s Ministry, known as the A.G. Strings. . In any event, Tex. is defin nite- ly qualified to bring a tittle or- der into the undeniable chaos that reigns supreme in the maze of British Columbia's booze laws. On top of the list of matters to be reviewed is the question of what to do with U-brew companies, the flourishing little outfits where you can brew your own beer and wine. For years now, the big breweries have been upset that the stuff brewed in these do-it- yourself booze places isn’t subject to liquor tax. ] have a hunch Tex will recommend that this litle loophole be plugged. Expect a big outcry over that one. Next is the potential ficens- ing of billiard cstablishments. You may remember them as pool halls. In their new in- camation, they’ve been sprout- ing like mushrooms. The dil- ference is ‘that these days, they’re ralher posh places, compared to the somewhat seedy look they used to have. Most. billiard) places now have a coffee counter and offer something to eat. They’re well regulated, and there. is no rea- son why they shouldn’t be able to serve beer and wine, The issue of entertainment and games in the restaurant in- dustry is another matter altogether. Anything to do with gambling will almost certainly meet with public resistance. If, on the other hand, the govern- ment decides to let restaurants install a pool table or dart boards, already allowed in pubs, there should be no prob- lem. Also on Enemark’s agenda is the question of opening liquor stores on Sundays and slatutory holidays. This one will raise the ire of cold beer and wine stores, which have now a monopoly on beer and wine sales on Sundays and hal- idays. I suspect the government would look favorably on a recommendalion to open liquor stores on Sundays and holi- days, because it would mean more jabs in the liquor distrib- ution branch at a time the government is forced to lay off thousands of public servants. And finally, Enemark is to deal with the issue of accepting credit cards at liquor stores. This could be a touchy one. Credit cards are notorious for getting people into debt, and they don’t need the govern- men’s help to do that, and certainly not to buy booze. Dosanjh knows he’s walking a tightrope, That’s why he said that ‘“‘government policy must continue to balance the objec- tives of limiting the harm that can be done to individuals and communitics as a result of al-- cohol .abuse, and supporting the hospitality industry and the tights of individuals to enjoy their leisure without undue restraints. *” For thal reason, we won't see the sale of beer and wine in grocery stores for years, if ever. On the other hand, any improvement is welcome, and Enemark has a chance to bring aboul a whole series of im- provements, His review is ex- pected to be completed in two montis, We’re eagerly await- ing the outcome, Tex. Beyer can be reached at Tet: 920-9300; Fax; 385-6783; E- Mail: hubert@coolcom.com - Throw Terrace Anti-Poverty execu- tive director Helga Kenny has the right idea: Prosecute destructive tenants to the full extent of the law, send a mes- sage to potential vandalistic renters. Social assistance and poverty azen’l excuses: for destructive or slovenly actions, Such families — instead of going out of their way to look after rental property and help dispel the public nation that welfare families are undesirable tenants and neighbors — rein- force the stereotype. Besides robbing the landlord through repair costs — paint- ing, plastering, shampooing carpels — as well as lost rental time while repairs are done, destructive tenants yank away the welcome mat when other, families seek a home. Even those on welfare can sKooKUM | GIVE, ME THAT Bone! THROUGH BIFOCALS” CLAUDETTE SANDECK] teach their kids manners and respect for others’ property. Think of destitute families in novels, such as A Tree Grows in Brookiyn, The Grapes of Now You KNOW CHICKEN Bones ARE BAD FOR You! TSu'T ail “THAT RIGHT fo %-90" Wrath, or Little Women. While dirt poor, they worked hard to keep clean, looked after what little they had, and were an assel 1o their neighbor- hood. Surely today’s real femilies on social assistance can do as well wilh their run- ning hot and cold water, vacu- um cleaners, washing ma- chines, and central heating. When kids are permitted to crayon walls, peel wallpaper, and chip paint, or - watch parents punch holes in apart- ment walls, is it any wonder they grow. up to shred school bus and taxi seats with knives or combs, scratch graffiti on cars with keys, and vandalize Caledonia’s balls and stair- wells during spares? In the case of Terrace Manor’s two destructive tenants, they came with good those references, Hither THERE! AREN'TT. You PRoup OF YOURSELF”, book at suite vandals references were more twisted than a poodle made from bal- loons, or the reference writers hadn’t had the full benefit of the tenants’ destructive savvy. Chances are the. references were hedged to avoid retalia- tion from demolition virtuosos denied tenancy. Who wants to be responsible for standing in someone's way? Blowing the whistle takes guts. But a doctored reference is a fraud that sets up the landlord for headaches, hassles, and financial ruin. Interestingly, School District 88 drastically reduced vandalism to school buses once they began passing on repair bills to vandals’ parents. Wouldn't that suggest Kenny is right, that destructive tenants need to know there are con- sequences to their actions? And the sooner, the better. qHERE'S A BUNCH OF CRUEL SADISTIC Via DICTATORS UP THERE!