INSIDE COMMUNITY EVENTS B2 KATHY FLORITTO Ka-thunking down the election trail COMMUNITY PAGE column and partisan politics are not compatible. The inherent danger of political discussion in such a forum is, of course, a display of political bias and shat most definitely doesn’t belong on this page. As a generic however, civics affects nearly every facet of Canadian life and we are mere days from electing the last Canadian govem- ment of this century. Since we'll be paying for the Year 2000 celebration, it’s tough not to offer a few observations about the folks who want to organize the shindig, Too tough for me. This federal election campaign may go down in the history books as one of, if not the dullest on record. Dull isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when - the most newsworthy event in the first three weeks of the campaign is the collapse of the moderator during a nationally televised leaders’ debate... ya gotta wonder. If you weren’t watching (1 know - you watched/listened the night before), you'll have heard about it. One minute, there she was. The next minute, there she wasn’t. A member of the in-house audience had posed a question to Jean Chretien that went something like this: ‘When the result of the Quebec Referendum was 50.6% ‘Non’, you joyously declared it a win for Canada. If the result of the . next Referendum is 50.6% ‘Qui’, will you ac- knowledge it as a win for Quebec separation?” Short pause. Loud ‘thunk’. Much shuffling about. Long pause. Quick explanation of what had taken place. Repeat. Another repeat. As Madame Claire Lamarche, by then con- scious, (and thankfully, now resting at home) was taken by stretcher to a wailing ambulance, we were informed the debate was done. _ A true cynic might say “‘What timing!!’’ We, of course, are not so callous. I'd like to ask Gilles Duceppe if he and his BQs would honour the respon- sibility of governing Canada if, by some unhappy twist of fate, his Party wound up with the most elected MPs after the votes were tallied. The question, however, deserves an answer, but we'll never know what Papa Jean would have said extemporaneously. Iffwhen a response does come, it will be carefully worded, I betcha. When watching a ‘‘debate’’ (there’s debate about debate being the right word here), of this sort, do you wish you were one of the questioners? Have you got a few questions of your own that you'd like answered? I sure do... I'd like to ask Gilles Duceppe if be and his BQs would honour the responsibility of govern- ing Canada if, by some unhappy twist of fate, his Pariy wound up with the most elected MPs after the votes were tallied. He is, as was Lucien Bouchard before him, very forthright in telling us that the sole purpose of the BQ’s presence in the House of Commons is to serve the interests of Quebec. The Bloc, as we know, secs Quebec’s inter- ests best served outside Canada, not as a distinct society, but rather as a distinct nation with Quebec nationals maintaining dual citizenship —- one foot in Canada and the other in La Belle Pays, _ Go abead, Ict your Imagination run wild - what would Duceppe’s response be? Better still, what would the other party leaders, aka the TROTs, (The Rest of Them) have to say? ok, ok... It’s an improbable event - but until 3 1/2 years ago, who'da thunk we’d be accord- ing Official Opposition status in our nation’s parliament to a party whose declared intent is the break-up of the country? Sounds ludicrous, but there it is. After all the constitutional wrangling that's gone on and so many “‘experts’’ have sold us their very best, highest priced advice - and so much of it, too - it appears we’ve wound up with a raft of papers and a system that not only — permits the illogical, but demands that we pay for it. Entertainment. value, I guess...plus GST. Which reminds me... Oops! TERRACE STANDARD The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 21, 1997 - B1 SECTION B CRIS LEYKAUF 638-7283 THE GREAT WALL of China is one of the stops in an upcoming tour to China, organized by a non-profit friendship organization. Jean Thomson of Terrace will be leading this year's trip, which takes place this fall. This will be her fifth trip to China. The last time she was there, she took her grand-daughter, Elizabeth Thomson, pic- tured here by the Great Wall. Across the Gobi Desert CREATING TIES of friend- ship and understanding be- tween China and Canada is the purpose behind a trip being planned to China this fall. The trip, organized by the non-profit Federation of Canada-China Friendship Associations, takes in 22 |: cities in seven days. It’s being led by Terrace’s Jean Thomson. This will be her fifth trip to China, and her third as a tour guide for the federation. In the last 17 years over 200 groups have travelled to China through the feder- ation. This September's trip fol- lows the same roule as one which Thomson took in 1991. The trip starts in Beijing with a walk through the For- bidden City, covering 250 acres and containing many of China’s treasures. Thomson particularly liked the clock muscum containing antique clocks from all over the world. The tour group will walk through Tiananmen Square, visit the Great Hall of the People and possibly see Mao in bis tomb. ‘He looks like wax,’’ said Thomson. From Beijing it’s a short trip to sec the Great Wall — “truly awe inspiring,’ she said, After Beijing the group will Oy across the country west to Urumgi, to have Gifted arts ti JEAN THOMSON often paints some of the images _she sees in China. This oil painting is called “Longing .to be with them.” their first sight of the great Gobi Desert. This is China’s frontier. On Thomson’s last trip here she visited. .Khazak family yurts. (like tents), rode Khazak ponies,’ and walched a sheep drive. Canadians are warmly welcomed’ in this part of China, partly through the ef- forts of the famous Cana- dian Dr. Bethune. The next. slop is. Kashi, a giant oasis that 1,000 years ago was a key centre of the Silk Road. ~Marco - Polo passed this way. The people are mosily Muslim, “and some of the women are veiled. DRAMATIC TRIO Three speech arts st “Phe markets are wonder- ful to stroll through,”’ said Thomson of the area, “‘They seem to make: everything they need right on the street — shoes, halts, _ pans, jewelry; horse shoes and wedding boxes.’’ Some of the. people even sleep oui- side on beds by their shops. From here the tour heads east io Turpan, a basin 154 metres below sea level, the second lowest depression in the world. : ‘The next trek across the Gobi Desert is by train to Dunbuang. . Thomson rede camels on her last visit here. She com- mented on their soft hair, oD am udents hammed it up in the park he- fore leaving for the B.C. Festival of the Arts, which takes place May 28-31 In Powell River. Chriszine Bradford will compete at the national level; while Solveig Adair attends the festival for the first tlme, competing in the. intermediates. 4 KINDERGARTEN-aged child does a traditional dance in Kashgar in Western China. The tour in- volves stops to local schools and visits with families. but added they have formid- able teeth. Here the group will visit the Mogao Caves, and sec some of the best ex- amples of Buddhist cave art in China. Xian is the next slop, and Emperor Qin Shihvang, who died 2,000 years ago. Finally the tour wraps us in Shanghai, China’s major port. Deadline for signing up for the tour is July 15 and so it’s back in the heart of far Thomson says about 10 China. people have registered, ‘Here they make though none are from Ter-_ Cloisonne, lacquerware, race yet. beautiful China horses, and - most famous of all, it is the home of the Terra-Cotta Warriors,”’ said Thomson, The thousands of ter- racotta soldiers guard There is an early booking bonus of $100 if you pay by June 1. For more informa- lion call Thomson at 635- 3159, students travel to festival THREE speech and dramatic arts students from Terrace are going to the B.C. Festival of the Arts May 28-31 in Powell River. One student will compete at the nalional level. In order to attend the provincial competition, the students were recommended by adjudicators at the Pacific North- west Festival of the Arts. This is the fourth year in a row that speech students have been recommended to compete in a national level, a dis- tincl honour, particularly for a small town. ‘ Chriszine Bradford, age 18, will be competing at the na- tionals for the first time. She follows in the footsteps of Glenys George and Mark Tessaro, past national competi- tors, Bradford will be performing four pieces at the festival. She’s taken the role of the shepardess Phocbe, from Shakespeare's As You Like It, She's also chosen to do a scene from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. And Brad- ford will be reciting two poems — Canadian poet E.J. Pratt's poem on the Titanic and The Fish by Elizabeth Bishop. ~ - Two other speech aris students are travelling down to Powell River as weil. a Solveig Adair, age 16, is competing at the intermediale level. For her main piece she’s taken the role of Mistress Page out of Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor. She'll also be performing a lament and reciting a politically cor- rect version of the bedtime story Goldilocks and the Three Bears, , Rehanna Manji is competing at the junior Icvel. Though she’s only 13, this is her second time to the provincial competilion, _ Manji is taking the role of Puck from Shakespeare's Midsummer Night’s Dream. She's. also reciting ‘a lyric poem and a portion of the Winnie she Pook book, Another Terrace atts student is also at the national fevel. Tincke Hovenkamp will compete in the vocal category. This is Hovenkamp’s second year at the national level. Other students who were invited to the festival are Anne Silsbe, Graham Langridge, Simon Hilcove, Elizabeth Taron, ‘Katrina .O’Bryne, Kathleen Marsh, Amy Stack, Ayesha Coosemans, arid Kelly Grainger. - The Kermode Choristers teen choir and the Northwest Out of space, ~ u ime Singers were also invited to the provincial competition. Ah ehh all toneit ‘o Canada.” Rehana Manji will be travelling to the festival for the second time, and she's. at well...all together now... anada, the junior level. .