Audited Circulation 12,933 An Island Publishers Newspaper Wednesday May 2,1990 40¢ e BUSINESS BO CALENDAR B3 CLASSIFIEDS B10 COMMUNITY Atl GARDENING BS PLivING Al4 OPINION AG,7 OUTDOORS _ A110 | SPORTS B5 BEYER A15 BRENNAN Al4 (GRENBY Bo | HAMPSON A10 | LANG BS | NASH AT ‘TOP OF THE PILE A7 LA Running, swimming, ind cycling for the fun of it B7 by Glenn Werkman The Review The province’s three major pro- vincial political parties are in high gear setting ready for the next general election, although a date for ballot casting has yet to be set by Premier Bill Vander Zalm. On the Saanich Peninsula, the Liberals are the most advanced in preparations for a run at electing an MLA for Saanich North and The Islands. - Former provincial party vice- president Clive Tanner was unani- mously nominated for the candi- dacy at a Saanich North and The Islands constituency association meeting last week. The New Democrats have four party members vying for the nom- ination and plan to hold a constitu- ency association meeting and can- didate selection May 26. Announced candidates include North Saanich alderman Don Cav- erley, former B.C. Teachers’ Feder- ation president Elsie McMurphy, retired forester Edo Nyland and former federal NDP candidate Eli- zabeth Woods. The ruling Social Credit party has current MLA and Finance Minister Mel Couvelier as its lone announced candidate for the nomi- nation here. An afternoon meeting will be held May 12 for Socred members to select a candidate. It’ ll be one of the first Socred nomination meet- ings to be held in the province, association president Mel Hern- blad said. On the Liberal scene, both pro- vincial leader Gordon Wilson and Tanner insist Couvelier “is not a shoe-in by any means.” In accepting the nomination April 23 Tanner said: “I think this constituency can be won. It’s going to be tough and it’s a long shot but it’s worth the fight.” Wilson said the party’s 13,000 provincial membership is up about two-thirds and will continue to grow to about 15,000 by October, should the election call come that Tate. “There’s a lot of ground to exploit,” Wilson said. ““There’s a strong feeling that Vander Zalm is a complete joke on national issues of consequence.” Wilson said the provincial party plans to select six of its strongest constituencies for an initial line of attack, then another six for a second assault. He wouldn’t say if Saanich North and The Islands would be among the first six. Tanner, 56, ran for the Liberals in the last general election and has been politically active for the past 20 years, serving as the Yukon Teritory’s Minister of Health for two years in the early °70s. McMurphy is the most recent announced candidate for the NDP nomination. In making the announcement, Thursday, she said: “It’s time to say no to Bill Vander Zalm imposing his moral views on us and yes to British Columbians making their own choices.” Continued on Page A3 | Provincial political race heats up LANDING A KICK in the Pee Wee sparing competition during fhe Van- couver Island Karate Invitational Satur- _ Gay at Parkland School was a yellow — belt competitor. About 350 karate enthusiasts tested their skills in front of a crowd estimated to be above 100 people. See local results page Bé. Aa ae See | GLENN WERKMAN photo Robotics firm saved from closure by Mare Davis The Review A world-renowned Sidney- based robotics firm has a new lease on life two months after it filed for bankruptcy. Robotics Systems International Ltd. (RSI) and a former subsidiary — RS] Research Ltd. — have been bought by Horton Trading Ltd. of Vancouver and Jack Wilson, the president of RSI Research. - Wilson said he was happy with the deal, which will put RSI Research in a much healthier posi- tion to develop its business. “I’m elated. I’m tremendously positive about us being back on track,” he said. Horton Trading Ltd formerly. known Horton Maritimes Explora- tions Ltd. — is a B.C.-based company involved in subsea engi- neering, Four years ago, RSI achieved international recognition for build- ing two robotic arms that helped gather fragments of NASA’s space shuttle Challenger from the ocean floor. RSI Research has been bought as a “going concem”’ along with the material assets of the liquidat- ed RSI, Wilson said. Wilson would not disclose the sale price of the two firms but said it waS “very satisfactory.” For the past two years RSI has specialized in large-scale industri- al engineering custom projects. However, RSI’s products also include the Excalibur educational robot and the robotic spiders designed for the movie Runaway, which starred -Tom Selleck. RSI Research was formed in 1988 as an independent offshoot of RSI to carry on the develop- ment, building and marketing of tele-robotics for use in resource industries, subsea exploration and oil pipeline laying, as well as hazardous material handling. RSI was forced into receivership earlier this year after Moli Energy Ltd. of Maple Ridge found itself unable to pay the company a $100,000 debt. The firm’s financial problems were exacerbated by its bid on an advanced robotics welding con- tract, which it underestimated, costing RSI another $100,000. Wilson estimates 32 jobs will be saved by the restructuring of RSI and RSI Research.