Sidney & Saanich Peninsula Mortgage Financing key & Consulting OH wee mesures 092-977 |} 3 N&S Peninsula Properties 3 Audited Circulation 12,968 - A Victoria Weeklies Publication Wednesday January 23,1991 40¢ side BUSINESS Ai3 CALENDAR C2 CLASSIFIEDS A15 COMMUNITY Ci GARDENING C6 OPINION AT SPORTS C3 OUTDOORS Alt TOPOFTHE PILE AZ WEIKLE Al0 PAST PORTRAITS Helo The museum identify an old photograph Page A4 AMALGAMATION Victoria Chamber members want if Page Al4 WAR AND CHILDREN How are our children handling the news about ihe war in ihe Gulf? Page B4 NATIONAL SKI WEEK is here. See Our special advenising featureon Page B14 LONELINESS New program helps seniors cope Page Cl MINOR SOCCER Magic Colour is rusty but they re ; back. Page C3 Review office hours The Review office, at 9726-First St. in Sidney, is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Mail to Box 2070, Sidney, B.C. V8L 3S5. Second class mail registration number 0128. BEYER AT GRENBY Ai3 HAMPSON All LANG C6 MUSGRAVE Ai2) Brentwood Lakes golf course nixed Couvelier faces fire from seniors by Glenn Werkman The Review Finance Minister Mel Couvelier (Saanich and the Islands MILA) and fellow Socred MLA Grace McCarthy (Vancouver-Little Mountain) are the only two mem- bers of the party capable of being its next leader, a Sidney senior said Friday. Roy Bennett, a resident of the Beechwood Village retirement complex and former Socred party member, said he tore up his mem- bership papers after the last elec- tion. “1 wouldn’t vote for (Premier Bill) Vander Zalm,” Bennett said. “The only two people that can stand are Grace McCarthy and yourself. : “If one of those two got in I’d vote Social Credit,” Bennett told Couvelier during his visit to the home. Couvelier responded by saying he is loyal to the premier. “I’m in a different position than an MLA. An MLA has more freedom to be critical.” However, Couvelier said: “Here we have a man I don’t agree with on many issues. We’ve had some heated conversations (but) I know Bill Vander Zalm has a generous attitude to those who disagree.” Couvelier then fielded tough questions. from residents, inclu- ding some pointed ones about a pension plan for doctors the prem- ier recently orchestrated. “I say that it appears to me there is no deal with the doctors,” Couvelier said. “There appears to be a misunderstanding between negotiators. They thought they agreed, but they didn’t.” Couvelier’s reasons are two-fold — confusion on what the deal is, and because of a national revenue ruling on the details of the pension plan. : “The premier believed he nego- tiated a package deal and in his mind they can’t reject one and accept the other,” Couvelier said. Although the doctors have approved the pension plan, the issue of doctor fees is still out- standing, he said. Apparently, bal- lots were sent to B.C. doctors last week, to vote on the fee arrange- ment. Public concern on the issue has been high, with over 200 phone calls protesting the deal to Couvel- ier’s constituency office, he said. Another tough question was asked. “As an elected representa- tive, are you saying you'll always go along with the premier because Continued on Page AZ by Mare Davis The Review Central Saanich council rescinded approval of a golf course development on Maber Flats Mon- day by passing two bylaws — overturning a decision made by a previous council and infuriating the golf course’s would-be devel- oper. “I wouldn’t be surprised if council now wants to grow bananas on my land because that would be a perfect export for this little banana republic,” Brentwood Lakes Golf Course president John Berglund said moments after council’s decision. Berglund said council ignored the democratic process and made a “charade’’ of the Jan. 10 public hearing on Mayor Ted Jones’ objections to the proposed golf course. “As a taxpayer, I’m appalled that council would waste over 600 peoples’ time when they had no interest in allowing democracy to take place,” he said. “(The public hearing) was an opportunity to whitewash a deci- sion that council had already made.” : Further legal action by Berglund to challenge council’s decision will likely bring the issue before the B.C. Supreme Court, he added. “Pll certainly be speaking to my lawyer tomorrow,” he said. Ald. Arlene Box echoed Berg- lund’s concern that council ignored the wishes of most of the 600-plus people who attended the public hearing at the Mt. Newton Middle School. “A tesolution has been made that tums its back on the demo- cratic process and tums a deaf ear to the people of the community,” she said angrily. Other council members voted as a slate and conspired to corrobor- ate their arguments immediately prior to the meeting, she added. In the past, other recreation activities have been permitted on Agricultural Land Reserve farm- land without people allowing their personal agendas to cloud their judgment, she said. Centennial Park is farmland and soccer fields, equestrian rings and tennis courts are among other - Continued on Page A2