a Commercial ‘ » Real Estate YW = UBER 652-5171 NRS Peninsula Properties Audited Circulation 12,968 ee aan Pile’ SPAR lacy Wy ONE TELIA ok Nt) BM . side BUSINESS A25 CALENDAR A16 CLASSIFIEDS —_A26 COMMUNITY —_A12 GARDENING _—_—A15 OPINION SPORTS OUTDOORS BEYER AZ GRENBY A2% HAMPSON Al7 LANG Al5 TOP OF THE PILE A7 CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS The latest news as sidney gears up to celebrate its 100th birthday Page A2 KILLER WHALE DISPLAY Cleaning the 24-foot mammal is more of a job than museum workers could have anticipated Page A3 MORE BEER FOR THE PARTY Sidney provincial court hears the motivation behind the break-in of the Brentwood liquor store Page A9 DOWN THE ROAD Peninsula police forces wait for impaired drivers and other violators as our reporter rides along Page A20 VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION Greater Victoria's many volunteers make the word go around . Page BI PEACE WALK A pictorial look at the Disarmament Group's recent walk for psace Review office hours The Review office, at 97’26-First St. in Sidney, is open from 9 a.m. until5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Mail to Box 2070, Sidney, B.C. V8 3S5. Second class mail registration number 0128. A Victoria Weeklies Publication Wednesday April 24,1991 40¢ Private hangar to serve island residents by Glenn Werkman The Review The owners of James Island have solved potential parking problems for future residents of its elite residential development, a company spokesman said Monday. Pacific Parkland Properties spo- kesman Reid Topp said Monday that plans are final for construc- tion of a three-level parkade, pri- vate hangar and parking for 14 aircraft on eight acres of leased land at the Victoria Airport. The company plans to spend about $3 million on improvements to the land, including construction of a private taxiway to the airport’s runway 09-27. Located immediately south of the Trident hangar, and accessed by Galaran Road, the site will house covered parking for over 300 vehicles and feature a limo- bus turn-around area accented with landscaping and patrolled b plivate security. = Topp said plans for water trans- portation to James Island from the Peninsula have yet to be finalized but maintained a half-acre lot on James Island Road in Central Saa- nich will be used for staff resi- dences or will be sold. Yhe hangar at the airport site will be large enough to cover a 737 aircraft, Topp said. ~ We expect low use but because of the clientele we are aiming for we wanted to make sure every amenity they could wish for would be there,” Topp said. The area can accommodate 13 small aircraft, two large aircraft and two helicopters. A helicopter landing pad is also part of the design. i ALLA OOO Mounting debt is more likely to pull Canada apart than politics, B.C. Finance Minister Mel Cou- velier told Brentwood and Sidney Rotary Club members April 16. “Many people don’t understand the level of debt,” Couvelier said, explaining that 35 cents of every dollar collected by Ottawa goes to finance debt costs. Of Canada’s 10 provinces, four are at their maximum borrowing level. Of those, one will be down- graded to a “B’ credit rating, meaning higher borrowing costs, if the province goes any further in debt, the Saanich and The Islands MLA said. Couvelier recalled a joint pro- vincial conference at which the Ontario representative was sug- gesting further borrowing to finance increased services — only to be interrupted by one provincial Tepresentative who said, desper- ately, “don’t you understand? | can’t borrow any more money.” The differences in debt between the provinces could end the uni- versality of government services and the ability to transfer benefits between provinces. B.C. is comparatively solvent, with three cents of every dollar financing debt costs. Most proy- inces spend 10 cents of every dollar on debt costs, Couvelier said. B.C. and Quebec have been leading the discussions on reduc- ing the national debt, Couvelier said. He hopes both provinces will develop a fiscal and constitutional model for the rest of the country, Four years ago most provinces would not support the idea of reducing government services to reduce debt — now most prov- inces Tecognize such a step is essential to reduce debt, he said. “It is almost mathematically impossible to retire the national debt,’ Couvelier said. One essential step is eliminating duplicate federal and provincial ministries, such as parks. Debt is largest threat to Canadian unity “The only difference between federal and provincial parks is the amount of cord wood we supply at the campsites,’’ Couvelier remarked, advocating eliminating one level of bureaucracy. “Every single service should be assigned to the level of govern- ment which does it best.” There is a worldwide trend tow- ards local autonomy, he added, Suggesting the provinces can pro- vide some services more effec- tively than the federal government. Responsibility for services and allocation of taxes will have to be changed across Canada, Couvelier said. “What we’re trying to do is solve our national dilemma, how to keep Canada together. “Our country will not survive if we do not change our present system. We can no longer provide all the services we provide for our residents, we have lived beyond Our means too long.” All levels of government must " jointly decide to cut services, Cou- velier said. No single government is willing to risk such a decision alone. “Because politicians are elected by popular support, no one govemn- ment 1s prepared to cut programs — we'd lose the election!” Reducing debt means making hard decisions. Couvelier said he 1S now trying to bring in the provincial budget at $16.5 billion, despite ministry requests totalling $17 billion. Cuts under debate include clos- Continued on Page A2