The Prince George Citizen - Saturday, October 21,1995 - 17 City/Province Sihota pushes tougher exhaust controls by Canadian Press VANCOUVER — B.C. Environment Minister Moe Sihota figures he’s doing automakers a favor by pushing for national emissions standards. That way the car manufacturers don’t have to build cars just for B.C.’s anticipated tough standards, he said. “The benefit to industry is that the economies of scale kick in so it’s cheaper to produce these vehicles,” Sihota said in an interview. Sihota, his provincial counterparts across Canada and federal Environment Minister Sheila Copps will be considering a stack of reports produced for their meeting in Whitehorse next week. One report says that over the next 25 years, new standards will result in 3,600 fewer premature deaths, 23,000 fewer cases of chronic bronchitis and 123,000 fewer emergency room visits across Canada by the year 2020. On the money side, the health benefits would total somewhere between $10 billion and $30 billion, says the paper, prepared for the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment. While such benefits seem like a motherhood issue, getting the auto and petroleum industry to go along hasn’t been easy, Sihota said. “When the study says that and that you can produce a low-emission vehicle for about $114 more, a car that produces 70 per cent less pollutants than a conventional vehicle, I think that is a compelling argument,” he said. “This is the same industry that in the 70s said that adding a catalytic converter would increase the cost of a vehicle by $1,500. “ It turned out to be about $150.” Greater Vancouver’s air problems have become so bad that it’s now compared with California. At 1.5 million, Vancouver has less than one-tenth the population of Los Angeles county, “but the auto population is quite large for our human population,” said Douw Steyn, air pollution meteorologist at the University of B.C. A funnel effect created in the Fraser Valley means heavily polluted air is often trapped during temperature inversions. Steyn said while the Windsor corridor in Ontario can have higher average concentrations, Fraser Valley smog levels will “spike” much higher, producing acute conditions. 70th anniversary Pietro and Teresa Caputo of McBride celebrate their 70th anniversary today, joined by their nine children, 34 grandchildren and 39 great grandchildren. The couple were married in 1925 in Aiello, Calabro, a small community in southern Italy when Pietro was 18 and Teresa was 16. They emmigrated to Canada in 1965, moving to McBride to be near their children. "Family and family values have always been a very important part of the couple’s life,” said their son Otto, who lives in Prince George. Bingo scandal probe costly for taxpayers by Canadian Press VICTORIA — B.C. taxpayers have paid almost $800,000 so far to get near the bottom of the Nanaimo bingo scandal, and the meter is still running. Forensic auditor Ron Parks billed the provincial government $520,000 for the eight months his team spent tracking down shady Nanaimo Commonwealth Holding Society financial deals, a Finance Ministry official said Thursday. As well, the RCMP devoted 2,000 person-hours into the investigation up to last week, when they executed search warrants at former NDP MP Dave Stupich’s house, NDP headquarters and other locations. Sgt. Peter Montague said it would be reasonable to multiply that by $30 an hour, which puts the cost of that investigation, the third police probe into the society’s activities, at about $60,000. At the conclusion of the second RCMP investigation in May 1994, which resulted in charges against the society and related groups, Montague said about 6,000 hours of police time was consumed over two years. The same $30-an-hour calculation would put the cost of that investigation at $180,000. An earlier investigation in 1988 produced no evidence of wrongdoing and the cost was likely minimal. In addition to those costs, Vancouver lawyer Ace Henderson billed the government for his services as special prosecutor during the second investigation. Although not full time, Henderson’s term lasted from June 1992 to the fall of 1994, during which time he charged $225 an hour. His total bill was not available Thursday. Henderson is now a B.C. Supreme Court judge. Former judge John Taggart was named a new special prosecutor last June to follow up on the Parks report. The Attorney General’s Ministry confirmed he charges $225 an hour. Passengers get compensation RICHMOND (CP) — Canadian Airlines will compensate the 242 passengers aboard a DC-10 jet that skidded off a Vancouver International Airport runway, stopping nose down 200 metres short of the Strait of Georgia. Each will be contacted in Taipei, where they were bound before the Thursday accident occurred, said Kevin Grayson, a company senior vice-president. He said Friday that Canadian has a basic amount in mind, but declined to disclose it. Twenty of the 242 decided not to continue their trip on Friday, he said. The 20 “made other arrangements or cancelled their trips,” Grayson told a news conference. “That seems like a small number to me.” Five passengers were taken to hospital with injuries including a broken ankle and broken wrist, suffered while leaving the plane via emergency evacuation slides. Ferry slams into pilings WEST VANCOUVER (CP) — The B.C. Ferry Corp. should pay more attention to safety, Gordon Wilson said Friday after a government ferry lost power and slammed into pilings while docking at the Horseshoe Bay terminal. “This accident demonstrates how imperative it is for B.C. Ferries to focus on upgrading and long-term maintenance of existing vessels rather than expensive unproven technologies with aluminum catamaran ferries,” Wilson said. The leader of the Progressive Democratic Alliance said in a news release that the crash involving the Queen of Coquitlam highlights the problems of an aging ferry fleet. There were no injuries in the accident but it caused delays on the run between here and Langdale in B.C.’s Sunshine Coast region throughout the day. Wilson, who represents the Sunshine Coast riding in the legislature, said many minor repairs are needed throughout the government ferry fleet that has announced it will build new, faster catamarans for Georgia Strait crossings. “They said ‘just hang on we’re going to crash,’” a passenger said. “He (the ferry captain) did a great job of controlling it.” Power failed in the main engines while the Queen of Coquitlam was trying to slow as it docked, said Tom Whelan, B.C. Ferry Corp. vice-president. The crash damaged part of the Queen of Coquitlam’s bow. PW , i ipara-med lllli HEALTH SERVICES to all who participated in the Community Care Week Bed-Making Challenge Thursday, October 19th at Wosk's Furniture Store. A big “thanks" to the following merchants who donated draw prizes: • Wosk’s Furniture Store • The Inn Flower Place • Claire's Boutique • Dandy-Lines • The Body Shop • Rocky Mountain Chocolates • Skin Sense • Zellers • Infinity Travel - Vancouver • Books on Fourth • Niner’s Diner • The Emporium • The Skin Care Centre • The Hair House c • Harrison Hot Springs Hotel S • Holiday Inn Broadway, Vane. * • Les Beaux Visages Salon Ml winner! EVENTS DURING Starting Friday, October 27,1995 PARKWOOD MALL - Opening Ceremonies 10:00 a.m. PINE CENTRE and SHOPPING CENTRES - Presentation of Poppies STREET DISTRIBUTION OF POPPIES October 27th & 28th & Nov. 3th & 4th REMEMBRANCE DAY SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11th SERVICE IN THE CIVIC CENTRE Reader Sales Representative, Colleen Sparrow (left) presents Citizen subscriber, Joe Engelberts with his $600 share of the $1,200 prize for game #5. Joe shared the $1,200 prize with Kelly Greenwell. As there was no winner for game #4, the $600 prize was carried over, creating a $1,200 jackpot for game #5. PLAY CITIZEN BINGO AND WIN! Call 562-3301 to subscribe! The Pei nee (ieoege Citizen (l)J)Moer ; Please be seated by 9:30 a.m. Colour Party Advances a 9:45 a.m. Parade Assembles in the Civic Centre Following the Service. PARADE MOVES OFF TO CENOTAPH - 10:45 A.M. SHARP SERVICE AT CENOTAPH All Veterans, the Public, Local Organizations Invited to Participate Branch 43, Royal Canadian Legion y. 1335 - 7TH AVENUE PRINCE GEORGE,B.C. PHONE 562-1292 *