E T T E R s I u:~:•':~i ~=~·~::•/· Affects Locals - bu~isthatenough? For example: I recently tried to replace the universal joints on my automobile. I was told by two measure the old yoke and give me part numbers so I could pick up bearings in Seattle at my con- venience. I bought two sets in ··s···•·•·•·•"?i••·.-.m,......................n•···•{i••;•;·••;·•·•·········••;•;;w•e'•.-.•y•••;•..····• ignal Questioned Dear Editor, T~·~·:~~·~·~i~ Dear Editor, ~~~:;:;:·· local parts houses that bearings Seattle at $7.50 U.S. each, taxes, It is as a longtime resident of Two recent occurrences have Dear Editor, for those universal joints were not duty, and exchange extra. I I read with great interest the the Kootenays, and not as a fellow made Maude Barlow's Wed- available for that model and I pressed out the old bearings in publisher/editor, that I am com- nesday night visit to Nelson par- article by Bruce Lacroix on "Cross would have to replace the whole my brother-in-laws garage and Border Shopping." I couldn't pelled to highlight a rather dis- ticularly timely. drive line. The dealer quoted $325 put the new bearings in. A 2 hour turbing error which appeared in First was the arrival on my agree more, "Cross Border Shop- Cdn., taxes and labour extra and a job that I couldn't get done in ping" is serious business. Mr. The Express two weeks ago. Your doorstep of the federal govern- used drive line at $125 etc. I Nelson. September 2nd issue carried an ment's glossy ad (part of a multi- Wiebe, Ms. Bell, Ms. Lang would bought the used one and changed Over the past twenty years, I like to have all Canadians shop on article entitled "All Hail Fellow million dollar taxpayer expendi- it out myself. However, on a sub- have had numerous experiences RUPPIES" which had the poten- ture) extolling, contrary to all this side of the border or at least sequent trip to Seattle, I stopped with local businesses in/on a simi- "... look locally first." Good idea! tial to dangerously misrepresent available evidence, the virtues of by a parts house in Ephrata, lar bent. I have also worked in the our area to unsuspecting visitors. free trade. Second was the break- These local merchants may try to Washington (pop. 5359). The retail/wholesale hardware trade counter "Cross Border Shopping'' In the article, Suzanne Down ing of the "NAFTA Tapes" story in partsperson had no universal joint in Nelson for several years. pays tribute to a group of in- the recent issue of Maclea:n's with "... good prices and service ..." bearings in stock but took time to I see the problem with local dividuals which she terms "RUP- where Tory caucus members refer business as not only price, selec- PIES". They are "Rural Unem- to constituencies in the Canadian tion, service and availability, but ployed Professionals" whose ( and public who are calling for a critical Please Note: attitudes toward customers, I quote) "philosophies of life are examination of the devastating im- September 2 and 9, we ran a two-part article listing some of the clerks and staff ignorant of pro- valued more than practical em- pact of free trade as the "loonie many educational offerings in the Kootenays. This article was not in- ducts they sell. reaction to the ployment;" people who "contem- left" and (you've gotta love this tended to be exhaustive, but to provide the reader with some idea of GST and free trade. That is not to plate the sunrise in [their] birken- one) "crypto-communists". the variety of educational opportunities in our area. say that all local business is guilty stocks," (which, she points ou~ , To a packed hall. Maude (a The September 16 article on Rett Syndrome ended with a of all of the above but enough so they ''bought when [they]last had leading "crypto-communist" ac- phone number which should have read 226-5274. □ that I have to ask myself the fol- a job.") They "don't wear watches cording to the Tory caucus) out- lowing question(s): Should I because Time is relative," and lined powerfully and articulately check locally first or should I stop they will consider employment "if the extent to which free trade ne- in Ephrata next time where atti- a job appeared that was socially gotiations give away our national Notice to tude and customer service is par- and environmentally conscious." ability to determine our own City of Nelson Residents: amount? If my actions help bring What I or anyone think of economic social and cultural a change for the better in local these folk would normally be ir- policy. These are not distant The Express has changed how we arc delivered in the City of business attitudes etc., does that relevant; that your author cele- political happenings, they are tan- Nelson. Our door- to-door delivery is now being done privately. Out- make me a disloyal "Canadian brates them and claims to be one gible realities affecting all sectors side of the City of Nelson, delivery will continue to be handled by shopper"? is entirely her business. However, of the Canadian public. We now Canada Post. U.S. shopping indeed affects and herein lies the rub, the article have: record unemployment; loss We have made this change due to Canada Post's recent decision locals!!! to alter the way it handles its letter carrier and flyer mail delivery in presumptuously states at the out- of a quarter of our manufacturing Richard Hopkins, set tl1at "we" in the Kootenays sector; an unemployment in- Nelson. We have taken this step to ensure a consistent Wednesday South Slocan delivery of the Express. consider the "rapidly growing" surance plan gutted and "har- If you have any questions or comments about our delivery sys- tem, please call 354-3910. □ T:':'~r:,,;:;"~~: Coverage presence of said group to be a "privilege"! I don't think so. Speaking for myself - someone who has been monized" with the U.S. system; the rights only to subsidize in- dustries that manufacture com- ponent parts for the U.S. defense raised here, someone proudly industry and exploration of new Opinion Policy Dear Mr. Thornton, I have just finished reading steeped in this area's people, past and flavour - Ms. Down's article energy resources (read "give- aways to foreign oil companies" We encourage our readers to write letters. Commentaries usually require the article you wrote in the Sep- is an extremely embarrassing mis- - witness the Hibernia fiasco) to us. letters are a way for you to some research and often offer new tember 2 edition of the Kootenay representation of the Kootenays. and no other sectors of our speak 10 your community, 10 give new information, as well as opinion. If you Weekly Express. I am very im- economy. As an example of the information, participate in a discussion wish to write a corrvnentary, please This area was built on an unre- or express an opinion. Letters are oontact our Editor. pressed with the cover~e you lenting dedication to work, some- implications of the latter, the me~n1 as a way for you 10 speak All letters and commentaries must have given to the speeding 1Ssue. thing which has been passed Canadian government is not al- directly to your community. Please be signed and must include your When people think of traffic lowed to support the develop- address letters meant for publication, name, address and phone number. down through the generations to to The Editor. We will not print "name withheld" safety issues they usually come up the present. Even newcomers, ment of, say, new environmental Letters must to be shon (250 words letters, unless there is good reason for with issues like drinking and driv- recognizing it for the harsh and clean up technologies. maximum} and to the point. We want anonymity. ing or not wearing seat belts. enchanting country it is, will work These are but a few to print all letters we receive and as As to subject mattet: '!•!e are guided by we have limited space, we reserve the good taste and this indudes not speeding has only recently gained their brains and bodies to the ex- highlights of an accumulating right to edit for length. printing letters or commentaries that attention as a major contributing treme to make an honest go of it volume of evidence that the To- Commentaries can be longer (500 are personal attacks, are derogatory, factor due to the work of local here. Like the pioneers who ries have pulled out all the stops words) and are more in-depth than or promote violence. police and the media. blazed this trail, the majority of to create a corporate "bill of The coverage you provided today's population is innovative, rights and freedoms" that will pit region against region to im- E XP THE KOOTENAYWEEKLY D ~ 'l:.'ss PHONE (604)354-3910 EDITORIAL 354-1118 FAX352-5075 will hopefully increase the aware- ness of speeding as a serious traf- fic infraction. This type of public- employment-flexible and unsym- pathetic to anyone squeamish of hard work. poverish itself to greater depths in order to create an "attractive in- 554 Ward St., P.O. Box 922, Nelson, B.C., VlL 6A5 ity can cause people to stop and While Ms. Down terms her vestment climate". Nelson is a 12,573 Door•to-door delivered; 3,812 in hotel rooms, Castlegar reflect on their own driving habits RUPPIES "unique", they have ac- good example that this is not the airport, Ainsworth, and hundreds of other pick-up points. and possibly make some changes. tually been around throughout only economic model available. With your help we can en- our history, under different It is time for all of us to col- PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Nelson Becker laborate and take back our EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Margaret Chrumka courage motorists to slow down names, and have always remained and take more time to reach their in the minority. The economy can power, through the environmen- ADVERTISING: Peter Banfield AD DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Annette Tremblay, Janice Bell destination - safely. only afford so many at one time. I tal, small business, social and ART WORK: Anne DeGrace DARKROOM: Rosanne Currie Thank you, thus urge hopeful vagrants to dis- labour etc. sectors working to- ADMINISTRATION: H .J. Hutchinson Jan Enns regard her mating call: "... we gether. The Council of Canadians OFFICE HOURS: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Community Programs Manager [RUPPIES] are a friendly lot and and Action Canada Network are PHOTOS: Uncreditedphol.os are those ofthe writer ofthe associated article. Insurance Corporation of would welcome you to join us." working to present a broadly September 23, 1992, Volume 4, Number 45 ISSN 1184-6224 British Columbia The area doesn't need more based citiz.ens' front. Let's find a Copyright C 1992, Nelson Becker Traffic Safety Programs members of the work-wary sect. common voice. Opinions expressed in THE KOOTENAY WEEKLY EXPRESS are Department Lorna Lynch, Nelson David O'Brien, Nelson not necessarily those of the publisher; or any of our advertisers. MEMBER: Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce PRINTED IN CANADA Page 4 THE KOOTENAY WEEKLY EXPRESS SEPTEMBER 23, 1992 , -'J ,.• .-• r I ,, ~ I f ,, ; 1 1-1.,; • -1..J I