The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 4

A4 THE OTTAWA CITIZEN CANADA SliA, OCTOBER 7, 2001 Air travel is safe, minister insists Collenette urges NATO to help boost public confidence in flying '4'- 1 Y' VVr'- 1 -4 A At the NATO meeting, Scott Mclnnis, a member of the U.S. congress, said his government will work more "intensively" with Canada to improve airport security and immigration points. "There's obviously a glaring hole in U.S. immigration policies as well as our own airport security," said Mr. Mclnnis.

"I don't think the U.S. is one to throw a rock when they live in a glass house." Still, Mr. Collenette suggested that rather than spending crippling amounts of money on security measures, it was more important for NATO members to spend as much as they can afford on improving intelligence gathering and to share that information. "If we put into place an inordinate amount of security, the cost is such that it will destabilize societies and have the same impact as a terrorist act," Mr. Collenette said.

"If you spend to every eventuality, then that's going to have a destabilizing effect on the economy," he told reporters later. "At a certain point in time, if you really want to be sure about security, society is going to become an armed camp. And it gets into transgression of individual liberties," he said. "In the short term, we need more money. In the longer term, more intelligence, more co-operation, and maybe going back to the good old 007 days of spying and counterspying," said Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish, head of the Canadian delegation.

Earlier yesterday, David Stap-ley, of DRS Technologies Canada, told delegates that new developments in the military industry could help in the war against terrorism. DRS is a multinational company based in New Jersey with its Canadian branch in Kanata. It produces communications and surveillance equipment such as flight data recorders, and systems that see in the dark. Mr. Stapley said an example of technology that has taken "a quantum leap in capability" is the unmanned airborne vehicle equipped with surveillance sensors.

"They can look at a terrorist training base and report information to (governments) or military commanders," he said. The events of Sept. 11 have Alliance leader Stockwell Day waits in a security line at the Calgary International Airport yesterday. Mr. Day said yesterday on-board security guards for Canada's airlines could go a long way in rebuilding passenger confidence and getting flyers back in the air Peace advocates blame U.S.

for conflict By Maria Cook Transport Minister David Collenette urged NATO politicians yesterday to work to help boost public confidence in air travel. "We must encourage people to fly because flying is safe, especially with the new security measures," he told an audience of fewer than 20. Some 300 parliamentarians from NATO member countries and associate nations are attending their 47th assembly in Ottawa. People must "get back to normal," the minister said, spending money and taking trips. Otherwise, he warned, the economy will suffer.

Mr. Collenette assured his audience Canadian air safety is among the best in the world, and said airport security was enhanced following the terrorist attacks in the United States. Some of the measures include limiting access to restricted areas at airports, increasing passenger screening, and locking cockpit doors on passenger flights. (Earlier in the week, Canadian Alliance MP Jim Gouk complained in the Commons that he witnessed unlocked cockpit doors on four Air Canada flights to and from his B.C. riding since the terror attacks.

Mr. Collenette promised to investigate the charge.) Mr. Collenette has also announced the purchase of advanced explosives detection systems for a number of Canadian airports, and a $i6o-million compensation program for carriers for losses resulting from the closure of air space following the attacks. The minister said Canada does not want to post armed marshals on planes because it would be costly and possibly dangerous. He said his office is in discussion with Washington about U.S.

regulations requiring air marshals on board all flights in and out of Washington's Reagan National Airport. But in Calgary, Opposition leader Stockwell Day said yesterday on-board security guards for Canada's airlines could go a long way in rebuilding passenger confidence and getting flyers back in the air. "It just makes common sense. There's some Liberal fantasy that there are no nasty people in Canada. Well there are.

"Let's keep those people off the airlines so the good people will have a sense of confidence on the airlines." It would also be the federal government's responsibility to foot the bill, Mr. Day said. The federally trained air mar-shalls could be drawn from Canada's military or police forces, he suggested. 300 gather to protest military action, call for nonviolent response unfair distribution of goods." "The idea is that the whole world is in conflict," she said. "Eighty per cent of the resources are being devoured by North America.

We're eating (the world's) food and we're leaving a cup of rice for the other people. I think you're never going to get peace when you have that." The Vigil for Nonviolence began with a silent procession from Parliament Hill to the church, where members of various peace organizations spoke on the evils of military action. After the program, participants split into groups to attend workshops and discussion groups on topics such as Amer western governments, need to acknowledge that they are responsible for some of the same kind of atrocities, the same kind of terrorist acts, on other countries. Nothing can be done until they acknowledge that." More than 300 people packed the pews at First United Church on Kent Street yesterday afternoon in an event organized by the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade and co-chaired by Marion Dewar, former mayor of Ottawa. Ms.

Dewar doesn't blame the U.S. for terrorist acts, but feels the conflict is caused by "the by Melanie Brooks While NATO politicians met in Ottawa at a four-day conference to discuss global terrorism, several hundred peace advocates, some of whom blame the U.S. and other western nations for terrorism, held a vigil to protest military action. "The idea today is to let the government know we don't support the use of military force in response to the Sept. 11 tragedy," said Bill Skidmore, a Human Rights professor at Carleton University.

"The United States, and CARLOS AMAT, THE CALGARY SUN ica at war, how to confront injustice without violence, and theatre as a creative tool of re- sistance. People at the conference advocated a peaceful solution to the terrorist threat, but stopped short of presenting any kind of alternative to military action. Instead, they are trying to get their message an online peti- tion calling for nonviolence, signed by more than 10,000 people around the world to the NATO parliamentarians' meeting. "We want to present it to NA- TO, but the area is sectioned' off," said Sister Helene a member of COAT. With files from Alison Korn tion for the record price of $37,500.

Funds raised from the sale' are used to enhance the breeding program that supplies the RCMP with their Musical Ride horses. To date, the auctions have raised $439,000 for the ride. 7 ii RCMF horse auction raises $289,500 for Musical Ride 1 'J a tall and handsome six-year-old black horse, suitable for competition, sold for $30,500. Bidders from as far a field as California came to the auctions, keen to own a horse made famous by the Musical Ride. "We are getting more and more interest from our American friends and also from people across Canada," explains Marc Desjardins, general manager of the Mounted Police Foundation and horse sale coordinator.

"People like to say that they own a RCMP horse because of our reputation," explains John Philip, farm manager and director of the RCMP breeding program. "They also know that we breed for temperament and people look for that. When you see the Musical Ride perform, then you know that these horses have REBECCA STEVENSON, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN- Timbit, a chestnut gelding, was sold for $22,000 at the fourth RCMP Foundation horse auction last night. Minister of Transport David Collenette, left, shares a laugh with Volker Kroning of Germany during the NATO meeting yesterday. Mr.

Collenette suggested NATO countries should spend as much as they can afford on improving intelligence services. been good for defence stocks, he said. "The fact that we've had this terrible tragedy has attracted more investment to that sector which we can use to fuel new technology developments." Canada's defence industry employs about 50,000 people in 300 companies, and has sales of several billion dollars a year, he added. With files from Canadian Press BRUNO SCHLUMBERGER, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN al's Peter Mansbridge. All requests were declined.

The PMO spun that Mr. Chretien appeared on Larry King by invitation and saw it as a good chance to correct the U.S. impression that Canada's border contributes to terrorism. Francie Ducros, the PM's media advisor, is pushing the line that Mr. Chretien has been more accessible to the media since the attacks than any other leader in the G7, having held press conferences and scrums on a near-daily basis.

Much hilarity on the Hill over that remark. Shouting out questions in a scrum hardly gives an opportunity to put needed questions to the prime minister. Meanwhile, the networks are irked that their cameras were not invited along when Mr. Chretien went to give blood on the day after the disaster. PMO calls his decision to donate a personal choice that had nothing to do with his position.

Complaints forgotten With Air Canada teetering on the verge, how much longer be Chretien gives media the cold shoulder BYHATTIEKLOTZ Bidders from across North America gathered at the RCMP stables in Rockcliffe Park last night for the fourth RCMP Foundation horse auction. The auction, which takes place every two years, grossed $289,500, and the top priced horse sold for $30,500. "While not every good horse in the world is an RCMP horse," Olympic equestrian Ian Millar told the crowd of more than 800 people, "every RCMP horse is a good one." Timbit, a striking, polished chestnut yearling caused murmurs of excitement in the audience when he was lead into the ring. In just a few seconds, bidding had reached $20,000. The final price $22,000.

The star of the sale was the very last of the 16 horses. Noah, Canadian fore Air Travel Complaints Commissioner Bruce Hood hangs up his blades? Mr. Hood, the former NHL referee, was brought on to ensure that Air Canada does not abuse its monopoly position when it comes to customer service. Now, with the airline begging for handouts, laying off staff, and threatening to cut routes, Mr. Hood's work is all but forgotten.

The job, he has conceded, is a headache, with nearly 300 new complaints filed each month. His attempts to extract answers from Air Canada are repeatedly frustrated and he still has no real hammer of enforcement to compel the airline to shape up. So what's keeping him in the game? Not the salary, apparently. The government last week pegged his annual retainer at the GIC-6 level, in the range of $100,700 to $118,400. Were Mr.

Hood still an NHL zebra, he'd been making $236,000 U.S. Bloody rhetoric Sunera Thobani, former president of the National Action Committee on the Status temperament and stamina." After all, what is good enough for the Queen is highly desirable for anyone interested in horses. In 1998, the Queen was presented with a new RCMP horse called James. The following year, James' half-brother Jake was sold at auc week hired former RCMP commissioner Norm Inkster and former Canadian Forces Lewis Mackenzie to give advice on fighting terrorism. "We have the current commissioner of the RCMP and many current Canadian Armed Forces generals advising us now," Mr.

Manley quipped. Worst spin of the week: John Manley, again, responding to Friday's National Post headline WE DON'T PULL OUR WEIGHT: MANLEY. "You'll notice it wasn't in quotes," he said. Senator out in the cold To the Senate, where the Gargoyle expects to find the chamber of sober second thought mulling over immigration, homeland defence or other weighty matters of import to the Sept. 11 attacks.

Instead, the debate concerns interests much closer to home, viz, Sen. Willie Adams' diatribe on Thursday over his parking space: "It will be cold soon, and there have been problems getting parking behind the Centre Block," notes Mr. Adams, a Trudeau appointee from the Northwest Territories. "Some senators do not have a car in Ottawa. I have heard that some of these senators have given their parking spaces to" -quel horreur! "their assistants or secretaries." "Is that true?" he demanded of Richard Kroft, chairman of Parliament's internal economy committee.

Mr. Kroft was unable to conjure a reply. Respectfully nameless Observers at the U.S. Department of Justice hid their grins following Solicitor General Lawrence MacAulay's meeting with U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.

At a post-game press conference, Mr. Ashcroft seemed unable to remember Mr. MacAulay's name, referring to him as "uh, my counterpart for whom I have the utmost respect." Feed the Gargoyle by e-mail: Women, set off no end of inflamed rhetoric when she claimed that U.S. foreign policy is "soaked in blood." But no response to her remarks rang quite as fanatical as that from Campaign Life Coalition, an anti-abortion group based in Toronto. In a press release, organization director Mary Ellen Douglas called Ms.

Thobani's former employer, NAC, "the leading promoter of the continual slaughter of innocent infants in their mothers' wombs." Junior cabinet minister Hedy Fry, who had sat in on Ms. Thobani's remarks at a recent conference, also took a shot from Campaign Life. She's described as "also a rabid promoter of the shedding of the blood of the preborn." Islamic fundamentalism, anyone? Manley's moves Best spin of the week: Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley, when asked why he hadn't shown the same initiative exhibited by Ontario Premier Mike Harris, who this The Gargoyle Edited by Glen McGregor The prime minister's recent appearances on CNN since the terrorism in the U.S. will do little to warm relations between the Parliamentary press and Jean Chretien's office. The Ottawa bureaus of CTV and CBC are both steamed that Mr.

Chretien chose to appear twice on CNN including an interview with Larry King while declining similar offers on the home front. Craig Oliver, CTV's Ottawa bureau chief, twice asked PMO for a one-on-one with Mr. Chretien to address the state of the nation, post Sept. 11. Ditto for CTV Newsnet's Mike Duffy and CBC's Ottawa chief, Keith Boag, who twice offered a face-to-face with The Nation.