The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 2

A2 THE OTTAWA CITIZEN NEWS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7,2002 CORRECTION During a fire at a Pembroke home on July 31, Bonnie Stavenow held the hands of her children, Kyle, 8, and Kate-Lynn, 10, and told them to jump with her out of a second-floor bedroom window. The family says the children, inexplicably, let go of their mother's hands as she jumped, and remained in the house, where they died. Also, in a fall from a window last summer, Kyle suffered only bruises; the name of the children's father is Shawn; and Kate-Lynn's birthday is Aug. 11. A story on page C6 in the Aug.

1 Citizen contained incorrect information. Audit: Ministry ignores funding gap But the report adds that it will be impossible to make the cuts by the start of the new school year in September. It recommends new targets of January or September 2003. Last night, some trustees said the items in the report summary are not surprising. Trustee Lynn Scott said there have been frequent statements from Ms.

Witmer that no new money was forthcoming. Other trustees stood by their decisions to refuse to cut. "If you don't care about your students or your staff," Trustee Myrna Laurenceson said, "of course you can balance your budget." Continued from page Ai Two weeks ago, an independent study by a management consulting firm confirmed the Ministry of Education has shortchanged the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board by up to $34 million a year for staff salaries since the board was formed in 1998. The board paid the Hay Group, a firm that specializes in employee performance and work issues, $40,000 for the report. It was forwarded to Mr.

Rosen. The Hay Group concluded that the province does not provide enough money to pay teachers and support staff at the current market rates. There is a $26-million gap between what teachers are paid and what the province hands over to cover salaries. But Mr. Rosen's summary makes no mention of extra money.

Trustees should have listened to staff recommendations for cuts, the report states. Those recommendations, made in February, included closing the equiva lent of seven elementary schools and two high schools to save $4.6 million. Other recommendations included cutting transportation for most students who live where there is public bus service to save $6.45 million, and reducing the special education budget by $11.6 million. This spring, trustees rejected most of those cuts, arguing that they were too draconian. Trustees have speculated that now they will be revisiting a lot of these same cuts, including closing schools.

Clark: Success not seen likely Cheat: 'The Bugs Bunny of international relations' next year. He quit politics before the Conservative rout of 1993, and returned to help salvage the party's current handful of seats in the 2000 electioa Mr. Clark, who said he will continue to represent his Calgary Centre seat for at least the remainder of the current Parliament, said his decision was a tough one considering his long career in politics and his desire eventually to become prime minister again. "These personal decisions, when you make them, when I make them, are always difficult," said Mr. Clark.

"You have to weigh a lot of factors, and having weighed them and having decided is a relief. I would have liked to have been prime minister, I would have liked the party to do better in the last election (but) many people, some in the room, were counting us absolutely out of contention and I think we demonstrated that was wrong." With files from Rick Mofina and Joanne Laucius Continued from page Ai "It was useful for me to get away from the House and to stand back a little bit and see myself as others saw me, and that helped me come to the view that I was not likely to be able to lead the party to success in a normal election," said Mr. Clark. "I've carried the party, I think, as far as I can." However, he added he will stay on until a new leader is chosen, possibly late next year, in case the Liberals call a sudden election if Prime Minister Jean Chretien steps down after a review of his leadership in February. "I would relish, I think the party would relish, fighting a campaign against either of the potential Liberal leaders who tried to call an early election," he said.

Within hours of Mr. Clark's announcement, Canadian Alliance leader Stephen Harper dusted off his offer to the Tories to work with the Alliance as one party. "It is now appropriate, we believe, to plan a joint leadership race instead," Mr. Harper said. "With this in mind I wish to reiterate that my offer remains on the table." Mr.

Harper said the two parties must run a single slate of candidates in the next election, that they begin the process by forming a full coalition in the House of Commons, and that they commit to eventually forming a single political entity. He said his offer will be good until the end of the summer. "I would still expect to have an indication by then of whether the leadership and executive of the (Tory) party wishes to embrace this offer, or whether it wishes to pursue its own leadership race," Mr. Harper said. "If the Tories reject this, then they will pretty well close the door (on uniting)." A poll of 1,000 Canadians conducted by Toronto-based SES Canada Research Inc.

concluded that 39 per cent of Canadians believe the Tories should elect a new leader. Another 17 per cent believe the party should merge with the Canadian Alliance, while 15 per cent believe the party should continue with Joe Clark as leader. The poll was conducted between July 26 and Aug. 1, so yesterday's announcement played no part in the respondents' choices, said SES managing director Nikita Nanos. But it does demonstrate that voters have an appetite for a new leader.

The Alliance has a new leader, the NDP is getting a new leader and Prime Minister Jean Chretien will be facing rival Paul Martin for the Liberal leadership. "We're almost going through a generational change," said Mr. Nanos. Voters see the Conservatives as a viable alternative, but they want a new leader to capitalize on that. "It's a credit to Mr.

Clark that he stepped down," he said. "It will cast a new light on Chretien." Meanwhile, he believes that 29 per cent of the voters were unsure simply because the Conservatives don't interest them. "The average Canadian couldn't name one or two people to replace Joe Clark." The poll, to be released today, is accurate plus or minus 3.1 per cent 19 times out of 20. Opponents praised Mr. Clark's decision.

"This is a very intelligent, in-depth decision that he has come to and it's one that is supported by the caucus, and I think he showed a lot of grace and class in the way that he has done it," said Nova Scotia MP Peter MacKay, a leading potential contender in the eventual race to succeed Mr. Clark. New Brunswick MP Greg Thomson, who had threatened to challenge Mr. Clark at yesterday's caucus meeting, said Mr. Clark came face-to-face with voter reality and made the right decision.

Mr. Thomson said a private party poll showed the Conservatives with only 12 per cent support under Mr. Clark's leadership. Mr. Clark and several of his MPs said the announcement will give the party a chance to highlight policy and the credentials of Mr.

Clark's potential successors during the Edmonton meeting. New Brunswick MP and potential contender, John Herron, said it is time for a generational change in the party's leadership and cited himself and other "thirtysomething" members of caucus who are ready to take centre stage. Mr. Clark, who was first elected as a rural MP in Alberta in 1972 and won the party's leadership only four years later as a compromise candidate in a heated contest between Quebecers Brian Mul-roney and Claude Wagner, became prime minister in a minority government in 1979 but lost to the Liberals the right now," said Mr. Shadwick, who teaches strategic studies at York University.

"Saddam has turned that tactic into a fine art." The U.S. government has responded to Saddam Hussein's latest overture by stating that it does not alter its view that the Iraqi leader must be overthrown. The Americans appear to be ramping up for a possible war with Iraq by stockpiling oil reserves in underground caverns in Texas and Louisiana as well as increasing production of smart bombs and other weapons. Newsweek magazine also reported this week that U.S. military officials are currently in the Middle East, checking on various airstrips and staging areas for an invasion force.

Chris Sands, an analyst with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that Saddam Hussein's latest move is an attempt to buy time and convince other countries there is no need for the U.S. to attack him since he is willing to open up his weapons sites to inspections. "He's pretty crafty," said Mr. Sands. "He's the Bugs Bunny of international relations, because he has so many moves." But Mr.

Sands noted that Saddam Hussein has also underestimated Mr. Bush. The Bush administration, he said, is not one to be overly concerned about the opinions of the international community. Mr. Sands also said that the administration is already preparing the American people for the invasion of Iraq by continually leaking out details of its strategy to the news media.

"The public will go for the invasion because they've decided it's already going to happen," Mr. Sands said. But Mr. Shadwick questioned whether the Pentagon has the military resources to conduct an invasion. He noted that the U.S.

force that fought the 1991 Gulf War was a Cold War army at the peak of its readiness and strength. Since then the Americans have cut back on military spending and have reduced equipment and personnel. "They could probably reach the manpower requirements but I'm not so sure whether they could match the quality their forces had during the Gulf War," said Mr. Shadwick. Continued from page Ai "As the past two crises clearly demonstrate, Saddam's strategy is one of 'cheat and concluded the 1998 briefing note.

"At the last minute, he backs down in order to avoid punitive military action, only to resume the challenge later at a time and place of his choosing." But the author of that document, Defence department strategic analyst James Moore, said yesterday that while the "cheat and retreat" tactic worked well in the past, it is likely not going to fly this time around. "That was a useful tactic when you had (U.S.) administrations who maintained the rhetoric of regime change but who were not really willing to commit the resources and the effort to actually act on that," said Mr. Moore. "So (Saddam) had more room to manoeuvre. I think he's lost a lot of that room to manoeuvre in the current circumstances." Mr.

Moore noted that his comments were his analysis of the situation and did not reflect Defence department or Canadian government opinion. Attitudes toward tolerating Iraq's tactics have changed in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S., added Mr. Moore. The Iraqi leader has refused to allow UN arms inspectors in the country since 1998.

And when inspectors were there, the Iraqi government would often prevent them from examining specific sites too closely. But such "cat and mouse" games this time around would be used by the Bush administration to reinforce its case to take military action against Iraq, Mr. Moore said. He noted that all of Saddam Hussein's tactics are aimed at ensuring his personal and political survival. "That's how I'd interpret his most recent moves as well," Mr.

Moore said. "He's trying as best as he can to undermine any international support that the (U.S.) administration might be able to generate for them going in to bring down (his) regime." But defence analyst Martin Shad-wick doesn't think the Iraqi leader has played out his "cheat and retreat" tactic just yet. "I think that's a good description of exactly what he's doing END OF SEASON CLEARANCE SALE ON NOW. Save UP TO 50 off on selected items. Iraq: UN approach preferred iii" THE HAWK Hi Im Rock 'n' roll pioneer Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins, 67, is to have surgery on Tuesday to remove a cancerous tumour on his pancreas.

Mr. Hawkins and his doctors are optimistic, his family said in a statement, and he plans to go ahead with a fall tour. i iii mi Hammocks Stands if 1 1 111 I Continued from page Ai Enough oil to feed the American market for a minimum of 60 days is being stored in caverns in Texas and Louisiana. This week, U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham warned countries around the world to protect themselves against a sudden rise in gasoline prices by stockpiling oil.

Mr. Graham said it is clear that Saddam Hussein "is not a trustworthy or desirable leader," but he is not convinced a strike by the U.S. against Iraq without the blessing of the United Nations would be justified. "Iraq under Saddam Hussein is clearly always a threat, but we have no evidence he is in possession of weapons of mass destruction or that he would intend to use them at this time," Mr. Graham said.

Saddam Hussein's offer at the end of last week to allow UN weapons inspectors back into the country has to be explored, Mr. Graham said. Senior White House officials have dismissed Saddam Hussein's offer as "a stunt" to deflect Washington's apparent determination for war and to cause dissent among U.S. allies. But Mr.

Graham said: "I do consider it dangerous if Iraq agrees to accept inspectors and if that is rejected out of hand." The Canadian government believes any military action against Saddam Hussein should be authorized by the UN Security Council, Mr. Graham said. "That is the global authority and it has the legal and moral right to authorize such action." He said: "Under a UN mandate Canada would look at what we could do because it would be clear that Iraq would be in violation of international norms." Of Washington's allies, only Britain has given unqualified agreement to join the U.S. in a new Gulf War. But Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing mounting public disquiet and vocal opposition from within his own party.

Mr. Graham said that despite his government's preference for UN-mandated action, he can conceive of a situation where Canada would agree to act without it. "If it is clear that Iraq is about to take some action with weapons of mass destruction that is a threat to the security of the world, then we might reconsider. But at this particular time we would prefer to work through the UN." The Vancouver Sun Tuesday's lotteries Ontario Pick-3: 5 4 8. 7, 12, 17,20,22, 26, 30, 36, 37, 42, 44, 46, 47, 50, 53, 54, 59, 66, 69.

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