Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 16

A16 The Edmonton Journal, Saturday, March 6, 1999 Canada VrX Canada's Kurds fear shells left behind it -j Kurds. A country like Canada should never participate in such a dirty war." Under the transfer agreement Turkey is required to report annually to NATO on the whereabouts and use, if any, of the shells. "NATO is pretty strict on that They really check what you're doing with your shells, and you're accountable for everything," said Morissette. In recent weeks, Turkish troops have carried the fighting across their border with Iraq. Richard Sanders, a spokesman for Ottawa's Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade, doubts Turkey is sticking to its side of the transfer agreement "We know that they've killed thousands of people, and if they're willing to kill thousands of people they're will Friends flock to honour broadcaster The Canadian Press Vancouver It was the kind of event Jack Webster would have loved to coven In attendance at the legendary broadcaster's funeral Friday were two former B.C.

premiers who were forced to resign under a cloud, one who could be headed that way and the eccentric real estate agent who helped bring one 'of them down. With television cameras looking down from above and bagpipes moan- ing Amazing Grace, friends, family, politicians, and media celebrities gathered to celebrate Webster, who died Tuesday of heart disease at age 80. Webster, who interviewed everyone from prime ministers to prison convicts during his career, was described by his friend Jack Munro as "provocative, mildly insulting, direct and contradictory." His favourite targets were politi- 1 cians with egos and problems. He might have been gratified to see former premier Bill Vander Zalm and current Premier Glen Clark giving scrums outside the church on the latest provincial scandal. Vander Zalm told reporters he thought Clark's future is uncertain.

Clark brushed past, saying only that it had been another "wild week in B.C. politics." Clark is under siege after police raided his home this week as part of a gambling investigation. The crowd overflowed into the back of the church and an adjacent tent. Austaik Steele For Southam Newspapers Ottawa Canadian Kurds fear Ankara may be using 10,000 rounds of artillery ammunition handed over by Canada last year in its long and bloody conflict with the Turkish minority group. Officials from the departments of Foreign Affairs and National Defence insist the Turkish military is only using the ammunition "in designated training areas." The 155-millimetre shells had been stored in Turkey since 1990 as part of Canada's contribution to NATO stockpiles in the region.

When NATO suspended that program in 1997, Canada was ordered to remove the ammunition or transfer ownership to Turkey DND spokesman Capt Jean Moris-sette says Canada weighed its options, but decided in 1998 to leave the ammunition behind. The cost of returning the shells to Canada would have exceeded their value, says Morissette. He says Canada had a surplus of 155-mra ammunition at the time. Members of the Canadian Kurdish community expressed outrage over the transfer. "It's supporting the killing," says Shwan Ahmad, a Kurdish activist living in Vancouver.

"There's no doubt (the shells) are being used against the ing to lie to NATO. Sanders says Canada shouldn't give Turkey ammunition for any reason. "Even if it is for training, what are they training for? Why would we train The Canadian Press Bill Clennett, of Hull, is frisked by an RCMP officer, below Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday Homeless protest ends in arrest mass murderers? Yiorgos Chouliaras, an official at the Greek embassy in Ottawa, is con-1 cerned about Canada's decision to leave the shells in Turkey "It's always a question of stability in our region. We always encourage friends and allies like Canada not to proceed with any act that might threaten that balance." Southam News officers and a security guard. The bright paint was meant to symbolize the blood of homeless people who have died on Canada's streets three so far this year, Clennett said.

Clennett's picture flashed across Canada and the world in February 1996 when Prime Minister Jean Chretien grabbed him by the throat during a protest against employment insurance cuts in Hull. On Friday, Clennett was led to an RCMP cruiser without a fight. "I accept the consequence," he said. The Canadian Press Ottawa A small but colourful demonstration against homelessness ended with the arrest Friday of one man who was later charged with mischief. Bill Clennett, 47, of Hull, was joined by 13 other protesters who hurled red paint "bombs" at the historic building housing the Prime Minister's Office.

The missives exploded against the brick, splattering RCMP You requested if and vo said 1 Year Term 1 Month Free! (come in for details) Premiers to meet with native leaders Tebs Customers We will Re-Program the area code change on your Cell Phone FREE OF CHARGE From Jan. 25th at our 9 convenient Save On Telecom locations! ITm kahili! Kkj f-! 11 Motorola Carryphone I I lmtySMECNTEiCOU0A.C Motorola jwjj Motorolal Motorola Nokia StarTac I JLvLp50 Vibra 252 ft-J 3000 k.tJ 1mwmmm COUPON "I I I Assembly of First Nations, said he's disappointed with the showing but hopeful more premiers will get on board. "We still have some time before the meeting to convince the others to join us. "We believe that a full turnout would be far preferable because our issues are important to every province and territory in the country," he said. Other native leaders are likely to be more critical.

After last month's postponement, Harry Daniels of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples blasted the premiers. The fact that so few premiers were willing to attend proves that they don't care about native issues, he said. Daniels vowed to use the meeting to slam the premiers for keeping aboriginals out of the social union talks, The Canadian Press i Roglna The big meeting between Canada's -premiers and top aboriginal leaders "will go ahead March 22, a month after 'it was postponed because only three premiers could attend. But the turnout isn't looking much better, which is likely to anger some leaders. Five premiers have committed 'themselves to attend the annual meet-; ing on aboriginal concerns, The Canadian Press has learned.

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, 'I Ontario and Nova Scotia have agreed attend the conference in Regina to discuss the new social union frame-7 work and other issues, sources said. Phil Fontaine, national chief of the which set out rules and responsibilities for delivering health and social programs across the country. He warned that premiers shouldn't expect much cooperation unless they're willing to guarantee aboriginals a voice in the decision-making process. Fontaine agreed that the main issue March 22 will be obtaining a voice for aboriginals in the social union framework. "We're disappointed that we were excluded from the social union talks and so we want to determine the various options available to us to secure our involvement in all subsequent processes and discussions.

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"Nuclear energy cannot compete in increasingly competitive power markets," says WorldWatch, a respected environmental think-tank. Its study on the declining use of nuclear power, primarily in the western world, comes shortly before the 20th anniversary of the Three Mile Island accident. On March 28, 1979, equipment failures and human error led to a partial core meltdown at the nuclear reactor in Middletown, Pa. The accident roused public concern about nuclear energy, which had been touted as a safe, clean alternative to oil following the OPEC crisis. According to the Worldwatch report, nuclear power has gone from being the world's fastest growing energy source to its slowest, trailing well behind fossil fuels such as oil and coal.

The main reason? Cost, says Worldwatch. The last 20 U.S. nuclear reactors cost $3 billion to $4 billion US to construct Candu reactors developed and sold around the world by Atomic Energy of Canada run around $2 billion Cdn each. After growing by more than 700 per cent in 1970s, nuclear generating capacity has grown less than five per cent this decade, the study found. By the end of last year, 429 nuclear reactors were operating worldwide, one less than five years ago.

And there have been no new nuclear plants ordered in North American since 1979. Demand for nuclear reactors has dropped off in Europe and North America only because demand for electricity has fallen there, argues AECL spokesman Larry Shewchuk. With western manufacturers shifting their plants to Asia, where labour is cheap and plentiful, demand for nuclear generators is rising there, said Shewchuk. "We do see a growth in those markets because of the need for electricity and the air pollution "Nuclear energy cannot compete in increasingly competitive power markets. Worldwatch Institute A desire to reduce fossil fuel emissions has also led to growing U.S.

interest in recommissioning older nuclear plants and looking at new construction, he added. The nuclear industry calls its product a clean alternative to the massive emissions generated by oil and and coal-fired plants and vehicles. But with the intractable problem of nuclear waste disposal, to say nothing of the risks posed by nuclear accidents, the industry is not a green alternative, says Kristen Ostling, executive director of Ottawa-based Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout "This is not a choice between two evils," she said. Government and industry should instead be turning to new energy technologies such as solar energy and wind power, argues Worldwatch. Alternatives particularly energy efficiency could dramatically cut demand and pollution, added Ostling.

That would also reduce the burden on the public purse, she said. AECL receives about $100 million annually in taxpayer subsidies. Ottawa also provides enormous loans to finance the sale of Canadian reactors overseas. That's offset by the Canadian spinoff jobs and contracts to develop the reactors approximately $1.5 billion over about five years for the two Can-dus recently sold to China, responds Shewchuk. "It's a big job creation benefit." But questions have been raised in the past about the commercial viability of Canada's two most prominent nuclear energy operations.

Critics failed last year in their attempts to obtain a financial review of AECL prepared by investment banker Nesbitt Burns. AECL cited the need to protect its competitive business secrets. And late last year, red flags were raised about Ontario Hydro's huge Investment in five nuclear stations, only three of which are operating. Ontario Hydro valued the stations at $18.5 billion Cdn. A Goldman Sachs and investment banker argued nuclear plants have no market value because they can't be sold.

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