Dick & Sue Chambers Box 623 Invermere, VOA 1K0 B.C. Oj Spill Task Force Minister for the Environment Bruce Strachan has asked the Federal government to urgently review the issue of oil tanker traffic along Canada's west coast. — : "Because off-shore traffic is a matter of federal jurisdic- tion, it is imperative that the Government of Canada take a major role in the prevention of further spills," he said. Strachan asked that Federal Transport minister Benoit Bouchard and Environment minister Lucien Bouchard join the recently formed B.C. /Washington Task Force on Oil Spills. This group, recently appointed by Premier -- Vander Zalm and Washington State. - Governor Gardner. has been - expanded to include represen- e tatives from the states of Alaska and Oregon. eretia 75 Va 1 8 — MAY The Task Force currently includes members from the B.C. ministries of Environment and Solicitor General and the Washington Departments of Ecology and Community Development. Several other provincial, state and federal agencies attended the initial meeting as observers. “Et is urgent that we develop a comprehensive, workable, approach to the movement of goods which pose a threat to the environment through the Pacific region,” Strachan said. "I have also expressed my disappointment to the federal ministers that neither the Coast Guard nor Environment Canada has, to date, accepted our invitation to be full members of the Task Force on Oil Spills." And one last look at winter New Look For Courier look" Halfway through production, the composer gave up and died. being the prepared Readers will notice a "new to the Courier this month. [tuis sent out for repairs. In meantime, the newspaper was using the computers at Northern Lights College. by next month. . College facilities. We hope to be back to normal ‘Our thanks to the use of their’ for the moniar Costes er the Voice of Cassiar Cou ntry 1989 15°. © CASSIAR AIRPORT GRANT APPROVED A $130,000 grant to the Cassiar Community Club Society was announced recently by the Honourable Neil Vant, Minister of Transportation and Highways. British Columbia’s Air Transport Assistance Pro- gram will provide the funds to assist with improvements to the town’s airstrip. An improved gravel surface on 3,500 foot runway will be very helpful to commercial air- craft serving this remote community. Minister of State Jack Weisgerber said he was pleased to see the project released in parallel with the transportation planning process currently underway in the region. “The Transportation Planning Committee for Nechako strongly endorsed the merit of the project proceeding in this year,” he said. “Cassiar is dependent on air service for emergencies and some supplies. This grant will provide’ the community with the necessary funds to maintain good air operations.” The highly successful provincial program was in- itiated in 1978 to provide financial and technical assist-. ance to community airport operators through the prov- ince. To date, ATAP has invested over $30 million to help with improvements at over 70 community and resource development air facilities. Bus Schedule Changes Effective May 1, Watson Lake Bus Lines have advised that their. schedule to Cassiar will be changed, although remaining three times per week. Arrival times into Cassiar. will be the same. After meeting the plane, the bus will arrive in Cassiar on the evenings of Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. _ Departure time from Cassiar to Watson Lake will be 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Break-In Under Investigation Police are currently inves- tigating a break-in at the Cas- Siar Shopping Centre which took place sometime on the weekend of April 22. Thieves removed a sheet of plywood covering .a window and gained entry into a storage area in the basement. Once on the premises, they were able to gain access to the upper store -area. From the size of the entry win- dow, it would appear that the culprits were of small build or possibly juveniles. Upon leaving the store, the plywood was placed back over the window. Police are sone sontng hea investigatian.: