Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 17, 2000, Winnipeg, Manitoba Via cars disabled group slams new by Allan Swift in Coll it of pwn i ii to i Fth i Octif a of safety accessibility questioned after railway announces Purchase Montreal via rails new passenger cars do not meet Canadian standards for collision Protection or for Access by disabled passengers critics say. The Globe and mail reported yesterday that the Council of canadians with disabilities an umbrella group representing associations for the disabled has asked the Canadian transportation Agency to intervene to prevent via from taking delivery. The group says the British built cars done to meet Federal guidelines for ensuring accessibility. A via must not be permitted to take the $400-million provided to it by the people of Canada. And spend it All or a major portion of it on rolling Stock which is less accessible than the antiquated train cars currently in use a wrote David Baker the councils Toronto lawyer. For via it is the first major equipment Purchase in More than 20 years with what transport minister David col Lenette Calls a an incredible deals on 139 new passenger cars bought from eng land. Via says it will pay Between $125 million and $135 million to buy ship and refurbish 47 seater coaches 20 service cars which include a lounge and restaurant and 72 Sleeper coaches. First ordered by the British government and then rendered surplus by a changed policy via says the value of the coaches is $400 million to $500 million and they had been coveted by other countries. A it was too Good a Deal to refuse Quot crowed Collenette at a ceremony in Montreal a cavernous Central station. A we got an incredible Deal for the Canadian concerns have also been raised about the safety of the British cars. Glen Fisher president of pcs technologies corp. Of Beaconsfield que., a former subsidiary of up rail said european cars Are built to different standards for the amount of compression Force that can be sustained in a crash and for the couplers that link them. Fisher said that typically cars built to North american standards remain linked during a derailment which is safer for passengers. A i think there a a huge risk to canadians a he told the Globe. A a it a not something to be treated easily modified John Marginson via rail vice president of equipment maintenance disputed the claims saying the cars could easily be modified to comply with North american standards. Via will use the new equipment As Well As new locomotives to add More trips and faster travel times in the corridor Between Quebec City and Windsor where via gets 85 per cent of its revenues. Sleeper coaches will be for overnight trips to the maritime some existing coaches will be bumped to the Western transcontinental and some of the oldest coaches will be retired. Collenette was thanked profusely by Marc Lefrancois via chairman and acting ceo. A a we be been very fortunate to have a minister who has championed the results of our work Quot he said. Last april Collenette breathed new life into the National passenger rail system with $400 million for equipment and upgrading tracks and stations Over five years. This is on top of via a operating subsidy which has shrunk to $170 million a year. Some $62 million of that is going into improving the Canadian National track via uses in the corridor. A i believe passenger rail is in a Renaissance a said Collenette pointing to new investments in Europe Asia and the United states. A we have to be there because rail is one of the solutions to growing congestion and pollution in the delivery by ship will be completed by mid-2001, while the first cars Are to go into service next fall. A Canadian press Morgentaler rapped for flawed abortion facts Halifax a Nova Scotia a health minister says when or. Henry Morgentaler suggested that the province should be penalized for not funding abortion clinics he did no to have All his facts straight. A a in a not sure or. Morgentaler knows exactly what he stalking about a Jamie Muir said yesterday. A there is a Morgentaler clinic in Halifax and the province does pay for the medical in a news report Friday or. Morgentaler asked the Federal government to withhold Transfer payments to Nova Scotia new Brunswick Manitoba and Quebec for violating the Canada health act in relation to abortion services. But Muir said the provinces Transfer payments Are already being reduced because of its policy. He said the province pays the same amount known As a medical fee to the Morgentaler clinic As it does to physicians doing abortions in Hospital. The province does no to pay the clinics administrative fees which Are passed on to the women who had the abortion. A because we do that in Nova Scotia we have a certain portion of our Transfer payment deducted which would be equal to what the patients would pay a he said. Muir said the province does not pick up the entire Tab at the private abortion clinic because this might Lead to other kinds of private medical clinics. Nova Scotia a policy differs from that of new Brunswick where the government pays none of the costs associated with abortions at the Morgentaler clinic in Fredericton. In new Brunswick health minister Dennis Furlong said new Brunswick a abortion policy has been in place for at least 14 years with no complaints from Ottawa and he sees no reason to change it at this Point. New Brunswick will pay for abortions providing a woman has received the approval of two physicians and providing the procedure is carried out by an obstetrician gynaecologist in an approved Hospital up to the 12th week of pregnancy. Canadian press 8 s h o Ping d a ays left Ali final Day Mil amp save Panasonic free Case. Plus bowl in Ira on everything in the store1 Nome Yodow pay Menno monthly payme o 1 All floctronics1 flu a Brick a kown i vhf a camera a 18 1 optical/150 x digital zoom a digital electronic image stabilization a digital Colour fade a Auto Titler phase titter a Back Light a High Speed shutter a motion detection a 2.5�?o color cd screen plus $ save s50 scratch it or save 549 97 Sony 8mm video camera a 2.5�?o cd screw a 200x digital zoom a built in Light a night shoot 0 Lux a picture effects 8 modes i Las $69997 Hitachi digital 8 video camera a 2.5 cd screen a image stabilization a digital signal processor a Remote control plus amp w $89997 flus. Reef a 25 a Cord valid a words Purchase of Quot a Electron i up Horn Jan 6 to feb 28 2001. Cannot be combined with ony other ofter our gift to you this Holiday season i extra any furniture or mattress e 599 or More sunday december 17 the 2000 Only i com Home the to Brick out of town Call 1-800-97-Brick shop online Al Winnipeg East Winnipeg West 1487 Regent ave. 1065 St. James St. 654-5000 788-6500 there is no association Between the Brick or the Brick warehouse amp Brick s Fine furniture Check out our in store Holiday savings gift guide with savings of Over a $12,000 throughout the store c Only on j Horn office i or Brick Cord Platinum minimum Purchase �?~250 any Brick delivery charge applicable taxes and 29 95 administration Lee payable at time of Purchase balance due june 2001 a Doe not apply to i /2 Price bedding i /2 Price leather product electronic Blowout late item certain limitation and restrict com apply see in store or detail Quot trademark of air Miles International trading b a used under License by loyalty management group Canada inc and the Brick warehouse corporation t t around Canada Clark ready to Roll Calgary a conservative Leader Joe Clark says he a ready to revitalize his party and create a National conservative alternative to the Canadian Alliance. A i think what happened to the Canadian Alliance so clearly in this election was that it became Clear that in most of Canada a party that has a social a base so narrow As the alliances simply can twin a Clark said yesterday. He said the possibility of forging an Alliance with the Alliance Hasni to been ruled out but added that it wont come at the Cost of his party. Ludwig appealing decision Edmonton a convicted Oil Patch Vandal Wiebo Ludwig is appealing a National parole Board decision to deny him Early parole an Edmonton radio station reported yesterday. Ludwig says the parole Board is trying him again instead of Basing its decision on his behaviour in jail the report said. Ludwig 58, is serving 28 months in jail for five convictions of explosives Possession and mischief. He was convicted in april for bombing a Sun Cor Well site near his Northwestern Alberta Home. Nanny sues dad kids Edmonton a a Nanny who was badly burned but hailed As a hero for rescuing her three Young charges from a fire two years ago is now suing two of the children and their father. Sonia Bandol 42, has filed a statement of claim in Edmonton a court of Queens Bench asking for compensation for medical treatments lost possessions lost wages and other expenses that resulted from the Blaze in Irma 177 pm Southeast of Edmonton. The suit alleges the fire was caused by the negligence of the children a father in failing to install a smoke Detector failing to provide a fire extinguisher and not putting his matches and lighters out of the children a reach. Potatoes turned away Charlottetown a several truck loads of . Potatoes were turned away at the american Border Friday despite a Deal that allows potatoes from outside a restricted zone to be shipped to the United states. American regulators banned potatoes from across the Island in late october when potato wart a a fungal disease that renders spuds unmarketable a was found in one Field. Last week the . Government agreed to readmit Island potatoes but imposed a 40,000-hectare quarantine zone from which potato exports Are banned. A compiled from Canadian press a mme clot Lucky 9255 on sunday december 24, 2000 the Winnipeg free press will once again publish special pages of Christmas memorials. To place your memorial please Call the classified department at 697-7100, monday to Friday. 8 00 . 5 30 ., saturday 9 00 . 1 00 ., or fax 697-7375. Prepayment is required. For your convenience we accept visa and Mastercard Over the phone. To ensure publication All copy and pictures must be in our hands by 5 00 Monday december 18, 2000 ;