http://www.thestar.com/editorial/news/991231NEW06_NA-Y2K31.html

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OTTAWA - Canada's computer systems can handle the arrival of year 2000, say federal officials, but they can't be quite as sure about the Canadian public.

While surveys indicate little alarm over potential Y2K computer problems, federal experts haven't ruled out the possibility of last-minute runs today on bank ATMs or line-ups at gas stations as Canadians stock up with cash and fuel.

''This (people factor) isn't a Y2K problem itself, but the government is confident that any situation is manageable,'' said a spokesperson for the Year 2000 Project Office. The prospect of public alarm - informally called the people factor - is covered by federal contingency plans, the official said.

********** Yet despite official assurances about 100 per cent readiness, Y2K glitches have been uncovered at National Defence headquarters, home to the government's Year 2000 command centre.

Security access key pads at the defence department's office tower in downtown Ottawa cannot be used because they are not Y2K-compliant, defence department spokesperson Mike Whittaker acknowledged yesterday.

The glitch had been uncovered during recent routine checks, but was not made public at media briefings, Whittaker said.

****************** Entry into defence HQ is now 'by hand' as key pads unusable The problem could create delays entering the defence headquarters or getting into high-security areas inside, such as the Y2K command centre.

Rather than entering a code into the access pad to open a door, everyone will have to be checked through individually by a commissionaire examining an ID pass.

Correcting the glitch will take two to three months, said Whittaker.

Meanwhile, the monitoring of withdrawals from ATMs appears to bear out the fact that only 4 per cent of Canadians told pollsters last month they were ''very concerned'' by Y2K.

''So far, all the cash demand is completely normal for a holiday weekend,'' said Ray Protti, head of the Canadian Bankers' Association, and there are no hints there will be any last-minute rush on ATMs today.

That said, the Bank of Canada has stockpiled $23 billion in bills - about four times its normal stash - in vaults across the country in case people started stuffing their socks with savings.

The nation's gas stations also appeared to be coping well.

''We're confident that there will be enough supply of gasoline throughout the New Year period,'' said Imperial Oil's Janet Maaten.

A bigger concern was the prospect of people dangerously hoarding gas cans in a vehicle or a garage, said the Canadian Automobile Association's Doug Mayhew.

''That's the last thing you need, whether there's a Y2K problem or not,'' Mayhew said.

The last thing that many Canadians need, apparently, is to be flying, as Y2K arrives.

Air Canada will be operating fewer than a third of its normal 600 flights today and only half tomorrow because of much lower demand, according to spokesperson Laura Cooke.

Only three Air Canada flights will be in the air at midnight EST and one of these - from Toronto to London, England - will be carrying the airline's head pilot, his wife and children. Robert Giguere, vice-president flight operations, was deliberately going aloft to demonstrate air safety.

-- Lara (nprbuff@hotmail.com), December 31, 1999

Answers

Hi all

My husband and I just gassed up about 10:00 a.m. EST - no line ups at all and we are in Toronto. All the good news from those countries that have passed into the new millenium are leaving me free to enjoy the magic of the occasion. Fingers crossed!

-- citygirl (citygirl@idirect.com), December 31, 1999.