\\ DECEMBER, 1970 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 11 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER “ WORKER 38,000 copies printed in this issue. Published once monthly as the official publication of the INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA Western Canadian Regional Council No. 1 Affiliated with AFL-C1O-CLC 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. Phone 874-5261 Editor — Pat Kerr Business Manager — Fred Fieber Advertising Representatives — Elizabeth Spencer Associates Forwarded to every member of the IWA in Westérn Canada in accordance with convention decisions. eB? Subscription rate for non-members $2.00 per year. — Att thoughtful Canadians view with deep suspicion the motives behind the federal govern- ment’s harassment of Auditor-Gen- eral Maxwell Henderson. The auditor - general is Parlia- ment’s watchdog on government spending of the taxpayers’ money. His department, manned by a staff of 249, investigates the accounts and operations of federal departments for waste, inefficiency or malfeasance, and annually reports any irregularties directly to Parliament. It is imperative in a democratic country to have a financial watchdog who is answerable only to Parliament, checking on the billions of dollars spent annually by the government. It appears, however, that Prime Minister Trudeau and his ‘just So- ciety” government don’t hold with this view. When Henderson, in his 1969 report, criticized the fifteen million dollar repair bill for the aircraft car- rier Bonaventure which shortly after- wards was sold for scrap, the govern- ment was livid with rage. His questioning, in the same re- port, of the millions of dollars wasted on planning for a Prince Edward Is- land causeway which was never built, also provoked their enmity. The causeway had been a Liberal elec- tion promise and having no justifica- tion for the huge sums expended, the government was placed in an embar- rassing position before Pariiament. In revenge, government ministers sought to remove Henderson from of- fice by arguing that he had exceeded his authority by criticizing policy ap- proved by Parliament. When the op- position parties supported Hender- son, the government then proposed legislation to limit the scope of the auditor-general’s investigative auth- ority. , Fortunately, the Opposition par- ties defeated this move by threaten- ‘ing to fight the bill all the way to closure unless it was removed. In the meantime, to further harass Henderson, the government arbitrar- ily downgraded all his senior staff causing loss of salary and threaten- ing the department’s efficiency. If the Liberals had been success- ful in having the auditor-general’s authority limited for doing the job he is paid to do, there would be no prop- er check on government spending. This would have created a climate of still greater power for those in office which would be disastrous for Can- ada. The Editor: on the Coast’’ Some of the statements which recently appeared in the last issue of the Barker are classic examples of irresponsibility and poor taste. This type of brinkmanship j alism in a Union paper which should be promoting membership solidarity and social progress will only cause further division in the wood- workers house. It is a sad thing to see a paper which has such potential for advancement of the cause of Labour disin- tegrate into a vehicle used for \ petty slander and name calling. Terms such as ‘‘Moore’s Hirelings’’ and ‘‘Moore’s Marauders” are liberally used in an effort to maliciously down-grade and_ slander democratically elected officers of the Regional Council. and inferences that 0 Union Officers & are totally unacceptable to responsible trade union officers and members alike. Little can be accomplished by this destructive type of cheap journalism unless it serves as a gauge and insight into the caliber of the individuals who will stoop to these tactics. For an editorial in an IWA Local paper with this wide a circulation to even suggest that the Interior Locals should not have the right to participate equally in the election of Regional Council Officers is sheer hypocrisy. This suggestion following on the heels of a Regional Election is nothing short of Union political gerrymandering. The election is now over, most of the members in Region No. 1 exercised their right to vote, many differed, but the mandate was clearly given. What thoughts these ac- cusations and insults leave in the minds of the 1,686 members of the Vancouver Local who supported a candidate other than the one endorsed by the Barker would be interesting to know. It would be reasonable to assume that the Editor of the Barker also considers them lacking in knowledge as the others who supported the encumbent. This must be in- deed a humiliating experience when he must accept the fact that nearly half the mem- bership of his Local Union are as unknowledgeable as those in the Interior. Maybe its because they don’t read the Barker. Erik Wood, Financial Secretary, I.W.A. Local 1-367. ... AND DON’T BUST TH’ TOP .. WANTS IT FER A CHRISTMAS TREE! . BOSS HORSELESS CARRIAGE EXPENSIVE TO OPERATE Biggest expenses in running a car are depreciation and maintenance, according to a U.S. Federal Highway Ad- ministration study. But the average American motorist also pays more for his garage parking, and turnpike tolls' than he pays in taxes to maintain his share of the nation’s highways. American Experience The figures are quoted in a story from Press Associates, Inc., of Washington. The numbers reflect the American experience, but are likely to be applicable to Canada, with perhaps slightly more paid out for maintenance (thanks to the Canadian winter) and a little less in tolls (thanks to mainly toll-free roads). Altogether, it costs the U.S. car owner 11.9 cents per mile to own and operate his car. Depreciation accounts for 3.2 cents; maintenance, ac- cessories, parts, and tires for another 1.9 cents. Gas and oil costs 1.9 cents per mile; insurance, 1.7 cents; garage, parking, and toll fees use up 1.8 cents; but only 1.4 cents go for state, federal, and local taxes. $3,185 Car The study used a $3,185 car driven 100,000 miles over a ten- year life-span. Few owners drive their cars for ten years, but the study assumes that the . average auto is sold or traded three times, and stays on the road for that decade. The relatively low amount spent for taxes counters the gasoline industry’s claim that the biggest part of the motorist’s gas-and-oil bill is burned up in taxes. Careful Drivers Careful drivers who keep their cars well maintained pay less than those who ignore oil changes and grease jobs and who burn rubber in “‘panic’’ stops and starts. Cost per mile is higher in the early years of ownership, because that’s when depreciation hits hardest. Yet the per-mile cost remains fairly steady over ten years, because later on it costs more to keep the car up. / The study showed that it cost $11,890 over the ten years to operate the horseless carriage. The breakdown: original cost $3,185; 7,200 gallons of gas, $1,733; replacement tires and oil, $543; insurance, $1,722; maintenance and repairs, $1,521; parking and tolls, $1,805; taxes, $1,353. The population of Canada will double in the next 30 years, and 45 per cent of Cana- dians will live in three cities — Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, the Commons was told. ‘Speaking during the throne speech debate, Robert Andras, minister in charge of housing, warned that Canadian cities have, until now, grown “relatively uncontrolled, in a misshapen and unclean way, in a way that is too often in equitable.” He said there was still time for Canada to choose areas with “clean places for people” and that they could build “environments that provide a personal and family privacy that would give a sense of belonging, a sense of community that will enable Canadians to cope with life.” ~~