Representatives of the Van- couver and District Labor Council, the Consumers’ Association of Canada, the Communist Party and senior Citizens groups were among several to take part in a meeting at Vancouver city hall Monday called by Vancouver mayor - Mike Harcourt to coordinate opposition to B.C. Telephone’s application for a rate increase. The meeting, headed by Har- court and alderman Bruce Yorke, was part of a campaign of opposition to the rate in- Crease set out’ in a motion to council by Yorke last July which urged the city to make strong representation to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecom- munications Commission to deny the rate increase. B.C, Tel applied in June for an interim rate hike of 13: per- cent and a general rate increase, including the interim, of 28 per- cent, which would boost residential rates to $13 per Month from the current $10.40 on May 1, 1982. In an unprecedented action, the CRTC granted B.C. the in- terim 13 percent increase — to take effect Jan. 1, 1982. It was the first time a telephone. com- Pany has been granted an in- terim hike and was done without reference to public hearings, . But hearings must be con- ducted on the general increase and it is there that B.C. Tel can Opponents of B.C. Tel increase plan CRTC intervention be expected to face a barrage of opposition. Opponents can protest the in- crease in three ways including a letter to the CRTC or a submis- sion as yet unscheduled public hearings around the province. Alternatively, they can apply to intervene at formal hearings slated to open. in Vancouver Feb. 16, in which case they must notify the CRTC before Dec. AZ: VDLC secretary Paddy Neale indicated. Monday that the labor council, together with the B.C. Federation of Labor and the Telecommunications Workers would be considering making a joint intervention against the proposed rate hike.’ Unionists, citizens’ groups and others have been urged to inundate the Commission with protests over the proposed in- crease which, if granted, would push B.C. Tel rates up 62 per- cent over what they were only five years ago. Already they are higher than rates in the other three western provinces, all of which have publicly-owned telephone companies. CP leader Maurice Rush, one of those who attended Monday’s meeting at city hall, warned that B.C. Tel, which already earns some 13 to 14 per- cent on investment, ‘‘wants to push its rate of return up to the same level as interst rates. “Tf that is given to the B.C. Tel, we’ll be faced with endless increases,’’ he said. See and test drive this tough and durably constructed Russian car. Da, Da IT GOES AND GOES AND GOES — WITH ‘WYET PROBLEM’ -LADA @ 83 hp. 4 cyl. engine @ 4-dr., roomy interior ® Reclining bucket seats ® 21-pc. tool kit standard NIVA @ Goes anywhere, tackles the worst terrain. @ All weather transportation @ 4-wheel dr., dual range Rugged > Reliable Reasonable A car that comes with a lot and goes for so little. For information call George or Larry COLLECT 112-291-7764 -|Simon Fraser Lada Inc. DEALER #6376 6081 Hastings Street, Burnaby, B.C. (Full parts and service available. ) BRITISH COLUMBIA Sih aa ee Hewison challenges Pearse to debate fish proposals UFAWU secretary-treasurer George Hewison this week offered to debate federal fisheries inquiry commissioner Peter Pearse, challenging him to show a single way in which his proposals for overhaul of the licensing system will benefit working fishermen.” “Instead of the government im- plementing a commission’s recom- mendations, a commission is now justifying the government’s pro- posals,’” he told a press conference at Fishermen’s Hall. He announced that UFAWU - representatives who go to Ottawa to attend the CLC demonstration Nov. 21 will remain in the capital next week to meet with federal fisheries minister Romeo LeBlanc and lobby MPs. “I called the report a bit of a disaster when I first saw it,’’ said Hewison, who represented the union in months of hearings before Pearse. ‘“‘Now the membership has gone much farther. In a coastwide conference they have reviewed it and rejected it outright. ‘‘We oppose any form of royalty on fish landings and we believe the . proposed buy-back of excess fleet capacity is designed to fail. ‘‘We challenge the commis- sioner to prove his proposals will do anything but destroy the in- comes of fishermen.”’ Hewison went through Pearse’s ’ chief conclusions point by point and spelled out the union’s objec- tions. Pearse proposes a royalty be levied on all fish landings. Royalties would range from 10 to 15 percent of the landed price and, in the case of halibut and food herr- ing, would be payable in advance, whether or not the fish are landed. Salmon royalties would be 10 cents a pound for springs, sockeye and coho, five cents a pound for pinks and chums. This royalty scheme will bankrupt fishermen, Hewison _said, by expropriating 10 to 15 per- - cent of their gross income at a time when fishermen’s net income is not enough to!cover expenses. ‘“‘With interest rates at record levels and fuel costs expected to Ee PEARSE (I), HEWISON . double as a result of the energy - pact, this is monetarism of the most brutal kind.”’ Pearse proposes to use the pro- ceeds of the royalties — about $12 million a year based on 1980 figures — along with a $50 million govern- ment grant and $100 million bor- rowed on the open market to fund a special corporation to reduce the fleet. “This buy-back proposal is ludicrous and cannot possibly pay for itself,’? Hewison said. Fishermen are supposed to pay the cost of the buy-back through, royalties but will only be able to contribute $12 million a year, not . even enough to cover interest on the borrowed funds. ‘Pearse wants fishermen to pay for the privilege to fish,’’ Hewison said, ‘‘then sets up a system where . they can only to deeper into debt by millions of dollars annually.” The proposal that licences be transferable and be bought and sold simply will increase capitaliza- tion, Hewison continued. “Under the Pearse scheme, workers wanting to become fishermen would have to buy a licence, buy a quota for some species, pay a royalty and pay, in- creased licence fees. You will have to be rich to get into the industry and you will certainly be poor when you get out.”’ Pearse’s argument that reduc- tion of the fleet through a buy-back will make remaining fishermen rich : i @ -UFAWU challenges commissioner to justify stand in debate with union. through increased landings does not hold water, Hewison said. ‘‘He proposes to tax away increased ear- nings through royalties and he ig- nores the question of how stocks can be increased.” Matters deferred by Pearse for later consideration include destruc- tion of habitat, ocean ranching, catch division, area licencing, sport fishing regulations. ‘Having reviewed this interim report, we have no confidence in Pearse’s work,’’ Hewison said. “He has launched an all-out assault on fishermen’s incomes and push- ed a host of crucial issues to one side. We intend to do everything possible to see that none of these recommendations are im- plemented as they stand.” High among the crucial issues pushed to one side, continuing de- struction of fish habitat long-has concerned fishermen. Since its successful campaign in the fifties against construction of the Mica dam on the Fraser river, the UFAWU has campaigned con- tinuously to stop forest and mining corporations from polluting coastal waters, using the excuse that costs of other non-polluting methods would be prohibitive. With increasing industrial de- velopment, particularly on the Fra- ser, salmon nursery areas: have been lost and this inevitably will be reflected in future returns and cat- ches. Pre-Christmas Sale 15% off tagged prices Come in during the month of November for some fabulous savings on a wide range of quality items from VIETNAM @ Jute mats @ Seagrass wares and mats @ Ceramics, including elephant stands ‘and planters * Embroideries Plus our unique selection of Oriental, hand-knotted woolen carpets, lacquerware and, of course, Millie’s jewellery Bring this ad with you for a further 5% reduction, a total of 20% off. “otacquer BO 514 WEST BROADWAY, VANCOUVER, B.C., CANADA V5Z 1E9 TELEPHONE: 872-1524 PACIFIC TRIBUNE—NOV. 20, 1981—Page 3