THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER - No “Opting-Out' { Some of the newspaper representatives here in Ot- tawa are referring to the Dorion Inquiry as the “Circus. Circuit” and to the House of Commons as the “Volatile Volcano”. I only mention this to point out that the revelations com- ing from the Dorion Inquiry and the anger in the House of Commons permeates every corner and crack in these otherwise impassive build- ings. It makes it difficult to write about other matters which Parliament is consider- ing. One of these matters is the so-called ‘opting-out’ legisla- tion currently before us. Under this legislation prov- inces will be able to cancel agreements which they now have with the federal govern- ment about sharing the cost of certain projects. For instance, our Hospital Insurance programs are fi- ~nanced partly by the federal government. Under the ‘op- ting-out’ legislation a prov- ince may discontinue receiv- ing the 50% of the cost from the federal government and instead receive a_ general grant of money without any strings attached. Subsequent to this will be a greater dis- tribution of the tax money collected by the federal gov- ernment. It’s difficult to say whether this legislation will have a good or a bad effect on Can- ada and/or need for unity. The ‘opting-out’ principle was established in order to meet demands from Quebec. Now all of the provinces have agreed with the formula and it is being presented to Par- liament as a result of certain federal provincial confer- ences. In my opinion it will be somewhat disruptive to Can- ada for we could very easily develop a series of programs in the field of social measures which will differ from one province to another. At the moment under the federal Hospital Insurance and Diag- nostic Services Act there is a large element of uniformity in the services provided in each province. Under the new formula this could disappear. We spent many years try- ing to establish certain uni- form and unifying programs such as Hospital Insurance and the Trans-Canada High- way. Presumably Medicare is next. But what is to happen under the ‘opting-out’ ap- proach? Will we likely con- tinue to be torn between the whims of the provinces and the whims of the federal gov- ernment. The consequence— no National Medicare Plan. For my part I am not in favor of the ‘opting-out’ ap- proach because it was de- signed to cater to Quebec, will be disruptive to national unity, will hinder the intro- duction of Medicare, and will promote continuing political warfare between the prov- inces and the federal govern- ment as the years go by. Expand Aid Program The disparity of wealth be- tween the poor and the rich nations has become the most explosive issue of our times, the Canadian Labour Con- gress said in its annual sub- mission to the government March 10. Pointing out that the gap has been widening, the labour organization called for a major expansion of Can- ada’s program of aid with a minimum allocation equival- ent to one per cent of the OLYMPIA TAILORS WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER YOU SHIFFER HILLMAN QUALITY TAILORED CLOTHES @ A Large Selection of Imported Materials Tuxedo Rentals for All Occasions 2425 East Hastings St. (Nanaimo & Hastings Sts.) Vancouver 6, B.C. AL. 3-1310 » -- Congress country’s gross national pro- duct. The observance of Interna- tional Co-operation Year in 1965 should be an occasion for more than formal declara- tions. Steps should be taken to strengthen the United Na- tions and to equip it with a permanent international pol- ice force. At the same time, efforts should be made toward adoption of a total ban on nuclear tests, the establish- ment of a non-nuclear club, and eventual total disarma- ment. The CLC recorded its sup- port for Canadian member- ship in the Organization of American States and for “normalizing our relations with the People’s Republic of China,” despite abhorrence for its political system. The industrial complex in- dex of employment rose a slim .3 per cent in March to 123.4 but gains in most major industrial divisions were off- set by decreased employment in forestry, mining and pub- lic utilities. The index is based on 1949 equalling 100. S COMMITTEE MEMBERS and their wives look on as three officers of Local 1.85 pose for their picture with some of the invited guests at their annual dance held March 13, in appreciation of the work done by the Shop Stewards and Committee members. Group from left, Tom Clarke, Local 1-217; Ron Roley, IWA International 2nd Vice-President; Bob Clair, Local 1-217; Jack Moore, IWA Regional President; Walter Allen, President, Local 1-85; E. Free- man, Local 1-85 2nd Vice-President; seated, Mrs. Clair; Mrs. Clarke, and Maurice Corbiel, Local 1-85 Financial Secretary. New Democrats Meet April 16 Call has been issued for the Annual Provincial Conven- tion of the New Democratic Party of B.C. to be held in. the Vancouver Hotel, Van- couver, for three days com- mencing Friday, April 16. Efforts to change the date of the convention to accom- modate those with plans for the Easter weekend were un- successful owing to lack of convention accommodation in Vancouver at any later date. The basis of representation for the seating of delegates from affiliated Local Unions is stated in Article IX (d) of the Party’s Constitution. “Each affiliated local or branch and each local or branch of an affiliated inter- national, national or provin- cial organization, shall be entitled to two delegates for the first 100 members or less, and one additional delegate for each additional 500 mem- bers, or major fraction thereof.” Credit Buying Proves Costly Credit shopping is adver- tised as the happy solution to your money problems during the early spring inventory sales. Here are some sober- ing figures on the cost of cred- it buying: Credit added to the pur-- chase price and the total pre- paid in 12 monthly payments: —at 4% per year, you actual- ly pay 7.4%. —at 6% per year, you pay 11.1%. —at 10% per year, you pay 18.5%. —at 1% per month, you pay 22.1%. Credit charged only on the unpaid balance: —at 1% per month, you pay 12% per year. —at 114% per month, you pay 18% per year. —at 2% per month, you pay 24% per year. All Canadian consumers should know that the Con- sumers’ Association of Can- ada is asking that there be a full disclosure of finance charges in credit contracts in terms of effective rate of charge, as these figures show. The Consumers’ Association of Canada has asked too, for a “cooling-off” period of three days to allow for a review of contracts for off-store sales. Strikers Backed Unionists in Kamloops, Sal- mon Arm and Merritt demon- strated their support for the Frolek Sawmill strikers March 13, when they turned out in large numbers to at- tend the Dance sponsored by the Retail Clerks’ Union in aid of the Frolek strikers. Local 1-417 officers report the dance was a resounding success and they wish to pub- licly thank the Retail Clerks and others who made the af- fair possible. Auxiliary Hears Muir The IWA Oliver Ladies Auxiliary held election of of- ficers at their annual meeting March 4, in Oliver. The new officers will be installed at an installation dinner April 1, in the Reopel Hotel. Officers elected were: President, Ella Stitch; Vice- President, Bess Devine; Re- cording Secretary, Mary Fast; Secretary-Treasurer, Pauline Zaprikan; Warden, Helen Trang; Conductor, Margaret Joyce. The guest speaker at the meeting was S. A. “Bill” Muir, Financial Secretary of Local 1-423 IWA, who out- lined the activities in the Lo- cal and Regional Council. The saw chain most used by professional woodcutters OREGON MICRO-BIT available from dealers throughout British Columbia