THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

- DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION

BERGER TO PRESENT BILL ON EXPROPRIATION

NDP M.L.A. Tom Berger
(Vancouver-Burrard) an-
nounced recently that he will
present a private member’s
bill on expropriation at the
present legislative session.

“Our present expropriation
laws—an antiquated collec-
tion of 28 different statutes—
clearly discriminate against
the citizen whose land is ex-
propriated.

“I am placing this private
member’s bill before the Leg-
islature because it is high time
this government recognized
the hardship and _ suffering
which burden an expropriated
citizen.

DELTA RESIDENTS
“The fact that 37 Delta resi-
dents near the Roberts Bank
superport are suffering the
inequities of our present ex-
propriation laws is a matter
of public concern to every
citizen in this province.
“This latest expropriation
highlights the necessity for
immediate reform of our ex-
propriation laws in B.C.”
Berger, a Vancouver law-
yer and leadership candidate
for the provincial NDP, said
that his bill will place more
emphasis on safeguarding and

‘protecting individuals who

find themselves in the unhap-
py situation of having their
land expropriated.

PRIVATE COMPANIES

“It is not generally recog-
nized that some of our present
statutes give private com-
panies the right to expropri-

ate. For instance, the Gas
Utilities Act gives to corpo-
rations engaged in gas dis-
tribution the power to ex-
propriate property, without
the necessity of even consult-
ing the government.

“Yet, ironically, B.C. Hy-
dro, a publicly owned utility,
must obtain approval of the
Cabinet, by order-in-Council.

B.C. HYDRO

“One of the most extraordi-
nary expropriation proce-
dures is provided under the
B.C. Hydro & Power Author-
ity Act (1964),” Berger said.

“Under this Act, if you
don’t like the offer that B.C.
Hydro has made, a valuator
or Board of Valuators is ap-
pointed by the government.
The citizen involved has no
say in the matter.

“In fact B.C. Hydro follows
the practice of keeping a list
of valuators, and the Cabinet,
as a matter of form, chooses
the valuator, but the choice is
limited to those appraisers
whom B.C. Hydro finds ac-
ceptable.

“The 1964 Clyne Report, ig-
nored by the government, re-
commended some improve-
ments in expropriation proce-
dures, but didn’t really go far
enough.

IMPORTANT CHANGE

“The most important change
in recent thinking about ex-
propriation laws is the 1967
Ontario Law Reform Com-
mission Report on this sub-
ject. The Ontario Report pro-

TOM BERGER

vides that the basic principle
should be to cover all of the
citizen’s losses resulting from
expropriation.”

Berger said that his bill
would reflect the following
principles:

© Notice to the citizens con-
cerned and an opportunity to
make representations before
expropriation takes place.

e Arbitration by an inde-
pendent tribunal at the in-
stance of either party, if nego-
tiations break down.

© Provision for an appeal to
the courts on points of law.

e Assistance to the citizen
with relocation allowances so

that he may retain an ap-
praiser or a lawyer, to ensure
his compensation will not be
eaten up in professional fees.

e Provisions to require that
the parties negotiate in good
faith.

© Abolition of expropriation
powers of private corpora-
tions.

© Assistance in connection
with relocation (a particular
problem with farm property ~*
in the Lower Mainland).

© Concerning farm proper-
ty, regard should be had to
the fact that farms normally
combine business and resi-
dential use.

AND ST. PIERRE DISCUSSES FISHING

The following is the Hans-
ard Report of Coast-Chilcotin
Liberal M.P. Paul St. Pierre’s
remarks on fishing in his
riding.

One or two hon. members
have expressed an interest in
fishing in my constituency.
Fortunately I had an experi-
ence recently that I think
points up splendidly the value
of compromise in human af-
fairs. I was fishing for salmon
and I caught a 14-incher,
which by our system of meas-
urement is an extremely large
fish.

Mr. Pringle: That is be-
tween the eyes!

Mr. St.- Pierre: Yes, be-
tween the eyes. Unfortunate-
ly I did not weigh it. My wife
had a camera and took a
black and white picture of it,
and the negative alone weigh-
ed seven pounds! I was men-
tioning this to Jim Chambers,
the head of the. fishermen’s
union at Powell River, and
he said, “What was the size
of the fish, Paul?” I said,
“T would estimate it at about
160 pounds — dressed, that
is,’ Well, Jim said he had a
big catch himself. He had
been fishing just off Desola-
tion Sound, near Refuge
Cove, which was first mapped

by Captain George Vancou-
ver of the ship Discovery in
1792. Jim was fishing very
deep and snagged something
on the bottom. When he
brought it up he found he
had snagged the binnacle
lamp from Captain George
Vancouver’s ship Discovery.
You can imagine his surprise,
Mr. Speaker, when he found
the candle in it was still burn-
ing.

Now, Jim Chambers and I
are reasonable. Reasonable
men. We compromised. I took
100. pounds off the fish and
Jim put out the candle.

February 10th is Voting Day

T. €. DOUGLAS
(Nanaimo-Cowichan-The Islands)

CANADA NEEDS TOMM

The Tommy Doudglas--

e who leads the fight for full employment
and decent wages;

e who leads the fight for fair taxes
to give the average family a break;

e who leads the fight for a better deal
in housing and social services;

e who leads the fight for a better life
for all Canadians --that's social justice;

e who leads Parliament to get the government
off its hands and into action!

Parliament now needs a man whose knowledge
and skill and social concern serve Canadians!

Y DOUGLAS @

SUPPORT TOMMY DOUGLAS
TO GET THINGS MOVING

301 Metcalfe Street,
Ottawa 4, Ontario
Enclosed Find $
NAME

ADDRESS

To Nanaimo By-Election Fund,

to Help Elect Tommy Douglas.

NDPN