EDITORIAL

Carmanah decision:
political escapism

) HE BC. government's decision to split the
Carmanah in half is just another example of
a government that doesn’t have a clue about
administering public forest lands.

Forest Minister Claude Richmond’s de-
cision to create a 3,592 ha. park in the

| lower Carmanah and engage in further

studies before logging the upper valley is
based neither on environmental or econ-
omic considerations.

Richmond provided no evidence to support the
notion that saving over 50% of the Carmanah would
protect the spruce groves that the Canadian public
is worried about. The amount of land to be set aside
as a park is an arbitrary figure without basis in
science.

The Social Credit government’s determination that
@ire upper Carmanah Valley be further studied before

logging is an admission that the government didn’t
look at scientific evidence seriously beforehand.

The whole Carmanah debacle outlines the need for
a comprehensive land-use strategy in the province.
The public needs it. Industry, wildlife protection and
environmental/preservation groups, along with lab-
our and the Official Opposition have long called for
such a strategy.

Yet the Socreds seem content to fumble through
their administration of public lands on a valley-by-
valley, watershed by watershed basis.

From a labour perspective, Minister Richmond’s
admission ‘that jobs would be lost’ without any men-
tion of compensation or economic development strat-
egies is completely unacceptable.

British Columbians are no closer to resolving con-
tentious land-use issues than they were before the
Carmanah decision, and with the actions of an inept
government bent on political escapism, the public
should be clamouring for a new government in
Victoria.

Time to reaffirm
support for NDP

lpn HINGS are changing rapidly in Canada. The
Tory-Big Business Alliance is off and running
and there’s no telling where we may wind up.

The Goods and Services Tax, the Free
Trade Agreement and the rocketing interest

== rates are all put in place to eradicate the mid-
dle class in this country. Class divisions are
re-appearing across the country with the rich getting
richer and the poor paying more.

What political alternative has steadfastly spoken
out against right wing governments in this country?
It sure hasn’t been the Liberals. New Democrats
have been the only party to stand for working people.

We in IWA-CANADA have been able to openly
express our collective sentiments on a large number
of issues. In British Columbia especially we have
been able to make our positions on forestry and envi-
ronment known to a party which will probably soon
be in power.

The fact of the matter is that New Democrats and
JWA-CANADA members are essentially the same kind

@ people underneath it all. Our visions of a Cana-

dian society are nearly identical.

We are in the only party that cares about the envi-
ronment, education for our children, health care,
women’s rights, solving aboriginal land claims, day
care and a whole list of other social issues.

The NDP is the only party that cares about the
eradication of poverty. Why? Because we are the
party of the poor and underprivileged. We come from
the poor and must not forget that.

It’s time to reaffirm our support of the NDP across
the country. Let’s get together to turf out these right
wing governments.

Free Trade with Mexico
is next on Tory agenda

If you think it’s likely that
our federal government is
going to get into a trade deal
with the United States and
the corrupt, authoritarian
nation of Mexico, then you’re
probably correct.
~ Just v' ‘nk of the implica-
tions: A trading bloc that
capitalizes on Canadian re-
sources, American _technol-
ogy, and Mexican labour.

Recently, Trade Minister
John Crosbie contradicted
both Brian Mulroney and
External Affairs Minister Joe
Clark by stating that Canada
will consider joining free trade
uals between Mexico and the

It has to be news for most
Canadians, because earlier
this year both Crosbie and
the P.M. didn’t even know
that the other nations were
holding preliminary talks.

Mexican President Carlos
Salinas de Gortari said earlier
this year that Mexico wants
closer commercial ties to Can-
ada and the U.S. “in a world
in which big regional markets
are being created.”

And what does Mexico offer
North America? Cheap lab-
our, plain and simple. It also
offers American multina-
tional a land to exploit tax
advantages and operate where
there are little or no environ-
mental regulations.

How would IWA-CANADA
members react if they saw
raw logs or rough lumber
going to Mexico for manufac-
ture? The fact is that it is
already happening to Ameri-
can IWA members.

Louisiana Pacific has built
a manufacturing plant in
Ensenada, Mexico to process
redwood lumber. The com-
pany is barging rough cut
lumber and logs into Mexico
for processing. In the mean-
time the company has shut
down a redwood processing

plant in Chico, and a mill in
Potter Valley, California.

In the Free Trade Agree-
ment with the U.S., we've
signed away our ability to
control social and economic
decision making. The Yanks
are about to walk right in on
our energy, natural resources,
and investment industries.
Now the U.S. is going to rush
through a free trade deal with
Mexico, which some experts
believe should be complete by
late next year.

Would Canada be part of
such a deal? It is highly likely
that before the next election
Mulroney could draw Canada
into the trade scheme.

The Mulroney government
is already part of a little
known agreement with Mex-
ico to allow up to 10,000 Mex-
ican labourers into our coun-

.try this year to harvest

Canadian tobacco and sugar
beets in southern Ontario and
Alberta.

The Mexicans, who must
leave Canada at the end of the
growing season, will be work-
ing for less than minimum
wage and will not be entitled
to the few basic rights Cana-
dian farmworkers might en-

joy.

In mid-March, Mulroney
and Mexican President Sali-
nas signed “framework agree-
ments” to eliminate tariffs in

ten industrial sectors. Two
weeks later Mulroney praised
the deals made and stated:
“Our ultimate aim is a world
... where investments flow
where they can be most pro-
ductively used.”

In the meantime few Cana-
dians realize that we have
gone ahead with the U.S. and
accelerated the removal of tar-
iffs on more than 400 goods
which will cost Canada a $100
million excise revenue short-
fall. A second round of talks
to speed up and eliminate
tariffs will be held later this

year, after our government
consults further with indus-
try.

Now that the Conserva-
tives have more than 3 years
left in their mandate, they are
apt to try anything.

Where will that leave [WA
members? Will we, along with
other workers in Canada who
are far more likely to be first
affected by a deal with the
US. and Mexico, be thrown
out of work?

Mexican workers earn, if
they are lucky, between
U.S.$1.00-1.60 per hour with
no benefits! How are we sup-
posed to compete with them?

No doubt the labour move-
ment will again need to mobi-
lize in order to protect our
resources, our working condi-
tions, and our future.

LUIMBERU/ORKER

Official publication of 'WA-CANADA

NORMAN GARCIA, JACK MUNRO . | President
Editor GERRY STONEY .. 1st Vice-President
NEIL MENARD .. 2nd Vice-President
5th Floor, FERNIE VIALA . . 3rd Vice-President
1285 W. Pender Street BILL POINTON. . 4th Vice-President
Vancouver, B.C. ROGER STANYER.. . 5th Vice-President
V6E 4B2 TERRY SMITH . . Secretary-Treasurer

BROADWAY ec@BBi> PRINTERS LTO.

LUMBERWORKER/MAY, 1990/5