eon ae ar at le ee Lo me ater ET, nts weet LEGISLATIVE LESRARY, | PARLLAMEN? BULLDINGS, VICTORIA, 4.Ces coup. 77/78 #61 yav-1%4 ~ ‘PERRACE-KITIMAT Ve | RUPER) STEEL & SALVAGE LTD. we buy COPPER BRASS ALL METALS & BATTERIES MOR. = SAT. OPEN TIL 5 p.m. Location Seal Gove = Phone 624-5639 Ll Volume 72 No. 239 | 20c Tuesday, December 12, 1978 J\ | » Employment figures — questioned | GTTAWA (CP) -— The federal government was pressed Monday to present a mere realistic monthly report of unemployment in the wake of a special Statistics Canada ‘study which = showed thousands are excluded from the official count because they have become too discouraged to look for work. Progressive Conservative and New Democratic Party eritics said the Statistics Canada report proves often- repeated opposition claims that the monthly report on the unemployed—also released by Statistics Canade— does not present an accurate picture, The federal statistics- gathering agency said in its special report that in March 263,000 jobless persons were not included in the official unemployment count because they had not bothered to look for work during the period. the statistics were taken. “Since these 263,000 people asserted not only that they wanted work but also that they were available for work, it is logical to infer that these persons were also in a position to took for work had they chosen to do 50,” the special study says. “Tt also logically follows that since they declared that they wanted work, the only grounds for not engaging in job search activity was either the knowledge that no jobs were available or the belief that the job search, if undertaken, would carry too small & probability of suc- The additional 263,000 jobless indentified in the special study would have . pushed the official count of jobless in March to more than a million if they had been added to the 939,000 listed a5 unemployed. James MeGrath (PC—St. John's—East) pushed Employment Minister Bud Cullen to include the number of pereons listed with federal manpower centres in the number of unemployed. McGrath said the Statistics Canada report on unemployment in November listed 31,000 persons as unemployed in New- foundland while, at the same time, - there were 62,000 persons registered with _ federal manpower centres in Newfoundland. The distribution of federal make-work funds is based on the figures contained in the regular monthly report issued by Statistics Canada. Cullen said it cannot be as- sumed that all persons listed with manpower centres are unemployed. They might just be looking for better jobs. He said the monthly unem- ployment report presents an accurate picture . FLO PAIR COME BACK MONTREAL (CP) — Jacques and Louise Cossette-Trudel, wanted for the 1970 kidnapping of British trade’ com- missioner James Cross, will return from exile in Paris on Wednesday, have confirmed. A police spokeaman declined Monday to provide further details, However, other sources said the pair will return on Air Canada flight 871, leaving Charles de Gaulle Airport at 11 a.m. Paris time Wednesday, arriving at Montreal's Mirabel Airport at 12:30 p.m. EST. The same sources said four seals had been booked on the flight for the CossetteTrudels and their two children. Police hope to whisk them away from the airport im- mediately, whithout giving reporters a chance to speak to them, the sources said, New proposal on insurance rates sets predcidents VANCOUVER (CP).— The British Columbia govern- ment says it wants to revolutionize automobile Insurance by removing age, sex and marital status as the basis for its Insurance Carp. of B.C, (ICBC) rates—but the corporation’s president is not sure it can work. Grace McCarthy, minister responsible for ICBC, said Monday that setting rates for drivers on their records rather than broad use catagories would seta warid- Scrooge swiped BRENTWOOD, N.Y.(AP) —~ Like ghosts of Christmas past, two men in stocking masks invaded an ice cream store and made off with a cardboard poster cutout of Ebenezer Scrooge. | Police said the duo entered the Friendly ice cream store Sunday night, produced guns and told three customers and four employees not to move. Then each thief grabbed anarm of the five-foot cutout of the grinning white-haired miser and fled on foot. Two Scrooge posters, which are used to promote jee cream roils during the Christmas season, were stolen from the Friendly store In Ronkonkoma last year. wide precident and rec- ognize human rights in automobile insurance rales. She made the statement at a news conference where the Crown corporation § an- nounced 1978 rates for compulsory coverage would be 10 per cent higher than this year, accident free drivers would get a break and a phase-in of staggered renewal dates would begin. The average driver will pay about $220 next year and 80 per cent of the drivers will pay no more than they did they did this year. “A young car owner who performs safely on the road should be afforded the op- portunity to buy insurance at the same level as the older person who performs safely," said Mrs. Me- Carthy. She said ICBC will study the proposed rate changes over the next several months and they would be used by 1980 if the system can work, ICBC president Robbie Sherrell agreed it seems unfair to base rates on age and sex, but was unsure if the traditional ; classifications could be realistically altered and said a study was needed. He said the 10-per-cent in- crease applies only to the compulsory portion of in- surance rates; collision and comprehensive rates will not Be. Quebec provincial police What! flying saucers It’s not a UFO that Jack Strickland of the Salvation Army is looking at here. It's really a bubble for donations towards the Army’s Christmas projects. People will be able to make donations at the Skeena Mall, the liquor store, the Woolworths -oo sosowtaid at least five were seen -- shopping centre and the Co- op from Wednesday, Dee, 13 to Dec. 16 and from Dec, 18 to Dec. 23 during store hours. The money goes towards Christmas fellowship, food, toys and treats for people who would otherwise be alone and get nothing. POST OFFICE Bill proposed OTTAWA (CP) — The gov- ernment introduced a bill Monday to convert the post oilice department tea Crown corporation—a _ long- standing union demand. The bill eventually would place almost all post office employees under the Canada - Labor Code. They now are covered by the more restrictive Public Service Staff Relations Act, Under the legislation the position of postmaster- general will be maintained to develop national postal policies, But the Canadian tran- sport commission, the Postal workers picket VANCOUVER (CP) — About 20 inside postal workers demonstrated Monday outside the British Columbia Supreme Court when one of their leaders appeared in court. Frank Walden, regional diréctor of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), appeared on a preferred indictment on a charge af disobeying the federal government's back- to-work legislation. The government legislated the postal workers back to work after a strike in late October, Several union leaders recommended the membership continue the strike, CUPW local president Lloyd Ingram said the ‘purpose of the demon- Btration was to keep the public aware that the union Ls going to fignt guiding agency for railways and the like, will set the postal rates after the “Canada Post Corp.” comes intobeing. Interested parties will be able to make submis- slons on new postal rates to the commission. The corporation, which will be similar to the Crown corporation now operating at a profit in Britain, will have a president and a chairman of a board of up to 15 directors. ' The corporation will have 4@ monopoly in the collection and distribution of mail. Grievances filed over reprimands NORTH BAY, Ont. (CP) — Formal grievances will be filed against the post office for issuing letters of reprimand to40 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) for their involvement in a postal strike in October, a union spokesman said Monday. District representative John Altick said in an in- KAMLOOPS, B.C. (CP) — The president of the British Columbia Cattlemen's Association denied reports today that political pressure is behind the planned killing of wolves in central B.C. Henry Blazowski was re- sponding to a suggestion by lan McTaggart-Cowan, a wildlife biolagist, that ranchers in the Bonapart Plateau near this Southern Interior city were telling their MLA to thin out the wolves or risk losing their votes. terview that the letters of reprimand, which stay in employees’ personal files for two years, amount to in- timidation by the post office. Reprimands, suspensions without pay and dismissals have been given toa number of CUPW members across the country. who stayed on strike after back-to-work legislation was passed IN IRAN Violence continues TEHRAN (AP) — Two days ef orderly but large- scale demonstrations against the shah exploded into violence and bloodshed . Monday in the ancient city of Isfahan, where at least five persons were reported killed when soldiers fired on ramp- aging crowds. In Tehran, hundreds of thousands of fist-waving Tranians streamed through the streeis chanting: “Down ith the shah!” watter the march ended peacefully and night feil, the government sent tanks and troops back into the centre of Tehran and reinstating a full curfew and ban on demon- strations. Official sources said the violence in Isfahan, 480 kilometres south of here, began whena similar protest march turned into a rict. _ They said thousands of demonstrators badly dam- aged downtown banks and public buildings, including the headquarters of the SAVAK secret police, and toppled statues of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his father, Shah Reza the Great. Troops moved in, first using tear gas, then opening fire with their rifles to disperse the crowds, the sources said. Early reporta killed and many wounded in Isfahan’s main square. Reports from the provinces said marchers * also attacked banks and public buildings in the cities of Yazd, Mashhad and Yezd, and in each city statues of the shah were torn down. There were no immediate reports of casualties fjom those cities. At the Tehran demon- stration, a huge throng massed around the towering, arch-like Shahyad monument—end point of the march and symbol of the shah’s rule—was told by — opposition leaders: ‘We will continue until victory is won!” MOONIES KEEP IT SECRET HARWOOD, Ont, (CP) — The leader of the Unification Church of Canada says he does not want to disclose company investments because of a possible public boycott. Mark Porler said the church is poor despite owning a $250,-000 local retreat, $100,000 in in- vestr-ents across Canada and millions in U.S en- terprises. The Church's holdings. worldwide are a drop in the bucket compared to other churches, he said in a weekend interview. Porter said the church is trying to establish commercial enterprises in Canada and has al- ready opened a cosmetic company. GENEVA (AP) — The United States called on governments around the world Monday to provide homes for the flood of Indochina refugees. But in Malaysia, the depuly prime minister lam- basted the U.S., claiming it ia not doing enough in their behalf. "The international community—and not just a few nations—must respond,” U.S. State Undersecretary «David Newsom told a United Nations meeting on the Indochina refugee problem. Newsom lauded Canada, France and Australia for accepting thousands of refugees and said other countries, such as West Gemany, have also opened their doors. In Kuala Lumpur, Deputy Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed told reporters he is critical of such countries as the U.S., “which make such an issue of freedom of ’ movement of people and yet will take only a cor- ~ (gain fiumber of people." POLITICAL STORM OVER REFUGEES Thailand and Malaysia are bearing the brunt of the influx of refugees from Communistruled Vietnam and Cambodia since 1975. Thalland has 140,000 refugees and Malaysia more than 46,500. Newsom - addressed a closed session at the two- day meeting of 36 countries convened by the UN high commissioner for refugees, Poul Har- tling. His speech. was published by the U.S. mission here. Newsom announced a new contribution of $5 million tothe UN refugee program, bringing the annual U.S, total to $13.5 million. Last month, the U.S. increased its quota for Indochina refugees to 46,500 -from 25,000. Thailand and Malaysia are seeking new in- arrangements for dealing arrangements for i with the refugee problem, including a commitment from the industrialized states to accept more refugees. FROM REFUGEES Canada will collect fare OTTAWA (CP) — The 604 Vietnamese refugees rescued from the Hai Hong freighter in Malaysia will have to repay the federal government for the cost of flying them to Canada, an immigration . department spokesman said Monday. He said the refugees signed documents during interviews aboard the Hai Hong promising to repay passage assistance loans from the federa] govern- ment, The documents were explained to them through translators. How much the refugees will each be billed for the flight aboard Canadian Forces planes has not yet been calculated. But the spokesman said it likely will equal the cost of a com: mercial charter flight. Private travel agents and airline spokeamen estimated they would charge between $800 and §1,052 for a flight to Malaysia, depending on variables such as size of group, length of stay and so on, _ The immigration spokesman said the flight billing practice is not unusual and that the refu- gees can have up to two years to pay if they cannot AGAINST WOLVES Cattlemen deny pressure McTaggart-Cowan earlier said the fish and wildlife people are In “an awful quandary, in an awful bind, because the decision (to poison wolves) is a political one,” Blazowski said Mc- TaggartCowan's statement "doesn't make much sense.'’ “The rural population is six per cent of the total popu- lation,"’ he said. “We form such a small percentage of the total voters that we would he powerless."’ Blazowski said the cattle- men’s association had never spoken to Rafe Mair (SC- Kamloaps) or Sam Bawif, former minister of recreation and conservation, regarding the elimination of wolves. The provincial govern- ment is considering means, including the use of poison, to reduce wolf population where needed. Blazowski said the association deals directly with the Fish and Wildiife Branch and bases its claims on facts, “The facts are that the wolf is not an endangered species," Biazowski said. He said there are up to 6,000 wolves In the province, taaking them “far from an endangered species,” The average wolle, Blazowski sald, eats between five and six pounds of meat a day and, with 6,000 wolves in the province, that adds up te £0,000 pounds of meat each y. afford the expenditure immediately. The spokesman said the billing practice dates back to 1951 when the immigration department set up a $20 million revolving fund for travel loans to refugees and immigrants coming to Canada. Since then, the govern- ment has lent out $61 million to thousands of foreigners to get here. Current out- Standing loans total $3 million to 4,373 refugees and immigrants who did not have enough money to get here after they were accepted. The loans are interest-free for refugees. Immigrants pay 7% per cent annual interest, In the Hai Hong case, the defence department will bill the immigration department for the airlift costs including such items as pilots, other crew members and fuel. Then, the immigration department bills the in- dividuals to recover part or all of the cost. A defence department spokesman said the cost calculations should be made during the next two or three weeks, Blazowski sald one ran- cher in the Bonaparte Plateau region loat 26 head of cattle this year. He said the average price was about $500 a head, which means a $14,000 loss. Ralph Ritcey, regional wildlife biologist, said the fish and wildlife branch was “always under pressure groups such as the cattlemen and naturalists," but the planned poisoning was "not politically motivated."