he “Speech from the Throne”’ which marks the open-

T ing shot in our government institutions, is becom-

ing, or hasalready become ananachronism. Suchorationscan

no longer be termed brief and to the point since brief they are,

but utterly pointless. (In terms of brevity the ‘‘Speech’ opening

the present Session of the B.C. Legislature was eminently so,

but contained nothing save a shortened exercise of NDP
generalities).

Perhaps in these piping times in which the changing of
names of places and things is all the vogue, we should look
deeper into this ‘‘royal’’ brevity and change the title of that
institution too — from a ‘‘Speech from the Throne’’ to an
‘*Address from the People’. Then the brevity of mish-mash
would no longer serve to cover up for the needs of the
governed.

In a recent column in this corner we deemed it timely to
comment upon the demise of the ‘‘Empire’’, officially de-
clared on New Year’s day of 1973, when Prime Minister Heath
of Great Britain joined the European Common Market
(ECM). A stroke of the pen that officially heralded the begin-
ning of the end of ‘‘empire’’ traditions, ties, loyalties and, it
may be added, reactionary and out-moded institutions. Justa
few short weeks later, the Parliament of Australia voted to
terminate singing ‘‘God Save the Queen”’ and get back toa
national anthem of its own, perhaps to the Waltzing Matilda of
an earlier working class Australia.

In the December 1972 Anniversary edition of Saturday
Night, one of Canada’s oldest and often ultra-reactionary
monthly magazines, there is a revealing article entitled “A
dry-eyed goodby to the dear old Commonwealth”’ by one Leslie
Hannon.

For emphasis the article is topped off by a cartoon show-
ing the Queen and all her regalia being flushed down a capa-
cious toilet with a most historic looking finger on the flush
lever. A fitting and “‘touching’’ farewell to the Common-
wealth and Royalty and all that these terms have meant down
through the centuries.

So we return to the now obvious question, why a “Speech
from the Throne”’ when that entity is fast disappearing? And
is our “‘brevity” in such matters a cover-up for our moral
cowardice— or our political opportunism to further diddle the
people out of their pressing and just needs? In either case a
recognition that the “‘throne’’ from which all such speeches
are presumed to flow, has now become an obsolete and
tottering (albeit still costly) institution, on which the twilight
of Time is fast closing in.

In fact, it is just possible, considering today’s rapidly
changing world, that commonwealth ‘“‘socialists’’ won’t have
to ‘march to the barricades singing God Save the Queen”, but
when elected to the halls of government, will have to seek a
new launching base for their legislative speeches, other than
that of a crumbling “‘throne”’. . . viz, The People!

It was neither by accident nor an oversight that in the
recent B.C. ‘‘Speech”’ from an alleged ‘‘throne’’ there was

. scarcely one constructive line on the incidence of unemploy-
ment — in which B.C. rates one of the highest averages in
Canada.

Such an omission would have been expected, had we still
had a Social Credit incubus on our necks. But a ‘‘socialist”’
government, my oh my, where are the ‘‘passionate”’ speeches
and pledges of yester-year? From Bennett-Gaglardi and Co.
this social evil would certainly have got a fullsome mention,
if albeit mostly slanderous misrepresentations anent the
unemployed; their ‘‘unwillingness to work’’, their penchant
for collecting UIC benefits.. their ‘‘flocking’’ to B.C. to enjoy
its salubrious climate etc, etc, But from NDP Barrett & Co.,a

deathly silence— in sharp contrast to their previous noises on
the hustings. séthesb

But perhaps it will all be taken care of when that first
“‘socialist’’ budget comes down, that secretively institu-
tionalized ‘‘lucky bag’’ chock full of ‘‘goodies”’ for all, includ-
ing the unemployed ;— deprived of the right toa job. penalized

in the process, and reduced from joblessness to permanent.

‘‘welfare”’ recipients. What will the budget bag hold for them?
Some ‘‘Throne’’; Some *‘Speech’’: Some “Socialism”.

FOR ALL YOUR TRAVEL NEEDS

Contact:.

GLOBE TOURS

2679 E. Hastings St., Vancouver 6, B.C.

253-1221 254-2313

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1973—PAGE 2

Restore control of PNE

to people of Vancouver

By ALD. HARRY RANKIN

The time has come for control
of the P.N.E. to revert back to
the people of Vancouver. Today
this publicly owned facility is
operated by a small, self-perpe-
tuating society of businessmen
solely for the: profit of private
promoters in hockey, football,
racing, etc. Any benefits to the
people are incidental.

To the people of East Van-
couver, the operation of the ice
rink in the Forum is parti-
cularly galling. After the Coli-
seum was built, the business-
men who control the P.N.E.
wanted to do away with the
Forum entirely. Strong public
protest from the East End puta
Stop to that.

The P.N.E. czars were com-
pelled to agree that the ice rink
should be maintained and made
available for minor hockey to
the people of the Hastings Com-
munity Centre area onthe same
basis as if it. belonged to that
community. The city contri-

buted a large sum of money, —

almost a million dollars, to
renovate the Forum for this pur-
pose.

But the directors of the P.N.E.
have been sabotaging this agree-
ment ever since and at every
opportunity. For instance, from
February 18 to March 9, the
Forum will be turned over to a
Boat Show, presumably be-
cause that is more profitable.
The result is that the rink will be
denied to minor hockey teams
for three weeks. Furthermore,
the directors charge our minor
hockey . enthusiasts $32.00 an
hour for-the use of the rink even
at 4:00 a:m.!

The directors of the P.N.EB.
are so cheap that they issued an
order that no more free parking
would be permitted for parents
who brought their youngsters
for hockey practice. Public
indignation forced these gentle-
men to backtrack a little, but
only to the extent that the free
parking will go on only until the
end of this hockey season.

And soit goes— one thing after
another to make it tough for the
kids of the East End who wantto
play hockey.

The Forum is the only ice rink
in the Kast End. The East End
minor hockey teams should be
able to enjoy it on a priority
basis— not just on sufferanceas
they do at present.

This lack of public respons-
ibility by P.N.E. Directors is
exhibited in everything they do. .

The Coliseum, for example,
was built with public funds. Of
this thecity of Vancouver putup
$1.5 million. $500,000 of this is
supposed to be paid back by the
P.N.E. out of its profits: But
since the P.N.E. directors
allow private promoters to use
our facilities for next tonothing,
there’s never much profit to
show.

Last year, for instance, ‘ the

~ P.N.Esmadea profit of $247 000

on horse racing. But it is Spend-
ing $300,000 for renovations and
additions for the benefit of the
race horse promoters. The

result is we end up subsidizing
them:

Empire Stadium. on which the
city recently spent almost a
million for a new turf, is being
rented to the football pro-
moters forsucha low rental that
last year the P.N.E. made a
profit of only $8.760 on the
Stadium. Lots of money was

made but it all went into the
pockets of the owners of the
Lions Football Club. .

The time has certainly come to
end this farce once and for all.
The lease of the P.N.E. to this
self-perpetuating group of
businessmen expires in 1994.
The: solution is not that diffi-
cult. The P.N-E. was_ in-
corporated under provincial
legislation. It can be taken over
by the provincial government,
lease or no lease, by repealing

the Statute under which the.

P.N.E. was incorporated. Then
it could be handed back to the
people of Vancouver.

City Council could appoint a rep-
resentative Board of Direc-
tors and also an advisory and

widely representative board!
citizens to assist the direcl”!”
to run the P.N.E. The th
guideline must be that all
facilities of the P.N.E. be va
available to the people #%
serve the people on a year!
basis.

Any private promotels:
sports, racetrack or othe! +4
— that are allowed to us€™
facilities will have to b
realistic rents and share =”
profits with the city.

A notice of motion (0)

effect will soon be introdll
into City Council. I hope tha

pra er am ts

Ald. Rankin to open B.C.

ie
citizen groups will take stePe ®
make their views known ton :
cil and the provi :
government. me

if

peace parley on Feb. 24)

Alderman Harry Rankin will
open the ‘‘New Ways to world
Peace’’ conference called by the
B.C, Peace Council for Satur-
day, Feb. 24. It willbeheld inthe
Coronation Room of the Van-
couver YWCA on Burrard St.

Calls to the important

conferenceare being widely dis-
tributed to hundreds of organiza-
tions and peace workers and a
large turnout is expected.

is being

Special interest

ALD. HARRY RANKIN

focused on the
because of the need for P
action to ensure that the tel)
of Vietnam peace agree
are carried out and that pea® ia
maintained in Southeast 7
and to consider ways and mi
to render materialaidtoreD™ ©
the war-devastated countiys f }

Also addressing the . 2
ference will be Jean Vaul® | ab
organizational secretary 0 it
Canadian Peace Congress: 7 Ce
will report on a recent mea s
in Berlin at which plans ©,

elf ex!

world congress for peace ¥ :
discussed. vat
The one-day parley io.

consider plans for a peace a «th
to Victoria which is expec! m,
be held early in March an of
which the MLAs and proviN', it
government will be ask? &
give material support to the 3
for peace. : (
The public are invited Ps
attend the parley. Registré a hi
will be $2.00 to cover exper oF ry
Registration will be at 9 dé al
and proceedings will get ¥ om
way at 9:30 a.m. ee
For further information Pong o
the B.C. Peace Council, 68% y?
between 11 a.m. and 2 Fg n
every day, or write as t
Dominion Bank Bldg., 2 ;
Hastings St.

cover all

help, please call.

Vancouver, the ta
medical aid in all

the
direct bombing attacks.
October 1972 alone, a total
bombed. Bach-Mai Hospital
DRV with 1,200 beds was des

FOR VIETNAM.

VIETNAM TAG DAY

|

|
: ‘ V
. Et

a
Have YOU registered? |

Have you registered yet to take part in the tag day ng
medical aid for Vietnam? If not, hurry. The organiz® |
committee is anxious to register as many volunteers
possible before the big day: Friday, February 23.

You can call any of these phone numbers to register: git
0041; 224-0203; 738-3036; 731-3048,

oe |

for

i

ey
Tagging will be carried on from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and a .
committee estimates that about 2,000 taggers will be needed

ver all parts of the city. Taggers are wanted for two ee al
shifts. Volunteers are also needed for other duties, so if you

eye en
In a letter being sent out to scores of organizations 7
g day committee points to the urgent nee
parts of Vietnam. The letter says:

As of September, 1972 all 26 provincial hospitals and af +

district hospitals of North Vietnam had been target

. - Inthe short period of April 197 on
of 56 hospitals and clinics W®

, the greatest health centre of!

troyed.”’

THE NEED IS URGENT, VOLUNTEER NoW TO TAY