FE EE ETE ICTR TESTE TOT the herald | © (Gena Terrace - 635-6357 | =, Kitimat - 632-5706 % Published by : 4 Sterling Publishers Ltd. # S Sublished avery weekday at 3212 Kalum St., Terrace, B.C. A % member of Varitied Circulation. Authorized as second class @ mail. Registration number 1201. Postage poidin cash-return postage guaranteed. EADVERTISING MANAGER S KAYE EHSES PUBLISHER GORDON W. HAMILTON MANAGING EDITOR ALLAN. KRASNICK NOTE OF COPYRIGHT The Herald retains full, complete and sole copyright In any advertisement produced and-or editorial or photographie content published In the Herald. Reproduction |s not permitted without the written permission of the Publisher, ; SESS SS SN Sa oes Davis’ facts are suspect Energy minister Jack Davis’ assessment of Industry attitudes toward the proposed Kitimat fanker port may be, fram his viewpolnt, just stating the ‘facts of life’, but from a northern perspective, they show an intolerable disregard tor local concerns and a serious errar in judgement. His approach Is tantamount to bigotry, his tact nonexistent, his political judgement absent. Davis‘ values are so transparently pecuniary as to lack credibility. He says Kitimat is preferable to the southcoast not because it may be closer, not because It might be navigably safer, but rather because less people live here than in the vicinity of other proposed terminals, like Cherry Point and Port Angeles. In other words, when the Inevitable spill occurs, oil companies won’t risk as much in losses through civil Suits. The only difference, according to the minister, is _that between a-channel sparsely populated by _ Indians and a heavily-populated, pighly- developed area of valuable properties. Judge for yourselves whether that dist “netion iberders on racism. ‘ ; In discussions with Washington state of- ficials in February, Davis reeled off a serles of astonishing statements fhat illustrate the province’s bankrupt approach to this Issue. Said the minister: ae “Well, if | was an'éil Company looking at the — two, Cherry Point (Washington) versus Kitimat, | would much prefer Kitimat because the damages In the Puget Sound-Straif of Georgia area have some dollar signs on them. People with property-waterfronts and so on. “In the Kitimat area there’s practically nobody and then the shoreline is straight up and down. It’s rock. ; Bm “Who's going to sue you? Who's hurt? How do you quantify it? Very little damage that’s really identifiable In dollars up there even with a very bad oil spill, whereas down here you could have an incredible bili...” _ Of the native people who live along the inlet and depend upon it for food, he dispatched the concern with a callous: ‘‘Well, those are really the only people who are physically located - anywhere along the route with permanent residence.” Incredible. Davis Is supposed to be negotlating on behalf of British columbians, yet he ymows a Striking lack of understanding and un- fortunate insensitivity on the Issue. While he. admits that the oil port-pipeline route has IIttte benefit to B.C., besides the short-term gain from employment, he displayed atl his cards at the bargaining table. {t's tke the old Socred government's come-and-get-it attitude about resources and land in B.C.; “We've got the resources, we've got the resources, we've got all the open spaces, so come and get it.’ At present, the federal government Is conducting an inquiry into the feasibility of the Kitimat port. The chairman, Andrew Thompson, has an understanding of the Issue _ anda depth of awareness that far exceeds Mr. Davis’. "Thank heavens. Commission cousel Russell Anthony is an expert on = en- vironmental law. But for the Inquiry to be successful, for it not to be just a useless charade, Victoria must , show a willlngness to await its findings and at least a tacit concern for what is being done. Not a groping for short-term gain at any cost. * The provincial government’s record In public hearings, notably the farce that preceded approval of the Revelstoke Dam, has bred in environmentalists a sense of cynicism, of being taken In. Groups have come to feel that the government is not at all concerned about these inquiries. Hearings become little more ‘than charades. Concerned citizens spend all thelr money to appear but reports are still issued saying, in token language, “we must protect the environment’ while granting approval in terms discussed prior to the hearings. That the federal government.is conducting the commission will, at least, put Mr. Davis and his comments In the proper context that of being totally irreivant. Little support for Ulster wa By JOHN HAY LONDON (CP) — Initial re- ports Indicate that the general ‘strike callad by hard-line Prot- estants In Northern treland has been far from effective. But there was enough response to raise fears of major violence In the days ahead. The immediate response sug- gested that most Protestants were reluctant io heed the call from Rev. lan Paisley and his extremists. Most of them turned ct vedi Wa Le "NS UTIMAT DISTRICT COUNCIL PROPOSES EXTENDING BOUNDARIES TO ONION LAKE, Dear Mr. Tony Pearse: . Received your letter of March 15th in regard to the Kimimat Pipeline. I was * pleased to have your views and agree there are many unanswered questions, and for this reason I wrote to three Ministers last Fall asking them to carry out Studies so they would have their homework done in time for the Energy Board hearings. The Departments I contacted were Transport, Environment § and Recreation. I'm enclosing a copy. I further wrote to the Chairman of the Energy Board asking for the hearings to be in this area as many wishing to be present couldn't afford to go to Ottawa. I still haven’t hada reply. I’m not sure how to nail down the Industry by Federal legislation as to their responsibility in case of a spil]. It must be done and not being a lawyer it may seem easier than it is to make the — shippers responsible which in this ease is mainly B.P. and Richfield from Alaska; and eould be many others from other shipping points. However, 95 percent will come from the Seven Sisters. There is simply no way the taxpayers should pay for the spill, especially n cases like this where the oil is destined for the United States. If it was all going to be used by our people it might be different. If as you say we can't charge a throughput levy, then we are more backward than Syria that charged 14.6 cents a barrel back in 1966. We stand the risk and we must get revenue as this is the approximate cost of moving the oil by tanker to California. As to your comments on No. 3 that a reasonably sophisticated traffic control system couldn't be installed for two years, — do not accept and quote from the . Marine Review on Navigational Aid: “One of the most ‘sophisticated navigational systems in the world has recently gone into use along the British Columbia coast. Known as Loran-C, the $3 million system will be operated by the Canadian Coast Guard's western region as part of a series of electronic navigational chains on the Pacific Coast. out for work. But as the day wore on, reports of Intimidation became widespread and more shops and schools began to close. Many observers questioned whether even the presence of an increased British military force would prevent economic paralysis in the six counties which have been tortured by bloodshed and destruction In the last eight years. intorproting the nows The British government now has more than 16,000 troops in Northern ireland atter alrlifting 1,200 members of the British . Moblle Emergency Force. Pos- sidly some af these may be able fo man vital services but most of them will be on patra! work, fo protect workers who want to turn up in factories, shipyards and shops and to try to prevent clashes between Protestant and Roman Catholic:militants. But tha Job of the troaps may prove thankless. Many workers may decide that the size of the force Is still too smal! to pro- vide complete protection. And of course there is always the threat of revenge by the sii tants shovld workers continue . ta Ignore the call fer . genera! strike. - . Protestant MP Ha‘ry Wes" and others opposed to the strie-. demand fear that the coercic: and Intimidation may gala mo mentum, leading to serious vi. ag (ul Ac ea NEP ri an lena) 2h se aA Ul] fy Ue” at a nd i TT FALL Wek Voice of the readers. Spill costs an industry burden A formal agreement was: between and U.S. concluded Canadian governments . last year,. providing for the establishment, maintenance and operation of the Loran-C transmitting station and its associated mionitor-control station in British Columbia. When fully operational some time in April, this system, because of its greater accuracy and reliability, will rovide distinct navigational advantages to all forms of shipping from Seattle to Alaska sailing anywhere up to about 1,000 miles off the British Columbia Coast.” I'm convinced we will require outside oil if we wish to drive our cars and heat our homes for the simple reason I think there will be so many restrictions on development in Canada plus the unsettled Indian and Eskimo land claims that we will be unable to supply ourselves for some tme, and only when attitudes change, which won’t happen till there is a shortage. So far neither you nor. anyone else has so far proved that oil spills will obliterate our fish as you. suggest, First we must ask ourselves why didn’t the wartime spills have any apparent effect on our fisheries, as there were more oil tankers torpedoed and bombed during that time than will be spilled for the next fifty years by accidents. This is a good area for research, as it is not theory, it is fact -- they did go down and what happened to the ofl. Why didn’t it destroy the fish. -As to the reason I and many others have the notion you and other groups are against development is for the simple reason we think of various projects opposed such as the. burns Lake Sawmill, ‘‘John Stokes News Letter’; Smithers plywood plant, one of the cleanest industries; Smithers SPE, and others: various timber sales; the steel mill and pipeline “‘all - Kemano 2 and groups’’, others. On the other hand we can't think of one practical project you and others came outin favour. Hopefully, all groups will in future show responsibility in opposing a project and offer an alternative for employing the same number of people on a better scheme. . The main reason our economy has gone downhill since 1972 is because we have developed a negative attitude where it is fashionable to be against an issue or development, rather than be for anything. It is easy to criticize companies for coming in if they can keep their heads above water rather than being charitable and work or invest only for the good of others: a nice philosophy but unfortunately unpractical under our present economic system. ’ The former Government had good intentions in getting in desirable industries, yet the records tell us 14 of the 16 either lost money or went bankrupt. I’m not: against subsidies, however, it all comes from the taxpayer. With hour high costs due to excessive regulations, very few industries in Canada are viable economic ventures any more, and over 200 have leit B.C. along this year for areas with legs régulations. ‘Tf this contindes-there-s won't be enough taxpayers to pay the subsidies. J 1 do appreciate your. remarks as it does bring problem areas to our attention and must say you do a good job of that. I only wish I could get the same amount of energy and ideas in getting our costs down and those unfortunate umgvapoyed people back to work, | I'm enclosing a copy of an article in the Executive Review which ‘you will find interesting, especially the paragraph on Exxon financing the environmental groups in the U.S. to stop the Alaska Gil to further their financial interests. Yours very truly, Cyril M. Shelford, MLA Skeena Socred government Editor, Terrace Herald: While watching the program Capital Comment on. TV recently | could not help become a bit disturbed by the ‘attitude of the program’s guest, Soclal Credit MLA Mr. Kerster. The topic of discussion was the introduction of the In- dependent Scheel Act by the Soclal Credit government. One of the program's panelists suggested that a referendum vote be taken, fo which Mr. Kerster replied: The people of B.C. voted for us on December 11, 1975 and. In doing so they voted for the Independent School Act as thls was our Seeking By GLENN SOMMERVILLE- OTTAWA (CP) — Federal and provincial —s finance ministers meet here today in a continuing effort to find a way ta aase aut of pay and price controls, The closed-door conference follows several meetings In re- cent weeks between Finance Minister Donald Macdonald, other federal officlals, and busi- must still deliver mandate. There were no doubt some who voted for the Saclal Credit party because of their promise fo introduce this act, but It certalnly was not the reason for the Socreds winning the elec- tlon. : It was, however, thelr ‘promise of putting B.C. back on its feet and many, many other promises ithe Socreds made during thelr election campalgn that won them the election. So far they have not, met any of these promises and In fact have done |ust the opposite. Arnie Terrace ' MINISTERS MEET ness and labor graups. Business and fabor have ‘the outline of a rough draft of what we assume 8 green paper’‘ on ending controfs will look ilke, federal finance officials say. “ut no action on a final draft will be taken before the prov- Inces are consulted today, The federal green paper on ending controls is to be released later this month. (t will be a discussion paper, not a policy lence. Paisley, heading a group ” called the United Unionist Ac- tlon Council, has called the. strike to foree the British gov- ernment to step up Its affensive against the Irish Republican ' Army (IRA) and to restore the, Protestant-daminated regional parliament which was” abolished in 1972. DEMAND REJECTED The British government flatly rejected the ultimatum and quickly airlifted rain- farcements, 7 faking the strike call as 4 serious threat. ' ' A similar move In the spring of 1974 brought life In the'six counties to a halt and smashed the five-month-old local govern- ment In which Protestants and Raman Catholics shared power. It is the Issue of power-shar- ing on which all subsequent at- tempts af resuming normal gov- erament In Ulster have col- lapsed. Unlike 1974, however, leading Ulster politicians and unions ’ this time showed apposition to Iko uts the strike. But there was doubt that many could withstand the pressures of the Ulstar Defence Associatign and Its allied para- military groups known for their skill In armed intimidation. Aside from the immediate danger af violence, an impor- question Is what will hap- n if-the sirlke suddenly col- lapses. . The Guardian in an editarlat said collapse would mean “the scope for further work towards * a redefinition of power-sharing, and hence towards peace, will be all the greater,” because It would reveal the hard-line Prot. estants to be without popular "support. - ot Paislay. himself has sald he will quit. politics If the strike fails. This (s taken with a large graln of salt by most Ulster ob- servers famillar with the -clerle's palltical ambition. Whatever the outcome of the sirike, to the extent that It ralses fear in both Protestant and Catholie communities would make peacemaking more difficult In the perlod imme- . diately ahead. Behind the news “Farmers fear | new dust bowl | By JOHN TWIGG REGINA (CP) — A Prairie dust storm. a phenomenon which hasn't been seen here for many years, aow Is an almost daily occurrence. . The cause Is a combination of strong winds and no rain, and It becomes particularly bad when the ground Is warm and a cold alr massmoves overhead. Bob Jacobs of the Regina ” weather office sald those condl- tions combined . Saturday to “boil up’’ the alr, sending dust clouds as high as 10,000 feat. Wind speeds Saturday were up to 80 kilometres an hour, and Monday at noon they were up ta 59. ‘They reduced visibility across the southern grain belt, roughly from Saskatoon south to the U.S.-Canada border, to about one mile In blowing dust. VISIBILITY REDUCED ' ., some communities, ‘Middse ‘Saw, Had WeibIeere. oort Cvced-to"dhiy Werther sat There has been virtually no precipitation since August, . making It the driest winter since 1992, and -virtually no - snow run-off Is creating water shortages for many Prairie communities. The conditions ara reminding veteran farmers of the dirty ‘30s, when continued dryness re- duced the Great Plains ta a gl- ant dustbowl. : But above average rainfall in recent years has prevented dust storms and soll dritting, and 1962 was the lest year when there was a serlous dust prob- lem. “t's an amazing country.” says Dick Nakamura, who has been here 21 years. LOOKS FOR RAIN “One thing i've learned Is that we could have all the mak- - Ings of @ sertous drought and then in the next two weeks It could raln and thera’d be no more problem.” Nakamura Is spokesman for the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA), the agency created.in response to the calamity of the .30s dust bowl, . Other farm experts point out that there has never been a crop fallure In the early spring, but government agencies are taking oare than the usyal pre- cautions. Bill Harringer, manager of propram Implementation for ie . federal department of regional economic expansion (DREE) sald meetings have been taking place with various depariments of the three Prairie govern- ments to discuss possible meas- ures. These include reinstating the deep-well program fast used In price de-control - statement, officials say. In fact, there are wide splits, both between provinces and be- tween provincial and federal levels of government, on how to end controls without a new burst of inflatlonary pressures, WANTS COMMITTMENT The federal government says mandatory controls cannot end early unless there is a com- mitment from business and la- bor to voluntarily restraln wage and price demands. 1982 fo find water at depths greater than 100 feet, and ex- panding Irrigation projects. CHECKS SUPPLIES And federal officiais have been taking an inventory df feed and seed supplies In the event that a drought reduces production. The govern: Saskatchewa® ment for the last month has — been helping farmers fill the! dug-outs by supplying the equl ment to pump water from di tances up fo several miles. The crop situation so far i not serlous because there | adequate moisture In summe fallow fields (those not us ‘last season to grop 4 crop). And the loss of top soi! has mot yet become a widespread problem because of the sum- mer-fallow ground cover, im- proved sgil management tech- niques me government warn- Ings to farmers not to stir-up alae ready dry flelds, But if fhe strong winds and lack of precipitation continue, soll drifting soon may become a serlaus problem, an TOO MANY: STUDENTS OTTAWA (CP) —A Statistics Canada report says the glut of university and community col- lege educated students will con- tinue for the next 15 years, pos- sibly creating massive social, econamie: and political prob- lems. The report, released Tuesday by the federal agency, says young people leaving post-sec- ondary schools until about 1990 will face grim employment prospects even if enrolment ln those schools Is curtailed. Zelta Zsigmond, one of the re- port's authors, sald if Is the first time a statistical study has been done in Canada to Indicate what happens to students leav- ing post-secondary schools. Although the study Is focussed on Ontario because 1 was fi- nanced In part by the provincial government, general trends and ‘predictions can be applied to other provinces, Zsigmond sald. LIST FINDINGS The 224-page report also shows that: ; —The labor force Is becoming iereasingly better-educated. n 1966, one-quarter of all Ontarlo students leaving school had at- fended a university or commu- nity college, but by 1986 this fig- ure will rise to 50 per cent. —Young people began leaving Cntarlo In droves in 1974 to find fobs In other provinces, partleu- larly In the West.’ ; ‘