. under the PAGE 2, THE HERALD, Thursday, April 27, 1978 Auto Insurance Reforms Education Minister Pat not a particularly good McGeer called Tuesday thing for the public for what he termed a because so much time, major reform in the energy and money are automoblie insurance wasted while these systern, decisions are thrashed McGeer, minister out in lengthy cour: responsible for the In- trials.” | surance Corportion of He said it would be British Columbia and much more reasonable to“ pay a given premium. for former ICBC president, l stated benefits for a given said in an interview that sta he wants a system of injury. compensation for bodily ‘‘If one wanted to ob- injury with a set scale of tain more in the way of benefits, similar to that benefits, then one simply provided under the buys more insurance at Worker’s Compensation the.outset.” _ Act, McGeer said drivers The benefits would be now: pay the “predictable and premiums “but you therefore fair to aJl might be able to claim in concerned.”’ _ the event of injury many “The present system times what ] would be seems to be ina little bit able to claim simply ofchaos because we don’t because your earnings really know what an werehigher or you might appropriate award for a have a smarter lawyer . given bodily injury might working for you in be. . court.” . “One victim of an ‘Now that’s not to me automobile crash may fair, logical or efficient. recieve 10 times the Therefore, my proposal compensation that would be establishing a another receives.” given scale of benefits to The minister said he which all who are injured was outlining a personal would be able to par- view which had not been ticipate. Then they presented to cabinet, and wouldn’t have to go to anticipated that it will be court, Then we would be opposed by lawyers. LAWYERS COLLECT TOO McGeer said disputes frequently go to court— he estimated that 50 per cent of the cases before the B.C, Supreme Court (cp) ‘ are automobile injury quarter of the adults in cases—and the pi British Columbia were frequently has to pay 4 either illiterate or large share of his award severely undereducated to his lawyer. when the last census was — Almost one- “It’s an excellent thing taken, says a University - for the lawyers but it’s of ‘BC education 71 professor, k arm. tax Gary Dickinson, of UBC’s adult education department, says in his report that 20,1 of B.C.’s population— 316,-625 adults—had fewer than nine years of school according to the 1971 census, and about 62,000 adults (3.9 per cent breaks Finance Minister Evan Wolfe's budgetary estimates of $102,704,000 were approved by the legislature Tuesday after o ltd far a tax tneak for of the population) had farmers. °° less. than a Grade 5 The estimates, which ,*ducation, passed after two days of oli ation of 1.5 million debate, were the first of POPE AIO” Oy 1: the 18 ministries totalling 28¢¢ 15 and over, the figures point to an #4,3 billion, to be debate arming number of. in the legislanre ooo adults with little or no ' :.employment Debate on, the estimates qualifications, the report Says. Bawit was Nene e oday, “The criterion of less Social Credit wip than five years of George Mussallem schooling provides a (Dewdney) called on the Measure of what might government to reduce the be termed absolute Ade illiteracy, while that of minimum amount of cicht years or less miukeso thar his land can assesses the population at is severely un- alify ag a farm under dereducated and thereby e Taxation Act. . _ inadmissible to most He said the current existing vocational minimum of $1,600 a year training programs,” minister was advised by Dickinson sae HT big operators who want HAVE. Peeing io be maintained OF FER on a large-farm basis. Mussallem said that in the. Fraser Valley, far- mers are unable to produce $1,600 income on ve acres of property unless they produce “exotic production” such as bulbs or chicken. He called for a return to. the old system of $100 an acre with a $500 minimum. PAY MORE TAXES Chris D'Arcy (NDP— Rossland-Trail) . urged the . government to require that B.C. Hydro pay full property taxes on ts projects; as is required of private-sector | uttlitles. , He said projects built Columbia River Treaty and the W.. A.C. Bennett Dam do not pay taxes, and the cotenay had suffered greatly as a result, “We lost many things in Lhe Kootenay due to the treaty, | an gained nothing except shortterm. jabs and no money for the He | said munities had to provide facilities for the Influx of workers and are still paying for them even 0 gh they are no longer n . Wolfe said Hydro has allocated $49 million for grants, schoo] taxes and water rentals, and paying school taxes on all © ts property except the hydro projects. The Crown utility also made grants in Heu of taxes to municipalities, same able to setile quickly lof 4in BC. - undereducated | y cent. 635-6357 efter bodily injury ac- cidents,” HASED ON AVERAGE He said the benefits