| Arson is suspected as | Mine corporations seek

| fire guts Arab centre

TORONTO — On the morning of
» Dec. 12 fire gutted the offices of the
Arab Community Centre here. Two
men were seen running from the
First Unitarian Congregation
Church on St. Clair Ave. W., where
4 the centre is located. Shortly after
; ‘he two ran off, flames were seen in
the Centre and the fire department
Was summoned.
| Investigation following the fire
j has established that a list of
members and supporters of the

», “aS ransacked. The Centre’s
4 director, Basem Raad, has
4 ’eported threats to the staff, and
4 One month ago a caller identifying
/ himself as a member of the Jewish
; Defence League said that the Arab
, Bazaar was going to be disrupted.
4. -he Metro Toronto chairman of
the Communist Party, John Biz-
Zell, has sent a letter to Toronto’s
i Mayor Crombie and Ontario
Premier William Davis, protesting
recent acts of violence, especially
arson, against progressive offices.

Referring to the most recent
attack the letter said, ‘‘The
iw deliverate case_of arson directed

SLIDES OF

NORTH VIETNAM
with Dr. and Kay
Inglis
nig “Wednesday, Jan. 15 — 8 p.m.
Unitarian Church — 49th & Oak
Ausp.: C.A.V.C.

The
History
a
1974 —

Centre was stolen and the office .

against the Arab Community
Centre in the Unitarian Church
was the third case in recent weeks
of .fires with political overtones.”
He was referring. to previous fires
at Toronto Workshop Productions
and at the Bickford Park School:

Bizzell urged city council to
demand the Ontario government
outlaw fascist, racist and extreme
nationalist organizations
responsible for these “‘disgusting
activities.”

The: damaged outer door of the
Arab Community Centre offices
in Toronto, where arson is

_ suspected in a fire that broke out

on the morning of Dec. 12.

1974
Bound Edition
of the
Pacific Tribune

Every issue
of 1974 bound
in dark green
pressboard cover.

ORDER

FROM PT OFFICE BEFORE
FEB. 15 — LIMITED

NO. AVAILABLE

Only $25.00

ee

(1)
Nigel Morgan.

led by Maurice Rush.

(5)

(6)
(7)

George Hewison.

684-1451.

1975 BETHUNE SEMINARS

The 1975 Norman Bethune seminars sponsored by the
.C. executive of the Communist Party will run for seven
Consecutive Wednesdays, commencing January 15. All sessions
will be held in the Ukrainian Hall, 805 E. Pender St.,
ancouver, commencing at 8 p.m. :
_ The curriculum will be as follows:
“The Political Situation in B.C.”. Discussion leader will be

“The Canadian Economy — Recession or Depression?
which will be led by Emil Bjarnason. See
“Portugal — From Dictatorship to Democracy,” will be

“Emancipation of Women — From a Class
Discussion leader will be Mona Morgan. 5 :
“Role of the Soviet Union in World Affairs”. Discussion
leader will be Jack Phillips.

“China’s Foreign Policy,” led by Ben Swankey.

“The Future of Canada’s Trade Union Movement,” led by

Registration forms can be obtained from Room 408, Ford —
Building, 193 E. Hastings St., Vancouver 4, B.C. Phone

A unique opportunity
to learn, discuss and debate!

Viewpoint.” ~

——

to scuttle legislation

Eighteen major mining com-
panies who dominate the industry
in B.C., and who include some of
the world’s biggest mining con-
glomerates, have challenged the
NDP. government’s recent mining
legislation in the courts in an at-
tempt to have it scuttled.

They filed a joint writ in the B.C.
Supreme Court on Friday, Dec. 20
asking the court to find that the
Mineral Royalties Act (Bill 31) and
the Mineral Land Tax Act are
invalid under the British North
America Act. Also being sought
are injunctions preventing the
collection of any money under the
legislation until the disposal of the
court action.

The mining companies contend
that both acts are ‘individually
and jointly, ultra vires, the
legislative assembly of the
province of British Columbia,
invalid, and of no force and effect.”
The companies’ claim is that the
B.C. legislature had no _ legal
authority to enact the legislation.

The list of companies attempting
to have the courts rule the
legislation invalid reads like a
“Who’s Who” in. the world mining
corporate structure. They are as
follows:

Canex Placer Ltd., Cominco
Ltd., Reeves MacDonald Mines
Ltd., Tech Corp. Ltd., Texada
Mines Ltd., Wesfrob Mines Ltd.,
Anaconda Canada Ltd., Bethlehem
‘Copper Ltd., Brenda Mines Ltd.,
Craigmont Mines Ltd., Gibraltar
Mines Ltd., The Granby Mining Co.
Ltd., Granduc Operating. Co.,
Granisle Copper Ltd., Lornex
Mining Corp Ltd., Similkameen
Mining Co. Ltd., Utah Mines Ltd.,
and Western Mines Ltd.

The NDP government’s mineral
royalty legislation has been set up
in two parts: the Mineral Royalty

/ Act (commonly called Bill 31),

which levies royalties on mineral
production from land leased from
the government; and the Mineral
Land Tax Act, which levies
royalties on minerals produced
from grants or land owned by the
imining companies.

When the NDP government
‘brought down the legislation it
made it clear that the public had
‘not been getting a fair share of the
province’s mineral wealth. The
‘two pieces of legislation had the
‘declared purpose of gaining a
larger revenue for the province,
and to ensure that windfall profits
resulting from high world prices
would accrue to the people of B.C.
and not to swell the profits of the
corporations, most of whom are
foreign owned.

OBITUARY

OSCAR HODNE

Oscar Hodne, a lifelong sup-
porter of the progressive
movement, passed away
December 24 at the age of 78. He
came to Canada from the eastern
seaboard of the U.S.A. in 1928, and
for the greater part of his life was a
seaman, serving in U.S. convoys
during World War I, and again on
Canadian convoy duty in World
War II.

Hodne was a member of the
Canadian Seamen’s Union in its
formative years, and sailed the
Great Lakes at the time that Hal
Banks was brought in to Canada to
smash the CSU. He also spent some
years working in the logging in-.
dustry.

His cheerful optimism will be
missed by his friends, who will
remember this working man of
Norwegian origin, as a true friend.

be a

The royalties in Bill 31 are set out
in a fairly simple formula under
which royalties are paid in two
parts — a basic royalty and an
incremental royalty — that is a
“super” royalty based on the world
market prices of the minerals —
mainly metals.

The royalties. are paid on 13
designated minerals which include
the top minerals produced in B.C.
Basic values are set on the
minerals on the basis of average
prices received by producers
during an average number of years
(at present in the five-year period
from 1969-1973). The basic royalty
is collected on that average which
ensured the mining companies a
fair return on world prices set over
those years.

The biggest bone of contention —
which the mining monopolies could
not swallow — was the incremental
(or super) royalties taken by the

government from booming world
prices, which up till the time the
legislation was passed went to the
mining companies.

Again, the main aim of the super
royalty imposed on the companies
by the government was to gain a
larger revenue for the people of
B.C. in cyclical market periods
when prices were high.

The Mining Association of B.C.,
backed by the Social Credit,
Liberal and Tory parties, tried to
defeat the legislation, staging
“phoney’’ demonstrations of
supposed ‘“‘miners whose jobs were
threatened,”’ but the legislation
went through with some amend-
ments, and was proclaimed law by
the government during 1974.

Vital issues are at stake for the
people of B.C. in the latest action of
the mining corporations to have
the legislation disallowed on
constitutional grounds.

BILL ARLAND
Died January 9, 1974
IN LOVING MEMORY OF A
DEAR HUSBAND AND COMRADE.
—Jo Arland

New Westminster

1975 BETHUNE SEMINARS

The following classes will be held at Douglas College, New
Westminster Campus, room 308D in the four room complex,
corner 8th Ave. and McBride Blvd.
All classes commence at 7:30 p.m.

(1) “The Political Situation in B.C.” Discussion leader will be
Nigel Morgan — Sunday, January 19.

(2), “The Canadian Economy *- Recession or Depression? Will
be led by Emil Bjarnason — Sunday, January 26. :

(3)

“Portugal — From Dictatorship to Democracy,” will be

led by Maurice Rush — Sunday, February 2.»

(4)

“Emancipation of Women — From a Class Viewpoint.”

Will be led by Mona Morgan — Sunday, February 9.

(5)

“Role of the Soviet Union in World Affairs.” Will be led

by Jack Phillips — Sunday, February 16.

(6) “China’s

February 23.
(7)

Foreign Policy,”

led by Ben Swankey —

“The Future of Canada’s Trade Union Movement.” Will

be led by George Hewison — Sunday, March 2.

Participants are requested to register in advance by phoning

521-5847 or
Westminster.

by writing to 214 St. Patrick St., New

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

COMING EVENTS

JANUARY 18 — ANNUAL BURNS
NIGHT — SUPPER, DANCE
and PROGRAM. Speaker,
Harold Pritchett. Saturday,
January 18 — 6:30 p.m. at the
Fishermen’s Hall. Adults $4.50,
children under 12, $2.50. Tickets
avail. Co-op Bookstore or call
939-0245, 936-4467.

January 18 — BANQUET and
DANCE, Saturday, January 18,
Russian People’s Home, 600
Campbell Ave. Banquet at 6:30.

Spons. F.R.C. Everyone
welcome,
January 26 — CONCERT —

Ukrainian & Russian Variety
Concert, Sunday, January 26 at 7

p.m., Russian People’s Home,
600 Campbell Ave. Spons. F.R.C.
Everyone welcome.

HALLS FOR RENT

RUSSIAN PEOPLE’S HOME —
Now available for rentals. For
reservations phone 254-3430.

WEBSTER’S CORNERS HALL
Available for banquets,
meetings, etc. For rates, Ozzie,
325-4171 or 685-5836.

UKRAINIAN CANADIAN
CULTURAL CENTRE — 805
East Pender St., Vancouver 4.
Available, for . banquets, wed-
dings, meetings. Phone 254-3436.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1975—Page 11