PAGE 4, THE HERALD, Thursday, July 28, 1977 —(the herald) Published by : Sterling Publishers Ltd. - Terrace - 635-6257 Kitimat - 632-4209 Circulation - 635-2877 PUBLISHER... GORDON W. HAMILTON MANAGING EDITOR... ALLAN KRASNICK KITIMAT... CHRIS HUYGENS CIRCULATION MANAGER... JACK JEANNEAU Published every weekday at 3212 Kalum St. Terrace B.C. A membor of Varified Circulatlon. Authorized as second class mall. Registration number 1201, Postage pald In cash, return postage guaranteed. — NOTE OF COPYRIGHT The Herald retains full, complete and sole copyright In any | advertisement produced and-or ony editorial or photographic content published Inthe Herald. Reproduction Puli ted without the written permission of the fF. : Disgraceful | ‘The federal government has finally decided to do t something about the abhorrent amounts it pays | asioners in this country. Pensions have been ncreased, but they still are not up to what they should be. : Increases in the Old Age Security pension,: Guaranteed Income Supplement and Spouse’s | Allowance, effective in July were announced recently by Health and Welfare Minister Mare: Lalonde. i ~ Increases in a Guaranteed Income Supplement paynients oe represent the fifteenth quarterly escalation based on the cost of living, as provided for in the Old Age Security Act. The new monthly persons receiving both the basic Old Age Security a pension and maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement will be $250.19. ce For a married couple, both pensioners, the combination of the basic pension and maximum . supplement will provide a payment of $447.26 for .| the couple monthly. The basic Old Age Security pension wi} rise in July to $147.05 from the present $143.46. The Guaranteed Income Supplement is paid to pensioners whose income, apart from the Old Age Security pension, is limited. The ameunt of the if supplement varies in relation to the amount of . income. ; The maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement for the single person, or a married person whose spouse is not a pensioner and is not receiving a Spouse’s Allowance, will go up in July to $103.14 ro from, its current $100.62. ple;both maximum | +’ supplement for a married:-couple;-both pensioners, - will increase to $91° 95.“Added:to | the baste pension, this will give each married - pensioner $283.63 monthly, or a total of $447.26 for the couple. The Spouse's Allowance ‘is paid to persons - between 60 and 65 years of age who are married to. Old Age Security pensioners and meet residence requirements. Entitlement to a Spouse's income. The maximum Spouse’s Allowance will increase to $238.63 from $232.81. The maximum Spouse's Allowance is made up of an amount equivalent to the basic Old Age Security pension and the maximum Guaranteed Income Supplernent at the married rate. _ How can anyone, in this.day and age, expect a married couple to live on $477.26 a month. One can't, Exist is a more suitable word than live. | ‘The inerease is less than $5 and although it is an 4 increase, the amount is so puny it is almost not worth mentioning. Pensioners built this coutitry into what it is today. To treat them in such shoddy manner is nothing i short of reprehensible by the federal government. Especially if one takes into consideration what a person can collect on Unemployment Insurance. A single claimant can collect almost double what our - pensioners are given. A sad situation indeed. — -Coquitlam-Port Moody Enterprise . | dorgement Old Age Security pension and total at the single rate for Allowance, and amount paid, is based in yearly in the ’ many current ' : . 1977 Untarsal Press Syedhcote ae Prog “Just take a seat, son, You're next.” oe i . VANCOUVER (CP) — British’ Columbia fishing— the province’s third largest industry—is a $142 millionnenigma because little is known about it. ‘The industry giants are -B.C. Packers Ltd. and Canadian Fishing Co, Ltd., both controlled outside the province. The two companies account for more than half of the total annual catch in B.C. waters, The B.C. catch—384 million pounds of fish last year valued:at a record $142 ‘ million—then is split amon about two dozen fis processing plants which op- erate independently along the coast, ; WASHINGTON (CP) — The wide smiles and warm ‘rhetoric that marked the » Washington ‘visit: of Israeli Prime Minister Menahem Begin evaporated within’ days, erased by his en- of Israeli settlements in the: West Bank Occupation zone, Begin's. action in according legal status to the in three settlements ALN OT "ye CETZENL” NO 26/ 7% ‘3 IT’LL TAKE US ’. but Queen Chartolte Fisheries Lid. of nearby: Richmond has become the fifth independent fish processing plant to close its doors within the last year. It was the third largest plant after B.C. Packers and Canadian Fishing when it went into re- ceivership last week. There is union talk of an industry cartel as small companies continue to be swallowed up by the bigger firms. Creditors are cautious and the smaller independents may have to “Took at foreign investment to” continue operations, Fishing operations need heavy front-end financing before the first fish is caught _ question is much more than atechnicality and its impact will. go far beyond his do- . his..predecessor . Yitzhak gains.” mestic politic He not only has irritated . top U.S. officials, provoking unusually-sharp criticism, by making settlements official’ he has broken international law, ignored United Nations resolutions and erected a major barrier to Middle A COUPLE OF JOBS TO REAUYGET THE » HANG OF THIS __ SCOTT WALLACE’S RESIGNATION STATEMENT C.’s political scene The majer challenge for modern po itical leaders lies act that although roblems, such as inflation and unemployment, are complex and not capable of prompt, simple solution, yoters ‘nevertheless expect rapid solutions from their political leaders, with a precision and completeness which are. simply not possible in today’s ’ cornplicated society.’ Politicians, of course, are far from faultless in iheir haste, at election time, to assure the electors that they do hold the answers to these pressing. problems. The resulting gap between enormous public expectations and actual deliver of _ political leadership, produces the frustration and scepticism towards the political system, voiced so frequently today. ; When, in addition, parties roclaim that their: ‘undamental belief lies in “free enterprise’? or “democratic socialism” (as the case may. be) and then proceed to implement ’ policies contradicting that elaim,. confusion and disbelief are added to ‘frustration in the public mind, Witness the example of universal Pharmacare or Bill 44 ‘‘Systems Act’, setting up a Crown Corporation which will provide computer services the government and to various public bodies, such as school boards and municipalities, but preventing computer companies in the private sector from competing for these contracts, Is this free - enterprise? ‘The truth, of course, is that we now hav e a mixed 1 - The unrealit economy, where the free ethics are both represented in a practical blend, which provides British Columbians with a very ‘eommendable standard of ; living, despite the admitted fact that many problems for minority groups await solution. But. then, the major ‘political parties in British Columbia today ; ‘would avoid mentioning that . obvious truth. They prefer to go on espousing the merits of free enterprise or socialism, when clearly: modern society does hest with a suitable blend, subject to ongoing timely adjustments in the formula. It is this unreality -and make-believe _ atmosphere on the British Columbia political scene which create adistorted image and make life more than a little difficult for the leaders“ of the two smaller (!) political parties. (Graffiti on a washroom wall in the Parliament Buildings asks - ‘What is reality? Certainly . nat Social Credit”.) As the major parties, consciously struggle to publicise what they see as e fundamental differences ‘between them, succeeds _— only ekaggerating...its true political location on the right or left of the political spectrum, and adds further to the, unreality which encompasses politics in British Columbia today. This creates the polarit and extremism, with whic voters are all too familiar, and encourages the individual to yote mainly out, of fear, to ensure that the party he fears the most, will Kept out of office, In actual practice, as distinct each in the - . posturing, _ their ‘between s0-cal _ Business spotlight - B.C.’s confusing fishin and cleaned. There is little cash flow during the season and capital can be tied up for as long as six’ months before sold inventories begin to show up on the books as accounts receiv- able. Most fishing companies advance their skippers cash during the off-season for boat _—_—srrepairs and improvements, making the industry: inventory -fi- nanced, not equity-financed. " The: indepéndents say ‘financial institutions are’ hesitant te use a canning plant and its equipment as collateral. Financing is secured against the Interpreting the news. Relations with Israel are strained again ~ ae West Bank homeland for the ; East peace talks. The settlements, which Rabin’ Once ‘threatened to - remove ~by force if. necessary, are in Jordanian territory conquered — by, Israel. The West Bank area ‘is seen by many as the key to a Middle East peace settlement in that’ it could. serye aS a homeland for - Palestinianf if Israel with-. ¥ expected worth of a fishing company’s inventory. If the market price of fish drops off suddenly, financing can be a problem, and some companies don’t survive. ; Another problem is the dwindling supply of fish, with salmon representing 65 per cent of the B.C. catch, Dick Nelson, president of B.C. Packers, said-recently that the world supply of salmon has been cut in half ‘during ‘the last five .years. . The federal and provincial governments have becottie aware of the many problems inherent in operating a small cannery. The federal draws. It would be eo, extraordinarily difficult, however, to either: set ‘up or * operate ‘siich‘a. state With Israeli settlements within it. - The ~ ‘three - existin; settlements can be expec to expand now that they are eligible for government aid. while some observers speculate that Begin: may not allow any “more 5 Ens \j A=] a2 SP Re Pee FA BRS “ % ‘3 Basa y a ah ny or y of B enterprise and socialist : SCOTT WALLACE resigns as Conservative leader. from party rhetoric and neither — the government nor the official Opposition is as far to. the right or the left of centre,.as. \ olemics “have led voters to conclude. But this again is. another fact of political life which neither party would hasten to - acknowledge. For purely: tactical FeREOne, it t i preferable to perpetuate the myth ” that . “British Columbia's political scene is a straight ideological fight ed free — enterprise and so-called secialism. . The unreality of that claim is obvious from the blend already established in British Columbia society, but it fosters the polarisation and apparent . extremism. already mentioned - a situation which serves the interests of both major parties. For when the government of the - day falls, the second major party inevitably becomes government. Thus, each of British Columbia’s two. ' major parties enjoys and wants to sustain the two party system. The tragic consequence of such a system is that competition from other parties is all but. eliminated and voters find their freedom . of apolitical choice restricted. This does not enhance the opportunities for good government in British Columbia. ; is against _ this a. it @ > background ‘that for almost: four years I have been trying. to lead the Progressive | Conservative Par oh frankly merits of a mixed economy in a modern society, and-by. offering moderate, fair and practical social reform, - - But moderate ideas and common ‘sense policies: ‘do not excite; or for that matter - ‘incite the voter, as do the | more radical proposals espoused on the election platform, froni either the right or the left. -I respect _ completely the right .of ‘voters’ to ‘have made- the: ‘cholces they: did in recént believe in the need for’ a government which is more moderate both in policy and - style. Thus, a Progressive Conservative . commitment to the kind of policies man, ople desire, is not enoug o gain voter support, In g indu ' law and by openly and: recognising the - Clicies | 10° improve the biend, together . with proposals for desirable ~ “"* + television interview, the ‘political decisions he was: ‘making ‘as a result™of . communing with the spirits - the ’ “and judgmen . known as charisma, . head start. on -all his: It is not- a. fisheries department recently announced . plans for-a- $150 million salmon. enhancement which it hopes will double the annual commercial salmon production. + Industry observers are watching the Queen Charlotte situation closely. The com- ny has been in business, for more than a half- century, while its holding. company—Robertson — ail ‘Bain--was. established. in. “The logs of Queen Charlotte would be a great tragedy to Robertson and _ Bain,” said. one industry settlements, legalization of. ' the three may encourage _ more Israeli groups toset up -{nguthorized Setfements in the area. “- . For such reasens, U.S. State Secretary Cyrus Vanee declared -that the United States is “deeply disappointed” at the Israeli action. " : “In ‘our opinion, the placing of these settlements “contrary to international s presented an obstacle to progress toward peace,” he said. Vance could have been more than normall irritated because the Israeli moye came just ‘before he _” was to leave for the-Middie °. Bast to try to resolve procedural and other Obstacles to a Geneva the region. - Cann ‘on may have. heen ing ‘to prod his hostile neighbors into giving more consideration to his roposal that a semi-au- momous West Bank state be established, a homeland for the Palestinians with governmental ties to Jordan - t still containing Israeli military forces. Even ‘before.* °*th rovecative legalization o| e West Bank settlements, King Hussein of Jordan and President’ Hafez Assad of Syria had rejected that idea. - "In. magazine. interviews they rejected the idea as a basis for talks and said any today’s political arena, the style and personality of the ‘leader are of greater importance before. « The intense and searching eyes and ears of the various than ever ‘arms of the media, give the | citizen not only easy access, but often immediate access to'the political leader, at a moment of controversy, . challenge or crisis which _may be public or private in ‘nature.’ Television, in particular, allows the voter see the politician in a more intimate way than ever before, and to assess his personality as well as his political ability. I: doubt Mackenzie would have enjoyed political supremacy e lived: today, and discussed on open line or very much i ‘King lastin had of the deceased. We have a more’ critical electorate today. - The private lives. of; litical leaders have never “than'at present.:“"This is ‘not, necessarily a bad thing, but ‘it means that:leaders today _ can ‘attratt.’-voter:.support. “based: as much “oh. their te attractive ‘persdnality. and. capacity to excite the voter, » -as On their political ability-to lead. The leader with that ° hard-to-define quality which “turns people on, popularly competitors. prerequisite to'success, but would. be an.invaluable assist to any: struggling ‘jleader of a--small party, trying to displace eit British Columbia's two major political forces. This program. Fisheries. * government. for: _ Phillips. said .it was unusually inquiring, ‘more . n more,open.to-serutiny © by the public, . - political, proces ' Columbias : Churchill in 19401": * has a. chill in 19401: There stry spokesman. “It probably a significant portion of sales anda major portion of profits. ~~. “Their Richmond plant is the most versatile, modern plant in -the industry, I . would expect to see it in operation, if not this -year, en next year at -the lat- est.” ” " . Economic. Develovment Minister ‘Don Phillips said last month that the company waited too long before going : to the rovineial ; represented fe Wet possible something: could ave been done if -the ‘problem had surfaced earlier. oe -Palestinians would have to ‘be free of Israeli forces. © “Phe form of .a link. between Jordan and a Palestinian entity depends on the will of Jordan and the Palestinian people,” Assad gaid. “It does not concern . Israe naam There is another side to’ the issue, however. If Israel — xeturns to its old frontiers, the tin OU vulnerable to attack, forming a thin ‘strip along the Mediterranean, nine miles wide at its narrowest point. _ “The country could be cut in two in 10 or 15 minutes,” Begin said during his Washington visit. “Conventional arms could ” “reach every ‘house, every - man, woman and child in Israel.” - oe While Israel basically - wants guarantees of peace, confirmed over a long riod of gradual progress - oward territorial, withdrawal, its neighbors say the. withdrawal. must. come, hefore peachy, A_ major. U.S. military ; base in Israel might’ well. ve Israel more security. an the occupied lands ‘and .. some White have toyed -with the .idea ' without formally, . considering it... is not to suggest that in.my, ° case, its absence is: the major explanation afr. our. Party’s lack of success, but it is a contributing factor. . _ The. political process .in'~ -Britisti ‘Columbia has often been described as. raw, rticularly with regard ‘to e bitter, crude, no-holds- barred style in which the. . adversaries do battle. ‘This . unruly and uncouth ma: of conducting: debate not be- desirable < or productive, but it has béen e style in vogue in British Columbia for many years ‘and creates the atmosphere. ~ within which any party leader has to function.” It 15° difficult to change ‘this established attitude .and style, and any ‘improved - | ‘conduct canonly be initiated’. _ when the governmen : power ‘chooses: to) the ‘ background : © various “factors, whi “The — dem 0 portunity ithe moment 0 othe”: en produce. — leader...remember. every likelihood that sii canbe the case for “the British Progressive Party. in 1977. Columbia - ar of - FIRST.CAR BUILT: Henry Ford built his first. car in 1896, | nation would be — louse Officials primitive, and frontier-like, —- Conservative’