"pipeline.

‘LPP BRIEF TO

LEGISLATURE

‘British Columb

Converging on the Parliament Buildings in Victoria
on Wednesday last week, 85 members of a Labor-Progressive
party delegation demonstrated against the U.S. grab of
British Columbia's natural resources. During the afternoon
a seven-page brief was placed before every member~of the
legislatur by LPP provincial léader Nigel Morgan, who
headed the delegation. Full text of the brief follows:

The Labor - Progressive party
calls upon you to stand up for
British Columbia and for Canada.
At this very moment, while you
are engaged in deliberations at the
third session of the 24th legisla-
ture, United States trusts are
securing control of our most vital

natural resources on a scale never
before witnessed.

By its recent actions the Social
Credit cabinet is facilitating this
seizure of our resources. It has
done its utmost to play down this
issue, and to confront the House
_ and the people with an accomp-
' lished fact. :

_ Evidence of this is to be seen
in the agreement with Westcoast
Transmission Company to con-
struct a gas pipeline. .This agree-
ment was consummated without
reference to the legislature, and
has not yet been tabled in the
jegislature.

But this is the central issue

upon which the future of B.C. de-
_ pends. Is B.C. going to develop
its resources in its own interest,
to, establish new industries, prov-
ide jobs and a golden future; or
is it going to be converted into an
economic colony of the U.S., a
northern Panama? ;

The LPP congratulates those
members who have already spoken
up on -this question. More yet
needs to be done. We. submit the
following proposals for yyour con-
sideration, and as the basis for
effective action... -

1. That therterms of the agree-

ment between the provincial
government and Westcoast Trans-
mission Company be tabled in the
legislature without further -delay;

That the provincial govern-

*ment immediately launch a
public enquiry to determine how
best to develop British Colum-
bia’s valuable natural gas. and
hydro resources in the interests
of the people of B.C. and to
stimulate the expansion of B.C.
industry and manufacturing;

That the legislature control

the export of natural gas,
hydro power and oil by estab-
lishing a system of licensing;
such licenses to be subject to ap-
proval. and review! by the legis-
lature at least once every five
years, and be subject to the fol-
lowing conditions:

@® Guarantee that all present and
foreseeable Canadian needs
will be met;

@ Assurance that the export of
power will not mean the ex-
port of Canadian job opport-
unities;

@ Construction and maintenance
of the Canadian section of

such pipeline shall be done

‘nical staffs.

4 That the provincial govern-
ment propose to the federal
government the establishment of
a Trans-Canada natural gas grid,
stretching from coast to coast,
and including the B.C. pipeline.
' This could be the first step to-
wards developing a national fuel
and power policy to assure Can-
ada’s needs shall be put first;

That the provincial -govern-

ment give further considera-
tion to the advantages of expand-
ing the B.C. Power Commission
to operate a publicly-owned B.C.
pipeline.

Gas pipeline issue

The most important immediate
projects facing B.C. are construc-
tion of the gas pipeline and de-
velopment of the Columbia River.

A B.C. gas pipeline can mean as
much to the future of our province
as did the building of an east-west
railroad. Whether or not it will

depends upon who controls it, and
for what purpose.

The welcome news that the
Trans-Canada Pipeline is now as-
sured, and may be built as a fed-
-erally-owned project could have
an important bearing on the B.C.
A.hookup with the na-
tional line would best serve the
interests of B.C. and of Canada,
since it would enable us to supply
Eastern Canada in the future as
well as the immediate market in
the Pacific northwest states.

The Canadian market should not
te underrated. Dr. G. S. Hume
‘of the department of mines and
technical surveys, in an address
to the Natural Gas .and Petroleum
Association of Canada on May 28,
1954 had this to say:

industry in both Ontario and
Quebec has been phenomenal.

“The size of.thé market for in-
dustrial gas, however, has been
shown conclusively by surveys -of
the Stanford Research Institute
and ‘by others, increases marked-
ly in the price range of 45 cents
down to 35 cents, and hence it
would seem that any pipeline’
should be aimed at capturing a
part of this market....” -

The proposed B.C. line would
be of 30-inch diameter. Yet Hume
says, “It is understod that the 30-
inch line probably could not sell
gas into the 35 to 40-cent indus-
trial market, whereas the 34 or 36-
inch line might do so if a large
volume throughput could be main-
jtained by sales and by storage in
‘off-peak periods.”

Dr. Hume says transportation
costs decrease for the larger lines,
and that they may be as cheap or
only slightly more expensive to
construct. : :
| These are vital considerations,
‘and a further argument for a
thorough enquiry before proceed-
ing further.

Under the present agreement

“In regard to the markets for with Westcoast Transmission Com-
natural gas in Canada even a pany the bulk of ‘the gas is com-
casual survey ... indicates a po- mitted to delivery in the U.S. Press
tential demand of large propor-.reports of the agreement use the
tions and with the expected in- figures 300,000,000 cu. ft. for the
crease in population, it can be U.S. and 15,000,000 cu. ft. for the
anticipated that this will rapid- lower mainland of B.C: in the

ly expand.

Ontario now has a initial stage.

population of five million....In' Premier Bennett denies the val-

last few years the growth of idity of these figures, or that there

by Canadian labor and tech-|

eee eT 8 2

(above).

is any such limitation on B.C. con-
sumption.
doesnit Premier Bennett take the
legislature into his confidence by
tabling the agreement? Surely,
the people of B.C. are entitled to
know the facts. ;

From what has been revealed,
however, there is a very real threat
to B.C. The US. will be getting
such quantities of gas as will en-
able it to fuel new’ industries,

B.C. needs

In regard to the development of
the Columbia River, the LPP pro-
poses that it be undertaken by a
public authority as was the great
Tennessee Valley Authority. It is
shocking to think that the govern-
ment could propose the utilization
of public funds to construct a dam
for the benéfit of a private com-
pany, and at the sacrifice of the
general interest.

The Columbia should be de-
veloped primarily for the indus-
trial development of B.C., fuel-
ing a great new commercial em-
pire in the Kootenays. It should
be part of an east-west grid link-
ed to Alberta and the lower main-
land coastal area.

The principle should be power
dams, not storage dams. We do
not want to be dependent upon
the U.S. for our electrical energy.
The Boundary. Waters Agreement
of 1909 gave Canada absolute sov-
ereign rights over the waters of
international rivers flowing in Can-
ada. Once the U.S. gets control of
our power, it would become almost
impossible to get it back when we
need it. ~ ee
Cash payments for our water

If that is so, then why

Placard-bearing members of the LPP. delegation are shown
demonstrating in front of the Parliament Buildings in Victoria
A brief was presented to every member of the legis-
* lature by LPP provincial leader Nigel Morgan (right).

while B.C. will be getting inade-
quate supplies.

Further, as now planned, the
Kootenays with its important in-
dustrial centre of Trail, and Vic-
toria, will get their B.C. gas
through the U.S. via Hartford
and _—_ Anacortes respectively.
Thus, the Kootenays and Van-.
couver Island supply of gas will
be at the mercy of U.S. export
policy.

come first

would be no substitute for need-
ed power. Rather, we should
control the power developments,
and export the surplus. This

would mean that at all times we
would maintain control, and thus
be able at any time to meet our
own basic requirements.

The LPP has initiated a petition
calling upon “the government to
see that British Columbia’s natural
gas and water resources are de-
veloped under Canadian control,
and used in the interests of our
people and for the industrial
growth of our province.” The peti-
tion is still circulating and will
not be completed for several
weeks. : :

Attached herewith as an appen-
dix to this: brief is a statutory de-
claration to the effect that the LPP
has already received the signa-
tures of 22,794 citizens of B.C. in
support of the petition. ~ These,
and the additional signatures to
be received, will be submitted to
His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor-
in-Council in due course.

British Columbia’s very future
is’ at stake! Will this legislature
meet the challenge?

ia’s future at stake’

‘Seek retention
of rent control

Retention of rent controls for
another year was urged this week .
by Vancouver LPP committee in 4
letter to Premier W. A. C. Bel
nett.

Provincial rent controls are slat
ed to expire March 31, 1955 as the
result of a provincial order adopt
ed last April.

The LPP letter states: ;

“Lifting of rent controls will
cause great hardship to many
thousands of tenants who will b&

estate interests who will be the —
main beneficiaries if rent controls
are lifted.” .

a

congress.
Peace Council officers across the
country and in Peace House on
Cumberland Street in Toronto, are
hives of activity as preparations
for mass canvassing on a national
scale reach full stride.
It is expected that a million
Canadians will receive the text
of the Appeal in the course of a

national distribution March 5,

Million Canadi

“Every man and woman in Canada, no matter what his opinion as to who is 1 |
sponsible for the preparations for atomic war, is invited to sign the World Appeal that asks
for those preparations to be stopped.” This is how Bruce Mickleburgh, public relation®
director of the Canadian Peace Congress; defines ‘the signature campaign proposed by the

/
/

lillion Canadians to be
asked to sign appe

al

TORONTO

e

ae

; °
when full-scale canvassing will
get under way from Vancouver
Island to Glace Bay.

Dr. James G. Endicott, chairmanjing to mankind issued by
of the Canadian Peace Congress—|famed French atomic scientist 4
one of the authors and first sign- | Nobel laureate,
ers of the Appeal when it was is-| Curie, concerning the immi

sued at Vienna on January 19,

will shortly undertake a national | mination.
iJ Ms Y " alec .

speaking tour on the subject, Ave

stroy the bombs, not the people:

He will outline the urgent ie

|
Prof. F. Jol

danger of an atomic

war of

yy

at the mercy of the large real |