‘ eins Ae h Mit (i! hy! Wee ty Harel | VOL. 13. No, 1 : ’ Ae EEL SEAL Ea Vancouver, British Columbia, February 19, 1954, oe SS PRIC 7 HH) A “4. “e aie TEN CENTS Indirect reply to LPP By SID ZLOTNIK Stung by LPP leader Nigel Morgan’s telegram demanding a full statement to the legislature On his “deal” with the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa), Premier W. A. C. Bennett’s gov- ernment replied indirectly this week through an article in the Vancouver News-Herald. The government, the article as- sures the public, will ensure the Protection of B.C. industry, and will. insist on getting back more HE second session of British Columbia’s 24th legislature opened in Victoria this week with all the traditional formalities that accompany the Speech from the Throne. Looking down from the Zalleries I couldn’t help but note the contrast between the collec- tion of furs, feathers and gold braid, and the poverty and misery of Vancouver breadlines like that outside Gore Avenue United Church and Abbott Street, Mis- sion, which I had passed but a few hours earlier. The thing that stood out on ©pening day was that the plight of British Columbia’s 60,000 un- employed got scant mention and less thought. \ The Throne Speech, through which the government defines the broad principles of its legislative Proposals, indicates a lengthy ses- Sion. Three major statutes are to be opened for amendment — the Industrial Conciliation and Ar- bitration Act, Workmen’s Com- .Pensation Act and B.C. Hospital Insurance Act. The government’s actual pro- Posals are still a closely guarded secret, but already it is clear they will provide the fireworks of the Session, despite Liberal attempts to create a smokescreen to divert attention from Premier Bennett's disclosure of startling differences in contract prices for roadbuild- ing under the present Socred re- Continued on back page See THIS WEEK a Premier argues for Alcoa plan power from the American com- pany than could be produced by a purely Canadian development. But no amount of dressing up can hide the betrayal of British Columbia being prepared by the premier. Does anyone believe Bennett’s inference that he can compel the United States to re- linquish hydro-electric energy, once that country has secured control of it? Continued on page 7 See HYDRO PTT Ty Tit Tie Ti Pe U.K. salmon order for B.C. The British Ministry of Food has signed a contract with British Columbia salmon packers to buy $5,000,00 worth of canned salmon this year, it was: announced this week by J. M. Buchanan, chair- man of the Fisheries Association of B.C. The last salmon contract was signed in the spring of 1953 for 205,000 cases valued at about $4,- 500,000. This year’s contract calls for early delivery to Britain of 220,000 cases. Before the war sterling coun- tries bought 700,000 and 800,000 cases, about half the British Col- umbia salmon pack. For years B.C. salmon has been off the Australian market because Canada is in the dollar area, but this week the Australian customs department announced that in 1954 it will be admitted “in limit- ed quantities.” ~SOMET TRADE OFFER MEANS J FOR BL. BS A dramatic offer made by the Soviet Union this week to open trade talks with Canada “‘immediately’’ has raised the hopes of half a million unemployed workers in this country. For the things that Soviet Ambassador Dmitri S. Chuvahin says his country will buy—Canadian ships and machinery, textiles, agricultural machinery, butter, meats and raw hides+-would start the wheels of industry humming and put thousands of jobless back on payrolls. Chuvahin told a group of parliamentary press gallery correspondents in Ottawa on Monday this week that the USSR is ready to start negotiations “‘right now.” He said a commercial attache will join the Soviet embassy within a month and handle all details if Canadian authorities are willing to negotiate. Chuvahin said the USSR can sell Canada manganese ore, diesel fuels and petroleum products, cotton, and many other commodities. Continued on back page—See TRADE @ British Columbia machine shops, now idle or working short time for lack of orders, will be humming again and there will be jobs for workers now unemployed if Canada follows Brit- ain’s lead in concluding trade deals with the Soviet Union.