Ed Nelson, NDP MP for Burnaby-Seymour joined several others outside Pacific Centre Saturday to get signatures on petition for Coordinating Committee to Roll Back Prices. Some 6000 names were received in various centres on the lower mainland while hundreds of people across the country were out on the national day of petitioning. Provincial Conservative leader and MLA Scott Wallace also appeared but at the last moment stated that he could not support the petition because it called for the rejection of wage controls. —Sean Griffin photo MAY DAY Continued from page 3 on the strike or arbitrary im- position of the contentious ‘‘ac- creditation clause’? which would effectively deny workers the right to bargain through the union of their choice. Chairman Dave Werlin, in opening the meeting, also com- mented on the construction strike and noted that “‘while we are commemorating May Day, thousands and thousands of workers all over the city are at mass meetings deciding their course of action in the collective bargaining struggle.” Richmond NDP MLA Harold Steeves echoed the May Day theme, “‘unite against high prices and profits” and told the audience that ‘“‘we must roll back prices — that is the first issue.” ‘“‘When that is done,” he said, “then let’s have a look at those who ~are ripping us off and do something about them.” May Day Committee chairman and secretary Jeff. Power and George Hewison as well as long- time Steelworkers and Mine-Mill leader Harvey Murphy were also on the platform. The Surrey song group “Bargain at Half the Price”’ and Tom Hawken brought a new spirit to the meeting with several songs. FISHERIES Continued from page 1 taking a firm stand against U.S. encroachment because of the upcoming Law of the Sea con- ference scheduled for June in Caracas, Venezuela. “Davis is using the Law of the Sea conference as an excuse,’ business agent Hewison said, “while our position is that we should be taking positions now that will strengthen us at that con- ference. “‘Salmon belong to their country of origin and should be harvested: only by that country. In the halibut fishery, we should be moving uni- laterally toward extending our territorial sea out to give protection to our resources on the continental shelf and slope. Halibut depletion has made even more imperative the need for the negotiation of an all-inclusive North Pacific treaty which would encompass Canada, the U.S., Japan, the USSR and South Korea. South Korea and the USSR are presently excluded. It’s a position the UFAWU has advanced for some two decades and now the standing committee on fisheries has seen the sense of it. A resolution passed endorsed the concept and recommends to the government to consider the ad- visability of convening a con- ference of the governments of the five countries. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1974—PAGE 12 MACKENZIE Continued from page 3 taken the time to explain the project, inform them of their rights, or to make plans for their future survival. They were left in temporary housing beside a logging road for three years, 20% of the tribe afflicted with tuber- culosis. Finally they were left with the choice to move on to a reserve or to migrate 150 miles up the Finlay river to pick up a new life. Industry and townsite development at Mackenzie began in 1966 when Alexandra Forest Industries, later B.C. Forest Products, established a townsite on 640 acres of Crown granted land (for $10 per acre). Since the beginning development has been under complete control of the forest companies. In May of 1966 B.C. Forest Products secured a ‘‘Letters Patent” from the minister of municipal affairs to incorporate the District of Mackenzie as a municipality covering 53,000 acres of land. These “Letters Patent’’ appointed a municipal council of seven to hold office for 6-1/2 years and granted exceptions to the Municipal Act covering the extent of municipal debt and _ liability, minimum rates of business taxes, and public hearings for rezoning bylaws and other regulations. A majority of the ‘‘appointed’’ council members were top officials of B.C. Forest Products, many of whom had Vancouver residences. The first and only mayor of Mackenzie is B.C. Forest Products housing property manager. Growing from a population of 300 to 6,000 in less than eight years, the public utility services for a modern community have required massive capital expenditures in a short space of time. With limited taxing powers and forest industry repre- sentatives at the municipal helm, Mackenzie residents have been saddled with taxes and_ utility charges that will reach an estimated $947 per year on the average in 1976. Commercial development has been restricted to one shopping centre-hotel complex. There is one Store of each kind offering residents little choice among ex- pensive consumer products. Small merchants wishing to build stores in competition have difficulty in obtaining land. Housing construction and sales are controlled completely by B.C. Forest Products and Finlay Forest Products. While skilled labor is given first choice, other workers must join long. waiting lists. Employment with one of the forest companies for no less than five years is conditional to purchase a house. Few workers in service industries, such as teachers, are given the opportunity to buy houses. There is evidence that B.C. Forest Product has profited on the Sale of Crown-granted land. Citizens of Mackenzie, fed up with company control over their lives, have called on the govern- ment to review developments in and around Mackenzie. They believe that if the NDP is serious about a new orientation for nor- . thern development it should begin by setting Mackenzie. They believe that the opportunity exists to make Mackenzie a model for a publicly planned and con- trolled community. The provincial government would do well to take immediate action at finding solutions for the Mackenzie Situation. The company town things right at syndrome should be buried’ forever. Diversified industry, public land and adequately financed social services can and should take its place. Continued from page 1 that before construction workers” could collect from a cost of living clause "their current wage gains would have to be wiped out. Nor did it take into consideration productivity increases and profits. e That the inquiry commission would decide whether the two per cent statutory holiday pay would. come off by the hour, week or year. The CLRA wants it taken off by the year, which the unions oppose since it would not be beneficial in an industry such as construction. The 16 unions taking part in the Victoria talks with labor minister King rejected his proposals. The construction unions united in 10- pact have put forward a_ joint program in the 1974 negotiations which calls for $1.50 increase Students hold par! Policies aimed at a better deal for students at income tax time, more Canadian content in education, and a guaranteed in- come for graduate students highlighted the second annual conference of the National Union of Students held May 2-5 at Burnaby’s ~Simon Fraser University. More than a hundred delegates: from over 20 Canadian universities and colleges converged at SFU with the main task of consolidating the newly formed organization. Such was the theme of the con- ference’s main workshop — ‘‘NUS — A working union’’. In the two years since its birth NUS has gathered 25 affiliated schools rep- resenting more than _ 175,000 students. Of a wide range of student problems discussed at the con- ference, income tax assumed a focal position. NUS called on the federal government to increase the $50 living allowance deduction for students, to make tuition fees for a married student deductible from the income of the working spouse, and to make all text books and student activity fees tax deduc- tible. For the latter demand NUS agreed to hire a lobbyist to negotiate the question with Ot- tawa. In dealing with other student matters NUS called for changes in the student loan act to provide loans to part time students and so that all students of the age of majority would be eligible for loans independently, without a parent as_ co-signer. Other resolutions called for a guaranteed annual income of $3,000 plus tuition fees for graduate students, and endorsed 1975 as International Women’s Year. Plans were laid to ‘across the board each two-year agreement, @ living clause to provide against continued if reduction in the hours of per week; three 4 statutory holidays; and of additional demands, in all. This year has seen the level of unity by building contract negotiations, 4” first time in North Amie there has been anything pact agreement in B.C. — Construction workers by the PT have stressed 5 is the key to winning 4 ‘ tract this year which vad major bearing on the 1 BC construction industry 1? convene a conference 08 post secondary educa contribution to the ye4 by the United Nations: In noting that “‘ther' insufficient study ?@ institutions in areas nature of Canadian 8? conference resolved. for ‘‘Canadianizate secondary education. Another resolution t support to students 4 Brock College who are court battles to have residences brough jurisdiction of the Lat Tenants Act. A follow calling for all student 1 be brought under Prov dlord and tenant law Wé NUS’ second confere? be termed a success- ‘i of workshops and plen at SFU served to c0 tio stabilize the organiza an end to prediction ve lived existence. ~. fe serious shortcoming’ notably the absence © ugh tion from Quebec. Alt ee the campaigns jaune second conference ‘al NUS’ enormous PO of backward conservall® ig puses such as U ‘ita bulwark against ™! Their representatives | io pull out if concrete cot are not made, but they starve the central ore ia the funds needed to # campaigns. There is a lot to = be dom NUS meets again ®™ its Toronto, but NUS }§ on - council, united and more determined. _ workers are being protected.” ; : e ; _ If closer working cooperation between trade unio? Canada and those in B.C. has already found its exP! ‘May Day celebrations, it gained a new meaning when Louis Laberge spoke to an enthusiastic audie) trade unionists at the meeting of the Vancouver and D} “I think at the CLC convention that B.C. and Quebet their determination felt,” he told the delegates, “(0 - _ different labor movement, a more Canadian labor ™° “Those of us who have invested a good many years i the labor movement have got to think about the dire¢ Canadian labor is going. There is a sentiment gro™ Canadian workers that they want the right to decide _ affairs. All workers in Canada have the same proble! _ Must have the right to find their own solutions to thet _ Interference from their American union officers. “It is proper that this convention is being held in ¥' ‘one of the most militant centres in the country. And I h® over that we will come out of it with the labor m° “In Quebec, as in B.C., we need a strong labor mover _ tomorrow we were to elect an NDP governme? Quebecois government, we would still need a strot independent labor movement to ensure that the