ain

WW) 4 it wl

the very best in 1972.

We welcome the new

newly independent countries.

struggle for a better life.

working people who made

Labor played an increasing
le in municipal politics this
‘ar and elected many of the
Ndidates they endorsed. The
‘te turnout was high across the
iivince, indicating the general
‘Satisfaction of voters with the
ay land utilization, real estate
Atters, welfare, schools and
pital needs have been
dled.

The electors approved record
Mounts of municipal spending
Pt schools and hospitals, with
My two serious defeats in
‘oney referendums — one in
trey and the other in
“quitlam.

Twenty old-time mayors were
“feated, some of them the
Rinstays of reactionary
itis: On the other hand,

fermen who have led the way
i. the fight against high
Meowner taxes, giveaways to
“al estate interests, etc., were~
Ndily re-elected as was the

SS

he editor and staff of the Pacific Tribune
take this opportunity to extend seasons
greeting to all our readers and friends and to wish them

At this time of year, when Peace and Goodwill are
the theme, the PT rededicates itself to the struggle for
peace in the world, for an end to the war in Vietnam,
for nuclear disarmament, and restoration of lasting
peace in the Middle East and South Asia.

relationship of friendship

between Canada and the Soviet Union ushered in ie HR
the visit of the two heads of state in 1971. The PT wile
continue to work for peaceful co-existence, friendship
and trade between our two countries, and between all
nations in the coming year, knowing this will not come
by itself but will have to be fought for.

The holiday season this year is darkened for
hundreds of thousands of Canadians who are jobless,
and many thousands more who are deeply concerned
over the growing U.S. domination of Canada and the
: threat to our economy posed by the aggressive actions
of the Nixon administration. The fight for jobs and new
policies will loom-large-in 1972.

Despite all these problems, the working people
have much to be joyful about this year.

We toast the growth of the socialist world and mk

We toast the growing unity and militancy of the
working class movement, which augurs well in the

We express our appreciation to the thousands of

publication of this paper

possible in 1971 and look forward to renewed support
which will make it possible for the PT to play an even
greater role in the big struggles that lie ahead in 1972.

Again, we wish you all the best in the holiday %
season and good health in the year ahead.

NEEM

Labor wins gains in civic vote

one

case of George McKnight in Port
Alberni.

McKnight topped the polls
despite a vicious campaign
against him. The present mayor,
Fred Bishop, who is personel]
manager for one of the major
forest companies, won his seat
by less than 300 votes over Frank
Dunbar who was backed by
progressive forces. In the same
area Mark Mosher was re-
elected to the school board.

In Trail labor-endorsed Buddy:

DeVito was re-elected as Mayor,
and in Burnaby incumbent Bob
Prittie handily won the
mayoralty seat over Allan
Emmott and another candidate.
Emmott, who promised last year
that if elected to an aldermanic
seat he would not seek the
mayoralty, now appears to be o-
u-t.

Labor was jubilant over the
win to an aldermanic seat of
IBEW member Tom Constable,

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1971

Vol. 32, No. 50

SES ERERERERESESESEN INSURANCE GOUGE EXPOSED

AVS a

$16 million bilked
from BC car owners

By NIGEL MORGAN

Over a million B.C. car owners
have been charged double the
“no fault’’ insurance rates they
should have been. A sum in
excess of $16 million has been
picked from their pockets by a
handful of unscrupulous
profiteers by means of an esti-
mated annual $8.21 per car over-
charge. It’s not the Mafia, but
extortion none the less!

In B.C. the insurance
companies don’t have to send out
“bully boys’? to collect. Here
the law is on their side. Under
the Social Credit government’s
two-year old, compulsory auto
insurance act, if you refuse to
pay the price they demand (and
insist on continuing to drive) the
police arrest you and the courts
can fine you heavily, send you to
prison, or both.

The principle of compulsory
no-fault insurance is a good one.
But to coerce car owners under
threat of heavy penalties to take
out protection with private,
profit-motivated companies is
an entirely different matter. As
the Communist Party warned
when the new legislation was
proclaimed, it can and has lead
to unlimited injustice and abuse.

There is much more involved
than demanding a reduction in
future rates. A million car
owners who have admittedly
been overcharged on

.compulsory no-fault insurance
must get a refund.

What about other clauses in
the policy coverage? The
industry has just announced a 5.9
percent increase in liability
rates. What is there to suggest
the companies are not charging
here everything the market will
bear also? In attempting to
defend themselves on the no
fault overcharge, they claim
they are ‘“‘waiting anxiously for
statistics on which to base their
rates.” -

What statistic is the 5.9
percent liability hoist based on?
Or is it just another way of
collecting back what they are
finally to be compelled to give
up?

PAGE ONE

The only real solution to ever-
increasing and excessively high
insurance rates in B.C. (as
Saskatchewan and Manitoba
have proven) lies in a govern-
ment-operated, non-profit
scheme. The present Act makes
provision-for such a course of
action. The coming January
session of the Legislature, or
Cabinet decision by way of an
order-in-council, could provide
insurance at cost within three
months. It could cut:by half our
costs of auto insurance for next
year.

Just think of the money that
could be saved in a government
non-profit plan: 1. Rates would

See CAR OWNERS, pg. 12

COMMENT

Ottawa took a big step
backward this week when it
cancelled delivery of the
underwater research craft
Pisces to the Soviet Union. The
Pisces had been purchased for $2
million and was to be delivered
in February.

One Canadian official
announced that the export
permit was cancelled because it

‘would not be in the “Canadian

national interest.’’ This was
immediately debunked by the
president of the North

Vancouver firm building the
craft, Don Sorte.

He said it was a ‘‘real stretch
of the imagination’ to suggest
any major military capability
for the Pisces which he said
needed a mother ship which
would be visible at all times. He
denied the Pisces had any secret
technology and added ‘‘anybody
can come down and take a look
at our place and take any
pictures they want. There’s
nothing secret there.”’

See COMMENT, pg. 2

ALD. GEORGE McKNIGHT,
was returned at the top of
the poll in Port Alberni.

an outspoken opponent of
business takeovers of Burnaby
land where parks are needed.

Another successful newcomer
in Burnaby civic politics was
Gwen Dowding. Other BCA-slate
candidates re-elected included
Jim Dailly, Andy Blair and Joan
Johnson.

In Nanaimo Arnold Duggan,
backed by the Nanaimo Labor
Council, came second in the
aldermanic vote and Bert Ogden,
of the UFAWU, polled a goodly
number of x’s as a candidate
running for the first time.
Scottie Sutherland was elected to
the Nanaimo Regional Council.

In North Vancouver two labor
men also appearing for the first
time and backed by the
Vancouver and District Labor
Council were Terry Simpson and
John Deas. Their vote was
surprisingly high in view of the

See CIVIC VOTE, pg. 2

Bangla
Desh

A NEW STATE
IS BORN

*

—See pgs. 4,8