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FOR THE RECORD

satisfactory situation, but as I sald then
and still maintain, it did not justify the
manner in which that subsidy was

a removed,

M QUESTION:

What has been done to resolve the
situation? -

ANSWER:

m First and most important, the federal
m# government gave the province an

$8,000,000 annual subsid to provide

s marine transportation to u:3 central and .

northern B.C. coasts. Such service has

5 now been installed to Port Simpson and

Kincolith, and details of a new ferry

B service have been announced for the

aoe central coast.

QUESTION

You have a strong record of speaking
aut for the needs of your riding: Do you
feel your appointment as a Cabinet
Minister has made you less effective as
‘a constituency spokesman? ,

ANSWER:

No, quite the reverse. I think it is an
advantage to my constituency for me to
be chosen as the first-every northern

Minister in a federal cabinet. I have "am

been able to bring as strong a regional
voice to Cabinet and I have been ef-

fective in winning for Skeena services. (@

and programs it would have been

impossible to obtain had Iremained a §
bachbencher. On a number of occasions

Thave also been able to stop or change
actions which did not give recognition
to the fact that there is a northern
dimension to our country: actions
which would have- otherwise gone
unchallenged. Just to cite one recent
example, it was largely due to the
efforts of Len Marchand and myself
that the veatherships in the northern
Pacific were reinstated last fall. Being
a Minister also means that you have
more resources at your disposal, many
_ of which can be used to the advantage
of. your constituency. Many of my
Cabinet colleagues feel I devote an
inordinate amount of resources to the
constituency side of my office. I feel
simply that my constituents deserve all
the support 1 can give them.

QUESTION:

What about the coastal transportation
issue? Were you not in the long run,
unsuccessful in retaining service to the
isolated communities?

ANSWER:

Isaid in Prince Rupert on December 4,
lovp, that I would resign from the

t if steps were not taken to
improve coastal transportation ser-
.1 do not make statements of

tat pe iy and the record clearly

¢ the federal government has

taken steps to improve the situation.

It must be recalled that I eames into the —

Cabinet after this change e in policy had
been decided just as it was
being put inte fect. At that time there
was & $4 million annual subsidy given
— without tender or competition — toa

private company. That was an un-

" shipment of asbestos through

Second, we have continued our

4 assistance to the construction and im-
provement of northern B.C. highways.

This has made possible, the
the B.C.
port of Stewart, instead of the Alaska
port of Skagway, allowing goods to be
brought into Stewart at a cheaper rate
on the back haul,

Third, we obtained a precedent unique
in all of Canada: the granting of an air
travel subsidy to residents of the Queen
Charlotte Islands. This subsidy
maintains the principle of subsidies to

the Queen Charlottes and it is my.in- .

tention to have it maintained until the
province finally provides their long

overdue ferry,

There are other steps, sucn as con-
struction of a publicly-owned barge-

. loading facility in Prince Rupert, and
the successful fight to continue

passenger railway service on the CN
northern mainline, but I think the ones I
have listed are the most significant.

_ ] certainly share the frustration of

‘coastal residents over the extraordinary

delays on tha part of the B.C. Ferry
Corporation ia implementing the ser-
vices they agreed to.
QUESTION:
What goals did you set for yourself as a
new MP in 1974; and how succesaful
have you heen in achieving them?
ANS im I was to gi cice to
ry oal was to give a voice
My primary gost Ie. I think I have been
successful. [ have given, a abet a
esence ton ems ay
pa in Toronto’ on the needs of
‘Canadians who face the double
jeopardy of both westerners and

northerners. y

~ television reception?

JAN INTERVIEW WITH IONA

I didn’t really goto Ottawa with a great -
long “shopping list’. Clearly, however,
there are come pet causes any new MP
wishes to advance and | certainly have
had my share. .

It has. always bothered me that raw
materials from northern B.C. have
been shipped through Alaskan ports.

Through federal assistance to the
development of Highway 37 this trend
fs now reversed and Stewart is
becoming an increasingly important

port.

I spent a great deal of time and effort
on the fight against crude oil tankers in
the rich fishing grounds of coastal B.C.
This threat has been beaten.

TI have always felt social justice
demands that the Nishga and other
native land claims be resolved in a fair
and equitable manner, The day the
federal Minister of Indian Affairs, the
B.C. Minister responsible for Indian
Affairs, and the leaders of the Nishga
Tribal Council sat down at one table in
January 1976 was clearly one of the
highlights of my first term in
Parliament. Andnow, although without
the same amount of press attention.
other land claims in our area are at ¢
varying degrees in the negotietian
process.

QUESTION:

What about communications? Is that

not a priority-upgrading our radio and

ANSWER:
Yes, it is, a
seen dramatic improvements since
1974. The C.B.C. has taken over
responsibility of distributing the CFTK
pepe algnal, ‘ae te oe
1,000,000 in upgra ‘ANS ion
facilities. New, more powerful tran-
smitters at Houston, Frerrace, and
Prince Rupert have resulted in
stronger and more reliable television
signals in most communities in Skeena .
—from Smithers right through to the |
Queen Charlottes, and also up in
Stewart and the Nass Valley.

My priority n now is to bring in proper
radio and TV service to the m

isolated parts of Skeena. We have ‘done
this in some areas, notably Atlin and

Kitwancool, but there are others, I am

and its an area which has §

and has spent™

i Campagnolo

opeful the new policy ‘of “earth
stations” for transmission of TV signals
from satellites will greatly accelerate
the upgrading of service to communities
in the Queen Charlottes and along High-
way

- QUESTION:

Do you enjoy working a8 a politician?

You always seem to have so much
energy and enthusiasm.

ANSWER:

Yes I like working for people, and —
being a Member of Parliament is an
effective and satisfying way of serving
people. Sometimes it’s frustrating and
sometimes it's depressing, but by and

_ large I look forward to every day,

because I knowzthat I can play a
positive role in’ helping people, and
improving our northern quality of life.

Tn 1974, I commitigd myself to working
flat out-as hard as I can-for all: the
people of Skeena as long as I was their
Member of Parliament. I have wone
that to the beat of my ability, and I hope
they wil! allow me to continue the job
after May 22nd.

sai nity a

THE
, SKEENA VOTE
IN 1974

Election results in Skeena
- in 1974 (old boundaries)

(Liberal) 12, 218

1 Howard

(NDP) 9,358

Stevens
(Conservative) 8,806