PROVENCIAL LIBRARY PARLIAMENT BLOGS YICTORIA ete oe oan ‘both sidea together. Picket linea went up at the. railway’s nite yards throughout the province after talks broke down Sunday and the Joint Council of Rail (Unions isaued 48-hour strike notice. Under terms of the Essentla!l Services Disputes Act, the provincial government can impose a 90-day cooling-off period in the dispute, but go far Labor Minister John Helnrich has de- clined to comment, The railway says the ‘strike will cost the “B.C. Rail work VANCOUVER (CP) — A astrikeby British Columbia Railway's 2,200 union employees went ahead as scheduled Tuesday, after last-ditch efforta by provincial mediators failed to bring province $1 million a day. Company spokeaman Hugh Armstrong said in a newa release that representatives of the joint council met briefly Tuesday afternoon with government mediators but left after refusing to discuss the contentious issue of manning. The council, whose seven unions have been without contracts since July 31, has rejected as unsafe a company proposal to reduce train crews to two workera from three where appropriate. In addition to manning, there are about 120 unresolved issues, including contract terms, wages and retroactive pay, Nofm Farley, joint counc manning Is a trade-related igaue that has no fl spokeaman, said, be an agreement. Armstrong sald B.C, unions that no current trainmen would be laid off 85 a result of crew reductions. He said the railway prop 3 whereby employees involved would get 25 per cent of crews' wages saved as a result of the reductions for a lbyear period. This would Rail has assured the oses a formula generate more than $20,000 for each trainman, he sald. . Armstrong algo said both Canadian National and CP Rail have been operating with twoman crews without increased safety hazards. A fullembargo on shipment of all commodities was declared Monday, ending rail shipments for several Interior towns which depend on the railway te move raw goods to market. The rallway had been laboring under a partial shutdown caused by wildcat picketing by some union members. The last B.C. Rail shutdown was a three-day strike in October, 1978. _ Officials in northern B.C, communities say a on their areas. A in tti k t lines place at main-table bargaining, “B.C. Rail has had more accidents In the past 12 months than the previous 25 years — and now they want to cut back the crew size," hesaid. Farley said if manning were the only stum- bling block to settlement, the company should give in to union wage requests and there would prolonged shutdown will have a crippling impact Fort Nelson, B.C., Mayor Doug McPhail called on Premier Billi Bennett to use the essential services legislation in the dispute. B.C. Rail normally moves 600 carloads of commodities a day — 20 per cent of rall business in B.C, — including products from 71 planer mills and sawmills, aix veneer and plywood plants, and six pulp mills in the Interior, The company has offered a 14-per-cent wage increase over 29 months, plus Improved fringe benefits. The union is seeking a 30-per-cent in- crease In a oneyear contract. f- > RUPERT STEEL & SALVAGE LID. a Seal Cove Ri.. Pr. Rupert 624-5639 WE BUY copper, batteries, etc. Call as - We are brass, all metals, | open Mon. through Sat., 8 a.m.-5 pa. f TERRACE-K Volume 73-No. 243 \., LTIMAT daily herald 20c ~ Wed, December 19, wn on Westend Food Mart Open Chevron 6:30am-iLpm a Open 7 days a week a 24 Hours 635-5274 635-7228 “We Salisfy Tummy & Tank 365 DAYS A YEAR” Chevron Service ™~ Westend # Iran mourns death with | threats TEHRAN (AP) — At least 50,000 Iranians mourning a . slain religious leader marched on the occupied U.S. Embassy today, placed the coffin in frorit of the misaion's iron gates and alternated chanting “Death to Americal” with wailing verses from the Koran, the holy book of Islam. | But they made no move to breach the gates and enter the embassy compound, where Moslem milltants have been holding 50 U.S. citizens hostage for 44 days demanding the U.S. gov- ernment get Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to return to Iran. The funeral cortege of Hojatoleslam Mohammad Mofateh and his two bodyguards began at Tehran Univeralty, then wound two embassy gates, surrounded by a sea of chanting and walling people. Four mullahs, or priests, waving pistols were drawn on an open carriage behind the cortege. The mixture of religious fervor and militancy climaxed when the priests were passed over the heads of the crowd and mounted the speakers’ platform on the embassy wall, Large portralta of Mofateh were carried by mourners along with Islamle flags in black. Mofateh's 22-year-old son Sadegh sald; “The CIA kills people who are against the imperialism of America. They killed my father because they want to change the course of the revolution.” Many of the women in the crowd, all tightly wrapped in black chadors, wept as Sadegh spoke, Mofateh, a close associate of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and two bodyguards were killed Tuesday at Tehran University, where Mofateh was head of the theology department, Khomeini made a new de- mand Tuesday for the United States to hand over the shah, calling Panama a U.S. puppet, and one of his close associates said he has or- dered his gunmen to murder the former ruler and his wife. U.S. says the trials would have. consequences WASHINGTON (AP) —- The United States would consider use of U.S, hostages as witnesses in an Iranian investigation of U.S, ac- tivities under the deposed shah to be ‘‘pubile ex- ploitation,” a Carter ad- ministration spokesman warns. Iranian authorities should be aware they would bear “full responsibility for any ensuing consequences” If the hostages are forced to participate in a trial, White House press secretary Jody Powell said Tuesday. The militants who seized the U.S, Embassy in Tehran on Nov, 4 have threatened to place thelr 50 captives on trial as spies, ‘servatives’ It was a day for presentations to the retiring school board trustee, Elaine -kilometres- to--the ‘bolted ....: “Johnson, Trustee-Dennia Brewer (left) aud Frank Hantilton, the ‘board's * administrator, help Elaine display some mementos of her service to the school system here, Skip Bergsma also made a presentation on behalf of the district staff as did Joan Cox for the primary teachers and Jack Cook for the board. Campaign starts By THE CANADIAN PRESS The stage has been set for a rematch among Joe Clark, Plerre Trudeau and Ed Broadbent on the campaign trail leading to the Feb. 18 election. And all three political leaders seem anxious to resume the battle. Prime Minister Clark and NDP Leader Broadbent wel- comed Tuesday’s decision by Trudeau to scrap his retirement plans and to lead the Liberals into his fifth consecutive election. Clark mocked Trudeau as a remnant: from the 1960s and a leader without a platform as he urged voters in southwestern Ontario to give his Progressive Con- servatlves a majority gov- ernment that was denied by six seats May 22. Clark said he ia happy the former prime minister decided to lead the Liberals in the election because voters now have clear ailernatlves. “Tt is a choice between a government that wants to build for the future and an opposition that wants to lake Canadians back to the past,” Clark told about 600 party faithful in London, Ont. Broadbent, opening his campaign in Teronto, said voters can choose between he long Liberal record of ired failures and a short Conservative record of in- competent bumbling. The NDP leader warned against public support for Trudeau, saying he wouldn't be around for long. The new prime minister did not merit support because he had shown he could not keep a promise, Broadbent said, Meanwhile, Liberal strate- gists jumped to life on learning of the 60-year-old Trudeau's change of heart, prompted by pleas from the party caucus and executive, Organizers must now plot a campaign strategy almed at toppling Clark from office after leas than seven months in power. Trudeau got a head start Tuesday, telilng his mews conference the Con- regressive energy policies would be a terrible thing for the country. Trudeau sald his decision to rejoin the fray was the single moat difficult decision _. of his life. But he said he felt he had a duty to his party and to the country. Clark travelled to his ” Photo by Greg Middleton Alberta constituency of Yellowhead today to attend his nomination meeting while Broadbent flew to Halifax in the morning and was to continue to Montreal in the evening where he was expected to continue to blast federal energy policies. Energy policy becomes issue OTTAWA (CP) — It will take more than a few months for a new Liberal ad. ministration to undo many of the Progressive Con- servative government's ‘Sregressive’’ energy policies, Opposition Leader Pierre Trudeau said Tuesday, Trudeau told a news conference Conservative energy proposals, such as disbanding Petro-Canada, the government oil com- Robber receives the cops BAKERSFIELD, Calif, (AP) — A robber tled up a convenience store clerk in a cold storage locker, then waited on customera and told police that a.tip they had received about a holdup was false, authorities said. The clerk, Bruce Me- Dowell, 19, said he was accosted by an armed man wearing a black stocking mask Monday and was left in the cold storage locker with his wrists beund, The bandit pulled off his mask and walted on customers for 20 minutes, police said. He told officers responding to a citizen's report of a robbery in progress that the citizen had en mistaken. ; After the customers and police were gone, the rabber left with $86, including $29 he had collected in sales while acting as clerk. pany, “would have been daing terrible things for Can- a a The 60-year-old former prime minister made the comments after announcing he would scrap his retirement plans and lead the Liberals into his éifth consecutive election cam- paign. Asked how long he would stay as party leader after the Feb, 18 election, Trudeau replied he would not step down immediately. “{ don’t think the party ‘would want me, nor would [ want to run in an election just to serve for two mon- ths,” he said, adding that many of Prime Minister . Clark's energy policies would have to be reversed. “Wf a few months con- celvably were necesaary to right even some of the mistakes of the Ciark government, maybe that would be ideal but I don't think that a few months would be enough.” A Liberal government would perhaps expand the role of Petro-Canada in developing new energy supplies at home and abroad, he said, Clark is to announce Thuraday in Vancouver the method his government favors for turning the profitable portions of the Crown corporation over to the private sector. But a final decision must await the new Parliament and a new government, Clark said, hearings... and--study, . said, ’ forcing people'te drop out of Mandatory retirment criticized by report Forces some into poverty Pension contribution hikes wanted OTTAWA (CP) — Man- datory retirement at age 65 often amounts to santencing people to poverty and should be abolished, says a special Senate committee report released today. The report also said em- ployees and employers should double their con- tributions to the Canada or Quebec pension plans so pension cheques can rise to about $450 a month, com- pared with the current maximum of §218,06, The report, entitled Retirement Without Tears and prepared by a com- mittee of 22 senators after almost two years of public Sy the workforce at 65 is dis- criminatory and ignores thelr desires and abilities. Noting that retirement can account for as much as one- third of a person's adult life, the report said: “What a terrible thing it is if this period is spent in poverty, almlessnesa and loneliness when there are such rich opportunities for companionship or leiaure or work," Working adults should neither be forced out of their jobs at 65 nor to remain employed if they wish to retire early. The committee said in- dividuals should be able to choose when they want to retire, subject to common sense rules about com- pelence and Physical fitness. It proposed that the age of mandatory retirement be in- creased by one year at the beginning of each year for five yeara by amending pension plans and retirement rules. At the end of that five years, the con- cept of mandatory retire- ment at any age should be abandoned. Based on 1976 averages, men can expect to live to 79 and women to 83. The committee also concluded that rather than revise and extend what it described as an Inadequate private pension system, the Canada-Quebec pension plan should be the prime vehicle for reforming the Canadian pension system. Under the existing for- mula, employees and em- ployers each contribute 1.8 per cent of eligible earnings for a total of 3.6 per cent. The committee recom- mended employers and employees each contribute four per cent to achieve a new total of elght per cent. This would require an in- crease of 2.2 per cent for em- ployees and employers and the report suggested the increase be phased in over two years, The increasea in benefits would be Introduced over a fiveyear period starting from the end of the year that the eightper-cent level of contributions is in effect. Libera] Senator David Croli (Ontario), known as a vigorous campaigner against mandatory retirement, headed the special committee which received 58 briefs from groups ranging from students, labor and business to pension, teacher and medical organizations. The report was to have been tabled Monday in the Commons, but the defeat of the Progressive Con- servative government and the dissolution of Parliament -» Teast. weak: -made- that « im- possible. However, the 78-year-old Croll received permission from Senate leaders to make the report public anyway. The committee stressed that implementation of its recommendations do not involve a raid on the public purse. . The report defended the overhaul of the public pension system on economic grounds, saying the extra costs to employers and employees should be man- ageable. It also said a serious handicap during inflationary times is that many private plans do not index pensions to the cost of living, meaning a greater need for better public plana. For employees earning $10,000 a year, the com: mittee’s recommendation involves an additlonal contribution to the gov- ernment plan of §220 a year. That should “ chould nat be Intolerable’ for either employer or employee, especially as those con- tributions are tax deductible. “Tt is the only way to litt many of the Canadians who live in retirement out of poverty,” the report added. it warned that if em- ployers and employees do not now assume the cost of an expanded public pension system, society will even- tually have to assume those costs through increased taxes to bolater the pension system or pay welfare benefits. “The aging papulation, with its increasing political power, will not tolerate in- definitely a life of poverty in retirement,” Citing 1977 statlatica that show 48 per cent of unat- tached women over 65 have . annual Incomes of $3,000 ar less, the report aleo called for drastic action to help the growing number of elderly women subsisting on in- comes below the poverty ne, The committee proposed that pensions pald by the CanadaQuebec pension plan be -shared 50-50 between husband and wile as the best method of providing pen- -slons-to houbutves Phat If contributions to the plan were increased as the com- mittee recommended, between five million and six miliion women should receive reasonably adequate pensions, it added. In 1970, the average in- come of women from the Canada-Quebec pension plan was $1,013 8 year. The amount is small because women generally earn less than men or work parttime for low pay and da not qualify to participate in the plan. Since 1978, a person had to earn $1,100 a year to qualify. The committee also said women employed by their husbands in unincorporated businesses or farms should be permitted to contribute to the government pension Bn. The report played down the concerns expressed by some Canadians that the cost of supporting a growing elderly population will be an intolerable burden on the labor force. In 1978, there were 2.1 million persons over the age of 65 in Canada and it is estimated that number will increase to 3.4 million by 2001. As a result of the baby boom afler the Second World War, thenumber could climb to six million or more in 50 years. 3 Despite the figures, the committee said the aging of Canada’s population should not be cause for alarm because the size of the younger dependent group meeting will NDP MEET FOR NOMINATIONS The federal wing of the Skeena New Democratic Party will hold its nominating meeting for the Feb. 18 general election in Terrace on Saturday, Jan. 5. The convention, which is expected to nominate incumbent MP Jim Fulton as its candidate, will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Terrace Hotel. The be open to the public. under the age of 17 will be declining at the same time. Therefore, costs in areas such as education will be reduced substantlally, “The increasing cost of supporting the older dependent population should be more than offset by the decreasing cost of sup- porting the younger depend- ent Population," the report Said. It predicted, however, the economy will face ad- justment problema, such as diverting the savings from lower education coats to increased expenditures required for social security ~and public pensias, - CP Air to give discount MONTREAL (CP) — CP Air announced Tuesday it will give away discount vouchers to passengers on ita regular transcontinental flights between Jan. 14 and Feb. 28. The vouchers are good for a one-third price reduction on round-trip economy fares on transcontinental flights from March 1 to June 22. “There are no strings at- tached on the issuance of the vouchers,” vice-president Dick Huisman sald in a statement. The vouchers will not be given to passengers on the lower-coat Skybus service, and cannot be used for charter class flights or other reduced-price tickets, such as senior citizens’ or children’s fares. The plan is subject to approval by the Canadian Transport Com- mission. Ralph agrees with Sue EDMONTON (CP) — You've heard of the boy named Sue. Well, Edmonton has a girl named Ralph. Her name is Ralph Sneed. And she agrees with the line in the song by Johnny Cash: “Life ain't easy for a boy named Sue’’ — or in her ease, a girl named Ralph. Ralph is the name her mother had settled on for her fourth child, {¢ didn't matter that the child was a girl. Ralph was the name her mother liked. But for Mrs. Sneed, the name Ralph has meant problem after problem. ]'ve had had a lot of hard times with this name.’ Convincing people that her name is indeed Ralph is the biggest and most common problem, she said. Fulton predicts backlash Jim Fulton (NDP-Skeena) said Tuesday there will be a strong backlash from voters over Pierre Trudeau’s decision to continue as Liberal parly leader, “There will be an enormous public backlash because of his earlier resignation,” Fulton told the Herald ina telephone Interview, ‘It is going to be very difficult for the Liberals anywhere wesl of Ottawa.” In criticizing Trudeau's turnabout, Fulton explained it was “like a kid's footrace, where the kid enters only if he wins.” The Skeena MP said the split in t:> Liberal party over Trudeau's leadership had been visible even among the caucus in Ottawa.