6 Terrace Review. — Wednesday. November 6, 1991 EDITORIAL , he B.C. mining industry is in an understandable | state of trepidation, waiting (6 discover what the . New Democratic Party government's attitude will be this time around toward mineral extraction and the com- panies that make their living drilling, digging, blasting and selling material that comes out of the ground. -Dave Barrett’s most notorious legacy is the way he treated the industry. In Howe St. board rooms and cocktail lounges they still relive the 1972-75 era, shivering slightly at the recollection. Barrett’s big mistake; in actuality, was being somewhat ahead of his time. He declared that if mining couldn’t be carried out in a responsible manner, then, well, the min- erals could just stay in the ground. Although he pumped up royalties and corporate income taxes and placed restrictions on land use, during his administration situations like that in which Equity Silver now finds itself — posting a bond in the tens of millions of dollars for control of acid drainage from an abandoned site — would have been virtually in- conceivable. After 16 years of "friendly" Social Credit administration, mines are now operating under regulations far more onerous than those of the early 1970's. Although Mike Harcourt has been attempting to calm boards of directors, the industry is still nervous about abrupt change, and Glen Clark’s first sally into the provin- cial accounts didn’t help matters. In reporting Clark’s announcement that the previous government had approved a loan to Prime Resources, a company with numerous known Social Credit supporters among its directors, during a . period when loans to private industry were under a freeze, the Vancouver daily newspapers and broadcasters seemed to have overlooked the fact that the $7 million loan to build the road into the Iskut River valley had been approved early in the summer. Clark perhaps needs a reminder from his colleagues that he is no longer on the opposition side of the house. Any impropriety involving the Iskut road should have,come out when the loan was. approved in June; not when the cheque- - was signed. The matter was clear and the facts available in detail; the composition of Prime’s board is a matter of public record and the implications of building the road were debated in detail and in public The mining industry has belatedly become aware of its shortcomings in public relations and is attempting to do something about its image and about its attitude towards the social responsibilities that go along with invasive land use, Cooperation between the authorities in the industry and the government, combined with recognition by the public that mining is essential to our overall lifestyle and our local economy will contribute to both prosperity and wise use of the land. ChiQc Gh Dora vac Established May 1, 1985 The Terrace Review is pubtished each Wednesday by Close-Up Business Services Ltd. 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Paar seaese | Seren ees Ea dimers ioe im “en — = = $ 5 HEY,ATA MILLION pus A POUND, tt D voy ONLY HAVE = ot \ATOCATCH ONE: Lf A Tat =e VICTORIA — So, you ask, how does B.C.’s new Premier think? Well, here are some of Premier Mike Harcourt’s thoughts on key topics, from a 20-minute, one-on- one interview I had with him last week. Q: There is a 16-year-long line- up of people waiting at the door with their hands out. How are you going to deal with those who feel that the NDP government and party owe them something? Harcourt; Well, I’ve already done it, I've laid out what our priorities were going to be in our 48-point platform —- that there’s a better way for British Columbians to treat each other and to be gov- erned. (Our) fiscal framework says that we can only do what (the peo- ple) can afford to do. I’ve already said here’s the busi- ness plan for B.C. for the next four years, That sorting out of priorities has taken place; and we now are - being briefed on the financial situ- ation in the province. I made it very clear that the balanced budget legislation which I voted for was in place, and that is the goal. It’s going to take some time; and I think (the people) are prepared to have a more calm, predictable, orderly, open government. That is the pace I am proceeding with right now, rather than a rushed session, where if you want ahcad quickly, there would be a melt- down in the civil service. It’s just not appropriate to rush things. The books will be open. There will be a full accounting of the estimatcs for this year, and an orderly prepa- ration of the ones for next ycar. SNEWS ITEM: V5. NUCLEAR SUBS RESCUE FISHING , RECYCLING INDUSTRY in PR RUPERT” The view from Victoria — by John Plifer And it will be within my goal of a balanced budget over the next five years, Q: So why does there not seem to be as much consternation in busi- ness circles as there was, say, in 1972, when Dave Barrett and the NDP were elected for the first time? MH: Well, I’ve worked with a huge number of (people in) the business community on trade mis- sions to the U,S., to Asia, to Europe (and) on putting together an economic strategy for the city, or the centennial celebrations. So I have personal relationships with most of the business leaders in this province, and with trade-union leaders, and I have worked with both of them. I intend to carry on that tradition. Q: But that relationship with the trade-union leaders does cause some angst among the free-enter- prise types. Do you feel labour in the last 16 years has had an unfair deal, and if so, what moves can you-make to make it more fair? MH: It has been unfair, yes. The legislation of 1987, Bill 19, was a systematic, unfair piece of labour legislation, What I want to do is to have fair legislation that is on a level playing field, which allows business and labour the minimum amount of government interven- tion, leaving them to work out their own relationships, and their own contracts. 1 believe that I am the only leader in the province who can bring business and labour to the same table to work beyond their own members’ or sharcholders’ inter- ests, for the good of B.C. Q: The diehard Socreds would leap in here and say: “Well, we must have had fair labour codes, because we have had relative labour peace in the last five years.’ What about that? MH: That's because the employ- ers and employees of this province have systematically ignored, and refused to use, Bill 19 and the Industrial Relations Council dis- pute resolution provision. They have gone out of their way to hire private mediators and arbitrators to settle their disputes. I say rather than have an out-law that citizens work outside of, let's bring people inside the law, and bring the rule of law to labour- management relations, where peo- ple are governed by a law by consent, Better than having to go around them, under them, through them, ignore them, or whatever. Q: You have said you will revoke Bill 82, Has this not got you intoa position of contradiction whereby saying you would change or revoke the Compensation Fairness Act, you now find that there are some school boards who aren’t going to have the dollars? What's going to happen there? Will these school boards be left to twist in the wind? MH: Well, they are not left to do anything except to meet the obli- gations that they signed onto when they signed a collective agreement with their employces. Q: But once that collective agree- ment was rolied back by (commis- sion chairman) Ed Lien, did that — Continued on page 7 ponerse inna era