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AWA ;
- OFFBEAT.
/ py

RICHARD.
JACKSON -
—_

OTTAWA — One for the Archives: —

Prime Minister Plerre Trudeau, Invoking his
tough “just watch me’’ stance of the 1970 Quebec.
terrorists kidnap-murder crisis In his current -
confrontation with the provinces, Is showlng:a:
softer face to one formerly assumed to be
among his deadilest enemies. -?

Perhaps It was [ust to relleve the tension, but
the other ‘day a note was passed across the
Commons’ floor.

It was from Conservative MP Tom Coasitt,

former (Clberal’ Party bag-and-boss ‘man in
Eastern Ontario, since turned into one of. Mr.
Trudeau's’ most relentless and bitterest
enemies,
_ The Prime ‘Minister, in one of his many
“moods”, had been refusing to respond to the
’ Opposition during the Dally Question Perlod,
simply ignoring thelr questions:

So.Tom Cossitt by Commons’ messenger sent
him this note addressed to. “Mr. Prime
Minister: yo

“in view of your inabllity to talk, ;

“Or apparently even utter a squawk --

“| hate to see you look like such a goat
tent here’ are some lozenges, to. help..yeyt,
Back It came, almost instantly? 16 MF’ ‘Cossttt?

addressed fo Tom’, and reading:

| would feel safer If you took one first. -

(signed) PET” .

Mr. Cossitt has. had a batch of shotocoples
made, and If you feel you might like to have this
historic bit of ‘foshing, In: writing, ‘between
Parliament's two leading antagonists, just drop
a‘note to the MP for Leeds-Grenville.: ~~

Remember, no postage required.

It might make a nice little :unusual and
authentic entry into your scrapbook of
Parliament, if not at its best, then perhaps. In.
one of its more human and amazing moods..

It wasan open scandal -- or If not exactly that,
then an indication of the rigid control the Quebec
a caucus has on the federal Liberal party -- that.
at the height of Ottawa’s recent and successful,
battle with the separatists.fo keep Confederatlori

together, there were scores, even. hundreds; of:: 7

Rene Levesque’s. supporters on the public,
service payrolt.

There they were, drawing thelr solary from a
government and a country they were. struggling
to break up, and the Trudeau. ‘administratjén
was doing nothing about It.

The situation caused all sorts of friction
throughout the public service with the more
outspoken of the English speaking employees,
long since feeting they suffered discrimination
In the bilingualism program, becoming even
more outraged.

Prime Minister Trudeau, Marc Lalonde, Jean:
Chretien and thé balance of the Ottawa French
cabinet heavies were busy In Montreal at the
time beating back the , challenge of ‘the
separatists, but nothing was being done about
the Levesque sympathizers and supporters:
being at work here in the federal woodwork.

Unspoken and uhofficlal reason was that the
government feared that fo take any disciplinary
action would be to stir more . resentment In
Quebec and further fan the flames of separation.

Correspondents from other. countries,
especlally Britain and the United States,
covering the campaign, expressed amazement
not just.that an open campalgn of separation --
treason, they called It -- would be tolerated by
fhe federal government, but that some of that
some government’s employees were openly and
often proudly ‘Independentist’’.

Well, It can all be explained.

And has been, In Hansard, with Liberal MP
David Collonette of Toronto, Parllamentary
Secretary to Privy Council President Yvon
Plnard, telling the Commons, In answering 4
serles of questions about the strange situation:

“The Government of Canada does not con-
sider sympathy or support for the Partl
Quebecols as a factor which would preclude

employment in the public service of Canada ... "

It’s long theen the same with the Communists.
They, too, are tolerated, unless thelr “sym-
pathy and support” crosses the! fine line of.
subversion.

Billygate closed but not |

. WASHINGTON (CP) - .
President. Jimmy Carter,
threatned by accusations of
scandal and incompetence,
mounted a-major counter-
attack Monday night against
his accusers and his political
critics. a

‘Ina detailed report to the
U S. Congress and‘an hour-,
‘long ‘news’ conference | on
television, Carter ‘sald. that
neither he nor any member
of _ his _ administration

“violated any law. nor com ;

mitted any impropriety" in

connection with his ibrather
Billy's performance-” BS a’
lobbyist for Libyé et

. He also served. notice, one_
week before thé. Democratic
national convention, that he
will fight for the right to seek

apother presidential termyas...

open caididate ob party,
the Nov: 4 election,

At the same ‘time, Carter

: conceded he’ had made

mistakes in “hanilling: the
Billy Carter case, He left
open questions “about his
judgment in the-affair. Arid
he acknowledged ‘that “he

‘trails seriously in popular

political favor just ; three
months before the election.

Asked as he left the’ White
House news conference
whether he believes his

effort has put the suggestion:

STAND OFF, Alta. (cP): ~
Dennis First Rider, ‘the 32.
yearold Blood Indian © who.
organized a blockade to get
John Munro's attention, now
isn't happy with the Indian
affairs minister's response.

. First. Rider pronounded
himself disappointed with
the results of a méeting of his
group of Blood ‘activists,
Munro and the Blood band
éouncil to discuss land
claims disputes and treaty:
rights as well ag treatment of
protesters by ROMP at
Cardston; Alta.,.’ about 80
kilometres southwest - of
Lethbridge, a week ago. -.

After a four-hour meeting
with Munro and other
department officials, the

council announced 4 joint:

committee of Indian affairs
officials and band members
which would investigate the
land claims, which cover
about 275 square kilometres
adjacent to the reserve,

including Cardaton itself, a.

‘southern Alberta town of
$,200,

Leroy Little Bear, legat
consultant for the 5,600-.
member band, said the
claims covering loss of we
alone amount to $60 millon,

The committee will review
the 172 land transactions in-
volved In the claims, council
member Les Healey told’ a
meeling of band members
and reporters. At the same
time the band will suspend
Fegal action aimed at forcing

*

of. scandal to rest, the'
president’ replied:

“T-don't know. It ‘depends
on how you all handle it and
how the American -people
judge it.”

‘First political reactions
were cautious:

_ Republican Robert Dole of
Kansas, . taking (pert in a

Billy affair that opened a few
hours before the president’ 8
statement, said Carter did
‘a good: job.” But ‘Dole

, added that the investigators
“gtilhave a lot to explore.”

New York City Mayor Ed- .
-ward Koch, a Democrat who ©

“has suggested the party con-
vention. should consider
candidates other.

unfair to visit the sins of the

well “a wk

“A spokesman for Senator
; Edward
Massachusetts, a prime:

Kennedy | of

‘rival, said Democrats other
than. Kennedy supporters

oppose Carter's: presidential :

candidacy. °

‘Billy Carter, who watched
the president's statements
on television at a motel in
Americus, Ga., said his older
brother spake ‘the truth, But
he declined the’ president's
Amplicit invitation during the
. news. conference to disclose
what he has done. with, the

oa

the and claims issue in the
courts.
' The

cbmmittee is

‘geheduled to be set up in a

few days and a commitiment
on. the mechatism of.
deciding claims may be
made by this fall. Healey
said the group’ will report
back to the band and the
department regularly.

‘But First Rider's group,
known as the runners
because they ran to Ottawa
from southern Alberta to
present the band's written
position on land claims and
treaty tights to Prime
Minister Trudeau person-
ally, wasn't satisfied despite
the band council's support of
the task force. — .

” “T's a long-range solution,

very long-renge,’” First.

Rider sald; .

The runners set up a
hlockade of seven Cardston
businesses on a section of the

disputed land two weeks ago:

and renewed It two days
later after police dismantled
it and despite arrests,

First Rider and some of
the others have been
arrested twice for unlawful
assembly, . moat recently on

July 26 when more then 90.

runners and thelr suppotters
_ were jailed overnight.

_All were released without
bail on undertakings to keep
the peace and not renew the
blockade but First Rider had
pinned’a lot of hope ma the
menting Monday at” Stand

brottiee upon the president. an

$220,000 he has’ received:

‘from Libya, payments Billy
has described as‘ part of a

loan but whic . helped

generate the political. uproar
during the last three weeks,

Asked how,‘he feels now —

about his relations with the

‘North African’ country he:
: promoted during the last two
Senate investigation into the.

years — he registered as a
U.S. agent or lobbyist - for

Libya July. 14 under ‘legal :

‘pressure — Billy paid: “I
owe them, $220,000, but feel
no obligation otherwise."’

Jimmy Carter's , 13,000-

investigators and his news

conference. came: three ©

3 Bill ;
than. weeks after Billy. Tegistered

_ Carter, remarked that “it’s ©

“under federal law; as, an
agent for Libya, disclosing
‘ the:money payments and e
seal with an American ee
pany: whereby he ‘st

Libya had increased ofl
shipments to the firm, ~ .

..The president and the
White House’ at

strictly an affair between

Billy and Libya,, although the |

president criticized the
activity as “‘innappropriate”
then and -renewed the
criticism Monday night.

President Carter, 55, sald
‘of. his 43-year-old brother
that. “we are - .: pereanally

otf on the Blood reserve.
‘He said the group will

_meet today todecide what to -

do.in the wake of the un-

-satiafactory decision. He ..

would not say if the blockade
would be set up once more,
which. would mean jail’ for
the protesters. until their

previous cases go to court

later this month.

Little Bear played down
the. danger of escalation of
the runners’ protest. But he
added if the blockade: If
reintroduced and ‘the run-
ners, jailed once more the
hand council likely will back.
them up.

“I can sympathize: with

‘them,” he eald, “T'ye beenin

that same situation, I'd want
an answer right now. *

But he said It was
wnreallstic to expect Indlan
affairs to come up with a

decision without studying the

documents carefully.
“T think they've (the
runnéts) made that stand to

put a little pressure on the ©

government, " - Little Bear
said. .

loud applause at the meeting
when he criticized Trudeau
for .resuffling cabinet
members just when an In-
dian affairs minister begins
to get a handle on his, port-
follo,

- Munrg in effect pushed a
good deal of blame for the
hold-up of land claims on

past federal governments —

and his owa department.

dependent,”

word report to.the Senate

to make millions of dollars if

frat,
responded hy. saying it was ..

“of the problem. " a

One band member drew:

Indian Association

—I iove him and he
ioves me.”

“Atthe same time, the older
brother tock paine to
dissociate himself .from
Billy’s activities, describing -
him asa colorful persodality
who is “extremely” in-

Further, he added’ that

‘until the matter is resolved, «

“1 will exclude any sort of |

‘relationship between myself.
and Billy that relates to -

government matters, that

- could possibly impact ee
” Libya:’’

The. president. also an-
nounced he has ordered the
drafting of a rule “that

‘would bar any employee of

the executive branch. from
dealing with any member of
my family under any cir-
cumstances that craate

+ vieithers thi steality- ot the
” appearance of any improper
favor ‘or influence.”

.. Later, however, it was dis-
’ closed that the : president | |-
- himself “had . authorized

Billy’srole last November as
a go-between to set up an
official’ meeting. with a
‘Libyan envoy _ a4 part of an
effort to exert pressure on
Tran. to release American

bostages,

There were other ‘White
House contacts with Billy

“connected with the Libyan
relationship. And it became

Task- force. solution offered .

- ‘embe fect of the mtier ia
that if ‘you. talked to the.

Bloods five and 10 years ago

thelr complaints ware still

there,” he told the meeting.
“Obviously, | ,
response is to blame for-pait,.

ee

Buthe said Indian leaders
‘also cowd be tabbed for
delaying settlements:
- “They have a vested ‘in-

terest in delaying claims,"
‘because they worry about. ”

settling too soon at. too low a
price if the land is éar-

"marked for industrial or |
- yesource development, he

said,

While the landclaims issue |

was the primary tople, [n-

. dian spokesmen also brought

up band concerns’ about
health care, education and
treatment -of Indians at
border crossings ‘into the
United States.

Munro was asked to tell
Canadian custime officials
to stop searching” Indians’
sacred bundles, ‘which
contain personal religious

artifacts and are considered

off lmits to’ all ‘but the
owner, -
The council asked Munro

) request federal Attorney-

General Robert Kaplan to in-
vestigate police handling of
the demonstrators and the
of

Alberta has asked the
province to drop charges
against those arrested July
28,

fishing. industry.

Lake Spillway proves com-

. Qusively: that. Alcan is ‘an.

irresponsible’ Corporation.

Let us hope that the courts

show no lenience.

Alcan’s arrogance has
“threatened the livelihood of
thoge who depend upon the
It has
“undermined the resource
’ paséof Britich Columbia ina

-way that we cannot.ignore. |

“A ‘ample fine: hardly seems
appropriate under the cir-
cumstances, It might be
more appropriate to «jail
those executives who are

"responsible for this flagrant

disregard for the law.
‘Another avenue that the
federal government might
- ponder 8 to demand that
Alcan pay back to the people

known that | Attorndy-
General Benjamin Civiletti a
“Carter political appointee,
had advised the president in

June that Billy should

register as an agent to avaid
legal prosecution.

There were also

. suggestions of cover-up -or

bungling. as presidential and
administration statements
included contradictions and
“omissions. This prompted a
‘congressional investigation

‘and -a justice ‘department.

examination of Civiletti’s
role fuelled a political cam-
paign against Carter’s can-
‘didacy for-re-election.
Carter yepeatedly insisted

ocked

Circulation - 636-4357 Steril Ar ll that Alea’ has. :
tidied , ne doubt ‘that northern revenues
zs may have had received in good falth from .
PUBLISHER: Calvin McCerthy tthe true nature of Canadians. This should .
EDITOR- Greg Middleton ; ‘Alcan smuat surely now have include’ the az millon ‘
-  CIRCULATION- TERRACE -c35.4957 (ittiCid:CS . disappeared, The Cor- popup’ it could ald
Publi-hed avery weekday. et 2212 Kalum Street, 7 poration’srefusal to obey the the en hundreds of ©
Terrace, 8.C. Authorized as second class. mall. «7. law of Canada and increpse - include the “—
Registration number 1208, Postage pald in cash, return the water flow over the Skins millions loat- in governme

‘revenue due to spectal.—
“concessions and tex breaks ‘;

in both Quebec and: Bc,

since, the company’s ,
Perhaps the most ‘apr
propriate move,
would be to relieve Alcan of
its responsibility for setting \:

water flows, [t is apparent

that a° private corporation | —

however, az

such a8 Alcan cannot’ be «

trusted to. protect the .
resources of the people of .
British Columbia, The only
truly sensible actlon would
fe toplace the hydro-electric
facilities of Alcan ubder
public ownership and to- ‘well

power to the corporation'at 2 a.

negotiated rate. Tt” caly

makes sense.

on, his . ‘right to: the. :
Democratic nomination on
the ground that a substantial -
majority of Democratic
party voters cast ballots for -
him in primary elections last”
spring. *

“What Seriator Kennedy ,

and others ate now asking ©
foris for those delegates who
are elected by the people «
who wanted me to be the
nominee violate their cath.
This puts back 10 years af ©
progress that the ©
Democratic party has made -

Paul Johto pt

to democratize the process "|

and to remove control of the. -

convention from the power ;

-brokers.” |

inadequate -

' MONTREAL (CP) _

recommend that the
party avoid refighting the
referendum. when it
draws up its platform for
the next provincial
election, says one in-
‘fluential organizer.

member of the advisory
committee and president
of the party’s vocal
Montreal Centre regional
" organization, said
Monday the committee
will urge the party to de-
_ Clare that its re-election
would not be a mandate to

association,

- Lavallee doesn't want

to abandon the idea of

political independence for

Quebec, coupled with an
- economic common mar-
- ket with English Canadas,

On the contrary, the

committee wants the
| party. to intensify its
campaign for sover-
. elgnty-askoclation, he
‘sald. But it should let the
‘government make the
decision on when to hold
‘the next referendum on
the issue.

That could be “two
years, six years” away,
depending on “‘when the
people are disposed to say
yes,” Lavallee explained,

There had been some
speculatlon the party,
urged on by its ’ most
fiercely pro-
independence wing,
might go for broke by
fighting the next general
election on the issue’ of
sovereigntyassoclation.

- Tn its early years, the
PQ platform called for a
unilateral declaration 6f
independence after
assuming power, but it
soon switched to the Idea
of holding a referendum,

That strategy was
successful In 1976, when
many Quebecers voted
for the PQ with no fear of
immediate independence.
But the party was left ina

_ PQ TO AVOID
REFIGHT OF
’ REFERENDUM

special committee of the. .
Parti Quebecois will

- next election campaign -—
expected either this fall

Dr. Mare Lavallee, a -

realize soverelgnty-.

. quandary when the yaters
turned around and*
rejected sovereignty in
the referendum last May.

Lavallee said the
committee is recom-
mending the party use the

or next spring — ;ta.,
broaden support -for'--Its:
constitutional option. But; °
like the 1976 campaign
‘that brought. the PQ to
power, a victory this time
would not be a mandate
for independence.

present itself as ‘an |‘

autonomist government }- |":

that doesn't renounce its
ideal.”

That approach, which
avoids the hard . cholee’
between ideological | °
parity andthe prospect of 7 -
losing the election if:
sovereignty-association *
were thesole issue, seems
to complement _ the.
government’s spproach
to the current con-

stitutional talks; ‘
Premier. Rene
Levesque and | his

government have gone.
out of their way to
demonstrate they are
negotiating in good faith
with Ottawa and the other
Provinces. But the
premier and other party
spokesmen usually add
that they still feel sover-

elgnty-association —_—will
one day prove to be right
for Quebec,

The manifesto, being.
prepared by the com:
mittee, will not include
specific election promises

— that will be left to the
government — but it will
outline the PQ's vision of
Quebec and offer ob-
jectives the party should -
reach in various sectors,

The manifesto will be |
sent to riding associations
before Sept. 5. The final
decision on the rec-
ommendations rests with
the party's ational
council, which will hold a
special meeting Oct. 4

}

!

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Rather, the party would. i .

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