Friday, March 11, 1977

20°

VOL. 39, No. 10

SSUNE

Adeal between the Canadian and

‘S. governments to push through the Kitimat-Edmonton pipeline Plan, despite growing public Protest, moved closer last week with the disclosure that Canada’s nergy minister Alastair Gillespie and his U.S. counterpart, James Schlesinger, both gave support to theplan at a joint press conference i Washington, D.C. :

The news conference on March 4 followed extensive discussions in

Talks in Washington

the U.S. capital between the two energy ministers. While both carefully noted that neither government had yet made a formal decision they left no doubt that the two governments favored the plan. The emphasis throughout the meeting by Gillespie and Schlesinger was on the “‘benefits”’ of the plan.

Schlesinger struck a note of criticism of Canada in his remark that the plan has been impaired by

delays in the Canadian regulatory process, and stressed the U.S. interest in speedy action. Gillespie favored the Kitimat plan because, he said, it would bring Canada economic activity and new oil ports on the Pacific Coast which would enable imports from many countries including Indonesia. The Kitimat pipeline plan has been condemned on many sides as a scheme in which all the ad- vantages go to the U.S., and all the

disadvantages to Canada. It will carry U.S. oil across the waist of B.C., through Native Indian lands,

to Edmonton, there to be fed into . the southeast line into the central.

U.S. states. The scheme poses a grave ecological danger to the B.C. coast and interior, and is being pushed by the U.S. as an alter- native to oil shipments down the U.S. coast, which is strongly op- posed by the public in Washington and California.

Schlesinger’s criticism of delays

. by Canada undoubtedly referred to

upcoming hearings by the National Energy Board, expected to start in April, and hearings in B.C. to be conducted by the federal depart- ments of the environment and transportation expected to start in a few weeks.

The significance of the Gillespie- Schlesinger talks in Washington, and their press conference, is that

See KITIMAT, pg. 12

ne emma

Soviet cosmonaut Colonel Vitaly Zholobov signing autographs at Kosmos ‘77 show last Saturday morning. The large Soviet display at Centennial Museum is attracting large crowds. (See photo, pg. 12).

—Sean-Griffin photo

Public opinion ignored

City rejects DERA grant

In spite of overwhelming public Opinion on the side of the Down- town Eastside _ Residents’

- Association, Vancouver city Council last Tuesday refused to udge from its vindictive position and once again rejected out of hand DERA’s request for a civic grant.

Council first defeated Alderman Harry Rankin’s motion to grant DERA the $36,000 it has asked for by a vote of eight to three. Only

nkin, Mazari and Harcourt Voted for the grant which would

ve been used to pay the salaries of three community development Organizers that are essential to the Continuation of DERA’s varied Social programs in the downtown €astside.

A compromise motion by May Brown would have allowed DERA Only $12,000, but defeated. Brown, Bellamy and Volrich voted for the compromise 8rant, leaving DERA still two Votes short of the required two- thirds majority.

Mayor Volrich added the con- dition to his vote that the money be allocated under the supervision of the social planner, Maurice Egan. That proposal would allow Egan the right to hire and fire DERA

_ Staffers.

_ “We would never accept money

it too was.

under those conditions,’ DERA

secretary Jean Swanson told the Tribune, ‘‘The whole purpose of DERA is to allow the residents of the downtown eastside the right to choose their own representatives and to plan their own future.”’

On Wednesday, following the Council decision, DERA’s out- spoken Bruce Eriksen announced his resignation as DERA vice- president.

Noting that DERA could appeal the decision of council, Eriksen cited ‘the incredible animosity and personal bias” of Volrich and

BRUCE ERIKSEN

some aldermen that would make it impossible for DERA to have a fair hearing in its appeal.

The DERA leader told the Tribune that he was obliged to place the DERA day care centre and senior citizens centre as the first priority. Without funding the programs would cease, he said, and his resignation would, he hoped, force the TEAM-NPA coalition to reconsider their position.

DERA has the right to appeal the decision with a delegation .to city council. At that time, other com- munity organizations and in- dividuals can also send

delegations to council on DERA’s |

behalf.

Although it has not been determined, DERA expects that appeal will be heard on either April 5 or April 19.

Before Council rejected DERA’s appeal for funds in 1976, some 40 organizations and individuals made presentations to council urging that the request for funds be granted. Without a_ single

delegation opposed to the funding, —

council nevertheless refused to give DERA funds.

There could be as many as 100 delegations to council this year when the DERA appeal is heard.

Controls opposed

The B.C. Federation of Labor has sent a_ strongly-worded telegram to premier Bill Bennett urging the Socred government to abandon the idea of introducing provincial controls once the federal government ends the present AIB program.

Signed by secretary-treasurer Len Guy, the telegram says:

“Our. Federation..is .extremely disturbed by reports that your government is seriously con- sidering extending wage controls on a provincial basis after the federal control program is removed. We have pointed out repeatedly our strong opposition to any continuation of wage controls. Opposition will be even stronger to any controls retained in B.C. after the removal of federal controls. The result would be chaos in in- dustrial relations in B.C. We urge you to discontinue consideration of proposals to extend controls.”

Indications are that there is a serious split in the Socred cabinet over: the issue of whether to proceed with provincial controls if the federal government decides to end the present program.

The division was highlighted last week when labor minister Alan Williams answered ‘‘yes’’ in the legislature to a question from the Opposition on whether he had told the press that provincial controls would prove ‘‘disastrous’’ and “ineffectual.’’ Although Williams said that it was his personal view, it is nevertheless the viewpoint of the minister of labor who would be charged with implementing such a

in B.C. by labor

program. He would be in an un- tenable position to carry out a program of provincial controls after the statements he has made.

The view expressed by the labor minister is at variance with public statements made by premier Bennett and finance minister Evan Wolfe favoring provincial controls when the federal plan lapses. Concerned over the split in. the government on this issue, the Vancouver Province said in a long editorial Wednesday that the government should drop the idea as “‘impractical.’”’ At the same time it urged Ottawa to adopt “some form of national wage and price monitoring” if it was “foolish’’ enough to remove present guidelines.

There is growing concern in some trade union circles that Opposition leader Dave Barrett and the NDP MLAs have not yet taken a stand on provincial con- trols. NDP members in the legislature have limited them- selvesto asking Williams questions on controls, but have not taken a clear stand themselves. Perhaps the NDP in B.C. does not want to - come out against controls while NDP governments in Saskat- chewan and Manitoba still support the federal program and are staying inside it.

A strong stand by the NDP in the Legislature and publicly, say some trade union leaders, would go a long way to discourage reactionary members of the government from pressing ahead with plans for provincial controls.

Kashtan speaks Sunday

William Kashtan, leader of the Communist Party of Canada, will speak at arally on the crisis of Confederation this Sunday, March 13 at 2 p.m. at Templeton High School auditorium, 727 Templeton Drive

[near Hastings and Nanaimo].

This will be the first public meeting for the Communist leader in Vancouver since the election of the Parti Quebecoi, and his speech is being awaited with considerable interest.

Kashtan will outline the policy of his party, adopted at a recent meeting of the central committee, and the party’s proposals to meet thecrisis based on a new Canadian constitution which would recognize the two-nation character of Canada.

His Vancouver meeting will conclude a series of meetings in the main B.C. centres and are part of a Canada-wide tour to popularize the

Communist position.