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THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

MARCHAND SUGGESTS: FORESTERS NEED POLITICAL CLOUT

Editor’s note: The following is a short excerpt from the speech made by federal Envir- onment Minister Len March- and to the Canadian Institute of Forestry in Vancouver.

“The forest industry and the forestry profession must create a constituency, as other economic sector groups have aes done. Frankly I think most foresters are far too naive about the political process and how it affects them.

“But to get down to brass tacks, the federal Department of Fisheries and the Environ- ment spends some $135 million on fisheries management and research and only $34 million on the forest resource. In terms of jobs and balance of payments statistics, which do you think is the most important resource? The forests, of course. So why the difference? To say that fisheries are en- tirely a federal responsibility and forests are not doesn’t give the whole answer. .

By LORNE NYSTROM Co-operative Press Associates There wasn’t much. to cheer about in, the annual Agricul- tural Outlook conference held in Ottawa in mid-December. The agriculture depart- ment’s experts are predicting the next year will be the third consecutive one to see a drop in farm incomes. While farmers may have a little more cash coming in, the economists say, the rising cost of inputs will leave them with about six percent less income in 1978 ‘than in 1977. Income for 1977 was down

“Now compare the well- earned success of the fisheries constituency to the forestry sector. There are more than 300,000 Canadians earning: their living in the forest in- dustry, but how many of them think of themselves as part of a forestry constituency?

“Why are there more graduate students in a single, large university chemistry department than in all our forestry schools combined?

“Why, in British Columbia, where forest industries con- tribute 50 per cent of the value of production, do we have a forestry school half the size of the school of agriculture, when farming produces only 15 per cent?

“Why does the UBC School of Business Administration — one of Canada’s best — virtually ignore the problems of market- ing forest products, the products which pay for this province’s bread and butter?

11% from 1976, which was already 20% below 1975 in- come.

The effects of the cost-price

- Squeeze are now spreading off

the farm into other sectors of the economy. Farmers’ pur- chases of new machinery dropped sharply in 1977. Most- of the decline in sales was on the Prairies but agricultural implement factories from Yorkton to Toronto have been affected, with hundreds of workers laid off.

The slowdown in the machin- ery industry is worsened by heavy imports from the U.S. Imports account for 85% of the

A Quebec Superior Court jury has acquitted two security guards charged with causing bodily harm by criminal negli- gence in the shooting of eight striking workers at the Robin Hood Flour Mills here ‘last summer. —

The two men acquitted had been employed by the Bureau des Detectives Industriels Enrg. by the company to protect scab workers. The Robin Hood millworkers, members of the Confederation of National Trade Unions, were on strike against an AIB roll-

back of negotiated wage in-

creases. The acquittal means nothing

less than ‘‘calling open hunting © season against workers,’’ com-

mented CNTU president Norbert Rodrigue.

“They used 12 gauge guns at Robin Hood, What kind of arms will employers use in the

future? ; “How can workers believe in

a judicial system that, on one hand, can find no guilty party when eight workers were shot and, on the other hand, send 22

strikers at the Commonwealth Plywood Co. (the scene of another strike) to jail for having picketed their plant?” he asked.

A film shown as evidence in the trial did not show either of the two guards firing their weapons. The film had shown the guards levelling their shot- guns at the strikers, but the camera then shifted to show the picketing strikers.

A third guard who was also charged in the incident was acquitted in October after a preliminary hearing.

PENSIONS INCREASE

A record 3.9 million workers were covered by private pen- sien plans in Canada at the beginning of -1976, Statistics Canada Says.

-The government agency says the number represents a significant increase from the 3.4 million covered by pension plans in operation two years earlier.

“The answer to all these questions and more is simply that the forestry sector has yet to establish itself as a political constituency in Canada.

“You have to get involved with the political process and make it work for you. Make sure representatives of labour and environmental groups are invited to your meetings. Make sure you include your local MPs and MLAs in your plans. Let the media know what you’re doing, and make sure you get your points across.

“A unified forestry constit- uency in Canada would, frankly, carry a lot of political clout. I strongly suggest that

you go about the proper demo-.

cratic process of establishing that constituency. Get your hands on that clout, and then use it for the betterment of the forest resource and our economy for the people of Canada, who need to be made aware of how much the forest means to their prosperity.”

machinery sold to Canadian farmers .and the declining value of our dollar will make imported machinery even more expensive.

The fact that machinery prices continue to rise despite falling sales has also been blamed on the obligopoly position enjoyed by the major manufacturers.. The Barber Royal Commission found in 1971 that all the major com- panies had the same pricing policy: high, in relation to manufacturing costs.

While farmers can put off buying new machines, they must do repairs if they’re to stay in business. Machinery repair costs are expected to continue to rise and the gov- ernment’s inaction on legisla- tion to standardize replace- ment parts gives them no prospect of relief.

The picture painted at the Outlook Conference wasn’t totally bleak, though.. Wheat prices are expected to rise a little bit, particularly if an international wheat agreement can be negotiated soon. The recovery in the beef industry will continue, say the experts.

* * *%

Consumer and corporate affairs minister Warren All- mand has agreed to an NDP request to investigate adver- tising claims that liquid protein diets are ‘the safest weight loss systems ever devised.’’ Liquid protein has been linked to 39 deaths in the US. j

Experts say the’ diet is dangerous even under strict medical supervision, A new labelling regulation, which ithe

government said it would

announce by ‘mid-January, seems an inadequate response; it won’t force dieters to consult doctors regularly. But media death reports have led to a drastic drop in liquid protein sales.

(Lorne Nystrom is NDP Commons food and agricul- ture critic.)

Weyerhaeuser Co. Canada Ltd., Vancouver, wy British Columbia white wood chips to Japan over a fi the terms of a capi i be sig: :

hortly by its parent firm in the U.S., an Paper Co, The cobra calls for delivery of 50,000 BDUs (bone dry units) of chips annually for processing into lightweigi newsprint at Jujo’s Kushiro, Hokkaido pulp mill.

CHIPS FOR JAPAN

year period under

WRITER CHOOSES ALL-STAR CABINET

Geoffrey Stevens, columnist for the Toronto Globe and Mail, came up with what he con- sidered would be an All-Star Cabinet for Canada and neither Pierre Trudeau nor Joe Clark

- were given top key posts.

For Prime Minister Stevens chose NDP National Leader Ed Broadbent, for the steadiest overall performer among the party leaders.

. For Deputy Prime Minister: Jean Chretien (Liberal) who Stevens believes would do a good job of promoting Canada.

For Minister of Justice: Robert Stanfield (P.C.) whose honesty is unquestioned.

For Solicitor-General: Stuart Leggatt (NDP) for his honesty also.

For Minister of Finance: James Gillies (P.C.) for his sound financial depth.

For President of the Privy Council and Government House Leader: John Reid (Liberal) because he has been denied the job too long because of Liberal rivalries.

Minister of External Affairs: Doug Roche (P.C.) because he is a person who believes that diplomacy and morality are not mutually exclusive.

Minister of Transport:

BROADBENT CALLS FOR

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Pierre Trudeau (Liberal) because he likes to travel,

Minister of Agriculture: Jack Horner (Liberal) because he’s tough and energetic even if he does have two left feet, —

Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources: Joe Clark (P.C.) because he has promise — and wants to be Prime Minister. 3

Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development; — Iona Campagnola (Liberal) ~ because she knows the problems and is tough and © ambitious. Ny,

Minister of Commerce: John | Fraser (P.C.) because he is — both sympathetic to business — and sensitive to the public.

Minister of Consumer Af- fairs: Flora MacDonald (P.C.) because the consumers of Canada need a friend. 4

President of the Treasury Board: Tom Cossitt (P.C.) because he hates government spending, particularly the Prime Minister’s spending. «5

Government Leader in the Senate: Stanley Knowles — (NDP) because this would give him a chance to attack the / Senate from within and perhaps see it abolished — his dearest wish.

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CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAM

NDP leader Ed Broadbent called upon the federal govern- ment to take steps immed- iately to establish an emer- gency capital works program so that municipalities could help reduce unemployment in their communities.

Broadbent released the partial results of a survey of 180 Canadian municipalities showing strong support for an emergency works program along the lines of the program set up in 1971 when unemploy- ment was just over six per cent.

“I was not only delighted with the positive response but also impressed with the readi- ness with which the majority of municipalities indicated they could begin job intensive projects,’’ he said.

“My survey of municipali- ties was prompted by a resolu- tion from the Borough of Etobi- coke in Toronto which called for a flexible capital works program. It was so much of a contrast to the Liberal govern- ment’s do-nothing attitude that I felt it deserved national circulation. :

“Unlike the federal govern- ment which has thrown up its hands as if to say we are unable to reduce unemploy- ment, municipalities across Canada have shown they can

do something and with federal / assistance are prepared to begin immediately.”

Mr. Broadbent said the majority of municipalities wanted the program to begin as soon as possible so that jobs - could be offered both this winter and through the Spring and early summer.

“The federal government itself has admitted unemploy- ment will continue at well over eight per cent of the entire year. To do nothing in the face of this reality is to ignore their responsibility. :

“I first proposed such an emergency works p: on September 9, three weeks after Provincial premiers unanim-— ously called for a similar program at their St. Andrews, — N.B., conference.”

Mr. Broadbent estimated that an emergency works pro- gram based on funding of $40 million could employ s 60,000 people in municipalliti across Canada.

“‘It makes much more se to re-direct government spend- — ing in this positive manner — rather than to spend millions — on unemployment insurance — and welfare handouts. bom

“The program would not solve unemployment bu sufely it would help. ©

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