PAGE B6, THE HERALD, Wednesday, February 2, 1977 .

IN THRONE SPEECH

by Cyril M. Shelford, MLA

I listened with interest to the remarks of the Honourable Leader of the Opposition in regard ‘o gas prices: He said that I was

ck for the second act of trying to get a better deal for the motorist. 1 want to make one thing clear when. it comes to acting, I never expect to compete with a

rofessional. My friend the

ader of the Opposition is an excellent actor but his record in government proved he if a poor producer. I would point out that during the period I was involved in gas prices they were up less than three cents in 20 years, compared to 20 cents in three years during his administration.

In my opinion this is a realistic budget for time of restraint. 1 was pleased ta see most of the sales tax removed from mabile homes. The removal of 85 percent of the tax on propane which helps those living in rural areas with no electric power.

I'm pleased also that the

home owners grant for these over 65 is going up $50 to $430. Also good news is the increased financial assistance for local government and an $8 million fund for community recreation.

However, 1 am concerned there is no mention of financial support for private schools. 4. commitment this party must keep as it was promised by all members of this party. ['m also sorry to see a $2 million cut in reforestation which is a step backwards.

There has been a great deal of discussion on unemployment which is a serious problem, however, far too much has spent by both sides of the House blaming each other which does not resolve the problem and put People ta work. I’ve listened carefully and haven't heard one solution from either side.

Government spending won't resolye the problem as the money to pay for it comes from the taxpayer and industry which can’t afford it at this time and makes them less com- petitive on foreign markets and forces the worker to ask for more money which puts more and more out of work.

I would like to congratulate all ministers on their hard work and dedication. No one can sincerely criticize their efforts in trying to help the people in this province. I’m not impressed with non- confidence motions. Don’t put people to work.

I wish to make it clear my remarks today are not meant as criticism to any minister but as deep con- cern for the general economy of the province and Canada as a whole, We face a greater challenge today than at any time in our history.

A year has passed since I expressed my concern over the economy. I trust there will be major policy changes coming in the Budget or indications of major changes being announced by the premier or ministers during the session.

So far no major changes in basic direction has been made from the discredited policies of the former ad- ministration except a balanced budget and better administration of programs. Contrary to many reports the economy of the nor- thwest has got progressively worse since 1973 when logging and mining ac- tivities started to go down. No major improvements have taken place except in the mining industry where claims staked have in- creased by 160 percent and exploration doubling in one year. I expect to see tremendous growth in the year ahead providing costs of all kinds are kept down and no major strike occurs. If the Anti-Inflation Program goes so will the mining industry. In my opinion controls of some kind are here to stay as far too few groups show real responsibility.

The majer federal- provincial emphasis seems to be the northeast coal development which is 1,000 miles away, No doubt this will help the province as a whole if it goes ahead by helping the total economy

but only limited advantage to the northwest. My con- stitutents support this move, however, they are not naive . enough to think this will resolve the economic problems of the area.

When the Cabinet came to Terrace last fall, suggested 12 ideas to help the area. One of the 12 has been accepted with several others considered. They were:

1. Better timber allocation so that local timber monopolies couldn't hold back development. Later Pearce accepted this philosophy in his report. Tree Farm holders not cutting their allowable cut should not get new timber sales in P.S.Y.U.

2. Programs to help eliminate unemployment which is over 23 percent and over 58 percent in Indian villages.

3. Work out northwest rail agreement with federal government.

4, Immediate effort to reach D.R.E.E. agreement with federal government with northwest _ being number one priority for assistance — similar to the program laid out in the northland agreement signed by Manitoba and national government for the ex- penditure of $138 million on northern development, $96 million contributed by national government.

-§. Major effort to reach agreement with Indians which is holding up the economy and increasing unemployment.

6. The consideration of new government building in .Terrace. I’m pleased to hear the new Health Services Building will start this spring.

7. Kitimat port development is needed to ensure available space for all users. °

8 Ferry service from Tsawwassen to Kitimat.

9. Buy out the Skoglund Hotsprings and lease back to private companies to run. No one individual should be permitted to bottle up a natural resource such as a hotspring which could be used by 100,000 people.

10. A royal commission to study labour management relations which should at- tempt to bring all groups together to save our economy. We are on a dead end road going the way we are. No one group can bring this about. It must be cooperative approach. Terms of reference should be laid down by labour, management and govern- ment.

11. Place number one priority on the construction of the road north and link from Nass Road to Hazelton as tourist and logging ac- cess road using local labour and equipment,

12. Major effort to con- struct access logging and mining roads.

I appreciate the work done by members of the Cabinet in administering their departments. However, there appears to be no overall strategy on which direction _the government intends to lead the province during the next three years.

I realize there is no eas solution with our costs of all kinds being equal or more than world market prices. However, attempts have to be made as the present economic problems will not remedy themselves. without drastic changes.

Whea you don’t ‘know who te fared tr.

TURN TO US WITH CONFIDENCE

MacKays

Funeral Home

Phone 635-2444 Terrace, B.C. - Serving Kitimat

It is interesting to note that Premier Rene Levesque in Quebec has appointed four ministers with no other respon- sibilities except to find ways to either make the economy change or find a_ better system. This Is realistic as ministers charged with the administration of large departments simply do not have the time to map out new approaches. New ap- proaches are a must as I’m convinced we are witnessing

the end of anera. If it wasn’t’

for excessive debt, credit buying and planned ob- solescence. We must plan future direction and the reason I recommended last year that a committee of all parties be appointed to study this problem at least to let the people of the province know we recognize the problem and are making every effort toresalve it. We simply can't afford to lose

another year, with unem--

ployment ai an _ unac- ceptable level, especially in the Indian villages.

In my opinion we can’t

expect private enterprise alone to pull us out of our present problems because it’s been saddled by high

taxes and excessive regulations and not allowed to function. With every regulation comes delay and delay costs money. For every person in society trying to do something that will create employment there are six trying to stop him. As examples, Smithers plywood plant, timber sales, steel mill and now the pipeline. Without a growth of greater than 6 percent the free enterprise system can’t seem to function. The system has given us the highest standard of iiving in the world and by our own actions have scuttled the

‘system without finding a

reasonable alternative. Most socialist countries can’t even supply them- selves, ; ; All of us are paying high taxes to pay an army of people to think up regulations that will bring the wealth producing in- dustries such as agriculture, forestry and mining to their knees. We see simple timber timber sales or cutting

permits taking two years to .

get approvai where it was two months prior to 1972. Forest guideline regulations brought in by former

government but still in place cost the industry $10.75 a cunit with the added delay being even more serious. One department finally has to have the say with other departments having a fixed

- time for input. Hundreds of

projects are held up by indecision with the industry not knowing who to go te for a decision. We simply can't go on this way. This kind of going on-in all departments of government in all provinces, with 42 out of every 100 working for various levels of govern- ment, industry is caught in a web that is slowly stranglin

it. Elected members in al

‘democratic countries seem

powerless. to stop this

- ‘monster, with more and

more groups springing up

every day trying to stop

projects with no alternative suggestions on how . to employ our young people if

the various projects are’

stopped, There is no question the

northwest can move ahead if both levels of government accept an overall. plan for development. Granted it will cost money but little more than is spent now. The Gitksan Tribal. Council

pointed out that welfare in those six villages is over $1,059,650 a year. When you add all the LLP. programs which doe put money into an area but do little else, all of these make-work programs seldom get more than 10 cents on the dollar in value.

- However, if it wasn’t for

these programs Canada would in a depression now as the economy is not functioning properly. Listen

. carefully to these figures on _ employment in Indian. villages: Hazelton 57 percent. Kispiox 88 percent. Moricetown 83 percent’ Kitsequekla ‘78 percent Kitwanga 54 percent Glen Vowell 92 percent Hagwilget ‘72 percent

A country can't go on for long spending more than it earns and strains the ability

ofevery business to carry. on with high costs and high taxes needed. to support these programs. We are. nearly to the place where every worker has to carry someone else on his back. No wonder there are not enough dollars left for in- dustry expansion and ex- cessive demands made by unions.

Shelford presses for Kitimat-Yukon highway

With the present development pattern,, Edmonton, not Vancouver, is becoming the hub in northern development and will continue to do so unless there is a complete change in Strategy. For that reason I propose we start im- mediately to develop an overall plan which wil] take maximum federal and provincial effort to develop

_and designate Highway 37

which should extend from Alaska to Vancouver, This will require a roll-on roll-off ferry from Tsawwassen to Kitimat. This would deliver truck trailers halfway up British Columbia with the

saving of two drivers and

hundreds of gallons of fuel

‘ which will become more and

more expensive and scarce

_as time goes on. Develop the

rt of Kitimat for use by all industries. Upgrade the

Answering Bureau

Keeping TAB on Terrace information

Call 638-8195 Terrace

road from Kitimat to Alaska because already hundreds of rucks use. is route in ng pipeline equipmen

Alagoa. Once this road is u to standard this traffic: will increase 20 times and I appreciate the ministers efforts in calling several large contracts along with the Minister of Transport who is gathering in- formation. -—_

If this is adepted it will clearly keep the supply and services in British Columbia rather than Alberta: It will eliminate the need of a ferry north of Prince Rupert as Stewart will have access to

the new improved road. So

can Alice Arm when it goes ahead. Again, there must aiso be other short cut-off roads such as from the Nass to Hazelton, as a tourist- resource link for those wishing to go east to Smithers or take the circle

‘ back to Prince Rupert and

up to Alaska..

You can see by any map it is the most direct route from Vancouver and the western’ U.S. .to northern British Columbia and Alaska. The

_ whole development plan

must be part of the overall . settlement with the Indians.

Canada’s fastest . = growing family-size milk package.

Easy to pour. One pouch fits into the custom designed pitcher (available at a special introductory price) so all you do is insert the pouch, snip off a small corner and pour.

Easy to store. The unopened pouches ' $tore easily on their side, using a minimum of refrigerator space.

Milk stays fresher. Because you open only one pouch at a time, you have a minimum amount of milk open fora minimum amount of time. The other pouches stay sealed until needed, with the flavour and freshness locked in.

Light and strong. Though light in weight, the ‘PITCHER-PAK is extra strong.

Easy disposal, The empty pouches crumple up into almost nothing, take almost no space in the garbage.

. Just follow these simple procedures, When you insert the pouch into the pitcher,

tap the pitcher firmly on the bottom, 2 or

3 times. This will settle the pouch down

into the pitcher and create a vacuum which ' will hold the pouch firmly in place. Then

just snip off a small corner of the pouch

and pour. When not in use, fold the corner

down and tuck in beside the pouch.

uches (approx. 47 fluid ounces each) -

Here’s the best way yet to get family-size economy with pitcher-pouring convenience. The new “PITCHER-PAK” consists of 3 individual 1 1/3 litre po .., 80 you open and use only one at a time.

‘PITCHER-PAK' 4 litres = 3% quarts (approx.)

_ NowavailablealloverB.C.