1977

THe HERALUL, fuetday, July 5,

PAGE 4,

—(the herald) .

Tefrace . 635-6357 Kitimat + 632-5708 Circulation - 635-2877

' PUBLISHER... GORDON W. HAMILTON MANAGING EDITOR... ALLAN KRASNICK KITIMAT MANAGER... W.S, ‘KIM’ KIMBLE CIRCULATION MANAGER... JACK JEANNEAU

Published every weekday at 3212 Kalum St. Terrace B.C. A member of Varified Circulation. Authorized as second class ‘mall, Regisiration number 1201. Postage pald In cash, return postage guaranteed,

Published by Rerling Publishers Ltd,

NOTE OF COPYRIGHT

The Herald retains full. complete and sole copyright In any advertisement produced andor any editorial.- or photographic content publishad Inthe Herald. Reproduction PY eat permitted witheut the written permission of the

han

- Bankruptcy in Ottawa

The federal government’s acquiescence in Quebec's French language charter completes the bankruptcy of federal language policy. Mr. Trudeau came to office in 1968 promising to _ promote biculturalism and national unity. Both

causes have almost totally failed. Now Mr. Trudeau has virtually endorsed the extermination, by Quebec, of bilingualism in the one place where it has had some currency for 200 years.

He has done so on the false and deceitiul grounds that the French language is in danger of elimination in Quebec, when, in fact, it is stronger there and elsewhere in Canada than it has ever

While Ontario and New Brunswick have, albeit belatedly, enhanced the status of French within their borders, Quebec has imposed heavy fines for billboards, office memos, menus and contracts where French does not predominate regardless of the language of the people involved.

Mr. Trudeau, who masqueraded as the man who would “entrench” fundamental human rights in Canadian texts of law in 1968 and promised never to desert cultural minorities including the English Quebecers whose Member of Parliament he has

been for the last 12 years acquiesced in this also -

attempting to establish a spurious connection between the English in Quebec and the French outside Quebec. (Mr. Trudeau is MP for the predominantly English speaking riding of Mont Royal and has never personally faced a French electorate.) .

The government of Quebec wrote off the external French Canadians long ago as having been

assimilated. While the other-provinces have been . modestly promoting linguistic liberty and variety, . .

has so infringed on written forms of free speech that it has ceased to be a democracy as most western countries would define it. ,

Mr. Trudeau has acquiesced in this, while serving up the old worm-eaten chestnut that Quebec has always treated its English minority well. In fact, non-French Quebec, with less than 20 percent of the province’s population, has long contributed more than 30 percent of its tax revenue, soitis the English Quebecers who could move (and now are moving) elsewhere, who have subsidized

.the French Quebecers. ;

Since the federal Liberals returned to office in 1963 the overtly separatist vote in Quebec has gone from 2 percent to 9 percent in 1966 to 24 percent in 1970 to 30 percent in 1973 to 41 percent in 1977, At the same time the Quebec Liberal Party has been transformed from the reasonably federalist party of Jean Lesage, whom Mr. Trudeau and his colleagues dumped from the leadership in 1969 to the corrupt neo-separatist grotesquerie of Robert Bourassa. Mr. Trudeau has conspicuously failed to explain federalism in any important part of Canada. -

Nine years ago Mr. Trudeau promised us a “Just Society”. He has delivered hypocrisy, cynicism, and incompetence on such a scale that he is sustained in office only by the fact that the Opposition appears even more inept.

The collapse of the Canadian federal state is in full progress and unless there is a drastic turn of events the language fiasco culminating last week will mark an important stage in its fall.

ACRAAN

a Sj

1 ees ee LEA 01977 Untveral Pree Syndicate

“Mr. Harrison took-off for South America with the company pay-roll, D'yer wanna leave a message?”

CanCel re

Dear Sir:

U

The writer of an editorial in your June 12th issue, headed “Bennett Sells Us Down the River’, appears to have based his comments on the misconception that Canadian Cellulose is a Crown corporation whose policies and actions are directed by the Provincial Government. As this is not the case, | thought it might be useful to explain how the company does function.

Canadian Cellulose is a public company with more

than 5,500 shareholders, -

including the Provincial Governmen:‘ 5 the majority shareholder.. As a public company whose shares are traded on the major stock exchanges in Canada, we are subject io the regulatory controls and operation standards of any such publie enterprise.

-* Voice of the readers

Since the re-organization of the company in 1973, Canadian Cellulose has operated on an independent basis regarding direction or influence of the majority shareholder, Th relationship has been and continues to be one of “arms length”.

A’ Board of Directors composed of responsible, experienced businessmen establishes company policy and a professional management team runs the operations of the company.

Your editorial” si that at the time of the re- organization, . the government ‘“‘chose to purchase” the company. This implies an exhange of funds. What did happen was that the government acquired 79 percent of the shares 0: Canadian Cellulose in exchange for

ests

puarantesing the long-term onds of the company. The Province paid no cash whatsoever for its shares and has not been called upon to make any paymen under its guarantee. The long- term debt has been reduced by the company from the initial $68 million to $43 million by early 1977,

‘The editorial’ makes a complete error in suggesting that company earnings have been diverted to support such government programs as ‘‘Mincome, Pharmacare and northern ambulance services”,

The Province, as a shareholder, has, indeed, shared to an extent in the company’s success - primarily through dividend payments on the same basis as all shareholders. The

cumulative amount of dividends received by the Province tothe end of April, 1977, is $7,245,000,

_&,

‘The earnings of Canadian Cellulose have mostly been re-invested in the company’s operations. We currently have underway the largest single capital

roject in the province - the $100 million modification of

the former sulphite pulp:

mill to the kraft pulp process, at Prince Rupert.

We also are spending a further $18 million to improve the existing kraft pulp mill at this location. The decision to modify the sulphite mill was taken by the Board of Directors of Canadian Cellulose on the recommendation of its professional management, and not by the Provincial Government as your editorial incorrectly implies.

This investment is based on sound business principles

Carter the controversial activist —

By GARRY FAIRBAIRN WASHINGTON (CP) —

“With less than six months in

office, Jimmy Carter is fast making his mark as a U.S. president who is willing to tough, controversial decisions and slash through complex political stalemates. Apprehensive governments

now are

wondering whether he.

indends to apply that damn- thetorpedces approach to the Middle East by considering the possibility

se in Israel,

of settimg up a major USS. . military 4 ae

The dangers in any such move would be numerous: hostile reaction by Arab States; resurgent Soviet influence in the Middle East; a divisive and intense domestic controversy in the United States; a crippling of Carter's ability to get other

rograms through

gress; and even greafer arms race in the region. .

Years of U.S. dipmomatic effort would do down the drain if the Arab states and supporters turned again tonthe oil weapon or decide to attack Israel before the US. presence could be es- tablis

REWARDS GREAT’

But if the risks are great, so are the potential rewards. A formal U.S. commitment to Israel and the presence of U.S. forces might induce Israel to yield enough

territorial and other

concessions for a peace

settlement with its . neighbors.

One supporter of a U.S. -

military commitment to Israel, representative David Obey (Dem. Wisc,),

“He wants to know, if we're so democratic, how is it you don’t have an opposition

in Alberta?”

Interpreting the news

described the basic proble last Januayr: “It is criti- cally important that Israel faces the fact that there simply will be no peace without withdrawal (fromnoccupied territories) and that the United States faces the fact that no Israeli ‘overment is likely to have he steength ta endorse withdrawal in the absence of a formal U.S, military’¢om- mitment.” mh

Carter has saad this is a key year to push for a Middle East settlement and to try to defuse the still-

- volatile confrontation there.

As with previous, U.S.

, administrations, the. r

White House has tried,jthe earrot-andatick approclygto. prod and lead Israel, jm concessions.

xs Recently there has heen unusually direct US. criticiam of Begin for his refusal to negotiate aver the oceupied West Bank, but Carter has also approved in principle a $115 million sale of 700 armored personnel carriers and 200 wire guided anti-tank missiles to Israel. Before that, Carter locked an Israeli purchase the, powerful CBU-72 concussion bomb and forbade Israel to sell its Kfir jets to Ecuador with U.S. engines. But he approved a Kiir sale to Austria and put Israel in a favored category for weapons sales,

POLICIES FAIL

But such mixed U.S. a proaches have traditiona encountered the Israeli conviction that withdrawal from occupied territories would leave it extremely

vulnerable to Arab invasion. _

Such lessons and the com- plexities and dangers of the Middle East could well deter Carter froma full guarantee to Israel, but still leave him with the option of using U.S. forces in a more limited way, such as posting them along Israel’s borders as a- buffer force that would.

and Israelis in the Sinai with success.

One question carter may ursue in his talks wit egin is whether Israel

could accept such a force,

While not as much of a

*guirantee as a formal U.S.

itary commitment direct

deter both Arab and Israeli “to Israel, it should still be

attacks under a multilateral agreement. Some 170 U.S. technicians have heen acting as an

unarmed, early-warnin buffer between Egyptians

considered more reliable by Israel than the United Nations peacekeeping forces that earlier left Arab- Israeli borders at Arab in- sistence.

our

and is designed to sustain woo harvesting operations in the northwest far into the future.

Canadian Cellulose is committed to the northwest. Our significant capital rogram will help stabilize @ economy and provide security for employment for our own employees, as well as for the many suppliers and contractors we engage. As I indicated earlier, the company has operated completely on an “arms length” basis from its majority shareholder. The independent Board of Directors alone is responsible for the company's decisions and action. These have been consistently taken in what the Directors firmly believe to be the best interests of ail the shareholders, as well as our employees and the

mains committed to north

communities In which we operate.

Certainly, profits have been a major consideration and I make no apologies for that. Without profits, there can be no Investment. Without investment, there can be no jobs... Without jobs, the economy - local, regional or ‘larger - languishes or collapses.

Candian Cellulose is proud, of its accomplist ments. Misinformed comment unfortunately does a disservice to our employees, all of whom ave contributed to _—the company’s success and commitment to -the future,

Thank you for the opportunity of setting the record straight.’

G.R. McLachlin Vice President, Logging and Lumber Operations

Best choice © for ferry port

Dear Sirs:

On the 20th of this month your paper .carried an article and editorial heavily

- condemning the Provincial

Government for the decision fo provide an additional ferry service from Tswassen to Prince Rupert.

. The thrust of these articles

was that the facility should have been located at Kitimat.

In the latter part of 1976 the Federal Government removed from Northland Navigation an Operating Subsidy which immediately deprived several communities in Northwestern B.C. with any form of regular freight and. passenger service. These communities have not got alternative methods of re- supply, there are no roads, no. major .airports, and, 00, - ferry services. -

It is essential that these communities be looked after for the basic requirements of a transporation service as

* quickly and expeditiously as

possib e, and- I think Mr, avis and the Provincial Government, using the facilities of the B.C, Ferries, are showing some effort in alleviating the hardships which have been caused,

Certainly Kitimat in the past has not had a ferry service so it doesn’t miss it, but it does have an excellent. road and it is served by an airport which is reasonably close by.

Witnout trying to even

answer the obvious discrepancies in the statements contained in the

articles mentioned, surely all of the communities on the mainland which are served by truck, rail and alr services can defer in the short run their political ambitions so that the communities in immediate need can be served first and as these communities are

geographically closer to Prince Rupert, it seems logical to serye them from

€, :

Let us try and put aside the inter-city ‘name-callin and generate a little genuine assistance: _ for out’ munici ies on the Charlotte Islands and on the B.C, Coast::which need service now, :

Capt. R.C.E. Kitching, General Manager

National Harbours Board Port of Prince Rupert

Thanks

Dear Sirs:

We have. just-received a-- copy of Ae ree leh” appeared in the June 21 issue of your publication in support of this year’s March of Dimes campaign. We simply wanted to express a very special thank you for your assistance in helping bs make known the March of Dimes. campaign in your

community. —

We are well aware of the hard work ahi in putting together such an event and are: grateful to you for Ta ar support © to Mr. William Sturby. He and other members of the Moose Lodge give so generously of-their time ta our cause and it is nice to see that this ‘dedication is

_recognized and appreciated

by people in.the community.

We thank you again for your contribution - your concern and interest in Children’s Hospital is most reassuring to all of .us. Thank you for caring. -

(Miss) Maire K. DesRoches Public Relations Officer

a

An MLA’s report

By CYRILSHELFORD MLA, Skeena cheap imports from areas of low ; wages is the answer. It is interesting to note that less

Good farmland lies fallow

Some people and groups think

countr Before

industry and export jobs to other es

than half the total agriculture land , is now in use and much of that in production is not being used to maximum capacity. We are producing approximately 42 percent of our food requirements at e present tlme; owr goal is 65 percent which would need nearly 4 of our total unemployed to handle

the extra production, processing

and various other functions.

One thing for sure we need better ways to see the farmer gets his share of the selling price. Not many food items have kept up. with increased wages over the last 10

years except salmon which is |

controlled by union agreements. If they had - milk would be $3.00 a quart and chicken $4.00 a pound. Not that we want to see this happen - we should be well aware of what is going on,

"all it

accepting this we should look at coffee and oil prices. Cheap imports today are very expensive tomorrow, and if we loose our production units we will loose our

nation - as we can be held up for.

black-mail for our water, oil or gas.

Society is far too unreliable today for us to rely. on the transportation systems - supplying basic food requirements from other countries, even if ours can - others might not. European countries that have been cut off from outside supply, at various times in their history would never let themselves get into such a vulnerable position.

It’s very seldom the consumer Bets the advantage of cheap mports and in my experience as Minister of Agriculture, both local and imports sold at the same price,

d was destroy our home

A Minister of Agriculture has no

' power to save local production and

one cheap car load of apples, pears, potatoes or strawberries can set the price for our total crop - but as I said before, the consumer does not get the benefit,

For this and other reasons 1 recommended this week for a license system of all food importers. This is a very controversial issue - completely missed by the news media in | Victoria.

The Agriculture Food Committee of the Legislature will he meeting in Prince Rupert on August 22 and . Smithers on August 2ard. I hope there will be a lot of interest and many new ideas on how best to, serve the consumer and maintain our production units. ° =~