The
Citizen
Thursday, May 18, 19?8
Vol. 22; No. 97 —^m— Prince George. British Columbia
20' d
opy
U.S. VISIT
Soothing tone by Levesque
NEW YORK (CP) -Rene Levesque projected a soothing tone today as he faced an interview before a national U.S. television audience.
The Quebec premier, interviewed by Tom Brokaw on the NBC show Today, deflected suggestions that his Parti Quehecois government aims at mass nationalization and said his language policy is not designed to impose tyranny on anyone.
Levesque said his government wants to buy out certain areas of the resource industry, but also wants a healthy private sector in an independent Quebec.
“The dominant, the overwhelmingly dominant part of our economy would be private,” he said, adding that there was also room for co-operative ventures involving both public and private investment.
Brokaw asked about the PQ language policy, suggesting that it imposes "a tyranny of language.” ‘‘Bill 100 doesn’t call for everyone to work only in French,” Levesque replied. "You can use English with
anyone who uses English in Quebec.”
His party does not want to break up Canada, Levesque added. While Quebec wants its own institutions and escape from the existing federal
bOLLAR DIPS
Parizeau
MONTREAL (CP) - The Canadian dollar's upward move on New York money markets came to a sudden end Wednesday on the heels of a declaration by Quebec Finance Minister Jacques Parizeau that an independent Quebec might adopt a separate currency.
The dollar, which had climbed above 90 U.S. cents this week for the first time since February, dropped Wednesday to 88.96 U.S.
blamed
cents from the-previous day’s close of 90.35 U.S. cents.
Traders said Parizeau’s statement, made Tuesday during a meeting with Montreal businessmen, caused a “flurry of selling” when it became known Wednesday morning.
‘‘Parizeau’s comments reminded U.S. investors of the political uncertainty in this country,” said one senior trader.
system, it also aimed at association with the rest of the country.
"There’s six million of us ... so we want our own self-government ... and yet, for political reasons and for economic reasons, we don’t want to break up Canada. If they want to keep on going, they need some sort of free flow and we’re offering it.”
The premier also downplayed a suggestion that Quebec’s departure would lead to a wholesale breakup of Confederation, withthe western provinces going their own way as well.
‘‘That’s the old domino theory,” he scoffed, adding he thinks that scenario is unlikely. On the question of financial stability, he condemned the action of the Sun Life Assurance Co. in leaving Quebec, saying that was “a political move, not a business move.”
1
CUPE MEMBERS
Outside workers will vote on pact
by JAN-UDO WENZEL Citizen Stuff Reporter
The city and its outside workers have reached a tentative contract, which will give the employees wage parity with some Lower Mainland civic workers in 1979.
The 250 employees, members of Local 399, Canadian Union of Public Employees, will hold a ratification vote Tuesday.
Aside from the parity issue the negotiations settled sev-. eral other issues, but details were not released pending the ratification vote.
But while outside workers may have a contract, CUPE Local 1048, inside workers, are still in negotiations.
The outstanding issue pertains to hours of work per week and parity with civic employees in the Lower Mainland.
Wages for Prince George’s inside workers range from $669 to $1,732 a month,.while outside workers currently earn $6.18 to $8.30 an hour.
CUPE representative Jim Lamb said while workers in the Lower Mainland work 35 hours a week, Prince George workers spend 37!2 hours a week on the job.
The union wants the hours of work taken into account in the wage parity issue.
Lamb said Prince George employees work longer hours for less money.
However, city manager Chester Jeffery said the employees would rise to the top level of income faster than in any other city.
He explained the city has a four-step increment plan and that an employee reaches top pay by the beginning of the third year.
For wage parity the cities of Burnaby, Richmond, Kamloops and Vernon were taken into account and Jeffries said that in two of these cities the top level is reached at the beginning of the fourth year, while in the other two at the beginning of the fifth year.
This, he points out, makes Prince Goerge employees reach their top level faster than elsewhere.
These matters will be brought up at the CUPE Local 1048 meeting Tuesday and the membership is to decide what it wants the negotiation committee to do.
Gov't may retaliate with U.S. fish ban
OTTAWA (CP) - The government is preparing to move quickly to restrict American fishermen in Canadian waters if the U.S. cannot guarantee by May 26 it will abide by a reciprocal fisheries agreement, federal officials said Wednesday.
In the likelihood the U.S. won’t respond fully to Canadian requests, Canada probably will block U .S. Fishermen in proportion to restrictions on Canadians, the officials said at a briefing for reporters.
Action by Ottawa could come within days of the May 26 meeting in Washington of negotiators for both countries.
ZAIRE MISSION
The ultimate would be a complete shutdown of American fishing in Canadian waters.
Canada has asked the U.S. to live up to commitments in the reciprocal agreement worked out in April but still awaiting Congressional approval. The agreement extends the zone for British Columbia salmon trollers off Washington State.
Canada also wants the Americans to reduce catch levels for cod and haddock and institute a management of pollock and scallops on Georges Bank off the East Coast.
U.S. officials say it is unlikely the fisheries dispute will be resolved by May 26.
Paratroops on way
BRUSSELS (AP) - Belgian paratroopers took off for Zaire today, vanguard of a joint Western airborne mission to rescue more than 2,500 Europeans and 14 Americans trapped behind rebel lines in embattled Shaba Province.
Belgian air force transports carrying an undetermined number of paratroops in combat gear left Brussels’ military airport to begin the 8,000 kilometre (5,000-mile) journey.
Two companies of French
Foreign Legion paratroopers, meanwhile, took off from Corsica for an undisclosed destination, reliable sources there said. French radio reported they, too, were headed for Africa.
Belgium’s premier, Leo Tin-demans, told his country that time was running short for the evacuation of the civilians, most of them Belgians, stranded in the area of the cop permining town of Kolwezi.
Earlier story page 5.
TODAY
(featured inside)
Stately manor. Page 26
Are you lucky? Page 9.
• The Boston Bruins are down 2-0, but are confident entering today’s third game of the Stanley Cup final against the powerful Montreal Canadiens. Page 13.
Bridge................... .............19 Family..................... ....26, 27
Business............... ...............H Horoscopes............. ..........44
City. U.C....2.3, 9, 12,25,34 International.......... ...........5
Classified............. ........16-23 .Morberg column... ..........12
Comics.................. .............42 National.................. ...........7
Crossword........... .............1H Sopow column....... .........25
Gurden column... Sports...................... ....13-15
Kditoriul............... ...............4 Television............... ..........43
Kntertuinment.... .......42-10
c
THE WEATHER
J
The forecast for Prince George today is for sunny skies and warm temperatures. Friday is expected to be sunny with some cloudy periods and warm temperatures.
The expected high today is 19, the low 4. The high Wednesday was 16, the low -1, with no precipitation. On this date last year the high was 13, the low 3.
c
NOW HEAR THIS
_ Ed Delorme, manager of Queensway Texaco, was spotted this week walking back home to pick up his other car, after his first car ran out of gas on the way to work.
CiUirn photo by Tim Swanky
Trial
run
Canada’s smallest charter railroad rolls out of Fort George for the first time today. The long awaited steam locomotive at the park rumbled out of its storage shed amid a hiss of steam and beneath a pall of black smoke from its stack. Tne locomotive was undergoing testing today in preparation for its first load of passengers as it is expected to open to the public May 28. That day, coincidentally, is the start of Transportation Week in Canada.
DRINKING DRIVERS
Tougher treatment sought
by AL IRWIN Citizen Staff Reporter
Crown prosecutors here will be taking a tougher stance on drinking and driving offences, says Regional Crown Prosecutor Peter Ewert.
Ewert said he is concerned with drinking and driving in Prince George because all the cases of dangerous driving involving death or serious injuries he has prosecuted here have involved alcohol Three people died and one was seriously injured in the four accidents, he said.
In 1976, there were 60 traffic deaths in the Prince George subdivision, 40 per cent of which were caused by alcohol, Ewert said.
In 1977, 71 people died in this area, about 35 of these deaths, yr 50 per cent, involved alcohol.
In other developments:
• Attorney-General Garde Gardom said the B.C. government is investigating the possibility of replacing the breath-alcohol test with a blood test.
• In Vernon RC’MP spokesman say an upcoming trial there will be the first in the
country to use videotape of the behavior of impaired drivers as evidence in prosecution.
Ewert said fines here for impaired driving, and driving with more than .08 per cent blood alcohol level, have been lower than the provincial average.
"It is time we had a little more of a deterrent”.
He said he has instructed prosecutors to seek stiffer penalties for the offences, and if not satisfied with the penalty imposed, to seek recourse through appeals.
He said the provincial average of fines for driving with more than .08 per cent blood alcohol level, and impaired driving is about $350 to $400.
Fines for those offences here average about $250 to $350.
Ewert said the seriousness of the offence is demonstrated by the fact that a $2,000 maximum fine can be imposed for a first offence.
And second offenders can receive a minimum of 14 days in jail to a maximum of one year, if the Crown serves notice of seeking greater penalty than a fine.
Ewert said it is the policy of
the attorney-general’s department to seek a 14-day, jail sentence on second offences.
A third conviction can result in a minimum of three months in jail to two years maximum, Ewert said.
In addition, on first conviction of drinking-driving offences, there is an automatic three-month suspension of driving privileges. On second or subsequent conviction, there is an automatic six months suspension, or one year if injury, death, or reportable property damage occurs.
Attorney-General Gardom said ’Wednesday that the switch to blood tests from breathalyzer tests is "years away", because the Criminal Code specifically stipulates the only testing permitted is breath testing, and the code would have to be changed.
Hut he said that in a pilot project at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, patients brought in as a result of alcohol-related accidents will be asked for permission to have a blood test taken.
The tests won’t be passed on to police, Gardom said, but will be used to amass information on the feasibility of using man-
datory blood tests for suspected drunk drivers.
The attorney general’s office has given legal clearance to the Vernon video taping project.
Constable Ed Hill, Vernon RCMP crime prevention officer,’and Vernon prosecutor Lome Williamson said the system has been used with considerable success in the United States.
Williamson said the video taping will aid prosecutions because "they are demonstrative evidence as opposed to oral evidence, and they will carry greater weight with the judge, who will be able to observe first hand the conduct of the accused."
The video taping is done in a corridor of the RCMP office, and the accused is requested to perform four basic balance tests before the camera.
Hill and Williamson spent three days studying the system in Washington state.
Hill said American officials estimated 90 per cent of the video-taped drivers plead ■guilty, compared with the 30 per cent of charged drivers who plead guilty in Canada.
SON OF GOD'
Berserk man slain by police
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — A man brandishing a 76-centimetre sword and proclaiming himself the "Son of God" was shot and killed in downtown Vancouver early today.
Patrolmen said Gregory L. Bevers, 18, was shot twice in the stomach after a man attacked them with the sword raised above his head. Bevers died during surgery in hospital 90 minutes after the shooting.
Officers Danne Johnson, 30, and Larry Heckman, 27, said they found the man standing next to a broken display window at Main Street Loan Co. in the downtown business district. He was holding the sword in his hand.
In his belt, police said, he carried another sword of similar length, a 40.6-centimetre dagger and a 22 9-centimetre bayonet.
The policemen said they tried to talk the suspect Into surrendering, but he proclaimed himself the "Son of God” and moved toward their patrol car. He chopped off the beacon unit from atop the car and the radar unit on the rear of the vehicle.
Police said the man then walked away, but when they tried to get him to surrender again, he turned and charged the two patrolmen, who were standing outside the car.
Heckman said he tried to knock the sword from the man’s hand, but couldn’t. Both patrolmen said they were struck by the sword, and the shots were fired in the ensuing struggle.
The offi.cers were treated for cuts and bruises at an area hospital.