The Frinee George
MONDAY, MARCH 11,1991
Low tonight: *12 High tomorrow: 0
Booze and the athlete Brewery looks to Japan Straw decides Brier
The sky is the limit
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562-2441
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562-3301
QUEBEC GRITS ADOPT HARD-LINE POLICY
Federalism first, Bourassa says
by Canadian Press
MONTREAL — Premier Robert Bourassa reached out to Canada on Sunday just hours after his party lined up behind a new hard-line constitutional policy calling for sovereignty unless Quebec is given a slew of additional powers.
In a speech he described as “a Quebec speech, but (from) a Quebec hoping to stay within Canada,” Bourassa told 2,800 provincial Liberals that federalism is still the party’s first option.
‘‘The first choice of the Liberal party is for Quebec to develop inside Canada in a federal structure,” he said to applause.
But he maintained for that to happen, a fundamental restructuring of the country has to occur.
‘‘The political system has to
adapt itself to the greater interests of Quebec,” he said bluntly.
Bourassa’s speech was greeted with relief by federalist members at the convention, whose attempts Saturday to soften the constitutional policy were roundly rebuffed.
‘‘I think he sent out very strong good feelings to the rest of Canada,” said Michael Polak, an anglophone delegate from Montreal. ‘‘He went very far in pacifying. .. the entire federalist wing of the party.”
In a key vote, Liberal delegates adopted the Allaire report Saturday virtually unchanged.
The constitutional document demands Quebec be given exclusive control in 22 fields of jurisdiction — including energy, en-
vironment, industry and commerce, regional development, and communications.
It also calls for a referendum on Quebec sovereignty by the fall of 1992 if no deal is reached with the rest of Canada.
With Sunday’s speech — in which he said he will talk to other premiers and the federal government individually about constitutional reform — Bourassa was seen to be reaching out to top cabinet minister Claude Ryan as much as to Canada.
Ryan, the former party leader who led federalist forces in Quebec in the 1980 referendum, stormed out of the convention Saturday when an amendment he sponsored to tone down the constitutional policy was defeated.
Ryan said he had to take time to reflect about his future.
Bourassa’s speech left some nationalist members scratching their heads.
“I’m a little bit mixed up,” said Guy Belanger, one of the more outspoken of the pro-nationalist Liberals in the legislature. “It was not the same tone as what happened at this convention.” Sovereigntist Gilles Rocheleau, a former Bourassa cabinet minister and now a Bloc Quebecois MP, said: “I don’t believe there will be an understanding (between Canada and Quebec) but we’ve got to give it a last chance. It’s a take-it-or-leave-it.”
Bourassa’s speech was met with muted enthusiam by the three federal parties.
Communications Minister Marcel Masse, designated spokesman for Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, noted the Quebec premier expressed a willingness to negotiate on the Allaire proposals.
“Quebec has to understand, however, that the rest of Canada does not speak with a single voice,” Masse said.
Federal Liberal deputy leader Sheila Copps said she too saw positive aspects to the weekend events.
“Clearly Mr. Bourassa has left the door wide open to federalism, and I believe that the number of significant amendments do send out a positive signal to the rest of Canada.”
NDP Leader Audrey McLaugh-
lin was also heartened by Bourassa’s remarks.
“Bourassa has left a lot of room to manoeuvre and I think the most encouraging statment that I heard for the rest of Canada. . . ,” McLaughlin said.
But others were disheartened by the weekend events.
“He (Bourassa) made it clear the only thing that distinguished this party from the Parti Quebecois is just the form of economic association with Canada,” said Robert Libman, leader of the pro-English rights Equality Party.
“If anglophones in the Liberal party are not ready to slam the door on the party this weekend, then let them stay in it with a mute voice,” said Libman.
MLAs back in Legislature
VICTORIA (CP) — The Social Credit government will do fine in the B. C. legislature despite pressure on Premier Bill Vander Zalm to resign, two cabinet ministers said today.
“Watch and see,” said Claude Richmond, government house leader. “The government will perform very well.”
Vander Zalm met first with his cabinet prior to the recall of the legislature today, then with his
caucus. The sitting will be tele vised for the first time.
But the premier refused to discuss his situation when reporters asked whether the pressure was mounting to step aside.
“I thought you had a question this moming,” he said, walking up the stairs toward his office.
Vander Zalm is being investigated for conflict of interest.
Ted Hughes, the province’s first conflict-of-interest commissioner,
is expected to report on Vander Zalm later this month.
He is using Vander Zalm’s own conflict guidelines to investigate the premier’s role in the sale of his Vancouver-area theme park. Fantasy Gardens, to a Taiwanese billionaire.
The Social Credit party, rife with dissension, appears to be in turmoil with the resignation last week of Finance Minister Mel Couvelier.
Couvelier wanted Vander Zalm to relinquish his duties in the legislature until Hughes completed his investigation.
Despite the problems, some cabinet ministers dismissed suggestions the government was suffering a leadership crisis.
“What a ridiculous question,” said deputy premier Rita Johnston. “You know the average joe on the street isn’t interested in this leadership question.”
More lumber exports seen as result of war
The end of the Gulf War will soon mean good news for local sawmills, says Stan Gamlin of Seaboard Lumber in Vancouver.
“There’s always been business with Saudi Arabia with Dunkley Lumber, Carrier Lumber and Canfor in your area participating,” Gamlin said in a telephone interview.
“We’re getting a lot of inquiries from Kuwait and some people say they have orders in their pockets, but it’s a little early yet,” said the trader for the largest timber exporting firm in Canada.
“It’s not firm until you have a letter of credit you can take to a bank. A lot of people in the business aren’t back in Kuwait yet Our representatives are waiting until power and water is back on.
“It’s going to have a significant effect on our business, even if we’re not the major player.
“Rebuilding will consume a vast quantity of wood and if Scandinavian mills are sending wood into that market, it means that lumber can’t go into other markets, so we’ll soon see a major rise in prices on the world market.”
CITIZEN BOXING EVENT
Champs help children
The Prince George Citizen’s second annual Champions for Children amateur boxing card scored a knockout for local charities Saturday.
About 800 people attended the 12-bout event, which featured boxers from the Spruce Capital Boxing Club and top amateurs from British Columbia and Alberta.
All the profits from the event, which Citizen promotions co-ordina-tor Hank Swankhuizen says will top last year’s $6,000, will be split between the Prince George Receiving Home Society and the Prince George Sexual Assault Centre Society and will be used to finance programs for children.
Details, page 11.
Tax restraint not timed well, mayor claims
by BERNICE TRICK Citizen Staff
A request last week for B.C. municipalities to hold the line on property taxes this year is ill-timed as far as Mayor John Backhouse is concerned.
“I think the timing is most unfortunate with us being two months into a new fiscal year as well as having gone through the budget process,” said the Prince George mayor in a reaction to the request by Municipal Affairs Minister Lyall Hanson.
“This sudden realization dawning on the minister should have been a well-thought-out process in consultation with municipalities rather than a reaction to a situation, and it should have been clearly identified months ago,” Backhouse said.
In the statement, Hanson reminded local government of the province’s 12-point plan announced earlier this year which is designed as a taxpayer protection plan and said if municipalities don’t comply with the request, the province could regulate limits on municipal taxes.
Backhouse resents the implication that such a move would be necessary.
"Fiscal restraint is not new to local government. We’re aware of the necessity and we don’t require prompting by the minister.”
However, Backhouse has requested a report from the city’s financial department on the request and expects it shortly at city council.
Added costs to the city budget
are resulting from costs being passed down from senior governments and from city staff collective agreements, said Backhouse, indicating such costs are pretty difficult to get around.
The 1991 budget for the city is estimated at $48.6 million — up about $3 million over last year.
Bill Kennedy, city finance director, said his department is aware of the request and is looking at it, but it’s too soon to offer any comments.
The province’s 12-point plan includes a freeze on taxes, freeze on salaries and benefits for public officials, fair wage settlements in the public sector, a cap on government spending, and job creation in reforestation and environment programs, ship building, aerospace and advanced technology.
Derailment closes line
VANCOUVER (CP) — A derailment has closed the BC Rail line north of Lillooet until at least Wednesday.
Fifteen cars of a southbound freight train went off the tracks Sunday, BC Rail spokesman Barrie Wall said Monday.
Some of the cars went over a steep bank towards the Fraser River.
The cars were carrying lumber and paper products, and pose no environmental danger, said Wall.
Pickets protest cutback
About a dozen off-duty staff members set up an “information picket line” to pass out leaflets, rather than to stop people from entering, at Simon Fraser Lodge this moming.
The picket line was set up to protest cutbacks which are equal to two full-time positions of the 60 Hospital Employeees Union members who work at the private extended care facility, according to
John Hurren, director for the HEU’s Northern region.
According to Hurren, one laundry worker is being laid off, with cutbacks in night shift coverage, an activity aide’s work and that of a seamstress.
“This will leave one registered nurse and one aide to care for 90 residents” during part of each night, Hurren said.
Citizen photo by Dave Milne
Garey Jonson of the B.C. Academy of Juggling shows the Third Nechako Scouts, Cubs and Beavers Juggler how t0 iu9.9le tennis racquets and other objects, as part of a clinic on juggling. It was held Friday
* during their annual parent-son banquet. The youngsters were started off juggling with scarves,
graduating to beanbags.
INDEX
Ann Landers . . . 14
Bridge..... . . 18
Business .... . . .9
City, B.C. . . . . . 2,3
Classified . . . 16*19
Comic..... . . 15
Commentary . . . .5
Crossword . . . . . 17
Editorial .... . . .4
Entertainment . . 15
Family..... . . 14,
Horoscope . . . . . 18
International . . . .7
Lotteries .... . . .7
Movies..... . . 15
National .... . . .6
Sports..... 1M3
Television . . . . . 18
"My heart nearly stopped. I thought 1 was looking in a mirror."