The treats to Howe Sound

Dear Editor:

Did you know that the
Environment and Land Use
Committee (E.L.U.C.) under
the chairmanship of Stephen

Rogers, Minister of the
Environment, has brought a
decision from cabinet on
their recent study of
Gambier Island? The
decision, as received by the
Islands Trust, was a green-
light for 20th Century to
continue their mineral
exploration on the islands,
until such time, we gather,
as they submit an application
for a production lease. We
back the Islands Trust 100%
with their contention that
the government = should
invoke the Islands Trust Act
of 1974 and stop this
development now, before

the trend is irreversible.

We have two other
troublespots in Howe Sound
causing us concern.
Britannia Beach, with Dome
Petroleum buying and
clearing dwellings from 500
acres there, points to big
plans for a petro-chemical
plant and tanker port. It is
also evident that they have
had extensive talks with our
B.C. Government, who also
give them the opportunity to
come up with plans.

The latest threat is even
more direct — B.C. Rail, our
own crown corporation, is
talking about Squamish as a
marshalling yard. Is our
point of view being ignored?
Are 6,000 petition signatures
not good enough to change
the minds of our elected

representatives? In each of
these above cases, alter-
native sites can be found in
this big province of ours. We
can no longer afford to be
apathetic. We must protest
against the tacit en-
couragement being given to
heavy industry.

Save Howe Sound Society
is now an_ incorporated
society. Our ultimate aim is
to see that Howe Sound is
protected as a recreational
area in perpetuity. Its first
directors believe that this
can best be achieved by

obtaining a large mem-
bership. We therefore
welcome individuals or

groups who wish to preserve
Howe Sound to become
supporting members
(modest fee $2.00 per an-

num).
good use your donations of
money and talents, if you
believe that we all must act
before Howe Sound is given
away under our noises by
default.

If you care, make your
opinion known by writing to
the Premier, Environment
Minister Stephen Rogers and
our M.L.A. for this con-
stituency, Allan Williams,
explaining how you feel
about saving Howe Sound
for the enjoyment of all, and
not just for the enrichment
of a few.

Mrs. Doreen Wakely,
for

SAVE HOWE

SOUND SOCIETY

West Vancouver

How to finance an island pipeline

Dear Editor:

There won't be any
federal funds for a _ gas
pipeline to Vancouver
Island. At least that’s what
Energy Minister Marc
Lalonde said when he visited
Vancouver recently. So
British Columbians will have
to pay for the extension
themselves. At least it looks
that way now.

Joe Clark’s Conservatives
were going to help with a
federal subsidy. Pierre
Trudeau's Liberals are not.
The Honourable Mr.
Lalonde is now saying,
rather conveniently, that
pipelines within a province
are provincial. Only lines

that cross provincial
boundaries can be sub
sidized by Ottawa.

That is great for Quebec.
It’s great for the Maritimes.
Getting their oil and gas
from Alberta, they can apply
for federal aid. But B.C.,
using B.C. gas, must go it

alone because an un-
derwater pipeline across
Georgia Strait doesn’t

qualify as inter-provincial
trade.

Our B.C. tax dollars help
pay for a big diameter oil
line from Sarnia, Ontario to
Montreal now. They will

shortly, also, be paying for
gas line extensions into
Eastern Quebec, New

Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
So we need a tax offset to
balance our books. What
better device than increasing
our provincial tax revenue
from pipeline rights-of-way
such as those which will be
occupied by an Alaska

Highway gas pipeline or a >

reversed Trans Mountain oil
pipeline?

We must be careful. We
mustn't discriminate bet-
ween companies or we will
offend the 1977 pipeline
agreement between Canada
and the United States. But,
by taxing ali our lines on a

Protest the seal hunt

Dear Editor:

I am deeply concerned by
the slaughter of seal pups
and hood seals and was
encouraged to find, by your
man in the street question,
that other North Shore
residents feel as I do.

I propose to send a letter
to Ron Huntington, M.P. for
North Vancouver, Capilano,
voicing my feelings on the
subject. I would be grateful

if you could print this letter
so that others who feel as
strongly as I do can make
their voices heard and
perhaps together we can
exert some pressure on the
government to abandon this
slaughter and find some
other means for these men to
make a living.

Jeanctte
Leigh Paisley
North Vancouver

The ink is wrong

Dear Editor:

I enjoy your Wednesday
and Sunday News very much

but have one = objection,
namely, the ink you use

machines in Reno all day.
My wife won't let me read it
on the table as it makes her
white tablecloth filthy

Here's to cleaner ink

capacity basis we can raise
enough money to pay for a
gas pipeline to Vancouver
Island and then some!

Historically B.C. has been
generous to our long
distance transportation
companies. It granted rights-
of-way to the C.P.R. and the
C.N.R. which are worth
billions of dollars today. It
turned over corridors to our
oil and gas pipeline com-
panies at minimal rates. Our
highways are free to inter-

gems

provincial trucking, etc. So
why not take a fresh look at
the way these “national”
carriers are taxed? They
should pay their own way
like anyone else. And, in so
doing, they will make it
possible to provide tran-
sportation services for all
our people (including
natural gas for Vancouver
Island).

Jack Davis, MLA
North Vancouver-
Seymour

Gem Remounting
Special

We have acquired an extremely large selec.
tion of ring mounts from which you can
choose an elegant setting for your precious

| Gem Sale

Diamonds, Ruby. Sapphires, Emeralds and

We can also put to.

Minister i:
i e ' :
Dear Editor:

Your paper of April 9
urges everyone to per-
ticipate in a Pitch-in cam-
paign to keep B.C. beautiful.
This is by the
Honourable Minister of
Environment = Stephen
Rogers and it urges schools,
municipalities, etc. to
participate in this com-
mendable project.

Yet this same minister has
given his consent to the rape
of one of our most beautiful
islands, Gambier, by
allowing mining interests to
devastate its natural beauty
by exploring for ore with the
ultimate aim of strip mining
the area.

How can this be allowed if
he really believes in
preserving the beauty of our
coast islands?

Who is it that = said,
“Consistency thou art a
jewel” or perhaps it ts a case
of “the right hand knoweth
not what the left hand
doeth”.

Stella E. Welch
West Vancouver |

MORE
MAILBOX
PAGE A 28

AT-Weducaday, April 16, 1988 - Nerth Share News

After reading the papcr all
through, you would think |
had been playing the nickle

other precious and semi-precious stones are
on sala and available for your viewing.

priced up to 40 % . on

lyewels & christensen

1550 LONSDALE AVE. , N. VANCOUVER

JHC
North Vancouver

SEYMOUR COMMUNITY
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

We meet every Sunday at 11 OO AM
at the PLYMOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

_ just off Mt Seymour Parkway)

(Tolicross Rd
CHURCH SCHOOL and NURSERY
are provided

YOU ARE INVITED!

| scr rn
VISA’

988-8545