THE POLITICAL fight to get the Polar Class 8 icebreaker project back on stream is not over, as far as the B.C. government is con- cerned. Contributing ¥ {n its Throne Speech Thursday to open a new session of the legislature, the government called on Ottawa ‘‘to reconsider its deci- sion, and long-standing commit- ment’’ to the icebreaker. In the February federal budget, the Brian Mulroney government scrapped plans for the $680 million Froject, which was to have breath- ed new life into B.C.*s ship- building industry, and in particular North Vancouver's Versatile Pacific Shipyards Inc. Midway through his reading of the 90-minute Throne Speech, Lu.-Gov. David Lam raised the Victoria government's concern about the icebreaker project. “Canada must recognize that support of a strategic shipbuilding industry must be equalized be- tween castern and western” in- dustry,”’ he said. “Further, it may be more ap- propriate at this time to protect and promote Arctic sovereignty on behalf of Canada, rather than proceed only with a military build- ing program,”’ the speech stated. The Vander Zalm government also said it had developed a long- term plan ‘to renew and bolster our ferry system, and (to) assist in revitalizing our shipbuilding and repair industry.** Other highlights from the gener- ally low-key speech were: eA pay equity program in the public service sector to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work; ® Creation of a B.C. Pension Plan, designed ‘‘to improve income se- curity for... homemakers, employees of small businesses and lower wage carners"*; ¢ Extension of powcr and gas tine programs into the North and Interior to stimulate the economies there; ©A B.C. Referendum Act giving residents ‘ta more direct voice’ in plans for expenditures on various major projects; ©An_ Assessment and Property 3 - Friday, April 6. 1990 ~ North Shore News Victoria pushes for Polar 8 THRONE SPEECH CALLS FOR OTTAWA TO RECONSIDER BUILDING ICEBREAKER Tax Reform Act “to bring greater equity and stability’ to the prop- erty tax and assessment systems in B.C.; ° A pledge to expand the Small Business Forest Enterprise Pro- gram to increase manufacturing value of material logged; ® The promise of an environmental action plan entitled ‘Vision 2001°', “to encourage public con- sultation and {to} frame en- vironmental policy over the com- ing decade”’; © Creation of a Hazardous Waste Management Corporation to de- velop safer handling and disposal facilities of dangerous and toxic substances; © A promise of budget initiatives to expand funding for projects NEWS photc LAST OCTOBER, North Vancouver resident Julia Coulter’s Toyota station wagon was broadsided by a Volkswagen Rabbit on 14th Street in West Vancouver. Although the driver of the Volksv-agen was found to be completely at fault in the accident, Coulter is complaining that she has not been getting any satisfaction from the Insurance Corporation of B.C. over the incident. NO SATISFACTION North Vancouver accident A NORTH Vancouver woman who suffered multiple in- juries when her car was broadsided by another vehicle last year claims she is getting no satisfaction from the In- surance Corporation of B.C. (ICBC), even though the river of the other car was found to be totally at fault in the accident. And she is warning motorists to ‘clean up your driving because you don't want to be in- volved with ICBC.” But an ICBC spokesman said the corporation is doing its best to accommodate Coulter. On Oct. 11, 1989, 40-year-old Julia Coulter was driving to a job interview along 14th Street in West Vancouver when her Toyota station-wagon was hit in the driver's side by a Volkswagen Rabbit. Coulter, a widow with two daughters aged nine and 11, suf- fered spinal injuries, severe whiplash, broken teeth, hearing confusion and hip and pelvis in- juries. She added that she recently discovered she may also be sut- fering some brain damage. Coulter said ICBC paid her a lump sum for her car, paid for a rental vehicle and an initial med- ical assessment. But she said the Crown cor- poration refuses to pay tor any of her medical treatments. B: SURI RATTAN News Reporter “The adjustors (at ICBC) don’t know the difference be- tween the victim and who is at fauli,’? said Coulter. **The whole concept of ICBC and the way they manage claims is immoral. Basically, what you pay for when you buy insurance (from ICBC) is a dictatorship.” Coulter said the public should know what they are getting into when they are forced to deal with the provinciaily-owned insurance corporation. **There’s people out there who have been hurt a lat worse than t have. What have they (ICBC) been doing for them? If you're forced to get a lawyer, the first thing they (ICBC) trv to get vou to do is sign a release form, They don’t care Wf you're sick or in- jured,"* said Coulter. Coulter, who hired a lawyer in a bid to get medical compensa- tion from ICBC, said she will victim fed up with ICBC “If you’re forced to get a lawyer, the first thing (ICBC) try to get vou to do is sign a release form. They don’t care if you’re sick or injured.” ~Julia Coulter now fire her attorney because, she claims, he has not been able to do anything for her in six “months. “My lawyer said the reason nothing was done was because they (CBC) hadn't determined who was liable,” she said. ‘They determined who was liable when they paid for my car, when they paid for my rental car and when they paid for my medical assess- ment.” But ICBC spokesman Ken Hardie said the insurance cor- poration is paying for Coulter's medical bills, except for certain medical treatments. **The main difficulty seems to be her claim that we are aot pay- ing for her medical treatments. The chiropractor who has been treating her has been sending his bills to MSP (Medical Services Plan) and we have been paying those bills,’’ said Hardie. **There are other procedures being done, but the practitioner here (ICBC) wonders if those treatments are necessary and that costly."" Hardie declined to say what the extra treatments were. He added that ICBC has tried to accommodate Coulter as best it can. **In terms of the service aspect, we have enriched the amount paid to her on her car and we have extended the use of the car rental. The adjustor thinks we have gone an extra step to com- pensate her,”* said Hardie. Coulter said she just wants to become well enough to begin working again and wants others to be cautious when dealing with ICBC. ‘af t have to use my own money to get my health back then f will. The girls and I can make it because we're strong. | want to be productive...or PU | lose it.” which improve the quality of community water supplies - Noticeable ty his absence from the Throne Speech was Environ- ment Minister ead West Van- couver/Howe Sound MLA John Reynolds. He has been in Botswana in southern Africa all week at a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting, and was granted leave from the House. Reynolds is vice-chairman of the CPA, a position he was elected to last year while Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. He also is the first Canadian to hold the post. Before he lett the country, Reynolds told The News that the Commonwealth group was to review an expanded membership, including South Africa’s status. It was also to set the agenda for the CPA’s annual meeting, to be held this October in Zimbabwe. NEWS columnist Paul St. Pierre. News columnist Leacock finalist NORTH Shore News col- umnist Paul St. Pierre is a finalist in the prestigious 1989 Stephen Leacock Award competition. St. Pierre, whose column ap- pears regularly in Friday’s News, is one of five finalists in the competi- tion. He was nominated for his latest book, Chilcotin and Beyond, which was published last fall by Douglas and McIntyre. The book is a collection of St. Pierre’s newspaper columns and magazine articles culled from the past few years. St. Pierre, who has been a reporter, feature writer and editor with various newspapers since the mid-’40s, is the author of numerous other books and a host of plays for stage and television. Auto...... Classified Ads Eco Info Home & Garden Paul St. Pierre What's Going On WEATHER Friday and Saturday, sunny. Highs near 15°C. Second Clays Revistsation Number 3885