A6 - Wednesday, May 19, 1982 - North Shore News EE editorial page The crunch? Two of B.C.’s three major forest unions are taking a second, cautious look this week at an unprecedented request from financially crippled forest companies to forego their mext pay increase, having earlier heaped scorn on the very thought. The International Woodworkers of America and the Canadian Paperworkers Union may reject the idea once more, of course. But the mere fact that they are calling meetings of local union presidents to discuss the proposal suggests that the crunch has come in the current recession, which has already cost forest workers over 30,000 jobs and the companies many millions of dollars. It is one thing for unions to argue -- in some cases, no doubt, with justification -- that exorbitant interest rates, not workers’ wage packets, are the root cause of cor- porate financial losses, plant closures and business failures. But it’s quite another thing, in present circumstances, for stricken companies to produce immediately the hard cash needed to meet major pay hikes without adding still further to the mounting toll of layoffs and bankruptcies. The message has already been received and understood by some leading U.S. unions which have agreed to trade short term monetary gains for increased job security. The same message is implicit in the B.C. government's wage restraint program for the public sector -- better more people at work, each for a little less, than more and more jobless paying the price of unrestricted wage hikes for their luckier colleagues. That is the gut issue which local IWA and CPU leaders will be mulling this week. Pity the bank! It would be uncharitable to suggest that a little of one’s own medicine can work wonders, but many home-buyers will be ‘heartened a little by the plight of the Bank of B.C. Its planned new tower at Georgia and Hornby has been put on hold because the bank can’t find 15% mortgaging and can't afford a higher interest rate. Nice to know that even banks have their problems -- with banks. sunday ewe Diaplay Advertising 960-0511 imu lice Classified Advertising 986-6222 news Newsroom 985-2131 Ga Circulation 986 1337 1139 Lonedaie Ave North Vancouver 6. 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The National Energy Policy of Energy Minister Marc Lalonde was designed Tory throne-seeker drops by ONE WEIGHTY PROBLEM, at least, to increase enormously the revenue from energy like oil, natural gas and the tar sands flowing into federal coffers. The regulations of the policy are so complex that even 12 months after the fact, some oif companies don't fully understand them. The policy is designed not only to give Ottawa ad- ditional revenue, but to give will be solved for the Progressive Conservative Party if Brian Mulroney ever succeeds in his ambition. That problem being the size of its leader’s chin. Unhke most of — his pohtcal and parhamentary achievements over the past two years -- including the gift to the Tomes’ of an 11 point Gallup lead over the rud derless Grits Joe Clark's chin sall doesn't measure up for about one third of the party faithful This fact apparently helps convince the dissident minomty, in face of evidence to the that Mr Clark can aever again lead them to an clec hon victory Tory much contrary, No such difficulty with Mr Mulroney here for a weekend in however who was long furtherance of tis undeclared campaign to oust Mr Clack and become Canada s neal prime minister A yaw fashioned lhe the bow of a battle cruiser is a prominent Component of M, Mouleoney s handvomc features Mr Maulroncys bay date Monday was ia SPOO w plate fund caising dinner oat the Hotel Vancouver for North Nanecouser Burnaby Mr C tha bh Com balboa try Me Cour ws part of “ Tdisteapaishedt Speakers Sete, The approximate ty Ota ets Noob toon thre aftases were capected to net Mer (rrvet Sa Oerereli nd Sat tal Trans offers axvonoe hh as $22 CF Bored to threat M, Moalroney capeosecd himocll te: ao osemall aud sehbeet buime bb of local editors and The host, Mr Cook, stressed that this cosy get-together was ai “back grounder” and therefore to be treated as off the record, with no direct quotes by) or attnbulions to, the trom the far cast party columnists gucst SEALED LIPS In the event, there was hitthe need to seal our lips on the subyect of Mr Mulroney and the party) leadership Running truce to form so far, he skilfully) ignored the subject. concentrating Liberal bashing and his own concept of the Tory alternative to the yadcd Trudcau mob From instead oon two hours of hstening to this personable Anglo Quebes tycoon talking Off the record there emerged an incs< apable parallel with eo man old cnough to be his us Reagan Like Reagan M, Mulroney as father Ronald President smaonothiy ar theoulate and caudes con Trash cbarc One of (castern sidcrable Canadas top tndustrahists hes present of lron Ore Company of Canada and — the North Railway CJuc be. Share and Labrador and dipceton of ia Josen OCher Conponrations A osclh nade achiever at age 4) he preaches the time honored free ONCE peise sink sant sy cf prendre Urvaty Ottawa control the battle with Newfoun- dland over = off-shore resources 1s all about) — control. The®* federal government insists on being able to conirol production volumes, price and ex- ploration. Regulations now in place allow it to do exactly that. The cost to Canada been lower levels in the That's what has ernle ration Canadian the authorization for the government to levy up to an additional 70 cents a gallon in tax on both heating oil and gasoline. That's in addition to the 28 cents per gallon in tax already levied since spring of 1980 on gasoline and heating oil. There’s also provision in that bill to give PetroCanada an additional $5.5 billion in federal financing, which will come from tax coffers. Canadian Comment BY PETER WARD energy industry and also a subtle shift in the way Ot- tawa haw tic = reenlations to protect) the environment. Government could be trusted with settng and applying regulat-ns when it was a referec It can't be trusted when it becomes a major player. Control, of course, costs money. Tax monev The bill for Petro’na was $1.5 bilhon, but iu dint add a drop of new oi! tc Canadian resources The energy omnibus bi.) which stalled Parliament tor 15 days in March will make available the funds fcr takeovers by the government and better control One of the provisions in the energy bill that the Conservatives didn't hke was Noel Wright rewarding and the work cthee woupled with government frugality and curbs on burcaucrati in terferencc in the wealth gemerating activities of the private see lot And he believes Che wok force will Coro pe nate in helping the through Cc coher ttiy foul times at the bosses CRO ONE pryt hbobogr al setting an Ve aude ssbispe bey crane ool pcrsonal fonttatiel MARDBHALL (CAME In oll Maahronmcy teveals lhamself as pn Chaann these Utre venpe bots R41, senall «© (as well as capital ©) Cunservative Beis mcatly pac hkaped! soobuttoms te. So control of the Canadian energy sector is now firmly in Canadian hands — not private Canadian industry hands, but in federal government hands. Ottawa has the power to discourage exploration im the provinces and encourage exploration in federal lands where there is no shared junsdiction, and that’s exactly what govern- ment is doing. There's an additional cost to all this. When government takes control of an industry, government can hardly expect industry to keep invesing private capital. When that happens, the Mmegaprojects” get stalled. and the economy _ starts slumping. It's all part of the cost. our Current woes are simple. appealing and plausible To date, of course, Mr Mulroney has yet election to any legislative body How his theones would fare in the hardball game of national pohtics is another thing again, politics being the art of the possibic ino often impossible cir cumstances Pressdent Reagan and Ul K Prime Monister Margaret) Thatcher doubtless offer tips there Aside from that, immediate and = serious question lingers What will the undoubted leadership ambitions of Mr Mulroncy and other front runners for Joe Clark's yob do to the hopes of a mayjyonty of Canadians for carly orehel from the disasters of the Trudeau years’ Given Mr Clark's grim determination to hang on te his pob against all Comers whether fo win could him a few the more Mulroncy John David © rombie Bill Daves on Peter Lougheed a showdown © rostnie regardless of the winner would inc vitably Ileave the Tories bleeding from decpinternal wounds Ihat could Marrcavesr well bappen atthe very pont where they necded all thei vmod strength to prrovede Canada with an cflee tive alternative to the dee pening ofa to Ola wa With bas party still sa Chee tale mspye carc o areal Mr Mulroney s coerebe 3 aesad wooded Keagan MNpPresave jaw Peome tre ce rerugh fer the daunting task abead!