Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - April 29, 1981, Winnipeg, Manitoba 4 Winnipeg free press wednesday april 29, 1981 2 Brothers dead after shootout the four Western premiers answer questions from reporters yesterday about their opposition to Federal Constitution plans. Premiers present a United front Western leaders condemn Ottawa s approach of division confrontation continued from Page 1 cause in Canada. He joined the other premiers in saying these Federal attitudes were leading to a growing sense of alienation in the Lougheed said he Felt he had the backing of the people of Alberta in his constitutional stand. He said the Alberta government is putting referendum legislation into place to counter any move by Ottawa to decide the constitutional Issue through its own version of a referendum. Premier Sterling Lyon Laid to rest any doubt that the eight provincial premiers opposed to the Federal constitutional proposal would be satisfied that a supreme court of Canada ruling would Settle the Issue once and for All. Far from it. I m not trying to in any Way belittle the significance of the supreme court hearing but that is not the whole front of the Lyon said. The political Battle remains very much at in the event certain eventualities come the premiers still have the option of making their View known the British parliament Lyon said. Premier Bill Bennett of British co Lumbia said now was the most oppor tune time to effect a political solution to the problem. He urged Trudeau to respond to Lyon s message monday which said the premiers Are prepared to meet with the prime minister befits the supreme court s final decision. He said a be held on five Days notice. Bennett said it would be dangerous for one Side or the other to attempt to score a unilateral Victory in the constitutional debates which he said would be very hollow indeed and could Lead to serious divisions in the future. Manitoba finance minister Brian Ransom used the premiers meeting to condemn Ottawa s Divide and con Quer strategy in dealing with Federal provincial fiscal arrangements and Transfer payments. Ransom said most tax sharing agreements with Ottawa Are up for renewal in 1982-83 and to Date there has less than adequate consultation on the subject. He accused the Federal government of stalling the talks and not putting any proposals Forward. Provincial Appeal required twaddle tees supreme court continued from Page 1 0 Trudeau s Contention that the coun try endured 54 years of inactivity of the Constitution is incorrect. 0 rights Stem from the provinces not the Federal government. D consent has always been sought and received on significant cases affecting Federal provincial relations except in one instance that twaddle said could be explained d agreement for constitutional change Pas always occurred under the present system when it has been heeded. P Canada is a completely Sovereign nation and if Britain should fug out from under Canada by the British North part Way through a lengthy discus Sion on British colonial relations and constitutions in Smiith Africa and Australia chief Justice Laski gave a hint of How he sees the problem. There already is an Independent amending Power in Australia and that s what we re struggling with when twaddle claimed that the United states with its own amending for Mula has had fewer constitutional changes., than Canada chief Justice Laskin disagreed. Twaddle replied that he meant the . Had fewer cons Tim tonal changes in the period since can Ada was formed. T twaddle makes admission America act the country could go on twaddle also admitted under As if nothing happened. Toning fat his compact theory of q the Imperial parliament of Brit How Thelmon of Canada was created am did not Delegate its Power oven-., does apply to Saskatchewan and canada1 to the original four provinces Atoe Tai crested by the Federal Rover but relinquished its control to a " crafted justices spent some time Pat q the Federal government is doing by tempting to make twaddle s arguments Justice Estey asked if the entire Manitoba argument boils do or to-5 vision of Canada which the provinces entered and Wlinich must be governed by rules in keeping with its Federal nature. Earlier he asked twaddle if the essence of i s stared on Britain is some thing like a Telegraph machine where the buttons Are pressed in Canada but Heans of a joint Resolution to Britain what it cannot legally do by Means of an act of parliament. The lengthy references by twaddle brought some testy and provocative comments from the justices. Justice Willard Estey leaned Over to Justice Julien Chouinard and asked whether it was t about time we ask this Guy How much More he has to chief Justice Laskin told twaddle to give us the distillation of a British report on the constitutional question without Reading it in full. The mechanism works on the other Side of the Atlantic. Twaddle but extended the sometimes one government should be allowed to push the Button and sometimes 11 Are needed he said. Manitoba has no objection to the Feder Al government changing the Constitution in areas that Are its sole responsibility he said. The Manitoba representative also pointed out some of the flaws in his position. He said the position that provincial assent should be required on matters which Deal with Federal provincial re lations causes problems because exactly what constitutes an intervention in Federal provincial relations is up for debate. Such debates would be solved by the courts he said. But he did not favor a Loose interpretation of matters upon which provincial assent would be required. Meanwhile chief Justice Laskin told the Manitoba representative that he is prepared to admit Federal Resolution affects provincial jurisdiction. Federal lawyers Are prepared to argue later today that the Issue of whether it tampers with provincial Powers does not matter. H is Legal and it is the legality question that the supreme court must decide the Federal position paper argues. Manitoba was the first of the eight dissenting provinces to put its Case. The. Court arguments were expected to last about five Days but one Day has already spent with Only about two thirds of Manitoba s argument in Light of the Federal government s stated intention of cutting billion from Federal transfers during the next two years Ransom said some thought should be Given to extending the life Span of current arrangements to allow time for renegotiation. As a result of arrangements worked out in 1977, the Federal government provides Money to assist the provinces with medical care education and equalization payments among others. Pleased with arrangements the four Western premiers say the arrangements have worked Well and no major changes Are needed. The premiers announced yesterday that British Columbia will Convene a 10-province meeting of finance minis ters and treasurers soon to discuss the fiscal arrangements and prepare a re port and recommendations for the a gust meeting of the 10 premiers. In a statement outlining their position on the fiscal arrangements the four premiers warned that Federal threats to significantly reduce payments could seriously disrupt health and Post secondary programs As Early As next year. They also gave notice that Ottawa s intention to assert a greater presence in such Fields As Post secondary education would be considered an intrusion into provincial jurisdictions and could be extremely disruptive and damaging to the the Federal National Energy pro Gram also came under attack at the meeting with Saskatchewan Premier Allan Blakeney calling its Adverse effect the main economic problem Canada now jobs Oil cited Blakeney said the program if unchanged would reduce crude Oil production in Saskatchewan during the next three years by about 40 million barrels result in a 60 per cent decline in the number of Wells drilled and cause a direct loss of years of employment. The conflict Over Energy policy is standing in the Way of co operation Between Federaan provincial govern ments on a wide variety of other prob lems he said. He said Energy prices must go up a great Deal and eventually reach world Price Levels if a realistic Energy pricing policy is to be achieved. The premiers conclude their talks today with discussion on the proposed Western Power Grid among other topics. They also will tour some of Manitoba s Northern hydroelectric installations for a first hand look at what Type of facilities could soon be used to Supply parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta with Power. From the news services la Sarre que. Two Broth ers who had held police at Bay in a House in this Northern Quebec town since sunday were found dead Early this morning. Quebec provincial police spokesman Claude Doire said police stormed the House at about . Cost. Shots were fired Doire said. Moments later police entered the building and found Berthier Lemelin 25, and his brother Alain 18, dead. It was not Clear How the Brothers both armed died. Despite an earlier Appeal to give themselves up from another brother Jean Marc in a broadcast Over a local radio station the standoff continued. We love Jean Marc said ask ing them to give themselves up. We Don t want to lose police wanted the two men for questioning in connection with a Holdup last saturday at a restaurant in Maca Mic 18 Kilometres Southeast of Here. Madeleine Picard the woman the two men had held hostage until her escape from the House monday night was still in Hospital resting under sedation. Boston traffic snarled Boston several Hundred people angry Over cuts in Boston s police and fire departments snarled morning Rush hour traffic today by taking their protest onto major commuter routes state police said. About 150 demonstrators walking in blocked the inbound lanes of the Southeast expressway near Neponset Circle in the City s Dorches Ter Section at 7 . Not police said. Brigades hold politician Naples the red brigades were holding their latest Kidnap victim today pending trial after a bloody com Mando operation in Naples aimed at exploiting the widespread bitterness in the earthquake damaged City. A major police Hunt was under Way to find the people where the brigades Are holding Giro Cirillo the prominent neapolitan politician they snatched monday night. Schools kept open Boston saying students have a constitutional right to an adequate a judge yesterday ordered Boston s Public schools to remain open even though there is no Money in the school budget to continue for the students. News Roundup author defended peking Wall posters have appeared at peking University tradition ally at the forefront of chinese Polit ical debate defending a leading author from attacks in the official press Stu dents said today. The Handwritten statements said a banned film written by author Bai Hua which questions the future of China under communism should be shown so that audiences could make up their own minds about it. Protest planned Paris French jewish and anti racist groups plan to demonstrate today at a suburban cemetery where 80 jewish Graves have been defaced with anti semitic slogans and nazi swastikas. The incident occurred saturday on the eve of the Date on which French jews were first deported to nazi concentration Camps during the second world War. Judge arrested Windsor ont. A judge was arrested yesterday and charged with two counts of obstructing Justice. Lloyd Henriksen 48, a judge in provincial court for 13 years was arrested at police Headquarters charged and released on his own recognizance on the condition that he not communicate with Alex Radlin of Windsor. His next court appearance was set for May 12. An information filed against Henrik sen says with possess Ion of stolen property Worth More than was advised to present a false defence. Salvage try set Saint John . An attempt to re float the freighter Opal which went aground feb. 12 off Saint John May be made next week during High tides port officials said yesterday. Burst reported Vancouver Wash. A steam burst from mount St. Helens spurted to about metres above sea level yesterday morning but scientists said they were not attaching any particular significance to the activity. Cottage owners fear heavy tax increase Sands refuses continued from Page 1 Shell provincial Park would pay is stated the draft. A general Levy is also planned to cover 25 per cent of All indirect operating and maintenance costs. This would be charged against All lots including private lots and campsites and would amount to annually at present Levels of expenditures. But what raised the ire of Many members of the audience is the planned one time assignment fee equal to 50 per cent of the increase of Market value of the land Between 1980 and the year of assignment. Although the proposal stipulates no assignment would be payable on a Transfer to a surviving spouse no men Tion is made of the passing of land from an owner to his children which Illi cited Calls of shame and Terri ble from members of the audience. Dubowitz said he was puzzled with the tax increases in Light of comments made in a letter signed by Harry Enns minister of natural resources to the association in february. The letter to Ernst stated there is no new rent Structure proposal1 being advanced by government As pan of the master planning process for the Whitesell provincial Park. There will be no change in leasing fees in 1981, and no decision has been made with respect to year 1982 and subsequent throughout the three and a half hour meeting Doyle reiterated the master plan was Only a draft and he welcomed the input he was receiving from the speakers last night. But Many people complained the planners were not listening to them. They Are receiving our input but they Are going through a charade of Public hearings and in fact Are not listening to us at said Ernst who added the Parks Branch had ignored the association s Brief. I think the rest of it the draft is a smoke screen for them to slip in a tax said the City we re prepared to fight an election about Doyle said there were no plans in the works for a Winnipeg Developer to build a 200-unit condominium resort at big White Shell. Last december 75 per cent of 400 respondents strongly opposed the plan in a Survey sponsored by the provincial government. The director said he plans to present the Park proposals to Enns in Early july. He has scheduled workshops on major parts of the master plan for sometime in May at their office at 200 Vaughan Street and a subsequent meeting to hear briefs in Early june. Copies of the draft plan May be obtained from the Parks Branch. Belfast a prime minister Margaret Thatcher again refused to make any concessions to hunger striker Bobby Sands As the imprisoned Ira guerrilla rejected a personal plea from Pope John Paul to end the fast that has brought him to the verge of death. The government will not be Black said Humphrey Atkins the Cabinet Secretary for Northern Ireland. If or. Sands persists in his wish to commit suicide that is his Thatcher told the House of commons her sympathies Are not with Sands but with the relatives of the civilians Appeal to end his hunger strike and 600 soldiers and police killed since the Irish Republican army launched its guerrilla War in end British Rule in. Northern Ireland v i totally c6ndemrf impose fit terrorism i she More. Than militants marched in Belfast. Last night Demon Strating their fight Back if the mostly roman Catholic Ira carries out its threat of widespread violence if Sands Dies. Earlier yesterday terrorists killed a protestant Soldier of the Ulster defence regiment and wounded another one South of Belfast. Several gasoline bombs were thrown in Belfast but no one was injured and .10 More Ira Mert Ibers Vert reported .arrested3n a a flour of potential Demon stration leaders., v Sands 27, wis in the Fth Day of his fast in Maze prison outside Belfast ind supporters said Jie beginning to lose consciousness. One of three hunger strik ers at the Maze Francis Hughes 25, was reported in serious condition after 45 Days without food. Sands was visited for an hour yester Day by Pope John Paul s Irish private Secretary Rev. John Magee who said the pontiff sent him from Rome on a Mission of but the prisoner s supporters said he stuck to his water and Salt diet and will end the hunger strike Only if the British government agrees to his demands. Leaders of Northern Ireland s protestant majority denounced the Pope s intervention and accused him of joining the Ira s propaganda machine. They asked whether his concern extends to the slain victims of the Catholic guerrillas. Sands serving a 14-year sentence for being found in Possession of arms after a gun Battle with the police and the three other hunger strikers Are de manding that convicted Ira members be Given the same privileges As those Given political prisoners. These include wearing their own clothes instead of prison uniforms doing no prison work associating freely with each other and receiving one visit each week. The British govern ment says this would give political legitimacy to the outlawed Ira s terrorist War to unite Northern Ireland where the protestants outnumber the catholics 2 to 1, with the mostly Catho Lic Irish Republic. Informed sources in sinn fein the Ira s Legal political said Sands lost his sight hearing and speech for a time yesterday afternoon and became unconscious briefly. They said he was Given the last rites of the Catholic Church monday night for the second time within a week. A t ;