Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 21, 1981, Winnipeg, Manitoba I 9 Trade Equality civil rights Liberty a who Floreo Flo Dnn Fri six Lovs a tar if 386 i retort Sta fifes r3g 361 by Edfelt deft news Papsys eff Sipany lined Tete paws 34 de roof danger in the Kent report Lames the Federal minister of Mullieu Latuf who Hig teen Given for Deang with the report of the Kent coff Susslon on stews Pef has premised that some action will at taken by this Suffie of could imply anything from adopting the reports recommendations in total to consigning the ensure document to the wastebasket if the Choice is Between either the latter one would be Fleming presumably got the Job because he is stole or spending Public Money on advertising to Vince canadians contrary to what they might see in the the government is doing a splendid that fact does not encourage so Flem ing will make no comment on the report except to agree that the newspaper business is like no other and has a special Public no one could disagree with it is a truism which ought to be accepted by even those executives in the newspaper chains most inti mately concerned with their balance i the and the of the Kent report ties in its failure to propose practical and equitable ways to ensure that newspapers live up to that Public its proposal that chains be forced to sell some of their papers does Little to achieve that the proposed Sale of the Toronto Globe and mail would do nothing to make that newspaper More in depending on the identity of the new it could Putits integrity at there Are genuine grounds for concern about the owner by a single of every newspaper in one but the commission was not Able to come up with an objective and evenhanded Way to Cope with that it proposes that most questions of divestiture be left up to the potentially arbitrary discretion of its proposed new press rights putting that discretionary Power in the hands of the same organization which would be the final judge of newspapers editorial Content creates a direct threat to Freedom of the in the form proposed by the the divestiture proposals would do Little to restore Competition Between newspapers and much to give the government a club to influence editorial the chief weapon proposed by the commission to encourage greater Public responsibility on the part of newspapers a new status for editors chief would be Likely to have the very opposite effect to the one the commission Hopes to the report proposes that every Chai owned newspaper should appoint an editor chief who be responsible for All its editorial his Job would be defined in a lasting for Between three and seven years and following a form set out in it would establish his full responsibility for policy in accordance with a statement of principles and in carrying out that be in not to the owner or publisher but to an advisory committee made up of journalists and citizens Multi to the governments own press rights in the commissions that contract would become the foundation on which the professionalism and integrity of the journalistic staff As a whole can be the system would begin an evolutionary change the papers which now take their responsibility less that devote fewer resources and less care to its should gradually move up the scale to attitudes which now exist in the better papers and among some in the real the result would be Likely to be quite a and especially an irresponsible proprietor As envisaged by the would have one natural response to a Law which required him to relinquish All journalistic control to an that would be to appoint to that Job the tames and most malleable person he could one who could be trusted not to Rock the boat and one who could be counted on not to get the owner into trouble with the local advisory committee or with the press rights panel which could Wield such Power Over the result would not be to promote More fearless and responsible journalism but to put the editorial control of newspapers into the hands of people whose chief mandate would be to avoid offence to government or local establish As experience in other areas of communication such As radio and television control of Content by government appointed watchdogs does not ensure Excel Lence or the Best it can guarantee is a minimum degree of too Many newspapers in this country can already achieve mediocrity without the help of the the Pursuit of Excel Lence is the responsibility of journalists that Pursuit would be not by the recommendations of the Kent the clash with Libya the american decision to hold naval manoeuvres in the Mediterranean sea in Waters claimed by Libya was in keeping with a policy adopted under the Carter administration of sending ships and planes into areas claimed by other countries that Are not recognized by either the United states or International the policy is intended to underline the fact that the americans will not tolerate unilateral territorial in this it seems Likely that the decision was also an attempt to provoke libyan Leader Muammar khad american officials have denied but not very and they have made Clear that they thought that some sort of reaction from Libya was in any the manoeuvres did provoke two libyan planes attacked two american planes and were shot town in a dogfight that could have serious International it appears that under International Law the americans Are few nations recognize Libya claim to the and the americans position that they were exercising the right to use International Waters when they were attacked is probably but not Many nations will believe that the exercise was As innocent As Early in his president Ronald Reagan announced a policy of applying pressure on Libya in an attempt to Force a Qaddafi to restrain his it was and remains a sound the erratic libyan Leader needs he uses his country Oil wealth to finance International terrorism from Ireland to the Philippines murders his political opponents wherever he can find them around the world is accused of plotting the murders of officials of other countries has declared War or threatened War against half a dozen nations and has used the libyan army to virtually Annex the neighbouring country of left his policies could plunge the whole of Northeast Africa into the United states has been attempting to isolate Libya internationally and has offered Aid and support to Libya neighbors who Are threatened by Khz Addavis expansion is the ultimate Hope is if enough pressure can be it will bring about the colonels there is Little doubt that the world would be a better place if a Qaddafi were no longer Able to meddle in it and most of the would applaud his there is considerable about the Wisdom of this latest american Reagan administration officials have barely bothered to disguise their glee Over the immediate result of the incident the Downing of the two libyan it is that the incident will not end and when they Stop chortling they will have to Start thinking about the consequences of the what these will be is difficult to but there Are certain none of which is one is that the incident will be seen As big Power and increase sympathy for a Qaddafi among some Arab and third world that would be directly counterproductive to american and More ominous is that a Qaddafi will attempt to retaliate against the United he has already threatened to kill americans and hit interests anywhere in the there about americans still in and if the colonel should act against or against americans or interests president Reagan will have to it is a dangerous situation that could have effects that go far beyond letters the Winnipeg free press welcomes letters from writers must give their name and the authors name will be used and letters Are subject to no sympathy it is not my intention to downplay the importance of the air traffic control lers but it is sheer arrogance for any group of people to assume their work is of such supreme importance that they have a Complete monopoly of a certain that they can hold to Ransom the rest of the Community by any Means to get whatever they de i have been a Union member for most of my working and have always been ready to sup Wrt workers on strike for Good but i doubt that the air traffic controllers deserve much i believe in responsible a contract is a when the air traffic on taking the signed an agreement that they would not go on strike while so they must have known what they were doing they must also have known what the word illegal these people were already getting fir bigger incomes than the average user of the and when the head of their Union asked them to go on an controller illegal strike to get still he was hardly giving them Wise it put the members of the Union in the position of challenging the Power of the one of the super Powers the mightiest military Power on Earth will hardly allow itself to be intimidated by a few air traffic the seriousness with which the government took the Challenge was seen in president Ronald reagans Quick he simply told the strik ers they were i have no sympathy for the Reagan it would be too harsh a penalty if the striking air traffic con trollers Are blacklisted for the rest of their i Hope in due course they will get their jobs but if they i Hope they will have Learned the lesson that the surest Way to destroy the Power of any Union is through the irresponsibly use of such Charles Biesick Winnipeg inequitable Canadas tax system is inequitable and hits the working Man the in canadians making More than per year paid no tax 52 per cent of the benefits of Federal tax deductions Are claimed by m per cent of the lowest 20 per cent of income earners received Only one per pent of the total the government should abolish All deductions and maintain a simplified progressive tax free of Loper holes and deductions which favor High income one Howe that the parasitic horde of tax experts and All with a vested interest in keeping the system As Complex a Maje As would Quick cry lobby against any such move that would Benefit the common irian Haeb Pilg Winnipeg sensationalist ethic this is a commentary on the column by Gordon entitled bloody free july we were markedly disappointed by the nature of the by the very manner in which Sinclair gained Access to his info he invaded the privacy of those information exchanged across the triage desk in the emergency department is private and confidential Between triage doctor and Tient not meant for anyone even if patients names Are not this privately embarrasses the patients reporting this information serves Only a sensationalist the article was reminiscent of the melodramatic offensive sensationalism that one sees in Maglanes like the notional the images and emotions were embellished in a biased the emergency department was portrayed As 3 combat Sone and a if one had never been in the health sciences Centre emergency apartment and read this one would probably bring along a pair of brass Knuckles and a can of Mace just for Protection in the waiting no mention was made of the Quality of nursing and physician which in our opinion is the stiff i the health sciences Centre Erner Geney apartment is a Superior group of experienced individuals who offer the Best in care to patients of All kinds not Only As Sinclair refers in them the indigent acre area inner City militia my my my health sciences Centre emergency department Winnipeg birthday Eva born Bright August the premiers Lovely party by Peter Mclintock special to the free press Victoria 22nd annual pre Miers conference has gone into his tory if one May judge what came out of As a very Small footnote in that there is an old arabic saying the jackals but the caravan no one would describe the ten Provin Cial premiers As jackals but when they get together they do tend to although at the recent conference their Barking was muted compared with pre Vious nevertheless it is to be feared that their voices will have about As much Impact on the Federal caravan As those in the arabic Trudeau and company will on their hospitality but if the conference was not notable for any positive it was noteworthy for something else display of British Columbia hospitality which put All previous conferences in the the with a Little help from its friends business firms and even its enemies the Laid on the hospitality and ceremony with a lavish hand so that the 85 official delegates plus some wives and family members and the 143 accredited members of the Media plus some support staff were All but one Manitoba Delegate suggested that the conference Agenda appeared to consist of three Days of social activities with some six hours of work sandwiched in he was not far the evening before the conference proper was marked by a Buffet and entertainment largely eth Nic in the Empress hotel which featured a hefty festive Ontario Premier Bill Davis and his entourage did not endear themselves to victorians when they moved out of the Empress into which they had been booked and Down to the newer Lau Rel Point because the grand old lady of hotels is not air the first evening of the conference saw the premiers at a dinner and dance at government while the press distorted itself As Best it their turn came on thursday night when buses took them to a Salmon Barbecue at the Royal Victoria yacht while the premiers had their own again at government that of those first who wanted were taken Salmon fishing by their the piece de came on the Friday when the and the press were taken by ferry from Victoria Harbor across to the Queen of Prince Rupert Gross tons was taken off her regular Northern run for the occasion to criticism from the ferry workers Union and tied up in Victoria to on Friday came the limousines bearing the while the band of hocs Naden played appropriate tunes to Greet them Vive la Ca Nadienne for Rene squid Biggin ground for Brian Peck red River Valley for guess sunny weather the weather cooperated sunny and the Gulf islands scenery impressed even the Mari once on guests were greeted with lashings of Coffee and tables loaded with danish and other to keep them going until the bar which it did As soon As the Queen left to the accompaniment of a Navy fireboat spouting plumes of rounding the the Queen was joined by the destroyer hocs out from she escorted the ferry for a few executing manoeuvres in her rocketry on her As the ship turned for lined up along the rail at attention and at the while one of the new Aurora patrol planes made three Mas height passes Over it was a most impressive even if it did give Rise to some cynical comments the feds put the Koo Tenay out there in Case somebody throws Bill Davis overboard any minute now Shell ram us amidships and Settle the constitutional debate once and for lunch was described in the Booklet Given to the guests As a Light summer it among other smoked and poached prawns Caribou beef salads fruit cheese Pas tries red and White escort Craft arrival in Vancouver was marked by an escort of police a coast guard Harbor on the pier were the limousines each carried two flags the Canadian Flag and that of the province of the Premier that except Leves ques his carried the Blue and White Quebec Flag there were other Memorabilia of the conference for the guests to take Home to wit a cardboard Box containing a seed Ling a packet of Flower and a most serviceable Garden a cellophane wrapped Wicker Basket containing donated for the most part by business firms and these included a bottle of White wine apples and peaches White chocolate a Box of munchies Tea bags a tin of Salmon a Jar of wildflower Honey Apple juice Lamato juice dried fruit a copy of Beautiful British Columbia Magazine a pack of illustrated Hast notes on and what did it All Cost Bill Bennett is not saying but the round figure for the ferry trip being bandied is All of which poses a problem for Nova Scotia which will Host next years How to match hospitality for a the suggestion is being made of a voyage on the Schooner Bluenose out of confederations coming crises by Leonard Shifrin special to the free press for those wanting to fill in their Here is the schedule of crises of confederation for the 19814983 sea last years Energy and Constitution crises both already Well into innings will continue into at least the Early months of the fall spec Tive of their the fiscal arrangements crisis should get started in Earnest no later than octo in that the Federal govern ment will try to reduce its established programs financing Elf contributions to health and pos secondary Edu cation in the provinces while tightening the conditions which these programs must the provinces will press to have the Elf which expires next Spring renewed without by the time that Issue has been the pension crisis is slated to be under preliminary jockeying has already in a committee of senior officials is at work on an options paper to be released probably in no the Federal government sees the paper setting out the Agenda for Federal provincial discussions of pen Sion which would Start shortly the communique from the recent premiers conference in Vic Toria refers to an inter provincial work ing group engaged to preparing a provincial analysis of options for forming Public and private pension after the provinces have considered the initial report from this expected in says the then the Federal govern ment will be invited to join the re the very first it May be Over who asks whom to the dance and which one gets to pick the according to the the premiers have already identified the key Issue Reform of financing of the current benefits of the Canad Quebec pension in Case you Are Toiv Dering what that a bit of Back grounding is in order time to pay Ever since the Canada pension plan and its Quebec counterpart was launched 15 years it has been collecting More Money in premiums than it has needed to pay out in Bene that extra Money total of has been to the prov Luces in cup benefits jul for the first time exceed and the provinces will have to Start paying Back some of the Money they they that unless the contribution rate is increased before then that is what the provinces mean when they refer to Reform of financing of current Ottawa Sugges Tion that changes in Premium rates be considered in conjunction with Benefit reforms does not please them at the provincial common front begins and ends with the question of loan on matters of More substantive Ontario and Saskatchewan advocate opposite courses while the other eight like the Federal government have yet to take a everyone agrees that employer pen Sions have to be Ontario says that is All that is Saskatchewan insists that ensuring adequate retirement incomes Means expanding the cup As of those who have not yet taken sides in that Quebec is the most the Canada and Quebec pension plans were designed to Mirror one because for Quebec to have a different pension scheme from that of the other nine provinces would represent a Balkans Zapun of Canad Normal mobility of workers Between Quebec and the rest of the country would be impeded if they were unable to Transfer their pension credits from one plan to the other when they that is still the Case if the Canada pension plan is substantially expanded and the Quebec plan is not or vice versa transferability will end and mobility will be discouraged four years a commission appointed by the Quebec government pro posed a major Quebec pension plan in the tradition of Federal Irwi Nyczaj the Levesque govern ment has yet to give any indication whether or not it intends to act on that ;