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Call the Commission
IN March of last year, the Fisheries Association presented a brief to the special BC legislative committee on fisheries in which it frantically attempted to make a case for allowing Japan to fish halibut in the eastern Bering Sea.
The companies took excerpts from Halibut Commission reports, quoting them out of context and drawing false conclusions.
It went so far as to state that "as a result of . . . exploration by the International Pacific Halibut Commission, it was determined that a distinctly separate halibut stock existed in the eastern Bering Sea on the edge of the continental shelf. This stock, based on scientific evidence, did not move south of the Aleutians and accordingly, for purposes of the treaty, had then to be considered separately."
The Halibut Commission itself, in response to a letter from the Union, denied flatly ever making the statement attributed to it by the Fisheries Association.
The Association attempted to argue that because the Halibut Commission to that time had not set a quota in the eastern Bering Sea. there was no conservation and therefore the halibut in that area did not qualify for continued abstention.
The only reason the Halibut Commission did not set a quota was that it closed the area for five months of the year and its scientists felt this was adequate for conservation purposes.
We recall these events to indicate the blind stupidity of the Association's position in support of the Canadian commissioners who recommended the suicidal course of permitting Japan to fish halibut in the eastern Bering Sea.
We are now reaping the fruits of that policy laid down by the United States and dutifully followed by Canada.
Our present fisheries minister arrived on the scene in time to preside over the destruction of the Bering Sea halibut fishery.
In all this time, the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union was the only clear, unequivocal voice against the sellout of this valuable fisheries resource.
The Union demolished the argument that concessions must be made in order to appease and pacify Japan by pointing out that once the fishery had been ruined, nothing would be left with which to mollify her.
The Bering Sea fishery faces complete closure next year. Area 2 is in bad shape. The proud record of the Halibut Commission in rebuilding the halibut fishery from its ebb in the thirties has been reversed.
The basic point made by the Union on many past occasions and specifically in reply to the Association's brief last year was that "The giveaway on halibut is not based on scientific conservation principles but on political blackmail by Japan."
That political blackmail has been allowed to override the conservation plans of the Halibut Commission and the interests of Canadian and United States fishermen.
Surely the time has come for a reversal of the policies that are rapidly leading to ruination of our halibut fishery.
The UFAWU has demanded an emergency meeting of the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission to deal with this grave crisis.
It takes two of the three nations to call such a meeting.
As Canadians, we call on our government to assume—for once— the initiative in making this move. And we urge the Fisheries Association and all other groups in the fishing industry to join in this demand.
Failure to act can only be described as gross dereliction of duty in the face of a grave emergency.
Rectify Past Injustices
MEMBERS of the Squamish Indian Band this week set up a picket line in front of the twin spired Church in North Vancouver to protest the laying of additional track on the PGE right of way.
Their signs told the story: Canadian People Unfair to Indians, It's Our Land—Leave It Alone; Support Justice for Native People.
We haven't investigated the deal of nearly 50 years ago that ceded a valuable 100 foot wide piece of property fronting the reserve for a reported $11,000. But as far as we are concerned, it was just one of scores of cases in which the Native people were bilked.
A PGE spokesman assured The Fisherman that it was all legal and above board. We imagine he has all the papers to prove that the law was not contravened.
There is often, however, a great gap between law and justice and we have every reason to feel, as many of the Natives do, that in this case justice emerged somewhat tattered.
At one time, access to the water was guaranteed. Now there is only a rough right of way across the PGE tracks. Children must cross the tracks to reach their playground on the other side of the tracks.
The Squamish Indians object that the PGE and CNR started working on the laying of two additional tracks without consulting them. The PGE spokesman said he doesn't have to since it's PGE land.
Legally, we must presume he's right; morally, he's as wrong as can be.
The Indians have made their protest known but where do they go from here? How can they rectify injustices of the past that still persist?
All past land deals made on behalf of the Indians should be subjected to the closest scrutiny. Where the Indians were cheated (and where weren't they cheated?) the past wrongs should be righted.
This is idealistic, of course, because the very people who did the Indians dirt are in powerful places.
An Indian Claims Commission set up, as such organisations as the Native Brotherhood and the UFAWU have proposed, could do the job. But the majority of its members would have to be objective non-Canadians.
And it is obvious too that the Indians will need many, many thousands of dollars to prepare their cases properly.
The North Vancouver case is only one of thousands that need probing and correction.
Certainly all non-Natives who rankle at injustices should raise their voices in a powerful demand for redress of the great mass of wrongs committed against our Indian brothers.
4~~ THE FISHERMAN - JUNE 12, 1964
"I have here a copy of the vacation schedules . . . Yours starts tomorrow ..."
Behind the Headlines
BC Unionists See May Day Parade
By BEN SWANKEY
LAST month, delegations of Vancouver trade unionists went to two widely separated national capitals, Moscow and Havana, to take part in May Day celebrations. Among them were Morris DeFeyter of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union, and Frank Kennedy of the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union.
The Fisherman interviewed them to get their impressions of their visits.
"The First of May is a big holiday over there," said Morris DeFeyter. "Parades are only part of the festivities. They put on special shows and performances. People dance in the streets. It's a day of tribute to labor. Like us, they like to eat, drink and make merry.
"The biggest celebrations were in Moscow, of course. That day the population swelled from seven to 10 million."
* ★ *
WE ASKED HIM IF IT were true that the parades were mainly military.
"Not at all," he replied. "The whole parade lasted about four and a half hours. The military demonstration lasted only about 30 minutes. It consisted of different troops marching past the reviewing stand on Red Square. And then there were jeeps, trucks, tanks, guns and rockets that rushed by at 30 to 40 miles an hour.
"The next section of the parade was made up of youth groups and other organisations. They were dressed in beautifully colored costumes and put on performances in splendid unison. This lasted an hour.
"Then came a three hour parade of labor and industry, with one million people participating. It was the biggest and most impressive demonstration I have ever seen. Scores of factories, plants and collective farms had their own floats. Many of them were huge. The people marched by 40 or 50 abreast with thousands of vividly colored banners and flags.
"The May Day parade showed the pride and happiness of the Russian people in their achievements. And as we saw when we toured the country, they have much to be proud of. But perhaps what stood out most in the parade slogans and in the discussions we had with many people was their great desire for friendship and peace and their sincere interest in Canada and our people."
★ ★ ★
"FOR US," SAID FRANK Kennedy and his wife Louella who toured Cuba with him, "this was certainly the most ex-
citing and interesting parade we ever took part in.
"The Havana May Day celebrations were held in the Plaza of the Revolution, a huge public square in the center of the city covering many blocks. From the reviewing stand we had a good look at everything, including Cuban leaders Fidel Castro and Che Guevera.
"The parade lasted about three hours with 150,000 people taking part. Nobody seemed to mind the heat except some of us among the 63 foreign delegations.
"It was mainly a labor parade, with workers from the factories, plants, offices, and stores. Everything closes down in Havana for May Day — it's a public holiday. But not only workers took part in the parade. Even doctors and nurses marched together in one group in their white uniforms.
"There was so much color. One large group formed itself into the shape of a star as it passed by us. Another formed an enormous Cuban flag. ★    * ★
"WE WERE RATHER SUR-prised by the small part the military had in the parade. The emphasis seemed to be on labor and production instead. An unusual feature of the parade was a large group of soldiers marching by arm in arm with their mothers.
"We were deeply moved when a group of children marching by with flowers broke ranks and presented their flowers to members of foreign delegations as a gesture of friendship.
"When the parade ended, some half a million people gathered in the square for the meeting. Fidel Castro spoke for about two hours.
"The meeting ended with everyone joining hands and singing songs.
"We won't soon forget this May Day and the spirit and enthusiasm of these Cuban people who are busy building socialism. And we won't forget either how friendly and hospitable they were to Canadians."
Both Morris DeFeyter and Frank Kennedy said they would be happy to speak to any organisation or gathering and to show colored slides of their visits to the Soviet Union and Cuba.
Ottawa Report
How Water Used Vital To Canada
By FRANK HOWARD, MP
ONE of the major items with which parliament has been concerned recently is the Columbia River Treaty. This treaty was examined quite extensively in the external affairs committee. The testimony before that committee comprised more than 1,500 pages, much of it highly technical, much of it opinion.
The treaty in itself is important, but so is the connected question of the use of our water resources i n such a way as not to be destructive.
During times of floods one won d e r s whether there - v can be such a thing as a jKk shortage of jm, I water. But, in JSk I fact there not only can be but there is a shortage, a shortage which is more noticeable in some parts of the country than in others.
The Prairies, for instance, have almost historically been short of water at different times. Large metropolitan areas such as Chicago and New York find they are short of water at times.
In the midst of summer, many communities impose restrictions on lawn and garden watering. Strange as it may seem, a few years ago, water was taken by barge to the canneries just outside of Prince Rupert, for they were short of water.
★ ★ ★
COLIN CAMERON, MP FOR Nanaimo-The Islands, spoke about this important question in parliament during the debate on the Columbia River Treaty.
He pointed out that Parsons Engineering Company has developed plans for diverting-the Athabasca, the Peace, the Mackenzie, the Columbia, and the Fraser to satisfy the thirst of the southwestern United States.
This may sound far fetched and it may rouse our nationalistic feelings, but the fact of the matter is that such things are being contemplated.
Various other members have from time to time raised the question of our dwindling water supplies and the pressures that are developing for their use. Perhaps some day we'll do something about it.
★ ★ ★
THE MARINE AND FISHER-ies committee finally got under way with the first of what may well be many meetings regarding the proposed 12 mile fishing zone.
The committee, upon my initial proposal, agreed that we should hire technical and clerical assistance because the subject matter with which we are dealing is most complex and technical, involving the migrating patterns of various species of fish, international law, international trade, and political relations with other countries.
One other committee is also in the process of engaging technical assistance and that is the one dealing with the question of consumer credit.
To an extent this is a breakthrough, for traditionally there has been a refusal to supply such committees with legal or technical assistance.
The primary reason for the refusal has been that committees weren't really supposed to examine anything in depth, but were there to listen to ministers and civil servants support whatever the government position happened to be.
HALIBUT TAG RETURN ASKED
Fishermen have been requested to turn any tags found on halibut over to the Halibut Commission, University of Washington, Seattle.
The Japanese have been tagging halibut in the Bering Sea and one US vessel with a Japanese aboard has also been tagging in the area.
Tags bear the inscription "Japan." Fishermen should pass the tagged fish was caught, when it was taken, and its approximate size.
The Commission pays a small reward for most tags and gives the sender information on where the fish was tagged.