THE FISHERMAN, DECEMBER 16, 1996
If you live in the Nanaimo area, you might have seen a lot of buttons like the one on this page as seiner and UFAWU executive board member Garth Mirau goes for the NDP nomination in the federal riding of Nanaimo, a seat currendy held by the Reform Part)-.
Mirau acknowledges it will be a horse z , race, but he's been working hard and he comes with a long record of service in the community. "I think it's about time that actual working people had a voice in Ottawa," he says.
The nominating meeting is set for 1 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Frank Jamieson Recreational Centre in Ladysmith. Mirau would welcome the support of any fishermen or industry workers who are members of the NDP.
The people who lined up in the bracing cold of a November 17 morning in New Westminster for their $8 buckets of herring—still the best seafood bargain on the coast—probably didn't know
how lucky they were when they left the Westminster Quay carrying fish. For except for the small amount of herring that was available at the rain-drenched sale in Nanaimo Dec.7, there wasn't much herring to be had this year.
Foul weather and some really tough breaks seemed to conspire against getting the fish to the big sales planned for Dec. 1 at Steveston and False Creek as well as those Gibson's and Pender Harbour. Skipper Barry Curie who volunteered to operate the Sleep Robber ran into the worst luck during a set in the Gulf Nov. 28. The crew had begun pumping but a strap broke as they were drying up the net and the herring still left in the seine dived. As they tried to bring the net back up, the force twisted the boom, bending it, as one crew member later described it, "like a pretzel." To make matters worse, they had to cut out a huge section of webbing to get rid of the fish in the net. B.C. Packers did try to get another boat and crew together but by then, gale
force winds were blowing.
Even at that, the Sleep Robber did manage to bring in 11 tons of herring. Although it might have been enough to provide fish for one sale, the estimate at the time it was loaded on the packer was much lower and it was taken to S and M Products and sold. As with the sales themselves, the proceeds will be divided equally between CKNW and the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation.
We hadn't realized how sensitive the issue of the name is to the Gulf and Fraser Fishermen's Credit Union
when we wrote the piece is this column last month, noting the donation to the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation. And we certainly had assumed, as had many others in the industry, that there had been a name change to drop the word "Fishermen's," as indicated by the name above the front door and the logo that runs with credit union ads in The Fisherman.
But that's not quite the case,
GAFF's Greg Smith from head office tells us. He sent along the following explanation: "Gulf and Fraser Fishermen's Credit Union is still the legally registered name of the organization. The credit union has for many years had an open bond regarding membership. In other worlds, we welcome all members, regardless of occupation. To continue to attract new members from all walks of life and to strengthen the organization, we felt it prudent to drop the word Fishermen's in our marketing activities. Surveys indicated that people often believed that employment or direct affiliation with the fishing
industry was necessary for membership.
"We are and will continue to be very aware of our roots. Our commitment to the fishing industry remains as ardent today as when we first opened our doors 56 years ago. The official corporate logo is a symbol of this dedication. We are continually striving to develop products and services to serve you better. We feel this is best achieved by attracting new members who help strengthen our financial base. The name Gulf and Fraser binds the organization geographically to the West Coast, the ocean and the Lower Mainland. It's a name that has resonance in all our communities."
SMC'""' '
SLEEP ROBBER herring sale.
gear problems force cancellation of
Season's Greetings
Our sincere wish for a Happy Holiday goes out to you and your family May the New Year bring us a peaceful, just world and a safe and successful fishing season.
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TheTiJherman
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from THE FISHERMAN Sean Griffin Angela Kenyon Dave Watt
From the officers and staff of the
UNITED FISHERMEN AND ALLIED WORKERS' UNION Jim Blair Sandi Brice Mae Burrows
Joanne Demmery Irvin Figg
Sandra Gertsch Bob Grant
Nettie Kachmar David Lane
Bruce Logan Christina Nelson John Radosevic Danielle Sciarretta Jim Sinclair Shannon Solby Barb Stevens John Sutcliffe Joy Thorkelson
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