1080 Year Book 1976-77

criminal law was tougher than that of most other John Diefenbaker turned 80, with celebrations in Western countries and that few countries made Ottawa and Saskatoon, Sept. 22, Federal energy such extensive use of prison, Aug. 22, Canada's officials warned that a devetoping coal shortage premiers declared their readiness to discuss wage would likely last at least a decade before new mines and price controls and called for an Immediate could produce enough to meet growing demands. federal-provincial conference to consider cost- Sept. 24, The federal government was considering shared programs, Aug. 24, Premier Robert tough new measures to control Illegal Immigration, Bourassa said that any new Canadian constitution Immigration Robert Andras said. Sepl. 25, would have to give Quebec final say over culture, Transport Minister Jean Marchand announced that language, communications and immigration before the federal government had halted development of his government would accept it, Aug. 25, Canada the new international airport at Pickering, assured the UN it would stand by its commitment Ont. Sept. 26, Prime Minister Trudeau shuffied six to hold the Habitat conference on housing and senior ministers and added two backbenchers to urban life In Vancouver in the summer of 1976 and the federal Cabinet, Jack (Bud) Cullen and Marcel that the PLO, with UN observer status, would be Lessard, A controversy over the application of permitted to attend, Aug. 26, Industry, Trade and Quebec's Official Languages Act led to the sudden Alastair Gillespie said that resignation of Quebec Jerome high wage demands could kill Canada's com­ Choquette, Sept. 30, Ontario Frank petitiveness on world markets and urged Canadian Miller said the Ontario government would send unions to display the kind of responsibility shown neurologists to Japan to consult with experts on by unions In the US, the Federal Republic of mercury poisoning of people who ate contaminated Germany and Japan, Aug. 28, Although the fish, number of students starting classes in the new school year would be down slightly, the cost of October educating them would jump 15,5% to $12,2 billion. Ocl. 7, President Donald MacNeill of the Ontario Statistics Canada reported, Medical Association urged provincial doctors to September withdraw from the Ontario Health Insurance Plan Sept. 2, The Bank of Canada raised Its lending rate to strengthen the association's bargaining for fee to 9%), signalling a period of tight credit; this rate Increases of between 35% and 50%, Special legisla­ was the highest since a record 9,25%) In 1974, Sept. tion to force striking forest, railway, propane and 3, The Quebec Association of Protestant School food industry workers back on the job was passed Boards announced it would start legal action against in a seven-hour emergency session of the British Quebec's Official Languages Act in Quebec Superi­ Columbia legislature, Oct. 9, The rise in the cost of or Court, since the federal government had refused living slowed sharply during September after three to act against the law at the association's request successive months of strong increases totalling 4%, Feb, 17, Sepl, 9, Statistics Canada reported the Oct. 10, The 22,(X)0-member Canadian Union of national seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate Postal Workers voted on a request by its leaders for Increased to 7,3%i in August, the highest since It authority to call a strike; the union was seeking a reached 7,4% in June 1961, Sept. 10, Indian Affairs 71% increase in a one-year contract. The Canadian Minister rejected the concept of a Wheat Board announced a sale to the Soviet Union separate native government within the Northwest of wheat, oats and barley valued at between $80 Territories, Sept. II, The resignation from Cabinet million and $100 million, Oct, 13, Prime Minister of was announced in Trudeau on national television announced an immediate three-year program of penalty-backed Ottawa, A working paper of the Law Reform wage and price controls for a "powerful" segment Commission of Canada stated that divorce should of the economy and warned the controls could last be simplified by making marriage breakdown the until Inflation was tempered, Ocl. 14, Former sole grounds, and criticized the required three-to- Cabinet Minister Jean-Luc Pepin was appointed five year separation period, Sepl. 12, John M, chairman of the new Anti-Inflation Board, and Shaheen, president of Shaheen Natural Resources Beryl Plumptre, Food Prices Review Board chair­ Inc, announced completion of financial arrange­ man, was named his assistant. Statistics Canada ments for a major expansion of the oil refinery at reported that 7,2% of the labour force was Come-By-Chance, Nfld, A government study unemployed In September, a drop of ,01% from Internal Migration and Immigrant Settlement Indicated August, Oct. 15, Action 75-I-: National Conference a reversal of Maritlmers' pattern of leaving their of Decision-Makers organized by the International home provinces to seek work in other parts of the Women's Year Secretariat of the Privy Council country, Sept. 16, The PC government of Premier Office considered such questions as equal oppor­ Frank Moores returned to power in Newfoundland tunity for women employees in industry and how with a comfortable but reduced majority; former advertising and the media depicted women, Oct. 21, Premier Joey Smallwood was returned to the Canada's 22,000 inside postal workers went on legislature after a four-year absence, Sept. 18, strike, Oct. 24, A study of 78 major food processors Ontario voters elected their first minority govern­ and distributors, released by the Food Prices ment in 30 years; the PC government won 51 of 125 Review Board, concluded that food company seats, and the NDP narrowly replaced the Liberals profits did not make a significant contribution to as the official opposition. Former Prime Minister