2 — The Prince George Citizen — Monday, July 18,1988 Provincial B.C P r o b l e m s p i l i n g u p BCGEU d e m a n d s f o r B . C / s p r e m i e r ' c o s t l y ' by STEVE MERTL Canadian Press VICTORIA (CP) - The B.C. VANCOUVER — It was a bad week in a string of Government Employees’ Union ha£ bad weeks for Bill Vander Zalm. tabled non-wage demands which The premier of British Columbia was facing a would cost taxpayers almost $100 calls for a leadership review from within his Social million, the government’s chief ne­ Credit caucus, stirrings in party grassroots, more gotiator said Sunday. flak aimed at his principal adviser and, out of left Bob Plecas said the union has field, suggestions that he was consulting a numero- not yet made specific wage de­ logist on government policy. mands in its contract talks, except But Vander Zalm let his anger show only briefly, to indicate that it will seek “cat­ when word got out that his office had a $1,500 con­ chup” increases. tract with a numerologist. The agreement with Jud Union president John Shields Cyllorn, who said he was hired to advise the premier said earlier that five years of fiscal on immigration and economic policy, was promptly withdrawn. restraint have put his 29,000 mem­|T^) Direction and speed of system motion A A A. ColdA front “I am a practical kind of guy and I don’t believe bers an average of 17 per cent be­ in that kind of garbage,” said Vander Zalm, who hind their counterparts in the pri­ 0 Rain or snow showers Warm front then attacked the Vancouver Province for running vate sector and other levels of gov­ the story. —7 ernment. r — ?■ Upper level front Stationary front “I can stand a lot of flak but not a fabricated Plecas said talks, which began (Temperatures are maximum and minimum for past 24 hours) attempt to destroy me, my family and my office,” six weeks ago and resume here to­ he said. day, have become bogged down in But otherwise, Vander Zalm kept a stiff upper lip per cent, zero per cent tonight and discussion of non-wage proposals. above the turmoil swirling around him. The contract expires July 31. zero per cent Tuesday. He seemed unfazed by the idea that, less than two “It has been frustrating not W e a t h e r North Vancouver Island. West years into the Social Credit government’s mandate, knowing what their total package Vancouver Island: Mainly sunny. senior party members wanted to review the leader­ Highs 18 near the coast to 26 in­ ship of the man who gave them a convincing elector­ would cost,” Plecas said in a news Immediate Prince George area: land. Tonight, clear. Lows near 9. al victory. release. “The proposals they have The forecast calls for clear skies Tuesday, sunny. Highs 19 near the Vander Zalm faced more fallout from his cabinet presented so far, in areas like be­ overnight and Tuesday with no coast to 27 inland. Probability of mid-term cabinet shuffle about 10 days ago. Execu­ nefits and job security, are already likelihood of rain. The temperature precipitation zero per cent, zero tives from the five Vancouver ridings met him on incredibly costly.” is expected to rise to near 23 to­ per cent tonight and zero per cent Friday to complain that the city of more than 450,000 For example, said Plecas, the day. dropping to near 6 overnight Tuesday. didn’t get one seat in the new cabinet. union is demanding severance pay and rising to near 25 Tuesday. Northern Mainland: Mainly sun­ “We have many cabinet members who are almost for any worker affected by privati­ For the next 24 hours there is no within walking distance of the city limits, including PREMIER VANDER ZALM ny. Highs 17 along the coast to 24 zation. He said the government probability of precipitation. myself,” the premier said after the meeting. “So inland. Tonight, clear. Lows near expects those employees will be Sunday's high was 18. the over­ there is darn good representation.” self,” said Fraser, who claimed the Socred back­ 9. Tuesday, mainly sunny. Highs 18 doing the same job in the same lo­ night low was 4. there was no pre­ But the Socred officials left the meeting unhappy. benches held a “group of eight” dissidents. coast to 25 inland. Probability of cation, except that they will be cipitation and 3.4 hours of sunshine Regional director Jim McLean pointedly refused to Alex Fraser, another former minister consigned to precipitation zero per cent, zero working in the private sector or for was recorded at the airport weath­ say whether the Vancouver executives still support­ the backbenches, also promised to work to unseat per cent tonight and zero per cent ed the premier. their own companies. er office. • Vander Zalm. Tuesday. “They support the party and they’re behind the “I’d do anything to get rid of Vander Zalm,” he “But the union is demanding sev­ A year ago today the high was Queen Charlottes: Mainly sunny. strengthening of the party and anything that can said. erance for them,” he said. “This 26. the overnight low was 10. there Highs near 18. Tonight, clear. help us to get re-elected,” he said. Most of the fuss centres on the continuing in­ form of double-dipping would cost was no precipitation and 15 hours Lows near 10. Tuesday, mainly The shuffle brought a lot of discontent to the sur­ fluence of Vander Zalm’s principal secretary, David more than $70 million over the next of sunshine. sunny. Highs near 18. Probability face. Poole. Smith and McCarthy complained the Poole year.” Sunset today is at 9:30 p.m . and of precipitation zero per cent, zero Economic Development Minister Grace McCarthy and his staff were interfering in their ministries. sunrise Tuesday is at 5:05 a.m . Dealership fund? per cent tonight and zero per cent resigned on the eve of the restructuring which in­ “The people have lost confidence in the premier Chilcotin, Cariboo, Central Interi­ Tuesday. creased the cabinet to 22 members from 17, but partly because of his ludicrous devotion to David KAMLOOPS, B.C. (CP) - Con­ eliminated her ministry. or: Sunny. Highs near 22. Tonight, ^Thompson, Okanagan. West Poole,” said one party insider in an interview with sumer Affairs Minister Lyall Han­ She joined Brian Smith, who quit his attorney gen­ the Vancouver Province. clear. Lows near 7. Tuesday, sun­ Kootenay: Sunny. Highs near 30. son says he wants to beef up regu­ eral’s portfolio the previous week, echoing his com­ Poole came under fire again last week with word ny. Highs near 25. Probability of Tonight, clear. Lows near 11. Tues­ lations protecting consumers from plaints that the premier’s office was interfering too that he had arranged a meeting for another prospec­ precipitation zero per cent, zero day. sunny. Highs near 31. Proba­ dishonest car dealerships. much in their ministries. tive buyer of Crown property with the head of B.C. per cent tonight and zero per cent bility of precipitation zero per Hanson, himself a former car Socred caucus chairman Carol Gran, who hoped in Enterprise Corp., the agency assigned to sell off Tuesday. cent, zero per cent tonight and zero dealer, says dealers are currently vain for a cabinet post, joined the growing list of large parcels of Crown land. Greater Vancouver: Sunny. per cent Tuesday. party members questioning Vander Zalm’s leader­ Peter Brown, former chairman of the corporation, required to take out a $5,000 bond. Highs 23 near the water to 28 in­ East Kootenay. Columbia: Sun­ ship. said Poole told him in a breakfast meeting last year But he says cars often cost much land. Tonight, clear. Lows near 12. ny. Highs near 26. Tonight, clear. “There is no question that we have a problem with that Vander Zalm wanted a bid by a party supporter more than that today. Tuesday, sunny. Highs 25 to 29. Lows near 10. Tuesday, sunny. leadership,” said Gran after reports that McCarthy to prevail on a parcel of land in the Vancouver sub­ Hanson says he would like to see Probability of precipitation zero Highs near 28. Probability of pre­ had been working quietly behind the scenes for urb of Burnaby. a global fund put together by car per cent, zero per cent tonight and cipitation zero per cent, zero per weeks to tackle Vander Zalm. “I don’t recollect making that statement to Mr. dealerships which would pay out zero per cent Tuesday. cent tonight and zero per cent McCarthy denied she was angling for a leadership Brown at that meeting," Poole responded. claims made by consumers who Greater Victoria: Sunny. Highs Tuesday. review at the party’s October convention but said Brown said Bill Langus, who wanted to buy the feel they’ve been cheated. near 25. Tonight, clear. Lows near she “wouldn’t want to miss a chance to be part of a property, was also given details of competing bids 10. Tuesday, sunny. Highs near 29. (leadership) review or decision,” at a caucus meet­ by Poole. The land was eventually sold to another Attacker shot Probability of precipitation zero T ourist alert ing next month. buyer because the corporation refused to met meet Gran, who stood by Vander Zalm after Smith’s certain conditions demanded by Langus.