[asia-apec 822] Van Sun: Liberals defeat motion to fund APEC complainants

[David Webster]

Last Updated: Wednesday 21 October 1998       TOP STORIES
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B.C. MPs help kill APEC legal help
The Vancouver Sun

Peter O'Neil, Sun Ottawa Bureau
Vancouver Sun

                  OTTAWA -- B.C.
Liberal MPs voted
with their caucus
colleagues Tuesday to
help defeat an
opposition motion
calling on the
federal government to
fund student complainants at the APEC inquiry.

                  The seven B.C. Liberals helped kill the motion by a 135
                  to 105 count, even though the federal party's B.C. wing
                  voted Sunday in Whistler in favour of asking the
                  government to help defray the protesters' legal costs.

                  Only Two Liberal MPs, Montreal-area MP Clifford Lincoln
                  and Toronto MP John Godfrey, showed any resistance to
                  the government whip. They abstained, triggering cheers
                  and catcalls from Reform, Bloc Quebecois, New Democratic
                  Party, and Progressive Conservative MPs who united to
                  support funding the complainants at the inquiry into
                  events last fall at the Asia Pacific Economic
                  Cooperation forum in Vancouver.

                  Liberal MP McWhinney (Vancouver Quadra), who represents
                  the UBC area where the violent APEC demonstrations took
                  place, and who publicly supports government funding for
                  the students, acknowledged he was uncomfortable voting
                  against the wishes of the majority of grass-roots B.C.
                  Liberals.

                  "In a situation like this you just have to grit your
                  teeth," said McWhinney, who withstood opposition
                  accusations that he and other MPs were acting like
                  "trained seals."

                  "We're concerned obviously. It means you've got to do a
                  great deal of work educating people that ours is a
                  reasonable position."

                  But McWhinney and other Liberals said they were obliged
                  to support the government position because opposition
                  MPs are using the funding issue to score political
                  points.

                  Secretary of State Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre) said she
                  once felt, as a narrow majority of delegates did at the
                  Whistler convention, that the students need legal aid
                  while going against high-priced government and RCMP
                  lawyers at the inquiry. "I have now looked at the facts
                  . . . and I think I'm pleased that the commission will
                  be able to get to the truth," Fry said.

                  Rookie Liberal MP Sophia Leung (Vancouver Kingsway), who
                  abandoned the Commons finance committee in Saskatoon fly
                  to Ottawa for the vote, pointed out that some B.C.
                  Liberals voted against funding students. The resolution,
                  advanced by the party's youth wing, was passed by a
                  narrow 105-95 margin in Whistler.

                  Revenue Minister Herb Dhaliwal (Vancouver-South Burnaby)
                  said he doesn't feel compelled to always vote in
                  accordance with the resolution of B.C. grass-roots
                  Liberals.

                  "We have to look at those resolutions as a guide for
                  government policy . . . But we don't respond to every
                  resolution that comes forward."

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 \   /    "Long words Bother me."
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