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Wl-IITBY FREIB I>PRESS,. WEDNESDAY, MIAY 20, 11)81,. PAGE 17 ~u. Ottawa Report By SCOTT FENNELL. MP (PC - ONTARIO) I'm greatly worried by the fanatical hatred possessed by some members of the public for multinational corporations. Poll after poll indicates the public persists in thinking of large oil companies as rip-off artists and a threat to Canada's integrity. This hatred, this sensing of a conspiracy, has been en- couraged by the government. The government wants the public to view private sector oil companies as villains and regard Petro-Canada with a halo. Such an attitude helps Ot- tawa in its savage battle with Alberta. I hope Petro-Canada starts to lose some of its halo - and soon. Its purchase of Petrofina last winter was popular with the public and bad decisions are supposed to be unpopular. Why was the Petrofina purchase a bad decision? Consider: Petrofina consists primarily of a string of gas stations and a refinery. Its purchase will not aid in the move towards oil self-sufficiency. Petrofina was too expensive. Petro-Canada will pay 33 per cent more than it should for the company. Canadian con- sumers are doling out $1.46 billion for an oil firm that, had the government acted a month earlier, could have been taken for $1.2 billion. Petro-Canada proved to be incompetent. The crown cor- poration allowed rumours of the purchase to push Petrofina prices skyhigh. Insider knowledge allowed individuals to make hundreds of thousands of dollars. Petrofina will cost the consumer. Petro-Canada cannot af- ford to buy Petrofina. So the consumer will be taxed at .6 cents a litre to pay for it. Our government ignores these points and hides behind a cloak of Canadian nationalism in defending its actions. At every opportunity the government links Canadian indepen- dence with growth of government, with the private sector being captured by the public sector. Petro-Canada is supposed to be an old hand at the acquisition game. In 1975 it bought Atlantic Richfield for $450 million. In 1978 it was Pacific Petroleum for $1.7 billion. 1981 has seen Petrefina for $1.46 billion. The first two purchases were financed by the government- owned corporation through borrowings on the open market. These borrowings crowded out investment money that was needed by the private sector and thus contributed to greater interest rates. The Petrofina acquisition is to be financed through a Canadians should be more concerned about Petro Can than multinationals mechanism established in last October's budget. A Canadian Ownership Account has been set up by the government. Taxes levied on gas by Ottawa will fill the account and even- tually go towards the Belgian owners of Petrofina. It'd be more accurate to call it a Belgian Ownership Account. My party believes that energy prices must rise. But there's no point in our shelling out more money for gas if the action is not going to encourage Canadian energy develop- ment. And the Petrofina levy will not do this. Petrofina is a political purchase. Petrofina will not help Canada attain oil self-sufficiency. The company has no major holdings in the promising energy areas off the east coast or in Canada's Arctic. Petrofina's production of crude oil is insignificant. But because Petrofina has over 1,000 service stations, using mainly foreign oil, the Liberal government now has 1,000 locations to hang Petro-Canada's sign. Petro-Canada and Energy Minister Marc Lalonde blew their take-over bid. Petrofina's share price took off from $45 per share last June to $75 last October when the National Energy Program was announced. The value of all other oil companies' shares plummeted in response to NEP. But not Petrofina. By January it had reached $90 a share. Petro-Canada will buy Petrofina for $120 a share, or $1.46 billion. Petro-Canada did not need to be frugal in its pur- chase because it knew it was going to pass the cost on com- pleteiy to the average Canadian - even Canadians who don't TYPEWR ITERS ADDING MACHINES • CALCULATORS SALES • SERVICE • RENTALS fill up at Petro-Canada stations. I'm convinced that while Canadians want an independent country, they don't want a socialist one. The Petrofina acquisition is worrisome mainly because the public seems to believe it means the government is doing something for the country. All it really means is that the government is doing something for the government. The next time you pay more a t the gas pumps, don't grum- ble at the oil companies. Grumble at the government. THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF WHITBY NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNERS TO DESTROY NOXIOUS WEEDS Under the provisions of the Weed Control Act of the Provin- ce of Ontario, Public Notice is hereby given to ail owners and occupants of subdivided lands within the Town of Whitby that unless the noxious weeds or weed seeds on any such subdivided lands In the Town of Whitby are destroyed by Friday, June 5, 1981, and throughout the season, the Council of the Town of Whitby has directed the Weed Inspectors for the Region of Durham to cause said noxious weeds or weed seeds to be destroyed In such a manner as they may deem proper, and that the expenses in- curred by the said Weed Inspectors in the discharge of their duties shall be placed on the Collector's Roll of the Town of Whitby against the respective parcels concerned and that such amounts shahl be collected in the same manner as taxes under the Municipal Act. The cooperation of ail citizens is earnestly solicited. Donald G. McKay, B.A., A.M.C.T. Clerk Town of Whitby 575 Rossland Road East Whitby, Ontario L1N 2M8 SUPPORT WHITBY BOY SCOUTS TREES FOR CANADA MAY 23, 1981 WE ARE PLANTING A FOREST AT LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA LOCATED IN WHITBY BETWEEN BASELINE ROAD AND LAKE ONTARIO. The Brooklin and Whitby Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and Rovers will be planting 25,000 trees in a Trees for Canada program on May 23. Each boy will plant 35 trees. When a boy calls at your door, please pledge generously. A pledge of 10¢ per 4ree will raise $3.50 which will be used for scouting activities. NOTICE TO PARENTS AND BOYS 1. You will be bussed from Iroquois Park to Lynde Shores. Do not drive direc- tly to Lynde Shores. 2. Parents are welcome to attend the plant. 3. From departure from Iroquois Park to return should take about 45 minutes. 4. Boys should bring the following: • Spade or shovel. • 4 foot piece of string. • Pledge card. • Wear boots and dress warmly. • Wear top part of uniform and rain- wear if necessary. 5. Coca-Cola will be provided com- pliments of Uxbridge Beverages Limited, bottiers of Coca-Cola. j 4 Kd OAOWIMU~ w PLAwt 5COIJT~ CANADA 6. Your section leader will tell you where to assemble and your time for planting. 7. In case of a severe downpour, the planting will be postponed to Sunday, May 24 at the same time. If such is necessary, an announcement wili be made on CHOO - 1390 A.M. just before the hourly news between 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon. MAY APRIL 22 IP CAMPAIGN PROGRESS APRIL 29 6 MAY 13