European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday december 19. 1968 the stars and stripes Page 3 Canada Trade Bill deadline nears Mulroney intends to ram through plan Ottawa not faced with last ditch opposition in parliament inc Canadian government has Sci a punishing debate schedule id Force through legislation ratifying inc country s free Trade agreement with the United slates before the Jan. I deadline. Although the opposition parties had pledged not to impede passage of the agreement after losing last month s general election the bitter dispute Over the pact resumed when parliament reconvened Las week. With he opposition threatening to drag out the de Bate for weeks the government used its mouse of commons majority to suspend parliamentary Rule Sand require morning to Midnight debate for four Days this week. The suspension of the rules a lactic employed Only handful of times in the past Century added intensity to the hostile atmosphere m the new parliament. Bui by using its majority to close off debate at each stage of the legislative process the government is confident that it can win final approval for the Trade Bill in he House of commons by Christmas eve. The Only remaining step required before ratification would be inc approval of the Senate the appointed Tipper House of parliament which forced the general election in november when it blocked passage of the Trade Bill in inc last parliament. Senate leaders have said they will accept the Man Date won by the progressive conservative govern ment in the election when it took 169 of the 295 commons seals and give speedy approval to the legis lation. Prime minister Drian Mulroney would then be a Leto inform president Reagan of Canada s readiness to begin bringing the pact into Force at Midnight dec 31the Dale agreed on when negotiations concluded 14 months ago. The pact will fundamentally change economic relations Between the two countries. All Tariff s on merchandise Trade Are scheduled to be eliminated Over 10 years and Many other restrictions arc due to be eased. The Lone of debate when inc newly elected House of commons gathered dec. 12 was reminiscent of the election Campaign when divisions Over the Trade pact stirred anger and occasional violence of a kind that Canada has rarely seen in its 121-year history. The opposition liberals and new democrats have described the pact As a formula for Canada s assimilation into inc United states. But by dividing the votes of people against the pact they enabled the progressive conservatives to gain the majority of seals needed to ensure ratification. The conservatives won Only 43 percent of the 13.1million Voles cast against a total of 53 percent for the liberals and new democrats. These figures have been cited by the opposition leaders As justification for continuing their struggle against the Trade pad. Freed from trap of rubble a Hon uni entombed for Days beneath quake rabble grasps the Stretcher As her rescuers carry her id  62-year-old armenian turn alive for More than 243 hour was discovered saturday and freed Frum her trap of debris by a czech Rescue team in Leni Nakan acuity that was levelled by he Kilter earthquake. Strikers at ,--pwned Plant most Canadian men and women fully realize that this is a bad agreement Liberal Leader John Turner said in parliament. The government has noted that the British parliamentary system inherited by Canada rests on the principle thai governments receive their authority from majority support in parliament  the popular vote. Another Issue raising passions has been the plan closures and Job losses announced by Canadian and . Companies in Canada since the Doc Ion. Opposition leaders claiming that 2,400 jobs have been lost have blamed the Trade pact. Canadians feel helpless As we arc now about to be absorbed remorse Lessly into the american orbit Turner said. While acknowledging that some jobs will be lost in government has said Tricy will be More than offset by new investments there Are going to be tens of thousands of Job created John Crosbie the International Trade min ister told the House of commons. But with unusual Candor Crosbie also acknowledged that even inc govern Cal could nol be certain of Canada s fortunes under the pact. It will Only be into three four or five years time that we will know How Good this agreement will be for Canada or whether any of the fears that have been voiced Are justified hcs Aid. 5 killed in attack on politician s sri lankan Home Colombo sri Lanka a gunmen stormed into inc Home of a prominent opposition politician who once belonged to the governing party and killed five people sunday the eve of presidential elections police said. Seven other people were critically wounded at the Home of Neville Fernando in Pii Nadura nine Miles South of Colombo police said. Fernando escaped injury but was hospitalized for Shock pan Adura police blamed the attack on the people liberation front a group of sinhalese extremists that has vowed to Stop monday s election. But they offered no proof for his theory. Fernando a sinhalese formerly belonged to presi Dent Junius r. Jayc wardens s United National party but left it to work for the sri Lanka Freedom part headed by presidential candidate and former prime min liter sin Avo Bandaranaike. The presidential election has been preceded by Waves of killings Badii cimons and attacks on Campaign rallies in escalating violence that grew out of ethnic conflicts Between the sinhalese majority and the tamil minority. " but the bloodshed that has claimed More than 9.000lives in the past five years is no longer a clearly defined conflict Between sinhalese and tamils. Sinhalese Are Killi Tig fellow sinhalese rival tamil actions cd Kwh with one another the tiny moslem minority has been targeted by hindu tamils and India peacekeeping forces have been trying for nearly 17 months to contain and disarm the most belligerent tamil separatists. Fairfield Ohio a striking workers at a government owned uranium processing Plant voted overwhelmingly saturday to approve a partial con tract settlement with the company that operates inc facility a spokesman said. The settlement will allow 625 workers who have been on strike since oct. 7, to return to work monday said Plant spokesman Pete Kelley. However about250 of the workers lost their jobs last week to layoffs resulting from decreased production demands fallacy said members of 14 unions rep resented by the Fernald atomic trades and labor Council approved the agreement by a 3-to-1 ratio. The Plant formally known As the feed materials production Center is in for Bald 18 Miles Northwest of Cincinnati us production has been halted since the strike began. The Plant owned by the . Department of Energy processes uranium the government uses in nuclear weapons. ". " since the strike the Plant has become embroiled in controversy after the department admitted that radioactive material leaked into the environment overs 30-year period ,. The Energy department has pledge itself to a massive cleanup and recent reports indicate the department is considering Closi he the facility a orc Thor. The striking workers met Friday and heard details of the proposed settlement. When they struck in october Union leaders said the dispute was not Over wages but Over fringe benefits and retire Merit programs. They said the company wanted workers to pay More for benefits. The agreement includes a new health insurance program but no pay increase. Under the agreement workers can re turn to work and pursue up to 4,000 safety and health  Mclntyre a worker at the Plant who has received his Layoff notice said he voted to accept inc contract so he could receive his Severance benefits. I be already received my order saying i d be let go. I voted for it so i can take the Money i m entitled to get out an find another Job Mclntyre said. Vietnam refinery opens Bangkok Thailand up Viet Nam s first Small Oil refinery has begun operations with a capacity of