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"March 24> 1966 THE THIS WEEK AND NEXT by Ray Argyle The Ottawa Vendetta Any lingering hopes Canadi- ans had that this Parliament would be more effective than the last vanished in a spate of sex and spy charges last week. The ludicrous atmosphere into which the House of Com- mons was plunged resembled nothing less than a gang of ang- ry schoolboys squabbling over a package of chewing gum. The situation was serious, nonetheless, because it raised two important questions: Have there been dangerous breaches of national security, either in the case of Vancouver postal worker Victor Spencer, or in the sex-tinged case of Olga Munsinger? And is the political rivalry be- tween Prime Minister Pearson and Opposition leader Diefen- baker still so bitter that emo- tion rather than reason must dominate Parliament? The answers could be found in the manner in which the two current inquiries -- one into the Spencer case and the other into national security and coun- ter-espionage in general -- came into being. It is known Mr. Pearson had privately favored the holding of such inquiries. He had been unable to sell his cabinet on the idea. But in Parliament, faced with mounting Opposi- 'tion pressure, he reversed his field, as he has done in many other cases recently. The need of the inquiries can- not be questioned. But the tur- moil into which Parliament has to be thrown over every issue of national concern illustrates anew the bitterness of the Dief- enbaker-Pearson confrontations. The spectacle of the prime minister of the land telephoning an accused spy suspect and ask- ing him if he really did want an inquiry into his case would be admirable if it was not ridicu- lous. Spencer, dismissed from his job without a hearing, had ear- ier made it clear that he did in- deed wish an inquiry. No com- ment can be made here on Spencer's guilt or innocence. But the government's strange foot-dragging on granting the man an in camera hearing -- where evidence would be in se- cret and national security would not be affected -- might be rou- tine for Ghana or Russia, but not for Canada. The lesson the government apparently has yet to learn in dealing with national security is that people must either be charged and prosecuted to the full extent of the law, or left alone in peace. Half measures . accusations without prose- cution . . . smack more of back alley gossip mongering than of government by responsible par- liamentarians. The Munsinger case -- which Tory Dalton Camp called, with considerable justification, "the mudslinger case," fits into the same category. Justice Minister Lucien Car- din brought the case to light when, stung by Opposition charges over Ottawa's handling of the Spencer affair, he said in effect that you Tories really don't have anything to talk | about. He then let it be known that Miss Munsinger -- now dead -- was alleged to have had an af- fair with a Conservative cabinet minister in 1961. It is said that Miss Munsinger was an employ- ee of a Communist embassy and that while enjoying the freedom of Canada, engaged in a little free love. Enraged, Mr. Diefen- baker charged the government with trying to "blackmail" him into silence. The point here again is that if | there was any criminal offense, the government -- either of John Diefenbaker or of Lester Pearson -- should have laid charges. But neither did. Yet Mr. Cardin used the case in de- fending his department in 1966, five years after the alleged af- fair. But whatever transpires across the aisles of the House of Commons, the country last week had another reminder that the personal vendetta between the leaders of the two major parties would continue to make a bur- lesque of Parliament. Miss Nicolle Ouellet of Montreal spent the week- end with her parents, Mr.and Mrs.E.Quelett of Schreiber . FISH AND GAME ASSOCIATION NEWS There will be a general meeting on March 3ist at Z.30 p.m. at the Recreation Centre small room. There are several important issues on the agenda for discussion. We also have all the information on the Public Liability Insurance that is available to all members. All boys and girls interested in Hunter NEWS Page 11 THE LARGEST HEARING AID COMPANY IN THE WEST OPENS OFFICE IN FORT WILLIAM TO SERVE THE LAKEHEAD AREA" ROBT. E. ision i ; McCLOCKLIN Precision Hearing Aids from all over the world A Hearing Aid Clinic will be held at the Terrace Bay Motor Hotel on MARCH 25th from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. * CHOICE You benefit when you have a choice and are not restricted to any one make. 35 models to choose from. * EXPERIENCE Serving the hard of hearing for over 14 years. 3 months interchange- able policy for your protection. Also "*LIFETIME SERVICE' ' * GUARANTEES SPECIAL CLINIC PRICES | 6 -#675 Batteries ooo. ces See POWER SST 1 G8 a hae ea ee 6-#841 Batteries ......... ; eee 6 -#813 Batteries .......... 1.80 Custom Ear Molds . see 8a B88 MCLOCKLIN HEARING AID CENTRES LTD. - Chapples Main Store Building 622-9772 Fort William 306 Phone: Safety Training are asked to please register March 31st at 7 p.m. in the small meeting room. STORK CLUB Born to Mr.and Mrs.P.Gutta of Schreiber, a daughter, on March 8th. Born to Mr.and Mrs.Jos.Commisso of Schreiber, a son, on March I7th. Born to Mr.and Mrs. C .Figliomeni of Schreiber, a daughter, on March 8th. Born to Mr.and Mrs. J.F.Anderson of Schreiber, a son, on March 21st. RED CROSS IS ALWAYS THERE WITHYQUR HELP Mr .and Mrs .Jim Rogers of Montreal (nee Judy Thomas) are happy to an- nounce the birth of a baby girl, Kelly-Jo, on March I7th.